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Signs You're Out of Balance & How to Get Grounded
The concept of being grounded is held in high regard both in the spiritual world, as well as the biohacking world. This idea of groundedness reappears as a key tool whether you're looking to support a healthy body or mind… but being "grounded," what does that really mean?
Well balanced and sensible.
The word itself has German roots, the word Grund, meaning multiple things ranging from reason, ground cause, land, foundation, soil, and depths. How profound, grounded, the foundation of reason. The cause, soil: the origin of Being.
This speaks to my soul because truthfully I've been ungrounded for a long, long time now. My notion of balance was honestly delusional, rooted in modern society's deeply patriarchal and sick soil. So much so that I had convinced myself that I was indeed "balanced".
Being grounded doesn't mean you're not spending enough time in nature, or going to yoga… it's an essence that permeates your Being. After facing a week of vertigo induced by my over-doing, I now look around and truly see almost no balance in modern society. Our understanding of self-care becomes intertwined with always doing, and opposed to being. We, as a collective, have lost the ability to truly rest. Whether it be going to yoga, or taking a bath: these seemingly restful habits become one with incessantly optimising the Self. Balance requires an honouring of stillness, true unapologetic stillness.
Desire is something the Buddha spoke of, this endless wanting…a longing; an attachment for something that could be as opposed to what is. This attachment as the root of suffering (the 2nd noble truth), the cessation of suffering is attainable (the 3rd noble truth), and that this salvation (Nirvana/Satori) is a condition that can be attained by leading a balanced life (the 4th noble truth). Balance, groundedness: the path towards nirvana.
Signs you're Out of Balance (not grounded)
Are you always doing a million things at once? Writing while watching TV, listening to a podcast while cooking, on your phone while out to dinner, reading or podcasting while in the sauna, creating to-do lists in your head while laying in bed at night… are you able to just focus on the task at hand/ bask in the silence of what is?
Highly distracted/ inability to focus
These are the beginning signs of losing touch with the present moment, slipping out of balance.
Having a million and one tabs/ pages opened up on your laptop is a pretty clear sign
Living in the past or the future
This can manifest itself in various ways, but a common one is planning. Incessant to-do lists, always trying to maximize output, optimise, be the best. An effort to just do-do-do as opposed to just Be.
Replaying the past prevents us not only from moving forwards, but simply from experiencing what is. Living in the past can be dwelling both on the negative as well as the positive; an inability to let go of what was is a warning sign that the body and mind are ungrounded.
Intense daydreaming is another way this comes up; spending your time being somewhere else than where you are in the present moment.
Unhealthy relationship with social media. There is no specific time here; too much is a quantity of time according to whatever that means to you. Do you feel in control of this relationship, or are you auto-piloting? Social media pulls us away from what is, it dwells on the past and on the future.
Whether it's a messy desktop or bedroom: our outer world reflects our inner world.
Dizziness/ lightheadedness (varying degrees of vertigo)
This is a major one for me personally, because what triggered this post was my first bout with vertigo. The body has an unfathomable wisdom, and when we fail to listen to our its deep intrinsic needs- it finds a way to show us. Ungrounded = a lack of balance = dizziness. The irony is, albeit difficult, quite beautiful.
As far as I can tell: this is the final straw when it comes to ungroundedness. A total forcing of the body to be still. I will expand on my personal journey through this vertigo in another post, soon.
An innate knowing
The clearest way to know you're not grounded it to truly ask yourself, observe. When it the last time you just spent a day truly going with the flow? Resting, without guilt? You don't need to wait until the aforementioned physical things manifest themselves. It's so hard to catch ourselves preventatively- particularly in today's modern reactive society that glorifying being busy.
Get Grounded
Note that most of these habits and rituals are still very much grounded in the physical (no pun intended). The most powerful underlying missing link when it comes to getting truly grounded is the ability to give the body what it truly needs. In my experience, this means stillness. Reaching for foods, and scents, and activities to fix the body is exactly what the body wants you to stop doing. These tips and tools are here to help ground your physical body, but when it comes to the ethereal mind- the only thing to do is to just Be.
Get in nature
One of the most powerful tools for getting grounded is spending time in nature, totally still.
Get barefoot in nature, expose as much bareskin as possible to bare nature.
Earthy (herbal) teas (skip the caffeine)
Pine needle
Grounding foods
Root vegetables
Meat/ bone broth
Dark chocolate (real cacao)
Bake something
Grounding scents: earthy, balancing tones
Palo santo
Connect with your root chakra (Muladhara)
The colour red
The root chakra symbol
I am grounded
I am balanced
I am safe
I am enough
Lam (the a single-syllable sound used in yoga as a bija, or seed, mantra for the muladhara, aka root, chakra)
Meditation is a big one when it comes to getting grounded, because it requires stillness.
Connect your root chakra (base) to the planet and feel yourself anchored to the Earth. Feel your roots growing from the base of your spine, connecting you to the earth. Feel the earth's energy feeding its way up your roots and into the core of your Being, nourishing your Soul.
There are many root chakra nourishing meditations online, including:
7. Restorative yoga
Restorative yoga is essentially a guided nap, it's the kind of yoga that is deeply triggering to an ungrounded person. It can feel "useless" to those who have (often unknowingly) turned yoga into a stepping stone for achievement.
8. Tidy up
Your kitchen cupboards, your fridge, your bedroom, that pile of random papers in your drawer, the shit accumulating in your car, your desktop, all the open tabs on your laptop, your sock drawers. Get rid of what you don't need, and what is cluttering up your energetic field. Clear your space, and clear your mind.
9. Rest
put yourself first: learn to say no
take a hot bath
moisturize (sesame oil is very grounding)
take a day(s) off work
netflix n' chill
change your bed sheets
stay in bed all day
10. Social Media Detox
End of day limit: pick a time where your social media is done for the day. Ie. No social media after 7pm. Bonus: it's great for your circadian health. In the latest update, Apple iPhones have the ability to block the use of certain apps after a specific time.
Time limit per day: this same update on iPhones enables you to track how much time per day that you spend on your phone. There are other apps as well, and basically you can learn to reduce the amount of time spent on your phone.
Extended detox: 1, 3, or 7, or even 30 days total break from all social media. You can delete the app (to prevent auto piloting it), but personally I just move the apps to a folder a couple of pages off from the home page.
11. Communicate
Express your need to go inwards and be still with those around you. Be it a friend, a partner, or an employer: it's important people understand where you're at, so that they can support you. Most businesses these days are incredibly supportive of "mental health" days, and by explaining to those around you how you're feeling/ what you're needing, you can avoid unnecessarily causing tension or friction that can occur when someone retreats. "Those that matter don't mind, and those that mind don't matter," Cat In The Hat knows: those that support your time to rest are the ones worth keeping around.
and perhaps most importantly of all:
Release the Guilt
Our society is rooted in a deep imbalance of the masculine: a need for incessant overachievement, entangled with the materialist, always Doing. Even in the most spiritual person, there is often a deep guilt associated with just Being. We need to reclaim the honouring of rest… of the sacred feminine. We needn't feel guilt for observing, quieting the mind.
Do you have experience with any of the above? What resonates? Comment below x

subset: commoncrawl


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Seax "Fallout Rituals" Album Review
Seax's fourth album, Fallout Rituals, is essentially what you've come to expect from these Massachusettes maniacs. Typically labeled a speed/thrash metal band, they're almost as much of a crossover band as Municipal Waste. I say almost because while there certainly is a lot of punk-influenced strumming on the guitars, these guys possess many key elements of what makes a metal song great in spades (e.g. racing energy, high vocals, in-your-face gang shouts, wild guitar solos, numerous riffs and solos per song, etc). Their wild, yet harmonic guitar solos and falsetto screams of Carmine Blades scream "METAAAALLLLLL!!!" in the most literal sense, as do the lyrics.
The rhythm section is solid, but the solos and vocals are really the best traits of Seax's sound. The heavy backing vocals charge at and energize the listener as much as the speedy instruments. Just take a listen to "Killed By Speed" and tell me that the chorus doesn't make you want to raise your fist and shout along, even when the song is just playing in your head. Carmine has a knack of peppering his high screams all over each song a la King Diamond. For the best guitar solos, you can't miss "Feed the Reaper", "Interceptor", "Bring Down the Beast", or "Riders of the Underworld".
There is not a whole lot else to say about the album. It is just a solid, consistent, respectable, metal album. It's hard to pick a favorite song because of the uniformity of the material. Just as films are referred to as "popcorn movies", this is popcorn metal. If you have high expectations for the most technical, articulate, and unique music the way some people snobbishly anticipate emotional depth, deep meaning, zero predictability, grade-A acting, and an Oscar nomination from every movie that they watch, look elsewhere. If you just want to be entertained with a familiar, violent, and uncomplicated form of cheap thrills, this album belongs on your 2019 wish list.
4.5 stars out of 5
Read More News
Tags: Seax, Album Review, Shadow Kingdom Records, Thrash metal, Speed metal
Nick Statuto May 25, 2019
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Woodfired ceramics specializing in wild clay and glaze materials
Josh Copus specializes in woodfired ceramics with an emphasis on using local and non-industrially processed wild clays and glaze materials. Working in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, Josh has developed a personally significant approach to making that exhibits a strong sense of place through his use of the materials, patterns, and textures of his environment.
Josh received an associate degree from Haywood Community College in 2002 and graduated with a BFA in ceramics from University of North Carolina Asheville in 2006. He received a Windgate Fellowship from the Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design in 2006 and a WindgateProject Grant in 2017. He has been an invited presenter at numerous international woodfire conferences around the world and his work is in the permanent collections of the Kennedy Museum of Art, the Mint Museum, and many private collections. He currently works at the Clayspace Co-op, a cooperative ceramics studio and gallery he founded in Asheville and at the woodfired pottery compound he established in Marshall, North Carolina.
When he is not building and making things, Josh spends most of his time on his land stacking rocks, working on the old jail he owns, operating the tractor, and constantly searching for interesting materials to build and make things with.
"My current body of work in ceramics is built on a place based making philosophy that emphasizes the use of local and non-industrially process materials to create a connection to place and establishes the materials, the experiences surrounding them, and the people of those communities as a valuable source of influence. I use the natural world around me as source of inspiration for shapes and surfaces, interpreting the visual language of place to make personally significant work that comes from somewhere deeper than just my hands or my head."


