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TWELVE police stations and rural bases in East Lancashire will be closed and sold off, it has been announced.
But another three which had been earmarked to lose their front counter services will stay open.
Chief Constable Steve Finnigan said the force was also shedding 550 police officers and 250 police staff as part of £42million cuts, after a budget review.
Darwen, Great Harwood and Barnoldswick will all keep their front counter services, although opening hours will be reduced.
High-profile campaigns were launched to keep the services, and community leaders in the three towns said they were 'delighted' they had been listened to.
Stations and rural bases that will close are: Whalley, Billington, Gisburn, Hurst Green, Chipping, Ribchester, Newton-in-Bowland, Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden, Earby and Cliviger.
Front desk counters will also be closed at Longridge, Brierfield and Padiham, but the stations will be kept open as a base for police officers.
Chief Constable Steve Finigan said that around 800 posts, including both police officers and civilian staff, were also being shed, and the force was expecting to respond to about 35,000 fewer incidents.
During the consultation 1,000 people completed surveys, there were 600 written responses, and 10 petitions with 10,200 sign-atures.
Mr Finnigan said staffing would be reduced by around 550 police officers and 250 police staff, from a total of around 6,500 employees.
The frontline officer posts will go from areas such as road policing, neighbourhood policing and response.
The others will be taken from back office functions, such as training, HR and scientific support.
Civilian staff who work in areas such as manning phones, administration, estates, and ICT will also go.
So far 433 jobs have gone through a recruitment freeze, retirements and resignations.
Mr Finnigan had initially forecast losing 1,000 jobs as part of a four-year plan.
To date £38million in cost savings have been found.
He said: "There is a fair bit of anxiety out there among the community and my own staff, but we have to undergo an unprecedented change programme like many other organisations.
"We have worked really hard to min-imise the impact, but we have to be realistic about what we can achieve and I will not be expecting crime figures to drop in double digits like they have in the past. We will have to expect a slower reduction."
Clive Tattum, Chief Superintendent for Pennine Division, said: "There are a number of police buildings closing completely across the division, but we are actively looking at ways in which we can work with our partners to introduce no-cost policing bases which will enable us to keep a strong neighb-ourhood policing presence."
In Haslingden, the force is in talks with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service about sharing their facilities.
Lancashire Police Authority chairman Malcolm Doherty said: "We have to bear in mind that it's people, not buildings, who cut crime and we are determined that Lancashire communities will continue to receive good policing services, despite the financial climate."
Blackburn MP and former Home Secretary, Jack Straw, said: "This is not the fault of the Lancashire Constabulary.
"It is a consequence of cuts that are being made too deep and too fast and they are being enforced by the government on police forces across the country.
"The cuts are going to affect people's sense of security and may even lead to increased crime levels in the area."
Blackburn with Darwen council leader, Kate Hollern, said: "We have been fighting hard to keep this important service in Darwen.
"We understand that the police had tough decisions to make on the back of their need to make £42million cuts over the next four years, but we always felt there were compelling arguments in keeping Darwen's front desk open."
Darwen Mayor Coun Paul Browne, who led a campaign to save the front desk, said: "This is fantastic news and it shows that the police authority have listened to the community.
"And we can be reassured that we will be properly served by the police force."
Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry said on Twitter: "Darwen Police Station front desk will remain open, what a brilliant result for the people of Darwen."
Adding to the delight, Sunnyhurst councillor Dave Smith said: "It's very pleasing news. "The police have listened to what the public said during the consultation, despite the cuts."
Rossendale Council leader Alyson Barnes said she was very concerned with the decision to close and sell off Rawtenstall Police Station.
She said: "This is really bad news for our community and I will be speaking to the police to ensure they retain a presence in the Valley.
"Rossendale is the second largest geographic area in Lancashire and having one station in Waterfoot doesn't really cut it for the people living on the edges."
Burnley Council leader, Charlie Briggs, said: "This has been coming for quite some time.
