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Time lapse photography is a great way to present the passing of time. It is a technique in photography where the sequence is shown and the changes that go with it. The images that are captured in the time lapse camera outdoor are slower as compared when it is time for viewing. For instance, there are only three images that are captured for every second, but if the camera will be played back, the images will increase from three to about twenty-four per second. Sequences that are taken from time lapse camera outdoor are the blossoming of flowers from a bud to a fully-opened flower.
Photo Credit : http://voltaicsystems.com/
1) This area in photography is used in the mining and construction sectors. The progress of the job can be closely monitored because it can be easily accessed through a 3G network. In case there are untoward incidents, such as accidents, the time lapse camera outdoor can be viewed and make necessary changes to avoid another incident from happening again.
2) This is also used for recording, especially in areas where scientific method is employed. The experimenters can monitor the sequence. For instance, if there is a need to record the growth of a plant species. The time lapse camera can be used for months or even a year to record the sequence.
3) For remote project management. The progress of a project can be viewed from a remote area. It saves time and travel expenses. Issues can be easily addressed because of this feature of a time lapse camera outdoor.
Employers can view the going-on in the field.
1) 3G internet connection- you can view the time lapse camera from your desktop computer or other devices. The images are uploaded on your website so you can monitor the job progress, say, the camera is installed on a job site, like construction area.
2) Weather protection- the time lapse camera ii encased for protection. Weather disturbances such as rain, strong winds, and too much sunlight will not cause damage to the camera.
3) Hi resolution images- the images that are captured from the time lapse camera are clear and crisps and you can easily download the pictures to your computer.
4) Solar powered- no need to worry about battery getting low because the time lapse camera outdoor is powered by solar. The images are continuously captured and you can monitor each sequence.


text: Alvin Chang spake the following on 7/18/2007 6:34 AM: > On 18/07/07, Tony Mountifield > <tony at softins.clara.co.uk> wrote: >> In article <f7iufv$1cc$1 at softins.clara.co.uk>, >> Tony Mountifield >> <tony at softins.clara.co.uk> wrote: >> > >> > My question is: which kind of configuration will generally give me >> better >> > performance? To use the IHC7 RAID-1 as currently set up, or to use >> Linux >> > software RAID-1 as I am used to doing? Any other reasons to choose one >> > over the other? >> >> Thanks for the responses, confirming what I thought: disable SATA RAID >> and >> use Linux software RAID for mirroring. So that's what I've done. >> >> It appears that my Centos 4.4 install didn't know about dmraid devices >> anyway. > I personally would give fakeraid a because the hardware chipset > wouldn't take as much CPU time as soft-raid. Why are you using 4.4 > instead of 4.5 as you mentioned in your previous post? > Fakeraid does NOT take less CPU cycles. Fakeraid chipsets do not have any processors to offload the work from the CPU. Fakeraid is just software raid hidden in the bios level. Without the software drivers, it is nothing. -- MailScanner is like deodorant... You hope everybody uses it, and you notice quickly if they don't!!!!

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm going posting happy tonight!
So I just wanted to post and send a big "Thank You" to Nihrida and SkinMD (if they even know my blog exists). Nihrida and SkinMD had a giveaway (here) and I won!
Here is my very own bottle of SkinMD! I can't wait to continue using this product. Check back with us. I may post up a review.
On a side note, please check out Nihrida's Blog. Although I'm sure many of you already know about her! Her blog is amazing. She has gorgeous nails, a great taste in polish, and seems like an overall great person.
Thanks for reading! Happy Polishing!


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Tomorrow's Food @ the Food4All Festival in Wageningen
7, 8 and 9 October 2014
In October, FIAN, ILEIA and Otherwise will host the 3rd edition of the Food4All Festival, this year titled Hungry for Justice. We will screen key documentaries on food systems, land grabbing and agroecology. Come and learn more about these themes, get inspired by hopeful initiatives and share your ideas with experts.
Thursday 9th of October 20h00: Tomorrow's food (Het nieuwe eten)
Tomorrow's food (Benny Vink | 2014, 51 min, English subtitles) beautifully captures the vision and creativity Jonathan Karphatios. The Dutch chef decided to grow food he uses in his popular restaurant. With enthusiasm he takes us to his gardens and to local suppliers that complement his own produce. "Products get more meaning when you experience the time and energy it costs to grow them." Karpathios shows the important role chefs can play in building more sustainable food systems. With director Benny Vink.
Be on time to ensure your seat!
Be on time to ensure your seat!


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At Inquiry By Design, we take our text selection very seriously. We know that, because students will be engaged in deep, ongoing work with every story, poem, and essay, it is important to make sure they are exposed to a variety of rich, complex voices from a variety of backgrounds.
We also know that, because teachers are responsible for delivering the material and navigating the conversations with students, it is important that they feel supported and prepared for whatever dialogue might […]Continue Reading


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Parga is a picture-postcard resort with a delightful harbour, cobbled streets and pretty little whitewashed and red-roofed village houses surrounding the picturesque harbour.
