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Recently realeased data shows the majority of Oldham County Schools have once again scored well above the average on state testing.
The district as a whole scored in the 96th percentile, ranking as distinguished, the top ranking the state gives. District superintendent Will Wells said he was proud of the overall work of the county.
Dr. Charity Whitehill said she thinks this county is facing a serious crisis. Not a health crisis, government conspiracy or a impending terror strike, but a communication crisis.
Whitehill recently opened a new business in La Grange called Dr. Charity Communications that specializes in helping people understand communication better.
She said many problems today, such as suicide and divorce could be solved if people understood their emotions and could express them well. Cases of domestic violence especially upset her.
Many of the dogs and cats at the Oldham County animal shelter are just neglected or abandoned pets looking for a new home. Animal Control Officer Barbara Rosenman is doing her best to find them the homes they deserve.
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A Locust Grove Elementary teacher has been arrested by Oldham County Police on charges of drunken driving.
The City of La Grange settled its lawsuit against former mayor Elsie Carter almost three years after she left office.
The chances of Kinsey Morrison making it to 17-years-old were 0.00047 percent.
Odds so miniscule, doctors had told her parents, Karen and Audrey Morrison, to call in hospice and tell their oldest daughter goodbye at 6 years old.
Kinsey Morrison should not be here.
Yet here she is, an energetic Goshen resident who is a senior at St. Francis, a private school with campuses in Oldham County and Louisville.
Students and teachers at Liberty Elementary School celebrated the school's 90th Birthday this past week. They signed a wall in Liberty Elementary designed to be a birthday cake and the school had events all last week for their birthday, including wearing 90 things in one day and dressing like an 90-year-old day.
Cases involving allegations a La Grange man possessed child pornography and sexually abused a minor are heading to a grand jury.
Richard Wayne Johnson, 35, has been charged with 14 counts of possession of child pornography and one count each of incest, sexual abuse of a minor and sodomy.
A previous charge of rape of a minor was dismissed.
Johnson appeared in court Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing on his two separate cases. District Court Judge Diana Wheeler heard testimony from two KSP detectives who worked each case of charges against Johnson.
The CUB Bank Player of the Week for Oldham County High School Football is Ross Gravig. Ross is pictured here with Chuck Harper of CUB Bank.
Copyright © 2017
The Oldham Era is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Oldham County and LaGrange, Kentucky, and the surrounding area.


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New York City will hold a lottery for couples who want to get married on the first day same-sex marriage will be legal, the mayor announced Tuesday.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that 764 couples will be selected to get married on Sunday in the city clerk's five borough offices. Couples can register for the lottery online or by calling 311 in the 48 hours beginning noon Tuesday, and winners will be notified by Friday at noon.
Officials said they were trying to keep the day special for couples and prevent those seeking wedded bliss from waiting for hours only to be turned away.
"We want to make sure that Sunday is not like a trip to motor vehicles," said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
For couples who do not land a spot through the lottery, the city clerk's office will continue expanded operations next week, bringing in extra judges and staff and staying open two extra hours each day to handle the anticipated demand.
Starting Monday, those weddings will be performed first-come, first-served, but Bloomberg said he doesn't expect people to be camping out overnight to get married.
"It's not buying an iPad 2," he said.
"It's way better," added Quinn.
Officials said 2,661 couples have already preregistered for marriage licenses online, and they believe about half of them wish to be married on Sunday. In all, officials expect about 2,500 couples to enter the lottery.
Couples who live out of state can enter the lottery, but officials said they expect the majority of entrants to be local residents.
On Sunday, judges will perform three steps all at once: granting a marriage license, granting (on a case-by-case basis) a waiver of the waiting period, and performing a ceremony.
Generally, Quinn said, judges refuse to grant waivers only in cases where an individual appears to be under duress or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Each couple must register under the names that will appear on the marriage licenses. City officials hope that rule will prevent people from giving away or selling their spots.
Each borough will hold a separate lottery, and couples can enter only one. Winners can show up for their wedding at any time during the day Sunday, and officials say they should expect to be married about an hour later. Couples who wish to say their vows elsewhere can enter the lottery and receive the license and waiver on Sunday, then leave for their ceremony.
The one exception to the lottery system is the wedding that the mayor himself is officiating at Gracie Mansion _ that of two city officials.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hive, I don't even know how to tell you about all the ridiculousness that happened the day before our wedding.
Friday morning was calm enough—I filled the cupcakes while Mr. Wiz packed the car. Excitement buzzed in the air as box after box of our months of hard work and planning made its way to be packed for its destined journey.
Batch one of many
All the cupcakes, and our top-tier cake, ready to go
Seeing my wedding dress hanging there on the basement door, ready to go, was so exciting!
At some point, it became clear that not everything was going to fit in our car. Mr. Wiz tried re-packing things every which way, but the fact of the matter was that seven cases of beer, umpteen boxes of decorations, a wedding gown and groom's suit, two suitcases, over 100 cupcakes, and two people just do not fit in a Honda Civic. We had to call MOH Lefty and Mr. Wiz's mom in for backup, and after we had packed all three cars to the brim, everyone was behind schedule. By the time we hit the road we were over an hour late. Panic Level: 3.
I had to ride in the backseat to hold up the cupcake stack, and our program basket rode on my lap.
My dad was already at the venue with our rented tableware when we got there. We spent the morning ironing linens and setting the tables, making sure everything was just so. I was grinning at every turn as more and more pieces of my vision came to life! At some point, Wizard Aunt and Cousins T and C arrived and immediately got busy in the kitchen with decorating our cupcakes and our little "top tier" bride & groom cake.
But while some things were coming together, other things were falling apart at the seams. The coordinator we had been working with throughout our year of planning, M, was not there, and would not be there for our wedding. Hive, you can sympathize with me: to have the one person who knows the ins and outs of your planning suddenly not be there for the actual wedding is more than a little unnerving, and the guy we got instead, S, was not even a wedding coordinator. Panic Level: 6.5. He seemed to have no idea of all the details we had gone over with M, and was rude about everything, to boot.
The problems actually started a week before the wedding, when we suddenly found out that our venue didn't provide water glasses. In our contract it stated that they provided "all glassware," which one would assume would include water glasses, right? Apparently it only meant wine glasses. And they never thought to specify that. What the heck?? Good thing I asked, and good thing Mr. Wiz's cousin owns a party rental company, who saved us at the last minute by supplying our water glasses.
On Friday, in their unending quest to deny our guests water, we found out from S that they didn't provide ice for drinks either, nor did they provide pitchers for water on the guest tables. M had assured us they provided both, so we had bought neither, and had no way of getting them now (our venue is kinda in the middle of nowhere). S also was shocked that we brought bottled beer instead of a keg because, he said, they had no way of chilling or serving bottles "" contrary to what M had told us. On top of this, our appetizer table was nowhere to be seen, and S said that no one had told him we needed another eight-foot table, and that he didn't think he had any extras.
We showed him our papers from our final planning meeting with M, which had all of these things outlined, but he kept saying, "M never told you that, because we don't do that." Right, because we're lying about this and I forged her signature? I was beside myself. It was one of those times where someone is being so idiotic and frustrating and you're so angry that you can't even think of words. I had to step away and let someone else deal with S, lest I take his head off.
We had no way of contacting M that weekend to get her to set S straight, so even though we knew S was wrong, we had no way of proving it. So we were faced with the prospect of our guests potentially having no water, no ice, room temperature beer (if any at all), and no appetizers—in other words, being forced to be completely inhospitable to our guests—and there was literally nothing we could do about it but wait and see if these things were there at the wedding.
If it had been problems with our decorations or linens or something, fine. I'd have been upset, but no one would have noticed or minded if our linens were a different color or something. But I'm positive our guests would have known, and minded very much, if they had no food during cocktail hour and nothing to drink all night but wine. Panic Level: 9.
Combine all that with the fact that I was running on very little sleep and had to field never-ending questions from nine clueless family members on where to put what, what the centerpieces should look like, if I wanted XYZ to go on the ABC or the 123, and I was run a little ragged. I think this oh-so-flattering picture that MOH Lefty snapped of me sums up how I was feeling by then, red eyes and all:
I call this, "UUUUUUUUGGGHHHHHHHHHH"
Miss something? Follow along here!
First, I kick things off with our wedding video.
I go stir-crazy, and almost choke to death, the week before our wedding.
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text: Location This charming family-friendly beach hotel is enviably located along the banks of the Black Sea, in the heart of Alushta, Crimea. The hotel is the ideal seaside getaway and perfect base for exploring the many attractions and beautiful nature and culture of Crimea. Places of interest in the area include Livadia Palace (40 km), Swallow's Nest (40 km), Massandra Palace and Wineries (25 km), Mikita Botanical Gardens (20 km) and the Red and Marble Caves (30 km). Facilities This hotel was built in 1913. Travellers are welcomed at the establishment, which has a total of 63 rooms. At the accommodation, guests are welcomed at the reception area with 24-hour reception and a 24-hour check-in/check-out service. The individual storeys can easily be reached via the lift or stairs. Amenities include a cloakroom, a safe and a currency exchange service. Wireless internet access is available to travellers in the public areas. Among the culinary options available at the hotel are a restaurant, a café and a bar. Various shops are available, including a souvenir shop. The grounds of the establishment feature a playground and an attractive garden. Additional facilities at the accommodation include a playroom. Those arriving in their own vehicles can leave them in the car park of the hotel. Guests can also use the bicycle storage facilities. Additional services include medical assistance, room service, a laundry service and a hairdresser. Lectures, presentations or meetings can be held in one of the 2 conference rooms. Rooms Each of the rooms is appointed with air conditioning, central heating and a bathroom. Most rooms feature a balcony with a view for guests' enjoyment. Most of the accommodation units offer a sea view. The carpeted accommodation units feature a double bed. A safe and a minibar are also available. Guests will also find a tea/coffee station included as standard. A trouser press is also available for travellers' convenience. Little extras, including internet access, a telephone, a TV, a radio and WiFi (no extra charge), contribute to a great stay. Slippers are laid out in each of the rooms. Rooms suitable for wheelchair access are bookable. The bathrooms are fitted with a shower and a bathtub. A hairdryer and bathrobes are provided for everyday use. The establishment offers non-smoking rooms. Sports/Entertainment A refreshing dip in the indoor or outdoor pool is an enjoyable way to cool down on hot days. Sun loungers and parasols are ideal for relaxation. The poolside bar serves a selection of refreshing drinks. The accommodation features a wide range of indoor sports options, with a gym, as well as billiards, darts and aerobics for a fee. A wellness area with a spa and massage treatments is available at the hotel. Fun and entertainment are offered by a kids' club. Meals Catering options available at the establishment include bed and breakfast, half board and full board. Guests can choose to book options such as breakfast, lunch or dinner. Staff are also happy to provide special dietary cuisine. Special catering options can be enjoyed at the accommodation. Payment All major credit cards, including American Express, VISA and MasterCard, are accepted for payment.


