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A round of thunderstorms roared through New York City and the tri-state Friday evening, causing heavy flooding, traffic jams and flight delays just as the unofficial start to summer got underway. At one point during the storm, lightning struck the spire of 1 World Trade Center.
The spectacular image was captured by several NBC 4 New York viewers (see video above and photo gallery to left).
Fierce storms rolled through the area starting around 7:30 p.m., with hail and flash flooding reported in some parts.
U.S. & World
Heavy flooding caused a miles-long traffic jam on the Long Island Expressway during the evening rush. Firefighters had to rescue drivers caught in rising floodwaters in Queens.
Flights at Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports were delayed an hour or more because of the weather.


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I know I haven't been as actively blogging this year. Lots of things have changed. Our daughter is now one and a half, and I have been eating (and generally spending a lot more time) at home than I did in 2010. That doesn't mean that I haven't been traveling and going out to eat – I have, but just not as frequently, and more often at casual places that we can go to together as a family.
I have still made it to my fair share of more ambitious restaurants, just not at such a frenzied pace as in the previous two years. I have also been eating much more near where we now live (in Connecticut) rather than Manhattan – not because it's trendy to 'eat local', but because it's easier and there is actually an abundant variety of excellent eateries nearby, particularly in ethnically diverse towns and cities such as Port Chester, NY and Stamford, CT. Sometimes, you find the greatest things when you don't expect to, and these are the best discoveries.
While I still plan to keep writing on this site going forward, beginning in 2012, my words and images will also be appearing in some other places, including the ever-entertaining Arbuturian and the newly launched Bespoke Blog…so look out for my features there. My first piece for The Arbuturian, which recounts a fantastic meal at a vegan Japanese restaurant in New York, can be found here.
But on to the task at hand…
It is always hard to siphon down a year of eating and drinking, but I've tried my best to include only those dishes and drinks that were truly memorable. Hopefully I've gotten the balance right and you enjoy seeing both some familiar and not so familiar names in my rambling list.
Given what I mentioned above, this year I am also including a segment on the food I have enjoyed eating most at home, which I hope will highlight some of the amazing farmers, growers and restaurants/food retailers we have in the Tri-State area, particularly in Connecticut.
Although much of this year's list comes from the US (as I haven't been traveling as much), there a number of entries from the short but hugely enjoyable trip I made to Copenhagen, a longer trip to Italy (including Rome, Umbria and Tuscany) and a brief sojourn in my former home of 10 years, London. I also had some great food during my first trip to Brazil, but somehow none of it made it onto the list.
Sadly, I didn't make good on last year's resolution of cooking more often (well, really learning how to cook in the first place). I have my wife to blame (or thank?) for that as she is so good there often seems little point in me trying. But I'm going to make it my resolution again. Maybe I will try my hand at baking since she doesn't know how to do that. I haven't checked to see if I have cold hands, but hopefully I won't get cold feet.
In any case, enjoy the list and, as always, please send your suggestions of new and exciting places I should try.
Here's to a wonderful 2012 ahead, and thanks for continuing to support me through another great year.
PS – while I haven't been blogging as much, I am quite active on twitter and, more recently, on instagram (username: 'laissezfare'), so follow my tweets and picture posts on those channels as well if you so desire. Also, many of the photos below come from my instagram or un-filtered iPhone images, so apologies in advance for the inconsistency in quality.
For a number of months now, each morning at Chez Laissez begins with a glass of what I have affectionately coined the 'green sludge'. It is not as bad as it sounds, and is actually quite tasty once you get used to it. It all started when we purchased a great blender earlier in the autumn. The concoction consists of a variety of organic leaves, usually including a mixture of kale, chard and arugula (rocket), spirulina and macca powder and goji berries, with a touch of banana or apple to make it more palatable. The natural and slowly released energy boost is amazing, and it helps to ensure we get a good dose of enzymes to tackle the day. I find I actually don't need any coffee in the morning now, but since I like it so much I still often have an espresso or macchiato – not a Caramel Macchiato, which 'doesn't exist' 🙂 – once I get to Manhattan.
We also recently purchased a very good dehydrator for our home kitchen, and my wife has been making all kinds of healthy and delicious snacks for us over the last few months, which you may have seen me tweeting about. We use only raw ingredients for these snacks (i.e. not heated/pasteurized) so they retain their full nutritive properties. My favorites are the kale chips, for which she makes a variety of seasonings. More recently, she is also making cookies from raw cacao, coconut oil, dates and nuts (cashews and almonds), which are also excellent.
We don't eat a whole lot of meat at home, but when we do, we like to know where it comes from and how it was raised. This means we source most of it from local farmers markets.
Our favorite beef comes from Four Mile River Farm, which practices excellent animal husbandry and sells dry-aged beef of very high quality at very reasonable prices. We have also bought grass-fed steaks from New York Beef, which is also good.
We love the eggs we get from Fishkill Farms at one of our local farmers markets. They come from pasture-raised, heritage breed hens that move in mobile coops and their eggs are downright delicious.
We now buy these by the boatload, and often have them for breakfast with some excellent bread from Tarry Market, which we rate as the best bakery in our area. I have heard that they supply much of the bread to Batali/Bastianich restaurants in the NY area, but have not had this corroborated…they do have a huge facility that takes up a large block in Port Chester. Fishkill Farms also sells excellent organic fruit and vegetables (although they're not officially accredited), which we buy weekly.
Lastly, one of the best things I ate this year came courtesy of my mother-in-law who just returned to Normandy after a two-week long stay at our home. It was a traditional Norman dish of Poule au Blanc and it was simply out of this world. We bought two old hens from Fishkill Farms and she did the rest. The iPhone picture doesn't do it justice, but the cream sauce was almost literally to die for. We had this for her 77th birthday.
Also excellent was a house-made foie gras terrine (mi-cuit) from Restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich. We had this with some toasted brioche and a sweet and sour onion spread, which worked great together. The next night, she used the fat from the foie gras to sauté some fingerling potatoes – that was also something to remember.
There is a Mexican restaurant named Bartaco near our house that makes you feel like you are on vacation when you dine there during the warmer months of the year. It is on the water and is designed like a beach resort of sorts. Their food is generally good, but there is one dish we always order…strangely enough, it's a variation on corn-on-the-cob (pardon the iPhone pic). It's about as good a version as I've had.
Another nearby restaurant we discovered was Chili Chicken in Stamford, CT, which serves Indian Chinese food. Their fried okra dish was addictive as crack (not that I would know) and is the best thing we've had from there so far.
I was lucky enough to enjoy some very good pizzas this year, the best of which were in – go figure – Italy. A casual family restaurant in Rome's Monteverde neighborhood served an excellent Neapolitan style margherita. All the photos from that meal can be viewed here.
At our relatively new family hideaway in Umbria, a local pizzaiolo constructed an excellent meal of at least a dozen different types of pizzas for about 30 people. The standout of the evening for me was the speck pizza, and I also enjoyed the non-traditional dessert pizza with Nutella and peaches. Below, you can see the first pizza he made: just dough sprinkled with sea salt and a touch of olive oil. All of the photos from this meal can be found here.
While on the same trip to Italy, we had an unbelievable lunch at Arnaldo Caprai winery cooked up by Salvatore Denaro, who has to be one of the most jovial chef/hosts I've encountered. There were two courses that particularly stood out as being perfect versions of their respective dishes, the caponata and panzanella. There are tons of photos from this lunch, including some funny ones from the kitchen, all of which can be seen on my flickr set.
Back in the US, I also had some great sandwich-type foods this year. My new favorite sandwich shop in New York is the Cambodian sandwich specialist Num Pang, whose five-spice glazed pork belly is definitely a standard bearer.
Ever late to the proverbial party, I finally had the chance to sample the famous Black Label burger at Minetta Tavern in the latter part of the year. I really can't think of how it can be improved; it is a thoroughly conceived and rigorously executed beefy affair. Sure it's $26 but that's all you need to eat for the meal and it's both perfect and perfectly satisfying.
My favorite burger closer to home comes from the excellent Burgers, Shakes & Fries. Their meat is a bespoke blend from Master Purveyors in the Bronx (who supply a lot of the famous steakhouses in the Tri-State area) and is really good. The twist here is that the sandwiches are served on 'Texas Toast', which in this case is simply toasted bread that has been slathered with butter on both sides. After trying the various iterations, I like the single patty burger with a slice of cheese. The meat does all of the talking and doesn't need much support. They also serve the best onion rings I have ever tasted.
On a healthier note, my favorite food truck for lunch in the City is a rather new Colombian operation that serves arepas. All of their ingredients are organic and meticulously sourced. In addition to the traditional corn base, they also offer more innovative versions, for example one made with quinoa flour, and others with brown rice flour and flax seeds or sesame seeds. My favorite is the quinoa, and I either get it with just hogao and all the fixings, or occasionally a vegan 'chorizo' sausage (which is made from soy and comprises over 20 ingredients, including red wine for the color). They are small but if you eat it slowly it fills you up for the rest of the afternoon. Delicious.
One of the best appetizers I had this year was seemingly one of the simplest, a burrata from Roscioli in Rome, which is definitely the best version of the creamy cheese dish I've had so far. All the photos from that excellent meal are here.
