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Pinnacle Designs Chooses SYSPRO ERP to Increase Operational Efficiencies, Enhance Customer Service; SYSPRO Selected Over Microsoft Great Plains and Infor Sxe
COSTA MESA, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — December 18, 2012 — SYSPRO, a developer of best-of breed, award-winning enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for on-premise and cloud-based utilization, today announced that California-based Pinnacle Designs, an industry leading manufacturer and distributor of souvenir and promotional products, has selected SYSPRO ERP to increase operational efficiencies and enhance customer service.
Now celebrating the company's 33rd year, Pinnacle Designs is a winner of numerous awards for the company's extensive product line that includes emblematic jewelry, key tags, luggage tags, embroidered patches and other promotional and souvenir products. The company had been using an outdated accounting and inventory system that was no longer serving the firm's rapidly growing operations. According to David Messe, Executive Vice President, Pinnacle initiated a search for a new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution to provide superior insight into company operations, better serve a growing customer list and "generally provide better tools for our team from accounting to sales to warehouse to purchasing."
Says Messe, "We selected SYSPRO ERP due to the robust nature of the software and the extensive functionalities it offers in such areas as manufacturing, distribution, accounting and CRM. SYSPRO is a one product company that continually enhances the product, investing heavily in its progression and usefulness. We also put a lot of faith in the team at SYSPRO and were impressed with the dedication of everyone we met from the CEO to sales to implementation."
In addition to enabling every department, from sales to accounting to increase efficiencies, Messe is looking to SYSPRO ERP to enable superior forecasting, maximize inventory controls and facilitate mobile access.
About Pinnacle Designs
Now celebrating the company's 33rd year, Pinnacle Designs is a leading supplier of emblematic jewelry, key tags, rubber softies, luggage tags, bottle openers, magnets and embroidered patches for the promotional products and souvenir industry. The winner of numerous awards as a top ranked supplier, Pinnacle Designs is known for product excellence, meeting production schedules and quality imprinting/personalization and communications. Pinnacle was also named a Counselor's Best Places to Work four years in a row since the award's inception. Pinnacle Designs is also the recipient of other industry recognitions, including many vendor partner awards, indicative of the company focus on creating and implementing innovative new ideas and products.
For more information and to view the company's array of unique products, go to: www.pinnacledesigns.com.
For additional information, call: (818) 365-7772 or write: Pinnacle Designs 615 8th Street, San Fernando, CA 91340
About SYSPRO
SYSPRO has earned the trust of more than 14,500 companies globally for its suite of visionary software that enhances the competitive thrust of small/mid-sized manufacturers and distributors. The company's adherence to developing technology based on the needs of customers is among the reasons why SYSPRO enjoys one of the highest customer retention rates in the industry. Follow SYSPRO on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SYSPRO_USA
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SYSPROAMERICAS
Blog: www.responsibleERP.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/sysprousa
For additional information on SYSPRO, call Stanley Goodrich at 714/437-1000 or go to: www.syspro.com
Stanley Goodrich, 714/437-1000


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As first ever official Bard of Northampton, and regular MC of Northampton's premier new acts/new material comedy night, We are Most Amused at The Victoria, Donna has performed stand-up and poetry all over the UK, playing to crowds big and small, from pubs and arthouses to festival crowds. An MC and comic with a difference, Donna has been called upon to bring her warm, friendly musings and poetry to all sorts of events, including the BSFA Awards ceremony, Lyric Lounge, The Fishmarket Presents: Edinburgh Previews, various science fiction and fantasy conventions and Bite n'Write Food Bloggers' Conference.
Slob I've no wish to be complicit in your life of grime, but I've got a busy schedule and I really don't have time to sort out all your crap; I only wish I had. I just thought I'd mention that it's making me look bad. 'Cause when I walk in through the door, it looks like you've been robbed. Life is never easy when your boyfriend is a slob. Is there dust on every surface? No - all surfaces are stacked with papers, mugs and DVDS - the dust's on top of that. Is there nowhere you can put these things? Dare I suggest a shelf? - and the answer I am looking for is not 'do it yourself'. You could clear out the cellar, but then that's a massive job. Things are never easy when your boyfriend is a slob. The kitchen sink is full of grease, the kettle needs descaling; you've tried to do some washing up, but mostly you've been failing. I thought I'd help with hoovering, but found it rather tricky; do you have any explanation why your carpet is so sticky? No, I don't think I'm nagging you, and really I'm no snob, it's just that it's not easy when your boyfriend is a slob. You say you'll cook me dinner and have candlelight for two, but I'd find you more appealing if you had a nice, clean loo. Besides, I've seen your dining room and don't think we'd be able to have a game of footsy with that bike under the table. I wouldn't eat a tin of soup you'd heated on that hob, you're at risk of salmonella when your boyfriend is a slob. You demonstrate such apathy that my words can't help but fail. You've got more unopened post than the flippin' Royal Mail. You've got more books and papers than the entire British Library. I want to help you sort it out, but must I resort to bribery? You want me to move in with you? That will only happen if we roll up our sleeves together, and with elbow grease and Cif, we'll scrub and scour everything, and with a little care we'll have your whole house sparkling like a diamond solitaire. But if you were to ask the question now... I think I'd sob; It's not that I don't love you, but you really are a slob.
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Blog entries by Donna Scott
Fashion Womble (24/02/2012)
Love is The Stig (16/02/2012)
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Hover over an event to see the details. ( open mic event, Write Out Loud event)
Tuesday 10 May 2016
Stony Stratford » Scribal Gathering
8:00pm at 64 High St, Stony Stratford, MK11 1AQ, GB
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Thu 16th Feb 2012 11:15
Hello Ann! Lovely to be here :)
Thu 16th Feb 2012 10:59
Hi Donna - a warm welcome to WOL. Your CV sounds really interesting - glad you've posted a poem already! :)
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subset: commoncrawl


