text:
A species of bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., is pelleted, crumbled and sieved to a desired size. A sorbent produced therefrom has excellent sorbency and clumping, and is consequently well-suited for application as a scoopable animal litter. Alternative applications include, but are not limited to, industrial, commercial and residential sorbents, and high nitrogen content tackifiers suitable for hydro-seeding and other application.
1. A tackifier suitable for hydro-seeding and other application, comprising an organic compound having more than 2 percent by weight total sugar, more than 15 percent by weight fiber, more than 20 percent by weight protein, and less than 10 percent by weight lipid, wherein said organic compound further consists essentially of beans of the species Phaseolus vulgaris L.
2. The tackifier of
3. The tackifier of
4. In combination, a primary active ingredient and a tackifier, said tackifier providing an improved adhesive quality to said primary active ingredient, said tackifier comprising an organic compound having more than 2 percent by weight total sugar, more than 15 percent by weight fiber, more than 20 percent by weight protein, and less than 10 percent by weight lipid.
5. The combination primary active ingredient and tackifier of
6. The combination primary active ingredient and tackifier of
7. The combination primary active ingredient and tackifier of
8. The combination primary active ingredient and tackifier of
9. A tackifier functional in a first minor weight percentage in combination with a primary active ingredient of second major weight percentage greater than said first minor weight percentage, said tackifier providing an improved adhesive quality to said primary active ingredient and comprising an organic compound having more than 2 percent by weight total sugar, more than 15 percent by weight fiber, more than 20 percent by weight protein, and less than 10 percent by weight lipid.
10. The tackifier functional in a first minor weight percentage of
11. The tackifier functional in a first minor weight percentage of
12. The tackifier functional in a first minor weight percentage of
13. The tackifier functional in a first minor weight percentage of
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 60/574,026 filed May 24, 2004 and having like title and inventorship, the contents which are incorporated herein by reference in entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to sorbents, and more specifically to bean cull manufacturing and utilization techniques which yield sorbents having many preferred characteristics. In one particularly preferred manifestation of the invention, small animal litters, such as are commonly used for cats and other small animals, are prepared from navy bean culls.
2. Description of the Related Art
As humans have become more technologically astute, a number of changes have swept through both home and industry. In an industrial setting, people regularly work with many chemicals and compounds in strengths and concentrations which either do not occur in nature, or which occur only infrequently. By using these modern techniques of processing and synthesizing, products which could not have been imagined only a few generations before are being manufactured or produced on a very consistent and reliable basis. People have, quite simply, learned much about how to synthesize, extract, concentrate, and combine various compounds and ingredients to better serve their needs.
As a by-product of these operations, there is a steadily growing need for improved ways of cleaning up from such operations, and better disposing of the wastes. Modern societies have evolved to include very dense populations, and the techniques used to clean up and dispose of the wastes will have a direct impact on how subsequent generations will be able to develop and utilize resources.
When liquids that may be noxious or hazardous are to be cleaned or removed, dilution such as would be achieved by washing is one option. However, in many cases dilution only leads to a greater volume of liquid which must be handled, without easing the handling at all. In some instances, dilution will only lead to the introduction of an undesirable compound into rivers and lakes, and may account for very undesirable pollution therein. Consequently, other techniques have been developed to provide better handling of such materials. One such approach is to use materials referred to as sorbents. These sorbents will most preferably retain liquid, sometimes at greater mass of liquid than mass of sorbent. The resulting combination of liquid and sorbent may then be handled generally as a solid. One characteristic which is frequently considered to be important then is referred to as sorbency, which for the purposes of this disclosure is calculated as the mass of substance sorbed divided by the mass of the sorbent. It will be understood for the purposes of this disclosure that the alternative spellings �sorbancy� and �sorbency� are understood herein to refer to the same meaning. Furthermore, the selection of the term sorbent, as opposed to absorbent or adsorbent, will also be understood for the purposes of this disclosure to be indicative of the different types of interaction that may occur with a sorbent and compound being sorbed, and may include various chemical, molecular, atomic, or surface interactions as well as simple permeation.
Within the home, needs similar to those of industry have developed over the last few generations. Homes of old were commonly little more than shelters designed to keep out precipitation, but were otherwise generally very open to the external air and environment. Relatively recently, people have found ways to use modern industrial products to seal such dwellings entirely from the exterior. Even air exchanges within a building are often carefully controlled today, to selectively introduce fresh air while minimizing the need for energy used in climate control. Consequently, with the sealing of a home from the exterior environment, the management and control of certain items within a modern house have also required more careful consideration, and bear many of the same needs as the cleaning and disposal of commercial and industrial wastes or by-products. One common household product which utilizes sorbents to capture and simplify waste disposal is animal litter. The handling of other liquids and waste products within a home or building present challenges and issues much like those of industry. Consequently, for home and commercial application as well as industry it is desirable to have suitable sorbents available.
The selection of base material for the manufacture of sorbents has historically been driven primarily by cost. When a source material was identified that had ready availability and low cost of production, such material stood a good chance of acceptance in the marketplace. Consequently, early sorbents were manufactured from materials such as clay and sand that could be dug from the earth with large scoops or shovels, and which required very minimal processing to be ready for use as a sorbent. Clay offers significant flexibility with the waste being sorbed, being able to sorb both water and oil-based liquids. Sand offers ready separation of liquids from solids, and is easily used to cover up or hide wastes. Since both materials are naturally occurring, returning these materials to the ground does not alter the ecological balance in any way. Furthermore, both materials are capable of withstanding very high temperatures, so where either pre- or post-processing of the sorbent using heat is desired, these materials have been desired.
In order to remain cost competitive, other materials that were identified as sorbents were selected from various under-utilized materials that might otherwise have been thought of as waste streams themselves. One example is the use of cellulose-fiber based sorbents, utilizing many different sources such as wood, corn and other agricultural stalks collectively referred to as straw, and the like. The use of such cellulose-fiber based sorbents has been particularly common throughout recorded time in the handling of agricultural waste, such as bedding for cows, horses and other livestock. The cellulosic agricultural waste products such as grain stalks are quite low in nitrogen, and proportionately high in carbon. As a result, these materials have, by themselves, tended to be difficult to biologically degrade either naturally or through ordinary composting processes. Nevertheless, the cellulose fibers act like wicks, and so are able to sorb significant amounts of liquid. When these liquids are high-nitrogen compounds such as animal wastes, the resulting fiber-and-waste combination is actually quite balanced in carbon and nitrogen, and so is readily composted and returned to the soil as a desirable soil amendment.
Consequently, for many years sorbents were manufactured almost entirely from clay, straw and cellulosic fiber as the primary ingredient. These materials still today provide suitable characteristic for many applications. However, since the introduction of commercial cat litter more than half a century ago, much development has been made in the field of sorbents which has had direct bearing on both home and industrial application.
Original cat litters were manufactured from various clays or sand compositions. Since then, litter compositions have become far more intricate and sophisticated, frequently including many different additives that are designed to enhance or introduce particular desired characteristics while minimizing other undesired attributes. Among the desired characteristics are sorbency, clumping, minimal expansion during liquid retention, odor masking or neutralizing, low bulk density, animal attractiveness, moderate textures, bio-compatibility, sewer and septic compatibility, and renewability. Undesirable characteristics include dusting, tracking or otherwise clinging to animal paws or fur, microbial growth, toxicity, wicking through the bulk after clumping, and clump friableness.
Since no material has been found to have all of the desired characteristics and none of the undesirable characteristics, the approach more recently has been to compose �designer� formulations that have additives and ingredients to optimize the specific features or characteristics that are desired in a given composition. These �designer� formulations may then be applied not only to households for cat and other small animal litters, but to many diverse applications requiring the use of sorbents. Unfortunately, this mixing of ingredients requires more technical savvy in the formulation and manufacture of a product, and associated higher cost. Furthermore, bio-compatibility, chemical interactions, and toxicity are much more difficult and complex to assess as additional ingredients and additives are mixed into any formulation, since there is always a potential for unexpected and undesired interactions.
More recently, attention has begun to shift from the clay and sand based compositions for household animal litters to various agricultural waste products. While cat litter is not as a rule composted, due to health concerns, the ability to flush the waste litter into a household septic system is desirable. Agricultural products tend to be more bio-compatible with the septic system. Furthermore, sand and clay-based products are also much more dense than the agricultural counterparts, and so are more inconvenient to transport by either the merchants or the homeowner. As more studies are conducted, various agricultural products are also thought to be safer and better for the animals as well. For example, it is felt that the clay compositions, when either eaten or inhaled by the animal, produce negative consequence. This is of particular concern as more complex ingredients are compounded with the clay to enhance desired characteristics. In contrast, most agricultural products may be eaten with little if any health concern.
