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The Mozilla Security Bugs Bounty Program will pay $500 to anyone who reports "significant security bugs" to the foundation. Foundation staff will judge which security bugs are significant enough to earn the cash prize.
The bounty program is seeking financial donations and is being seeded with funding from Linux operating system maker Linspire Inc. and venture capitalist Mark Shuttleworth. The foundation hopes to raise $10,000 in contributions by Sept. 1.
"The goal is pretty simple," says Chris Hofmann, the foundation's director of engineering. "We want to encourage people to find and report potential security issues."
Some security firms such as iDefense Inc. pay security researchers who provide them with newfound software vulnerabilities. But few, if any, nonsecurity software companies have programs designed to pay security researchers who spot vulnerabilities in their products.
Microsoft last year disclosed a cash bounty that would be paid to those who offer the software maker information leading to the arrest and conviction of virus and worm writers.
Security experts say the initiative could encourage more security researchers to comb through Mozilla's Firefox browser to uncover security holes that place Web surfers at risk of attack.
It could also encourage some to divulge the security flaws they uncover to the Mozilla Foundation, rather than simply publishing details about the flaws on the Internet before the foundation has had time to develop a patch to protect users from viruses and hacker attacks.
"This seems sensible. It is an incentive to those otherwise not inclined to disclose vulnerability in a productive manner to now do so," says Pete Lindstrom, director of research for Spire Security. "It provides a controlled process during the patch-creation process."
More information about the Mozilla Security Bugs Bounty Program can be found at www.mozilla.org/security.


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A State Duma deputy, the head of the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship of the Russian State Duma, Yevgeny Fyodorov, told Pravda.Ru of his impressions from visiting the APEC summit in Vladivostok. According to him, the meeting showed that the U.S. gradually loses absolute power in the world economy and politics. The power and influence of other countries, such as Russia and China, grows against such a background.
State Duma deputy, the head of the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship of the Russian State Duma Yevgeny Fyodorov:
"APEC is a very interesting and important event, although it seems to be an ordinary one. The leaders get together and discuss important issues, but in reality it is the key event in today's global scenario. With the onset of the global economic crisis,with political and economic turbulence, the APEC is a key event in terms of the demonstration of new vectors of unity of the international community outside the United States.
It is clear that it is not a split - everyone still plays by American rules, but the countries already demonstrate their independence in economic policy. I was there and saw how angry Mrs. Hillary Clinton was when she came from China, where several Chinese leaders - especially those who are to become top officials of China next year - did not even want to meet her. In China, Clinton was told no when she wanted to take on mediator's functions in resolving China's territorial disputes with Asian countries.
She also heard no in response to her requirement to set the yuan rate. It is an annual requirement of the United States to China to set the yuan rate for political reasons to pump resources and opportunities from China to the U.S. It is an additional form of tribute from China, which China had to deal with every year for political motives. Nowadays, the U.S. was refused. The world is changing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin clearly expressed his attitude to the dollar as the world reserve currency. In fact, he offered the countries of the world to start building a large number of regional currencies as an alternative to the reserve system of the dollar. This is a strong step and a strong move, including the initiative to switch to mutual payments. He also said that Russia and China had already switched to the system and he urged other countries to follow the example. This shows that the world begins to change fundamentally, and Russia's role at this point is to become the leader in changing the world. I would say that Putin as the leader of the national liberation movement in Russia, demonstrated himself at the event as a leader and provider of ideas for the world national liberation movement against the system of occupation, which was formed after 1991 not only about Russia but also China and many other countries.
From this point of view, it is the key and turning meeting of the leaders of world's largest economies, which creates conditions to reformat the entire economic system of the world - moving away from the U.S. Do not forget that the U.S. consumes a half the world's GDP, despite the fact that there is only 4.5 percent of the population living there. In other words, they eat ten times as much as compared to the citizens of all other countries. And they eat at the expense of China, Russia, India, Brazil - all other countries.
Today, the world begins to unite against the colonizer - USA. For the time being, it is a conceptual and preparatory process, but it takes place. In this regard, I would call the preliminary results of the meeting in the Far East the meeting of the future members of the world national liberation movement to free the world from the U.S. occupation.
Elizaveta Lavrentieva
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will soon launch a counteroffensive against Bakhmut (the Russian name of the city is Artemovsk), General Alexander Syrsky said

subset: commoncrawl


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Posted by Editoress on 10/1/09
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France near the Belgian frontier. Since its beginning in 1896, it started in Paris and ended in Roubaix (hence the name). This famous race takes place each spring over brutal cobblestone roads that have been preserved in their historic condition for over 100 years.
Motivated by this classic race, the first annual "Kawartha Rube-Eh?" is ready to be kicked off over trails, rural gravel and paved roads in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Combined with unpredictable fall weather and a large field of riders it will become an annual classic cycling experience for everyone from average riders to Canadian Olympians. Join us on October 3, 2009 to become part of this exceptional event.
Both distances are best suited to mountain bikes, cyclocross bikes or hybrid bikes. You must be prepared to take care of your own mechanicals emergencies so carry a spare tube, patch kit and pump.
The event goes on in all weather so bring rain gear and warm cycling clothes.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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My son at times seems to manage the ability of Peak Imaginations, Inc. to empower others and how to reach people with ideas. He says everyone has an idea that has worth and wanted me to sell gift cards in stores so others could give them as birthday presents. As a compromise I coded a web page to generate a coupon and integrated PayPal checkout that anyone can gift to a friend. You won't find the coupon in stores, but then again our service is an online service...save gas money.
If you have a friend that has a great idea then here is your chance to show your belief in them.


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Video game or eSports tournaments have exploded in popularity in recent years. What used to be friendly competition is now a worldwide event, often with millions in prizes.
The event taking place in Jacksonville Sunday was a qualifying event for the football video game Madden NFL 19. The game allows you to control one of 32 NFL teams as if you were the coach. It's named for former football coach and sportscaster John Madden.
Gamers were playing against each other in a head-to-head format for a chance to be invited to a three-day Madden NFL 19 Classic tournament in Las Vegas, which will award $1.255 million in prize money to winners. The event is run by EA Sports.
This tournament was streamed online via Twitch.TV, a live streaming service where viewers can watch game streams and comment on them in real time. Audio of the shooting was heard over the Twitch stream of the game and quickly circulated on social media.


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MasterMover Global News
MT3/240 Power Tug Chosen By Sapa To Move Heavy Trolleys
Sapa Building Systems is one of the UK's leading replacement window, door and conservatory manufacturers supplying the building industry serving residential homes, public sector and commercial markets.
They urgently needed a materials handling solution to solve a Health & Safety issue. Employees were suffering from back ache and fingers were being trapped by manual pushing. Mark Olczak, Senior Production Engineer at Sapa enlisted the help of MasterMover to provide the solution with the purchase of two MT3/240 machines. Dominik Stosio, MasterMover Operator at Sapa quoted "I used to drag the heavy trolleys now I just push my finger and they move. It's not tiring to use and very convenient".
As well as solving the Health & Safety issue the MasterMover also increased production efficiencies by one person now able to do the job previously carried out by two employees. Mark Olczak, commented " MasterMover were very efficient, flexible on the design side and provided great support in helping solve this important Health & Safety issue. By using the MasterMover it keeps personnel away from the forklifts another key safety issue".
The MasterTug has 11 models in its range and is capable of pulling and pushing any wheeled or semi-wheeled load from 50kg up to 30,000kg. This versatile machine transfers weight from the load using a manual or hydraulic mast to gain the necessary traction with a range of power capabilities.


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Free Shipping! No Code Needed! US Shipping Only!
Perfect for Christmas morning, this stocking features a black & white cuff with red pom poms & bottom. Machine washable cotton material, they measure approximately 17.5 inches tall and 14 inches wide at the toe. Has a handy hanging fabric loop. Made in the USA.
Name or Initial monogram is available. To enter name or initials for monogram, add product to cart and list in the note section the name/initials of your choice, style, and color. Styles are listed under the "Monogram Styles" page. Please limit to 10 characters.


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Healthcare.gov works, saves
This is in response to the numerous negative stories you've had about healthcare.gov:
I went to the site on Dec. 11 and I was able to easily review the numerous plans for my county. I was easily able to create an account. I could not enroll the first visit, but I asked to receive a message when the enrollment was available again. A few hours later, I received the message and went back to enroll. It took about 20 minutes to enroll.
On Dec. 13, I called the provider and found that they had all my info and I was able to pay my premium. My overall costs, premium plus out of pocket, will decline with the new plan and I will have better coverage.
Please start having stories about the ease of using the site and how having affordable insurance is advantageous for many Americans. To our representatives in Congress, please start helping your constituents get the health care they need rather than wasting time trying to change the law and deny us coverage.
Marian Herz
Mt. Juliet 37122


