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On behalf of all of the interested Disney Infinity Fans we asked some questions.
What is your real name? Country?
Christian Wegener (Germany)
What is the origin story of your Toy Box submission username?
I couldn't come up with a cool username so I just took my favourite animal, however monkey alone would sound weird so I just put a mister before it, changed the spelling a bit and Mr. Monki was created. I did not really choose that name just to hear Allison say it, but it was quite funny when I thought she might do it in the next episode of toy box TV.
What made you decide to buy Disney Infinity?
I played Skylanders a lot before, and I love the idea of having figurines and console gaming combined. I didn't buy DI right at the release, because I thought one expensive game would be more than enough. It was my fiance who gave me the game and the Lone Ranger playset as a Christmas gift.
What is your favorite play set and why?
Definitely the Lone Ranger. It was the very first playset I had and Lone Ranger was my first character to play with. I enjoyed that playset the most with the horses, the train, and the whole Western flair. I'm not a huge Western fan, but I liked the Lone Ranger movie. It may also be my favorite because there is a personal story behind the Lone Ranger movie. I'll give you the short version, cause it might be a bit cheesy. Before my fiance became my fiance we wanted to watch the Lone Ranger in the cinema. However, we never arrived there, my fiance prepared a wedding proposal instead. It was quite the surprise having my family and friends appear all of a sudden. So yeah, we didn't watch the Lone Ranger that day, but I wasn't that mad considering the reason why.
The playset I played the most however was the Cars playset. I love the movie and especially Mater and the playset wasn't that bad, definitely different from all the others, but maybe that's also something I liked in particular.
Who is your favorite Disney Infinity character?
Which character would you like to see included that hasn't already been and why?
Robin Hood would be nice, as an archer and swordfighter he would be great to play with I think. I'm really looking forward to Hawkeye, but having Robin would be even more exciting.
What is your favorite power disc and why?
Stitch is also one of my favourite Disney characters and even if he was not playable (yet), I wanted him at least as a power disc. So my favorite disc is the Stitch surfboard.
When you hear of a new challenge, what steps do you take to make your idea for a Toy Box a reality?
I don't really know, hard to say. Sometimes the ideas just come to my mind when I hear of a new challenge. And sometimes I just have no clue. I handled all the challenges differently. When I made Rainbow Connection i just wanted to make a race track and tried to fit in the Muppets theme. The reason I submitted for the Egg Hunt challenge was my excitement about my new Perry figure. The Western challenge was great because I could use an older toy box and just had to put some more toys in it. So basically, I don't have a plan for what I'm doing.
Your The Bridge toy box was selected as a featured toy box in the Wild West Challenge. Please give us some Inside the Toy Box details on your The Bridge toy box.
I had lots of Western themed toy boxes because Lone Ranger was my first playset and I had the parts for it first. None of them had any good gameplay parts, they were all more landscapes. I added the cinematic intro, if you want to call it that, to give it more of a story. However, I was totally confused with the replayers at some point, but I'm happy it worked somehow. Only bad thing is, that I did't get the last camera to work, the one that should show the Stallion standing on Willy's.
How long did each of your featured Toy Boxes take to build?
Something between 11 to 13 hours each.
What do you consider to be your specialty when building Toy Boxes?
I don't think I have any specialty. Maybe the fact that I try to make them playable again, or let's say having some kind of open world feeling.
Your Saving Agent R toy box was selected as a featured toy box in the Egg Hunt Challenge. Please give us some Inside the Toy Box details on your Saving Agent R toy box.
I just got my Phineas and Ferb figures and I love Perry. Agent P and Doofenshmirtz are hilarious and those two are the reason why I watch P&F. Of course I wanted to make something related to P&F and the Egg Hunt wasn't hard to add.
What is your favorite Toy Box that someone else has built?
Epic Pirate Combat from tangled&tron. I played that one several times, with many different characters, even Mater. It was one of the first toy boxes I ever downloaded and I was just overwhelmed by seeing what cool stuff you could do with the toy box. I just started to build my own toy boxes back then and it was awesome to see how much detail there was in that toy box. I also played Olympus coliseum a lot. I'm a big Kingdom Hearts fan and that was kinda nostalgic.
What are some of your classic Toy Boxes that have not been a featured top 5 Toy Box?
My very first submission was for the Underwater challenge. I would call it a race track without laps, where you have to reach the goal far down below the starting line. Another one was my Wreck-it Ralph toy box for the Arcade challenge, which had a 2D jump'n'run area, a robot battle area and some shooter elements. For the Aladdin challenge I had some kind of very, very poor version of MightyGitis' one. Another one was my Big Thunder Mountain for the Disney Parks challenge.
What is your dream Toy Box challenge?
A Cars challenge would be great. Most of the challenges are made for the non-Cars character, if you're not making a race track. It would be nice to have a challenge that doesn't have to be a race track, but could be done by any Cars character.
Do you place any hidden tributes in your winning Toy Boxes?
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. It depends on how full the meter already is, but when I do, I usually put something from Cars or Lone Ranger to it.
Share a story of adversity from when you were building one of your Toy Boxes that you had to overcome.
I remember that one time my replayers had gone completely out of control for the Aladdin challenge. I think I had about 16 replayers, recorded all of them so they would spawn 4 enemies each. First time they did, but afterwards they did either nothing or randomly spawned the enemies. It took me half a day to record them and another one to replace them with enemy generators.
Share a funny story from when you were building one of your Toy Boxes.
One time I tested the Rainbow Connection with Jack Skellington and Buzz's astro blaster. I don't really know why, but it seems like the astro blaster can't go over fans, or at least not the way other vehicles do. So instead of floating gracefully over the fans it just threw me up in the air where I couldn't do anything but get out of the astro blaster. I played a little more, must have forgotten about the blaster still going up and down and crashed into it with another vehicle.
Your Rainbow Connection toy box was selected as a featured toy box in the Muppets Challenge. Please give us some Inside the Toy Box details on your Rainbow Connection toy box.
When I heard about the Muppets challenge the first thing that came to my mind was the song Rainbow Connection. I have never watched the movie and only saw the TV show a few times. So Rainbow Connection was the only thing I could think of and I wanted to build a race track for a long time. Good thing I could use the Wreck-it Ralph power disc to make the track look like a rainbow and so I decided to make a three parted race track. I tried to bring in the story of one of the Muppets movies into that track and built the swamp, the desert and Hollywood. I think out of all racing tracks I made that one will always be my favorite.
Do you have any advice for aspiring Toy Box Artists?
My advice would be to always build something you want. Don't make a toy box if you just do it for the challenges. Don't get me wrong, the challenges are good to give you new ideas for building new toy boxes, but don't feel too much pushed towards one idea. Muppets challenge, never saw the Muppets movie, just wanted a race track. Easter challenge, got my Perry and basically wanted to build Danville. Western challenge, okay well, I had some Lone Ranger toy boxes already.
The point is that you should just put your heart into it. Just build whatever you want. Don't get too frustrated if your toy box is not chosen. The jury can only judge the "final product". Have you ever shown your toy box to your family or friends? Or build it together with them? They will give you the feeling that your toy box is the best, and that's what matters. I've built a very simple toy box with my little sister. Really nothing special, basically it is just Cinderella's castle and plants. However, I love that toy box, just because I saw how my sister put so much effort into it.
So just do what you like and if you can't share it with the community just share it with people right around you.


