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In Part I of our discussion of Pray the Gay Away by Bernadette Barton, I discussed her basic approach to researching the experiences of sexual minorities in the Bible belt. I shared that there is a lot of important information and experiences to appreciate here, particularly for those who identify as Christians. I did note, however, that her book was limited in important ways by her approach to data analysis that drew so heavily on Foucault and theories of power and domination. Let's pick up our discussion.
In reading Pray the Gay Away, I was reminded at times of Michelle Wolkomir's ethnographic study that was published in book form as Be Not Deceived. It was a study of gay and ex-gay Christians. In that study, Wolkomir offered an analysis of how both groups of men had to make a maneuver that allowed themselves to remain Christians. She described how gay Christians who were part of the Metropolitan Community Church utilized a hermeneutic of inclusivity and love to facilitate a way to retain a Christian identity. In contrast, ex-gay Christians who were part of Exodus International affiliated ministries followed a hermeneutic of righteousness–denying themselves same-sex intimacy/behavior–in order to retain a Christian identity. According to Wolkomir, both groups utilized similar strategies, such as small groups, to create the necessary emotional atmospheres that fostered the kind of identity and community needed to make the transition.
In some regards, Wolkomir critiques both groups of men out of a comparable lens (drawing on elements of queer theory). But the steps she took to critique both ways of navigating being a sexual minority and a Christian offered important insights. Neither group was demonized, though she pointed out concerns that she had for both strategies and clearly held to a different worldview altogether.
This reader ended Pray the Gay Away wondering if Barton understands the faith and belief structure of Christians. She seems to understand, identify, and articulate ways in which abuses of sexual minorities can result from specific beliefs held by some Christians and encounters with those who identify as Christian. These stories are powerful and sobering. They need to be heard. But it is unclear the extent to which she understands the beliefs themselves and why they might matter in the life of a Christian or of a church – apart from an a priori commitment to a theory that asserts Christians sustain and protect existing power structures that allow a segment of the population to dominate and control others. I think that would be the result from a different way of conducting the research and analyzing the data, of engaging a region, of participating in the lived experiences of those who identify as Christians, even those who identify as fundamentalist Christians.
Most of you who read this blog know that I am a Christian. After all, this blog is about the integration of Christianity and psychology. I am not a fundamentalist Christian, however. I do know several fundamentalist Christians, some of whom (at least in certain beliefs and assumptions) can be seen in the folks Barton encounters in her book. Others would not recognize themselves in some of the exchanges.So there is likely more diversity and complexity in that region and among even this kind of Christian than is offered, and the reader gets the sense that Barton is aware of that.
Early on in the book, Barton recognizes there are difficulties in defining what she is targeting. There is fundamentalism. There is the Religious Right. There are evangelicals. There are conservative Christians. All of these terms are brought into the discussion from time to time. The problem with this is that by sampling certain experiences with fundamentalists but then muddying the water with all of these other designations, the reader is left with can be a bias against all forms of Christianity that are not explicitly gay affirmative in the way Barton envisions. That is, if a Christian does not view same-sex behavior as a morally good, natural expression of a person's identity–a person whose very well-being is predicated on such expressions, one is the kind of Christian reflected in the stories of abuse documented here. Yet there are Christian who hold those beliefs and values (that is, a traditional Christian sexual ethic) who are not abusive to sexual minorities. Some may be fundamentalists; many others are not.
"…I now understand that a certain percentage of conservative Christians are unlikely to change their belief systems to accommodate homosexuality no matter what arguments or evidence is offered" (p. 226). Are we speaking, then, of fundamentalist Christians or conservative Christians? Is it the Religious Right? Evangelicals? Conservative Catholics? Well, it's all of those at this point–but the case is made compelling because of the examples of abuse from some fundamentalists.
A more helpful engagement would have taken the time to reflect on this question: if there are those who adhere to a traditional Christian sexual ethic, why is that? Can the reasons be reduced to power/domination? Is that a true assertion? In other words, it is not an assertion that is argued for; it is assumed, and this leaves the reader with a truncated view of any form of Christianity that is, again, not committed to a gay affirmative position as held by the researcher. The encounters and experiences Barton identifies and (rightly) challenges are those that are abusive to sexual minorities. However, what is ultimately being challenged is not a narrow strip of fundamentalism but a broader expression of Christianity (historic and global) that reaches a different conclusion than Barton about sexual ethics. If we define as abuse any disagreement about complex issues that are tied to broader worldview considerations (such as sexual ethics), then we are not going to have as meaningful an exchange of ideas. That discussion does not occur in this book.
Barton writes: "….some individual and institutions are unlikely to ever embrace homosexuality as part of God's design…" (p. 227). The focus, then, is not, "What is a Christian sexual ethic and how can we better understand why that matters in the lives of Christians, including gay Christians (e.g., Wes Hill, Ron Belgau, Eve Tushnet). Nor is the focus on coexistence in a society with diverse view of a complex matter in which people may reach different conclusions (matters of ethics and morality). Rather, the impression I had was that any lack of movement toward Barton's perspective is the result of a kind of fundamentalism associated with a literal reading of the Bible, belief in Creationism, and violence toward sexual minorities. It is one conclusion that can be reached from the kind of analysis Barton relies upon–an analysis of power and domination–but it is not the only analysis available, nor is it the only conclusion that can be drawn from an intimate knowledge of both the mainstream gay community and conservative Christianity.
This may seem like an aside, but let me also comment on one of the more memorable chapters. It was the one on creationism, which seemed out of place in the book, but I think I understand why it was included. I think it was meant to illustrate the kind of mindset that fuels the very abuses documented in the book. It was fascinating to read the visceral reaction of Barton's students to the Creation Museum. (I have to say I've never visited it, so maybe I would also have a strong reaction.) This was probably the most difficult chapter for me to fully appreciate, and I cannot quite put my finger on the issue. It seemed that the very exposure of the students to this way of thinking (fundamentalist Christianity) was a significant threat to their well-being. (I have witnessed this with other sexual minorities who were not from the Bible belt and were actually in significant positions of influence.) I don't think there is any one explanation for this; I suspect there could be many contributing factors. The obvious one presented in the book is the power/domination of the form of Christianity on display. I think that is definitely part of the explanation. If a person believes they are condemned in the eyes of those around them, exposure to institutions that represent that power will draw a strong, negative response.
I also wondered if the response is in any way primed when students are taught out of a worldview that frames these exchanges in power and domination rather than other explanatory frameworks. (Yes, I recognize that from the power/domination framework, I will be viewed as simply defending and justifying the power structures under scrutiny, but then there is no possible critique–the power simply shifts to those who keep others silent.) I don't know, but if there is any possibility of moving forward as a culture, there might be something here worth exploring further. Can we be cued to interpret data as a threat in ways that actually gives that person/institution more power to do greater emotional damage to sexual minorities? Take this as me thinking out loud here. Again, I'm struggling to understand. What I do know is that we are left an important need that has not yet been met: how to talk with one another about these differences, as well as how we create better atmospheres for substantive diversity. I recall one author sharing that substantive diversity will have elements in it that are really difficult for us, sometimes so much so that we experience it as offensive. The way forward, it seems to me, is not to excuse, minimize, or defend abusive actions toward those who are in the minority; nor is it to reduce the diversity by demanding consensus on matters reflecting formed judgments about complex issues such as morality and ethics.
I will close with this: I am frequently exposed to people who believe that by virtue of being a Christian, I am a bigot. I have seen Christians equated with Nazis (this happens in Barton's book). I have seen Christians equated with the KKK (also in this book). These are not ways to move society toward greater mutual understanding and respect. Christians would do well to study if there are changes that can be made so as not to contribute to that emotional experience. But critics of Christianity would do well to understand a sexual ethic out of that religion (and many other world religions) rather than reduce it to caricature. We need to find ways to foster the kinds of relationships that can sustain extended discussions of genuine differences in a diverse society. I doubt that drawing on theories of oppression to "unpack the mechanisms of domination" will aid in that process, if that is the only step taken, and if all of our recommendations are derived from that without any consideration for other perspectives. I suspect such a maneuver will do the opposite, that is, it will contribute to the culture wars in ways that have real consequences, such as when religious liberties are curtailed in the name of the tolerance that is being asserted.
That is another topic altogether. It is one worthy of its own post or two. For now, let me bring this to a close by saying I genuinely appreciated reading Barton's book. It is thought-provoking to say the least. As in any similar endeavor, it is important to identify what can be learned from these kinds of analyses. To reject these experiences out of hand would be a mistake for the church. At the same time, there is much that needs to be done to foster mutual respect and understanding, and everyone is going to need to contribute toward that end if we hope to move forward on these complex matters.