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Karst, Caves and Cavers
The beautiful, bizarre and fragile world beneath your feet.
By Rae Nadler-Olenick
Thirty-two miles east of Del Rio, where Las Moras Springs bubbles out of the earth, the town of Brackettville marks the southwestern margin of the Balcones Fault Zone: a 5- to 40-mile-wide sector of ancient tectonic activity that cuts a 200-mile curved swath from Brackettville east and then north to just short of Waco.
The Balcones Fault Zone marks the division between two very different geographies. To the east is the rich, low-lying farmland of the Texas Coastal Plain. To the west, at higher altitude, stretches karst.
"Karst is a landscape formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks," says hydrogeologist George Veni, a transplanted Texan who now serves as executive director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, based in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Texas karst areas are marked by sinkholes at the surface, and caves and springs below. Karst comprises approximately 20 percent of Texas.
"Remember, it's a terrain, not a specific rock," Veni adds. "To pick up a rock and say, 'This is karst,' is like picking up a rock and saying, 'This is a mountain.'"
Four kinds of rock — limestone, dolomite, gypsum and rock salt — lend themselves to karst development. It's the first two chemically related types — the carbonates — that account for the majority of karst in Central Texas.
One hundred million years ago, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, Central Texas was under a shallow sea teeming with life. As plankton, corals and shellfish died, their calciferous skeletons accumulated on the sea floor, where, over geologic time and under tremendous pressure, they compacted into layers of limestone. Over the next 35 million years, the coastline advanced and receded several times. During each submersion, limestone beds accumulated, each unique to its own time period. Eventually — perhaps 50 million years ago — the seawaters retreated for good.
Around 15 million years ago, a series of tectonic (earth shifting) events in the Balcones Fault Zone broke up the limestone layers. Some were raised and exposed to the surface by erosion, while others remained buried and dropped even further underground. Surface water began to enter the newly exposed rock outcrops, adding to the karst-forming processes of dissolution and erosion already taking place underground.
Today, the Edwards Plateau, a great expanse of limestone formed during the Cretaceous Period (146–65 million years ago) stretches westward from the eastern fringe of the Balcones Fault Zone to the Pecos River. These limestones — named the Edwards Group — together with the fault zone itself, harbor the majority of Texas' caves and aquifers. But caves of comparable age also occur in much-older limestones formed during earlier periods. They can be found in the Llano area (Ordovician limestone, 500–440 million years ago) and in West Texas and the Big Bend area (Permian limestone, 296–245 million years ago). Most Texas limestone caves were carved out between 2 and 15 million years ago.
In the Panhandle and in Culberson County, gypsum, a chemically different, non-carbonate rock type, plays host to significant karst areas that include some unusual fast-growing sinkholes like the famous Wink Sink.
Caves are closely tied to aquifers in karst systems. "A lot of people, hearing the word 'reservoir,' think of lakes, rivers and streams," says Veni. "Most aquifers don't have lakes, rivers or streams. However, the Edwards is a karst aquifer, meaning that spaces were dissolved out of the bedrock for water to move through and be stored in underground streams."
The Edwards Aquifer traces a 200-mile course beneath the Balcones Fault Zone from Brackettville to Austin and provides drinking water to 1.7 million people in the San Antonio area. Surface water originating as rain freely enters the Edwards Aquifer via stream beds, sinkholes and fractures. There it adds to the aquifer, some of whose waters may have lain underground for thousands of years, nearly still, within the limestone's microscopic matrix. The vast majority of the water, however, moves rapidly, through conduits that are finger-sized or larger.
The aquifer's water is stored in a highly permeable limestone bounded by less permeable layers above and below. It is about 500 feet thick, exposed at the surface throughout the fault zone and Edwards Plateau and buried more than 2,500 feet deep where faulting drops it underground toward the Gulf Coast. Its water table averages an elevation of 1,100 feet above sea level near Brackettville and gradually descends to an average 450 feet near Barton Springs in Austin. Artesian springs, such as those in Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels, and San Antonio, occur where the water table extends above the land surface. Where the land rises above the water table, water must be pumped from the ground.
In 1895, workers drilling an artesian well in San Marcos came across an unusual salamander. Eyeless and translucent, with feathery red external gills, the spindly-legged 5-inch-long creature was a breeding adult stalled at a juvenile stage of development, like a tadpole that never grew up.
Scientists have found many more biological curiosities since the Texas blind salamander was first described.
It's well known that mammals from bats to bears take advantage of the shelter that caves afford. Bats, the best-known denizens, roost by day and at night emerge to feed, often on insect pests: The colony of 20 million Mexican freetails at Bracken Cave near San Antonio consumes some 200 tons of moths and beetles nightly.
But within the subterranean depths dwells another, very different kind of life, one that few of us have had occasion to encounter. These denizens of the dark are called troglobites: fish, salamanders, shrimp, beetles, spiders, harvestmen (daddy longlegs), centipedes, millipedes and other less-familiar species. Evolved in isolation, they can live nowhere else. But they are exquisitely adapted to life in their circumscribed environment. The karst systems of Central Texas are extraordinarily rich in troglobites. That's no coincidence: the region's geological history and present-day terrain have created the conditions that lead to highly specialized adaptation in its biota.
"You've got things like the Colorado River, a major barrier to species," says Jean Krejca, president of Zara Environmental LLC, a Buda-based karst management firm specializing in endangered species.
Species barriers are geographical features such as streams and mountains that prevent two previously connected populations from reaching each other to interbreed. These previously similar populations begin to diverge, to evolve at their separate rates, over many years, in different directions. In the case of exclusive cave dwellers, eyes gradually disappear, pigment fades, and appendages lengthen.
Some surprising inhabitants are found underground. Krejca points out an isopod — a tiny pale crustacean that's a distant cousin to a pill bug (aka roly poly). Its closest relative, genetic studies show, lives at the bottom of the ocean, in marine vents.
So how did it end up in a Central Texas cave? The answer goes back to 60 million years ago, when Texas was still under a shallow sea.
"It lived on the shallow coastal shelf," she explains. "When Texas was uplifted, at more or less the same time that the Rocky Mountains were being built, these critters went down into caves and became adapted to both fresh water and caves at the same time."
Troglobites share their underground world with other species less completely dark-adapted. Troglophiles, such as the slimy salamander, can live in caves but don't need to; for them, any dark spot will do. Incidentals — which can be any living thing — are temporary "drop-ins."
Then there are the trogloxenes: creatures that must spend part, but not all, of their life cycle within a cave, like a cave cricket, which has tan coloring and elongated antennae but normal eyes.
Crickets play an important role in cave ecology. Like bats, they leave the cave at night to forage. These crickets are largely herbivorous. They, in turn, contribute nutrients to the cave community by becoming a food source for many of its inhabitants. Certain beetles, in fact, are adapted to eating cricket eggs, with long, narrow heads that have evolved to reach into the tiny holes in mud or clay where the crickets deposit their eggs.
Today, some Texas troglobites are in trouble, through both the introduction of non-native species like fire ants and the activities of man. Over 20 species, including the Texas blind salamander and several cave beetles, are listed as endangered. Habitat necessary to the survival of endangered species, designated critical habitat, is regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and property owners — be they private developers, military bases or state parks — are charged with devising acceptable plans for land management. Consultants like Zara are kept busy providing a wide range of services, from species population inventories to drafting management plans.
Development poses the greatest threat to sensitive cave communities. Toxic spills and fertilizer residue make their way to the water table. Impervious cover replaces important topside vegetation and alters drainage patterns.
"No species goes extinct in isolation," says Krejca. "If a beetle dies out, it probably means the cave cricket population is lower. So then you go look at what's the limiting factor on the cave cricket population. Cave crickets need a healthy plant community. You go out and walk over the surface of the cave and, sure enough, somebody's put a parking lot there. It used to be a big field, somewhere crickets could live. It's not just that that beetle has disappeared, the whole landscape has changed."
Cave communities have major ecological contributions to make. They are composters, returning nutrients to the soil (crickets, harvestmen, beetles and many others). They are pest exterminators (bats). And, with their sensitivity to pollution and other environmental disruptions, they are bellwethers of conditions outside. They thrive where the surrounding land thrives. Likewise, healthy aquifer communities point toward safe, uncontaminated water.
In late 2007, the Edwards Aquifer Authority launched a three-year Deep Biota Study in southern Bexar County. The inventory of the aquifer's deepest-dwelling inhabitants — fish, salamanders, crustaceans and microorganisms that live below 1,000 feet — will give scientists their first glimpse of some of the creatures in many years. Since 1996, Texas has required landowners to contain their flowing artesian wells for conservation purposes. "It's been much harder to observe them since then," says Geary Schindel, the authority's chief technical officer. "We know the aquifer was alive, with well-developed aquatic communities at great depths. We're trying to find out what's there, whether they're still there, and how widely distributed they are."
By placing nets over selected artesian wellheads when the wells are opened, the researchers hope to answer those questions. They're particularly eager to find two species of blind catfish last seen 30 years ago, in order to genetically test the pair for clues to their ancestry. Schindel has a hunch the fish might not be all that rare, just difficult to spot.
"It's kind of like identifying the wildlife in the forest by looking out through a window," he says.
Then again, three years of monitoring 50 wells on public and private land — each at least twice and some up to 25 times — will provide a lot of windows and, hopefully, a lot of answers. "It's a very exciting study," he says.Caves and Cavers
Caves have held an attraction for man since prehistoric times, with a wide range of human activities taking place within their depths. In the lower Pecos River region of Texas, hunter-gatherer residents of 6,000-1,000 years ago used caves for burials and left a vivid record of their presence in paintings on rock shelters in the area. For modern-day cavers, the lure remains. Sundry motives fuel their passion for exploring underground: the love of adventure, natural beauty, scientific discovery, physical challenge and more.
Texas caves are as diverse as the cavers who roam their passages, offering something to suit everyone. For sheer beauty, the Caverns of Sonora in Sutton County rival caves worldwide, with their sparkling chambers of pure white or mineral-tinted formations. A very different, watery setting greets wet-suited visitors to the state's longest cave, Honey Creek in Kendall and Comal counties, which comprises more than 20 miles of active stream passageway draining to the Guadalupe River. In Edwards County, the legendary Devil's Sinkhole — a 350-foot deep pit caused by the roof collapse of a giant underground chamber — boasts a large bat colony as well as an intriguing 133-year history of exploration and exploitation. "Long, tight and dusty" are words to describe Airman's Cave in Travis County, a popular destination for Austin locals. Enchanted Rock Cave, a granite cave in Llano County, is an example of pseudokarst, in which caves are formed in non-soluble rocks by processes other than dissolution.
From three-dimensional mazes to steep drops to stunning decorations, the charms of Texas caves have cavers coming back again and again. Sometimes, for decades. Blair Pittman's romance with the underground dates back to his first visit to Carlsbad Caverns when he was just five years old.
"I was hooked," says the pioneering cave photographer.
Pittman, who grew up in Pecos, had to wait a few more years for his first wild cave, the formidable Devil's Sinkhole. But in 1949 at age 11, accompanied by an adult friend, he gingerly descended 150 feet down a ladder made of sheep-wire fencing to the top of the guano mountain that rises from the depths of the enormous pit. Soon he was caving regularly. And, entranced by the beauty of the formations he saw — and eager to share it with his parents — he began to teach himself the difficult art of taking pictures below ground, starting with a simple Brownie Hawkeye.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s — the "Golden Age of Texas caving" — he continued to hone his photographic skills in a wide range of caves in Texas, adjoining states and Mexico, making multiple trips to many. He participated in the early explorations of such great show caves as Natural Bridge Caverns, Inner Space Cavern and, especially, the Caverns of Sonora (then called Mayfield Cave), which became his personal muse. "Once I got into Mayfield Cave, that was it. Trip after trip after trip to it only, photographing the fantastic formations," he says. He also worked there with developer Jack Burch to help develop the trail and electrical systems.
Photographic prowess led to a professional career. In 1962, he joined the Denton Record Chronicle staff, moving in 1964 to the Houston Chronicle, where he stayed until 1978. Next came a five-year stint with National Geographic, followed by years of freelance work. Caving took a backseat to job and family concerns, though he still found opportunities to cave in England, Ireland, Malaysia and Ecuador, while racking up a long string of photography awards.
In 1995, when Texas A&M University Press contacted him about doing a book, he had been out of serious caving for almost three decades. "I'd forgotten how hard cave photography is," says Pittman, who was soon squeezing through tight passages and floating heavy equipment down subterranean rivers to revisit locales he'd photographed years before. Texas Caves, published in 1999, contains 66 of his finest photos, old and new, along with 33 more by other eminent explorer/photographers of his era.
Today he's retired to a cabin in Terlingua Ghost Town in the Big Bend, a stone's throw from an abandoned mine, a natural cave and a 150-foot pit. And though busy with other projects, like penning two slim volumes of local lore, he still caves on occasion. "But I stay away from the tough stuff," he says.
Austinite Bill Russell has devoted the greater part of his 72 years to discovering, exploring, mapping and documenting caves. As a youngster growing up in Tulsa, he would dig a trench, put boards over it, cover them with dirt and crawl inside. "I always liked to be under things," he says.
Later — when he was old enough to help out — his father, a geologist, took him along on work trips to Kentucky. There he began caving in the long, deep, complex cave systems that cut through that state's massive karst terrain. By the time he entered the University of Texas at Austin in 1955, his underground preferences were well established. "I'm a passage person," says Russell. "I like cave passages. Formations are nice, but I like caves that go somewhere."
He arrived on campus just in time to join the newly formed UT Grotto and participate in the explosion of organized caving then taking place around the state and in Mexico. Things were simpler back then, with far fewer restrictions on cavers than today.
"The Devil's Sinkhole had just a sign by the road to mark it," he says. "And when we first found Mexico, it was enormous caves, unimaginable beauty, wonders after wonders. Entrances big as houses going into the mountainside that no one had ever gone into." After graduation, he worked for a time as a research assistant to a Texas Tech University professor engaged in blindfish studies. However, the burden of grantwriting duties plus the desire to work on his own projects eventually led him in a different occupational direction. He joined the Internal Revenue Service.
"They have great time off," he points out — and good hours. "I could get off work at 4 and be underground by 4:30."
He retired from the IRS in 2006 after more than three decades as a tax examiner. Today, he's busier than ever with administrative chores like writing reports and updating the TSS files. And digging.
Most afternoons find him out searching for new and "lost" caves in Travis and surrounding counties, often with a crew of enthusiastic younger helpers. They follow nature's clues: air blowing out of the ground, a suggestive depression in the earth. Then they dig.
"I like digging in itself and I like going to the caves I find, so it's a double payoff," he says.
While painstakingly clearing rocks and dirt away from a hole is a far cry from the rigorous explorations of his younger days, Russell keeps in shape. He frequents challenging Airman's Cave — scene of numerous rescues — and can reach the back in five hours, a fast time by Airman's standards.
Has he slowed down any since his youth?
"Possibly. You hate to admit that," he muses. "It hasn't been serious yet, I'll say that."
Resources For Texas Cavers
Many resources are available to Texans interested in caves. Show caves provide an excellent introduction to the subject. Texas has seven commercial caves that offer public tours: the Caverns of Sonora, Natural Bridge Caverns, Inner Space Cavern, Cave Without a Name, Longhorn Cavern, Cascade Caverns and Wonder Cave. (www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/showcaves/ind ex.html)
For those interested in learning more, local caving clubs, called grottos, exist in many areas. Grottos welcome new members, provide safety and technical training for beginners and organize caving trips. The oldest such group is Austin-based Underground Texas Grotto, established in 1951. Other grottos are based in San Antonio, College Station, Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, Galveston, Midland/Odessa and Cooper. (www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/links /txgrottos.htm)
Many Texas cavers join the Texas Speleological Association, a not-for-profit organization that supports cave exploration and studies in and around the state. TSA represents the greater caving community of Texas. It organizes an annual convention, sponsors caving projects throughout the state, and produces a magazine, The Texas Caver. (www.cavetexas.org)
The Texas Speleological Survey is a nonprofit corporation established in 1961 to collect, organize and maintain information on Texas caves and karst in the form of maps, photographs, reports and books. TSS makes that information generally available for scientific, educational and conservation purposes. It is affiliated with TSA, the Texas Memorial Museum and the National Speleological society. (www.utexas.edu/tmm /sponsored_sites/tss/)
Texas has two organizations specifically dedicated to the preservation of caves and underground resources.
The Texas Cave Management Association is a nonprofit organization chartered for: "The preservation for posterity of the caves and caverns of Texas and their mineral, biological, archaeological and aesthetic contents; to promote the conservation and study of caves within the state of Texas; and to promote and support any scientific and educational programs on caves in Texas." It manages and owns several caves in Texas and publishes an online newsletter. (www.tcmacaves.org)
The Texas Cave Conservancy is a non-member, nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of caves, cave life and cave-related aquifers. TCC conducts public education, scientific research and cave management activities. It manages several dozen caves within 40 separate preserves in the Austin area. (www.texascaves.org)
International Event Set For July 2009
During the week of July 19–26, 2009, some 2,000 cavers, karst scientists, environmentalists and educators representing more than 100 countries will converge on Kerrville for the 15th International Congress of Speleology. Participants in the worldwide event — held every four years since 1953, but rarely on U.S. soil — will choose from a wide range of activities including caving trips, seminars, workshops and competitions. Salons will display the best in cave-related photography, art and mapping, and vendors will offer up the latest in equipment. The congress, open to registrants, is geared to those with a serious interest in speleological science and exploration. (www.ics2009.us).