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Welcome to Insight China 2020!
Reconfiguring Supply Chains in a Challenging World
Find Out More
Here you can find detailed information about the project
Contact Us
Additional Supporters 2020
Additional Supporters 2019
"Insight China not only gives us access to young and talented students, but also provides us with a valuable economic perspective on China's market."
"Through Insight China, I was able to discover China from a point of view which would never had been possible without joining the delegation. Sharing knowledge with executives from different companies not only improved my knowledge about doing business in China, but also sharpened my understanding about what is relevant in starting a successful career. Finally, the interdisciplinary interactions with students from various areas has been a unique kind of experience throughout my time at university"
"A challenge, a unique opportunity and an unforgettable experience – that was Insight China for me. I am proud that I was a part of this prestigious project. I learned from an unknown culture, extended my network and deepened my professional and personal skills"


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Dear friends,
In past newsletters we have asked for prayer for Alan Morris, who lives in Long Beach, and is a member of the Westminster Latino church. He was diagnosed some eight years ago with throat cancer. Amazingly the Lord has sustained him all these years but finally the cancer has advanced. A few weeks ago, he was hospitalized, and they diagnosed a tumor pressing against his heart. The doctors said there was nothing more they could do. He is in the ICU on life support and could pass away at any time. His wife, Eddy, is by his side and there are two teen-age children and they are all quite upset.
Alan has been a faithful Christian and a leader in the church as well as an extended family from Honduras. He joined the church some thirteen years ago and through him and another brother led us to many Honduran immigrants. As a result of working with the family some thirty have come to know the Lord or have been restored to the Lord. They are all devastated by Alan's illness as they have depended on him for his spiritual leadership.
Nancye and I have been praying about making a return visit to Los Angeles to spend time with the family and the church. They need a lot of support at this time as it has been devastating for many of them.
So we have booked flights to Los Angeles leaving from Auckland on Tuesday, October 9th and returning on Sunday night, October 28th. Your prayers would be a big help at this time as we go to minister both to the Westminster church and to the extended Morris family.
Why the English name Morris? Their grandfather went from Texas to Honduras many years ago where he met and married a girl. The rest is history. The offspring grew up speaking Spanish but have access to residency in the USA which they have taken advantage of.
We look forward to this return visit and meeting all our old friends, plus getting back into the Spanish speaking world. Time will preclude any visits beyond Los Angeles. We can't stay longer as we must be back in New Zealand for my sister and brother-in-law's Diamond Wedding Anniversary in early November.
Your prayers at this time would be appreciated for a profitable time of ministry in Los Angeles among our Latino friends.
With love in our Lord,
Richard and Nancye


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Radiology is an ever-changing industry, and the world of CT is no exception. In order to be truly valuable to their practices, it is imperative that radiologists, technologists, medical physicists, and even practice administrators stay updated not only on current industry trends, but also what's on the frontier for CT. Our program directors seek to help them accomplish this by pushing the boundaries each year, creating a line-up of cutting edge talks that encompass controversial topics facing CT, an overview of the newest innovations in radiology, as well as changes in technology and practice.
The quality and quantity of both our talks and faculty were better than ever this year, a fact reflected in the amount of coverage ISCT17 garnered on a national level. With over 310 innovative CT-specific talks on the schedule for ISCT17, it was almost impossible to select which ones to attend. We covered a wide variety of topics across our three tracks, each largely appealing in their own unique way, but there were a few topics of emphasis at ISCT17 that were particularly relevant to the radiology community on a national and global level.
Click here to continue reading ->Read More


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Four of the nations top military strategists told Congress this week what modernization plans theyd scrap and how theyd change military priorities.
These arent the dried up formers who populate the news talk shows with punditry based on a limited rolodex of graying colleagues, but men who have been there and done that. The panel of experts included former military brass and Pentagon officials who are involved in policy-making today - giving their opinions greater weight than those from the cable channels.
The list included former 24th Infantry Division commander and Clinton-era Drug Czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey; former commandant of the Army War College and a man who knows military history better than the back of his hand, Maj. Gen. Robert Scales; former Reagan-era Pentagon official and oft-consulted GWOT critic Lawrence Korb and head of the Center For Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Andy Krepinevich.
Scales is heavily involved in current Army war planning and in the development of new counterinsurgency doctrine. Korb is someone the DoD often talks to for his counterpoints of the Iraq war. McCaffrey has a key to the Oval Office - often providing his insight to administration planners and the president. And Krepinevich had been involved in writing the Quadrennial Defense Review and works on a range of strategic planning for the Army and other services.
In a wide-ranging and fascinating hearing this week, the four told lawmakers what theyd do to change the current DoD modernization plans, realigning resources to areas they say will better position America for the conflicts of the future. Their views were sometimes in conflict, but overall, they were remarkably concurrent and at times, quite radical.
Heres a synopsis of their views:
Take a sizable number of the current Army brigade structure and create irregular warfare units capable of counterinsurgency and humanitarian operations.
Create an advisor corps.
Create a Multi-National Security Transition Corps-Iraq (MNSTCI) in a box to quickly train indigenous forces to take over security in a counterinsurgency/guerrilla environment.
Build a Joint Urban Warfare Training Center that takes the current National Training Center adaptations to the next level.
Need to re-evaluate the Armys nearly $200 billion Future Combat System program. Thats an awfully expensive way to deal with irregular forces.
Disagreed with Krepinevich on creating counterinsurgency forces and going light. The U.S. may have to confront China at some point, he explained.
Didnt think bringing U.S. forces back from bases in Europe and Okinawa was a good idea, but said since thats a done deal, America needs to invest heavily in re-constituting its strategic airlift capability. He called the C-17 Globemaster III a national asset.
I love the C-17 as much as the M-1 [Abrams] tank, he said.
Thinks the future of FCS needs to be figured out by the beginning of 2009 or it should be turned into a semi-permanent R&D program.
Believes foreign language training is so important that the military should pick out service members by threes and say youre going to 90 days of language training.
Said the U.S. needs to properly equip the Afghan and Iraqi army with modern gear. Quit pawning off junk Soviet armor and sell them equipment that can help them win, including a fleet of modern helicopters. The Iraqis are getting 70 helos which arent enough for them to control the country, he said. We need a new lend-lease for our allies.
Extend the purchase of Los Angeles class subs, pushing them off into the future.
Cut down on nuclear weapons stockpile and modernization which will save the Pentagon money for other, more pressing needs. We need to lead by example, he said.
Stop spending so much money on ballistic missile defense. The program is the least likely threat we spend more on missile defense than on the entire Coast Guard, Korb pointed out, adding that the Coast Guard deals with a much more realistic threat.
I cant understand FCS, he said. The Army has done a poor job explaining what it will do and what its for. The Pentagon should slow down its development.
Marines do not need a new amphibious vehicle, he said, referencing the Corps troubled Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program.
Stop V-22 production and buy more helicopters.
Set a specific withdrawal date to get out of Iraq to help motive the Iraqi army to shape up for its own defense.
Need to continue supplemental spending bills to bring equipment levels back up to meet current needs.
Scrapping the FCS program is dead wrong (Scales has been a longtime booster of FCS for the Army), though it needs some tweaking.
Need to continue to field heavy forces 81 percent of military deaths are with dismounted infantry, mounted infantry face a 10 percent greater chance of survival when mounted.
The U.S. needs a full spectrum force, he added, saying if abandon FCS then youre confining the military to purchase old Cold War gear.
Does not agree with Krepinevichs specialization theory, saying troops trained in a variety of missions can do full spectrum operations. Whats important are skills not structure. Brigades dont do that, people do that.
Need to focus on officer and NCO education by creating a soldier sabbatical program that allows them to take time off from the service to go to graduate schools and study alien cultures and the art of warfare.
I hope this provides a little food for thought as Congress and the administration consider the 2007 supplemental and 2008 base budgets.
-- Christian


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By NY Staff
After the resignation of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister Khaled Bahah, Aden's Governor Abdul Aziz Bin Habtoor has announced his rejection to the separation of South Yemen from the north.
Habtoor said that those who demand separation do not exceed 30%. He confirmed that separation is impossible, but is also unity impossible if there is an international and regional consensus.
"Southern Harak is divided into two parts. One is very logical and has clear demands, while the second behaves without consciousness and demands for things that are impossible to achieve," he claimed.
Habtoor explained that in the National Dialogue Conference, they agreed that the grievances of the southerners didn't start in 1994, but started in 1962 when one revolutionary group turned on another. He to say that the Southern People's Committees are very different from the Houthi popular committees in Sana'a, and the Southern People's Committees consist of youth who fight al-Qaida.


