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BVDV in calves can present in a number of ways. Immune suppression is probably the most costly manifestation. "All strains of BVDV have some type of immune suppression," says Vic Cortese, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ABVP, Pfizer Animal Health. "Even the mild strains will cause immune suppression that can last approximately three weeks."
Cortese notes that work has shown that when BVDV is circulating through a dairy, other diseases become more prominent. "You may be trying to fight these other diseases, but the underlying immune suppression caused by a BVDV infection is to blame."
"If you have multiple PI calves along with inadequate management, you have the potential for a lot of clinical disease," says Scott Smith, DVM, The Dairy Authority, LLC, Greeley, Colo. "Cattle are much more susceptible to other viral and bacterial infections. You may see a higher incidence of general scours and pneumonia and an increase in death loss. Salmonellosis, coccidiosis and other opportunistic diseases can often be found in populations with circulating BVDV."
Clinical signs and PIs
Acute BVDV can also cause "bleeder syndrome" due to platelet destruction. Bleeder syndrome is only caused by the Type II BVDV strains, and not all of the Type IIs will cause this syndrome. Depletion and destruction of throm-bocytes causes a lack of clotting. "In young calves, you see hemorrhaging in the sclera and petecchial hemorrhages in the mouth," says Cortese. "In adults, you'll see nosebleeds." Hematomas at injection sites, dripping blood from injections, severe blood loss from dehorning or castration and free blood in the thoracic cavity upon necropsy are also signs of bleeder syndrome.
One way to begin eliminating persistently infected (PI) BVDV animals from the dairy is to identify PI calves and then identify and test (and cull) any of their PI dams.
Cortese adds that BVDV is the only cause of severe platelet losses in North America, and a platelet count in a bleeder case can tip you off to a BVDV infection. Numbers will often drop below 100,000, and usually hemorrhaging will occur when below 50,000. Platelet numbers this low are a good indication of bleeder syndrome. Often, a lab may report too few platelets to count.
Persistently infected (PI) calves may or may not be visually evident. PI calves may be weak and runted and 10-15 pounds lighter than normal. However, on a dairy especially, PI calves often look normal though they are immunologically frail. "They tend to be the first to die in a respiratory outbreak," says Cortese. "They can't clear infections and are the primary source of BVDV spread on dairies."
Smith adds that a calf with BVDV can present in a number of ways, especially if there is a secondary infection involved. "Respiratory symptoms are seen the most frequently, but you may also see diarrhea and lameness. Treatment is based mostly on supportive care and treatment of secondary bacterial infections."
Cortese notes that 50 percent of PI calves will die within the first year of life. Another 40 percent will die before two years of age and only 10 percent make it to two years. PI animals tend to die near birth and later can die of mucosal disease, chronic BVDV and lameness.
The older the animal is, the less likely it is to be a PI animal because of this immunologic frailty of PI animals.
Creating a PI in utero
BVDV can affect the unborn calf in a variety of ways, mostly dependent upon the timing of exposure (see sidebar). If a nonimmune pregnant cow – this does not necessarily mean an unvaccinated cow – is exposed early in the first trimester, stillbirths, early embryonic death and mummification can occur. Later in the first trimester, between days 60-100, BVDV exposure can result in PI calves. In the second trimester, exposure to BVDV is likely to cause abortions and birth defects.
PI calves may be weak, runted and 10-15 pounds lighter than normal. However, on a dairy especially, PI calves often look normal though they are immunologically frail and prone to disease.
The birth of a persistently infected calf only occurs via in utero exposure. At birth, a calf is either PI or it isn't. Persistent infection can only occur two ways: if the dam is PI or if a non-PI dam is exposed to BVDV and passes it on to the fetus during that critical 60-100-day-of-gestation window. The virus crosses the placenta before the calf's immune system is developed – before MHC-1s have developed for self-recognition – and the immune system recognizes that strain of BVDV as part of itself and not as foreign protein.
It's rare for PI bulls to create PI calves at breeding through infected semen because it's too early in the trimester at conception to cause PI calves. Infection at this time, however, can create early embryonic death. The danger of PI bulls is when they are exposed later to pregnant cows and the shedding of virus through nose-to-nose contact at that critical time can create PI calves.
Closing the PI loop
Closing the loop of persistent infection on the dairy involves identifying an infected calf and, when possible, her dam. "I like to test calves as early in life as possible to identify PIs and remove them to reduce the impact of BVDV in the herd, as well as the heifer-growing facility," says Smith.
Many dairies or heifer growers are now ear-notch testing calves for persistent infection. The problem is when they find these calves and either euthanize or dispose of them, they often don't go back to find that PI calf's dam, which may or may not be PI itself. "Persistent infection is often along family lines," says Cortese. "You must go back and test the dam to see if she's a PI."
Cortese notes that 7 percent of PI animals will be from PI dams. "If I just get rid of the PI calves, I still have infection through the cows on the dairy. If you're going to spend money and time to find a PI calf, the dairy needs to know so they can test the dams."
Smith says once a producer has an understanding of the dynamics of BVDV and how PI calves are produced, they are usually willing to test the dam. "Identification is rarely a problem when the calf is a heifer," he says. "Bull calves are not identified on some dairies, and therefore, traceback is much tougher in that situation."
Looking for BVDV in aborted fetuses can also identify problem dams. Any time Smith works up an abortion problem, he tests the fetus and dam for the presence of BVDV, and occasionally finds some positives.
Economics of PIs
In a 2002 study by Larson, et al, the economics of one PI animal in a beef herd were estimated. It was calculated that a reduced pregnancy rate of 5 percent, an increased pre-weaning mortality of 10 percent and a decreased weaning weight of 0.5 percent could have an economic effect of $14.85- $24.84 per year decreased return to fixed costs per beef cow exposed.
Bovine viral diarrhea virus was isolated from this calf with severe internal hydrocephalis. This calf had other congenital defects including scoliosis and pulmonary hypoplasia.
Photo credit: Bruce Brodersen, DVM, PhD
Cortese says because the death loss from BVDV is even greater in dairy herds, the economic losses are higher. "Assume on a dairy a prevalence rate of 4 percent PI animals in animals under 2 years of age. If I buy a group of 20 springing heifers, the risk of buying a PI animal is 66 percent. If I'm buying 10 yearling bulls, I have a 40 percent chance there will be one PI bull."
BVDV biosecurity for calves
Vaccination alone won't protect a dairy and its calves from BVDV. "A sound biosecurity plan is essential to obtain any amount of BVDVcontrol in our calf populations," notes Smith. "Without proper biosecurity, we continue to allow BVDV a foothold in our calf populations that it will not yield."
Cortese offers five areas of a BVDV control program:
1. Biosecurity
Because of increased animal movement around the country and in and out of dairies, biosecurity is critical. It might be wise to encourage clients to close their dairies to outside visitors, limit visits to appointments only and hold meetings with suppliers, advisors, etc., off of the dairy premises.
2. Find if the herd currently has PIs
It's important to know the current PI BVDV status of the herd. Cortese offers serological ways this can be accomplished.
Pre-colostral blood samples on calves. If a calf has antibody to BVDV, it indicates BVDV is circulating on the dairy because the calf is making antibodies and that the vaccination program is not preventing cross-placental transfer of BVDV. Five to six calves can be tested once every three or four months. Split the sample – send one to the lab and keep one. "If you get a high titer back, ask the lab to run IgG levels to tell if the calf has nursed," says Cortese. "If the BVDV titer is higher than 1:16, you know in utero exposure has occurred if they have not nursed."
Do serologic surveys at 6-8 months. This requires leaving some steers or heifers unvaccinated. Published work shows that if five calves are tested at 6-7 months and if three of the five calves run 1:16 or above, there has been exposure to a PI animal on the dairy.
Use sentinel animals, especially on larger dairies. This can be a slick tool to use if the dairy is having reproductive problems that might be associated with BVDV. It's done by bleeding seronegative animals every three to four months to see what is circulating through the adult population, whether it's BVDV, IBR or Neospora. Cortese says this is similar to what's done in poultry and swine. "To do this, I recommend that the seronegative animals be home-raised," he says. "If you purchase them, they might be PI but BVDV negative, and that will throw off the results. Make sure they are virus-isolated-negative, not just serology-negative."
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on the milk can be useful, as they can pick up one PI out of 250 cows sampled. Cortese likes to narrow that number down and test in strings of 100. However, if you use PCR, keep in mind that if using modified-live BVDV vaccines in open cows or at preg-check, they can "pop" the PCR positive.
Of the PI animals, only 10 percent make it to the milking string," says Cortese. "So all PI animals might exist in the youngstock, and PCR of milk won't catch those." It's also important to remember that at any one time a percentage of the herd is not in the milking string, so PCRs will have to be done four to six months apart to catch those animals that were dry when the first animals were tested.
3. Cull PI animals
Vic Cortese, DVM, Dip. ABVP, notes that 50 percent of PI calves will die within the first year of life, another 40 percent will die before two years of age, and only 10 percent make it to two years.
Before implementing testing procedures, it's important for the veterinarian to know the goals of the producer. If the producer will take action and cull the PI animals, put biosecurity programs in place and vaccinate, then it's worthwhile to test and cull.
Especially for small, closed herds, testing all calves, culling PIs (and PI dams) and continuing to test all new calves will eventually lead to a negative herd over time. "A lot of calf ranches are doing this," says Cortese. "They test incoming calves for PI, and if they find any positives, they snip off two teats so when they are sold it indicates they are PI. Ideally, we would like them euthanized, but many places will just cut off teats and send them out."
4. Testing animals
There are different tests available to find PI animals. One of them, PCR, still has some false negative and false positive problems, notes Cortese.
The microplate virus isolation test uses serum that is incubated in wells then put in an ELISA. This test, however, can be blocked by maternal antibody, so it's unreliable in an animal under 3 months of age and can give a lot of false negatives. It also requires a confirmation test three weeks later.
The immunohistochemistry (IHC) "ear-notch" test will identify PI animals because they will have BVDV in higher levels of the skin than will acutely infected or MLV-vaccinated animals. "A single sample can tell whether a calf is PI," says Cortese. This test is also not blocked by maternal antibodies.
Another advantage is that any piece of skin will do, such as a piece of belly skin in show animals.
Scott Smith, DVM, says two keys to preventing PI calves are to optimize the immunity in the breeding herd with effective, timely vaccination and to reduce potential exposure by testing new herd additions.
Skin samples must be read within a week because the sample will break down. Samples can be sent in empty serum tubes with a small amount of formaldehyde. This test is also the only test that can be done on dead animal skin to determine persistent infection. "If an animal is worth posting, I send in some skin, too, fresh or fixed, within a week," says Cortese.
Veterinarians and their clients have to be careful, however, when labs indicate they have done an "ear-notch test." Some labs take fluid from a sample and do an ELISA on it, which will not differentiate PI from an acute or MLV-vaccinated animal. It is not the same as the immunohistochemistry test. "You need to find out what test the lab is doing, especially if you're dealing with expensive animals," says Cortese. "Know which skin test they are doing – IHC or ELISA on fluids."
Smith adds that it's important that veterinarians realize there are two different types of ear-notch tests, and they should weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
5. Vaccination
Use a BVDV vaccine that has known protection for Type I and Type II BVDV and fetal protection. "The goal of vaccination has changed," says Cortese. "We know we can protect the cow and stop her from dying, but the difficult goal now is to protect the calf."
For open heifers, Smith recommends two doses of a modified-live vaccine with both Type I and Type II strains two to four weeks apart. For potentially pregnant heifers with unknown vaccine history, he recommends a product with a killed BVDV component. "In milking cows, all of the herds I work with use an MLV product with both Type I and Type II," he says. "Cows get a dose when first confirmed pregnant to obtain fetal protection against BVDV. A second dose is given at or just prior to dry-off."
Smith also makes sure all bulls are tested for PI BVDV prior to entering the herd, and they are given two doses of an MLV 4-way with both Type I and Type II BVDV two to four weeks apart. In addition, all bulls are given a dose of this vaccine every six months.
Cortese says that if there is a BVDV outbreak with much disease and death loss, two things are occurring: a virulent strain of BVDV and, regardless of the history, somewhere the vaccination program broke down. "They either didn't vaccinate them, mishandled the vaccine or something happened in their vaccination program."
Smith adds that the two keys to preventing PI calves are to optimize the immunity in the breeding herd with effective, timely vaccination and to reduce potential exposure by testing new herd additions for PI status. "The best way to prevent acute BVDV infections in calf populations is early testing, identification and removal of PI calves," he says. "A sound vaccination program will also reduce the amount of clinical BVDV in a calf population with circulating virus."
What is BVDV?
BVDV belongs to the pestivirus group that includes Type I and II BVDV, hog cholera and border disease. Pesti-viruses, as a group, have the ability to cross-infect and cause disease in cloven-hoofed animals. "Fortunately, it has not learned how to jump to humans," says Vic Cortese, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ABVP, "because BVDV has been one of the most common contaminants in human vaccines."
All BVDVs are not alike. There are strains that are entirely respiratory in nature or reproductive in nature. Some strains are virulent, others less so. In the wild, normally all BVDV exists in a noncytopathic (NCP) state, meaning they leave surrounding cells intact. All cytopathic (CP) strains, which punch holes in other cells, arise from mutations of NCP BVDV.
It's a common misperception that cytopathicity is related to virulence, but Cortese says that's not the case. "Many virulent strains are NCP, and the CP strains usually occur in PI animals. Cytopathicity is not related to virulence."
CP and NCP strains can only be differentiated in a lab – they cannot be distinguished by clinical signs.
Brachygnathic calf: Because of the shortened mandible, the tongue appears abnormally long.
Photo credit: Bruce Brodersen, DVM, PhD
BVDV infections during gestation
Paul Walz, DVM, PhD, Auburn University, says transplacental infection is a common event in pregnant cattle exposed to BVDV. Most acute, postnatal infections are subclinical, yet infection in pregnant cattle may result in significant disease. The outcome of fetal infection with BVDV is dependent upon time of infection (i.e. gestational age of the fetus), organ system involved in the infection and properties of the virus (i.e. biotype, virulence and target cell range).
BVDV infection:
Days 0-45 of gestation
Infection of cattle prior to insemination results in impaired conception rates due in part to ovarian infection and dysfunction as a result of BVDV viremia. Viral antigen and ovaritis have been described in acutely infected cattle with BVDV. Conception and pregnancy rates are lower if the animals are viremic at the time of insemination. Retrospective determination of serologic status has indicated that cows that seroconvert during the early gestation period have significantly lower conceptions rates than cows that were immune. Additional work has demonstrated that overall conception rates were lower for herds defined by having a persistently infected (PI) carrier present.
BVDV infection:
Days 45-125 of gestation
The development of the fetal immune system occurs during this period of fetal development. The most outstanding feature or outcome of infection during this period is the development of persistent infection. By definition, cattle that are persistently infected with BVDV are immunotolerant to BVDV. Biotype is important during this period – infection with either biotype is capable of causing fetal death, however, only the noncytopathic (NCP) biotype is capable of causing persistent infection. Persistent infection occurs from an in utero exposure to NCP BVDV. The PI calf cannot recognize the infecting BVDV as foreign and never mounts an immune response to it.
Congenital malformations may be produced by BVDV infection during this period as well. The period of organogenesis occurs approximately between days 100-150 of gestation. Central nervous system malformation and defects in myelination have been reproduced in experimental infections prior to 125 days.
BVDV infection:
Days 125-175 of gestation
Abortion may be observed at any time during gestation as a result of BVDV infection, but most abortions attributed to BVDV seem to be reported during this time. Part of this may be bias as fetuses of this gestational age may be more likely to be submitted for a diagnostic workup. Following BVDV infection, expulsion of the fetus may occur shortly or may be delayed for several months after infection. Following experimental infection at around days 100-120 of gestation, abortion was observed 30-50 days after infection.
Congenital malformations may also be observed during this period as well, including cerebellar hypoplasia, hypomyelinogenesis, hydranencephaly, alopecia, cataracts, optic neuritis, brachygnathism, hydrocephalus, microencephaly, thymic aplasia, hypothrichosis, pulmonary hypoplasia and growth retardation. However, it has not been determined if congenital malformations are the direct result of viral infection on developing cells, or the host immune response in destroying virally infected cells.
BVDV infections:
Days 175 to term
Beyond day 175 of gestation, the fetus is determined immunocompetent. Infection during this period usually results in the birth of a calf that is clinically normal and seropositive on a pre-colostral blood sample. Detrimental effects of BVDV infection in late gestation seem to be less common, however, weak calves and abortions have been reported. In addition, recent data suggest that calves exposed to BVDV in utero that appear normal at birth may be predisposed to postnatal disease such as scours and pneumonia.
This information excerpted from the proceedings of Kansas State University's Bovine Conference on Investigating Pregnancy Wastage in Cattle Herds, May 2003.


