text:
If you think you think you need to buy a new car because your old car has high mileage, you might want to look for inspiration from Long Island, N.Y., native Irv Gordon, who just logged a whopping 3 million miles in his car.
The retired science teacher drove his 3-millionth mile earlier this week on Alaska's Seward Highway. Alaska was one of two states that Gordon had not yet visited. His journey was chronicled on Volvo's website 3MillionReasons.com, where visitors can share their "reasons to believe."
His record-setting accomplishment began the moment he bought his 1966 Volvo P1800, though he had no idea at the time. After buying the car on a Friday of a long weekend, Irv says he "couldn't stop driving." He brought the car in for its 1,500 mile service that Monday. Because of a 125-mile round-trip daily commute, he was extremely dedicated to keeping the car meticulously maintained. He drove 500,000 miles in the first 10 years, made the Guinness Book of World Records for the most miles (1.69 million) driven by a single owner in a noncommercial vehicle in 1998 and logged the two-millionth mile in Times Square in front of international media in 2002.
Gordon, now 74, says he will continue to drive his Volvo, but he has no idea if he will reach another million miles. "Whether I drive 4 million miles is more up to me than it is the car. The car may be able to take it, but I'm not so sure about me," he says.
What's the farthest you've ever driven a car before trading it in?
Tara Baukus Mello writes the cars blog as well as the weekly Driving for Dollars column, providing both practical financial advice for consumers as well as insight into the latest developments in the automotive world. Follow her on Facebook here or on Twitter @SheDrives.


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Recent changes to the MLS system required all searches to be rebuilt. Please start your search directly on the site if you land here from a search engine.
The specific MLS number or property address you were searching for is no longer active within the main MLS system so will not be available for display on this or other websites. The listing has either sold, terminated, expired or it may have been relisted under a new MLS number.
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Whether your get-together this year is a few quiet drinks or a raucous 'Hooray! We survived that Mayan nonsense' affair, a few drinks on standby is a necessity. But if giving gifts means you've been mercilessly raiding your wallet and are beginning to resent that bothersome generous streak you seem to have acquired, then avoiding the top-shelf stuff is a necessity.


text: Hi, I just picked up a shiny new white S3 yesterday, the 1st day of its release here in India. Tried to configure the apps and ran into the following issues 1. I do not see the 'Move to SD' card option in the applications menu screen. So unable to move apps to SD card. Tried to reset the phone, still no luck. 2. Did a backup of my contacts, messages on Kies (S2) and tried to restore on the S3. Only contacts were copied. How do I transfer the messages? Appreciate your assistance in the above two issues Thanks Shivram.K


text:
If March Comes In Like A Lion, It'll Go Out Like A Lamb. Any Truth To That?
Easter Sunday is the last day of the month. So far, the forecast looks pretty uneventful for the end of March and the beginning of April. You've heard the saying "If March comes in like a lion, it'll go out like a lamb." Is there any truth to that or is it simply folklore?


text:
Avery® Durable Binder, 2" One Touch Rings, 540-Sheet Capacity, DuraHinge™ Black, 07501Product Number: 07501
Keep lecture notes, procedures and homework assignments organized with this Durable Binder. The sturdy construction is ideal for frequent referencing. The DuraHinge design is stronger, lasts longer and resists tearing, and the DuraEdge feature makes the sides and top more pliable to resist splitting. Our deep texture film offers a smoother finish and features a linen pattern for high quality look and feel. Four interior pockets help you organize and secure loose papers, and the rings hold up to 540 sheets. Customize your cover with free templates and designs at avery.com/print.
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- Color Variety
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Best Uses
- None
This review is from Durable Storage Binders - Slant Ring 07700:
I like the color and size originally. What I did not like was that it did not last a full semester. Had this less than 3 months and one side of arm just flopped over. Not broke per say but like it fell off whatever was holding it in place. The binder was not abused, it was not even near sheet capacity when this happened. So disappointed in this product.
- Color Variety
- Durable Construction
- Easy To Open/Close
- Rings Close Evenly
Best Uses
- Organizing Documents
This review is from Durable Reference Binders 07400:
I use these to organize my recipes that I have printed. They work GREAT!


text:
|Strength of Schedule Report
Articles Tagged TAv
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May 27, 2013 9:21 pm
Who's costing their team the most with their situational outs in 2013?
Occasionally I get asked why such-and-such a player has a True Average that seems out of line with what their OPS (or some other offensive rate) would suggest. There's a lot of potential answers to that -- TAv is a bit more precise in how it weights various events, and it has park and league quality adjustments. But I find that most people understand those answers pretty intuitively. There's one that seems to confuse people a bit more often.
December 21, 2012 10:20 am
Why we don't use component park factors in TAv.
There was some chatter on Twitter this morning about park factors, and Marc Normandin made the point that all of the most common park-adjusted offensive stats out there (TAv, OPS+, wRC+) use "generic" run-based park factors, not component park factors. (Baseball Prospectus does have component park factors which we use in PECOTA, and we use those to generate our run-based park factors, but we use run-based park factors in TAv.) Marc wondered if using one-size-fits-all rather than the component factors might lead to inaccuracies—after all, we know different parks affect different types of hitters in different ways, and our park adjustment methods here don't account for that. (Marc isn't the first to raise this point, by the way.) So why do we all do it this way?
July 17, 2012 9:00 am
Forty notable projection successes and failures from the first half, in haiku form.
Sometimes you're not quite sure what your next column is going to be about, and then you get a pair of tweets like this:
November 18, 2011 9:00 am
You might not know it from watching the World Series, but it often makes sense for a manager to pinch hit for his starter before the late innings.
Believe it or not, most of our writers didn't enter the world sporting an @baseballprospectus.com address; with a few exceptions, they started out somewhere else. In an effort to up your reading pleasure while tipping our caps to some of the most illuminating work being done elsewhere on the internet, we'll be yielding the stage once a week to the best and brightest baseball writers, researchers and thinkers from outside of the BP umbrella. If you'd like to nominate a guest contributor (including yourself), please drop us a line.
Mitchel Lichtman, or MGL, has been doing sabermetric research and writing for over 20 years. He is one of the authors of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, and co-hosts The Book blog, www.insidethebook.com. He consulted for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2004 to 2006, as well as other major-league teams. He holds a B.A. from Cornell University and a J.D. from the University of Nevada Boyd School of Law. Most of the time these days you can find him on the golf course.
November 17, 2011 3:00 am
Ken checks to see how many of his pre-season Over/Unders the readers called correctly and picks the most prescient BP reader.
Last spring in this space I introduced a contest entitled "Setting The Line," wherein I selected two key players from each American League and National League team, set a benchmark for what their 2011 season might produce in a given metric, and invited participants to select whether each player would score Over or Under that line. Now that the season is over and we are into awards season, it's time to announce a winner. By a landslide, the most prescient prognosticator this year was Matthew Kenerly, who ran down Rex Babiera in the home stretch by choosing the correct side of the line on 39 of 50 players. No one else had more than 37 correct, so Matthew showed himself to be head-and-shoulders above the crowd and has our permission to proclaim himself the wisest of all BP readers, a title I'm sure will earn him due deference during comments section discussions throughout the coming year. Less importantly, Matthew has won himself a free copy of Baseball Prospectus 2012 with as many author signatures as I can manage to round up this spring. Well done, Matthew.
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October 27, 2011 5:00 am
As the Cardinals and Rangers approach the end of their series, we offer a reminder to their skippers: batter-pitcher matchups aren't very predictive.
With the Cardinals facing elimination, Game Six will be an all-hands-on-deck endeavor. Both managers are scouring their rosters for any potential advantage, and as part of that effort, they'll probably be referring to historic batter-pitcher matchups. Should La Russa lean heavily on a player like Octavio Dotel, who has historically done well against Rangers hitters like Adrian Beltre and Michael Young? Or should he opt for the players with the best overall performance, regardless of what the matchups say?
Let's say we want to predict the outcome of a particular batter-pitcher matchup. I'm going to lean heavily on True Average, which is scaled to look like batting average but captures a player's total batting value (so a player gets a little credit for a walk and a bit more for a single, all the way up to a home run).
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July 20, 2011 9:00 am
Though third base is typically reserved for big boppers, you'd be excused for believing that this year's production at the hot corner was the product of shortstops.
While putting together this summer's squad of Replacement-Level Killers, I noticed something alarming. It's been an awful year for third basemen, both in the number of marquee players who have served time on the disabled list and in terms of their overall offensive production—so bad, in fact, that as a group they're being outhit by second basemen, and are basically even with shortstops. The dreaded Chone Figgins' return to the hot corner isn't enough to explain this phenomenon, so again I must ask: Just what in the name of Larry Wayne Jones is going on?
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July 18, 2011 10:59 am
Jay takes a tour around the worst outfield predicaments among contenders and how they can remedy their problems.
Continuing what we started on Friday, the Replacement-Level Killers is our semi-annual all-star team of ignominy, highlighting the positions at which poor production threatens to sink contenders, plus each team's options as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. I've loosely defined contenders as teams no more than five games out of a playoff spot, so this turkey shoot now includes the Twins—who have won 3 of four since the All-Star break—as well as the also sub-.500 White Sox and Reds, while excluding the 47-47 Mets. Having gone around the infield and behind the plate the last time around, we turn to the outfield and designated hitter. Note that while I'm using WARP here, the criterion isn't as strict as having a WARP below zero.
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July 5, 2011 9:00 am
Checking in on the pre-season over/unders to see who's exceeding or underperforming expectations halfway through the season.
Last spring in this space I introduced a contest entitled "Setting The Line," wherein I selected two key players from each American League and National League team, set a benchmark for what their 2011 season might produce in a given metric, and invited participants to speculate about whether each player would score Over or Under that line. Now that we've reached an approximate midpoint to the season, I thought it worthwhile to take a look at where these players are compared to their set line and identify how well our readers have done at picking the over/under, both collectively and individually.
May 19, 2011 4:04 am
A lot of younger veterans are having huge starts to their years, but are the stat lines legit, or will they be turning back into pumpkins soon?
Last year around this time, I wrote a series of articles about the "All-Bounceback Team," highlighting aging players who were off to such great starts that they had already provided more value than they had during the whole previous season, and predicting whether they could continue on at that level. In trying to put together a similar list this week, I noticed there are far more young veterans surpassing their recent performances than there were older veterans reclaiming their mojo. Thus, I've decided to use this year's columns to identify whether these players' performance so far points to a "Bounceback" for a veteran player, a "Breakthrough" for a young player who has never experienced much success, or is merely the "Balderdash" of small-sample success that's doomed to erode.
March 30, 2011 9:00 am
Thirty players who need to step up their games in 2011.
All spring training clichés go out the window on Thursday. It will be Opening Day for 12 teams, with the other 18 beginning their seasons the following day. There will be no more talk about pitchers just getting their work in and hitters grooving their swings. Managers will no longer be talking about how the results don't matter.
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February 15, 2011 6:22 am
The Brewers score a pair of aces, while the Phils are runners-up for their Cliff Lee do-over.
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Columbus, Ohio (August 31, 2009) The Ohio Supercomputer Center today deploys a much anticipated $4 million expansion to its flagship system, providing further computational support to the state's economic development aspirations in research and innovation.
Press Releases
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Columbus, Ohio – August 19, 2009 – Laura Humphrey thought that assisting researchers at the Ohio Supercomputer Center while she pursued her Ph.D. at The Ohio State University might be more rewarding than serving as a graduate teaching associate.
Columbus, Ohio - August 17, 2009 - Don Stredney of the Ohio Supercomputer Center and Greg Wiet, MD, of Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University Medical Center recently received from Columbus Business First a Health Care Heroes Honorable Mention in Innovation Award for their Virtual Temporal Bone surgery simulation project.
Columbus, Ohio - August 11, 2009 - Graduate students – from various disciplines and institutions across the country – are improving their multi-core programming skills this week during a summer school course offered by the Great Lakes Consortium's Virtual School of Computational Science and Engineering.
Columbus, Ohio – August 10, 2009 – Stanley C. Ahalt, Ph.D., executive director of the Ohio Supercomputer Center, has accepted an appointment as director of the Renaissance Computing Institute and professor of computer science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Written by Pam Frost Gorder, (614) 292-9475; firstname.lastname@example.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- July 30, 2009 -- John M. Herbert has received the highest award that a beginning researcher can receive in the United States.
The Ohio State University chemist is among 100 scientists and engineers honored with the 2009 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). He will receive his award in a White House ceremony later this fall.
Columbus, Ohio — July 6, 2009 -- The Ohio Supercomputer Center today announced the names of 15 elementary and middle school girls from six Ohio counties competitively chosen to attend the 2009 Young Women's Summer Institute.
Columbus, Ohio (July 1, 2009) – A recent survey of American researchers, software developers, educators and students reveals that a significant national effort is needed to fill gaps in education and training materials needed to prepare tomorrow's computational scientists to take advantage of high performance supercomputers.
CHICAGO, IL – June 2, 2009 – Darkstrand, a pioneer in corporate high-speed connectivity bridging research and commercialization, today announced a strategic alliance with the Ohio Supercomputer Center in Columbus with the mutual objec
Columbus, Ohio – May 7, 2009 - An Ohio State University Medical Center biomedical informatics researcher is tapping the power of the Ohio Supercomputer Center to monitor the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus.