Along the same lines, the ceviche di spigola (marinated raw sea bass with oil, lemon, onions, chili and fresh coriander) I had at another Rome restaurant – Osteria La Gensola – was vibrant, bright and fresh, the perfect beginning to our meal.
Another wonderful light starter came from the most unlikely of places. Spuntino, Russell Norman's third of five London restaurants in roughly two years, is known more for some of its delicious yet artery-clogging dishes. But the thing I most enjoyed during my meal there was a salad. Possibly this was because it came after a few of those very rich dishes and my stomach was craving greens, but in any case, it was excellent and definitely worth ordering if/when on the menu. My review of the meal can be found here.
Another stand-out appetizer also hailed from Italy, although this time from a restaurant in the picturesque hilltop-perched Umbrian village of Montone. During a great meal at La Locanda del Capitano, chef Polito served his own variation on the cappuccino, which included a hill cheese fondue, a quail's egg and fresh truffle 'snow'. Need I say more?
While in London during the spring, I had the pleasure of sampling James Knappett's food at the two Michelin starred Marcus Wareing (he now cooks with Brett Graham at The Ledbury), and one dish still sticks out in my mind, both for its beautiful plating and its unique flavors. You can read more about the excellent cold, raw scallop dish I enjoyed here; it really was as pretty as a picture.
The last of the lighter plates to make the list was also a cold plate, served in Copenhagen during a very cold January evening spent within the warm environs of noma. You can read a full description in my review of the meal, but the main ingredient was sea urchins – it was a breathtaking dish. There were many other things from noma that could have easily made this list (including a plate with pine branches and one centered around an intense Gotland black truffle sauce), but this was my personal favorite.
It is often difficult for the 'main' dish, or dishes, in a multi-course menu to stand out as the most interesting of the meal, even if they are delicious in their own right. The preceding procession of nibbles and smaller plates are designed to whet your appetite, inducing you to salivate and preparing you for what is still to come. By the time you arrive at a meat or fish course, the portion is usually more substantial and can often become too rich and/or monotonous to finish. Happily, I had a number of 'middle' dishes that rebelled against the odds and still live on in my memory.
One of the best 'middle' dishes I had in 2011 came from a meal at Eleven Madison Park that started out great but didn't finish as strongly (the meal was toward the midpoint of the year, before chef Humm and the General Manager bought the business from then-owner Danny Meyer). It was one of the best-cooked lobsters I've had and was completely delectable.
We had the pleasure of dining at the chef's table at Heston Blumenthal's first London opening in the spring, and many of the dishes were excellent. The one savory course that stood out, however, was the pigeon. My wife doesn't ever like pigeon, and she was licking the plate with this one. Other excellent dishes that almost made it onto the list were the Black Foot Pork Chop and now ubiquitous Meat Fruit. You can read more about the pigeon dish, and the meal as a whole here.
One of the most interesting and delicious main courses I had was actually a vegetarian dish from the Japanese restaurant Kajitsu in the East Village of Manhattan. It was painstakingly plated and stood out for the variety of textures, temperatures and flavors. A full account of the meal can be found here.
A diametrically opposed dish, in both spirit and substance, was equally as tasty. This came from the excellent Commerce Restaurant, which is ironically in the West Village, the opposite side as Kajitsu. While it doesn't often get the press it probably should, Harold Moore is a terrific chef that is both generous to his patrons (he is there night in, night out and actually cares that all of his customers are well taken care of), humble in his manners and genuine in his spirit. His food strives to make you comfortable and satisfied, and it doesn't pull any punches. Some of the best things I sampled there were his carnivorous sharing plates. My favorite was actually the lamb (and pardon the instagram image below), although the chicken is more fabled, as you can see from this Ozersky TV video. One of his classic American desserts is also included in my favorite desserts of the year…read on.
La Locanda del Capitano makes its second entry with a superb main course of cinghiale (wild boar) that was hunted, killed, prepared and served by the head chef. It was the best example I've ever had of wild boar meat, and is worth seeking out if you're ever in the area.
Last of the top main courses of 2011 was a pleasant surprise from a casual little Ethiopian restaurant in Westchester County, NY called Lalibela, a name shared by many Ethiopian restaurants (indeed, our favorite one in London had the same name). We had a combination platter for two, which was great for lunch.
Although 2011 was a much healthier year food-wise than 2010, I managed to sample a great number of sweet treats which were totally worth the sugar and calories. In addition to some of the staple sweets we stock at home, such as Mast Brothers dark chocolate bars, we found some other great desserts in our local area. These included the best cannoli I have found in the Tri-State area (courtesy of a rapid-fire tour of Stamford, CT with perennially well-informed Jim Leff), wonderful pistachio and dark chocolate gelato from Daniella's Gelateria in Greenwich, and also Daniella's hot chocolate.
Some other treats I enjoyed outside of restaurants were from some of the better-known bakeries, including Bouchon Bakery's classic lemon tart and Ladurée's traditional macarons, of which the rose flavor consistently one of the best – but all are exceptional. I am glad they finally have a shop in New York, although they may still be working out some kinks, as there seem to be variations in quality from many reports.
A number of great sweets were consumed on our trip to Italy, but the following were my favorite. Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me find the name of the bakery in Rome from which I had the amazing sfogliatelle. But I have a picture of the lovely man who made them!
Also excellent was a simple dessert of two components from Trattoria da Teo, which serves rustic dishes in Rome's Trastevere neighborhood. It was so good we ordered a second.
My other favorite restaurant dessert from Italy also contained cream and berries and came from L'Asino d'Oro, home of one of Rome's best-value lunch menus. You can read more about the meal here. I didn't expect much from the description of the odd-sounding 'Strawberry Tiramisu', but the proof in this case really was in the pudding.
One of the most satisfying desserts of the year came from Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, its second appearance in this year's round-up. It was essentially a brioche and butter pudding with brandy, with the addition of one of the most meticulously roasted pineapples you are ever likely to find. You can read a full description in my review of this meal here.
My favorite apple pie comes from Mrs. London's in Saratoga Springs, NY. Wendy (aka 'Mrs. London') makes it at the bakery, but also serves it at her son Max's restaurant next door. The ice cream is homemade too. Both places are worth visiting if you're even in Saratoga for the horse racing or other reasons. The bakery also serves a very worthy version of Kouign Amann.
One the most surprisingly good sweet things I ate this year came from Commerce, which served the rack of lamb I mentioned above. I have never had a coconut cake I particularly liked, but the name of the dish speaks for itself, and is not incorrect, at least in my own experience. Its moniker is simply 'The Best Coconut Cake'. While it carries a price tag of $10, it is money well spent. Sadly, I don't have a great picture, but you can get the general idea from the image below. It has the perfect consistency and is not overly sweet, the main problem that affects most examples of this cake.
As a testament to the fact that great things often come when you least expect them, one of the best key lime pies I've had comes from a small steakhouse chain whose Boca Raton, Florida branch I visited twice in the last 12 months or so (the other location is in Boston). It was just as good on both occasions, the secret being that they (of course) use real Key limes and also make a delectable graham cracker-esque crunchy crust. If you ever go, their bone-in filet mignon is pretty darn good too.
As it is getting cold now, I am reminded of a part-frozen dessert I had while in Copenhagen. It was my final course at Kødbyens Fiskebar, which consisted of sea-buckthorn as both a grainté and gel, with a base of crème made from tonka nut and white chocolate. The tart and creamy contrast was perfectly judged. You can read the full description here.
Most of the wines listed below are not particularly pricey (though all is relative), so I particularly enjoyed discovering them as I can afford to buy them again in the future. There were a few precious – in both sense of the word – bottles that I enjoyed on special occasions, but these were mostly the exception this year.
Now that I have a proper wine storage solution, thanks to the impressive Liebherr unit that arrived on my birthday courtesy of my generous parents, I have been buying a lot more wine as of late. I have also found that I've been buying a lot of my wine online, through excellent new sites such as Lot18 (click here to join, it's free). There are also a number of excellent wine merchants I frequent, including Zachys, Sherry-Lehmann, Chelsea Wine Vault, Tarry Wine Merchants (which adjoins to the aforementioned Tarry Market) and the extremely competitively (online) priced Rye Brook Wines. Frankly Wines is also a great little shop, but I rarely get downtown to visit.