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Tomorrow we better blow the Knicks out. If its anything less then a 10 point win its not acceptable, they need to come and play like their life depended on it.
If they lose tomorrow to the Knicks. Rick should get fired.
Sarunas-Fred-Danny-Cro and David should start the rest of the season. Thats just how I see it cause if they lose tomorrow. There is no way in hell I want us in the playoffs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Reviewed By John C (JUPITER, FL) Reviewed for a 2010 Acura TSX —1/24/2015 5:34 AM
I work out of my car at least 2 days a week and this has organized my mobile office to a tee.
Reviewed By Charles A (LA MESA, CA) Reviewed for a 2003 Toyota Tundra —6/29/2017 10:53 PM
I use the Work Surface to eat in my truck, to hold my iPhone, and my iPad. I drive a 2093 Toyota Pickup truck and it needs a little adjustment to lay perfectly flat. It is almost perfect, but it would be great if there were some way to adjust it so that it would sit perfectly horizontal. I use it often and I am glad that some one came up with the idea. Just don't try to work and drive, it would be extremely dangerous!
Reviewed By Brian L (HENDERSONVILLE, NC) Reviewed for a 2016 Ford F-150 —10/26/2016 10:46 AM
I wish I had gotten one of these a long time ago. It's better than I thought it would be. The only thing I wish was different was the 2nd file department. The files hang down into the storage area. I would like to see the file area enclosed like the other file area. It's not a huge problem though. The unit is a little pricey as well but with it being a specialized product I understand. It's perfect for my regular cab F150.


