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I decided last year that it was about I time I jumped on the digital band wagon and bought a camera that you don't have to wind on when you've taken a shot.
I did a lot of research and entered into it knowing that if I could I would get a Sony as I've always considered Sony to be the best and most reliable make. I'm not going to go against that now either. However I wasn't willing to spend Sony prices and quickly ruled them out as an option.
Instead I took a lot of interest in Kodak. It's true to say that most of the Kodak camera's that fell into my price range were ugly and brick- like. I wanted a camera that was a relatively high spec and a good price, but not at the expense of style. I found the Kodak Easyshare C340 met all my requirements and a few months on I'm still delighted with it.
It's a 5.0 megapixel camera which for those of you yet to enter the digital revoltuion means that each picture that you take is made up of 5 million different dots. Obviously the more dots, the more detailed (better resolution) the picture will be. To put this into context, you can get camera's with 7 and 8 megapixels, but the best phone cameras might give you 2 megapixels. For the photography that I was interested in and the pictures that I would be producing I decided 5.0 megapixel was more than enough as this gives you pictures of upto 50cm x 75cm without losing detail.
The camera contains all the things we have come to expect of a digital camera. It has optional and automatic flash, red eye reducer, multi zone automatic focus and a 4cm x 3cm screen for reviewing your shots. It also contains a 3 x optical zoom which allows you to adjust the lens to shoot things quite a distance away. On top of this there is a 5 x digital zoom which enhances the optical zoom further (however image quality may be reduced depending on the shot).
You have an option of 13 scene modes to choose which basically give you diffeent pre set light and motion setting to get the most out of the shot. These scene modes include automatic, portrait, sports, landscapes, claose ups, night portrait, beach, snow, fireworks (which produces some spectacular shots), self portrait, back lihgt children and party. Then there are 3 colour modes - colour, sepia and black and white. You can even take TV quality video with it for as long as your memory card permits.
The camera doesn't come with a lot of memory (64mb internal memory) which will only allow about 10 shots. However you can buy memory cards separately (I got a 512mb SSD card from EBay for around £30) to hold more photo's and video's on.
Below is a more comprehansive list of spec details for all you techno-geeks:
Aperture f/2.75.2 (wide), f/4.68.7 (tele)
Shutter speed 41/1400 sec.
LCD 1.6 in. (4 cm) high resolution (72 K pixel indoor/outdoor color display
Burst mode 3 fps, up to 3 pictures
Video mode continuous motion JPEG video with audio capture/playback
Video resolution VGA (640 × 480 pixels) at 13 fps; QVGA (320 × 240 pixels) at 20 fps
Video length continuous up to 80 min. limited by capacity of external memory card; or 5-, 15-, 30-sec. clips
Video format QUICKTIME MOV (motion JPEG compression)
Auto focus TTL-AF
Auto focus selection multi-zone, center-zone
Focus range Standard23.6 in. (60 cm) to infinity
Landscape32.8 ft (10 m) to infinity
Close-up wide528 in. (1370 cm)
Close up tele928 in. (2270 cm)
Sensitivity ISO equivalent 80160 (automatic, still), 80200 (sports) and 80,100, 200, 400 (manual)
White balance auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Exposure metering center-weighted
Long time exposure 0.74 sec.
Exposure compensation +/-2.0 EV in 0.5 EV step increments
Ease of use features
Built-in flash auto, red-eye, fill, off
Flash range wide211.8 ft (0.63.6 m); tele26.9 ft (0.62.1 m)
Review options 1X8X magnify with pan, slide show, multi-up, fast scroll, protect, album
Favorites on-camera picture storage
Auto picture rotation Auto picture rotation with EASYSHARE Software
Software KODAK EASYSHARE Software
PICTBRIDGE compatible print directly from camera
Storage 16 MB internal memory*, SD/MMC card expansion slot
Self-timer 10 seconds
If you're starting out in digital photography then good luck in finding out what all that means. If you know a thing or two about digital photography then you'll see that this is not a bad camera.
I've recently enjoyed playing with the long time exposure setting to experiment with different shots (like those night time ones of traffic that shows a stream of light as cars have travelled through the shot) You see, you can experiment like that with digital because you can instantly see the result and if you don't like it then you can get rid of it without the costly expense of more film.
I can honestly say that I've really got into photography since I bought this camera. Mainly because it gives you he flexibility to experiment, but also because it has so many added features that beyond the expectations that people have of every day digital cameras.
I love this thing, and would definately recommend it, especially if you are starting out, but also if you were one of the first on the digital band wagon - then maybe this would be a useful, but affordable upgrade.
Please note though that if you dont't buy rchargeable batteries, it wont be long before you have spent the cost of the camera on Duracells!
Let me tell you about a revolution in the world of flossing (is there a world of flossing? Well if there is there has been a revolution in it!)
Now, I've known for years that I'm supposed to floss. Lots of people (none more so than my own mum!) tell me that if I dont floss regularly then I run the risk of suffering tooth decay or gum disease or even mouth cancer or heart disease! So you would think that with such warning in mind, I would be persuaded to floss the recommended amount (daily, I think).
But no. I wasn't persuaded. You see, the idea of me squeezing flossing into my already packed 'get out of the house before the idiots get onto the motorway' morning routine was about as feasible as taking a couple of weeks off work for a holiday to Jupiter! What on Earth possesses people to stand with their fist in their mouth in the morning trying to manouvere string between teeth and through gaps that simply aren't there in the morning. Even if the gap is there you end up cutting your gum to pieces. My underlying theory always was that if I can't get this string in the gap between my teeth then I won't be able to get tartar in there either so I'm ok!
Anyway, for all you dentists out there reading this (and you mum!) you'll be pleased to know that I have had a change of heart. It all happened when I was looking for a new toothpaste. I saw this ...thing on the shelf that didn't look like a toothbrush but also didn't look like aything else either. I was intrigued and took a closer look. It was the Oral B Hummingbird. It was what the world has been waiting for so as make flossing a realistic possibility.
It costs around 7 - 8 pounds and was advertised as a flosser. It was obviously electronic for some reason of which I couldn't work out at first. And it contained in the pack some strange pointy and catapult type things as well.
I continued to investigate as I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed that I had made this amazing discovery of something alien to our world - right there on the shelf in Tesco!
It works like this. The 1 and half inch base has a button on it in the middle and a neck at the top. The neck is for attaching the pointy (tooth pick) heads onto and the catapult (Y shape flossers) onto. The button is to make the heads vibrate or pulse gently increasing the motion of the head, powered by a regular AAA battery. So when the head is on and you place the floss between your teeth, press the button and not only does it ease the floss into the gaps that I thought never existed (gently so you avoid gum cutting), but it has a gentle abrasive effect on the in between bits of your teeth removing plaque, tartar and any bits of food that have been rotting there since Christmas Dinner! Amazing.
When I bought the hummingbird it came with a couple of tooth picks and a couple of flossers. To be honest I can't see what the tooth picks are for because they really are too big to get between your teeth. I only use the flossers but realised that the two that came with the pack would not last long. I returned to Tesco to buy a pack of replacement flosser heads. Theyr'e not cheap and price up at about £5 for 15 (similar price for toothpicks. I don't suppose you have to replace the head everytime you floss but even then if you floss every day you'll do well to make them last a month.
However, this marvelous invention has enabled me to start flossing every other day which is a massive achievement (and I still get to the motorway before the idiots!) so £5 per month is more than worthwhile. The secret behind the hummingbirds success is how easy it is to use. It is quick, convenient and it can all be done with one hand! It takes about 2 minutes to floss your whole mouth (mind you I suppose that depends on how many teeth you have) and it's very easy to keep clean.
I fully rcommend this product and challenge you to find a more convenient way of doing such an inconvenient thing!
This is such an amazing piece of software I had to write a review for it.
For those of you reading this who do not know what Earth Google is then this is for you, and I assure you that if you have any interest in anyhting at all, you will quickly become completely obsessed by it.
I'm a Geography teacher and I can honestly say that this is the one thing that has never failed to capture every pupils attention in my classes. It is the most compelling piece of software on the Net regardless of your interests.
So, it's time I told you what exactly this software is. Well, Earth Google allows you to view any part of the Earth that you wish by use of a number of satellite images, and in parts, with remarkable detail.
You can dowload the software for free from http://earth.google.com/ It is very easy to install and depending on the speed of your internet connection can vary in the length of time it takes to complete installation. However regardless of the time, stick with it as it will be more than worth while.
The software starts up with a view of the globe from space. However, with the tools available that allow you to zoom in and out, rotate the globe through 360 degrees and spin it around fully on its axis, you can go where you want, when you want, whenever you want. The tools are extremely easy to use, with a vertical slide toggle for zooming, a 'grabbing hand' cursor to shift the globe the way you want to and rotation icons to rotate the globe through 360 degrees.
Once you start to use the tools you can zoom in to each country. When you zoom in it is literally like falling from the sky, with the Earth becoming more detailed as you do. Admittedly, depending on the specification of the machine that you use, it may take a little time (seconds rather than minutes hopefully!) to increase the detail of what you are looking at, as you need a decent processor to refresh the screen quickly.