- N.V. Claude Genet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
- N.V. François Chidaine Montlouis-Sur-Loire
- N.V. Jacques Lassaigne Champagne Les Vignes de Montgueux Blanc de Blancs
- N.V. Jaillance Crémant de Bordeaux Cuvée de l'Abbaye
- N.V. Pierre Gimmonet & Fils Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru
- N.V. Pierre Moncuit Blanc de Blancs Grand Gru Oger
- N.V. Scharffenberger Brut
- 1997 Salon 'Le Mesnil' Brut Blanc de Blancs
- 1998 Henriot Brut Millésimé
- 2002 Moet & Chandon Dom Pérignon Brut
- 2007 Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay Cuvée Alexandre
- 2007 Domaine du Chalet Pouilly-Fuissé
- 2008 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis
- 2008 Domaine Huët Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg
- 2008 Nicolas Joly Savennières Le Clos Sacré
- 2008 Wind Gap Chardonnay
- 2009 Arwen, Lilleø Vin
- 2009 Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc Laurel Vineyard
- 2009 Evening Land Vineyards Pouilly-Fuissé
- 2009 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium Lazio IGT
- 2009 Paul Hobbs CrossBarn Chardonnay
- 2010 Arnaldo Caprai Grecante
- 2010 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc
- 2003 A&G Fantino Barolo 'Vigna dei Dardi'
- 2003 Paolo Bea Montefalco Sagrantino Passito
- 2005 Baigorri Rioja Crianza
- 2005 Bodegas y Vinedos Finca Anzil Toro Vendimia Seleccionada
- 2006 Yering Station Shiraz-Viognier
- 2007 Ampelos Pinot Noir Lambda
- 2007 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Médoc Réserve Spéciale
- 2007 Bodegas Felix Callejo Ribera del Duero Crianza
- 2007 Clos Du Val Pinot Noir Reserve Carneros
- 2007 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva
- 2007 Seventy Five Wine Company The Sum
- 2009 Domaine de Villeneuve Châteauneuf-du-Pape 'Les Vieilles Vignes'
- 2009 Venta Morales Tempranillo
- 2010 The Pinot Project
- N.V. Josette et Jean-Noel Chaland Chardonnay Vendange Botrytisée
- 2006 Château Suduiraut
- 2006 Disznókö Tokaji Aszu, 4 Puttonyos
- 2009 Domtalhof Rheingessen Riesling Auslese
- 2009 Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling Late Harvest
- 2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
- I am not the world's biggest lover of, or expert on, beer (by a long shot) but my friend recently introduced me to the Three Philosophers, which is quite nice.
I hope you enjoyed my review of the best bites & sips from 2011 and look forward to keeping you up to date on my findings in 2012 and beyond!


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September 28, 2016
This week Shaw Contract is celebrating World Green Building Week, a flagship event of the global green building movement – organized by the World Green Building Council and led by its network of 74 Green Building Councils and their 27,000 … Continue reading
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July 5, 2016


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Here are some of the wheels we saw and some of the things the children had to say about wheels:
M: Wheels Roll
A: Wheels play.
A: Wheels spin.K: The wheels on the chair roll.
Wheels push (technically wheels pull, but we'll explore that later):
A:Wheels pedal.
We quickly discovered that whiles wheels roll, not all things that roll are wheels.
K: Pumpkins roll
Ms. Erin: Are pumpkins wheels?
K: No.
Cups roll, but they are not wheels:
These observations led to a discussion on the difference between wheels and things that roll, specifically balls. To facilitate this discussion we created a Venn diagram.
The children stated that
-wheels are round on the outside only/ balls are round everywhere
-wheels can be seen on cars, wagons, bikes, and scooters while balls are seen outside
-both wheels and balls roll, are round, are circles, and can run out of air.
Bravo children!
The end!


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Every HTS1800 Roadsmith Trike is built with the attention and
craftsmanship needed to be a true extension of the Honda™ motorcycle itself. Take a closer look and you will see what we mean.
Have fun, in style, worry-free.
The smooth ride of the Roadsmith HTS1800 is a result of our innovative suspension system that offers a ride like no other trike. Roadsmith was the first to offer Independent Suspension for trike conversions over 16 years ago. The cynics said it would never work. They're eating those words today. Talk to anyone who has actually ridden an Independent-rear-suspension trike and a solid-axle system trike for a period of time and ask them which one rode better. You can't deny independent-rear-suspension is the way manufacturers of cars, SUV's and ATV's are going. Trikes are no different. These trikes are built with a purpose - "Touring in comfort".
The multi-point mount of the chassis to the bike frame actually strengthens the bike's frame as well as dissipates the added stress of a trike. We attach at existing mounting points on the frame. For example, on the HTS1800 we use the crash bar mounts and the shock mount. A feature of the trailing arm type independent suspension is the fact that there are very few moving parts. There are literally only two pivot points on each trailing arm. This eliminates any adjustments or maintenance requirements. There are more complicated ways to design a suspension, but why?
The stabilizer bar, also known as a sway bar, is a flexible link between the two trailing arms. The bar uses the torsion effect to always try to keep the trike righted or sitting square to the ground. The beauty of the stabilizer bar is the fact that when one wheel hits a bump, the bar can flex quickly to absorb the movement, then return. This is the same technology used in almost every vehicle today. Just think if you had "no lean" suspension. That means your trike is always perfectly square to the ground. In effect, if you go over a 2" bump with your right wheel, the trike rocks up 2". With Independent Suspension, just that wheel goes up. The antiquated solid axle system is only made today because it's cheaper and easier. Technology has improved a lot in the short history of trike conversions but some are too stuck in their ways. Others are jumping on board with IRS now, but none can copy our history, longevity and reliability.
We increase the wheelbase 8". This puts the rear wheels back behind the passengers' seat area rather than sitting right on top of the wheels. Any vehicle that has a longer wheelbase will have a smoother ride, it's just common sense. As an added benefit, the differential being farther back reduces the driveshaft angle.
Our differential is constructed from standard automotive ring and pinion gear sets. The original application of our differential was a Ford car. We cut down this brand new cast iron housing and make an Independent Suspension differential out of it. The components inside it are all brand new including the 2.93:1 ratio ring and pinion. We keep the speedometer correct with that ratio and tire diameter.
Large disc brakes more than handle the stopping of this trike. Remember trikes stop faster and easier than bikes. With more tire contact area and much better stability, braking a trike is not the white knuckled balancing act that a bike can be. The wheel bearings, calipers and rotors are all right from a high production automobile application known as the
VW Beetle. Like all of our constructed drive train, everyday parts are off the shelf for your convenience.
We manufacture a completely new driveshaft built from full size sealed automotive u-joints and a 2" tube. These are the same components used in full sized cars and trucks. We figure if that design can hold up in those heavy vehicles it should have no problems with a trike application. We've proven ourselves right.
The axles are custom made for our conversion kits, but the constant velocity (CV) joints are standard automotive applications such as VW and Porsche. We use automotive type parts for all of our drive train because it's designed for a much heavier load, meaning these parts will probably last forever in this light duty application. Again, using off the shelf parts for your convenience.
The Alloy wheels that come with our conversion kits are clear-coated aluminum rims that have a similar look and finish to the bikes front rim. They are a 16x7", 5x4 1/2 bolt pattern with a positive 35mm offset size that fits many automotive applications. We offer a Chrome plated option also.
The large storage compartment comes completely carpeted to both protect and store your riding gear. The trunk (5 cubic feet) has about twice the capacity of the stock saddlebags. This gives you a larger space to fit larger objects like coolers, helmets, etc into. The large trunk door opening also allows for easier packing or loading. The release for the right saddlebag under the tour pack is now used to release the latch for the trunk. We also use the "open saddlebag" indicator to show on the dash if the trunk isn't closed completely. You won't see any fancy hinges to close into our storage area or bind up someday. We incorporate a simple hinge and sturdy wire line to handle the job. This convenient trunk will fit all your gear securely away from the elements.
The slick body design incorporates the look and feel of the original motorcycle. We feel the trike conversion body should melt seamlessly into the original body parts. The body is constructed of heavy-duty fiberglass. It is then painted with urethane paint, flat sanded, and buffed to a mirror finish to ensure a perfect paint match both in color and finish. The mounting system for the body ensures a rock solid attachment and no exposed mounting hardware. Notice the added foot room for the passenger, another feature of a longer wheelbase.
With any touring machine a trailer hitch is a familiar sight. When riding a trike, a trailer is not a danger like it is on a bike. The back of a trike will never feel like there's a trailer behind it. We include a 1 1/4" receiver for a trailer hitch neatly tucked under the body. It is incorporated into the rear body support and is welded directly into the strongest part of our frame. This is not an option or add-on, it's built right in. It is another one of the innovative ideas built right into the design of our trike kit.
The Trike Shop has an unparalleled history of customer service and satisfaction and we put it in writing, with the best warranty in the market. Your trike comes with a full 3 year or 1,000,000 mile warranty on the entire trike kit. We can offer this because we know with over 16 years of producing this type of conversion kit, we do it right the first time.
| 78"
|Overall length
|Overall width
| 56" at the body 58" wide with Wing Guards
| 1150 lbs wet
| 27" wide x 14" high opening x 15" deep- 6 cu ft.
| Lateral trailing arm Independent Rear Suspension
|Suspension adjustment
| Manually adjustable Progressive coil-over shocks
|Stabilizer bar
| 5/8" bar to control body roll
|Tires, rear
| 205/65-16 radial
|Rims, rear
| 16x7 alloy 5x4 1/2 35mm offset
|Final drive ratio
|Brakes, rear
| dual 35mm piston calipers
| adjustable coil over
|Body material
| polyester resin fiberglass
|Drive system
| 2" diameter shaft w/ sealed u-joints
This convenient new option is an auto leveling system that adjusts the suspension for various loads with Progressive Air Shocks. Using a magnetic sensor, AccuRide knows exactly how much to "air up" or "air down" the shocks depending on the load. This allows the trike to always be at the correct ride height, with no need for manual
adjustment. (Click to enlarge picture)
The other suspension option we now offer is an Adjustable Pre-Load system. We tie right into the GL1800's existing suspension adjustment system that's controllable right from the dash. By the push up or down of a button, this system hydraulically pre-loads the fixed springs for various loads, and allows the rider to manually adjust the ride as they see fit. We use high quality Progressive coil over shocks combined with the springs.
