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San José, Costa Rica, Monday, May 26, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 102
Pacific hurricane season
normal or above normal
By the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration news service
The U.S. Climate Prediction Center says that a near-normal or above-normal hurricane season is likely for the eastern Pacific this year. The outlook calls for a 50 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 40 percent chance of a near-normal season, and a 10 percent chance of a below-normal season.
Seasonal hurricane forecasters are calling for a 70 percent chance of 14 to 20 named storms, which includes 7 to 11 hurricanes, of which 3 to 6 are expected to become major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale).
An average eastern Pacific hurricane season produces 15 named storms, with eight becoming hurricanes and four becoming major hurricanes. The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through Nov. 30, with peak activity from July through September.
"The key climate factor behind the outlook is the likely development of El Niño this summer. El Niño decreases the vertical wind shear over the eastern tropical Pacific, favoring more and stronger tropical storms and hurricanes," said Gerry Bell, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with the Climate Prediction Center, part of the U.S. National Weather Service. "The eastern Pacific has been in an era of low activity for hurricanes since 1995, but this pattern will be offset in 2014 by the impacts of El Niño."
Climate signals point to a potentially active hurricane season for the eastern Pacific this year, making preparedness more important than ever, he said. He encouraged the public to take time now to learn their personal risk, build an emergency kit and develop a contingency plan to ensure their resiliency in the face of wind, rain, flooding and storm surge that a hurricane may bring.
The first hurricane already is in the Pacific off the southern coast of México. Hurricane Amanda is expected to weaken considerably today.
The outlook is a general guide to the overall seasonal hurricane activity. It does not predict whether, where, or when any of these storms may hit land. Eastern Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes most often track westward over open waters, sometimes reaching Hawaii. However, some occasionally head toward the northeast and may bring rainfall to the arid southwestern United States during the summer or fall. Also, on average, two to three storms per season affect western Mexico or Central America.
The center's hurricane outlook for the central Pacific basin calls for a near-normal or above-normal season while the Atlantic basin is expected to be near-normal or below-normal.
Colombia's Santos now facing
a runoff against Zuluaga
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
with wire service reports
Colombia's presidential election has entered into a runoff stage, pitting incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos against right-winger Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.
Zuluaga came away with the advantage in the initial round on Sunday night. He garnered 29 percent of the votes compared to Santos' 25.5 percent, according to the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, Colombia's electoral body.
In an election so focused on security, Santos has preached the virtues of mediation while Zuluaga has campaigned with the promise of creating a stronger military to end the state's 50-year war with Marxist guerrillas.
Santos said he wants to end the conflict with Fuerza Armada Revolucionarias de Colombia rebels through negotiations taking place in Cuba. Zuluaga dismissed the talks as pandering to terrorists and suggested he would scrap them in favor of U.S.-backed military campaigns similar to those led by his mentor, former president Alvaro Uribe.
Santos and Zuluaga are polling neck-and-neck following a race marred by accusations of electronic espionage and drug-linked campaign financing. Neither is seen winning enough votes to avoid a June 15 run-off.
Polling stations in Colombia opened on schedule Sunday morning at 8 a.m. local time for the first round election, with more than 32 million eligible to vote, a wire service report said.
The peace process, hosted by Cuba, seeks to end a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than five million since it erupted in 1964. The talks have yielded agreements on three items of a five-point agenda, including agreements on rural reform, the participation of former guerrillas in politics and the battle against drug trafficking.
But Zuluaga has galvanized conservative Colombians who believe the talks will fail like three similar attempts since the 1980s, including a 1999 peace deal that let the rebels bolster their ranks and boost involvement in drugs.
While Colombians are desperate to see an end to the killing, many are outraged that guerrilla leaders accused of crimes against humanity could be pardoned or hold political office, said the wire services.
Jade museum will open
to public today at 10 a.m.
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The new Museo de Jade will be open to the public today with a 10 a.m. ceremony.
The facility, operated by the Instituto Nacional de Seguros had an inauguration a few days before President Laura Chinchilla left office, and a plaque there bears her name.
However, workers said then the museum was not totally finished.
Today the guests will be students from Saint Jude School.
The Instituto Nacional de Seguros says that for the first time the totality of its archaeological holdings will be on view to the public.
Fiscal general declines
to seek reappointment
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The fiscal general, the nation's chief prosecutor, will not seek re-election in October. That was the content of a message released by the Poder Judicial Friday.
The fiscal general, Jorge Alberto Chavarría Guzmán, sent a letter to Zarela Villanueva Monge, the president of the Corte Suprema de Justicia, reflecting his decision. He told the magistrate that a new fiscal general should be named before his current term expires in October, so they can work together for awhile.
Chavarría has not been a controversial figure, but his effectiveness has been questioned. He is leaving at a time when the entire judiciary is being studied for penetration by drug cartels and other organized crime operations. In fact, he is one of the judicial higher-ups who is doing the investigation.
Prosecutor conducts searches
at Municipalidad de Osa
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The anti-corruption prosecutor engineered two searches Friday, including one at the Municipalidad de Osa. The second was at the company Sociedad Topográfica Catastral A y C S.A..
The Poder Judicial said that the mayor of the municipality, Jorge Alberto Cole De León, was being investigated for paying himself too much salary. The judicial release said that the mayor had been paying himself a stipend for not working at his private profession when he did not have the academic background for that type of job. He is believed to be a medical radiological technician.
The investigation also includes a look at payments to the private company and to municipal council members or regidores, who approve the sale of some land.
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|San José, Costa Rica, Monday, May 26, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 102
|Striking teachers irked because education minister ducked
By Michael Krumholtz
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Teacher strikes enter into a fourth week today as the Costa Rican government still has failed to pay all missing wages. The announcement to continue striking came from union leaders after a Friday meeting with Ministry of Educación Pública representatives. Sonia Marta Mora Escalante, the minister, did not attend.
The teacher unions were expecting to issue a proposal with a list of scheduled demands and commitments. However, representatives from the Asociación Nacional de Educadores said they would not hand over the document because they wanted to talk directly to Ms. Mora. The association made a statement saying that Ms. Mora has full power in resolving this issue and that the vice ministers who attended the meeting instead have not been involved since the beginning of the strike.
Contained in the pending document is the demand for full reimbursement of lost payments from April and early May, on top of the normal pay for their biweekly check due today.
Another requirement under the union proposal is the creation of a commission that ensures all payments are made and analyzes the root problems with Integra2, the new government payroll software that generated this conflict. The document further demands that the government conduct a full investigation and report on the faulty pay system by Aug. 30.
Last Tuesday, educators' association representative Ana Magaly Mora Rodriguez said that more than 13,000 teachers were still awaiting full compensation even after the state had its bank association supply payments to faculty who had yet to receive any of their paychecks.
Leaders from the educators association have said that they will consider a halt in striking only when all teachers are paid in full.
