text:
Sri Lanka's Herath pegs back Pakistan after Shehzad century

Sri Lanka 428-9 dec; Pakistan 291-6
Ahmed Shehzad scores 147 for maiden hundred
Sri Lankan bowler Rangana Herath (2L) ce
Rangana Herath celebrates dismissing Ahmed Shehzad Photograph: ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images

The opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad cashed in on a very flat pitch to hit a maiden Test century but Sri Lanka hit back through Rangana Herath's triple strike to restrict Pakistan to 291-6 in the decisive third Test on Saturday. Shehzad made 147 off 275 balls with 12 fours and a six in just over five-and-a-half hours before he became one of Herath's three victims in the last session on the third day. The captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, was unbeaten on 36 as Herath (3-88) also had Sarfraz Ahmed caught behind in the last over of the day.

"It's my debut series and I made century as well, so it's a kind of dream come true for me," Shehzad, who scored 55 in the drawn first Test, said. "My wicket fell at a very wrong time as it's always difficult for a new batsman to come and adjust."

Pakistan remained 137 runs adrift of Sri Lanka, after the Lions declared their first innings at 428-9. Sri Lanka did well to restrict Pakistan to 169-2 by tea before Shehzad upped the scoring rate soon after. He completed his century off 230 balls, with seven fours, before smashing another five boundaries and also adding a six to his haul. Shehzad made an overly ambitious attempt to reverse sweep against Herath, but was unable to avoid dragging the ball back on to his stumps when he looked set to dominate the bowling.

Sri Lanka did not go for the second new ball and Shaminda Eranga reverse swung the old ball enough to win an lbw decision against Asad Shafiq before Herath got a faint edge of Ahmed.

"The captain is there and I think we should play two more sessions and equal their score," Shehzad said. "We will try to make a comeback as we are going after the result in the match."

Herath struck early after tea when Younis Khan (17) was caught behind down the legside as Pakistan had to pay a heavy price of losing four wickets for 122 runs in the last session.

Sri Lanka, leading the series 1-0 and needing just a draw to clinch the series, did well in the first session by conceding only 66 runs after Pakistan resumed at the overnight 19-0. Shehzad and Khurram Manzoor (52) laboured for only 23 runs in the first hour with Shehzad hitting two legside boundaries off fast bowler Suranga Lakmal. Manzoor was very cautious, hitting only one boundary in the session, when he cut Eranga to point in the 17th over of the day.

The openers put on Pakistan's best first-wicket stand of the series with 114 runs but were too defensive against both seamers and the left-arm spin of Herath, who constantly bowled outside leg stump and tested the patience of batsmen. The Sri Lanka tactic annoyed Shehzad.

"They can't bowl us out with negative bowling in a proper Test match," Shehzad said. "It's a do or die match for us and they were afraid that we were going after runs."

But the Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara was quick to defend Herath.

"A lot of batsmen do not have the patience anyway when you bowl those kind of lines," Sangakkara said. "The plan was quite positive to try and get them to hit against the line."

The Sri Lanka captain, Angelo Mathews, also frustrated the openers with some intelligent field placings and did not allow them to rotate strike too often with five fielders inside the 15 metres on the legside. Pakistan needed a significant increase in the run rate to take the win that would square the series, but Manzoor and Shehzad were tied down after the break as they took almost three hours to reach their fifties, with 84 further runs gained in the second session. Shehzad reached his half century off 150 balls with five fours and Manzoor soon followed him to complete his seventh Test 50 off 120 balls with four boundaries.

Eranga finally got the breakthrough when Manzoor, who faced 125 balls with four boundaries, tried to flick him down the legside and Ali perished soon afterwards as Perera lured him to drive off a well flighted delivery and found the outside edge to Mathews.


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Blossoming of Nakamura shows Strachan's canny eye for a cast-off

Part of Gordon Strachan's success is down to his imaginative buys, typified by the capture of misfit Shunsuke Nakamura
Shunsuke Nakamura
Gordon Strachan has written that in terms of sheer ability Shunsuke Nakamura is the best footballer he has ever worked with. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

The idea of announcing the prices of the players as well the names never seems more appropriate than in the Champions League, a competition of severe contrasts. Celtic come to Old Trafford tonight with the £4m Scott Brown as their most expensive signing. Manchester United have 11 players who cost as much or more, up to the £30.75m Dimitar Berbatov. This is no sob story since many renowned clubs have less money than Celtic.

From manager's office to boardroom, the Scottish champions are run by smart people. With turnover at £75m, the debt of £3.5m is modest. The trouble is that revenue can only stay at those levels if Celtic go on featuring in the Champions League. They have been pulling off that feat under Gordon Strachan.

Having never before reached the knockout phase of the tournament in its modern form, the manager has guided them there in each of the last two years. The odds are against a continuation of the sequence, considering Celtic's agonised away form and a 0-0 draw with Aalborg in Glasgow at the start of Group E. Nonetheless, Strachan has achieved much, including three league titles, and part of that success has come through imaginative moves.

As with any manager, there were signings that failed, but occasional disappointments can always be overshadowed by a single brilliant coup. Unable to compete with many English clubs, Strachan has excelled by identifying people who would have been ruled out as potential signings for the Premier League. In the case of Shunsuke Nakamura Celtic turned to a well-known individual who had been written off many times.

Indeed, Martin Greig's revealing book The Zen of Naka (Mainstream, £16.99) is a chronicle of rejections surmounted. The author, digging deep into the Japanese background, shows us Nakamura in his early teens, crying not because he had been left out of his team but because he had failed to contribute to its success. Soon after, Yokohama Marinos edged him out of their youth system but the midfielder then made his name in schools football instead.

When he had ultimately become established with Yokohama in the J League, Philippe Troussier nonetheless overlooked the midfielder for the 2002 World Cup because he reasoned that Nakamura lacked the stamina essential in a Japan line-up designed for defence. The player's reaction was to attempt to improve himself with a move to Italy.

His delicate skills made him a misfit in a glum Reggina line-up that survived in Serie A despite scoring a mere 36 goals in the 2004-05 season. Even relegated Brescia were more prolific. That summer, though, Strachan was fascinated by what he saw on television of Nakamura's influence for Japan at the Confederations Cup.

His focus, crucially, was on all that Nakamura could do, rather than his limitations. Celtic, in any case, lack the budget to deal in perfection. He cost around £1m, but Celtic were wise enough to pay at least as much again for his image rights. The Champions League stage has made him such a star in his homeland that four Japanese journalists are based in Glasgow simply to report on his every deed.

That band of reporters has to be patient because it is Nakamura's habit to go to the gym for up to an hour after home games. He is obsessive on the training ground too, grooving his free-kicks, with his interpreter between the posts, after everyone else has gone. The Celtic manager has written that in terms of sheer ability Nakamura is the best footballer he has ever worked with. There are, of course, additional qualities lacking in him that someone such as Strachan's former Scotland team-mate Kenny Dalglish had in spades.

Strachan does not feel that Nakamura would have been suited to the relentlessness of the Premier League and calculates that La Liga might have been the right setting. As it is, the 30-year-old, with his family in mind, may well have his wish granted to return to Yokohama in January should Celtic's interest in the Champions League be over.

Two years ago he sent Celtic to the last 16 of the tournament with a free-kick winner against United that an expert such as Matt Le Tissier ranks as being among the five greatest set-piece goals he has seen, if not the best of all.

It is unlikely that the visitors will savour tonight's game. Perhaps the action will stay far out of Nakamura's reach. Nevertheless, exploits such as his acquisition and that of the maverick goalkeeper Artur Boruc have kept Celtic to the fore. Strachan's stiff challenge is to go on identifying undervalued assets that are beneath the notice of more affluent clubs.

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Google may be Yahoo's white knight

· Brin says he will work with No 2 search player
· Dominant force in market tests system on rival's site

Google is still interested in a tie-up with Yahoo in the lucrative internet search market, according to Google's co-founder Sergey Brin, in a move that would provide Yahoo with a white knight to see off the attentions of Microsoft.

Over the weekend Microsoft and Yahoo admitted that they were talking about a tie-up in search advertising, after talks about a full merger collapsed this month. Since those abortive negotiations, the activist investor Carl Icahn has attempted a boardroom coup and is attempting to oust Yahoo's management at its annual meeting in July.

During the takeover talks, Google ran a small trial of its technology on Yahoo's site in the US, which was widely seen as offering Yahoo's embattled boss, Jerry Yang, a way to escape Microsoft's clutches.

Speaking at Google's Zeitgeist conference in Britain yesterday, Google executives said they were willing to work towards a deeper relationship with Yang.

Asked how the trials had gone, Brin said: "Primarily we learned it was good to work with them again ... and they have a very similar story to us and things went very well with that test so we would be very excited to work with them again."