Depending on where you go you can view places with amazing clarity and detail (down to about 3000ft in height which will give you the kind of view that you'ld expect from a plane as you come into land on a clear day). Find your house - Its amazing!
The areas with this kind of detail and resolution tend to be cities and surrounding areas, especially those in USA but all major cities in the UK are presented in this quality of resolution and most in Europe are as well. Other regions in the world will give you less (but still impressive detail).
That is the general concept of Earth Google which in itself is impressive enough. I can't begin to imagine the work that has gone into this software as no place on Earth has been missed out. However, there is more!
You can enter any location in the world into the search facility and the globe will spin, rotate and zoom to get you to the place you entered (most of the time anyway. This facility can be a little unreliable for lesser known location!) And the search engine doesn't only recognise countries and cities either. You can enter geographical features such as Mount Saint Helens or the Grand Canyon and it will tae you to them as well.
When you arrive at a location there is a tilt facility that out of this world! Go to the aforementioned Mount St Helens and tilt the Earth so that you swing down from birds eye view to ground level view and you are presented with the topographical feature of the volcano. Now again, this does not occur for all features but is worth the anticipation when you find it (The Lake District works well).
Tilt down in the same way over one of the major American cities and you can use another feature that will also blow your mind. Presented with a flat 2D view across the city, you won't be impressed, but click on the 3D buildings option and watch the individual buildings in that city sprout from the ground in front of you obscuring your view of the other side and you will not believe your eyes. Then use the tools to fly through and around the buildings and you'll feel like Peter Pan himself!
Is that enough for you to fall in love with this software. Well it doesn't end there!
There are many features that you can switch on and off by using tick boxes in a scroll options bar. For example, mark the airport of a country or city. Find the locations of pubs and restaurants. Even locate the major earthquakes of a region. Possibly the most functional feature of all is the overlay facility of road networks. Switch this on and turn the screen you are looking at into a satellite image/map hybrid. Road names and numbers will pop up in front of you allowing you to identify routes and locations far easier than a traditional map! Fantastic.
There are lots of other features that will take you an age to discover and exploit and to be honest thats all part of the fun. And that is exactly what this piece of software is. Its, practicle, fascinating, intruiging, but most of all its fun and it leaves you feeling like you have genuinely visited a place that you have never set foot on in your life before.
I mentioned that the detail is not evenly distributed across the globe. In fact I even heard thet the people responsible for producing this found themselves in trouble with North Korea as they felt that instant access to satellite images of their country on the Internet jeapordised their national security. Rest assured though that Earth Google automatically updates itself and its quantity of detailed areas so, despite that fact that it is already the best thing since sliced bread, it is getting better all the time.
Finally, when you use it, understand that the images that you view are archived satellite images. Don't make the mistake that one of my Year 8 pupils made when I showed it to them, by asking 'if I go out into the playground and wave to the sky, will you be able to see me on there?' It took him 15 minutes in the playground waving at the sky to work it out for himself - that I lied when I said yes, yes we would! Meanwhile we were all sat in the classroom in fits of giggles!
Well, we are deep within the age of music downloading and becoming even more submerged. It doesn't seem long ago that I declared my cassette Walkman an antique, but now I have firmly classified my Discman in the same group! Basically, you are behind the technological times if you have not got an MP3 (digital music) player and a piece of software that allows you to download songs, organise them and play them on your PC/Laptop...or at least thats what I am told.
This is where I Tunes comes in. I am sure you have all heard of the Apple I Pod range and in conjuction with these, Apple released I Tunes. I Tunes is a piece of software that can be downloaded from the Internet for free. It takes up approximately 63mb of memory which (depending on your machine) is the equivalent of a speck of dust on your computer screen (please not that your music will take up more memory on top of this).
I Tunes is an excellent piece of software that can be used in a number of ways. It is worth pointing out though that it is completely compatible and can be used on any machine (not just Apples) and with any MP3 player (not just I Pods).
Once you have downloaded I Tunes you will be presented with a very stylish screen that will become the hub of all your music organising. The software allows you to do all kinds of things with your music and in doing so is extremely user friendly. Heres a summary of its main features:
Library - The centre of I Tunes is your music library. Music can be added to the library in one of 3 ways. You can download music from the I Tunes Music Store (see below), you can import your CD's into the library (which effectively turns your CD music into MP3), and you can transfer MP3's from PC to PC, from MP3 player to PC and vice versa.
The library then allows you to sort you music according to a number of factors including track name, artists name, year made, most played etc etc. You are in control of these factors and can have them classified however you want. There is a feature on the library that allows you to rate your tracks out of 5 and classify them according to this as well.
You can also use the library to organise groups of songs so that you can hold albums on your PC or even create your own mixes.
Party Shuffle - This feature uses the tracks in your library and plays them randomly. It allows you to see the up coming tracks from your library and can even be programmed to play your more highly rated tracks more often.
Music Store - This is where you can buy your music. It holds a lot of variety with a number of older albums/artists as well as the mainstream newer material. You can search the music store and find artists and tracks easily with their respective prices. Downloading is quick and simple with a click of a button, but does require you to set up an account with financial details so that billing is carried immediately on purchase of the tracks.
I have been told though that the songs that you download from I Tunes are not necessarily the best quality compared to other sources of download music, although I have to say I have never noticed this myself.
Once the tracks have been downloaded they immediately appear in your library.
More recently I Tunes has acquired the facility to play podcasts (downloads of radio extracts, from interviews to whole programmes) and music videos. And I Tunes automtically updates itself from the Internet so that you don't miss out on the new features. On top of this there is a list of radio channels that can be played through the software but from experience these seem to be all American.
So there we have it. In summary, I am not by any means declaring I Tunes to be the best music software in the world, in fact it is only 1 of 2 pieces that I have used and the other is the basic Microsoft version that is already installed with your Windows software. In fact there is a wide variety of this kind of software out there. However I am stating a fact when I say that I Tunes is stylish, easy to use and versatile. And what's more, and I can't explain why, but I am a lot more interested in music since I downloaded I Tunes and started to organise my music digitally. Maybe its the techno-geek in me but I Tunes inspires me to listen to and buy more music, which is great.
If you're looking to enter the world of digital music then take a look at I Tunes and you won't be isappointed.
I don't like flying. And I don't think I'm being irrational in saying that nobody should fail to have a fearful respect of flying.
It really gets on my nerves when people say 'oh don't be silly, it's one of the safest modes of transport.' It's also one of the most bloody catastrophic when something goes wrong you studip people!!! You don't hear of the driver of a Boeing 757 walking away from the cockpit with shock after flying into a mountainside! No, I am definately not being irrational. Irrational is when somebody states confidently 'I really don't mind flying, it's boats that scare me.' WHAT IS ALL THAT ABOUT!!! Boats? Boats!?! You're suspended 30000ft up in the sky by 2 man made jets that could fail at any time and you think you have more of a problem on a boat? I'll take my chances trying to survive floating on water, over trying to survive a 30000ft freefall any day of the week, thank you very much!
Anyway, given the circumstances and my 'slight' fear of flying, if I say that Thomas Cook are a good airline then I mean it. If I can express anything positive about anything associated with flying then really, you've got to take with both hands!
I've flown with Thomas Cook from Manchester to 2 Greek Islands, 2 years consecutively and I can honestly say that it has done a great deal for my concerns over the 'safest mode of transport.' On both occassions the airline has arrived on time outbound and inbound. The staff that are in charge of the plane are always very well presented and extremely polite. Admittedly, I've never seen them under great amounts of pressure but I'm always confident that they are in control. The cabin is always very clean and tidy as well, which you might say you would expect, but often it is not the case with other airlines.
One thing that can put an uneasy flier at ease is the sound of a friendly, confident pilot on the intercom before the flight. Regular updates are always welcome as well and with Thomas Cook you do get these.
In flight entertainment is the regular short haul film whereby you can only access the audio belonging to it by buying earphones and the unique adaptor for the sockets that don't seem to be used anywhere in the world other than on planes.
Food is always great on flights regardless of the airline, in my opinion. Being a very belly orientated person I appreciate most food and although I am aware of the fact that in flight food is by no means a fantastic culinary achievement, I do think that Thomas Cook make a good job of it. I mean you would expect them to with their name...Cook...get it? Never mind!
Anyway, in summary I really like Thomas Cook to the point where, when I fly I make a point of trying to get one of their flights. Yes, yes, this could well be a psycological way of comforting myself but that can only stem from a good service, otherwise that comfort wouldn't be there.
If you find yourself presented with a choice of airlines, even if Thomas Cook are not the cheapest, give them great consideration at the least, because I like them and as I outlined above, that's worth alot!
Happy flying.
Anybody who has played any of the Championship Manager games will know that it is not a game that you simply dip in and out of when you feel like it. Oh no. Once you load it up, thats pretty much the rest of your day over. You are just so compelled to play this game that all other things go straight out of the window - social events, toilet breaks, food, sleep, appointments at the hospital for emergency open heart surgery! It is just so addictive!
