Ivan Medlov - Dmitry's bad little brother

First of all, Happy Veteran’s Day to all of our military service members!
Today is a special day for all U.S. citizens. Hug a vet and check out my other blog for a more personal story.

On to Dmitry’s Closet…
My little sister was quite mischievous when she was little. I would constantly have to get her out of trouble, but it was never anything major and never anything illegal. Too bad Dmitry can’t say the same thing about his little brother (by 3 years) Ivan Medlov.

Ivan is the sleeper that you never see coming. While he is comparable in size to his massive brother, he is quite the yin of their yin-yang operation.

I made his features a reflection of that yin-yang connection. Ivan has dark hair, a 5 o’clock shadow, a different mischevious swagger, wears dark clothes, has hooded dark eyes and allows the worst of words to come out of his mouth. He likes confusion and revels in being able to inflict pain.

Here are some facts without giving away the story about Ivan. (1) he is Vor, (2) he is beautiful, (3) he is a sociopath, (4) he is out for revenge, (5) he is smitten with Royal, (6) he is his brother’s worst nightmare (7) he’s ambitious and (8) he’s money hungry.

Now, I’ve had a few readers to tell me that they actually liked Ivan. They like that he says what he wants and does what he wants. They like that he breaks the rules and doesn’t scare easy. So that brings me to my blog entry for today.Why do women like bad boys? Is it because as good women, the polarization itself if stimulating or is it because we desire something we know isn’t good for us?

Now, I’ve know a few bad boys in my life (and I don’t mean the losers –so you boys can count yourself out). They were really bad but they were on the good side of the law (military, cops, firemen, SSA, etc.). One thing that I have found striking is how similar they are to the bad men on the other side of the law. Both can be smart, cunning, protective, business-minded, charming but only one can be righteous (And that is what made them great guys and good people). That’s why I like bad good boys. There is a difference to me based on social norms and morals and character. Believe it or not, even Dmitry has these qualities.

For you that like bad, bad boys (like Ivan), what draws you to them and adds that special appeal? I’m dying to know.

Many inside readers know that Dmitry loves caviar. He owns a caviar company (that produces Osetra caviar but he loves beluga caviar); he has caviar at every event; he is a caviar machine. So, I thought it would be appropriate to write a blog entry on caviar. Now, I can’t give you a full in-depth tutorial, but I can tell you what I know.

There is no single “best” caviar, although everyone has a favorite. Beluga caviar varies in color from pale to dark gray and is among the rarest of all caviar. It is the most delicate-flavored caviar: buttery and creamy.

There are three varieties of caviar and range in price, size and availability. Obviously the largest caviar is the most expensive and the hardest to find.

Beluga Caviar Beluga is the world’s most expensive caviar, next to Sterlet. Its roe is very large, ranging in color from black to pale grey, and has a smooth, buttery flavor. Fewer than 100 Beluga sturgeon are caught each year.

Osetra Caviar Also spelled Ossetra, Oscietra, and even Asestra. This caviar consists of medium-sized eggs, ranging in color from dark brown to light grey and even golden brown. Many prefer Osetra’s nutty, slightly fruity flavor over Beluga.

Here is another shot of the Osetra. Notice how plump it still is.

Sevruga Caviar The Sevruga sturgeon produces the smallest roe of the three main caviar varieties. More plentiful than the other two, it is also the least expensive. Its roe is black to very light grey in color and, like Beluga, it has a buttery flavor, but saltier, richer, and more intense. It’s unique flavor is highly valued.

There are four types of caviar, which is different from variety. This has to do processing method, not the type of sturgeon.

For all of you ladies who don’t know anything about fish. This is a sturgeon. Yeah, they get pretty big – sometimes over 6 feet.

First is the Malossol method, preferred by connoisseurs. Malossol means ‘little salt’ or ‘lightly salted’ and refers to fresh caviar with less than 5% salt. Modern fresh caviar often has much less, about 3.5%. The term is sometimes used to describe any high quality caviar, though. If you ask me, this is so over priced. Insanely overpriced.
If you’re ever in New York, stop at Caviar Russe and you’ll see what I mean. My goodness.

The second caviar type and quality is Salted Caviar, sometimes called ’semi-preserved’ caviar. It contains up to 8% salt. The more salt, the longer the shelf life, but taste may be compromised. However, the truth of the matter is that you can’t tell the different really in 5% and 8%. This is not as expensive at all. You can afford it and enjoy it. You don’t want to up chuck in front of the gentleman because you can’t stand cheap caviar.

