text:
Year: 1984
Make: HONDA
Model: Spree V50
Mileage: 7,514
Class: Scooter/Street
Color: Classic Red
Price: $ SOLD
Description: This scooter is GREAT on gas.
New seat. Automatic Shift, NO Clutch!
Come see this beauty today!.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Honda Spree or Nifty 50 (NQ50) is a 49 cc (3.0 cu in) motor scooter made by Honda in the mid 1980s. Honda marketed three different models based on the Spree's design. In some U.S. states it was legally classified as a moped.
Model year changes
- 1984: The Spree was available in Sparkling Red (US Only), Cortina White, and Vista Blue (Canada Only) The speedometer design was also slightly different than the 1985-7 sprees, instead speed numbers were 10-20-30-40, '85-7 sprees were 5-15-25-35 The logo was also much smaller than later years.
- 1985: The Spree logo was much larger than the '84 sprees, making it more visible.
- 1986: The Spree gets a kick starter.
- 1986: Honda also produced a "Special Edition" Spree, with a Shasta White & Lollipop Green Color combo. Nowadays this Spree is extremely rare and hard to find, as this style was only produced in 1986. >>>> If you have one WE'RE interested! <<<
- 1987: The dash, front signal lamps and tail lamps were redesigned to a more aerodynamic shape. Also added was a glovebox located behind the shield or front of the scooter located underneath the handlebars and in front of the floorboard.
American Honda Motor Company is based in Torrance, California. Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is Honda's motorcycle racing division. Honda Canada Inc. is headquartered in Markham, Ontario, their manufacturing division, Honda of Canada Manufacturing, is based in Alliston, Ontario. Honda has also created joint ventures around the world, such as Honda Siel Cars and Hero Honda Motorcycles in India, Guangzhou Honda and Dongfeng Honda in China, Boon Siew Honda in Malaysia and Honda Atlas in Pakistan.
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) was formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge technologies used in the development of Honda motorcycles. HRC also contributes to the advancement of motorcycle sports through a range of activities that include sales of production racing motorcycles, support for satellite teams, and rider education programs.
Soichiro Honda, being a race driver himself, could not stay out of international motorsport. In 1959, Honda entered five motorcycles into the Isle of Man TT race, the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. While always having powerful engines, it took until 1961 for Honda to tune their chassis well enough to allow Mike Hailwood to claim their first Grand Prix victories in the 125 and 250 cc classes. Hailwood would later pick up their first Senior TT wins in 1966 and 1967. Honda's race bikes were known for their "sleek & stylish design" and exotic engine configurations, such as the 5-cylinder, 22,000 rpm, 125 cc bike and their 6-cylinder 250 cc and 297 cc bikes.
In 1979, Honda returned to Grand Prix motorcycle racing with the monocoque-framed, four-stroke NR500. The FIM rules limited engines to four cylinders, so the NR500 had non-circular, 'race-track', cylinders, each with 8 valves and two connecting rods, in order to provide sufficient valve area to compete with the dominant two-stroke racers. Unfortunately, it seemed Honda tried to accomplish too much at one time and the experiment failed. For the 1982 season, Honda debuted their first two-stroke race bike, the NS500 and in 1983, Honda won their first 500 cc Grand Prix World Championship with Freddie Spencer. Since then, Honda has become a dominant marque in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, winning a plethora of top level titles with riders such as Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi. Honda also head the number of wins at the Isle of Man TT having notched up 227 victories in the solo classes and Sidecar TT, including Ian Hutchinson's clean sweep at the 2010 races. The outright lap record on the Snaefell Mountain Course is also held by Honda, set at the 2015 TT by John McGuinness at an average speed of 132.701 mph (213.562 km/h) on a Honda CBR1000RR.
In the Motocross World Championship, Honda has claimed six world championships. In the World Enduro Championship, Honda has captured eight titles, most recently with Stefan Merriman in 2003 and with Mika Ahola from 2007 to 2010. In motorcycle trials, Honda has claimed three world championships with Belgian rider Eddy Lejeune.
Following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 Honda announced plans to halve production at its UK plants. The decision was made to put staff at the Swindon plant on a 2-day week until the end of May as the manufacturer struggled to source supplies from Japan. It's thought around 22,500 cars were produced during this period.
" Five of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's top ten most fuel-efficient cars from 1984 to 2010 comes from Honda, more than any other automakers. "
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (本田技研工業株式会社 Honda Giken Kōgyō KK?, IPA: [hoɴda] ( listen); /ˈhɒndə/) is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and power equipment.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. Honda became the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer in 2001. Honda was the eighth largest automobile manufacturer in the world behind Toyota, Volkswagen Group, Hyundai Motor Group, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, and FIAT in 2015.
Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura, in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, and other products. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, which began production in 2012. Honda has three joint-ventures in China (Honda China, Dongfeng Honda, and Guangqi Honda).
In 2013, Honda invested about 5.7% (US$6.8 billion) of its revenues in research and development. Also in 2013, Honda became the first Japanese automaker to be a net exporter from the United States, exporting 108,705 Honda and Acura models, while importing only 88,357.
Throughout his life, Honda's founder, Soichiro Honda had an interest in automobiles. He worked as a mechanic at the Art Shokai garage, where he tuned cars and entered them in races. In 1937, with financing from his acquaintance Kato Shichirō, Honda founded Tōkai Seiki (Eastern Sea Precision Machine Company) to make piston rings working out of the Art Shokai garage. After initial failures, Tōkai Seiki won a contract to supply piston rings to Toyota, but lost the contract due to the poor quality of their products. After attending engineering school without graduating, and visiting factories around Japan to better understand Toyota's quality control processes, by 1941 Honda was able to mass-produce piston rings acceptable to Toyota, using an automated process that could employ even unskilled wartime laborers.
Tōkai Seiki was placed under control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (called the Ministry of Munitions after 1943) at the start of World War II, and Soichiro Honda was demoted from president to senior managing director after Toyota took a 40% stake in the company. Honda also aided the war effort by assisting other companies in automating the production of military aircraft propellers. The relationships Honda cultivated with personnel at Toyota, Nakajima Aircraft Company and the Imperial Japanese Navy would be instrumental in the postwar period. A US B-29 bomber attack destroyed Tōkai Seiki's Yamashita plant in 1944, and the Itawa plant collapsed in the 13 January 1945 Mikawa earthquake, and Soichiro Honda sold the salvageable remains of the company to Toyota after the war for ¥450,000, and used the proceeds to found the Honda Technical Research Institute in October 1946.
With a staff of 12 men working in a 16 m2 (170 sq ft) shack, they built and sold improvised motorized bicycles, using a supply of 500 two-stroke 50 cc Tohatsu war surplus radio generator engines. When the engines ran out, Honda began building their own copy of the Tohatsu engine, and supplying these to customers to attach to their bicycles. This was the Honda A-Type, nicknamed the Bata Bata for the sound the engine made. In 1949, the Honda Technical Research Institute was liquidated for ¥1,000,000, or about US$5,000 today; these funds were used to incorporate Honda Motor Co., Ltd. At about the same time Honda hired engineer Kihachiro Kawashima, and Takeo Fujisawa who provided indispensable business and marketing expertise to complement Soichiro Honda's technical bent. The close partnership between Soichiro Honda and Fujisawa lasted until they stepped down together in October 1973.
The first complete motorcycle, with both the frame and engine made by Honda, was the 1949 D-Type, the first Honda to go by the name Dream. Honda Motor Company grew in a short time to become the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles by 1964.
The first production automobile from Honda was the T360 mini pick-up truck, which went on sale in August 1963. Powered by a small 356-cc straight-4 gasoline engine, it was classified under the cheaper Kei car tax bracket. The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car, which followed the T360 into production in October 1963. Its chain-driven rear wheels pointed to Honda's motorcycle origins.
Over the next few decades, Honda worked to expand its product line and expanded operations and exports to numerous countries around the world. In 1986, Honda introduced the successful Acura brand to the American market in an attempt to gain ground in the luxury vehicle market. The year 1991 saw the introduction of the Honda NSX supercar, the first all-aluminum monocoque vehicle that incorporated a mid-engine V6 with variable-valve timing.
CEO Tadashi Kume was succeeded by Nobuhiko Kawamoto in 1990. Kawamoto was selected over Shoichiro Irimajiri, who oversaw the successful establishment of Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. in Marysville, Ohio. Both Kawamoto and Irimajiri shared a friendly rivalry within Honda, and Irimajiri would resign in 1992 due to health issues.
Following the death of Soichiro Honda and the departure of Irimajiri, Honda found itself quickly being outpaced in product development by other Japanese automakers and was caught off-guard by the truck and sport utility vehicle boom of the 1990s, all which took a toll on the profitability of the company. Japanese media reported in 1992 and 1993 that Honda was at serious risk of an unwanted and hostile takeover by Mitsubishi Motors, who at the time was a larger automaker by volume and flush with profits from their successful Pajero and Diamante.
Kawamoto acted quickly to change Honda's corporate culture, rushing through market-driven product development that resulted in recreational vehicles such as the first generation Odyssey and the CR-V, and a refocusing away from some of the numerous sedans and coupes that were popular with Honda's engineers but not with the buying public. The most shocking change to Honda came when Kawamoto ended Honda's successful participation in Formula One after the 1992 season, citing costs in light of the takeover threat from Mitsubishi as well as the desire to create a more environmentally-friendly company image.
Later, 1995 gave rise to the Honda Aircraft Company with the goal of producing jet aircraft under Honda's name.
On 23 February 2015, Honda announced that CEO and President Takanobu Ito would step down and be replaced by Takahiro Hachigo by June; additional retirements by senior managers and directors were expected.
Corporate profile and divisions
Honda headquarters building in Minato, Tokyo. Honda is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Their shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, as well as exchanges in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, London, Paris and Switzerland.
The company has assembly plants around the globe. These plants are located in China, the United States, Pakistan, Canada, England, Japan, Belgium, Brazil, México, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Taiwan, Perú and Argentina. As of July 2010, 89 percent of Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the United States were built in North American plants, up from 82.2 percent a year earlier. This shields profits from the yen's advance to a 15-year high against the dollar.
Soichiro Honda 1948–1973
Kiyoshi Kawashima 1973–1983
Tadashi Kume 1983–1990
Nobuhiko Kawamoto 1990–1998
Hiroyuki Yoshino 1998–2003
Takeo Fukui 2003–2009
Takanobu Ito 2009–2015
Takahiro Hachigo 2015–
Honda's global lineup consists of the Fit, Civic, Accord, Insight, CR-V, CR-Z, Legend and two versions of the Odyssey, one for North America, and a smaller vehicle sold internationally. An early proponent of developing vehicles to cater to different needs and markets worldwide, Honda's lineup varies by country and may have vehicles exclusive to that region. A few examples are the latest Honda Odyssey minivan and the Ridgeline, Honda's first light-duty uni-body pickup truck. Both were designed and engineered primarily in North America and are produced there. Other example of exclusive models includes the Honda Civic five-door hatchback sold in Europe.
Honda's automotive manufacturing ambitions can be traced back to 1963, with the Honda T360, a kei car truck built for the Japanese market. This was followed by the two-door roadster, the Honda S500 also introduced in 1963. In 1965, Honda built a two-door commercial delivery van, called the Honda L700. Honda's first four-door sedan was not the Accord, but the air-cooled, four-cylinder, gasoline-powered Honda 1300 in 1969. The Civic was a hatchback that gained wide popularity internationally, but it wasn't the first two-door hatchback built. That was the Honda N360, another Kei car that was adapted for international sale as the N600. The Civic, which appeared in 1972 and replaced the N600 also had a smaller sibling that replaced the air-cooled N360, called the Honda Life that was water-cooled.
The Honda Life represented Honda's efforts in competing in the kei car segment, offering sedan, delivery van and small pick-up platforms on a shared chassis. The Life StepVan had a novel approach that, while not initially a commercial success, appears to be an influence in vehicles with the front passengers sitting behind the engine, a large cargo area with a flat roof and a liftgate installed in back, and utilizing a transversely installed engine with a front-wheel-drive powertrain.