If you havent played this version yet then fear not, you are not about to be released back into the cauldron of chaos known as the outside world. No way. You are bound to stay locked up in your house 'just one more hour' in an attempt to get Rochdale up to League 1 or Manchester United to the FA Cup Final 5 years on the trot!!
This game has been slightly adjusted from the last version. The player and club details have naturally been updated. But along with this there are changes to the playing screen, the tactics and the training. The playing screen is constantly open so that while the game is loading up the latest fixtures, or results etc you can carry on managing your team. I thought this was a great idea at first and saved on me having to find things to do with my time in between pressing the continue tab, but I soon realised it is a nightmare. Due to the power of my machine (or lack of it)it can take 10 minutes to load up the next part of the football calendar and I soon ran out of things to do with my club.
The tactics compensate for this somewhat as they are alot more detailed than they have been in previous versions. Your individual positional options are greater and you can really see the difference it makes by using the optional real time match facilty.
The match facility now allows you to view the game from 45 degree side on angle and gives you the option of a variety of speeds to view the game at (make sure you download the patch from the CM5 website as this option isn't on the original game). You can also view just the highlights but I find you have no idea hat has gone on in the game if you don't watch it at least a little fater than realtime.
Training is alot more detailed as well. In fact it is so detailed it is lost on me as there are far too many options available. Instead, I have found myself reverting to the default training schedules as they are already done for you.
All in all to give you an indication of the timescale involved in this game, I have not completed a season yet and I have owned the game (playing it for approx. 10 hours a week) since July!
I fear for the relationship I am in. Referring back to the 1st paragraph of this review ALL things go out of the window and unfortunately that includes my girlfriend! Now, this isn't a confession to murder you understand, merely an acceptance that she hasn't a cat in hells chance of getting my attention while this game is in existance. And that fact is not because she is boring, or doesn't engage me in the way she once did. It is simply due to a chain of events that take place in a mans brain when football is mentioned, that women will never understand as long as they are on the planet.
You see, when a man is exposed to football, he automatically and subconsciously turns on the judgemental switch in his brain and starts to assess every player, manager, referee, assistant referee, fan that he sees. He questions what they have done, analyses the outcome of what they have done and feels the need to suggest how they could have done it better. It is a control thing that 99% of the male population are guilty of doing.
Why have I rambled down this route? Well, the thing about Championship Manager is that rather than giving the man the opoortunity to judge others in what they do, it allows them to take control of others and what they do. In other words they don't have to judge because everything that happens in the make believe (based on fact) world of Championship Manager is directly related to something they have done themselves. And once you have given a man that kind of control it is very difficult to take it away!
I must confess that on occassions I have actually become confused between the latest result on Championship Manager and the real football results from the weekend, because I have been so absorbed. I know its very sad. I'm not proud of it. This is part of my counselling!
So don't see Championship Manager as merely a game. It is not a game. It is a lifestyle and one that you will find extremely difficult to shake off once you have opted into it, so think carefully before you buy it. Think very carefully! Are you ready for marriage?
PS I've heard that Football Manager is even better, but I hear bigomy is illegal.
Holiday destinations are always difficult to write about because they are often a matter of opinion. Greece is a particularly good example of this kind of problem. It is a country that holds some of the most fantastic scenery in the world, but some people can't get past the inadequate sewerage system. It is a country with some of the friendliest people in the world, but people can't get past the maniac bus drivers! It is a country with some of the best food in the world, but people can't get past the basic accomodation. See what I mean?
I personally love Greece but have had some 'below standard' experiences myself, but on the whole I think its a great place and I therefore intend to write a review of this particular island that does it true justice.
I went to Santorini with my girlfriend in August of 2005 and stayed in the resort of Perissa. This volcanic island takes a new moon shape with Perissa and the other large resort Kamari on the outer Eastern edge of the island, divided by a mountain range (on the top of which is a Greek military base). Thira, the capital is on the inner edge of the new moon looking into the crater of the volcano from high on the cliff side. The airport is on the other side of the mountains from Perissa (close to Kamari) and therefore doesn't cause any noise pollution.
Perissa is a fantastic resort with what I regard as being the best beach on the island. Now be warned. As the island is volcanic the beaches are composed of black sand but you musn't let this put you off, in fact see it as an added bonus - I find black sand sticks to your feet less than regular sand!
Perissa is made up of 2 main roads (Main Street and Beach Road) which meet at the top end of the beach at the church, close to the foot of the mountains dividing this resort from Kamari. The main street is lined with bars, tavernas and shops, stretching from the beach for approximately a kilometre inland. The beach road is lined on one side with tavernas and bars whilst the other side meets the beach itself. Follow this road along the beach and eventually you will find yourself in the next resort, Perivolous, which is dominantly populated by Italian tourists. We often took a stroll up there just for a laugh, observing enthusiastically the cutural differences between the English and the Italians. A very interesting people study that I would definately encourage. However it must be noted that as the beach becomes more Italian, it also becomes more commercialised and although the change is gradual it is very noticable.
Now don't get me wrong. Perissa has its commercial side, but the thing I liked about the resort is that it is not in your face. It can be as commercial or as quiet as you want it to be. You can go out for a nice meal and drinks, stroll around the shops for the evening, or find a lively bar and lose all memory of the night by means of cocktail after cocktail!
At this point I should recommend some taverna's and bars, but to be honest when I go to a place like this, part of the fun for me is trying somewhere new every night. But as an assurance to any would-be visitors to Perissa, I can guarantee that wherever you go for food and/or drinks, you will like it, and thats regardless of your taste for food. I'm quite open minded when it comes to food and will experiment, but if you are not that way inclined, it's fine as there are always English options on the menu. Its worth noting though, that as the island in general has had such an Italian influence, the menu's that you'll find do reflect this (and for the better I say!)
Outside of Perissa there is lots to do. There is a good bus service to help you around the island and it appeared that all routes end in Thira (the capital) which is approximately 20 minutes from Perissa. Alternatively there are many car, scooter and quadbike hire shops, although everyone we spoke to advised against the latter two.
If you make it to Thira then what you will find is something completely different to Perissa. There is no beach and it is quite hilly (its on a cliff face) so I would recommend that it is only attempted at night as summer temperatures can reach 40 deg C in the day, making it difficult to walk around the town. There are lots of shops (beware, products are quite expensive, inflated due to the number of cruise passengers that stop off in the capital), there are also lots of resaurants, but follow this very worthwhile tip: arrive a little earlier in Thira than everyone else (7pm should do it) to ensure you get a seat in a restaurant that is located on the cliff side itself and therefore looks out over the crater of the volcano. Not only will you be looking at a still active (well dormant at least) volcano that has sprouted from the crater, but you will see one of the best sunsets you are ever going to see in your life.
We did this ourselves but were fortunate in that on the night we went, there was a celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the last time the volcano erupted. To mark the occassion fireworks were set off from the volcano itself, once the sun had set. The fireworks were designs and placed to look like lava flowing down the mountainside. It was absolutely spectacular and all completely free (apart from the swordfish and Mythos that I was consuming at the time. I had to pay for that!) The whole event was rounded off with traditional fireworks and we were left completely amazed by the spectacle.
The following day we went on a Kamari Tours trip to the volcano itslef and walked to its summit. A guide gave us a tour and lots of information about the history of the volcano which was extremely interesting. Later we sailed around the back of the volcano to a natural hot springs. The boat couldn't go into the springs as they are too shallow so we dived off the boat and swam to the shore to soak in the warm volcanic waters. I couldn't help but laugh at the picture that an over head plane must have had of all these people jumping from a boat and swimming ashore. It must have looked like we had run aground and were swimming for our lives!
If you choose to do this trip you must look for one that sets off early morning though. If you are on the volcano in the midday or afternoon sun, the temperature would almost definately take away from the enjoyment of the experience.
It has been suggested that Santorini is the location of the lost city of Atlantis. With the knowledge of the volcanic history in mind and what we saw on the second trip that we made on the holiday, it most definately is a possibility. We were guided around the museum in Thira to set the scene of the volcanic history of the island and to be introduced to a place called Akrotiri in the south of the island. There are many artifacts that have been found in Akrotiri displayed in the museum, including ceramics and paintings. Why? Well the special thing about Akrotiri is that it is completely submerged by volcanic ash and has only been discovered in recent times. It is a Greek Pompeii but amazingly, is 3300 years old! They have excavated 3% of it and it is suggested that it was populated by the Minoans. Having had warning from the volcano itself of activity, they fled in a hurry and left the town and their possessions to be found by archaeologists.
We were taken to the site and guided around it after the visit to the museum. It was breathtaking. Unfortunately, I heard on the news 5 weeks after our visit of an accident there. The roof that had been erected to protect the site and the workers from the sun had collapsed and killed a man. Subsequently the site was closed and when it will open again, I don't know.
