Video link (FreshnessMag)
February 3, 2010
A Cool Toy From BMW Of Japan . . . . .
MEDICOM TOY x BMW - 50% 100% 400% BE@RBRICK
"BMW Japan have opened a new space in Tokyo called Studio One. This is a focus on sustainable lifestyle for the future and includes guest talk shows, variety of events and ambient atmosphere for customer interaction. To commemorate the opening of the studio is a collaboration MEDICOM TOY on three sizes of BE@BRICK. 50% and 100% sizes are available for purchase at Studio One for limited time. The BE@BRICK is fittingly designed with a BMW logo on its stomach with white clouds on the bottom portions and there are 3000 pieces of 50% made and 1500 pieces of 100% made. Only the 400% will be available as a draw prize for 50 lucky attendees."
(FreshnessMag)
"BMW Japan have opened a new space in Tokyo called Studio One. This is a focus on sustainable lifestyle for the future and includes guest talk shows, variety of events and ambient atmosphere for customer interaction. To commemorate the opening of the studio is a collaboration MEDICOM TOY on three sizes of BE@BRICK. 50% and 100% sizes are available for purchase at Studio One for limited time. The BE@BRICK is fittingly designed with a BMW logo on its stomach with white clouds on the bottom portions and there are 3000 pieces of 50% made and 1500 pieces of 100% made. Only the 400% will be available as a draw prize for 50 lucky attendees."
(FreshnessMag)
Finally A Segway For Golfers . . . . .
Mantys is part motorized scooter, part golf cart, and a pinch of Segway
"Oh I like this very much. Very much indeed. The Mantys (or “MANTYS” as the company shouts) is a personal motorized golf cart that’s steered simply by shifting your weight. It weighs just 45 pounds, has a top speed of 12.5 miles per hour, and can go for 36 holes before needing to be recharged. At the end of the day, the Mantys folds down for easy transport."
Video link (CrunchGear)
"Oh I like this very much. Very much indeed. The Mantys (or “MANTYS” as the company shouts) is a personal motorized golf cart that’s steered simply by shifting your weight. It weighs just 45 pounds, has a top speed of 12.5 miles per hour, and can go for 36 holes before needing to be recharged. At the end of the day, the Mantys folds down for easy transport."
Video link (CrunchGear)
Answer - Because The NHTA Are A Bunch Of Bastards . . . . .
Why won’t BMW NA bring the M3 GTS to the United States?
Today, BMW North America reached out to us and provided an interview with M Brand Manager, Larry Koch who graciously took the time to explain the M3 GTS absence from U.S. market.
Larry, why won’t BMW NA bring the M3 GTS to North America?
LK: When I first started discussing the GTS with M in Garching [Munich], I knew it could be a hit in the US, albeit most likely a short-lived hit given such a high price [110,000 Euros before US homologation]. However, when taking a closer look, we realized the car does not pass any EPA or federal safety standards. Those are two big catches for importing a new BMW, even in small volumes. Modifying the GTS to make it US-compliant would be a very costly affair because the car lacks airbags, proper DOT seatbelts, proper bumper height, etc. And those are just the safety items. Keep in mind the 4.4 liter engine is not homologated for the US which would require more than a simple set of racing catalysts [as the car is currently equipped].
But couldn’t those things be added to a US version of the GTS?
LK: I’m sure they could, but you have to balance cost against demand. In this case, the customers we speak to on a regular basis are indicating that they’d rather purchase the already-outstanding M3 Coupe for less than $60,000, even with the new-for-2011 Competition Package, and customize it. As you know, the US client often spends a great deal of time and imagination to make his or her M3 unique.
You mentioned the Competition Package… what else can you tell us about that?
LK: It’s a focused package designed to enhance the handling of the Coupe and Sedan. It delivers some key items we’ve found to be in demand. New wheels (coincidentally quite similar to the GTS wheels but in silver) with a wider offset, 10mm lower ride height, and standard Electronic Damping Control with enhanced programming. For cars equipped with the M Drive feature, the M Dynamic Mode (MDM) gets revised software for even more excitement. For $2,500, I think it’s a heck of a package without any of the compromise to the daily driver ability for which the M3 has become famous.
(AutoSpies)
Today, BMW North America reached out to us and provided an interview with M Brand Manager, Larry Koch who graciously took the time to explain the M3 GTS absence from U.S. market.
Larry, why won’t BMW NA bring the M3 GTS to North America?
LK: When I first started discussing the GTS with M in Garching [Munich], I knew it could be a hit in the US, albeit most likely a short-lived hit given such a high price [110,000 Euros before US homologation]. However, when taking a closer look, we realized the car does not pass any EPA or federal safety standards. Those are two big catches for importing a new BMW, even in small volumes. Modifying the GTS to make it US-compliant would be a very costly affair because the car lacks airbags, proper DOT seatbelts, proper bumper height, etc. And those are just the safety items. Keep in mind the 4.4 liter engine is not homologated for the US which would require more than a simple set of racing catalysts [as the car is currently equipped].
