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The World's Most Far-Flung Lodges
Escape civilization and head into the unknown by visiting one of these 10 off-the-grid paradises
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
From the desolate, foreboding highlands of Iceland to the species-rich rainforests of Costa Rica, these far-flung destinations hide stunning lodges that require more than a little bit of extra effort to reach. But, as they say, getting there is half the adventure.
Pacuare Jungle, Costa Rica
Costa Rica isn't exactly at the end of the earth—it's a quick flight from just about anywhere in the United States—but the nation's virgin old-growth Central Caribbean rainforest is another matter. There, you're more likely to run into Cabecar Indians, howler monkeys, and whitewater raft guides than you are traditional tourists. With only a handful of lodges, the approximately 25,000-acre Pacuare Protected Zone has remained blissfully undeveloped.
Getting there requires a dry bag and a flight to San José, where a minibus will transport you through the historic capital city of Cartago to the banks of the Pacuare River. After a traditional Costa Rican breakfast of gallo pinto and fried plantains, Aventuras Naturales' professionals will guide you down 2.5 miles of Class III rapids to Pacuare Jungle Lodge's muddy shores. En route, keep a watchful eye on the dense tropical rainforest to catch glimpses of monkeys, brown sloths, and jaguars' pint-sized brethren, ocelots.
Once you've settled into your bungalow, you can take a dip in your private, freshwater stone pool, nap in your rope hammock, or embark on a handful of adventures. Horseback ride 2.5 miles through narrow jungle pathways to the rural village of Bajos del Tigre, zip line through the rainforest's canopy, or trek to a Cabecar Indian's isolated household to chat with a shaman. Your departure brings Class IV rapids and the infamous Upper Huacas and Lower Huacas. Translation: Graveyard. Beginning at $413 per person, double occupancy, all-inclusive; pacuarelodge.com.
Three Camel, Mongolia
The seemingly desolate 500,002-square-mile Gobi Desert hides a rich Mongolian nomadic culture; rare wildlife, such as goitered gazelle, golden eagles and snow leopards; and a Nomadic Expeditions-owned and -operated eco lodge dedicated to cultural, environmental and species preservation. Pack a bandana. Nomadic Expeditions' dusty 14-day Gobi Trek begins in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, with a 90-minute prop-plane flight to Dalanzadgad. There, the real journey begins. Your first stop is Flaming Cliffs, the site where Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first nest of fossilized dinosaur eggs, and then it's off to Khongoryn Els sand dunes. There, your 70-mile trek through the Gobi's barren, rocky expanse begins. Each day, you'll sit atop a lumbering Bactrian camel and wind through miles of sand dunes, past clay cliffs and through forests of saxaul trees. Each night, you'll set up camp on the arid desert floor. Respite comes in the form of Three Camel Lodge's handmade felt gers and unobstructed views of the Gobi Altai Mountains. The wind- and solar-powered outpost's Thirsty Camel Bar serves up steamed mutton dumplings and Altan Gobi, a Mongolian lager. Dig in and watch native Mongolians perform traditional songs and dances. Rest up: The exploration of Ongiin Khiid's ancient temple ruins is next. threecamellodge.com.
Uakari, Brazil
At 1.4 billion acres, the Amazon Rainforest may seem infinite. But at a destruction rate of nearly 10,000 acres a day, 55 percent of the Amazon will vanish in the next two decades. Head deep into the world's richest and most varied biological reservoir now before it disappears.
Fly to the outpost town of Tefé in Brazil's Amazonas state. From there, a riverboat will pick you up at the edge of the Solimões River to take you on an hour and a half journey through the Amazon Rainforest to Uakari Lodge and your floating thatched bedroom deep inside the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve.
Uakari is linked to the Mamirauá Institute's Ecotourism Program and is a testament to Amazon conservation and protection: this solar-powered lodge accommodates up to 20 people and donates the majority of its profits to anti-poaching surveillance efforts and community development projects. Bring a camera; the lodge's freshwater surroundings are frequent haunts of playful, endangered pink river dolphins.
Your trip is fully planned and outfitted. From a night hike to spot tarantula spiders, opossums, two-toed sloths, Amazon bamboo rats, and bats to the option of helping local naturalists gather data on their latest studies, Uakari is determined to show its guests why the Amazon is worth saving. Beginning at $600, three-night minimum, all-inclusive; uakarilodge.com.br.
Rimba Orangutan Eco, Indonesia
Orangutan habitats once sprawled across Indonesia and Malaysia. Today, their habitat has been reduced to two rapidly dwindling Indonesian rainforests. Visit Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas' Camp Leakey, located on the Indonesian island of Borneo, to view these great apes in one of their last two remaining holdouts.
Fly from Jakarta, the capital and largest city of Indonesia, to Pangkalan Bun, a small city in Central Kalimantan, and drive 20 minutes to the port of Kumai. From there, you'll board a traditional wooden klotok for a two-hour ride on the Sekonyer River to the Rimba Orangutan Eco Lodge, a remote lodge adjacent to Tanjung Puting National Park and Galdikas' 41-year-old feeding and research station. On site, you'll explore the rainforest by foot and klotok, scouting feeding stations to watch orangutans chow down on seasonal fruits and nap in self-fashioned nests.
The rainforest is home to nine primate species, including black-handed gibbons and proboscis monkeys as well as crocodiles and giant monitor lizards. Stay up late for a night hike to see fireflies lighting up the sky above glowing mushrooms in Indonesia's nipah palm forest just down river from the lodge and its resident troop of macaque monkeys. Beginning at $150; ecolodgesindonesia.com/rimba/.
Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa, Easter Island
Your journey to the so-called Navel of the World begins in Santiago, Chile, and heads five hours due west to Easter Island, a volcanic Polynesian island guarded by 887 moai statues.
Located 1,289 miles from its nearest inhabited neighbor, Easter Island is one of the world's most remote colonized islands. Today, it's also one of the most mysterious in large part due to the still unexplained origin of these towering monolithic human statues.
Head to the brand-new, solar-powered Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa, on the edge of Easter Island's town, Hanga Roa. Hangaroa offers a number of Rapa Nui-guided tours, including a trip to Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater, former quarry, and home to nearly 400 moai statues, as well as a surf safari of the island's surrounding breaks.
Local Rapa Nui brothers Vaenga and Mai Teao offer a two-hour safari ($30; 569-9816-5381) out of a shack near the beach. Experts should head to Pakaia, where swells range from nine to 26 feet. Beginning at $640, double occupancy, all-inclusive; hangaroa.cl.
Kerlingarfjöll Resort, Iceland
In the summer, Iceland's isolated interior is home to roughly 35,000 Icelandic horses and some 8,000 tourists, horse ranchers, and tour operators. But come winter, the central Highlands' combination of uninhabitable volcanic desert, imposing mineral-streaked mountains, and deadly winter squalls, forces horses and tourists alike to retreat to the island's milder coastlines, leaving the interior seemingly lifeless—until this winter.
For the first time ever, Kerlingarfjöll Resort will pick you up in a super Jeep to take you from the island's southwestern coast to its inhospitable interior. The drive, depending on conditions, can take upwards of 10 hours. To get there, you'll cross multiple rivers and navigate the vast snowy, treeless terrain, guided predominately by GPS, to Kerlingarfjöll's picturesque outpost of A-frame cabins.
Once there, your guides dig out your snowdrift-buried accommodations. Fuel up on barbecued lamb and salt fish before blazing cross-country ski and snowshoe trails on the surrounding untracked hillsides. Kerlingarföll may be surrounded by thermal hot springs, but, at more than 212 degrees F, the nearest swimmable option is a must-hit at a 20-minute super Jeep ride away.
With only four hours of daylight in the heart of Iceland's winters and zero light pollution, the Northern Lights are brighter in the Highlands than anywhere else in the country. Turn off your cabin's lights and wait for the dark sky to awaken. Packages begin at $1,200, all-inclusive; kerlingarfjoll.is.
Sani Mountain, South Africa
The first time anyone drove up South Africa's Sani Pass, then a mule trail, was in October 1948. It took ex-RAF Spitfire pilot Godfrey Edmonds nearly six hours and required the assistance of a Basotho labor gang, ponies, a chain pulley block, and a handful of petrol cans.
Today, Sani Pass and its 4×4 road make the trip to the mountain's top and Sani Mountain Lodge slightly more achievable. Perched on the border between South Africa and Lesotho at 9,429 feet above sea level, the lodge is home to the highest pub in Africa and is the launch point for several backcountry hikes.
To get there, rent a 4×4 vehicle in Johannesburg and begin the 375-odd-mile drive south through the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province. Buckle up; Sani Pass ascends 4,363 feet in just five miles and is littered with previous wrecks.
From Sani Mountain Lodge, you can bag several nearby summits. Hodgson's Peaks is a five-hour round trip hike across alpine meadows, home to grazing sheep and angora goats, to its 10,498-foot summit for views of Lesotho's mountainous interior. Hardier hikers should commit to a 14.8-mile round trip hike to 11,424-foot Thabana Ntlenyana, Lesotho's highest peak and the highest point south of Kilimanjaro. Beginning at $133; sanimountain.co.za.
Awaroa, New Zealand
Abel Tasman National Park may be New Zealand's smallest national park at just 87 square miles but its world-famous coastal track is well worth a trek down under. Known for its pristine white sand beaches and sculptured granite cliffs, this park hides an eco lodge that's only accessible via foot, sea kayak, or boat.
Backpackers should begin their trek to Awaroa at Marahau, the eastern entrance to the park, with a five-hour hike to the Anchorage campsite. The next day, Awaroa Lodge emerges from the native forest of manuka and kanuka tress in the northern end of the park. Once a shed that served tea and fresh scones, today Awaroa is a luxury wind and solar-powered eco lodge.
Settle into your room, overlooking the surrounding wetlands, and hike the trail system to spy paradise shelducks navigating the waterways, 60-year-old eels swimming through the plant foliage, and bioluminescent glow worms lighting up at night. Refuel on big-eyed tuna and steamed New Zealand clams.
Backpackers should pack a lunch and hike to Separation Point and Totaranui Beach, a 2.5-hour tidal hike across the inlet of a wide bay. For more nights under the stars, set up camp on the beach. Beginning at $298; awaroalodge.co.nz.
Sweet Escape Resort, Samoa
Head to Sweet Escape Resort on Samoa's Manono Island to escape cars, dogs, and, with a population of only 889 islanders, crowds. Just a 2.4-mile boat ride from Samoa's main island, Upolu, Sweet Escape is home to a small outpost of bright yellow and blue open-air fales perched on Manono's rocky coastline.
Upon your arrival, take part in a kava ceremony where a local family will welcome you to the island as their guest by passing around a traditional drink extracted from the roots of a kava tree and mixed with water.
The people on Manono live a simple life reading, strolling, fishing, and snorkeling the calm turquoise waters that hug the island. Rent a Paopao, a traditional canoe, to explore the island's coastline and try your hand at fishing. Attempt to match the local teenage boys' prowess at spearing, or just watch for a while to gain insight into the technique. The teens wear fish-laden ropes around their shoulders, parading the day's dinner, and often snack on fresh fish as they clamber out of the water.
Pack in a case of Vailima, Samoa's own lager, and end each night listening to the waves batter the coastline while you sip on local brew. Beginning at $100; Sweet Escape Resort.
Desert Rose, Kenya
In the far northwest corner of Kenya, situated near the southernmost tip of Lake Turkana, sits the eco lodge Desert Rose. The earth-toned lodge juts out from the slopes of Mt. Nyiru and is reachable via a 10-hour road trip—pack surplus gas and precisely follow the lodge's extensive driving instructions—or a 90-minute flight on the resort's private Cessna 206 aircraft.
Tucked away in 62 acres of orchids, cedar, and cycad trees deep inside Kenya's Northern Frontier, the isolated, solar-powered lodge is miles away from any other sign of human habitation. Upon arrival, you'll move into one of the lodge's five Samburu-built houses carved out of local rocks and timber. Each morning, you'll wake up to a traditional cup of freshly brewed Kenyan black tea and biscuits.
Adventures from the Desert Rose include dawn bush walks; climbing Kenya's remote crags in the Ndoto Mountains; or riding a camel to spot wild boar, wild dogs, and elusive leopards. At night, indulge in sundowners, cocktails in the bush at sunset, and eat by the river to the twilight symphony of the bush. Beginning at $540, all-inclusive; desertrosekenya.com.


