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Crumbling walls held together by paint sound like something from a creepy movie, not a description of the premier animal shelter in Larimer County.
The Larimer Humane Society wants to replace the 44-year-old shelter and an administration building nearby with a 38,000-square-foot facility able to meet the county's growing population, while providing more space for staff, volunteers, visitors and, of course, animals.
"The real problem besides the building falling apart is we don't have space for critical functions," said Bob Francella, director of development and community relations for the Larimer Humane Society, based in Fort Collins.
To help pay for that space, the Humane Society plans to submit a citizen petition Wednesday to the Larimer County Clerk's Office for a penny-per-$10 sales tax increase.
Community volunteers need to collect more than 11,200 signatures, and though they have reached that goal, they are seeking at least 15,000 signatures to ensure enough are validated. To do this, they are canvassing neighborhoods and encouraging county residents to sign forms at the shelter, 6317 Kyle Ave., and the administration building, 5137 S. College Ave., both in Fort Collins.
'Run Down'
"(The shelter) is very run-down and very small," said Alyce Corwin of Loveland, who was in downtown Loveland on Thursday collecting signatures. "With the population increase, they definitely need a lot more room."
The open admissions shelter has a multitude of problems, including a foundation that's cracking, walls separating from the floors and floors heaving as much as 2 inches.
Other identified problems: the ventilation system cannot contain the potential spread of disease; the drainage system is insufficient; And a single hallway bisects the veterinary care department, serving as the main thoroughfare for all animals -- including those that are adoptable and rabid wild animals.
In essence, proponents of the tax say, the building is overcrowded, worn out and landlocked with no room to grow to meet the needs of the community. Built with inexpensive materials, it is designed to shelter a fraction of the current admissions.
On average, the shelter serves more than 8,000 lost, abandoned, injured, abused and ill domestic and barnyard animals each year.
"Our shelter is literally less than one-third of the size it should be for our community," Francella said, citing a study conducted in 2011 by animal welfare specialists.
For Another Time
When the building was built, the county's population was 90,000, not today's 315,000, and the animal protection control program was not included in the programming. Now, the animal protection control officers are responding to 70 calls a day.
To help fund this work, the nonprofit has contracts with the cities of Loveland and Fort Collins and Larimer County.
And to pay for the expansion, the nonprofit met with the three municipalities but was told money was not available. Plus, donors could not provide the funding needing, so the nonprofit decided to pursue a sales tax initiative.
"Anybody who has been to our facility does not argue that unquestionably a new shelter must be built," Francella said.
The sales tax, if approved by voters, will become effective January 2015 and sunset in six years or less to generate $13 million toward the $15 million project for constructing and outfitting the building with new high-tech equipment. Construction will begin immediately and be completed within two years on a $1.5 million, 27-acre parcel of land, which the nonprofit has just paid off, on County Road 30 near Boyd Lake Road in Loveland.
The other $2 million will be raised through a capital campaign.
"People realize it's a small price to pay for quality of life," said Noel Rincon of Greeley, a volunteer signature collector. "Everyone has a huge heart. They are doing the best they can. The facility isn't allowing them to do the best work possible."
New Features
Once completed, one-quarter of the new building will be dedicated toward adoptions and will include cat colonies and outdoor pavilions.
"There's going to be a lot more opportunities for good quality interactions between adopters and animals," Francella said. "Right now, there is no space for that."
The building will include a separate intake area with a lobby and holding area, where animals will stay five days for owner claims. As it is now, staff and volunteers work in a 200-square-foot lobby, handling anything from new pet adoptions to owners bringing an elderly, ill animal in for euthanasia.
"You have a tremendous mix of emotions in a very small space," Francella said.
The veterinary clinic also will be expanded and a surgical suite will be added.
The new shelter will be a "durable, tough building made out of materials that will last for decades," Francella said. "It will just create so many opportunities for people to find love with a pet."


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After a one-hour session with destiny earlier this week, local strongman and world-record-holder (and breaker) David "The Mighty" Gonzales did not beat his intended 11 world records he planned to shatter that day. After a lightly winded call shortly after his heavy-handed showdown, Gonzales reported he broke a staggering 23!
"My little surprise was that I was not only going to try to establish 11 world records from the title-holders today," Gonzales stated directly after his victory, "but I?was going to establish 23 of them, and I did that."
The strongman tells us a little of his muscle-bound feats that afternoon, from Anytime Fitness, Cape Coral. "At first, I started with calisthenics and deep-knee bends, and those, themselves, almost got me. I thought I was going to have to call 9-1-1. My heartbeat was over 220 beats per minute. But I used techniques learned in yoga to calm myself and continue with the record-smashing."
Article Photos
Cape Coral resident David "The Mighty" Gonzales.
Michael Pistella
The strong man not only established multiple world records Monday afternoon for speed, strength and fitness, but he also achieved additional ones for the most established within a certain amount of time.
"Two of them were the most world records set in one hour and the most set in one day," he stated. "And I?established five world records within five minutes."
Other records he broke that day include: 1) The most neck presses; 2) Most free-hand squats in one minute (85 reps); 3) Most in two minutes (145 reps); 4) Most in three minutes (205); 5) Most in four minutes (270); 6) Final time in five minutes (335); 7 and 8) Most reps with the left and right arms (60-pound dumbbells, 40 reps with each hand); 9) Lifting two 50-pound dumbbells 18 times in 15 seconds; 10 and 11) Lifted those dumbells 45 times in one minute with both the left and right arms; 12 and 13) Lifted two 45-pound dumbells 100 times the fastest (1 minute, 58 seconds); 14) Most knuckle push-ups with feet elevated four feet off the ground (75 in one minute); 15 and 16) Most one-armed rowing reps with a 40-pound dumbell, lifting to chest, lowering to floor (105 reps with each arm, lifting a total of 4,200 pounds in each arm in one minute's time); 17) Most reverse curling on an EZ-Curl bar (34 reps in just under a minute); 18) Most back-of-neck lifts (180 pounds for 52 reps); 19) Most front-of-neck lifts (180 pounds in 36 reps); 20) Fastest time to reverse-curl a 45-pound Olympic bar (45 reps in 30 seconds); 21) and repeated again using forearms (another 45 reps in 30 seconds); 22) Along with the most world records broken in one hour, as well as one day (No. 23).
"Members of the audience kept track, as well as my fitness partner, Mike Shephard, and all have been recorded with RecordSetters.com, as well as uploaded to YouTube," the strongman stated. "I was so happy to see a dozen-or-so supporters who came out to support me. I am so thankful to them."
After all was said and done, it was yet another day in the life of a strongman, and after a few hours of catching his breath and winding down after such an enormous feat, "I'll be taking a few days to rest and recover, and then focus all of my energy on shear brute strength, in preparation for my summer show in Atlantic City for Ripley's Believe It or Not, and possibly Hammond Stadium, all within the next several weeks."
For sponsorship information of the strongman, or to schedule David "The Mighty" Gonzales at your next event, call 239-233-4102 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, February 1, 2008
Traditional Polish doughnuts
Even though pączki are available in Poland all year-round, Fat Thursday is actually the only time in the year when I eat some. My favorite doughnuts are the ones filled with rose hip jam, which is the most popular Fat-Thursday filling. I usually buy the doughnuts in a bakery, but since Tartelette and Peabody have organized Time to Make the Doughnuts food blog event this year, I thought it's a great opportunity to learn how to make Polish doughnuts myself. They're probably longer to make and harder to fill than American doughnuts, but believe me that the effort is rewarding. My doughnuts came out wonderful, very light, tender and absolutely delicious!!!
A few notes to the recipe: The recipe calls for fresh yeast, if you have trouble finding them, I suspect active dry yeast might work well, (I haven't tried it yet). While searching the Internet for Polish doughnuts recipe, I have found many simplified recipes which use less egg yolks and no alcohol. Do not reduce the amount of the egg yolks!!! The doughnuts which contain more yolks eggs absorb less oil. Also alcohol when incorporated into doughnut dough reduces the absorption of frying oil. Most of Polish doughnut recipes call for rectified spirit, feel free to use vodka or rum instead. Before frying, make sure the oil is hot enough. Test the temperature by frying a piece of dough; if it floats up immediately and turns golden quickly, you can start frying. To keep the oil temperature constant while frying, fry only a few doughnuts at a time. Crowding will lower the oil's temperature and produce greasy doughnuts. I filled my doughnuts with rose hip jam, but feel free to use the filling of your choice.
Pączki (Traditional Polish doughnuts)
Makes 3 dozen medium doughnuts
1 kg flour
100 g fresh yeast (also known as compressed yeast or cake yeast)
75 g sugar
½ liter (2 cups) milk
8 yolk eggs
100 g unsalted butter, melted
16 g vanilla sugar
50 ml rectified spirit or vodka
orange rind, grated
pinch of salt
1 liter of vegetable oil for deep -frying
350 g rose hip jam mixed with 2 tablespoons rum (optional)
350 g icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
candied orange peel to decorate
1. Heat 250 ml (1 cup) of the milk over low heat until slightly warm, but not hot (too hot milk will kill the yeast).
2. Crumble the yeast in a large bowl. Add the heated milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 5 tablespoons of the flour. Stir to combine and dissolve. Cover with dishtowel and set aside in a warm place. Let rise until spongy.
3. Place the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and 2 tbsp of slightly warm (but not hot) water in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy and pale.
4. Add the egg mixture, the remaining milk, the alcohol, and orange rind to the yeast mixture and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
5. Pour the liquid into the sifted flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. If the mixture is too dry add more milk.
6.Knead the dough by hand for at least 20 minutes or until smooth and soft. The softer the doughnut dough, the more tender the doughnuts will be.
7. Gradually add the melted butter and continue kneading until the dough incorporates it and is no longer sticky.
8. Shape the dough into a ball. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with a dishtowel and leave in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
9. Place half of the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and, using a rolling pin, roll to a thickness of 1/2-inch.
10. Using a drinking glass or round cookie cutter, cut circles (approximately 3 inches in diameter).
11. Spoon about 3/4 teaspoon of the filling into the center of each circle. Raise edges of dough and pinch together over filling, then roll between palms snowball fashion to form balls.
12. Transfer the doughnuts to a parchment lined baking sheet (do not flour the baking sheet). Cover with a dishtowel, and let rise in warm place until doubled.
13. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
14. Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep heavy frying pan. Use enough oil that doughnuts can float freely (about 2,5 inches). Test the temperature by frying a small piece of dough; it should bubble and float up immediately.
15. Fry 3 doughnuts at a time. Cook on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Then remove to drain on paper towels.
16. To make the icing, sift icing sugar into a bowl. Mix through 2 tablespoon lemon juice, then gradually add enough water to obtaining a mixture with a suitable consistency to spread. Spread over the doughnuts with a brush. Top each of the doughnuts with candied orange peel.
Przepis po polsku:
Tradycyjne polskie pączki
12 comments:
- Pille said...
How interesting! I cannot imagine how rosehip jam tastes in doughnuts -and I guess there's only one way to find out:)
- February 5, 2008 at 7:03 AM
- Anoushka said...
Karolciu, pozwoliłam sobie ściągnąć od Ciebie pomysł z tłumaczeniem przepisów na jęz. ojczysty:) Mam nadzieję, że nie masz mi za złe?
Pączki wspaniałe!
Pozdrawiam serdecznie
- February 5, 2008 at 9:59 AM
- karolcia said...
Pille: It tastes really delicious, I do hope you'll try it some day:)
Anoushka: Oczywiście, że nie mam Ci za złe. Wręcz przeciwnie, chętnie poczytam przepisy po polsku:)
- February 8, 2008 at 7:48 AM
- Tartelette said...
I have been wanting to make these for a long time. Maybe this weekend...Thanks for your entry, they are picture perfect!
- February 14, 2008 at 1:27 PM
- Cheryl said...
Look how plump and lovely those are. I would tear them up right away.
- February 15, 2008 at 4:39 PM
- Cakelaw said...
These look delectable with the candied orange on top. I would love to try the ones filled with advocaat custard too.
- February 16, 2008 at 5:31 AM
- Gretchen Noelle said...
I'm sold! These look *delicious*!!! I love the sound of custard filled ones! Yum!!!
- February 16, 2008 at 8:13 AM
- awoz said...
Your paczki are simply marvelous! Bravo!
- March 2, 2008 at 4:17 PM
The best paczki have WILD ROSE PETAL flavored jam, NOT ROSE HIP flavored jam. Entirely different flavors.
- March 18, 2008 at 4:04 PM
I am in search of the Polish doughnut that my family devoured growing up in a Polish neighborhood in northeast Philadelphia. They were not the doughnuts pazcki you describe. They were round like a ball, not flattened and were a cross between a cake and a bread dough -- you could tear peices from it. The outside was a dark brown (fried I assume) and my favorite were filled with a white cream that wasn't too sweet. I never tasted liquor (rum, vodka, etc.) or orange rind. I would do anything for the recipe. If anyone can offer some insight, please email me. email@example.com
- July 19, 2008 at 12:07 AM
- karolcia said...
Anonymous: Have you tried my recipe? They're round, not flatten and the dough tastes exactly how you described it. Also, the orange rind in the recipe is optional.
Sadly, I don't know what could be the filling. The advocaat custard I've mentioned in my post, doesn't taste alcohol (it's only the flavoring, not the real liquor), but still, the color is yellowish and tastes sweet, so I guess it's not the filling you've tried.
- July 20, 2008 at 7:28 AM
- joe said...
Just thought I'd comment to say I used your recipe yesterday.
They were just like the paczki i used to get from the polish bakery.
I only made a quarter of the quantity as there were only two of us to eat them. It made plenty.
- October 27, 2011 at 6:21 PM