As Honda entered into automobile manufacturing in the late 1960s, where Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota and Nissan had been making cars since before WWII, it appears that Honda instilled a sense of doing things a little differently than its Japanese competitors. Its mainstay products, like the Accord and Civic (with the exception of its USA-market 1993–97 Passport which was part of a vehicle exchange program with Isuzu (part of the Subaru-Isuzu joint venture)), have always employed front-wheel-drive powertrain implementation, which is currently a long held Honda tradition. Honda also installed new technologies into their products, first as optional equipment, then later standard, like anti lock brakes, speed sensitive power steering, and multi-port fuel injection in the early 1980s. This desire to be the first to try new approaches is evident with the creation of the first Japanese luxury chain Acura, and was also evident with the all aluminum, mid-engined sports car, the Honda NSX, which also introduced variable valve timing technology, Honda calls VTEC.
The Civic is a line of compact cars developed and manufactured by Honda. In North America, the Civic is the second-longest continuously running nameplate from a Japanese manufacturer; only its perennial rival, the Toyota Corolla, introduced in 1968, has been in production longer. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord.
Honda produces Civic hybrid, a hybrid electric vehicle that competes with the Toyota Prius, and also produces the Insight and CR-Z.
In 2008, Honda increased global production to meet demand for small cars and hybrids in the U.S. and emerging markets. The company shuffled U.S. production to keep factories busy and boost car output, while building fewer minivans and sport utility vehicles as light truck sales fell.
Its first entrance into the pickup segment, the light duty Ridgeline, won Truck of the Year from Motor Trend magazine in 2006. Also in 2006, the redesigned Civic won Car of the Year from the magazine, giving Honda a rare double win of Motor Trend honors. Honda's 9th generation Civic also won the Car of the Year award based on a public survey held by PakWheels
It is reported that Honda plans to increase hybrid sales in Japan to more than 20% of its total sales in fiscal year 2011, from 14.8% in previous year.
Five of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's top ten most fuel-efficient cars from 1984 to 2010 comes from Honda, more than any other automakers.
The five models are:
2000–2006 Honda Insight (53 mpg‑US or 4.4 L/100 km or 64 mpg‑imp combined)
1986–1987 Honda Civic Coupe HF(46 mpg‑US or 5.1 L/100 km or 55 mpg‑imp combined)
1994–1995 Honda Civic hatchback VX (43 mpg‑US or 5.5 L/100 km or 52 mpg‑imp combined)
2006– Honda Civic Hybrid (42 mpg‑US or 5.6 L/100 km or 50 mpg‑imp combined) 2010– Honda Insight (41 mpg‑US or 5.7 L/100 km or 49 mpg‑imp combined).
The ACEEE has also rated the Civic GX as the greenest car in America for seven consecutive years.
For a list of motorcycle products, see List of Honda motorcycles.
Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan and has been since it started production in 1955. At its peak in 1982, Honda manufactured almost three million motorcycles annually. By 2006 this figure had reduced to around 550,000 but was still higher than its three domestic competitors.
During the 1960s, when it was a small manufacturer, Honda broke out of the Japanese motorcycle market and began exporting to the U.S. Working with the advertising agency Grey Advertising, Honda created an innovative marketing campaign, using the slogan "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." In contrast to the prevailing negative stereotypes of motorcyclists in America as tough, antisocial rebels, this campaign suggested that Honda motorcycles were made for the everyman. The campaign was hugely successful; the ads ran for three years, and by the end of 1963 alone, Honda had sold 90,000 motorcycles.
Taking Honda's story as an archetype of the smaller manufacturer entering a new market already occupied by highly dominant competitors, the story of their market entry, and their subsequent huge success in the U.S. and around the world, has been the subject of some academic controversy. Competing explanations have been advanced to explain Honda's strategy and the reasons for their success.
The first of these explanations was put forward when, in 1975, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was commissioned by the UK government to write a report explaining why and how the British motorcycle industry had been out-competed by its Japanese competitors. The report concluded that the Japanese firms, including Honda, had sought a very high scale of production (they had made a large number of motorbikes) in order to benefit from economies of scale and learning curve effects. It blamed the decline of the British motorcycle industry on the failure of British managers to invest enough in their businesses to profit from economies of scale and scope.
The second explanation was offered in 1984 by Richard Pascale, who had interviewed the Honda executives responsible for the firm's entry into the U.S. market. As opposed to the tightly focused strategy of low cost and high scale that BCG accredited to Honda, Pascale found that their entry into the U.S. market was a story of "miscalculation, serendipity, and organizational learning" – in other words, Honda's success was due to the adaptability and hard work of its staff, rather than any long term strategy. For example, Honda's initial plan on entering the US was to compete in large motorcycles, around 300 cc. Honda's motorcycles in this class suffered performance and reliability problems when ridden the relatively long distances of the US highways. When the team found that the scooters they were using to get themselves around their U.S. base of San Francisco attracted positive interest from consumers that they fell back on selling the Super Cub instead.
The most recent school of thought on Honda's strategy was put forward by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad in 1989. Creating the concept of core competencies with Honda as an example, they argued that Honda's success was due to its focus on leadership in the technology of internal combustion engines. For example, the high power-to-weight ratio engines Honda produced for its racing bikes provided technology and expertise which was transferable into mopeds. Honda's entry into the U.S. motorcycle market during the 1960s is used as a case study for teaching introductory strategy at business schools worldwide.
Power equipment
Production started in 1953 with H-type engine (prior to motorcycle). Honda power equipment reached record sales in 2007 with 6.4 million units. By 2010 (Fiscal year ended 31 March) this figure had decreased to 4,7 million units. Cumulative production of power products has exceeded 85 million units (as of September 2008).
Honda power equipment includes:
Lawn mower
Robotic lawn mower
Riding mower
Hedge trimmer
Generator, welding power supply
Outboard engine
Inflatable boat
Electric 4-wheel Scooter
Compact Household Cogeneration Unit
Honda engines powered the entire 33-car starting field of the 2010 Indianapolis 500 and for the fifth consecutive race, there were no engine-related retirements during the running of the Memorial Day Classic.
In the 1980s Honda developed the GY6 engine for use in motor scooters. Although no longer manufactured by Honda it is still commonly used in many Chinese, Korean and Taiwanese light vehicles.
Honda, despite being known as an engine company, has never built a V8 for passenger vehicles. In the late 1990s, the company resisted considerable pressure from its American dealers for a V8 engine (which would have seen use in top-of-the-line Honda SUVs and Acuras), with American Honda reportedly sending one dealer a shipment of V8 beverages to silence them. Honda considered starting V8 production in the mid-2000s for larger Acura sedans, a new version of the high end NSX sports car (which previously used DOHC V6 engines with VTEC to achieve its high power output) and possible future ventures into the American full-size truck and SUV segment for both the Acura and Honda brands, but this was cancelled in late 2008, with Honda citing environmental and worldwide economic conditions as reasons for the termination of this project.
ASIMO is the part of Honda's Research & Development robotics program.
It is the eleventh in a line of successive builds starting in 1986 with Honda E0 moving through the ensuing Honda E series and the Honda P series. Weighing 54 kilograms and standing 130 centimeters tall, ASIMO resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack, and can walk on two feet in a manner resembling human locomotion, at up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph).
ASIMO is the world's only humanoid robot able to ascend and descend stairs independently. However, human motions such as climbing stairs are difficult to mimic with a machine, which ASIMO has demonstrated by taking two plunges off a staircase.
Honda's robot ASIMO (see below) as an R&D project brings together expertise to create a robot that walks, dances and navigates steps. 2010 marks the year Honda has developed a machine capable of reading a user's brainwaves to move ASIMO.
The system uses a helmet covered with electroencephalography and near-infrared spectroscopy sensors that monitor electrical brainwaves and cerebral blood flow—signals that alter slightly during the human thought process. The user thinks of one of a limited number of gestures it wants from the robot, which has been fitted with a Brain Machine Interface. WOW !
Honda HA-420 HondaJet – Honda has also pioneered new technology in its HA-420 HondaJet, manufactured by its subsidiary Honda Aircraft Company, which allows new levels of reduced drag, increased aerodynamics and fuel efficiency thus reducing operating costs.
Mountain bikes
See also: Honda RN-01 G-cross – Honda has also built a downhill racing bicycle known as the Honda RN-01. It is not available for sale to the public. The bike has a gearbox, which replaces the standard derailleur found on most bikes.
Honda has hired several people to pilot the bike, among them Greg Minnaar. The team is known as Team G Cross Honda.
Former products
See also: Honda Rincon
Honda also builds all-terrain vehicles (ATV). 450r 400ex 300ex 250r
Honda has been active in motorsports, like Motorcycle Grand Prix, Superbike racing and others.
Solar cells
Honda's solar cell subsidiary company Honda Soltec (Headquarters: Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto; President and CEO: Akio Kazusa) started sales throughout Japan of thin-film solar cells for public and industrial use on 24 October 2008, after selling solar cells for residential use since October 2007. Honda announced in the end of October 2013 that Honda Soltec would cease the business operation except for support for existing customers in Spring 2014 and the subsidiary would be dissolved.
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Once Burned (Night Prince #1) – Jeaniene Frost – Vlad Vlad Vlad!
While Vlad Tepesh lends himself as a fantastic supporting character in the Night Huntress series, his personality has the word "lead" written all over it, and Jeaniene Frost was smart to take advantage of it.
He gets his own storyline that introduces his potential better half, Leila. Though mortal, a freak accident as a child leaves her with the unusual ability to channel electricity into psychic powers. Her powers are attractive to a group of vampires with malicious intentions who need her abilities to reach out to Vlad, the most infamous of them all. His power to wield fire gives him a significant upper hand, but everyone has a weakness and his adversaries may have found his through Leila. However when they meet, you don't need chemistry lessons to know that fire + electricity = one dangerous combo.
On the heels of a Vlad-less Night Huntress book #6, I wasted no time getting to this spin-off to get my fix. Though this series is the Night Prince, the story is told from Laila's POV, so we can't get into his mind quite as much as fans were likely hoping. I didn't mind it much because I actually liked Laila's character. Though tragic and sympathetic, she's not helpless. I look forward to the evolution of her powers over the course of this series. Sparks were certainly flying between her and Vlad, and so far I approve. There appears to be substance to her which I'll take any day over the typical disposable heroine. Her powers at times reminded me of Rogue from X-Men, who also wears gloves to protect those close to her. She is one of my favorite characters and Rogue/Gambit is one of my favorite all-time fictional ships. It's just that while Gambit couldn't handle Rogue's power; Vlad can handle Laila's, allowing them to be more tactile.
Vlad himself is everything I wanted and then some. I feel like Frost wanted to let loose a bit more with him here. He's sexy, hilarious, frustrating, and terrifying all at the same time. I love those types of dynamic characters in literature. However, this book was written making it clear that there would be more to come. Vlad is extremely private and even though he heats up the sheets, it's a taller order to heat up his heart. With centuries of success comes centuries of pain, so I'm glad it may take multiple books for this resolution. I like it when my characters truly earn their happiness, and standalone books rarely cut the mustard or me when it comes to that.
There could have been a bit more development with the story, but the characters carried it enough that I found the read satisfying and refreshing from Cat & Bones's world. It's part one of a trilogy after all. I'm just glad I don't have a long wait for the next one.
One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6) by Jeaniene Frost – Finally All Caught Up!