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St. Johns moms want students to go all digital
In a spare bedroom they call their war room, Kim Kendall, who sits on a state education committee, and former teacher Jill Flores are creating a plan to make schools nearly completely digital by giving a laptop or a tablet to every student in public schools.
"We need to be digital to support these courses and get our students ready for the job market," Flores said.
These two St. Johns County moms have created PAGE -- or Parents Advancing Global Education. They've studied other states' programs and come up with their own plan.
The goal: Give all 2.66 million children in Florida public schools a laptop, train every teacher and pay for it without adding extra costs to the budget. They'll give the plan to the state department of education.
Kendall said they will show "the funding options we've come up with, the different plans. We've talked to teachers, unions, principals."
Flores and Kendall estimate the state wide roll out will cost $800 - 900 million dollars. Their biggest funding source would come from tweaking the class size amendment which they say costs $3 billion to $5 billion a year.
"This is to put class size back on the ballot and loosen class size by two-to-four students with principal control," Kendall said.
A symposium last week about the PAGE proposal even had Gov. Rick Scott Skyping in to comment.
Because St. Johns County leads the state academically in so many ways, Flores and Kendall believe St. Johns County should take the lead in going completely digital at schools. The superintendent of the district is interested but he wants to know more.
"A couple things come to mind ... what is the sustainability of it and your ability to fund that for all students and then the equity. You want all students to have access," said St. Johns County schools superintendent Joseph Joyner.
Flores and Kendall say they have a plan for all of that.
"It's because we've got kids in school," Kendall said. "It's our heart. We're willing to do the extra work."