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text: The game controller has gone through many iterations since its inception, far too many to show them all here. We chose some of our favorites. Bring back any memories? Perhaps it would help if we pictured them smashed in the corner, having recently been rocketed across the room in frustration.


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4 Washington Wizards Fined $10K for Gilbert Arenas Gun Incident! (All Images Of Gilbert Have Been Pulled On Their 1st Home Game)
Four players have been fined $10,000 apiece for making fun of a serious situation.
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EVGA nForce 790i Ultra SLI Motherboard and Chipset Review
Introduction and 790i Features
Over the years chipset launches have gone from an exciting part of a great new platform launch to side bars on the releases of new processors and graphics cards. Chipset technology was largely stagnate when NVIDIA's dominance started to take place in the AMD world and even their marketing teams couldn't keep the magic and excitement of chipsets alive for long. We were forced to endure the nForce 3, nForce 4, nForce 500 and nForce 600 series and the most recent addition the nForce 780i. All of them were decent chipsets in their own right though you could probably count the TRUE advancements of each from generation to generation on one hand.
This chipset launch is really nothing different though NVIDIA is catching up with technologies that Intel has offered since May of last year. The NVIDIA nForce 790 chipsets brings support for the latest Intel processors, DDR3 memory and native PCI Express 2.0.
The NVIDIA nForce 790i SLI Ultra Chipset
The new flagship chipset for NVIDIA's the Intel platform line of products is the nForce 790i Ultra SLI and is the chipset that will be reviewing today. This product is a two chip design not a single chip like we will see on the upcoming nForce 780a and thus we are actually getting a new north bridge and a very familiar south bridge.
Also new with the nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset is the inclusion of the native DDR3 memory controller. Intel's own chipsets have offered DDR3 support since May of last year and this is NVIDIA's first attempt at one so we'll have to see how performance looks.
The HyperTransport connection is used merely for communications with the south bridge.
The south bridge should look awfully familiar to you as it has been used by NVIDIA since the days of the nForce 500 series and still includes the same features.
Oh, and the nForce 790i SLI Chipset...
There is another chipset launching today as well that goes by the moniker 790i SLI. The block diagram below clearly shows that the product is basically identical:
It's really not that big of a deal as this chipset should be able to run the memory at that speed but I honestly see no need for this being two separate products.


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Baritone Kurt Ollmann to Perform Tonight at Wabash Collegeby Karen Handley • February 8, 2005 Share:
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Wabash College's Visiting Artists Series will present baritone Kurt Ollmann at 8 p.m., Wednesday, February 16, in Salter Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Center.
In concert Ollmann will perform a program of French and American songs, including works by Debussy and Ned Rorem. This acclaimed young artist first came to prominence singing the role of "Riff" on the Deutsche Grammophon recording of West Side Story under Leonard Bernstein, and was Maximilian in the Grammy Award-winning Candide conducted by the composer. Ollmann has sung Pelléas at La Scala under Claudio Abbado, the Count in The Marriage of Figaro at the Opera Theater of St. Louis, and Don Giovanni in the original Peter Sellars production at Pepsico Summerfare. He scored a recent success as Orin in the revised version of Martin David Levy's Mourning Becomes Electra at the Seattle and New York City Operas, and has performed widely in the United States and Europe. USA Today had this to say about Ollmann, "Kurt Ollmann makes Don Giovanni a sexually compulsive James Dean. His keen acting ability and mellow baritone suggest a wonderful career abroad."
Seating for Visiting Artists Series events is by general admission, though free tickets are required for Visiting Artists Series programs
Contact the Fine Arts Center Box Office by email at email@example.com; phone: 765-361-6411; or by mail at Fine Arts Center Box Office, Wabash College, P.O. Box 352, Crawfordsville, IN 47933-0352. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30 to 4 p.m. The box office will open 90 minutes before curtain time for Visiting Artists events. Tickets not claimed at the Box Office 10 minutes prior to curtain will be released to the general public.


