CelebMatch.com: "CelebMatch.com
Ever wanted to know how compatible your are with Britney Spears, Anna Kournikova or Brad Pitt? Or wanted to know who's your most compatible celebrity love? Use CelebMatch.com to find out!
CelebMatch.com uses the scientific method of biorhythms to calculate the compatibilities. Use CelebMatch.com to calculate your most compatible celebrity love or select a celebrity yourself and CelebMatch.com will show the compatibility.
menu
The compatibilities shown are for entertainment purposes only: we don't want you to get caught stalking your best match!
If you're looking for more celebrity fun, you can play celebrity games at CelebrityGame.com.
If you want to match yourself with somebody who isn't a celebrity (e.g. your boyfriend or girlfriend) you can use BioLoveMatch.com.
Visit the help section to see an explanation about biorhythms and biorhythm compatibility. If you are a webmaster you can make money with your website or link to our site."
General Interest includes but not limited to CBD (Cannabidiol),Computers, photography, Travel, Miss Universe, Current events, International, the outdoors, Politics, World Events, LPGA, culture and tasteful women's photos. International Models. Social Injustice. Creative people. Great music bands. Bitcoin.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
NASCAR.COM - By the Numbers: Cup - Nov 25, 2006
NASCAR.COM - By the Numbers: Cup - Nov 25, 2006: "
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson is the 28th different Cup Series champion -- and the first to win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and points title in the same season. Credit: Autostock
By the Numbers: Cup"
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson is the 28th different Cup Series champion -- and the first to win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and points title in the same season. Credit: Autostock
By the Numbers: Cup"
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The Tamiami Trail
The Tamiami Trail: "The Tamiami Trail is the beauty and the beast of Florida roads, a highway-time machine that passes through a paradise of primeval forests and toothy animals as well as canyons of strip-shopping malls and heart-stopping traffic. The Trail, which is the last 275 miles of highway US 41, connects Tampa with Miami.
Friday, April 25, is the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Tamiami Trail. Considered an amazing engineering feat, the Trail was built through sandy pines, oak hammocks and finally the inhospitable swamps of the Everglades. Finishing the Trail required a dozen years, $8-million, almost three million sticks of dynamite, and one stubborn ox named 'Blue.'
Motorists are unlikely to spot an ox these days. But the Trail remains an amazing place. It's our road to diversity, marrying old Florida with the new, low-culture with high. A motorist with a full tank of gas and a long day to spare can visit carnival folks, donate money to the homeless, admire fine-art masterpieces, select a shell lamp, buy a stamp at the nation's smallest post office and maybe, just maybe, see a black bear.
Trail travelers can pick their own tomatoes, soak in a hot spring or in a luxurious spa bath, eat lima bean stew and homemade biscuits, ride an airboat with a Miccosukee Indian, watch old Cuban men play dominoes and wade past an alligator. But not at"
Friday, April 25, is the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Tamiami Trail. Considered an amazing engineering feat, the Trail was built through sandy pines, oak hammocks and finally the inhospitable swamps of the Everglades. Finishing the Trail required a dozen years, $8-million, almost three million sticks of dynamite, and one stubborn ox named 'Blue.'
Motorists are unlikely to spot an ox these days. But the Trail remains an amazing place. It's our road to diversity, marrying old Florida with the new, low-culture with high. A motorist with a full tank of gas and a long day to spare can visit carnival folks, donate money to the homeless, admire fine-art masterpieces, select a shell lamp, buy a stamp at the nation's smallest post office and maybe, just maybe, see a black bear.
Trail travelers can pick their own tomatoes, soak in a hot spring or in a luxurious spa bath, eat lima bean stew and homemade biscuits, ride an airboat with a Miccosukee Indian, watch old Cuban men play dominoes and wade past an alligator. But not at"
Ybor City Chamber of Commerce
Ybor City Chamber of Commerce
Welcome to Ybor City, Tampa's National Historic Landmark District. Florida's Latin Quarter experience beckons you back to another era. Wrought iron balconies, globe streetlights, brick-lined walkways and the majestic architecture of cigar factories, social clubs and other unique buildings, provide a glimpse into an era rich with culture and history. Today, Ybor City is a shopping, dining and entertainment district where the ancient art of premium hand-rolled cigar making lives on. And, we also boast a nightlife as colorful as our Spanish Flamenco dancers.
Welcome to Ybor City, Tampa's National Historic Landmark District. Florida's Latin Quarter experience beckons you back to another era. Wrought iron balconies, globe streetlights, brick-lined walkways and the majestic architecture of cigar factories, social clubs and other unique buildings, provide a glimpse into an era rich with culture and history. Today, Ybor City is a shopping, dining and entertainment district where the ancient art of premium hand-rolled cigar making lives on. And, we also boast a nightlife as colorful as our Spanish Flamenco dancers.
Welcome to Sanibel Island.com!
Welcome to Sanibel Island.com!: "Have you ever. . .dreamed of being on a tropical island, your toes in the soft white sand, an expansive beach, swaying coconut palms, lush tropical foliage and beautiful crystal blue water. Imagine watching the pelicans and herons fish for their dinner, collecting “treasures from the sea”, pastel colored seashells, while the sandpipers scurry along the surfs edge.
Sanibel Island has everything one could wish for…excellent restaurants, accommodations, golfing, tennis, fishing, boating, shopping, bike paths, canoes, theatrical productions, the renowned J.N. “Ding Darling”National Wildlife Refuge & Bird Sanctuary. Since 1884 Point Ybel Lighthouse has guided seafarers to Sanibel Island’s shores."
Sanibel Island has everything one could wish for…excellent restaurants, accommodations, golfing, tennis, fishing, boating, shopping, bike paths, canoes, theatrical productions, the renowned J.N. “Ding Darling”National Wildlife Refuge & Bird Sanctuary. Since 1884 Point Ybel Lighthouse has guided seafarers to Sanibel Island’s shores."
Tampa Electric - Manatee Viewing Center
Tampa Electric - Manatee Viewing Center: "The center set an attendance record last season with approximately 270,000 visitors. See what the excitement is about daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through April 15, 2007. You can experience a tidal walkway showcasing vibrant Florida plants and birds, butterfly gardens, our educational building, and – when the water temperature of Tampa Bay falls below 68 degrees Fahrenheit – manatees. Come see all this and more. Admission and parking are free!"
Sarasota.com - About Sarasota
Sarasota.com - About Sarasota: "In the Sarasota area, you can enjoy the breathtaking sunsets, educational museums, operas, ballets, plays, golf tournaments, and boat races. You can join in tennis, lawn bowling, water skiing, shell collecting, bird watching, growing exotic tropical plants, university classes, golf, or boating.
Quality service is available from knowledgeable physicians, bankers, lawyers, investment brokers, lenders and insurance agents, who can help answer your questions about living and conducting business in Florida.
Sarasota, together with its neighbors to the north and south, Manatee County and Charlotte County, form the 7th-largest market in Florida. It is also Florida's third-fastest growing major market. With over 600,000 people, the Sarasota/Manatee/Charlotte area is one of the largest, most affluent markets in Florida. In the last 5 years, it has grown 4 times faster than the national average. The per capita retail sales are almost 20% above the national average. It has a strong base of retirement age people, about a third of the population, but the fastest-growing segment of the market is middle-aged adults and their children. It has approximately 1/4 the population of the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.
The beauty of Sarasota will get your attention on your first visit. If you see Sarasota first from the window of an airplane, the colors of the Gulf of Mexico"
Quality service is available from knowledgeable physicians, bankers, lawyers, investment brokers, lenders and insurance agents, who can help answer your questions about living and conducting business in Florida.
Sarasota, together with its neighbors to the north and south, Manatee County and Charlotte County, form the 7th-largest market in Florida. It is also Florida's third-fastest growing major market. With over 600,000 people, the Sarasota/Manatee/Charlotte area is one of the largest, most affluent markets in Florida. In the last 5 years, it has grown 4 times faster than the national average. The per capita retail sales are almost 20% above the national average. It has a strong base of retirement age people, about a third of the population, but the fastest-growing segment of the market is middle-aged adults and their children. It has approximately 1/4 the population of the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.
The beauty of Sarasota will get your attention on your first visit. If you see Sarasota first from the window of an airplane, the colors of the Gulf of Mexico"
Naples Florida
Naples Florida: "Naples is the crown jewel of Southwest Florida -- nestled on the sun drenched beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Naples is known for world class shopping, dining and abundant, challenging golf courses. It is also, only steps away from island seclusion or the untamed tropical wilderness of The Everglades. Boasting one of the nation's best sandboxes and calmest seas, Naples makes a splash with water lovers and recreationists. Friendly parks beckon sports enthusiasts and picnickers with lovely green spaces and recreational facilities.
"
"
Miami Beach Art Deco District
Miami Beach Art Deco District: "The southern end of the the 10-mile-long barrier island of Miami Beach is home to the Art Deco National Historic District, the only location in the United States to be so designated. It is comprised of a few dozen hotels and apartment buildings built primarily in the 1930's. These buildings are soaring examples of pre-war modernism with charactertic rounded corners and geometric ornamentation. The highlight of the district is the strip of hotels along Ocean Drive between 5th and 15th street.
While the area is thriving today, the southern region of Miami Beach has a less than perfect history. When the first buildings were completed in the 1920's during prohibition, South Beach soon became associated with liquor and gambling and attracted the likes of Al Capone. By the early 1980's, much of the Art Deco district had become a slum and a center for drug traffic. South Beach experienced an unprecedented revival in the late 80's which some partially attribute to the success of the TV show 'Miami Vice.' More likely, it was the result of the non-profit Miami Design Preservation League and its founder Barbara Baer Capitman. Today, almost all of the original buildings have been meticulously restored and painted in a colorful array of pastels. Known familiarly as 'SoBe' the area is now the chic-est place to be in all of Miami and Miami Beach and has been referred to as 'America's Ri"
While the area is thriving today, the southern region of Miami Beach has a less than perfect history. When the first buildings were completed in the 1920's during prohibition, South Beach soon became associated with liquor and gambling and attracted the likes of Al Capone. By the early 1980's, much of the Art Deco district had become a slum and a center for drug traffic. South Beach experienced an unprecedented revival in the late 80's which some partially attribute to the success of the TV show 'Miami Vice.' More likely, it was the result of the non-profit Miami Design Preservation League and its founder Barbara Baer Capitman. Today, almost all of the original buildings have been meticulously restored and painted in a colorful array of pastels. Known familiarly as 'SoBe' the area is now the chic-est place to be in all of Miami and Miami Beach and has been referred to as 'America's Ri"
St Augustine History - Oldcity.com
St Augustine History - Oldcity.com: "St Augustine History and Information
The mainland of the North American continent was first sighted by the Spanish explorer and treasure hunter Don Juan Ponce de Leon on Easter, March 27, 1513. He claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, meaning 'Land of Flowers'. Between 1513 and 1563 the government of Spain launched six expeditions to settle Florida, but all failed. the French succeeded in establishing a fort and colony on the St. Johns River in 1564 and, in doing so, threatened Spain's treasure fleets whic h sailed along Florida's shoreline returning to Spain. As a result of this incursion into Florida, King Phillip II named Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Spain's most experienced admiral, as governor of Florida, instructing him to explore and to colonize the territory. Menendez was also instructed to drive out any pirates or settlers from other nations, should they be found there.
When Menendez arrived off the coast of Florida, it was August 28, 1565, the Feast Day of St. Augustine. Eleven days later, he and his 600 soldiers and settlers came ashore at the site of the Timucuan Indian village of Seloy with banners flying and trumpets sounding. He hastily fortified the fledgling village and named it St. Augustine.
Utilizing brilliant military maneuvers, Menendez destroyed the French garrison on the St. Johns River and, with the help"
The mainland of the North American continent was first sighted by the Spanish explorer and treasure hunter Don Juan Ponce de Leon on Easter, March 27, 1513. He claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, meaning 'Land of Flowers'. Between 1513 and 1563 the government of Spain launched six expeditions to settle Florida, but all failed. the French succeeded in establishing a fort and colony on the St. Johns River in 1564 and, in doing so, threatened Spain's treasure fleets whic h sailed along Florida's shoreline returning to Spain. As a result of this incursion into Florida, King Phillip II named Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Spain's most experienced admiral, as governor of Florida, instructing him to explore and to colonize the territory. Menendez was also instructed to drive out any pirates or settlers from other nations, should they be found there.
When Menendez arrived off the coast of Florida, it was August 28, 1565, the Feast Day of St. Augustine. Eleven days later, he and his 600 soldiers and settlers came ashore at the site of the Timucuan Indian village of Seloy with banners flying and trumpets sounding. He hastily fortified the fledgling village and named it St. Augustine.
Utilizing brilliant military maneuvers, Menendez destroyed the French garrison on the St. Johns River and, with the help"
Wirecracker | Get out of your old cell phone contract
Wirecracker | Get out of your old cell phone contract: "What do we do?