But couldn’t those things be added to a US version of the GTS?
LK: I’m sure they could, but you have to balance cost against demand. In this case, the customers we speak to on a regular basis are indicating that they’d rather purchase the already-outstanding M3 Coupe for less than $60,000, even with the new-for-2011 Competition Package, and customize it. As you know, the US client often spends a great deal of time and imagination to make his or her M3 unique.
You mentioned the Competition Package… what else can you tell us about that?
LK: It’s a focused package designed to enhance the handling of the Coupe and Sedan. It delivers some key items we’ve found to be in demand. New wheels (coincidentally quite similar to the GTS wheels but in silver) with a wider offset, 10mm lower ride height, and standard Electronic Damping Control with enhanced programming. For cars equipped with the M Drive feature, the M Dynamic Mode (MDM) gets revised software for even more excitement. For $2,500, I think it’s a heck of a package without any of the compromise to the daily driver ability for which the M3 has become famous.
(AutoSpies)
Super Sperm Does Exist . . . . .
Oral Sex, a Knife Fight and Then Sperm Still Impregnated Girl
Account of a Girl Impregnated After Oral Sex Shows Sperms' Incredible Survivability
"In 1988, a 15-year-old girl living in the small southern African nation of Lesotho came to local doctors with all the symptoms of a woman in labor. But the doctors were quickly puzzled because, upon examination, she didn't have a vagina.
"Inspection of the vulva showed no vagina, only a shallow skin dimple," so doctors delivered a healthy baby boy via Caesarean, the authors wrote in a case report published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Her birth defect -- called Mullerian agenesis or Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome -- didn't necessarily surprise doctors, but her pregnancy did. Even the 15-year-old girl could not believe she was pregnant."
(ABCNews)
Account of a Girl Impregnated After Oral Sex Shows Sperms' Incredible Survivability
"In 1988, a 15-year-old girl living in the small southern African nation of Lesotho came to local doctors with all the symptoms of a woman in labor. But the doctors were quickly puzzled because, upon examination, she didn't have a vagina.
"Inspection of the vulva showed no vagina, only a shallow skin dimple," so doctors delivered a healthy baby boy via Caesarean, the authors wrote in a case report published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Her birth defect -- called Mullerian agenesis or Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome -- didn't necessarily surprise doctors, but her pregnancy did. Even the 15-year-old girl could not believe she was pregnant."
(ABCNews)
Thanks For Coming In We'll Call You . . . . .
Not getting hired? 10 reasons why
1. You lie
Any lies you tell in your job search, whether on your résumé or in an interview, will come back to haunt you. In a 2008 CareerBuilder survey, 49 percent of hiring managers reported they caught a candidate lying on his or her résumé; of those employers, 57 percent said they automatically dismissed the applicant.
Everything you tell an employer can be discovered, so it behooves you to be honest from the get-go. If you're concerned about something in your past, invention is not the answer. Use your cover letter to tell your story, focusing on your strengths and accomplishments and explaining any areas of concern if needed.
2. You have a potty mouth
It's certainly tempting to tell anyone who will listen how big of a (insert expletive here) your current boss is, but a hiring manager for a new job is not that person. A 2009 CareerBuilder survey showed that 44 percent of employers said that talking negatively about current or previous employers was one of the most detrimental mistakes a candidate can make.
Find a way to turn those negative things job into positives. If you can't get along with your co-workers, for example, tell the prospective employer that you're looking for a work environment where you feel like you're part of a team and your current position doesn't allow for that kind of atmosphere.
3. You don't show long-term potential
Employers want people in their organization to work their way up, so it's best to show that you want to and can grow with the company. If you were asked where you see yourself in five years and you gave an answer that wasn't related to the position or company you're interviewing with, kiss your chances goodbye.
Ask questions like, "What type of career movement do you envision for the most successful candidate in this role?" It shows that you have envisioned your future at the company.
4. You have serious digital dirt
Social networking sites and online searches are the newest way that many employers are checking up on prospective hires. A 2009 CareerBuilder survey showed that 45 percent of employers use social networking sites to research candidates. Thirty-five percent of those employers found content that caused them to dismiss the candidate.
Make sure to remove any photos, content or links that can work against you in an employer's eyes.
5. You don't know ... well, anything
In two separate 2009 CareerBuilder surveys, 58 percent of employers said that coming to the interview with no knowledge of the company was a turnoff, and 49 percent said that not asking good questions cost candidates a job offer. Plain and simple, do your homework before an interview.
Explore the company online, prepare answers to questions and have someone give you a mock interview. The more prepared you are, the more employers will take you seriously.
