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Siemens Mobility President Oliver Hauck's pronouncement to Railway Age sums up the outlook of several countries and their affiliated railway suppliers on the prospects for high speed rail in the United States—one of the few developed nations without a "true" (very high speed, 200 mph or faster) HSR system. Indeed, Germany, France, Spain, Japan, and China are all vying for a piece of what is now a $13 billion U.S. market—a start, at best, but one with lots of growth potential.
Realistically, observers and supporters say, at least $50 billion in guaranteed federal HSR funding is needed to attract state dollars and private investment. The Obama Administration's financial commitment is, again, a start, and there's momentum in Congress to expand it. Forget Florida Overland eXpress, Texas TGV, and other failed HSR projects from a decade or more ago. Except for a few shelved plans that can be resurrected and dusted off, those projects are from another era, when cheerful, optimistic rhetoric was in abundance, but the federal government had nothing financial to offer other than a few crumbs for research and development.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world has surged ahead with high speed rail. China has raced by everyone else with nearly 2,000 miles of line costing close to $100 billion—and that's just for starters. A European system of interconnected, interoperable lines should be finished within a decade. Russia is making steady progress. Central Japan Railway's Tokaido Shinkansen, with 323 trains carrying 400,000 passengers per day, turns a healthy annual profit, by some measures.
Seeing opportunity, offshore railways are knocking on America's door, with investment capital in hand. The Chinese Ministry of Railways, for example, has joined forces with General Electric and is offering the California High Speed Rail Authority a 30-year DBOM (design-build-operate-maintain) deal. Central Japan Railway, its sights set on Florida, is prepared to offer financing through JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation), as is East Japan Railway in California. SNCF (French National Railways), Deutsche Bahn (German Rail), and RENFE (Spanish National Railways) have similar proposals. Working with key suppliers—Alstom, Siemens, Talgo, Bombardier, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, CAF—these established HSR operators are prepared to meet rather stringent "Buy America" requirements that some say are unrealistic.
The Federal Railroad Administration's HSR grant program, funded under ARRA (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act), contains a 100% Buy America requirement. That means everything—vehicles, train control, rail, crossties, track fasteners—must be sourced and manufactured in the U.S. The FRA is willing to grant waivers on a case-by-case basis, but "only as a last resort," Deputy Administrator Karen Rae told a Railway Supply Institute audience last month in Washington. "Foreign companies have talked with us asking us to change the requirement, and we told them absolutely not," House Railroad Subcommittee Majority Staff Director Jennifer Esposito (a former Teamsters official) told the same group.
For politicians who feel compelled to wax patriotic and talk about creating American jobs in a recessionary economy, this is perfect public prose. But is it plausible? "Buy America is an emotional and political issue," says National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association President Chuck Baker. "There is a greater short-term political risk in resisting it than a long-term manufacturing risk. Buy America is what works; it's what creates political support. It's too easy to kill high speed rail, so at least for now, there's little choice but to agree."
Privately, some carbuilders are shaking their heads. "We need a sustained capital market for high speed equipment," says one. "We're already at 80% to 85% U.S. content, and moving our carbody manufacturing to the U.S. could bring us close to 100%. But it will drive up our manufacturing costs. We'll have to create a new supply chain." Says another, "From a manufacturing perspective, we are one industry, and transit cars are our biggest piece of business. Given the thousands of components that go into a passenger rail vehicle, creating requirements for only one mode, high speed, which represents a fraction of the market, does not provide the economies of scale we need to make a relatively small order viable."
Another part of this debate is safety regulations. FRA is now developing a rulemaking (details, p. 10) covering track standards and vehicle crashworthiness. One encouraging development is that FRA appears willing to consider safety regulations that rely on collision avoidance, rather than collision protection—a system approach to safety that incorporates train and traffic control as well as vehicles with CEM (crash energy management). This is how the European and Japanese systems have approached safety, with great success. Late last month, FRA issued a waiver to Caltrain to allow operation of electric multiple-unit passenger rail equipment built to European standards in mixed traffic. The waiver, deemed by Caltrain to be critical to its electrification and modernization program, relies heavily on installation of Positive Train Control along Caltrain's 55-mile San Jose-San Francisco route, which is linked to the state's 700-mile high speed rail plan. Without the waiver, Caltrain says it would be unable to complete its $1.5 billion electrification project. Though the waiver allows EMU and diesel-hauled passenger equipment to operate concurrently, freight operations remain subject to temporal separation.
"Collision avoidance . . . is the first line of defense in assuring passenger rail safety," FRA said. "Collision management, achieved through the operation of vehicles designed with CEM, is the second line of defense that effectively reduces the severity of an incident." California must apply for a similar waiver from FRA for the HSR project, but since Caltrain has established a guideline, such a waiver might be more easily attained.
What about design? Should U.S. HSR equipment have a distinctly "American" character? "French, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish high speed trains have altered the perception of these countries within and outside their borders," says railway industrial designer Cesar Vergara, whose concept of a U.S. high speed train appears on this issue's cover and on p. 14. "For many nations, these trains have become an iconic 'coat of arms' of technological advances. U.S. high speed trains will have a similar responsibility—to act as symbols of our renewed commitment to passenger rail, particularly high speed. While appearance is dictated to an extent by aerodynamics and crashworthiness, there is plenty of room to imprint character on our trains. Moreover, U.S. regulations and our operating environment tend to render as-built European and Japanese equipment inadequate for FRA territory. American trains should have their own personality and appearance. They are hardly the most expensive part of a new system, but they do represent what it stands for. We should ensure that our trains, the moving part of a great new interstate transportation system, look the part."
"High speed rail issues are the same all over the world," French Foreign Trade Minister Anne-Marie Idrac said in remarks last month at an HSR conference in Miami. "National pride, the desire to have the best technology, must be part of the ambition. So must job creation, and community and economic development. Equally important are dealing with the long-term issues of air travel and highways, and protecting the environment. The challenges are public perception and objections, finding a balance between speed and the number of stops that promote economic development, identifying and building ridership, and financing—who pays how much, and with what financial instruments."
The criteria of success for developers of high speed rail, Idrac said, are technical viability, the ability to capture market share from air and highways, and providing a long-term vision for investors. "Now, in Europe, no one thinks of anything but high speed trains," she said.
That's where America needs to be. How long will it take, and who will build our trains?


text:
I have a problem getting my webcam to work. Video works on neither cheese nor skype. However, the microphone works fine once configured. This is on linux-mint 14 Nadia, almost-fresh install. According to most posts and comments I've seen on the web, this is one of those models that should "just work".
lsusb shows this:
Code: Select all
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:081d Logitech, Inc. HD Webcam C510
I run gstreamer-properties, and try to to test the video
Code: Select all
Error starting streaming on device '/dev/video0'. [gstv4l2object.c(2230): gst_v4l2_object_start_streaming (): /GstPipeline:pipeline1/GstV4l2Src:v4l2src2:
system error: Input/output error]
Cheese crashes when trying to record video after logging the following:
Code: Select all
libv4l2: error turning on stream: Input/output error
(cheese:3346): cheese-WARNING **: Internal data flow error.
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
(cheese:3346): cheese-WARNING **: Jack server not found
(cheese:3346): cheese-WARNING **: Could not initialize supporting library.
Any idea what might be wrong?