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Nixon thought China could help him get out of Vietnam. Mao needed American technology to repair the huge damage of the Cultural Revolution. Both men wanted an ally against an aggressive Soviet Union. Did they get what they wanted? Did Mao betray his own revolutionary ideals? Did Nixon make a mistake in coming to China as a supplicant? And has the United States been at a disadvantage ever since?
Drawing on newly available material from China and America, and capturing the personalities at the center of the drama (Henry Kissinger, Pat Nixon, and Chou En-lai among them), this breathtaking history looks at one of the formative moments of the 20th century and casts new light on two countries and their relationship, on into the world of the 21st century.
©2007 Margaret MacMillan; (P)2007 Recorded Books
"A lively account....[MacMillan] turns a potentially dry diplomatic story into a fascinating study in high-wire diplomacy, full of intrigue and drama." (Publishers Weekly)
Many of us lived through the meeting between Nixon and Mao. About all I remember is Nixon's return and his speech before Congress on TV. Now, MacMillan's book tells us everything there is to know (how could there be more) about the relationship(s) between the two countries in historical context, anecdotes that make individual players come alive to the listener, and wonderful insights all along the way. For example, the Ping Pong diplomacy - I laughed out loud at what took place.
The prose is wonderful and Barbara Caruso is great. There are a few places that are dry, anyone who has even a marginal interest in this one week in history, will not be disappointed.
I write my reviews under my wife Karen's account. Retired USN Russian linguist/analyst; actor; director; producer. Biography & History focus
"Lots of details"
previously unreported about Nixon's groundbreaking visit to China. Fascinating detail, average writing and above average narration. Recommended for the true history buff, but, if you are not crazy about this era you may want to pass.
"A Great Look At History That Changed The World"
I was just a young person in the 70's when Nixon went to visit China, so I didn't really follow the news as it was happening at the time. I'm so glad that this book brought that historic time to life and helped me understand some of the relationships that formed then and are still in play today.
Great book and some interesting characters who helped shape the world!
"Captures the ambiance & tone of the tine"
I learned from the book. It could have been streamlined a bit! I appreciate the author bringing out Nixon, kissinger & the State department.
Book has a weak ending. After cramming all that research, it could do with a fast forward to 21st century US China relationship to put the trip into context! More Of how china was changed by this visit would be nice!
I ended up read a book on the Long March & on the Korean war - the coldest winter.
"The Stage Was Set When These Two Met In 1972!"
1972 seems like eons ago, but in reality, it wasn't that long ago when these two global superpowers (USA and China) had a very historic meeting that set the stage for where we are today.
Thanks to President Richard Nixon and his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, the US took the necessary steps to proactively engage China and China's leadership. The meeting was so historic because it open relations with China, who had been closed since the Communist came to power in the 1940's.
Both Superpowers have come a very long way since then. America has been #1 since WWII, but China is on the rise now and most likely will be the global economic leader within the next decade.
The author, Margaret McMillan, does a really good job in detailing the back and forth that took place in even arranging the meetings. Also, with so much at stake at the time, in global peace relations at the time, this was a meeting for the ages and the right time and place.
Book summary: ****
I teach Business, Economics, and English at a university in Tokyo. My interests are in politics, economics, and philosophy. I hold a BA in English Literature, and an MA in Political Science.
"Pretty Embarrassing"
When this book finally finished I looked out the window of the plane and thought...Nixon made a fool of himself. This book encapsulates the American mindset on China. Everybody is ready to sell out to get in, thinking it's a great deal, but nobody ever stops to realize what the U.S. is loosing. Nixon, like Bush Jr., lost his backbone when dealing with China. By keeping an eye on the money they let everything else go; values, morals, ehtics and national security. While this book poorly explains the Chinese side of the equation, people familiar with China, Mao, Enlai and Kissinger will find a few funny points, but nothing poiniant.
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Strawberry Tarragon Crumble Recipe
VERIFIED BY Taste of Home Test Kitchen
- 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers
- 8 chocolate-covered miniature pretzels, crushed
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping
- Additional minced fresh tarragon
- In a small bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, tarragon and orange juice. In another bowl, combine the graham crackers, pretzels, butter, honey and vanilla.
- In each of four parfait glasses, layer 3 tablespoons graham cracker mixture, 1/4 cup strawberries and 2 tablespoons whipped topping. Repeat layers. Garnish with additional tarragon. Yield: 4 servings.
Originally published as Strawberry Tarragon Crumble in Simple & Delicious August/September 2012, p37
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The Optic reported last week that the first floor of the new student center at Highlands was to open on Monday in time for the end of spring break. Well, the doors were unlocked, so one could walk in the front and out the back, but the only facilities open were the book store and the "facilities." The bagel shop, convenience store, post office, box office, and cafeteria were not yet ready for prime time. Still, the interior of the building is impressive.
The Bagel shop opened a couple of weeks ago, followed by the convenience store and, now, the post office. With students getting their mail in the new building, use of the public seating areas has increased to include laptop users and conversations.