This handy new option
increases your
cornering performance, and also helps reduce unwanted body roll that can come from heavy loading or riding with a passenger.
The Roadsmith 5 1/2 degree steering kit is an option that most people get, if not initially, someday. The GL1800 needs a rake increase to make for a comfortable and stable trike. To explain what a steering kit does is a little complicated but basically it feels like power steering for your trike. It reduces the steering effort by about half. The front-end geometry for a motorcycle is designed with a certain amount of trail in the front end to allow the bike to counter steer easy and remain stable.
As a trike we are not counter steering, but rather steering. This is the opposite of what that front end was designed to do. With our steering kit we reduce the trail in the front end to give you better leverage at the handlebars to steer your trike. It gives you better mechanical advantage to turn the front wheel off of center. It's like your handlebars are twice as wide as they really are. This can really positively affect your fatigue level at the end of a long day.
Our unique auxiliary fuel tank was the
first of its kind 15 years ago. We
figured since we had the extra space
above our differential, why not utilize it? Now we can offer you an additional 5 gallons of fuel on board. It's not that the Roadsmith gets bad gas mileage, typically 3-5 mpg less than the motorcycle, but on those long trips it's worth the peace of mind just to know you have extra fuel. Some states can push the limits of the stock fuel tank.
To fill the rear tank, remove the
chrome fuel cap on the left side of the
body and fill it just like the front tank.
No need to wait for fuel to transfer
SLOWLY to the extra tank. To use the fuel in the auxiliary tank, drive until the low fuel light comes on. Then simply flip the toggle switch while
driving and the fuel will transfer from
the rear tank up to the bike's original tank. When all the fuel is pumped out of the rear tank, it shuts itself off.
This fully carpeted trunk insert adds a 6" tall by 12" wide by 12" deep extra storage area at the front of your trunk. This area makes a great place to tuck away your rain gear or chaps. This insert basically takes the space where the auxiliary fuel tank could go.
You can have matching front and rear wheels by ordering our custom wheel package. The package includes this 18" chrome front wheel along with the 16" rear chrome wheels pictured below.
You can brighten up your wheels with this 16" x 7" chrome rim option. They are a 5 x 4 1/2" bolt pattern with a positive 35mm offset.
Reduce front end "dive" during braking, yet still provide excellent ride comfort. A Progressive Rate Spring has the advantage of a rising rate resistance to compression. The benefit of this is that the spring can be soft enough at the start of the travel to offer a "plush" ride, yet be firm enough at the end of the travel to soak up the big bumps.
This is an onboard, continuous front wheel balancer made by Centramatic. The Centramatic allows your front wheel to always be perfectly balanced. This option increases front tire life 35%-50%, and reduces hand fatigue on those long rides.
Wings Guards are like a running board in that the main purpose is to protect your feet from the elements.
As another benefit they just look cool. Wing Guards seem to tie the front and the rear of the trike together. They are made from tough fiberglass then supported by mounts in the front, middle and rear. We cover the
areas where you may
step with a non skid material.
These ingenious items will magically make the rider behind you happier in a rain storm. They are mounted right to the frame with included brackets.
These items will make the person behind you a little happier in the rain and make your Roadsmith look a little classier. The lighted ones become extra tail and brake lights. They are mounted right
to the frame with included brackets.
Ever get back late from a ride with no light in sight other than from the illumination of a cell phone or your headlight? Makes finding objects in your storage trunk rather difficult. This convenient option fixes that all together. A bright LED light is wired to turn on/off with the trunk opening/closing.
This is a 3/8" stick on trim that goes around your wheel opening. It just finishes off the bike nicely.
Our chrome nerf bumper adds both protection and classic look to the back of your Roadsmith. This bumper is constructed of 1 1/2" steel tubing with caped ends then fully polished and chrome plated for years of everlasting luster. Functionally, the solid 5/8" bar bolts directly to the trike's frame. If you do bump into something rolling it around the garage or something, it doesn't damage the paint finish.
Protect your trike on its off days with this cover made of waterproof, rip-stop nylon.
The trike conversion already comes with a built in receiver for a trailer hitch. This is the drawbar you'll need to actually tow.
This harness actually plugs right into the factory harness to give you a flat four connector for your trailer.
Click on the appropriate link to download a pdf file of installation instructions


text:
Quality Service Is Our Passion
Air Conditioning Services Neutral Bay
- Do you have a faulty air conditioner?
- Need an urgent air conditioning installation?
- Call Omega Services, your air conditioning specialists in Neutral Bay!
When you are on the lookout for air conditioning services in Neutral Bay and its surrounding suburbs, you want to make sure you are connecting with the best. Omega Services has been in operation for over 30 years. We are proud to be able to offer industry-leading services, delivered at a price point that suits you and your situation.
Air Conditioning Services Neutral Bay
- Do you have a faulty air conditioner?
- Need an urgent air conditioning installation?
- Call Omega Services, your air conditioning specialists in Neutral Bay!
When you are on the lookout for air conditioning services in Neutral Bay and its surrounding suburbs, you want to make sure you are connecting with the best. Omega Services has been in operation for over 30 years. We are proud to be able to offer industry-leading services, delivered at a price point that suits you and your situation.
Sydney's Trade Services Experts For Over 30 Years!
That's the Omega difference
We love what we do. Keeping your lights on, showers hot, toilets flushing and air conditioning running is what drives us every day. Our approach is simple, we do things the right way, not the easy way.
What can you expect?
- We show up on time
- We provide great service
- We are upfront about pricing
- We work safely
As licensed and insured Master Plumbers and Master Electricians with 30 years' experience, you can be confident we'll stand by our Lifetime Labour Guarantee.
Our team are presentable, clean and tidy. We'll protect your home while we work and clean up before we leave, so you can relax.
Lifetime Labour Guarantee
Our workmanship is guaranteed for life.
In the unlikely event of a problem, we'll make it right, at no charge!
Lifetime Labour Guarantee
Our workmanship is guaranteed for life. In the unlikely event of a problem, we'll come and make it right at no charge!
Our Response To COVID-19
We are open for business and ready to serve your plumbing, electrical & air conditioning needs.
Our team is committed to your family's safety and health, here is what we are doing to help in that regard. To start with, we monitor our own health, if one of our employees feels ill, they will see a doctor or clinic. When our team comes to your home they glove up, put on shoe covers, if you request, they will wear a mask.
All of our trucks are equipped with spray disinfectant, protective covers for areas when we are in your home for any length of time, each tech keeps his own set of tools and will disinfect them after each visit.
We have set in place a Covid-19 protocol. Before we come to your home, we send you an email listing some things you as the homeowner can do to limit (or in some cases eliminate) the need for us to come into the home. While it is not possible to cover all applications, there are many situations where with your help we can do a tuneup or maintenance, even some repairs, from outside the home. We have stopped shaking hands with a no contact policy is in place. We will try to stay 1.5m away from customers at all times.
Today, communication is vital to our business, please let us know if anyone in the home has been exposed and is under quarantine, or if they are under a doctor's care for the virus. We will take special care to work with those situations.
On another note, we would be remiss if we did not mention the fact that we do other solutions to indoor air quality issues. We have filters that can take out over 99% of airborne particles, UV lights that can help destroy viruses, air sterilisers to eradicate germs that are found in homes, similar to hand sanitisers we are now using daily. Can these products and systems eliminate the Covid-19 Virus completely? Only if you live in a petri dish in a lab. But they can certainly help and go a long way to set up a healthy home. Just to be clear, we have offered and sold these products for over a decade. We have a limited inventory that we are offering at pre-corona virus pricing.
Air conditioning services in Sydney
In the Australian climate, fans just don't cut it anymore, the temperatures only seem to be getting warmer. Don't you just wish you had more control over the climate in your own home. Omega Services has air conditioning experts on hand to help.
When it comes to home air conditioning units, we know that efficiency is top of your list of priorities. Thanks to our experience and expertise, we install air conditioning units that help you save money while staying cool.
Our home air conditioning units are suitable for properties throughout Sydney. We focus on using the best brands, so you can enjoy a cooling experience that lasts. Each person who comes to us benefits from a custom approach, so you know you're getting the best fit for your property.
Our domestic air conditioning services are here to ensure your home benefits from a pleasant temperature. In addition to installing new systems, we perform maintenance tasks and carry out repairs.
With over 30 years of experience, we have the expertise to install stand-alone, combined and hybrid installations. We can install a blend of split systems air conditioners, ducted air conditioners, gas ducted systems, radiant strip heaters, gas fireplaces and underfloor heaters to suit the way you use your home.
A team of highly qualified air conditioning technicians in Neutral Bay
As you would expect, we are fully insured and licensed members of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC).
