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NASHUA - As he touched down in New Hampshire yesterday to campaign before Tuesday's Republican presidential primary, Ron Paul was greeted by what has become a familiar sight - a large, enthusiastic crowd, about half of them younger voters.
Perhaps the most striking statistic to come out of the Iowa caucuses, where Paul finished a close third, was entrance poll data showing that the 76-year-old Texas congressman captured 48 percent of the vote among those under the age of 30 in a six-candidate field.
The phenomenon is national, not limited to the Midwest. It was in evidence yesterday at Nashua Airport, where the "Ron Paul'' chants started before the candidate even arrived for a huge, raucous rally in a packed general aviation hangar.
Young voters were a major force in Barack Obama's campaign to win the Democratic nomination and the White House in 2008. With polls showing declining enthusiasm for the president in that voting bloc, Paul has become a magnet for disaffected young men and women who want change, albeit of a kind radically different from that promised by Obama four years ago.
For a generation that has lived with costly wars for a decade, a sluggish economy for as long as they can recall, and a $15 trillion national debt that threatens their future, Obama is no longer the first political option for many voters in their 20s.
James Riley, a 20-year-old from Barnstable attending Clark University, is a registered Democrat who was enthusiastic about Obama four years ago, though he was too young to vote for him. Yesterday, he and three friends drove to Nashua to attend the Paul rally.
What soured him on the current president?
"Three years of crap,'' said Riley. He doesn't agree with every policy of Paul, the libertarian-leaning constitutionalist, Riley said. "But I agree with a lot of what he says, especially on the economy and foreign policy. I agree with him when he says that we shouldn't be the policeman of the world.''
With him were two high school classmates from Barnstable, Kayla Kalweit, a student at Suffolk University, and Riley Tamash, a student at Westfield State University, and a classmate from Clark, Garin Habeshian of Waltham. All said they are disillusioned with the state of the country and looking to Paul, the preacher of an extreme laissez-faire form of economics and a non-interventionist foreign policy that many critics consider isolationist.
"I particularly like his foreign policy point of view,'' Habeshian said. "We have been sticking our noses into other countries' business for years and it's come back to bite us on the rear.'' He said he is "not completely sold'' on Paul's economic policies, which call for a $1 trillion federal budget cut in the first year, the elimination of five Cabinet-level departments, and the end of the federal government as we know it in a range of regulatory and entitlement programs.
If there is a common theme to young voters' complaints - and why Paul appeals to them - it is frustration about a dysfunctional political system and anxiety about a future with limited employment prospects or the likelihood of living a better life than their parents lived.
"Ron Paul talks about the whole system being broken, that it needs to be changed,'' said Wayne Lesperance, a professor of political science at New England College. "I think that resonates with them. They have a healthy dose of cynicism because they believe the system is broken on a lot of levels.''
Younger voters have no allegiance to a particular party, said Lesperance, the codirector of College Convention 2012 in Concord, attended this week by college and high school students as well as some of the presidential candidates or their surrogates. Paul was not among them because of a schedule change.
One conventioneer, Tyne Uzo, a 20-year-old from Wading River, N.Y., and a student at Rhode Island College, said that while she personally doesn't support Paul's candidacy, or that of any other presidential candidate, she has many friends who do.
'Ron Paul talks about the whole system being broken, that it needs to be changed.'Simon Doonan Barneys New York
"I originally thought it was because he wants to decriminalize marijuana, but that's not it; it's about ending the wars and ending the Fed,'' she said, referring to Paul's call to eliminate the Federal Reserve and its ability to increase the supply of money. "They learn about it through Ron Paul. It's the gateway to constitutional values and libertarianism.''
At Paul's New Hampshire headquarters on the outskirts of Concord, a roomful of 20-somethings were busy making calls to voters over sophisticated voice-over-Internet phones that allow them to punch coded voter identification information into a campaign databank. All 25 stations were full at 11 a.m.
Among those at the headquarters were volunteers who have traveled thousands of miles, first to Iowa and now to New Hampshire to help the Paul campaign.
One is Sarah Franklin, a 22-year-old from Seattle who is studying English literature at the University of Washington. Raised in a family of Democrats, she said this is her first involvement in politics. "I don't affiliate myself with the Republican Party,'' she said. "I affiliate with the voice of freedom.''
"Ron Paul represents an idea, the idea of freedom and individual liberty,'' she said. "If I'm going through airport security, I can't make a joke about the [Transportation Security Administration] or they have the right to arrest me,'' Franklin said. "That's a problem.''
Franklin has spent two weeks of her semester break volunteering for Paul and is considering extending it so she can go on to South Carolina, site of the second primary on Jan. 21. Like all these out-of-state volunteers, she is paying for her own transportation costs.
So is Timothy Shanks, a 22-year-old from South Texas studying for his doctorate in mathematics at Texas A&M University. The product of a conservative family, Shanks also volunteered to work on Paul's campaign in Iowa before heading to New England.
"What Ron Paul stands for is close to what the Republican Party once stood for for many decades,'' Shanks said. "That's small government, limited government, and a sound economy, and sound money is an integral part of that.'' Shanks said he is alarmed by the size of the national debt and its rate of growth. "This is not sustainable,'' he said.
Many young people see Paul as authentic, honestly believing what he says and not shifting his views based on the prevailing winds. "That's a huge draw, his integrity,'' Shanks said.Brian C. Mooney can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -
Coach Leslie Frazier expressed no day-after regret. Freeman was the right pick to play, Frazier said, and the job is still his this week.
''If I had to do it over again, I don't think I'd do it any differently under the circumstances. I knew exactly why we made the decision. I felt very confident going into the ballgame with the decision,'' Frazier said Tuesday. ''It didn't work out for us this time.''
The Vikings (1-5) signed Freeman less than two weeks prior to his not-ready-for-prime-time showing Monday against the New York Giants, a 23-7 defeat by a previously winless team in a nationally televised debacle that had analysts, fans and even ex-players mocking and criticizing the quality of play by both teams all night.
''This is the worst sporting event ever broadcasted,'' former Vikings left guard Steve Hutchinson said on Twitter during the game. The retired seven-time Pro Bowler was rarely that demonstrative during his career.
Frazier, whose hold on his job has grown increasingly tenuous this month with consecutive drubbings by a combined score of 58-17 against the Giants and Carolina Panthers, was doing his best Tuesday to point out some positives, encourage his players and defend his decisions.
He said he never considered benching Freeman, who threw one interception and finished with 190 yards, and said he was under ''no obligation'' from the front office or ownership to play him. The coach also said the move had full support from the players.
''We believed that he would give us the best chance to be successful in that ballgame,'' Frazier said.
Though Freeman looked lost and overwhelmed, Frazier said he believed the 25-year-old's troubles stemmed from physical mistakes and not a lack of understanding of the playbook. Of the 33 incompletions, many of those balls sailed several yards away from the target.
''His footwork wasn't ideal. His shoulders weren't square all the time. So it was more technical stuff. But the mental part, he was sharp,'' Frazier said. ''He did a great job of running our offense throughout the night.''
Freeman's failures were especially glaring given this update distributed Tuesday by the NFL: the league-wide yards-per-pass-attempt average of 7.29 is on pace to be the highest of any season since 1966. Freeman's number was a paltry 3.32.
The cumulative NFL completion percentage of 61.6, also on track to set the modern-era record, also cast Freeman's performance in a bad light. His rate Monday was 37.7.
''There were definitely plays there to be made that from a lot of different standpoints were just a fraction off,'' Freeman said after the game. ''That's something that, moving forward as a quarterback, as receivers, as an offense together, guys are going to get more comfortable with me and vice versa.''
In addition to the in-season quarterback tryout, the Vikings have been trying to develop a depleted, inexperienced secondary in a pass-driven league. Veteran Antoine Winfield, despite his age and own coverage limitations, has been clearly missed by this group. Safety
The Vikings dropped two routine-looking, would-be interceptions that gave the Giants two big breaks, one in the first quarter during a long drive for a field goal and another in the third quarter right before a fumbled punt return set up the Giants for a short touchdown run.
Up next? Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
''I do have confidence that we can improve and get better, and we can get better when we line up on Sunday night at home,'' Frazier said. ''They don't have to be mutually exclusive. You can stay focused on what you have to get done and develop guys and win at the same time.''
Owner Zygi Wilf told reporters after the game at MetLife Stadium he wasn't pondering changes at this point.
''I'm sticking with my team,'' Wilf said. ''That's our team. We're going to stick with it.''
NOTES: The Vikings cut CB Jacob Lacey again and claimed CB
AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org
Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP

subset: commoncrawl


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Floyd J. "Pinky" Wickett
Floyd J. "Pinky" Wickett Sr., 96, a resident of Elk Haven and formerly of Elk Towers and Martin Road, died Thursday, June 30, 2011 at the Elk Haven Nursing Home following a brief illness.He was born July 18, 1914 in St. Marys, son of the late Francis J. and Anna Schreiber Wickett. He was a lifelong resident of the area and attended St. Marys schools. He was a retired employee of St. Marys Carbon Co.On October 28, 1949, in Morgantown, W.V., he married Ruth M. Mertz, who preceded him in death on Jan. 5, 2002.He was a member of the Queen of the World Church, was a veteran of the U.S. Army and was a member of the CMF, PFL and the American Legion.He is survived by four daughters, Mary Ann Giddings and her husband Fred of Smethport, Carol Parisi of St. Marys, Diane Christoff and her husband James of Clay, and Lisa Salter and her husband George of Emporium; a son, Floyd J. Wickett Jr. and his wife Patty of Ridgway; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Fred A. Wickett of St. Marys.He was preceded in death by two daughters, Sharon Wickett and Laurie Long; two sisters, Evelyn Sarginger and in infancy, Regina Wickett; and three brothers, Richard, Leonard and Clem Wickett.A Mass of Christian Burial for Floyd J. "Pinky" Wickett Sr. will be celebrated in the Queen of the World Church on Saturday at 9 a.m., with the Rev. Michael Ferrick, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Cemetery. Full military rites will be accorded by the St. Marys Servicemen's Burial Detail. Visitation is at the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.


