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Author Archives: Mike
Ducati January 21, 2023 posted by Mike
Sweet 16 Again – 1997 Ducati 916
Original 1st generation Ducati 916 models are solidly in collector cross hairs. If you were around when these rocket-powered works of art were released back in '94 and you didn't score one, chances are good you remain nostalgic for Tamburini's beautifully carved block of bologna (see what I did there?). The time to get in the game was earlier than now, but it is still not too late as these models are doing nothing but going up. Today's example is a 1997 model monoposto, showing just over 6,000 miles.
1997 Ducati 916 for sale on eBay
When released in 1994, the Ducati 916 was the sharpest weapon the collective sport bike world had ever seen. A unique combination of stunning design and style, outrageous performance and exclusivity (primarily due to price), the 916 was an instant hit and spawned a long lineage of showroom winning Superbikes. And speaking of Superbikes, Ducati hit the WSBK circuit with the 916 (just as it had with the previous generation 851 and 888), providing Carl Fogarty with championships in 1994, 1995 and 1998, while Troy Corser took the title on a 916 in 1996. This was the most influential motorcycle of the decade and continues to be a much-loved model for riders and collectors alike.
This 1997 Ducati 916 Monoposto is powered by a liquid-cooled 916cc L-twin paired with a six-speed gearbox and is finished in red over a gold trellis frame. Tasteful period correct modifications include a Corbin solo seat, an inverted Showa fork, an Öhlins monoshock, carbon-fiber fenders, Fast by Ferracci slip-on mufflers, Brembo brake calipers, and three-spoke 17″ wheels. The bike was bought from it's second owner in Sept 2021, it was serviced by him prior to the sale which included replacing the timing belts and spark plugs, changing the fluids, and performing a valve adjustment. This 916 shows 6080 miles and is offered with a rear axle stand, all origional removed factory components, and a clean New York title in the seller's name.
There are many that claim that the oval-piston Honda NR750 pitched the concept of under seat high exhaust and the single sided swingarm, but there is no argument that – regardless of origin – the Ducati 916 has cemented ownership of the classic sport bike silhouette. And while "Ride Red" has long been a slogan of Honda, it can be argued that a certain Italian brand has owned the color since the launch of this model.
This particular bike looks extremely clean and well presented. Miles are low, bodywork is clean (with some minor boo boos), excellent F-B-F carbon exhaust add on, and a more comfy Corbin seat. Experienced riders will note that these were never particularly comfortable motorcycles, as the tight seating position and forward cant places a lot of weight on the riders' wrists. But in the canyons there is nothing like the sound of the desmoquattro L-twin booming across the mountains and the sure-footed, trellis-framed chassis inspires ultimate confidence. This particular beauty can be yours, with the bidding starting at a cool $15,000 USD. There is a Buy It Now option set at $21.5k if you simply cannot wait. Check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!
From the Catalog – 1998 Ducati 748L Neiman Marcus Edition
If you are hankering to own a super rare Limited Edition Ducati Superbike but cannot quite afford the R-spec homologation machines across the 851/888/916/996/998 range, may I humbly suggest what you see before you is an exceedingly rare by the numbers bike priced within reach of mere mortals. Offered only through Neiman Marcus catalog, the N.M. Limited Edition was a 748 two seater with exclusive silver paint, a carbon fiber front fender and that special numbered plaque on the triple trees. Sure, it is just a standard 748… but prices on those classics are on the rise and this one is legit rare with only 100 units produced. Only one picture and limited information currently offered by the seller (with a promise of more to come), but the bike appears to have Arrow cans added on, which is a bonus. The fairings appear to be missing the "Ducati" logo and the front fender is painted, which could potentially indicate a respray. Serious buyers should contact the seller – you can check out all of the details here. Good Luck!!
1998 Ducati 748L Neiman Marcus Edition for sale on eBay
This 1998 Ducati 748L is #86 of 100 sold Exclusively thru the Neiman Marcus Catalog in 1998. The Bike is powered by a 748 CC L Twin Paired with a 6 speed Transmission and finished in Silver over Gold. Painted Trellis Frame and Wheels. Termignoni Carbon Fiber Mufflers. This Bike is a new arrival, going thru service and detail at this time. Once it is complete there will be over 30 pictures on line and Video available by request. 23409 Miles.
Ducati January 5, 2023 posted by Mike
Little Red Racing Hood – 2002 Ducati 748R #707
Jumping back across the pond, today we find a very nicely equipped 2002 Ducati 748R. This iconic design, penned by Massimo Tamburini back in the mid 1990s for the launch of the 916, is completely timeless. And while the smaller motor may lack some of the "I'm gonna kill you" grunt of the bigger bike, the rest of the kit is pure Ducati R bike. Which is to say, about as top-shelf as you can get. Exotic, rare, beautiful and unbelievably potent, the 748R is a bike worthy of riding or collecting; or both.
2002 Ducati 748R #707 for sale on eBay
Like the 916, the 748R was designed to go racing. In the case of the smaller bike, that meant World SuperSport. And while looks remained similar, the 748 went through some pretty major changes from inception through the 2000s. For example, in 2000 the 748R adopted the WSBK winning frame from the 996. The engine was substantially reworked from the airbox on down, including updated Showa fuel injection utilizing throttle bodies and F1-style shower injectors. That air/fuel mixture is introduced via hotter cams and bigger valves, and results in an estimated 105 ponies from the screaming twin. By 2002 the R-spec suspension was upgraded from Showa to Ohlins, new Marchesini wheels were added to reduce unsprung weight, and carbon fiber was sprinkled everywhere to reduce weight and up the glam factor.
DHSuperbikes are pleased to be able to offer for sale a lovely little 2002 Ducati 748R. Uk Bike since New, Lots and lots of History and Receipts and some Tasteful extra's. Rearsets, Termis, Performance Ducati Clutch, Slave Upgrade, Levers, Carbon ETC ETC
Fantastic Clean condition with a few Marks from General use. If Im being over critical (mirror Scuffed, Carbon Chain Guard Laquer marked)
Very good honest Bike with lots of History and paperwork. Very Easy to make absolutely Mint with a few hours TLC
HPI Clear
Full Service and New Tyres along with Belts done this year at JHP in Coventry and she's covered 200 Miles Since. Supporting Invoice for £1200
Much like when first introduced in the showroom, the 748 remains the lower-priced brother of the vaunted 916. However this is a good thing in a collector sense, as while a 916R may be priced out of the range of many, a 748R is starting to look downright affordable – while looking exactly the the bigger bike. How much win is that? This bike is located in the UK, shows 15k on the clocks, and is looking for a new home as a classified advert for $11,249 GBP (approximately $13,390 USD in today's exchange rate). Check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!
Featured Listing January 4, 2023 posted by Mike
Update 1.7.2023: Links updated to current eBay listing. Listing adjusted to include vintage exhaust per seller. -dc
In Miami, Florida there is an astounding collection of rare GSX-R models – including today's Featured Listing 1986 GSX-R 1100 with only 590 original miles. This first year bike is so clean and original you would be hard pressed to find any of those miles evident. If you love 'em sort of slabby and are in the market for a clean example of the big beast of the 1100, you cannot go wrong with a bike that looks this perfect. Interested? Read on!
1986 Suzuki GSX-R 1100 for sale on eBay
While the GSX-R750 dropped first, the 134 HP bad boy 1100 was released later in the same year. This was the bike that – at the time – married the best of big bore power with light weight (435-ish pounds, which was light for a liter bike for the day) and great handling thanks to an alloy frame with pronounced hump-back, adjustable 41 mm front suspension with adjustable anti-dive control, and a single shock rear suspension with rising rate linkage. The 1052cc inline four was fairly conventional, although the use of two oil pumps and a larger quantity of oil allowed for liquid-cooled power in an air-cooled styled package.
COMING OUT OF MY PERSONAL COLLECTION GLOBEMOTORCYCLES.COM OF OVER 150 VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES 🙂 GLOBE MOTORCYCLES
THIS IS AN AWARD WINNING, ALL ORIGINAL CONDITION ULTRA LOW MILES 1986 SUZUKI GSX-R 1100 WITH ONLY 590 ORIGINAL DOCUMENTED MILES!!
MY FLAWLESS GSX-R 1100 HAS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY ORIGINAL 4 INTO ONE EXHAUST, FACTORY ORIGINAL WINDSCREEN, FACTORY ORIGINAL FLAWLESS SOLO SEAT COVER (IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A PERFECT ONE), AND THE FACTORY ORIGINAL CARBURETOR WITH THE ORIGINAL AIRB BOX AND INTAKE BOOTS/JETS/PARTS AND BRAKE LINES (NOT INSTALLED). EASY TO MAKE 100% PERFECT ORIGINAL IF YOU WANTED TO.
THE ENGINE:
THE ENGINE IS ALL ORIGINAL AND HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE FRAME AND NEVER BEEN PAINTED. SHE IS THE ORIGINAL EXHAUST IN FLAWLESS CONDITION, FRESH ULTRA SONICALLY CLEANED AND OVERHAULED CARBURETORS, K&N POD FILTERS. COMES WITH THE OEM AIRB BOX AND INTAKE BOOTS.
THE FRAME:
THE FRAME HAS ALL THE ORIGINAL LABLES AND HAS NOT BEEN TAMPERED WITH AT ALL. ORIGINAL CHAIN AND SPROCKETS, CHAIN GUARD, TURN SIGNALS AND MIRRORS, GRIPS, ECT. LOCKHART BRAKE LINES ARE INSTALLED BUT SHE COMES WITH THE OEM BRAKE LINES. NEW METZLER Z6 RADIALS MOUNTED AND BALANCED
THIS BIKE HAS BEEN IN THE CLIMATE CONTROLLED CARE OF 2 COLLECTORS SINCE NEW. HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE A HUGE PART OF MOTORCYCLING HISTORY IN THE HARD TO FIND RED WHITE AND BLUE COLORS.
RSBFS reader Bob knowns his collectible motorcycles, and his personal museum has offered up some stunning bikes to these pages. Slab-sided GSX-R models are in vogue and in demand, and rarely do we see an example so close to new as this; not rebuilt, not reconditioned, but an original example with a mere 590 miles. You can check out all of the details on eBay here. Look closely and bid quickly, as this one will go fast. Good Luck!!
Firing a shot across the bow of 2023 is our first bona fide Collector Alert of the New Year. Brought to us by RSBFS regular Bob, today's Featured Listing is an ultra rare Japanese home market example of the much sought after Limited Edition GSX-R750R. Looking perfectly preserved, residing indoors for what looks to be its entire life span, and showing only 863 kilometers on those white-faced, metric clocks (a mere 535-ish miles for those of us that compute mileage in American), this is a wake up call for anyone who dreams of collecting. Born and bred for the race track with goodies and tech over and above the already stunning GSX-R of the era, the Limited Edition has gained cult status and remains a key model in a very exclusive blue chip collector club.
1986 Suzuki GSX-R750R Limited Edition for sale on eBay
Much has been written about the mighty GSX-R750 and how it revolutionized sport bikes and production racers in particular. But the extra "R" in the Limited Edition meant that these special bikes were homologation specials more sharply focused for the race track. The biggest deal with the Limited Edition relates to the transmission. A close-ratio 6-speed is mated to a dry clutch setup, which is lighter (thanks to its magnesium construction) and has less parasitic drag than the standard oil-bath variety. Flat slide carbs replace the base CV vacuum units, suspension was upgraded for track duty (including New Electrically Activated Suspension (NEAS) forks from the 1100), and the package was wrapped in a special fiberglass solo tail.
THIS IS AN AWARD WINNING, ALL ORIGINAL CONDITION ULTRA LOW MILES JAPANESE IMPORT 1986 SUZUKI GSX-R 1100 WITH ONLY 863 ORIGINAL DOCUMENTED KILOMETERS!! FLORIDA TITLE IN MY NAME.
ONLY A HAND FULL OF THESE JAPANESE IMPORTS EVER MADE IT TO THE US. THIS IS NOT THE RARE DOMESTIC LIMITED EDITION.
IN THE STUNNING MUST HAVE, HARD TO FIND FACTORY YOSHIMURA RACING BROWN OVER RED COLORS.
MY FLAWLESS GSX-R 750 LIMITED EDITION HAS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY ORIGINAL 4 INTO ONE EXHAUST, FACTORY ORIGINAL WINDSCREEN, FACTORY ORIGINAL FLAWLESS SOLO SEAT COVER, AND THE FACTORY ORIGINAL CARBURETOR WITH THE ORIGINAL AIRB BOX. SHE STILL HAS THE JAPANESE WRITING ON THE FRAME DECALS
THE ENGINE IS ALL ORIGINAL AND HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE FRAME AND NEVER BEEN PAINTED. SHE HAS THE ORIGINAL EXHAUST IN FLAWLESS CONDITION, FRESH ULTRA SONICALLY CLEANED AND OVERHAULED CARBURETORS.
THE FRAME HAS ALL THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE LABLES AND HAS NOT BEEN TAMPERED WITH AT ALL. ORIGINAL CHAIN AND SPROCKETS, CHAIN GUARD, TURN SIGNALS AND MIRRORS, GRIPS, ECT.
THIS BIKE HAS BEEN IN THE CLIMATE CONTROLLED CARE OF 2 COLLECTORS SINCE NEW. HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE A HUGE PART OF MOTORCYCLING RACING HISTORY IN THE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND JAPANESE IMPORT COLORS.
I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING, RESTORING, REPAIRING, RIDING, AND RACING MOTORCYCLES SINCE BEFORE GRADUATING FROM AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE INSTITUTE "AMI" IN DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA IN 1980. I HAVE OWNED OVER 22 GSX-R'S BUT ONLY 1 OF THESE JAPANESE LIMITED EDITION 750'S I NEVER PLANED ON SELLING HER BUT I AM OUT OF ROOM. SO DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR CHANCE TO OWN ONE OF MY AMAZING BIKES.
Over and above the rest of world Limited Edition, the Japanese home market LE model came with very distinctive paintwork, a 4-into-1 exhaust that deleted the heat shielding look, and lighting specific to the Japanese market. These bikes also added a fuel gauge to the cluster, but were otherwise mechanically similar to the exports. But there is no looking away from the striking paintwork on an imported LE, and today's example is one for the ages.
With few miles, no observable blemishes, a long ownership history and a clean and clear title, this Japanese home market GSX-R750R Limited Edition looks to be as good as it gets. There is no doubt that when it comes to collectible Gixxers the LE is THE ONE to have, and the model has been outperforming market estimates as handily as the homologation market outperformed the competition on the race track. Bob has started the bidding low, with reserve in place. There is a Buy It Now that can be activated at the reasonable sum of $28,000. Located in Florida, this rare 1986 Suzuki GSX-R750R Limited Edition is deserving of a close up look, and a new home that will appreciate it as much as the seller obviously has. You can check out all of the details on eBay here, and Good Luck!!
magni December 21, 2022 posted by Mike
Bangers and Mash: 1977 MV Agusta 861 Magni
The MV Agusta Sport 750 America is a special bike. Developed by the company of the Count as a road-going testbed to celebrate and enhance racing exploits, MV Agustas were well known as capable race bikes in the hands of such legends as Giacomo Agostini. And while the 750 America was developed to conquer that emerging market that was the United States, not all examples actually shipped stateside. Incredibly rare, the 750S America is a beautiful example of the quirky mix of performance, engineering and artwork that defines Italian motorcycle design. However this particular bike was ever more special than that, as it was delivered into the hands of Arturo Magni who worked his magic. That magic included a new frame, new suspension, a new driveline (exchanging the shaft drive for a lightweight chain setup) and a complete tear down and rebuild of the engine. While they were in there, they punched out the 750cc bores to 861, while massaging and breathing on everything else. The full Magni catalog applied to the MV Agusta Sport America 750 was one of the most exclusive, expensive and performance oriented bikes you could buy.
1977 MV Agusta Sport America 861 Magni for sale on eBay
1977 Used MV Agusta 750 861CC AMERICA, 861 MAGNI BUILD is offered to you for sale in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, finished in red & silver, this used 1977 Used MV Agusta 750 861CC AMERICA, 861 MAGNI BUILD is one of the many rare and coveted used bikes that used motorbike dealer The Bike Specialists, Sheffield, South Yorkshire have available for sale.
Here we have for sale a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of Italian engineering history. Built by the legendary Arturo Magni, a household name in motorcycle race engineers, we're extremely proud to present the MV Agusta 861 Magni. Born in Milan in 1925 Magni's career began at Gileras racing department in 1947, he was employed to assemble the Piero Remor deigned four-cylinder engine which went on to win the team six world championships. He first began work for MV in 1950 and later managed their racing department during MV Augstas 'Golden Age' who won no fewer than 75 world championships under Magni's direction with riders including Hailwood and Agostini!
After retiring from Grand Prix in 1976 Magni and his sons set up a company producing performance parts for MV 750 Street bikes and began redesigning the 750 Sport and America range. Their bespoke kits enabled customers to be able to transform their road bikes into light weight sportier machines which increased capacity and performance. The most famous by far amongst aficionados was the 861 Magni.
Our motorcycle is the ultimate example, it began life as a 750 America and was purchased in 2012 with the intent to recreate the original 861 Magni. With the expertise of Giovanni Magni and the original specifications set by Artuto work began to create this wonderful machine. The 750 America was disassembled before being re-built with a new frame designed by Magni himself, the inline-four-cylinder engine was rebuilt with new high-compression pistons, capacity was increased from 750cc to 861cc and new rear forks were fitted to support the Magni frame. Aesthetically the side panels, wheels, aluminium fuel tank and seat unit we're all painted to exact original specification. The seat rubber and leather was replaced, Conti exhaust pipes fitted and the full fairing was added to create this stunning masterpiece.
Our 861 comes road registered and complete with the original 750 America parts including the frame and exhaust system as well as the owner's manual, workshop manual and brochure. This machine features exemplary craftsmanship and would be the true jewel in the crown of any collection, please do not hesitate to contact us for further information, we can offer UK and worldwide delivery services.
In today's market any vintage MV Agusta is in prime territory. These bikes are so visceral, the brand so storied and legendary that open spots in collections have a vacuum for one of the red & silver machines. And while this is likely true of most clean examples, a Magni build such as this goes over the top in terms of rarity. While the truism of collecting is to pick a stock example over a modified one, that rule changes when the modifications are so completely integrated into the bike and made by a handful of recognized icons; Magni certainly qualifies in the that category. Offered on eBay UK, this stunning example of twice-engineered Italian goodness is listed for £99,980. For US-based investors paying in greenbacks, that equates to approximately $121k at the current exchange rate. At that price not only do you get the bike as pictured, you also will receive many of the original, OEM parts such as the original frame (!). There are more pictures online that could not be shown in this post. You can check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!
KTM December 20, 2022 posted by Mike
Track Day Tuesday – 2006 KTM RC125GP
Track day bikes come in all shapes and sizes. Most are converted street bikes – some more elegantly converted than others – but occasionally we strike gold in the form of actual, professional grade racing hardware. And today's find is just that. Designed by KTM as a GP race bike battling in the 125cc class, the RC125GP saw extensive use in the one-make Rookies Cup series. This was the feeder series to the 125cc class under the GP banner, with the goal of building up riders and providing a ladder to progress through the GP ranks. There was even a US-based Rookies Cup run under the AMA banner, with identical machines by KTM. Today, the Rookies Cup is contested on Moto3-spec machinery, but up until 2013 these sharp 125cc two strokes were the order of the day. These come up every so rarely, and today's 2006 RC125GP is claimed to be a zero hour, zero mile, zero lap US Rookies Cup timepiece.
2006 KTM RC125GP for sale on eBay
2006 KTM RC125GP Red Bull Rookies Cup. Factory GP bike. Very limited! New they cost 42,000 EURO. This bike has Zero miles, Never raced and I believe very started. Perfect collectors bike!
For the uninitiated, it is easy to write off this bike as a simple starter bike or scooter with nifty paint work. But with nearly 40 HP up at 13,000 RPM and above, and an overall (dry) package weight that is lighter than most of us even before we don helmet and leathers (figure in the 160-ish range), the RC125GP is a serious bit of kit. With Ohlins suspension, big brakes and super sticky racing slicks the RC125 can go toe to toe mid-corner with any bike on the planet. It's all about conservation of motion; smooth is fast. If you enjoy the problem solving you find on any given day at the track, the RC125GP forces you to up your problem solving game in order to maximize forward progress.
Here is a brief video of the US Rookies cup participating at Laguna Seca. This is NOT from this particular bike – I just found it on YouTube – but even the short clip shows how competitive this class was on one of the nation's most iconic race tracks.
With the advent of four-stroke technology into GP racing and the lack of available 2-stroke street bikes, the ancient duo-cycle engine was relegated to weed whackers and leaf blowers. Values for surviving two strokes began to rise with rapidity, and unobtanium examples of factory race bikes climbed faster than the tach as the engine hits the pipe. This particular example is as clean as they get, devoid of any crash damage or abuse thanks to being a zero time specimen. Pricing is in line with condition, with the seller requesting $38,000 OBO. Check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!
Featured Listing December 14, 2022 posted by Mike
Update 12.14.2022: Now on eBay! Good luck to buyers and seller! -dc
Today's Featured Listing is brought to us by longtime RSBFS sponsor and supporter Speedwerks. If you are not familiar with Speedwerks, they are a shop based in Delaware that for nearly 30 years have turned out beautifully prepared and restored examples of bikes that we all drool over. If you don't believe me, check out their shop directly (www.Speedwerks.com or www.facebook.com/speedwerks), and for some history, check out some of the Speedwerks bikes that have been featured over the years on RSBFS: Search Speedwerks.
The RGV250 world changed with the introduction of the VJ23. The last of the RGV series, the VJ23 introduced an entirely new configuration for the two-stroke twin cylinder, affecting the remainder of the overall package dramatically. Gone was the popular 90 degree v-twin that powered the earlier VJ21 and VJ22 series bikes. In its place was a more compact 70 degree unit. Displacement was still 249cc, but that displacement was achieved by a square bore-stroke ratio, as opposed to the earlier models which had a bigger bore and less stroke (over square). The new motor fit more optimally in the twin-spar aluminum frame, providing better handling with improved weight distribution. Suspention consisted of an upside down front fork and rising rate linkage in the rear – both fully adjustable. Electric start was included in the package (no more kick starting or bump starting), and even with such luxurious appointments the whole package still came in under 300 lbs! The SP designation adds even more tasty goodies, including a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox driven by a dry clutch.
This 1997 RGV250/SP VJ23 is by far the nicest, original one we've had come through here. There are no stories, no Chinese panels and no excuses'. The Pic's speak for themselves. We discovered this VJ23 with the help of our friend Rick Deegan of RMD Motors in Japan.
We've bought and sold a lot of bikes and Vehicles through Rick/RMD and although he's a bit 'Colorful' at times, he has always been honest and straight forward regarding the machines he sells, this one is no exception and doesn't disappoint. We struck a deal and purchased it earlier this year. This Suzuki has had only ONE Original Owner in Japan and the gentleman bought it brand new as a 1997 model year. This was a leftover and it was first dealer registered in the year 1999.
In his ownership he racked up 11,900 kms. installed a set of WRS rear sets, kept it serviced regularly, otherwise it's remained original and unmolested. He was fortunate to have a large house with a garage, where this machine was kept from the harsh salt elements that plague most aluminum and steel on the Japanese island. Consequently, there is none on this chassis.
The Japanese Documentation is included, along with the 2 Dealer Keys, Manual, Warranty Book, and Factory tool kit.
As evident in the photo's we did an extensive time consuming service and a borderline OCD detail job on the Chassis. The body is original, shiny and beautiful. All fluids, Fuel system, Carbs, Plugs, Air, Gear Oil and Coolant. The front suspension was also refreshed with new seals, bushings and Bell Ray fork oil. Rear shock refreshed and checked.
Finally a new set of Dunlops were spooned on and this beautiful RGV/SP is ready to;
– add to your collection.
– blast thru the canyons to Alice's for lunch.
– Use a daily/Sunday rider.
Enclosed, Private delivery is available in the Cont. USA. and included at $24,000.
We can also crate the machine and assist with air or sea freight anywhere in the world.
Asking Price: $24,000
(price includes personal delivery in the continental US – no risky shipping companies!)
Speedwerks Sportbike Service
101 Weston Dr. suite-8
Dover,De 19904
(302)672-RACE
www.speedwerks.com
www.facebook.com/speedwerks
You can also email Steve directly: steve@speedwerks.com
As highlighted, this is a home market VJ23 imported directly from Japan. That means that this particular example is restricted in terms of power output. This affects any Japanese home market bike, as the government imposed power limitations in order to curb high-speed street riding. Suzuki did produce these models for export outside of Japan, and those bikes do not have the power restriction. Steve from Speedwerks notes that full power export models will have a black VIN plate riveted to the right side of the frame, just behind the neck, a non-restricted ECU, a modified airbox, a 240kms speedo, and a black cap on the rear master reservoir. If you are shopping for a full power model don't give up: Speedwerks has one available for restoration with the identical color scheme as today's home market example (contact Steve for details).
As with all the bikes we have seen come out of the Speedwerks shop – whether they are race bikes or really rare gray market examples such as this 1997 Suzuki RGV250 SP – this bike is immaculate. It has a wonderful back story as a one-owner ride, and the numerous pictures show what is perhaps the best of the VJ23 breed we have seen. As the last series produced by Suzuki, these are rare and sought after bikes. The SP configuration is the one you want, and with only 7,300-ish miles showing this one looks like it will bring joy to a new owner for many years to come. Did I mention that this is the LAST of the factory two strokes ever offered? How about electric start? The best by Suzuki presented by one of the best shops we know, Speedwerks is now offering this exquisite example of RGV250 SP VJ23 imported goodness for an asking price of $24,000 (includes deliver in the continental United States). Here is a link to all 100+ photos of this amazing machine. Contact Steve directly (steve@speedwerks.com) for more details. Good Luck, and thanks to Speedwerks for being such a long time supporter of this site!