6. You acted bored, cocky or disinterested
A little enthusiasm never hurt anyone, especially when it comes to a potential new job. Forty-five percent of employers in a 2009 CareerBuilder survey said that the biggest mistake candidates made in the interview was appearing disinterested and 42 percent said appearing arrogant cost applicants the job.
Every business wants to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers, so acting the opposite will get you nowhere.
7. You were a little too personal
Seventeen percent of employers said that candidates who provided too much personal information in the interview essentially blew their chances at the job, according to a 2009 CareerBuilder survey. Not only does personal information offend some people, but anytime you talk about topics such as your hobbies, race, age or religion, you're setting yourself up for bias.
Though it's illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants because of any of these factors, some will do so, regardless.
8. You were all dollars, no sense
As a general rule of thumb, you should never bring up salary before the employer does. Doing so is tacky and makes the employer think that you care about the money involved, not about helping the employer succeed.
If the topic does arise, however, be honest about your salary history. Employers can verify your salary in a matter of minutes these days, so lying only makes you look bad.
9. You didn't -- or can't -- give examples
Hiring managers want people who can prove that they will increase the organization's revenues, decrease its costs or help it succeed in some way. If all you give to an employer is a bunch of empty words about your accomplishments, you don't demonstrate how you can help the company.
In fact, 35 percent of employers said that the most detrimental mistake candidates make is not providing specific examples in the interview. The more you can quantify your work, the better.
10. You don't have enough experience
Managers don't have as much time as they used to to train and mentor new employees. The more experience you have, the more likely you are to hit the ground running without a lot of hand-holding.
The best way to show that you know what you're doing is to give the employer concrete examples of your experience in a given job duty.
(CNN)
1. You lie
Any lies you tell in your job search, whether on your résumé or in an interview, will come back to haunt you. In a 2008 CareerBuilder survey, 49 percent of hiring managers reported they caught a candidate lying on his or her résumé; of those employers, 57 percent said they automatically dismissed the applicant.
Everything you tell an employer can be discovered, so it behooves you to be honest from the get-go. If you're concerned about something in your past, invention is not the answer. Use your cover letter to tell your story, focusing on your strengths and accomplishments and explaining any areas of concern if needed.
2. You have a potty mouth
It's certainly tempting to tell anyone who will listen how big of a (insert expletive here) your current boss is, but a hiring manager for a new job is not that person. A 2009 CareerBuilder survey showed that 44 percent of employers said that talking negatively about current or previous employers was one of the most detrimental mistakes a candidate can make.
Find a way to turn those negative things job into positives. If you can't get along with your co-workers, for example, tell the prospective employer that you're looking for a work environment where you feel like you're part of a team and your current position doesn't allow for that kind of atmosphere.
3. You don't show long-term potential
Employers want people in their organization to work their way up, so it's best to show that you want to and can grow with the company. If you were asked where you see yourself in five years and you gave an answer that wasn't related to the position or company you're interviewing with, kiss your chances goodbye.
Ask questions like, "What type of career movement do you envision for the most successful candidate in this role?" It shows that you have envisioned your future at the company.
4. You have serious digital dirt
Social networking sites and online searches are the newest way that many employers are checking up on prospective hires. A 2009 CareerBuilder survey showed that 45 percent of employers use social networking sites to research candidates. Thirty-five percent of those employers found content that caused them to dismiss the candidate.
Make sure to remove any photos, content or links that can work against you in an employer's eyes.
5. You don't know ... well, anything
In two separate 2009 CareerBuilder surveys, 58 percent of employers said that coming to the interview with no knowledge of the company was a turnoff, and 49 percent said that not asking good questions cost candidates a job offer. Plain and simple, do your homework before an interview.
Explore the company online, prepare answers to questions and have someone give you a mock interview. The more prepared you are, the more employers will take you seriously.
6. You acted bored, cocky or disinterested
A little enthusiasm never hurt anyone, especially when it comes to a potential new job. Forty-five percent of employers in a 2009 CareerBuilder survey said that the biggest mistake candidates made in the interview was appearing disinterested and 42 percent said appearing arrogant cost applicants the job.
Every business wants to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers, so acting the opposite will get you nowhere.
7. You were a little too personal
Seventeen percent of employers said that candidates who provided too much personal information in the interview essentially blew their chances at the job, according to a 2009 CareerBuilder survey. Not only does personal information offend some people, but anytime you talk about topics such as your hobbies, race, age or religion, you're setting yourself up for bias.
Though it's illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants because of any of these factors, some will do so, regardless.
8. You were all dollars, no sense
As a general rule of thumb, you should never bring up salary before the employer does. Doing so is tacky and makes the employer think that you care about the money involved, not about helping the employer succeed.