Friday thousands marched along Avenida Segunda, marking the largest demonstration since strikes began three weeks ago. A variety of groups walked side by side with the teachers to lend their support as family members, students, and medical workers joined the march.
The Universidad de Costa Rica's student federation was represented
A.M. Costa Rica/Michael KrumholtzMarchers tally at the Ministerio de Hacienda, the finance ministry.
in the protesting crowd that stopped in front of the finance ministry building. Federation Vice President Paula Dobles Fernández said even though their professors are on a different payment system, university students want to make sure the rights of Costa Rica's teachers are secured. Ms. Dobles said students will continue to rally behind the unpaid teachers until the pay fiasco is solved.
A statement issued from the Universidad de Costa Rica said the university sees this affair as unacceptable and asked the government to take responsibility and immediately resolve the situation. And while his alma mater condemns the situation, President Luis Guillermo Solís has asked teachers to suspend the strike for the sake of their students who are missing valuable school time.
In the document, union leaders stipulate that the education ministry shall not enact any reprisals, like deducting pay from those teachers on strike.
The three teacher unions that collaborated in designing the would-be proposal are the Asociación Nacional de Educadores, the Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza, and the Sindicato de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de Educación Costarricenses.
|Tiny Costa Rican wasp wins fame as example of new species
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The tiny wasp found at the LaSelva Biological Station in northern Heredia province is among the smallest of flying insects, but it is getting some fame because the International Institute for Species Exploration named it one of the top 10 new species in 2014.
Actually the tiny wasp, called Tinkerbella nana, entered the scientific literature last year. The delicate wasp is so small that its discoverer, John S. Noyes, gently swept it up from the floor of a secondary forest and did not actually see the wasp until he began sorting in an ethanol bath what he had collected.
The genus name Tinkerbella refers to the fairy in the Peter Pan stories. Nana, the species name, is the dog in the same set of stories and movies.
The wasp is a parasite and appears to lay its eggs in the eggs of other insects.
The tiny size and delicately fringed wings of the parasitoid wasp family Mymaridae led to their common name: fairyflies, said the International Institute for Species Exploration in explaining its selections.
The LaSelva Biological Station, operated by the Organization for Tropical Research, is a factory for species discovery. The site contains 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical wet forests and disturbed lands, the organization says. The Braulio Carrillo National Park is along one border.
Tinkerbella nana measures just 250 micrometers. That's 0.0098 of an inch or about two and a half times the width of a human hair. The smallest known flying insect is about two thirds the size of Tinkerbella, but scientist still are looking.
Noyes is with the Natural History Museum, London. His colleague with whom he shared the discovery is John T. Huber of the Canadian National Collection of Insects, which boasts an assortment of 1.5 million wasps.
"I think most people would be surprised to learn that, on average,
Canadian National Collection of Insects/Jennifer ReadWhite line represents 100 micrometers.
we describe about 17,000 and 18,000 new species each year," said Quentin Wheeler of the International Institute for Species Exploration.
The full description is in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research HERE!
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|San José, Costa Rica, Monday, May 26, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 102
|President Solís talks about rescuing Ruta 1856 in his
first visit there
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera got a first-hand look Friday at one of the challenges of his administration. He visited the Ruta 1856 that contractors built rapidly along the Río San Juan.
This is the highway that is the subject of criminal investigations.
President Laura Chinchilla authorized the highway when there was a threat from Nicaraguan troops who had invaded a small part of Costa Rica.
Solis later said that a lot more work has to be done on the highway to make it sustainable. He spoke about drainage systems, ways to capture sediment and also the possibility of making the stretch two lanes.
He was accompanied by Carlos Segnini Villalobos, the minister of Obras Públicas y Transportes, and Luis Guillermo Loría Salazar of the Laboratorio Nacional de Materiales y Modelos Estructurales at the Universidad de Costa Rica.
The sense was that an overall redesign was needed. The materials laboratory is expected to be deeply involved. The president and his minister were talking about rescuing the highway before the forces of nature inflict heavy damage.
Solís also ordered that timber that was cut illegally during the construction of the highway should be shipped to the Central Valley where it will be used to make desks for schoolchildren.
Casa Presidential photoPresident Solís weathers the storm in a later visit to the Barra del Colorado station of the Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas.
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|San José, Costa Rica, Monday, May 26, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 102
|Obama visits Afghanistan
to cheer U.S. troops there
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. President Barack Obama has left Afghanistan after a four-hour surprise visit to see American troops during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Speaking late Sunday at Bagram Airfield, the president told troops he is thankful for their service. He called them real heroes.
Memorial Day is a time when Americans honor the country's war dead.
Obama said they are completing the U.S. mission in Afghanistan by decimating al-Qaida leaders in the tribal regions, reversing the Taliban's momentum and protecting lives back home by preventing attacks from the region.
He also said he hopes a U.S.-Afghan security agreement will be signed once a new Afghan president is sworn in.
Before leaving Afghanistan, Obama called President Hamid Karzai to praise the progress being made by security forces and the successful first round of presidential elections, and to express support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process with the Taliban. The call lasted 15 to 20 minutes according to a senior administration official.
International combat troops are set to complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of this year. Some forces could remain in the country after December 2014 in a training and advisory role, if Afghan leaders approve the bilateral security agreement.
Country music star Brad Paisley kicked off the president's rally with a performance for some of the 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan. Paisley traveled to Bagram Airfield with the president.
Obama said his administration would likely announce soon how many troops the United States will keep in the country, as it winds down its presence after nearly 13 years of war.
The trip comes as Obama is being hit by criticism at home that his handling of foreign policy has been too passive in dealing with crises from Syria to Ukraine and Russia.
He is to respond to the criticism in a speech on Wednesday at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Obama also delivered remarks to troops at Bagram, getting hollers from the crowd as he told them, "I'm here on a single mission and that is to thank you for your extraordinary service."
The president said, "Of all the honors I have as serving as president, nothing matches serving as your commander in chief. But I'm also here representing 300 million Americans who say thank you as well."
"When it comes to supporting you and your families, the American people stand united. We support you. We are proud of you. We stand in awe of your service," he said in a news conference.
The president will not make a hospital visit at Ramstein air base in Germany on his return trip, as had been reported. It is a refueling stop only, and was never planned to be a hospital visit
His trip was bound to be seen by some critics as an attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of military veterans who are alarmed at allegations that government-run medical facilities in the United States have not provided timely care for veterans.
At Bagram, Obama was briefed by Army Gen. Joseph Dunford, who heads U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham.
Obama left Washington under cover of darkness Saturday night and flew for more than 13 hours to arrive at Bagram Sunday night local time.
He said the war had reached a pivotal point, with Afghan forces assuming primary responsibility for their country's security. By 2015, many of the 32,800 American forces now in Afghanistan will depart.
"For many of you, this will be your last tour in Afghanistan," Obama said as hundreds of U.S. troops inside an airplane hangar erupted in applause.
"America's war in Afghanistan will come to a responsible end," he said.
