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HOBOKEN, NJ (WCBS 880) – Carlo's Bakery was a local Hoboken phenomenon long before a TLC television show made it a tourist sensation.
WCBS 880's Sean Adams Reports From Hoboken
In the old days, you might've had to wait to make your purchase, but you'd never be forced into a line that went out the door.
Now, the "Cake Boss" admits he's a victim of his own success.
The Jersey Journal quotes Buddy Valastro as saying, "I know the line outside stinks."
The line at Carlo's Bakery often stretches four blocks and it has actually lost him some business.
Some locals won't stop by anymore since the cable show became a hit, but not all of them.
"I know him since his dad was alive – a long, long time – from the old store, and we're regulars. We have no problem with it. The problem is with a lot of new people coming in. They get upset with the situation that they can't get right in and people are stepping in front of them. But he's going to work around it. I'm sure Buddy's going to do a good job with it," says John Demorrow, who remains a faithful Carlo's customer.
Valastro reportedly will have a fix for the frustrating line to unveil in six months.
Have the long lines kept you from getting a taste of the "Cake Boss" creations? Do you have a suggestion for how Valastro can deal with the long lines? Let us know in the comments section below!


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Wednesday at The Wharf, presented by Landshark Lager, is a FREE summer concert series that brings live music to Transit Pier. No matter your musical tastes—rock, folk, reggae, funk, pop—The Wharf has a performance for you. Concerts run through August, so bring your family and friends and silence those mid-week blues.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: July 24River Cleanup with Capital SUP
Later Event: July 26Thursday Night Guided Kayak Tours

subset: commoncrawl


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Monthly Archives: May 2010
Omnipotent Capitalists?
The tea party movement gets its philosophical underpinnings from Ayn Rand, who wrote some unreadable political tomes disguised as third rate fiction back in the 40's and 50's. She saw the excesses of the Russian Communist rise to power in its early days when she was young and decided upon coming to America that all collective action is bad. Thecentral idea is that somehow capitalists are sorts of gods, who are dependent on no one and that those who are not are simply leeches. It's a cold and calculated logic flowing from self-centeredness and a refusal to acknowledge the connection everyone has to everyone else.
There is a kind of hero worship at the heart of it all. That there is a super human out there, worthy of adulation because they found a way to turn an idea into gold… or, like most capitalists (Edison anyone?) turn other people's ideas into gold and stomp on the competition.
Let's face it – Capitalism wastes resources through its constant dog-eat-dog competition. Competition is great, within creative guidelines, but when there are no rules, people get hurt. Capitalists don't care. They simply want to rule every part of every possible world they can dream up. Yet they can't even rule their own greed.
It begs the theological question – can God create a mountain He cannot climb? It's a trick question, since either answer proves that God is not omnipotent. Which leads logically to the conclusion that omnipotence is not an actual state of being, but a fantasy.
Woldrum Tension Dynamic Awlko
Diarama drawn tight envelopal unit based estoppal. If you encourage people to use their strengths they may forget they have weaknesses. If you push people to overcome their weaknesses they identify themselves with the weaknesses and tend to lose strength. Why do you still bolate the triumphal cognot? You have to look for the substance amid the style. You have to find the meaning inside the nonsense. Hui bui kui!! JUMP YON HINDER DONUT FLOW!!!!!!
Flotsam & Jetsom
Notes found scribbled on lined paper. Thoughts and questions:
Just because you are aware of what caused the problem, does not mean you have the power to fix it.
The key to understanding someone else's perspective is to not invent it for them.
Just because you look good, does not mean you are good.
Is all pleasure simply a trap for later pain? Is all pain detrimental? How do we know the difference and is it the same for everyone?
Just because you can label something, doesn't mean you understand it.
Does every demand justify a supply? Who decides?
Are We Done Yet?
Oil companies are not required by the U.S. government to have remote shut-offs for their oil wells at platform sites, as many others do throughout the world. Why not? Could it be that oil companies have been running the U.S. government all this time and figured they could save themselves some cash by not putting these controls in? Seems like we would be done with a few people running everything by now. When do we get to have a Democracy, Daddy? When? Please? Pretty please with sugar?


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Whiteness and purity in the white clouds, lightness of being, weightless flight of the angel's wings. Ethereal being.
photo © Svetlana Batura
the feathers of the angel touch the soil of the Earth. And for the first time give in to the juices and fruits of the Earth, discover the taste of the soil and water that is running on this Earth, sense every note that the leaf or the fruit bear in itself and erupt on the whole whiteness from heavens. That's when the angel gets seduced by the mother Earth and soak in its fruits, flowers and juices… Surrender. Feels it on the skin, inside the mouth, Earthy flowers tangling into the hair, mud, water, aroma's of the Earth in bloom, and sweetness and bitterness of the fruits. There's nothing about the sin. It's all about the Earth. The moment the woman is born. SEDUCTION. From the Mother Earth.


text: There is nothing more comforting than this sweetened soup with pumpkin and cinnamon when it is rainy and dark. This greed really warms us up literally. It is perfect for autumnal season but also in winter. I often cook it during the Advent in many modified versions. Try it, frankly it would surprise me if you were disappointed.


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2 Design Intelligence Awards
Design Intelligence Award (DIA) is the first international industrial design award hosted by a Chinese academic institution. It is a contemporary innovative design platform established in 2015 for the evaluation, promotion and collaboration of design, also a world-wide interdisciplinary competition encompassing art, technology and commerce and serving as the catalyst for the transformation of original ideas into materialized profit and the actualization of future innovation.
With "Oriental Intelligence, National Capability, Living Wisdom, Innovation Resourcefulness" as the core values, DIA advocates that design return to its origin of "Design Intelligence (ZhiZao)", and brings world-wide creative resources together to achieve the vision of "collective wisdom and an intelligent future".