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A night of mixed emotion for Lassonde
MANCHESTER — Part friend and part enemy, David Lassonde is a frenemy of the University of New Hampshire hockey team this weekend.
The Rochester native had mixed emotions when he learned his new team would be playing his old one in the first round of the Division I NCAA Tournament in the Wildcats' back yard.
An assistant at Denver the past two years, Lassonde spent a good part of his coaching career with head coach Dick Umile and UNH, which is hosting the Northeast Regional this weekend at Verizon Wireless Arena.
"It will be different seeing him on the other bench," said UNH captain Connor Hardowa. "The last time we were there he was on our side. It'll be good. He's a good coach. I have nothing but respect for the guy. It'll be fun to see him again. This time he's the enemy." The teams have already met once this season in Denver over Thanksgiving weekend with UNH coming from behind to win 6-4.
"I'd probably prefer to play someone else just because I was involved in recruiting a lot of those kids," Lassonde said. "Richie has been great to me over the years. It wasn't bad on Thanksgiving, but this is a little bit different. Either they're going to end our season or we're going to end their season. When you talk about doing that with friends it's never fun."
Otherwise he's happy to be home. Lassonde also has ties to Wisconsin, which meets UMass-Lowell in today's first game. He was on the Badgers' staff for three years after leaving UNH the first time in 1991.
"It's good to be back," he said. "It's a little bit of a Catch-22 playing them. We already played them once early in the year when they came out to Denver so it was good seeing them. As more and more of the games were played last weekend it looked like it was a good possibility that we would be coming here and playing them, so it's exciting.
"We're excited to be in the NCAA Tournament," Lassonde added. "If it happened to be here instead of somewhere else that's fine. It will be good see Richie and the guys, but at the end of the day we're both competing for the same thing."
The last time UNH hosted a regional in 2011 he was behind the Wildcats' bench. They beat Miami in the first round and lost to Notre Dame in the national quarterfinals.
"I'm not used to being on the other side of the hallway and it will be a different bench," Lassonde said. "That was a good weekend of hockey for UNH. … The last three regionals UNH has been in they were one game away from getting to the Frozen Four.
The Pioneers will try to prevent that from happening tonight (8). Both teams are rested after being eliminated from their conference tournaments in the quarterfinals.
Neither played last weekend."I know in the past that UNH has had some success coming off a week when they weren't able to get to the Garden," Lassonde said. "I think ultimately it's going to come down to discipline and I think it's going to come down to which team is going to be more willing to defend."
UNH is 3-5-5 in its last 13 games while Denver has been playing .500 hockey during the same stretch.
"I expect them to come out and play their best hockey," Lassonde said of UNH. "I know Coach Umile will have them ready to go. They'll be excited and we're going to be excited. It's that time of year when there is no alternative. Either you win or you go home. When there's that type of finality involved it usually brings out the best in everyone."
The Wildcats hope that's the case with goalie Casey DeSmith, who was pulled midway through the first period of the first meeting after giving up three goals on eight shots.
Lassonde didn't coach DeSmith at UNH, but both are from Rochester and their paths have crossed.
"I know him pretty well," DeSmith said. "Growing up around here and attending the national development camps he worked at, I grew pretty close to him. He's a clown, but it will be a treat to play against him again and have him back in New Hampshire."
Down 3-0 in the first game, the Wildcats rallied for a 6-4 victory, which may or may not have some relevance to tonight's contest. "It does in terms of some of the lessons that were learned," Lassonde said. "We got off to a quick start. We had a 4-2 lead going into the third period and we just didn't play the game the way we needed it to be played with scores like that. One of the strengths of New Hampshire's team is that they're quick strike and you've got to pay attention because they can score fast and they can score in bunches. … It's going to be important for us not to pay high-risk hockey because that's why we lost to them the last time we played them."
The Denver defensemen like to get involved in the offense, sometimes to the Pioneers' detriment. Two of their top four scorers are defensemen and three of the top seven.
"One of the strengths of our team is the blue line," Lassonde said. "We have some very gifted offensive players back there. We don't discourage them from getting involved in the offense. It's critical in giving them that flexibility and that freedom to be involved offensively that they make good decisions as to when to do it and when not to do it. Sometimes we make decisions to do it when we shouldn't do it and that gets us in trouble."
Despite the reunions, Lassonde's focus is on hockey.
"I won't let it become a distraction," he said. "There are certain people I'm looking forward to seeing. Hopefully we'll get that out of the way before the puck drops on Friday."


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KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia -- One gold down for Maria Hoefl-Riesch, and more chances to come.
The German skier won her third Olympic gold medal in only her sixth career Olympic race Monday, using her slalom skills to surge ahead of her rivals and take the super-combined title.
"It's unbelievable. Of course, I was the big favorite for today," said Hoefl-Riesch, who retained her Olympic title in an event designed to test the best all-around skier. "But I had some problems on the downhill course."
Those problems left her in fifth place in the morning downhill, putting her more than one second behind Julia Mancuso's inspired run. But the defending Olympic champion in slalom overcame the time difference in the afternoon and finished 0.40 of a second faster than silver medalist Nicole Hosp of Austria.
Mancuso, who rarely skis slalom, battled down to finish third, 0.53 of a second behind Hoefl-Riesch's two-run winning time of 2 minutes, 34.62 seconds.
Mancuso punched the air with her right fist after seeing she had won her fourth career Olympic medal in Alpine skiing. No other American woman has won more than two.
"I really thought I was blowing it in slalom," Mancuso said. "I had a great downhill run and knew there was nothing to lose."
Hoefl-Riesch is now poised to make Alpine history at the Sochi Olympics. With her third career gold medal, she is only one behind all-time leaders Kjetil Andre Aamodt of Norway and Janica Kostelic of Croatia.
"I don't think about records so much," said the 29-year-old Hoefl-Riesch, who missed the 2006 Torino Olympics because of injury. "If it happens, it's great. I'm not looking on this."
Hoefl-Riesch can match the retired greats on Wednesday in the downhill, an event in which she has three World Cup wins this season. She is also the current overall leader on the circuit.
On Monday, Hoefl-Riesch stood in the snow at the finish area to watch as Mancuso slalomed through the gates in the second leg. When the American's time flashed up on the giant screen, Hoefl-Riesch let her skis fall to the ground and then turned to face fans in the grandstand, placing her hands on her head, then kneeling on the snow.
Hoefl-Riesch's victory matched Kostelic's back-to-back Olympic combined titles in 2002 and 2006. The Croatian won the traditional version, which includes two slalom runs.
Mancuso's Olympic tally includes two medals in super-combined, a gold in giant slalom from the 2006 Torino Olympics and a silver in downhill from the 2010 Vancouver Games.
She raised her level on the biggest stage again in the first of five women's events despite having a best result of only seventh on this season's World Cup circuit.
"It just brings that extra bit on intensity," said Mancuso, who also has five career world championship medals.
The event, which tests racers' all-around ability to be fast and technically correct, proved challenging, especially on a steep slalom track lit by floodlights on a cloudy afternoon.
Four of the 10 fastest downhill racers failed to get down the slalom, including Lara Gut of Switzerland, who had been second behind Mancuso.
One prerace favorite for a medal, Marie-Michele Gagnon of Canada, crashed in the slalom and dislocated her shoulder.
Without specifying which shoulder she hurt, Alpine Canada tweeted that Gagnon is "day to day but hopes to keep on competing" at the Sochi Games.
Gagnon, 24, was trying to make up time after a disappointing downhill when she straddled a gate and fell face first into the snow. She got up holding her left arm.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Although everyone's bodies are different, there is one common line of defense that we all have, which is the immune system. At first the body might seem totally overwhelmed by a new virus, but in time our immune systems find the best ways to fight them.
... For detail, click here.


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Using data from formative research to focus messaging on mothers' aspirations for their children and fine-tuning activities based on feedback from the field and household survey data have been key to developing and implementing a handwashing with soap behavior change program in Vietnam.
A new Learning Note, Vietnam: A Handwashing Behavior Change Journey for the Caretakers' Program published by the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), describes the steps that were taken to design, implement, and monitor the program to aid program managers in developing other handwashing and hygiene promotion efforts.
Working closely with the Woman's Union, the program's activities in Vietnam reached 540 communes in 10 provinces. The project also trained more than 15,000 community motivators who reached more than 1.76 million women through interpersonal communications activities. As the Learning Note reports, these activities evolved over time based on information from the monitoring systems.
"As the target audiences move beyond knowledge to intention to handwash with soap, behavior change messages must also be modified," the report found, adding that as the project progressed, opportunities arose to "fine-tune the interpersonal communications activities based on feedback from the field and from the household monitoring data."


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Parents fear for the safety of their children as yet another girl disappears
Thanatophobia, created by Death Knell Games, is an old-school, third person survival horror game that goes back to the roots of the genre. A thought-provoking journey into darkness and depravity, the game has a focus on puzzle solving and storytelling over intense action..
Delve into Thanatophobia's immersive storyline about ex-cop Sam Dehaven out to get justice from a serial killer that has directly affected his life.
The title, Thanatophobia (meaning fear of death or fear of dying), has several ties to the theme and setting of the game. Phobias in general are in large part a shaping foundation of some of our gameplay mechanics. Themes of death linger and become more and more evident as the story progresses.
Thanatophobia's gameplay trailerThanatophobia's first gameplay trailer, shot and produced by project director John Pearce. All footage is taken from in-game beta content and displays a wide array of different features, including voice acting, an expanded view on Thanatophobia's musical score, animations, character design, environmental interaction, puzzle solving and finally an early peek on combat. Thank you for watching and don't forget to like and share the... read more
To be rated nearer to release
System requirements:
Details to follow nearer to release


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Colour: Deep peaty-gold.
Nose: Complex, oaky, apples and pears, and a tempting dark toffee sweetness.
Flavour: Dry and assertive, develops quickly to reveal a rich spiciness, combined with a hint of oak and sherried fruit.
Finish: Amazingly smooth for the strength; wonderfully warming and with a lingering smokiness, yet very rounded.
Comment: A great whisky holding all the flavours of all the Glenfarclas in one glass. Being so warming, this is the perfect Hogmanay dram. Don't be afraid of the strength and order a 210, if you dare!
The smoothness makes the 105 drinkable at cask strength, but I suggest adding a little water to fully explore its great depth.
For its price to performance ratio, the Malt Maniacs named Glenfarclas 105 their 'Bang for your Buck' in 2004.
Glenfarclas 105 Cask StrengthHot
Colour: Deep peaty-gold.
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In the United Kingdom, rabbit owners or potential owners can learn more about responsible rabbit care during Burgess National Rabbit Week, January 24-30, 2009.
The focus of this year's rabbit week is on fiber. Fiber is essential to rabbits' health, so be sure your rabbit is getting enough hay! You can check out My House Rabbit's articles "What to Feed Your House Rabbit" and "A Correct Diet is Vital for Rabbits" for more information on the proper diet for rabbits.
Many vets, retailers, rescues and other rabbit organizations across the UK will be participating in National Rabbit Week offering free checkups, samples, and care information. Go to the Burgess National Rabbit Week website for more information and to find events in your area.


text: Back Metabolic Syndrome and Soft Drink Consumption Regular soft drinks contain sugar, which only adds calories to your diet. Sugary drinks also raise insulin levels, which causes you to put on more visceral fat—fat deep inside, around the abdomen and other organs. Too much visceral fat can raise certain blood proteins, and that can lead to metabolic syndrome. When insulin is high after a sugary drink, it may increase hunger. That hunger may lead to overeating. You might even reach for another soda, thus continuing the cycle. Even diet soda can be a problem. Studies have shown that drinking diet soda on a regular basis can actually lead to weight gain. The exact reason is still unknown. It might be that diet soda triggers the insulin response, or it might be that people tend to drink diet soda along with sugary foods that have this effect. Try to stop drinking or drink less of both regular and diet soft drinks. If you drink soda, pair it with raw fruits and vegetables or nuts. The fiber in these foods can help control the insulin response.


