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Good as Gold
This story appears in the October 2003 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
What: A "design your
own jewelry" store
Who: Lindsay Cain of Femmegems
Where: New York City
When: Started in November 2002
Nothing can take away the glow a woman gets when she sees that perfect piece of jewelry-nothing except for an exorbitant price tag, that is. But when customers come to Lindsay Cain's Femmegems store, they're able to bring in pictures of exquisite designer pieces and replicate them at a fraction of the original cost.
Initially, Cain designed and sold jewelry herself, but this 29-year-old found her niche when she realized that other women not only liked to design their own jewelry, but also enjoyed emulating the jeweled adornments they'd see in fancy, high-end department stores. "They'll come from [the department store] across the street and design a piece like the one they just saw," explains Cain, who offers her patrons a wide selection of semiprecious gems. "People feel the value they're getting."
With her Femmegems idea in mind, Cain went hunting for retail space in New York City's NoLIta neighborhood. After finding the perfect location, Cain opened her store's doors in November 2002, and just six weeks later, the store was featured in an article in the "Style" section of The New York Times.
The resulting business kept Cain and her staff busy for weeks-and even garnered attention from buyers at upscale department store Henri Bendel who asked Cain to open a similar setup in one of their boutiques. Now with two locations, Cain expects about $700,000 in sales this year.
Listen While You Work
What: An online music
station for cubicle-dwellers to listen to at work
Who: Joe Pezzillo of Music for Cubicles
Where: Boulder, Colorado
When: Started in February 2003
Joe Pezzillo has long had a passion for Internet radio. In fact, he had tried launching an Internet radio venture in 1996 but was unsuccessful due to the uncertainties of the media at the time-such as how to support it solely with ad revenue. Pezzillo took the lessons he learned from his experience into his new venture, Music for Cubicles (www.musicforcubicles.com), an Internet radio service for people to listen to at their desks.
Thanks to his experience, Pezzillo, 34, knew to launch this service with a different revenue model from day one-it's subscription-based rather than ad-based. "Subscription radio is advertising-free, and the market is currently proving that people are willing to pay for that," says Pezzillo, who hopes for 5,000 subscriptions by year-end.
Now that he's partnered with Real Networks, one of the most popular destinations on the Web, Pezzillo has been able to build traffic and awareness for his new brand. His first channel streams music that's easy to listen to, like classical and down-tempo electronica. He also hopes to add others as soon as he builds his subscriber base.
Ruffing It
What: A bed-and-breakfast
inn for dogs and their owners
Who: Mitch Frankenberg and Jennifer Fredreck of The Paw House Inn
Where: West Rutland, Vermont
When: Started in 2001
Dogs should go on vacation, too. That brilliant idea served as inspiration for Mitch Frankenberg and Jennifer Fredreck, dog owners and former New Yorkers who moved to Vermont in search of a change.
These two pet owners know just how difficult it is to go on a vacation when you have a dog. Most vacation destinations either charge extra for what amounts to a basic kennel stay--hardly a fun time for any dog--or don't allow dogs to stay at all. "We had a hard time going out to dinner, a hard time shopping," says Frankenberg, 36. "We recognized the need."
So when the husband-and-wife team sold their house in New York City, they decided to buy a bed-and-breakfast in Vermont-and tailor it specifically to dog owners. For starters, all the rooms are pet-friendly. (Hardwood floors and washable duvets instead of traditional comforters are just a few of the amenities.)
But what really sets The Paw House Inn apart from other vacation spots is Mario's Playhouse--a special inn just for the dogs, where they can stay overnight, mingle and play with each other. The area is designed to keep the dogs not only safe, but happy as well. Background music even plays to soothe the dogs.
Dog owners who've come to The Paw House Inn are giving rave reviews, according to the couple. "They feel like they can relax when they're on vacation," says Frankenberg.
Fredreck, 32, concurs: "When they come, they don't expect it to be as nice as it is. During breakfast, the owners talk about their dogs. It's so funny--everyone has something in common."
They have been so successful, the couple is now looking to add another location, which they hope will double their nearly $250,000 in yearly sales.
On a Shoestring
What: Consumer resource Web
Who: Tim Storm of FatWallet.com
Where: Roscoe, Illinois
When: Started in 1999
How much: $100
As the director of Internet technology for a consumer electronics manufacturer, Tim Storm was no stranger to the Web, nor to how consumers used it to research potential online purchases. As a hobby, Storm started FatWallet.com in a spare room of his home. Although similar sites existed, Storm felt his could emerge as the leader, given his background and capabilities.
He already had a computer and a Net connection, so he only needed to spend $70 for the domain name and $30 for Web hosting. Continuing to work at his day job, Storm, 35, kept costs low by building the site-chock-full of retailer reviews (of electronics, beauty products, books, music, movies and more), special offers, cash-back rewards and comparison shopping for savvy shoppers-at night and during weekends.
For the first few months, Storm submitted FatWallet.com to search engines and got free traffic in return. Once he received a few checks from affiliate programs, Storm used the income toward pay-per-click search engines to drive more traffic. "A general rule of mine is to not spend a dollar unless you can get at least $1.25 in value returned," says Storm.
True to FatWallet.com's modest beginnings and mission, Storm doesn't spend wildly-despite growth that's allowed him to move operations to an office and project gross revenue of $2.5 million for 2003. "In our business, we don't even make our living a dollar at a time-a dime at a time is more like it," says Storm, who currently has 14 employees. "Starting with a shoestring budget gave us the ideals to not spend money before we had it."
-April Y. Pennington


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OCEAN CITY — The medallion system that some taxi drivers have been fearing for several weeks will be presented to the Mayor and City Council on Tuesday as part of a proposal to restructure the industry.
Police Commission member and Ocean City Councilman Doug Cymek said this week an initial proposal has been worked out at the Police Commission level and will be pitched to the council at next week's work session at City Hall.
"We have basically put together a rough draft at the commission level even though the council obviously will have the final say on how the ordinance ends up looking," said Cymek, "but I do think that whatever is decided will ensure a higher standard of performance in the taxi cab industry in Ocean City."
Some of the bullet points that are alleged to be included in the proposal will include the medallions, which will be acquired through a sealed bid process, an annual renewal fee and a potential cap on the number of medallions issued (150).
Cymek said the medallions will have a set ratio split between corporate or company cab owners and individual operators. He reported the proposed 70% (corporate) 30% (individual) split is concurrent with many other cities.
"We want to make sure that the individual or so-called freelance cabbie can make a living just like someone that has a fleet of 20 cars," said Cymek. "Either way, this system will put a lot of pressure on the companies to make sure that they pre-screen who is driving their vehicles because their medallion will essentially be on the line."
Once corporate or individual owners acquire the medallions, they must be attached to a vehicle within 30 days and put to immediate use. Cymek said that this would ensure that companies wouldn't buy up extra medallions and essentially sit on them as investments.
Assistant to the City Manager of Ocean City Kathy Mathias had prepared a study on taxi franchises in 2005, and when the idea was brought forward again, she said she pulled the study out and updated it to what is being done in cities throughout the country.
"We looked at so many different cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC and even Frederick," said Mathias, "and in most cases, when the initial idea to franchise the taxi industry in those particular cities was presented, the cabbies were opposed to the idea. But, according to the data that I found, it seems that all the cabbies ended up doing very well once the system was put into place."
Mathias said that similar to San Francisco, the proposal for display of the medallions calls for them to be placed on the windshield of the taxi itself as opposed to New York City for instance, where the medallion is essentially bolted to the hood of the cab.
Mathias also noted that the issue of a uniform cab color could be addressed in the town's ordinance, but if a singular color is decided upon as the color of all resort taxis, companies would be given a substantial grace period (potentially up to 3 years) to come into compliance.
"People refer to them as medallions but they are actually called Certificates of Public Necessity and Convenience or CPNC's, but they will become a commodity and it will add value to the business should the owners of the medallions decide to leave the industry," Mathias said.
Currently, there are 160 taxis licensed in the town of Ocean City, so on the surface, the potential medallion cap of 150 doesn't seem to be too much of a trimming of the area's cab presence.
However, Cymek said that some companies acquire more stickers than they have cars and that wouldn't be allowed once the new system was approved.
"Personally, I don't think that we need 150 cabs on the road running simultaneously in Ocean City," said Cymek. "My thought was to award 125 and keep 25 on reserve if they were needed, but we'll see what the final numbers end up looking like."
Some in the taxi industry have complained that there are too many cabs on the road and the installation of a medallion system could be beneficial when in comes to income earned per driver/company, but others have hinted it would be an added cost to the owners that could put some companies, already struggling through the tough economy, essentially out of business.
"They have said that this is a measure that will save the police department time and money," said Classic Taxi owner Christy Freeman, "but all this is really going to do is make the town more money because it isn't going to address the cab driver hiring process or the inspection process, which is what takes the most time for the police."
Town officials, however, stress that members of the public and the cab industry will have an opportunity to speak on the matter once the issue goes to the required public hearing.
"We aren't trying to put anyone out of business, but we are trying to improve the operation and the aesthetics of an industry that a lot of people agree needs to be cleaned up a bit," Cymek said.
Freeman said that she agrees with the 150 medallions that is alleged to be proposed on Tuesday, but says that if it goes any lower than that, she will essentially cry foul.
"If it goes any lower than 150 medallions, I think that it's a disservice to the customer," said Freeman. "When it's 2 a.m. in Ocean City, there are 100 people at Seacrets or Fagers alone that are trying to get a cab. My problem is that the people who are making this decision solely based on making the town money, aren't on the streets where their decision is really going to matter."