As a result of the benefits of using agricultural products as sorbents, much research and development has been conducted with regard thereto. To illustrate this point adequately, the following United States patents are referenced, the relevant teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,842 by Marion et al, entitled �Peanut hull animal litter�, the inventors describe grinding and pelletizing peanut hulls for making animal litter, adding other ingredients to improve clumping and help odor absorption. U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,718 by Brewer, entitled �Animal litter process,� describes a process of manufacture and materials therefor including various gelatinizable plant flours. U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,858 by Dantoni, entitled �Method of making animal litter,� describes grinding, separating inner and outer hull parts, and treating then pelletizing peanut hulls for litter making. U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,660 by Pris et al, entitled �Animal litter composition,� describes a litter composition including straw, grain, grass, sunflower hulls, alfalfa, and binder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,410 by Ivie, entitled �Method of processing peanut hulls,� describes the crushing and pelletizing of peanut hulls to make pesticide and fertilizer carriers, and moisture absorbent material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,984 by Starr, entitled �Oil absorbent,� describes a flour and mustard paste product for absorbing oil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,804 by Chikazawa, entitled �Coated animal litter,� describes popping cereal grains, tapioca, sweet potato, and white potato, and treating the puffed material with various chemicals to produce a litter material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,250 by Loeb, entitled �Agglomerating biodegradable animal litter and method of manufacture,� describes a mixture of ground peanut hulls and grain flour with an oil adherent to prevent dusting for use as a clumping litter material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,185 by Chikazawa, entitled �Artificial litter for pets comprising tapioca,� describes using food grade tapioca or tapioca/corn expanded pellets coated with zeolite and with other agents for scent, color, and chemical preservation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,041 by Krahenbuhl, entitled �Method for the manufacture of animal litter and animal litter,� describes the use of industrial fiber and household waste processed to make animal litter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,980 by Kiebke, entitled �Hydrating cat litter and litter additive,� describes a grain granule kitty litter, and may include clay, scent, and oil additive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,818 by Ivie, entitled �Method of processing peanut hulls and peanut hull granule product,� describes grinding and pelletizing peanut hulls for use �as carriers of chemical agents and as moisture absorbent materials for use in various industrial processes.� U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,348 by Ivie, entitled �Animal litter granules and method of processing peanut hulls in producing cat litter,� describes crushing peanut hulls, then compressing them into granules and adding other ingredients for good smell and to prevent mold, for use as cat litter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,547 by Wollrich, entitled �Diatomaceous earth containing adsorbent, method for making, and methods of use thereof,� describes a mix of vinegar, diatomaceous earth, and sugar for oil absorption. U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,967 by Ryan, entitled �Product for deodorizing and sanitizing horse stalls, and to a process of making the product,� describes a mixture of cereal grains, and kelp that is fermented to produce enzymes helpful in reducing odor, then added to diatomaceous earth to make a sanitizing powder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,114 by Peltenburg et al, entitled �Absorbent material comprising dried vegetable pulp and its use for treating organic waste,� describes the use of dried extraction pulp, such as beet, chicory root, or Jerusalem artichoke tuber, to make cat litter and other absorbing materials. U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,052 by Sladek, entitled �Method for sorbing liquid using ground wheat grain litter,� describes a ground cereal grain litter that absorbs and clumps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,018 by Otoguro, entitled �Discharged urine or other waste fluids processing material for pet animals,� describes a pellet made of �a wide variety of pulps (virgin pulp, old paper pulp, pulp residue passed through a paper-making mesh in the paper-making process, or paper-making sludge whose content of inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate is appropriately adjusted), paper powder, sawdust, wood powder, bean-curd refuse, rice hulls, coffee bean hulls, coffee been residue, tea hulls, activated carbon, and the like�. U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,947 by Sladek et al, entitled �Ground grain animal litter,� describes a ground grain litter material described as being suitable for sorbing any aqueous liquid. Milo is introduced to reduce dusting. U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,569 by Kent et al, entitled �Animal litter, process for preparing animal litter, and method for removal of animal waste,� describes the use of grain germ (corn germ was discussed and used in examples) and other ingredients to make animal litter. U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,634 by Kent et al, entitled �Animal litter, process for preparing animal litter, and method for removal of animal waste,� describes grain-germ based (preferable corn) clumping animal litter. U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,206 by Sotillo et al, entitled �Method for producing a cat litter from grain milling byproducts,� describes the use of grain milling waste products to manufacture litter pellets. U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,349 by Hughes et al, entitled �Ground grain animal litter,� patent describes pelletized or crumbled ground grain and wood mix litter. U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,315 by Tsengas et al, entitled �Cat litter,� describes use of spent distiller's grain for making litter. U.S. published applications 2003/0020043 and 2004/0086541, each by Barresi et al and entitled �Biodegradable sorbents,� discuss spent grain sorbents. As can be appreciated from the foregoing, prior artisans have contemplated such diverse agricultural by-products as spent distiller's grain, peanut hulls, saw dust, and beet pulp.
In addition to the foregoing, some prior artisans have also contemplated the use of various bean and grain products. The following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference as being exemplary of such attempts and knowledge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,305 by House, entitled �Scoopable cat litter and method,� describes a litter material made of �farinaceous material� including seeds, tubers, and roots, with cereal grain specifically focused on. U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,719 by Kiebke, entitled �Biodegradable hydrating cat litter,� describes a litter composition including use of pulse crops as one component. It further addresses adding cat-attractant scent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,770 by Kiebke, entitled �Biodegradable dustless cat litter,� describes the use of pulse crops and beans for use as a base in making cat litter. It is not specific in the type of beans being addressed. U.S. published application 2003/0004479 by Ueda, entitled �Water-absorbing agent composition and method for production thereof, absorptive article and absorbing material,� describes compositions for super-absorbent materials as might be used in diapers or sanitary napkins, and includes among the possible ingredients �adzuki, licorice, broad beans, and soybeans�. U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,824 by Ducharme et al, entitled �Absorbent composition, method of making and using same,� describes a composition for pet litter or for absorbing aqueous or oleophilic materials. The text repeatedly addresses use of soybeans and in the summary of the invention describes �protein from bean or seed sources such as soybean or flaxseed and the like also provide suitable binders�. U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,021, also by Ducharme et al, entitled �Absorbent composition,� describes a composition for pet litter or for absorbing aqueous or oleophilic materials. Soybeans and protein from bean or seed sources such as soybean or flaxseed and the like are described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,830 by Cowan et al, entitled �Lightweight particulate cementitious materials and process for producing same,� describes a foamed cementitious material that may contain guar or locust bean gum among other similar materials to provide cohesiveness and clumping when wetted by urine or similar liquids. U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,116 by Cottrell et al, entitled �Process for producing polysaccharides and their use as absorbent materials,� describes the use of locust or guar bean gum as a component of a manufactured absorbent material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,550 by Trinh et al, entitled �Animal care system and litter with reduced malodor impression,� describes the composition of an organic litter including �Protein such as gluten found in wheat flour, or protein from bean or seed sources such as soybean or flaxseed and the like also provide suitable binders.� Only soybeans are mentioned by name. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,405,677, 6,622,658, and 6,868,802 each by McPherson et al and entitled �Animal litter, process for preparing animal litter and method of removal of animal waste,� describe an animal litter using seed material including soybeans and soy bean meal, and addresses addition of cohesiveness agents to improve clumping. U.S. published application 2003/0205204 by Wang et al, entitled �Animal litter, process for preparing animal litter, and method for removal of animal waste,� describes the use of �meals or flours from grain, beans, grass, and the like, which are typically thought of as agriculturally derived meals or flours� in compacted cohesive animal litter. Soybeans are the only specifically mentioned member of the beans described therein. U.S. published application 2004/0157734 by Mertens et al, entitled �Supersuperabsorbent polymers, preparation thereof and use thereof,� describes the use of carob, guar, or locust bean flour as a component of a hydrogel absorber. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,390 by Hatton, entitled �Liquid hydrocarbon absorbent composition and method,� describes an absorbent system that does not absorb water, but readily absorbs oils and greases even from water surfaces, using guar bean, linseed, locust bean and other related leguminous plant seeds.
Clearly, a very substantial amount of research and development effort has been invested in the development of better sorbents using economically effective agricultural by-products. Nevertheless, these materials have heretofore been first a by-product, with less-than-desirable performance.
Performance enhancing additives are commonly compounded therewith, to better serve the needs of the sorbent marketplace. Heretofore, there was not a good ability to optimize the performance directly, while using the economically effective agricultural by-products. What is desired then is a base composition or ingredient which offers as many of the desired features as possible with as few of the undesired features, and which thereby reduces or eliminates the need for additional additives and the consideration of complex or unanticipated interactions. Most preferably, a modern sorbent will additionally permit handling with as little special precaution or consideration as possible.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention solve inadequacies of the prior art by providing a sorbent formulated from a specific species of bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., or equivalents thereto. These beans are more commonly known of as dry edible beans, or field beans, and come in a wide variety of market classes. Among these are kidney bean, navy bean, pinto bean, and black bean, which, although differing in the size and coloring of the seed, are all different types of this single species. The sorbent may be used as a tackifier, animal litter, or industrial, commercial or home sorbent.
