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Do You Know Where Your Wreath Came From?
This is the season when doors and more abound with lush evergreen wreaths, which some households may be making themselves, while others may prefer to pick up at the store or at a nursery specializing in holiday greenery displays. There's nothing quite like a wreath for bringing in a rich aroma of evergreen deliciousness, paired with green cheer at a sometimes gloomy time of the year. But did you know that your wreath might carry a hidden environmental cost?
In theory, wreaths are actually good for the environment, because they're made from the tender tips of evergreen trees. Harvesting tips, a process known as tipping, will stimulate new growth and allow trees to grow fuller and bushier than before. It's a great way to shape trees in and around the garden, and to make sure that growth is even and healthy so your landscaping looks balanced. Managed use of evergreens in state parks, reserves, and other public resources can include tipping and other activities to keep trees healthy, when it's done in a sustainable way — it mimics natural animal feeding habits, so trees are accustomed to it in the winter.
The problem is that illegal tippers don't operate sustainably. Not only do they not ask for permission to take tips, but they don't take just the tips: they remove whole branches. In a report on National Public Radio, Maine Forest Ranger Courtney Hammond talks about the scope of the problem, which includes tippers trespassing on private land to harvest not just tips and branches, but sometimes whole trees. It's a particularly acute problem in low-income areas where jobs may be limited during the cold season and people are desperate for the several thousand dollars that tipping can bring in during the winter.
While some wreathmaking firms and retailers are highly scrupulous about their supply chain and the source of their materials, others aren't, and that means illegally harvested greens could be ending up on your freshly painted door. Why sully the holidays with an environmentally unfriendly wreath?
What can you do to make sure your wreath comes from sustainable sources? Ask your retailer where the wreath came from, and contact the manufacturer to find out if its greens come from licensed tippers. Request information about the auditing and monitoring process to find out more about how the company ensures its evergreens come from only the most sustainable and ethical of sources, and if you aren't satisfied, complain to both the manufacturer and the retailer: and make sure to tell the retailer why you won't be buying their wreaths this year.
You can also get around the problem by crafting your own holiday wreath, which ensures you harvest the greens yourself and know they come from ethical sources. You'll want to remove approximately 14 inches from the end of a limb to get the desired length and the most useful, tender parts of the tree. Make sure to tip evenly and leave some foliage for animals and birds who will be relying on it this winter — and if you don't have access to evergreens, always ask before tipping trees on private land. (Harvesting material in state parks is typically illegal without a special permit, although you can ask if a park is trimming or tipping trees this season and might be willing to share some branches with you.)
Katie Marks writes for Networx.com. This article originally appeared here.


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Allergies are abnormal or adverse reactions to a substance. Insect allergies are a reaction to insect stings or bites. It can also occur with exposure to such insects in an environment.
Stinging insects include:
- Honeybees
- Yellow jackets
- Hornets
- Wasps
- Fire ants
Biting insects include:
- Blackflies
- Fleas
- Horseflies
- Mosquitoes
- Kissing bugs
Insects that cause respiratory allergies include:
- Cockroaches
- Midges
- Lake flies
- Caddis flies
Risk Factors
Other factors that may increase your chance of insect allergies include:
- History of other types of allergies, including hay fever
- Family history of allergy
- Occupations that expose you to insects
- Living conditions that expose you to insects or dust-containing insect allergens
An allergy to biting and stinging insects can affect the area around the bite or sting and cause:
- Skin rash
- Hives
- Itching
- Swelling
- Redness
- Warmth
Anaphylaxis can be a life-threatening reaction that causes:
- Skin rash, hives, itching, swelling in areas away from the sting site
- Swelling of lips, tongue, face, throat, and eyelids
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing
- Lightheadedness, fainting
- Severe drop in blood pressure
- Respiratory and/or cardiac arrest
Some insects cause respiratory allergies that result in:
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath
You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Most diagnoses are based on a history of a reaction after a sting. For those with a severe insect allergy, stings may be life-threatening. Therefore, it is important to see an allergist or immunologist (doctor who specializes in allergies).
Tests include:
- Skin prick test—An extract of the insect's venom or protein is diluted. The dilute is placed on your forearm or back skin. If there is swelling or redness, an allergic reaction may be present. A diagosis will be made based on the skin test and your history of symptoms. Some skin tests can have a severe allergic reaction. This test should only be used under the supervision of a physician or other trained medical personnel. Severe eczema may make this test hard to interpret.
- RAST or ELISA test—RAST or ELISA blood tests may be ordered. These tests measure the level of insect-specific IgE in the blood. IgE is a type of protein that the body produces when it is exposed to something to which it is allergic. The presence of IgE in the blood may indicate an allergy.
Some reactions cause trouble breathing. If this is the case, call for emergency medical services right away.
Treatment may include:
- Epinephrine—injected immediately in the event of a severe, life-threatening insect sting allergy (anaphylaxis)
- Antihistamine medications—to decrease swelling and itching
- Ice—applied to local area of sting or bite to decrease swelling
- Corticosteroid medications—for more severe swelling, itching, nasal congestion, and sneezing
- Bronchodilators—inhalers that can be used to decrease asthma—like symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath
- Venom immunotherapy—a series of allergy shots to gradually desensitize you to insect stings—usually for honeybees, yellow jackets, hornets, wasps, or fire ants
To help reduce your chances of an allergic reaction to either biting or stinging insects:
- Try to avoid places where stinging insects are common.
- Be careful when doing yard or garden work. Beware when hiking in the forest.
- Avoid walking barefoot.
- Avoid wearing scented products. Perfumes can attract stinging insects.
- Keep exposed skin to a minimum.
- Consider immunotherapy (allergy shots). These can lessen your reaction to stinging insects
- Carry self-injectable epinephrine and possibly an antihistimine for severe reactions.
- Wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace. These will inform others of your allergy.
To reduce your chance of having an allergic reaction to insects that provoke respiratory responses:
- Avoid having carpeting, curtains, or other fabric that may gather dust in your home. This is very important in the room where you sleep.
- Vacuum and wet mop your floors frequently.
- Regularly wash your linens in hot water.
- Cover mattresses and pillows in allergy-proof covers.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Marcin Chwistek, MD
- Review Date: 09/2017 -
- Update Date: 09/30/2013 -

subset: commoncrawl


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At a time in life when the goal of most peers is simply to fit in with the crowd, Butte Falls teenager Raleigh Weaver has no problems plotting her own course.
Although she claims to be shy, Weaver carries a confidence well beyond her 13 years and a maturity that's enabling her to do things beyond the norm these days in Logger country.
"She's a good kid," said Butte Falls girls basketball coach Kevin Kirkpatrick. "I think she's really going to be something."
Several things set Weaver apart from the masses, and just as many fine qualities bring her back into the fold.
Desiring more of an academic challenge and possessing the kind of intellect to make it happen, Weaver opted to forego her eighth grade year and has instead jumped up in class status to ninth grade this year.
She has been part of the Butte Falls school system in the past but is currently being homeschooled in hopes of one day becoming a clothing designer.
To maintain her relationships with friends, Weaver is a freshman starter on the varsity girls basketball team and creating quite a stir thus far for the Loggers, who are 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the Mountain Valley League heading into today's home game against Rogue Valley Adventist.
All of this is done wearing a skirt and long sleeves to accommodate her religious beliefs as an Apostolic Pentecostal.
"She's a sweetheart, too, so she just fits right in with everyone," said Kirkpatrick. "She's the tallest on the team but she's still the little sister to everyone."
At nearly 5-foot-11, Weaver recently was inserted into the starting lineup after teammate Brandi O'Keefe suffered a broken nose and has really taken flight. She's averaging about 12 rebounds and six points to provide a nice complement to seniors Tamika Funk and Joli Hobbs.
"I never really thought of myself starting this year but after an injury on the team I was put in and I like it, it's really been fun," Weaver said during a break in Monday's practice. "Basketball's my favorite sport so it's been pretty exciting to me."
The wheels for any of this to be happening were set in motion well before the season when the Weaver family decided it would be best for Raleigh to skip a grade.
"My sister (Scarlet) did it a couple years ago and I thought it would be a good idea to skip a grade and be done with high school as soon as I can," said Weaver, who turns 14 on Feb. 4. "It really wasn't that tough of a decision, my whole family has done it and my education level was just higher than some of the others."
The decision to go the homeschool route was made so that Weaver could be appropriately challenged by not only the typical study subjects but others that more fit her personality and career objectives.
"I like being able to work on more interesting things and Butte Falls didn't offer that many classes for me so that's definitely a plus to being homeschooled," she said. "It's definitely more challenging than being in eighth grade right now. Being a freshman is a lot harder."
Her dad Dan helps provide some of the educational stability but Weaver said she also works with an outside teacher on Mondays who gives assignments that must be completed and turned in when they meet on the following Monday. Her studies include sewing and baking.
"Clothing design is just my favorite thing," said Weaver. "I just like being able to get ideas online and then I put my own touch in everything I make."
Some of those extra touches are a necessity given her religion, which requires her to be modestly attired at all times. Working with her mom Charlotte, Weaver has turned regular jeans and shorts into skirts and embraced the challenge of doing likewise with the Loggers' home and away basketball shorts. She wears Under Armour long-sleeve shirts beneath her jersey to comply with religious beliefs.
While her age and non-traditional path in high school might set her apart as an outsider in other places, Kirkpatrick said there's really no such thing in Butte Falls.
"At Butte Falls, they're not quite into clicks like they are in schools down there (in the Medford area)," he said. "There's so few kids, there's really no choice but to hang out with the ones who are a little bit older or younger. Butte Falls is pretty unique that way, they do pretty good with the underclassmen and older ones getting along."
Weaver most definitely agrees.
"It's really fun just being able to learn from all the older kids," she said. "They treat me like everyone else and I act just like all of them so it's pretty even. Everybody completely accepts me."
Then again, Kirkpatrick said that's not really difficult to do when it comes to someone like Weaver, whom he also coached in softball last spring as a promising pitcher and first baseman.
"She can make anybody smile," he said. "When they're all down on themselves, she can make them smile."
Sometimes by choice, sometimes not. After all, Weaver is only 13.
"She's really smart "… really smart," said Kirkpatrick. "The whole family (older siblings Quinton, who stands 6-7 and the 5-7 Scarlet) is really smart, but you can still see that she's young at times. She does pretty good but she can still be goofy and silly at practice. But when she's out on the court, she's pretty darn mature."
"She's got a little bit to go as a player but a lot of that is all age and experience," added the coach.
Weaver counts herself as just one of the gang.
"I just see myself like everyone else," she said. "I don't really put myself apart from them. I'm definitely goofy sometimes and it's usually me and (senior) Joli Hobbs who are the team clowns, but mostly I'm just going to try as hard as I can every time I'm out there and hope for the best."
Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, email@example.com, www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry
At 13, Weaver on fast track for Loggers
At a time in life when the goal of most peers is simply to fit in with the crowd, Butte Falls teenager Raleigh Weaver has no problems plotting her own course.


