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Sochi 2014 | Mikaela Shiffrin wins Olympic slalom gold
The Associated Press
KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Invoking the sort of recovery skills that Bode Miller made famous, American teenager Mikaela Shiffrin made Alpine skiing history Friday as the youngest ever winner of an Olympic slalom gold medal.
The 18-year-old from Vail showed impressive balance and agility on the Rosa Khotur course, somehow correcting herself in mid-air and landing her skis back between the gates midway through her second run.
Her speed — and lead from a near-flawless first run — then carried her down the steep hill to win in a two-leg combined time of 1 minute, 44.54 seconds. Despite losing time with her mid-run acrobatics, Schiffrin still finished 0.53 seconds faster than Marlies Schild, the Austrian veteran who is one of Shiffrin's childhood favorites.
"There I was, I'm like, 'Grrreat. I'm just going to go win my first medal.' And then in the middle of the run, I'm like, 'Guess not.'" Schiffrin said. "So like, 'No. Don't do that. Do not give up. You see this through.' My whole goal was to just keep my skis moving."
After she crossed the finish line, Shiffrin hesitated to celebrate. She only seemed sure she had won when Schild and bronze medalist Kathrin Zettel of Austria came across the finish area to raise her arms in triumph.
"Today was one of the most special days of my life," said Shiffrin, who described her mid-run save as "pretty terrifying for me."
At 32, Schild has now taken a slalom medal at three straight Olympics without winning gold.
"The dream died in the first run," said Schild, who had been only sixth-fastest. "I won the silver medal in the second run and that's great."
Zettel trailed 0.81 behind Shiffrin and cried after securing her first Olympic medal following a series of near-misses at the past two Winter Games.
"Mikaela was absolute fantastic skiing, so she was the favorite and she nailed all of us," Zettel said. "She is the real Olympic champion."
Shiffrin claimed the record for youngest Olympic slalom champion, male or female, from Paoletta Magoni of Italy, who won gold at the 1984 Sarajevo Games when she was 19.
The Vail native completed a full set of slalom honors — Olympic and world championship gold medals and a season-long World Cup discipline title — before her 19th birthday next month.
It so nearly disappeared in a dramatic second of skiing under the night-time floodlights.
"I thought, 'It's over,'" said Shiffrin's slalom coach, Roland Pfeifer. "All of a sudden, she overdid it on the second run and that was brutal. I can't describe how I felt."
For the first time, Shiffrin sealed a big victory from the front instead of her usual aggressive second-run tactics to overhaul other racers.
Despite fighting a cold, Shiffrin built a 0.49 second advantage over Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany in late afternoon, using nimble footwork to deal with soft snow and a tight gate-setting on the steep course.
Hoefl-Riesch faded on her second time down to finish fourth in what is likely her Olympic farewell race, 1.19 behind Shiffrin and 0.38 outside the medals.
"It's really emotional. No matter what's going to happen, I had a great Olympic career," Hoefl-Riesch said after her first run.
The 29-year-old German, who had been trying to win a record-tying fourth career Olympic gold medal, has been the subject of speculation that she will retire when the season ends next month.
Tina Maze of Slovenia also let slip a historic opportunity to tie the record for Alpine gold medals at the same Winter Games. Third after the first run, the downhill and giant slalom gold medalist dropped to eighth place. It was Maze's worst result in five events.
Shiffrin is the first American woman to get a slalom medal of any color since Barbara Cochran won gold at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics. She showed her patriotic colors wearing a stars-and-stripes design on her race helmet and a small painted flag with USA written into it on the right side of her neck.
With her gold, Shiffrin lifted the American Alpine team's tally at the Sochi Olympics to five medals, including one other gold from men's giant slalom champion Ted Ligety.
"(Mikaela) will definitely win many, many races and have a big career in front of her," Hoefl-Riesch said. "She's an exceptional athlete and a great person."
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Jon Briccetti
Member since Jul 1, 2009
- Profile: /members/3714-jon-briccetti.htm
- Comments: 3
Recent Blog Comments By Jon Briccetti
Very Strange Script-Based Behavior For CFParam In ColdFusion
Posted on Oct 31, 2013 at 10:48 PM
that's some crazy ass sh*t Ben. i made several variations of the code to confirm that it is specifically the cfscript base param and it does appear to be exactly that. i'll spare ya the details but i made all kinds of different changes - but as soon as you use the script based param tag it acts lik... read more »
Downloading Email Attachments With CFPop And CFThread
Posted on Sep 28, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Ben - great article & great example - I've never had to process attachments from cfpop before, need to now, did one google search and found this and it totally nails the how-to & the performance issues in one shot! Thanks Ben, I always know I can count on you! And no inappropriate filenames or sampl... read more »
QueryAddRow(), Date/Times, WDDX, And ORDER BY, OH MY!
Posted on Jul 1, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Ben - another option when dealing with these queries made from scratch is to use something else that returns a query and manipulate it - for example you could do "SELECT 0 as id, some_date_column as mydate FROM some table or tables WHERE 1=2" and then just add rows to it - the point being that rathe... read more »

subset: commoncrawl


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I found a huge performance listing a long time ago and recently reformatted it into a text file... it has the 0 - 60 and quarter mile times for abour 1,800 cars leading up to 1999, and I use it all the time.
Anyway, enough talk...I can't attach the file because its not an image, and it won't let me post it if I change the format either. So I'll just post it here I hope you guys can find it useful.
The Big Performance List
Year Make & Model (0-60) (1/4 Mile)


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Saturday, February 28, 2009
Just Like Mommy
Then, I paused a moment to think about what "being a doctor" really means to CindyLou. To her, mommy's work is hanging out at the nurse's station...checking out the new babies, coloring, eating crackers and suckers, and generally being fawned over by nurses, patients, and visitors alike. Or, perhaps she thinks about time in mommy's office, where SuperNurse plies her with her secret candy stash, she sits on her lap, and "works" on the computer. Being a doctor must seem a pretty sweet gig to a 4 (almost 5) year old. It also gives me hope that, for all my harried feelings about my job, they don't transfer to CindyLou; thus enabling her to feel like being a doctor is a pretty darn cool job. What ever the reason, I did feel grateful and humbled that my little girl was looking up to me, aspiring to be (despite my many foibles) "just like mommy.'
10 comments:
So I am a medical student that has been following your blog, and I've got to say, it's pretty discouraging. It seems as if none of you like your jobs. I'm only second year, so I haven't done many clinical things yet, but what I have done I've loved. Perhaps you could publish some blogs for medical students on how not to lose that love of it - is it the insurance, the hours, what? I'm too far in to back out now (not that I want to yet), so what can I do to not end up stuck in a profession I don't enjoy? Thank you!ReplyDelete
Rinda~ I am sorry to hear that you feel discouraged by reading our blog in general, and mine in particular. I sound like a crochety old bag most of the time, I do realize this, and for that I apologize. I *do* love my job, but it is a job, with inherent unpalatable aspects just like any other job. Perhaps, at times, it is easier to vent about worries and unpleasantness in the written form than it is to rhapsodize about how great and wonderful it is to be a doctor.ReplyDelete
I am still happy to be a physician, and have often said I wouldn't do anything else, but it isn't all sunshine and roses. This experience seems to be quite universal, and that is what you see here. Go in to the profession with your eyes wide open, find the best fit for you, and you will find a way to be happy. Burnout is common in the medical profession, and I'm not sure that I have any solid advice on how not to lose the shiny new love of medicine that you have when you first start training. Find the time to care for yourself, if you can, and that will help immensely. I do hope that you love it as much 10 years from now as you do today.
- AnonymousFebruary 28, 2009 at 12:24 PM
I don't mean to butt into the comments section, or say anything for dr. whoo necessarily, but it seems to me like it's somewhat dependent on specialty. A study recently found that major factors of physician satisfaction in their job was control over schedule and work hours. Check out this article.ReplyDelete
discouraging for women physicians, especially if they are in a long hours, unpredictable schedule type specialty, because they are also trying to be mommy and wife. which oftentimes is a completely different set of roles as the standard man, and requires just as much work as, well, work.
I actually find the posts on this website to be more uplifting than what I've heard from other websites/female physicians. Honestly, every female ob/gyn I've talked to with kids has mixed feelings about choosing the specialty, even if they love the work.
- AnonymousFebruary 28, 2009 at 12:30 PM
I'm sorry- aforementioned article was the wrong one-this is the article I was referrig to:ReplyDelete
Have to say I love my job. It is a privilege to have people let you into the most intimate and vulnerable parts of their lives.
Yes, time consuming, yes, gets into the very crevices of your mind and soul, but medicine is also stimulating, full of emotion (whether you want to believe it is or not), never boring, and makes a difference.
- AnonymousFebruary 28, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Rinda - Please don't misunderstand us. Venting is part of being a physician. But we can only vent to each other, so you see a very selective, sometimes humorous, sometimes sarcastic commentary here. Because without a sense of humor you would go crazy in clinical medicine. I still love my work after several decades in medicine, but the griping is necessary to preserve sanity. Oh -can I tell you about the patient who paged me at 2 am because she couldn't sleep?.... For real.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 28, 2009 at 8:55 PM
Rinda - Please don't misunderstand us. Venting is part of being a physician. But we can only vent to each other, so you see a very selective, sometimes humorous, sometimes sarcastic commentary here. Because without a sense of humor you would go crazy in clinical medicine. I still love my work after several decades in medicine, but the griping is necessary to preserve sanity. Oh - can I tell you about the patient who paged me at 2 am because she couldn't sleep?.... For real.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 1, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Ah, yes, the one that couldn't sleep. I was once paged at 2 am by somebody whose 17 year old was constipated. I asked when it started and they said "we don't know, she woke us up--we were asleep." I didn't reply with "do tell? so was I" but it was hard. I wonder if the availability of blogs to vent in have reduced burnout rates any. Somebody should do a study--maybe there's a grant in there somewhere...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 1, 2009 at 3:55 PM
rinda. take these comments with a grain of salt. imagine the group of women, sitting down at the hospital w/ a cup of coffee, laughing and talking, and sharing. this blog is the online version of that group of friends discussing the experiences and frustrations of their job. it is the same thing done among med students after a hard test or a long week. the same thing as residents getting together after a difficult rotation. it is a group of women getting together to discuss a shared experience in order to make it easier and funnier and be able to put it all in perspective so we can enjoy the good times more.ReplyDelete
i apologize for the lack of uppercase. i am typing one handed while bf'ing
Thank you for your comments. I am glad to know that despite all the discouraging moments and lost sleep, it is still a profession a woman with a family can be in and enjoy. I apologize if my comment was out of line - I absolutely agree that this is a terrific place to vent about the frustrating parts of your jobs! I also should have said that I immensely enjoy the stories both of your jobs and of your children! Thank you!ReplyDelete