Every Omega Services air conditioning technician is a qualified refrigeration technician who is registered and has a valid license to carry out the work you need in your home. We have all undergone rigorous training and we've been in the business for over 30 years, so we have all the experience you need.
By law, all air conditioning technicians in Sydney have to be licensed and regulated by the Office Of Fair Trading.
- Anyone carrying out air conditioning work in your property needs to have a valid licence
- Apprentices need to have a valid apprentice licence and oversight from a licensed air conditioning technician
This is very important because air conditioning is a highly specialised job and environmentally hazardous. You want someone with training, skill and experience.
Taking care of all your Neutral Bay property air conditioning repair needs
Air conditioning is what keeps all of our homes cool and modern life comfortable. So when something goes wrong with your air conditioning, you need the problem identified and fixed as quickly as possible. But this isn't something you can solve yourself – air conditioning repair work is very specialised and should only ever be tackled by a highly experienced professional.
Omega Services are here to help, with a full range of air conditioning repair services. We can quickly identify the problem and put an effective, lasting solution in place, with minimal disruption to you. We're fully qualified, licensed and insured to carry out all kinds of air conditioning repairs and we make your safety our highest priority at all times.
What are our air conditioning prices like?
Every job is different, but we'll always give you our best possible price. We believe in total honesty and transparent, fair pricing – you won't find any hidden charges or unexpected extras. Before we start any work, you'll have the chance to approve a fixed quote. This price won't change, it's the exact amount you'll pay when we finish.
We also offer OpenPay, a system which lets you split the cost of your air conditioner into affordable weekly or monthly instalments until the whole amount is paid, completely interest free!
Call us if you need a plumbing, electrical or air conditioning specialist
Did you know Omega Services can assist with any plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, heating, hot water or drain issue? With over 30 years experience we can provide the service you're looking for.
If you live in Sydney and you're interested in finding out more about our services please call, message or use the contact us form and we'll be happy to give you all the information you need.
Customer Reviews
Air Conditioning
Frequently Asked Questions
There comes a time in every air conditioning unit's life when it starts to lose efficiency. Although it will continue to keep your property cool, you'll notice your bills rising. Newer air conditioning systems are more energy-efficient. As a result, upgrading to one will help you save money on your monthly bills.
It's often the case that big air conditioning problems start out as smaller ones that are easy to resolve. At Omega Services, we see regular maintenance services as your opportunity to catch small problems before they evolve into bigger ones. Over time, this translates to fewer costly repairs and an air conditioning system that lasts longer.
How often you need to change your unit's filter varies between manufacturers. In a lot of cases, it's once every three months. Changing your filter at the correct interval ensures your unit remains functional.
In some cases, fluid that leaks from your air conditioning unit is condensation. On other occasions, you may be dealing with coolant. If your coolant is leaking you may find that your heating and air conditioning unit becomes less efficient. The temperature could start to fluctuate and your bills will probably rise. By asking one of our air conditioning technicians to assess the problem, you can identify the cause and make your unit efficient again.
If your air conditioning system is blowing out air but it's no longer cool, your inlet may be clogged. This is especially likely to be the case when your unit is old. We can unclog your inlet and make sure your unit runs smoothly in no time. If one area of your unit is sending out cool air and another isn't, the problem may be with your duct-work instead.


text:
Ken TresterEditor, Power Options Weekly
As the nation's foremost professional options trader, Ken Trester isn't just another "options educator." He's a pro who has been trading options since the first exchanges opened in 1973. In fact, he has documented 27-straight winning years publishing recommendations for traders.
Ken puts his money where his mouth is and actively trades his own account as part of his popular Maximum Options trading service. Using his own proprietary system called the Power-Plus Profit Tracker, he uncovers cheap, underpriced options trades for his subscribers. Since InvestorPlace began publishing Maximum Options in 2008, Ken has guided his subscribers to profits almost 80% of the time.
Most recently, Ken has launched a new trading service: Power Options Weekly. Subscribers receive his top five Quantum QTX trades, complete with full entry/exit instructions, via email each week.
Ken has also written two books on options: 101 Option Trading Secrets and The Complete Option Player, now in its fourth edition and among the best-selling options books ever.
He is also widely quoted in publications such as Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities and Barron's. He has earned considerable respect as a financial analyst and a highly sought lecturer at investment seminars throughout the United States.
Ken has an MBA and has also worked as a stockbroker, an investment manager and as a computer science professor at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California, where he taught a wildly popular course on stock options trading.
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text:
Belkin AC 1200 DB wireless router
Belkin offers a good first step towards 802.11ac Wi-Fi, but its USB and DLNA features need work
- Good mid-range performance under 802.11ac
- Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Reliable performer over months of use
- Slow USB ports with no config settings
- DLNA didn't work properly for us
Bottom Line
If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive router that supports 802.11ac, Belkin's AC1200 is a decent choice, but it's not the fastest product on the market. Belkin has introduced some new features that should be of interest to some users (automatic QoS and Norton parental filters), but it still needs to work on getting other features, such as the USB ports and DLNA to work better.
Price$ 199.00 (AUD)
Belkin's AC1200 is part of the new breed of wireless routers that can make use of the 802.11ac specification. It's a stylish unit that's relatively straightforward to install, and its wireless and wired networking performance were both reliable in our tests, but it's definitely not a speed demon.
Set-up and Web interface
The router has been designed to stand upright and its antennas are internal in order to give it a neat look -- as neat as a router can be with Ethernet cables sticking out of the rear. The sides are glossy and the unit tapers from the front to the rear, giving it a svelte overall aesthetic.
The front of the unit has a status LED that can be dimmed if it gets on your nerves, and there is a WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button that makes it easy to install wireless speaker docks and other devices without having to mess around with passwords. The stand feels a little weak though, but this should be of no concern once you have successfully set it up and placed it in its desired position in your home.
Because the AC1200 is just a router, you will need to plug in your own modem, and it will accept either an ADSL2+ device or a cable device from Telstra or Optus. If you plan to use this router with an NBN plan, note that its WAN port will not support the highest 100Mbps download and 40Mbps upload speeds.
Setting up the unit proved to be a simple task. The router is pre-set with SSIDs and passwords for its 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks and a little card with the credentials is placed in a slot on the bottom of the router, which you can use to set up this router wirelessly from your laptop or other mobile device.
Once connected, you can venture to its Web administration page, which is the standard address of 192.168.2.1 for Belkin routers, and set up your Internet connection manually. The password for the Web interface is blank by default and you will need to enable one if you're serious about network security.
To get onto the Internet, simply go to the 'Connection Type' page, which is under the heading 'Internet WAN', select the type of connection you have (PPPoE for most of us ADSL2+ users, for example), and enter your ISP credentials. For us, it took about 30sec to get connected to the Internet after entering our details and letting the router restart.
It's easy enough to change the SSIDs and passwords from the 'Wireless' part of the Web interface, although SSID and password settings are on separate pages. You'll have to apply settings twice, which is about 20sec worth of waiting all up, and that's not too bad at all. That's all the configuring you'll need to do if you just want to get online and share an Internet connection with your wireless devices, but there are some other features to check out, too.
Indeed, the Web interface actually features 'New' labels, which appear next to features that are making their debut in Belkin routers so that you can easily check them out. These are IPv6 support, Norton Web site filters and a feature called Intellistream.
Intellistream is a Quality of Service (QoS) tool that can make sure gaming and other services that require low latency are given more bandwidth than other services on your Internet connection that don't require low latency, such as video streams. It needs to be enabled manually and it runs a speed test in order to gauge the best download and upload settings for your connection. In our test period, this automatic speed test failed every time we tried it. We had to run a speedtest ourselves over the Web and enter the results of that test manually in order to give the feature accurate information. A restart is needed to apply this information and this took around 90sec, briefly disturbing our Internet connection in the process.
The neat thing about this feature is that gives you a real-time graph of the types of traffic that are flowing over your network. You can see at a glance what type of traffic is taking up the majority of your connection at any given time — it's all colour coded to make it stand out.
For security, the Belkin AC1200 makes use of Norton DNS filters, with three protection settings to choose from. The most basic setting is for blocking sites that are deemed to be malicious (phishing, scam and malware sites); the middle setting also blocks adult sites, while the high setting adds blocks to sites that relate to alcohol, drugs, crime, hate, suicide, violence, abortion, tobacco and gambling. Even a relatively simple task such as looking up Lotto results will result in a block.
There is no way to bypass the filter if you want to access a blocked site; you'll have to disable the filter instead. It's far from perfect though, with sites such as Live Leak, for example, still allowing plenty of videos on flagged subjects to be viewed. The seedier parts of Reddit and Imgur were also not blocked. It just reinforces the fact that proper supervision or a lounge room-based PC so that you can see what your kids are up to online is still a better way to keep them from content that you don't want them to be exposed to yet.
We tested this router for over two months while we waited for Belkin to release an 802.11ac USB adapter so we could do some more speed tests and, as far as Internet and network connectivity are concerned, it proved to be a solid router that we never had to reset or troubleshoot during that time. Part of that could be due to the 'self-healing' feature, which was enabled to restart the router every Tuesday at 3am. We used it with a Billion BiPAC 5200S RD ADSL2+ modem.