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In Derry, storm is big, but timing is not badBy ADAM SWIFT
Union Leader Correspondent
February 07. 2013 10:52PM
DERRY - Although New England residents are looking at the potential for the biggest winter storm in several years, the timing could work to the advantage of those trying to keep ahead of the storm as well as those preparing to clean up after it's gone.
In Derry, the public works department is closely monitoring the storm predicted for Friday and Saturday.
"Crews will be preparing for the upcoming storm by checking their equipment and taking care of last minute details," said public works director Mike Fowler. "We expect that a full complement of DPW drivers and contracted equipment will be responding to the storm."
Fowler said he hopes that snow will be the major problem associated with the storm, as heavy winds could complicate the town's efforts if roads are blocked or power is out.
"The start of the storm will be critical, as it relates to the Friday (afternoon) commute," said Fowler. "The heavier snow accumulations are predicted to start later Friday evening into early Saturday morning. Our crews will likely be combating this storm most of the day Saturday until the storm dissipates."
He said the good news is that an overnight weekend storm gives crews the chance to clear the roads without dealing with weekday commuters, giving them the opportunity to be ready for Monday's commute and possible school openings.
"We would remind our residents to obey the overnight parking ban, which prohibits vehicles from parking on town roads between midnight and 6 a.m.," said Fowler. "Also, residents and businesses are reminded that it is illegal to deposit their snow in a public right-of-way. These measures will aid in our efforts to expediently clean the streets over the next few days."
During the first major snowfall of the season just after Christmas, there were some issues raised by Councilor Brian Chirichiello about snow removal on local sidewalks.
Town administrator John Anderson noted that crews were using new sidewalk snow removal equipment, but that he would address the issue.
At a town council meeting earlier this week, Chirichiello praised improved town cleanup efforts during more recent storms.


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Your Turn, NH: Republicans need to stop listening to the conservativesBY JOHN B. HEROUX
December 02. 2012 5:29PM
So, what does the Republican Party (my party) do now?
The first order of business should be to take the party back from the conservatives. Republicans are the minority party, and the party's success depends on appealing to independent voters and conservative Democrats. The radical Tea Party and the Rush Limbaugh/Ann Coulter faction do not appeal to these voters.
What have the conservatives done to us? The Bush/Cheney administration was a disaster and led to the presidency of a most unqualified man. The Republicans in Congress, instead of negotiating with the Democrats and presenting their own agenda, simply said "no" to any proposals. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, should be impeached for making his legislative goal the one term presidency of Barack Obama. He failed in that goal, and he at least should be stripped of his leadership role.
Sen. McConnell should read the Constitution. The purpose of the Congress is to represent the people in governing the country. For the last four years, we have had no governing, just partisan gridlock. Is this how the Republican Party will govern, if given the opportunity? No wonder the voters rejected our party.
Why did the party allow eight uninspired and uninspiring candidates to run in the primary elections? Why did the party allow the negative campaigning that emerged? It only came back to haunt us. It made Mitt Romney a political chameleon, constantly changing positions, which led to President Obama's quote in the general election, "Governor Romney has changed positions so often we don't know what he stands for."
Gov. Romney and the Republican Party ran a terrible campaign. In June, we had a beaten President who suffered from a failed economic policy. Gov. Romney then lost control of the conversation. He attacked Obama's record, but never told us what he would do. He merely told us he had a better plan.
Gov. Romney told us he would repeal Obamacare, but he never told us what parts of the law he would keep, because even he admitted the Affordable Care Act is not all bad. Gov. Romney told us he would repeal Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley, but he failed to tell us how he would regulate Wall Street. A casual reading of a newspaper shows that Wall Street and major banks cry out for more, and better regulation. How did social issues become such a major factor when the economy continues to fail?
The problem extended to the governor's race. The party selected a nice guy, but as Leo Durocher so famously said, nice guys finish last. Was Ovide Lamontagne picked because he waved the conservative flag? Our state Legislature has reverted to Democratic control. Is that a commentary on the way the last legislative body conducted itself? In the height of a budget crisis they found time to allow guns in the capitol building. They lowered the cigarette tax at the same time they cut higher-education spending. This is good government?
Frank Guinta lost to the most unqualified person in the election. How did that happen? Carol Shea-Porter lied about Guinta's stance on entitlements and lied to the voters that entitlements can continue as they are. No intelligent observer believes that, but the lie prevailed.
So, back to the beginning. Here's what the Republican Party, in my opinion, has to do.
On a national level, the party needs to develop an agenda. This agenda should included repeal of Obamacare, and a detailed listing of what items will be retained. The same with Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley. The party needs to admit that regulation usually stems from abuse, and Wall Street and the nine major banks have certainly been abusive. Next is an admission that spending cuts alone won't balance the budget, accompanied by a detailed revision of the tax code. In Congress, select new leadership that will actually lead. Above all, recognize that the word compromise is not an obscenity. Our country emerged from colonialism because of compromise.
At the state level, cooperate with the Democratic governor. Yes, there will be differences, but those are to be negotiated away.
As for Carol Shea-Porter, we have twice elected an unqualified person to Congress. She is totally unqualified to manage the country. Create a committee to dog her. Make a record of each committee vote and debate. Do the same for floor debates. Attend all her public functions and make a record of the lies she tells. Develop a candidate with no baggage (Frank Guinta is not the guy). Avoid a primary fight in 2014. She will be beatable by that time.
John B. Heroux lives in Bedford.


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Mon 10th Dec 2012 23:24 UTC
Confirming the industry's worst-kept secret, Valve CEO Gabe Newell has confirmed Valve is working on its 'Steam Box', a Steam-powered HTPC geared towards console-like gaming. It'll most likely run Linux. "Well certainly our hardware will be a very controlled environment," he told Kotaku. "If you want more flexibility, you can always buy a more general purpose PC. For people who want a more turnkey solution, that's what some people are really gonna want for their living room." Steam has 50 million subscribers, so there's a market here. As a comparison: Xbox Live has 40 million subscribers.