subset: commoncrawl


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moved on to the ride of the valkyries by wagner.
My exam revision needed a bit of punch :P
moved on to the ride of the valkyries by wagner.
My exam revision needed a bit of punch :P
"...And upon that banner you write down your deeds so that you cannot forget."
Figured I'll list another ten randoms as they pop up.
Woodkid - Iron (Though primarily a music video director, this guy does some cool original stuff)
Miles Fisher - This Must Be The Place (Miles Fisher is awesome, skilled, and hilarious. This video is brilliant. Also somewhat nsfw.)
Moldova - Run Away (Also known the origin of Epic Sax Guy.)
Jon & Al Kaplan - Conan the Barbarian the Musical (Every real man needs some lamentation of the women in his life, after all.)
iBenji - Boneless (Chill jazz influenced song.)
Cowboy Bebop OST - Diggin My Potato (Simple harmonica and drum. This song resonates in my soul.)
The Lonely Island - Boombox (Comedic gold.)
Ashbury Heights - Anti Ordinary (Good industrial band a friend turned me on to somewhat recently.)
Muse - Knights of Cydonia (Great parody video for a great song.)
Reimu Racer - Reading Heart Line (This is a godlike electronic album. Song three is the one in question.)
Bear McCreary – Battlestar Sonatica The most sad-beautiful song i have ever heard so far. Listened to it countless times and it still puts me into this withdrawn state of both sadness and serenity, pure magic.
OST marathon halfway point reached, 119 hours done.
Marathon completed with 200 hours. Now that was a good week.
Just to ratchet up the viking stereotype music, I've found myself pretty heavily into (primarily Finnish/Swedish) folk metal. The music is incredible, but it annoys me to no end when one of my friends takes a listen and can't get behind it because of the harsh vocals. Here's a sampling of stuff I've listened to in the last 24 hours-
Korpiklaani - Korpiklaani
Finntroll - Jaktens Tid
Finntroll - Maktens Spira
Equilibrium - Der Ewige Sieg
Moonsorrow - Tyven/Sankarihauta
If you pick one out of the lot, go with Moonsorrow. There's few bands I've heard with songs on the same epic scope.
i love making mixtapes with songs, sounds, speeches or film scenes or whatever i find fitting, tweaking it a bit..
here's the last one i did (you could say its mostly shoegaze/indie) : https://i.mixcloud.com/CB1u91.
Last edited by balnoisi; 06-11-2012 at 06:22 AM.
I listen to Ensiferum a fair bit too, they put on a pretty awesome live show. In my playlist I'd probably rank them with Amon Amarth and Sabaton.
And since we're all here because of what is sure to be an awesome video game, I thought I'd bring a new offering. Who remembers this one?
If that's a veiled criticism about me, I won't hear it and I won't respond to it.
Now THAT... Brings back memories... Damn. One of the first games where I actually felt something for the character! Not to mention being a bad ass wraith that feeds on souls...
Now I need to play it again.
"If this was Monopoly, you'd hate me..."
I always thought the Legacy of Kain series got far less recognition than it deserved. It's a game genre I was never big into, but I played all of them because of the soundtrack and how phenomenal the voice actors were as much as look or gameplay.
If that's a veiled criticism about me, I won't hear it and I won't respond to it.
Alanis Morrisette's "Ironic" got stuck in my head the last several days so now I've given in to the dark side and am listening to it.
Rory Gallagher - Do You Read Me
(Stoic, what about Varl/Vikings with sideburns? )
Together we stand, divided we fall.


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|Kurta Pajama
|Tony Kakkar Ft Shehnaaz Gill
|Tony Kakkar
|Tony Kakkar
|File Format
|MP3 [192kbps]
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text:
Three teenagers accused of killing a 62-year-old father-of-12 in West Rogers Park were playing a game called "Pick 'em out and knock 'em down" when they videotaped themselves punching him in the face, prosecutors say.
Malik Jones, 16, Nicholas Ayala, 17, and Anthony Malcolm, 18, were caught after the video of Jones fatally punching Delfino Mora was posted on Jones' Facebook page, according to authorities.
The three were playing a "game where the offender picks an innocent victim and knocks him out by striking him and likely robbing him as well," Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Terry Clancy told Judge Israel Desierto in court Monday.
Similar attacks — some resulting in death — have previously been reported in Missouri, New Jersey and Decatur. The game also goes by the name "Knockout King," and experts say it is a grab for attention.
Delfina Mora was salvaging cans to make a few dollars to support himself and his family. Now … close your eyes and imagine the media frenzy, the vigils, the protests, the calls to action, the president's words …


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I first published this over at Suture for a Living on February 2, 2008.
I made this quilt in 2004. The white is a cotton flannel. The black is a cotton velvet left over after making a dress for one of the nieces. The print is a cotton-linen found in the bargain bin at the fabric store. The limited amounts of the black and print determined the size and helped dictate the border. I found the block design in Jinny Beyer's book, The Quilter's Album of Blocks and Borders (copyright 1980). A friend found the book at an "antique" store for $4. It is a wonderful book.
The quilt is 45 inches X 56 inches and usually lays over the back of my husband's lazy-boy chair. Rusty insisted on getting in the picture.
A close-up. Sorry the quilting doesn't show better. The centers are quilted with roses. The ribbons are out-lined quilted.


