text:
THE RACE: Coca-Cola 600
Updated: often, leading up to the race
Jumps to sections on this page:
Event Sched | Purse/Race Awards | TV / Re-airs | Radio
Practice/Qual Times | Rundown of Race/Results | Entry/Practice/Qualifying
Track/Race Info | Local Newspapers
Weather | Camping
Chassis | Goodyear Notes | Odds
Race: Sunday, May 24, 2015 in Concord, NC
Title Sponsor: Coca-Cola
Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 6:19pm/et
Info on the All-Star Races on the 2015 Sprint All-Star Race & Showdown Race Info page
NASCAR Pre-Race: FOX - 5:30pm/et
Television Race Coverage: FOX, 6:00pm/et
In the Booth: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds
Pit Reporters: Chris Neville, Jamie Little, Matt Yocum, Vince Welch
Hollywood Hotel/Host: Chris Myers, Michael Waltrip, Darrell Waltrip
Rules Analyst: Andy Petree
NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: at 4:00pm/pt on FoxSports1
Scheduled Race Re-Air Dates/Times:
Monday, May 25 at 10:00am/et on FS1
TV Listings, Links and Info:
Jayski's TV Listings Page
Fox Sports TV Listings
FoxSports1 (FS1) TV Schedule
NBC Sports - TV Times
TV Racer
Armed Forces Network - Search NASCAR
Schedule TSN Race - Canada
Performance Racing Network (PRN) and SiriusXM Satellite NASCAR Channel 90
FOX Sports GO. All NASCAR programming on FOX and FOX Sports 1 is streamed live through the FOX Sports GO app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content. Requires a participating TV provider.
Radio: PRN Live Streaming
SiriusXM Internet Radio is available via any internet connected device, with a subscription.
Event Schedule times are local to the track
Thursday, May 21
10:30 AM - 1:30 PM Truck Challenge
8:30 PM Legend Races
Friday, May 22
Saturday, May 23
Sunday, May 24
NSCS = Sprint Cup Series
All event schedule times above are listed in LOCAL track time
(these times in eastern time)
Thursday, May 21, 2:30 - 3:55 pm/et, TV-FS1
Saturday, May 23, 10:00 - 10:55 am/et, TV-FS1
Happy Hour 'Final' practice: Saturday, May 23, 1:00 - 1:50 pm/et, TV-FS1
Qualifying: group qualifying for positions 1-36, Thursday, May 21 at 7:15 pm/et, TV-FS1, re-air scheduled Friday, May 22 at 4:30a,/et on FS1 and 11:30am/et on FS1.
2015: $6,660,588
2014: $6,659,323
2013: $6,611,706
2012: $6,544,088
2011: $6,412,212
2010: $6,474,775
2009: $6,696,340
2008: $6,648,557
2007: $6,569,628
2006: $6,452,431
2005: $6,279,649
2004: $6,201,379
2003: $5,396,853
Track Specifications:
Superspeedway: 1.5-mile quad oval
Race Length: 400 laps, 600 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles or 7,920 feet
Banking: turns: 24 degrees; straights: 5 degrees
Straights: Frontstretch - 1980 feet; Backstretch - 1500 feet
Turns 1 & 2: 2,400 feet
Turns 3 & 4: 2,040 feet
Radius Turns 1 & 2: 685 feet
Radius Turns 3 & 4: 625 feet
Grandstand Seating: 134,000 (down from 146,000)
Suites: 113
Pit Road Speed: 45mph
Pace Car Speed: 55mph
Opened: 1960
Last Repave: March 2006
Race Festivities/Officials:
Grand Marshal: Dawn Seif, wife of fallen Marine SSgt. Andrew Seif; USO CEO & President J.D. Crouch II
Command to start engines: Dawn Seif
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: West Virginia Senate President Lt. Gov. Bill Cole
Honorary Pace Car Driver: Carolina Panthers LB Thomas Davis
Honorary Pace Director: NC's Lt. Gov. Dan Forest
Color Guard: 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Color Guard Ft. Bragg
Invocation: Douglas Carver, Executive Director of Chaplaincy for the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board
National Anthem: 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus
Flyover: Fly-by: 4 F-18's from VFA 103, Naval Air Station Oceana, VA
Track Websites & Social Media:
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Speedway Motorsports
Facebook - Charlotte Motor Speedway
Twitter - CLTMotorSpdwy
YouTube - CLTMotorSpdwy
Cabarrus County Destination Guide
U.S. Legend Cars
Track Stats - Racing-reference.info
May 2014: see the Charlotte Race Info page
October 2014: see the Charlotte Race Info page
2014 May Race Winner: #48-Jimmie Johnson, 145.484mph, started 1st
2014 October Race Winner: #4-Kevin Harvick, 145.346mph, started 7th
Track Race Record 500 miles: Jeff Gordon, Oct 1999, 160.306mph
Track Race Record 600 miles: Kasey Kahne, May 2012, 155.687mph
Slowest Race Record: Junior Johnson, 107.752mph, 1960
Worst Starting Spot to Win: Jimmie Johnson, May 2003, started 37th
Oldest Winner: Cale Yarborough, 46 years, 6 months, 9 days, 10/6/1985
Youngest Winner: Jeff Gordon, 22 years, 9 months, 25 days, 5/29/1994
2014 May Pole Winner: #48-Jimmy Johnson, 194.911mph, finished 1st
2014 October Pole Winner: #18-Kyle Busch, 197.390mph, finished 5th
Track Qualifying Record: Kurt Busch, Oct 2014, 198.771mph, set in 2nd round of qualifying
Coke 600 Qualifying Record: Denny Hamlin, May 2013, 195.624mph
500 mile Qualifying Record: Jeff Gordon, Oct 2013, 194.308mph
Youngest Pole Winner: Jeff Gordon, 22 years, 2 months, 6 days, 10/10/1993
Oldest Pole Winner: Bobby Allison, 49 years, 10 months, 8 days, 10/11/1987
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Charlotte
#48-Jimmie Johnson 111.6
#18-Kyle Busch 106.7
#5-Kasey Kahne 100.8
#20-Matt Kenseth 95.5
#11-Denny Hamlin 92.8
#24-Jeff Gordon 91.6
#19-Carl Edwards 89.6
#16-Greg Biffle 88.7
#22-Joey Logano 88.4
#2-Brad Keselowski 86.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (19 total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)
Winners of the Coca-Cola 600 and All-Star Race in same season:
1985-Darrell Waltrip
1991-Davey Allison
1993-Dale Earnhardt
1997-Jeff Gordon
2003-Jimmie Johnson
2008-Kasey Kahne
2010-Kurt Busch
Charlotte Motor Speedway Notes & Facts - Thursday - poles:
� Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway (World 600) in 1960 with a speed of 133.904 mph.
� 42 drivers have Coors Light poles at Charlotte, led by David Pearson with 14. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers in poles at CMS with nine.
� David Pearson and Ryan Newman are tied for the series most Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Coors Light poles with six each; followed by Jeff Gordon with five.
� 12 drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Charlotte. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Charlotte with 11; from the fall of 1973 through 1978.
� Jeff Gordon won five straight Coca-Cola 600 poles at Charlotte between 1994 and 1998.
� Four active drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (10/10/93), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5/28/00), Ryan Newman (5/27/01) and Aric Almirola (5/27/12).
� 15 of the 112 (13.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson in 2014 (Coca-Cola 600).
� The second-place starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (17) than any other starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
� 32 of the 112 (28.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and 17 from second-place.
� 85 of the 112 (75.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Charlotte have been won from a top-10 starting position.
� Nine of the 112 (8.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
� The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Charlotte is 37th, by Jimmie Johnson in the Coca-Cola 600 of 2003.
� Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Charlotte with a 7.630.
� Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway twice; the fall race of 2002 and the fall race of 2008.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Notes & Facts - Friday - history:
� Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in 1959.
� The track's first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 19, 1960 - won by Joe Lee Johnson.
� The track was repaved midseason in 1994.
� The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1999.
� It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.
� The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Notes & Facts - Saturday - drivers:
� 527 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying race at Charlotte Motor Speedway; 378 in more than one. 441 drivers have competed in the Coca-Cola 600; 287 in more than one.
� NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Charlotte with 64. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 44 starts; followed by Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart with 31. Richard Petty and Bill Elliott have made the most Coca-Cola 600 starts with 31 each; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in 600 starts with 22.
� 45 different drivers have won at Charlotte Motor Speedway, led by Jimmie Johnson with seven wins including four Coca-Cola 600 wins - 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2014.
� 30 different drivers have won the Coca-Cola 600, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip with five; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with four; followed by teammates Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne with three each.
� Nine drivers have posted consecutive wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including three consecutive by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four straight by Jimmie Johnson (2004 and 2005 sweeps).
� A season sweep at Charlotte has occurred eight times, including each season from 2004-2007.
� Seven times from seven different drivers has the winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race gone on to win the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010).
� Richard Petty leads the series in runner-up finishes at Charlotte with nine. Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers with three.
� Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers in runner-up finishes in the Coca-Cola 600 with two.
� NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison are tied for the series most top-five finishes at Charlotte with 23. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 17. Richard Petty leads the series in top fives in the Coca-Cola 600 with 12; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven.
� Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Charlotte with 31. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 24. Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd and David Pearson lead the series in top 10s in the Coca-Cola 600 with 15 each; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 12.
� Joey Logano leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Charlotte with a 10.000. Carl Edwards leads all active drivers in average finish in the Coca-Cola 600 with a 9.000.
� Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte without visiting Victory Lane at 30; followed by Ryan Newman with 28.
� Seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series active drivers have made their first career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5/30/99), Jimmie Johnson (10/7/01), Brian Vickers (10/11/03), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (5/29/11) and Kyle Larson (10/12/13).
� Four active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (5/29/94), Matt Kenseth (5/28/00), Jamie McMurray (10/13/02) and Casey Mears (5/27/07).
� Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Charlotte with 1,733 laps led in 27 starts.
� Two female drivers have competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Notes & Facts - Sunday - race:
� There have been 112 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, two races per year since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).
� Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Charlotte in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 18: Jimmie Johnson (seven), Jeff Gordon (five), Darrell Waltrip (two), Ken Schrader (one), Terry Labonte (one), Casey Mears (one) and Kasey Kahne (one).
� Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Charlotte; led by Chevrolet with 43 victories; followed by Ford with 29. Chevrolet also has the most Coca-Cola 600 wins at 23.
� There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but only once for the Coca-Cola 600 (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2005 (334/336), fall of 2007 (334/337) and the 2011 Coca-Cola 600 (400/402).
� Five of the 112 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 won by David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip Racing. Four of the five races shortened were the 600-mile events (1968, 1997, 2003 and 2009).
� Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the May 29, 2005 race won by Jimmie Johnson over Bobby Labonte with a MOV of 0.027 second.
For news, stats, records and more about this race track, see: Jayski.com's Charlotte Motor Speedway Track News/Rumors/Links page
RACE RUNDOWN....News & Links
Carl Edwards wins at Charlotte: #19-Carl Edwards won the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his 1st win of the season, 1st win at Charlotte and 24th career win. Edwards last win was 31 races ago at Sonoma Raceway in June 2014.
#16-Biffle finished 2nd followed by #88-Earnhardt Jr., #20-Kenseth, #78-Truex Jr., #31-Newman, #2-Keselowski, #11-Hamlin, #4-Harvick and #41-Busch.
Harvick maintains the drivers points lead with 473, 41 points over #78-Truex Jr.
Pole winner #20-Kenseth led 27 laps, fell down 1 lap with an unscheduled pit stop for a loose wheel, got the lucky dog pass and finished 4th.
#18-Kyle Busch, in his first points race of the season after being injured at Daytona, finished 11th and ran all 400 laps.
#48-Johnson spun twice, recovering the 1st time, but not the 2nd time, hitting the inside SAFER wall. After repairs, Johnson came back on the track and finished 40th, down 30 laps. Only four drivers failed to finish the race.
There were 22 lead changes among 9 drivers. There were 8 cautions for 39 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 147.803mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(5-24-2015)
Race Fast Facts - Charlotte:
#19-Carl Edwards won the 56th Annual COCA-COLA 600, his 24th victory in 385 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in 2015. Edwards breaks a 31-race winless drought with the victory.
This is his first victory and 14th top-10 finish in 21 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Edwards' previous best Charlotte finish was third, three times.
#16-Greg Biffle (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 25 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2015.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 31 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
#4-Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 41 points over #78-Martin Truex Jr.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(5-24-2015)
2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Charlotte, race 12 of 36]
(by wins, then by points standings)
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [3 wins], 393, -80 (5th in driver points)
2) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 473 (1st)
3) #22-Joey Logano [1 win], 407, -66 (3rd)
4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [1 win], 401, -72 (4th)
5) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 381, -92 (6th)
6) #20-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 372, -101 (7th)
7) #41-Kurt Busch [1 win], 327, -146 (14th)
8) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 321, -152 (15th)
9) #19-Carl Edwards [1 win], 312, -161 (16th)
[would be in the Chase via points standings]
10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 432, -41 (2nd in drivers pts)
11) #1-Jamie McMurray, 353, -120 (8th)
12) #24-Jeff Gordon, 346, -127 (9th)
13) #5-Kasey Kahne, 345, -128 (10th)
14) #31-Ryan Newman, 343, -130 (11th)
15) #43-Aric Almirola, 339, -134 (12th)
16) #27-Paul Menard, 336, -137 (13th)
(ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(5-24-2015)
Charlotte Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points:
#34-Brett Moffitt, finished 31st, 11 rookie points
#83-Matt DiBenedetto, finished 34th, 10 rookie points
#33-Alex Kennedy, finished 36th, 9 rookie points
#26-Jeb Burton, failed to qualify, 1 rookie point
#66-Tanner Berryhill, did not race
See the 2015 Rookie of the Year page for rules, standings and more.(5-24-2015)
Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Charlotte: (and their finish)
Caution 1: #23-Yeley, 38th
Caution 2: #51-Allgaier, 43rd
Caution 3: #40-Cassill, 39th
Caution 4: #43-Almirola, 17th
Caution 5: #5-Kahne, 12th
Caution 6: #17-Stenhouse Jr., 37th
Caution 7: #20-Kenseth, 20th
Caution 8: #31-Newman, 6th
ESPN.com's Racecast - Live Coverage and Chat
Racing Live! on ESPN.com
Listen Live Online at Performance Racing Network
Live updates on Jayski.com's Twitter
Race Coverage of the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2015.
Television (TV): FOX at 6:00 pm/et; Pre-Race show at 5:30pm/et; green flag approx. 6:19pm/et
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 90
Scheduled Race Re-Airs: Monday, May 25 at 10:00am/et on FS1
Charlotte Pre-Race Schedule: (eastern time)
-- 4:00:00pm: NSCS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
-- 4:40:00pm: Military Appreciation
-- 5:20:00pm: NSCS Drivers Introductions (43 Service members will introduce the drivers from a mic on stage and walk off behind driver.)
-- 5:43:30pm: "God Bless America" by: Danielle Johnson, Speedway Superstar
-- 5:50:00pm: Armed Forces Service Medley Performed by: Central Church of God Choir
-- 6:00:00pm: Presentation of Colors by: 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Color Guard Ft. Bragg
-- 6:00:20pm: Invocation by: Douglas Carver, Executive Director of Chaplaincy for the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board
-- 6:00:45pm: Amazing Grace by: Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band
-- 6:02:05pm: "21 Gun Salute": Fort Bragg Firing Party
-- 6:02:35pm: Taps by: Bugler from Fort Bragg
-- 6:03:40pm: National Anthem: 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus
-- 6:05:00pm: Fly-by: 4 F-18's from VFA 103, Naval Air Station Oceana, VA
-- 6:09:30: Command to start engines by: Dr. JD Crouch II, USO President and GM Dawn Seif, wife of Andrew Seif Silver Star winner and USO Marine of the year in 2013
-- 6:18:30pm: Start of the Coca-Cola 600
eastern time (NASCAR.com)
Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #20-Kenseth chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #22-Logano took pit stall 2, right behind Kenseth.
#19-Edwards, who starts 3rd took the 15th pit stall, the first pit stall with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #2-Keselowski, who starts 6th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.(5-22-2015)
Highlights of NASCAR's changes on pit road in 2015:
" Number of officials on pit road during race reduced from 43 to 10.
" 45 HD cameras will be mounted on the grandstand side of each track and directed toward pit road to monitor pit stops and officials call or clear penalties.
" Every camera looks at two pit stalls and the cameras record 100 percent of the race.
" Video feeds from cameras are fed to a production truck in the TV compound where eight NASCAR officials monitor stops for violations.
" Pit road speeding penalties will still be called from race control based on scoring loops.
" Pit stalls are laser measured
" Missing Lug Nuts are no longer a penalty.
" Fueling can start once car is stopped.
" Fueling can continue until car leaves pit stall.
Links to results, practices, qualifying PDF's: (will be added as available)
Official Race & Points Report
Race Results
Drivers Points
Owners Points
Lap Summary Report
Penalty Report
Happy Hour Practice Speeds
Practice 2 Speeds
Starting Lineup
Qualifying Results
Practice 1 Speeds
Qualifying Order
Latest / Final Entry List
Preliminary Entry List
Hamlin wins Sprint All-Star Race: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Sprint All-Star Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his first All-Star win, the first All-Star race win for Joe Gibbs Racing and first Toyota team to win the All-Star race. #11-Hamlin is the fourth driver to win from race from the pole and the fifth time it has happened. #11-Hamlin beat #2-Keselowski off pit road during the final pit stops between segment 4 & 5, but Keselowski sped off pit road and had to restart at the rear on the restart. Hamlin held off #40Harvick who put on a charge early in the final segment before fading and finishing 2nd.
#4-Harvick finished 2nd (for the 2nd year in a row) followed by #41-Busch, #24-Gordon, #20-Kenseth, #18-Busch, #5-Kahne, #22-Logano, #2-Keselowski and #88-Earnhardt Jr.
The three drivers who transferred into the race via the Sprint Showdown: #15-Bowyer (finished 12th), #16-Biffle (finished 13th) and #10-Patrick (finished 20th/last, had engine problems).
See the results for each segment Jayski.com's 2015 All-Star Race Page.(5-16-2015)
Bowyer wins Sprint Showdown: #15-Clint Bowyer won the Sprint Showdown Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway to transfer to the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night. It is Bowyers 2nd win in the Showdown and 2nd consecutive win. #27-Menard finished 2nd followed by #78-Truex Jr, #9-Hornish Jr. and #25-Chase Elliott. #16-Greg Biffle won segment 1 of the Sprint Showdown Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway to transfer to the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night. #15-Bowyer finished 2nd followed by #27-Menard, #3-Dillon and #55-Ragan.
#10-Danica Patrick won the Sprint Fan Vote to transfer into the Sprint All-Star Race.
See the results from both segments on Jayski.com's 2015 All-Star Race Page.(5-15-2015)
NASCAR Green-White-Checkered Race Procedure: NASCAR allows a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR's Green-White-Checkered flag finish. If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. Previously, there was only one restart attempt. The procedure applies to all three national series. See rule and notes on the Green-White-Checker rule page.
See Jayski's - 2015 Sprint Cup Race Results Page for pole winner, race winner with speed and starting/finishing position, links to race results, drivers & owners points, pit stall selections, qualifying results/starting lineup and practice speeds as well as link to race track and race information page for each race
QUALIFYING INFO, PRACTICE SPEED and ENTRIES
Happy Hour practice for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over, after 50 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes.
#41-Busch 188.653
#5-Kahne 187.052
#27-Menard 186.987
#16-Biffle 186.942
#20-Kenseth 186.780
slowest: #33-Kennedy 178.998 & #23-Yeley 180.475
most laps run: #1-McMurray with 54
Best 10 consecutive lap average: #5-Kahne 184.632
notes: Erik Jones ran a few laps in the #18 for Kyle Busch and will be on call as a relief driver if needed Sunday night.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap average on the Happy Hour Practice Speeds page (pdf).(5-23-2015)
Saturday first practice for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over, after 55 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes.
#41-Busch 192.644
#20-Kenseth 191.680
#48-Johnson 190.813
#55-Ragan 190.550
#2-Keselowski 190.496
slowest: #23-Yeley 182.667 and #33-Kennedy 182.964
most laps run: #88-Earnhardt Jr. with 49
notes: Erik Jones got fitted in the #18 Skittles Toyota, just in case Kyle Busch needs relief since it will be his first points race back in the car after his injury. #55-Ragan spun off turn 4 late in the practice and spun thru the frontstretch grass, but no damage to the car.
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Practice 2 Speeds page (pdf).(5-23-2015)