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Seib & Wessel: What We're Reading Monday
By Gerald F. Seib and David Wessel
What We're Reading
Recommended reading from around the Web:
Al Arabiya offers a list of ten mistakes Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi made. No. 5: Failing to fulfill promises he made to increase wages and improve living conditions. There were about 558 demonstrations, 514 strikes and 500 sit-ins so far this year. [Al Arabiya]
Law professor Khaled M. Abou El Fadl writes that by toppling Morsi, the Egyptian army cheered anti-Islamists in the streets but more ominously continued a "despotic tradition" in the Middle East, in which militaries cite popular support to justify extending autocratic rule. [New York Times]
President Barack Obama has a chance to reboot U.S. policy toward Egypt, writes Jonathan Tobin. The U.S. should do what it can to help Egypt's military snuff out the threat of Islamic violence and replace Morsi with a more competent government, he says. "Americans should have no illusions that what will follow Morsi will be Jeffersonian democracy … But it can be better than Mubarak. That should be enough for Obama." [Commentary]


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Recommended For You
Kyle Munzenrieder
- WPLG pulled the files on Adam Tavss, the Miami Beach Police officer involved in the questionable killing of a Arab-American tourist. Nothing all that interesting; they describe him as a "satisfactory" rookie cop. [JustNews]
- Portions of southbound Palmetto Expressway will be closed tonight. [Herald]
- Republic Federal Bank is closing one of five of it branches: its downtown location, which happens to be 11 blocks from HQ. [SFBJ]
- A Miami doctor got eight years in prison after bilking Medicare by prescribing out-of-date HIV treatment to patients who didn't need it. [Herald]
- Donte' Stallworth's 911 call tapes, if you're into that kind of thing. [NBCMiami]
- The weather will probably suck again today. [CBS4]
- Has NBC6's newly designed website -- a hit or a miss? [SFLTV]
News Roundup
June 30, 2009 | 10:00am|


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The faint but distinctive dot which can be seen on the horizon of the Red Planet was taken by a device on the $2.5 billion robot called its Hazcam and relayed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter back to Earth.
However, two hours later when the satellite made another pass over Curiosity, the rover sent another batch of images that revealed that the blotch had eerily disappeared.
The Internet was instantly awash with theories as to why the two photographs would be different, especially as the rover, which is the largest spacecraft ever sent to another planet, landed on its own with no direct control from NASA mission control.
Furthermore, the rover was acting autonomously, meaning that scientists did not command the robot to photograph the exact views containing the blotch.
The most prominent reason discussed online for the mysterious blot is that Curiosity managed to photograph over the course of 200 milliseconds the crash-landing of the spacecraft that carried the rover to the Martian surface.
The blotch did look like a billowing plume of some sort, erupting from the horizon. But the image "would be an insane coincidence," one engineer said. Most dismissed the chatter as wild-eyed speculation and a statistical impossibility. It was just dirt on the lens, some said — maybe a dust devil swirling in the distance, but nothing more than that.
Yet a pesky fact remained. In the first photo, the blotch is there. "And then it's not," said Sarah Milkovich, a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge and a leader of the team responsible for delivering images documenting the mission.
Excerpts above from The Daily Mail and the Los Angeles Times.


text: Elaine Catherine Farrell, age 92 of Champlin died peacefully on February 20, 2013. Preceded in death by daughter Sue Ische, grandson Steve Ische, brothers Leland Sorteberg, Allen Sorteberg, and sister Dorothy (Sorteberg) Downing. Survived by her husband of 53 years, Russell Farrell, sons James Santelli, Thomas Santelli and William Santelli, brother Richard Sorteberg, and sisters Marilyn (Sorteberg) Clark and Marjorie (Sorteberg) Portnoff. Also survived by seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Elaine was a lifelong resident of Anoka County. Elaine received her Registered Nurse degree from Eitel Hospital in 1942 and after serving in the US Navy Nurse Corps in WWII, she had a 33 year career at Anoka State Hospital. She retired as Assistant Director of Nursing in 1982. Elaine's passions were Rainy Lake, painting, and her family. A celebration of her life will be held later. Memorial preferred to a local food shelf.


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Fudge Flavors
I love making fudge for gifts and family gatherings. Can I substitute different flavors of baking chips for chocolate chips in my fudge recipe? —J.B., Kettle River, Minnesota
It depends. Different flavors of baking chips are made from different ingredients and have varying melting points. So you might try substitutes for chocolate chips in recipes that don't require the candy mixture to reach a specific temperature during cooking. Recipes with ingredients like marshmallow creme or sweetened condensed milk also are safer bets because these ingredients help stabilize the fudge. Some flavored chips, such as butterscotch or peanut butter, are sweeter than semisweet chocolate chips, so you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe to compensate.


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Panic at the Disco returned to Denver's Ogden Theatre on Saturday. The band, which is touring in support of its fourth album "Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!," opened for Fall Out Boy in September of 2013 at the 1stBank Center.
Follow our news and updates on Twitter, our relationship status on Facebook and our search history on Google +. Or send us a telegram.
Shannon Shumaker is a Denver photographer. You can find more of her work on Facebook.