"So long as the police do their job and keep Burnley safe it is fine, but I would be concerned if we start losing front line police officers from our streets."
In Brierfield, residents launched a petition against the closure of the front desk at their local station.
It was signed by more than 2,000 people but, despite this, the decision was made to close the front counter service.
Pendle councillor, Mohammed Iqbal, called on local MPs to lobby the government to stop the 'destructive' course of action of the closures.
He said: "This is devastating news for the people of Pendle. In Brierfield we have real issues with crime, and this will send out the wrong message to the community.
"The police have gone against the wishes of the local people."
Barnoldswick councillor Jennifer Purcell said she was very relieved that the front counter services would remain in the town.
She said: "It is fantastic news because we need the front line desk to be kept open."
Rural police bases are set to be sold off in seven Ribble Valley villages, including Newton-in-Bowland – the only one between Clitheroe and Lancaster, almost 25 miles.
Coun Rosemary Elms, 51, who has lived in the village all her life, said the closure of the station, which serves Newton, Slaidburn, Whitewell, and Dunsop Bridge, would lead to a crime wave in the area.
She said: "I am astounded and extremely disappointed about this decision.
"It will open up the area to crime, and we feel let down by the lack of communication by the force about this closure."
Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden, Earby, Cliviger, Whalley, Billington, Gisburn, Hurst Green, Chipping, Ribchester and Newton-in-Bowland.
Brierfield, Padiham and Longridge.
Barnoldswick, Darwen and Great Harwood. They will open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 6pm, but will close between 2pm and 3pm STAYING OPEN:
Burnley, Nelson, Colne, Rossendale (Waterfoot), Blackburn Greenbank, Accrington, Blackburn Town Centre, Clitheroe.


text: Introducing the brand new Sasha Rhett round watch face. With a 32mm diameter and masculine-inspired dial, the new round collection is an incredible addition to the line. Remember that new round faces fit on all existing Sasha Rhett straps so you can use this new face with the straps you already have at home.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beyonce shared the highly anticipated first photo of her new twins, Rumi and Sir Carter, on the babies' one-month birthdays Thursday.
The Grammy-winning artist shared an Instagram photo similarly styled to her pregnancy announcement earlier this year, complete with a floral arrangement and lace underwear, while holding her newborns in her arms.
Beyonce captioned the shot, "Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month today," and she used several emojis to show her expanded brood.
U.S. & World
This marks the very first time that the world has seen Jay-Z and Beyonce's baby girl and boy. The two were born on June 13 in Los Angeles.
The post comes after E! News reported earlier Thursday that the parents to Rumi and Sir Carter were spotted grabbing a bite to eat at Malibu hot spot Nobu.
An eyewitness told E! News that the power couple was surrounded by multiple security personnel when they showed up to the scene in separate Escalades around 8 p.m.
Rumi and Sir Carter are the couple's second and third children together, following Blue Ivy Carter, 5.
Reporting by Alli Rosenbloom.


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Okay im creating a program for my beginning programming class, and its one we get to make for personal use as well, so mine is a grade program!
In the loops i cant figure out how i can make it keep adding the stuff for example i run the program say there are 2 assignments first is worth 20 points second is worth 50 i cant figure out how to have it add them together and set my totalPoints as 70?