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Is it possible for humanity to consciously direct our own evolution and if so can we evolve to be better, smarter and faster? Can we evolve ourselves to be able to sustain an utopic society? In my intro to psychology class one of the professors told the following story. A professor experimented on his own newborn by reading Greek poetry to him. He read the same couple of paragraphs to him every day until the infant was six months old and then stopped. When the boy turned ten his father started having him memorize Greek passages. He counted how many repetitions the boy would need to fully memorize a passage and found that those paragraphs that the boy had previously been exposed as an infant required half the repetitions that the new passages took. This story is anecdotal and would require a better designed longitudinal study to prove, however it was inspirational for me and one of many such stories in that class that convinced me to change my major from computer science to cognitive science. I learned in that class that if we utilize the power of our learning brains, the possibilities for achievement both individually and as a society could be endless. I became fascinated with the question of how we can harness our learning, and specifically how technological solutions could be combined with cognitive science research to take learning to new levels.
This may sound hyperbolic, and indeed such thoughts can lead to Matrix-like imaginations of possibilities. In my case they often do. However, back on planet earth, this interest guided me to take a digital electronics class to learn how to make electronic toys, child development classes to learn how memory develops, computer science classes for implementation, and education classes to learn about what is being done in this field. I also started thinking about various experiences in my life through the lens of this interest. I would like to write about a few of these experiences and how they all contributed to my interest in this subject.
Several summers ago I spent a month in Russia. My parents are from Moscow and on a whim I decided to go there to discover my roots. One of my goals was to visit parts of Moscow that my parents had told me about. This meant that I spent a lot of time on the subway going from place to place, taking pictures and meeting people. One experience on the subway changed how I thought about public education. The Moscow subway is one of the deepest in the world -- designed to function as a bomb shelter. This meant the escalator rides were steep and long. Along the way there was a city wide public announcement system that spouted such epitaphs as: "Protect the heritage of your Russian roots. Love the language of Pushkin and don't swear" and "Be kind to people. They deserve your respect as you do theirs". I was astounded at the blatant social brainwashing and quickly learned to disdain the announcements. Later on the subway a large group of rowdy teens came into the car. At the next stop a few older people stepped onto the train and none of the teens moved. A bit later an announcement came on, "Be nice to those older or weaker than you. Give your seat to the elderly or to those with young children." At the very next stop when some older people again came onto the car. This time however a few of the teens got up and let them sit down. I doubt they realized why they did this as even I had started blocking out the announcements.
I was confused after seeing this. Moscow was dirty and people were mean. They needed this basic sort of public education which their parents weren't able to offer because they themselves did not know it. Was this a dystopian brain- washing or was it an example of proper use of educational policy because it was for a social good? I was surprised how strongly I was affected by this seemingly small incident. I realized that an societal educational system must burden itself with teaching how to live in society and that society can be improved by this. However, at the same time it must walk a very careful line and not cross over into brain-washing. What is the role of education in society? This is not an easy question, but it does bear thinking about.
After my Moscow trip I had the opportunity to teach a few high-school students Russian. This was quite possibly one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I had never taught before and approached it with a lot of energy, or so I thought. The students outpaced my energy level by orders of magnitude. They would jump to answer questions, blurting out answers and giggling with excitement. They were learning Russian for the fun of it, as it was not offered at their school and they just wanted to learn for themselves. It was inspirational to watch them and a rush to be needed by them, to be the source for their excitement, to be wrung dry by their questions. I am sure I learned a lot more from this experience than my students.
Moving closer to home, I have a three year old niece who is unbelievably adept on the computer. Not only does she have the physical coordination for moving the mouse and the knowledge of how to drag windows and files around but she is addicted to starfall.com. This site is a free educational site for kids. It has fun songs and graphics with a myriad of different exercises. She spends hours on the site. She knows her alphabet, can count fairly well, and has a great vocabulary. All of this without any pressure from her parents and, since she is too young for even pre-school, no school. When I was her age my mom would read to me certainly and we would do a little bit of alphabet work in Russian, but it was a struggle for both of us. What amazes me so much is how much time and effort she is more than willing to put in herself. She would rather play alphabet games on starfall than play with her toys. This is because the learning is a game in itself. Since she plays on the adult's computer she gets to play with a toy that belongs to her parents. Often she will exclaim, "I go work on starfall now!". She may use the word 'work' but she very clearly enjoys it (most likely she uses that word because her parents will often 'work' on the computer).
That a three year old is so interested in the animated colorful world of a computer game should come as no surprise. For me, watching her enjoy learning and easily grasping letters and numbers really underscores the potency of technology as a learning tool.
These few small experiences along with many others have all contributed to my interest in learning with technology. The digital electronics class I took this summer was perhaps the most fulfilling class I have ever taken. In groups of two we designed and built an electronics project from scratch. My interest in learning informed our choice of project. We were toying with the idea of using an accelerometer (a chip for detecting motion) somehow, and I was thinking of various toys that could be reinvented digitally. For instance the tilt-maze game is both ubiquitous and yet also not very interesting. Once you have the dexterity to beat it you might as well throw it out. How much more interesting would it be if you had to solve a moving maze and also take the shortest path through it for points based on the least number of steps taken. We implemented this game on a small eight by eight matrix of multicolor led lights. When it came to designing the levels for the game we realized that there were many more possibilities than we originally envisioned. The maze could appear to be a multicolor fire spewing dragon with a particular precious stone on his tail that is the target of the level, or it could be man eating plants that open in a certain sequence. Designing, programing and building this game was challenging and we stayed up many late nights. At the same time it was extremely fulfilling and made me very happy. By the end of the class we had a working game that people enjoyed playing and which also had an innovative brain puzzle aspect to it.
All these stories may appear disjointed, but the connection is that they all spurred my interest in new technologies for education. This leads to an interesting question: since I put a lot of effort into this interest and am contemplating grad school in related areas, does it make me happy? Mostly it has entailed work, exams, projects and sleep loss. On the other hand, just thinking about some of the possibilities ahead stirs up a great excitement in me.
I am convinced that this area can use a lot of work. For instance the area of math education is a prime choice for new ideas. I grew up with a math phobia in grade school. My teachers were terrible, using performance pressure and boring teaching to induce fear in their students. However, it is possible to have fun with math without the pressure and competition that seems to often lead to math phobia. One current research project that might help is siftables (www.sifteo.com). These are little cubes that can display letters, colors and number and react to each when in close proximity. Kids can play with the blocks that change and interact as they move them. A math game with siftables could display numbers and math operands and react as students move the blocks to form equations. Tangible media such as this has huge potential. The fact that this area is growing and new is exciting.
Still, exciting is not necessarily happy. In my case however, simply being creatively busy does make me happy. My parents are both artists and when I was growing up I remember in the evening after a late European style dinner ending around 10pm my dad would say, "ok I'm going downstairs to work some more." I grew up in a house where it was never OK to not have a project going. Now I find that I am unable to simply do nothing. Even when on vacation I have a hard time relaxing without some purpose tugging at me. I have noticed that during those times when I don't have a project in the works, I not only feel useless but almost physically feel sick. This is the antithesis of happiness. Thus being busy with projects in an area I am interested (especially one that can bring inspiration and learning to others) brings me a lot of joy.
It appears that a common thread ties together a lot of my recent college experiences. It has emerged slowly and is still not completely formed, but at least right now I feel a pulling that gives me a direction to work toward. This will most likely all change as I gather new experiences, but for now I enjoy it.


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Iimani David is an American author of literary fiction in the literary impressionist style.
David's Impressionism
The term Literary Impressionism is used to describe works of literature in which a few select details suffice to convey the sensory impressions of an incident or scene. Impressionist literature is closely related to Symbolism and Surrealism. Literature is said to be impressionist if it seeks to describe, rather than interpret, the impressions, sensations and emotions that constitute a character's mental life.
Where all Impressionist literature has the lack of definition at its core, David's brand of Literary Impressionism is unique in that linear time is often manipulated to further erode the ground of belief the reader relies on and to which he owes the basis for his opinions and perceptions. Space is also deformed in David's Impressionism to achieve the same effect.
It should be noted that sentence structure "warping", word play, and previously established literary techniques such as Stream of Consciousness are used in conjunction with literary techniques David has designed. Readers should be aware that if David's passages seem confusing or occasionally overwhelming, it is by design. The reader is meant to ask himself, "What, if anything, do I feel?" Not, "What do I know?"
In this extreme form of Impressionism, saturated coherency is often replaced by a thin understanding of events and their timeline. When approaching David's literature, the reader should recall that dreams are seldom coherent but are often impactful.


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ABLAZE Records is a company based in Australia and the USA dedicated to the recording, distribution and promotion of work by living composers and performers.
ABLAZE Records values high quality recordings and production of discs across a range of genres representing the work of living composers. To this end, the company publishes discs devoted to the various media interesting to composers today: orchestral, choral, electronic, chamber music and string quartet. Across our catalog you will find some of the most innovative and talented composers working today.


