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Russia Slams US Over 'Merchant of Death' Sentencing
(MOSCOW) -- The Russian government blasted the United States on Friday for its "unjustified" decision to sentence Viktor Bout, the infamous international arms dealer, called the "Merchant of Death" by some, to 25 years in prison and vowed to take the Russian national back home.
"The verdict of the U.S. court sentencing Viktor Bout to 25 years in prison is unjustified and agenda-driven," Russia's Foreign Ministry said on its English-language Twitter account. "The [Foreign Ministry] will do all it can to arrange Viktor Bout's return to his home country. This issue will remain a priority on the Russia – U.S. agenda."
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later added that Russia will support Bout's efforts to appeal the sentence. Lavrov suggested Bout's conviction last November was the result of "unprecedented pressure" from the United States government that interfered with the independence of the court.
Bout, a Russian citizen and ex-Soviet air force officer, was convicted in November 2011 of attempting to sell millions of dollars-worth of arms to Colombia's Marxist rebel group the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) which was targeting Americans.
After years evading capture, Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 in a sting operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Court records say Bout agreed during conversations with undercover DEA informants to supply surface-to-air missiles, AK-47 rifles, anti-personnel landmines, C-4 plastic explosive, night vision goggles and unmanned drones.
Bout is also believed to have sold arms to terror groups like al Qaeda and the Taliban. He has been accused of fueling conflicts from Africa to South America to Asia, sometimes even allegedly arming both sides. He was mentioned in a 2000 United Nations report as a former air force officer "strongly suspected to be connected to Russian organized crime." The U.N. said he "supplied military equipment and other necessities to all conflict areas in Africa."
He was the inspiration for the arms dealing protagonist played by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 film Lord of War.
Bout is believed to have strong connections to top Russian officials who helped protect him before his capture. Russia bitterly fought against his extradition to the United States, which was delayed until 2010.
On the eve of his sentencing, an attorney for Bout reportedly sent a letter to the U.S. court protesting his prosecution and the entire court process.
"We have called the prosecution of Viktor Bout 'outrageous governmental conduct.' That does not go nearly far enough -- it's a disgrace," the letter said, according to Russia's state-owned RIA Novosti.
In a recent interview with a Russian radio station, Bout, who has maintained his innocence, said the U.S. wasn't looking for the truth in his case.
"Some American arms smugglers are even more guilty but they enjoy freedom," Bout said Wednesday, The Voice of Russia reported.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio


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For readers of this blog, I've made it easier to get access to the entries I write. I've joined Facebook.
Fleet Owner has been on Facebook for some time, but now Trucking Straight Talk has its own page. On the page, you'll find the latest blog entries. But, I also hope to post interesting links to stories from around the web as well as interesting comments. Click here to visit the page.
My hope is that Facebook will provide a forum for some of the random thoughts that otherwise would disappear into the expanse of space. But just as importantly, it will provide the opportunity for you to comment on those thoughts, or even to add your own.
I would like the Facebook page to become a sort of social gathering place for fans of this blog as well as anyone else interested in trucking regardless of your job description.
So please head over to Facebook, search for Trucking Straight Talk and click "like" and join me for some interesting conversation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Décision : CONF 010 .5
[Uniquement en anglais] Opening of the session
[Uniquement en anglais]
The second session of the Committee was opened by its Chairman, Mr. Firouz Bagherzadeh. In welcoming members of the Committee, representatives of advisory organizations and all other participants, he recalled the great progress already achieved in the implementation of the Convention thanks to the efforts of the States Parties, Bureau members, the Secretariat and the advisory organizations. He concluded by expressing his confidence that the session would be both fruitful and enjoyable.
DocumentsRapport des décisions
Code de la Décision : CONF 010 .5
Année : 1978


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Motorcyclists killed on Alaska highway identified
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Three motorcyclists killed in a crash on a key Alaska highway north of Anchorage have been identified.
Alaska State Troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain says four motorcyclists struck a vehicle on the Glenn Highway that had been pushed into their lane Saturday night.
Three were pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers identified them as 53-year-old James Carlyle and his 48-year-old wife, Sabrina Carlyle, both of Wasilla, and 63-year-old Elaine Loew of Anchorage.
Loew's husband is the fourth rider. DeSpain says the husband was taken to a hospital as a precaution but wasn't injured.
Troopers says the crash occurred when a Ford F-250 stopped to make a turn and was rear-ended by a Chevrolet van and pushed into the oncoming lane. All four oncoming motorcyclists then collided with the truck. No one else was seriously hurt.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


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Free shipping over € 149
Free shipping over € 149
The milk boiler of Pots&Pans collection is characterised by a minimal design and an attention to functional details. The handle with its special shape allows a comfortable grip, the spout allows you to pour the contents without wasting any drop. Made of stainless steel 18/10, with a magnetic bottom, it can be used on any heat source.
Designer Jasper Morrison created a set of pots with an ambitious goal: combine sophisticated design, materials quality, high functionality and low prices. The objects which make up the Pots&Pans series are produced in stainless steel 18/10 and they are characterised by a rigorous, linear style and care of functional details, such as the flared edge suitable for pouring, the grading scale inside the pots, the knob of the lids which allow lifting with the kitchen spoon.VIEW THE COMPLETE RANGE
Born in London in 1959, he studied design at Royal College of Art and at the HdK in Berlin. Editor of the Design Year Book 1999 with a passion for the history of design, Morrison designs for Cappellini, Vitra, Magis, Flos, Rosenthal and Sony.


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Skill TV: Wanted: qualified employees
In the midst of double-digit unemployment, Charles Kelly, a plant engineer from a major manufacturing company, is still unable to find skilled, experienced workers.
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If nothing says "early 90s" like MC Hammer, then nothing says "mid 90s" like shitty Sega CD games. How wonderful the two could come together, then, in Hammer vs. Evil D. in Soulfire, a game that looked as awful as it sounded.
It was never released, sadly/thankfully, and before you go making jokes about developers GTE, know they did some cool stuff with Sega (like pioneering 3D title Time Traveler) and made some decent PC games as well (like Timelapse).
Maybe the problem here is that there was no "time" in Hammer's game title. Which, you know. Irony.
Hammer vs. Evil D. in Soulfire [Sega Mega CD - Cancelled] [Unseen 64, via Attract Mode]


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Twist Maternity Tankinioh038
Product Details
Oceanlily's Twist Maternity Tankini swimsuit has a splash of greys, browns, and whites on blacks that smooth out your lines and provide a flattering look. The tie halter top is easy to adjust for a petite or fuller bust. The close cut maternity tankini top provides more of a form fit from below the bust to partway below the belly. The close fit and stretchy fabric reduce the drag you would normally expect from a tankini while doing laps. The tankini can be worn up above the bottoms or you may pull it down really low if desired. The neckline is cut firly high. Soft padded built in bra for support, comfort, and modesty. maternity bikini bottoms are a moderate cut and feature the fabulous Oceanlily 3-in-1 maternity waist band. This waist band can be worn over the belly or folded in half or in thirds to provide some upward support below the belly. Flat seams throughout. The stretchy nylon / lycra fabric is tight woven and grows with your changing body.


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Green Chemistry Education Network
April 8, 2010 all day – Ottawa, Canada The Third IUPAC International Conference on Green Chemistry (ICGC2010) is being held in Ottawa, Canada, August 15-18, 2010. The Canadian Green Chemistry and Engineering Network (CGCEN) and the Chemic… Organized by Philip Jessop, Conference Chair, Queens University France Rochette, Conference Vice Chair, DuPont Canada CJ Li, Scientific Program Chair, McGill University | Type: call, for, abstracts
June 14, 2010 from 7am to 7pm – Oregon Convention Center 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR 97232 Ahmad Mahdavi invites submissions for the special symposium: Pesticides/ chemicals reductions and regulations in developing countries for SETAC North America 31st Annual Meeting 7-11 November 2010 C… Organized by SETAC North America staff and Portland meeting committee | Type: call, for, abstracts
© 2019 Created by Julie Haack. Powered by


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In a place that has been fought over for as long and as many times as Hampton Roads, you should probably expect a few stray raids or battles to fall off the radar.
But in more than two decades of exploring the history of the region, I've only seen one other conflict of real consequence so unaccountably forgotten as the War of 1812. And like Hampton Road's rich but too often neglected role in the Golden Age of Piracy -- what happened here when a powerful British fleet pushed through the mouth of the Chesapeake two centuries ago this year is so epic and engaging that it really deserves to be retold.
That's what we started to do back in February with a story describing the arrival of the immense Royal Navy force and the wild scramble of the local militia, regular army and navy to respond to an armada so powerful that the Chesapeake Bay may as well as been transformed into a British lake. And now -- beginning with a second story today and continuing with 5 more over the next couple of weeks -- we hope to at least partially recreate an often deadly struggle that ranged from the shores of the York River down through Hampton Roads and then far up the James.
Also linked here: A photo gallery of images from the War of 1812 in Hampton Roads. Keep coming back to it for updates as the series unfolds.
-- Mark St. John Erickson