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We naturally want anything that will make our lives easier, and we're slowly succumbing to more tyranny and slavery because of it. We want safety, and we will trade liberty for it. We want peace, and we will trade freedom for peace, even if peace comes with chains.
There's an old principle in marketing: "lead with the benefit." In short, you only have a few seconds to grab a person's attention, so don't waste time with details and explanations: get to the point, tell them why they want this, need this, can't live without it, will regret it if they pass it up. Do this by presenting the benefit of the product up front. Make the sale quick, then close the cash register.
Never mind the costs, drawbacks, tradeoffs, etc. We don't want to mention that at all, and if we have to, we'll put it in the fine print.
Governments and political parties have been doing this forever, and they are expert at it. A massive percentage of modern politics is nothing but finding slick new ways to sell one's party by telling people what they want to hear in a glamorous and desirable package, and never mentioning the baggage and bondage that come along with it.
We want peace, and we accept the chains that come with it. And today, the chains have digital links. CNN reports that "a growing number of schools are replacing traditional identification cards with iris scanners."
It's bad enough that these local governments will now have an extensive database of nearly every child's biometric identification. This may never be erased. The database will grow generation by generation until the entire population is logged in a government-owned database.
The federal government will have access to this data in some cases, and there will, over time, be a steady push to link this to a full federal database, likely through ObamaCare. This means, also, the IRS will have your iris as well.
Simply put, this is a bad precedent with data that is very easy to capture, retain forever, and centralize. Imagine, in time, having to have your retina scanned to board a plane, open a bank account, use your credit card or debit card, use an ATM, buy Ibuprofen, etc., etc.
The child's eye scan today will be like Social Security cards in the old days : "Not For Identification." Yeah right.
It's bad enough, yes, but that there is already a "growing number" of such schools is even more startling.
But even worse yet is the fact that people are accepting such tyranny—being tagged and herded like cattle—because of the perceived benefits. One nursery school parent interviewed didn't see any problem at all: "I think parents will subscribe to it very quickly just because the level of security that's involved is such a comfort."
"Such a comfort." Oh government, thy rod and staff shall. . . .
We'll do anything, after all, if it's for the safety of the children. It's even better if the standard for the decision is the emotions of a mother. There is no debate beyond that point, you cold-hearted threat, you.
A tech blog picked up the CNN article, and that author's sell-out point was even lower: "If this means shorter lines at customs, we're all for it."
Right: we're all for subjecting ourselves to tagging, chipping, and herding as long as the herding is efficient. We'd give our right eye for something that great!
The American spirit was once defined by treasuring liberty above even safety and security. You've heard me quote Franklin and Jefferson on these before, but here goes again. I paraphrase both:
"Those who would trade liberty for safety deserve neither." —Ben Franklin
"I would rather suffer the evils that attend too much liberty than those attending too little of it." —Tom Jefferson
But too many Christian and conservative parents today sell out this spirit already when they herd their children onto buses and into government schools to begin with. After all, it's more convenient than homeschooling, and it's "free." It makes life so much easier.
Do you see that? Do you see how they lead with the benefit, and you buy it?
Then comes the fear for the safety of the children. School shootings happen, you know. Already acclimated to government herding as the norm, we have to make sure the cattle make it to market. So what do we do? A few school shootings in, and few Christians or conservatives are thinking of alternatives upholding liberty or even the Constitution. No, we wanted armed guards in the schools. We want TSA-style turnstiles to get in. Oh, to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity"!
Consider TSA-style checkpoints to be "bad cop." Now the easy, convenient, safe, secure, allegedly non-intrusive eye scanners come in. This is "good cop," and the people clamor for it. They gush over it.
I am reminded of one of the first critics of the Constitutional centralization in 1787, "Cato." He derided the imposition of centralized government in the following words:
For what did you open the veins of your citizens and expend their treasure?—For what did you throw off the yoke of Britain and call yourselves independent?—Was it from a disposition fond of change, or to procure new masters?—if those were your motives, you have your reward before you—go,—retire into silent obscurity, and kiss the rod that scourges you—bury the prospects you had in store, that you and your posterity would participate in the blessings of freedom . . . let the rich and insolent alone be your rulers—perhaps you are designed by providence as an emphatic evidence of the mutability of human affairs, to have the shew of happiness only, that your misery may seem the sharper, and if so, you must submit. But, if you had nobler views, and you are not designed by heaven as an example—are you now to be derided and insulted?—Is the power of thinking, on the only subject important to you, to be taken away? And if perchance you should happen to dissent from Caesar, are you to have Caesar's principles crammed down your throats with an army?—God forbid! . . .
For what use is American independence if we use our freedom to bring even greater tyranny upon ourselves? For what use? What advantage does America offer, then?
I for one do not believe that thinking people, God-fearing people would sell out so easily. That is why the forces involved—the tyrants and those who profit from the tyranny—lead with the benefit, and don't want you to consider the principles of liberty. "It's free." "It keeps you safe." "It protects your child." Lead with the benefit, and appeal to power of the great mass of the most vulnerable emotions.
But these are all half-truths at best. It's not free. It only keeps you safe like a jail cell or a padded room—by taking liberty. And it only protects your child by further enslaving your child. That's the decision you've made, and made for your child.
Shall I leave you today with the legendary question from Patrick Henry?
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
And we all remember the answer:
Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
We all know the answer. But do we believe it?
Don't wait until the IRS has your iris to answer that.


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Finding information from internet
Budget ₹600-1500 INR
You need to find information from internet and fill it in the excel sheet there are about 25K records.
Rest of the information will be provided via chat.
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My Nonprofit Reviews
Iva M.
Review for United States Veterans' Artists Alliance (USVAA), Culver City, CA, USA
One beautiful summer afternoon, the US Veterans Artists Alliance revived the bard's genius for me after many years. We were so moved by the genuine love these actors had for their art, for each other, for us, their audience, and for their cause, that my son and I followed the USVAA to many and varied artistic productions. My son went on to work with the USVAA and has become their director of special projects. Their founder, Keith Jeffreys, is, without a doubt, the soul of this wonderful organization and I am very proud to know and follow his and their progress.
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?


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New York -- Uniqlo will be the exclusive, multi-year, corporate sponsor of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Museum's Friday night free admission program, which provides free access to the public to the Museum and all exhibitions from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., every Friday, throughout the year.
"Uniqlo Free Friday Nights" will launch on May 3. That evening, the first 1,000 visitors will receive a special Uniqlo tote bag. Also in May, the Museum will begin extending its public schedule to seven days per week.
"MoMA is my favorite museum in the world," said Tadashi Yanai, chairman, president & CEO of Fast Retailing, parent of Uniqlo. "I am very pleased that we could open our Uniqlo flagship store on the same street as MoMA in New York City. It is an honor for us to be neighbors with MoMA on 53rd Street, such a prestigious and central location. I hope that together we can grow and deepen our relationships with the general public, and that the Uniqlo sponsorship can give even greater access to people from all around the world to visit such a leading international museum."


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Previous edition misstated the amount of tax breaks the county would provide Live Nation. The tax breaks would total $800,000 over 10 years, or $80,000 a year, not $800,000 annually.
Unrivaled Funding Deal Goes To Council
Monday, September 29, 2008
When Montgomery County Council members today examine a plan to bring Live Nation to downtown Silver Spring, they will be considering a deal unlike any the county has made before.
Until now, Montgomery has funded only nonprofit arts and entertainment organizations, usually by constructing their buildings, acting as their landlord, and making grants to keep them afloat. It has not directly subsidized a for-profit enterprise such as Live Nation, a publicly traded entertainment company that had $4.18 billion in revenue in 2007.
Nor have county officials before asked the planning agency to put aside customary oversight of new development and approve part of a project without seeing the whole. The council and the state legislature already have agreed to spend $8 million in public funds to build a music hall for Live Nation to hold rock-style concerts for about 2,000 standing patrons at the Colesville Road venue. The next step is for the council to approve a zoning change, which members will begin debating today.
A council majority appears to have coalesced around the plans, although some still have questions.
The deal requires the county and state to pay to construct the $8 million building. The county would own it and rent it to Live Nation for $7,500 a month. Live Nation would spend about $2 million outfitting the inside of the hall, which they are dubbing Fillmore Silver Spring. Lee Development Group would donate the former J.C. Penney facade and land, worth about $3.5 million.
The Leggett administration estimates the project would provide at least $1 million annually in taxes and additional spillover benefits to local businesses.
To cement the deal, County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) promises to:
· Require the county to absorb most cost overruns or lower Live Nation's rent if the company pays for overruns.
· Loosen county liquor laws to allow Live Nation to serve alcohol and light fare prepared off site, a rarity in Montgomery where liquor licenses and sales are tightly controlled by county government. Only the Strathmore music center, which hosts symphony and dance performances and other concerts, has a similar arrangement.