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Wineo 300 Medium "LA012C Natural Walnut" (with acoustic system)
- laminate flooring with 9mm
- patented LocTec® locking system
- durable (utility class 23/31)
- suitable for underfloor heating
- Delivery Charges
- £20.00 per order
- Delivery Time
- 7-10 working days
offer now!
Product characteristics: Wineo 300 Medium "LA012C Natural Walnut" (with acoustic system)
|Wood Look
|Dark wood
|Amount per Box
|8 Panels = 2,01 m²
|1288 x 195 x 9mm
|Total Thickness
|Total Weight
|No bevelled edge
|Fire Behaviour
|Cfl-s1 (B1)
Product features
Are you looking for an affordable starter model for your first own apartment? Or do you generally value attractive cost effectiveness because you are not interested in too much knickknack? Then the wineo 300 laminate floor provided by the Windmöller Flooring Group will be perfect for you. With this practical economic wooden floor in a panel format and its 20 decors, no wish is left unfulfilled. You can optionally order this model with an integrated Noise-Reduct basic insulation mat, which efficiently minimizes the impact sound. However, these are not the only splendid features of wineo 300: The laminate flooring with a utility class of 23 in the private area and 31 in the commercial space stands out because of its 15-year warranty, its suitability for underfloor heating and last, but not least, because of its increased durability, the easy cleaning and the excellent antistatic features. Concerning the visual appearance, wineo 300 delights with its classical wooden structures and its creative patterns like the beautiful herringbone-printing in the decor Okami or the chafed pine logs in the Ascona Pine Grey version. The rustic woods are an eye-catcher in every interior and impart a special aura to the wineo 300 series with its reliable LocTec® locking system. The panels with the measurement 1288 x 195 x 7 mm or 1288 x 195 x 9 mm (including the insulation mat) are respectively delivered in packets with 2,51 m² or 2,01 m².
You may also be interested in the following product(s)
Oxime Silicone Sealant - colour matched to your floorper unit £51.45 per l £15.95 per unit incl. VAT £15.95 per unit incl. VAT
Viscoh Air Acoustic Underlay for Laminate & Parquetper unit £4.50 per m² £56.25 per unit incl. VAT £56.25 per unit incl. VAT
Viscoh Air Plus Acoustic Underlay for Laminate & Parquetper unit £4.95 per m² £61.88 per unit incl. VAT £61.88 per unit incl. VAT


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A NEW BOOK will chart the rise of one of south Wales' most prominent coal companies and its subsequent impact on Newport.
Peerless Powell Duffryn of the south Wales coalfield is the work of author Leslie Shore, who is originally from Pontllanfraith,, and was officially launched this week.
The book describes the life of Thomas Powell of The Gaer, Newport who opened steam coal collieries in across south Wales valley sin the 1840s and 50s.
On inheriting his collieries, Powell's sons had their inheritance inspected by leading mining engineer George Elliot, who founded the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company, in 1864, taking ownership of the collieries.
Sir George Elliot, he became a baronet in 1874, developed a friendship with Charles Morgan, 1st Lord Tredegar (who's family home was Tredegar house).
Elliot played a key role in saving Lord Tredegar's project to complete the construction of Alexandra Dock in Newport from likely failure and his successor, Godfrey, who later became 1st Viscount Tredegar, would also participate with Elliot in the construction of the Pontypridd, Caerphilly & Newport Railway, which enabled coal from the Cynon and Rhondda Valleys to be shipped out solely through the Alexandra Dock, Newport, bringing significant financial gain to the Morgan's.
The book published by Black Dwarf Lightmoor publishing, can be bought at their website wwwlightmoor.co.uk, priced £24.99 Ends


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US Cities Sleevelesss are an Idakoos specialtiy! Idakoos has many things to offer. Whether you want to get a US Cities Sleeveless for a special occasion, give a US Cities Singlet as a present or need to represent with a funny Sleeveless US Cities Shirt during Holidays or Family and Friends get-togethers, Idakoos is sure to have the right US Cities Sleeveless for you! Even if it turns out you can't find the right Sleeveless US Cities Tee with the perfect design for your mother, father or children (or friends!); Idakoos offers all of its men's women's and children's US Cities Sleevelesss as Custom US Cities Sleevelesss. Personalize any US Cities Sleeveless the way you want to ensure the perfect gift.
Showing 1 - 24 of 20727 Sleeveless T-Shirt


text: General purpose prepaid debit cards are rapidly gaining favor with consumers as an alternative to closed-loop gift cards. By John Lofstock, Editor. Sales of open-loop prepaid cards, issued by banks and credit card companies and able to be used at multiple establishments, are only going to go up as more consumers come to appreciate their