Today I give thanks for the gifts of language. To have such a vast array of words, in so many languages from around the world, to express our ideas, thoughts, and feelings—how magnificent!
I read a blog here on WordPress where the author has written my thoughts better than I ever could have. Articles I find on Facebook, my friends' posts, books that I read or listen to—words are what connect us. By the way, audiobooks are my new favorite thing, especially when read by the authors. The Art of Possibility, Start With Why, Bossypants, Leaders Eat Last, Rising Strong, Big Magic—it's like driving to work or sipping coffee in the intimate company of these amazing writers, sharing their divine truths with just me.
There is almost always a precise expression for our experiences: Queasy. Slothful. Euphoric. Hung over. Resonant. Cosmic. Mind-blowing. Oblivious.
The only other language I know well is Mandarin, and I often find myself thinking of phrases that have no English equivalents. For instance, "shang nao jing" literally means "wound brain scripture." It's used when we feel severely mentally taxed—but trust me, 'mentally taxed' just sounds lame in comparison, and does not capture the full meaning. One of my favorites, "yuan fen," loosely translates to "fate; destiny that ties people together." The Chinese is much more elegant and efficient. Similarly, my slack foreign grasp of the meanings of "ohm" and "ubuntu" probably fall miserably short of their native speakers' understanding.
But no matter, language bonds us. I don't paint or play an instrument. Though I appreciate art and music, they are not my media for relationship. The most rewarding moments at work are always when I'm talking with my patients—hearing their stories, getting to know them, relating. It's probably no accident that I ended up in primary care, where every encounter carries such potential for rare connection—through words. And I'm forever grateful for the privilege.
This entry was posted in communication, gratitude, relationship and tagged communication, gratitude, NaBloPoMo by Catherine Cheng, MD. Bookmark the permalink.
And I am grateful that you have such a gift for putting words together and such a giving heart that you share them with us.
Such beautiful use of words and thoughts. Thank you for sharing Catherine. Thankful for you!
Words! Powerful posts, I love how you think and share in languages we share and bring to us parts of language we don't even know exist so we can see there are so many more wonderful ways to think. Thank you.