In a first manifestation, the invention is an improvement to a process for collection, agglomeration and removal of animal waste using an animal litter. In the process, animal waste contacts a litter, causing the litter to agglomerate. The agglomerated litter is then removed from a remainder of said animal litter, typically by sifting. The improvement comprises using as litter a modified natural product consisting essentially of the species Phaseolus vulgaris L.
In a second manifestation, the invention is an aqueous sorbent, comprising an organic compound having more than 2 percent by weight total sugar, more than 15 percent by weight fiber, more than 20 percent by weight protein, and less than 10 percent by weight lipid.
In a third manifestation, the invention is a high nitrogen content tackifier suitable for hydro-seeding and other application, consisting essentially of beans of the species Phaseolus vulgaris L.
In a fourth manifestation, the invention is a high nitrogen content tackifier suitable for hydro-seeding and other application, comprising an organic compound having more than 2 percent by weight total sugar, more than 15 percent by weight fiber, more than 20 percent by weight protein, and less than 10 percent by weight lipid.
A first object of the invention is to provide a sorbent which has high sorbency. A second object of the invention is to provide a sorbent which has excellent clumping, with low clump friability and minimal wicking through the bulk after clumping. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sorbent which has minimal expansion during liquid retention. A further object of the invention is to provide a sorbent which has low bulk density. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sorbent which has animal attractiveness, such that the sorbent will be well-suited for use as an animal litter. An additional object of the invention is to provide a sorbent which has bio-compatibility, sewer and septic compatibility, and renewability. An even further object of the invention is to provide a sorbent which has moderate textures, with minimal dusting, tracking or clinging to animal paws or fur. Another object of the invention is to provide a sorbent which in non-toxic, and which either prevents or only minimally supports microbial growth. Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a sorbent which fulfills the foregoing objectives through a base composition or ingredient which offers as many of the desired features as possible with as few of the undesired features, and which thereby reduces or eliminates the need for additional additives and the consideration of complex or unanticipated interactions. Most preferably, the invention will additionally permit handling with as little special precaution or consideration as possible.
The present inventors have discovered that various beans of the particular species Phaseolus vulgaris L., including but not limited to kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and black beans, have a natural combination of characteristics that provide the benefits and features that are sought after while avoiding the undesirable characteristics, with little if any additives required. According to the preferred embodiment, navy beans have been have this desired natural combination of characteristics. Furthermore, little processing is required for these beans to deliver the desired characteristics and objectives, other than shaping.
These beans do not have to be of commercial food quality. Instead, to remain economically competitive, they may preferably comprise cracked or otherwise deformed or defective beans that might otherwise be considered to be waste for ordinary retail or wholesale trade. Such beans are often referred to as culls, having been specifically separated from the commercial or retail grade product.
In the preferred embodiment, the beans, in this embodiment navy beans, may be pelletized, or pelletized and then subsequently crumbled. The process may include grinding or otherwise comminuting to a relatively smaller size, and may additionally include the control of moisture levels, either by the introduction of small amounts of moisture prior to pressing or by further drying and dehydration. The pellets may be delivered to sale as produced, or the pellets may be used as a source feed for additional milling, crumbling or grinding to reduce the size of the pellets. The resulting product forms a superior sorbent, having the additional benefit of superior clumping over prior art sorbents.
While not wishing to be bound by any theory, the benefit and advantages that are derived from beans of the particular species Phaseolus vulgaris L. are believed to be a result of the relatively low oil content, high protein content, and extremely high fiber and sugar content. For the purposes of the present disclosure, sugars are defined as the sum of mono- and disaccharides, while carbohydrates include higher oligosaccharides and available starches. Higher oil levels are known to interfere with sorbency. Consequently, the selection of an oil bean such as soybeans for the primary ingredient is very undesirable, and would be quite ineffective for sorbing water-based liquids, owing to the higher oil content. Higher protein levels are associated herein with improved clumping and low friability of the resulting clump. Consequently, while beans of the particular species Phaseolus vulgaris L., including in particular navy beans, have been identified herein as having characteristics superior to any previously known and identified base material used in litters and the like, other beans and potentially other mixtures having composition similar to or providing the efficacy of the navy bean will be understood to be included herein, the identification which may be made using suitable analytical and assay apparatus and techniques in light of the information presented throughout the present disclosure.
While generally less preferred, as aforementioned, other ingredients or additives may be combined with appropriately processed bean sorbent to form an animal litter composition or other sorbent. Among these additives are scents, deodorizers, additional organic or inorganic sorbents already known in the art, animal attractants, anti-dusting compounds, various clumping additives, preservatives and other ingredients too numerous to specifically mention herein. While the present invention generally eliminates or greatly reduces the need for additives, it will be understood that the mere incorporation of these designer additives is still contemplated herein and such use will, with appropriate compounding, not eliminate the many benefits and advantages intrinsic to the base material, such as the navy bean, presented herein.
In use, the present bean compositions offer much benefit and advantage over prior art clay-based litters. While other litters are known, including fiber and grain-based litters, the clumping characteristics of clay continue to attract many consumers. Bentonite clays typically are capable of forming relatively large and durable clumps, which makes scooping of a litter box an easy task. Furthermore, the newer automatic litter boxes require the use of clumping litter in order to operate properly. Nevertheless, clay litters tend to dust, and the clumps could be of better size and durability. Furthermore, clay-based litters are generally incompatible with most composting techniques and methods, consequently requiring undesirable consumption of landfill space.
In contrast, the preferred bean litters have been determined to offer superior clumping, achieving a combination of better size and durability than other sorbents, while virtually eliminating the dusting problems and also permitting waste processing through either standard aerobic or anaerobic composting techniques. In fact, the preferred bean litters provide a valuable source of nitrogen and other fertilizer components, which can be highly beneficial to many composting systems.
Where used as a small animal litter, beans additionally act as an animal attractant, providing inherent characteristics that are welcomed by a cat or other animal. Owing to the non-toxic and readily digestible nature of the product, accidental ingestion which may occur during grooming or the like will not harm the animal or interfere with the animal's proper digestion. With proper manufacturing technique, the number of fines in the liter may be maintained at a relatively lower rate, to reduce or eliminate dusting.
For proper comparison between various sorbents, major constituent differences were identified by comparing protein, fiber, sugar, and starch. Products were used in test procedures which contained higher and lower percentages than the most preferred navy beans in each of the major constituent categories. The analyses of products used for comparison testing are listed in the following Table I, the data which was obtained through various commercial and governmental sources.
Navy beans, wheat, soy hulls, beet pulp, and corn gluten were all pelleted on a California Pellet Mill, Master model using a 5/32″ diameter die with an 8:1 compression. Pelleting temps remained under 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Products were then crumbled and sieved to a −No. 5 to +No. 30 size. This resulted in non-bias and equal comparisons in regard to physical characteristics.
A sorbent performance test was conducted on the products of Example I, following ASTM 726 9.3.2. The results are listed in the following Table II.
A loose particle clump test was performed on four of the crumbled products used for the sorbent test. The testing included filling eight inch diameter Pyrex containers with 2.5 inches of crumbled product. Water was then added to the surface of these products, 5 ml per test which is equivalent to 6.74 grams of water. The clumps were allowed to set for six and eighteen hours. Evaluation was done on clump weight and hardness of the clump. Testing was replicated.
The clumps were removed at six hours, weighed and placed under a Dillon� Quantrol� force tester. Fracture/yield results were taken after 1� turns without a change in force pressure.
After six hours, the navy bean crumble was the only product which could be removed intact for testing; all the other products crumbled or fell apart upon removal. The navy bean clump had a hardness of 0.74 pounds of force with a point tip test before fracturing.
Force testing was repeated at 12 hours. Once again the navy bean clump was removed and tested, now having a fracture point of 1.51 pounds of force with a tip point. The soy hulls clump was also removable at 12 hours with a break point of 0.02 pounds of force while the gluten and beet pulp clumps would not remain intact for testing.
The clump test was repeated using navy bean cull, yellow corn, sugar beet pulp, soybean meal 44%, soybean hulls, and corn gluten. Each stock material was formed into pellets as in Example I, and ground on an Urshel Comitrol using a 0.004 inch cutter for uniformity in particle size for testing. The results are shown in Table III.
Navy beans were compared to various other members of the preferred species Phaseolus vulgaris L. The data, taken from a single common recognized governmental resource, is provided below in Table IV.
From the foregoing examples and tables, navy bean culls and other members of the preferred species Phaseolus vulgaris L. with their unique chemical structure have the capability to sorb larger quantities of water over similar materials, specifically wheat and corn gluten. Navy bean water sorbency appears to emanate from the fiber content, present also in beet pulp and soy hulls, both which contain much greater crude fiber levels.
Unlike beet pulp and soy hulls, navy beans also clump and adhere together when exposed to water. Fiber content does not contribute to this characteristic, but rather prevents clumping. Both soy hulls and beet pulp are, for practical purposes, non-clumping, and would not remain intact while handling. Protein and starch appear to improve clump hardness, yet when corn gluten and soybean meal clumps were placed under pressure, they broke and crumbled. In contrast, the navy bean clump fractured and remained intact.