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Here are some ideas on putting together a good job talk, based on years of observation, experiments (failed and successful experiences of my own), and discussions with colleagues past and present. Below, I focus on the talk, the Q&A, and the one-on-one/small group sessions. And remember, practice, practice, practice. You only get a few shots a year if you are lucky, so it is better to fall flat on your face in front of a friendly audience with no stakes, rather than when the job is on the line. Finally, some additional thoughts at the end.
The Talk
Make it clear and well organized—the audience should know where you are going at each step—using transparencies or computer projection is useful here
Make the talk simple enough so that somebody who studies (or does) sewage maintenance can follow—not all attendees will be in your field—so a political theorist/Americanist/public administration/whatever should be able to follow your argument.
What is the puzzle, the question, that animates your interest and your research?
Identify the relevance of your question—who cares? The talk should be interesting, not arcane
Be clear about what your argument is and define the limits of its scope—what is it that you seek to explain and what do you think is important.
Identify some, not all, of the counterarguments/conventional wisdoms you are addressing—who says?
Be clear about your variables and methodology—why these cases?
You will not have time to get into the details of your case, nor should you try, as case studies, unless something is really cool, are likely to bore the audience. You could highlight a mini-case within one of the cases.
If using quantitative techniques, explain the setup of one of your analyses (not all of them), and show a few of the most interesting results. Your transparency or slide should use, dare I say it, color, to highlight the most important stuff.
Wrap up with a summary and the implications for future research, highlighting your next project.
In the Q&A, (the most important part in most departments)
Think before answering each question.
Focus on answering each question through the lens of your theory. Use your theory to highlight what is and is not more important.
Many questions will essentially ask how would you do the project if you did it just like the person asking the question might.
Be relatively brief in your answers—most of the audience will have questions (they want to hear themselves speak) so give them a chance to talk.
It is ok to stay "I don't know" but not to every question. Be aware of what your limitations are.
Do not be defensive—people may find flaws in your work that nobody has seen before. The purpose of this exercise is to see how you think on your feet.
In the one on one or small group sessions,
- Don't ask directly about department politics--if there are problems, people will usually tell you, particularly the individuals causing the problems.
- Don't ask about teaching load if you are interviewing at a liberal arts college or other institutions that are avowedly serious about their teaching.
- Ask about teaching support—not TAs but rather computer projection, funding for simulations, workshops on teaching, etc.
- Ask about the students and show that you are interested in teaching.
- You can ask about research support but do not obsess about this either
- Ask about the town.
- Ask about their research and their teaching.
- Ask about the requirements for getting tenure--the response is usually vague but can highlight a variety of interesting dynamics.
- Show a genuine curiosity about the place.
Don't ask about money--the chair will tell you.
Additional Thoughts
Show a sincere interest without appearing desperate or arrogant.
Be aware of the particular school for which you are interviewing.
Figure out its priorities and where you might fit.
Find out what the faculty members study (at least the ones in your field).
Do not fake who you are, but market yourself.
It has been a convention to thank the chair and perhaps others via email upon your return home--will not affect your status, but is nice.
The outcome of the process has something to do with your performance, but there are a bunch of factors that have nothing to do with you. It is like poker, in that you can play your hand as best you can, but sometimes the outcome is beyond your control due to department politics, individual idiosyncrasies, and the position of Mars relative to Jupiter.
After returning home and after you know the outcome, seek out feedback about what you did right and wrong so that you can do better in the future.
Good luck!!


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You can make a difference...
If you have found this website and the ministry of our Synod Faith Formation Team helpful you can support it in a couple ways.
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Your donation allows us to connect people and create partnerships around our synod. This website is done by volunteers and is paid for through donations. The more donations we have we can start to support other faith formation projects as well.
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Here is a short post on thinking gesture as it relates to not only people but animals as well.
The focus of this post is to highlight an understanding of animal anatomy/drawing which will emphasize design. As always my hope is that the techniques used in drawing a figure are understood to be flexible and as such able to adapt to designing animals, characters, or creature(s).
Gesture drawing at its core entails the simple usage of line (shape, value, etc.) to capture a very complex reality about the subject being depicted. Specifically when using line, asymmetry and curves provide a visual pathway from which movement is exaggerated and the workings of passive and active anatomy develop (see below examples).
The intention of this is to build an understanding of how and in what ways, through gesture, figure(s) and animal(s) can be treated consistently. This is completely possible since through the process of abstraction, gesture highlights the same qualities in animals as it does it the figure. Further, for the purposes of drawing both animals and figures, gesture serves to initiate the image thematically/theatrically and lay the groundwork for the remainder of the drawings development.
The drawing of animals and figures alike depend on a clear and purposeful idea to establish the integrity of that drawing as a instrument of communication – this could be a mood, emotion, narrative prompt, character/creature archetype, etc. Among other things, a gesture can allow for a more classical, studied interpretation of the natural design of the form. The latter will be the focus of our current study.
Figures and Animals can be compared within gesture by considering similarities in the following areas:
Story - (Idea!) The animal/figure should always become a vehicle for a establishing mood, emotion, expression, action, etc. I usually consider story to be concerned primarily with the narrative impact the drawing/design should take.
Weight/Balance – Figures and animals alike need to feel as if they are drawn according to the influence of gravity. This is additionally an important theme in the construction/design of the 8 parts of each. A main difference is that figures are more of a vertical balancing act while many quadrupeds show a variation on a bridge design.
Movement – An obvious and inherent quality to animals and figures. This becomes more important to analyze when studying the variety of animal types, qualities and types of movements, etc.
Proportion – the relative organization of the 8 parts
We might consider the act of making a gesture drawing the interpretation of these 4 categories as expressed through a rhythmic organization of the 8 major masses. Below is an image showing some basic differences (among the 8 parts) between the horse, big cat, and human. The goal in this initial survey is to understand the form entirely as the result of function.
Introduction to the Spine and differences between figure and animals
As the gesture is dependent on the positioning and or attitude between the 8 parts, this section will focus on the most important of the eight: the spine. Notice the varying lengths, height, and positioning between the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar.
The spine is the most important part to consider and where one should begin a study of comparative anatomy or gesture. What the spine allows us to understand is the inherent design of each anatomical form/machine. Each spine is built from the 3 groups – cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. However, each animal can have variation in these groups: through an increased number of vertebrae, angle, and or stability of the spine (bracing ligaments), etc. What is important to keep in mind is that the spine determines the kind of design we ultimately experience. An important principle, as it will allow us a technical constant in objectively analyzing a number of different types.
Gesture drawings begins with a studied interpretation of the spine, those qualities are then synthesized into asymmetrical rhythms. In the figure, the gesture begins with a very simple oval/sphere for the head and then moves from a line representing the cervical, through the thoracic, and finally into the lumbar. From this point the legs are integrated favoring the weight bearing side (if one exists) and lastly working into the arms. With this as a basic constant, an animal can be observed in the exact same sequence. Just remember to tailor the approach for variations to reflect unique differences such as direction of the spine, length of different parts of the spine, particular types of movements, etc.
Below is an example of the same sequence of lines used in a gesture drawing of a cat, horse, and human. See if you can match the lines used from one subject to the next to see the unity in the approach, but variation in describing types.
Below is an example of the same sequence of lines used in a gesture drawing of a cat, horse, and human. See if you can match the lines used from one subject to the next to see the unity in the approach, but variation in describing types.
Notice when comparing the figure and horse the similarities resulting at this stage in the gesture. While the horse has the same 3 basic rhythms (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) notice that the gesture has taken in to account the variations of those types by extending the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar as well as making this a horizontal passage. After establishing the torso, the rear legs are developed, beginning with the weight bearing side (if applicable), and then the forelegs.
Hopefully this helps in seeing continuity between these two subjects through a consistent approach to gesture. If you're interested in looking further into it, I might recommend checking out work by Joe Weatherly or Jonathan Kuo.


