Tree House

2006-08-20T02:20:00.000-06:00

W e b E x c l u s i v e
50 Coolest Websites 2005
How do we come up with our 50 best? Short answer: we take your suggestions, probe friends and colleagues about their favorite online haunts and then surf like mad. This year's finalists are a mix of newcomers, new discoveries and veterans that have learned some new tricks
The List: Arts & Entertainment
The List: Blogs
The List: Lifestyle, Health & Hobbies
The List: News & Information
The List: Shopping

Arts and Entertainment
A party mix of amusements, from virtual art galleries to TV trivia to talk radio for your iPod, plus some of the best humor writing on the Web.
Read Our Reviews »
Aardman Animations
The Complete Review
Opus 1 Classical
New York Public Library's Digital Gallery
The Museum of Online Museums
Orisinal
McSweeney's Internet Tendency
Ze's Page Podcast Bunker Mercora
TV.com

Blogs
For many Netizens, Web logs—reading them, writing them, or both—have become a way of life. So this year, they get their own category. See box for tips on how to keep up with all your favorites, plus tools you can use to build your own.
Read Our Reviews »
Overheard in New York
Jalopnik, Autoblog
Go Fug Yourself
PostSecret
MoCo Loco
Bayraider
Allen's Blog
Chocolate and Zucchini
Boing Boing
Anonymous Lawyer
Dooce
Chromasia
SportsBlogs Nation
Lifehacker
Gridskipper

Lifestyle, Health and Hobbies
Eat better. Share digital photos. Network with your neighbors—or your neighbor's dogs. Read Our Reviews »
Flavorpill
Cancer Nutrition Info
Flickr
ZooZoom
Food 411
CNET Digital Home DIY
The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator
Dogster
I-Neighbors
News and Information
New ways to search the Web—for fast facts, for jobs, for anything—plus a variety of online resources where you can learn more about the law, public policy or your home entertainment system. Read Our Reviews »
Blinkx.tv
Identity Theft Resource Center
Answers.com
OhMyNews International
Indeed, SimplyHired, Workzoo
FindLaw
Public Agenda
Clusty

Shopping
Our picks in this category range from the general to the specific. You'll find a price-oriented search engine and the best place to buy shoes; a far-reaching travel portal and ground zero for gag gifts. Read Our Reviews »
Sidestep.com
Craigslist
Shopzilla
Woot!
Archie McPhee
Zappos.com
Complaints.com

Gas prices climb to

2005-09-01T02:57:00.000-06:00

Gas prices climb to $3, $4 and even $5/gallon
Posted Sep 1, 2005, 2:00 AM ET by John NeffRelated entries: Trends

Imagine my shock driving home from work and passing a BP where gas had jumped from $2.69/gallon to $3.09/gallon since the morning. That was yesterday and today it seems that the ripple effects of Hurricane Katrina are growing into waves as MSNBC reports. One reader tipped us that Fox News was reporting the price of gas in Atlanta, GA had reached $5.87/gallon somewhere, although we couldn’t substantiate that. World News Tonight had a report yesterday evening on which Midwestern states were seeing the largest jumps, and lo and beholf my state of Ohio was at the top of the list with an average rise of $.50/gallon. There are so many questions that come to mind while trying to process this. Will gas prices stay at elevated levels? Will more refineries be built? Will consumers pressure automakers for more fuel-efficient vehicles after experiencing life at over $4.00/gallon? Here’s hoping you filled your tank before yesterday.
UPDATE: The Car Connection has a piece corroborating the $5.87/gallon story on Fox News.

Read
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Helping victims of Hurricane Katrina
Posted Sep 1, 2005, 12:02 AM ET by John Neff

We don’t know about you, but we here at Autoblog are just floored at the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and along the Gulf coast. With everyone’s busy lives it’s easy to just look up at the news and hardly register that another hurricane is on its way. For some reason it seems as if no one was prepared for this level of destruction. I know it’s sometimes difficult to figure out how to best help the victims of a tragedy, but Instapundit has a great post up with a list of charities and who has recommended them. I wish I knew charities better myself but I don’t, so I’m going with The American Red Cross because it seems they’re always one of the first organizations to respond to national disasters. If anyone has more recommendations, list them in the comments sections.Thanks and everyone’s thoughts here at Autoblog continue to be with the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Car news

2005-09-01T02:56:00.000-06:00

Lotus Sets One-Year Sales Record in the US
READ MORE: Lotus, News, US, elise, industry news, sales
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Lotus announced today its Elise is the company’s most successful model in its 57-year history, setting a one-year sales record in the US — 2,385 cars delivered — and exceeding expectations by nearly 20%. Strong demand for the Elise has led Lotus to continue cultivating dealerships in the US, with dealers recently added in Cleveland, Richmond and Raleigh, and new plans for showrooms in Las Vegas and Sacramento. Lotus, majority-owned by Malaysia’s Proton, also has several new models in the works, including the next-generation of its venerable Esprit coupe and a coupe with more refinements than the Elise, which will resurrect its Europa nameplate, and compete with Porsche’s new Cayman. Whoever said Americans would never buy a stripped-down, lightweight, corner-on-rails, Toyota-powered, Lotus-tuned sports car for $40,000 was either waxing ironic or, more likely, works for Toyota. [Thanks to Zerin for the tip.]
Related:Lotus to Go After Porsche Cayman with Europa; Lotus’s New Europa: Sorting out the Facts; Lotus Reveals New, Elise-Based Circuit Car [internal]

Spy Photos: 2007 Hyundai Elantra
READ MORE: 2007, Spy Photos, elantra, hyundai, korea
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Hyundai’s new Elantra, offspring of the 1988 Excel we once drove 75 miles with a hand over one eye (don’t ask), was recently caught on film by spies. The Car Connection posted evidence of the Elantra’s turn in the makeover chair today, as the car was apparently doing its best impression of a men’s slipper, or attending a desert audition for HBO’s “Carnivale.” As TCC points out, the Elantra’s new design diverges from the new Sonata’s angular, aggressive stance, with softer edges and lines that flow from bow to stern, nary a right angle in sight.
Spy Shots: ‘07 Hyundai Elantra [The Car Connection]
Related:Spy Photos: Clearly a Hyundai Santa Fe; ; Spy Photos: Hyundai’s Luxury Equus [internal]

Jalopnik Reviews: 2005 Nissan Quest 3.5 SE
READ MORE: 2006, Jalopnik Reviews, Nissan, japan, minivan, quest
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If they can put a man on the moon, why can’t they put all the minivans there as well? I know: Minivans’ mileage and safety make a mockery of the SUVs playing roll-over and fetch in the great American suburbs. But any 4500lbs. vehicle with a sliding side door says bread van to me. My parents didn’t pay for five years of college so their son could become an amateur delivery boy. If Nissan wants to give me a Quest, how about I figure out a way to park the entire ’06 production run in the Copernicus crater?