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Love springs a leak
You'd think that after more than a decade in this business, I'd have learned one simple, sanity-preserving rule: January and February are excellent times for a movie critic to take a vacation. Not because the airfares are low or the weather sucks, but because what a critic must endure professionally at the beginning of the year is so grim. It is almost impossible to maintain any semblance of optimism about Hollywood--or even the human race in general--on a diet of the condemned swill that distributors unleash into unsuspecting multiplexes in the dead months after the Christmas-to-New Year's orgy of "quality" releases.
I realize I'm mixing metaphors--Sated by Orgy, Innocent Theaters Threatened by Torrent of Unshackled Swill! I mean, exactly how would you shackle swill? It would just dribble out of its bonds. But the finely tuned bioelectrical machine nestled between my ears has been shorted out by the oozing of Fools Rush In. It had already suffered some static damage from Dante's Peak, but that was a mere dry run for the pure, well, crap bubbling up this week that includes Fools and Dangerous Ground.
Fools Rush In was apparently intended to be a romantic comedy; unfortunately, it is only slightly romantic and utterly uncomedic. Matthew Perry (a star of TV's Friends, whose cast members keep turning up on the big screen) plays Alex Whitman, a thoroughly stiff Manhattan yuppie who works for a company that apparently designs, builds, and opens up clubs. Sent to Las Vegas for a few months, Alex has a one-night stand with beautiful Chicana Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayek), who disappears the next morning without leaving so much as a scrawled phone number.
Three months later, she shows up to inform Alex (with no great expectations) that she is pregnant with his child. After an evening of backs and forths, the two decide impetuously to get married, even though their total time together is approaching maybe 12 hours.
Then they start to get to know each other.
The rest of the film's nearly 110-minute running time has them getting along, not getting along, lying to each other, breaking up, getting back together, and generally doing the same things people do in good romantic comedies. The difference is the good ones are funny--and romantic. And while the genre is so massive it's hard to come up with really fresh stuff, Fools Rush In seems to revel in its sheer derivativeness.
Normally, I just shrug off this kind of misfire as inoffensively lame. But Fools Rush In actually managed to piss me off. By the end, I was fantasizing about running over director Andy Tennant (whose previous film "credit" was that thing with the Olsen twins), then backing over him just to make sure. So I'd damage my suspension--so what? Sometimes a critic's got to do what's right.
Tennant's work here, matched only by the dull screenplay, ranges from the merely hackneyed to the irritatingly inept. The very first scene--Alex getting into an elevator on his way to an office party--is woodenly directed; the dialogue at the party has "clunky exposition" written all over it. A few scenes later, there's a joke about Alex sitting on a hot car seat in the Vegas sun; it's timed and set up so badly it took me a few moments to decide that, yes, the joke was about the seat being hot.
After the beginnings of a pickup, Tennant dissolves to Alex and Isabel in bed together, discreetly omitting the rest of the prelims. But because he dissolves at a moment when Alex's line appears to be failing and because the scene is so dimly lit, I found myself frantically scrawling in my notebook, "Is that him she's in bed with? Is it someone else? Who is that?"
Later we are treated to such inventive, original jokes as Alex popping a champagne cork at groin level when Isabel emerges from the bedroom in a sexy outfit. Now, there's a knee-slapper! Other big surprises include Alex about to tell Isabel they should break up--then going all gooshy when he sees the ultrasound picture of their child-to-be.
It's impossible to judge the performers, given the tripe they had to work with. Hayek is, as usual, incredibly sexy; since Perry looks like a dead-on cross between David Lynch and Kyle MacLachlan, I kept expecting something weird to emerge from his persona. No such luck. This really should have gone straight to video--or, better yet, to the nearest landfill.
Fools Rush In.
Matthew Perry, Salma Hayek, Jon Tenney, John Bennett Perry, Jill Clayburgh. Written by Katherine Reback; story by Reback and Joan Taylor. Directed by Andy Tennant. Opens Friday.
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The curling tongs have a pretty basic look to them. They have a black handle and a long silver coloured ceramic barrel. The cable is really long, measuring just under 2m which is a bonus if you are using these when staying away from home as often, the mirrors are situated near the plugs however at home, I have a full wall of mirrored wardrobes so I actually find it a bit of a nuisance as it just gets in the way.
Along the handle of the curling tongs is a sliding switch, sliding up once turns the curling tongs on to their lowest heat setting and then moving along again puts them to their hottest setting. As you turn the tongs on, a little red light illuminates on the handle, when they have warmed up enough, this light starts to flash to alert you to the fact they are ready to use. The maximum temperature these reach is 150degrees and the lower setting is 120degrees. I tend to use the hotter setting as my hair is quite thick and I find this delivers the best results. The curling tongs have a little stand just above the end of the handle so that whilst they are hot, the barrel isn't touching any surfaces and damaging them.
According to the instructions, these take about 5minutes to get to the desired temperature, I find this to be true for the lower heat setting however for the hotter one, I would say it takes about 8minutes.
When I first used these, must admit, I was all fingers and thumbs and whilst one side of my head seemed to look really nice, I just couldn't get the other side to the look the same. I soon learned that it was because I was winding one side of my head one way and the other the opposite, once I had realised this, the curls looked a lot better.
The first thing you I do when using them is section my hair and then taking a small section at a time, clamp down right at the end of my length, then keeping the curling tongs horizontal, I simply wind the section of my hair around the wand into I get about a inch away from my scalp. By doing this, I get tighter curls but as my hair is quite heavy, I do find that these drop quite a lot and by the time I am ready to go out, they look just right.
I have used the wand a few times now and I think they are great for adding that something different to my hair.
I would definitely recommend these curling tongs, they get 5 out of 5 stars from me.
I am a huge fan of Tesco and their value range of products. Their electrical products are especially normally really good and with the exception of one or two things they normally work just as well as more expensive branded ones.
I have had their curling tongs for a couple of years now and I have been really pleased with my purchase as they cost me less than £5 so they have been well worth the money as I have used them loads of times.
These tongs are fairly basic and lack the bells and whistles of some other brands but they curl hair and that is what I wanted them for after all.
The tongs take a few minutes to heat up properly but they get really hot and I still need to be careful not to burn myself with them even after using them for so many years.
They are really easy to use and you just need to press down the lever to open them up and then put in a strand of hair and then let go of the lever to secure hair in the tongs and then roll them up.
The barrel of these tongs is fairly thin so unless you want poodle perm curls you need to be careful with how long you hold your hair in it as they are very hot and will curl your hair quickly.
I have the hang of it now and just put as large a section as I can fit in the tongs and then roll them for a few seconds just to give myself a few loose and wavy curls. It works well to curl my hair and if you do want tighter curls then this will give you them.
Overall for the money I really can't complain about these tongs as they have served me well. It would be nice to have a few more options with how tight or loose I would like the curls without having to judge it myself but I suppose I can't expect a lot for the money. In the end they curl hair and curl it well and it is up to you to practise and judge how tight you want your curls to be.
A few years ago before I purchased a 12 in 1 set I wanted to try out curling my very stubborn straight hair and decided to test it out with a cheap curling iron before spending any serious money on stylers if my hair wouldn't take a curl. So off I went to Tesco and purchased their own brand Tesco Value Curling Tongs.
The tongs cost £4.98 which is amazing really for a pair of tongs, the cheapest you'd get in a place like Boots would be £10 - £15 so it is a bargain. They are very simply packaged in a white cardboard box with the Tesco Value logo and a small instructional pamphlet.
The Tesco Value Curling Tongs look just like the picture, they're fairly plain and basic with a little stand and are styled in black plastic with a black cord and plug. There's a red LED to let you know that they're switched on.
When plugged in they take probably 5 minutes to get hot which isn't as fast as some tongs but WOW do they get hot! The barrel is what I'd describe as medium and certainly it is versatile, I tried it out with some basic curls and it worked well, the curls took hold and the hair wasn't burned though I do use a heat protecting spray and I felt they stayed in my hair well and could be incorporated into a number of styles. As I wanted the versatility of an interchangeable styler I eventually moved on but I keep the Tesco Value Curling Tongs as a backup, sometimes used for travel and my mum uses them every time she comes to visit!
Overall the tongs are easy to use, a total bargain, well made and though they are a very basic tong they do it well and they're built to last. As a basic tong I can't really give them less than 4/5, a case or heat mat would have been nice but for under a fiver you can hardly moan! The Tesco Value Curling Tongs are a great value tong and I recommend them to anyone looking for a basic and budget (or cheap and cheerful) styling solution.
This pair of curling tongs was bought for me quite a while ago by my mother. It was only a few pounds (I think around £5 - Tesco Value) which made me a little nervous since it is an electrical item. Fortunately I have been left pretty happy though and quite impressed!
It comes in a long rectangular shaped box that is made from cardboard. It's very minimal with pictures of the curling tong (same image) on three sides and some information and warning comments on the back. The box has been sturdy and has also been what I've used as storage for the irons since I received them. It's not ideal though for taking with you for the e.g. weekend though since the box is quite big and bulky.
~~My Thoughts~~
The curling tong has a 19mm barrel so it's only suitable for tighter, smaller curls. I have hair that is long and comes down to my back, so I tend to use it to just curl my ends. I like to curl it the night before and to brush it out the next day to give more natural, messy looking curls. If I want to curl the full length of my hair, I curl from the bottom up and then curl from the roots down from the same clump of hair which is quite time consuming.
It's very simple to use and self-explanatory. After plugging it in you turn the switch on which causes a light to glow telling you that it is on. After a few minutes it'll have heated up sufficiently for you to begin to use it. I normally clamp the section of hair for around 20 seconds, maybe 30 if the strand is a little thicker. Since the temperature reaches 170C I find the tongs have really given me a maintained and decent enough curl. Even though the curls more or less keep their shape, you can't press the clamp down enough for hair not to slip out - this means that you can't really get super tight curls that easily.
The curling tongs features a black pointed tip for holding onto as you curl. This tip has been sufficient, but it would have been nice if this were a bit bigger for that added bit of security. The tongs also have a metal stand which I really like - the construction is really simple but allows you to rest the hot tongs anywhere. The stand is basically a metal clip that you can pull down.
The main thing that I really like about these curling tongs is the swivel cord which makes it very easy to rotate the tongs to create my curls. The cable is quite long - I don't feel like I'm compromising or being restrained to use it close to the plug.
(The tongs also come with an instruction manuel.)
I'm pleased with these curling tongs. I've got very thick hair therefore it's an added frustration trying to achieve decent curls, so I think this product has performed well. It's a few years old now, but having said that they are literally as good as new and have been used by other family members as well. I'm not sure if these are sold anymore, because a quick search tells me that Tesco Online only sells ceramic curling tongs (£6 currently) online under their brand name - not sure if this is an upgraded version of mine. Despite being excellent value for money, it's quite hard to get a very tight curl. I don't really mind this since I only curl my hair occasionally. Overall I would give this product 4.5 stars out of 5 :)


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Airports board approves Dulles rail funding deal
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - A regional airports board has approved a funding deal for the second phase of the Metrorail extension to Dulles Airport.
The deal was hammered out last week by Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood and state and local officials.
Construction has already begun on the first phase of what will be known as Metro's Silver Line, which extends the Washington area subway service from Falls Church, Va., through Tysons Corner to Reston. It's expected to be completed in 2013.
The final stretch will continue to Dulles and into Loudoun County. That portion of the project is expected to cost at least $2.8 billion, and until last week, there had been no agreement on who would pay for it.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board approved the deal unanimously Wednesday.