We allow customers to free themselves from their current wireless contract with no penalties. We then activate new service with a wireless carrier of your choice.
How does this work?
We cancel your existing contract with your current carrier. We are a national reseller for wireless service providers. We have established relationships with the wireless carriers which enables us to switch your wireless service from one carrier to another. We ship your phones direct to you and you put your old phones in the same box and ship back to us with prepaid shipping.
Will I be charged the cancellation fee?
Yes it will show up on your last bill with your previous carrier. We cut a check for the cancellation fee directly to your carrier.
Do I need to sign up with a new carrier?
Yes. In order for us to pay your cancellation fee you do need to sign up with new service with us.
Can I keep my same number?
Yes you can keep your number but you need to contact us first to do this."
We allow customers to free themselves from their current wireless contract with no penalties. We then activate new service with a wireless carrier of your choice.
How does this work?
We cancel your existing contract with your current carrier. We are a national reseller for wireless service providers. We have established relationships with the wireless carriers which enables us to switch your wireless service from one carrier to another. We ship your phones direct to you and you put your old phones in the same box and ship back to us with prepaid shipping.
Will I be charged the cancellation fee?
Yes it will show up on your last bill with your previous carrier. We cut a check for the cancellation fee directly to your carrier.
Do I need to sign up with a new carrier?
Yes. In order for us to pay your cancellation fee you do need to sign up with new service with us.
Can I keep my same number?
Yes you can keep your number but you need to contact us first to do this."
Mermaid Shows - Weeki Wachee Spring The only city of live Mermaids!
Mermaid Shows - Weeki Wachee Spring The only city of live Mermaids!: "The 'World Famous' Mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs have been entertaining audiences since 1947. They perform two shows daily in the only underwater theater of it's kind! There is no tank or aquarium. The theater is built into the spring itself and the mermaids perform in this natural and pristine spring while visitors enjoy the show 16-feet below the surface of the water!
The mermaids perform with Florida's wildlife as a variety of fish, turtles, manatees and an occasional alligator frequent the spring and the show!
"
The mermaids perform with Florida's wildlife as a variety of fish, turtles, manatees and an occasional alligator frequent the spring and the show!
"
Silver Springs
Silver Springs
No matter what your age, there are plenty of rides and attractions at Silver Springs that will make you laugh, fill you with wonder, and provide a glimpse into what life was like here more than 10,000 years ago. Just as they did then, the springs pump out 550 million gallons of sparkling-clear water a day—enough to supply the entire city of New York.
No matter what your age, there are plenty of rides and attractions at Silver Springs that will make you laugh, fill you with wonder, and provide a glimpse into what life was like here more than 10,000 years ago. Just as they did then, the springs pump out 550 million gallons of sparkling-clear water a day—enough to supply the entire city of New York.
Friday, October 27, 2006
100-downloads.com | Top-100 essential downloads of free software & freeware for Windows XP
100-downloads.com | Top-100 essential downloads of free software & freeware for Windows XP: "Top-100 essential downloads of free software & freeware for Windows XP
What started as the freeware Top-100 for Windows XP, currently contains over 300 excellent free programs for both XP and Vista. Since we don't want to change our name everytime the list gets longer, we keep calling it 100-downloads.com. You won't find trial versions, spyware or malware, only the best freeware available. Because the best things in life are for free!"
What started as the freeware Top-100 for Windows XP, currently contains over 300 excellent free programs for both XP and Vista. Since we don't want to change our name everytime the list gets longer, we keep calling it 100-downloads.com. You won't find trial versions, spyware or malware, only the best freeware available. Because the best things in life are for free!"
Shareaza - Feature Tour
Shareaza - Feature Tour: "Shareaza is the most luxurious and sophisticated file sharing system you'll find. It can harness the power of up to four separate peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, including EDonkey2000, Gnutella, BitTorrent and Shareaza's native network, Gnutella2 (G2).
Not only that, but Shareaza is completely FREE and won't show any annoying ads or pop-ups. It won't install any unwanted third party programs that can wreak havoc with your computer. No spyware, no registration, no 'paid version'. Just download and use. Simple.
"
Not only that, but Shareaza is completely FREE and won't show any annoying ads or pop-ups. It won't install any unwanted third party programs that can wreak havoc with your computer. No spyware, no registration, no 'paid version'. Just download and use. Simple.
"
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Motorcycle Long Trips
Tips for Long Trips
by Brian Holm, copyright © 1998 Scoot! Quarterly
I think I know why I was asked to write this article, but I'm not sure I'm the best example. I tend to over-prepare and carry too much stuff; most of my long distance riding is on my P200E, a small amount is on my Super Sport; so take this with a grain of salt, use common sense (or borrow some from an experienced friend) and apply your experience with your regular bike.
Attitude:
If you read Scootering International, or surf Piaggio's web site you've undoubtedly heard of Giorgio Bettinelli. Giorgio is currently at the beginning of a trip around the world on his new Vespa, in one monster trip he's linking his three prior excursions; Rome to Saigon, Anchorage to Tierra Del Fuego, and Sydney to South Africa. I met Giorgio in San Francisco in May '94 during his trip down the Americas. A group took Giorgio out for dinner and drinks and peppered him with questions about his travels. Amazed to learn that Giorgio has relatively few repair skills, and carries few tools and spares, one friend asked "Aren't you worried about breaking down? Hell, I broke down coming across town tonight, what do you do out in the middle of nowhere?" Quickly, smiling, Giorgio replied, "You wait. Someone comes, someone helps. A car, a truck, a camel. An hour, a day. Someone comes, someone helps." Talk about attitude. This guy cruises the planet armed with a guitar, intelligence, and a shitload of internal sunshine. Attitude. I can't say that I travel with as free a spirit, but that positive attitude, that things will just work out, can carry you a long way.
Get ready:
Before you take off for Antarctica, do some riding; especially if you've done major work to the bike. Shake it down, ride it to work every day, take it on a weekend camping trip. Get the bugs out, and get used to time in the saddle. Don't take off on a bike you don't know or trust.
Get to know the fuel and oil consumption of the bike so that you can assess your range and plan your trip accordingly. Even if the bike's in top shape, tune it up, tighten it up, and double check the big obvious stuff: Your tires and wheels are in good shape and properly mounted. The suspension's decent, and the exhaust isn't going to fall off.
If you're climbing in altitude for relatively short periods don't bother re-jetting, it'll take you more time (and is riskier) to re-jet than the loss of top-end speed will cost you. If you're dropping significantly in altitude (like coming from Denver to San Francisco) be prepared to re-jet, otherwise you'll likely be running too lean.
Can you do the trip on stock grips and a stock seat? Sure, but change the grips unless they're nice original vintage. Get some of those cheap cushy foam ones at any motorcycle accessories shop. (They might even slip on over your stock grips.) They're easy on the hands, require a lighter grip, and they work great with cruise control. (see below) If you've got a little racing seat on there you might consider swapping it with something stock and a bit more comfortable just for the trip; I never could go for the "King and Queen" seat myself, but they look pretty comfy.
Even though you plan to travel only during the day, get your head light(s), tail light and brake light working, turn signals too if you've got 'em. If you have a sealed beam headlight, consider a halogen conversion. If you're sticking with a sealed beam run the switch between high and low during the day (on a P200 this can prevent burn outs.)
Know the relevant laws of wherever you plan to ride. As an example, Nevada requires two mirrors, California one; I rode through both with none and got stopped in Nevada. The cop said if I had one mirror (to go with my California plate) he'd let me off, and followed me to a motorcycle shop to see me make good. Some states restrict bikes on freeways based upon cc's (California), some on horsepower (Nebraska); Colorado and Arizona don't require helmets, but Colorado demands that you wear "eye protection", etc.
Don't beg for trouble, ride a registered bike, and insure it if that's required. You don't want your ride impounded 500 miles from home. Remember that once you cross an international border you lose a great many of your civil rights, caution is the better side of valor. A fun example: To ride on the Autostrada in Italy requires that a bike be 150cc or better. We all had 200cc motors, but Tom Cullen's bike was originally a P125, and it still had that badge on the cowl. An alert Italian border guard noticed the badge, and told us Tom couldn't join us on the Autostrada. After we explained that the motor had been upgraded, the guard requested some certifying proof. We pointed to the "220" on Tom's California registration and were allowed to proceed. The "220' is the adjusted gross weight of the vehicle.
Get some maps. Carry a card in your wallet with important phone numbers. Bring a camera.
We are not alone:
If you're not traveling alone make sure that the people you're traveling with are equally well prepared and equipped. You'll wind up pissed off if someone is holding you back, breaking down unnecessarily, limping along with a piece of crap bike that has no business on the road, or gobbling up all of your spares, supplies, and money. Should you help each other out? Sure. But avoid as much trouble as you can before the trip begins.
Personal Equipment:
A good jacket. Something that repels rain, has lots of pockets, and cuts the wind. For those with bucks Aerostitch and Corbin make some heavy Cordura Nylon riding jackets that are excellent in weather, visible, and compare favorably to Kevlar and leather in abrasion tests. In a Nevada hailstorm I was jealous of my buddies wearing these quality jackets.
Helmet. Controversial. "Let those who ride decide." But for me, yes. Here's a simple formula I use to determine the minimum amount of money I'll spend on a helmet: $1 per IQ point, plus $1 per every year of the age you'd like to live to, plus $10 for every prior crash, plus $100 for every dependent child you have at home.
Gloves. They don't have to be expensive, but they should be comfortable, cut the wind, and keep warm in the wet.
Shades. Shades are cool.
Kidney belt. Not absolutely essential, but if I'm doing lots of non-stop freeway (say, 100 miles at a stretch for 300-500 miles total in a day) I prefer to wear one, I think it cuts down on fatigue and soreness. You might not notice the difference after one day, but over the long haul I think it helps. An addition or alternative is a riding position my friend Eric Halladay recommended when I was riding to Colorado one year. Heels on the cowl clips, butt way back on the seat, lean forward with your back perfectly flat (or straight). It gets you low, cutting the wind resistance, but more importantly it really reduces back strain, I use this often.
Ear plugs. I don't use them because they're always eventually uncomfortable for me; but a lot of my friends believe that they do wonders in reducing fatigue induced by hours of noise and vibration.
On the road:
Two words, cruise control. Everyone will tell you (or later ask you) how sore your ass will be. But that's not really the problem. You can shift your butt around, ride on one cheek then the thigh, then the other, etc. But your throttle hand will beg to be flexed, and that right elbow will want to straighten out and relax. Friends, you need "Parker's Patent Pending Cruise Control." Waid "Scooter Daddy" Parker manufactured these for us on the third day of the "Ride of a Lifetime." What a godsend. All it takes is a rubber band and about ten inches of coat hanger to form a clamp with a protruding post around the base of the throttle grip. Twist the throttle, push the post up against the brake lever, and voila! your throttle is held open. The clamp isn't too tight, so to slow down you simply turn the throttle back, it turns inside the clamp. This works especially well with those cheap spongy grips I mentioned earlier. There are some commercial throttle locks for motorcycles, you might also look at those and see if they'll work on your scooter.
Get off the interstate. The freeway is what gets you there, but you'll most remember the time spent on smaller highways and back roads. You don't have to go off the interstate all the time, but make room in each day for a short leg on the alternate roads. They're scenic, slow paced, less traveled, and you can peer into barns and fields for scooters. Take some pictures, get something to eat, look around; you'll have more to show for your efforts when the trip is over. Enjoy this part of your trip, but watch for speed traps, this is where you'll find them.
Security. Take extra precautions. Lock up the bike. If you're on a big ride it's a long walk home, and losing your bike is certain to ruin the fun. Don't take too many chances or risks far from home. Dropping your bike around the corner from your house, and laying it down 100 miles from the nearest town, are two very different experiences.
Emergencies:
"You wait. Someone comes, someone helps." Well, for Giorgio maybe. Me, I joined "Mo-Tow." This service is available to AMA members for $25 per year. In the 48 states they'll tow your bike from anywhere to the nearest repair facility (or just the nearest town if you've got an old scooter and there's no nearby repair facility.) Correspondingly, if you've got a cell phone, bring it. If you're opting for the "wait" method, bring a book.
Good spares:
Oil. I don't want to ignite a debate, so just bring enough of whatever you use (I prefer more expensive oils, but Tim Slagle went 5,325 miles on plain old Castrol 2-stroke, and never changed his plug once.)
One or two of each cable and a couple of spare cable clamps
Spark plugs
One of each bulb (except maybe sealed beams, too big.)
Electrical tape
A few feet of 14 or 12 gauge wire
Wire ties ("zip ties") and assorted "solderless" electrical connectors
Good spare tire
Good Tools:
Flashlight
Diagonal cutting pliers
Needle-nosed pliers
A decent Phillips head screw driver, and a standard one
Spark plug wrench
Small metric socket or box-end wrench set
Your lucky rag
Good supplies:
Advil, Tylenol, whatever
A compact First Aid kit
A bottle of water and some food (even a PowerBar. You might find yourself waiting somewhere.)