Name of CIA station chief
accidentally put on trip list
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The White House has revealed to reporters the name of the Central Intelligence Agency's top officer in Afghanistan, in an apparent accidental release as President Barack Obama was making a previously unannounced visit to the country.
The Washington Post reported that the name of the spy agency chief in the country was on a list of U.S. officials the White House gave to one of its reporters who was serving as the so-called pool reporter to provide details of the trip to other news organizations.
The list contained the names of officials who took part in a briefing with Obama, including National Security Adviser Susan Rice, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan General Joseph Dunford and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham.
The Post said the reporter contacted the White House to ask if the CIA station chief's name was meant to be on the list, and a short time later a new list without the name was distributed to the media.
Hubble's remarkable success
cheered by scientists
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Hubble Space Telescope has changed the way humans see the universe.
For almost a quarter of a century, it has sent vast amounts of data and images from space. A new exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington documents how Hubble's remarkable success has hinged on its ability to be repaired and serviced in orbit.
Hubble was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990. Mission Control saw something it hadn't expected: fuzzy images. Hubble Space Telescope Program Manager Douglas Broome delivered the troubling news:
"The conclusion we've come to is that a significant spherical aberration appears to be present in the optics, in the optical telescope system optics," he said.
In other words - the outer edge of Hubble's primary mirror had been ground too flat, off by roughly one-fiftieth the thickness of a human hair. In 1993, a shuttle mission carried a replacement camera, WFPC2 and an instrument with corrective lenses called COSTAR for astronauts to install on the telescope.
"The COSTAR inserted mirrors into the optical beam that corrected the light for all the other instruments," said National Air and Space Museum senior curator David Devorkin.
The fix proved that very difficult and very complicated operations could be undertaken by shuttle astronauts.
"The whole idea of living and working in space is doing useful stuff, and this certainly was useful," Devorkin said. "On the astronomical side and you might say on the technical side, it represents how fast telescopes are improving because Hubble was only repaired once, but it was upgraded four times."
COSTAR and WFPC2 were replaced in 2009 and are now on exhibit in the museum.
Hubble images have become better and sharper over time, and its data has allowed astronomers to confirm that the universe is expanding and calculate its age to some 13 to 14 billion years.
And the powerful space telescope has led to other important breakthroughs.
"… understanding star forming regions, how stars form out of gas and dust, and now the ability of the Hubble to see deeply into the infrared, far deeper than before has shown us the processes inside these interstellar clouds that literally are forming the stars and their interaction with the dust and gas around them," Devorkin said.
As Hubble nears the end of its journey in space, the telescope has paved the way for its replacement. The James Webb Space Telescope with an expected launch date in 2018 will probe even farther beyond the spectrum of light with a primary mirror five times larger than Hubble.
"The James Webb is optimized for infrared because all of the most amazing discoveries about galaxy formation, star formation and the kind of stuff that astronomers want to know is in the infrared," Devorkin said.
No more service missions are scheduled for repairs or upgrades. Hubble's components will slowly degrade to the point the telescope stops working. When that happens, the telescope will continue to orbit the Earth until its orbit decays, allowing it to spiral toward Earth. A robotic mission is expected to help de-orbit Hubble, guiding its remains through a plunge through the atmosphere and into the ocean, as its stellar career comes to an end.
But for now, as Hubble nears its 25th birthday next year, the telescope is still going strong.
Astronomers hope it will last long enough for the James Webb Space Telescope to launch so that the two can be in space at same time and calibrate with one another.
Multiple California murders
were promised in video
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The son of a Hollywood director methodically killed six people in three locations late Friday night in the western U.S. state of California, and then apparently killed himself.
Police say Elliot Rodger, the 22-year-old son of an assistant director on "The Hunger Games," began his killing rampage at his apartment near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he stabbed three men to death.
He then gunned down two women outside a sorority before killing a man outside a delicatessen.
Police say Rodger, who was a Santa Barbara City College student, then got in his car and opened fire on pedestrians. Thirteen people were wounded in the drive-by shooting frenzy.
Police say Rodger was found dead in his car with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
Authorities say his killing spree was foreshadowed in a chilling Internet video in which he said he would slaughter all the people who had wronged him. He had also written a lengthy statement on his Facebook page describing himself as an outcast, frustrated by his inability to have relationships with women. He said he would start his plan of vengeance by killing as many people as he could by luring them to his apartment.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bob Brown described the slayings as the work of a madman.
Deputies found three semi-automatic handguns and dozens of rounds of unused ammunition in Rodger's car. Officials say all were legally purchased.
Brown said police deputies went to Rodger's apartment last month to check on him at the request of his family. The deputies reported that Rodger was shy and polite, but was having a difficult social life.
Tennessee reverts to use
of electrical executions
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The governor of Tennessee has signed a bill allowing the southern U.S. state to use the electric chair to perform executions on death row inmates.
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam signed the bill into law Thursday. Tennessee lawmakers passed the electric chair legislation in April.
The new law allows Tennessee to electrocute death row inmates in the event prisons are unable to obtain lethal injection drugs, which have become scarce since a European-led boycott of drug sales for executions.
Pharmaceutical companies in the United States have also begun refusing to supply the drugs needed for lethal injections, forcing state authorities to turn to more loosely regulated companies known as compounding pharmacies.
Lethal injection is the primary execution method in U.S. states that have capital punishment.
The Tennessee law comes as lethal injection is receiving more scrutiny as an execution method after last month's botched execution in Oklahoma. In that case, convicted killer Clayton Lockett received a new three-drug lethal injection combination that left him writhing on a gurney for several minutes before he eventually died from a heart attack.
Several death row inmates have launched court cases against their sentences, arguing that the use of less regulated pharmaceuticals could cause significant pain and is inhumane.
Amnesty International says there was a spike in the number of death sentences carried out worldwide in 2013, with China topping the list. The U.S. was fifth on the list with 39 executions, one place behind Saudi Arabia's 79.
University of Helsinki graphic
White arrow show a brain aneurysm
Size of brain aneurysm
unrelated to risk, study says
By the University of Helsinki news service
Approximately one third of all brain aneurysms rupture during a patient's lifetime, resulting in a brain hemorrhage. A recent Finnish study demonstrates that, unlike what was previously assumed, the size of the aneurysm does not significantly impact the risk of rupture.
The new Finnish study established that approximately one third of all aneurysms and up to one fourth of small aneurysms will rupture during a patient's lifetime. The lifetime risk for rupture of a brain aneurysm depends heavily on the patient's overall load of risk factors.
The risk of rupture is particularly high for female smokers with brain aneurysms of seven millimeters or more in diameter.
What surprised the researchers most was that the size of an aneurysm had little impact on its risk for rupture, particularly for men, despite a previously presumed correlation. In addition, the risk of rupture among non-smoking men was exceptionally low.