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Return to Transcripts main page
Michael Jackson: His Final Days
Aired July 3, 2010 - 20:00 ET
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP: This is the final curtain call. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His last night was spent on stage. TRAVIS PAYNE, CHOREOGRAPHER, "THIS IS IT": I said, all right, I love you. He goes, love you more; see you tomorrow. And then tomorrow never came. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a -- a gentleman here that needs help, and he's not breathing. TITO JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Right then, I knew something was terribly wrong. I said, Janet, is he dead? And she said he's gone. DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Do you think there was some sort of conspiracy to kill your brother? JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Absolutely. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you feeling? M. JACKSON: Good, great. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's possible that Michael had been using this anesthetic drug maybe five or six years ago. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elvis was huge, but Michael went around the world. He was off the planet. LEMON (voice-over): Tonight, a behind-the-scenes look into the final days of Michael Jackson. As the sun rose above the exclusive Los Angeles Hills, inside Michael Jackson's mansion, the entertainer began the morning of June 24, 2009, doing what he loved, preparing for a show. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now do it slow. PAYNE: He and would start about noon, 1:00 at his home. We would dance a few hours and stretch. You have to have a full attitude. You have a half attitude. Do the full one. LEMON: Travis Payne was Michael Jackson's long-time choreographer. PAYNE: We were on a journey with Michael that was going to return him to the stage, you know, that he loved so much. And I know that we were eight days away from leaving for London. LEMON: The stage is where Michael was most at ease. On stage, there was no one better. Since age five, he electrified audiences around the world with hit songs like "I Want You Back." And the world appeared ready to welcome him back . It had been 12 years since Jackson's last major performance. The King of Pop was poised to regain his throne. M. JACKSON: This is it. I mean this is really it. This is the final -- this is the final curtain call. LEMON: According to the contract with concert promoters AEG, Michael was to perform 50 concerts at the O2 center in London over a nine month period. M. JACKSON: I will be performing the songs my fans want to hear. LEMON: But was Michael physically up to the challenge? Both Michael and AEG had a lot on the line. JIM MORET, "INSIDE EDITION": It was his comeback. It was his renaissance, his rebirth on stage. After so many years of being out of the spotlight, a lot of people were wondering if he could pull this off. M. JACKSON: This is it. And see you in July. LEMON: But there were questions about whether Jackson was ready. Kenny Ortega, the direct for "This Is It," called a private meeting at Jackson's home. AEG's CEO Randy Phillips attended the meeting. RANDY PHILLIPS, AEG CEO: Kenny was concerned that he wasn't coming to enough rehearsals, that he was taking a little too nonchalantly. And Michael explained that he needed Kenny to build the house, and then he would come in and paint the front door. LEMON: However, Brian Oxman, an attorney for Michael's father, Joe Jackson, claims AEG had deeper concerns about the entertainer. BRIAN OXMAN, ATTORNEY: He was too sleepy. He was taking medications which made him tired and unable to perform, and that unless he got his act together, the producers, the promoters were going to pull the plug on the concert series. LEMON: On the afternoon of June 24th, Jackson arrived at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Rehearsals for "This Is It" often ran late into the night. On the surface, the man who many say was born to perform never looked better. (on camera): Was his voice getting stronger over a period of rehearsals? PAYNE: Absolutely. LEMON: Was his dancing getting stronger? PAYNE: Absolutely. LEMON: His body? PAYNE: Absolutely. LEMON (voice-over): Michael Beardon, the musical direct for "This Is It" was on stage that last night. MICHAEL BEARDON, DIRECTOR, "THIS IS IT": He looked at back me after he did one number. He looked at me as if to say, yeah, I'm Michael Jackson. I've got this. He looked really good, and I teased some of the dancers when I see them, because MJ was 50 years old, and they were like half his age. And he was still wearing them out. LEMON: On stage, always a perfectionist. Off stage, a legend with a sense of humor. BEARDON: He was making big-money decisions, and then he would lean over to me and just say silly stuff like, we should play the Three Stooges. I would go, what, MJ? Oh, no, I don't like that. Can I have more of this or this or this. I like Mo. LEMON: But beneath the surface, concerns from the very moment the concert tour was announced. Jackson was pushing himself to the brink. RODNEY JERKINS, RECORD PRODUCER: How is he going to do these shows? LEMON: Record producer Rodney Jerkins. JERKINS: Fifty dates at 50 years old? That's a lot of dates. And I was -- I kept saying, I just hope he gets a physical trainer, someone to really work him out, to make sure he's healthy and prepared. LEMON: Jermaine Jackson says his little brother was ready. J. JACKSON: I mean, he could have did 200 shows there. LEMON: I sat down with Jermaine, following band rehearsals for an upcoming tour to Gambia. J. JACKSON: I felt that he could do it, because of the way the shows were spaced out. And it wasn't like every day. See, like, when we first started, we were doing one nighters. Every day, you're in a different place, riding a bus and sleeping on top of each other. That's tough. But this was -- and you didn't have to take the stage down. You were in one location. PHILLIPS: I think that night, he finally accepted, down deep in whatever the inner reaches of an artist's soul are, that he could do this. LEMON (on camera): Was anything out of the ordinary that night? JERKINS: The only thing that might have been out of the ordinary is that Michael was -- had a serious glow about him that night. JERKINS: You could see his confidence growing and you could see physically he was able to do the things that he wanted to do. PHILLIPS: We were walking to our cars, and he put his arm around me at the Staples Center and he said, thank you for getting me here. Now I know I can do it and take it from here. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold for applause. Hold for applause, slow umbrella, fade out. LEMON: Jackson left the Staples Center around midnight and headed to his rented mansion in the posh L.A. neighborhood of Holmby Hills. Just 12 hours later, however, nothing would ever be the same. (voice-over): Coming up -- T. JACKSON: Your mom said get down here, it doesn't look good. LEMON: The tragic news no family wants to hear. T. JACKSON: I said oh my gosh, what's going on? (END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LEMON (voice-over): A secluded LA mansion, a 911 call. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's not breathing? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he's not breathing sir. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, and he's not conscious? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's not conscious, sir. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. LEMONA 50-year-old man in distress. That man is Michael Jackson. WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson, the King of Pop -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- was taken to the hospital, and there are rumors -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was apparently administered CPR in the ambulance. LEMON: As the news break, Jackson's brothers, Tito and Jermaine, begin to hear grim and troubling reports from loved ones and the media. (on camera): Do you remember the day, where you were, and the time? T. JACKSON: Oh, yeah. I'll never forget it. I was -- I happened to be home. My middle son, Terrell, called me on the phone and said, dad, is it true, what they are saying on TV about Uncle Michael? I said what are they saying? They say he was rushed to the hospital and he's not breathing, something like that? J. JACKSON: You guys called. CNN called my wife and said, do you know anything about Michael being rushed to the hospital? I said no. And I called my mother immediately. And she said she was on her way to the hospital. LEMON (voice-over): Jermaine's mother, Katherine, confirmed his worst fears. J. JACKSON: She was already at the hospital, and I called her back, and I heard her say he's dead. And I couldn't believe to hear my mother say her child is dead, my brother. And I got weak, very, very weak. LEMON: Tito Jackson couldn't get ahold of his mother as he raced to UCLA Medical Center, but a call from his sister Janet stopped in his tracks. T. JACKSON: I said Janet, is he dead? And she said he's gone. And I just melted right there, and I didn't know what to do. I pulled over in this parking lot and just cried for like 15 minutes and went home. LEMON: Jermaine Jackson did make it to the hospital as the crowds and media begun to swell outside. Inside, his brother Michael lay dead. J. JACKSON: They had -- they had a sheet wrapped on top of him. I could feel his skin. It was still soft and smooth. And I just kissed his forehead so much, and just talked to him. The memories, that's what hurt. And to know that there would never be another Jackson Five. LEMON: Despite his overwhelming grief, it was Jermaine who delivered the family's official announcement that Michael was dead. (on camera): And you have to go out from that hospital, and you have to tell the world. J. JACKSON: Um-hum. I couldn't believe that I was announcing my brother's death for the world. It was -- I was numb, very numb, because it was like a nightmare. My brother, the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at 2:26 p.m. LEMON: Were you able to see Jermaine do the press conference? T. JACKSON: I saw it on television. It was sad. I wish I could have been there, but I never would have made it in time. LEMON: What were you thinking when you saw it? T. JACKSON: Shocking and hurting and just all type of emotions hitting you at one time. LEMON: Today, you can't to it without crying? T. JACKSON: No, still. It's hard. It's really a hard thing, because Michael was so special to not just me, but to everyone. LEMON: Coming up, Michael Jackson's secret world of addiction. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He also had many doctors who were always willing to write new prescriptions. (END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN, breaking news. BLITZER: Michael Jackson, 50 years old, the King of Pop, has died. LEMON (voice-over): As news of Michael Jackson's death sent shock waves around the globe, the search for answers was just beginning. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just looking for any evidence of foul play or anything like that. LEMON: Within hours, investigators were on the scene of Jackson's Hollywood mansion. They soon discovered the singer had his own personal pharmacy. Some of the prescription drugs were labeled, many were not. The extent of Michael Jackson's drug use was starting to emerge. Some of his closest friends and family were stunned. J. JACKSON: I only knew of what he was taking to sleep. That's it. Hearing all of these other things, which I can't even pronounce the words, I wasn't aware. If that led to dependency on anything else, I wouldn't know. But I'm just saying that every time I saw Michael, he was 1,000 percent coherent, 1,000 percent, with a smile on his face. LEMON: Michael's addiction did run much deeper, and many within his inner circle were aware. GOTHAM CHOPRA, SON OF DEEPAK CHOPR: He certainly wasn't worried about concealing it. LEMON: Gotham Chopra was a personal friend of Jackson's. CHOPRA: He knew endless doctors and he knew how to manipulate certain system. He also had many doctors who were always willing to write new prescriptions. They just wanted to be around him and they wanted that aura of his attention. LEMON: Gotham's father, physician Deepak Chopra, says Michael once asked him to write a prescription for a narcotic. DEEPAK CHOPRA, PHYSICIAN: I said I wasn't going to write a prescription, and then I confronted him. He started to cry. He said, you don't understand, I'm in a lot of pain. LEMON: Chopra said he feared for Jackson's health. So, along with a member of Michael's family, he arranged an intervention. D. CHOPRA: He was so upset, angry, burst into a temper, left the room. LEMON: According to biographer Randy Taraborelli, Michael Jackson was first introduced to prescription drugs in 1984. Jackson's scalp was severely burned during a filming of this Pepsi commercial. RANDY TARABORELLI, MICHAEL JACKSON BIOGRAPHER: I was at the hospital that night. And I remember the doctors saying that they were trying to give him pain medication back then, and he would not take it. Ultimately, he did take some because the pain was so great, but it was a big issue. LEMON (on camera): When do you think the drug use started? TARBORELLI: I believe that a lot of it had to do with the stress of the 1993 allegations. LEMON (voice-over): In 1993, Michael Jackson was accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy. Jackson strongly denied the allegations during a televised statement. M. JACKSON: I am particularly upset by the handling of this mass matter by the incredible, terrible mass media. LEMON: But eventually settled the case for 20 million dollars. No charges were ever filed. During that same televised statement, Jackson also admitted publicly he had a drug addiction. M. JACKSON: As you may already know, after my tour ended, I remained out of the country undergoing treatment for a dependency on pain medication. TARBORELLI: Those allegations in '93, the first set of allegations, began the ruination of Michael. LEMON: Ten years later, more accusations of child molestation. This time there would not be a settlement. Charges were filed, a highly publicized trial followed. Faced with the possibility of prison, Jackson was in the fight for his life. The stress took a toll, even though he was cleared of all charges. (on camera): What did you see in his eyes? TARBORELLI: I could see in his eyes that he was dying, that he was gone. Already on verdict day, he was not there. He was so vacant. LEMON (voice-over): Following the verdict in 2005, Jackson spent the next four years focused on his children. Six months before his death, Michael Jackson met nurse practitioner Sherilyn Lee. She came to Jackson's home to treat one of his kids for a cold. One day, Lee says Jackson asked her to help him sleep. She agreed to stay over and watch his sleeping patterns. SHERILYN LEE, NURSE PRACTIONER: This was 10:30, 11:00 at night. I said call me, so I can kind of monitor and see what's going on. So he slept for about three and a half hours. Then he jumped up. He looked at me with his eyes wide open. I said, Michael, are you OK? He said yes, but I just want you to see I can't sleep. LEMON: Lee says Michael requested Propofol, a drug few people had heard of. It is a powerful anaesthetic that's only used in operating rooms or other clinical settings. Propofol isn't available as a pill. It can only be given intravenously. It puts a patient out almost instantly. LEE: I looked at him and that was the first time I got this chill through my body. And I said, Michael, if you take that medicine, you might not wake up. LEMON: Weeks later, Lee heard from Michael Jackson one final time. He wanted to see her right away. The singer complained that one side of his body was cold, the other was hot. LEE: I said, you know, I can't come, Michael. You need to go to the hospital. You need to go to the hospital. LEMON: Just four days later, Michael Jackson was dead. D. CHOPRA: Michael was a tortured soul. Ten years ago, he said to me, have you heard of this thing that takes you to the edge of the valley of death, and then brings you back from there? LEMON: Next -- T. JACKSON: Why wasn't the doctor there? LEMON: What happened the last hours of Michael Jackson's life? T. JACKSON: Why was he left alone? There's a lot of questions. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (NEWS BREAK) (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DON LEMON, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): As investigators began to unravel Michael Jackson's final hours, a timeline emerged. A timeline detailed in the search warrant affidavit. This is what investigators believe happened based on evidence and eyewitness accounts, including those of Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. On the last night of his life, Jackson made his way though L.A. towards Beverly Hills. As he did, few really knew the dark secrets the pop legend carried with him to 100 North Carolwood Drive. (on camera): Michael Jackson spent his final hours here at this rented mansion in L.A. According to the search warrant affidavit, his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray told police it was a restless and ultimately a drug-filled night with Jackson battling his chronic insomnia allegedly pleading with Murray to give him a powerful and dangerous anesthetic called Propofol. (voice-over): Randy Taraborrelli is a Jackson biographer and life- long confidant. J. RANDY TARABORRELLI, BIOGRAPHER: I used to always say and I still believe that Michael would have paid $1 million for a good night's sleep. And that's not an exaggeration. He actually would have. JIM MORET, INSIDE EDITION: Michael Jackson was plagued with insomnia for years. LEMO: Journalist Jim Moret also spent years covering Jackson. MORET: He was just plagued with this horrible, inability to go to sleep. And he would rely upon doctors to provide him with medication so that he could sleep. LEMON: According to police, Jackson's final hours, beyond these windows, involved a cocktail of drugs, allegedly administered by Dr. Murray. (on camera): Based on the affidavit, Dr. Murray's efforts to get Jackson to sleep began with a 10 milligram tablet of Valium around 1:30 a.m. It didn't work. So according to the affidavit, Dr. Murray injected the singer with an anti-anxiety drug. By 3:00 a.m., however, Jackson was still awake, so Murray told police he tried another drug, a sedative. That didn't work either. (voice-over): What Jackson really wanted according to Murray was the anesthetic Propofol. Murray told investigators that Jackson repeatedly asked for the drug that final night, but insisted he repeatedly denied the singer. Murray claims he was actually trying to wean Jackson off of Propofol at the time, fearing he formed an addiction. Ed Chernoff is Murray's attorney. ED CHERNOFF, CONRAD MURRAY'S ATTORNEY: He doesn't have any specialized training in addiction recovery. That's true. Who else is addicted to a drug like Propofol? There's no protocol for how to wean someone off a drug like that. MORET: The theory that Conrad Murray was trying to break Michael Jackson of a Propofol addiction in the hours, the last hours of his life is kind of an interesting theory. There doesn't seem to be any doubt that Michael Jackson knew what drugs he wanted and when he wanted them. And Michael Jackson appeared to be able to get whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. LEMON: According to the affidavit, as dawn broke at 1100 North Carolwood Drive on June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson still awake and restless, apparently wasn't taking no for an answer anymore when it came to Propofol. TARABORRELLI: Michael Jackson did not like to be told what to do, and that's what a huge issue. You know, and anybody who worked for Michael and knew Michael will tell you that this is a man who lived his life on his own terms. LEMON: After hours of denying Jackson Propofol, police investigators say Dr. Murray finally relented. At 10:40 a.m., he gave him the pop legend 25 milligrams of the anesthetic through an IV drip and Jackson finally went to sleep. According to the search warrant affidavit, at 10:50 a.m., Dr. Murray got up to go to the bathroom. A few minutes later, Murray says he returned to find his very famous patient no longer breathing. He began CPR. MORET: The cook at the house told me that there were certain things that seemed to happen every day. Around 8:00, 9:00 in the morning, Conrad Murray would come downstairs for breakfast. He'd often be holding a canister of oxygen. But on this morning, the morning of Jackson's death, he didn't. It was much later, and he called for the children. LEMON: According to the search warrant affidavit, Murray asked Jackson's eldest son, Prince Michael, to come upstairs, and then continued CPR. MORET: And if you're putting the pieces together from a prosecution standpoint, you could argue that Conrad Murray wanted witnesses to say they saw Conrad Murray trying to revive Michael Jackson. LEMON: At 11:18 that fateful morning, police say Dr. Murray made a series of three cell phone calls, spanning 47 minutes. This timeline suggests that more than an hour had passed since Jackson was found not breathing. It is a timeline that Murray and his attorney fiercely contest. CHERNOFF: I think it's clear that what they're doing is hypothesize about the timeline. That's not what happened. That's not what the doctor told them. LEMON: What is not in dispute is this. CALLER: We have a gentleman here that needs help and he's not breathing. He's not breathing and we need to -- we're trying to pump him but he's not -- he's not. 911: OK. OK, how old is he? CALLER: He's 50 years old, sir. LEMON: At approximately 12:22 p.m. Jackson security guard Alberto Alvarez made a 911 call, and Los Angeles fire station 71 responded. CAPTAIN STEVE RUTA (ph), LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT: When they got on scene, it's a large mansion, not too far from here. LEMON: Captain Steve Ruta (ph) is a spokesman for the L.A. Fire Department. RUTA: They were directed to the patient, which was upstairs in the home. And they found their patient was Michael Jackson, later identified to us as Michael Jackson, pulseless and not breathing. Pulseless and not breathing means no heartbeat and no breaths. MORET: Conrad Murray was a doctor, and when paramedics came, it was within Conrad Murray's purview to call the death or not call the death. He did not call that death. He wanted it done at the hospital. LEMON: So Jackson, with no heartbeat and not breathing was taken to UCLA Medical Center along with Dr. Murray. RUTA: Since he took on the responsibility at the scene, remember, I told you that we have to ask the doctors, even though you're a doctor, do you take full responsibility for this patient? Are you willing to take full responsibility? And he said he would. So he followed through and rode with the paramedics in the ambulance right behind me, just a short ride to UCLA. LEMON: Michael Jackson officially pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m., June 25, 2009, by a doctor at UCLA. That's nearly four hours after Dr. Murray told investigators he noticed the singer was not breathing. Murray, according to the search warrant affidavit, refused to sign the death certificate. The Los Angeles coroner would rule Michael Jackson's death a homicide. The cause of death? Acute Propofol intoxication. Dr. Murray would later be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Coming up, accusations of a conspiracy. Are there others to blame for killing Michael Jackson? (on camera): You think someone killed him? JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Oh, yes, yes. LEMON: Do you know who they are? J. JACKSON: Oh, of course. (END VIDEOTAPE) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DON LEMON, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Michael Jackson is buried on a hilltop here at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery. His body lies in a highly secured mausoleum, off limits to the public. One year after his death, Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, but some close to Jackson believe there are others responsible for his death. JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: You only make a change for once in my life. LEMON (voice-over): Jermaine Jackson was closer to his brother than just about anyone else. He claims Michael was murdered. J. JACKSON: He said to my mother that they're trying to kill me. LEMON (on camera): Do you think Conrad Murray was part of that? Was he complicit? J. JACKSON: I think he's kind of like a fall guy. LEMON: So you think he knew? Do you think he did that on purpose, Conrad Murray? J. JACKSON: I think he knew the players. And I think if you squeeze his hand hard enough he will say. LEMON (voice-over): Jermaine is convinced his brother's death is not simply a tragic accident. J. JACKSON: I do know that there were evils, conspirators and people who just did not want to see him get bigger, and so we're busy trying to bring all of this together. They knew who they are. We know who they are as well. LEMON: And who do you think they are? J. JACKSON: They are just people in the industry. When you become so big, you have enemies. This was done to him purposefully. LEMON: You think someone killed him purposefully? J. JACKSON: Oh, yes, yes. It will come out. LEMON: So you think there was some sort of conspiracy to take to kill your brother? J. JACKSON: Absolutely. LEMON: So who was behind it then? J. JACKSON: They know who they are. LEMON: Do you know who they are? J. JACKSON: Oh, of course. Of course. LEMON: Do you want to say who they are? J. JACKSON: No, I can't say that. LEMON (voice-over): But Joseph Jackson, the patriarch of the Jackson family is saying who he thinks is responsible for his son's death. Concert promoter AEG Live. He filed a 160-page complaint against the company with the California Medical Board. CNN obtained a copy of it. (on camera): You say at the heart of it is -- BRIAN OXMAN, JOE JACKSON'S ATTORNEY: Money. Money is at the heart of this thing. Michael Jackson died because of people's greed. And let there be no mistake about it. LEMON (voice-over): Attorney Brian Oxman is representing Joe Jackson. His complaint accuses AEG of hiring Dr. Murray and demanding that he medicate Michael and provide him with dangerous medical services. OXMAN: They hired a doctor. They directed and they controlled the doctor. They promised the doctor medical equipment. LEMON: The complaint alleges AEG threatened to pull the plug on Jackson's tour unless he followed Dr. Murray's instructions. (on camera): You claim that during the last weeks of his life, Michael Jackson was not showing up for rehearsals, that he appeared drugged and out of it. Everyone else says oh, he was in the best health. OXMAN: The autopsy says he had brain swelling, chronic pneumonia, chronic bronchitis. According to the autopsy, he was anemic. This man was not in good shape, and I defy anyone to show me medical proof to the contrary. LEMON (voice-over): Joe Jackson also claims AEG didn't provide Dr. Murray with medical safeguards he requested. OXMAN: Conrad Murray was promised cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment on May 8th of 2009. It is in writing. It is in the e-mail from AEG to Conrad Murray. If that CPR equipment had been there as promised, if the nurse had been there as promised, Michael Jackson wouldn't have died. LEMON: AEG declined repeated requests by CNN to comment about Joe Jackson's complaint. In an interview with me before the complaint was filed, Randy Phillips, AEG Live CEO says the decision to hire Dr. Murray and pay him $150,000 per month, was solely Michael Jackson's choice. RANDY PHILLIPS, CEO, AEG LIVE: I said, you know, $150,000 a month on a doctor, you know, making protein shakes for you, whatever, makes no -- just makes no sense. And he shot back with this really -- he stared at me with this very deep stare and he said you don't understand. And his voice got lower, his demeanor changed, and he said you don't understand. OK, my body is what fuels this entire venture and like Barack Obama, I need my own physician with me 24/7, OK? That's not negotiable. And he was so strong about it, that I just backed off and said this is a battle I can't win. LEMON: But Phillips says AEG never officially employed Dr. Murray because the contract was never signed. (on camera): To you this contract is null and void or -- PHILLIPS: Yes, to me it never took effect, because it required Michael's signature, and Michael didn't sign the contract. LEMON: AEG says Dr. Conrad Murray was hired on Michael's insistence, and he would not take no for an answer. OXMAN: That is simply not true. LEMON: And the proof of that is -- OXMAN: The proof of it is the e-mails, which go back and forth between Conrad Murray. Every last promise came from AEG, and it's documented in the e-mails. LEMON: For those people who say that AEG is ultimately responsible for Michael Jackson's death, how do you respond? PHILLIPS: I'm sad. It makes me sad. You know, sometimes there aren't villains. There are just unfortunate circumstances and accidents. And I feel bad because I think it damages or muddies Michael's memory. LEMON (voice-over): Joe Jackson has also filed a wrongful death suit against Dr. Murray, alleging reckless disregard for the singer's life. Murray's attorneys claim the cardiologist is not responsible for Michael's death. He's pleaded not guilty. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Murray, I'm going to ask you the following. CHERNOFF: There's no way that Dr. Murray would pump Michael Jackson full of a bolus of Propofol sufficient for major surgery and walk out of that room. What Dr. Murray did for Michael Jackson should not have killed him, and the fact that he died, it was a mystery a year ago. It still is. LEMON: Jackson's older brother Tito says he is left with more questions than answers. TITO JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Why wasn't he being watched under these types of circumstances? Why did they even take place? Whether he asked for it or not, it's something that doctors are supposed to do or we can to in our homes and just get away with it, and not really be punished for it? As doctors, you've taken an oath to watch over human life. Why did he die under your care? LEMON: And one year after Michael Jackson's death. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Murray is a fall guy. This is bull (expletive deleted). LEMON: One of the most famous families in the world is still searching for answers. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We love you. And we're here for you. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson didn't have to die. Ask anyone in his family, they'll tell you the same thing. Were they worried about him? Of course, they were. But the family members want someone to pay. Until the verdict is read, until a decision is made, I don't think that the family will really be able to rest. LEMON: Coming up -- J. JACKSON: When my brother died, the world cried. LEMON: Mourning a legend. (END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DON LEMON, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Bad," the song and the video, not only transformed Michael Jackson's image from soft spoken to tough, but changed the face of pop culture. T. JACKSON: My brother is the baddest boy that ever held a microphone. That boy was bad. And we'll never have another one. J. JACKSON: My question is, why does the good die young? The good, the good. Why? T. JACKSON: Why him? And sometimes there's no answers. MORET: I think this is a very difficult period. It would be a difficult period for any family. But it's very difficult when you're talking about the death of an icon. LEMON: An icon. A pop star. A legend. Words that didn't seem big enough to describe the man who eventually became the "King of Pop." J. JACKSON: When my brother died, the world cried. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He meant so much to me. He influenced like my whole world. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael, thank you for the music you gave us all. The world will miss you. We love you. LEMON: Then, nearly three weeks after the singer's death, a Hollywood memorial service that rivaled royalty, seen by millions around the world. MUSIC: We are going to see the king. LEMON: The Andrae Crouch Choir sang as Jackson's brothers carried his casket. BERRY GORDY, MOTOWN FOUNDER: The king of pop is not big enough for him. He is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived. J. JACKSON: You find the life -- LEMON: It was an emotional ceremony. MARLON JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: I love you, buddy. I'll miss you. LEMON: With a heartbreaking ending. PARIS JACKSON, DAUGHTER: Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much. J. JACKSON: I'm not going to see him anymore, but I feel him everywhere. I really do. God picks certain people to do certain things. He knew he would be the loudest voice for the world to say, "man in the mirror, heal the world." And when it got to a point where they didn't realize and they didn't want to hear that message anymore, he took him. He took him back. He gave him to us, and he took him back. T. JACKSON: You know, maybe he's appreciated in another way now. But I know one thing. There will never be another Michael Jackson. Not in my lifetime, or yours, or anybody else's on this earth right now. I miss his laughter and his candor and just the person he was. Just a loving brother. My little brother. That's what I miss. My little brother. LIONEL RICHIE, ENTERTAINER: Every 25, 30 years, a phenomenon comes along. And we happened to watch them come in, we watched them light up and thrill us. We watched them go away. And now he will be the "King of Pop" forever. QUINCY JONES, PRODUCER: A combination of high showmanship, sincerity, uniqueness, originality, passion. USHER, ENTERTAINER: He is everything to music. This man was a universal pop icon. No barrier stood before this man that he didn't challenge that he didn't break down, that he didn't tear down. And that right there, that will never be replaced. And I'm going to miss him. I'm going to miss him so much. SMOKEY ROBINSON, ENTERTAINER: Michael Jackson was the complete package of an entertainer. I mean, not only could he sing, but he was visually dynamite. LEMON (on camera): If there was one song that you could -- if someone asked to you sing in tribute to Michael Jackson at a service or whatever, what would you think you'd sing? ROBINSON: How I feel about him, I would probably sing "Never Can Say goodbye." LEMON: Can you sing a little bit, please. ROBINSON: Never can say goodbye. No, no, no, no, I never can say goodbye. OK. Because I won't. MUSIC: Never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, no. I never can say goodbye. (END VIDEOTAPE)