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Oh woe is the idealistic political observer in 2007. Last year, nearly two-dozen journalists, City Hall observers and politicians predicted the taking-Albany-by-storm Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer (a.k.a. The Steamroller) would root out corruption and inefficiency upstate with his combative prosecutorial ways and reform-minded agenda.
"Spitzer will be very popular in his first year, despite a tough love budget," predicted WNYC's Brian Lehrer last December.
But that's not exactly what happened, is it? Spitzer's approval rating is treading in the thirties, and many Democrats polled said they would not vote him in for a second term.
While many of our so-called psychics may have missed the mark last year, Gotham Gazette is willing to give it another try.
Every December we ask New York's political know-it-alls and policy wonks to predict what could be in store for next year. For 2008, they predict a struggling economy - thanks to the mortgage meltdown - continuous scandals upstate and a presidential pulpit starring some well known New Yorkers.
Tom Robbins, reporter, The Village Voice
Rudy Giuliani defends Yankee steroid users. "What's wrong with wanting to be the best?" he insists.
Mike Bloomberg fires Dan Doctoroff as Bloomberg LP prez after learning he has cut a deal to sell the company to developer Steve Ross and government of Abu Dhabi.
Bernie Kerik cops a plea with federal prosecutors. Burly ex-corrections chief tells judge: "I did the crime and I can do the time -- standing on my head." Then he demonstrates.
Giuliani campaign is hit by scandal after Human Growth Hormone capsules are left behind in the New Hampshire hotel room of top campaign aide.
Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey resigns to take top campaign post with Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Says: "I just couldn't wait any longer. Mike's great, but he couldn't make up his mind."
Eliot Spitzer gets his old mojo back and climbs in polls as Democrats take control of the State Senate.
Andrew Cuomo opens new Spitzer probe. Aides say: "This one makes Troopergate look like a lunchroom food fight."
Mike Wallace, co-author of "Gotham"
A lot of futurology amounts to assuming tomorrow will be just like today, plus or minus 5 percent. Given the power of inertia in history, would-be seers who bet that things will continue along the same trajectory aren't likely to go too far wrong.
In this cautious vein I foresee: another round of corporate mergers and concentration of capital (especially in finance); another increase in CEO salaries (for all the astonishing flubs that sent high officials out the window to float down on golden parachutes); more high-rise office and luxury housing development; more sub-prime foreclosures; more conspicuous Gilded Age type consumption; another round in the third great wave of immigration; a continuing decline in blue-collar jobs and increase in low-wage service sector positions; a worsening shortage of truly affordable housing (despite heroic efforts by the current administration); and, overall, a steady widening of the enormous chasms between Gotham's poor and rich and superrich.
A trickier task is to spot the fault lines along which more seismic shifts might occur. Set aside a last minute lunatic lurch into Iran by cornered Bushies -- damn the National Intelligence Estimate, full speed ahead. Set aside, too, the arrival in New York -- the last domino? -- of the toppling real estate prices raising havoc elsewhere in the country, which might in turn torpedo many mega-developments (Atlantic Yards, Hudson Yards).
These apart, the most worrisome source of instability -- not unrelated to the above -- stems from the ongoing transformation of the city's (and the world's) financial arrangements. The sloshing about of trillions of dollars in the largely unregulated speculative hedge fund and derivative markets has generated a level of buccaneering reminiscent of the 1920s. Given the city's hyper-vulnerability to perturbations in the global economy -- and given the gaping national budget and balance of payment deficits, the impatience of Europeans and others with the declining dollar, the possible quantum surge in oil prices and the conceivable cardiac arrest of credit markets shocked into seizure by subprime screwups -- the possibility of a global financial perfect storm, while remaining unlikely, can, alas, not be entirely excluded from the menu of worrisome possibilities for 2008.
New York City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan
After yet another year of losing $13 billion to congestion, political and traffic gridlock are broken for the first time by a congestion pricing plan that brings $350 million in federal aid to expand mass transit and get New York City moving.
Representative Charles Rangel
I can work with the new president, no matter who she is.
Next year the country and the world will know that the change in the administration will bring a new hope for world and peace.
The economic success New York City is having must be shared with the poor and working class. In the coming year we need to invest in housing— not just luxury housing, but affordable housing.
Jonathan Bowles, director, Center for an Urban Future
The city's crime rate goes up, housing prices begin to go down, the economy cools and at least one cupcake shop goes out of business.
Concerns about overdevelopment in neighborhoods outside of Manhattan, the loss of New York's uniqueness and the squeezing of the middle class become the early hot button issues of the 2009 mayoral campaign.
Shelly Silver gets just about anything he wants from Governor Spitzer.
City Councilmember Simcha Felder
Ray Kelly will announce his candidacy for mayor in 2008.
The MTA will refund all MetroCard users 4 cents a year as a result of them increasing the fare so much. This is the equivalent of the $400 rebates the city is giving real estate owners - not very good.
The Brooklyn Bridge will be closed and affordable housing will be built on top of it to eliminate the problems that congestion pricing is trying to address. That way cars won't come into the city. All commuters from south Brooklyn will have to take the train.
Steven Cohen, professor of public administration at Columbia University
The Democrats will take the White House and hold onto the Congress.
Rudy Giuliani will return to the private sector, but won't hire Bernie Kerik to work for him.
The federal Clean Air Act will be amended to regulate carbon dioxide and reduce global warming, President Bush will veto the bill and Congress will override his veto.
New York City will continue to export its garbage out of state and costs will continue to grow.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg will not run for president, and rumors that he will run for governor will continue to grow.
The Yankees and Mets will both get past the first round of the playoffs.
The Knicks will not get to the first round of the playoffs.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn
Plastic bags will be recycled by the thousands in neighborhoods around the city.
CouncilStat data will help constituents get their problems solved at lightning speed.
The Yankees and Mets will battle it out in a Subway Series.
Americans will elect our first female president.
Madison Square Garden will pay property taxes for the first time in decades.
Bruce Springstein's "Magic" will win the Grammy for album of the year.
More New Yorkers of all incomes will have access to healthy, nutritious foods.
Building on the success of its metal bat ban, the council will ban the words "metal bat ban."
Gotham Gazette will surpass Drudge in number of page views per day.
Julia Vitullo-Martin, senior fellow, The Manhattan Institute
The Bloomberg administration will continue its triumphant rezoning of the city, opening up more land for residential and commercial development than any administration in history, including major rezonings for 125th Street in Harlem, 161st Street in the South Bronx, Coney Island in Brooklyn, the Rockaways in Queens and West Shore in Staten Island. Yet as New Yorkers pursue their drive for living space, they will find that, contrary to the promises of economists, new supply will not bring down rents or prices. While property values may stall briefly in response to national economic problems, they will then return to their upward march, rising inexorably until they match those of London—our ruthless and successful competitor across the sea.
Don Hastings, actor, As The World Turns (interviewed on the Writer's Guild picket line outside the Time Warner Center)
Hopefully things like this (the Writer's Guild Strike) will get the city back to normal and will get more film and television production in this city. I'm hoping that all of this unrest in labor gets quickly and amicably resolved.
I think you've got a great mayor, and I wouldn't mind seeing him run for president. I'd hate to lose him in New York, but I'd like to see him in the White House.
City Councilmember Letitia James
Hillary Clinton will get the Democratic nomination for the presidency and select John Edwards as her vice president.
The Atlantic Yards project will go down in flames.
David Birdsell, professor and dean, School of Public Affairs at Baruch College
After suffering further damage in a difficult budget environment in the spring, Governor Spitzer will regain his footing with a series of popular, politically achievable policy proposals in 2008-09.
The scale of savings from a variety of "green" initiatives in New York will create new industries, new subsidies for start-ups, and make environmental sustainability the brightest spot in the local economy for the next two years.
Presidential candidates in both parties will continue to ignore the nation's cities.
Baby boomers will finally start using social networking sites in large numbers, but primarily for business and community organizing, not social encounters.
Gene Russianoff, senior attorney, New York Public Interest Research Group and the Straphangers Campaign
The Traffic Mitigation Commission will recommend programs to:
- Lure motorists to automobile salvage yards using free MetroCards;
- Impose a $15 surcharge for taxi cab riders who are snotty to their drivers;
- Charge a $100 congestion fee on vehicles entering Manhattan, but only apply it to foreign visitors from Guatemala.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will change its "If you see something, say something" ad campaign to, "If you see something, feel free to laugh at us."
The now-independently run 7 line will secede from the transit system and re-route itself from midtown to downtown.
Mayor Bloomberg will recommend building new X subway line from his East Side townhouse to his vacation home in Bermuda.
Charles Geisst, professor of finance, Manhattan College, and author of several books about Wall Street, including "Wall Street: A History."
Poet e.e. cummings once remarked that, "I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart." Given the current state of affairs in the credit and mortgage markets, 2008 will prove that many will be living apart since a recession is looming. On a cheerier note, there will be some reconciliations afterward.
City Councilmember Peter Vallone
Isaiah Thomas is finally fired, goes to work on Wall Street and loses $10 million on the first day in bad trades.
City Comptroller William Thompson
New York City's pace of economic growth will slow down, but the local economy will still generate 40,000 new jobs.
Tourism will remain a bright spot in the city's economy as foreigners take advantage of the weakened dollar.
The recent trend of companies relocating to New York City will accelerate as the city's inexhaustible capacity for creativity and innovation becomes more widely valued in uncertain times.
The mortgage debacle will continue to dominate the economic headlines in 2008 and emerge as a challenge to community stability. Its impacts will be mitigated somewhat in New York as the city's fundamental attractiveness makes the housing market more resilient than in many other places.
Michael Miscione, Manhattan borough historian
2008 will begin badly for city history lovers.
New Yorkers, ever oblivious to events that took place before they were born, will wonder why the number 1625 appears on the city seal. (The two oddly dressed figures also on the seal -- one in a loincloth and feathers, the other in a cap and knickers -- will elicit no such questions since they will be assumed to be Fashion Week models.) The question will leave government officials scratching their heads. The City Council will create a special committee to solve the mystery, but their findings will be inconclusive.
The best we could come up with, the chairman will say, is that 1625 probably represents the number of World Series wins by the New York Yankees. When asked how the committee came up with that theory, he will say, "Well, what number could possibly be more important than that?" The theory will be dashed, however, when someone points out that surely that figure is too small.
Things will pick up a little later in the year when another historical mystery is finally solved. Diggers of the Second Avenue Subway will stumble across a long-forgotten station built in the 1920s, when the line was first conceived. Long-lost Judge Joseph F. Crater, who was last seen entering an automobile in 1930, will be found impatiently pacing the platform and peering down the tracks. When asked what he is doing there, the judge will explain, "Traffic was murder, so I thought I'd try the train. But this is taking longer than I ever imagined."
How true, judge. How true.
Andrea Batista Schlesinger, executive director, Drum Major Institute for Public Policy:
I predict that New York City government will finally understand that New York City cannot function as a city of the super wealthy and everyone else, and that creating public policy that enables the middle class to actually live here is as high a priority today as targeting crime was in the 1990s.
I predict that, at some point in 2007, NYC's elite will get fed up with being an ATM for aspiring presidential candidates who have no ideas about how to save our nation's cities.
I predict that New York City will make a strong stand against global warming by getting people out of their cars and onto a strengthened system of public transit.
Nicole Gelinas, co-editor, City Journal
2008 will be the year in which New York City figures out that Wall Street's now-six-month-old "credit crunch" isn't temporary. The crisis may become less acute, but sharply lower volume in one of Wall Street's bread-and-butter industries -- securitization of not only residential mortgage assets but of commercial loans as well -- will be the new normal for a while. Depressed volume on Wall Street will hurt personal income and job creation as well as cut tax collections: property taxes, property-transfer taxes, income taxes, and business taxes.
In a related matter, 2008 also will be the year in which New Yorkers realize that the fact that the richest part of the city is on an island doesn't insulate Gotham from the housing-market slump that's started to bring prices closer to earth in the rest of the nation. And no, the Europeans aren't going to save us from reality by buying up our property, residential or commercial. Just like the rest of us, Europeans have been buying property here only because they expect to reap double-digit percentage gains on that property every year; when that stops, the buying will stop.
Roberta Reardon, national president, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
It's going to be a very busy year for the entertainment business, negotiations wise. The writers are on strike now; we hope they will come to an agreement soon. The director's guild has announced they will probably go to the table in January.
AFTRA is negotiating their network code in mid-January with the networks, which covers 80 percent of television.
Then in June AFTRA and the Screen Actors Guild both have their prime time theatrical negations come due. These are all with the same employers that these people are on strike against right now, and it's all the same issues. It's digital. It's new media.
It's going to be a very tough fight. We're certainly watching what the Writer's Guild is doing, and I'm sure when the directors go to the table we'll be watching them as well.
Hopefully this (the writers) will be the only strike, because this industry can't take repeated strikes.
Alexandra Pelosi, HBO documentary filmmaker
The end of network television as we know it.
Jad Abumrad, host and producer, WNYC's Radio Lab
As election season heats up, I predict another round of entertaining (but not to be trusted) brain research into what, anatomically, separates blue-staters from the reddies.
Last prediction: 2008 will see the rise of the personal surveillance industry - targeted at those of us who can't trust ourselves.
Councilmember Tony Avella
What a wonderful city it would be if in 2008 ...
The City Council voted to abolish the anti-good government practice of issuing "lulus" to members and formally establish the position as a full time job, prohibiting outside income.
The mayor recognized that the Department of Buildings is in total chaos and undertakes a complete overhaul of the agency.
The City Council becomes a more open, transparent democratic body with committee chairpersons being able to schedule hearings and set committee agendas.
The mayor keeps promises made during his 2005 re-election campaign to rezone neighborhoods throughout the city to protect their residential character and stop the rampant overdevelopment.
The City Council truly considers community input and puts residents' interests before the interests of the real estate industry.
Eminent domain is not misused and the rights of private property in this city are respected.
And, City Council meetings actually start on time!
We can only hope....