Kenseth wins Charlotte pole: #20-Matt Kenseth won the Coors Light pole for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway with speed of 194.252mph for his 2nd pole of 2015, 1st at Charlotte and 15th of his career.
#22-Logano is on the outside pole followed by #19-Edwards, #16-Biffle, #11-Hamlin, #2-Keselowski, #55-Ragan, #4-Harvick, #42-Larson, #78-Truex Jr., #3-Dillon and #14-Stewart.
All five Hendrick Motorsports [5,24,25,48,88] entries failed to advance to the final round of knockout qualifying.
Missing the race were: #26-Burton, #32-Bliss, #39-Kvapil, #30-Green and #62-Gaughan.
See the starting lineup, qualifying results round-by-round, qualifying order and more on Jayski.com's Charlotte Starting Lineup / Qualifying Page.(5-21-2015)
Qualifying Fast Facts - Charlotte:
#20-Matt Kenseth won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 56th Annual COCA-COLA 600 with a lap of 27.799 seconds, 194.252 mph.
This is his 15th pole in 556 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and eighth top-10 start in 2015. Kenseth's first pole of the season came at Bristol.
This is his first pole in 32 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His previous best start at Charlotte was second in October 2011.
#22-Joey Logano (second) posted his 10th top-10 start of 2015 and his third in 13 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
#19-Carl Edwards (third) posted his seventh top-10 start at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is his sixth in 12 races this season.
(NASCAR Statistics)(5-21-2015)
Rookie of the Year Candidates Qualifying Results:
#26-Jeb Burton, DNQ
#33-Alex Kennedy, starts 43rd
#34-Brett Moffitt, starts 40th
#83-Matt DiBenedetto, starts 42nd
Second Round of Qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over after 10 scheduled minutes.
#4-Harvick 193.819
#20-Kenseth 193.764
#14-Stewart 193.327
#19-Edwards 193.175
#55-Ragan 193.029
the rest of the top 12: 78 11 22 16 2 3 42;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 48 41 88 21 18 24 31 10 43 1 27 15
First Round of Qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#20-Kenseth 193.458
#4-Harvick 193.119
#55-Ragan 192.905
#24-Gordon 192.898
#2-Keselowski 192.857
the rest of the top 24: 14 18 19 1 41 16 42 11 78 21 88 31 3 10 48 27 22 43 15;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 95 9 6 25 17 47 7 40 5 13 51 46 35 98 26 38 32 39 34 23 83 30 33 62
Drivers who will miss the race: #26-Burton, #32-Bliss, #39-Kvapil, #30-Green and #62-Gaughan .
Coverage of Qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 7:15pm/et.
Television (TV): FS1, 7:00pm/et
Radio: Live online at Performance Racing Network (PRN)
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: Friday, May 22 at 4:30am/et on FS1 and 11:30am/et on FS1.
Qualifying Order for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is posted. 48 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers lined up on pit road is #41-Kurt Busch
The final driver lined up on pit road is #83-Matt DiBenedetto.
Pit road lineup order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on Jayski.com's Charlotte Qualifying Page.(5-21-2015)
Thursday practice for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over, after 85 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes.
#19-Edwards 192.273
#48-Johnson 191.673
#5-Kahne 191.639
#4-Harvick 191.442
#55-Ragan 191.435
slowest: #62-Gaughan 180.060 & #33-Kennedy 181.855
most laps run: #42-Larson with 19
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Practice 1 Speeds page (pdf).(5-21-2015)
Entry List for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is posted, 48 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #18-Kyle Busch, #21-Ryan Blaney, #25-Elliott, #30-Jeff Green, #32-Bliss, #33-Kennedy, #39-Kvapil (3rd time on an entry list, withdrew last 2 times), #95-McDowell.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #26-Burton (44th in owners pts), #62-Gaughan (45th), #25-Elliott (46th), #30-Green (49th), #39-Kvapil (none).
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #95-McDowell (7 attempts), #30-Green (5), #21-Blaney (4), #25-Elliott (2), #39-Kvapil (0).
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Charlotte Entry List
For the group qualifying rules and format, see my Qualifying Rules page
How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph
2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Kansas, race 11 of 36]
(by wins, then by points standings)
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [3 wins], 389, -48 (3rd in driver points)
2) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 437 (1st in driver points)
3) #22-Joey Logano [1 win], 375, -62 (4th)
4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [1 win], 360, -77 (5th)
5) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 343, -94 (6th)
6) #20-Matt Kenseth [1 win], 331, -106 (7th)
7) #41-Kurt Busch [1 win], 292, -145 (14th)
8) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 284, -153 (15th)
9) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 391, -46 (2nd in drivers pts)
10) #1-Jamie McMurray, 328, -109 (8th)
11) #24-Jeff Gordon, 317, -120 (9th)
12) #5-Kasey Kahne, 313, -124 (10th)
13) #43-Aric Almirola, 312, -125 (11th)
14) #27-Paul Menard, 306, -131 (12th)
15) #31-Ryan Newman, 305, -132 (13th)
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, 272, -165 (16th)
(ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(5-10-2015)
Kannapolis Independent Tribune
Raleigh-Durham News and Observer
Weather Channel - Mooresville, NC
Weather Channel - Charlotte, NC
North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, Mooresville, NC
Memory Lane Museum, Mooresville, NC
Tom Johnson Camping Center, Concord NC
Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run in the Coca-Cola 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
If a driver/team is not listed, the team does NOT report chassis information on pre-race press release, websites or social media:
#3-Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 503 in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This is a new chassis for the RCR stable being utilized under race conditions for the first time this weekend.
#4-Kevin Harvick: will pilot the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS built on Chassis No. 4-843 in the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Charlotte. Built in 2014, Chassis No. 4-843 won two races, two pole positions and led 748 laps in its first season. It led 23 laps and finished 41st in its debut at Las Vegas. Harvick won the pole and led 238 laps en route to winning the Southern 500 at Darlington. At Dover, Harvick won the pole, led 223 laps and finished 13th. The final race of 2014 for Chassis No. 4-843 was perhaps the most impressive as it started third and led 264 laps in a must-win performance that kept Harvick's slim Sprint Cup championship hopes alive at Phoenix in November. In its only start of 2015, Harvick started and finished second and led 116 of 325 laps at Atlanta.
#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Keith Rodden has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-911 for Sunday's race at Charlotte. In October 2014, Kahne drove the car to a 10th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In March 2015, he drove the car at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he finished 14th. Most recently, Kahne raced the chassis at Texas Motor Speedway in April, where he finished eighth.
#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-938 is a brand new racecar that has never turned a wheel on the racetrack. It has, however, visited the wind tunnel numerous times.
#24-Jeff Gordon: crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 24-861 for this Sunday's race. The chassis has been raced six times previously. Earlier this year, Gordon finished seventh at Texas while he had finishes of 17th at Atlanta, sixth at Michigan, seventh at Charlotte and Darlington and 13th at Fontana in 2014.
#27-Paul Menard will utilize chassis No. 501 this weekend in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This is a brand new Richard Childress Racing-prepared Serta/Menards Chevrolet SS and will make its first laps on Thursday during practice.
#31-Ryan Newman will drive chassis No. 511 in the Coca-Cola 600. This is the first time this season Newman will race this #31 Quicken Loans Chevy.
#32-Mike Bliss Crew Chief Clinton Cram will be bringing chassis GGR 815 to serve as the primary car. This chassis last raced at Kansas on May 9th with Joey Gase. Chassis GGR 289 will serve as the backup car.
#41-Kurt Busch will pilot Chassis No. 933 in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Built new for 2015, Chassis 933 will see its first laps of competition this weekend.
#48-Jimmie Johnson: For this weekend's event, crew chief Chad Knaus has selected chassis No. 48-936, which is a brand new Chevrolet SS. The backup car is 48-824, which last raced at Pocono Raceway in June 2014.
#55-David Ragan: will drive primary chassis 794 has not raced in 2015. Jeff Burton finished 20th at NHMS in July 2014. Backup: 814 - finished eighth at Atlanta with Moffitt. In 2014 it finished 16th at Indianapolis with Clint Bowyer. Vickers finished 13th at Richmond in September & 37th at Charlotte in October.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: This weekend at Charlotte, crew chief Greg Ives and the #88 crew will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-810. Earnhardt most recently raced the chassis to fourth-place finish at Las Vegas in March. It is the same chassis Earnhardt drove to Victory Lane at Pocono in June and August of last season.
(from numerous team PR's/sites)
Tire: Goodyear "Support Our Troops" Speedway Radials
Set limits:
Sprint Cup: 5 sets for practice/qualifying, and 13 sets for the race;
Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4428; Right-side -- D-4640
Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.32 in. (2,218 mm); Right-side -- 88.39 in. (2,245 mm)
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi;
Right Front -- 54 psi; Right Rear -- 50 psi
Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same Goodyear tire codes at Charlotte this week . . . all tires will be branded with "Support Our Troops" as part of the Goodyear Gives Back program . . . while these teams have run this left-side tire code (D-4426) at Charlotte since 2012, last weekend at Charlotte was the first time NASCAR teams raced on this right-side code (D-4640) . . . this right-side is a Goodyear multi-zone tread tire, which incorporates two distinct compounds on the same tire -- one for endurance and heat resistance on the inboard two inches of the tread and one for traction on the outboard 10 inches . . . this inboard (Endurance Zone) features the same compound that was run on the same zone at Texas, while this outboard (Traction Zone) features the compound run at Charlotte last year . . . this tire set-up was first tested at Charlotte in December, and was confirmed in a March 10 tire test at the track with drivers Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr. and J.J. Yeley . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Charlotte . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.
Goodyear Blimp: Goodyear's "Spirit of Innovation" will be in the air over Charlotte Motor Speedway this Saturday and Sunday . . . this airship is based out of Pompano Beach, Fla., and will provide images for Fox Sports' broadcasts of the NASCAR Xfinity and Sprint Cup races.
Vegas Insider
Race and Championship odds
Charlotte Race Preview by Micah Roberts
NASCAR Top-Five Finish Prediction
Bovada Sportsbook:
Odds to win the 2015 Sprint Cup Championship
Race Odds
Don Best:
Sprint Cup Championship / Race
(this is not to promote gambling but to offer readers odds and ideas on what the 'experts' think about the upcoming race and the Sprint Cup series season)


