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Press Releases
Small Business Financing Bill Passes in House
Today H.R. 3854, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009, passed by a vote of 389 to 32. The bill is designed to strengthen the ability of small businesses to obtain needed capital.
Ranking Member Sam Graves of the House Small Business Committee commented on the passage of the bill:
"The bill will help to improve the financing programs operated by the Small Business Administration. Changes to these programs can play a vital role in relieving the existing stress on the capital and credit markets for small businesses. Nevertheless, enactment of H.R. 3854 will not magically correct the flaws in the credit markets. Nor will the changes in this bill increase the confidence of small firms when the President continues to push job-killing initiatives, such as cap and trade, health care taxes and other regulatory mandates."
The bill has not yet been considered by the Senate.
Tags: Access to Capital

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The economy of the United Arab Emirates showed signs of even greater strength in 2003. GDP grew an estimated 4.6%, compared with 1.8% in 2002. A major reason for the growth was strong oil prices, which reached levels substantially higher than in recent years. Since oil accounted for 60% of government revenues, high prices also benefited the national budget, and the government was able to continue to provide good subsidies and benefits, which had grown by 35% over the previous five years. With a native population of only 1.6 million, the more than $70 billion GDP supported a comfortable life for the country's citizens. The private sector also continued to grow and contributed about 47% of GDP. The companies and banks in the U.A.E. stock market showed gains. In addition, Dolphin Energy announced plans to build a pipeline to Oman designed to import Omani natural gas, a move that would extend the project's scope beyond Qatar.
In 2003 the U.A.E. and Oman signed and ratified a comprehensive agreement to delimit their long common border. The agreement included resolution of the status of the Musandam Peninsula and the Madhah enclave, which belonged to Oman but were not contiguous to other Omani sovereign territory.
Prior to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, the U.A.E. called for Saddam Hussein to step down to avoid the use of force. Later the U.A.E. provided humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people and urged that they be given control over their own lives as soon as possible. Reconciliation with Iran continued its slow pace.
|Quick Facts
|83,600 sq km (32,280 sq mi)
|(2003 est.): 3,818,000, of which about 1,600,000 are citizens
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|Head of government:
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Posted by Bible Probe on September 02, 2006 at 22:34:23:
The inverted cross nearby a Roman Catholic Pope is the sign of the Fisherman, Peter, who was crucified upside down. This use by the Roman Catholic Pope goes back in ancient history to the 1st century. This valid Christian use of the inverted cross, pre-dates contemporary thinking that an upside down cross is always associated with Satanism, similar to a black mass. It is in fact, old Christian symbol for the Martyrdom of St. Peter. The inverted cross has no meaning at all to religious Satanists.
The Bishop of Rome (Pope) is the successor to Peter. That is a fact of history. Linus was the Second Bishop (Catholic) of Rome after Peter. Linus was also mentioned in II Timothy 4:21. Catholic popes and their succession can be traced all the way back to Peter via Linus. History documents that some popes were bad, and some downright intolerable - as Protestants found out before and after the Reformation. But most were good. Regardless, being a good or bad pope doesn't alter the fact of succession.
The passage by Irenaeus (Adv. haereses, III, iii, 3) reads:
"After the Holy Apostles (Peter and Paul) had founded and set the Church in order (in Rome) they gave over the exercise of the Episcopal office to Linus. The same Linus is mentioned by St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy. His successor was Anacletus."
That photo above is one of several such photos taken during Pope John Paul II's trip to Israel. A special class of anti-Catholic propagandists, apparently loves these photos, seeing nothing more than a Satanic Symbol…the Inverted Cross. Proof, they claim, that the Pope really is the "anti-Christ". They are wrong.
There is another meaning for the Inverted Cross, one that is thoroughly Christian.
That inverted (upside down cross) shows that St. Peter being crucified upside down is an ancient tradition associated with the Papacy. If anyone other than the Pope of the Catholic Church was near one--yes, suspect satanic.
"The Alexandrian scholar Origen (d. 256) is the first to report that St. Peter 'was crucified head downward, for he had asked that he might suffer in this way' (Eusebius, History, III, 1)."
Eusebius of Caesarea (born about 260 A.D.; died before 341 A.D. wrote a History of the Church. Here's Eusebius' Church History, III, 1 from Eusebius himself!
"Peter appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion. And at last, having come to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way…. These facts are related by Origen in the third volume of his Commentary on Genesis."
[Here's a second link to Eusebius' Church History, III, 1, from the Protestant site Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Scroll down or just click on Chapter 1. For those who distrust "Catholic" sources. J ]
The Catholic Encyclopedia article, St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, confirms the traditional belief that St. Peter was crucified head downwards on an inverted cross:
"Concerning the manner of Peter's death, we possess a tradition--attested to by Tertullian at the end of the second century (see above) and by Origen (in Eusebius, "Hist. Eccl.", II, i)--that he suffered crucifixion. Origen says: 'Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer'. As the place of execution may be accepted with great probability the Neronian Gardens on the Vatican, since there, according to Tacitus, were enacted in general the gruesome scenes of the Neronian (Nero) persecution; and in this district, in the vicinity of the Via Cornelia and at the foot of the Vatican Hills, the Prince of the Apostles found his burial place."
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The left has figured out that it can add "equality" to any terrible idea and make it more appealing.
The left has figured out that it can add "equality" to any terrible idea and make it more appealing. Forcing religious people to participate in gay weddings was "Marriage Equality". Now subsidized tuition for illegal aliens who don't pay taxes... is Tuition Equality.
And who could possibly be against "equality"? Only some sort of terrible person.
Obama's Illegal Aliens aka DREAMERS are screaming that they want subsidized tuition in New Jersey. The In-State Tuition Bill/N.J. Tuition Equity Act is being kicked around.
In-state tuition is already a scam.
There are two New Jerseys. The New Jersey of the homeowners property taxed up to their necks and Cory Booker's welfare New Jersey getting by on handouts. That's part of what the senate election is about.
Christie ran as a pal of homeowner New Jersey. His actual track record has been much more mixed and there are reports that he's preparing to sign on to welfare New Jersey's tuition equality.
Immigrant-rights activists say New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reversed himself Saturday and endorsed giving illegal immigrants in-state college tuition rates, and said he will try to get the issue through his legislature in a lame-duck session.
"We need tuition equality for everyone in New Jersey," the activists said the governor said in a speech to the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey.
Afterward, the activists said, Mr. Christie told one of them that, "We will get it done in the lame duck."