A Wisdom River Sunday: Join us for Wisdom River Sundays – mornings of meditation, community and wisdom.
When we are living in our truest human nature we are naturally at ease. We are naturally relaxed. We feel a sense of grounded presence and support. What we do becomes effortless and we are connected with an inner simplicity and flow.
The focus of this morning is on cultivating the quality of ease. We will consider the core issues that block our sense of ease and stable grounded presence. Through a brief teaching, meditation and inquiry practice, invocation and a presenting exercise, we will come away with more capacity to meet our world with less angst and with more effortless presence.
Please join us for this informative and helpful Wisdom River morning.
Registration: No registration needed – just come by.


text:
Q: IIS Manager displays a stopped service as started and prevents me from starting it My IIS service is stopped. However, according to IIS manager the service status is 'started'. Therefore I cannot start it because the "start" option is off. When trying to stop or restart the service I get an error specifying the service has not been started.
How can I start the service?

A: Embarrassingly, restarting IIS Manager has solved the problem.

A: For future reference, you can control IIS via the Command Line:
IISReset /stop
IISReset /start
Also always remember to close and re-open your IIS Manager to ensure you are synced up with the current state.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


At Blue Ox Heating and Air, we don't handle plumbing services directly, instead we partner with the most highly qualified and experienced professionals in the industry that can tackle your clogged sinks, water heater issues, emergency plumbing and more. We work with, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Twin Cities, because they have the same owner who shares the same values we admire. They have been providing outstanding plumbing service for Minneapolis – St. Paul and Minnesota residents for years and always come prepared to tackle any problem!
The plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Twin Cities are highly qualified and certified to provide you with superior plumbing services at all times of the day. Ben Franklin offers plumbing services 24-hours a day, 7-days a week for all types of plumbing issues including leaky pipes, toilet and faucet repair, sump pump repairs and more. For sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, sewer lines, and downspouts- call Ben Franklin. The plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Twin Cities are ready to provide you with any plumbing emergency services.
We use the latest in video pipe inspection technology to help quickly diagnose and fix clogging issues caused by elements such as grease, detergent, hair, dirt, debris, and sewage backup. Take advantage of our extensive range of drain cleaning solutions including sewer repair, hydro jetting, backflow testing and more. All drain cleaning services and products are extremely effective. There is no clog too large for the expert plumbers at Ben Franklin!
Installation: Whether your unit is over ten years old, leaks, has had a lot of use, makes an unruly noise, or uses way too much energy, it could be possible that you need a new one installed. The plumbers at Ben Franklin will explain to you the options you have, which one will be more efficient for your home, and what savings options you have.
Repair: The water heater repair services provided by Ben Franklin include repairs for loss of hot water, rusty water, rumbling noises, sulphorous odors, leaking water, and more.
Maintenance: In order to keep your water heater in good repair at all times, the plumbers at Benjamin Franklin will provide annual safety inspections, tune-ups, and leak checks. In addition, services and repairs done as a follow up to the inspections receive a 15% discount with a 5% discount on products.
Garbage Disposal: Whether your disposal is clogged or broken, the plumbers specialize in repair, replacement, and unclogging.
Boiler Repair: Although most boilers will stand the test of time, many will wear overtime and become less efficient compared to newer models. That's why Ben Franklin has expert technicians on standby ready to help repair, replace or maintain your existing boiler with pre-season tune-ups.
Water Softeners: Water softener installation improves the quality of water in your home, helps prevent broken pipes, and decreases the amount of pipe clogging.
Gas Leak Repair: Leaky gas lines can be extremely hazardous to your health and pose fire risks if gone untreated. If you smell gas in your home, leave immediately and notify your local gas company. Once the gas has been turned off call us for quick and timely repairs.
When you contact Blue Ox Heating & Air in Minneapolis, we will ensure that your plumbing needs are taken care of by a professional with the most expertise in the industry. Our sister company, Benjamin Franklin Twin Cities, complies with our commitment to offer each customer "comfort to every degree" and your plumbing service needs will always be taken care of by a professional plumber who values your business.