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7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history").
b. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims").

subset: commoncrawl


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Loft Homes for Mexico
This PLC ministry schedules time each year for building small homes for needy families and delivering to them where they live south of the border. Read more
PLC reaches out to families in need at Christmas by providing Christmas gifts and food.
Socks for Tijuana
Through the Lutheran Border Concerns organization, PLC collects Christmas gifts and socks for children ages 1-14 living in poverty in Tijuana.
Prison Ministry
Over 4,000 men are incarcerated at the Donovan State Prison at Otay Mesa. A handful of volunteer chaplains lead Bible studies, worship sessions and counseling sessions. Through Pastors to Prisoners we provide support to these chaplains.


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When your problem is simple, then your checklist had better be simple. But it gets easy to throw in meetings, calls, brainstorming sessions, desk cleanings, procrastination sessions. These seem like they're necessary for big projects to get done. But, they're not.
It is hard to keep your checklist to 5 daily tasks...make that 3 daily tasks. Do them, and do them well. Create busy work for yourself and you're succumbing to the lizard brain that Seth Godin talks about. It is hard to keep things simple and keep your daily tasks direct and measurable. It is hard because we naturally want to solve more problems rather than go deeper on one we just solved.
If you're going to take a simple solution to a simple problem, do the hard work. Say no 99% of the time to anything that doesn't allow you to execute your simple solution. Say no 99% of the time to people that want to distract you from the simple solution.


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By submitting this information, you provide express written consent to Montoya Real Estate Group and our affiliates (the "Company") sending you future information, contacting you for telemarketing purposes using the information (including any phone numbers) you have or will provide us, and monitoring and recording these communications to assure the quality of service or for other reasons. This means the Company may contact you via residential number, mobile number and/or text messaging (including use of automated dialing equipment and pre-recorded calls). You are not required to give your consent as a condition of making a purchase with the Company. Additional information can be found in our Privacy Policy.
I remember when I got my real estate license in 2004! 14 years ago I had just moved to El Paso and had sold my mom and pop video store that I had been running for 12 years. I tried opening up a natural herbs and vitamins store and just could not make it. I decided as I had just recently purchased my home that I could be a good venture if I only knew what is it that was needed to get into. So, I was wondering how to get in Real Estate. My personal affairs had turned to a wrong turn and then suddenly I was about to sell my recently purchased. home. Then I decided to make the move forward and I asked the Realtor helping how to get into real estate.
he then pointed to me the direction of real estate school. I was about to turn 180 degrees to a new venture. I was excited, nervous and afraid. I did not have much money to keep going. After a few years, in real estate, as the market turned down I reflected in all I have gone thru. My prior office had training but I thought it was not personal. It was like only sales and my personal matters did not matter. So, after many years doing real estate sales as a realtor; I decided to get my Broker's license and help all that wanted to go into real estate.
See, I think that going into real estate is moving towards a change in profession, like getting a degree in marketing, sales, insurance and so on.
Real Estate business has been very rewarding to me and I think I can help you decide if this move would be adequate for you. So here are some steps for you analyze if you want to get into selling homes.
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How to Become a Real Estate Agent in 5 Steps | realtor.com®
How to become a real estate agent is something more than 14,000 people Google every month. Here's what you'll need to invest in terms of time and money.
Type anything you want here and we will see what we can find in the property descriptions. Maybe a name of a golf course you want to live by or a term like fixer upper.


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I'd first heard about Hanbao, Worcester's new and trendy burger restaurant from local brand agency 'Design Religion' who posted a teaser photo on Instagram. I was sooooo excited as burger's are my thing and to find a good one you really do have to travel (in my opinion). I kept checking for information online but they hadn't opened yet…such a tease! Like all good things though they do eventually come to those who wait.
Finally and after enviously viewing the launch party photos on social media, I had to go there as a matter of urgency. It was a Wednesday evening in the last week of November 2016, my frequently mentioned boyfriend and I went to check it out. Hanbao is a cocktail bar and burger restaurant with an urban vibe both with the music and interior, seemingly aimed for a younger clientele rather than families. I don't mention this to criticise in any way, my point being purely to paint the picture.
We were greeted by attentive staff who were clearly very enthusiastic and excited about the menu as were we. I could have literally picked any one of those burgers, they all sounded incredible but we both decided to go with the double philly cheese which was absolutely immense. We also got a side order of the mac balls and a 'big Buddha belly' (waffle fries covered with pulled pork) and washed it all down with a bottle of red wine and a bottle of tap water – we basically annihilated the whole thing.
The burgers were tasty, stacked, cooked well and the different themes for each one on the menu were refreshingly unique. I couldn't wait to come back and try another one, so we did a few weeks ago in January. This time it was just a quick lunch so just had a burger each without the sides. My boyfriend went for the ODB and my eye was on odd future. Again, both were fantastic and just as good as we'd hoped following our previous visit. The only downside was that the restaurant was very cold, but that may have been because it's still very new…issues with the heating?
Verdict: burgertastic!!
Cost: approx. £50 for dinner (can't quite remember and unable to check prices as not available online)
1 bottle red wine, 2 burgers and 2 side orders
Worcester, United Kingdom – visited November 2016 and January 2017
Food hygiene rating – good 4/5 – date of last inspection 10th March 2017


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Maruti S-Cross Facelift Revealed in Europe
Maruti Suzuki S-Cross facelift model has been tested in Europe for some time. And few days ago in Hungary, which was showcased and has now been revealed in a TV commercial released by Suzuki. The facelifted model will be launched in Europe before end of this year and its is expected to be launched early next year in India.
Speaking of the upgrade, the S-Cross gets some cosmetic changes in exterior particularly front grill has been redone to make it look more muscular than the current car. The interior also get some upgrades. In Europe this model will be available with 1.4-litre BoosterJet petrol engine and 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel engine.
But in India this model will be available only with 1.3 and 1.6 liter Multijet diesel engines. And also this model expected with four wheel drive in Europe.
To get the latest automobile releated news, follow Mowval on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.


