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About slappyhaze
Settling In Well
- Birthday 02/01/1980
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Ford Model
Mk7 Fiesta 1.6Ti-VCT Titanium
St On Top Gear
slappyhaze posted a topic in Ford Fiesta ClubDid anyone else see this at the start of the latest Top Gear (montage in first episode of the new series showing whats coming up)? Focus or Fiesta? Have they announced an ST in the new shape Focus?
slappyhaze started following St On Top Gear
Windows Phone 7 And Fiesta Mk7 Handsfree?
slappyhaze replied to plunder's topic in Ford Fiesta ClubJust a thought, I have a HTC Desire - I know it's not running Windows, but I thought the way i paired mine might help.... If you go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone, you have to make it discoverable. This will only last 2 mins, but once paired you'll be OK. You got me thinking tho (at the risk of hi jacking your thread), on mine the contacts show up on the car screen backwards i.e surname first - EVEN THOUGH I put both names in the same name field (doesn't matter if its First or Last!!) and on the phone they are the right way round! Any ideas of how to sort this out there?
I like this colour, but i'm still undecided if I PREFER it to the Tango I had previously. BTW, A pic has been added, managed to get it off my phone, shows the miles when I picked it up: 9 Miles Oh yeah!! Single digits LOL B)
I see what you mean about it looking grey, close up you can definitely see its a blue, just! Especially under the orange street lights.
Midnight Sky Titanium
slappyhaze posted a topic in Ford Fiesta ClubPicked this up on Saturday. What do you think? http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=300481&id=567075529&l=782a9973eb
If I had a blue car, I wouldn't have them either. For me it was just that the Ford badges now are quite large, and that much blue on a red car needed removing! The black I have now is quite subtle. I WILL add some pics to show it ;)
I had the red overlays on my Tango. I ended up changing them for Black and Chrome cos the red looked pink under orange street lights! And it just didn't really work on mine. BUT it made me realise the ones I have now are quite universal - like they say Black goes with everything! Your green goes better than my red did...
Zetec S Or 3 Dr Titanium - Help Please
slappyhaze replied to Barky's topic in Ford Fiesta ClubHere's a link to my 'Hello' page. http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7327&st=0&p=40863&fromsearch=1entry40863 The pics aren't that good, but give you the idea. I'm still meaning to post some better ones, but that means I have to clean it properly. @Flic I thought about that as a ringtone too... maybe a text alert rather than a call tho?
That makes it a MK6, I THINK the dash was the same as the 6.5 I had, so yeah if you don't have the button, maybe the screen was replaced at some point and all they had were the heated type. If you're interested you may have a little project on your hands now, you could hook up your own power supply/switch to it B)
Welcome. What age is your car? You should have a separate button for both screens, on the MK6.5 I had, it was next to the button for the rear screen. If it's older, I'm not sure where it should be, maybe another member will help.
Which Looks Best ? 3 Or 5 Door Mk7
slappyhaze replied to Barky's topic in Ford Fiesta ClubI was under the impression that if the kit is spec'd at manufacture, and thus on at registration, it shouldn't need to be declared. Well that's my defence, your Honour ;)
If I may refer you to post #41 of this thread, I was informed of how to find the options. If the info in this post is not what you see, and you already have Bluetooth handsfree and USB, have a word with your dealer about updating BOTH the stereo & Bluetooth module.
Well, as I had Bluetooth handsfree and USB already, I only added the streaming. I don't know if you are missing one or both of these that you can add streaming (My bluetooth module - which is separate to the rest of the stereo - was updated on my last visit). I'm also not sure this is 'confirmed' by Ford, but as I was chatting to the Tech Guy, he seemed interested himself to see what was possible
My Parking Obsession...
slappyhaze replied to Flic's topic in Ford Fiesta ClubI actually 'Laughed Out Loud', well more bellowed, at that pic-love it. You can't get a better space than that! ;)
slappyhaze replied to adzmcp's topic in Ford Fiesta ClubThe MK6/6.5 were available in Ink, I nearly got my 6.5 in that colour (after the Ocean I ordered was totaled just 2 miles from the dealer on the delivery low loader ) I was put off the ink by my dealer/mate who said it was almost like black-which I'd already decided against as it's a bugger to keep looking clean.


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Ukip will adopt a different approach to tackling claims it is racist with a new election campaign strategy featuring black and ethnic minority candidates this week, Nigel Farage said.
The Ukip leader insisted his party would get on the front foot as it fights against claims of racism, as a poll showed some 35% of people felt while the party is not racist, it "does seem to attract some candidates or supporters with racist, extreme or odd views".
More than a quarter of those polled by YouGov said Ukip was a party with "racist views" and "many racist members".
Addressing the claims, Farage said: "Not only am I adamant we are a non-racist party, this week I am going to fight back against it. You will see our election address for the local elections this year and you will see a lot of black, ethnic minority candidates who are proudly standing for Ukip.
"I am going to approach this differently in future."
He added: "I have never believed in the past in positive discrimination, I have believed in treating everybody equally. I have never gone for all female shortlists or whatever.
"But to see what is written every day, describing my party as being racist and homophobic, we will deal with that head-on this week."
Challenged on his views on Romania, Farage said: "If a whole load of Romanian men moved in next door to you, would you be concerned about it? Perhaps you would, yes.
"Because you know, that what has actually happened is we have opened up the doors to countries that have not recovered from communism and I'm afraid it has become a gateway for organised crime - everybody knows that, no-one dares say it."
Farage said he wanted a points-based system for immigration to judge on quality as well as quantity.
Farage acknowledged in the interview, on the BBC One Andrew Marr programme, the party had "made mistakes" in its vetting of members and candidates, highlighting the membership form which tells new recruits the party is not extremist or racist.
But he said all parties have problems with some individual members.
Farage said: "Some people have got through, we should have weeded more of them out - however when you look at the fact we have nearly 2,500 people standing and a handful cause embarrassment, if you looked at the other parties, they haven't just said bad things.
"There was a Liberal Democrat last week, a serving councillor, convicted of racially aggravated assault and that does not make the national news."
In the new polling, Ukip has a three-point lead for this month's European election - but most people think the party contains racists, according to an opinion poll.
Farage's party is on 29%, ahead of Labour on 26%, the Conservatives on 23% and Liberal Democrats on 10%.
But 27% of those surveyed thought Ukip is a party with "racist views" and "many racist members", while 35% thought that, while the party is not racist, it "does seem to attract some candidates or supporters with racist, extreme or odd views".