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Freemake.com is website that distributes all sorts of mp3 and video conversion software. This software offers similar to other sites kinds of services , with the help of these programs you can download and convert videos to mp3. These converters also work with multiple other websites like Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and much more since they claim to support up to 10 000 websites. You can also use one of the programs to convert music files to various other formats like WMA, WAV, M4A, AAC, FLAC and many more, and you can also use it to convert various videos.
Unfortunately freemake has lots of disadvantages. For some reason they distribute several mp3 apps that seem to do the same thing, they require registrations and they are super confusing to use. Since all of their apps are desktop apps, it makes it really hard to convert mp3 away from computer. You won't have to face this problem when you use 2conv. Our android app will help you get mp3 music whenever you like.
Why 2conv is better than freemake.com?
- Has a great mobile phone and desktop app that allows conversion of really long videos
- Can transform whole video playlists with ease and in high-quality
- Can transform high-resolution clips from YouTube to multiple other formats
- Can be used to get several videos to mp3 simultaneously


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Philippine jeepneys nearing end of a colorful road
In a dusty workshop in the town of Angono, just outside Manila, an artist glances up at a poster from the Disney animation "Tangled."
He compares it with the image of the film's strong-jawed hero, which he is airbrushing onto the side of an old jeepney.
The artwork has been commissioned by the owner of the jeepney, and will be a brash, ostentatious statement that he no doubt hopes will mark his vehicle out from every other.
"This will be finished later today," says Damaso Reyes, owner of Dasoy Motors, the small auto workshop charged with completing the design.
Reyes will make a small profit for his work. For some, however, the scene here is a sign of the decay that is affecting Filipino jeepney art.
Disney characters and U.S. flags are now the commonplace stars of these colorful buses, when once they used to be mountains, rivers and other natural Filipino characteristics.
Additionally, from being one of the most enduring and endearing legacies from the time the U.S. Army spent in the Philippines during World War II, jeepneys are now in danger of losing their artistry altogether, as owners prioritize finance over flourish.
Proletariat artistry
Virgilio Parcellano, a jeepney owner, says profit now comes before art.
"The truth is, it's not about how beautiful your jeep is," he says. "These days it's more of a race to get as many passengers as you can."
Parcellano points out that despite his love for his jeepney -- it has six antennae and two horns on its hood, the names of his children emblazoned on the windshield and fierce characters painted on the sides -- the design does little to raise the day's earnings.
Prettifying a jeepney costs up to 100,000 pesos (US$2,370), no small change for an owner who is earning around 7.5 pesos per passenger. As a result, many jeepney owners are saving that expense.
Take Alfredo Reyes (not his real name). His jeepney is jarringly plain, just daubed with a splash of paint and his route indicated on the sides.
"People are being thrifty," he says. "I'd rather save the money. This is why you see jeepneys that are ordinary, simply galvanized."
He explains that his jeepney has been constructed and is owned (he's just the driver) by a new breed of micro-entrepreneurs.
"This kind is made by the Igorots," he explains. "They used to be drivers who saved their earnings and now assemble jeepneys."
He is referring to natives of the mountainous northern province of Ifugao, who have learned the trade but not the art.
So now Manila's streets are filled with naked metal carriages, packed with passengers but lacking the audacious designs of their predecessors.
Western design infiltrates
Even where jeepney design still exists, it's now heavy with Western influences, like Disney's "Tangled," American flags, F1 logos and Western superheroes.
"You could see the individual brush strokes on past pieces -- it felt local," says Paul Catiang, a regular Manila jeepney passenger. "These days, I see reproductions of movie posters from abroad and cringe. I feel that the jeepney art I grew up with was more original."
"When people started getting access to the Internet, they began printing different designs," adds Damaso Reyes.
This fondness for foreign culture is nothing new to Filipinos. The United States didn't just bequeath its army jeeps to the Philippines, it also introduced Hollywood and a love of show business.
It's the way that these modern, Western icons are forced to sit alongside traditional symbols that some Filipinos do not appreciate.
"The image of Jesus is usually present, especially if the owner is Catholic," explains Reyes. "For them, it is assurance of divine guidance.
"The strangest request we had was a black jeep decorated with images of demons. And bizarrely, on the door, we also had to paint an image of Jesus Christ."
"Jeepney art is a dying art," complains Zarah Dominguez, a regular jeepney passenger. "A decorated jeepney gives me the impression that the owner takes care of his jeep and values it more than just as a source of income. He's making a declaration that 'This jeep is mine.'"
This romantic ideal of the jeepney is one many Filipinos cherish. Take a closer look at the bare, galvanized carriers, for instance, and amidst the blur of gray metal you can still occasionally spot a splash of color or a small sticker.
Subtlety, however, is hardly what jeepneys are about, or why people love them.
More than buses
For decades, countless nameless artists have used the jeepney as a canvas.
Left behind by the U.S. Army after World War II, they were adopted by enterprising Filipinos who turned them into public utility vehicles.
While they remain one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get around Manila and the Philippines -- they can access many inner-city roads that are off-limits to buses -- they will also remain part of local life.
But what if the loss of color from these characterful transports of delight that are a hallmark of the capital reflects something deeper altogether, such as a loss of Filipino character?
Riding in a jeepney can be a thrilling experience. Passengers often hang half out of the bus on rails at the back or sometimes sit on the roof.
They zigzag on roads like they own them: a blur of color and metal. They cause traffic jams as they stop arbitrarily to let passengers on or off.
Their artwork dresses a chunky piece of metal with unmistakable personality.
If that disappears, so might the thrill of riding in these vehicles, that have historically been so much more than people carriers.


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Diablosport Trinity 2 EX Performance Programmer (GM)
Technical Details
GM vehicles
Pre-loaded, high-performance tunes
Custom tuning capability
High resolution, 5 capacitive touch screen
Full swipe functionality
Industry-leading gauge designs
Unmatched customization potential
In-depth data in real-time
Read and clear codes
Jaw dropping power potential
Easy to use interface
Not legal for sale in California
Note: It is illegal to install this product on a registered vehicle and use it on the street
The all-new Trinity (T2) Platinum is the most advanced performance programmer and monitoring setup of its kind. Featuring a high resolution, 5 capacitive touch screen, full swipe functionality, industry-leading gauge designs, jaw dropping power potential and powerful, yet simple, user interface. The T2 is unlike anything else on the market. The Trinity T2 Platinum is designed for those who want the best of both worlds, pre-loaded, high-performance tunes in addition to custom tuning capability. The T2 Platinum is already equipped with some of the best tuning right out of the box, but we know our customers like to bolt-on upgrades and extract every bit of horsepower out of their vehicles. That is where CMR custom tuning comes in. Our nationwide network of CMR custom tuning dealers can build tunes for your specific ride on a dyno or by using the built-in data logging features of the Trinity. Now you can have great tunes for out of the box, and custom tunes, for when you take your ride to the next level with the Trinity T2 Platinum. WARNING: This product is not street legal and may only be used on Racing Vehicles. Racing Vehicles must be used exclusively for racing or other forms of competition. Racing vehicles must not be registered and must never be used on the street. It is illegal to install this product on a registered vehicle and use it on the street.


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As electrical insulation in motor rewinds, NOMEX® really takes the heat and gives you high reliability. As you can see, NOMEX® withstands thermal aging at operation conditions better than other materials (Class H results shown). It also stands up to temporary temperature overloads.
In addition to outstanding thermal properties, NOMEX® and laminates of NOMEX® and MYLAR® polyester film (NMN) offer superior mechanical toughness, flexibility and resilience. They also provide excellence resistance to environmental conditions, such as humidity, chemicals and radiation.
So, for all your demanding rewind applications, specify the insulation you can depend on…NOMEX® aramid paper.
Superior Thermal Stability of NOMEX® vs. Other Insulation Materials


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The Zanzibar production wins Writing Award for Nikki Racklin.
The Irish production received three nominations for Best Directing in Drama (Danann Breathnach), Best Female Performance in a Drama (Pagan McGrath) and Best Writing in Drama (Nikki Racklin). Racklin won for Best Writing.
The 2014 International Academy of Web Television Awards took place at...
Read the entire story HERE.