It's tough enough trying to take down vampires and ghouls galore, but what about ghosts? Particularly ones that continue to wreak havoc beyond the grave for centuries on end? It's not an easy fix, but Cat and Bones are determined to do it. Heinrich Kramer, a witch hunter who's been dead for centuries, has the ability to become corporeal for one night of the year every All Hallows Eve. This allows him to torment and murder innocent women. One of his victims turns to our favorite vampire duo for help because they may be the only ones who can put a stop to it once and for all.
I've stated how I tend to like the odd books with this series. As an even numbered book this sort of broke that pattern, though it's not really a favorite. I am not typically a ghost person, so I believe it says something when I can be engrossed enough to want to see what happens next. Frost makes it very easy to hate the villain and want to see him get his loooong overdue comeuppance.
The story was okay, but I admit that I missed Vlad somethin' awful this time around. I know that he gets his own novel, but he's become the character I most look forward to reading about in this series. I understand it's Cat and Bones's story but the heart wants what it wants.
Cat has been mellowing out a little more lately, in turn making her less annoying to me, but there were a couple of eye-roll inducing instances, particularly when she harps on how she was apart from Bones for 4 years. I just didn't connect with that "angst" because they're together now, have been for a few years, and will probably be together for centuries to come–a luxury (or curse) most couples won't have.
All in all, while I didn't have the Fever experience with this series (I read all 5 books in 6 days), I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking it out and getting it done. Now I look forward to Vlad's book!
This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5) by Jeaniene Frost – Better than the previous book
Though vampires are arguably at the top of the food chain, somehow they are turning up missing. It becomes doubly suspicious after rumors circulate about an impending ghoul/vampire war. It takes a ghoul to know a ghoul, and Cat and Bones will need to enlist help from the ghoul queen of New Orleans, but is she a friend or foe? There's no real time to find out.
I am noticing a fairly bizarre pattern for myself with this series; I tend to enjoy the odd books much better than their even counterparts. Though I wasn't completely on board with the premise this time around, I was much more engaged than during the prior installment. Unless I was just getting used to thing, I had noticed the amount of humor slipping a bit with this series. I can safely say that it was a bit more prominent this time, or at least it struck the right cord with me, which I hadn't been experiencing for a little while.
Cat seems to be adjusting to her full vampire status better, along with some pretty cool upgrades, inadvertent as they may be. I am finding her slightly less annoying since the change. Bones had me laughing a couple of times too (poking fun at Twilight), but, again, Vlad Vlad Vlad steals the show for me. He probably has my favorite quote of the novel. It's making me smirk just thinking about it:
"Premature inflammation! Very embarrassing, I don't like to talk about it!"
It's okay, Vlad. Happens to the best of us.
Even though I had a few laughs, overall this definitely is not the series at its best. The end was pretty predictable which cost it some points for me, but it sets up the future books to potentially be more interesting.
Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress #4) – Felt like filler
Cat and Bones have more than earned a vacation. Away from their tough jobs, away from the politics, away from danger. But while Paris starts off as the perfect getaway, peculiar dreams (or are they memories?) have been haunting Cat night after night. It turns out she may be married to Gregor, a powerful vampire, and has been since long before she met Bones. Hubby #1 wants his wife back. Needless to say, that doesn't go over well with Cat or Bones, but Gregor's power is greater than theirs combined.
The title says it all. This book felt like filler to me. The premise didn't really lend itself well to future plot development, at least not in a sense that rings true. It technically does because there is a huge change, but I feel like practically anything could have spurred that major change along. I never felt like Cat and Bones's' relationship was truly threatened so there was no tension or suspense, just contrived melodrama. Just about everything is forgettable about this story save for the final 25%.
There is one plus, I think Vlad has emerged as my favorite character of this series. He's witty, fun, badass, and overall a well-done interpretation of Dracula. It's a difficult character to really harness and make unique, but I think Jeaniene Frost does a great job with him. It's just never enough. But knowing he has his own spinoff, makes me feel much better.
At Grave's End (Night Huntress #3) by Jeaniene Frost – My favorite part actually WAS the end!
The saga continues with Cat, Bones and friends. Her usual methods of baiting vampy big bads are becoming increasingly ineffective as the community becomes privy to her many disguises. In addition, one of Bones's many former conquests of the feminine persuasion happens to be up to no good, with vengeance and dangerous magic on her mind that are too much for even the most powerful vampire to take on alone. Loyalties are truly tested this time around and teamwork is the only way for everyone to make it out alive…or undead.
I didn't enjoy the prior installment quite as much on a whole, but this one was a hit for me. New side characters are introduced and others fleshed out a bit more. I'm really looking forward to what Vlad can lend to the series in future novels. The others are sort of bland to me, but I think he has potential to be a real standout.
And while we're on the subject of supporting characters, I am going to get on my soapbox for a little bit and rant about Cat's comrade, Tate. He's had it bad for her since she joined the team years ago. Cat does try and makes it very clear where she stands on the matter, but he just won't give it up. I find this worse than a love triangle because it really is a dead end that we have to see play out in painful detail, making me wish I were somewhere else…ANYWHERE ELSE! Does he REALLY think he's got a chance against Bones? I mean, REALLY?! It's Bones! Forget it! Personality-wise, Cat isn't that great anyway, so I don't get his hang up. Bones is the only reason I invest at all in the Cat/Bones ship to be honest. But at least she actually gives him play. And when Cat describes Tate, it's like…dude should be knee deep in poon. Sure, Bones may have slept with half the population by now, ruining them for all successors; I say this because practically ANY woman that's come onto the scene, he's been there and they want more. But I'm sure Tate is capable of wrangling up some for himself. It's a big world! *Jumps off soapbox*
So anyway, I enjoyed the book minus a couple of hangups. The end was particularly strong with non-stop action and suspense. I'd say at this point that it's my favorite of the series.
POLL!! The most anticipated read of 2013. YOU decide!
Happy New Year, Your Urban Fantasy. A new year means new books! I'm certainly looking forward to quite a few of them. But I'm wondering about you guys. I decided to take a select number of popular titles and let you all vote for the most anticipated book of 2013.I will probably read most, if not all of these myself, but which one is #1? Oh and what is today's lesson? "Burned", "Ever After", and "Tempt" are popular title terms in the world of urban fantasy/paranormal fiction. "Grave" too, but those additional book are omitted.
One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress #2)
It's been four years since the events of Halfway to the Grave. Cat, has honed the skills Bones has taught her, working for a secret government agency as the head of a unit that hunts down troublesome undead. Her half-vampire heritage offers an invaluable benefit to the cause. But you don't do what Cat does without making a few enemies. She's now a target as someone has put a hit out on her. Her only hope is Bones, the vampire she left behind. Though he's "dead" he's the only one on this earth to make her feel alive, and those feelings come rushing back. But can she keep them at bay? Not if he has his way.
I am always a little concerned about ships when the characters get together off the bat because I feel they become stale. Even with the insta-love between these two, I thought the first book was exciting and fresh. But this one felt like more of the same. I liked Bones in book 1, but there wasn't a lot of evolution here, so he came off as Gary-Stuish. And Cat, his Mary Sue. Unlike the first go 'round, I didn't find the number of times one was jealous, insecure, or baiting vamps for slaughter to be nearly as amusing. And then Bones practically always had the answers to the problems so I just didn't find him as intriguing and to be honest, his dialogue started to irritate me a bit with the "blokes", "luvs", "sods" etc. He's over 200 so I wish he would have acquired vocabulary with more variety by now.
There was a fair bit of action and definitely some laughs, but Jeaniene Frost doesn't include enough follow through after the build up. I feel like there's this massive world with characters waiting to be explored, but we get less than I want to see in a read. I'm really big on supporting characters, yet I didn't find myself attached to anyone here. Everything just kept working out a little too easily, so nothing was perilous, gripping, or gritty. I felt like it was basically all centered around when these two could get back to shagging.
And speaking of which, of course I can't complete a review without my opinion on chapter 32. It's pretty much the only thing I was asked about or told about, even during Book 1. To be honest, it wasn't much to write home about for me. It wasn't bad (none of her scenes are) but the hype surrounding it made my expectations too high, so an underwhelming result was inevitable. Don't get me wrong, I certainly have my short list favorites in literature, but this is just not one of them. Sorry! *ducks from flying tomatoes*
Overall, it certainly wasn't a bad read, but it just wasn't as good as I was hoping it'd be. After the first book I thought it would practically inhale this one, reading it in no time, but that just wasn't the case. There's still Book 3 which I do plan to read, but that will be the final determinant of whether or not I plan to keep going with this series. Though I like to come to my own conclusions, I've heard that the earlier books are better so I don't know how well that bodes for the rest.
Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1) – Finally taking the world of Cat and Bones for a spin again
For the record, I probably would have started this series a long time ago. It's just that my first exposure to Jeaniene Frost's writing included a spin-off book from this series that left a LOT to be desired. It took a while to build up the nerve to give her stuff another shot. But thankfully, this particular book has a more of what I'm looking for in an awesome vampire read. My experiences were like night and day!
This series follows Catherine Crawfield, a half-human/half-vampire who takes it upon herself to dole out vigilante justice against vampires with the hope to meet her vampire father and put him on the business end of her stake. She runs into the wrong (or right) vampire, Bones, who shows her that she is truly no match for what she's up against. Being a vampire bounty hunter himself, he forces her into a partnership to take down fanged big bads together. And so begins the story of the beloved Cat and Bones team.
I thought this was a really good start to the series. Cat's character starts out pretty self-righteous and angry, but she's left questioning everything she believes in, which is good for character progression. I can see why Bones has a lot of fans. I found him very entertaining all throughout. I'm not an insta-love fan, and I do believe they get together a little too quickly here, but knowing that the whole series involves them allows me to be a little more accepting of the dynamics. It's at least good to know that not everything will be easy for them. I do worry that they'll become stale for me since I usually become more attached to ships with better build up, but I am keeping an open mind.
I laughed quite a bit at the countless euphemisms and innuendo. They were effective even when I was in a bad mood and placed well enough so as to not become annoying. The end really amped up the action which I totally loved. The carnage was awesome and I enjoyed seeing Cat and Bones as genuine badasses!
I purchased a copy of the book that contained bonus material with deleted scenes. A lot of it felt really repetitive to what I'd already read and only a couple of developments added to the story. The rest is forgettable, which is why it wasn't included in the first place.
I definitely recommend at least giving this series a try. It's not a favorite of mine quite yet, but I definitely will be reading the next one ASAP.
Guest Post! Kenya Wright, author of the Habitat series shares her favorite vampire books!
Vampires introduced me to the paranormal romance genre. Before these fanged creatures, I only read chick lit and serial killer novels. So today, I show my love for all the great vampire romances I've encountered. Here's my top five!
(Warning: Your blood may rush through your veins at a face pace as well as heat with energy. Be very careful when reading these books.)
Oh my god! The Night Huntress series is book crack for the soul! Cat and Bones exemplify a drool-worthy affair! Grab this if you haven't already.
God! This is a hilarious book with great love scenes between the laughs.
So there you have it, my top five vampire books. If you haven't read one of these books, I demand you pick it up immediately. I would love to hear what you think! Feel free to drop me a line on goodreads HERE! I'm always on there blabbing about books that I hate or love.
Bestselling dark fantasy author Kenya Wright lives in Miami with her overactive kids, yummy hubby, and three cats that refuse to stop sleeping on her head.
|Available now!
|Available now!