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Cyber-terrorists have already compromised the U.S. military's computers and caused blackouts in Brazil, according to tonight's 60 Minutes. Better stock up on canned goods and flashlight batteries for the next big cyber-attack!
I love the idea that U.S. military personnel would see a random thumb drive sitting around in a public place, and think to themselves, "Huh. I wonder what would happen if I plugged this into my work computer?" What did they think was on those thumb drives? Porn? Warez? Cheat codes?
You can watch the whole scary Cyber-war segment from tonight's 60 Minutes below. [Thanks, Siczar!]


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In a land of airbrushed models and advertisements designed to make you feel like you're too wrinkly or too fat or too ugly to live, there's a "beauty queen" who isn't afraid to let it all hang out.
"Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" has captured the hearts of couch potatoes all over the country, and garnered a lot of attention for her sassy catch-phrases ("Dolla make me holla, Honey Boo Boo!") and colorful family.
Comprised of the outspoken beauty queen Alana (Honey Boo Boo child), voluptuous Mama (June), Sugar Bear (Alana's baby daddy), Pumpkin ("the craziest"), Chubbs (Jessica, perhaps the most "normal" of them all), and soon-to-be teen mom Chickadee (the "pregnant-est") let's just say this family is not a Norman Rockwell painting.
They should rename TLC (The "Learning" Channel) into The Laughing Channel.
Although here in Louisville many would consider "redneck" to be an insult, this family embraces it, demanding that you "redneck-ognize". June's the Coupon Queen, Dad's always got chewing tobacco stuffed in his cheek. Their idea of a family outing consists of buying potato chips in bulk at a local auction. Teen pregnancy runs in the family (Mama had Chickadee when she was only fifteen, and now she's about to be a grandma at thirty two). SNL has nothing left to parody when it comes to the "white-trash" stereotype.
I never watched Jersey Shore. I laughed at the people who were obsessed with Toddlers & Tiaras. I didn't get it. But now I do. I love this show, and I sort of hate myself for it.
America has a fascination with these obscure pockets of society, the people that differ from the typical Midwestern family. Reality shows patronize these individuals, and the more ridiculous the better ratings.
We can't get enough of these wacky characters, quoting them at the office water cooler and on our Facebook wall (guilty). And in exchange for our ridicule, they're cashing in. It's only a matter of time before you can have your very own Honey Boo Boo doll, or Mama June bobble-head.
And who suffers? The Republican National Convention (more people tuned in to watch Honey Boo Boo child pinch her chubby little belly) and more importantly, the children! We know from watching the trials and tribulations of Drew Barrymore and Lindsay Lohan that it's not easy growing up in the limelight. And we also know the overwhelming sense of entitlement that becomes of reality stars. We have yet to see what becomes of these child reality stars in their future years. Many say it's child abuse, and rightfully so. But yet, it's so hard to change the channel.
Perhaps it's the end of times, perhaps it's a new era of mindless self indulgence. It's definitely time for a conversation.