Pressed Caviar is next in quality. Made from too-soft, damaged, broken and overly ripe eggs, it is treated, highly salted, and pressed to a jam-like consistency. Once the only method available for preserving caviar, this is still the favorite of many connoisseurs for its strong, concentrated flavor. They don’t look fresh and ripe. It looks more like a paste.

The last of the caviar types is Pasteurized Caviar. Fresh caviar is heat-treated and vacuum packed in glass jars for much longer preservation. Both taste and texture may be affected. In other words, it’s nasty and cheap.

So, the next time that you’re out at a function and you want to have caviar, you can ask the server who passes you with the plate if the caviar is beluga or Osetra. If it’s neither, pass on it.

Every society has a beginning, even sub societies. In the case of our studied group for the purpose of Dmitry’s Closet the Vory v Zakone, there is much to be discussed on their origins.

However, in reading more about mechanical societies, I came across a profound statement by Emile Durkheim, the father of theory on homogenous vs. heterogeneous socities. He said, “To the extent that a particular society is mechanical, its solidarity will come from the pressure for uniformity exerted against this diversity. Such pressure is exerted in varying degrees and in varying forms. In its strongest form it will consist of criminal sanctions.”

Well I got to wondering why and what does all that mean.

While I’m not saying that organized crime is right or moral, in repressed societies, I will posit that it is a reactive human development in which people who are helpless and powerless over the larger societal norms will form subsocieties that are different – thereby by all accounts of a mechanical society criminal in order to survive.

I found this in wikipedia on the Vory v Zakone’s start…

The “thieves in law” formed as a society for mutual support within the prison camps, “governed the dark gaps in Soviet life beyond the reach of the KGB”[1]. They adopted a system of collective responsibility, and swearing a code of “complete submission to the laws of criminal life, including obligations to support the criminal ideal, and rejection of labor and political activities.”[citation needed] As an example, should a Vor (вор) ever be unfortunate enough to be incarcerated in a prison camp, he would refuse to perform any labor, as the code would mandate that “Thy own prison shalt thou not make.” The groups also organized their own courts around a code of thieves honor and tradition. Acceptance into the group was often marked by extensive tattooing (see Criminal tattoo). The tattooing would often be indicative of rank within the society and/or noteworthy criminal accomplishments. Reportedly, “while the Communist Party had a steadfast grip on government and society, the Vory had something of a monopoly on crime.”[1]

The Groupama Insurance Group has confirmed that it will enter the next two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race with its long term French skipper, Franck Cammas, a commitment that will last until 2015. The announcement was made as Cammas was in France, preparing to set off on the Jules Verne Trophy aboard the 32-metre maxi trimaran. The chosen designer for Groupama’s new boat is Argentinean Juan Kouyoumdjian, the designer of the winning boats in the last two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race.

“It’s now been over 12 years that Groupama and Franck Cammas have worked together as a team.  Today, we have decided to continue this commitment by participating in the Volvo Ocean Race to inspire a more international dynamic in our common project,” said Frédérique Granado, director of external communications at Groupama. Groupama is developing strong links overseas, where we carry out nearly 30 per cent of our business, and the Volvo Ocean Race is clearly the most suitable sports event to reflect our group’s new expansion,” Granado explained.

Despite his imminent departure, the skipper of Groupama is delighted.  “Groupama is once again showing its trust in me at the very important moment where we’re committing to a new challenge, while a lot of sponsors wait for a sports events to draw to a close before announcing that they’re renewing a partnership,” Cammas said. “This is even more motivating for me within the context of the Jules Verne Trophy and makes me keen to pay Groupama back for the trust it has shown.  We are committing to the Volvo Ocean Race thanks to the support and trust demonstrated by Groupama. For our team, it is a huge responsibility, which we are tackling with enthusiasm and determination.”

Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, is very pleased about the return of a French boat to the Volvo Ocean Race: “The French certainly have their place in the Volvo against the cream of the Anglo-Saxon and European crews. It is excellent news that the Groupama team is joining the race. I have known Franck Cammas and his team for a long time. They are formidable competitors, who are remarkably well organised.  It is going to be an exciting race.”

For more, visit www.volvooceanrace.org

Its out!

The VO70 rule has been finalised and it looks pretty good.

All you need is 15 Million Euros and you’ve got yourself a campaign.

The gist of the changes in the rule have been standardising keel and boat weights and reducing costs through limiting sail inventory and two boat testing. Not 100% sure I agree with the 2 boat testing rule, how else do you improve the design?