Brin and his co-founder, Larry Page, were due to discuss the weekend's news and Google's response with the chief executive, Eric Schmidt, last night. The company is understood to have discussed a full-scale tie-up with Yahoo last month and there has been intense speculation that such a deal is back on the table and could be announced within weeks.

A deal between Microsoft and Yahoo would present a big challenge to the dominance of Google in the online search market. When asked who Google's main competitor was likely to be, Schmidt admitted yesterday: "Eventually, I think it is obvious that it will be Microsoft, based on their actions."

Google's dominance of the online search market has raised concerns about the sheer wealth of information that the company has about what people look for online. But Brin and Page both stressed that it is in Google's own interests to closely guard what its users do online, or they will stop using the service and its revenues will dry up.

"If we are not trusted, we have no business," said Page. "We have such a lot to lose, we are forced to act in everyone's interest."

Brin added that the real concern was that companies who were not dealing with consumers on a daily basis, such as advertising agencies, could misuse information about what consumers were doing online. "There are a lot of things you can do in a creepy way that scares people," he said.

Although he did not draw the connection, there have been concerns raised in Britain about the use of technology developed by the Aim-listed Phorm to track where people go online to serve them with better targeted adverts. Page said such information could be used to make the internet more relevant to consumers but it had to be carefully handled. "I worry we are missing, a little, the forest for the trees."

In fact, when Microsoft first approached Yahoo, Google reacted with uncharacteristic force by warning that the deal raised "troubling questions" about the future of the internet. David Drummond, Google's chief legal officer, said a takeover would also create a business with an "overwhelming share" of the online communications services of web-based email and instant messaging.

Schmidt refused yesterday to comment directly on Microsoft's fresh attempt at a deal but said Drummond's pronouncement still reflected the "general" feeling of the firm.

For advertisers, a combination of Yahoo and Microsoft in the search market would help ease their growing concerns that Google has become too dominant in the largest and most lucrative area of online advertising. Recent figures from Nielsen Online show that in Britain Google has seen its share of all internet search queries rise from just over 77% in March last year to nearly 80% in the same month in 2008. Second-placed Yahoo, meanwhile has fallen from 7.9% to 5.4% with Microsoft's MSN and Windows Live search sites accounting for 4.3% in March this year - slightly up on the 3.4% recorded last year. In some European markets, Google's dominance is even more pronounced: in Germany, for instance, it has 88% of the market.

In the US, Google's share of search queries has risen from 53.7% to 58.7%, while Yahoo's has dropped from nearly 22% to 18.1% and Microsoft trails at 12%.

Schmidt stressed that the online search market was only a smaller proportion of the wider advertising market and, despite its efforts, Google was still a minnow in other areas such as TV, radio and print advertising.


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Rewind TV: 7/7: One Day in London; Blackout; When I Get Older; Imagine: Graceland – review

A film about the 2005 London bombings was all the more powerful for the restraint and integrity shown by its makers. But melodrama and celebrity vacuity were waiting in the wings elsewhere
Rachel Mayes 7/7: One Day in London
‘Testimony’: Rachel Mayes holds a photograph of her brother, James, who died on the London tube. Photograph: Emilie Fjola Sandy/BBC/Minnow Films/Emilie Fjola Sa

7/7: One Day in London (BBC2) | iPlayer

Blackout (BBC1) | iPlayer

When I Get Older (BBC1) | iPlayer

Death was treated in worryingly different ways this week on television. First with thoughtfulness, style and dignity, then later on with a patronising crassness; it was like going to two wildly and horribly different funerals.

The first example was Ben Anthony's splendid One Day in London, the re-creation, with careful interviews, of the unconscionable knock-on effects from the 7/7 bombings in London. I say re-creation, but it wasn't what you might have expected on a bad day for the Beeb. There were no whizzy graphics, no tricksy camera-angles, no screeching rails or slo-mo acted angst, no gore. Just a few quiet interspersed shots of an empty tunnel and, throughout, the voices of the people involved. This was a touchstone example of a director trusting the viewer to, for once, listen for over an hour to people talking – businessmen, market gardeners, tube workers – with articulacy and even some occasional dry wit; and to imagine the scenes being described rather than being battered over the pate with techno-geekery, and then emerge from the experience somehow both immensely troubled and immensely rewarded.

It began with – and how the team behind this must have worked to win the trust of the witnesses and victims who spoke here, often for the first time – the testimonies of how some came to be caught up in it all, and the tiny chance circumstances that changed lives. A snatched, guilty five-minute lie-in; a bus missed; a pause to look at some shoes in a shop; the split-second decision to get on one packed tube train rather than the next.

The film was in no way mawkish or manipulative, and for that we should thank whatever gods we need, because the last thing real drama wants is melodrama. Yet, still, despite myself, the Kleenex was soon out, just in case. I first, ahem, blew my nose, stridently, about 15 minutes in after one very cut-glass upper-middle class mother told of her repeated, insanely determined attempts by letter to get Tony Blair to acknowledge even passing culpability for the death of her daughter, and of the understandably anodyne eventual response. I sniffed not because I think Mr Blair actually was culpable – I've got every idea of who was bloodily culpable, and another strength here was we that had no "re-creation" of the bombers' sin-hungry misguidedness, their separate paths and timings, because too often I have seen it being filmed like the exciting first reel of a heist movie. No, the sniff was because of the awfulness of the many laws of unforeseen consequences, and the ripples still rippling.

After this mother, so viscerally, politely, hating her prime minister, came two sets of parents who have dealt so differently with the murders of theirs sons – one pair still keep all his stuff, the other binned the lot the next week – yet spoke with equal love.

Then we saw tube workers and other rescuers, who – all to camera, direct, stoic, unblinking – told of, say, lifting someone out of a hole in the ground by the arms, "because that's what you do, innit?", only to find the torso was unattached to the legs; or remembered "closing his eyelids for him, just because it felt… incongruous to me to still be looking at a world he was no longer part of". No tears, all sane, yet all still hurt by the ripples, which continue.

It was almost a relief to turn to simple, jokey, unbelievable fist-in-the-face melodrama, and Blackout helped immensely. Christopher Eccleston was more wonderful than everything else in the programme combined, and I might keep watching it because of that, but compared with Line of Duty, which began last week on BBC2, this is so far just, I'm afraid, love-40, three set points against.

Eccleston plays a corrupt alcoholic councillor who has a blackout during which he might or might not have beaten to death a corrupt contractor. The next week, after a few hungover mornings waking next to wife Dervla Kirwan, he saves a witness by flinging himself in front of a bullet outside the courthouse, then undergoes a moral epiphany and runs for mayor. Well, you certainly can't fault the verisimilitude – I was for years local government reporter for the Dundee Courier, and that stuff happened all the time down the Caird Hall. But the dialogue – "Everyone thinks it was brave but I couldn't stand another day, another minute, of being me" and "You can use what happened to you to help people. To maybe do something that matters" – needs urgent restringing.

And so to the crass treatment of death. Not death exactly, but old age, and it's fairly clear the producers of When I Get Older think the pair are interchangeable. "After a lifetime of dodging bullets in war-zones, this may turn out to be John's toughest assignment yet," said the voiceover, wrongly, as John Simpson moved in with a cantankerous old bat to allegedly find out what it's like being really, really old, not just a technical pensioner. Three other "celeb pensioners" – Lesley Joseph, Gloria Hunniford and Tony Robinson – did the same, with the variously poor, disabled and bereaved.

It wasn't all bad. We learned about the absurdities of surviving on £3.24 a day, and the iniquities of unpaid caring. But that it was thought necessary to introduce "celebs" in order to dare explore some dreadfully serious issues betrayed youth, crassness and lack of empathy. It wasn't the fault of the "celebs" really. Gloria, admittedly, clearly thought she was on some kind of "secret millionaire" or house-transformer show, and unforgivably used, in connection with love, the word "impactive". But Lesley and Tony, and even grumpy old John, who quite clearly couldn't stand living with a daftie, had an honesty to them, and a mind or two was changed.

It was still crass. Not just because few answers emerged about care for the ageing. The questions were hardly even asked.


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Celebrity MasterChef: who should win?

The show may have been relegated to a teatime slot this year, but Emma Kennedy, Danny Mills and Michael Underwood have all cooked great plates of food. Who will lift the trophy?
Celebrity MasterChef
Celebrity MasterChef's Danny Mills, Emma Kennedy and Michael Underwood … predicting a reality-show winner doesn't get tougher than this. Photograph: BBC/Shine TV/Emilie Fjola Sandy

Tonight the seventh series of Celebrity MasterChef is about to reach its exciting conclusion. Tonight, as is traditional, three people who you arguably wouldn't recognise unless you had eight free hours and full access to Wikipedia – or relentless reminding from the voiceover – will cook their final meals for John and Gregg. If you've been following the series, this will be must-watch television.