URGENT PROPOSAL

2005-09-01T02:51:00.000-06:00

URGENT PROPOSAL.
BY TEDDY WAYNE

Good day, sir and madam,
I received your contact information through a reliable source in my search for a trustworthy person who will assist me in an urgent business proposition. Also, you are my parents, and your e-mail address is under the easily accessible nickname of "The Rents." Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am TEDDY WAYNE of New York City, the son you raised in your household for 18 years (the second of three, so you might not remember me that well) and have seen off and on for the past eight, often at graduations and holiday dinners.
My situation is dire. Recently, my freelance writing work has dried up, and as my credit is no longer considered "good," I cannot access my previously earned monies. However, as a freelance writer from 2001 to 2004, I earned upwards of $37.4 million copyediting, substitute-teaching, and temping. While you may be skeptical of this figure, as I got free dinners off you whenever possible, frequently did my laundry in your home, and rarely had health care during that time, it is verifiable through my extravagant spending at area bars. Before my credit went "bad" and my accounts were "frozen," I secretly deposited this money in a special "passbook" savings account at Citibank at 1.2 percent interest. This means that the $37.4 million has accrued in value since then, although I'm not really good enough with money to know by how much.
As my next of kin, you will be allowed to take control of the account if you can prove that I have fled the country and have no intention of returning. My urgent proposal is this. You will purchase me a one-way plane ticket to your choice of the following destinations: Ibiza, Spain; Melbourne, Australia; or Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. You will also furnish me with $20,000 in cash, a large backpack, and a Nalgene water bottle. Once I am safely abroad, I will write an e-mail home to the effect that I am having a blast backpacking across Europe/Australia/South America, have married my new wife Maria/Julie/Railene, and have no intention of ever coming back to the boring, bourgeois "United Waste." This pun will indicate my great distaste for America and should prove to American officials my seriousness in not returning. If this is insufficient, I will attach a digital photo of me kissing Maria/Julie/Railene, who will be hot. At this point you will be able to access the "passbook" savings account, and you shall transfer 50 percent of the money to your own account and send the rest to me. Hell, take 75 percent while you're at it. What's a little money between estranged relatives?
Of course, this would mean that once the transaction is complete we will never be able to correspond again. This means no phone calls, no letters, and certainly no forwarded e-mails of bad, obvious jokes about President Bush. To ensure your financial security for the rest of your lives, I am willing to make this profound sacrifice.
If you want to proceed with this transaction, please reply with the usernames and passwords of your online banking accounts, so that I can make the $20,000 transfer on my own. If you are circumspect about providing the usernames and passwords over e-mail, just hint if they're some combination of the names of our dogs over the years. If you do not accept my offer, please treat it with utmost confidentiality (i.e., don't tell Grandma, as I'll probably ask her next). Even though we weren't raised religious, I'm trusting you as a God-fearing person who will not sit on my life-saving fund and deprive me of the chance of creating beautiful babies in a sun-splashed paradise.
Yours faithfully,
Teddy WayneFormer freelancer/your sonNew York City

I wish I could say this for the first time

2005-09-01T02:50:00.000-06:00

I WISHI COULD SAYTHIS IS THE FIRST TIMEI'VE BEEN HANDCUFFEDTO A RADIATOR.
BY JOHN HOWELL HARRIS

Man, I really wish I could say this is the first time this has happened to me. Hell, I wish I could say it's the third. But it's not. Nope. Four times. This is the fourth time I've been handcuffed to a radiator. Second time by your organization, now that I think about it.
Of course, if you want to split hairs about the whole thing, there have been a handful of times I've been handcuffed to other household appliances and/or fixtures. Like just a couple of weeks ago I found myself handcuffed to one of those sleek new Sharper Image ionic air purifiers. That, my friends, was a little bit of all right, if you're talking about being handcuffed to something. Those things are whisper fucking quiet. No joke. And if I had to use the bathroom, it was as simple as unplugging that masterpiece of design and function and just lugging it with me to the can. It was like barely being handcuffed to anything at all. I was breathing a lot better, too. I could tell, my heart rate was way lower than normal during the repeated, vicious brass-knuckle beatings.
You know, now that we're on the subject, that Trane outdoor central-air unit I got handcuffed to last August wasn't terrible, either. But let me tell you, as efficient and effective as those systems are, they don't do shit for you unless you're inside the house. Man, it must been 110 degrees that week!
Yeah, those times were nothing like this Truman-era-lead-paint-coated-radiator-with-ammonia-filled-bucket-for-a-toilet deal you guys got me on now. But hey, I'm being rude. Your professionalism really couldn't be more top-notch. The beatings in particular. Aces. Good work, especially around the kidneys and eyes. Big Jimmy has really done a lot to improve the morale and general gusto of his organization. Last time he had me handcuffed to a radiator, in an abandoned middle school, the goons he used would just as soon sit there and read Maxim as ball-peen you in the sternum. Probably got put on desk jobs, those slobs, am I right? Ha! Not really "collections" material, right? Ha! ... But you guys, though! Forget about it! I haven't coughed up blood like this since Big Ralphie's guys handcuffed me to that '82 Ford Escort down at Dumpleton's Junkyard.
Big Ralphie is in a different league altogether, though. Has you guys beat on creativity, no contest. Sorry, fellas, had to be said. One time, the man had me handcuffed to 13 prewar waffle irons that he chained together (personally, I should mention) beforehand just for the occasion. Not only was I super impressed but I also felt special. Man, I was like some kind of crazy ghost, banging around up in that church belfry with all those waffle irons and chains, getting beaten within an inch of my life! That Ralphie, he is a thoughtful, meticulous man. Big Jimmy could learn a thing or two from him.
No disrespect, though, no disrespect. Like I said, Big Jimmy has come a long way, and you two are a testament to that fact. He's moved leaps and bounds past Moderately Sized Wilson, that's for sure. That guy! What an amateur! Man, I don't even feel like I owe him money. More like a student loan. When his guys handcuffed me to a radiator, they actually asked me if the cuffs were too tight! Ha! I don't even know why I count that time in the illustrious four. I mean, I got a worse beating when I called that guy at H&R Block a pencil-neck dipshit!
Of course, tax evasion isn't something we have to get into right now, as I can see you dudes are busy filling that tube sock with quarters, which—gotta be honest again here—seen it before. Painful, yeah, I'll give you that, but not Big Ralphie painful.
Hey, guys, before you start in again, you mind passing me the ammonia bucket?

Coffee & Tea

2005-09-01T02:43:00.000-06:00

Each day we need to take time for ourselves, our cup of tea or coffee before the rest of the world awakes is the best time of the day for some, for others the day would not seem complete without their cup to complete dinner. Whatever your ritual is, take the time to enjoy it. A good tea can make the most stressful day seem to fade away, and a rich cup of coffee can make the rest of the day seem so much better! The sources we have selected below offer a wonderful variety of choices for you to enjoy with your current rituals or to spur inspiration to create new ones. Maybe a tea party with some old friends?

Adagio Teas - Teas and tea wares

Teas of Green - A select menu of the world's very best green teas, oolong teas and black teas, high grade loose leaf tea

Numi Organic Teas & Teasans - their hallmark is super premium, organic full leaf teas and herbal teasans, all made without the use of any oils, flavorings or tea dust. The "flowering teas" are hand-swen tea leaves that "bloom" into a flower when steeped!

Paper Street Teas - Premium loose leaf teas

Tea Forte - Silken-Tea-Infusers are individually hand crafted, and provide a unique way to brew a cup of tea. Only whole-leaf teas and rough cut herbs are use

Tea Revolution - master-blended organic hot teas are bagged in innovative biodegradable tea bags. The Pyramid Bag allows you a clear view of the premium, full-leaf hot tea you are enjoying

Teaosophy - Beautiful pods of leaf teas

Mighty Leaf Teas - handcrafted artisan teas in beautiful silk pouches

Salon Teas - Six custom designed tea blends The tea is imported from various international tea estates. The teas that are harvested are often first and second flushes, hand picked and rolled.

Harney & Sons - Master tea blenders

Serendipitea - Committed to the highest quality loose leaf tea. Working closely with tea gardens, estates / specialists around the world. Environmentally responsible, utilizing organic farms & all-natural products. Earth-friendly packaging,Socially responsible, employing people not machines, handcrafted rather than machine-milled

Gypsy Tea - Organic & fair-traded tea offering loose & bulk teas, teabags, gifts of white, black, green & herbal teas lovingly conceived to change the world one sip at a time ... essential oils, organic fruit extracts, & incredible organically grown tea leave are used.