subset: commoncrawl


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This defaced anti-abortion advertisement was spotted on the 7 train in NYC. The strategically placed sticker covers up the words 'Abortion Changes You,' and the full advertisement with altered text reads:
I thought life would be the way it was before. Now I can go to college & fulfill my dreams.
Michaelene Fredenburg founded Abortion Changes You in San Diego and says it is a "support system" for those struggling with post-abortion trauma, rather than an anti-choice campaign.
Samantha Levine of NARAL Pro-Choice New York views it differently:
"[These ads suggest] that feelings of sadness and self-harm are the universal experiences for someone who had an abortion. And there's no evidence to suggest that that's true."
Tracy Clark-Flory from Salon.com thinks this anti-abortion advertisement is one-sided:
[Y]ou know what is guaranteed to change you and your life in a profound way? Motherhood. But I don't recall seeing any subways ads featuring a woman knee-deep in dirty diapers with the text, 'I thought life would be the way it was before.'
Check out more of the things We Heart.


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Surgery, reflux (fundoplication): A surgical technique that strengthens the barrier to acid reflux when the lower esophageal sphincter does not work normally and there is gastro-esophageal reflux.
Fundoplication has been the standard surgical method for treating gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is the constellation of inflammation, pain (heartburn), and complications that results when acid refluxes (regurgitates) from the stomach back up into the esophagus. Under normal conditions, there is a barrier to acid reflux. One part of this barrier is the lower-most muscle of the esophagus (called the lower esophageal sphincter) which is contracted and closes off the esophagus from the stomach most of the time. In people with GERD, the sphincter does not work normally. It is weak or relaxes inappropriately, permitting the acid from the stomach to go back up into the esophagus.
During fundoplication, the part of the stomach closest to the esophagus is gathered, wrapped, and sutured around the lower end of the esophagus and the lower esophageal sphincter. This increases the pressure at the lower end of the esophagus and thereby reduces acid reflux. During fundoplication, other surgical steps frequently are taken that also may reduce acid reflux. If there is a hiatal hernia, the hernial sac may be pulled down from the chest and sutured so that it remains within the abdomen. The opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes from the chest into the abdomen also may be tightened.
Fundoplication may be done using a large incision (in a laparotomy or thoracotomy) or with a laparoscope that requires only several small punctures of the abdomen. The advantage of the laparoscopic method is a speedier recovery and less post-operative pain.
The term fundoplication is composed of fundo-, referring to the fundus (the upper portion) of the stomach + -plication, an operation for reducing the size of a hollow organ (in this case, the stomach) by taking folds or tucks in its walls.


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Orioles-Pirates Game Postponed Due To Rain; Rescheduled For Thursday
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Manny Machado will have to wait at least another day before making his season debut with the Baltimore Orioles.
Machado joined his teammates and was poised to be activated from the 15-day disabled list before rain postponed Tuesday night's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The game has been rescheduled for Thursday night, previously a day off for both teams.
Machado hasn't played for Baltimore since undergoing left knee surgery last October. The 2013 All-Star third baseman won't formally come off the DL until the next day the Orioles are to play a game, manager Buck Showalter said.
Rain is in the forecast Wednesday, too. Machado is ready to play, rain or shine.
"I'm here to play baseball," he said, "If it is snow, if it is rain, if it is whatever."
After a rehabilitation assignment that consisted of playing three games for Class A Frederick, Machado was convinced he's ready to compete again at the major league level.
"The last couple days definitely helped," he said. "I felt ready a couple days ago. ... It was just a matter of getting the repetitions. I feel good. That's the main thing. I feel great. My body feels good, everything feels good. I'm just excited to be up here."
The 21-year-old Machado hit .283 with 14 homers, 71 RBIs and 51 doubles last year, his first full season in the majors. He will fill the roster spot vacated by slugger Chris Davis, who went on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained left oblique.
Machado will also provide stability defensively next to fellow Gold Glove winner J.J. Hardy.
"We played 156, 157 games together on the left side of the infield last year, so it's going to be nice to be looking over to my right and being pretty familiar with each other," Hardy said. "We're all happy to a have him back."
Machado insists there's no play defensively that he would be reluctant to make.
"I'm ready to play baseball. I'm going to go out there and make whatever play comes my way," he said. "I made a couple of nice plays in the lower levels, and I feel good defensively. I feel great (there). I'm not concerned about anything. I'm a baseball player, and I've been doing this my whole life. I'm just going to go out there, and whatever comes my way, just go out there and do it and play some baseball and have some fun at the same while I'm doing it."
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Tell me about yourself? This is an open question generally asked in every interview. This question provides a good opportunity for candidates to tell their strengths that have been mentioned in their resume. This also provides a platform at the beginning of the interview to explore their personality in front of interviewer and leave a good first impression. While answering this question, Be yourself. Another question that might be asked is what are your biggest accomplishments till date? The answer must be related to job, it provides an opportunity to show your competency level. Another generally asked question might be where do you see yourself in five-ten years time-span? How do you handle criticism during different situations? While answering these questions try to reflect the positive attitude and convey a message that all criticism has an advantage if taken in positive sense, all the criticism provides an opportunity for self-improvement. Also illustrate them by giving an example that how a week idea that has been criticised have some good points also. Another question might be how will you cope with a change in environment surround you? Tell how you can adapt and learn quickly in different situation. Turning negatives circumstances into positives (change your weaknesses into strengths) and increase the productivity of the individuals and organisation as a whole. An important question may be what can you do for us that someone else can't do? Answer this question must be in accordance to job skills needed. If the candidate has understood the details of the job in a proper sense, then he tries to answer this with a combination of your skills/experience with others. Another question that generally asked during interview is to describe a difficult problem you've to deal with. Clearly explain the interviewers that you have approached a problem, the process, the result and how you overcome the difficulties come in front of you. This will reflect your positive attitude towards challenges, and you were not discouraged by the situation comes in front of you. What is your greatest weakness is a commonly asked question? This question gives you an opportunity to show that you have identified your weaknesses and now working on reducing your weaknesses. How do you handle tension/stress is a difficult question generally being asked? Explain how you avoid stressful situations, and if not how you deal with them, give some examples also. How do you decide your direction? Show by giving some examples of how an individual can finish up the task without unnecessary complications. You can give examples from your personal life. Do you prefer working with others or alone? Explain how you can work well in both situations and can be benefited in both the situations "
For More Information You Can check the Upcoming Bank Exams Portal having Latest 2011 Bank Exams Updates and Notification with Information about Recruitment in Banks .