It has, however, taken a certain amount of determination to keep up with the show. Celebrity MasterChef has become the poor cousin of the MasterChef franchise of late, pinged into increasingly desolate corners of the schedules. This time, the show has aired at 6:30pm when everyone is either coming back from work or far too busy cooking their own dinner to worry about what Madge from Neighbours is doing with hers.

That's no bad thing, though. By rights, Celebrity MasterChef should be the least important of the three MasterChef offshoots. While the contestants on the original version enter to prove their command of the culinary arts, and the contestants on MasterChef: The Professionals enter for increased peer recognition, there's always a nagging sense that people only appear on Celebrity MasterChef because it's that or panto.

However, it's still MasterChef, so there's still plenty of opportunity to revel in all its ludicrously unnecessary bombast. Like on Wednesday, when a people-carrier trundling through suburban Buckinghamshire was treated like a returning war hero in a Michael Bay film. Or whenever industrial dubstep is deployed to jazz up a montage of dainty quenelles. Or on Monday, when someone spilled Dennis Waterman's custard and everyone reacted like they had just watched their children being gunned down. This is the stuff that MasterChef is made of, and it hasn't been in short supply this year.

The contestants, even though they've stretched the definition of the word celebrity to absolute capacity, have surprised with their cookery skills, too. With the exception of Jenny Eclair – who used her time on the show to serve up a black thing, a runny thing, something made entirely of vinegar and what technically counts as a chemical weapon – everyone has demonstrated a solid level of ability. Jamie Theakston showed that he's at least as good at cooking as he is at narrating documentaries about traffic, while Gareth Gates and Cheryl Baker have also impressed.

But tonight it's a straight fight between Emma Kennedy, Danny Mills and Michael Underwood. They have managed to work well as a team during this final week, helping each other while cooking for the New Tricks cast and trying to replicate Alexis Gauthier's impossibly frilly food last night. Right now, it's honestly anyone's guess who'll win it.

Kennedy has shown plenty of natural leadership, although her individual dishes have suffered when she has taken her eye off the ball. Underwood produces great-looking dishes, although sometimes he can become preoccupied with frills. But Danny Mills has probably been the surprise of the series – a former footballer player who was once sent off for deliberately booting a ball at an injured player, he has proved to be thoughtful, disciplined and probably the most determined of the final three. My money is on him to snatch the prize.

Whoever wins may not get the same career boost as previous winners have enjoyed – cookbook deals, shows on Good Food, that sort of thing – because the show seems to have been relegated quite determinedly to second-class status. But that probably doesn't matter. For the viewer tenacious enough to have sought it out and watched it all, Celebrity MasterChef has been just as good as ever.


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Why ElBaradei should step aside

Mohamed ElBaradei
'In the interest of national reconciliation at this critical juncture in Egypt's history, ElBaradei would be well placed to step aside.' Photograph: Stringer/AFP/Getty Images

While Mohamed ElBaradei's nomination as prime minister of Egypt is currently uncertain, he has often been referred to as the "logical choice". Back in January 2012, ElBaradei, reflecting on his decision not to run for presidential elections, stated: "My conscience will not allow me to nominate myself to the presidency or any formal position without the presence of a real democratic framework that uses the essence of democracy, not just its image." At the time, however, it was widely acknowledged that an increasing lack of popular support was the real reason behind this sophism. A few months later, ElBaradei boycotted the first parliamentary elections, declaring: "I will not be part of an act of deception." Other opportunities to engage in dialogue during Mohamed Morsi's tenure as president were shunned by ElBaradei.

While undoubtedly a skilled diplomat and a respected politician, his failure to place democratic interests before individual ambitions, his intransigence vis-à-vis nascent, democratic processes, and current outright Islamist opposition to his candidacy (compounded by his support for a nationwide crackdown on senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders) – at a time when efforts must be focused on bringing Islamists back into the political spectrum – would render ElBaradei the most illogical choice. In the interest of national reconciliation at this critical juncture in Egypt's history, ElBaradei would be wise to step aside.
Sander van Niekerk
The Hague, the Netherlands

Democratic majority rule becomes profoundly undemocratic when priests and their puppet political leaders are able to control the way their religious adherents vote. Northern Ireland's democracy had to be suspended and replaced by direct rule from London enforced by the army on the streets. Unionists had previously governed for decades in the interests of the Protestant religious community. Democracy could only be restored by changing the constitution to replace majority rule by power-sharing. The same principles apply in Egypt. A new secular constitution is needed that forbids the imposition of religiously motivated laws, followed by free elections in which the Muslim Brotherhood, like all other parties, should be allowed to participate so long as they respect the constitution.
Roger Titcombe
Ulverston, Cumbria

Jonathan Freedland (The failure of this experiment poses a danger beyond Egypt, 6 July) appears to believe that support for the Egyptian "non-coup" implies an anti-Muslim bias. This ignores the fact that there are other "democratic" countries beside Egypt and Turkey where religious coups have occurred and continue: Ireland and Malta in the EU, and other predominantly Roman Catholic countries. It isn't Islam and democracy which are incompatible – it's religion and democracy. If God is in charge of government, clearly the opposition is blasphemous.
David Lewin

Simon Jenkins (Comment, 4 July) refers to those demonstrating in Egypt in recent days as a "mob" in a turn of phrase first popularised by Edmund Burke. I prefer the term used by the greatest historian of revolts, George Rudé, namely, the "crowd". The crowd has achieved much in history, and the last few days in Cairo and elsewhere suggest that it is still doing so.
Dr Keith Flett
London Socialist Historians Group

There is a lesson for us to take from Egypt about the nature of consent. Morsi could have made it work by avoiding partisan policies. Many of us lived through and admired the postwar consensus period of British politics, and were rudely shocked by Thatcher's arrogation of the right to drive through radical policies on less than a majority of the national vote. But other civil society checks and balances stopped her from going too far in the end. Now, as our society becomes more atomised, these checks and balances are losing their force. We need a debate about this before the old jibe of "elective dictatorship" becomes a reality, and prime ministers start to think that if they win an election they can push through any madcap idea that comes into their minds.
Mark O'Sullivan


text:
"what's your personal homeland security level" ???

March 16, 2003, 03:12 PM
Based on today's news reports, it looks like war may start in a few days, and some "TV terrorist experts" have said that if that indeed occurs, the risk for terrorism in the USA will be greatly increased (and that the USA is likely to increase the national threat level back to Orange - High Alert).

If a war does start, what will be your personal homeland security level -- i.e. for you and your family?

For me, it will increase a bit.

For example, we will, if possible, attempt to avoid crowded public places -- do our shopping at "off" times.

I will upgrade my daily carry gun from a ".32 pocket pistol" to my full-size 9mm (based on my required mode of daily dress, this will be hard to do, but I will do my best).

:what: :what: :what:

Will you do anything different in reference to your personal and family security if a war breaks out over the next few days?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

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March 16, 2003, 03:19 PM
I may be in the minority but I am not really worried about terrorist attacks. Statisticlly I have a greater chance of dying in my car. I won't let it bother me. Terrorism is based on fear, without it they do not have a weapon.

Baba Louie
March 16, 2003, 04:56 PM
OK and good for ya. Call it crime then, not terrorism.

Here in Las Vegas, like other cities, I'm sure that the Hotel Casino (Business) owners are worried because War will lower the "drop" for a spell at the outset, then rebound, unless some actual hard-core bad guy action takes place within the boundaries of the US.

Its not really the threat of terrorist activity that bothers me per se. It would be the aftermath of one or two more WTC/Pentagon scenarios and all of the unprepared and stampeding sheep on the loose while the wolves and sneaky vermin are apt to take the confusion and chaos into their hands at opportune moments.

Probably the worst case scenario would be martial law with all of its implications should something unfortunate occur. Here's hoping no one gets to play those games, just business as usual.

But be prepared for any and everything.

March 16, 2003, 05:04 PM
I remember my squad leader saying (somewhere in the many So. Pacific Islands back then) - "If you're not afraid, you're a fool; fear will keep alive"!

March 16, 2003, 05:06 PM
I'm with faustulus on this. Even though Memphis is supposedly #25 on a list of possible targets.

March 16, 2003, 05:12 PM
No real change for me. Will continue to go to work and come home. We have no trips planned in the near future, and I'm not fond of crowds to begin with. Heck, if Vegas comes up with some offers too good to pass up, may even take a weekend drive!

And of course, I have my emergency reserve of beer jacked up to two cases now..........

March 16, 2003, 05:36 PM
"If you're not afraid, you're a fool; fear will keep alive"!
But at what price?
"Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once"

March 16, 2003, 06:06 PM
I can see why one would easily confuse fear with cowardice, especially if one does not take the time or effort to distinguish or separate the two. Fear: Emotion caused by exposure to danger - fear sharpens awareness. Cowardice: When one is easily intimidated by danger or pain - cowardice dull your senses.