Some 26% said Ukip is not racist and their "more controversial candidates are just saying the things ordinary people actually think".
The poll came as Ukip was forced to suspend another would-be councillor for expressing extreme views on Twitter.
Harry Perry posted comments on Twitter describing Prime Minister David Cameron as a "gay-loving nutcase", calling Muslims "devil's kids" and homosexuality "an abomination before God".
For the 2015 contest Labour has a three-point lead on 36% over the Conservatives on 33%, with Ukip on 15% ahead of the Lib Dems on 10%.
In response to the threat from Ukip, Cameron has made his commitment to a referendum on Europe a red line issue for any government he might lead after 2015.
The Prime Minister told the Sunday Express the British people deserve "one last go" to get a Europe that that suits them.
He dismissed Ukip's "throw in the towel" approach, instead insisting that he would be able to renegotiate a better deal with Brussels before putting it to a public vote before the end of 2017.
He said: "Other members do not want to see us leave because we bring an enormous amount to the EU, to the economy and policy.
"I'm saying to them that, if you want Britain to stay, there are changes we are going to have to make because, frankly, consent for membership to this organisation is wafer-thin."
Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps told the Sky News Murnaghan programme it was important to differentiate between Ukip members and candidates, and the people who vote for the party.
He said: "Every party has to manage who their candidates are, I think it is pretty apparent by this stage Ukip have not done that, they have a remarkable string of individual circumstances that add up to something bigger, which does lead you to have concerns about some of the people involved in that party.
"You don't have to look far to see day in, day out, serious allegations being made which turn out to be true. In the end - and I want to make a very clear distinction between that, what motivates the leadership or others and people who vote for them - I think in the end people should see what motivates the party."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Sir Malcolm Bruce said it would be "disappointing" for both the party and Britain if its MEPs were wiped out at the election.
He told BBC1's Sunday Politics: "It would be disappointing, not least because we have the most hard-working MEPs of all the British MEPs in terms of attendance and participation.
"The worry we have is that people think the European elections aren't important and that the European Parliament is not important.
"Yet the European Parliament takes decisions that affect us and the people who are working hardest to ensure that British national interests are defended in Europe have been Liberal Democrats.
"So it would be disappointing not just for the Liberal Democrats but for Britain."
He confirmed that the Lib Dems still believed that the UK should adopt the euro in the long term if it becomes "one of the world's leading currencies".
But he added: "We are ruling out Britain joining in the foreseeable future."
:: YouGov polled 1,844 British adults between April 30 and May 1.

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The bending and scattering of sunlight to create blue skies and red sunsets is explained and illustrated in this article. SciJinks is a joint NASA/NOAA educational website targeting middle school-aged children and their educators. It explores... (View More) weather and Earth science through articles, videos, images, and games. (View Less)
This comic addresses the question "What is color?" Using the Sun as an example, the comic discusses how visible light (white light) contains all the colors of the rainbow. It goes on to describe why our Sun is white, our sky is blue, and why sunsets... (View More) are red/orange. The discussion ends with a thought-question and provides further information on NASA missions and websites that address issues related to the Sun. The comic is illustrated mostly with NASA imagery and is part of the series Tales from Stanford Solar, featuring Camilla Corona and Colours O'Iris. The topic "What is Color?" was inspired by the 2014 Alan Alda Flame Challenge, an international competition asking scientists to communicate complex science in ways that would interest and enlighten an 11-year-old. (View Less)
Two comic characters, Camilla Corona, a rubber chicken, and Colours O'IRIS, a peacock, explore questions relating to colors of light from the Sun. This comic is part of the series Tales from Stanford Solar.
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This is a comic book about the science of Earth's upper atmosphere, specifically the ionosphere. Learners will better understand the ionosphere, the science behind atoms and ions found here, and how radio signals from satellites are distorted by... (View More) space weather caused by to the Sun. (View Less)
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One Point Separates The Leaders At 2010 Australian Melges 24 National Championship
6 May 2010
Heath Townsend Kaito knew it was not going to be his best regatta when his 110kg crew member and Australian M24 Association secretary Darren Spence advised this morning that his wife had gone into labour four weeks early and they were off to hospital. Kaito managed to replace him at short notice with 63kg Tracey Walters.
A 12-14 knot S,SE breeze provided an exciting clear start in the first race. Geoff Masters Jolt sailed well out to the right and raced to a third place. Cameron Miles Roger Thatand Heath Walters Matilda had some exhilarating rides, less than a boat length apart in 13 knots downwind making correct tactical decisions all the more important.
Miles finished the day overall with a first in race six, first in race seven and second in race eight one point ahead of Walters with a second, second, first respectively.
Kaito's racing finished today on the run to the finish in the first race when they broke the backstay and returned to the dock for repairs.
After a general recall in race seven Matilda was infringed by another boat and had to gybe around in order to stay clear.
Malcolm Wood FoxMayWonder lost a crewman over at the top mark with the team scrambling to get him aboard.
David Farrimond Vitesse achieved their best result of the series in race seven. The stonger conditions favoured team Vitesse coming fifth over the line.
In race eight Matilda won the start. Roger That infringed shortly after the start and did a 360 degree penalty. Warren Sare Arriba Arriba moved into second place in the three lap race, a late spinnaker drop let Roger That back into second at the finish.
Local sailors Nick Moriarty Business Time jostled last year's Nationals champion Geoff Maters Jolt, Jolt came away today with their best results.
The regatta is down to the wire, two races to go and only one point between first and second place and four boats within reach of the third place position.
Big Congratulations to Darren and Karen Spence and the newest Kaito crewmember OLIVER born today.
View Suellen Hurling Photo Gallery
Tracey Walters
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Holiday Décor: Bringing Festive Cheer to Sleek Minimalism
I've never been one to ascribe to the "more-is-better" holiday decorating approach. In fact, other than the space-age, Fred Flinstone tree I snagged at an after-holiday sale last year in Paris (above)…
I somehow managed to lug the tree back to the hotel and then to NY, the extent of my decorating has been to display select holiday cards I received on the entry console. Period. Perhaps it was growing up in a home with an annual tradition of celebrating the day after Thanksgiving by choosing the two trees to adorn that evening, unboxing and arranging what seemed like the full collection of Annalee holiday figures, along with loads of candles, wreaths, garland, miniature North Pole streetscapes, stockings, Santa and Ms. Claus figurines and decorating the counters and windowpanes with fake snow (it was Phoenix after all).
