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Welcome to The Pulse, the place to find out what the sports world is thinking. Every day on ESPN.com, SportsNation registers its opinion on a wide range of topics by casting votes and offering opinions. We'll collect the daily highlights and create a running file throughout the week to measure The Pulse of SportsNation on a wide variety of issues. Check this page every day for an update of what the 'Nation is saying.
Friday's Big Question
1. What do you make of Floyd Landis in the Tour de France?
2. Will Tiger Woods win the British Open?
Will Floyd Landis win the Tour de France?
The race that made Lance Armstrong famous doesn't seem to be working its magic on Floyd Landis.
After a miraculous comeback in the mountains during Stage 17, following a disastrous performance in the previous stage that cost him the overall lead, Landis appears to be in good position to win the Tour de France this weekend. But even after the night-and-day drama in the mountains, less than half of SportsNation appears interested in his exploits. This despite a remarkable medical story of his own, a hip injury that while not life-threatening life Armstrong's cancer, will require hip replacement surgery after the event.
And even if Landis pulls out the win and coasts into Paris to celebrate, he may not win an ESPY. The award that seemingly became Armstrong's annual reward isn't likely to go to Landis, according to voters.
48% Interested in Floyd Landis' run at the Tour de France after his Stage 17 comeback
39% Interested in Floyd Landis' run at the Tour de France before his Stage 16 collapse
61% Floyd Landis will not be a top contender for next year's Best Male Athlete ESPY if he wins
I'm no cycling fan, but I'm racking my brain to come up with anything recent in sports that is comparable to what Landis did yesterday in the Tour de France. Everyone had left that guy for dead.
Reggie (Richmond, Ind.)
Landis is making the greatest comeback. ever. Yep, even better than ALCS '04.
Christian (High Point, N.C.)
Tthe Floyd Landis story is comparable to the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS, down three games to none. He was written off yesterday morning and came storming back. As were the Idiots.
Will B. (Virginia Beach)
The Landis story only compares to the 2004 ALCS if he wins. It's not that big of a deal. If he lost eight minutes one day, why is it hard to believe the new leader would do the same the next?
Jeff (Kansas City)
It's the Tour de Landis.
Mike (Long Island)
Was the British Open over after two rounds?
So will it be the biggest upset in the history of sports if Tiger Woods doesn't win the British Open?
That seems like a bold statement considering it's being made with two rounds still to play at Royal Liverpool and Woods just one stroke ahead of a pretty good golfer in Ernie Els. But what other conclusion can we draw when nearly 90 percent of voters say Woods will win the tournament?
With a second-round 65, including an amazing eagle, Woods captured SportsNation's attention and proved he's very much back in top form.
87% Tiger Woods will win the British Open
How about the Tigers? Detroit taking two of three from the White Sox and Woods leading the British Open.
Justin (Blacksburg, Va.)
Well, should we just call the British Open over already?
Clinton (Indianapolis)
The scary part was Tiger even had a bogey on the third hole and still had a seven-under 65 today. Gotta love that eagle on 14.
Rob (Warwick, R.I.)
He's baaaaaack. Never, ever underestimate Tiger.
Mat (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Tiger shot a 65 today; that would be my score after nine holes.
Cliff (Philadelphia)
TIGER WOODS. Now that I've got your attention, did anyone see Chris DiMarco's 65?
Hende (Ohio)
Thursday's Big Question
1. Does Shea Hillenbrand's departure signal the end for the Blue Jays?
What happened with Shea Hillenbrand?
This isn't the kind of move you expect a team fighting for its playoff life to make. Sure, you might add a .300 hitter with some power before the deadline? But cut a guy like that?
That's the curious case in Toronto, where the Blue Jays cut Shea Hillenbrand after he criticized the team and manager John Gibbons while refusing to sit in the dugout for a game. Hillenbrand was apparently ticked off, at least in part, that club officials didn't find time to congratulate him on adopting a baby. And when Hillenbrand found himself not playing after returning to the club following a few days off to complete the adoption, he sounded off.
SportsNation voters think the Blue Jays acted rashly to cut loose a valuable hitter while the team fights for a playoff position behind the Red Sox and Blue Jays in the AL East. An adding the folks who think this move seals the team's fate to those who thought it was already sealed, the Jays are now widely viewed as done.
61% Blue Jays made the wrong decision cutting Shea Hillenbrand
Does cutting Shea Hillenbrand signal the end of Toronto's playoff hopes?
42% They were already done
35% No
23% Yes
Any hopes and dreams of the Blue Jays making the playoffs were pretty much squashed yesterday. You just don't cut a guy hitting over .300 with some production. And from the comments from the players about Hillenbrand, it didn't seem like he was causing that many problems.
Jon (Malvern)
Hillenbrand has a history of this kind of behavior. At the same time, Ricciardi has to share some of the blame. I think it's an all-around mess and probably puts an end to the Jays' postseason hopes.
Greg (Toronto)
I think the Hillenbrand thing is just a sign that the Jays' upper management is cracking with the pressure to win. Some team in the hunt would be smart to snatch up Hillenbrand, a good bat that can play either infield corner.
Jeff (Kansas City)
I always try and give the player the benefit of the doubt when it comes to player vs. front office, but Shea is just ridiculous here.
Willy (New Jersey)
Normally, I am inclined to side with the player in this situation, but Shea has a rep of dissing his teams. Come on, just toe the line.
Mike (Dorchester, Mass.)
Hillenbrand is a huge dud in my books. He was given a long stretch off right after All-Star break to be with his new family and then complains that the team didn't give him a cookie too. I think we'll get the full story from the Jays once he's been traded.
Brad (Ottawa, Ont.)
Shea Hillenbrand is the type of guy who runs up to all of his friends on his birthday saying, "Guess what today is?" just so they wish him a happy birthday. Total dud, good luck to whatever team gets him. They better congratulate him on his new daughter!