If the topic does arise, however, be honest about your salary history. Employers can verify your salary in a matter of minutes these days, so lying only makes you look bad.
9. You didn't -- or can't -- give examples
Hiring managers want people who can prove that they will increase the organization's revenues, decrease its costs or help it succeed in some way. If all you give to an employer is a bunch of empty words about your accomplishments, you don't demonstrate how you can help the company.
In fact, 35 percent of employers said that the most detrimental mistake candidates make is not providing specific examples in the interview. The more you can quantify your work, the better.
10. You don't have enough experience
Managers don't have as much time as they used to to train and mentor new employees. The more experience you have, the more likely you are to hit the ground running without a lot of hand-holding.
The best way to show that you know what you're doing is to give the employer concrete examples of your experience in a given job duty.
(CNN)
I Don't Believe It . . . . .
Drug Lords vs. Chocolate: From Coca to Cacao in Peru
"
ENLARGE PHOTO+
Cacao farmer Eduardo Gonzalez checks his plants in the jungle town of Lamas in Tarapoto, Peru
Mariana Bazo / Reuters / Corbis
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The certificate was only one of several that emerged from the prestigious Salon du Chocolat in Paris, the annual summit of the world's master chocolatiers. But it may be enough to start a revolution in Peru. In October 2009, chocolate produced from the cacao beans of a small agricultural cooperative deep in one of the country's rain forests was named the most aromatic in the world by the Salon. "We used to be known for making cocaine paste, but now we are known for chocolate," says Elena Rios, 52, secretary of the Tocache Agroindustrial Cooperative. Rios herself gave up growing coca leaves 10 years ago, opting to take part in a program to replace her plants with cacao. "There were only 12 of us when we started; now we have hundreds. Our success is contagious. No one wants to grow coca in Tocache. Everyone is thinking about chocolate." (Comment on this story.)
Indeed, such is the local excitement that Peru's San Martin department, where Tocache is located, wants to put itself on the map as the chocolate capital of the world. Located in the lush tropics where the Andes mountain range gives way to the northern Amazon rain forest, San Martin has a wilder reputation from its recent past: for years it was a bastion for the rebels of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement and the much more violent Maoist fighters of the Shining Path. Hand in hand with subversion came drug trafficking, with the surrounding countryside perfect terrain for coca, from which cocaine is processed. (See pictures of what the world eats.)
While the two subversive groups have been defeated, San Martin still has some coca — about 800 acres (374 hectares), according to the latest U.N. survey on coca crops — but that is minuscule compared to what it used to cultivate. Coffee and cacao (chocolate) farms have taken hold instead. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) talks about a "San Martin model" as a success story for replacing coca with legal crops. Chocolate is leading the way.
"We are working to identify Peru with chocolate, the way Colombia is identified with coffee. We have the world's best beans," says Blanca Panizo, who works for the Alternative Development Program, a U.S. Agency for International Development–backed initiative promoting crops to replace coca. San Martin's top cacao producers hosted a tasting fair in Tarapoto, the department's largest city, in mid-January for a U.S. delegation including Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who was in town for a day. Steinberg walked away with bags of rich, dark chocolate, telling growers that his two daughters loved chocolate."
(CNN)
"
ENLARGE PHOTO+
Cacao farmer Eduardo Gonzalez checks his plants in the jungle town of Lamas in Tarapoto, Peru
Mariana Bazo / Reuters / Corbis
* Comment
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+ del.icio.us
+ Technorati
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Blog this on:
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*
* 26Share
*
The certificate was only one of several that emerged from the prestigious Salon du Chocolat in Paris, the annual summit of the world's master chocolatiers. But it may be enough to start a revolution in Peru. In October 2009, chocolate produced from the cacao beans of a small agricultural cooperative deep in one of the country's rain forests was named the most aromatic in the world by the Salon. "We used to be known for making cocaine paste, but now we are known for chocolate," says Elena Rios, 52, secretary of the Tocache Agroindustrial Cooperative. Rios herself gave up growing coca leaves 10 years ago, opting to take part in a program to replace her plants with cacao. "There were only 12 of us when we started; now we have hundreds. Our success is contagious. No one wants to grow coca in Tocache. Everyone is thinking about chocolate." (Comment on this story.)
Indeed, such is the local excitement that Peru's San Martin department, where Tocache is located, wants to put itself on the map as the chocolate capital of the world. Located in the lush tropics where the Andes mountain range gives way to the northern Amazon rain forest, San Martin has a wilder reputation from its recent past: for years it was a bastion for the rebels of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement and the much more violent Maoist fighters of the Shining Path. Hand in hand with subversion came drug trafficking, with the surrounding countryside perfect terrain for coca, from which cocaine is processed. (See pictures of what the world eats.)