Specialty Tools:
Flywheel puller
Clutch nut tool
Luxury Spares & Tools: (the stuff I sometimes wish I had, but don't always carry)
Cell phone
Extra gas (doesn't have to be some big 'ol can, a quart bottle in the glove box can save you a lot of hassle.)
Extra ignition coil (you never know about these)
Butane soldering iron (and some solder)
Cable pliers ("4th hand tool")
One Cable housing
Air activated hand warmers (Dave Dubiner introduced me to these little packets you can slip into a wet glove or your shoes, available at camping supply stores)
An Oscar Meyer Wienermobile whistle
OBSESSION
NORTH AM. CALENDAR | INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR | FIV CALENDAR
VINTAGE SERIAL NUMBERS | PICTURES | 50 YEARS
TALES | FRIENDS | ORGANIZATIONS
LINKS | BOOKS | MAGAZINES
AUTHOR | E-MAIL
by Brian Holm, copyright © 1998 Scoot! Quarterly
I think I know why I was asked to write this article, but I'm not sure I'm the best example. I tend to over-prepare and carry too much stuff; most of my long distance riding is on my P200E, a small amount is on my Super Sport; so take this with a grain of salt, use common sense (or borrow some from an experienced friend) and apply your experience with your regular bike.
Attitude:
If you read Scootering International, or surf Piaggio's web site you've undoubtedly heard of Giorgio Bettinelli. Giorgio is currently at the beginning of a trip around the world on his new Vespa, in one monster trip he's linking his three prior excursions; Rome to Saigon, Anchorage to Tierra Del Fuego, and Sydney to South Africa. I met Giorgio in San Francisco in May '94 during his trip down the Americas. A group took Giorgio out for dinner and drinks and peppered him with questions about his travels. Amazed to learn that Giorgio has relatively few repair skills, and carries few tools and spares, one friend asked "Aren't you worried about breaking down? Hell, I broke down coming across town tonight, what do you do out in the middle of nowhere?" Quickly, smiling, Giorgio replied, "You wait. Someone comes, someone helps. A car, a truck, a camel. An hour, a day. Someone comes, someone helps." Talk about attitude. This guy cruises the planet armed with a guitar, intelligence, and a shitload of internal sunshine. Attitude. I can't say that I travel with as free a spirit, but that positive attitude, that things will just work out, can carry you a long way.
Get ready:
Before you take off for Antarctica, do some riding; especially if you've done major work to the bike. Shake it down, ride it to work every day, take it on a weekend camping trip. Get the bugs out, and get used to time in the saddle. Don't take off on a bike you don't know or trust.
Get to know the fuel and oil consumption of the bike so that you can assess your range and plan your trip accordingly. Even if the bike's in top shape, tune it up, tighten it up, and double check the big obvious stuff: Your tires and wheels are in good shape and properly mounted. The suspension's decent, and the exhaust isn't going to fall off.
If you're climbing in altitude for relatively short periods don't bother re-jetting, it'll take you more time (and is riskier) to re-jet than the loss of top-end speed will cost you. If you're dropping significantly in altitude (like coming from Denver to San Francisco) be prepared to re-jet, otherwise you'll likely be running too lean.
Can you do the trip on stock grips and a stock seat? Sure, but change the grips unless they're nice original vintage. Get some of those cheap cushy foam ones at any motorcycle accessories shop. (They might even slip on over your stock grips.) They're easy on the hands, require a lighter grip, and they work great with cruise control. (see below) If you've got a little racing seat on there you might consider swapping it with something stock and a bit more comfortable just for the trip; I never could go for the "King and Queen" seat myself, but they look pretty comfy.
Even though you plan to travel only during the day, get your head light(s), tail light and brake light working, turn signals too if you've got 'em. If you have a sealed beam headlight, consider a halogen conversion. If you're sticking with a sealed beam run the switch between high and low during the day (on a P200 this can prevent burn outs.)
Know the relevant laws of wherever you plan to ride. As an example, Nevada requires two mirrors, California one; I rode through both with none and got stopped in Nevada. The cop said if I had one mirror (to go with my California plate) he'd let me off, and followed me to a motorcycle shop to see me make good. Some states restrict bikes on freeways based upon cc's (California), some on horsepower (Nebraska); Colorado and Arizona don't require helmets, but Colorado demands that you wear "eye protection", etc.
Don't beg for trouble, ride a registered bike, and insure it if that's required. You don't want your ride impounded 500 miles from home. Remember that once you cross an international border you lose a great many of your civil rights, caution is the better side of valor. A fun example: To ride on the Autostrada in Italy requires that a bike be 150cc or better. We all had 200cc motors, but Tom Cullen's bike was originally a P125, and it still had that badge on the cowl. An alert Italian border guard noticed the badge, and told us Tom couldn't join us on the Autostrada. After we explained that the motor had been upgraded, the guard requested some certifying proof. We pointed to the "220" on Tom's California registration and were allowed to proceed. The "220' is the adjusted gross weight of the vehicle.
Get some maps. Carry a card in your wallet with important phone numbers. Bring a camera.
We are not alone:
If you're not traveling alone make sure that the people you're traveling with are equally well prepared and equipped. You'll wind up pissed off if someone is holding you back, breaking down unnecessarily, limping along with a piece of crap bike that has no business on the road, or gobbling up all of your spares, supplies, and money. Should you help each other out? Sure. But avoid as much trouble as you can before the trip begins.
Personal Equipment:
A good jacket. Something that repels rain, has lots of pockets, and cuts the wind. For those with bucks Aerostitch and Corbin make some heavy Cordura Nylon riding jackets that are excellent in weather, visible, and compare favorably to Kevlar and leather in abrasion tests. In a Nevada hailstorm I was jealous of my buddies wearing these quality jackets.
Helmet. Controversial. "Let those who ride decide." But for me, yes. Here's a simple formula I use to determine the minimum amount of money I'll spend on a helmet: $1 per IQ point, plus $1 per every year of the age you'd like to live to, plus $10 for every prior crash, plus $100 for every dependent child you have at home.
Gloves. They don't have to be expensive, but they should be comfortable, cut the wind, and keep warm in the wet.
Shades. Shades are cool.
Kidney belt. Not absolutely essential, but if I'm doing lots of non-stop freeway (say, 100 miles at a stretch for 300-500 miles total in a day) I prefer to wear one, I think it cuts down on fatigue and soreness. You might not notice the difference after one day, but over the long haul I think it helps. An addition or alternative is a riding position my friend Eric Halladay recommended when I was riding to Colorado one year. Heels on the cowl clips, butt way back on the seat, lean forward with your back perfectly flat (or straight). It gets you low, cutting the wind resistance, but more importantly it really reduces back strain, I use this often.
Ear plugs. I don't use them because they're always eventually uncomfortable for me; but a lot of my friends believe that they do wonders in reducing fatigue induced by hours of noise and vibration.
On the road:
Two words, cruise control. Everyone will tell you (or later ask you) how sore your ass will be. But that's not really the problem. You can shift your butt around, ride on one cheek then the thigh, then the other, etc. But your throttle hand will beg to be flexed, and that right elbow will want to straighten out and relax. Friends, you need "Parker's Patent Pending Cruise Control." Waid "Scooter Daddy" Parker manufactured these for us on the third day of the "Ride of a Lifetime." What a godsend. All it takes is a rubber band and about ten inches of coat hanger to form a clamp with a protruding post around the base of the throttle grip. Twist the throttle, push the post up against the brake lever, and voila! your throttle is held open. The clamp isn't too tight, so to slow down you simply turn the throttle back, it turns inside the clamp. This works especially well with those cheap spongy grips I mentioned earlier. There are some commercial throttle locks for motorcycles, you might also look at those and see if they'll work on your scooter.
Get off the interstate. The freeway is what gets you there, but you'll most remember the time spent on smaller highways and back roads. You don't have to go off the interstate all the time, but make room in each day for a short leg on the alternate roads. They're scenic, slow paced, less traveled, and you can peer into barns and fields for scooters. Take some pictures, get something to eat, look around; you'll have more to show for your efforts when the trip is over. Enjoy this part of your trip, but watch for speed traps, this is where you'll find them.
Security. Take extra precautions. Lock up the bike. If you're on a big ride it's a long walk home, and losing your bike is certain to ruin the fun. Don't take too many chances or risks far from home. Dropping your bike around the corner from your house, and laying it down 100 miles from the nearest town, are two very different experiences.
Emergencies:
"You wait. Someone comes, someone helps." Well, for Giorgio maybe. Me, I joined "Mo-Tow." This service is available to AMA members for $25 per year. In the 48 states they'll tow your bike from anywhere to the nearest repair facility (or just the nearest town if you've got an old scooter and there's no nearby repair facility.) Correspondingly, if you've got a cell phone, bring it. If you're opting for the "wait" method, bring a book.
Good spares:
Oil. I don't want to ignite a debate, so just bring enough of whatever you use (I prefer more expensive oils, but Tim Slagle went 5,325 miles on plain old Castrol 2-stroke, and never changed his plug once.)
One or two of each cable and a couple of spare cable clamps
Spark plugs
One of each bulb (except maybe sealed beams, too big.)
Electrical tape
A few feet of 14 or 12 gauge wire
Wire ties ("zip ties") and assorted "solderless" electrical connectors
Good spare tire
Good Tools:
Flashlight
Diagonal cutting pliers
Needle-nosed pliers
A decent Phillips head screw driver, and a standard one
Spark plug wrench
Small metric socket or box-end wrench set
Your lucky rag
Good supplies:
Advil, Tylenol, whatever
A compact First Aid kit
A bottle of water and some food (even a PowerBar. You might find yourself waiting somewhere.)
Specialty Tools:
Flywheel puller
Clutch nut tool
Luxury Spares & Tools: (the stuff I sometimes wish I had, but don't always carry)
Cell phone
Extra gas (doesn't have to be some big 'ol can, a quart bottle in the glove box can save you a lot of hassle.)
Extra ignition coil (you never know about these)
Butane soldering iron (and some solder)
Cable pliers ("4th hand tool")
One Cable housing
Air activated hand warmers (Dave Dubiner introduced me to these little packets you can slip into a wet glove or your shoes, available at camping supply stores)
An Oscar Meyer Wienermobile whistle
OBSESSION
NORTH AM. CALENDAR | INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR | FIV CALENDAR
VINTAGE SERIAL NUMBERS | PICTURES | 50 YEARS
TALES | FRIENDS | ORGANIZATIONS
LINKS | BOOKS | MAGAZINES
AUTHOR | E-MAIL
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
USATODAY.com - Cat proves his mettle by chasing black bear up tree
USATODAY.com - Cat proves his mettle by chasing black bear up tree: "Cat proves his mettle by chasing black bear up tree
Updated 6/12/2006 11:53 AM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this
WEST MILFORD, N.J (AP) — A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree. — twice.
Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising.
'We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty,' never knowing he'd go after a bear,' owner Donna Dickey told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Friday's editions.
Neighbor Suzanne Giovanetti first spotted Jack's accomplishment after her husband saw a bear climb a tree on the edge of their northern New Jersey property on Sunday. Giovanetti thought Jack was simply looking up at the bear, but soon realized the much larger animal was afraid of the hissing cat.
After about 15 minutes, the bear descended and tried to run away, but Jack chased it up another tree.
Dickey, who feared for her cat, then called Jack home and the bear scurried back to the woods.
'He doesn't want anybody in his yard,' Dickey said.
Bear sightings are not unusual in West Milford, which experts consider one of the state's most bear-populated areas.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted 6/10/2006 10:01 AM ET"
Updated 6/12/2006 11:53 AM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this
WEST MILFORD, N.J (AP) — A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree. — twice.
Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising.
'We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty,' never knowing he'd go after a bear,' owner Donna Dickey told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Friday's editions.
Neighbor Suzanne Giovanetti first spotted Jack's accomplishment after her husband saw a bear climb a tree on the edge of their northern New Jersey property on Sunday. Giovanetti thought Jack was simply looking up at the bear, but soon realized the much larger animal was afraid of the hissing cat.
After about 15 minutes, the bear descended and tried to run away, but Jack chased it up another tree.
Dickey, who feared for her cat, then called Jack home and the bear scurried back to the woods.
'He doesn't want anybody in his yard,' Dickey said.
Bear sightings are not unusual in West Milford, which experts consider one of the state's most bear-populated areas.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted 6/10/2006 10:01 AM ET"
Monday, June 05, 2006
Willow Hybrid
Willow Hybrid: "The Willow Hybrid tree, Salix Willow Hybrid, also called a Hybrid Willow, will, on average, and under normal conditions, grow six feet per year. Under ideal conditions and on good sites the growth rate is even faster, up to twenty feet a year. Planted as a hedge, screen, windbreak, or to line a road or drive, you can expect this tree to be over 20’ tall and 15’ wide in just three years.