To round our day off we were taken to Volcan Wines - one of the many Wineries on the island. A guided tour around the museum told us of the history of wine making on the island and we finished the day with a wine tasting session, which admittedly was a marketing ploy by the company, but who cares, the wine was free and delicious!
The holiday for us was as enjoyable as we could have hoped for. Some days we lay around the pool in the apartment block, others we went down to the beach, whilst on other days we went on the trips above. There is something for couples of all ages as well as families (as long as you don't want to be able to drop your kids off in the morning at the crazy crocodile kids club! - because this kind of things just doesn't exist on Santorini) We went, knowing that it was a special place, but didn't have any other expectations. Knowing that Greece can be basic we had an open mind and were rewarded with a spectacular setting for an amazing holiday. We came back relaxed, happy and feeling like we had really experienced a special place.
Having spoken to the locals and read up about the island on the Internet, I would warn you that Santorini is changing. I suspect that if we went back in 5 years time it would not be the island that we visited last summer. The more people that write reviews like this one, the more people will want to go there. Thats the unfortunate downside of being a beautiful place I suppose!
Do the honourable thing and preserve it by not going! But if you can't resist it then get there as quickly as possible before it's ruined!
Im a bloke. I hate shopping. Thats the way it goes right? Wrong. I USED to hate shopping. Id run round a supermarket as if my backside was on fire and the only bucket of water was at the other side of the store. Id curse every old woman who dared to push her trolley out in front of me, every mother who had the cheek to presume her own son or daughter was more important than what I wanted to do and every shop assistant who decided to stock the shelves up despite the fact that it was probably the supermarket equivalent of rush hour! Before long I was becoming the Victor Meldrew of shopping and Im only 23!! Imagine how degrading that felt. How humiliated I was to think of myself in the same way as everyone in that store saw me! I was ashamed. ASHAMED I tell you! Id like to think that Im the only person who can relate to these experiences and that the rest of the shopping population are relaxed, chilled and at one with themselves whilst taking their leisurely stolls around Tesco to get their weekly shop, with not a care in the world. But I know Im not the only one. You may not raise your hand if I asked you to, but I know youre out there, hiding, pent up with frustration, arguing with yourself about the levels of logic and common sense that the total population of one Tesco store must hold - 'Im telling you its only 5%. No its not it HAS to be more, thats impossible'...and so on. I know youre there and its because I know you are there that I am writing this. I am here to SAVE you. YES YOU. Live on and let me introduce you to Tesco Direct! Tesco Direct is an absolutely wonderful tool, and I dont say that lightly. It has removed all the stresses and frustrations I have told you about from my life. It has reduced my blood pressure and made me happy again. This is how it works. You go to the website www.tesco.com/register/ and you will be presnted with a registration page. Follow the instructions and be patient as this is the onl
y time you will have to go through this process. Honestly its better than waiting in a check out queue now isnt it! After that you may be inclined (and forgiven noneless) for thinking that I am a fraud as the first time you shop on Tesco Direct will take a very, very long time indeed. You will search menus and categories of food just to find the tinned pilchards. There will be no shop assistants to ask where something is kept and there will be no useful signs hanging over the aisles directing you to the marmite. But alas you need to be patient because after your first time, once you are no longer a Tesco virgin, the pleasures and practicalities of this fantastic service will reveal themselves to you. You see everything you buy will be stored as a favourite. Obviously when you begin you will have no favourites but the more things you buy the more favourites will be added to your list. Then when you go shopping next week, unless you buy completely different things every week (and if you do do that then you deserve for your shopping experience to be hell!) then you simply go to 'My Favourites' and find all the goods you have bought in the past listed and categorised by food type. Amazing! Trust me, within weeks youll be on there for 15 minutes tops! Of course now and again you will need something you have not ordered before and will have to search the departments accordingly. But the departments on the whole are categorised in very logical fashion...yes I said in a very logical fashion. You can even edit the favourites list and delete items you think you will never buy again to cut down on the items you have to sift through, hence further reducing your time online. 'But what about the disadvantage of not being able to look at something, for example a piece of meat so you can see how much fat is on it, or what kind of weight it is?' I hear you ask. Well with all items that vary in size a weight marker is attached to the order form so
you can increase or decrease the size. As well as this, against every item there is a note pad symbol whereby you can attach a note for the helpful assistant who is going to pick your order, for example 'very lean joint of beef please' etc. This can be carried over to all items and is very useful when the possibility of your selected item not being in stock arises. If this occurs then in a shop you would simply make another choice or leave without it wouldnt you? Well Tesco Direct try to substitute your item with something very close to it - recently I ordered 2 trout fillets and received a rainbow trout instead. Close but not close enough. If you order two small packets of cheese they might replace it with one large one. Not ideal. So you can simply write a little note on an item such as 'if out of stock do not substitute' and so on and you avoid the mishaps. Genius. 'But what about special offers?' These are flagged up on the site as well and not only that but you are actively encouraged to take them rather than missing them as is often the case in the shop. 'BUT WHATS THE CATCH?' 'THERE IS NO CATCH!' 'THERE MUST BE!' 'WELL IT COSTS £5 SERVICE FOR DELIVERY! 'OH.' But come on, £5 is nothing when you think of how many more happy years you will enjoy in your retirement as a result of the reduced stress! OK, OK, if you really are that tight then do what I do and shop for two weeks instead of one! This way it only costs you £10 a month instead of £20. You can choose your order time too (within reason of course, 2am is probably not a reasonable request) but you select a 2 hour slot on a particular day for your shopping to arrive. OK so here IS a catch. I have experienced a few problems with delivery. Allow me to explain. Firstly, around Christmas and Easter time everyone will be shopping so your delivery will often be late, but get this, the driver phones you and lets you know how la
te hes going to be! This doesnt just happen at Christmas and Easter, but is quite rare at other times of the year. But the delivery team are committed and I know this for the following reason. A couple of months ago my delivery was so late it rolled over to the next day. It was also late that day as well and feeling like a hermit sat in the house all day waiting for my delivery, I phoned the store and kicked up a bit of a fuss. Driver absence, illness, very busy and the usual excuses are what I was told. Still no shopping. Further fuss. Until at 9pm the store manager arrived at my house in his Porsche Boxter with a back seat full of shopping! Now if thats not going the extra mile I dont know what is! So. Have I sold it to you. Go Direct. Any rational human being can assess that the pros definately outweigh the cons and BLOKES - you need to get doing this or youll end up like I was if youre not there already. Be saved and shop on! Amen!
This month the 17th Commonwealth Games come to Manchester and the city will host the largest multi-sport event in the UK since the Olympic Games were held in London in 1948. I am hoping that this will act as a guide to the city not only in terms of its suitability for hosting such an event, but also as a guide to what is such a widely diverse, changing, and somewhat recovering metropolis. Manchester has suffered in the past, what with the decline of many of its chief industries right through to the more recent plight that resulted from the IRA bombing in 1997. The character of the city though, is reflected in the way in which the city and its people reacted and recovered to become what is one of the most exciting cities in Europe if not the world. I have sat and watched Manchester change before my very eyes in recent years – a new building on the horizon, seemingly having sprouted overnight; new road networks developed in a variety of areas; an excellent ring road motorway making all sides of the city easily and quickly accessible from all sides of the city; two major railway stations newly refurbished; a Metrolink tram system which, although the city failed to meet its deadline to extend the system to Sportscity in time for the games, covers an extensive area; and an international airport developing gradually, growing in size and stature constantly (with a recently built 2nd runway and new plans to build a fourth terminal). These developments have been endured by local people for what has seemed like a lifetime on occasions, but it has been to our own, and now the rest of the worlds' benefit. The city is now ready as a result of all this improvement and regeneration to host the Commonwealth as its guests not only for the duration of the Games but beyond that as well. So for the visitor coming to Manchester for the first time, what can you expect? Well just about everything! Shopping - From the regular high street shops found in the Arnda
le and on Market Street to classier locations around St Annes Square and Deansgate, from Marks and Spencers and Harvey Nicholls (still being built) to Department Stores such as Debenhams and Kendals. Then theres the Trafford Centre a couple of miles out of the centre easily reached by bus - youre spoilt for choice! The splendour of the various museums (go to the Urbis - you cant miss it, its a huge glass triangular building) libraries, galleries, monuments and town squares can keep you busy in the day if you not a shopper. At night there is something for everyone. If you want a quiel night at the pictures then go to the Printworks, where youll also find bar/restaurants and theme pubs. You can go to numerous bars on Deansgate, Castlefield if you want a classier setting along the canalside or Canal Street (or the gay village) which has a friendly, carnival atmosphere all year round. There are comedy clubs (I highly recommend Jongleurs but make sure you book a ticket in advance), theatres (the Palace will always have a big production on), concert venues (the Apollo or the University Academy) and clubs scattered all round the city - You couldnt possibly get bored! And just in case you were wondering where you would sleep for the night after all that - Me ma does a cracking fry up and charges minimal rates! No seriously Manchester over the last 2 years has seen in excess of 15 new hotel developed and thats aside from the numerous that were already standing. In such a short opinion I cant possibly do the city justice but trust me Ive lived here all my life and the place is just getting better and better. You'ld be missing out if you didnt experience it as it really is a dynamic place to be at the minute. I hope you enjoy it if you come - and give us a wave while youre here!