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Today I would like to welcome a new sponsor at Wire to the Ear: Wave Alchemy. You can see there advert running on the top right sidebar of this blog. I've turned down a lot of advertising requests from companies that were totally unrelated to pro-audio. Why diamond and shoe companies think this is a good place to advertise I don't know! Wave Alchemy are based out of Nottingham in the UK. They sell sample libraries that are 100% royalty free and every sample is 100% original (not ripped from vinyl or anywhere else). Even if your not ready to buy anything it's worth a visit to their site because each pack has a free sample set. There's also a few totally free sample packs such "Club Kicks" and "Odyssey FX". Robert Babicz (Rob Acid), Chris Lake and Martin Eyerer are a few of the artists using Wave Alchemy's stuff.
I hope you welcome them as it does help Wire to the Ear stay on your computer screen.
For more info: http://wavealchemy.co.uk


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I'm not joking. This site is amazing!
lingscars(dot)com (NOTE: I'm not an affiliate, nor am I trying to promote the site. I do have a valuable point to make here.)
Ok, now that you're wondering what it is that I'm smoking, read on, because there is something to be learned here...I came across this site a while back on another forum in which the members were having a go at this "horribly designed" website. Ling caught wind of the forum thread, and signed to the forum in order to set the record straight. This prompted me to do a little digging of my own. It turns out she's not lying on her website where it says, "You can trust me! ... In 2012 I'll rent over £50 million of cars". I was surprised to have a bit of an "aha!" moment while looking into this, because as a designer I want to attract people with attractive designs. However, there's a whole other dimension of attraction I never even considered.
It all has to do with psychology. The site is, without a doubt, hideous. But it's because of that fact that it get's noticed (this thread is proof). So people go check the site out for themselves. They may be pointing and laughing, but what they don't realize is that Ling has their full attention. Out of shear curiosity they start exploring the site (which is jam packed with hidden easter eggs, some of which hint at the fact that the site's creators actually DO have a professional and experienced skill set.) While exploring the site, people will come to find that Ling and her website are bursting with personality, a trait that is sorely missing from most websites. In short, the combination of shock value, personality, and hilariously obvious advertising propaganda techniques, actually make for a very trustworthy and lucrative business. And while I don't think that we should all go out and make crappy looking websites, there is definitely something to be said about not relying solely on the aesthetic aspect of a website to attract potential customers.
Here's an interesting video if you'd like to learn more:
Ling's hyper-kitsch site demonstrates that avoiding generic and fashionable design concepts can pay off. It's clear she has a lot of fun with the site, and the way in which it projects her personality is the key to its success - the wacky aesthetic wouldn't be enough on it's own. As a one-off it's great, but I hope it'll not lead to a rash of clones.
Ling will be coming to Scarborough UK on 16 January 2013 to talk about her website, marketing and business. Sign up to the newsletter for details of when tickets go on sale http://digital-scarborough.co.uk/
Depends of your definition of best, I suppose. In terms of marketing, I've no doubt it does well - although I wonder whether a site built on gimmicks is going to prosper long-term. However, anybody visiting the site from an office or library is unlikely to appreciate the auto-start music, and anybody with epilepsy and other neurological conditions is going to struggle to use a page full of flashing images. Good design has to include usability/accessibility, and I'd say this site falls far short there.
Perhaps you should check the accessibility functions of the website. Might surprise you.
I'm not sure what you mean by that. Perhaps you could elaborate?
@Victorinox ; Agreed! While her site makes a good point about injecting a little personality and uniqueness into a website, much of the concept would work just as well in an aesthetically pleasing (read: less insane) and more accessible site.
@TechnoBear ; There's an accessible version, but it's pretty much a mockery: lingscars.com/lingani.php
To paraphrase, Ling's response to the accessibility criticism is "I do have an accessible site... you know, for all those blind drivers..."I know the visually impaired aren't the only handicapped people using the web, but she has a bit of a point, and it's a funny one.
She didn't have my curiosity. The site looks like utter and complete crap. Though, it is true that aesthetics play a very small role in a sites success. The business concept and marketing are what makes things great and well known.
Preaching to the choir…
A choir that has a range of knowledge and level of experience. And the fact is that it IS easy for many designers (experienced ones included) to get side tracked on the aesthetic aspect of a site and neglect other important areas. That's the point I'm making with this thread. lingscars is a perfect example of this issue in reverse, yet she still manages to generate an astounding income.
As for your curiosity, that's to be expected from many. In the video I posted, Ling goes into detail about the psychological effects of polerizing. The idea is that if you have something that will be viewed very negatively, you'll often polerize public opinion, the outcome being that you'll also have a group that views the subject equally positive. On the other hand, look at anything that is really popular. Have you ever gotten the impression that some people hate something because it's so well liked? Polerization.
Edit: That's why they say any publicity is good publicity. Even bad publicity will have a polerizing effect.
Certainly is - I can't use the "accessible" version for the same reasons I can't use the main version. :rolleyes:
Lings site works because of Lings personality and how well she promotes it.Rocket launcher at the side of the A1, turning down an offer on Dragons Den, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, etc etc there is no doubt that she is very switched on and knows how to catch your attention.It also works well because she is in a market sector where price is everything - if she was selling high-end luxury handbags or jewellery her site design would have to be radically different
Ling's site is a great example when debating with 'serious' web designers, it always shows the often hidden gulf in priorities between web designers who care about the 'craft' and marketing/sales professionals who care about the bottom line. In a very competitive market her personalisation, characterisation and polarisation have probably given her 49 million more in sales than any 'by the book' approach everybody here would recommend would have done.
Great point! Negative publicity is still publicity!
Anyone here ever seen Rebecca Black's Friday video? That was one of the most criticized videos on the web yet she became very popular and had earned the most views.
Despite it being a term I loathe, the immediate reaction to looking at the site was: "Oh, my god". :eek: Truly awful.BUT......... it certainly succeeds in a website's first goal: grabbing the visitor's attention. I have no idea whether or not it sells as I have no interest in lease cars, but it sure as hell succeeded in achieving the second goal: gettin me to scroll through the page.It also succeeded in achieving several secundary goals being: publicity and recall. It isn't easy to forget this site!
I have had much derision and criticism from colleagues/competitors about my site because it isn't your standard fixed width, 3 column, standard header lay out, and lacks large, fancy photos and videos; in other words: it looks "wrong" to them. But it stands out, catches the attention, the content gets actually read and customer rating is very high as is the number of return visitors. I get the feeling that a large proportion of webdesigners, whether professional or not, forget the primary functions of most websites: catching attention and above all, generating sales.I have seen stunningly beautiful websites with all the gizmos you can think off from smooth-scrolling presentations to flash animations and high res vids and pics. Most of them achieved only one thing: getting me irritated because it all took ages to go through and I couldn't find what I wanted: info.I believe that a lot of professional web designers make the same mistake a lot of engineers make: they want to make their product technically too complicated, resulting in overshooting the target and price.
Holy cow that's awful, but strangely, I can't keep from looking at it. It actually reminds me of when I first started creating websites!
What this goes to show that WHAT PAYS OFF is standing out in some way...any way. You can be amazingly beautiful or amazingly, I mean UNBELIEVABLY, tacky. Lings site would have not stood out that much back in1998. It would have been a drop in the sea of mediocre user experiences of the time and as such it would have gotten lost and potentially perished. Also, and she points this out, her market lends itself to this implementation. This would not have done for a law firm NO MATTER how memorably god-awful it was... used-car lots , however, .. have a god-awful feel anyway.. so this is congruent with client(visitor) expectations. So, depending on your market you can go for god awful or stunningly beautiful..lol . BTW it is much harder to pitch "hey lets look god awful ..it will be memorable!" to a client.. its fine if it your own biz.. but... the idea is not always well received by others when it comes to their online presence )
HI,I have browsed the site and honestly I can't help but laugh to the design (sorry). But I do agree to @cgCody, the hilariously obvious advertising propaganda techniques of the site makes it actually good. Nice job!Thanks,Melissa


