text:
* Prices may differ from that shown
Fantastic apple product. I had one of these several years ago and now it is used by my mother after I gave it to her. It still works and she uses it when she walks the dog. I had it in blue and it looked great with the white earphones. I managed to put nearly 1000 songs on it and it was solid and easy to use. You could easily flick between songs and I spent hours and hours and hours pounding the tarmac (running) with all the best current beats blasting in my ears. the best thing I loved about it was that it was really compact and easy to use. It was lightweight and had a clip which you could clip to your trousers or your shirt. This made it ideal for running with or using in the gym as it wasn't cumbersome and didn't get in the way of exercise. You honestly didn't know it was there when you were exercising. A downside of that is that if the music wasn't playing you could easily drop it and not notice it was missing. I did this on several occasions but thankfully i manged to find it again.
Apple products are always stylish and cool and this one is no exception. You definately pay a premium for Apple products and there are certainly better cheaper alternatives but the apple ipod gives you a feel good factor which is unrivalled by its competitors. I fully recommend this product to people who want a lightweight mp3 player to help them exercise.
According to the (slightly smug looking) employee at an Apple Store. This piece of tech belongs in a museum. Although I admit that it has been surpassed by many new iPods. This one still deserves to have some relevance even now
Appearance and Build Quality
Aesthetically to be the device is gorgeous to look at, The shell is made from one sheet of steel meaning the curves gives the device an elegance that most MP3 players seem to lack. Although the monochrome screen is now primitive it still does what it needs to do and there is a backlight available to use if you wish to change track or album in a dark area. However this will drain the battery faster
The click-wheel for me is great it's simple with easy to understand icons and for the most part it is responsive when you take control of it making menu navigation simple
Also when I analyse the device the shell is sealed well with no holes or gaps appearing when there shouldn't be any. Cheap and nasty MP3 players such as the ones developed by Ikazu seem to neglect this aspect in the devices design.
The lock switch still does its job with great effiency, the earphone input still works after all these years which is incredible as friends of mine with much more up to date iPods often complain that the earphone output is often the first part of the device to get damaged which then restricts you to one ear phone
Battery Life
At the time of launch the battery life of these first generation iPod Mini hovered around the four hour mark which at the time was seen a huge flaw in an otherwise great device. If you were to pick up this model iPod now you might be able to get two hours of continuous play from a full charge. Time has definitely taken its affect. For the tech savvy, you could possibly look in to getting a replacement lithium ion battery but I do not know that for sure
Usability and Storage
The click wheel is easy to use and the menus are easy to navigate. 4GB of storage for me personally is not enough, It may of been suitable before but not anymore. Anyone who considered themselves to enjoy a wide array of music will be disappointed. I mean I love my death metal, black metal, trance, chip tune and anime theme tunes but 4GB cannot store all of what I want.
Flaws of this device are often a product of age and general wear and tear. However it still a functioning device that would serve as a trusty back up if you can buy one cheaply or find it hidden in your bedside table
Back in 2005, this was the first iPod I got. At the time it was amazing, I thought I'd never fill it with the claimed 1000 song capacity, so got this rather than the full sized iPod.
Compared to the big iPod of the time, it was much smaller, but these days it's thicker than the original iPad, and dwarfs an iPhone. So it takes up a lot of pocket space, but humans of 2005 didn't worry about that.
The Apple headphones at the time were the best I'd ever owned, but again, looking back they were awful. Of course, sound quality depended on the source file. Stuff ripped from CDs was good, poor quality mp3s from various websites, not so good.
4GB was touted by Apple as 1000 songs back then. I thought I would never find that many songs to fill it with, but I was wrong. Plus I actually filled it with just 500 songs; this was around the time I got into classic rock, and 9 minute or longer songs was the norm. I guess that's why Apple no longer show how many songs a product can hold in anything other than the small print, where it's all approximate.
The one major advantage of the iPod has always been how easy it is to use. I use this phrase quite a lot, but I'll do it again; even my nan could use it without any assistance, and she still has a CRT TV in her living room in 2012, so as you can imagine, is not technologically minded. But this simple yet effective interface is why the iPod has become the most popular music player in the world.
It was beautifully made, like all Apple products, but nowadays it feels too chunky in the hand, and the screen scratched too easily. It had a "my first iPod" feel about it, but by no means was that a bad thing.
I remember it taking a long time to transfer music across, but that was probably more down to the computer than the iPod.
There was one major flaw with the iPod mini, and that was the battery life. God only knows what they made them from, but after a few months I'd gone from the hours and hours of battery life claimed, to only just surviving a flight to Malaga, and by the end of it's life, I was getting half an hour maximum. Thankfully, battery tech has moved on in the last 7 years.
All in all then, not a bad effort, just a shame the batteries weren't made to last.
My iPod, my first, nearly my last.
My favourite?
Not quite but for the time this thing was the best.
A thousand songs in my pocket? Unheard of, for an affordable price? From apple? What on earth ...
But thats what was being offered here, this was the same iPod as the higher end versions, just slightly cut down and with a very cool - in my opinion - silver shell.
4 Gig of storage nowadays sounds pretty terrible for a stand alone player but back then, man it was great - I could fit a good portion of my music collection on it and the stuff that I couldn't get on there, I could just cycle on later on with the fantastic I tunes integration. It really was a marvel back then.
However, is it worth it today ? Well if you can get one that still works - and a battery that isn't totally dead hell yes it is, it's somewhat coming back into fashion, it's a little bit different than the other iPods all taking on the iPhone 4 look. In my opinion- they just don't look as good.
The only thing that's holding you back is the slightly tinny sound, which can easily be remedied with a decent set of headphones.
So go on, pick it up for a tenner on ebay - it's much cheaper than todays players, and it's stylings are just old enough to be retro.
When I wanted to replace my Ipod Shuffle a few months back for reasons explained in my review of said product, I began looking for something that would do a better job but was reasonably cheap. Seeing these going for a right bargain on Ebay, I decided to snap one up ~ both because the Mini's shape and style is somewhat iconic to the whole Ipod brand and because I wanted something that looked quite classic and retro at the same time. The Mini fulfills all of those criteria.
Like all Ipods the Mini is quite simple to use. Plug it into your computer and you can download, manage or edit your song list whilst it is charging as is pretty standard with all generic Ipods/ MP3's. It has a screen, not in colour, which allows you to see what is playing at any one time on your Ipod and all the main functions are controlled by a Pin-Wheel dial which you rotate to highlight the option you want to use. At 4 GB, this Ipod can hold a fair number of songs and has a volume control activated by the Pin-Wheel which turns the sound up or down as you require. Also available is the option to change the Graphic Equaliser settings depending on what music you are listening to.
I really like this Ipod and find it small, compact and extremely light-weight to carry. It is obviously larger than my old Shuffle but that is more than compensated by the amount of control you are given over what music you want to listen to and how loud or quiet you want it!
Okay so there are better Ipods out there, my wife has a Touch and simply raves about it, but this Mini has a style all of its own and an individual identity instead of just looking like an IPhone but with less whistles and bells.
It is perhaps not the greatest or best of the extensive Ipod range but I believe it has much to recommend it and, in an age when it is still all about retro and nostalgia, there is still a lot of demand for something this sleek and stylish and does everything I would wish of it with no exceptions!
This was one of the first iPods I ever had and it was pretty good, although back then, considering the features it did have, it wasn't that reliable and sometimes messed up as it got older. The iPods today tend to run a lot more smoothly. This was the mini version of the original iPod and it had a screen, although not in colour, it coud light up. The iPod mini is available in many colours such as pink, green, silver, red and blue.
The battery on this iPod was actually pretty good - it'd last for a good few days quite easily of fair use. The iPod Mini is even heavier than the iPod Touch today but it's small compared to the classic size. However this has an effect on it's memory as it can only hold 4GB of songs, which is around 1000. This isn't too bad but you cannot carry any photos or videos on the iPod - purely music. The iPod does have a few games on it including the classic brick game and a parachute and cards game. There is also a music game, which is played with your own music where clips are played and you must select the song as quickly as possible from the list.
The iPod mini is pretty easy to use. It has the classic scroll wheel design - you scroll the menus by moving your finger along the outer wheel, on which there are 4 buttons as controls. In the middle of the wheel is one last button, which is used to select titles on the menus. The screen isn't large compared to the size of the iPod but it's useful having it - in a way, you are getting a good size storage and a screen for a cheaper price than you would pay for the latest iPod Shuffle, which lacks both of these really. The main problem with this iPod nowadays is the weight.
It was fairly reliable to start. Songs upload onto it very quickly, taking around 5 seconds each, which I found amazing at first. However it started to mess up as it got older - skipping songs when I would press 'forward' through them and sometimes freezing before spontaneously un-freezing again. It did this for a while but was still working alright so I sold it on at the time to upgrade my iPod. Nowadays it can be bought for around £10, which is great really. I'd still recommend it as an iPod to be taken out, but not as a more portable one or for things such as the gym/exercise as it's a bit too heavy and ironically large for this.
Thanks for reading
Everyone went crazy over the portable MP3 player when it was first released. It is hard to believe that only five years ago, no-one could believe you could hold thousand songs on a device not much bigger than a cigarette packet.
The iPod mini meant being able to take your hundreds of Cd's gathering dust on a shelf and taking them with you wherever you go. It came in a huge range of colours and was good value- which is why the world went crazy for them.
When I first purchased the iPod mini (in pink) I immediately downloaded itunes, ripped my cd's and synced up the ipod. It took quite a while but I had absolutely no problems with it.
The playback quality was great and although the quality of the earphones was not great, I found them to be satisfactory given that they were free!
Although the ipod mini's interface was simple, it did have a few good features. The ability to make playlists, for example, was great because you could separate your music into different moods, genres etc. I also used the "on the go" playlist frequently, which meant you could make playlists even when away from the computer. There was also games on the ipod, my favourite being where you were played a brief clip of a song and were given points based on how long it took you to come up with the right answer.
The battery life of the iPod mini was fine, but nothing compared to today's standards. I found myself having to charge it every other day. The poorer battery life also meant the screen wasn't very bright but as the screen was monochrome, it was not hugely relevant.
The iPod mini revolutionised music. I will always have fond memories of it and, although basic, it did exactly what it set out to do- give you thousands of songs at your fingertips wherever you are.
This was the first iPod I ever had and back in the day it was superb. Everyone was buying one of these as they were smaller than the originals and came in loads of bright colours including blue, green, red, silver and pink. I got the silver one myself for my birthday with an inscription on it, so it was a special gift at the time!
It was excellent as it was the first MP3 player I had and literally found it amazing at the time as to how fast my songs would upload onto the iPod. Each song took around 5 seconds on average, which was totally new for me. The iPod nowadays is seen as more of a classic and the only ones being sold are second hand, which can be bought for £15-25 depending on condition - you can search for them on eBay.
The iPod isn't small compared to the nano for instance today but it was considerably smaller back when it was released than the classic. It has a slightly shiny paint on it compared to a boring matt colour so it looks great and modern. The classic scroll wheel is on the bottom half with the play/pause button at the bottom of the outer wheel, the menu button on top of the wheel and 'skip' buttons to either side. The button in the centre is 'select' and these are all white. The whole scroll wheel and button did tend to get a bit dirty through use, which wasn't great.
The scroll wheel is touch sensitive and you can scroll through the menus smoothly. The screen has a backlight, which you can turn on and off. This is pretty good for use in the dark. You can play music on this iPod as well as a few games including the music game, where you guess the song being played out of the choices displayed, a parachute game and solitaire too. It's nothing compared to the latest iPod Touch where you can download 1000s of Apps!
The iPod is very easy to use and yo can sync all your music from your computer via iTunes, which is easiest. It takes around 5 seconds a song and this iPod being 4GB can hold just under 1000 songs on average. I'd like to think it's quite cool to still have and be using one of these nowadays as it's quite 'old school' but I'm sure a lot of people revert to phones and newer iPods and MP3 players today. It originally comes with a slightly older pair of the official Apple earphones, which weren't great but you can buy other ones nowadays such as the Sennheiser CX 300 ii's, which are excellent for their great price of under £20 online.
Thanks for reading!
The sound quality on the ipod mini is, as ever with ipods, crystal clear. The ipod mini's features are standard but good nonetheless - I would recommend you avoid playing the included Solitaire game though, as I think it may actually be impossible to win. In terms of design, this is one of the best ipods I've ever owned, including the new generation versions. The ipod mini is lightweight and (as suggested by its name) absolutely tiny, meaning you can take it for a jog with you and not even feel its weight. The touch system and on-screen format is also even easier - and certainly less fiddly - to use than newer editions of the ipod. There is only one major niggle for me - there were times when my ipod would turn itself on at random without me realising, instantly wearing the battery down. This would become very annoying when I was heading on a long journey somewhere, set out, and lo and behold, the ipod is out, trapped with nothing but boredom for a few hours... However, this happened rarely and may just be a personal problem (I doubt it happens to all copies of this model) and there are no other real issues to be had with the device, albeit I did have to send the first ipod mini I received to be replaced, although that was simply a one-off, faulty model. Obviously with a 4GB model low storage space is a factor - if you're a big music fan with a vast collection of tunes then opt for something with a much higher GB rate. But if you're just a casual listener instead - as I am - then this may be the ipod for you.
I have owned many different mp3 players over the years and my iPod Mini has outlasted most of them! It is well built, with good menu's and it is very intuitive and easy to use! It came with a real proper charger which is unusual in these days of USB charging! It integrates well with my itunes on the computer, and has fairly good sound quality, and I have dropped it countless times, and it is still going strong...! It feels very big now compared to my ipod nano, but at the time was cutting edge in terms of size and capability! It has however been prone to scratches, as it is encased in metal and would be better protected being put into a silicone case of some sort. I love Apples click wheel design, and it is put to good use in the ipod mini, a great mp3 player.
~ It's Kind of Magic ~ Short review!!
I have had my Apple Mini Ipod for nearly five years now and I think they are brilliant. My ex boyfriend brought me this back in 2005 for my birthday and I am very happy with it. I don't use it as much as I use to now as I have a car but I do use it in there sometimes. I remember wanting one because my sister had got one a few months before and I thought they looked really good. They weren't the newest Ipod's out but it just sounded what I needed at the time. When I first got the Ipod until the last year I would listen to it every day to and from college.
In the four and three quarter years I have had the machine it has given me no problems what so ever. I have known some peoples to crash and have problems with the battery, mine has decreased over the time but it is not really bad. I am amazed really that even though it is quite old now compared to the newest gadgets, it still plays all my songs and has a good battery life.
The Apple Ipod Mini was released in 2004 and became popular straight away. MP3 players were the new craze as cd players went out of fashion. The public choose the MP3 player because they were lighter and more convenient to carry around. I remember having a old CD player on the bus to school, all those CD's you had to bring with you and then you would have to change it if you got bored.
It uses a touch sensitive wheel that you use to scroll quickly through songs and options. The click wheel is now used on other Ipod's due to it's success on the mini. There were two versions of the Ipod mini brought out but both pretty much had identical features. The only difference was that the first has 4GB storage while the second version had 6GB. The mini was brought out in all different colours, pink, blue, silver and green were the favourites. When released Apple wanted to storm the shops with this new music player but after the first year sales dropped as they made a new successor.
The Ipod Mini even though should have a payable time of 8 hours before the battery runs out, the batteries doe decrease over time. Many started to go wrong and there were a lot of Ipods that crashed or froze. The Ipod nano was released in September 2005 and the mini fizzled out.
Size- Width 5.1cm, Depth 1.3cm, height 9.1cm, Weight 103g.
Colours- All Colours but mine was pink.
Power- Lithium-ion Battery
Connectivity- USB 2.0, Dock Connector, Firewire.
Media- 4GB (1,000 - 1,500 songs ) or 6GB.
I really like the way the mini looks and think it is classy and straightforward. The touch sensitive wheel is located in the centre and is surrounded by the four buttons of play/pause, fast forward, rewind and the menu button. The buttons in the centre are white making the pink brighter. On the back of the Ipod is the Apple logo and serial number in small writing at the bottom. The rest of it is just colour and more colours.
At the top there is a hold button like the CD players had, to stop it jumping or skipping while on the move. The connective slot can be found on the bottom and the headphones socket at the top next to the hold button. The menu is easy to use and the backlight is helpful for finding what you want when it is dark.
As mentioned already the Ipod Mini is really easy to use. There are not a lot of different options to make it complicated and everything is explained with the instruction manual. The menu button allows you to scroll through the options which I think is a quick and efficient way. Scrolling it clockwise will go forward and backward to go back. The menu lets you select songs by artist, song or album and also choose the shuffle songs option.
I really like my Ipod mini and think I would not change it for anything newer. It is very durable and easy to carry around as you get a white holder to clip on your waist.
For me it had enough memory on it to store my music and I think I would not want any more than that, as I got bored of the same stuff and just updated it now and then. I brought a protective case with a tiger print on it to help protect it from scratches and damage which it did brilliantly. You could buy all different funky cases to make your Ipod more personal to you and the cases could be picked up very cheap.
It is a real shame that Apply decided to discontinue this product as they are really good and reliable. I will be sad when my Ipod does finally crack with old age as I would not be sure if I would want a nano or newer Ipod. The Ipod mini is simple to use and has a classic look. Even though it is not the smallest machine in the world it was hard to loose and the screen was a nice display size. The Ipod was quite heavy and bulky but I would prefer it that way to the small nano as I would easily loose it.
The only one nig negative I have now while using my Ipod is that I cannot update it anymore. My laptop with all my songs crashed a while ago and had to be wiped and started again. Even though I can download itunes again and load it up, all the songs on my Ipod will be wiped. It would take me a while to get it back to normal and add more newest songs on there. One thing I also hate is the connective USB leads. I always used to loose mine and it was annoying to have to plug it in every time it needed charging. Now it is good as it can charge while playing in my car.
Website- www.apple.com/uk/ipodmini/
Thanks for reading- also on Ciao x x
I've had my iPod mini since '05 and it's still going strong. Since buying my mini I've "upgraded" twice to other ipods (both video models) which have both broken. I therefore find myself walking to work everyday listening to my mini, even though I do own two more advanced models.
There are, however, a couple of issues that I feel I must raise. Firstly, I've had connectivity issues in the past, that is to say that I've plugged the iPod into the PC and it hasn't been recognised by iTunes. These have almost always been mysterious yet easy to solve by updating the iPod software.
Secondly, I've noticed that the battery life isn't what it used to be, I think that I'm probably getting about 3-4 hours out of it whereas when it was new I was getting more like 5-6 hours. Still, this is to be expected with a rechargeable battery over time.
For me, the best thing about this product is its durability, I've dropped it alot, got it wet and used it in extremely cold weather and had no problems with it's operation.
If my mini stopped working tomorrow I would probably choose to buy another mini over a more expensive, higher capacity iPod simply because I know that it wont let me down.
I've had my mini for at least 2005 and is a 2nd generation model. This excellent device has served me well since bought and I have had no troubles with it at all. It has all the basic functions you would expect. It plays music, has a calendar, and even has a few basic games.
Whilst the screen is only a basic LCD with no colour, the back light is strong enough so you will always know what's on screen. I have even used it as a search light one or twice.
The famous ipod click wheel is still as reliable as the day it was bought. All the buttons you need for a music player are easily located and large enough so you don't press the wrong one by accident. The wheel only seems to be responsive to skin as when I have used it with a glove on, no response was gained and I had to take my gloves off to use it.
The mini has a battery life of 12 + hours of play depending on how often you use it which is perfect for long journeys or just for a weekend away without a recharge. The battery can be recharged easily via any USB port. I sometimes charge mine via my Xbox 360. You can listen to music whilst it charges which is a very useful feature.
4GB of HDD space is more than enough to house all of my music needs with plenty of space left over to store regular files. The extra space can be used to back up your music library should it be small enough.
The mini still works as well as ever with iTunes even with all the new iPod versions released and new versions of iTunes.
The mini comes with a USB cable and a handy clip on which is useful for sports activities. However, the headphones are not the best and broke quite easily.
Overall I can say that I hope my mini never brakes as it is perfect for my music needs.
I got my iPod Mini when they first came out for £115. I got a 4GB, silver mini.
They looked very nice when i first got it and it still does look good, apart from its thickness. I have got a case for mine so there are no scratches on it. I have dropped the ipod once or twice but due to the size it does not really get damaged.
The iPod holds about 75 hours worth of music which is enough becasue you are not really going to listen to 75 hours worth of music at any one time. It is simple to use and the scroll wheel is pretty cool.
The iPod is pretty outdated now and doesn't support video, only music. You can add contacts to it and there is an alarm clock. 3 games come with the iPod, including the parachute and brick game.
One feature i do like is the On The Go playlist creation. You can easily make playlists whilst on the go by just holding down the centre button. You can then save the playlist for future use as well.
Overall i would give the iPod Mini an 8/10. It has served me very well but it is a little outdated now!
I managed to get hold of an ipod mini off one of my friends for a very cheap price of £40 at the time, this was when the ipod mini was in its prime, its not soo many anymore buts still a great item to have if my other ipod was to pack in one day. I can't believe the longetivity of the battery life, i have had it for over 4 years now and the battery is still going, although i hardly use it anymore, i used it for a solid 2 years on most days.
The ipod in size is not acutally that mini but its very durable and may weight quite a bit more than many new versions which have now been released. The sound quality is very good and the ipod holds about 1000 songs based on the size and length of the mp3 file you are putting on it.
will be available very cheap now, could be worth a buy.