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Tequila Aficionado's Alex Perez and Mike Morales taste and discuss Tequila 88 Reposado.
Visit Tequila 88 online here.
Follow Tequila 88 on Twitter here.
Follow Tequila 88 on Facebook here.
Sipping off the Cuff
Sipping off the Cuff(tm) began as an audio podcast in 2006 and is Tequila Aficionado's first and longest running tequila review program. Sipping off the Cuff is broadcast every Friday (and occasionally Tuesdays) on YouTube and TequilaAficionado.com. If you are a Tequila, Mezcal or Sotol brand owner and would like yourproduct(s) reviewed on an upcoming episode of Sipping off the Cuff, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
Catch more of Tequila Aficionado and Montejima Tequila on YouTube HERE.


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Perhaps best known for his affiliation with reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, middleweight prospect Kevin Casey (2-1) will get his chance to display the skills that led him to "issue a warning" to all MMA fighters earlier this year.
Casey recently posted on his Twitter account that he was preparing for a Nov. 20 bout, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed with sources close to Strikeforce that the fighter meets Chad Vance (5-3) at "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears."
The bout is scheduled for the evening's Showtime-televised portion of the card.
Casey first gained the attention of many MMA fans earlier this year when he released a music video on YouTube that includes highlights of his MMA and grappling career set to the beats of an original song entitled "No Surrender."
"When you face me in the ring, you better be prepared," Casey said in the video's introduction. "I'm taking no prisoners, and I'm out for blood."
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt under the famed Rickson Gracie, Casey owns a 2-1 record in MMA. Casey was stopped via second-round TKO to Ikuhisa Minowa in his professional debut, but the California resident has since earned a pair of wins over opponents with a combined 16-8 record.
Meanwhile, Vance is a former two-time NCAA Division III wrestling champion who opened his career with a perfect 4-0 mark. Since that time, Vance has gone just 1-3 and suffered stoppage defeats to Midwest Cage Championship veteran Jesse Lund, undefeated prospect Mario Miranda and WEC and M-1 Challenge veteran Chuck Grigsby.
With the addition to the card, "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears" now includes:
- Tyron Woodley vs. Rudy Bears
- Kim Couture vs. Kerry Vera
- Erik Apple vs. Bobby Voelker
- Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante vs. Aaron Rosa
- Kevin Casey vs. Chad Vance*
- Brian Davidson vs. Russell Patrick*
- Lee Gibson vs. Joe Wilk*
* – Not officially announced.
For complete coverage of "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Kevin Casey and Spencer Pratt)
(Touch of gloves: MMAjunkie.com reader Chasen Cohan)


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The Dark Tower: SorcererPosted: December 15, 2008, 23:27:54
Here is the cover for a special issue of The Dark Tower comic called Sorcerer.
Written by ROBIN FURTH
Art & Cover by RICHARD ISANOVE
A very special stand alone issue probing deeply into the incredible life of Marten Broadcloak. We learn his deadly secret agenda and true goal is not to serve the Crimson King, but to climb to the top of the Dark Tower itself and become the overlord of all existence! Written by Robin Furth, the guiding force behind the Dark Tower series and illustrated by Richard Isanove whose stunning coloring on Dark Tower has helped make every issue a work of art. This is an instant collector's item no Stephen King fan can afford to be without!
Thanks to Ari


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True enough, after a year plus, when I flipped through my baking list looking for chocolate cake that easy to whip up, I spotted this recipe a again. There is no need of waiting for the butter to soften, no need of mixer, just one pot can settle the cake. So without hesitation, I took action on it immediately.
Mine is the healthier version since I used cooking oil rather than butter, I reduced the sugar as well. The sweetness is just nice for me, you may need to increase the sugar if you have sweet tooth.
I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers # 22 : Lightened Up Cakes (August 2012) hosted by Qi Ting of A Dessert Diet.
200 g caster sugar (I reduced to 180g)
200 g full cream evaporated milk (I used low fat)
2 eggs, slightly beaten with fork
100 g plain flour
50 g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla essense
2 tbsp of rum (optional)
8. Cool the cake in pan before turning out for further decoration.


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The Meta Watch was designed with hopes of breaking the curse of consumer apathy when it comes to smart watches. An Android-friendly version has actually been available to developers since the middle of last year, but thanks to a Bluetooth update, it's finally now compatible with iOS too. But is that enough to make you care?
Not surprisingly, it was technical difficulties with iOS and Apple's hardware that prevented the Meta Watch from working with the company's devices in the first place. Including compatibility with older Bluetooth protocols and hardware, and iOS refusing to allow background tasks to be run over a Bluetooth connection—functionality which is vital for a watch that's delivering constant updates from your phone. But with iOS 5, and the addition of Bluetooth 4.0 hardware (and its low-energy mode) to the iPhone 4S and the new iPad, those limitations are no longer an obstacle.
In the past, consumers have been mostly apathetic towards smart watches, even models backed by Microsoft, Fossil, Swatch, and even Sony Ericsson—companies who spent lots of money marketing the devices. But given the recent success of the Pebble watch, there's definitely still interest out there. So this time around the company's founders, Bill Geiser and David Rosales, who were responsible for some of the most valiant attempts at designing smart watches in the past, have taken a different approach.
With the Meta Watch they didn't set out to design a smart watch that does everything from the get-go. Instead, they created an open platform and made it available to developers first to let them come up with new and unique ways a smart watch could benefit consumers.
Arguably the iTunes App Store was a big reason the iPhone is as popular as it is now, and the creators of the Meta Watch are betting a similar approach will benefit smart watches too. Instead of doing everything that everyone wants it to, consumers will be able to customize their individual watch's functionality.
The new dual-mode Bluetooth 4.0 version of the Meta Watch, which works with both iOS and Android, will be available to developers sometime this month for $199. In a black or white finish, complete with a three-axis accelerometer, 96x96 pixel LCD display, and an ambient light sensor. However, because it requires a Bluetooth 4.0 connection for iOS connectivity, only the iPhone 4S and the new iPad will be supported. (And running iOS 5 of course.) Trying yet again to create a smart watch with mass appeal is risky, but the creators of the Meta Watch know how difficult it can be, and are seemingly being careful not to repeat the mistakes of the past. [Meta Watch]


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Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2010 (含源码)
关于LINQ的一本书籍,附上源码,喜欢请购买正版。 LINQ is the part of the .NET Framework that provides a generic approach to querying data from different data sources. It has quickly become the next must-have skill for .NET developers. Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2010 is all about code. Literally, this book starts with code and ends with code. Most books show the simplest examples of how to use a method, but they so rarely show how to use the more complex prototypes. This book is different. Demonstrating the overwhelming majority of LINQ operators and prototypes, it is a veritable treasury of LINQ examples. Rather than obscure the relevant LINQ principles in code examples by focusing on a demonstration application you have no interest in writing, this book cuts right to the chase of each LINQ operator, method, or class. However, where complexity is necessary to truly demonstrate an issue, the examples are right there in the thick of it. For example, code samples demonstrating how to handle concurrency conflicts actually create concurrency conflicts so you can step through the code and see them unfold. Face it, most technical books, while informative, are dull. LINQ need not be dull. Written with a sense of humor, this book will attempt to entertain you on your journey through the wonderland of LINQ and C# 2010. What you'll learn How to leverage all the new LINQ relevant C# 2008 language features including extension methods, lambda expressions, anonymous data types, and partial methods. How to use LINQ to Objects to query in-memory data collections such as arrays, ArrayLists, and Lists to retrieve the data you want. Why some queries are deferred, how a deferred query can bite you, and how you can make deferred queries work for you. How to use LINQ to XML to revolutionize your creation, manipulation, and searching of XML data. How to query DataSets with LINQ to DataSet so you can coexist with legacy code and use LINQ to query databases other than SQL Server. How to query Databases with LINQ to SQL, write your own entity classes, and understand how to handle concurrency conflicts. Who this book is for This book is written for the proficient C# developer, but you do not need to be up on all the latest C# features to understand the material. When you finish this book, you will have a much greater understanding of the latest C# features. Table of Contents Hello LINQ C# Language Enhancements for LINQ LINQ to Objects Introduction Deferred Operators Nondeferred Operators LINQ to XML Introduction The LINQ to XML API LINQ to XML Operators Additional XML Capabilities LINQ to DataSet Operators Additional DataSet Capabilities LINQ to SQL Introduct ion LINQ to SQL Tips and Tools LINQ to SQL Database Operations LINQ to SQL Ent ity Classes The LINQ to SQL DataContext LINQ to SQL Concurrency Conflicts Additional LINQ to SQL Capabilities LINQ to Entities Introduction LINQ to Entities Operations LINQ to Entities Classes Parallel LINQ Introduction Using Parallel LINQ Parallel LINQ Operators
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Founder and President of Labor Union Convicted in Washington for Stealing from Union's Treasury and Pension Fund, Related Crimes
WASHINGTON – The founder and president of the National Association of Special Police and Security Officers (NASPSO) – which represents private security guards assigned to protect federal buildings in the metropolitan Washington area – was convicted yesterday in Washington federal court, following a jury trial, of 18 counts related to his theft of union treasury and pension funds, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
Caleb Gray-Burriss, 62, of Washington, was convicted on six counts of mail fraud, seven counts of theft from a labor organization, one count each of obstruction of justice and criminal contempt, and three counts of union recordkeeping offenses. Joining in the announcement of the verdict were Marc I. Machiz, Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor; Michael S. Barcus, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Regional Office of the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; and District Director Mark Wheeler, of the Department of Labor's Washington District Office of the Office of Labor-Management Standards.
In June 2010, Mr. Gray-Burriss was charged with four counts of mail fraud in connection with his operation of a pension plan for members of NASPSO. A grand jury returned two superseding indictments in April 2011 and August 2012, which also charged offenses committed by Gray-Burriss while he was released on bail.
According to the evidence at trial, from approximately June 2004 through February 2011, Gray-Burriss wrote numerous checks to himself or to other third parties from the NASPSO pension plan checking account. The evidence also showed that Gray-Burriss spent more than $100,000 of the pension plan funds in this way, while falsely maintaining it was an operational fund that he was properly administering and that was providing benefits to the beneficiaries. The evidence further showed that Gray-Burriss committed criminal contempt of a court order addressing his prior misappropriation of pension and health plan funds after Gray-Burriss resumed his scheme in 2009 to defraud employers and NASPSO members of pension funds.
In addition, the evidence presented at trial showed that Gray-Burriss, while an officer and employee of NASPSO, stole over $150,000 in NASPSO funds consisting of cash withdrawals to himself, unauthorized salary increases and bonuses to himself and another person, fraudulently drawn checks to himself – purportedly for employment taxes on behalf of NASPSO – and unlawfully used NASPSO funds to pay his personal fines in a civil lawsuit.
The jury also found that Gray-Burriss committed obstruction of justice by destroying or concealing NASPSO financial records during a grand jury investigation; failing to file required annual reports on behalf of NASPSO, falsifying those reports, and failing to maintain properly the records of NASPSO.
At sentencing, which is currently scheduled for Feb. 28, 2013, Gray-Burris faces a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the mail fraud counts, five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the theft from a labor organization and conspiracy counts; five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the criminal contempt count; 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the obstruction count, and a year in prison and a $10,000 fine for the recordkeeping offenses.
The investigation was conducted by agents and investigators of the U.S. Department of Labor. Trial Attorney Vincent J. Falvo of the Criminal Division's Organized Crime and Gang Section and Trial Attorney Tracee Plowell, of the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section prosecuted the case.


