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Video: The art of the wheelie Posted about 24 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous Filed under: Videos , Motorcycle
We tend to keep our one-wheeled shenanigans pretty simple. Blame it on an old bike or anatomical deficiencies all you like, but the truth is, getting one wheel in the air on asphalt is a nerve-racking proposition. So when we see skills like those in the video after the jump , we can't help but fire up a round of the old slow clap. The clip shows one talented individual with a bike's nose in the air for a solid minute and a half, and he could clearly ride it much longer if he wanted. Now, this isn't a plain vanilla wheelie. Oh no. This rider takes the time to exit the freeway, make a right through an intersection and change lanes all while on the rear tire.
This is typically where we say something along the lines of "don't try this at home." And this case is really no different... so, don't try this at home. And if you do, just make sure you're wearing the proper gear when you get the itch to point your motorcycle toward the sky. Hit the jump to check out the clip for yourself.
Continue reading The art of the wheelie
The art of the wheelie originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments
Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/the-art-of-the-wheelie/
Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie
B&B review: Ingthorpe Grange, North Yorkshire Posted about 23 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
With flagstoned hallways, enormous bedrooms and wisteria at the windows, this beautifully restored manor house on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales leaves guests on a high
The journey to Ingthorpe Grange is going to go down as one of my all-time favourites. Travelling south across the Pennines is sheer car-advert stuff. We skirt the dales, turning off the A65 just before Skipton and end up ? at the sonorous command of the satnav Irishman ? in a farmyard. Oops.
I give in and telephone (which ruins my personal best of 15 reviews in a row without assistance). Now we're on the right track (no, it really is a track), which deposits us on the driveway at Ingthorpe Grange.
Ooh ? some house. I would say posh, but then again, hens are scratching about in the porch. Here's our B&B landlady, Leslie Lockyear, who moved (it says on the website) from Petworth in West Sussex with husband Sean and three children. That's a bit of a scenery shift.
We catch a waft of something fragrant in the flagstoned hallway, and glimpses of vast rooms. Up, first, to deposit our things. This time, I'm bagging the biggest room (and by that I mean biggest ever, ever, in a B&B, with a bathroom to match) and Clare is in a more manageably proportioned pink room overlooking a pizza oven in the back garden. She has a large bathroom along the hall.
From the natural arrangement of fresh flowers to stone mullion windows, the Julian Chichester modern four-poster to the depths of a bath with a view of cows grazing ? the room is so fabulous, I wish I could spend all evening up here.
"She's managed to make an austere house light, airy and informal," says Clare, hitting the nail on the head as we trot down for tea in the comfortable expanse of drawing room.
Through foliage which tickles the windows, we have far-reaching views across a small formal garden to endless pasture. No light pollution tonight, that's for sure. Leslie brings tea and explains that she worked for the Max Mara fashion label in Chelsea, but wanted to return to the north (she is from Lancashire). Her passion now is interiors. She and Sean renovated the house seven years ago, but began B&B in 2009, persuaded by the owners of nearby Hellifield Peel Castle (featured on C4's Grand Designs and now an upmarket B&B) who needed somewhere to recommend when they were full.
"If people come expecting giant flatscreen TVs and shiny marble, it's not going to happen," Leslie says. "You might lose a bit of water pressure when you're having a shower, but people look relaxed when they leave."
We're falling under Ingthorpe's spell, but also getting hungry. Leslie reserves us a table at foodie pub The Angel Inn at Hetton. Armed with directions, we hit the road again and find that most encouraging of scenes ? busy staff, and punters crowding to get in. We make the most of a piscatorial menu. Proven?al fish soup, seabass with seared queenie scallops and lobster sauce, cod with broad bean puree and warm tartare sauce. What a find.
I hit the sack with a sense of wanting to hold on to the night, to savour every moment in this perfect setting, the sweetest air drifting in through windows which open through a curtain of wisteria.
The dining hall, in which breakfast is laid, evokes monastic refectories. Nothing abstemious about breakfast ? a salad of soft fruit eaten off Villeroy & Boch, spot-on poached eggs and, according to Clare, "very nice, light, unsmoked bacon". This is a fantastic B&B. We leave Yorkshire on a high.
? Booking advised for The Angel Inn (01756 730263, angelhetton.co.uk ). Starters from ?6.25, mains from ?12.95
sally.shalam@guardian.co.uk ----------------
WHAT TO DO IN THE AREA: BY THE LOCALS
A day out Ingthorpe sits amid the drumlin fields of Gargrave, soft hills formed in the last ice age ? from high up they resemble a basket of eggs. Footpaths and bridleways crisscross the area. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is not far and a walk along its banks is wonderful. For the more adventurous we are close to the dramatic craggy landscape of Malham Cove , a world heritage site.
Leslie Lockyear, landlady of Ingthorpe Grange
Bolton Abbey (boltonabbey.com , ?6 per vehicle, including all passengers) is a 20-minute drive away. You can visit the ruins and walk along the River Wharfe. Drive into the moors and visit Haworth , home of the Bront?s. Not only can you imagine yourself in one of the novels but you can explore the steep, cobbled streets and the many cafes and artisan shops. Children love the steam train ? the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway stops here (kwvr.co.uk , family day pass ?35 for two adults and three children). LL
Skipton is best known as the Gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, but there are many walks on the doorstep ? radiating from the Canal Basin and Skipton Woods in the centre of town. A ride on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway (embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk , family pass ?20 for two adults and two children) is a must for young families.
Anne Waddington, of The Tempest Arms, Elslack (01282 842450, tempestarms.co.uk )
The town of Grassington and the surrounding countryside is perhaps the most popular place to visit within the dales. There are miles of footpaths and tracks leading through the most captivating scenery. The main street is full of small, independent shops, selling food, crafts and gifts. AW
A top pub The Tempest Arms (details as before) won Les Routiers Pub of the Year 2011. The Bull at Broughton (01756 792065, thebullatbroughton.com ) is one of the Ribble Valley Inns co-owned by celebrity chef Nigel Haworth. LL
In Linton, between Skipton and Grassington, is the 17th-century Fountaine Inn (01756 752210, fountaineinnatlinton.co.uk ). Set on the village green and boasting wood fires and cosy corners, this is great for walkers, with good pub grub. AW
A spot of culture Skipton's Craven Museum & Gallery (cravenmuseum.org, free ) is currently exhibiting a rare edition of Shakespeare's First Folio. At the top of the main street stands Skipton Castle (skiptoncastle.co.uk , adults ?6.50, children ?3.90) ? one of England's best- preserved medieval castles. AW
A meal out Bizzie Lizzie's fish and chip shop (36 Swadford Street, bizzielizzies.co.uk ) is a Skipton institution. Or take a tour of the Copper Dragon Brewery (01756 704560, copperdragon.uk.com ) and have a pint with a meal at its bistro. AW * Hotels
* Yorkshire
* United Kingdom
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* Food and drink
* Food & drink Sally Shalam guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Gwen Stefani Halle Berry Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff Heidi Klum
Wheldon airlifted to hospital Posted about 22 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Dan Wheldon has been airlifted to University Medical Centre in Las Vegas following a huge 15-car accident in the early stages of the IndyCar Series finale. Pippa Mann, who climbed aided from her car, as well as JR Hildebrand have also been taken to the hospital by road. Wheldon, this year's Indianapolis 500 winner, was one of at least four drivers whose cars became airborne in the crash, which occurred on the 12th lap of the race.