Parga is without doubt the loveliest resort on the mainland of Greece's north-western Preveza region. It nestles in a small, sweeping bay between green olive groves and the sea and is a favourite among Greeks as a holiday destination too. Holidays in Parga hold endless appeal for visitors of all ages and promise laid-back holidays with picture postcard vistas.
Famed for its charm and beauty, the resort is relatively unspoilt, with tourism remaining low key until the high season, when the cosmopolitan essence of the town brings it alive. With its cobbled streets, beautiful coloured houses draped with bougainvillea and fragrant jasmine, and Mediterranean summer weather, Parga holidays are ideally suited to discerning visitors wishing to unwind in a beautiful Greek resort with excellent amenities. Bask in endless sunshine on Valtos Beach, visit the awe inspiring monasteries in the sky at Meteora or stay closer to home and climb up to the Venetian castle in Parga Town.
A relatively well kept secret and a treasure of an island, Parga's tourism industry thankfully remains low key which is central to its appeal. There are some stunning hotels, apartments and villas in Parga; notably Racconto Boutique Design Hotel, a new hotel just 900 metres from the centre of Parga. Take a look at our Parga hotels and make this your choice for the perfect chilled out getaway in 2018.
For the more adventurous, Epirus is easily accessible along with boat trips to Corfu Town and Paxos. Parga is also an ideal base for short trips to the surrounding villages of Aghia, Anthoussa and Trkastro, which are perched on a plateau above the fertile, mountainous countryside. With almost too many enticing villages and beaches to mention, holidays to Parga are great for getting off the beaten-track and exploring the traditional and scenic charms of real Greece. Why not hire a car and see more for yourself, with a different location and adventure possible every day?
Parga is blessed with two golden sandy beaches which lie either side of the main harbour front; however there are many others close by. Lovely Sarakiniko Beach can be reached by water taxi from Parga Harbour. Just 19 kilometres away, enjoy the coastline north of Parga, passing Valtos Beach, The Vlacheron Monastery, Iosostis and other small picturesque bays and beaches on your way to Sarakiniko. Once there you'll be rewarded with a beautiful sandy and shingle bay, backed by ancient olive groves. Great facilities, restaurants, watersports and stunning sunsets make this beach perfect for romantic or family holidays.
Krioneri Beach is the main, larger beach with plenty of activities, ranging from water skiing and parasailing to surfing and diving, while smaller Piso Kironeri is perfect for those seeking a quieter more romantic beach spot to spend the day. Varos and Lichnos Beaches are located in a sheltered bay where you'll be spoilt for choice with bars and restaurants.
Parga has many great places to eat out, serving everything from traditional Greek food to international à la carte dishes. Take a stroll to the castle where welcoming tavernas serve freshly caught fish, while down at the picturesque harbour front you'll find an even wider choice of restaurants and bars to tempt your taste buds. Explore the shops and get some bargains to take home, with lots to choose from, including leather shoes and bags, jewellery, local honey and olive oil.
Narrow, flagstone streets are filled with brightly coloured houses and draped with bougainvillea and aromatic jasmine. Holidays in Parga are all about relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere in gorgeous surroundings.
If you're planning to tie the knot abroad, then weddings in Greece are the perfect solution for a paradise venue on your special day. Take your pick from a wide variety of idyllic settings in nine of our Greek Islands: Rhodes, Crete, Zante, Corfu, Kefalonia, Santorini, Skiathos, Kos and Parga. Each island offers its own unique atmosphere, from quaint to sophisticated and from modern to traditional. We can provide civil wedding ceremonies and renewal of vows in a variety of locations, which include registry offices, open air venues and stunning hotel settings. For more information and inspiration, take a look at our weddings pages.
Things To Do
Parga Holidays Excursions
Make your holidays to Parga extra special and book one of our wonderful excursions, carefully selected to cater for everyone's interests.
Paxos & Antipaxos: Swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea. A day on a boat is worth two on the beach.
Zagoria Forgotten Villages: See the park in all its verdant glory with fabulous flora and fauna.
Zagoria & Ioannina: See the fantastic National Park and visit Ioannina, the capital of Epirus.
Secret Epirus: A day of discovery with fascinating myths and legends to uncover. Discover the secret of Epirus - the Oracle of Nekromanteion, Zolongo and enjoy lunch by the River Acheron.
Secret Epirus 1: River walk (High season only). You can walk the river Styx's, the path to the underworld.
Meteora: See some of the most incredible sights in the world. The mountain monasteries of Meteora, which featured in James Bond's "For Your Eyes Only".
Secret Epirus 1: Visiting the Oracle of Nekromanteion, time to walk by the river or enjoy lunch by the Acheron.
Corfu Delights: Sail the Ionian Sea -shop till you drop or see the sights of Corfu Town.
Ionian Cruise: You can see seven different islands that belong to the Ionian Sea. What a day!
For further information and to secure your place on any of these exciting days and nights out, see your Olympic representative in resort. The best time to book would be at the Welcome Get Together on the day after arrival.
Boat: Public transport is provided by water taxis, which take you to the beaches further along the coast. During the summer season, there are also ferries from Parga to Corfu, Paxos and Antipaxos.