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In the wake of the court-ordered release of files showing that 1,247 men who had been involved in Scouting had been suspected of inappropriate sexual conduct, the Boy Scouts of America contended that new protocols offer the highest possible levels of protection.
The organization still has much for which to answer, however.
BSA "ineligible volunteer files" ordered released by the Oregon Supreme Court covered 1965 through 1985. Those files were known more colloquially within Scouting administration as "perversion files."
They detail abundant incidents across the country in which volunteers were banned from Scouting after complaints about their sexual conduct toward their young charges. None of the cases was referred to police for prosecution and, in some cases, volunteers in one region who were expelled managed to volunteer again somewhere else.
Now, the same group of lawyers who won an $18 million verdict in Oregon against the BSA, its Pacific Northwest Council and a sponsoring organization, resulting in the release of the files, has filed a suit against the organization in Texas, where the BSA has its headquarters. This time the period in question is 1985 through 2011. Any cases that might arise during the last part of that period still could be subject to criminal prosecution.
A Texas judge has ordered the BSA to turn over the files to the plaintiffs, which is certain to prompt news media requests for public disclosure, just as in the Oregon case.
Rather than fighting to keep the files, the BSA should release its data on ineligible volunteers, some of whom probably should not be on the street.
The lawyers pressing the case, meanwhile, have asked Congress to audit the effectiveness of the new BSA standards. Congress should do so.


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Playing baseball has been a part of Jordan Lane's life since he was 3 years old.
Playing baseball has been a part of Jordan Lane's life since he was 3 years old.
"I remember catching the ball so that's a good sign," the Oak Ridge senior pitcher said of his first coach-pitch game.
He made another good sign Monday. Lane put pen to paper in front of a large crowd at the high school as he signed to play college baseball with Western Kentucky next season after being committed to the Hilltoppers for nearly a year.
"I'm pretty excited about it," Lane said. "I can finally make it official ... it's actually real now."
The right-hander who lets his fastball and curveball do most of the talking has put together some impressive seasons for the Wildcats and has been named to the All-District 3-AAA team the last two seasons.
As ace of the Oak Ridge staff a year ago, Lane won six games and pitched 61 and 1/3 innings, striking out 83 batters while walking just 11. His ERA of 1.48 just missed the Oak Ridge High School single season record.
This year, with the signing now out of the way, he has his hopes set on not only making some records fall, but the District 3-AAA MVP.
"That's been on my mind," he said. "Making the decision this early, I get a chance to soak it all in and just enjoy my senior season."
Lane said he felt like WKU, located in Bowling Green 33 miles north of Nashville, was a perfect fit to play top-tier teams, get a chance to play early and major in business.
"It was just a good fit all around," Lane said. "I love the coaches. They're all fantastic. The campus is really nice and for the area I'm looking to major in, it's a very good school."
The Hilltoppers finished last season 25-33 (13-17 in the Sun Belt Conference) but have reached the NCAA tournament twice in the last four years and sent 16 players into professional baseball in the last three. They also played Tennessee, Kentucky and Louisville and will play them again this season under manager Matt Myers, a former Tennessee Vol on the 1996 and 1997 NCAA Regional teams.
"They really do play some good teams," Lane said. "I think it will be interesting and fun to see how I will do against college competition."
Oak Ridge coach Tom Froning said his ace made a "phenomenal choice" even if it is a rival of his alma mater, Kentucky.
"Jordan is a fabulous young man," Froning said. "He doesn't miss a workout and has been a rock for us the last few seasons."
Robert Holder can be contacted at (865) 220-5508.


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Home > Obsolete Electronic Component Parts > Page 510
PRB Logics is a supplier of obsolete electronic components. We provide warranty and testing on all our parts. We can deliver quotations within a day. So call us at (949) 200-7425 for your component needs.
This Part is available for purchase.


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Invented by the prolific American historian Will Durant [1885–1981], the principle has an amusing name: the criterion of embarrassment. Faced with a questionable item of alleged historical data, we should ask the question:
"Can we consider this item of data as somewhat embarrassing for the people who were writing the history in question?"If so, then the item has a good chance of being valid, because historians wouldn't have retained data that was, not only embarrassing, but false. Put differently: Historians are only tempted to falsify the alleged facts that they are describing when the outcome of this falsification is likely to be positive; and embarrassing facts cannot normally produce a positive outcome.
In the case of my Braidwood ancestor, the idea that he might have been a Protestant Scotsman was indeed embarrassing for Walker descendants, since most of them had become members of Irish Catholic communities in Australia. And the situation was particularly embarrassing when we realize that 32-year-old Charles Walker might have lied blatantly about his background with the sole aim of being authorized to marry a girl who infatuated him: the 17-year-old daughter of an Irish convict. Consequently, the speculation that Charles might have been brought up as a Scottish Protestant was so outlandish that this rumor should normally have been squashed forever as soon as it first appeared.
Eliminating the rumor should have been a simple matter. It would have been sufficient to produce documentary evidence of Charles's birth, supposedly in Cork, along with other basic evidence linking him to Ireland. But no such documents have ever been brought to light. Although Charles Walker was employed on an English vessel, the Caroline (the ship that had taken the Henty brothers and their merino sheep to Western Australia), and in spite of his reputation as a respectable and prosperous citizen and a friend of certain distinguished English landowners in the Braidwood region (such as Captain John Coghill and Dr David Reid), we know less about Charles Walker's background in the Old World than for any other of my many Australian ancestors.
Funnily enough, the rest of the speculation, today, is not at all embarrassing for a descendant such as myself. Back in 1980, I was informed that one of Charles Walker's grandsons used to tell an amazing story about his Braidwood grandfather.
In recent years, the criterion of embarrassment has been used above all in investigations concerning the so-called historical Jesus: that's to say, the real man behind all the evangelical fantasy upon which the future religion of Christianity would be based. Prominent adepts of the criterion of embarrassment are to be found among the 150 or so scholars who belong to an amazing organization known as the Jesus Seminar, founded in 1985 in Oregon. They operate in a most democratic manner, voting by means of colored beads in order to express a consensus view on whether Jesus might or might not have made such and such a statement. Beads are of 4 colors: red, pink, gray and black.


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This summer sure passed quickly . Despite the hot and humid days, all enjoyed some wonderful sunshine, relaxing days at the beach, and lush green lawns. None of us welcomed the arrival of "Isaac", the late August storm which threatened our coast. First and foremost, we should all be thankful that no major damage was reported. Our residents were not negatively impacted although we kept generators ready, pumps functioning, and secured the contents of our homes. Some of our businesses closed resulting in minimal financial losses at the peak of the "Back to School" season but all in all we were blessed.
All West Park emergency services teams performed magnificently just in case the storm did arrive with more intensity. Our city Administrator and his staff quickly cleared streets and blocked storm drains. Fire and First Aid stood at the ready. Our police department provided additional police presence, as the administrative staff provided necessary services. Members of the Commission kept tabs on neighbors to provide information and assistance. All these folks deserve a huge "Thank You" for all the extra hours and dedication. Finally, I'd like to encourage all West Park residents to take advantage of their right to vote. In the United States, the right to vote is often taken for granted and for many years, turn out at all but the most highly contested elections has been dismal. Too many Americans forget, however, that the extension of votes to women, African Americans, and (to some degree) poor whites is a relatively recent phenomenon and was won only through concerted struggle. Even today, the struggle to maintain the right to vote is necessary. As we approach the upcoming elections let us all get out and vote. This is the only way we can, somehow insure, that justice and equality in our government is meted out. One of the most critical ways that individuals can influence governmental decision-making is through voting.
Voting is a formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue. Voting generally takes place in the context of a large-scale national or regional election; however, local and small-scale community elections can be just as critical to individual participation in government. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, recognizes the integral role that transparent and open elections play in ensuring the fundamental right to participatory government. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedures.
While the right to vote is widely recognized as a fundamental human right, this right is not fully enforced for millions of individuals around the world. Consistently disenfranchised groups include non citizens, young people, minorities, those who commit crimes, the homeless, disabled persons, and many others who lack access to the vote for a variety of reasons including poverty, illiteracy, intimidation, or unfair election processes. An important force in combating disenfranchisement is the growth of organizations engaged in election monitoring and equality. The right to vote is the foundation of any democracy. Yet most Americans do not realize that we do not have a constitutionally protected right to vote. While there are amendments to the U.S. Constitution that prohibit discrimination based on race (15th), sex (19th) and age (26th), no affirmative right to vote exists. The 2000 Presidential Election was the first time many Americans realized the necessity of a constitutional right to vote.
The majority of the U.S. Supreme Court, in Bush v. Gore (2000), wrote, "The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States." The U.S. is one of only 11 other democracies in the world with no affirmative right to vote enshrined in its constitution. Because there is no right to vote in the U.S. Constitution, individual states set their own electoral policies and procedures. This leads to confusing and sometimes contradictory policies regarding ballot design, polling hours, voting equipment, voter registration requirements, and ex-felon voting rights. As a result, our electoral system is divided into 50 states, more than 3,000 counties and approximately 13,000 voting districts, all separate and unequal. The addition of a Right to Vote Amendment to the U.S Constitution would:
• Guarantee the right of every citizen 18 and over to vote
• Empower Congress to set national minimum electoral standards for all states to follow
• Provide protection against attempts to disenfranchise individual voters
• Ensure that every vote cast is counted correctly
Many reforms are needed to solve the electoral problems we continue to experience in every election cycle. The first is providing a solid foundation upon which these reforms can be made. This solid foundation is an amendment that clearly protects an affirmative right to vote for every U.S. citizen. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." But as he understood better than anyone, progress on civil and political rights is neither inevitable nor constant. It takes hard work, courage, and perseverance. Otherwise, injustices will fester and grow. The result will be status quo or, even worse, backsliding. If the history of voting rights teaches us anything, it is that articulation of a right is one thing, realization of that right quite another – and a far more difficult thing. The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1870, states in no uncertain terms that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged … on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." With the rights that we do have let us exercise them and let our voice be heard at the polls.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly at 954.889.4153 with any questions you may have.