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Former Manchester diocese official gets 4 years, ordered to repay $288,000By MARK HAYWARD
New Hampshire Union Leader
April 22. 2014 9:14PM
MANCHESTER — The one-time top-ranking priest in the Diocese of Manchester, the Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Arsenault III, was sentenced to four years in New Hampshire State Prison Wednesday by a judge who urged him to do good in prison.
Arsenault was also ordered to repay $300,000 in restitution to the Diocese, Catholic Medical Center and the estate of fellow Monsignor John Molan.
"I'm truly and sincerely sorry for what I did," said Arsenault, 52, in Hillsborough County Superior Court-North. He paused to gain his composure as he offered apologies to "the priests and the faithful" of the Catholic church.
"I broke the law and I violated the trust of others," he said. The one-time pudgy priest was trim and dressed in a crisp dark suit and tie. He carried a Bible with him.
Several key facts came out before Arsenault admitted his guilt:
• He was engaged in a consensual adult relationship with Luke Parkin, who is identified on Internet websites as a gay composer and recording artist with nearly 70 albums to his credit.
Prosecutors said Arsenault lavished gifts on Parkin, including expensive meals, trips to San Francisco and New York, flowers, a cellphone, an extended-stay hotel in Massachusetts and even medications.
• The CMC theft is part of an on-going criminal investigation involving $104,000 that Arsenault received in consulting fees from the hospital.
Assistant Attorney General Jane Young said Arsenault signed a $200-an-hour consulting contract with then-hospital President Alyson Pitman Giles shortly after he left the hospital board in 2009.
Young said part of the investigation involves who had knowledge of the contract. "Was this a valid contract or a contract created for reasons that were other than valid reasons?" Young said.
Giles' LinkedIn account lists her as a corporate vice president with Steward Health Care in Massachusetts, but the human resources department of the company said she no longer works there.
• The actual thefts amounted to $185,000.
Much of the difference between the theft and reimbursement amounts involves questionable reimbursements that Arsenault has agreed to repay, Young said.
For example, he pleaded guilty to stealing $92,584 from the Diocese, but will repay $185,000.
• Arsenault's sentence could be as long as 20 years, but most of the sentence is suspended or deferred. He could be eligible for a halfway house or home confinement, Young said.
Any money Arsenault earns writing or consulting while in prison must be used to pay the restitution, and Arsenault's retirement accounts, currently valued at $130,000, can be tapped for restitution when he reaches retirement age.
• Arsenault created fraudulent invoices of $15,000 from a Boston psychologist, Dr. Cristin Saffo, and submitted them to the Diocese for reimbursement. He was never a patient of Saffo's; Arsenault must repay the legal bills Saffo incurred as part of the investigation, Young said.
The Diocese on Wednesday released an unprecedented amount of material about Arsenault, including a five-page timeline that details the investigations by the Diocese and Attorney General.
Bishop Peter Libasci and former Bishop John McCormack also issued statements. In his victim impact statement, Libasci called it a sad day and noted that thousands of Catholics donate to the church and expect it to safeguard those donations.
"Many of the faithful and former co-workers inevitably will be left with a profound sense of betrayal and mistrust. They are very much the victims here," Libasci wrote.
Currently, Arsenault is on administrative leave and can't perform priestly functions in public, including state prison, said Diocesan spokesman Tom Bebbington. His future church status will be determined at a trial-like process that involves canon law.
Bebbington said nothing can be said about the process, which takes place at the Vatican, until it concludes.
For most of the 2000s, Arsenault was the right-hand man of then-Bishop John McCormack. He investigated fellow priests accused of sexual abuse of minors, and he often faced the media as the priest-child sex scandal unfolded.
"Monsignor Arsenault ended up covering a lot of the sexual abuse," said David Ouellette, a Rochester resident who said he was a survivor of priest sexual abuse and attended Wednesday's hearing. "He ended up blaming the media, blaming the victims."
Nearly two dozen people wrote in support of Arsenault, including nuns, New Hampshire Catholics and workers at the diocesan offices.
Superior Court Judge Diane Nicolosi asked Arsenault to do good in prison.
"It strikes me you are going to state prison, where there are many people who have suffered and done wrongs and are in need of good help," she said.


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Southport - Lost / Found
Lost & found section mainly for pets. Please put information in the title, not just "lost ???" e.g. type of animal, date, location AND don't forget to share on Facebook etc.
Custom Search
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UK, Local Online News Community, Forums, Chats, For Sale, Classified, Offers, Vouchers, Events, Motors Sale, Property For Sale Rent, Jobs, Hotels, Taxi, Restaurants, Pubs, Clubs, Pictures, Sports, Charities, Lost Foundsouthport, southport News,


text:
Are animals capable of feeling emotions? PBS Nature shares evidence that humans are not the only ones on the planet who cares, loves, and empathizes. Meet five animal odd couples.
To cope with intense loneliness after moving to New York City, Hannah Brencher offered to write an old-fashioned love letter to any stranger who needed one. She never guessed how many people she would ultimately reach.
Video: Open Source Ecology has released free plans for building tractors, brick compressors, and other essential machines. Why pay more for stuff that's designed to fall apart?
"There's heat enough for Norway, if Africans would share," quips this parody of overblown charity fundraisers that's blowing up the Web. The purpose? To swap stereotypes for real needs.
Buying local isn't enough. If we're going to get our economy back on track, we have to re-center on communities.
One the biggest voting myths is that those with felonies on their record have lost the right to vote forever. Here's how you can get re-enfranchised.
Gar Alperovitz was in Seattle for the annual meeting of the National Cooperative Business Association and spoke at Town Hall Seattle immediately following a live screening of the first presidential debate. YES! Magazine's executive editor Sarah van Gelder introduced him.
A glitch in PNC Bank's online payment system meant the Cruz family's home fell into foreclosure, putting it at the center of a committed community stand-off.
What does a given moment look like on the other side of the globe? A new documentary captures a single day in every country on Earth.
How the poet, activist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author has changed the world with her words.
An artist's response to Arizona's ban on ethnic studies.
You're never too old to change the world.
Video: People around the world show how climate change is already affecting their lives.
Video: Thousands of protesters in New York City sing, "This Land Is Your Land."
Video: Occupiers are once again camping in protest, this time outside the New York Stock Exchange.


text:
London Caledonian Commemorative Tartan
New Business Users, read more and join on the Business Affiliates page.
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We were bound to have trouble in Customs with the muesli, Dick predicted, and maybe the half jar.... read more
The charm of hiking in the Highlands is the other side of the difficulty: that is, the mostly tr.... read more
Often referred to with the affectionate moniker of "the highlands in miniature", the Trossac.... read more
Visitors to Bathgate in West Lothian will find loads of interesting information on the history o.... read more
Situated in the Perthshire village of Birnam, the Beatrix Potter Garden pays tribute to the 19th.... read more


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[the Jessica Ridgeway abduction and murder]
Mental health experts estimate that one in a hundred individuals worldwide are bona fide psychopaths. One percent doesn't seem that big a deal in the scheme of things, of course, but it's still not a number to scoff at since these individuals manage to perpetrate a whopping 30% of all violent crimes committed annually and constitute more than 25% of the prison population.
Predominately male, psychopaths come from every walk of life, every ethnic and every nationality, and their inherited tendencies toward remorselessness and a lack of empathy makes them toxic people to know, whether or not they ever engage in acts of violence.
Thankfully, statistics show that most psychopaths are not usually dangerous individuals. These more benign types exist day to day in a "sub-criminal" state of mind, infecting and disaffecting all they meet with their unabashed selfishness, their compulsive lying and boasting, and their guiltless pursuit of pleasure and gain at other people's expense. In short, though this aberrant majority may stop shy of actually plotting and executing criminal offenses, they still live at all times on the very edge of civility.
When a psychopath does fall over that precipice, however, when his motives and impulses become uncontrollable and reach far beyond the bounds of civilization, he becomes a serious threat to society.
The demented psycho who, for a thrill kill, abducted and murdered 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway this October, and then dumped parts of her mutilated body in garbage bags a few miles from her Colorado home, is still at large in the area and, undoubtedly, has killed before and will kill again.
In fact, investigators have just confirmed that DNA lifted from the victim's remains and from various items uncovered at the crime scene directly link this madman to at least two prior foiled abductions of young women who were jogging in the park right across from Jessica's house.
And, to make matters worse for the terrified community this vivacious schoolgirl once lived in, profilers suggest that it's very likely the murderer is not a complete stranger, but rather someone who resides and/or works in the neighborhood.
That assertion would be consistent then with national homicide stats which reveal that, in over 85% of all murders, the victims are somehow acquainted with or even related to their killers.
The only good news in this tragic and frightening affair, is that dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are on the Ridgeway case, relentlessly striving to identify Jessica's sadistic killer before he can strike again. Police know by the magnitude of this slaying that he's on a spree, so time is of the essence in apprehending him.
With that aim, they are actively seeking assistance from the public in deciphering clues recently collected. Of specific interest to them at this time is a small wooden cross that may have been a pendant to a necklace, and which was recovered in the open field near where Jessica's body parts were found. Some telltale grocer receipts were discovered near that site too, evidence which has additionally helped to narrow the focus of the search for a perpetrator.
As well, officials are asking neighbors to maintain a state of vigilance now and to report any suspicious behavior of colleagues, coworkers, family members, or friends—particularly on the morning of Jessica's abduction and during the days immediately following it. They say conduct that ought to send up red flags would be any or all of the following:
1. A person suddenly missing work or appointments, with or without a plausible excuse;
2. Making dramatic changes in their personal appearance;
3. Making alterations to their vehicle;
4. Escalated use of alcohol or other substances;
5. Packing up and leaving town without notice;
6. Having an obsessive interest in media coverage of the case, possibly coupled with an extreme unwillingness to discuss the murder
Additional details concerning a potential suspect profile have also been furnished in the past few days. Investigators believe that the individual in question is a short Caucasian male between 18 and 40 years of age, and so profoundly disturbed that his psychological issues would be hard to disguise, in general, and well known to those who see him on a regular basis. There is also a good chance that the man is unattractive and unkempt, expert profilers say, two physical characteristics allegedly quite common to this class of serial offender.
Police have finally confirmed that Jessica's schoolbag, located in an adjacent city almost a week after the child's initial disappearance, contained her clothes, and was planted there by the killer to serve both as a taunt and as a decoy to lead them away from his trail. This further underscores their working theory that the perp is a resident of Jessica Ridgeway's hometown and may even live within walking distance from her home.
With Halloween looming at month's end, and the prospect of children en masse trick-or-treating in a municipality where a vicious and opportunistic murderer is on the loose searching for easy prey, there is a growing sense of urgency by law enforcement personnel to solve the Ridgeway abduction and slaying as quickly as possible. They have been following through on literally thousands of leads in the case and are asking for more public help of this nature.
Jessica's killer originally tried to abduct grown females for his victims, but, when those attempts proved unsuccessful, he switched to younger targets. This is a grim reminder that, as adults become increasingly more prudent and cautious in order to avoid becoming victims of crime, children are made all the more vulnerable to those whose deviance knows no limits and whose bloodlust can never be quenched.
But, despite Hollywood's penchant for portraying these ruthless predators as omnipotent, they are not brilliant and invincible. The murderer of young Jessica Ridgeway may delude himself into thinking he's as evil a genius as the fictitious Hannible "the cannibal" Lecter, but he is terribly mistaken in that belief, and has made some serious mistakes along the way, too. Yes, apparently his DNA does not match any currently on file in the nation's sex-offender databases, but that's not a real obstacle to catching him. Rest assured, this sick creep can and will be brought to justice soon.
Tips to the authorities can be phoned in at 303-658-4336, or, alternately, emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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On Monday, we spent the better part of the day at the outdoor Dirt Demo scoping out new bikes and parts and being surprised by some and disappointed by others (more on those later). It's always interesting to ride a variety of machines back-to-back on the same trail to get a feel for them and to line up what will be in the magazine in the near future. Each day we will have a variety of photos so check out the gallery, and if there is something specific YOU want to see leave a comment to this blog and we'll try to fill your request. This is your forum!
Yesterday, we also managed to run the van out of gas and performed a death defying dismount from the rolling vehicle in eight lanes of heavy traffic to push the big V-8 through the intersection and into the nearest gas station. Maurice likes to make sure we aren't filling up 1/4 tanks and wasting time at the pump. We also succeeded in commandeering a cart (the Dirt Bag way) to unload the van at the convention center and save some cash on freight charges. The booth went up with relative ease and we are ready to take over the world, as soon as the coffee kicks in.
Until then we'll just disrupt life via the web at camp Dirt Rag and continue with our disguises. Eric has already been posing as a Japanese tourist with his thrift store pajamas and Carol's cooking breakfast. Over and out. –Shannon Mominee.
Like what you see? Please support independent publishing by Subscribing To Dirt Rag Magazine today.