text:
Singer who doesn't run.
yap, thanks for putting the link in this thread! I'd been going to the first page of the "Get on the graph" sticky.
bouncy, it's hilarious how differently VFF's can fit. I have two pair of KSO's, and one is definitely looser than the other. I have a pair of Komodosports, which I LOVE, and they're looser than the KSO's. And I have a pair of KSO Treks in black, which I wear for my Sunday shoes, and they're the tightest of all. I was sort of hoping the kangaroo leather would stretch a little, but since I only wear them for about four hours once a week, I guess they don't get much chance. I can't run in normal shoes any more, it makes my feet hurt! I think I'll bust out my huaraches for tomorrow's run, though. I ran in them a couple of times and got blisters, but my mileage is lower with c25k, and I think it would really help settle my form a bit. And it shouldn't be too cold yet.
When it's all said and done, no one remembers how far we have run. The only thing that matters is how we have loved.
By the way, if we have 110 views, we MUST have people lurking ... come out of the closet, fuzzy monsters!
On the road again...
By the way, if we have 110 views, we MUST have people lurking ... come out of the closet, fuzzy monsters!
Either that or the 3 of us are awfully bored.
I have a love/hate relationship with running. I do it, but sometimes I love to hate it.
I'm a transfer from "that other site". I'm used to enormous amounts of rapid conversations. These people who look but don't talk are weird to me ...
Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k
I'm still here, but haven't had much keyboard time of late. Was out of the country for a few weeks, then to many Dr appts when we got back and now recovering from an ugly, painful half marathon... Besides that I registered for another one on 1/13/13...LOL
bob e v 2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?
Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full
Break the 1000 mi barrier!
History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.
A sucker for punishment, huh? Welcome back, and hope your dr. appts have gone well!!
Thanks HM, Dr apts went well I guess. Have more tests and a month of antibiotics to see if PSA drops. The VA did an ultrasound of my Carotid arteries and I'll get the results at January physical. 2013 could be a continuation of 2012's challenges... sigh
What half are you doing?
My next half is the 3M Half Marathon on 1/13/13. Its a point to point with finish at lower elevation than the start. I did it last year but bladder problems and lack of real training plan caused what was worst half until Decker Challenge last week! Need to break that trend! LOL
Yeah, it would be nice if your halfs got better instead of worse! I screwed my knee up in July, so I've been off for basically five months. Now I have to keep reminding myself that it will take five more months to get back to where I was (it might not, but I'd rather think pessimistically and be surprised). I should be running well again around May.
Runner's legs I have not
I'm so new to this whole gig (can't really count when I was running in school...) that I am coming out of a place where I was/am so out of shape that it seems preposterous that I would entertain the thought of running! So I can relate to the training-slower-than-you-think-you-are-capable-of mindset. I am able to learn so much from reading what seasoned runners have to say on the subject, so I appreciate your sharing.
However, today was W4D1 and I completed FIVE intervals of running for four minutes and recovering for one. I did not stop during any of it and ran the entire four minute intervals but it was all I could do! I was a bit of a bonehead when I chose my route and finished my last interval on an incline - oops! The mystery of perfect timing was evident when Todd Lange announced in my ear that I had one more minute to go and I was huffing and puffing away - barely going forward - and my brother passed by on his way back from town and honked his car horn. Let me just say that a neat little adrenalin surge like that will do wonders for helping you continue that last little bit of struggle!! If your heart can take it, I highly recommend it
Hope everyone has a great week!
HopesMom, how's the singing going? Still have a jam-packed schedule?
BB - nice job on that workout!
Hi Bouncy!! Glad to have you back on the forums, and woo-hoo for your workout! I left my Garmin with DH this morning, asking him to program the week 3 workout in, so that I don't have to remember how far to run and when to walk!
Singing, mostly it's done. I have one more performance on Thursday, and then our chorus is singing for the town's New Year's Eve celebration. Luckily we're singing at 3:00 and 4:15 ... I'm not sure I can stay awake until midnight!!
Finished W3D1, woo-hoo!! A few twinges from my knee, but after I consciously relaxed my lower body it settled down a bit. I forgot to ice afterwards, though. Oops!! Swimming today.
Hi everyone,
i'm a seasoned runner who went back to school a year ago and since then has a pretty hard time doing it all (family, work, school, friends, running/exercising, etc.). I used to be a long distance runner, but since going back to school, I'm an inconsistent, very short distance runner. And since school started again in September after a well-deserved summer break, I didn't do any running at all.
Trying to get back into regular running I've decided running on a treadmill is not a bad thing, if it keeps me running. And since I didn't do any running since September, a version of C25K seems the right way to do it. Now, I'm not following C25K as is, cause my body remembered how to run pretty quickly, so please do not compare your schedule to mine. But this group seems the right place for some motivation to stay on top of it and just so you know, I'm in week 2/day 2 of my version of C25K.
Happy running everyone
Dutchie I go running in the early morning, before my brain figures out what I'm up to.
Run the day, or the day runs you.
Actions determine state of mind - Aristotle