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Jesse Palmer Helps Us Launch Safety Net Program
National Pediatric Cancer Foundation Partners With Jesse Palmer to Announce Safety Net Grant Program Providing Financial Assistance for Patients & Families
Advanced cancer patients eligible for grants up to $500 reimburse eligible treatment-related costs
NEW YORK, April 21, 2017 – The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating childhood cancer, has partnered with Jesse Palmer, Good Morning America television personality and ESPN football analyst, to launch a Safety Net Grant Program to provide financial assistance to advanced cancer patients for treatment-related costs. The announcement was made yesterday during an event with the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, a partner institution in NPCF's Sunshine Project, which aims to fast track less-toxic, more targeted treatments for children.
Through the Safety Net Grant program, grants up to $500 are available to reimburse patients under the age of 18 for eligible treatment-related expenses such as medicine, transportation to/from treatment, insurance co-pays or out of pocket costs and medical supplies. The program is designed to help minimize these additional costs and provide some financial relief for patients and families undergoing treatment or participating in clinical trials.
"Cancer is a battle that no one fights alone, and the devastating impact of the disease touches every aspect of patients' and their families' lives," said Jesse Palmer. "In recognition of the challenges these families go through, I've become personally and philanthropically vested in the Safety Net Grant Program in order to directly assist pediatric patients and their families to reduce this financial burden."
Beyond providing financial support to patients and families through the Safety Net Program, the NPCF also leads an initiative called the Sunshine Project that focuses on funding research and clinical trials to increase pediatric cancer survival rates.
"The Safety Net Grant Program was established to further our commitment to supporting pediatric patients and their families in their fight against cancer," said David Frazer, Chief Executive Officer, National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. "Through our strategic partnerships and patient-focused initiatives, we're actively working to help advance research efforts to evaluate better treatment options to increase pediatric cancer survival rates, and this program will help provide critical financial assistance for treatment-related expenses."
Approximately four percent of annual cancer research funding is directed toward treating pediatric cancer. And, since 1980, fewer than 10 drugs have been developed for use in children with cancer compared to hundreds of drugs developed for adult cancer patients.
"The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a valued partner committed to supporting ground-breaking research in pediatric cancer in order to improve treatment options," said Jonathan Gill, M.D., attending physician at Children's Hospital at Montefiore, associate professor of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College, and Sunshine Project researcher. "This new Safety Net Grant Program will help provide financial relief to pediatric patients and their families as they receive critical care in their fight against cancer."
For more information and to apply, visit the Safety Net Grant Program page on the NPCF's website at nationalpcf.org.
About the National Pediatric Cancer FoundationThe National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research to eliminate childhood cancer through the Sunshine Project, the Foundation's collaborative research initiative. In support of its mission, more than $13 million has been contributed to researchers, including 11 different initiatives since 2005. By partnering with doctors and researchers from the country's top institutions, the Sunshine Project is fast-tracking the development of new drugs and therapies that will ultimately lead to the cure of childhood cancers. For more information, go to www.NationalPCF.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
About Montefiore Health System
Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and close to 200 outpatient care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its' medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its' preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information please visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter and view us on Facebook and YouTube.
National Pediatric Cancer Foundation Contact: Molly Vazquez, 727-729-1468, firstname.lastname@example.com
Montefiore Contact: Rachael McCallen, 718- 920-4011, firstname.lastname@example.com


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PhonepayPlus regulate all phone-paid services in the UK. The PhonepayPlus Children's Plan 2013 was the first of its kind and was written as a guide explaining PhonepayPlus' role in Child Protection in the context of their use of digital services and devices.
Our job was to transform the client's word document into a stunning report design.
After defining the creative direction for the brief as 'Joining the Dots' (serving as a metaphor for the theme of 'connectivity'), we produced illustrations and colour systems to run through the document. The document styling consisted of a carefully designed typographic hierarchy and grid system, alongside crisp vector visuals to display their statistical information.
The document was printed using a carbon neutral process on an indigo press, delivering extremely rich and vibrant results.


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Review Praise: Taylor Swift's 1989
By Amanda Maenner
1989, released October 27th, is undoubtedly pop, yet undeniably Taylor Swift. Composed of 13* electro-pop tracks, Swift ditches her guitar and twang for synths, chanting choruses, and an 80's vibe. Many were shocked by this "official declaration of pop," but this shouldn't come as a surprise to us. Ever since 2008's Fearless (remember 'Love Story'?), Swift has been tiptoeing away from the country stage. And her fans are OK with this, because even with a completely new sound, Swift maintains her sense of self through her song writing.
Swift has grown up, and so have her lyrics. Romantic, darker and more provocative, they still manage to tell a story that articulates the feelings and experiences of so many of her listeners:
"I SAID 'NO ONE HAS TO KNOW WHAT WE DO' / HIS HANDS ARE IN MY HAIR / HIS CLOTHES ARE IN MY ROOM" –Wildest Dreams, Track 9
In true T. Swift form, she also includes some (much more subtle) references to ex-lovers. This album is starring the one and only Harry Styles (see "Out of the Woods" and "Style").
While Swift is classifying herself as "pop," this album is anything but mainstream. This sound hasn't been done before, and her lyrics stay clean from easy pop culture references that so many artists fall prey to (i.e. Beyoncé singing about Monica Lewinsky, Drake rapping "Yolo," Miley belting about twerking). As noted in the glowing New York Times review, "Her idea of pop music harks back to a period — the mid-1980s — when pop was less overtly hybrid. That choice allows her to stake out popular turf without having to keep up with the latest microtrends, and without being accused of cultural appropriation."
So, hop to it people! If you haven't given this album a listen yet, go do so now. It will make your cube a little brighter and that traffic a little sweeter. And, for the true fans out there, go buy the deluxe edition of the album at Target so you can get the three bonus tracks, three song-writing voice memos, and a collection of T. Swift exclusive Polaroid's.
Swift Notes
- Welcome to New York – a perfect intro and way to pay homage to her new city, could be in the opening credits of an MK & A movie
- Blank Space – this one grows on you, a discussion of the perception of her as an insane, serial dater
- Style – definitely about Harry Styles
- Out of the Woods – also about Harry Styles (references to his paper airplane necklace and the couple's alleged snowmobile crash)
- All You Had To Do Was Stay – definite contender for my favorite track on the album, representative of her new sound
- Shake It Off – so fun, the single that launched it all, enough said
- I Wish You Would – a shout out to the stalker guy who lurks outside her window
- Bad Blood – fun, chanty pop song that is apparently dissing Katy Perry
- Wildest Dreams – a Lana del Ray-esque sound with scandalous lyrics
- How You Get the Girl – so cute, should be in a Maybelline commercial
- This Love – a small throwback to older T. Swift with some acoustic guitar
- I Know Places – "They are the hunters / we are the foxes" seems like a song about the paparazzi, critics and overall haters
- Clean – a song that washes away all of the pain of her past relationships; loved the collaboration with Imogen Heap; perfect closure to this album
xxxo, Amanda
*For all you fans out there, 13 is Taylor's favorite number and also her day of birth (December 13th, 1989)


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Round Metal frame Great Gatsby inspired Sunglasses
Round Metal frame Great Gatsby inspired . This is a metal round frame.
100% UV protection. Comfortable and classic.
Your choice of
This item measures 5 1/2 inches from side to side. And 2 inches in diameter.
Each sunglasses once purchased will be packed with most care.
Tracking is absolutely free, so you can see the progress of your package.
Shipping in the U.S.A takes 5-7 days depending where you live.
For International 10-30 days also depending on your country policies.