subset: commoncrawl


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I know. I promised to post more often. I'm trying to keep that promise. Here come the links.
1 – I saw this graphic and thought of the number of times I was searching for something like, "How to Write A Broadcast News Story." Try it, you'll be deep in the google results before you find something remotely useful.
2 – YouTube has a fairly good resource called the Copyright Center. It is focused on video, but has some good videos about remix culture, educational use and fair use. And of course they have several good videos about copyright that would be useful in the classroom.
3 – Ever wanted to clean your lens the right way? Nikon has a lengthy video with a how to do it the right way.
4 – As a web designer, I find this funny.
5 – This is also true, and I tell my broadcast kids this all the time. No one else thinks your voice sounds weird.
6 – I really like the Iconic Photos web site. It is a combination of my two favorite subjects History and Journalism. This photo of Pope John-Paul II's assassination attempt affected billions of Catholics and others world wide. The site also provides great in-depth information about the photos, it is terrific.
7 – Do your photographers want to make a living after they leave your classroom, then they must have all five of these key skills for a 21st Century photog – thanks dPs.
8 – Bill Mecca has a video that answers the question: How long should you leave graphics on the screen? My answer is usually long enough to read it out loud at a normal pace.
9 – HTML 5 is all the rage it seems. But why bother learning it, when HTML 4 works just fine. WDL has an entire post devoted to that answer, but here are the bullet points:
- HTML5 will load much quicker than its older brother because it implements WebSockets.
- Mobile phone applications will be much more accessible if written in HTML5 because you will not have to write applications for a specific brand of phone but rather can create universal applications for all phones.
- You have more flexibility in creating your website.
- Video, audio and images are all easily written right into the code, eliminating the need for any third party software.
- This language is growing and will only result in more, new, better and faster features that will leave old websites looking outdated.
- HTML5 simply builds on HTML4, so the old markup can stay in place as you develop the new features.
- HTML5 and CSS3 together will give you some serious designer credibility.
13 – How do you tell a story? Good question. Campfire Journalism has a post with three different answers. Thanks.
Until next week. Keep the faith.


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I am Tim, I am my own breed of anti-Virus. I have been hunting and destroying viruses on computesr for about 5 years now. I have battled some of the best from Goabot, Sasser , and even the Blaster Worm. I was the leader of a attack team against the Sasser worm at Quinnipiac University in 2003 and I have been the current resident virus expert on campus for the past 5 yeras. I enjoy the complexity and challange it is to remove such complex and strong viruses. Lately I have been delving into rootkits and seeing how they work and how they affect a machine.
Currently I am working at Yale as a Computer technician becaues I find that you only see the good virses on the frnt likes where they ususally occur. I enjoy educating people on these ideas and viruses to better everyone in the ways of modern technology.
I aspire to work for the FBI or CIA for their antihacker or cyber crime division.
I came to antionline to see more of what is around and what effects most of you. If you have questions please do not be afriad to ask. I am here to learn and help. Looking forward to seeing some good problems.