Jeff (New York)
I would love for the Reds to pick up Hillenbrand. He would be a definite upgrade at first base.
Chris (Lexington, Ky.)
Shea's adoption day has been duly noted in my calendar. I will observe it next year wherever he is. I mean, he was given four days off after the break and management didn't even congratulate him. The nerve!
Bill (Toronto)
Wednesday's Big Questions
1. Will the Sonics be in Oklahoma sooner rather than later?
2. Are the White Sox exposing the Tigers?
3. What are the New York Islanders thinking?
Will Ray Allen be on the move?
These are dark days in Seattle (something usually reserved for the rainy months of fall and winter). First the dot-com bubble burst, then Boeing bolted for greener pastures and now this. Not even Starbucks could save the Sonics.
Howard Schultz, who made his fortune turning Starbucks into an international omnipresent option, announced on Tuesday that he's selling the Sonics and Storm to investors from Oklahoma City. And while the new owners said all the right things about working with local officials to keep the teams in town, most folks seem to think a move to Oklahoma City in inevitable.
SportsNation voters are almost unanimous in assuming Oklahoma City will get a permanent NBA team within five years, but they're split right down the middle over whether or not the city deserves a team.
50% Oklahoma City deserves a permanent NBA team
84% Oklahoma City will get a permanent NBA team within five years
Which city should not have an NBA team?
46% Oklahoma City
31% New Orleans
23% Seattle
Seattle is such a great city and doesn't deserve this. I mean losing a pro sports team to Oklahoma is just shameful. No one in Seattle should go to games, corporations should cancel their tickets and local stations should not show them. Let's teach these ridiculous people a lesson where it counts.
Greg (Boston)
Anyone who thinks Oklahoma City is too small of a market for the NBA has obviously not done their research and most likely has never been here. Look at cities such as Portland, Sacramento, Indianapolis, so called "small markets" work well in the NBA. I see the Hornets going back to New Orleans and the Sonics coming to Oklahoma City. Sorry Seattle, now you'll only have sports franchises to cheer for from April - January.
David (Oklahoma City)
How many years should the Sonics lose millions if Seattle wont support the team? It might be wrong for taxpayers to foot the bill for a private company, but that's been going on for years and it is the price you pay for a pro team. I just wish we could trade Ridnour for Paul.
Justin (OKC)
Howard Schultz, the Seattle Mayor, and the Seattle City Council have all let the SuperSonics fans down. We should have never gotten to this point. If Oklahoma City wants a pro basketball franchise, take the Hornets. History has shown that New Orleans, while a wonderful town, is a lousy sports city for a franchise. So, take the Hornets, keep the Hornets, love the Hornets, just leave our Sonics (and Storm) where they belong, in Seattle.
Nathan (Seattle)
Well the Blazers have Nate McMillan, Brandon Roy, and Martell Webster, and they're owned by Paul Allen ... not hard for Seattle fans to switch allegiances in a snap. But it's still lame. And no more Starbucks coffee for me.
Andy (Seattle)
Are the White Sox the real favorites?
One game does not a season make, especially over the long haul of a baseball season, but seven games seems to be enough for SportsNation voters to develop serious doubts about the team with the best record.
The Tigers still own baseball's best record and lead the AL Central, but voters couldn't help but notice when Jim Leyland's team lost to the White Sox for the sixth time in seven games this season. The Tigers get two more shots at the Sox in this series, but voters already think Ozzie Guillen's team will catch and pass Detroit in the standings.
Which team will win the AL Central?
50% Chicago White Sox
39% Detroit Tigers
11% Minnesota Twins
If the Tigers lose tonight, they will overpay for Alfonso Soriano really soon.
Jon (Malvern)
Why are people saying the wild card has to go to White Sox or Tigers? Last time I checked, a 2.5 game lead with over 60 games to play isn't that big of a lead.
Kito (New Jersey)
You know, it sucks that the Tigers lost, but it kind of feels nice to be mad that they played so bad rather than just expect it.
Geoff (Detroit)
Sorry but I'm still not buying the Detroit Tigers as a legitimate contender. They still can't beat any of the good teams out there (Red Sox, Yankees, White Sox), and until they do, they are just a lucky team on a streak.
Chris (North Haven, Conn.)
What is going on with the Islanders?
It's too bad Garth Snow retired; the Islanders goalie would have had some front office support in a quest for more playing time next season.
In a series of strange moves, Islanders owner Charles Wang fired GM Neil Smith just more than a month after hiring him in the first place. Wang then hired Snow, who retired in order to take the job, to take over for Smith. The owner says its all about putting together the right business model for the team, but SportsNation voters are pretty sure he's just lost it.
76% Neil Smith's dismissal is proof Charles Wang is losing control of the franchise
How can you replace a GM with a newly retired goaltender. Did he win the team's fantasy hockey league last year?
Jonathan (Buffalo)
I'm no Neil Smith fan, but come on! In his 41 days, he built a team that has a shot of making the playoffs, especially with Teddy on the bench. If Wang was serious about hockey and this team, he would let people who actually have a clue do their jobs. Anyone who thinks Garth Snow is anything more than a puppet for Milbury is blind.
Kelly (Glens Falls)
Although you can give Wang the benefit of the doubt for trying to run his investment, over the years, this team is a laughingstock to the league. "Mad" Mike couldn't win a series in the last 10 years, and when he finally "stepped" aside and someone with a little winning experience comes aboard, Wang should give Smith a little more than 41 days to build the Isles into more then a 24th place team. This move has set the Isles back five years.
Eric (Fredericton)
What are they doing? I am a diehard Islanders fan, and I've been waiting years for them to turn this thing around. They were heading in a great direction in 2001, but now we're going backwards, to say the least.
Anthony (Loudonville, N.Y.)
Finally, someone who owns an NHL team is dumber than Bill Wirtz! The marionette show continues on Long Island.