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Nothing has shown the paternalist mentality and hypocrisy of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) as clearly as its handling of the cross-strait service trade pact and its reaction to the occupation of the Legislative Yuan by students.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said on Thursday that the protesters' understanding of the pact was based on "groundless rumors" and "defamation." Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien (王建煊) has talked about the "ignorance" of the students, who he has said do not realize that they are being used by politicians. Wang was also worried that the protesters were simply copying what they have seen lawmakers do: scuffling, spraying water, taking over the podium in the legislative chamber and blocking the doors to the entrance of the room.
Meanwhile, the head of the General Chamber of Commerce and a consultant with the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce said the students might be too young to be able to understand properly the international economic situation or the pact, which will not directly affect them.
These leaders think the students and activists are too young and too ignorant to have opinions on a weighty matter such as the trade pact, and that they should just return to their books and let their elders make all the decisions.
What they have forgotten — or are ignoring — is that it is the young people of this nation who will be impacted the most by the service trade agreement, although Wang said without irony on Wednesday that "Taiwan is spiraling downward. Young friends, do you have a future?"
It is the future of this nation that the protesters are most concerned about. They say the trade pact threatens the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises, farmers and businesspeople, which will severely damage the economy and will leave the nation even more vulnerable to political pressure from Beijing.
The protesters — who have tried to remain apart from the established political parties — are tired of the political posturing and maneuvering generated by the long-standing blue-green divide that has made the Legislative Yuan internationally famous for its brawls, as opposed to its accomplishments. They are tired of the government's constant refrain that it knows best and the public should not worry about what deals it reaches with China because it has their best interests at heart, even as it stage-manages the "public hearings" on the trade pact and manipulates media coverage of it.
The KMT claims the service trade agreement is an economic matter, not a political issue, but its handling of the pact has been very political — even undemocratic. What the young protesters know all too well is that the future is looking bleak. Wages have been stagnant for more than a decade, more companies are offering entry-level jobseekers a monthly wage of just NT$22,000, consumer prices are rising annually and every year the cost of buying a home, especially in the Greater Taipei area, grows further out of the reach of most young couples. In addition, they have seen a creeping invasion of pro-China content in the nation's news media and broadcasting in recent years.
Attempts to portray the demonstrators as rioters and vandals are belied by photographs and video coverage, even if a Legislative Yuan official said yesterday that it might take up to a month to "repair" the damage caused by the protesters. The effort to portray them as unrepresentative of mainstream public opinion is belied too by the support that has come from around the nation for them, be it food, drink or expressions of support on Facebook.


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Thanks once again to Screen Rant reader "Nomad" we have another inside scoop on what's been going on behind the scenes of Lexi Alexander's Punisher: Warzone (aka Punisher 2). Nomad says that although the source cannot be named, they are HIGHLY reliable.
What follows are the details of what's happened behind the scenes of the production from the first draft of the screenplay, to the Comic-Con, PG-13 accusations and the revelation that yes, the movie will be rated R. I'm posting what I was sent unedited for the most part, and have added my thoughts here and there.
Keep in mind I really don't have any bias towards this film one way or another...
Punisher: War Zone rumors deconstructed
I have a very dear friend who's been around Hollywood for a long time. He's a unique person here, because his ethics are still intact AND he still has his sanity. (Which means he's NOT rich!) I think you'll agree that's a unique combination here! So I asked him to check out Punisher: War Zone, Lionsgate, and all the surrounding hoopla. He did, bless his sweet heart, and he wrote a fooking dissertation! Well, he's brilliant, too. Did I mention I adore him? I do!!!
What follows is his report, which I have NOTedited, even though it conflicts with some of my own previously held opinions. At the end of his letter, I've attached a bit of a time line he wrote, so people can follow what happened and when.
No, I will NOT tell you who he is. So please don't bother asking. His credibility is in what he writes, which is balanced and fair. You'll decide on your own, neh?
Sorry it took so long. I think I've read enough on "Punisher: War Zone" and Lionsgate Films (hereafter PWZ and LGF for brevity) now to offer an educated analysis of what may have happened and why you shouldn't worry too much.First I want to dispel a few MISPERCEPTIONS about PWZ, since those have unfairly put some people off.
MISPERCEPTION #1: "PWZ is a sequel whose script was so horrible that star Thomas Jane walked away from it." Not quite! Per PWZ co-writer Kurt Sutter in a Collider.com interview: "Nick Santora and myself, whose names were on the second big draft, got caught in the crossfire when Tom Jane was growing dissatisfied with the turn Punisher was taking. Tom lashed out at the script using it as his scapegoat for exiting the project. [...] I like Tom Jane, I've had lunch with him, think he's a decent guy. But I always felt that if Marvel really wanted to re-invent the franchise, you'd have to re-invent the Punisher". And PWZ did in fact morph from sequel to REBOOT, so recasting was likely inevitable anyway to avoid confusion. Tom himself said that his reason for leaving was that LGF rejected Walter Hill as director and he stood by Hill -- but I think he saw the writing on the wall and left before he could be recast. Tom strikes me as generally bitter about his parting with PWZ and even told fans at July 2008's San Diego Comic-Con that PWZ is a "piece of s***" (though he has no way of knowing this), but to his credit he later wished new Punisher Ray Stevenson well ("He sounds like a cool guy [who] loves the character and wants to do him justice. For his sake I hope the movie doesn't suck.").
Sutter, whose draft began the shift towards rebooting and was cited as Tom's other reason for leaving, ultimately removed his name from credit arbitration because so little of his work remained; credited writers are Santora, Marcum & Holloway (the latter two are Marvel's "go-to guys" whose "Iron Man" later did big business). The only person who HAS seen the actual shooting script AND publicly commented on it is Kurt Sutter. His verdict per his blog: while it was obviously not HIS vision, he graciously said it was "tight", "followed the perfect comic book formula", and he predicted "true fans of the Punisher comic books will enjoy this movie" and "it will open huge".
How will that shooting script translate to the screen? "The Spirit" producer Deborah del Prete has seen Lexi's rough cut and said she loved it and thought it would please fans. We've no word yet on how much of Lexi's cut remains intact, but PWZ cinematographer Steve Gainer said that the August 16 cut that he viewed was "something wonderful" that he "loved" -- he sounded proud of the results. [From what I've seen of "The Spirit" so far, I don't think I'd take del Prete's comment as a ringing endorsement. - Vic]
MISPERCEPTION #2: "Nobody will see PWZ because there's no star power in the cast." PWZ is probably relying not on big names but on a high concept designed to appeal to a niche audience of Punisher fans as well as a general action fanbase. Punisher '04 had a bigger budget but higher overhead because of big names like John Travolta, and it performed poorly, so I can understand LGF refining their strategy and leveraging their risks. In any case, PWZ's cast are all experienced actors, if not widely known. [I honestly don't believe that anyone ever expected this to be some huge blockbuster seen by "everyone." - Vic]
Now I want to discuss the RUMORS about PWZ that have unfairly put some people off. LGF could put an end to all of the bad publicity pretty easily with a press release, but for whatever reason they haven't, so I'm simply going to analyze what is known and how it may affect the finished film; the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.
Many agree that PWZ director Lexi Alexander is a tough cookie whose enthusiasm for her work is infectious. Cast members Ray Stevenson and Dominic West both attested to being uninspired by early drafts they read, and Lexi talked them into doing the film based on sheer enthusiasm. Crew member Tom Book hadn't cared for the project at first, but he attested that Lexi soon inspired everyone to believe they were working on "a masterpiece" so they worked diligently through the packed 40-day shoot consisting of mostly wintry Montreal nights. Her blog inspired the many Internet-savvy Punisher fans to get excited about the film as well.
On the flip side, I believe Lexi's made her fair share of enemies (and who in Hollywood hasn't?). The IESB source who slammed Lexi's rough cut as "one of the worst movies ever made" strikes me as just some malcontent Lexi pissed off, especially given that UGO's more impartial "Detective Soap" said that in spite of Lexi's "Jekyll/Hyde" personality, her footage was fantastic. It hasn't escaped me that Lexi's "Hooligans" co-writer Dougie Brimson popped out of nowhere on the FilmSchoolRejects comments section just to retort to Tom Book that Lexi was "disloyal" and "devious", adding "trust me, Im far from alone in thinking that way." [I have no opinion on this as I'm not privy to the details. Personally all I care about is the final product and even directors and actors with bad attitudes who are disliked can produce a great film. - Vic]
(Click to continue reading "The Real Punisher War Zone Story")


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Moulin Rouge Gallery
Bondi Rocks Media makes high quality documentaries for the world.
We develop projects in-house and with co-productions partners.
People, music, dance, religion, science, wildlife and adventure.
Interested in people stories with heart, travel and that special something.
We also produce, write, direct, shoot client material and make TVC's.
Bondi Rocks Media will read well written, strong documentary ideas with market potential.
62A | Lamrock Ave, Bondi Beach, NSW, 2026, Australia


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Twenty-five Leander ISD seniors have earned recognition through the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) based on their scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
The College Board's NHRP honors approximately 5,000 of the highest-scoring Hispanic and Latino 11th-grade students who take the PSAT/NMSQT. Students who received this recognition scored in the top 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino test takers. These students are from the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Mariana Islands and the Marshall Islands, as well as U.S. citizens attending schools abroad.
"We are very proud to be able to offer the PSAT to students in Leander ISD and of these students and this accomplishment," Director of College and Career Readiness Lisa Nucci said. "These students may have scholarship opportunities available as a result of this achievement."
Nucci said many colleges and universities note the scholarship opportunities offered to NHRP designation students on their website. Texas State University awards $2,000 per year for four years, totaling $8,000, and Texas A & M University offers $3,500 per year for four years, totaling $14,000.
To qualify for the recognition, students must: take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their junior year; be at least one quarter Hispanic or Latino descent and identify as Hispanic/Latino on their PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet; achieve the minimum required PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score as set yearly by the College Board; and achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher by the middle of their 11th-grade year. The NHRP makes this information available to subscribing colleges and universities. Students are encouraged to indicate that they have been recognized as a NHRP Scholar on college scholarship, internership and job applications.
On Wednesday, Oct.11, all 8th – 11th-grade LISD students will take the PSAT. For more information and to access free PSAT, SAT and ACT resources, please visit the Leander's College and Career Readiness website.
Engage, inspire, achieve for lifelong success.