subset: commoncrawl


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Hendricks optioned after Major League debut
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
CINCINNATI -- The Cubs optioned right-handed pitcher Dallas Beeler to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday and selected right-hander Kyle Hendricks from the Minor League team.
Hendricks made his Major League debut Thursday in the Cubs' 6-4, 12-inning win over the Reds before being sent back down after the game, since the Cubs won't need another starter before the All-Star break.
Hendricks took a no-decision, giving up four runs on five hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out seven.
Beeler gave up four runs over five innings in the Cubs' 4-1 loss to the Reds on Wednesday in his second big league start.
The Cubs have yet to decide how they'll fill the two vacancies in the rotation created by last Friday's trade of Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A's. Jake Arrieta, Travis Wood and Edwin Jackson will start the final three games before the All-Star break at Wrigley Field against the Braves.
Hendricks was 10-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts at Triple-A Iowa. He is one rotation option, as is right-hander Dan Straily, who was acquired in the deal with Oakland.
Renteria, Hoyer set to discuss rotation choices
CINCINNATI -- The Cubs are expected to open the second half with Jake Arrieta, Edwin Jackson and Travis Wood in line to face the D-backs. But what happens next?
Manager Rick Renteria said he'll meet with general manager Jed Hoyer and others to discuss who will fill the rotation spots created by last Friday's trade of Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Athletics.
The Cubs have plenty of pitchers to chose from, Renteria said, including Dan Straily, who was acquired in the deal with Oakland. Others to be considered are right-handers Kyle Hendricks and Dallas Beeler, who made his second big league start Wednesday, and lefty Tsuyoshi Wada. Hendricks made his Major League debut Thursday, and Wada made his first start in the U.S. big leagues on Tuesday.
"I would say all of them are [in the mix]," Renteria said Thursday. "I would say you can't discount anybody."
Arrieta embracing new role in rotation after trade
CINCINNATI -- Jake Arrieta had a standout career at Texas Christian, winning 14 games in his sophomore season in 2006. Now, he finds himself in the No. 1 spot in the Cubs' rotation, and he said it's similar to his college days.
With Opening Day starter Jeff Samardzija and veteran Jason Hammel both gone via a trade to the A's, Arrieta is the Cubs' ace.
"It's kind of a role I've embraced and been in in the past," Arrieta said. "I was the guy in college and enjoyed that role. The college game is completely different, and the season is structured a completely different way, but I still understand that role.
"I've been willing and able and ready to accept those responsibilities for a while. The performance pushes me more in that direction than I expected."
Arrieta will make one more start before the All-Star break, as he will get the ball on Friday as the Cubs wrap up the first half with a three-game series against the Braves.
Renteria not taking credit for players' turnarounds
CINCINNATI -- One of the reasons the Cubs hired Rick Renteria as manager was because of his skills in developing young players, and he could have two of them in the All-Star Game.
Starlin Castro was named to the National League All-Star team, while Anthony Rizzo was a candidate for the NL Final Vote. Both are coming back from disappointing 2013 seasons. Renteria was quick to say he could not take credit for the turnaround by the two 24-year-old players.
"Those guys have worked hard and done what they need to do to move forward," Renteria said. "Give the credit to the coaches and everybody who has been working with these guys and having conversations with them on a daily basis. Give them credit for going out there and playing the game."
Castro struggled to bat .245 last season, while Rizzo batted .233. They were far removed from any All-Star consideration.
"We knew coming in that these guys have skill and aptitude to play the game," Renteria said. "They've found a sense of comfort, confidence, another year of experience under their belts -- there's any number of things that could contribute to it. Up to this point, it's gratifying you have two young men on your ballclub who have done really well."
Castro has said one of the reasons he's happier this year is that he's been inserted into the fourth spot in the lineup and stayed there. It also helps that he's batting behind Rizzo.
"You're talking about two guys who are really complementing each other very well," Renteria said. "That makes kind of a natural position for them to be in, and it's worked well. The biggest thing is they're just going out and playing and picking each other up. It's fun to see them and fun to see how other guys work around them and contribute."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Bubbles in Magmas
This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection
Resources in this top level collection a) must have scored Exemplary or Very Good in all five review categories, and must also rate as "Exemplary" in at least three of the five categories. The five categories included in the peer review process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.
This page first made public: Oct 25, 2007
This material is replicated on a number of sites as part of the SERC Pedagogic Service Project
In this Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum activity, students are introduced to the process of bubble formation and rise within a magma. The ideal gas law is utilized to illustrate the change in volume of an individual bubble as it rises through the magma. Forces acting on the bubble (gravitational, viscous, and buoyant) determine the bubble's velocity. This is a self-paced activity in which students follow a PowerPoint presentation to create spreadsheets and graphs using Excel.
Learning Goals
- Use the Ideal Gas Law to make estimations regarding the growth and rise of bubbles in magmas.
- Make use of unit conversions involving moles.
- Calculate the net forces acting on an individual bubble.
- Calculate the terminal velocity of the bubble.
- Calculate the change in volume of the bubble as a function of depth.
- Develop a spreadsheet to carry out a calculation.
- Increase their skill at unit conversions.
- Recognize the relationship between volume and pressure in an ideal gas.
- Be introduced to (or be reminded of) the various forces acting an object as it rises or falls through a medium.
- Identify the relationship between net force and terminal velocity.
Context for Use
Equipment: Each student or pair of students needs a computer with Excel and PowerPoint.
Classes: This module has been used in an Introductory Physical Volcanology course with upper level undergraduates.
In the class, the module was introduced during lab to be completed as homework due the following week. Students turned in hard-copies of the Excel spreadsheets and graphs, as well as their working Excel files. This worked well for junior and senior level students with excellent quantitative skills.
Description and Teaching Materials
If the embedded spreadsheets are not visible, save the PowerPoint file to disk and open it from there.
This PowerPoint file is the student version of the module. An instructor version is available by request. The instructor version includes the completed spreadsheet. Send your request to Len Vacher (email@example.com) by filling out and submitting the Instructor Module Request Form.
Teaching Notes and Tips
This module, like the others in this collection, works best if coordinated with lecture and lab material.
If students have difficulty in getting their equations to produce the correct numbers in the orange cells – especially if their results are off by orders of magnitude – tell them to check their unit conversions. You cannot ever emphasize unit conversions enough.
Some students jump ahead to the end-of-module assignments without working through the main part of the module carefully. Those students have trouble.
The end-of-module questions can be used for assessment.
The instructor version contains a pre-test
References and Resources
Hurwitz, S., and O. Navon, 1994, Bubble nucleation in rhyolitic melts: experiments at high pressure, temperature, and water content. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 122: 267-280. [a very comprehensive introduction to essential research about bubbles in magmas].
Cashman, K.V. and Mangan, M.T., 1994, Physical aspects of magmatic degassing II. Constraints on vesiculation processes from textural studies of eruptive products. Reviews in Mineralogy, 30: 447-478. [a starting point for understanding bubbles in rocks]


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Pilates: Mind Over Muscle
While the term Pilates seems to have worked itself into public consciousness as fluidly as the movements for which it is known, it is hardly just another fitness trend. It is estimated that more than 11 million people practice the mind-body regime on a regular basis, recognizing it as a mindful, moderate health practice.
Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates, the German-born son of a prize-winning gymnast father and a naturopath mother. Sickly as a child, Joseph took an interest in body conditioning and came to believe modern lifestyle, bad posture and inefficient breathing contributed to poor health. He eventually made his living as a boxer, circus performer and self-defense trainer in England. During World War I, Pilates was interned as an "enemy alien" with other German citizens.While in the camp, he helped other detainees who had injuries or illnesses perform exercises —precise movements to help strengthen, stretch, and stabilize key muscles—that eventually became known as Pilates.
A Pilates session increases strength and flexibility, lengthens the body and aligns the spine. It does not, however, build muscle mass. The central component to Pilates is the mind-body connection. Focusing on the core or postural muscles, which are critical to providing support to the spine, participants become more aware of the body, their posture improves and movement becomes more graceful. The central component to Pilates is the mind-body connection.
Breathing and centering are also key elements of the Pilates method. Each Pilates exercise is accompanied by breathing instructions. In addition, the large muscle groups in our "center" (the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks) are fundamental to all Pilates exercises. Finally, the elements of muscle control, precision and fluidity are central to Pilates.
The Pilates method is a safe, sensible exercise system for just about anyone no matter their age or physical condition and can help alleviate back pain and other chronic ailments.


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Rays to Hold Second Tweet Up
If you are an avid Twitter fan and also have a passion for the Tampa Bay Rays, then you will be more than glad that the Rays have decided to resurrect a special night again at Tropicana Field just for the Rays Republic's Twitter branch, or just those souls who love using their finger dexterity as well as enjoy a great baseball game. I hope the rest of the Rays Republic are as excited as I am that the Rays again embraced the social media segment of their fan base and again brought a LIVE Tweet in to Tropicana Field.
I'm personally as excited as watching a walk-off victory ( which happened during the Rays 1st tweet Up), complete game shutout or possibly seeing another Rays player hit for the cycle. Who wouldn't be excited about sitting just above the Rays Bullpen area tweeting our fingers to the bone while cheering on our Rays both on the web, and in person.
Coming up on Tuesday, May 7th as the Rays take on their divisional rivals the Toronto Blue Jays, the Twitterverse will be completely congested again with Tweets and Photos from the Trop. It is truly fantastic that the Rays front office and their marketing department have again embraced the Rays huge social media presence and again provide a chance for the Rays Republic to take another stab at possibly trending not only in Tampa Bay, but possibly Worldwide.
That is what I'm hoping happens that the Rays Republic's own Tweet Nation comes alive and provides a trending experience we can all be proud of. Even if we just hold that sacred spot for a minute, the work, hustle and bustle would be a complete success. So that is a goal within our reach, one we can touch or type, to provide a Rays moment Worldwide. I love the sound of that personally.
It is actually kind of ironic the Rays announced this recently as I was about to compose a blog posting asking them to again have just such an event during the upcoming season. I felt the first one back in 2011 went off without a hitch and the speech by guest speaker Emmy award winning CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) was entertaining and informative.
hiUnlike the 2011 Tweet Up, the May 7th contest will take place with a First Pitch at 7:10 pm and not in the afternoon. The early evening and night scheduling of this Tweet Up should help to boost the Rays chances of getting that trending acknowledgment as well as show the true size of the Rays Republic's social media segment. There will be a future announcement possibly via Twitter about a Guest Speaker that will also be on-hand with us Tweeting the night away.
Just as the Rays did back in 2011, the team will furnish all participants who purchase tickets in the Rays Tweet Up special section a blue T-shirt sporting the event logo and your Twitter handle/name. On the evening of the event the Rays will distribute these shirts to the assembled masses, but you have to purchase your ticket by April 21, 2013 for you to have your shirt silk-screened and ready for the event. If you miss the deadline, you can still get a T-shirt, but it will have the @RaysBaseball handle on it instead of your own personal Twitter handle.
Also during this grand night of digital dexterity there will be drawings for autographed baseballs, game tickets and even a chance to possibly throw out the First Pitch that evening. I was a participant during the Rays first event that was held during an afternoon game and there was a great response and constant Tweets before, during and even after the game. I can attest to the fact that the Rays offer a great quality T-shirt, and you do have a chance to win prizes ( I won a Matt Joyce autographed baseball). I truly expect this second edition of the event to have even more rabid Rays fans using their fingers all game long, possibly even taking photos of other participants and driving up their follower base during this event.
I have already bought my seat (Sect 128), and hope to see a huge turnout from the Tweeter branch of the Rays Republic. I'm looking forward to see so many of the Twitter followers that gaze at the Tweets from @RaysRenegade or @TheRaysRenegade during the season and 365 days a year. I fully expect the event to sell-out as the Rays Twitterverse has expanded so much since our first event back in 2011. If you still need to purchase a ticket and get into this grand night of Tweeting and supporting the Rays, here is the Tweet Up At The Trop page on RaysBaseball.com ro secure your T-shirt and spot within the Rats Tweeters area for the contest.
Just as last time, any Tweet using the special event hashtag will have a chance to be displayed on the Rays Jumbotron during the Game and the entire group will be recognized by the Public Address announcer probably more than once that evening. This is one of those events where you can not only meet some of the people who pop up those funny and great Tweets during the year, but also a chance for you to bring in new followers, find possibly a few new friends to attend games with, and promote yourself and the Rays while watching a fantastic baseball game.
I got to warn you, I've gotten better since the last time at doing my Tweet in 140-characters or less…….See you there Rays Twitter Nation!