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Def Leppard performs at the Gibson Amphitheatre on Sept. 7
Photo: The Recording Academy
Def Leppard
Welcome to The Set List. Here you'll find the latest concert recaps for many of your favorite, or maybe not so favorite, artists. Our bloggers will do their best to provide you with every detail of the show, from which songs were on the set list to what the artist was wearing to which out-of-control fan made a scene. Hey, it'll be like you were there. And if you like what you read, we'll even let you know where you can catch the artist on tour. Feel free to drop us a comment and let us know your concert experience. Oh, and rock on.
By Jamie Harvey
Universal City, Calif.
As a child of the '80s, I grew up on a steady diet of MTV and radio hits. This particular concert on Sept. 7 at the Gibson Amphitheatre showcased two of the bands that reigned over those airwaves: Heart and Def Leppard.
After Heart wrapped up the "she said" portion of their timeless love songs, Def Leppard — consisting of Phil Collen (guitar), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Joe Elliott (vocals), Rick Savage (bass), and Rick Allen (drums) — took over the stage by kicking off their set with "Undefeated," a new track off their recent live album Mirror Ball: Live & More. In thinking about the band as they set out to entertain us for the evening, "undefeated" really does sum them up. Despite Allen losing an arm in a 1984 car wreck and former guitarist Steve Clark dying from a drug overdose in 1991, the band has soldiered on, cranking out feel-good hits along the way such as "Let's Get Rocked." That takes determination. I would have probably changed genres to death metal.
The crowd sang and swayed as the hits started flowing. Bands from this era really know how to utilize the full stage — there were stairs leading onto risers at the back of the stage that kept the band in constant motion, not to mention the catwalk out into the crowd. The screens behind the stage showed Def Leppard music videos, photos and classic footage as this tour is in support of Mirror Ball: Live & More, a three-disc reflection on the band's history.
"Foolin'" and "Love Bites" put anyone who was around in the '80s right back in that place, whether it be at an awkward school dance or cruising down the road with the stereo blaring when the world was a very different place.
"Two Steps Behind" and "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" brought the band to the catwalk for the acoustic portion of the set. The couples in the crowd seemed to be starring in their own '80s video, where everything moves in slow motion and there's a gauzy filter to everything you see. There was a departure from the rock ballads with the heavier instrumental "Switch 625," a point in the set when I forgot about the lyrics and focused on the musicianship.
The main set ended with "Photograph" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me," one of the ultimate rock dance songs. This sealed the deal of a good time for everyone involved. For the encore, Def Leppard came back with "Rock Of Ages," which is exactly what they have done — provided rock music for the ages.
"Let's Get Rocked"
"Love Bites"
"Rock On"
"Two Steps Behind"
"Bringin' On The Heartbreak"
"Switch 625"
"Armageddon It"
"Pour Some Sugar On Me"
"Rock Of Ages"
To catch Def Leppard in a city near you, click here for tour dates.
(Texas-based Jamie Harvey is the rock community blogger for GRAMMY.com. She attended 112 shows in 2010. You can follow her musical adventures and concert recaps at www.hardrockchick.com.)