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Japan's asahi.com reports (english - here) that a working group from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, published a report concluding that DPI may be used by ISPs for behavioral advertising.
See coverage by Asiajin, here.
Behavioral advertising, offered in the past by US based Nebuad and Adzilla, and UK based Phorm, was not accepted well in their home countries, mainly because it was deployed without disclosing it to subscribers.
The business case was to share advertising revenues between the ISP and the these companies. The ISP provides the facilities and subscribers base and Nebuad/Phorm the networking equipment that track the subscriber's activity (usually "anonymously" - without keeping record of the subscribers activity) and relations with advertisers.
However, the business case could be only justified with large volumes - so if the subscribers are required to opt-in (register) for the service - there just not going to be enough traffic, clicks and therefore revenues. Opt-out could be a better way, possibly leaving enough subscribers exposed to the process.
According to Asiajin, the Japanese report - "concludes that such technology cannot be used without constituting a breach of private communications if it does not first receive approval from the user (p. 58). However, elsewhere in the report it is stated that an opt-out mechanism must be in place (p. 59), suggesting that the system need not be opt-in." (the report is here, in Japanese).
Related posts:


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At the moment, the project is at "Proof of Concept" state. Skinning and mesh deformation works, but skeleton poses can only be created programmatically. Hence it's not really useful for games at the moment.
It's strange that you claim it's not useful - I've been looking for a way to generate this type of thing programmatically so that it's based on context rather than being locked into a small set of stock poses (and so that I don't have to tediously make the poses manually).
I'm hoping you'll retain this feature - this is exactly what I've been looking for, and even the early demos look impressive.
Testing on "Bones-Android-Ninja2.apk" is this the latest?
apk is up to date
Is it usable in games now?
Page created in 0.093 seconds with 19 queries.


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Q: How is it possible that a hybrid auto achieves better fuel mileage in city driving than highway driving tests? Regenerative braking does not convert 100% of the car's KE to recharge the battery. Are the batteries fully charged at the conclusion of the city test by the gasoline engine? Is that fuel accounted for? Isn't it true that ALL the energy used to propel the car is from the gasoline engine (either to power the car or to generate electricity to charge the batteries so that they can power the car)? It seems to defy the laws of physics.
A: It's simpler than that. Remember aerodynamic drag (the major fuel consumer at highway speeds) goes up with the cube of velocity. The highway mileage cycle is at higher average speed where fuel economy is poorer. Non-hybrids get poor fuel economy in urban cycles than on the highway because they are wasting energy slowing down and dissipating the energy in the brakes. Hybrids recover some of that energy, and the overall mileage at low speeds is improved. If the average speeds on the two cycles were the same, the urban cycle would still show poorer economy.
Q: When old tires are burned they emit thick black smoke. But when Nascar cars slide sidewise or do victory burn-outs the smoke is pure white. Why the difference?
More From Popular Mechanics
A: When tires smoke from spinning on the pavement, they're not actually on fire. The temperatures are too low. The white smoke is vaporized rubber. The black smoke from burning tires is the carbon that's left over from incomplete combustion.
Q: i have a 1994 Chevy 1500/4x4/350 pickup truck with 130,000 miles on it. At times it runs somewhat hot at over 200 degrees. If I turn on the heater the temp. goes down. Is this just a bad thermostat or is the fan clutch failing? I did a listen test for the fan clutch. There is no noise coming from the fan area. It seemed to rev up when the temp was near 200, and the temp. dropped to 170 and stayed there. With a cold engine I did the spin test on the fan and it spun 4 to 5 times with slight resistance. Any ideas?
A: This sounds like the fan clutch to me. Does it run hot on the freeway? Moist vehicles will run fine at 60 or more with no fan at all. So if it's okay at speed and overheats at idle, it's more likely the clutch. A fan clutch shouldn't take more than an hour to replace.
Q: I've been wondering how long lithium batteries will last in electric cars—the batteries themselves, not their charge. I discovered a support document from electronics company Fujitsu that stated batteries only last 2-3 years after manufacture and are good for 300-500 charges including partial charges. So with this formula if you charge your car every night either partially or fully, the battery will last only last 2-3 years. If batteries to make a really small car go 75 miles cost about $10,000, there's no way electric cars can be viable. I think electric cars use exactly the same batteries as laptops—I know the Tesla does. What do you think?
A: The lithium batteries used in automotive applications are based on a different chemistry than the lithium-ions used in cellphones, laptops and power tools. (Except for Tesla's battery). They have better long-term stability, and the charge-discharge rates and how deeply they are discharged or recharged are controlled carefully by the on-board electronics. So, they should last a lot longer that 300-500 cycles. Or so I'm told. We'll see what experience in the field says. The longevity and cost of the Ni-Mh batteries used in the Prius and other hybrids has exceeded my predictions of a couple of years ago.
Q: i have a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. i love this car, but I have an annoying problem that Mitsubishi engineering doesn't make easier. The problem is that the antenna won't retract. I hear the motor working after the engine is started and again when you turn it off. I'm assuming there is something broken that's probably plastic. In the trunk there is a hand hole in the plastic to change lamps for the tail lights, but this opening doesn't extend forward far enough to get to the power antenna. What do i need to do?
A: Try this first. Clean the mast with a rag and some mineral spirits or lacquer thinner, and then coat it lightly with Vaseline or mineral oil or even silicone spray. Then help the mast down while someone else pushes the switch. Cycle the mast up and down a half-dozen times to distribute the lubricant. If that doesn't work, you will almost certainly have to replace the antenna motor/mast assembly.