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CARSON, Calif. – There's no doubt that Mike Magee is in great form as of late, but will it translate into a call for the U.S. National Team?
Magee is tied with Philadelphia Union forward Jack McInerney for the MLS lead in goals scored with six goals in seven appearances this season. As he sits just one goal away from tying his career high for goals in a single season, which was set during his rookie season with the MetroStars in 2003, it's not surprise that he's feeling confident.
"It's always good to score goals and it's even better when the team is winning," Magee said. "I'm obviously enjoying my soccer right now."
But as Magee continues to score goals, calls for him to be included in the U.S. National Team will continue to persist. Magee has never been called into the senior national team, but he participated in the U.S. youth set up earlier in his career.
No conversations have gone on between Magee and U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann or any member of his staff, but the 28-year-old would welcome inclusion if called upon whether it is the 2013 Gold Cup or any other National Team match.
"I would love to be a part of the National Team. I'm obviously just trying to do all the cliché things and do business with the Galaxy knowing that if you play well here then you could get a call up, but if it doesn't then I'll be okay," he said. "Obviously, I've been around long enough to hear every which rumor and it's just all it is, is chatter until I get the call, which would be great. If not, it is all good."
Following LA's victory over Real Salt Lake—where Magee bagged his sixth goal of the year—LA head coach Bruce Arena was asked by former U.S. National Team head coach And Time Warner Deportes analyst Steve Sampson about a potential Magee inclusion, but declined comment.
"Steve, you and I both know that a national team coach has a lot of pressure and a lot of critics. I think the national team has coach has to make those decisions," Arena said on the broadcast. "Right now, I'm going to relax and let the coach make all those kind of decisions because as we know, they're never easy."
As he looks to continue his form with LA, Magee is taking a similar approaching and leaving the decision to Klinsmann.
"I couldn't figure out why guys get called in and why guys don't," Magee said. "Obviously there's good reasons and I wish I got paid that kind of money to be the coach and make those decisions because I'd play me every time, but obviously, I don't. There's a bunch of guys here who deserve a chance."
Will Magee get at a call up for the U.S.? Should he?
Share your thoughts below.


text:
* Prices may differ from that shown
Being a newbie to the primer craze; the MUA primer was the second primer that I tried. I had high hopes and expectations for it after being impressed by the ELF primer. The main reason that I decided to try the primer was that, at the time, I saw £4 as being a reasonable price. I also decided to try the primer as I was a big fan of other products in the range; so I believed that the primer would follow suit and soon be my new favourite.
The primer is white coloured and has a light texture akin to a moisturiser. It feels slightly watery as though it was destined to be a cream but was weakened in order to satisfy the criteria for a primer.
The primer comes in a black tube which is easy to hold and it has a small nib that allows the product to easily be dispensed. The nib, however, is a major flaw with the product. Firstly, after a few uses, the nib came off completely leaving a larger sized hole for the product to flow through. This was not good as I kept having to put it back in so that a smaller amount of primer would come out. The other problem with this dispense method was that if too much product came out you couldn't put it back into the tube. The only way that this was slightly possible was if the nib had fallen off, like in my case, but nether less faulty packaging should not have positive connotations.
~How to use~
To apply the primer you place a small amount on your finger tips and rub into the face as you would when you apply a moisturiser. After waiting for the product to dry you can either leave it as that (apply no other products to the face), or you can continue with your normal beauty regime.
Initially I was delusional about the product. Somewhere in my mind I believed that the product was great and this led me to purchase it again after it run out. On the second time round, however, my rose-tinted glasses were removed and I saw the product for what it really was - a moisturiser.
As a moisturiser the product works fine, it leaves the face nourished. But, that was not what I wanted the product for and it is not what the product is labelled as.
As a primer, the product is the worst primer that I have ever used. My belief was that a primer creates a smooth base in order for you to apply further products over it. The MUA primer does not do that. The application of foundation after using the primer is the same or at times as worse as if no primer was used and at £4 for a tube, I did feel ripped off as I had basically purchased an "expensive moisturiser".
-Can buy it from a high street store
-Travel sized and lightweight (advantageous for my trip abroad as added little to my suitcase weight)
-Not actually a primer
-Weird texture
-Waste of money
-Faulty packaging
-Can't put the excess primer back into the tube
I believe that this primer is moisturiser in not-so-fancy "fancy dress", it is being marketed as something that it not. Although I did not uncover the guise that it had on initially, I am enlightened now and on that note I award it one star. It is not completely pointless, but as a primer I would definitely not recommend it to anyone.
The jury is still out as to whether face primer is truly essential, even though this is the case I love it and always have it after my moisturiser and under my foundation. I picked this one as I had some joy with other products from the range. Here is what I thought.
With cheaper brands one of the main drawbacks is that the packaging can also look cheap, thus however looks quite classy. It is a black tube with discreet silver writing explaining what is is with a fairly thin nozzle. There is a screw oblong shaped lid to keep it fresh, so great start.
Normally I would mention colour here but as this a transparent gel there is nothing I can really say here. The gel is a lovely thickness so it gives a nice coat to the skin, but isn't too thick so it feels heavy. This smells quite fresh (possibly cucumber or aloe Vera) so it helps wake me up at 5 in the morning.
Also something else I like, no matter where I put the product o store the gel is always cool!
This is very easy to apply just add a small dot to your fingers and rub in no brush required, and leave to set for about 30 seconds.
Does it work?
Yes, this smoothes out my skin an even helps even out any blemishes, making a much better base to add my concealer and foundation too. I always worried that this would clog my pores and I would have breakouts but have experienced no such problems. I have found my skin is naturally smoothes nowadays.
This also helps the foundation cling and makes it last a lot longer.
Price and Availability
This s £4, which is a great price for this product and it can be bought from superdrug or the Mua website,
In conclusion a great product from a great brand that I will continue to purchase,
I have a very extensive make up range and am quite picky about the brand and quality of anything that I put on my face which is why I usually tend to avoid the make-up academy range. Don't get me wrong I own a few of their products as a basic essentials like mascara and eyeliner etc. just in case I lose my better quality one. But when I was looking for a primer I decided to try it out and see if I liked it.
The make-up academy is stocked exclusively at Superdrug and offers a range of foundations, mascaras, eye shadows, blushers, the list is practically endless. There website gives this quote "Great makeup doesn't need to cost the earth and it is MUA's promise to bring surprising quality, colour, fun and innovation to each and every product it delivers. Bringing guilt free makeup to every ladies makeup bag!" I'm not sure about the rest of the products in this range but I know that for what I paid you do get good quality and it is an amazing price.
Speaking of price this primer costs around £4 for 27ml which I think is extremely reasonable and if I am correct was the cheapest one I could see in Superdrug at the time. You don't need to use a lot so it really does last a long time.
I don't know whether you'd call it a bottle or a pot but I'm going to call it a bottle. The bottle itself is a simple black colour in a flat rectangular shape. The writing on it is silver making it look sophisticated and elegant however once I had opened the product the screw cap never really went back on properly, it does seal but not perfectly.
The liquid gel is completely clear however it claims to even out flawlessly complexion, it also says you can use under foundation for longer lasting effects. Although I don't entirely think that it does even out complexion at all and wouldn't even bother putting it on in the mornings if I wasn't bothering to put make up over it. It does make my life with foundation easier though. It goes on more smooth and evenly and for that I would say the primer is a life saver.
It doesn't feel like you're wearing anything at all and at the end of the day my skin always feels really fresh, almost like the primer has allowed my skin to breathe.
The thing with me is that if I am changing my make-up routine I buy a cheap product to see if it suits me (like when I tried out the red lipstick trend) or if I use it on a regular basis. If it becomes a staple item in my make-up bag then I usually go onto buy a better quality product. However I would gladly re-buy this product and recommend it to anyone looking for a cheap primer.
I recently decided to try the Make Up Academy professional eye primer & really liked it - I was pleasantly suprised by the quality, which is why I decided to buy the face primer while in Superdrug last weekend.
This retails at £4.00 per 27ml which doesn't seem that cheap but compared to the primer that I usually use it seemed like a bargain. Well, it would be a bargain if it was actually any good, but it's not and it will be going in the bin once I've finished my review! The primer is only available from Superdrug and it can be purchased online or instore. The packaging is pretty much identical to the MUA professional foundation - a squeezy tube which stands on its lid.
The tube is nice and simple - black with white writing and in my opinion the packaging is pretty expensive looking. To get the product out I simply squeeze the tube and it dispenses a blob. The first time I used it a small blob came out but everytime since, loads has squirted out at once for some reason and there's no way of getting it back into the tube which means that a lot of product goes to waste. Using the primer is simple. On the couple of ocassions that I used it I massaged it onto my (completely make-up free) face after washing it.
I have quite dry skin and despite the waterry texture found that it kind of blobbed up and went a little gel-like and sticky, especially on my (really dry) t zone. The colour of the primer is white but when on the skin it's completely clear so it doesn't leave white streaks or anything. It reminds me (texture wise) of E45 cream but runnier with a weird almost gel-like consistency which in my opinion is not a great base for foundation - especially liquid foundation, which pretty much slipped off of my face after under an hour when I used it with this.
I've got dry skin and this made it look oily, so I dread to think what it will look like on greasy skin. The primer made my skin look unattractively shiny and although the whole aim of it is to make the skin smoother so that foundation looks better, I found that my foundation actually took longer to throroughly apply and blend, even after waiting several minutes for the primer to dry. Once my foundation was applied I can't say that it looked any better and the shine/greasiness kind of seeped through. It just looked really ugly!! It did not make my foundation last longer, either.
Overall, I don't recommend this primer. It's poor quality, greasy & a total waste of £4.00. I give it one out of five stars.
When it comes to face primer it isn't something I really have ever bothered with to be honest with you. I have made do for years with using a moisturiser under my makeup and been perfectly happy with that however having tried alot of MUA products over the past few months when I spotted this primer costing only £4.00 for a 270ml sized squeezy tube of it I decided to buy it to give it a try and see if it made any difference to how my make up appeared and of course you can wear this alone or with make up over the top of it.
The tube is simply black and plastic and like I just mentioned is a squeezy tube with the nozzle situated at the bottom of it and matching twist on/off lid to the bottom of that then on the front of it we are clearly told what it is and who it is by then on the back of it contact details for the manufacturer are given. Its a nice enough tube of product this one and not a bad price for the size compared to what some manufacturers sell this type of product for which was the main draw of buying it.
The Product Itself:
What you get is a good consistency of white cream with little fragrance at all to it. Its runny enough and all you do is apply it to a clean face before any other products go on such as the makeup you want to wear. This is meant to help to create smooth skin, to lightly moisturise and to mattify the skin and I find a very small amount of this goes a very long way indeed.
I gently massage a little of this into my skin with my fingers as I would do with a moisturiser. It sinks into my skin within seconds and leaves my skin feeling gently hydrated and smooth and not greasy or dried out or anything at all adverse at all. When I have finished applying it I then move on to applying my usual make up and that's that.
Although I find this fuss free to apply and that it hasn't upset my sensitive skin at all personally I don't think it does all that much at all for me. I don't feel that it matts my skin down enough and I still have problems with my greasy t-zone as always, and skin doesn't feel any softer than using my usual moisturiser and my make up doesn't seem to last any longer on my face than usual but then saying that I use good quality stuff usually anyway.
I don't dislike this product it just isn't one I can rave about which is unusual for me as I usually love the range that is MUA but although its ok it just isn't one I'll ever buy again to be honest.
Available from Superdrug stores and from wwwsuperdrug.com
This review is also posted on Ciao under this same username.
I brought this face primer off the MUA website as i wanted to try a primer that would set my face up for makeup. It comes a small black bottle with a screw top lid and very easy to use. You firstly make sure you have a clean face then put a small amount of this face primer onto your hands and rub in all over and well, it comes out in like a white cream and it just nicely glides on to the face and the skin absorbs it well as i said before you really dont need to use alot.
When the face primer has been completely rubbed into the face you can then apply the rest of your makeup like you normally would, the face primer gives your face a 'base' so it sets the face up for foundation and powder etc by smoothing out an uneven skin tone and slightly mattifying the skin and it also reduces the size of pores. If you use foundation the foundation will set over the face primer which will make it last alot longer.
I have found this nifty little product to be great as it does what it says and it moistens my face and makes it really soft and i have noticed that my makeup does last alot longer and i find if i am wearing foundation it actually makes the foundation easier to apply so i am a big fan!! This face primer only cost me £4 which is an absolute bargain and i will definately be buying again.
The primer comes presented in a black tube with MUA written across it.
The size of the primer is 27ml, which is about average as most primers are around the 30ml mark.
The primer goes on well. It has a rich and creamy formula that just glides over the skin needing little effort from you. I apply this primer before applying my make-up. You can apply the primer to normal dry skin but I prefer to apply it over lightly moisturised skin as I find that it soaks in better what way. You wouldn't think so but it does. It also makes the product last longer as you don't need as much of it when you apply it over the top of moisturiser.
The primer doesn't smell unpleasant. It is pleasant to use and it lasts ages as a little goes a long way. The only bad thing about it is that it doesn't contain an SPF factor, however if you use SPF foundation over the top of it that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
The primer helps my make-up stay on but after a few hours it starts to flake a little around the edges. I find myself having to brush the flakes off as they look a little untidy sat there on my skin. Also, the primer tends to come off when your face sweats. I therefore think it's better to pay more for a better quality primer in my opinion. It does the job for a few hours though and it doesn't leave your skin feeling tacky like some primers do. I suppose it's worth a try.
As some of you may have seen in my previous reviews, I have reviewed a handful of different make up base primers and this is one of them that I am pleased to now be reviewing thanks to dooyoo accepting my suggestion.
I was greatly anticipating having a great outcome with this primer as I have had a lot of high hopes and great products when it comes to MUA's make up selection. Although there are the odd one or two items that simply don't cut it and there is no wonder as to why the products cost so little at times.
The primer is 27ml which is a relatively standard size for the majority of face primers on the market, it comes in a small and sleek professional looking black tube and is easy to fasten and open. Unfortunately the look of the product doesn't do it justice with it's quality being the down fall. I was surprised to find that the primer was of an extremely watery consistency and I even tried shaking the tube up to see if it had simply separated - but this wasn't the case and it turns out that the primer was just very runny.
I gave it a trial run of about 4 days, each day I experienced different weather conditions from rain, sleet to sudden outbursts of sun so as you can imagine my make up would be put to the test with the environment. The primer didn't help fight the battle for my foundation as it happily let it slide off my face no matter what weather I was in - even when I was indoors and dry! I usually apply my foundation with a brush and it always goes on smoothly without primer, however it was very streaky when used with the primer (even after waiting 5/10 minutes for it to dry before application!) and took me a little longer as I had to ensure it was blended properly and evenly.
I found that it would easily rub off my nose and my chin and underneath my glasses on the bridge of my nose and I'd look really odd with patches of make up less skin. I was really disappointed with how poor quality the primer was and I was hoping that the primer would be as amazing as the rest of their stuff but I was let down from the very first use.
I always use the same procedure when applying any make of foundation; I ex-foliate and moisturise on dry areas and then apply the primer to fresh and clean dry skin before adding the rest of my make up. I currently use rimmel's primer which has proven to be a better product for me personally as it has the consistency that perhaps MUA should have had - it's less runny but not too thick.
I wouldn't revert back to using this one as it just seems to be a waste of money for me. I don't find it useful and I wouldn't recommend it to a friend as it just doesn't seem to be of adequate quality even for a small amount of £4. You're better off just paying a couple of quid more for a better option by another leading brand.