Mr. Christie previously had opposed the federal Dream Act, which would have legalized illegal immigrant students and made them eligible nationwide for in-state tuition.
New Jersey press accounts said Mr. Christie said that would have amounted to "subsidizing" them with taxpayers' money.
Giancarlo Tello, part of the New Jersey Dream Act Coalition, said Mr. Christie had previously, but privately, committed to the Latino Leadership Alliance that he would back the legislation, but this weekend he publicly tied himself to the legislation.
Mr. Tello said Mr. Christie has earned the backing of Hispanics in New Jersey, and he said that will make the governor a more formidable candidate in a GOP primary.
He has presidential ambitions and I think this will boost him, especially him winning a blue state and reaching across the aisle," Mr. Tello said.
That says all there is to say about the disgraceful state of the Republican Party today.


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A parolee accused of fatally shooting a man during a drug deal in the Skyline neighborhood last year was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder.
Ronnie Leroy Bonaparte, 28, was tried in connection with the death of Jonathan Gonzalez, 24, who died of a gunshot wound to his chest. The jury deliberated about a day.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Fraser scheduled a Nov. 16 sentencing hearing for Bonaparte. He faces a possible sentence of 80 years to life in prison.
According to previous testimony, the shooting occurred the afternoon of June 6, 2011, on Chester Street near Lisbon and 69th streets.
A witness heard the shot and saw a person shove something into his pocket. The person was driven away in the passenger seat of a Cadillac.
Police were led to Bonaparte through the victim's cellphone records. He was arrested June 8, 2011, at a motel where he and his girlfriend had been staying. At one point, he tried to escape through a third-story window.
Deputy District Attorney Christine Bannon told the jury Tuesday that Bonaparte was down to his last $30 the day before the shooting, when he told his girlfriend he was going to get more money. He began talking to a man who put him in contact with Gonzalez.
But instead of going through with the transaction as discussed, Bonaparte killed the victim and stole the drugs, the prosecutor said.
"The defendant put cash and crack over the value of a human life," Bannon said in her closing argument, "and for that he is guilty."
His girlfriend repeatedly lied to police about his involvement in the shooting, but later told the truth after learning some of the derogatory comments Bonaparte had made about her to the mother of his child, the prosecutor said.
The girlfriend told police that she had loaned Bonaparte her great-grandmother's Cadillac the day of the shooting. Later, he and another man returned to the motel, looking shaken. She said Bonaparte told her he had fired a gun at someone, hitting him the stomach.
Police found the Cadillac and recovered a shell casing in the trunk that was the same size as the bullet recovered from Gonzalez's body.
Defense lawyer Edward Kinsey argued that other people, not his client, may have been in the Cadillac the day of the shooting. A witness described two men in the car that had a lighter complexion than Bonaparte. The attorney also argued that the girlfriend's testimony was not trustworthy.
Bonaparte was on parole stemming from a 2002 robbery conviction. In 2008, he was featured in a two-part series published in the San Diego Union-Tribune that focused on Bonaparte's struggle to turn his life around after his release from prison.


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Whatcha Gonna Do When 'Bad Boys 3' Gets a New Title and Release Date
Posted on Friday, August 12th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
A third Bad Boys film has been in development since at least 2009 and every year or so has brought a fresh news item about behind-the-scenes conversations and negotiations and ever-shifting release dates. The project took on new life last June when director Joe Carnahan was hired to replace Michael Bay, which was quickly followed by news of Bad Boys 3 and Bad Boys 4 arriving in 2017 and 2019. While Carnahan has continued to tease the film on social media, updates have been scarce since then.
That brings us to right now: it seems that Bad Boys 3 has a title that isn't Bad Boys 3 and a release date that isn't the previously announced release date. It's not much, but hey, momentum.


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Plantar Fasciitis
I have been dealing with Plantar Fasciitis for about a year now. All of the podiatrists I have seen tell me that bycling is ok. I wear biking shoes with custom made orthotics and stay off the hills but I have noticed lately that a day or two after I bike, I seem to get to recurrent pain in my heel again. I am not suppose to walk until it improves so what can I do for exercise ?. I have tried streching, icing and you name it and have not been able to get rid of it.
Swimming is very good for people with plantar fasciitis. My foot ...and my leg were hurthing today after running at the track. I went for a swim at noon, and it is amazing how much better I felt.
Have you tried taping your foot? I know of a great foot-taping technique that worked wonders for me way back when I had plantar fasciitis.
You will need: 1-1/2" wide adhesive tape (I use the paper kind that doesn't irritate my skin)
3" wide Elastoplast (this is kind of like an ACE bandage that has adhesive on one side. It is stretchy, but sticks like adhesive tape)
1. Starting at the bone on your foot where the little toe ends, wrap the tape around the back of your heel - gently, no pressure - then, as you go around the heel, pull it tight, bringing the tape around the inside of your foot. Anchor the other end of the tape right by the bone attached to the big toe.
2. Cut three pieces of Elastoplast about 4" long. Put the first on across the bottom of your foot from from just behind the little toe to just behind the big toe. (going from tape to tape that you laid in step one)
Overlap the second strip of Elastoplast about 3/4 inch over the first, and again go from tape to tape, across the bottom of your foot - arch area.
Overlap the third strip of Elastoplast about 3/4 inch over the secind, and again go from tape to tape. Be careful as you wrap across the bottom of your foot not to pull too tight or to wrinkle the skin. Hold the bottom of the foot to keep it smooth.
3. Now, take two strips of adhesive tape to anchor down the tape job. Use one stip on the inside edge of your foot, covering the ends of the Elastoplast. Use the other strip on the outside of the foot, again covering the edges of the Elastoplast to keep it from coming loose.
Do not wrap tape all the way around the top and bottom of your foot. This can cut off the circulation.
(this method came from the Runners' Repair Manual by Dr. Murray F. Weisenfeld)
here's a picture of what it should look like.
Good luck! Maybe taping your foot before biking would help.
I recently got some orthotics made for cycling from www.esoles.com
I have plantar facitis ( I call them foot Nazis ) and it still bothers me a little
but it's much better.
Stretch before you ride, and ice down after. You know those cooler packs you take on picnics? Try to find one made of soft plastic. It is very effective, so you don't need to ice down for more than 5 or 10 min. But the flip side is that it will
feel incredible. After you ice down don't stand on it for 10 or 15 until it warms back up.