While the router supports conventional simultaneous dual-band operation for 802.11n clients, you'll need 802.11ac clients on the other end of this router if you plan to make use of its fastest wireless speed, which is rated at 867 megabits per second (Mbps). The fastest 802.11n standard in the 5GHz spectrum is 450Mbps.
We tested this router's 802.11ac performance using a Belkin AC Wi-Fi dual-band USB adapter that we plugged in to a Dell laptop. That adapter is able to take advantage of that 867Mbps 802.11ac speed. We also tested with an Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6300 wireless adapter in the same Dell laptop, and that's an adapter that can run at up to 450Mbps in 802.11n mode. This particular Belkin router only goes up to 300Mbps in 802.11n mode though.
The results we obtained are definitely in favour of the 802.11ac set-up, which recorded transfer rates of 20.58 megabytes per second (MBps) in our short-range test (2m away from the router) and an even better 20.78MBps in our mid-range test (from 10m away from the router). However, these results make it slower than the Linksys EA6500, which is the other router we've tested with an 802.11ac wireless client on the other end. That router recorded 26.9MBps and 25.58MBps in the short and mid-range tests, respectively.
We had to fiddle a little with the channel selection in order to get the 802.11ac network to run swiftly, but in the end the 'auto' selection in the router returned the best results. We're impressed that there was barely a drop-off in performance at the mid-range distance. Using the Belkin USB adapter, you should be able to supply fast wireless performance to a desktop PC or other network-capable devices that are a reasonable distance away from the router.
If you only plan on using 802.11n in the 5GHz network band, then you'll still be able to get good speeds out of this router, albeit with a noticeable drop-off in performance at mid-range distances. In our tests using the Intel Centrino adapter, the router transferred data at a rate of 17.6MBps over a short range, but it recorded a rate of only 12.18MBps over a mid-range distance.
If you want to go even more basic in your network set-up, you can opt to use 802.11n in the 2.4GHz band. In our tests, this configuration topped out at 8.8MBps over a short range and 8.6MBps over a mid-range distance.
Harnessing the extra bandwidth of the router by using an 802.11ac USB adapter is only practical for static devices; it can be inconvenient to use a laptop with the USB adapter plugged in, primarily because of the way it sticks out, which can be uncomfortable if you want to use a laptop on your lap, or if you're moving around a lot. Installing the adapter on an Ultrabook or another type of computer without an optical drive will also be inconvenient because Belkin supplies the adapter's drivers on a CD-ROM.
You can attach up to four wired devices to the router's Gigabit Ethernet switch on the rear, which can provide an average throughput of around 50 megabytes per second when transferring files between two typical PCs with 7200rpm hard drives.
Other features
Two USB ports allow the Belkin AC1200 to be used for sharing hard drives across a network, but these ports are painfully slow. We achieved a maximum rate of 1.8MBps when copying data from an attached hard drive to a laptop on the wireless network. Playing video streams up to 720p off an attached hard drive over the network was easily done though without any stuttering.
DLNA is supported by the router and it was detected quickly by our LG TV in our tests. However, every hard drive that we connected to the router could not be viewed properly through the TV, nor through our test laptop's media player. Only fresh USB sticks with media on them worked.
There aren't any settings for the USB ports in the router's Web interface, only a simple 'Media server' setting that can be enabled and disabled. We've expressed disappointment in the way Belkin implements USB ports on previous products and the AC1200 has left us feeling this way again.
Media sharing from our desktop PC, which was connected to the router via Gigabit Ethernet to our TV, which was wirelessly connected up to 10m away was a very good experience though. We were able to stream standard- and high-definition content over the 5GHz 802.11n network without any stuttering or drop-outs.
Belkin's AC1200 wireless router turned out to be a reliable worker during our test period and we didn't have any problems while setting it up — it was a smooth experience from the get-go. Its 802.11ac function is a little slow for our taste, especially considering the competition has higher speeds available, but it's a baby step towards the next best thing in wireless networking, and more affordable than most other 802.11ac products at the moment, too. We just wish it had better USB ports and better DLNA support.
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- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?


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Received today,in good time and most pleased to find the item is of a exceptional quality and very well made.
Fits perfectly without hindrance to movement and feels comfortable and warm.
I'll ware it with pride and feel proud to display the Systema logo.
Great kindness and respect to all at Sys..read more >>


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WTF Of The Week: Some White Guy Bows Down & Licks The Boots Of Black Hebrew Israelite Street Preachers In New Jersey! "Bow Yo Daymn Knee Devil"
This is just crazy. Fast forward around the 3:40 Mark. Some White guy bows down and licks boots of hebrew israelites. These guys were preaching in the streets of New Jersey.
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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BrandSource Names "Win With Force" Winner
BrandSource announced this week that Kevin Long of Conroe, Tex., is the 2012 winner of its "Win With Force" sweepstakes. The sweepstakes is part of the company's sponsorship of NHRA's John Force Racing.
Long, one of 150,000 entrants into the sweepstakes, won a new car.
"I have never won anything in my life," Long said in a statement. "I've had season tickets since the NHRA track in Baytown, Texas first opened. All of the race fans in our seating section are a pretty tight-knit group and we were just saying that none of us ever wins anything. Well, that's changed!"
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South African Boy Gets Robotic Hand Made With 3-D Printer
A 3-D printed prosthetic hand has changed the life of a 5-year-old South African boy who was born without fingers on his right hand, and may be a model for people seeking a low-cost prosthesis.
The boy, named Liam, benefited from work done by Ivan Owen, a part-time mechanical special effects artist in Washington. He was collaborating online with Rich Van As, a woodworker from South Africa, who lost four fingers in a workshop accident. Liam's mother came across their blog posts about the "robohand" they were developing.
"I had never connected the dots between what I was doing and that it had a practical application," Owen told ABCNews.com.
The men decided to make Liam his own "robohand" and the result has been life-changing. He can now throw a basketball, push a shopping cart and even pick up a coin using his prosthetic hand.
The hand is powered by cables and return bungees. The fingers and wrist hinge were made using a 3-D printer - a computerized device that, given the dimensions of an object, can create copies of it by adding layers of resin or other material.
Owen and Van As, who both have day jobs, met for the first time in November in South Africa. Most of the collaboration was done online, Owen said.
After seeing how well their invention worked for Liam, Owen said their dream is to form a nonprofit to educate people on how to create and assemble robohands.
"We want to provide materials, parts and knowledge, and then someone in the community can assist them with assembly and fitting," Owen said. "We see that as most realistic way to get this idea to the people who need it, and at the largest scale possible."


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As the new fly fishing season opens, TasteInnWales hotels launch a new partnership with one of Wales's top fly fishing guides, Kim Tribe, who as of today is our very own resident fishing coach and guide.
Full details will follow shortly as we announce special fishing breaks to our customers across all our hotels.
Experienced fly fishermen (and women) staying with us at Peterstone Court can also now fly fish on the River Usk, on a mile of single bank fishing, directly below the hotel throughout the season, at no extra charge.
In the meantime, please contact Kim Tribe directly for details and bookings on Tel: 07868 782843


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Lucky 13 Wins First Place for Burgers in the World Food Championships
The first annual World Food Championships took place last Thursday to Sunday in Las Vegas, featuring $300,000 in prizes in seven categories. Congratulations to the first place winner of the World Burger Championship, Lucky 13 from Salt Lake City, who took home $10,000 for their Spicy Candied Bacon Cajun Burger. The next three winners according to this scoresheet were recipe writer Julie Hession of Peanut Butter & Julie; Mark Bucher, founder of BGR The Burger Joint; and Tal Goldsby, member of the team who placed first at the Best Memphis Burger Fest.
Lucky 13 also came in second place in the Final Table competition, earning them an extra $10,000 (first place went to Sandwich Championship winners Robert Butler and Lowell McCain).
Have any AHT'ers tried Lucky 13?
[via Burger Beast]
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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I put my thick rubber gloves on and my fisherman's boots, plugged my nose and strapped on five pairs of goggles like jockeys do on muddy race days. I'm diving into Detroit this morning. Chill out, I've had my shots. Greg Monroe, the 7th overall pick in this year's draft, earned his third straight double-double after John Kuester kept him on the floor for 43 minutes in last night's loss to the Bulls. Deep leaguers are rightfully rushing to roster the former Hoya. Deep leaguers are rarely wrong to roster anyone. It's a deep league. Most players on the court deserve consideration. If you're rostering Brian Scalabrine, you're wrong to be doing so. DaJuan Summers? You're wrong. <– DaJuan Summers' first (and probably final) appearance at Razzball. Rostering Monroe isn't foolish. A dub-dub is a dub-dub. But his dub-dubs come with a shizzton of caveats. The first being that his shooting is spotty. He only earned 10 points despite being on the floor in all but five minutes of yesterday's game because he shot 29 percent from the field … and his field was rarely more than 12 feet from the basket. Also, he's not much of a shot blocker or distributor (3 assists/0 blocks in his last 104 minutes on the court). Having said that, I'm going to now ignore what I just said and tell you to take a strong look at Monroe despite his flaws. He's a .446 shooter, who went from .354 in November to .515 in December. He's a kid, kids are inexperienced. They still compliment girls on their "awesome boobs." Give 'em time. Let 'em learn from their mistakes. Additionally, he plays for a team with little to lose by letting him bump around for 30-40 minutes at a time. He's Detroit's future, not Ben Wallace, not Jason Maxiell, not Chris Wilcox . I feel like repeating that sentiment in Mark Wahlberg's overdone Boston accent from 'The Fighter': It's Monroe on that court. Nawt you. Nawt you. And nawt you! Unlike a lot of rookies who aren't necessary in their roster's game plan at the moment, Monroe is the game plan. And it's just now starting to form. Even if Troy Murphy lands on this squad, Monroe will get work. He's increased his workload from 18 mpg to 22 to 32. Keep them Pistons pumpin'.