I recently went skiing in the resort of Borovets in Bulgaria. We went as a school party (but thats another story) and this opinion is written based on my own personal needs. We stayed at the Hotel Rila which is classified as a 4 star hotel, however knowing the economic plight of the country I didnt hold out with much hope and went with low expectations. This was probably the best strategy in the end as when I arrived I was more than pleasantly surprised. The hotel is huge. It hosts a very large bar/lounge area, a TV room, a nightclub and numerous small gift/convenience shops. The rooms are more than basic, they are indeed spacious, tidy, clean and modern looking - the four things that I judge a room by initially. All in all this was looking very good and started the trip off well. Unfortunately the snow was lacking as there had been a turn in the weather for the 2 weeks previous to our arrival and snow had not fallen in a long time. This changed after two days but alas did not help in my dire attempt to sail down a mountain on two planks without hitting anyone or anything! When I did attempt this I stopped in Borovets again, removed my skis and found it to be quite a quaint little place. It has a very party like atmosphere and the streets are lined with shacks selling all kinds of tat. Yes tat is the word - copied CDs, copied sportswear, in fact everything you can imagine is available in fake form. Be careful walking down the street though - thieves are rife and do not under any circumstances change your money with anyone on the street, go to a authentic exchange shop as Bulgaria recently changes its currency and there are some who will change your sterling for the old, invalid currency. The food in general is superb....but then having been compared to Homer Simpson in the past it is fair to say I am easily pleased, so if you are remotely fussy about your food it may be difficult to get used to. The food in the hotel
(for our party anyway) was buffet style and although you may not recognise everything it was quite tasty. If that doesnt appeal to you then walk down the main street in Borovets and a bar owner will invite you in to their place in no time (probably offering you a free beer to coax you as well). If all else fails try a kebab from the hut across from the Rila - these are no regular kebabs. Id never liked kebabs before until I tried a fresh chicken, onion and salsa variety. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous...but remember what I said about Homer! In general the people aere very friendly but I always got the impression (and this may be unfair) that they aere friendly because they are relying on the industry, not because they liked you! The waitresses in the hotel incidentally did not have this ability to pretend - they were just down right rude!! And that brings me onto the final point - prostitution. Prostitution is perfectly legal in Bulgaria hence the reason there are numerous heavily made up girls in the Hotel Reception looking at all the men. Occassionally they will approach you and ask you if you are interested in sex. The answer is not yes! Their pimps (the three largish men with shaven heads in the centre of the room) watch keenly waiting to take 75% of their earnings apparently. Ill let you judge as to whether you should risk it or not!! Oh and talking of sex Borovets is crawling with sex shops, erotica bars, strip joints - in fact in the Hotel Rila pole dancers enter the stages in the nightclub at 11pm every night so beware (especially those on school parties!!) So to summarise the trip was extremely enjoyable with excellent facilties in general - it really is an experience so if you want something classy dont choose this country, nevermind the resort. However the prostitutes and never ending sex joints made it very uncomfortable for the staff! That may well be a plus point for some though! And it was VERY CHEAP!
I recently visited Ayrshire (april 2002) and found it to be absolutely fantastic for what we were looking for. We stayed in Colmonel which to be honest is not the representative hub of activity for Scotland but does serve as a good centre to visit the region and beyond. Going at this time of year meant that the roads were not too bad, and so the majority of the South Western coast line was easily accessible as well as a large chunk of Western Dumfries and Galloway. Visits to The Isle of Arran and Port Patrick were well worth the journey and the Galloway Forest was superb. If you want clubs and endless drunken nights then you shouldnt touch it with a barge pole, but for a weeks walking etc it was perfect. The people on the whole were very friendly however, there were some frowns noticed and snide comments made when our Manchester accents were heard in the city of Ayr! Obviously tourists are not a common occurence in that neck of the woods so dont impose too much. Its worth taking a note though, that wherever you are staying make sure you either have a tele or balls of steel. The roads in the day are bad enough so at night...well I cant comment because I was too scared of trying them! The Pheasants dont help in making the roads safer either - Kamikaze isnt the word! I went to Ayrshire with no expectations having no idea as to what it would be like. The only presumption I made was that the weather would be awful and I was horribly wrong. The week we went gave us better weather than the Mediterranean at the same time and so all in all I would strongly recommend it to those who want what the region has to offer - Landscape, Walks, History and Peace.
Oh to be a student again. I went to the University of Liverpool between 1997 and 2002 and can honestly say I loved every minute of it. I stayed in Rankin Hall on the Carnatic Site in the first year and despite the bare plaster walls, the aluminum, temporary (since 1971) window frames and the 3 times-a-week fire alarms it was a great place to be. Theres a massive sense of community on the Carnatic Site - a feeling thats much needed for poor, trembly freshers who are missing their mums cooking and that coupled with a fantastically, almost rural setting its a brilliant place to start your Uni life. The food isnt great but the idea of all students eating tagether turns it into a social event to a certain extent which is important if youre going to meet people you can nick beer and cigs off when your student loan runs out! Carnatic Bar, surrounded by the lake, well its more of a moat actually(make sure you dont fall in on your way out!) is a great place for the nights when you havent got enough to get into town to the Union etc - its quite cheap and always, always busy. Surprisingly enough I wasnt put off the halls the night I looked out of my bedroom window (top floor of block D next to a tree) to find 2 blokes at the bottom of the tree staring up at me. Think they were casing the joint but nothing materialised. As for the Uni itself, the staff are brilliant and on the whole are very friendly. The facilities are fantastic and the expertise is to match. The town centre is a short 5 minutes walk away leaving easy access to shops and bars and clubs - Hoorah! If youre a student pondering which Uni to go to this year then Liverpool is an excellent choice if you like the city but want a small community within that city to help break you in a little - thats what Carnatic will do for you.


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FSU Home → IA → Development → Scholarships → Belks Hensdale Scholarship
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South. Today, Belk occupies 29 million feet of retail space, all with the single goal of satisfying the modern Southern lifestyle.
The Belk Scholarship is awarded to first year students from the following counties: Cumberland, Bladen, Columbus, Scotland, Moore, and Richmond Counties of North Carolina.

subset: commoncrawl


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Speed Up Your WordPress Hosting Blog to get a higher Google rank infographic
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|September 1, 2010, 01:44 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 25, 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 349
ASM vs Colt Lawsuit Info Wanted
I have one of these "lawsuit" guns and would like any info on the subject anyone might have. This is an old suit (not AWA), about ASM using authentic type markings on their cap and ball reproductions.
Last edited by sltm1; September 1, 2010 at 02:54 PM.
|September 1, 2010, 02:17 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: April 14, 2009
Location: Sunny Southern Idaho
Posts: 1,909
I think that what you're looking for is American Western Arms or AWA International. Colt sued AWA in 2002, claiming that the single action revolver made for AWA by Armi San Marcos was too close a copy of Colt's Model P revolver.
Colt made some rather broad claims, particularly that only Colt could make a single action revolver and that Colt, as a company, had no knowledge of any other company making single action revolvers at that time. Seriously. They claimed that.
The gist of the lawsuit was that the public could not tell the difference between a Colt 1873 SAA and the AWA Peacemaker, even though the AWA model was marked "Made in Italy" and with AWA's name. I believe that Colt contended that neither marking was present on the AWA revolvers in rather blatant difference with reality.
AWA won the lawsuit, eventually, but the effort and expense pretty much ruined the company, which may have been Colt's aim in the first place.
Colt did the same thing to Bushmaster over the M4 a few years back. I believe that they lost that one, too.
Maybe I shouldn't be taking Colt to task too badly - I suppose the case can be made that they're defending their copyright, perceived or real, which, from my understanding, is necessary under US law.
EDIT: Awww, no fair editing your post! I'm really not a dummy!
Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae
Last edited by Hardcase; September 1, 2010 at 03:56 PM.
|September 1, 2010, 02:36 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: December 1, 2009
Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma
Posts: 8,213
It's a company tradition,,,
Sam Colt had a unique way of competition,,,
He filed a lawsuit against any maker who looked like they could compete.
Sam Colt tied Remington Arms up for years in a lawsuit,,,
The book I read said that Colt never had a chance of winning the suit,,,
It was simply a matter of delaying the release of the Remington as long as possible.
Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once.
Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it?
Combat: "A Silent Cry"
Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)
|September 1, 2010, 03:05 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,205
As I recall, Colt was suing on the basis of "trade dress." That the AWA looked so much like a Colt that even without faking markings, it would be taken to be a Colt.
Maybe so, but if so, what about Uberti, Pietta, and USFA?
|September 1, 2010, 03:19 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: April 24, 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 530
I beilieve what the OP is refering to had to do with ASM, who had been making some parts for the second generation Colt percussion revolvers, tried to jump on the bandwagon with authentically marked Colt reporductions and Colt sued them. I don't recall all of the details. Madcratebuilder or Mykeal may have more info.
|September 1, 2010, 03:43 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 8, 2006
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 2,772
I believe denster is correct about the OP's request - he did say that the AWA suit was not of interest.