A comparison with navy beans, wheat and corn as shown herein above in Table I reveals that navy beans have approximately twice the fiber and protein content of either corn or wheat, and between seven and twenty times the sugar content. Both are believed to be highly consequential to the development of both sorbency and clumping when exposed to aqueous compositions. In consideration thereof, it is further contemplated herein that other ingredients may be formulated to provide similar elevated levels of sugar, fiber and protein to emulate the results obtained herein with navy beans. One such composition, in accord with the teachings of the present invention, is an organic compound having more than 2 percent by weight total sugar, more than 15 percent by weight fiber, more than 20 percent by weight protein, and less than 10 percent by weight lipid. Nevertheless, navy beans and other members of the preferred species Phaseolus vulgaris L. are most preferred, owing to the ready availability of culls and the ease of fabrication of preferred sorbents as illustrated in the foregoing examples.
As aforementioned, the oil content found in many beans of other species and other crops and agricultural by-products is further recognized by the present inventors to inhibit the desired sorbency of water-based liquids. Soybeans have a total lipid content of approximately 20%. Other common agricultural by-products which are known to act as water repellants have total lipid content of approximately 10%. In contrast, common members of the preferred species Phaseolus vulgaris L. have total lipid content in the range of from 0.75-1.5%. Consequently, a total lipid content of less than 10%, more preferably less than approximately 3%, and most preferably less than approximately 2% is desired in the preferred embodiment.
While the foregoing details what is felt to be the preferred and additional alternative embodiments of the invention, no material limitations to the scope of the claimed invention are intended. The possible variants that would be possible from a reading of the present disclosure are too many in number for individual listings herein, though they are understood to be included in the present invention. For example, while the present disclosure is directed primarily towards using navy beans, other beans of the particular species Phaseolus vulgaris L., and compounds having similar characteristics to the formulation of clumping animal litter, it will be recognized upon a review of the present disclosure that there are additional commercial and industrial applications where sorbents having the above recited characteristics are highly sought. Exemplary of such applications are water-based spill sorbents, additives commonly referred to as tackifiers such as might be used in hydro-seeding, and binders which assist in the forming of pellets. Consequently, such additional sorbent applications are understood to be incorporated herein, and the benefits and characteristics which are obtained with such application are additionally considered herein. To further describe such benefit, the use of bean cull for hydro-seeding application combines a high nitrogen (protein content in excess of 20%), fertilizer-rich bean with an application where such fertilization is very beneficial. Further, features, design alternatives, processing alternatives with and without heat, pelletizing, and other alternatives that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be incorporated also. The scope of the invention is set forth and particularly described in the claims herein below.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Properties in Hay-on-wye, Hereford, Herefordshire And Worcestershire between £30,000 and £2,000,000
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To provide you with the best possible service we only show properties for which estate agents have provided full and valid postcodes. You may find more properties in our List or Gallery views.
The property is
No 9 Church
The property is accessed via the front door into a generous
Outer Storm
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Local businesses here to help you:
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text:
By dotCore
via filer.case.edu
Submitted: Apr 22 2013 / 01:22
Isaac Asimov was the most prolific science fiction author of all time. In fifty years he averaged a new magazine article, short story, or book every two weeks, and most of that on a manual typewriter. Asimov thought that The Last Question, first copyrighted in 1956, was his best short story ever. Even if you do not have the background in science to be familiar with all of the concepts presented here, the ending packs more impact than any other book that I've ever read. Don't read the end of the story first!


text:
|London, Greater London
|Latitude: (51.50847, Longitude: -0.12533
|Browse London map
|Edit map
| External links:
|Use this template for your city
London is a city in Greater London at latitude 51° 30′ 30″ North, longitude 0° 7′ 31″ West.
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom. Greater London is one of the nine regions of England and is divided into 32 London boroughs. For ceremonial purpose it excludes the City of London. It is the most populous city in Europe (over twice the population of Paris). All road distances to the destination "London" refer to Charing Cross.
See also Central London
|Local User Group
|OSM London
|Different pub each time (map)
|mailing list
|no mailinglist
A series of London pub meet-ups and mini mapping parties over the summer 2014. These events are free and open to all. We normally have a mixture of old OpenStreetMap hands and new people coming along to find out more. The events might include mapping, but mostly we'll just be sitting around in a pub having a friendly chat about little things like freeing the world's geo-data. We hope you'll join us! Everyone and anyone is welcome.
Upcoming Events
Next one Thu 4th - Penderel's Oak Holborn
The next event will be a casual social meet-up on Thursday 4th September at The Penderel's Oak pub on High Holborn (map) It's between Holborn and Chancery Lane tube. We'll be there from 7pm
This is a big pub. We'll aim to get a table somewhere near the main entrance. We'll also aim to get organised with an OpenStreetMap sign and / or an orange OSM Surveyors Jacket. All the best people will be wearing Polo shirts (You can buy yours at the pub if you tell Harry to bring one!)
Sign up on Lanryd ...if you like. This helps people find out about the event, but it's not required, and the list of people on there will be smaller than the actual number who show up
Tues 16th Sept: #geomob
#geomob at the BCS near Covent Garden starting at 18:30 - lots of mapping/geo talks including several using OSM, followed as always by #geobeers
Late Sept - Next HOT event
There will probably be another HOT mapping evening late september.
Also there's something big in the pipeline for late October.
Details coming soon
Oct 26th Clock change
End of the "summer"
Future events
We'll use this wiki page to announce events, as well as @OSMLondon . Announcements may come at short notice!
There's lots of other events in London e.g. tech meet-up groups, for which OpenStreetMap is relevant. Please use the wiki to pro-actively coordinate the setting up of an "OpenStreetMap presence" at these events… or just go along (Other OSMers may or may not be there)
We've got a list of London event venues for future events of a non-pub format. Please add to that if you have ideas or if your organisation would like to host or sponsor an event!
Past events
This series of events follows on from London/Winter 2013-2014 events
So far in this series:
|What happened?
|3rd Apr
|Green Man
|photos? diary entry? photo tag
|9th Apr
|Olympic Park
|the Crate
|Ollie's pre event blog and cake, photos. 'harry mapping video,' harry diary
|28th Apr
|Oxford St
|Blue Posts
|photos, harry diary
|3rd May
|The ODI
|2014 London HOT Congo Mapathon photos HOT blog
|14th May
|Baker Street
|The Metropolitan Bar
|photos, harry diary
|29th May
|Old St/Barbican
|Artillery Arms
|photos harry diary
|23rd Jun
|The Reliance
|photos diary coming soon
|3rd July
|Craft Beer
|photos diary coming soon
|8th July
|(HOT meet-up) photos & diary coming soon
|19th July
|Crystal Palace
|Food market
|Tom Chance's OSM stall
|22nd July
|Monkey Puzzle
|diary entry & photos coming soon
|29th July
|HOT meet-up at MSFUK office as part of #map4ebola and Lesotho Mapathon
|9th Aug
|Old St/Barbican
|Artillery Arms
|OpenStreetMap 10th Anniversary Birthday party + wikimania weekend, harry diary
|20th Aug
|Bond St
|Iron Duke
|photos & diary entry coming soon
|26th Aug
|Red Cross offices
|HOT humanitarian mapping evening. photos
This list is brought in from the London/Summer 2014 events wiki page (where you can make edits)
OSM Coverage
- Summary
OpenStreetMap has usable coverage of London and areas within the M25. The coverage density is not as much as the 208 most densely mapped meta tiles in 2013[1]: however, we have mapped nearly all roads and a lot of other features within the M25.
In the early days, we used Yahoo imagery in addition to GPS tracks to sketch in the features, and then add names from Ordnance Survey data. There are some areas which do not have enough detail from surveys and other open data, but in the early days it was worse, with areas around Hillingdon north of Heathrow glowing red on the NoName map. Today, we can use ITO Map to see where we could do a bit more surveying.
For a long time, we have had complete coverage of the London Underground, allowing us to render a Tube Network Map with small details such as track configurations, tunnels and bridges: our List of London Underground stations gives a raw list of stations as we originally surveyed them through GPS. We also have a strong coverage for stations and lines for DLR, Tramlink, London Overground and National Rail networks, and good coverage of most bus routes in London with the help of NaPTAN.
London also has good coverage of specialised information: Amaroussi has added and maintained Street light information for nearly all classified roads, Welshie has been doing most of the speed limits, while other users are adding lanes, sidewalks, surfaces, trees and even the London Congestion Charge.
- Priorities
- Mapping London's bus routes will remain a large and ongoing process, because Transport for London frequently alters bus routes to cater for changing demand.
- Add the Low Emission Zone.
- The public transport scheme is now live, meaning that we will have to update the network: we have to complete the London public transport tagging scheme soon, so that all modes to ensure routing integration and cross-compatibility between the new and old schemes.