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NEW YORK, NEW YORK--(Marketwire - Dec. 31, 2012) - Electrum Global Holdings L.P. (the "Offeror") announces that as part of an internal reorganization involving GRAT Holdings LLC ("Holdings"), which principally controls each of Leopard Holdings LLC ("Leopard"), The Electrum Group LLC ("TEG Services"), the Offeror, the sole general partner of the Offeror, TEG Global GP Ltd. ("Global GP"), and Electrum Strategic Resources L.P. (formerly Electrum Strategic Resources LLC) ("ESRL"), which occurred on December 28 and 31, 2012 (the "Closing"): (i) 833,333 common shares (each, a "Common Share") in the capital of NovaCopper Inc. (the "issuer") of the 8,872,033 Common Shares then held by ESRL were transferred to Holdings, leaving ESRL holding 8,038,700 Common Shares and the right to receive 5,222,879 Common Shares upon the exercise of 31,337,278 warrants (the "Warrants") of NovaGold Resources Inc. ("NovaGold") held by ESRL; and (ii) 100% of the interest in ESRL was transferred to the Offeror. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof, upon payment of the exercise price of $1.479, to acquire one common share of NovaGold and one-sixth of one Common Share.
In addition, on December 31, 2012, ESRL exercised all 31,337,278 Warrants and acquired 31,337,278 common shares of NovaGold and 5,222,879 Common Shares (the "Warrant Exercise").
Following the Closing and the Warrant Exercise, the Offeror (through ESRL) and Holdings hold 13,261,579 and 833,333 Common Shares, respectively, or 25.6% and 1.6%, respectively, of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, with the result being that Holdings has direct and indirect control over 14,094,912 Common Shares, representing 27.2% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares.
The Common Shares referred to above are held for investment purposes and the Offeror and/or one or more of its joint actors (Holdings, Leopard, Global GP, TEG Services and ESRL) may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership of Common Shares or other securities of the issuer whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreement or otherwise.
The Offeror is located at 535 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY, USA 10022. A copy of the early warning report relating to the Closing and the Warrant Exercise can be obtained from Michael Williams (646-365-1600) or on the SEDAR profile of the issuer at www.sedar.com.
Contact Information:


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Success Stories
Emmanuel's Mom
I'm Emmanuel's mom. Emmanuel was 5 years old when he started having nightmares and this would affect him in the morning as well. He was scared to sleep by himself - even to go to the bathroom on his own. This time was so hard for us. It was tough; I couldn't imagine my son's life in the future with those fears. He couldn't stay alone in the dark. I always had to be with him, trying to make him comfortable. He was taking therapy for a while. We did different therapies, but it didn't work. He tried many times to sleep in his room by himself and then, in the middle of the night, he would call me to come sleep with him. One day at Denver Community Acupuncture I learned about Judi [Terrill]. As soon as I could, I made an appointment with her. She explained to me how Chinese medicine works with my child's problem. His first appointment was in March 2018. I noticed my son fell asleep immediately that night. After the second appointment, my son asked if he could sleep by himself in his room. I said, "Of Course" and I was thinking, "he's going to call me in the middle of the night and tell me to come sleep with him." But he surprised me. He didn't and I said, "This is working!" And each time I see how it's changing Emmanuel's life and mine because it was so hard. He was taking therapy at the same time he was seeing Judi, but one day Emmanuel told me that he didn't want to go to the therapist anymore because he didn't think she was helping him. Judi has helped him more than anyone. Judi accomplished in one month what no one else could in years. She's amazing. Even if I don't have money, my son is still getting the treatments. I'm so grateful that I found Judi. I told her that if I become rich someday, I will support the Chinese medicine and I will support her clinics. You have no idea how much she changed my life and my family. Thank you so much, Judi, and thank you so much to the people who are helping support my son's treatment.
When I was younger, I would suffer from being afraid of things that were never really there. It was more of a mental problem that I had. I have been with therapists for years. It was terrible, having to suffer through all those nights and mornings waking up afraid - not knowing what would happen. But then, after I went to the first appointment with Judi, it really changed everything. I wasn't afraid of the dark or of what I could do when I was with her. After the treatments, it really did help me, mentally and physically. I felt like I was a different person. I even changed my mental attitude. It helped me a lot. It really amazed me what she did, in one month or less, compared to what other therapists tried to do for years. Thank you for everything!
Gabrielle, Audra's Mother
Audra is our seven year-old daughter. She has struggled with acid reflux since she was born. She couldn't eat certain foods. Until she turned seven this year, birthdays came with a cost for Audra. She would eat cake and drink juice and savor that center-of-attention joy. Within a matter of hours, invariably, she would throw up.
When Audra was one, she developed pneumonia because she was aspirating so much and was hospitalized. She was on an adult dose - 30 mg - of Prevacid. She eventually got so sick that she lost 12% of her body weight. When she got sick last year, we decided that we'd had enough. Audra had lost 6 pounds and weighed about 35 pounds. We got to a point where we needed to try something else. We'd gone through the medical route.
My husband receives acupuncture treatments at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and while there, he explained Audra's situation and asked for a recommendation for someone to treat her. The person he spoke to highly recommended Judi Terrill. We began bringing Audra to Judi in October 2016.
We have been able to significantly reduce the amount of Audra's medication and she currently sees her pediatrician only for wellness visits. Frequent visits were the norm before Judi started treating her. Judi doesn't use needles on Audra yet - she uses acupressure. And, it really works. Audra's health has improved so much and she can eat almost anything she wants. We are thankful we found Judi. We wish we had started earlier.
Hilary, Jesse's Mother
My son, Jesse, is 14 years-old. He's bright and imaginative but he's had a lot of struggles in school with focus. When he was in second grade, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention-deficit disorder. We worked with two different psychiatrists and our pediatrician to try to find the right medication to help Jesse focus. However, when Jesse was in middle school, his struggles with focus and organization became much more evident. A naturopath recommended we take our son to see Judi [Terrill], because of her expertise and experience in working with children. Jesse was so skeptical about going to see Judi! He said "I'll go but I'm NOT doing any needles." During our very first appointment with Judi, she developed such a strong rapport with Jesse during the interview process that he was willing to have needles. Jesse has now been seeing Judi for about a year. Getting consistent acupuncture from Judi has helped Jesse's confidence and self-awareness. His grades have gone up at school. He was determined to make the honor roll when he was in eighth grade and he did it! Jesse is a freshman in high school and has chosen not to take the Western meds for ADD and he's doing very well. We want any child who has a need to benefit from these life-giving healing treatments.
Greg, Jesse's Father
I'm Greg and I'm just very thankful for Judi [Terrill]. When we go, it's just a beautiful therapy for Jesse and us as a family. Jesse is getting out there and he wants to help himself. So, thank you very much.
I'm Jesse. So acupuncture has had good results for me. I can focus better and my grades have improved from Cs and Ds to As and Bs. I was skeptical at first because I didn't want needles but I have gone from one to about fifteen [needles]. I look forward to it because it's calming. I wish more kids could have a chance to experience this..
Susan, Jessica's mother
The work that Judi has done with us is really personal and something that we try to keep private. But my daughter was struggling with panic attacks, extreme chest pains and I had withdrawn her from school. After a couple of years of home schooling, she had an extreme chest pain. We were at the cardiologist's office and after he got the test results he told us he was more concerned about her committing suicide than he was about her heart failing. He wanted to take her from me. Because I was working with Judi, our family doctor supported me in leaving that day with my daughter. This year Jessica returned to public school. Without Jade Woman de LaLonde it would not have been financially possible for me to get treatments for Jessica.
I don't know how long I've been in acupuncture but I remember being upset and very depressed when I started doing it. I guess I just relaxed a little bit more and was able to focus on what was in front of me rather than what could possibly happen. Judi's a very kind person and she's been able to help me through the hard times. Thanks to her I've been able to return back to normal school and normal life and not have to be home schooled and worry about what it will be like for my future..
Kris, Alex's Mother
Alex is my youngest and he had an incident at school when he was younger that was hard for him to get over. Over the years it has just progressed. He is a senior this year. Last year he started having really bad panic attacks. They got so bad that he wouldn't leave the house unless we had a paper bag with us so he wouldn't hyperventilate. He was having trouble getting to school as a junior and was really struggling with grades, teachers and kids. We really didn't know what to do. We were counseled to see a psychiatrist and get him on some psychiatric drugs and anti-depressants. My husband and I decided that wasn't what we wanted to do. I asked the practitioner I was seeing at that time if she could do something to help Alex. She gave me Judi Terrill's name and this has changed our lives. Alex is a new young man. He wouldn't have come up here smiling. There are no more panic attacks. He's enjoying his senior year. He's applying for colleges. And it's all because of his treatments with Judi.
It started about third grade. I was having trouble with some of the kids. After third grade, I was home-schooled for a while. I kind of brooded on being home-schooled and thought about that most of my time. And that progressed into me thinking and worrying about other things. Worrying about those things got to be too much. Whenever I would do something new or something along those lines, I would start to think about all the bad things that could happen. That was kind of a 24-7 thing - always thinking about it. Sometimes, it would get to the point where I would have a panic attack. I felt like there wasn't too much I could do about it. When I found Judi [Terrill], I was a little unsure because I had no clue what was going on with me. I felt like there was no solution to the problem. I was skeptical at first, but as I started going through treatments I was changing. I found a person that I never knew was inside of me. Over the past year the old me was totally gone. I would classify myself as being a totally new person. I would say that Judi makes me normal..
Davida, Ariannah's Mother
My daughter, Ariannah, has struggled through a lot. She has anxiety. She's been diagnosed with OCD and the anxiety has triggered something called trichotillomania. It's a hair-pulling disorder that she's had since she was about six years old. She got bullied in school. She's home-schooled now but she's bright and she's doing really good. She was put on a lot of different medications. I never wanted to put my daughter on any kind of medications because of the side effects. I was afraid of what it was going to do to her while she was on them. She has been on several different medications but, as of now, she is currently off all medications and she is just currently doing acupuncture with Judi [Terrill]. Ariannah's grown so much. Her hair has grown back. She has her eyebrows, her eye lashes and her hair's looking gorgeous. She was afraid to go outside to see and talk to people. Now she's comfortable with going outside and finding new friends. So I just wanted to thank Judi for everything.
I'm Ariannah. I'm 14 years old. I've been doing acupuncture for almost a year now. When I first started acupuncture, I was at a time in my life when a lot was changing. I was dealing a lot with my trichotillomania, which is a hair-pulling disorder that I had developed when I was between six and seven years old. During those years I was on a lot of medications, such as Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac and I just recently weaned off of Fluvoxamine. With these medications there were so many side effects I couldn't really deal with any more. I got introduced to acupuncture and I can say acupuncture has definitely changed my life. My disorder is not as bad as it was before. I used to have to wear hats every single day to hide who I was. As of now I'm in front of people with a ponytail. I have hair! Not only has it changed me physically but also mentally and emotionally. I've had a harsh past but doing acupuncture helps me through the grieving process. And I want to thank everybody, especially Judi [Terrill], from the bottom of my heart for the help and the guidance..