Regarding the Colt/ASM 'negotiations': they were in fact about ASM making Colt replicas using parts made for Colt's 2nd Generation production run in the 70's. The guns made by ASM had 2nd Generation Colt markings. As I understand it, ASM had applies to Colt for a license to manufacture the guns, and proceeded to make some assuming Colt would agree. When Colt found out about the guns they rejected the license application and sued ASM to stop production.
The above information is my recollection of things I read in one of Dennis Adler's books or articles; I don't recall the specific article or book. If I can track it down I'll publish it in this thread.
|September 1, 2010, 03:57 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2009
Location: Orlando
Posts: 929
mykeal, your description of events seems to make more sense. Logically, wouldn't anyone be able to make an exact clone of the original Colt Peacemaker (with the exception of marking it "Colt, et al"? I would have thought the patent would have expired long ago including any protection for "resembence".
|September 1, 2010, 08:28 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 25, 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 349
Thanks guy's, that's about all I've found also. Sorry to those of you who posted about "AWA", I should have mentioned it originally (I edited after your post's).
|September 2, 2010, 06:45 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 2, 2007
Location: Northern Orygun
Posts: 4,923
I have heard a few different stories about the Colt/ASM law suit.
This is from my post at THR.
One rumor I heard was that the Colt marked ASM revolvers were built from left over 2nd gen parts sold to ASM by Lou Imperato when he closed down production of the 2nd gens in his NJ plant.
I have heard from two people that were involved with the 2nd and 3rd gen guns. They joked about how as many left the back door as the front door. Purely a rumor.
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Thunderstorm Hazards - Flash Floods
While the number of fatalities can vary dramatically with weather conditions from year to year, the national 30-year average for flood deaths is 127. That compares with a 30-year average of 73 deaths for lightning, 68 for tornadoes and 16 for hurricanes.
National Weather Service data also shows:
- Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are vehicle-related,
- The majority of victims are males, and
- Flood deaths affect all age groups.
Flash floods can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new channels. Rapidly rising water can reach heights of 30 feet or more. Furthermore, flash flood-producing rains can also trigger catastrophic mud slides.
Occasionally, floating debris or ice can accumulate at a natural or man-made obstruction and restrict the flow of water. Water held back by the ice jam or debris dam can cause flooding upstream. Subsequent flash flooding can occur downstream if the obstruction should suddenly release.
Whether you are driving or walking, if you come to a flooded road, Turn Around...Don't Drown!. You will not know the depth of the water nor will you know the condition of the road under the water.
Of the three deaths which occurred as a result of the Fort Worth tornado, March 28, 2000, one death was due to flooding. The man who drowned was a passenger in a car with his girlfriend, the driver. They approached a low spot with water flowing over the road due to very heavy rain. Flooding was a common occurrence at this location with heavy rains and the danger was well marked.
As the driver drove her car into the water she became frightened as the water rose higher and higher around her vehicle. She backed out to higher ground. The passenger said the water was NOT too deep and he would prove it by walking across to the other side. He never made it.
Follow these safety rules.
- Monitor the NOAA Weather Radio, or your favorite news source for vital weather related information.
- If flooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, canyons, washes etc.
- Avoid already flooded and high velocity flow areas. Do not attempt to cross flowing streams. If you enter a flowing stream and the water gets above you knee, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN.
- If driving be aware that the road bed may not be intact under flood waters. Turn around and go another way. NEVER drive through flooded roadways! If your vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and sweep you and your occupants away.
- Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.
- Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.


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After pushing traditional Democratic constituencies to turn out for him in the first week of early voting, Bill White on Thursday took his campaign for governor into Republican West Texas -- where Bush remains a popular name and President Barack Obama is all but radioactive.
Bothering to campaign in the West Texas oil patch at all in the final days of the race shows White is at least living up to his promise to take the fight onto Republican Gov. Rick Perry's home turf. But it is a very steep climb.
Even his most ardent supporters admit White is struggling to persuade voters to look past his party label and give him a chance. The area's Democratic Party is more like a support group than a political organization.
"This is very, very, very, very conservative area, a very red part of the state," said Joan Baskin, 79, a prominent Midland community leader. "Most people tend to go in and just pull the Republican lever."
Baskin showed up at the Midland County Annex building Thursday to cast an early vote for White but decided to come back later because the lines were too long. One voter after another came out of the booth after doing exactly what Baskin figured they were doing.
"Straight Republican," said retired oil drilling superintendent Art Bachman, describing how he had just voted. When asked why, he said: "Because I don't like Obama. He's a socialist."
White insists he's not wasting his time in Midland, where a sign on the highway still calls the town the home of George W. and Laura Bush -- even though they haven't lived there in years.
"It's important to show respect to all parts of the state," White told reporters outside The Harvest Caffe, where he held a rally that drew more than 100 supporters. "There's a lot of people including a lot of hard core Republicans who are supporting my candidacy here in the Permian Basin. I've met them."
White, the former mayor of Houston, also stressed his credentials as a businessman and said there was no reason why disaffected Perry voters should have to "hold their nose" and vote for the state's longest-serving governor.
But that's what many of them are doing.
Oil company clerk Vicki Edwards, 53, said she was tired of voting for Perry, first elected in 2000 and poised to become the longest serving governor in the nation if he wins re-election. But Edwards said she wouldn't be caught dead supporting a Democrat.
"I wish there was somebody good running against Perry but there's not," she said. "I think it's time for a new Republican. But I'm a Republican and I'm going to stay one."
Perry, meanwhile, campaigned Thursday at McKenzie's Barbeque in Conroe, drawing some 300 loyal supporters into the jam-packed restaurant. Across the street, barely a handful of White supporters sweated in the hot autumn day to raise their signs.
Perry gave a half-smirk when he heard of White campaigning in West Texas.
"Texans are proud to be conservatives. They're proud to be small government, fiscal conservatives and a liberal personal injury trial lawyer probably's not going to be their choice for governor," Perry said.
Perry also brushed aside White's accusations that he is living in the lap of luxury during tough economic times -- reacting to White's vow that if elected, he'll move into a double-wide trailer rather than the $10,000 a month mansion Perry lives in while the traditional state residence is under renovation.
"He's not gonna have that choice to make. He's probably just going to stick in that $2.1 million mansion he's living in Houston right now is the way I figure it," Perry said.
White kicked off the early voting period this week by focusing on core Democratic supporters, with several targeted appeals to black and Hispanic voters along the Gulf Coast, in San Antonio, and East Texas. White began his day Thursday with Mariachi music and a Spanish-language rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" at a rally in El Paso before heading off to conservative Midland. He was set to finish the day with a swing through nearby Lubbock.
"Your belly's gonna hurt if you're looking for White to win in this area," said Chris Dominguez, 51, who runs an oil service business in Midland and cast his early vote for White. "It's all about the oil business, and it's all about Republicans."
Associated Press Writer Ramit Plushnick-Masti contributed to this report from Conroe.


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Brandon Nielsen
Candidate for Councilman of Ward 2, Blooming Grove, NY
Please take one of our polls while you are here! (Check the column to the right.)
The Town manages over $14 million of your money. Please stay active and let us know what you want in your Government.
My name is Brandon Nielsen, and I'm running for Supervisor of the Town of Blooming Grove, NY. I have served more than a decade as a member of our Town Board, including Deputy Supervisor and Acting Supervisor. Most of all, I'm a longtime member of our community, and rather than serve a political dynasty or insider network, I want you to know that as a longtime resident, family man and small businessman, I am best suited to serve you.
I believe:
The Government that governs least governs best.
The Government is here to serve the People.
Smaller government is better government.
We, the elected officials, have the solemn duty to be good stewards of the monies in our charge. These monies are the hard-earned wages of our constituents.
Elected officials must be clear, concise and decisive. Elected officials need to make decisions with the best information available. Failure to vote on an issue while weighing the court of public opinion is cowardice and dereliction of duty.


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We have already lots of collaborations and hints from the Reebok Pump 20th Anniversary celebration. Spine TV caught up with Paul Litchfield to talk about the iconic shoe.
"From Project Managing the birth of the revolutionary Pump in 1989, through to his post as the present day Vice President of Advanced Concepts, Paul Litchfield is a man who knows Reebok and the Pump. This exclusive interview with Spine TV looks at how the concept of the Reebok Pump was born and the athletic footwear industry was changed instantly and forever."


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The commissioner of Major League Baseball seems intent on changing the rules in order to speed up the game.
His focus is on the pitchers and the time that it takes between pitches. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, his plan includes installing a time clock.
If this is the best that he can do, he needs to forget it and baseball might want to look for a new leader.
Kentucky Jr. PGA in
Union, Kentucky last weekend
Anthony and Jacob Vascotto were among the golfers who traveled to Union Kentucky to play the Triple Crown Country Club course this past week.