- Add missing speed cameras and turn restrictions. They are important if OpenStreetMap is going to be a usable backbone for routing devices.
- OpenStreetMap is 10 years old this year, and urban regeneration is rendering some areas out of date: for example, the Heygate Estate in Southwark is being demolished and the Alma Estate in Ponders End will follow from next year.
London Boroughs
London is subdivided into 32 boroughs. Within our data we see these represented as admin boundaries, which are now all mapped out. See London borough boundaries for details and links to these.
London boroughs are also UK local councils of course, and with all of these it would be fantastic to see them making use of open geodata from OpenStreetMap, working with our community to supply change updates, or partnering with us to engage local communities via the process of OpenStreetMapping.
We could create wiki pages about the London boroughs.
Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster
…but note that wiki pages about small areas can fall into disuse quite easily, so don't be too ambitious with info requiring updates. The London boroughs might be a useful subdivision for tracking mapping progress, but probably not through manual updating of wiki pages. One automated tool which uses the subdivision to good effect already is the OSM and OSL differences analysis e.g. see the report for Camden
Out-of-copyright maps of London
There are some Out-of-copyright maps which feature London at low details levels. The most detailed is Richard's scans of the 1933/34 ABC Street Atlas of London (Torrent) (Alternative). Back in the early days (2007) we were able to try and use these to fill in some London details, or at least help us not get lost while we mapped London ourselves! These days there's nothing we can learn from them which isn't already better mapped in OpenStreetMap.
Related projects
- WikiProject United Kingdom London Cycle Network
- WikiProject_United_Kingdom_London_Cycle_Hire
- London Tube Stations
- London bus routes
- Londons "Lost Rivers"
- ↑ http://fred.dev.openstreetmap.org/density/ (accessed 15 July 2014).


text:
Expert advice for Ledbury's young drivers (From Ledbury Reporter)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting MG NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Expert advice for Ledbury's young drivers
11:06am Thursday 3rd July 2014 in News
YOUNG drivers in the Ledbury area can get free expert advice on staying safe on the road and becoming better motorists.
The organisation, IAM Herefordshire, the local safe driving charity, will be running two Younger Driver Days for 17-30 year olds this summer, with the first on taking place Sunday July 20, at Tarrington, and the other at Much Birch on Sunday August 17.
IAM Herefordshire spokesperson, Michael Lee said: "People can drop in between 10am and 4pm and it's free – but if you would like an assessment drive – please remember to bring your current, complete driving licence, insurance document and current MOT. And bring your glasses if you need them.
"To all mums and dads, - his is a great chance to encourage your young driver to become more safe on the road."
Places can be reserved on 07909 631823.
Comments are closed on this article.


text:
Chester Carruthers is eager to hear any news of his ex-girlfriend, Nola. In return for a small favor, private detective Steve Intermezzo agrees to shadow the young woman and report back to the lovelorn youth. Given a choice between love and luxury, Nola had ditched the youth for Sidney Bingham, scion of an old Boston family.
When Steve sees Nola Bingham, he falls instantly victim to her many charms. When she asks him to do a small favor, with big consequences, how can Stevie refuse?


text:
ST. LOUIS — Matt Carpenter and Jon Jay each knocked in two runs as the St. Louis Cardinals cruised past the Chicago Cubs, 10-4, in the middle installment of a three-game series. Matt Adams hit a solo homer for the Cardinals, who bounced back after losing in extra innings on Friday. Adam Wainwright (2-1) got the start and allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out eight over seven innings.
Rays 1, Reds 0
CINCINNATI — Alex Cobb spun seven scoreless innings to guide the Tampa Bay Rays to a 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the middle test of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park. Cobb (1-1) scattered four hits and fanned five to earn his first win of the season.
Rockies 1, Giants 0
SAN FRANCISCO — Troy Tulowitzki plated the game's only run with a sacrifice fly in the third and six Colorado pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout, as the Rockies recorded a 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday at AT&T Park.
Yankees 7, Red Sox 4
BRONX, N.Y. — Brian McCann hit his first two homers in a Yankees uniform Saturday, helping New York beat the Boston Red Sox by a 7-4 margin in the third game of a four-game series. Kelly Johnson, Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Beltran also homered for the Yankees, who bounced back from Friday's 4-2 loss.
Indians 12, ChiSox 6
CHICAGO — David Murphy went 2-for-5 with a homer, triple and four RBI to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 12-6 win over the Chicago White Sox in the third tilt of a four-game set. Nick Swisher and Jason Kipnis also homered while Michael Brantley and Ryan Raburn added two RBI apiece for the Indians, who snapped a three-game skid.
Twins 7, Royals 1
MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Mauer completed a six-run second inning with a three-run homer, Ricky Nolasco turned in eight stellar innings for his first win of 2014, and Minnesota cruised to a 7-1 victory over Kansas City in the middle test of a three-game set. Brian Dozier homered, drove in two and scored twice for the Twins, who have won the first two in the series.
Friday reports
Cubs 6, Cardinals 3
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Welington Castillo crushed a three-run homer in the 11th inning to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium. Nate Schierholtz opened the 11th with a double, his fourth hit of the game.
Rangers 1, Astros 0
ARLINGTON, Texas — Robinson Chirinos drilled a single up the middle to help the Texas Rangers defeat the Houston Astros for the 12th consecutive time with a 1-0 decision in 12 innings on Friday. Texas, which went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position, had runners on second or third in each of the final six innings before Chirinos cashed in. Five Texas pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout with Jason Frasor (1-0) earning the win. Rangers starter Yu Darvish, who made just his second start of the season, carried a perfect game through five innings before Matt Dominguez broke it up with a leadoff single in the sixth.
Twins 10, Royals 1
MINNEAPOLIS — Chris Colabello knocked in three runs, Kurt Suzuki drove in two and the Minnesota Twins pounded Bruce Chen and the Kansas City Royals en route to a 10-1 victory on Friday. Josmil Pinto added a solo homer and Trevor Plouffe went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for Minnesota.
Giants 6, Rockies 5
SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner tossed six innings and stroked a fourth-inning grand slam en route to a career-high five runs batted in at the plate in the San Francisco Giants' 6-5 win.
Phillies 6, Marlins 3
PHILADELPHIA — Marlon Byrd had a double and two RBI to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-3 win over the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
Chase Utley and Ryan Howard each had an RBI and two runs scored for the Phillies, who snapped a four-game skid. Domonic Brown added two hits and an RBI. A.J. Burnett threw 4 1/3 frames for Philadelphia before exiting the game with groin soreness as a precautionary measure. He fanned four while allowing two runs and issuing six walks. Jake Diekman (1-0) struck out the two batters he faced in relief of Burnett to pick up the win. Jonathan Papelbon set Miami down in order in the ninth to earn his second save of the season. Derek Dietrich hit a two-run homer and Jeff Baker picked up an RBI for the Marlins, who have lost five straight. Jose Fernandez (2-1) was knocked around for six runs on eight hits over four-plus innings of work, while striking out six and walking four.
Brewers 4, Pirates 2
MILWAUKEE — Aramis Ramirez stroked a two-run home run to help the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday at Miller Park. Mark Reynolds added a solo blast and Carlos Gomez picked up an RBI for the Brewers, who have won seven straight. Wily Peralta (1-0) hurled seven solid innings, allowing two runs — one earned — on four hits, fanning four. Francisco Rodriguez struck out the side in the ninth, earning his third save of the season. Neil Walker provided Pittsburgh's offense, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano (0-2) surrendered all four of the Milwaukee's runs, while fanning seven through six frames.
Rays 2, Reds 1
CINCINNATI — David Price tossed a gem as the Tampa Bay Rays survived a ninth-inning rally to beat Cincinnati Reds, 2-1, in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Great American Ball Park. Price (2-0) kept the Reds off the board until Joey Votto hit an opposite-field home run to left with one out in the ninth. The blast ended Price's outing at 114 pitches and brought in closer Grant Balfour, who made things interesting by walking the bases loaded with two outs before getting pinch-hitter Brayan Pena looking at strike three to end the game. Price allowed four hits, walked one and struck out 10 in just the Rays' second win in 10 all-time meetings against Cincinnati. Balfour earned his third save. Reds starter Johnny Cueto (0-2) gave up two runs on five hits, walked four and fanned six in seven innings.
Atlanta 7, Washington 6 (10 innings)
ATLANTA — Justin Upton finished 3-for-3 with a home run and the game-winning bloop single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 7-6 win over the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game set from Turner Field. Chris Johnson singled with two outs in the bottom of the 10th off Jerry Blevins (1-1) and was replaced on first base by Jordan Schafer. With the count full, Schafer took off on Blevins' delivery to Upton and was nearly rounding third by the time Upton's hit landed. Bryce Harper fumbled the ball in right field, and Schafer scored without a throw. Luis Avilan (2-1) pitched a scoreless 10th to take the win. Johnson also had three hits for Atlanta, which has won three of four meetings with Washington this season. Starter Julio Teheran scattered 10 hits and five runs — two earned — over six innings. The Nationals got just 4 2/3 innings from starter Tanner Roark, who surrendered five runs on five hits. Ryan Zimmerman smacked his second homer of the year in the setback.