While the two subversive groups have been defeated, San Martin still has some coca — about 800 acres (374 hectares), according to the latest U.N. survey on coca crops — but that is minuscule compared to what it used to cultivate. Coffee and cacao (chocolate) farms have taken hold instead. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) talks about a "San Martin model" as a success story for replacing coca with legal crops. Chocolate is leading the way.
"We are working to identify Peru with chocolate, the way Colombia is identified with coffee. We have the world's best beans," says Blanca Panizo, who works for the Alternative Development Program, a U.S. Agency for International Development–backed initiative promoting crops to replace coca. San Martin's top cacao producers hosted a tasting fair in Tarapoto, the department's largest city, in mid-January for a U.S. delegation including Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who was in town for a day. Steinberg walked away with bags of rich, dark chocolate, telling growers that his two daughters loved chocolate."
(CNN)
You Got To Pay To Play With The Big Boys . . . . .
What it costs to be a winter Olympian
"Beth Bedford, mother of USA Speed Skating team member Ryan Bedford, estimated the cost of her son’s training during his climb to the elite level – coaching, ice time, travel, equipment and assorted dues – at $13,500 a year. For a serious speed skater, a pair of quality boots costs $2,000.
Parents of aspiring downhill racers can expect to spend anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000 a year (for a full-time ski academy) for 10 years en route to World Cup proficiency. The U.S. Ski Association picks up the tab once a skier has made the national team – often $200,000 annually. Many ski jumpers start as early as age 7. Those with promise will typically train for a decade or more, eventually putting in four to five hours per day improving their timing and vertical leaping ability. Expenses run as high as $14,000 a year. Cross-country skiers, whose goal is endurance and technical proficiency, put in a similarly exhausting schedule, though costs tend to run lower – say $6,000 to $8,000 annually.
And that cliché you often hear about competitive figure skaters – that most can skate as soon as they can walk? It’s not an exaggeration. Future Olympians start as soon as they can stand on skates and train three hours a day for a decade or more. The cost? Families shell out roughly $100,000 over the years in private ice time, coaching, custom-made dresses and skates, travel and various competition fees. And only a handful of them end up peddling cars, cereal and fruit juice.
Looking for a bargain? Try curling. Known in some circles as golf on ice – with team members sliding stones down 140 feet of ice to a target on the other end. “Sweepers” use brooms to make sections of the ice more slippery, thereby directing as they slide. Getting into curling is generally cheap for beginners – usually a few hundred dollars annually for brooms, shoes (known as “sliders”) and club dues.
USA Curling picks up the tab for national team members – some $120,000 annually to field a squad. Still, the training isn’t easy. Serious curlers put in 20 to 30 hours a week for practice and various tournaments. The competition to build stamina and get the finer points down is critical, since the sport doesn’t particularly value one type of athlete over another.
“A big part of it is team attitude, the ability to be a part of a team and to get along,” says Rick Patzke, the chief operating officer of USA Curling. Sounds like a deal."
(Yahoo)
"Beth Bedford, mother of USA Speed Skating team member Ryan Bedford, estimated the cost of her son’s training during his climb to the elite level – coaching, ice time, travel, equipment and assorted dues – at $13,500 a year. For a serious speed skater, a pair of quality boots costs $2,000.
Parents of aspiring downhill racers can expect to spend anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000 a year (for a full-time ski academy) for 10 years en route to World Cup proficiency. The U.S. Ski Association picks up the tab once a skier has made the national team – often $200,000 annually. Many ski jumpers start as early as age 7. Those with promise will typically train for a decade or more, eventually putting in four to five hours per day improving their timing and vertical leaping ability. Expenses run as high as $14,000 a year. Cross-country skiers, whose goal is endurance and technical proficiency, put in a similarly exhausting schedule, though costs tend to run lower – say $6,000 to $8,000 annually.
And that cliché you often hear about competitive figure skaters – that most can skate as soon as they can walk? It’s not an exaggeration. Future Olympians start as soon as they can stand on skates and train three hours a day for a decade or more. The cost? Families shell out roughly $100,000 over the years in private ice time, coaching, custom-made dresses and skates, travel and various competition fees. And only a handful of them end up peddling cars, cereal and fruit juice.
Looking for a bargain? Try curling. Known in some circles as golf on ice – with team members sliding stones down 140 feet of ice to a target on the other end. “Sweepers” use brooms to make sections of the ice more slippery, thereby directing as they slide. Getting into curling is generally cheap for beginners – usually a few hundred dollars annually for brooms, shoes (known as “sliders”) and club dues.
USA Curling picks up the tab for national team members – some $120,000 annually to field a squad. Still, the training isn’t easy. Serious curlers put in 20 to 30 hours a week for practice and various tournaments. The competition to build stamina and get the finer points down is critical, since the sport doesn’t particularly value one type of athlete over another.