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It's one thing to forgo spandex. But we fear for Victoria Beckham's ankles on this treadmill.
Could her stilettos be any higher?!
The posh fashion designer (and runner!) posted this hilarious pic on her Twitter account yesterday, saying "Every office should have one of these, work out and work at the same time!! Genius!!"
VB, we're on board with you: we are totally down with the workout-during-work thing. We're all super busy, so might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?
But let's talk footwear for a second.
Victoria, sneakers these days aren't just techy (and help you run faster), they're also super cool-looking and fashionable. And they might not look all that crazy with your super chic office outfit — especially with the athletic aesthetic being everywhere these days. Might we suggest stashing a pair in your handbag?
And we know that not everyone lives in the SELF office — where workout gear is rocked like a power suit on almost a daily basis — but Victoria, should you decide you want to incorporate some leggings into your look, here are a ton of workout tights that we're obsessed with right now.
- Burn Cals and Tone It All In Just 5 Minutes
- How To Get A Fresh Face
- Tennis-Inspired Clothes: This Season's Chic, Easy-to-Wear Trend
Image Credit: via Twitter


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Monica Padilla
Age: 25
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Occupation: Law Student
Monica Padilla is the first in her family to not only complete her undergraduate degree but also obtain a Juris Doctor. Recently, she graduated from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where she perfected, what she describes as, her power of persuasion. She fully intends to use her beauty and the fact that she can sell ice cubes to an Eskimo to her advantage in the game.
Exotic looks, in addition to intellect, have landed her a wide range of jobs, such as a clerk position at a well-known investment firm, as well as a position playing a theme park Pocahontas. With the keen ability to change from bookworm to party girl in a matter of moments, she is sure she will be able to adapt to anything she comes across on the island. She says that while in the Samoan wilderness, she will miss partying, clubbing and lunch with friends the most, which was exactly what she did in her free time even as she was in the home-stretch of obtaining her degree.
Much like Parvati and Amanda (from SURVIVOR: MICRONESIA), she plans to be as sweet as pie, while subtly using the flirt card, in order to come off as endearing rather than overbearing. In addition to killing her fellow castaways with kindness, she has every intention of pulling her own weight around camp while studying their words and actions meticulously to learn about her enemies before she chooses her weapon. Confident that she can win the title of Sole Survivor, Monica plans to buy a designer purse as her first selfish purchase.
Monica resides in San Diego, Calif. and her birthday is July 14th.
Survivor Cast - CBS.com


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By Michael Williams
GolfWRX Staff Writer
For Swede Carl Pettersson, the biggest drama of the day was whether the tournament organizers would get the spelling right on his winning check. Pettersson was never in trouble on Sunday, cruising to victory in the 2012 RBC Heritage at Harbor Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Pettersson shot a 2-under 69 on Sunday to finish at 14-under par 270, five shots better than runner-up Zach Johnson.
The win ties Jesper Parnevik for the most in PGA Tour history for a Swede with five. Pettersson, 34, also completed the career "RBC Slam," having previously won the RBC Canadian Open. For his victory, Pettersson earned $1,025,000 and 500 FedEx points. "Honestly, I've lived more of my life here than in Sweden, and I feel more like an American than a Swede," noted Pettersson, who is applying for U.S. citizenship. "But I know that I am Swedish, and Sweden is a golf-crazed country."
Pettersson, who had played well the previous week in Augusta, took the lead on the final hole of the third round by one shot over Colt Knost and never looked back. He fired off three birdies in his first five holes. He made just one bogey in the final round (No. 15), and took just 26 putts. On the course that he said was "one of (his) favorites," Pettersson played beautifully. He was first in greens in regulation and first in putting, a wining combination on any track.
The 27-year-old Knost, who in his second year on the Tour, never found his footing in the final round. Seeking his first victory, he stumbled out of the blocks with a bogey and double bogey sandwiching a birdie on the first three holes. He was never able to stay with the streaking Pettersson and finished with a 3-over par 74. Johnson pulled to within three strokes of the lead with a birdie on the par-5 15th but bogeyed the next hole. He never got any closer and bogeyed the last to shoot 70.
Top-ranked Luke Donald needed to finish eighth or better to retain his spot atop the Official World Golf Ranking, but tied for 37th and will fall behind Rory McIlroy.
Michael Williams is the contributing editor of Newschannel8 Capital Golf Weekly and Bunkershot.com, as well as a member of the Golf Writers Association of America.
You can follow Michael on twitter — @Michaelontv


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CSHL Culture: A Lab like no other
Find out what it's like in a community of more than 1,100 scientific, academic, administrative and support staff working together to fulfill Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's research and education missions.
Our Vision: Charting a course for the future
Find out what's next for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, in linked features on Our Vision for the years just ahead, and a preview of Tomorrow's Science.
One Experiment - Lloyd Trotman, Ph.D., FEATURE
How does a crucial tumor-suppressor protein switch potentially cancer-initiating growth signals
from 'on' to 'off'? Super-resolution microscopy provides the surprising answer.
One Experiment - David Jackson, Ph.D., FEATURE
What can scientists learn from an odd-looking mutant ear of corn? Clues about how to
harness genetics to boost yield.
One Experiment - Mikala Egeblad, Ph.D., FEATURE
What happens when a breast tumor is treated with an anti-cancer drug? A complex
interplay of the drug, cancer cells, the tissue surrounding the tumor, and the immune system.


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West Virginia has been targeting longer, rangier cornerbacks in the class of 2013, and one of the most recent to receive an offer from the Mountaineers hails from Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.).
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LEUVEN, BELGIUM--(Marketwire - May 08, 2012) - TiGenix (EURONEXT BRUSSELS: TIG), a leader in the field of cell therapy, announced today that during the months of May and June the company will present at a number of key events in Europe and the U.S. geared at investor, industry, and academic audiences to highlight the commercial potential of ChondroCelect®, the only approved cell therapy in Europe, and of the company's innovative proprietary allogeneic stem cell platform with programs in Phase I, II, and III for a range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
May 15-16
BioEquity, Marriott Hotel, Frankfurt, Germany
Presenter: Eduardo Bravo, CEO
Date & time: Tuesday, May 15, 16:00-16:25
Room: Level 1, Room Gold 1
May 21-23
World Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Congress, Victoria Park Plaza, London, UK
Presenter: Eduardo Bravo, CEO
Date & time: Monday, May 21, 15:25 -15:50
Title: Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine - Progressing into phase III with an orphan indication
May 24
Knowledge for Growth, ICC Ghent, Belgium
Presenter: Eduardo Bravo, CEO
Time: 11:30
Keynote speech - Advanced therapies: this time it is for real
June 5-8
18th International Stem Cell Therapy Sociey Annual Meeting, Sheraton Seattle, WA, U.S.
Presenter: Eduardo Bravo, CEO
Date & time: June 7, 13:45-15:15
Title: Plenary Session 4 - Regenerative Medicine and Positioning for Commercial Success - Lessons from the commercial roll out of ChondroCelect in Europe
June 18-21
BIO International Convention, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, MA, U.S.
Presenter: Eduardo Bravo, CEO
Date & time: June 20, 15:00-15:45
Title: Stem Cell Therapies...Fact or Fiction?
June 23
VFB Biotech Congres, Leuven, Belgium
Location: Imec, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven
Presenter: Gil Beyen, Chief Business Officer
Time: 11am
June 23
Dag van de Biotechnologie, Leuven, Belgium
Location: TiGenix headquarters, Leuven
Event: Open day event throughout Flanders for all biotech companies & academic labs
Time: 10am-5pm
About TiGenix
TiGenix NV (EURONEXT BRUSSELS: TIG) is a leading European cell therapy company with a marketed product for cartilage repair, ChondroCelect®, and a strong pipeline with clinical stage allogeneic adult stem cell programs for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. TiGenix is based out of Leuven (Belgium) and has operations in Madrid (Spain), and Sittard-Geleen (the Netherlands). For more information please visit www.tigenix.com.
Forward-looking information
This document may contain forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of TiGenix and the market in which it operates. Certain of these statements, forecasts and estimates can be recognised by the use of words such as, without limitation, "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will" and "continue" and similar expressions. They include all matters that are not historical facts. Such statements, forecasts and estimates are based on various assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable when made but may or may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict and may depend upon factors that are beyond TiGenix' control. Therefore, actual results, the financial condition, performance or achievements of TiGenix, or industry results, may turn out to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements, forecasts and estimates. Given these uncertainties, no representations are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates only speak as of the date of the publication of this document. TiGenix disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statement, forecast or estimates to reflect any change in TiGenix' expectations with regard thereto, or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement, forecast or estimate is based, except to the extent required by Belgian law.