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Exmouth's Sam Matson continues to sail towards great future on the high seas.
PUBLISHED: 16:35 04 February 2014 | UPDATED: 16:35 04 February 2014
Exmouth sailor Sam Matson is currently undergoing extensive training with the Artemis Offshore Academy.
Established in 2010, the Academy is the UK's only training centre for solo and short-handed offshore racing, giving British sailors the chance to compete exclusively on the Figaro circuit and helping them on their pathway to the Vendée Globe - a non-stop round the world solo race nicknamed the 'Everest of sailing'.
Physically and mentally demanding, highly competitive and all encompassing, solo offshore racing requires a unique sailing skill set. The annual Artemis Offshore Academy Selection Trials and subsequent training programme are designed to push sailors to their limits in all areas needed to run a successful sailing campaign, ensuring Academy skippers have what it takes to be competive on one of the most demanding and dynamic racing circuits in the world.
Now heading into the 2014 Figaro racing season, the Artemis Offshore Academy continues to strive towards producing world- class short-handed sailors, with Academy trained skippers Sam Goodchild and Jack Bouttell having recorded some of the best British Solitaire du Figaro results in the history of the prestigious 2000 mile solo race earlier this year. With their sights now set firmly on the 2014 Solitaire du Figaro start line, Artemis Offshore Academy graduates Matson, Nick Cherry, Henry Bomby, Jack, Ed Hill and Rookies Sam Matson, Rich Mason and Alan Roberts are working hard to raise the vital sponsorship they need to race this coming season.
The Solitaire du Figaro is considered the unofficial world championship of solo offshore sailing. It is the highlight event of the Class Figaro calendar. Regarded as one of the most competitive and highly dynamic racing circuits in the world, the Class Figaro circuit is known to be a training ground for ambitious skippers looking to take on the infamous Vendée Globe - a non-stop around the world solo race nicknamed the Everest of sailing.
The Solitaire du Figaro is raced in 33ft boats called the Figaro Bénéteau II. The Figaro is one-design, which means they are all identical bar their branding which means it is down to the talents of the skipper as to their result. The smallest gains in speed in the Solitaire du Figaro can be the difference between first and last place. Sailing thousands of miles on their own, the boats will finish each leg and the race overall with just minutes between them.
In 2014, the Solitaire is 2014 miles long over four stages. Starting from Deauville, France on June 8, a fleet of usually around 40 boats will leave for Plymouth where they are expected to arrive on the 11th. From there they will race from Plymouth to Roscoff, from Roscoff to Les Sables d'Olonne to the final finish line in Cherbourg. There are just a couple of days stop over in each of the towns to allow the skippers to rest and recover and for their boats to be repaired. The stop over in Plymouth this year comes as a direct nod to the British skippers who competed in 2013, where southwest sailor Sam Goodchild became the highest ranking Brit in the race in 38 years and Jack Bouttell became the first Brit to have ever won the prestigious Rookie division - a class for first timers of the race held in prestige by the French. It is the 'one to watch' class. Sam Matson will be a Rookie in 2014. The UK stop over in Plymouth in 2014 is the first for 11 years since the race when to Portsmouth in 2003.
Out at sea, the skippers are all alone with no communication, no phone, no Facebook/twitter, no crew. Solo sailing is one of the most gruelling tests of stamina and endurance around and it affects the skippers not only physically and mentally too. They must learn to manage themselves on board, knowing when to eat and sleep and leaving the auto-pilot to sail the boat while they do. The more tired and more sleep deprived the skippers are, the more their racing intelligence is compromised.
On top of this there is the weather. The Solitaire du Figaro never takes sailors to sunny climes, instead they have to contend with hours in the driving seat, steering their boat up wind through lashing rain, fierce winds and fog while negotiating rocks, tides and other boats and often in the dark. Solo sailing isn't fun, it's more about the challenge and the adventure, the sailors pushing themselves to their ultimate limits. The reward comes at the end when they finish. Often they hate every minute they are out there, but as soon as they are on the docks it's all forgotten and they can't wait to race again.