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Watkins Christian Academy Alumni
Watkins Christian Academy Alumni Class List
The names listed below are alumni who have been searched for on this site from Watkins Christian Academy in Youngstown, Ohio. If you see your name among the Watkins Christian Academy graduates, someone is looking for you! Register to let other graduates of Watkins Christian Academy find and contact you. We realize that a Watkins Christian Academy year book may be hard to find so registering to complete your school's Virtual Yearbook may be the next best thing to finding Watkins Christian Academy yearbooks. The list of names is also useful for getting together a Watkins Christian Academy reunion if you don't have a complete list of the students from your graduating class of Watkins Christian Academy.
Watkins Christian Academy Alumni Search
Registered members appear in bold.
Class of 2012 + Add your name | More Alumni at Classmates.com®Seaira Kirkle
Class of 1992 + Add your name | More Alumni at Classmates.com®Garland Wynn
Class of 1991 + Add your name | More Alumni at Classmates.com®Shonnie Ellis
Class of 1988 + Add your name | More Alumni at Classmates.com®Katie Jones
Class of 1987 + Add your name | More Alumni at Classmates.com®Tabitha Faunda
Upcoming Class Reunions
- Class of 2010 reunion (10 year reunion)
- Class of 2000 reunion (20 year reunion)
- Class of 1995 reunion (25 year reunion)
- Class of 1990 reunion (30 year reunion)
- Class of 1985 reunion (35 year reunion)
- Class of 1980 reunion (40 year reunion)
All Schools Listed in Youngstown, Ohio
View High Schools in Ohio


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text: Il Medici Filming, and Last Days in Montepulciano Walking to lunch at Osteria Del Conte Look who walked by our table on their way to Fortezza which was being used for wardrobe changes. Out came the smokes and cell phones! Osteria Del Conte James BirminghamOctober 24, 2017Comment Facebook0 Twitter Tumblr Pinterest0 0 Likes


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- Helfgott's Musical Offerings
Many music critics are perplexed at the phenomenal popularity of pianist David Helfgott. In view of Helfgott's inconsistent performances and erratic concert behavior, more than a few critics have opined that this popularity is undeserved. While Helfgott's appeal is a complex phenomenon that will probably remain at least partially mysterious, my own view is that Helfgott's musical offerings are of considerable interest from both psychological and musical perspectives. Perhaps a central aspect of his appeal is that Helfgott has emerged from a relatively unknown psychological realm, bringing with him information, interpretations, and aspirations that can tantalize and illuminate.
Some of the reasons for Helfgott's sold-out performances are clear enough. An obvious one is that many people admired the film Shine (which recounted Helfgott's promise as a young pianist, his mental collapse followed by years in an asylum, and his eventual return to the concert stage) and want to extend in any way they can the experience that the film evoked for them. Narratives that deal with someone down-and-out-who overcomes great adversity to achieve fame and fortune have always been popular, especially among those of us who can identify with being down and out or with overcoming adversity. (That, I dare say, includes a lot of us.) And Helfgott has fallen particularly hard and re-emerged in a particularly dramatic way; it is as if Icarus has emerged from the depths of the sea and managed to fly again in spite of somewhat melted wings. Another reason for Helfgott's magnetizing effect on concert-goers is that he puts on one hell of a show. One concert-goer, in response to an inquiry about her choice to attend a Helfgott performance, responded that she didn't expect brilliant piano playing, but that she did expect to have an experience. What with Helfgott's rhapsodic vocalizing and unorthodox bodily movements taking place as he plays, such listeners are doubtless granted at least as much as they bargain for. And even if slightly embarrassed or amused by Helfgott's unusual performance practices, most of his audience genuinely admire his achievement and wish him the best.
Helfgott's "show" is not a carefully manufactured one like Liberace's, but one in which no one—no doubt including Helfgott himself—knows [End Page 346] exactly what is going to happen next, musically or otherwise. The experiences of uncertainty and immediacy have always been good reasons to attend live performances (in spite of the availability of excellent recordings), and Helfgott's performances give rise to such experience in abundance. Perhaps the excitement of a live performance generally comes largely from a hope that the performance of a difficult piece will ensue without error, and that the interpretive concentration and inspiration of the performer will remain consistent throughout. With Helfgott, in contrast, one hopes for as few errors as possible, and is particularly impressed when flashes of technical brilliance or interpretive inspiration occur. Yet even though general performance expectations may be lowered when listening to Helfgott play, an excitement in anticipation nonetheless exists for many listeners. A resurrected Icarus may not fly as well as he did before he fell, or ever achieve status as one of the world's best flyers. But it would still be a joy to see him fly again, and the uncertainty and immediacy one would experience in watching his attempts would be intense.
Whatever the reasons for Helfgott's popularity with the public, it has been suggested that this popularity has little to do with the music he plays. I disagree. The Helfgott phenomenon could be regarded, for instance, as an example of the remarkable power and potential of music therapy. (We should heed more carefully, I believe, the wisdom of ancient Greek, Hebrew, and Asian thinkers in this area.) Any significant achievement, along with recognition or adulation offered for that achievement, can affirm the achiever and help heal the achiever's past or present wounds. That Helfgott's achievement involves some of the finest works of music written in the history of Western culture may be particularly beneficial for him. This is not...


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Coca; Museo Nacional de Arte, del 5 de junio al 5 de julio
La Paz, Bolivia: Museo Nacional de Arte, 2013. First Edition. Paperback. 66p., photos, wrps. new. Item #57161
Art exhibition catalogue on Coca in art. Its depiction in historical and contemporary art. Also includes objects which use coca in its manufacturing such as fabrics, etc.
Price: $29.90
See all items in Art


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Survey: Quarter of women at UW-Madison report previous sexual assaults
Woman accused of stabbing ex-boyfriend in Dubuque arrested in Illinois
GOP starts push to curb Wisconsin governor's veto powers
Chart-topping country star to return to Dubuque venue
DNR to stock Heritage Pond with trout Saturday
Exploded device discovered at Montana school, no injuries
U.S. Rep. Omar gets a primary challenger in organizer John Mason
Lions latest victims of NFL's flag football problem
Harley temporarily suspends electric motorcycle production
East Dubuque street to be closed Wednesday through Friday for paving
Former White House aide: John Bolton called Giuliani a 'hand grenade'
Wisconsin spice company peppers Facebook with anti-Trump ads
Interstate section getting new name to end Iowa confusion
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Early voting ballots available for all but 2 Dubuque County races available
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Cascade Jam the Van event collects more than 3,700 items
Former longtime PDC superintendent dies at 95
Southwest Tech offers free meals today after cafeteria closed due to fire damage
Dubuque man who shot fireworks at group sentenced to jail
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Manchester woman among those injured in fatal crash involving college bus
Presidential candidate Klobuchar plans Dubuque visit Saturday
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$121,000 in donations to UW-P Foundation to assist students facing hunger, crises
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Dyersville foundation awards $20,000 in grants
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Gilligan: Catching up with the Bettys
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Diabetes foot care is vital. Persons suffering from diabetes need to be extra careful with their feet. Infections of diabetic feet can be most serious, in some cases requiring amputation of the feet. People with diabetes tend to heal more slowly from cuts, sores and wounds, because the body's processes that fight infection tend to respond more slowly.
Here are some tips to daily care for your feet. Do not wear tight socks or stockings; Maintain good air circulation; Keep your feet clean - wash daily with water and mild fungicidal soap ...
A chiropodist is someone trained in the treatment of minor foot disorders and who also provides general footcare advice. A chiropody treatment includes cutting of the toenails, the removal of in-grown toenails, callouses and corns and treatment for foot ailments such as plantar warts (verrucae), athlete's foot, sweaty feet, foot odour and dry / cracked heels.
Have children's feet examined regularly by a chiropodist. Foot health begins in childhood. Your child's feet must carry him or her for a lifetime. Your child's life is certain to be happier if you have your child develop strong, healthy feet as he or she grows to maturity.


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Running Time: 103 min.
Release Date: August 11, 2006
DVD: December 19, 2006
Current rating:
based on 11500 votes and 304 reviews
Rate Movie | Read all user reviews
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Rachel Griffiths, Drew Sidora, Damaine Radcliffe, De'Shawn Washington
Everyone deserves a chance to follow their dreams, but some people only get one shot. Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) is a rebel from the wrong side of Baltimore's tracks. The only thing that stands between him and an unfulfilled life are his dreams of one day making it out of there. Nora (Jenna Dewan) is a privileged ballet dancer attending Baltimore's ultra-elite Maryland School of the Arts—and the only thing standing in the way of her obviously brilliant future is finding a great dance partner for her senior showcase.
When trouble with the law lands Tyler with a community service gig at Maryland School of the Arts, he arrives as an angry outsider, until his skills as a gifted street dancer draw Nora's attention. Now, as sparks fly between them, both on and off stage, Tyler realizes he has just one performance to prove that he can step up to a life far larger than he ever imagined.
Anne Fletcher
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Producer(s): Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot, Erik Feig, Patrick Wachsberger
Screenplay: Duane Adler, Melissa Rosenberg
Official Site: www.myspace.com/stepupmovie
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, who married in 2009 after meeting in 2005 when they...
Emily (Kathryn McCormick), in her quest to become a professional dancer, travels to...
Channing Tatum reveals the truth behind the inspiration for his new film, Magic Mike....
Powerful, world-class dancers were tapped for STEP UP 3D. The extraordinary ensemble...