Next after it runs all of this i want it to tell me what i need on the assignments not done yet for each grade letter for example 4 assignments worth 25 a piece i want lets say if i got 20 20 20 on the first 3 i want it to tell me i need 0 points on assignment 4 for a D 10 for a C 20 for a B and that its impossible to get an A
Im just a little confused on what code i would need to do that and how i would have it do it for say multiple assignments, if i had 5 and had done 3 i want it to tell me the minimums on 4 and 5 without going over their maximum points, for example if 4 was worth 30 and 5 was worth 20 and i needed a total of 30 points i dont want it to say i need 30 on 4 and 0 on 5 i want it to say i need 15 each, and so on and so forth, im hoping this area doesnt get more complicated than i think it is in my head haha
import java.util.Scanner; public class Prog5 { public static void main(String args[]) { int numberOfGrades; int grades = 0; int gradesDone = 0; int completed; int totalPoints = 0; int points; int pointsEarned; Scanner input = new Scanner( System.in ); System.out.println("How many total grades will there be? "); numberOfGrades = input.nextInt(); do { grades++; System.out.println("Points possible for assignment " + grades + ":"); points = input.nextInt(); }while (grades < numberOfGrades); totalPoints = points; System.out.println("How many assignments completed?"); completed = input.nextInt(); do { gradesDone++; System.out.println("Points recieved on assignment " + gradesDone + ":"); pointsEarned = input.nextInt(); }while (gradesDone < completed); System.out.println(totalPoints); System.out.println(pointsEarned); } }


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Blog Archives
Seattle Mariners Roster in 2013: State Of The Union:
Like us on Facebook hereFollow @mlbreports
Thursday, January.31/2013
By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @ryandana1
Seattle Mariners fans must be pretty amazing, Felix Hernandez sticking with their team through recent times. The Mariners were established in 1977 and have made the playoffs just 4 times in their history. They were the AL West champs 3 times ('95, '97, '01) and winners of the Wild Card once ('00). They have never won a World Series, or even an AL Pennant, and in 2012 they shipped off a fan favorite, Ichiro Suzuki, to the Yankees. The AL West is a tough division. The Rangers and Athletics made the playoffs last year, and the Angels just landed the prize of the off-season in slugger Josh Hamilton. I guess one bright spot is the Astros are moving to the AL West, so the Mariners won't be rebuilding within the brutal division alone.
The Seattle Mariners hopes and dreams start where they have for years now, on the shoulders of King Felix. Felix Hernandez is no doubt an Ace. He has pitched 200+ innings every year since '08, and had a sub 4.00 ERA every year since '07. Hernandez won the AL Cy Young in 2010, and is a perennial contender for the award. Last year the Seattle fireballer threw his first Perfect Game. Hernandez will once again be atop the Mariners rotation, which as of now figures to include Hisashi Iwakuma, Blake Beavan, Erasmo Ramirez, and Hector Noesi.
Hisashi Iwakuma was a pleasant surprise for the Mariners in 2012. He wasn't a greatly sought after oversees free agent last year, overshadowed greatly by fellow Japanese hurler Yu Darvish, but proved to be a great signing. Iwakuma started 2012 in the bullpen until he later earned a spot in the team's rotation. Iwakuma managed a very respectable 3.16 ERA in the 125.1 innings he split between the rotation and the pen. This success is part of the reason the Mariners resigned the pitcher to a 2YR/14 Million Dollar deal this past November. He figures to hold down the 2nd spot in the rotation and should do just fine if 2012 was a sign of things to come.
Blake Beavan is still just 23 Years Old, but he already has 41 Major League Starts under his belt which gives the club hope he can hold down the 3rd or 4th slot in the rotation. Beavan clearly has the talent which is what made him a 1st Round draft pick out of high school for the Rangers, and the reason the Mariners made sure he was a part of the package they received in return for Cliff Lee in 2010. Beavan's 2012 stats won't impress a lot of people, but they were a good start for a young player like himself to build and improve upon.
Felix Hernandez Highlights: Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised


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Toyota Tacoma Car Buying at Superior Toyota near Erie 16509
Toyota Tacoma car buying at Superior Toyota near Erie 16509 doesn't have to be a hassle. Come down to Superior Toyota to get exemplary customer service, no matter which department you're in. From our sales staff, to our business managers, to our receptionist, we've got personable and highly trained employees to take you from start to finish in your car buying venture.