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August 5, 2009
Rob at LAX
8 comments:
- AnonymousAugust 5, 2009 at 6:02 AM
Wow, I'm so glad they are finally re-uniting to start Eclipse-Oh Joy! I hope they stick to the book and that David Spade gives us some leg-hitch make out scenese pleeeeasee. Also hope they make Rob's hair "bronzier", the other New Moon pix of him looks like his hair is too dark-either way he still looks hot. TCA, please post some pictures of filming of the set if you can, would love to see what scenes they might be filming :) Can't hardly wait!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 5, 2009 at 6:18 AM
hmmm, yummy rob is back in la :)ReplyDelete
i know we got inundated w/ rob pics from remember me ( not that i'm complaining !) but honestly, i'm soo looking forward to see more of rob again...and again...yah, i'm hopelessly robsessed :))
Damn, that boy's pretty!ReplyDelete
- Lorabell ;)
Word, Lorabell, word!ReplyDelete
I've read "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in other blog Comments, over Rob not wearing the Black Wrist Tie. I'm more concerned to not see his trusty body guard.ReplyDelete
Even though he's escaped from NYC, I'd still like to see him accompanied... Hope he gets a west coast based body guard, who can travel with him, in CA and up to The Couve.
Alice's Aunt
Poor guy =[ Now i know how ppl around me feel.ReplyDelete
Alice's Aunt- ? Wait.... so Rob doesn't have anybody guards with him anymore?
I'm confuse now , can someone clear this up?So No bodyguards with him?Or he does he still have bodyguards with him?
@lorabell and THparkle- he is soo pretty:))ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 6, 2009 at 8:12 AM
i was just about to go there today because i live in bakersfield and its not too far ...and i descided it was going to be a sad time if i went because i would have to sAY bye to my cousin so i just stayed home...dang it i am his biggest fann i think but some people are a lot more obsessed then me but still i guess i have to wait till i go to england to visit family ubtil i could really have a chance to meet himReplyDelete


text:
July 4, 2013
Jenna Chamness hoops her way along the Hood River parade.
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Celebrity's Wife Fine as Dangerous Winds Blow Through L.A.
So, it's pretty windy in L.A. right now. That's actually an understatement. It's blowing harder than a rentboy at a Republican National Convention around here! The "Santa Anas," as they are known — powerful fall winds that build up in the Great Basin between the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains and pour out towards the Southern California coastline (and that's your meteorological lesson of the day) — have arrived with a vengeance. Speeds of up to 97 mph have been recorded in the Angeles National Forest, and in L.A. proper they seem to be topping out at 50 mph. Transformers are blowing up all over the place and Michael Bay is nowhere to be seen! About 25,000 are currently without power, and even parts of LAX have gone dark. I guess the city doesn't have to worry about the 30 tons of debris left behind after the Occupy LA eviction last night.
But we know what you're really wanting to know: How is Rebecca Gayheart doing through all of this? CBS 2 has the answer.
In Beverly Hills, a giant eucalyptus tree came crashing through the wall at the home of actress Rebecca Gayheart after being uprooted by a wind burst.
Neighbors said the actress and her baby were both safe.
"She's good now," said Erin Smith. "No one was hurt, thank God."


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Jonathan Rauch, in a guest post for The Dish by Andrew Sullivan, joins the discussion over a constitutional solution to the ongoing struggle in Washington to reach a deal to allow the nation to continue paying its debts. He writes that since conservatives are dismissively responding to "the 14th-Amendment option," be believes there might be something to it.
Rauch states:
As you have probably heard, the 14th Amendment says, "The validity of the public debt of the United States...shall not be questioned." In a post-Civil War context, the amendment's framers sought to prevent some political faction—at that time, the South—from refusing to let the government repay its debts. The basic idea of not letting politics hold the debt hostage is certainly relevant to what's happening today, although obviously the situation is different. In any case, whatever the particulars of the amendment's adoption, it clearly suggests that meeting our debt obligations is a constitutional imperative, not merely a statutory one. Otherwise, of course, the amendment wouldn't be there.
As noted in this post, leading constitutional law experts, such as Harvard's Laurence H. Tribe and Yale's Jack Balkin have weighed in on the 14th Amendment and the budget crisis.
In his column for The New York Times, Tribe writes:
The Constitution grants only Congress — not the president — the power "to borrow money on the credit of the United States." Nothing in the 14th Amendment or in any other constitutional provision suggests that the president may usurp legislative power to prevent a violation of the Constitution. Moreover, it is well established that the president's power drops to what Justice Robert H. Jackson called its "lowest ebb" when exercised against the express will of Congress.
But Rauch says the "dismissers" of the 14th Amendment option are acting, well, too dismissively.
"When push comes to shove, therefore, and August 2 or some other drop-dead date comes around, does the 14th Amendment trump the debt-limit statute? I would think so," Rauch writes. "At a minimum, it gives President Obama a compelling case to keep servicing the debt. After all, in the current environment, even a temporary default could have severe economic consequences. Worse, it might be one of those moments in a country's history that frame a turning point in the narrative. "Deadbeat U.S.A.!" Reversing the damage to the country's psyche and image might take years, or forever. Lemme tell you, China isn't about to default."


text: breathe cage II I am looking for Nike Air Max Breathe Cage II in the U.S. size 9.5 and looking for but only in gray or black / gold ******* or black / red. I hope you can help me who I can find these shoes still pay twice that amount. Look at the pictures of these shoes I'm looking for http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQwE7GHrnLQ6lyZi3aQM1ZQvR0BkfTQ6dhQqIA7iOnPExcnWaYQvQ


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What Exactly is Economics?
Let's start with what economics isn't. Economics isn't a meal ticket to make lots of money in the stock market, although economics helps you understand how stock markets and other markets work. Economics also isn't a business degree, although economics teaches important business skills. Economics, first and foremost, is a social science. As such, economics helps to explain the mysteries of how people and society operate.
The field of economics rewards creative and curious thinkers. Whether you realize it or not, you already have a rich personal experience with economics. You make dozens of economic choices every week: how much to study, work, and spend; what courses to take; and what to do on Saturday night.
An economics major or minor draws on that experience to help understand how the economy works, not only for you personally but across the region, the country and the world. Economics builds models to explain why people behave the way they do. And economists use these models, in conjunction with their observations of the world, to analyze and explain why things happen the way they do.
Economic theory helps you cut through the hype of the 24-hour news cycle. What are the implications of not raising the ceiling on the national debt? Why is the national debt so high? Who owns the national debt? What are the "true" economic costs of the national debt? Ultimately, studying economics prepares you to deal with a rapidly changing world and develop skills valued by employers.
With the major changes that have taken place in the world of work, the rapid changes in technology and globalization, it is not uncommon for individuals to make several career changes during their lives. Today's hot specialized degree has often become tomorrow's target for downsizing. Companies that were relatively unchallenged in the domestic market have suffered because of global competition. As a result, experts in career development recommend seriously considering a flexible degree such as economics.
More Info
Kathleen Burns
Administrative Assistant, Economics
Cushing 103A
Anthony Laramie
Professor and Chair, Economics


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Songs... Well, as I mentioned, I grew up in a strict Baptist church, and we weren't "allowed" to listen to rock music... I know.
I have been playing A LOT of catch-up since getting out of that whole atmosphere in 2001! Believe it or not.
Some songs that I do remember are "You Light Up My Life," "We Built This City on Rock and Roll," "Beat It," "We are the World," (we watched that tv special on that), "the Glory of Love" from Karate Kid, another one of my favorites.
I will always remember my highschool crush when I hear "When a Man Loves a Woman" because that was his favorite song. I always think of my first kiss when I smell the cologne Drakkar, because that's what the guy was wearing.
Did anyone else have a Chubbles??? I had the cream-colored one with the purple coat! Man, the things we rememeber!