Los Angeles 6, Arizona 0
PHOENIX — Adrian Gonzalez drove in five runs and Hyun- Jin Ryu combined with Jamey Wright on a two-hit shutout, as the Los Angeles Dodgers downed the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-0, in the opener of a three-game set at Chase Field. Gonzalez launched a two-run homer in the first, stroked a two-run single in the third and added a run-scoring single in the eighth to provide more than enough support for Ryu (2-1), who struck out eight over seven stellar innings of two-hit, one-walk ball. With Ryu at 99 pitches through seven frames, Wright took over on the mound and struck out the side in the eighth before working around a leadoff walk in the ninth to nail down the Dodgers' third win in four tries. Hanley Ramirez registered three hits, three runs scored and an RBI for Los Angeles, which returned to Chase Field for the first time since celebrating their 2013 NL West crown by jumping into the pool in right-center field. Arizona starter Brandon McCarthy (0-2) surrendered all six runs on 10 hits and a walk over seven innings. Miguel Montero collected the Diamondbacks' only two hits in the setback.
Boston 4, New York 2
BRONX, N.Y. — Grady Sizemore belted a three-run homer to back 6 2/3 solid innings from Jon Lester as the Boston Red Sox came through with a 4-2 decision over the New York Yankees. Both Sizemore and Jonny Gomes, who added a solo homer during Boston's four-run sixth inning, finished with two hits to help the Red Sox avenge a 4-1 setback to their bitter rivals in Thursday's opener of this four-game set. Lester (1-2) shook off an early homer to Alfonso Soriano to limit the Yankees to two runs on six hits while striking out six and earning his first win of the season. CC Sabathia (1-2) fanned nine over seven innings for New York, but gave up both Boston homers to absorb the loss. Soriano and Ichiro Suzuki each went 2-for-4 for the Yankees, with Kelly Johnson delivering an RBI single in defeat.
Toronto 2, Baltimore 0
BALTIMORE — Toronto pitcher Dustin McGowan picked up his first victory in the big leagues since 2008 on Friday, as the Blue Jays blanked Baltimore, 2-0, in the opener of a three-game set. McGowan (1-1) gave up five hits over 6 1/3 innings to record his first win since June 22, 2008. The right-hander made only his sixth start since the 2008 season. Dioner Navarro had an RBI for the Blue Jays, who started a nine-game road trip on Friday. Melky Cabrera went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Baltimore starter Chris Tillman (1-1) took the hard-luck loss after allowing two unearned runs on three hits while striking out six over eight innings.
Chicago 9, Cleveland 6
CHICAGO — Conor Gillaspie went 2-for-3 with four RBI to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 9-6 win over the Cleveland Indians in the second installment of a four-game set. Adam Eaton was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored and Adam Dunn added two hits, an RBI and two runs scored for the White Sox, who improved to 4-1 at home this season. Chris Sale (3-0) earned the win after allowing three runs on six hits while fanning five over five innings. Asdrubal Cabrera drove in two runs while Nick Swisher, Ryan Raburn and Michael Brantley drove in one run apiece for the Indians, losers in three straight. Carlos Carrasco (0-2) allowed five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five over 4 2/3 innings.
Seattle 6, Oakland 4
SEATTLE — Felix Hernandez struck out 11 batters over seven-plus innings and the Seattle Mariners got homers from Brad Miller and Mike Zunino in a 6-4 win over the Oakland Athletics. Hernandez (3-0), who gave up four hits and was charged with two runs, has fanned 30 over his first three starts. He became the first Mariners pitcher to record three wins in the team's first nine games of a season. Dustin Ackley had three hits and scored twice, while Robinson Cano drove in a run for Seattle, which lost 2- of-3 in Oakland last weekend. The A's scored all their runs in the eighth inning, but went 1-for-13 with men in scoring position and had a four-game win streak broken. Tommy Milone (0-1) surrendered 10 hits and five runs — three earned — over five-plus frames. The southpaw also had seven strikeouts.
San Diego 6, Detroit 0
SAN DIEGO — Andrew Cashner struck out a career-high 11 batters en route to a one-hit shutout, as the San Diego Padres defeated the Detroit Tigers, 6-0, in the opening matchup of a three-game set. Cashner (1-1) spun his second career one-hit shutout, with the other coming in a 2-0 win against Pittsburgh on Sept. 16, 2013. Chase Headley stroked a two-run homer and had three RBI. Chris Denorfia, Seth Smith, and Jedd Gyorko each added an RBI in San Diego's second straight win. Rajai Davis provided Detroit's lone hit and had two stolen bases. Starter Rick Porcello (1-1) gave up five runs on 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Tigers, who have dropped three of their last four.
LA Angels 5, NY Mets 4 (11 innings)
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Hank Conger took one for the team on Friday. With the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Conger took a Jeurys Familia fastball off his right rib cage to force in Raul Ibanez and give the Angels a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets. Ibanez opened the deciding frame with a single to right and moved to second when Familia (0-2), in his third inning of relief, uncorked a wild pitch. Ibanez alertly advanced to third ahead of David Freese's slow-rolling groundout to short, and a pair of intentional walks set the stage for Conger. The Angels, who stranded 14 runners over the first 10 innings, received a solo homer from Mike Trout and a tying two-run blast from J.B. Shuck in the sixth. Angels relievers retired the final 12 New York hitters, with Michael Kohn (1-0) tossing a perfect 11th to earn the win. Josh Satin recorded a two-run double and Travis d'Arnaud had a solo homer for the Mets, who were coming off a series win in Atlanta.


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Fragment of reconstructed 'silent conversation'
Police discovered fragments of text on Dart's laptop that revealed that the pair had used the computer to have a "silent conversation" to avoid possible surveillance bugs.
They would open a Word document and take it in turns to type, before deleting the text and mistakenly assumed that none of it would be stored on the machine.
However forensic experts were able to plough through 2,000 pages of computer code to decipher fragments of what was said.
These included Mahmood making a reference to Wootton Bassett and then adding "if it comes down to it it's that or even just to deal with a few MI5 MI6 heads".


text:
Rated 3.9 out of 5 by 275 reviewers.