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Tom Petters associate Deanna Coleman
The woman who brought down Tom Petters
- Article by: DAVID PHELPS and JON TEVLIN
- Star Tribune
- November 2, 2008 - 7:16 AM
Tom Petters, the jailed entrepreneur identified by federal authorities as the ringleader of a multibillion fraud scheme, rubbed off on Deanna Coleman, the woman who brought about his arrest last month.
Like Petters, Coleman over the years learned to work hard, play hard and enjoy the finer things in life.
And largely because of Petters, this woman of a modest upbringing obtained the money to live in million-dollar homes in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities, jet off to Costa Rica for vacations in her luxury condos and fly down to Las Vegas, where she was such a good customer that she had standing lines of credit at some of the city's top casinos.
But that came crashing to an end in September. Coleman, apparently overwhelmed by the size of the alleged fraud and feeling guilty for her own role in it, walked into the sixth-floor suite of the U.S. Attorney's office in the Minneapolis federal building and agreed to become an informant against her mentor and employer of 15 years.
Coleman told authorities that Petters -- a fast-talking Twin Cities entrepreneur renowned for turning around struggling companies -- was running a Ponzi scheme of staggering proportions.
She said her boss had separated investors from billions of dollars by promising them high returns on short-term investments in expensive electronics gear that would be sold through retailers like Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club.
In truth, Coleman told federal investigators, no such merchandise existed; Petters used the money for other businesses, to provide lulling payments to investors, and to fund his opulent lifestyle.
Until Coleman walked through the door, the government had no clue about the alleged scheme, which the government said started soon after Petters hired her in March 1993.
But with Coleman working secretly as an informant, authorities moved quickly to arrest Petters and several cronies who, like Coleman, already have pleaded guilty in the case. Petters maintains he is innocent.
Coleman faces up to five years for her role in the fraud, but it's unlikely she'll get that much time. Prosecutors are expected to argue for leniency because of the key role she played in the case. Petters, by contrast, faces up to life in prison and remains in federal custody without bail.
It's been a long, strange road for the 42-year-old Coleman.
After graduating from Elbow Lake-Wendell High School in 1984, she got a two-year degree in fashion merchandising, then went on to graduate from Moorhead State University in 1989 with a business degree. From there, she went to work for a collection agency before hiring on as an office manager supervising four employees for Tom Petters.
But Coleman was a millionaire when she pleaded guilty three weeks ago to a single count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. She stifled tears and gave one-word answers to questions about the charges against her, and has yet to publicly state why or when she decided to confess and expose the alleged fraud.
Through her attorney, Allan Caplan, Coleman declined to be interviewed for this story, although he offered an explanation of her motivation to approach government officials and detail the operation.
"She was deeply troubled by the scale [of the investment scheme]. She felt it had gotten out of hand," Caplan said when asked about her motivation for stepping forward. "She lost her confidence in Petters' ability to ever pay back investors."
Piecing together a profile
Little is known about Coleman despite her apparently key role in Petters' investment operations. But the Star Tribune was able to compile a profile of Coleman's background and her rise in the Petters organization through the review of records and documents and interviews with people familiar with her.
In a brief written statement in response to a Star Tribune question about her background, Coleman described herself as a farm girl who graduated from high school "with average grades," got a college degree -- with help from an accounting tutor -- and started working for Petters. She married a longtime boyfriend, Allen Munson, in March 1996.
Coleman rose to become vice president of operations for Petters Company, Inc. (PCI), the finance arm through which the alleged investment scheme operated. In the end, records show that Petters was paying her $330,000 a year. And since 2002, she's been getting annual bonuses that reached seven figures. From 2004 until federal authorities stepped in, Coleman collected about $8 million in bonuses, the government says.
Like Petters, Coleman liked to gamble, but claimed she was not addicted to it. Records show she's been supplementing her income with gambling winnings every year since 2001. In 2006, for example, she reported $300,000 in winnings.
Coleman oversaw the daily activities of PCI and its affiliates; she managed PCI's checking account and handled its communications with hedge funds and investors, records show. Part of her job included helping to find funds to finance acquisitions for Petters or to aid his existing companies.
But according to an FBI affidavit filed to justify search warrants that were executed on Sept. 24, Coleman also created false purchase orders and invoices to prove to investors that their money was secured by electronic goods.
At one point before going to the FBI, Coleman described herself this way: "I've always been a very, loyal, dependable, hardworking employee ... I came from a hardworking family, and I was expected to be responsible and self-sufficient," she said. "I get along well with people, and I am very dedicated to my employer, who has recognized my contributions and efforts."
One investment fund manager described Coleman as "laid-back."
"She reminded me of a soccer mom. She was personable. There was no flaunting of money," said the manager, who has since gone out of business and did not want to be identified.
But Coleman also lived the high life.
In Las Vegas, she had lines of credit for gambling at the Bellagio, MGM Grand, New York New York and Wynn Casino. She'd buy expensive items for her homes and vacation properties, including a $5,000 picture and $10,000 statue, both acquired in Las Vegas.
Coleman and her now ex-husband paid $1.6 million for two luxury condos in Costa Rica, and she'd charge most of their travel expenses to her Petters company American Express card. She'd also bring him along to Las Vegas or to West Palm Beach, where Petters Group Worldwide had an office.
In Minnesota, she belonged to the exclusive Lafayette Country Club on Lake Minnetonka and once received a fancy Gem golf cart from Petters as a gift. Records show that Coleman drove around in a 2008 Lexus 330 SUV, which cost her $47,000, or a leased 2006 Lexus convertible. She spent several thousand dollars a month on clothing and accessories.
And until they separated in 2007, Coleman and Munson shared a $1 million home in Minnetrista while they made plans -- never fulfilled -- to build a dream home on their $3 million Lake Minnetonka lot.
Some of Coleman's expenditures, including a $1.65 million payment on a home in 2004, were financed with loans from the company, according to documents reviewed by the Star Tribune. In recent years, Coleman was spending about $800 a month more than her monthly net income of $15,000.
When Coleman separated from Munson, he stayed in the Minnetrista home and she moved to another million-dollar home she bought in Plymouth. Their divorce was finalized this summer.
Through his Minneapolis attorney, John Warchol, Munson declined to comment for this article. Warchol said Munson, a 51-year-old carpenter, knew nothing about Coleman's fraudulent activities.
Key witness will lose everything
Caplan, Coleman's defense attorney, said all of his client's assets will go to the government for restitution to investors, a fact that will likely leave her penniless for life.
"I hope that by bringing this fraudulent scheme forward, I can begin with a new chapter in my life," Coleman said in a prepared statement for this article. "I realize that I must suffer the consequences for my actions, and will do what I can to help those who have been impacted. My life, as well as the lives of others, will be forever changed by the events of my past, and for that I am truly remorseful."
Friends of Coleman remain at her side and believe that her remorse is genuine.
Steve McGee, a friend from near Elbow Lake, has talked to Coleman since her plea about why she eventually turned on Petters. "She just woke up one morning and said, 'Enough is enough,'" McGee said. "That's what she said, and I believe her.
"Deanna has a conscience, she always has," McGee said. "I think she just got sucked into a whirlwind."
McGee blames Petters for Coleman's crimes. "I think she was definitely brainwashed, if you want my opinion," he said. "I've known the [Coleman] family for years and they are honest, hardworking people. This totally goes against her character."
Coleman was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Tim and Brenda Nisbet in 2002. Brenda Nisbet and Coleman have been friends since school days back in Elbow Lake. Tim Nisbet said they were stunned by her guilty plea.
"It surprises me that it ever happened to her, but it doesn't surprise me that she would step up to the plate and say: 'This just isn't right,'" Nisbet said.
Coleman's friends say she didn't talk much about work, or exactly what she did. They believed she was an executive assistant or perhaps managed the office. Occasionally when they were out, Petters would call for information, they said.
"They live a different lifestyle that was much more above mine," Nisbet said. "It was never a topic of discussion between us. The money was there -- and it was impressive -- but it wasn't throw it in your face like, look what I've got."
Nisbet said his wife went to Vegas once with Coleman, and a couple of years ago, she took them to a Minnesota casino for an hour or so, then to Canterbury Park in Shakopee. But he doesn't recall her betting a lot.
McGee said he'd gamble "nickel-dime stuff" with her sometimes at Mystic Lake, and he and his wife went with her to Las Vegas last year, where they played nickel slots together.
Coleman didn't shower friends with expensive gifts, though she occasionally picked up nice meals, McGee said. "I just thought she was very successful, and good for her," he said.
McGee said he thinks her friends will stick by her despite her guilty plea. "She's very remorseful," he said. "She'll get through this with a lot of prayers and close friends."
David Phelps • 612-673-7269 | Jon Tevlin 612-673-1702
© 2018 Star Tribune