"This is not to say that aneurysms in non-smoking men never rupture, but that the risk is much lower than we previously thought. This means treating every unruptured aneurysm may be unnecessary if one is discovered in a non-smoking man with low blood pressure," says Seppo Juvela, University of Helsinki.
The study, published in Stroke 22nd May, is unique in that it monitored aneurysm patients over their entire lifetimes, whereas typical follow-up studies last only between one and five years in duration. The study is also exceptionally broad in scope.
It is unlikely that another similar, non-selected lifetime follow-up study on aneurysm patients will ever be conducted again, Juvela said.
Current care practices are based largely on the results of previous, shorter studies. Such studies have shown that the size of the aneurysm is the most significant factor predicting its risk for rupture. Consequently, small aneurysms have often been left untreated.
It is difficult to conduct reliable epidemiological research in brain aneurysms. The past 10 to 15 years have seen a distortion in the field due to a very limited group of researchers determining the direction for research. Now the situation is clearly changing, and clinically reasonable, population-based studies using non-selected data are on the rise again, states Miikka Korja of the Helsinki University Central Hospital neurosurgery clinic.
The Helsinki University Central Hospital is one of the world's leading units to provide treatment for brain aneurysms, and Finland has a strong tradition of studying the prevalence, risk factors and care of brain aneurysms.
Voice of America photoResearcher begins to mix a bath of graphene
New process uses a blender
to make wonder graphene
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A relatively new substance called graphene is being hailed as the wonder material of the 21st century, but no one has developed a way to mass produce it.
However, one Irish scientist says he may have a solution.
Graphite is another name for pure carbon, a well-known material used for, among other things, pencil lead.
But when the layers of graphite are separated into sheets only one atom thick, the material, known as graphene, behaves quite differently. At that level, the atoms form strict geometric patterns, making it not only stronger than steel but also the best conductor of heat and electricity.
Theoretically, graphene could radically change the way we manufacture batteries, computer chips and flexible screens, or approach cancer therapy.
Industry experts say separating and manipulating extremely thin sheets of graphene is a huge challenge.
"One of the things that's been holding this back is a supply of large scale, large quantities of graphene, good quality graphene, at reasonably low cost," said Keith Paton of chemical manufacturer Thomas Swan.
But Jonathan Coleman, at the materials science center of Trinity College in Dublin, says it can be done by mixing graphite with water and a surfactant, a form of soap, in an ordinary kitchen blender. The rapidly rotating blade separates the layers, which stick to the blender's wall.
"At this early stage there's also graphite in there, so we have to go through a processing stage where we separate the graphite from the graphene and when we do that we get this nice black liquid here and what this is, is graphene in water with surfactant," Coleman said.
Coleman, the project's principal investigator, says once this process is perfected and adjusted for large-scale production, graphene will begin to change the way many items are manufactured - from high-strength plastic to printed electronic circuits.
"There will be many applications that will involve its conductivity, so if you make a very very thin layer of graphene on a surface that layer is conductive and so, for example, it can be used as electrodes in solar cells or batteries," he said.
Scientists say this wonder material could be also used in water treatment plants and for cleaning up oil spills. Large scale production may start by the end of this year.
Francis to see Israeli leaders
after visit with top Muslim
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Pope Francis is scheduled to meet today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. He will also visit Israel's national cemetery, Mount Herzl, and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.
In a welcome ceremony with the Israeli leaders, the pope said, "The right of the state of Israel to exist and to flourish in peace and security within internationally recognized borders must be universally recognized."
Earlier today, the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics will meet with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, at the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem's Old City, and visit the Dome of the Rock. The mosque compound is built on Judaism's holiest site where the biblical First and Second Temples are believed to have stood. The compound is considered the third holiest site in Islam.
Today is the last day of the pope's three-day Middle Eastern visit.
Sunday, Israeli President Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accepted Pope Francis' invitation to come to the Vatican and pray for peace with him.
Speaking in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Francis said the time has come "for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative" in ending "a protracted conflict that has inflicted many wounds."
The pope presided Sunday over a joint prayer service with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried.
Francis also celebrated Mass at Bethlehem's Manger Square, near the site where Christians believe Jesus was born, before meeting with Palestinian children in Deheisheh Refugee Camp.
Saturday, in Jordan, Francis held talks with King Abdullah and heard first-hand accounts of the suffering of refugees who have fled Iraq and Syria for the safety of makeshift encampments in Jordan.
Previous popes have always gone to the West Bank after first arriving in Tel Aviv, Israel. Francis' itinerary is being viewed as a symbolic nod to Palestinian aspirations for their own state.
The papal visit comes just weeks after the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed, with the Israelis accusing Abbas of sabotaging the talks by agreeing to a unity deal with Hamas Islamists who run the Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, Francis hailed the good relations between the Holy See and Palestine. Palestinian President Abbas said he told the pope Sunday that Israel is forcing Christians and Muslims out of Jerusalem.
In its official program, the Vatican referred to Palestinian President Abbas as the president of the "state of Palestine," and his Bethlehem office as the "presidential palace."
Both Israelis and Palestinians have been trying to harness the Pope's standing as leader of the world's Roman Catholics to bolster their dueling narratives.
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Ministerio de Gobernación, PolicíaFour captured crewmen are aboard a Costa Rican vessel after the cutter 'Bear' (above) delivered them to port.
y Seguridad Pública photos
U.S. Coast Guard delivers
four from marijuana boat
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The U.S. Coast Guard turned over the crew of a Costa Rican boat to police officials Sunday. The cutter "Bear' had stopped the boat, the "Tuker" in international waters and found nearly two tons of marijuana.
Officials in Costa Rica said they thought the boat was carrying marijuana from Jamaica. The delivery of the boat and the three Costa Rican crewmen was in conformity with the drug suppression agreement between the United States and Costa Rica. The Coast Guard crew also left a six-kilo sample of the confiscated material with officials in Limón as evidence. The fourth member of the crew is a Nicaraguan.
"Bear," a 270-foot cutter with a home port in Portsmouth, Virginia, is a veteran of drug patrols.
Key highway reopened
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Highway workers managed to get the key Ruta 32 reopened by midday Saturday after heavy rains undercut the roadway in two places.
There also was a slide reported.
The locations were at the San Isidro toll station and at the Río Frio, said a Consejo de Vialidad report.
This is the highway that connects San José with the northern zone and the Caribbean coast.
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Many people we know haven't heard of Kyrgyzstan, they don't even know it exists. After visiting the country and seeing how amazing it is, we want to shout from the rooftops about it.
It's an interesting country full of beautiful landscapes, intriguing culture and the friendliest people you will find.
Here are our top 10 reasons on why you should consider visiting Kyrgyzstan.
1. Visa – free for 61 countries.
Visas can be a pain to obtain, expensive and a restriction to many people wanting to travel the world. Thankfully, Kyrgyzstan offers entry visa-free for 30 days to citizens of 61 nations.
Visa the Kyrgyzstan Embassy website for more details.