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Get an overview of this hotelMagnificent Mile luxury hotel with day spa, indoor pool
Collecting Nectar Points
Special Offer: Book by 2 August 2017 and collect double Nectar points!
Simply enter your Nectar card number when you check out. Your points will be credited 35 days after you return from your trip.
*Terms and conditions apply.
Popular property highlights
Water Tower Place
Along Chicago's fabled Magnificent Mile, The Peninsula is 1 block from the Chicago Water Tower and 2 blocks from Water Tower Place shopping. Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago are a mile away.
Superlative dining
The fitness center commands spectacular city views. A sundeck adjoins the indoor pool. Other highlights include The Peninsula Spa and the supper-club-style Shanghai Terrace.
Soaking tubs with TVs
Extra-spacious guestrooms feature premium bedding, 42-inch plasma TVs, iPod docks, and complimentary wireless Internet access. Marble bathrooms come with soaking tubs, separate showers, and TVs.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
The Peninsula Chicago
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Renowned for its exceptional service, this Chicago luxury hotel offers a prestigious location along the Magnificent Mile, surrounded by shopping, entertainment, and culture.
At The Peninsula, on-site dining options include Shanghai Terrace, inspired by 1930s supper clubs, serving Chinese cuisine; and The Lobby, which offers all-day dining, afternoon tea, chocolate buffets, and Sunday brunch.
The top-rated Peninsula Spa incorporates European, Asian, and Ayurvedic techniques, focusing on massage, aromatherapy, and facials. The 25-meter indoor pool and the state-of-the-art fitness center command dramatic city views. The signature Peninsula Academy offers unique experiences for adults and children alike, such as a Chinese tea ceremony and a cooking class with a Peninsula chef.
- Rooftop terrace
- Number of restaurants - 3
- Spa services on site
- 24-hour front desk
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- ATM/banking
- Number of floors - 20
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Concierge services
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Coffee shop or café
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Full-service spa
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Free wired Internet
- Luggage storage
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Meeting rooms 5
- Multilingual staff
- Total number of rooms - 339
- Porter/bellhop
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Sauna
- Shopping on site
- Smoke-free property
- Spa tub
- Steam room
- Indoor pool
- Wedding services
- Free WiFi
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Valet parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Separate sitting area
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Free long-distance calls
- Free international calls
- Bathrobes
- Coffee/tea maker
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Free bottled water
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Free newspaper
- Designer toiletries
- Desk
- DVD player
- Free local calls
- Hair dryer
- Daily housekeeping
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- In-room massage available
- Separate dining area
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Cable TV service
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- iPod docking station
- Minibar
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Premium TV channels
- Separate bathtub and shower
- Slippers
- Turndown service
- Room service (24 hours)
- Down comforter
- Pillowtop mattress
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Shanghai Terrace - Serves Chinese cuisine. Décor inspired by 1930s supper clubs. Seasonal terrace dining. Open for dinner and happy hour from Monday through Saturday.
The Lobby - Open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday. Afternoon tea daily, with fashion shows on selected Fridays. Dinner nightly. Chocolate buffet Friday and Saturday evenings. Sunday brunch. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings.
Pierrot Gourmet - Contemporary European cuisine served bistro-style. The menu emphasizes specialty coffees, tea, tartines, salads, and fondues; seasonal al fresco dining available. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Sunday.
The Bar - Serving cocktails and appetizers nightly.
Room service - Limited Hours.
Nearby Things to Do
An outdoor deck adjoins the 25-meter heated indoor pool. In the state-of-the-art fitness center, a wall of windows admits abundant natural light and frames city views. Cardio equipment comes with personal TVs and sound systems. Guests can participate in a wide range of group classes such as Pilates, yoga, Boot Camp, and Aqua Aerobics. Personal training is also available.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Segway rental/tour nearby
- Golfing nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Fitness classes on site
- Pilates classes on site
- Yoga classes/instruction on site
Spa Services
In addition to 8 soothing treatment rooms, the Peninsula Spa offers a eucalyptus steam room, a spa tub, and a relaxation lounge with a fireplace. Spa cuisine is also available. Treatments incorporate European, Asian, and Ayurvedic methods. Highlights include:
- Body scrubs
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Hydrotherapy treatments
- Ayurvedic treatments
- Massages
- Minimum age to access spa is 16
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
- Number of treatment rooms 8
- Couples treatment rooms
- Manicures and pedicures
- Hot stone massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Swedish massage
- Prenatal massage
- Thai massage
- Reflexology
- Body wraps
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! Up to 2 children 12 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 35 per stay.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 50.00 per pet, per stay
- Dogs and cats only
- 1 per room (up to 20 lb)
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: between USD 20 and USD 80 per person (approximately)
- Valet parking fee: USD 71.00 per night (in/out privileges)
- Pet fee: USD 50.00 per pet, per stay
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 35 per stay
Hotel Name
- Chicago Peninsula
- Peninsula Chicago Hotel
- Peninsula Chicago
- Peninsula Hotel
- Peninsula Hotel Chicago
- The Peninsula Chicago Hotel Chicago
We should mention
Up to 2 children 12 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
Awards & Affiliations
- The Peninsula Chicago is listed in the 2013 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List of the world's best places to stay and the 2013 Travel + Leisure 500.


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The dish on Long Island's restaurant and food scene.
Gimme 2 Sandwiches & Salads, located across from Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, has closed. The little building previously housed Greek Captain and, before that, Starbucks.
While Gimme 2 was small and modest in appearance, its sandwiches — most memorably the Cuban and the Reuben — delivered a lot of flavor for very little money.