Tealuxe - Loose teas/supplies

Verithé - Tea, tea lollipops, tea wares

Upton Tea Imports - Over 320 varieties of only the finest loose tea available worldwide

Stash Teas - 200 different blends and varieties of teas

The Republic of Tea - A rare selection of premium white, red, green, black, Oolong, and chai teas

Tea Guys - Fine loose teas and tea accessories; also custom labeling/wholesale

Imperial Tea Court - A fine Chinese tea house in San Francisco, selling authentic, hand-crafted Chinese teas, tea pots, and tea ware

Tulumba - Turkish coffee and tea

Petaluma Coffee & Tea Company - Coffee roasters & fine tea

The Coffee Fool - Packed in small quantities right as it comes out of the roasters, direct to you

Caffe Pacori - Roast beans daily, offer wood roasted coffees

Intelligentsia Coffee - Fanatical attention to detail results in distinctive, award-winning coffees The coffee is roasted daily in vintage German roasters.

CoffeeAM - Coffee AM offers one of the largest selections the highest quality coffees, all made with 100% high-grown Arabica beans. Rare Organic Galapagos Island beans, the Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend, or Tanzania Peaberry. Search by country, flavor, type, and blend, or use the roast profile chart to select by coffee characteristics.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - know as, "The Bean" to their followers this family run company offersthier own coffee, teas, world famous"ice blends", wonderful biscotti, and pure coffee extract

Caffé Botanica - Old-world coffee roasting techniques & a natural infusion process creating an organic gourmet coffee with an uncompromising taste & the added benefits of the herbs & minerals

Peet's Coffee & Tea - 32 varieties roasted by hand daily, handselected teas

La Colombe Torrefaction - Coffee sold in the finest restaurants

Cafe La Semeuse - Award-winning specialty coffee that delights with its full-flavor but never bitter taste

Distant Lands Coffee - Quality conscious specialty coffee roasting company

Coffee Bean Direct - Fresh roasted coffee & gourmet teas

Wilder Rose Coffee - Delicious hand roasted coffee beans from one of America's finest roasters, Ron Rose. Premium quality coffee beans roasted in an antique Diedrich Roaster in small batches.

Gimme Coffee - The best possible beans for quality-obsessed industry operators and home coffee fanatics. Orders ship within 24 hours. Great coffee educational info & blog

Remy Sol Coffee - Artisan coffee from co-ops of farmers in Costa Rica

Graffeo Coffee - Rich, full bodied coffee

Caffe Sanora - Organic coffee; In Italy centuries ago, people knew the coffee bean had medicinal value, but the roasting process destroyed most of its nutritional content. Their patented roasting process maintains the antioxidants naturally found in the bean, without affecting taste. Caffe Sanora is a rich tasting cup of premium coffee with the nutritional benefits intended by nature.

Rocamojo - Soy coffee

Boyd Coffee Company - Large selection of coffees

2006 FORD GT HERITAGE' Livery evokes glory of le mans victories

2005-08-20T10:04:00.000-06:00

2006 FORD GT ‘HERITAGE’ LIVERY EVOKES GLORY OF LE MANS VICTORIES

2006 Ford GT ‘Heritage’ livery commemorates Le Mans victories in 1968 and 1969.
Heritage Blue and Epic Orange paint scheme recalling the JW Automotive/American Gulf Oil-sponsored Ford GT racers.
2006 marks the 40 th anniversary of the beginning of Fords’ four-year domination at Le Mans .MONTEREY BAY , Calif. , Aug. 19 – On display at Concorso Italiano, amidst a sea of red-painted competitors, a blue and orange-striped Ford GT rises above the rest, just as it did in 1968 and 1969 capturing victory at Le Mans . New for 2006, the limited-edition Ford GT ‘Heritage’ paint livery harkens back to the JW Automotive/American Gulf Oil-sponsored Le Mans-winning Ford GT racer. This unique paint scheme, one of the most memorable looks in Ford racing history, features a Heritage Blue with Epic Orange-striped exterior and four white ‘roundels’ allowing customers to apply the number of their choice.
“We’re very proud to offer the 2006 Ford GT in these timeless colors to celebrate our historic racing achievements and the high-performance and innovative technology behind our supercar,” said Carter Balkcom, Ford GT marketing manager. “The blue and orange livery is one of the most memorable paint schemes to ever be displayed on a race car. The JW Automotive American Gulf Oil Ford GT P/1075 is an iconic race car being one of only a few cars to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice.”

2006 also marks the 40 th anniversary of Ford’s remarkable four-year winning streak of the 24 Hours of Le Mans . Earlier this year, Ford announced another special exterior color, Tungsten Grey available with Quick Silver stripes, would be available on the 2006 Ford GT to commemorate that first sterling victory.
But Ford isn’t just celebrating its past. The company is building on its heritage with its Special Vehicle Team (SVT) enhancing the performance of Ford products now and into the future.
“Sweeping Le Mans proved to the world that Ford Motor Company could beat the most prestigious manufacturers in the world,” says Phil Martens, group vice president, Product Creation. “Those two events helped establish a culture of performance at Ford that to this day benefits our products, engineering expertise, and brand loyalty. Today, that culture is embodied in the Ford GT, aptly titled the pace car for the entire company.”
The Ford GT delivers 550 horsepower and a certified 205-mph top track speed rating, with styling inspired by the historic racecars and a comfortable and contemporary interior, all for a base price (MSRP) of under $150,000.
An ultra high-performance two-seat sports car, the Ford GT is built on an aluminum spaceframe chassis with super-plastic-formed aluminum body panels and an aluminum-over-carbon engine cover.
A mid-mounted supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 delivers 500 pound-feet of torque. Power flows to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transaxle. Independent suspension, large Brembo brakes and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires on 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels all are standard equipment.
Ford GT victories at Le Mans
1966 ; Ford Mk II; Ford Motor Company/Shelby American; Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon; Second-place car driven by Ken Miles and Denis Hulme and third-place car driven by Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson finished in close formation behind their winning teammates.
1967 ; Ford Mk IV; Ford Motor Coompany/Shelby American; Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt Jr. (Ford Mk IV driven by Bruce McLaren and Mark Donohue finished fourth behind its teammate.)
1968 ; Ford GT40; John Wyer Automotive Engineering; Pedro Rodriguez, Lucien Bianchi
1969 ; Ford GT40; John Wyer Automotive Engineering; Jacky Ickx, Jackie Oliver (Ford GT40 driven by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood was third behind its teammate.)

Jalopniks Contest of Speculation: week 1

2005-08-20T09:49:00.000-06:00

Jalopnik’s Contest of Speculation: What Will Volkswagen’s Four-Door Coupe Look Like? Week 1

READ MORE: Announcements, Fakes, VW, contest, volkswagen

We’ve come to the end of the premiere week in Jalopnik’s first, month-long digital spec-photo contest. Just to reiterate, we’re looking for the best rendering of what Volkswagen’s (supposedly) upcoming four-door coupe might look like. Why let AutoBild get all the propers — we know you guys can speculate in Photoshop (or any other imaging software) with the best of them. We’ll also be showing off selected entries, like that of long-time reader, Gautch (pictured) throughout the month of August. Go forth, artistes, and make with the fakes.