Jeff (Chicago)
Tuesday's Big Questions
1. Can Alex Rodriguez win in New York?
2. How big is the AL Central showdown in Detroit?
3. Would you sacrifice character for a chance at more wins?
Is it time for A-Rod to move on?
The Yankees won and fans in the Bronx had a chance to boo Alex Rodriguez on Monday. In other words, fans went home happy.
The Yankees star third basemen made three errors in the field during Monday's game against Seattle, drawing a chorus of boos that hardly subsided when Joe Torre lifted A-Rod from the game under the auspices of protecting an injured toe. Earning the ire of those at Yankee Stadium is nothing new for Rodriguez, who despite an MVP award last season can't seem to win the love of the locals.
While voters in New York and New Jersey actually voted the other way, a majority of SportsNation thinks both A-Rod and the Yankees would be best served by finding him a new home.
54% Would be in the interest of both parties for the Yankees to trade Alex Rodriguez
A-Rod is a loser. Every time he leaves a team, it gets better than it was when he was there. It can't be a coincidence.
Justin (New Jersey)
I don't think that A-Rod has the mind to stay focused and productive in a market in which there is so much pressure on him to perform daily.
Pete (Boston)
Rodriguez is soft and too analytical. All his teams get better when he leaves; there's a pattern there.
Mat (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Would this be an issue if it was Adrian Beltre instead? A-Rod's numbers are better than 95 percent of the league. For Red Sox fans, they loathe A-Rod for not going there. For everyone else, they are Yankee haters.
Colin (Buffalo, N.Y.)
What's ridiculous is the fans of the Yankees. What superstar has ever been booed more by the "home" crowd? They expect him to be great but are more satisfied to see him fail so they can boo him. What morons!
Jeff (Albany)
The problem is A-Rod will never ever live up to his notorious contract. He would have to win 10 straight World Series and hit 75 HR's a year for Yankees fans to embrace him.
John (Portland, Maine)
It pains me to say this, because I like A-Rod, but I don't think he can win in New York. He cares about what people think of him and he tries hard and that seems to work against him. All the guy does is show up every day and play hard, but between that contract and the fact that he always gives politically correct answers, the fans don't really know him.
Charles (Pittsburgh)
Will the White Sox beat the Tigers?
If the teams with the best records in baseball met and nobody from the East Coast paid attention, would they still make a sound? All right, that's a little extreme, but this week's showdown between the White Sox and Tigers does seem to be getting less attention than a similar series between, say, the Red Sox and Yankees might.
SportsNation voters expect the Tigers to defend their home turf by winning at least two games, but they also picked Chicago's starting rotation as the staff they would trust down the stretch in the AL Central. That won't make fans in Detroit happy, considering the Tigers have the best ERA by starting pitchers in baseball.
How will the three-game series in Detroit between the Tigers and White Sox play out?
53% Tigers win two
31% White Sox win two
9% Tigers sweep
7% White Sox sweep
Which AL Central rotation would you trust down the stretch?
44% Chicago White Sox
34% Minnesota Twins
22% Detroit Tigers
If someone blows the other team out of the water, it could echo throughout the rest of the second half.
Keith (Pennsylvania)
This series is pretty big. The Tigers need to establish themselves as the alpha dog. A nice beatdown would help in doing that.
Chris (Connecticut)
It will interesting to watch how the White Sox totally take out every single frustration that they had against the Yankees on the Tigers. This is the beginning of the fall of the Tigers.
Frankie (New York)
If the series ends up in a sweep in either direction, it's huge. If it ends up in any sort of split, it won't be that big a deal. There's a LONG way to go yet.
Josh (Wisconsin)
A three-game sweep could be absolutely demoralizing for the Tigers. I think even with their recent struggles, this isn't a big deal for the White Sox, they'll be ok.
Matt (Fairfax, Va.)
Will Marvin Lewis control his team?
How much would you put up with if it meant your favorite team had a better shot at reaching the Super Bowl? That's the question we posed to SportsNation in the wake of several stories about character issues in the NFL.
While Terrell Owens is back in the headlines as he promotes, and disputes parts of, his new book, the real story is in Cincinnati. The Bengals have seemingly stocked up on good athletes with questionable character this offseason, perhaps in an attempt to get over the final hurdle and reach the Super Bowl. Owner Mike Brown and coach Marvin Lewis have defended the team's draft decisions and handling of veteran Chris Henry, but fans in Cincinnati must be a little uneasy.
Nearly half of SportsNation voters say their impression of the Bengals has worsened during the offseason, but even more admit they would support their team taking on questionable guys if it helped win games.
42% Impression of Bengals has changed "for the worse" based on offseason moves
53% Would support their team adding questionable character if it improved Super Bowl odds
It is ok to bring in one guy of questionable character, as long as you have the veteran enforcer that can smack them down when they get out of hand.
Kev Wash (Richmond, Va.)
As a Bills fan, the answer is yes. I can't remember what the playoffs are anymore. What good are classy players if they don't win?
Jonathan (Buffalo)
Does Keyshawn Johnson have questionable character? If so, yes.
Eric (High Point, N.C.)
Why not? In 10 years the questionable player wouldn't be remembered; it would be the championship.
Greg (Connecticut)
How does the saying go? "He who gaineth the world but loseth his soul ..."
Clinton (Indianapolis)
On defense in the NFL, you need aggressive players. Aggressive players rarely can channel those emotions only on the field; they inevitably carry on off the field too.
Andy (Rochester)
What amazes me is how fans always look past the bad of their players, but if that guy was on their biggest rival, they would be ripping them to shreds.
Shaun (Madison Wisc.)
Yes, as long as they don't sign them for too long of a contract and they punish them at the first instance of wrongdoing.
Hende (Ohio)
Monday's Big Questions
1. Which MLB teams will make the playoffs?
2. Would Michelle Wie be winning on the LPGA?
Are Jeter and the Yankees heading to the playoffs?