But as I get older, I've grown more appreciative of traditions and the comforting act of celebrating holidays, or simply commemorating the seasons, by unpacking my own box of treasured mementos.
I've rounded up a select group of holiday decorations that I would proudly display. Maybe not all at once though.
• Clean and simple, these white snow globes are $25 a piece at West Elm.
• A hand crafted wreath in yarn and felt is understated and sleek in gray and red, $40 at
• Looking for something more mod? A DIY wreath out of white PVC is simple and certainly commands attention.
• This cast resin antler wreath will set you back $850 for the small size or $1075 for the large size at Oly, or take a stab at making one yourself from naturally shed antlers, available at several shops online.
• The 3 foot tall Puzzle Tree is the perfect size for a console; $195 at Festive Tree.
• Create your own wintery light installation with found wood and miniature white lights.
• Laser-cut plywood tree by Buro North, previously featured on Apartment Therapy.
• West Elm's Double Glass Sphere Ornaments, at $8 each, are modern and classic.
• I am a bit obsessed with these hand cut and formed paper "urchin" ornaments by Kissa Design. From $16 to $40 per ornament, the urchins come in a wide range of sizes and colors, even recycled newspaper! I can see a tree decorated exclusively with these beauties. Previously featured on Apartment Therapy, check out their new 2011 Holiday designs.
• Votivo offers several holiday-scented candles, but my favorite is their Joie de Noel, $30, which marries the scent of fresh cut spruce with mulled cider.
• Architectonic Menorah by Richard Meier, $1125 at The Jewish Museum Shop. Each limited edition pewter candleholder is an abstracted representation of an architectural style from significant moments of persecution in the history of the Jews.
• Origami nativity set in white glazed porcelain, $84.50 at Bibelot.
Images: 1. Peugeot 'Tree Glow' and puppy Hoffman by Chad Schroer; All others as linked above.


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|2012-11-19, 05:54
|Link #2121
Ass connoisseur
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Florida
Age: 32
I don't really see the issue here. Gon just isn't intimated by threats or pain. He's the main character of the series and as such has a reprieve from any mortal injury. Hanzo completely overpowered Gon but it doesn't mean he should just concede the match. He took a gamble and won. It was quite clear that Hanzo was a professional Ninja without a sadistic twist to him. For instance, it was very easy for Gon and Killua to tell Hisoka has a blood thirsty aura. Gon is far from the strongest character in the series at this point, and most of his competition are stronger than him. Would you rather he just run for it with even the slighest disadvantage? We have Killua who already doesn't like to take chances, and I like him too, but for different reasons. He's a fairly original character for shounens, honestly. He understands the risks involved yet his desire to accomplish his goals clouds his vision just enough to where his goals take a higher priority than his own life. And it makes things interesting and refreshing. The uniqueness of each individual character is part of what makes the series so good. Gon is simply one piece to the puzzle.
And Gon does pay for his mistakes. With a whole lot of pain. He just doesn't end up a cripple or worse, dead. Needless to say, when he lives in a world where arms can be sewed back on with a thread and needle, few injuries would end up permanent.
Last edited by Demi.; 2012-11-19 at 14:25.
|2012-11-19, 11:44
|Link #2122
Kamen Rider Muppeteer
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Unknown
Age: 34
1) I lol every time somebody calls Hanzo "Danzo"
2) Every bit about Gon being a fool who takes risks is true. That's kind of the point. And he learns REALLY SLOWLY, which is why he is surrounded by people who can bail him out.
3) I feel like noting that the only consequence he gets "bailed out" of is death (or permanent disablement). He gets all the other consequences all the same. He sometimes goes in way over his head and at all times at least something bad happens as a result of that. He doesn't magically become stronger than all of his opponents either. His learning curve is pretty steep, but it's still a curve, rather than him instantly teleporting to the top of it. The fact that he constantly has to get bailed out of his jams by outside forces kind of makes him a rather atypical protagonist.
|2012-11-19, 14:23
|Link #2123
Join Date: Aug 2004
Age: 32
If we're talking "realism", then what happened is actually more realistic than the silly morality fable you want to tell.
Last edited by Clarste; 2012-11-19 at 23:35.
|2012-11-19, 14:46
|Link #2125
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: 永遠の冬の国
Age: 28
|2012-11-19, 15:48
|Link #2126
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Then Hanzo's the wrong point to pick apart.
The contest was purposely designed to not be purely about combat power. Hanzou was presented as overconfident and goofy rather than sadistic, and the presence of witnesses in addition to Gon's youth would further inhibit him.
Yes, it was a gamble. But it wasn't that risky. The worst that would have happened is that Hanzou would have continued a bit and then Leorio or Kurapika would have jumped in, thus disqualifying Gon. At which point, it would be over and everyone but Gon and maybe Leorio or Kurapika would have their license.
And, as I've pointed out earlier, it wasn't that unlikely to pay off. Though I doubt Gon thought it through that much.
Last edited by Anh_Minh; 2012-11-21 at 17:14.
|2012-11-19, 17:45
|Link #2127
Kamen Rider Muppeteer
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Unknown
Age: 34
Gon wasn't counting on Hanzo letting him win by the way. If he did, then he wouldn't have protested as much.
Also, forgive me for saying this, but between all the beatings and injuries Gon takes, I find it rather strange they describe this as "Gon taking the easy ride".
|2012-11-20, 16:34
|Link #2130
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Gon pays a very small price for every dumb thing he does.
Some of his actions are tolerable, but some are not.
Do you really think that several punches and one broken arm were enough for his idiocy? Come on, try and do what Gon did. I'm sure you'll have far worse injuries.
Whatever price Gon pays it is or small or instantly repaid back. Once again the moment that pisses me off was not aired yet so I can't say anything. All I can say that the one scene was enough for me to lower my mark for last OVA.
Yes, you can get your arms back and stuff here but only if you know right people. Let's take Hisoka as example. Just like Gon he tends to play dangerous games and risk his life. However, what puts them to apart is the fact that Hisoka is actually strong. He knows that he will win so why not have some fun and add extreme stuff? Chopped arms? Not a problem, he has Machi to fix him up.
Gon on the other hand is weak. It's admirable that he tries but there is nothing wrong in giving up or taking other routes. If there is an easier path, take it, train, progress. When you develop, go ahead and take a harder route.