Winner of the 2013 Human Rights Literature Award Medical oncologist Ranjana Srivastava contends that our healthcare professionals are ill equipped for frank discussions with patients, leading to misdiagnosis, avoidable medical complications and even death.
Adapted from Kirby's 2013 University of New South Wales Gandhi Oration, What Would Gandhi Do? shows how remarkably useful Gandhi's insights remain when confronting the world's challenges.
Kate argues for empowering patients and their families to be active members of treament teams.
After decades of prosperity Australians are now worried about their jobs, their incomes and their future. The mining boom, said to explain Australia's past success, is declared to be over.
Mistakes Were Made is about the gap between our ideals in life – of love, compassion, ambition – and how things actually play out.
The city of Adelaide and its surrounding areas have a very dark history. . .
Bo Xilai's breathtaking fall from grace in 2012 is an extraordinary tale of excess, murder, defection and ideological clashes, as the princeling sons of the revolutionary heroes fight for control of China.
Seventeen years after the mutiny on the Bounty, Governor-elect William Bligh sets sail for New South Wales accompanied by his daughter Mary, the narrator of this extraordinary shipboard tale.
Take Your Best Shot is an insightful, revelatory and immensely readable account of Julia Gillard's leadership – and its abrupt ending.
When Toby Ralph joined a UN team assisting preparations for Afghanistan's 2009 presidential election, he didn't quite know what he was getting into. In a country unaccustomed to fair and free processes, the resistance he encountered to the idea democracy ranged from corruption and ineptitude to violence.
An evocative account of the infamous nightlife district of pre-communist Beijing, from the internationally acclaimed author of Midnight in Peking.
With previously unpublished documents and revealing observations, Rudd, Gillard and Beyond is the first book to provide a post-mortem and a roadmap for vital reform.
When Dennis McIntosh went to work on an underground construction site in Melbourne's west, he was twenty-seven and starting over. His years as a shearer had ended badly, he was an alcoholic, and his eldest daughter had a brain injury.
Drawing on exclusive interviews with prime ministers, foreign ministers and other policy-makers, Gold Walkley award–winning journalist peter Hartcher argues Australia needs to shake off its 'provincial reflex' and become a mature player in global affairs.
How Governor Macquarie invented an idea of Australia, a convict built it – and how Britain tried to tear it down.
The Coal Face is a gripping and immediate report of one of the worst environmental and public health disasters in Australian history.


This is the early morning view from the balcony. It's not unique, because this is the morning view from the balcony almost every day. We're in week two in Hawaii while I am homeless, waiting for construction at the White Wolf Mine to be complete. I'm advised that it will be finished before Christmas.
All I can tell you is that while the general contractor can't be relied on to do things in a timely way, it is getting closer (as is Christmas). Meanwhile, I am making do as best I can.
The conclusion of the Van's Triple Crown of Surfing will likely be played out tomorrow and I'll be there at Sunset Beach to watch the action.
Work still requires that I be on the phone two or three hours a day, but I'm living with that...again...as best I can.
In Paris, the French riot police took off their helmets and refused to subdue the crowd because they identify more with the people than with their elite masters. There comes a point in time when taxes get too high. Macron and his backers (bankers) need to review the situation and consider that the police are the canary in the mine.
In Mexico City, President Lopez-Obrador is assuring the cartels that he has their back and that the police and defense establishment (SEMAR and SEDENA - Navy and Army, respectively) will no longer target drug kingpins nor their empires. Many Mexicans believe that the narcotics problem is a consumption problem in the US that shouldn't touch their daily lives. The PRD or communist party, has never taken power in Mexico before and everyone is hanging back to see how things will work out.
The Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) is a socialist/collectivist political party that has been one of the three major political parties in Mexico over the last several decades, the others being the Institutional Revolutionary (PRI) Party and the National Action (PAN) Party.
The hand grenade attack on the US Consulate still have many in the US State and Justice Departments concerned. The bottom line is that Mexico is not safe for US Government employees or tourists who visit Mexico. The nation loves the money that it brings, but can't guarantee much. The narcos own many of the hotels and resorts that Americans visit and try to keep things safe because they have a financial interest in the outcome. And still, it just isn't safe.
On 1 December, a North Korean soldier defected to South Korea across the eastern land border.
Additional information will become available, but the timing of this defection during a period of reconciliation raises questions about what North Korean soldiers are being told. Why would a soldier choose to defect during a time of eased tension and unification moves? Why have more soldiers not defected? What is the content of the daily indoctrination sessions that soldiers must attend?
At this point there are a lot more questions than answers. At the same time South Korea is moving ahead with reconciliation moves and North Korea is letting them pay for it.
The guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville sailed near the Paracel Islands on 26 November to challenge China's "excessive maritime claims", the US Pacific Fleet said in a statement.
China foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, told a daily news briefing the US ship entered Chinese waters without permission and China had made its position known with its "stern representations". The Peoples' Liberation Army's Navy said it sent ships and aircraft to watch the US ship and to warn it to leave.
This was the second of three US Navy ship transits of waters that China claims in a week. Chinese reaction was restrained in advance of the G-20 conference in Argentina. The US cruiser conducted the freedom of navigation operation near the Paracels after departing Hong Kong.
Two days later, on 28 November, the guided-missile destroyer, USS Stockdale, and the naval oiler, USNS Pecos, transited the Taiwan Strait. China was outraged as usual. The Taiwan Strait is 130 km/81 miles at its narrowest point. That means ships can transit the Strait and remain in international waters as defined by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Warships are under no requirement to make the transit under conditions of innocent passage.


Here again with some more impressive VFX and CGI before and after visual effects show reels. This time, a breakdown of all 3 maze runner movies!
From huge revolving walls, horrifyingly real looking Grievers and an entire post-apocalyptic city full of dilapidated buildings to simple background enhancements, these reels show it all.