Jalopniks Contest of Speculation: Intro

2005-08-20T09:44:00.000-06:00

Jalopnik’s Contest of Speculation: What Will Volkswagen’s Four-Door Coupe Look Like?
READ MORE: Announcements, Fakes, VW, contest, volkswagen

Hey graphics cowboys, grab a fistful of Photoshop tools (and e-tablet) and stand by. We’re running a month-long contest to find the best renderer of a prospective 2007 VW model. According to AutoWeek, VW is planning to introduce a four-door coupe, similar to the Mercedes CLS and upcoming Porsche Panamera (spec, pictured), at a price point above the Passat — but assumedly below that of the Phaeton. But what will it look like? Quick, before the guys from AutoBild get on their game, send in your best spec jobs (rendered in Photoshop or any other imaging software) of how such a beast would look, in any setting you wish. The prize will be announced later this month, but will likely be cool. We’ll also be featuring selected entries as the month goes on, so stay tuned. Send entries/questions to tips@jalopnik.com.

New Mini Variants on the way

2005-08-20T09:36:00.000-06:00

New Mini Variants on the Way

READ MORE: 2007, BMW, Gossip, UK, geneva, germany, mini

According to leaked documents obtained by Edmunds Inside Line the next Mini, due in 2007, will come in six flavors. In addition to the current three-door and cabrio models, the line will include five-door, roadster, pickup and wagon models, in two wheelbase lengths. Brits of a certain age will remember the vanlike Mini Clubman and British Leyland Mini pickups, to which the new models would be a kind of homage. The extended, five-door model will have rear-hinged “suicide” doors in the rear, and the roadster will have a removable hardtop. But don’t run out and sell the apple cart right yet — we won’t see any such line extensions until at least 2008.
[Edmunds]

Related:
BMW Invests Big Bucks in Mini, New Models Planned; Mini-O-Rama: October Celebration of Issigonis’ Masterpiece;

SecondGeneration Mini Will be More Than Just a Coupe and Convertible

2005-08-20T09:32:00.000-06:00

Second-Generation Mini Will be More Than Just a Coupe and Convertible
Date Posted 08-19-2005
OXFORD, England — The next-generation Mini range will have six distinct body styles, according to leaked documents.The new Mini is due in 2007, and as well as straight replacements for the existing three-door hatch and two-door cabrio versions, there will be five-door, roadster, pickup and wagon derivatives. The new Mini will come in two wheelbase lengths, allowing the development of three new versions. The long-wheelbase versions will be a Clubman five-door, with rear-hinged rear passenger doors like the Mazda RX-8 and van-style twin rear doors, reminiscent of the 1960s original Mini Countryman wagon.There will also be a three-door wagon with flexible cargo space, and a two-door pickup, which would see a revival of the Mini Moke name. The original Moke was a utilitarian, stripped-down Mini off-roader.In addition, there will be a new short-wheelbase roadster derivative, which will have a removable hardtop in place of the cabrio's canvas roof.The new models are designed to broaden the appeal of the Mini, while using a common platform and not making radical changes to the Mini's looks. The biggest mechanical changes will be new engines: BMW diesels made in England rather than Brazil, and Peugeot diesels in place of Toyota motors used at present.The new Mini should debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, with the first of the new variants, the Clubman, arriving in 2008.What this means to you: A Mini to suit every taste, while staying true to the car's heritage. BMW is developing quite a little franchise with its retro Brit.

50 Coolest: Lifestyle, Health and Hobbies

2005-08-20T03:57:00.000-06:00

50 Coolest Websites 2005: Lifestyle, Health and Hobbies
Eat better. Share digital photos. Network with your neighbors—or your neighbor's dogs
By MARYANNE MURRAY BUECHNER
Posted Monday, Jun. 20, 2005

CultureFlavorpillhttp://www.flavorpill.net/Music, art, fashion and other carefully selected event highlights in five cities: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and Chicago. Type in your email address to get the weekly newsletter for the urban mecca of your choice, and you'll always know just what to do with your free time.

Cancer CareCancer Nutrition Infohttp://www.cancernutritioninfo.com/"Scientifically sound" nutrition advice for people living with cancer, created by cancer nutrition specialist and epidemiologist Suzanne Dixon. The site's mission is to review and interpret the latest research; it has no corporate ties, doesn't sell anything or push any special program. Some content is free, but to access the rest—including a searchable database of referenced articles, recipes and clinical trial information—you must pay $15 a year.

Digital PhotographyFlickrflickr.comThis public showroom for personal pics just might be the fastest-growing social network on the Web, and it's completely addictive. You upload your images and assign each an identifying tag; these tags help other members find your stuff, and you theirs. You can join groups and create new ones, post comments about particular images and designate favorites. Free membership is limited to 20 megabytes worth of uploads per month. Turn Pro and pay $25 a year for a host of other perks.

FashionZooZoomhttp://www.zoozoom.com/Impressively-designed 'zine featuring high-quality, full-screen photos of beautiful models in designer clothes. Musicians and artists are also featured, along with more serious works of photojournalism.

FoodFood 411http://www.food411.com/A huge, searchable directory of food-related websites, primarily where to buy stuff online, whether you need particular items for cooking or serving (meat, cheese, nuts) or complete meals delivered to your door. The main menu on the home page is essentially a list of lists, but it's comprehensive and fairly well-organized—the Food Reads section, for example, is divided into magazines, books, blogs and recipe sites. The Organic Foods page, under Healthwise, has 19 links.

Home ImprovementCNET Digital Home DIYdigitalhome.cnet.comInteractive video tutorials teach non-geeks how to upgrade to high-definition TV, set up a wireless home network or stream digital music from a computer to another room in the house. The "convince me" pages offer reasons why you should take on a particular job in the first place-which comes in handy if you've got a skeptical spouse with veto power. Visitors are invited to vote on which projects CNET's experts should tackle next.

LongevityThe Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculatorhttp://www.livingto100.com/Take this quiz to find out how long you will live. You'll also get a full dose of health and nutrition advice based on your answers to the questions. Affiliated with the not-for-profit Alliance for Aging Research.

PetsDogsterhttp://www.dogster.com/It was only a matter of time before someone created a Friendster for dogs, and this one is too goofy to resist. The site is easy to use—each pup gets a home page, complete with profile, photos and links to all his pals. (What's hard is explaining yourself to the not-so-crazy-about-canines crowd.) Special tool buttons to give a treat, invite friendship, send a message or read a diary.

Social NetworkingI-Neighborshttp://www.ineighbors.org/The brainchild of a group of students and teachers from MIT, I-Neighbors offers a free and easy way for residents of a given community to exchange information (and maybe even bond). Search by zip code to see if anybody's already created a home page for your neighborhood; if not, you can create your own. It takes just a few minutes to register, and your profile can be as vague or specific as you like. Provide an email address to be included in the directory and to receive group emails. You can add events to the calendar, recommend cleaning ladies and handymen, upload photos, even contact elected officials (see GovLink). Of course, whether a neighborhood thrives or dies depends on the participation of its members. Is yours a ghost town? The site provides a ready-to-print flyer for posting at the gym or corner deli to help advertise the link and drum up interest.