This deciduous tree can grow to over 70’ tall. This tree will require supplemental water until established. It is not a Weeping Willow, but an upright growing majestic tree. Many homeowners use this tree as a shade tree because of its fast growth and quick shade."
This deciduous tree can grow to over 70’ tall. This tree will require supplemental water until established. It is not a Weeping Willow, but an upright growing majestic tree. Many homeowners use this tree as a shade tree because of its fast growth and quick shade."
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Golf Today's 2005 Golf Ball Comparison
Golf Today's 2005 Golf Ball Comparison: "
Golf Today’s 2005 Golf Ball Round-Up
by Terry VanderHeiden
One of the most technological advancements in the game of golf today is the golf ball. Golf balls today are so advanced that even Jack Nicklaus is calling for a new golf ball to be developed to be toned down 10 percent, to be used at next year’s Masters tournament.
Today’s golf ball is more consistent, flies farther, is ofter feeling off the putter face, spins more, spins less, flies higher, flies lower, stops fast, rolls farther than ever before. Confused? Not for long."
Golf Today’s 2005 Golf Ball Round-Up
by Terry VanderHeiden
One of the most technological advancements in the game of golf today is the golf ball. Golf balls today are so advanced that even Jack Nicklaus is calling for a new golf ball to be developed to be toned down 10 percent, to be used at next year’s Masters tournament.
Today’s golf ball is more consistent, flies farther, is ofter feeling off the putter face, spins more, spins less, flies higher, flies lower, stops fast, rolls farther than ever before. Confused? Not for long."
Wired News: House Backs $10 Million 'H Prize'
Wired News: House Backs $10 Million 'H Prize': "WASHINGTON -- Scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs will be able to vie for a grand prize of $10 million, and smaller prizes reaching millions of dollars, under House-passed legislation to encourage research into hydrogen as an alternative fuel.
Legislation creating the 'H-Prize,' modeled after the privately funded Ansari X Prize that resulted last year in the first privately developed manned rocket to reach space twice, passed the House Wednesday on a 416-6 vote. A companion bill is to be introduced in the Senate this week."
Legislation creating the 'H-Prize,' modeled after the privately funded Ansari X Prize that resulted last year in the first privately developed manned rocket to reach space twice, passed the House Wednesday on a 416-6 vote. A companion bill is to be introduced in the Senate this week."
Monday, May 15, 2006
Sunday, May 14, 2006
supermodels.nl - supermodels, supermodel, fashionmodels, fashionmodel, fashion models, fashion model, movies, fashion, fashion week, model agencies, a
supermodels.nl - supermodels, supermodel, fashionmodels, fashionmodel, fashion models, fashion model, movies, fashion, fashion week, model agencies, agencies, fashion agencies: "Welcome to supermodels.nl, the world’s largest website dedicated to supermodels, fashion and beauty.
"
"
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Hot wine picks promise to tickle your taste buds - Maryland Beachcomber - delmarvanow.com
Hot wine picks promise to tickle your taste buds - Maryland Beachcomber - delmarvanow.com: "Hot wine picks promise to tickle your taste buds
By John Purnell
Photo
Beachcomber Photo by Cameron Adams
A Voga 2004 Pinot Grigio, packaged in a big beautiful bottle, is available at Connoisseurs in West Ocean City.
OCEAN CITY -- The resort has officially arrived when it comes to fine wine, especially bottles in the $15 range. And you always thought Ocean City was a beer kind of town. Wrong.
Vintners are packaging their products in all kinds of containers, not just glass, large casks and boxed wines.
At Connoisseurs, one of the most arresting bottles of wine ever produced practically smacks you in the face when you open the front door of the Teal Marsh food and wine shop off Route 611.
It's a big beautiful bottle of Voga 2004 Pinot Grigio that looks like a cross between a shampoo bottle and a cracked-pepper shaker. It sells for a very reasonable $11.99 and if you don't like the squat, rounded off look, keep looking and you'll find something you can enjoy.
Sleek and eye-catching, the bottle is attractively displayed with a rack of large wine glasses.
It's one of the new, better sellers, says Crystal Clayland, owner of the bustling little shop that opened in 2002 and turns out wonderful take-away meals or a sit-down dinner, if you prefer.
Also in West Ocean City, the Avalon Market -- with its 400 different labels of wine -- has a huge selection from which to choose, much of it in the $15 range, according to sommelier Rick Pairo and owner Rick Vach."
By John Purnell
Photo
Beachcomber Photo by Cameron Adams
A Voga 2004 Pinot Grigio, packaged in a big beautiful bottle, is available at Connoisseurs in West Ocean City.
OCEAN CITY -- The resort has officially arrived when it comes to fine wine, especially bottles in the $15 range. And you always thought Ocean City was a beer kind of town. Wrong.
Vintners are packaging their products in all kinds of containers, not just glass, large casks and boxed wines.
At Connoisseurs, one of the most arresting bottles of wine ever produced practically smacks you in the face when you open the front door of the Teal Marsh food and wine shop off Route 611.
It's a big beautiful bottle of Voga 2004 Pinot Grigio that looks like a cross between a shampoo bottle and a cracked-pepper shaker. It sells for a very reasonable $11.99 and if you don't like the squat, rounded off look, keep looking and you'll find something you can enjoy.
Sleek and eye-catching, the bottle is attractively displayed with a rack of large wine glasses.
It's one of the new, better sellers, says Crystal Clayland, owner of the bustling little shop that opened in 2002 and turns out wonderful take-away meals or a sit-down dinner, if you prefer.
Also in West Ocean City, the Avalon Market -- with its 400 different labels of wine -- has a huge selection from which to choose, much of it in the $15 range, according to sommelier Rick Pairo and owner Rick Vach."
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Friday, May 05, 2006
It's hard out there for a virgin...
My Way News: "It's hard out there for a virgin...
Email this Story
May 5, 8:49 AM (ET)
BERLIN (Reuters) - A brothel has become the first in Berlin to offer special deals for virgins with prostitutes trained in the delicate art of catering for customers who have never had sex, a German newspaper reported Friday.
The brothel in the red light area of the Kreuzberg district of the city charges 60 euros for a half an hour of sex and works within the laws of Germany where prostitution is legal.
'These are men who either never had sex before or have never been in a brothel before,' the brothel's operator was quoted as saying in Berlin's B.Z. tabloid.
'It's the first house of love in Berlin that specializes in taking care of beginners,' wrote the daily on its front page.
Prostitutes are given 'sensitivity training' for first-time clients, who the brothel operator said are not necessarily young but often 40 or older: 'They need to be aware of how much courage it takes to go to a brothel the first time.'
"
Email this Story
May 5, 8:49 AM (ET)
BERLIN (Reuters) - A brothel has become the first in Berlin to offer special deals for virgins with prostitutes trained in the delicate art of catering for customers who have never had sex, a German newspaper reported Friday.
The brothel in the red light area of the Kreuzberg district of the city charges 60 euros for a half an hour of sex and works within the laws of Germany where prostitution is legal.
'These are men who either never had sex before or have never been in a brothel before,' the brothel's operator was quoted as saying in Berlin's B.Z. tabloid.
'It's the first house of love in Berlin that specializes in taking care of beginners,' wrote the daily on its front page.
Prostitutes are given 'sensitivity training' for first-time clients, who the brothel operator said are not necessarily young but often 40 or older: 'They need to be aware of how much courage it takes to go to a brothel the first time.'
"
"Former Disney dancer named Playmate of the Year
My Way News: "Former Disney dancer named Playmate of the Year
May 5, 8:17 AM (ET)
Playboy magazine's 2006 Playmate of the Year Kara Monaco and the magazine's founder Hugh Hefner...
Full Image
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A former Walt Disney World dancer who used to dress up as Cinderella and Snow White was named Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year on Thursday.
Kara Monaco, 23, an aspiring actress from Lakeland, Florida, received a check for $100,000, a car and a sports motorbike from Playboy Enterprises Inc., company founder Hugh Hefner announced at the Playboy Mansion.
Monaco, a blonde, hopes to leverage her new role to boost her modeling and acting career.
She was Miss June in 2005.
"
May 5, 8:17 AM (ET)
Playboy magazine's 2006 Playmate of the Year Kara Monaco and the magazine's founder Hugh Hefner...
Full Image
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A former Walt Disney World dancer who used to dress up as Cinderella and Snow White was named Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year on Thursday.
Kara Monaco, 23, an aspiring actress from Lakeland, Florida, received a check for $100,000, a car and a sports motorbike from Playboy Enterprises Inc., company founder Hugh Hefner announced at the Playboy Mansion.
Monaco, a blonde, hopes to leverage her new role to boost her modeling and acting career.
She was Miss June in 2005.
"
Cheney on mission to get more oil for U.S.
USATODAY.com - Cheney on mission to get more oil for U.S.: "Cheney on mission to get more oil for U.S.
Posted 5/5/2006 8:41 AM ET
US Vice President Dick Cheney, left, attends a breakfast meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko sitting across the table.
Enlarge By Shawn Thew, AFP/Getty Images
US Vice President Dick Cheney, left, attends a breakfast meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko sitting across the table.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to Kazakhstan on Friday for talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, seeking to maximize access to the vast oil and gas reserves in the central Asian nation with a troubled human-rights record.
Cheney became the fourth top administration official to visit the former Soviet republic in recent months, underscoring the importance placed on a country that is strategically located and an ally in the war on terror, as well as rich in energy resources.
Administration policy favors development of multiple means of delivering Kazakhstan's energy supplies to markets in the West and elsewhere.
Among them, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told Congress recently, the United States is 'working on securing the flow of oil' from North Caspian oil fields by tanker to a pipeline terminus in Azerbaijan. That route would bypass Russia and Iran. There has also been periodic talk of building a pipeline under the Caspian Sea."
Posted 5/5/2006 8:41 AM ET
US Vice President Dick Cheney, left, attends a breakfast meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko sitting across the table.
Enlarge By Shawn Thew, AFP/Getty Images
US Vice President Dick Cheney, left, attends a breakfast meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko sitting across the table.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to Kazakhstan on Friday for talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, seeking to maximize access to the vast oil and gas reserves in the central Asian nation with a troubled human-rights record.
Cheney became the fourth top administration official to visit the former Soviet republic in recent months, underscoring the importance placed on a country that is strategically located and an ally in the war on terror, as well as rich in energy resources.
Administration policy favors development of multiple means of delivering Kazakhstan's energy supplies to markets in the West and elsewhere.
Among them, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told Congress recently, the United States is 'working on securing the flow of oil' from North Caspian oil fields by tanker to a pipeline terminus in Azerbaijan. That route would bypass Russia and Iran. There has also been periodic talk of building a pipeline under the Caspian Sea."
My Way News Photo - PATRICK KENNEDY CRASH
My Way News Photo - PATRICK KENNEDY CRASH: "
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., looks on as during a debate in East Providence, R.I. in this Oct. 15, 2004 file photo. Kennedy crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol early Thursday, but he denied alcohol was a factor. 'I was involved in a traffic accident last night at First and C Street SE near the U.S. Capitol,' he said in a written statement released by his office Thursday afternoon. 'I will fully cooperate with the Capitol Police in whatever investigation they choose to undertake.' (AP Photo/Victoria Arocho, File)
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed."
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., looks on as during a debate in East Providence, R.I. in this Oct. 15, 2004 file photo. Kennedy crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol early Thursday, but he denied alcohol was a factor. 'I was involved in a traffic accident last night at First and C Street SE near the U.S. Capitol,' he said in a written statement released by his office Thursday afternoon. 'I will fully cooperate with the Capitol Police in whatever investigation they choose to undertake.' (AP Photo/Victoria Arocho, File)
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed."
My Way News - Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine
My Way News - Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine: "
Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine
Email this Story
May 4, 11:04 PM (ET)
By ANDREW MIGA
(AP) Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., looks on as during a debate in East Providence, R.I. in this Oct. 15,...
Full Image
WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.
Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said, 'I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident.'
Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took 'prescribed' amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.
'Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote,' his second statement said. 'Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication.'"
Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine
Email this Story
May 4, 11:04 PM (ET)
By ANDREW MIGA
(AP) Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., looks on as during a debate in East Providence, R.I. in this Oct. 15,...
Full Image
WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.
Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said, 'I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident.'
Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took 'prescribed' amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.
'Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote,' his second statement said. 'Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication.'"
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Federal Study Finds Accord on Warming - New York Times
Federal Study Finds Accord on Warming - New York Times: "Federal Study Finds Accord on Warming
Article Tools Sponsored By
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: May 3, 2006
A scientific study commissioned by the Bush administration concluded yesterday that the lower atmosphere was indeed growing warmer and that there was 'clear evidence of human influences on the climate system.'"
Article Tools Sponsored By
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: May 3, 2006
A scientific study commissioned by the Bush administration concluded yesterday that the lower atmosphere was indeed growing warmer and that there was 'clear evidence of human influences on the climate system.'"