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A poignant tale of growing up - AAAA presents 'The Trip to the Bountiful'
The Alexandria Area Arts Association (AAAA) Theatre is proud to announce its fourth, and final, production of the 2008-2009 season.
The Trip to the Bountiful, a poignant - and at times, heartbreaking - ultimate life-affirming story of Carrie Watts, will open at the downtown theater on Friday, March 27.
The show will run March 27-29 and April 3-5. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday shows are at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 10 and younger.
Tickets can be reserved at the box office Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling (320) 762-8300 or at the box office one hour prior to performance times.
All ticket sales are final and there are no refunds or exchanges.
The play is written by Horton Foote, who is best known for his Oscar-winning screenplay, To Kill a Mockingbird. Sharon Thalmann will direct The Trip to the Bountiful. Sponsors of this production include Bremer Bank and Raapers Eatery and Ale.
The story will touch the heart of anyone who is growing older or loves someone who is.
Nearing the end of life, Carrie Watts lives with her bossy daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae, and son, Ludie, in their three-room Houston apartment.
Watts is determined to outwit her daughter-in-law and return to her childhood home of Bountiful, Texas, which she left three decades ago.
Ludie's mother escapes from the apartment with her pension check in hand. She boards a bus and befriends a young woman.
And with the help of a station attendant and a sympathetic sheriff, Watts completes the final 12 miles of her journey before her family catches up with her.
For more information, contact the AAAA Theatre at (320) 762-8300.
Carrie Watts - Miriam Thornquist
Ludie Watts - Quincy Roers
Jessie Mae Watts - Kara Gerdes
Thelma - Joan Wittrock
Crump Fulcher and Driver #2 - Gene Meier
Sam Weston - Roland Boyce
Roy - Paul Schoenack
Sheriff - Pete Woit
Travelers in the bus depot:
Betty Hulick - Claudia Bursch
Virginia Clemmensen - Ann Hermes
Vivien Hanson - Barb Kruse
Barbara Ann Busche - Mary Ann Maameri
Charlene McPherson - Sandy Susag
Wyatt Applebaum and Driver #1 - John Thalmann
Bernice Applebaum - Sheena Hachmann
Director - Sharon Thalmann
Assistant director - Christy Meier
Producer - Jamie Sandberg
Set design and construction - John Thalmann
Lighting design - Quincy Roers
Costumes and hair design - Nancy Berns
Props - Barb Grover and Kay Dalthorp
Sound and light boards - Jake Stone
Graphic design - Keri Mohror
Makeup design - Paul Schoenack


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* Prices may differ from that shownMore Offers
Well what can I say what an amazing little sports car, this was my first car and really want to get another sometime in my life. They maybe old but then just keep running and when they don't they are so simple to get under the bonnet and fix.
My car was only the 1.8l rather than the V8, but to be honest I don't car as it was still very quick due to the lack of weight.
As it is old it doesnt come with much, I installed a CD player and speakers as mine had a tape player, it was a very easy job to do and made a big difference to driving in it as you could enjoy music as well.
For the period I had it the only thing that went was the fan belt which took about 2 hours to replace and cost about £40 for the part. In my opinion you cant go wrong at that. I would also say that the efficiency is amazing for motorway driving as me and my friend drove down to London at last minute. We filled up about 2 times each way which when we worked it out was £90 to get to London which was split between the two of us (so 90 in total to get there and back). For the drive there it was very comfy and wasnt to bad for noise a bit loud but you cant complain too much as I dont think sound deadening was invented when the car was in production.
Overall a great little car (so small when sat at a traffic light and if a boy racer in a Clio pulls up you know for a fact you will be of the line faster as it is so light and nibble). I look forward to the day that I can own another! Thats what happens when you have kids you need to get a car that seaets 4/5 which this is a 2/3 at a push, the back seat is pretty much useless.
We all regret things that we have done in the past. One of my biggest mistakes was selling my 1967 MGB Roadster. I bought this car in 1976. For those of you old enough you will remember the hot summer of 1976. Previous to this my car had been a mark 2 Ford Cortina, the B was a revelation. Hood down windows down wind through your hair at 90mph (sorry should have said 70mph). This wonderful two seater sports car with its gleaming chrome bumpers and grille made you feel like a king.
Under the bonnet was a gleaming red 1778cc engine with twin carburettors. None of the flash electronics and fuel injection of today, you could actually work on these. In those days many sports car owners would carry out their own repairs, no chance today. This car was produced to supercede the MGA (Another classic) and sporned the production of the biggest mistake in MG history the MGC whose handling characteristics with the straight six 3 litre Austin Healey engine were atrocious.
The MGB was and still is a collectors dream as most parts are still readily available. If you are considering buying a B try for a pre 1975 with chrome bumpers. After this significant changes for the American market ruined the marque. Higher suspension and rubber bumpers really effected the handling and was bought in because in the states bumpers have to be at a set height. Also changes were made to the engine so it would run on lead free. This really effected the performance. After this the only real contender was the MGB V8.
My wife Purchased our 1967 MGB Roadster 6 years ago as an every day car(and our only car at the time).We went everyware in it from North Wales to the west coast of scotland,as well as her commuting 20 miles a day in sun,rain and snow for 4 years. The car replaced a 3 year old comfy,dry & warm'euro box' My wifes dad thought we were potty, as did many of our frends, but you don't get admireing glances like this in a modern car. After 4 years of every day use it did take its toll and I decided to take the car off the road and restore it.This included a full bare metal respray,some welding,all suspension rebuilt,naw brakes which included fitment of a remote servo,s\steel braded flexi hoses and uprated pads.The car also has a reconditioned unleaded engine I have uprated the engine with a 3 branch exhaust manifold and K&N air filters,after a rolling road tune up it now produces 83 BHP at the wheels (good for a 1967 car). The car is now very usable which was proved when we went to This years Le Mans 24 hour race without any problems. Classic cars need a lot of looking after to keep them reliable but the rewards more than make up for it.MGB's are one of the easiest cars to keep on the road,all parts are avalable from specialists incuding the smallest nuts and bolts to full body shells,and most parts are cheap. I am always spending money on this car but mostly now it is on inproving overall reliability and comfort as the restoration is complete. The next improvements will be done this winter which include swapping the dynamo/positive earth charging system for an alternator/negative earth,electronic ignition and fuel pump,better seats. After owning this car for 6 years I cannot see us selling it.I just love driving it on a sunny day with the hood down.
I have had my MGB BT for some 4 years now. and I havent regretted it, and it's been reasonably trouble free (a broken connector under the bonnet meant that it didnt start, and a stone broke the radiator). They are fantastic cars, but look out for: Dodgy repairs and filler. The sills are the places to look for, lift up the mats in the footwells and see if you can see daylight! Lift the rubber around the door frame at the bottom, how many thicknesses of metal can you see? more than 3 means a dodgy repair. Any structural rust means costly repairs, but if there is some bubbling at the seams that join the wings to the scuttle, dont worry. they all go there a bit as the cars flex...it will happen eventaully and expect to pay a garage £100 per side to get them re-done every couple of years Rust on the doors isnt a problem as you can get second hand spares really easily and the rust is contained. Check the oil pressure...it should be about 20psi at tickover (once the engine is warm) and about 50-60 when driving. Do all lights work? any electrical things are not an expensive repair, but can be time consuming and fiddly Check for regular stuff like smoke from the exhaust and oil levels. take off the oil cap and look to see if there is any white residue. if there is then water is getting into the oill and that is a problem. Most spares are very cheap so brake pads etc are not a problem. take the car on a run, use the overdrive, does it cut in and out ok? lift off the gas when in 3rd gear...is there a clunk from the back axle? these cars are old, so expect som enoise. It could be worn UJ's which are cheap, or the axle. Again, not serious, just noisy. Well, thats all i can think of for now, but i will add to it when I think of any more points. My main advice is if you dont know, read the excellent haynes book by Linsey Porter on buying and restoring mg'
s. you will find it in most good book stores and halfords. Or even better, get someone in the know to have a look at it...and get it up on some ramps if you can. And when you get it, waxoil it. Remember, you dont need one with an unleadded head as LRP is available everywhere, and there will be more than enough lead covering the valves etc anyway (this is called lead memory). Before the engine gets extra wear from the lack of lead, it's probably time for an overhaul anyway. Buy one and enjoy...and even enjoy tinkering with it at weekends. One last opoint, some guest houses and holiday chalets will give discounts to MG drivers...so join the MG owners club and check out their magazine! Good luck and enjoy! I am selling mine as i am buying a flat so I will miss it. :-(
I am lucky or should I say was and now I am not so lucky. After a write-off in my previous car I decided not to buy a modern car and found a restored MGBGT for the same price. 1973 Chrome bumper model and I was hooked. They may be old, noisy, cold, expensive to run, prone to breaking down but there is little on the road with as much poise, grace, out and out damn good lucks, fun to drive, fairly reliable if kept serviced and individual. 'Meggy' as we called her ran me to work day in day out with very few hiccups. In sun and snow, started first time every time, except when returning from holiday. For some reaon she never wanted to come home. I can't remember how many times I have been stopped in car parks to talk about her by interested joe public. The friendship from fellow owners is excellent. The cars are easy to work on for the DIYer, with simple components, plenty of room under the bonnet and easy replacements. Almost all of the car is available brand new and cheap spares. Of course there are elite cars that are concourse condition, only get driven in fine weather to and from shows, but I believe these were 'cars to be driven' and daily use is the best thing for them. The engines are excellent, with bags of torque to spare, fabulous at motorway speeds and can only be damaged by a direct bomb blast and then will only konk out when you are finally at your destination. I would however recommend that anyone takes my advice regarding fitting modern upgrades such as electric fans and electronic ignition just to be on the safe side. Uprated heater boxes help too. All in all an excellent vehicle, I only wish I was able to keep her. She was in need of further restoration off the road and my company offered me a car allowance which effectively meant I had to have a car less than 4 years old. Oh how I cried knowing that she had to be sold. We couldn't afford to run t
wo cars so she was put up for sale. Sold at the asking price, no hassle to a fellow workmate that is currently restoring her. So I know she's being looked after, I can still visit and when complete have been promised another drive. He's so hooked on MG's now he's bought an MGF for when the MGB is in for restoration. Not everyone is so lucky, and many people often pine after the little MG they had to part with and long to get back. I also have first refusal if she ever goes on the market again so you never know. I would definately recommend a classic car to anyone and especially the grand old MGB.
I have been the proud and happy owner of an MG V8 roadster now for 3 years.Prior to this I owned 2 standard MG's. The V8 is based on the 3500cc rover SD1 engine that has been around for many years. developing around 140 bhp in its basic form the car is capable of 0-60 in around 7 seconds. Mine has a profiled camshaft and has been "tweaked" a little and generates over 175bhp which is enough to see off most modern sports cars. They also do not offer the loverly rumble and roar that a V8 can generate when you put your foot down. If open top motoring is not for you then the GT version( officially produced by MG) will provide fast,comfey motoring with ample room for the wife and a child. Easy to maintain with cheap, plentiful spares the V8 offers you a chance to own a sports car without denting your bank balance too much. Fuel consumption ranges from 21 to 35 mpg depending on your right foot. Good second hand examples can be had for around £ 6000, most of the cars having been owned by MG club members means they usually have ben well looked after. "After sales service" is provided by fellow club members, meets and varoius events throughout the year.
I've been driving around in an MGB BT for the last few weeks, and although I've warmed to it slightly (makes for more interesting driving than a Primera), I can't understand why people like this car so much. My first impression was that I was in the cockpit of some Second World War bomber - a Lancaster maybe. The I wondered what happened in the moment between changing from second to third - the engine nearly stalled, and that was after taking the revs very high. There seems to be a lot of space in the car, particularly in the rear, that is very poorly used. The ride is unpredictable, the engine unpleasantly noisy, and the engine does that awful thing when you accelerate, when it sometimes feels like there's a two second delay built in. I know love affairs with sports cars are not brief flings, and they can take time to grow on you, but I can't imagine discovering the virtues of this one.
Three years ago I was driving around in a company Vectra. It was nice and warm, easy enough to drive, no trouble to look after, and it was indistinguishable from any other car on the road at all. I decided to make up for this by going to the other end of the scale and buying myself an MG BGT. There are several choices of what type of classic MG to get. The first one is Chrome Bumper or Rubber Bumper. The rubber bumper cars were altered for the American market to make them safer. Unfortunately in the process they ruined the handling and the appearance. The only advantage is that they are newer and so may have less faults. The chrome bumper cars are all pre 1974. They have the advantage of looking better, handling better, but of course they cost more. The next choice is Roadster or GT. The advantage of a Roadster (convertible) is that it is great in the sunny weather, cruising round with the top down, and is arguably what owning a classic car is all about. The disadvantages is that it is noisy, cold in winter and wet whenever it rains, and costs a bit more. The advantage of a GT is that you have a car that is a bit more bearable in winter, and looks more like an old Porsche. The disadvantage is that it is not as classic, and can be harder to sell again. The next choice that you have to make is do you want to buy a restoration project, or a car that is in good condition. A restoration project is a car that is in far from good condition. People typically spend all of their evenings and weekends in the garage for years, scouring scrapheaps for the part that they need, and spending a fortune on welding equipment and so on. It's a labour of love that results in a car that you will never forget. It can be great fun, but don't underestimate how much of your time it can take up. If you do not have the time/skill/desire to give up all of your spare time for the car then you can quite easily buy
an MG in perfect running order. The outlay will almost certainly be far less than it cost the previous owner to get it and keep it in that condition, and you will have a car to use straight away. Other things to look out for when buying an MG are; Overdrive is best for motorway driving An unleaded head in the car is very common - don't buy a car without one. A sunroof can be nice in a GT - the webasto ones are meant to leak less than the glass ones. Look underneath for rust. A well cared for car will be well waxoil'd Join the MG owners club - you get access to cheap spares, and plenty of advice. A pre-1973 car will not have any road tax to pay - all after that do. Ask what has had to be fixed. If it hasn't been fixed it is probably about to go. On that last point, bear in mind that old cars that do not have problems, are just old cars with problems waiting to happen. Don't kid yourself that the car you have your eye on will not go wrong. They all do. Also bear in mind that when you drive an MGB, there is no-one on the road who can look down to you because they have a better car. You have chosen to spurn the company rep-mobile and are driving in style. Despite the stupid amount of money that I have spent on mine over the years, I have no regrets in buying one. I now have an alpine white 1973 MG BGT that is in superb mechanical condition, runs throughout the year, and if my work hadn't moved office to really close to my house, I would drive it every day.
It's 1990, perhaps the anticipation of growing old disgracefully is looking attractive, so I bought a red S reg MGBGT. From that moment on my hand was always in my pocket. She was pretty, nippy, sexy, and an absolute disaster, but I couldn't give her up. I was single at the time and just used it for popping around town, never for long journeys and all was well. Then I met this bloke and we decided to go on holiday together to Scotland. We were just outside Birmingham on the M5. Black smoke started to fill the cockpit, my bloke said, to open the window it'll be fine!!!! A flame flickered, I screamed and slammed on the brakes. We called the AA and waited. He fiddles about in the engine and said if we took it slow we should get to Aviemore. Two miles up the motorway we ignite!!!!! Another AA man, and this time we choose to use The Get You to your Destination option. 500 miles on the back of a big thing and an overnight stay on route......the result, a new reconditioned engine for £1000! The garage in Inverness tells me their's a lot of piano wire making things work... you can see I'm a mechanic can't you? After that, the AA and I are mates, several breakdowns in the New Forest, fans, starter motors, radiators,no hooter to the point where one day I added up how much I'd spent on the car in the four years I had it.....I'm not telling you! New bloke and I bonded in that flaming inferno on the M5, we're still together....the car MGBGT and I parted company.