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ROB Austin Racing's unique scheme offering shares in their Dunlop British Touring Car Championship team to the public has proved an immediate hit with fans.
The Government-backed Enterprise Initiative Scheme (EIS), which allows supporters to reclaim 30 per cent of their investment against tax, is believed to be the first of its kind in motorsport.
For as little as £35 — £24.50 after tax rebate — supporters can effectively own a small part of the Pershore team.
Each investor will have a season-long photograph or message on the roof of one of the RAR Audi A4 race cars. The top investment of £500 is also rewarded with exclusive team hospitality.
Those investing between now and the end of February will be invited to join the team for a question-and-answer session with lead driver Rob Austin during the competition's pre-season media day launch at Donington Park on March 18. More details can be found at robaustinracing.
co.uk RAR have clinched a two-year sponsorship deal with Shropshire fuel additives company FAST Exocet, who were subsidiary backers in 2013.


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firstname.lastname@example.com might recall only the ugly end of Stephen Jacksons two-plus seasons with the Pacers, but the Spurs swingman swears his time in Indiana was among the most important of his career.
Jackson, who scored 12 points in the Spurs 101-79 victory over the Pacers at the AT&T Center, was traded to the Warriors midway through the 2006-07 season after an incident at an Indianapolis area strip club and a subsequent in-game confrontation with then-Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.
He calls it one of the most important times of his career.
I think those two incidents I had in Indiana kind of made me grow up faster and get back to being a humble Jack and appreciate the game more, Jackson said. I think a little bit more now before I react, when Im on and off the court, from being there.
But I think I learned my worth there. Going there and getting my first big contract taught me a lot about getting the confidence to be a good player and the guy I am on the court.
Jackson earned two technical fouls in the first three games but insisted he had not forgotten to think before reacting in those instances.
I thought about those techs, he said. I got fouled the second time (against Utah) and the other time, (Oklahoma Citys Serge) Ibaka was running his mouth a little too much. I will never get disrespected by nobody. Im going to go out a man. If I get disrespected, Im going to get a tech. Point-blank.
Though NBA fines start at $2,000, Jackson isnt concerned.
Ive saved up a lot of money the last 13 years, he said. Im good. Im a man first. Before you disrespect me, Im going to spend some money. I aint tripping on that. But youre going to respect me.
Manu feeling better: Though he made only 1 of 4 shots and committed four turnovers in 17 minutes against the Pacers, guard Manu Ginobili was delighted at how good he felt in his second game of the season. He had missed the first two games with back spasms.
I felt better today than the previous game, physically, he said. My backs not hurting, feeling better.
Im still out of rhythm. I havent practiced with the guys in over two weeks. I need to play, to dribble, to pass. I feel inconsistent, not confident yet. Thats the least concern right now. Its the fourth game of the season. Weve got 78 ahead of us. My main concern now is being happy, and thats fine.
Twitter: @Monroe_SA


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Ricky Rubio made his public debut at Target Center Tuesday, the 20-year-old basketball phenom was originally drafted two years ago and the Timberwolves have finally brought what they hope will be a franchise player home to Minneapolis.
Rubio could be the first "next big thing" in Minnesota basketball since future All-Star Kevin Garnett joined the Timberwolves in 1996. He was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2009, during a reboot of the franchise that forced out Minnesota native Kevin McHale as team vice president and coach.
The Spanish point guard has been playing professional ball since he was 14, and is widely regarded as one of Europe's hottest prospects. He has been playing for Barcelona for the last two seasons — while the Wolves and basketball fans waited — and wondered if he even wanted to play in Minnesota.
He had a contract to play in Spain, one that the Wolves couldn't initially afford to buy out.
"In the last two years, I grew up a lot as a player," Rubio said. "My mind grew, too, because we fight to titles like Euroleague ACB, and I learned a lot about this experience."
Rubio's family watched Tuesday as he fielded questions in Spanish and English and talked about everything from the Mall of America to his ability to adapt to the NBA.
Team president David Kahn said winning them over was a key factor in luring Rubio to the Timberwolves. Rubio himself admitted he'd relished playing with friends in Spain and winning championships there.
That's an unlikely prospect for the immediate future in Minneapolis.
Rubio's new team finished at the bottom of the NBA standings in April with a record of 17-65. The league is in negotiations with players for a new collective bargaining agreement and could join the NFL in a lockout. The future of head coach Kurt Rambis has also been in doubt as his team skidded to a dismal finish — just 1 and 15 in its division.
But Kahn, head of basketball for the Wolves, said Rubio is the kind of player that can turn a team around.
"We need to be patient and allow him to be a rookie, but he also has some very rare gifts in terms of the way he plays and the way he can organize a team, as he mentioned, as a point guard," Kahn said. "He's also got something, it's hard to describe, that it factor."
Kahn also tamped down rumors that Rubio was headed for the trading block. Minnesota has the number two pick in Thursday's NBA draft, and the Wolves are trying to rebuild a team that by its own admission hasn't had much talent on the floor.
"Ricky Rubio will not be traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He's here for a long, long, time," he said.
Rubio said he's looking for a house and buying warm clothes. He could make his professional debut on an NBA court in October.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Bump Under Skin at Base of Skull
Hello, 49 year old male. I have this bump that is at the base of my skull, right side perhaps 3 inches from the center of the spine, just above the hairline. It feels rubbery and does not move. I don`t notice it usually, but after pressing on it (repeatedly) it is just a bit tender. If I don`t mess with it, no tenderness. It seems perfectly round and perhaps about dime sized (or less). I don`t know how long it has been there, but at least several months. Thank you! PS: I have no insurance at present, so any help is appreciated!
Thank you for visiting NetWellness. Any neck mass present for more than 2 weeks is considered abnormal and should be evaluated. You need a good head and neck evaluation, possibly a scan, and maybe even a biopsy. Make sure you see your health care provider as only a health professional performing a thorough clinical exam is able to evaluate your symptoms.
The US Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Primary Health Care has a directory that will help you find a clinic that will give you medical, including dental care, even if you have no medical insurance or money.
Coverage For All.org also contains information about free medical care and programs in your area.
Cheryl Koliha-Brandt, MSN, RN, CNS, CORLN
Clinical Nurse Specialist and Instructor of
Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Case Western Reserve University


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Your weekday morning blend from Instant Tea:
1. Local gay vet Dave-Guy Gainer, a board member for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, alerts us to this piece of breaking news: Same-sex couples will be allowed to marry in U.S. Navy chapels in states where gay marriage is legal following the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," according to an April memo from the Navy chief of chaplains. And Navy chaplains will be allowed to officiate same-sex weddings but will not be forced to do so, the memo states. The memo dated April 11 from Admiral Mark L. Tidd lays out revisions to the Chaplain Corps Tier I Training. The previous Tier I Training stated that same-sex marriages were not allowed on federal property. Not surprisingly, conservatives in Congress claim the new policy violates the Defense of Marriage Act.
2. Molly Wei, the Rutgers student charged in the secret webcast of gay suicide victim Tyler Clementi, has entered a plea deal that will require her to testify against Clementi's roommate, Dharun Rhavi.
3. Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill may be on a fast track to becoming law this week. And contrary to previous reports, a death penalty provision has not been removed from the bill. Sign a petition against the bill by going here.