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15 U.S. Code § 1851 - Reports to Congress; recommendations
The Board shall submit to the Congress annually a full report of its operations under this chapter. In addition, the Board shall submit to the Congress a special report not later than June 30, 1973, which shall include a full report of the Board's operations together with its recommendations with respect to the need to continue the guarantee program beyond the termination date specified in section 1852 of this title. If the Board recommends that the program should be continued beyond such termination date, it shall state its recommendations with respect to the appropriate board, agency, or corporation which should administer the program.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Designer Interview: Design Glut
Posted by
Ali |
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Liz and Kegan from Design Glut are an All-Star incredibly creative duo. The two are not only known for their clever home accessories but they've mastered the art of interviewing many creative entrepreneurs in the design industry. We've turned the table on them to answer a question or two. Oh, and they are really photogenic. Enjoy!
Tell us about the process of starting Design Glut and how you got where you are today.
Kegan and I met in college at Pratt, where we studied industrial design. Senior year we had a studio class together and through an offhand conversation one day, ended up sharing a table at the DesignBoom Mart at ICFF here In New York. This was back in 2007… Little did we know where that decision would take us!
The show went so well that we named ourselves Design Glut, formed a partnership, and wanted to keep designing together… But we'd both just taken jobs at design firms, so Design Glut was an on-the-side whenever-we-have-a-spare-moment thing until April 2008, when we set up our Brooklyn studio and started doing this full-time.
Ah yes, Egg Pants! The funny thing about Egg Pants is that they're such a whimsical and emotional thing, but they were thought up from a very technical place. In school I was studying a manufacturing process called Dip Molding. The process is usually used for rubber caps, gloves, and inexpensive industrial parts – but I was trying to think up a way to design a home accessory. The name "Egg Pants" came at the very end. I'd been working on the egg cups for a long time and everyone kept saying they looked like little pants, so I just went with it!
What is your workspace/studio/office like?
Our office is a super fun space. We've covered the walls with posters and toys and little things that inspire us. Oh and my scissor collection!
You mentioned earlier that you've been interviewing designers and entrepreneurs about Read the rest of this entry »


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Designed for Use on Cabinets and Drawers
7/8" Body Length
7 Different Cams Available
Key Can Only be Removed When in Locked Position
Includes 2 Medium Security Keys
This uniquely designed cam lock is available for use on cabinet doors and
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The Texas Church Project will have two exhibitions early in 2009.
The first is from January 8-22 at
Janette Kennedy Gallery
Southside on Lamar
1409 South Lamar
Dallas, TX 75215
Artists' reception on Sat., Jan 10, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM!
Gallery hours 9:30 - 6:00 weekdays (other times - see Concierge)
After we take this down, we haul it up to Lubbock to mount the show in the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University, where it will hang from Jan 29 - Feb. 20. I'll post more details on this later.
We're doing our best to show what can be done with black and white film and some silver or platinum salts on paper. Not to mention our bit for historic preservation.
Y'all come on out, y'hear!


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BOSTON – If taking a baseball swing at Johnny Boychuk's back after a practice drills is what it takes to wake up his Bruins teammates the morning after a dreadful shutout loss to Anaheim, Shawn Thornton does it.
If dropping his gloves and duking it out with fellow welterweight Eric Boulton just two seconds into a game is what it takes to get his club's juices flowing at the outset of a must-win game before the Christmas break, Thornton answers the bell.
When the Bruins need a couple goals … well, at least we know he can get the puck to the net (he's in the top 10 in the NHL in shots per 60 minutes). And sometimes those pucks find the mesh, and even do it twice in the same night.
The superlatives when it comes to Shawn Thornton and all the things he's willing to do and the sacrifices he's willing to make have all been written before. He comes to the defense of his teammates, he says what needs to be said in the room, and this year he has added an offensive upside that's almost unheard of for someone of his pedigree and pay scale.
His two-goal, one-fight performance in Boston's 4-1 win over Atlanta tonight, however, might've been a little different than any previous showing he's enjoyed while wearing black and gold.
After the Bruins sleepwalked through their 3-0 loss at home against the Ducks Monday, head coach Claude Julien was unsure whether to make his team work harder or go lightly on his players the next day. Julien chose to crack the whip, and that obviously made Thornton – a guy who works hard regardless of the score, in a game or practice – a little bit ornery. It didn't help matters when during the drills he was crunched into the boards, ribs first, by Dennis Seidenberg, and then got a pop in the face from Johnny Boychuk.
Boychuk was on the receiving end of a slash to the back that made a gun-shot loud pop. Other players' tempers flared throughout practice, but it was Thornton's actions that stood out most. Thornton's one of those guys who can be a cold-blooded pugilist on the ice and then an affable sort in the dressing room. But he's also a former Stanley Cup winner who has scratched and clawed his way to the NHL. He knows what it takes to win it all, and knows when a team is wasting its potential.
Things might've calmed down by the time the Bruins hit the practice ice Wednesday, but the message was sent and it continued to resonate with Boston into tonight's game.
"He competes and he's a leader on this team," said center Gregory Campbell, a season-long linemate and admirer of Thornton. "So I think it was a message to us, whether it be our teammates or the other team, it's all about competing in this dressing room and there's nothing else that's going to be accepted."
In case the Bruins had somehow forgot that Thornton was demanding an old-school, 60-minute physical and fiery performance from his mates, just two ticks into the game tonight he invited Boulton to spar – unofficially the seventh time the two have come to blows in the NHL since 2002-03.
"You know what, we've been a little flat lately. I saw that they were starting their fourth line, their 'energy line,'" Thornton said. "We got the start and I thought it was as good a time as any to try and get the guys going, maybe, show that we're here to play, show some emotion and get a little spark. I think [Patrice Bergeron] made me look smart by going out and getting a shorthanded goal and getting the momentum for us, so that should be a tribute to my teammates too for stepping up."
Bergeron scored that goal three minutes after the fight. The Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never let the Thrashers back into the game. Obviously Boston had a little rancor left in its blood even after that grueling practice Tuesday and after 55:54 of action against the Thrashers. When Freddy Meyer hit Milan Lucic high crossing the Atlanta blue line, Andrew Ference jumped Meyer and everyone paid tribute to Thornton by dropping their gloves and sticks and displaying the type of toughness that's usually only shown by Thornton and a few other Bruins players. Even Nathan Horton got in on the action – his second fight of the season – and picked Evander Kane back up after he had already knocked out the Atlanta forward once.
Two goals is quite an accomplishment for a veteran grappler who now can boast a career-high goal total of seven. There's plenty of season left for Thornton to add to that, but even if he never lights the lamp again, he has put his stamp on this season and he'll find other ways to contribute as the campaign unfolds.
Whatever it takes, Shawn Thornton is the one the Bruins can count on to get it done.


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Yii theme, blue or green?
Posted 01 July 2009 - 02:44 AM
Due to the popular demand for a blue theme, I have gone ahead and made a draft concept replacing green with blue. Please choose which one you like better.
Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.
Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green, as opposed to red, means safety; it is the color of free passage in road traffic.
Please ignore the little green 'i' in the logo text, that will be blue if this concept is chosen.
The blue displayed here is only a sample, I haven't tweaked it yet.
Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.
Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity.
Colour meaning reference: http://www.color-whe...or-meaning.html
Posted 11 July 2009 - 11:59 AM
Posted 22 July 2009 - 12:56 AM
Posted 22 July 2009 - 07:25 AM
I have to vote against my fellow country man (pestaa), go with GREEN, it looks better (and ZendFramework is BLUE )
The maker rests. The wheel's in motion.
-- Imre Madách
check out Yii2 Theme Factory at https://yii2.themefactory.net
Posted 22 July 2009 - 07:30 AM
Blue layout would match forum design. Or will you purchase a green skin for IPB in case?
Posted 22 July 2009 - 07:39 AM
okay, here is the ultimate solution. Fred, if you have time, make them both and everybody can choose whatever they like if you don't have time, just make the green one
The maker rests. The wheel's in motion.
-- Imre Madách
check out Yii2 Theme Factory at https://yii2.themefactory.net
Posted 23 July 2009 - 12:53 AM
Posted 23 July 2009 - 07:42 AM
andy_s, on 23 July 2009 - 12:53 AM, said:
i think he knows
The maker rests. The wheel's in motion.
-- Imre Madách
check out Yii2 Theme Factory at https://yii2.themefactory.net
Posted 27 August 2009 - 04:37 PM
Posted 28 August 2009 - 07:48 AM
Posted 06 September 2009 - 05:25 PM
Posted 09 September 2009 - 08:28 AM
Blue for the docs ? (docs don't need all those fansy collors and stuff and most in it is already bleu so just take the blue one there
( . .)
C('')('') -- This is Tiny Bunny. Copy Tiny Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination.
Posted 09 September 2009 - 12:15 PM
If you have further suggestions regarding the layout, please contact me through pm or e-mail.