Bus: There is a bus service between the other cities of Epirus with many daily routes (Preveza, Arta, Ioannina, Igoumenitsa).
Car: An excellent way of getting around during Parga holidays, car hire gives you complete flexibility as well as the ability to explore more of the area.
Things To See
Wetlands: A conservation site boasting plenty of rare birds throughout the season plus its own pelican breading programme as well as water buffaloes and eels.
Necromanteion: The entrance to Hades where the ancient Greeks went to speak to the dead.
Acheron River: Beautiful water that is sourced from the mountains. The spectacular scenery is perfect walking territory and is now protected by the local authorities.
Zolongo: Statue of the women of Souli who sacrificed themselves by jumping off the mountain to escape capture by the troops of Ali Pasha.


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Lucky for me, I have a desktop computer and a laptop computer. Unlucky for me, the laptop power cord had been acting up (or at least that's what I thought was wrong) and the battery wasn't getting charged. Even more unlucky is the desktop computer sits in my 3-season room that I keep closed off during the winter months. It's about 32F out there right now. Shortly after Christmas, I ordered a new power cord (hoping it was the problem child). It arrived in the mail last week. Score!! The laptop is back in business, and I don't have freeze my patooties off trying to use the desktop. It's too bad they just don't sell the top portion of the photo because that's the part that died. Oh well.
Why do things always seem to break at the most inopportune times??? During the freezing, frigid temps my garage door opener decided not to cooperate. It opened halfway... for which I am thankful, because the side door has a lock on it and I don't have a key! So, I step inside the garage and push the button, the door goes up about 1 1/2 feet and decides to die completely. No power. Fuse box in the garage. Check. Circuit Box in the house. Check. Reset button on opener. None. Fast forward a week or so. I climb up on a ladder for the 2nd time to see if the wiring is loose. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy the outlet attached to the rafters where the opener is plugged in. It appears that the vibrations from the garage door opener, made the plug come loose. Not enough to be obvious, but enough where the opener wasn't getting electricity. *Hmph* For a week and half I'd been getting in and out of the car to manually open the garage door because.... the darn thing wasn't plugged in!
Absolutely no stitching done last week. I guess I was mentally gearing myself up for school to start, so I focused on getting things in order for that. I did get a stitchy windfall, though. One of the ladies on the freecycle group listed a bunch of items she was wanting to get rid of. One was a "bunch of cross stitch thread". I emailed her, and she said it was mine. :) She also happened to be coming into town that day, so she delivered it. How can you beat that?!
Most of it was DMC, but there was a couple JP Coates and maybe a dozen Anchor skeins.


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English Intermediate Block 4
In this block you will learn to talk about future and past actions, using the present continuous, the past simple or else other different verb tenses, to talk about the weather, to express agreement and disagreement with somebody, and so on. In block 4 more complex verb tenses are going to be introduced, as the present perfect, comparing it with the past simple and the existing differences between these two verb tenses and when we can use them will be explained.
Functions: Asking for personal information. Talking about the past, the present and the future. Grammar: Tense review. Present simple, present continuous, past simple, be going to, can, have got. Vocabulary: Means of transport. Everyday activities.
Functions: Talking about the weather. Expressing possession. Asking and talking about recent past. Grammar: Present perfect. Possessive pronouns. Whose? Vocabulary: The weather.
Functions: Expressing duration. Expressing agreement and disagreement. Expressing movement. Grammar: Present perfect + for / since. Agreements. Prepositions of movement. Vocabulary: Difference between gone and been. Public places.
Functions: Asking and talking about experience. Expressing quantity. Grammar: Present perfect + yet / already. Have you ever ...? Quantifiers. Vocabulary: Clothes. Cloth material. Farewells.
Functions: Describing objects. Talking about the past. Grammar: Present perfect + just. Present perfect vs. Past simple. Past simple + ago. Something, anything, nothing. Vocabulary: Shapes. Materials. Common objects.
This lesson provides a choice of revision or extension activities.
This lesson provides a choice of revision or extension activities.


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VIXX's Hyuk holding a starbucks grande size.
+) A gif because there are some people who said it wasn't grande size.
+) Grande size
Exo's Chanyeol holding a canned choco latte.
+)Canned choco latte
Ha Jeongwoo
Jisoo. Try hold a water bottle and see if your fingers touch each other around it..
Yook Sungjae.
Block B's Zico.. Mini Cup Ramen?
ZEA's Park Hyungsik
Dickpunk's Kim Hyunwoo
-Woo Jiho... My heart is flutteringㅠㅠ
-I really like men with large hands.....
-Whoa....Taehyung-ah.....His hands are as big as the tab..
-Isn't the tab that Kim Taehyun holding big? It's iPad right?
-Yes, it's an iPad!!
-When will I be able to compare the size of my hands and Sungjae's in real life....
-Lee Howon's hands are so small, it's cuteㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-My heart is fluttering.... I got really shocked at the first picture, is it grande for real?


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Sioux Falls Woman Assaulted by Two People Wearing Masks
Police believe two people were lying in wait for a Sioux Falls woman before they assaulted her Friday morning.