This magnificent course made the rounds rough on the players with the top scores six strokes over par in the seven flights.
Anthony Vascotto finished third in the Boys 15-18 flight shooting 93. Jacob was fifth in the 14 and under flight with a 105.
Monday Night Seniors 7/10/17
1 Two Men and A Lady 28.0/L 16.0
2 Old Men 27.0/L 17.0
3 Don't Count That 27.0/L 17.0
4 3 Ole Dudes 25.0/L 19.0
6 Misfits 23.0/L 21.0
7 Derby Pride 23.0/L 21.0
8 Three of A Kind 20.0/L 24.0
9 2 Guys and A Lady 19.0/L 25.0
10 3 Saints 19.0/L 25.0
12 Monday Blues 13.0/L 31.0
Monday Summer Seniors 7/3/17
1 Don't Count That 26.0/L 14.0
2 Two Men and A Lady 26.0/L 14.0
3 Old Men 23.0/L 17.0
4 3 Ole Dudes 21.0/L 19.0
5 Derby Pride 21.0/L 19.0
6 Three of A Kind 20.0/L 20.0
8 Misfits 20.0/L 20.0
9 3 Saints 19.0/L 21.0
10 2 Guys and A Lady 16.0/L 24.0
12 Monday Blues 12.0/L 28.0
A WalletHub study of best and worst cities for recreation caught my eye recently and made me think of how it related to Cynthiana and Harrison County.
The study lists 100 cities ranking them from one, being the best, to 100, the worst, using 44 key indicators.
The top four indicators are facilities, costs, quality and weather. Some of the other considerations are most park playgrounds for the population; walkable park access; spending on parks per capita; bike rental facilities and coffee and tea shops.
Thorobreds soccer tryouts
will be Monday, July 17
The tryouts for the varsity and junior varsity of the Harrison County High School soccer team will be held Monday, July 17.
The tryouts will be from 7-9 p.m. on the high school soccer practice field next to the tennis courts.
Students in either the Harrison County Middle School 7th and 8th grades or any Harrison County High School students are welcome to attend.
Mike Aldridge,
Sports Writer
Anthony and Jacob Vascotto participated in the Kentucky Jr. PGA Tour event Wednesday, July 5th, and Thursday, July 6th, at the Boone Trace National Golf Club and the Gibson Bay Course in Richmond. Both young golfers are members of the Harrison County High School golf team.
The Cynthiana Country Club is preparing to host the 9th annual Jungle this weekend beginning Saturday with shot-gun starts at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The Jungle is the member/guest tournament that is named for the late Jim "Jungle" Letcher who passed away in 2008. Joe Nichols and Jamie Case were the first winners of the 2009 Jungle with Mike Wachter and Jon Hatfield winning last year's event.
The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed several new fishing regulations at a special called meeting today.
The commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. All recommendations must be approved by legislators before they become law.
If approved by legislators, fisheries regulations proposed at the meeting would take effect March 1, 2018.
Copyright © 2017
The Cynthiana Democrat is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Cynthiana, KY and the surrounding area.


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Hi there, I'm a bit confused as to how to use this object.
I have created my own object and I want to use CObArray to be able to make handy arrays of it. Do I need to derive a new array class for the object? ie
If so, what sort of code do I need in the CMyObjectArray class definition/ implementation to make it work lovely. If not, then how do I implement CObArray for use with my newly created CObjects?Code:class CMyObject: public CObject {....}; class CMyObjectArray: public CObArray {...};
Thnx in advance (hope this makes any sorta sense)


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If hens realized the better conditions that Proposition 2, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, ushers in for them they would be holding celebrations. In 2008 California voters passed Proposition 2 requires egg-laying hens in California to be able to stand up, lie down, turn around and fully extend their wings. In 2010 California lawmakers passed AB 1437 which requires all shell eggs sold in California to comply with Proposition 2, acts as a virtual ban on egg factory cages. California voters approved Proposition 2 by 63.5 percent. At the time the ballot initiative received more votes than any other in American history.
Proposition 2 extends to other farm animals. As the law states, "a person shall not tether or confine any covered animal, on a farm, for all or the majority of any day, in a manner that prevents such animal from: lying down, standing up, and fully extending his or her limbs." A covered animal includes "any pig during pregnancy, calf raised for veal, or egg-laying hen who is kept on a farm." That means sow gestation crates, a small space pregnant pigs are confined in, are banned in California as of January 1. Veal crates, a small space calves are housed in, are also banned.
Californians support more humane treatment of farm animals
Californians support more humane treatment of farm animals. A poll by The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) found strong support for cage-free egg production. Most Californians polled (78 percent) believe it's more humane to raise hens in cage-free environments. Most (79 percent) also think that the more than six years that California's egg producers have had to comply with Proposition 2 is a "a reasonable amount of time," and 58 percent would be willing to pay more for eggs from cage-free hens.
"Californians don't want farm animals confined in cages that severely inhibit their movement and quality of life," said Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The HSUS. "With new farm animal laws soon to take effect, it is our hope that all food retailers in the state buy eggs only from farmers who use cage-free production systems. Cage-free certainly complies with Proposition 2, and it's the right thing to do and a move broadly supported by consumers."
Many companies are transitioning away from cruel crates, including Starbucks which recently announced an update to its animal welfare standards. The updated standards include phasing out sow gestation crates for pigs and cages for chickens. Fast foods such as Burger King and McDonald's have committed to phasing out sow gestation crates as have the supermarkets chains Kroger's and Safeway. Multinational food chains such as Unilever and Nestle have committed to phasing out cage-free eggs.
Image credit: Matt MacGillivray


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Monday has crept round, the weekend has drifted away into nothing but memory and it is time to get your house in order. If you want to that is, I'm not forcing your or sumfink or nufink.
Monday — Clean out your recycling bins with white vinegar and hot water.
Tuesday — Make sure your underwear is neatly organised. See this post for tips.
Wednesday — Organise your fridge. Keep your eyes peeled for a dedicated post.
Thursday — Put your make up bag in the wash.
Friday — Sort out that heap of shoes in your hallway. Organise them into pairs and PUT THEM AWAY.
Saturday — Wash your shopping bags.
Sunday — Have the day off.
These little tasks should easily slot into your day and make sure housework doesn't take over your life. I have a daily cleaning routine which means I multi-task and clean on the go and never have to dedicate and entire hour/day/weekend/week to cleaning ever again in my life. Small and simple routines and tasks make cleaning and housework manageable.
Feel free to print out the above tasks, or even take a snap with your phone and keep it with you this week.
Do of course let me know if you're joining in and which task you're looking forward to or even dreading the most.
P.S. You can keep updated by using the Twitter hashtag #DHWP


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The Jewish Cop
3:45 a.m. I am walking down a very dark, silent alleyway in Oakwood, a two-square-mile, mostly low-income community in Venice, behind police officer Robert Eisenhart. A 16-year-old boy, a member of the Venice Shoreline Crips gang, has been shot in the shoulder and in the middle of his back by a member of the same gang. Eisenhart is looking for the shooter, who may be at a party in a nearby darkened house. The silence is almost surreal. I am afraid of what may appear, or explode, out of the darkness. We arrived at the scene minutes before, and I see the boy wheeled out on the stretcher and placed in the ambulance as his brother, his sister and other gang members watch without overt emotion, in dazed silence. I am surprised at the dewy youth of the gang members, and by their glazed faces and darting eyes. The scene has the hopeless, listless feel of the ghetto: some lawns with piled-up rusted machinery, nails, weeds, tubs, broken bicycles, old porcelain, busted mattress springs. An old mattress is stuffed into the window of one house to keep out the cold and prying strangers.
After the ambulance leaves, Bob Eisenhart notes that the victim's brother appeared to be going about his business. "Don't you want to be with your brother at the hospital?" he asks him.
"Yeah," the boy replies. "I just got to make a phone call."
"I hope your brother gets better," Eisenhart says.
"Thanks," the brother answers. It is the only human note at the scene. By this point I have already come to expect it of Eisenhart.
I am on a ride-along with Eisenhart and Officer Steve Fahrney, Eisenhart's partner that night, on the graveyard shift. I am wearing a bulletproof vest. I had asked to meet a Jewish cop, to find out what it felt like to be a Jew in the L.A.P.D.
At 9:45 roll call, the captain tells the men and women: "Things are heating up with the gangs. Two shootings with kids in a week. We know Culver City is active." As we drive, Officer Eisenhart points out street memorials to shootings composed of "all kinds of flowers and little Virgin Mary candles."By 3 a.m. we have already dealt with a couple falsely accused of child abuse (they were in fact rescuing the child from the woman's alcoholic sister), a woman in a hotel stranded by a lover whose dreadlocks she had pulled in anger, and a domestic abuse case in which a husband literally kicked his wife out of bed after she refused to have sex with him.