I keep my PF under control by a paticular stretching exercise my doctor gave me to do. In the morning, before I get out of bed, I sit on the edge of the bed and roll the sole of my foot over a soup can 30 or 40 times. Warms up and stretches my foot before I take my first step of the day.
That first stretch of the day is usually enough.
I do like cc rider but instead of a soup can I use a soda bottle filled with water then frozen so I ice it while streching! FEELS GREAT! Good Luck!
I suffered mightily from this a few years ago. Best thing I did was go see a sports Physiotherapist (I was not hoping for much).
The exercises they gave me to do plus the foot taping between sessions ( the same tape job as above) really did the trick.
Problem is essentially gone now, except I still get the "stiffness" first thing in the morning. I will try the soda bottle idea.
I use a Campbell soup can because it is firm and the right size. I'd think that ice first thing would tighten your foot instead of loosen it. Maybe save the ice for later when it really hurts.
One suggesstion on soup cans, use a thick soup, like cream of mushroom. If you step down on it too hard you might pop the top off, and a thick soup is easier to clean up than a thin, runny soup. (Know that from experience ;) )
Plantar Fasciitis (Farmer's Foot to our grandparents) is the same as "shin splints" but along the bottom of your foot.
The tape job works well, if you do it right. Try it out a few times.
Also, none of your shoes should fit too tightly. Size up a half size, and wider if you can find them. Lots of arch support, and plenty of cushion and flexibility through the sole. The idea is to NOT splint your foot as you bear weight through it, but to let the bones, etc., move naturally. (Nike and New Balance, with a green Spenco insert.)
Walking, running on softer surfaces, if thats an option. (Another reason why dedicated runners run on grass or gravel, not concrete.)
Stretch your gastrocs brutally. Gastrocs, not just soleus. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you, knees straight. Put your fingers on the sole of your foot from the lateral side of the just below your toes. Pull. HARD! Hold it for 10-30 seconds. You should feel it in your gastroc. Do it again. And again. And again. Your doing it right if its brutal. The idea is micro-tearing of the fascia. Don't worry, you won't hurt yourself. That fascia is alot stronger than you can pull! Do both legs, twice a day for three months. If you can lengthen your gastrocs, you get better range of motion in your ankles and feet, preserving the arch in your foot.
NSAIDS before you have a long day on your feet. (I use Naprosyn. There's a current NSAIDS thread I started a few days ago.)
Accupuncture if your insurance covers it or you can afford it.
I had plantar fasciitis for about 2.5 years until I finally took a drastic apporoach to getting rid of it. It worked and I have no more problems. I wore an ankle brace to bed every night for a year. There are a few products made and marketed as "night splints" and in my opinion, they all suck. The one I used and I recommend is made for twisted ankles and such, and completely immobilizes the ankle. The other products are adjustable, which is dangerous because all you need to do is keep your foot from moving so the tendons can heal while you sleep; the danger being that it's possible to adjust them too far and do more damage. Without a brace, your foot will heal in the position it's in when you would sleep normally, which is sort of pointed. Then, when you wake and do activities, you re-tear the tendons. Another problem with the night splints marketed toward plantar fasciitis sufferers is that they are dangerous to wear to bed in regards to any emergency that might arise. Some of them are like ice skates and if there's a fire or other reason to get out of bed, you're really stuck in that thing. The one I wore is the type one would wear to walk around in during the day. It's large, cumbersome and whomever is sleeping next to you will hate it and call you names. Ideally, all you need to do is keep your foot at a 90 degree angle while you sleep. Your tendons and foot will heal in the right position over time, but not quickly. It seems like you're condition isn't as severe as mine so I doubt you would need to wear something to bed for a year.
The one I wore is called the Swede-O walking boot and it's designed for a secondary device for after cast removal or for more severe ankle injuries. Everything else I had tried slipped around at night, and again, like I said, sucked. Another reason they sucked is they had to be put on in bed and taken off before you get out of bed.
Also, in my opinion, custom orthodics are a rip off. I don't think the human foot is so precise that a good pair of off the shelf orthodics won't work. I have about six pairs of PowerStep insoles and they are perfect. I NEVER EVER wear a pair of shoes without them in. I never buy a pair of shoes they won't fit into.
I'm sure you've been told to never go barefoot and that's good advice also.
Are the symptoms you are experiencing with PF just foot pain?
When I am on my feet for a while my feet begin to hurt pretty bad, and I'm suspicious this is the problem. The pain is mostly concentrated on the bottoms of my arches, and to a lesser extent on the ball/heel.
It happens if I am standing for more than an hour or so, or if I walk for a long time during the day.
This is an excellent thread! I've suffered with this on and off for about the past year, and it's a drag! It's hard to explain to someone who's never had it what it's like to wake up in the morning and walk around like you've got two broken feet for the first hour. Just to go along with all of the other great advice on stretching, etc., I've had very good luck with the Spenco Polysorb insoles. They're cheap enough (around $15) that I've replaced the insoles in the dozen or so shoes I wear regularly, including my cycling shoes. I've found that a good initial stretch in the morning, by laying in bed and using a towel to pull my toes and foot back, really helps. I've just got back into cycling a few weeks ago, and have been hitting my goal of 100 miles/week without aggravating the PF. The only minor pain I was getting in one foot was eliminated when I noticed that the cleat on that shoe was closer to the ball of my foot than the other shoe, and moving it further towards my toe fixed it.
The classic symptom is very painful walking first thing in the morning, that subsides as the foot stretches with use. For me, there was virtually no pain in my heal per se, but severe pain in my arch that radiated around the top of my foot, aggravated by the fact that I was trying to walk on the outside of my foot to minimize the pain. Basically it's the connective tissue at the bottom of the foot that contracts while sleeping, the same effect you see in infants, when their feet curl downward. My doctor tells me it much more common in people with flat feet. If your feet are fine in the morning, you might just be suffering from generally fatigue and need shoes with a better fit/insoles.
Try the Spenco Polysorb insoles. They are excellent. I was eating ibuprophen like they were M&M's before I found those things!
I have high arches and about 10 years ago was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis; my feet were killing me. I got a pair of birkis with that high, agressive insole and my feet felt somewhat better the first day. There was nothing but improvement from there on out. Worked for me. . .
And if you are going to stretch, do it regularly, religiously and as much as you can--it may take a while to kick in and you might have to stretch regularly during a ride, depending on whether you ride "heels up" or heels down." "Heels up" will tend to shorten the tendon over the heel bone, so stretch. Off the bike, try warming your legs by some sort of mild exercise or even soaking in a hot tub or using a heating pad before you stretch; you want the muscles and tendons to stretch, not snap.