Gon keeps saying that if he'll surrender, he'll never see his father. But how does he plan to see him if he will be dead? Gon has a very narrow minded mind. In all honesty if Killua was not around, he would be dead long time ago since Killus is his voice of reason.
And yes, HxH has a good variety of characters. Sadly the most annoying one is the one who steals the spotlight.
In all honesty I'll better watch a whole arc with Leorio instead, the guy barely gets any love at all.
|2012-11-20, 17:12
|Link #2131
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
(Well, superhero comics and the like have the same issue.)
I don't mind, really. It'd be hard to get attached to characters if the protagonist had to be changed every other issue as the old one got a crippling, career ending injury.
|2012-11-20, 17:47
|Link #2132
Ass connoisseur
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Florida
Age: 32
Last edited by Demi.; 2012-11-20 at 18:12.
|2012-11-21, 18:49
|Link #2134
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
I did say that some of his actions are tolerable.
Anyway main issue was not animated yet so I'll leave it at that. Greed Island arc is where he really loves to over step the line.
Besides I never said that he has to avoid every fight out there.
And to be honest, I find every MC boring. The only MC I ever liked is Edward Elric. Everyone else are boring, predictable and with untouchable/godly shield around them... in other words WORST CHARACTERS EVER!
All of them should just die, then I would be surprised.
MCs are fun only when you are young and get to know cartoons/movies/books. Afterwards you can predict almost everything about any MC out there =/
|2012-11-28, 16:43
|Link #2138
Corrupted fool
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: JEEEESUS CHRIIIISTOOOOO
Age: 28
Last edited by Mad Pierrot; 2012-11-28 at 17:06.
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Difference between revisions of "Stung Treng"
Revision as of 03:38, 31 December 2012
Stung Treng (also Stoeng Treng) is a small town in northeastern Cambodia, and can easily be described with the word "outpost" more than anything else. Many tourists heading to/from Laos pass through here, though few stay long as Banlung and Kratie offer far more excitement, activities, and remedies.
Get in
By plane
By boat
Fast boats used to be the best way to get here, but Chinese money has made the roads a joy (at least compared to their old state!). Regular boat services north and south no longer run, though small speedboats can be chartered for trips to non-standard destinations.
By road
National Highway 7 from the Laos-Cambodian border to Kratie via Stung Treng is fully sealed now. So it`s not a problem any more to do the trip by bus/ minbus in either direction. Every guesthouse will sell you a ticket. Keep in mind that it can be quiet difficult to get public transport directly at the border, so it`s worth considering buying a ticket to your "final" destination. The minibus to the border takes about 1½h, while it`s a 4-5h drive to Kratie (much more in the rainy season). Minibus drivers have been known to abandon their passengers at the border crossing at Dom Kralor.
The daily bus from Phnom Penh to Laos passes the town in the afternoon and is the safest option to get to Laos.
Get around
Since the town is so small, there's no point in using anything other than your own two feet to get you anywhere within the town itself. If you decide to see any of the area's limited sights, simply hire one of the few motodops around for no more than a couple of thousand riel.
Most tourists who end up here do so only for a couple of hours before being rushed on south to Kratie or north to the Laos border. But, like anywhere in Cambodia, you could easily spend a day here relaxing by the river (don't plan on a week here, of course). There are a couple of sights to see here, but not enough to seriously keep yourself occupied.
The only meaningful sight in Stung Treng is watching the sun set and rise over the landscape. Great for lounging in a hammock, bottle of Angkor Beer in hand, lazily chatting with your compadres.
The town itself is not so big, and one can explore it on foot. There are some Wats (temples) in the town and a daily fresh market. To explore more of the area though, it is wiser to rent a moto. You can rent one at the Riverside guesthouse or near the market.
Next to the river, about 4 km from the town center there is a weaving co-operative, Mekong Blue, which warrants a visit for the lovely fabrics and patterns they produce.
Furthermore Stung Treng Village is a good base to explore Stung Treng Province. It is a beautiful place with some historical value. The Ramsar site to the nirth that connects to Laos is a real treat to explore and several (nearly extinct) Irrawaddy Dolphin pools surround this charming provincial town. Furthermore are several NGO's such as Tourism for Help, Evergreen Community and Mlub Baitong are active in the region and welcome any kind of support from travelers where needed. The town links well to Banlung (Ratanakiri) and can be used for more than just a stopover. Hikes are available to see the 4000 Islands area from the mountain top and the unique merging of 4 main rivers (also known as the Mekong plus 3 Area) makes the place for a great river exploration.
Both banks change between Cambodian riel, US dollars, and Lao kip, but you'll get a better rate from money changers at the market.
Most cheap guesthouses can be found at the riverfront or the street just behind it. Expect to pay 3$ for a small room. However, if you can spare two or three dollars, the hotels below offer much better value for money.
Get out
Border Crossing to Lao
Stung Treng is the last outpost before the Lao border. The crossing sees few visitors for the time being despite the 87 km of excellent road all the way up to the border.
There is no scheduled means of (public) transport to the border and even if you have a motorbike driver or a fast boat taking you there, you may have to walk on the Lao side to the village of Voeng Kham to find some form of transport (about 4 km from the border). Travellers on the public bus from Phnom Penh are collected at the border though.
From Febuary 2010 Lao Visa is availible on arrival. How much depends on what passport you are having, but most where about 30 or 35 dollars. And bring some small domination dollars to pay the "processing" fee of 1$ to 2$ on each side of the border.


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Clue: Initials of Jekyll's creator
We have 1 answer for the clue Initials of Jekyll's creator. See the results below.
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What's New
Elegia Font Family by Wiescher Design
I designed Elegia on a winter escape in beautiful and sunny Lisbon. That was a very elating experience, friendly people, a beautiful old town, perfect coffee and good simple cooking all that topped by extremely reasonable prices.
Since I just have to design new typefaces all the time, I started and finished this elegant typeface. Each weight has 4 cuts, that can and should be mixed with each other. Oh one more thing, when in Lisbon, you will love those short little yellow streetcars (sometimes they are red, I don't know why).