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Unsigned Artists
Chat about and recommend unsigned aritists and bands
If You Stand For Nothing, You Will Fall For Anything
Im Geno.
My Friends Call Me Gee, Gunz, GAT, G-A-T, Nino, Geno Nino... etc.
I Just Turned Eighteen And I Been Writin And Recordin In My Own Studio since 15.
Im Into Young Money and Hip-Hop. Any Good Music Really. . .
They're Just Dope No Matter How You Smoke Em..
Nicki Is Their Leading Lady . . . She's One Hell Of An Inspiration .
I Tend To Like How She Puts Her Music Together .
I Am Not A Fan Of R&B Unless Its A Really Nice Song ..
& Im Into New School Not Old School ..
Well . Enough About Me .
There Are Links On My Page To My Music . . .
If We Have Anything In Common, Or If Your A Bad Bitch
I am kNARLz, BARk!!
Here are a couple of tracks.. take a listen leave feedback and ill return favors.....New mixtape droppin soon too.
Sparta Gang
The Coupe dE Grace
Follow me @Ken_Bark
--->>>kEN, BARk! - HAZ-Mat
--->>>Check out My Music -- kEN, BARk!
Hey there you guys HAVE to check out my new cover of NICKI's COME ON A CONE
It came out pretty amazing if I do say so myself!!!
Please watch, share, and like :)
a Subscription would be nice too ;)
----> http://youtu.be/0SFiUWTCFpU
Check us out Jay C And Yung Taps - FREESTyLE Suave swag
First Song from my new mixtape ...The Deafxkation.... droppin anyday now...Take a listen leave feedback and SPREAD THE WORD...follow me on twitter @ken_bark
Niggaz Aint Real
Check this too #TellNickiPutMeOn
I got so much music but no one heres me. Help a Ken out and lets take this ova #TeamMinaj!!!!!!!!!!!
--->>>kEN, BARk! - HAZ-Mat
--->>>Check out My Music -- kEN, BARk!
CHECK OUT www.youtube.com/user/mandybabyonfire DOPE ASS FLOW.. DETROIT help support a detroit underground artist
Here you guys check out my Mixtape listen download Purple Friday:Roddy Vs Roman http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/lil-roddy-da-purple-ranger-purple-friday-roddy-vs-roman-
Imma huge fan Of Nicki MInaj And decided to Theme My First Mixtape around her!!! Support
CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE PAGE. www.youtube.com/mandybabyonfire representin for the D!!
I am an Avid Nicki Minaj fan... so I decided to Remix Come on A Cone for the Freestyle Friday Talent Show my school does every week. Below is the link... tell me what you think... PS. This is the clean version... I mean i was at school... Signed, Oliver Twist #NERDnation
Oliver Twist-Walk Round the Cone(Come on A Cone Remix)
check out my new mixtape 'Hazardous Material 3: Pink Flame' I made it special jus for #TeamMinaj.lol.
Feedback is greatly appreciated!
--->>>kEN, BARk! - HAZ-Mat
--->>>Check out My Music -- kEN, BARk!
Daria ft. Cjin - Dance vs Nicki Minaj
Dance vs Nicki Minaj
Daria's last rap English spoken ft. Cjin. A special tribute towards her passion and feelings about Dancing and Nicki Minaj, Who will win this battle? Dance or Nicki Minaj, Find out yourselfs!!
Daria --> @MDEastwood
Cjin --> @Cjin_music
Here's A good Artist He has This Remix Of Nicki's Hit Va Va Voom And Alot of other His a talanted Artist The Link Below
Jay La Flair


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Working on a machine, got me thinking - why can't computer companies design a "combo" cable that transports both data and power, ie; molex + SATA or USB in one cable with one connector. Is there a signaling issue, difficult to transport digital data/voltages along with electron power flow in one cable?
I'm not thinkging a long distance cable; think around 1-3 meters with high bandwidth, for internal components, not a cat5 networking replacement. Seems like it would be handy, one cable to any given device. Why not?


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Problem Statement
- People looking to call Clojure code from Java are faced with a large number of Java classes from the Clojure implementation and don't know which ones are stable and safe to use.
Other problems, not in scope
- people don't like to type
- why are they using Java then?
- people don't understand Clojure, but still want to leverage it from Java
- Clojure is not a Java library
- People can and do write libraries in Clojure for consumption from Java, but each must define its own Java API
- Solve the problem, without introducing others
- provide the smallest possible API, in a single class, to allow people to find and call Clojure fns
- a single thing to refer people to
- opens up entire API
- everything in Clojure is exposed via fns
- if something critical is missing, let's add a fn rather than grow this API
- no wrappers that need to be maintained
- no semantic or other mismatch with original fns
- docs are Clojure docs
- We want to give people access to Var objects but not have them use the Var class
- too much other stuff there, plus it's concrete
- the interfaces they need are IFn and IDeref
- but no interface unifies them, so we have no good type to use
- make one?
- bindings are also tricky to use from Java
- can we function-ify them?
- with-bindings (fn!)
- with-repl-bindings
- with-compilation-bindings
- can we function-ify them?
Stable Public Java API
Clojure does not currently provide a stable public Java API. This makes calling Clojure code from Java more verbose and more complicated than it needs to be, and requires developers to refer to classes that are actually just details of Clojure's current implementation that can and probably will change in the future.
A public Java API probably only needs to be a single class providing a small set of static utility methods, primarily intended to smooth the path for calling Clojure functions from Java. Off the top of my head, this might be an initial set of such methods:
|Code Block
var(String nsName) var(String ns, String name) deref(String nsName) deref(String ns, String name) call(String varName, Object...) call(Var var, Object...) call(IFn fn, Object...) eval(String code) load(File f)
In addition, some data-related methods would be helpful:
|Code Block
keyword(String nsName) keyword(String ns, String name) symbol(String nsName) symbol(String ns, String name) vector(Object... vals) vector(java.util.Collection list) hashmap(Object... keyvals) hashmap(java.util.Map m) set(Object... vals) set(Collection vals)
As long as we are careful with our naming, all of these methods could be statically imported in Java files, making a lot of common interop tasks much less verbose.
IFn.invoke throws Exception :-(
clojure.lang.IFn.invoke throws
Exception, calling Clojure functions in Java (via IFn or resolved vars) implies a lot of checked exception pain. Without some solution to this, the public API for Java would also bubble up that pain through any
call method or
.invoke calls made using
Var or
IFn obtained through that API.
h3. Potential solutions
IFn with a delegate that catches
Exception and rethrows them as
RuntimeException. An example of this is SafeFn.java, which allows nREPL connection functions to be used from Java with a minimum of exception management pain. The public Java API would presumably perform this wrapping automatically when making calls or when returning a function or var that will be {{.invoke}}d later.
Alternatively, drop the
throws Exception declaration from
IFn.invoke entirely, and change function code generation to catch
Exception and rethrow them as
RuntimeException. That would simplify the Java interaction, not force the introduction of one or two new classes, and avoid any wrapping inefficiencies, but I don't yet know what the repercussions would be to the compiler to effect this change or what the perf impact would be (either at runtime or compile/load time given the additional heft of each new function class).
RH - or drop the declaration and don't wrap. Checked exceptions are a fiction of javac, and not a fiction of Clojure. Implemented.


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One of the bloggers we've turned to for holiday DIY inspiration is the lovely Natalie of Creme de la Craft. She has such an amazing ability to create DIYs from items everyone already has in their homes. From VHS garlands to shoebox wall art, her skills are endless. We were so happy to have the opportunity to chat with her to learn more about her DIY experience!
How did you get started as a blogger and a DIYer?
I have been crafting for as long as I can remember. My first job was also in crafting, where I was a scrapbook instructor at Michaels Arts & Craft Store. Over the past few years, I also developed a special interest in upcycling everyday items that may be typically tossed out. I collected items like empty jars, old t-shirts and wine corks, and transformed them into some amazing DIY projects. I started blogging to share these ideas and inspire others to embrace the DIY movement.
Where do you find inspiration for your DIYs?
Ever since I started repurposing everyday household items into craft projects, I now see the "treasure" within the "trash" wherever I look. Just the other day, I turned empty wine bottles into flower vases with a little bit of spray paint and ribbon. I have an even harder time throwing things out ever since I started to DIY!
Which of your DIY projects are your favorite?
One of my favorite projects has to be my DIY pocket notebook that I created out of a cereal box. I still take notes the old-fashioned way so I carry at least two if these in my purse every day. Plus, I love eating cereal, which means I am left with tons of empty cereal boxes that I can transform into a lifetime supply of notebooks! To me, a great DIY project is one that uses everyday items you can find around the house and, most of all, is fun to make.
What are some of your favorite upcoming holiday DIY trends?
I love seeing more and more people upcycling items for DIY craft projects. I've seen some amazing ideas this holiday including paper napkin snowballs, light bulb ornaments and painted pine cones. My CD ornaments were also one of my favorite projects of the year.
What advice would you give to beginners looking to DIY for the holidays?
Take some simple pieces and add a few creative touches to create custom handmade holiday decor. It can be as easy as wrapping a piece of colorful ribbon around a glass ornament or painting your favorite design on plain stockings.
What are your DIY must-haves?
Lately, I'm loving gold spray paint. Take an Altoids tin, drinking straws, or even a rock, and watch them transform with some gold paint and a little bit of creativity.