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San Jose, the Prettiest Place in the State, Wrecked by Quake--State Insane Asylum Collapsed and Buried Many Patients Beneath the Crumbled Walls--Enormous Damage at Santa Rosa.
Outside of San Francisco the earthquake did immense damage for fifty miles north and south of the Golden Gate City. San Jose, the prettiest city in California, sustained the severest shock, which killed a score of people and left the business section a pile of ruins. The loss in this one city alone amounted to $5,000,000.
The State Insane Asylum at Agnews near San Jose collapsed and buried upwards of 100 patients beneath its walls.
Among the buildings wrecked in San Jose are St. Patrick's church, the First Presbyterian church, the Centella Methodist Episcopal church, the Central Christian and South Methodist churches.
Every building on the west side of First street from St. James park to San Fernando street either went down, toppling or was badly cracked. The Auzerias building, Elks club, Unique theater and many other buildings on Santa Clara street went down to the ground.
On Second street the six-story Dougherty building and several adjoining blocks were destroyed by fire. A new high school in Normal Park was a complete wreck.
The Nevada & Porter building on Second street, the Rucker building on Third and Santa Clara streets were also ruined.
The annex to the Vendome Hotel was completely wrecked, and one man was killed therein.
Sheriff William White, of Los Angeles, who was in San Jose at the time attending a convention, thus describes the scenes following the quake:
"San Jose, which was the prettiest city in California, is the worst-looking wreck I ever saw. When I left there nineteen dead bodies had been recovered and there was a possibility that others would be found. I reached Agnew Asylum a few hours later in an automobile and was one of the first on the spot. There I helped to carry out sixty corpses. At noon, when I arrived at San Jose, it was believed that fully 100 bodies were still in the ruins.
"The shock came to San Jose exactly at 5:12:45, according to the clock in the St. James Hotel, which was stopped. Supreme Court Clerk Jordan, my young nephew; Walter Jordan and myself occupied apartments on the fourth floor of the St. James Hotel. The shock awoke the three of us, but only seemed to disturb my nephew, who commenced calling out.
"There was not a brick or stone building of two stories or over in San Jose that was not leveled to the ground or so badly damaged it will have to be torn down. Some fires started after the quake, but the fire department soon had them under control.
"I secured an automobile at 7 o'clock and left for Agnew, where the insane asylum was located, with two or three of the visiting sheriffs. The sight there was awful. The walls wer standing, but the floors had all fallen in.
"Scores of insane persons were running about in the grounds, unwatched and uncared for. I helped to take out the body of Dr. Kelly, the assistant superintendent of the asylum, who had been instantly killed. A nurse who was also taken out of the ruins by me died a little later.
"After getting away from San Jose I saw evidences of the earthquake at Niles and even as far as Livermore in the shape of fallen chimneys and broken glass."
The main building of the State Hospital collapsed, pinning many of the patients under fallen walls and debris. The padded cells had to be broken pen and more dangerous patients were tied to trees out on the lawn in lieu of a safer place. The doctors and nurses tuck heroically to their posts and 100 students from Santa Clara College went over in a body and assisted in succoring the wounded.
State Senator Cornelius Pendleton, who escaped the earthquake shock at San Jose, thus narrated his experiences:
"We were all at the Vendome Hotel. The shock of the earthquake was so severe the floors and walls of the building collapsed at once and those of us who escaped made our way as best we could out of the ruins. On the sideof the hotel where my room fell against this tree, which also sustained that portion of the roof, preventing it from falling in on us.
"My room was on the second floor, but when I picked myslef up I was in the basement of the building. I crawled up and out over the debris and escaped through a window on a level with the ground. After getting out I found this was one of the third story windows. Those of us who were uninjured at once set about assisting the less fortunate. I saw one dead woman in the hotel. We carried her out. The remainder of the dead were in various parts of the town. The residence district was not badly damaged. Martial law had been declared in the city when we left.
"Among the large buildings that were totally demolished were the Hall of Justice, the First Presbyterian Church, the Catholic Cathedral, the Hale Block, and the Vendome Hotel. Fire broke out following the earthquake in several quarters, but fortunately the wager mains were uninjured and the spread of the flames was checked."
Ag Salinas the immense plant of the Spreckles Sugar refinery was completely destroyed, and the loss of property aggregated $2,000,000.
The estimated loss of life and damage in California cities outside of San Francisco is as follows:
Oakland, $500,000, 5 lives; Alameda, $400,000; San Jose, $5,000,000, 19 lives; Agnew (state hospital for insane), $400,000, 170 lives; Palo Alto (Stanford University), $3,000,000, 2 lives; Napa, $250,000; Salinas, $2,000,000; Hollister, $100,000, 1 life; Vallejo, $40,000; Sacramento, $25,000; Redwood City, $30,000; Suisun, $50,000; Santa Rosa, $800,000, 40 lives; Watsonville, $70,000; Monterey, $25,000, 8 lives; Loma Prieta, 10 lives; Stockton, $40,000; Brawley, $100,000; Santa Cruz, $200,000; Gilroy, $500,000; Healdsburg, $25,000; Cloverdale, $15,000; Geyserville, $12,000; Hopland, $10,000; Ukiah, $50,000; Alviso, $20,000; Niles, $10,000; Hinckley Creek, $10,000, 9 lives; Deer Creek Mill, $10,000, 2 lives; Santa Clara, $500,000; Pacific Grove, $50,000; Wrights, $75,000; Delmonte, $25,000, 2 lives.
The beautiful city of Santa Rosa was a terrible sufferer from the quake, both in loss of life and property:
The entire business section was left in ruins and practically every residence in the town was more or less damaged, fifteen or twenty being badly wrecked. The damage to residences was caused principally by the sinking of the foundations, which let many structures down on to the ground.
The brick and stone business blocks, together with the public buildings, were all thrown flat. The courthouse, Hall of Records, the Occidental and Santa Rosa hotels, the Athenaeum theater, the new Masonic Temple, Odd Fellows' block, all the banks-everything-went, and in all the city not one brick or stone building was left standing except the California Northwestern depot.
It was almost impossible for an outsider to realize the situation as it actually exised there. No such complete detruction of a city's business interests ever before resulted from an earthquake in America. The very completeness of the devastation was really the redeeming feaure, though, for it put all upon exactly the same basis, commercially speaking. Bankers and millionaires went about with only the few dollars they happened to have in their pockets when the crash came, and were little better off than the laborers who were digging through the debris. Money had practically no value, for there was no place to spend it, and this phase of the situation presented its own remedy. Almost every one slept out of doors, being afraid to enter their homes except for a short while at a time until repairs were made.
There were plenty of provisions. Some were supplied by other towns and much was brought in from the surrounding country. Two entire blocks of buildings escaped being swept by the flames, which immediately broke out in a dozen places at once as soon as the shock was over and from the tangled ruins of those buildings complete stocks of groceries and clothing were dug out and added to the common store. Then before the fire gained headway several grocery stores were emptied of their contents in anticipation of what might follow.
The city was put under martial law, company C of Petaluma having been called to assist the local company in preserving order. Many deputy sheriffs and special police were also sworn in, but no trouble of any kind occurred.
The relief committee was active and well managed and all in need of assistance received it promptly. The work that required the principal attention of the authorities was removal of the wreckage in order to search for the bodies of those missing and known to have perished.
Forty marines under command of Captain Holcombe arrived from Mare Island and did splendid work in assisting in the search. Forty-two bodies were buried in one day and the total known to have perished.
Santa Rosa, in proportion to its size, suffered worse than San Francisco. Mr. Griggs, who was in the employ of a large firm at Santa Rosa, tells a story which sufficiently proves the earthquake's fury, so great as to practically reduce the town to ruin. In addition to the death roll a large number of persons were missing and a still greater number were wounded.
As in the case of San Francisco, an admirable organization had the situation well in hand. Forty sailors from Mare Island, fully equipped with apparatus, were at work, while volunteer aid was unstinted.
Santa Rosa suffered the greatest disaster in her history, but the indomitable spirit of her people was shown all along the line. Even so early as Friday an announcement was made that the public schools and the college would open as usual on Monday morning, the buildings having been inspected and found to be safe.
At Agnews the cupola over the administration department went down and all the wards in that part of the building collapsed. Twelve attendants were killed and Dr. Kelly, second assistant physician, was crushed to death. There were 1,100 patients in the hospital. C. L. Seardee, secretary of the state commission in lunacy, who was in Agnews and attending to official business, declared that it was a marvel that many more were not killed. Dr. T. W. Hatch, superintendent of the state hospitals for insane, was in charge of the work of relief.
Friday morning 100 patients were transferred to the Stockton asylum. Forty or fifty patients escaped.
Dr. Clark, superintendent of the San Francisco County Hospital, was one of the first to give relief to the injured at Agnews. He went there in an automobile, taking four nurses with him, and materially assisted the remaining members of the staff to organize relief measures.
Tents were set up in the grounds of the institutions, and the injured as well as the uninjured cared for. A temporary building was erected to house the patients.
The St. Rose and Grand hotels at Santa Rosa collapsed and buried all the occupants. Thirty-eight bodies were taken from the ruins. There were 10,000 homeless men, women and children huddled together about Santa Rosa. As the last great seismic tremor spent its force in the earth, the whole business portion tumbled into ruins. The main street was piled many feet deep with the fallen buildings.
The destruction included all of the county buildings. The four story courthouse, with its dome, is a pile of broken masonry. What was not destroyed by the earthquake was swept by fire. The citizens deserted their homes. Not even their household goods were taken. They made for the fields and hills to watch the destruction of one of the most beautiful cities of the west.
C. A. Duffy said when the shock came he rushed for the stairway, but the building was swaying and shaking so that he could make no headway, and he turned back. He threw himself in front of the dresser in his room, trusting to that object to protect him from the falling timbers. This move saved his life. The dresser held up the beams which tumbled over him, and these in turn protected him from the falling mass of debris.
"I was imprisoned five hours," said Mr. Duffy, "before being rescued. Three times I tried to call and the rescuers heard me, but could not locate my position from the sound of my voice, and I could hear them going away after getting close to me.
"Finally I got hold of a lath from the ruins around me, poked it through a hole left by the falling of a steam pipe, and by using it and yelling at the same time finally managed to show the people where I was.
"There were about 300 people killed in the destruction of the three hotels.
"The business section of the place collapsed to the ground almost inside of five minutes. Then the fire started and burned Fourth street from one end to the other, starting at each end and meeting in the middle, thus sweeping over the ruins and burning the imprisoned people.
"I saw two arms protruding from one part of the debris and waving frantically. There was so much noise, however, that the screams could not be heard. Just then, as I looked, the flames swept over them and cruelly finished the work begun by the earthquake. The sight sickened me and I turned away."
Fort Bragg, one of the principal lumbering towns of Mendocino county, was almost totally destroyed as a result of a fire following the earthquake of April 18.
The bank and other brick buildings were leveled as a result of the tremors and within a few hours fire completed the work of devastation. But one person of ghe 5,000 inhabitants was killed, although scores were injured.
Eureka, another large town in the same county, fifty miles from Fort Bragg, was practically undamaged, although the quake was distinctly felt there.
Relief expeditions were sent to Fort Bragg from surrounding towns and villages and the people of the ruined area were well cared for.
The town of Tomales was converted into a pile of ruins. All of the large stores were thrown flat. The Catholic church, a new stone structure, was also ruined. Many ranch houses and barns went down. Two children, Anita and Peter Couzza, were killed in a falling house about a mile from town.
The towns of Healdsburg, Geyserville, Cloverdale, Hopland, and Ukiah were almost totally destroyed. The section in which they were located is the country as far north as Mendocino and Lake counties and as far west as the Pacific ocean. These are frontier counties, and have not as large towns as farther south. In every case the loss of life and property was shocking.
At Los Banos heavy damage was done. Severl brick buildings were wrecked. The loss was $75,000.
Brawley, a small town on the Southern Pacific, 120 miles south of Los Angeles, was practically wiped out by the earthquake. This was the only town in southern California known to have suffered from the shock.
Buildings were damaged at Vallejo, Sacramento, andSuisun. At the latter place a mile and a half of railroad track is sunk from three to six feet. A loaded passenger train was almost engulfed.
R. H. Tucker, in charge of the Lick observatory, near San Jose, said: "No damage was done to the instruments or the buildings of the observatory by the earthquake."
At Santa Cruz the courthouse and twelve buildings were destroyed. Contrary to reports, there must have been a tidal wave of some size, for three buildings were carried away on Santa Cruz beach.
The Moreland academy, a Catholic institution at Watsonville, was badly damaged, but no lives lost.
In a Delmonte hotel a bridal couple from Benson, Ari. - Mr. and Mrs. Rouser - were killed in bed by chimneys falling.
At 12:33 o'clock on the afternoon following the San Francisco quake Los Angeles experienced a distinct earthquake shock of short duration. Absolutely no damage was done, but thousands of people were badly frightened.
Men and women occupants of office buildings, especially the tall structures, ran out into the streets, some of them hatless. Many stores were deserted in like manner by customers and clerks. The shock, however, passed off in a few minutes, and most of those who had fled streetwards returned presently.
The San Francisco horror has strung the populace here to a high tension, and a spell of sultry weather serves to increase the general nervousness.