2. Visit one of the largest salt lakes in the world – Issyk-Kul
Issyk-Kul is an endorheic lake in the northern Tian Shan mountains in eastern Kyrgyzstan. It is the fifth largest endorheic lake in the world. (Endorheic meaning that the lake has no outlet other than evaporation.) Issyk-Kul is translated to "Warm Lake", because even though it is surrounded by snow-topped mountains, it never freezes.
Travelling around Issyk-Kul Lake is full of activities to keep you busy for weeks. The lake is huge and varies so much as you travel around there is always something new to see.
The North
Cholpon-Ata is a beach-side town popular with tourists in the high season. In the summer months, make sure to head down to the beach early to reserve your space. If basking in the sun isn't for you, check out the local history museum or the yacht club which are both beach-side attractions. There are also some magnificent ancient carvings at the Open-Air Petroglyph Museum, just a short taxi ride away.
Where to stay: Apple Hostel is ran by volunteers (& always on the look-out for more!) It's a simple hostel but with everything a backpacker could want, in the centre of town. You have full use of the kitchen and it's the perfect place to meet other travellers.
How to get there: Marshutkas or taxi from Bishkek (Western Bus Station) or Karakol (Long distance Bus Station).
The West
Karakol is the biggest town on Issyk-Kul Lake. This town is a hub of activity as it is the starting point for many treks in the region.
The huge main bazaar has everything you could think of. It's full of character and great for an afternoon stroll. It's also the perfect place if you need to pick up any bits and bobs for your trip. The animal market every Sunday is not to be missed, head to the reason Number 10 to find out why.
Local food: The local dish is Karakol is Ashlan-Fu. A cold noodle dish with two types of noodles in a vinegar chili sauce traditionally eaten with some deep-fried bread filled with potatoes called Piroshky.
Where to stay: Duet Hostel is a modern and friendly hostel perfect for backpackers. It has one 12-bed dormitory with the option of staying in a Yurt too. Wonderfully clean and comfortable facilities with a kitchen you can use. Next door to a bar/coffee shop/creative space ran by the same owners. A great place where travellers can relax, also a lovely suntrap in the evenings!
How to get there: Marshutkas running regularly to Karakol from Bishkek (Western Bus Station) and other major towns around the lake. Journey time from Bishkek – 6 hours, Cholpon-ata – 2 hours, Bokonbaevo – 2 hours and Balkychy – 4 hours.
The South
Jeti-Oguz and the Seven Bulls Rock Formation
The Seven Bulls is a famous rock formation in Kyrgyzstan and one of legend. These magnificent red rocks protrude out of the land and look like they are charging towards you. We could have sat and marvelled at them all day.
You can walk down through the valley at Jeti-Oguz, when you have crossed 5 bridges, you will reach the Valley of Flowers where it opens up to beautiful alpine forests and view of the mountains. Continue up the hill to a waterfall and more spectacular views of the mountains. A great idea would be to take a horse-ride to the waterfall, it's a much more fun way to see the landscape.
It is possible to visit Jeti-Oguz as a day trip from Karakol but if you would like to stay the night, guesthouses are available just below the Seven Bulls.
How to get there: Marshutkas run regularly from Karakol, near the Main Bazaar and take only 30 minutes. You will then need to take a taxi to the resort at Jeti-Oguz.
Fairytale Canyon also known as Skazka Canyon.
This flaming red canyon is something to be marvelled at on the Southside of Issyk-Kul. The zig zag canyon is great fun as you can wander up and down, in and around the canyon as you like. A natural pathway in the valley with high walls looking similar to the Great wall of China. Climb to the top and you can see great views of the lake and the mountains on the North side of it's a clear day.
Entrance fee: 50SOM (£0.50)
How to get there: Take a marshutka or taxi (or hitch-hike) to Karakol or Bokonbaevo, depending on which way you are travelling around the lake and ask to get off at the Skazka Canyon.
Where to stay: Bel-Tam Yurt Camp is a lakeside haven. A relaxing and peaceful camp where you can stay in a traditional yurt for 850-950SOM (£8-9 a night). For an additional cost, the campsite offers delicious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also camp in your tent for 250SOM (£2.50 a night). The Fairytale Canyon can be visited as a day-trip from Bel-Tam Yurt Camp.
How to get there: Set right by the lake just under 1km walk from the small village of Ton and a 10 minute drive from the town of Bokonbaevo.
3. Explore incredible scenery
From canyons, lakes and waterfalls to alpine forests and magical mountains ranges, Kyrgyzstan has it all. 90% of the country is about 1500m high so wherever you look you can see dramatic, beautiful scenery. The best time to visit is late May – early September as that's when many of the roads are open and not blocked by snow.
You can see this scenery by car, bicycle, by foot or even by horse. Take your pick and enjoy the view!
4. Perfect for trekking
Trekking is one of the most popular reasons people visit Kyrgyzstan. You can find trekking routes throughout the country, from day treks to 5 day treks. You can walk to high-altitude lakes like Ala-Kol Lake, 3500m high and a 2 day walk from Karakol. Or you may just want to enjoy the alpine forests and hot springs. Take your pick!
Wild camping is allowed in the majority of the country. Make sure to camp responsibly, tidy up after yourself and don't disturb the locals.
5. Cheap and easy to travel about
It's very safe and easy to travel around Kyrgyzstan. There is a strong public transport infrastructure throughout the whole country. Whether you are travelling 12 hours across the country from Osh to Bishkek or even going down the road, there will be local transport called Marshutkas available as well as private taxis which are more expensive. If not, feel confident enough to hitch hike although be aware that local people might ask for money for the ride, usually the same price you'd pay for a taxi. This is because they need extra money. If this is the case, hold tight and wait for a free ride or pay the local price, either way you should get a nice conversation with a local.
Marshutkas are the most popular wheels of transport because they are cheap, often standard pricing and convenient. They depart from designated bus stations so make sure you go to the right one.
Locals use them too so you can feel confident that you are in good hands. If you are backpacking, the drivers sometimes want extra money for your baggage. Refuse to pay or at least barter for a cheaper price, nobody else is being charged for their bags!
6. Try local foods
Kyrgyzstan food is similar to that all over Central Asia. It's generally quite greasy and meat-based. If you are vegetarian or vegan, be prepared to taste some local, fresh meat or have a tough time confusing the restaurant staff. Saying that, many homestays seem to be quite aware that tourists may have an aversion to meat.
Popular dishes include –
Plov (Osh) – Rice dish cooked in oil with beef, carrots and spices.
Samsa – A puff pastry pasty with meat filling. Potato and veg pasties can be found. They are very popular and can be found in many shops in towns and villages across the country.
Sashlik – Barbecued meat kebab. You will see this being cooked on the streets outside of restaurants, not just in Kyrgyzstan but it's just as popular in Uzbekistan too.
Kumiz – Fermented horse milk is a very popular drink in Kyrgyzstan. You can buy it on the streets in the cities and in all shops around the country.