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When animator Adrian Dexter set out to make his short fantasy flick Væsen, he had a very clear aesthetic in mind. "Basically I wanted Rankin-Bass on acid, written by Borges," he explained to Cartoon Brew. Dexter created this film for his bachelor's project at Denmark's Animation Workshop. Here's the synopsis:
A prince sets off on a journey to save his dying father, driven by his fear of failing him.
The final product is trippy as balls, a twinge NSFW, and makes me want to throw on some Jethro Tull or Tangerine Dream.


text: Economical light weight filters for standard 10" housings. Certified by NSF 42 and FDA CFR title 21.PureT sediment filter cartridge's coreless design is an economical solution to pre-filtration for many applications. They are used widely as pre-filtration for RO systems and post-filtration for GAC filters. They are also used in applications such as Ice Machines, Film Processing, Beverage, Coffee, Analytical, Wineries, and many others.


text:
Four-hour standoff ends peacefully
A standoff in Lake Mills Tuesday evening ended peacefully, according to the Lake Mills Police Department.
Police were called to a home in the 600 block of West Madison Street at 7:54 p.m. for a report of a possible suicidal subject. Police said they made phone contact with the man who led police to believe he would harm himself if police entered.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department and Wisconsin State Patrol assisted in setting up a perimeter and shut down streets in the area.
Negotiators made contact with the man, who after several hours let officers into his home. He was taken into custody without incident at 12:03 a.m.
Police said they seized a loaded shotgun along with another shotgun and rifle.
The man was taken into custody on emergency detention and the Jefferson County District Attorney will consider possible criminal charges.


text:
So I'm working on an app that wraps many of it's SQL queries in a transaction for it's SQL usage and I'm trying to think of some ways to scale the DB layer up....
Up until now we've been throwing hardware at the problem, slowly upgrading our Rackspace cloud servers...but we're reaching the upper echelons of their cloud server offerings.
I'm thinking the standard R/W split won't work for us because the transaction gets stuck to a single server eliminating the benefits of the R/W split. (Is that right?)
I've looked at dbShards and ScaleBase both of which look like interesting solutions to the problem, but as a cash strapped startup we'd prefer to use something OSS or devote some man hours creating a sharding strategy instead.
So I suppose the question boils down to, are Galera/MySQL Cluster and sharding my only two options for scaling this setup?
To answer some more questions...
We manage a great deal of financial and inventory related data, for this reason we wrap most of our SQL traffic in a transaction so it's all or nothing.
We have ~100 tables in our DB with ~30 of them getting a great deal of use. The most commonly used tables have anywhere from from 15MM to 35MM rows.
Our transactions span across 20-30 tables with joins between ~10 of them. The queried tables are rather large and we have made some inroads with respect to query optimization and proper indexing, but no one is a fully fledged DBA in house....closest is me haha
A lot of our DB traffic is machine generated, we do a lot of syncing with third party data sources. As such, most of the SQL queries are wrapped in a transaction to ensure data consistency when performing all the calculations and syncing with the third parties (and to allow for a rollback if the link to the third party gets disrupted)
Based off of our cacti monitoring it looks like a great deal of our SQL traffic is reads (~85%R to ~15%W)
Just as a note, we haven't hit too much of a bottleneck with our current cloud server but I'm doing my due diligence ahead of time to make sure we don't run into the wall without a plan.


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ORLANDO, Fla. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Carmelo Anthony couldn't be stopped in the fourth quarter. He scored 16 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, helping the New York Knicks outlast the Orlando Magic 114-106 on Saturday night.
J.R. Smith added 18 points off the bench and Tyson Chandler had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
The Knicks have won two straight overall and four in a row over the Magic, dating back to last season.
Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson each had 29 points to lead the Magic, and Nik Vucevic contributed 11 points and 18 rebounds.
Orlando outrebounded New York 45-40, but had 14 turnovers as it extended its longest losing streak of the season to eight games.
All of the losses have come since the injury of starting forward Glen Davis, who continues to rehab his sprained left shoulder.
The Magic flipped a four-point halftime deficit into an 89-81 lead entering the fourth.
The Knicks rallied using their size, going up 99-97 on a dunk by Chandler with 5:14 left.
Orlando's Josh McRoberts got tangled up underneath with Chandler a few trips later and was whistled for a technical. Steve Novak knocked down the ensuing free throw and pushed the Knicks' lead to 102-98.
It was 106-102 when Jason Kidd swished a 3-pointer from the corner with less than two minutes to play.
Afflalo got a layup to drop a few possessions later, but Anthony quickly answered with a hanging 16-footer. The Magic were forced to foul and the Knicks then closed it out at the foul line.
Nelson kept the Magic in the game for most of the second half, but was held scoreless in the final period.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson started veteran Marcus Camby for the second straight game, citing the defensive presence he brought to the game early in their recent win over San Antonio.
Orlando had other plans to open the game Saturday.
Nelson scored eight of the Magic's first 11 points as Orlando built a 14-2 first quarter lead, forcing a quick New York timeout.
Orlando held its cushion for most of the half until a 9-0 spurt by the Knicks late in the second quarter gave them their largest lead at 55-48.
The Magic were just 7 of 19 from the field in the second quarter, with seven turnovers. New York took a 59-55 edge into halftime.
NOTES: Amar'e Stoudemire honored his late brother, Hazell Stoudemire, by providing tickets for 30 children from their Lake Wales, Fla. hometown to watch Saturday's game. Hazell, known as "Big STAT", died in February of last year in a car accident. His birthday would have been Friday. "I think of my brother and the knowledge he gave me every day," Amar'e Stoudemire said. "I hope by giving these children this unique experience, I will pay forward some of the positive impact Hazell made on me and my family." …Knicks F Rasheed Wallace sat out again as he continues to get treatment for a sore left foot. He remains day-to-day. Wallace hasn't played since Dec. 13.
Can any team stop MVP-worthy Melo? Sound off below…
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


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How do I make money?
First you must create an account. This lets you track your pastes and visitors to see how much you're earning on the Dashboard. New pastes will be attached to your account so that any new visitors that see those pastes will earn you a reward. The more unique visitors that see your pastes, the more money you will make.