Baseball season may be like a marathon, but it's a marathon where every 100 meters brings forth a mountain of analysis and assertions. Just last week, as the baseball world gathered in Pittsburgh for the All-Star Game, a lot of experts seemed convinced the AL East had almost no chance of sending two teams to the playoffs and it would be the injury-plagued, pitching-deprived Yankees sitting out the postseason.
One weekend later, after the Yankees swept the White Sox to open the second half, everything looks different. Granted, 60 percent of SportsNation voters still think either the Red Sox (50 percent) or Blue Jays (10 percent) will capture the AL East, but considering the Yankees are just three games back in the wild-card race, that's hardly a death sentence.
On other fronts, the red-hot Angels (36 percent) are gaining ground on the Athletics (46 percent) when it comes to picking a winner in the AL West. And over in the NL, the resurgent Braves have passed the entire NL West when voters handicap the wild-card race.
60% New York Yankees will not win the AL East
64% Oakland A's will not win the AL West
Which team is the favorite for the NL wild card?
37% Cincinnati Reds
26% Houston Astros
21% Atlanta Braves
16% Team from NL West
There is still a long time to go in the AL East race, but the fact that the Red Sox could not put some distance between themselves and the Yanks and Jays means that this race is going down to the wire.
Luke (Nashville)
The Yanks and Sox always keep it close; this was inevitable. No worries from this Red Sox fan. The only people this weekend affects are people outside these two cities, who are now given a chance to complain about us talking about it.
Mike (Dorchester, Mass.)
I said it many times before the break and will continue now: The Yankees are the most surprising team in baseball. Forget the Tigers. For the Yankees to be THIS close with the Matsui and Sheffield injuries, plus SP problems is amazing. Once they can get some trade help and health, watch out. They are never done!
Jake (Virginia Beach, Va.)
The Blue Jays are going to take the division, Tigers and White Sox a pick 'em for wild card and division, and the world can rest easy, because the Yanks and Sox will be watching.
Justin (Blacksburg, Va.)
One week ago, the talk was that the Yanks didn't stand a chance, the Red Sox were going to run away with it, and the ChiSox/Tigers were going to split the AL Central and wild card spots. So this weekend's turn of events is VERY noteworthy!
Mike (Washington, D.C.)
Boston did not bury the Yanks when they needed to, just like every other year, and now it looks like it will haunt them again. With all of the critical injuries the Yanks have endured, this could be their greatest one yet.
Dougie Fresh (Washington, D.C.)
Everyone acts like the Yankees were 15 games out or something. It has been close all season, so why is everyone acting so surprised? Now, if the Braves make the playoffs, that will be a shock.
Kevin (Manassas, Va.)
Red Sox, White Sox, Angels and Tigers will make the playoffs. Ozzie will right the ship in Chicago, and the Yankees will fizzle. They don't have the pitching to hold up down the stretch.
Andy (Rochester, N.Y.)
As of now, I say Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox (WC), and Angels. The Angels have played well since before the All-Star break. And don't worry about the White Sox; they had a slow second half before wiping out the Indians last year for the division. This year the wild card is theirs.
Rob (Warwick, R.I.)
Kenny Rogers historically is not good in the second half, and as good as the rest of the Tigers pitching has been, I'm not sure I trust it the rest of the way. White Sox in the Central, Red Sox and Yankees battle for East and the other takes the wild card, and A's in the West because Billy Beane hasn't even worked his magic yet.
Cara (New York)
There's absolutely no foundation to the claim that Detroit will tire. Justin Verlander just destroyed the Royals by himself. Kenny Rogers just came off the All Star Game, and Mike Maroth is going to be back soon. No one has any evidence that the young guys will tire.
Matt (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Mets are coasting, the Cardinals talent will rise to the top, San Diego comes ahead in the West, and the Phils, Reds and Astros battle for the wild card, with the Reds pulling it out.
Jeff (Iowa)
All I know for sure is the Mets and Cards are making it, and the Reds aren't. I'll take Rocket/Oswalt and the Astros for the wild card, while the D-Backs pull of a stunner and win the West thanks to their strong young pitching.
Matt (Fairfax, Va.)
When will Wie win an event?
High temperatures and wicked humidity gripped much of the country over the weekend, and few places fell the heat wave as intensely as the Midwest. Playing at the John Deere Classic in Illinois, Michelle Wie succumbed to the heat in withdrawing in the middle of her round on Friday, citing heat exhaustion.
But even before the elements got the best of her, Wie struggled to hold up against what was considered a weak field in her fifth attempt to become the first woman to make the cut in a PGA event since 1945. So is Wie's pursuit of history hurting the development of her game at 16 years old? More than 60 percent of voters think she would have at least one win already had she played the full LPGA schedule.
How would Michelle Wie fare if she played a full LPGA schedule at 16?
43% At least one win
20% Multiple wins
19% Up and down
18% Regular contender but no wins
Wie is 16. If she hasn't won by the time she's 21, then I'll consider her a bust of some kind.
Rafael (Blacksburg)
Sooner or later people aren't going to make the case the Wie is still young and is a very good golfer. She eventually has to win something and soon.
Chad (New York)
Wie withdrawing wasn't that big a deal. She wasn't making the cut anyway.
Jon (Malvern)
Michelle Wie: Now there's an overkill story.
Jonathan (Buffalo)
Wie eventually has to win something? OK, what? A free ice cream cone? She's not winning any golf tourneys; she can't even make the cut or take the heat (literally).
Matt (Memphis, Tenn.)
If Wie isn't careful, she will never learn to close, will burn out, and be a hacker on the LPGA tour.
Dougie Fresh (Washington, D.C.)
If Wie ever becomes what she is made out to be, even I will have to applaud. Until then, beat Annika!
Ryan (New Jersey)
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The top arm's cable has definitely broke, I can see it through the hole where the ashtray is. The third arm down (second from the bottom) has also lost it functioning, but I can't really see that arm to know what happened to it. What would I need to remove to repair it? And what's the difficulty of the repair?