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Story by
Christina Farr
Christina Farr is a contributor to TheNextWeb. She writes about digital media and startups in the Bay Area. She is a graduate of Stanford's Christina Farr is a contributor to TheNextWeb. She writes about digital media and startups in the Bay Area. She is a graduate of Stanford's Journalism School. Follow her on Twitter @chrissyfarr
Instagram's CEO, Kevin Systrom, will go down in history as one of the greatest Silicon Valley success stories of our generation. Unlike Mark Zuckerberg, the man responsible for acquiring the popular photo sharing app for $1 billion, Systrom received no formal engineering training.
Systrom, an active user on Quora, is a largely self-taught programmer. While working in the marketing department at Nextstop, which Facebook acquired in 2010, he would spend his evenings learning to program. According to Systrom, small projects included combining elements of Foursquare with Mafia Wars.
Systrom explains on Quora:
The story starts when I worked at Nextstop. While I was there working in marketing, I started doing more and more engineering at night on simple ideas that helped me learn how to program (I don't have any formal CS degree or training). One of these ideas was combining elements of foursquare (check-ins) with elements of Mafia Wars (hence the name Burbn). I figured I could build a prototype of the idea in HTML5 and get it to some friends. Those friends ended up using the prototype without any branding elements or design at all. I spent weekends working on improving the prototype for my friends.
At a party for the Hunch folks I ran into a bunch of people who would basically make starting Burbn a reality. At that party were two people from Baseline Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. I showed the prototype, and we decided we'd meet up for coffee to talk about it. After the first meeting, I decided to take the dive and leave my job to go solo and see if Burbn could be a company. Within two weeks of leaving, I raised $500k from both Baseline and Andreessen Horowitz, and started work on finding a team.
Thanks to Codecademy and the like, there are growing numbers of self-taught programmers in Silicon Valley. Instagram's success will augment the enthusiasm for learning to code. And Systrom may prove to be an inspiration for this new generation of budding entrepreneurs – one they can actually relate to.
See also: Could Instagram Have Become a Successful, Independent Business?
Image Credit / Jim Thompson
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PRETORIA, South Africa — Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp argued fiercely in the turbulent weeks before he killed her, and the athlete's girlfriend told him she was sometimes scared by his behavior, which included jealous outbursts in front of other people, according to phone messages revealed at the Olympian's murder trial on Monday.
"I'm scared of u sometimes and how u snap at me and of how u will react to me," Reeva Steenkamp texted Pistorius, in a message read out in court by police Capt. Francois Moller.
In another message, Steenkamp wrote to the double-amputee runner: "I can't be attacked by outsiders for dating u AND be attacked by you, the one person I deserve protection from."
The messages suggested both lovers were experiencing emotional insecurity, though the exchanges revealed in court reflected prosecutors' efforts to portray Pistorius as an aggressor with a short fuse, matching earlier testimony from a former girlfriend who had said he sometimes shouted at her. In one message, the runner indicated Steenkamp had not told him the full story about smoking "weed," or using drugs, while she defended past conduct with the declaration: "I wasn't a stripper or a 'ho,'" a slang term for prostitute.
The court adjourned with Moller expected to return to the witness box on Tuesday. He has not yet revealed if police recovered any phone messages or communications from the night of the killing on Feb. 14, 2013.
Moller said that from Steenkamp's phone he obtained more than 1,000 exchanges with Pistorius on WhatsApp and other phone messaging applications. Moller said he received as evidence two BlackBerry phones, two iPhones, two iPads and a Mac computer from Pistorius' house the day after the shooting death of Steenkamp.
The data on Steenkamp's phone would print to more than 35,000 pages, said Moller. Of the fraction of exchanges between the couple, he said that about 90 percent were what he called normal and "loving" exchanges.
In Steenkamp's message about being scared of the athlete, she also added: "You make me happy 90% of the time and I think we are amazing together."
She goes on to talk about Pistorius snapping at her about chewing gum and talking in an accent, and then writes: "I just want to love and be loved. Be happy and make someone SO happy. Maybe we can't do that for each other. Cos right now I know u aren't happy and I am certainly very unhappy and sad."
The long message was sent after the two attended a friend's engagement party and apparently left early because she said he got upset and jealous. As Moller read the message, Pistorius, who had been looking at a book of the compiled messages, closed his eyes. Tears fell to his lap. He wiped his eyes with a handkerchief and regained the composure he held through most of the day.
The runner apologized for his behavior in replies to Steenkamp's message, according to the testimony.
Moller also read messages exchanged after a shooting incident at Tashas restaurant in Johannesburg about a month before the fatal shooting. Boxer Kevin Lerena and Darren Fresco, a onetime friend of Pistorius, testified that the Olympian asked Fresco to take the blame for a shot that went off after the loaded gun was passed to Pistorius under the table.
In the phone message exchange, the 27-year-old runner explained to 29-year-old Steenkamp: "Angel, please don't say a thing to anyone … the guys promised not to say a thing," he wrote. She then replied: "I have no idea what you're talking about "
Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to a firearms charge related to that episode.
Earlier Monday a neighbor testified that she heard gunshots as well as screams from both a man and a woman on the night that Pistorius fatally shot Steenkamp.
Anette Stipp's testimony matched some evidence given by other witnesses who said they also heard a woman screaming around the time that Pistorius killed Steenkamp before dawn on Valentine's Day last year. According to Pistorius, he thought Steenkamp was in bed when he fired his 9 mm pistol. He did not describe any woman screaming.
The defense has countered that neighbors actually heard Pistorius screaming in a high-pitched voice after he shot Steenkamp. Pistorius has said he shot his girlfriend by mistake through a locked toilet door, thinking she was an intruder in his home.
Stipp said she heard what she thought were gunshots on the night of the shooting, and then heard the "terrified, terrified" screams of a woman.
Stipp recalled looking out from a balcony at two houses with lights on in the gated estate where her family and Pistorius lived.
"There was definitely a female screaming for quite a period," Anette Stipp said. She said she also heard a man's voice.
— By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and CARLEY PETESCH
Associated Press