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Sleep Positioners: A Suffocation Riskby CPSC Blogger September 29, 2010 back to sleep SIDS sleep sleep positioner sleep wedge wedge
CPSC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are warning parents and caregivers to stop using sleep positioners. Over the past 13 years CPSC and FDA have received 12 reports of infants between the ages of 1 month and 4 months who have died when they suffocated in these positioners or when they became trapped between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet. CPSC has received dozens of reports of infants who were placed on their backs or sides in sleep positioners, only to be found later in potentially hazardous positions within or next to the sleep positioners.
The safest crib is one with only a mattress and a tight-fitting sheet. Parents should stop using sleep positioners or ANY device to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep. These are unnecessary and can pose a suffocation risk to your baby.
For the safest sleep environment possible, place babies on their backs. Don't put babies to sleep on top of pillows, comforters or thick quilts. And don't place these items, or large stuffed toys, in your baby's crib, bassinet or play yard.
An announcement such as this one is sure to raise some questions. Here are some answers.
What is a sleep positioner?
A sleep positioner is a product that is used to keep babies on their backs while sleeping. Some are flat mats with side bolsters, and others are inclined (wedge) mats with side bolsters. Both types of sleep positioners claim to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by keeping babies on their backs, help with food digestion and reflux, ease colic, and prevent flat head syndrome.
Are the medical claims associated with these products true?
The FDA and CPSC staffs have stated that there is currently no scientific evidence supporting these medical claims. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) already tells parents to avoid "commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS."
How are sleep positioners dangerous?Both types of sleep positioners present problems. If children are placed on their sides or stomachs on a flat sleep positioner, the babies' faces can get trapped against the bolster causing babies to suffocate. Babies placed on their sides with the bolster at their backs can easily roll onto their stomachs with their faces pressed into the product, blocking their breathing.
Babies placed on inclined sleep positioners can scoot around and end up with their heads hanging over the high edge of the positioners. This can cut off babies' ability to breathe. In addition, babies can easily roll from their sides to stomachs or scoot themselves downward with their faces pressed against a bolster in these positioners. If bolsters come loose, babies can become trapped between the sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet.
In some inclined sleep positioners, babies have flipped off the positioner, ending up with the positioner landing on top of them. Each of these scenarios puts babies at risk of suffocation.
How do I make sure my baby stays on his back while sleeping?
Simply place your baby on his or her back in the crib. Once your baby rolls over onto his or her tummy, it's okay to leave your baby there. Babies who can flip over can also turn their heads, a key developmental milestone that reduces the risk of suffocation. If your baby flips over while in a sleep positioner, however, he or she can have a hard time freeing his or her face from the device.
My baby has reflux and my sleep positioner helps. Do I really need to stop using it?
Yes, you should stop using these devices. FDA has no scientific proof that infant sleep positioners help to prevent gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Talk with your pediatrician about safe sleep alternatives for your baby.
12 deaths in 13 years? Is this really a serious hazard?
The potential risk of suffocation and death is serious and preventable. CPSC and FDA believe there is no reason to introduce a risk into your baby's crib, especially given the fact that there are no scientifically proven benefits of using sleep positioners.
Usually, you recall products that are unsafe. Why aren't you recalling specific sleep positioners?
Because of the medical claims made with sleep positioners, they fall primarily under FDA's jurisdiction, rather than CPSC's. FDA is telling manufacturers of sleep positioners to submit scientific data to support their medical claims. Any manufacturer who makes a medical claim about a sleep positioner and who has not received FDA clearance must immediately stop marketing their products. Such devices are illegal and subject to FDA regulatory action.
If you have other questions, e-mail them to firstname.lastname@example.com.
(Watch in Windows Media format) (Transcript)


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Three Cups of Tea author asks judge to toss lawsuit
Plaintiffs cite James Frey case as precedent, urge lawsuit to go forward
Attorneys who accuse Greg Mortenson of defrauding readers in his best-selling Three Cups of Tea say his case is no different from that of James Frey, who admitted on the Oprah Winfrey Show that he lied in his memoir A Million Little Pieces.
That lawsuit ended in a settlement that offered refunds to buyers of the book.
Mortenson has asked a U.S. judge to throw out the civil lawsuit that says he fabricated portions of his book, saying that if it is allowed to proceed, other authors could be subjected to similar claims and the result would be a stifling of the free exchange of ideas.
"Plaintiffs should not be allowed to create a world where authors are exposed to the debilitating expense of class action litigation just because someone believes a book contains inaccuracies," attorney John Kauffman wrote in the filing late last month.
But the plaintiffs' attorneys argue in court documents filed Tuesday the lawsuit should go forward because of the precedent set by class-action lawsuit against Frey. The two cases are "nearly identical," they said.
"The facts in the [Frey] case are stunningly close to the facts in this case, but not nearly as compelling," wrote attorney Alexander Blewett.
The lawsuit claims Mortenson lied about how he began building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan and fabricated other events in the books Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools. The attorney who led the Frey lawsuit, Larry Drury, is also a plaintiffs' attorney in the nine-month-old case against Mortenson.
Winfrey show admission
Winfrey chose A Million Little Pieces, for her book club in September 2005, boosting its sales, which eventually topped 3.5 million. But then Frey acknowledged on Winfrey's show in January 2006 that he had lied in the memoir of addiction and recovery.
A judge in 2007 certified a class-action lawsuit by disgruntled readers against Frey, and the resulting settlement offered a refund to anybody who bought the book before the falsehoods were acknowledged.
Only 1,729 people asked to be reimbursed, costing Random House $27,348 US. The attorneys in the case were paid $783,000 US in fees.
Haddon has not yet scheduled a hearing on whether to dismiss the claim against Mortenson.
The lawsuit accuses the Montana resident of being involved in a racketeering scheme to turn him into a false hero, defraud millions of people out of the price of the books and raise millions in donations to the charity. The other defendants allegedly in on the scheme are co-author David Relin, publisher Penguin Group and Mortenson's Bozeman-based charity, Central Asia Institute.
Mortenson's accusers seek reimbursement of all the money that was made from his books. The lawsuit has been amended four times, with a changing cast of plaintiffs who now number four.
60 Minutes revelations
The lawsuit was filed a few weeks after author Jon Krakauer and 60 Minutes revealed in April 2011 discrepancies in Three Cups of Tea and questioned whether Mortenson was benefiting from his charity.
Meanwhile, Montana prosecutors are moving ahead with their own investigation into Mortenson's charity, saying they plan to update the public about the investigation in the next few weeks.
The Montana attorney general's office is investigating whether the Central Asia Institute broke any laws that govern non-profits in Montana. Assistant Attorney General Jim Molloy said investigators have reviewed thousands of pages of documents and interviewed Mortenson and others connected to the charity.
He declined to say what the investigation has revealed but said his office would be updating the public within a month. The state's probe does not involve the merits of the accounts contained in Mortenson's books, he said.
Mortenson has denied wrongdoing and has kept out of the public eye since having heart surgery last year. In December, the Central Asia Institute said in its year-end letter that Mortenson would no longer be involved in the charity's day-to-day management and that it was looking at expanding its three-person board of directors.