text: Opening a design retail wall plug will not be as elementary as it appears. As with all other business venture, launching a garments store can certainly be tricky. This is the reason why you ought to have a clothing retailer business strategy plan. Your organization prepare will act as the best guide along the way… Continue reading Make Your Own Clothing Store Business Plan


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Both of you have won a prize, but I haven't been able to contact either via email. If you would still like to receive your prize please use the 'Bark Back To The Blogger' form, upper right side, to contact me.
If you recognize your answer and want the prize you have until Monday evening, otherwise I will need to choose another winner.
Shirley Stewart
I have become the owner of a very exuberant and strong pit bull that was dumped down the road from me out in the country. She was left without food or water and wouldn't wander from that spot. After several days of seeing her not moving I started feeding her then brought her home. She obviously is not leash trained and I am not strong enough to hold her as I have medical limitations. I would like to try the new collar to see if it will even up the odds so to speak.
Kelly (All Paws Are Walking)
My Lab mix Lexi has severe allergies. So I need to give her medicine 3 times a day. When we first started I would wrap it up in cheese. One day though she had a bad day. I couldn't figure out why because I knew I was giving her the medicine. Well that night I made my bed with clean sheet, wouldn't you be surprised if you found about 6 Benadryl pills under her blanket.
I was curious as to what happened. So I gave her the night pills, about 5 minutes after giving it to her, she makes a slight cough noise and gets closer to me. Wouldn't you know, she was coughing up the pill and putting the pill under her blanket. But she did it, so I thought she was getting closer to cuddle. I then realized, she still has 1 more pill. So I looked in her mouth and found it under her lip. It was completely DRY. Sneaky little devil, but I love her.
For anyone who enters a contest, please be sure I can reach you via the email you use on Dogster. Thanks for your cooperation.


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Dear Global Business Enthusiast,
Michael Michelini (@michelini) here. You're getting this email because you requested my periodic thoughts on international business from Hong Kong.[Edit: Actually, it's possible that you've never gotten an email from me. Somebody might have just given you the link to this page, which is an online archive of an email that I sent to folks who had asked for it. If you'd like to get articles like this in your inbox, totally free, about once a week or two, give me your email address.]
Sent Nov 10, 2016
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– Michael Michelini
mike @ globalfromasia.com
Hong Kong