Free bartending school day 3

2005-08-20T03:39:00.000-06:00

Day 3 - Barware & GlasswareSo you’ll always know what goes… where! A must for Bartenders!
In order to move your way around the bar as quickly as possible, you’ll need the help of expert tools of the trade. Many of these are common sense, but the bottom line is that when used correctly, they will help you deliver a quality product and save you time in the process. Once you master your tools, you’ll be able to move faster than the guy next to you. Move faster than the guy next to you and you’ll bring home more tips. Have we got your attention?
Barware
The Jigger
Jiggers are the measuring cups of the bartender, used to arrive at an exact amount of liquor. There are 4 separate sizes, ¼ oz., ½ oz., ¾ oz., and 1 oz. Typically, you’ll only need two jiggers, as they are double sided with different measurements on each side.
Pourers
A pourer is a device that is inserted into the top of all liquor bottles in the bar, for easy access and speed. They come in three speeds: fast, medium and slow. For the busy bar and bartender, the fast pourer will make life much easier than measuring everything into jiggers, in that with practice, a two count (counting to two in your head) while pouring will be the equivalent to 1 oz of liquor. Know that this count refers to using the fast pourer which is the most commonly used speed, often the only speed. If your count is more or less than an ounce, you will create less than perfect drinks. We recommend to fast pour into a jigger until you feel comfortable with this tool and your ability to count the correct measurement.
Shaker
You’ll use a shaker to make most any cocktail with ice. The shaker is a stainless steel unit in either two or three pieces, the shaker itself, a strainer, and a top. You’ll start off most of your cocktails with the shaker half filled with ice. Add the necessary ingredients and shake firmly. If you have a three piece shaker, you’ll simply remove the cap and pour the drink into the glass, utilizing the strainer already built into the piece.
Boston Shaker
The busy bar will often utilize the Boston Shaker as opposed to a three piece shaker in that it’s a bit easier to use and takes less time than fiddling with the different attachments. The Boston Shaker consists of a stainless steel shaker and a mixing glass that is made to fit snugly into the stainless steel portion and form a seal, allowing you to shake the ingredients with both hands securing each end. When you’re finished shaking, twist the two pieces apart, leaving the contents in the shaker, and pour into your glass through a bar strainer.
Bar Strainer
As referenced with the Boston Shaker, this instrument will fit over your customer’s glass and allow you to pour only the alcohol, straining out any excess ice.
Ice Scoop
As the name implies, use this to fill cups with ice, and we strongly recommend NOT to use the glass you’ll serve your drink in to scoop out ice, or any glass at all. Most bars will not permit it due to safety hazards. A glass when used this way can easily chip into the ice. Chards of glass in the ice could cause serious damage to a customer as well as liability for a bar. We can’t emphasize enough to always use the Ice scoop!
Ice Tongs
Tongs should be used when you’re not preparing a drink in a shaker and when you need to transport ice to your customers glass without making a mess of the glass or putting in more ice than necessary.
Muddler
This is a small wooden bat used to crush ice and mash fruits, sugar cubes and herbs.
Bar Spoon
A bar spoon is usually 12 inches long and is most commonly used to measure 1 teaspoon. Similar to the jigger, they will often come with a different size on each end (1t & ½t). You’ll find yourself using the bar spoon when making layered and stirred drinks.
Juice Containers
These are simply, easy to pour containers to store commonly used juices in the world of mixology. Always keep them cold.
Salting tray
This is a contraption with rock salt primarily used for margaritas to dress the lip of the glass with salt. First, spread lime juice on the rim, then twist the lip of the glass around the salting tray and presto, a salted rim.
Zester
A zester is a cutting tool used to create twists of lemon and other fruits to garnish special drinks.
Bottle Openers & Waiter’s Corkscrew
I’d attach one of these to your belt, you’ll need it so often. I once knew a bartender with a prosthetic arm who’d chosen to add a bottle opener to the end of his prosthetic. Now that’s dedication!
Blenders
Used most commonly for tropical and margarita style drinks.
Glassware
Here, we briefly cover the most commonly used types of glassware found today. Different owners and styles of bars could deviate from these standards, but what we’ve included will be enough knowledge for you to get your foot in the door anywhere.
Beer Glasses
Beer Mug Pilsner Glass Pint GlassWine Glasses
Red Wine White WineChampagne Glasses
Fluted Champagne Glass
General Cocktail Glasses
Rocks Glass - Used for drinks over ice, chilled drinks, shots & beer or water backs.
Double Rocks Glass – Used for drinks with a mixer (Jack Daniels & Coke, etc.) or a double over ice.
Collins Glass – Used for any tall drinks, doubles with mixers or Collins drinks.
Martini Glass – Used for shaken or stirred drinks and sometimes shots; primarily Martinis.
Margarita Glass – Used for Margaritas, frozen drinks, and ice cream drinks.
Coffee Drink Glasses – Used for any drinks with coffee, as well as hot tea, hot chocolate, etc.
Irish Coffee GlassBrandy Snifter – Used for cordials such as Brandy, Cognac, Sambuca, etc. The brandy snifter can also be used for liqueurs and liquor served with or without mixers.
Other miscellaneous glasses
The highball The hurricane
These glasses are used for a variety of drinks including blended, tropical, water, juices or Long Island Ice Teas.
Some general tips and glassware etiquette are as follows:
• Never hold a glass by the rim (where people put their mouths). • Always handle wine glasses or any stemware by the stem itself. The heat from your hands could warm up the drink inappropriately if serving it by the bowl.• Make sure that all your glasses are spotless. There’s nothing worse than a drink served with remnants of lipstick, detergent taste, or any aroma from the previous drink.
Your typical bar Setup – What to expect
Most all bar set-ups are strikingly similar in that we all need the same basic utensils to make drinks, however you’ll need to be aware of the following once you are employed.
The Bar Top
This is fairly self explanatory, however apart from the standard long counter with a back bar, the differing varieties are horseshoe, round and square bar tops.
The Speed Rail
As discussed earlier, this is where all well or house brands are kept.
The Drain Board
This is where all used glasses sit. You’ll want to empty and rinse all glassware here first, prior to washing.
The Wash Sink
After the glasses have been drained and rinsed in the Drain board, you’ll need to move them over to the Wash Sink which should contain warm soapy water for washing. Depending upon the bar you end up in, this may or may not be the exclusive work of a bar back. However, even if it is, part of your job as a bartender is to maintain the bar, and this means washing during slow times to prevent being glassless when you’re hit with an onslaught of customers.
The Rinse Sink
Most bars today will have two rinse sinks, one with fresh water, the other with a cleansing agent.
Drying Board
Here, you’ll place cleaned glasses upside down to dry.
Free Bartending School Test Questions & Hands on Homework
Please find your test questions relating to Chapter 3 below. Now that you’re more familiar with the differing types of barware and glassware that you’ll need to use in your new career, let’s put that knowledge to use before you begin to fill out your test questions.
We suggest attempting and enjoying one of the following:
• Gin Rickey• Black Russian
3-21 What are the four most common measurements found on a jigger (how many ounces)?3-22 What is the recommended pourer speed to use, fast, medium or slow?3-23 What's the difference between a regular shaker and a Boston shaker?3-24 Under what circumstances should you use a glass to scoop ice?3-25 What is a muddler used for? 3-26 What is the most common measurement served by a bar spoon? 3-27 Prior to salting a Margarita glass, what do you do to the rim? 3-28 What tool do you use to create a lemon twist? 3-29 How many different glasses can you use to server beer and what are they called?3-30 What type of glass will you most commonly use for mixed drinks over ice?3-31 What's another type of liqueur to put in a brandy snifter besides brandy?3-32 Why shouldn't you serve a wine glass with your hand on the bowl?3-33 Other than the bowl, what's another major “no-no” when handling glasses?3-34 Other than the standard long counter bar, what other bar varieties are there?