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Ferguson branded Roberto Mancini's decision to recall Tevez after five months as an outcast an act of desperation. After a slow start, Tevez has begun to repay the faith, scoring a hat-trick at Norwich a fortnight ago, and he is primed to face his former club - having already found the net three times in five previous games against them.
"We have not watched the games a lot, but he scored a hat-trick," Ferguson said. "That is an impact. We will just have to wait and see what he does on Monday."
Tevez's presence is just one of the sub-plots to what is generally acknowledged to be the biggest game of the entire Premier League season, which City go into three points adrift of United but with a significantly better goal difference.
Not that Ferguson is particularly relishing the prospect. His side looked to have the championship sewn up when they led Everton by two goals with seven minutes remaining at Old Trafford on Sunday, only to "throw the game away" to use Ferguson's own words.
It was the kind of self-inflicted wound United have endured so often during Ferguson's long reign. And it never gets any easier to take.
"I am a confirmed masochist," he said. "I joined about 26 years ago.
"When the fixtures came out at the beginning of the season, it all pointed to this game. It was inevitable I suppose. In the context of our history, we almost expected it.
"Our supporters have been subjected to that drama for years and years. God knows what they are like just now."
It is true that United tend to make life hard for themselves. The last-gasp 1999 Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich is the most obvious example but there are plenty of other instances down the years where the Red Devils have staggered over the line after initially appear to saunter towards it.
Source: PA
Source: PA


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NANTUCKET (AP) -- A hospital spokesman says Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, is hospitalized in critical but stable condition in a Massachusetts hospital.
Hospital spokesman Noah Brown said Heinz Kerry was admitted into the emergency room of Nantucket Cottage Hospital after 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
He says the 74-year-old Heinz Kerry came to the facility in critical condition, and remains that way, although she has been stabilized.
Brown said he could not immediately release any more details about the patient's condition or her illness.
Nantucket Police Lt. Jerry Adams says a call requesting medical aid was received just after 3:30 p.m. for a home on Hulbert Avenue, and an ambulance was dispatched. Online records show the property is connected to Heinz Kerry's family.
Heinz Kerry is the widow of former U.S. Senator John Heinz, heir to the Heinz ketchup fortune.


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I did not know until yesterday that there is a prize that bears my name. The Ruffin-Gregory Award was established by a protector of the faith in global warming for the purpose of "hounding out of print" the economics text that has the worst treatment of climate change. That the award is named after us, I guess, means that our Principles of Economics is the worst of all time!
The Cancun conference has again brought climate issues to the forefront, and an e mail from a colleague, whose economics text was recently awarded an F in climate change (and a threatened boycott of the publisher's books), brought the existence of the Ruffin-Gregory Prize to my attention.
I had long forgotten that, in 2000, Roy Ruffin and I received complaints about our treatment of global warming in our seventh edition of Principles of Economics. Our publisher (Addison Wesley) was threatened with a boycott if it did not withdraw our text. Our sin was to suggest that the scientific method should be applied to three questions: (1) is global warming occurring, (2) is global warming caused by human consumption of fossil fuels, and (3) is global warming bad for our future. At the time we were writing (1999), we knew that there was no "normal earth temperature" in terms of geological time and we also that temperatures in the medieval warming period were higher than contemporary standards. Moreover, we had a healthy skepticism of computer modeling of such things from our first-edition discussion of the fatal flaws of the Club of Rome-MIT model, which famously predicted we would long be out of natural resources by today. These seemed like legitimate grounds to call for the application of the scientific method to our three questions on climate change. Whatever answers the scientific method produced would be fully acceptable to us. We did not and do not have any stake in the outcome. Let the chips fall where they may.
Over the past decade, much has happened: Nobel prizes for Al Gore and the IPCC, the "100% consensus" on global warming and its causes and consequences, and ClimateGate. My own personal view is that we still do not have solid answers to the key question of the human contribution to climate change. It is heartening to know that the Ruffin-Gregory Award is still alive and well (and that we now know it exists). It is also informative that economics textbooks are still being threatened by the climate police with boycotts for departing from climate orthodoxy. The one disheartening note is that some economic textbook authors seem to be deliberately aiming for an A grade.
Paul R. Gregory's writings on Russia, the world economy, and other matters that he finds of interest.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Ruffin-Gregory Award for the Worst Treatment of Climate Change in an Economics Textbook
Posted by Paul Gregory at 3:06 PM
Labels: boycott, Cancun, economics, global warming, skeptic
2 comments:
When your critics employ intimidation and base threats, you know they do not have a leg to stand on. I live in Canada in the mid west. We have not seen a typical summer in 3 years. Much colder than average is all we get. But this is supposed to be one of the hottest years on record. Try and tell that to the Europeans and the Canadians.ReplyDelete
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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Monday February 7, 2005 10:10 am
Razorback Paintball Tank
Posted by Hector Martinez Categories: Misc. Tech
Do we even need to explain how cool this thing is? Guess so. As if gunning down your friends in a hail of hard paint pellets wasn't fun enough, now you can do it Halo-style in a rugged military off-road vehicle. The Razorback, used by Team SpecOps in their simulated missions, is built on the chassis of an actual Israeli reconnassance vehicle. It features built-in air tanks used for two door gunners, and a low-level rocket launcher for Nerf and shotgun rounds. It's not invincible though: the team is gracious enough to mark a "kill zone" for the tank, which can be found on the front passenger fender, marked by an orange bulls eye. And if you're lucky enough to win a raffle at one of their skirmishes, you can be eligible for a "tour-of-duty" at the main gunner or side gunner positions.
Read More | Team SpecOps
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"IOW, ads affect your buying decisions."
There's a difference though, ssokolow was consciously deciding how to factor ads into his buying decisions.
I guess you could say there is a 2d matrix:
Conciousness -> low - high
Influence -> negative - positive
Thom's assertion was that people who were not conscious of the ad still had positive influence from it. ssokolow claimed high consciousness of the ad gives him negative influence towards it. For myself, I have high consciousness of ads I've seen and have neutral influence from them.
I have trouble with advertising for my self because I have trouble fitting into the shoes of people who are receptive towards advertising. I'll see something that has no affect on me and I have no idea if it could work on other people.


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These stunning blonde lesbians: Hayden Hawkens, Kiara Diane and Sammie Rhodes have come together to celebrate Kiara's completion of the Master Sommelier program. Sammie in particular is really excited because the friends haven't spend so much time together since Kiara has been so busy with her studies. But all that is over now. In fact, she already has a job in her field and invited Sammie and Hayden for a taste test on her new delicacies. Only these babes have something else in mind and that's some yummy lesbian pussy.
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Hayden Hawkens & Sammie Roads blind fold Kiara Diane and begin to undress her. At first she's a bit reluctant but as soon as she feels her kitty being licked she succumbs herself to this erotic lesbian seduction. In no time these blonde babes are fully engaged in a mind blowing lesbian threesome. These babes bodies are divine and it's simply bewitching how they know exactly the spots to stroke to make themselves explode in utter ecstasy. Don't miss these lesbian babes in We Live Together video: "Perfect Pussies" You'll be blown away by these babes absolute, stunning tongue tricks!


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Rajon Rondo turned in another solid performance, falling one rebound shy of a triple-double in the Boston Celtics' 116-110 victory over the Orlando Magic in overtime.
Rondo notched 15 points and 16 assists, tying John Stockton for second-most games with at least 10 assists. It was the 37th straight game Rondo has accomplished the feat.
Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass each recorded double-doubles. Garnett tallied 24 points and 10 boards while Bass put forth a 13-point, 12-rebound effort in the Celtics' sixth straight victory over the Magic.
Paul Pierce netted 23 points in the win.
"We let them back in the game so we had to find a way to win," Pierce said. "That was what it was all about finding a way to win. We were not feeling sorry for ourselves by giving up a pretty big lead. We had to grind it out. That is what we did."
The Magic made a strong second half push, but faltered down the stretch in overtime. Jameer Nelson was a key contributor to Orlando's rally, scoring 17 of his 20 points in the second half and overtime.
J.J. Reddick poured in 21 points off the bench while Aaron Affalo and Glen Davis put in 15 points apiece for the Magic, who had won consecutive games coming in.
"We got some good looks down the stretch," said Magic coach Jacque Vaughn. "Overall, I was pretty encouraged with our guys' effort."
Following a 3-pointer from Orlando's Moe Harkless, Rondo set up Pierce for a three to record his 10th assist in the third quarter. The result of the play allowed Rondo to tie Stockton's record and it brought the Celtics lead back up to double-digits.
But the Magic did not waver and actually took the lead by the end of the quarter. Reddick scored on a reverse layup later in the third to bring the Magic to within four before Nelson scored the final eight points of the period to give Orlando an 82-80 edge.
Both players stayed hot in the opening moments of the fourth, as Nelson buried a triple and Reddick nailed a jumper off an inbound to push the Magic's lead to seven.
The Celtics remained behind until a run late in the fourth put them back on top. Garnett banked a short jumper and finished an alley-oop to cap a 9-0 spurt, putting Boston ahead 100-97 with 2:38 to go.
But Reddick answered the Celtics' surge right away, swishing a triple to bring the Magic even before Davis scored on a layup to put them back infront.
Garnett came right back with a long jumper to tie the game at 102-102 with just over a minute remaining. Nelson then miss-fired on a three and Bass pulled down the board, giving the Celtics the ball with 30 seconds to play in regulation.
However, Boston missed its final three shots, with Pierce's fadeaway jumper hitting off the rim as time expired, sending the game to overtime.
The teams exchanged baskets up until midway through the extra period. Pierce drained a 3-pointer and Rondo followed with a layup to put the Celtics ahead 113-108 with 1:37 remaining.
Nelson drove the lane and scored a layup to pull the Magic within three, but missed an open look from downtown on their next touch, with the rebound falling into the hands of Garnett.
The Celtics forward then connected on 1-of-2 free throws to secure the win.
Game Notes
Magic Johnson holds the record for most consecutive games (46) with at least 10 assists ... The Celtics outscored the Magic in the first half 58-48 ... 60 of the Celtics' points came inside the paint.


