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Celebrate Veteran's Day with Guard Duty's Glory Run Saturday, November 8. New course this year will take runners through the City of Taylorsville.
The race is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. at Ray Jewell Park, with registration at 7:30 a.m.
Awards will be given out for an array of age groups for male and female divisions. Door prizes and more will be a part of the experience.
Advance registration is encouraged and will cost $15. Registration the day of the race will be $20. Persons with military ID will be charged $17 the day of race.
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you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail [email protected] If you need to report cruelty to
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animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local
police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA
immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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Article source: PETA Files

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday finally brought some excitement to the table, after the initial thrill of Thursday's day-drinking-instead-of-working had worn off. We had two 15 seeds beating 2 seeds—and one of them was Duke! But the real fun came after Norfolk State University bested Missouri, a team for some reason loads of people had going to the Final Four. Lucky for us we likely won't be winning any money this March and we got a chance to meet Kyle O'Quinn. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
"We messed up some brackets! We messed up some brackets!" he said. "We even messed up my bracket."
It's always fun to meet an athlete who has not yet been trained to pump out meaningless fortune cookie quotes to the media day after day. O'Quinn, a native New Yorker, most likely never had so many microphones in his face before in his life, but did he ever seem like a natural.
Despite his ease in front of the recording devices, he has been playing basketball for just a handful of years. He only played his Senior year in high school ("They needed somebody for the jump ball. That was me.") and only one school offered him a scholarship—Norfolk State. Lucky for them—and us—that he's here now winning hearts as he and his teammates destroy brackets.
Well, maybe not all brackets.
"We ran into an old lady (Thursday) night at dinnertime," O'Quinn said. "She told us, 'Whatever you do - beat Mizzou.'"
We're not sure if O'Quinn responded to the old lady, but if he did, it was probably sharp as a tack, and just as short.
"My future is winning on Sunday, how about that?" he said. "Let's take small steps."
On NSU's band and cheerleaders: "When they're shaking it like that, you gotta look over there."
On President Obama picking Mizzou for the Final Four: "Maybe next time you'll think about the underdogs. Because we play hard."
On preparing for Missouri: "We actually had Phil Pressey in our practice." A pause. "I'm joking."
O'Quinn is not the only guy with a sense of humor on the team, however. Following the upset and bracket busting, several of his teammates are now expecting an apology phone call from President Obama. "'We wanted to mess up his bracket,' [Marcus] Tamares said. Tamares paused and added: 'I still like President Obama. I don't want problems with the commander-in-chief.'"
O'Quinn, though, is the star and was so charming and funny that reporters felt compelled to track down his father to ask where he got it from. Kyle, according to his father Tommie, is a regular chip off the old block. "'His mom don't have nothing to do with it,' Tommie joked."
Norfolk State's Kyle O'Quinn embraces role of Bracket Buster after upset of Missouri [Sacramento Bee]
O'Quinn steps into spotlight for tourney's new Cinderella [Omaha.com]
Calling President Obama [Politico]
Norfolk State's Kyle O'Quinn: 5 Things To Know About The Breakout Star [IBTimes]


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S4 E14 Episode 414
ENTREPRENEUR: Susie and Steve Taylor
PITCH: Bibbitec
ASKING FOR: $40k for a 14% stake
BEST PART OF THE PITCH: The Taylors were tired of buying bibs that didn't work for their messy baby boys. So they created a bib that slips over a child's head and has slots for the arms. The design of the product allows you to cover the baby's entire body. The bib never stains thanks to their patented fabric. It costs $15 to make, so the profit margin isn't great. But Susie and Steve say their bib will last for years unlike others on the market. They have about $17,000 in sales over the last 12 months. Susie gets emotional when she talks about how she's just a mom trying her best to raise her kids the right way.
DO THE SHARKS BITE? Mark likes the product and doesn't believe they need to sell it retail. He thinks they need to find a better salesperson to run their company. He's out. Barbara believes that they could get a legion of moms to help sell their product, but her instincts tell her that she can't invest. Kevin feels their product is a hobby, not a business. The margins are just too high. He believes it's time to take the bib behind the barn and shoot it. He's out. Daymond can't help educate people about the bib. He's out. Robert doesn't believe they have a clear plan on how to make the bib successful. He's out, too. Susie says she won't give up. Moms need better products and she's going to give it to them.
LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.bibbitec.com
ENTREPRENEURS: Rabbi Moshe Weiss
PITCH: SoundBender
ASKING FOR: $54k for a 26% stake
BEST PART OF THE PITCH: As a rabbi, Moshe is always looking for ways to help others make their "oy vey" go away. He's created a magnetic, power-free sound amplifier for the iPad. It costs about a dollar to make without packaging. He sells it for $12.99. Moshe has sold 7,000 units online over the past six months. He has high interest from Walgreens.
DO THE SHARKS BITE? Kevin wonders if he'd be interested to license the product so they can produce it even cheaper in foreign lands. The rabbi is not willing to do that, so Kevin is out. Mark believes it's a nice business, but doesn't see it getting all that big. He's out. Barbara wants guarantee that she'll get her money back, but the rabbi isn't willing to go the royalty route. She's out. Daymond wants 40% of the company but it is contingent on the Walgreens deal. Robert fears this will take up too much of his time, but still makes the same offer as Daymond, but without the Walgreens contingency.
THE RESULT: Moshe considers both offers, but opts to partner with Daymond. He believes this particular shark is a marketing genius. With SoundBender, they hope to make beautiful music together. Lots of money, too.LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.theSoundBender.com
UPDATE: Cousins Maine Lobster
Jim Tselikis & Sabin Lomac struck a deal with Barbara regarding their lobster food truck company. Since their appearance in the tank, they open up a huge distribution center to ship fresh Maine products all over the country overnight. They've done $700k in sales in just a few months. Barbara joins the guys for a visit to the governor's home in Maine to receive a certificate recognizing their accomplishments in creating jobs and helping the local economy.
ENTREPRENEUR: Mike Robinson
PITCH: Cuddletunes
ASKING FOR: $400k for a 20% stake
BEST PART OF THE PITCH: Mike's career has taken him on the road a lot over the years. That means he's been away from his seven beautiful children for large chunks of time. It takes a toll on the relationships. Mike created a stuffed bear with technology that allows you to send your recorded voice to your child from anywhere at any time. He's spent about half million bucks in development.
DO THE SHARKS BITE? The sharks get uncomfortable when Mike doesn't answer the question about his sales numbers right away. Barbara has a bad memory of her dad having recorded his voice for her family when she was young. It actually made her sad because he wasn't there. She's out. Mark doesn't see anything unique with this product. He's out. Robert follows his lead, as does Daymond. Kevin can't give Mike the money he wants for a business he doesn't think is worth it. He's out, too. Looks like Mike will have to cuddle up with another partner.
LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.cuddletunes.com
ENTREPRENEUR: Lena Phoenix & Steven Sashen
PITCH: Xero Shoes
ASKING FOR: $400k for an 8% stake
BEST PART OF THE PITCH: Xero Shoes is described as "Original Barefootware." It's a high-tech shoe that is biomechanically identical to being barefoot while containing an added layer of protection. Robert is the only shark who is a runner, so he tries out the product. He thinks the shoes feel great. They've sold over $650,000 in shoes over the past two and a half years. They are on track for $1.2 million in sales for the year.
DO THE SHARKS BITE? Daymond believes a competitor will come along soon and do what Lena and Steven have done, which is basically put some string on a piece of rubber. He's out. Kevin thinks the business is a crapshoot, but he's willing to give them $400k for 50% of the company. Barbara isn't crazy about the product. She's out. Robert can't get on board with the evaluation of the company. He's out. Mark is out, but he says Lena and Steven should take Kevin's deal before the bubble on their business bursts.
THE RESULT: The only offer Lena and Steven have on the table is from Kevin for 50% of their company. They are not willing to give up that much equity at this time, so they decline the offer. Mr. Wonderful says they are dead to him. That just makes Lena and Steven want to prove to that he made the wrong decision.
LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.XeroShoes.com


text: The Paps West 690m mountain, Paps/Derrynasaggart Ireland at MountainViews.ie Cookies. This website uses cookies, which are small text files that the website puts on your computer to facilitate operation. Cookies help us provide a better service to you. They are used to track general user traffic information and to help the website function properly. More Information Click to hide this notice for 30 days. Guestuser: Login or enrol? Home Main Display Find a Walk Display INTRODUCTION Donate to MountainViews New New Contributions Newsletters Challenge Walks News Tracks, Walks Upload a track Find a Walk SECONDARY OPTIONS: View all tracks secondary method View your tracks secondary method Challenge Challenge Walks Calendar Challenge Walks News Community Rising Summiteers Summiteers Hall of Records Irish Munroists Recent Contributors Contributors Hall of Fame Credits Lists, Completion & Awards Community Constitution Lists & Logs Irish County Highpoints Local 100 Irish Highest Hundred Vandeleur-Lynams Arderins Arderin Begs Arderins + Arderin Begs Irish Best rated Irish 900 up Irish Island Munros All Twenty-Four Lists & Personal Log Log Analysis My Contributions & Profile Listing Programs Simple Irish Listings Simple Irish & British Listings More Guidelines Using the Service Comments Photos Statistics Conditions of Use Privacy & Cookies Privacy Policy Cookies Policy Resources Links Motley Views General Forum Suggestions Forum Bibliography Welcome to MountainViews If you want to use the website often please enrol (quick and free) at top right. Overview Detail Legend Zoom: ?? Overlay features legend For more map options click on any overview map area or any detail map feature. Detail Map Features Showing 13 items: The Paps East 694m, The Paps West 690m, Knocknabro West Top 592m, Coolcurtoga 425m, Tracks: 4096, 26km 2476, 12km 3391, 9km 1752, 9km 3039, 8km 3222, 8km 3621, 8km 2852, 7km 3688, 3km Find Suggested WalksOpen walks finder Find hill, mountain, island, coastal feature. Videos Recent Contributions 1 2 3 .. 19 Next page >> Get Notifications A possible new list ? Forum: Suggestions David-Guenot 12 hours ago Thought this may be of interest...http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-06-23-online-hillforts-atlas-maps-all-4147-britain-and-ireland-first-time?fbclid=IwAR0GP2jpEDqY5mAPDY8QMB06DONs608MUiGLZFqhE1mRXqost... Devilsmother North Top: Simple top on the way to main summit. Summit Summary Collaborative entry Last edit by: Geo 19 hours ago The most direct approach is to park at small lay-by (1-2 cars) at L91270 65070 and proceed directly up steep slope in SE direction. Terrain is short grass mostly, and was solid underfoot in late M... Devilsmother North Top: Friday 13th... Lucky for me! Summit Comment Geo a day ago A crisp early morning in September.The mist shimmering over the lakelets as I drive the winding road north from my base in Roundstone.A night of fitful sleep the night before worrying through the ... Alt de Comapedrosa Track 4204 David-Guenot a day ago Visiting Alt de Comapedrosa, the highpoint of Andorra at 2942m, with a friend from Wales. Actual total ascent ca. 1420m. walk, Len: 15.7km, Climb: 1558m, Area: Andorra, La Massana () || Birreencorragh: Shapely summit welcomes bootless buffoon Summit Comment wicklore 3 days ago This is a view of the rather shapely upper slopes of Birreencorragh as viewed from the col to the south west. In particular, the photo was taken from near spot height 587 meters. From this point i... Devilsmother ridge from N59 Track 4205 Geo a day ago walk, Len: 10.1km, Climb: 695m, Area: Devilsmother Far North Top, Partry/Joyce ... Knocknascollop NW Top: The unofficial high point. Summit Comment TommyV 5 days ago This route actually takes in the cairn on Knocnascallop and not the NW top which is five metres higher. My plan was to take in the NW top but after driving around it seemed that parking and access... Tawnaghmore: Rural Mayo Summit Comment TommyV 5 days ago Followed the directions provided by Geansai. Just to mention with a bit of tidy parking it's possible to fit a car at the start of the bog road at F97993 40155. I wouldn't recommend driving any fu... The Four Peaks Challenge Track 4218 wicklore 2 days ago walk, Len: 51.5km, Climb: 5405m, Area: Dublin/Wicklow (Ireland) Lugnaquilla, Sl... Maumakeogh: Wet and Boggy Summit Comment TommyV 5 days ago I followed the directions provided by sandman and I would second his opinion that this one is a summit bagging exercise. Very little to recommend about this one! Ben Creggan South Top: Are you slower than a Victorian Mountaineer? Summit Comment wicklore a week ago Or perhaps the question should be, are you carrying a camera? When one peruses these august pages, one could be forgiven for feeling inadequate when learning that Hillwalker A only took an hour to... Slievenamon trio Track 4215 wicklore 2 days ago walk, Len: 11.4km, Climb: 736m, Area: Slievenamon, South Midlands (Ireland) Sli... Most Recent Monthly Newsletter. Conditions and Info Use of MountainViews is governed by conditions and a privacy policy. Read general information about the site. Opinions in material here are not necessarily endorsed by MountainViews. Hillwalking is a risk sport. Information in comments, walks or shared GPS tracks may