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Finding the Vallie Blaylock that you are hoping to locate is easy with USA-People-Search.com. We offer a complete and detailed databank of people search info; like age, latest addresses, and phone numbers. The updated address for Vallie Blaylock is found in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
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- Too hot to draw, so no work to post.
- Worked two jobs for a while, seven days a week. This situation has been remedied.
- Was out of town for 11 days, with limited interwebs access.
- Lazy
Consider this post the turning over of a new leaf. Not only do I intend to post more (famous last words and a dangerous utterance in any blog), but I want to post more about what I'm thinking, as well as what I'm doing.
In the meantime, what am I doing?
I did these drawings whilst in Elgin, North Dakota:
More soon!


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Dubai sports cover an extraordinary spectrum, considering the desert location. Even, amazingly, a sizeable snow dome, with an even grander one planned. Dubai sports can mean anything from top golf courses, to dune bashing, horse and camel racing and more – Dubai is truly one of the world's top leisure, sport and recreational destinations.
In Dubai, live sports enthusiasts are also well catered for, with highlights including the Dubai Tennis Open, the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, the fabulously fashionable Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world. Then there is offshore power boat racing and of course the wildly popular Dubai Rugby Sevens.
Displaying 2 - 7 of 19
Regular dune bashing, plus smaller, personalised tours in dune buggies, complete with support vehicle
The epicentre of Dubai motorsports, where you can drive karts, F1-style single-seaters, or many more
Now redesigned, with a new nine-hole par three course, a floodlit driving range and many practice facilities
Home to the UAE Marine Sports Federation, the regional authority and regulating body for water sports in Dubai
Horse racing takes place at the Nad Al-Sheba Racecourse from November to the end of March
An old favourite, with two championship courses and perhaps the best clubhouse in Dubai


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There's a tiny booth outside the CES press room –– not even on the show floor, mind you –– for something called Qi.
You've probably never heard of Qi.
But if you buy a new smartphone this year, you'll probably end up using it. (It's pronounced chee, by the way.)
Qi is the wireless charging standard for mobile devices. Just rest your phone on a special charging pad, and it'll start powering up. There's no need to lug cords and adapters around with you.
The most prominent gadget using Qi today is Nokia's flagship Windows Phone, the Lumia 920. Other newly-released phones like HTC's Windows Phone 8x and Droid DNA use Qi too.
Based on what sources at other smartphone manufacturers have told us, wireless charging will become a standard feature in top-tier smartphones this year, although the next iPhone may be the exception.


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Insurance agents are still the preferred way to buy life insurance for many Americans, but they are increasingly turning to direct methods of purchase such as online, phone or mail orders, a survey released Wednesday found.
The survey, "The 2011 Insurance Barometer Study," conducted by Harris Interactive for LIMRA and the nonprofit LIFE Foundation, found that nearly two-thirds of consumers prefer to buy life insurance from an agent, but that has fallen from 80% in 1996. Today, 26% of consumers prefer to use the Internet, phone or mail to purchase life insurance.
It should be no great shock that the youngest consumers are the most likely to use the Internet to purchase insurance. The survey found that while adults between 25 and 44 were slightly more likely to prefer direct methods of purchase overall (30%), of those, three-quarters prefer the Internet to phone or mail.
While 64% of consumers still prefer to purchase insurance through an agent or advisor, the Internet still plays a role in their decision. Over half of consumers shopping for insurance researched the purchase online, but ultimately bought from an advisor.
"Obviously, the Internet has fundamentally changed consumers' buying practices over the past 15 years," Marvin Feldman, president and CEO of the LIFE Foundation, said in a press release. "Recognizing the growing consumer interest to use the Internet to conduct research and buy life insurance, life insurance companies and agents have developed and implemented innovative strategies to engage and serve consumers through their websites and social media platforms that are more convenient for the customer."
Consumers generally agree that life insurance is important; 86% said that "most people" need it. However, when asked if they needed life insurance, just 70% thought they did and only 63% already owned some sort of life insurance.
Feldman admitted that for consumers, there are several barriers to purchasing life insurance.
"Life insurance has never been as easy or inexpensive to buy, yet millions of Americans continue to put off making a purchase that they, by their own admission, say is an important one," he said.
Yet bargain hunting isn't consumers' primary goal when looking for a policy. Just 14% of consumers said getting the best price was important to them, although men were slightly more likely than women to place greater importance on price. Understanding the product and getting the right amount of coverage were the two most important factors in consumers' purchasing decisions.
The study found 22% of consumers are concerned about getting the right amount of coverage, largely because of concerns over price. Eighty-five percent of consumers haven't purchased more insurance, even though they think they need it, because it is too expensive. Having other financial priorities and being unsure about how much or what kind to buy were also top concerns.
Regardless of income level, 62% of respondents see life insurance as a way to transfer wealth, the study found. Almost half are worried about having enough money for a comfortable retirement, and 42% are worried about paying for medical expenses.


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For a thousand years, the battle has been waged. The sole reason humans and elves are locked in a neverending war: The Stick of Truth. But the tides of war are soon to change as word of a new kid spreads throughout the land, his coming fortold by the stars. As the moving vans of prophecy drive away, your adventure begins.
As the New Kid you can use a variety of (bad ass!) classes. Each of these classes features several abilities you will unlock throughout the game, by gathering experience and reaching higher levels, which basically means crushing tons of enemies!
Team up with classic South Park characters who will fight by your side in epic battles. Their abilities will either help you defeat your enemy, or save you in perilous situations. Together you will impose your authority!
And don't forget the Fart attacks you will unlock, regardless of your class. These attacks rely on a persistent fart pressure resource and they will be of great help, either in combat or to use them on the surrounding environment.
As a Fighter you will be the ultimate warrior, able to carry heavy bad ass weapons and the strongest armors in Kuppa Keep. You will start your journey by destroying enemies' balls with Roshambo, which also allows you to stun your opponents!
Ever dreamed of controlling the dark forces of sorcery? By becoming the mage you'll master powerful spells like the Dragon's Breath, allowing you to destroy huge amounts of enemies by showering them with a firecracker's fiery sparks.
You move in the shadows and are able to throw deadly and unpredictable attacks. People may call you a weakling, until they receive one of your Backstabs, after which they'll be most certainly dead...!
You are not afraid to cast the first stone with your secret martial arts. You perform circumcisions with precision and won't shy from summoning a mix of pestilence, fiery hail, flying insects, or a rain of frogs to send your opponent back to their maker.
Noble and mighty, the Wizard King commands all humans of Zaron! He has harnessed the power of farts and will lay waste to any enemy who crosses him. Such is the power of a Wizard and King...
The fairest maiden in all of the kingdom. This breathtaking and lovely Princess is the pride of the human faction, with her unmatched ability to charm men. Don't ask why Kenny wanted to be a chick, it's just how he seems to be rolling right now...
As Court Paladin, it's his job to deliver the Wizard Kings' justice...and his mail. A noble and fair member of the Human faction, this Paladin also has the power to heal.
A brave and strong warrior of the Elven army. Along with his companion Sparky, this warrior serves as the right-hand man to the Elf King, and holds great power in his magical sword summons.
For a thousand years, the Jew Elf has battled bravely against the Wizard King's human army. This leader of the Drow Elves has many strengths, but perhaps most menacing is his ability to kick the baby.
Lord of Song, King of Comedy, and Knower of the Forbidden Note! The Bard is an essential member of the elven army, using the power of music to enchant and destroy his enemies.
Version 9.0c
|Hard Drive Space
6 GB available space
|Operating System
Windows XP SP3, Vista SP1, Windows 7, Windows 8
Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz or equivalent
|Video Card
ATI Radeon HD 3870 or NVIDIA 9800 GT
Requires the Steam client to install and play


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Home & Garden
Long, narrow basement gets multipurpose makeover
Roslyn and David are busy people with some serious hobbies. Roslyn is an A-1 cook, and David is a dedicated do-it-yourselfer who knows his way around a toolbox.
Nine years ago, David started to renovate the basement, and it's never been the same since! This long and narrow space needs to function as David's home office and as entertainment central. The multifunctional room was crammed full of office supplies and personal mementos, and the space was crying out for an organizational cure.
We started from the top down, tearing out David's botched drywall job and replacing it with a gorgeous, easy-to-install suspended panel ceiling system. It snaps into place in moments and looks like a million bucks, especially when we added new recessed lighting to replace fixtures that were shorting out.
David and Roslyn wanted their basement to be functional, but they also wanted it to be for entertainment. The key to achieving this dual purpose was dividing the bowling alley-shaped room into different zones. There's the office zone, which is hard-working and functional. Then there's a sort of dividing line between work and pleasure, marked by a bar area that is complete with a counter, bar stools and an elegant pendant light fixture. Finally, at the far end of the room there is a comfortable and welcoming lounge area.
David had previously removed an old wood stove from the basement, and the couple wanted to have a fireplace. We installed a new gas insert that is elevated and surrounded by a beautiful hammered stone veneer. It is visible from every corner of the room and serves as the focal point of this space, drawing the eye while conveying a warm invitation to relax after a busy day.
The lack of storage was a big problem. The solution was custom built-in cabinetry, which flanks the TV and fireplace. Plenty of shelving provides room to display photos, travel souvenirs and books. Floor-length drapes cover the basement's small windows, creating the illusion of full windows beyond. A comfortable armchair with a reading light helps the transition from lounge to office, and as we move toward the desk we find all kinds of storage solutions. Upper and lower cabinetry, filing drawers and shelving surround the spacious desk surface – and we even made room for a small bar fridge at the end of the counter. As an unexpected touch, we hung subtle paisley wallpaper around the desk area to create visual interest, while further marking the dividing line between this room's zones.
David and Roslyn travel often, so they have a lot of luggage, which is kept in the large storage space adjacent to the basement family room. We installed an innovative sliding door to hide the storage room, with a pin-board surface. We displayed the couple's travel photos here, but since it's adjacent to the desk, David could also use it for work-related materials. We even enlarged scenic photos from David and Roslyn's vacations and hung them beside the bar area to help foster that transition from work to play.
And, finally, for the flooring we selected a gray engineered wood flooring system that contrasts nicely with the ceiling and walls. It's also durable, and will resist any basement dampness.
After a nine-year wait, David and Roslyn finally have a professionally finished basement. Storage solutions abound, and everything has its place. Our light and airy color palette makes the space seem much bigger, and with personal touches like travel photos and souvenirs, we've really made this space feel like home. David may still have other DIY projects on the honey-do list, but the basement isn't one of them.
Candice Olson is host of HGTV's "Candice Tells All."