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
XM Satellite Radio Holdings Stock Falls
My Way Finance: "XM Satellite Radio Holdings Stock Falls
Wednesday May 3, 5:53 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES, May 03, 2006 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. stock fell Wednesday after competitor Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. announced it added more subscribers in the last quarter than XM.
Shares of XM fell 94 cents, or 5.1 percent, to close at $17.51 Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Shares traded as low as $16.86, below the 52-week low of $18.42 set Tuesday.
Sirius shares fell 16 cents, or 3.3 percent, to close at $4.72 on the Nasdaq.
Sirius narrowed the subscriber gap between itself and XM Satellite with the addition of Howard Stern, progress with its original equipment manufacturer partners, and the introduction of portable devices, said Stuart Kagel, an analyst with Janco Partners Inc.
Tuesday, Sirius said it added 761,187 customers, ending the quarter with 4.07 million users.
On the other hand, XM Satellite added 568,900 users in the same three-month period. The Washington, D.C.-based satellite radio company said it remains on track to reach 9 million subscribers and positive cash flow from operations by year end. XM finished the first quarter with a total of 6.5 million subscribers.
XM Satellite last week said it lost $149.2 million, or 60 cents a share, on revenue of $208 million in the first quarter.
In the same period a year earlier, it lost $120 million, or 58 cents a share, on revenue of $103 million.
Analysts were expecting a loss of 55 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial.
Overall, analysts have been pleased with the growth in the adoption of satellite radio. The number of subscribers grew approximately 57 percent, according to analyst estimates.
On Wednesday, a law firm filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of all persons who acquired the stock of XM Satellite Radio between July 28, 2005, and Feb. 15, 2006.
The lawsuit alleges the company misrepresented its ability to reduce the costs of new subscribers as it reached its goal of six million subscribers by the end of 2005. The law firm said that, despite XM's knowledge that it would be making expenditures in the fourth quarter to achieve the subscriber goal, the company failed to disclose to the market that these costs would help lead to increased losses."
Wednesday May 3, 5:53 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES, May 03, 2006 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. stock fell Wednesday after competitor Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. announced it added more subscribers in the last quarter than XM.
Shares of XM fell 94 cents, or 5.1 percent, to close at $17.51 Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Shares traded as low as $16.86, below the 52-week low of $18.42 set Tuesday.
Sirius shares fell 16 cents, or 3.3 percent, to close at $4.72 on the Nasdaq.
Sirius narrowed the subscriber gap between itself and XM Satellite with the addition of Howard Stern, progress with its original equipment manufacturer partners, and the introduction of portable devices, said Stuart Kagel, an analyst with Janco Partners Inc.
Tuesday, Sirius said it added 761,187 customers, ending the quarter with 4.07 million users.
On the other hand, XM Satellite added 568,900 users in the same three-month period. The Washington, D.C.-based satellite radio company said it remains on track to reach 9 million subscribers and positive cash flow from operations by year end. XM finished the first quarter with a total of 6.5 million subscribers.
XM Satellite last week said it lost $149.2 million, or 60 cents a share, on revenue of $208 million in the first quarter.
In the same period a year earlier, it lost $120 million, or 58 cents a share, on revenue of $103 million.
Analysts were expecting a loss of 55 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial.
Overall, analysts have been pleased with the growth in the adoption of satellite radio. The number of subscribers grew approximately 57 percent, according to analyst estimates.
On Wednesday, a law firm filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of all persons who acquired the stock of XM Satellite Radio between July 28, 2005, and Feb. 15, 2006.
The lawsuit alleges the company misrepresented its ability to reduce the costs of new subscribers as it reached its goal of six million subscribers by the end of 2005. The law firm said that, despite XM's knowledge that it would be making expenditures in the fourth quarter to achieve the subscriber goal, the company failed to disclose to the market that these costs would help lead to increased losses."
Cat to Reunite With Owner After 10 Years
My Way News - Cat to Reunite With Owner After 10 Years: "SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Sneakers the cat is being reunited with his owner, hundreds of miles away from where the feline disappeared in 1996.
The long-haired black cat was given to Sacramento's Animal Care Services last week, where an employee scanned him for a microchip, a routine procedure.
The number on the chip was used to track down Allison MacEwan of Seattle, who said she placed newspaper ads and went door-to-door with fliers in a futile search for her lost cat a decade ago.
Officials on Wednesday said they aren't sure how the cat wound up in Sacramento.
MacEwan's daughter was 4 years old when her cat disappeared, and officials said she is now looking forward to being reunited with her childhood pet.
"
The long-haired black cat was given to Sacramento's Animal Care Services last week, where an employee scanned him for a microchip, a routine procedure.
The number on the chip was used to track down Allison MacEwan of Seattle, who said she placed newspaper ads and went door-to-door with fliers in a futile search for her lost cat a decade ago.
Officials on Wednesday said they aren't sure how the cat wound up in Sacramento.
MacEwan's daughter was 4 years old when her cat disappeared, and officials said she is now looking forward to being reunited with her childhood pet.
"
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Wal-Mart Worker Finds Man Glued to Toilet
My Way News - Wal-Mart Worker Finds Man Glued to Toilet: "SALISBURY, Md. (AP) - A 20-year-old was found by a Wal-Mart employee in the bathroom Sunday night after he sat down and was glued to the toilet seat.
The man, whose name was not released by police, was taken to the hospital late Sunday night, said Lt. Cheryl Rantz of the Salisbury Police Department.
'The man had gone into the bathroom and sat down,' she said. 'He was banging on the wall when the employee came in.'
Rantz said the man was treated and released.
"
The man, whose name was not released by police, was taken to the hospital late Sunday night, said Lt. Cheryl Rantz of the Salisbury Police Department.
'The man had gone into the bathroom and sat down,' she said. 'He was banging on the wall when the employee came in.'
Rantz said the man was treated and released.
"
Broadcast flag is back
IPac - Blog: "Broadcast flag is back
I just saw that Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the inspiration for our iPod campaign, introduced a Net Neutrality bill in the Senate today. Sen. Stevens took this oppertunity to slip the broadcast flag into the bill. From Multichannel:
According to a summary released by the Senate Commerce Committee, the Stevens bill would:
...
Authorize the FCC to establish a broadcast flag to allow TV stations to protect digital content from Internet piracy;There are lots of things going on in this bill, it's 135 pages, but any bill that enables the FCC to implement the Broadcast Flag must be stopped.
This is another tool in the arsenal of the Hollywood cartels. They are attempting to overwhelm the tech community by introducing terrible legislation after terrible legislation hoping that we don't notice or are spread too thin fighting their other bills. This comes right after IPPA (DMCA 2.0) in the House and Senator Feinstein's (D-Hollywood) PERFORM Act in the Senate.
Time to prep those phone calls and emails.
EDIT: Alex Curtis over at Public Knowledge has more on the new legislation including a copy of the actuall bill."
I just saw that Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the inspiration for our iPod campaign, introduced a Net Neutrality bill in the Senate today. Sen. Stevens took this oppertunity to slip the broadcast flag into the bill. From Multichannel:
According to a summary released by the Senate Commerce Committee, the Stevens bill would:
...
Authorize the FCC to establish a broadcast flag to allow TV stations to protect digital content from Internet piracy;There are lots of things going on in this bill, it's 135 pages, but any bill that enables the FCC to implement the Broadcast Flag must be stopped.
This is another tool in the arsenal of the Hollywood cartels. They are attempting to overwhelm the tech community by introducing terrible legislation after terrible legislation hoping that we don't notice or are spread too thin fighting their other bills. This comes right after IPPA (DMCA 2.0) in the House and Senator Feinstein's (D-Hollywood) PERFORM Act in the Senate.
Time to prep those phone calls and emails.
EDIT: Alex Curtis over at Public Knowledge has more on the new legislation including a copy of the actuall bill."
Monday, May 01, 2006
Anna Nicole Smith Wins Supreme Court Case - New York Times
Anna Nicole Smith Wins Supreme Court Case - New York Times: "The former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith was given a new chance by the Supreme Court today to try to get part of the vast fortune of her late husband, a Texas oil tycoon who was six decades her senior."
My Way - Sports News
My Way - Sports News: "ALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) - No controversy this time. Jimmie Johnson's win was fair and square.
Johnson erased a career full of Talladega Superspeedway troubles, barreling past teammate Brian Vickers with one lap to go then holding off a charge from Tony Stewart to win the rain-postponed Aaron's 499 on Monday.
It makes Johnson 2-for-2 in restrictor-plate races this year. And this one won't have an asterisk.
His season-opening Daytona 500 win fell under intense scrutiny when crew chief Chad Knaus was suspended for cheating during race preparations. Although Johnson rallied to win the race in a legal car, he was forced to defend himself and his team from a wave of criticism that spoiled the victory."
Johnson erased a career full of Talladega Superspeedway troubles, barreling past teammate Brian Vickers with one lap to go then holding off a charge from Tony Stewart to win the rain-postponed Aaron's 499 on Monday.
It makes Johnson 2-for-2 in restrictor-plate races this year. And this one won't have an asterisk.
His season-opening Daytona 500 win fell under intense scrutiny when crew chief Chad Knaus was suspended for cheating during race preparations. Although Johnson rallied to win the race in a legal car, he was forced to defend himself and his team from a wave of criticism that spoiled the victory."
Summer vacation: To fly or drive? - Summer Travel - MSNBC.com
Summer vacation: To fly or drive? - Summer Travel - MSNBC.com: "The days of packing the kids in the station wagon and driving off for summer vacation may soon be just a fond memory. With gas prices nudging the $3-a-gallon mark, families are now sharpening their pencils and doing some math. This summer’s big vacation question is this: Should you drive or should you fly?"
Summer vacation: To fly or drive? - Summer Travel - MSNBC.com
Summer vacation: To fly or drive? - Summer Travel - MSNBC.com: "The days of packing the kids in the station wagon and driving off for summer vacation may soon be just a fond memory. With gas prices nudging the $3-a-gallon mark, families are now sharpening their pencils and doing some math. This summer’s big vacation question is this: Should you drive or should you fly?"
Sunday, April 30, 2006
United 93-BY DAVID BEAMER
OpinionJournal - Featured Article
United 93
The filmmakers got it right.
BY DAVID BEAMER
Thursday, April 27, 2006 12:01 a.m.
The calendar says it's April 25, 2006. At noon, my wife, Peggy, and I are walking around Battery Park--near the Tribeca area--in New York. It is our first time. The flowers are blooming; kids are fishing; people boarding the ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Kids are laughing and noisy. The sun is shining. The vendors are hawking T-shirts, pretzels and some "designer" wares. And just up the street there is a hole in the skyline and in the ground.
United 93
The filmmakers got it right.
BY DAVID BEAMER
Thursday, April 27, 2006 12:01 a.m.
The calendar says it's April 25, 2006. At noon, my wife, Peggy, and I are walking around Battery Park--near the Tribeca area--in New York. It is our first time. The flowers are blooming; kids are fishing; people boarding the ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Kids are laughing and noisy. The sun is shining. The vendors are hawking T-shirts, pretzels and some "designer" wares. And just up the street there is a hole in the skyline and in the ground.
In the park, there is a memorial with walls standing tall. Walls filled with so many names of those who gave their all in the Atlantic in World War II. How fitting that the names are here to honor those who gave their lives to enable this fun, this laughter--on this sunny day. The sights and sounds of freedom continue.
Fast forward--it is 10:30 p.m., April 25. We have just seen a movie premiere at the fifth annual Tribeca Film Festival. A film festival that has done so much to energize and revitalize the city, its people and especially the area that has that hole in the skyline and in the ground. This year the movie that had its worldwide premiere at the festival is titled "United 93." It is about the day when the hole in the skyline of New York was made--the day when a hole was made in the side of the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.--the day when a hole was made in a quiet mountain meadow in Pennsylvania. The day that our nation was attacked; the day when the war came home--Sept. 11, 2001. The day our son Todd boarded United 93.
Paul Greengrass and Universal set out to tell the story of United Flight 93 on that terrible day in our nation's history. They set about the task of telling this story with a genuine intent to get it right--the actions of those on board and honor their memory. Their extensive research included reaching out to all the families who had lost loved ones on United Flight 93 as the first casualties of this war. And Paul and his team got it right.
There are those who question the timing of this project and the painful memories it evokes. Clearly, the film portrays the reality of the attack on our homeland and its terrible consequences. Often we attend movies to escape reality and fantasize a bit. In this case and at this time, it is appropriate to get a dose of reality about this war and the real enemy we face. It is not too soon for this story to be told, seen and heard. But it is too soon for us to become complacent. It is too soon for us to think of this war in only national terms. We need to be mindful that this enemy, who made those holes in our landscape and caused the deaths of some 3,000 of our fellow free people, has a vision to personally kill or convert each and every one of us. This film reminds us that this war is personal. This enemy is on a fanatical mission to take away our lives and liberty--the liberty that has been secured for us by those whose names are on those walls in Battery Park and so many other walls and stones throughout this nation. This enemy seeks to take away the free will that our Creator has endowed in us. Patrick Henry got it right some 231 years ago. Living without liberty is not living at all.