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Transfer Rater: Theo Walcott to Everton, Javier Pastore to Chelsea
Things change in the blink of an eye in football. The Football Whispers Index takes the latest transfer rumours and gives them a score out of five; the higher the score, the more realistic and reliable the whisper.
Here are today's top five emerging whispers. And keep an eye on Transfer Talk for all the latest gossip.
Theo Walcott to Everton
The English forward could look to leave the Emirates next summer after struggling to secure a first team spot at the club this season. Arsene Wenger will look to rejig his squad in January with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil also potentially leaving the club next year. According to the Daily Star, Walcott's availability has alerted Everton, who are looking for some experience and pace on the flanks to support youngsters Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ademola Lookman.
Adrien Rabiot to Liverpool
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has revealed he would like to experience another European league and claimed Liverpool could be a preferred destination. He said: "I would love to play in the Premier League, not necessarily one club in particular, even though I was very fond of Liverpool when I was young."
Javier Pastore to Chelsea
Another PSG midfielder who could be on the move is 28-year-old Pastore. After a massive summer outlay that included £198 million Neymar, the Ligue 1 giants need to balance the books and Chelsea have been alerted by a possible £26m fee. Spanish outlet El Gol Digital have reported that Antonio Conte's side are likely to be interested, along with Liverpool and Inter Milan.
Leigh Griffiths to Brighton
Scotland assistant manager Mark McGhee says striker Griffiths is good enough for the Premier League. The former Wolves striker has been in good form for Celtic this season, and this hasn't gone unnoticed by clubs south of the border. McGhee only added fuel to rumours linking him with a move to England's top tier. He said: "I watch these games all the time. Last week I was at Brighton against Newcastle, and Leigh could have played in either of those teams. Absolutely no danger."
Robin van Persie to Feyenoord
The Dutch striker is set to return to his first club after Fenerbahce indicated they will not extend his deal. The Turkish side are looking to terminate his contract early in order to bring in new faces, and a move back home to the Netherlands looks like it will happen sooner rather than later, according to Turkish outlet Aksam.
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on ESPN's media platforms. Learn more.


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Should taxes and spending increase, decrease or stay at the current level?
Question details
"Which of these statements comes closest to your own view (irrespective of your view on independence)? Levels of tax and funding of public services should remain at current level/Everyone should pay more tax in order to increase funding of public services/Taxes should be reduced and funding of public services cut"
Survey years
06 February 2014:
survey for Sunday Times and Real Radio
with 1012 respondents,
16 and older.
Further info
End Date Feb 2014 Taxes and spending remain at current level 67% More taxation and spending 22% Cut taxation and spending 11% End Date Feb 2014 Taxes and spending remain at current level 53% More taxation and spending 17% Cut taxation and spending 9% Don't know 21%


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Teslong WF200 Wireless Inspection Endoscope
Ask Question
Teslong WF200 Wireless Endoscope is a classic wireless WiFi endoscope with an outstanding quality. Wireless WiFi module transfers clear pictures or videos to iPhone, Android, iPad, tablet, Mac, laptop and computer, lets your iPhone or Android phone see where no normal smartphone camera can. And its attachments like a hook to grab things in hard-to-reach places, and mirror attachments that let you see at an angle, can be used for internal inspection of machinery, or diagnosing issues in tight places like car's engine, wall cavities, and pipes, saving money and time.
- [Wireless Endoscope] - High-quality WiFi module with up to150Mbs high transmission rates, allows easy access to view your findings on iPhone, Android, iPad, tablet, Mac, laptop and computer
- [Automotive Inspection Camera] - Can be used for internal inspection of machinery, or diagnosing issues in tight places like car's engine, wall cavities, and pipes, saving money and time
- [HD Images and Video Capture] - Equipped with 2 megapixels CMOS camera, captures a clear snapshot image or video with 800 * 600, 1024 * 768, 1280 * 720 resolutions
- [0.21inch Diameter Industrial Endoscope] - Small probe diameter of 0.21inch, with 6 adjustable LED lights, allows easy access to view the insides of narrower and dark spaces like car spark plugs, wall drilling, rusty water pipes, violin f hole etc
- [Flexible Semi-rigid Cable] - Available with a 3.28/9.84ft semi-rigid cable, which is easy to bend as you move it around and hold its shape as you want
- [Waterproof Endoscope Camera] - Available in the inspection of water pipeline, able to work in multiple environments
- [Fixed Focal Probe] - The camera is fixed focus probe, does not support zoom. Focal Distance:5cm-8cm. View angle:60°
|Teslong WF200 Wireless Endoscope
|android endoscope,smartphone waterproof endoscope inspection camera,iphone endoscope attachment,wireless endoscope
|Wi-Fi Network Standard
|IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
|Built-in IPEX antenna
|Operating Frequency
|Data Rate
|up to 150Mbps
|Camera Resolution
|Image rotation
|360 °
|Up to 4 times digital image magnification
|Probe Camera diameter
|5.5 mm / 0.21"; 8.5 mm / 0.33"
|Cable length
|1 m / 3.28'; 3 m / 9.84'
|2.0 Megapixels Cmos
|Depth of Field
|View angle
|Cable rigidity
|6 white LEDs (adjustable intensity)
|Water resistance
What's in the Box:
1 * Teslong WF200 Wireless Endoscope
1 * Phone Holder
1 * User Manual
1 * Magnet Tip
1 * Hook Tip
1 * Mini mirror attachment
1 * Carrying Bag
Do you have questions about the product ? Please fill the form below. We will reply later.


text:
Kids Yoga Camp with Yoga Off East
JUly 8 - 10, 2018 • 11:30 - 3:00 pm
Ages 9-12, Coed – all abilities welcome!
Camp hosted at a private residence in Wilmington, North Carolina
Campers will be led through playful yoga sequences, journaling exercises, and creative projects focused on mindfulness and positive mindset. We will discuss basic yoga philosophy, practice positive self-talk through mantra creation, and we emphasize a team setting to make the most of each day together.
Yoga practices will emphasis proper body alignment, full body stretching, and flexibility for young athletes and movers.
*Yoga mats provided, but if you have one already, bring it!
*Bring light lunch and water bottle. Healthy snack will be provided each day.


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Course Description
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is the fastest growing sport in the world. NASM is pleased to introduce the industry's only MMA training program.
Enrol in the Physical IQ NASM MMA Conditioning Specialist course and learn how to deliver MMA-style training and conditioning programs to grow your business by connecting to clients through an innovative, challenging, effective and fun program. The MMACS provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely and effectively design and deliver MMA training and conditioning programming.
+ Modules
+ Benefits
+ Method of Study
|Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Specialist (Distance Study)
|Full Course Fee
|Payment Plan
|R2800 Registration
|R1500 x2 months
|Payment Terms & Conditions


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Andrew Haigh has made two very distinctly British (and award-winning) films with his gay love story Weekend and the marital drama 45 Years, followed by his US-based HBO drama Looking. He now stays Stateside for his third film. Based on the 2010 novel by Willy Vlautin, at its core Lean on Pete is a very simple tale of a boy and his horse boasting the same innocence and purity as Ken Loach's classic Kes.
Beginning in Portland, Oregon, the focus is the 15 year-old Charley (Charlie Plummer), who is in a world where adults have let him down. His mother is long gone and his boozy, womanising father (Travis Fimmel) is unreliable. The only joy in his life comes when he gets a job working for Del (Steve Buscemi), a shabby horse trainer who works the local quarter-mile race circuit.
Charley befriends the horse's jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny), but the real friendship comes with Del's horse, Lean on Pete. When Charley discovers that Pete might eventually be sold for meat, he makes a split second decision and takes off with the horse, deciding to cross country and find his estranged aunt (and the emotional nourishment that he so clearly needs in life).
As it unfolds, Lean on Pete becomes a picaresque road movie across America, as Charley and his horse travel from state to state. What transpires ultimately is, perhaps, obvious; there are no great surprises in Lean on Pete, but the emotional terrain it covers will melt even the hardest of hearts. Anyone who has ever bonded with an animal, equine or otherwise, will understand the film's beauty.
Plummer, who recently appeared in Ridley Scott's All The Money In The World, won Best Young Actor at last year's Venice Film Festival for his work here and rightly so. He's superb, ably guided by Haigh, who has real skill in drawing performances from his cast. For Trees Lounge fans, it's also a pleasure to see Buscemi and Sevigny's first on-screen pairing since that movie.
Shot by cinematographer Magnus Nordenhof Jønck with a real understanding of the American landscape, Lean on Pete has a gentle, poetic quality to it that is rarely found in contemporary cinema. A mournful study of loss, love and loneliness, even if the ending is telegraphed, it will have won you over long before.
Lean on Pete opens in cinemas on 4 May. For more information, visit Curzon.
James Mottram
1. Still from Lean on Pete.