As we approach the area of the shooting, Eisenhart and Fahrney fill me in on the three major gangs of the area: the Shoreline Crips, the Culver City Boys and V-13 – V for Venice. "They fight back and forth," Eisenhart explains. "Here in Oakwood the Shorelines are for some reason killing off some of their own people. They do a lot of drug dealing, and there's the possibility someone might be holding out money on the main dealer. Basically they may get rid of their own personnel and recruit new personnel."
Nearing the shooting scene, Eisenhart turns off the car lights. "When we approach them," he says, "you don't want to backlight any officers. So we kill our lights. Also at night you don't want a blast of light; it screws up your night vision. If anybody popped out to possibly confront us, we wouldn't see them right away because we have a glare in our eyes."
Within the intimacy and camaraderie of the police car in the still of the night, I am suddenly pulled into a world of split-second alertness, military precision and scrupulously observed rules and procedures. At each stop, we lurch out of the car. A second cannot be lost. Whatever the shambles of the Rampart case, it is clear that cops like Bob Eisenhart and Steve Fahrney are still putting their lives on the line for the community.
Before the police academy, a life
Bob Eisenhart is, without doubt, a true mensch and a wonderful cop. The man's had a life, and he knows who he is. He has a gentle, soft-spoken, strong way about him – a "bedside manner learned when he was a chiropractor," says his father, Al. Now 48, he hails from East Flatbush, Brooklyn.His first love was songwriting. He started hanging out at Folk City in Greenwich Village at 13, performing his own songs. He was once the opening act for Tim Hardin.
The highlight of those years was a letter from the legendary head of Columbia Records, John Hammond. "He wrote me the nicest letter saying he thought my songs were delightful," Eisenhart recalls. "He said some songs sounded a little bit like Springsteen, but he said stick with it. He was right; I don't think my songs were quite ready. But he recognized that there was something there, and I was thrilled, and I kept that letter."
Realizing he could not make a living with his songs, Eisenhart went on to get his B.A. in English from State University of New York at New Paltz and got a job on a CETA federal grant teaching writing at Borough of Manhattan Community College.
After Eisenhart's parents moved to Los Angeles, he decided to migrate here himself in 1978. He became an ESL teacher at night. "I loved it. I worked with a lot of El Salvadoran students, Farsi, Iranian, Vietnamese boat people." During the day Eisenhart went to chiropractic school.
"My mother kvelled when I opened my office," Bob said. He was a chiropractor for 10 years. Then his mother died, the earthquake hit and his house burned down. Those events propelled him to quit chiropractic, run a marathon, learn the saxophone, and write six novels in three years. Running low on money, he looked around, wondering what to do next.
Attending a martial arts class, Eisenhart met many people from law enforcement. "I saw they were happy with what they were doing." At 42, he applied to become a cop. He graduated from the police academy at 43. He is stationed at the Pacific Division.
His father, a retired postal superintendent, notes that "Bob picks the lousiest hours and the worst areas. I asked him why. He said, 'It's good experience.' But it's just like when he was a chiropractor and chose the lousiest neighborhoods. Because he said the people needed it, even when they couldn't pay.""Are you close with Bob?" I ask.
"We are now," Al Eisenhart says. "We have a deal. He's through at 7:30 in the morning. I said, 'When you get home, give me a call.' He said 'Why? You worried about me?' I said, 'No way. You can take care of yourself. But I have nobody to talk to. So you give me a call and we'll chat for a couple of minutes. And then you can go to sleep or have your breakfast or whatever you want. I look forward to talking to you.' So that's how it works out. He calls me every single day when he's finished with his tour of duty."
The rules of the game
Back in the alleyway, we don't find the shooter. He is apprehended the next day. Why the shooting? The victim's sister was dating a gang member who had just been released from prison because of being a jailhouse snitch on another Shoreline Crip. Eisen-hart explains, "So apparently in retribution they put out a hit on the snitch or anyone he was associated with. It was a jailhouse hit."
"They thought this kid was the snitch?" I ask him.
"No. They knew who he was. But the sister and the brother and the boyfriend are all staying together. So they were all designated as targets. And the brother stands on the street and sells coke at night, so he's an easy target. The girlfriend I.D.'d the shooter."
When Eisenhart and I talk the next day, I also learn that on the same night we were out together, a Long Beach officer was ambushed and killed.
In the course of the night I spent on patrol with Bob Eisenhart, I learned about a Jewish cop and I learned about the life of the police officer in general. There are endless possibilities for misunderstand-ings of police behavior. When we said goodbye to the black couple earlier that night, the Nigerian man held out his hand and Eisenhart shook it. It was an exception.
Later, he explained, "Generally I try to be polite to everybody, but on the street I don't like to shake hands. You want to
keep your right hand free – I'm right-handed and my gun's on my right side. I try to make it like, don't take offense; I don't shake hands on duty. There are a lot of ways where if people want to fight and they have a handshake, they can then pull you in and suckerpunch you. People can turn. They can seem happy but underneath be very hostile."
Implicit in some of the remarks of Eisenhart and other officers, although they do not mention it, is the shadow of the Rampart investigation and criticism of the police. These are good men with a sense of shame about what others may have done to tarnish their image. About racial profiling, Eisenhart comments in the locker room, "First of all, we have to have reasonable suspicion to stop anybody. When we stop people, half the time we might not even know who it is, whether Black, Asian or Hispanic, until we're up on top of them."
A Hispanic officer joins in. "A good case in point: we stop a guy. Tinted windows, black Volvo. A crime had just occurred. We're looking for any suspicious vehicles that might be taking off. A guy's parked in a driveway, just sitting there, suddenly backs out and takes off. We decide we'll check his plates, see what's going on.
"We started getting behind him. He sees us behind him. We followed him for maybe half a block. He pulls over. First thing he did was whirl down the window and stick out his hands. A black guy. We run the plates, walk up next to him. We said, 'What's going on? You got any problems?' He replies, 'No, you stopped me because I'm black.' I said to him, 'A crime just occurred. You don't even fit the description. Just keep on going. How in the heck are we gonna know you're black? Your windows are tinted out and they're rolled up. And it's night time.' "
Later, Eisenhart says, "I try to think I've developed some skills of diplomacy out here. Sometimes you'll work with people – and I haven't run into it for a while – but officers can actually exacerbate a situation, depending on how it is. The tone you use."
But Eisenhart loves the job. "With some jobs," he relates, "it's like being a dishwasher. There's always an endless supply of dishes. Here you handle a particular call. An entity unto itself. You never know what you're going to run into with the call. And you always learn something from it."
'You can't go back'
The camaraderie of the job reminds him of his old neighborhood in Brooklyn. "I'm not all that social," Eisenhart says. (In fact, he seems almost monastic.) "I like the fact I can go to work and people will say, 'Hey Bobby, how you doing?' It's like walking around the projects when I was a kid in Brooklyn and everybody would look out their window."
He remembers that neighborhood with tenderness. "There was a vacant lot across the street from my house. We had junkyards, junkyard dogs, lots with rats and real bums, hobo-type bums. Canarsie was first being developed at the time. But to me, that was like – the woods! We would build treehouses in there. We would come home so dirty. We were lucky we didn't step on rusty nails. That was our going off into the wilds; that was my 'country.' "
Eisenhart had a Bar Mitzvah, but his parents were not overly observant. He is certainly a proud Jew. His father was a forward observer behind enemy lines with the Third Armored Division in World War II and helped liberate two concentration camps. Bob has rarely encountered anti-Semitism. "People respond to authority mainly. They see blue." Eisenhart's mother died nine years ago. "She was a beautiful woman," he says. "I put on her tombstone: 'Beauty, Wisdom, Strength.' Just those words. Three qualities I think she possessed a lot of.
"My life has been a circuitous route, but it's taken me finally to something that I enjoy. Once you do this, you can't go back to a regular job. And I think I have somewhat of an advantage, coming on the job later in life, in that I know my personality already. I know how I handle things. I'm not suddenly going to develop a drinking or gambling problem. I know my parameters. I've worked in jobs that had authority: the doctor, the teacher. The source. My job entails a lot of teaching. As a training officer now, I work with new recruits and try to teach them the ropes. You get a lot of cases where I find the old bedside manner comes in handy when talking to people. Whether it's talking to a suspect and trying to find out what happened, or talking to a victim and having him calm down. But it doesn't always happen that way. There's somebody who can push everybody's buttons. If you run across a person who you right away sense there's too much friction – for whatever reason – you usually count on your partner to step in and say, 'Okay, Bob, I got this one.' And he'll talk to them."
At 7:30 a.m., Bob Eisenhart, Steve Fahrney and I wind things up at a coffee shop. I am almost dizzy with exhaustion. Fahrney has his daily chocolate milk, Eisenhart has blintzes. Fahrney shyly shows me a bracelet he wears in memory of his friend, Officer Brian Brown, killed in the line of duty. Brown had heard automatic gun fire, saw a car squealing out. The gunfire had killed a child standing on the corner of Venice and Centinela. Brown gave chase to the gunman, who shot and killed him.I am sure that 24 hours before, the officer would not have shown me the bracelet. I could not have understood its meaning as I do now.