Your cold-weather-avoiding-type-designer, Gert Wiescher
Tags: Font, Serif


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limdis wrote:Regardless if this is faked or not it is interesting! Anyone seen any of this before? Here
cweed14 wrote:
9 hours ago
Anyone else notice that BASE Entertainment is at that address and they have a new 'exhibit' coming out: http://www.baseentertainment.com/show/spy The newest interactive attraction at Discovery Times Square in New York, SPY: The Secret World of Espionage, offers visitors the first-ever public exhibition of treasures from the collections of the CIA, the FBI, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and H. Keith Melton, the renowned author, historian, and international authority on spy technology. Visitors will see real gadgets and real artifacts from spies and spy catchers. They will observe real spy technologies, and learn the real tools-of-trade, some recently declassified. Arriving to New York City for its world premiere, SPY grants guests unprecedented access into the real world of espionage.
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|System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, PS2, DS, PSP
|Dev: Visual Concepts
|Pub: 2K Sports
|Release: March 8, 2011
|Players: 1-2
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Mild Lyrics
Visual Concepts was devoted to realism when developing this game. Player models look like the players themselves (I had to double check to make sure Jayson Werth shaved his beard). They also play like the players actually do...for the most part. I expect Jacoby Ellsbury to beat out infield singles and a double play attempt. I do not expect David Ortiz, who looks way too thin, to do that. I'd also expect a game with the promise of so much integration between the league and the game itself to stay up to date, yet Vladimir Guerrero is still listed as a free agent. I'd also expect the minor league stadiums to look like they actually do, as there are some really beautiful ones. Yet, each seems to have the exact same design. This is the biggest issue that MLB 2K11 faces: for every good thing it does, it does two things wrong.
Another example of this is the two game modes: My Player and Franchise. Back again this year, My Player throws you into the role of a top draft pick on the team of your choice as you make your way through the minor leagues and, eventually, the big leagues. My Player is more fun than it should be. While playing field positions isn't always fun, it's a new take on how to play a baseball video game and the situational hitting scenarios add extra suspense to each game. You have a personal investment as you play, and it was something I came back to play over and over again.
The game's franchise mode, however, is a completely lackluster affair, devoid of any personality. It comes in, gets the job done, and leaves. While the ability to manage every minor league affiliate is nice, it's nothing new; Franchise mode really needs to be next on 2K's "to-do list." In addition, for a game that previously stressed such realism, I'd like to know 1.) why they simulated the Kansas City Royals winning the AL Central, and 2.) why they put Carl Crawford, someone who has repeatedly said that he does not want to bat leadoff, in that particular role. One step forward, two steps back.
Player models are unique and do a good job representing their real life counterparts. Yet, that doesn't mean they look good. The graphics engine is showing some signs off age here, and while the stadiums look great, players and animations are, at times, a bit off. The commentating, however, is another story. While Gary Thorne, John Kruk, and Steve Phillips (who no longer works for ESPN, mind you) do a good job of adding their own flair, they have a nasty tendency to repeat lines of dialogue constantly and are ultimately more of an annoying than anything. Still, even they're better than the game's menus, featuring the same old tired and rusty 2K menu presentation and, for whatever reason, menu navigation via the right analog stick. I honestly don't get why I can't hit start to pull up the menus, like every other game in the world. It's clunky, it's weird, and I'm never going to get used to it.
As much as I liked about Major League Baseball 2K11 (playing online and playing through My Player), I found even more that I didn't like (commentary, menus, bugs and glitches, frustrating AI). I enjoy the promise of the MLB integration, whether it's the updated scores every time I log into the game or the DRPS affecting my in-game roster and stats. But ultimately, MLB 2K11 is its own worst enemy, keeping it from being a great sports game and, once again, second fiddle to the MLB: The Show franchise.
Jake Valentine
CCC Freelance Writer
Game Features:


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For a while now, I've been giving Teen Mom Jenelle Evans a hard time. Between her whirlwind wedding to Courtland Rogers, constant Twitter rants, eventual seperation, and then getting back together with her ex Gary Head -- there was just too much material of how off-the-wagon she's gotten. A few weeks ago we heard that Evans was back in rehab to deal with stress, and to be honest I was thankful. The girl just had WAY too much on her plate, and needed a breather. Now, though, Evans' attorney Dustin R. T. Sullivan is revealing the real reason the Teen Mom is in rehab and it's not pretty.
"Jenelle is in a rehabilitation treatment facility in North Carolina to address any addiction issues for drug use," said Sullivan. And just like that, the game changes.
Plain and simple: There's a difference between just being young and reckless, posting ridiculous Twitter rants, and having a bona fide drug problem. This is nothing to joke about anymore. This is serious. Really serious.
More From Our Partners: Gary Head Disses Jenelle Evans In The Worst Way
As we saw with Amber Portwood, a drug problem is a serious problem. A drug problem can literally get in the way of every single thing in Jenelle's life. It can influence her to hang out with the wrong people, both as friends and romantically, and make more of her not-so-good decisions. Even worse? A drug problem makes handling those bad decisions even more difficult.
At this point, I just really, really hope that Jenelle stays in rehab for as long as it takes for her to get better. Back on March 2, she tweeted that "this" is for her son Jace. Now, it all makes sense. I pray that she gets the help she needs and comes out of this really wanting to make positive changes in her life. For both her sake, and Jace's.
More From The Stir: 'Teen Mom' Jenelle Evans' 4-Day Rehab Stay Was a Waste of Time
Are you surprised to hear that Jenelle is in rehab for drug use?
Image via Twitter


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Last month, Legit Reviews benchmarked a pair of Radeon HD 3850's on the day they were launched, but didn't have a pair of Radeon HD 3870's to include in the article. The Radeon HD 3850 video cards were impressive for what they could do at their price point and we were excited to see what the faster Radeon HD 3870 was capable of doing on the latest game titles. We have now received a pair of ATI Radeon 3870 graphics cards to test and compare to all the other cards we have on the test bench. Since we covered much of the new Radeon HD 3800 series architecture in our previous article, please reference it for the technical background on the cards features.
The Radeon HD 3870 is the same length as the Radeon HD 3850, but is has a dual-slot cooler on top to help keep the faster core and memory nice and cool. The cores on both cards are the same, but the Radeon HD 3870 is clocked at 777MHz. The Radeon HD 3850 core clock speed is 670MHz, so the Radeon HD 3870 has 107MHz core clock boost. The Radeon HD 3870 uses 512MB of 1.2GHz GDDR4 memory, which is an improvement over the 256MB of 900MHz GDDR3 that the Radeon HD 3850 has. The cooling fan on the ATI Radeon 3870 is obviously bigger than the Radeon HD 3850, and it is also louder. The acoustics on the Radeon 3850 is 31dBA compared to 34dBA on the Radeon HD 3870. In short, the Radeon HD 3870 has higher clock speeds and as a result has bigger and better cooling.