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" Brand: Vivid Imaginations / Type: Doll Accessories "
We've had Bratz lovers in this house for quite a few years now, starting with Alice who built up a huge collection and eventually passed the baton (and her numerous Bratz dolls) to Hollie. Of course, once your little one has a good supply of dolls their attention will invariably turn to the various accessories available - and one that caught Alice's eye was this Stretch Limo, which at the time cost a smidgen over £50 in Toys R Us.
The colour is quite hard to describe; it's a very light silvery beige shade, not white as the Limo appears to be in a lot of piccies online, with a silver grille at the front and various other silver embellishments dotted around the car. It was supplied in a huge box which made it an ideal Christmas present, dwarfing everything else she received that year - admittedly it wasn't a surprise present as she was with me when I bought it (and her older sister would rather drink acid than play with Bratz dolls) but I was still thrilled at the chorus of 'oooohs and ahhhhs' when she unwrapped it.
The beauty of this Limo is that it has working headlights and an FM radio built into the dashboard of the car, this is easily tuned to your favourite station and the sound is surprisingly clear with the ability to be turned up to a reasonably loud level. You wouldn't use the Limo in place of your radio, but I must admit to being impressed by the overall sound quality and think it was an excellent touch in the design of the car. The lights and radio are simple to work, the switch for the headlights is a little small but neither Alice or younger Hollie have had any problems flicking them on and off again - the lights incidentally are bright enough to be seen but don't throw out enough light for you to use this as a huge car shaped torch, but they look fantastic when the Bratz girls are off on their big night out with the bedroom light off!
Visually the Limo is stunning. Glossy and grand looking on the outside with a well thought out and authentic interior, it will comfortably seat four of the 'normal' sized Bratz dolls but as Hollie demonstrates regularly you can squeeze a dozen in if you're not particularly bothered whether they're sitting comfortably or not! It was actually partly used as a Bratz storage box at one point and as Hollie only had six of her own dolls at this time (she'd already blagged the car off Alice) it was the perfect solution. I love how sleek and stylish it looks in comparison to the more childish Barbie cars, whether the Limo is being played with or just left on display it's a fabulous looking addition to the play room.
It's more of a dolly status symbol than a toy car really and neither of the girls' have ever used it as the type of toy vehicle that kids can spend hours pushing around the floor. It's mainly brought out as part of role play games with the Bratz and Barbie dolls and isn't particularly played with as a stand alone car, it's number one purpose being to take a selection of dolls to wherever they're going - how I'd love to be a Bratz girl and have use of a Limo to get me to Starbucks (as I overheard Hollie say yesterday) or Tesco! She also likes holding tea parties for her dolls and this is how she transports Yasmin, Chloe and co. to these increasingly fun and funky parties - it's fun to watch her dressing her dolls up in their finest outfits and putting them into the Limo, it's quite an eclectic mix when you think of Yasmin in her ultra modern furred crop jacket sitting next to Barbie who is dressed as a princess complete with jewels and a tiara!
I've never been overly enamoured with the construction of the Limo to be honest, while the doors open (as does the boot) you need to remove the roof of the car to fit your dolls in - you can slide them into the front seats through the doors but this is awkward and time consuming, and anyway this usually just causes the roof to fall off anyway! And here comes the bugbear. The roof is CONSTANTLY falling off this Limo; it's held on by, well, nothing much really and really just balances on the top of the car - which is a bit silly really considering the toy is made for children of three and above, not the most careful age bracket! Problems arise when the roof has fallen off as the whole body of the car then becomes floppy and wobbly due to the fact that the roof creates a rigidity which simply disappears when it's removed! Very, very annoying. Hollie isn't too fussed to be honest as she's a very laid back child, but it was the roof issue that led to Alice giving her the Limo in the first place as it really got on her nerves!
Aside from this irritation everything else about the Limo is perfect; the wheels rotate smoothly and the car can be easily pushed along the floor, the wheels are chunky and look absolutely wonderfully with the overall design and style of the Limo. When it was new the Limo was supplied with a bottle of champers and a few tiny (think Bratz hand size) glasses - these have been long lost and we no longer have so much as a single glass, which is actually a bonus as far as I'm concerned as these weeny little extras are a terrifying choking hazard not just for my toddler but for any small kiddie really who likes to put things in their mouths! I'm not actually 100% convinced about a toy for three year olds including play alcohol anyway to be honest and actually wrote to the Bratz manufacturer regarding this issue, they wrote back denying that it was champagne and insisted the bottle was actually water - and the band played believe it if you like, as this was the most alcoholic looking water bottle I've ever seen!
Despite the roof issue I recommend this Stretch Limo to anyone with a Bratz loving little girl because it's simply so much fun! It's pretty big and bulky so I'd suggest you make sure you have adequate room for storage when it's not in use, it'll slide under most beds (unless you have a divan, obviously) so this shouldn't be a big problem but it's something you do need to consider before purchasing the car. It definitely adds to Hollie's play time as it opens up so many more possibilities for her role play games; she drives her dolls to the shop, takes them on tours around the safari park (after arranging every animal toy she owns around her bedroom), uses a JLS doll to act as a chauffeur to take the girls' to parties and lots, lots more. I *do* believe it helps her to hone certain skills, if nothing else it has been good for helping her to develop her imagination as it's another major item added to her regular doll-related games - the roof of the car has also improved her patience as I've noticed less of the slamming around when it falls off, she now simply puts it back in place and continues with whatever game she's playing!
A couple of years ago, we walking around our local Woolworth store, when we turned a corner and saw the most dazzling white bratz toy stretch limo. I must admit for a second it's glamorous presence took my breath away, but when my daughter clapped eyes on it I thought she was going to hyperventilate!!
The thing was, my daughter had become less obsessed by all things disney, and was now in the throws of full on Bratz obsessed mode. The disney dressing up clothes and accesories had been given away and gradually her bedroom began to be taken over by these funny little dolls with removable feet. I have never or will ever be able to get what is so cool and appealing about these dolls who have found themselves on every little girl's wish list. I know they are based on the Bratz tv programme about a girlband, but they are really quite freaky looking dolls. With pretty vile taste in clothing too boot.
But even I was blown away by this strtch limosuine. It had it's headlights on and remarkably music was pumping out from inside quite loudly. I knew in an instant that my daughter would love this for Christmas. But it had a very hefty pricetag of £50. I did think this was somewhat crazy for a child's toy car. But after seeing her reaction to this toy, I knew I couldn't resist getting it.
The white stretch limo has doors that open wide. There is a real working radio inside of the limo which is situated where the radio would be in the car. There is also a switch in the front drivers part of the car and this can be flipped up in order to turn the front headlights on.
Now, it wasn't until we opened the toy on Christmas day, that I realised that this toy comes apart. The roof is attachable and easily comes off. Infact you have to take the roof off in order to fit the bratz dolls inside. Initially I was quite impressed with the fact that this limo could be used like a convertible. But this soon began to irritate me as once the roof is back on it falls off very easily. Considering there was quite a hefty price tag on this gift, I was not amused. Talking at the time to other mothers who had bought this toy revealed to me that it was indeed a common problem.
Inside the seating area of the car, which does look really cool and lifelike. There is a small lift up compartment. Within this compartment are miniture bottles of champagne and glasses. I thought this was quite a quirky little twist. Although I didn't feel very comfotable with allowing my child to be using pretend alcohol in her games. After all she was only seven. Considering this toy is aimed at little girls, I didn't really feel it was appropriate.
My daughter loved playing with this limosuine. She allowed her imagination to run free and indulged in great adventures using this car and her dolls as props. However, I never saw her play with this car with the roof on. Simply because you cannot get the dolls inside unless you squeezed them in causing possible damage to the dolls.
There is no battery operated motor in this car it has to be pushed along in order to pretend it's moving. I was slightly suprised at this considering the price of the toy. I was also very disappointed to find that the wing mirror on the car broke off really easily and was unable to be refitted.
On first sight I fell in love with this bratz limosuine. So much so that I let my heart rule my head. But I am being truthful when I say, I thought it was poor quality and certainly not worth the money I paid for it. Again I think that this is a case of a huge manufacturing brand relying on the fact that it's bratz to sell the toy rather than the quality.
My daughter had many happy hours playing with this car. For which I was pleased. But it does not take away the fact that this limosuine was really cheap in quality. It certainly was not durable. The design process had not been thought through properly and the small plastic bottles and glasses were not only morally wrong but also small enough to create a choking hazard.
Potentially this toy could have been fantastic. But unfortunatly the cheapness of the quality left me feeling cheated.
i bought this bratz limo for my little sister about 2 years ago for her birthday. she first saw it in woolworths and she fell in love with it. all that she was saying that she wanted a bratz limo for her birthday. so i bought it for her and gave it to her on her birthday. when she opened it up she was very pleased with it. she did not stop playing with it all day.
the limo has working head lights and a fm radio and a horn. it also have detachable roof. there is also room inside the car for about 4 bratz. it is for 6 + years old and you will need 5 aaa batteries. the boot can open so you can put some small bits in the boot but there is a speaker in the boot which take up a lot of room. the two front seat are moveable they can turn 360 degrees. the limo i got is white but you can get a black one or a puple one.
you can buy this limo from ebay, amazon and argos and you might be able to buy it somewhere else. i bought my little sister limo for £49.99 but it has gone down a lot and you can get it for about £25
thanks for reading
I bought this for my daughter Nicole for christmas two years ago, she had seen it on a trip into town and had not stopped talking about it on the run up to christmas. It was quite expensive and so I had told her she would have to wait and see what santa brought her if she was a good girl, bribary works a treat with children who are spoilt for choice of what to get! Every year a particular brand of toy will be tops for christmas (thanks to very clever marketing) and parents will all be queing up to purchase the must have toy of the year. This year the shelves were all filled with Bratz toys, at first I couldn't really see the appeal, I thought it was just another Barbie doll or Sindy doll, however these dolls have slightly larger removable heads and feet and a more trendy array of clothing and accessories.
Firstly this is marketed at girls aged six years and over due to all of the removable parts on the limosine and is part of the Bratz movie starz range. The limosine is white and is made from a very durable plastic, it is very heavy, alot heavier than you would imagine. I would hazard a guess at aleast two kilos, because of this I would advise against it being left anywhere in reach of small children.
The limosine has a variety of special features but it's best feature is the fully functioning fm radio, to access this you need to open either of the front doors and located on the centre console is two silver coloured sliders, one of the sliders actions the fm radio while the other actions the front and rear headlights. To choose what you listen to on the radio there are a further two buttons, one of which is shaped like a star and the other is shaped like a square, you can press these to change channel either up or down. Also located on the centre console is a chrome coloured gear stick which can move either up or down. There is also a printed map on the centre console, which once lifted reveals a mirror (fake) on the reverse. There is also a small container which is fully removable and opens to house a few make-up brushes for play purposes only and on the lid house a small make-up palette, again for play purposes only.
To the left of the centre console is the steering wheel (left hand drive!)with working horn which is fully functionable and works by pressing the silver star in the centre. The interior of the limosine is two tone grey and black and this is shown on the steering wheel by the top part of the wheel being in black and the bottom in grey. To the right of the centre console is the glove box which opens by simply pulling forwards and reveals a handy little space for all those accessories.
The two front seats are fully movable (360 degrees) and coordinate fully with the grey and black interior and can actually lay flat. They also have seatbelts, which are extendable and are made from black nylon with a fixed three prong clip which fixes with a gentle push and releases with a gentle tug. In the rear of the limosine is one fixed seat for two dolls which also has seatbelts and in the centre of this seat is a black console which pulls out to reveal a drinks trolley. On the bottom shelf of the trolley are four blue bottles and on the top are four cocktail glasses and two other types of glasses. Behind the fixed seat is a pretend lcd tv with a printed image on it of two Bratz dolls, this is fully removable.
Each of the four limosine doors open fully and are easy to remove allowing greater accessibility during play. The doors also have a lever on the inside which when pushed up closes the window and when pushed down opens the window. The windows themselves are slightly tinted and again are made from plastic.
The boot can open and can be used to store some of your other Bratz accessories although there is a fixed speaker in the boot which takes up some space. On the exterior of the boot is a number plate, however two number plates are provided with your limosine which can be attached over the fixed plate. The number plates simply say Bratz. The bonnet also opens and can stay open by the fixed frame which you can attach the bonnet to. This is also the same with the boot. The front grill is chrome coloured and looks quite affective along with the numerous amount of stickers that come with your limosine for your child to decorate to her taste.
As for the wheels they look very bling bling with chrome coloured alloys and big black chunky tyres. There are also two wing mirrors which are fully removable but the mirror is for play purposes only and is not functionable as is the rear view mirror although this one is not removable. There is one last feature on this Bratz limosine, and that is the sun roof. It works with a simple slide and push motion.
So you get alot of features, a working radio, working horn, working front and rear headlights, it is also made very well from heavy duty plastic and as I have said before it has some considerable weigt to it. But how much does it cost? well when I bought it I paid £39.99 which was reduced from a considerable amount more in woolworths. However, with the credit crunch now affecting so many people toys and alike are all being reduced and you can currently buy this from argos for £24.99 with one Bratz doll included. You will need to purchase some batteries for your limosine, 5 x aaa which are easily available to buy from all good retailers, QD in particular sell batteries for a very reasonable price.
All in all a very worthwhile purchase, it is very well made and is now alot more reasonable in price making it accessible to more people. It cleans up very well too with some warm soapy water although be caredful not to get the battery compartment wet.


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Man killed, 5-year-old injured at Greenville County waterfall
Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:45:10 GMT —
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- A 44-year-old man has died and his 5-year-old daughter has been hurt after they fell at a Greenville County waterfall.
The coroner's office said Mark Jones of Taylors slipped over the edge of Wildcat Branch Falls in the northern part of the county around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, falling about 100 feet. He died a few hours later at the hospital.
Deputy Coroner Kent Dill says Jones was hiking with his 5-year-old daughter, who also fell from the falls. Investigators think she may have been trying to help her dad. She is at the hospital. Her condition was not known.
Dill says Jones texted his wife minutes before he fell telling her the area was beautiful and he was having a great time.