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What Do You Need to Be an Entrepreneur?by GDN Shared Post July 31, 2009
To be an entrepreneur in today's business climate, you must build a strong brand identity for you and for your business. You must invest in yourself. You must invest in your own public relations campaign. Some people feel shy about self-promotion and believe that it self-aggrandizing or even narcissistic. You must get over any reticence that tells you that by promoting yourself you are being immodest. This is business, not child's play. In order to succeed in today's business environment, you must aggressively promote yourself and your business. You must embrace the fact that public relations or self-promotion is simply a business development tool and is necessary to grow your business and to increase revenue. You may not have a spectacular budget to work with, but do have to have a budget. Your budget is what will dictate exactly how you can create your own fully integrated promotion and establish metrics to assess whether or not you did indeed get your return on your investment.
What did inspire you to start your business?
Back in the late 1990s, I had the pleasure to work with an Internet company called PublishingOnline. While I was there, I worked with individual authors who wanted to be published on the internet. I quickly learned there was a real need for professionals to market themselves the same as any company in a way that was cost effective and got results. So when I started my own PR firm, I decided that I wanted to do PRforPeople.
How did you finance it?
I have bootstrapped my business. From the onset, my company has consistently sustained profitability. Since it is a service-oriented business, I maintain very little overhead and keep my costs low. I don't believe in incurring debt unless there is a strategic reason for doing so. I also curb my costs in small ways by outsourcing IT services to developers in India, and by working with highly experienced senior-level independent contractors who want to maintain their "freelance" autonomy and do not want permanent employment.
Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
On the west coast, I am more influenced by the Mexican-American culture whereas on the east coast, there was greater influence from Cuban Americans, Puerto Rican Americans and Dominican Americans. Many of my Spanish-speaking clients have strong expertise in branding and PR and know how it works. Two fine examples are Fashion Designer Nick Verreos of Bravo TV's Project Runway and Alicia Silva President of Synergy Design Studios who specializes in sustainable architecture and green living.
In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
You simply put one foot in front of the other and keep moving.
What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
To be successful in today's complex market place, you must be able to break through the clutter. It does not matter if you are an artist or an actor or an accountant or an attorney, you must have the ability to be seen and heard above the din. Breaking through the clutter requires dedication, persistence and hard work. I face the same economic challenges and uncertainties that all of my clients are currently facing. We are all in this together. We must all stay the course and persevere.
If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would expand more rapidly on a global scale.
What was your childhood ambition?
When I was in the 4th grade, my teacher saw that I had a gift for writing so she worked with me to help me cultivate the craft of "storytelling" that grew to be very sophisticated and far beyond my chronological years. So for the rest of my life, I had great confidence in my writing and the ability to use this talent to serve my clients– to tell their "stories" to the media.
Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Diane von Fursteneberg–for her ruthless focus and her ability to reinvent her own brand.
Estee Lauder for her persistence and brilliance at promoting her own brand.
Melinda Gates–for putting a new brand face on what it means to be a social philanthropist.
For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast meetings are excellent for light fare and intense, focused conversation. At the end of the day, dinner is an excellent way to relax and have a long, complex conversation. I am not a fan of lunch, mainly due to my fitness regimen–lunch invites too much food that weighs down the afternoon just when you need to put the pedal to the metal and accelerate.
What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I say no to a lot of social events and to spending time with friends. In the last week alone, I have declined several parties, two book club gatherings, four dinners, two lunches and delayed a trip to my vacation home on the Oregon coast. I cannot take the time to travel right now. Leaving the country isn't even a remote possibility. My priorities are my business and my family. Some people tell me that I work too much and that I don't have enough fun, but to me building a business and making my dreams come true is much more fun and satisfying than anything else in the world!
What is your favorite quote?
"Good PR is establishing the greatest number of high quality relationships that reach across industries and sectors to get you a return on investment." –Patricia Vaccarino
Is it difficult to be unconventional?
To attract the right people, clients, customers and partners, you must repel the other people who would never be your clients and partners. You must take a stand and speak the truth about who you are. If you choose the middle road and describe yourself in an average way to avoid offending someone, know and understand that you have doomed your personal brand to mediocrity. By trying to offend no one, you have showed the world that you have nothing to offer to anyone. Staying safely in the middle will waste your time and get you nowhere. Get rid of the wrong people. Define your brand. Refine it further. Make it sharp. Don't be afraid of standing out. Exceptional people always frighten the weak and mediocre.
Biggest mistake made?
One of my strengths is the ability to persevere against all odds. One of the hardest decisions is knowing when to pull the plug on a project, a campaign or a client. If you have reached a fork in the road, it is often hard to assess whether you should press on and persevere or pull the plug to minimize your losses. If I had known back then, what I know now, I would have walked away from a lot of people and situations sooner instead of persevering and hoping that things would get better. Experience has taught me much greater precision and clarity in knowing when to strategically change direction.
Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I am the most innovative when I work with my clients. I always advise my clients to think outside the box. How you define your brand persona should be precise, creative and memorable. You are not a celebrity. You are a professional with a job and a career or you are an entrepreneur with a business. Or maybe you are an up-and-coming actor, artist or singer—a creative talent—who wants fame. No matter what your occupation is, you must find a way to stand out from the crowd. I have a client who is a Rabbi and is uniquely positioned as a youth and culture expert. I have a client who is a plastic surgeon who is not just a plastic surgeon, but expert in the psychological aspects of cosmetic surgery. I have a beauty expert who knows everything there is to know about the conditioning and growth of naturally long eyelashes. And while you must find a way to distinguish yourself from all the other professionals who share your same occupation, there is also a time when you must think inside the box. There is a time to simply say I am a rabbi, a physician or a beauty expert. Don't forget to think inside the box. But always remember when to shove that box aside and explode with an original or innovative idea that will get noticed!
About the Company
Founded by Patricia Vaccarino in 2003, Xanthus Communications LLC is a boutique PR firm with large firm capabilities that is based in Seattle and in New York City. Xanthus offers the full range of traditional public relations services as well as technologically sophisticated channels of communication. Xanthus Communications LLC specializes in doing PR for People and offers PR programs designed specifically for individuals. Our mission is to help you to build brand equity in your name by using the media to increase the number of your clients or business partners. For more information, please scan http://www.xanthuscom.com. In 2007, Xanthus launched a second website to house its individual clients who are all professionals in their respective fields.
Please see http://www.prforpeople.com.


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Quote from: Aeolus on April 27, 2013, 09:09:22 PMGive mouth to mouth resuscitations to each other every episode? :VYaoi fangirls are gonna love that.
Give mouth to mouth resuscitations to each other every episode? :V
Yaoi fangirls already love the damn show and it hasn't even aired yet. It doesn't take much...
^Sex scandal? You mean the one with Aya Hirano? I remember reading that she left the voice actress role after the anime adaptation of Fairy Tail finished, or something like that.
Japan has this weird fixation that all female pop stars need to be 'pure'
Not to defend the fan's creepiness, but they do 'market' the girls like that.
Best Nendoroid ever.
Quote from: Kevadu on April 29, 2013, 04:59:29 PMBest Nendoroid ever.amazing


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M2thaK Of SODMG & Jazz Lazer Of Last Kings MMM - Heavy Weight
SOD Music Group Presents "M2thaK" All New Mixtape 08.10.12 On The Front Of Every Major Mixtape Download Site. Follow @M2thaKSODMG x @JazzLazer & @SouljaBoy x @MallyMall777 #VEGAS
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NCAA Blocks Akron From Using Twitter Handle On Jerseys
The University of Akron was just trying to attract new followers, uh, fans, but the NCAA declined their request. Not exactly a national sports powerhouse, Akron intended to use the school's Twitter handle, @ZipsMBB, on the backs of the jerseys of the men's basketball team during their game against Ohio on Saturday, which will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
The NCAA said rules prohibited the uniform change. Akron abided and will use the handle only on the team's shooting shirts. The Twitter handle idea was tied into the school's 'Social Media Night,' promotion scheduled for the game. As part of the promotion, hashtags #ZipsGameday and #ThinkBigger will be affixed to the court, and the school said it will hold photo contests via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
So, Akron has given thousands of college students advance notice that it will accept pictures and commentary via social media during a rare national TV appearance for the school. This is a disaster waiting to happen. College students and sports fans often hold intelligent, respectful conversations on social media …SAID NO ONE EVER!
And, has the school not heard of the @Boobs phenomenon? Well, someone has @akronboobs ready to go. Go Zips!


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Riley County police are investigating a report of a sexual assault near the campus of Kansas State University.
The report prompted county and Kansas State police to issue a statement Thursday cautioning students and the general public not to walk alone at night.
Police say the assault happened in the early morning hours of Aug. 11. No other details were released.
Kansas State offers a service called Wildcat Walk to students, faculty, staff and guests. Anyone who feels uncomfortable walking alone can call the service to be escorted up to two blocks off campus. People driving to campus can also arrange to be met in a parking lot and escorted to their destination.


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Why Debian is the Leader of the Linux Pack
Always Late, Always Great
You can count on two things for every Debian release: It will be later than expected, and it will be suitable for every possible level of expertise. Debian 5.0 is no exception.
This flexibility, of course, is why Debian is the ancestor of distributions ranging from Ubuntu and Mepis to Knoppix and Linux Mint. By contrast, the release schedule matters less for many users, because they constantly upgrade their systems anyway. A new Debian release is simply a new version of the Debian stable repository, and of interest mainly to those running servers and other installations in which robustness is the main consideration. For such users, dependability is more important than the latest software packages.
Like other Debian releases, version 5.0 is available in a variety of formats. The default GNOME installation is available as a set of 31 CDs or 5 DVDs; you can also substitute the first CD for an installation based on KDE or Xfce.
A much quicker option -- and the one I used -- is to download a netinstall or a business card image, which includes only a base system and requires an internet connection for a full installation.
Among those who have never tried Debian, the distribution has a reputation as being hard to install. The truth is, Debian has had user-friendly installers for a couple of releases now. While the default is the text-installer, installing Debian from a graphical interface is only slightly harder than installing Fedora or Ubuntu -- and then only because you have options such as choosing GNOME, KDE, LXDE, or Xfce for your desktop or choosing an advanced partitioning scheme.
Moreover, for those who wish to choose at every point, the Debian installer's Expert mode offers more control than any other installer I've used. It starts with some two dozen installation options, ranging from a selection of the mirror used for the net-based portion of the install, support for infrared devices and NTFS support. It continues every step along the way with more choices, such as whether to install all hardware drivers or only those needed for the system, and whether to participate in the Debian Popularity Contest that tracks the most used programs for the purposes of future development. Should you get lost in the selection, you can always return to the main menu to see exactly what progress you have made in the install process.
To beginners, such choice may seem anal-retentive. However, for those with more experience, Expert mode is an obvious benefit. It is the obvious choice for the security conscious -- one of the first rules of security being that you need to know what is on the system. It is also ideal for those who dislike waste or are installing on limited hard drive space, who dislike installing packages for which they have no use, or who are simply curious about the latest developments, such as GRUB2, which is available as an experimental boot manager. If you fall into any of these categories, the extra time to work hands-on will probably make time seem well-spent.
Desktop and software selection
Debian's default is a GNOME desktop with light blue wallpaper lightly patterned with spiral watermarks and a red Debian logo. If you chose the Desktop Environment installation profile, you will find that the installed programs are minimal: a mere 797 packages occupying 3.2 gigabytes of hard drive. If you are an experienced user, one of your first steps after installation will probably be to add many of your favorite programs, such as Bluefish or XChat.
Probably, too, you will want to do some updates. What you have installed is Debian Stable, and the stable repository is much more concerned with reliability than the latest releases. However, the five-month delay in Debian 5.0's release means that many of the packages were built in late September 2008, and are now a release or two behind being current.
For example, the release uses a 2.6.26 kernel, OpenOffice.org 2.4, and GNOME 2.22. Newer versions of packages should start flooding into the stable repository now that submissions are no longer frozen, but if you are unable to wait, you might want to add the testing or unstable repositories to the /etc/apt/sources.list file so you can selectively update.
One update you will not find is a version of KDE 4. If you are a developer, you can install KDE 4 libraries so that you can write for the latest version of KDE, but, for desktop users, Debian continues to offer KDE 3.5.9. However, if you are one of those who dislike KDE 4, this decision may seem more of a gift than a restriction.
- Skip Ahead
- 1. Always Late, Always Great
- 2. Always Late, Always Great