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- Material: Silicone, TPE, Metal
- Height: 5 Sizes
- Breast: 80-91 cm / 31.50-35.83 inch
- Waist: 48-55 cm / 18.90-21.65 inch
- Hip: 75-85 cm / 29.53-33.46 inch
Package Includes:
- 1 x Set
When you place your order, please leave a message in the Remarks with the following information:
Skin Color + Eye Color
If you don't leave any message to us, we will default that you will require the same doll as in our advertising pictures.
Skin Color Options
All Linkooer dolls have TPE skin which has a very long lifespan, total safety for human contact, no lasting odor or taste, and a low risk of tearing. Compared with existing silicone rubber products, TPE dolls are softer to the touch and have more realistic ldquojigglingrdquo of body parts (breasts, butts, etc). Moreover, this material is more elastic which allows the dolls to be more flexible at their joints, giving Linkooer dolls a special hi-realism touch. We offer the following standard skin tones for your choice.
1、White Skin. 2、Light Tan Skin.2、Tan Skin.
Eye Color Options
All of our eyes are hand made in our studio.We offer the following standard eyes colors for your choice.
1、Black.2、Brown. 3、Blue.4、Green
Standing or Not Standing
All Linkooer dolls come standard as non-stand. You may pick standing feet option when ordering.
1、Standing Feet 2、Not Standing FeetPack ListTips:The clothes on the photo won't be sent, which are only used to assist the shotting effect.
Q: Will the doll skin stain?
A: The dollrsquos skin although durable and resistant to rips, tears, and stain is not indestructible. You should be careful to keep your doll away from dark fabrics and tight clothing. If you like dark clothing you should be sure to wash it before putting it on your doll, and be sure to not store her with the clothing on. The best clothing for dolls is light colored, loose fitting fabrics.
Q: Do Linkooer Dolls come with a warranty?
A: Due to the nature of the product, we cannot accept returns. However, we stand behind our product and do whatever we can to satisfy our customers
Q: What is your return policy?
A: Although wersquod like to fully satisfy all our customers, our firm policy is: ALL SALES ARE FINAL. However, we highly recommend that you explore the myriad of options for altering your Linkooer doll. You can change his or her clothing, swap his or her wig, apply certain kinds of cosmetics, and even change his or her face.
1. We don't accept PB BOX address , and only ship to confirmed order address, your order address,ordered item and shipping address can't be changed after item shipped.2. Doll requires 2 – 3 days processing time + 4 – 13 days for shipping = 2 weeks total delivery time (estimated).3. We reserve the right to determine the best shipping method and carrier available.Privacy Protect1.Your privacy is our main goal. All packages are delivered in discreet packaging (a completely plain carton); additionally, customer details are sealed within our privacy policy.2. There is no specific indication or labelling on the box that reveals the contents inside.Order Cancellations & Refunds
1. As soon as you place your order, you will receive an order confirmation email. This means that we have received your order in our system and pre-authorized your credit card for the purchase.
2. Once receive your order, we will start the manufacturing process of your doll. All Linkooer dolls are custom-made, production time is from 3 to 7 days before it ships out from the manufacturer and it usually takes 2 week in shipping transit. You can expect total production and shipping time for your dream doll to be approximately 3 weeks (actual time may vary depending on delivery location). 3. Due to holidays, festivities or unavoidable circumstances, delays may occur during the manufacturing or shipment of the product.
As this is a custom product created just for you, your order may not be cancelled for any reason, SALE IS FINAL. If you want to modify, edit or upgrade the order, you have to reach out us in 24 hours from the date and time of purchase in order to request the changes and to see if the changes are possible, extra fees might be charged depending on your request.
Warranty & Damages
1. Due to the nature of this product, it is not possible for us to provide an exchange or refund as there are multiple concerns such as hygiene. Please understand that this is the normal practice within the sex dolls industry.
2.If your product or any part is damaged during the shipment process and the box has visible damages PLEASE DO NOT SIGN FOR THE PACKAGE and you should open a complaint with the shipment carrier as that probably happened during the shipment. After that, please report to us so we can also escalate it.Cardboard boxes and even Flight Case might get scratches or get broken during the shipment as most products are heavy. Please report to the shipping company if you see visible issues on the box.
3. If the product has any issues, please send photos tousand we will assess the issue in order to provide a solution, it will depend on the nature of the incident. If the problem was caused by us or our manufacturers we will take care of it.
4. We believe all our products are of high quality and our sex doll manufacturing partners have all been carefully screened to ensure that they can comply with the high standards we have come to expect. If you have any complaints or dissatisfaction please feel free to contact us so we can do our utmost to provide any suggestions or tips that may be able to resolve the issue. We appreciate any feedback as well as it can help us work with our manufacturers to avoid a repeat of these issues in the future.
FeedbackYour satisfaction and positive feedback is very important to us,please leave positive feedback and 5 stars if you are satisfied with our items and serivces.If you have any problems with our items or service,just feel free to conatact us firstly before you left any neutral or negative feedback,communication is more efficiently than opening a dispute.


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So many people have told me that they prefer flour tortillas over corn ones. For a long time, I couldn't understand why. I grew up in East LA, where soft, delicious corn tortillas were made fresh and sold warm. When I later tried the crackly cardboard varieties sold in most supermarkets, I understood why. But all corn tortillas can be tasty when prepared properly. The key is to not eat or use them straight from the fridge. Here are 5 ways to make them delicious:
1. Buy the freshest you can find. If you live near a tortilla factory, get them there or in local stores that carry them. Otherwise, check the sell-by dates on the supermarket packages and get the newest ones. If they smell rancid, return them to the market.
2. The quickest way to soft, pliable tortillas? Wrap a small stack (no more than 4) in damp paper towels and microwave in 30-second increments.
More From Good Housekeeping
3. The tastiest way to supple tortillas? Heat them on a grill, over an open flame on a gas stove as shown here, or in hot skillet on the stovetop. Turn them when small brown spots appear, transfer to a sheet of foil, and wrap. Stack the tortillas as you go and be sure to wrap them tightly after each addition.
4. For fast, crisp tortillas, sprinkle with salt, place them in a single layer between dry paper towels, and microwave in 45-second increments until crisp.
5. For yummy, crunchy tortillas, lightly coat them with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake in a single layer in a 450-degree oven until brown and crisp.
The softened tortillas are best for tacos or enchiladas, the crisp ones for tostadas, salads, and snacks. However you eat them, they're a yummy source of whole grains with double the fiber of flour tortillas. As you plan your Cinco de Mayo celebration, keep these tortilla tips in mind!
To see how we use corn tortillas, come visit us on a tour of GHRI.