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Case Study: Adding Shazam to Your Marketing Strategy
February 8, 2012
David Jones, EVP of marketing, Shazam, presented a variety of case studies illustrating how Shazam successfully drove engagement, and Andrea Harrison, director of digital engagement, PepsiCo, Inc., talked about how Pepsi integrated Shazam into their marketing strategy.
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ScanBrit Dietary Intervention in Autism (ScanBrit)
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- Study Results
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- How to Read a Study Record
A growing body of research indicates that dietary intervention excluding foods containing the proteins, gluten and casein, from the diet of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have a positive effect on behaviour and developmental outcome.
In this single-blind, randomised-controlled, matched-pair adaptive trial, we introduced a gluten- and casein-free (GFCF) diet to a group of pre-pubescent children diagnosed with ASD concurrently with an abnormal urinary profile. Following random allocation to a diet or non- diet group, stage 1 of the study saw an intervention group follow the GFCF diet for eight months initially - progressing to 12 months if required. A non-diet control group continued with a normal diet.
Assuming significant changes for the dietary group on the various outcome measures of behaviour and development, stage 2 of the study saw both groups assigned to GFCF dietary intervention for a further 12 months when outcome measures were again assessed at study end.
|Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
|Other: Gluten- and casein-free diet
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|The ScanBrit Randomised Controlled Study of Gluten- and Casein-free Dietary Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Change in Diet Groups Scores on One of Several Measures Used Against Pre-defined Statistical Thresholds as Evidence of Improvement. [ Time Frame: Baseline - 8 months - 12 months - 24 months ]ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule): module 1 cutoff scores (communication+social): autism=12, autism spectrum (AS)=7; module 2 cutoffs: autism=12, AS=8; module 3 cutoffs: autism=10; AS=7. GARS (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale): <80 low probability of autism, 81-90 below average, 91-110 average, >110 above average probability of autism. VABS (Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale): <69 (low ability), 70-84 (moderate/low), 85-115 (adequate), 116-130 (moderate/high), >130 (high). ADHD-IV: 0=no problems indicated. >11 attention & >11 hyperactivity = ADHD diagnosis.
- Changes to Appearance of Multiple Compounds in Urine Samples [ Time Frame: Baseline - 8 months -12 months - 24 months ]
|Study Start Date:
|April 2006
|Study Completion Date:
|October 2008
|Primary Completion Date:
|October 2008 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Gluten- and casein-free diet
Stage 1: Gluten- and casein-free dietary intervention for first 8 or 12 months. 8 or 12 months: Interim analysis based on surpassing statistical thresholds. If showed group significant improvements then progressed to stage 2 (continued on a gluten- and casein-free diet for a further 12 months).
Other: Gluten- and casein-free diet
Removal of foods containing gluten (cereal produce) and casein (dairy produce)
Other Name: Gluten-free (wheat-free), casein- free (milk-free) diets
No Intervention: No dietary intervention
Stage 1: No special dietary intervention for first 8 or 12 months. 8 or 12 months: Interim analysis based on surpassing statistical thresholds. If gluten- and casein-free dietary group showed group significant improvements then progressed to stage 2 (introduction of a gluten- and casein-free diet for 12 months).
Detailed Description:
Eligibility criteria: diagnosis of autism, no co-morbid diagnosis of Fragile X syndrome, epilepsy or tuberous sclerosis, aged between 4-10y11m.
Experimental hypothesis: children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on a GFCF diet would show a significantly improved group developmental outcome in the medium- and long-term with regards to core autism and/or secondary symptoms.
Main outcome measures: change in scores of dietary participants on one or more measures against predefined statistical thresholds as evidence of improvement, alongside changes to intra- and inter-group scores at study endpoint.
Main outcome measures ascertained by: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), Gillam Autism Rating Scale (GARS), Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - IV (ADHD-IV) scales.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|4 Years to 11 Years (Child)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Diagnosis received at Centre for Autism or a psychiatric clinic
- Abnormal urinary peptide profile
Exclusion Criteria:
- Medical treatment
- Epilepsy
No Contacts or Locations Provided
Additional Information:
|Responsible Party:
|Director Demetrious Haracopos, Center for Autisme
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00614198 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
KA 0503g
|Study First Received:
|January 31, 2008
|Results First Received:
|May 17, 2010
|Last Updated:
|August 31, 2010
Keywords provided by Center for Autisme, Denmark:
autism spectrum disorder
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS)
adaptive design
Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale (VABS)
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-IV Scale
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Autistic Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Mental Disorders
Chelating Agents
Sequestering Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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About 200 people in three states are confirmed sick with infections from rare cyclospora parasites that state and federal officials say are usually found in imported fresh produce when outbreaks occur in the U.S.
However, those officials said they don't have any hard evidence yet, and haven't released what produce items the victims have in common.
Jim Gorny, vice president for food safety and technology for the Produce Marketing Association, said he doesn't envy the investigators because "they are faced with a real conundrum."
"I think it is a little premature to pass judgment," Gorny said. "But I understand they are going on historical data from previous outbreaks.
"The facts will speak for themselves, but we just don't have many of those yet."
Gorny, who was senior advisor for the office at food safety at the Food and Drug Administration before joining PMA's staff this summer, said FDA and the Centers for Disease control and Prevention have three tools during outbreak investigations: epidemiology, which involves asking patients what they ate; positive test samples from suspect sources, which no health officials have at this point; and traceback, which can't happen until there is a suspected source.
The PMA scientist agreed with what FDA, CDC and health officials at state and county levels are saying about the cyclospora parasite in general. He said it is rarely found in the U.S. because it prefers tropical and subtropical environments.
With few answers and 102 cyclospora illnesses confirmed as of July 18, officials in Iowa want federal agencies to take over the investigation. Nebraska has 53 confirmed cases and Texas has 42.
The CDC is maintaining an assist as necessary role, said spokeswoman Sharon Hoskins.
The Food and Drug Administration is taking a similar stand, said spokesman Douglas Karas, working with local and state officials as needed.
Officials in Iowa and Nebraska say fresh produce from their states is not suspect, partly because of the wide distribution of sick people and local growers' limited distribution networks.
Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, Iowa's health department medical director, and Dr. Joseph Acierno, Nebraska's director of public health, both said they believe fresh vegetables, not fruit, is the source of the parasites, based on patient interviews.
Illnesses in the three states began in late June. Symptoms usually don't appear for at least a week after exposure, according to the CDC.
The Texas Health Department advised healthcare providers July 16 to test patients for cyclospora if they have diarrhea lasting more than a couple days or diarrhea accompanied by severe anorexia or fatigue.
"It is too soon to tell if any of the cases are connected to a multi-state outbreak in Nebraska and Iowa," said Texas health department spokeswoman Christine Mann. "Past outbreaks in the U.S. have been associated with consumption of imported fresh produce."
The most recent widespread outbreak in North America was in 1996 when more than 850 cases, mostly in the U.S., were linked to imported raspberries from Guatemala, according to the CDC website. Fresh basil and lettuce have also been linked to U.S. outbreaks.


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An animated horror for the whole family
August 23, 2012
"ParaNorman," the second animated production by Laika Studios in Oregon, ought to have Tim Burton looking over Johnny Depp's shoulder and Pixar re-examining its storytelling division.
By adding "ParaNorman" to its debut production "Coraline," Laika has established itself as the premier studio in animated horror for the whole family.
The stop-motion production is made more complicated by filming in 3D. Hundreds of miniatures were required to construct the film's sets, along with fully articulated metal armatures to bring the film's plastic characters to life. To speed up the process, thousands of snap-on faces were rendered on a 3D color printer, then placed in trays in the order necessary to exhibit happy, sad and a variety of other expressions. Speed is a relative term, however, since up to 250 versions of each character's face are required to display one emotion.
Norman Babcock, voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee, is a pubescent boy able to communicate with ghosts. Chief among these is his ectoplasmic granny, whose see-through visage hangs about, knitting on the couch, and encouraging Norman to keep his chin up. Norman's hunched shoulders and melancholy expressions increase in the presence of classmates who have pigeonholed him as a freak and in the disappointed looks of his elder sister Courtney (Anna Kendrick), and his parents (Leslie Mann and Jeff Garlin).
Though feeling personally defeated, Norman is nevertheless sympathetic to the ghosts that haunt his hometown of Blithe Hollow. The town, famous for its witch trials 300 years earlier, is under a curse that is poised to resurrect the pioneers responsible for sending the sorceress to her death.
When seven zombies appear (depicted in shades of aqua and sea foam green), they are the first supernatural phenomena visible to Norman's fellow townies. No longer considered a freak, Norman is the only one able to set things right, thanks to his skill in deciphering the troubles that plague otherworldly entities.
Recommended Stories For You
During its first hour, "ParaNorman" is a treat for the eyes, thanks to computer imagery that enhances the ghosts with swirling wisps of green and bubbling accompaniments that make it impossible to look away.
Unfortunately, the thin story line attempts to hold our interest by fleshing out other characters in Norman's life. With the notable exceptions of drama teacher Mrs. Henscher (Alex Borstein), and Norman's Uncle Mr. Prenderghast (John Goodman), the film's dull characters blunt this scheme.
Long on talking and short on action, "ParaNorman" misses being a great movie, but it's a movie that shows us why Laika Studios, given a bit more focus, is positioned to become great.