Would you say the Polysorb ones are of a different class than the ones that are available in regular drug stores?
Hi again,
if you wind up looking for innersoles, my favorites are Superfeet and Shock Doctor. Both are very good.
The green-colored Spencos--are those the Polysorbs?--seem best for me.
Thank you for your input. I am going to try the taping procedure you described. I have tried everything else who knows maybe this will work.
The ones that don't have the yellow arch support and heel (ie, the green flat ones or the ones with the "lump" of an arch support - often found at drug stores) do not give the same support as the the Polysorbs. If you use Polysorbs in running shoes, take the insoles out and put the Polysorbs in.
For biking, I used to use a Spenco (mostly to take up the extra room in my bike shoes - I have narrow feet). Now I have custom bike orthotics. They are great! They give the support...and they are not cushey like the Spenco's...so the power transfer is better.
I had PF in college for about a year, then again in my 30's for a year and a half. Not fun. There are lots of ways you can get it, and its tough to heal from. I would encourage you to do some serious research into treatments. Most of what you read here and elsewhere will not work, and indeed may aggravate the injury.
Minimize being barefoot -- as in, virtually never, until it is healed. Swimming will aggravate it if you do flip turns, or even walking to/from the pool. Wear frankenstein-like shoes which do not allow your sole to flex. I had to wear those for a year. Massage the area by moving it on a lacrosse ball or somesuch (your hands/thumbs just aren't strong enough). Most of all, don't continue to injure it by doing whatever caused it in the first place. Give it time to rest. Then strengthen it and stretch it when it heals.
I recommend that you really really read up on it so you can evaluate the advice you are being given.
The info I gave in post #8, which is what lemurhouse contradicts in post #22 (frankenstein shoes), I got from an orthopedic surgeon/professor emeritus at a large university based teaching program. For the last 20 years he's specialized in treatment of the foot and ankle, developing both non-surgical and surgical approaches to chronic and acute foot ailments.
But go ahead and read up on it on the internet. You'll find there are surgical procedures that can be done for long term sufferers, but there are certain parameters you need to meet. Or stay off your feet and maybe it'll go away, until you start using your feet the same way as before, and it'll come back.
It's about treating the problem effectively, and changing your habits in how you use your feet, so it doesn't come back.
You could try the frankenstein boots--which sound as though they have no flex through the sole, thus splinting the Plantar Fascia and heel cord--and after a few months your PF will feel better, but the underlying problem will not have been resolved, and your gastros will have become even shorter. Frankenstein boots were standard treatment until the 90's, and still is with many podiatrists and orthopedists that don't have time to keep up with all the continuing ed that is available.
One of the largest populations with PF are construction workers, which wear boots with steel reinforced toes, a shank in the sole, and are laced up tight. Clog-wearers. People who walk/stand on rock-hard surfaces for long periods of time. Over-weight people.
My PF problems haven't recurred in the 12 years since.
The Birkenstocks that worked for me really stretched the bottom of my foot and kept it stretched.--and I remembered something: My Birkenstocks are actually sized a little large for me and thus really supported/stretched the bottom of my foot. I have had no recurrences to this day, unless I have on my feet all day long and further the day the day before, but even then the soreness is relatively minor and easily relieved by walking in the Birkis. As I said, this worked for me; I am still wearing Birkis 95% of the time, year round.
My wife has PF and has used for the past couple years a pair of socks that you sleep in that stretches your facia all night. They work very well, they are called Strasburg Socks I believe. They dont let your foot relax and tendons tighten as you sleep, instead they keep your foot flexed which keeps your tendons stretched out. Not the most attractive things in the world, I call them her "clown socks" but they beat foot pain by a long shot.
|All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:02 AM.


text: I have to get a sewing machine. All the store around here have the same thing. So after looking on line in in 4 other shop I got a singer Brilliance. Sorry but this is not a singer I know. Cheaply made, The bobbien holder keep falling out. This food thing with a little bump drops the foot. I do not like it at all. Going to bring it back today. What machine is made good if you going to pay over $200 I would like it to last.


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The death toll now stands at 17 in a deadly crash of a charter bus that skidded off a freeway in Sherman. The unlicensed bus was carrying a Vietnamese Catholic group to an annual pilgrimage early Friday. More than 40 people were injured.
The latest victim died at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. Hospital officials confirmed the death Saturday.
Authorities said today the charter bus that crashed on Friday was likely equipped with a recording device that, if found, could help provide answers to what might have led to the wreck.
The National Transporation Safety Board held a news conference this afternoon and said they believe the 2002 model bus, a 45-foot-long motor coach, contained a device similar to a black box on an airplane. They said the device can record information, and it could be used to help investigators learn how fast the bus was going, and whether the driver hit the brakes or the accelerator at the time of the crash, said Debbie Hersman, a member of the NTSB.
The 16th victim was Sueann Nguyen, 50. She died at 10:35 p.m. Friday at Methodist Hospital in Dallas.
Officials on Saturday released the names of the dead and injured from the crash, which happened shortly before 1 a.m. Friday along U.S. 75 in Sherman.
Ten women and six men died in the crash.
The vehicle's right front tire, which blew out, had been retreaded in violation of safety standards, Hersman said.
The bus slid along the guardrail and fell about 12 feet, landing on its side in a dry creekbed.
Also Saturday, the driver of the bus was identified as Barrett Wayne Broussard, 52, of Houston. Broussard survived the crash and has been talking with investigators. He was reported to be in stable condition.
Broussard was convicted in 2001 of driving while intoxicated in Houston and sentenced to 10 days in prison and a $225 fine, according to online records from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The bus left Houston late Thursday and was headed for Carthage, Mo., for an annual Catholic celebration of the Virgin Mary.
By late morning Saturday, traffic on U.S. 75 was back to normal and a damaged guardrail had been replaced.
Several bouquets of carnations, tulips and roses were left down the embankment amid shards of glass and burn scars in the grass.
The bus operator, Iguala BusMex Inc. of Houston, had applied in June for a federal license to operate as a charter but was still awaiting approval, according to online records.
The company recently filed incorporation papers, listing the same owner and address as Angel Tours Inc., which was forced by federal regulators to take its vehicles out of interstate service June 23 after an unsatisfactory review.