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Groene at the Legislature: Teacher absences, substitutes
Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppression
More opinion
Senate: Vote no on Graham-Cassidy health care plan
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
More Ag News
The story of Sen. John McCain's wife Cindy and her non-profit group by a Cozad man who knew her well.
When Tom Gosinski left his hometown of Cozad in 1977, he had no idea he would become tangled up in the drug abuse of the wife of U.S. Senator and later, presidential candidate John McCain.
Gosinski worked for Cindy McCain, John McCains young glamorous wife.
Gosinski details his experiences in his book, The Wrong Side of Right, released in June by Woof Publishing.
He worked for Cindy McCain in the early 1990s, a tumultuous time, and together they encountered the first Gulf War, the suffering in Bangladesh, the Rodney King riots that closed the Los Angeles airport and the devastation of Hurricane Andrew.
Gosinski respected the wealthy, powerful Cindy McCain when he went to work for her.
At the time, he had no idea he might have to turn her over to the authorities.
His book tells the story of the events that took him, emotionally and spiritually as well as physically, far from his hometown, which is just 50 miles east of North Platte.
Gosinski grew up in Cozad, raised in a single-parent home by his mother, an elementary school teacher. He graduated from Cozad High School in 1977. He went to college in Minnesota and his career took him to Phoenix, where he worked for America West Airlines. Working in the department of government and international affairs, in 1991 Gosinski helped Cindy McCain and her non-profit humanitarian group of American Medical Volunteers get tickets and make flight connections to Kuwait City right after the Gulf War.
McCains organization aimed to put volunteer doctors and nurses in troubled places around the world, where they could pitch in for a few days and treat people when they needed it most.
McCain was so pleased with Gosinskis work in lining up travel to Kuwait that she invited him to go along on the trip. He took the opportunity and saw the gruesome aftermath of the invasion of Kuwait, from the massive oil well fires to thousands of wounded and homeless victims.
The team did what they could. Cindy, Tom and a photographer even visited a fledgling refugee camp, but were ordered away from the still insecure camp by a U.S. general, who flew in on a helicopter to deliver the order at the direct request of John McCain.
When they returned to the U.S., Cindy McCain offered Gosinski a full-time job with her non-profit organization. After deliberation, he agreed to the offer and went to work, handling government affairs as well as transportation, and helping with fundraising for her American Voluntary Medical Team.
As months went by, Gosinski found Cindy McCains organization to be undermanaged, taking trips overseas that were poorly planned. On a trip to Bangladesh, he noticed McCain personally carried the supply of prescriptions drugs in her luggage.
Still, they helped for several days at a medical clinic, and they brought two orphans back to the United States for medical care, one of whom Cindy McCain later adopted.
As more time went by, Gosinski came to see that McCain was moody and manipulative. He discussed it with other top staff members.
He learned that McCain was basically writing her own prescriptions and using doctors names without their consent. Sometimes she said the pills were for employees such as Gosinski.
He finally took action. After her behavior deteriorated and other interventions failed, he made the agonizing decision to talk to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
After a months-long investigation, news of McCains addictions finally became public.
She was taking an astounding amount of drugs, up to 20 pills a day of Percocet or Vicodin, according to news reports.
McCain went into treatment. She has gone on with her life, although news accounts of her past addiction were widespread in the mid-90s. Those reports surfaced again during John McCains run for the White House in 2008.
Gosinski was called to Washington to talk to news reporters with the major media.
Gosinski stuck with the courage of his conviction, once he made the decision to report Cindy's drug abuse, throughout the prolonged investigation and publicity.
He eventually returned to Cozad where he fought his own fight, battling cancer during the time John McCain was running for the White House.
His book has his inside perspectives of the McCains relationship as well as the ways of the world. It also contains his unedited journal, which he wrote while working for McCain.
The book was published just a couple months ago and it is already in its second printing.
Id always lived by the motto: trust everyone until they give you reason not to. However, my trust in people and our institutions has been forever altered, Gosinski wrote.
I finally just put my thoughts on paper, he told the Bulletin. I think that she damaged a lot of peoples lives and has never taken responsibility for that. She moved on with her life, but the damage was done.
Big mess
Gosinski thinks the U.S. political system has deteriorated over the last 20-25 years.
Im still a Republican but I think its a big mess, he said.
He said the right wing of the Republican Party serves the needs of the extremes. More moderate Republicans would work with moderate Democrats but are afraid, because a united Tea Party effort could take them out in the primary election.
I dont know if the Republican Party is still even a party, he said. There are so many differences of opinion; it doesnt have a united front at all.
Although he keeps up with political events, Gosinski doesnt work anywhere near politics these days. He lives at home in Cozad, with a successful career in interior and landscape design. The outdoor garden of his home, which he tends with his mother, was recently a feature of the Cozad garden tour.
The Wrong Side of Right is available at A to Z Books in North Platte, Service Drug in Cozad, Hastings bookstore in Kearney, and also online.
This report was first published in the July 17 print edition of the North Platte Bulletin.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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MSC Orchestra
2 out of 5 stars
Read the best port reviews and tips for this cruise itinerary.
|Day 1
|Cannes, France
|Day 2
|At Sea
|Day 3
|Barcelona, Spain
|Day 3
|At Sea
|Day 4
|Ajaccio, Corsica
|Day 5
|Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
|Day 6
|La Spezia (Cinque Terre), Italy
|Day 7
|La Spezia (Cinque Terre), Italy
|Day 7
|Genoa, Italy
|Day 8
|Cannes, France
A roll call is a space for members who are signed up for the same cruise (same ship & departure date) to connect.
Make friends BEFORE you sail, exchange tips on what to do onboard and in the ports and maybe even organize a shore excursion with your ship mates.


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Prawn Battle Suit Statue and more on display...
San Diego Comic-Con coverage brought to you by Collectibles Insurance, Big Bad Toy Store, Sekaido, and Monkey Depot.
WETA had an impressive variety of collectibles on display at this year's Comic Con based on the fan-favorite film District 9, including the highly requested Prawn ExoSuit in statue form. Other statues and collectibles on display include the Christopher Johnson and Son - Prawns statue and 1:1 and 1:4 scale weapons from the film, including the Gas Projector, Arc Generator, and the Assault Rifle.
Be sure to check out the images of these awesome collectibles HERE.