50 Coolest: Arts and Entertainment

2005-08-20T02:09:00.000-06:00

A party mix of amusements, from virtual art galleries to TV trivia to talk radio for your iPod, plus some of the best humor writing on the Web
Posted Monday, Jun. 20, 2005

Animation
Aardman Animations
http://www.aardman.com/
The official site of the studio that created Wallace, the hapless yet well-meaning, cheese-loving inventor, and Gromit, his faithful canine companion, is a treasure trove of video clips (click on Show Reel) and links to character sites including www.wandg.com, where you can get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Wallace & Gromit's first feature-length movie, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, due in theaters in October.

Books
The Complete Review
http://www.complete-review.com/
This well-organized, easy-to-search compendium of book reviews—last we checked, there were 1,430 titles covered—includes editor's picks and bestseller lists by year. The site links to (and vets) dozens of literary weblogs, from Bookninja to Mobylives to its own Literary Saloon. The Review Index lets you search for books by author or title, genre or nationality; you can read the site's own review or click to read reviews published elsewhere.

Classical Music
Opus 1 Classica
lopus1classical.com
A rich, expansive resource for music fans more into Handel than hip-hop, Opus 1 provides information on classical music concerts, festivals and opera in dozens of cities across the globe. You can browse by city and calendar month, or try the Venue Finder. Listings include program information and links to where to buy tickets.

Collections
New York Public Library's Digital Gallery
digitalgallery.nypl.org
Lose yourself in this vast collection of rare prints, vintage maps, manuscripts, posters, photographs, sheet-music covers, dust jackets, menus, cigarette cards and other artifacts. There are more than 300,000 digital images of original materials available for viewing. Access is free, and you can download images to your computer for personal or research use. The My Digital page will store your favorite discoveries along with your search history.

Galleries
The Museum of Online Museums
www.coudal.com/moom.php
This elegantly-designed portal links to established museum and gallery sites such as those run by the Museum of Modern Art, The Bauhaus Archive and The Art Institute of Chicago. It will also introduce you to countless other online collections, from Van Gogh's letters to Chinese postage stamps to Manhole Covers of the World. For more, go to the MoOM Annex.

Games
Orisinal
http://www.orisinal.com/
Dozens of free Web-based games, gorgeously designed and relatively simple to play, which is perfect for non-gamers looking for an engaging way to waste time. Choices are presented as icons on the home page (no names, no explanations) but this only heightens the joy of discovery. Keep spiders off your cake, protect dragonflies from rhinoceros beetles, toss tiny umbrellas to baby birds as they fall out of their nest—all you need is your mouse and maybe your arrow keys to maneuver. For more silly diversions, try Little Fluffy Industries, which is part blog, part portal: editors review and link to new online games every day.

Humor
McSweeney's Internet Tendency
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/
This site has amused and delighted fans for years, but has hit new levels of inspiration with funny bits like the recent Baseball Knowledge Will Not Help You Pick Up Girls. There's an archive full of Lists (Embarrassing Things That Might Happen to You While Using a Lightsaber) and Reviews of New Food (on blowing bubbles with Skittles gum: "You would have far better luck coaxing a sphere out of chewed-up crayon and oatmeal"). Affiliated with, but separate and distinct from, the quarterly print literary journal McSweeney's.

More Funny Stuff
Ze's Page
http://www.zefrank.com/
The site began four years ago with "How To Dance Properly," a series of short looped video clips that web designer Frank posted online to amuse friends. The link was passed around like a virus you wanted to catch; within days millions had logged on, and a Web star was born. Today, Ze's page hosts a huge collection of interactive toys and games, comedic writings and humorous video monologues.

Podcasting
Podcast Bunker
http://www.podcastbunker.com/
The Web's best source of talk radio for your iPod. Unlike other sites that offer podcasts for downloading, such as podcastalley.com and ipodder.org (two other good sources in their own right), Podcast Bunker evaluates each feed for audio quality and content and only lists the best stuff. Click the Quick Guide for the full list of recommended programs, plus 30-second previews.

Radio
Mercora
http://www.mercora.com/
Got a fabulous digital music collection, but don't like breaking the law to share it? This peer-to-peer service is legal, because listeners don't actually download any music. Instead, they stream music on their computers that is webcast over the Internet by other members. (The company does have to pay webcasting royalties to copyright holders, and charges some user fees to cover them.) The offerings are listed in the traditional peer-to-peer way, noting artist, album, song title—in this case, the one currently playing—and source. Basic service is free, but limited to 30 minutes of listening a day. For $5 a month ($48 if you pre-pay for the year) you get unlimited listening time and can save up to 10 hours of programming for listening later. Premier members can also download the IMDJ application and create up to five different channels. Honorable mention: Underheard.org, which makes independent and community radio available for streaming or downloading to your portable audio player.

Television
TV.com
http://www.tv.com/
An ambitious guide to what's on television. The All Shows index is organized by category (Comedy, Drama, Children's Talk, Soaps, Reality, Sci-Fi and so on); browse from A to Z or by decade. You'll find everything from the Life and Times of Juniper Lee to The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. But of the 14,000 shows in the database, only 2,500 of them have content that's fully fleshed out, so the idea is to have fans help fill in the rest. Register for a free account to write (or edit) plot summaries and episode recaps, contribute trivia tidbits or write reviews. (The website's editors review every submission before it is posted.) The News page reports tidbits like Patrick Stewart's heart-attack scare and Megan Mullally's talk show deal. For a snarkier take on what's on the tube, there's always televisionwithoutpity.com.

2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca

2005-08-17T07:26:00.000-06:00

Car and Driver calls the Subaru B9 Tribeca’s looks “controversial.” That’s buff book speak for an SUV so hideous it turns onlookers to stone. Of course, you don’t need a journalist to tell you an SUV is Medusa-level ugly any more than you need a plumber to tell you that liquid Drano is toxic. One look at B9’s flying-vagina front end and you’re either appalled to the point of nausea or — nope, that’s it. For its part, Subaru claims the B9 offers “dynamic styling”. If they mean the SUV’s pudenda makes observers want to run, fair enough.
As for the why of the matter, I reckon the B9 is the ultimate test of Subaru’s legendary brand loyalty. The official version is that the B9’s nose evokes Fuji Heavy Industries’ history as an airplane manufacturer. Someone should have reminded Subaru that Fuji’s planes bombed Pearl Harbor — and we all know how that turned out.
Anyway, the reproductive theme continues inside the B9’s cabin. The swooping dashboard’s lower portions resemble a giant set of fallopian tubes. Subaru constructed this ergonomically dubious layout with pointless symmetry, using faux metal plastic that rivals Revell’s model kits for authenticity and tactile satisfaction. The cowled instrument binnacle adds a sporty touch — for no discernible reason.