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Blending their latin roots with Bay Area hyphy, duo Los Rakas produce a unique sound that creatively bends genres. They perform live at 330 Ritch on Cinco de Mayo, a prime destination for hip hop fans looking to celebrate the holiday.
Growing up in Panama, cousins Rico and Dun were raised with strong dancehall and reggaeton influences that met a new sound when they moved to Oakland in their early teens. It was only natural for the now 20-somethings to begin blending familiar Spanish lyrics with beats from their current surroundings and soon a niche genre was born. Touring with acts from hip hop groups to, recently, reggae crooner Collie Buddz, they have developed a diverse following through energetic performances sure to grab the attention of any true music lover. Los Rakas has released two mixtapes as well as several singles but plan to release an EP featuring more of their own production later this spring.
The video for their song "Kalle" off the mixtape Panabay Twist 2: La Tanda Del Bus was released in February, filmed during a recent week-long trip to New York in which they also performed six different shows.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, May 5, at 330 Ritch with Los Rakas,DJ Pee Wee, and DJ Aspect.


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Residents in Lawrence County are mourning the deaths of two teenage girls and two men after two separate vehicle crashes.
Residents in Lawrence County are mourning the deaths of two teenage girls and two men after two separate vehicle crashes.
Loretto teens Tanna Pesnell and Rianna Watson, both 17, as well as 28-year-old Lloyd Bentley and 32-year-old James Race of Lawrenceburg died in the accidents.
The first crash occurred about 6 p.m. Wednesday as Watson was driving a GMC Envoy west on Old Florence Pulaski Highway in Leoma with Pesnell, according to a Tennessee Highway Patrol report.
The report said the Envoy crossed the center line and collided head-on with a box truck hauling dog food driven by Brentley Cheek, 41, Leoma. Cheek was not injured.
Watson died at the scene, the report said. Pesnell was transported by Lifeflight to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she remained in critical condition and ultimately died from her injuries Thursday afternoon, according to THP spokeswoman Dalya Qualls.
WLX-FM radio posted on its Facebook page Thursday that Loretto High School would open at 10 a.m. for students to gather in light of the accidents. A request for comment from the school was not immediately answered.
The second crash occurred about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, THP officials said.
A 2009 Nissan Altima occupied by Bentley, Race and Jenifer Branham, 33, was traveling east on Weakley Creek Road in Lawrenceburg when the driver lost control of the automobile and it left the west side of the roadway and struck a tree, ejecting all three occupants, a THP report said.
Investigators at the scene were not able to determine who was driving the vehicle, the report said, and there was physical evidence of alcohol.
Bentley and Race died at the scene, and Branham was flown to Vanderbilt where she remained in stable condition, the hospital spokeswoman said.


text: Might have to go back to hi/lo as its dang chilly out and looks like its gonna be here a bit. Got a little fresh white crap this morning. I almost just pulled the covers over my head and stayed home. Who do I need to bribe for some warm weather?