March 16, 2003, 06:43 PM
Not all that woried, biggest thing around here is pry my silo, and i doubt they would waste any effort on that. Other than that, for like riots and marshal law, we have like 3 full time officers around here, and they aint trouble. If the SHTF for realy, i got about a 500 yd field of fire on all points of the compass around the house that i'll cover with my rifle against the raiding hordes.

The Mayor
March 16, 2003, 06:57 PM
I drive through the city with the highest Arab / Arab-American population in the country then into the city with the highest crime rate in the state.

Beretta 96 Brigadier on the front seat.

S&W 340PD in coat pocket.

After work I drive home to an Island with the lowest crime rate in the state.

The threat of war or terrorism has not changed my level of alertness at all.

March 16, 2003, 07:25 PM
I do not think that I will be doing any shoping at the mall.

March 16, 2003, 07:33 PM
Level 10mm here. :D
Truly I am not worried about terrorism, I am more worried about the day to day criminals in this country.

March 16, 2003, 08:06 PM
In my opinion there is a BIG difference between being "alert" and being a "coward".

:neener: :neener: :neener:

March 16, 2003, 08:10 PM
I'll probably put my Sig P239 9MM in the safe, and carry my Glock 17 for a while. Otherwise, no changes in daily routine. Might put the AR-15 in the closet instead of the safe.

March 16, 2003, 08:15 PM
No matter the color of the "alert", my trusty S&W 640 never leaves my side.... well, some times I take my G-26.

P.S.... and my mossy 590A1 is loaded and ready in my bedroom.

March 16, 2003, 08:28 PM

Where is this list of cities ranked at?

March 16, 2003, 10:04 PM
I drive through the city with the highest Arab / Arab-American population in the country then into the city with the highest crime rate in the state.

Mayor, when the balloon goes up, your drive will probably be the safest part of your city. I think that the Arab-Americans and immigrant Arabs will go to ground. Although the American Arab community is not stepping up to the plate like many of us would like to see, I'm willing to bet they are scared sh*tless right now.

March 16, 2003, 10:32 PM
We're at LEVEL BLACK (as in The Black Rifle\AR-15.) :D

I'm not concerned about direct terrorist action in my general area as we live reasonably far enough away from the cities on the list referred to elsewhere on the forum (http://www.offnews.info/inteligencia_seguridad/120cities.htm).

I am concerned about vermin though. What happens in\around a major city if the power goes out or a terrorist event occurs? Take a look at what happened in NY when the power went out in '65 and again in '77 (http://blackout.gmu.edu/archive/a_1977.html - read "The Night of Terror" article). Look at the behaviour we've seen in recent years when a major league sports team wins a championship. If a major terrorist event occurs you can bet there are going to be plenty of vermin that will come out of the woodwork to take advantage of the situation.

- Abe

March 16, 2003, 10:39 PM
Mine is the same as it always was, terrorism asside, there are those among us who maintain readiness as a matter of course.
Many can be found right here in the HR.
No bunkers here and no MREs but, forget the dog!
Smith and Wesson are just a couple of the friends I keep close, add to them the Winchesters, Colts, Remingtons, Rugers, Barettas, Taurus's, Glocks, Sigs and Wildey's and be assured it would not be nice to be an UN welcomed guest. Fortunately, my neighbors have many of the same friends and feelings and we basically have these hills covered. Sadly, the great fear here is BAD KIDS, and that is yet another thread!

Bruce H
March 16, 2003, 11:22 PM
Laid back and lazy. I live right in the middle of a very large hog farm.:D

March 17, 2003, 12:22 AM
When we were at "orange" I carried either a Walther P99 with 43 rounds of ammo or a Ruger P95 with 61 rounds. Now that we have dropped to "yellow", I have lightened up the load a bit. It's a Taurus M85UL with 5 speed strips of Federal 110gr Hydro Shok!!!!!! :D

March 17, 2003, 12:35 AM
If you consider yourself at risk after the "balloon goes up," you were at risk before it did.

Some just more'n others .....

Ala Dan
March 17, 2003, 12:45 AM
Greeting's Folk's-

With war imminent, I've stepped my threat level up just
a bit; and now live in the "Orange Alert" status. Aware
of my surrounding's, I won't be visting anywhere there
are large crowds gathered. However, I haven't changed
my personal weapon of choice; as it still is the .45 caliber
SIG-Sauer P220A. Our home defense rest in the tube of
a 12 gague Remington 870 Marine Magnum.

WARNING: Don't show up on my door step's unexpected;
please give me a courtesy call before arriving. I don't like

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

March 17, 2003, 12:49 AM
On a scale of 1 to 10? In rural Texas, terrorism would be a -1, crime a +1. :D However that does not lower the level of alertness that has become normal.

March 17, 2003, 01:05 AM
"Orange" here also.
I also have mom to take care of across town. Took her to do some errands and out to eat Sat. She picked up real quick we avoided crowds and certain areas.

I have classes to attend and will carry on with heightened awareness.

March 17, 2003, 02:24 AM
My level has gone up to two cases of ramen noodles (I had an extra $2 when I went to wal-mart), and as much extra beer as I could afford. I have to have extra food handy in case the war starts. I don't want to have to go to the store to get more snacks and beer while I'm watching the Iraqi army being bombed out of existence. I suppose I could make a beer run during a commercial, but I could also flip channels and not miss any of the action.

March 17, 2003, 02:31 AM
I still carry the same 79 rounds that I always have.

45 in the Glock 17
27 in the Springfield 1911A1 Mil-Spec 9mm
7 in the Raven

March 17, 2003, 05:27 AM
Considering where I live (very rural Texas), if the terrorists strike here, then they were really lost...:scrutiny:

I'm not taking any more precautions than I do for my daily life already. At least one gun nearby & one knife (now a CRKT Crawford/Kaspar folder) on my person.

Condition Yellow always...:cool:

March 17, 2003, 06:58 AM
Just got my CCW,I'll be carrying when not at work.(i work in a state building and cannot carry there,although if things get really bad I may anyway.)
Also keeping my family close and accounted for,and maybe a little ammo stock piling......:cool:

March 17, 2003, 08:53 AM
I never said the two were the same, but in some fear leads to cowardice, after all without fear no one is a coward and if you don't see a connection between fear and cowardice, nothing I will say is going to change your mind. We'll just have to disagree.

Let's face facts, there is very little any of us can do in the face of terrorist attacks -- unless they just hop into a McDonalds with an AK. Not something to worry about. I am sure most of us are reasonably skilled at taking care of ourselves and our loved ones, from criminals, no matter what their religious slant.
My "security level" -- which has always sounded kinda silly to me-- has always been dependant on the immediate enviroment, I don't suspect that to change no matter what color CNN/MSNBC/FOX/et al. scroll across the bottom the the screen.
So what is today's forcast? 40 percent chance of nuclear attack possibly turning to biological by evening? :)

March 17, 2003, 11:01 AM
after all without fear no one is a coward Without fear, Cowards have no need to demonstrate their cowardice. They're still cowards, they're just waiting for a fight to run from.

Fear is a good thing, part of your natural survival skills. Whether you control/contain that fear and let it work for you, or you allow the fear to take control and misguide your actions, determines whether you are a coward or not. It is a character trait/flaw that is with you regardless of how safe you are at the moment.

March 17, 2003, 11:20 AM
Condition Yellow Pants = Soiled my pants :o
Condition Brown Pants = Oopsie :o
Condition Red Shirt = so my teammates don't know I'm bleeding! Yeah! Molon Labe!!! :D

March 17, 2003, 01:50 PM
Condition green. I carry my Glock, practice often with rifle,shotgun and pistols, wash my hands thoroughly, try not to sniff weird chemical smells, stay in shape, eat healthy, and never,ever run with scissors.
I live in a small town with absolutely no strategic or even shock value as a target. If I lived in the middle of the largest concentration of Jewish people in the world, in DC, or near famous monuments that represent America, then I might worry about being a target.

March 17, 2003, 02:10 PM
Well, I for one won't be going near any big cities.....'cuz there are none around here. I am with Azrael; I don't wanna miss one exciting moment.

Think I'll do a couple racks o'ribs, make a batch of Beer and call it B-1 Fun or something, keep on shooting at targets lots, and dream of that huge bull elk that is out there.....somewhere.....

March 17, 2003, 02:11 PM

Good thing I was home today, wouldn;t want to have missed all the action at the UN this morning. Besides, they were having a sale at Big 5 Sporting Goods...luve them Mil-surp rifles! :D

Now that the show is going to drop, the local LEO have been put on increased alert, DM AFB is getting ready to go black, it seems like a good time for us to go CONDITION PURPLE!

Condition Purple is me straining bringing in the extra cases of beer, chips and other munchies into the house. God forbid, a crazed terrorist may shoe-bomb the part of the garage we keep that stuff in. Hey, better safe than sorry.