Officer Sam Clemens says the 30-year-old woman lives in an apartment in the 4100 block of West Valhalla Boulevard.
She told police she had gone downstairs to the mailboxes when she was attacked by a male and a female, dressed all in black and wearing ski masks.
The woman says they exchanged words and one of the two mentioned her name, and then the two assaulted her, pushing her into the mailboxes. She told police she struck her head on the mailboxes several times and fell on the floor, where she blacked out.
The attackers were gone when the woman regained consciousness.
She had no serious injuries, although she went to a hospital Friday afternoon.
Clemens says she believes the attack may be connected to two people she has had problems with recently.


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Ethnotek are the design team behind these high quality bags that incorporate ethically sourced handmade textiles from across the planet. As they launch their new summer travel collection, Ecouterre decided to delve into the ethos behind their products. As well as socially responsible laptop bags the studio has recently put the finishing touches on the Chiburi Travel Wallet and the Cyclo Sling, both of which are great accessories for mobility and travellers with a green conscience who want to know exactly where their accessories come from.
Through their original laptop bags, Ethnotek started off hoping to tell the story of the artisans they partnered with around the world. From India to Guatemala, the fabric collected and used told the stories of these places and the people who made them. Now expanding with their exciting travel line, the studio keep the focus on this socially-conscious philosophy, handcrafted using cultural textiles.
Innovative, functional and full of color the Cyclo Sling is a vibrant adaptation on the classic waist-bag. It hugs close to the body to keep valuable items safe, such as a cellphone or an iPod. An additional accessible main compartment can store a light jacket, notebook, and tablet for easy use.
Similarly, the Chiburi Travel Wallet is full of pockets and compartments to fit useful travel documents. It takes its name from the Japanese god of ocean voyage who grants safe passage to travelers which the studio designed to remain secure! For a full look at the full collection visit the website at the link below.


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Should You Take Probiotics if You Must Take Antibiotics?
Your intestinal bacteria are part of your immune system, and researchers are discovering that microbes of all kinds play instrumental roles in countless areas of your health. For example, beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics, have been shown to: Modulate your immune response1 and reduce inflammation2 Produce vitamins,3 absorb minerals4 and break down indigestible dietary… Read More »


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The civil war in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is far from over, with yesterday's removal of sacked National Secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola's portraits from the national secretariat.
Oyinlola's office has been locked. All 19 staff of the embattled former governor have been stopped from coming to the national secretariat.
But some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) have rejected the disciplinary measure taken against Oyinlola while a case is pending in court.
Oyinlola's portraits were removed in a special operation allegedly coordinated by the National Director of Administration Gurama Bawa.
The action may have sealed Oyinlola's hope of returning to the office.
Prior to the action, it was gathered that the portraits in all the offices were that of President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and Oyinlola.
A source said: "I think the party leadership has foreclosed the return of Oyinlola to office, irrespective of the outcome of the ongoing suit in court. It means that even if Oyinlola wins the case, Tukur might not work with him again.
"The portraits of the former National Secretary were all removed on Wednesday, in a sudden operation coordinated by the Director of Administration who acted on a directive from the party.
"So, all the portraits were brought down, signifying the level the crisis between Oyinlola and Tukur had degenerated.
"This is the first time we are really seeing real war among NWC members, who are still pretending that all is well."
Bawa reportedly told Oyinlola's aides to stay away to avert any act capable of causing a breach of peace.
Bawa's logic is, according to sources, that since Oyinlola is out of office, there is no basis for the staff to be reporting for duty.
Four of the aides confirmed the stay-at-home ban.
One of them said: "In spite the fact that we are card-carrying members of the PDP, they said the 19 staff should not come near the vicinity of the National Secretariat. They said we risk arrest, if we come to the place.
"They based it on security grounds. But it is strange that a PDP member cannot go to the national secretariat of the party. What they have done is to infringe on our fundamental human rights to free movement.
"We have not even been allowed to clear our desks from the office of the National Secretary."
Another said: "Some of us may go to court against this restriction of movement to the National Secretariat of the PDP. This is certainly strange."
But, some NWC members have queried the removal of Oyinlola's portraits which they considered subjudice.
It was learnt that some NWC members yesterday complained about the alleged maltreatment of Oyinlola.
A member of the NWC, who spoke in confidence, said: "We were all shocked by the latest development, which we least expected.
"They have locked up Oyinlola's office and the portraits have been removed. These actions have been taken at a time we are working on reconciliation within the party.
"Some of us have decided to raise the issue with the Leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
"The irony of it is that most of the administrative officers claimed to have acted on instructions from above.
"The initial plan was to have the acting National Secretary of the party, Mr. Onwe Onwe, to take over Oyinlola's office but the legal implications far outweigh political considerations."
Southwest leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lamented their descent into irrelevance. They described their present situation as dark and gloomy.
The leaders who converged on Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja yesterday, said they are now dangling on a precipice of irrelevance and dark, bitter ruination.
In a mournful speech read by the former deputy national chairman, Chief Bode George, the party lamented the stunted growth, chaotic situation of their lot in the scheme of things.