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Citrix backs Microsoft App-V, sends VARs mixed messages
VARs may be scratching their heads as Citrix promotes the use of Microsoft App-V. Amazon Consulting's PartnerAlliances acquisition will strengthen its channel service capabilities.
Systems Channel News Roundup for the week of Nov. 15-19, 2010.
Application streaming rival Citrix champions Microsoft App-V
Microsoft App-V has clearly become the first choice for application streaming, and you can include supposed competitor Citrix Systems as an App-V fan as well.
Citrix is sending out mixed signals to application virtualization customers as the company appears to support, and even encourage, using App-V in Citrix's XenApp 6. Some market experts think this endorsement for App-V spells the end of Citrix's work with advancing application-streaming technology, but the company says that it will continue to work on its native technologies.
Citrix said it plans to update XenApp and XenDesktop in 2011 and maintains that solution providers may be interested in Citrix app streaming and App-V because both they can run both products concurrently, according to SearchVirtualDesktop.com.
VMware says that it will continue to develop ThinApp, despite its inability to support 64-bit applications, to augment its desktop virtualization offerings.
Amazon Consulting strengthens channel ties with PartnerAlliances acquisition
Amazon Consulting LLC made a strong push in the channel last week when it acquired PartnerAlliances. The company says this deal will help improve its alliance services and help create more long-term business opportunities.
PartnerAlliances offers tools such as Alliance Life Cycle Tracker to track and monitor a client's alliance relationship and can help Amazon Consulting in areas such as benchmarking and governance programs. The Alliance Life Cycle Tracker will become incorporated into Amazon Consulting's PartnerPath automation program..
Check out more systems channel news.