not be accurate for example as regards safety or access permission. You are responsible for your safety and your permission to walk. See the credits and list definitions. RSS Feed for Recent Items. Visit our Facebook page. Video display Paps/Derrynasaggart Area More detail Place count in area: 24, OSI/LPS Maps: 79 Highest place: The Paps East, 694m Maximum height for area: 694 metres, Maximum prominence for area: 623 metres, Places in area Paps/Derrynasaggart:Ballyvouskill 401mCaherbarnagh 681mCaherbarnagh East Top 549mCaherbarnagh NW Top 668mClaragh Mountain 452mCoolcurtoga 425mCoomagearlahy 506mCoomagearlahy W Top 462mCummeenboy 442mCurracahill 478mDereenaculling 303mKnockacommeen 426mKnockbwee 461mKnocknabro East Top 530mKnocknabro North-East Top 535mKnocknabro West Top 592mKnocknagowan 574mKnockullane 462mKnockullane E Top 408mMullaghanish 649mMullaghanish Far North-East Top 558.5mMullaghanish North-East Top 586.4mThe Paps East 694mThe Paps West 690m Note: this list of places includes island features such as summits, but not islands as such. Centre on map. The Paps West Mountain An Dá Chích Anann - An Chíoch Thiar A name in Irish (Ir. An Dá Chích [OSI], 'the two breasts') Kerry County, in Arderin, Vandeleur-Lynam, Irish Highest Hundred Lists, Green sandstone & purple siltstone Bedrock Height: 690m OS 1:50k Mapsheet: 79 Grid Reference: W12502 85525 Place visited by 252 members. Recently by: guestuser, chelman7, Grumbler, markwallace, magnumpig, learykid, TommyV, David-Guenot, Lauranna, ahogan, JeanM, Patbrdrck, sharonburns, jamesmforrest, Ulsterpooka I have visited this place: YES (You need to be a logged-in member to change this.) More detail Longitude: -9.275173, Latitude: 52.01536 , Easting: 112502, Northing: 85525 Prominence: 106m, Isolation: 0.8km, Has trig pillar ITM: 512471 585584, GPS IDs, 6 char: ThPpsW, 10 char: ThPpsWstBedrock type: Green sandstone & purple siltstone, (Glenflesk Chloritic Sandstone Formation) The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology gives the full name as Dá Chích Anann, 'the two breasts of Anu'. This goddess, also called Danu, was reputedly responsible for the fertility of the whole province of Munster. The summit cairns on both peaks, believed to be prehistoric, resemble nipples on the breasts. Strangely enough, the two peaks have the rounded aspect of a comely maiden's figure when viewed from the north-west (Killarney) or south-east (Ballyvourney), but have a triangular profile more reminiscent of a war goddess breastplate when seen from the north-east (Rathmore) or south-west (Kenmare). The Paps West is the second highest mountain in the Paps/Derrynasaggart area and the 128th highest in Ireland. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/ Rate Gallery COMMENTS for The Paps West 1 2 Next page >> Follow this place's comments Picture from jackill The recognisable Paps. by jackill 30 Jan 2011 The Paps are perhaps two of the most recognizable mountains in Ireland when viewed for their northern or southern approaches. I found myself in Killarney at 1.30 pm on the third of January last when a brief stop at the office to check my emails on the way took three hours - the joys of working! I paid a quick visit to the Sport Corran Tuathail to buy a copy of OS map 79 as naturally I had managed to forget my own. I headed out the Cork road to eventually arrive at my start point W145 840 A at about 2.00pm, much later than I would have liked. There is plenty of room to park four or five cars here without being in anyone's way. I wasted no time in setting out up the track towards Lough Glannafreaghaun, past the sign written in marker on a plastic bucket lid for " Shrone, The City". Does anyone have a clue what its supposed to refer to? On the way up this track you pass through three gates and after the third you emerge beyond the trees marked on the map. There is nothing for it but to start the steep climb up the first Pap (I don't mean to be rude). After approx. 100 meters of height is gained to the first crest go left for 50 meters before again climbing again to the right along a wide, steep cleft in the hill. This avoids having to struggle through the rough boggy very steep stream bed if you just went straight on. The summits of both these mountains are marked with large Cairns which apparently cover ancient tombs. From the Paps east a descent of approx. 100 meters brings you to the col and then its another sharp climb up the Paps west of 100 meters. I headed back down to the col and then contoured around to get back to the track I had walked in on. I arrived back at the car just as it was getting dark at around 5.00pm. The photo was taken just before sunset from the Paps east with the Paps west in the center and behind are Crohane, Stoompa, Mangerton and the Reeks over the Lakes of Killarney. A little bit of a sprint to finish before dark but what excellent views! Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/comment/2144/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from riverlaune : Pap West with Pap East in the background Picture: Pap West with Pap East in the background Southern approach by riverlaune 12 Dec 2012 I have posted this comment on the Pap East comments, but thought it might be useful to have it here as well as most hillwalkers will bag both summits on the same walk! It also gives me an excuse to upload another photo! We parked at W14446 84029 B (Point A) in the Clydagh Valley and followed the ancient Duhallow trail towards Rathmore. As you walk up the trail you will see Pap East on the left handside in the distance(weather permitting!). An excellent guide to the walk can be found in Kevin Corcoran's book, 'Kerry Walks'. In previous comments a number of fellow walkers have taken the 'fire break' trail up Pap East but found it very slippery and muddy. We decided to take a track on the left hand side(after the 2nd gate) at W14304 85244 C (Point B), which proved to be an excellent way up the mountain. There is a heathery scramble to the summit after the trail peters out, but it is a fairly straightforward route which avoids the 'fire break'. From East Pap and its huge cairn, we walked to West Pap and then as pre-arranged, the clouds parted and we devoured a well deserved lunch, with superb views over Cork and Kerry! Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/comment/4552/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from Geo : Nearly there! Picture: Nearly there! Geo on The Paps West, 2010 by Geo 23 Feb 2010 Day three of a Kerry weekend and on the way home we thought The Paps would be nice on a Sunday morning. Parked at Forest at W1292783233 D and walked a couple of hundred metres further along the road to another forest exit. Immediately after this on left a hole in the hedge allows one to follow the forest fence uphill to another fence at W1295683777 E. After crossing this continure upwards and you get to Rodgers Rock (marked as a spot height on OS) at W1259784177 F in a little under an hour from the car. From here continue N along a fence and its hard to miss Pap West! We were on its summit with its cairn and trig in an hour and a half. Not a very demanding climb, but what a view! Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/comment/4431/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from johnvbrennan : Looking back towards the Paps from Caherbarnagh Picture: Looking back towards the Paps from Caherbarnagh johnvbrennan on The Paps West, 2005 by johnvbrennan 16 May 2005 A group of us from Ballyhoura Bears walking club did the Paps in May. We were very fortunate with the weather which offered us fabulous views of the Reeks and Mangerton. We left our cars in Millstreet and hired a minibus to bring us to the starting point in Glenflesk Co. Kerry. We then walked the entire ridge back to Millstreet in Co. Cork. Along the way we took in both East and West Paps, Caherbarnagh. We finished with Claragh mountain in Millstreet. Total journey time was just under 7 hours. The ground from Caherbarnagh to the foot of Claragh is tough under foot and if it had been a wet day I am sure it's the kind of ground that would soak the energy out of you pretty quickly. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/comment/1695/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from rossbeighed : n22 view from the spur Picture: n22 view from the spur rossbeighed on The Paps West, 2009 by rossbeighed 17 Mar 2009 Climbed the western pap in the derrynasaggarts via the spur (rodgers rock). assumed this would be easier than going via shrone lake on the rathmore side. parked the car about 2 miles east of cloonkeen and climbed from large cutting. looks like theres plenty of space for parking here. the tough part is the climb up to the spur which gets quite steep. from the spur its relatively straight forward as you have both peaks straight in front of you. there was a hazy mist from the top but Id say on a clear day probably the best view in ireland. have to come up again on a clear day to see that kerry expanse:) even with the mist the view towards kerry Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/comment/3647/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average ciarraioch on The Paps West, 2007 by ciarraioch 22 Apr 2007 Just to answer the question on The City: The City or Cathair Crobh Dearg is an ancient stone fort at the northern foot of the Paps or Dá Chích. There is a holy well with a cult of the Virgin Mary, with rosaries traditionally said in a clockwise direction around the fort on Mayday, of late the nearest Sunday to 1st May. This is obviously a christianisation of the Earth Mother cult. The cairns on the Paps are supposedly megalithic burial chambers built on the mountains to resemble nipples. Dana or Anú was the goddess of Munster and the views are wideranging over her domain from Allihies on Beara to the Galtees in Tipperary. A walk combining the City and the Paps is like a pilgrimage back in time to the religion of our ancestors. The cultural and musical hinterland of Sliabh Luachra lies at your feet, the birthplaces of Gaelic poets Eoghan Rua O Suilleabhain and Aogán O Raithaille are immediately to the north. The Paps are more than a just another walk.... Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/125/comment/2671/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average COMMENTS for The Paps West 1 2 Next page >> (End of comment section for The Paps West.) Some mapping: Open Street Map (Various variations used.) British summit data courtesy: Database of British & Irish Hills (Creative Commons Licence) MountainViews.ie, a Hill-walking Website for the island of Ireland. 11 Million Visitors Per Year. 1300 Contributors.