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COMMENTARY: Flu epidemic exposes gaps in sick-leave policies
This year's flu epidemic has already overwhelmed hospital emergency rooms and claimed 20 children's lives. It could be better contained, not just by hand-washing and flu shots, but by tackling a glaring public policy gap: lack of sick leave.
We often hear about the workplace no-show problem known as absenteeism. But an even bigger problem in a flu-infested season like this one is what some are calling "presenteeism." That's when people show up for work when they shouldn't, because they're sick.
Those who do it are not necessarily compulsive about their jobs. They have no doubt heard the same warnings the rest of us have, to stay home. But many simply can't afford to. Nearly one-third of U.S. workers, or close to 42 million people, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, have no paid sick time off. Among part-time workers, only one in four has any.
This is an important but overlooked aspect of why influenza can so quickly reach epidemic proportions.
While absenteeism accounts for 22 percent of lost workplace productivity, "presenteeism" accounts for 78 percent, because sick workers infect others, according to the Center for Worklife Law at the University of California's Hastings Law School. That, it says, costs the U.S. economy $180 billion a year. In 2009, 5 million cases of the H1N1 flu resulted from a lack of paid sick days, according to a study in the American Journal of Public Health.
You would think that with such consequences, we would have tackled the problem at a national level. Yet the United States is one of the only developed nations that does not guarantee workers some paid sick leave.
By any measure, sick workers on the job are a problem. The National Partnership for Women and Families found that sick employees who come to work are half as productive as usual. It also estimates the medical costs for sick workers infected by their co-workers at $102.4 million a year.
Low-wage workers have it worst, and often with a ripple effect. An estimated 80 percent of them get no sick leave, and some are clustered in industries such as food service, where the spread of illness is high. According to the Partnership, 79 percent of food workers say they have no paid sick time.
A bill to require paid sick time off for employers of 15 or more people has repeatedly been introduced but failed to pass in Congress. Called the Healthy Families Act, it would require such employers to offer at least one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked – for a maximum mandate of 56 hours in a year.
Last year, Iowa's Democratic senator, Tom Harkin, proposed the Rebuild America Act, with a provision guaranteeing all workers the right to earn up to seven sick days in a year. That, too, failed to get momentum.
The Institute for Women's Policy Research, which explores issues related to women and families, estimates that reducing just the spread of the flu in workplaces could save $738.5 million a year. Even if only to protect their bottom line, employers should be providing sick leave as a matter of course.
It would be one thing if there were credible fears of employees abusing their sick leave. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that most full-time private-sector workers don't even use all the sick leave they earned.
Some cities and one state are no longer waiting for the federal government to act. They're passing their own sick leave requirements. San Francisco, Seattle and the District of Columbia all have laws guaranteeing paid sick days, as does Connecticut.
That's fine as a stopgap measure. But a health crisis such as this one makes painfully clear that it is time for a federal standard. This is not just an employment issue but a public health one.
When more than 40 million private-sector workers have to weigh the cost of staying home when they get sick, because it could mean sacrificing meals, rent money or other essentials, they unwittingly put other employees at risk. This is one of those cases where companies clearly have to be pushed to do right, not just by their workers but by their own bottom lines.
Rekha Basu is a Des Moines Register columnist. Send your response to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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World News: Assad to speak as Syrian rebels threaten Damascus this morning
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH– World news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket's international community
BEIRUT (Reuters): Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will deliver a rare speech today about the uprising against his rule, which has killed 60,000 people and brought civil war to the edge of his capital.
With insurgents fighting their way closer to the seat of his power, state media said in a statement that Assad would speak on Sunday morning about the "latest developments in Syria and the region", without giving details.
It will be the 47-year-old leader's first speech in months and his first public comments since he dismissed suggestions that he might go into exile to end the civil war, telling Russian television in November that he would "live and die" in Syria.
Insurgents are venturing ever closer into Damascus after bringing a crescent of suburbs under their control from the city's eastern outskirts to the southwest.
Assad's forces blasted rockets into the Jobar neighbourhood near the city centre on Saturday to try to drive out rebel fighters, a day after bombarding rebel-held areas in the eastern suburb of Daraya.
"The shelling began in the early hours of the morning, it has intensified since 11am, and now it has become really heavy. Yesterday it was Daraya and today Jobar is the hottest spot in Damascus," an activist named Housam said by Skype from the capital.
Since Assad's last public comments, in November, rebels have strengthened their hold on swathes of territory across northern Syria, launched an offensive in the central province of Hama and endured weeks of bombardment by Assad's forces trying to dislodge them from the capital's outer neighbourhoods.
Syria's political opposition has also won widespread international recognition. But Assad has continued to rely on support from Russia, China and Iran to hold firm and has used his air power to blunt rebel gains on the ground.
With the conflict showing no sign of abating, Syria's deputy foreign minister visited Iran on Saturday to seek to maintain the support of Assad's main ally in the region.
Iran's Fars news agency said Faisal al-Makdad would meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials.
Missile Batteries
Despite the estimated death toll of 60,000 announced by the United Nations earlier this week – a figure sharply higher than that given by activists – the West has shown little appetite for intervening against Assad in the way that NATO forces supported rebels who overthrew Libya's Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
But NATO is sending U.S. and European Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries to the Turkish-Syrian border.
The United States military said U.S. troops and equipment had begun arriving in Turkey on Friday for the deployment. Germany and the Netherlands are also sending Patriot batteries, which will take weeks to deploy fully.
Turkey and NATO say the missiles are a safeguard to protect southern Turkey from possible Syrian missile strikes. Syria and allies Russia and Iran say the deployments could spark an eventual military action by the Western alliance.
Syria's war has proved the longest and bloodiest of the conflicts that arose out of popular uprisings in Arab countries over the past two years and led to the downfall of autocratic regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen.
The war pits rebels mainly drawn from the Sunni Muslim majority against Assad, a member of the Shi'ite-derived Alawite minority sect, whose family has ruled Syria since his father seized power in a coup in 1970.
Syria's SANA state news agency said a journalist, Suheil al-Ali from the pro-government Addouniya TV, had died of wounds sustained in an attack by terrorists, the term government media use to refer to rebels. Syria was by far the most dangerous country for journalists last year, with 28 killed.
The opposition-linked Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict from Britain through a network of activists on the ground, reported fighting and shelling on Saturday in the eastern Euphrates River town of Deir al-Zor and near the central city of Hama, as well as near Damascus.
Assad's last formal speech was delivered to parliament seven months ago, in early June. "If we work together," he said, "I confirm that the end to this situation is near."
— Phuket Gazette Editors
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Barely four years after Santa Clara voters voiced their approval of a measure paving the way for bringing the San Francisco 49ers to the South Bay, the welcome mat is almost out for fans itching to get inside Levi's Stadium.
The only thing missing is the yard lines painted on the field.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell joined 49ers brass, as well as representatives from Levi's Strauss and the City of Santa Clara, for Levi's Stadium's formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday morning.
- Photos: Ribbon Cutting at Levi's Stadium
- Photos: Inside the New Levi's Stadium
"It's an important day for us," Goodell said. "This is the type of infrastructure that's important to the NFL overall."
The $1.2 billion successor to Candlestick Park was originally supposed to cost $937 when Measure J passed in 2010, but the Santa Clara Stadium Authority ended up going a few hundred million dollars over budget in order to add a number of Levi's Stadium attractions that would "enhance the fan experience."
"I've only been to home games at Candlestick, so it will definitely be a different experience for us," 49ers CEO Jed York said in a Q&A posted on the 49ers website.
Santa Clara voters' passage of Measure J was the key moment in making the Levi's Stadium a reality, according to York.
"Getting the public support and a resounding 60-40 victory, that was really when I felt like, 'OK, this thing has a great chance," York said. "And then the next big step was securing the financing, the construction financing. The two things that you really need are community support and funding. And those were the two really big pieces of this."
#RibbonCutting complete @LevisStadium. https://t.co/aJC4BA448t — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) July 17, 2014
A group opposing taxpayer subsidies for Levi's Stadium, called Santa Clara Plays Fair, fought against Measure J, spearheading a campaign to collect more than 5,000 signatures as part of an ultimately unsuccessful effort to get the stadium project proposal back on the ballot after it passed.
Of the billion-plus dollars it cost to build the stadium, none of it came out of the city's general fund, Santa Clara city spokesman Dan Beerman said.
The city's now-defunct state-funded redevelopment agency did put up $40 million in "seed money to show good faith and to make sure the rest of the funding could come through other means," Beerman said.
Just over an hour away from ribbon cutting @levisstadium https://t.co/PDwLYkkDBS — Bob Redell (@BobNBC) July 17, 2014
The day's biggest ovation came for those who built the stadium: the 7,800 construction workers.
"It feels great," said Albert, a worker who spoke with NBC Bay Area. "I'm a big fan and it's a dream come true."
Two workers were killed during the Levi's Stadium construction process.
The team announced July 1 that season tickets for the 68,500-seat stadium's inaugural season had sold out. Personal seat licenses, which fans are required to purchase before buying tickets in certain seats, cost between $2,000 and $80,000 apiece. Individual game tickets cost between $85 and $375. The seat licenses must be renewed each season, for a price of $850 to $3,750 a year, about twice the fee at Candlestick Park.
The first event to be held at Levi's Stadium won't be a 49ers game but a Major League Soccer match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders FC. The 49ers will host the first NFL preseason game at the new park on Aug. 17 against the Broncos, with the first regular season game scheduled for Sept. 14 against the Bears, a Sunday night game that will be broadcast on NBC.
Super Bowl 50 will be played at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 7, 2016.
The 200 by 42 foot video screen @levisstadium. How do I tune it to @nbcbayarea? https://t.co/DtpdKE51dg — Bob Redell (@BobNBC) July 17, 2014


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After traveling four years and 1.7 billion miles, NASA's Dawn spacecraft arrived at Vesta last July, the first stop on its tour of the largest asteroids in the solar system. Until Dawn's arrival, the only clues about Vesta came from grainy telescope images and meteorites that had fallen to Earth, many of which are believed to have come from the giant asteroid. Dawn's 1-million-pixel photographs are quickly revealing that Vesta's landscape is surprisingly complex for a floating rock the size of New Mexico.
The mountain at the center of a 300-mile-wide crater on the asteroid's surface is particularly awe-inspiring. At around 70,000 feet, the peak stands more than twice as tall as Mount Everest and is rivaled in the solar system only by Mars's monster volcano, Olympus Mons. Russell's team also noticed a variety of colors and minerals on the asteroid's surface, with bright spots—perhaps crystals or another reflective material—interspersed with black streaks on scarps and crater walls.
These mysterious surface features could have a lot to say about what our world looked like in its earliest years. Astronomers believe that rocks just like Vesta were the raw material that coalesced to form Earth and the other rocky planets 4.5 billion years ago. Dawn's study of Vesta and Ceres, the largest asteroid of all, should help scientists reconstruct the early years of the solar system.
Dawn will spend the first half of 2012 in a snug, 120-mile-high orbit around Vesta, taking detailed images and examining the asteroid's composition. The spacecraft is scheduled to depart in July for a 2015 rendezvous with Ceres.


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Boobquake Actually Caused an Earthquake
After an Iranian cleric said earthquakes were God's punishment for scantily-clad women, the pro-scantily-clad lobby of womanity declared today Boobquake, a day to flout and disprove the cleric by baring your boobs. And then a 6.9-magnitude earthquake occurred in Taiwan!
The New York Post reports that Boobquake's founder remained nonchalant after Taiwan's 11AM earthquake. She spat right in the face of an angry, wonderbra-hating Allah:
Although Boobquake founder Jennifer McCreight, of Indiana., has claimed that the quake does not count because it happened outside her Boobquake time zone, she admitted on her blog that the wobble was significant, but not unusual.
"On avg, 134 magnitude 6-6.9 earthquakes occur annually," she wrote on her Twitter feed, before following it up on her blog with: "If we get many of a similar magnitude in the next 24 hours, we might start worshipping the power of immodesty."
In earlier interviews, McCreight said the presence or absence of an earthquake would prove the cleric's prophecy true or false.
"With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake.
"If not, I'm sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn't rumble."
Conclusion: Everyone, convert to hard-right misogyno-Islam now, and add Taiwan to the "Fuck you, American boobs" list, while you're at it. [NYPost, image via Malingering's Flickr]