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Conexant CX2388x
Big brother to the BT878 produced by Conexant Systems, Inc.. Has specialised DVB support in a new PCI function, instead of using the digital audio input for it. (Yay!). In fact it has stacks of functions, like 6 or something, but fortunately they all share the same (huge 16MB!) memory mapping. Has the same (identical?) RISC programs as the BT878 and the same kind of i2c bus control controller.
For DVB signal reception handling, the cx2388x doesn't really offer anything over the older BT878 chipset.
Analog video inputs
In terms of its analog to digital signal processing capabilities, the cx2388x brings some improvements over the older BT878 chipset.
Like other A/V decoders, the maximum capture window that these chips support with an analog input signal is "up to 768 x 576 (square pixel PAL/SECAM)".
Analog audio inputs
The cx2388x family of ICs are capable of providing demodulation of all major global broadcast audio standards. In other words, they can directly accept S-IF from a TV tuner pll. These signals will in turn be decoded and are output either to the PC's sound card directly via a patch cable (invokes a DAC step), to a digital audio output interface (eg. SPDIF), or to the host via a DMA channel.
The cx2388x IC's do not process other analog audio sources. They do, however, provide the ability to connect directly, via an i2s input port, to a 3rd party audio ADC.
Also see v4l's cx88 page


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Intermittent Fasting, Set-Point and Leptin
Figured it could make for a decent post here. I added some extras in the form of a short review on the effects of intermittent fasting on leptin.
Short background on leptin and set-point
Leptin is a master-hormone with downstream effects on other hormones related to metabolism (T3/T4, neuropeptide-Y, epinephrine, among many others).
In the long-term, leptin is regulated by total amount of fat mass. A drop in leptin affects the other hormones negatively and vice versa. Low leptin leads to an increase in hunger and a decrease in metabolic rate, much like high leptin leads to a decrease in hunger and an increase in metabolic rate.
Generally speaking, lean people have low levels of leptin while obese have high levels of leptin. However, in the latter case, leptin resistance develops. This is likely an effect of chronically elevated leptin, much like insulin resistance is an effect of chronically elevated insulin.
The set-point theory of body weight-regulation is intimately connected to leptin and has a strong genetic component to it. Naturally lean people maintain a low body fat set-point by being leptin-sensitive; they can maintain a low body fat percentage and function optimally even with low leptin. But most of us aren't so lucky, which is why getting really lean is typically a difficult task.
Dieting in the single digit body fat-range
Lyle McDonald paints a dark picture of life in the low body fat percentage-range. Yet I and my clients maintain a low body fat % without any of the often cited symptoms, such as anhedonia, low libido and a general sense of weakness. It's hard to argue against the literature on the topic, since it's substantial and shows that these side-effects indeed occur. However, it bears mentioning that the studies looking at leptin levels after dieting are limited in the sense that they often use conventional dieting strategies that entail a pronounced weekly calorie deficit for both men and women.
I too experienced the aforementioned side-effects in the past, That is, before I finally "got it right." What does that mean exactly?
Me at a skinny 165 lbs. Editorial work in Milan. My approach to dieting back then wasn't exactly ideal.
During my last cutting diet, that is the one that took me to 5.5% where I have hovered ever since, I did the following things right:
1. I lost the final pounds of fat very slowly and the weekly calorie deficit was subtle. The scale moved down as slow as one pound every other week. On the other hand, I barely felt like I was dieting and I maintained strength and muscle surprisingly well.
2. I was able to make a smooth transition into maintenance. I did not count the days until the diet ended, and I did not sit and plan a big refeed to celebrate when I was done. I didn't feel deprived, daydreaming about food.
3. I would do a extremely controlled and modest refeed 3x/week or 3x/8 day (on training days).
Now contrast this to what I did in the past, which caused me to feel miserable during the whole process and experience rebound weight gain:
1. I wanted to lose as fast as possible so I could work on muscle gaining. The weekly calorie deficit was fairly substantial given my already low body fat percentage - I was losing in the range of 1-1.5 lbs/week. I felt deprived and just wanted to get it over with. Strength and muscle loss was substantial.
Another one. From a shoot in Münich. Weight around 165 lbs or so.
2. I would sit and plan my big refeed meal at the end of the diet. I would count every day like an inmate counting the days to his release from prison. And once I reached my goal, I would go bonkers, eat a bunch of crap, take several steps back and then go back to dieting in a feeble attempt to make up for my screwed up "refeed" (aka binge in my case).
3. I did no refeeds during the diet.
So what's the lesson here and how does it relate to the topic at hand?
Leptin: science versus real world
Leptin is controlled primarily by two things, which are
a) Short term: acute energy balance. A high calorie deficit causes leptin to drop lower than what can be explained by fat loss, and a caloric surplus raises leptin higher than what can be explained by fat gain.
b) Long term: total amount of fat mass. Fat cells are factories for leptin production. Not having many factories obviously impairs production and the aboslute amount of leptin in circulation.
If A can be manipulated via a subtle energy deficit and regular refeeds of the right macrocomposition (carb refeeds acutely increase leptin, while fat has no effect), this should prove beneficial to circulating leptin levels during the diet. It might prove fruitful to "trick" the last few pounds of fat off while venturing into the single digits. Another cyclical diet that has much in common with this strategy is The Ultimate Diet 2.0 though I'm in favor of more frequent, more modest, refeeds and no glycogen depletion outside what occurs with a low-moderate training volume.
If anecdotal reports mean something, this is my standard approach for clients and it's working well. I'm not an isolated case. For example, have a look at Andreaz in this post on maintaining low body fat. And we're no ectomorphs by any means. I grew up fat. Science dictates I wouldn't be able to stay this way (low body fat) without feeling completely miserable, but that's just not the case. The avatar pic was taken at the end of 2007, and I've stayed that way ever since. But I failed many times in the past. Only when I learned patience did I attain my goal.
Now, this little theory of mine, that fat needs to be lost very slowly in the single digit range, still leaves questions as it pertains to B, which is that leptin is ultimately controlled by total amount of fat mass.
Several years and 30 lbs later, I finally "got it right".
Low fat mass equals low leptin. Can leptin sensitivity increase if weight is maintained on a low body fat % for a prolonged period of time? Sadly, there are no studies to suggest that for the time being. Can it increase through other means? Well, exercise and fish oil seem to improve leptin transport, so there's that.
But what I think people really want to know is how intermittent fasting affects leptin levels and there's some interesting research on that topic.
Intermittent fasting and leptin
Generally speaking, studies show a neutral effect on average leptin levels during intermittent fasting. While the fasting period decreases circulating leptin, this is compensated by a big boost when refeeding. In comparison to conventional meal frequencies, intermittent fasting induces a "peak and valley"-pattern in leptin synthesis. Leptin secretion is thus entrained to the meal pattern and shifting meal timing causes a comparable shift in plasma leptin rhythm.
However, there are some interesting discrepancies here in that women actually show a big increase in mean leptin levels during intermittent fasting. This occurs even in the absence of weight gain which is all the more fascinating. In the quoted study, despite calorie intake being elevated in comparison to baseline intake, the women actually lost weight and lowered waist circumference and body fat percentage. Intermittent fasting was also shown to decrease neuropeptide-Y, a hormone that stimulates hunger. This could probably be explained by elevated leptin levels, but there was no linear correlation between the two in this case.
Similar effects have also been shown to occur in men. That is, fat loss occurred without any reduction in leptin - and these were fairly lean athletes to begin with.
Intermittent fasting may also be of benefit when dieting in the single digit range due to the effect of fasting on the fat mobilizing hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine. When you're in the single digit body fat range, you're likely to have low circulating levels of leptin. One of leptin's downstream effects is on epinephrine and norepinephrine output. Low leptin equals impaired output of the aforementioned hormones. This is part of how leptin regulates metabolic rate. However, it seems that these hormones increase regardless during fasting. That is, leptin is not able to exert it's usual power over these hormones. In this case, their increase cannot be mediated by leptin which allows fat mobilization to go on unabated during fasting.
That's it for now. There's plenty more on this topic, but I'll save that for some other time.
* Fat loss in the single digit body fat-range needs to be slow and tempered. In my experience, this allows for a smooth transition into maintenance and minimizes muscle loss. I also believe it might lessen the negative effect of dieting on leptin, which ultimately makes maintenance of low body fat achievable. I think most people diet too hard, which has a profoundly negative effect on leptin - and this is part of the reason why the weight gain rebound is so common in folks who finally manage to reach their goal (and then screw up everything by binging).
* Planned and regular refeeds should be in place. This affects leptin positively and allows for maintenance of muscle and strength. Even if your goal ultimately is fat loss, entering an anabolic phase with post-workout overfeeding will serve you well.
* Intermittent fasting seems to have interesting effects on leptin synthesis. Whether this has benefits for low body fat maintenance or circulating mean leptin levels is up for speculation for the time being.
For more on leptin and set-point, read this and this. I've also talked about the effects of our obesogenic environment on set-point and weight regulation in this post. Somewhat related to the topic at hand, I've also posted on strategies for maintaining low body fat.
85 comments:
- Jon Fernandes said...
I have been wondering when you were going to write an article regarding leptin and IFing.
In about two weeks, I am going to be cutting with EOD refeeds but with a less drastic calorie deficient on off days. Going to keep carbs in everyday as well for thyroid reasons.
PSMF days are effective for fat loss but I end up crashing too soon. My mood and energy levels end up being all over the place as well lol.
Thanks for the information Martin.
- Jon
- March 17, 2010 at 2:06 PM
- Pikku said...
Another awesome post. Keep up the good work Martin
- March 17, 2010 at 2:24 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hi, Martin.
Outside of working with someone one-on-one, is there a resource or a combination of resources that you'd recommend to someone who wants to learn about properly setting up and individualizing re-feeds?
My brother is a trainer, and we were recently having a conversation, and he mentioned to me that he'd like to start becoming more proficient on setting up diets for clients. While I see a lot of various groups coming out with their own made-up nutritional certifications and plenty of so-called experts (read "folks who like to fancy themselves as being of your caliber but who aren't even within several thousand miles of your zip code", to put it politely.
While I understand that no one resource or even group of resources can transform a person into an instant expert, I'd be interested in hearing what might be on your short list for becoming very competent in this area (as well as any other steps you feel are key to developing into a very solid voice in this regard, if not an expert someday).
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for letting me ramble a bit!
-Shen Liu
- March 17, 2010 at 3:24 PM
- Ryker said...
Great post, Martin. Though one of the studies you cited (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15573845) seems to show that insulin levels go up on IF. I assume that's not a good thing, since you want to keep it down. How would you comment on that?
- March 17, 2010 at 3:43 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Hard question to answer without listing numerous potential resources, but first of all I would recommend getting a solid and unbiased perspective of nutrition and exercise physiology. The texts you should be reading aint the ones you'll find on blogs and internet-sites/forums. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism by Gropper and McArdle's Exercise Physiology are both good resources in this regard. As for more "layman"-like material, Lyle's books have plenty to offer.
- March 17, 2010 at 4:06 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Insulin was only increased compared to the baseline period (pre-Ramadan), which can be explained by the simple fact that daily calorie intake increased during intermittent fasting (...and yet strangely, they lost body fat despite higher insulin and calorie intake).
- March 17, 2010 at 4:11 PM
- John said...
So even with a high-intensity, low volume, low cardio training regimen, high carbohydrate meals are helpful/necessary in continuing to decrease or at least maintain an already low body fat...are the high carb meals necessary even if performance does not decrease?
- March 17, 2010 at 4:29 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Necessary no, helpful yes.
- March 17, 2010 at 4:42 PM
- Anonymous said...
Excellent read. Thanks.
- March 17, 2010 at 4:45 PM
- Eric Komans said...
I had been dying to see some modeling pics ever since I read about your time modeling in your 'transformation' story.
The whole reason I'm trying to lose, myself, is for an acting career. I was curious to see what you had looked like when just getting rid of boydfat was the goal.
Thanks for the post overall, though! I love your writing.
- March 17, 2010 at 6:36 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Thanks, Eric. I'm glad to hear you like my writing.
Got plenty more pics from back in those days. Might scan and add them later for shits and giggles. Funny thing is that I was generally considered "buff" (by my agencies and the other models) at that weight.
- March 17, 2010 at 6:47 PM
- Sterling Purdy said...
ALWAYS good stuff Martin. It's interesting that leptin's response and attributes differ with IF. It seems yet another reason IF is so beneficial and would benefit those with diabetes even more, especially considering many are leptin resistance or approaching leptin resistance.