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Royals sweep pair from Tigers
Kansas City gains 2 games on Detroit
James Shields and Danny Duffy were too much for the Detroit Tigers' offense.
Shields allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings and was part of a combined four-hit shutout in Kansas City's 3-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night to give the Royals a sweep of a day-night doubleheader.
Kansas City won the first game 2-1 as Duffy took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and pitched a combined two-hitter.
"Huge day for us. Shields came back and, basically, matched the outing that Duffy had," said Eric Hosmer, who homered in each game.
Royals pitching held the Tigers to a run and six hits combined in the two games.
"You play 18 innings against a team like that and give up one run, you're doing something special," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he isn't worried about his AL Central-leading club.
"It's not a concern. We got what we got. It's pretty simple," he said. "Both teams got great pitching, and we didn't muster enough offense."
The Royals gained two games on Detroit to move within 6.5 games of the Tigers.
"We wanted to come in here and make a statement against these guys," Yost said.
Shields (8-8) won his fourth game in his past five starts. He walked four and struck out one.
"Tonight I was pounding the strike zone but just missing with some of my pitches," Shields said. " ... I've been pitching well all season. I've got a lot of quality starts. That's what I care about, not wins and losses."
The Tigers threatened against Shields in the second and third innings.
In the second, a walk to Andy Dirks and Brayan Pena's single gave Detroit runners on first and second with one out.
But Shields got both Ramon Santiago and Jose Iglesias to hit pop-ups to the shortstop to get out of the inning.
But the biggest potential rally came in the third when the right-hander walked Austin Jackson to lead off the third inning and Torii Hunter singled him to second.
But Shields retired the next three hitters, using mostly his change-up.
Miguel Cabrera was retired on weak roller to Shields between the mound and first base on which the runners moved up to second and third.
But Prince Fielder hit a short fly ball to left fielder Alex Gordon. Despite Jackson's speed, it wasn't nearly deep enough for him to score.
Shields then got Victor Martinez to line out to right to end the inning.
"It's huge, especially with their lineup and who was coming up," Shields said. "You've got Miggy, Fielder and Victor, whose one of the hottest hitters in the league ... and Miggy, the best hitter in the league."
Luke Hochevar pitched a perfect eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth, allowing a hit, for his 34th save. He had saves in both games of the doubleheader.
Jose Alvarez (1-3), called up from Triple-A Toledo to make the start, took the loss. He gave up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out five.
Alvarez's only big mistakes came in the third with two outs. He walked Jamey Carroll and Hosmer followed with his second home run of the day, that gave the Royals a 2-0 lead. Hosmer blasted Alvarez's 1-1 change-up deep into the right-field stands for his 14th homer.
"I felt good, but I made one big mistake," Alvarez said. "I'm here to win games for this team, and I didn't do that, so I'm disappointed."
Alvarez was replaced by Jeremy Bonderman with two outs in the sixth. Bonderman got the final out of that inning and the first two outs of the seventh before being replaced by Phil Coke and Al Alburquerque.
Carroll's sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 3-0. It was an unearned run off Bonderman, whose throwing error on an attempted pickoff throw sent Chris Getz from first to third. He scored on the sac fly.
Duffy (1-0) beat Justin Verlander in the opener.
Duffy was called up from Triple-A Omaha to make his second big league start of the season, and didn't allow a hit until Cabrera's hard-hit, two out single in the sixth.
"I was glad that they finally got one, honestly, because I just wanted to pitch," said Duffy, who underwent Tommy John surgery. "I wanted to protect this arm."
Kelvin Herrera replaced Duffy in the seventh and retired the side in order. Aaron Crow worked the eighth and allowed Santiago's pinch-hit home run leading off the inning. Crow got the next three batters.
"Would have liked to have been able to accomplish two things, win and keep the bullpen fresh," Verlander said. "Just didn't happen that way. Felt like I threw the ball well. Just their guys pitched extremely well, which is they've done all year."
Verlander (12-9) allowed two runs and seven hits in eight innings. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter.
"Our pitching was terrific tonight, both of them," Leyland said. "I'm certainly not going to nitpick what they did."
Kansas City made it 2-0 on consecutive doubles leading off the seventh by Justin Maxwell and Emilio Bonifacio.
NOTE: With two outs in the second inning of the first game, Bonafacio hit a soft liner that Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias reached to his right to catch on the backhand. The ball popped out of his glove back over Iglesias head, but he twisted his body to catch it for the inning's final out. ... In the eighth, Bonifacio, playing center field, and right fielder David Lough collided after Bonifacio made a running catch of Cabrera's long drive on the warning track in deep right-center. ... It was the Royals' first doubleheader sweep in Detroit since Aug. 5, 1984. ... Royals manager Ned Yost said third baseman Mike Moustakas, who has been out since leaving Monday's game with a tight calf, would do some work on the field on Friday to assess his progress. ... The Royals' Billy Butler continued his mastery of Verlander in the first game. Butler was 2 for 3 to run his career mark against the Tigers' star to 27-for-62 (. 435). ... Saturday's scheduled starters are Wade Davis (6-9, 5.29 ERA) for Kansas City against Doug Fister (10-6. 3.60) for Detroit.


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LONDON, Ont. — Justice finally came for Victoria Stafford late Friday when a jury convicted Michael Rafferty of taking, raping and killing the eight-year-old girl in a secluded Ontario field more than three years ago.
It took the nine women and three men roughly 10 hours to decide Rafferty was guilty of first-degree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping.
Members of Stafford's family burst into tears and hugged each other as the verdict came down. Rafferty, meanwhile, sagged visibly in his seat and closed his eyes as the guilty verdicts were read out in court.
The murder verdict carries with it an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 25 years. A sentencing hearing will be held next Tuesday; Stafford's family is expected to deliver victim impact statements.
"I knew we would see justice," said Rodney Stafford, Tori's father, outside the courthouse — where observers and passersby cheered and shouted their joy over the verdict. Passing motorists honked their horns.
Asked about his feelings when he heard the verdict, Rodney Stafford replied that he "wanted to scream in the courtroom, but I just couldn't . . . But at the same time a sense of loss because Tori's not coming home."
When asked about evidence found on Rafferty's laptop that jurors were not allowed to hear during trial — evidence that Rafferty was a consumer of violent child porn — Stafford said the jurors are certain to feel relieved when they learn of it.
"They are going to be very amazed . . . it was all for this little girl here," he said, holding aloft a picture of Tori.
Rafferty had pleaded not guilty. He did not testify. His high-profile trial, which began on March 5, has heard from 62 witnesses and has seen 190 exhibits entered into evidence.
Doreen Graichen, Tori's grandmother, told reporters the verdict made her feel "like I can breath again.
"Tori has justice. That was all we ever wanted," she said, smiling through tears.
"What we've been feeling inside for the last 3 years (has) been hell. This has almost been like a release for us. It's just amazing."
The girl's mother, Tara McDonald, left the courthouse with a smile on her face and did not speak to any reporters.
Crown prosecutor Kevin Gowdey said he was pleased with the verdict. He took no questions but did make a short statement in which he thanked the jury and investigators for their work in bringing a long and difficult trial to conclusion.
"Our thoughts are with Victoria's family" he said. "We believe justice was done."
Police officers who worked on the Stafford investigation expressed joy as they spoke to media Friday. Many had tears in their eyes.
Woodstock police Insp. Bill Renton, formerly of the Ontario Provincial Police, led the investigation into Stafford's disappearance. It remains the largest police operation to date in the province's history.
"Tori was truly our inspiration for the past three years," he said Friday.
"I know that we all found . . . inspiration and our drive from a very special girl and that was Tori Stafford," said OPP Det. Insp. Mike Bickerton.
Defence lawyer Dirk Derstine said his client was disappointed by the verdict. It's unclear if he will file an appeal, which must be done within 30 days.
"We have no regrets," he said. "We did everything we could to ensure a fair trial for Mr. Rafferty."
Over the past few years, Derstine has endured criticism for taking the legal aid case due to the strong public emotions attached to such a trial.
"The reality of it is that everybody in our system deserves a strong, proper and effective defence," he told reporters Friday. "It's easy enough to say just because we empathize with the child, and empathize with the family . . . Mr. Rafferty is somebody's child too.
"Anyone of us would wish if this was our child, that was brought forward and accused of terrible things, they would get a fair trial before anything else happened to them."
Two years ago, Rafferty's ex-girlfriend, Terri-Lynne McClintic, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Stafford's death. The 21-year-old was also sentenced to life in prison.
The Grade 3 student was last seen alive outside an elementary school on April 8, 2009 in Woodstock, Ont., a small city west of Toronto.
Her bludgeoned body was found in a fetal position on July 19, 2009, wrapped in garbage bags and buried under a rock pile in a field near Mount Forest, more than two hours north of where she was last seen.
The girl was found wearing no pants or underwear.
An autopsy determined that she had died from multiple blows to the skull, likely caused by a hammer. She also had 16 broken ribs and suffered a 15-centimetre cut to her liver.
For the last 10 weeks, the jury heard complex, and often disturbing evidence in the trial.
The jury, which was sequestered late Thursday night, arrived at their verdict without knowing that Rafferty was interested in sex with children and that up until the day the little girl was abducted, he had used his laptop to look up several disturbing search terms, including images and videos of underage rape.
Part of this long Internet history included a "substantial" amount of child pornography, including "how-to" videos and slide shows on sexually assaulting children and even a "snuff" film — which depicts an actual murder — that featured a child.
This evidence was just some of the explosive details gathered by the Crown that was excluded from the murder trial due to its highly prejudicial nature and what was ruled as being obtained with the use of an incomplete search warrant.
From the beginning, prosecutors believed Rafferty and McClintic, lovers at the time, had deliberately planned to kidnap the girl, sexually assault her and then kill her because she was old enough to identify them if she was ever released.
The Crown argued Rafferty manipulated McClintic, a troubled, drug-addicted young woman, into being his "violent pawn" and willing partner in the plan.
The court saw video surveillance of a car suspected to be Rafferty's in the area of Stafford's school three times earlier that day.
During six days on the stand, McClintic testified that on a few occasions before the kidnapping, Rafferty had driven her around schools and to homes of single mothers telling her that it would be easy to "take" somebody. She told the court she was the woman in the white ski jacket last seen walking with Stafford on surveillance video after school on April 8, 2009.
That day, she said, she was dropped off at the school by Rafferty who dared her to get someone young, because they would be easier to manipulate.
Stafford was by herself. She was supposed to walk home alone for the first time that day.
McClintic approached the girl and asked her if she liked dogs, and if she was interested in meeting a Shih Tzu named Precious.
When they got to the car, she shoved Stafford inside and made her crouch on the floor of the vehicle, covered her with a black pea coat.
While the couple were driving along Highway 401 out of Woodstock, Rafferty turned to her and said: "You know I'm going to f--- her, right?"
They made three stops along the way; one at a Tim Horton's to buy tea, another to buy drugs from a friend of Rafferty's and the last was so McClintic could buy a hammer and garbage bags at a Home Depot in Guelph, Ont.
She told the court it was Rafferty's idea to buy the murder tools.
As they made their way to a secluded clearing near Mount Forest, McClintic said Rafferty began masturbating.
There, up a dirt laneway, and away from the main road and homes, Stafford was repeatedly raped in the back seat of the car, said McClintic.
"I could hear her calling my name," she told OPP Det. Sgt. Jim Smyth during her confession. "I knew she wasn't okay."
She told the court at one point, Rafferty called her back to the car and she took the girl away from him so the child could use the washroom.
McClintic held Stafford's hand so she wouldn't fall.
She testified that she saw blood drip onto the snow from the young girl's genitals.
When she was done, the girl begged her to stay with her. McClintic brought the girl back to the car and tried to hold her hand as the sexual assault continued, she told the court.
It was too much for bear and she left, abandoning her. She said the sexual assault brought back a flood of memories from her experience with childhood molestation.
"When I turned to the vehicle, when I saw what was going on, all I saw was myself when I was that age and all the anger and hate and rage that I had . . . that I built up towards myself came boiling out of me," she said.
This rage drove her to grab the hammer and use it on Stafford. The girl's limp body was then put into bags and tossed onto a rock pile. The couple then lifted heavy rocks on top of her remains.
The couple then put the hammer, their clothes and the child's clothes into a garbage bag and drove to Cambridge, Ont. They threw out other clothing on a nearby side road and on the highway.
At the car wash, they cleaned out the vehicle. On the way back to Woodstock, McClintic cut out chunks of the blood-stained car back seat. It was eventually removed and never recovered by police.
Until January 2012, McClintic had maintained that it was Rafferty who had put a garbage bag over the girl's head and then kicked, stomped and fatally struck her with the hammer.
Stafford's blood was found in Rafferty's car rear doorway, and her DNA was found on a spot of blood mixed with two others on a gym back in his 2003 Honda Civic.