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Truck Or Car ARB Roof Top Tents - Rooftop ResidencePosted in How To: Body Chassis on September 1, 2009
Let it be known that I hate staying home. My place of residence isn't exactly clean, comfortable, or classy. In fact, it's more like a small room in the back of a shop with an old futon. In fact, that's exactly what it is. So when I get a chance to leave town and stay under the stars I don't decline.
Recently I had the chance to pitch a tent on top of our 200 Series Land Cruiser project truck, and I feared I'd be sleeping in a noisy, unstable, sky-high condo with a lumpy mattress made of straw. Boy, was I wrong.
The ARB rooftop tent not only surprised me with its comfort, but it also has me considering moving out of my garage! Though not the most aerodynamic item you can install on your 4x4, it is definitely the most spacious way of turning your truck into a mini-cabin in the clouds. I must admit, I'm the type of guy who can sleep just about anywhere, but when I left the fire pit and climbed into the rooftop tent it was like being welcomed into a five-star hotel (or at least what I assume a five-star is like, seeing as I've never stayed in one).
Even with gusty, dusty winds blowing across the desert I slept like a baby. No, better than that: I slept like a baby tired from a long day of wheeling under the desert sun, sitting by the fire telling lies with my buddies, and partaking in a few baby beverages. But the next morning I was refreshed, well rested, and ready to do it all again. Sometime the best home is out on the trail.
This is the alternative to a rooftop tent: Either sleep on the trailer atop an old air mattress that leaks down until you're basically sleeping on the hard surface and getting covered in sand from the desert wind, or curl up in the front seat of your Jeep and wake up crippled. I've done them both, and I guess I could say it definitely builds character.
This is the inside of the ARB rooftop tent. It easily sleeps two and could pack in three if your wife or girlfriend wanted to bring one of her girlfriends along. (Yeah, you wish! More likely it's you, the wife, one or two small kids, and the dog!) The 2 1/2-inch-thick, high-density foam mattress is extremely comfortable. When open, the tent measures approximately 4 1/2 by 8 feet with another 4 1/2 feet of headroom.
Our 6,000-pound Land Cruiser is a stout rig with a healthy 5.7L V-8, but even so I could feel the 15 inches of rooftop tent protruding up top when cruising at highway speeds. And though I was now saving on hotel costs it didn't shrink my fuel consumption. The tent has a heavy vinyl cover to protect it during foul weather when packed up, but I would have liked a little more of a wind deflector to help it cut through the air.
Installing the tent on our 200 Series Cruiser wasn't exactly fun, but that was due to the Toyota's roof mounting system and the internal nutserts in the roof spinning when we removed the factory roof rack. Once we had the ARB rack installed, the tent easily bolted to it, though two people are needed to lift it up on top. Not everyone is looking to outfit their $70,000 SUV, but slap one of these tents on your old Suburban or Bronco and, between the inside of the truck and up on the roof, you'll instantly have sleeping quarters for the whole family.
I think one of the best applications for the rooftop tent is on a tow rig. I used it during an off-road event where I towed with, then parked, the Cruiser and headed out wheeling in my old trail rig, Clampy. The tent folds out easily and can be set up to fold over either side or the rear. Plus the tie lines kept it secure all day long while I was out wheeling. The cotton poly ripstop fabric is sturdy, waterproof, and yet still breathable, and the aluminum ladder makes access simple. The windows can be closed or opened and have insect-proof screens. ARB also offers an enclosure to go around the ladder for getting dressed upright.


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LOUISVILLE (WAVE) - Students all across Kentuckiana are starting to return to the classrooms. The one place that most students start and end their day is at their neighborhood bus stops. But some parents are concerned about the safety of those bus stop.
According to Rick Caple, Director of Transportation Services for Jefferson County Public Schools, "no matter where you live, if you go on the sex offender list you're going to find a sex offender lives a mile or closer to your bus stop."
That's news that no parent wants to hear, but unfortunately, it's a reality. A reality that JCPS. is open to talking about.
"We work individually with parents," says Caple. "If they find a sex offender and their child has to cross in front of them to get to a bus, they need to call us so we can possibly change the stop."
We checked two locations against the Kentucky State Police's Sex Offender database, including our own address at 725 South Floyd Street, which is close to bus stops for Meyzeek Middle School and Central High School.
During our check of the sex offender website, one sex offender showed up on the database as living within a half-mile radius. Another check of a Ballard High School bus stop on U.S. Hwy. 42, returned a result of eight registered sex offenders living within a half-mile to a mile radius.
Although that doesn't automatically mean any imminent danger, it does leave some parents concerned. LMPD spokeswoman Officer Carey Klain says Louisville hasn't had a big problem with bus stop abductions, but she acknowledges the threat is always there.
"Over the years we get calls, and there have been occasions where a child would report that someone tried to get them to get into their car," Klain said.
Klain offered this advice for students approached by strangers or suspicious individuals.
"Just walk away as quickly as possible and get into a group," Klain said.
As always, Klain urges parents and students to remain aware of the surrounding area.
"Know your neighborhood, know your surroundings, know who your friends are and who are not your friends, and don't talk to a stranger," Klain said.
Klain says parents can also help keep their kids safe by taking turns at supervising at their child's bus stop.
"You know all the parents obviously can't be at the bus stop and some parents send their children out there, but if the parents can get together and take turns supervising the bus stop, this will make it a safer place."
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The Beatles- First Trip to America
This is based on a dream I had. The Cullens do come in, later. The Beatles trip to America- what if the Beatles (Ringo, Paul, George and John) were human but George (I chose him randomly) meets a vampire on their way into a concert.
This might end up being confusing- but it will make sense...eventually!
1. Coming to America
Rating 5/5 Word Count 555 Review this Chapter
"Ringo! We're going to be late! Hurry up!" I yelled. What was Ringo doing? George, behind me, pushed me onto the plane.
"Ringo! If you don't hurry up, we're leaving you here!" John yelled. What was with all the yelling? It was so loud, everyone yelling, everyone shouting. I sat in a seat, right beside a random person. As we always did. John and George sat on either side a some young girl, and immediately started talking to her.
"Fine weather we're having?" I asked the little kid I had sat beside.
He glared at me, "No, it's far too cold,"
"Well," I sniffed, and jumped to the seat behind me. There was no way I was sitting next to some depressed nine-year old for a few hours. I landed next to a fifteen year old girl. "Fine weather we're having?"
"Oh, yes." She nodded, "I adore the cold, I simply cannot stand the heat of summer. Hopefully New York will be colder,"
I looked over my shoulder, not really paying much attention to her reply. I slid across the aisle, directly in front of John. Two random people, a man a woman, were beside me. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"No, not at all. We were hoping someone would sit there, otherwise the talk would be very dull," The man answered. Just my luck, everyone I had sat by was weird as can be.
"That's nice," The woman droned. Yes, this was going to be a dull plane ride.
"I'm Paul McCartney," I decided to introduce myself. John hadn't said anything about having to play incognito, which was always funner.
"Oh, are you now? I'm Richard Clevenson. Nice to meet you. You with the Beatles?" The man introduced himself.
"Yes, I am. Have you seen if Ringo's on the plane yet? He was lollygagging by the gate..." I craned my neck. Ringo dove through the door just as the stewardess was shutting it, slipping through a very small crack. I shook my head, "Never mind, I can see he has arrived."
Ringo thumped down into the seat beside the very talkative fifteen year old. Poor him. We were instructed to fasten our seatbelts, and the plane started to taxi for take off. The girl started talking very loud to Ringo. I descretly leaned towards them to listen, a very bad habit of mine.
"We are going to have a fabolous time, sitting next to one another!" She gushed, "Don't you think so?"
Ringo looked at me with urgency, and mouthed the words 'help me'. I shook my head.
"Its your own fault, Ringo. If you hadn't lollygagged, you could have a nice seat," Then I turned to John sitting behind me. "Ringo has arrived," I tilted my head in his direction.
"Has he? Is he enjoying himself?" John asked sarcastically, seeing Ringo's alarmed face.
"Oh yes, he's having a hopping time," I laughed, then turned back to Richard Clevenson.
"So, where you headed?" I asked, but he had turned his attention to a book, and ignored me. Which was very rude, but, then again, I had been paying attention to everyone but him.
I settled down in my seat and prepared myself for a very boring ride to JFK airport, in New York, America.
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text:
BALTIMORE — J.J. Hardy singled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 Thursday night to lengthen their lead in the AL East.
Steve Pearce homered for the Orioles, who took three of four from the sinking Rays. The victory, combined with the Yankees' loss to Detroit, put Baltimore seven games ahead of New York with 30 games remaining.
With the score 4-all in the seventh, Nelson Cruz doubled with two outs off Kirby Yates (0-2). After Chris Davis received an intentional walk, Hardy hit an opposite-field bloop to right that gave the Orioles their first lead.
Andrew Miller (4-5) pitched 1 2-3 hitless innings and Zach Britton worked a perfect ninth for his 29th save.
Evan Longoria homered and drove in two runs for the Rays, who lost their second road series in the last 11. It was a rough night for Tampa Bay shortstop Yunel Escobar, who made two errors, went hitless and was struck in the hand with a pitch.
Tampa Bay used a two-run fifth to take a 4-2 lead. Longoria followed two singles with a sacrifice fly and James Loney hit an RBI double.
The Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half and tied it when Escobar threw wildly to first base trying to complete a double play.
Earlier, Baltimore also answered a two-run uprising with one of its own.
For the fourth time in the series, the Rays scored first, this time in the first inning against Bud Norris. After Matt Joyce delivered a sacrifice fly, Longoria hit his 17th home run.
In the bottom half, Pearce hit a solo shot and Adam Jones stole home after Cruz forced a rundown by breaking for second base. It was Baltimore's first steal of home since Robert Andino did it in June 2009.
TRAINER'S ROOM Rays: OF David DeJesus (left hand fracture) is 5 for 17 in seven games on his rehabilitation assignment and "is close to being ready," manager Joe Maddon said.
Orioles: 3B Manny Machado (knee) and C Matt Wieters (elbow) were tending to their injuries Thursday and missed being part of the annual team picture.
UP NEXT Rays: Tampa Bay resumes its contentious rivalry with the visiting Boston Red Sox on Friday night. Chris Archer, who criticized David Ortiz after his home run trot on June 27, starts for the Rays.
Orioles: Miguel Gonzalez (6-7) takes the mound for Baltimore on Friday night in the opener of a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins, the first meeting between the teams since May 4.
Orioles beat Rays 5-4 to stretch lead in AL East
BALTIMORE — J.J. Hardy singled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 Thursday night to lengthen their lead in the AL East.