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/wh...
Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk
A photography course in the Tatra mountains Posted about 21 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
Slawek Kozdras won a photography course in Slovakia's Tatra mountains in our 2010 Been there photo competition. Here he reveals the results Been there photo competition
Gallery: see Slawek's photos from the trip
Enter this year's photo competition
It's strange to go on a photography trip to Slovakia but to land in Krakow in Poland ? where I'm originally from.
Poland welcomed us with beautiful sunshine. After about an hour and a half's drive, billboards in Slovak appeared, then the jagged peaks of the Tatra mountains appeared on the horizon and we instantly found ourselves in the midst of a violent burst of hail.
Changing weather conditions were to accompany us for the next few days. Normally, rain, storm, hail, clouds and other nasty weather phenomena aren't welcome on holiday, but they are indispensable elements of successful landscape photography. There's nothing better than a mountain stream bathed in sunlight set against the intense blue of an imminent mountain storm.
We used an utterly cosy guesthouse, Penzion 2004, in a small, sleepy village, Stara Lesna, as our base. The aim of the trip was to learn how to take better landscape photos. Lesson number one was that it requires a strong will. It's not easy to force yourself to get up at 3.30am, especially on holiday. Lesson number two was patience. Out of five sunrises/sunsets, four were bland and we had to leave the site empty-handed, or rather empty-carded.
The only way to ease the hardship and occasional disappointment was to enjoy the company and focus on the thought of hot herbal tea waiting for us in the mountain cottage we stayed at for one night ? a remote haven in Tatra national park. So remote, in fact, that not long before our arrival and just a stone's throw from where we were based, a bear broke into a ranger's cottage while he was inside, locked in his bedroom. The ranger tried shouting, clapping and turning the telly on maximum volume but nothing would scare the animal away. He finally managed to frighten the bear by turning the vacuum on.
Aside from the lessons in bear-scaring, there was much to learn about photography. We discovered that it is wise to enter restaurants with one's camera clearly visible. In one place a very kind waitress noticed our cameras while we were having tea. She asked if we could help her out and take pictures of their dishes. There was one condition ? whatever she brought out to be photographed, we would have to eat. How could we say no? After enjoying delicious local masterpieces of dumplings with sheep's cheese, cabbage soup and blueberry pies as a thank you, we were offered bright smiles and herbal vodka.
All in all, it was a magnificent trip thanks to our tutors, Matt and Lee. I polished my technical photography skills using their tips and learned how to use filters and long exposures. The newly gained knowledge is very useful in capturing landscapes but also in other areas of photography. I also learned that the Tatra mountains, and Slovakia in general, are hidden gems definitely worth exploring.
? Tatra Photography (0161-408 8988, tatraphotographyworkshop.com ) offers a three-night Lakes and Waterfalls holiday in the Tatra mountains from ?599 including Gatwick-Krakow flights, three nights' full-board accommodation at Penzion 2004, four days' tuition and transfers. The next workshops take place from 20-23 and 27-30 October * Slovakia
* Travel photography
* Photography
* Learning holidays
* Europe
* Short breaks
guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon
Big Dairy Accused Of Pricefixing Milk By Paying For Cows To Be Killed Posted about 20 hours ago by joelpomales to joelpomales's posterous Big Dairy Accused Of Pricefixing Milk By Paying For Cows To Be Killed
via The Consumerist by Ben Popken on 10/18/11 A new class action lawsuit accuses several dairy industry juggernauts of paying mainly small farmers to send their entire herds to the slaughterhouse in order to reduce the supply of milk and jack up milk prices.
The lawsuit contends that a national trust of dairy trade groups, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) funded a "dairy herd retirement" program which sent 500,000 cows to slaughter in order to boost milk prices from 2003-2010. CWT's own website (PDF) says the initiative increased profits by $9.5 billion for agribusiness.
In 2010, a similar lawsuit against Land O' Lakes accused the company of fixing egg prices by paying for poultry herds to be thinned under an "animal welfare" program. That case settled for $24 million.
Read the lawsuit (PDF)
Dairy Price-Fixing [HBSSLAW]
COK Uncovers $9.5 Billion Price-Fixing Scheme: National Milk Producers Federation and Other Dairy Industry Groups Accused of Antitrust Violations [COK]
Rennsport Reunion IV Concours: Porsche Motorsport History on Pit Lane Posted about 20 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Saturday's Rennsport activities concluded with a concours. Instead of the traditional golf-course lawn, the cars were in their natural habitat: About 80 racing-pedigreed Porsches ?were on display on pit lane. The gathering showcased the amazing cross-section of important and simply cool-looking race cars on hand. And it even smelled like racing. The best-in-show winner was [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/N9RIuonsqfA/
Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte
10 best guided walks in London Posted about 19 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
Fancy a trip down Diagon Alley, a view of an elusive Banksy or a look at the spot where William 'Braveheart' Wallace was executed? Here are 10 top London guided tours
London is best seen on foot. But in a city so historically, culturally and geographically vast, you might need a guide. Fortunately, a burgeoning community of tour operators is ready and waiting to lead you through the streets of London. Ten of the many options ? including the mainstream and the more offbeat ? are suggested below. Check the websites for full details, as most walks require pre-booking.
Fox & Squirrel Art Walks New company Fox & Squirrel prides itself on knowing the best lifestyle venues in the capital. Regular walks explore London's fashion, arts, vintage, architecture and food scenes. On a typical arts walk, you'll visit three contemporary galleries. A curator or artist will not only explain the work on show, but also the oft-bewildering nature of the London arts world.