Saturday, April 7th, 2012 AT 3:31 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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Irish Whiskey Meringue Kisses
With Feb nearly over, and St. Patrick's day coming up soon, I'm switching gears from all things pink, to green and gold…for now anyways. If you've yet to make meringue kisses, now's the perfect time to do so! They require very little ingredients, look beautiful displayed and taste delish too. Feeling inspired by the upcoming Irish holiday and the term "Kiss me I'm Irish" I whipped up a quick batch of of these sweet delights, infused with Irish Whiskey, for a very festive touch.


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Hola, Sneakerinos! Lucky you, we have a brand new Sneaky Dragon for all our friends. This week, Ian and Dave discuss tin cans and how phones don't work; act as juggalo magnets; continue their Drop the Micronauts podcast; throw out their toys; talk invisible biplanes; review the new Ghostbusters; disagree on the best car chase; laud Netflix; love Stranger Things; see Dario's Inferno; laugh at the MST3K reunion; and give out some awkward meeting advice
And please don't forget to think up some questions for our upcoming Listener's Questions Episode. As per usual, we'll have goody bags for all participants and a grand prize that we'll raffle off to one lucky questioneer. Every question equals one chance so the more questions you ask – the more chances you have to win! Contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email (you can click on the boxes on the right hand side of the screen) or write to us via the comments section here on the website.
Thanks for listening.
Ian and Dave highly recommend this show:
The movie is not much more coherent than this trailer:
A fun look at the Minneapolis history of MST3K and a behind-the-scenes look at the reunion:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS
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Photo Album / 2013 Model Casting at Jupiter Hotel
Held our first model casting of the season at our Official Host Hotel – Jupiter Hotel!
Excited for callbacks and decisions from Talent Director Marie Saturn of Saturn Style Studios and Fashion & Beauty Director Abibat Durosimi of Tabiba Styles. Another A+ production lead by Production Manager Barbara Bennett-Heck and her assistants Alia Lux and Jasmyn Bennett along with PFW Owners Jessica Kane, Tod Foulk and Sarabeth Chambers (sadly ducked out before photos!).
HUGE Thank you to Jupiter Hotel, Doug Fir Lounge and our event photographer Mark Daniel Muzzy – who took all these great candid shots! Thanks Muzzy 😀


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Battle Machines laser cars heading to the UK
Battle Machines, the radio controlled cars that are kitted out with lasers, are driving their way into the UK this summer.
The toy, which takes laser quest to the next level, is based around you battling with up to six cars to knock them off the grid by firing lasers in their general direction.
Each vehicle is equipped with an infrared laser and an infrared sensor with your goal to shoot your opponent until their vehicle is disabled.
The cars will come in a range of "twin packs" and include either a '69 Camaro vs. '06 Mustang or a '99 Silverado Dooley vs. '06 Mustang.
Due out in the summer, expect to pay around £40 for the experience.
At internetmatters.org parents can find all the advice they will need to keep their children safe online. Designed specifically for parents, the site offers a wealth of up-to-date, unbiased information and advice about how to deal with online safety. Parents can learn about the latest issues and technologies, get great tips on how to talk about online safety with their children and get the best advice on dealing with issues and taking action. Created with experts, Internet Matters provides detailed information, but also signposts to best-in-class resources from individual expert organisations. Our goal is to ensure parents can always access the information that they need, in a format that is clear and concise.
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Monday, 20 June 2016
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part X - Reflections
It's time for me to reluctantly begin the journey home. The first leg along the coast north of LA is probably the dullest of the journey, but still plenty scenic. I make San Luis Obispo my destination for the day, a familiar spot to stop and get a motel room where I can spend some time decompressing, catching up on my notes and emails.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 6/20/2016 06:00:00 am 7 comments: Links to this post
Monday, 2 May 2016
Editorial - Resurrection
"I have one in Vancouver if you still need it."
I picked up the phone and immediately dialed the attached number. He was shocked by how quickly I responded to his message. I probably called him 10 minutes after he sent it.
Sometimes I have trouble mitigating my desperation. Playing it cool isn't my forte when I'm excited or lonely. It's not a good strategy for deal making or finding love, respectively.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 5/02/2016 06:00:00 am 17 comments: Links to this post
Labels: 748, 916, 996, desmoquattro, ducati, editorial, italian, italy, massimo tamburini, motorbike, motorcycle, oddbike, personal insanity, v-twin
Monday, 11 April 2016
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part IX - Don't Buy the Hype
It's a beautiful Sunday morning in LA and it's time to go riding.
My first stop is just down the street a few miles, the Deus Ex Machina shop. Actually it's less of a shop and more of a café with a clothing store attached. Regardless, Deus has become the model for the snobby hipster builder joint, the prototype for commercialization of the custom scene beyond recognition.
If you want to buy meticulously prepared espressos or overpriced t-shirts and surfboards in an environment littered with pretentious magazines, Deus is your place.
If you want to buy motorcycles or anything motorcycle related beyond a motif on a T-shirt, you'll want to go elsewhere.
Monday, 21 March 2016
Harley-Davidson VR1000 - God's Own Voice
It is 1986, and Harley-Davidson is in the midst of a rebirth. After years of struggling under AMF ownership and suffering through poor quality, lagging sales, and a tarnished reputation, the 1980s have offered a new era of prosperity for America's perennial motorcycle manufacturer. Following the purchase of the works from AMF by a group of investors led by Willie G. Davidson in 1981, a major restructuring has restored solvency to the marque. And now the company is looking to recapture some of the racing successes that had driven their brand for decades. The XR program led by Dick O'Brien in the early 1970s had given The Motor Company a strong base for success in American racing, but it was limited to dirt track and a few notable but fleeting wins in European road racing with Renzo Pasolini and Cal Rayborn aboard the XRTT. With the coffers finally filling after the dark days, Harley's reputation improving, and production steadily climbing, the mid-1980s seemed like the ideal time to begin a new program that would lead to the development of the most potent, most modern motorcycle HD would ever create.