The display interface has a pair of dual-link DVI outputs with HDCP (HDMI + Audio with the adapter) and HDTV out. The hot air does vent out the rear of the video card, which is nice as you don't want all the hot air from the video card to remain inside the case.
The Radeon HD 3870 has a peak board power of ~105W, which is a tad more than the ~95W on the Radeon HD 3850. Not bad though considering it has higher clocks, twice as much memory and a more powerful fan. ATI informed us that a 450Watt or greater power supply with 75 Watt 6-pin PCI Express power connector is recommended to safely use this graphics card.
The back of the card doesn't have much to see, but you can see the dual CrossFire interconnects. To run CrossFire only one is needed, but for ATI CrossFireX you'll need to use both. CrossFireX drivers will be out early next year, which means you can run four of these cards together at the same time! Let's move on to the benchmarks!
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Brittany Zabel
Alumna Profile: Brittany Zabel
Brittany Zabel
WHAT YOU DO • • • I am currently earning my master's in mathematics at MSU-Mankato and am teaching a section of College Algebra there as well. My typical day consists of teaching, attending courses, doing homework, and helping my students either in my office or at the tutoring center.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU • • • Ever since I was young, I have always enjoyed math and science. I originally came to Bethany to pursue an engineering degree, but my math professors helped me see how much I enjoy math and sharing it with others.
HOW YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE • • • I would love to become a college professor and soccer coach. I have always enjoyed both school and sports, so this would be the best way to share my passions with others.
WHAT YOU REMEMBER MOST • • • What I remember most about Bethany is the atmosphere. Being on the athletic teams, having small class sizes, and always being able to talk to my professors really made Bethany a special place to go to school. Now that I have attended a different university, this fact has become even more clear to me and I will always be grateful to have been a student at Bethany.


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Conrad Potter Aiken
Conrad Potter Aiken [Conrad Aiken] (5 August 1889 – 17 August 1973 / Savannah, Georgia)
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Guitarist Says Hootie and Blowfish "Sneaky Long"by Wade Coggeshall • September 29, 2006 Share:
Having the 12th-best selling album in music business history looks good on a resume. But such success can also carry its share of burden.
Whereas other artists may have cracked under such pressure, Hootie & The Blowfish enjoyed its time on top, then went right back to doing what it always did.
The Charleston, S.C., quartet plays 9 p.m. Oct. 7 at Wabash College's Chadwick Court.
The members of Hootie (guitarist/vocalist Darius Rucker, guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim "Soni" Sonefeld) lived in the same dorm as freshmen at the University of South Carolina. Rucker and Bryan, both broadcast journalism majors, came to know each other well, and began playing acoustic shows together. Eventually the band gelled, taking its tag from the nicknames of two college buddies, and started playing weekend gigs.
"The band, when we were in school, was just for fun," said Bryan during a Sept. 28 phone interview. "We'd play on the weekends, and it was all covers. We didn't have to worry about balancing. We just did it whenever we felt like it. Studies were a priority at that time. Once we graduated we started taking the band more seriously, and began writing our own material and touring."
The group's mix of pop, folk, blues and rock slowly won over audiences in its home state, and later the East Coast. Their debut, "Cracked Rear View," had been out six months when they made their first appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman."
All it took was for Letterman to say, "If you don't have this album, there's something wrong with you" for the floodgates to open.
"We went from selling like 5,000 records a week to 16,000 or 17,000 a week," Bryan said after Hootie's first appearance on national TV. "It just kept going up from there. It was sort of a juggernaut."
"Cracked Rear View" went on to sell some 10 million copies in 1996. Since its release in 1994, it's sold more than 25 million units worldwide. At the height of its popularity, it seemed impossible to avoid the Hootie phenomenon. Contrary to popular belief, even though it was the band's first album, Hootie had already been a professional act for the previous decade.
"I just kind of stopped listening," Bryan said of the "Cracked Rear View" mania. "I tuned out all the hype. We'd been doing the same thing for 10 years before that. Now everybody else is catching on. To be honest we were writing 'Fairweather Johnson' (their second album) in the middle of the hype surrounding 'Cracked Rear View.' We had already moved on.
"We did a pretty good job of tuning out the hype. That's not to say we didn't enjoy it and that we weren't flabbergasted by it. We just tried not to let it get to our heads. We had to keep our focus on what we'd been doing all along. That was making good albums and playing good live shows."
"Fairweather Johnson" and its follow-up, "Musical Chairs," continued Hootie's platinum success. But their sales were nowhere near that of "Cracked Rear View."
"We knew 'Cracked Rear View' was an anomaly," Bryan said. "We didn't have expectations of ever selling 16 million of anything again. Only like 20 albums all-time have done that."
In fact, other than not being played every five minutes on the radio, little has changed for Hootie & The Blowfish. The group still plays outdoor amphitheaters in the summer, and clubs and theaters in the off-season. Bryan said it's safe to say they've found their own comfortable niche in the music business.
"It's our bread and butter," he said. "If we can sell albums, great. From a song-writing standpoint, we feel like we still have a lot to give. As we mature, the subject matter becomes more mature. We've always been a positive band. Hopefully our message helps people or affects them."
They're also taking more control over their careers. After leaving Atlantic Records in 2004, they started their own imprint, Sneaky Long Records, and issued the CD "Looking For Lucky" last year. A distribution deal was signed with Vanguard. In August the CD/DVD combo "LIVE in Charleston, The Homegrown Concert Event," was released.
Sneaky Long is a "sports term for somebody, say a small guy who you wouldn't think could hit a golf ball 300 yards, then he does it, so he's sneaky long," Bryan said. "It's got many levels of meaning. We feel our band is sneaky long. We're still here 20 years later."
Coggeshall is a reporter for the Crawfordsville Journal Review.
Editor's Note: A Bachelor reporter also interviewed Bryan Sept. 28, that preview will appear in the Oct. 6 student newspaper.


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Support the school budget
To the Editor:
Next Tuesday is voting day for our school budget. The members of our school PTAs have voted overwhelmingly to support the 2014-15 budget, and we urge Rockville Centre residents to get out and vote.