? The next Arts walk is on 8 October, 3pm, Peckham Library, ?15, 90 minutes, foxandsquirrel.com
Old Map Man Nearly all tour guides thrive off London's unrivalled history. Ken Titmuss, AKA the Old Map Man, goes one step further by physically conjuring up lost London using historic maps. For example, he'll not only lead you to Charles Dickens' former home, but also show you a 19th-century map with a gap where this house was about to be built. Tours operate all over London, but there's no fixed rota so check the website for details.
? Tour starting points vary, next tour 19 October at 11am. Most walks cost ?8 and last two hours, londontrails.wordpress.com
Olympic tours All eyes will be on London in 2012 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Public access to the main Olympic Park is restricted during the build-up, but a guided walk around the perimeter offers a tantalising preview. Blue Badge guides from Tour Guides Ltd provide daily outings. The tours begin in the Lower Lea Valley, where you'll learn about the area's still-visible industrial heritage. You'll finish up on the Greenway, a raised walkway through the middle of the Olympic Park with spectacular views of the main stadia.
? 11am every day from Bromley-by-Bow tube station, adults ?9, children ?6, walks last around two hours maximum, tourguides2012.co.uk
Black History Walks Explore the history of London's African populations with these regular tours in the City, West End, Docklands, Elephant and Castle and Notting Hill. You'll hear how much of England's wealth was built on African labour and resources, discover the streets that carry African names, and learn to spot African architectural influences. There's no regular rota of walks, so check the web site for upcoming events.
? The next City tour is on 9 October at 2pm, ?7 adults, ?3 children, around two hours, blackhistorywalks.co.uk
Liars' London Lesser tour guides are often accused of "making stuff up" for the sake of a good story. This tricksy tour makes a virtue of embellishment and deceit. You get two tour guides, one of whom tells the truth while the other tells porkies. Your task is to guess which one is the fibber, with a prize for the most astute member of the group. Liars' tours are organised by London Street Tours and are available for Kensington, Chelsea, Blackfriars, London Bridge and Bloomsbury (assuming that their spokesperson is telling the truth).
? Group tours available on request at ?7.50 per person, minimum group size of 20, londonstreettours.co.uk
Charles Booth Poverty Maps Sean Patterson has numerous tricks up his sleeve to bring the sights and sounds of Victorian London to life. One minute you're ushered into a local supermarket to learn about the history of ice cream, the next you're dropping into the local pub for a pint of Best. Patterson draws on the work of Charles Booth, the Victorian philanthropist who mapped poverty levels across all of London's streets. Patterson uses the map to point out areas that remain down-at-heel, and ones that have prospered. His main tours explore the fascinating but little-known streets of Deptford, and he's working on sequels elsewhere.
? Tours run most Saturdays and Sundays from central Deptford, ?10, three hours, charlesboothwalks.com
London Street Art Tours There's much more to street art than Banksy. Graff guide Griff knows many of the artists personally, and will open your eyes to this vibrant subculture. By the end, you'll be able to tell your Roas from your Malarkys and your Eines from your Sweet Toofs. And Banksy? You'll also be shown a few of his lesser-known pieces, hidden from general view. Tours usually focus on the Shoreditch area, this being London's main hotbed of street art. Weekend tours will also take you up to Hackney on a more extended expedition.
? From Old Street tube station every Tuesday (10am) and Thursday (6pm), ?10, two hours. A four-hour tour costs ?15, on Saturdays at 11am, streetartlondon.co.uk/tours
London's Lost Rivers A lost network of rivers is buried beneath the roads of modern London. Most are now sewers, but all have left their mark on the world above. Tom Bolton, author of the recent book London's Lost Rivers: A Walker's Guide, will show you how to read the landscape and spot these ancient watercourses ? from the slopes of nearby roads to tell-tale street names. His next trek, on 8 October, follows the elusive River Neckinger, which rises in Southwark and drains into the Thames in Bermondsey. Periodic tours are available, but don't run to a rota.
? 8 October, from Bernie Spain Gardens, 2.30pm, ?5, two hours, strangeattractor.co.uk/further
Harry Potter Tours Perfect for families, these wizarding tours of London seek out locations from the eight movies. One tour explores the City of London, home to Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron. Another will leave you spellbound in Westminster, where you'll discover the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. Muggles are welcome. The tours are by London Walks, who've dominated the guided walk scene in the capital for decades, and offer many other themed excursions.
? City tours run every Wednesday from Temple tube station, 6.30pm, Westminster tours run on Saturdays from Westminster tube station, at 2pm, adults ?8, children ?3, free for under-8s, walks.com
Smithfield Earlybird Forget the Tower of London. Smithfield is undoubtedly the bloodiest location in the capital, with a long history of executions (including William "Braveheart" Wallace), centuries of heretic-burning and a famous peasant-slaying (the Revolt was stamped out here). Smithfield has also been the site of a butchers' market for centuries, which still thrives today. This turbulent and fascinating history is best explored in the early morning, when the market is bustling. Join a representative of the City Guides group for an early-bird tour.
? Tours run once a month, with the next on 20 October, 7am, ?8, 90 minutes, cityoflondontouristguides.com
Matt Brown is editor of online listings magazine Londonist.com and an obsessive walker * London
* United Kingdom
* Walking holidays
* Short breaks
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Michigan GMC Dealers Ready for Self-Driving Vehicles? By 2020 is the Goal says General Motors Posted about 19 hours ago by MI Auto Times to MI Auto Times
From vehicles with no seatbelts or airbags, to added safety technologies and now, finally self-driving vehicles, General Motors is bringing the future of driving to the industry. Michigan GMC dealers may see these vehicles as early as 2020.
DETROIT, M.I. - Michigan GMC dealers may have watched as new safety technology was created and added to the many new vehicles that are being produced: rearview cameras, side sensors for lane safety and more. As the need for more safety continues, automakers such as General Motors persist in the discovery, design and production of new technologies. GM's current venture? Self-driving vehicles.
The goal at this point is to have vehicles able to be partially driven by an occupant while other abilities will be automated by the middle of the decade. By the end of the decade, the plan is to have a much more sophisticated system that allows for the vehicles to drive themselves with no driver involved in the main functions of the vehicles.
"The technologies we're developing will provide an added convenience by partially or even completely taking over the driving duties," said Alan Taub, the vice president of global research and development for GM, in a GM press release. "The primary goal, though, is safety. Future generation safety systems will eliminate the crash altogether by interceding on behalf of drivers before they're even aware of a hazardous situation."
Michigan GMC dealers may know that the combination of sensors, radars, portable communication devices, GPS as well as cameras are the basis for the information that is fed directly to the vehicle's computer system. Digital maps will also help give the occupant the freedom to concentrate on everything else aside from driving.