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Adam Opel founded his company on January 21, 1862 in Rüsselsheim. It was the first step in a long journey of innovation. Take a closer look at the history of Opel cars.
After years of employment as a journeyman metalworker, Adam Opel goes into business in his hometown of Rüsselsheim: he builds his first sewing machine, laying the foundation for the Opel company.
The company expands: Adam Opel hires his first employee, taking on his first apprentice two years later. With an ad in the regional newspaper Groß-Gerauer Kreisblatt, Opel begins promoting his product.
The sewing-machine business flourishes. Adam Opel moves into his first factory building, an industrial hall with attached living quarters. A year later, he introduces steam power into the manufacturing facilities.
In 1868, Adam Opel marries Sophie Scheller, the daughter of a factory owner. Five sons are born in the years that follow: Carl on August 31, 1869; Wilhelm on May 15, 1871; Heinrich on September 22, 1873; Friedrich on April 30, 1875; and Ludwig on January 1, 1880.
Adam Opel establishes a factory health insurance plan.
By entering the booming business of bicycle manufacture, Opel secures a second foothold for his company. The Opel sons are enthusiastic cyclists, winning several hundred races on Opel bicycles in the years up to 1898. In less than forty years, Opel becomes the world's largest bicycle producer.
Adam Opel dies at the age of 58. His wife Sophie assumes responsibility for running the business, with the support of her sons.
"Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann" is the name given to the first Opel automobile. It marks the beginning of production in Rüsselsheim, and forms the basis for building the first utility vehicles. Within the year, the company makes its international motor sport début.
Heinrich von Opel wins the Königsstuhl hill climb near Heidelberg in an Opel Lutzmann.
A contract is finalized with the French manufacturer Alexandre Darracq, authorizing Opel to produce Darracq automobiles under license.
Opel builds its first motorcycle.
The first Darracq chassis are outfitted with Opel bodies in Rüsselsheim. The vehicles are marketed under the brand name Opel Darracq.
The first model built entirely by Opel, with a newly developed 10/12 hp, two-cylinder engine, is completed in fall of the same year.
Opel develops its first four-cylinder engine, with 20/24 hp output.
An Opel Darracq showroom and service center opens its doors near the Tiergarten park in Berlin.
The one-thousandth Opel automobile leaves the factory. Opel establishes a branch factory in Berlin.
In a specially built 45 kW (60 hp) car, Opel test driver and company race-car driver Carl Jörns wins the Kaiser's Prize Race in the Taunus region: Opel is awarded the Kaiser's Prize for the best German automobile and is designated purveyor to the court.
Opel introduces an affordable compact car. The 4 kW (8 hp) two-seater, designed for customers who place great importance on dependability, becomes known as the "Doktorwagen" (Doctor's Car).
A modular production system is implemented: prefabricated car bodies are combined with various chassis and engines.
Opel's market share in Germany grows to 12.3 percent.
With a 6/16 hp model, Opel adopts the new "torpedo" body form. In addition, Opel responds to technological developments, filling new market gaps: the carmaker develops its first aircraft engine, which drives the Euler biplane. At the same time, the company builds a heavy-duty motorized plow for large farms.
A major fire destroys a large part of the plant.
Sewing-machine production ends with the manufacture of the one-millionth unit.
The "Adam Opel Foundation" is established to fund an old-age pension plan for the company's workforce.
Opel celebrates its fiftieth anniversary.
The ten-thousandth Opel motorcar rolls out of the plant.
Based on experience gathered from the major fire of 1911, the engineers in Rüsselsheim develop the "Motorized Fire Pump" for the plant fire brigade. The early fire engine is successfully marketed to towns and cities.
A new flagship model is introduced: a substantial 40/100 hp four-cylinder vehicle.
Race cars employing ground-breaking engine technology are developed for the Grand Prix season: the four-cylinder power units with 4-liter and 4.5-liter displacements feature four valves per cylinder and an overhead camshaft driven by a vertical shaft.
A record-breaking race car is developed, based on the engine technology that led to the 1913 Gran Prix triumph. The cutting-edge vehicle is not only one of the first cars to feature four-valve technology – at a swept volume of 12.3 liters, its four-cylinder, 16-valve power unit is the largest displacement engine to emerge from the Rüsselsheim facilities. Opel becomes Germany's largest automobile manufacturer.
A 5/14 hp model goes into production. The hugely successful car is dubbed "Puppchen" (little doll).
During WW I (1914–1918), Opel produces heavy trucks for the military.
In a 18/50 hp model, Opel introduces its first six-cylinder engine, with a displacement of 4.7 liters.
The Opel Racetrack, located south of Rüsselsheim, is inaugurated. The oval course with banked curves, paved in concrete, is the first permanent track for racing and testing in Germany – years ahead of other well-known racetracks, such as the Berlin AVUS and the Nürburgring.
The first works council is established at Opel.
Opel builds an eight-cylinder engine, which proves itself in a number of races – notably in the Eifel race of 1922.
Fritz von Opel wins the first car race on the AVUS track in Berlin, in the "eight taxable horsepower" class of the period.
Investing one million gold marks, Opel completely modernizes its automobile production. The Rüsselsheim plant is the first German manufacturer to introduce the high-volume production methods of the future, including assembly-line processes.
The first car to roll out of the updated plant: the legendary 4/12 hp model, best known as the "Laubfrosch" (Tree Frog), in reference to its green body paint and protruding headlamps.
Opel dealerships introduce a revolutionary new service: standardized maintenance at fixed prices.
Thanks to state-of-the-art production methods and strong demand, the price for the "Tree Frog" sinks from its original 4,500 marks to 2,980 marks, eventually dropping as low as 1,990 marks. This makes automobiles affordable for even broader sections of the public.
The Rüsselsheim racing team scores a total of 75 victories in various motor sport classes.
With a market share of 37.5 percent, Opel is by far the largest German carmaker. In preparation for an alliance with General Motors, the company is converted into a listed stock corporation.
A new flagship model is christened: the Regent Limousine, powered by a 24/110 hp, eight-cylinder engine.
Motorcycle technology reaches a high point, with the introduction of the Motoclub. The avant-garde motorcycle features a pressed-steel frame, a modern teardrop-shaped fuel tank and an air-cushioned saddle.
The RAK rocket-propelled vehicle program begins: RAK 1 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just eight seconds on the Opel Racetrack. One month later, Fritz von Opel reaches a top speed of 238 km/h in the RAK 2 on the AVUS track in Berlin, to become a popular hero. On a closed stretch of railway tracks near Burgwedel, the rocket sled RAK 3 reaches 254 km/h, setting a new world record for speed on rails.
General Motors acquires 80 percent of shares in the company Adam Opel AG for just under 26 million dollars, becoming majority stockholder. Opel is the first German manufacturer to establish an insurance company. Another first: the "Opel Bank" finances car purchases and arranges payment in installments.
During the same year, Fritz von Opel makes the world's first manned rocket flight, in his RAK 1 Friedrich rocket aircraft at the former Frankfurt Airport, the Rebstock grounds.
Market launch of the Opel Blitz truck series.
The Rüsselsheim plant builds the first "people's automobile", an affordable vehicle equipped with a 1.2-liter engine. Between 1931 and 1935, 100,000 units are built – a volume never before reached with a single model in Germany.
General Motors acquires the remaining 20 percent of shares in the Opel corporation.Opel becomes the first carmaker to establish a school for customer service training.
Opel unveils the Olympia, Germany's first mass-produced car with an all-steel integral body and frame. Advantages: low weight, greater passive safety and improved aerodynamics. At the same time, a new manufacturing process developed and patented by the engineers in Rüsselsheim is introduced: the so-called "wedding" that unites the prefabricated body shell with the chassis and mechanical assemblies.
Truck production facilities officially open in Brandenburg. The new plant, which began building trucks as early as November 1934, boasts an annual capacity of 25,000 Blitz models.
Opel becomes the first German carmaker to manufacture more than 100,000 vehicles per year.
With the P4, Opel introduces a compact car at an unbeatable price.
A further model featuring the safety of an integral frame and body rolls off the assembly lines in Rüsselsheim: the first Kadett.
At the same time, the elegant and powerful Opel Super 6 is launched.
The company is Europe's largest manufacturer and exporter of automobiles, boasting an annual production of 120,293 units.
Opel observes its seventy-fifth anniversary. The company focuses on automobile manufacture, selling its bicycle production to NSU – after building 2.6 million bicycles.
The Opel Admiral, the new flagship powered by a 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, is unveiled.
Production of Frigidaire household refrigerators begins in Rüsselsheim.
A new generation of the Olympia appears on the market. The first Opel Kapitän is presented to the public.
For the fourth consecutive year, Opel is the largest automaker in Europe, with a workforce of 25,374.
Production of the one-millionth Opel, a Kapitän model. In October, a directive from the Nazi regime brings passenger-car production to a standstill.
In addition to truck models, including four-wheel drive and track versions, military equipment such as landing gear, cockpits, and fuel tanks for aircraft etc. are produced.
Allied bombs destroy half of the Rüsselsheim plant; the Brandenburg plant is almost completely destroyed.
The entire Kadett production facilities are dismantled and sent to the Soviet Union as reparations.
Production of Frigidaire household refrigerators recommences. The first postwar Opel, a 1.5-ton Blitz truck, is built.
Passenger car production resumes with the Olympia model.
The Rüsselsheim plant resumes production of the Kapitän, which enjoys a popular comeback.
Reconstruction of the Rüsselsheim plant is completed.
Opel becomes the first German manufacturer to establish on-site proving grounds, at the Rüsselsheim plant.Production of the third postwar generation of the Opel Olympia begins on the assembly lines in Rüsselsheim.
The Olympia Rekord, the first Opel with a full-width, or ponton, body shell and the legendary "shark's mouth" grille design, is presented at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The first Opel station wagon is introduced to the market. Annual production once again exceeds 100,000 units.
During the same year, the Opel Kapitän reappears with a completely restyled body and new technology.
The two-millionth Opel, a Kapitän, leaves the plant.
The Opel Olympia Rekord P1 is presented at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt. Around 850,000 units are sold within three years.
A further generation of the Kapitän is introduced. In reference to the distinctive form of its taillights, the P1 model becomes known as the "Keyhole" Kapitän.
Production of Frigidaire household refrigerators is ended. Opel introduces a Kapitän with a 2.6-liter engine, soon to become the most successful luxury-class model ever built in Rüsselsheim.
The Opel Rekord P2 arrives. About 755,000 units are to be built in total.
A sporty coupe is launched, rounding off the model line.
Opel celebrates its one-hundredth anniversary.
A plant is inaugurated in Bochum for the production of the new Opel Kadett.
All Opel Rekord A and Kadett A models built in 1963–64 sport this variant of the Blitz "bow and stern."
Opel unveils three new luxury models: Kapitän, Admiral and Diplomat. These prestigious six- and eight-cylinder flagships capture the spirit of the times. All three are well received and become immediate market successes.
A new Kadett takes the place of its predecessor. By 1973, the B series Kadett becomes Opel's most successful model yet, selling 2.6 million units.
The Rekord B is launched with a new engine generation.
The fastest German production model coupe to date appears: the Diplomat V8.
The Bochum plant celebrates a milestone: the one-millionth Kadett leaves the assembly lines. Opel opens new automotive proving grounds at Dudenhofen in the German state of Hesse, as well as a plant for manufacturing components in Kaiserslautern.
The Rekord C goes into production, and the legendary Rallye Kadett is introduced to the market.
Opel launches the sporty Commodore A and a further Kadett model variant, the Kadett B LS.
The Opel GT arrives on the scene. Its advertising slogan "Only flying is better" is adopted as a popular figure of speech.
Opel introduces second-generation models of the Kapitän, Admiral and Diplomat.
The mid-class model Ascona A and the sporty Manta A are born.
The Commodore GS/E with electronic fuel injection goes into production.
The ten-millionth Opel rolls off the assembly line in the Rüsselsheim plant. The Rekord D goes into production, also in Rüsselsheim.
The Commodore GS/E with electronic fuel injection goes into production.
With a market share of 20.4 percent, Opel is the largest German automobile manufacturer.
The Commodore B is introduced.
A modified Opel GT with the new Opel diesel engine sets two world records and 28 international records at the Dudenhofen proving grounds.
The Kadett C is launched. All told, roughly 1.7 million units of the model are to be built.
Seatbelts become standard equipment in all Opel models.
Walter Röhrl and his navigator Jochen Berger become European Rally champions in an Ascona A.
The Ascona B and Manta B go into production.
The Rekord E succeeds the Rekord D.
Two new stars enter the big leagues of the automobile market: the luxurious four-door Senator and the sporty fastback coupe Monza.
The top-of-the-line power unit for both models is a newly developed three-liter six-cylinder engine with an output of 180 hp.
Production of the first front-wheel-drive Opel, the Kadett D, begins in Bochum.
The engineering study Tech 1 demonstrates Opel's pioneering role in the field of aerodynamics: the experimental vehicle achieves a drag coefficient of 0.235, setting a world record.
Opel becomes the first carmaker to use environmentally friendly water-based paints.
The Ascona C and the performance-oriented Manta B 400 enter the market.