This is the story of the VR1000, the Superbike contender that was hoped to put Harley-Davidson back on the road racing podium. This is a story you might think you are familiar with, but the truth of the matter is that you haven't heard the real story of the VR, how it came to be, and how it came to end.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 3/21/2016 06:00:00 am 13 comments: Links to this post
Monday, 14 March 2016
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part VIII - Mandello's Finest
I get up early to head back to Pro Italia to make a pilgrimage to one of the dealers I've long been curious about. I've dealt with them in the past for parts orders for my 916, back in the fleeting days when the Loonie was worth a damn and it was cheaper for a Canadian to buy parts in the States. I also wanted an Aprilia mechanic to have a listen to the persistent top end tick in my Tuono, if only to quell my hyperactive imagination and remove the spectre of imminent mechanical catastrophe from my mind before I rode 2500 miles home.
Monday, 8 February 2016
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part VII - Mullin' over Automobiles
I rise early and stumble out into the motel courtyard, exhibiting my usual bleary-eyed pre-caffeinated lack of focus. I wander into a group of immaculate Harley-Davidson touring models tended by a troupe of middle-aged riders. I say hello and someone compliments my Aprilia in a thick European accent, mentioning how few they see over here in America.
It turns out that they are a group of Italians who rented their H-Ds in Oakland to tour around California and Arizona. It seems like a perfectly appropriate way to tour the US of A, and I'm reminded of my dream of riding across Italy aboard one of their uncompromising two-wheeled exports. Probably aboard a Ducati, but an MV, Moto-Guzzi, or Aprilia would be quite alright too.
Monday, 4 January 2016
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part VI - Awe
Matt proves to be an engaging host, an experienced racer filled with good stories, interesting contacts and a wealth of knowledge. I'd talked to him online briefly before but hadn't realized how passionate and knowledgeable he truly was, making my stop in Calistoga after a far-too-long ride all the more worthwhile. He is kind enough to prepare a late night meal for me after my day's adventure, a much welcomed gesture given my unfortunate habit of "forgetting" to stop for a meal due to my excitement and determination to complete the journey.
I have a tendency to zone into a task so completely that I neglect to even feed myself, pushing my basic needs aside in favour of seeing myself through to the end. It's a trait I share with my father, who is known for spending long days in the garage without taking a break. I know this practice well, zoning myself out for long hours as I tinker with my machines or work on my hobbies. I usually don't stop until I encounter a roadblock that stymies me, which generally results in something getting broken in a rare fit of blind rage. I am not known for having a temper, usually being quite calm in demeanour, but when something frustrates me beyond the limits of my patience I have a tendency to snap in spectacular fashion. Demons run when good men go to war, or when the quiet man strips a bolt at the wrong moment.
Monday, 28 December 2015
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part V - The Longest Day
As per my usual habit I awake at sunrise - or rather, I sleepily hobble out of my tent, because a sore, groggy motorcyclist extricating himself from a single-person tent at the ass crack of dawn of a cool morning is about as undignified an act as you can possibly witness - and go through my usual routine of fumbling with packing my gear into the impossibly tight confines of the stuff sacks from whence they will never again fit.
This uncivilized procedure is followed by the soothing effects of the day's first cigarette and an instant coffee prepared over a portable stove. If I'm feeling particularly thrifty I might make some instant oatmeal and skip the pleasure of a greasy breakfast, but today, on this damp morning, I'm feeling like I deserve something more substantial. Today's a day for my favourite practice of riding as long as I can stand on an empty stomach and stopping at whatever eatery happens into view when I can't suppress my hunger any longer.
Monday, 23 November 2015
Brittens at Barber - Meeting the Icons
I, like any other red-blooded motorcyclist, have cultivated a long-held fascination for the work of the late John Britten.
I don't recall the first time I heard about or saw a picture of a V1000. I do remember that I experienced the same reaction most people have when they first encounter a Britten: "what in the almighty hell is that?"
This amazement was followed by an intense curiosity spurred on by the extreme styling, the gaudy colours, the elemental design. After the shock of the whole subsides, the strange little details suddenly pop into your periphery. The machine becomes more and more fascinating the closer you look. Just what is this strange, organic machine painted in bright blue and pink livery?
Then, inevitably, you learn how the Britten came to be: the condensed and mythologized story of a man in a shed in New Zealand building a world-beating race bike, one that had the performance to dance with multi-million dollar factory efforts - and beat them fair and square on the track. You watch the documentaries; you read the articles detailing John's project and the astounding innovation on offer. You learn of his tragic death in 1995, and the myriad "what ifs" that followed his untimely passing. What if he had lived to continue building bikes? What would have been the next step? How could he have topped himself, after he had built one of the most astounding motorcycles of all time?
It's a powerful story, an engaging tale of the everyman beating the world and exposing the weaknesses of a large, lumbering industry mired in tradition in the process. A man with a vision and grim determination takes on the establishment with a home-built special, and does well enough to scare the shit out of the factory efforts - all the while inspiring the notoriously fickle motorcycle market to appreciate an alternative, first-principle design. It is the classic David versus Goliath story arc with a tragic end, one that fits into the Kiwi tradition of self-reliance and DIY ingenuity.
It's a good story, but it is one that is simplified to the point of fiction. The truth is that the story of John Britten and his machines is far more interesting and nuanced than the "man in a shed" myth would lead you to believe, and the motorcycles that Britten and his team produced from the late-1980s through to the mid-1990s are even more amazing than you thought they were.
Monday, 12 October 2015
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part IV - Mount St. Helens
The following day I hit the road alongside Neal. I learn very quickly that at this altitude the Tuono is even more of a homicidal maniac than I'm used to. When a car tries to cut me off in the early morning traffic I give it a handful in first gear to scoot past and the front instantly rockets skyward with the sort of alacrity that is both terrifying and endlessly entertaining. I apologize to Neal for drawing any unwanted attention and gesture to the luggage; the extra weight on the ass end makes this thing ridiculously wheelie happy.