When choosing the perfect Toyota Tacoma for you, it's always good to know about the trim levels. Each level comes equipped with a different set of features, while some can be added as stand-alone accoutrements, too. Our Superior Toyota sales staff is well-versed in the features that come on the Toyota Tacoma and is happy to go through each and every option with you. You let us know what you want on your new Toyota Tacoma, and we'll take care of the rest!
Sometimes finding the ideal Toyota Tacoma also involves catering to a budget. Thanks to our hard-working business managers, we'll do everything we can to get you the best financing rate available. We work with dozens of banks, making your Toyota Tacoma car buying at Superior Toyota near Erie 16509 as painless as possible. If there's a trade-in involved, our expert staff is also well-qualified to value it.
Before making any decisions, it's always a good idea to do some research before buying a car. Keep an eye on your credit score using free websites because your credit history is a huge factor in getting approved for financing. Refrain from opening new credit cards and pay off as much debt as you can to really get your numbers up to get the best financing rate possible. Always do your research on the Toyota Tacoma you're looking to purchase as well – check the safety scores of the vehicle you're interested in using the NHTSA website, and check consumer reviews from reputable sites.
Toyota Tacoma car buying at Superior Toyota near Erie 16509 won't be a headache thanks to our knowledgeable personnel. We're always happy to give you tips, tricks, and advice on finding, financing, and owning your dream vehicle. Stop by today!
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Mike is from Erie. He is happily married and has two children, Ben and Maddie. In his spare time he enjoys going to his children's sporting events and biking. On his dream vacation, Mike would like to take his wife to Bora Bora.
Roger was born and raised in Stockton, NY. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing and watching sports. One day he hopes to take his wife, Jen, to Vegas again. Roger's dream car is a 1993-1998 Supra Twin Turbo 6-speed. Roger is our Internet Manager and invites you to check out our online showroom! He looks forward to helping you with your vehicle needs!
Bruce has been a member of the Superior Toyota team since May of 2004. Outside of work, Bruce enjoys golfing, hunting, and bowling. On his dream vacation, he would take a trip to Hawaii to go golfing!
Bill grew up in Erie. He is a member of the Erie Yacht club and enjoys boating and reading. On his dream vacation, he would take his wife to Alaska! Bill would love for you to come in so that he can help you with all of your vehicle needs, new and used!
Tom Has been a member of the Superior Toyota team since January of 2005. He was born and raised in Erie, PA. He served in the U.S. Navy, after which he lived in San Diego, CA for 15 years. Tom enjoys hunting, boating, fishing and is a lifelong Steelers and Penguins fan! On his dream vacation, he would take his entire family to Australia.
Dan is from Erie, PA. He has over 30 year of Automotive Experience. Please feel free to come in and see Dan for all of your automotive needs, new and pre-owed!
Mike was born and raised in Stockton, NY. To recharge, he enjoys 4 wheeling and camping with his family. Mike is also a firefighter! One day, Mike hopes to take his wife to Vegas, again. His dream car is a Shelby GT 1000 horsepower. Come in and see Mike today for all of your vehicle needs!
Greg was born and raised in Harborcreek, PA. In his down time, he enjoys hunting, boating, and working around the house. Greg hopes to one day check owning a yacht off his bucket list. Greg's favorite part about working at Superior Toyota is that he gets to sell a terrific product. Please feel free to come in and see Greg for all of your automotive needs, new and pre-owed!
Brad has been a member of our sales team since May 2002. He was born and raised in Ridgeway, PA. Outside of work, Brad enjoys spending time with his golden retriever, Sadie. On his dream vacation, he would take his wife, Kathy, to New Zealand. One day, Brad hopes to check traveling all over the US off his bucket list! Stop by and see Brad for any of your vehicle needs!