And, I will be carrying my 1911 and the Mrs. will carry here Commander when we leave the house. Oh, wait a minute, we do that already. Hum...everything normal here. :p

March 17, 2003, 02:17 PM
Hasn't changed one bit.

Being alert is fine. Paranoia is another thing.

Don't care to live that way.

March 17, 2003, 03:47 PM
Just because I'm paranoid,doesn't mean they aren't after me..:uhoh:

March 17, 2003, 03:55 PM
And I live in the middle of Animal Farm. Some people call it L.A.

I promoted the Mini-14 from outer Slobovia to active duty topside.

Carlos Cabeza
March 17, 2003, 04:01 PM
[quote]Fear: Emotion caused by exposure to danger - fear sharpens awareness. Cowardice: When one is easily intimidated by danger or pain - cowardice dulls your senses.[\quote]
Good point Old Fella.
I live in condition yellow all the time. It's called situational awareness, and it can save your life.

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THN.com Blog: Ovechkin, Capitals crushing NHL with new responsible, winning system

Alex Ovechkin has 15 points in his past 11games, putting him at 77 points in 73 games overall. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Alex Ovechkin has 15 points in his past 11games, putting him at 77 points in 73 games overall. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images)

You know when you have one of those “whew’” moments? Like, “thank God I didn’t say that” or, in my case, “thank God I didn’t write that.”

I had one of those this week when I looked up and saw Washington four points ahead of Tampa in the Southeast and just a couple points in arrears of Philly for the conference lead.

You see, a few weeks back I was spit-balling ideas for this space with THN’s managing editor Edward Fraser and we landed on the fact we both feared “Washington had swung too far the other way” by handcuffing their offensive wizards in favor of a defensive bent.

That was when the Caps were second in their division and wallowing around sixth in the East. Alex Ovechkin was disappointing fantasy owners around the world with his play and, by the looks of his bio photo, was similarly stunned with his lack of production.

The same team that had won 54 games and scored 46 goals more than any other en route to the Presidents’ Trophy last season had scored 25 goals its past 10 games (including 12 total in two of them) and had settled into a win-a-few, lose-a-few pattern.

Then they got spanked 6-0 at home by the Rangers on Feb. 25 and it seemed an implosion was imminent.

Here’s what I was thinking: Everyone knew the Caps needed to play a brand of hockey more conducive to winning in the post-season, but they’d gone overboard. The style coach Bruce Boudreau had installed was reining in Ovie and Co. too much.

As Versus analyst and former NHLer Ed Olczyk told me in the summer when we were discussing the upcoming season: “When you have world-class thoroughbreds, it’s hard not to allow them to play and showcase their abilities.”

And it seemed as if the thoroughbreds agreed. The Caps were no longer the enthusiastic, go-go team they’d been.

They looked miserable - as in having-no-fun miserable.

But then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Caps ran off nine straight wins, overtook Tampa and were threatening a Flyers squad that looked to be home and cooled out at the top of the East - and all that with a third of their defense on the IR and a rookie goaltender carrying much of the load.

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Of those nine wins, just two were by more than a goal and just once did Washington allow as many as three goals. Washington now gets it. These are not the Caps you knew and loved the past few seasons. They're better.

They no longer blow third period leads by trying to tack on more scores when you only need to win by one, but still know how to keep their collective foot on opponents’ throats – they outscored teams 13-2 in the third period during the nine-game streak.

And Ovie is back at it with four goals in his past six games and 15 points in his past 11 contests; fifth in league scoring and climbing. He’s not going to win any awards this year (unless it’s the Conn Smythe), but, as he's said repeatedly, it's only the Cup he cares about.

Ovechkin has borne a lot of criticism recently. Russia sucked at the Olympics and he was lambasted for going out of his way to push someone videotaping him after losing the fifth-place game to Switzerland. Then the Caps sucked in last year’s playoffs and he was chastised for being one dimensional and predictable. Then there was his  stretch of three goals in 20 games in November and December that had the naysayers nattering.

But Ovechkin’s rock star attitude has been replaced with that of a workman and his teammates have followed suit. They’ve turned a corner and after a tough middle of the season are looking like favorites to come out of the East. Ovie and the Caps have finally figured out what Boudreau is selling and they’re better for it.

John Grigg is the assignment editor with The Hockey News and a regular contributor to THN.com with his blog appearing on the weekend. Follow him on Twitter on twitter.com/THNJohnGrigg.

For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.

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Beach House Plan, 017H-0003
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Amy Ellis – Thinspo

Title: Thinspo

Author: Amy Ellis

ISBN: 978-1480131613

Page count: 129

Genre: Young Adult

Price: $7.99 (paperback), $1.99 Kindle Edition

Author Bio:

Amy Ellis was born in Fredericksburg, VA and is a graduate from Longwood University with a BA in English/Creative Writing and a minor in children’s literature. She is writing as fast as she can.

Tell us about your book:

Jenni is an average teenage girl about to graduate from high school who keeps a blog about her struggles to get a boyfriend and arguments with her best friend, Carly. But Jenni’s blog is a bit different. She’s a pro-ana/pro-mia blogger documenting her struggles with her eating disorder, keeping track of her weight, calorie intake and what her parents made her eat. When her best friend Carly discovers her blog, things start to blow up, only getting worse as Jenni meets Dani, who also suffers from an eating disorder. Jenni’s story is tragic and sarcastic rolled into blog format and told through her posts and text messages.

How long did it take to write the book?

6 months from start to finish.

What inspired you to write the book?

I originally wanted to write a non-fiction book about Thinspiration blogs on Tumblr but decided that was boring and already done so I turned it into a novel for a contest I didn’t win.

Talk about the writing process. Did you have a writing routine? Did you do any research, and if so, what did that involve?

Ha! Writing routine? Not really. I just wrote when I had the time and felt like writing (which is about 25% of the time because I’m horribly lazy). I did do a lot of research though. I spent a lot of time on Thinspo blogs to get an idea of what these girls put in their blogs and what their daily lives look like. It was depressing but interesting at the same time and I hope all of those girls get the help they need to get over their eating disorders.

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?

I don’t like to say that I write my books with a “message” in mind. I just hope the readers enjoy reading it.

Where can we go to buy your book?

Amazon for the Kindle or Paperback!

Any other links or info you’d like to share?

You can follow me on Twitter @amesplaza where I complain about public transportation and other daily things.

Excerpt from book:

Sunday January 8

Blog – 2:15 PM

I skipped church this morning because I didn’t want to eat the Christ Crackers. I think mom was mad but we’re not very religious so I don’t think it’s a huge deal. I’ll go next week when they’re not having communion.

Text Message – 4:52 PM

Ana Caitlyn: Mom’s making me eat Sunday dinner. Definitely purging later.

Me: Hide as much in your napkins as possible.

Ana Caitlyn: If my dog eats anymore of my food, she’ll be purging too. On accident, of course.

Me: You think dogs can be Ana?

Ana Caitlyn: That wasn’t a serious question was it?

Me: Nope.

(It might have been.)

Blog – 5:15 PM

Mom has been around all day and dad is getting back in town from Cleveland. He’s always away on business and gets to escape this shit town. I know that mom will be planning a big meal for his return. She calls it an escape from hotel food but I call it hell.

If I had his job, it’d be a lot easier not to eat. No one would notice if I stayed in the hotel room and watched Pretty Woman all night. The alone time would be nice. The quiet. There’d be no one watching to see if you eat or checking your napkins to see where you hid the food this time. You wouldn’t walk out with dinner rolls in your bra and wouldn’t need to purge. My own personal heaven.

Coming home would be the worst part because instead of restricting like I want to, there’d be a big meal waiting for me. Things would just be so much easier if I never had to come home, but sometimes you have to struggle for the things you really want and I want to be thin.

Text Message – 6:02 PM

Carly: You should’ve come to the party last night. Sean had a hot tub. I’m still hungover.

Me: That sucks.

Carly: Totally worth it. Your dad back yet?

Me: Yep. Mom’s making a big dinner for him.

Carly: You going to eat it?

I didn’t reply. She already knew the answer.

Blog – 7:35 PM

Mom was watching closely at dinner.

“Jenni, you have to eat something.”

I ate a few peas to make her happy.

“Jenni, eat something. Your mother worked hard on this meal,” Dad said, his mouth full of roast beef and potatoes. I lost my appetite seeing the food swishing around in his mouth. “It’s delicious, honey,” he added to appease my mom. The food in his mouth reminded me of a purge. Looking down at the food you’d just eaten floating in the toilet bowl, everything still vaguely recognizable but not nearly as appetizing.

I stared at my plate.

“Jenni, eat!” he said again, shoving more food into his mouth, digging his fork further into his pile of mashed potatoes. Half chewed food flashed at his lips opened to speak again.