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DETROIT — General Motors says the battery-powered version of its Chevrolet Spark mini-car can travel up to 82 miles on a single charge, putting it among the leaders in mass-market electric vehicles sold in the U.S.
The Spark EV also gets the equivalent of 119 miles per gallon in testing monitored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. GM says that makes it the most efficient car available for sale to the public. The figure is for combined city and highway driving.
The tiny electric Chevrolet goes on sale in July in Oregon and California. GM hasn't released the price but said it will be less than $32,500, excluding a $7,500 federal tax credit. The company also hasn't said when it will go on sale in other states.


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There's no replicating game action, but the Checkers feel as though they've done as well as they possibly could under some strange, strange circumstances.
A 14-day break between games, one that began after they got off to a franchise-best, 2-0-0 start with wins over Oklahoma City on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, mercifully comes to an end when the team hosts the Iowa Wild for two games this weekend, including its home opener on Saturday.
Though the Checkers would have liked a chance to build on their early success and momentum in a more traditional sense, it seems as though much of it carried over into the nine full practice days they had in the interim.
"I've been extremely happy," said coach Jeff Daniels. "This is an extremely hard-working group. It's been a long two weeks, but they put in the work nearly every day."
Whether it's a byproduct of the enthusiasm that comes with a younger team, a returning group of veterans with something to prove or a mixture of the two, a consistently high effort level is something Daniels has mentioned since training camp began, making recent sessions part of a larger trend.
"For this early in a season, this is without a doubt the hardest-working group I've had," said Daniels, in his fifth season as a head coach. "If you show up to work every day, you're already going to be a step ahead."
It's a good thing, because no one was entirely sure what to expect during an in-season hiatus of unprecedented length.
"We had some fun early on, but since then it's been all business," said forward Zach Boychuk. "I think we've done a really good job of staying in the mindset of being focused."
Iowa, making its first trip to Charlotte since it relocated from Houston this summer, has also only played two games. However, those came last weekend, when it split a pair of games against the same Barons club that Charlotte swept one week earlier.
Having played more recently could, in theory, make the Minnesota affiliate just a tad sharper, something the Checkers are at least a little wary of heading into Saturday's game.
"There's been some time off, but we've been doing enough game situations and battles so that we should be able to get right into it, and that's what we want," said Daniels. "We can't wait and have that feeling-out process."
"The important thing is going to be to get involved early, make a few hits and get into game shape," said Boychuk. "(The younger players) are probably a little bit nervous for the home opener, but hopefully they can get those jitters out quickly."
Aside from Justin Peters, recalled to Carolina earlier in the week, the Checkers should be able to use all of the same players as it did during its two wins in Oklahoma City. Lines should also be similar, with the exception of Manny Malhotra having moved up to the second line in between Chris Terry and Justin Shugg, replacing Sean Dolan.
In contrast to Charlotte, the Wild added a goalie from the NHL this week, with Darcy Kuemper coming back from Minnesota on Friday. Kuemper has played two games this season, one for Minnesota and one for Iowa, but has yet to pick up his first victory.


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To the Editor:
On behalf of the McHenry County Chapter of ViêtNow, we express our appreciation for your continued support of our "Jim Tober" Christmas Basket Program.
During the past four years, we have asked you for your support to help the less-than-fortunate veterans throughout McHenry County. With the support you have shown us over the years, we have been able to provide food and Christmas presents to more than 200 McHenry County families. This year, we will be helping 65 McHenry County families.
On Saturday, Nov. 24, and Sunday. Nov. 25, we will be outside the Crystal Lake Walmart collecting donations to support our program. Donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. until about 4 p.m. both days. Your donations can be dropped off outside the exit doors. All donations will be used to help McHenry County residents.
Here is a list of suggested items that we can use: canned vegetables and fruit; canned meat; boxed meals such as macaroni and cheese, Hamburger Helper; spaghetti sauce and noodles; personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, mouthwash, hand soap, shampoo and conditioner; and any other nonperishable products. Cash donations also will be accepted to purchase needed food products or gifts for each person in the family.
All donations are tax deductible. If you cannot make it these days, your donation may be mailed to McHenry County Chapter of ViêtNow, PO Box 998, McHenry, IL 60051.
Joseph A. Lewis
President, McHenry County Chapter of ViêtNow, Marengo


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ENGO3500 - Study Of Rhetoric
Fall 2011
This course explores the nature and place of discourse, especially persuasive discourse, in society and in history. Much attention is given to classical, modern, and contemporary rhetorical systems; to the mutual influence of rhetoric and other academic disciplines; and to the relationship of rhetoric, communication, and various media. Also considered are rhetorical criticism, audience-text-writer constraints, and how these constraints interact to make meaning.
Prerequisites: COSK2220 or COSO2220 and any ELIT or LITO course
3 Credits
Schedule Book for All Active and Available Future Terms, Course starting with ENGO3500
No Courses Found