Ann Richter has been with Hallman Auto Group for 25 years. She's Toyota Certified and grew up in the Erie area. In Anne's spare time she enjoys gardening. Ann is happy to help so please don't hesitate to call or visit Ann for any of your vehicle needs!Favorite quote: "Another day in paradise"
Casey was born and raised in North East. Outside of work, Casey enjoys snowboarding, fishing, and archery. On his dream vacation, Casey would go on a 3-month tour of the United States to visit friends and family. One day, he hopes to check taking his daughter to Disney World off his bucket list. Casey's dream car is a Ferrari F-40 because he says, "it is one of the most raw, visceral super cars ever produced."
Kevin was born and raised in Conneaut, OH. In his spare time, he enjoys watching Cleveland sports, going to the movies, and playing video games. Kevin's dream car is a Lamborghini Aventadoor. Please feel free to come in and see Kevin for all of your automotive needs, new and pre-owed!


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Rugby Team Rises From Obscurity to Championship
New Squad Preparing for the PacWest Region Championship in Nebraska in April
Steve Hale catches a throw during the championship game against UT San Antonio. (Photo by Kayli Lopez)
Only months ago, the rugby team at UT Dallas was virtually non-existent. Last fall, a group of about 40 "lads" showed up for practice, eager to learn the game.
During the warm Texas evenings, they learned to run, pass, ruck and maul. A greater interest from students and a new coach fed the momentum.
And somehow, only months later, they are state champions.
The team next travels to the PacWest Region Championship in Nebraska in mid-April to battle the host team from Wayne State University.
The rugby team is one of 24 club sports at UT Dallas.
"Those involved with Club Sports are competing purely for the love of the sport and are students first and foremost," said Chris McAlpine, assistant director of recreational sports and adviser to all club sports at UT Dallas. "That's what makes the rugby team's season such a great story."
In the beginning, a small group of students began meeting regularly, participating in scrimmage matches and encouraging others to join. Then, they approached a former Texas Rugby Union leader, Tony Wagner, to serve as their volunteer coach. They played hard under his direction and though they lost their first few matches in the fall, they finished their Texas Rugby Union league season undefeated after seven games.
Team captain Nathan Sohadaseni (second from right) pumped up his teammates during half time of the championship game. (From left) Zach Ussery, Erbold Uran, Sean Harris, Sohadaseni and Ben Bales. (Photo by Kayli Lopez)
Next was the Texas Rugby Union Collegiate Division III Championship.
Nathan Sohadaseni, a senior management information systems major in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, is president and captain of the team. He called their win streak "monumental" and said the entire team was nervous going into the match with San Antonio.
"So many of us wanted to live up to the story," he said. "We were the underdogs and we needed to win. When it was over, it felt like a weight had been lifted. We had all the tools to win the game; we just had to play like it."
They beat UT San Antonio, 15-10. The match was hard fought. The team was down 10-0, battled back to cut the lead to 10-8 at the half, then scored their second try of the match and converted it to take the lead 15-10. A try is a method of scoring worth five points where a player touches the ball down in the opponent's goal area.
"When I started coaching at UT Dallas in the fall, I just wanted us to be competitive, so I'm ecstatic with where we are now. I'm riding on cloud nine with their accomplishments."
Tony Wagner,
volunteer coach
"UTSA threw all kinds of things at us, and my lads responded by playing their best rugby," Coach Wagner said. "UTSA attacked us in our red zone the last six minutes, but we didn't break. The lads showed tremendous heart."
The PacWest Region Championship takes place over two separate matches April 14-15 in Wayne, Nebraska. If the UT Dallas players win their first match on Saturday, they will play for the PacWest Region Championship on Sunday. If they win that round, they then travel to the national championships in Colorado.
Wagner said the regional matches will be tough, but his journey with the team so far has been good.
"When I started coaching at UT Dallas in the fall, I just wanted us to be competitive, so I'm ecstatic with where we are now. I'm riding on cloud nine with their accomplishments."
The team president summed up his hopes for the competition.
"I feel less pressure going into Nebraska," Sohadaseni said. "I'm looking forward to the competition and to having fun. After that, we'll try our best to win big."
Media Contact: The Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected].