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Buy the book
Edited by Algerian sociologist and WLUML founder, Marieme Hélie-Lucas, this bumper dossier brings you papers by over 15 contributors, including Karima Bennoune: The Law of the Republic Versus the 'Law of the Brothers': A story of France's law banning religious symbols in public; Pragna Patel: Cohesion, Multi-Faithism and the Erosion of Secular Spaces in the UK: Implications for the human rights of minority women; and Gita Sahgal: 'The Question Asked by Satan': Doubt, dissent and discrimination in 21st-century Britain.
The exhibition looks at women's dress in some Muslim countries and communities and is a snapshot of diversities and commonalities through space and time. These highlight the influence of many forces – class, status, region, work, religious interpretation, ethnicity, urban/rural, politics, fashion, climate.
Cette exposition ne peut donner qu'un bref aperçu des spécificités et des points communs qu'on retrouve au cours des siècles ou par delà les continents, et qui mettent en relief l'influence de multiples forces et facteurs : la classe, le statut, la région, le métier, les interprétations religieuses, l'appartenance ethnique, le mode de vie rural ou urbain, la
Cette exposition ne peut donner qu'un bref aperçu des spécificités et des points communs qu'on retrouve au cours des siècles ou par delà les continents, et qui mettent en relief l'influence de multiples forces et facteurs : la classe, le statut, la région, le métier, les interprétations religieuses, l'appartenance ethnique, le mode de vie rural ou urbain, la
Executive Summary
Please see the attached pdf for the full report.
via AWID
Two decades after the Fourth World Conference on Women, women and girls around the world deserve better than this year's CSW outcomes. At this time of celebration and affirmation of Beijing and commitment to accelerated implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, what women don't need is an outcome weakened by its lack of engagement with women on the ground and lacking in vision and commitment.
On the occasion of the 59th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 59), and in response to the invitation to the Executive Director of the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) to address the Commission at the opening of its fifty-ninth session, AWID called on feminists and women's rights advocates around the world to share three key mess
The WLUML E-Gazette is a quarterly publication sent out to subscribers which sheds light upon the activities of the network and share important updates about women's and gender issues in the Muslim world and beyond.
This document, entitled "Remembering" was created by Women Living Under Muslim Laws and delivered as a powerpoint presentation during the 59th session of the CSW to review the 15th year of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action. Despite significant breakthroughs in the past 20 years, violence against women and girls justified in the name of religion, customs, traditions – in short, culture - remains unabated. Women continue to be persecuted and killed for making choices in life that are perceived to defy social norms. The presentation was created as a tribute to these women, to honour them and their sacrifices.
Please download the file attached here to view the pdf.
A Powerpoint version is available here.
Samah Hadid is a global human rights activist from Australia and a member of WLUML's Council. You can follow her work @samahhadid.
As a human rights activist, I know too well the unwavering determination needed to defend the rights of society's most vulnerable and marginalised.
For many activists and human rights defenders, especially women, this struggle for freedom often comes with persecution, imprisonment, exile and political attacks.


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Newly Renovated Springfield District Governmental Center
Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Oct. 3, 2003
Dedication and Open House to Celebrate
Newly Renovated Springfield District Governmental Center
Various state and local elected officials will be on hand at 10 a.m, Saturday, Oct. 18, for the dedication and ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of the newly renovated Springfield District Governmental Center, located at 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield. The open house of the Springfield District Supervisor's Office, and the Police and Fire and Rescue stations features a variety of activities, and will begin immediately following the ceremony around 11 a.m.
As part of the celebration that day, participants from the community will be invited to sign a guest book. A commemorative plaque will be made using the imprint of those signatures and will be later displayed at the governmental center.
Another memorable activity at this ceremony will be the sealing of a time capsule. This capsule will contain community newspapers and newsletters, various items of police and fire memorabilia including annual reports and uniform patches, and other items significant to the community.
Attendees at this event can enjoy tours of the facility including the engine bay of the fire station, police station and the Springfield District Supervisor's Office. Outside, police will have tactical trucks, the marine patrol, the K-9 unit and a child safety seat demonstration. Several police cars will be on display including the oldest county police vehicle, a black, restored 1940 Plymouth that represents what the county's first police cars looked like. Some new traffic control cars like the Camaro Z28 police cruisers will also be on display.
Fire and Rescue will display Foam Unit 26, which is the airport crash unit; their mobile crime lab; the mass casualty unit; and fire truck 422. Children who attend will be excited to meet McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog, and a clown handing out balloons.
Musical entertainment will be provided by a disc jockey. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Einstein Bros Bagels and Whole Foods.
For more information about the event call the
Springfield District Supervisor's Office at 703-451-8873, TTY 711.


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A teenager who reportedly shot himself in the leg Tuesday was released from a hospital late Wednesday and was taken the juvenile detention area of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
OCALA – A teenager who reportedly shot himself in the leg Tuesday was released from a hospital late Wednesday and was taken the juvenile detention area of the Marion County Sheriff's Office, where he was expected to be charged with home invasion robbery with a firearm.
Two people taken into custody Tuesday in connection with the case made their first appearances in front of a judge earlier Wednesday.
Fabiane "Fabo" Jackson, 22, who is charged with home invasion robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery, told Judge Jim McCune that he is unemployed and has no income. He was assigned a public defender.
A State Attorney's Office official told McCune that Jackson does not have a criminal history.
Bond for Jackson was set at $60,000.
Dainna Marie Webb, 21, is charged with accessory to home invasion robbery with a firearm. Her bond initially was set by McCune at $50,000.
Attorney David Mengers told the judge his client is employed and should be released to her parents, who were present at the hearing.
Webb does not have a prior record.
The victim of the robbery, who is Webb's boyfriend, also was present at the hearing and told the State Attorney's Office representative that he wants his girlfriend out of jail.
MCune reduced Webb's bond to $500.
The judge issued several conditions for her release if she posts bond, one of which is to adhere to a curfew from 11:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. He also said she should live with her parents.
"This is an embarrassment to my life," Webb said while sitting outside the Marion County Jail courtroom.
On Tuesday, Marion County Sheriff's Office Detective T.J. Watts interviewed the victim, who said he could not reach Webb after they went out Monday. He said a friend visited him at the Royal Inn Hotel and that Jackson, who had a handgun, and the teen, barged in and robbed them. He said Jackson hit him across the head with the gun.
He said the teen was shot in the leg as he was running away. Jackson, he said, got into his girlfriend's vehicle, which she was driving.
The victim said he picked up the teen and carried him back to the hotel so he could get medical treatment. He said his girlfriend had set him up because she knew he had $800.
At the hospital, the teen told Watts that Webb told them her boyfriend had pills, weed and cash, and gave him and Jackson a key to the hotel room.
Webb told Detective Bobby Levay that her boyfriend had taken $450 from her and refused to return it. She said she drove to Jackson's residence and told him and the teen about the money. She said the teen told her they would get her money back. She said she took them to the hotel, dropped them off and went to Jackson's residence. She said she returned later to get Jackson and he told her the teen was going to stay with the victim. She said Jackson never gave her any money.
Jackson told the detective a similar story.
Webb, who said Wednesday she is a mother and full-time employee at a restaurant, said she dropped off the boy and Jackson because "she didn't want to deal with the drama," meaning she "didn't want to see" the victim anymore.
"They're all friends," she said.
Webb maintained she never saw a gun and had no idea about any robbery. She said her boyfriend took money from her and said she was "irresponsible." She said she never heard the teen or Jackson telling her they would retrieve her money, and was unaware the minor had shot himself in the leg until detectives told her.
After the teen is charged in the home invasion case, property crimes detectives said they also expect to charge him with dealing in stolen property from a separate case involving vehicle burglaries in the city and county. They said he may have orchestrated the sale of a handgun stolen from one of the many burglaries.
Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or email@example.com.