- March 17, 2010 at 6:52 PM
- Manveet said...
Man were you skinny.
6'0 and 165lbs?
- March 17, 2010 at 7:39 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Hah yeah. 6'1 actually. Skinny as a rail.
Thanks, Sterling.
- March 17, 2010 at 8:01 PM
- Anonymous said...
Great post. Really interesting...thanks Martin!
- March 17, 2010 at 10:31 PM
- Anton Kinnander said...
Interesting as always Martin.
- Anton
- March 17, 2010 at 11:46 PM
- Mark said...
Hey Martin,
Great stuff as usual. I just wanted to verify what I thought you said in a comment from a prior blog post.
While fasting, I think you said that it is ok to add cream/milk to your morning coffee as long as you do not exceed 50 calories. This way you won't come out of the fast metabolically and you don't have to drink black coffee. Am I right in thinking this?
- March 18, 2010 at 6:59 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Yes. The fasted state (low insulin) is not something you immediately exit or enter. Splash of milk/cream for your coffee will have such a minimal impact on insulin that it's no use making a big fuss out of it. I said 50 calories max to safeguard against people using boatloads of the stuff which is obviously not ok.
- March 18, 2010 at 7:14 AM
- Matt Stone said...
Excellent presentation of your points Martin. I'm liking it. My experiences with low body fat percentage has certainly been negative. At 3-4% body fat I did some major damage to myself, and experienced all of the Lyle McDonald-esque symptoms.
I believe that insulin resistance is controlled primarily by leptin though. In my research I've been led to believe that having LOW functional leptin (either through leptin resistance or actual low leptin) causes insulin resistance, and raising insulin lowers insulin resistance. This is why, when underfeeding, it becomes increasingly easy to gain weight and post semi-starvation blood sugars soar much higher than pre-starvation levels. Likewise, weight loss is easier than ever after overfeeding and post overfeeding blood sugars are lower.
That's also why fructose, which doesn't raise insulin, is so fattening. Glucose raises leptin and lowers insulin resistance, which is probably why an extremely high carb/low fat diet lowers fasting insulin by "30-40% in 3 weeks" according to guys like Joel Furhman. His latest blog post today is of a man who lost 333 pounds on his diet. You could hardly say that carbs cause insulin resistance when his diet is roughly 75-80% carbohydrate.
Amen to carb refeeds by the way.
Lastly, I've always rolled my eyes at IF-ing. It's use in altering leptin, however, will keep my eyes wide-open from now on.
Keep up the good work Martin. I'll be paying attention.
- March 18, 2010 at 8:10 AM
- Anonymous said...
"Low leptin leads to an increase in hunger and metabolic rate, much like high leptin leads to a decrease in hunger and increase in metabolic rate."
Think there's a word missing in there, otherwise you're saying that low and high leptin levels both lead to an increase in metabolic rate.
How would you define a "modest refeed"?
- March 18, 2010 at 8:16 AM
- Anonymous said...
Martin -
You said:
"The fasted state (low insulin) is not something you immediately exit or enter."
Does that mean one would want to avoid BCAA supplementation during the fasted state due to the insulinogenic effect?
- March 18, 2010 at 8:57 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
'I believe that insulin resistance is controlled primarily by leptin though. In my research I've been led to believe that having LOW functional leptin (either through leptin resistance or actual low leptin) causes insulin resistance, and raising insulin lowers insulin resistance'
One would tend to think they develop in synergy, but I'm aware that there are some theories that leptin resistance occurs before insulin resistance.
OTOH, insulinogenesis causes leptin synthesis. Having had chronically high insulin is more or less a necessity for developing leptin resistance.
'That's also why fructose, which doesn't raise insulin, is so fattening. Glucose raises leptin and lowers insulin resistance'
That's true, fructose does not affect leptin in the same way as glucose. But this is hardly an issue in a non-retarded diet with whole foods. Unless you're drinking tons of soft drinks or eating refined shit daily you're in the safe zone.
'Lastly, I've always rolled my eyes at IF-ing. It's use in altering leptin, however, will keep my eyes wide-open from now on.'
I'm glad to hear it, Matt. Thanks.
- March 18, 2010 at 10:20 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Yes, I missed a word (decrease). Corrected it. Modest refeed, well that depends.
Anon nr 2,
'Does that mean one would want to avoid BCAA supplementation during the fasted state due to the insulinogenic effect?'
Yes, unless it's taken before fasted training.
Read this
And this
- March 18, 2010 at 10:28 AM
- Ryker said...
Thanks for answering my post. However, you said that insulin levels were "only" higher when compared to baseline. But wasn't baseline "normal" eating (e.g. no fasting). I namely thought that among the advantages of IF vs. such normal eating were lower insulin levels and better insulin sensitivity.
P.S.: I'm not trolling, I'm on IF, as well, but this seems to go against the grain of what I believed before.
- March 18, 2010 at 11:22 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
These results could partly be explained by the time the researchers took blood samples. Fasting venous samples were taken at 1:00-2:00 PM for measurement of serum levels of leptin,
insulin, glucose and lipids, and the time not change when Ramadan was initiated. Since a larger caloric load occurred in the evening vs baseline conditions it would also mean a later peak and drop in leptin and insulin vs baseline conditions.
- March 18, 2010 at 12:55 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Another confounder is the calorie increase during Ramadan.
It would be interesting to do another study with a similar setup, but in this case
a) during equicaloric conditions
b) take fasting venous samples x hours after the last meal (x being constant for both conditions)
- March 18, 2010 at 1:00 PM
- Wilmar said...
ah, so THAT's why you IF. great (and very important) post.
- March 18, 2010 at 1:35 PM
- Anonymous said...
Thanks for sharing all this. Awesome post.
- March 18, 2010 at 7:31 PM
- Anonymous said...
Interesting blog, motivating results! In your experience, how many refeed days a week is optimal, when the other days are hypocaloric lower carb days. I train whole body monday/thursday and these two days are refeed days, beeing high in carbs and calories. But are two enough?
The best
- March 18, 2010 at 7:53 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Depends. Ask yourself how it's working first and foremost.
- March 18, 2010 at 9:15 PM
- Marc said...
Martin, great post.
Are you able to shed some light on your 'modest' refeed. I'm interested as to how much over maintenance you'll shoot for, is it necessary to go over or is i just a case of basing most of the calories on carbs to influence leptin? My worry is going over may mess up the weeks deficit, leading you to spinning your wheels.
- March 19, 2010 at 1:27 AM
- Nathaniel said...
Martin, I've read your blog from time to time but I've never commented before. I just want to say that this was an extremely helpful and informative post! Thank you!
- March 19, 2010 at 2:59 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Thanks. A modest refeed is just that. Modest. The specifics depend on various factors; training volume, training frequency, subjective reaction to refeeds, leanness, among other things. I won't delve into how many grams of carbs you personally require, but needless to say, since you should be doing them fairly frequently (i.e 3x/week on training days), you need to keep them tempered if your goal is fat loss.
- March 19, 2010 at 6:31 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Thanks, glad to hear you liked it.
- March 19, 2010 at 6:33 AM
- nondual said...
Isn't every post-workout meal - with it's higher carb content, basically a little 'mini-refeed'? Heck, even a lower carb non-workout day has you bulking your calories in a sense and 're-feeding'.
Or am I completely confused as to what you were saying?
- March 19, 2010 at 7:06 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Nope, you're right.
- March 19, 2010 at 7:19 AM
- Marc said...
Cool, thanks for the heads up Martin, I've only been doing them once a week.. Hitting maintanence or very slightly above (not taking into account calories burned doing weights that day) Is it normal to look softer on the carb increase? Could be my mind playing tricks on me :-P
- March 19, 2010 at 9:42 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Depends on the carb load and what you ate. Some would say they appear a bit softer after the meal. Others say they look fuller and more vascular. The composition of the meal and individual tolerance to certain food items are two large confounders.
Generally speaking though, it's not strange that you look a tad bloated, compared to the fasted state, after having eaten a big meal. But it's a trivial matter since it goes away over night or later in the evening.
- March 19, 2010 at 9:54 AM
- Marc said...
Would cereals like cheerios affect this more than say pasta or rice? but I guess it is a pretty trivial matter.
- March 19, 2010 at 10:04 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Hard to say, Marc. I've yet to conduct an extensive study on that matter. But given that cheerios are consumed with milk, and dairy products may cause bloating in some, that's something to consider. On the other hand, some people notice bloating/water retention from wheat products. Like I said, individual tolerance is a big confounder.
- March 19, 2010 at 10:18 AM
- m said...
Hmm that's very interesting, never thought of the milk, wheat too. I suffer from IBS so 95% of the time don't eat any complex carbs (just fruit, yogurt, green veggies) but on the refeed I base it all on cereals really as that's my weakness. Also with the milk I only ever consume that with my cheerios. Might be onto something here...
- March 19, 2010 at 10:25 AM
- Haley said...
I've spent the last several days reading through the information on your blog and all I have to say is "wow". You have so much information available! Great job and THANK YOU for sharing it! I got caught up in the 6 meals a day "stuff", and IF has really opened my eyes that it doesn't have to be that complicated. Thanks again!
- March 19, 2010 at 5:41 PM
- Nathaniel said...
Martin, I'm trying to summarize the significance of all this stuff. This is what I got from it; please correct me if I'm wrong.
These studies seem to suggest that IF, combined with adequate re-feeds, may be a way to induce fat loss in the body while avoiding the drop in leptin levels that typically accompany fat loss. Therefore, possibly an effective way to manipulate the body's set-point?
And it appears that carbohydrate-containing re-feeds are effective in boosting leptin, while fat was not? They did not study protein, though? I would be curious to know if protein has a similar effect to carbs.
Am I understanding this stuff right? Thanks Martin.
- March 19, 2010 at 9:28 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
You're welcome.
'Therefore, possibly an effective way to manipulate the body's set-point?'
That's very speculative. Relatively speaking there's not much research on IF and leptin. The available research either shows that average leptin is unchanged but that the pattern changes into a peak and valley-pattern (in contrast to a more even pattern as seen w conventional meal patterns). Then there's some research showing more interesting and peculiar effects as mentioned in the article.
Protein has a lesser effect on leptin. Greatest impact in order: carbs, protein, fat.
- March 20, 2010 at 9:46 AM
- Z said...
Great post! I just stumbled across your blog recently so forgive me if this has been done already but have you laid out a detailed diet phase anywhere that goes over how you structure the macros/refeeds with IF and exercise? Something like how UD2.0 is done? I would guess this would be something one would have to pay for but i would be really interested. Thanks!
- March 20, 2010 at 11:09 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
No, I haven't. That's for the book.
- March 20, 2010 at 12:00 PM
- Anonymous said...
Great article. You consistently deliver good, thought-provoking and original material. Keep it up.
- March 20, 2010 at 12:42 PM
- David Shores DC said...
Is it necessary for your clients to weigh and measure your food?
- March 23, 2010 at 5:37 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Yes. They need to know how much they're eating one way or another. So do you if you want optimal progress.
- March 24, 2010 at 12:56 AM
- David Shores DC said...
Thanks Martin.
That's what I was afraid of! LOL
I choose to measure.
- March 24, 2010 at 11:44 AM
- Anonymous said...
Hey Martin,
I was just wondering if you ever struggled with loose skin. Then again, you weren't that fat in the first place, so it couldn't have been that big of a problem.
- March 25, 2010 at 10:02 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
I struggled with loose skin after my first few diets, but it tightened up as the years passed.
- March 25, 2010 at 10:18 AM
- Moritz said...
very interesting read...
if you don't mind, i'd like to ask a question though:
do you know the reason why on some days you feel crappy in regard to mood, energy levels and focus while fasting, while others go just smoothly?
i personally can't see any reason, since my diet, workouts and sleep are just fine and those would have been my usual suspects haha
thanks in advance,
- March 27, 2010 at 12:12 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
Negative stress, procrastination or bordedom.
- March 27, 2010 at 3:10 PM
- Matt said...
Your blog is the best fitness related read I had for a very long time. Awesome stuff!
I'm 20 years old, always been lean but rather scrawny. I've reached very low BF% in high school when I slightly cut the carbs (not consciously, I just ramped up the protein so I was constantly full) and started doing bodyweight exercises (handstand pushups are awesome!). At the time I had a clear cut six pack and visible veins on my abdominal wall even when fully relaxed. But I ended up slightly scrawnier than before, which wasn't my goal at all.
Now I'm somewhat loose with my diet, I eat 4-6 meals a day (fairly large ones). I only counted my cals once just to see where I was at on an average day and they were around the 3000 mark. Since I'd like to put on some muscle, before finding this blog I was about to start a classic bulk with a see-food diet (see food eat food), but now I might give IF a shot.
My height now is 179 cm and my weight is 67 kg. Here's a pic I took yesterday: http://i41.tinypic.com/2iscqpu.jpg
I never measured my BF% but it's definitely higher now than it ever was before.
I'd like to ask you something though. You mentioned that you and most of your clients used to be a little on the heavy side. What I want to know is, have you had any experience working with someone who is predominantly ecto and has little or no trouble keeping BF percentages low, but has a hard time gaining muscle? If so, how well does your approach to IF and cyclic calorie dieting work for them?