As a seven-seater, the B9 makes a terrific five-seater. To prevent rear passengers from evoking article nine of the Geneva Convention, occupants of the first two rows must slide their chairs forward until the steering wheel touches the driver’s chest. Taken as a whole, the B9’s cabin lacks both charisma and coherence; it’s the only Japanese interior I’ve encountered that can make a Chevrolet Malibu feel like a luxury car.
None of the above would make any difference to the Scooby faithful or their camp followers if the B9 kicked ass. It doesn’t. Subaru’s 4260lbs SUV holsters a flat-six engine that musters 250 horses at 6600rpm. Do the math, keeping in mind that the erstwhile powerplant stumps-up just 219ft-lbs. of torque at 4200rpm. I make it zero to sixty in just under nine seconds — which is about as far removed as you can get from the blistering WRX STi without traveling to Antarctica.
As you’d expect from a machine that saves its punch (such as it is) for the penthouse, you’ve got to thrash the B9 to an inch of its life to get out of your own way. If you don’t cane the B9, its mileage-seeking slushbox finds fourth gear by the time you’ve accepted liability for your own stupidity via the touch screen. With only five cogs at your disposal — the last one being longer legged than Marisa Miller — the B9 is a tiring, tireless gear hunter.
On the positive side, the B9’s handling is exemplary for its size and class. Although Subaru’s first-ever SUV is based on a stretched and raised Outback platform, the company ditched the wagon’s trick multi-link rear suspension for a more robust double-wishbone set-up, and compensated for the loss by stiffening the chassis and wacking-on a set of big-ass roll bars. Right answer. The B9 soaks-up lumps and bumps like a luxury car, yet holds the road with considerable poise. Just don’t expect a great deal of/any throttle control in the corners.
While you’re at it, don’t expect a lot of respect at the car wash. The B9 Tribeca is one of those vehicles best suited to people oblivious to the difference between being laughed “with” and being laughed “at”. Subaru claims there are 17 thousand of them. Now there’s a scary thought

My favorite Portraits

2005-08-10T23:04:00.000-06:00

Bartending tutorial-day2

2005-07-02T02:41:00.000-06:00

Day2 - So You Wanna Be A Bartender? Fundamental facts every bartending school student should know
Bartending is different than most jobs, in that not only are you a server of products, you are also a creator. When you go to buy a pair of shoes, the last thing you expect to see is a craftsman walk out with strips of leather and fashion you your very own custom made shoes, however this is precisely what you will soon be doing as a bartender, making shoes!

Seriously, not only will you serve and sell your products, you’ll produce them as well!

You, The Producer

Bartending is a fast and furious profession, but this fast and furious pace should never sacrifice quality. To be the best you can be, you’ll have to learn how to fashion quality products and deliver them with the individualized type of service your clients expect. In doing this and by paying attention to subtle production details, you will learn how to turn a $150 night into a $300 night!

As a producer, you must always be committed to the quality and precision of your mixology. You should make every effort to serve guests by the book, not skimping on ingredients or serving an improperly measured drink. Until you get more than 100 professionally served drinks under your belt, you’re better off going a little slower to ensure you get it right.

You, The Server

As a server, you have the responsibility of delivering your creation in the manner it’s expected and treating your guest as if they were the only one at the bar. Besides this being good manners, this is good for the bar, good for the guest and good for you.

Your personal appearance is very important. You must be smartly dressed, well-groomed and professional. No one wants a drink from someone with grit under their fingernails or hair that litters the glass. You’ll never be able to please everyone, but by following basic grooming sensibilities, you’ll have taken the first step toward fostering a level of comfort between you and your guest and this will go a long way.

Just One of The Guys

Remember, your average patron is there for fun and relaxation with friends new and old. If you make them feel at home, their experience at the bar will be everything they’re looking for.
Learn their names! It’s widely proven that everyone’s favorite word in any language is their very own name. Learn it, and use it! You’ll find that this will be the first step in fostering a warm relationship with your clientele and you’ll also make them feel important.
It always helps to try to learn at least one unique fact about recurring guests. This will help you remember their name and provide some brief conversation nuggets if you ever find yourself in a slow moment during your shift. With regulars, the ideal would be for you to remember their name, an interesting fact about them and their favorite drink. Once you get to know them well enough, have it ready for them before they even order.
As an addendum to this, you mustn’t become overly familiar with your guests and engage in lengthy conversation at the expense of your other customers, however if it is a slow shift and your customer is interested in pursuing a conversation, by all means do so.
Furthering a caution on being overly familiar with your guests, you should never bring up the guest’s last visit unless they do first. A general rule of thumb is to let them set the pace for your bartend / customer relationship.

Suggestive Selling

After successfully completing this course, you’ll be able to steer your indecisive guests into a drink that best suits their mood and taste. If they want a sipping whisky and indicate their uncertainty with what label to choose, now is your chance to guide them. You are the expert and need to act the role. There are thousands of drinks and hundreds of brands of liquor out there; you’ll need to come off as being well versed in all! Not too worry, the majority of these drinks are never ordered, but with the knowledge contained in this course, you can easily present yourself as an expert barkeep!
You’ll need to have the ability to pre-condition your client before they open their mouth, then deliver them exactly what they want, how they want it. Pre-conditioning is a lot like stereotyping, although there’s nothing negative about it. The fact of the matter is that a businessman is more likely to walk in to your establishment wearing a suit than a skateboarder. In recognizing and acting on visual cues that your customer gives off about himself before even opening up his mouth, you can pre-condition him and asses how best to service his needs. Some customers will respond better to “What can I get for you sir?” than

“What’ll it be, Mack?”

These are the traits of a successful bartender that are intuitive, but that you need to be aware of in order to rise to the top.

Well liquor

Well liquor is defined as the house standard, meaning that this is what your bar will serve to clients who do not specifically ask for a call or premium brand liquor. You’ll find all the well liquor on the speed rail for easy and yes, speedy, access.
Well liquors are brands that many have never heard of such as Monarch and Potters.

Call Brands

Call brands consist of the group of liquor commonly seen in advertisements. As such they are higher priced premium brands, but are often ordered.
Call Brands are brands such as Bacardi, Stoli or Kettle One.

The Speed Rail

The Speed Rail is a part of every bar and The Speed Rail is your friend. Essentially, it is a long shelf for holding the most commonly used well liquors and mixers, located directly behind the bar within easy reach for the bartender. Typically, the speed rail is set up in the following order: grenadine, limejuice, scotch, bourbon, whiskey, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, triple sec, tequila, rum, gin, and vodka.
Keep in mind that this order is not universal from one bar to the next, and the last thing you’ll want to do is to re-organize the speed rail of the bar you end up working for. This will confuse the other bartenders and will not make for a good first impression in the eyes of management. The order of the speed rail will be one of the first things you’ll want to become familiar with on your new job. At any rate, the order we’ve listed above is the order we’ll want you to use when practicing at home. After making your first 25 drinks, you should have it down. Should the speed rail be organized differently at your first place of employment, it should take even less than 25 drinks before you learn this new order.

Free Pouring

Free Pouring is a mandatory skill for any bartender. Essentially it will allow you to pour your drinks without using a jigger (measurement device) or a shot glass, etc. For example, when making a drink from the Long Island Iced Tea Cluster which can consist of 4 or more liquors, you can pour them all simultaneously, holding 2 bottles in each hand, but first, you need to practice and hone down your free pouring skills.
A general rule of thumb is that a standard speed pourer (more info in chapter 3) will pour ½ ounce for each second you count. When mixing a simple drink such as a gin and tonic, you’ll want to count 3 full seconds when pouring your gin, prior to adding the tonic. We suggest counting one thousand 1, one thousand 2, one thousand 3 (in your head) to make sure your count is even.

Other Measurement Lingo

Throughout our recipes and your career, you’ll be required to add slight measurements above and beyond a 1, 2 or 3 count pour. We will refer to the following additional measurements throughout the course and you should commit them to memory.
A Float = ½ Ounce
A Splash = ¼ Ounce
A Dash or A Drop = 1/32 Ounce
1 Part = 1 of however many other parts the given drink calls for. You’ll pour an equal measurement of each part so if a shot called for two alcohols, you’d pour the glass halfway full with the first alcohol and top it full with the second.

After practice, you should be able to develop the ability to free pour these smaller measurements as well. A float would consist of a 1, one thousand count. A splash would consist of a 1, one count and a dash or a drop would be a very small pour. You’ll need to spend time honing this down and it is one of the most important skills you can have as a bartender, because it won’t necessitate you measuring everything by hand and will keep you moving fast!