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Backwoods Junk Removal
Junk Removal Throughout Wake County North Carolina
Our mission at Backwoods Junk Removal is to save you time and provide an absolutely enjoyable experience. We are a veteran-owned and family operated business that strives to provide a professional, friendly, and timely service. Our junk hauling services are based out of Holly Springs and service a large surrounding area in southwest wake county North Carolina.
Business Name:
Backwoods Junk Removal
1283 Horsham WayApex NC 27502United States
(919) 770-8223
Neighborhoods in Apex, NC
Abbington, Amherst, Ashley Downs, Beckett Crossing, Bradley Terrace, Brittany Trace, Buckingham, Carriage Downs, Center Heights, Center Street Station
Our Newest Profiles


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JFK security guards vote to OK strike on Dec. 20
NEW YORK - Some security guards at John F. Kennedy International Airport have voted to go on strike next week if their employer doesn't respond to their concerns over issues including training and equipment.
Security worker Prince Jackson said about 100 employees of Air Serv Corp. voted Thursday to authorize a strike for Dec. 20. The employees are not unionized but are being supported by 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union.
Another group of workers, for Global Elite Group Inc., is scheduled to hold a vote on Friday.
The workers handle security issues such as directing traffic in front of the terminals at the airport, one of the nation's busiest, and making sure non-passenger areas including the tarmacs are secure.
Jackson said the guards had tried to reach out to their employers about their issues, asking for more extensive training and better equipment including radios and outer gear such as proper winter coats, but their situation hadn't changed.
Avoiding a strike, he said, "would take them coming to the table to address our concerns, to let us know that they care about us and would like to sit down and talk to us."
In a statement, Air Serv, which provides services to commercial passenger and freight airlines, said it had just learned of the concerns this week and was reviewing them.
"We value employees' input on matters of concern to them," the Atlanta-based company said. "Accordingly, we will be speaking with employees on these matters in the days and weeks to come."
Global Elite, a worldwide security company, blamed the union for "false statements and allegations" and not its employees, who it said "have always been our most valuable asset."
The company, based in Garden City, said that "every level of management is in constant dialogue with our trained and professional field staff" and that "all the necessary resources" are provided.
Union spokeswoman Tanya Tuzman said Global's employees had a history of trying to take their concerns to their employer and "for the company to deny the veracity of their workers' complaints just points to the lengths they would go to."


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When did goldenrod become such a bad plant? It's really quite attractive, I think. It's a signature plant of the late summer/early fall prairie. Yes, some species can form fairly dense patches and can take advantage of a weakened grass stand to get a quick foothold. But would we complain if compass plant did the same thing?
Some people mistakenly blame goldenrods for hay fever. That, at least, is an easy illusion to dispel. The bright colorful flowers and the abundance of pollinating insects crawling all over them clearly indicate that goldenrods are insect pollinated, not wind pollinated like ragweeds and other hay fever-causing species. So spread the word… goldenrod doesn't make you sneeze.
Apart from the hay fever myth, though, there are some prairie ecologists who are struggling with how to categorize and treat goldenrod in a prairie plant community. There are, of course, many species of goldenrod – including some very rare prairie and savanna species. Most people are fine with categorizing those as species in need of conservation. I'm talking about some of the taller and more prolific/common species like Canada goldenrod and stiff goldenrod. Even Missouri goldenrod (which, ironically, is the state flower of Nebraska) gets occasionally thrown into the "down with goldenrod" conversation.
One issue with these goldenrods is that they are very effective colonizers. Their windblown seeds can disperse widely and can quickly establish in bare soil and/or in places where competition from other plants is light. And, unlike many other colonizers (ragweeds, hoary vervain, black-eyed susans, and many annual plants) goldenrods don't typically fade away in the face of competition from perennial grasses. These characteristics make them a staple plant of old fields – cropfields that are allowed to stand idle and be colonized by whatever species can do so. That's an ideal situation for goldenrods, and they can quickly become one of the dominant species in an old field. Many prairie restoration (reconstruction) projects that attempt to convert those old fields to prairie vegetation have found that simply tilling those old fields and seeding into them doesn't work well because of overwhelming competition from goldenrods and other old field species that have built up populations and seed banks. However, that's not a knock on goldenrod, it's a failure to properly prepare the seed bed for the restoration project. When seeding into a site that's been repeatedly cropped and doesn't have a history of goldenrod populations, goldenrod is usually much less of an issue.
The colonizing ability of goldenrods gets them in bad with ranchers as well because if cattle grazing continually weakens the dominant grasses in a pasture, space opens up for the establishment of other plants. Species like goldenrod that are not very palatable to cattle do particularly well in those circumstances. And, again, once they establish, their ability to survive even when the grass regains its vigor sets them apart from other species like hoary vervain and ragweed, which tend to fade quickly. Once they're abundant they look like some kind of noxious weed, and it's not uncommon for prairies to be sprayed to control goldenrod – a native wildflower.
So, which is it? Are these goldenrods showy wildflowers that provide valuable resources to pollinators in the fall? Or are they plants gone bad and in need of suppression? Maybe both – depending upon the situation. What I've seen in Nebraska prairies is that these goldenrods can look very abundant when they're blooming, but the prairie community around them maintains its diversity pretty well, and the goldenrod tends to plateau at a certain density and not get to the point where it forms large monocultures. But I've seen restored prairies in places like Illinois where it sure looks like goldenrod is dominating the plant community to the detriment of other species.
If goldenrod needs control in some situations, what's the best technique? It doesn't seem to be suppressed by dormant season fire. Broadcast herbicide spraying is almost certain to be counterproductive both because it destroys the much of the larger plant community and because goldenrod will almost certainly benefit more than other species from that suppression of competing plants. The fact that goldenrod is not palatable to cattle might mean that it's susceptible to repeated defoliation (mowing, etc.) or prescribed fire during the growing season. Has anyone had luck with that?
I'd like to hear about examples of goldenrod gone bad, successful or failed attempts to suppress it, or passionate defenses of these pretty flowers… Just leave a comment below.