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Gaps Are Common for Children and Usually Harmless, But Sometimes Require Treatment
Gaps between Baby Teeth
Known as diastema, gaps between teeth are especially common in kids. As children grow up, these spaces tend to close naturally when the adult teeth erupt.
Permanent Diastema
If gaps remain after all the adult teeth erupt, they become permanent and will require professional diastema treatment.
Gaps from Missing Teeth
Another common type of gap is caused when teeth fall out or require extraction. These types of gaps require prompt treatment to prevent serious side effects, such as shifting teeth.

subset: commoncrawl


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Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2004
According to Current Population Survey estimates for 2004, some 73.9 million American workers were paid at hourly rates, representing 59.8 percent of all wage and salary workers.1 Of those paid by the hour, 520,000 were reported as earning exactly $5.15, the prevailing Federal minimum wage, and another 1.5 million were reported earning wages below the minimum.2 Together, these 2.0 million workers with wages at or below the minimum made up 2.7 percent of all hourly-paid workers. Tables 1 - 10 present data on a wide array of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics for hourly-paid workers earning at or below the Federal minimum wage. The following are some highlights from the 2004 data.
- Minimum wage workers tend to be young. About half of all hourly-paid workers earning $5.15 or less were under age 25, and about one-fourth were age 16-19. Among teenagers, about 9 percent earned $5.15 or less. About 2 percent of workers age 25 and over earned the minimum wage or less. Among those age 65 and over, the proportion was 4 percent. (See table 1 and table 7.)
- About 4 percent of women paid hourly rates reported wages at or below the prevailing Federal minimum, compared with about 2 percent of men. (See table 1.)
- Nearly 3 percent of white hourly-paid workers earned $5.15 or less, compared with about 2 percent for both blacks and Hispanics or Latinos. The figure for Asians was about 1 percent. Among whites and Hispanics or Latinos, women were about twice as likely as men to earn the Federal minimum wage or less. (See table 1.)
- Never-married workers, who tend to be young, were more likely to earn the minimum wage or less than persons who are married. (See table 8.)
- Among hourly-paid workers age 16 and over, about 2 percent of those who had a high school diploma but had not gone on to college earned the minimum or less, compared with about 1 percent for those who had obtained a college degree. (See table 6.)
- Part-time workers (persons who usually work less than 35 hours per week) were much more likely than their full-time counterparts to be paid $5.15 or less (about 7 percent versus 1 percent). (See table 1 and table 9.)
- By occupational group, the proportion of hourly-paid workers whose earnings were reported at or below $5.15 ranged from less than 1 percent for persons employed in management, professional, and related occupations, to about 9 percent for those in service occupations. About three in four workers earning $5.15 or less in 2004 were employed in service occupations, mostly in food service jobs. (See table 4.)
- Among industry groups, the proportion of workers with reported hourly wages at or below $5.15 was highest in leisure and hospitality (about 15 percent). About three-fifths of all workers paid at or below the Federal minimum wage were employed in this industry, primarily in food services and drinking places. For many of these workers, tips supplement the hourly wages received. (See table 5.)
- Among the four broad geographic regions, the West had the lowest proportion of hourly-paid workers with earnings at or below $5.15, at under 2 percent. This compared with about 3 percent for the other regions. In 2004, 24 states and the District of Columbia had a proportion of hourly-paid workers earning at or below the Federal minimum wage that exceeded the national average (2.7 percent); 22 states had a lower proportion. It should be noted that some states have minimum wage laws establishing minimum wage standards that exceed the Federal level of $5.15 per hour. (See table 2 and table 3.)
- The proportion of hourly-paid workers earning the prevailing Federal minimum wage or less has trended downward since 1979, when data first began to be collected on a regular basis. (See table 10.)
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bureau of Labor Statistics' data on minimum wage earners are derived from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a nationwide sample survey of households that includes questions enabling the identification of hourly-paid workers and their hourly wage rate. Data in this summary are 2004 annual averages.
1 Data are for wage and salary workers, excluding the incorporated self-employed, and refer to earnings on a person's sole or principal job.
2 It should be noted that the presence of a sizable number of workers with reported wages below the minimum does not necessarily indicate violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as there are exemptions to the minimum wage provisions of the law. Indeed, the relatively large number of workers with reported wages below the minimum in 2004 includes about 350,000 hourly-paid workers reported as earning exactly $5.00 per hour; to some extent, this may reflect rounding in the responses of survey participants. The estimates of the numbers of minimum and subminimum wage workers presented in the accompanying tables pertain to workers paid at hourly rates; salaried and other non-hourly workers are excluded. As such, the actual number of workers with earnings at or below the prevailing minimum is undoubtedly understated. Research has shown that a relatively smaller number and share of salaried workers and others not paid by the hour have earnings that, when translated into hourly rates, are at or below the minimum wage. However, BLS does not routinely estimate hourly earnings for non-hourly workers because of data concerns that arise in producing these estimates. For further information, see Steven Haugen and Earl Mellor, "Estimating the number of minimum wage workers," Monthly Labor Review, January 1990 (PDF 415K).
Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2004, Tables 1 - 10
Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2004 (PDF 66 K)
Last Modified Date: April 5, 2005


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In today's workplace competition is fierce.
The unemployment rate is down but many are still struggling to achieve the salary and position their education and experience merits. To gain an advantage, completing an advanced level degree such as an MBA or EMBA may be the answer. Graduates of these programs see benefits like better job security, promotions and raises. But which of these Master's of Business Administration degrees is the better choice? Read on to understand the difference between an MBA and an EMBA, as we answer some frequently asked questions.
What makes them different?
Both an MBA and EMBA are Master's of Business Administration degrees. What makes them different is the "E". An abbreviation of Executive, the "E" encompasses the experienced level of the curriculum and students in an EMBA program.
An MBA is designed to prepare an entry-level or mid-level associate to enter an executive level position. Sometimes a student may even be a recent business school alum with very little out of the classroom experience. Since MBA students can be a bit green, programs tend to cover all aspects of business administration so that students leave carrying the knowledge to communicate with professionals across departments. Additionally, students are required to choose a specialty, such as supply chain management or strategy, to prepare for their future career.
EMBA students do not need to select a specialty since the majority will enter programs having already spent years in a management role. Since these individuals are currently supervisors and leaders within their company, the curriculum is geared towards helping them expand their skills, learn new techniques and grow as leaders. An EMBA program also differs from an MBA in its schedule. Classes are offered evenings and weekends so that students can maintain their full-time job while they pursue their degree.
Which has better benefits?
Both programs equip students with the tools they need to succeed at the executive level. Students graduate with the ability to run a team in an efficient and productive manner, and can apply their new knowledge to improve procedures and the work cycle. Increasing your value as an employee often comes with monetary benefits, such as a higher salary or raise.
How many years are needed to complete a Master's of Business Administration?
A full-time MBA typically takes two years to complete. Some universities offer previous business majors the option of fast tracking their MBA and completing the program in one year. An EMBA takes a bit longer, usually two to three years. Electives are omitted from the course schedule and students are not required to choose a specialty, therefore completing the degree in two to three years is possible even though classes are only held evenings and weekends.
How can I manage going to school and working at the same?
The curriculum in a Master's of Business Administration program is definitely demanding, and if you are planning on pursuing an MBA full-time you will need to leave your job to do so. Alternatively part time MBA programs and the EMBA are options for working professionals who want to earn their degree while remaining employed. Classes cater to the workweek and are offered on evenings and weekends so that you can balance your time between work and school.
How am I going to cover the cost of attendance?
Determining how to pay for your master's can be stressful but it doesn't have to be. There are many options to help you afford the cost of attendance. If you don't have savings to apply towards tuition you can take out a federal or private student loan, and see if you qualify for any scholarships. Your employer may also be willing to help.In 2009, 32% of companies completely reimbursed employees for the cost of their EMBA degree.
Inquire about company contribution or reimbursement for employees seeking advanced degrees. If financial burden is a concern, an EMBA might be the better program for you since students are able to continue working while pursuing their degree.
Is getting an MBA or EMBA worth the cost?
The payback period of an EMBA is just 17 months. In a marketplace where many degrees have a low impact on salary, graduates of MBA programs anticipate their salaries to increase by 33%. Investing in a Master's of Business Administration is an almost guaranteed return on investment that will continue to benefit you long after the cost of attending is covered.


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The lottery for the 2020 race was conducted on December 7, 2019. See ultralive.net/lottery to see the 264 drawn to be in the race and the 50 folks on the ordered wait list.
The Western States Endurance Run follows the middle portion of the famous Western States Trail, a nationally dedicated recreational trail that stretches from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Sacramento, California. One of the most arduous organized running events in the U.S., the Western States 100 is truly the "Ultimate Challenge" for the long distance runner. Entry in this event should not be taken lightly. Beginning in Squaw Valley, site of the 1960 Winter Olympic Games, the trail ascends from the valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4 miles. From the pass, following the original trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850's, runners travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn, a small town in the heart of California's historic gold country. Most of the trail passes through remote and rugged territory. People who are unfamiliar with the area should use caution when planning training runs, especially in the high country. Before leaving, let someone know where you will be running and when you will return.


text: Julri is an exotic beauty and sassy server/bartender who's ultimate goal is to own her own bar or nightclub someday. Until she reaches that lofty goal she enjoys shooting pool, playing poker, dining out and watching movies (with ratings from G to X). Check out Julri in her interview featured in the members area.