text:
Doubling Pennies
Date: 11/26/96 at 06:41:26 From: Valerie Subject: Accumulative math I had to start with a penny, double it daily for 30 days, and know the total number for the month. I came up with 1,073,741,839. I did 1+1=2+2=4+4=8+8...etc. then added them all up. Was there an easier way? Some formula? While using a calculator, I figured out that I could take the answer times itself + 1 rather than typing the number twice. It still took a long time, though. Any suggestions?
Date: 11/26/96 at 08:16:40 From: Doctor Jerry Subject: Re: Accumulative math Valerie, Your answer is very, very close to the answer I got, which is 1,073,741,823. Good work! Here are two suggestions that will drastically reduce the amount of time needed for such calculations. Many calculators have an "exponentiation" key. Sometimes it is marked with a a "y to the x" symbol. This symbol is written as the letter y and the letter x, with the letter x written just to the right and above the letter y. We often write that as y^x. The meaning is given by the following examples: 2^3 = 2*2*2 = 8 4^2 = 4*4 = 16. y^x means to multiply y by itself x times. So, if you want to calculate 2^(10), which is 2*2*2*...*2 (ten factors in all), your calculator should give 1,024. Here's a way of thinking about the penny problem. On day 1 you have 1 penney. On day 2 you have 1+2 = 3 pennies. Notice that this is 1 less than 4 pennies and 4 pennies is 2^2 = 2*2. On day 3 you have 1+2+4 = 7 pennies. Notice that this is 1 less than 8 pennies and 8 pennies is 2^3 = 2*2*2. On day 4 you have 1+2+4+8=15 pennies. Notice that this is 1 less than 16 pennies and 16 pennies is 2^4 = 2*2*2*2. The pattern is very strong. We can with confidence say that on day 30 you will have 1 less than 2^(30) pennies. My calculator gives 2^(30) = 1,073,741,824. So the number of pennies is 1,073,741,824 - 1 = 1,073,741,823. There's a puzzle question that's been around a long, long time. It's similar to your question. Here it is: If on the first square of a checkerboard you place 1 grain of wheat, on the second square you put 2 grains of wheat, on the third square you put 4 grains of wheat, and continue this way, doubling the amount of wheat you put down on each square, will the amount of wheat required to fill all 64 squares of the checkerboard be the amount in a bushel, or the amount grown by one farmer in Kansas, or the amount grown by two farmers in Kansas, or something like the entire wheat production of Canada, or what? When you take algebra, you will probably learn the formula for the sum of what is called a geometric progression. -Doctor Jerry, The Math Forum Check out our web site! http://mathforum.org/dr.math/
Search the Dr. Math Library:
[Privacy Policy] [Terms of Use]
Ask Dr. MathTM
© 1994- The Math Forum at NCTM. All rights reserved.


text:
I've un-installed and re-installed ZoneAlarm, but nothing seems to work.
My DHCP and DNS servers are in the firewall zone as Trusted.
My Windows Firewall is turned off.
I cannot figure out what is going on.
This happened yesterday and the only thing I know is a Windows update installed yesterday for Windows Defender called KB915597. Could this be causing an issue with ZoneAlarm?
Any ideas on how to fix it?


text:
KEXP Reviews
|Browse by one of the following:
- (Tinder)
This Malian singer/guitarist's impressive US debut mixes traditional Mandingo music with the more bluesy Bambara style and Afro-Cuban music. Sissoko has an appealing gruff vocal style, and his intricate, lyrical guitar work is just fabulous. 7/15/2001 - Don Yates
Soleil de Minuit - 8/15/2001


text:
Top prospect Fried slowed by forearm soreness
By Corey Brock / MLB.com
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Minor League pitcher Max Fried, the Padres' No. 1 prospect according to MLB.com, will start throwing in 10 to 14 days, after being slowed with a sore left forearm.
Fried had an exam over the weekend and reported no pain in his forearm. He will continue to work with the team's strength and conditioning staff before he's cleared to start pitching.
Fried, who will begin the season with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore of the California League, might miss some time at the beginning of the regular season in April, although not much, said Randy Smith, the Padres' vice president of player development.
Fried was scheduled to take part in the team's annual prospect minicamp but he reported soreness in his left forearm when he arrived in Peoria last month.
Fried, who turned 20 in January, has gone 6-8 with a 3.50 ERA in 136 1/3 professional innings, nearly all of them coming last year in his first full professional season with Class A Fort Wayne of the Midwest League.
Quentin finally gets a chance to test out knee
PEORIA, Ariz. -- When Carlos Quentin stepped into the box in the second inning Tuesday, it marked the first time he had faced live pitching in a game in just over seven months.
That point certainly wasn't lost on the Padres' left fielder.
"I thought about that yesterday, that I hadn't been out there in a while," Quentin said. "The live BP [in workouts] was interesting and was good, but you need a game to gauge where you're at, and to see the ball out of the pitcher's hand."
In that regard, Quentin's spring debut against the D-backs rated as a smashing success, as he hit a solo home run well over the fence in left field off Randall Delgado. He grounded out in the only other at-bat.
The last game Quentin appeared in was on July 30 of last season, as he was shut down because of pain in his right knee, which eventually needed surgery.
Quentin's home run off Delgado came on a 3-0 count and that fact that he swung at the pitch rated as something as a rarity -- and maybe something he wouldn't do in the regular season.
"Not necessarily," Quentin said. "It's something you have to work on. You either feel comfortable doing it or you don't. To be honest, I'm not usually comfortable doing it."
Quentin, who had surgery in August to remove debris and floating particles from his knee, was the last of the Padres' regular position players to make his Cactus League debut. The team isn't exactly easing him into games so much as wanting him to be healthy when the team breaks camp later this month.
Quentin got to show off the new stance he worked on a year ago with hitting coaches Phil Plantier and Alonzo Powell, which has him more upright in order to take pressure off his knees.
"When I first did it, I was fortunate to have some success with it and have some consistency with it," Quentin said of his stance. "This stance is a function of getting me on the field [more]."
Since the Padres traded for him on Dec. 31, 2011, he's had three knee surgeries.
Black being overly cautious with Street's strained groin
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Closer Huston Street's first Cactus League appearance of the spring is on temporary hold after he suffered a slight groin pull last week.
How slight?
"Slight, slight, slight," said Padres manager Bud Black.
Because relievers don't need as many innings or appearances to get ready for the regular season, the Padres are taking the cautious route with Street.
"We're just being cautious and overly protective," Black said. "There's no schedule when he's going to pitch in a game. But he'll be fine. He wants to pitch."
When asked about the injury Tuesday morning, Street didn't seem too concerned.
"It's typical Spring Training tightness," Street said, before going off for treatment in the training room. "I'll be fine. I'll be in there soon."
The Padres won't have any trouble filling innings, as the team has yet to make a cut in camp and there are still 30 pitchers in big league camp, with no scheduled "B" games set aside to get pitchers extra work.
Maybin to meet with doctors, may need surgery
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Manager Bud Black said outfielder Cameron Maybin, who will miss two to three months after rupturing his left biceps tendon, will meet with the Padres' doctors later this week in San Diego to determine if surgery is needed.
"It's still way too early to come up with anything definitive in terms of a course of action," Black said of Maybin. "We'll know more in a week to 10 days."
Maybin injured himself making a diving catch Sunday against the Dodgers and left the game with what the team originally feared was a shoulder injury. However, an MRI on Monday revealed that he did not suffer any damage to the shoulder capsule or rotator cuff.
Black said it will ultimately be Maybin's call if he wants to have surgery or not. The surgery, of course, could alter the timeline as to when Maybin will play. But the Padres are fairly certain that he will play sometime during the regular season.
In 2013, Maybin was limited to 14 games after spending time on the disabled list with an impingement to his right wrist, which later required season-ending surgery. He also missed time after he tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. Keep track of @FollowThePadres on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: I've got some family and friends who are interested in getting emailed pics and reports while I'm out on a ride the next few weeks and want to know if anyone here can offer advice about the best way to post pics while on the road. Right now I can certainly use my iPhone to take and post crappy pics when I am in range of 3g or WiFi, but I was wondering if anyone could offer some options for posting up the good photos I snap with my Canon S95. Suggestions?