“Dad, stopped talking with your mouth full!” I snapped. I didn’t mean to. It just… popped out.

I got sent to my room without supper. Mission accomplished, I guess.

I just couldn’t watch my dad sop gravy up with his biscuits anymore. It’s disgusting watching people eat. Lips smacking, the clink of silverware on dinner plates, partially chewed food on someone’s tongue as they request a fifth dinner roll, gravy pouring over everything and soaking into the spongy crevices of doughy bread. It’s like a gory horror movie every day at dinner time. Makes my stomach churn, as if I needed help purging.

Today’s stats:

Current Weight: 119 lbs.

Calories consumed: 290


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Police Make Drug Bust in Glen Dale

Details expected to be released later today

December 6, 2012

GLEN DALE - Local and federal law enforcement officials today executed arrest and search warrants related to potential drug activity in Glen Dale....

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2008-07-24 / Editorials & Opinions

Landmark Question of the Week

Should the Red Sox pick up Manny Ramirez's $20 million option for next year?

To cast your vote, visit

Last week's question:
Have you ever had too much to drink
and gotten behind the wheel of a car?

Yes, often 4 (16%)
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Baugher Jr., Gregory Hit Perfection; And a Farewell to a High Roller

Published: Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 11:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 11:52 p.m.

Honors this week go to Bob Baugher, Jr. who rolled a perfect 300 game and added 246/212/289 for a four-game series of 1047 at Orange Bowl. At AMF, Randall Gregory hit the perfect twelve in a row for a 300 then added 234 and 214 for a three-game set of 748 at AMF Lakeland,

More top scores from AMF include 700s by Aaron Ellingsworth 259/278/747, Robert Cisco 258/237/711, Dave Piker 242/702 and Scott Johnson 700 even. 600s were posted by Pokey Podgorski 257/690, Scooter Wadley, Jr. 242/232/688, Stan Sprow 233/237/678, Brandon Harris 246/674, Rodney Perez 255/245/671, Preston Gould 267/670, Chuck Sherotski 257/654, Tom Zalys 254/649, Jaime Angulo 241/641, Manny Castanon 220/629, Martin McRobie 244/617, Phil Rockey 244/616, Deanne Walsh 237/608 and Shawn Knowles 235/600. Leo Lombardi hit for 257.

At Imperial Lanes, David Doncell was tops with 668, Keith Miller 666 and George Bullo 660. Games over 200 were accomplished by Hugh Slater, Shauna Fraser, Brian Pistole, Agin Williams and William Crane.

Cypress Lanes 900s (four-game format) and 700s (three games) were bowled by Terrance Reeves 254/248/249/234/985, Vernon Peterson 246/928, Jimmy Serman 244/279/926, Kerry Harrison 244/235/907, Jaime Angulo 258/729 and John Ramsey 255/702. 600s came from Bullo 247/667, Jim Robarge 246/666, Al Lefferts 225/656 and Matt Inmann 236/644. The youth bowler's Minors had a 162 by Shahira Shoffner and in the Majors, Brandon Wren 235, Anthony Bolognese 234 and John Paulk 231. Notable 200 games were tossed by Larry May, Rick Coleman, Cisco, Cody Allenm, Josh Scanlan, Gary Porn, Chris Berg, Ryan Mahar, Don Summerford, Richard Culp, Mike Eby, Craig Undeck, Gary Schlafke, Joe Palmer, Aaron Dreizler, Helen BuntingFred Wages, Del Lawson and Chris Harrison. Jan Scott(146 averge) rolled 197, Sandy Maldonado (125 average) 175 and youth bowler, Rhonda Anderson hit 180.

Speaking of youth bowlers, a friend that I had been urging to try bowling took her 8-year-old son and bragged that he had shot a 110 game. After commenting that that was excellent for a youngster who hadn't bowled, she admitted that he had topped her score of 95. Well into the conversation she finally confessed that they had been bowling with the "bumpers" in place. A promise was made to try the next time without the bumpers.

Over at Orange Bowl the four-game trio format, in addition to Baugher's effort, featured Neal Waldeck with 256/258/247/276/1037, Emilio Mora 235/256/233/237/961, B. J. Blalock 279/268/957, Doug Lovett 244/257/936, Bryan Mathers 225/269/931 and Travis Thrasher 256/248/901. 800s were scored by James Joseph, Bobby Arnold, Mike Sweeney, Eric Weisbrodt, Jeff Stamm, Matt Glendenning, Tom Fellner,Rockey, Cicero Carr, Jr., Bill Sumner, and Mike Dongarra, Sr. Traditional three-game-series 700s were tossed by Billy Searles, Jr. 258/256/748 and Jimmy Coffman 247/733. 600s were recorded by Mike Campbell, P. J. Campbell, David Owens, Kevin Lane, Michael Teft, Robert Teft, Sr., Janis Caffee, Greg Caffee, Stan Sprow, Clinton Mathers and Bryan Mathers. The "just-for-fun" no-tap league had a "soggy" week with no perfect games and top series in the 700s.

One of the Orange Belt Bowling Association's long-time (over 40 years) top bowlers passed away this week.

"Back in the day" he bowled 13 perfect games, won 21 gold medals in the senior Olympics and carried 200 averages in five leagues during one year. He unofficially mentored many young bowlers over the years. OBBA will truly miss the "Corbanator" Ed Corban, as will I. Sincere thanks to all of the bowling community's warm messages and wishes.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.

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Del Oro send-off planned for Thursday

3 p.m., Thursday in Downtown Loomis
By: Staff Report
-A +A
A sendoff is being organized for the Del Oro High School football team at 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 15, as they head down to Southern California to compete in the Division II Bowl Game, in Carson. The school will have a rally for students, then they expect the bus carrying the players to leave the school and head down Taylor Road at about 3 p.m. School officials are hoping the community comes out and lines Taylor Road to cheer the players on as they head through downtown Loomis. Del Oro leadership students will be distributing signs for well-wishers to wave. The bus will take Taylor and Horseshoe Bar Roads before entering Interstate 80. Parking for well-wishers is available at the Loomis Train Depot, behind the Post Office, at Loomis Grammar School and on either side of the Blue Goose Fruit Shed.


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Published: December 6, 2013 at 5:25 PM

I all sorts of hate the idea of an Indiana Jones re-theme to dinosaur. I personally would not mind the Indiana Jones ride at DHS or MK even if the ride system and track is a duplicate. So many dark rides have the same system but the story telling and theming is what makes the rides unique. I really don't think a duplicate layout is problematic enough to keep them from building the ride; the two attractions feel completely unique.

Additionally, the idea of Avatar in AK has really grown on me. The theme of the movie was environmental conservation and preservation, a core facet of AK. The lush terrain also is a perfect match. Plus fictional animals were always a part of the plan, although they tended to lean towards mythical, rather than creatures so specific. I do feel like fictional animals that have more of a history (dragons, unicorns, etc.) would be more appropriate and better suited for the long run. A fantastical land could incorporate attractions from numerous existing and new movies quite easily, and if the avatar fever dies the whole land won't need to be replaced.

Phil B.

Published: December 6, 2013 at 7:01 PM

The Indiana Jones/Dinosaur track layout comparison is the most asinine and maddening supposed reason for not brining Indy to the East Coast. A hugely high percentage of the people who go to WDW resort are not theme park nerds. They don't care if the track layout is the same, nor would most of them ever realize it. The biggest comparisons that would be made by the casual guest is that the ride vehicles are in essence the same thing. NOBODY, is going through the ride and paying attention to the layout of the track. It's the dumbest thing in the world to imagine this is in any way a fact or a deterrent for bringing Indy out East. There is absolutely no reason why both couldn't exist in the same resort in different parks with completely different themes and show elements.
Dan Heaton

Published: December 6, 2013 at 7:23 PM

I hate to get too excited about anything happening with Indiana Jones in the parks. They're moving way too slowly with Star Wars and Marvel (which I know can't happen in Orlando), so I don't expect anything to happen in the near future. This is mostly about making new films, so any attraction is probably at least five years down the road, if not further.

I would love to see the Indiana Jones ride in Florida because it's awesome and it's easier for us to get there. However, it would be more interesting to have something new. The Indiana Jones coaster in Paris is lame and dull. However, I would take it over Primeval Whirl.

Thomas Caselli

Published: December 6, 2013 at 9:17 PM

For years I have been wanting Disney to put an Indiana Jones ride like the one at Disneyland, in Walt Disney World. I always thought that it should be put in the Asia section of Animal Kingdom too.
Anthony Murphy

Published: December 6, 2013 at 10:03 PM

I would like to see something else Indy Themed
Sylvain Comeau

Published: December 6, 2013 at 11:06 PM

Avatar arguably fits into the theme of AK. Indy? Not even remotely. I say it's time for a new (not a clone of the one at Disneyland) Indy ride at DHS. How about in the huge space which opened up when they scrapped the phony Studio Tour?
Sylvain Comeau

Published: December 6, 2013 at 11:13 PM

I agree that a similar track is no biggie. I've been on Indy and Dinosaur, and never would have noticed the identical track if I hadn't read about it on Disney sites. Is anyone complaining that Universal Orlando now has both Spider-Man and Transformers?
Besides, like I said above, a brand new, non-cloned Indy ride would be a huge draw. What about one based on the later(or upcoming) movies?