text:
HEAVIETALK
Wednesday Wisdom: Book Review | White Man Using Blackface To Expose Prejudice & Racism
Wednesday Wisdom will be a consistent feature to my blog. Every Wednesday I will offer some form of wisdom, advice or encouragement. It's important to me that HeavieTalk is not only informative but also uplifting.
For this week's Wednesday Wisdom I will give a short book review on one of my favorite novels: Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. This nonfiction novel was written in 1959, pre-Civil War, when racism and prejudice was fluid in America. As a white man, living in the deep South, John Howard Griffin like others, refused to accept and lacked awareness of the racism and mistreatment black people experienced during that time leading him to conduct this bold experiment. With the intent of experiencing the daily life of a black laborer, John Howard Griffin, used blackface to learn more about racism and the struggle of a black man.
In the novel Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, he journaled daily his experiences as both a black man and a white man. Throughout the novel, for the sake of the experiment, he attended the same places at different times as both identities, to determine how he would be treated. He was shocked to discover that he was treated differently as a black man, at the same places he went to as a white man and was treated respectfully. Although he started the experiment naive of the racism and prejudice in the world, after a long experiment he realized just how brutal it was.
While he could never plumb the depths of experience that only black people can know, he was exposed for several weeks to the insane hatred of racial discrimination.
Black Like Me: The Definitive Griffin Estate Edition (pp. 195-196). Wings Press. Kindle Edition.
As he conducted the experiment, he journaled his hatred for the black man that looked back at him in the mirror.
The worst of it was that I could feel no companionship for this new person. I did not like the way he looked.. But the thing was done and there was no possibility of turning back.
Black Like Me: The Definitive Griffin Estate Edition (p. 195). Wings Press. Kindle Edition.
He realized this unconscious prejudice was taught to him from his environment and how he was raised. He often characterized his childhood growing up in Dallas Texas as:
Southern in the old sense, the terrible sense.
When journaling the impact his childhood had on his intellect he wrote:
We were not rich but not poor either; we were genteel Southerners, and I was taught the whole mythology of race.
He also wrote that his unconscious prejudice and the prejudice of others was an attitude carried down by elders.
Prejudices are taught directly or indirectly by elders but we are all submerged in the inculcation process. This unconscious environment of communication in which we are imprisoned blinds our perceptions to institutionalized racism. We tend to deny that racism exists in this new century, but our denial perpetuates the systemic process.
Even if you decide not to take the time to read this novel, I challenge you to take a hard look at yourself and determine if you are unconsciously racist or prejudice. Whether an attitude taught to you or one that you adopted, you must be conscious of prejudices you have and the part you play in the bigotry still active in America.
For More Straight Talk With No Chaser...
Get HeavieTalk Before It Hits The Streets!!
Wednesday Wisdom: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK
Voting is not a privilege. It's a basic right.
Shut Up & Dribble?!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Alf dropped into a fine leather armchair and surveyed the airy room with a pleased expression. It reminded him of period plays he'd seen on television, almost Victorian in its grandeur. At long last I've found my right place in life, he thought and poured himself wine. Unused to alcohol, it warmed his insides and his toes began to tap to a silent beat. In a while, he would take a slow, luxurious bath, and later have some fun.
A maid placed a tray with his sandwiches on a low table by his side. "Will there be anything else, Sir?"
"Yes. Come and share a glass of wine with me!"
With a hurried curtsy, the maid spun and fled from the room. Alf stretched his long legs, lifted them onto a Moroccan pouf, threw one leg over the other, and leant back in the snug chair. He hoped there were some fine women staying at The Hotel California who didn't dread Madam Styles, so he could impress them with his charm. Women were the spice of life, no matter if you were poor or rich.
He sat comfortably in his dreams a while longer, then drew a deep bath of steaming hot water. With the glass of wine balanced on the tub's side, he soaked until his skin wrinkled. Then he jumped up and stroked the stubble on his chin. By now, it had grown long enough to hide his scars and was the perfect macho length to set him off as a virile hombre.
Once again dressed in his fine suit, he drained the last drops of wine into his glass and swaggered around his apartment. Placed at the back of the hotel, he could see a fair-sized garden from his window with plenty of trees and benches for the elderly to sit among the flowerbeds. Further away, he made out a small car park. The cars were few, but expensive.
His stomach rumbled. The wine had not only gone to his head but also made him starving. Luckily, the restaurant was now open. He hoped there was a bloody beefsteak on the menu.
With his broad shoulders back, brawny chest out, and bearded chin high, he strolled down to the dining room and glanced in. Most of the dinners were old cronies, but there was also a sprinkling of beautiful women, correctly garbed, and distinguished-looking gentlemen.
Their laughter sounded pleasantly above the subdued strains of an orchestra. Many of them glanced up to regard Alf. Their eyes rested on him for that well-bred moment that marks acceptance. "One of themselves," said Alf to himself.
Well, why not? Once again he glanced at his reflection in the hall mirror. There might be handsomer men present in this hotel, but was there anyone who wore his clothes better? Hardly. Swinging his arms and taking wide steps to draw attention, he strutted into the room.
A meticulously dressed waitress in black and white received him and showed him to a side table. As they passed an elaborately large round table with only one woman seated there, Alf paused. She was an old hag with a hawk nose, who sat with her back to the wall and had a full view of the room. Two stout men, one on each side, stood at a respectful distance from her: bodyguards?
She reminded him of a scarecrow, but she wore flashy gold and diamond jewellery, and her perfume smelled heavenly. Alf winked playfully at her, and caught a glimmer of interest in her eyes.
Alf's own table waited for him on the other side of the room. Like the old hag's, it was round, but much smaller and with only two chairs. The white tablecloth was clean and the cutlery neat and shiny. A vase with roses adorned the table's centre. Before the waitress left him, he whispered in her ear, "Who is the charming lady at the head table?"
"That is Madam Styles," she whispered back.
"Can you introduce me to her?"
"Oh, no, Sir. It is she who invites guests to dine with her."
"Thank you. No need to bring the menu. I'll have two large beefsteaks, almost raw. And water on the rocks." He'd drunk enough alcohol. Ahead loomed business and he needed his wits about him.
The waitress hurried off and Alf turned his attention to the two tough guys standing at Madam Styles sides. They carried bulging muscles and poorly disguised guns under their jackets. He'd have to be on his guard.
But it was the Styles women who interested him. She must be about fifty, he thought, ten years younger than her brother at The Stables. She was short and skinny, with pointy jutting joints. Her face was small, her features irregular and saggy, dominated by the hawk nose and a flat chin. Her colouring was pale, and tightly curled hair, dark and flecked with grey, crowned her head like a fuzzy bathing cap.
She wore a black evening gown, a loose wrap with some bright lining and fur on the hem, a string of pearls, and carried a fan. She'd just thrown the wrap, as if carelessly, over her coat-hanger shoulders.
But there was a proud line in her scrawny neck. She oozed society, culture, wealth, and aloofness. Alf hadn't forgotten she planned to take control of Ye Olde Inn in two days and saw now that he ought to do something to prevent it. A grim person like her didn't belong at the cheery Stables. If he could mix business with pleasure, save the inn from the clutches of her cadaverous fingers and make a fortune while doing it, what could be more satisfying?
Alf gave no heed to the house rules and swaggered across the room toward her table. "Lord Ponsenby," he said elegantly, and bowed.
The waitress rushed to Alf's side and curtsied to Madam Styles. "I'm sorry, Madam, I told him not to come."
"Go about your business!" snapped Madam Styles. "I'll take care of you later. My men will deal with this."
One of the bodyguards detached from the wall and stepped briskly between Alf and the table. He was a head shorter than Alf but broad as a bus and wore his hair in a pigtail.
"Escort him back to his own table!" said Madam Styles.
Alf resisted the impulse to frown. She'd said those few words not so much as a direct command, but more as a challenge. She wanted to see how he would react to a physical threat, and the prospect of a tussle thrilled her.
The bodyguard grabbed Alf's elbow. His grip was firm, intended to hurt, but Alf didn't budge. "I don't wish to cause a scene, my good lady," he said. "I simply wish to give my compliments to the most exquisite and refined woman I have ever set eyes on."
She blushed and fanned her face.
"If you send me away you'll break my heart."
"Get moving," said the guard, obviously itching for a fight. When Alf still resisted, the guard balled his fist and slammed it into Alf's stomach.
In this post: Alf has a tussle with bodyguards…
If Alf hadn't tensed his stomach muscles, he would have doubled in pain. As it happened, the punch only tickled him. "Excuse me a moment," he said to Madam Styles with a slight dip of his head.
The bodyguard had yanked his fist back, ready to smash it into Alf's face. With the speed, agility, and strength that came with hours of physical training each day, Alf gave the bodyguard a powerful straight-fingered jab into the tender hollow of his armpit. The bodyguard's eyes popped open, his jaw slackened, and he stopped breathing. Like a felled tree, he toppled sideways, slowly at first and then crashed to the floor.
The other bodyguard lurched forward, gun in his hand. But Madam Styles waved him away and glared at Alf with a look of hunger in her eyes.
"He'll be paralysed down one side of his body for about a half-hour," said Alf. "Then he'll be fine again." He gazed around the dining room. The oldies gaped at the ruckus, but none of them appeared worried. It obviously wasn't the first time they'd witnessed a commotion.
Standing to attention and facing Madam Styles, Alf clicked his heels and mounted an expression of hurt on his face. "Since madam is so insistent on my leaving, I have no choice but to return to my own desolate table. Please accept my apologies for this rude intrusion into your privacy, and please don't be hard on the waitress, she has done nothing wrong."
With that, he whirled about.
Picture by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from Pixabay
A young maid set off past the reception desk, and Alf followed, taking more notice now of his surroundings. The air reeked of old people and their half rotting bodies, blended with the stink of stale cigar smoke and furniture wax. He saw dark panelled walls, a massive grandfather clock, rough oak floorboards, giant vases full of pampas grass and pots full of cheese plants.
"My bags were delayed at the airport," he said to the maid. "Probably because of the elephant rifle. I wish to spend a few days roaming in England's magnificent nature, enjoy the company of the fair sex," he winked at her, "and play a few good rounds of poker. Not necessarily in that order."
Obviously used to eccentrics, the maid offered no comment and skipped up a short flight of deeply carpeted stairs. When they reached number three, she opened the door and curtsied. "Here we are, Sir. If there's anything you need, just ring down to reception."
He dropped into a fine leather armchair and surveyed the airy room with a pleased expression. It reminded him of period plays he'd seen on television, almost Victorian in its grandeur. At long last I've found my right place in life, he thought and poured himself wine. Unused to alcohol, it warmed his insides and his toes began to tap a silent beat. In a while, he would take a slow, luxurious bath, and later have some fun.
He sat comfortably in his dreams a while longer, then drew a deep bath of steaming hot water. With the wine glass balanced on the tub's side, he soaked until his skin wrinkled. Then he jumped up and stroked the stubble on his chin. By now, it had grown long enough to hide his scars and was the perfect macho length to set him off as a virile hombre.
A meticulously dressed waitress in black and white received him and showed him to a side table. As they passed an elaborately large round table with only one woman seated there, Alf paused. She was an old hag with a hawk nose, who sat with her back to the wall and had a full view of the room. Two stout men, one on each side, stood at a respectful distance from her; bodyguards?
But it was the Styles women who interested him. She must be about fifty, he thought, ten years younger than her brother at The Stables. She was short and skinny, with pointy jutting joints. Her face was small, her features irregular and saggy, dominated by the hawk nose and flat chin. Her colouring was pale, and grey strands streaked her dark hair.
She wore a black evening gown and a string of pearls, carried a fan, and a loose wrap with some bright lining and fur on the hem. She'd just thrown it, as if carelessly, over her bony shoulders, and tightly curled hair crowned her head like a fuzzy bathing cap.
But there was a proud line in her scrawny neck. She oozed society, culture, wealth, and aloofness. Alf hadn't forgotten she planned to take control of Ye Olde Inn in two days and saw now that he ought to do something to prevent it. If he could mix business with pleasure, save the inn from the clutches of her cadaverous fingers and make a fortune while doing it, what could be more satisfying?
In this post: Alf introduces himself to Madam Styles and she breaks his heart…
"Go about your business!" snapped Madam Styles. "I'll talk to you later. My men will take care of this."
Picture by Mariana Anatoneag from Pixabay
Confident and elegant in his new clothes, Alf sailed boldly across the hotel's cobbled forecourt. The uniformed boy held the door open for him without a hint of questioning. A girl behind a reception desk smiled as pleasantly and impersonally at him as she did to the whiskered, fine-looking old gentleman who had arrived just before him.
The manager smiled at him politely. "Yes, we have a suite vacant." He waved to one of his staff, a pretty young maid dressed in a smart uniform. "Show this gentleman to suite number three," he instructed. "One of our finest," he said to Alf and held his hand out for a tip.
"My bags were delayed at the airport," he said to the maid. "Probably because of the elephant rifle. I wish to spend a few days roaming in England's magnificent nature, enjoy the company of the fair sex, and play a few good rounds of poker. Not necessarily in that order."
"Yes. Come and share a glass of wine with me."
He sat comfortably in his dreams a while longer, then drew a deep bath of steaming hot water. With the wine glass balanced on the tub's side, he soaked until his skin wrinkled. Then he jumped up and stroked the stubble on his chin. By now, it had grown long enough to hide his scars and was the perfect macho length.
Once again dressed in his fine suit, he drained the last drops of wine into his glass and swaged around his apartment. Placed at the back of the hotel, he could see a fair-sized garden from his window with plenty of trees and benches for the elderly to sit among the flowerbeds. Further away, he made out a small car park. The cars were few, but expensive.
A meticulously dressed waitress in black and white received him and showed him to a side table. As they passed an elaborately large round table with only one woman seated there, Alf paused. She was an old bag with a hawk nose, who sat with her back to the wall and had a full view of the room. Two stout men, one on each side, stood at a respectful distance from her; bodyguards?
She reminded him of a scarecrow, but she wore flashy gold and diamond jewellery, and her perfume smelled heavenly. Alf winked playfully at her, and he caught a glimmer of interest in her eyes.
In this post: Alf sees Madam Styles for the first time and asks for an introduction…
"Thank you. No need to bring the menu. I'll have a large beefsteak, almost raw. And water on the rocks." He'd drunk enough alcohol. Ahead loomed business and he needed his wits about him.
But it was the Styles women who interested him. She must be about fifty, ten years younger than her brother at The Stables. She was short and skinny, with jutting joints. Her face was small, her features irregular and saggy, dominated by the hawk nose and flat chin. Her colouring was pale, and grey strands streaked her dark hair.
She wore a black evening gown and a string of pearls, and carried a fan, and a loose wrap with some bright lining, and fur on the hem, which she'd just thrown, as if carelessly, over her bony shoulders. There was a proud line in her scrawny neck, and tightly curled hair crowned her head like a fuzzy bathing cap.
She oozed society, culture, wealth, and aloofness. Alf hadn't forgotten she planned to take control of Ye Olde Inn in two days. If he could mix business with pleasure, save the inn and make a fortune while doing it, what could be more satisfying?
Picture by Asoy ID from Pixabay
But he didn't miss any of that, not today, and he put a spring in his step. He'd kept to the country lanes, but now the town drew near. Cracked footpaths appeared on each side of the road. Traffic signs warned of a low speed limit, faded markings in the road defined lanes and parking rules. A building site on his left displayed massive posters for a new housing estate; lorries and bulldozers chugged in and out, raising a choking dust.
The first buildings consisted mainly of shabby terraced houses, with front doors opening straight onto the pavement. Traffic built up, horns tooted, bicycles and kids on skateboards swished past. At each roundabout or traffic-light controlled junction he sheered this way and that, sure of his destination.
With a hurried curtsy, the maid spun and fled from the room. Alf stretched his long legs up onto a Moroccan pouf, threw one leg over the other, and leant back in the snug chair. He hoped there were some fine women staying at The Hotel California who didn't dread Madam Styles, so he could impress them with his charm. Women were the spice of life, no matter if you were poor or rich.
In this post: Ready for a beef steak, Alf makes an entrance to the restaurant…
His stomach rumbled. The wine had not only gone to his head but also made him starving. Luckily, the restaurant was now open. He hoped there was a bloody beef steak on the menu.
Well, why not? Once again he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. There might be handsomer men present in this hotel, but was there anyone who wore his clothes better? Hardly. Swinging his arms and taking wide steps to draw attention, he strutted into the room.
Picture by Felix Wolf from Pixabay
When Alf woke the next morning, he wrinkled his nose and realised he needed a thorough wash. If he was to act the gentleman, he couldn't walk around stinking like a tramp. Luckily, a meagre stream trickled past the hut, but with barely enough water to sop his face and armpits.
On the other side of the stream, flanking a field of yellow rape, lavender plants and colourful tulips grew wild in a tangle of blackberry thorns. Alf remembered his parents telling him that before the war, farmers cultivated commercial flowers in their fields. These scraggy examples were all that remained.
Praising his luck, Alf stripped off and rubbed handfuls of lavender leaves over every inch of his body. The feminine scent didn't match his macho physic, but it masked his stench of decay. Soon, in his hotel room, he'd take a proper bath with soap, shampoo, and a good drenching of Old Spice aftershave.
Twenty minutes later, adorned in the suit, Alf stared at himself in a cracked and tarnished mirror that hung on a wall. Silk socks, heavy and gleaming, snugly encased his ankles, and the reflection in his shoes almost outdid the mirror. That the trousers were a wee bit short mattered little. If he danced, by chance, trousers shouldn't be too long.
The plaited whiteness of the shirt enthralled him; as he breathed, the soft material gave freely, comfortably. Its collar strangled him though, and he had to retie the knot in his tie seven times before satisfied.
The waistcoat stretched tight across his chest and flapped loosely around his waist, but not a poor fit. And the coat accentuated his already broad shoulders, offsetting the trousers lack of length. He carried the suit straight as a penguin. "Lord Alf," he muttered. "Welcome to the world."
Cheerfully, he donned his bowler, swung his cane, and strolled off across the countryside. All he desired now was a substantial breakfast, but his motto had always been not to worry about the future. And that was looking rosy.
The longer he strutted, the hungrier he became. If the heavens didn't soon give him nourishment, it would go out over his health. On a normal morning by this time he would have been for a long jog, pumped a mass of iron, and eaten one of Sibyl's huge breakfasts in the Cloud mansion's kitchen.
The gentleman slipped a coin into the doorman's outstretched hand. Then the doorman swung the hotel door wide open and bowed as the gentleman staggered through.
Bert strolled to a big mirror that stood beyond the desk on a wall that separated the tearoom from the dining room. Again his calloused fingers found difficulty with the tie. The fine-looking old gentleman, adjusting his own tie, stepped closer.
"Hotel California is a home for the elderly, Sir. Most of the residence check in for life; and the only way they can check out again is in a coffin." He patted the side of his own nose. "If you know what I mean."
"I only require a room for a few days," said Alf. "And I'm in perfect health."
In this post: Alf orders a feast…
Without comment, obviously used to eccentrics, the maid skipped up a short flight of deeply carpeted stairs. When they reached number three, she opened the door and curtsied. "Here we are, sir. If there's anything you need, just ring down to reception."
Alf gave her a thumbs up, tugged down his jacket sleeves, and closed the door behind her. So far, so good.
Picture by WikimediaImages from Pixabay
Soon, far from people, Alf came across a small cattle shed that suited his needs. It sagged crookedly, abandoned and neglected. The door stuck ajar on broken hinges, and as he dragged it wide enough to squeeze in, three mice scurried out. It smelled dank, and the roof loomed open to the stars. But it offered a safe and regal haven without fear of discovery. Tonight, that was all he required.
He hung his new set of clothes over a beam in the roof and settled on a mound of old but dry straw in one corner. He couldn't have wished for a more comfortable bed. He folded his hands over his chest and sighed blissfully. If his luck held, he wouldn't regret taking time off from work.
A full moon smiled at him through the hole in the roof, and birds flitted across its face. Or were they bats? Alf couldn't tell. Either way, the effect was enchanting, spoiled only by an itch that was spreading all over his body.
To take his mind from the irritating sensation, he envisioned his next few days. This close to London, no township was far away, and the closest of them embraced the Hotel California. Tonight he would share his bed of rough straw with rodents and creeping bugs. Tomorrow night he would sleep in a king-size bed, and who knows what delights he might share it with.
When he woke the next morning, he realised he needed a thorough wash. If he was to act the gentleman, he couldn't walk around stinking like a tramp. Luckily, a meagre stream trickled past the hut, but with barely enough water to sop his face and armpits.
Twenty minutes later, dressed in the suit, Alf stared at himself in a cracked and tarnished mirror that hung on a wall. Silk socks, heavy and gleaming, snugly encased his ankles, and the reflection in his shoes almost outdid the mirror. That the trousers were a wee bit short mattered little. If he danced, by chance, trousers shouldn't be too long.
The first buildings consisted mainly of shabby terraced houses, with front doors opening straight onto the pavement. Traffic built, horns tooted, bicycles and kids on skateboards swished past. He sheered this way and that at each roundabout or traffic light controlled junction, confident of his destination.
The hotel was a miserable, square brick building, its drab walls rising straight from a broad forecourt. Regularly placed windows, four on each side of the entrance, five on the three floors above, glared at him. Like sunken black eyes, blank and impersonal, they spied on him with bemused curiosity.
In this post: Alf checks in at the Hotel California…
Confident and elegant in his new clothes, he sailed proudly to the hotel's front door. The uniformed boy held it open for him without a hint of questioning. A girl behind a reception desk smiled as pleasantly and impersonally at him as she did to the whiskered, fine-looking old gentleman who had arrived just before him.
Bert strolled to a big mirror that stood beyond the desk on a wall that separated the tea room from the dining room. His clumsy fingers found difficulty with the tie. The fine-looking old gentleman, adjusting his own tie, stepped closer.
"Not from the airport, no, but I told the taxi-driver to drop me off some way away. I'm a firm believer in exercise." He patted the side of his battered nose and lowered his voice. "I understand you run an excellent game of poker here."
Picture by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Of course, Alf knew his cockney accent would give him away, but then again, not all toffs spoke like the royal family. Posture and bearing were more important, and the confidence to pose as an eccentric millionaire. He'd need to concoct a believable background history too, but he had all night, and by the morning he'd be ready.
One thing was clear; if he were to feign his way into The Hotel California, and have them accept him as an eccentric millionaire, then he would need luck on his side. In his experience, luck was with you, or against you, and the difference either made you or broke you. Some people relied on their horoscope to tell their future, others on signs like finding a four-leaf clover, but Alf preferred to go by the trend.
As a test of his luck, he sneaked back to the main road where he'd abandoned the stolen scooter on the grass verge. There was little traffic this late in the evening and it rushed past smoothly. Sure enough, the scooter had vanished, relieving him of the original theft.
With his tummy full, providence on his side, and somebody else to take the blame for stealing the scooter, Alf strutted back to his den. Now, if his good fortune held, he didn't doubt he'd soon make a killing at the hotel's poker tables, and his heart raced with anticipation.
But as the sun dipped below the treetops and darkness fell, he set off to wander again. Somewhere or another he needed to find a roof over his head for the night. If worse came to the worse, he'd break into a barn someplace and sleep in the hay: one final night of blissful serenity.
Soon, far from people, he came across a small cattle shed that suited his needs. It sagged crookedly, abandoned and neglected. The door stuck ajar on broken hinges, and as he dragged it wide enough to squeeze in, three mice scurried out. It smelled dank, and the roof loomed open to the stars. But it offered a safe and regal haven without fear of discovery. Tonight, that was all he required.
A full moon smiled at him through the hole in the roof, and birds flitted across its face. Or were they bats? Alf couldn't tell. Either way, the effect was enchanting, spoiled only by his skin that had begun to itch.
To take his mind from the irritating sensation of something crawling over his skin, he envisioned his future situation. This close to London, no township was far away, and the closest of them embraced the Hotel California. Tonight he would share his bed of rough straw with rodents and creeping bugs. Tomorrow night he would sleep in a king-size bed, and who knows what delights he might share it with.
Praising his luck, Alf stripped off and rubbed handfuls of lavender leaves over every inch of his body. The feminine scent didn't match his macho physic, but it covered his stench of decay. Soon, in his hotel room, he'd take a proper bath with soap, shampoo, and a good drenching of Old Spice aftershave.
The plaited whiteness of the shirt enthralled him; the soft material gave freely, comfortably, as he breathed. Its collar strangled him though, and he had to retie the knot in his cravat seven times before satisfied.
The waistcoat stretched tight across the chest and flapped loosely around his waist, but not a poor fit. And the coat accentuated his already broad shoulders, offsetting the trouser's lack of length. He carried the suit straight as a penguine. "Lord Alf," he muttered. "Welcome to the world."
In this post: Alf arrives at his hotel by foot, buy wished it were by liousine...
He'd kept to the country lanes, but now the town drew near. Cracked footpaths started on each side of the road. Traffic signs warned of a low speed limit, faded markings in the road defined lanes and parking rules. A building site on his left displayed massive posters of a new housing estate; lorries and bulldozers chugged in and out, raising a choking dust.
But he remained on the town's outskirts and didn't need to reach the centre. Just past a busy petrol station and at the end of a tree-lined side avenue, he spotted The Hotel California.
The hotel was a miserable, square brick building, its drab walls rising straight from the pavement. Regularly placed windows, four on each side of the entrance, five on the three floors above, glared at him. Like sunken black eyes, blank and impersonal, they spied on him with bemused curiosity.
The gentleman slipped a coin into the doorman's outstretched hand and then the doorman swung the hotel door wide open and bowed as the gentleman staggered through.
Picture by Tammy Lee from Pixabay
With time to take life easy, Alf lolled on the grass almost until evening. His belly was good and full, insects buzzed lazily, and the day's sunny warmth showed no sign of fading. He cast a happy smile to the world: a free and frank man like him enjoyed this way of living better than many would think.
Of his two choices, gambling at The Hotel California excited him most, especially now he had the means to fake his eligibility. The poker tables waited for him, and his enhanced third eye would ensure he won every hand.
When the evening grew darker, he examined the stolen clothes. Apart from the suit itself, he found a sporty bowler-hat and shoes polished to a mirror shine. There was even an extendable silver-handled walking stick. An outfit intended for a wedding, but which would suit his purpose well.
Talk about luck. For once in his life, folk would take him as a gentleman, and not a day too early. Dressing like a lord had been a dream of his for years, but there'd never been the occasion.
Of course, his cockney accent would give him away, but then again, not all toffs spoke like the royal family. Posture and bearing were more important, and the confidence to pose as an eccentric millionaire. He'd need to concoct a believable background history too, but he had all night, and by the morning he'd be ready.
Soon, far from people, he came across a small cattle shed that suited his needs. It sagged crookedly, abandoned and neglected. The door stuck ajar on broken hinges, and as he dragged it wide enough to squeeze in, three mice scurried out. It smelled dank, and the roof loomed open to the stars. But genially it offered a safe and regal haven to spend the night without fear of discovery.
In this post: Alf bathes in lavender...
Twenty minutes later, Alf stared at himself in a cracked and tarnished mirror that hung on a wall. Silk socks, heavy and gleaming, snugly encased his ankles, and the reflection in his shoes almost outdid the mirror. That the trousers were a wee bit short mattered little. If he should dance, by chance, trousers shouldn't be too long.
The plaited whiteness of the shirt enthralled him; the soft material gave freely, comfortably, as he breathed. Its collar strangled him though, and he had to retie the knot in his cravat seven times before he got it right.
The waistcoat stretched tight across the chest and flapped loosely around his waist, but not a poor fit. And the coat accentuated his already broad shoulders, offsetting the trouser's lack of length. He carried the suit in a fashion unusually straight as he studied his reflection. "Lord Alf," he muttered. "Welcome to the world."
Picture by Ioannis Ioannidis from Pixabay
The wisest move right now, reckoned Alf, was to vanish before any ruckus over the stolen scooter started. No sense chancing fate too much either.
Working quickly, he donned the gloves and rubbed away any fingerprints he might have left on the scooter. A short dab on the start button brought the happy little machine to life again. Alf drove back to the main road, continued along it for two-hundred yards, and parked the scooter on the grass verge.
He rolled the ill-gotten wedding garments into a thick bundle, tucked it under his arm, and stepped lightly back towards the country lane, the carrier bag of snacks swinging in his other hand. Well into the lane, he dodged into a copse of dense trees, and sat on a fallen log.
Starving, he emptied the shopping bag's contents at his feet. Four cream cakes, a bottle of his favourite coke, and a king-size packet of spicy crisps—not his usual diet of high protein nourishment. Nevertheless, what a feast!
With everything consumed, he nestled on the grass with his hands behind his head and glanced up through the green canopy of trees to the blue sky above. The day was still young, all was right with the world, and he had plenty of time to do nothing but daydream.
As he savoured the moment, a deep, satisfying sigh eased from his chest. He didn't need to worry about weight training and sparing with Bert, or to pursue his dreary work as a security guard. Instead, either the promise of serenity, or the making of his fortune at The Hotel California's poker tables would govern his life, all depending on which way fate carried him. Ah, heavens above, what a wonderful few days stretched ahead of him.
With time to take life easy, he lolled there almost until evening. His belly was good and full, insects buzzed lazily, and the day's sunny warmth showed no sign of fading. He cast a hard smile to the world: a free and frank man like him enjoyed this way of living better than many would think.
Of his two choices, gambling at The Hotel California excited him most, especially now he had the means to enter. His special skill with his third eye would ensure he won every hand.
If he were to feign his way into The Hotel California, and have them accept him as an eccentric millionaire, then he would need luck on his side. In his experience, luck was with you, or against you, and the difference either made you or broke you. Some people relied on their horoscope to tell their future, others on signs like finding a four-leaf clover, but Alf preferred to go by the trend.
In this post: Alf shares his bed with rodents…
Soon, he came across a small cattle shed that suited his needs. It sagged crookedly, far from people, abandoned and neglected. The door stuck ajar on broken hinges, and as he dragged it wide enough to squeeze in, three mice scurried out. It smelled dank, and the roof loomed open to the stars; a safe and regal haven to spend the night without fear of discovery.
He hung his new set of clothes over a beam in the roof and settled on a mound of old but dry straw in one corner. He couldn't have wished for a more comfortable bed. He folded his hands over his chest and sighed blissfully. If he kept as much luck with his plans as he'd enjoyed today, he wouldn't regret taking time off from work.
This close to London, no township was far away, and the closest of them embraced the Hotel California. Tonight he would share his bed of rough straw with rodents and creeping bugs. Tomorrow night he would sleep in a king-size bed, and who knows what delights he might share it with.
Picture by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay


Commercial laundry services have invested in sustainability during the past decade, developing an industry-wide certification program, TRSA Clean Green Certification, to encourage laundries to reduce the use of water and chemicals. Business owners who embrace environmentally friendly laundering services can make an even bigger impact on the planet by choosing uniform services that embrace Clean Green practices.
Small- and medium-sized businesses spend more than $10 billion a year on laundry service, including uniforms that must be replaced as they wear out. The reusable textiles movement has systematized textiles recycling to ensure that old uniforms find new life as paper or parts of new clothing.
Among the leaders in uniform services, Prudential Overall Supply introduced reusable textiles 86 years ago. Prudential was also an early recipient of TRSA Clean Green Certification. The company reduced its water use by 30 percent and energy use by 35 percent, while simultaneously taking 42 percent of its carbon emissions out of the cleaning process.
The dry cleaning industry traditionally used petroleum-based chemicals. In an effort to contribute to a healthier planet, the industry has shifted to new liquids based on eco-friendly materials. For instance, eco-friendly dry cleaning companies now use liquid CO2 and liquid silicone, which are environmentally benign. Liquid CO2 does not add carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and silicone breaks down into CO2, water, and sand.
If you run a business — whether a delivery company, restaurant, or hospital — your laundry expenses may be costing the Earth too much. Be sure to ask your laundry if they are TRSA Clean Green certified and to show their water reduction, energy usage, and carbon output data before signing a contract. If they don't share this information, make a green choice and take your business elsewhere. Seek a laundry that emphasizes its commitment to green practices.
Uniforms are the visual representation of your business. Often, they're the first thing a customer sees and associates with your business. Therefore, companies want their workforce to look clean and attractive. The good impression made by a stylish uniform made with reusable textiles should be delivered responsibly. Uniform services need to provide a sufficiently large inventory of uniforms that fit, feature the logo patching of the company, and, we'd suggest, a label that confirms its ecological commitments.
Reusable textiles are designed and managed to provide clean uniforms in a sustainable way. As uniforms wear out, Prudential Overall Supply keeps employees looking good with new uniforms. Business can take three approaches to acquire uniforms: leasing, renting, and purchasing. When you lease uniforms, your company and employees must launder their own uniforms, as opposed to rental and purchasing, which typically include complete laundry and replacement service.
Ask your laundry vendor — or personal dry cleaner — if they are TRSA Clean Green certified.
Is the company TRSA Clean Green certified?
How much has your company reduced water and energy consumption since 2000?
How much has your company lowered carbon dioxide emissions since 2000?
Can I add my brand name, logo, or other patches to the clothing (and will replacement uniforms be prepared with these patches)?
How do my employees deal with fitting issues or replacements?
Can you guarantee your price and my satisfaction?
Sustainability is becoming an essential business value, one that customers frequently include in their purchasing decisions. In a recent survey, 93 percent of Earth911 readers said they check sustainability information when shopping — a company's uniforms should demonstrate those values, as well.
Though you may think of dry cleaners or commercial laundries primarily as high-capacity washing, Clean Green uniform rental and laundering services can work with your company to establish a consistently sustainable business. If you purchase environmentally harmful services, it will eventually become a brand negative, not to mention the damage it will cause the planet on which you and your customers live.
Turning to a TRSA-certified environmentally friendly uniform service is a responsible business decision, and it can even save money over time. How? Reusable textiles can be recycled, and the savings passed along to you.