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As part of our big, new redesign of the Alliance for Justice website, the Justice Watch blog has moved. To be sure you're getting all the latest news about the fight for a fairer America, visit us at www.afj.org/blog
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Shelby County v. Holder, or, The more things change, the more they stay the same
THE COURT IN ACTION: We all know what Justice Scalia said about "racial entitlement." Now, hear also how Solicitor General Donald Verrilli responds:
By Gilda Daniels, Associate Professor of Law at University of Baltimore School of Law
One of the key discussions in today's Shelby County v. Holder United States Supreme Court argument, a case challenging the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, was whether the "covered jurisdictions" still warrant federal oversight for voting changes. Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires "covered jurisdictions" (nine whole states-primarily in the South- and parts of seven others) to obtain approval from the federal government before it can implement any voting changes. In the Shelby case, one of those jurisdictions argued that the coverage formula was outdated and that Congress should not have used it when it reauthorized Section 5 in 2006. Bert Rein, who argued the case on behalf of Shelby County, started his argument stating "the South has changed." However, as Justice Sotomayor pointed out to Rein, "…some portions of the South have changed, your county pretty much hasn't."
Shelby County and other Section 5 covered jurisdictions, in spite of a changing South, continue to have more voting rights infractions than other parts of the country. While Rein argued that the South no longer had poll taxes and literacy tests and thus should not be subject to Section 5, at least four justices seemed to disagree, arguing that "under any formula (standard) that Congress would devise Alabama would be covered"; so, would most, if not all of its counterparts. At least four other justices seemed to argue that if other states have worse records in voter turnout and registration then "why wasn't it incumbent on Congress ..to make a new determination of coverage? Maybe the whole country should be covered," Justice Alito pondered.
What is interesting to me is the assumption that because there are other wrongdoers that are not covered, Alabama, and states like it, should not be either. Essentially, they obliquely argue that if those other states get to have worse records than Alabama on voter registration and turnout then the federal government should not "punish" it with Section 5. It is perplexing to me how this is a viable states' rights argument. States do not have a right to act badly or to discriminate, particularly in the fundamental right of voting. Congress has the constitutional power to propose and enforce legislation that protects citizens from discrimination. Interestingly enough, Shelby County neither addressed nor attempted to defend its Section 5 record of noncompliance and discriminatory voting practices at any point during the argument. It couldn't. It merely argued that "the South had changed."
Everyone agrees that the South, indeed, has changed and progress in the area of voting has been made. However, this progress has been made because of, not in spite of, the Voting Rights Act. Section 5 is a preventative measure that deters discrimination and ensures that jurisdictions do not implement laws that discriminate against its minority citizens. Remedial measures, like Section 5, even if considered extraordinary, are needed to protect the extraordinary democratic right to vote. Section 5 is needed and covered jurisdictions require oversight to ensure that minority voting rights are not infringed upon. While some states may indeed have worse records, the protection that Section 5 provides in covered jurisdictions, like Alabama, is warranted. The assertion that some states are worse is not a rationale to eliminate Section 5; it provides a strong argument for its extension.
Finally, some justices had concerns that Section 5's oversight would last "in perpetuity." Justice Scalia asserted that Section 5 served as a "perpetuation of racial entitlement(s)." Voting is an American entitlement and if Congress deemed it necessary to provide oversight in covered jurisdictions to protect that entitlement, I would think it very difficult for the Supreme Court to say otherwise, even if things have changed.
Gilda R. Daniels is Associate Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law and the Former Deputy Chief of the US Department of Justice Voting Section.
Posted by Alliance for Justice at 6:10 PM
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Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing
Post: #1
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup reduced fat blue cheese crumbles
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
4 Kaiser rolls, split
4 leaves iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup diced celery
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Stir the sour cream, blue cheese, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl; set aside.
Mix the ground chicken, 1/4 cup hot sauce, celery salt, poultry seasoning, paprika, and cayenne pepper together in a mixing bowl until evenly blended. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.
Cook the chicken burgers on the preheated grill 6 to 7 minutes until well marked. Spray the uncooked top of the burger with cooking spray, and flip the burgers over. Brush the cooked side with 1 tablespoon hot sauce, and continue cooking until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
To assemble the burgers, place a lettuce leaf on each roll bottom. Top with a burger patty, then spoon on 2 tablespoons of blue cheese sauce, and 2 tablespoons celery. Place the top of the roll on top to finish the sandwich.
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These last few weeks have been really crazy and confusing and draining and painful, in so many ways that I'm certain I won't even think to detail all of them here.
Phil and Reed and I have all been taking turns being sick, with stomach problems and back problems and colds and flu and allergies and asthma and sliced-open thumbs and slipped discs. WE HAVE BEEN A BARREL OF MONKEYS, I tell you, and I am praying that perhaps now we can be well for a bit. There is nothing more exhausting and sad than taking care of a sick kid, except maybe taking care of a sick kid when you're sick too.
Reed started kindergarten, and with it karate, and it's been so exciting. It is so weird to drive him up to the front of the elementary school each morning and drop him off, watch him pause to turn around and wave, and then run inside by himself.
His teacher is very pretty and very young and very enthusiastic. She is, however, an Auburn fan, but I forgive her because she has such great hair. She wears super-high wedges with a belt that matches the straps and she always looks fresh and excited and, y'all, THE HAIR IS FANTASTIC, long and wavy and always perfect.
In school Reed has a different "special" every day- music, computer lab, art, library, and free play, and the music teacher has already emailed me to tell me how sweet Reed is and how glad she is to have him in her class. Also, his regular teacher told me one day in a very serious tone that Reed is one the most "meticulous" students she's ever witnessed.
I can tell you myself that Reed has certainly turned out to be an Agan; "actually" is one of his favorite words, following in the footsteps of his articulate older brother. He does this thing where you explain something to him, and he says "Okay, SO, what you're saying is.." and then repeats everything you just told him. If that's not Kane, I don't know what is. He also just started swimming without swimmies, and jumping into the pool with so much abandon that I hardly recognize him as the kid who, only a few weeks ago, would only enter the pool by gingerly going down the steps. He's loosing teeth and getting big-boy hair cuts and getting himself dressed and washing his own hair. HE TURNS SIX IN THREE MONTHS, PEOPLE.
This life is weird, and I gave up a long time ago trying to keep up or stay ahead of things. It's one day at a time around here, and sometimes I even have to cut it further down, coach myself into just toughing out the next hour, or the next ten minutes.
Phil and I persevere by goofing off together, watching movies and playing cards. The card-playing has become our standard time-passer, and there are few ways I'd rather spend the evening, once I've gotten Reed settled in with a movie or supper, than sitting together on our patio playing rummy and listening to music.
I read a tweet from Dooce today, or yesterday maybe, that said September is a particularly hard time for people with depression, and it made me think not just of myself but of a lot of people I love. September is an odd time; fall starts rolling in- perhaps somewhat slowly here in the South- and the days get shorter and you see your friends a bit less because people are buckling down, not quite as carefree as during the summer.
A particularly challenging problem for me right now is the loss of a very close friend, someone I've loved and trusted, asked for help, offered help, leaned on, let lean on me. I'm finding myself thinking I was just asking for it the whole time; I'm one of 6 people she has stolen prescription medication from, sometimes in large amounts, and she's stolen them from ME twice before this time. Every time it's happened I've called her on it, told her how hurt and mad it made me. Every time I've thought, okay, that's it, we can't be friends any more. But then I end up missing her so badly, wanting to talk to her about my day or about something funny I read or heard.
This particular friend is someone that I connect with on such a deep and organic level that the experience of trying to control myself, keep myself from talking to her feels like cutting out a relationship with a sister. This is someone who knew me before Jason, during Jason, and now with Phil. I have told her all of my secrets, let her in on every aspect of my life, fought for her with other people whose trust didn't regrow like mine did.
The other times that I've discovered that she's taken things from me I've told her how mean and unacceptable it is, how she could just ASK for these pills and I would give them to her, but to just find them missing is so hurtful, such a bizarre and unexpected betrayal, so disrespectful and shitty.
A particularly painful aspect of the entire experience is knowing that she knows how difficult things have been for me lately. She knows that life has been precarious and scary, and still thinks it's okay to sneak into my medicine cabinet and take 11 oxycontin (out of 14) and 2 morphine pills (out of 2) without asking. And let me make it clear: the oxycontin were prescribed to Phil for a slipped disc, and the morphine were given to him when he nearly cut his thumb OFF of his hand, and he just never took them. In the past it's been Ambien I was prescribed for sleep, Lortabs I was prescribed for a severe throat infection. Point is, we don't have this stuff for recreation, we have it for legitimate health problems, and this person who I have frequently given rides to or bought beer and cigarettes for, not to mention given a place to stay, came into my house and went through our medicine cabinet and took our medicine and put them in her pocket before giving me a hug, telling me she loved me, and leaving. It is fucked up.
I also want to make clear that I am very aware that I am not perfect. I make mistakes. I make people mad. I hurt people's feelings. I am absolutely certain that there have been times when this girl needed me, or wanted to go out, or wanted to talk, and I wasn't there for her. But no matter how many terrible things I try to think up that I may or may not have done, I can't come up with a reason that makes me think, "Well, in THAT case, she should have stolen from me. 3 times."
I can't really articulate, can't really completely explain how I feel about all this. For the first week I was really just pissed off. Now it's devolved into sadness, an intense pain in my gut knowing that I am just a total idiot, that I should have seen this coming, that our friendship was this disposable to her. I feel thrown away and worthless. I feel heartbroken that it didn't matter to her that it would hurt me.
Since then, she and I haven't talked. I spent several days trying to decide what to do, how to confront her. I finally decided that even if she admitted what she'd done and apologized, it wouldn't help, since this isn't the first time she's done this, and it isn't the first time she's gotten caught. Then she started to post to Facebook- pictures of a new laptop, new clothes, posts about spending $60 on nail polish and shampoo and getting a new phone. I lost my temper and posted on her page that I hoped she enjoyed the medicine. We still haven't talked. She hasn't bothered to deny or admit or scoff or cuss or anything at all.
Keep in mind that for several years now this has been a girl who can't buy her own gas, beer, cigarettes, food, sodas, and suddenly she's buying a MacBook Pro and new clothes and make up. It just feels insulting, hurtful, mean, and a hundred other words I've probably either written here or whined over the past week.
Bottom line is now is the time when I have to move on, but it's just so hard to do when this girl has been one of the first people I tell ANYTHING to. There are about a million different tv shows and movies that make me think of her, not to mention about 2 million songs, and before this happened I'd text her any time I was thinking of her. I find myself picking up my phone and putting it back down about a hundred times a day. I thought that she loved me and respected me, needed me, wanted to be my friend, but I'm not sure how to think that considering what she's done.
So, this is September for me. I'm trying to remember to enjoy Reed and Phil and my life, while grieving a huge loss, one that hurts worse because she chose this.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
2 comments:
- Birdie said...
Ugh, so sorry.
buffy- i understand your pain, hurt, and confusion. missing her never goes away, ever. but it gets a little less hard every day. i'm sorry you had to go through this too. -heather
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Because it's never a bad idea to check out some beautiful shots of Skyrim.
These lovely gifs come via Punished Gray Fox. Check out a few selections:
I continue to hope that Bethesda makes the next Fallout game next-gen only, and as a result has the power to make the game look as good in action as Skyrim did in repose.
[Via Single Frame Video Game]