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by Mike Todd
"Well, at least tonight has been memorable," I said. "Most Saturday nights just turn into a blur of pizza boxes and Netflix envelopes, but not this one, right?"
"Uuuuugh," my wife Kara replied. She said something after that, too, but I couldn't quite make it out, partly because she wasn't enunciating but mostly because her head was inside the toilet bowl, which apparently has very poor acoustic projection.
I couldn't stick around to chat anyway, since our toddler Evan was busy in his crib doing his best impersonation of Linda Blair from "The Exorcist" but without the head-spinning. At least I imagine that's what the scene from The Exorcist would have looked like if I had been dumb enough to watch that movie. I handle horror movies about as well as anybody, as long as anybody doesn't sleep for three days afterwards.
We were managing to put on a pretty good horror show of our own last Saturday night, light on the gore but heavy on the splatter. It was all my fault. I had recently asked the question: "Did you ever notice that Evan never throws up anymore?"
"Don't say that. You're tempting fate," Kara replied.
Turns out, Kara was right. I had put a rhetorical slice of moist strawberry cheesecake right in front of Fate, and Fate was very tempted.
"Oh, I really shouldn't," said Fate. "But what the heck. Just this once."
And so our house was blighted with a 24-hour bug that took out two-thirds of its human occupants, sparing only me, perhaps because I was gracious enough to invite it in.
It's a strange phenomenon, when everyone around you gets sick but you don't. You know you didn't do anything to deserve it, but you still feel kind of cool, which is how it must feel to win a Grammy.
Before witnessing the carnage last Saturday, I thought 24-hour bugs sounded delightful. Only 24 hours? Whenever I've gotten sick as an adult, the symptoms seemed to last longer than the Crusades, and I'd gladly have taken a condensed version instead. But now that I've seen a 24-hour bug in action, I think I'll stick with the slow-burning kind that doesn't turn its hosts into biological geysers.
If we had to guess where Evan and Kara picked up the bug, the safest bet would be the toddler playland where we took Evan earlier in the weekend.
"We're taking Evan to a bouncy castle place," Kara said to her mom over the phone.
"Oooh, those places are full of germs," her mom replied, and Kara passed that information along to me.
"Aw, c'mon, germs are nothing to be afraid of," I said, hours before the projectile vomiting began.
The thing is, I'm pretty sure Evan would still do the entire weekend over again. He spent hours inside the toddlers' bounce house, laughing, screaming and running full tilt into the walls. That's pretty much what he does at home anyway, but it turns out to be much more fun when the walls are inflatable.
By the time we left, he'd had so much fun that I think he would gladly sign up for another severe gastrointestinal event to do it all again. But if it does all happen again, I think we'll either swear off bouncy castles forever or put Evan inside a giant hamster ball before rolling him across the drawbridge.
The next morning, everyone was feeling better, and our house had the slow, moaning and groaning vibe of a frat house after a great party. Kara and I had just survived the kind of night that you know you're signing up for when you become a parent, and which gradually becomes part of family lore. Perhaps most importantly, though, we learned that having a night to remember is best left for people without kids.


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Explore Cripple Creek
Welcome to Cripple Creek, a historic gambling and mining town that's one of the most dynamic and scenic tourism destinations in Colorado. The grandly restored Old West brick buildings along Bennett Avenue, surrounded by majestic mountains, boast nine unique state-of-the-art casinos, as well as great restaurants, shops, and hotels.
The excitement that drove the Greatest Gold Rush Ever still lives, where treasure seekers and hooligans from near and far try their hands at poker, black jack, roulette, craps and slot machines with the highest casino paybacks in Colorado.


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Top Ten in 2008
After another successful volunteering year it is time to look back to see which of our destinations were most popular in 2008.
1. Ghana
After spending the summer in Ghana and seeing the sheer amount of volunteers and great work they were doing I can honestly say I would be shocked it was not top of the pile.
But why was Ghana so popular? Here's what one volunteer thought…
Ghana is the perfect gateway for first-time volunteers in West Africa. The welcoming people, lush jungle, and extensive travel circuit provide an ideal environment for any placement."
Alex Oberholzer – Medical volunteer
2. India
"India is an assault on the senses. However many guidebooks or Michael Palin shows you watch you cannot prepare yourself for India. It is an amazing place to volunteer."
Ian Birbeck – Recruitment Director
3. Peru
"Peru is an incredible place to visit and explore. The Andes provide a magnificent backdrop to a country full of history, tradition, and a way of life unseen in the West. It is a must-see for those going to Latin America!"
Kelsy Nelson – Programme Advisor USA
4. Nepal
"I loved the welcoming attitude, the local community feel, it was truly was a remarkable experience."
Andrew Fryer – International Development Officer
5. South Africa
"South Africa is the land of many faces. Not only for the beautiful and friendly people but also in the beauty and variety of the land. Anyone can definitely have the time of their life in South Africa. I know I did."
Laurens Vos – Head of Recruitment, Holland
6. Mexico
"Mexico inspires thoughts of food, dancing, and many fiestas! From the chocolate induced mole, spicy tacos, and fresh bakeries to the dance halls filled with Salsa moves and lively bands, it has something for everybody. Whether you'd like to explore beaches on the weekend, visit ancient Mayan ruins, or simply relax with an afternoon siesta, Mexico will feed your needs."
Kelsy Nelson – Programme Advisor USA
7. Argentina
"The Argentinean city of Cordoba, where a number of Projects Abroad placements are based, really is mix of old and new and deserves it's hefty title of 'Cultural Capital of the Americas'. Where else do you find crowded student bars blaring out electro-tango next to old Jesuit ruins? It really is a fascinating city. For anyone looking to explore Argentina, be prepared for it to exceed your expectations in many ways (and that includes the melt-in-the-mouth steak; it's worth a return trip just for that!)."
Faye Stickings – Head of Social Management
8. Costa Rica
"Costa Rica is a wonderful destination to visit as an introduction to Latin America. The biodiversity and array of opportunities for people interested in the outdoors is unparalleled, and the people are kind, friendly and relaxed."
Jessye Crowe-Rothstein – Programme Advisor USA
9. Senegal
"Senegal is a fantastic Francophone destination. Not only are there some great programs at our base in St. Louis, but the combination of interesting architecture, smiling faces and a proximity to the ocean give it a vibe that is hard to replicate anywhere."
Will Harper – Deputy Director USA
10. China
"There's been no better time to visit China than now. Shanghai is one of the fastest growing business centers in the world and is a perfect place to gain work experience in fields as diverse as marketing, law, HR, finance and property development. After you have finished your work placement you can then explore this fascinating country, visiting the Terracotta Warriors, climbing the Great Wall or exploring the Forbidden City."
Greg Thomson – Operations Director
Who knows what 2009 will have in store, there is likely to be heavy competition with new destinations Tanzania and Fiji in the mix.


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Date(s) - 09/13/2020
1:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Savannah, GA
The goal of this workshop is simple: The goal of this workshop is to teach you the basics of medium format photography. While there is some truth to the idea that photography is photography, there is much that is different about medium format technology. This workshop requires Boot Camp 1
Here's what we will teach you –
1. How is medium format photography different?
2. Using medium format cameras in the field and in the studio.
3. You will learn all the basics of a camera's ISO, aperture, shutter speed, in simple, easy to understand terms.
4. You will learn how to get great candid images in the midst of a crowded environment.
This seminar is three hours long. Before completing the registration form below, please note:
1. Please read the workbook before attending.
2. This class begins at 9:00 AM sharp, so please arrive at 8:45 AM.
3. The Photo Walk begins at 1:00 PM unless otherwise noted.
4. Please bring the following: the workbook (printed out or in digital form), water or some other beverage, a folding chair, sun screen and bug repellant.
5. Dress for the weather.
Cancellation Policy:
1. We rarely cancel because of weather. If we are going to cancel because of the weather, we will do so the morning of the seminar, so please, check your email before leaving.
2. If a class does not have five students, we generally do cancel. The decision to cancel based upon poor attendance is generally made the day before the seminar.
Student Cancellation Policy:
1. You may cancel up to 72 hours before the beginning of the seminar for which you have registered. Please call, email or text your cancellation.
2. If you do not notify us prior to 72 hours before the event that you are rescheduling, or simply do not come, we will mark your voucher as used.
3. Once your voucher has been cancelled, you can re-register. A re-registration fee of $20.00 will be charged.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
This seminar lasts about three hours. A digital workbook can be downloaded – just click on the button below
The workbook also contains a list of things you need to bring to the seminar.


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Shelf Life: Rick Mercer Final Report
Sonya Fischer
Stratford Public Library
Rick Mercer is one of Canada's most beloved television personalities. Born in Newfoundland, Mercer first came to prominence on the CBC's This Hour has 22 Minutes. In 2004, the CBC gave him his own show: The Mercer Report. That show was always at or near the top of the ratings for 15 seasons until its final episode last year. Mercer is not sure what he will do next; he just knows it is time to move on.
Mercer has loved his years on CBC television. He feels blessed to have had the opportunity to travel across this vast country so many times sharing his findings with a willing and engaged audience. Of all the segments he will be remembered for, the most popular and most enduring were his weekly rants.
Begun on This Hour has 22 Minutes, Mercer carried them over to his new show. Each week, he walks through the same alley with his faithful camera operator walking backwards. During the segment, he rants about what is on his mind. He is usually critiquing a government official or questioning why things are the way they are. Sometimes these rants are profound, particularly when he tackles difficult issues like bullying, prejudice and injustice.
This book is not his autobiography. That may come at a later date. This book is mostly a collection of his favourite rants written in just a couple of pages each. It makes the book easy to read. You can read some of the rants or all of them. You can follow his chronological order or jump around if you wish.
What the reader is left with is a collection of Mercer's favourite memories after a long career of special moments. He includes references to bungee jumping with Rick Hanson, diving into a freezing lake with David Suzuki and rolling a joint with author Pierre Berton.
Rick Mercer is a proud Canadian. This will be self-evident to anyone who reads this very interesting and entertaining book.


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Solar Bears prep for home opener
The Orlando Solar Bears are getting ready for their first home game in 11 years.
The team made team announcements Wednesday and hopes the momentum will keep going into the weekend.
A new captain, Ryan Cruthers, and two alternates, Kevin Baker and Derick Martin, checked out their home at the Amway Center where the ice is down and ready for hockey.
The Solar Bears are 0-2 on the season, but the team said it is looking forward to skating on their own ice.
"From the first day I got this job I've been thrilled and honored and excited to be given the responsibility," said coach Drake Berehowsky. "The way the fans have received us and come out to support us has been incredible."
Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer also proclaimed that Friday is wear purple day in honor of the team.
The Solar Bears will play the Everglades on Saturday night.