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A group of young rural trainees have taken part in a special training and team-building event.
They were involved in a mountain rescue scenario, commissioned by Clapham charity, the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and delivered by Stainforth-based Yorkshire Dales Guides.
The trainees, aged from 18 to 24, work in jobs such as environmental conservation, game-keeping and woodland management.
"This exciting training event was very effective, providing the trainees with the necessary skills and confidence to cope with working in the demanding terrain and unpredictable weather of the Yorkshire Dales," said Jo Boulter, project officer at the trust.
"We're very grateful to Yorkshire Dales Guides for so kindly supporting this project by donating their time and providing such high-quality training."
Dave Gallivan, of Yorkshire Dales Guides, said: "Collectively the instructors delivering the training have 99 years' experience in mountain rescue. It's brilliant to be able to pass on some of that experience to these young people who are working outdoors."
There was also praise from one of the trainees.
Sam Allsopp, an apprentice with Conservefor, the rural contractors and consultants based in Rathmell, said: "It was a very useful and exciting training event, teaching us lots of different skills such as first aid. It was also fun to meet the other trainees that are taking part in the project and to hear about their roles."
The scheme has been made possible thanks to financial support from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Garfield Weston Foundation, The Charles and Elsie Sykes Trust, J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust, Lord Swinton's Charitable Trust, Yorkshire Agricultural Society and the People's Postcode Lottery.


text: Monongalia W.Va.'s healthiest county, McDowell least healthy By Lori Kersey March 20, 2013 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Monongalia County is healthiest and McDowell the least healthy county in West Virginia, according to rankings released Wednesday from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.The five healthiest counties are in the northern and eastern parts of the state: Monongalia, Pendleton, Doddridge, Jefferson and Hampshire. The five unhealthiest counties are in coalfield counties in Southern West Virginia: McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo, Logan and Boone.The county health rankings annually assess nearly every county in all 50 states based on high school graduation rates, obesity, smoking, family and social support and other factors that influence health.This year's rankings also include the number of dentists per resident and other new measures.Dr. Rahul Gupta, executive director and health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said the rankings are very similar to those from years past. They reinforce what health officials already knew, which is that poverty, unemployment and a lack of education go hand in hand with poor health."We can't improve one without the other," Gupta said. "For a lot of people, education is their ticket out of poverty."Kanawha County ranks 37th in the state; Putnam County ranks ninth.Gupta said the health of a community is about more than just hospitals. Improving health will demand that health officials work together with businesses and organizations from all sectors, Gupta said."Improvements and changes in health always begin from the ground up," Gupta said.Ted Krafczyk, public information officer for the Monongalia County Health Department, said the county's high ranking reflects efforts from community organizations and hospitals, as well as local, state and federal agencies that promote good health.Monongalia County has biking and walking trails where residents can exercise, he said. The county's low unemployment rate also has a positive effect on health, he said. "If they can go to work and have a good job," Krafczyk said, "that certainly is a big plus in your life."At the opposite end of the spectrum is McDowell County.McDowell County Commission President Gordon Lambert said much of the county's health problem is related to drug abuse. "We're probably number one in the state, and the state was number one [nationwide] from deaths by overdosing," Lambert said.West Virginia tied with New Mexico for the most prescription-drug overdoses in 2008, according to a November 2012 policy brief from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lambert said the county needs more Suboxone clinics to treat drug-addicted residents, but officials are having trouble getting the funding to pay for them."We asked for help with Suboxone clinics and ended up with one that can see 12 people," Lambert said. "We probably need one to see 500 people."As a result, McDowell residents travel "all over" for treatment, he said.Lambert pointed to community agencies such as McDowell County's F.A.C.E.S. (Families, Agencies, Children Enhancing Services) that aims to, among other things, combat the county's high drug abuse rates. The county also has a fitness center where residents can exercise at no cost, he said.For the complete county list, go to www.countyhealthrankings.org.Reach Lori Kersey at firstname.lastname@example.com or 304-348-1240. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Philanthropist Betty Schoenbaum of Shoney's fortune turns 100 2 Derek Redd: Marshall thinks outside the cable box for broadcasts 3 Parole hearing set for Putnam man who claims wrongful sex assault conviction 4 Deer in 8 WV counties found dead from EHD 5 DHHR report: No neglect, criminal charges in death of ResCare client State doles out $336,000 in preservation grants Previous Story Consultant says state broadband project created 'monopoly' for Frontier Next Story


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text:
I'm trying to get it for this season.
Unfortunatley, I am very stupid when it comes to this type of thing.
Those of you who have it, what do you reccomend?
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I'm trying to get it for this season.
Unfortunatley, I am very stupid when it comes to this type of thing.
Those of you who have it, what do you reccomend?
Its a great thing to have and its very worth the money, especially for fans who dont live in Indy and dont get to see the team play. I dont know how I would survive without the league pass. You should get it.
I was actually thinking about getting NBA League Pass also and I have a question. My friend told me that you had to have Direct TV to get it is that true? Thanks in advance.Originally Posted by Jermaniac
no but they are more reliable...Originally Posted by SlamSally
You can get it with DirecTV, Dish Network, and in some, not all, areas, Comcast Digital Cable.
I have had it for 4 years now, EVEN THOUGH I live in the Indy area and already have local coverage. Why? Because the $160-190 price is VERY affordable considering the cost for a pair of tickets to 1 or 2 games is the same.Originally Posted by SlamSally
I really enjoy turning it on at 10PM on a Thurs night in January and being able to channel surf Suns/Grizz, Pistons/Wolves, Rockets/Mavs or some other interesting matchup, even if it's just for a quarter or so. You get a much better feel for the league and some of the teams, players by listening to other announcing crews and seeing them outside of Pacers blinders.
I think so.
I'd say if you're an out-of-state Pacers fan and you can afford it, it would be essential.
If you live outside of Indiana then Dish or a cable provider should be fine. If you live in Indiana and want all the games you need Direct TV. When I lived in Florida I had it on cable and had no problems but here in Indiana I need to have Direct TV or most of the home games are blacked out.
And yes it is worth the money. Once you get it you wont be able to remember how you lived without it.
I think I'm going to get it through Comcast, since that's the cable provider I already have. I have the basic cable though, I don't even have the thing that tells you what show you're watching.
It won't be too expensive.
Unfortunately it sounds to me like you don't have digital cable. If that's the case, you don't have the ability to subscribe to NBA League Pass. In which case, you'll have to get that installed.Originally Posted by IndyPacers67
So plan on adding a few more dollars to the expenses column on top of the LP subscription itself.
All said and done... LP is heaven.
On that note, I'm moving to Baltimore for my first job...is there anyone from out there who is familiar with Digital Tier? I hear it's cheaper than Comcast Digital. However, if that's the case does it offer NBA LP? If not, it can never be cheap enough for me to choose it over Comcast.
Yeah, I know.Originally Posted by PacerNation
But I already have Comcast cable, so upgrading to digital cable is cheaper, and league pass comes with the package.
Can't live without it.
Heck, I couldn't live without it when I lived in Indy. Let alone now.
I prefer the DirecTV version, but then again I've also had both the NFL Sunday Ticket and NBA League Pass since their inception on DirecTV.
Why do the things that we treasure most, slip away in time
Till to the music we grow deaf, to God's beauty blind
Why do the things that connect us slowly pull us apart?
Till we fall away in our own darkness, a stranger to our own hearts
And life itself, rushing over me
Life itself, the wind in black elms,
Life itself in your heart and in your eyes, I can't make it without you
Ugh, I hate these threads. I work nights, so it's no use for me to get LP, because I'd miss all the west coast games.
Just to clarify, Digital Tier is digital cable. Is there anyone from the Baltimore area that is familiar with it? Does it offer NBA LP?
Originally Posted by IndyPacers67
I had it for the 03-04 season, it's great except when you have to hear the Celtic announcers.