Rated 4 out of 5 by SJA54 small rooms, great staff The Four Points Chelsea is nice with a very friendly and helpful staff. The room is pretty bare bones as is the restaurant. The rooms are quite small and not really well laid out. For instance -- nor room for two people to lay out toiletries in the bathroom, a night-stand on one side of the bed only etc. We were on an award stay (platinum) and did not get any upgrade. Our room had a pretty uninspiring view of NYC. Additionally, the rooms have in-wall HVAC -- always a risk for noise. Ours was not terribly noisy, but since it was in AC mode there was a rather large noise every time the compressor kicked on. May 16, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by WMCOLMES14 nice location change we usually stay in the times square area, but we decided to change to Chelsea. great location, right near all the Chelsea items, and a Whole Foods is near by. $5 can ride from Penn Station. Staff was very nice. Sadly our room was not ready when we arrived at 1, but it was at 2 as is standard. Rooms are small, but they are just a base for us to nap before going out. Sheraton Manhattan's rooms are bigger. Only complaints are the bathrooms are very dated, as if 4 points was some other brand. They re-ddi the rooms, but the bathroom as very basic. Also, the gym is tiny. Overall, would surely stay here again July 18, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lauren13 Fantastic stay! My partner and I were in town to attend the 2014 NYC Vegetarian Food Festival and were looking for a place to stay that was close to the location. This hotel was perfectly located to both the event and several subway stops, which made getting around the city a breeze. When we arrived, we were greeted by an awesomely friendly doorman who helped us with our bags. The front desk attendant was very friendly and helpful - we were even able to check in earlier than our scheduled time. The room had a great view of the city, was very clean, and the BED - we slept like babies! As we were checking out of the hotel a few days later, we were already making plans to return to this hotel for another visit to the city. March 3, 2014
Rated 3 out of 5 by td99 Awesome staff and great location Staff could not have been moe friendly and welcoming. They really go above and beyond. The gift of a Billy's Bakery cupcake when you check in is worth the stay in my opinion. The location is great because it's a bit more of a neighborhood feel than some of the other Starwood properties in NYC. Not as touristy, a bit more quiet and you feel like you escape the mobs of people for a bit. 1/2 a block from whole foods, a baskin Robbins around the corner and a short walk to the subway. Room furniture, carpets and bathrooms are a bit dated and could stand to be renovated but room was very clean. October 21, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Nikichina Home away from Home This was my first time staying at a Four Points and I was pleasantly surprised and will def stay here again. The overall experience was great and comparable to hotels that are much more pricey-- The welcome coffee every AM in the lobby, the welcome cupcakes/drinks, the apples at the front desk, the front desk staff who went out of their way to help guests, and the very comfortable rooms. Although no hot water maker in room (besides coffee maker), the staff got me hot water upon request. They had restaurant tips for all occasions. I found the hotel great value, and would stay there again. February 10, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by tiff125 clean, nice views The hotel was located just off a busy street, so it was quieter than we expected. the beds were comfortable, the bathroom larger than expected with great shower pressure. Staff was very helpful and even got us checked into our room early. (such a bonus!) our only complaints are the elevator was slow, and for a couple of days one elevator was broken so it took forever to get to and from your room. also we used the Irish pub/restaurant just once because the food and the service was LOUSY!!!! we never spent our money on food there again, street vendors were even better than that place :-( April 1, 2013
Rated 2 out of 5 by PeterLeo Plumbing has problems I've already written the hotel staff about this, but received no reply. The room I was in had serious problems with water pressure. The shower would be unusable in the morning for 1-2 minutes before finally kicking in with proper pressure. I reported it several times, maintenance left a note that they were unable to duplicate. I finally gave up reporting when it became obvious it wouldn't get fixed during my stay. It's an annoyance that is unacceptable in a $350/night room geared towards business travelers. It's not a charming B&B, it's a 125sqft cube of a room geared at business travelers who want things to work. The lack of reply from staff in the post-visit email is disappointing and unprofessional. December 17, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by Arthur Mixed Feelings - Good and Bad The staff here have a mixed balance. Somebody told me wrong message regarding laundry which got me into an awkward situation where I have no clothes to wear for my conference. Jessica is the person who helped me to take care of that, which I think she did a great job. Later the building next to hotel had a super loud and noisy roof-top party on Saturday night, and the staff told me they won't help solve this problem, which definitely made me feel very bad and uncomfortable. I personally don't like the attitude and capability of the staff working here, except for this Jessica lady. June 10, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by SFTraveller99 Great staff and nice rooms I really enjoyed our stay at the Sheraton Four Points in Chelsea, NYC. The staff was fabulous, always helpful and attentive. The rooms were clean and well-appointed. May 19, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by edgrimley Great front desk staff Don't often write reviews but I want to be sure to highlight the wonderful front desk service at the Four Points Sheraton Chelsea last week. After a loooong Acela ride from Boston and a late arrival, I received an extremely friendly greeting. This was followed by an upgrade, some extra points as a thank you and after inquiring about breakfast a free breakfast voucher. All of the little freebies were nice, but the attitude and professionalism were the best part. Thanks! The front desk personnel that night was a woman with dark hair. Thursday and Friday 3/29 and 3/30. April 2, 2012
Rated 3 out of 5 by chelsea No frills for SPG members I am a platinum spg member and did not receive any recognition or perks for the status at the hotel. Just a traditional room which was supposed to be on the spg level but that seemed like every other level. The bed was no a heavenly bed or very comfortable. The decor is very dark and several lamps are required in the rooms. Baths are small but clean. Restaurant has great service staff but average food. The lobby is tiny and contains the business center, the concierge desk, and the reception desk. I'll definitely look at alternative starwood properties on my next trip. July 29, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by meanchat very disappointed This was my first stay at this property and I had higher expectations based upon my stays at other Four Points properties in the city. As a Godl member, I would have expected a better room. On the 5th floor, facing the street, I did not get a good night's sleep with the garbage truck and traffic noise. As one of the priamry reasons is to get a good night's sleep, the hotel failed on this account. The room was very dated and dark with worn furniture. There were no outlets by the desk, so the hotel is not for the business traveler. The television remote did not work and the heating system did not work effectively. The hotel needs a serious renovation. I wish I had chosen to stay elsewhere. Lewis at check-in was helpful. February 3, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by EW205 Perfect for business Great location, active hotel scene but not too loud. I'll be back. May 21, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by NYnewbie Clean, Convenient, Courteous! Great location for any first time traveler with friendly and informative front desk attendants who provided great suggestions on late light dinning options and free parking spots. The hotel being on 25th St and 7th Ave made it within a short walk to Penn Station and the 23rd St subway which provided easy access to just about everything Manhattan... Times Square, Central park, Wall Street, Fifth Ave Shops, etc... (It also helped having Whole Foods Market and Jamba Juice across the street) After a long day touring around town it was refreshing to return to a clean room with clean sheets, fresh towels, complimentary in room water bottles and free wireless internet. Overall a great hotel, with great staff and great location! May 26, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by FireMedic Oct 11-13, 2013 late check in and was surprise that i got and upgrade from 2 full bed to 2 queen bed with City view but not really a nice view but it was fine. The room were nice and clean, bed were very comfy. A lot of trash on the streets from other businesses but that doesn't bother me at all. the place is close by whole food store and 24 hr pharmacy which is a plus. a small convenient store with good breakfast at the corner on 7th Ave & 25th St. A good walk to Time Square which is a healthy thing to do. I would recommend this place to anybody and certainly will stay again. October 14, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Leipah NYC jan 1-5 2014 Alitia and the rest of the staff went out of their way to answer questions and help with basic directions and pointers. The rooms were very clean and maintained during our time away during the day. This hotel is situated far enough away from Times Square but close enough to great restaurants, a whole foods and the 23rd street subway to make it very convenient. Breakfasts in hotel bar were basic but good and food at night as standard bar food. If you want a reasonably priced hotel with great location and service I highly recommend this property. January 6, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by Zcip Fantastic Location, Room Decent, Staff Not so Hot Let me start off by saying I have stayed in 5+ starwood hotels in NYC and this is one of my favorites location wise. Easy access to multiple subways, including penn station. Food wise, whole foods, startbucks, chipotle, bagel shop around the corner on and on. This location makes food and coffee so easy and wonderful. The rooms are comparable for hotels in the area, comfortable enough for NYC and are quiet for good nights rest. Would gladly book another stay here. Lobby is crammed, so don't expect to have a hang out spot in the hotel outside of your room. Staff is not the best here. Quite cranky in fact. Also, do not expect help with your bags here. There is no doorman or bell boy, so be prepared to drag all your bags yourself... April 8, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Momof2teens Perfect location, excellent staff Perfectly situated near Times Square and Greenwich Village. The staff was amazing and went out of their way to attend to our every need with advise on nearby dining, transportation and solutions to any question. The only reason I am giving any "good" and not "excellent" reviews is that we had issues with our toilet leaking nearly every day, but the front desk had maintenance there pronto every time I called. Moderate amenities not posh, but perfect for the price and very clean. April 3, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by StephenSF Elevators and doors need serious help Stay at this hotel very frequently so I obvious recommend it. The staff is as nice and accommodating as any at any high end hotel in which I've stayed. I implore management, however, to replace the room door locks. My keys demagnetized almost on a daily basis necessitating frequent trips to the front desk for help. The elevators are awful. The hotel is too tall for two elevators only especially when one is out of service. Still recommend the hotel - even with these flaws. You can't beat the neighborhood either, and the hotel bar is great. October 15, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Laurie Great location This hotel's location is perfect if you are spending most of your time downtown (Chelsea, MPD, Village). Great restaurants and bars just blocks away, and walkable to Chelsea Market and all of the MPD. We were on the 21st floor which really kept the noise level down nicely. The beds are VERY comfortable although small (not really doubles?). The only negative was the cleanliness of our restroom. It smelled strongly like mildew and was almost impossible to be in because of this. Also there are no black-out shades. Overall, would stay again! November 14, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Dottie02 This hotel has excellent features Loved everything! Front desk people amazing esp: Dion and Jennifer--Clean room/bathroom. Beds--soooo