A new plant is commissioned in Saragossa, Spain, for the production of the Opel Corsa. The compact model rapidly advances to become the bestselling vehicle in its class.
Walter Röhrl and his navigator Christian Geistdörfer prevail over tough four-wheel-drive competitors, piloting their Ascona 400 to victory in the Monte Carlo Rally and winning the Rally World Championship.
Opel's 20-millionth vehicle, a Senator, leaves the Rüsselsheim production facilities.
The Kadett E is introduced. The GSi version, with a drag coefficient of 0.30, is the most aerodynamic vehicle in its class worldwide. The Kadett is elected Car of the Year by an international jury.
Opel becomes the first German manufacturer to include a vehicle with a catalytic converter in every model line.
The Opel Omega makes its début, boasting the best drag coefficient in its class, at 0.28.
The Omega is elected Car of the Year.
Opel celebrates its 125-year jubilee.
The Senator B is presented to the public.
The Opel Vectra is introduced. The mid-size model, available in a choice of two body variants, is an immediate bestseller. The Vectra is characterized by dynamic design and driving comfort combined with technologically advanced drivetrain and chassis solutions. An all-wheel-drive version is available.
Opel introduces catalytic converters as standard equipment in all models, the first among European car manufacturers.
The Opel Calibra is launched, with a world-best drag coefficient of 0.26.
The 25-millionth Opel rolls off the production line in Rüsselsheim.
The Adam Opel Prize for outstanding academic performance in engineering is awarded for the first time, in Rüsselsheim, Bochum and Kaiserslautern.
Opel becomes the first automaker to implement a recycling chain for plastics. The move reflects the company's commitment to environmentally friendly technology: the Rüsselsheim engineers systematically eliminate hazardous materials such as asbestos and cadmium from the manufacturing process. At the same time, sustainable reductions of paint solvents and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are achieved.
After years of outstanding performance on the road and in the market, Kadett production comes to an end. Its successor: the Astra. The new vehicle is equipped with the Opel Safety System, including side-impact protection, anti-submarining ramps in the seats, and seatbelt tensioners.
The company launches its first off-road vehicle, the Frontera, which becomes European market leader in its class within a year.
In Eisenach, the world's most advanced automobile manufacturing plant begins production based on the innovative principle of lean production.
The off-road vehicle Opel Monterey and the light utility vehicle Campo Sports Cap are launched.
The second-generation Corsa arrives. With its winning design, the new Corsa rapidly advances to the top of its class in Europe. For years it consistently defends its leading position.
In Eisenach, the world's most advanced automobile manufacturing plant begins production based on the innovative principle of lean production.
The off-road vehicle Opel Monterey and the light utility vehicle Campo Sports Cap are launched.
Opel introduces the Vectra B.
Another first among German carmakers: Opel equips all of its passenger cars with full-size airbags for the driver and front-seat passenger.
In the new Vectra, Opel becomes the first major auto manufacturer worldwide to introduce the Pedal Release System and the hybrid airbag.
Opel becomes the world's first manufacturer to combine the advantages of four-valve technology with direct-injection and turbocharging in a diesel passenger car.
Production of the Cadillac Catera, based on the Omega, begins in Rüsselsheim.
Manuel Reuter wins the International Touring Car Championship (ITC) in an Opel Calibra.
Opel launches its "Mobility Initiative" with a navigation system for the Vectra and Omega models.
For the first time, a European passenger car is equipped with a three-cylinder engine. The one-liter unit, operating with four valves per cylinder, is offered in the Corsa. With the Arena, Opel re-enters the commercial vehicle market segment.
New corporate headquarters are established in Rüsselsheim: the Adam Opel Building is inaugurated by German Chancellor Dr. Helmut Kohl.
Expansion continues in the commercial vehicle sector with the Movano.
New Astra models go into production.
The off-road vehicles Monterey and Frontera appear as redesigned models.
The one-millionth Vectra leaves the Rüsselsheim plant.
Opel commissions a new plant in Gliwice, Poland.
Opel marks a century of automotive excellence. The Opel Millennium Express, an award-winning multimedia exhibition occupying an entire railway train, rolls through Europe.
The visitor center Opel Live opens its doors to the public.
The 50-millionth Opel, an Omega, rolls off the assembly line in Rüsselsheim. With the Zafira, Opel launches a new class of compact vans, featuring the widely versatile interior concept Flex-7.
Production of the Opel Agila begins. Germany's first microvan is the perfect city vehicle.
The key to its success: maximum utilization of space yet manageable overall dimensions, combined with a fuel-efficient engine.
In Geneva, Opel presents a Zafira concept vehicle powered by fuel cells.
A 2.2-liter light-metal engine, generating 147 hp/108 kW of output, becomes available. The Astra Coupe makes its début.
A Zafira variant powered by natural gas is introduced.
A worldwide bestseller enters its third generation: the updated Opel Corsa continues its success story.
The purebred driving machine Opel Speedster arrives on the scene.
A second-generation Astra Cabrio is introduced.
Opel unveils the Vivaro.
With the Zafira OPC, Opel presents the fastest production-model van in Europe, while at the same time introducing the Opel Zafira CNG.
The Astra Coupe OPC X-Treme vehicle study is exhibited in Geneva.
The fuel cell-powered Zafira HydroGen 1 sets 15 international records.
Opel starts the new image campaign "Opel. Fresh Thinking for Better Cars." German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder inaugurates the world's most advanced automobile manufacturing facilities, in Rüsselsheim.
The new Opel Vectra arrives on the market.
Opel in Berlin, the company's prestigious headquarters in the capital, opens its doors.
Opel presents its first sustainability report.
The Opel Speedster Turbo and the natural gas-powered Opel Astra station wagon 1.6 CNG are introduced to the German market.
The Opel Signum and Meriva are unveiled simultaneously in Germany.
Opel opens a new test and event center in Pferdsfeld.
The carmaker in Rüsselsheim launches an engine initiative, with four new CDTI common-rail diesel units and the fuel-saving technology TWINPORT for its gasoline engines.
The first Opel Ironman Germany triathlon is held in Frankfurt. The Opel triathlon team performs well, taking a number of leading positions.
The fuel cell-powered Zafira HydroGen3 begins tests under everyday driving conditions on public roads in Tokyo and in Washington.
The Opel ECO Speedster sets 17 international records on the Opel proving grounds in Dudenhofen.
Highlights of the Frankfurt International Motor Show IAA include world premieres of the third-generation Opel Astra, the new Opel Vectra station wagon, the Insignia sedan design study and a maintenance-free diesel particulate filter system.
The Opel Astra enters its third generation. The Tigra TwinTop and Astra station wagon are introduced to the market. The Astra GTC is presented at the Paris Motor Show.
Opel has produced roughly 60 million vehicles to date.
Opel Zafira 1.6 CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is the top-selling car with alternative propulsion in Germany.
World premieres of Astra and Zafira OPC models at Geneva Motor Show.
Series production of new Zafira begins at Bochum plant and sales start of compact van, which was awarded five stars in Euro NCAP safety tests.
A fuel-cell powered Zafira HydroGen3 is used as a customer service vehicle as part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) project, which is supported by the German Federal Government.
Journalists from 26 countries name the 1.3 CDTI ECOTEC powerplant "Engine of the Year 2005" in the segment of 1.0 to 1.4 liters displacement.
Market launch of extensively enhanced Vectra and Signum models.
All of Opel's diesel-powered passenger cars are available with a particulate filter as of the summer.
World premieres of sporty-elegant Astra TwinTop cabrio-coupé, Antara SUV concept, Vectra OPC and new Zafira CNG at the IAA in Frankfurt.
Meriva is presented at the Bologna Motor Show with an enhanced design and new refined technology. OPC version debuts at Essen Motor Show.
Zafira wins "Golden Steering Wheel" for best compact van.
Start of production of Astra GTC with panorama windshield. Extending up into the middle of the roof, it is the first panorama glazing of its type to be fitted in a series production car.
New Opel GT makes its premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. The sporty car, now as a roadster, continues the history of the legendary GT from the 1960s.
GM Europe opens a new European Design Center in Rüsselsheim.
New versions of the Vivaro and Movano go into production.
World premiere of fourth-generation Corsa at the British International Motor Show in London; series production begins in Eisenach and Zaragoza.
New Corsa receives five stars in Euro NCAP crash test for passenger protection; Corsa becomes first series-production car to feature Opel's integrated rear bicycle carrier system Flex-Fix.
The first series-production versions of the new four-wheel drive Antara crossover are available to customers.
New-edition Astra is launched with new engines, improved technology and fresh design accents.
Opel begins the OPC Race Camp: after many tough test phases, 18,500 applicants are reduced to the ten best drivers, who will take part in the Nürburgring 24-hour race in 2008.
Opel GTC Concept heralds a new, progressive brand design era at the Geneva Motor Show. World premiere of top-of-the-line Corsa OPC with 192 hp and 1.6-liter turbo engine.
150 hp Corsa GSi premieres at Barcelona Motor Show.
Manuel Reuter sets supermini circuit record of 8 minutes, 47.99 seconds around the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in a series-production Corsa OPC.
World premiere of the concept car Opel Flextreme at the IAA; car marks a milestone in the development of a new propulsion concept. With the completely new, environmentally friendly E-Flex system, commuters can travel up to 55 kilometers every day while emitting no CO2 emissions.
Corsa 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX also makes its premiere at IAA. Equipped with a diesel particulate filter as standard, the supermini emits just 119 grams CO2 per kilometre and has an average consumption of just 4.5 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers.
Corsa is the top-selling supermini in Germany.
Opel's new top model, the Insignia, debuts at the London International Motor Show. With its groundbreaking design and sophisticated technology, the Insignia makes a quantum leap toward rejuvenating the brand. Shortly afterwards it is named Car of the Year 2009 for its style and its innovation, safety and comfort.
The global economic crisis affects GM and Opel. However, in Germany sales are recovering thanks in part to a scrappage campaign as well as the new top-of-the-line Insignia model. After months of negotiations between GM and Magna, Opel remains in the GM Group.
The Opel Ampera, the revolutionary extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV), is presented at the Geneva Motor Show. It can cover 40-80 km on pure electric power – and thus CO2-free.
Over longer distances, the on-board internal combustion engine will start to generate electricity to drive the wheels for the remainder of the journey. This enables an operating range of over 500 km.
In Berlin, the HydroGen4, the fourth generation of GM/Opel fuel-cell vehicles, is proving its everyday suitability in a six-month field test.
The Insignia exceeds all expectations: one year after its launch, 170,000 orders have been received across Europe. As of spring spring, the "Car of the Year 2009" is available in the station wagon Sports Tourer version, and in the low CO2 emissions ecoFLEX variant. The sporty top-of-the-line Insignia is the OPC: the 2.8-liter V6 turbo gasoline engine with 239 kW (325 hp) makes it the most powerful production Opel ever. Auto Bild readers name it the "Sports Car of the Year", just one of over 30 awards the Insignia wins.
With the 110 kW (150 hp) Zafira CNG ecoFLEX turbo, Opel brings the first turbo-powered natural-gas van onto the roads.
OPC Race Camp goes into the second round. Goal: participation in the 24-hour race 2010 on the Nürburgring.
The one millionth Meriva leaves the assembly line at the plant in Zaragoza, Spain.
The new Astra celebrates its premiere at the IAA in Frankfurt. It carries on the sporty-sculptural Opel design language introduced in the Insignia. The sedan sets new standards in the compact class with technology and comfort highlights like ergonomic seats with the AGR (Action for Healthy Backs) seal of approval, front camera with road sign recognition and lane departure warning as well as the safety lighting system AFL+. The new Astra's high safety is underlined with a five star rating in the Euro NCAP test. Even before its market launch, it wins the "Golden Steering Wheel". In just a few weeks, 60,000 orders for the new compact model are received.
110 years after the first Opel car was built, the brand faces existential danger from the international economic crisis. In June, GM files for bankruptcy. Opel receives help from The German government.
Presented at the Geneva Motor Sow the revolutionary Opel Ampera Extended Range Electric Vehicle wins prestigious green motoring award.
The new 5-door Astra is launched in December 2009, taking the compact class by storm with premium quality technology and design.
The Opel Corsa is introduced in January with a host of improvements including an enhanced engine range.
In an attention-getting drive to the Geneva Motor Show, the Ampera prototype of Opel's extended-range electric vehicle proves its long-distance drive capability.
The Flextreme GT/E Concept car showcases the possibilities for E-REV propulsion in the upper class at the Motor Show.
The new Opel Meriva makes its debut: the flexibility champion shines with its unique interior concept and rear-hinged rear doors. Shortly after its launch, the back experts at AGR (Action for Healthy Backs) certify the Meriva for its overall ergonomic concept. In the autumn it is awarded the "Golden Steering Wheel".
The second-generation Movano is introduced. The new van is offered with four wheelbases and three roof-heights, with front and all-wheel drive in a total of 300 variants.
The ecoFLEX Experience takes place from the spring through the summer. Around 70,000 participants from 20 countries across Europe register for the fuel-saving competition. The winner of the finale near Malmö will win one of the first Opel Amperas to be produced.