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Displaying his characteristic courage, Zach Lederer bravely attempts to recreate the notorious strongman pose — biceps flexed and fists clenched — that turned a 2012 photo of his steely-eyed resolve to fight cancer into an Internet craze called "Zaching."
But debilitating weakness on the left side of his body, caused by swelling on the right side of his brain after treatment for a third brain tumor, has left him unable to raise his atrophied left arm above his chest.
The pose may not be possible right now, but the spirit behind it remains steadfast. Zach, a 2011 Centennial High School graduate, insists he's "living the dream," which he defines as having positive friends, family and coaches supporting him as he recovers from a devastating illness that would have overwhelmed most people.
Now a new chapter of his self-proclaimed dream life will open with the inaugural 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at Centennial on Sept. 21. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Zaching Against Cancer Foundation, established by Zach's parents, John and Christine Lederer, and will go toward establishing two $2,500 academic scholarships.
"I think this is an awesome idea," Zach said from his Ellicott City home last week. He would have been a junior broadcast journalism major this semester at the University of Maryland, College Park but is taking time off from school to undergo rehabilitation therapy in Howard County two to three times a week.
"I honestly believe I was meant to help people in the community with their outlook, since the world can be a negative place at times," he said.
"The people around me are so great, and my parents and coaches are so positive. How can I not mirror their attitudes?" he asked. He said he boosts his optimism by watching videos with positive messages and keeping "negative people out of my path."
Zach's theory about his purpose in life is seconded by his two favorite coaches, Chad Hollwedel and Rob Slopek, who will run the tournament.
"Zach has always been positive," said Slopek, a Burleigh Manor Middle School physical education teacher who taught him for three years and who is a women's basketball coach at Stevenson University. "And he's still positive — all the time."
While calling Zach's compliments about his coaches' impact "flattering," Hollwedel said he believes the reverse is true when it comes to who influences whom.
"I see it the other way around," said the Centennial High School physics teacher and varsity basketball head coach, for whom Zach served as team manager for three years. "Zach inspires me; he inspires everybody."
After the Zaching
The 2012 Facebook pose known as "Zaching" was imitated for months by Hollywood celebrities, professional sports teams, cancer patients and sympathetic supporters around the world. Many people posted photos of themselves Zaching, and many of the shots are still displayed at zaching.tumblr.com.
The craze snowballed after Zach's pals posted his defiant pose on the Internet in January 2012, not long after surgeons at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore removed most of Zach's second brain tumor. The first was discovered when Zach was 11 and a sixth-grader at Burleigh Manor.
Friends promoted Zaching as an alternative to "Tebowing" — a pose popularized by former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who was known for dropping down on one knee to pray on the football field before NFL games.
Zaching T-shirts were handed out to students attending a Maryland football game last fall at the University of Maryland, where Zach was serving as team manager, a job he hopes to resume.
"After Zaching went viral, I had Facebook friends in places like Greece, Australia and at the Great Wall of China," he said. "I still keep in touch with some of them."
But in a dispiriting turn of events in March, the 20-year-old was on the verge of completing treatment for a third brain tumor discovered last September when doctors detected the swelling.
He is cancer-free after chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but the swelling brought on by excessive radiation has racked his body with symptoms similar to those of a stroke victim, his mother said. He walks slowly, dragging his left leg, and he holds his left arm close to his chest.
"In some ways, battling the side effects of radiation has been more difficult to handle than the cancer was," Christine Lederer said of her son's current health crisis. "But that's life, and Zach just does what he has to do."
He has the strength to move his affected limbs, "but his brain needs to be trained to coordinate his muscles," she said, adding that it's a slow process.
"We don't know if Zach will recover 100 percent," she said. "But if I have anything to do with it, he will."
'A pretty good idea'
Hollwedel and Slopek were out celebrating after a basketball game last spring when they came up with the idea for the 3-on-3 tourney.
"Chad and I are both very driven and have big ideas, and somehow the idea came up about hosting a tournament," Slopek recalled. "We thought it was a pretty good idea."
Turned out the Lederers did, too.
"When I approached John and Christine about the tournament, they said they were looking for a fundraising outlet for their Zaching Against Cancer Foundation," he said. "It all just fell into place."
During initial planning stages, Zach went out to breakfast with his coaches.
"I really wanted to be respectful, but I said the three of us can't do this on our own," he said with a laugh. "We all agreed that my parents are the smart ones in the group, and luckily our goals matched theirs."
The foundation is finalizing its status as a nonprofit and is working on the criteria for the one-year scholarships, which will be given each year to one boy and one girl from Centennial High who have a personal connection to cancer, Christine Lederer said. The candidate pool may be expanded to other county high schools in the future.
Open this year to students at Burleigh Manor and Centennial, the tournament will be played on a half-court and calls for participants to form three-person teams, which will be grouped by age. There will be boys, girls and coed divisions, Hollwedel said.
Since Mount Hebron High has selected Centennial as its opponent for its homecoming football game at 1 p.m. the same day, the tournament will start at 3 p.m. with Burleigh Manor players — so that Centennial students are free to attend the football game, he said.
Hollwedel and Slopek also plan to run a golf tournament to benefit the foundation, with details to be announced in the spring. Adding a formal dinner and silent auction as a third fundraising event is also being discussed.
"I think it will be exciting for the scholarship recipients," said Zach, deflecting a question about how it feels to have all the events held in his honor.
"That's just Zach," Hollwedel said. "He's always concerned for other people."
His mom says Zach's desire to fight back against cancer has never waned, despite the roller coaster medical journey he's been on.
Zach said he hopes to be in front of the camera one day, reporting on breaking news or sports. But he won't likely be reporting on medical issues — he says he's dealt with so many health issues that he'd prefer not to confront those topics again.
"I've had a great life, though," he adds. "I am living the dream."
Team registrations for the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament to benefit the Zaching Against Cancer Foundation are due Sept. 17. For information, send email to firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Topic: Star Wars Christmas Ornaments
I hope this is in the right section, but yesterday I was at Target looking through the halloween decorations and came across a small Star Wars Christmas section. So many cool things I can't even describe but I bought this decoration that you would place on a coffee table. It's very big and Is Boba Fett standing on snow. He has a candy cane in his hand that he is holding like he's gonna blast someone with it.
I believe he has a santa hat on. Behind him is Hans Solo...frozen in carbonite and is wrapped in a big red bow with a Christmas tag that says " to Jabba" I will take a picture tonight and put it up tomorrow. Everyone to target!!! Here's a website of some of the ornaments.


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Network marketing advertising is very much essential when it comes to getting quality leads available for your multi-level marketing campaign, or otherwise termed as MLM campaign. Just simply selling the products would not do. You have to be active in the selling process to extend your market. Enlighten your potential buyers about the different benefits and opportunities they can avail of once you have fully offered them your business. Your plot for getting more prospects for your business will work if and only if you make your potential customers have a viewpoint regarding the various advantages they can possibly get.
A good recruiting plan starts the day right.
Now, before you start establishing your very own network advertising campaign, you have to be sure that your recruiting plan is at hand and ready and that it also matches your way of working. It is also an advantage if your recruiting plan does not jeopardize any of the leads you have prepared.
Multi-level marketing scams have been rampant these past few years, and they have wounded the business world in more ways than one. The hopes and the dreams of those who have faith have been wasted, and their bank accounts licked to the last drop. So to achieve the maximal trust of your customers, you have to make sure that your network marketing advertising powers are functional and tell the truth regarding the deals that you have to offer.
Having a clear compensation plan.
Your compensation plan must be clear to them, so you have to make sure that they have fully understood the concepts. The words you use must be literal and not carry deeper meanings that suggest research. Thus, your customers must be able to understand our ultimate purpose, which is to help them be successful in their own tidings. You should also stress that they have to be personally involved with what they do for them to achieve continuous success.
Word of mouth.
Actually, the best method for a successful network marketing advertising is for word-of-mouth. Start a stirring story about your business so that people, whose curiosity has been piqued, will ask questions regarding the opportunities that await them. To spread the word, talk with your co-workers, friends and other acquaintances about the success you have achieved with your network marketing advertising, and they might get the idea and commit to their own version of network marketing advertising.
The more true stories and buzzes that you generate, the more leads you will probably have.
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There are different kinds of printing you can make use of. First is the usual well-written advertisement. However, this kind of printing can generate traffic since there are far too many ads printed on common pages. So to avoid this, most publications would provide you with opportunities for press releases that can expand your number of potential buyers.
You can also have your ads printed on your local newspaper, since your local people might be interested knowing that they are in the same city as you. You can also try your network marketing advertising on classified ads since this would cost lesser than the others, but still be able to offer your potential customers more than the return on your investment.
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Program Description
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Program Student Learning Outcomes
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Demonstrate the skills and behaviors that organizational members need to contribute to effective and efficient organizations.
Utilize best practices of workplace behavior to support the optimal operation of organizations.
Emma L. Cruz, Admin 1 (Wake Campus, (805) 683-8282)
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(Wake Campus, Room 1, ext. 8292)
Susan Block (BC-208, ext. 2390)
Jill Scala (BC-116, ext. 3793)


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Notepad++ 6.1.5 released
07 Jul 2012 16:27:52
New release 6.1.5 can be downloaded here:
I would not say this version is bug free completely, but indeed, this release contains several important bug fixes, especially 3 critical bugs: a freezing issue, an incompatibility with Windows 8 issue and a performance issue:
- Fix a html tag match freezing issue.
- Fix the sidebar splitter failed in Windows 8 issue.
- Fix un regression: folding/unfolding performance issue.
For more information, check v6.1.5 download page.
As usual, if you find any regression or critical bug, please notify us. Auto-update to this version will be activated in 1 week if there is no critical bug found.