George said: "We stunted without growth. We are frozen in chaotic tumult without movement. We are halted in muddle and misery by our own contrivances. Alas, we are orphaned, detained in self-inflicting conundrum and despair.
"Pray, where is the way forward. How do we plow through this prevailing murkiness. How do we restore our path to the desired road of redemption and collective progress.
"We dwell in retrogressive circles, frozen in perpetual blame game, halted in bickering and muddle, thereby creating a leadership vacuum now absorbed and seized by charlatans and the avatars of dubious and unknown pedigree.
"We steer our ship in different directions. We are led by different, contrary captains on the same boat of life. We all cry and shout progress but we still move and hurry in separate directions. We lack clarity and a unifying articulation.
"There are no easy solutions. There is no magic wand anywhere. Our collective salvation dwells within us all. We must plunge within our culture and sift through the depths of our ancestry for the way forward".
Present at the meeting were all past and serving cabinet ministers from the southwest, former governors, former federal legislators and PDP national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.


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Originally published on APB News.com
Killers scam supporters from death row
Stardust Johnson cringed when she saw a photograph of her husband's killer on the Internet, pleading for female pen pals to end his death row boredom. "I looked at the site and felt outrage and pain," said Johnson, whose husband Roy Johnson, a University of Arizona music professor, was abducted, robbed and beaten to death after he attended a concert in Tucson in February 1995. Beau Greene was convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. "I felt double the grief because it just picked me up and put me back to the intensity of what he had done, that he should be alive, advertising on the Internet while my husband is dead."
The pen pal site, which said it was "pleased" to present Greene, bears a photo of the condemned killer cuddling a cat. Greene wrote that he was looking for "fun" and wanted women to write to him.
"I really can't believe Roy is gone," Johnson said. "He was the most gentle, kind, soft-spoken person. That this filthy scum should be alive and advertising, saying he's bored and life is dull and holding a fluffy cat was just nauseating."
Site triggers outrage
Greene's Internet personal ad spurred Johnson to lobby on behalf of a bill that includes provisions banning inmates from sending or receiving mail through so-called prisoner pen pal sites in cyberspace. Arizona corrections officials are more edgy about inmate pen pal relationships because of a bizarre caper in 1997 when a woman, who had met her death row husband on the Internet, attempted to break him out of the state's maximum-security prison. The woman and inmate were shot to death. But there are both constitutional and practical questions as to whether the proposed law, if enacted, could even be enforceable.
Ferreting out Internet mail generated from the Web, separating it from regular mail and monitoring sites for inmate ads would require a full-time team of investigators, corrections officials say.
A call for prisoner isolation
Besides that, the state is under a 1973 court order that forbids it from opening 90 % of inmate mail. And prisoner advocates say it is cruel to keep prisoners isolated from the outside world and cut off any limited human contact they might have. They say prisoners have a right to receive mail, and people have a right to send them letters. Still, family members of murder victims would like to see the bill passed -- even if the measure is mostly symbolic.
Numerous prisoner Web sites
There are numerous Internet sites -- some run by human rights groups, ministers and moneymaking entrepreneurs -- that find pen pals for inmates. One site operated by a Missouri minister even maintains regular communication with a convicted serial killer that she calls "Jack." Type in the words "prison pen pals" or "inmate pen pals" in any search engine and numerous sites will appear. Prison Pen Pals.com., Cyberspace Inmates, Penn-Pals-Prison Inmate Service Network, Transcend the Walls and Cell Pals are but a few. The sites routinely list personal ads from inmates, including many on death row around the United States. They plead for letters from the outside world to help fill their "lonely" hours. Some are looking for women. Others solicit donations to their defense funds and ask people to send them stamps. Others say they just want to hear from the outside world. Some inmates even have set up Web sites devoted to their cases and to proclaim their innocence. However, no prisoner has direct access to Internet access or e-mail in Arizona. The prisoners place their ads on the pen-pals sites, which collects mail and sends it to the inmate.
Lonely criminals or connivers?
But are these heartfelt ads from imprisoned men and women who crave contact with the outside world, or conniving attempts to reach out to someone that might help them? That depends on whom you talk to. "You can't arbitrarily cut off contact with human beings on the outside," said Tracy Lamourie of the Canadian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, which has a Web site that provides free listings to about 500 death row inmates around the United States. "It doesn't help anybody to have them isolated 24 hours a day and getting more and more angry." Numerous Arizona inmates, including many on death row, place pleas for letters on the site. Lamourie said she has never received complaints from any of the people who write to death row inmates from the list provided on her site. She said that she regularly writes 18 inmates. She also said that by being able to publish letters on Web sites, inmates provide the public with a glimpse into prison conditions.
"I think Arizona should spend their time and effort and taxpayers' money on doing things that actually help the prisoner rehabilitate into a vital part of society when they are released," said Priscilla Pletcher, who says her Prison Pen Pals.Com site lists more than 6,000 prisoners from 6 countries. "Prison has grown into such a horrible big business, and one out of 70 Americans is in prison. I find this shocking, especially since we once were billed as 'the land of the free.'"