There are already some technologies that General Motors has brought to its vehicles such as a lane departure warning system for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain; a side blind-zone alert for vehicles such as the Buick LaCrosse, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe; finally, there are many vehicles that are stocked with back-up cameras.
"In the coming years, we believe the industry will experience a dramatic leap in active safety systems, and, hopefully, a dramatic decline in injuries and fatalities on our roadways," Taub said. "GM has made a commitment to be at the forefront of this development."
Other technologies that General Motors is working on in the coming years include:
· an industry-first with a crash avoidance system, which will use a camera to help driver avoid a front-end and lane departure crash
· vehicle-to-vehicle as well as vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems that will gather information from other vehicles, roadways and even traffics signals
· the EN-V urban mobility concept which is a combination of GPS with vehicle-to-vehicle communication and distance-sensing technologies
Consumers will be able to look to Michigan GMC dealers and other across the country to find the safety and security that they have come to know is available in a General Motors vehicle but will soon come with the ability to relax comfortably without needing to watch the road.
MI Auto Times covers all Michigan automotive news all the time, featuring newly released vehicle recall information, relevant Michigan automaker news, vehicle ratings and comparisons, and everything else auto-related Michigan and world readers need to know.
Got a hot tip? Send your news tips to news@miautotimes.com or connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MichiganAutoTimes .
[Source(s): GM Media]
Hildebrand leaves hospital Posted about 18 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
IndyCar driver JR Hildebrand has been released from hospital after sustaining injuries in the Las Vegas crash in which Dan Wheldon lost his life.
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/hi...
Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler
Adriana Lima?s Hot, New Victoria?s Secret Shoot Posted about 17 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous Proving why she?s one of the world?s top models, Adriana Lima is featured in a new series of photos from Victoria?s Secret.
In the set, Adriana shows off a variety of new lingerie including some sexy black outfits as well as flirty colorful creations, all the while looking flawless.
And it sounds like Ms. Lima has been a busy girl as of late, thanks to an appearance on the Turkish version of ?Dancing with the Stars,? called ?Yok Boyle Danse.?
Adriana looked fabulous in a sexy red dress as she mesmerized the audience with a pair of dance performances before joining the judges at the table.
Embedded media -- click here to see it.
Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff Heidi Klum Heidi Montag Hilarie Burton
Rennsport Trivia: Keys of the Gods Edition Posted about 16 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Few historic racing cars are as immediately identifiable as the Porsche 917. Stuttgart's twelve-cylinder monster and the cars it spawned took the German marque to some of the most famous podiums in the world, and it gave the company the overall Le Mans win it had long wanted. The most iconic 917 is perhaps the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/iK4TYOAWDWM/
Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler
Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid (with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze) Posted about 15 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
Another new pumpkin recipe! In this breakfast braid, tender, flaky, almond-scented pastry envelops pumpkin pie custard topped with buttery cinnamon pecan streusel. Maple brown sugar glaze and toasted pecans top the whole shebang, creating a perfect autumn breakfast (or dessert, or lunch, or dinner...!)
This braid looks fancy, but don't be fooled. It's one of the easiest things I make. The dough is lovely to work with -- it doesn't need to rise, barely needs any kneading, and isn't too sticky or finicky. It?s the perfect beginning pastry. If you?ve ever used canned crescent rolls, this dough is a textured a lot like that. I'm always amazed that such gorgeous results can be achieved with such little effort.
Especially if you've never made anything like this, I hope you'll give it a try. It really does make you feel like a rockstar to serve a pretty braid to your family :) Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze
---------------- Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking. Inspired by The Luna Cafe , with glaze from Caitlin Cooks
Yield: About 4-5 servings of 2 slices each
Easy Dough Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup milk, minus 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/8 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/8 teaspoons cinnamon*
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg*
1/4 teaspoon ginger*
1/8 teaspoon allspice*
*You could probably substitute a teaspoon or so of pumpkin pie spices for these.
Pecan Streusel Ingredients:
1/8 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/8 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoons cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Maple Brown Sugar Glaze Ingredients:
1 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons real maple syrup
pinch salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
cinnamon for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the creamy pumpkin pie filling. In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice and mix until combined. Set in fridge while you make your braid.
Toast your pecans. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes or until fragrant, stirring about halfway through the cook time. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Make your pastry dough. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture and pulse to cut the fat into the flour (about 6 pulses). Add the milk and almond extract and blend into a loose dough.
Turn the dough onto a sheet of lightly-floured parchment paper and knead very lightly for just 4-5 strokes (be careful not to overwork the dough or it'll be tough! Don't worry about getting it smooth -- just knead for these few strokes and let it stay a little rough.)
Very lightly flour the top of the dough and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough to an 8- by 12-inch rectangle (I lift the paper off every now and then and flip the dough and repeat on the other side, to ensure the dough isn't sticking). Remove the top sheet of parchment and discard. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread your creamy pumpkin pie filling down the middle third of the dough -- try to keep your filling about 1/4 inch from the mark on both sides.
Make the streusel topping. Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until you have crumbly streusel. Mix in 1/4 cup of toasted pecans (save the rest for decorating the finished braid). Sprinkle streusel over top of pumpkin mixture in center of dough. Really pile it on!
Continue assembling the braid (see photos at the bottom of this recipe, which show the process of marking and assembling a raspberry almond braid, for guidance). Make 2 3/4-inch slight diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each the long sides. Do not cut into the center pumpkin-filled area. Fold strips, first one from one side and then one from the other side in a rotating fashion, over the filling. It will now resemble a braid. Use the sheet of parchment to transfer your braid to a baking sheet (at this point, you can brush the pastry with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and a teaspoon of water if you want it darker than mine. I didn't bother). Bake in the 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the top is lightly browned. Let the braid cool slightly while you make your glaze.
Make the Maple Brown Sugar Glaze. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts, whisk in the brown sugar, syrup, and salt, stirring until the brown sugar melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the top of your braid. Sprinkle the braid with toasted pecans and a dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and microwave for about 20 seconds to serve. To read about how I wholeheartedly embrace nerdiness, see the great lengths I was willing to go to to get out of the mile run as a child, and see more pumpkin braid photos, please head over to Willow Bird Baking !
x-posted to food_porn, cooking, picturing_food, and bakebakebake
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Turner replaces Wheldon at Surfers Posted about 14 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Briton Darren Turner will replace the late Dan Wheldon in this weekend's Armor All Gold Coast 600 at Surfers Paradise.
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/turner-replace...
Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti
Listed industrial giants decaying, English Heritage warns Posted about 13 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
From: Subscriptions from Posterous
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Subject: Your Daily Posterous Spaces Update
Your Daily Posterous Spaces Update October 19th, 2011
Video: The art of the wheelie Posted about 24 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous Filed under: Videos , Motorcycle
We tend to keep our one-wheeled shenanigans pretty simple. Blame it on an old bike or anatomical deficiencies all you like, but the truth is, getting one wheel in the air on asphalt is a nerve-racking proposition. So when we see skills like those in the video after the jump , we can't help but fire up a round of the old slow clap. The clip shows one talented individual with a bike's nose in the air for a solid minute and a half, and he could clearly ride it much longer if he wanted. Now, this isn't a plain vanilla wheelie. Oh no. This rider takes the time to exit the freeway, make a right through an intersection and change lanes all while on the rear tire.
This is typically where we say something along the lines of "don't try this at home." And this case is really no different... so, don't try this at home. And if you do, just make sure you're wearing the proper gear when you get the itch to point your motorcycle toward the sky. Hit the jump to check out the clip for yourself.
Continue reading The art of the wheelie
The art of the wheelie originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments
Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/the-art-of-the-wheelie/
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B&B review: Ingthorpe Grange, North Yorkshire Posted about 23 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
With flagstoned hallways, enormous bedrooms and wisteria at the windows, this beautifully restored manor house on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales leaves guests on a high
The journey to Ingthorpe Grange is going to go down as one of my all-time favourites. Travelling south across the Pennines is sheer car-advert stuff. We skirt the dales, turning off the A65 just before Skipton and end up ? at the sonorous command of the satnav Irishman ? in a farmyard. Oops.
I give in and telephone (which ruins my personal best of 15 reviews in a row without assistance). Now we're on the right track (no, it really is a track), which deposits us on the driveway at Ingthorpe Grange.
Ooh ? some house. I would say posh, but then again, hens are scratching about in the porch. Here's our B&B landlady, Leslie Lockyear, who moved (it says on the website) from Petworth in West Sussex with husband Sean and three children. That's a bit of a scenery shift.
We catch a waft of something fragrant in the flagstoned hallway, and glimpses of vast rooms. Up, first, to deposit our things. This time, I'm bagging the biggest room (and by that I mean biggest ever, ever, in a B&B, with a bathroom to match) and Clare is in a more manageably proportioned pink room overlooking a pizza oven in the back garden. She has a large bathroom along the hall.
From the natural arrangement of fresh flowers to stone mullion windows, the Julian Chichester modern four-poster to the depths of a bath with a view of cows grazing ? the room is so fabulous, I wish I could spend all evening up here.
"She's managed to make an austere house light, airy and informal," says Clare, hitting the nail on the head as we trot down for tea in the comfortable expanse of drawing room.
Through foliage which tickles the windows, we have far-reaching views across a small formal garden to endless pasture. No light pollution tonight, that's for sure. Leslie brings tea and explains that she worked for the Max Mara fashion label in Chelsea, but wanted to return to the north (she is from Lancashire). Her passion now is interiors. She and Sean renovated the house seven years ago, but began B&B in 2009, persuaded by the owners of nearby Hellifield Peel Castle (featured on C4's Grand Designs and now an upmarket B&B) who needed somewhere to recommend when they were full.
"If people come expecting giant flatscreen TVs and shiny marble, it's not going to happen," Leslie says. "You might lose a bit of water pressure when you're having a shower, but people look relaxed when they leave."
We're falling under Ingthorpe's spell, but also getting hungry. Leslie reserves us a table at foodie pub The Angel Inn at Hetton. Armed with directions, we hit the road again and find that most encouraging of scenes ? busy staff, and punters crowding to get in. We make the most of a piscatorial menu. Proven?al fish soup, seabass with seared queenie scallops and lobster sauce, cod with broad bean puree and warm tartare sauce. What a find.
I hit the sack with a sense of wanting to hold on to the night, to savour every moment in this perfect setting, the sweetest air drifting in through windows which open through a curtain of wisteria.
The dining hall, in which breakfast is laid, evokes monastic refectories. Nothing abstemious about breakfast ? a salad of soft fruit eaten off Villeroy & Boch, spot-on poached eggs and, according to Clare, "very nice, light, unsmoked bacon". This is a fantastic B&B. We leave Yorkshire on a high.
? Booking advised for The Angel Inn (01756 730263, angelhetton.co.uk ). Starters from ?6.25, mains from ?12.95
sally.shalam@guardian.co.uk ----------------
WHAT TO DO IN THE AREA: BY THE LOCALS
A day out Ingthorpe sits amid the drumlin fields of Gargrave, soft hills formed in the last ice age ? from high up they resemble a basket of eggs. Footpaths and bridleways crisscross the area. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is not far and a walk along its banks is wonderful. For the more adventurous we are close to the dramatic craggy landscape of Malham Cove , a world heritage site.
Leslie Lockyear, landlady of Ingthorpe Grange
Bolton Abbey (boltonabbey.com , ?6 per vehicle, including all passengers) is a 20-minute drive away. You can visit the ruins and walk along the River Wharfe. Drive into the moors and visit Haworth , home of the Bront?s. Not only can you imagine yourself in one of the novels but you can explore the steep, cobbled streets and the many cafes and artisan shops. Children love the steam train ? the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway stops here (kwvr.co.uk , family day pass ?35 for two adults and three children). LL
Skipton is best known as the Gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, but there are many walks on the doorstep ? radiating from the Canal Basin and Skipton Woods in the centre of town. A ride on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway (embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk , family pass ?20 for two adults and two children) is a must for young families.