text:
I recently bought a Xonar DSX and plugged it in my PC today. I always used both rear analog outputs and front panel outputs with my Z68's realtek 892a and my old audigy 2. I use rear analog ports to listen to my music with my 2x70W analog speakers. I generally play MMOs so I crank up music volume and use a headset to communicate with team/squad mates on Teamspeak or ventrilio. both audigy 2ZS and realtek maps 2 different devices for rear analog output and FP output but Xonar has only 1 device.
my case is enermax chakra and i have only 1 FP audio connector. It's not yellow as über chakra and it only says "audio". So I'm not really sure it's HD or AC97 compatible. Enermax thinks it's "AC97/HD compatible". Is it a compatibility issue or am I doing something wrong ?
Most importantly, How can I enable FP as a seperate device so I can keep my comm up while listening to the music on the background ?
edit: there is a "click" noise when I switch between FP&rear output. Is this normal ??


text:
|This LocalMilfs.co.uk
UK website is coming very soon and it's going to be THE place online to
find a hot Milf date and have Milf sex local to the UK and
Great Britain. Remember LocalMilfs.co.uk
name or bookmark this page
and get ready to hookup and have great sex with all the UK Local Milfs you
could possibly handle !!
|Until this Local Milf UK Dating website is live, if you are from the UK and horny for some adult dating smashups then please join our free UK only SmashYourFriends.co.uk website and find horny willing local friends that are up for smashing with you.
|It's fun, it's private, it's very discreet and it's all free…
Smash with Local Friends Tonight !!


text:
Left tackle Bryan Bulaga played 30 snaps in the Green Bay Packers' scrimmage Saturday night at Lambeau Field. It turns out Aaron Rodgers' blind-side protector played many of them with a season-ending torn ACL.
The Packers' medical staff diagnosed the injury Monday morning, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and a source confirmed the diagnosis. The Journal Sentinel reported late Sunday that Bulaga was injured.
MORE: Make-or-break season for Bulaga | Crosby awful | Jennings apologizes to Rodgers
Bulaga was scheduled to get a second opinion on the injury from orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, Bulaga's father, Joe, told Hub Arkush of hubarkush.com. (via ESPN Milwaukee's Jason Wilde).
"We're waiting to see what he has to say," Arkush quoted Joe Bulaga as saying. "Bryan said it feels good and he was able to finish the drills (after the injury). Right now we're just sitting and waiting."
Bulaga complained about his knee after practice—which he spent the majority of limping after a "nasty fall" early on—and received attention Sunday, sources told the Sentinel.
The Packers canceled Monday's practice and all media availability for the day. A Packers spokesman told reporters, including Wilde, that practice was canceled for a team-building function. Quarterback Vince Young was scheduled to work out for the Packers on Monday, according to reports.
The Packers could move right tackle Marshall Newhouse back to the left side, where he played last season. Bulaga and Newhouse were flip-flopepd in the offseason to help shore up a line that allowed Rodgers to be sacked an NFL-worst 51 times in 2012.
Green Bay also could replace Bulaga with rookie David Bakhtiari, who has been getting snaps with the starters. The Journal Sentinel reported that 2011 first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod still isn't ready to return from a leg injury he suffered late in his rookie year.
Bulaga missed the last seven games of the regular season and the playoffs with a fractured hip, but had been healthy for the start of training camp.
Contributing: Tadd Haislop, David Steele, Tom Gatto


text:
Ceramide Lift And Firm Makeup Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 15 Toast
Dosage form: cream
Ingredients: OCTINOXATE 1.28g in 32g, TITANIUM DIOXIDE 0.96g in 32g
Labeler: Elizabeth Arden, Inc
NDC Code: 67938-0947
Disclaimer: Most OTC drugs are not reviewed and approved by FDA, however they may be marketed if they comply with applicable regulations and policies. FDA has not evaluated whether this product complies.
- For normal to dry skin.
- Medium to full coverage. Luminous finish.
Makeup goes ultra to smooth, lift, and firm the look of skin. This moisturizing cream foundation with CPT technology, Ceramides, and Advanced Moisture Complex diminished the appearance of fine lines, perfects skin tone, and creates a luminous finish that lasts all day. Provides Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 15 protection.
To Use: Smooth onto face.
For Sunscreen Use: Apply liberally 15 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply at least every 2 hours.
Sun Protection Measures: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. To decrease this risk, regularly use a sunscreen with a broad spectrum SPF of 15 or higher and other sun protection measures including: Limit time in the sun, especially from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Wear long-sleeve shirts, pants, hats, and sunglasses.
For external use only.
Do not use on damaged or broken skin.
When using this product, keep out of eyes. Rinse with water to remove.
Stop use and ask a doctor if rash occurs.
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 4.0%, Titanium Dioxide 3.0%.
Other Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Mica, Glycerin, Sorbitan, Isostearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Alumina, Caprylyl Dimethicone Ethoxy Glucoside, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Ceramide 1, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, Alpinia Speciosa Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract, Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinyl palmitate, Tocopherol, Alanine, Aspartic Acide, Glumatic Acid, Silica Silyate, Acetyl Octatpeptide-3, Mannitol, Sodium PCA, Sorbitol, Trehalose, Urea, Lecithin, PCA Dimethicone, Phytosphingosine, Polyperfluoroethoxymethoxy Difluororethyl PEG Phostphate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polyquaternium-51, Dextrin, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Sodium Choloride, Zinc Stearate, Benzoic Acid, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Pottasium Sorbate, Propylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Iron Oxides (CI 77481, CI 77482), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
Smooth on to face.
Keep out of reach of children. If product is swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Provides SPF 15 sun protection.
Keep out of eyes.
octinoxate and titanium dioxide cream
|Labeler - Elizabeth Arden, Inc (849222187)
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. This information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States. The absence of a warning for a given drug or combination thereof in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. If you have questions about the substances you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.


text:
She was born June 26, 1925, in Rover to the late H.A. and Sara Ann Smith Hall. Nola and her late husband, F.C., owned and operated Holman TV and Appliance for over 20 years. Later she became a caregiver, working not only in Arkansas but in Texas also. She was a member of the Second Baptist Church in Russellville and a beloved mother and grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, F.C. Holman; brothers, Jim, Everett and Hubert Hall; and sisters, Bertha Hall Reeves and Dovie Hall McCurry.
Survivors include children, Garry and Brenda Holman, Elmore City, Okla., Frank and Joyce Holman, Lincoln, Rowena and Bill Campbell of Booneville, Delinda and Don Brewer of New Blaine, and Shannon and Shea Holman of Hagarville, nine grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be today at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Danville with Bro. Bobby Walker and Bro. Clayton Sheets officiating. Burial will be Earl Ladd Cemetery, Danville. Visitation was held Monday.
Pallbearers will be Rick Spears, Brent Holman, Rodney Brewer, Steve Young, John Michael O'Mara and Spenser Faught. Honorary pallbearers will be Harry Brown, Denny Ackers, Bob Hope, Bill Holman, Bob Holman, Seth Freeman, Jeff Brewer, Phillip Brewer and Mike Brewer.
Arrangements by Cornwell Funeral Home of Danville.
Online guest book and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.