Also Italia is in the next race, they took over E3. There goes our preliminary plan for that boat. It seems if our campaign is to come through we will be looking at an own boat build or maybe racing a modified Green Dragon. Although the boat did seem to suffer slightly in the heavy weather.

Technical cost containment, improved safety and reliability, closer competition and maintaining the Volvo Open 70’s status as the most spectacular offshore monohull are at the heart of the 2011-12 Volvo Open 70 Rule and Notice Of Race, released today.
In summary, the key points are:

Boats
- Each boat must complete a 600 nautical mile qualification race prior to the race start as well as the 2,000 nautical mile qualification run.
- Second generation boats with configurations from the previous race will be permitted to race with minimal modification.
- All boats sailed after the 15/03/2011 must be raced.
- One new boat is permitted to be built per team. A team is permitted to campaign one second generation and one third generation boat.Weight
- New maximum boat weight of 14,500kg – an increase from 13,860-14,000kg

Keel/bulb
- Maximum weight of 7,400kg (keel/fin bulb combined).
- One new keel fin design.
- One new keel bulb design.

Sails
- New pre-race sails limited to 15 for one boat entered the race. Race sails reduced from 24 to 17 per boat.
- Furling or hanked headsails, no headfoils. Appendages
- Maximum of two new sets of daggerboards.
- Maximum of two sets of new rudders.
- Only like-for-like rudder change in the race.

Rig
- Maximum of two new identical masts and booms.

Testing
- No two-boat testing before the race.

Crews
- Total crew number kept at 11 including Media Crew Member.
- Female teams to carry 14 sailors, including the Media Crew Member.
- Under-30 rule: Three crew members to be born on or after 1st September, 1980. An increase of one from 2008-09.
- Media Crew Members will be permitted to carry out additional duties.

Stacking
- No stacking beyond the aft or forward bulkheads below deck.
- Expansion of water ballast tank capacity to 1,600 litres to allow for changes to stacking regulations. In-port races
- There will be an in-port race in every stopover.
- No additional crew for in-port races.

Points
- Points system revised: Leg points weighting – multiple of 5, scoring gates – multiple of 2, in-port race – multiple of 1.

Läs hela artikeln på Volvo Ocean Race.

From the latest IAOPA newsletter:

The UK is proposing to decommission 28 VORs across the country, leaving a network of just 19 which will also be phased out after Europe’s own satellite system has been launched.  Responsibility for the upkeep of the beacons rests with National Air Traffic Services, a private company owned by the airlines. They say the VORs are becoming obsolete and are no longer supported by their manufacturers, and must either be replaced at huge cost or abandoned.

NATS says NDBs will be gone by 2015, and thereafter only enough VORs should be left to allow aircraft to conform to B-RNAV standards. It assumes that the use of satellite navigation for all phases of flight will become progressively more dominant until a point is reached beyond 2020 when NDB and VOR will not be required at all, and DME/DME fixing will provide a fallback if satellite navigation is not available.

The European Commission is looking to a seven-year transition out of VORs, and will not abandon them altogether until after its own Galileo satellite system is in place. Contrary to its initial plans, it intends to provide the basic Galileo signal free of charge.

Vortex Marketing Group is a company that I founded back in 2002 that teaches people who are part of the direct sales industry (MLM’s/Affiliate Companies Etc) how to build a database or “list” of potential customers. Vortex Marketing Group is a “CLUB” of sorts that has education, motivation wrapped into a FREE membership. This organization grew from 4000 members in 2002 to well over 350,000 members today! I am proud of this organization and it is a project that will continue to go forward for years to come as the internet evolves and marketing techniques and technology improves!

You can join Vortex Marketing Group by going to VortexMarketingGroup.com and clicking “JOIN NOW.” One of our Vortex Portal Pro owners will be assigned to you as a “MENTOR” and you will get step by step instructions on how to build a solid database who can become a potential customer for whatever you are selling on the net!

Unsere letzte Woche mit unseren Babys hat begonnen – sehr, sehr traurig, aber dennoch überwiegen die schönen Momente. Joy wird noch bis Anfang Oktober bei uns bleiben, aber Shiva und Zoe verlassen uns eine Woche nach Karma bis zum kommenden Wochenende. Schnüffz…

Hier einige Bilder der letzten zwei Tage, habt Spaß damit und liebe Grüße von

Kathleen und Michael

Joy hat den letzten Snackring ergattert

Geschwisterstreit

Völkerwanderung zum Fressnapf

Shiva-Mäuschen

Zoe

Joycylinchen

Boah, müde!