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Farmingdale State - 77, Kean University - 60
Live Video and Audio available for Championship game on Friday night! Live stats
Ashland, Va. (12/29/11) – The Farmingdale State men's basketball team defeated Kean University in the opening day of the Randolph-Macon Coaches Classic by the final score of 77-60. The Rams (7-2) will now face host Randolph-Macon in the Championship game on Friday night at 7:00p.m., while the Cougars (2-9) will face Baruch College on Friday in the consolation matchup at 5:00 p.m.
It was a slow scoring first half with Kean holding a slight 13-12 lead after 10 minutes of play, before Farmingdale picked up the pace with a 20-6 run over the last 10 minutes of the half to take a 32-19 into the break.
The Cougars were not able to overcome the deficit in the second half as the Rams held a double-digit lead for most of the final 20 minutes.
Junior forward AJ Matthews (Brooklyn, N.Y.) finished with game-highs of 20 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks to lead the Rams. Senior guard Joshua Smith (Deer Park, N.Y.) finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Senior forward Robert Adon (New York, N.Y.) had 11 points, including three from long range. Junior guard Ryan Davis (Flushing, N.Y.) led with a team-high six assists, five rebounds and eight points.
For Kean, sophomore Michael Burton led the Cougars with nine points while sophomore Kyle Latorre and junior Anthony Gibson each collected five rebounds. Burton finished the game with a team-high 17 points while teammate Kenny Pace added 13. Senior Andrew Kirey tallied 11 points.
Click on the links above to view coverage of the Rams' Friday night game...


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by Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ...........USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series Director Kevin Montgomery has announced a change for the upcoming "Freedom Tour." The Wednesday, August 21st race has been moved to the Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. The non-point $2,500-to-win main event will open the four-race tour, followed by dates at Wichita and Dodge City, Kansas.
Located outside Sapulpa, Oklahoma on the historic Route 66, Creek County Speedway has been entertaining fans since 1986. The fast quarter-mile clay oval regularly hosts Champ Sprints, Modifieds, Dwarf Cars, Factory Stocks, and Mini Stocks. In addition, the track features the ASCS National and Sooner Region Sprint Cars. On August 21st, the National Open Wheel (NOW) 600 Restrictor and Non-Wing Micro Sprints will share the spotlight. For more event and track information, visit www.creekcountyspeedway.co.
On Saturday, June 22nd, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will return to action at Casa Grande's Central Arizona Raceway. The showcase will also feature Mini Sprints, Pure Stocks, and the AMA Modlites. For more event and ticket information, visit www.centralazraceway.com or call (520) 574-8515.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series would like to thank Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, Hose Advantage Store, and the Racers Advantage Store for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SouthwestSprintCars).


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Workin' on the Chain Gang
Paul Cauthen grew up in the ultra-conservative Church of Christ, and took pride as a part of the church's exceptional chorus. So as an adult he felt very out of place when his life took a turn for the worst and he found himself incarcerated in a Texas jail, working on a chain gang. He didn't really know how to deal with the situation...except to sing.
Paul now heads the band, Sons of Fathers. They just put out a new album called "Burning Days." You've gotta check it out. They're on tour now across the United States.
Producer: Stephanie Foo
Download Bonus Track
Check out Paul and "Sons of Fathers" perform "Peace in the Valley."


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This was published 7 years ago
Online luxury gives old clothes new twist
Jaclyn Shanfeld moves from garment to garment with the unbridled joy of a little girl rummaging in her mother's closet.
From the "wall of Chanel" Shanfeld retrieves a light pink and lavender jacket that once fetched $US3200 ($A3100) but was priced for resale at $750. She shows off the unmarked soles of a pair of Nicholas Kirkwood boots, originally purchased for $1500 that are now offered for $700. She unveils a sheer black, sleeveless Alaia gown bought for a special occasion — but never worn. It set back its first buyer $5400 but it's now available for $650.
These Rodeo Drive castoffs are among the luxury clothes and accessories offered for resale in the digital consignment store Shop Hers. The online marketplace offers shoppers the opportunity to buy previously owned designer fashions at a discount. Sellers, meanwhile, can create room in their closets and pocket a higher percentage of the proceeds than consignment stores typically offer.
"I dreamed of a site that catered to second-hand luxury, a site where one could find women all over the country that were just like them aesthetically in order to have the experience of shopping one another's wardrobe," Shanfeld, 29, said.
The online store recreates the airy shopping experience of an upscale boutique, with fashions from such designers as Alexander Wang, Hermes, Manolo Blahnik, Tom Ford and Zac Posen. Shanfeld and co-founders Jenna Stahl and Thanh Khuu added an element of social networking to help women browse the virtual closets.
First-time users furnish a profile picture and their measurements to ensure that women of similar size can fit in the items purchased from the seller's digital closets. Then they select their favourites from among 20 designers. The sizing and fashion preferences help the site recommend "style soul mates," women whose tastes and dimensions most closely match the shopper's own.
When an item is purchased, the seller receives an email alert and has three days to ship the item to Shop Hers. Upon receipt, the site inspects the item for authenticity and verifies that its condition is as depicted on the site. If it meets expectations, Shop Hers ships the item to the buyer and sends a follow-up notification to the seller, indicating that the sale is complete and payment is on the way. Shop Hers keeps an 18 per cent transaction fee.
"I love the site," said Diane Nagler, a publicist who owns her own firm in Denver and was among the site's earliest users. "My first purchase was this amazing, emerald-green patent leather Max Mara clutch. I got it for $70 but it retailed for $600 to $800."
Second-hand shops once carried the taint of the declasse, said Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Association of Resale Professionals. But now the resale industry accounts for annual revenue of about $13 billion, according to First Research. Online, eBay alone enabled $7.9 billion worth of sales last year of new and used clothing and accessories.
The digital consignment market is showing momentum. In 2011, e-commerce veteran Julie Wainwright launched The RealReal, a members-only website that acquires new and vintage luxury apparel from stylists in Los Angeles, with backing from well-known venture capital firms. Other ventures caught the attention of Silicon Valley's investment community, including Threadflip, Twice and Thredup, which specialises in children's clothing. Poshmark offers an app that allows iPhone users to resell items from their closets.
Shanfeld launched Shop Hers in November, backed by such notable investors as Brian Lee, founder of Shoedazzle; David Lee, a Silicon Valley angel investor who also backed Twitter; and Shana Fisher, managing partner of High Line Venture Partners, a New York fund that was an early investor in Pinterest.
"Jaclyn's a really extraordinary person, as a founder," Fisher said. "She stands out among the best of them."
Shop Hers had its genesis when Shanfeld left her job at Vision, a modelling agency where at age 23 she was scouting talent, developing the models' careers and booking jobs.
"Once I left the agency, my salary plummeted. I wasn't making money, but I was used to being able to buy designer clothes," said Shanfeld, who grew up in Beverly Hills, the daughter of a screenwriter and real estate developer — and granddaughter of the late comedian Phil Silvers.
Shanfeld found herself attending a series of weddings and recycling the same dresses. A catty remark from someone she knew — "I saw that dress before. Where did I see it? On you, at a wedding last weekend!" — prompted Shanfeld to explore ways to refresh her wardrobe.
Shanfeld began developing the concept of a high-end online resale store where the women who shop runway shows and designer boutiques could sell the unwanted items crowding their closets — and keep as much as 82 per cent of the proceeds. A mutual friend introduced Shanfeld to Stahl, who had overseen the design of Nordstrom's website. Stahl flew down from her home in Seattle, and they worked for a week designing a mock-up of the site. As Stahl and Khuu, the company's chief technical officer, worked on the site, Shanfeld began assembling the inventory.
"I started thinking who in my life has the kind of closet I would love to tap into," Shanfeld said. "So I made a list of every woman that I knew of that had a fantastic wardrobe." Through emails and in-person appeals — sometimes she would show up at homes with cupcakes and a bottle of wine — Shanfeld began finding sellers. Among the first was noted Los Angeles art collector Rosette Delug, whose wardrobe includes Balenciaga, Givenchy and McQueen. For years, she would visit family in Turkey, bringing suitcases of clothes, shoes and purses for her sister and nieces. Then, her daughter began mining for treasures in her mother's closet.
"Now with Jaclyn, I get to clean the rest of my closet and get paid for it," Delug said in an email interview. "She took the items with her, professionally uploaded, labelled and priced images onto her website. Next thing I know, I was receiving steady deposits of money for items I didn't even miss." As soon as the cheques began arriving, Delug said, she celebrated — by buying a new Chanel leather biker jacket and boots.
Los Angeles Times


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Broxton to close until Chapman returns
CINCINNATI -- It wasn't the cleanest of saves on Tuesday night for Reds interim closer Jonathan Broxton, but it was good to get the first one of the season and his first since Sept. 19, 2012. Broxton gave up a leadoff double and a two-out walk in the ninth inning and faced Andrew McCutchen representing the go-ahead run before locking down a 7-5 Reds win over the Pirates.
Broxton, who missed the first week of the season on the disabled list after having right forearm surgery in August, is filling in as closer until Aroldis Chapman can return from the DL.
"If you have somebody that's cemented into that role -- it doesn't mean he'll get every save opportunity -- but it does allow me to look at the game for eight innings," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It gets convoluted when you're going to go 'OK, let's get to the ninth and see what's left and pick your option from that spot.'
"It's good to have Broxton back because it definitely settles some areas of our bullpen. It's one more pitcher closer to setting up our 'pen the way we want to."