This film further reminds us of the nature of the enemy we face. An enemy who will stop at nothing to achieve world domination and force a life devoid of freedom upon all. Their methods are inhumane and their targets are the innocent and unsuspecting. We call this conflict the "War on Terror." This film is a wake-up call. And although we abhor terrorism as a tactic, we are at war with a real enemy and it is personal.
There are those who would hope to escape the pain of war. Can't we just live and let live and pretend every thing is OK? Let's discuss, negotiate, reason together. The film accurately shows an enemy who will stop at nothing in a quest for control. This enemy does not seek our resources, our land or our materials, but rather to alter our very way of life.
I encourage my fellow Americans and free people everywhere to see "United 93."
Be reminded of our very real enemy. Be inspired by a true story of heroic actions taken by ordinary people with victorious consequences. Be thankful for each precious day of life with a loved one and make the most of it. Resolve to take the right action in the situations of life, whatever they may be. Resolve to give thanks and support to those men, women, leaders and commanders who to this day (1,687 days since Sept. 11, 2001) continue the counterattacks on our enemy and in so doing keep us safe and our freedoms intact.
May the taste of freedom for people of the Middle East hasten victory. The enemy we face does not have the word "surrender" in their dictionary. We must not have the word "retreat" in ours. We surely want our troops home as soon as possible. That said, they cannot come home in retreat. They must come home victoriously. Pray for them. Mr. Beamer is the father of Todd Beamer, a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93.
Hangar Dogs April 24th Podcast
Hangar Dogs: "Hangar Dogs April 24th Podcast
Published by Gene April 30th, 2006 in Daily Postings
April 24 Podcast (14M)
This is the Hangar Dogs 12th Podcast recorded on April 24th. Hosts are Gene, Stitch and Pinky on the phone from Canada. Topics include:
Road kill and biking in Tasmania
Homework assignment for Jimmy
Fair Tax versus Flat Tax (or membership fee)
Canadians happy with sex life
United States releases names of gitmo detainees
Hangar Dogs zaps in Canada
The Zesty Market
Glacier Water
Hangar Dog’s “fans” request Hangar Dog’s coffee brand
Queen Elizabeth turns 80
Japanese men going girly
New Bin Laden tape
Give war a chance
National Mitten Registry end of year report
Local El Paso County Land Regulation Use
Tucson self-defense gun bill (homework for Curtis)
Juvenile steal court gavel
K-man list to read (Animal Snack Hybrids Bio Engineered Threats)
www.mcsweeneys.net
Things I’d give my left arm for….
Miller Beer cold cans technology
www.engrish-store.com
e-mails"
Published by Gene April 30th, 2006 in Daily Postings
April 24 Podcast (14M)
This is the Hangar Dogs 12th Podcast recorded on April 24th. Hosts are Gene, Stitch and Pinky on the phone from Canada. Topics include:
Road kill and biking in Tasmania
Homework assignment for Jimmy
Fair Tax versus Flat Tax (or membership fee)
Canadians happy with sex life
United States releases names of gitmo detainees
Hangar Dogs zaps in Canada
The Zesty Market
Glacier Water
Hangar Dog’s “fans” request Hangar Dog’s coffee brand
Queen Elizabeth turns 80
Japanese men going girly
New Bin Laden tape
Give war a chance
National Mitten Registry end of year report
Local El Paso County Land Regulation Use
Tucson self-defense gun bill (homework for Curtis)
Juvenile steal court gavel
K-man list to read (Animal Snack Hybrids Bio Engineered Threats)
www.mcsweeneys.net
Things I’d give my left arm for….
Miller Beer cold cans technology
www.engrish-store.com
e-mails"
HBO Renews 'Big Love'
TV Week: "April 19, 2006
HBO Renews 'Big Love'
By James Hibberd
HBO has renewed its polygamy drama 'Big Love' for a second season, the network confirmed.
Story continues below...
The March 12 debut of the Sunday night drama was seen by about 4.6 million viewers, losing 47 percent of its 'Sopranos' lead-in. The second week dropped to 3.4 million, then buoyed back to hover around the 4 million mark in subsequent weeks. An HBO spokesperson said about 50 percent of the viewership from each 'Big Love' episode is from post-premiere repeat airings.
Those are numbers are about on par with HBO's other recent drama, 'Deadwood,' whose first-season premiere airings were seen by an average of 4.5 million viewers and whose second season averaged about 3 million viewers.
The drama has been the target of an e-mail campaign in recent weeks by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who object to the show's depiction of a polygamous Utah family."
HBO Renews 'Big Love'
By James Hibberd
HBO has renewed its polygamy drama 'Big Love' for a second season, the network confirmed.
Story continues below...
The March 12 debut of the Sunday night drama was seen by about 4.6 million viewers, losing 47 percent of its 'Sopranos' lead-in. The second week dropped to 3.4 million, then buoyed back to hover around the 4 million mark in subsequent weeks. An HBO spokesperson said about 50 percent of the viewership from each 'Big Love' episode is from post-premiere repeat airings.
Those are numbers are about on par with HBO's other recent drama, 'Deadwood,' whose first-season premiere airings were seen by an average of 4.5 million viewers and whose second season averaged about 3 million viewers.
The drama has been the target of an e-mail campaign in recent weeks by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who object to the show's depiction of a polygamous Utah family."
Was United Flight 93 shot down on Sept. 11?
WorldNetDaily: Was United Flight 93 shot down on Sept. 11?: "DAY OF INFAMY 2001
Was United Flight 93
shot down on Sept. 11?
Report revisits nagging question of what really happened to doomed jet
Posted: January 25, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
� 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Echoing reports made immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, several eyewitnesses claim in a report by London's Daily Mirror that they saw a 'military-type' plane flying around United Airlines Flight 93 when the hijacked passenger jet crashed in rural Pennsylvania -- prompting the unthinkable question of whether the U.S. military shot down the plane."
Was United Flight 93
shot down on Sept. 11?
Report revisits nagging question of what really happened to doomed jet
Posted: January 25, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
� 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Echoing reports made immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, several eyewitnesses claim in a report by London's Daily Mirror that they saw a 'military-type' plane flying around United Airlines Flight 93 when the hijacked passenger jet crashed in rural Pennsylvania -- prompting the unthinkable question of whether the U.S. military shot down the plane."
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
Goose Befriends Elderly Man With Cancer
My Way News - Goose Befriends Elderly Man With Cancer: "Goose Befriends Elderly Man With Cancer
Email this Story
Apr 27, 10:07 PM (ET)
FERNAN LAKE, Idaho (AP) - A northern Idaho man diagnosed with terminal cancer says a usually cantankerous goose that befriended him on his walks has helped him live past doctors' predictions.
'I'm 73,' Bill Lytle, a two-time state legislator, told the Coeur d'Alene Press. 'And I'm not ready to die.'
After retiring as project manager for the Bunker Hill Mining company, Lytle and his wife of 52 years, Myrna, moved to Coeur d'Alene, where Bill became one of the founding members of a walking club called the Lake City Striders.
Then last fall his skin turned yellow overnight, and doctors diagnosed pancreatic cancer, giving Lytle only months to live. But Lytle continued his walks, having to cut them down to two miles at a nearby lake, where he met the goose who has inspired him to keep going even when he wasn't feeling well.
'I have to keep walking or I won't make my next December,' Lytle said.
The goose, called Mr. Waddles, is a feral domestic goose, a biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game said, offering no explanation for the relationship that has developed between the goose and Lytle. Myrna has thought about that as well.
'I wonder, why would that one goose attach himself to Bill?' she said. 'I think he knows he's sick. I think animals can sense that.'
The goose, about 30 pounds with a red beak and red feet, approaches Lytle when he calls and rubs its head against his arms. But it snaps at anyone else who gets too close, including Myrna, their daughter, and Bill's hospice aide.
'Sometimes he walks around me, sometimes he walks beside me,' Lytle said of the near-daily meetings the two have. 'I rub his neck, and the top of his head and down to his back. Every time I came down, he just kept coming out. I think it's pretty nice, that he'd always come to me.'"
Email this Story
Apr 27, 10:07 PM (ET)
FERNAN LAKE, Idaho (AP) - A northern Idaho man diagnosed with terminal cancer says a usually cantankerous goose that befriended him on his walks has helped him live past doctors' predictions.
'I'm 73,' Bill Lytle, a two-time state legislator, told the Coeur d'Alene Press. 'And I'm not ready to die.'
After retiring as project manager for the Bunker Hill Mining company, Lytle and his wife of 52 years, Myrna, moved to Coeur d'Alene, where Bill became one of the founding members of a walking club called the Lake City Striders.
Then last fall his skin turned yellow overnight, and doctors diagnosed pancreatic cancer, giving Lytle only months to live. But Lytle continued his walks, having to cut them down to two miles at a nearby lake, where he met the goose who has inspired him to keep going even when he wasn't feeling well.
'I have to keep walking or I won't make my next December,' Lytle said.
The goose, called Mr. Waddles, is a feral domestic goose, a biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game said, offering no explanation for the relationship that has developed between the goose and Lytle. Myrna has thought about that as well.
'I wonder, why would that one goose attach himself to Bill?' she said. 'I think he knows he's sick. I think animals can sense that.'
The goose, about 30 pounds with a red beak and red feet, approaches Lytle when he calls and rubs its head against his arms. But it snaps at anyone else who gets too close, including Myrna, their daughter, and Bill's hospice aide.
'Sometimes he walks around me, sometimes he walks beside me,' Lytle said of the near-daily meetings the two have. 'I rub his neck, and the top of his head and down to his back. Every time I came down, he just kept coming out. I think it's pretty nice, that he'd always come to me.'"
Men's Thesaurus
Men's Thesaurus
"I'M GOING FISHING"
Means: "I'm going to drink myself dangerously stupid,and stand by a
stream with a stick in my hand, while the fish swim by in complete
safety."
IT'S A GUY THING"
Means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you
have no chance at all of making it logical".
"CAN I HELP WITH DINNER?"
Means: "Why isn't it already on the table?"
"UH HUH," "SURE, HONEY," OR "YES, DEAR..."
Means: Absolutely nothing. It's a conditioned response.
"IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN"
Means: "I have no idea how it works."
"I WAS LISTENING TO YOU. IT'S JUST THAT I HAVE THINGS ON MY MIND."
Means: "I was wondering if that redhead over there is wearing a bra."
"TAKE A BREAK HONEY, YOU'RE WORKING TOO HARD".
Means: "I can't hear the game over the vacuum cleaner."
"THAT'S INTERESTING, DEAR."
Means: "Are you still talking?"
"YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS."
Means: "I remember the theme song to 'F Troop', the address of the first
girl I ever kissed, and the vehicle identification numbers of every car
I've ever owned, but I forgot your birthday."
"I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU, AND GOT YOU THESE ROSES".
"I CAN'T FIND IT."
Means: "It didn't fall into my outstretched hands, so I'm completely clueless."
"I HEARD YOU."
Means: "I haven't the foggiest clue what you just said."
"YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE."
Means: "I am used to the way you yell at me, and realize it could be worse."
"YOU LOOK TERRIFIC."
Means: "Please don't try on one more outfit, I'm starving."
"I'M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE."
Means: "No one will ever see us alive again."
"WE SHARE THE HOUSEWORK."
Means: "I make the messes, she cleans them up."
High Gas Prices: Who's to Blame?
FOXNews.com - High Gas Prices: Who's to Blame?: "High Gas Prices: Who's to Blame?
Friday , April 21, 2006
By Neil Cavuto
Oil prices are high and they're going higher — I think, a lot higher — which for a lot of folks will be a lot more of a hardship.
We're quick to want to blame someone, anyone, for this hardship and oil companies are a good target. After all, they're making a ton of money and we're spending a ton of money.
Unfortunately, a lot of us aren't spending time looking at the true culprits. Like a strong economy — we're just sucking the stuff up.
And like China and India. Those two countries alone account for as much oil now as the whole world slopped up barely 10 years ago.
And like OPEC — what they collectively produce barely covers what we use in just 'this' country, let alone other countries.
Sometimes simple facts like those get lost in emotional times like these.
Simple facts like conserving fuel: most of us don't.
Or tapping energy sources here: most of our elected officials won't.
Add it all up and the bill keeps going up for a commodity that's limited in supply and demand that is not.
Politicians love to look at scapegoats. It's harder for them and us to look at something else: a mirror."
Friday , April 21, 2006
By Neil Cavuto
Oil prices are high and they're going higher — I think, a lot higher — which for a lot of folks will be a lot more of a hardship.
We're quick to want to blame someone, anyone, for this hardship and oil companies are a good target. After all, they're making a ton of money and we're spending a ton of money.