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Yamaha Grizzly 450 EPS
The Grizzly 450 EPS from Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., brings top-of-the-line features to a mid-sized, utility ATV machine. Assembled in Newnan, GA, the Grizzly 450 is Yamaha's latest ATV to get electric power steering (EPS).
Yamaha was the first ATV manufacturer to introduce EPS – first on its big-bore Grizzly 700 and then on the Grizzly 550. EPS reduces handlebar feedback and rider fatigue, especially over long days and tough chores.
The Grizzly 450 features Yamaha's exclusive Ultramatic® automatic transmission, the ATV industry's most durable continuously variable transmission (CVT) system; and push-button On-Command 2WD, 4WD and 4WD diff lock, which provides the only true rider-controlled all four-wheel-drive option. Combined with an all-new one-piece frame and a new rear sealed wet brake system, these features make the Grizzly 450 the toughest, lightest and most off-road capable ATV in its class, Yamaha says.
The Grizzly 450 EPS also comes standard with independent suspension, 11 in. of ground clearance, a water-resistant DC outlet that's perfect for powering a sprayer, and a multi-function LCD display illuminating a speedometer, odometer/trip meter, hour meter and clock, as well as gear selection. The Grizzly's plush seat, full-sized floorboards and oversized fenders add comfort to the ride.
The Grizzly's steel racks boast more than 250 lbs. of total carrying capacity (88 lbs. in front; 176 lbs. in the rear), and a 1,322-lb. towing capacity.
The Grizzly 450 EPS is available in Hunter Green, Steel Blue and Realtree™ AP HD® Camo. For more information, call 1-800-962-7926 or visit www.YamahaOutdoors.com.
Arctic Cat biodiesel model
Arctic Cat's 700 Super Duty Diesel ATV features a 686-cc, liquid-cooled, in-line twin-cylinder, single overhead cam (SOHC) diesel engine that provides 50% greater fuel mileage over a conventional gasoline engine and plenty of low-end torque, the company says. The engine runs efficiently on six forms of diesel fuel (DF 1, DF 2, DF A Arctic, JP 5, JP 8 and up to B20 Bio Diesel) with a glow plug pre-heater assist for starting.
Arctic Cat has extensively tested the Super Duty on bio diesel, the alternative fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fat, with the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and the Minnesota Soybean Growers.
The blend (B20) burns cleaner than conventional diesel, producing fewer carbon dioxide emissions and lower levels of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulates – all goals that help environment impact, Arctic Cat says.
An all-encompassed electronic 2WD/4WD/diff lock switch on the right-hand control makes going in and out of 4WD or diff lock an easier process.
The double A-arm fully independent front and rear suspension (both with five-position spring preload adjustment) delivers 8 in. of travel, keeps the rider firmly planted and comfortable, as well as giving 10 in. of ground clearance.
For more information, see your local dealer or visit www.arcticcat.com.
John Deere Gator XUVs
John Deere's 2011 lineup of Crossover Utility Vehicles (XUV) is packed with advanced features that deliver unparalleled balance between work and recreation.
Headlining the 2011 XUV models is the Gator™ XUV 825i – the fastest and most powerful Gator ever produced. The 50-hp engine provides superior low-end torque to take on the toughest tasks, trails and terrain. The 812-cc, liquid-cooled, inline, three-cylinder engine features four valves/cylinder, dual-overhead cams and electronic fuel injection (EFI).
The 825i boasts a top speed of 44 mph and sports a completely redesigned front and rear independent suspension system for a superior ride through rough terrain. The new models are designed for less body roll and superior side-hill stability with either no-load or maximum cargo. All the models also feature an entirely new braking system for improved stopping performance over previous models.
The Gator XUV 825i features a 1,500-lb. towing capacity and 1,400-lb. payload capacity, with the all-new hybrid metal and composite cargo box offering 16.4 cu. ft. of capacity. The sides of the cargo box easily remove for flatbed use.
All Gator XUV models are available in three finishes: olive and black, Realtree Hardwoods™ HD Camo, or traditional John Deere green and yellow.
In addition to its headlining Gator™ XUV 825i, John Deere also offers the 625i and the 855D to round out its full line of crossover utility vehicles.
• The Gator XUV 625i features gas EFI; a 617-cc, liquid-cooled V-twin engine with 23 hp; and a 30-mph top speed.
• The Gator XUV 855D is a diesel unit featuring an 854-cc, liquid-cooled, three-cylinder engine rated at 25 hp; a 32-mph top speed; and a full clutch enclosure.
For more information, see your local John Deere dealer, call 1-800-537-8233 or visit www.JohnDeere.com/Gator.
Toro Workman MD Series
The new Toro® Workman® MD Series utility vehicles feature injection-molded body styling and combine a coil-over shock absorber suspension design with a patented Active In-Frame twister joint to deliver SRQ™ – superior ride quality – for added operator comfort and vehicle control. The hefty payload capacity and four-wheel hydraulic brakes combine with SRQ to provide enhanced productivity to tackle the toughest jobs.
- The Workman MDE is an electric unit with a 48-volt DC motor with external fan and offers a 1,200-lb. total capacity,
- The MD offers a 12-hp, 357-cc, air-cooled single-cylinder Kohler® Command Pro™ engine and 1,250-lb. total capacity.
- The MDX boasts a 14-hp, 48-cc, air-cooled, two-cylinder Briggs and Stratton® Vanguard® engine and a 1,650-lb. total capacity.
For more information, call 1-800-803-8676 or visit www.toro.com/md.
Arctic Cat TBX 700 LTD
Load it, haul it, dump it. Take on work and fun with a new sense of confidence – a confidence provided by power steering in the Arctic Cat TBX 700 LTD.
Variable-assist Electronic Power Steering (EPS) allows steering assistance before the ATV even starts to move at idle – a huge benefit to conserving the rider's input energy when in 4WD. The variable-assist system is driven by an electronic control unit (ECU) that measures steering input force vs. tire resistance and vehicle speed then provides appropriate assist to the steering column through an electric motor.
The rear dump box offers a 300-lb. capacity and has a "pickup style" tailgate latch, plus box tilt latches on both sides of the machine. Handy tie-down attachment points are built directly into the cargo box and TBX frame, and integrated rails accept accessory clamp-down fixtures.
Arctic Cat's race-proven 700 H1 power plant is a 695-cc, liquid-cooled, single overhead cam (SOHC), single-cylinder engine designed for a wide torque curve with the smoothest power delivery via electronic fuel injection.
An all-encompassed electronic 2WD/4WD/diff lock switch on the right-hand control makes going in/out of 4WD or diff lock an easy
Front and rear independent suspensions are calibrated with 11 in. of ground clearance and 10 in. of suspension travel to provide the ultimate trail cornering and handling.
The TBX 700 LTD is available in Green Metallic, with 12-in. aluminum wheels, 3,000-lb. winch, front and rear bumpers, electronic power steering. For more information, see your local dealer or visit www.arcticcat.com.
Toro Workman HD Series
The Toro® Workman® HD Series of utility vehicles are powerful, durable and versatile. The Workman's DeDion I-beam axle is seven times stronger than a comparable tubular design, and gives the Workman superior vertical loading capacity by isolating the engine, transmission and main frame from all load forces, Toro says. The unit's maximum capacity of 3,002 lbs., allows it to haul up to 35% more than the competition, while four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes are safer and easier to service than traditional drum brakes, the company adds.
The unit features true independent front suspension, with opposing dual coil springs and dual shock absorbers. The powerful 31.5-hp electronic fuel-injected engine offers a 15-20% increase in fuel economy, instant cold weather starting, smoother throttle response and onboard diagnostics for quick troubleshooting.
The Workman HD Series offers dozens of attachments and accessories to tackle a wide variety of jobs.
For more information, call 1-800-803-8676 or visit www.toro.com/hd.
Arctic Cat Prowler 700 HDX
Arctic Cat's all-new Prowler 700 HDX Side-By-Side has been designed from the ground up, starting with the 85-in. wheelbase that provides a 1,500-lb. payload. The all-new 2-in-1 cargo box, with 1,000-lb. box capacity and multiple tie-down options, is wide enough to house a wooden pallet, while easily detachable side panels quickly convert it to flatbed use.
The Prowler HDX cab features a 40/20/40 seat for comfortable, sculpted seating for three occupants. The dashboard houses a fresh digital gauge package with an all-new dash-mounted shifter that has park, low, high, neutral and reverse.
Electronic power steering (EPS) is new to the Prowler HDX in 2011, while a five-position tilt steering column enhances handling. Arctic Cat's variable-assist EPS allows steering assistance to the HDX before it even starts to move at idle, conserving riders' input energy when in 4WD, especially when the differential lock is engaged. The EPS reduces the torque necessary to steer the HDX when changing direction with a loaded cargo box or navigating tough obstacles.
The unit's 700 H1 engine's electronic fuel injection puts power to the ground via the front and rear suspensions. Fully independent, double-A-arm front and rear designs have 10 in. of suspension travel and 10 in. of ground clearance.
Fox FLOAT® Air Assist shocks complete the HDX suspension, combining FLOAT Air Technology with a coil-over spring for increased load capability. Under heavy load conditions the FLOAT Air Assist allows the vehicle's load requirement to be easily adjusted by simply adding air pressure to the FLOAT air chamber. During normal conditions the coil takes over as the main spring.
The units are available in Tungsten Metallic and Advantage Timber Camo. For more information, see your local dealer or visit www.arcticcat.com.
Yamaha Rhino 700 FI
The latest edition of the Rhino 700 FI is the toughest, most off-road capable and versatile side-by-side (SxS) vehicle on the market, says Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. Assembled in Newnan, GA, the Rhino's 700-class power plant is a liquid-cooled, four-valve, single overhead cam (SOHC) engine that provides plenty of torque. Fuel injection offers performance and dependability in any condition, especially at high elevation and in cooler conditions, Yamaha says. And the vehicle's standard 2-in. receiver is capable of towing up to 1,212 lbs. with 400 lbs. in the cargo bed.
Yamaha's flagship SxS gets much of its durability and off-road capabilities from its Ultramatic® automatic transmission – the industry's most durable continuously variable transmission (CVT) system. On-Command® 2WD/4WD and 4WD diff lock gives the driver control with the push of a button. The Rhino has more than 12 in. of ground clearance and hydraulic disc brakes with dual-piston calipers on all four wheels for superior braking performance.
Standard features include a 12-volt accessory outlet; padded bucket seats for both driver and passenger; grab handles and cup holders; roto-molded doors to keep mud, water and trail debris out of the cab; a digital LCD multi-function display meter featuring a speedometer, odometer, dual-trip meter, clock, fuel gauge and gear position display; a voltage meter for monitoring battery condition; and an hour meter function that operates only while the engine is running for more accurate servicing.
The 2011 Yamaha Rhino is available in Hunter Green, Red and the Sport Edition White Armor. For more information, call 1-800-962-7926 or visit www.YamahaOutdoors.com..