Opel launches an investment program in the billions. Within five years, 11 billion euros are to go towards renewing the product portfolio.
At the Plus X Award, the world's largest contest for technologies, sport and lifestyle products, the new editions of the Astra and Meriva win a total of seven categories. Opel is named "Most Innovative Brand 2010" in the automotive sector.
The Opel Astra Sports Tourer makes its premiere at the Paris Motor Show. With a 213 kW/290 hp 2-liter turbo engine, the GTC concept car offers a glimpse of the compact coupé version of the Astra.
Opel is again a stock corporation. The listing in the Commercial Registry takes place on January 5.
At the beginning of the year the Opel Corsa gets a new look. Fresh colors and new interior trim make a statement. With Start/Stop technology the 70 kW/95 hp 1.3 CDTI Corsa ecoFLEX consumes just 3.5 liters of diesel per 100 km (=94 g/km CO2). The popular, bright Color Line range is expanded with the Corsa Color Stripes line.
The Opel Antara off-roader goes into the second round with optimized design, upgraded interior and efficient engines.
At the 64th Frankfurt International Motor Show Opel presents four world premiers: The Astra GTC Coupé with sharp design and ultimate driving precision, the versatility master Zafira Tourer, the newest Combo generation and the experimental car RAK e.
In March the Opel Ampera won the "Car of the Year 2012" award. But that wouldn't be the only award for this revolutionary electric vehicle. Despite challenging conditions for the electric vehicle market, the Ampera was at the top of the electric passenger car league table in Europe.
Opel also enhanced its successful, award-winning compact bestseller and gave the Astra line-up a new, fresher look by introducing the new sedan and giving the five-door variant as well as the Sports Tourer station wagon a sharper exterior and interior appearance.
At the Geneva International Motor Show 2012 Opel celebrated two world premieres. Opel expanded its range with the brand new sub-compact SUV Mokka, which delivers attractive design with innovative technologies and upmarket functionalities. The other world premiere was the new Astra OPC – the most powerful Astra ever.
In July the Opel Supervisory Board named Dr. Thomas Sedran Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Adam Opel AG.
The all-new ADAM had its world premiere in Paris. Known for its three different trim worlds that set the stage for pure individuality and uniqueness, this trendy urban car introduced unlimited potential for customization thanks to the internet-based configurator.
In its 150th year of business, the Rüsselsheim brand returned to motor racing in the form of an internationally oriented rally program with the new Opel ADAM and a circuit for the new Astra OPC.
And finally the Zafira Tourer rounds off the long list of Opel awards in the year 2012. Six models entered the "van" competition category but only the Opel Zafira Tourer emerged as the winner of its class in the "Golden Steering Wheel 2012" award.
With the new Cascada Opel challenged perceptions by offering stylish, premium quality, all-year round soft-top motoring. Full four-seater luxury and state-of-the-art technology in an irresistibly elegant form recreated the glamour of the great Opel Cabriolets of the past.
A hint of even more glamour to come was revealed at the Frankfurt International Auto Salon when Opel unveiled the Monza concept. While the name is a stark reminder of some very potent coupés from the 1970s, the beautiful, sleek shape and stunning interior definitely held promises of what awaits Opel customers in the near future.
Another major trend was also reflected in Frankfurt with introduction of the Opel Insignia Country Tourer. This marked Opels debut in the premium crossover market with a civilized and stylish, robust yet comfortable challenger with intelligent AWD and advanced infotainment with IntelliLink connectivity.
2013 also saw the arrival of a complete new family of Opel engines heralded by attention grabbing 1.6 petrol and diesel variants. Advanced materials, cutting edge design with forefront electronics and leading turbo technology all came together to build a range of diesel and petrol engines that could meet Euro 6 while reducing both fuel and running costs.
As usual the year was distinguished by a host of industry awards. One of the most significant was the "Connected Car Award" from Auto Bild and Computer Bild which acknowledged and rewarded Opel foresightedness with the IntelliLink infotainment system in the Opel ADAM.
The ADAM also featured heavily in the Autonis awards as best small car and won the same category in the Auto Trophy for the second year running. It's ground breaking style also led to the Red Dot Design Award. In addition the Opel Meriva topped the prestigious JD Powers survey for owner satisfaction. The Opel Ampera again reconfirmed its appeal by being voted E-Car of the Year by Auto Bild readers.
The year began well with the prestigious Readers Choice for the Opel ADAM from the magazine Auto, Motor & Sport.
In February the Opel Astra OPC Extreme, the fastest Astra ever, was presented at the Geneva International Motor Show.
In April the 3 millionth car to leave the production line in Opel Eisenach was an ADAM. Also in April the Mokka defended its position as Auto Bild's "All Wheel Drive Car of the Year", going on to achieve orders of 300,000 in October.
In May the Opel Meriva successfully defended its win in the J.D. Power Survey for class leading customer satisfaction.
In September the new Opel KARL was officially announced, adding even more choice to a range of small cars that already included the ADAM and Corsa.
Also in September Opel presented the OnStar emergency services at the eCall Days Germany in Berlin, the official start of production of the Mokka was celebrated in Zaragoza, Spain, and the mini-crossover ADAM ROCKS was launched.
The new 5th generation Corsa was launched to high acclaim at the Paris Motor Show in October. Also the new spicy sports star, ADAM S was officially launched at the same show.
The new Vivaro range was introduced at the Birmingham International Commercial Vehicle Show in April. Simultaneously the new Movano also made its debut. In September the dynamic, extremely versatile, Opel Vivaro Combi was launched at the IAA commercial vehicle show in Hanover.
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Travis Porter Hit The Mall And Do A Meet & Greet With Their Fans CIAA Weekend! + The Guys Do Some Sneaker Shopping
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As a scientist who has type 1 diabetes, Dr. Kowalski knows that the cure may be a long time coming. But he's optimistic, nevertheless, because he believes that technology will revolutionize diabetes management long before the cure raises its shy little head.
As head of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) Strategic Research Projects, he's dead certain that continuous glucose monitoring is the wave of the future and that a closed-loop artificial pancreas is not far off.
It's a Tough Road
The readers of Diabetes Health know that diabetes is more than shots, more than pumps, and more than fingersticks. It's a 24-seven job, 365 days a year, and it's tough. My brother Steve was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three in 1977. About seven years later, I too was diagnosed with type 1.
I understand how difficult it is to control diabetes. I believe, however, that new technologies have the potential to make it infinitely easier. The JDRF has recently launched a major initiative that aims to bring these new tools to reality, eventually including even the artificial pancreas.
The Teeter-Totter Ride of Glucose Management
The evidence is clear – lower A1cs mean fewer complications. High sugar levels lead to the devastating complications that we all fear. Yet most people with diabetes are not reaching recommended glucose control levels. Why, if insulin lowers blood sugar levels, are A1c targets not being met?
Diabetes is like a teeter-totter, a constant balancing act. While we all realize that a lower A1c will reduce our risk of long-term complications, the counterbalance is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). People with type 1 diabetes suffer an average of two episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia per week, and one severe, temporarily disabling episode per year.
Severe episodes can cause seizure, coma, and even death, and every episode reduces a person's ability to detect impending low blood sugar.
Even Nine Fingersticks Daily Isn't Enough for Good Control
Currently, we attempt this balancing act by monitoring blood sugar levels with fingersticks. While self-monitoring has advanced diabetes care tremendously, there is still much room for improvement.
A 2005 study by Dr. Bruce Bode illustrated the extent to which the fingerstick approach is inadequate. A group of 101 type 1 and type 2 patients who monitored glucose levels through frequent fingersticks (an average of nine per day) spent less than 30 percent of the time in the target glucose range of 90-130 mg/dl.
Over nine fingersticks a day and less than thirty percent of the day in target! To me, this speaks to the frustration of many in their search for the perfect A1c. Even with intense effort, it often seems out of reach.
CGMs Are the Moving Pictures of Glucose Monitoring
Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), devices that provide continuous readings, offer hope for better A1c's than fingersticks. While fingerstick readings give just a number, CGMs show not only the level of glucose but, most importantly, whether it is rising and falling.
Many compare the shift from fingersticks to CGMs to the shift from still photography to moving pictures. Photographs can provide high resolution at little cost, but they are static. Videos show movement, but at higher cost and lower resolution. A continuous glucose monitor acts like a movie, while fingersticks are still photos.
A continuous glucose monitor can dramatically improve understanding of how glucose is trending throughout the day. A fingerstick reading of 85 mg/dl can mean different things depending on what is really happening to a person's blood sugar. For example, 85 and steady is right on target. 85 and rising is probably okay as well. However, 85 and dropping may mean that you are at risk for a low blood sugar event.
Real-time CGMs allow a patient to intervene by eating food or taking insulin to prevent blood sugar levels from going too high or too low. Real-time CGMs also can be programmed to sound an alarm for readings below or above a target range. An obvious use of this feature is to detect hypoglycemia during sleep, so that glucose can be quickly administered to prevent severe lows.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved two CGMs: the Guardian RT Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (Medtronic MiniMed) and the STS Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (DexCom). Another CGM, the Abbott Diabetes Care FreeStyle Navigator, is under review. All provide continuous real-time readings.
Studies Show Promise
Initial clinical studies suggest that the new generation of CGMs will be more effective. Data from studies of each of these devices show considerable promise. Patients spend more time in the target range, have lower A1c levels, and spend less time low.
However, many people question whether these devices are accurate enough. My answer is a resounding yes. The body of evidence continues to grow, and the JDRF has just launched the largest study to date examining the benefits of continuous glucose sensors.
Why Aren't We All Using CGMs?
Despite these encouraging results, a number of barriers remain before CGMs become a mainstream product. Currently approved CGMs are indicated for use as an adjunctive device to complement, not replace, standard home glucose monitoring devices. They differ from blood sugar meters in that they measure interstitial fluid glucose – the fluid between the cells in the body. Research is needed to determine if, and when, they can replace fingersticks.
Many people with diabetes will not be able to afford these devices unless public and private insurers provide reimbursement for them. In addition to trials that demonstrate improved health outcomes, data is needed to show that they provide cost savings, such as reduced A1c's, fewer trips to the emergency room, fewer missed days of work or school, fewer glucagon injections, and so on.
Closing the Loop: The Artificial Pancreas
In the near term, CGMs will enable people with diabetes to better manage their glucose levels. In the long term, the ultimate diabetes management device will be a closed-loop artificial pancreas that will monitor blood sugar levels and dispense insulin automatically.
Initially, the artificial pancreas will be an external device made up of three components: 1) an insulin pump, already widely used, 2) a continuous glucose monitor, and 3) an algorithm to link the two so they operate in a single "closed loop." Eventually, the artificial pancreas may be implanted subcutaneously.
A 2006 study by Dr. Stuart Weinzimer at the JDRF Hypoglycemia Center at Yale University tested a prototype closed loop system in five type 1 patients, ages 13-18, which suggested that a closed-loop system is feasible for use with children. Notably, nighttime control was outstanding and meal-time blood sugar rises were considerably lessened.
A challenge will be developing an algorithm that can anticipate and accommodate changes in blood sugars in a real-world setting, such as the rapid rise in glucose following meals or the drop in glucose levels overnight or following exercise. To produce an artificial pancreas for the commercial market, more studies are needed to clearly demonstrate that it's safe and that it keeps blood sugar levels closer to target than the currently used tools.
In March 2006, the FDA made the development of an artificial pancreas one of its "critical path opportunities" and a top-priority research project. By putting a closed-loop artificial pancreas on this list, the FDA in effect committed to promoting the public- and private-sector collaboration necessary to reach this goal. The JDRF also recently launched a major and many-faceted initiative, the JDRF Artificial Pancreas Project, which aims to speed artificial pancreas technologies to patients with type 1 diabetes.
The Dream is at Hand
Automated insulin delivery has been a dream for those with diabetes for many years. We are on the cusp of realizing this dream. I have used a CGM for the last eight months, and it's been the most significant improvement in my life with diabetes.
Preliminary tests of a completely closed-loop system that uses off-the-shelf components are extremely promising. It is an exciting time in diabetes research, and we expect many breakthroughs in the coming years. There are many hurdles on the way, but I believe through a coordinated effort we can get to an artificial pancreas, and the payoff will be immense for millions of people.