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Non-subsidised LPG price cut by Rs 3 per cylinder
The price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) was reduced by Rs 3 per cylinder on Monday, in line with the fall in international rates.delhi Updated: Apr 01, 2013, 16:51 IST
The price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) was reduced by Rs 3 per cylinder on Monday, in line with the fall in international rates.
A 14.2 kg LPG cylinder that consumers will have to buy after they exhaust their enhanced quota of 9 subsidised cylinders in a year, will cost Rs 901.50 from today, according to Indian Oil Corp (IOC).
The government had in September last year fixed a quota of six subsidised LPG cylinders per household in a year. This was increased to 9 cylinders in January. Any requirement over and above this entitlement has to be bought at market price.
In the immediate aftermath of the September decision, oil PSUs had hiked price of non-subsidised LPG by Rs 26.50 per cylinder from November 1 but had to roll it back within hours as the government did not want to compound the backlash it was already facing for limiting supply of subsidised LPG to just six cylinders per household in a year.
But soon after the decision to raise the supply of LPG at subsidised rate of Rs 410.50 to nine cylinders per household in a year from six, the rate for non-subsidised gas was hiked by Rs 46.50 per 14.2 kg cylinder to Rs 942 in Delhi from January 18.
With oil prices easing, rates were cut to Rs 904.50 from March 1 and now they been further cut to Rs 901.50.
In Mumbai, every non-subsidised LPG cylinder will cost Rs 912 as against Rs 919.50 till last month. In Kolkata, prices have been cut by Rs 6.50 to Rs 926.50 while in Chennai prices have been reduced from Rs 898 to 891.50.
Sources said losses on sale of LPG at subsidised rates have fell to Rs 434.50 per cylinder from Rs 439 previously.
Alongside the decision to raise cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders, the government had also moved towards deregulating diesel rates by allowing oil firms to hike rates by 40-50 paisa per litre once every month till such time that the entire losses are wiped out. Diesel rates have gone up three times by 50-51 paisa a litre each time.


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New iP1 Pistol May Trigger Old Gun Law in New Jersey
New Jersey Measure Would Require That Pistols Be Operable Only by Specific Users
A law that injects technology into the gun debate has lain dormant for more than 10 years. Now it may be about to wake up.
In 2002, New Jersey passed a law saying that once technology is available to prevent a gun from being used by an unauthorized person, only that type of handgun may be sold in the state.
To Read the Full Story


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Time Out says
Friendly warning! We're working hard to be accurate. But these are unusual times, so please check that venues remain open.
We usually adore this cool evocation of Sicily in Soho and the bustle suggests other Londoners have taken Gelupo to heart too. Yet we were disappointed in the flavours on our most recent visit. Kiwi with gin and elderflower tasted of little except elderflower; coconut gelato had a cloying soapy quality, while watermelon with cinnamon and jasmine smacked of floral toiletries.
We should have stuck with Gelupo classics, such as black forest cherry and chocolate, blood-orange granita or one of the ewe's milk ricotta ices – you can at least be guaranteed of a great range of flavours. Service is zippy. Italian biscuits and cakes, coffee, gourmet sandwiches and an appealing selection of groceries make Gelupo a handy spot to know year round. Late closing puts it high on the list of things to do after an outing to the theatre, cinema or pub.
7 Archer Street
|Tube: Piccadilly Circus
|Do you own this business?


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The kid is really, REALLY good. Extremely accurate. And he's just a sophmore.
ODU's Heinicke a finalist for Dudley Award
Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke is one of three finalists for the Dudley Award, presented to Virginias best Division I player, officials from the Touchdown Club of Richmond announced this morning.
Heinicke, University of Virginia linebacker Steve Greer and James Madison linebacker Stephon Robertson are the other finalists.
The award is named for former University of Virginia star Bill Dudley. The award will be presented Wednesday night at a banquet in Richmond by officials from the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper, which co-sponsors the event.
Heinicke, a sophomore from suburban Atlanta, has led ODU to an 11-1 record, the schools best ever, and a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The Monarchs defeated Coastal Carolina, 63-35, in the second round this past weeekend and host Georgia Southern Saturday at noon in a quarterfinal game. The contest will be ODUs first football game to be broadcast on ESPN.
Heinicke has completed 367 of 535 passes for 4,655 yards, and is just 209 yards away from breaking the single-season FCS record for passing yards. The record is held by former Alcorn State quarterback Steve McNair, who threw for 4,863 yards in 1994.
Heinicke has also named one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the nations top FCS player.
The Dudely Award has been dominated by players from Virginia and Virginia Tech, the states only two Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Tech players have won six of the last eight awards and 12 of the last 19. The only FCS players to win the trophy were James Madison quarterback Rodney Landers in 2008 and University of Richmond defensive tackle Marc Megna in 1998.
ODU is transitioning from FCS to FBS, and will play a full schedule in Conference USA in 2014.


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Settlement talks interrupt Durante wrongful death trial
Testimony came to a halt Wednesday as settlement talks resumed at the wrongful death trial of Connecticut College student Elizabeth Durante.
No settlement had been reached as of 5 p.m., when Hartford Superior Court closed for the day. Jurors were told to report to court today.
Keith and Kathleen Durante, the parents of the 20-year-old aspiring medical student who died in a head-on collision on Interstate 395 on March 6, 2009, are suing the owners and backers of the Ultra 88 nightclub at Mohegan Sun for negligence and recklessness.
Navy sailor Daniel Musser had consumed several beers and mixed drinks at the club before exiting the wrong way out of a casino parking garage, entering the highway in the wrong direction and colliding head-on with a van carrying Durante and her friends to Logan Airport in Boston.
Three other students and the van driver had also sued the nightclub but settled their cases during jury selection.
The Durantes' attorney, Robert I. Reardon Jr., had questioned Ultra 88 bartender Sarah Webster for several hours while showing surveillance photos of her serving drinks to Musser when the settlement talks resumed between the plaintiffs and attorneys for Plan B LLC, the Lyons Group and Patrick Lyons, the managing shareholder and permittee of the club.
Musser had been celebrating his 24th birthday at the casino. After consuming beer, mixed drinks and vodka and tequila shots, Webster ordered him ejected from the casino.
Musser slept in his car for about an hour before leaving the casino and causing the crash. His blood alcohol level was 0.13 percent after the crash, according to police. The legal limit for driving is 0.08. He pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and is serving a 75-month prison sentence.
In his opening statement to jurors Wednesday, Scott Behman, attorney for the nightclub, said that Musser was "stone sober" when he left the club and held up a picture of him that he said was taken moments before he left the club. He said there was not "one shred of evidence" to prove the club had acted recklessly.
Reardon had obtained Musser's receipts from the bar along with the surveillance footage. He asked Webster, the bartender, whether she had followed the procedures she learned during drinking safety courses. She denied selling Musser shots of tequila while he was still consuming a beer and said she didn't notice any changes in his behavior.
Norwich police issue Silver Alert for teen missing since Friday
Connecticut awarded $65 million to replace 113-year-old bridge in Old Lyme
Attorney General Tong refused to investigate antitrust complaint about State Pier