The review cited the company for problems in three areas: using a driver before receiving a pre-employment result, failing to require a driver to prepare a vehicle inspection report and using a driver who wasn't medically re-examined every two years.
Neither entity is authorized to operate as a carrier in interstate commerce, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
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text:
After Obama win, calls for secession pour in (again)
President Obama's victory last week has outraged some citizens and apparently leaving them with no other option but to secede, says Mother Jones' Asawin Suebsaeng.
Yep: Eric Holder to stay on as Obama's attorney general
The White House is failing to learn from their mistakes as Obama announces he is holding onto attorney general Eric Holder, and ambassador Susan Rice, according to Hot Air's Erika Johnsen.
The Petreaus affair becomes an episode of 'Scandal'
According to Slate's Aisha Harris, the controversy surrounding General Petreaus has reached cinematic proportions, worthy of a soap opera.
Obama press conference provides stonewalls on Benghazi and Petreaus
After five months since his last press conference, Obama came out today avoiding the questions reporters threw at him, and failed to give specifics on raising taxes, according to Breitbart's Ben Shapiro.
Obama plans to meet with Romney soon
In an effort to show bipartisanship, Obama is planning to meet with Gov. Romney before the end of the year and confer ideas, reports The Hill's Justin Sink.
Paul rips big government in farewell
After 23 years in office, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) gave a farewell speech on the House floor, where he took the opportunity to criticize big government and talk about the 'morality crisis' facing the U.S., reports The Hill's Pete Kasperowicz.


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Water Traps: Low-Budget Safety Method Keeps Bus Drivers in CheckChina, Offbeat, Travel News — By Ben Van Loon on June 2, 2010 at 10:22 am
Making its way across the internet over the past week is a story out of Changsha, Hunan province, China. Home to over six million people and the Longxiang Public Bus Company, customer complaints have led the company to employ a head-slappingly simple system to keep drivers soft on the gas and light on the brakes:
Take one wok-sized bowl, hang it from the ceiling of the bus near the driver's cockpit with a bit of rope, and fill the bowl with water. The system saves the company both money and moderating man-power, all the while providing customers with a smoother ride. And, if the driver does spill water, it will give riders a good chuckle, if not a pair of slick shoes.
The Xiaoxiang Morning Post reports that the drivers are to keep the bowls of water full throughout their routes, and a CCTV will monitor if they decide to add to the bowl themselves. There is no news as to what the punishment will be if a driver returns with the bowl empty, but at least the system has earned the bus company some good PR.
[Image: web.orange.co.uk]


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A-Rod takes first steps back onto field
Slugger works out at Yanks' Minors complex Monday
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
Returning from weeks of rehab following the March 9 procedure in Vail, Colo., Rodriguez completed a 48-minute on-field workout at the Yankees' Himes Avenue training complex, thoroughly enjoying his escape to sun-splashed Florida.
"Everything feels pretty good," Rodriguez said. "It's just good to be back on a field with a glove and spikes and a uniform. It's been a while."
Wearing pinstriped pants, a Yankees cap and a white Nike shirt with "ARod" sewn into the left sleeve, Rodriguez went through stretching exercises, light running and played catch on Field 4 against the backdrop of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium.
A-Rod fielded 40 soft ground balls hit by Yankees director of player development Pat Roessler, tossing them to a waiting glove on the mound. At one point during the five-minute fielding session, Rodriguez smiled and asked Roessler, "You keeping count of these?"
"You bet I am," Roessler responded.
Moving to the enclosed batting cages, Rodriguez took 12 one-handed swings and 24 two-handed swings off a tee, hitting most of the balls the other way. Rodriguez then hit 42 moving baseballs in soft toss, saying he "felt great" before completing the workout with light running.
"It feels good to not have snow everywhere," Rodriguez said. "There's sunshine. I can see why guys go train in Colorado though, from a cardiovascular point of view. I feel pretty good."
A-Rod easily became the main attraction at the sleepy complex, which also hosted an extended Spring Training game between the Yankees and Phillies. One Philadelphia farmhand pressed up against a chain-link fence to see Rodriguez, eagerly snapping photos with his cell phone and showing them to a teammate.
The Yankees have said that they expect Rodriguez back by May 15, but if he does not experience any setbacks, it could be sooner than that. Rodriguez said that he could not circle a date that he would play in a Minor League game, but he guessed he might within seven to 10 days.
"It's my first day," Rodriguez said. "I want to see how I wake up in the morning, and I've got some more stuff to do later on tonight. I don't want to jump the gun. In the next several days, I'll have a better indication."
Rodriguez had not spoken to reporters since deciding to have the surgery, opting for an "intermediate" procedure that would repair a torn labrum, but require him to have another surgery after the season.
The complete surgery would have kept him out until August, and Rodriguez said that the riskier procedure of "patching" his hip to get through the year is worth it.
"The full surgery was almost scheduled," Rodriguez said. "It was very close. Ownership was very supportive and basically gave me all my options. I just felt that the intermediate surgery was the best for our team and the best for me. It's a risk that I'm willing to take. We've got a very special team, and I want to help the team win."
Because of the surgery, Rodriguez said that he will have to make alterations to his typically strenuous pregame preparation.
"The big thing that we've talked about is really monitoring my work," Rodriguez said. "We don't want to go overboard. We're talking about limiting my practice swings and limiting the workload that I like to do between games -- even sometimes missing batting practice two or three times a week and just strap it on and play, which is fine."
Rodriguez attended the Yankees' game on Monday against the Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, and he made the rounds in the clubhouse, shaking hands and offering hugs. It was the first time he has seen his teammates since leaving for the World Baseball Classic on March 1.
"It was great to see him," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm going to try and stop by to see him work tomorrow [in Tampa]. He's in great spirits; he's happy about where he's at in his rehab, and so are we.
"He talked about being so excited to get back, and how much he missed us. We've missed him, too. We're starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel."
Rodriguez admitted being fearful when he heard the first diagnosis. Initially, the Yankees had expected to send A-Rod to Colorado to have a cyst drained, which quickly became a much more complicated procedure.
"It's obviously very scary," Rodriguez said. "Anytime you hear a 'hip injury,' you think of Bo Jackson. You think of some pretty scary things. I was fortunate to have the greatest doctor in the world in Dr. [Marc] Philippon in Vail execute a good surgery, and hopefully everything works out. I'm very blessed so far."