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Miranda Dale had her first breakdown during her freshman year at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. It was 2 a.m. on a Saturday, and she hadn't left her dorm room in days.
"I honestly didn't know what to do," says Dale. "I heard rumors that at a big university you're just a number and you're not going to get through to anyone" at the university counseling center.
But when she called the school's counseling line, someone answered right away. Dale got help getting a prescription for medication, and she was booked for an appointment that Monday. She was eventually diagnosed with bipolar II, a mood disorder that usually requires medication.
Over the past decade, colleges and universities across the country have seen an influx of students like Dale with mental health needs. The stigma of mental illness has started to dissipate, and more students are comfortable seeking help. In addition, teenagers with serious conditions are getting treatment earlier, and so a population of students that previously didn't make it to college now arrives on campus each fall.
The average college counseling center sees about 10 percent of the student body each year.
Some campuses are exploring new systems to help meet the growing demand. At UVA, for example, the counseling center uses a triage system to make sure it is able to see as many students as possible.
When student first call the counseling line, they are given a 20-minute phone consultation with a therapist on their sleeping and eating habits, attendance, substance use, and whether they're having thoughts of self-harm. That's according to psychologist Russ Federman, a former director at the UVA counseling center.
Students in crisis are seen immediately. Another quarter of callers are referred to off-campus therapists right away. Dale was seen only once at the counseling center. After her initial appointment, she was referred to a private therapist off-campus instead.
With the help of the triage system, the UVA counseling center was able to accommodate 9,000 visits last year with only 12 full-time therapists.
Overall, schools are getting better at meeting the mental health needs of their students, says Alison Malmon, president and founder of Active Minds, a mental health advocacy group with chapters on campuses across the country.
"Not everything is great; we would love all students to be able to get all of the unlimited visits they could get on campus," Malmon says.
Recently, anxiety outpaced depression as the No. 1 student complaint on college campuses, according to a survey of college counseling centers. Malmon says that has a lot to do with the current economy.
Meredith Was, who heads up the Active Minds chapter at UVA, says she started to feel the stress of getting a job after graduation during the first semester of her senior year.
Was saw a counselor for just seven sessions, enough to help her deal with the uncertainty of graduation, along with a painful breakup.
Between suicide prevention outreach, free counseling sessions and the triage system, UVA manages to mostly stay ahead of the demand for services.
"We really want students to know it's OK to reach out for help, and there's no shame in having anxiety or depression or anything," says Federman. "It's just part of the human condition."
Especially, he adds, during the college years.
Over the past decade, colleges and universities have seen an influx of students with mental health needs. That's partly because teenagers have better access to treatment, so those with more serious conditions in high school are now better able to move on to college; plus, more students are comfortable seeking help - all of which is putting increased pressure on mental health services. Jenny Gold visited one school - the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville - to find out how it's managing.
JENNY GOLD, BYLINE: Miranda Dale had her first breakdown during her freshman year at U.Va. It was 2 a.m. on a Saturday, and she hadn't left her dorm room in days.
MIRANDA DALE: I honestly didn't really know what to do. And I was really timid to call because I just - I had heard rumors that, you know, like - you know, at a huge university, you're just a number, you know; and you're not going to actually get through to anyone.
GOLD: But when she called the school's counseling line, someone answered right away; gave her tips on how to get through the night; helped her get a prescription for an anti-anxiety med; and booked her an appointment for Monday. Dale was eventually diagnosed with bipolar type II, a mood disorder that usually requires medication.
DALE: College is already hard enough if you don't have a mental illness. And when you do have something that's, like, binding you down, it can be stressful sometimes.
GOLD: Dale only saw a university counselor that once. They sent her to a private therapist off campus, instead. It wasn't free - like sessions at the counseling center are - but Dale had insurance, and it helped free up space for other students. This triage system is one way U.Va. makes sure they see as many students as possible. Last year, they were able to accommodate 9,000 visits. Psychologist Russ Federman is a counselor at the center.
RUSS FEDERMAN: If a student needs to come in, we have a phone conversation with them, usually about 20 minutes in duration. We assess their current functioning. Are they sleeping? Are they getting to class? What's their substance use like? Are they having thoughts of self-harm?
GOLD: Students in crisis are seen immediately. Another quarter of callers are referred to off-campus therapists right away. But most are squeezed in whenever there's an opening, and seen for about five to 10 sessions. That's what happened to senior Meredith Was. She started feeling depressed this fall, as she thought about graduation.
MEREDITH WAS: There's not a sense of security that having a college degree is going to guarantee you a job. And that is enormously stressful because you don't what's going to happen to you. You don't know how you're going to support yourself; how you're going to float.
GOLD: Recently, anxiety outpaced depression as the number one student complaint on college campuses; something Alison Malmon says has a lot to do with the current economy. Malmon is the president and founder of Active Minds, a mental health advocacy group with chapters on campuses across the country. She says overall, schools are getting better.
ALISON MALMON: Not everything is great. Not everything is a perfect scenario. We would love for all students to be able to get all of the unlimited visits they could get on campus. But with resources being so scarce, and with so many more students seeking out the care that they need, schools have had to adjust.
GOLD: Federman has found another way to help: a bipolar support group for students like Miranda Dale. Bipolar students are at high risk for dropping out, or even attempting suicide. But many end up seeing a psychiatrist just once every six weeks, for medication maintenance.
FEDERMAN: In the life of a university student with bipolar disorder, a lot can change in one, two or three weeks' time. And we find that it's really important to have rapid-response capability.
GOLD: In the bipolar support group, they're able to see the students all at once, every week, instead of tying up individual therapy time. Dale joined the group last year.
DALE: This fall, I remember going into the session. I was in a little bit of a hypomanic up-phase, kind of. And the one girl in the group was - who knew me from last year was like, wait a minute; like, slow down, Miranda; like, I've seen last-year-depressed Miranda, anxious Miranda. Like, something's going on. So it's not just about Dr. Federman. It's mostly like, your peers can have some of the most insight.
GOLD: No matter the issue, Federman says the important thing is for students to seek help, when they need it.
FEDERMAN: We really want students to know that it is OK to reach out for help; and there's no shame in having anxiety or depression, or anything. I mean, it's just part of the human condition.
GOLD: Especially, he says, during the college years. For NPR News, I'm Jenny Gold.
MONTAGNE: Jenny Gold is with our partner Kaiser Health News, which is a nonprofit news service. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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After a few years of struggling to find open fields for his travel baseball teams to practice, Brevard Blue Sox Travel Baseball president Brandon Clark made it his goal to find a location once and for all.
"We've tried to find a place to play for the past two years. Travel baseball takes a beating from a lot of the local little leagues around the area, making it difficult for them to find places to practice. They just have to hunt and find open fields to practice in," Clark said.
"This had been my dream location since I got the idea. I talked with the owner of the building for a long time, and finally I approached him and threw a number at him and he accepted in late October."
That dream indoor location, now called Super 5 Sports Complex, is located in Pisgah Forest and caters to baseball and softball players of all ages looking to practice, stay in shape or to hone their skills in their particular sport.
"We took ownership of the building on Dec. 15 and had our grand opening on New Year's Day," Clark said.
The complex goes above and beyond what any other Western North Carolina sports complex offers as it pertains to baseball and softball, Clark said, and therefore Super 5 Sports isn't competing with any others.
Xcel Sportsplex in Fletcher is geared more towards volleyball and basketball, and though Diamond Mine in Candler is also a baseball complex, Clark said he has had several people come through his doors who say that Super 5 offers much more.
"There is absolutely everything a player would need here to reach their maximum potential," Clark said. "Everything is here for each person to have their own experience and get the most out of that. It's a rare situation; I've opened a business that isn't money-hungry. As long as we can pay our bills we just want kids to be able to have a place to come and better their game."
When Clark says "all ages," he means it.
His travel baseball program currently has 7-to-16-year-olds but he has had a 5-year-old's birthday party there as well as college players coming to stay in shape during the holidays.
"Within my program of 70 kids, I've got 20 kids from Henderson County and another 10 or 15 from Buncombe," Clark said.
"Since we've opened the complex I've had several softball players from Rugby, West Henderson, East Henderson and T.C. Roberson come and work out to get ready for their school season starting. We've also had some college baseball players come in and use the place before they reported back to college after the break."
The 6,000-square-foot building encases ample hitting space, five full-size batting cages that are retractable, four training bases where players can hit off a baseball tee, pitching machines, pitching tunnels, baseball equipment sales, video analysis for players, speed and agility training among several other features.
Clark and his employees also offer private lessons for hitting, fielding and pitching.
"If a person is going to come more than once within 30 days we suggest they get a membership. They run from $30, $50, $75 to $100, and each one of them gives you three times the value of what it costs for things to do in the one month," he said. "There's not another baseball/softball complex that's like this in the area; the nearest one is in South Carolina."
Along with kids getting ready for spring sports seasons, several others are preparing for travel ball as well. The Blue Sox program will be hosting tryouts at Super 5 for its travel ball teams on Jan. 26.
For more information about the complex, located at 5620 Asheville Highway in Pisgah Forest, visit www.super5sports.com, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call Clark at (828) 553-5756.
Clark opens new sports facility in Pisgah Forest
After a few years of struggling to find open fields for his travel baseball teams to practice, Brevard Blue Sox Travel Baseball president Brandon Clark made it his goal to find a location once and for all.