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Brother Brigham Says
1. Brother Brigham says that if you plan an exodus, organize and carefully prepare.
Brother Brigham says you're sure to travel hungry if you only bring a wagon and a prayer.
Brother Brigham says: "Lend a hand to your neighbor and help one another cross the plains."
Brother Brigham says wheat is better than gold,
Brother Brigham says so, and now you've been told.
Brother Brigham says: "Use your brawn but don't forget your brain."
2. Brother Brigham says that obstacles and difficulties never from a target should deter.
Brother Brigham says: "Obliterate the obdurate. Never let a stroke of fate occur."
Brother Brigham says: "Try a little bit of muscle plus faith and a little energy."
Brother Brigham says poor is better than rich.
Brother Brigham says: "Take your turn, dig a ditch."
Brother Brigham says: "Do your best." And brother so do we!
3. Brother Brigham says that cleanliness is holiness, just as much as charity and hope.
Brother Brigham says that water makes you pure and holy if you only don't forget the soap.
Brother Brigham says: "Scrub the knees and the elbows; don't forget to get behind the ears."
Brother Brigham says minor Saints should be scrubbed.
Brother Brigham says: "Take your turn in the tub."
Brother Brigham says no one loves a dirty pioneer.
4. Brother Brigham says that here among the mountains we can build our homes and raise our families.
Brother Brigham says that here the Saints will gather from foreign lands and far across the seas.
Brother Brigham says we will build towns and cities as far as the eye of man can see.
Brother Brigham says now the future looks great.
Brother Brigham, you know we can hardly wait.
But Brother Brigham, do you suppose someday we'll have a tree?
Copyright © 1997 by Nonie N. Sorensen and Duane Hiatt. Based on original work by Nonie N. Sorensen
Text: Duane Hiatt
Music: Nonie Sorensen
Artist: Hiatt/Sorensen
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: New Era
Composition Date: 1997-07-01
More Info: New Era


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Regular price
Iseya knives are specially hand-made by Mr Yoshinori Seto, crafted from high quality forged Damascus steel using traditional techniques.
The 33-layer Damascus steel used is crafted by hand to ensure the strength of the blade. Damascus steel is one of the strongest, sharpest, most durable and precise materials to use in any professional or home kitchen. It has superior edge retention, sharpness, and is stain resistant.Specifications:
Knife Type: Santoku KnifeSteel Type: VG10 Stain-Resistant SteelBlade Type: Double-edged BladeBlade Length: 180mmBlade Thickness: 2.2mm Blade Height: 45mm Handle Length: 115mm Weight: 173g
Do not use the knife to chop hard materials such as bones or frozen items unless the knife is made for that specific purpose. Always ensure you keep your knife clean and dry, and sharpen it as required to prevent a dull edge.
If in doubt, give us a shout
Please read our guidance pages below to help you make the right choice and make the most of the knives you choose:
Steel Types Explained
Knife Types Explained
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UNH Hockey falls 3-2 at Minnesota
UNH Press Release: – Trevor van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) registered a pair of power play assists, but the 12th-ranked University of New Hampshire men's hockey team lost Saturday night's title game 3-2 to No. 5 University of Minnesota in the Ice Breaker tournament at Mariucci Arena.
UNH, which defeated Clarkson Friday to advance to the championship game, falls to 1-1-0. Minnesota, who also won on Friday over Mercyhurst, captures the title and improves to 2-0-0. New Hampshire is now 4-1-1 in the tournament in three trips.
Eric Knodel (West Chester, Pa.) and Nick Sorkin (Rockville, Md.) scored power play goals for the Wildcats. Knodel and van Riemsdyk were named the the All Tournament team.
All of the scoring in the game came in a wild second period. Knodel broke the scoreless deadlock just seconds into the second period as he scored on a snapshot from the left point at 25 seconds. van Riemsdyk and Dalton Speelman (San Jose, Calif.) assisted on the power play goal. His goal opened the flood gates for a back-and-forth period, which included five total goals. Hudson Fasching scored for the Golden Gophers as he poked in a Justin Holl shot that trickled past Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) to tie it at 1-1 at 4:05. New Hampshire regained the lead on a power play goal by Nick Sorkin (Rockville, Md.) at 11:30. van Riemsdyk fired a shot from the right point that was redirected by Sorkin at the goal's mouth. Dan Correale (Prince George, British Columbia) also assisted on the goal. Minnesota controlled play in the second half of the period scoring a pair of goals and holding the 'Cats without a shot. Sam Warning scored at 12:47 on an odd-angle shot that banked in off of DeSmith, who had just made a flurry of saves in front of the net. Holl and Fasching assisted on the goal. Vinni Lettieri scored his first collegiate goal at 17:50 of the period with helpers from Seth Ambroz and A.J. Michaelson to give the Gophers their first lead of the game at 3-2. Minnesota outshot the Wildcats 14-3 in the period, but UNH was 2-2 on the power play in the frame.
In the third period, the Wildcats fought back and had the better of play most of the stanza. The 'Cats killed off a pair of Gopher power plays and outshot the Minnesota 14-11 in the period. UNH had several chances at the equalizer, now better than a Speelman rebound bid with 7.3 seconds to got that was shoveled on net, but stopped by Adam Wilcox to close out the win for the Gophers. The Wildcats played the final 59 seconds with an extra attacker in place of DeSmith.
In an even-played first period, the Golden Gophers held a 9-6 shot advantage in the frame. Both teams were 0-1 on the power play.
Minnesota held a 34-23 shot advantage thanks to a 14-3 shot edge in the second period.
The Wildcats won the special teams battle going 2-5 on the power play and a perfect 6-of-6 on the penalty kill.
DeSmith made a few highlight reel saves and 31 stops overall, but falls to 0-1-0 on the season. Wilcox made 21 saves including 14 in the third period to improve to 2-0-0.
New Hampshire returns to action for its first home series Oct. 18-19 against Big Ten foe Michigan. Friday night's game is a 7:30 p.m. start, while Saturday night's game is a 7 p.m. start at the Whittemore Center.


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155. BANKSY: Taking the piss (explicit)
RELATED COMICS: Sophie Scholl The Fire Within. Marc Maron The Social Media Generation. Bill Hicks It's Just a Ride. Henry Rollins Who's the Crazier Man?
Banksy is an anoynomous English street artist and activist who has become a cult hero for his anti-establishment and rebellious artwork.
Unlike someone I know, who stays in his house all day drawing comics and watching Simpsons reruns, Banksy is a REAL artist who challenges the status quo, forces people to think and puts himself in danger, all while remaining a complete mystery to the world. I mean think about it, he's one of the most famous artists on the planet, his work has been popping up in major cities for the past 10 years and sell for millions of dollars and no one knows who the hell this guy is! I take my hat off to the dude.
If you haven't seen it, I recommend the documentary Banksy directed, Exit Through the Gift Shop. What was meant to be a film about Banksy instead turned into a movie about the man who was obsessed in trying to meet him. Although many have claimed that it's a 'mockumentary' and the plot a set-up, it's still a brilliant film. It not only documents the street art movement, it also deals with the meaning of art, and whether or not an artist actually needs any talent or can just survive on hype alone. Two thumbs up!
This quote was taken from Banksy's 2004 book Cut It Out. Some of the passage was inspired/appropriated from an essay by artist Sean Tejaratchi. I rearranged the last couple of sentences for this comic.
– Banksy's official website.
– Speaking of The Simpsons, check out Banksy's opening couch gag.
– I posted a video about my upcoming trip to America. I'll be having meet-ups in Portland, San Francisco and a signing at San Diego Comic Con.


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We're only ten days away from Dragon*Con 2012, so here's a particular amusing snapshot from Dragon*Con 2011 to get you jazzed. Photographer Ethan Trewhitt captured this curious scene of two Wookiees flanked by a bevy of Princess Organas. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention that there were actually nine Leias on deck that day.
[Courtarro via Fashionably Geek]


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Selected awards received for sports or fitness
This list shows awards won by the school's athletics programs.
Schools are often recognized for the accomplishments of their students and faculty by external organizations, partners, companies, and foundations. Examples include: Teacher of the Year, Librarian of the Year, awards related to school improvement, and grants from foundations, companies, or organizations.