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Mazda Protegé
The Borbet Type B is close to the Mazda wheels in design, but have you checked out the Mille Miglia Spider wheels in 15", they look pretty good ,too.
Also the ATP 55 wheels.
The problem is many aren't made with four lug design. And you have to check to be sure whether the Protegé requires offset wheels: zero, positive, or negative. Most FWD cars use positive offset which pushes the hub surface to the outside.
... are made by Enkei -- at least those for the 1999 and 2000 MYs. I know because a buddy of mine had to take one of his off when a STICK (yes, wooden) punctured his piecacrap Poortenza. "Enkei" is embossed on the reverse side of the wheel. They're a reputable name; I wonder if those wheels are available from Enkei or you have to pay through the nose to Mazda to get replacements?
I know my 323 has an offset (I forget the figure, it's in the service manual), the Pro likely does too. I'll look through my manual. Guess I could just measure the steel rims too (offset being the hub face distance from the center-plane of the wheel).
Fowler & Meade, thanks for the tips on the wheels. I checked Enkei's website. Can't find the Pro's stock alloys on it.0
chikoo Posts: 3,008http://www.pureoil.com/NewFiles/ecat_frame.htm
Filter Application Guide:
4 cyl. 1.8L F.I. (DOHC)
Vehicle Part Listing
PureONE Filter PL14622
Oil Filter L14622
Air Filter A25049
Fuel Filter N/S
Breather Element N/R
PCV Valve PV1030
N/R : No Replacement Required
N/S : Non-Serviceable Without Disassembly0
C'mon Fowler..some nice 17" rims, chrome trim around the fenders, gold package, and a coffee can exhaust and you would be cool. Don't forget the stickers.
I know the 17's are too big or they would be on my car, '01's do have 5 lugs but I think anything larger than 16" would be a little much. The factory rims on my '01 are OK but the Tantrum is way better looking. Looking at those rims on my '01 Accord is one of the things I miss most about it.0
ashutoshsm Posts: 1,007I called and checked, they'd cost 433.35 EACH for my 95 DX. Now I'm not sure if he quoted me the price for 14" or 15" alloys, anyone with a 95-96 ES, which size did those come with?
So - yes - you would have to pay through your nose for the factory alloys!
I'll buy them off tirerack, I guess, unless ebay has someone selling theirs. Anyone know which other wheels might be compatible? I see a few Honda and Toyota compatible rims, if they're unlabelled and the right lug-pattern, ...0
Someone is on EBay selling a set of wheels from a P5/2001 ES model right now, as I type. They are up to like $255 or something like that, or were the last time I checked earlier today. The tires are not included, but that's pretty cheap for the wheels.
Ashu: The 1995-96 ES came with 15-inch wheels and tires. All ESs did actually, up until 2001. They just upgraded to 16s this year.0
The bolt pattern or bolt circle is the diameter of an imaginary circle formed by the centers of the wheel lugs, and is an area that causes much comfusion in the wheel buying world.Verify your vehicle's bolt pattern before buying wheels.
The center bore of a wheel is the machined middle hole that centers the wheel properly on the hub of the car. Most wheels are hub-centric, meaning that the vehicle is supported not by the lugs but by the center hub. Too small a hole and the wheels won't fit over the hub; too large a hole and the wheels may not be centered, resulting in vibration and eventual damage to the hubs and the wheels.
It isn't easy to fit after-market wheels unless you check out every measurement.
probably have a contract for the use of the alloy wheel style until after Mazda starts using another style, then they may be available to consumers on tirerack.com and in stores.
You can find copies of older Mercedes wheels on tirerack.com and in their ads. Later sales help to reduce production/design costs and add to profits, if not many cars were sold using the wheels.
ashi: When I said most of the wheels on tirerack are ugly, I was thinking about the styles with skinny spokes, almost nothing to look at. My main complaint about 5-spoke alloys has been seeing the rust on brake discs through the openings. Who wants to drive a new car with rusty wheels?
The ugliest stock wheels on a new car have to be the alloys that come on Volvos; they look like a huge beer can lid that was opened with an equally huge can opener, all-the-way-around. Current 5-spoke wheel design goes back more than 30 years, it's time for something really NEW and fitting for the new millennium, something with a tech look.
alpha01 Posts: 4,747Just read the review of the MP3 in the September issue of Car and Driver. Man, what a sharp car. I'm really interested in purchasing one when I am in the market around this time next year. My question... do you think the MP3 will still be around by that time, and if so, do you think that they'll be offering it for close to invoice? The Protege is definitely Mazda's best foot forward, IMO. I can't understand why anyone would pay to own a 626 when this little gem offers nearly as much room, and better performance, all for a lower price.
Congrats to all you Protege owners... you're on to something that all the Civic and Corolla people (like my dad) are missing out on.
Mazda has only built 1,500 MP3's for 2001. There will be another version for 2002 (named either MP3 or MPS--Mazda Performance Series) that will be powered by something that "whistles", meaning a rotary engine, supercharger, or turbocharger. Of course, Mazda has stated that rotary engines will power ONLY rear-wheel drive vehicles. A supercharger is unlikely on a small 4-cyl, so it must be a turbocharger. Hopefully, they can tune it to produce over 200hp like the venerable 323 GTX. As far as I know, all 2001 MP3's have already been sold or are otherwise spoken for.0
bigcompact Posts: 33There is a dealership on the Daniel Webster Highway in Nashua, NH that as of last weekend still had two UNCLAIMED MP3's on order. They hadn't arrived, no one had claimed them, and they (claimed) to be selling them at sticker (about 18,200). One blue, one yellow. That's all i know.0
I'm purchsing a new 2001 Pro from a dealer in Ohio, and I live in Michigan. How are the front licence plates attached: under the bumper, or through the front of the bumper. I'd like to make sure, so that the dealer doesn't slap a cheesy dealer frame there for the drive home to MI, ending up with two holes in the plastic.
Tell the dealer NOT to drill through the front bumper fascia. Usually, they'll comply, if they haven't already installed it, esp if MI doesn't require front plates.
I'm stuck with the frame installed by the dealer. At least it fits flush with the bumper (OEM designed?). It's pretty much going to stay there too as I don't think it's worth taking off and refinishing the fascia. Too bad, the front looks better w/o a license plate.
I did put a clear polycarbonate cover over the plate to help keep it flat and protected from road debris. Keeps the plate from getting all ratty looking and dragging down the look of my Pro.0
protege_fan Posts: 2,405Here in Calgary we are not required to put in a front license plate. However, If I look closely at the bumper, I can see 4 tiny "divets" (tiny holes). These must be places to begin screwing in a license plate. The holes are very tiny and they are not through right through the bumper; they are just starter holes. Just tell the dealer that you don't want the front plate and they *probably* won't install it. Are front plates mandatory in Ohio and/or Michigan?
No, Michigan stopped requiring them 15(?) years ago as a cost savings measure, but the police sure weren't happy with that.
Thanks, everyone for the info.
Before I post this message, I was just remembering how everyone was poking fun at Vocus for his love/hate relationship with his car. Well, now it's my turn once again to vent my frustrations... you can poke fun, but just a little bit ! :-)
In the past few weeks, my '99 ES has startled making this awful grumble/rattle/vibrate noise from the engine compartment. It does it during cold start-up for a couple of minutes until the idle settles down. It has actually been doing that for the last year, and if I am not mistaken, I believe I have heard other owners complain about that same problem. However, now it does the same thing when the AC compressor is engaged at idle!! Not only do I get the infamous AC "jolt" when the compressor kicks on, but now I get this grumble/rattle/vibrate noise and it just sounds like the entire car is going to shake itself apart!!
It is quite embarassing at stop lights (of course, this is after everyone here's me squealing down the road with those wonderful Midas brakes) since it is quite loud outside of the car. I had a friend in the car last night that I haven't seen in a couple of years. His comments were not pretty. "This is the car you've been bragging about?" As we go down the road rattling over every pebble, squealing to a stop at every light, and vibrating apart every time the AC kicks on. And of course, to top it all off, the CD player spit out a CD-R that it was playing just fine for the past few days, but suddenly decided it no longer likes it. It requires a regular CD for about 30 minutes before it will accept the CD-R again. Very strange!!
Anyways, now for the obligatory I hate my car. Or was it something like "It is the most gosh-awful piece of donkey excrement I've ever owned. I just can't stand this cheap little car. Unreliable as hell, it goes back to the shop almost weekly for whatever didn't break last week ... I'll never, EVER purchase another Mazda product!" LOL... At least I can take this with some humor. I have no doubt the drivetrain will last forever. But, will the body and interior last that long?0
I can not believe you are saying these things about the Protege. My DX was beat to hell in 37K+, and never squeaked, rattled, or anything like that. Not even the AC jolt.
I have not really had any serious problems with either Protege. I actually have had more problems with the 2001 than I did the 1999 model. But they are all fixed for now, so it's all good.
Since I have gotten the windows tinted, the car has been dramatically cooler inside in the summer heat. I am glad I got it done now, and it also makes the car look sportier in conjuction with the fog lights, spoiler, and alloy wheels.0
nikecar Posts: 460my alty had a similar rattle at start up... was diagnosed as a bad idle pulley.0
I thought my 01 Pro LX was suddenly getting your problems, it got real noisy with a grinding sound as I approacherd a stop light. Turned out that I had my window down and the noise was coming from a '96 Honda Accord pulling up next to me. LOL
theparallax Posts: 361I think I'm beginning to have an A/C problem as well. It's intermittent so it's going to be hell trying to get it fixed at the dealer. I can start to hear them saying "Could not diagnose problem" when I walk in there to have them look at it.