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Lawmakers' talks break down; student ID not valid for votingBy JOHN DiSTASO
Senior Political Reporter
June 17. 2013 9:38PM
CONCORD — A student identification card will no longer be a valid ID for voting in New Hampshire as of Sept. 1, after talks on the contentious issue between House and Senate negotiators quickly broke down on Monday.
"We're at the position where we have to agree to disagree," said Rep. Gary Richardson, D-Concord, after a fruitless conference committee session on House Bill 595.
It is possible that the talks can be revived and agreement reached before a 12 noon Thursday deadline, when all committee of conference reports must be submitted.
Richardson said that is unlikely, but Sen. David Boutin, R-Hooksett, said it is not out of the question.
"There may not be a (final committee of conference) report filed just yet," Boutin said. "We're still waiting to see what might germinate."
If agreement is not reached, the current law, passed a year ago by what was then a GOP-dominated Legislature over the veto of Democratic Gov. John Lynch, will remain in effect and student IDs will no longer be an acceptable form of voter ID as of Sept. 1.
This year's Democratic-controlled House, in its original bill passed in March, tried to keep student IDs as acceptable forms of voter ID. But the Republican-controlled Senate in May amended the House bill, and restored the list to the fewer items that will be allowed under existing law in September. Among the items eliminated by the Senate was student IDs.
A Senate committee called for allowing local voting officials discretion through September 2015 to decide whether a form of ID not on the statutory list, including a student ID, is legitimate. But that provision was eliminated in the final Senate-passed version.
Before the talks abruptly ended Monday, Boutin offered to restore that provision and make it permanent. But the House conferees rejected it, insisting that student IDs should be specifically allowed to continue as a valid, indisputable form of ID, without the need for local officials' discretion.
"If I was the House, I would have grabbed onto that," Boutin said afterward. "I thought it was a perfectly reasonable proposition. But they didn't."
Photo requirement
Also under current law, which remains in effect as a result of the impasse, beginning in September, anyone who comes to a polling place without a valid form of ID must fill out a "challenged voter affidavit." The law requires local elected officials to then take a photograph of the voter and attach it to the affidavit.
Anyone who objects to having a photo taken for religious reasons will be exempted.
The House bill eliminated the photograph requirement, but the Senate bill restored it, while putting it off for two years, until Sept. 1, 2015.
The legislators' failure to reach a compromise means the requirement of a photograph will also go into effect in September of this year, in time for November municipal elections in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Laconia and other communities.
And unless lawmakers address the issue next year, current law and the photograph requirement will be in effect in next year's September primaries and November general election.
Serious concerns
Rep. Kathleen Hoelzel, R-Raymond, said giving local officials discretion to determine acceptable forms of ID can lead to a different set of ID rules from one community to another.
"One piece of paper being OK for one person but not for the next person sets up two forms of ID," she said.
"One moderator might be more lenient than another and then you have major disparities," said Rep. Mary Ann Knowles, D-Hudson.
After the meeting, Rep. David Cote, D-Nashua, chairman of the House Election Law Committee, said that while the Senate's position on student IDs prevailed "in this venue, I'm not so sure legally it will.
"We have some pretty serious concerns about the impact this will have on the constitutional right of students and other people to vote," Cote said. "And that was the crux of the problem. Unfortunately, the Senate chose not to discuss those things, so we are where we are."
After Sept. 1, Richardson said, "election officials are going to have to get into the photography business and take pictures of people that don't have a photo ID."
He noted the cost for purchasing the photography equipment is more than $80,000, in addition to an annual cost of about $80,000 to "hire a staff person and go through the process.
"There's no money in the Senate budget or the House budget for this," Richardson said. "So, where is the money going to come from?"
What is a valid ID?
Richardson said that ultimately, the only way to change the status quo will be "a new election."
Under current law, current forms of valid ID are:
• A driver's license issued by New Hampshire or any other state.
• A non-driver's identification card issued by the state Division of Motor Vehicles.
• A U.S. armed services identification card.
• A U.S. passport, even if expired.
• Any other valid photo identification issued by the federal, state, county or municipal governments.
• A valid student identification card
• Any other form of ID determined to be "legitimate" by local election officials.
But as of September, under current law, the valid list of acceptable IDs for voting will shrink to:
• A driver's license
• A non-drivers identification card issued by the motor vehicles division of any state.
• A U.S. armed services identification card.
• A U.S. passport
• A challenged voter affidavit.