“A big part of it is team attitude, the ability to be a part of a team and to get along,” says Rick Patzke, the chief operating officer of USA Curling. Sounds like a deal."
(Yahoo)
Here's Further Proof That The Club Is Still Very Exclusive . . . . .
Inside Disney's exclusive Club 33, where the recession doesn't seem to matter
"Disneyland may indeed be the happiest place on Earth. At least, that would help explain why the park's extremely expensive and exclusive Club 33 has managed to accrue a 14-year long waiting list -- in the middle of a recession.
Located behind a nondescript green door marked "33" in Disneyland's New Orleans Square, the members-only five-star restaurant was built by Walt Disney in 1967 as a place where he could privately entertain guests and dignitaries that visited the theme park. However, Walt passed away before he could enjoy the highly-rated food and the unique features that he had installed in the club, including talking chandeliers and a mechanical vulture who can participate in the dinner chit-chat.So exclusive is Club 33 that it isn't even mentioned on the Disney web site and although there is a stop at the Club's lobby on a behind-the-scenes tour, only Club members may dine there or even purchase Club 33 souvenirs. At some point in its history (when exactly is hard to determine), the restaurant was quietly opened to the public. It now boasts about 475 paying members. But that membership comes at a high price. Members pay an initiation fee of $27,500 (if they are a corporation) or $10,450 (for individuals). On top of that, they pay annual fees of about $6,100 or $3,275, respectively.
What does all of that money buy them? The right to make a lunch or dinner reservation. Seriously."
(AOL)
"Disneyland may indeed be the happiest place on Earth. At least, that would help explain why the park's extremely expensive and exclusive Club 33 has managed to accrue a 14-year long waiting list -- in the middle of a recession.
Located behind a nondescript green door marked "33" in Disneyland's New Orleans Square, the members-only five-star restaurant was built by Walt Disney in 1967 as a place where he could privately entertain guests and dignitaries that visited the theme park. However, Walt passed away before he could enjoy the highly-rated food and the unique features that he had installed in the club, including talking chandeliers and a mechanical vulture who can participate in the dinner chit-chat.So exclusive is Club 33 that it isn't even mentioned on the Disney web site and although there is a stop at the Club's lobby on a behind-the-scenes tour, only Club members may dine there or even purchase Club 33 souvenirs. At some point in its history (when exactly is hard to determine), the restaurant was quietly opened to the public. It now boasts about 475 paying members. But that membership comes at a high price. Members pay an initiation fee of $27,500 (if they are a corporation) or $10,450 (for individuals). On top of that, they pay annual fees of about $6,100 or $3,275, respectively.
What does all of that money buy them? The right to make a lunch or dinner reservation. Seriously."
(AOL)
Some Jersery Shore Slang Clarified . . . . .
The Jersey Shore Dictionary
1 boyfriend
noun
Meaning: a male with whom a female would be interested in pursuing a long term relationship, typically lasting anywhere from 3-5 days before the inevitable cheating and breakup.
Common usage: “My boyfriend is such a dick, I can’t believe I stayed with him for two days.”
2 busted
adjective
Meaning: to describe an unattractive or undesirable female.
Common Usage: “Yo man, that one girl was so hot but her friend was busted and she kept hanging around us! It was so not awesome.”
3 Creep (creeping)
depending on the circumstances may be used as a noun, verb or adjective
Meaning: the act of pursuing a female or females for any variety of purposes from grinding to drunken sex.
Common usage: “Pauly was creeping on those girls all night, he was in full on creep mode! It was awesome!”
4 fist pump
verb
Meaning: the act of raising one’s fist and thrusting it vigorously back and forth in time to the music, as if masturbating an imaginary penis. It must be performed while making strange faces. The act of fist pumping is often seen being used by guidos to alert, and possibly warn other guidos to their presence.
Common usage: “We was just out there fist pumping, beating back the music, you know, just fighting the music and pumping our fists and everyone was fist pumping….it was awesome!”
5 Grenade
noun
Meaning: a particularly unattractive female who must distracted by the wingman so that his fellow guido can successfully creep on her hot friend. A grenade is not necessarily a hippo but is always busted.
Common usage: “Mike, being the good wingman he is, took the grenade for me while I was in the jacuzzi with this hot chick. He was awesome!”
6 Grinding
verb
Meaning: dancing with a partner in a close, sexually aggressive manner, genitals will generally make contact. Apparently however, grinding can only occur when certain music is played.
Common usage: “My boyfriend Tommy accused me of grinding some guy at the club when it was totally not true. They were playing house music and I was just rubbing myself on this guy’s crotch, it wasn’t like they were playing R&B or something.”
7 Guido
noun
Meaning: a male of the species, usually identifiable by an unnatural, and likely unhealthy, orange complexion, snug fitting t-shirt with an obnoxious design, and an overabundance of hair product designed to raise the follicles of the Guido several inches above his head in a solid, immovable mass. Can usually be found living his parents’ basement. Guidos are predominantly of Italian descent, but the species has evolved to include many other races and ethnicities.