Anne Waddington, of The Tempest Arms, Elslack (01282 842450, tempestarms.co.uk )
The town of Grassington and the surrounding countryside is perhaps the most popular place to visit within the dales. There are miles of footpaths and tracks leading through the most captivating scenery. The main street is full of small, independent shops, selling food, crafts and gifts. AW
A top pub The Tempest Arms (details as before) won Les Routiers Pub of the Year 2011. The Bull at Broughton (01756 792065, thebullatbroughton.com ) is one of the Ribble Valley Inns co-owned by celebrity chef Nigel Haworth. LL
In Linton, between Skipton and Grassington, is the 17th-century Fountaine Inn (01756 752210, fountaineinnatlinton.co.uk ). Set on the village green and boasting wood fires and cosy corners, this is great for walkers, with good pub grub. AW
A spot of culture Skipton's Craven Museum & Gallery (cravenmuseum.org, free ) is currently exhibiting a rare edition of Shakespeare's First Folio. At the top of the main street stands Skipton Castle (skiptoncastle.co.uk , adults ?6.50, children ?3.90) ? one of England's best- preserved medieval castles. AW
A meal out Bizzie Lizzie's fish and chip shop (36 Swadford Street, bizzielizzies.co.uk ) is a Skipton institution. Or take a tour of the Copper Dragon Brewery (01756 704560, copperdragon.uk.com ) and have a pint with a meal at its bistro. AW * Hotels
* Yorkshire
* United Kingdom
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* Food and drink
* Food & drink Sally Shalam guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Gwen Stefani Halle Berry Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff Heidi Klum
Wheldon airlifted to hospital Posted about 22 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Dan Wheldon has been airlifted to University Medical Centre in Las Vegas following a huge 15-car accident in the early stages of the IndyCar Series finale. Pippa Mann, who climbed aided from her car, as well as JR Hildebrand have also been taken to the hospital by road. Wheldon, this year's Indianapolis 500 winner, was one of at least four drivers whose cars became airborne in the crash, which occurred on the 12th lap of the race.
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/wh...
Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk
A photography course in the Tatra mountains Posted about 21 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
Slawek Kozdras won a photography course in Slovakia's Tatra mountains in our 2010 Been there photo competition. Here he reveals the results Been there photo competition
Gallery: see Slawek's photos from the trip
Enter this year's photo competition
It's strange to go on a photography trip to Slovakia but to land in Krakow in Poland ? where I'm originally from.
Poland welcomed us with beautiful sunshine. After about an hour and a half's drive, billboards in Slovak appeared, then the jagged peaks of the Tatra mountains appeared on the horizon and we instantly found ourselves in the midst of a violent burst of hail.
Changing weather conditions were to accompany us for the next few days. Normally, rain, storm, hail, clouds and other nasty weather phenomena aren't welcome on holiday, but they are indispensable elements of successful landscape photography. There's nothing better than a mountain stream bathed in sunlight set against the intense blue of an imminent mountain storm.
We used an utterly cosy guesthouse, Penzion 2004, in a small, sleepy village, Stara Lesna, as our base. The aim of the trip was to learn how to take better landscape photos. Lesson number one was that it requires a strong will. It's not easy to force yourself to get up at 3.30am, especially on holiday. Lesson number two was patience. Out of five sunrises/sunsets, four were bland and we had to leave the site empty-handed, or rather empty-carded.
The only way to ease the hardship and occasional disappointment was to enjoy the company and focus on the thought of hot herbal tea waiting for us in the mountain cottage we stayed at for one night ? a remote haven in Tatra national park. So remote, in fact, that not long before our arrival and just a stone's throw from where we were based, a bear broke into a ranger's cottage while he was inside, locked in his bedroom. The ranger tried shouting, clapping and turning the telly on maximum volume but nothing would scare the animal away. He finally managed to frighten the bear by turning the vacuum on.
Aside from the lessons in bear-scaring, there was much to learn about photography. We discovered that it is wise to enter restaurants with one's camera clearly visible. In one place a very kind waitress noticed our cameras while we were having tea. She asked if we could help her out and take pictures of their dishes. There was one condition ? whatever she brought out to be photographed, we would have to eat. How could we say no? After enjoying delicious local masterpieces of dumplings with sheep's cheese, cabbage soup and blueberry pies as a thank you, we were offered bright smiles and herbal vodka.
All in all, it was a magnificent trip thanks to our tutors, Matt and Lee. I polished my technical photography skills using their tips and learned how to use filters and long exposures. The newly gained knowledge is very useful in capturing landscapes but also in other areas of photography. I also learned that the Tatra mountains, and Slovakia in general, are hidden gems definitely worth exploring.
? Tatra Photography (0161-408 8988, tatraphotographyworkshop.com ) offers a three-night Lakes and Waterfalls holiday in the Tatra mountains from ?599 including Gatwick-Krakow flights, three nights' full-board accommodation at Penzion 2004, four days' tuition and transfers. The next workshops take place from 20-23 and 27-30 October * Slovakia
* Travel photography
* Photography
* Learning holidays
* Europe
* Short breaks
guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon
Big Dairy Accused Of Pricefixing Milk By Paying For Cows To Be Killed Posted about 20 hours ago by joelpomales to joelpomales's posterous Big Dairy Accused Of Pricefixing Milk By Paying For Cows To Be Killed
via The Consumerist by Ben Popken on 10/18/11 A new class action lawsuit accuses several dairy industry juggernauts of paying mainly small farmers to send their entire herds to the slaughterhouse in order to reduce the supply of milk and jack up milk prices.
The lawsuit contends that a national trust of dairy trade groups, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) funded a "dairy herd retirement" program which sent 500,000 cows to slaughter in order to boost milk prices from 2003-2010. CWT's own website (PDF) says the initiative increased profits by $9.5 billion for agribusiness.
In 2010, a similar lawsuit against Land O' Lakes accused the company of fixing egg prices by paying for poultry herds to be thinned under an "animal welfare" program. That case settled for $24 million.
Read the lawsuit (PDF)
Dairy Price-Fixing [HBSSLAW]
COK Uncovers $9.5 Billion Price-Fixing Scheme: National Milk Producers Federation and Other Dairy Industry Groups Accused of Antitrust Violations [COK]
Rennsport Reunion IV Concours: Porsche Motorsport History on Pit Lane Posted about 20 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Saturday's Rennsport activities concluded with a concours. Instead of the traditional golf-course lawn, the cars were in their natural habitat: About 80 racing-pedigreed Porsches ?were on display on pit lane. The gathering showcased the amazing cross-section of important and simply cool-looking race cars on hand. And it even smelled like racing. The best-in-show winner was [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/N9RIuonsqfA/
Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte
10 best guided walks in London Posted about 19 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
Fancy a trip down Diagon Alley, a view of an elusive Banksy or a look at the spot where William 'Braveheart' Wallace was executed? Here are 10 top London guided tours
London is best seen on foot. But in a city so historically, culturally and geographically vast, you might need a guide. Fortunately, a burgeoning community of tour operators is ready and waiting to lead you through the streets of London. Ten of the many options ? including the mainstream and the more offbeat ? are suggested below. Check the websites for full details, as most walks require pre-booking.
Fox & Squirrel Art Walks New company Fox & Squirrel prides itself on knowing the best lifestyle venues in the capital. Regular walks explore London's fashion, arts, vintage, architecture and food scenes. On a typical arts walk, you'll visit three contemporary galleries. A curator or artist will not only explain the work on show, but also the oft-bewildering nature of the London arts world.