The Soda Gun

As is the speed rail, the soda gun is also your friend because it will save you time. Soda guns reduce your need to open and pour individual cans or bottles of mixers, leaving the most popular mixers just a grab away.
Most soda guns follow the same pattern for identifying which mixture you’ll be including: C, G, S, L, X & W
Soda Gun Symbol Corresponding Mix
C Cola
G Ginger Ale
S Soda Water
L Lemon / Lime Soda
X Sour Mix /Bar Mix
W Water

Practice at home

In our goal to make your experience learning the tricks of the bartending trade just as fun as applying them, at the end of each chapter we’ve included practice drinks for you to make to further hone your skills as you fill out your test questions. You’ll need to set up a practice bar with the following utensils:
1. 12 Liquor bottles – You’ll need to find a place in your home to set up an ad-hoc speed rail with the 12 ingredients mentioned above.2. A jigger or shot glass.3. Pourers to place in your bottles.4. Ice Bucket or Sink - To truly replicate the bar environment, we’d ask you to empty your sink, clean it and fill it with ice, however until you throw a home party, this just isn’t necessary. For starters, just find a Bucket that you can fill with ice.5. Ice Scoop – If you own an Ice Scoop, great. If you don’t, use a simple plastic cup to keep you in the practice of using a scoop for ice as opposed to glasses. 6. Glasses – The glasses you find in your home likely won’t duplicate the exact sizes found in a bar, but consult Chapter 3 on glassware and set aside some glasses from your collection that most closely resemble what you’ll be using on the job.7. Garnishes – Lemons, Limes & Oranges will be fine to start, but as you progress into some of the more advanced drink clusters, this will call for pineapple, peaches, etc.
Free Bartending School Test Questions & Hands on Homework
Please find your test questions relating to Chapter 2 below. As you complete your answers, may we suggest that you make yourself one of the following easier prepared drinks. Don’t worry about the fact that we haven’t taught you this yet. The best way to start learning is to jump right in!

We suggest creating and enjoying one of the following as you begin your test:
• Gin (or Vodka) & Tonic
• CC & Soda
• Cape Cod

2-1 As a bartender, you are not only a creator of products, but a what?
2-2 DME™ recommends taking your time when beginning drink making until you know how to make how many different types of drinks by memory?
2-3 Ideally, you should learn the following three things about your regular customers, firstly:
2-4 Secondly:
2-5 Thirdly:
2-6 Who should set the pace for your bartend / customer relationship?
2-7 Which is found in the speed rail, well liquor or call brands?
2-8 What are two examples of call brands?
2-9 Typically, in what order is the speed rail set up?
2-10 What is a Jigger used for?
2-11 How long should you count for in your head to arrive at 1 ounce of liquor when free pouring?
2-12 How many ounces are in a float?
2-13 How many ounces are in a splash?
2-14 How many ounces are in a Dash or a Drop?
2-15 The following Soda Gun Letters Refer to what Mixer? C: 2-16 G: 2-17 S: 2-18 L: 2-19 X: 2-20 W:

Bartending tutorial-day1

2005-07-01T02:36:00.000-06:00

Day 1 - What Can I Get You?Introduction to Bartending and the FreeBartendingSchool.com system
I’m sure you’ve walked into a bar, been served a drink and thought, “that guy really has it made, doesn’t he? He’s getting paid to be at this party!” And you’re right! Because bartending is the only career I can think of that is fun, rewarding, flexible and lucrative!
Free Bartending School is designed in a simplistic format for the novice to semi-experienced drink maker and is designed to get you behind that bar with envious onlookers. In teaching new skills, it is always important to begin at the most introductory level possible, so if you find yourself reading something that you already know, don’t be insulted. In bartending, as with any other career, there is an important foundation of knowledge that must first be securely established to support the wealth of additional information we will teach you and to help all the additional tid-bits you’ll pick up along the way make sense.
The course was created to get you behind the bar as soon as possible. As such, you’ll find our FBS.com™ shortcuts weaved throughout the course to help you build a solid foundation without hitting you over the head with too much information. But I get ahead of myself…
What you should be concentrating on right now, is your end goal– working as a bartender! Bartending is an occupation that can provide a substantial full or part time income. It can help put you or your children through school, save extra money for that previously unattainable vacation, or become a lifetime occupation! Bartending is truly an art form that when practiced and applied can deliver a great deal of satisfaction, fun and money!
Bartending is also an important responsibility, in that you hold the controls and will have to exert your authority when your customers don’t know “when to say when”. You’ll never know how many lives you’ve changed each night when you exercise that control and “cut off” the customer who’s had too much to drink.
Stay Focused!
Right now it’s important for you to keep the fun and money of bartending in the back of your mind, because no matter how much of a wonderful career bartending is, you must not fool yourself; it will take work on your part to become a professional bartender and it will be necessary for you to have the knowledge imparted in this course committed to your memory. Further still, it will take discipline on your part to practice your skills and be sure that you “know your stuff”, before taking on your first job.
We’re dedicated to getting you ready to hire. You need to be just as dedicated to committing yourself to completing the Freebartendingschool.com course!
How this course is organized
The course is set up with test questions at the end of each chapter that we'd recommend you successfully complete prior to looking for work. In order to not only learn the information well enough to be the best bartender that you can possibly be, we recommend reading each chapter twice. Once, quickly, to familiarize yourself with the general theme of the chapter, and then a second time, more slowly to allow the knowledge to seep in. Immediately upon completion of a chapter, complete the portion of the test that relates to that chapter while the knowledge is still fresh. Also, do your best not to look through the chapter for answers, but rather push yourself to extract the answers from what you just learned. Our Bartending School takes an honor system approach. We recommend that you write down all answers in a notebook. Upon completion of the final chapter, we'll send you all the answers that you can use to grade yourself!
Also part of the learning process is an award of sorts. At the completion of each chapter you’ll find some hands on homework that you can complete utilizing the ad-hoc bar tools we suggest in Chapter 2. You’ll need to practice the drink making techniques in this course and if you’re going to be practicing, you may as well enjoy the end result as you answer your test questions!
As you read through the course, you’ll notice a general theme of speed and time saving tips that will pop up throughout. The theme of speed relates to how quickly we want you to get working, and how quickly you must respond when working on the job. The goal here is not only to get you working, but to keep you working. Bartending is not a job for the lazy or the watcher of the clock and by utilizing the tips and knowledge within this course, we’re confident that you’ll soon find yourself wondering where the time went with your new job! Keep these tips in mind because they’ll allow you to use your time efficiently, serve more customers and make more money!
In addition to time saving tips, you’ll also see tips on being an A+ bartender. These are easy things that you can do to help rise to the most desirable shift, make up for some early mistakes you may make at your new job, or in general just be better at your craft! The devil’s in the details, and it’s the details that will make you more money in this job, and better at it. We’d recommend paying special attention to these tips.
Let’s Get Trained!
We’re confident that you have the ability to be a sharp and highly sought after bartender, having already saved hundreds of dollars opting to teach yourself in the comfort of your own home, for free with FreeBartendingSchool.com. Now more than ever you must keep true to your goal and discipline yourself to stick with a regular plan to complete the course and get certified as soon as possible!
A FreeBartendingSchool.com passing grade is proof to you and your potential employer that you have completed the steps necessary to learn your craft and have been awarded a certificate to attest to your skills. We recommend you to answer a 70% or better on all test questions to consider yourself certified. Please note that this passing grade is not a governmental or legal accomplishment, rather simply a benchmark developed by bartenders, for bartenders.
Congratulations on taking the first step toward a rewarding, exciting, fun and lucrative career as a bartender! And remember…
As a bartender, you’re always the life of the party!
No Hands on Homework or Test Questions This Chapter!