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Moto Guzzi Hispania (circa 1953) as a wall display in a Café in Colunga, Asturias, Northern Spain.
Motorcycles, motorcycle adventures, food, travel.
Moto Guzzi Hispania (circa 1953) as a wall display in a Café in Colunga, Asturias, Northern Spain.
I was in the Laconia area of New Hampshire with my buddy Matt, driving a 2013 Harley Electra Glide that I had christened The Lincoln Town Car. We had just visited a property, owned by a friend of Matt's, with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, in The White Mountain Range. The road up to the property was a challenge for the Town Car and our next stop was a continuation of similar road conditions. We visited Cathedral Ledge which is a 700 foot high granite ledge with breathtaking views over Conway Valley and Echo Lake. The view across the Saco River Valley to the White Mountains is spectacular. It is very popular with hikers and there are marked trails up to Cathedral Ledge and some of the other viewing points. It is also a favourite with rock climbers and when we walked out on to the ledge there was a climber about a hundred feet below, working his ropes and gear, slowly progressing upwards on the rock face. Cathedral ledge is very popular at this time of year when the steep auto road is passable and there were plenty of couples and families enjoying the view. It is a very popular picnic area and the path from the parking / auto road has been improved recently to make it more accessible and safer. The ledge itself is safely fenced and large enough to accommodate many visitors at once.
Our next stop was our accommodation for our stay in the area at Ossipee Lake which is a popular holiday area. The land surrounding the lake is home to many cottages, cabins, and lake houses, some of which can be rented for holidays. The cottage we were staying at was a beauty and owned by a friend of Matt's family. The family have rented the same cottage for many years and the whole family spend weeks or months there every year. The cottage is about 150 yards from the lake front and there is a beautiful beach and launching area for their pontoon boat from which they swim and fish. The owner, Frank has become a close family friend, and he was more than happy to have us visit for a few days. We went for something to eat in Conway and as it was cooler, dark and raining lightly when we rode back up to the cottage, I was glad of the heated grips on the bike and while I had been critical of the amount of heat coming off the right side of the bike, I was glad of it now. The light rain was no match for the massive fairing and it was great to have the chance to give Matt a ribbing about my hands being too hot until I got the setting just right on the heated grips. After a good nights sleep it was great to sit out on the deck, the following morning, and look over lake Ossipee and plan the day ahead. A trip Weirs Beach was a must, but there is so much more to see in this area that it was hard to know what to prioritise. Matt said, quite correctly, that a trip to Rosie's had to be our first priority.
In America, breakfast is an institution, but when you're in New Hampshire for Bike Week, Rosie's is the epitome of that institution. The restaurant is on White Mountain Highway and when we arrived there we parked beside the many other bikes and some trucks in the parking lot. The booths were full and mainly the occupants were Bikers, as well as some local regulars. Rosie's is famous for pancakes and Matt ordered one. One? I had never witnessed him order just one before. I had bacon and eggs. How do you like your eggs? What kind of bread? The coffee cups were filled and re-filled with amazing regularity and soon I understood why a man, who is a multiple pancake consumer, would order only one pancake in a restaurant where he professes them to be amongst the best he has ever eaten. This offering was big. Really big. A size or two bigger than the dinner plate it was served on and probably an inch thick.
Syrup, cream and strawberries were applied in short shift and then it was time to tuck in. The staff were very busy but this didn't hinder them from friendly chit-chat with the customers and had greetings for all new comers, calling the locals by name and a special word for a child here and an older customer there. I have always enjoyed the breakfast experience in the States, and Rosie's is one restaurant that's worth a visit if you are over for Bike Week, or passing through Tamworth for any other reason. While many breakfast places open in the morning only, Rosie's is an all day restaurant and I reckoned the older woman I could see through the open kitchen door toiling over a stove was probably the woman herself, but I could be wrong. If you visit the States you will see early morning queues in the franchise outlets, such as McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts. I much prefer to find an independent business, such as Rosie's and experience the home made food and warm service from friendly staff that appear to have maintained their personalities, rather than the automaton you can sometimes meet in the franchise stores.
Weirs Beach, Laconia is the place to be during Bike Week. When I say the place to be, read: the place to be seen. The Weirs is a large sandy beach on the south shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, with a boardwalk and a wide boulevard that is taken over every year by vendors and arcades for the summer visitors. During bike week the boulevard is host to thousands of bikers. A one way system is in place to allow parking on both sides, and the centre, for the huge number of bikes. The biggest difficulty is just finding a spot to park your bike. We cruised down to the Weirs and started our search for parking. A few hundred feet down I spotted a gap, and Matt found one a little further down, and we carefully backed our bikes in. The space for the Lincoln Town Car was just about big enough and after a few moments I successfully navigated the back wheel to the footpath. No tug boats or barges were required in this manoeuvre. Jackets, helmets gloves and the kitchen sink disappeared into the cavernous top box and we were ready to wander around. The vendor stalls and larger stores are mainly stocked with clothing and biker stuff. Tee-shirts, leathers, luggage and general bike equipment are the staples. The best part of the visit was the chance to view the fantastic customised bikes and I was delighted with the quality and variety of what was on view on the boulevard. Of course we checked out all the merchandise that the vendors had on display and I got a few Laconia Bike Week 2016 Tee-shirts and Matt got a really nice shirt for himself, and Tee-shirts as presents for some of his biker buddies back home. The hours rolled by and before we knew it, it was time to head back to the cottage. We stopped at the Harte's Turkey Farm Restaurant. Harte's started as a small family farm business in the 1940s, delivering chickens, eggs and turkeys in a small truck. In 1954 they opened a family restaurant that grew into a successful business even after they stopped raising their own turkeys. It is now a 500 seat restaurant, and a catering business, about five miles from Weirs Beach. It is well worth a visit and the food we were served was very tasty and there was plenty of it.
It had started raining hard just as we reached Harte's restaurant and it was dark and blustery. When we set off back to the cottage the rain had lightened but it was still very windy. I really appreciated the protection I had on Electra Glide. I had put on my rain jacket for this trip but I need not have bothered. The rain didn't seem to come in contact with the jacket and my boots and trousers were not affected at all. Visibility had remained relatively good because the screen on the fairing mostly prevents the rain from obscuring the view through your helmet visor or glasses.
I collected the Electra Glide from MOMS motorbikes in Foxboro and Matt and I set off on our road-trip to Laconia. Its a couple of hours trip on I-95 or I-495 up to The White Mountain Range where I-93 becomes the most important highway. I have to admit that I was a little worried about how I would get on riding the Harley. I had tried Harleys a couple of years ago and while friends had told me about how comfortable these big cruisers are, I had had a different experience. When I had tried Harleys I had found it hard to get comfortable riding cruiser-style bikes, and Lenny in Waterford Harley, had noted my disappointment when I returned, having tried some of the finest in the shop. In an effort to console me he had said the riding style "is not for everybody", but it didn't take long for me to realise that I was going to have no problem on this trip. Matt stopped after a short time in a gas station and I was grateful that I wasn't the first one to start bemoaning the onset of old age, joint pain, arthritis, and old injuries. Furthermore, I discovered that the older Harley, that Matt was riding, a Heritage Softail, didn't have a sixth gear and didn't have electronic ignition so we were going to have very regular refuelling stops. Matt's bike only had soft bags and the Electra Glide I was riding had the full tour pack with hard cases and a massive top box. Plenty of space to accommodate luggage, helmets and everything else that might be needed for a long touring holiday.
Matt and I were born the same year, long before 6th gears, electronic ignition, World Wide Web or mobile/cell phones were known to the world. So to apportion all the responsibility for sore hips and backs on the bikes would be unfair. At least we could laugh about our age and injury related issues, which we did quite regularly on the trip. When we got back on the Interstate I concentrated on getting comfortable and getting used to this big girl. At 854lbs (398kgs) it takes a bit of getting used to and even when you are getting it upright from the side-stand you really feel the weight. The front of the bike seemed to carry a lot of the weight and that's no surprise when you take into consideration what's going on up there. There is a very large fairing which shelters the rider and a massive amount of equipment. There is a radio and large speakers housed in the fairing and lots of clocks and a considerable amount of chrome. The handlebars also have lots of stuff going on, including buttons for lights, cruise control and an indicator switch on both bars, as opposed to just one switch that controls indicators for both sides on most other make of bike. It wasn't long before I started referring to it as the Lincoln Town Car because of it's size and weight. A Lincoln Town Car is a full sized luxury sedan or saloon car, made by Lincoln up to about five years ago, and it was the longest, and one of the biggest even in terms of American cars, often used as the basis for stretch limousines.
When you get on the Interstate on this bike the weight becomes irrelevant and I began to relax and try to find a comfortable seating position. I set the cruise control and with Matt taking the lead, I began to become accustomed to the vibrations from this big machine and enjoyed the journey. I was glad of the regular stops even though the Lincoln Town Car didn't need to refuel anywhere nearly as often as Matt's Heritage Softail. In fact it was positively frugal, taking only tiny little sips of gas. Gas or petrol costs a little more than two dollars for a gallon. Although an American gallon is a little smaller than the imperial one we used before the change to litres, it is still so much cheaper than what we pay in Europe. A few more stops for fuel and coffee and to stretch the limbs, and we were close to our destination. Or so I thought.