Rodriguez said that he has caught the late innings of the Yankees' games on the West Coast, but that it has been "tough to watch." He said that the long days of workouts under Philippon's supervision may have benefits beyond getting back on the field.
"In a funny way, Colorado has been unbelievable," Rodriguez said. "It's been a blessing in disguise. Not only did I go down there to get my hip fixed, but I also got an opportunity to relax and take a time out to rethink, reevaluate and refocus my career and what's important. It also gives you an opportunity to cut some of the fat. I understand my responsibility, and I'm excited to face the challenge."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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AT&T Asks FCC to Place Conditions of Dish's Network Plans
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Very Important
It is important to understand what Naranjo de Bulnes means to Spanish Mountaineers. It is our most precious jewel, and the most wanted summit. Every single Spanish mountaineer dreams on the possibility of looking from its summit. The beauty of this mountain is not only in what you look at, is has to do more with the magic of it. When you feel it you understand. It is very difficult to express in words how people feel about it. And all this does not means it has an easy way to reach its top, because it has not. Rock climbing technics and gear is necesary, even in the easiest route on the south face: "Directa Hermanos Martinez" ( 5.8, 155m). There are about 70 routes on the mountain, and only a few of them are relalatively easy; the rest are long, difficult and exposed. Nevertheless climbing "Naranjo de Bulnes" by any of its routes would be worthwhile and incredibly grateful. I hope you get to climb it !!
Morning light on Naranjo de Bulnes´ south (left) and east (right) faces.
Getting There
Naranjo de Bulnes is located in "Picos de Europa" National Park. It is a vast and wild mountain range in the northen province of Spain named "Asturias". The mountain can be approach from the:
- North: from the "Asturiana" village of "Arenas de Cabrales" take the road going south to "Tielve" and then "Sotres" (1.045m), and walk or drive to "Collado de Pandebano" (1.212m). From "Collado de Pandebano" take the obvious well traced trail going SW up the hill and then follow it for 2 to 3 hours to reach "Vega de Uriellu " Hut (1.953m).
- South: from the "Cantabrica" village of "Potes" take road to "Fuente Dé" and take cable-car to viewpoint (750m higher up). From cable-car station (1.834m) follow trail to "Horcados Rojos" col (2.344m) then follow trail going North taking special precautions descending from Horcados Rojos to reach "Vega de Uriellu " Hut (1.960m) in 2 to 3 hours.
IMPORTANT: Approaching "Vega the Urriellu" Hut is easy when in knowledge of the area and the trail. Because of the exposure of this mountain range to the northen winds that always bring really bad weather, it is a must to carry map and compass when going for the first time.
The most popular route to approach the Hut is from the north.Cleanning up "Pilar del Cantabrico" second pitch.
Naranjo de Bulnes West Face.
July 2003
Photo: Dani Oltra
Climber: Jonás Cruces
West Face
In the spanish climbing history this is ´The Face´. Everyone of the strongest and outstanding spanish climbers has gone up this face. Some creating new lines and others repeating the already existing ones. All routes up this face are difficult, and let me add too that most of the routes up the face are extremely difficult. Hard aid and runout difficult free climbing is the common language in most of the routes.
Height: 500 m.
Access: It is the face right above the the Hut, getting to the face will take us 20 min from the Hut.
Descent: It is always using the rappel stations on the south side. Although most of the routes can not be rappeled down, if necesary, you could rappel down the belay stations of the Murciana Route.
West Face most popular routes:
- - LEIVA, (500m, 6b, A1 [7a])
- - SAGITARIO, (200m, 6b)
- - RABADA-NAVARRO, (750m, 6a, A2 [6c+])MORE INFO OF THE ROUTE (Sorry, only in Spanish)
- - DIRECTISIMA, (500m, 6a, A2 [7b])
- - MURCIANA 78, (500m, 6a, A2 [7c+])
- - MEDITERRANEO, (500m, 6b, A3)
- - PILAR DEL CANTABRICO, (500m, 6a, A2+ [8a+])
East Face
The East Face looks like a huge slab. First time you stare at it does not look as large as it is until you realize those tiny little dots half way up the wall are climbers in the middle of the face. This face is also reserved for the experienced climbers only. Although the technical difficulty is not high in most of the routes good knoledge of placing rockclimbling protection, route finding skills and being used to runout freeclimbing is essential. CEPEDA route was the first line up this face, and most of the routes join this one to finish up the face, it was first climbed in september 1955 by: M Jesús Aldecoa, Jaime Cepeda y Pedro Udaondo.
Height: 350 m.
Access: To get to the foot of the face we would have to go up the ¨Canal de la Celada´ (Celada Gully). Starting from Hut follow trail going eastwards first down and then up through loose rock and some sections of easy scramble will leave us in approximately one hour to the foot of the face.
Descent: Two options. Or either use the rappel stations starting on the fifth belay of the Cepeda Route or either go through the big hole located in the ninth belay of the Cepeda Route and traverse SW to reach rappel stations of the South Face.
East Face most popular routes:
- - CEPEDA, (350m, V+)
- - PAJARO LOCO, (200m, 6b)
- - MARTÍNEZ-SOMOANO, (250m, V+)
- - AMISTAD CON EL DIABLO, (250m, V+)
- - CAINEJO, (260m, 6a+, A1)
PHOTOS OF THE CEPEDA ROUTE (350m, 6a)
Climbed by Jon Cruces (6 years old) together with Jonás Cruces % Varis (both are Mountain Guides)
Cepeda Route on the East face - www.todoescalada.net
Start of the route with Varis
Varis climbing first pitches
Climbing first pitches
First pitches from below
Climbing first pitches
Jon Cruces (6) climbing together with dad - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces (6) climbing together with dad - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces (6) climbing together with dad - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces (6) going through the whole at the end of the route - Photo: Varis
Jonás Cruces going through the whole at the end of the route - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces & Varis on the last belay
On the summit ridge
On the summit
North Face
The North Face is the most dramatic of all faces of this mountain. Although climbing the South Face is easier and less exposed, the first ascent of the mountain was via the north face. We have to go back to August the fifth of 1904, Climbers: Pedro Pidal and Gregorio Pérez ´El Cainejo´. After a rigourus study of the mountain they thought the other tree faces to be unclimbable. They choose the north face and the very characteristic north face chimney; there, was the key to the summit. Today, the chimney, is climbed in three exposed and difficult pitches. In an epic climb these two experienced mountaineers succeeded in their way to the summit and descended the same way. Climbing this face is more of a difficult alpine ascent through bad rock than a proper rock climbing one, and has very little in common with the other three faces.