text: Markus "Notch" Persson tweeted a picture today of his popular PC game Minecraft running on the Xperia Play. The game, it seems, is set to be shown off during E3 on the Sony Ericcson device. Developer Mojang also confirmed to Kotaku this morning, that it will be appearing on Android before iPhone. [@notch]


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Do you know which of our upcoming Seventeen cover stars I can't wait to meet? Our October 2011 cover star...she's going to be one of you! I'm sure you've heard all about our search for the ultimate real girl to be on our cover and win a $10,000 scholarship -- if not, head over to seventeen.com/prettyamazing and pick up the March issue asap!
In my March Editor's Letter, I showed you some Pretty Amazing girls who inspire me...and I found another one this week! Because she's a superstar broadcast journalist at her school, Nkongho Beteck of Maryland was profiled in her local newspaper. She gave a shout out to Seventeen and I for talking about real life stories and goals in our magazine, so I wanted to return the favor. Thank you, Nkongho -- make sure you enter Pretty Amazing!
I'm super excited to judge the contest with our March cover girl Miranda Cosgrove and blogger Jared Eng of JustJaredJr.com. Tweet me at @annshoket to let me know how your entry is coming along!


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NEW YORK, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. actress Mireille Enos says she was eager to star in the zombie-apocalypse movie "World War Z" because it is an intelligent action flick that never loses sight of the humans at the center of its story.
Directed by Marc Forster and co-starring Brad Pitt, the film is the harrowing tale of Gerry Lane, a former investigator for the United Nations who tries to get his wife and two young daughters to safety, while people all over the world are transforming into man-eating monsters. After his family is out of harm's way -- at least temporarily -- he heads out to unravel what caused the global catastrophe and find a solution to ending it.
"I love action movies," Enos told United Press International in a recent phone interview.
"It's one of my favorite genres to go and see in the theater, but what was different about this one ... I was so struck by how grounded the human element was and the family at the center of it, how you were rooting for them," the 37-year-old Missouri native explained. "It also works on several different levels. It was a commentary about real crises we deal with, and how we help each other or don't help each other. And then when you have a director like Marc Forster at the helm, I knew he was going to try to tell a really intelligent story and that's always exciting."
Enos' level-headed and compassionate character Karin is essentially the heart of the film as she is the one who protects and comforts the younger members of her family when Gerry must leave them on a military ship, so he can attempt to save what is left of humanity.
Asked if she and Forster discussed how Karin would be the character most moviegoers connect to in this terrifying world, Enos replied, "I think everyone was conscious of that.
"I think that's why I was cast in the part," she reflected. "What's interesting to me when I take a part is trying to bring that heart into it. Because everybody was focused on that -- making the family be the heart -- that's why this particular group of people came together. Me and Brad and those kids, who were so smart and warm. It's something we talked about a lot. Brad referred to me throughout the shoot as 'Mama Bear.' He would say, 'We need more Mama Bear in here!' Or, 'I think Mama Bear should pick up the baby.' To keep that family grounded."
The zombies in this film aren't the typical, lumbering living-dead creatures seen on the screen; they are lightning fast and unbelievably strong, making them all the more unnerving to watch.
"We were definitely moving," Enos laughed, when questioned about how physically demanding the movie was for its actors. "We spent a whole week [being chased by zombies] in that stairwell. A week of running up and down those stairs, lugging flares and carrying babies. They were long, hard days, but they were fun, too."
So, did this kind of survival tale make her consider what she would do if she and her family were ever in grave danger in real life?