Prison suspect scams
But the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) has a more suspicious view of the inmates -- especially death row prisoners -- in Cyberspace. "For the most part, it is a scam," said Camilla Strongin, chief spokeswoman for the ADC. "Inmates want to get something from someone. Most of our research on death row inmates reveals that they have a subculture on the outside that support them." The ADC says it has "documented cases" of individuals getting in pen pal relationships with inmates and ending up "mortgaging their homes and maxing out their credit cards." Investigators said that in some cases, women have sent the inmates sexually explicit audio and photographs. Gary Phelps, the chief investigator for the ADC, said he has interviewed women who have placed thousands of dollars into inmate bank accounts or defense funds. Many of these women gravitate to Florence, where the state's 118 death row prisoners are housed. ADC officials admit that while they would like to see some restrictions, they aren't sure how to go about writing a workable state law or even policing if one is passed.
Woman, lover killed in gunbattle
In July 1997, a woman who had met a death row inmate through an Internet pen pal ad and later married him attempted to break him out of prison -- a plot that ended in death for her and her death row husband. Rebecca Thornton tried to break her husband, killer Floyd Thornton, out of the state's maximum-security prison in Florence as he was tending to an inmate vegetable garden. Wielding an AK-47 assault rifle, Rebecca Thornton was killed in a gunfight with guards. But before she died, she shot and killed her husband. But Donna Hamm, who runs a prisoner advocacy group, blamed the escape attempt on former Gov. Fife Symington, who paraded the condemned men outside in chains to show how tough he was on crime.
'Subculture' of death row
The brazen escape attempt prompted the ADC to focus on what it has called the "subculture" created around death row inmates. The probe detailed how condemned men and their girlfriends keep in contact with one another and sometimes hatch plots for escapes and to smuggle contraband inside the prison. They even used secret "codes" in their letters, investigators said. And the ADC believes women have deposited money into prison bank accounts. "We found out that they are all in Florence and getting together to have coffees and teas," Phelps said.
They are lonely men with murderous hearts. Triple killer Michael E. Correll is a death row Casanova and a self-described lover of "animals and nature" who's apparently getting women he meets on the Internet to help finance his legal defense. Robert Moorman, who killed his mother and chopped up her body, said he wished women would write him to discuss poetry and Star Trek. Angel Medrano, who raped and murdered a pregnant woman, complains of having a shattered heart. Kenneth Laird, who strangled a woman with rope he tightened around her neck with a screwdriver, says he's trapped in a "lonely and scary place" and wants women of any age to write him.
They are 4 of 11 Arizona death row inmates seeking pen pals on the Internet through free ads posted on the Web site of the Canadian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. They're soliciting letters, they say, to pass time at Arizona State Prison. But in their pleas for love, friendship and compassion, the condemned don't detail the murders they've committed. So what kind of men could women be writing to this Valentine's Day?
The 11 inmates have collectively murdered 15 people in the course of committing such crimes as rape and robbery, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). One burned the body of a woman he murdered. Another strangled a terrified child who had hidden under a bed. "These guys aren't here because they have done anything positive," said one state corrections official. In addition, many of the condemned have been convicted of assault, weapons charges, drugs, committing fraud and deceit, rioting and theft while in prison.
APBnews.com has obtained the 11 inmates' prison disciplinary records which reveal that, collectively, they have been found guilty of 77 major violations of prison rules -- many of which on the outside could have resulted in prison sentences -- and 73 minor violations. The infractions resulted in the inmates either being placed in isolation or losing prison privileges.
Scam or loneliness?
Arizona lawmakers are currently considering legislation that would blast the condemned men from cyberspace by preventing them from receiving mail from such Internet pen pal sites. There are doubts, however, even by the ADC, that such a law would pass constitutional muster. But critics believe some of the pleas for pen pals are nothing more than scams by the inmates, who have time to waste while on death row -- which is a world of violence, sexual deprivation and humiliation. Corrections officials believe that some of the 118 death row inmates -- several so dangerous that guards have them tied face down to a gurney during visits, even with their own lawyers -- are using the Internet to obtain money and attract followers.
"The Web has given them a worldwide market," Gary Phelps, the chief investigator for the ADC, told APBnews.com. "It's a game with them, and they openly admit they have nothing to do and want to get something out of everybody."
'An inmate does not have rights'
State Rep. Linda Gray, who co-sponsored a bill that would stop pen pal letters, said she is worried that the growing number of Arizona inmates on the Web is allowing prisoners "contact with vulnerable adults and children." She dismisses complaints the new law would violate the inmates' right to free speech. "To me, an inmate does not have rights," Gray told APBnews.com. "They lose those rights when the break the law." But the advocates of pen pal sites say death row inmates like to receive letters because they are locked down most of the day in their cells.
Death row Casanova
In his personal ad on the Canadian coalition's Web site, Correll claims he was wrongly convicted of murder. He says he is seeking "sincere and caring hearts" who wish "to bring the light of day" into his life. Correll has placed several ads on the Internet to garner support for his case. He even provides a Fabio-like picture of himself, showing his muscular body and long hair. His ads have attracted several women followers around the world.