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Toy Story - Jessie the Cowgirl Costume
Rate this costume:
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Toy Story Jessie Cowgirl
|Costume type:
|Costumes for Girls
This homemade costume for girls entered our 2012 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Shawna, the 'Toy Story Jessie the Cowgirl' costume creator:
We used yellow felt to sew on the top and sleeves on a white long top. Then glued red sequins to make the designs for her outfit. We used cow print fabric and elastic to tie on her jeans and drew the design on a piece of cardboard and attached to a belt. The hat came from when we saw Toy Story on Ice, but you can easily make one yourself. So much cutier then the store bought and much cheeper!
Similar costumes:


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Audio Quality
Audio Quality
This is covered ad nauseous in existing threads...
Mark Levinson wins hands down.
Tesla premium sound doesn't even come close, unfortunately.
I have the Premium Sound Package, and I think it's alright, not amazing. It would be nice if the bass was stronger.
There have been claims Tesla makes them itself, even the speakers.
I have the premium audio, it's just OK. The overall sound is OK, it's the front/rear balance that I have issues with. I like the sound to feel like it's balanced around me, and in the Model S, it feel very front-centered, like it's only coming from the windshield. Even when I've got the fader cranked to 8 in the back, it's still a very forward-directional sound. Don't love it, so I can't even imagine how sub-par the basic audio package is.
Not bad at all actually, but with the same forward bias. There's just not enough oomph in the back to give one that immersive experience. That said, the sound bounces strangely in the car. If I set the crosshairs in the center just behind the front seats I can improve the surround in the driver's seat considerably.
Ask Slacker for Learning to Fly by Tom Petty and shift the crosshairs from the driver center mass to the position above and see what you think.
Waiting to hear my Model S, but just wanted to comment that most audiophiles suggest that proper should be
"We leaned on Jeff's ear to evaluate the soundstaging — he has 20 years of experience building car audio systems, and even trained as an opera singer. He listened to a music track after every test to determine where it seemed like the sound was coming from.
Ideally, it should sound like the band is on stage in front of you on the dash, just beyond the windshield. It creates the sensation that the music starts just outside the car. Look for the diagram below after each test to see how our soundstage is shaping up." (from http://www.crutchfield.com/S-dyVnpHxWJhX/learn/car-stereo-proving-ground... )
So what you describe is right in line with that...
Pungoteague_Dave, no need to comment like you did... let is pass if it irtritates. The issue has merit to others.
I got the base audio, and to me seems somewhat average as car audio goes. I now wish I sprung for Sound Studio. When I ordered it there was no information other than going from 7 to 12 speakers and doubled the wattage (which is really a very small audible difference). The 12 speakers are larger, and it includes a sub-woofer in the rear. I'm now looking on how to retrofit a sub-woofer in to get a bit more bass and improve the sound of the base audio.
I'm not an expert, so I'm not criticizing Crutchfield Jeff's analysis, but instead, I'm asking an honest question.
Why is it ideal for the music to "sound like the band is on stage in front of you on the dash, just beyond the windshield"?
Is it because based on our audio technology and the biology of our ears and psychology of our audio perception that that produces the best quality sound? Or is it because it is considered good to make it sound like you're experiencing a live band in front of you on a stage?
Because I don't care about it sounding like a band is in front of me, if the only reasoning to do that is to recreate the experience of being at a concert. If there is some audio quality/preception reason, then I would be interested to read an explanation of it.
Also, there is this caption for an image in the article, "This represent's Jeff's ideal sound curve, one that helps overcome some of the limitations that appear when you listen to music in a moving vehicle."
Why the heck does it matter that the vehicle is moving, other than the fact that there might be external noise?
Some here have indicated a "weak" bass response. Such was my experience (it should be noted that I was in a showroom) since in AZ we cannot actually drive the cars. Nonetheless as I posted elsewhere I felt the studio sound was sub par "to my ear" when compared to the 300w 9 spkr. THX audio in my Town Car.
Voice and treble was too strong, bass was too weak, also front bias was observed which seemingly could not be overcome with a satisfactory result "sound reproduction wise" the equalizer. By that I mean though I was able to center myself in the sound it's quality diminished by doing so.
My final option was to go with it anyway and look elsewhere for a subwoofer add on.
I can understand some of you wanting another subwoofer- however I truly believe you'll encounter similar issues. This is because the system is simply not powerful enough- it is in desperate need of more power- hence the reason why I think much of the music sounds 'hollow'. You will require a separate amp. I had discussed my concerns in prior threads before I received my car- and it seems my concerns were realized. I guess I'm going to have to wait until someone more knowledgeable and daring than myself tackles the audio system- something I can't wait for it to occur- it would complete this car.
Found my previous comments in a prior thread:
After hearing the final sound system in my Tesla- I think the bass is now weak throughout. Also, the mids and highs aren't that great. Again, as noted before, if you've never heard an aftermarket system- you won't mind. But I have, and it's bothersome that the Tesla doesn't measure up. Much like many here note that they've been spoiled by the Tesla ride, and an ICE is clunky- the same holds true for me regarding the audio- I've been spoiled by a real audio system and the Tesla audio is clunky. Apart from the audio, the rest of the car is spectacular though.
After 7 weeks in my Sig with the Premium Sound Package I agree that it's just okay and I also wish it was more meaty. Be sure to turn off the Dolby Surround. That helps a lot. Didn't make sense to me that it was better in the off position, but it was. Agree with Robert22 as to where to set the crosshairs; that's where mine were when I checked with his recommended Petty tune.
Ugh. Ok, two perspectives.
1) On a personal factory tour last August 23 (2012), we were told the (then) audio system didn't meet Elon's expectations. So, (Paraphrasing now) Tesla engineers designed the audio system... and the sub-contractor (Bose, Alpine, ?) built what was required to spec.
2) This topic is highly subjective. Your age; your ambient sounds; your degree-of-audiophileness; your audio package; your neighbor's leaf blower, etc.)
Bottom line, do you like the sound system -- yes or no?
(It's all subjective.)
Yes, but I wish it was as good as the Bose System in my Infiniti '04 G35.
I agree! I drive an Infinity '06 G35 Sport Coup. I love the aspirated sound of the engine rev more than the interior acoustics... well, ok, they are both really good.
I'm not a real audiophile, so I'll just shut-up now.
Is there an EQ setting? It sounds like a lot of complaints could be remedied by adjusting the levels to the most popular setting (high level low frequencies, then troughing at mid frequencies, and going back up for higher frequencies). If the sound stage is indeed in front, then it was definitely tuned for the most technical audiophile as front stage in cars is also ideal in aftermarket stereos. I think what may be lacking is the rear fill that most people expect. Not all the sounds should be front stage, just mainly vocals and some instruments.
I think I'm going to get the premium sound and hope they improve the flexibility with software instead of risking adding an aftermarket system. Since aftermarket amps are generally triggered by a 12v signal I would be worried that improper signal tapping could drain the 12V battery in the car.
I think Tesla asked its engineers to design the most cost effective sound system that would result in the discussion we're having now.
@Robert22 *like*
It also depends on the source a lot.
Discussing the quality of sound while streaming over BT is kinda pointless.
Tesla doesn't have a built-in CD drive and doesn't play lossless compressed files like .flac (very surprising for a linux-based system).
You're limited to MP3s on USB and Internet streaming, both are lower quality sources.
And don't get me started on FM reception...
Does it play mp4 Apple Lossless (ALAC) on a USB drive?
Sorry, .m4a
As a reminder... I haven't heard the sound in a tesla yet (it's being made right now :} ) - so this is just some general notes on what they may have been trying to accomplish. That said, see the following site: http://www.teamaudionutz.com/tutorial/27/What_is_Sound_Quality_and_How_i...
To your questions:
Since it's percieved that music should sound like it was recorded and generally that is the intended goal of the recording artist (or so I am told).
Mostly live band in front of you
I'll leave this the the referenced article...
I only referenced the Crutchfield article as I remembered where it was -- don't take it as the soul authority on the subject. So as far as the car moving bit goes, I don't have a clue :}
I wouldn't worry about the 12V turn-on line draining your battery - it sooooo small as to be unnoticable.
@sergiyz - My Lexus Mark Levinson system sounds slightly less good than my former BMW premium system, or than my wife's current premium system in her Mini, for that matter (despite Mark Levinson of course being a brand with half-godly status), so if Tesla's premium system doesn't even meet that standard, then that is not good news.
On the other hand, I very well remember that my BMW premium system sounded much better with all equalization/special effects OFF (by-passing all those sound filters). @cmlaff - less is often more in my opinion as well...
@all: which brings us back to the initial question: who A/B'd basic sound system vs. premium sound system before (or after) buying as is willing to comment on his or her findings?
I am not an audiophile but I find the upgraded sound system in my Model S to be on par with my home theater system playing classical music. My home theater receiver is a Yamaha RX-A3000 with M&K speakers. To play the CDs, I copied the wave files from the CDs on to a USB flash drive and so there is no loss of quality due to compression. Or it could be that my home theater system is not that good for music.