Published: December 7, 2013 at 1:30 AM

@Sylvain Comeau Spider-Man and Transformers share the same ride technology (like Nemo and friends, the Little Mermaid, Haunted Mansion and Spaceship earth share the omnimover ride technology) but the ride layout is completely different. Transformers even got an elevator, something Spider-man doesn't have. But I'm with you if you mean the story and style of Indy is completely different from Dino and has a right to exist side by side.

I hate the Indy coaster at Paris. It's extremely short, uncomfortable and looks better then it rides. I think the exploration from the Indy movies would translate to the exotic destinations in AK but the way they portray animals in the movies are not a good fit to AK. I rather see an original explorer like the one from Mystic Manor get a whole land in AK showing of his house but also his hangar where we can go in his airship visiting the natural beauty of planet earth and his glasshouse and butterfly garden.

Please Disney leave Indy alone. I have fond memories about the first 3 movies. That memory is tainted by the 4th turd of a movie and we don't need a 5th one. Harrison Ford has become to old to play the role and the transition to his son was a huge mistake.

Published: December 7, 2013 at 2:36 AM

I honestly hope they do two more movies with Harrison Ford. But feature a young Indy for a few flashbacks like they did with River phoenix, but a bit older now. Have the same actor portray young Indy in movies 5 and 6 ( again in flashbacks ), and then starting with movie 7, have that young actor take over the reigns and be the main indy, with perhaps a flash-forward to an old Indy if you must in movie 7

This would be the best way to slowly introduce and get a new indy to the fans with out leaving out the Harrison ford fans

Of course this means they would have to do the next two movies pretty much back to back and soon

Published: December 7, 2013 at 5:08 AM

So this is it? Just build attractions anymore that can be cross sold with some kind of movie and toy brand?

Published: December 8, 2013 at 8:26 PM

A mine train like temple de peril because im never going to Disneyland paris but maybe a better layout bigger coaster that would compete with Everest but first Animal kingdom needs to get the Giant Yeti working I still love Everest my favorite ride at Animal kingdom!
Anon Mouse

Published: December 9, 2013 at 9:08 AM

Doesn't Disney always have the theme park rights? This news is irrelevant on whether Disney will add more Indiana Jones attractions. I also don't understand why Disney would bother with film distribution rights. The series has imploded with the terrible recent movie. I just don't know where they will take it. There isn't much more they can do with it especially since the world as we know it is pretty much explored and exploited. The Nazi backstories of the original and sequels were interesting, but tired today. A boobie trapped archaeological site is no longer realistic.
Thomas Caselli

Published: December 9, 2013 at 1:25 PM

The negative nellies are here!
Alfonso Giordano

Published: December 9, 2013 at 10:51 PM

Maybe they can revamp the Indiana Jones stunt show, since it has had the same script since it opened (AFAIK.) I rode the Indiana Jones ride once at Disneyland; I liked "Countdown to Extinction" better but it's in dire need of rehab. The last few times I've been on it nothing was working correctly.


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Win a Vax Air3 by Virtual Vacuuming - What Lottie Loves | Lifestyle Blog

Win a Vax Air3 by Virtual Vacuuming

uk mummy blogger competitionsIf you’ve been promising yourself a new vacuum cleaner but still haven’t got around to actually buying it, put your money back in the bank. There’s a far more fun way you can get your hands on a cutting edge new cleaner than going out and buying one – just get online and engage in some virtual vacuuming instead.

To mark the release of the fantastic new Vax Air3 lightweight vacuum cleaner, Vax has released an online game called Vax Attack. Simple, fun and pretty addictive, this game will not only have you cleaning up online with your virtual Vax Air3 but could also net you your very own real Vax Air3 worth £299.

The aim of the game is to use your virtual Vax Air3 to suck up dirt while dodging annoying dust mites. The more dirt you suck up, the more points you will earn. If you also manage to suck up the Vax Powerpill you will be in the enviable position of being able to vacuum up dust mites for additional points. However, they will soon be back on your trail so don’t get too complacent.

When you take part in this game, you automatically gain entry into a competition to win one of these great new vacuums for yourself. Each month, the person on the leaderboard with the most points will become the proud winner of a Vax Air3. So, if you’re one of the lucky winners, you can put the practise you gained online to good use around the home with your sparkling new vacuum.

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It is a brutal irony for George W. Bush that the fourth anniversary of his May 1, 2003, appearance in flight-suit drag before a banner declaring his Iraq War a “Mission Accomplished” falls on the week he is battling Congress for another $100 billion to keep the United States in a fight that has now lasted longer than the country’s involvement in World War II. Congressional leaders who want Bush to acknowledge the failure of his mission would do well to recall another date: October 10, 2002, when House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt asserted that legislation authorizing Bush to dispatch troops to Iraq, which Gephardt had helped draft, would actually avert war by showing Saddam Hussein a united front. Three years later, Gephardt, along with current presidential contender John Edwards, made another declaration: “It was a mistake…. I was wrong.”

That mistake–in which Congress allowed the Administration to manipulate intelligence and play on the fears of Americans after 9/11 to attack a country that posed no threat to the United States–cost Gephardt the trust of his caucus and its grassroots supporters. It also paved the way for his successor, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who voted against the 2002 authorization and who, with Senate majority leader Harry Reid, is now involved in high-stakes negotiations with Bush over whether any constraints will be placed on the President’s perpetual warmaking. The soft benchmarks and timid timeline for withdrawal that Bush promptly vetoed was not the clearly defined exit strategy that Senator Russ Feingold, several Democratic presidential candidates and leading members of the Out of Iraq Caucus in the House, along with this magazine, have advocated. In fact, it’s a slower exit than the American people want, as evidenced by numerous recent polls. Rarely have the stars of principle and prudent politics been so favorably aligned, and yet, as we go to press, Congress seems poised to capitulate to the demands of an unpopular President.

Perhaps recognizing that its hand was weak, in the runup to the veto Bush’s executive branch refused to negotiate in good faith with an equal branch of government, instead coordinating a campaign of character assassination. The White House sent out press releases on the taxpayers’ dime with statements like “House of Representatives votes for failure in Iraq.” Presidential aides referred to Pelosi and Reid as “defeatists” who would neglect troops in the field–despite the fact that the vetoed legislation would have given Bush every penny he is seeking plus an extra $4 billion (even worse, gaping loopholes in the bill would have allowed continued funding for an estimated 125,000 contractor mercenaries now in Iraq and for tens of thousands of soldiers to remain indefinitely as trainers of Iraqi security forces, which are riddled with militia death squads).

Reid, an ex-boxer, has been aggressive and refreshingly blunt in arguing that “this war is lost” and that Iraq will never be stabilized if Congress lets Bush continue on his chosen course. It is the duty of Congress to check and balance the White House, especially when a President refuses to recognize the futility and mounting cost of an illegal war and occupation overwhelmingly opposed by the Iraqi people. Democratic leaders must recognize that they have already compromised too much. In the face of crude and dishonest Administration-driven attacks, Pelosi and Reid must not back down. To blink now would put Democratic leaders on a road to future admissions of a mistake as serious as Gephardt’s–and every bit as disastrous for our Republic, which functions well only when warmaking Presidents are held in check by a courageous Congress.


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Taste of Parkersburg

By: Mollie Lair Email
By: Mollie Lair Email

Hundreds packed the park for a little taste of everything.

Forty vendors spend days prepping for the event. From wine and beer to pulled pork and bananas foster they truly have a big spread.

It's a great way for businesses to advertise without the cost, and it's a unique event for the Mid-Ohio Valley.

"The marketing aspect of it for my restaurant is impeccable. I mean I get to sell my product, not for top dollar, but enough to cover the costs, and then I get to do a lot of advertising and marketing and let people know that I'm still out there," says restauranteur Gene Butler.

"It's great for individuals in the community too because you're not going to be able to go anywhere and see a massive amount of culinary expertise as well as wines and beers that these people do on a day to day basis. You just can't go to that many places in one day. This way you get to sample everybody's wares," says Chef Yancy Roush, owner of Yancy's Five Star Catering.

Cecil Childress says advance ticket sales were up 15 to 20 percent from last year.

And this year they added reserved seating and extra tents in case of rain, which ended up coming in handy.

Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
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Hot teams collide

No. 1 LSU awaits invasion from No. 10 UL

7:53 PM, Feb. 24, 2014
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Both LSU and UL were at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., in 2000 and even shared a hotel.