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App concepts don't get much simpler than this, or much cooler: Cyclopedia takes Wikipedia's tens of thousands of geotagged entries, and overlays them onto a live, compass-oriented view of your surroundings.
If this sounds an awful lot like Wikitude, the AR Android app that just can't seem to eek its way into the App Store, that's because it is an awful lot like Wikitude—except with a more polished interface, and, well, iPhone support. (Sort of: non-3GSers need not apply). As with Wikitude, firing this thing up around a familiar location won't really blow your mind, since Wikipedia's geographic article density is still pretty low.
But if you're visiting a new place—that is, a place Wikipedia editors care to write about—Cyclopedia ceases to be an AR tech demo, and with adjustable search radii, a top-down map mode and non-geocaches Wikipedia searching, actually starts to be useful. Available now in the App Store for $2; video demo at the source link. [Chemical Wedding]


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When you are interested in a new challenge to try out inside a diner, you may be interested in searching for Oriental dishes. There are several types of Oriental meals which do not appear like chinese people food items you are accustomed to in your nearby restaurant. There are numerous of Asian dining establishments inside the Los Angeles location that will provide you with a new outlook on Oriental meals.
Japanese meals is certainly a distinct kind of Asian food items which is nothing like the Asian meals that you are currently employed to having. China foods was developed to have an American market which is not exactly the same meals that may be ingested in indigenous Asian places. If you want to test other Oriental foods that may be very real, Japanese food is a good place to start. You will not only hold the connection with eating genuine foods, although the expertise in the culinary experts is on complete display in the Japanese steak property. The chef will often prepare food the food appropriate before you to help you see what is place in the food.
Thai dishes is one of the other Asian cuisines that you need to purchase an real flavor in the foods of Asia. It is famous to be very hot and spicy, but actually Thai food items is a wonderful mix of every style sensation which includes sour, fairly sweet, very hot, salty, and nasty. The meals combine together phenomenally and several people discover this dishes their very favorite while searching for Oriental food.
The foodstuff of Vietnam is another preference handle that you need to seek out when you are browsing other Oriental cuisine in the L . A . region. The main focus of this meals type is on fresh vegetables and herbs that happen to be an important part of each food. You will find dipping sauces for many of the dishes which provide an added additional zip for the food. Seafood is showcased a great deal in conventional Vietnamese meals.
Korean foods are an ancient food which includes developed over many years. The foods of Korea typically are native to each province, but we have seen some local recipes which were more nationwide and therefore are well-known all over the country. If you are looking for something different and other Oriental foods to try out, Korean ought to be on your own collection.
Los Angeles contains among the most diversified ethnicities and cuisines. On any nighttime of each week you can get foods from all over the world dished up within the several eating places on this planet class area. If you want a rest in the Americanized Oriental food items that is often transferred off as Asian, you should attempt a few of the other Asian foods available. Just a little experimentation and sample of those various civilizations will reveal all that you have been lacking in Oriental foods. The herbs and spices that happen to be utilized in Asian food from different places are strong and new to many people American style buds. It really is worth the work to make use of the great deal of food products that exist inside the Los Angeles location.
Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Obama, Hillary take campaign to the tunes
As a part-time political aficionado but a full-time music fan, there are few things more entertaining to me than the often chaotic intersection of campaign season and the music world, and by "entertaining" I mean "capable of producing the sort of hideous terror you generally only feel after you realize your cat has been tumbling around in the dryer for the last two hours."
The world is not a merry place for political discourse these days, but I feel confident knowing that readers of all political stripes can be entertained by a piece that includes a joke at the expense of Pat Buchanan, a shirtless Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton saying, and I quote, "My money's on Smash Mouth."
The worlds of politics and music have collided before; as a Springsteen fan (and by "fan" I mean "guy who would camp outside his house until he let me play tambourine, if it wasn't for the several dozen restraining orders"), Ronald Reagan's carjacking of "Born In The U.S.A." is my favorite example. By equating Bruce's hopeless, burned-out Vietnam vet with "Morning in America," Reagan became the first of 193,492 conservative candidates to get that song completely wrong; in 2000, hilarious nimrod Pat Buchanan started using the track as intro music as well, until, one imagines, Springsteen threatened to kill him with a pair of shoelaces.
But this is a new media world, and it brings new media fun. We begin today with Sen. Barack Obama (D-Sexytown), Illinois guy, The Democratic Party's Luke Skywalker Figure and the beneficiary of a track entitled "I Got A Crush On Obama," a video parody brought to you by the people at BarelyPolitical.com, which is probably a riff on Barely Legal magazine, which is something that presidential candidates fall all over themselves trying to associate with in the first few months of their campaigns.
The song was performed by Leah Kauffman, a 21-year-old undergrad at Temple; the lyrics then lip-synced by actress/model Amber Lee Ettinger, who appears in various stages of slithery and nubile in the totally NSFW video (as do those Obama-in-the-surf pictures). Tragically, the best lines I can't repeat here, but a few of them are aggressively and clunkily sexual enough that R. Kelly is probably kicking himself that he didn't think of them, when he's not too busy not being on trial.
The video is itself a spoof on an online campaign run by Sen. Hillary Clinton, wherein she polled Users Of The Interwebs, who are all 24, extremely hip and wear thick black glasses in a highly stylish rectangle shape, to determine her New Campaign Song, the song that will accompany all her propaganda and appearances until she begins to slip in the polls, when it will be immediately replaced by "Also Sprach Zarathustra," which I don't know, just totally fits. In my head she appears on campaign speeches to that song, after the lights all go down and smoke and a Pink Floyd laser show happens. Also giant demon heads shoot tongues of flame out of their eyes. I spend a lot of time thinking about this stuff.
Anyway, said McSweeney's-obsessing hipsters stopped blogging sarcastic things about the Smashing Pumpkins revival long enough to come up ... um, a Celine Dion song called "You And I," because, I don't know, apparently there wasn't any Neil Sedaka or Dan Fogelberg readily available? (I make fun, but for all I know "You And I" represents the absolute zenith of human musical ability, I haven't heard it, and I will not listen to it, because though I care about staying thoughtfully abreast of current events for you, the reader, I don't care that much.)
The Hillary song was revealed in a short video on her web site (www.stuffonmycat.com), itself a clever re-enactment of the final scene in "The Sopranos," which has itself caused a great deal of controversy for finally revealing that (SPOILER ALERT) Harry Potter dies at the end. Hillary is seen eating at a diner, enduring the gazes of other patrons, while Chelsea tries to parallel-park the car outside and Bill wanders in casting his vote for the Smash Mouth song, hence the quote all the way up in the first paragraph. It's all very circular and self-referential, and if, by the time I'm done writing this column, someone hasn't created a parody video in which Hillary chooses "I've Got A Crush On Obama" as her theme song, I'll sign up for the Pat Buchanan mailing list.
Jeff Vrabel is a freelance writer who totally has a theory regarding Snape, Dumbledore and the last "Harry Potter," but is on full media lockdown. He can be reached at www.jeffvrabel.com. Please note that all Harry Potter-related e-mails will be filtered out and immediately deleted.