Correll, 40, was sentenced to death in 1984 after being convicted of murdering three people in Phoenix. 1 was strangled; 2 were shot to death. Correll and another man, who reportedly committed suicide just as police were closing in on him, went to a trailer to rob the victims of money and drugs, prosecutors charged. But Arizona corrections officials have a darker view of Correll's motives. He is described in internal ADC documents as being a manipulator of women, managing to get several to fall in love with him through letters. One woman who had a pen pal relationship with Correll later married and divorced him.
Inmate plays on 'fantasies'
Phelps said Correll has managed to use the Internet to persuade some women to contribute thousands of dollars to his defense fund. At least two women moved from their homes in Belgium and England to be near him, investigators said. "He's got a mother and daughter in Virginia, and the mother writes him and says she hopes the daughter doesn't find out," Phelps told APBnews.com. Phelps said the condemned killer keeps a "matrix" of all the people he writes to around the world. Phelps said investigators told him that a woman in Colorado sold her condominium and placed $30,000 in Correll's defense fund. However, Phelps stated he has no proof that the money was deposited, but was relying on what the woman told his investigators.
In charge of 'recruiting' suckers
Correll is described as the "resource director" among death row inmates, in charge of "getting a lot of these women" to help the condemned men. Investigators believe that some death row inmates even specialize in escapes. Correll also became the legal "executor" of the estate of a death row inmate who was executed -- an estate of $800,000 that was built up through scams, Phelps stated. The inmate, Jimmie Wayne Jeffers, who was put to death in 1995, made thousands of dollars by getting people on the outside to buy him things and then refusing to pay for them. He then used his brothers on the outside to sell the items and build up his bank account, according to Phelps. "We went into his cell one time, and he had $1,500 in merchandise, including a watch and stamps," Phelps said. But how does Correll do it? Phelps said that Correll told him he snares women by playing into their 'desires and fantasies.' "The way he says it is, 'If I find a person who likes pink elephants, I become an expert on pink elephants,'" Phelps said.
Woman had shrine to murderer
One woman, identified as Anna Duncan, told investigators in 1997 that she met and fell in love with Correll after writing to him through a Web site. The English woman said she even started a defense fund in her homeland in his name. She eventually moved to the United States to visit Correll, according to internal ADC reports. "Her apartment is a literal shrine to Correll," investigators wrote in an Oct. 30, 1997, report. "She has pictures, paintings and drawings of him covering nearly every part of her apartment. There are picture and candle arrangements set up and even a nude picture of him next to her pillow." Duncan was not accused of any criminal wrongdoing. Duncan's name was, at one time, listed in a flier as the contact person for Correll's defense fund. E-mail sent by APBnews.com to a Web address in England was returned because the address could not be found. Duncan could not be reached for comment.
Correll also has a page on another inmate pen pal Web site -- Cyberspace-Inmates -- in which he pleads his case of innocence and asks people to send donations to the Michael E. Correll Defense Fund, with a blind post office box in Homer, N.Y. E-mail sent to the Web site asking for information on the defense fund was not answered. But Correll wrote that all money goes for attorney and "attendant expenses."
Dispute over old defense fund
A woman who runs an advocacy organization for Arizona inmates told APBnews.com that she stopped heading a defense fund for Correll several years ago after he asked her to transfer $400 left over in the account for his personal use. Donna Hamm, co-founder and director of Middle Ground, said she refused Correll's request because the money was earmarked for legal expenses. Hamm said about $3,000 to $4,000 was raised, and the leftover money is still sitting in the account. However, despite the problems, Hamm defends the rights of prisoners to place ads on the Internet to solicit mail or money for their defense funds. "I don't think one person has been coerced or involuntarily has given money," Hamm said. "People can determine on their own whether to give money to a death row inmate. It's a personal decision."
Women shelled out $12,000
Internal ADC reports show that another of Correll's girlfriends took out a $12,000 loan to help pay a law firm working on his appeals. And yet another girlfriend told investigators she met him on the Internet. Investors say Correll has used a variety of "schemes with many different women" and has told each "he loved them." A spokeswoman for the Arizona Attorney General's Office said she believes Correll has collected thousands of dollars in donations through Web sites. She said it was against policy, however, to comment on whether the funds were being investigated.
Threats and harassment by mail
Prison disciplinary records show Correll has had nine incidents of mail violations, including acts of "threats and harassment." Corrections officials did not provide further information on these violations. He has been found guilty of 16 major violations while imprisoned, including disobeying orders, possession and manufacture of drugs, unauthorized contact, taking part or planning in protest demonstrations, deliberately setting a fire, conspiracy and possession of contraband, according to disciplinary records obtained by APBnews.com. Correll refused a request for an interview.
Lawyer calls allegations 'absurd'
Brian Dando, who is representing Correll in his federal appeals, said that for years, the ADC has been trying to portray his client as a "jailhouse lothario with his tentacles into women" around the world. "It's a pretty absurd concept," Dando said. Dando said he and another lawyer are being paid by the federal government to handle Correll's appeals, and has no knowledge of any defense fund set up on Correll's behalf. He also said that he finds it difficult to believe that any such defense fund raised $35,000 for his client. But Dando did say that while in prison, Correll married and divorced a woman he met as a pen pal. During an ADC probe into an alleged death row escape plot in 1997, Correll's ex-wife told investigators he writes to people without a sinister motive. She said Correll was simply bored by his situation.