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Is your real home page and search engine page is directed replaced with Movie-Quest.info ? Does it reroutes your private search queries to other shady and third party domains ? Are you wondering why these frequent browser redirection and other issues occurs each time ? If you are seeking for effective procedure for fixing such browsing related issues, you must read this blog post. By reading this below post, you can easily get rid of Movie-Quest.info from your system completely.
Movie-Quest.info is classified as a malevolent web page. It can silently intrude on numerous versions of windows operating systems without any concern. In some cases, it seems as a legitimate movie related site that helps you provide relevant search queries and improve your browsing experiences. But these claims are not true because when you try to search keyword or anything on the site, you will fake and unwanted search results. The illegal motive of Movie-Quest.info is increase the web traffic on other unrecognized domains and makes illicit benefits for other cyber offenders. Further, this dubious threat will track your surfing activity and share your IP address, visited pages and other confidential details with cyber spammers.
Due to these irrelevant redirection issues, you will unable to visit your favourite websites and perform online related activities. Movie-Quest.info is a highly suspicious threat which is capable of corrupting your Firefox, Chrome and other reputed browsing programs. This pesky hijacker infection gets inside your compromised system with the help of junk mail messages, infected CD and other external removal devices, unwanted programs and other mischievous online sources. The worse function of this threat is, you will receive lots of fake commercial ads, infectious links and error codes each time when you open new tab on the browser. Additionally, your registry files are frequently destroyed with Movie-Quest.info related files and your system is freezing for a long time if it exists on your PC's background. So, you should remove Movie-Quest.info from your system quickly.
"Download automatic Movie-Quest.info removal tool to completely remove Movie-Quest.info related infections and to make your system free of threats."
Movie-Quest.info Delivery Vectors: How Movie-Quest.info Enters Windows PC
Movie-Quest.info is installed on the PC in myriad ways but rarely in a conspicuous and forthright manner. The infection is obtained initially by website browsing or using some sort of ad-supported software. It can also be installed on the host computer by exploiting the software vulnerabilities. Some of the different ways through which this malware can get inside your PC are discussed below under the following headings:
1. Social Engineering Banner Ads: The very first challenge for any virus vendor is to get people to install their software. The virus writers face this problem and solve it via social engineering techniques so as to entice the users into running their creation. These hackers use email messages with flashy content like "check out this message" and attach the virus rather instead of any legitimate content. These hackers make use of fake banner ads to initiate the installation of Movie-Quest.info. The banners look like Windows box but are actually scam and innocent users' fells victim to the same.
2. Drive by Downloads: Spyware vendors use this malicious technique to inject malware like Movie-Quest.info on the Windows PC. This technique refers to convincing a user to install some programs as they browse internet without the user actually requesting the installation of any program in the first place. This process is usually invoked through ActiveX control installers or automatic website page refresh.
3. Continual Prompting: Just because you have declined an installation prompt does not mean that you have prevented the entry of the malware on your host computer. Some spyware vendors go in length and breadth by employing continual prompting where the installation prompt is being displayed round the clock until the user gives up and consents to the installation either accidentally or due to utter frustration.
4. Chain Installation: This is yet another delivery vector where Movie-Quest.info comes bundled with 3rd party software. For example, when you install Kazaa, programs from GAIN network, Rx Toolbar, Cydoor are also installed which facilitates in marketing and delivery of ads. While Kazaa gives clear notification that the aforesaid programs will be installed, many hackers bury notification of bundled program and attach the spyware. As a result of which user concerned unknowingly installs the virus on their PC without any least knowledge.
Symptoms of Movie-Quest.info Infection
Once this threat secretly installs into the host computer, you will come across one of the following symptoms in your PC when you run it –
- Unable to show taskbar or tray icons when PC is running
- Hiding of files, process, registry keys, services or other evidences
- Mimics system file names and resources with fake 3rd party files
- Lack of clear and obvious uninstall functions
- Uninstall of Movie-Quest.info fails or require long surveys/tricks to accomplish
- Antivirus software, firewall and other security measures are disabled
- Security settings of Windows OS and other applications are altered
- Download and execution of arbitrary 3rd party content (payload)
How Movie-Quest.info Works after Getting Installed on Host Computer
This infection model includes a single package such as an .exe file or many other files that are designed by hackers that remain hidden and are hard to detect or trace. Once the file is downloaded, it contains other components (downloaders, adware, remote access tools etc) that infect the system. It starts sending information (email address) to a remote server. At this point of time, your system is compromised and your email id is being sold to the next spammer. Once the threat is installed, it makes use of a load point so that it restarts every time when the PC starts. The most common load point it makes use of is in the Run Registry key called HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CurrentVersion\Run. By using this load point, Movie-Quest.info not only starts automatically but also run under the context of other applications. This allows the threat to remain unnoticed and gives it the access to other applications like Internet Explorer actions and all network traffic.
Disadvantages and Dangers of Having Movie-Quest.info in Windows PC
- Corrupts and changes default settings of the internet browser
- Modifies homepage and redirects unwanted pop up ads
- Frequent redirection to anonymous websites
- Search engine settings are hijacked
- Personal user details are collected and sent to remote server
- Brings further infections like spyware, Trojans and virus
- Consumes CPU storage memory and makes browser run slow
Possible Outcome of Movie-Quest.info Infection
Possible consequences of Movie-Quest.info installed on the Windows PC range from mere annoyance to reduced productivity to serious security breaches or legal liability. Aftermath of this malware infection on the host computer is discussed below:
1. Intellectual Property Theft: In the year 2003 Valve Software, makers of Half Life game had their source code of its much anticipated sequel of the game stolen and released to the internet by some serious malware via keylogger that was installed on the developer's computer. It is not clear that if this thing had actual revenue impacts on Valve but the implications are obvious for anyone with confidential data on their hard drive.
2. Weakened Security: This threat lowers browser security settings to make it easier to install additional material on the PC. It shuts down firewall, antivirus program and as a result of which this threat at a latter point when the damage has already been done. It makes use of vulnerability scanners and hacking tools to compromise the machine and reduces its overall performance.
3. Identity Theft: Identity theft is supposed to cost consumers and business over $50 billion in USA alone in year 2012. Many of us bank online, buy and sell security goods online, store vital information like credit card details, social security number etc on PC and they are at the risk as Movie-Quest.info can acquire this information through proxying, keylooging, phishing or other means.
4. Resource Consumption: Movie-Quest.info consumes resources that could be otherwise used by the user concerned for their own purpose. This threat eats disk space, clutters favourites and menu with junk, takes up CPU memory, ejects numerous Windows pop-ups etc which in turn makes the computer unresponsive.
Movie-Quest.info: Connects System Online for Fake Spyware Scan
When this malware gets installed on your system, it redirects your internet browser to some sites. Those sites will prompt you to scan your computer online for spyware and virus infection. You should know that these scanning are absolutely fake in nature and it is done with the motive of intimidating innocent computer users.
Once you click OK, the webpage imitates My Computer folder with hard disks and other folders but they actually don't represent your real computer.
When the Fake Scanning is completed, results will be displayed and you will be suggested to remove the infections from your PC.
Clicking on Remove All button will result in file download. Users concerned will think that some antivirus software is being installed but in reality fake antivirus gets activated which leaves no stone unturned in scaring the hell out of users with frightening notifications. You will be compelled to buy the licensed version of this fake software but it will not provide any sort of protection to your PC. This is one way of promoting rogue applications once Movie-Quest.info enters your Windows PC.
Malicious Behaviour of Movie-Quest.info
There are essentially six different types of traits seen by this malware and are listed below under the following headings:
1. Installation: gets into the system in a surreptitious manner and modifies it in such a manner that a code runs at a frequent interval of time every time the computer boots
2. Surveying: finding new PC with Windows based operating system so as to spread the infection
3. Replicating: getting into those new PC and exploit it and downgrade its overall performance
4. Concealment: hiding its presence behind malicious process and bypasses detection by ordinary spyware and virus removal programs
5. Injection: getting inside data or code of innocuous process on PC to gain additional privileges, deliver payload and achieve concealment
6. Payload: communicating data from the system hard drive to third parties or receiving commands from third parties
Is Movie-Quest.info Safe for PC and Browsers?
No absolutely not!!! Movie-Quest.info is a severe threat that spreads its infection like a wild fire once it gets installed on the host computer. It is not the least bit safe because the threat involves cyber criminal activities, exploitation of user privacy and depletion of overall computer performance and functionality. Some of the points that justify the aforementioned statement are discussed below under the following headings:
- Does not require the consent of user before installation
- Continual display of pop ups, annoying ads and fake errors
- Intelligently accesses online behaviour and internet activity of user
- Hard to remove from browser as it keeps on returning time and again
Understanding the Dangers Associated with Movie-Quest.info
1. By monitoring your browsing activity on the internet, this particular threat enables target advertising. In other words it provides advertisers with the necessary data they need to bombard your PC with the respective ads based on perceived preferences.
2. Once this malware understands your online behaviour, it generates a plethora of unsolicited pop up messages every time you get online or visit e-commerce related websites. These messages cover half of the screen and if you mistakenly click on them, you will be redirected to unknown sites from where additional threat gets installed on the host computer.
3. More seriously because Movie-Quest.info is consuming the memory and resources of the system as it runs in the background and is extremely hard to detect its malicious process. It gathers sensitive information from the hard drive and transmits to home server; it can lead to system crash or instability in the near future.
4. It can aggravate the overall performance of the PC by installing rogue and pesky applications, redirecting browsers to anonymous sites, tampers security settings, curtails internet speed, modifies homepage and even disrupts the overall network connectivity.
5. The aforesaid problems although they are severe but one can still cope with them. But there is something that Movie-Quest.info is capable of doing and hard to cope is financial fraud. This malware can access all your confidential data like user name, passwords, bank account details along with related pins and you can become victim of identity theft without your least bit knowledge of the same.
Movie-Quest.info: Personal Files Held for Ransom on Your Computer
Windows users have a new threat to worry about. This malware is capable of holding your personal files (including pictures, music and documents) until some ransom is paid to hackers who have created this vicious threat. Once this infection gets into the PC, it encrypts all your personal files on the compromised PC. The encryption algorithm is rock solid and quite difficult to crack. You might get a countdown timer that informs victims that they have 72 hours to pay the ransom ranging from $300-$1000 and the money has to be paid in MoneyPak or Bitcoins. These payment methods are least bit susceptible to identity thefts. Literally if you don't pay the fine, the files cannot be recovered. This technique employed by Movie-Quest.info is extremely successful and hackers might even extend the deadline so that the victims have more time to pay the amount. You should not pay a single dime; rather remove Movie-Quest.info for overall PC security and safety.
How to Kill Malicious Process Associated With Movie-Quest.info
Using Safe Mode
Most of the process that is malevolent in nature is inactive when the PC operates in Safe Mode with networking option. To proceed to this operation, you need to carry out the following steps:
==> Reboot your Windows operating system
==> Keep on pressing F8 when the system boots
==> Choose Safe mode with networking option
==> Kill all the malicious processes
Using Task Manager
The best thing about this tool is that you need not have to download anything. Rather this application is available in all versions of Windows PC, though it might be disabled or provides little bit of control.
==> Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del or Ctrl+Shift+Esc
==> If it fails to open, go to Start > Run and type in taskmgr
==> If still it fails, go to C:\Windows\System32 and rename it to 1.scr, 1.com or other random name. Launch that file.
==> Select process TAB and press end on processes that looks malicious
Sometimes Task Manager is disabled by Movie-Quest.info. A workaround would be to go to C:\Windows\System32, Make a copy of taskmgr.exe and rename it to 1.exe or iexplore.exe. Launch the file which in turn will enable the tool.
Manually Removing Movie-Quest.info from Web Browsers
Uninstall Movie-Quest.info using Add/Remove Program
==> Go to Start >> Control Panel >> Program and Features
==> Look for Movie-Quest.info and select it and click on Uninstall
Delete Movie-Quest.info from Google Chrome
==> Start Google Chrome and Click on "Wrench" or "Bar" icon at top right corner
==> Go to Settings >> Search >> Manage Search Engines
==>Select your preferred search engine and click on "Make it Default"
==>Remove unwanted search engines by clicking on cross mark at its end
==> Restart the browser to make the changes so as to complete the process
Remove Movie-Quest.info from Mozilla Firefox
==> Open Firefox, type about:config in address bar and press Enter
==> Type in keyword.url in search box, right click on it and select "Modify"
==> Keep the parameter box empty or write something other than what is set
==> Type browser.search.defaultenginename in search box to find this entry and reset it to your favorite search engine
==> Type browser.search.selectedEngine in search box and reset it to something than what it is set to initially
==> Search for browser.newtab.url and replace it with about:newtab
==> Restart the browser so that the changes can be applied
Get Rid of Movie-Quest.info from Internet Explorer
==> Open the browser, select Tools and click on Internet Option
==> Go to General >> Change Search Defaults >> Settings
==> Select your favorite search engine provider and click on Set as Default
==> Restart the browser
Remove Movie-Quest.info with Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool
It is a very powerful real time anti-spyware application that is certified by West Coast Labs' Checkmark Certification System. It is designed to protect PC by removing Movie-Quest.info and other malicious threats. The software is automatically configured where you get optimum security performance with limited interaction. It is developed with anti-rootkit technology and is tailor made to remove malware infections like Movie-Quest.info by offering intuitive real time protection. It is also very powerful in detecting adware, keyloggers, worms, Trojans etc and can block and delete spyware threats from Windows PC. The system guard will stop and remove malicious processes that attempts to auto start the malware entries by exploiting the Windows registry. So all you need is to download and install Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool for immediate and ongoing protection from Movie-Quest.info and other spyware threats from Windows PC.
Free Antivirus Software vs. Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool: Understand the Differences
The lure of free antivirus software is very powerful but you should know that these free version software have got limited features and options. These software are free for a time period say 14 days and after that it is downgraded. The free antivirus software looks like a real bargain but they have very little to offer. Movie-Quest.info is a very sophisticated malware and it cannot be removed by free antivirus software until you resort to a paid version one. Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool is a smart application and licensed at the same time that is effective in removing spyware threats like Movie-Quest.info with perfection and minimum hassles.
Some of the features that you can avail in Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool but not in the free antivirus or antispyware applications are discussed below under the following headings:
1. Link Checking: It interrogates each webpage before it gets loaded on your browser. If any malicious code is being suspected, the page will be immediately stopped from opening. Free version of the software will often leave you to fend for yourself.
2. Email Protection: Link checking is also performed for your mailbox as well. Links in the mail are properly scanned to trace any malevolent content and built-in email rules stop viral from ever reaching your inbox. Free antivirus software does not offer thorough email protection but rather leave a hole in your protection.
3. Personal Data Protection: The cyber thugs swindle money from innocent PC users by stealing and selling personal user data. The free antivirus software offers limited protection while the licensed version of Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool provides proactive protection by blocking any outside unauthorised connection to your PC.
4. Automatic Scanning: Antivirus software should sit in the background and watch over your shoulders as you work much like a bodyguard. Just like the bodyguard will spring into action even before you realize any danger, Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool neutralizes any threats as soon as they are found. Free versions of antispyware software does not offer this luxury as you will have to manually start the scan.
5. Timely Tech Support: The licensed version of Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool offers telephone support or at least response through email messages that is measured in hours not in days. If you are using free version of antivirus software, you will get help but not in right ways and you perhaps have to visit forums to get answers to your queries.
User Guide to Remove Movie-Quest.info with Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool
Step 1:
The very first step is to download and install the tool. It will take few second to install and then you are able to access the software interface. You have to click on the "scan computer" button and the software will start making search for the Movie-Quest.info in your systems.
Step 2:
Movie-Quest.info Removal Tool scans the hard drive to locate the virus infected items. All the scanned threats are shown in a thumbnail format as displayed with description that how severely the items are infected.
Step 3:
A built in feature known as "Spyware Removal Tool HelpDesk" is available with this software. With the help of this feature you can get complete information related to the malware and the spyware which you encountered in the system.
Step 4:
In the forth step "System Guard" is used in order to stop the entrance of all vicious items into your system and thus preventing your PC from future malware and threat attacks.
Security Tips to Protect PC from Future Infections like Movie-Quest.info
It is said that prevention is better than cure. In order to protect the computer from future spyware and virus threats, there are certain things you need to do as to secure your PC. Most of them can be done easily without involving any cost of any kind. The simple tips discussed below will surely keep your system and data safe.
- Abstain from warez (pirated software), programs from P2P and keygens
- Install Windows update (security fixes, service packs, patches, software update)
- Use reputable antispyware software and keep it updated
- Don't open email from unknown sources or files sent from instant messenger
- Download software from trusted sources like (SnapFiles, FileHippo etc)
- Passwords should be minimum of 8 characters and should contain uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols (!,@, #, &, %, *)
- Disable unwanted plug-in as it will keep you safe from activeX exploits and malicious scripts
- Use secure DNS service like Google DNS or OPENDNS
- Don't pay heed to every virus warning because many of them are scareware and hoax
- Replace programs that have got bad security track record (e.g. Adobe Reader, Outlook, IE)
"Download automatic Movie-Quest.info removal tool to completely remove Movie-Quest.info related infections and to make your system free of threats."