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Topic: SMOK T-Priv 3 300W Kit & SMOK Majesty Resin Kit| Triple battery or dua
SMOK T-Priv 3 300W Kit & SMOK Majesty Resin Kit| Triple battery or dual battery?
Hey folks,
Among these hot selling products from SMOK,
what's your choice?
Dual battery or Triple battery?
Now let' s dive down and see the detail features.
SMOK T-Priv 3 Kit with TFV12 Prince
Follows up SMOK T PRIV, here comes SMOK T PRIV 3 300W TC Kit is latest device which, packing in a unique mod design and the TFV12 Prince Sub-Ohm Tank. The T PRIV 3 comes with triple high amperage 18650 batteries (sold separately) for a longer lasting life and supports device for up to 300W maximum power. A top mounted OLED screen includes essential information to the user and LED lights on device brings out a different user customization. A comprehensive temperature control suite that packs in adjustable TCR as well as preheat capability, makes the T PRIV 3 a capable and versatile platform.
SMOK T-Priv3 TC Box Mod Features:
Mod Size: 86x57.23x47mm
Weight: 258g
Power Range: 6W-300W
Resistance Range: 0.1Ω-2.5Ω(VW)/0.05Ω-2Ω(TC)
Temperature Range: 200°F-600°F/100°C-315°C
Standby Current: <500uA
Output Voltage: 0.5V-9.5V
TFV12 Prince Tank
Tank Material: Stainless Steel
Tank Size: 28x63mm
Tank Weight: 60g
Capacity: 8ml
Thresd: 510
Included with each kit is the new SMOK TFV12 Prince Tank, which combines the best elements of two of the most popular and critically acclaimed tanks these days, packing in the manageable size and affordable performance coil family with the capacity and range of the full sized TFV12. The follow up of the T PRIV Line makes the T PRIV 3 with the TFV12 Prince one of SMOK's optimal and powerful line-up.
SMOK TFV12 Prince Tank Features:
25mm Diameter Base
28mm at Widest Point
5ml Max Standard Capacity
8ml Max Convex Glass Extension Capacity
SMOK V12 Prince Coil Family
V12 Prince-T10 Decuple Coil Head
Patented Decuple Coil
Patented Quadruple Coil
V12 Prince-Q4 Quadruple Coil Head
Patented Quadruple Coil
Package Includes:
1 x T-Priv 3 Mod
1 x TFV12 Prince Tank
1 x V12 Prince-Q4(0.4Ω Quad Coils, pre-installed)
1 x V12 Prince-T10(0.12Ω Decuple Coils)
1 x Replacement Glass Tube(5ml)
1 x USB Cable
1 x User Manual
1 x Set of Spare Parts
SMOK Majesty Resin Kit with TFV8 X-Baby Standard Edition
Take a look at short video about SMOK Majesty Resin, see the real thing and how it works.
The Smok Majesty Resin Kit, taking advantage of colorful resin, it makes the device lightweight and really makes the whole device stands out. You get a maximum wattage output of 225, temperature control support, and various other modes/tools for further personal customization . Placing on top of the Majesty is the Smok Baby Beast X Tank.
Featuring some slight modifications to the function, airflow and coil design, it performs better than the original one. You get increased dense vapor production with the top airflow design and it also helps prevent leaking issues at a large extent. You also get a 4mL liquid capacity which is nice especially when vaping at high wattage since liquid is consumed rapidly. Combined, the Smok Majesty and Baby Beast make a great combo in terms of power and style!
Capacity: 4ml
Atomizer Size: 24.5 * 59mm
Battery Capacity: 2 * 18650 (not included)
Battery Size: 85.1 * 46.1 * 30.6mm
Max Wattage: 225W
Connection Threading: 510
Packing list:
1 x Majesty Mod
1 x TFV8 X-Baby Tank
1 x V8 X-Baby Q2 0.4ohm Dual Coils (pre-installed)
1 x V8 X-Baby T6 0.2ohm Sextuple Coils
1 x Replacement Glass Tube
1 x USB Cable
1 x User Manual
1 x Set of Spare Parts
You may also interested in other hot selling products from Smok: SMOK WHOLESALE