Sorry for the long comment.
Looking forward to more interesting stuff from you.
- Matt
- March 30, 2010 at 2:07 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
'What I want to know is, have you had any experience working with someone who is predominantly ecto and has little or no trouble keeping BF percentages low, but has a hard time gaining muscle? If so, how well does your approach to IF and cyclic calorie dieting work for them?'
It works very well if they can handle the food. If they can't, the problem is easily solved by including more easily digestable foods and liquids in the feeding window.
- March 30, 2010 at 11:18 AM
- Chino said...
Hi Martin. The more I read about IF (specifically from your protocol) the more tempted I get to try it. I am very much anticipating the release of your book. I just read through your 'wrapping up 2007' post recently and I'd like to ask you a few questions.
1. At some point in time I became insulin resistant, this is when I packed on a lot of unwanted weight. I really like how IF does not try and avoid specific food groups, but I am worried about my insulin sensitivity, how will this and implementation of IF affect me?
2. What's a rough value that you set for your IF cut in terms of percentage?
I really see myself in you after reading your 2007 wrap up post except you started off heavy while I was actually the opposite where I was a stick all my life, so for some reason I just packed it and have worked hard since in getting where I am now (which resembles your 'The modeling days: age 19-22'). You have been an inspiration and want to take that next step in converting my 'now' to your 'now'. Thank you.
- April 18, 2010 at 10:59 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
1. Your insulin sensitivity will improve as you a) lose fat and b) embark on IF.
2. There's a reason I don't talk about specific macro percentages since a) it depends and b) I'm saving the nitty gritty details for the book. I've given rough outlines of how carbs, fat and protein is cycled in the interviews so go read them.
Thanks for the kind words.
- April 20, 2010 at 2:20 PM
- Chino said...
Hi Martin, appreciate your response. I've got a rough idea but I'll reread the interviews. I'm just afraid of stepping into the IF world but I will. In the meantime, my last skinfold (professional) showed me at 6.9% bodyfat but the problem is that I was in a state of depletion due to long term SKD. I don't want to avoid food groups anymore and want to be relaxed as to stop the excessive cal/macronutrient counting, IF seems to be the perfect solution. Also, I'd like to be below 7% without being depleted. I'm currently fighting (a winning I might add) battle with my own demon, which is the monster appetite I have when I touch carbs. I've been on SKD for about 8 months with heavy training and have the occassional (every 2 months or so) refeed but a refeed keeping fat high to stay in ketosis. I've been relaxed about my diet in the past two weeks (another battle won against another demon of mine) by going back to CKD with a Sat/Sun carbup/refeed and I'm now should be roughly at 9-10% bodyfat which is ideally my non-depleted state. For the first time since returning to CKD I've been wanting to eat 'clean' foods, the past two refeeds I gorged myself but that was the tactic itself which worked and after the second one I actually stopped craving for crappy foods and started wanting to eat cleanly. So I'm slowly prepping myself up for IF. It was also 2 months of maintaining 7% bf that I started experiencing extreme cravings, something I've never gone through in the more disciplined dieting 8 months prior. Thanks again Marin, keep up the good work.
- April 20, 2010 at 3:25 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hello Martin,
I'm thinking about the refeed days. Can I have 2 refeeds/week on my workout days and lower the calories the rest 5 days?
Example: losing fat 0,5kg/week= 2350kcal/day
5 days of 2000cal
2 days of 3350cal
Total cal of the week: 16700/7= intersection is 2385cal/day.
Will my diet take damage if I go such a low as 2000cal 5 times a week?
Thanks in advance.
- April 23, 2010 at 10:55 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
I don't know a thing about you, so I can't give you a definitive answer on that.
- April 23, 2010 at 1:08 PM
- Anonymous said...
Thanks for your answer. I will just bug you one more time.
I'll reword it:
2 days of 500cal surplus of my maintance level(on training days on sunday and thursday)
5 days of -850cal cut of my maintance level(rest days)
That means monday, tuesday and wednesday all are restdays which mean 3 days in a row with -850cal cut of my maintance level each day intill my workout day on thursday, when I refeed.
Will such a big calorie cut -850 of my maintance level 3 days in a row harm my diet in any way before I refeed again on thursday? (monday,tuesday and wednesday)
I mean -850 cal cut of my maintance level is pretty big and doing that 3 days in a row before I refeed maybe isn't that optimal for keeping muscle and strength?
Or maybe it's better to have 3 refeed days/week, then it's only two days in a row with such a big calorie cut from my maintance level.
I hope I made it clear what I mean.
This would make everything clear for me.
- April 23, 2010 at 2:25 PM
- Martin Berkhan said...
You still left out vital information, such as body fat percentage, so I can't give you a definitive answer. Nor is comments a place where I give out personal consultations or tell people how they should eat and train. I have clients for that.
That being said, your setup does not look bad and may work just fine.
- April 23, 2010 at 2:41 PM
- Anonymous said...
Everybody seems to encourage us to eat 5-6 meals a day, but when I get hunger pangs I know this is the fasting time when my body is tapping into my fat stores, its as simple as that for me. You suggest that diet coke is OK during the fasting phase but I would amend this, despite the fact it is sugar free I have always found it still boosts insulin levels, and this has never helped me towards losing fat.
- May 13, 2010 at 10:15 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
'You suggest that diet coke is OK during the fasting phase but I would amend this, despite the fact it is sugar free I have always found it still boosts insulin levels, and this has never helped me towards losing fat.'
Bullshit. But I'm sure you believe yourself to be a special and unique little flower that get an insulin response from diet coke.
Despite all evidence pointing to the contrary.
- May 16, 2010 at 2:06 AM
- Sonny said...
Martin, I've the same regards as Jon Fernandes posted on 3/17/10.
My goal currently is drop BF & retain strength in the gym.
Was wondering, if this approach is hazardous (not recommended).
1. Eat near psmf (RFL syle) on off days (rest or job).
2. Eat -500 calories from maintenance on training days.
Figure it might create deficit of 5500 = 1.5 lb a week.
- June 10, 2010 at 11:44 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
I wouldn't say it's "hazardous".
- June 11, 2010 at 1:47 AM
- Leigh said...
Hi Martin,
Anxiously awaiting your book. I am especially interested in the potential to change the set point as I also was at my fattest as a teenager.
I am going to try IF with a protocol similar to Lyle's flexible approach.
I am curious about one thing: because of my schedule and desire to lose fat (currently at about 30%), I am running for 30 min in the morning and lifting or doing a crossfit workout in the evening. I am assuming that there is no need for the BCAAs in the morning? That would only be for lifting?
Also, does anything abut your protocol change for fatter people? (You and most of our clients seem to be going for single digit BF, I would be happy at 15%)
- June 16, 2010 at 6:35 AM
- Martin Berkhan said...
I would recommend BCAAs before all types of anaerobic activity and long duration aerobic activity. Got an article coming up on that topic, so stay tuned for guidelines.
The basics don't change that much for higher body fat percentages. Depending on the individual I moderate the carb load post-workout and total carb amount on training days. Fatter = less carbs than leaner individuals.
- June 22, 2010 at 10:54 AM
- Tarvo said...
Hi Martin,
I just started doing IF. What's a good way to find out my maintenance calories? I used to do a lot of cardio and according to the online calculators my maintenance should be 3500 calories. I have now dropped most of the cardio and I have no idea how many calories I should eat. My hunger is the same as before.
I'm around 15% bodyfat and want to drop lower and then start gaining (without gaining back the fat).
- June 25, 2010 at 3:32 AM
- Anonymous said...
Hey Martin. Can you say something about IF and gaining lean mass?
There is much information about dieting with IF but I didn´t find anything about gaining mass.
- July 31, 2010 at 1:27 PM
- John Cowell said...
Dear Martin,
I was wondering if you had any experience in implementing your system with endurance athletes? Is it possible to do or is it best to use IF to get the athlete to the desired body composition and then switch to a more "typical" protocol? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
- October 29, 2010 at 11:46 PM
- John Cowell said...
I'm interested to hear your thoughts on how to implement IF with endurance athletes.
- October 29, 2010 at 11:59 PM
- Anonymous said...
What a refeed of yours is like?
- November 21, 2010 at 12:31 AM
- Anonymous said...
Hello Martin!
If you once have been fat in your life (I mean really fat). And then getting lean. Will that mean it's harder to put on more muscles, because you've once been fat? Meaning that when you're overeating again, the most of it will store as fat because you now have bigger/more fat cells from the times you were fat. This sounds like a myth to me and I just wonder if you have any proves about this?
I've been wondering about this for a long time and I want to be convinced about this "fact" from a proper source.
Would be really happy if you had any answers about this.
Thanks in advance!
- May 10, 2011 at 7:58 AM
- Kenny said...
Hi Martin,
I just learned about IF yesterday and I would like to say that I've learned alot from the blogs and topics.. Thank you! I plan to start next Monday I need to food shop lol ..is there a specific type of scale you use to weigh ?
- May 15, 2011 at 4:49 AM
- Anonymous said...
in one of your posts you said no bcaa in the fasted state unless its before training. What is the reason for this? Wouldnt bcaa help preserve muscle?
- September 9, 2011 at 10:54 AM
- Anonymous said...
From what I understand, leptin resistance isn't just a compensatory mechanism for increased leptin in circulation but can be induced directly by excessive fructose consumption. Additionally, systemic inflammation can also cause noise/desensitization at the leptin receptor, namely in the hypothalamus where it regulates bodyweight, the magic "set point", satiety/appetite and metabolism. Chronic excess overeating of foods that stimulate leptin (refined carbs stimulate most leptin release per cal) and foods that cause systemic inflammation i.e. oxidized veggie oils (PUFA's), low protein diets, will lead to weight gain and leptin resistance, fueling more weight gain and leptin resistance etc.
I believe in IF but this is also why a Paleo diet seems to work fine for obese people, it gets rid of inflammatory foods such as refined carbs/veggie oils/high fructose and adds quality fats/vegs to the diet. IF + Paleo....plus weightlifting to boost muscle/bone/testosterone...now that's the real fucking deal, Martin.
Byron Richards is a pretty knowledgeable clinical nutritionist on leptin. he has online talks + several books on leptin and its practicality
- November 3, 2011 at 10:54 PM
- Anonymous said...
Do you have a book out? If not, you should write one.
- January 27, 2012 at 1:40 PM
- Gene said...
Question to the group, I have been on the IF diet about 2 weeks now, took a little while. How are you structuring your meals during the feeding period.
My routine is to workout at 600 am, start eating at 12 until about 8pm.
Are you still eating 1-2g protein per lb of wt and such each day? Are you eating just 3 meals or more. I find it hard to get all my calories and ~300g protein from only three meals a day. What are you doing?
- April 8, 2012 at 7:00 PM
- Gene said...
Question to anyone, I have been on the IF diet about 2 weeks now, took a little while. Wondering how are you structuring your meals during the feeding period?
My routine is to workout at 600 am, start eating at 12 until about 8pm.
Are you still eating 1-2g protein per lb of wt and such? Are you eating just 3 meals or more. I find it hard to get all my cals and ~300g of protein from only three meals a day.
- April 8, 2012 at 7:01 PM
- Anonymous said...
I seen this in a 2009 study I was reading at obesity.org and remembered this post and support your belief that weight shouldn't be lost quickly.
"It appears, therefore, that leptin-responsive neurons implement rather complex mechanisms of controlling their own sensitivity to leptin. But what is the physiological and evolutionary function of this? Interestingly it has been suggested that leptin resistance may be a mechanism of helping to detect energy flux (the rate of energy expenditure) rather than the current energy stores alone. The determination of energy flux is a more accurate indicator of the true energy balance and the future energy requirements of an organism. For example an organism may still be in negative energy balance despite having high energy/fat stores during pregnancy, illness, or intensive exercise. A system which dampens leptin responses in high energy states is more sensitive to negative energy flux as it is less likely to be potentially disastrously overwhelmed by strong anorexic signals."
- August 4, 2012 at 6:28 PM
- review on customized fat loss said...
wow those are really crazy transformations. But i noticed you have a REALLY low body fat percentages throughout, which is key to looking good! (although having decent muscle mass is good too)
- October 19, 2012 at 4:55 AM
- Herman said...
Hi Martin,
Can you help me? After eating a high protein meal from breaking the fast- I am feeling tired, hot, and have a lost of energy.
Thank you,
- November 11, 2012 at 4:18 PM
- Chrismagic said...
Thoughts on this study?
- December 5, 2012 at 8:23 AM
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text:
IDS-2302A Oscilloscope
Iso-Tech - IDS 2000A Series
IDS 2000A Series DSO comes along with a high-value design framework and a large screen color LCD display to perform very fast waveform acquisition and procession utilizing VPO technology. Waveform Search and Segmented Memory are available to facilitate the search event of interest from the long record length. The ping-pong waveform acquisition design and advanced VPO-technology-based waveform procession system greatly enchance the speed and quality of waveform display. The optional logic analyzer funcion allows the signal acquisition through logic triggering and enables the logic and analog waveforms to be shown on the same screen for comparison and time correlation analysis. This Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (MSO) function is field-installable with a plug-in module. It supports I2C/SPI/UART serial bus trigger and decoding
- Bandwidth: 300 MHz
- Analog Channels: 2
- Digital Channels: 16
- Max Sample Rate: 2 GS/s
- Max Memory Depth: 2 Mpts
- Operating System: Embedded
- Form Factor: Benchtop