? The next Arts walk is on 8 October, 3pm, Peckham Library, ?15, 90 minutes, foxandsquirrel.com
Old Map Man Nearly all tour guides thrive off London's unrivalled history. Ken Titmuss, AKA the Old Map Man, goes one step further by physically conjuring up lost London using historic maps. For example, he'll not only lead you to Charles Dickens' former home, but also show you a 19th-century map with a gap where this house was about to be built. Tours operate all over London, but there's no fixed rota so check the website for details.
? Tour starting points vary, next tour 19 October at 11am. Most walks cost ?8 and last two hours, londontrails.wordpress.com
Olympic tours All eyes will be on London in 2012 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Public access to the main Olympic Park is restricted during the build-up, but a guided walk around the perimeter offers a tantalising preview. Blue Badge guides from Tour Guides Ltd provide daily outings. The tours begin in the Lower Lea Valley, where you'll learn about the area's still-visible industrial heritage. You'll finish up on the Greenway, a raised walkway through the middle of the Olympic Park with spectacular views of the main stadia.
? 11am every day from Bromley-by-Bow tube station, adults ?9, children ?6, walks last around two hours maximum, tourguides2012.co.uk
Black History Walks Explore the history of London's African populations with these regular tours in the City, West End, Docklands, Elephant and Castle and Notting Hill. You'll hear how much of England's wealth was built on African labour and resources, discover the streets that carry African names, and learn to spot African architectural influences. There's no regular rota of walks, so check the web site for upcoming events.
? The next City tour is on 9 October at 2pm, ?7 adults, ?3 children, around two hours, blackhistorywalks.co.uk
Liars' London Lesser tour guides are often accused of "making stuff up" for the sake of a good story. This tricksy tour makes a virtue of embellishment and deceit. You get two tour guides, one of whom tells the truth while the other tells porkies. Your task is to guess which one is the fibber, with a prize for the most astute member of the group. Liars' tours are organised by London Street Tours and are available for Kensington, Chelsea, Blackfriars, London Bridge and Bloomsbury (assuming that their spokesperson is telling the truth).
? Group tours available on request at ?7.50 per person, minimum group size of 20, londonstreettours.co.uk
Charles Booth Poverty Maps Sean Patterson has numerous tricks up his sleeve to bring the sights and sounds of Victorian London to life. One minute you're ushered into a local supermarket to learn about the history of ice cream, the next you're dropping into the local pub for a pint of Best. Patterson draws on the work of Charles Booth, the Victorian philanthropist who mapped poverty levels across all of London's streets. Patterson uses the map to point out areas that remain down-at-heel, and ones that have prospered. His main tours explore the fascinating but little-known streets of Deptford, and he's working on sequels elsewhere.
? Tours run most Saturdays and Sundays from central Deptford, ?10, three hours, charlesboothwalks.com
London Street Art Tours There's much more to street art than Banksy. Graff guide Griff knows many of the artists personally, and will open your eyes to this vibrant subculture. By the end, you'll be able to tell your Roas from your Malarkys and your Eines from your Sweet Toofs. And Banksy? You'll also be shown a few of his lesser-known pieces, hidden from general view. Tours usually focus on the Shoreditch area, this being London's main hotbed of street art. Weekend tours will also take you up to Hackney on a more extended expedition.
? From Old Street tube station every Tuesday (10am) and Thursday (6pm), ?10, two hours. A four-hour tour costs ?15, on Saturdays at 11am, streetartlondon.co.uk/tours
London's Lost Rivers A lost network of rivers is buried beneath the roads of modern London. Most are now sewers, but all have left their mark on the world above. Tom Bolton, author of the recent book London's Lost Rivers: A Walker's Guide, will show you how to read the landscape and spot these ancient watercourses ? from the slopes of nearby roads to tell-tale street names. His next trek, on 8 October, follows the elusive River Neckinger, which rises in Southwark and drains into the Thames in Bermondsey. Periodic tours are available, but don't run to a rota.
? 8 October, from Bernie Spain Gardens, 2.30pm, ?5, two hours, strangeattractor.co.uk/further
Harry Potter Tours Perfect for families, these wizarding tours of London seek out locations from the eight movies. One tour explores the City of London, home to Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron. Another will leave you spellbound in Westminster, where you'll discover the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. Muggles are welcome. The tours are by London Walks, who've dominated the guided walk scene in the capital for decades, and offer many other themed excursions.
? City tours run every Wednesday from Temple tube station, 6.30pm, Westminster tours run on Saturdays from Westminster tube station, at 2pm, adults ?8, children ?3, free for under-8s, walks.com
Smithfield Earlybird Forget the Tower of London. Smithfield is undoubtedly the bloodiest location in the capital, with a long history of executions (including William "Braveheart" Wallace), centuries of heretic-burning and a famous peasant-slaying (the Revolt was stamped out here). Smithfield has also been the site of a butchers' market for centuries, which still thrives today. This turbulent and fascinating history is best explored in the early morning, when the market is bustling. Join a representative of the City Guides group for an early-bird tour.
? Tours run once a month, with the next on 20 October, 7am, ?8, 90 minutes, cityoflondontouristguides.com
Matt Brown is editor of online listings magazine Londonist.com and an obsessive walker * London
* United Kingdom
* Walking holidays
* Short breaks
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Michigan GMC Dealers Ready for Self-Driving Vehicles? By 2020 is the Goal says General Motors Posted about 19 hours ago by MI Auto Times to MI Auto Times
From vehicles with no seatbelts or airbags, to added safety technologies and now, finally self-driving vehicles, General Motors is bringing the future of driving to the industry. Michigan GMC dealers may see these vehicles as early as 2020.
DETROIT, M.I. - Michigan GMC dealers may have watched as new safety technology was created and added to the many new vehicles that are being produced: rearview cameras, side sensors for lane safety and more. As the need for more safety continues, automakers such as General Motors persist in the discovery, design and production of new technologies. GM's current venture? Self-driving vehicles.
The goal at this point is to have vehicles able to be partially driven by an occupant while other abilities will be automated by the middle of the decade. By the end of the decade, the plan is to have a much more sophisticated system that allows for the vehicles to drive themselves with no driver involved in the main functions of the vehicles.
"The technologies we're developing will provide an added convenience by partially or even completely taking over the driving duties," said Alan Taub, the vice president of global research and development for GM, in a GM press release. "The primary goal, though, is safety. Future generation safety systems will eliminate the crash altogether by interceding on behalf of drivers before they're even aware of a hazardous situation."