Matt had other ideas and on one of our stops he announced that he would like to visit a property belonging to a friend of his. His friend had a building firm at his property that were undertaking a big expansion to his house and Matt wanted to see how the project was turning out. The property is close to a town called Bartlett and we started looking for it. We turned off up mountain roads and started searching for some familiar landmarks so Matt could navigate to the house. The Lincoln Town Car was not built for these steep roads. The road surface must have been put there back in President Eisenhower time in the 1950s', and built in his honour, so nobody wanted to interfere with the monument to the great man since. Straight up steep inclines with high trees on both sides with the finest switchbacks, hairpins, loose surface and subsidence known to man. Matt is an avid Motocross man and if we had the motocross bikes I had seen in his garage this would be a great place to motorcycle. The Lincoln Town car on the other hand was far from its preferred stomping ground. After a number of attempts to find what we were looking for, we came across a work crew and they set us straight. Back to the highway and a few miles further on, we again turned off up a mountain road and did some more practically vertical motocross manoeuvres until we found the property. Let me tell you it was worth it. Matt's friend's property was on a high crest with a view to die for. In the middle of the White Mountain Range, there was a mountain peak in every direction you looked. The extension on the house was three stories, with picture windows facing in every direction, and a mountain to look at from each one. Over the next few days I heard about so many mountains that I can't remember for sure which mountains I was looking at from the house. Mount Washington for sure, but there were many more. This whole area is known for it's views and famous worldwide for fabulous scenery and the mountains and mountain highways and lakes. These are what make New England synonymous with Autumn beauty and winter holidays as well as summer visitors. It's a backpacker, snowboarder and skier's paradise in the winter and the summer visitors include mountaineers, hikers, water sports enthusiasts as well as a huge influx of motorcyclists for Laconia Bike Week.
During my recent trip to the States I was anxiously looking forward to our motorcycle trip to Laconia Bike Week, but I was happy to do a day trip to Boston to see a few of the sights and attractions. We visited Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market area which is a busy down-town historic indoor market that is particularly well known for food, and a good friend of mine had said I needed to try a lobster roll from the vendor stalls in the market. I was recommended to go right to the back of the market and go to a particular stall, but when we got there it was lunchtime and the whole market, which is huge, was full with people queuing for food. It was hardly possible to move with tourists but also office workers, I am guessing, from the more formal clothes they wore, from companies located nearby. I contended myself with a lobster roll from Ned Devine's Irish pub which is at the back entrance to the market, and never having had one before, I didn't have any complaints. The area around the market hosts huge numbers of visitors and is well worth a visit, for souvenirs, food and clothes and is also well known for street theatre and performers. On the day we were there the number of performers was not what it usually is, but there was a guy there that attracted a big audience, mainly because his act started with chainsaw juggling which seemed to pique the interest of the students on school tours especially.
A city tour of the streets and the Charles River by Duck Boat, which are derived from World War 2 amphibious landing vehicles, is very popular, mainly because the "conDUCKtors" that drive and pilot these vehicles, or vessels, give a comic running commentary while they point out the interesting attractions in the city. Our guy was Canadian, known as Tim Burr (as in when somebody shouts: TIIMMBEER, when felling a tree), and his gag is that he fell into the Charles River and floated down from Canada to Boston where someone on a DUCK boat pulled him out of the water, and he has been working the DUCK boats ever since, to try earn the cab fare back to his Mom in Canada. As you can guess, the normal demographic for DUCK boats is Middle School students, but the tour was very good and you see a lot on the road trip around the city and even more when the tour takes to the water. It is a great additional perspective from which to see the city.
Matt's Dad came over to visit when he heard that an Irish guy was over to stay for a while. "Bo" is a Korean War Vet, from a Irish / Italian background, married to an all Italian girl, both of whom have had long and interesting lives, and plenty more to do. "Bo" is well into his eighties but still drives, and when he visited Matt's to meet me he came over in his Model A Ford. When he had been talking about buying it a few years ago, nobody took him seriously. He did. He bought it and came home in it and enjoys nothing more than taking it out for a jaunt. It is a beautiful example of a 1931 Ford Model A.
It was time to take a look at the bike I was taking up to Laconia. I was highly impressed when I got to MOMS, in Foxboro. This is a Polaris dealer through and through, and the the first thing that impresses you is that there is a lot going on here. The parking lot is full of motorcycles, cars and people. There is a lot to the side of the business, where there was an instructor, and some riders learning their craft on a variety of bikes. This is a busy place. As you walk into the shop you see new Indian motorcycles. A new Roadmaster with what I think is the most impressive paint job on the market was right next to the door. There were many other Indian models and its impossible not to be impressed with the paint, the leather and the detail on these bikes. A little further into the shop the Victory bikes are displayed, and over to one side, I notice Polaris Slingshots, and near the back was plenty of clothing, helmets and accessories. I discovered very soon that my bike was the last bike available. Whether they had held it for me or I was just lucky, was not clear and I didn't question it. I had a bike. I had a bike during Laconia Bike Week, and that was not to be sniffed at. The bike was a full dress Electra Glide (FLHTK) from 2013 with a 103 cubic inch engine (1670cc), in an attractive black and silver livery. Weighing in at 857 lbs (398 kgs) which is massive compared to what I am used to. This model has abs, cruise control, a smart security system, an attractive two-tone paint scheme, the tour-pack and a luggage rack, and heated hand grips. An interesting feature of the security system is that you can keep the key in your jacket pocket and if you walk away from the bike the system activates remotely and the bike won't start. When you walk back into range with the key in your pocket the security turns off and the bike will start. I was looking forward to getting out on the road and seeing how I and this big girl were going to get along.
Taking a test drive on a 2016 FJR
The 2016 Yamaha FJR1300AE or as its known in the States FJR1300ES
I recently had the good fortune to try out the new Yamaha FJR1300AE at AMI (Adventure Motorcycles Ireland) in Gorey. I called in and Gary had no problem handing over the keys to the beautiful silver specimen that was sitting outside, glistening in the sun. The new version has six gears that fit into the old gearbox as a result of some magic by the Yamaha Engineers and the gearing has revised ratios for more even spacing. The bike has electronically adjustable suspension which adjusts at the push of a button. It gives you the option of soft, standard or hard and the choice of one or two up, with or without luggage. The windscreen is easily adjustable through a range of over five inches, also at the push of a button.
The first impressions of this bike are of a truly modern Sports Touring bike with bang up to date instrumentation that is clear and easily read. In Sports Mode this bike is sharp and swift. You are left in no doubt that there is plenty of power at the throttle. The clutch is as light as a feather and gear changes are very smooth. Yamaha's unified braking system makes for a confident stop and there is the added security of ABS and traction control. There are plenty of gadgets and gizmos like new Angle Sensitive LED lights that light progressively at an angle as you corner, and the buttons and controls are easily accessible and feel like they are positioned in just the right place. It feels intuitive. My favourite gizmo is the Cruise Control. It is simple to use. I took the bike out on the Motorway immediately to give it a go and it is faultless with a little button low on the left handlebar with a recognisable icon in the shape of a speedometer to turn Cruise on. The Set / Resume buttons are equally well positioned and very easily reached and comfortably useable.
On the left handlebar, the button with up and down arrows on top is to adjust the wind-shield and you can see the set and resume for the cruise. The round button underneath switches Cruise Control on.
You may wonder why I consider the cruise control a favourite. Motorcycling is a hobby and there is nothing better than a challenging road with a series of bends and a good surface. Nice scenery and nice towns and villages to stop and enjoy a coffee in, are also a big plus. So why am I interested in cruise control? To get to the nice roads, nice towns and nice scenery you sometimes have to cover long distances on highways / motorways and cruise control takes a lot of pressure off the wrist and arm when you are in the saddle for extended periods. Hilton Hincks (HB Motorcycles, Waterford), well known in Biking circles in Ireland, once told me that one of his hints for touring in Europe was to watch the weather forecast and use the motorway network to relocate swiftly if the area you happen to be in is suffering from bad weather. It's very good advice that I have put into practice and cruise control is a very useful tool where covering longer distances is concerned.
Ride this bike on the back roads in Sports mode and you will enjoy its great balance and power. You will look forward to the next corner or series of corners because it is a highly competent sports bike. Switch to Touring and while things tone down slightly it still has plenty of torque and power and will whisk you along for many miles thanks to its 25 litre fuel tank. At a claimed 6.2 litres to 100 kilometres or in old money, about 45mpg, it should be good for over 240 miles (386 km) between re-fuels.
I don't know of a word in the English language that indicates something that is urgent and relaxed at the same time. If there is, it should be used to describe this bike. It is so relaxed and easy to ride with a comfortable riding position. It does everything you want with no fuss, and when you want to liven things up, it will instantaneously implement your desires. The shaft drive and ride by wire aspects of this bike are elements contributing to the instant crisp reaction to the throttle commands. Its multi-plate, assist-and-slipper wet clutch allow super smooth gear-changes. Power is available in abundance from the liquid cooled inline four cylinder 1298cc engine.
I found the seat to be both firm and comfortable at the same time, and was surprised how much leg room there was. I am about 5'10'' or 11'' and while I had plenty of room I could securely get a foot down. While it's a big bike at 292kgs (644lbs) and you feel the weight until you are moving away from a stop. Then a nice feeling of balance is the most noticeable impression. The only thing that I was disappointed with was I had to bring it back! I could easily see myself being spirited across continental Europe, or any other continent on this bike. An autobahn in Germany? Maybe a set of twisties in the Alps. I think this bike could do it all and if you're 'Significant Other' so chose, I think both would be happily accommodated on this bike. For one up touring, I fancy the hard side cases would be plenty. Depending on how many pairs of heels, outfits, make-up and combinations of shampoo and conditioner were required, you might have to consider a top box. My 'Significant Other' can cross Northern Spain on foot with just what will fit in a modest rucksack. I think the side cases would do us both perfectly well!
If you are in the market for a new bike, I would seriously suggest you take a good look at this new FJR. If you are looking for a sports bike and think you can manage without the extras that come with the electronic suspension, you can get the bike for about 18.5k. If you are looking for a Sport Tourer of a phenomenal class, gather your euros and get yourself the bike with electronic suspension, the FJR1300AE.It will set you back a little over 21k, a sizeable chunk of change, no doubt . If long distance touring is your intention, and your ambition to do it in comfort, this could be the investment of a lifetime, and one that I highly recommend.