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Good evening. It's me, Mike. I'm taking a quick break from showering so that I can tell you about a website that you are going to enjoy, then bookmark, and then enjoy regularly. Note: I am not being paid to promote this. (However, if anyone has anything they want me to promote, just make the check out to "cash" and tell me which camera to urge into.)
For the past few weeks, my friend Chris Hardwick (member of television's Hard 'N Phirm (feat. television's Chris Hardwick)) has been producing a site devoted to exploring and bringing to your world the weirdest and funniest elements that make up the Techosphere. It's called, very simply: NERDIST.COM.
My two cents* — it's very funny and it deserves your turning your life over to it. It's taught me that underneath all our slick, hip, incredibly sexy surfaces… we're all wearing dork birthday suits. (If I were a real writer, this is where I'd add, "So, leave that cool exterior at the door and get ready to join the Nerdist Colony.")
Be sure to read July 1's "Awkward Hands Calhoun…". It's great.
Nice work, Hardwick!
* which I received for promoting danzanravjaa.org (thanks Mongolian exchange rate!)


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A journey shared: journalist Joanne McCarthy and her loyal sidekick Lloyd
Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from Australian Community Media, which has journalists in every state and territory. Sign up here to get it by email, or here to forward it to a friend. Today's newsletter is written by ACM executive editor James Joyce.
A long time ago in a former job far, far away, I asked journalist Joanne McCarthy to pose for a nice portrait photograph to accompany a weekly slice-of-life column she was writing in the Newcastle Herald.
Joanne had the sort of no-nonsense questions and, um, frank feedback you'd expect from a journalist who didn't need a fancy picture byline in the newspaper to be able to do her job thanks very much.
Anyhoo, the photo we ended up using for Joanne's new-look column in the newspaper's new-look weekend section showed her being expertly upstaged by her most excellent best friend, Lloyd the dog.
Lloyd was doing his meerkat impression.
This was not the usual portrait of a newspaper columnist. But, of course, then as now, we're not talking about your usual newspaper columnist. The expression on Joanne's face says all you need to know about why this photo was the pick.
Thesedays, Joanne's weekly ruminations and observations on family, politics, people who use leaf-blowers and life's other exasperations and joys are carried in print and online by many of Australian Community Media's mastheads across the country.
At the weekend, Joanne wrote another column featuring Lloyd. He's previously starred in such memorable episodes as the one where Lloyd makes the world OK, the one with the vet bill for the constipation, the one where he's a grumpy old man and the one with the dementia diagnosis.
More in a moment on Joanne's update at the weekend. But first, here's the column she wrote way back in March 2011 about her trusty sidekick Lloyd, his first photo shoot for the newspaper and their debut as an adorable duo in a fancy picture byline:
Hold the cheese, please
"FOR some time now, concerned readers have written to the Newcastle Herald about a subject that's had them, well, concerned.
No. I'm not talking about the fig trees. And not the rail line. Also, and in no particular order, not the future of the Knights, the Jets, the state of Swansea bridge, climate change, Kristina Keneally's hairdo, a carbon tax or even the price of milk.
No, they've written to ask if the newspaper is produced by a happy band of disembodied heads, or I'm guessing someone's done something like that because otherwise I have no idea why I'm appearing today, complete with limbs, as part of the revamped, fully organic, low-fat, high-fibre, new look H2 Review.
As for the dog doing the meerkat impression, we'll get to that in a minute.
Years ago, newspapers weren't even written by identified journalists. Articles just appeared in slabs without photographs or bylines (the "by Joanne McCarthy" or "by Fred Blog" line that appears above stories).
Gradually - and don't ask me when or why - journalists' names began to appear.
Then some bright spark had the idea of sticking journalists' headshots above articles, and then another bright spark thought the experience of reading a newspaper column might be enhanced by knowing the columnist had the regulation number of arms and legs to go with the head.