7. Go horse-riding in lush green valleys and meadows
Horses are very popular in Kyrgyzstan. When we first entered on the road from the Tajik border to Osh, the fields were lush and the filled with horses. From that moment, we knew we would love Kyrgyzstan.
Horse-riding is the thing to do in Kyrgyzstan. You can arrange horse – trekking tours through many tour companies when you are in the country or if like us you don't want to go through an agency, get chatting to some local people and arrange it first-hand. It'll a lot cheaper and way more fun!
8. Meet friendly Kyrgyz people
Kyrgyz people are some of the most friendly we have ever met. They are very generous and welcoming of tourists. From friendly chats in the local marshutka to strangers greeting us in the street, you will feel safe and welcomed in Kyrgyzstan.
9. Experience living in a Yurt
A yurt is the traditional home of a Kyrgyz family and can be found all over the country. They have become a popular tourist attraction, so you will be able to find many yurt camps where you can stay the night. Some are more expensive than others because they come with heating and proper bedding. It all depends where you are and what you are looking for.
10. Visit the famous animal market on Karakol every Sunday
This is a market like no other. Bazaars are a popular place of interest in Central Asia. However, the animal market is Karakol is something else.
Every Sunday morning from 2am – 10am, local farmers are selling their cattle, sheep and horses. You can get in amongst the hundreds of animals being sold and the many eager buyers.
Arrive around 6:30am for the peak time to see the market is full swing. Not to be missed.
Book your next accommodation using this link to recieve £15 credit with booking.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Auggie 19, 41 A.B.
Has anybody here seen my old friend, Bunny? Can you tell me where she's gone?? She ate a lot of flowers, but I doubt that she exploded. I just turned around (after a 3-week, court-ordered, drug-induced coma) and she was GONE!
(One Bunny)
NAME: Unknown. Does NOT answer to any of the 450+ names on my Special Names List . If you spot a bunny and it comes when you shout any of these 450+ names, it is NOT the bunny I am looking for. Please do NOT waste my time with it!
ADDRESS: Well, DUH! If I knew THAT, I wouldn't be upset enough to write this, would I??
MODEL: Basic brown (otherwise known as "Brassy Butternut" in the U.S. Army's latest Surplus Bunny Catalog)
SERIAL NUMBER: 7146878B - judging from the negative imprint left in the mud where she was seen wallowing one day last spring. I cannot rule out the possibly of a hoax orchestrated by ants that might have watched that Discover special on how those British guys faked crop circles, however. (This was before I found the wire leading from my cable pole to an anthill and ripped it out.)
AGE/D.O.B.: Hey, I just love 'em, I don't date 'em!
GENDER: I'm guessing she was a female, since I keep using the pronoun "she" with regard to her, but who knows - maybe bunny grammar rules are the exact opposite of ours.
MARITAL STATUS: Judging from the expression on her face, I'd say she was excessively married.
RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE: Unknown. But there was a certain something about her I can't describe which rather reminded me of a Zen Buddhist I once sat behind in a college philosophy class and tormented by endlessly clapping one hand. (It may have been the furry ears... hmmmmm....)
KNOWN ALLERGIES: Cats, birds of prey, lawnmowers, poorly dubbed Japanese horror movies; also, had a Med Alert bracelet warning against the application of hollandaise sauce
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Habits, stealth, coloration, and quietness all contributed to making my bunny very difficult to spot or notice. If you're in an area that appears to be bunny-free, my bunny very well might be there! CHECK, DAMMIT!
Oh, who am I fooling... It's hopeless - HOPELESS! All that probably remains of my sweet little bunny is a bit of dirty brown fur, going around and around the rear wheel of a Ford Explorer or ironically named Good Humor truck. Or maybe my bunny is now little more than an excreted pile of schnauzer poop, sadly destined to fertilize flowers my dear little cutie will never get a chance to eat....
Only one question remains in my tired, grief-stricken mind...
Will YOU be my bunny?
It's not very hard work, and you can pretty much eat whatever you want in my back yard, and you can have the entire winter off for hibernating - and much of the spring, too, once you get all done popping babies out of your tight little burrow (not provided).
Oh, it would mean sooooo much to me. It really would!! I would HUG you and KISS you and LOVE you forever and ever!!!!!
Just take the following Bunny Civil Service Exam (mandated by law) while I toss a few fresh carrot chunks out my back door and we'll be all set!
1) Can you chew grass and hop at the same time?
2) Does your tail look great against a green background?
3) Can you go for extended periods of time without having a cigarette dangling seductively from your wine-scented lips?
4) Will being shot at every so often inflame your natural paranoia to such an extent that you'll be inclined to file for workman's comp?
5) Can you scratch behind your ears with at least one foot?
6) Have you had any experience defecating in public?
7) If caught by a dog, do you think you could manage to remember not to bleed on the marigolds, coleus, or herbs if I wrote it down for you on a little note you can hide in a hollowed-out tooth?
8) True or false: "I need to wear clothes to feel at ease when visiting the back yards of men I barely know."
9) You're not wanted for war crimes in Bosnia or Kosovo, are you?
Great, great - I'm sure you did great. You can start Monday. Or Tuesday. Surprise me.
Right now, I gotta go. Today is the first day of squirrel hunting season here in Ohio and I've just been informed by several of the 347 refugees in my house that the three jars of peanut butter I got yesterday will not be enough to guarantee my living to see another dawn.
Hope to be admiring ya from out my laundry room window SOON!
Back To An Entry
Too Damn Lazy To Haunt You
Home To Practice Escaping Down Holes
Pretending To Be Other Entries
Forward To What Just Might Be
The Finest Collection Of Haikus
Ever Written In Praise Of Fur
(©Now by Dan Birtcher, rodentus amator)
8b) "I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I have no 'bunny inappropriate' tattoos"
Signature __________________________
Witness __________________________
Notary Public __________________________
Innocent Bystander __________________________


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So, 24 hours after chemo, I have to go get a shot to boost the production of my bone marrow to try to prevent excessive fatigue or infections or bleeding. Luckily, my local doctor's office is willing to give me the shot so I don't have to drive the half hour into the Regional Cancer Center for a five-minute wait for a nurse to give me a shot. One of my fears was I would forget to pick up the shot from the pharmacy after chemo and then be forced to come back to the RCC. The pharmacy actually brought the shot out to me so I didn't have to worry about forgetting.
One of the side effects of boosting your bone marrow production, particularly in younger people who are starting with higher levels of bone marrow, is bone pain. The doctors and the nurses all told me to expect it, but it bothered me much less than I feared it would. I felt like I had the flu, without the fever. My whole body was tender, particularly along bones like my pelvis, spine, ribs, and skull. My head probably hurt the worst, along my cheeks, jaw line, and back of the neck.