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Our Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia has reopened. Get free timed entry passes. The Museum in DC will remain closed. See our COVID-19 message.
Horten H III f
Display Status:
This object is on display in the Boeing Aviation Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Collection Item Summary:
Reimar Horten continued to refine his line of all-wing sailplanes by building at least 18 examples of the Horten III beginning in 1938. Horten fitted this example, called the Horten III f, with a flat-prone couch for the pilot and he probably assigned Werk Nr. 32 to the sailplane when he finished it in 1944 at Göttingen. This Horten III f, the Horten VI V2, and the Wright brothers 1903 Flyer are the only airplanes in NASM collections configured for prone pilotage. To mount the aircraft, a pilot stretched flat on his stomach, bent slightly at the waist and knees, and rested his feet on rudder pedals hinged above his heels. A padded chin rest supported his head which projected into the leading edge of the wing. Clear plastic panels formed the leading edge for several feet above, below, and to either side of the pilot. Visibility was excellent and drag greatly reduced.
Details about the operational history of this glider remain unknown. One month after the war ended, a team of aviation experts working for the C. I. O. S. (Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee) found both the NASM H III f and the H III h. The gliders were recovered "in perfect condition in trailers, with a [sic] full set of instruments" at Rottweil, Germany, on the Neckar River, approximately 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Stuttgart on June 11, 1945. In January 1994, NASM shipped the Horten glider collection (Horten II L, 'III f, 'III h, and the 'VI V2) to the Museum für Verkehr und Technik Berlin, now called the Deutsches Technikmuseum (DTM), and that organization worked until 2004 to restore and preserve these artifacts.
Collection Item Long Description:
From 1933 to 1990, Reimar Horten, assisted by his brother, Walter, designed and built a series of swept-wing aircraft without fuselages or tails and they did not use any other surfaces for control or stability that did not also contribute lift to the wing. The National Air and Space Museum owns a Horten II L, Horten III f, Horten III h, Horten VI V2, and the Horten IX V3 turbojet interceptor.
Reimar Horten continued to refine the all-wing sailplane with his third design, the Horten III. Compared to the H II, the wingspan grew about 4 m (13 ft 3 in) but the root chord decreased by .25 m (9 in). By narrowing the root chord and lengthening the wings, Horten increased aspect ratio and this trend continued with Horten's next two sailplane designs. Like the Horten II, the H III center section consisted of welded steel tubes covered with plywood and sheet metal. Horten built the wings entirely from wood. He refined the flight control system by adding a second set of elevons.
From July 1938 until October 1944, at least eighteen Horten III aircraft were constructed at Köln, Berlin, Fürth, Giebelstadt, Minden, Bonn, and Göttingen. This model was built in greater numbers than any other Horten design and both Horten brothers and other pilots flew Horten III gliders in the German national glider competition in 1938 and 1939. Reimar successfully motorized several Ho III sailplanes using a variety of powerplants including Walter Mikron and Volkswagen engines. Horten also modified an Ho III b to carry ammunition in support of Operation Sealion, the proposed invasion of England.
Horten fitted the NASM Horten III f with a flat-prone couch for the pilot. This wing, the Horten VI-V3, and the Wright brothers 1903 Flyer are the only aircraft in the NASM collection configured for prone pilotage. Other nations built aircraft to test this unique layout but these NASM artifacts are among the few examples known to exist today. Horten had experimented with seating position to reduce drag as early as 1935 when he designed the first Horten II with supine seating and flew it in May. At first the seatback in the Horten II was inclined just 18º to the horizon but a 23º position became standard. Even with the pilot's head more upright at this setting, visibility was dangerously limited particularly in the slow speed/high-angle-of-attack regime sailplane pilots often operated in. As Reimar put it, the "main drawbacks are poor forward visibility (even worse to the rear), the pilot's knees being in the field of vision, and difficulties developing proper [control] feel and coordination" (quoted in Reimar Horten, "Flying Wing Pilot Position and Design Options," "Soaring," August 1980, translated by Jan Scott, 23).
Supine seating proved a dead end until the postwar revival but in 1938, work at the Akademische Fliegergruppe Stuttgart led Horten in a new direction. The institute built the all-wood Fs 17 with a flat-prone cockpit to conduct aero medical research on pilots subjected to high-G maneuvers. Reimar saw in the new layout intriguing possibilities for drag reduction. In 1941 he completed the Horten IV, the first all-wing aircraft equipped for prone pilotage. Reimar and Walter Horten intended to acclimate pilots to the prone position by using gliders such as the NASM Horten III f. They hoped to smoothly transition pilots to high-performance Horten aircraft equipped with prone cockpits. These "hot rod" Hortens included the H IV and H VI sailplanes, and the jet-propelled H X.
In spring 1944 at Göttingen, a young mathematician named Karl Nickel sampled the prone layout when he flew a Horten III f (it is not known if this same airplane is now in the NASM collection). Nickel's skeptical friends sounded the alarm. How could a pilot maintain proper 'feel' for the aircraft, whether it was banking slightly left or right, while lying on his stomach? It would be impossible, they claimed, to fly instinctively! The controls could not be moved unless the pilot carefully considered each movement beforehand. What of the pilot's personal comfort? Cross-country glider flights often lasted for hours. Even a thick-necked flyer could not hold his head, particularly in high-G thermalling turns. Blood would pool and the limbs would fall asleep! After landing the stiff, immobile pilot would be unable to hoist himself from the prone couch!
Dr. Nickel's fascinating report appears in Karl Nickel and Michael Wohlfart, "Tailless Aircraft in Theory and Practice (AIAA, 1994) on pages 351-355. It conveys his thoughts and feelings as he flew an all-wing Horten glider from the prone position. "I climb from behind [the aircraft] on the center-section of the flying wing to step inside and lie down in it." His parachute hung across his chest and the packed canopy pillowed his torso. The "lying-trough," he continued, "is well-upholstered with foam rubber and artificial leather. . . there is the chinrest which is easily adjustable. The designer has thought of everything and wants to accommodate the pilot in comfort." Horten had fitted seat belts but their operation was unorthodox. "They are fastened over the back and are released automatically as soon as the cockpit is opened. How Practical!"
The prone position demanded a novel control system. Reimar designed one and installed it in all his prone aircraft. He used a yoke-type wheel to transmit pitch and roll inputs to the elevons. Nickel continues: "For fore and aft movements [the wheel] slides back and forth on almost frictionless bearings along a horizontal tube. Will it be possible," he wondered, "to get quickly accustomed to this?" Once airborne, Dr. Nickel had the answer.
"All of a sudden I am completely baffled: there is nothing unusual, it's exactly as flying while sitting in a seat! I feel the stick force, the sailplane reacts to the smallest control movements. I completely forget that I am lying horizontally in space, that the control column [wheel] looks so strange, that the H III is no normal aircraft."
"[It is as though] I had been flying in prone position for years. . . The first gusts are felt and are counteracted automatically, without thinking. I see my hands moving to act in the correct way, but there is no conscious command from the brain. The bird feels good . . . [and this] reaction comes so strong and unexpected that I wish to sing at once. . . I am so delighted . . . there is nothing to learn about prone flying and everything is so simple. But don't start celebrating too early! We [glider and towplane] just crossed the airport boundary as some heavy gusts arrived. No problem to counteract them, but the result is astonishing: suddenly the tow-rope approaches me at full speed, collides with the canopy and disappears aft [the towpilot released his end of the tow rope]. Instinctively my arm shoots up to protect my head, even though it's unnecessary. Next reaction, release the rope too. In front of me lies an "inviting" high-tension line. Hence push [the wheel to maintain speed], [execute a] 180° turn and with the aid of a tailwind, [fly] back over the fence [airport boundary]. Is there enough altitude for a second turn into the wind [to set up for landing]? There better be; carefully "scraping" the turf a flat turn [at very low altitude] is achieved, [landing] skid lowered, no brake necessary, hold off, and here we are back at the starting point of the flight. Ugh!!!"
A half-hour later he was back in the air: "I am floating again in the air . . . flying over the houses and streets of Göttingen. Wonderful, this marvelous view down through the acrylic glass pane. Exactly as on a street map I can track the roads and alleys with my finger. Seemingly just in front of my face there is that hive of activity. Magnificent to soar and glide high over the rooftops, horizontal in space like a bird. This sort of flying really is the only natural way, how could anybody doubt it ever? The view is unobstructed on all sides through the large canopy, but the most astonishing aspect is the excellent view downward. Slowly we are losing altitude. It's time for a thermal to appear. Oops, here it is. Rudder and aileron, slowly pull up, it's just the same as with any other sailplane. Only the banking at first seems to be excessively large . . ."
Nickel initially made excessively shallow, flat turns but after two hours of practice, he adjusted. His mind began to accept and trust the new sight-picture of a standard turn presented by the Horten III f prone position. Banking turns of 60° became easy and "remained the only difficulty I encountered and it didn't occur anymore during later flights." As he built time flying prone, Nickel considered the problem of pilot comfort on long flights.
"Well, after two hours no bodily strain could be felt, but this could perhaps come with longer flights? . . . on the 7th of August 1943, a comparision test was made. . . Hermann Strebel made the first motorless flight of more than 10 hours in prone position with the Horten H IV over the Wasserkuppe mountain. At the same time I myself [flew] for 7 ½ hours in the [Olympia Meise glider]. [Strebel and I were] quite happy together up there, even though he could often out-fly me because of the better performance of his sailplane. After landing I went to him limping with aching backside. But he approached me laughing and completely fresh and could only shake his head to my envious questions: "No, no bruises, no limbs which went to sleep, no stiffness of the neck, nothing!"
Nickel found other reasons to like the prone pilot position. " . . . for tailless sailplanes the prone position is appropriate. . . The main reason for this is the better view of the outside world . . . This is important in particular during aero-tow. Especially with tailless sailplanes a good view of the towing aircraft can be decisive against flying too low and, consequently, being dragged down by the downdraft behind the tow aircraft."
The H III also had good handling qualities and this no doubt boosted Nickel's enthusiasm for the prone layout. He often witnessed Heinz Schiedhauer putting the Horten III d motorglider through its paces at Göttingen in 1943-44. During Schiedhauer's routine, "he did a flyby a few meters above the ground and, just in front of the onlookers, pulled back the stick abruptly. This created a 'whip stall' with a nearly vertical attitude. There was no tail-slide or roll-off, but rather the flying wing fell down into the normal flying position without loss of altitude and continued her horizontal flight."
Horten assigned Werk Nr. 32 to a Horten III f built in 1944 at Göttingen. The NASM III f may be the last of three 'f' subtypes built. All three aircraft featured prone cockpits for minimum drag. The pilot stretched flat on his stomach, bent slightly at the waist and knees, feet resting on rudder pedals hinged above his heels. A padded chin rest supported his head, which projected into the leading edge of the wing. Clear plastic panels formed the leading edge for several feet above, below, and to either side of the pilot. Visibility was excellent and drag greatly reduced. The wing had a maximum speed of 210 km/h (130 mph) and a best glide speed of 63 km/h (39 mph).
Details about the operational history of this glider remain unknown. One month after the war ended, a team of aviation experts working for the C. I. O. S. (Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee) found both the NASM H III f and the H III h. The gliders were recovered "in perfect condition in trailers, with a [sic] full set of instruments" at Rottweil, Germany, on the Neckar River, approximately 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Stuttgart on June 11, 1945.
For a time, the United States Army Air Forces' Air Technical Intelligence (ATI) branch was interested in Horten flying wing aircraft. ATI assigned inventory control numbers to track the thousands of pieces of German military aircraft, equipment, and hardware obtained during and after the war. The following numbers identified Horten gliders now part of the NASM collection:
Horten II L - T2-7
Horten III f - T2-5042
Horten III h - T2-5039
Horten VI V2 - T2-5040
Inexplicably, ATI lost interest and declared "the Horten Tailless Gliders are of no value to us," according to the "Weekly Activity Report - Technical Intelligence - Week Ending 26 June 1945." The H III f and 'III h vanish into an historical black hole for the next two years. The story resumes on October 22, 1947, when Stanley A. Hall wrote a report called "Horten Tailless Sailplanes." Hall explained that the U. S. Air Force loaned the Horten III f, III h, and VI V2 to the Northrop Aeronautical Institute, across the road from the Northrop Aircraft Company in Hawthorne, California. This loan answered a "joint petition of Northrop Aircraft Inc., and the Southern California Soaring Association [SCSA]." The two organizations wanted the sailplanes "for purposes of inspection by West Coast engineers who, in interests of the development of all-wing aircraft, sought for evidence of similarity between the design practices of American and German engineers."
Northrop personnel planned to test-fly the two Horten III gliders but they arrived "damaged beyond reasonable repair [and] too badly damaged to make photography worthwhile." Despite their condition, a throng of aeronautical professionals turned out to inspect them. Among the curious crowds were Northrop engineers and students of the Northrop Aeronautical Institute, members of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences. Many SCSA members turned out too, including engineers from Douglas, North American, Lockheed, and Consolidated. Much attention fell on the Horten VI V2. The sailplane was intact and in fair condition and Northrop considered flying it but decided not to because of safety issues.
The Air Force reclaimed the gliders in 1948 and stored them at the Chrysler's World War II aircraft assembly plant at Chicago Orchard Airport, Park Ridge, Illinois. This huge building also housed more than 80 other World War II Allied and Axis airplanes.
In 1950 hasty preparations for war in Korea forced the eviction of more than fifty of these priceless artifacts, including the Horten gliders. Air Force personnel shipped the aircraft by rail and any too large to fit a boxcar surrendered to the cutting-torch. The collection went to an open plot of land near Silver Hill, Maryland, across the Anacostia River south of Washington. For more than 10 years, most of the collection remained outdoors. In 1962, the site started to take the form we know today as the Paul E. Garber Restoration, Preservation, and Storage facility.
In January 1994, NASM shipped the Horten glider collection (H II L, III f, III h, and the VI V2) to the Museum für Verkehr und Technik Berlin, later renamed the Deutsches Technikmuseum (DTM), and that museum worked to restore and preserve these artifacts until 2004.
Wingspan 20 m (66 ft)
Center Section Length 5 m (16.4 ft)
Height 1.6 m (5.4 ft)
Weight Empty 250 kg (550 lb)
Weight Flying 360 kg (792 lb)
Reference Sources and Suggested Further Reading:
Horten, Reimar. "Flying Wing Pilot Position and Design Options," "Soaring," August 1980.
Lee, Russell. "The National Air and Space Museum Horten Sailplane Collection: Horten II L, III f, III h, and VI-V2," "Bungee Cord," Vol. XXIII No. 4, Winter 1997.
Myhra, David. "The Horten Brothers and Their All-Wing Aircraft." Atglen, Penn.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1998.
Nickel, Karl, and Wohlfahrt, Michael. "Tailless Aircraft in Theory and Practice." Reston, Va.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1994.
Selinger, Peter F., and Horten, Reimar. "Nurflugel: Die Geschichte der Horten-Flugzeuge 1933-1960." Graz, Germany: H. Weishaupt Verlag, 1983.
Beckh, Harald J. "The Development and Airborne Testing of the PALE Seat."
Horten, Reimar. "Flying Wing Pilot Position and Design Options," "Soaring," August 1980, 23.
Russ Lee, 9-2-04