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Testers – The Scientists Who Produce Knowledge about the Quality of SUT
1. Introduction
I met Michael Bolton in US at a software testing conference in 2011, who shared with me a series of CBC radio broadcasts about "How to think about science". I was especially fascinated by one of them – the interview with Simon Schaffer, a professor of history of science at the University of Cambridge, and the co-author of the book <Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life>.
The book changed the way of people thinking about the history of science. In the interview, Simon Schaffer explained how science is made, or how knowledge is produced. There are three important questions when talking about the history of science: what scientists say about the world (i.e. what knowledge do they produce)? How they find out the knowledge? How they make people come to agree to the knowledge?
Those three questions invoked me rethinking about my understanding of science. And most importantly, I began to ask similar new questions about software testing:
n What does testing really look like? Is testing a way of producing knowledge? Or is testing only a way of discovering knowledge – the knowledge about the quality of the system under test (SUT)?
n What does a tester really look like? Can testing be done almost by any IT people or even by high school students? Or can software testing only be done by ingenious and smart people?
n What kind of knowledge or information does a tester produce?
n How does a tester find out that information?
n How does a tester make people agree to the information he/she provides? How does a tester explain his/her testing to others?
In this paper, I'd like to share with you some of my understandings of these questions.
2. What does testing really look like?
Knowledge is institution
At the beginning of the interview, "…the history of science is usually meant the biography of scientists or studies of the socio-contexts in which scientific discoveries were made. Scientific ideas were discussed, but the procedures and axioms of science itself were not in question." But since 1970's, a new generation of scholars began to ask new questions about science and they wanted to know how knowledge is produced.
Different from other scholars who studied the history of science mainly by relying on what scientists said, Simon Schaffer and his colleagues used field methods, working along side scientists in labs, in field stations, to try to look at what they did through observing the process of producing knowledge.
The observations prompted Simon Schaffer and his colleagues to get some significant conclusions: scientists look more like skilled carpenters than like oracles; their knowledge was not the very voice of nature, but a human product, something that has to be made and then maintained; knowledge is institution and it has to be analyzed as such.
These conclusions, at least, turn my view of science upside down. In my previous knowledge, natural sciences, are about discovering the natural world. I mean, the knowledge is right over there for thousands of years, waiting for scientists to be discovered. With more discoveries, people know more about the world. As said in the interview: "Formally, science has been seen as social only when it was wrong. Social interests distorted and corrupted knowledge. True knowledge was immaculate, untouched by human hands." But Simon Schaffer said "No." Our knowledge about the world was not the very voice of nature, but was made and maintained by scientists.
Then, what about software testing?
What kind of knowledge does a tester produce? I think most of you will agree with this: what a tester produces is the knowledge about the quality of SUT. Some people say that testing is just like a ruler, measuring SUT and finding out what's wrong and what's right with the product. Dose it mean the knowledge that testers produce is the VERY VOICE of a product? After some experiments (test execution), testers DISCOVERED this knowledge and transferred to other people?
Testers produce knowledge, rather than discover knowledge
As Lee Copeland said in his book, A Practitioner's Guide to Software Test Design, "testing is the process of comparing "what is" with "what ought to be". The first part "what is", represents the real product. Who knows absolutely the real product? Testers? Developers? Or Customers? Probably none. The second part "what ought to be", represents the supposed product. Who knows absolutely the supposed product? Testers? Developers? Or Customers? Probably no one knows it, too. In fact, the information about the quality of a product is not a never-changing un-social thing, which exists right over there waiting to be discovered. Instead, the knowledge about the quality of SUT is a human product. Testers, and other roles in a project, produce and maintain this knowledge. If a tester says this part of SUT functions well and contains no bugs, in the other day, the appearance of a new bug will destroy his/her belief; if a tester says this is a bug, in the other day and in another context, the bug may turn into a feature. So, testers produce the knowledge about the quality of SUT, and they maintain this knowledge.
To say testers produce knowledge rather than discover knowledge is to admit that we testers can never know the complete true state of the quality of SUT. True knowledge is known by none. SUT, just like the nature, is there right before everybody's eyes. Yet we only know something about it, and there are more that we don' t know. Testers (and other roles in a project) construct the knowledge about the quality of SUT based on observations. What we know now may change in the future. The fact that testers produce knowledge about SUT is just like the fact that scientists produce knowledge about the world.
Some people believe that developers are more creative than testers because developers produce products while testers can only work based on that product. Yes, testers don't construct the product like what developers do, but testers do have their own product – the knowledge about the quality of SUT. I believe that testers, just like scientists, are very creative people and produce knowledge, too.
3. What does a tester really look like?
What do you think of scientists? In the interview, Simon Schaffer said, "I think there were two standard images of what the scientists are: one image is that scientists are absolutely special people, that they are much more moral, much more virtuous, and much more clever, and they do things nothing like what anybody else does; and on the other hand, there is an equally powerful public image of science, which is that science organizes common senses, that they are just cookery raised to a fairly sophiscated as are. Those are two dominant images of public science of our culture, and neither of them is right."
Science, according to many philosophers, was centrally reasoning and action. After a lot of observations and studies, Simon Schaffer and his colleagues came to a very different conclusion. To them, scientists are like skilled carpenters or engineers. "They didn't have very much bigger brains, their skulls look like very similar to other people, they didn't seem doing things that are terribly special in terms of methods, they didn't seem to be much more skeptical than the rest of us, they didn't seem to constantly make bold conjectures then they desperately try to falsify them. They seem to be ingenious manipulators, managers, art designers."
Compared with software testing, I'd like to discuss two things here. One is about reasoning and action; the other is about skilled carpenters.
Reasoning and action
Software testing is a practice-based science. Undoubtedly,there is much reasoning and actions in software testing. In fact, testing is about continuous reasoning and action. For example, test design contains a lot of reasoning work and test execution contains a lot of actions work.
But interestingly, in many organizations, two different types of roles are defined: test designers and test executors. Are scientists marked "reasoning scientists" or "action scientists" separately? Is the classification of test designers and test executors helpful to more effective and efficient testing? Or is there any other field in which work is more effective due to the coordination of reasoning roles and action roles?
Cem Kaner pointed out in one of his tutorials A Tutorial in Exploratory Testing, "Testing is like CSI (Crime Scene Investigation)". Let's take a look at policemen who are investigating a crime. Often there are two teams: one controller team and one practitioner team. The controllers seldom go to fields to do on site work. Most of time, they sit in their office. What they do most is to make investigation plans, study maps, analyze clues, send out commands, and control other policemen to catch the criminals. On the other hand, the practitioners have to go to accident fields, executing commands, inquiring people, trying to find more clues, and reporting their findings to controllers. Is this proving that we should also set test designers and test executors in software testing? I don't think so.
There are two important points here for successful crime scene investigations. One is that practitioners must have enough exploration skills and they also have enough freedom to explore when they are working at crime scenes. The other is that controllers must get timely feedback from practitioners and adjust investigation plans accordingly. In fact, controllers and practitioners work in parallel, each exploring much in their work and flexible enough to adapt changes. They are actually doing collective exploration.
In software testing, if real-time communication between test designers and test executors happens, and test plans can be timely adjusted based on current risks, an ideal description for this would be paired exploratory testing. To put it extremely, if test design and test execution are done by the same person, and this person changes his thought between test design and test execution frequently (continuous reasoning and action), and this person adjust his test plan based on what he got past, he is actually doing exploratory testing!
So, to make testing more effective, it is not to define separate test roles, but to try to tightly coordinate test design work and test execution work and make them as mutually supportive work as possible.
Are testers more like skilled carpenters?
A more accurate question would be: are excellent testers more like skilled carpenters? Perhaps anyone can test something, but only a few can be excellent testers.
To become an excellent tester, you need to practice a lot rather than by only reading a lot of testing books. To find out valuable information, you need to make your own decisions as to when and what and how to test next, based on your past tests, rather than totally relying on what anybody else tells you to do. To utilize your limited resources and time efficiently, you need to adjust your testing according to context changes.
In a word, in order to do effective and continuous reasoning and actions, i.e. effective testing, testers need to behave more like skilled carpenters than like priests. The product of skilled carpenters may not be the best, but it must be good enough.
4. How does a tester find out the information about the quality of SUT?
Knowledge is institution
Knowledge is institution. As Simon Schaffer said, "What we learned that there are social institutions and work to produce what we know, and indeed to produce what anybody claims to know in any particular period." Similarly, there are testing organizations and work to produce what we know about the quality of SUT.
How to evaluate testing? Managers like to evaluate testing by reading test reports, relying mostly on what testers say. People seldom engage closely with the really active work that testers do. But back into those early days in a project, no one knows for sure what the product and its quality will be like. Then, how does a tester find out how things are? How does a tester make people come to agree with his/her information?
How to do a better testing? Most people rely on what books say and what standards or test procedures say. But there are also some pre-conditions described in books and standards. In real projects, those pre-conditions may not be satisfied. We probably can't get high quality requirements; it's hard to design all right test cases for once up front in time; it seems infeasible if we make a test plan in advance and then just act accordingly; we are always lack of resources and time…
It's high time to look into every detail of real testing wok. We need to pair with testers, knowing testing contexts, observing their operations, understanding their thinking, and identifying possible improvements for better testing. In order to evaluate testing, we don't want to rely entirely on what testers say, but try to look at what they do. We're trying to find bugs using field methods, except this time instead of testing a system, we're testing the people who are doing testing.
Knowing a testing mind
During past two years, I did some field studies about this topic and I called it "Knowing A Tester's Mind". Many books say testing is the process of planning, designing, executing and reporting. But when I paired with testers and observed their testing, I found many other interesting things, which were seldom recorded in testing books.
If you give a product for a tester to test, you will find what this tester does first is to learn the product. And this learning process will last from the beginning of testing to the end. I found testing is actually an active leaning process: learning the system under test, learning the areas that can work well and the areas that have problems, learning the risky areas, learning functionalities or scenarios that are new or unknown to them before. In fact, testing is about active learning to know something. Through active learning, testers collect a lot of information then they can produce the knowledge about SUT. I believe the same is true for scientific work.
By observing those excellent testers, I found that they didn't just follow testing procedures or guidelines, but take all that they know as heuristics, for a reference in testing; they are more like well-trained detectives with great skills, finding clues and hiding bugs; they have agile minds, continuously collecting a variety of information and distinguishing them quickly; they sometimes use quick learning skills, sometimes use reverse thinking, sometimes use divergent thinking, and sometimes use focused thinking…
But the approaches or methods used by testers are not very much different from those used by other workers in other fields. In general, systemic thinking, constant learning, analysis capability, practices over and over again, and feedback-based strategy adjustment, etc. are all needed in every field.
Some people think that testers have a very special skill – the spirit of doubting anything. But when observing testers in close details, you will find that they are not always doing bold assumptions and then go to verify these assumptions. They do not always question everything. They are more like skilled carpenters or engineers, and they use a lot of heuristics. The decisions they made during testing and the things they will verify next depend on the testing they just did and the information they just collected. These testing decisions are based on analysis, not just based on bold conjectures.
You may say that the testers I observe are exploratory testers and they're doing exploratory testing. But I would say if you observe a tester doing manual testing, he or she will explore more or less. Or every manual tester is an exploratory tester and will use some kind of exploratory skills. The testing minds, rather than testing procedures or tools, are at the center of testing, and help testers find valuable information about SUT.
5. How does a tester make people agree to the information he/she provides?
Experimenting philosophy
Scientists in 1660's were facing the similar problem, i.e. how to make people agree to their claims. As Simon Schaffer introduced, roughly before the 1600′s, natural philosophy, the knowledge of nature, was understood of being knowing how nature normally behaves, how it commonly is. But Robert Boyle, who established experimental philosophy and the mechanical philosopher in Britain, said no to this. He thought that the way to find out how things are was to produce singular, odd, strange, mechanically produced instances, stop observing nature as normally was, start producing effects, which you could isolate and analyze. That's a huge shift in how to find out about the nature in that period, though it may seem obvious for us now. The experimental philosophy involves using elegant complicated machinery to find out how nature worked by performing experiments. First, design a commission. Second, invite a group of people witnessing the experiment. Third, write down what was happening and print out the paper for people to sign on it.
So how does a tester make people agree to the information he/she provides? Doing experiments and producing effects. If what you tell people about your claims of the quality information for SUT is just based on your guesses or your past experiences, it was hard for people to agree with you. Your claims need to be based on sound testing experiments. Fortunately, a big part of testing work is to test, to do experiments, and to produce effects.
Testing for falsification
As testing proceeds, product quality information like a picture gradually clears up. As testers, we never know for sure what the absolute quality information is, but do we know how close they are? Are our stakeholders satisfied with the information we provide?
Imagine that the test object is composed of thousands of pieces big or small, each piece with its own functions. But for each of these pieces, we can't prove it functioning well absolutely in every situation only by means of testing. As we know, there are always two different ways of testing: testing for confirmation and testing for falsification. From the view of testing for confirmation, even a large amount of testing is just to prove that a piece of software can work in limited scenarios. Our approach is, from the perspective of testing for falsification, to expose the scenes where the test object can not work properly; and from the perspective of reverse and negative testing, to observe the system performance under extreme or abnormal usage scenarios so as to have a deeper and better understanding of SUT and its quality status.
If during testing, we are stumbled upon something surprising, that means some information falls out of our original knowledge. It can be said that all test cases written in advance are designed according to the tester's knowledge (known information) about the product. Frequently, there are much information that are unknown to testers and those unknown information matters much, much more than those known information (This viewpoint is put forward wonderfully by Nssim Nicholas Taleb in his book The Black Swan.). By analyzing those defects leaked to users, we can know about those unknowns so that we can do better testing in the future. Testing is just about finding unknowns.
More emphasis on test execution
In some companies, there is a tendency of emphasizing more on test design than on test execution: experienced testers design tests and novice testers execute tests; a lot of time is allocated for test analysis and test design and the time for test execution is always so tight; test designers get paid more than test executors.
In my opinion it's high time to know the value of test execution for at least the following reasons:
- Test execution means doing actual experiments with the real product, which, as said above, is helpful for making people agree to the information that testers provide.
- Test execution is one of the most effective and efficient ways of finding defects. Defects are negative information about the SUT and help testers understand the product and its quality status better. The more time for test design and test preparation, the less time for test execution, and the less opportunity in finding valuable defects.
- Often, designing many tests long time before means a kind of waste. Some tests may be inaccurate, and some tests are never executed. Moreover, you cannot put every detail in your test scripts and testers have to learn to explore in test execution to find valuable defects. Only when we see or touch the real test object, can we know more about some detailed information about SUT, about the risks related, and about how we're going to test it.
6. How does a tester explain his/her testing to others?
Virtual witnessing
Since Robert Boyle couldn't bring everyone into his laboratory observing his experiment, he had to find a way explaining his claim to other people. Simon Schaffer and his colleagues were very stuck by the way in which Robert Boyle particular wrote, so when you read his stories, as if you were watching what he was saying. This was called virtual witnessing by Simon Schaffer. This new kind of writing brought you to present, which allows you to imagine you were witnessing too.
Software testing is a kind of experimental philosophy, too. You cannot learn software testing well only by learning theories. You have to continuously practice and practice. Software testing uses virtual witnessing, too. You can't bring everyone observing your testing. You have to explain your testing to others in some ways, either by talking to other people directly, or by writing down something so that people can read, or replay your testing process, etc. You cannot just show your 500 test cases to others. People cannot understand your testing very well either because these test cases are too distributed, or because your test cases are not clear enough, or because people just don't have time to read through your test cases. Then what are the possible ways of explaining testing?
Possible ways of explaining testing
James Bach talked about three important parts of a test report in his Rapid Software Testing class. Let's discuss how we testers explain our testing based on these three parts.
Part I: What do you find during your testing?
- Defect report
As said above, we can never know for sure the true quality of SUT. But we can be close to the truth by negative examples rather than by positive evidences. Defects are important clues helping us be close to the truth. Can we regard defect reports as a kind of important virtual witnessing document and write them in such a way that brings our readers to present, as if they are witnessing our testing?
Here, I'd like to point out one important section in a defect report – defect-reproducing conditions.
Although Robert Boyle's experimental philosophy was very popular at that time, another thinker Thomas Hobbes had a very deep objection to his claims. "Hobbes couldn't foresee a world in which people could come to an easy agreement because they just show something. That was one major argument. Second argument that Hobbes had was that just because it happened in one place, how do we know it happened elsewhere? How do we know that? Show me, show me it happening everywhere, and show me it happening always. You can't do that. You can't build knowledge of a universe from what you see on one occasion", Simon Schaffer said in the radio program.
When you find a defect in your testing, people can ask you similar questions: will the defect happen in users environment? Can it be reproduced? In what circumstances can the defect be triggered? The answers lie in this part of your defect report – defect-reproducing conditions. So take it seriously.
- Risk lists
Let's say you designed 1000 test cases for one feature. You executed all of them and all passed. What does this say? Can it prove that the feature works correctly? It proves nothing but these 1000 test cases passed. If you found 2 serious defects, what does this say? You can say for sure that the feature cannot always work well. So not all facts are equally important. Negative facts like defects and risk lists have more significance than positive evidences.
A risk list can include many things: risky areas, tests not executed, defects not fixed, ambiguous areas, etc.
Part II: What did you do to find these things?
- Test strategy
Your test strategy can clearly describe your way of testing, including the negative ways and positive ways of approaching SUT.
- Debriefing
You can tell your testing story to others face to face.
Part III: How well is your testing?
- Debriefing
If possible, you'd better talk to stakeholders right after your testing. Debriefing is especially important in session based exploratory testing.
- Recordings of your testing
Sometimes, record your testing process and replay the videos to stakeholders can be another effective way of explaining your testing.
- Test depth graph
Using a test depth graph, telling people your test depth and test width, which is useful to help people recognize how deeply and how widely your testing is.
Simon Schaffer thinks the western natural sciences work very well partly because they organize trust extremely efficiently, not because they organize skepticism and doubt extremely efficiently. Most people within a project know the software quality not through their own experiences, but through what they are told; users may experience quality. Learning to explain testing is a powerful tool in organizing trust about software testing and software quality within a project.
7. Conclusion
I had a dream when I was young – I want to be a scientist. Now I've been a software tester for more than ten years. I had thought I would never be a scientist for my life. After I wrote this article, I have a different opinion now. There are so many similarities between a tester and a scientist that I thought I AM a scientist now – only with the difference that testers are the scientists who produce knowledge about the quality of SUT, not about the world!
Similarities between software testing and scientific work
Steven Shapin, Simon Schaffer, Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life, 2011
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, 2008