Here's what else went down Monday night in fantasy basketball:
Richard Hamilton – 0-for-5 in 22 reserve minutes. So … good luck with that New Jersey!
Austin Daye – Started 6-for-6 from the floor and everyone was all, where the heck has this guy been all season? He went 0-for-4 in the second half and everyone was all, Oh, yeah. I forgot. Still, he's shot over .600 from the floor in the last two games and averaged 14.5/5 with 2.5 treys in 24+ mpg in that span. Could be something, could be nothing.
Ben Wallace – Tweaked his ankle during the opening tip and didn't return. Oddly, the Pistons played well for two-and-half quarters despite losing their broken down, undersized, 36-year-old center. Quelle surprise!
Chris Wilcox – 13/9 in 22 minutes for the Pistons and he's played 23, 27, 13 and 22 minutes in his last four games. He could see a bump in minutes if no trades happen in the next few weeks and Wallace's injury is more serious. If it happens, he's a solid source for 13/8 and a block. Call him Chris Wilblox. Or don't.
Taj Gibson – Chicagoland's favorite blues trumpeter asploded for 16/14 a week ago and followed it up with 21/16. Unfortunately, that 21/16 was divided over a period of four games. Even Taj thinks you can do better than Taj right now.
Tyrus Thomas – Played well for 17 minutes (6/8 with four blocks) but amassed six fouls in that time. Which I guess means he didn't actually play all that well.
Rudy Gay – 5-for-16 in 40 minutes. Five rebounds, three turnovers, got stuffed by Tyrus Thomas three times in the first quarter. Woof.
O.J. Mayo – 4/3/1 in 21 minutes. No J shot 1-for-8 from the floor. His frustration mounted after the game when he couldn't even unwind by losing at a card game and getting punched in the eye.
Tony Allen – He's been relatively up and down since taking over the starting SG position. He's scored in double-digits in five of his seven starts, but has only dropped three treys and no more than four dimes over that span.
Marquis Daniels – Season-best 19/7 with two steals as he was immediately reminded of his good ol' days in Indianapolis. His good ol' days in Indianapolis, by the way, were the ones after he found out he had been picked up by the Celtics.
Patrick Patterson – 10/4/4 and a block in 17 minutes. One of the better games in PaPa's short career. I'd look elsewhere until he strings together a few similar games. To be clear, I mean similar productive games.
Aaron Brooks – Nice return to the starting lineup. give him another game or two to convince you he's getting healthier before burning a Games Played on him.
Brad Miller – Sore knee. Jordan Hill's 12/8 and a block is about the most you can expect as Miller's replacement.
Kevin Martin – Feeling a little limp-wristed last night. He took a bubble bath, played his favorite Ani Di Franco album wistfully in the background and ended his night curled up with a Wally Lamb novel. He writes the way women think! He says he'll be fine for his next game, despite the shooter suffering a sprained shooting wrist.


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Delphi 10
Delphi is the most powerful Object Pascal IDE and component library for cross-platform Native App Development with flexible Cloud services and broad IoT connectivity. It provides powerful VCL controls for Windows 10 and enables FMX development for Windows, Mac and Mobile. Delphi is your choice for ultrafast Enterprise Strong Development™. Look for increased memory for large projects, extended multi-monitor support, improved Object Inspector and much more. Delphi is 5x faster for development and deployment across multiple desktop, mobile, cloud and database platforms including 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 10.
Powerful Cross-Platform UX
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RAD Studio features the FireUI Multi-Device Designer and cross-platform UI framework that delivers the only true single source solution for natively compiled applications. Most other vendors who support native cross-platform development require separate user interfaces to be written on each platform.
Mobile developers can finally build a common, native look and feel UI that works across multiple form factors of mobile phones, tablets, and desktop systems – all at once! From the user interface code through the rest of the complete client software stack, your apps can access platform APIs, device sensors and services, and deliver the best app performance with native GPU and CPU support all from a common and shared code base.
Preview at Design Time with FireUI
FireUI App Previews lets you preview your FireMonkey application on iOS, Android, OSX and Windows targets as you are designing the app. Changes made in the FMX Designer are broadcasted in real time to connected devices using the appropriate Styles for the devices.
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Easily connect Internet of Things gadgets and devices to your app or Enterprise.
RAD Studio enables developers to harness the power of IoT (Internet of Things) solutions. Developers can seamlessly add new capabilities to existing desktop and mobile applications by integrating devices, sensors, enterprise data and cloud services.
More and more gadgets and devices are being added to the Internet of Things ecosystem every day. The inter-connection between these gadgets and devices has the potential to create remarkable, completely new user experiences that integrate the physical environment.
Build Hyper-connected and Flexible Apps
Functionality of existing business apps can be easily extended to integrate mobile devices, new IoT gadgets and multiple back-end services and databases. Our innovative Live Bindings solution allows you to see real time how data flows into your forms and applications for unprecedented speed and accuracy of development. You can switch back-end services and platforms with high-level of flexibility without dramatic new investments.
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As BlackBerry 10 Launches, a Look at the Big Tech Shifts That Made It (And Those That Didn't)
Big breaks with the past can be good for technology companies.
Apple, for example, has broken the mold several times. On the chip side, it has transitioned twice, going from 68000 to PowerPC and then to Intel. On the software side, it went from classic Mac OS to OS X, and arguably is in the midst of a shift to iOS, assuming the iPad really is the computer of the future.
Microsoft's shifts have been more subtle, but include the shift to Windows Phone 7 from Windows Mobile, as well as the recent move with Windows 8 to support ARM-based chips and a new type of app.
So there is some reason for optimism as Research In Motion launches a new crop of BlackBerrys on Wednesday that are really nothing like the BlackBerrys of years past.
But new architectures are not always winners. IBM's OS/2 and Palm's webOS come to mind as examples of next-generation operating systems that died on the vine.
It is certainly easier to do a big shift when you are on top, or at least not struggling, but RIM doesn't have that luxury.
The arrival of BlackBerry 10 comes after more than a year of delays, and not a moment too soon for the troubled handset maker, which has seen its smartphone market share plummet from 16 percent in 2010 to less than 5 percent for 2012.
The good news is that while the mobile industry moved considerably ahead as Research In Motion has struggled, no single company has really managed to duplicate BlackBerry's core strengths in security and manageability.
Instead, most consumers have traded apps and fast Web browsing for the excellent keyboard and rock-solid email, while businesses have opted for the cost savings and convenience of letting consumers bring their own devices into the workplace.
Research In Motion has some of the key components in place. For example, all four major U.S. carriers (and plenty of global ones, as well) say they will carry the new crop of BlackBerrys. Their support is critical, but what remains to be seen is just how hard they will push the devices vis-a-vis Android, iPhone and even Windows Phones.
Support from developers will also be key. RIM has announced some big-name apps and services that will be there at launch, including Facebook and LinkedIn, along with the NHL and Major League Baseball. But the list of must-have apps has become a long one that includes everything from Twitter, Spotify and Netflix to games such as Angry Birds and Words With Friends. And while many people still only use a handful of apps, that handful varies widely from one person to the next and often includes a smaller program tied to their workplace, hobbies or community.


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
This group was created to discuss the benefits of adding live chat to your dealership's website.
Website: http://www.automotivedigitalmarketing.com/group/managed-live-chat
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Members: 51
Latest ADM Activity: Aug 7, 2015
Started by Jeniffer Maben Nov 29, 2012. 0 Replies 0 Likes
If you are interested in having the largest base of customers, then you must take use of Live Chat Software. Once you start using this…Continue
Started by Ketty Colom Oct 9, 2012. 0 Replies 1 Like
Feel free to ask any questions regarding managed live chat here! Continue
Loading feed
This forum has turned into a sales blog for AE :-)
over the past 2 weeks
Hi Aaron -
Thanks for joining the group! It would seem to make sense to provide dealers with answer options however, over the 5 years we have been offering chat solutions for car dealers, we have found that a majority of dealers don't answer the chats in a timely manner or at all because they have too much on their plates. For those that do manage their own chat and do it well (and there are a few out there like Rusty Eck Ford!) - we salute you! We love seeing dealers adapt live chat into their internal processes and succeed! But for the majority - this is not the case.