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The AWS Free Tier enables you to gain free, hands-on experience with the AWS platform, products, and services.
Creating an AWS account is free and gives you immediate access to the AWS Free Tier
Explore and learn with easy to follow tutorials for multiple use cases
Build your production solution quickly and easily once you're ready
AWS Marketplace offers free and paid software products that run on the AWS Free Tier. If you qualify for the AWS Free Tier, you can use these products on an Amazon EC2 t2.micro instance for up to 750 hours per month and pay no additional charges for the Amazon EC2 instance (during the 12 months).
These free tier offers do not automatically expire at the end of your 12 month AWS Free Tier term and are available to all AWS customers.
- 25 GB of Storage, 25 Units of Read Capacity and 25 Units of Write Capacity – enough to handle up to 200M requests per month with Amazon DynamoDB.**
- The Your User Pool feature has a free tier of 50,000 MAUs each month**
- The Federated Identities feature for authenticating users and generating unique identifiers is always free with Amazon Cognito**
Cognito also includes:
- 10 GB of cloud sync storage. Expires 12 months after signup
- 1,000,000 sync operations per month. Expires 12 months after signup
The Your User Pool feature is currently in Beta and you will not be charged for sending SMS messages for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and phone verification. However, separate pricing for sending SMS messages will apply after the conclusion of Beta period.
- 5 active users per month**
- 50 GB-month of storage per month**
- 10,000 Git requests per month**
- 10 Amazon Cloudwatch custom metrics, 10 alarms, and 1,000,000 API requests**
- 5 GB of Log Data Ingestion**
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- 3 Dashboards with up to 50 metrics each per month**
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- 100 million free events per month**
- 750 Hours of Amazon DMS Single-AZ dms.t2.micro instance usage**
- 50 GB of included General Purpose (SSD) storage**
- up to 100GB a month free*
- up to $125 a month maximum charges**
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- 1 user, 1 GB of SPICE
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- 100 build minutes per month of build.general1.small compute type usage**
These free tier offers are only available to new AWS customers, and are available for 12 months following your AWS sign-up date. When your 12 month free usage term expires or if your application use exceeds the tiers, you simply pay standard, pay-as-you-go service rates (see each service page for full pricing details). Restrictions apply; see offer terms for more details.
- 750 hours of Amazon EC2 Linux t2.micro instance usage (1 GiB of memory and 32-bit and 64-bit platform support) – enough hours to run continuously each month*
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- A US direct inward dial (DID) and a toll-free number for use per month*
- 30 minutes per month of US inbound DID calls*
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- 125 hours per month of Amazon GameLift c3.large.gamelift instance usage*
- 50 GB EBS General Purpose (SSD) storage*
- 15 GB of bandwidth out aggregated across all AWS services*
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- 1 Million API Calls per month*
- 750 hours per month of a single-AZ t2.micro.elasticsearch instance or t2.small.elasticsearch instance*
- 10GB per month of optional EBS storage (Magnetic or General Purpose)*
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* These free tier offers are only available to new AWS customers, and are available for 12 months following your AWS sign-up date. When your 12 month free usage term expires or if your application use exceeds the tiers, you simply pay standard, pay-as-you-go service rates (see each service page for full pricing details). Restrictions apply; see offer terms for more details.
** These free tier offers do not automatically expire at the end of your 12 month AWS Free Tier term, but are available to both existing and new AWS customers indefinitely.
† The following Windows variants are not eligible for the free tier: Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 with SQL Server Web, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 with SQL Server Standard, Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 64-bit for Cluster Instances and Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 SQL Server 64-bit for Cluster Instances.
The Amazon AWS Free Tier applies to participating services across our global regions. Your free usage under the AWS Free Tier is calculated each month across all regions and automatically applied to your bill – free usage does not accumulate. The AWS Free Tier is not available in the China (Beijing) region at this time.


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The compact and small SUV market is growing crazy fast. It seems like every time I turn around there's a new one being launched or revealed.
In the last few months alone, I've had the opportunity to test the Jaguar E-Pace, Hyundai Kona, Ford Ecosport and BMW X2 – a wide range of vehicles that go from basic to high-level luxury.
And the onslaught isn't over. During a recent press preview of the Kona, Hyundai execs said this segment is expected to grow another 16 percent by 2024.
So, how does European brand like Alfa Romeo enter this segment in a new country and try to gain a foothold?
With panache.
The all-new Stelvio SUV is the third vehicle Alfa has brought to the United States, and similar to the 4C and the Giulia, it's a stunner.
In fact, it's one of the new vehicles I get asked about the most. How does it drive? What do you think of it? Should I buy it?
Let's start with this answer: I loved it.
The test vehicle was a Ti version, which means it wasn't the performance-oriented Quadrifoglio. But it was still really well-powered with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque. For comparison's sake, that's 16 less horsepower and 11 more pound-feet of torque than the Jaguar E-Pace R-Dynamic with the top-level engine.
And the Stelvio held its own.
In a quirk of fate, I drove these two vehicles back to back, and though Jaguar doesn't consider Stelvio to be a competitor, it probably should. Especially since Stelvio is in exactly the same price range.
The Stelvio had a tighter suspension and was a bit more fun in cornering situations, but the E-Pace was zippier and a little quieter.
Both are a blast to drive.
Frankly, I didn't think the Stelvio would be all that much fun without being the 500-horsepower Quadrifoglio. Yet it was.
The downside of fun: less than stellar fuel economy. EPA estimates that you should get 22 mpg in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway, yet I got around 16 mpg in combined driving.
In addition to the overall performance, I also really liked the unique and curvaceous design.
The triangle grille is somewhat polarizing but absolutely identifiable as Alfa Romeo. I really like the way the exterior was put together and appreciate that the Stelvio doesn't quite look like anything else on the road.
The interior is clean and simple, with easy-to-use knobs and dials. Unlike the 4C, Stelvio eschews the push-button gearing and opts for a regular levered gearshift – which is more mainstream and easier to digest. One quirky thing I did not get used to during the test period: The push-button start is on the steering wheel.
The test vehicle had the Ti AWD Sport Package, which included the leather sport seats, bright aluminum pedals, power adjustable bolster and aluminum interior accents, which made the interior both comfortable and sporty.
All-wheel drive is standard on all Stelvio models, and all trims get the 2.0-liter engine, except the Qadrifoglio, which upgrades to the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6.
Stelvio ($43,440): This trim comes standard with features such as leather seats, passive entry, push-button start, dual-zone climate control, a front USB port, a 6.5-inch AM/FM radio display and dual rear-charge USB ports.
Stelvio Sport (45,240): This trim adds features such as column-mounted paddle shifters, 19-inch aluminum wheels, aluminum interior trim and gloss black window surrounds.
Stelvio Ti ($45,440): This trim adds a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, an 8.8-inch infotainment display, dark gray oak interior trim.
Stelvio Ti Sport ($47,940): This trim adds sport seats, 20-inch sport aluminum wheels, four-way adjustable lumbar and power bolsters and column-mounted paddle shifters.
Stelvio Ti Lusso ($47,940): This is the luxury side of the Ti spectrum, adding luxury Pieno Fiore Italian leathers seats with Cannelloni inserts, leather-wrapped dash, genuine wood trim and luxury-leather wrapped steering wheel.
Stelvio Quadrifoglio ($81,590): The biggest change at this top-tier, high-performance trim is the engine, which upgrades to the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 that delivers 500 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. It also adds a dual-mode quad exhaust system, high-performance Brembo brakes, adjustable performance suspension, high-performance leather and Alcantara seats, a Formula One inspired steering wheel and a top speed of 177 mph.
The test vehicle was a Ti Sport, and it added some pricey options including the Sport Package, Convenience Package, Driver Assistance Static Package, Driver Assist Dynamic Plus Package, dual-pane sunroof, navigation and Harmon/Kardon premium audio for an as-tested price of $53,640.
The Bottom Line
I really enjoyed my time with the Stelvio. It's beautiful and fun to drive, and if you're not opting for the performance-oriented Quadrifoglio, it's affordable.
But – and this is kind of a biggie – Alfa Romeo has a reputation problem in the United States. Dependability was arguably one reason Alfa Romeo left the U.S. shores more than 20 years ago, and I'm not entirely convinced that the brand has worked out the bugs.
There have already been four safety recalls on the Stelvio during its brief time in the market, and vehicles from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles traditionally land at the bottom of JD Powers Vehicle Dependability Study.
Thus, I think Alfa Romeo needs time to build some credibility.
So, I'll give you the advice that I gave my sister: If you want this vehicle, lease it. And I rarely tell people to lease. But you'll get an amazing and unique vehicle without any of the worry. Plus, this gives Alfa time to gain more credibility in the States, and if you still like it after 3 years, you can buy next time around.