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Justin Forsett 'touchdown' stands after Jim Schwartz's botched challenge try
The crew of replacement refs responsible for the most controversial moment of the 2012 season -- Golden Tate's "game-winning" "touchdown catch" against the Packers -- can now feel a little better about themselves.
In the third quarter of the Lions-Texans Thanksgiving game, Texans back Justin Forsett ran up the gut for eight yards before being tackled by Lions defenders.
)One problem, though: The refs didn't see Forsett's knee and elbow clearly hit the ground, and didn't blow the play dead. Recognizing this, Forsett got up and kept running for an 81-yard touchdown ([si_launchNFLPopup video='c89f0f2373b9428385302fc8444b5cdc']watch the run[/si_launchNFLPopup]). But the play, as all scoring plays are, would be automatically reviewed and clearly reversed, right?
One problem, though: Jim Schwartz threw a challenge flag on the play. Due to a rule that could at best be described as ridiculous, and at worst mind-bogglingly non-sensical, any time a coach challenges a play that would be automatically reviewed, not only is the team flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, but the automatic review is negated.
The result? Forsett's touchdown was allowed to stand, narrowing the Lions' lead at the time to 24-21 and sending the Detroit crowd into a furious frenzy.
You can fault Schwartz for not knowing the rule (especially after last week, when Mike Smith made the same mistake and suffered the same fate in the Falcons-Cardinals game). Schwartz himself could be seen mouthing "That's on me" in the call's aftermath. (Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham directed his anger elsewhere.)
But you should fault the refs even more. This wasn't one of those "sometimes you miss things when the game moves so fast" situations; an entire crew missed something that anyone with semi-functioning vision and a basic knowledge of football recognized immediately.
But, really, most of the blame lies with the NFL. A bad call should be reviewable, no matter what. For the league to punish a team despite the gross negligence of the league's own employees, those charged with upholding the integrity of the game, is absurd. And all because Jim Schwartz had the gall to -- gasp! -- throw a flag? Can't you just tell him to pick it up?
Obviously, that's not possible. Instead, let's stubbornly refuse to correct an obvious mistake, all in the name of some arcane edict. Because that's where the NFL's priority lies -- enforcing its rules, whether they make sense or not, sometimes at the cost of legitimacy.
And, now, it's Twitter's turn:
That was one of the most ridiculous things I have seen this season.
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurke_SI) November 22, 2012
Waiting for the signs at Ford Field saying "Bring back the replacement refs!"
— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) November 22, 2012
Officials rule TD for Forsett. Huh? Clearly down. Schwartz should be steamed. Replacement refs live!
— Clark Judge (@ClarkJudgeCBS) November 22, 2012
The Justin Forsett call is worse than the Golden Tate call. Guy was down (an elbow, a knee). And what's worse, it wasn't Arian!
— Dave Richard (@daverichard) November 22, 2012
Safe to say refs kicked #Lions in the groin by messing up that Justin Forsett TD call
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) November 22, 2012
Leave it up to Walt Coleman to introduce us to the worst obscure rules in the @nfl (Tuck Rule, Challenge Rule)
— Scott Kacsmar (@CaptainComeback) November 22, 2012
I thought all touchdowns are reviewed.Refs really blew that one — David Canter (@davidcanter) November 22, 2012


text:
On July 5 the French BEA (Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses) released its much anticipated final report on Air France 447, the Airbus A330-200 that crashed in the South Atlantic on June 1, 2009. The nighttime accident, the result of a chain of events brought on by a lack of valid airspeed data after all three of the aircraft's pitot tubes froze, killed all 228 people aboard when the aircraft plummeted from FL380 to the surface of the Atlantic, essentially out of control.
The BEA cited a number of concerns that could affect future aircraft designs. The A330's angle-of-attack information, a crucial piece of data that might have allowed the pilots to understand more quickly the relationship of the aircraft's wing to the air passing around it, was not available to the crew.
According to the BEA, 7.5 to 8.0 seconds elapsed between the sound of the first autopilot disconnect warning and the sound of the first stall warning in the A330. While the autopilot and autothrottle system disconnected, the flight director remained active and alternately displayed conflicting information to the pilots, most likely adding to a host of confusing messages.
The report also speaks to how that lack of angle-of-attack information, in conjunction with an Airbus design trait that silenced aural stall warnings when the speed decayed below 60 knots, might have confused the crew into believing the aircraft was still flying when in fact it was not. At one point in the final four minutes of the flight, the stall warning sounded continuously for 54 seconds.
The BEA also said that the pitot tubes installed aboard the accident aircraft "met requirements that were stricter than certification standards. The EASA had analyzed [before the accident] pitot-probe icing events; it had confirmed the severity of the [pitot] failure and decided not to make the probe change mandatory."
The report calls into question some actions of the three pilots during the final four minutes of flight. In one section, the report says, "Although having identified and called out the loss of the airspeed indications, neither of the two copilots called [for] the 'unreliable IAS [indicated airspeed] procedure.'" The captain was not on the flight deck at the onset of this event.
During the period when the stall warning did sound for 54 continuous seconds, neither of the pilots seemed to react verbally to the warnings. Because the captain had left the cockpit for a planned rest break, the BEA also noted that there was no formal CRM training at Air France for how two first officers should interact during an emergency. AIN Safety will report more about the BEA's findings in future editions.
Richard Main (not verified)
July 9, 2012 - 4:15pm
Does this mean that these a/c have no stand-by altitude indicators (altimeters) and no r/c indicators other than glass panel indicators? If they had either one, they would have known they were climbing to 38,000' and then rapidly descending. I really don't get this. Side stick controllers that are connected to nothing not even to each other is very poor design, IMO. Many pilots today are ignorant of flying basics it seems and rely totally on automatic aids to the extent they don't even know where they are in the sky. This is not confidence-building.
Larru (not verified)
July 10, 2012 - 9:59pm
Seems similar to the Buffalo crash in some ways. Every student cub pilot is trained when you hear the stall horn push down on the interconnected stick. This aircraft doesn't have an interconnected stick and the pilots aren't trained in cubs.
RenanZ (not verified)
July 16, 2012 - 4:03pm
Since the day of the accident, none of the reports, official or not, mention the Airbus control safety system, that automatically pitches up or down the aircraft, if the 'computer' thinks it needs to do it.
With conflicting and innacurate data, does anybody besides me thinks that the computer lead the aicraft into the accident?!
Alejandro Carlo... (not verified)
November 12, 2012 - 5:45pm
Ever since Airbus first appeared it always faced design problems. Further more, when it was first shown in France it crashed into the woods nearby the airport. Its always easier blaming the pilots whom by the way are dead. Systems HAVE to be ABNORMAL ready. When everything works fine, they work beautifully, but when something goes wrong, the system helps to add confusion instead of a solution. This in a way has been addressed by the NTSB when it blamed the FAA for procedures and systems NOT ready for human error. You CANNOT assume that never ever there is going to be a mistake. Once an A-340 flying from Rome to Madrid with the autopilot on, suddenly "decided" it had to descend. To the crew's horror power levers moved aft and the plane plunged in a 2500ft/min descend. The only way they could recover from the dive was when they rebooted the whole system. Should that plane have crashed I'm sure who was going to be blamed.
August 25, 2014 - 1:37pm
AF447 outcome or reports


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MMK23 wrote:Everytime I've read Wikipedia pages on Buddhism I've had to remind myself of this.
Or this.
seanandrews wrote:I have a couple books on Buddhism, but none that go into much depth into Theravada. I have found a couple on Amazon, but I am not sure which is the best book to start with. Any suggestions?
In my opinion you cannot do better than "In the Buddha's Words", by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
You know, I used to be so skeptical of Wikipedia but then began to trust it fairly well.
I think Wikipedia is fine for non-controversial topics. Unfortunately religion tends to be controversial, even Buddhism.


text:
The U.S. average retail price of regular gasoline decreased less than one cent to remain at $3.30 per gallon as of January 27, 2014, six cents lower than last year at this time. Prices increased by two cents in the Midwest to $3.22 per gallon and decreased one cent in all other regions of the nation. The Gulf Coast price was $3.09 per gallon, the Rocky Mountain price fell to $3.13 per gallon, the East Coast price was $3.38 per gallon, and the West Coast price was $3.49 per gallon.
The national average diesel fuel price was up three cents to $3.90 per gallon, two cents lower than last year at this time. Prices increased in all regions of the nation. The largest increase occurred on the East Coast where the price rose five cents to $4.00 per gallon. The Midwest price increased four cents to $3.87 per gallon and the West Coast price was $3.98 per gallon, up one cent from last week. Both the Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain prices were up a fraction of a penny to remain at $3.77 per gallon and $3.86 per gallon, respectively.