Well, here's what it's like...Every once in a while after I start my car (not every time), I have this weird nosie coming from the engine compartment that sounds like the A/C struggling or a belt slipping or something...hard to describe. It goes away after about 30 seconds, and will immediately go away if I turn the A/C button off inside. No change in cooling, and the A/C functions normal as always. After that the car functions as normal as ever....
I also have this 'hissing' that comes from the driveline that I think I've mentioned before, and I will get these both checked up sooner or later, since they don't seem to affect the performance of the car.
No, I don't hate my car. I consider these problems minor and as long as they get fixed under warranty then I'm happy. Then I'll be able to zoom-zoom along!0
My beef is that these problems are starting to pop up and I have about 1,500 miles left on the warranty. Why does something tell me I'm going to have to spend a decent amount of money between 50,000 and 60,000 miles? If something expensive does happen in those 10,000 miles, it's bye-bye Protege before it starts costing me a small fortune. Maybe if I didn't have another 2.5 years of payments left, I wouldn't feel so bad.0
You keep referring to this "rumble/rattle/growl" or whatever as "these problems." Have you taken the car in and had it looked at? It could be nothing more than a loose heat shield. In fact, it sounds like one since you mentioned that it's getting worse but you haven't mentioned anything not working. The cycling of the a/c compressor is another factor making it vibrate.
I wouldn't ditch a car, take a loss and get into another loan with something else that may or may not be as reliable just because of a rattle you haven't had diagnosed!
Does the engine stumble when this is happening? Are you getting a check engine light? Does anything not work like it's supposed to? Take it in and have 'em look at it!
My '92 LX (top of the line back then) never had one problem in 83,000 miles of ownership. But I still feel good when I think that I'm paying only $14 extra a month for 7 years/100,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage. I figure that's the equivalent of 3 lunches at McDonald's for 5 years' peace of mind. If you're that paranoid about chitty-chitty bang-bang, you may want to ask your dealer about purchasing the extended warranty before the factory warranty expires.
Anyone know of a URL where I can find a picture of a Pro LX2.0 with the no charge alloy rims now being offered on the 2001's?0
Just look at a picture of any 1999 or 2000 ES model. They are the same wheels.0
Guess we know why the alloy wheels are free now.. .Mazda was clearing out their parts bin.
As far as problems and the warranty goes...If I have any trouble after 50k (when the warr. expires) then the car will be gone. Not wanting to take my car back and forth from the dealer even while it was under warranty kept me away from the Jetta. As I said before this is my first non-Honda/Toyota purchase since my very first car and it will probably decide whether I keep a more open mind in the future or if I go back to Hon-yota even if it requires sacrificing more money and a little driving fun.0
Is it a $500 rebate plus free moon roof or 0% financing for 48 months and no rebate? What If someone chooses the 0% financing on an ES that already has the moon roof discount, does he get the discount?0
Did you guys get my e-mail two days ago? I sent out an e-mail to all of you who said you were interested in coming to MAPP II but I haven't gotten any replies. We've been having off-and-on e-mail problems at work, so I thought I'd better check.
snagy1 Posts: 55anyone recommend a good front bra, have seen a magnetic one that seems good, any comments. thanks0
I have a comment: Don't get a bra. They do more harm than good. They trap moisture, and they trap road debris.0
To tell you the truth, I'm sick and tired of taking this car back and forth to the dealership only to get the standard "unable to duplicate problem" or "no stored computer codes" or "no problem detected." Maybe I should have bought that Escort ZX2 instead like I originally had planned. I've never had any problem with the two Ford's I have owned. Come to think of it, they have some pretty large rebates right now that will eat my negative equity in my hunk of junk. I think I'll stop by the Ford dealership on my way home from work.
The only Zoom Zoom I do is to the service department. I have been such a strong supporter of the Protege and Mazda here in Town Hall, so I haven't even mentioned half of what I have been through. Let's face the facts. Mazda can't turn a profit and hasn't for years. Mazda is at the bottom of the Japanese manufacturers when it comes to resale, reliability, and quality. Most current Hyundai's have higher quality ratings and higher satisfaction ratings than Mazda. The only saving grace for Mazda is the Miata. Everything else they build should be destroyed and recycled.0
Jerry, hold your face out to me. Closer. There. Now ...
Man, you're worse than Paul. (Sorry to use you as the yardstick, Paul!)
I just spent a good few minutes scrolling back through the last several hundred posts -- almost a thousand, in fact. Jerry, you have a love-hate relationship with your Protege that outdoes Paul's. (Paul, you may step out of the dunking booth now. I have a new target.)
But I want to make a point here. In the last 800 or so posts in this topic, Jerry, all I've found you complaining about are brake wear, clutch wear, a mysterious rattle and a finicky CD player. Not too bad for an abused 2-year-old car. "Abused?" you ask. Well, clues to your first two problems may be found in your own posts relating to "fast downshifts before hard corners."
In fact, you yourself wrote the following in a post not 8 weeks ago:
"Overall, I like my Protege. I have experienced a lot of problems and premature wear that is probably my fault. I bought the Protege because of its sporty driving dynamics. I just figured that a car with that type of dynamics would be built to withstand that type of driving, but I was wrong. It is still, in fact, an economy car. Cars like the Miata and RX-7 are equipped with heavier-duty performance parts that can withstand spirited driving...
"As far as my comment that I would never buy a Mazda again ... I lied. I just need to stick with sports cars if I want to drive like I'm in one. A car with a larger engine would probably be better for me as well, as you don't have to push it as hard. Let's face it... the Protege is quick, but you have to push it."
Funny, I've never found the need to "push" my Protege. It's plenty fast for the type of car it is. And after 24,500 miles, my clutch is fine and my brake pads show normal wear.
Jerry, we're talking about a compact ECONOMY CAR here. (You admitted it yourself.) Sure, it has a spirited engine ... for an ECONOMY CAR. Mazda's tagline for the Protege is "zoom zoom," sure ... but it's the same tagline for their whole line, including the B2300 pickup. I had one of those (built by your almighty Ford, by the way, and it was a lemon), and believe me, its 2.3-liter 8-valve 97-hp SOHC engine (in a 3,100-lb. truck) did anything but "zoom zoom."
By your own admission, you're a hard driver whose driving habits are punishing to your car. You admit that you force your car into hard corners, double-clutch a transmission that wasn't designed for it, and treat your car like a sports car. If you drive your $15,000 Protege like it's a $35,000 RX-7, you're asking for premature clutch wear, brake wear and engine rattles. I can't speak for your CD player because I don't know how you treat that, but you did say about six weeks ago that you've "never had my radio cut out on me no matter how loud I play it."
No hard feelings, friend ... but geesh, don't blame the car for the torture you've dealt it! These things are NOT Porsches or BMWs ... but if you'll compare BOTTOM OF THE LINE, ENTRY-LEVEL CARS (which the Protege is for Mazda), I think you'll find the Protege outdoes most, if not all, competitors!
You just picked the wrong car for your driving habits, Mr. Jarrett!
manavi Posts: 150I think Meade has you pegged. Why don't you buy that Escort and trash it for awhile, then you can go complain on a new board.0
"Mazda is at the bottom of Japanese manufacturers as far as resale, reliability, and quality" What? Where does Mitsubishi come in? The only Mazdas that have suffered poor reliability and quality ratings are the FORD/Mazdas. Ie: 626 (built at the Ford/Mazda auto alliance plant in flat rock michigan) The B2500, B3000, and B4000 are Ford Rangers. As far as resale is concerned, of course Mazdas are not going to be as good as Honda and Toyota because THEY COST LESS TO BEGIN WITH. You think a ZX2 would have good resale value? Meade and Jerry: There is no car out there that can put up with constant abuse, NOT ONE. Not BMW, not Porsche, not a Corvette, nothing; with enough abuse, ALL of those cars will eventually break guaranteed. If you think a BMW or other performance car is immune to mechanical problems, give me 5 MINUTES with it and I'll bet you a million bucks I can fry the clutch and ruin the engine, not to mention many other parts. By the way, the Protoge is ranked very good as far as reliability and build quality is concerned, something that cannot be said for the ZX2 or Focus (how many safety related recalls has the Focus had?) I am not Ford bashing, I used to own one and it treated me well. Cars are built to withstand use that they are intended for. The Protoge has 130 hp so the brakes, clutch, etc are engineered accordingly. Double clutching? Enough said.0
It'll fit your driving style better. Cost roughly 2X, I think, but should be an interesting combination of the old RX-7 and a compact sedan.
Meade is right on. The Pro is a fun-to-drive economy car. Fits my wish list exceedingly well (I'd like a BMW 3-series, but I just won't spend $30,000+ on a car...probably keep me from getting an RX8 too).0
Having fun kicking me around the Town Hall are we? I don't really have anything to complain about with my Protege these days though. Just had to clear up some little stuff in the beginning, but running well at almost 13,000 miles already.
And as far as the Protege not taking punishment well, my DX did for 37K+ miles without trouble. Maybe I was just lucky or something.0
The RX8 will break too if you don't treat it nice, not to mention that it will cost more to fix it when it does break.0
I had an Escort and did trash it and it held up much better than the Protege. The Protege has been babied compared to just about every other car I have owned, and it is by far the worst. Maybe I should subject it to the real torture I subjected the other cars to. Hard cornering and double-clutching (BTW, how would a transmission be specifically designed for double-clutching?) occurs maybe once or twice a day, if at all. My Escort GT and RX-7 were subjected to that constantly. Most of the time, the Protege sits in traffic on the freeway and I'm lucky to get it out of first gear.
But, I really don't want to hear anything until your cars rack up 48,500 miles on it. My car was wonderful too (if you don't count the various warranty repairs when it had less than 1,000 miles on it) for the first 25,000 miles. But, I think I will take your advice and get rid of the car and get something else. What should I get? Well, considering that Mazda is practically on the bottom of quality reports, I guess just about anything would be better.