Height: Varies, 700-450 m.
Access: The SCHULZE and PIDAL-CAINEJO routes start at the very right of the East face, and basically go rightwards to meet northeast spurr and to follow north face chimney. See access to East Face. For the RÉGIL route, starting from Hut follow trail going down and eastwards to meet northeast spurr. 20 min.
Descent: Via the South Face.
North Face most popular routes:
- - RÉGIL, (700m, V)
- - PIDAL-CAINEJO, (450m, V)
- - SCHULZE, (500m, V)
South Face
A In order to reach the base of the route a long hour (may be an hour and a half) is necessary from Urriellu Hut. To do it in the same day from Sotres or Pandébano is another possibility if we do not want to do night in the Urriellu Hut, I believe this last option being much more exhausting (non advisable). The "Canal de la Celada" is better hiked up by its left side. By the right side a exists a possibility, something more direct although more uncomfortable due to the great amount of loose stones by the narrow channel (faster option to get down, but also a greater risk of stones falling). To reach the base of the route to the height of a staggered rocky slope of white color, more or less by half of the South face and immediately under a comfortable dark hole in the face that constitutes the first belay about 15 meters and something up-right. It is highly suggested to be with the helmet already on by this time, since a lot of stones usually fall.
When to Climb
Usually climbing is possible since late spring till early auttum. Altough strong parties will achieve winter ascents.
Rock climbing technics and gear is necesary, even in the easiest route on the south face: "Directa Hermanos Martinez" ( 5.8, 155m). There are about 70 routes on the mountain, and only a few of them are relalatively easy; the rest are long, difficult and exposed. Standard climbing rack recomended (helmet, two ropes, nuts and friends). Nevertheless climbing "Naranjo de Bulnes" by any of its routes would be worthwhile and incredibly grateful. I hope you get to climb it !!
Red Tape and Wildlife
Nothing required in terms of permits. Naranjo de Bulnes is located within the National Park boundarys, therefore, stricted regulations aply relating wildlife.
- - (Magazine) Desnivel #132, Sept. 1997
- - "Verticualidad" Author- Rainier Munsch y Didier Sorbé. Publ.: Publi Action, 1992.
- - "Naranjo de Bulnes" Un siglo de escaladas Author: Isidoro Rodríguez Cubillas. Publ.: Desnivel Año 2000.
- - "Cordillera Cantábrica. Escaladas Selectas de los Picos de Europa al Valle de Teverga" Author- Miguel Ángel Adrados, Oviedo 1996, ISBN- 84-605-5318-3
Weather Forecast
Click Here: For a 7 days weather forecast in the "Cangas de Onis" area !!
All info gathered by:
Jonás Cruces
Mountain Guide & Rock + Ice Climbing Instructor
This is his website: www.todovertical.com
External Links
- Mountain and Climbing Guiding/Instruction
Rock and Ice climbing school. Mountain Guiding. English speaked.
- Official Site
of Vega de Urriellu Hut
- La primera ascensión al "Picu"
Curious draws about the story of the first climb
Additions and Corrections[ Post an Addition or Correction ]


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Get DVD Talk Feeds
When Jason and Grant formed TAPS - The Atlantic Paranormal Society - and brought their exploits to TV, Ghost Hunters became a huge hit for SyFy. The show followed a group that specializes in using high tech equipment, with a deft blend of common sense, experience, education and speculation to figure out what some people consider to be actual hauntings. The success of that series lead to a spin off entitled Ghost Hunters International, which followed an all new team of paranormal investigators who, unlike the original group, travel the world trying to figure out what's haunted and what's not. The core team is made up of four specialists - Robb Demarest, Dustin Pari, Barry Fitzgerald and Brandy Green - though they are joined in this second season by a few new recruits like Ashley Goodwin and Joe Chinn. The premise is pretty much the same as the one used in the American series, though the international locations give it a different vibe. When you consider how 'young' America is compared to a lot of other countries, if you're going to dig deep into the past to try and find evidence of hauntings and ghosts, it makes sense to think on a more global scale, and as such we get some pretty interesting episodes, most of which are shot in Europe this time around, with some action down under and in South America.
The series has been airing on Sci-Fi/SyFy since January of 2008 and this four disc collection from Image Entertainment collects the first thirteen episodes of the series' second season. The thirteen episodes that make up Ghost Hunters International: Season Two Part One, all of which were broadcast between July of 2009 and February of 2010, are spread across three DVDs in the set in the following order.
Wicklow's Gaol: The first episode takes place in Ireland where the team investigate Wicklow's Historic Gaol, one of the oldest prisons in the country. Given the location's reputation and its past and the fact that a lot of nasty stuff happened there over the years, it's a good candidate for GHI investigation and they get some interesting results.
Skeleton in the Closet: This split episode sends the team first to Bohemia in the Czech Republic to investigate Český Krumlov and then to Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland where the Manor House is reportedly haunted. Neither one of these investigations stand out - which is probably why they were split up over one episode instead of divvied up into two longer ones.
Gate to Hell: The best and most interesting episode in the set takes place in Blatce in the Czech Republic at Houska Castle, reportedly the site of a gate to Hell and a building rumored to have been used by the paranormal division of the SS during the Second World War. The history to this building is fascinating and the fact that it has what is basically an evil thrown room in the basement makes things all the more odd. Definitely the stand out episode of the set and the best location yet for the show.
Witches Castle: Another split episode sends GHI to Austria, first to Unternberg where they spend the night at Moosham Castle and then to Spittal an der Drau where they visit Schloss Porcia. Again, these were double teamed likely because the locations just aren't as active or as interesting. Worth watching? Sure, if you like the series but not one you'll go back to. Nice scenery though!
Spirits of Italy: The first destination in this episode is Fosdinovo, Italy where the crew check out Malaspina Castle, after which they head to Genoa where the ghost of Paganini is rumored to haunt the Palazzo Ducale. The investigation at Genoa is more interesting than the one is Fosdinovo but neither one yields much - the rumors of Paganini and sounds of his violin are interesting though.
Holy Ghosts: In Chile is a town called El Bosque where a former monastery is now El Bosque City Hall and the home to some interesting unexplained phenomena. After checking that out, GHI head to Valparaíso, also in Chile, where the ghosts of a few different locals are said to haunt the old Santiago Sevrin Library. Both of these are actually pretty good and the El Bosque portion probably could have been longer as it's just a really strange spot. The library is also interesting. While most of the double feature episodes are on the weak side, this one is the exception.