Unfortunately, a lot of us aren't spending time looking at the true culprits. Like a strong economy — we're just sucking the stuff up.
And like China and India. Those two countries alone account for as much oil now as the whole world slopped up barely 10 years ago.
And like OPEC — what they collectively produce barely covers what we use in just 'this' country, let alone other countries.
Sometimes simple facts like those get lost in emotional times like these.
Simple facts like conserving fuel: most of us don't.
Or tapping energy sources here: most of our elected officials won't.
Add it all up and the bill keeps going up for a commodity that's limited in supply and demand that is not.
Politicians love to look at scapegoats. It's harder for them and us to look at something else: a mirror."
Birds of a Feather
FOXNews.com - Birds of a Feather: "By Neil Cavuto
Think fast: What do Congress and diet pill pushers have in common?
They both promise quick fixes and neither delivers.
The real skinny on getting skinny is eating less and exercising more. The real skinny on curing our energy gluttony is using less and exploring more.
But fat folks still search for that magic bullet and hawkers know it. And gas-fuming Americans still search for lower prices and politicians cater to it.
We — as consumers — should be saying, enough of it.
Enough of $100 rebates for gas — that's two tanks, then we're still in the tank.
Enough of price gouging investigations — we've done dozens over the years with not a whiff of collusion in all these years.
And enough of press conferences that only happen when politicians want to look like they're doing something, then nothing when gas prices aren't doing anything.
Telling people to conserve gas is tough.
Demanding automakers to make more fuel-efficient vehicles is tough.
Forcing exploration for more oil here so we're less dependent on it from over there is tough.
And seeking out energy alternatives in an oil-dependent nation is really tough.
They all take time. Because the best long-term solutions don't involve quick fixes, nor press conferences, nor patronizing speeches.
The only difference between politicians pandering and diet-hawkers hawking is that the diet-hawkers know you're sick of being fat. The politicians should know — loud and clear — that you're sick of them."
Think fast: What do Congress and diet pill pushers have in common?
They both promise quick fixes and neither delivers.
The real skinny on getting skinny is eating less and exercising more. The real skinny on curing our energy gluttony is using less and exploring more.
But fat folks still search for that magic bullet and hawkers know it. And gas-fuming Americans still search for lower prices and politicians cater to it.
We — as consumers — should be saying, enough of it.
Enough of $100 rebates for gas — that's two tanks, then we're still in the tank.
Enough of price gouging investigations — we've done dozens over the years with not a whiff of collusion in all these years.
And enough of press conferences that only happen when politicians want to look like they're doing something, then nothing when gas prices aren't doing anything.
Telling people to conserve gas is tough.
Demanding automakers to make more fuel-efficient vehicles is tough.
Forcing exploration for more oil here so we're less dependent on it from over there is tough.
And seeking out energy alternatives in an oil-dependent nation is really tough.
They all take time. Because the best long-term solutions don't involve quick fixes, nor press conferences, nor patronizing speeches.
The only difference between politicians pandering and diet-hawkers hawking is that the diet-hawkers know you're sick of being fat. The politicians should know — loud and clear — that you're sick of them."
Police: Suspects' Car Too Small for Big TV
My Way News - Police: Suspects' Car Too Small for Big TV: "MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) - Police who charged a Cincinnati couple with stealing a big-screen television said they should have thought about a bigger car.
Police stopped Richard and Stephanie North early Wednesday when they noticed their Mercury Sable going down a road with one of the doors open. Police found a 55-inch flat-screen TV on the back seat, hanging out the door.
Earlier, police had responded to an alarm at a TV and appliance store where the window on the front door was smashed out and a Hitachi flat-panel television was missing.
Richard North was charged with breaking and entering and felony theft. His wife was charged with complicity."
Police stopped Richard and Stephanie North early Wednesday when they noticed their Mercury Sable going down a road with one of the doors open. Police found a 55-inch flat-screen TV on the back seat, hanging out the door.
Earlier, police had responded to an alarm at a TV and appliance store where the window on the front door was smashed out and a Hitachi flat-panel television was missing.
Richard North was charged with breaking and entering and felony theft. His wife was charged with complicity."
Gadgetell - The Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things Blog � iRiver’s plans to knock out the iPod
Gadgetell - The Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things Blog � iRiver’s plans to knock out the iPod: "iRiver, just one of the major underdogs in the portable audio/video category, is getting ready for a huge global product launch. In early May executives will be releasing what we believe to be the product that is going to go up against the iPod."
Spanish 'Star-Spangled Banner' Draws Ire
My Way News - Spanish 'Star-Spangled Banner' Draws Ire: "By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ
(AP) Hip hop star Pitbull, gestures as he sings on a track while recording a Spanish-language version of...
Full Image
MIAMI (AP) - British music producer Adam Kidron says that when he came up with the idea of a Spanish-language version of the U.S. national anthem, he saw it as an ode to the millions of immigrants seeking a better life.
But in the week since Kidron announced the song - which features artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon - it has been the target of a fierce backlash.
Some Internet bloggers and others are infuriated by the thought of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' sung in a language other than English."
(AP) Hip hop star Pitbull, gestures as he sings on a track while recording a Spanish-language version of...
Full Image
MIAMI (AP) - British music producer Adam Kidron says that when he came up with the idea of a Spanish-language version of the U.S. national anthem, he saw it as an ode to the millions of immigrants seeking a better life.
But in the week since Kidron announced the song - which features artists such as Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon - it has been the target of a fierce backlash.
Some Internet bloggers and others are infuriated by the thought of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' sung in a language other than English."
How to Exercise Your Eyes - WikiHow
How to Exercise Your Eyes - WikiHow: "We all know how important it is to keep our bodies fit by doing things like going to the gym, jogging, and swimming. But, did you know that you can exercise your eyes as well? While eye exercising won't improve your vision, it will keep your eyes healthy and help minimize eyestrain"
Unclassifiable funny
Unclassifiable funny
Steven Wright
Anthony Burgess
Steven Wright
"If you shoot at mimes, should you use a silencer?"
Anthony Burgess
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone."
Thursday, April 27, 2006
'United 93' Opens, But Will America Watch? - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment
FOXNews.com - 'United 93' Opens, But Will America Watch? - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment: "NEW YORK — Moviegoers usually head to the theater to escape from reality. Beginning on Friday, they'll have the chance to head to the theater to relive one of the worst realities this country has ever experienced.
That's when 'United 93,' the debut Hollywood feature film about the Sept. 11 terror attacks, will be released to the general public, after opening the 5th annual Tribeca Film Festival earlier this week."
That's when 'United 93,' the debut Hollywood feature film about the Sept. 11 terror attacks, will be released to the general public, after opening the 5th annual Tribeca Film Festival earlier this week."
eMailCongress.net - eMail And Phone For All 535 Members Of Congress
eMailCongress.net - eMail And Phone For All 535 Members Of Congress:
Stop High Gas and Oil Prices EMAIL your Congress Now!
"eMail addresses for the 435 members
of the U.S. House of Representatives
eMail addresses for the 100 members
of the United States Senate
Call your Congressperson or Senators
Congressional Switchboard
800 839.5276
202 224.3121
eMail addresses for the
President Bush and Vice President Cheney
Call the President and VP
White House Comment Line
202 456.1111
Fax the President and VP
White House Fax
202 456.2461
eMail addresses for the 435 members
of the U.S. House of Representatives
"
Stop High Gas and Oil Prices EMAIL your Congress Now!
"eMail addresses for the 435 members
of the U.S. House of Representatives
eMail addresses for the 100 members
of the United States Senate
Call your Congressperson or Senators
Congressional Switchboard
800 839.5276
202 224.3121
eMail addresses for the
President Bush and Vice President Cheney
Call the President and VP
White House Comment Line
202 456.1111
Fax the President and VP
White House Fax
202 456.2461
eMail addresses for the 435 members
of the U.S. House of Representatives
"
Construction Begins at Ground Zero
My Way News - Construction Begins at Ground Zero: "By AMY WESTFELDT
NEW YORK (AP) - After months of disputes over the future of ground zero, state and city officials finally brought in the heavy equipment and began construction Thursday on the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower that will rise at the World Trade Center site.
'It is going to be a symbol of our freedom and independence,' Gov. George Pataki said after three yellow construction trucks - driven by workers wearing hard hats emblazoned with the American flag and the words 'Freedom Tower, World Trade Center' - rolled down a ramp to applause from politicians.
The project has been held up by bickering between city and state agencies and the project's chief developer, and by objections, mostly from Sept. 11 family members, to the design of the trade center memorial.
But a breakthrough came this week when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the site, reached an agreement with developer Larry Silverstein, who held the lease on the twin towers."
Senate Panel Recommends Abolishing FEMA
My Way News - Senate Panel Recommends Abolishing FEMA: "Senate Panel Recommends Abolishing FEMA
Apr 27, 7:40 AM (ET)
By LARA JAKES JORDAN
(AP) This file photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows flooded roadways as the Coast Guard...
Unique Home Designs - Innovative prefab circular homes. Hurricane and tornado resistant!
www.DeltecHomes.com
WASHINGTON (AP) - Hurricane Katrina's latest fatality should be FEMA, the nation's disaster response agency, a Senate inquiry concluded in calling for a government overhaul to avoid future failures like those the devastating storm exposed.
Eighty-six recommendations by the bipartisan panel indicate the United States is still woefully unprepared for a storm of Katrina's scope with the start of the hurricane season little more than a month away.
The recommendations conclude that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is crippled beyond repair by years of poor leadership and inadequate funding. They call for a new agency - the National Preparedness and Response Authority - to plan and carry out relief missions for domestic disasters."
Apr 27, 7:40 AM (ET)
By LARA JAKES JORDAN
(AP) This file photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows flooded roadways as the Coast Guard...
Unique Home Designs - Innovative prefab circular homes. Hurricane and tornado resistant!
www.DeltecHomes.com
WASHINGTON (AP) - Hurricane Katrina's latest fatality should be FEMA, the nation's disaster response agency, a Senate inquiry concluded in calling for a government overhaul to avoid future failures like those the devastating storm exposed.
Eighty-six recommendations by the bipartisan panel indicate the United States is still woefully unprepared for a storm of Katrina's scope with the start of the hurricane season little more than a month away.
The recommendations conclude that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is crippled beyond repair by years of poor leadership and inadequate funding. They call for a new agency - the National Preparedness and Response Authority - to plan and carry out relief missions for domestic disasters."
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Saving MP3 Files For Podcasts
Saving MP3 Files For Podcasts: "Saving MP3 Files For Podcasts
Once you've created the audio for your podcast, you should export it to MP3 format.
MP3 is the de facto standard file format for podcasts. MP3 format is supported by many applications because of its popularity. Using other audio formats may interfere with your audience's ability to use your podcast."
Once you've created the audio for your podcast, you should export it to MP3 format.
MP3 is the de facto standard file format for podcasts. MP3 format is supported by many applications because of its popularity. Using other audio formats may interfere with your audience's ability to use your podcast."
PodFly - Podcasts, How to Podcast, Podcast Software, Podcast Reviews & More
PodFly - Podcasts, How to Podcast, Podcast Software, Podcast Reviews & More: "Paidcasting - The Ricky Gervais Story
February 23rd, 2006 by Chris Winfield
Paidcasting, paidcasts
Is there money in podcasting? Ricky Gervais answers that with a big YES. Ricky’s record breaking podcast (which made a star out of previously unknown Karl Pilkington) is poised to make a lot of money from podcasting and take paidcasting to the next level.
Ricky’s podcast (which was given a 9 out of 10 rating by PodFly) was initially released for free by The Guardian and gained an average of 261,670 downloads per episode! Just like their ground breaking show The Office, Ricky and his partner Stephen Merchant kept it short and sweet - only offering 12 episodes. They have now inked a deal with Audible.com where fans will have to purchase the episodes. You can purchase episodes individually for $1.95 or $6.95 for the season. Since the first series was downloaded over 2.9 million times, Gervais and his cronies could be raking in $400,000 per episode.
Check out Audible’s Official Ricky Page @ www.audible.com/ricky/
tags: audible, guardian, karl pilkington, paidcasting, paidcasts, ricky gervais podcast, ricky gervais record, ricky gervais show, stephen merchant, ricky gervais
� Previous Entries
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spacer"
February 23rd, 2006 by Chris Winfield
Paidcasting, paidcasts
Is there money in podcasting? Ricky Gervais answers that with a big YES. Ricky’s record breaking podcast (which made a star out of previously unknown Karl Pilkington) is poised to make a lot of money from podcasting and take paidcasting to the next level.
Ricky’s podcast (which was given a 9 out of 10 rating by PodFly) was initially released for free by The Guardian and gained an average of 261,670 downloads per episode! Just like their ground breaking show The Office, Ricky and his partner Stephen Merchant kept it short and sweet - only offering 12 episodes. They have now inked a deal with Audible.com where fans will have to purchase the episodes. You can purchase episodes individually for $1.95 or $6.95 for the season. Since the first series was downloaded over 2.9 million times, Gervais and his cronies could be raking in $400,000 per episode.