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Vancouver family-run diner No. 1 on Yelp's top 100 restaurants in Canada list
It's not on the menu, but comfort is what the Mah family serves up at the unassuming, out-of-the-way diner that just topped Yelp's list of the 100 best restaurants in Canada for 2023.
The review platform's list was released Wednesday and the Northern Café and Grill ranked No. 1. The breakfast and lunch spot is almost hidden, located up a narrow flight of stairs in a building next to a lumberyard in the southernmost part of the city – and it's a destination dining for regulars and tourists alike.
Raymond Mah, a Red Seal trained chef, works alongside his mom Connie, dad Jimmy, and brother Richard at the restaurant. The entire family, he tells CTV News, is thrilled by the Yelp ranking.
"Being number 1 is such a great honor. We're so happy," he says.
"We definitely could not have done this without the support of the community and our guests and our family and friends. It's been such a great experience."
What Mah thinks sets the spot apart from others is the way they treat their customers and prepare their food.
"What really stands out is our culture. For us here, we definitely treat all of our guests like family, that's our most important service. A lot of our ingredients are homemade, everything just tastes like home cooking — and fresh," he says.
"We just concentrate on comfort food."
The low-ceilinged, 44-seat café has a menu that includes Western breakfast foods like pancakes, corned beef hash, and omelets. For lunch, there are burgers and sandwiches as well as Asian dishes like wonton soup, chow mein, and dry garlic pork. The ground beef for the burgers is homemade, the fries are freshly cut in-house and the wontons are made by hand, Mah says, describing what he thinks makes the food so popular.
The walls are covered in handwritten notes of appreciation from customers, hard copies of the kind of rave reviews that can be found on Yelp. The diner's slogan is "Our house is your house" and Mah explains what that means.
"We try to get to know everybody that walks through these doors. We get to know their name, we remember where they sat the first time they came, what they ate, how many creams they like in their coffee," he says.
The diner has been a restaurant in some form since 1949 and Mah's parents bought it in 2008 after retiring at a relatively early age from running other eateries. He joined them a few years later and says he was instrumental in using social media to amplify the word-of-mouth reputation the business was starting to enjoy.
In a city where the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic saw a slew of large, well-known, and long-established restaurants shutter, the Northern Café and Grill survived and is thriving.
"I truly believe in our culture, our values, and our service here," Mah said.
CTV News' Mike McCardell visited the café in 2021 to learn more about what makes it so special. That story is available here.
The entire list of Yelp's top 100 restaurants can be found online.
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Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)
Bessie Smith, the subject of THE DEVIL'S MUSIC, the eighty-minute bio-concert now in production at the Cleveland Play House, was noted as the "Empress of the Blues."
Smith had a magnificent voice, an in-your-face attitude, loved the dramatic, and was noted for her near perfect diction, unique phrasing, and incomparable timing.
Though her career was a success, her personal life imitated the blues she sang. As she once said, "There's some that calls the blues the devil's music. Well, honey, I danced to the devil's music. So, I gotta give the devil his due."
Born into poverty in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she was one of seven children. Her father was a Baptist minister and a laborer, who died shortly after Bessie's birth. Her mother died when Bessie was eight. Raised by an unmarried aunt, she made money on street corners by singing, accompanied by her younger brother.
At eighteen she joined a traveling minstrel show in which late hours, sexual freedom, and the abuse of alcohol was the rule. That laid the foundation for many of the issues in her later life.
In 1920, Mamie Smith (no relation) made the first vocal blues record. When it sold one hundred thousand copies in a month, the record companies went on a search for singers to sell this "race music."
Bessie was signed in 1923 by Columbia Records. Her first record sold 780,000 copies. From then until 1931, when the depression, the development of the radio and talking motion pictures caused the bottom to fall out of the blues business, she recorded 160 titles. She even starred in a two-reel film, ST LOUIS BLUES, a semi-autobiographical film.
In spite of her financial and artistic success, her life was not easy. The 20's was a period of high racism, especially in the south. Smith and her entourage were not allowed to stay in "white only" hotels and even had to enter many of the venues in which she performed through the back door.
Her marriage to Jack Gee, which ended in a bitter divorce, resulted in his filing charges against her as a poor mother, causing her to lose custody of their adopted child.
The success of the Benny Goodman band in 1937 brought an interest in swing, and Smith adapted her music to fit the era. Her career was reborn, but on the morning of September 26, 1937, Smith was killed in an auto accident. It was estimated that over 7000 people attended her funeral.
THE DEVIL'S MUSIC opened in New York on June 22, 2011 to universally positive reviews, and ran for a year.
The local production , with stars Miche Braden, who played Smith in the Big Apple, is very entertaining.
Braden has the all the requisites for the role. Her big voice, larger than life personality, excellent comic and dramatic timing, and physical presence, all enhance the show. Her musical trio, Jim Hankins, (bass), George Caldwell (piano) and Keith Loftis (saxophone) are amazing musicians.
The beautifully conceived Victorian-influenced setting, by Michael Schweikardt, takes the audience into a "buffet flat," "a private establishment where blacks could gather after hours for food, drink, gambling, lodging, entertainment and amusement of all kinds."
If there is any negative to the show, it's the format of the script. As a bio-concert, it is neither pure story telling nor musical performance.
We are supposedly experiencing Smith telling us of her life experiences in real time (Monday, October 4, 1937 and nine days earlier). However, Braden breaks the story line by talking to the audience, while also interacting with her amazing on-stage musical trio, while inserting songs that often have no direct relationship to the tale being told. Though all the ideas are interesting, and well performed, there is a disconnect between the musical entertainment and the biographical tale. Though not a major problem, it is enough of a distraction to hold the production from being a mesmerizing experience.
Show highlights include a "sexual union" between Braden and Loftis's sax, the heartbreaking courtroom segment when Bessie loses custody of her son, and the songs, St. Louis Blues, I Ain't Got Nobody and Blame It On the Blues.
CAPSULE JUDGMENT: THE DEVIL'S MUSIC is a very entertaining evening of theatre, highlighted by the performance of Miche Braden, but is somewhat burdened by the format of the script.
THE DEVIL'S MUSIC runs through March 10, 1913 at the Allen Theatre. For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com.