Even though my body was sore, it never really slowed me down or affected my ability to do anything. I did notice it most at night when I was going to bed. For a couple of days, I slept with my daughter's Pillow Pet down at my legs. If I slept on my back, my knees fit perfectly over the sides of the pillow and were propped up in a comfortably bent angle. If I slept on my side, I put the side of the pillow between my legs and again, was much more comfortable. I slept great at night and had no problems going to sleep, and part of that was due to being more comfortable in the legs with the Pillow Pet – highly recommended!


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World Trade Center
Answer: I would probably ask the 5,000 people beforehand to bring in an artifact about the issue they want to discuss, and bring it to that event. Then when people discuss their issue at the table, and vote, everyone is on the same page.
Then I would probably collect their artifacts, and display them on a wall or inspiration board, whether part of an exhibition or not. That way, people can assume that their time and thoughts were considered.
I was impressed with this exhibition at the Center For Architecture. These two walls display numerous articles about the design and construction of what the new Freedom Tower.


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Remember back in 2014 when Volkswagen put the T-Roc Concept on display at the Geneva auto show? Well, you would be crazy if you didn't since it was really one of the couple of VW ideas that we might really value. It even included a detachable roofing that would put it in business of taking on models like the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet and the Range Rover Evoque Cabrio. We do not know much else about the 2018 Volkswagen T-Roc at the moment, however it should have similar measurements to the concept and will likely be used with a series of engines that consist of a three-cylinder good for simply over 100 ponies, and a few four-cylinder offerings that might deliver up to as much as 250 horsepower if a GTI version, which is possible, graces the market.
It's got the exact same sturdy rear quarters and stout front wheel arches, the strong side skirts on the side, and a similar design around back. It gets the same controling body lines, and the leading portion of the hatch so occurs to have the very same high grade to it prior to bending greatly and going vertical. Up front, you'll find that the heavy body line on the hood does rollover, nevertheless, it has actually been straightened a bit, give the hood the look of sitting a bit greater on the production model. The headlights on this production model are quite comparable, however are a bit larger than before and extend additional onto the fencers. They likewise have exactly what appears to be an LED ring around the edges, however this could also be chrome trim.
We have no concept exactly what the inside of this mule really appears like, but with any luck, it draws at least some inspiration from the T-Roc idea. In the concept, which we see, the dash and door trim panels were, well, geometrically sound. The dash featured vibrant lines as did the steering wheel spokes and basic interior design. With any luck, the infotainment screen will maintain its tablet-style too. I doubt the production model will have digital HVAC controls, however it's rather possible those will rollover. The door trim panels should also be more rounded, while the cargo space in the rear should reduce a bit due to the second row of seats.
When VW presented the T-Roc Concept, it was sporting a 2.0-liter, diesel-drinking TDI (surprise, right?) that provided 177 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Little is learnt about performance of the concept, however it was said to utilize a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. It was stated to accomplish emission output of 129 grams of CO2 per km and could strike a leading speed of 130 mph. The production model, nevertheless, will likely see a series of engines that varies from a 1.0-liter three-cylinder with 115 horse power, as much as a 1.5-liter with 150 horsepower. A 2.0-liter, turbocharged, gas engine need to likewise be readily available and will deliver anywhere in between 180 horsepower and upward of 300 if VW decides to choose a T-Roc GTI sometime in the future. Eventually, diesel motor will likely be readily available since VW still believes diesel is the future (in spite of the Dieselgate scandal) and an all-electric or hybrid model isn't out of the concern, either.
The 2018 Volkswagen T-Roc is set to debut in September at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show, which is simply a couple of brief months away. The T-Roc will be VW's smallest SUV offering and will slot in the lineup below the Tiguan. Based on the current market, where models like the Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Nissan Juke, And Chevy Trax all start out in between $19,000 and $21,000, it's possible that the 2018 Volkswagen T-Roc will bring a comparable starting cost also.
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From US$47.99
If you like history tours, this one is a good one to take..to learn the history of the U.S. And the OK in WWII
An excellent overview of Manila. It could use more time inside Intramuros but the tour was well paced and you got the opportunity to visit multiple sites.
The tour guide is very knowledgeable of the sights we visited.
The tour involved a lot of driving around the busy Metro Manila roads, which was a bit tiring. You only get to extensively visit the WW2 graveyard and the Intramuros but both places are very interesting. All other destinations are either seen from the car or within 5min stops. Tour guide was nice!
Really enjoyed this half day tour of Manila! It covered all we hoped to see in that time in Manila and our guide Neil was wonderful. Found out such interesting information. The American War Cemetery was a real eye opener. Definately recommend this tour for those on limited time who want to see as much as possible. Excellent.
Thoroughly enjoyed the experience our guide was brilliant his knowledge of Manila old and new was exceptional.
Our guide was amazing. Really into his job and very passionate of it. The tour is not only watching things but also stories connected to the place we visited.
The tour was really well organised and began punctually. The driver and the tour guide were very nice to us and made the trip interesting and entertaining.
I would definitely recommend this tour to people who want to have a quick overview on Manila. The only thing that I would recommend to improve, is to add more visit points in the Intramuros. We only visited 3 places there and had really no possibility of walking around.
Found the Manila tour Manila Old and New to be totally worthwhile. What one saw while driving from site to site was also fascinating. While we were tied up in the traffic, our guide Rick kept the information flowing and also entertained us with his sense of humour. Ricks knowledge was very comprehensive. It still amazes us how our driver Buoy managed to deal with the chaotic traffic. Was a great experience.
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Mullen (MHS) Class of 1975 Alumni List
Help us Update the Mullen 1975 Class List by adding any names missing from the list below:
Registered Alumni
1975 Class List
- Jerry Burke
- Peter Denicola
- Joe Macauley
- Dave Malenck
- Joseph Gerard Martinez
- Mike Pepping
- Martin Plank
- Mose Price
- Larry Valencia
Know Mullen Class of 1975 graduates that are NOT on this List? Help us Update the 1975 Class List by adding missing names.
The top movie in theaters during 1975 was Jaws, grossing over $260,000,000 in its lifetime. The most popular television series for 1975 was All in the Family
Hit Songs From 1975
One Man Woman-One Woman ManPaul Anka and Odia Coates
Get Dancin'Disco Tex and The Sex-O-lettes
Pick Up The PiecesAverage White Band
Junior's Farm / Sally GPaul McCartney and Wings
Feel Like Makin' LoveBad Company
That's The Way Of The WorldEarth, Wind and Fire
Shining StarEarth, Wind and Fire
Kung Fu FightingCarl Douglas
Before The Next Teardrop FallsFreddy Fender
I'm On FireDwight Twilley Band
Hit Movies From 1975
Reunions and Mullen High School News
More 1975 alumni from Mullen HS have posted profiles on Classmates.com®. Click here to register for free at Classmates.com® and view other 1975 alumni.
The Mullen High class of '75 alumni are listed below. These are former students from Mullen in Denver, CO who graduated in 1975. Alumni listings below have either been searched for or they registered as members of this directory.