I head down the I-5 through Seattle, painlessly bypassing most of the morning's commuters via the HOV and express lanes. While I'd love to stick around and check out the sights (the Museum of Flight is on my bucket list, but time is too limited this time around) my goal for today is a bit further south.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 10/12/2015 06:00:00 am 9 comments: Links to this post
Labels: coast, editorial, motorbike, motorcycle, mount st. helens, oddbike, oddbike usa tour, oregon, personal insanity, travel, volcano, washington
Monday, 5 October 2015
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part III - Into Smoke
I awake at dawn, the sunlight reduced to a dull grey glow filtered through the haze of smoke. It appears that the forest fire smoke has grown denser overnight, and a light coating of soot has formed on the tent and my bike by the time I emerge. I prepare a quick breakfast, my on-the-road staple of oatmeal and instant coffee, before I pack my things and prepare to hit the road - I have a lot of ground to cover today, as I'm aiming to be in the Seattle area by evening to meet with an OddBike follower who has offered me a place to stay.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 10/05/2015 06:00:00 am 8 comments: Links to this post
Monday, 21 September 2015
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part II - Clearing the Haze
My journey begins as they often do, early on a cold, grey morning punctuated by the gut-twisting anxiety I often struggle with whenever I'm about to embark into the unknown. Or pretty much every time I get up before sunrise and try to force a meal down when my bowels are going haywire from being awoken at such an ungodly hour. My best laid plans of departing just as the sun cracks over the horizon are usually derailed by a few visits to the bathroom before I even get my gear on, and suddenly my eager 6 AM departure becomes a leisurely roll out sometime around 8. So it was this morning, as per my usual, that I hobbled down to the parking garage with an armload of 30 pounds of luggage well after my intended start time while I silently cursed my overactive gut.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 9/21/2015 06:00:00 am 6 comments: Links to this post
Labels: alberta, aprilia, british columbia, editorial, motorbike, motorcycle, oddbike usa tour, personal insanity, syringa, travel, tuono
Sunday, 23 August 2015
OddBike USA Tour 2015: Part I - Prologue
Just a few more months. Everything you are doing is towards this goal. You need this trip. You need this escape.
Don't jeopardize it now.
I've been repeating this mantra in my head endlessly over the past several months, a process of self-medication to try and ease my tortured mind. It's a small but crucial balm to soothe my stress and bring my life back into focus.
Forget the drudgery of the day and the cruelty of working mindlessly, endlessly. The goal is on the horizon. Soon you can escape, however briefly.
Posted by Jason Cormier at 8/23/2015 06:00:00 am 12 comments: Links to this post
Labels: aprilia, editorial, existential crisis, motorbike, motorcycle, oddbike, oddbike usa tour, personal insanity, travel, tuono
Monday, 17 August 2015
OddBike Road Test: Harley-Davidson LiveWire
"No wheelies, no stoppies, no burnouts, no slingshotting."
It's the mantra of the Canadian test pilot, the phrase ingrained into our collective consciousness through years of steady conditioning. We can rattle off the rules as if they were our name, rank and serial number. Anyone in this country who dares to be so self-entitled as to request a test ride aboard a motorcycle they are considering for purchase will be subjected to the bane of our existence: the heavily regulated demo ride.
Canadian dealerships are notoriously strict when it comes to lending out bikes. Unless you are a good friend of a high-level employee, or frequent the sort of time-capsule mom-and-pop bike shops that are rapidly disappearing, odds are you will never be allowed to test ride a machine outside of a tightly controlled, fully supervised, predetermined demo route. Riding a bike that you haven't bought yet is a virtual impossibility when you are dealing with big-box dealerships. There are liability issues, don't you know. They could get sued. One moron wrote off a bike on an unsupervised test 10 years ago and they haven't let anyone so much as sit on a bike in the showroom without a salesperson being present and a waiver being signed since then.
So if you want to try out a bike before you sign the paperwork, you'd better sit tight and sign up well in advance for the one demo day that marque is hosting sometime in the next four months. Or do like most of us do: say "fuck it" and buy the thing anyway and deal with the disappointment of the moto rag reviews not matching the reality later.
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Help fund "The Story of the Britten V1000" on Indiegogo
The Goal
In October, 2015 a historic event will be held at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. As part of the 11th annual Barber Vintage Festival, a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of the iconic motorcycles produced by the late John Britten will be held, the first such reunion on North American soil.
A similar reunion was held in Britten's home town of Christchurch, New Zealand in February of this year and it proved to be a moving tribute to the legacy of a man and a team of enthusiastic supporters who left an astonishing mark on the motorcycle industry. The ten V1000s produced by Britten's team represented the pinnacle of road racing technology at the time, mixed with some of the most innovative experimentation in chassis design seen in the 1990s. These machines are icons and continue to stun onlookers some 20 years after John's untimely passing, 19 years after they were retired from racing.
They are my icon, the machine that has inspired me to pursue all that is weird and wonderful in motorcycles and to celebrate alternative ideas - and the people who pursue them. For the past year I have been quietly working on an in-depth profile of Britten's motorcycles, and this reunion represents the best chance I have to document the individual machines and interview the owners, riders, and participants in John Britten's attempt at conquering road racing.
So OddBike needs your help to attend the Barber Vintage Festival to further the research needed to complete this article. John Britten's story has been told many times, but never in a way that has fully explored the truth behind the creation of one of motorcycling's single greatest machines, or how a relatively tiny operation succeeded in doggedly pursuing a series of unusual ideas and advanced technology in a bespoke machine that has yet to be equalled in terms of public impact and racing success.