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Chevy Engine Block - Cutweight Horsepower
Swapping a Cast-Iron Block for an Aluminum One on a Chevy Small-Block V-8
Upgrading an existing cast-iron block-based engine to an aluminum engine block is a great way to reduce the weight on the front area of a vehicle. It makes it easier for the vehicle to accelerate, brake and corner, adds to the cool factor, and possibly can lead to an increase in power output. The aluminum engine block requires preparation and assembly methods that are a little different from a cast-iron block, but you're about to learn a lot of those details here. So get ready to go light.
Setup: This engine is out of Mark Stielow's Thrasher '69 Camaro Pro Touring ride that he built back in 1999, and will be going into Jim Mulvey's Camaro in place of a supercharged big-block. The improvement in overall weight and front/rear bias is going to be dramatic. The original small-block Chevy engine made 520 hp, 510 lb-ft of torque based on a 406ci cast-iron block with unported 23-degree cylinder heads, open-plane intake, and an ACCEL fuel injection system.
Stielow has decided to upgrade the engine with a GM Performance Parts Bow-Tie aluminum block, Dart CNC-machined 18-degree cylinder heads, and some new valvetrain components to take advantage of the new high-flowing heads. While he drove the decision to go lightweight and improve the flow, the experts at Wheel to Wheel Powertrain (W2W), in Madison Heights, Michigan, weighed in on the details of upgrading the existing engine.
Assembly: As far as foundation choices go, it doesn't get much better than the GM Performance Parts Bow-Tie aluminum block. It is a beautiful piece of equipment with a near-surgical appearance in the cast and machined areas. To add to the mystique, the block is shipped in a special wooden crate with paperwork on the sonic testing so you can "see" the quality of the construction. The aluminum Bow-Tie block has pressed-in cast-iron cylinder liners that can be machined to a maximum diameter of 4.185 inches. But this engine was originally built with 4.125-inch bores and the original Arias pistons look practically brand-new, so the block is being machined to 4.125-inch bores.
Head Games: The aluminum, 18-degree Dart cylinder heads just looked too good to not try. The reference to the "18 degrees" is the amount the valves are "angled" from the centerline of the cylinder bore. While the Gen I small-block Chevy V-8 originally came out with 23-degree valve angles, over the years racers have determined that reducing that angle allowed them to run smaller combustion chambers, improve the angle of the intake port, and generally make more power. The 18-degree angle was pioneered by racers in NASCAR and remains as a common upgrade in performance small-blocks.
Making the change to 18-degree heads requires a new intake, or at least serious machining of an intake built for a 23-degree head (which really isn't recommended, as the intake port shape will not take full advantage of the 18-degree ports). Also, a "spacer" will usually need to be added to the "China Wall" area at the front and rear of the engine. Valvetrain changes will abound to achieve "correct" valve geometry. You'll probably want to replace the camshaft to get the most out of the new heads. Expect to make changes to the fuel and spark application, as these heads usually flow better than any 23-degree head you've run.
The real improvement came once this engine was bolted into Jim Mulvey's Camaro. Stielow reported to us that you could feel the change the lightweight block and high-flowing cylinder heads made to the power and nose weight of the vehicle. The resulting faster acceleration and a more "flickable" performance makes all the work required to make this change worth it.
The First-Generation Chevy small-block V-8 design has many press-in plugs in the iron block, but on the aluminum Bow-Tie version, these Allen plugs are used. When final installing, these main oil passage plugs should have their threads coated with Loctite 592 thread sealer/lock and installed to quarter-turn past hand-tight. The threaded holes between each lifter set are drainbacks that require stands to prevent high amounts of oil pouring on the cam and crank.
This shot gives an idea of what it looks like to run 18-degree cylinder heads-the oversize, straight-on intake port requires the intake valve lifter pushrod seat to be offset 0.150 inch to create room for the oversized intake ports. The Arias dished pistons are asymmetrical to exactly match each cylinder's chamber shape-so make sure you mate them up to the correct hole.
The CNC-machined combustion chamber on the Dart (PN#14172121) cylinder heads offer fully CNC-machined surfaces with 2.15 intake/1.625 exhaust stainless steel valves. Notice how the valves have been machined on the backside of the head to remove material-this reduces weight and allows for a slightly smaller combustion chamber to maximize "squish" area on the sides of the chamber (that results in power).
The offset Crower Super Duty hydraulic roller lifters are set into the lifter bores of the Bow-Tie block after being soaked in a bucket of oil for a while (to fill the cavity in the hydraulic lifter). Before each pushrod is installed, W2W adds some #3 high-pressure lube to the tip of the pushrod.
The Bow-Tie block can be ordered with a full set of head and main studs, or you can get a set from ARP. These ARP 7/16-inch thread (one end fine, the other end coarse thread) head studs are being installed to 100 in/lbs. This torque is essentially "hand-tight" and can be accomplished by using the "two open-end wrench" method as shown here. There are two head studs in the center of the head that "neck down" from 7/16 inch to 3/8 inch (they go between the Siamesed intake ports). W2W suggests you use the head gasket bolt holes as a guide to where to put these studs in the block. Notice the Fel-Pro head gasket installed after wiping the block and cylinder head surfaces off with lacquer thinner.
The Dart CNC-machined intake port is a work of art. Notice how the valve-stem guide is molded into the overall shape of the port (arrow)-that helps to make power. Also, the light vertical lines (arrows) are from W2W's "port-matching" activities. They measured the intake manifold port width is equal to or less than the port width of the cylinder head-this keeps flow at a maximum through that area.
The length of the 3/8-inch-thick Manley pushrods were determined with the use of the T&D-provided valvetrain geometry tool. This tool shows when the rocker stands are shimmed to the proper height with the correct length the pushrod.
An aluminum Edelbrock 18-degree Victor Jr. intake manifold has been heavily chiseled on by Wilson Manifolds for maximum flow. Notice the diamond in middle (arrow) with sloping angles to the port entrances and the holes in the carb mounting plate to "pin" the Wilson carb spacer for exact placement. Cool.
Wilson further prepped the intake manifold for maximum fuel-injected power by machining holes for the fuel injectors at 15 degrees from vertical and welding the mounting bungs into each port (finger). This positioning showers the backside of the intake valve with the majority of the fuel spray. Note: the slick Wilson fuel rail mounts and the mounts welded to the intake to hold the rails in place on the Accel injectors.
When making major changes to the cylinder head valve angle when building an engine, a major issue to deal with is the angle "stackup" that show up at the intake manifold to cylinder head and block mounting face. To address this issue, the Fel-Pro intake gaskets are taped to the fully assembled Dart heads and the intake set in place. Notice the installed timing chain cover (the cam is installed and degree'd) and ATI harmonic balancer.
This is where the experience of an engine builder is invaluable. The Dart cylinder head castings sit approximately 0.250 inch high off the 'china wall' of the Bow-Tie block and require an aluminum spacer to be bolted to the block (after drilling and tapping 0.250 inch threaded holes in the "China Wall") with countersunk Allen bolts. Notice the Manley drainback oil stands installed the lifter valley (arrow), the massive Bow-Tie cast into the front of the block and the gold anodized Allen plug that is sealing off the dry-sump oiling passage that is part of this very capable Bow-Tie block.
The electronic fuel injection and ignition systems are operated by an ACCEL Gen VII DFI system. An ACCEL Universal Wiring Kit (PN#77021), which features an unterminated wiring harness, were used to make a custom-fit harness. This kit includes all the connectors and terminals you will need to build a harness. Mike Brown, at Wires and Pliers, used this kit as a starter to whip up one of his ultra-custom engine harnesses for a very clean appearance. He also integrated an ACCEL wide-band O2 system into the harness at the same time.
The Accel billet throttle body is similar to a carburetor with the two small primary throttle blades and large secondary throttle blade. Notice the Accel dual sync distributor (PN#77100) trigger and MSD spark plug wires. The dual sync distributor gives the Engine Control Module (ECM) the cam sync signal to enable sequential fuel injection. Like most electronic fuel injection engine buildups, an adjustable distributor slip collar was required to get the distributor gear properly lined up with the cam gear for the computer to "find" top dead center on the engine.
Since this engine is equipped with a roller cam, there really isn't any "break-in" procedure. It was just warmed up and then shutdown so the valve lash could be set at 0.024 inch on all rockers. Then the calibration work was begun. This started with just getting the engine to idle properly, then focused on getting max power from a run.
The calibration work that is performed on the dyno is usually focused on wide-open throttle (WOT) applications under load. These are difficult to perform with the engine in the car (there just isn't enough road, traction or speed limit to give it justice). The calibration work performed in the vehicle encompasses everything else: idle quality, driveability, deceleration, cold start, hot soak, etc.
The Bow-Tie block can be ordered with many different features, since this is the block required for use in all GM-bodied NASCAR vehicles. A customer can order one from any GM dealer, but you'll probably want to find the closest GM Performance Parts Authorized Center (go to www.gmgoodwrench.com) to get some guidance from the pros. Stielow likes to work with GM Performance Parts dealer Scoggin-Dickey Chevrolet, in Lubbock, Texas.
All Bow-Tie blocks come with some high-end features, like screw-in coolant plugs (shown, left) and billet rear cam covers with inset O-rings (shown, right), priority main oiling systems (practically a must for real performance engines) and more.
More important to the enthusiast is that Bow-Tie blocks are available in either cast-iron or aluminum, set up for dry- or wet-sump oiling systems, and with various main bearing diameters (the NASCAR Cup boys have experimented with small journal sizes to reduce frictional losses). There are also a few different deck heights, and the option of purchasing a rough bored block so your local machine shop finish bores and hones. Why are there so many variations? Because there are so many ideas on how to build the "ideal" performance small-block V-8.
In general, some classes, like Nextel Cup, have rules that require a cast-iron engine block-so the racers want cast-iron as the block material. Again, Nextel Cup allows the expensive and complex dry-sump oiling systems, so the racers want a block that is already designed, cast, and machined to take full advantage of the dry-sump system-and the Bow-Tie block is set up for that. The different bearing diameters and deck heights are requested by these same engine builders, as the rules don't specify exactly what they need to be-so the racers are always experimenting with different setups in the quest for more power, durability, and...well, any advantage they can find.
Notes from test: Fuel rail pressure was set at 60 psi, engine coolant temperature averaged 173 degrees F, oil pressure averaged 61 psi and oil temperature averaged 178 degrees F during dyno run
RPM Trq (lb-ft) Power (hp) A/F Ratio (left side) Maniold Vacuum 3000 390 223 13.47 0.2 3100 399 236 13.38 0.2 3200 408 249 13.44 0.2 3300 416 261 13.49 0.27 3400 423 274 13.59 0.27 3500 426 284 13.41 0.3 3600 422 289 13.04 0.3 3700 418 295 12.87 0.3 3800 420 304 12.85 0.3 3900 420 312 13.04 0.33 4000 423 322 12.08 0.4 4100 429 335 13.08 0.4 4200 434 347 13.07 0.4 4300 439 359 13.1 0.49 4400 445 372 13.14 0.5 4500 451 386 13.22 0.5 4600 459 402 13.24 0.59 4700 466 417 13.25 0.65 4800 472 432 13.19 0.69 4900 475 444 13.07 0.7 5000 481 458 12.94 0.7 5100 488 474 13 0.7 5200 490 485 12.98 0.79 5300 495 500 13.03 0.85 5400 BF 514 13.02 0.89 5500 499 524 13.04 0.9 5600 499 532 13.03 0.9 5700 496 539 13.01 0.99 5800 496 574 12.85 1 5900 493 554 12.84 1.09 6000 490 560 12.83 1.1 6100 484 562 12.81 1.18 6200 480 566 12.83 1.2 6300 475 570 12.68 1.2 6400 472 575 12.59 1.3 6500 467 BF 12.47 1.3
Block: GM Performance Parts aluminum Bow-Tie
Details: 4.125-inch bores, 9.020-inch deck height, pressed in cylinder liners, set up for 3.500 mains and a wet-sump oiling system
Heads: Dart
Details: Fully CNC-machined cylinder head to achieve 59cc chamber volume, set up for 2.050/1.600-inch-diameter stainless, backcut valves with a valve-stem diameter of 11/32 inch, valve angle of 18-degree, poured from 356 virgin aluminum. Rocker stands machined to locate T&D shaft rocker stands at the proper height. Heads machined to attain 0.305- and 0.310-inch clearance of intake and exhaust valves at max lift from pistons at Top Dead Center (TDC) location of 0.013-inch proud of the deck. Compression ratio is 10.53:1.
Crank: Scat
Details: 4130 steel Ultralite Scat crank, 3.750-inch machined counterweights to clear aluminum webbing on all mains (see photo), riding on Clevite 909H series bearings-used because its half-groove design manages oil "bleedoff" better, which is critical in an aluminum block
Rods: Scat
Details: 6.000-inch steel, full floating pin in bushing, I-beam design riding on Speed Pro 7100 CH bearings
Pistons: Arias
Details: Forged aluminum, flat-top except for slight dish (equaling 15cc volume), 0.43, 0.43, 1/8-inch Speed Pro ring pack with gaps filed 0.020 inch - top, 0.25 inch - second, 0.030 inch - oil ring rail. Checked for size and condition, cleaned, lubed, and reinstalled.
Valvetrain Comp Cams
Details: Roller camshaft (PN#12-000-9, grind CS 4873/4874 SR 112 0) with 0.603/0.609-inch valve lift (with 1.6:1 rockers) on 236/242 degree duration at 0.050-inch lift on 108 degree lobe centers and a lobe separation of 112 degrees. Lobe lift of 0.377 and 0.381 int/exh.
Cam held in place with a COMP "wear plate" (PN#201). A COMP double-roller timing chain set (PN#3100) and cover (PN#208) spin the cam and Comp valvesprings (PN#26089-16) control the valve action. The valvesprings were shimmed to an installed height of 1.900 inch. The installed height pressure is 280 lb/in and the "over the nose" (at the top of the 0.600 inch lobe) pressure is 600 lb/in (at 1.300 inches high). Coil-bind is at 1.200 inch of valvespring height with the COMP titanium (Ti) retainers, locks, and ID-centered cups (COMP PN#4785-16) under the valvesprings. Crower roller lifters and tiebars were used.
Details: 1.6:1 ratio shaft-mount, billet rocker system (PN#2050) with intake 0.465-inch offset and exhaust 0.170-inch offset
Details: 3/8-inch-diameter, 8.550-inch-long pushrods (PN#25855-16)
Oiling System: Moroso
Details: '69 Camaro road-race pan, PN#21900, Moroso standard volume pump and pickup, pns 22100 and 24170 held in place with ARP oil pump stud (PN#230-7001) and actuated by Melling oil pump pushrod (PN#15-77) Intake - Wilson-prepped Edelbrock Aluminum, single-plane (PN#2994) with a 6.40-inch manifold height to clear the hood. Hand-ported by Wilson Manifolds for maximum flow. Wilson also welded in fuel-injector bungs and stands for their aluminum fuel rails and provided spacer for throttle body (PN#74202S3).
Fuel Injection: ACCEL
Details: Gen VII sequential fuel injection system. 36 lb/hr injectors, 1,200-cfm throttle body,
Fasteners: ARP
Details: head studs (PN#2344336), balancer bolt (PN#134-2503), cam bolt kit (PN#300-1001), distributor stud (PN#430-1701), intake (PN#434-2101), valve cover (PN#400-7613)
Gaskets: Fel Pro R.A.C.E. set (PN#2702) that comes with 4.200-inch gasket bore, 0.041-inch-thick head gasket
Custom components
Spacer to fill area between block China Wall and intake. Wheel to Wheel Powertrain created this aluminum piece and bolted it to the block with countersunk Allen head bolts.
Engine Assembled by: Wheel to Wheel Powertrain (W2W), Madison Height, Michigan
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Bomberman Max 2 - Game Boy Advance Manual
Original Game Boy instruction book only. All DK's instruction manuals are free from severe rips and tears, and are in good used condition.
- Region:
- NTSC (US, Canada)
- Platform:
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- Product:
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1 Year Warranty. For more information Click Here.