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Garry Rayno's State House Dome: Students may hope to bag a MOOSEBy GARRY RAYNO
State House Dome
January 12. 2013 11:42PM
A proposal will come before lawmakers this session to establish a new student scholarship program.
The Making Opportunities Occur for Student Excellence (MOOSE) Scholarship program was still under discussion at the end of last week, so no dollar figures had been set in the bill, sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Morse, R-Salem.
However, the scholarship money would be available to New Hampshire residents who currently qualify for in-state tuition at schools in the University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System of New Hampshire.
"I know the governor (Maggie Hassan) wants to fund the university system, so I tried to draft legislation to fund students so they could go to New Hampshire schools," Morse said. "They can choose whether to go to the university or community college system or choose to go to Keene or Plymouth or UNH. We need to do something so our students will stay in the state of New Hampshire, and that is my intent."
Students would have to have a 3.0 grade-point average and have an SAT of ACT cumulative score above the national average to qualify for a scholarship, which would be one amount for both the university and community college schools.
The grants would not be based on financial need and would be only for full-time students. Also, a student with a criminal record would not be eligible.
The scholarship would be available for four years of undergraduate work and renewable as long as the student maintained a B average in college.
A scholarship could also be transferred from one public institution of higher learning in the state to another.
The program would be administered by the Division of Higher Education in the Department of Education.
The amount of money available for the scholarship would be determined through the budget process.
The MOOSE program would provide students with the money, then let them decide where to use it, Morse said.
The Salem Republican intends the program to help young people from New Hampshire go to college by bringing down the cost.
The University System of New Hampshire board of trustees has proposed holding tuition steady for two years if lawmakers return state aid to its previous level of about $100 million a year. The last Legislature cut state aid to the university and community college systems almost by half.
Hassan campaigned on restoring state aid to higher education, but did not say it would be returned to its pervious level in the upcoming budget.
"I do know there will be some money going forward for the university system and if there is it should based on scholarships," Morse said. "The reality is some people want to give the money to the community college system, and if that is where they want to go and that will keep them in New Hampshire, then let's do it."
He said he will propose legislation for expanded gambling, and the revenue would fund education and the highway system.

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WHAT TO DO? Much has been made of meetings last week in Washington, D.C., under the watchful eye of Vice President Joe Biden to discuss recommendations for gun controls or regulations that would reduce gun violence in the United States.
New Hampshire, long known as a gun-friendly state, has not seen lawmakers jump at the opportunity to propose far-reaching gun restrictions.
Nine bills dealing with guns or other weapons will be introduced this session, and some have no chance of passage with the change in the political make up of the House and Senate.
Several bills introduced did not go forward in the last Legislature, which was certainly much more gun-friendly than the current crop of lawmakers.
For example, Rep. J.R. Hoell, R-Dunbarton, is proposing a bill to repeal the license requirement to carry a concealed weapon. In order to obtain a concealed carry license, a person has to provide three character references and evidence of no serious mental health issues and receive permission from his or her community's chief of police.
A similar bill died in the last Legislature.
Another bill that will go nowhere this time is one sponsored by Rep. Dan Itse, R-Fremont, that would exempt firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition manufactured in New Hampshire from federal law and regulation. A similar bill died last session, as did a bill to reduce non-resident fees for pistol permits. A similar bill will be introduced this session by Rep. George Lambert, R-Litchfield.
On the other side of the coin, House Majority Leader Stephen Shurtleff, D-Concord, would repeal the stand-your-ground legislation approved in 2011 over the veto of former Gov. John Lynch.
House Bill 135 would strip away the new provision allowing anyone to use deadly force anywhere a person has a right to be and revert to the so-called Castle Doctrine, which says people can use deadly force within their home and on their property to protect themselves and their family.
This bill has some support in the House, but is likely to run into some resistance in the Senate.
A bill that may not make it out of the House would require a person to have a concealed carry license in order to display a pistol or revolver in a public place.
New Hampshire is an open-carry state, meaning a person does not need a permit to carry a firearm as long as the firearm is not concealed. The prime sponsor of the bill, Rep. Delmare Burridge, D-Keene, said he introduced the same bill three years ago when he was in the House and it did not get any traction.
It's not likely to get much traction this year, either, but he is not deterred, saying he wants to bring back some sanity to the issue.
Another bill would require a person to get firearms training and safety instruction before being allowed to purchase or acquire a firearm. Rep. Cynthia Sweeney, D-Charlestown, introduced the bill because of an incident a year ago involving her granddaughter and a BB gun.
She said people treat BB guns like toys, but they are not. People need to be aware of the safety issues when they play with guns, she added.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Carol McGuire, R-Epsom, would protect gun owners from liability if a firearm was stolen and then used for a criminal act. That bill has bipartisan support.
Rep. James Belanger, R-Hollis, wants to allow military and veterans groups to use firearms in the compact area of a city or town for military or veterans events or on a national holiday.
Let's keep those re-enactments coming.