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Import .pst files
From MozillaZine Knowledge Base
(Difference between revisions)
Revision as of 16:30, 3 March 2011
Most import tools, and Thunderbird, require that a compatible version of Outlook be installed on the machine being used to import Microsoft outlook data. Microsoft Outlook stores data in .pst files, which is a proprietary format. Thunderbird does not understand that format, nor does it know that .pst files even exist. So there is no Thunderbird import command that lets you browse to the location of a .pst file, nor can it import data if Outlook is not installed.
Normally you import by setting Outlook as the default email client, and then use Tools -> Import -> Mail within Thunderbird. This method uses SimpleMAPI calls to Outlook, and Outlook accesses the contents of the personal folders (.pst) file. See this article for information on how to import from more than identity. If some of the messages aren't imported correctly, a common workaround is to import the messages into Outlook Express, and then import the messages from Outlook Express into Thunderbird.
Windows users can try mail conversion utilities, but they also make SimpleMAPI calls just like Thunderbird.
If you just have the .pst file and can't install Outlook on the target PC you could:
The type and version of .pst file, and version of Outlook you are using is important. You normally can't open an Outlook 2003 .pst file (it defaults to Unicode) in Outlook 2002 (which only supports ANSI). You could export it as a Outlook 2002 compatible .pst file in Outlook 2003 using the File, New, Outlook Data File command, and then choose Outlook 97-2002 Personal Folders File (.pst) as the storage type.
Folder names can also be tricky. Outlook doesn't care about mail folder names because it stores all of the folders within a single .pst file. Thunderbird however stores all of the messages for each folder in a file named after the folder. So characters in a folder name that are invalid filename characters for your operating system can cause problems when importing to Thunderbird. If you get an error message about Thunderbird being unable to create a folder you may need to rename all folders in Outlook to use 7-bit alphabetical ASCII characters and try again. Another possible problem is that you had two child folders with the same name under two different parent folders. Rename one of the child folders.
Thunderbird has no concept of Outlook identities or profiles, so it only imports from the default identity or profile. If you have multiple identities or profiles you need to set one as the default, import it using Thunderbird, and then repeat.
A 60 day trial version of Outlook 2010 is available here. The simplest solution is to install it, configure it to use the .pst file and then import the messages into Thunderbird using Tools -> Import -> Mail. If some of the messages don't import cleanly see this article.
PSTWalker is shareware that claims to be able to convert Outlook 97-2007 .pst files to MSG files, without using MAPI or requiring Outlook to be installed. The developers web site doesn't mention it, but this web site claims it requires .NET Framework 2.0. You could use a conversion utility (such as this commercial software or this ruby based utility) to convert the MSG files to either mbox or .eml files, and import them using the ImportExportTools extension. Nobody has mentioned using PSTWalker in the forums and its not on any of the major shareware web sites.
The Thunderbird PST Import plugin is a open source utility to import selected folders from a .pst file under both Windows and Linux. Its based on readpst. Some of the dialog boxes are in French. [1] [2] Its not clear how well it works since nobody has mentioned using it in the forums and most of the comments on the download site reports it doesn't work. [3]
Outlook2Mac is a inexpensive utility designed to "to move your Windows Outlook email, contacts, and calendar appointments from your PC to your Macintosh computer". It creates mbox files for the messages and vcf and/or vcard files for the contacts so that you could copy them to a Mac and import them into a email client that supports those standards. You could use the ImportExportTools extension to import the mbox files and the MoreFunctionsForAddressBook extension to import the vcard or vcf files. It requires you to have a copy of Outlook installed - you can't use it if all you have is the .PST file.
There are several open source utilities to convert .pst files to mbox files such as readpst , libpst and Outport . Thunderbird uses a separate mbox file for each folder to store all of the messages for that folder. None of those utilities seem to be under active development and they only support some of the versions of .pst files. You can use the ImportExporttools extension to import the mbox files.
See if Microsoft offers a trial download of Office for the Mac or Entourage on their web site. The exact product name will change. For example, at one time it was called Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive 11.0. Currently its Office 2008 for Mac Trial Edition for the Mac. It includes Entourage.
Microsoft's web site has a PST Import Tool for Entourage "to import PST files from Microsoft Outlook 2001 for Mac". Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a version that supports later .pst formats. This article explains how to import folders from Entourage into Thunderbird.
The Entourage Import PST files help page has links to several products to import .PST files. It mentions Outlook2Mac, which can convert .pst files created by Outlook for Windows into files that can be imported into Thunderbird. However, it requires Outlook to be installed. The Convert Mail from Windows to Mac has some other suggestions/links.
Your best bet might be to buy the Personal Edition of Emailchemy. Its not expensive and there is a demo version that "masks subject and sender fields in the converted email" that you could try first. Its user documentation states it supports "Outlook for Windows" but doesn't provide any details on what versions it supports. Their blog has an article about Using Emailchemy on corrupt PST files which confirms they read the .PST file directly, not though any Microsoft API's or connectors.
There is also Xena, a Java application that can convert several types of files (including .pst) into a XML archive format for long-term digital preservation . They provide a viewer, but its not clear if anything is available to convert the XML archive format into mbox files.
If none of these solutions solve your problem see this article for some generic advice on how to import and export messages. Using a free IMAP account as an intermediary works well. If you're switching to a new PC where you're going to run Thunderbird (instead of Outlook) its recommended you import your messages into Thunderbird before getting rid of (or cannibalizing) your old PC.
If you have problems importing messages using mixed Western and Asian fonts see [4]
If you get an error message that says Thunderbird can't write to the folder (while importing) check that the TEMP environmental variable points to a folder on your hard disk that has enough room to store a temporary copy of all of the messages.
If your Outlook contacts are in the Personal Address Book they're stored separately in a .pab file. If they're in the Outlook Address Book they're stored in the .pst file.
The easiest way to import contacts from a .pst file is to install the trial version of Outlook, export them as a .csv or .ldif file, and then import them using Tools -> Import -> Address Books -> Text Files. If you don't want to do that you could try exporting them as .vcf files using the trial version of Recovery Toolbox for Outlookand then import them using the MoreFunctionsForAddressBooks add-on.
See also
External links


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The Domino's Makeover
The Domino's transformation continues. In keeping with the company's evolution into "artisanal" pizza making, the facade will now match, well, the facade. Moving beyond the delivery driven chain concept, Domino's is creating "Pizza Theaters" where the artist are the pizza makers. (It does seem to be a growing industry wide trend to make pizza assembly front and center.) That's not to say that Domino's is going to suddenly be a dine-in restaurant. The LA Times reports that:
Domino's eateries will begin to incorporate comfortable lobby areas as well as ordering kiosks and boards that track to-go orders electronically. Customers will be able to draw or leave feedback on chalk boards placed around the stores, which may also feature big-screen televisions.
What's New On Serious Eats
The logo is also getting a facelift. This one is lifted from the Domino's New Zealand Facebook page. An article in AdvertisingAge points out that in the U.S. the text will not always appear, but when it does, "pizza" will no longer be part of the equation. The chief marketing officer attributes the decision to switch from "Domino's Pizza" to just "Domino's" to the restaurant's menu incorporating so many other dough based items like cheesy sticks, bread bites, bread sticks, cinnamon bread sticks, etc. beyond pizza. (That rings a bell.)
[Via: LA Times]
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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News Archives - 2011
Theatre arts production explores stigma attached to mental illness
An introduction to The Living Newspaper Project: Everyone has Something by Elle Thoni, Augsburg senior and the production's assistant director
Have you been looking for the article about The Living Newspaper Project: Everyone Has Something, the theatre arts department's upcoming main stage production? There isn't one. Instead, we invite you to watch a student-made documentary about the original play, which was written and developed by Augsburg students. Why the departure from a traditional article? In many ways, The Living Newspaper Project is a departure from Augsburg's typical approach to main stage productions. Not only was the play created by Auggies for Auggies; it was created using a wide variety of performance modes from live music to puppetry to video projections. There are plenty of surprises in store for audience members.
In November, the student ensemble chose a contemporary issue they were interested in exploring through dramatization. Their choice was the stigma attached to mental illness. As assistant director, I chose to create a documentary about The Living Newspaper Project because the project itself is, in many ways, about contemporary media. What types of media do we interact with on an everyday basis? How do they influence our perception of one another and even ourselves?
There are no easy answers. Our aim, rather, is to facilitate a dialogue about these issues on campus and in the surrounding community. I encourage you to watch the documentary, attend a performance, and participate in our post-show discussions on February 10 and 12. We'd love to have your voice in the conversation! After all, everyone has something.
Special thanks to the Living Newspaper ensemble, Wesley Ellenwood, Taylor Kaiser-Gajeski, and Joe Funk for their help with the making of the documentary.
The Living Newspaper Project
Feb. 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m.
Feb. 6 and 13 at 3 p.m.
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater
Directed by Sarah Myers
Inspired by the original Living Newspapers of the Federal Theater Project in the 1930s, this student-devised performance uses a range of nonfiction sources to explore a current social issue. Ensemble members gathered interviews, articles, and multimedia—and generated their own writing—to create and stage this unique piece of socially conscious theatre.