Common Usage: “I wasn’t expecting to see so many guidos at the club last night. There was so much fist pumping going on I had to leave.”
8 Guidette
noun
Meaning: a female of the species whose outward markings are somewhat similar to the males. Guidettes will be readily identifiable by their exposed cleavage and/or buttocks.
Common Usage: “The guidettes really seemed to enjoy the fist pumping that was going on at the club.”
9 Hippo
noun
Meaning: a large , unattractive girl, typically found in the company of more desirable females. Hippos are considered busted and thus are always grenades.
Common usage: “Yo, the girl was such a hippo that even Vinny bailed as my wingman. It was not awesome.”
10 Juicehead (also known as a gorilla)
noun
Meaning: a guido who has enhanced his physique through the use of steroids, human growth hormones and perhaps by attacking and eating lesser guidos.
Common usage: “Oh my god look at those juiceheads, that is so my type, it’s so cute when they ask me to inject them with the needle.”
11 Robbery
noun
Meaning: the act of diverting the interests of a desirable female away from a competing guido. Committing a robbery is considered a skill and may be done even to close friends.
Common usage: “Vinny was making out with this girl, but as soon as he went to the bathroom I moved in and completed the robbery. It was awesome!”"
robbery
12
Wingman
noun
Meaning: usually a good male friend who will assist you in meeting and hooking up with desirable females. A wingman’s duties may range from simply making the introductions all the way to taking the grenade for his friend.
Common usage: “Ronnie is the best wingman ever! Even though he wanted to creep some other chicks he stuck around and took the grenade, who was this busted hippo and never complained. He is awesome!”
(Gunaxin)
1 boyfriend
noun
Meaning: a male with whom a female would be interested in pursuing a long term relationship, typically lasting anywhere from 3-5 days before the inevitable cheating and breakup.
Common usage: “My boyfriend is such a dick, I can’t believe I stayed with him for two days.”
2 busted
adjective
Meaning: to describe an unattractive or undesirable female.
Common Usage: “Yo man, that one girl was so hot but her friend was busted and she kept hanging around us! It was so not awesome.”
3 Creep (creeping)
depending on the circumstances may be used as a noun, verb or adjective
Meaning: the act of pursuing a female or females for any variety of purposes from grinding to drunken sex.
Common usage: “Pauly was creeping on those girls all night, he was in full on creep mode! It was awesome!”
4 fist pump
verb
Meaning: the act of raising one’s fist and thrusting it vigorously back and forth in time to the music, as if masturbating an imaginary penis. It must be performed while making strange faces. The act of fist pumping is often seen being used by guidos to alert, and possibly warn other guidos to their presence.
Common usage: “We was just out there fist pumping, beating back the music, you know, just fighting the music and pumping our fists and everyone was fist pumping….it was awesome!”
5 Grenade
noun
Meaning: a particularly unattractive female who must distracted by the wingman so that his fellow guido can successfully creep on her hot friend. A grenade is not necessarily a hippo but is always busted.
Common usage: “Mike, being the good wingman he is, took the grenade for me while I was in the jacuzzi with this hot chick. He was awesome!”
6 Grinding
verb
Meaning: dancing with a partner in a close, sexually aggressive manner, genitals will generally make contact. Apparently however, grinding can only occur when certain music is played.
Common usage: “My boyfriend Tommy accused me of grinding some guy at the club when it was totally not true. They were playing house music and I was just rubbing myself on this guy’s crotch, it wasn’t like they were playing R&B or something.”
7 Guido
noun
Meaning: a male of the species, usually identifiable by an unnatural, and likely unhealthy, orange complexion, snug fitting t-shirt with an obnoxious design, and an overabundance of hair product designed to raise the follicles of the Guido several inches above his head in a solid, immovable mass. Can usually be found living his parents’ basement. Guidos are predominantly of Italian descent, but the species has evolved to include many other races and ethnicities.
Common Usage: “I wasn’t expecting to see so many guidos at the club last night. There was so much fist pumping going on I had to leave.”
8 Guidette
noun
Meaning: a female of the species whose outward markings are somewhat similar to the males. Guidettes will be readily identifiable by their exposed cleavage and/or buttocks.
Common Usage: “The guidettes really seemed to enjoy the fist pumping that was going on at the club.”
9 Hippo
noun
Meaning: a large , unattractive girl, typically found in the company of more desirable females. Hippos are considered busted and thus are always grenades.
Common usage: “Yo, the girl was such a hippo that even Vinny bailed as my wingman. It was not awesome.”
10 Juicehead (also known as a gorilla)
noun
Meaning: a guido who has enhanced his physique through the use of steroids, human growth hormones and perhaps by attacking and eating lesser guidos.