sergiyz - I agree the sound source is really important, which is true of any sound system. The model S DOES support lossless .flac, likely the best source you can get short of actual CDs.
You really can't validate how good or poor the system is using compressed sound files (mp3, etc.) and worse - running it through bluetooth, which only has lossy compression (and it may re-compress it to a different compression rate further muddling the audio).
I've converted most of my library directly from CDs to lossless .flac, and then stuck them on a 64 GB flash drive. This works great.
Of course we also need to keep in mind that a car is not an ideal acoustical environment, with wind and road noise have a larger effect when there is no engine noise.
As I stated earlier, for me the base sound system is average, but really needs a sub-woofer. I can't say how the sound studio improves on the base, but I've found most cars that do have a sub-woofer are underated and designed for low-cost and low-weight. I'm not looking for pounding sound, and I usually listen at moderate to lower levels, but this is where the bass often drops out without a bit more punch.
@tsx_5, thanks for the additional info. I made a note to read that article you linked later.
@tsx_5, My main concern isn't the remote signal draining the battery. But wether or not that signal turns off when the car locks, and if not the amp will remain on. That might drain the battery.
For those of you who are concerned with the bass response, in my non-scientific testing, the bass response is very dependent in the Model S on where your head position is. This is probably true for all cars as well, but I have't really critically listened to other car audio systems as much as I have my Model S. Try this experiment in your car:
Play a very bass heavy track through the audio system that you are familiar with. Adjust the bass EQ through the equalizer on the touchscreen to +12.0 dB. Set the master audio volume level in the car in the range of 5 to 7. Then slowly move your head towards the front of the car and towards the rear. See what happens to the apparent bass level when you do that. I find that the bass response just a few inches from the instrument cluster is quite good. Not teeth rattling, but much stronger than my normal seat position.
The sub-woofer may be placed in such a way in the car that the bass wave propagating from it creates a node (weak bass level) in the front drivers seat that just happens to be where a vast majority of people place their head (I'm 5' 10", average build, so I suspect my seat position is probably fairly typical). I haven't tried sitting in the front passenger seat or the rear seats to see how the bass response is yet. May try that at a future point.
I'm actually fine with the Sound Studio audio, as I get enjoyment out of listening to music through the system. I do hope there are tweaks to it in the future to improve it. I think some of the issues with it can get better through software, but the bass node issue will be challenging to overcome without re-positioning the sub-woofer and/or providing a beefier sub-woofer/amp if the sub-can't be re-positioned.
Would love to hear feedback from other owners if they experience this same effect in their cars.
When people say they perceive the music as weak or hollow, that means they are missing the low base that you get out of a big subwoofer. High and mid frequencies are easy to reproduce. It is the low base that has trouble because: big speakers are needed to move a lot of air (i.e. volume) at low frequencies, it draws a lot of power, and the wavelengths are long enough that your position can cause noticeable differences. It is a challenge.
No car has an ideal sound stage for all 4 seating positions. Sound volume decreases by inverse cube of the distance, so the one or two speakers really close to you are always noticeably louder. Adjust fade to improve the driver's perception and all the other positions get a lot worse.
I am not sure who sits in their parked car just to pretend they are in a concert hall, but that is the only time the audiophile details matter. A moving car has significant ambient noise, so the S/N is dominated by that. Lossless vs lossy compression in a car? Who cares, no one can tell the difference. Audio defects have to get pretty bad to be noticeable in a noisy environment.
I am not in a position to evaluate the Tesla system yet. Hope to soon. However, being an audiofpile I can attest to the fact that most people like too much mid bass. This often causes speech to sound bloated and many instruments to not sound real.
A truly good subwoofer that integrates well to the rest of the system is VERY hard to do. To me it is better to have a bit less bass than have it muddy up the mid range.
Additionally, don't expect truly highend sound in a car because our ears percieve sounds differently depending on how loud it is and the level and spectrum of backgroumd noise.
Also because a car cabin is an echo chamber from hell. It produces nodes and dead spots that change when a passenger moves a few inches.
My gripe isn't about the quality of the sound but the sensitivity of the radio reception. Both am and fm have significant signal weakness compared to my other cars. What's worse, as the signal ebbs and flows, there's and odd eq shift going on. On fm, as the signal weakens, you lose much of the "definition" of the sound... Kinda like listening to a telephone vs a live conversation. As you regain signal strength, the sound returns to normal. This is very annoying! Occasionally, I also hear an echo of the signal as well. Unless you have a full strength signal, it's an unpleasant listening experience.
Ps... I still love this car! Just have to get USB sound source files.
I need to finalize soon and the audio upgrade is my only question mark. I can put a pretty sweet aftermarket system in for $1k (already have the sub for the frunk). SiriusXM adapter, 600W 4 channel amp, front and rear door speakers, 600W mono amp, 1F capacitor and the sub.
My concerns are about how the higher powered system will impact my range and the 12V battery. Also, it would drive me nuts if the SiriusXM adapter couldn't be integrated into the factory display. The biggest problem I have is the thought of an installer disassembling my car, one that he has surely never seen before and probably with very little literature online to help.
I think I just talked myself into the sound studio option. Maybe add the extra sub later with its own amp.
My home stereo is 1200W Pioneer Elite amp and Klipsch Reference Series speakers, which are the best thing I've ever heard. My wife's Lexus is terrible, but mostly on XM, it's much better on bluetooth. My G37 also is quieter and not as good of quality on XM compared to all other sources (ok, maybe better than AM).
@fluxemag | JANUARY 24, 2013: Also, it would drive me nuts if the SiriusXM adapter couldn't be integrated into the factory display.
You're not missing much from the XM integration in the car as it currently stands. You have your basic channel selection like an AM/FM radio by scrolling through channel numbers (not channel names) You can browse by categories. You are limited to 6 favorites (which you can't select from the steering wheel). There are no station logos displayed and no automatic cover art (like they do for Slacker).
They may be adding additional features in the future, however. Still it's nice, I guess, to have it integrated with one less external device to deal with.
Perhaps Tesla should partner with someone like Jawbone to develop an unparalled audio system. One does not want something that draws too much power. I heard one of Jawbone's products recently and could not believe the sound quality. I have never heard anything like the big JAMBOX, and it runs wirelessly for about 8hrs. I do not own it, but it is on my shortlist of useful gadgets to consider.
You might do a search of these forums regarding after-market audio. I know that the idea was being entertained a few months ago by some early owners but there were concerns about integration with Tesla's electrical system. I am not sure how that all played out.
You can search these forums for those discussions by going to Volkerize.com.
I may have seen these discussions at TeslaMotorsClub.com instead, so try there too.
How could they not get the sound package right!
Creating a system, for any vehicle is a possible task.
From most of the posts it seems like TM needs to get on this.
I tried playing .flac and it wouldn't...
What software version are you on ?
I tried it before the upgrade to 4.1, haven't tried it since.
My whole collection is in both .flac and apple lossless (so I could use iTunes playlists on ipad/iphone).
If Tesla can play it now, that's awesome news.
I only had v4.1 (and as of last night 4.2), and lossless .flac has worked great. I have 2000+ .flac songs on my 64GB USB stick and so far it's been working fine. Perhaps 4.0 didn't support .flac? I used MediaMonkey to rip CDs into .flac to try and get the cleanest sound. The Tesla examines and sorts through all the files and gives you lists by album, by genre, and a few others? No option to read playlists yet and no random play, but I'm sure it will come.
Mark2131 - I haven't used FM much, but it seemed to work ok for me. The weird sound changes you hear are likely switching from stereo to mono when the signal is weak - something most radios do. It may add some filters too when going to mono, as weak signals can be noisy too (but better than no signal).
Anyone know if jpeg4 and flac formats are supported at higher sample rates than 44.1 and 16 bit red book standard? Hope so.
@ Frank2
Have you tried lossless FLAC music with DTS 5.1 discrete channels?
Captain_Zap - for DTS 5.1, I've not tried it. I have basic audio, so I believe it is not supported on my car (and I don't have anything in 5.1). Not sure about Sound Studio.
If your ultimate source is a CD, it won't help to have better than 44.1 and 16 bits because that's all CD's have AFAIK. I tried a FLAC file ripped from a CD today and copied to a flash drive - and it sounded great!
I asked TM a few quick questions, they emailed back very quick.
I got your question about the Sound Studio Package and wanted to get back to you. It does include a subwoofer that would not be there otherwise that helps round out the sound system. The subwoofer is located on the passenger side in the back of the car. I do not have access to whether it is on a dedicated amp or not though.
Perfect, tried it with .flacs, works like a charm with 4.1.
Disabled Dolby, sounds better w/o it.