Hitler's Ghost: GHI head to Miramar, Argentina to explore the remains of the abandoned and dilapidated Gran Hotel Viena. Why? Because some conspiracy theorists believe that at the end of the Second World War Hitler didn't commit suicide, he instead escaped and lived out the rest of his years here. Some locals claim that his ghost can be seen on the premises. GHI gets some interesting stuff here - we won't spoil it in this review but this episode is up there with the best in this set.
Silver Shadow: The team head to La Falda, Argentina to explore the Eden Hotel and then high tail it way over to Junee, Australia to explore the grounds of Monte Cristo. Once again, we get a so-so double feature episode that doesn't yield as much in terms of results and/or scares as the longer episodes do but the history of both locations is interesting which makes it worth checking out.
Quarantine Station: Continuing in Australia, GHI head to a massive Quarantine Station on an island just a short jaunt from Sydney. Now used for corporate events, it's a huge place with a strange and somewhat sordid history of abuse to it. Some interesting results are captured.
Port Arthur Penitentiary: From Australia it's off to Port Arthur Penitentiary in, not so surprisingly, the city of Port Arthur in neighboring Tasmania. Prisons and hospitals tend to be some of the best locations, which makes sense when you think about it, and if this doesn't yield quite as much as previous prison explores have, it's still a good episode and a fascinating location to check out.
Tasmania Death Sentence: The Tasmanian adventures continue with an exploration in Hobart at the town's old Supreme Courthouse. From there, GHI heads to Batu Gajah, Malaysia to investigate some strange activity at Kellie's Castle. This episode tackles two very different locations in two very different countries with surprisingly similar results - nothing really concrete here but enough oddities and curiosities are on display that you can understand why the suspicious have their stance.
San Lucas Prison: When it's time to investigate the San Lucas Prison, the team heads on over to San Lucas Island in Costa Rica to check out the scene. The island hasn't been used as a prison in over a decade, it is now a national park, but it's past is interesting and dark, making this location ripe for paranormal activity particularly when you consider how many of the country's most notorious criminals were there when it was still operating.
The Legend of Rose Hall: The last episode of the set first find the GHI crew in Cartago, Costa Rica where creepy stuff happens at the old Duran Sanatorium before they head across the water to Montego Bay, Jamaica to explore the haunted Rose Hall Great House. Duran Sanatorium is a great location, a spooky old hospital in rough shape with some rather telling graffiti in spots - they get some great pictures during their overnight stay. The Rose Hall Great House investigation has a great back story about a witch who lived on the premises but doesn't get much in the way of evidence.
Fans of the series will know that shortly after these episodes were broadcast and in the last half of the show's second season, Robb Demarest would leave the group to be replaced with Kris Williams from the American incarnation of Ghost Hunters. Kris is a perfectly capable investigator but doesn't quite seem to share the same chemistry that Robb did with some of the other long term team members, so this is, in a way, the end of an era for the team.
The international locations make the series stand out from the American-based show and given that so much of the world is just that much older in terms of society and population growth than the United States it makes sense that there'd be more opportunity for interesting investigations to take place. Most of the show is based in Europe and the series provides a bit of travelogue footage as the investigators explore the various locations throughout the series.
This is one of those shows that skeptics will have no problems picking apart, as it's really just nigh-impossible to prove or disprove how much of what the show is legitimate or not. That said, it makes for interesting and sometimes very spooky viewing. The crew does go to some very interesting locations and each episode provides a mini-history lesson of what happened (often times this can be just as cool or even more attention-grabbing than the evidence itself). The 'reveals' at the end are always interesting and while the show is, at this point, pretty formulaic in how it plays out and how it is structured, the appeal of just maybe seeing evidence of the supernatural never really gets old. Approach the series as you would any other 'reality show' and know that parts of it are probably altered for the camera if not flat out staged, but enjoy the entertainment value that it provides and if you learn something, consider it a bonus.
Each of the episodes that make up this set are presented in their original 1.78.1 widescreen aspect ratio. The first thing some viewers are going to notice is the awful trailing that occurs during certain shots any time there is quick movement. This doesn't happen with every shot but it does happen semi-frequently in each episode, indicating that it might be related to one of the cameras being used - it's annoying and distracting and it takes away from the show quite a bit. If you can look past that, the episodes look as you'd expect them too - crisp and clear during the daylight, gritty and dark once the lights go out and the night vision cameras are used but man oh man are those trailing problems distracting.
The only audio option on the disc is an English language Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix, there are no alternate language or subtitle options provided. Most, though not all, of the dialogue is pretty clear and there's some goof left to right channel separation up front. Subs would have been helpful for those countless scenes where someone is speaking in hushed tones or whispers, but aside from that there's nothing to complain about here
Each of the first three discs contains a static menu that offers episode selection, but there are no actual supplements on those discs at all - the fourth disc, however, has got some interesting material on it in the form of a ton of deleted/extended scenes taken from the various episodes. You can choose to watch them individually or all in a row, and here's what you'll find:
Dustin Alone In The Old Prison / Pub Outting At Fitzgerald's / Barry & Ashley In The Prince's Quarters / Ascent To The Attic / Barry & Brandy In The Cellar / Joe & Ashley In The Torture Room / The Skeleton / Toni's Room / Dustin Makes Dinner / Joe & Ashley In The Torture Chamber / Extended Reveal EVP Response / The Englishman Speaks Spanish / The Typewriter / Analysis Footsteps / Brandy & Ashley Provoke / A Flash Of Light / Paul & Joe In The Original Homestead / Up In The Carriage House / Post Office Apparition / Shadows In The Hospital / Joe & Paul In The Penitentiary / The Rocking Chair / Courthouse Thermal Sweep / Dustin In The Clock Tower / Extended Reveal Satanic Symbols / The Dungeon / The EMF Spike
Ghost Hunters International: Season Two Part One pretty much sticks to the formula that has made the original series and its various spin offs as successful as they are and doesn't deviate from it - so don't expect this to change your mind if you're not already a fan. With that said, there are some really interesting episodes in this set and the fourth disc of extra content is a nice addition to the set. If you can get past the screwy transfer issues, you'll enjoy what's here - but those transfer issues are hard to look past. Rent it.
Ian lives in NYC with his wife where he writes for DVD Talk, runs Rock! Shock! Pop!. He likes NYC a lot, even if it is expensive and loud.