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Natural gas dry production at selected points in the United States Rocky Mountain region have rebounded during the final two weeks of January, according to data from BENTEK Energy LLC (Bentek).
Production declines took place in this region during the middle of the month, likely due to the effect of a cold front that moved into the region. The cold weather led to a number of reported wellhead freeze-offs, and correlated with production decreases in the San Juan, Green River, Uinta and Piceance basins, according to Bentek.
This was particularly the case in the San Juan Basin, located in Colorado and New Mexico. There, production levels that had been consistently above 2.5 Bcf/d through October and November 2012 fell below 2.0 Bcf/d from January 14, 2013 through January 16, 2013. Heating degree days in the Mountain region rose to 293 for the week ending on January 17, 2013, a 28.5 percent increase on the 228 heating degree days registered for the week ending on January 10, 2013, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center. By January 24, 2013, daily production levels at San Juan had climbed back above 2.3 Bcf/d, while only 197 heating degree days were recorded for the week ending on that date. Production in the basin has remained relatively steady since then, as can be seen above.
Temperatures in the Northeast were in the single digits, but prices were in the 30s. Brutally cold weather helped drive Northeastern prices up at the beginning of the report week. The Northeast United States is somewhat infrastructure constrained and the tight supply-demand balance during extreme cold or heat often leads to price spikes. On Wednesday, January 23, prices at Transcontinental Pipeline's Zone 6 delivery point, which serves New York City, rose to $35.33 per MMBtu, followed by $37.07 per MMBtu the following day. Prices at the Algonquin Citygate, which serves Boston, also had two days of very high prices, $31.32 per MMBtu on Wednesday, January 23, and $34.59 per MMBtu the next day.
High demand caused Transcontinental Pipeline to issue a system-wide operational flow order on January 24 to correct imbalances. The OFO was lifted the next day. Pipeline imports from Canada helped fill the need for more natural gas. Imports on Wednesday, January 24 and 25 were about 1.7 Bcf/d, almost twice the level at the end of the week when the weather warmed up. Prices began falling Friday, and Northeast prices hit their low for the week on Tuesday (Boston at $4.60 per MMBtu, New York at $3.47 per MMBtu), but expectations of a return of cold weather by the weekend likely contributed to price increases the next day. Even with continued mild temperatures on Wednesday, New York ended the week at $3.99 per MMBtu, while Boston ended at $7.42 per MMBtu.
Henry Hub prices fell during the week from $3.53 per MMBtu last Wednesday to $3.24 per MMBtu yesterday. The price hit its weekly low on Tuesday, January 29 at $3.14 per MMBtu, but rose again slightly at the end of the week. Most pricing points around the country followed a similar pattern as temperatures thawed across most of the lower 48 States.
During the report week supply remained flat and demand fell. Despite the cold weather in the beginning of the week east of the Mississippi, and high heating demand the first few days of the report week, residential and commercial consumption averaged out at 11.6 percent below last week, according to estimates from Bentek. Consumption of natural gas for electric power and industrial consumption also fell by 13.7 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively. Canadian imports fell 9.9 percent and LNG sendout remained at minimal levels. Production rose 1 percent week over week, but was 0.3 percent lower than the same time last year.
At the Nymex, the March 2013 contract moved into the front-month slot and ended the week at $3.335 per MMBtu. This was a decline of 21.9 cents. The February contract expired on January 29 at $3.226 per MMBtu, having lost 24.3 cents during its tenure as the near-month contract. Contracts across the board displayed a similar pattern. The 12-month strip (the average of all contracts between March 2013 and February 2014) also declined, ending the week at $3.653 per MMBtu
Working natural gas in storage decreased to 2,802 Bcf as of Friday, January 25, according to EIA's WNGSR. This represents an implied net withdrawal of 194 Bcf from the previous week. This week's net withdrawal was 16 Bcf larger than the 5-year average net withdrawal of 178 Bcf, and 45 Bcf larger than last year's average net withdrawal of 149 Bcf. Inventories are currently 202 Bcf (6.7 percent) less than last year at this time and 304 Bcf (12.2 percent) greater than the 5-year average of 2,498 Bcf.
All three storage regions posted declines this week. Inventories in the East, West, and Producing regions decreased by 129 Bcf (the 5-year average net withdrawal is 113 Bcf), 18 Bcf (the 5-year average net withdrawal is 20 Bcf), and 47 Bcf (the 5-year average net withdrawal is 46 Bcf), respectively. In the Producing region, working natural gas inventories decreased 16 Bcf (6.2 percent) in salt cavern facilities and decreased 31 Bcf (3.9 percent) in nonsalt cavern facilities.
Temperatures during the storage report week were 0.1 degree cooler than the 30-year normal temperature and 2.7 degrees cooler than the same period last year. Temperatures in the Lower 48 states averaged 33.0 degrees, compared to 35.7 degrees last year and the 30-year normal of 33.1 degrees. While overall temperatures were close to normal, temperatures varied somewhat across Census divisions. The East North Central Census division in the Midwest and the Middle Atlantic Census division in the Northeast were relatively cool, averaging 3.6 and 2.9 degrees cooler, respectively, than the 30-year normal. The West South Central division in the South and the Pacific Census division in the West were relatively warm, averaging 4.7 and 3.9 degrees warmer, respectively, than the 30-year normal. Heating degree-days nationwide were normal and 8.7 percent above last year.


text: Published with a digital code that may no longer be redeemable from the publisher. Do not purchase with the expectation that the code is still valid. Cover by Carlos Pacheco Loose Nuke: Part 2 - (W) Rick Remender (A) Carlos Pacheco LOOSE NUKE PART 2 Nuke on a rampage! The Weapon Minus program revealed! Meet Dr. Mindbubble, the unbelievable Super Soldier created in the 1960s! $3.99 cover price.


text:
Two former Hudson residents were among those remembered Wednesday as the Netherlands observed a national day of mourning for 154 Dutch victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down over Ukraine.
Auke Dalstra, chief financial officer of VMI Group in Stow, and his wife, Aafke, were among the 298 passengers and crew who were killed July 17 when the Boeing 777 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down.
The Dalstras were heading toward a holiday destination.
"I knew him very well," said VMI Americas President Arie Kroeze from Stow, moments after watching two military transport planes carrying 40 coffins, filled with Dutch victims, land in Eindhoven, Netherlands. "It was just devastating."
Auke Dalstra was the former president of VMI Americas. The international company, headquartered in the Netherlands, supplies and services machinery for the tire and rubber industry. The company's sales and services offices are located at 4670 Allen Road in Stow.
Kroeze, of Cuyahoga Falls, was vice president of sales and projects while Auke Dalstra was assigned to the Stow offices.
"We all fly a lot and know there is danger in that, but to shoot something out of the air is unheard of," Kroeze said. "These people have done nothing wrong and they ended their lives."
Mr. Dalstra was president of VMI Americas from 2007-09, during which time he lived in Hudson. In 2010, Mr. Dalstra was appointed chief financial officer and returned to Holland with his family.
"VMI is shocked by this appalling news. Auke Dalstra was a beloved and well respected member of the Global Management Board of the VMI Group," stated a press release on the company's website. "With his drive, superb intelligence, plain honesty and inspiring leadership, he played a key role for VMI. As a warm-hearted and compassionate person, he was confidant and mentor for many employees within the VMI Group."
Bernardine VanKessel, formerly of the Netherlands, lives in Hudson and is the former Hudson economic development director. She knew Mr. Dalstra and his wife.
"They were just terrific people and this is very sad within the Dutch community," said VanKessel, director of international business attraction for Team NEO.
VanKessel was in Italy when she received a text about the Malaysian plane crash.
"I just could not believe it. It was just plain disbelief," VanKessel said. "No words can describe the magnitude of the impact of this disaster on the people of the Netherlands. It's an absolute tragedy."
Mr. Dalstra and his wife leave behind two children, VanKessel said. The names and ages of the children have not been released.
"That is just so heartbreaking. They were part of the Hudson community for a number of years," VanKessel said. "And today is the National Day of Mourning for the victims of MH17 in the Netherlands. And we remember everybody, but our hearts go out specifically to those we knew, Auke and his wife."
VanKessel also is president of the Netherlands American Chamber of Commerce/Great Lakes. VMI Group is a sponsor of an annual chamber event which honors the birthday of the king of the Netherlands.
"For many years they have sponsored this event and Auke Dalstra played a role in that," VanKessel said.
VanKessel compared the crash of the MH17 to a Dutch September 11.
"This is the 9/11 for the Netherlands, because we don't know yet what exactly took place. But, all signs look to be that this was an attack," VanKessel said. "This is so huge for us as a Dutch community in northeast Ohio, to lose people who used to be part of our Dutch community in such a tragic way."
VMI Group President and CEO Harm Voortman wrote in a press release, posted on the company website, that "VMI will be forever grateful to Auke for the many years he served the company and his unique contribution that helped shape VMI into the organization it is today.
"VMI extends its deepest sympathy to the family left behind in sorrow beyond description," Voortman added.
Contact this reporter at 330-541-9435 or email@example.com
Facebook: TimTroglenRPC
Twitter: @Trog_RPC