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An Exquisite, Historical Local TreasureBy: Maggie Downs
For decades, desert dwellers have wondered what lies beyond the pink walls of Sunnylands, the private estate of Walter and Leonore Annenberg.
The sprawling, 200-acre Rancho Mirage property has been a sanctuary for many of the world's most notable leaders, entertainers and thinkers, from Queen Elizabeth II to Bill Gates. The property opened to the public last year, drawing international media and sold-out crowds. Now you can see this desert oasis for yourself.
According to Mary Perry, deputy director of communications for Sunnylands, the estate, operated by The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, was intended to be a space for the entire community.
"Walter and Leonore Annenberg left their estate in public trust for two reasons," explains Perry. "One was to serve as a high-level retreat center where meetings would be held that would affect change in the world; and as a public space where people could learn about the Annenbergs, their history, the collections at Sunnylands, and participate in educational and fun programming."
The 20,000-square-foot home, designed by famed architect A. Quincy Jones, is a midcentury jewel. Most of the walls are stately plates of glass, allowing nature to act as the theatrical backdrop. The home is topped with bold statement roofs in Jones' signature style.
Inside, visitors catch a glimpse of the Annenbergs' art collection, considered one of the most important collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in the world. Though the $1 billion collection was donated to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it now anchors the museum's 19th Century European collection, the walls of the Rancho Mirage estate are adorned with fine, digitallyproduced copies. Among the paintings are renowned works by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Edgar Degas. Original sculptures, including Auguste Rodin's sculpture Eve are on display throughout the home and estate.
Sunnylands also boasts a notable retreat center, known as the Camp David of the West, where President Barack Obama recently hosted China's President Xi Jinping for a working meeting.
For those unable to secure tickets for the estate tours — they sell out quickly — a visit to the Sunnylands Center and Gardens is a must. The exquisite 9-acre gardens, laced with walking paths, are meticulously maintained with hardly a cactus spine out of place. If the grounds feel like an extension of the Annenbergs' art collection, it is for good reason — Leonore Annenberg loved Impressionism, and prior to her passing, was involved in the design of the Sunnylands Center and Gardens. Subsequently, landscape architect James Burnett used Vincent van Gogh's Olive Trees painting for inspiration. The visitor center is free of charge and features art exhibitions, multi-media learning stations, a café, and a small theater which screens a documentary about the history of Sunnylands.
"Our valley citizens come to Sunnylands for a wide variety of reasons, including our planned and scheduled activities," says Perry. "But others come to just enjoy these magnificent gardens, to walk and to reflect. Others come to enjoy lunch and the incredible view from our café. There are so many reasons that the valley has embraced Sunnylands Center and Gardens as their own."
Historic Estate: Tours are offered Thursday through Sunday by reservation, except when a retreat is held on the estate. Tickets are $35 each and must be purchased in advance at Sunnylands.org.
Sunnylands Center and Gardens: No reservations or tickets are necessary to visit Sunnylands Center and Gardens. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, September through June. Free guided garden walks are offered at 11 a.m. on Thursdays. Free guided bird walks are offered at 9:15 a.m. on Fridays.
Other events: Historic landscape tours and bird-watching tours on the estate are also available for $35. Nightlife is a series designed for young professionals with discussions that range from art to the environment, followed by a mixer. Tickets are $10 and must be reserved in advance at sunnylands.org.
Address: 37977 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. Parking is free. For more information, call 760-328-2829.