ActivEngage also used to offer a solution that had ActivEngage answering the chats if the dealer did not answer them after 30 seconds of wait time. But, this process completely goes against all customer service principles. Why would we make the customer wait 30 seconds to have their chat answered? You dont wait 30 seconds to say hi to a showup so why do that online? Our data shows that after 6 seconds of wait time, the likelihood a customer will drop from the conversation greatly increases as time goes on. Chat is an instant communication technology - not a "wait 30 seconds and then be responded to" technology. And for that reason, we no longer offer this option.
For those dealers that would like to manage chat on their own - more power to you! ActivEngage offers an in-house solution as well. We leave the decision up to the dealer as to what type of chat solution works best for them but will provide our insight, if asked. We recently published an ebook called InHouse vs Managed Chat - Which is right for your dealership? to help dealers decide what it will take for them to manage chat in-house or use a full-service provider like ActivEngage.
No matter which type of solution a dealer is looking for, ActivEngage supports them in their decision. Yes, we specialize in managed chat but we know dealers can see an ROI on either type of chat solution. Their ROI just might be a bit higher if they choose to have ActivEngage's knowledgeable, highly trained chat experts answer the chats on their behalf :)
I know it goes against ActivEngage marketing, but doesn't it make sense to give dealerships answer options? To answer themselves if they want to or answer some of the time and get help the rest of the time or to have help all of the time if it suits them.
If it's true what DrivingSales.com editor, Brian Chee said in his post 'Shoppers Catch on to the Showrooming Dance':
"You think you see a customer on the lot looking over a white sedan, checking the price and sizing up the car. Think again.
Chances are good that they're actually using a smartphone to compare your white sedan with a blue one across town. The act of "showrooming" -- when consumers use their smartphone or tablet to check prices and compare competitive products at a retail location -- has grown from 15 percent of mobile shoppers in 2009 to 59 percent in 2012."
...than mobile shoppers are making buying decisions on the fly. Some dealers may not be comfortable with routing these kind of opportunities somewhere else.
Just sayin'.
When did you do these mystery shops?
Not picking on AE - we found this scenario fairly standard with all the services - some did offer availability and pricing info. Isn't a chat up the same as a phone up? Looking for availability and basic info, as a shopper if that information is not available, then from their perspective what is the point of the chat tool? If they wanted to call the store or email the internet department wouldn't they have done that vs using chat? I can see the benefit to the dealer - get a name and contact info for someone at the store to reach out to via email or phone but is that what the customer was wanting the experience to be?
Hi Steven - 1 of the stores that we had the worst experience with was Planet Honda NJ. The shopper asked for basic information numerous times and received nothing back except requests for email and phone with disclaimers that they are not authorized to give any information and that they had to deal with the Internet department. I am pretty sure this an AE client - the chat window says it is
Hey Anthony,
This is actually a very common live chat misconception - thanks for bringing it up! I imagine you tested many different chat vendors during your blind sample, but this is an issue that the entire live chat industry needs to address. How can an online representative (who has never been to your dealership) answer specific questions that website visitors have? What are the best ways to maintain a positive relationship between dealer and shopper?
In our years of chat experience, we've found that many of your web shoppers are looking for information that is right under their nose. They'll request things like driving directions or store hours. They'll also ask for vehicle-specific information, such as interior color or transmission type. They might also chat in because they simply can't navigate a web page. Our Virtual Sales Assistants use their web knowledge and vehicle expertise to field those questions easily.
Our VSAs also never ask for lead information without giving something back first. We aren't just mining your shoppers for data; we want to help them find what they're looking for - which forms a positive experience with our dealership clients. Asking for contact information before offering assistance is the equivalent of "closing too early" - and it will backfire most of the time. There is a fine line to walk between capturing lead data and providing customer service through chat. Most managed chat providers don't know how to walk that line. They know dealers want leads - so they are focused on capturing leads, not helping the web shopper.
Of course, chat has its limitations - we refuse to pigeonhole our dealer partners by making definitive answers about pricing or availability. However, we also don't lie about what we are - we inform the shopper that the dealership staff are sometimes most qualified to answer their question about pricing, and we put them in contact with the right people.
I can't speak for all live chat vendors, but ActivEngage is about a lot more than just providing leads - we're in the business of bettering the consumer experience. Ketty wrote this blog a few months ago about other live chat misconceptions - I would recommend it for further reading.
Anthony, I highly recommend you try testing some aE dealerships, and let us know if you can spot the difference in quality!
I think I figured it out. I mystery shopped about 9 stores with managed chat. They ask for a name before the chat begins and will not give out any information at all until the customer gives the email address or phone. Questions about availability, pricing, options, trade and most standard questions are avoided by replying - "I will need to get my Internet Department to answer those questions what is the best email address to have them send it to?" At the end of the chat they system asks for an email address to the email the transcript to. So essentially the whole concept is to just collect the name and email or phone but not provide any assistance to the shopper during the chat.
Glad to see the 80% Question on conversion still being discussed, but the number is fictitious (Not Even Close). Let me ask the AE guys this simple question. When we have come behind your company, which we have, and produce more leads (30 to 35% on average). How can you be doing 80% conversion when we do less, but produce more leads??? Hmm tough question, O ya, I forgot the 80% is BS LOL....P.S. I don't want to promote our company on this thread, but I have to out the BS numbers being displayed. Perhaps there is some kind of AE scale that excludes chats that they don't consider workable? All I can say is with my years doing this and competing against many chat providers (I know the real numbers). I am amazed that they are holding to there guns here, as they could have fessed up early on....Hope some AE clients come on and post some real numbers so we can put the 80% BS to rest...If it were even close it would be one thing, but they are at least 30% off the mark!
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text: The emerging field of smart textiles, known as "Wearables" or e-textiles, has gained considerable momentum in the past few years as enthusiasts continue to build more and more complex projects with microcontrollers that keep growing in power while shrinking in size. The LilyPad Arduino microcontroller board helped bring a large developer community into Wearables with its debut in 2007; since then it has allowed many of those who dream of blending technology and everyday clothing to build out their ideas. The diminutive microprocessor, designed to be incorporated into apparel or other soft goods, has easy connectors that integrate with a range of sensors and actuators with conductive thread. This combination opens a new platform for technology and fashion, allowing for easy projects like embedded LEDS, or more advanced projects like motorized, moving components that react from environmental conditions. Since the debut of the Lilypad, there have been advancements in the open source wearable technology arena, with the Adafruit Flora being the next generation of that field, providing more advanced specs in an even smaller package. Above: Digital Eyeshadow Designer Lulin Ding has created a digitized version of eyeshadow, constructed from an Arduino Lilypad and thin wires that double as a supportive frame that surrounds the eye with a cyber look. Hoping to recreate the effect of standard eyeshadow that is primarily visible when the eyes are closed, Ding's high-tech version lights up in response to blinking. Digitized Eyeshadow from Lulin Ding on Vimeo. Photo: Courtesy Lulin DingBeat Glove A beat glove project that interfaces with the Arduino Lilypad to create sound that corresponds to finger tapping. The sensor data links to a computer where a Flash-based application translates the sensor data into various tones, variable by pressure and sound. Photo: Courtesy Jacek SpiewlaSlide Dress A LilyPad Arduino is used to control the LEDs of this dress that uses a blend of old tech (photo slides) and new. The LEDs are embedded behind the slides and respond to the amount of environmental light there is; during the day, when it's brighter outside, the outfit looks like any little black dress, but when the lights dims, the LEDs respond by lighting and changing the dress into a shimmering multitude of images via the slides. Photo: Courtesy Emily SteelSuper Hero Challenge Costume 260 LEDs along with the LilyPad Arduino were used to create this entry in a Super Hero Design Challenge held in Portugal in early 2012. This was developed by a team from Technical University Eindhoven for a superhero that they created named Axon. "The superhero Axon is able to collect his light energy by swiping over an area of his body and transferring the light from that part of the body into an orb on his hand and releasing it by pushing it out in a burst of light," the Super Hero Design Challenge website reports. "The photo above is the back of the suit and was the team's way to celebrate the technology and intrigue the viewer." http://www.youtube.com/embed/csjtUfO1MmM Photo: Courtesy Jacquelyn van KampenBreath Analyzer Wouldn't it be nice to always have a friend who would let you know when you've had enough? And didn't try to borrow money? This jacket has a built in breath analyzer that the wearer can use to keep tabs on how his night is going. You can discreetly use it by pulling on your jackets collar, blowing into the built in nozzle, and get a reading. If that doesn't look natural in a bar at closing time, we don't know what does. Photo: Courtesy Matt LeggettMoving Pet Need a pet, but don't want the mess? How about a Wearable pet? This little guy is designed to respond to the owner's moods, which makes it the next evolutionary step from virtual pets. It uses six servo motors and an Arduino to power its responsiveness; it senses the wearer's mood by monitoring changes in heartbeat rhythms, and when it notices you getting a bit tense, it raises its head and tail to remind you to slow down a bit. Photo: Courtesy Jens DyvikBike Turn Signal Jacket A great combination of technology, clothing and biking. A turn signal jacket that was created to increase the safety of bike riders. In this going-green world, where bicycle travel is continuing to grow as an alternative transportation method, this blend of usability seems inevitable. Leah Buechley has the full writeup to make your own on Instructables. Photo: Courtesy Leah Buechley