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After the bike was done being built (well, almost), Eric took it in for a photo shoot.
Here's the gallery for my bike.
Eric named the bike Allaban, a Scottish word for "wandering, wanderings, roaming". It's a spectacular name for a randonneuring bike: surprising it hadn't already been snatched up by some litigious mainstream bike company.
Keith Anderson's paint work was followed by SRAM Force shifters and derailleurs, Soma 26 mm compact handlebars, a Cane Creek headset, White Industries hubs, bottom bracket, and variable-bolt-circle crankset and rings, Paul Racer brakes, a Thomson Elite zero-setback seatpost, and a Crane brass bell expertly threaded into the stem by Eric. The Crane, in particular, has excellent sound.
For the saddle, I decided to stick with an old Mythos saddle I had from my Fuji Team Al bike: I know it works well for me and didn't want to mess around. For the photos, Eric subbed in a Turbo. It fits.
Eric also did something surprising: he blacked out key logos with a black magic marker. It sounds goofy but it works. Logos are distracting.
Here's some shots, shamelessly stolen from the gallery. More photos are in the bike's Flickr set:


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The First World War and the Inter-war years 1914-1939
The First World War 1914-1918
Britain went to war in August 1914. Having won the naval race with Germany, the British Empire controlled the seas for the duration of the conflict. Commanded by Admiral John Jellicoe , the Grand Fleet covered the North Sea and imprisoned the German High Seas Fleet within it, while those German forces elsewhere were dealt with by the middle of 1915. In the North Sea the battlecruisers under Admiral David Beatty had a successful clash with German light forces in the Heligoland Bight in August 1914 but were only able to sink the weakest German ship when they clashed with German battlecruisers at the Dogger Bank in January 1915.
Battle of Jutland
Problems with British signalling and doctrine were exposed on 31 May 1916, when the German fleet under Admiral Scheer, which set out to trap a part of the British fleet, encountered the whole Grand Fleet. The Battle of Jutland should have seen the destruction of the High Seas Fleet but the Germans got away having inflicted greater damage on the British. In August the Germans tried again to trap a part of the Grand Fleet as they had done in May. There was no contact between the fleets but the Germans were lucky to escape annihilation.
U-boats and the convoy system
In early 1917 the Germans restarted their unrestricted U-boat offensive against shipping, first tried in 1915, this time with great success. The Admiralty's initial response was ineffective. Admiral Jellicoe, now First Sea Lord, thought Britain's time was fast running out. There was great reluctance to adopt the time-honoured strategy of convoy, especially as the Grand Fleet used the possible escorts. Eventually, with America making destroyers available to augment British escorts, the convoy was adopted. Shipping losses went down to acceptable levels and the U-boat was neutralised. Britain's conventional blockade of Germany was more successful. Considerable hardship was inflicted on the Germans, who failed to adopt proper rationing systems. The blockade significantly added to the crisis in German morale that resulted from defeat on the Western Front in 1918.
War in the Air
The Royal Navy added to the effects of the blockade by bombing Germany from the air. The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was formed in 1915. It was difficult for the RNAS effectively to support the fleet until late in the war and it became, not a fleet air arm, but a general-purpose land based air force. The RNAS usually had better aircraft than the Army's Royal Flying Corps as the Admiralty was more experienced in managing technology than was the War Office. In 1917 competition for aircraft between the two services, together with dissatisfaction with Britain's overall air effort following German bomber attacks on London, led to the decision to create a unified Royal Air Force (RAF).
The growing power of coast defences made the more offensive use of Britain's naval power more difficult. The main amphibious assault of the war occurred in the Dardanelles in 1915. It was hoped a force of largely of old pre-Dreadnought battleships might force its way through to Constantinople (modern Istanbul) to knock Turkey out of the war. This failed due to the guns and mines of the Turks. A campaign by Allied ground forces capture the straits and assist the passage of the fleet met with little success. The only successful part of this disaster was the withdrawal of the land forces by sea in early 1916.
Sea power is often a great 'enabler' and this was definitely the case in First World War. Although there was no crushing naval victory, the Royal Navy's command of the sea allowed troops and supplies to flow to the British armies in France and Flanders that defeated the might of the German Army. Indeed, the Royal Navy provided part of the land forces. In 1914 there were more reservists than ships to take them and the men were formed, together with the Royal Marines into a Royal Naval Division. It served with distinction in the Mediterranean and on the Western Front. Almost half of the Royal Navy casualties in the First World War were sustained by this land force.
The Inter-war years
The Washington Treaty
After the scuttling of the German fleet in 1919, the major naval powers were Britain, the USA and Japan. America was committed to out-build Britain and both sides prepared war plans. The Washington Treaty of 1922 agreed equality in battleships, battlecruisers and aircraft carriers between Britain and the USA. The agreement allowed Britain to lay down two new battleships, Nelson and Rodney, the only new battleships built anywhere in the 1920s. New large cruisers were also built and the fleet used the experience of the war to improve its tactical skills.
Times were hard for the Navy in the difficult economic conditions. Attempts to cut ratings' pay led to a strike at Invergordon in 1931 that caused a run on the pound, so symbolic was Britain's navy to her national image.
Naval Aviation
Shortage of funds was a major cause of the limited development of Britain's naval aviation in comparison with Japan and the USA. Providing the fleet with the support it needed was low on the RAF's list of priorities. Eventually, in 1924, as a compromise, a Fleet Air Arm was created as a specialist part of the RAF paid for by the Navy and manned by both RAF and Naval personnel. Not until 1939 was full Admiralty control asserted over the Fleet Air Arm and given these difficulties it was not surprising that it was smaller and less capable those of other nations.
When rearmament began in the 1930s the Royal Navy ranked between the top priority RAF and the Army in importance, an indication of how evolving technology had altered the overall strategic equation. New ships of all categories were laid down, intended primarily for fleet operations against a Japan. A base was constructed at Singapore from which this fleet could cover South East Asian waters. The Naval Staff calculated that Britain could fight one European power as well as Japan. When Hitler announced rearmament therefore Britain rushed to obtain agreement to limit German strength. Unfortunately, Britain's quarrel with Italy over Ethiopia created a third potential naval enemy. When war came in 1939 it was against Germany alone.
Further reading:
- J. Goldrick "The Battleship Fleet: The Test of War 1895-1919" and G. Till "Retrenchment, Rethinking, Revival 1919-1939 in J.R. Hill (Ed.), The Oxford Illustrated History of the Royal Navy (Oxford, 1995). P.G Halpern, A Naval History of the First World War (Annapolis Md. and London, 1994).