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Still don't know what to do for Dad this Sunday? This year, June 20th, marks the 100th anniversary of Father's Day. To help dads and their families celebrate this meaningul day, several companies are offering freebies and giveaways that are too good to pass by.
- TCBY will be giving Dad a free small cup or cone of frozen yogurt in his flavor of choice on Sunday.
- For Father's Day weekend, Outback Steakhouse is handing Dad a scratch-off to win Outback for an entire year. Each restaurant will have a winner!
- Does Pop need a new phone? T-Mobile is offering free phones on Saturday, June 19th (certain restrictions may apply).
- Office Depot isn't forgetting about our military fathers. Family members can bring in a photo and make a free patriotic card to send to their loved ones in the service.
- At IKEA, Dad can have scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and a cup of coffee gratis on his special day.
- T.G.I. Friday's Restaurant has a deal for the family. Three can enjoy an entire Sunday meal for only $16.99. Let the restaurant do grill duty so dad doesn't have to.
- To get Dad a free ice cream float at Denny's, make a Father's Day card on its site, print it out, and bring it with you.
- Tasti D-Lite is getting in on the celebration by giving Pops a free small cup or cone at a location near you.
You can find numerous free deals in your neighborhood. Contact your local golf club, museum, zoo, and other places to discover their deals so you can spend time with your #1 dad.


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WWDC tickets came and went, we launched a brand new website, and Adobe unveiled Creative Suite 6. Those stories and more qualify for this week's edition of the Weekly Wrap, in which we'll highlight Macworld's most significant stories from the week gone by.
Now you WWDC it, now you don't
Apple announced its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Wednesday; tickets were sold out less than two hours later—before 7:30 a.m. Pacific time. Philip Michaels opines that Apple needs to rethink its ticket-selling approach. For the lucky developers who did snag tickets, the WWDC conference may well feel like a religious experience. Marketing idea: Someone ought to sell WWJDC bracelets.
Creative writing
Adobe launched Creative Suite 6, along with Creative Cloud for students and teachers. If you have questions about the latest Adobe Creative offerings, senior editor Jackie Dove has answers. If you have unrelated questions, like how do they get those big ships in those little bottles, you'll probably need a search engine instead.
Send in the clouds
It was a busy week for cloud storage solutions: Dropbox made sharing a lot easier, Google unveiled Google Drive, and Microsoft made significant upgrades to SkyDrive, which we dived into on TechHive.
Wait, TechHive? What's TechHive?
Oh, did you miss the news? The teams behind Macworld and PCWorld announced that we're creating a new, third site called TechHive. Right now, you're seeing only our Beta Blog; the real TechHive is months away. But feel free to take a sneak peek today.
Refresh your cash
Stop me if you've heard this one: Apple made boatloads of money. Again. The company reported a net profit of $11.6 billion on revenue of $39.2 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. We transcribed the juiciest tidbits from chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer and CEO Tim Cook for your reading pleasure. And we just realized that "The Juiciest Tidbits" would make a swell name for a jazz cover band.
The iTunes Store is prompting many users to set up new custom security questions—and some of those questions seem kind of personal, like "Where was your first kiss?" And I hope I'm not sacrificing too much of my own security to admit publicly that my answer is "on the lips."
Thunderbolts and (wallet) lightening
If you've always lusted after Apple's Thunderbolt cable, but you thought the thing cost too darn little and stretched far too easily, Elgato's got you covered with a new, more expensive, shorter Thunderbolt cable of its own.
First time for Apple things
Turns out roughly 25 percent of iPad buyers are purchasing their first Apple product. I was going to add an Apple-related pun here, but then I started researching Apple types on Wikipedia and learned way more about apples and Apple cultigens than any tech writer needs to know. I need to lie down.
Contacts, hi
Senior editor Dan Moren offers up this video tip on using Google Calendar and Google Contacts on your iOS device, which explains that syncing feeling you'll get while watching it.