text:
OCEAN CITY – For years,
it has been widely speculated the annual White Marlin Open, held each summer
during the first week of August, was the peak of the summer season, generates
millions in direct and indirect spending, but a study prepared by the state and
released last week finally quantifies the economic impact of the event.
At the request of
tournament organizers, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic
Development (DBED) this year carefully researched and prepared an economic
impact report for the 2009 White Marlin Open and determined through the data
collected from a variety of sources last year's event generated an estimated
$16 million in local expenditures during the first week of August. DBED's
Division of Marketing and Communications-Office of Research recently completed
the study, which evaluated expenditures by visitors during the 2009 WMO,
measuring the total impact of those visits on statewide and local economies.
Tournament president and
founder Jim Motsko first broached the idea of a state-sponsored economic impact
study during Governor Martin O'Malley's visit on the last day of the White
Marlin Open in 2009. O'Malley told Motsko he would get behind an economic
impact study for the annual event, which has been held during the first week in
August for the last 36 years, if the district's local delegation in Annapolis,
in this case Delegate Jim Mathias (D-38B) did the legwork and went through the
appropriate channels. According to Motsko, Mathias, who served as mayor of
Ocean City, went to bat for the event and got the long-awaited study done.
"It's something I've
been wanting to get done for a long time," said Motsko this week. "They did one
for the Pirate's Cove tournament in North Carolina a few years back, and I
always wanted to see what our tournament created in terms of economic impact."
Based on attendance and
spending data provided by tournament organizers and DBED estimates, the 2009
White Marlin Open drew approximately 5,000 visitors from outside the state over
a period of up to seven days, resulting in 30,345 additional visitor days in
Maryland. According to the study, the 2009 tournament generated an estimated
$8.6 million in direct local expenditures, another $2.2 million in salaries and
created 70 direct jobs.
Based on those sales and
estimates, the tournament generated total state and local tax revenues of
$568,000. Including indirect and induced impacts, the 2009 WMO generated a
total of $16 million in local expenditures, another $4.9 million in salaries
and 130 jobs. The total impact on state and local tax revenues came in at
around $746,000, according to the DBED study.
The impact study was
based on last year's tournament, which included 300 entries with an estimated
seven participants per boat. The study assumed about 25 percent of the
participants were local, with the remaining 75 percent out of state from all
over the east coast and the entire country. Dockage fee per boat came in at a
range of $2,500 to $5,000 for the week, while offshore charter costs ranged
from $1,600 to $3,000, depending on the size of the boat.
While the direct
spending associated with the tournament makes up the majority of the estimated
$16 million in economic impact, the indirect spending comes in at a similar
total. According to the study, $8.5 million is associated with direct spending,
while another $7.4 was credited to indirect spending during the tournament. The
WMO attracts an estimated 4,000 visitors to the host marina Harbour Island each
of the five fishing days and while a considerable number of those visitors are
local, the lion's share are in the resort that week specifically for the event,
according to the study.
The large number of
out-of-state visitors in town for the event certainly shell out millions in
direct spending during the tournament, but they are also staying in hotels,
renting condominiums, eating at resort restaurants, patronizing the town's many
bars and nightclubs, visiting the Boardwalk and taking advantage of the
countless other amenities Ocean City offers.
Now it's important to
note the tournament does take place during the first week of August, which is
naturally the peak of the summer season anyway, but clearly the WMO is a major
part of what is annually the biggest week of the summer in Ocean City.
According to the town's demoflush figures for the last 10 years, the first week
of August is always the biggest in terms of the number of estimated visitors in
Ocean City and it's no coincidence those figures are recorded during the WMO
each year.
In addition, it's
important to note DBED's study was based solely on the 2009 tournament, which
was certainly not one of the biggest in recent memory. A sagging economy
coupled with high gas prices and a variety of other factors kept the number of
boats at 300 last year, the figure upon which the DBED study was based. As
recently as just a few years ago, the number of boats participating in the WMO
soared to nearly 450, or about 50 percent more than last year, which leads one
to believe if the same formulas were applied and extrapolated over the larger
number, the economic impact of the tournament would go up in kind.
Motsko said this week he
was pleased with the outcome of the study, which provides some quantifiable
numbers in terms of economic impact for the annual event, which has grown by
leaps and bounds since its inception in 1974.
"It was very gratifying
to see how it turned out," he said. "I was told the state tends to be cautious
and conservative in their estimates when they do these studies, but it does
give you something to hang your hat on."
After years of wide
speculation about the true impact of the tournament on the local economy, WMO
organizers now have something tangible in hand when it comes to extolling the
virtues of the annual event. Motsko said this week he hopes to leverage the
results of the study to gain more support from local and state governments.
"We're hoping to get
more support from Ocean City, Worcester County and the state in terms of
tourism advertising and in-kind services to grow this event even further," he
said. "Through our efforts, we've grown this thing into a major revenue source
for the local and state economy, and we can expand on that with a little more
help. The economic impact of this event generates tremendous benefits for the
state and provides significant revenue and jobs to our economy as well."
However, Motsko was
quick to point out he realizes now is not the time to seek more money or
services from local and state jurisdictions, given the current economic
"This is something to
use way out in the future," he said. "I don't want to be unrealistic right
So, what does the
economic impact study mean for the future of the White Marlin Open? Motsko said
this week he has no intention of killing the goose that is laying the golden
eggs and will maintain the tournament at Harbour Island in Ocean City for the
foreseeable future.
"I'm signed up through
2012," he said. "I was locked in through 2011 and I just signed a renewal for
2012 and that's far enough out. I'm not locked in for life or anything."


text:
© 2008 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Papelbon dominates in postseason
Red Sox closer has yet to allow run over 15 2/3 innings
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- Since Jonathan Papelbon became the Red Sox's closer as a rookie in 2006, he's been simply dominant. His 113 saves since then are the third-most in baseball, and after pitching a scoreless inning against the Angels on Wednesday in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, the right-hander has now pitched 15 2/3 scoreless innings in postseason play.
But Papelbon has been more dominant against the Angels than any other team he's faced. The entire Halos ALDS roster is just 2-for-42 (.048 batting average) against the closer, including postseason play. Only Vladimir Guerrero and Kendry Morales, who singled in the ninth inning on Wednesday, have hits against the closer -- and neither hit was for extra bases.All told, the Angels' batters have struck out 18 times against Papelbon while drawing just three walks in 45 plate appearances. He also has six career saves and a win, coming in last year's ALDS, against the Halos.
Slamming the door
|Jonathan Papelbon has yet to allow a run in 15 2/3 postseason appearances, and Angels batters are just 2-for-42 against the Boston right-hander.
Batting stats
|RF Vladimir Guerrero
|1-for-9, three strikeouts, one walk
|OF Juan Rivera
|0-for-6, two strikeouts
|LF Garret Anderson
|0-for-5, one strikeout, one walk
|3B Chone Figgins
|0-for-5, three strikeouts, one walk
|1B Robb Quinlan
|0-for-3, one strikeout
|SS Erick Aybar
|0-for-2, two strikeouts
|2B Howie Kendrick
|0-for-2, one strikeout
|C Mike Napoli
|0-for-2, one strikeout
|1B Mark Teixeira
|1B Kendry Morales
|CF Torii Hunter
|C Jeff Mathis
|0-for-1, one strikeout
|OF Gary Matthews Jr.
|0-for-1, one strikeout
|OF Reggie Willits
|0-for-2, two strikeouts
|2-for-42, three walks, 18 strikeouts
Rhett Bollinger is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Authorities say Delbert Brooks of Bald Knob had pulled over to the shoulder of U.S. 67 in White County on Tuesday afternoon and was standing outside of his vehicle at the time of the collision. A preliminary report says Brooks was struck by a vehicle that crossed the median and drove onto the shoulder.
State police did not indicate why Brooks had pulled over to the side of the road. Authorities say the highway was slick and icy at the time of the collision.


text:
Not if you are not in neutral gear, and can't get into it at all.dharmagoat wrote:Are you familiar with the Chenrezik Puja? That might be a practice that would suit you.Gyaltsen Tashi wrote:I find parts of the Sanghata Sutra have that intended effect on me.dharmagoat wrote:What have you read that you find uplifting? Considering your situation I would recommend focusing on this. There is definitely Buddhist literature that can have the opposite effect.
But to answer the question, I like Tangton Gyalpo's sadhana when I feel OK.
I can be OK with daily practice for a week, 7-line prayer, Vajra Guru mantra, Chenrezig sadhana. It's easy and doesn't take an hour. Then after one week, it hits me and knocked out for the next week.
It's not just practice. It's difficult to do anything productive. And then there are these existential doubts. Nothing matters. This is pointless. This is stupid. Shit happens.
I can only curl up and try to do self-absorbed "Me-time", trying to recreate a God realm of sensual desire to soothe myself.
Maybe I am just lazy and doth protest too much....
Gyaltsen Tashi


text:
Mantle began playing baseball as a Little League shortstop and at Commerce (Okla.) High School. A football injury sustained in 1946 led to osteomyelitis, a bone-tissue infection, which required five operations before the disease was controlled.
Mantle played as an outfielder on Yankee farm clubs (1949–50) and joined the Yankees in 1951. He played with them mainly as an outfielder until he went to first base in 1967. He played much of his career heavily taped because of his earlier bone disease. He led the league in home runs for four seasons (1955–56, 1958, and 1960), and in 1961, when his teammate Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's season home run record, Mantle hit a season high of 54. He led the league six times in runs scored (1954, 1956–58, 1960–61) and in runs batted in (RBIs) in 1956, the year he won the league triple crown Triple Crown for home runs, RBIs, and batting average (.353). In the 1980s his career 536 home runs placed him sixth among home-run hitters. He played in 12 World Series (1951–53, 1955–58, 1960–64), hitting a record 18 home runs in them. He was voted the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1956, 1957, and 1962.
After his retirement as a player Mantle coached for the Yankees and sold life insurance. In 1983 the baseball commissioner barred him from any connection with professional baseball because he had taken a public-relations position with an Atlantic City (N.J.) gambling casino. The ban was lifted in 1985. Mantle was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.