comfortable! City view at night--spectacular! Bar and restaurant--a pleasant surprise! Valet parking a big plus for me! Two doors to my event--wow! As a former travel agent I have see a lot of hotels, this really measured up for the money. I have stayed in sheratons before especially on Cape Cod and loved the experience (one reason I took a chance on this hotel) Thanks to all. I will be back and also recommend this to all my friends. Dot March 4, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by ws411 Tired, but Great Location This hotel is a Starwood-wannabee. While the hotel was perfectly fine for our stay (because we weren't in the hotel that much), it didn't really fel like a Starwood property. The front desk staff did very little to make us feel welcomed. The rooms need a makeover. A fresh coat of paint would be a good start. The curtains do not block out the morning sun at all. The Fitness Center (if you can call it that) was dirty and tired. If you need to be in Chelsea, this is a great choice for its location. Just don't expect much more in return. November 25, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by Travelmom Better stays at other SPG hotels The room they gave us was quite disappointing. Its was our third stay at this hotel. It was old, dingy, smelled musty and did not have any amenities. The furniture could have used a dusting as well as some furniture polish. It was scratched, dinged and I was surprised it didn't fall apart. Facing the inside it was loud with voices from the building across quad which kept me awake at night. Although I used points for 2 nights and am a gold member I received no benefits even though I had booked months ago none of my requests were met. February 20, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by LindseyL Great Staff Everyone was so nice - really made me feel welcome. Room was clean and new and bed was really comfy. Room was a little on the smaller side, but not unexpected in NY. Would for sure stay here again! May 4, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by SGRAinchelsea Greeted with a cupcake I can't tell you how excited I am to have found this hotel- I travel to NYC on business and to visit friends frequently, and prefer to stay in my old neighborhood of Chelsea. I was greeted at check-in with a cupcake from Billy's Bakery- which had been my favorite bake shop when I lived in NYC! Everyone was pleasant and helpful, and the room was comfortable, clean, and had everything I needed. All in all, a great stay in a great location, and most important, affordable. You all have just won my business. February 18, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by Akuryo Great Stay We stayed for only 1 night with two adults and two kids under 3yrs old. The staff were immediately helpful with the valet service, getting our stuff to the room, answering our questions and making our tired kids brighten up after a long drive. In addition we were upgraded for free. The only thing that wasn't perfect was the tv. Although we didn't come there to watch tv it was helpful to have in the evenings to keep the kids quiet but unfortunately many of the channels did not work and there was only one kids channel. January 13, 2014
Rated 2 out of 5 by hoops7777 good and bad Great staff,great location,old building with some issues.Our room smelled.The elevator smelled.The fitness down in the basement really smelled.The air con is very loud and ran the entire 6 days.The window covering did not cover the bottom of the window so we propped a pillow on top of a waste basket to keep the light out.The place needs a rennovation.Black ceramic tile in the bath?We adjusted and were fine but it was the worst Sheraton I have ever stayed at in regards to the condition of the property.The people were great. July 6, 2013
Rated 2 out of 5 by Jackulas74 Unpleasant experience I would rather not write a review of your hotel. The reason for my rating is the unhelpful staff in both reception and restaurant. When I was checking in I was not asked whether I would like SPG point or free breakfast. Later in the day I asked for breakfast and I was told that I will receive vouchers. I did not receive them and I had to get them the following morning when I was really busy and late for my business. I do not understand why I had to walk every day to get a voucher from the reception and bring this to the restaurant? Why waiting staff can not do this form me? On my last day I received a voucher for 10 USD only and a waiter told me that I need to pay a difference (every meal in the restaurant was around 15 USD). This really annoyed me as before I was not asked for any extra payments. It was very difficult to get a green tea in the restaurant. Food was not good and except of the cereal and fruit salad there were no other healthier choices. Iron in my room was broken. Not a good thing when you have only a couple of minutes before Broadway show. I left the broken iron outside my room and asked for the new one. Fine I got it later that evening but when I returned back to my room it was wide opened! Somebody left the iron and did not close the door! This is a scandal, fortunately my stuff still there. As a summary very unpleasant experience to stay in your hotel. May 11, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by Jason44 Great Location, Great Staff - Current Renovation Project Great stay as always with SPG properties. Loved the location of this hotel (between Chelsea/Meatpacking/Flatiron) and the staff was wonderful. There was a TON of construction occurring this past week (9/2-9/5) as they are currently renovating the property. I didn't notice any additional noise, but the property was very busy (furniture/boxes/workers everywhere). The great news is that renovation workers were overly friendly and courteous to me as a hotel guest. Looking forward to staying here again once it's completed! September 6, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by TravellerfromCanada Great location, good size Great location & very comfortable. May 7, 2014


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I LOOOOOOOVE peanut butter flavoured sweet treats.
It's up there with salted caramel. Oh yeah, baby.
Seriously, if there's peanut butter anything on the dessert menu – I'm ordering it. Peanut butter gelato, peanut butter cheesecake, peanut butter cookies.
My favourite peanut butter dessert is the Peanut Butter + Banana Sundae with pretzel ice cream, banana doughnut and salted fudge ($17) at Hartsyard in Newtown. It's designed to share but….
Mama and Sister Sweet blew my mind when they told me they didn't like peanut butter in desserts. What?! How is this even possible? On the positive side, at least they'll never want to share my dessert.
Surprisingly, I've never made a Peanut Butter Cake. Probably because I didn't think I would have any self control.
This Peanut Butter Cake is very light and fluffy. It has self-raising, plain flour and bicarbonate of soda. I also double sifted the flours to give it that extra light texture.
The cake is topped with a rich, dark chocolate ganache sauce. It's perfect to drizzle over the cake just as you are serving to your guests.
This recipe was adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly The Baking Collection, RRP $49.95, available where all good books are sold and online at awwcookbooks.com
I made a few minor changes to the original recipe: the cake was baked in a 24cm ring pan, I used unsalted butter, crunchy peanut butter and left out the vanilla extract and I also double sifted the flours.
- 185g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 and ½ cups caster sugar
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 and ½ cups plain flour
- ¾ cup self-raising flour
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 125g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup thickened cream
- Preheat fan-forced oven to 170 degrees celsius. Grease and line a 24cm ring pan.
- Beat butter, sugar and peanut butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Double-sift flours and soda and then stir to combine. Stir in buttermilk. Spread mixture into pan; smooth surface.
- Bake cake for about 1 hour. Stand in pan for 5-10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
- To make dark chocolate sauce, add dark chocolate and cream in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth. Stand for about 30 minutes or until thick. Pour sauce over cooled cake.


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Fort Hood Shooting Update — What We Know and What's Being Investigated
Information keeps pouring out regarding the Wednesday-night shooting deaths at the Fort Hood Army base in Killeen, Texas. Here's a recap of what we've learned:
Information keeps pouring out regarding the Wednesday-night shooting deaths at the Fort Hood Army base in Killeen, Texas. Here's a recap of what we've learned:
Allergies are a pain, but then again, so is that feeling of drowsiness most allergy medications cause. Here are some ways to cope with allergy season without using any drugs.
Taking time to be with your wife after she delivers a baby may be a precious experience, but it may not be one that has a place in the world of sports.
How you feel about this story may be written all over your face.
This guy sure puts the 'face off' in 'face-off.'
It's the kind of accident you usually only see in the movies.
Yesterday we took our first look at some basic, no-nonsense steps you can take to lower your tax bill. Here are a few more tips to help ensure you aren't overpaying come tax time:
Talk about your close calls.
Every April Fools' Day, the Internet tries its best to trick you. Here are a few of this year's examples:
The first freak of the 2014 Major League Baseball season didn't even involve a player.
March Madness is heading down the stretch now that the Final Four field has been set. While a wide range of schools have made the Final Four over the years (VCU, George Mason and Butler come to mind), there are some schools that, historically, you can bet won't be there.
Kentucky and Connecticut won regional finals on Sunday and advanced to next weekend's Final Four in North Texas. Here's a recap of the day's games:


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They were being paid to look after the needy but instead they lined their own greedy pockets.
Elaine Pendleton was a trusted supervisor at an organisation which provides essential goods for council tenants with Your Homes Newcastle.
But she cooked the books and, in cahoots with two delivery drivers, stole furniture and white goods worth more than £19,000.
Pendleton used the identities of genuine tenants to falsify accounts and, along with Scott Walker and Douglas Scott, sold the goods and pocketed the profits. The three, who worked for Newcastle Furniture Services, which is part of Your Homes Newcastle, admitted theft and have now all been given suspended prison sentences.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Pendleton had worked there for eight years and was a senior business support officer and trusted to organise invoices.
Walker and Scott had both worked there for 20 years and were responsible for delivering the goods. The boss of the organisation became suspicious on the night of the Christmas party because, while the rest of the workers were quiet, Pendleton had made sure Walker and Scott had a full van.
Prosecutor Bridie Smurthwaite said: "On the night of the staff party all of the other business support officers had limited work because it was nearly Christmas, but Walker and Scott had a full van.
"Because of that there was an audit, which found there were 43 jobs where a theft had occurred. All 43 tenants were contacted and they confirmed they had not received the items. That meant the orders were false. They had been created by Pendleton in all cases and Walker and Scott were the delivery drivers."
After she was arrested, Pendleton told police she had used the real identities of Your Homes Newcastle tenants by accessing the organisation's files.
She said she had spent the money and wished she had not carried out the scam.
Walker told police after his arrest he was recently divorced and had financial problems. Scott said Pendleton had created the orders and him and Walker falsified customer signatures.
He said they were making £500 to £600-a-month and did it because Walker was short of cash. Scott also told police he felt bad about doing it but kept stealing because it was so easy.
Pendleton, 46, of West Vallum, Denton Burn, Newcastle, Walker, 41, of Beatrice Avenue, Blyth, and Scott, 54, of Couquetdale Avenue, Walkerdene, Newcastle, all admitted theft between 2011 and 2012 .
They were each given ten month prison sentences, suspended for 12 months, with 100 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Deborah Sherwin told them: "These are offences on theft in breach of trust. Employers are entitled to assume people who are paid money to work for them are not going to take advantage and steal items."
Jeff Taylor, for Pendleton, said she had rheumatoid arthritis. Pendleton, Walker and Scott were all dismissed when the scam came to light.


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