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Many fireplace mantels are made of combustible materials. Because of this, there must be a clearance between the mantel and the firebox where the fire is lit, called the fireplace surround. While you can leave this clearance space bare, with the bricks of the fireplace displayed, you can also choose to cover the surround with non-combustible materials, using various tiles or sheets of the material to create a look that's a better fit with your decor than brick.
Things You'll Need
- Masking tape
- Drop cloth
- Thinset mortar
- Bucket
- Latex additive
- Finishing trowel
- 1-by-3-inch lumber
- 2-inch masonry screws
- Drill with screw set
- Tape measure
- Tiles
- Wet saw
- 1/2-inch notched trowel
- Tile spacers
- Rubber grout float
- Grout sponge
Place a strip of masking tape along the edges of the fireplace mantel to protect the surface form the materials used to adhere the surround in place. Set a dropcloth at the base of the fireplace to catch any debris.
Mix thinset mortar in a bucket with a mixing paddle attached to a drill. Pour latex additive into the mix while combining the mortar with water to make the mortar more flexible. Follow the additive manufacturer's instructions for the amount of additive to add according to the amount of mortar mixed. Add water to the mortar until you have a mix of the same consistency as peanut butter.
Spread the thinset over the brick surface, filling the joints of the brick and creating a thin flat layer of the mortar. Use a finishing trowel to spread the mortar, and then allow the mortar to cure overnight.
Measure the firebox opening with the tape measure and divide the distance in half. Place a mark at the halfway mark extending upward from the top of the firebox over the mortar covering the surround. Use a pencil to mark the surround with a straightedge to keep the mark straight.
Cut a 1-by-3-inch board to the measured length of the firebox plus an additional 6 inches. Place the board across the top of the firebox, with the top of the board running flush with the base of the surround above the firebox and centered over the firebox opening. Secure the board in place using 2-inch masonry screws driven through the board and into the brick beneath at each end of the firebox opening with a drill containing a screw set. This board will serve as a base for your tiles placed onto the upper portion of the surround.
Mix a second batch of thinset with latex additive. Spread the thinset onto the top of the surround above the wood board using the notched trowel. Tilt the trowel on end and use the notches on the edge to create grooves in the mortar to better grasp the rear of the tiles. Place the first tile on the centerline drawn on the surround, with the tile centered on the line and the bottom of the tile set against the board.
Press the tile onto the mortar with a small twist. Place a tile spacer onto either side and on top of the tile. Set another tile in the same row next to the center tile, continue to set tiles on the row, placing spacers between each until you reach the edges and no full tile will fit. Cut a full tile to fit the space along the edge using a wet saw, and then set the partial tile in place. Position the partial tile so that the cut edge of the tile is against the mantle for less visibility of the cut. Place the nest row of tiles above the first, using the spacers to keep all the lines uniform. Continue placing each row until you reach the top of the surround space. Cut the tiles along the top as needed to fit the space.
Remove the support board by unscrewing it. Measure the height of the tiles and the space of a joint created by the spacers. Measure the height of untiled space down the legs of the surround on either side of the firebox opening. Divide the height by the combined tile and joint line measurements to determine the number of full-sized tiles needed to cover the space. For example, if you have legs extending 4-feet beneath the tiles section and the combined tile and joint line measurement is 3-1/2 inches you'll have 13 full-sized tiles with space left over for a partial tile that's 2-1/2 inches high.
Cut the partial tiles for the bottom row of the surround feet using the wet saw. Spread mortar along one of the legs and then beginning with the bottom row of cut tiles, apply the tiles from the bottom upwards. Use tile spacers to keep the spacing between the tiles even, and place the cut side of the partial tiles against the fireplace hearth. Work in rows until you reach the tiled section above the surround. Repeat the tiling process for the other leg.
Allow the mortar holding the tiles to cure overnight.
Remove all spacers. Mix a batch of grout in a bucket. Spread the grout into the tile joints with a rubber grout float. Use the edge of the rubber float to slide the grout over the tile and into the empty joints. Wipe the tiles immediately after grouting with a damp grout sponge, removing the excess grout that did not go into the joints. Wait two hours, and then wipe the area again with a cotton cloth to remove any grout that may otherwise form a gray haze.
Remove the masking tape from the mantel. Allow the mortar and grout two weeks to cure before using the fireplace.
Tips & Warnings
- Cut marble or granite slabs with the wet saw to the same dimensions of the surround and apply over the smoothed mortar layer as an alternative to tiling.
- Use stone veneer rather than tiles for a natural look to your fireplace surround.
Related Searches
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images


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Roll Over Basho: Who Japan Is Reading, and Why
Published: September 27, 1992
"JAPANESE writers are very aware of what we're doing on this side of the Pacific and very well informed about American fiction, about American culture," says the novelist Jay McInerney. "Yet we're terribly ignorant in this country of Japanese fiction, Japanese culture. It is, I think, far more accessible than we might imagine."
In an effort to correct this cultural trade imbalance, PEN, the writers' organization, brought Mr. McInerney together in New York with Haruki Murakami, a best-selling novelist in Japan, who is a visiting fellow in East Asian studies at Princeton University. Following are excerpts of the conversation between Mr. McInerney, whose novel "Ransom" is set in Japan, and Mr. Murakami, two of whose novels ("Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" and "A Wild Sheep Chase") are available in English translations. Mr. McInerney and Mr. Murakami later expanded their observations for The Book Review.
Jay McInerney: I happened to pass the marquee of the play "Why I Hate Hamlet," which put me on a train of associations having to do with the anxiety of influence and patricide. And it made me think of the invitation we sent out that stated that Haruki Murakami was the heir to Yukio Mishima. It's a notion that I've seen advanced before in American reviews and articles about Murakami's work, a notion that nicely represents, to put the mildest spin that I can on it, a relative innocence about recent developments in Japanese fiction.
Haruki Murakami resembles Mishima mainly by virtue of being Japanese, and after that the affinities get pretty tenuous. Mishima was one of literature's great romantics, a tragedian with a heroic sensibility, an intellectual, an esthete, a man steeped in Western letters who toward the end of his life became a militant Japanese nationalist.
Even when he's writing about relatively fantastic subjects, like spirit possession in sheep, Haruki Murakami's sensibility is that, I think, of a skeptical realist. His narrator is inevitably Everyman, contemporary Tokyo edition, a kind of thirtyish urban male in a low-key white-collar job, like advertising or public relations, a somewhat passive fellow who doesn't expect much out of life and who takes what comes to him with jaded equanimity.
His motto might be "No big deal." Like most Japanese, the typical Murakami protagonist believes himself to be a man of the middle, the product of, to quote from Mr. Murakami's novel "Norwegian Wood," "a regular workaday family, not especially rich, not especially poor. A real run-of-the-mill house, small yard, Toyota Corolla."
Remarkable things do tend to befall these antiheroes of Mr. Murakami's fiction. Their girlfriends commit suicide. Their friends turn into sheep. Their favorite elephants disappear into thin air. But they will be damned if they're going to make a big deal out of it.
Like the narrators of Raymond Carver's short stories -- and I should mention that Murakami is Raymond Carver's translator in Japan -- they are unremarkable men, less driven by the ethic to succeed and less enmeshed in the powerful webs of family and business and community than most Japanese. And in this, I suspect, may lie some of the tremendous popular appeal of Murakami's novels for Japanese readers. If I'm not mistaken, "Norwegian Wood" has sold in the neighborhood of four million copies in Japan.
Haruki Murakami: Actually, two million copies is the correct figure. Since readers in Japan dislike thick books, what would be sold in America as one volume is divided into two volumes when sold in Japan. So if you think of Part One and Part Two as one volume, then only two million copies have been sold. The reason Japanese readers dislike thick books is that they're heavy and hard to read on commuter trains. Also in Japan it generally takes three years for a book to come out in paperback after it is released in hard cover, so many people end up having to read the hard-cover edition. Well, even two million is an astounding number, at least to me.
McInerney: So I take it back. Actually Mr. Murakami is really not that popular in Japan, but I'm going to proceed as if he were.
Mr. Murakami's protagonists stand just a little apart and aside in a society that commands full participation of its members. Unlike the student radicals so visible on Japanese campuses, they don't want to destroy the system; they don't want to turn it upside down, they just want to drift along on the fringe of society. This refusal to join the group must be tremendously appealing to the contemporary Japanese reader. Which is not to say that his work is not in the same way appealing to all of us, but it clearly represents a break from the subject matter of Murakami's immediate predecessors, from, for instance, the bored esthetes of Yasunari Kawabata, the stiff aristocrats of Junichiro Tanizaki or the tortured young men of Mishima.
When you began your career as a writer, did you feel that you were in conscious revolt against older Japanese writers like Mishima? Certainly we're all familiar with the anxiety of influence and the notion of patricide among younger writers; the father must be slain in order to clear the ground for the sons.