text:
The Phils are unable to get started early before losing to the Braves, 5-3.
The Phils are not able to come from behind as they fall to the Braves, 5-3.
The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first as Martin Prado hits a lead-off home run, his sixth home run of the year. The Braves then made it a 2-0 lead as Nate McLouth followed him with a solo home run, his third home run of the season. The Phils then cut the Braves' lead in the sixth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Jimmy Rollins hits an RBI double, knocking in pinch hitter Michael Martinez, who had earlier singled, in the process breaking up Jair Jurrjens' no-hit bid after five and two-thirds innings, making it a 2-1 Braves' lead, before being thrown out at third as he tried to move up on the throw, 9-3-6-5, for the third out. The Braves increased their lead in their half of the inning as, with runners on the corners, and with two men out, David Ross hits an RBI bunt single, scoring Dan Uggla, who had earlier walked, then moved up to second on Freddie Freeman's infield single, beating Rollins' throw to second base, and then moved up to third on Alex Gonzalez's fly out, giving the Braves a 3-1 lead, while sending Freeman, who had earlier singled, to second base. Then two batters later, with the bases now loaded, as Jurrjens walked, with both Freeman and Ross moving up a base, and with still two men out, Prado hits a two-run single, knocking in both Freeman and Ross, giving the Braves a 5-1 lead, while sending Jurrjens on to third. The Phils got a run back in the eighth as, with one man on, and with one man out, Wilson Valdez hits an RBI double, knocking in Raul Ibanez, who had earlier walked, cutting the Braves' lead to 5-2. Two batters later, now with runners on second and third as pinch hitter Carlos Ruiz was hit by the pitch, and then both runners moved up a base on Ross' passed ball, and with still one man out, the Phils then made it a 5-3 Braves' lead on an RBI ground out by John Mayberry, Jr., 5-3, scoring Valdez. That would be the final score as Craig Kimbrel recorded his ninth save of the season by striking out Ben Francisco for the final out.
Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.50) took the lost, as he pitched five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out five. J.C. Romero pitched a third of an inning, giving up two runs on one hit and a walk. Kyle Kendrick pitched a third of an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk, while striking out a batter. Danys Baez and Antonio Bastardo combine for two scoreless innings giving up a hit (Baez) and three walks (Baez (2), Bastardo (1)), while striking out one (Bastardo), between them. Jair Jurrjens (5-0, 1.66) got the win as he pitched seven and a third innings, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk, while striking out six. Jonny Venters pitched two thirds of an inning, allowing a run to score. Craig Kimbrel recorded his ninth save of the year as he pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk, while striking out two.
The Phils had only three hits in the game, a double by Jimmy Rollins, knocking in a run, a double by Wilson Valdez, also knocking in a run, and a pinch hit single by Michael Martinez. John Mayberry, Jr., knocked in the final Phil run on a ground out, as the bats were handled by first the Braves' starter, Jurrjens, and then the bullpen.
The Phils (25-13, 1st) will conclude their series with the Braves (22-19, 3rd) with an afternoon game, already in progress.


text:
Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, December 2, 2011
The big monthly jobs numbers come out today. Dan Gorenstein finishes his two part series on unemployment, speaking with employment officials about what citizens can do. As the European debt crisis continues, it could start affecting U.S. exports. The Green Bay Packers are publicly owned, but those shares are really more about sentiment than actual value. And new car share programs in Germany are aimed at younger drivers.


text:
While Tiger Woods has apologized for his own "infidelity," his longtime caddie is speaking out, defending himself against claims he had any knowledge of the golfer's activities off the course.
"What people fail to realize is I [just] work for Tiger Woods," caddie Steve Williams told New Zealand's Sunday News. "I live in New Zealand, I travel to and from New Zealand to caddie for Tiger Woods. I am not with him 24/7. [While] I am a very good friend of his… I don't know what he does off the course. Some nights we go to dinner. His indiscretions have probably been [when he wasn't playing]… When he is not competing, I am back in New Zealand. I have no knowledge of what he is doing."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Tiger Woods Scandal: The Players
Williams' statements came on the heels of a column by ESPN's Rick Reilly, who suggested the caddie was part of a group who Woods would need to cut ties with if he wanted to save his marriage to Elin Nordegren.
"[Woods] needs to clean house," Reilly wrote. "If he wants to keep his wife, he has to get a new agent, a new caddie and some new friends… It's hard to believe all this went on without their help or knowledge."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: On The Scene: Tiger Woods' Car Crash (November 27, 2009)
The caddie – who reportedly made more than $1 million last year as Woods' on-course bag man – refuted Reilly's claims and took exception to the message.
"I had no knowledge of what Tiger's indiscretion was. And for Rick Reilly to turn around and say that I am a liar and there is no way I couldn't know – and that I should be fired – that is sensational journalism at its height right there," Williams continued. "I am an honest person. I had no knowledge of what was going on [with Tiger]. If I did, I would say I did."
As far as when his boss might return to the fairways, after Woods announced he was taking an "indefinite" leave from the game, Williams said he hadn't been given any clues.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Golf's King Of The Course — Tiger Woods!
"Tiger just said he needs a break and I don't want to put any pressure on the guy," Williams added. "He will know in his mind, and his family will know in their mind, when it is the right time for him to return to playing golf… when he is ready to come back he will be ready to come back."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Joy Behar Apologizes To Rachel Uchitel On 'The View' (December 14, 2009)
PLAY IT NOW: Wild Tiger Woods Claims Continue To Surface
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Tiger Woods - Elin Nordegren - Celebrity Scandals - Golf - Athletes


text:
Possible Cause of Unusual Neurologic Signs in Australian Horses Identified
- Apr 13, 2011
- Topics:
Australian authorities might have identified the cause of unusual neurologic signs in horses in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, according to a report from the New Zealand-based website Horsetalk.
Horsetalk indicated that researchers have found two different types of infection in affected horses: alphavirus infection (i.e., Ross River virus) and flavivirus infections (i.e., Murray Valley encephalitis virus or Kunjin virus).
Both alphaviruses and flaviviruses are arbovirus subtypes, meaning they are spread by mosquitoes.
Biosecurity South Australia (SA) indicated that the company has been actively involved in diagnostic testing and that it has tested or is currently in the process of testing about 100 affected horses.
Because serology (blood tests) is not the ideal source for virus isolation (due to the short time the live virus actually spends circulating through the blood), the company said in a statement on their website, "Biosecurity SA is focusing its efforts and resources on severe neurological cases where it might be possible to obtain brain tissue for virus culture, should the animal die or be euthanized."
Thus far, about 15 horses have died or been euthanized as a result of the associated severe neurologic signs.
In an interview with an Australian ABC affiliate, Rob Rahaley, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, chief biosecurity officer at Biosecurity SA, said, "There's been an increase of mosquito activity (this year) but why the virus appears to be more severe, at this stage, we're not sure, and there's a quite a bit of work going on to try and isolate the viruses and sequence them to see if there's been a bit of change in the virus in its genotype."
Veterinarians recommend using fly protection products (fly sheets, fly spray, etc) on horses in these areas. It is also advisable to try to keep horses inside during dawn and dusk (peak mosquito times) to help reduce their exposure to mosquitoes.
If a horse is exhibiting neurologic clinical signs the owner should consult a veterinarian immediately.
About the Author
Erica Larson, News Editor
Erica Larson, news editor, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.
Related Content
Veterinarians Urge Vaccination against West Nile Virus
Increased Equine West Nile Virus Activity in 2012
Horse Vaccines in 2012: Where We Stand
EHV-1 Inactivated Vaccine Efficacy Tested (AAEP 2011)
Management Strategies to Enhance Vaccine Efficacy
Researcher: Current Equine Flu Vaccines Effective Against Foreign Strains
Vaccinating Pregnant Mares for Equine Viral Arteritis
Spring Vaccinations: Points to Consider Before You Buy
EEE Vaccination Timing Critical for Protection
Update on Equine and Canine Influenza


text:
All the panelists (along with
"How many of you are for continued discussion, and possible development, of a certification program by the Perl community?"
and I also remarked that it's hardly possible to vote against such a wording. Again, my comprehension ability for spoken English may be at fault, but I remember several people who expressed similar sentiments about the wording.
As I indicated, I was unsure of the exact wording myself, which is why I asked others about their recollections. Anyway, I didn't remember it* quite the way your notes have it, but I'm willing to accept your version (although it's just occurred to me that Nat video-taped the whole session, so we could potentially find out for sure from an examination of that record).
So we can still conclude that most people are either still open to the idea of certification, or already in favor of it.
No, we can't.
First, I refute your assumption that the ~200 people in the room were a representative sample. The attendance at OSCon represents a small fraction of the community. Some would say an insignificant and completely unrepresentative fraction of the Perl community. And 200 attendees for one talk represents a minority of the attendees at OSCon. It means that there were 20
1) You have no better insight into the demographics of the 200 people who attended the TPC Panel Discussion than I do. So my guess is as good as yours, and we may both still be wrong.
2) I've always taken care to seek additional input regarding my impressions of what happened at the conference from others who were present, and I've always done my best t
I'm shocked that you would defame me in a public forum [...]
No, I am calling you accountable for the misleading statements you have made repeatedly about the "vote" certification panel at OSCon. Apparently, you agree that your representations may have been less than forthright:
[I]f indeed I've mischaracterized the results of the vote, as seems likely given the recent clarification of the questions, I'm truly sorry.
On the issue of the panelists:
[W]e were a group of 5, and 2 were pro, and the o
You keep alluding to a presumed preponderance of negative comments on this board as evidence that Certification isn't as palatable to JAPHs as the OSCON vote suggests, but you need to take a closer look at the data.
By my reckoning, only 14 of the many millions of software professionals within easy reach of a keyboard have seen fit to weigh in on this topic.
And of these, only Ziggy, foy, and merlyn have come down in opposition to certification. Jacques, RobertX, yumpy, gabor, and chromatic seem
I am quite certain that there are a number of others, such as myself, who are simply watching this discussion with interest, rathering than inflaming with the discussion further with posts furthering one side of the argument or the other. The lack of comments in this thread doesn't indicate apathy on the part of myself or others.
That's the downside of being a lurker, I guess.