text:
Tom Cruise Photo 300x400
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), better known by his screen name of Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and won three Golden Globe Awards. After playing the role of a heroic naval pilot in the popular and financially successful 1986 film Top Gun, Cruise continued in this vein, playing a secret agent in a series of Mission: Impossible action films in the 1990s and 2000s. In addition to these heroic roles, he has starred in a variety of other successful films such as Days of Thunder (1990), Jerry Maguire (1996), Magnolia (1999), Vanilla Sky (2001), Minority Report (2002), The Last Samurai (2003), Collateral (2004) and War of the Worlds (2005).
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Note: This item is more than 12 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
June 28, 2005
Workshops Set on Gulf Shrimp, Oyster License Changes
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will hold four evening workshops along the coast in July to answer questions and explain details about changes required by new laws that affect Gulf of Mexico shrimp and commercial oyster licenses and fishery management.
During the 79th Texas Legislative Session, bills were passed that directed the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to adopt a new fishery management approach that placed a moratorium on new commercial boat licenses for the Texas oyster and Gulf of Mexico shrimp fisheries.
Starting Sept. 1, only individuals who held a license at the end of last season (ending Aug. 31, 2005) will be allowed to purchase a Commercial Gulf Shrimp Boat License or a Commercial Oyster Boat License will be those who held that license at the end of the 2004-2005 license year (ending August 31, 2005).
Anyone who does not currently hold a Gulf shrimp or oyster license will have until Aug. 31 to purchase one.
The bills did not create new restrictions on transfers or upgrades of license between individuals or boats, only on purchases of new licenses.
At this time, there are no plans for department-sponsored buyback programs for these Gulf shrimp and oyster licenses. (A license buyback program has been used in recent years for the bay shrimp fishery, in which TPWD buys and then retires commercial fishing licenses in order to reduce fishing pressure.)
Representatives of the Texas Department of Agriculture, Shrimp Marketing Program will also attend the upcoming workshops to update attendees on the status of their marketing programs.
For directions to the workshop meetings listed below and other information, please contact Bobby Miller for upper coast information at the Dickinson Marine Lab southeast of Houston, (281) 534-0110, or contact Art Morris for lower coast information at the Corpus Christi Field Station, (361) 825-3356.
- July 5, 6-8 p.m. — Brownsville — Brownsville Event Center, 1 Event Center Blvd.
- July 6, 7-9 p.m. — Corpus Christi — Texas A&M University/Corpus Christi, Natural Resources Center, Room 1003, 6300 Ocean Drive,
- July 6, 6-8 p.m. — Dickinson — Dickinson Marine Lab, 1502 FM 517
- July 7, 6-8 p.m. — Palacios — Palacios Navigation District Office, 1602 Main Street
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(5.4.16 i)


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Farmers and ranchers across the nation who missed the deadline for the 2012 Census of Agriculture are in luck. After thanking the 1.4 million people who turned in their Census forms, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wednesday encouraged those farmers who have not yet turned in their questionnaire to do so as soon as possible.
The information in the Census is used to help the USDA monitor trends and better understand agriculture's needs.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reports that all of the information collected by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) through the Census of Agriculture will be kept confidential but will be used to provide detailed data covering nearly every facet of U.S. agriculture.
"Providing industry stakeholders, community leaders, lawmakers and individual farm operators with the most comprehensive and accurate U.S. agricultural reports, we all help ensure the tools are available to make informed, sound decisions to protect the future of American agriculture," Vilsack said.
The Census is conducted every five years by the USDA and looks at land use, ownership, production processes, expenditures and other factors, according to the USDA.
The deadline to turn in the form was Feb. 4; however, the USDA reports that anyone who did not return the form by the due date will receive another copy in the mail to fill out and return. Farmers also may fill out their Census of Agriculture online at www.agcensus.usda.gov.


text:
for Ukiah Daily Journal
Dave Smith, owner and operator of Mulligan Books & Seeds in the heart of downtown Ukiah, has expanded his business to include mail service.
"I used to go to the post office daily, and the people at the windows who worked there were friends to many of us who work downtown. When they decided to shut it down we protested with Barry Vogel and Mike Sweeney heading up the effort. People had been coming in, especially downtown merchants, concerned about the closure and its relocation to Orchard Avenue. When they finally left last December it felt like a ghost town and I definitely noticed the difference in foot traffic. I started talking to other merchants to see if there was interest in setting up a contract post office."
"I knew it could be done and I thought it would be good for me and great for downtown. I had to apply and it took two- to three months to get everything approved. There is a lot to it and I am now on a steep learning curve. I can sell postage, stamps, weigh out packages, use express or priority mail and media and parcel post.
"I can only do domestic at this point but will be adding international pretty soon. The mail gets picked up here six days a week at 5 p.m. That is a free service and I charge 2 percent on all postage and 3 percent if you use a credit card," he says.
Smith comes from a rich and varied background. He became a social activist in the '60s and worked as executive assistant to Cesar Chavez from '68-'72 where he computerized the union. The compound where he worked in La Paz in the Tehachapi Mountains, where Chavez is buried, was recently declared a national monument by the Obama administration.
"I loved working for Chavez. He was a wonderful man and a very aggressive organizer and because of his dedication to what he was doing he drove those who worked for him hard. However, for us college students it was everything we could hope for working for a person like him. It was 24-7, round the clock, whether we were doing computer programming or were working on a political project in San Francisco. It was a life changing experience for me, organizing the lettuce and grape boycotts," he remembers.
Later he became one of the co-founders of the gardening company Smith and Hawken and moved on to leadership positions in Real Goods, Seeds of Change and co-founded Organic Bouquet, the first national organic floral company.
"About 5 1 2 years ago I was looking for something to do. I had just published my book, to be of use, about work, and was going to hit the road to do promotion in bookstores. I walked in here one day and mentioned to the owners, Judy and Dan Ramsey, that I had always wanted to own a bookstore. Well, they told me it was for sale. So I had to make the choice between buying it or going on the road and," he adds with a slight smile, "my book suffered in sales as a consequence of my decision to stay in town."
His mom had a little bookstore in Miami with a contract post office in the back when he was growing up so he knew what he was getting into. He tells the story of the hold up.
"Word was out that she was going to be robbed and some post office inspectors came into the store to tell her. They posted men in cars outside the shop and a man with a shotgun in a closet inside the store for about a week. It was no wonder nothing happened at this time because you could see the cops outside up and down the block. The cops left and the next day her first customer came in and robbed her. Our house was just in the back of the store and she came running in yelling that she had been held up. I don't know if they ever got the guy."
His store rents and sells new and used books. Bestsellers like "The Casual Vacancy" by J.K. Rowling, "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, "Telegraph Avenue" by Michael Chabon and Lee Child mysteries are available on audio, as well, for a rental fee of $2 a week. He takes used books, reprices them and gives the customer half in trade credit for anything in the store. The books he cannot sell he takes to the library. He special orders new and used books and discounts new books at 10 to 25 percent. He uses his own online vendors and guarantees good prices and good quality for his customers. He offers a 5 percent discount to book club members.
"People bring in boxes of books and I cull through all of them to determine the quality for what people want and what will sell. If it is anything but a classic and over 10 years old, it is not going to be purchased. I don't take hard-backed fiction unless it just came out. A new hard-backed fiction book by a popular author is selling on line for pennies within a few weeks or months, so it's no longer worth anything here," he explains.
He is dedicated to the importance of shopping locally. As a co-founder of Transition Ukiah Valley he believes that due to climate change and peak oil it is of utmost importance that communities focus on local purchasing. As our limited supply of oil resources run out, it will become prohibitively expensive for people to trade with countries like China and essential to move toward a local economy that produces its own food and other goods, he says, adding that the better prepared they are, the better people will be able to deal with it when it happens.
About his new endeavor, he says, "It is spreading by word of mouth. I have an ad in the paper and signs in the window and people are starting to come in; the folks next door, the jeweler on the corner have been buying postage and now the owners of the dress shop down the street use the postal service to ship out clothing orders. We don't have cameras; we have a bathroom, music, comfortable chairs, a warm atmosphere and shelves of books, new and used."


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Fibromyalgia sufferer Lesley Tapp has set up a support group in Trowbridge after receiving such a good response when she spoke out about her illness to the Wiltshire Times last year.
Mrs Tapp, of Soprano Way, Trowbridge, aimed to raise awareness about her struggle with the 'invisible illness' and has since set up an informal support group for other Fibromyalgia suffers.
The group, which recently moved its meetings from The Albany Palace to The Shaw Trust, Palmer Gardens in Trowbridge, gives sufferers an opportunity to meet and discuss the illness or just socialise with people in the same situation.
Mrs Tapp, 50, who lives with her husband Chris, 52, has suffered from the disease for over 10 years, and has lost friends and her job as the chronic pain, fatigue and sleep deprivation it causes has progressed.
She said: "The response I got after the Wiltshire Times story was incredible – people were recognising me and stopping me in the street to put me in touch with others with Fibromyalgia.
"We have got quite a few members now who come to the meetings, but it does depend on how everyone is feeling, which is why it is quite informal and relaxed.
"It is free for anyone with the illness who wants to come along and chat about whatever they like.
"Many sufferers feel like they are going mad before they are diagnosed, as there is something of a stigma about it, but talking to others in the same situation makes you feel better."
Mrs Tapp was only diagnosed with the condition just over three years ago, after a succession of doctors failed to explain the severe pain in her face and hands, and later her shoulders and back.
Other symptoms include forgetfulness, often leading sufferers to fear they are developing dementia, and sensitivity to lights and sounds.
Mrs Tapp added: "We have even had partners of people with the illness come along to the meetings to learn more about what they can do to help their loved ones.
"MP Duncan Hames contacted me after the last article to offer his support to our cause, which was great to hear."
Anyone interested in attending a meeting of the Trowbridge Fibromyalgia Coffee and Chat Group can email trowbridgefibrogroup @hotmail.co.uk or go to the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/trowbridgefibro group