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Hello Members!
We are going back through the club archives and thinning everything down to just what Brian is keeping in his personal collection.
We have just added over 30 more items! Many are gone already.
This means we have started putting in the club store items you may not have seen for a long time. Some will be retail, some will be exclusives. This will go on for several months until we comb through the entire warehouse. Please note that for some of these, there is only one. Other items may have a higher quantity. Most of them are less than three.
These items will also come with a letter that it is from the Collectors' Club Archives and it will be embossed with the Hassenfeld Bros Inc. Corporate seal from 1926 (which is a cool mento itself).
Make sure you check out the store every few days to see what we have added. Check out the current upload.


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Only eight teams remain to contest the NCAA Tournament, and some of the nation's best are left to wrestle for four spots in the College Cup. With the copious amount of talent on display, there is a real potential for some entertaining soccer in this weekend's quarterfinals.
All eight teams that are alive have consistently proven to be amongst the best in the nation, and will tussle to secure a trip to Santa Barbara, Calif., next week.
[inline_node:322930]No. 4 North Carolina (16-3-1) vs. No. 5 SMU (16-2-0), Friday, 7 p.m. ET
In some ways, it's surprising that UNC has made it this far. They've only managed one goal in two games, winning both on penalty kicks. During a season that has been marred with injuries, the Tar Heels have weathered the storm, thanks to experienced players like Michael Farfan, Steven McCarthy and Enzo Martinez. Without Martinez's heroics in the third round, UNC would be out of the tournament.
Southern Methodist brings a strong side to Chapel Hill, but one with defensive concerns. While the Mustangs boast a strong attack, a 73rd-ranked defense should be ripe for the taking, even for a struggling Tar Heel offense. Juan Castillo and Arthur Ivo will look to offset that.
No. 2 Maryland (19-2-1) vs. No. 10 Michigan (16-4-3), Saturday, 1 p.m. ET
[inline_node:324090]The pick of the weekend pits the two hottest teams in the nation against one other in College Park, Md. Michigan is paced by the offensive trio of Justin Meram and brothers Soony and Hamoody Saad, but they have never faced a defense as good as Maryland's or a goalkeeper of Zac MacMath's caliber.
While trying to break down Maryland's defense, the Wolverines will also have to cope with the strike duo of Jason Herrick and Casey Townsend. Those two found it hard going against another Big Ten team, Penn State, and will need to be back in firing form to punch their ticket to Santa Barbara.
Keeping up with team as talented as Maryland is will be Michigan's biggest test of the year, no question. And while an upset isn't unthinkable, winning on the road might be too much to ask for the Wolverines.
No. 3 Akron (20-1-1) vs. No. 6 California (14-2-3), Saturday, 4 p.m. ET
[inline_node:323476]The high-powered offense of Akron faces a difficult challenge when they welcome the Golden Bears to Lee Jackson Field Saturday afternoon. With the second best scoring offense in the nation, the Zips are hard to stop and can hurt you with a slew of bright and talented young players – including forwards Darlington Nagbe and Darren Mattocks, with Anthony Ampaipitakwong at the heart of things in midfield.
They'll have to beat a Cal defense that has conceded just one goal in two tournament games, feature one of the best defenders in the nation in A.J. Soares, and one of the top 'keepers in David Bingham.
Akron hasn't looked unbeatable through two tournament games, conceding late goals to both West Virginia and Indiana. If Cal forward Davis Paul can find space, the Golden Bears are more than capable of upsetting the Zips.
No. 1 Louisville (18-0-3) vs. No. 8 UCLA (16-4-1), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
[inline_node:322676]The Cardinals' consistency and success during both the regular season and the Big East tournament has transitioned perfectly into the NCAA Tournament. Buoyed by a blend of youth and experience, Louisville has thus far lived up to the billing as the tournament's top seed.
Colin Rolfe and Dylan Mares remain the focal point of the attack, while Charlie Campbell's industrious work in the midfield ensures that things run smoothly. Ranked in the top 10 in both goals scored and goals-against average, coach Ken Lolla will look to keep things consistent against the Bruins.
A storied program visits Saturday, as UCLA grabbed a quarterfinal spot despite being in the midst of somewhat of a rebuilding season. They've managed to succeed on the back of some exceptional freshmen talent in players like Kelyn Rowe and Victor Chavez. How they cope with their first road trip of the tournament – and playing in front of a hostile crowd – will dictate their success.
Think you know the game? Test your powers of prediction with MLSsoccer.com's fantasy game, Pro Soccer Picks. Play NOW!


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Olympus Introduces TG-2 at CES
Today Olympus announced one of three new cameras in their "Rugged" lineup – the TG-2. Available in black or red, the camera retails for $380. The TG-2 has a 12 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor. It boasts a 3 inch OLED screen and 4x zoom. It promises great image quality even in difficult shooting conditions due to the bright and speedy f2.0 lens. In addition, it offers an HDR backlight. Two additional shooting modes make getting crisp, clean images even easier: low light mode (for situations where ambient light is scarce) and super sport mode (where the need to continuous shooting is important for capturing movement). The TG-2 also offers users full HD video. Upgraded from the TG-1, it now includes a waterproof depth up to 50 feet and an expanded lineup of system lenses and accessories including a Macro LED adapter. With a dedicated mode located on the dial for quick access, the super microscopic Macro Mode lets users zoom in extremely close to the subject. When shooting at a distance of 1 cm, super Macro Mode will allow you to shoot at near-microscopic levels.
Look for the TG-2 to be available in the spring or summer of 2013.


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Grrl and Magda and the rest of the team
in Canberra are doing such a wonderful job!
How cool is this!?
in Canberra are doing such a wonderful job!
How cool is this!?
Look at the colours, patterns and various designs...
it was nice meeting you tonight! really love your idea of bringing unexpected joy to devonport :) (It's Heleen, by the way)ReplyDelete
Awesome... I too posted about this.
best wishes
Ribbon :)
I like what you're doing here and I'm going to add you to my blog link list
thank you
Det är sååå läckert! Lite retligt att jag inte sett min ännu bara... Hoppas de postar mer bilder snart :)
Soooo cool!!! xxReplyDelete
Oh cool I have been watching these happenings in Canberra too. They are looking fantabulous.
Great to see you are guerilla knitting on our shores!