For the third year in a row, the members of our Board of Education and the employees of the school district have worked diligently to preserve the existing academic and extracurricular programming while maintaining a budget within the tax levy cap limits. In an era of sharply rising spending mandates without offsetting aid, this is a big accomplishment. However, for the budget to pass, we need everyone to get out and vote! Polling takes place at South Side High School from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Please take a moment out of your day to vote "yes" and support the budget to:
• continue the academic excellence our community expects;
• preserve the programming that could be at risk if a contingency plan is in effect;
• invest in our community and put our children first.
Let's work together as a community to support our children. Please join us in voting "yes" on Tuesday at South Side High School.
Karen Parker and Sue Quilty
Co-presidents, RVC Council of PTAs
Re-elect Mayda Kramer
To the Editor:
We are urging our friends and neighbors to re-elect Mayda Kramer to the Rockville Centre Board of Education. We worked extensively with Mayda when she was treasurer and then president of the South Side High School PTA, and know she is an asset to our schools and deserves another term on our school board.
Mayda believes passionately in public education and has worked tirelessly to ensure that all children in Rockville Centre receive the best education possible. As an accountant, she has the skill set necessary to analyze and negotiate our school budget and bond issues in a fiscally responsible way. This year she vowed to retain our current levels of staff and service with the smallest tax levy possible, and that goal was achieved.
Please join us on Tuesday in re-electing Mayda Kramer to another term as school board trustee.
Robin Redeker and Robin Quagliata
Rockville Centre
Vote for Mayda
To the Editor:
We have had the pleasure to know Mayda Kramer for the past several years, not only as a neighbor but as a Rockville Centre school board trustee. She has shown her dedication to our school district by consistently attending school functions such as concerts, PTA meetings, homecoming parades and many other activities, big or small.
We have known her to always be thoughtful, kind and objective. She understands the challenges our school district is facing and has worked collaboratively with other board members and administrators to make the schools successful. She is never satisfied with the status quo and is continuously looking for ways the district can provide the best educational services to our students.
We have four children as well as many nieces and nephews attending RVC schools, and we are happy to support Mayda Kramer as a member of the school board. We are happy to know she is on the board, looking out for all the children in Rockville Centre. Please help support her re-election.
Vito and Noreen Iacobellis
Rockville Centre
A Kramer fan
To the Editor:
I am writing to endorse Mayda Kramer for another term on the Rockville Centre Board of Education. She has an impressive handle on the priorities and challenges facing our school district, solid financial expertise as a CPA and a thoughtful and deliberate approach to her role on the board. She is one of those rare individuals who listens more than she speaks.
I also want to note that there are two seats open on the board, which means each resident has two votes in the election. The best way to influence the outcome for the candidates you support is to exercise both of your votes.
Donna K. Santora
Rockville Centre
Support Kramer
To the Editor:
I am writing to support the re-election of Mayda Kramer to the Rockville Centre school board. I have known and worked with Mayda through the PTA for more than 10 years. She is smart, articulate and responsive. During her tenure on the board, she has been an effective and tireless advocate for our schools, and deserves our votes.
One of the things I've always admired about her is the enormous energy she brings to school district issues. Maintaining an excellent public school education for Rockville Centre students while minimizing residents' tax levy is something she is truly passionate about. I hope you'll join me in giving Mayda one of your two votes for school board trustee next Tuesday.
Wendy Spelfogel
Rockville Centre
Vote for Spaulding
To The Editor:
I write to express my support for Gregg Spaulding for trustee on the Rockville Centre Board of Education. I have had the pleasure of knowing Gregg since we both attended South Side High School. I have known him in many capacities. He has served this village and school district in many ways over the years. He is a member of the Rockville Centre Fire Department and has been an active member of the South Hempstead PAL.
Gregg brings a great deal of experience and know-how to all that he does. As a member of the Fire Department, he served on many committees and held positions in his company. While registering his children for PAL, he learned there was a need for coaches, and gave up many of his Friday nights to take an active roll in Sports Night. He continued to be active in PAL even after his children aged out of the program.
Gregg and I have had many conversations on the state of education in New York, and especially in Rockville Centre. He is very well versed in the regulations associated with education. And more important, he is well versed on the budget and its many demands. So much of every school budget is based on mandates by the state. As a member of the Board of Ed, Gregg has helped to develop ways to address those mandates while ensuring that the highest qualities associated with education in Rockville Centre are maintained.
We are both a product of this district and take a great deal of pride in seeing its accomplishments. Rarely have I been to a function in the district and not seen Gregg. He takes pride in being a parent of Rockville Centre students and in being a member of the Board of Education.
The most powerful thing that I can say about Gregg is that he is a problem solver. He is a team player. And I can say from personal experience that he is always there to lend a helping hand.
I'm proud to support Gregg Spaulding for the Rockville Centre Board of Education.
Maureen Boyce
South Hempstead


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Sunday, 7 December 2008
Aargau carrot cake
The recipe for Aargau carrot cake caught my eye as I'd purchased a bag of marzipan carrots in Zurich and didn't have a clue what I'd use them for!
Aargau is a canton north of Zurich famed for agriculture. This carrot cake recipe is traditional to the region and is different to carrot cakes that I've previously come across. If you glance at the ingredients you will notice that there is no oil or fat at all but a hefty slug of ground almonds. My kind of cake! The cake is very moist and incredibly light - it balances perfectly with the sweet icing.
The recipe provided quantities in cups too, so for my American readers I've included these in the ingredients list below; I can't vouch for how accurate the conversion is as I used the metric quantities.
For the cake:
3 eggs, separated
150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
Juice and rind of one lemon (I omitted this and used a little milk instead to slacken the mix)
150g (1 cup) grated raw carrot
250g (1 cup) ground almonds
50g (1/4 cup) self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the icing:
150g (3/4 cup) icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice (I used water)
To decorate: marzipan carrots
How to make:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a 20cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
- Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat until well combined.
- Add the lemon, carrot, almonds, flour and baking powder and mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Fold one spoonful of the whites into the carrot mix to slacken the mix and make the rest of the whites easier to fold in.
- Fold in the rest of the whites.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Mine took exactly 45 minutes.
- Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.
- When the cake is cold it can be iced. Simply mix the icing sugar and lemon juice (or water) together until you have a thick glossy icing. You may need to add a little more liquid but don't add too much at a time.
- Pour over the cake and place the marzipan carrots on top.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.
10 comments:
- Beth said...
I love those carrots! And I love Carrot Cake
- 7 December 2008 at 20:21
- J.Danger said...