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text:
ABC Abuse Shows Union, Democrats, Out of Touch
Posted on November 16, 1998 by NLPC Staff
Excerpts from the Omaha World News'Nov. 9 editorial: "Democrats Trespass in a Private Matter." — "Vice President Al Gore showed bad judgment when he stiffed an ABC News reporter on election night because of a labor dispute at the network. Gore, who is courting organized labor for support of his presidential bid in 2000, put politics ahead of doing the right thing. The day before the election, about 2,200 ABC camera workers, publicists, producers, writers and editors staged a one-day walkout in several major cities in a dispute about health coverage policies. The network refused to let strikers come back to work the following day because they would not promise to give advance notice of future work stoppages.
The president of the Communications Workers of America asked the Democratic and Republican Parties to deny interviews to ABC and its affiliates. Gore responded by refusing to see an ABC reporter who had flown to Seattle for a prearranged interview with the vice president. White House policy, a spokesman said, is to not grant special access to news organizations engaged in labor disputes. Somewhere in the tortured logic of the White House, reducing the flow of information to the public about the national electoral process has a connection to a private labor dispute.
Gore was not the only prominent Democrat to shun ABC. Victorious Senate candidate Charles Schumer in New York banned ABC from his headquarters. The power cord carrying ABC's television feed at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, site of Schumer headquarters, was cut. Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, head of the Democratic National Committee, backed out of an appearance on "Good Morning America." In San Francisco, an ABC crew was kicked out of incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer's reelection celebration. Later the crew was admitted – after the local ABC station had sought a court order to gain admittance. The winner of the race for California governor, Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, retracted a ban on ABC at his headquarters only when the network took the matter to court.
The politicians' boycott of ABC showed no class and ultimately denied information to ABC's viewers. This was a private dispute between labor and management, not a public policy matter. The Democrats should not have taken sides."
New York Boss Missing, Believed Dead
New York Probe Gobbles It's First Union Turkey