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007 50 Anniversary Google Pixel Case
This case provides a protective yet stylish shield to your Google Pixel from accidental drops and scratches. With slim and lightweight profile, make sure you will get good experience in your hand. The image is fully printed on aluminum inlay attached to the case. Available in Hard case (Plastic). Hard / Plastic case provides good protection from impacts and drops, also gives glossy appearance, high flexibility and also fully cover to all buttons Finished with protective glossy coating for image clarity and durability, and Easy access to all buttons, functions, and ports.
Our products are made-to-order and will typically ship out in 3-4 business days. Handling and processing for any orders placed on/near weekend and/or public holidays may be postponed and will be continued the following business day. ( Read More).
Replacement & Refund
To be eligible for a replacement or refund, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. This only applies to incorrect and/or faulty item(s) upon receipt. We do not keep inventory therefore we cannot accept returns. Plausible reason must be given, we do not exchange products due to a change of mind, and any exchange requests of item type or model that was mistakenly chosen by purchaser will be not accepted.


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- How can I place an order?
- To place an order you must be 18 years old or over. To place an order you will have to select the goods on the Website, select your preferred shipping method and, at your discretion, other optional services, then click on the "PLACE ORDER" button. Before completing the check-out procedure you will be requested either to register or log in to your personal account.
- Can I cancel an order if it hasn't shipped yet?
- Once the order is confirmed, it's unfortunately impossible to make any amendments or cancellations to your order as it is processed immediately. Don't worry though, you can either refuse the delivery or return the items back to our warehouse for a refund; please see our 'Return policy'.
- Where can I find an overview of all my orders?
- You will receive your order details by email after placing your order and the terms and regulations within a shipping confirmation email. You can also view your order and returns details within "My Account".
- Can I place an order over the phone?
- Unfortunately we are unable to process orders by telephone, email or fax. If you have any questions about placing an order online, our customer service team is available by phone from Monday – Friday from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm CET on +31 (0) 800 3600004 (The Netherlands).
- How can I redeem a voucher?
- If you have received a voucher code, you can redeem it conveniently as part of the "Payment" step of the order process. Enter the relevant code in the field provided. If the voucher entitles you to a discount, the amount will be deducted directly from the total sum of your order. If your voucher entitles you to receive an exclusive gift, this will be added to your order free of charge. Please take note of the Terms and Conditions of Redemption and the validity of your voucher. Generally, vouchers may only be redeemed once and cannot be combined.
- Can I redeem a voucher code in a Lee store?
- Your voucher can only be used in the online store where it was issued.
- Can I buy gift cards in the Lee Online Store?
- We currently do not offer the possibility to buy gift cards in the Lee online store.
Forms of Payment
- Which forms of payment are available?
We accept payment with
- Payment methods
- You may pay for your goods by credit or debit card. For selected countries there are other options available, please see "Which forms of payment are available?". Payment must be made in the currency indicated on your order before submitted.
- Payment by Credit Card and Debit Card
You can choose to pay with credit/debit card in the third step of the checkout process. If you pay by credit or debit card, you must supply your card details when you place your order. Your card will be debited for the total value of your order as soon as your order is received by us.
We guarantee the highest security level for every purchase. For this reason, the Lee Online Store has an SSL encryption to ensure that your details are transferred securely. Credit card information is never stored. You can view, edit or delete your personal data saved in the "My Account" area at any time.
- PayPal
- You can select PayPal as the preferred payment method in the third step of the checkout process. If you are paying by PayPal you will be asked to log in to your PayPal account to confirm the payment. If you do not have a PayPal account you can still pay with PayPal up to a maximum of 10 times and will be asked to enter personal data and credit card details. Your goods will be supplied after your payment is cleared.
- How can I register for the Lee newsletter?
- To register for the Lee newsletter, please click here.
- How can I unsubscribe from the newsletter?
- If you no longer wish to receive news updates from Lee, simply click on the "Unsubscribe" link that you find at the end of each newsletter. Alternatively, you can unsubscribe in the "My Account" area of our website.
- Which countries does the Lee Online Store deliver to?
Germany de.Lee.com Your delivery from de.Lee.com is limited to Germany. Austria at.Lee.com Your delivery from at.Lee.com is limited to Austria. UK uk.Lee.com Your delivery from
uk.Lee.com is limited to
the United Kingdom, with the exception of Gibraltar and the Channel Islands.
Belgium Lee.be Your delivery from Lee.be is limited to Belgium. Poland Lee.pl Your delivery from Lee.pl is limited to Poland. Denmark dk.Lee.com Your delivery from dk.Lee.com is limited to Denmark. Sweden se.Lee.com Your delivery from se.Lee.com is limited to Sweden. Ireland Lee.ie Your delivery from Lee.ie is limited to Ireland. Netherlands Lee.nl Your delivery from Lee.nl is limited to the Netherlands. France fr.Lee.com Your delivery from fr.Lee.com is limited to France. Italy Lee.it Your delivery from Lee.it is limited to Italy. Spain Lee.es Your delivery from Lee.es is limited to Spain.
Please note, you will need to order from the same Online Shop country as you plan to ship to. If you are located in another country than listed and you would like to purchase Lee products, please use the STORE FINDER to find your nearest store.
- Which forms of shipping are available and what are the shipping costs?
- We are (currently) offering Standard Delivery on all orders. Shipment is provided by UPS and free of charge for you.
- When will I receive my order?
- Standard delivery to UK takes between 2 to 3 working days once your order has been dispatched from our warehouse. If your order is placed before 12pm, it will be dispatched the same day. Orders placed after 12pm will be dispatched the following working day.You will receive an email notifying when your order has been shipped.
- How will I know that you have received my order?
- Your order will be confirmed immediately on screen and you will also receive an order confirmation from us by e-mail. If you do not receive an order confirmation email, it could be that your email address was typed incorrectly during the order process. Please contact our Customer Service department via our Contact Us page so that they can assist.
- Can I get my orders delivered to a delivery address different from my billing address?
- Yes, orders can be shipped to an address which is different from the billing address. After you have entered your billing address during the checkout, you'll have the option to enter a different shipping address. Please note, the shipping address should be in the country of the shop where you placed your order.
- How can I track the status of my delivery?
- You will receive a shipping confirmation e-mail with a tracking number. You can use this tracking number to track your order directly: Track my parcel
Your personal Customer Account
- What is "My Account"?
"My Account" is your personal area in the Lee Online Store. Registration is free and takes place within the order process. You can also register at any time by selecting "My Account" at the top of the screen.
With "My Account" you can manage your data whenever you like. The following functions are available, among others:
- Change your invoice and delivery addresses
- Change your password or your e-mail address
- Get an overview of your order history
- Check the status of your current orders and track your deliveries
- Change your newsletter settings
- How do I register?
- You can click here to register or by clicking on the "My Account" link at the top of the page.
- Do I need to register to purchase something from the Lee online shop?
- If you are a new customer you are required to register before you can purchase an item. You will land automatically on the section to register when you are checking out. If you plan to make regular purchases through our site, this will save you time when placing future orders.
- What happens if I've forgotten my password?
Anywhere you are prompted to enter your password, you will find the "Forgot your password?" link. If you have forgotten yours, simply click on this link and enter the e-mail address you used to register for the Lee Online Store on the page that follows. We will immediately send you an e-mail containing a link where you can then change your password.
If you have forgotten your account password, please Log in and then click on the "Forgot your password?" link.
Please note that while the Products remain in your possession you are responsible for keeping them safe, secure and in good condition.
- Can I return a product I've ordered?
- If you have changed your mind and wish to return your goods, you have fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of delivery. In this case we will issue you with a full refund including any delivery charges paid at the time of your order.
- Please note that while the Products remain in your possession you are responsible for keeping them safe, secure and in good condition.
- How can I return a product?
- Surf to our Track you order page.
- Enter your order number and the e-mail address used when placing your order
- Click the 'Create Return' link
- Select the products you would like to return and indicate the reason to return them. You can add additional information to help us improve our products and services.
- Click the 'Request Return' button and indicate where and how you want your return to be picked up.
- Download and print the return label and attach it to the outside of your return parcel
- You will be notified by email once your return has been received and processed. All communications will go to the original purchaser.
Please note that, in case of returns outside the aforementioned procedures, we will refund you standard shipping costs incurred in returning the Goods to us provided that you send us satisfactory evidence of the costs actually incurred in returning the Goods. Where such evidence is not provided we will refund you an estimated cost of return postage.
- How will I receive a refund for the goods that I have returned?
Please also note that we will not process your refund until we receive the goods. Once we receive the goods, we will:
- Examine the goods you have returned to us to verify whether they are faulty, damaged or if they do not correspond to their description on the Website;
- Where the goods are faulty, damaged or if they do not correspond to their description on the Website, you can: (i) repair the goods, if technically and/or commercially feasible, or replace them with new non-faulty or corresponding goods; or, (ii) refund the price paid for the goods (along with the original delivery fees). Save that where you have requested, and we are unable to, repair or replace the goods, we will refund the price paid for the goods (along with the original delivery fees);
- Credit the refund for the goods back to the payment card used to pay, or repair/replace the faulty or damaged goods within 14 (fourteen) days from the date that we receive the returned goods.
If the goods you have returned to us are faulty, damaged, and do not correctly correspond to the description displayed on our website, or they have not been returned in accordance with your right to withdraw under clause 8 of the terms and conditions of sale, you will not be entitled to a refund and we will return the goods to you.
- What should I do if I have received the wrong goods?
- Returns of misdescribed goods (with regards to those misdescriptions which are obvious and readily noticeable, such as the colour of the product) must be made within 60 days from delivery of your order. Returns outside this timeframe will only be accepted at our discretion.
- What should I do if the product arrived damaged or defective?
- Goods are classified as faulty if they are received damaged, or where a manufacturing fault occurs within 2 years of purchase. Please note that items that are damaged as a result of wear and tear are not considered to be faulty.
- Can I exchange a product?
- Product exchange is not currently possible. If you would like the same goods but, for example, in another colour, you'll have to place a new order.
- Can I return my online order to a Lee store?
- We are sorry but we are unable to accept returns in any of our Lee Stores or Dealers for orders purchased online.
You can click here or at the "Contact Us" Section at the bottom of the screen, post a message and a subject, and we will do our very best to reply to you promptly. Lee's customer service is available by phone from Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm CET on +31 (0) 800 3600004 (The Netherlands).
Privacy Policy
- What kind of data are processed?
The processing of user's personal data that visits and consults the Website is limited to the so-named surfing data, for example, the IP addresses or the domain names of the computers employed by the user who connects to the Website, other parameters relating to the type and the information operating system employed by the user.
Furthermore, Kontoor Brands collects and processes personal data voluntarily provided by user when user interacts with the Website functionalities and requests the services offered by the Website, for example; upon user subscription to the Website, user subscription to newsletter or mailing list, user purchase of products through the Website, which includes all activities relating to the purchase of goods, such as for example delivery of goods, billing issues, returning and, receiving refunds, purchase and use of gift cards and e-gift cards, payment related activities, including fraud prevention, and customer support and interaction with our call centre; user participation to promotions and other initiatives realized through the Website such as contests and sweepstakes, user request of information to Kontoor Brands , user sending to Kontoor Brands a question, communication or feedback through traditional mail or through the Website and other information.
With the user's consent, Kontoor Brands may further process user's personal data for survey purposes; for marketing purposes, that is for sending to user, also through e-mail or other electronic communications means such as SMS, MMS, fax, etc., promotional information, information on material of products and services of the Kontoor Brands group.
Users will always have the opportunity to object, at any time and for free, to the processing of his/her personal data for the sending of promotional information and material. In each communication there will be a specific section which specifies the conditions, easy to perform and free of charge, of revoking the consent.
Personal data that Kontoor Brands collects and processes includes name, contact details such as street address, telephone number, e-mail address and further possible information of an optional nature. In the relevant sections of the Website where data is collected, it is published with a specific information statement drafted according to the Privacy Law.
- Who stores the data?
The Controller of the personal data processing is: LEEWRANGLER INTERNATIONAL SAGL, whose registered office is at Via Vite 3, 6855 – Stabio, Switzerland, Company Registration Number Stabio CH-501.4.023.528-6, VAT Number CHE-177.767.456 ("Lee" or "we").
Will my data be passed on to third parties?
Users personal data may be communicated to institutions, authorities, public entities, banks, financial institutions, professionals, independent consultants, also in associate form, business partners and third party service providers to which Kontoor Brands may revert to for performance of professional, technical and organizational services functional to the managing of the Website and the activities therein performed, such as for example the sales of goods and related activities, the managing of functionalities offered by the Website and of the initiatives and services that user may subscribe to and require through the Website, and for services strictly functional to achievement of the other processing purposes herein specified.
For more information, please read our Privacy Policy.
Technical prerequisites
The following technical prerequisites are optimal for viewing the Lee Online Shop.
- Screen resolution
- For the perfect shopping experience, we recommend a screen resolution of at least 1024×768 pixels.
- Security
- Your personal data is always transmitted in a secure and encoded form. Our payment service provider is EOS Payment Services. Your account and credit card details are encoded during payment and sent to EOS directly from your computer. We do not save any of this sensitive data on our servers.
- Cookies
- We recommend activating the use of cookies in your browser; at least so-called "session cookies". These are automatically deleted from your computer when you close the browser window. Interactive Websites, such as the Lee Online Shop, use these cookies to provide the user with a session and, for example, to store the contents of a shopping basket.
- JavaScript
- Connection speed
- For perfect access and utilization, we recommend using a broadband Internet connection such as DSL. The Online Shop can, of course, also be used with slower connection types such as ISDN or using a modem. However, the page reproduction may be considerably slower.
- Recommended browsers
This Website has been designed in accordance with current Website standards and is hence accessible using all current browsers. Should you have viewing problems, we recommend switching to a latest-generation browser:
Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
Internet Explorer
Mac OS X, Windows
Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Product Information
- Which products are available in the Lee online-shop?
- The Lee online store is a lifestyle store offering the largest and most complete assortment of Lee clothing online. We offer a wide range of products that suits every consumer's need.
- How can I clean my Lee jeans?
- Please see the label or tag on the inside of the Lee jeans and products for care instructions.
- Will items which are listed as out of stock eventually come back in stock?
- Once an item is listed as out of stock we cannot guarantee that we will receive more stock on the particular item. When you are on the detail page of the item you can ask for us to send you an email when the product will be back in stock.
- Where can I find a store near me that sells Lee?
- You can find all addresses for Lee stores and dealers in the store finder section of our site.