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Top flight deals to Trieste (TRS)*
Fly to Trieste with KLM
Thanks to our global network, we as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offer flights to Trieste, serving Trieste – Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport (TRS). As KLM we pride ourselves on our top-notch customer service, so have any questions or concerns about booking a flight with us? Contact us 24/7 via Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp or Twitter and we're always happy to help!
Top Trieste attractions
- Piazza dell'Unita d'Italia: the main square in Trieste facing the Adriatic Sea, offering visitors outstanding architectural beauty and frequent concerts/events.
- Castello di Miramare: a stunning 19th-century castle situated on the Gulf of Trieste, featuring a museum displaying Maximilian's chambers, the guest rooms, and the information room telling the history of the castle and the park's construction.
- Civico Museo della Risiera di San Sabba: a 5-storey brick-built compound that functioned during World War II as a Nazi concentration camp for the detention and killing of political prisoners.
- Kleines Berlin: a complex of underground air-raid tunnels dating to World War II, now containing 2 exhibits documenting the history of the bombings in Trieste during the war.
- Trieste Cathedral: a beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral dating back to 1385, famed for its architectural beauty and many historical pieces of art.
Trieste's lavish helpings of coastal walks and world-class coffee are what keep visitors coming back year after year.
What's the best way to get around Trieste?
Getting around Trieste is simple thanks to the 50 or so bus routes that cover almost every inch of the city. For a more scene route, there is a single tramway line that travels from the Piazza Oberdan up to the wonderful little town of Villa Opicina.
What's the weather like in Trieste?
Is there anything quite like a cold glass of white wine in the warm Italian sun? We can't think of anything either, which is why we recommend visiting in August as it boasts 9 hours of sunlight, the most in the entire year. August also has the highest average temperature of 24°C (75°F) so be sure to remember that sunscreen!
Weather in Trieste
Powered by: OpenWeatherMap.org
30 °CThursday13/08/2020
31 °CFriday14/08/2020
31 °CSaturday15/08/2020
32 °CSunday16/08/2020
30 °CMonday17/08/2020
23 °CTuesday18/08/2020
28 °CWednesday19/08/2020
*All amounts are in BHD. Taxes and carrier surcharges included. No booking fee applicable.


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The LA Galaxy are asking fans to arrive to The Home Depot Center early for Thursday's friendly with Real Madrid as a potential record-breaking crowd is expected.
With the parking lots expected to reach capacity due to the expected crowd of over 30,000, fans are being asked to arrive early or utilize public transportation when traveling to the game. The Galaxy have also teamed up with the Artesia Transit Center and South Bay Pavilion to offer shuttles to The HDC from those locations. Shuttle buses began running at Artesia -- fine location, I've traveled from there several times -- at 10 a.m. and will do so until 3 a.m on Friday morning while shuttles will run from South Bay Pavilion from 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m on Friday.
For those fans that arrive early, The HDC will provide $2 hot dogs and $5 beers from the time that the gates open at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A couple of other notes and links on Tonight's game below:
* Edson Buddle and Todd Dunivant are continuing to work their way back from injuries, but are not expected to participate against Real Madrid.
* The Galaxy will be wearing their "Punjab" kits against Real Madrid, who are expected to wear their iconic all-whites.
A video preview of the match is below:


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April average retail price for 7W LED light bulbs (equivalent to 40W incandescent ones) in the China market rose by 5.9% on month to CNY35.9 (US$5.7), while 9W (equivalent to 60W incandescent) models saw an 1.4%, according to Digitimes Research.
Average retail price for 40W- and 60W-equivalent LED light bulbs in the Japan market in April stood at JPY1,668 (US$16) and JPY2,681 respectively, with the former rising on month by 1.5% and the latter by 3.3%, Digitimes Research indicated.
April average retail prices for 40W- and 60W-equivalent LED light bulbs in other markets are: KRW14,215 (US$13.7, down 2.2% on month) and KRW16,355 (up 1.4%) in South Korea; US$19.2 (down 11.9%) and US$21.6 (down 1.8%) in the US; EUR13.4 (US$18.8, up 1.5%) and EUR14.6 (down 3.9%) in Europe.
Osram 40W- and 60W-equivalent LED light bulbs available in the South Korea market had the highest average lumen-price ratios of 67.9lm/US$ and 110.2lm/US$ respectively in April. In terms of luminous efficiency, Toshiba 40W- and 60W-equivalent models for sale in the Japan market had the highest average levels of 74.6lm/W and 97.4lm/W respectively.
Content from this blog post was provided by the Digitimes Research Tracking team, which focuses on shipment data and market trends in the global mobile device supply chain. Digitimes Research provides quarterly tracking services for market sectors such as Global Tablet, China Smartphone, China Smartphone AP, China Touch Panel, Taiwan ICT and Taiwan FPD. Click here for more information about Digitimes Research Tracking services.


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You bet your mortarboard. Stick with us, you'll find out why.
But first, backstory: Last month, New York Times writer David Leonhardt slapped the debate about the value of our American college-for-all ethos smack-dab on our collective kitchen table. Ever since, knickers have been in a bundle all across the interwebs as readers, reporters, students, parents and, yep, even faculty members have all weighed in with, if not your basic my-way-or-the-highway answers, at least impassioned questions:
Does higher education matter? Is college worth the bucks — or the lifetime of debt? Why are graduation rates falling? And the big Kahuna: should college teach us how to think or teach us how to do?
The Times' Jacques Steinberg weighed in a few weeks later with a piece of his own whose title said it all: Plan B: Skip College. That piece cranked up the blogosphere for days, generating a lot of, well, polite debate, much of which centered on a pretty central question that I might frame thus:
Who the hell cares about a classic liberal arts education when what we really need are techno-geeks?
The answer, I'm pleased to say, is lots of us. One comment to Steinberg's piece was especially elegant:
Does "intensive, short-term vocational and career training" teach you to write well? Or to communicate effectively, think critically, view the world in general from a perspective other than your own? Aren't these a few of the mandates of higher education? The argument of the scientists in this piece too narrowly focuses the situation into "student+college=career."
A college-education is supposed to prepare a student not just for a career but for an educated and informed life. Now, perhaps these goals are far too often attained. Yes, that's an issue that needs to be addressed. But as is typical, there is room here for a compromise: well-rounded, career-based curricula infused with a healthy dose of liberal arts, science, and math courses.
Do mail carriers need a BS degree to place envelopes in a slot? Of course not. But you'd hope that there is more to their existence than this simple task.
Even more important, though, and what goes to the heart of what we've been talking about in this space, is this: What if said postal worker decides that, yeah, walking around delivering the mail is cool and all that, but what I really want to do is (fill in the blank)?
Back in April, we ourselves weighed in on how that very issue — locking yourself into Plan A before you've even tasted Plan B — impacts young, bright women carving out uncharted territory in the new millenium:
Is it all about the treadmill? Possibly so. Which makes me wonder if this is another way in which great expectations do women in. When you've felt the pressure of unlimited options ever since Career Girl Barbie or whatever-her-name-was first peeked out from under the Christmas tree, do you feel the roar of indecision, the fight between the red one or the blue one, early on — and shut it down by choosing a path too soon? And then sticking with it.
That's certainly one way to kill the angst. Whew.
But maybe that's why choices are so loaded, too, because they become so narrowly focussed — and by definition, do not include a back-up plan. Failure, that great teacher, is not an option. (Nor, for that matter, is the broad-based education. Classics, anyone?) And then, out into the real world, when that first job is more about fetching lattes than writing business plans, there's that thing called regret.
Grass-is-greener syndrome suddenly comes calling and kicks the best and the brightest right there in the ass. That race ? Yeah, not in first place anymore.
And then what? Well, for the last word on the subject — following in the wake of pieces in the New York Times by David Brooks and Stanley Fisk — let's read what Michael Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, had to say via a post on Wednesday's HuffPo. Watch for the boldface:
It is certainly understandable that in these uncertain economic times families are more concerned than ever with the kind of education their students will receive. That's why it's so important to understand the deep, contemporary practicality of a liberal education. Patient and persistent critical inquiry has never been more crucial, and the development of this capacity is one of the defining features of a liberal education. One learns that successful inquiry is rigorous and innovative, and that one must be able to re-evaluate one's own practices and prejudices. Real inquiry is pragmatic, and it is also reflexive — it includes rigorous self-examination. Given the pace of technological and social change, it no longer makes sense to devote four years of higher education entirely to specific skills. By learning how to learn, one makes one's education last a lifetime. What could be more practical? Post secondary education, I am fond of telling the undergrads at Wesleyan, should help students to discover what they love to do, and to get better at it. They should develop the ability to continue learning so that they become agents of change — not victims of it.
Learning how to learn? An education that lasts a lifetime? Considerable bang for the buck, don't ya think? Those thick books? Twenty page papers? Calculus, for the love of God?
Think trip, not destination. Discovery. Prepping yourself for the road not taken. In other words: Happy Graduation!


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College, the face paced lifestyle of the career world intricately mixed with the fun of childhood! For the college student, the morning rush is comparable to the last leg of a marathon. Each student is in full sprint: rummaging through their desks, grabbing their books, reaching for the burst of energy that only a cup of coffee can provide and running out the door onto their bike. This morning mayhem is difficult enough as it is, but for us makeup enthusiasts- it is only more stressful to try and fit in a beauty routine!
A college beauty survival kit must include items that are not only quick and easy to apply, but also multipurpose and small enough to store in the front pocket of our backpacks!
Every college student knows that once you are out the door in the morning, your day is devoted to campus life. It is crucial to always apply BH Eye and Lip Primer, not only does it provide an even color to your eyelid but it also keeps pigments looking fresh from morning classes to evening study sessions! A quick and easy bold eye can be achieved by simply lining the top of your eyelid using BH Liquid Eye Liner. This product stays on all day without budging, making it ideal for the student who has no time for touch ups! Lastly, a sweep of mascara and this simple and sophisticated eye look is complete!
As for complexion, the most ideal piece of cosmetics to always have with you is the Jumbo Concealer Pencil! By creating three lines on each cheek (to resemble cat whiskers) and also a single line on the forehead, chin, and nose — this will provide a light but even coverage; all you have to do is blend it out! If this is not the approach you prefer, mixing a half pump of BH Liquid Foundation with your moisturizer will give you a lightweight coverage in no time!
Last but not least, brighten your cheeks using any of the array of colors available in our new Glamorous Blush Palette and fill in your lips with our new Creme Luxe Lipstick in any shade! This lipstick will provide a gorgeous contrast to the eye and the perfect pout in seconds!