text:
Since the sensors never seem to be hitting the UK, I was wondering if anyone had peeled back the heat shrink to see whats hiding underneath the temp/volts sensor?
I'm guessing the temp is a thermistor & volts probably a resistor/diode.
Obviously the cost involved with buying the actual traxxas sensors makes it a bit daft to make your own, but since they're not available yet, I wondered if anyone had details so I could make some up & have a proper play with my TQi.
Doesn't help with your question really but I'm waiting on the sensors too. Been told by Wheelspin they expect delivery 9th July.
The RPM sensor is probably a hall sensor... The temperature sensor is probably a 10k @ 25C thermistor (I prefer an LM35)... Voltage could be a resistor but not sure...
Last edited by danielhr77; 05-24-2012 at 05:46 PM.
He Who Dies With the Most Toys Wins.
I made my own temp and volt sensor harness. Made the temp out of an old venom temp gauge that no longer worked. The temp sensor itself was good because it works great with the telemetry TQI setup on my e baja 5t. Just took a guess on it and it worked perfect.
FASTEST "recorded/proven" JATO'S-3.3 AND Big block
Last edited by CupraR; 05-26-2012 at 10:51 PM.
Mighty Models use their ebay shop more i think. Just give then a ring dude.
I'll go check wheelspin out, I normally use modelsport just because their delivery & stock is normally good, but I've used wheelspin before.
Mighty Models are still waiting on stock delivery.
Ah well, worth a try.
I've ordered a temp/volt from the states now. Looking forward to having a play.
Johnny on the spot !! I used a commonly used abbreviation very close to lol but added a m and an a. Was sited a 5 point wack!! Just thought this was an appropriate response to the delayed products so ragingly advertised by traxxas. Even bringing them to national NHRA EVENTS. Ie... DTS-1,TQI, etc etc.
ABUSIVE??? Only to customers. Lol.
FASTEST "recorded/proven" JATO'S-3.3 AND Big block
Will other temp sensors work?? I picked up a Spektrum SPM 1450 today. Changed the pinout to match the Traxxas wiring. Gonna try it when I get back to my truck
Let us know how you get on. Do you have a temp gun to confirm its accurate?
My Traxxas Temp Sensor reads different to my Temp Gun, but there were no instructions on wire placement on the engine. I just put it around the bottom of cooling head.
As soon as mine arrive from the states, I'll be having a look underneath the heatshrink. I'll post up on here as soon as they land.
I've only ordered the temp/volt though, so I won't be able to help with the RPM sensor.
How many channels do you have to have on your transmitter for the sensors?
Also can you take a TQi transmitter and receiver from a Revo and use it on an E-Maxx?
Last edited by Crzyjeff; 06-09-2012 at 10:16 PM.
So why i'm waiting for parts, I've been spec'ing up telemetry for all my models.
I can't for the life of me get my head round the temp sensor mount 6535.
Can anyone help out with what this is actually for, and if needed, how it's used. I can't find any good answers, just questions about it.
Which model is the temp sensor mount listed under?
I know it's not under TMaxx but wonder if I could utilise it. At the moment the wire for the temp sensor looks too untidy for my liking.
E-Revo & Ken Block off the top of my head. I don't know how many others.
I had a look in the XO1 manual, but that doesn't mention it. Just looks as though it wraps around the motor. I can't see why the other electric models would be any different.
It just goes over the thermistor and zipties to the motor. You don't have to use it, you could just use a ziptie, but it prevents the thermister from lifting away from the motor.
I was finally able to order the rest of what I needed from an ebay chop shop. As soon as it arrives I'll have full telemetry on both my 1/10 Slash and Slash 4x4. I'm really looking forward to having it.
I need R/Cers anonymous.
Also how many channels does the receiver have to be for the sensors?
Dude, this was already answered in post 20, or do you mean something else?
There is the transmitter which is the controller and there is the receiver that goes on the vehicle. He answered my question about the transmitter. Now I am wondering about the receiver.
Thank you for the info Rob.
No problem, hope I helped.
I need R/Cers anonymous.
Post's been this morning, still no sensors.
Right, not posting this to rub salt in your wounds Newth, but I now have all my sensors and today my RPM mounts came.
No instructions for them though. I'm not sure how the RPM mounts, mount. There are three in the packet A,B,C. They look like they mount under the engine mount screws I think and I'm tipping only one of the three sensor arms are used. But, I'm unsure.
Don't suppose you have any idea do you?
P.S. Wheelspin have some stock.
lol. I had an email today from them telling me that. Mighty models have some in stock as well. I'm really tempted to go look for some. I'll give it until the end of the week.
As for mounting, I've not got a clue with RPM! Looks like every model is different. For the ken block, new spur with a magnet & new cover with a hole in it to hold the sensor. (Probably)
Erevo look similar, but with a weird bit screw to the spur instead of replacing it.
Voltage just looks like you attach the red wire to the positive rail of whatever you want to measure, ie battery connector.
Temp looks easy enough as well. Just put the sensor where you want to measure temperature & strap it down! lol
Thinking about it, does the 'add telemetry to your model' page on here not help?
No, not really. It doesn't show them fitted.
Think I've figured the RPM mounts out. It's a choice of three. AB or C. Two of them differ in the fact one is mounting EZ start motor side the other for the opposite side. Also looks like the motor mount screws hold them down.
I have calibrated the temp wire to my temp gun. The red voltage wire just plugs into any spare receiver channel.
Also, the RPM sensor just slots into the mount and a button head screw holds it in place.
Glad you've got it sorted. That's good news. The red voltage wire will be different for me, I gave up on nitro many years ago, so I want batt voltage, not just from the receiver pack.
Ah, I see. In which case you need the power tap then I take it.