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Switch to Forum Live View meditation problems.
|10 years ago :: Feb 04, 2008 - 3:30PM #1
Hi there,
Can anyone give me advice on meditation, if that is possible. I do try and meditate, and i know your mind can wonder when trying. I clear my mind as much as possible. I do try meditations that are in the books and i really try hard to focus, but in the end all i end up doing is imagining going through it in my mind. I listen to music, i light candles , and then sometimes when i do get a feeling of something happening i get scared and open my eyes, is this a normal feeling, i guess not. Can anyone suggest anything. Thank you so much.
Love, light, and peace.
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|10 years ago :: Feb 04, 2008 - 5:06PM #2
Draw a mental circle around yourself, focusing on Here&Now, temporarily separating you from there&then.
There are breath exercises, called "nadi shodana", to cleanse subtler channels.
Relax your body thoroughly. Let your mind focus on relaxing.
Then, there is the issue of "teacher", someone to guide you on inner planes, to show you the "guru-spirit" which, yes, is/was always there, but which you've temporarily forgotten. Link up with it.
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|10 years ago :: Feb 05, 2008 - 8:30AM #3
Draw a mental circle around yourself, focusing on Here&Now, temporarily separating you from there&then.
There are breath exercises, called "nadi shodana", to cleanse subtler channels.
Relax your body thoroughly. Let your mind focus on relaxing.
Then, there is the issue of "teacher", someone to guide you on inner planes, to show you the "guru-spirit" which, yes, is/was always there, but which you've temporarily forgotten. Link u
Hi John
Thank you for helping, will put this into practise in my meditations.
Love, light and peace
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|10 years ago :: Feb 06, 2008 - 10:51AM #4
The mind is the greatest tool or instrument that we have; it is unfortunate that most of us are not aware of the great potential of our minds. We use what is termed our conscious mind in our day to day living to communicate and interpret through five (5) senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) sometimes never realizing that we are using just a minute part of a greater force or energy.
Meditation is 'to think upon'. Training of the consciousness at many levels is the exercise to seek knowledge. Knowledge is the foundation upon which we build. Meditation will cultivate the understanding so that knowledge is absorbed by us and applied in our every day living.
Through the doors of meditation we learn to open the various levels of consciousness within; to understand the revelations behind each door and to apply them to all our experiences and to 'serve' those with whom we come in contact. We have the opportunity to take garnered knowledge on a personal basis, expand and refine it to our needs individually.
Meditation is a wondrous adventure, an important step in our spiritual awareness. As spirit here and now, everything in the universe is open to us, there is no limitation to what we can learn, only the limitations we impose upon ourselves. This is why contemplation and meditation are so important to us; we can unlock hidden, spiritual potential within our own being. There is only one (1) spiritual centre for each individual. There are many methods and purposes for meditation.
There should, of course, remain only one motive - "Service".
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|10 years ago :: Feb 06, 2008 - 10:57AM #5
The following meditation is to create your own private inner room at your own, personal, inner spiritual centre: Seat yourself comfortably in a chair, take a positive position, sitting upright, so that you will be as unconscious of your body as possible. At this stage take a couple of deep breaths to relax the body and put the mind at stillness. Remember we are not attempting to stop thoughts in the mind, but to refocus them to our visualization.
Close your eyes and use your inner forehead as a screen on which you are going to visualize your journey into peace. You are ready to raise your consciousness and create your own personal spiritual centre for you to use at any time.
Begin the journey by seeing a road or path. As this is your own journey it can be of any construction you desire...a dirt road, a paved road, a cement path, etc. As you travel your path, you can be barefoot to get the feel of all that surrounds you, or wearing walking shoes, whatever brings you comfort and peace on your journey.
We come to a gate at the side of the road and it seems to beckon us to examine what it behind the walls. Again, individual visualizations may vary according to your own choosing.
You enter a wonderful garden, where the grass is green and lush, the flowers are laid out in a profusion of color, and there is a little stream running through bringing the sounds, smells and feel of dampness to the environment. Birds sing, insects fly by, the butterflies and bees land on the flowers for nourishment and pollination.
You take your time to take in all the surroundings and to feel deep into your soul the peace that nature supplies. When you are ready, move on to the next step in your journey.
There is a bridge across the little stream and a small patch on the other side with a bench. You rest awhile and invite anyone you wish to commune with in this peaceful surroundings to join you (it can be a friend, or a family member or someone you know of who could do with the healing of peace).
This area of inviting a friend will be available to you time and again without entering into the center of your spiritual journey every time.
When ready, you move into the next step of the journey. There is a hedge along the side of your garden and you see a hole in the hedge inviting you to explore what is beyond this peaceful place.
As you peek through, you find your path leads through a dense forest of trees. They are so tall you cannot see the tops and they cast your path into shadow and twilight, but you can see your path clearly to follow from the sun peeking through the leaves of every shade of green.
The trees seem to pass their patient strength into your being, empowering you with a patient fortitude you have not felt before. While the bark is rough, you feel compelled to touch and embrace this strength and ruggedness into your growth.
Looking forward along the path is a bright spot showing a sunny meadow beyond the forest. Walking along you come out into a meadow of lush, green grass filled with wild flowers of every hue and color.
As you walk through this lovely meadow, you come to a pool of clear, blue water beckoning with freshness and rejuvenation. The sun shining on the pool gives it a jewel like appearance. It is so inviting, you take off your clothes and enter for a swim.
When you have refreshed yourself and are ready to leave the pool, you find a robe (the color is of your own choosing) ready for you to don to continue your journey.
As you look along your path, you see it leading into a shaded area where there is a small cottage located (again, build this according to your own preferences) and you know you have found your special, spiritual center.
Walk up to the door, open it and enter, remembering to close the door after entering. Visualize a room in which you are going to fill full of and confine the mental qualities of discrimination, strength, the power to concentrate, and truth, for your future and continuous use.
You will find yourself standing in a small room; the walls are completely unadorned, the only piece of furniture in this room is a wooden chair placed in the centre. This is your personal room where you can withdraw to anytime you so desire.
We are ready to energize our room with the energy of colour, that will always be there when we need it, whether it be for personal use or to aid someone else. Sit comfortably in the chair in the centre of your room.
Visualize the colour Red. See it cover and be absorbed into every area of your room. The walls, floors, ceiling are just glowing with the colour red. Then follow this exercise with each color in turn: Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.
Your room is now alive with colour, all blending in harmony with each other, all radiating their own special vibrations. Keep in mind, to draw all colours into itself to the White light. Your room is now energized.
Sit quietly for a few minutes to enjoy and feel uplifted by the energies you have created. Then think if there is someone you would like to commune with in your personal space or someone who you know needs a healing thought. Send out the thought that they come and visit you in your personal space.
Open the door and bid them enter (no one can enter unless you invite them), ask them to sit on your chair. You stand in front of them and taking their hands in yours, draw the energy to them to be used by your friend, where it can serve the most good.
When your communion or healing is complete, see your friend to the door with God's blessing. You can give healing to anyone in your room, but you must only invite them one at a time to enter, concentrate on them alone and bid them leave.
When you are completed and ready to leave your sanctuary, take another couple of minutes to send out Love energies to all humanity. Visualize the world as you would see it from space, project all the beautiful energies you have created and finish with the world slowly being enveloped in White, knowing this is God's Love and Peace being projected to the human race. Give thanks for this opportunity to express Love to All.
When you go through the door of your centre, lock it after you leave. You alone contain the key to this glorious experience.
Return as you came along the path until you come to the pool. Take off your robe and again bathe in the water, leaving behind all your accumulated energies for another time.
When ready, come out of the pool and don your every day clothes waiting on the pool's edge. Proceed down the path back to the meadow, back through the strength of the trees, again absorbing this vital energy as you pass through the hole in the hedge, back to your beautiful garden of sweet smells and sights. Leaving your garden behind, go out through the gate and return along the path to your every day consciousness and surroundings.
We need never energize our room again, for every time we help someone, regardless of how we do it, our room will keep re-energizing itself. So the more we serve others, the stronger the energy will become.
What a blessing!
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|10 years ago :: Feb 06, 2008 - 5:58PM #6
Hi Spiritalk
Thank you so much for the time you have taken to write to me, the kind words and the lovely meditation. I always say to my husband i go to my garden for peace, there is a stream and my rabbits, i can feel myself stroking them. I will certainly do the meditation, i look forward in fact to doing it. Thank you again for the time you gave to me.
Love, light and peace.
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|10 years ago :: Feb 07, 2008 - 4:15PM #7
Spiritalk, I also thank you for the beautiful meditation. I will be trying this also.
Love and Light,
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|10 years ago :: Feb 08, 2008 - 1:01PM #8
It is our individual mind that is at work - we can change and make the scene compatible for ourselves. Meditations are outlines - the practice is personal.
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|10 years ago :: Feb 12, 2008 - 9:13PM #9
Hi, I have tried off and on for I don't know how long to meditate, I always end up falling asleep. I can get pretty distracted when I do try. Can having a attention disability affect meditation, like ADD.? I haven't been formally diagnosed with a "label" but am curious. I've read articles. I find it hard to do a meditation when you are reading on how to do the meditation you want to try. Any thoughts on this?
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|10 years ago :: Feb 16, 2008 - 6:30PM #10
I'm really not very good at this (Meditation that is.) but for what it's worth, here's what works for me.
You need a practice that's simple and basic. Find a comfortable quiet place and sit. Sitting in the classic position; on the floor with your legs crossed, maybe in half lotus; is good because it helps you remain alert (Falling asleep is not at all unusual.) but any position; on the floor with your back against a wall, in a chair; is fine. Close your eyes and follow your breath. Maybe feel you lungs fill and empty, maybe notice the feeling as the air enters and exits your nostrils, maybe count your breaths from 1 to 10 and then back to 1, maybe just notice the inhalations and exhalations. The point here is to bring your mind into the present. Most of our thoughts are about either the past or the future. We want to put that aside and just live in the present moment for a while.
Relax. Don't tensely try to force your mind to do or not do something. Often people feel that if there are thoughts running through their mind, they're not meditating. This isn't true. There will always be thoughts running through your mind. It's simply the way your mind works. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them and let them go. Gently nudge your attention back to you breath.
Start out sitting for a short period of time; 10, 15, 20 minutes, whatever you feel you can do; and gradually increase it. Get a small kitchen timer and set it where you can see it. (It's okay if you have to peak.)
A couple things I think are important. First; don't expect any bells or whistles. Don't look for spirit guides or great spiritual experiences. This is a tough practical down-to-earth practice. If you do feel something strange, if you do get scared, acknowledge the feelings the way you would any thought and let them go. I think this sort of meditation can change your life but like most real change it's about slow deliberate progress.
Second; keep at it. Meditation is really really hard and it's difficult sometimes to make yourself sit once, much less every day. But daily practice is the key. Pick a time of day when it's quiet, when you feel rested and alert and when you have the time. If you miss a day, don't worry about it. If you miss a week or a month or a year (My life is full of sputters and false starts.) don't beat yourself up, just get back to it.
I wouldn't recommend using candles or music, a bare bones approach is what works best for me, but it's fine to experiment and try different things. Because everyone is different. The most important thing is to not get discouraged. This isn't either a sprint or a marathon; it's a different way of living and that always takes time.
Anyway, that's what works for me.
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