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Miley Cyrus Does (Another) Racy Photo Shoot
Miley Cyrus has shed another layer of her Disney star image, this time by posing in racy photos for V Magazine.
Check out other celebs who have taken it all off for photo shoots
In a series of shots, some of which are for the magazine's cover, Cyrus appears topless or in her underwear. In one, she's wearing a black blazer and nothing else on top (but using her right hand to cover an exposed breast). In another, a sleeveless top exposes her "underboob," and in another, she's clad in short, spiky shorts that don't quite cover everything they're supposed to.
Earlier this week, Cyrus' racy photos for Elle UK also raised eyebrows. Check out several of her V photos here.
What do you think of the shots?
View original Miley Cyrus Does (Another) Racy Photo Shoot at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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Since its first release five years ago on October 23, 2001, the iPod has become one of the most recognizable products in the world. It has transformed Apple's business and its public image, and is probably responsible for a "halo effect" that has improved the Mac's image and fortunes as well. Whether you're a rabid iPod lover or someone who just doesn't see why the iPod's such a big deal, it's hard to dispute the gigantic impact the iPod has had on our technological world.
On the day the iPod was unveiled, none of us knew we were witnessing the arrival of the first iconic product of the 21st century. We had a pretty good idea we were going to see an Apple music player, but we got more than we were expecting. I was there with Macworld's Rick LePage, Jonathan Seff, and Philip Michaels—if you look at the video of the event posted on YouTube, you can see us in one of the cutaways.
My notes from the event are still on my Mac: an overview of the Digital Hub concept. iDVD 2's ship date had slipped a second time, to early November. A demo of iMovie, of iTunes, and of Mac OS X's Image Capture utility (because iPhoto wouldn't come into being until 2002). And then, at last, the main event: a music product. "It's a large target market," Jobs said. "It knows no boundaries. No one has really found the recipe yet for digital music. And we think, not only can we find the recipe, but we think the Apple brand is going to be fantastic, because people trust the Apple brand."
Steve Jobs' breathless and excited pronouncements are often derided. It's hard for me to go to a Jobs presentation without hearing someone make a crack about the famous "Reality Distortion Field" around Apple's CEO. But in the case of the iPod, on this particular October day in 2001 Jobs couldn't have been more right.
Holding one of those first-generation iPods in my hands today, it's striking just how much the iPod hasn't changed in five years. It's still a white block with a stainless steel back. Sure, the details have evolved: the edges were sharp, but now are smooth; the screen is now colorful and capable of displaying photos and videos; the scroll wheel doesn't physically move anymore. But that original iPod—with its 5GB hard drive, full-sized FireWire port, and $399 price tag—got a remarkable number of details right the very first time. No wonder it became such a success.
Strange new thing
In going through my notes of the iPod's introduction, I'm amused by the fact that only one product announcement was worthy of an exclamation point: "iTunes 2 announced!!" Yes, I granted the iPod a simple period, but devoted two whole exclamations to an update to iTunes featuring MP3 CD burning, crossfading, and an equalizer.
At the end of the event, we all took home pre-release versions of the iPod, which were already loaded with music. To make the point that the iPod wasn't meant as a vehicle for music piracy, our iPod packages also contained a stack of audio CDs, the contents of which matched the music pre-loaded on the iPod. The beta version of iTunes that we took home after the event let you drag music back off of your iPod and into iTunes—but Apple made the point of informing us that with the final version of the software, that feature would be shut off. "Don't steal music" suddenly became one of Steve Jobs' favorite catchphrases.
What did Macworld think of the iPod back then? Honestly, we were about half right. I think most of us understood the product immediately: on the drive back to San Francisco from Cupertino, I discovered that both Rick and Jon already had more than 5GB worth of MP3s in their iTunes libraries. My total was a bit less than that, meaning that I could fit my entire digital music library onto that tiny little iPod.
But I admit that we were hung up a bit too much on the price. "Priced at $399, the iPod does not come cheaply," we wrote the next day. "The Apple iPod sounds like a dream come true… Although $399 is a hefty financial commitment, it buys you a unique Apple product that you'll find yourself using everywhere you go." Well, okay, it turned out that people still bought it at $399. The product was simply too good to be slowed down by a high price tag.
Five years later, I think we're more than half right, but I'll leave that judgment to the guy writing in this space in the year 2011.
Memories of 2001
In the run-up to the iPod's anniversary, I've spent a bit of time reflecting on what was happening five years ago. A lot of that nostalgia was spurred on by former Macworld columnist (and current Newsweek contributor) Steven Levy's latest book, " The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness" (Simon & Schuster, 2006). In the book, the New York-based Levy laments that he couldn't be present at the iPod's launch, but reminds us that in those days so soon after the September 11 attacks, flying across the country was a traumatic event. (On the brighter side, Levy got to be the first person to lay an iPod on Bill Gates.) I had the good fortune to chat with Levy about his book on the most recent edition of the Macworld Podcast.
Five years ago my wife and I were expecting our first child. When I came home with that sample iPod, I suggested to her that rather than burning a CD of soothing music to play in the delivery room, she could build a playlist that we would load on the iPod. Over the next few weeks, she built a playlist called "Baby," and I synced it to the iPod. I brought the iPod, a cassette adapter, and a boombox to the hospital, and played it during labor. I'd like to think that, outside of Apple, my daughter—born three days before the iPod started shipping—was the first of thousands of kids to come into the world to the sound of an iPod.
So forgive me if I get a little sentimental when I talk about the anniversary of the iPod. Yes, it's a great product that has changed the course of Apple. But I admit it: I'm emotionally attached to the iPod, too. It's become a part of my everyday life as well as my personal history. Happy Birthday, little guy.


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"We Have the Same Taste in Movies"
There's an episode of Seinfeld where Elaine falls for a video store clerk because of his movie recommendations, developing a crush on him, despite never seeing him in the store. Of course, it turns out the clerk is a shy high school student, leaving Elaine to explain herself to the boy's mother, but the episode is a fairly amusing take on the role of shared cinematic tastes in producing real-life chemistry. Now it's possible to meet someone online using shared taste in movies.
Via Cinematical by way of Cynthia, I learned about MatchFlick, an online dating service that allows you to meet people based on shared movie tastes (sort of a Netflix meets Match.com).
Cynthia notes that at least one commenter would prefer not to date someone with similar taste in movies, but given my investment in film (and the sheer number of movies I watch), I'd probably consider joining if I weren't too lazy to create a profile. I know, for example, that when I meet a fellow cinephile, especially outside the context of an academic conference, I really enjoy that initial sense of shared excitement about a director's films. That being said, a shared taste in movies might be a pretty weak basis for developing chemistry with someone.
Dave Winer's suggestion of pairing Match.com with your Netflix cue seems like a bad idea to me. I'd suddenly feel self-conscious about renting a really bad movie out of fear that someone might just think I have bad taste or something. And we wouldn't want that, would we?