text:
Media activists, supporters and employees of Next Media Group's (壹傳媒集團) four Taiwanese media outlets staged a demonstration outside the group's headquarters in Taipei yesterday, accusing management of lying while urging the prospective buyers to respect editorial independence.
Despite the cold weather and pouring rain, more than 100 Next Media employees held up signs and chanted in unison: "We want our Apple, down with intervention."
Since Hong Kong Media mogul Jimmy Lai (黎智英) announced that he was selling his four outlets in Taiwan — the Apple Daily, the Sharp Daily, Next Magazine and Next TV — for NT$17.5 billion (US$600 million), the deal has drawn a lot of attention.
"When the boss wants to sell the group, he sells it without consulting or even telling us. When they want to sign the contract in Hong Kong, they unilaterally make that decision. Now that they want to postpone the signing, they call it off. What about us, the employees," Apple Daily reporter Huang Yang-ming (黃揚明) asked.
"How long are they going to deceive us? We are employees of the group, but the only way we learned that Next Media Group would be sold was when we saw it on the news," he said.
Apple Daily Union president Tsai Jih-yun (蔡日雲) accused management of lying to employees and asked Lai, Next Media Group executive director Cassian Cheung (張嘉聲) and Chinatrust Charity Foundation chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒), who is one of the potential buyers, to apologize to the group's employees.
Tsai said that when the rumor first emerged that Want Want China Times Group (旺旺中時集團) chairman Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明) was one of the three major investors in the deal to buy Next Media, Lai, Cheung and Koo all denied it.
Lai went as far as saying that allowing Tsai Eng-meng to buy Next Media would be a humiliation to him.
"Now that it has been proven that Tsai Eng-meng is one of the investors, [it emerges that] Lai has not only lied to his employees, but has also humiliated himself," Tsai Jih-yun said.
"We therefore ask the three men who have lied to Next Media employees to apologize," Tsai added.
She called on management, as well as the prospective buyers, to meet with representatives from the union to discuss matters relating to protecting employees' rights and editorial independence.
Tsai Jih-yun said the union has made the request many times, but management has repeatedly ignored their demand.
Next Media employees are particularly worried about interference in news reporting and editing after learning that Tsai Eng-meng would be one of the new owners, given the tycoon's record with the media outlets under his Want Want China Times Media Group.
"We're concerned about editorial independence, as Tsai Eng-meng has a history of interfering in news reporting. Freedom and independence in the editorial room are the core of a news outlet," an Apple Daily employee surnamed Hsiao (蕭) said.
Next TV Union president Cheng Yi-ping (鄭一平) said it was intolerable that Next Media employees have to learn about the latest progress in plans to sell the group via other media outlets, instead of being informed directly by management.
"The Next TV Union has two demands for the management," he said. "First, we demand more transparency, and second, we urge management to hold talks with the union immediately."
Prior to yesterday's demonstration, hundreds of Next Media employees and media reform activists staged an overnight candlelit rally outside the group's headquarters.