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I think, therefore, I joke
Posted 30 January 2009 - 05:30 AM
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
(not that were aiming for serious here or even good .......just....... fun.... )
Time for a reload..................
A New York boy is being led through the swamps of Louisiana by his cousin. "Is it true that an alligator won't attack you if you carry a flashlight?" asks the city boy.
His cousin replies, "Depends on how fast you carry the flashlight."
Holmes and Watson are on a camping trip. In the middle of the night Holmes wakes up and gives Dr. Watson a nudge. �Watson,� he says, "look up at the sky and tell me what you see."
"I see millions of stars, Holmes," says Watson.
"And what do you conclude from that, Watson?"
Watson thinks for a moment. "Well," he says, "astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.
Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo.
Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.
Meteorologically, I expect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.
Theologically, I see that God is all-powerful, and that we are small and insignificant.
Uh, what does it tell you, Holmes?"
"Watson, you idiot! Someone has stolen our tent!!!"
Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
By Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein
The First Law of Philosophy: For every philosopher, there exists an equal and opposite philosopher.
The Second Law of Philosophy: They're both wrong.
God is Dead. Nietzsche
Nietzsche is Dead. God
- hobglobin, personal comment about my beauteous photo......
Posted 30 January 2009 - 08:13 AM
A man, called to testify at the IRS, asked his accountant for advice on what to wear. "Wear your shabbiest clothing. Let him think you are a pauper."
Then he asked his lawyer the same question, but got the opposite advice. "Do not let them intimidate you. Wear your most elegant suit and tie."
Confused, the man went to his rabbi, told him of the conflicting advice, and requested some resolution of the dilemma. "Let me tell you a story," replied the rabbi. "A woman, about to be married, asked her mother what to wear on her wedding night. 'Wear a heavy, long, flannel nightgown that goes right up to your neck.' But when she asked her best friend, she got conflicting advice. 'Wear your most sexy negligee, with a V neck right down to your navel.
The man protested: "What does all this have to do with my problem with the IRS?"
"No matter what you wear, you are going to get screwed."
Posted 31 January 2009 - 01:18 PM
Philosophers truly appreciate the profound nature of life's deep questions. As a result, they are still struggling with the same questions that have been asked for millenia. Thus, they are the objects of ridicule on the part of scientists, who have less patiencewith such lack of progress.
For example, consider the age-old question: If a tree falls in a forest, and there is no one around to hear, does it make a sound?
This question was posed by philosophers of antiquity, and there is still no philosophical consensus as to what the answer should be.
But ask a scientist the same question, and he'll go off for short while, apply for a grant or two, torture some grad students while at it, and come back saying, "Well, we've solved it for elm and birch, but we're still working on the general case"!
Brian Smith of Xerox PARC
( with a bit of modification from me...sorry... )
- hobglobin, personal comment about my beauteous photo......
Posted 01 February 2009 - 10:23 PM
A rich man was trying to find his daughter a birthday gift when he saw a poor man with a beautiful white horse. He told the man that he would give him $500 for the horse.
The poor man replied, "I don't know mister, it don't look so good", and walked away.
The next day the rich man came back and offered the poor man $1000 for the horse.
The poor man said, "I don't know mister, it don't look so good".
On the third day the rich man offered the poor man $2000 for the horse, and said he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. The poor man agreed, and the rich man took the horse home.
The rich man's daughter loved her present She climbed onto the horse, then galloped right into a tree.
The rich man rushed back over to the poor man's house, demanding an explanation for the horse's blindness.
The poor man replied, "I told you it don't look so good!"
Posted 02 February 2009 - 12:10 AM
if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.--
Posted 15 February 2009 - 08:06 PM
After she woke up, a woman told her husband, I just dreamed you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentines Day. What do you think it means?
"Youll know tonight, he said.
That evening the husband came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it--to find a book entitled The Meaning of Dreams.
Posted 24 February 2009 - 09:46 PM
A duck walks into a bar and says, "I'll have a beer".
The bartender says "Hey! where did you come from?"
The duck says "I'm working the construction site across the street".
And the bartender says, "Well why are you working construction when you could be making millions in the circus?"
And the duck said "What would the circus want with a brick laying duck?"
Posted 28 February 2009 - 06:53 AM
One day, when a seamstress was sewing while sitting close to a river, her thimble fell into the river. When she cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, "My dear child, why are you crying?"
The seamstress replied that her thimble had fallen into the water and that she needed it to help her husband in making a living for their family.
The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a golden thimble set with pearls. "Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked.
The seamstress replied, "No."
The Lord again dipped into the river. He held out a silver thimble ringed with sapphires.
"Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked.
Again, the seamstress replied, "No."
The Lord reached down again and came up with a leather thimble.
"Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked.
The seamstress replied, "Yes."
The Lord was pleased with the woman's honesty and gave her all three thimbles to keep, and the seamstress went home happy.
Some years later, the seamstress was walking with her husband along the riverbank, and her husband fell into the river and disappeared under the water.
When she cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked her, "Why are you crying?"
"Oh Lord, my husband has fallen into the river!"
The Lord went down into the water and came up with Johnny Depp.
"Is this your husband?" the Lord asked.
"Yes," cried the seamstress.
The Lord was furious. "You lied! That is an untruth!"
The seamstress replied, "Oh, forgive me, my Lord. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Johnny Depp, you would have come up with George Clooney. Then if I said 'no' to him, you would have come up with my husband. Had I then said 'yes,' you would have given me all three. Lord, I'm not in the best of health and would not be able to take care of all three husbands, so THAT'S why I said 'yes' to Johnny Depp."
And so the Lord let her keep him.
The moral of this story is: Whenever a woman lies, it's for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others.
Posted 28 February 2009 - 07:57 PM
Nietzsche's Guide to Tech Support
When a user is calling in need of help, don't forget that he is a weakling. Only a loser would need to come groveling to you, begging for crumbs of help that may fall from your godlike lips. And he KNOWS that he is a loser in the race of the weak and the strong, that his kind is doomed to extinction. Therefore, show him no mercy. Treat him with the utter contempt that he deserves. It is the law of nature that you should do so.
Key Phrases:
"You aren't very smart, are you?"
"I can't believe you call yourself a programmer!"
"Our product is obviously too complex and advanced for you. Please desist from using it - you are soiling it."
Nevertheless, there may come a time when you actually must help the user, even though he is sucking away your magnificent intellectual vitality with his grotesque shambling confusion. He is a lower form of life and you must make him feel it, lest he take on ambitions of evolving to your level.
Key Phrases:
"Now I will read aloud the section of the manual that you failed to comprehend."
"You have ignominiously blundered on line 35, committing an error that a Mongoloid programming an abacus would be ashamed of."
"What you've done in your function, fool, is the coding equivalent of failing to empty your colostomy bag."
Alas, upon occasion there comes a time when it is obvious that the compiler is at fault. This is no reason to let the user feel superior to anyone, however. The design of a compiler is still far beyond his limited mental capacities. His duty is to worship, not criticize.
Key Phrases:
"The inner workings of the compiler are far beyond your antlike comprehension."
"That behavior is described in ANSI specification 18.104.22.168.3.8. You are familiar with that section, I assume..."
"Our software can behave in that manner only if it has been corrupted by long exposure to users of your caliber."
And finally, a user may eventually want you to code something for him, or send him an example. The user has asked something that is against the laws of nature. Such creatures as himself exist to serve you and not you him. Therefore such a request is impossible and against nature, and does not exist, and therefore never happened. Response is not possible.
- shamelessly filched from Richard Harter's World...
- hobglobin, personal comment about my beauteous photo......
Posted 17 March 2009 - 08:30 PM
The efficiency expert concluded his lecture with a note of caution. "You don't want to try these techniques at home.".
"Why not?" asked somebody from the audience..
"I watched my wife's routine at breakfast for years," the expert explained. "She made lots of trips between the refrigerator, stove, table and cabinets, often carrying a single item at a time. One day I told her, 'Hon, why don't you try carrying several things at once?'"
"Did it save time?" the guy in the audience asked.
"Actually, yes," replied the expert. "It used to take her 20 minutes to make breakfast. Now I do it in seven."
Posted 19 March 2009 - 06:56 PM
A case for the Third Universal Cardinal Rule of Thumb: Never be absolute, unless absolutely necessary:
A linguistics professor was lecturing to his class one day. "In English," he said, "A double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."
A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."
stolen from somewhere in the big wide web..........
- hobglobin, personal comment about my beauteous photo......
Posted 20 March 2009 - 06:22 AM
Shakey went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," he said, "I've got trouble. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. I get under the bed, I think there's somebody on top of it. Top, under, top, under. "You gotta help me, I'm going crazy!"
"Just put yourself in my hands for two years," said the shrink. "Come to me three times a week, and I'll cure your fears."
"How much do you charge?"
"A hundred dollars per visit."
"I'll sleep on it," said Shakey.
Six months later the doctor met Shakey on the street. "Why didn't you ever come to see me again?" asked the psychiatrist.
"For a hundred buck's a visit? A bartender cured me for ten dollars."
"Is that so! How?"
"He told me to cut the legs off the bed!"
Posted 01 April 2009 - 11:50 PM
Brian ducked into a confessional booth with a turkey in his hands.
A moment later, the priest stepped into the adjoining booth.
"Forgive me, Father," Brian confessed, "for I have sinned. I have stolen this turkey to feed my family. Would you take it and settle my guilt?"
"Certainly not," said the Priest. "As penance, you must return it to the one from whom you stole it."
"I tried," Brian said, "but he refused. Oh, Father, what should I do?"
The Priest thought for a moment and then said, "Well, if what you say is true, then it is all right for you to keep it for your family."
"Thank you, Father," Brian said. He then hurried off.
When his day was done, the Priest left the church and returned to his house. When he walked into his kitchen, he found that someone had stolen his turkey.
Posted 23 April 2009 - 04:13 AM
Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
"I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown."
Posted 12 May 2009 - 10:42 AM
Meaning of Dream Philosophy
After she woke up, a woman told her husband, I just dreamed you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentines Day. What do you think it means?
"Youll know tonight, he said.
That evening the husband came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it--to find a book entitled The Meaning of Dreams.
Number one for me:


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Since my internship with The Herb Companion began, I've sought out new ways to incorporate herbs into my daily routine. Learning new recipes and adding herbs to my favorite recipes was a great first step and easy to do.
A week ago I came across Organic and Chic (HarperCollins Publishers, 2009) by Sarah Magid at my local bookstore—a bake book filled with 60 yummy, organic recipes. Although I'm still in the "undercooked or burnt phase" of baking Magid's recipes, I am enjoying the process of making organic treats with the herbs from my backyard. My favorite recipe is Minty Strawberry Shortcakes (see below). The recipe is an easy summer treat and most of the ingredients can be found at your local farmer's market.
Magid and her husband are teaching and raising their two young children to love cooking and baking. One of my favorite sections is the children's goodies section because the recipes are easy to make and they introduce children to the baking process.
Check out my chat with Sarah Magid!
Q: What's your favorite recipe in the book?
A: It's a tie between the Goldies and Crisp, Crumbly Shortbread. I make the Goldies so much—they are so easy. The shortbread is a great excuse to create new flavors with herbs that are in season.
Q: Why do you choose to use organic ingredients in your cooking?
A: Organic is important to me because of the quality and purity that is inherent—no hormones, no GMOs, no pesticides, etc. I am a mom of two, so besides worrying about what I eat I think about my kid's growing bodies and I want to make sure they have what is best for them.
Q: What herbs and/or vegetables do you grow in your yard?
A: Right now (in my NYC apartment window!) I have lots of herbs—such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and basil—and some that my son picked out to make summer drinks with—lemon verbena, pineapple sage and rose geranium.
Q: What's your favorite herb to cook with or incorporate into your baking?
A: I love lavender, it is perfumed and tastes amazing in cookies. I also love rosemary because it can be added to my lemon cake and it gives the dish a new flavor.
Q: When it comes to cooking, what's your motto?
A: Fresh, farmers market, simple.
Q: What advice would you give people who are just starting to cook or bake?
A: Keep it simple and try to have fun!
Minty Strawberry Shortcakes
Makes 12 shortcakes
• 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks (3/4 cup) organic unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• ½ cup organic buttermilk
• ½ cup organic heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• 2 teaspoons grated organic lemon zest
• Organic raw sugar, for sprinkling
• 3 pints farm-fresh organic strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh organic mint
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh organic lemon juice (use the lemon you zested for the shortcakes)
Vanilla Whipped Cream
• 1 pint organic heavy cream
• 1/3 cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine.
2. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, pulsing on and off until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. This should take 20 to 40 seconds. Dump this mixture into a large bowl and set it aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, and lemon zest. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture, stirring with a fork just until a dough forms.
4. Lightly flour a work surface. Gently knead the dough on the floured surface a few times, until all the ingredients are combined. Form it into a disk. Place the disk on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly sprinkle the disk with flour, and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to 3⁄4- inch thickness. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters, cut out the shortcakes as close together as possible, so that you're using almost all the dough. Place the heart shapes at least 1½ inches apart on a baking sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar for sparkle. Reroll the scraps, following the directions until all the dough is used up.
7. Bake the shortcakes until they are pale brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to place them on a wire cooling rack.
8. While the shortcakes are cooling, combine all the strawberry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let stand for about 30 minutes, until the strawberry juices come out. (You may need to drain the mixture before placing it on the shortcakes.)
9. When you are ready to assemble the shortcakes, chill the metal bowl for a standing mixer (or if you're using a hand mixer, a stainless-steel bowl) for about 10 minutes in the freezer. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl and beat with the whisk attachment on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed as the cream thickens. Slowly pour in the powdered sugar, and when the cream has thickened, add the pinch of salt and the vanilla. Continue beating until fully whipped.
10. To assemble, slice the cooled shortcakes in half and arrange them on individual plates. Spoon ¼ cup or more of the strawberry-mint mixture onto the shortcake bottoms, and finish with a dollop of Vanilla Whipped Cream. Place the other halves of the shortcakes on top and devour!


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Garden SubmissionsMay 10, 2003
The first user submission from Jason Estes is now up and there's another in the pipeline. I'll try and refrain from making a special post every time a new one is added, but I get the feeling the daily links will be seeing a lot of Zen Garden action.
Me, yesterday: Wow, this has been quite a trip for me. Trite given that today saw three times as much traffic.
I have a 3GB monthly cap, my front page pushes 100k, and someone browsing through all five iterations of the Zen Garden is drawing about 300 to 400k; I'm worried. Crossing my fingers that my host will pro–rate their next plan up from my current. This one may have been oddly prophetic.
Reader Comments
If you can, switch on GZIP - either via mod-gzip or an ASP (can't provide any example ASP code, I use PHP to GZIP my site). You'll notice a considerable drop in bandwidth usage. Well worth the slight CPU hit.
I'd be glad to mirror the site. Just let me know if you're getting close. I've got some space and bandwidth that I'm probably not using (read: I've got a BW cap based on bps not transfer/month)
Thanks for the offer Vinay. I might take you up on it, but I noticed I hit MetaFilter this morning - the bps might be insane for the next day or two. Do you get charged for going over, or do they just slow down accordingly?
If I can get my host to play nicely and retroactively upgrade me for the first of the month, I think I'll be okay. Otherwise I think I'm already past the threshold of being 'very screwed' so we'll see what they say.
Umm … you might want to put up a PayPal button … soon.
Tell me about it. MetaFilter, BoingBoing… what next? If anyone gets me on Slashdot, the Garden's going down for a few days.
Finally heard from my host, I've bumped it up to 10GB/month, but I think I'll need even more than that. Dammit. A few good offers for alternate hosting so far, so somehow this will all work out. (ever the optimist)