Michigan GMC dealers may know that the combination of sensors, radars, portable communication devices, GPS as well as cameras are the basis for the information that is fed directly to the vehicle's computer system. Digital maps will also help give the occupant the freedom to concentrate on everything else aside from driving.
There are already some technologies that General Motors has brought to its vehicles such as a lane departure warning system for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain; a side blind-zone alert for vehicles such as the Buick LaCrosse, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe; finally, there are many vehicles that are stocked with back-up cameras.
"In the coming years, we believe the industry will experience a dramatic leap in active safety systems, and, hopefully, a dramatic decline in injuries and fatalities on our roadways," Taub said. "GM has made a commitment to be at the forefront of this development."
Other technologies that General Motors is working on in the coming years include:
· an industry-first with a crash avoidance system, which will use a camera to help driver avoid a front-end and lane departure crash
· vehicle-to-vehicle as well as vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems that will gather information from other vehicles, roadways and even traffics signals
· the EN-V urban mobility concept which is a combination of GPS with vehicle-to-vehicle communication and distance-sensing technologies
Consumers will be able to look to Michigan GMC dealers and other across the country to find the safety and security that they have come to know is available in a General Motors vehicle but will soon come with the ability to relax comfortably without needing to watch the road.
MI Auto Times covers all Michigan automotive news all the time, featuring newly released vehicle recall information, relevant Michigan automaker news, vehicle ratings and comparisons, and everything else auto-related Michigan and world readers need to know.
Got a hot tip? Send your news tips to news@miautotimes.com or connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MichiganAutoTimes .
[Source(s): GM Media]
Hildebrand leaves hospital Posted about 18 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
IndyCar driver JR Hildebrand has been released from hospital after sustaining injuries in the Las Vegas crash in which Dan Wheldon lost his life.
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/hi...
Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler
Adriana Lima?s Hot, New Victoria?s Secret Shoot Posted about 17 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous Proving why she?s one of the world?s top models, Adriana Lima is featured in a new series of photos from Victoria?s Secret.
In the set, Adriana shows off a variety of new lingerie including some sexy black outfits as well as flirty colorful creations, all the while looking flawless.
And it sounds like Ms. Lima has been a busy girl as of late, thanks to an appearance on the Turkish version of ?Dancing with the Stars,? called ?Yok Boyle Danse.?
Adriana looked fabulous in a sexy red dress as she mesmerized the audience with a pair of dance performances before joining the judges at the table.
Embedded media -- click here to see it.
Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff Heidi Klum Heidi Montag Hilarie Burton
Rennsport Trivia: Keys of the Gods Edition Posted about 16 hours ago by rovenlunger to rovenlunger's posterous
Few historic racing cars are as immediately identifiable as the Porsche 917. Stuttgart's twelve-cylinder monster and the cars it spawned took the German marque to some of the most famous podiums in the world, and it gave the company the overall Le Mans win it had long wanted. The most iconic 917 is perhaps the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/iK4TYOAWDWM/
Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler
Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid (with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze) Posted about 15 hours ago by kimtopps to kimtopps's posterous
Another new pumpkin recipe! In this breakfast braid, tender, flaky, almond-scented pastry envelops pumpkin pie custard topped with buttery cinnamon pecan streusel. Maple brown sugar glaze and toasted pecans top the whole shebang, creating a perfect autumn breakfast (or dessert, or lunch, or dinner...!)
This braid looks fancy, but don't be fooled. It's one of the easiest things I make. The dough is lovely to work with -- it doesn't need to rise, barely needs any kneading, and isn't too sticky or finicky. It?s the perfect beginning pastry. If you?ve ever used canned crescent rolls, this dough is a textured a lot like that. I'm always amazed that such gorgeous results can be achieved with such little effort.
Especially if you've never made anything like this, I hope you'll give it a try. It really does make you feel like a rockstar to serve a pretty braid to your family :) Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze
---------------- Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking. Inspired by The Luna Cafe , with glaze from Caitlin Cooks
Yield: About 4-5 servings of 2 slices each
Easy Dough Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup milk, minus 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/8 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/8 teaspoons cinnamon*
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg*
1/4 teaspoon ginger*
1/8 teaspoon allspice*
*You could probably substitute a teaspoon or so of pumpkin pie spices for these.
Pecan Streusel Ingredients:
1/8 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/8 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoons cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Maple Brown Sugar Glaze Ingredients:
1 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons real maple syrup
pinch salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
cinnamon for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the creamy pumpkin pie filling. In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice and mix until combined. Set in fridge while you make your braid.
Toast your pecans. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes or until fragrant, stirring about halfway through the cook time. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Make your pastry dough. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture and pulse to cut the fat into the flour (about 6 pulses). Add the milk and almond extract and blend into a loose dough.
Turn the dough onto a sheet of lightly-floured parchment paper and knead very lightly for just 4-5 strokes (be careful not to overwork the dough or it'll be tough! Don't worry about getting it smooth -- just knead for these few strokes and let it stay a little rough.)
Very lightly flour the top of the dough and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough to an 8- by 12-inch rectangle (I lift the paper off every now and then and flip the dough and repeat on the other side, to ensure the dough isn't sticking). Remove the top sheet of parchment and discard. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread your creamy pumpkin pie filling down the middle third of the dough -- try to keep your filling about 1/4 inch from the mark on both sides.
Make the streusel topping. Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until you have crumbly streusel. Mix in 1/4 cup of toasted pecans (save the rest for decorating the finished braid). Sprinkle streusel over top of pumpkin mixture in center of dough. Really pile it on!
Continue assembling the braid (see photos at the bottom of this recipe, which show the process of marking and assembling a raspberry almond braid, for guidance). Make 2 3/4-inch slight diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each the long sides. Do not cut into the center pumpkin-filled area. Fold strips, first one from one side and then one from the other side in a rotating fashion, over the filling. It will now resemble a braid. Use the sheet of parchment to transfer your braid to a baking sheet (at this point, you can brush the pastry with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and a teaspoon of water if you want it darker than mine. I didn't bother). Bake in the 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the top is lightly browned. Let the braid cool slightly while you make your glaze.
Make the Maple Brown Sugar Glaze. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts, whisk in the brown sugar, syrup, and salt, stirring until the brown sugar melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the top of your braid. Sprinkle the braid with toasted pecans and a dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and microwave for about 20 seconds to serve. To read about how I wholeheartedly embrace nerdiness, see the great lengths I was willing to go to to get out of the mile run as a child, and see more pumpkin braid photos, please head over to Willow Bird Baking !
x-posted to food_porn, cooking, picturing_food, and bakebakebake
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