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HS band needs help to represent Md. at Pearl Harbor
Westminster Marching Owls invited to Hawaii, but needs funds to go
A Carroll County high school marching band is going to need significant help from the public in order to represent the state in Hawaii later this year.
The Westminster Owls marching band was asked to play in a special World War II commemoration ceremony at Pearl Harbor, but getting there won't be easy or cheap. The Owls are the only band in the state that was asked to go to Hawaii in December.
"I am super pumped. I'm excited to travel," said band member Drew Miles.
"I am very honored. Only one school in this whole state gets to go, so I'm really happy that we were the one that was chosen," student Amy Brandt said.
The Carroll County high school band will represent the USS Maryland, which was moored at Pearl Harbor during the 1941 attack. But the hard-working teens may not be able to go. They have to raise $75,000 within the next three weeks, or they'll have to decline the honor.
"Yeah, $75,000 is what we need to attend Pearl Harbor. We've raised about $30,000 already, but there are a lot more things that need to be funded. We need to get there in the first place, and we need to have our instruments get there," said band director Jennifer Jones.
She said final approval to go came at the end of the school year, so between 12-hour daily practices for the next two weeks and summer jobs, band members have been fundraising every chance they get.
"We have restaurant nights at least two or three times a month. We sell pizzas, or anything you can possibly imagine -- raffle tickets," Miles said. "We've been working so hard. We all want to go so bad."
"I'll be pretty disappointed if we don't go. It's a pretty big deal, to play music in a parade," said band member Marc Lazaga.
It's an experience of a lifetime that will combine their passion with history lessons they'll never forget.
"They keep a World War II Pearl Harbor survivor with us the entire time, so the students are interacting and get taken around the island that way. We perform with other musicians and, I think, the Navy band," Jones said.
"The fact that we're able to put music and history together and go cross-curricular with this, I think, is an amazing experience for these kids," said band assistant director Brian Thompson.
The Owls said if they don't make their goal, they'll give every cent back, but they are hoping not to have to do that. To donate to their cause, click here or on the link on Page 1.


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Finally tomato time in Colorado
It's that time of summer.
A time when the heat beats on the back of your neck and you don't even feel it because you're shoulder-deep in the tomato patch, the scent of nightshade filling your nostrils, the buzz of happy bees in your ears, your hands pulling everything you can that has even a hint of red or yellow or purplish back and popping them into your mouth right there, warm from the sun
But you know about all that, don't you, gardeners? So does Mindy Makuta, who was one of the $2,500 grand prize winning chefs in Saturday's Nature Sweet Tomato home-grown tomato contest and cook-off. I'll be posting Mindy's recipe later this week, but here's her paean to the love apple that got her a place among the finalists, which also included Kathy Shreve and Leland Wagner (whose killer tomato chutney and tomato coulis, respectively, I'll also post.) And oh! the tomatoes we lucky judges tasted! Another judge and I turned to one another in amazement when a Sungold popped in our mouths with, I kid you not, a flavor akin to a Rocky Ford cantaloupe. There's no time like the present, no season like tomato harvest, and no flavor that takes you back to the garden like a tomato.


text: Greg Rodriguez - April 20, 2011 D&L Sports Smith & Wesson Revolver Sight The D&L sight is a rugged, fixed unit that replaces the existing S&W adjustable sight. By Greg Rodriguez D&L Sports' replacement rear sight for S&W revolvers is a fixed unit that's easily installed.I try to take a couple of deer or hogs with a revolver every year, and I often rely on a six-gun when tracking clients' wounded game. Usually, it's a Smith & Wesson 629 in .44 Magnum fitted with a Crimson Trace laser grip. However, the red laser isn't the best tool for daylight hunting. The revolver's issued sights work fine, but I like D&L Sports S&W sight a whole lot more.The D&L sight is a rugged, fixed unit that replaces the existing S&W adjustable sight. It has a T-slotted bottom that slides right into a corresponding groove on the top of the frame, and it has three mounting screws: the adjustable front sight screw and the two scope mounting holes that are exposed when you remove the factory sight. The D&L part is easy to install, blends seamlessly into the back of the frame and provides a brilliant sight picture courtesy of its serrated face and ample notch. I had to experiment with a couple of loads to find one that hit close, and eventually I had to file down the front sight to get it to hit dead-on with my favorite hunting load. It was a bit of work, but gaining a bomb-proof revolver sight that combines good looks with an even better sight picture made it more than worth the effort. GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing. Sign Me Up


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1 lb lean ground beef
1 large onion, sliced
1 medium onion, minced
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
Montreal seasoning OR kosher salt, coarsely ground pepper, garlic powder & red pepper
1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
4 slices cheddar cheese (horseradish cheddar is excellent on this)
8 slices toast
In a large bowl, mix together the seasoning(s), worcestershire sauce, meat and minced onion thoroughly. Divide into four even patties. Heat a large pan. Place the burgers on the pan, surround with the sliced onions and mushrooms. Cook the meat until brown on one side, then flip. When almost done to your liking, add a slice of cheese to each patty. Cover the pan for about a minute to melt the cheese. At this point, the onions should have caramelized and the burgers should be done. Drain the patties on a paper towel lined plate then place on a piece of toast. Top with onions and mushrooms, then top with another piece of toast. Repeat for the other 3 burgers and serve.


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A Blog Post Written On The Mobile Web
That was a great discussion yesterday. It was everything that makes this blog and community so helpful to me.
Brandon's comment which got up voted something like 100 times and is now permanently anchored at the top of the thread makes the excellent counterpoint that mobile is just a channel and suggests that desktop/web will remain the dominant UI for many things on the Internet.
I would like to challenge that notion mostly to think out of the box. Could and will mobile be good enough for everything we do on the web?
My gut tells me it will and I am trying to live a mobile first web second existence as much as possible to test that instinct.
I am writing this post in the chrome browser on my Nexus 4. It works fine for writing but as you can see hyperlinking is nearly impossible in typepad's mobile web app. I would imagine WordPress has a native mobile app that works a lot better.
As Paul Graham says if you work in the startup world you should live in the future and see what is missing. I think that is great advice.