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The Central Connecticut women's lacrosse team will play the Bryant Bulldogs on Friday afternoon in the opening game of the 2014 Northeast Conference Tournament. The #4 seed Blue Devils (7-9, 4-3 NEC) will face the #1 seed Bulldogs at 4 p.m. at the Bryant Turf Complex.
Below are some notes on the Blue Devils heading into their second NEC Tournament:
History • The CCSU women's lacrosse program is in its 15th season, but the program's success has come mostly in the last five seasons.
Years Wins NEC Wins
2000-14 (15 yrs) 60 30
2000-09 (10 yrs) 25 11
2010-14 (5 yrs) 35 19
Postseason Berths • CCSU has qualified for the last two NEC Tournaments after not reaching the postseason in any of the program's first 13 seasons.
In the Middle • The midfield duo of senior Amanda Toke and sophomore Falynn McCartney have accounted for 71 goals this season or 45.5% of CCSU's 156 goals.
Toke and McCartney have also accounted for 90 of the team's 211 points this season and 104 of the Blue Devils' 178 draw controls.
Both players are putting together historic seasons that will rank high on many of CCSU's single-season record boards.
100+ Career Points • Two members of the Blue Devil squad enter today's action with over 100 career points, seniors Meaghan McCurry and Amanda Toke. Toke currently sits in a tie for 8th in program history with 108 career points. Her first point today will break a tie with former Blue Devil Abby Hayes. McCurry is currently third all-time with 157 career points and is one of just four players to eclipse the 150-point mark. Both players can also move up some other career lists with strong performances today.
Close Games • The Blue Devils are no strangers to close games - particularly in their NEC victories this season - CCSU's four NEC wins came by a total of five goals. The Blue Devils beat Mount 8-7, Saint Francis U 11-10, Sacred Heart 11-9 and LIU 15-14.
The Blue Devils also had a 12-10 victory over Siena in non-conference play and dropped a wild double overtime contest with Robert Morris 9-8. All told, CCSU has posted a 5-1 record in games decided by two or fewer goals this season.
NEC Trip #2 • This is the second NEC Tournament appearance for the Blue Devils, but their opponent will be the same, as CCSU and Bryant also met in last year's NEC semifinals.
NEC Wins • Over the last three seasons, the Blue Devils have won 16 NEC contests, the first 12 seasons of Blue Devil lacrosse produced just 14 NEC victories.
In Goal • Junior Morgan Tullar has started 34 consecutive games in goal for the Blue Devils. After appearing just twice as a freshman, she claimed the starting job and has been in goal ever since. In fact Tullar has played all but 13 minutes and 20 seconds in goal over the last two seasons.
Tournament Experience • CCSU entered the NEC Tournament last season with no postseason experience. This year the squad has 13 players who were a part of NEC's last year, including eight that played in the game.
Coming Home • Sophomore Falynn McCartney is the only Blue Devil from the state of Rhode Island.
Seniors • The senior class of Cierra Ward, Meaghan McCurry, Claire Healy, Amanda Toke and Ashley Olhausen has been a part of 30 wins over the last four seasons, the most successful four-year period in program history.


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I live in Jamaica and have been kitesurfing for three years now. I have travelled quite a bit, see a lot of Europe and some of the Americas and most of the Caribbean. And have kited mostly here in Jamaica.
It is slightly frustrating knowing that Jamaica has a fairly unknown kitesurfing community but there are some positives, like un-crowded spots.
But I am getting certified to become a kite instructor, and am thinking ways to get kiters (or aspiring kiters) around the world aware of and attracted to the amazing kitesurfing conditions we have here in jamaica.
Pretty much every coast, except the West end, has great wind at some point in the year. There's usually somewhere with great wind on any given day, and the North coast is less than an hour's drive from the south coast.
If you look at the wind during the spring season, we've had 20+ knots of wind every day without fail for the past 8+ weeks on the south coast alone. I live in Kingston so I do most of my kiting around the capital.
You have some great wave spots, great choppy spots with some awesome kickers, some amazing flat water spots behind reefs, and some amazing offshore cays spots you can kite around. all minutes from the local airport. We also have one of the largest natural harbours in the world where I do regular sailing races. It isn't exactly clean but it is getting better slowly, and I can only imagine how amazing it could be to have kitesurfing racing inside the harbour.
Water is always warm, it's always sunny, and there are some amazing flat water undiscovered spots alllll over the north coast. Driving along the north coast you could find another ideal spot every 10 mins.
SOOOO my question is WHAT in your opinion attracts you to a kitesurfing destination? What are the major selling points.


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Bill Nagelkerke's book, Old Bones, is a ghost story set in the suburb of Dallington in Christchurch. Two students from Point England School in Auckland, Ala and Selena, made a podcast about Old Bones that you can watch on their Korero Pt. England blog.
The Korero Pt. England blog is a great place that you can visit and learn about all sorts of different books you could read. Some of the latest podcasts are about The Killer Cat Strikes Back (by Brooke and Kayla), The Moo-my's Curse (by Erene and Matthew) and Just Annoying (by Kobe and Unaloto). You can even tell them what you thought of the books they read by posting a comment.
Fantastic blog Point England School! Keep the podcasts coming.


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Orçamento €8-30 EUR
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Linda Bennett, owner of the Purple Spoon of New Windsor, admits that butter and sugar frequently define her favorite foods.
Linda Bennett, owner of the Purple Spoon of New Windsor, admits that butter and sugar frequently define her favorite foods.
"I started baking as soon as I could stand on a stool to reach the counter. For six years, I made chocolate chip cookies — and ate the cookie dough — until I realized there were other recipes," she says. "It's the only thing I can do all day, every day, and still enjoy."
Bennett founded the Purple Spoon two years ago as a baking blog, an online venue on which to share her kitchen creations — about 200 or so thus far.
"So a few years ago, I became slightly obsessed with Julia Child and one of the first episodes of 'The French Chef' that I saw was her 'Apple Dessert' or 'La Tarte Tatin.' As she's explaining how to slice and prepare the apples she just slips in, 'and stir it with a purple spoon.' I just loved how absolutely random a comment it was and so it just stuck with me. I'd like to think that stirring everything with a purple spoon just makes it better," says Bennett.
Because she does not yet have a physical location, although that is a 2013 goal, Bennett rents the professional kitchen at Mountain Restaurant Supply & Cooking Academy in New Windsor, from which she hosts baking classes or prepares treats to sweeten special gatherings from birthday parties to showers.
Bennett experiments in her own kitchen until she gets the recipe down right.
"With baking, you can't just add a little of this or that. The flour, butter, eggs have to be precise (to achieve the desired result)," she says. "Once I was toying with a blueberry coffee cake. It overflowed; it seemed to explode in the oven. ... It was baked all the way through, so I made a Blueberry Cake Parfait, with ice cream and caramel sauce. It was delicious."
Bennett has no qualms about baking just for herself — sometimes sharing with her husband and children is even more of a challenge — but not as big a challenge as the cleanup. "I'm the world's messiest baker," she says.
Bennett's next baking class is set for 6-9 p.m. Thursday at Mountain Restaurant Supply & Cooking Academy, 12 Windsor Highway, New Windsor. The class has a chocolate theme, just in time for Valentine's Day. Cost is $35.
For more information, visit thepurplespoon.wordpress.com or mountainrestaurantsupply.com
Following, Bennett shares some favorite recipes for Valentine's Day.
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake
Yields 6-8 servings
An old-fashioned shortcake with a twist. With its delightfully crunchy outside and tender, fluffy inside, the traditional buttermilk biscuit is infused with rich Dutch cocoa and studded with smooth dark chocolate. Sweet, juicy strawberries and freshly whipped cream make this a unique treat that is light and delectable. For the best results, keep ingredients cold, and don't overmix or overwork the dough.
1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
Balsamic vinegar
1� cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder*
� cup sugar
2� teaspoons baking powder
� teaspoon baking soda
� teaspoon salt
4� tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
2 oz. (� cup) dark chocolate, chopped
� cup buttermilk, cold
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
*This is one place you'll want to use a good quality Dutch processed cocoa powder. I use Cacao Barry — Extra Brute, which has a deep reddish-brown color and intense chocolate flavor.
1. Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl, sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon of sugar and add a small splash of balsamic vinegar. Stir to completely combine, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk until completely combined.
3. Add the butter to the dry ingredients, and cut in with two knives, a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles course crumbs and the largest butter pieces are no bigger than the size of small peas. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
4. Stir a teaspoon of vanilla into the buttermilk and add all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork just until the dough comes together in clumps.
5. Knead the dough in the bowl two or three times, folding the dough over itself, just into a rough ball and then transfer to a lightly floured surface. There will be floured bits still left, just press them into the dough as you go. Cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper, and roll or pat out to 1-inch thick. Cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit or cookie cutter dipped in flour. Make sure to push the cutter straight down and pull back up without twisting so that the biscuits will rise evenly.
Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet in two rows spaced about two inches apart. (You can re-roll the scraps once, any more than that and you risk kneading the dough too much and you'll end up with tough biscuits.) Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The biscuits will be very fragrant and the tops will look dry. Allow to cool slightly. They can be served warm or at room temperature; I prefer them warm.
6. To serve: Place the whipping cream and teaspoon of vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Beat on high until frothy, add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Cut open a biscuit on a plate, spoon some strawberries with juice over one side and dollop with cream. Top with the other half of the biscuit and enjoy!
Brownie Shortbread Cookie Pops
Yields 9 cookie pops
From cake to brownies, pops are making quite a splash in the realm of baking. To play off the trend, buttery shortbread dough and fudgy chocolate brownies join forces to create a moist and gooey treat that's fun for the whole family.
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1� cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
� cup all-purpose flour
� teaspoon salt
Shortbread Cookie
� cup unsalted butter, softened
� cup powdered sugar
� teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
� teaspoon salt
� cup dark chocolate chips, melted according to package directions
Cookie sticks
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-9-inch square baking pan with foil so that it hangs over the sides, spray bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together until almost completely melted. Remove from heat and whisk until completely smooth (this keeps the mixture from getting too hot and cooking the eggs). Whisk in the sugar, then eggs and egg yolk one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and salt together, stirring just until combined.
With each ingredient that is added only stir in until it is incorporated into the batter. Over mixing the batter can result in tough brownies.
3. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Brownies are done when they are set in the middle and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Move baking pan to a wire rack and let cool in pan completely.
4. For the shortbread cookies: In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream the butter on medium speed of an electric mixer, about three minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat for about another three minutes or until creamy and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically with a rubber spatula. Beat in vanilla. Add flour and salt all at once and beat on low speed until the dough comes together in clumps. Pat the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the dough is firm but still pliable.
Once chilled, place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and roll out to slightly less than a quarter-inch thick. Cut out 18 hearts with a 2-inch heart cookie cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You may have to re-roll the dough scraps once to get all 18 cookies. Return the cookies to the refrigerator for another 10 minutes until the dough is firm. If desired, brush half of the cookie tops with egg white and sprinkles for decoration. Bake in 350-degree F oven for eight minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are a light golden brown. Move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To assemble: Lift the brownies out of the pan by the foil "sling." Cut out nine hearts using the same heart cookie cutter as the cookies. Push a cookie stick through the center of each brownie heart from the bottom but don't go all the way through the top. Using a knife or spoon brush the entire brownie with the melted chocolate. Sandwich the brownie between two sugar cookies so that the bottoms of the cookies are facing the brownie. Sprinkle the exposed brownie edge with sprinkles and place the cookie pop on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining brownies and cookies.
When finished assembling, place the pops in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate for about 10 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator, store in an airtight container at room temperature or package the pops individually.
Bourbon Brown Butter Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Frosting
Yields 12-15 cupcakes
Browned butter and bourbon put a grown-up spin on the classic vanilla cupcake. Each cupcake is topped with generous mounds of lightly sweetened, creamy vanilla frosting and a to-die-for caramel drizzle.
Caramel Sauce
� cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (half a stick) of unsalted butter, softened
1� cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
� teaspoons salt
� cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
1� tablespoons bourbon
1 cup whole milk
� cup flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used salted this time for a sweet/salty touch — yum!)
2 teaspoons vanilla
� cup sugar
1. For the caramel sauce: Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or stovetop just until hot to the touch. Place the cup of sugar in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk and allow it to melt and bubble until it turns an amber color. Turn off the heat and quickly whisk in the half-stick of butter and then whisk in the cream until fully incorporated. Pour the sauce into a container to cool to room temperature.
2. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a cupcake pan with liners. In a small bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. To brown the butter: melt the half-cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter stops foaming and browned bits start to form at the bottom and the butter has a nutty smell, about five minutes. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a medium-size bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar and then the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Sift and whisk in half the flour mixture. Whisk in the milk and then sift and whisk in the rest of the flour. Stir in the bourbon. The batter will be very thin and it may have a few lumps. Whisk the lumps to smooth out a bit, but the cupcakes will be just fine.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the liners. (I use a quarter-cup measuring cup and fill each about three-quarters of the way up.) Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the tops bounce back by touching them and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for five minutes in their pans before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. For the frosting: Place the cup of whole milk in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the flour over the milk, a quarter cup at a time and whisk until smooth. Place the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes thick and pulls into a ball. Remove from the heat and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and tuck around it to make sure there are no exposed parts. Refrigerate until cooled to room temperature or colder (at least 30 minutes).
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the cooled flour milk mixture and beat until well blended. Mix in the vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the sugar and then continue to beat the icing for an additional 10-12 minutes until noticeably whiter and creamy, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pipe onto the cupcakes, and then drizzle with the caramel sauce. Store covered at room temperature for up to two days.