Check out Audible’s Official Ricky Page @ www.audible.com/ricky/
tags: audible, guardian, karl pilkington, paidcasting, paidcasts, ricky gervais podcast, ricky gervais record, ricky gervais show, stephen merchant, ricky gervais
� Previous Entries
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Hank Williams Jr. Surrenders in Assault Case - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment
FOXNews.com - Hank Williams Jr. Surrenders in Assault Case - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment: "MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hank Williams Jr. surrendered to police Tuesday on a warrant issued in an alleged assault on a hotel waitress last month, a charge his publicist claimed is driven by 'greed.'
Holly Hornbeak, 19, has told police she was waiting tables at the Peabody Hotel's lobby bar March 18 when the country superstar asked to kiss her and lifted her off the ground in a chokehold. No charges were issued in the case until an arrest warrant was taken out Monday."
Holly Hornbeak, 19, has told police she was waiting tables at the Peabody Hotel's lobby bar March 18 when the country superstar asked to kiss her and lifted her off the ground in a chokehold. No charges were issued in the case until an arrest warrant was taken out Monday."
Maury Povich Slapped With $100M Sexual Harassment Suit - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment
FOXNews.com - Maury Povich Slapped With $100M Sexual Harassment Suit - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment: "NEW YORK — A producer for TV talk-show host Maury Povich filed a $100 million sex harassment lawsuit against him and other members of his staff Monday, claiming they barraged her with sexual remarks and made her watch porno movies and expose her body.
Bianca Nardi, 28, of Fort Lee, N.J., says in court papers that the sexually charged atmosphere among the show's production staff was fostered by the 'intimate and sexual relationship between defendants Maurice Richard Povich and Donna Benner Ingber.'"
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Many Seniors Unaware of Medicare Deadline
My Way News - Many Seniors Unaware of Medicare Deadline: "WASHINGTON (AP) - About four in 10 elderly Americans still don't know the enrollment deadline for the new Medicare drug benefit is May 15, and nearly half are unaware that they face a financial penalty if they delay, according to a new poll."
Port Workers to Undergo Background Checks
My Way News - Port Workers to Undergo Background Checks: "WASHINGTON (AP) - Seaport workers will undergo background checks for links to terrorism and to ensure they are legal U.S. residents, the Bush administration said Tuesday."
What a great idea, ITS ABOUT TIME!
What a great idea, ITS ABOUT TIME!
Solar: Our Greatest Untapped Energy Resource
Feature Article - Solar: Our Greatest Untapped Energy Resource: "A patch of 100 square miles of open space covered with efficient solar panels such as in Nevada, where sun rays are powerful, could generate all the electrical power needs of the United States, according to NREL calculations."
Monday, April 24, 2006
Latter-day Saint/Mormon Characters Big Love
Latter-day Saint/Mormon Characters
in the HBO series:
Big Love (2005)
"Big Love" (2005)
Pilot episode (series premiere) written by Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer
Pilot episode directed by Rodrigo GarcÃa
Executive producer: Tom Hanks
Starring: Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny (Chloe Sevigny), Ginnifer Goodwin, Harry Dean Stanton, Amanda Seyfried, Daveigh Chase, Garrett Gray, Mitchell Gray, Spencer Gray, Douglas Smith
"Big Love" is an HBO series created by Mark V. Olsen and gay screenwriter Will Scheffer. The series premiere was directed by Rodrigo Garcia ("Six Feet Under", "Boomtown", "Nine Lives"). When production on "Big Love" was announced it generated considerable news coverage, partially because the series was to be produced by superstar Tom Hanks' production company, with Hanks as executive producer.
The "Big Love" series is about a business owner in Salt Lake City (played by Bill Paxton) and his three wives. Paxton's character is a polygamist, whose unorthodox lifestyle is based on his background as what is sometimes known by the misnomer "fundamentalist Mormon."
HBO originally ordered 11 episodes of "Big Love" produced. Amanda Seyfried was cast as "Sarah Henrickson," a teenage daughter of Bill Paxton's character. Some of the audition sides for this part are shown below. Cast as Paxton's three wives (all major roles in the series) were Chloe Sevigny, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Ginnifer Goodwin. Other actors cast for "Big Love" were Harry Dean Stanton, Daveigh Chase, Garrett Gray, Mitchell Gray, Spencer Gray and Douglas Smith.
The series was originally set to premiere in August 2005.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rarely comments on specific media productions, but it did issue a press release on 17 October 2005 after new magazine articles began appearing in anticipation of the debut of "Big Love." From: "'HBO's "Big Love', posted in the "Comments on the News" section on the official website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://lds.org/newsroom/mistakes/0,15331,3885-1-22339,00.html; viewed 20 October 2005):
HBO's "Big Love"
[A response to articles published in] Various media outlets, 17 October 2005The Public Affairs Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement in response to media inquiries regarding the upcoming HBO show "Big Love":
"Polygamy was officially discontinued in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1890. Any Church member adopting the practice today is excommunicated. Those groups which continue the practice in Utah and elsewhere have no association whatever with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and most of their practitioners have never been among our members.
"The Church has long been concerned about the continued illegal practice of polygamy, and in particular about reports of child and wife abuse emanating from polygamous communities today. It will be regrettable if this program, by making polygamy the subject of entertainment, minimizes the seriousness of that problem.
"Through its Los Angeles Public Affairs office, Church representatives have asked the producers at HBO to consider a disclaimer at the beginning of the program, dissociating the practice of polygamy today from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The producers have said they are willing to consider that request."
[direct link to the article] "Three's Company", [published in] Time, 16 October 2005 [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1118360,00.html]
"Big Love" executive producer Tom Hanks was himself a Mormon for less than two years when he was a child, but he was part of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was not a "fundamentalist Mormon" or part of polygamist culture. Hanks' frequently-disrupted family life put him in a number of different denominations while growing up. In high school, Tom Hanks joined a Fundamentalist Christian (Protestant) denomination, but did not remain active in it into his twenties. When Hanks married Rita Wilson, he joined her denomination: the Greek Orthodox Church. It is not known whether Hanks' background provided any impetus for his deciding to produce "Big Love."
Although "Big Love" is ostensibly about polygamy, much of its subject matter and themes are actually a veneer for presenting the non-LDS writers' GLBT themes and gay apologia.
The Biblical practice of polygamy was banned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the late 1800s, and anybody who attempts to practice polgamy is not allowed to be part of the Church. Wary of stirring up negative controversy, and wishing to avoid accusations of anachronistic or dishonest storytelling, HBO publicists issued statements early in the series' production cycle that "Big Love" was not about Latter-day Saints and would not be filmed in Utah.
However, excerpts from the teleplay for the pilot episode of the series make it clear that at least some of the characters in "Big Love" are written as mainstream Latter-day Saints. Series star Chloe Sevigny told reporters that the show's producers intended to film in Utah. In the excerpt below, some characters are members of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They discuss Church-related topics with a daughter of the central polygamist character. This girl has clearly spent time in the mainstream Church, although her family is apparently now separated from the Church.
The teleplay excerpts contain two cheers or chants spoken by a teenage Latter-day Saint girl named "Jordan." (Jordan is not from a polygammist group; she is a member of mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) Jordan's chants would strike most Latter-day Saints as strange, and might even seem like yet another indicator that the script writers were out of touch and were inaccurate in their portrayal of Latter-day Saints.
Yet these chants were actually copied directly from a fireside outline written by a regular Latter-day Saint Young Women's leader. The fireside outline was not published by the official Church, but it was posted on an independent website dedicated to providing supplemental materials for Young Women leaders. (The "Young Women" organization in the Church is for female Church members ages 12 through 18.)
On the "YW Connection" website (http://ywconnection.com/), there is a Young Women Camp section (http://ywconnection.com/Camp/pageCampindex.html). On the index page for the Young Women Camp section there is section with the heading "Camp Themes." Some of the themes in this section include: Everyway Heroes; Heroes of the Heart; Hold Your Torch High; Field of Dream; Like A Lighthouse; Millennial Bugs; Mission Possible; Olympics; On Safari, Searching For Heaven; We Three Queen; Quest for the Best; Shoot For the Stars; To Know Ewe is to Love Ewe; Unity in the Hive; United We Stand.
One of the Young Women Camp themes is "Major Leagues." It is a baseball theme, and the page describing it (http://ywconnection.com/Camp/pageCmajorleague.html) features a detailed outline of a fireside, complete with some camp cheers.
One of the cheers from this Young Women camp fireside touches on the Word of Wisdom:
Drugs are an abomination.Note how this cheer is repeated in the "Big Love" script:
We're the Mormon congregation.
That should be an indication,
Heaven is our destination!
JORDANAnother cheer used during the "Major Leagues" camp fireside is about the law of chastity (moral purity):
(deadpan, understated)
"We're the Mormon Congregation.
That should be an indication.
Heaven is our destination. Yeah."
We can wait! We can wait! We can wait to procreateThis cheer was also repeated in the "Big Love" script:
'Til aaaaaaaaaaafter marriage!
JORDAN
(the same throwaway irony)
We can wait. We can wait. We can
wait to procreate. Till
aaaaffffffter marriage. Yeah.
19 Apr 2006 Hangar Dogs Podcast
Hangar Dogs: " Topics included:
Today in history - Geraldo Riviera and the Al Capone Vault
Today in history – Red Baron
Today in history – Janet Reno and the Branch Davidians
New law in Idaho prohibiting protests at funerals (within 500 feet)
United Flight 93 movie
Gas Prices and Oil Executives compensation
Alternative Energies
McClellan steps down (Tony Snow as replacement?)
Big breasted female Muslim refugee volley ball players in Kenya
Easy out of military for body fat
John Hall for congress
Immigration Spin
Stop light disruption
New words for the dictionary
You are addicted to the Internet when….
Internet Stats for Hangar Dogs
Coffee Cup contest
Corn Hole Sports
Fighting Whities
"
Today in history - Geraldo Riviera and the Al Capone Vault
Today in history – Red Baron
Today in history – Janet Reno and the Branch Davidians
New law in Idaho prohibiting protests at funerals (within 500 feet)
United Flight 93 movie
Gas Prices and Oil Executives compensation
Alternative Energies
McClellan steps down (Tony Snow as replacement?)
Big breasted female Muslim refugee volley ball players in Kenya
Easy out of military for body fat
John Hall for congress
Immigration Spin
Stop light disruption
New words for the dictionary
You are addicted to the Internet when….
Internet Stats for Hangar Dogs
Coffee Cup contest
Corn Hole Sports
Fighting Whities
"
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
AT&T and Verizon: We Own Your Congress
TechSearch Blog | AT&T and Verizon: We Own Your Congress: "AT&T and Verizon: We Own Your Congress"
Students drive 15 miles on 0,35 ounces of Hydrogen!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Students drive 15 miles on 0,35 ounces of Hydrogen!
Students from the Danish college of technology (DTU) have develeped a new and innovative fuelsystem which eleminates the loss of hydrogen in a fuel cell.By eleminating the loss of hydrogen in the fuel cells, the Danish students have made hydrogen power "cost efficient" and have layed a major piece in the hydrogen engine puzzle.
The new fuel system was developed while working on the new hydrogen car "DTU Dynamo". Last year the car set a new world record by driving 15 miles on 0,35 ounces of hydrogen. This equals to the 450 miles per gallon of gas.
This new invention has already been patented, and a new development is said to be underway.
TSA: 20 Airports May Have Fast Lanes Soon
My Way News - TSA: 20 Airports May Have Fast Lanes Soon: "20 Airports May Have Fast Lanes Soon
"
"
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
DoD Trims Troubled Radio Project, Hopes To Save Billions
My Way Finance: "DoD Trims Troubled Radio Project, Hopes To Save Billions
"
"
Monday, April 17, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Brokeback Mountain Paroity
Starz Bunny Club
re-enacted by Bunny's in 30 sec (no bunny's harmed filming the bit)
re-enacted by Bunny's in 30 sec (no bunny's harmed filming the bit)
Salt Lake Tribune -"Big Love"
Salt Lake Tribune - Faith: "TV: HBO's 'Big Love' takes more satirical jabs at LDS Church"
While this show is pure fiction its fun to watch with the cast the show has put togather. Take a Look!
http://www.macleans.ca/culture/television/article.jsp?content=20060417_125125_125125
To get an idea of what going on with the show click on above link for a rundown. Everyone has an there own point of view. Its just good drama form my point of view.
Hangardogs April 4th Podcast at Hangar Dogs
Hangardogs April 4th Podcast at Hangar Dogs
Click here for some laughs and an Education. PodCasts are in a MP3 format (also streaming audio), Its free!
Click here for some laughs and an Education. PodCasts are in a MP3 format (also streaming audio), Its free!
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