Exactly who are these seemingly gentle men seeking love, companionship or help as they spend lonely days and years awaiting execution on Arizona's death row?
They're convicted killers, liars and con men -- many with histories of extreme violence and gruesome murders -- Arizona Department of Corrections records show. Below are excerpts of the personal ads placed by 10 Arizona death row inmates on the Canadian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Web site, followed by information provided by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) detailing the murders for which they were convicted. The disciplinary history of the men in prison is also provided, giving further clues to their personalities and conduct while imprisoned.
ADC records show the men collectively have been found guilty of 150 major and minor violations of prison rules, ranging from assault and weapons charges to using narcotics, selling protection, propositioning female guards and disobeying orders. Inmates found guilty of prison violations are punished by loss of privileges or spend a specified amount of time segregated from the rest of the prison population.
Clinton Spencer - Spencer writes of the "loneliness" of death row and says he hopes to find a friend who can understand and listen to him. He says he is a liberal on most issues and urges readers to write him at a "secret place" where "nobody could evade." Spencer, 41, was sentenced to death after being found guilty of kidnapping a woman, sexually assaulting and stabbing her to death and setting her body on fire. The victim was kidnapped from a Tempe convenience store in 1989. At the time of the murder, Spencer was on probation for felony child abuse. ADC records show Spencer to be a violent inmate, with 52 disciplinary actions filed against him between 1991 and 1998. He has been found guilty of 17 major and 19 minor violations of prison rules, the records show. Major violation charges against Spencer include verbal threatening, disobeying orders, narcotics possession, possession of a manufactured weapon, threatening physical assault, physical assault, threatening with harm, lying to an officer and a pending charge of rioting.
Thomas Paul West - In his Web ad, West writes that he is single, loves "puppy dogs" and is seeking someone to bring a "rainbow of life" to him. He offers peace, love and respect to all. West, 40, was convicted of bludgeoning a man to death outside Tucson on July 12, 1987. According to court records, he beat the man, tied him up, stole items from his home -- and later bragged about the crime to friends. He had prior convictions involving violent crimes. Disciplinary records against West could not be obtained.
Kenneth Laird - Laird says he
is lonely and scared on death row. He says he enjoys country life, loves animals
and would like pen pals, preferably women of any age,
to write him and send him some stamps. Laird, 24, was convicted of strangling a
Phoenix woman by tying a rope around her neck and
tightening it by inserting a screwdriver in the knot and twisting. He then
bashed in her skull and dumped the victim's body in
the desert. Prosecutors said Laird committed the crime because he wanted to
steal the woman's pickup truck. He was 17 years old
when he committed the crime. In 1994, Laird and several other inmates escaped
from the Maricopa County Jail, where he was awaiting
sentence. Laird has been convicted of five major prison offenses and four minor
between 1995 and 1999 -- a relatively light
disciplinary record in prison compared to other inmates on death row. Major
violations include assault with a weapon, threatening
with harm and physical assault. In one case,
according to ADC records, Laird cut the forearm of a
corrections officer when the guard opened the food trap on Laird's cell door to
serve him dinner. Laird had fashioned a weapon out of
a toothbrush with a razor blade melted into it, according to the report on the
Angel Medrano -
Medrano says he is lonely and wants to hear from the outside
world, saying only he is incarcerated in Arizona. He is on death row for the
murder of a pregnant woman. Medrano, 43, obtained a weekend pass from a federal
correctional halfway house in January 1987 when he got drunk, drove to a woman's
house and then raped and stabbed the victim. Her children found
their mother's body lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Medrano had
been serving a sentence for car theft at the time of the murder; he also had
served time in prison with the husband of the victim. ADC records revealed
Medrano has been found guilty of 16 major and eight
minor violations of prison rules and conduct between 1982 and 1999. The major
violations include extortion, assault with a weapon,
unauthorized contact, disrespect toward guards, committing a sexual act and
threatening with harm. Medrano has been warned and
disciplined in the past for writing letters to female corrections officers. In
one case, he wrote a guard, "Do you remember me, I
miss you a lot, I love you, can I write you notes, Are you marry," according to
the ADC. Some of Medrano's written material to the
female guards was considered threatening, according to the ADC. In one case,
Medrano grabbed a female officer by the wrist after
she had unlocked his handcuffs. In another case, a guard was forced to fire a
birdshot-like round from a shotgun in order to break
up a fight between Medrano and another inmate. The other inmate was wounded by
the shot, corrections officials said.
Efren Medina -
Medina writes that he is desperate for communication
from the outside world. He says he wants no "head games"
and finds it difficult to make friends on death row. Medina, 25, was
sentenced to death after being convicted of beating and knocking a man to the
ground and then running him over with his own car, which
Medina and another man were stealing. The victim was a
former reporter for The Arizona Republic. At the time
of the 1993 murder, Medina was awaiting trial for a shooting. On death row,
Medina has been found guilty of three minor violations of
prison rules and, in once case, disobeying an order.