They met everywhere but on the diamond at Rosenblatt Stadium, however, as the only possible pairing would have been in the national championship game that June, which LSU won over Stanford.

Such a match-up of titans will occur Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium, however, as LSU and UL - 56 miles west of here on Interstate 10 - will stage the first top 10 pairing between the two baseball programs since 2000, according to each school's sports information department. ...

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Bizzare Ribbon Found at Edge of Solar System

Written by The Night Sky Guy on October 15, 2009 – 9:27 pm -

No it’s nothing like the giant temporal flux energy ribbon in the Star Trek Generations movie, but this real monster- sized, cosmic ribbon structure is leaving experts scratching their heads.

“In a discovery that took astronomers by surprise, the first full-sky map of the solar system’s edge-more than 9 billion miles (15 billion kilometers) away-has revealed a bright “ribbon” of atoms called ENAs.The solar system is surrounded by a protective “bubble” called the heliosphere. The narrow ribbon snakes along this bubble’s inner wall….IBEX’s(new orbiting satellite) map shows that the ribbon measures roughly two billion miles (three billion kilometers) long and several hundred thousand miles wide.” Read the full story at National Geographic News.

Also check out my previous blog entry on how NASA is probing the outer frontiers of the solar system.

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TORN Message Boards Weekly Roundup – February 11, 2013

February 11, 2013 at 8:53 pm by grammaboodawg  -

  Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun!

Over on the Main Discussion Board, poster Erriadair found some fascinating information on how Professor Tolkien may have come up with the Dwarves’ names.  Come see what that may be right here.

We just can’t stay away from the speculation of what may be in store for us when it comes to Tauriel.  Join us in The Hobbit Discussion Board and let us know what you think here.

There’s one more reason for posters to look forward to the Blu-ray release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  Could Peter Jackson be giving us a peek at Smaug?  Check out the tease here.

We’ll share more topics next week and hope you can join in on the conversation!  Don’t forget,’s Message Boards have over 9,200 registered Tolkien fans, just like you.  Let your voice be heard!

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Ebola Reaches Ugandan Capital

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Tips For Traveling With Young Children

Family vacations can be a time for bonding and building lasting memories, but when young children are involved, trips can also be stressful to plan and execute. Here are The Onion’s tips for traveling with kids

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Boston announced this week it will pull its bid for the 2024 Olympics, due in part to the huge costs associated with the games that could become a taxpayer burden. Here is a breakdown of what the Olympics cost their host cities

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WASHINGTON—Easily securing the requisite two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, a resolute United States Congress responded to the ongoing national debate on gun rights Tuesday by passing the Second Amendment again.
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Ebola Reaches Ugandan Capital

With 16 confirmed dead from the latest outbreak of Ebola in Uganda, including at least one fatality in the nation’s capital of Kampala, officials are urging citizens to help stem the spread of the highly lethal disease by not shaking hands or having casual sex. What do you think?

  • “Every 20 years I plan a trip to Uganda, and every 20 years, boom, Ebola."

    Marguerite Heutschly
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  • “If they think that’s bad, they should see every other thing happening in Uganda.”

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Wednesday, July 29, 2015 • Morning Edition • "Blacklisted since 2012."

Iron Man 3 Has a Man-Thing Connection

Written by El Presidente on Wednesday, March 13 2013 and posted in News with Benefits
Iron Man 3 Has a Man-Thing Connection

El Presidente breaks some exciting Iron Man 3 news.

Source: Iron Man 3's Production Notes

Greetings, comrades!  It is I, El Presidente, reporting from you live from inside Barry Manilow's closet.  Why?  Because it's very spacious and filled with fabulous clothing!

This morning's scoop is a hot one and might spark some controversy amongst the Marvel faithful.  I've just learned that Iron Man 3 will feature a "Man-Thing Connection", which I can only presume is some sort of Hollywood slang for a sex scene between two dudes.  That's right!  It looks like Tony Stark will be taking a trip to Brokeback Mountain with James Rhodes!  I can hear Tumblr squeeing with delight now!

While I was never known for my support of progressive social programs during my time as the leader of Cuba, being a Hollywood journalist has taught me to be a lot more tolerant.  If Marvel wants to turn Iron Man into a superhero who not only bangs the luscious Gwenyth Paltrow, but also that steamy hunk of man Don Cheadle, all power to the company!  It's about time Marvel promoted superheroes who aren't straight white males.  Plus, who isn't looking forward to the inevitable thre--

Ah, my friends. Barry Manilow has informed me that I was mistaken about the "Man-Thing Connection".  He says that Stephanie Szostak will be playing Ellen Brandt in Iron Man 3. In the comic books, Brandt is the wife of SHIELD Agent Ted Sallis, who eventually becomes the swampy hero Man-Thing.  Thank goodness that Barry Manilow is an expert on Man Things, or else I would have made an erroneous report, something that ruins the career of Hollywood scoopbloggers.

Well, comrades, that's all I have for now.  Now if you'll excuse me, Barry has told me that he knows of a few places where I might be able to find some scoops...if I do enough prodding.  Know that El Presidente will poke and prod whereever he must to find the hottest Hollywood scoops!

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About the Author - El Presidente

El Presidente gave up his position as President and Prime Minister of Cuba, as well as First Secretary of Cuba's Communist Party, in 2008 in order to concentrate on his true love: Hollywood gossip reporting. Forming the rumor website Cubano Review, El Presidente built a name for himself based on over THREE DOZEN industry credited trade scoops. Unfortunately, capitalist American trade embargoes have rendered unreachable from within the United States, forcing El Presidente to syndicate his articles to The Outhouse, which flies under the radar of the American oligarchy thanks to most leaders assuming it is a scat porn site, which, to be fair, is basically true.

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Review: The Sixth Gun Volume 2

Written by Rui Esteves on Sunday, May 05 2013 and posted in Reviews
Review: The Sixth Gun Volume 2
General Hume might be dead (again) and his wife gone but the cruse of the six guns continues to dictate the fate of Drake Sinclair and Becky Montcrief. Together with Billjohn's Golem and Gord Cantrell they travel to New Orleans to look for a way to break the bond between Drake and 4 o the 6 mystical guns.

Drake is not coping well with the possession of 4 mystical guns. Even his physical appearance is starting to change, much like what happened to General Hume's men. However there are many factions that are plotting to gain ownership of the six guns. It won't be easy for Drake and Becky to recognize friends from foes.

This volume collects issues #7 to #11 of the ongoing series.

How is it?

After the fantastic first arc the story took an unexpected turn and drifted away from General Hume. Before the dust had settled Drake and Becky moved on to New Orleans. There Drake looks for Henri Fournier a mysterious living legend of the occult. Drakes hopes Henri will help him break the bond with the guns.

Review: The Sixth Gun Volume 2
In the meanwhile Becky get to know Kirby Hale a smooth talking gunslinger that sweeps her off her feet. Kirby will leave a big impact on Becky's life, bigger than she imagined. Becky is a teenager that lost her only family and was pushed into a situation way over her head. When Kirby enters her life she is lonely and vulnerable and he takes advantage of that. The result.. the wrath of a woman scorned.

Cullen Bunn took the story in a very different path from what I was expecting. And that was a very pleasant surprise. The General Hume plot line was placed on hold and a new bunch of subplots were put into motion. This adventure in the South is more than just another adventure. Through it the true purpose of the guns is unveiled. And if that isn't enough Bunn got around to flesh out the supporting cast and add many more interesting aspects to this Universe.

Art wise it continues the style of the first volume. Brian Hurtt and Bill Cabtree fill the 160 pages of this trade with vibrant panels, expressive characters and moody environments. They really capture that foggy and mysterious mood of the New Orleans swamps, or at least how I imagined them. My only complain is that they weren't more ambitious with the panel layouts. Maybe next time.

Review: The Sixth Gun Volume 2
Drake versus handpurse

I really enjoyed the first volume. This one not quite as good. That doesn't mean its a bad book, on the contrary, its a just the right pace of storytelling, takes its time to create the mood, throws some action scenes to spice it up a bit and good art to top the cake. However the WOW factor isn't as strong as the first one.  If you enjoyed the first one then you'll love this one. If you didn't read it then go back and read it first.

PS: sorry for the 2 day delay :)

Publisher: Oni Press
Year: 2011
Pages: 160
Authors: Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt, Bill Crabtree

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Originally Published at Reading Graphic Novels

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About the Author - Rui Esteves

Rui Esteves is definitely from Peru and has a blog!  Rui tries to find the good in everyone, which is difficult when he has to work for this hive of scum and villainy, but he makes do.   Rui does so enjoy graphic novels, as evident from the name of his blog:  Reading Graphic Novels, twitter handle: @RGNblog, and Facebook page: rgnblog.

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