Hmmm...denk nach, denk nach...

Auf dem Sprung

Papa mal wieder neben der Rolle

Vater und Tochter

Achtung...und lächeln!

Shiva

Shiva, Zoe und Mama Wilma

VOR besöker Stockholm.

… im Google Earth-Format! WELTWEIT!

Solch ein kml-File gab es auch schon für den guten alten FS9, ich finde übrigens, dass diese Files sehr gut zu gebrauchen sind… zur Flugplanung, zur besseren Übersicht, oder einfach mal zum stöbern.

Diese Datei enthält alle Airports, NDBs und VORs,  aus den default FSX BGL Dateien.

Die Airports  schließen die Startbahn- und ILS-Informationen und der relevanten COM-Frequenzen ein, die Navaids schließen Typ und Frequenzen ein.

Der Ersteller dieser Datei ist mir leider nicht bekannt, sonst hätte ich ihn hier natürlich gerne genannt.

Hier geht es zum Download

Enjoy!

Comming Soon

Wat kunnen we nou nog vertellen over Gerd-Jan wat nog niemand weet? Dat zijn eerste kennismaking met Eclectic was tijdens de Heineken Regatta waar hij boatnigger speelde. Of dat bij het jubileum van zijn jeugdzeilvereniging twee optimistjes naar hem zijn vernoemd? De “Gerd” en de “Jan”.  Gerd-Jan vaart al jaren af en aan mee met Team Eclectic. Zoveel als zijn professionele carriere dat toeliet.  Zeilen samen met je broer en zus is natuurlijk toch het mooiste wat er is.

credits: Team Delta Lloyd

Net klaar met zijn Delta Lloyd VOR campagne zal hij voor de Fastnet en de voorbereiding daarop een belangrijk deel uitmaken van Team Eclectic. Tijdens de Fastnet neemt hij de rol van tacticus op zich en zal zich daarnaast met alle aspecten van de boathandling bezighouden.

Door zijn aanwezigheid is het team professioneler en vele malen beter geworden. Niet alleen doet hij aan de lopende band briljante uitspraken (“als we willen winnen moeten we onszelf meer naar voren positioneren”) maar leert hij ons ook concentratie en “meezeilen”.  Gerd-Jan heeft vele bijnamen : Gurgels, Hairy John, (Famous) Johnny maar onze favoriet is nog altijd “Mr. Bigshot”.

“En ik, ik mag mee” Met deze woorden zagen we Sander Pluijm (37) wekelijks voorbij komen op RTL7 in het programma “Stoere Mannen Hoge Golven” (linkje).

Sander is eindredacteur bij televisie en zijn grootste hobby is zeilen. Nog geen twee maanden voor vertrek van de Volvo Ocean Race werd deze Amsterdammer door Delta Lloyd gebeld of hij mee wilde aan boord om als mediaman alles met camera vast te leggen. Dan staat je leven ineens op zijn kop natuurlijk. Pak je bullen maar in en melden in Alicante graag. En die plek aan boord wordt je dan wel toegewezen, maar je moet hem ten opzichte van de crew ook nog wel even verdienen. Zelf zegt hij over het avontuur : “Het is een unieke kans, vergelijk het gerust met de Formule 1, het is alsof ik mag filmen in de renstal van Ferrari en mee mag rijden met Filipe Massa zelf”

Zeilminnend Nederland is natuurlijk uitermate gelukkig met de shows van Sander en kornuiten. Een media man op de boot is een feest op YouTube en ook nog eens iemand met korte lijntjes naar Nederlandse programmamakers. Ineens was daar gewoon een wekelijks programma met zeilbootjes. Hoera voor Sander Pluijm dus.

Inmiddels is Sander gebeten door het oceaan race virus en kreeg ik 3 maanden geleden, via Gerd-Jan (ook stoere man die regelmatig in hoge golven zit) de mededeling dat Sander best graag met de Eclectic de Fastnet race wil varen.

En zo is het gekomen. Op 9 augstus aanstaande verschijnt de Eclectic aan de start met,  inmiddels bekende Nederlander, Sander Pluijm.  Welkom aan boord en neem vooral je camera mee.

The Seeds is a thought provoking action packed 3 part Saga which dives into the age old questions Why are we hear? What is our purpose? Is there life out there in the universe? and if there is life out there what is their purpose?

“We have been their gods, we have been their angels and when need be we have been their devils”

- Rein; of The Ge Alpha Seed, Durec Clan