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Around the World, Around the Sky - Trailer
Taking up the title of a ten film series on the history of astronomical observatories from antiquity until today broadcasted by Arte in 1990 (Tours du monde, tours du ciel- Around the world, around the sky), this project deals with astronomy and observatories, but today, with a new story and a new treatment.
It is an exploration journey around the world, encountering astronomical observatories that are working today, in order to understand their observations and discoveries of the Universe. This journey around the world then combines with another one, a journey around the sky.
This new Around the World, Around the Sky stands as an homage to astronomers for IYA2009.
Pierre Léna, astrophysician, from the Sciences Academia, and Michel Serres, historian of sciences and philosopher, from the French Academia, will participate in the film and will once more shed light on the narrative.
It is a journey around the world and around the sky, but at the same time a journey in science, technique, history, and philosophy.
Robert Pansard-Besson
About the Video
About the Object
|• Trailers


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Amulet Dragon Green Jade 925 Sterling Silver Pendant
- SIZE: 25mm X 25mm (bail NOT included in sizing)
These are Absolute SUPER Quality 925 SILVER Pendants. They are So POPULAR in our Every Day Fashion. These Pendants are So LUCKY and Fantastically Attractive to bring two Important Things for its owner: Good Luck and Beauty. Each Pendant is made from Highest Quality Sterling Silver and Genuine Jade Gemstone. Each Pendant holds Real 925 STAMP, which makes it Really Fancy Gift Idea.
This Silver Pendant holds Silver DRAGON Symbol across Entire GREEN JADE Circle Gemstone, which represents GOOD LUCK and WEALTH meaning. This Symbol is Really Old and Popular in China, and used in every Family to Bring Good Luck, Prosperity, Abundance and Miracles.
DRAGON Myth and Legend. Dragon was and still remains a very Strong Good Luck Symbol in Many Cultures. It is a Symbol of Long life, fertility and wisdom. For Centuries it was believed that Dragon Amulet will Protect from Evil Spirits. As well it brings Good Luck to Business, as the Dragon is able to adapt easily to changing circumstances and Have very strong defense mechanisms. It also Represents Happiness to its immediate owner.
GOOD LUCK POWERS and NATURAL FORCES of JADE GEMSTONE
MONEY and WEALTH Jade is the Stone of Wealth. Know as a good luck and prosperity charm for centuries. It was widely used as a talisman to attract good fortune and also known to bring good luck and prosperity. Provides wisdom when evaluating issues or problems; and brings needed energy, which is so important in managing the Business or Just making Money in general.
LOVE Jade has been treasured in China since 2950 BC, where it was considered a Symbol of Love. Jade is a stone of the heart. So, of course, it can attract and enhance love. Jade increase a persons capacity for giving and receiving love. It manages passionate feelings. Jade is given by lovers as a statement of their love and devotion to each other. Jade is also a stone of fidelity.
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Steganography is the ancient practice of stashing secret text, images, or messages inside a different text, image, or message. It dates back to as early as the fifth century BC, when Spartan King Demaratus removed the wax from a writing tablet and wrote a message hidden on the wood underneath warning of an imminent invasion by Xerxes. Steganography was a common technique used by German spies in both World Wars. More recently, it has been used to conceal highly advanced espionage malware inside image files and stash secret al-Qaeda documents inside pornographic images.
Now steganography is going mainstream with a service that embeds hidden messages inside more or less ordinary Twitter messages. Users need only type the text they want others to see in one field and the hidden message in a separate field. The service, created by New Zealand-based developer Matthew Holloway, then spits out a tweetable message that fuses the two together in a way that's not noticeable to the human eye. Take the following tweet:
The teⅹt hidden in thіs⁰tweet іs so seϲret that it's⁰іmpossіble for adⅴersarіes to read оr deteϲt⁰#steganographyrocks #security #privacy
— Dan Goodin (@dangoodin001) May 8, 2014
Security through obscurity
Embedded in the visible message "The text hidden in this tweet is so secret that it's impossible for adversaries to read or detect #steganographyrocks #security #privacy" are the words "no, it's security through obscurity." The letters making up the secret text are expressed in unicode representations that are included in the public message. The encoding added to the messages explains the unusual spacing and fonts found in the tweet. With a little more work, or in formats not as constrained as Twitter's 140-character limit, it would almost certainly be easier to create messages that appeared less crude. The same service takes finished tweets and ferrets out their hidden cargo.While steganography has long been relied on to safeguard sensitive messages, people should realize the technique is little more than security through obscurity. That's because the embedded secret is ripe for plucking by anyone who takes the time to look for it. By contrast, ciphertext generated using strong and time-tested encryption algorithms is virtually impossible to decode without the underlying key, which can take centuries or millennia to guess using even the fastest computers.
So put steganography in the same category as disappearing ink. It may even have useful applications in rare circumstances. For instance, it might be an effective technique for a prisoner of war sending a postcard to family members. If it were to include a random-appearing sequence of letters, it would be clear to captors that it included an encrypted message. If instead the POW crafted a postcard that used every fifth letter to spell a hidden message, the captors might not notice. That said, steganography is mostly fun to play with. It should never be relied on to protect digital crown jewels without a good reason and with plenty of forethought.


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Newswise — There are 14 million people officially unemployed in the United States; another 12 million have stopped looking for jobs. Yet the ghoulish economy is not scaring away Halloween consumers, and that means the holiday season will not be a nightmare for retailers.
"Halloween sales really reflects well the mood of the consumer and the economy in this country," says Mickey Gee, M.A., executive-in-residence at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Business. "Halloween sales is a number that we as retailers really look at because it often will indicate how much extra help we need to hire for the holiday season, how much we need in inventory levels and the amount of promotion we need to do or not do."
The National Retail Federation says the average person will spend almost $75 on Halloween, up nearly $10 dollars per person from last year. According to Gee, an instructor with the UAB Department of Marketing, Industrial Distribution and Economics, Halloween is the second largest event-driven season for retailers.
"With costumes, decorations, pumpkins and candy, Halloween will approach almost $7 billion in total expenditures, which is more than double what was spent in 2005," said Gee. "I even saw one statistic that said people will spend around $300 million this year just to dress their pets."
So why is Halloween a treat for those being tricked by the economy? Gee, an active retailer for 40 years, says Halloween is exactly what people need because of the economy. "We get tired of all bad news that we get inundated with on the nightly news," Gee said. "People are ready for a little frivolity, so – dress up like a ghoul and have a good time!"
Almost half of adults and children will wear a costume this Halloween. That doesn't necessarily mean it will be a great retail season. Gee is quick to point out – you don't have to go to Target to be a pirate. Even so, he believes holiday sales predicted to increase 2 percent to 2.3 percent from this past year is an underestimate.
"This year we are predicting a pretty robust Halloween season, but so far our predictions for the holiday season have been a little bit less than robust," says Gee. "When we finally get our numbers in here for Halloween I think you'll see those holiday numbers go up in early November."
Released: 10/14/2011
Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Via Newswise
Related Link:


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Oil customers complain about failed deliveries
Company says its dealing with highest demand in its history
New Hampshire's largest independent oil company said the cold is contributing to a perfect storm of problems.
Fred Fuller Oil and Propane, headquartered in Hudson, said it's experiencing the highest demand in the company's history because of the weather.
The company also said it's trying to fix a phone outage and deal with supplier issues, all leading to customers concerned that they'll be left out in the cold.
Oil delivery trucks were moving in and out of Fred Fuller Oil in Hudson Friday night.
The company said additional drivers are working late hours to meet historic demand and will make deliveries all weekend.
A Fred Fuller representative said a company-wide phone outage this week is complicating the problem with customers unable to get through so they have to stop by in person.
A message apologizing is posted on the business website.
One customer drove to the Hudson office Friday night concerned his heating oil was low, and a delivery truck followed him back to his home.
Another customer, Fran King-Savary, of Derry, said her family was promised a delivery that hadn't come yet. She was concerned her father would run out of heating oil.
"I have just under half a tank, and I have pre-buy with them, but they're not picking up their phone, and they're not responding. It's very frustrating. It makes you wonder what's going on," King-Savary said.
A representative from Fred Fuller Oil did not want to appear on camera but said everyone will get oil, and if a customer runs out, an emergency delivery will be made day or night.
The company has thousands of customers from southern New Hampshire to north of the Lakes Region.
The Attorney General's Office confirmed it had received some complaints and said, on top of high demand and phone problems, the company had issues with deliveries from suppliers. It said the business is behind on deliveries and working to catch up.


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|Jeremy Miranda " Please be careful"
The painter Jeremy Miranda's title for this work really struck me. Its a poetic and whimsical work but the plea resonates loudly - or does so with me! I have notes with quiet alarm that tourism has increased massively to the Antarctic and I have to wonder about this need to go into fragile eco locations and take a heap of photos for what purpose exactly?
I certainly understand why scientists, photographers on projects and such people go there... but tourists and mining companies I guess I put in the same category of "WHY?"
Jeremy Miranda: 'Icebergs and cruise ships don't mix well so please be careful.' See this other works at his Etsy site.
The following works are from his website:
|pathway, 20" x 24"
|houseboat, 20 " x 24 "
|new growth, 46" x 44"
|untitled, 30 " x 26"
|parlour, 54" x 50"
|someday, 22" x 30"
If these works speak to you go have a look at the website images... I found them very compelling... there seems a few very strong and quite different tendencies going on in his work and yet they marry so well... for me there's a lot to 'read' in them...
well...its still raining here... there was a long dry spell this morning between drizzles and downpours. My brother and his wife however are in New York... holidaying!!! JA had to cancel her birthday dinner booking on the 26th due to the snow storm... a bit sad... 50th birthdays are special ...still I'm sure they will long remember this one! They sent me this image this morning... which makes me grateful that I'm simply dealing with a bit of continuous wet weather .... nothing to complain abut here!
This was the view from their hotel or cafe.... not sure... but you get the picture! This is indeed a novelty for most of us in OZ!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JA!!!! (like your bonnet!)