If you haven't already, we also encourage you to register for free on this site. You may also want to check out the latest news and school memories.


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Sweet Potato Bake (Serves 8)This make-ahead sweet potato casserole would be a tasty addition to most any holiday menu. The next time you walk by the sweet potato display at the grocery store, remember this recipe.
3 pounds sweet potatoes
1. Peel sweet potatoes, Cook in boiling salted water until tender,
but not mushy. Drain and cool.
information per serving


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"The New Metropolis" Screening at FutureHeights 2011 Annual Meeting
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT)
Event Details
View "The New Metropolis," a two-part documentary series, by Andrea Torrice, about America's first suburbs and the challenges they face. The first part is "A Crack in the Pavement: Rebuilding America's First Suburbs," narrated by Peter Coyote. The second part is "The New Neighbors: How one town created a vibrant, integrated suburb."
Join FutureHeights for a lively discussion, moderated by Case Western Reserve University professor and FutureHeights board member Mark Chupp, about the series and what it means for our community.
Questions we will explore include:
1) Are the themes of each part of the documentary equally relevant to our communities or does one seem more urgent at this time?
2) How would you make the decision to stay in your current community or leave? What factors would influence your decision to leave?
3) How would you engage with neighbors whom you perceive as having different values from yours?
4) What are your ideas for ensuring that Cleveland Heights, University Heights, or your own community are places that people choose to live? Is there something you aware of that is being done in those communities right now that is effective and should be continued?
We will also induct four community leaders into the FutureHeights Innovator's Circle, and you will have a chance to learn more about FutureHeights and its programs.
When & Where
Cedar Lee Theatre
2163 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights,
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT)
Add to my calendar


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THE WEATHER HERE STINKS! Its supposed to be summer, and it isn't. It has three days to get nice for my birthday, because its International Monkey Day, and you cannot have International Monkey Day INSIDE!
whinge whinge.
So what does one do when it is raining? Drive south, stay in a Meditterannean beach house, find an 8″ (diameter) tarantula on the wall, visit wineries, chocolateries, and walk 300 stairs down into a drippy stalagmite-infested cave. WOOOO.
Tomorrow, I will dine with the sharks. Or at least beside them.


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We start off with Stephen Fung. After neglecting his personal blog for a year and a half, he has three posts in the last couple of weeks. Most recently, he wrote about the Powell River Harbour Guesthouse and Hostel, which reminds me of some of the places I stayed in Australia. You can get a private room for $55 with a shared kitchen and bathroom.
Continuing on the theme of travel, we have Rebecca Bollwitt offering some great photos of the Maui sunrise at Haleakala National Park. That's located on the eastern side of the island and it is positively breathtaking. I'll be heading to Maui soon too, so I've been following the adventures of Miss 604 quite closely. She also visited a coffee plantation.
A short while back, I met Dot Com Pho newcomer Frank Yu Yan. He told me about his blog that talks about discovering your passion and now the blog has been rebranded. What was once Clever Motivation is now known as 3 Step Motivation. He provides "actionable steps to gaining the motivation you need to finding and pursue your passions."
Believe it or not, Joseph Planta is celebrating the eight anniversary of his On The Line program at The Commentary. I've appeared on the program several times, but I wasn't on for this season. He has his anniversary show posted (it's about 90 minutes) and it highlights some of the best interviews and sound bites he's had in the last year.
I've considered going back to school in some form or another and it looks like I'm not alone. Darren Barefoot says that he's been "toying with the idea of… getting a masters degree" for a half decade. The trouble is that he has no idea what he wants to study. Both of us want something that is reasonably relevant, even if tangentially, to our respective careers. What do you think Darren should take?


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What an incredible thing you are doing. Thank you so much for thinking of adopting a rescue dog instead of buying one from a pet shop or breeder. There are well over 600 million stray unwanted dogs in our world and, however small it may seem, you WILL make a difference by adopting one dog. For that one dog his or her world will change forever. Thank you.
The whole process normally takes around from four to eight weeks. If you have any questions about the process after reading the steps below, please do get in touch. If you are ready to take the first step, please fill in the form below. Thank you.
Take a look at our ADOPT-A-DOG page to see if any of the dogs featured on our website are right for you. If you are looking for a specific breed, it is worth knowing that we have hundreds of dogs needing homes. We support shelters across Romania, Cyprus, Greece, UK and Bosnia, and between them we are almost always able to find the type of dog you are looking for, whether that is a puppy, male, female, large, small, specific breeds - a dog that is just right for you and your family.
Fill out the form at the bottom of this webpage. If you are looking for a specific breed or type of dog, please provide lots of information about your ideal dog.
Once we have received your Adoption Form, we will contact you to discuss next steps. We are a very small team, so please bear with us if its takes a few days to get back to you. If you are looking to adopt a specific dog that you have seen on our website or on our FaceBook, Instagram or Twitter accounts, then we will arrange a homecheck. If you are looking for a certain breed of dog, then we will send you information about the dogs that are potentially well-suited to you and your family.
Once you have decided on the perfect dog for you, in order to reserve the dog, we ask for a £50 non-refundable deposit. You must provide a screenshot or reference number for your deposit payment. This amount is then deducted from the adoption fee.
Once you have decided on a dog perfect for you, we will carry out a homecheck. The homecheck also provides a great opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about rehoming a rescue dog and the adoption process.
If the homecheck is successful and you are happy to go ahead with the adoption, we ask you to review and sign an Adoption Contract which sets out the conditions of adoption. This is fairly standard and basically makes sure that the new owner cares for the dog with the appropriate respect, patience and sensibility. We also request a copy of a driving license or passport to prove identity and a copy of a utility bill stating your address.
We then begin the process of arranging transport for your dog. The cost of transport is between £390 to £595 depending on where in the world your dog was rescued. At the moment, we rehome dogs from Cyprus (£480), Romania (£390), Portugal (£450) and Lesvos (£595). The dogs we rehome will be fully compliant with the DEFRA's animal import laws; they will have a pet passport and microchip, and all their vaccines, worming and health checks. If they are old enough, they will also have been neutered.
Are you prepared to train a dog? It is very unlikely a rescue dog will have had any training.
Are you prepared for a 15 year commitment? The average life span of a dog is around 13 years, mixed breed dogs have been found to live longer and can live upto 20 years.
Can you afford the ongoing costs of owning a dog? The lifetime cost of owning a dog can be between £16,000 and £31,000.
Are you fit enough or do you have enough time to walk a dog? Dogs need a lot of exercise otherwise they become bored and frustrated, we recommend at least two walks a day.
Will someone be in the house most of the day? Dogs love human company and can suffer from separation anxiety.
Do you have the patience? It takes time for a dog to settle in and adjust to their new lifestyle you must have time and patience to cope with problems which may arise during the settling in period
If you are ready to take the first step, please fill in the form below. Thank you so much.
Thank you very much for completing this form, we will be in touch very soon.