That bright spark could well have gone on to bigger and better things, like running a multinational bank or something.
Anyway, whatever the reason, full-body photographs with columns became a worldwide media trend, possibly linked to other trends that sweep the globe for no apparent reason - like saddling your car with frangipani or "Magic Happens" stickers, or becoming a Justin Bieber fan.
'You could well see me with a stuffed parrot on my shoulder, wearing a muumuu on the back of a motorbike.'
Who knows? But I blame Mia Freedman for the full-body situation you see today. Once Mia started appearing with her arms and legs and sporting different outfits, the likes of Greg Ray and I didn't stand a chance. Readers would demand to see our feet.
The first indication of change came in an email from the deputy editor a week or so ago.
As part of the H2 revamp we needed to organise a time for a photographer to come to my house to take photos of me "in a variety of different tops/outfits" and in "different moods", he suggested.
I emailed back that . . .
Well, actually, I can't repeat what I emailed back because the Herald is a respectable newspaper that prefers not to offend its readers, especially over breakfast. Let's just say there was only one prevailing mood in the response.
But the photographer came and the shots were taken.
Which brings us to my dog, Lloyd, doing his meerkat impression.
The one good thing about newspaper columnists appearing with their limbs for no apparent reason is that it opens the creative door. If I can appear with my hands and feet, then why not with my dog doing his only known trick?
A conversation on the subject would go something like this:
Puzzled Herald reader: "I like the new look H2 Review, but why is your dog in the picture?"
Me: "Because he kept sitting at my feet, I'd already tripped over him twice and taken him outside a dozen times, and I gave up."
Puzzled Herald reader: "Why is he doing a meerkat impression?"
Me: "He can't do penguin."
Maybe we're seeing the start of another global media trend in the Herald today - columnists appearing with their pets for no apparent reason.
But why stop at pets?
In coming weeks you could well see me with a stuffed parrot on my shoulder, wearing a muumuu on the back of a motorbike, or reclining on a chaise lounge being fed peeled grapes by a brace of hairy coalminers.
Pretty soon we'll have an interactive thing happening. Readers will be asked to make requests.
"Could Joanne appear in a hat this week?" "Could Greg wear that nice blue T-shirt again?"
At which point I think we'll both give the game away.
And if I'm sounding like a grump about all this there's a reason.
A new American study known as the Longevity Project has found grumpier people outlive cheerful people.
The 90-year study of 1500 Americans found cranky old men tended to outlive their cheery spouses and colleagues, if only because they took fewer risks and lived more sheltered lives.
While optimism and good cheer helped people through short-term problems, the grumps in the study were still alive while their cheery mates had succumbed to their cheery excesses, researchers Leslie Martin and Howard Friedman found.
"Cheery people had an attitude that things would turn out OK so they took risks, and sometimes things didn't turn out OK," Martin said.
The study also found that owning a pet contributed to general well-being but had no impact on living longer. Being upstaged by your pet can make you grumpy, though."
And so, to this week's column by Joanne McCarthy. You can read it here.
I'm sure I'm not alone in my appreciation for Joanne's generosity in sharing Lloyd with us over the years. Thank you, Jo. And thank you, Lloyd.
James Joyce
Executive Editor, Australian Community Media


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Tina Casciani is a Brazilian/Italian model and actress from New York.She grew up studying dance and later moved on to acting. She has been living in LA for the past 2 years and has already built up an impressive resume. Tina has travelled around the world as an international model and graced the covers of dozens of magazines. She has appeared in Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, and Glamour, and done several campaigns including Pantene, Nivea, WonderBra, and Garnier. You may have seen her in such films as Role Models and Mob Rules, and such TV shows as Burn Notice, CSI Miami, The Glades, How I met Your Mother, and Dark Blue.
Look for Tina in upcoming film and television by checking out her IMDB page, http://www.imdb.com/tinacasciani , and keep up with her work on www.TinaCasciani.com.
Published on Aug 19, 2011