Common usage: “Oh my god look at those juiceheads, that is so my type, it’s so cute when they ask me to inject them with the needle.”
11 Robbery
noun
Meaning: the act of diverting the interests of a desirable female away from a competing guido. Committing a robbery is considered a skill and may be done even to close friends.
Common usage: “Vinny was making out with this girl, but as soon as he went to the bathroom I moved in and completed the robbery. It was awesome!”"
robbery
12
Wingman
noun
Meaning: usually a good male friend who will assist you in meeting and hooking up with desirable females. A wingman’s duties may range from simply making the introductions all the way to taking the grenade for his friend.
Common usage: “Ronnie is the best wingman ever! Even though he wanted to creep some other chicks he stuck around and took the grenade, who was this busted hippo and never complained. He is awesome!”
(Gunaxin)
I Found This Statement To Be Very Interesting . . . . .
Ten Things I Think I Think
7. I think the one thing I hope every reader and follower of the Hall of Fame process understands is that the 44 voters in the room Saturday morning know and feel the pressure to do the right, honorable and just thing with each of the candidates. We understand the gravity. I was reading a good profile of Floyd Little by Mark Kiszla in the Denver Post last night and it hit home again how important it is to the men involved.
Little told Kiszla: "Do you know the average life expectancy of an NFL player? It's 58. And you're talking to a 67-year-old man. So I'm already on borrowed time. I don't have that many years left on this earth. I don't want to go in the Hall posthumously. No sir. That's not for me. I need to be alive to enjoy the celebration with family and friends. Forget posthumously. If I'm not here to enjoy it, give the honor to somebody who's still breathing."
(SI)
7. I think the one thing I hope every reader and follower of the Hall of Fame process understands is that the 44 voters in the room Saturday morning know and feel the pressure to do the right, honorable and just thing with each of the candidates. We understand the gravity. I was reading a good profile of Floyd Little by Mark Kiszla in the Denver Post last night and it hit home again how important it is to the men involved.
Little told Kiszla: "Do you know the average life expectancy of an NFL player? It's 58. And you're talking to a 67-year-old man. So I'm already on borrowed time. I don't have that many years left on this earth. I don't want to go in the Hall posthumously. No sir. That's not for me. I need to be alive to enjoy the celebration with family and friends. Forget posthumously. If I'm not here to enjoy it, give the honor to somebody who's still breathing."
(SI)
Your Personality Trait Based Upon Your Choice Of Email Address . . . . .
1 AOL
You were the coolest dude around in the 90’s. Everyone loved your dial-up jokes, Clinton impressions, and fluorescent warm-up jackets. But now you’re just another middle-aged parent living in the suburbs with no time to go online. Your computer use is limited to forwarding chain letters and surfing chat rooms with the hope of cybering.
2 GMail
You’re a non-offensive hip guy who stays on top of all the trends. Can’t go wrong with a basic firstname.lastname e-mail address that strips away any sense of anonymity. 90% of your time is completely consumed by G-chatting all day long. The other 10% of your time is spent worrying that GMail is becoming too mainstream. You’re debating switching over to an @mac address, but you have to get new Converse sneakers first.
3 Hotmail
You could spend all day watching Hulk Hogan’s reality show reruns. Unfortunately the prison has strict TV watching hours. Your inbox is filled up with e-mails from lonely women, Viagra-related spam, and E! reality TV show propositions.
4 Yahoo
You got your e-mail address during the AOL pay-for-Internet era. Although you were dying for a cool screen name, you were too poor to shell out the monthly fee. It’s now your go-to spam e-mail address whenever you’re filling out online forms or trying to create multiple accounts on one website.
5 Prodigy
You were the first person to ever sign up for an e-mail address back in 1771. People were still using horse and carriages to get to work when you invented the “If you don’t send this to 20 people right away, you will have 7 years of bad luck” chain letter. Unfortunately you’ve gone completely senile since then and no one has the heart to tell you that Prodigy as well as FDR are relics of the past.
6 School Mail
You went to a very good school and it’s important to you that your alma mater is the first thing that people see. So what if you graduated 30 years ago. And who cares that your GPA was .8. All that matters to you is your contacts knowing that you’re better than them every single time they open an e-mail from you.
7 Company
You never read that memo from HR telling you that all e-mail sent from your company would be monitored. That’s why you use it to send porn links to your friends and rants about your boss to your family. Eventually you will be featured in a newspaper article about a man who got fired for using his work e-mail for personal matters.
(Guyism)
Expect To See A Lot More Of Her In The Near Future . . . . .
Thai-Norwegian Hottie Christine Teigen to Appear In 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
Christine Teigen
More pictures here (BroBible)
Christine Teigen
More pictures here (BroBible)
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