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Rambouillet – Paris Champs-Élysées
Distance: 120km
Highest point: 172m
Category: Flat
Four for Cav?
Mark Cavendish already holds the record for stage wins on the Champs-Élysées, having chalked up his third consecutive victory on this grandest of avenues last year. He says that he has not got the green jersey in his sights but if he goes all the way to Paris there is simply no way he will back off today, even if the Olympic road race is just a matter of days away. In fact, victory here would give any rider a huge boost before moving on to London. The format is the traditional one: an easy start, a very fast entry onto the finishing circuit and eight very high-speed laps, followed by the most watched sprint of the year.
André Greipel: "Part celebration, part flat-out sprint, it's the one all the fast guys want. If it's tight for the green jersey the stakes will be even higher. Hopefully, I'll slingshot off Greg Henderson's wheel 150m from the line for the win."


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Regional Theater of the Week: Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, TX
By: David Clarke
BroadwayWorld.com, the largest theatre site on the Internet, is excited to announce a new feature to its comprehensive regional coverage - the Featured Regional Theater of the Week! Each week, BWW will introduce its readers to a regional theater located in one of our (over 130!) coverage cities. By exploring these different venues, their history and showcasing the production seasons, BWW continues its commitment to expand our presence in communities and cities across the United States.
This Week's Featured Regional Theater: Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, Texas
Stages Repertory Theatre is an established and well-known institution in Houston. Now in its 35th season, the theatre first opened its doors in 1978, when they inhabited the basement of a local brewery. The company consistently illustrates courage, generosity, ingenuity, and intimacy in their celebrated seasons. They are also known for progressing theatre and energizing culture by producing new works, reinterpreting established works, developing talents in all aspects of the field, and taking theatrical risks that you are unlikely to see at other local theatres. Each year their MainStage season includes varied exciting world and regional premieres. Moreover, their current Producing Artistic Director, Kenn McLaughlin, has worked hard to obtain exposure and coverage of the theatre in well-known national publications, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Variety, Vogue, and American Theatre.
In addition to their MainStage plays, Stages also introduces young audiences to the thrilling and enchanting world of live theatre by utilizing a range of educational programs. These programs include creating study guides that are in alignment with the TEKs and STAAR objectives that teachers use in lesson planning, providing reimbursement for bussing and reduced ticket prices to all EarlyStages productions, theatre education residences in partnership with Houston Arts Partners for students in the Houston, Katy, Spring, Cy-Fair and Jersey Village Independent School Districts, various positions in their college internship program, and their intensive Young Actors Conservatory that teaches skills from acting to playwriting, scenic design to costume design, as well as dance, stage combat and voice techniques.
Additionally, they host outreach programs such as Surround to promote discussion about essential ideas and issues, supply insight into other cultures and viewpoints, and help build the next generation of citizens, artists, and audiences. Other programs includes their partnership with the Houston Young Lawyers Association, the Arts 4 All program that is a sizable collaboration between Greater Houston Area School Districts and Houston's leading Arts in Education Organizations born out of a explicit request from area administrators for better methods to access arts educational resources in Houston, a Teacher Advisory Council, and becoming certified as a Continuing Education Provider that offers professional development to Texas teachers.
Currently David Davalos' WITTENBERG is running on the Arena Theater, and it will close on February 17, 2013. Julia Cho's THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE opens tonight, February 6, 2013, and runs until March 3, 2013 in the Yeager Theatre. Soon they will be producing ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE by Ted Swindley in honor of the shows 25th Anniversary. ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE will run from March 13 to May 5, 2013 with Susan Koozin reprising the roles of Louise and Patsy. Rounding out the season will be productions of Rebecca Gilman's DOLLHOUSE from April 3 to April 28, 2013 and ROAD SHOW by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman from May 22 to June 30, 2013.
To learn more about Stages Repertory Theatre or to purchase tickets to their shows please visit http://stagestheatre.com or call (713) 527 - 0123.
Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett, Stages Repertory Theatre 2012-13
Know of a theater we should feature? Send your suggestion to firstname.lastname@example.com.