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I'm doubly excited to welcome Baltimore-based author Erin Hagar to Alphabet Soup: her very first published children's book hits shelves today, and it's about one of my favorite people, Julia Child!
Though there have been several good picture books about Julia published in recent years, solidly researched middle grade biographies about her are few and far between. Not only is Julia Child: An Extraordinary Life in Words and Pictures (DuoPress, 2015) a lively, engaging read, it contains six beautiful full-page watercolor illustration sequences by Joanna Gorham interspersed between chapters.
Erin traces Julia's life from her childhood as a fun-loving prankster in Pasadena to her death in 2004 as a much beloved cookbook author, teacher, and television celebrity. We read about how Julia met and fell in love with Paul Child while working overseas for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), how when they moved to France Julia discovers her life's passion and attends Le Cordon Bleu, how she started a cooking school and collaborated on Mastering the Art of French Cooking with Simone Beck Fischbacher and Louisette Bertholle, and finally, how she launched her television career on WGBH Boston.
Young readers will enjoy Julia's larger-than-life personality, her boundless energy, her contagious joie de vivre. They will enjoy Gorham's visual sequences that are like short cinematic glimpses of Julia's major milestones. Erin has effectively culled the essence of Julia's deliciously interesting, purposeful life, one that continues to inspire people of all ages, reassuring them that it's never too late to pursue your dream.
I was curious to learn more about Erin's research for the project as well as whether she had any tips for aspiring biographers. Lucky for us, Erin likes to cook and is also sharing one of her favorite recipes today. Bon Appétit!
* * *
Why did you want to write a book about Julia Child for kids? Are you a longtime Julia fan?
Given how much I love and respect Julia Child now, it's hard to believe how little I knew about her when I started. This book actually started with the structure. The publisher of Duopress had the great idea to adapt the visual format of Brian Selznick's amazing The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic, 2007) to a biography, with several key moments in the subject's life represented in visual sequences, to balance out the text. It's an amazing concept. We brainstormed possible subjects, and I suggested Gordon Ramsay because my family loves Master Chef, Jr. After discussing it a bit, we thought, "Why not the television cook who started it all?" Voila–Julia it was!
The book begins with a note about the lunch that changed everything: the sole meunière Julia ate at the Hotel de la Couronne in Rouen, France, was the most exciting meal of her life. What do you consider to be the most exciting meal of your life so far?
I studied abroad in Spain when I was 19, and I was treated to lots of exciting meals there. Of course paella and jamón serrano (which hung in the family's laundry room, with a few slices shaved off for special occasions) were incredible treats. But even the everyday dishes opened me up to new ways of eating. One of my favorites, that I tried my best to recreate when I got home, was a lentil stew filled with all kinds of vegetables and loaded with cumin. So rich and hearty and healthy!
Part of your research involved accessing The Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University. What sort of materials proved to be the most helpful in writing your book?
This was my favorite part of writing this book. I could have lived in that little research room for weeks and weeks–and honestly, it would have taken that long to go through everything, because it's an amazingly robust and well-curated collection! I loved seeing the letters that she and her friend Avis deVoto wrote each other, because they chronicle the ups and downs of writing Mastering the Art of French Cooking (among lots and lots of other things.) I also got to see her recipes, revised over and over again. Oh, and Julia's handwritten notes on the typed-up scripts for her earliest TV shows. You really get a sense for how thorough she was in everything she did.
Please share a few tidbits about Julia the average person may not know.
- In general, she wasn't in love with Italian or Mexican cuisine. And she HATED cilantro!
- She was a late bloomer–she didn't figure out what she wanted to do with her life until she was in her late 30's.
- She and her husband, Paul, met while serving overseas in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, precursor to the CIA.) She wasn't a spy herself, but provided administrative support to the spy operations in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and China.
- Julia actually flunked her first exam at Le Cordon Bleu. The director of the school resented Julia and when it came time to give the exam, she chose recipes from this little beginner's pamphlet–recipes far beneath Julia's talents at that time. Julia didn't have them memorized, so she flunked. (She took it again, though, and nailed it!)
- Everyone's favorite anecdote about Julia–dropping a whole chicken on the floor during one of her shows and then picking it up and using it– never happened. She did knock over a bottle of brandy one episode, and in another she tries to flip a pan of potatoes and it spills on the stove, and she totally recovers with grace and humor from these moments. But she never dropped a chicken.
Please tell us about some of your favorite fan letters that Julia received from children. Do you think kids back then had as keen an interest in cooking as they do now?
Oh, those letters from kids! I think I might have squealed when I opened those. They were all handwritten in that wonderful kid handwriting. One girl talked about earning her cooking badge for Girl Scouts, and one boy asked about studying at Le Cordon Bleu. My favorite was from a 7th grade girl who told Julia that she'd been the only one in her Biology class to successfully dissect a crawfish because she cut it the way Julia had cut her lobster on TV the night before.
Kids are naturally scientific and creative, and cooking is both those things. So I do think there was a natural interest in cooking at that time, but not nearly as pronounced as it is today. Most adults in the 1960's didn't have the interest in cooking that we do today. That was one of Julia's biggest challenges–here she was, writing a 700 page cookbook all about slow, deliberate French cooking when American food culture at the time was all about fast and easy, convenient and prepackaged. But it's safe to say that the interest in food that Julia helped spark has lasted for generations, and she's a big reason why today's kids see so much cooking on television and have such a big interest in it themselves.
Are biographies your favorite genre to write? Do you have any tips for those wanting to write a biography for middle grade readers?
I write all over the place–fiction, non-fiction, picture books and novel-length works. There are lots of similarities. With fiction and biography, you're trying to show the arc of a person's experience, how she grows and changes, and the details of her life that affect those changes. The main difference with a biography, of course, is that you find those details in your research. As a fiction writer, I struggle with plot, so it was great to not have to come up with a reason why Julia moved to France. The reason was there.
One tip I'd suggest is to find as much as you can that your subject wrote or said, so you have something you can use as "dialogue" in the text. I was lucky with Julia–in addition to her autobiography, there are hundreds of interviews I could pull from, in addition to her television shows. Using direct quotes helps gives a sense of her voice, and helps the narrative to flow.
I'm working on another nonfiction book right now, and I'm struggling to find those quotes and primary sources. It's made it more difficult to keep the text lively.
What do you hope young readers will take away from your book?
Somehow, our society has come to expect young children to have very specific talents, and to develop those talents from an early age. Of course, lots of kids do have talents and interests that are evident early in their lives, and that's great. But many are still discovering what they love to do, and that's okay, too! Julia is a wonderful example of someone who wasn't sure what she wanted to do or be. She didn't know until she was almost 40! And then she went on to become one of the very best.
Do you like to cook? How do you think Julia has influenced the way you eat and cook today?
I do like to cook, but with two busy kids and my writing I'm afraid I'm more like those moms in the 1960's that Julia was working to change. I definitely look for "quick and easy" recipes, though I try to avoid processed and packaged. I'm a huge fan of one-pot meals.
Is there anything else you'd like us to know about your book?
The format of the book–the balance between text and image– is really exciting and fresh. The artwork done by Joanna Gorham is fantastic. You get such a sense of Julia's spirit from the illustrations.
What's next for you?
A new series tentatively titled, "Awesome Minds," and the first one is "Awesome Minds: The Inventors of LEGO." I'm really excited about it! It'll be for a slightly younger set (7-10), a 48pp illustrated book.
Please share a favorite recipe (one of Julia's or not) and tell us why you like making it.
Well, like I said, one-pot dinners are awesome on busy nights. I like this one because it hints of paella with basic pantry ingredients, and the capers and olives add a nice touch. It's from the cookbook "Frugal Foodie," by Alanna Kauffman and Alex Small.
Colombian Arroz con Pollo (Serves 6)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts and thighs
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch of saffron
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1-1/2 cups rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup pimento olives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
In a deep pan (I use a Dutch oven), heat olive oil on medium high heat; brown chicken 4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Add peppers, onions, and garlic to pan; cook until soft. Mix in saffron, paprika, cumin and rice; stir until rice is coated, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth; return chicken to pan. Cover tightly; simmer on medium heat 15-20 minutes, until most of broth is absorbed. Add olives, capers, roasted red peppers, peas, salt and pepper; stir and let cook 5 minutes uncovered. Serve hot.
* * *
Please join me now by dipping your spoons in today's celebratory soup and slurping your hearty congratulations to Erin and Joanna. If you don't have a spoon handy, feel free to dive right in and do a few backstrokes — I'm sure Julia wouldn't mind. The furry Alphabet Soup kitchen helpers tossed in a few goldfish crackers, something Julia liked to serve dinner guests as an hors d'oeuvre.
* * *
JULIA CHILD: An Extraordinary Life in Words and Pictures
written by Erin Hagar
art by Joanna Gorham
published by DuoPress, May 2015
Biography for ages 9-12, 160 pp.
Cool themes: food, chefs, female role models, culinary history, cooking
**Includes Bibliography, Glossary, Timeline and Index
***A solid choice for school libraries!
♥ Click here for an English Language Arts Teaching Guide
♥ Baltimore area peeps, look for Erin at these upcoming book events:
- Saturday, May 16, SCBWI Booth at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, 2-4 p.m.
- Sunday, May 17, Kids' Tent at the Art Outside Festival in Druid Hall Park, 11-12 p.m.
- Sunday, June 7, Julia release party for kids and adults at The Church of the Redeemer, 11:30 a.m. There will be cake!
* * *
This post is being linked to Beth Fish Read's Weekend Cooking, where all are invited to share their food-related posts. Put on your best bib and come join the fun!
*Interior spreads posted by permission of the publisher, text and art copyright © 2015 DuoPress Books. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 Jama Rattigan of Jama's Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.