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Culture Blogs
A journey through the hands of a maker of magical items, discovering not only the secrets of Sacred art, but also the history and preservation of disappearing forms of Artisan work.
A Very Magical Christmas Tree
Christmas trees are a fairly new addition to Spanish Christmas, which has less than 50 years of tradition in our country. Since the Canary Islands are located in the Northwest coast of Africa, fir trees are not native here – not that we would cut a live tree to place it on our living room anyway, so some years ago we got a plastic one, which was all we could afford at the time.
I never liked it much. Every year we would make and recycle old ornaments given away by family and friends, but it never looked like I wanted it to, and usually it ended up being put down on January 1st, even though Christmas in Spain ends on January 6, the Three Wise Men day, which is the day when children get their presents. Last year, the tree didn't even make it out of the box, as I had hand painted a set of Nativity scene figurines (we'll talk about that on a future post) and it won without any effort against our poor, neglected plastic tree.
My husband is a follower of the Norse path, so having a tree indoors (even if it's a plastic one) makes him extremely happy, and holds a very special meaning for him. But shiny spheres and tinsel only sounded too boring, so this year we decided to start working on it earlier to make a completely different kind of tree – the tree of two Witches, where each ornament added would have a unique, magical meaning, moving away from the concept of just seasonal decoration to make the tree itself become an amulet of good luck, health and abundance for the change of the year.
Several of the ornaments we chose were gifts from our wonderful customers worldwide: a tin sheet Witch from a Mexican market, and a beaded good luck charm from a friend in the UK - those represent the abundance that comes from those who love us, the extended and adopted family, the blessing of loving and being loved by others.
Other ornaments were made by Mother Nature – a nest, picked at the Hell's Ravine (the most magical place in the island), and several sachets filled with corn/beans/seeds; those represent the abundance of the Earth and our connection to it, since most of the grains and seeds are home grown, and have been chosen to remind us of the continuous cycle of sowing and reaping.
A few of them , of course, were made by us – pomander oranges, dolls and goat heads made of corn husk; those represent the continuity of our own work, and encourage us to keep working toward our goals. We also added an unfinished horse ornament my husband is carving, which represents what we are making right now, as the symbolic seed of what we will make next year.
Some that have been chosen only for their magical properties, and that usually are part of my talisman collection – a skeleton key, to open the doors of the future; a sachet with coins and bills from several countries to bring work and wealth, a vintage French doll to represent my dream of becoming a full-time doll maker.
Finally, we added the lights and a handful of small inherited Christmas ornaments and tinsel, which represent our family ties and specially those who are no longer with us; in both our spiritual paths, the blessing of Ancestors is essential for protection and Spiritual development; for them also, we placed two dishes with offerings on the sides of the tree, offerings that will be renewed several times during the Christmas season.
Voilà – a one metre tall amulet, filling the house with positive, powerful energy. I sincerely hope this post inspires you to create new magical traditions in your life this season! Next project (and next post): creating the Nativity Scene!
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Anything you want to know – at a glance
Whether you plan on staying in the Dachstein Salzkammergut region for several days or a mere few hours, whether you travel by yourself or with friends and family – we supply detailed information for your visit in the Dachstein Salzkammergut region. Our info-page links you to the Hallstatt tourism office, tells you how to get here and where you can park. And in case you're still looking for accommodation you'll find a complete listing of hotels, pensions, B&Bs, apartments and vacation rentals. We hope you will enjoy Bad Goisern, Gosau, Hallstatt and Obertraun and wish you a pleasant stay in the Salzkammergut region.
Hallstatt Tourist Office
Informative brochures and catalogues with great offers for any time of the year can be sent to you quickly and at no obligation. We look forward to your call and will be happy to give you advice and further information personally with NEWS from the Dachstein Salzkammergut-region.
You can travel by car or by train to Bad Goisern, Gosau, Hallstatt or Obertraun. Using the information below you will reach your holiday resort quickly and safely.
Parking in Hallstatt
You might have noticed that the centre of Hallstatt is densely packed and the few existing arking lots are reserved for the local population.
Holiday Guest Card: Your Discount-Card
Lake Hallstatt Region | Gästekarte/Guest Card: With this card you are entitled to reduced cost admission to numerous attractions, and there are many other benefits to guests throughout the Dachstein-Salzkammergut holiday region too.
Salzkammergut experiments ticket
For all bargain hunters. Available at any tourist office. Free for stays of three nights or more. Save on mountain cable cars or tourist sights. Pick up the Salzkammergut Card now. A good choice!
3 Peaks and 1 Ticket
Salzkammergut | Mountain-Ticket (Gipfelticket): From now on you can get to the most popular mountain peaks in the Salzkammergut with just one, great value ticket. This discounted ticket lasts all summer long, for the loveliest peaks and views in the Salzkammergut.
Salzkammergut Winter-Card
Take advantage of the Salzkammergut Winter Card and enjoy discounts for many winter offers in the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt Dachstein Salzkammergut..
Village tours through Hallstatt
UNESCO World Heritage region | Explore the village of Hallstatt, the oldest saltmine ofthe world, the fantastic ice cave or the great mammut cave. Besides the historical information there are numerous stories that cannot be found in any book or internet portal.
Wi-Fi hotspots within the World Heritage
Hallstatt & Co.| W-Lan-Hotspots: Twitter, Facebook posts, Emails during a holiday on Lake Hallstatt or in the Gosau Valley - not a problem. Free hotspots make it possible.
Laundry within the World Heritage
Hallstatt | Laundrette in the centre: Open daily from morning til evening - perfect for your holiday in Hallstatt. Washing and sightseeing - only in Hallstatt
Your taxi on Lake Hallstatt & Gosau Valley
Here you will find an overview of taxis in Bad Goisern, Gosau, Hallstatt and Obertraun. Your reliable partner for an unforgettable holiday in the Salzkammergut.
News from the World Heritage
Here you will find information for hikers, train travelers, motorists and much more. In addition to the following latest news, we will keep you up to date via our Twitter channel.
3 Peaks and 1 Ticket
Salzkammergut | Mountain-Ticket (Gipfelticket): From now on you can get to the most popular mountain peaks in the Salzkammergut with just one, great value ticket. This discounted ticket lasts all summer long, for the loveliest peaks and views in the Salzkammergut.
Buy train tickets at the tourist office
Easy and convenient way to obtain your tickets for the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). All information about buying tickets in the tourist offices of Hallstatt and Bad Goisern.
Questions & Answers about Hallstatt
Our service for holidaymakers and guests during their visit to Hallstatt. Fast, easy and convenient to your request. You ask - we answer. The most important questions at a glance.
All Events at a glance
What's happening? In our event calendar you will find the best tips for your holiday in the heart of Austria. We hope you enjoy browsing and have an unforgettable holiday in the Salzkammergut.
Luggage Storage in Hallstatt
Here you will find all the important information regarding luggage storage in Hallstatt. So that you can "travel light" when visiting the world famous lakeside town.


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Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is one of Australia's longest running soap operas and is a popular series set in the fictional seaside town of Summer Bay in New South Wales, Australia.
The show details the daily struggles and triumphs of the residents as well as their relationships with each other.
First aired in 1988, it is currently in its 26th season and is aired in the UK on Channel 5 on weekdays.
The storyline of Home and Away is based on the daily life of the residents of Summer Bay. Certain locations also form key focal points including the surf club, the diner and the bar.
Key characters of the show include:
Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher): Business owner and pillar of the community, Alf Stewart possesses a gruff demeanour which is merely a façade for his affectionate and loyal nature.
Over the years he has dealt with bereavement, reunions with long lost grandchildren and family feuds. So far, he has managed to handle each challenge and currently oversees his many business operations while dispensing advice to his clients and staff alike.
Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger): Business owner Irene Roberts is a true survivor having previously battled alcoholism, and depression. Down to earth and nurturing, she has fostered many children and is always ready to welcome any in need o f a home.
Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances): A competent high court judge with a tough exterior, Morag returns to her childhood home much to her brother Alf's displeasure due to an existing feud between them. Although the two siblings soon bury the hatchet to regain the affectionate relationship they shared as children, Morag finds that her former home holds many secrets which are perhaps best left undiscovered.
Home and Away is one of Australia's most successful series at home and abroad and has received more Logie Awards (the Australian television industry awards) than any other programme.
Fans of the show can catch up with the series as well as similar programmes via Youriplayer.co.uk, a free on demand online service.
Brothers & Sisters, McLeod's Daughters and Neighbours.
Watch all episodes of Home and Away here. Home and Away is a tv-programme of BBC One. You can see all episodes of Home and Away here via Youriplayer.co.uk.
- advertisement -


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Just when you thought you'd seen it all, here comes a tuned Honda S2000 sporting glow-in-the-dark wheels. For those keeping tunerscore, you'll also need to tally up overstretched tires, a windshield banner, clear-lens turn signals and tires sitting wicked flush.
The car popped up on GMInsideNews Forums this morning, surprisingly the thread has been deleted. Wonder why?


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OK, back from Cancun ... it was a business trip ... really ... see, ``Simulation of materials properties using the tight-binding method'' ... That's me
Writing like Larry King is hard work ... Cancun is not Mexico ... it's not the US, either ... even though English language television comes from Detroit ... Washingtonians will be please to know that Bernie Smilovitz is alive, and well, though his hair may not be ... no sign of Harvey that I could see ... Anyway, Cancun is not Mexico ... at least not the hotel district part, which isn't even Cancun ... it's just a barrier island with hotels on the ocean side and restaurants on the lagoon side ... sort of like Ocean City, Maryland, with out the miniature golf, and with crocodiles included in the lagoon
Meeting is held in August 'cause it's cheaper that way .. hot most all the time, even on the beach, though winds kept you reasonably cool ... also if you got too thirsty any of the poolside hotel bars were willing to sell you a Corona for about $4.50 US ... maybe 50 pesos ... even with the heat and the week before many places start school, hotels were 80% full ... beaches not nearly as wild as some places in Europe ... only one topless swimmer, and she might have lost her top in the ocean ... only a few seagulls, which is really strange ... this place has McDonald's, isn't that a gull's basic lunch? ... Have no idea how they keep them down ... use Gil's for trap shooting? ... feed them to the crocs? ... Didn't ask
Let's see ... food good, somewhat expensive ... beach very nice ... friends when snorkeling down by the ClubMed ... must do that next time ... the water's clear enough that you can see the reefs from the plane as you come over the coast ... on flight back was on left side of plane, so missed the most impressive site ... last time I flew back, I got to look at almost the entire coast of Cuba ... miles and miles of undeveloped beaches ... when Castro goes, that island is going to open up wide ... will probably mean that Cancun's business goes down substantially
Next time will try to take family, if they're still young enough to want to hang with parents ... lots of things to see that aren't that much fun by oneself ... Mayan pyramids, jungle, etc. ... Won't be able to go for a couple of years, but would be fun.