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ValuesLine - Report a Concern
To report a concern, contact the ValuesLine at 800-273-8452.
Leave of Absence
All Leave of Absence Documents & Information
Denver Health Career Center
All current Denver Health Employees must apply through the Internal Applicants portal.
2020 Employee Benefits
Open Enrollment for 2020 benefits is open Monday October 14th - Thursday October 31,2019. Download your Employee Benefits Guide.
Access Lawson for supplies, finance, pay checks and ePars.
Access Compass for core HR functions and recruiting.


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Gretchen Bleiler, the 2006 Olympic silver medalist in snowboard halfpipe, visited the mountain boarding event on Saturday at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree.
She answered questions from a large crowd and signed autographs for hundreds of Scouts. Also, as seen above, Bleiler did an interview with QBSA, the jamboree's radio station.


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Press Release:
Great Beast is a UK indie publisher run by dream-team Adam Cadwell and Marc Ellerby, both with long runs of diary comics under their belts (The Everyday and Ellerbisms, respectively). GB's roster includes a veritable who's who of faces at UK conventions: Robert Ball, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (current artist on Tank Girl), Dan Berry (also host of the excellent Make It Then Tell Everybody series of podcasts about cartoonists' process), John Riordan & Dan Cox, John Cei Douglas, and Isabel Greenberg, whose book The Encyclopedia of Early Earth recently made it unto the New York Times Bestseller list. Of course Cadwell's and Ellerby's more action-based new series, Blood Blokes and Chloe Noonan, are also on the list of these tasty, tasty offerings. The entire GB team will be descending upon us for the evening for chatting, drinking, signing, and possibly more drinking. Great Beast's website is here to peruse.
To celebrate this explosion of UK indie talent, Gosh Comics will be popping the bottles of fizzy wine again on Friday, the 14th of March, from 7pm to 9pm.
Gosh Comics
1 Berwick St, SoHo, London W1F0DR
United Kingdom


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Chocolate & orange fudge squares
Nutrition and extra info
- Can be frozen without topping
Nutrition: per square
- kcal289
- fat16g
- saturates9g
- carbs34g
- sugars27g
- fibre1g
- protein5g
- salt0.37g
- 200g plain chocolate, broken into cubes (we used Bournville)
- 200g dark muscovado sugar
- 175g butter, plus extra for greasing
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 3 eggs, separated
The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…
- 140g plain flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest 1 orange
One of the best-known citrus fruits, oranges aren't necessarily orange - some varieties are…
For the topping
- 200g tub soft cheese (I used Philadelphia Extra Light)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 50g icing sugar
Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a traybake tin, 23 x 23cm or thereabouts. Put the chocolate, sugar and butter in a pan, then heat very gently for about 5 mins, stirring every min until the butter and chocolate have melted. Leave to cool for 10 mins. Beat in the egg yolks, flour, vanilla and half the orange zest.
Put the egg whites into a large, very clean bowl, then whisk until they stand up in peaks. Stir ¼ of the whites into the chocolate mix to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest with a metal spoon. Pour the mix into the tin, then bake for 25 mins or until evenly risen and just firm to the touch. Cool in the tin, then cut into squares. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Beat together the cheese, vanilla, sugar and remaining zest until smooth. Spread over each chocolate square and serve. If you're making ahead, spread the topping over just before serving.
Recipe Tip
Choosing chocolateSometimes you need to use the finest high-cocoa chocolate for baking, but ordinary plain or cooking chocolate will do the job perfectly here – once melted with dark muscovado, you'll have all the fudgy, chocolatey flavour you could ever need.


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Posts by Grant Langston
Grant has been with eharmony since its inception in August, 2000. He has influenced almost every aspect of the brand – from his early days as a writer to later years managing marketing, customer care, content, social media, and the trust and safety departments. A passionate advocate of eharmony's mission, Grant never misses an opportunity to speak about compatibility and its importance in a successful, long-term relationship. Prior to live at eharmony, Grant enjoyed his time as a writer in the TV and radio advertising arena, and as an operations manager for a music industry marketing firm. He has a B.A. in Political Science from Auburn University.


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While owning the latest smartphones has become both trendy and necessary;purchasing the most elaborate and unique protective covers for these gadgets are just as important to consumers. Most people are in search of covers that will bring personality and individual style to an otherwise generically bland device. Even more so, women are in search of cellphone covers that show glitz, glamor, and sophistication.While there are many companies that sell phone covers, many women specifically seek covers that provide flair and elegance, as well as high quality products made with good materials; that won't easily break or fall apart.
Many people intentions -now more than ever-are to stand out from the crowd with their clothing and footwear; but those who take the time to pick out an unique cover for their cell phones can make a statement with only half the effort that it takes to buy a new wardrobe. These covers can in fact become "statement pieces".
Gullei provides these types of products. Currently offering Samsung Galaxy crystal covers, which are available in samsung models for the S2,S3 and Note 2. Gullei offers the most enchanting and artsy pieces. They are very creatively made and have a design and flair that is not common among other cell phone covers made in the industry. There is a variety of selections to choose from and it has a great use of different materials within the product.Cover decorations range from white faux fur to the use of rhinestones crystals. Rhinestones line the edges of miniature elephants and crowns embedded into the surfaces of the small covers and these are just a few of the beautiful designs displayed. The choices are absolutely breathtaking and there is something for everyone.
Crystal cellphone covers in particular, present the beauty and sophisticated look that women want and admire. They are colorful, feminine and chic.And much of the time these crystals appear very vibrant and eye catching. They draw countless compliments and are aesthetically pleasing to all who view them . Possessing one of these covers is like carrying a small piece of art in one's purse or bag.It makes the owner feel bold and eccentric because this product stands out. There aren't many words that can describe these pieces. In order to get the true experience of them, one would have to literally see them in order to believe.
They can also be the best presents for girlfriends,wives, moms or even in instances of purchasing something for yourself. A special gift for anniversaries and birthdays, and all those occasions where one might be unsure what the women in their life might want as a present, these covers are a great gift idea.
Overall, when diving into the world of cell phone fashion, one things is clear. People want a product that looks great. Nobody wants a product that is expensive yet unappealing.The great thing is that crystals will always be beautiful and visually attractive. They will always draw attention and will forever be in style. And lastly, everyone wants a good quality product , made with great materials.


text: 1. Hayne Street Date: 1886 Description: Caption: 'Cook's Earthquake Views of Charleston and Vicinity. Taken after the 31st of August, 1886. No.27, Hayne Street - ruins of three large buildings.' Sign on column at left reads: 'Charleston Bag Factory.' Charleston city directory for 1886 shows a bag factory at 15-19 Hayne Street.


text: Potli means a bag, usually big. This handicraft item is a suave form of a Potli hence small and beautiful. It is three-fourths the size of a rugby ball or football,just enough to carry a mobile phone, some cash and cosmetics. Be sure to get noticed if you are carrying this to a party.


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To be fair you wouldn't essentially think of Bonnyrigg being home to fine cuisine, however to think it isn't would be wrong.
Gigi's is by far on par with any City Centre Italian, we enjoyed a great meal.
With a fish inspired menu along with the usual Italian options my starter of Scallops was very tasty and we weren't disappointed with our main or sweet either.Pearybhoy.
Posted on 19th May 2015
From the moment you book till the moment you leave you are aware that the owners of this restaurant want to make your visit special. The atmosphere is pure Italian as is the décor with chandeliers and pure white table clothes and a table laid out with cutlery and glasses that would shame some big hotels.
If you need to go a place then they are spotless. The staff are at your service at all times but very unobtrusively. The menu is large and varied with sufficient British choices for every taste. An all round great dining experience that you want to repeat.Bill Taylor.
Posted on 3rd June 2015
Wherever we go now and especially to Italian restaurants we usually finish by saying "It's good..but its not Gigi's". We ate there again last night with friends and once again the food was superb. Nothing is too much trouble and the food and wine are excellent. The staff are always attentive and good fun. We will continue to use the fantastic restaurant which is in my wife's home town whenever we get back up to Scotland.JOD.
Posted on 28th June 2015
Decided to relax on Saturday and tried Gigi's new lunchtime menu. Some really nice new dishes now as standard at excellent prices. Something for everyone and far better quality than the local competition. If you haven't been, or haven't been for a while I would thoroughly recommend.Phil Cunningham.
Posted on 16th August 2015
Gigi's has to be the of the best Italian restaurants in Scotland. We visited last Thursday for a family meal and again the friendly staff made for an enjoyable evening. For a midweek meal the restaurant was full which is always a good sign. Plenty of choice scallops, calamari, bruschetta, for starters. Diavola pizza, mussels, veg pizza, lasagne, cheesy pasta. Very tasty food washed down with tasty wine. Thanks Gigi's for serving consistently great food!Mark D.
Posted on 16th August 2015


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Wes Ball, a graphic artist best known for his work with HBO and his award-winning student short A Work in Progress, has spent the last two years working with his company, OddBall Animation, on a "passion project" called Ruin, described as "an animated short set in a post-apocalyptic universe."
Words can't do this stunning feat of CGI justice, which is probably why the entire short is completely free of dialog. Do yourself a favor and set the next 8 minutes aside to watch something truly remarkable.


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Support our nonpartisan, nonprofit research and insights which help leaders address societal challenges.Donate
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Publication Date:
November 2013
Regulations surrounding business and manufacturing in China are evolving, as are customer expectations. This report offers an in-depth look at the environment and local attitudes from companies to authorities to counsel to consumers. It also details best practices for choosing suppliers, handling a crisis, signing contracts, setting expectations, auditing third parties, and setting up a risk management team as part of a robust global supply chain program.