What it comes down to is that I don't trust my car. I really believe that it will give me nothing but trouble in the future. It truly is the worst car I have ever owned. I've driven more Protege's than just about everyone in this room combined. And, I can pretty much gaurantee that any previous Honda or Toyota owners will be disappointed with how the Protege holds up. I guess I'll sign my farewell and wish good luck to everyone here. And remember, don't Zoom Zoom because it will cause nothing but Doom Doom...0
Show me the report where Mazda (better yet, the Protoge) is at the bottom of quality and reliability.0
Pretty much close to Honda, Toyota and Nissan.
They all are also near the bottom in terms of satisfaction with the dealer and service.
There have been rare instances where a particular transmission was bad (Ford designed and/or supplied, naturally), but they're more the exception than the rule.
Not that there's a direct correlation, but my '89 323 with 138,000 miles on it is in as good shape or better than most any Civic, Corolla or Sentra out there (most 323s too...:).
No solace to jstandefer, but the Pro is still statistically a great car (is it ever any consolation for the few who get the bad blip?). You'll occasionally find a stinker of a Honda or Toyota too, but not as frequently as you'll find a lemon of a Ford, GM, Chrysler or VW.
I think lemon cars show their stripes early on, but jstandefer has a point in that we should see how well our Pros hold up to 100,000. So far, I can see my 99LX lasting at least a decade and at least 100,000 miles. Bummer I'm inclined to hold onto stuff until it falls apart as I find myself often drooling over new cars.
I do think that dealer service is still subpar. Too bad, brings down some great automobiles.0
sfrat Posts: 208I agree with most everyone here, any car will suffer from poor treatment, and Jerry judging by what you've posted about your driving style, I would say your rough on your cars. The RX7 could probably handled it well, surprised that the Escort took the abuse so well. You do have a decent amount of mileage, not a lot, but its probably been a lot of hard mileage.
Anyway, Vocus do you think you could post some pics of your car with tints on it? Did you wind up going with dye tints, or hybrid tint? I'm curious to see how it looks.
Have a good weekend all.0
I wrote "Mazda is at the bottom of the Japanese manufacturers when it comes to resale, reliability, and quality." I should add safety ratings to that too, judging by the IIHS, with the sole shining star being the 626. Although, Mazda does seem to share the bottom rung quite often with Mitsubishi.
I truly believe Mazda build quality and reliability have gone downhill from the late 80's when they were building superb vehicles, such as the 323, 626, RX-7, and the true Mazda trucks. As Ford management continues, Mazda will continue its downhill slide. Life I've said many times before, my '82 RX-7 was a superb vehicle despite its age. Now, look for deep cuts in product development as Ford (Mazda's wallet) has announced they are cutting 5,000 management positions with more cutting to come in order to turn a small profit in the next year. Vehicle lines such as Mercury, Lincoln, and Mazda who can't turn a profit will seriously suffer as Ford can no longer bolster them. If Ford is cutting its future vehicles and R&D, that means every company Ford owns will suffer greatly. Maybe I'll just get myself a late 80's Mazda like an MX-6. Still a good looking car and super reliable and super cheap. I'll expect to spend money to keep it up, but I wouldn't have any payments. Meanwhile, 36 more months of $351 on a car that's falling apart before my eyes is just plain evil.0
Someone must've stolen jstandefer's id and password. Wait. He must've been kidnapped. These posts can't be from the same person, unless he has a multiple-personality disorder.0
sunbyrne Posts: 210Geez, Jerry, I think you get the 180-degree award for this year. I'm sorry to hear that your car is giving you so much trouble.
However, I think it's important not to over-generalize. You have a sample size there of 1. Generalizing to the entire population of Mazdas, or even Mazda Proteges, based on your one car is a mistake. As Mazdafun pointed out, the overall numbers on the reliability of the Protege compare favorably to the Civic or Corolla. Here, for 1999:
The same ratings as the Civic, Corolla, and Sentra--all positive. If you want quality/satisfaction ratings where you can also read the reasons for the ratings, look at carreview.com, and sort by average rating:
The Protege has the best average rating other than the Volvo S60, but the S60 has only been rated by < 20 people. The Protege has a higher average rating than the Civic, Corolla, or Sentra. Note that this doesn't apply all the way through the product line--the 626 is closer to the bottom of the pack. I'd certainly concede that through the full line, Mazda finishes behind the other Japanese makes (except Mitsu). But not the Pro.
I have no comeback on resale, though. The Pro doesn't hold its value the way a Civic does. Yes, it starts cheaper than the Civic, but the Civic holds a higher %, too. I tend to drive cars until that's not really much of an issue, though, so that one doesn't bother me much--but it is a consideration for many.
Dealer experience is probably not Mazda's strong suit, either. The experience we had when we bought my wife's 99 LX was negative and when I went shopping for a Pro5, I didn't go back there. I was very happy with my last experience, though, so we'll see how that goes over the life of the car.
You may very well be right about the future of Mazda, too. When the Protege, Focus, and low-end Volvo all share the same platform (in 2004), then I know I'll certainly be a lot more concerned, especially with what Ford is doing with the R&D budget. Let's just say I'm glad we got our Pros before Ford got their hands on 'em. (Not that I dislike Ford, but I don't think those kind of business arrangements generally result in the best products. Too much "design by committee.")
Regardless, Jerry, I just hope that whatever you do, it works out better for you. Having a car you don't trust sucks, regardless of who made it.0
Someone must've stolen jstandefer's id and password. Wait. He must've been kidnapped. These posts can't be from the same person, unless he has a multiple-personality disorder.0
One potential problem with rating resale value by the percentage of retained value after X years is that it may be based on the original MSRP. I don't know if that's the case. You can generally get a Protege for a higher percentage below the MSRP than a Civic or Corolla.0
fritz1224 Posts: 398I think he now knows he got in over his head with those payments and he wants to blame it on the car. $351/mo for 60 mos. Jeez, I'd be sick too. So he still has 36mos left @ $351 that's over 12 big ones. Almost as much as what you can get a new one for. I don't think it's so much the car causing his pain, I think it's his wallet.0
You CAN get a new for one for around 12K. Local dealers here are advertising 01 LXs for around 12K and you can get a 00 ES for around 12K. If the loan term was for 60 months on Jerry's car, that Protoge cost him $21,000 dollars.....ACK!!0
Unfortunately, I bought mine near the beginning of the 3rd generation. February of 1999 to be exact. There was no such thing as special finance rates or big rebates or discounts when they first hit the market. My Protege was one of the first three ES's the dealership received.
The payment doesn't hurt a whole lot. But it doesn't leave a ton of room for problems that pop up. It didn't bother me until I started nearing the end of the warranty where I started to realize that problems I have had may be precursors to expensive repairs later on. In the first thousand miles or so, it already had a new valve cover gasket, windshield, windshield gasket, and headliner. A rattle already existed when I test drove the car, but I didn't think much of it.
My Protege is probably not the best example of the breed out there. It probably suffers from early build quality issues as the rattles show quite clearly.I'm not a big fan of ditches and other road irregularities, so I avoid rough streets. The rattles just keep appearing. I really can't think of any interior panel that doesn't rattle, except for the rear door panels.
My big beef with the car is the wear items. I may drive the car hard, but looking back at previous vehicles I have owned, I realized that these parts are wearing in less than half of the mileage of those same parts in a previous vehicle. New tires at 18k miles? New brakes at 22k miles? Come to think of it, those evil Midas brakes that replaced them have 26k miles on them now and still have about 10k-15k miles left on them!! The Nitto tires have practically doubled the life of the OEM Potenza's. Perhaps, if I replace the clutch with aftermarket parts and put good quality brakes on it, the car will last quite a while. Before the Protege, I typically averaged 50k miles for brakes and 30k miles for tires. I have only replaced one clutch, and that was the RX-7 at something like 130k miles. The Escort GT's clutch (and that car was certainly abused and beaten) still felt fine at over 100k miles when I traded it in. The Protege's, on the other hand, isn't going to last another 10k miles...
I guess this is just a good example of cost cutting. My 82 RX-7 was quieter, smoother, and a whole lot more refined and reliable than the Protege. I guess this is typical of most new cars compared to the old ones...
"I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your Protege in!"0
mhallack Posts: 32Hearing how many problems you've had, it really sounds like you have a lemon (though it may not qualify under the law). Based on all the quality & reliability reports I've seen for Pro's yours is definitely a statistical oddity. It happens though, to every car manufacturer. Lexus makes lemons too, they just make less of them than the average manufacturer.
I understand your feeling though, my father had a 73 Ford Maverick, bought new and totally babied...it's engine literally gave up the ghost at 35,000 miles. Worthless hunk of junk and he never bought a Ford again. Then in 76 he bought a VW Dasher which couldn't get from one gas station to the next in between jump starts (BAD electrical system). I had a 77 Cordoba and a 87 Horizon that both required monthly maintenance larger than a car payment. More recently, one of my friends went through weekly service visits with a Ford Escort, and monthy visits with a Nissan Sentra (from right after they started making them in Tn). Also, one of my co-workers has a Town & Country that is two years old and goes in the shop EVERY month. Of course, in almost every case I could give you examples of these same cars running reliably (well, except the Cordoba).
What was the treadwear rating on the poortenzas? I won't be surprised when my Dunlops run out early, but I knew they were low-treadwear summer tires going in.0