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University Officer Shot at MIT Campus Near Boston
A Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus officer has been shot and killed. The University is warning students to stay indoors while authorities search the campus.
CNN reported that multiple shots were fired near building 32 earlier tonight killing a campus officer. Police and FBI have surrounded the area and are searching for the gunman now.
The campus is adjacent to the city of Boston, and area residents have all been on edge, there is no information suggesting that this is connected to the Boston Bombings at this time.
There is also a lot of police action in Watertown Connecticut tonight, multiple shots fired and explosions reported by the Huffington Post.


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I've considered the editors of the Washington Post to be many things over the years, but I never took them to be sore losers.
For months, the Post's editorial writers have killed thousands of trees and wasted countless barrels of ink trashing farm programs and calling on Congress to end payments to "well-to-do" farmers.
Under the guise of fairness, they also hired Dan Morgan, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, as a contract writer on the Post's special investigations team. Morgan's farm bill articles have been anything but objective.
The Post's editorial writers, along with most of the Washington-based environmental community, had high hopes for the Dorgan-Grassley payment limit amendment that would place a "hard cap" of $250,000 on farm program payments to producers and their spouses.
So when that amendment — and one by Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar barring payments to individuals reporting adjusted gross income of more than $750,000 — went down in defeat, the Post's editorial writers were not happy.
One of those, identified by the Environmental Working Group's Ken Cook as Charles Lane, wrote an editorial, "Backward in the Senate," attacking Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
The editorial took issue with the Senate's handling of Dorgan-Grassley, which fell four votes short of the 60 needed for passage. (Lincoln and others insisted on 60 votes, the same number Republican senators demanded to limit the number of farm bill amendments.)
Lincoln, the editorial said, "dug in her heels against Dorgan-Grassley," calling it "unfair to producers of capital-intensive crops, such as rice and cotton, and claiming it would have made U.S. exports less competitive in global markets.
"Left unsaid in Lincoln's statement was that 26 farms in her home state received $250,000 or more in 2005, according to government statistics compiled by the Environmental Working Group," the editorial said.
It noted Lincoln could have filibustered the amendments, but, instead, asked Senate leaders for a special voting rule. "Now Lincoln has something to crow about on her next trip to the cotton and rice fields of Arkansas," it said. "But for a Democratic Party ostensibly committed to fiscal discipline, majority rule and economic equality, this is a major embarrassment."
Cotton and rice farmers are tired of seeing themselves pilloried in the newspapers and on TV by writers who wouldn't know the difference between a cotton plant and soybeans. As one letter writer to the Post said, "Your caustic remarks are prime examples of the elitist attitudes we farm folks endure in every farm bill debate."
The Post wasn't the only publication slamming the vote, and those editorials won't be the last word. Environmental groups want the House-Senate conference committee to revisit Dorgan-Grassley.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin of Iowa, who expressed disappointment after the Dorgan-Grassley failure, could re-introduce the amendment. As chairman of the conference committee, Harkin's opinions are likely to carry much more weight than they did during the last farm bill conference.