How adorable are those marzipan carrots?! I am so glad you explained what Aargau meant, I thought I missed something!
- 8 December 2008 at 05:02
- Sam said...
This looks delicious, and those carrots are great!
- 8 December 2008 at 17:46
- glamah16 said...
Those marzipan carrots are darling on top of that cake.
- 8 December 2008 at 19:17
- Emily said...
Cute and delicious! I love carrot cake. Great job!!
- 8 December 2008 at 20:44
- Ling's Passion said...
I thought Aargau carrot is a type of carrot *so dumb of me*. Glad you explain. This is the first time I come across carrot cake without oil....how interesting.
- 9 December 2008 at 11:10
- Katie said...
Never seen a carrot cake like this before but it sounds fab. I love how simple it looks to bake and how the flecks of carrot show up in the crumb.
- 11 December 2008 at 08:53
- alicesg said...
Oh this is a very beautiful cake. You are really very talented.
- 12 December 2008 at 12:26
- Maria said...
That cake looks so fluffy and light, I'm used to seeing dense carrot cakes. I must try this recipe. You did it again caked crusader!
While I'm here I thought I would tell you I've tagged you in an online game of it. The rules and instructions are on my blog. Apologies if you have been tagged before
- 13 December 2008 at 23:37
- Sarah said...
I always think I don't like Carrot cake, and then try it and am reminded that in fact I LOVE carrot cake!
Love the little Marzipan Carrots.
- 14 December 2008 at 14:57


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Tagged: Dirk Hayhurst
Baseball Book Report: The Bullpen Gospels + a Mish Mosh of Loosely Related Topics
I read, rather incessantly if the truth be told. For me it's primarily a way of maintaining sanity. Something about disappearing into someone else' story or an intriguing bit of non-fiction boosts my mood and settles my oft chaotically busy brain back into less stressed out functionality. Except, since late February I haven't read much of anything. I have been too stressed out to settle down long enough for anything to grab my interest. It's been miserable.
Finally, I picked up Dirk Hayhurst's tale of minor league life, The Bullpen Gospels. I was so charmed by his turn of phrase and the compelling mix of humor and gut wrenching introspection, that I devoured it like a starving person in about two days, thus breaking up the longest "slump" of my "career." One of the jacket quotes describes the book as Bull Durham meets Ball Four. On some levels this is true, especially on the humorous end of things. Never have kangaroo court proceedings been reported with such glee and the tales of out heckling rowdy opposing team fans are truly hilarious. But on the serious side of things, Hayhurst's very much non-fiction back story and his personal stakes for failure are much darker and the introspection is more deliberate.
Ultimately, it's the book's juxtaposition of different elements that grabbed me. The silly with the serious. The drive for a major league baseball career with the motivation to have a lasting impact on the world. Beautifully related insider game tidbits peppered with references to Narnia, Charley and the Chocolate Factory, Conan the Barbarian and other wonderful oddities. I am a huge fan of that last part especially, as you might have guessed from the hodgepodge of strange side stuff I incorporate into this blog. Suffice to say, add The Bullpen Gospels to my list of recommended reads and many thanks to Dirk Hayhurst for helping me find my way back to my reading mechanics, as it were. Yes, of course he will read this, just like the Angels. Why do you ask? 😉
* * * * *
After busting out of my biblio-slump, I began tearing my way once again through the stack of books to be read, and one of the first things that caught my interest also happened to have a blog tie-in. Jim Butcher's "Curses," a new short story in the Dresden Files series included in Ellen Datlow's recently released urban fantasy anthology Naked City. In this story we find Harry Dresden, detective, warden and the only wizard in the Chicago phone book taking on the Cubs' Billy Goat Curse. And the end result? A very fun read. I had no idea Butcher was a baseball fan and if he isn't, he fakes it nicely. This is a lighter Dresden tale, as Butcher often chooses to share in these anthologies, and would be relatively easy for someone who hasn't read the series up until now to pick up. And if you had the misfortune of watching the Sci-Fi Channel's terrible TV series adaptation of these books, don't worry, the books are a completely different animal.
* * * * *
Speaking of books and baseball, there was a really cute news feature in one of the early July episodes of Angels Weekly showing Angels rookies Hank Conger and Mark Trumbo and recent rookie Peter Bourjos car pooling to the interleague games at Dodgers Stadium. The adorable part was how nonchalant and professional they were trying to be about having reporters videoing their ride, when it was obvious they could barely contain their glee over the very Big Leagues novelty of the whole thing.
The three young Angels shot the breeze on a number of subjects, eventually settling on upcoming movie releases that had piqued their interest. Conger, it turned out, could not wait for the new Harry Potter movie because he loves Harry Potter and has read all of the books, thus earning several Kristen approval points, not that they're worth anything. 😉 Bourjos and Trumbo laughed at this revelation and exchanged "Here Hank goes again" looks before each asked the other if he had ever finished an entire book willingly. No, neither one had, and both clearly thought Conger was the odd duck on this subject. But their teasing was affectionate and the whole conversation reminded me of a funny story from my high school days…
One day before class during my sophomore year, I had just put down a book I was reading to joke around with a group of baseball players, a fairly typical day. The guys were teasing me about my reading habits, mainly that I had them. I was the stat girl for the varsity team and had gone through grade school and then some with most of these JV players. We were friends. The teasing was affectionate and I was giving it right back. "Did your parents brainwash you or something?" asked a guy I had known literally since preschool. "Yes, and once you get past the machine that holds your eyes open really wide, the drugs are actually kind of fun…" I responded, or something to that effect.
Old friend kept it up and I finally asked him if there was any book he would willingly read. He pretended to gag and loudly protested, of course not. And all of the baseball players predictably laughed. Yeah, the boy didth protest too much, especially to someone who knew about his extensive Darth Vader collection. Fortunatley, timing was on my side and I held aloft the recently released book to reveal the shiny new cover – Timothy Zahn's Dark Force Rising, the second book in the very first Star Wars series to tackle the question of just what happened after the conclusion of the original movie trilogy. Old friend emitted what can only be described as a squeal of delight and practically dove over a row of desks to get a closer look. "Oh my god! It's out! I didn't know it was out yet! Is it good? The last one was so good…" and so on. And he wasn't the only one. Bwa ha ha.
The moral of this story? Careful Bourjos and Trumbo. Reading isn't everyone's cup of tea and there's nothing wrong with that. But someday you may just find that one book that has you diving over a desk and looking silly, LOL.