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good access,just watch out for te people with guns,locals,stinki fish.
DistanceTake a car
WalkInstant access (< 5min)
Easy to find?OK
Public access?Public access
Special accessDon't know
Alternative name 3ms
Wave qualityRegional Classic
ExperienceAll surfers
FrequencyVery consistent (150 day/year)
DirectionRight and left
BottomFlat rocks with sand
Normal lengthNormal (50 to 150m)
Good day lengthLong (150 to 300 m)
Good swell directionNorth, NorthWest, West, SouthWest, South
Good wind directionNorth, East, NorthEast
Swell sizeStarts working at Less than 1m / 3ft and holds up to 4m+ / 12ft
Best tide positionAll tides
Best tide movementRising and falling tides
Week crowdEmpty
Week-end crowdCrowded
- Urchins
- Rocks
- Localism
- Pollution
you park right in front of spot... lots of cars.
the best local spot,san miguel not too much...
You ask your self, wich way do you wanna go before you catch a peak...
Author: Anonymous Contributors (1) They surfed this spot ! (17)
3 emes
3 emes
No video available
|Ninguna sesión de surf
|Ningún viaje de surf
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As part of our traditional coverage of summer Outdoor Retailer, I would like to summarize our current favorites and discuss some expected changes and new introductions in the backpack category. We currently have lots of excellent choices for built-in internal frame backpacks, convertible packs with a removable frame, and ultralight frameless backpacks. Nevertheless, we always look forward to new products entering the market and upgrades to current models, and we especially enjoy comparing them to our present favorites. For us gearheads, it's always fun to find out what's new and cutting edge.
Osprey re-enters the lightweight backpack category with the Exos 58 backpack for spring 2009, weighing just over two pounds. The Exos will be available in three sizes.
Many larger companies, which are well represented at OR, have a lightweight product line that we focus on at OR, and many new technologies are announced at OR. So we are always there to report on the cutting edge of technology. However, our coverage is not limited to the Outdoor Retailer trade show, because many new lightweight and (especially) ultralight products of interest to us come from small companies who typically are not present at OR. We want our coverage to include some of these products as well.
Built-In Internal Frame Backpacks
This category has a built-in internal frame that the rest of the pack is designed around, and the frame is not removable. A backpack of this type with a volume in the fifty- to sixty-five-liter range is very popular for lightweight backpacking, carrying a total weight of twenty-five to thirty-five pounds. Our weight limit in this category is three and a half pounds. These packs are generally better padded, sturdier, and capable of carrying a heavier load more comfortably.
My current favorites are:
- Granite Gear Vapor Trail (59 L, 37 oz, US$160)
- ULA Equipment Catalyst (75 L, 43 oz, US$225)
- REI Cruise UL 60 (60 L, 50 oz, US$130)
- GoLite Quest (72 L, 51 oz, US$175)
- Gregory Z-55 (55 L, 53 oz, US$199)
- Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian (60 L, 56 oz, US$250)
Please note that total pack volume can be very misleading, because it doesn't indicate how much of the volume is contained in outside pockets versus the main compartment. The actual pack size/volume can be significantly larger or smaller than expected. I strongly recommend comparing packs in detail before making a purchase. Factors that contribute to weight – but also to comfort – are adjustability and padding. The Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian is the heaviest pack on our favorites list, but it is also the most adjustable and arguably the most comfortable.
Osprey Re-enters the Lightweight Pack Category
A new addition to this category, and one sure to hit our favorites list, is the new Osprey Exos 58 (38.5 ounces, US$199) which will be available in spring 2009. The popular Osprey Aether and Atmos packs have been previous favorites, but their weight increased with each upgrade to push them beyond our weight limit. We are pleased to have Osprey back in the lightweight backpack category with their new Exos pack.
The Exos is a top loader with a full feature set that includes nine pockets, air suspension backpanel, and a "Stow on the Go" trekking pole carrying system. The contoured tubular frame is made of 6061-T6 aluminum for strength and light weight. Weight reduction on the Exos is achieved by using lightweight durable fabrics, mesh pockets, die-cut Biostretch EVA foam in the suspension system, and lightweight straps and connectors. The new AirSpeed backpanel is a trampoline type, but the air gap is reduced from previous versions to reduce its interference with pack volume and put the center of gravity closer to the user.
Osprey's new Exos 58 internal frame backpack is a pound lighter than many of its competitors. The frontpanel (left) has a large stretchwoven kangaroo pocket, and there are two large mesh pockets on the sides. The backpanel view (center) shows the pack's lightweight contoured peripheral frame, AirSpeed mesh backpanel, and mesh hipbelt pockets. A close-up of the backpanel shows the reduced depth of the AirSpeed backpanel, which brings the pack's center of gravity closer to the hiker. The Exos does not have an adjustable torso length, so it's important to choose the correct pack size.
I have been testing the Exos 58 for a couple of months and have found it fully capable of comfortably carrying loads between twenty-five and thirty-five pounds. With a large main compartment and nine spacious pockets, I found the Exos 58 overly spacious for my gear kit most of the time, so I advise readers to take a good look at the Exos 46 (30 ounces). It may seem to be too small, but it is in fact a very roomy pack for a weekend trip or longer when using lightweight gear. It's important to purchase a backpack that is properly sized for the volume of gear that will be carried. Most backpacks carry better when they are fully expanded, but not overstuffed. The smallest pack in the new Exos series is thirty-four liters (28 ounces).
Lightwave Introduces a (Nearly) Waterproof Backpack
Although not available in the United States, another internal frame backpack of interest is the new Lightwave Wildtrek (60 liter men's/55 liter women's, about 2.3 pounds), available now throughout Europe. Although they are traditional top-loading designs, the distinctive feature of these packs (besides their light weight) is they have welded and taped seams that make the packs mostly waterproof. The backpanel seams are not seam taped, but they are protected to a large extent. The packs have an internal M-frame made of 7001-T6 aluminum.
The new Lightwave Wildtrek 60 has welded and taped seams that make it nearly waterproof while hiking in the rain.
Gregory Further Expands Their Popular Z-Pack Series
Gregory will be introducing the men's Z-65/women's Jade 60 (65/60 liters, sub-4 pounds, US$229) in spring 2009 to provide a larger version of their popular Z-Packs. These packs feature Gregory's Jet Stream suspension technology, top loading and frontpanel access, and six pockets for convenient access to gear. In addition to these larger Z-Packs, Gregory is also introducing the Z-35/Jade 35 and Z-25/Jade 25.
Gregory's new Z-65 and its companion women's Jade 60 extend the volume range in their popular Z-Pack series.
Updated North Face Skareb Backpacks are Better than Ever
The North Face will have twenty-one new or updated backpacks for spring 2009, and we obviously can't cover all of them. Lightweight standouts are the Skareb 65 and 50. The name remains the same, but the packs will receive a complete makeover for spring 2009, which will consist of new lightweight durable fabrics, improved X-Radial frame (that weighs only 2.5 ounces!), a fast opening top access, outside access, improved molded EVA padded backpanel and lumbar zones, stretch nylon side pockets, large stretch-woven front pocket, and a lightweight but comfortable suspension system. The wide hipbelt has a pocket on one side and accessory attachment loops on the other. There is even a loop on the left shoulder strap to conveniently carry a water bottle adventure racer style. The Skareb 65 (65 liters, about 54 ounces, US$249) and Skareb 50 (50 liters, 48 ounces, US$219) are cutting edge internal frame backpacks that pack a lot of features and comfort into their sub-3.5-pound weights.
North Face's Skareb 65 (left) and Skareb 50 (center) will receive a complete makeover for spring 2009. Backpanel padding and ventilation are provided by a molded EVA lattice (right), and the left shoulder strap has a built-in water bottle holder.
Backpacks with a Removable Frame
These packs are very versatile because they can be used as either an internal frame backpack or frameless pack. The stays or framesheet slip into a sleeve on the backpanel and are easily inserted or removed. I put these packs into a separate category so as to compare apples with apples. These packs are also popular with many lightweight backpackers because they provide the capacity to carry a twenty-five- to thirty-five-pound load when needed. However, they are arguably more comfortable for loads in the twenty- to thirty-pound range. The lightest pack in this category (by Gossamer Gear) is an ultralight frameless pack when the stays are removed.
My current favorites are:
Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus (60 L, 19.3 oz, US$155)
Six Moon Designs Comet (60 L, 29 oz, US$160)
Six Moon Designs Starlite (67 L, 30 oz, US$165)
The weights include the stays. The Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus is made of durable 2.2 oz/yd2 coated rip-stop nylon and has straight carbon fiber stays that are not bendable. It replaces the current Mariposa and Miniposa packs (made of silnylon) that are being discontinued. The Six Moon Designs Comet and Starlite differ in volume and design, are constructed of durable 210 denier Dyneema Gridstop, have half-inch wide aluminum stays that can be bent to match the curvature of the user's back, and are available with different hipbelt sizes and styles (with or without hipbelt pockets).
REI's New Flash Ultralight Backpacks are Spot On
REI's in-house gear and apparel development program continues to crank out new well designed, durable products with a great feature set and value pricing. Their new Flash backpack series for spring 2009 will replace their Ultralight series, and includes the Flash 65 (65 liters, 50 ounces, US$149) and Flash 50 (50 liters, 42 ounces, US$129). Their HDPE framesheet and top lid are removable to yield a frameless pack that weighs two pounds or less. These packs feature a wrap-around front kangaroo pocket with its own front zippered compartment, water-resistant zippers, mesh side pockets (four overlapping side pockets on the Flash 65, two on the Flash 50), and a large top lid. The suspension system is well padded and comfortable without being too weighty. The Flash packs have a fixed torso length, so getting a good fit means choosing the correct pack size. Both packs are available in men's and women's small, medium, and large.
The new REI Flash 65 (top left) and 50 (top center) are exceptionally well-designed, durable packs with a great feature set and value pricing. The suspension system (top right) is comfortable and light. These packs use a contoured HDPE framesheet (bottom left) that has been die-cut to reduce weight. With the top cap and frame removed (bottom right), the Flash packs become a frameless pack weighing around two pounds.
Six Moon Designs Introduces a Travel Pack
The new Six Moon Designs Traveler (62 liters, 31 ounces, US$180), available now, addresses the needs of backpackers who use public transportation to get to their destination. It's a panel-loader with a zippered top pocket and zippered front mesh pocket. The other features are basically the same as the Comet (adjustable torso length, hipbelt sizes with optional pockets, one tall mesh pocket on the left side and two mesh pockets on the right side front compression straps).
Although the Traveler has design features to help it survive public transportation abuse, I don't think I would ship a backpack with gear stuffed into mesh side pockets. I have had much better luck with wrapping my pack in plastic or placing it in a duffle bag to keep it clean and unscathed. Actually, the Traveler is a wonderful design for normal backpacking without using public transportation. Its design borrows a bit from the revised SMD Essence pack, which really works well for comfort and convenience, especially when the pack is fully expanded.
The new Six Moon Designs Traveler pack is a panel loader with a zippered front mesh pocket and zippered top pocket.
The Super Scrambler from Mountain Hardwear
For spring 2009, Mountain Hardwear will be introducing a larger version of their popular Scrambler backpack, called the Super Scrambler (51 liters, 35 ounces, US$130). Size large bumps the volume up to fifty-six liters and fits torsos longer than 18.5 inches. This pack has a unique corrugated thermofoam framesheet that can be removed, along with a foam back pad and the top cap, allowing the pack to be used as a conventional frameless backpack with top compression strap. Inside there is a large internal sleeve that allows the use of a sleeping pad for additional backpanel cushioning/support.
The 2009 Mountain Hardwear Super Scrambler (left, 51 liters, 35 ounces, US$130) is built to be versatile. It has a removable corrugated framesheet (right), back pad, and top cap to convert it to a conventional frameless backpack.
Frameless Backpacks
These backpacks, as the name implies, have no frame at all. For back padding and to stiffen the pack, it's standard practice to create a "virtual frame" by placing a closed cell foam pad against the backpanel or coiling it in the main compartment.
My current favorites are:
Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet (2750 cubic inches/45 L, 5.9 oz, US$130)
Six Moon Designs Essence (3100 cubic inches/51 L, 13 oz, US$120
GoLite Jam2 (3100 cubic inches/51 L, 21 oz, US$100)
GoLite Pinnacle (4400 cubic inches/72 L, 25 oz, US$130)
Pack weights vary because of fabrics, features, and size, and do not include accessories, such as a hipbelt and sternum strap. I included the GoLite Pinnacle because it really shines for carrying high volume/moderate weight loads, such as winter backpacking where a bulkier sleeping bag and more insulated clothing are needed.
Gossamer Gear Murmur Replaces the Whisper
Gossamer Gear's popular Whisper Uberlight pack is being replaced by the Murmur Hyperlight pack (1700 cubic inches/28 liters, 7.5 ounces, US$90). The Murmer is constructed of 1.1 ounce/yd2 spinnaker fabric and has 300 cubic inches less volume than the Whisper. It also gains some features and more than doubles in weight (from 3.5 ounces to a whopping 7.5 ounces!). The additional weight comes from the addition of a waist strap, sternum strap, and two side pockets. The Murmur has a total of three outside pockets – one front mesh pocket and two side spinnaker pockets – while the Whisper only has one front spinnaker pocket. Overall, the Murmur has a feature set that most hikers prefer, and provides more utility in a pack that is still outrageously light. For gram cutters, the waist belt and sternum strap are removable.
The new Gossamer Gear Murmur frameless backpack (7.5 ounces/1700 cubic inches) is made of spinnaker fabric and is 300 cubic inches smaller than the former Whisper pack.
GoLite Upgrades the Jam2 and Pinnacle for Spring 2009
More evolution will be taking place in the GoLite line of backpacks. After introducing a completely new backpack line a couple of years ago, the Jam2 and Pinnacle will receive an upgrade and the weights will go up a bit (there appears to be a trend here). The new packs will have a conventional zipper and storm flap on the large front pocket (which is how it was on the original Jam and Gust), spacer-mesh padded backpanel, shoulder straps, hipbelt wings, and larger stretch-woven hipbelt pockets and side pockets. The side compression straps will (finally) mate across the front of the pack to stabilize the load or attach larger items to the front of the pack. And the ComPACKtor system for reducing pack volume has been improved. By now, you are probably wondering what the damages (in weight) are; according to GoLite, a large Pinnacle will gain eight ounces and a large Jam2 will gain two ounces. That's not too bad, considering the gains in comfort and utility.
The GoLite Jam2 (shown) and Pinnacle (which is a larger volume pack of the same design) will receive a substantial upgrade for spring 2009, which will increase their comfort and utility as well as their weight.
Mountain Laurel Designs Replaces the Zip Pack with the Exodus and Arc
The durable Mountain Laurel Designs Zip pack has been replaced by two similar packs that differ in size: the Exodus (3200 cubic inches/52 liters, 11.3 ounces, US$160) and Arc (4200 cubic inches/69 liters, 14.2 ounces, US$170). These packs are constructed of more durable 40 denier silnylon with 210 denier Spectra Gridstop on the backpanel and bottom. Features include three outside mesh pockets, compression straps, top strap, hipbelt, and sternum strap. The main difference between the two packs is their volume, although the larger Arc has wider shoulder straps and hipbelt wings.
The new Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus (left, 11.3 ounces, 3200 cubic inches) and Arc (right, 14.2 ounces, 4200 cubic inches) are more durable frameless backpacks and differ mainly in size.
Terra Nova Expands Into Backpacks
Terra Nova is well known in the UK for their extremely light double wall tents. Starting in 2009, their products will be available in the U.S. through selected dealers and eventually a distribution center. In spring 2009, Terra Nova will be introducing a new line of ultralight frameless backpacks that are designed for adventure racers and fastpackers. The largest of the series is the Laser 35 (35 liters, 17 ounces, US$100), which is a panel-loading pack made of lightweight fabrics derived from their tent designs, and spacer-mesh padded suspension system. The pack has wide side pockets and a closed-cell foam backpanel that is removable.
The Terra Nova Laser 35 is designed for adventure racers and fastpackers and weighs just seventeen ounces.
Assessment and Trends
The weight of lightweight fixed internal frame backpacks is steadily declining while their feature set is steadily improving. The Osprey Exos 58 and 46 are standouts for weight reduction while providing plenty of volume, features, and comfort. Every component of the pack has been fine tuned to provide function with minimal weight, and it adds up to a substantial weight savings. A year ago, our lightest internal frame backpacks weighed just over three pounds; the Osprey Exos beats that by nearly a pound.
Backpacks with a removable frame continue to be a viable category, and the selection is expanding. This is perhaps the most versatile type of backpack. While they won't carry heavier loads as comfortably as the fixed internal frame backpacks, they easily handle moderate lightweight loads or weekend loads. The packs in this category are diverse, and the final choice depends on the volume and weight of your gear kit and trip lengths. While slightly heavier, the new REI Flash backpacks should not be ignored. They have a wonderful feature set, are more versatile than the Exos because of their removable components, and they are an outstanding value. However the Flash packs are about a pound heavier than the Six Moon Designs packs, and almost two pounds heavier than the Gossamer Gear Mariposa. The Flash packs should be considered for purchase alongside the Osprey Exos packs (and other favorites in that category), rather than the SMD and Gossamer Gear packs.
Many of our readers have a gear kit so light that they will only consider a smaller frameless backpack. The trend in this category seems to be toward more durable fabrics, which adds only an ounce or two to the weight of a pack and extends its lifespan considerably. Removable components are also common, so a hiker can customize the pack to the conditions on each trip.


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