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Saying you're going to pick blackberries for a pie is basically like saying, "I'm willing to get the sh*t kicked out of me in exchange for pie."
Photos from Is+Was on Instagram.
The summer is flying by too fast, and it definitely hasn't included any:
- blogging
to-do lists just kidding, I always make to-do lists
Fortunately it has included blackberry pie, barbecues, picnics, gingham, camping, and inappropriately named lawn games (I'm looking at you, Cornhole). I'm steadily crossing things off my summer "must" list (see, I told you I always make lists), and drinking in every bit of heat and sunshine Oregon has to offer. It's hard to imagine a more beautiful place at this time of year.
I can't promise that I'll be posting super frequently in the immediate future, but I have been using my Instagram account regularly, so feel free to check out my photo adventures if you like that sort of thing. I hope your summer is filled with everything on your "must" list. And pie. Lots of pie.


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A fire at 500 E Gravers Lane closed the several blocks of Stenton Avenue between Evergreen and Willow Grove avenues this morning as firefighters from Philadelphia, Glenside, Springfield and Whitemarsh battled the blaze. According to Springfield Township Fire Marshall Chuck Baily, the fire was reported at 7:11 a.m. and under control at 8:15 a.m.
Bailey said that five people were in the home at the time but were warned by working smoke detectors. No one was injured. The fire is still under investigation.


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In his Washington Post column speculating what an Obama-Gingrich debate would look like, Claremont-McKenna Professor John Pitney recalls the February 1985 Oxford Union debate on American foreign policy in Central America. The AP account of the debate is still available online. Professor Pitney recalls the debate for purposes specific to his column, but (to say the least) it also adds interesting context to the discussion of Newt's relation to Ronald Reagan and the conservative movement in the 1980's. Without further comment, here is the February 1985 AP story:
U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich won praise today for an impressive defense of U.S. Central American policy but lost an Oxford "debate" to a team led by Nicaragua's vice president, who made his case and then left before the Gingrich spoke because the conservative U.S. lawmaker was of lower rank than he.
At the end of the evening Thursday, the vote was 285 to 158 in favor of the question, "American involvement in Central America is an affront to Western values."
The Oxford Union president, Roland Rudd, said the Georgia Republican also was a good sport for agreeing, with only three hours' notice, to the unusual format that permitted Sergio Ramirez to make a diplomatic point by walking out.
He said the Union, where many British leaders learned their debating skills, wanted an internationally known American to appear with the Nicaraguan. But departing U.N. Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick and Rep. Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.) declined on the ground that Ramirez represented "an illegitimate regime."
"We were delighted when Gingrich accepted," Rudd said, but the Nicaraguans said their vice president could not debate a mere congressman and the unorthodox format was agreed upon.
Thus Ramirez, the opening speaker, left without hearing Gingrich or the Oxford students who addressed the question.
Rudd said Gingrich spoke brilliantly and deserved the standing ovation he received from the crowd of more than 1,000 people.
"Ramirez got his (ovation) because of what he represented," Rudd said. "Gingrich earned his by sheer brilliance."
In his speech, Gingrich attacked the debate question's criticism of U.S. policy in Central America and took the offensive against the leftist government of Nicaragua.
"Marxist-Leninism is an intellectual description of the most powerful technique for using power to oppress human beings that we have found in the 20th Century," he said
He mocked Ramirez for leaving the debate on the ground that debating a U.S. congressman was below the dignity of his office.
"I find it strange that a Marxist regime would be concerned about hierarchy," Gingrich said.
The congressman said that, in each year since 1968, the Soviet Union has sent more military aid to the region than the United States has sent.
For his part, Ramirez called on President Reagan to halt military support for the rebels fighting Nicaragua's Sandinista government and urged the United States to negotiate a peaceful solution to Central America's problems….


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If Sunday's Game of Thrones premiere has got you riled up into a fantasy-themed lather, then you might be interested in checking out these new screenshots of the upcoming Game of Thrones-themed RTS, A Game of Thrones - Genesis. Sure, the game may be cashing on the increased fanfare for the series from the HBO show, but its plot is rooted in the original A Song of Fire and Ice series.
A Game of Thrones - Genesis is scheduled to come out this Summer.