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Interstate 15, the main artery between Victorville and San Bernardino, remains closed Wednesday morning as firefighters battled the out-of-control Blue Cut fire in the Cajon Pass overnight.
The massive wind-driven wildfire devoured 30,000 acres and multiple homes and buildings by Wednesday morning, forcing more than 80,000 people to evacuate their homes. No portion of the perimeter has containment lines.
• Photos: The Blue Cut fire burns 30,000 acres and is still out of control
The mandatory evacuation area includes Phelan/Piñon Hills south of Phelan Road from Sheep Creek Road to Green Road, including the Desert Front Road area, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said Wednesday morning.
• Live updates: Follow live updates from the Blue Cut fire
The 15 Freeway was shut down shortly after the fire was first spotted around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, west of the southbound lanes near Kenwood Avenue. The 15 Freeway, along with Highway 138 from Highway 2 to Highway 18 as well as Big Pines Highway at Jackson Lake, remained shut down Wednesday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
• Map: Where the Blue Cut fire in the Cajon Pass is burning near the 15 Freeway
It's unclear how many structures have been lost to the fire, said Justin Correll with the U.S. Forest Service.
"We have damage assessment teams out there now," he said. "They're out with cadaver dogs to make sure everyone was able to evacuate in time."
No deaths are reported. The use of cadaver dogs is only a precaution, authorities say.
• Related story: Blue Cut fire burns 18,000 acres in Cajon Pass on Day 1, more than 80,000 evacuated
The devastating fire, which destroyed several structures and homes — including the historic Summit Inn at the top of the Cajon Pass — quickly exploded, consuming 30,000 acres, or nearly 47 square miles, in less than 24 hours.
A steady stream of customers stopped at Wrightwood Market for gas and supplies, and several residents and West Cajon Valley evacuees gathered Wednesday morning to discuss the fire.
Most are getting gas and a lot of coffee, said Patrick Boyle, the owner.
"It's bewildering," said Char Miller, a professor at Pomona College who researches wildfires. "The fire is moving very, very quickly, and I think that's one of the examples of the nature of fire this summer. This is in big measure because we're in a deep drought. The drought, the weather and the temperature have come together in a way that's, frankly, pretty scary."
• Photos: Firefighters attack the Blue Cut fire on Day 1 in the Cajon Pass
Red flag conditions remain in effect for San Bernardino County until 9 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Winds are forecasted to reach 35 miles per hour, according to Correll, with the Forest Service.
Air quality was unhealthy or unhealthy for sensitive groups in much of the area because of the smoke, according to the Mojave and South Coast air quality management districts. The smoke advisories suggest limiting time spent outdoors and avoiding outdoor exercise when smoke is in the air and using the air conditioner.


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We'd be overwhelmed with the "Wow!" factor if we knew about all of the technology innovation taking place in Idaho. Hearing stories of entrepreneurs and established companies embracing tech and using it to grow a business is inspiring.
In light of this month's Business Insider theme, I'll share the Better Business Bureau's approach to using technology as an innovation driver. Hopefully, our ideas will spark ideas of your own, or — more importantly — you'll share innovative ways you develop and use technology.
The Better Business Bureau serving the Snake River Region has a tremendous team of people helping businesses and buyers win in the marketplace. We use technology to get the job done as a local nonprofit.
We believe businesses win when operated to BBB's Standards for Trust: advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy and embody integrity. Winning means attracting and keeping top talent and customers and being more profitable. We believe a business wins when it's more efficient because it operates in a trustworthy environment.
Sign Up and Save
Get six months of free digital access to The Idaho Statesman
Buyers win when they have solid information to make good buying decisions, protecting money and identity along the way.
Here is one of the technological advances made in our office, thanks to a great team of people who are willing to try something new:
Scam Tracker. A public thank you to my good friend Brice Sloan, an entrepreneur in Boise, who built a beta version of a geographic scam tracking database with me at a restaurant table over lunch. We used open-source software and tested the product in our office, capturing location data from people calling BBB to report scams. The result was a map on a web page where the user can click on a point and learn more about the specific scam targeting a victim. Within weeks, we offered Scam Tracker to 14 other BBBs in the U.S. for testing. Within months, Scam Tracker was moved off the open-source platform. It is now custom-built and serves the entire North America BBB system. See for yourself at https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/snakeriver.
Here's what I learned through the process:
Get help. The experience proved the value of surrounding myself with people who are smarter than me. Brice knew about open-source platforms. He asked good questions and helped me think through options.
Start. The product was nowhere near perfect when we rolled it out internally. Get a minimally viable product up and running as soon as possible. Don't worry about it being perfect.
Be flexible. We tested it first internally. We quickly rolled it out to other offices to test, then made it available nationwide. Through the process, we were flexible to try new things. People had to be flexible as they added a few steps to existing processes to enter data in Scam Tracker.
Be persistent. Technology and innovation will die if someone (or a group of people) doesn't relentlessly push it forward.


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Lin Fen The Palace 2019 By Helge Kvalheim aka HKvalhe
Lin Fen The Palace is a new, 5-channel pulsating Amiga MMD3
track for the Amiga version of Ninja Remix. A brand new
The Palace track, NOT to be compared with the original.
Composed using AmigaOne 500 aka SAM460ex using OctaMED
SoundStudio v1.03c, TheMaestrix AHI tool and 16-bit stereo
RIFF WAV Walkabout Music Samples. These are always used
to compose my Amiga music for best possible quality.
This track has a unique drum rhythm I managed to compose
on my very own. The drum rhythm might remind you of being
in a jungle, but I also think it makes the track pulsating
and interesting to listen to. It sure feels modern, and using
the 16-bit stereo RIFF WAV Walkabout Samples is an evidence of that.
Lin Fen The Palace might not be the best you have heard, but it's
unique and the rhythm is something you don't hear much in Amiga tracks,
so the track is unique in its' own way, and worth listening to, really!
DSP Cross Echo Effect has been used to make this truly atmospheric!
Enjoy this awesome track when playing The Palace level of Ninja Remix!
Amiga track composed by Helge Kvalheim aka HKvalhe
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[unknown] 239936 239936 100.0% -lh0- b7e1 Feb 10 01:43 LFTPalace
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Total 1 file 239936 239936 100.0% Feb 9 18:39


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I knew that we were supposed to do an interview with the Wailers either today or tomorrow. What I didn't know was that it was going to be practically dropped on me in a matter of twenty minutes. I got a few questions together, and got the call that I was going to be patched through to Elan, the lead singer of the Wailers.
Andy: Do you enjoy the music festival scene?
E: I haven't. Maybe I have, I just don't remember.
…What I do, I give thanks everyday. I get to do what I love. Everybody's like it must be hard filling Bob Marley's shoes. I am who I am. I am myself. I believe in the music, I believe the lyrics. I try to convey and include that in my music, and keep it alive.
A: How much of the live show is comprised of Bob songs versus originals?
it more. It will be more of a medley of classics and then have more of the new material. And hopefully the crowd will want to hear more of the new album.
A: How is the new album coming along?
A: How do you feel about the state of reggae music now?
E: It's a great state, because the music doesn't go away. Especially in South America. The two different music styles there are reggae and hard rock. They're all emo there, and wear all black like Marilyn Manson. It's all reggae infused. It's big, very dominant. Especially with mashing up different genres, with hip-hop, dance hall, rock, ska, everything.