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HEARINGS BEGIN: This is the first week for public hearings on bills, and though you shouldn't expect any barn burners, there is one bill that concerns the duty of the state fire marshal.
Most of the House bills are more mundane, such as one seeking to allow the administrator or executor of an estate to take control of the deceased person's social networking sites and another to grant immunity for 911 calls for drug- or alcohol-related emergencies.
And perhaps the most controversial would allow straight-ticket voting once again.
Straight-ticket voting allows a person to make only one check mark to vote for all of one party's candidates. Straight-ticket voting was eliminated a half-dozen years ago when Democrats controlled the House and Senate.
The Senate has eight committee hearings on bills this week.
Neither the House nor the Senate is scheduled to meet in session this week.


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STOCKTON - Two police officers were placed on paid leave after shooting a man who was high on PCP when he fired a shotgun at them Saturday night in north Stockton, authorities said Sunday.
STOCKTON - Two police officers were placed on paid leave after shooting a man who was high on PCP when he fired a shotgun at them Saturday night in north Stockton, authorities said Sunday.
Police were called to the 600 block of Cimarron Avenue shortly before 9 p.m. on reports of a disturbance involving a man with a shotgun. When officers arrived, Jeremy Fleming, 20, ran into an open single-car garage, police said.
Fleming, who was later determined to be under the influence of PCP and alcohol, positioned himself behind a vehicle and fired at officers as they approached the garage, said Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department.
Sgt. Matthew Garlick and Officer Kyle Amant returned fire, wounding Fleming, who was taken to a hospital with multiple non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and later transferred to Stanford Hospital for further treatment on a hand injury, police said.
Garlick and Amant, members of the police department's Community Response Team, were placed on a three-day paid administrative leave, authorities said. Garlick, hired in 2001, also was placed on paid leave in December after a man shot at him during a high-speed vehicle pursuit that ended with a deadly crash near North Pershing Avenue and Interstate 5, police said.
Fleming was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer and other weapons-related crimes, authorities said. Silva said the police department has invoked a multiagency protocol investigation to review the case.
The shooting was not Fleming's first encounter with police. In October 2011, officers were called to investigate a suspicious person in the 700 block of North San Joaquin Street. When they arrived, they found Fleming hiding behind bushes, police said. Fleming refused to comply with officers' instructions, pulled a knife from his waistband and threatened police, authorities said.
Fleming ultimately dropped the knife, but officers used pepper spray and a stun gun to subdue him when he tried to walk away, police said. Fleming, who was under the influence of PCP that night, too, was arrested for brandishing a weapon, resisting arrest and being under the influence of a controlled substance, police said.
Contact reporter Jason Anderson at (209) 546-8279 or email@example.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/crimeblog.


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When you describe a new brand to someone, it's usually best that they're name is short and rolls off the tongue. Clearly this rulebook wasn't handed down to Troglodyte Homunculus, who seem intent on making any admirers of their work sound like idiots – just try and say it out loud in a conversation.
Electronic Poet S/S threaded hoody
It might be a bit of anachronism taking a look at hoodies when we're now well into Spring and talking about short shorts. But let's not forget this is the UK, so constant balmy weather is never a certainty at this time of the year – global warming or nay.
Electronic Poet have produced the perfect S/S piece with their threaded hoody. Even layered up against the rain, it's airy enough as to not leave you feeling muggy and uncomfortable.
APC denim bermuda shorts
With the sun finally coming out, the short shorts debate looks set to continue. I'm not a fan of short shorts, but I despise three quarter lengths and cargo shorts even more. My ideal shorts would be a dark colour, well fitted and stopping just above the kneecap. APC – whose madras range we've featured before – have a pair of denim Bermuda shorts that tick all those boxes.
Fit – The most important factor in clothing
You know when you want to say something and someone else describes more eloquently than you ever could? That's how I feel about Simon Crompton's article on how fit is the most important factor in men's style. If you haven't read it for whatever reason, basically it states that too many male fashion followers put too much importance on brands and not enough on fit and design.
3.1 Phillip Lim Cardigan
You can't guarantee much, but I can guarantee that cardigans aren't at the top of your shopping list right now. Nevertheless, I think this 3.1 Phillip Lim cardigan will catch your eye even if you had no intentions of buying knitwear this season.
Filippa K check shirt
With big bold checks being all the rage, it can be easy to forget about the subtler check shirt. This Filippa K shirt has checks so small they're near invisible from a distance. The matching options with this shirt are vast, as it's smart enough to wear to a (casual) office and could also fit in well with the nautical theme, should you be wishing to take on that look this summer.
Victor Glemaud S/S 2008
Considering Victor Glemaud's first collection was only Spring/Summer 2007, he's garnered a remarkable amount of attention in a very short time. It's no coincidence that he was a publicist before he moved into the fashion world, although he also worked as a design advisor for Paco Rabanne for a year before opening his own line in July 2006.
ASOS and Topman gear up for the summer
Always ready to captialise on the mass appeal, both ASOS and Topman have setup up 'festival fashion' departments on their respective e-stores.
Fila Gold check shorts
The plaid on plaid trend is still for the fashion forward few so it hasn't had many takers yet. Due to the difficulty in pulling this off, it's unlikely that the trend will ever take off like V-neck jumpers did. With that said, there are still some great check items to be found, like these Fila Gold check shorts (£45).
Hammer pants 2008 style?
Apparently, these jeans aren't a joke. I'm tempted to think that this may be a PR stunt. No one could actually think that these look good. Seeing as they're being sold at Karmaloop (although it states that it's out of stock whenever you try to look at them) Soulful Commandoe clearly did.
John Lawrence Sullivan S/S08
John Lawrence Sullivan is the creation of Japanese designer Arashi Yanagawa. After spending 4 years as a professional boxer, Yanagawa started John Lawrence Sullivan – the name of the first bare knuckle heavyweight champion of the world. A self taught designer, his influences range from boxing to aviation.
Streetwear labels popping up in GTA IV
In its neverending quest to be the greatest game since records began, Grand Theft Auto IV continues to throw up little surprises.
Gar-De Leather Jackets
With people like the Apprentice's recently fired Kevin Shaw showing how leather jackets can look bad, it's becoming more important to get a tailored jacket regardless of what material it's made from. Gar-De are a New York design collective who aim to 'reinvent the highest quality materials into innovative designs'. They chose leather for their debut collection and focused exclusively on it.
Trends: Watch & Wear- Navy SEAL Zeal
List any of this season's It-items and chances are they are water-related or wave-inspired. Yes, that means you boat shoe, loafer, plimsoll, striped tee and navy (hello!) blue shirt.
The mood is light yet determined and spray-in-the-face cool. Imagine sea-side escapades (emphasis on the imagine) and sand between your toes as you loosely raise that striped knit from your oversized Jil Sander mesh-holdall.
Topman Lens Range on sale
Regret, Disappointment, A sense of 'I wish I could have done something'. These are all feelings you get when you miss a sale. Topman have tried to sneakily put the entire Lens range on sale and hoped no one noticed. That means £45 Mjolk trench coats, £15 Material Boy t-shirts and £25 Carolyn Massey shirts all slipping between our fingers.
Robert Geller S/S 2008
German Born, New York based designer Robert Geller is a very new kid on the block. His label only launched in A/W 07, after working at Marc Jacobs, revamping Cloak and creating a women's wear range called Harald. The following sentence will sound a little odd, but I'm going to look at a S/S 2008 range while we're actually in the same season.
The Apprentice anti-style award
Newspapers and Magazines (including me) have all fallen in love with Mad Men's sense of style. While no one (bar the BNP) wants any other values in the show to return, the fashion sense displayed by the men in that show is constantly returned to. And from watching the Apprentice, it's clear to see why.
*****L Bathrobe
If Brandish were a political party our key campaigning issues would be madras shirts, short shorts and sleepwear. Consider this post a campaign for sleepwear. If long johns are a step too far for you to wear outside the house, then you might want to start on something simple. Like this *****L Bathrobe (€120).
Sale alert: Energie purple cardigan
If you shop like a man then you'll be glad to know that this Energie cardigan has gone on sale. Purple hasn't infiltrated the menswear market like it has the women's but that's all the more reason to get into it.
Blood, Sweat and T-shirts review
The premise of 'Blood, Sweat and T-shirts' is simple; get six fashion fanatics – who all seem to be doing their hardest to be unlikeable – send them off to a sweatshop and see how they cope. Do they crumble or do they start sewing 1000 garments a minute with one hand tied behind their back?