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Our new video!!
- { October 31st, 2011 }
Here is our new video for the song Coastal Friend: http://vimeo.com/31267395 Let us know what you think about it… we can't wait to hear all your comments!
Here is our new video for the song Coastal Friend: http://vimeo.com/31267395 Let us know what you think about it… we can't wait to hear all your comments!
Hey all! You might have been asking yourselves "Why haven't I heard anything from my old pals KIN in a while?". Well, it's been a busy busy summer for the three of us. Danielle's been touring eastern Canada, charming the French crowds with her band Les Surveillantes. Eric's been just plain old livin' life, road tripping all over the United States and Ivan's been keepin' da beat around western Canada with a few different acts. As you can imagine, it's been hard for the three of us to get together and get anything done. That being said, we've still been keeping in contact, individually working on new songs, and talking about future plans to try and get the KIN ball (sc230_F.jpg) rolling again. What's on the horizon for KIN you ask? Well, we're going to be in Whitehorse on friday for the WCMA's Breakout West Festival. We're reeeeeaally excited to have been nominated in the category 'French recording of the year' and are really looking forward to playing our showcase out there. We hear it's a preeeeeeetty special place! Oh yeah……did I mention we've got a music video coming soon? We shot it in May, with our friends Tyler Funk and Randy Frykas and it is now in the editing process. We can't wait to see the final result and share it with all of you. It'll be released soon-ish so keep checking in on us! We hope to be playing in your neck of the woods soon and hopefully we'll have a few new songs to share! À bientôt!!
les Burkes
We are in Montreal for the festival Vue sur la relève! We'll be in concert at La Tulipe with Myëlle and Felix-Antoine Vallières on April 13th.
Tickets available here : http://www.admission.com/html/evinfo.htmI?CNTX=817622&l=FR&C
More info here : http://www.vuesurlareleve.com/


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Watching Chanderpaul and Samuels bat helped me: Mukund
After contributing to India's cause by scoring 48 runs in the second innings, opener Abhinav Mukund said he took inspiration from the rival batting line-up.india Updated: Jul 02, 2011 14:30 IST
After contributing to India's cause by scoring 48 runs in the second innings, opener Abhinav Mukund said he took inspiration from the rival batting line-up.
"Sitting at forward short leg and watching (Marlon) Samuels and (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul bat, I took a leaf (out of their book)," said Mukund after his career-boosting knock at the Kensington Oval on Friday.
"The two were playing too late. Chanderpaul was leaving a lot of balls which were close (to the off stump) also. I too wanted to play as late and leave as many as possible," remarked Mukund who shared an important 63-run second wicket stand with Rahul Dravid.
His innings somewhat redeemed the tour for Mukund after his failures in the first three Test knocks of his international career.
"We (the two openers) didn't have enough time to adjust. We landed here just three days before (the first Test). It's been tough, I can be honest about it. The bounce is really steep. But I feel it's good for me that I have played in tough conditions."
Mukund was hit on his helmet by one such steep bouncer from Edwards and he remembers the delivery as a really quick one.
"Any human being will tell you (it hurts). When you are hit, your body tells you are at war. It's a state of shock. But I wanted to convince myself I could face Test bowling."
Mukund said a punched drive he executed off Edwards in the second innings of the first Test gave him a lot of confidence.
"I remember the shot I played in the second innings of the first Test, punching Fidel (Edwards) for four. I felt confident that I could straight drive too (at this level)."
Mukund revealed he couldn't sleep much ahead of his first Test at Jamaica last week.
"I didn't sleep much on the night before the first Test. My body clock wasn't set either. I remember the first over I played in Test cricket. I was nervous but I didn't try to do anything about it."
Having been nervous, it still surprised most that Mukund preferred to take first strike rather than his more experienced partner Murali Vijay go for it.
"I told him that I would take the first strike. I have always taken the first strike, even at Ranji Trophy level. It isn't as if he didn't want to face first."
Mukund termed it a fortunate coincidence that he has played with the first five batters of the present Indian line-up.
"I am fortunate that I have played with all the first five batters previously. It is a really comfortable atmosphere in the dressing room.
"Having batted with Dravid today, you learn a lot. He is gutsy, he keeps talking to himself in the centre. He kept telling me watch the ball, watch the ball."
Mukund termed the Kensington Oval pitch as unpredictable.
"A few deliveries rise off a length. The new ball holds the key, for them and for us as well. If the weather is good,, it could be a good Test match."


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Note: An updated version of this story is here: Teen Dies After Hitting Overpass While on Starline Bus
A 16-year-old boy from Manhattan Beach was in critical condition after he struck a freeway overpass when he stood up on an open roof double-decker bus traveling 45 mph, police said.
The double-decker charter bus with Starline Tours was traveling south before 8 p.m. Thursday on the San Diego (405) Freeway near the Arbor Vitae Street overpass when the incident happened, said CHP Officer Edgar Figueroa.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
The private bus had 45 passengers, most of whom were under 18 years old and were with adult chaperons.
A witness told NBC4 that the teen may have been dancing on a seat cushion with his back to the freeway signs when his head and hands slammed into the sign. He then collapsed on the floor, the witness said.
Approximately two dozen teens were present and dancing on the upper deck at the time of the incident. All adult chaperones were inside the bus at the time.
The teen was at a hospital listed in critical condition.
Officials with Star Line declined to comment.
Beverly White and Samia Khan contributed to this report.


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His own words did him in. When Bobby L. Cutts Jr. testified on his own behalf, it strengthened the case for the team of trial lawyers trying to convict him, Stark County prosecutors said.
His own words did him in. When Bobby L. Cutts Jr. testified on his own behalf, it strengthened the case for the team of trial lawyers trying to convict him, Stark County prosecutors said. "Our case got stronger when Bobby took the stand," assistant prosecutor Dennis Barr told reporters Wednesday after the sentencing. The former Canton police officer was convicted in the deaths of his former girlfriend, Jessie M. Davis, and their unborn daughter, Chloe, by a jury Feb. 15. He was sentenced Wednesday. Cutts took the stand in his own defense Feb. 11. Attempting to explain Davis' death, Cutts told jurors it was an accident and that he panicked June 14. Cutts, along with co-defendant Myisha Ferrell, took the body to a Summit County park, where they left it. Nine days later, Cutts led investigators to the decomposed remains. Assistant county prosecutor Chryssa Hartnett said FBI officials were instructed to appeal to Cutts' ego, so that he would think, "I might look better if I help." And he did. After Wednesday's sentencing, Barr told reporters: "Frankly, I didn't think he would testify. So when he did, it took me by surprise." He said Cutts told a different version of events to the jury, different than the story he told investigators or the story he told his own family in mid-June. Barr believed Cutts' testimony was bogus. "I think his testimony and his demeanor on the stand assisted us in getting a conviction in this case." Hartnett said Cutts might have gotten away with the murders, if not for his own actions -- involving Ferrell and leading investigators to the body. Except for cell phone calls, there was no hard evidence. So Hartnett said Ferrell's testimony was an "integral part" of this conviction. "Her testimony helped shed light on the mechanism of death," though jurors heard a soft version, she said. Prosecutor John Ferrero said Cutts' attorneys were never offered a deal, though, one was discussed. Ferrero said they would've offered life without parole. But Hartnett said: "His decisions allowed us to have a case." Canton Repository


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Because no one reads the newspaper, and SportsCenter's anchors are too perky for this early in the morning, Deadspin combs the best of the broadsheets and internets to bring you everything you need to know to start your day.
• Bernard Hopkins didn't lose a fight last night, but lost in his bid to break George Foreman's oldest-to-a-belt record. (This judge — who didn't use whiteout — scored it at 114-112 Hopkins, being a homer that excused one of two official knockdowns as donkey-punch related). North Philly represented after a slow start [The Ring]. Rematch requested [Fanhouse].
• The Miami Heat trailed the Washington Bullets (aka Wizards) by five points with 32.6 seconds. The Heat won by one [Miami Herald]. The Bullets (aka Wizards) also traded Gilbert Arenas to the Orlando Magic [Orlando Sentinel]. The Magic proceeded to get roughed up by the Philadelphia 76ers, who revel in playing teams with depleted rosters [Philadelphia Inquirer].
• Minnesota Vikings QB Joe Webb's starting streak begins at one, as Brett Favre's sitting streak reaches two. [Star Tribune]
• Washington Nationals fans don't much like Jayson Werth saying he misses Philly on the radio [Nationals Enquirer]. And then there's this...
• Inter Milan wins the FIFA Club World Cup by dispatching African upstart TP Mazembe 3-0. This leads to unrest in Lubumbashi.
Reports say disappointed fans took to the streets and attacked Chinese-run businesses, after TP Mazembe were beaten 3-0 by Italian club Inter Milan.
They are believed to have thought the Japanese referee was Chinese, and were angered by some of his decisions. [BBC]
• Ralph Friedgen, out. [Baltimore Sun]
• The purported No. 1 high-school football team in the county lost the Texas state championship because of a fifth-grade sandlot-game "dead man" ruse. So, they're really not the No. 1 high-school team in the country after all, are they? [Houston Chronicle]
(Better quality video linked here.)
• Now (probably) pitching for YOUR Milwaukee Brewers: Zack Greinke! (And no, sick Jon Heyman impersonator isn't the source). [Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel]
• Illinois-Chicago 57, No. 12 Illinois 54. [Rivals.com]
• Some vapid blonde chick went to Spain wearing a tight pink bodysuit to talk about how hot it is to sponsor a motorcycle team. [Fox Sports]
• And, finally, from the "Hickey's Biased" coverage files … The Philadelphia Flyers are the "best and deepest team in the East" [New York Post]. Kobe still can't get no love in the 215, but Michael Vick sure can [FoxSports Southwest]. It's onward to the Jan. 7 FCS championship game for the mighty University of Delaware Fighting Blue Hens [News Journal].
Welcome back. So happy you could join us.