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Home | Gyms reopening: a new beginning in safety
Gyms reopening: a new beginning in safety
June 1st, the fateful day for the reopening of gyms, is coming. It's been a long period of forced abstinence for those who were once used to work out multiple times during the week and for those who saw gyms as places where to meet people and socialise. Never as today people feel the need to corve out some time for themselves with healthy sport activities, breaking the everyday routine that restrictions have created. This really is a new beginning: a step towards a return to normality.
The health situation has severely penalised the whole sector. However, the forced stop has allowed gym and sport facilities managers to reorganise spaces and reconsider the service offered, with the objective of making the customer feel even more pampered after reopening. The need is to create, in all of the gym's areas, a safe environment that doesn't worry the user, starting from the locker room.
Never before as today sport facilities must communicate to their customers a sense of security with a double meaning: protection against the spread of the virus, caused by the risks of contact with other gym-goers, and safe storage of personal belongings during their stay at the gym. To meet both of these needs for safety, it is important to choose adequate locks for locker rooms. The solution is HELLOCK – the smallest electronic lock with an internal processor.
Removes the need for keys and opens with Bluetooth or RFID sensor, without needing to touch anything.
The HELLOCK electronic lock removes the need to use mechanical keys, which might carry bacteria and microbes The body, made with engineering plastic, and the silicone keys are easy to clean with alcohol. Moreover, with the new Bluetooth version, it will be possible for the user to open the lock with just their smartphone, decreasing contacts with surfaces even more.
Removing mechanical keys also means removing one of locks' vulnerabilty elements: a mechanical lock and always be forced or tampered. At the same time, Hellock can replace the use of padlocks, by offering a more comfortable service to the customer and making it easier for the manager to open the lockers for safety reasons and to sanitise spaces. Our electronic lock, as a matter of fact, can be opened by the user thanks to the immediate creation of a PIN code or, in the case of an emergency or if the user forgets the code, it can be opened by a master password owned by the manager. Moroever, the RFID version is also available and can be operated by bringing RFID badges, cards or wristbands closer to the lock. This solution makes the RFID version perfectly integrable with access management systems already present in the facility.
It's the perfect solution to limit contacts with objects (like keys) that might be passed from one hand to another, to avoid problems deriving from the loss of keys or from their breakage and, why not, to give am update to the service thanks to this hi-tech solution.
Take a look at OMR's electronic locks
Luca Giai2022-11-29T15:12:03+01:00April 28th, 2021|


Single Speed Shifters are sold as pair for use with 1 chainring and one rear gear.
While Gevenalle Multi gear shifters are the toughest and best shifters going for the dirt we have to admit that single speed is the ultimate in low maintenance and reliability! Super levers and of course they are backed up by our service plan if you should ever manage to damage them.
When you don't need multiple speed shifters because you have just one speed – FAST!
We take an industry standard, the Tektro R200 Short Pull and RL520 Long Pull, brake levers and apply a little hand work to make sure you get the best levers possible. We dissemble each set here in the U.S. and toss out the stock bushings used and replace them with a stouter version that results in a more solid lever in hand. Locally engraved.


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Downingtown Poverty
Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Welfare
Poverty in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania
What is the poverty rate in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania?
The poverty rate in Downingtown is 6.9%. One out of every 14.6 residents of Downingtown lives in poverty.
How many people in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania live in poverty?
531 of 7,737 Downingtown residents reported income levels below the poverty line in the last year.
How does the poverty rate in Downingtown compare to the rest of Pennsylvania?
The Poverty Rate across the state of Pennsylvania is 13.1%, meaning Downingtown has a dramatically lower than average percentage of residents below the poverty line when compared to the rest of Pennsylvania.
Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Poverty Rate By Race
What's the Poverty Rate in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania By Race?
17.1% of Black residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of black residents in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania is dramatically lower than the national average of 25.2%. 175 of 1,026 black Pennsylvanians live below the poverty line. Approximately 12.9% of the total population of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania are black.
4.1% of White residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of white residents in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania is dramatically lower than the national average of 10.3%. 211 of 5,129 white Pennsylvanians live below the poverty line. Approximately 64.4% of the total population of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania are white.
8.8% of Hispanic residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania live below the poverty line.
The Poverty Rate of hispanic residents in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania is dramatically lower than the national average of 22.2%. 90 of 1,027 hispanic Pennsylvanians live below the poverty line. Approximately 12.9% of the total population of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania are hispanic.
Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Poverty Rate By Sex
What is the poverty rate for men vs women living in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania?
The Poverty Rate for men who live in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania is 6.8%.
The Poverty Rate for women who live in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania is 6.9%.
Poverty Rate Disparity for Male vs Female Residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania
Female residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania are slightly(1%) more likely to live in poverty than males.
274 of 4,001 males in Downingtown live below the poverty line.
257 of 3,736 females in Downingtown live below the poverty line.
Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Poverty Rate By School Enrollment
Understanding where poverty hits hardest in Downingtown can be better understood by segmenting poverty by whether or not the resident is in school or not.
Enrolled in School in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 6.7%.
Not Enrolled in School in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 6.4%.
Poverty for younger ages in Downingtown is seen as the most undesirable for the future of the community.
Enrolled in Nursery School in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 16.4%.
Enrolled in Elementary School(Grades 1-4) in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 6.0%.
Poverty for developing children and young adults in Downingtown can have drastic impacts on graduation and college attendance rates.
Enrolled in Middle School(Grade 5-8) in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 4.2%.
Enrolled in High School (Grades 9-12) in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 7.9%.
Enrolled in Undergraduate School in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 8.2%.
Enrolled in Graduate or Professional School in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a Poverty Rate of 0.0%.
Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Poverty Rate By Age
What's the Poverty Rate By Age in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania?
Breakdown of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Poverty Rate By Age
Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania Poverty Rate By Place of Birth
What is the poverty rate for residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania born US Citizens vs Foreign-Born?
The Poverty Rate for residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania who were born citizens of the United States is 6.6%.
The Poverty Rate for residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania who were born citizens of a country other than the US is 9.0%.
Poverty Rate for residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania born US Citizens vs Foreign-Born
Foreign-born residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania have a higher poverty rate than those who were born US citizens.
Of the 6,852 residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania who were born citizens of the United States, 451 (6.6%) had income levels below the poverty line within the past year.
Conversely, 80 (9.0%) of 885 residents of Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania who were born citizens of a country other than the US reported income levels below the poverty line within the past year.
Poverty Rate in Downingtown borough, Pennsylvania
The poverty rate in Downingtown is 6.9%.
Downingtown is in Chester County.


Thanks to the numerous leaks of the renders and images that have been surfacing online for quite some time now, we have a pretty fair idea of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S8. We already know how this upcoming Samsung flagship will look and what kind of hardware it would pack, however, thanks to a recent leak, we now know how the UI on the Galaxy S8 might look like.
Screenshots of the Samsung Galaxy S8 launcher and app icons have been leaked online which give us a look at the Galaxy S8's UI. These were discovered in an apk file of the latest version of Samsung's Smart Switch app. Going by these images, we can say that Samsung has taken a minimalist approach towards the UI. You can also see the on-screen navigation buttons which have made appearance in the past leaks quite a few times now.
Also, one image shows the UI with app drawer whereas the other has it missing. Well, it's quite possible that Samsung would let its users choose whether they want an app drawer or not, by making it possible to enable or disable it from the Settings menu. Apart from this, you can also see the Samsung app icons with new design. The icons now just have an outline of phone and camera along with broken lines.
Having said that, this UI seems to be still in development as you can notice that the apps don't have names below their icons. It's also quite possible that we might see a different look on the Galaxy S8 when it's launched. After all, nothing's ever finalized and confirmed until and unless it has been made official by the company itself.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is going to be unveiled on March 29 so expect more stuff like this doing rounds on the Internet. By the way, did you like this new UI?


Jim Jones recently announced via Instagram that he is launching new business venture. Jim posted a text message from an unknown sender asking what his consulting fee per month was. In the photo's caption, he revealed that he is starting a consulting firm for artists.