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text:
Two wars since 2003 leave thousands of children without fathers
Three-year-old Marcus Anthony Palermo knows his colors and the letters of the alphabet.
And he knows that his father is gone. His father, Army Capt. Anthony Palermo Jr., 27, of Brockton, was killed two weeks before Marcus was born when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee in Iraq.
But there are some things the 3-year-old can't understand.
He doesn't know that his father died two weeks before Palermo was born when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Iraq.
He doesn't know that many people consider his father a hero.
And he doesn't understand why he can't visit him.
"He doesn't understand why he can't see him," said Kristy Palermo of Maine, wife of Capt. Anthony Palermo Jr., who lived in Brockton. "He asks me and I tell him that his dad is in heaven."
But that's where the 3-year-old's comprehension fails.
"Generally his response if I tell him his dad is in heaven is that he wants to go," said Palermo.
Marcus Anthony Palermo is one of more than 2,000 children left behind by parents who have died in Iraq in Afghanistan.
He will never meet his dad.
But he plays with the G.I. Joe action figures that Anthony Palermo left behind for the son he dreamed of having.
And one day, Marcus Anthony Palermo will learn that he looks just like his father.
"He is a lot like his father," said Kristy Palermo. "It's amazing, because he never met him, but he laughs the same way. He looks almost identical to his dad when his dad was his age."
Anthony Palermo's mother, Maria Melendez, who lives in Brockton, said she recently took her grandson to Puerto Rico, the place where her son was born.
"It was like I was taking care of my son again," said Melendez. "He looked just like my son. To make it more perfect, his eyebrows and ears are exactly the same."
Lisanette Palermo of Kansas, who is Anthony Palermo's sister, remembers how it felt to meet her newborn nephew so soon after her brother's death.
"It was extreme sadness followed by extreme happiness, because Marcus was born," said Palermo. "At least he left something. But it was sad at the same time because Marcus will never get to meet his dad and my brother wanted a son really badly."
Kristy Palermo, who also serves in the Army, said she is still deciding how to explain her husband's death to her son. She wants to tell him about the Iraq War and the concept of sacrifice. But she knows that she has to choose her words carefully.
"I have to be honest because he repeats what I say," said Palermo.
The answers to some of the tougher questions will come later. For now, Palermo, her son, and thousands of others like them are living their lives with a big part missing.
"For me, I'm kind of trying to figure out who I am without my husband because we spent so much time together," said Palermo. "I'm doing better than I thought I would. I really try to focus on making everything good for Marcus."
Palermo said she and her husband picked out Marcus Anthony's name together. At the time, Anthony Palermo told his wife that he wanted the child to have a little piece of him.
Now, three years after her husband's death, Palermo said she is grateful that her son bears more than just his father's name.
"I'm really lucky, because I still see some of that," said Palermo. "It makes me happy and sad at the same time. It's bittersweet."
Amy Littlefield may be reached at email@example.com.


text: READING, Pa. (AP) – Firefighters have rescued a woman who fell through the ice while trying to pull one of her dogs from a frozen pond in eastern Pennsylvania. Officials say it happened at the Conrad Weiser Homestead in Heidelberg Township on Thursday morning. Police say the woman was trying to rescue one of her two border collies when she fell in. Heidelberg Township police Chief Michael R. Boyer says the woman had been walking the dogs when one of them chased a goose into the pond. She fell through the ice while trying to save it and people nearby called the fire department. Two people at a nearby business supplied rope to help save her. The woman was taken to a hospital, but her name and medical condition were not released.


text: Jozsef Burge the artist was born in Hungary in 1951. Jozsef has had a long and illustrious career in Europe, working in Yugoslavia, Rome, Venice, Milan and numerous other European locales. His painting has always been his passion, and he prefers to express his passion in oils and acrylics. His works have been sold in galleries across the globe and we are very lucky to now have Jozsef Burge residing in Vancouver B.C. Canada. His online art gallery gives a glimpse of the canadian artists scope and flexibility of style. Contemporary, and abstract fine art Canada style. Like NAC, Jozsef believes Canada and the world is truly our stage and online art galleries like this are key to spreading Canadian and International art.


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From the Bahrain Center for Human Rights:
Bahrain: Ongoing detention of 11 year old child without a crime
07 June 2012
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses grave concern over the continued targeting of children with arrest and detention, even those below the age of 15.
The BCHR has received information that the authorities have detained an 11 year-old child Ali Hasan Alqudaihi for more than 20 days now on charges of "illegal gathering". He is currently the youngest detainee in the prisons of Bahrain.
On 13 May 2012, 11 year old Ali Hasan Alqudaihi was arrested on the street in his hometown Bilad Alqadeem by security officials in civilian clothing and driving a civilian car; he was taken to the Nabeeh Saleh police station. The eleven year-old stated that he was beaten and humiliated at the time of his arrest. He was charged with "illegal gathering" and detained at the juvenile detention centre as per an order from the juvenile court's judge, who has extended the detention period into its 3rd week on 4 June 2012. The child has not yet been found guilty of the alleged crime, but he has been already been detained for over 20 days now, and kept away from his home and school during the period of the final exams.
Last month, the BCHR has reported another 2 cases of detention and ill-treatment of children below the age of 15 at police custody. Records show that over 60 children under the age of 18 are currently held by the authorities. At least three of these minors received very harsh sentences of up to 15 years in prison. These sentences were handed down by a military court which has been criticized for its general incompetence, conducting trials with insufficient grounds for prosecution, and a wilful ignorance of the torture allegations brought forth by the defendants.
Minors below the age of 15 are not criminally responsible in the eyes of the law in Bahrain, however, they are often being arrested from areas of protests and can be detained for several weeks.
The detention and ill-treatment of a child without an immediate and good cause, in the absence of a conviction of crime, and against his interest as a student in the period of final exams is in contrary with several articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which includes Art(3): "In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration." , Art(37): "States Parties shall ensure that: (b) No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;"
The BCHR demands the immediate release of 11 year-old Ali Hasan Alqudaihi and all other detained children who were arrested during the on-going protests in Bahrain, and to drop all falsified charges against them. We appeal to children's rights organizations and the international community to call on the Bahraini authorities to stop violating children's rights.
Bahrain: Arbitrary arrest and judicial harassment of Nabeel Rajab: here.
Scholars Group Calls for Bahrain Medics Release: here.


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Carlsbad, CA (May 11, 2011) - The Upper Deck Company, in conjunction with Marvel Entertainment, LLC, has just released its much-anticipated "Marvel Beginnings - Series1" trading card set. The three-part series will encompass a 540-card base set with this debut installment including the first 180 cards from the set and features many of Marvel's most famous heroes and villains of all time. Marvel Beginnings will also boast sought-after sketch cards, autograph cards and many other collectible chase cards that are must-haves for any serious Marvel collector.
Upper Deck's latest entertainment-based, hobby-only set brings a thrilling dichotomy to the modern mythology of the Marvel Universe. It honors the traditional legends – characters like Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Elektra, Shocker, Loki and American Eagle – and updates them with intense new artistic interpretations. Comic book fans around the globe will be able to learn about each character's first appearance and their impact upon the Marvel Universe on the backs of their favorite trading cards, while celebrating the coolest characters ever created through fresh new compositions.
Kicking off the top-notch insert card lineup are one-of-a-kind artist sketch cards (1:72 packs) from some of the industry's most talented illustrators including Charles Hall, Jim Cheung, Katie Cook, and more. Choice autograph cards include signatures from comic icons like Stan Lee and Brian Michael Bendis! Additionally, unique villain hologram cards (1:72) are sure to wow collectors lucky enough to pull them from a pack.
Another notable surprise inside Marvel Beginnings is the rare "Marvel Ultimate Collection Panel Focus" insert set. Much like the memorabilia cards produced in sports trading cards, these panel cards will allow collectors and fans alike to actually touch and feel real pages from some of the most momentous and expensive comics that exist (The Amazing Spider-Man #2, The Avengers # 57 and Daredevil #181, to name a few) and are sure to draw serious attention and conversation from collectors.
"The product development team worked unbelievably hard to put together a compelling and comprehensive checklist of Marvel characters," said Brandon Miller, Upper Deck's brand manager for Marvel. "The first 180 cards from Series 1 will lay the ground work and create even more excitement for the two subsequent releases. We're anxious to see the reaction from knowledgeable Marvel fans."
Marvel Beginnings brings your favorite Marvel characters to life by polishing up their legendary history. Each base card combines a large modern portrait with a small snapshot of the featured character's original image. Upper Deck has also just brought some exciting new subsets to the entertainment market including "X-Men Die-Cut" and "Marvel Prime" micromotion cards which combine to fall one per pack.
Another collectible component to the release is the insert collection entitled "Breakthrough Issues," which also fall at a rate of one per pack. This represents your chance to collect all the momentous Marvel covers without spending thousands of dollars on the real issues! The lineup includes such notables as "Amazing Fantasy" (Issue #15) – 1st Appearance of Spider-Man; "Daredevil," (vol. 1, Issue #181) – Death of Elektra; "Incredible Hulk" (vol. 1, Issue #1) – 1st Appearance of Hulk; and "X-Men" (vol. 1, Issue #100) – Sacrifice and Death of Jean Grey
Upper Deck's Marvel Beginnings - Series 1 Trading Cards boasts seven cards per pack, 24 packs per box, and is currently on hobby store shelves.
Upper Deck is the leading sports and entertainment trading card and collectibles company. For more information on Upper Deck and its products please visit www.upperdeck.com.
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com.
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