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Virtual Reality, or VR, is making it possible to walk through modular buildings before they're built. Prior to now, two-dimensional architectural drawings were the best way to get a sense of how a new building will look — how rooms, doors, furniture, windows and appliances all fit into the space. But most humans learn best through direct experience and there are many subtle aspects of a building's design that are hard to really understand until they take shape. To address this, architects are increasingly offering clients the option to view buildings using a virtual reality headset.
Triumph collaborated with leading architectural firm, Shepley Bulfinch, on the design and construction of the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab in Allston, Massachusetts. The new Lab is a key part of Harvard's rapidly expanding "Innovation Corridor" and is adjacent to the existing Innovation Lab on Western Avenue. The space is designed to serve as an incubator for 15 to 20 new companies. Because of this, the interior needs to have common spaces for collaboration, task-specific research areas, and private meeting areas. To truly envision this type of multi-activity facility, VR was the perfect tool.
Some architects believe VR will expand deep into the planning phase of construction projects. An article in Building Design and Construction Magazine describes a future in which the architect, owner, builder and subcontractors can all "meet" within a VR rendering of the project to discuss modifications to the design. Here's an excerpt from the article:
"The future I'm excited about is to be able to say, 'We're going to meet in the model,'" says Chris Grant, VP and Creative Director with HMC. Instead of using conference calls and a shared PowerPoint presentation or PDF, imagine architects, project directors, and clients in different parts of the world with the ability to schedule a meeting, put on their respective headsets, and meet in the VR model.
While virtual reality is getting the most publicity for recreational applications such as games and movies, there is a very practical aspect of VR for people involved in next-generation construction projects. Triumph is proud to be working with partners on these front-lines of innovation.
The video below shows the Harvard Life Lab prior to construction and illustrates how you can do a virtual walkthrough from room-to-room to experience all of the features and design elements of the building.
Latest posts by Rusty Williams (see all)
- Learn What's Next at ABX - November 15, 2018
- The Survey Says… We Have a Winner! - October 16, 2018
- Educational Facilities: Find Inspiration Off-Campus! - October 4, 2018
- The Future of Student Housing: Notes From Bisnow - September 20, 2018


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If you're logging in for the first time you can create a new account
We happily accept returns/exchanges up to 30 days from purchase. Returns must be in original condition. Returns policy does not apply to OUTLET items.
Lark Juniors by Roc – a smart school shoe you can rely on. Designed in a classic Mary-Jane fashion, these girls' shoes are a great option for every-day wear. Crafted with a premium leather upper, a padded collar and a multi-fit innersole system for the best comfort and support growing feet need. Durable, breathable and incredible lightweight, the Lark Junior is a school winner.
$7.50 flat rate delivery for all orders NZ wide when you select
our New Zealand Standard Delivery service. See our delivery FAQs for more info.
$15 flat rate delivery for all orders in eligible NZ areas
(Wellington, Auckland & Christchurch) when you select our Same Day Delivery
$12 flat rate delivery for all orders Australian wide when you select our Standard Delivery service for Australia.


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I LOVE YOUR BLOG AWARD was from Mimi. Thank you Thank you!
- copy and paste the I love your blog award icon to your blog
- thank the person that gave the award to you
Mara - I love her blog because she's awesome in everything she writes! She's also creative with nails and I love how she gives me tips on how to be better. Mara writes loonnnng entries but I always have fun, I don't really notice how long her entry is until I get to the very end where she'll say something like "good job if you made it this far." I love Mara and her awesomeness.
Aryan - I love her blog because her randomness is cute! I love how she'll write about Engineering and stuff on one post then write about Alanis Morissette the next then write about some books she read and she'll review the book like she was paid to do it. Every single time she blogs about books, at the end of her posts because it's really intriguing tho it's mostly teen books, I am always itching to buy or borrow the book to read it. I love her, and I always have fun in exchanging fb messages and cbox randomness with her. I love Aryan and her being cute and all.
Emerson - Am I allowed to say your name here? lol! ok it's a.k.a midnight driver! I only have few words to say about the midnight driver.. Emerson's blog is one of the tagalog blogs I read and do enjoy. I think he is really a good blogger and he does make sense with whatever he had to say and I always end up smiling after each entry. Comic factor. I have to admit, I don't understand some of his Tagalog words ( tho I am fluent in both speaking & writing tagalog) coz some of his chosen words are deep. Midnight Driver, I love your blog!
Aris - Aris is the shocking truth! I wish he updates his blog often tho :D I'll never forget how he challenged me about a hot topic once (the Vice-Tadu brouhaha), I effing hate being challenged! It puts too much pressure on my happy go lucky life, thru that challenge tho we became friends. ;) Anyways, Aris rants/blogs in a creative intelligent way so I really don't get why a person or maybe some people are mad at him?Maybe they just don't understand??Well, can we really blame them if they don't have the brains?To the person/anonymous who said Aris' blog is crap, well, screw you! Why don't you reveal who you are then maybe try bit.ching at him again?haha Aris, continue being awesome love, let this person die from insecurity and oh, I LOVE YOUR BLOG!
Yay for them! I love their blogs and I LOVE THEM!


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New Newport station ready for Ryder Cup
Newport' new £22m railway station will open in time for one of golf's biggest events, it has been confirmed.
Network Rail said the futuristic station, featuring a roof built with the same material as the Eden Project in Cornwall, will open on 13 September.
Visitors attending the Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport from 1-3 October will be among the first to experience the new-look station.
The new development is almost twice the size of the old building.
Up to 100 engineers will be putting the finishing touches to the station over the next two weeks, building pavements, tiling floors and fitting out the interior.
Councillor Matthew Evans, leader of Newport council, said: "I'm looking forward to the opening of the new railway station, which I believe will create a lasting legacy for the benefit of all Newport residents as well as further enhancing the city's position as the main transport gateway for south Wales."
There are two new concourses, with improved information points and more shops, and an additional new entrance to serve passengers from the northern side of the city.
The station will also have three lifts, CCTV and new waiting shelters.
Mark Langman, area general manager for Network Rail, said: "Work continues on schedule to meet our deadline and we will keep working hard over the next two weeks to deliver this scheme for passengers.
Eden Project
"Wales relies on rail and the brand new Newport station is a great example of how rail industry partners are working together to bring Wales' stations into the 21st Century, encouraging even greater use of the railway network."
The scheme has been funded by Network Rail and the Welsh Assembly Government, with support from Arriva Trains Wales and Newport council.
Network Rail said the station had been developed with the environment in mind, with the "bubble wrap" roof built using a material, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, used by the Eden Project.
The material is said to be recyclable and does not degrade under ultra-violet light or atmospheric pollution.
The station can also capture and re-use rain water, and the space in the public concourses is naturally ventilated.
The designers said a "key consideration" was how to minimise the building's energy demands and carbon emissions.


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There's one thing that all e commerce businesses have in common: they all send order confirmation emails. Order confirmation emails have extremely high open rates. This is because they are sent to people who have a prior interest in your company, usually within a few moments of them making a purchase; a time when a customer will be highly receptive to messages from you.
According to Experian's Transactional Email Report, transaction rates are 8 times higher for order confirmation emails than for bulk mailings. Yet, in spite of this, many companies are still sending order confirmation emails that look like this:
These days, sending a plain text order confirmation is wasting an opportunity. These emails can be used to take advantage of your customer's receptive state, creating more brand engagement and, hopefully, sales.
In order to connect with your customers with your order confirmation emails, you will need to customise them. Here are a few of the things you can do to take advantage of this excellent selling opportunity:
Recommend Products
Order confirmation emails should be sent as soon as possible after a customer has made a purchase. At that time, they are likely to be in a 'buying' frame of mind, and may be receptive to other purchase suggestions you give them. In your email, include some products that your customer may also be interested in, like QVC have done:
This order confirmation email is strong for a number of reasons. Firstly, it has an attractive design that is consistent with the brand. It is also personalised, and they thank the customer for making a purchase. The recommended products are prominent in the email, and they have even included one item that is at a special introductory price; that could give the customer an extra push towards making another purchase.
Encourage Customers to Connect With You
Some of the people who purchase from you may already have downloaded your mobile app, followed you on Twitter, and 'liked' you on Facebook. However, many of them may only have visited your website a handful of times, and may not be particularly familiar with your brand. You can use your order confirmation emails to help build brand loyalty by encouraging your customers to follow you on social media. The simplest way to do this is to include social media buttons at the bottom of your email.
Take this example from Bundle Stars:
The social media links take pride of place in this message. The customer couldn't fail to notice them! The confirmation is also friendly, and gives clear instructions on how the customer can access their purchase. However, they could have improved the message by making it more personal, and including some recommended products.
Build Trust
Once someone has made their first purchase with you, your goal should be to turn them into a repeat customer. In order to do this, you need to build trust between your company and them. You can use your order confirmation to do this. Inform them about the good customer service that you offer, and even let them know how they can return or cancel the order if they're not happy.
Tesco include all this information in the email confirmation they send when someone orders their Delivery Saver plan:
This email includes all the information necessary to reassure the customer and build trust with them, and even lets the customer know how to contact the company if they have any further questions. If you include information like this in your order confirmations, you will demonstrate confidence in your product or service, and show that you care about your customers.
An order confirmation email is something your shouldn't neglect! They offer excellent opportunities to provide good service and build on your customer relationships, potentially resulting in more conversions and sales for you.
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