text:
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
ARLINGTON -- Catcher Josmil Pinto made his Major League debut against the Rangers on Sunday, catching right-hander Kevin Correia and batting eighth.
Pinto made his debut count, picking up his first Major League hit with an RBI double in the fifth inning and finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Pinto, 24, had an impressive year between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Rochester, hitting a combined .309/.400/.482 with 15 homers and 74 RBIs in 126 games.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that Pinto still has some kinks to work out defensively, but that he wants to see what he can do in his first stint in the Majors.
"From what we saw in Spring Training, he handled everybody," Gardenhire said. "So it's fun. It's his first Major League ballgame. So it doesn't get any better than that."
Pinto, a native of Valencia, Venezuela, said he is excited about the chance to see more playing time with the Twins this September.
"I'm thrilled," Pinto said through translator and Twins first baseman Chris Colabello. "I'm looking forward to being able to help the team any way I can."
Presley called up, makes Twins debut
ARLINGTON -- The Twins officially recalled outfielder Alex Presley from Triple-A on Sunday, the day after the club acquired him in the trade that sent Justin Morneau to the Pirates.
Presley, who was the first of Minnesota's September callups, also made his Twins debut, leading off and playing in center field. He made an immediate splash, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help lead the Twins to a 4-2 victory.
Presley said he's excited for a chance to make an impact with his new club, and he's expected to see plenty of time in center and atop the batting order this month. It'll be a welcome change for Presley, who was up and down between Pittsburgh and Triple-A Indianapolis this year and saw his time in center blocked by Pirates star Andrew McCutchen.
"It's always important when you get the opportunity to contribute and play well," Presley said. "Going into next season, this could be a good springboard for me. I'm looking to take advantage of this opportunity."
Presley, 28, had a .298/.376/.427 line with five homers, 17 doubles, six triples and 17 stolen bases in 89 games at Triple-A this year.
He can play all three outfield positions, and has appeared in 204 career games with the Pirates, hitting .261/.299/.419, which is a step below his career .309/.377/.460 line in 285 games at Triple-A. But next year will be a big one for him, as Twins general manager Terry Ryan confirmed he'll be out of Minor League options.
Presley said it was an honor being traded for a player as popular as Morneau, but said he's not going to try too much or press as a result of being traded for such a big-name player.
"He's well-liked in Minnesota, but I don't feel any pressure coming in," Presley said. "He's a great player and I'm sure he'll do well in Pittsburgh. So I'll try my best to take advantage of this opportunity."
Mauer making progress toward return
ARLINGTON -- Twins catcher Joe Mauer continues to make good progress in his recovery from a concussion suffered on Aug. 19, when he was hit by a foul tip while catching.
Mauer has been ramping up his workouts and has been hitting off a tee, and he hasn't had any setbacks yet. There's a chance he will be ready to return once the Twins get back from their road trip on Friday, but Twins general manager Terry Ryan wasn't ready to speculate on Sunday.
"It's probably a tad early, but that would be ideal," Ryan said. "But it's premature and wrong of me to say that. But he's doing better."
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was also pleased to hear the positive reports on Mauer, who has been on the 7-day concussion disabled list since Aug. 20.
"He's doing great," Gardenhire said. "Everything is going really good. He's done everything they've asked without setbacks. But will he be available when we get home? I don't know."
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
The celebrity presenters at Tuesday's People's Choice press conference announced the nominees, cracked a few jokes — and looked really good doing it. Take a look at all the snazzy looks from the red carpet below:
Rachel Bilson: The Hart of Dixie star and fashion trendsetter walked the red carpet in patterned crop-top mini that felt just right for a mild Los Angeles fall.
NEXT: Kat Dennings, Darren Criss, and more…
Kat Dennings (left): Dennings ditched her 2 Broke Girls mustard waitress costume for a far more chic and pulled together jumpsuit.
Beth Behrs: To match her bubbly personality, fellow 2 Broke Girls star Behrs — who will be hosting the People's Choice Awards with Dennings! — paired a polka top crop top (say that five times fast!) with black trousers.
Ciara: Fresh off her engagement to rapper Future, the singer stepped out in an edgy black ensemble complete with metal embellishments and a perfectly styled bob.
Allison Janney: Sleek hair, black top, red skirt–the Mom actress knows how to work a red carpet.
Darren Criss: We're so used to seeing
Blaine Criss in his school uniform that it was a treat to see the Glee actor walking the red carpet in a very dapper grey suit.
Check out the full list of People's Choice Awards 2014 nominees.
What did you think of today's red carpet? Who had the best look?
Read more:
People's Choice Awards: How many fans voted for the nominees?
The 5 best moments from the People's Choice Awards conference
People's Choice Awards 2014 Nominations: FULL LIST of nominees
'2 Broke Girls' stars Beth Behrs and Kat Dennings to host The People's Choice Awards
People's Choice Awards 2014 Nominations: Full list of nominees!
For the latest pop culture news and voting, make sure to sign up for the People's Choice newsletter!


text:
BTC Statement: Gov. Perdue's Sales Tax Proposal Moves Us In The Right Direction
Statement from Alexandra Forter Sirota, Budget and Tax Center
We praise the Governor for her announcement today that she will submit a budget proposal that includes revenue. In so doing, she has put at the forefront of the debate the fundamental driver of North Carolina's budget woes: a collapse in revenues brought on by the economic downturn and a fundamental need for modernizing the revenue system.
Gov. Perdue's proposal to include three-quarters of the penny sales tax would raise an estimated $863 million in additional state revenues next year. These dollars could restore hundreds of millions in cuts to classrooms, adequately fund our state's Medicaid program, serve all eligible children in our state's nationally-recognized pre-kindergarten program, partially restore cuts to Smart Start and reduce the cost of accessing the courts. This would change the direction set forth in last year's final budget, which put state investment at the lowest level in 40 years.
All policymakers should consider revenue when approaching the second year of this budget. The sales tax is one option, but so are responsible reforms to personal and corporate income taxes that will ensure North Carolina can invest wisely in structures that support widespread prosperity without placing an unfair burden on working families and those in need. The time is now to start a robust and inclusive conversation about revenue and revenue modernization so that North Carolina can be positioned to best support an economy that works for all.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexandra Forter Sirota, firstname.lastname@example.com, 919.861.1468; Jeff Shaw, Director of Communications, NC Justice Center,firstname.lastname@example.com, 503.551.3615 (cell).
The N.C. Budget and Tax Center—a project of the N.C. Justice Center—seeks to create economic opportunity and shared prosperity for all North Carolinians through non-partisan research, education and advocacy on budget, tax and economic issues.


text:
Clive drives them crazy as inanity rules inside
- Tony Wright: Low profile as row rages
- Federal politics: full coverage
- The Pulse Live with Judith Ireland
When it comes to lifting versus leaning, Clive Palmer likes to vary his regimen.
Having professed a wish to ''pay my own way a little bit'', some days the Member for Fairfax turns up at Parliament in a set of his own wheels, as opposed to the car supplied to him by the grateful taxpayer.
In order to keep the dancing monkeys of the media entertained, the Palmer United Party potentate alternates between various car makes, all of the kind you would expect a life-size version of a Monopoly board billionaire to use for his commute.
Some days it's a Rolls-Royce, other days he prefers a Bentley or a Mercedes Benz roadster.
We wait with bated breath for the leopard-print Lamborghini, rumours of which we hope are not apocryphal.
But on Monday, Palmer decided to lean a little, and arrived at work in his Comcar, telling the waiting reporters: ''We've got to keep people employed in the commonwealth.''
Palmer's automotive inconsistency was noted by a national newspaper with which he is engaged in something of a feud, and so on Tuesday he did the mature thing and again turned up in his Comcar, but kept his Rolls-Royce on hand, just to show the bastards.
It was pictured circling Parliament House, sans Clive, like a wobbegong shark working up the courage to ambush something.
This mercurial MP is the man who effectively controls the balance of power, and with whom the government must negotiate its budget. He likes to keep us guessing.
Tuesday's newspapers brought other news, too, specifically the latest polling, which was disappointing for both major parties. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has a record high dissatisfaction rating (45 per cent), but it's not as bad as the Prime Minister's (61 per cent).
The two-party preferred numbers have moved one point closer together, with Labor going down and the Coalition going up. The beneficiaries? Independents and other parties, who are on a record 17 per cent of the vote.
Tuesday's Question Time debate gave us a flavour for the reasons why. The opposition focused its questions on the government's changes to pension indexation, the Prime Minister insisted pensions were going up and would continue to do so.
The opposition asked how young dole recipients were supposed to get by under the government's changes to Newstart, the Prime Minister responded that ''no one should start their adult life on social security''.
The opposition attacked the government's paid parental leave scheme as unaffordable, the Prime Minister defended it on the basis it ''establishes the same rule for the whole country''.
It was all very same-ish, each side locked in its rhetoric and repeating its lines. It made one long for a third way. Or at the very least, for a leopard-print Lamborghini.
Get the Morning Edition
Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.