The Britten story is one that inspires breathless hyperbole, and for good reason, but the true story of how the V1000 came to be has not been properly addressed outside of a singular biography written by Tim Hanna (which, incidentally, I highly recommend reading). My aim is to apply my inimitable style of honest, accurate, and technically detailed writing to the Britten story and offer it for free consumption online. This work will be the crowning jewel of OddBike's archive of unusual motorcycles. I also intend to document my personal journey in researching this subject and examining the machines with a separate editorial piece.
Your support will directly contribute to the writing of this story, a long-form article that will be published on Odd-Bike.com as a free and honest tribute to one of the greatest motorcycles of all time and the people who made it happen.
The Expenses
The expenses that I am aiming to cover with this campaign are as follows:
Return airfare from Calgary to Birmingham - 600$
Ticket for "An Evening with Britten" charity dinner at the Barber Museum - Prices TBA, traditionally 150$
Three day admission to the Barber Vintage Festival - 80$
T-shirt and sticker printing, shipping fees, and Indiegogo fees - 170$
Further expenses will be out of my own pocket.
Other ways you can help
To keep expenses to a minimum I humbly ask if anyone in the Birmingham area has a spare couch or bed they can offer please contact me at jasonevariste (AT) gmail.com. I expect to arrive Wednesday October 7th and leave Monday October 12th.
If you are in town for the festival please get in touch with me, I'd be happy to meet with some of my followers for some BBQ and beer while I'm in Alabama!
As with the previous OddBike campaign, a few OddBike logo perks will be on offer to campaign supporters! I thank everyone in advance for helping fund this project, and I hope I can meet some of you at Barber - this reunion will be a once in a lifetime event and I would not recommend missing it!
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RMIT Research Repository
The RMIT Research Repository is an open access institutional repository providing free, searchable access to research publications authored by RMIT University staff and students.
RMIT Research Repository holds 37, 865 records - and counting!
Use Advanced Search to search by multiple criteria.
Daily Snapshot
- Hitch, D, Goldingay, S, Hosken, N, Lamaro, G, Macfarlane, S, Nihill, C, Ryan, J and Farrugia, D 2012, 'Academic skills and beyond: A resource based approach to support student success in higher education', Journal of Academic Language and Learning, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 29-41.
- Alshanbri, N, Khalfan, M and Maqsood, T 2016, 'Retention of knowledge within the private sector organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia', Middle-East Journal of Business, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 18-31.
- Bahfen, N 2011, 'Borderless Islam and the modern nation state', Intellectual Discourse, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 147-160.
- Jackson, M, O'Donnell, J and Cattlin, J 2016, 'Simple online privacy for Australia', First Monday, vol. 21, no. 7, pp. 1-11.
- Askitis, N and Zobel, J 2011, 'Redesigning the string hash table, burst trie, and BST to exploit cache', Journal of Experimental Algorithmics, vol. 15, no. 1, 1.7, pp. 1-61.
- Wallis, L, Bedford, A and Robinson, P 2012, 'Recent OHS performance in establishments in the Australian red meat industry', Journal of Health, Safety and Environment, vol. 28, no. 2, 225, pp. 1-18.
- Wang, B and Vongalis-Macrow, A 2012, 'Entrepreneurial training project in china: Retraining laid-off workers', International Education Journal, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 82-95.
- Johns, D 2014, 'Semiotic practices: A conceptual window on the post-prison experience', International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 98-112.
- Jaafaripourmaybody, J, Nemati, A, Salahi, E and Amin, M 2011, 'Effects of MWCNTs Dispersion on the Microstructure of Sol-Gel Derived Hydroxyapatite', International Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IJNN), vol. 6, no. 2, 7, pp. 114-124.
- Susanty, A, Putranto, A and Jie, F 2014, 'Optimisation of supplier selection with Taguchi loss function, analytic network process, and multi-choice goal programming', International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 155-178.
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I have tried using the SQLAlchemy methods load_only and defer to send only certain columns from the database, but I can't seem to get them to work.
Here is the code I am using:
query = db.session.query(Vendor).options(defer('ownerName', 'boxSize', 'boxes', 'lastPickUp', 'zone', 'code'))
return response( query )
*response is a custom jsonify method I wrote because of the specific needs of my application.
I'm expecting the response:
"Response": [
{ "address": "10th and SW Alder St", "city": "Portland, OR", "id": 1, "keywords": "Tacos, Mexican", "latitude": 45.5206464, "longitude": -122.68157559999997, "name": "Taco Ted", "phone": null, "website": null, },
But instead I'm getting:
"Response": [
{ "address": "10th and SW Alder St", "boxSize": null, "boxes": 10, "city": "Portland, OR", "code": "5678", "id": 1, "keywords": "Tacos, Mexican", "lastPickUp": "01/12/2014", "latitude": 45.5206464, "longitude": -122.68157559999997, "name": "Taco Ted", "ownerName": null, "phone": null, "website": null, "zone": 1 },
Which means my defer is being ignored. I have tried using load_only to solve this problem as well but both of them seem to make no difference. What am I missing here?
(If it makes any difference I'm using a sqlite database for development.)


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Most Rated Titles With Simone Cousteau
1. The Silent World (1956)
86 min | Documentary
This pioneering nature documentary investigates aquatic habitats in various locations around the world. It doesn't shy away from the brutality present in the natural world, but it also ... See full summary »
Directors: Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Louis Malle | Stars: Frédéric Dumas, Albert Falco, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, François Saout
Votes: 908
2. World Without Sun (1964)
93 min | Documentary
Fascinating underwater documentary filmed with hand-held cameras by frogmen and mostly filmed in deep-water seas from within a special designed batiscaff, by the Cousteau family of sea explorers.
Director: Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Votes: 254
3. Du grand large aux Grands Lacs (1982)
96 min | Documentary
Commander Cousteau and his Calypso team explore the St-Lawrence River and the Great Lakes of Canada. They make some evaluation of what happened to this great water system in the last 400 ... See full summary »
Directors: Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Jacques Gagné | Stars: Georges Wilson, Raymond Amaddio, Phillipe Beaudry, Capello
Votes: 10