"Absolutely!" exclaimed Enos, who is married to actor Alan Ruck. "I have a little daughter who is about to turn 3 and at the time we shot this she was tiny, about 10 months old. But you can't help -- when you're telling a story like this -- kind of playing out the scenario in your own mind. Brad says several times [in the movie], 'Movement is life.' And I actually think that's really true. You've got to just grab your loved ones and keep moving."
Best known for her work on the TV dramas "Big Love" and "The Killing," Enos' film credits include "Someone Like You," "Gangster Squad" and the upcoming "Devil's Knot."
"World War Z" is set for DVD and Blu-ray release Tuesday.


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C places
Unfortunately not all places in Berkshire have had an article written for them yet.
Additional information is available in the GenUKI pages for Berkshire or by searching our bookshop.
If you have knowledge about the place, perhaps you would like to write an article for our Society web site.
We provide resources for authors registered on the web site.
There is also a selection of videos available on Chad Hanna's Youtube channel that will be useful:
- Writing an Article for Berkshire Family History Society web site http://youtu.be/T4Pp-yIY2CM
- Adding an image to a Joomla! article http://youtu.be/6Frv0OKLtxM
- Adding a link to a Joomla! article http://youtu.be/wQrBnH1COFA
Please get in touch with the web team if you would like to become an author and help us write some more articles.
Written by Chad Hanna 21 March 2012


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You choose the vehicle, the deposit, how long you want the contract to run for and the mileage you intend to do. You will then receive a quote for fixed cost motoring for the length of the contract. At the end of the contract you have a choice to either buy the vehicle outright for an agreed lump sum (the Guaranteed Minimum Future Value or final balloon payment), or hand the vehicle back to the lender.
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Hire Purchase
Hire Purchase allows you to take ownership of a vehicle once all payments are made.
This is one of the most popular methods to buy a new vehicle. You pay an initial deposit, then pay off the balance in monthly payments over an agreed period of time, when the payments are complete the vehicle is yours.
One of the main benefits with Hire Purchase is the ability to buy a high value vehicle on monthly payments.
Hire Purchase allows you to tailor your finance package as deposit, length of time and monthly payments are all flexible.
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Personal contract hire is very similar to normal contract hire, but is exclusively for private individuals. This is one of the most common form of leasing.
With a personal contract hire agreement you take control of a vehicle for a contractual period � usually referred to as the �lease period�. You will make fixed monthly payments for the duration of the contract � when the contract expires you will simply return the vehicle and take out a new personal contract hire lease. PCH means you never have to worry about resale values of your vehicle.
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Fuel: Diesel
Body: Estate
Trans: Manual
Textile floor mat set, Rear wiper, Hill hold control, Voice control system, Driver alert system, Stop/start system, Outside temperature gauge, Diesel particulate filter, DAB Digital radio, Rear mudflaps...
Insurance groups range from 1 to 50 and dictates the cost of the vehicles insurance. The higher the group, the higher the insurance will be for the vehicle.
Insurance Group
BHP rates the engine performance of vehicles and stands for the brake horsepower.
Performance (BHP)
CO2 is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the vehicle in grams per kilometre travelled, the lower the CO2 emissions the cleaner the vehicle is for the environment.
CO2 (g/km)
The total number of seats in the vehicle.
Number Of Seats
Road Tax is based upon the CO2 emissions of the vehicle and is split into 13 bands from A to M. The higher the letter the greater the cost of tax paid to drive the vehicle on public roads. In addition to the road tax detailed below, any vehicle that had a manufacturers retail price in excess of �40,000 when first sold, attracts a road tax supplement of an additional �320 per year. This is charged until the vehicle is 6 years old.
Road Tax
Ten Second Review
The Skoda Octavia has got a lot bigger in its third generation guise and you net the biggest pay-off when choosing this revised Estate version. It's still great value for money, equipment levels are strong and it holds up to 610-litres without having to fold the back seats. That's more than a Ford Mondeo estate.
If you're looking for an estate car, then you probably want plenty of carriage space. Once upon a time, older station wagon versions of Skoda's Octavia couldn't fully meet this remit but since the launch of the current third generation model, luggage capacity has been pitched at a class-leading level. Even in this guise though, this model had something of a budget brand feel. It doesn't any more though. The Czech brand has treated its best seller to a smart facelift and the cabin's classier too. The main draw though, continues to be space: there's 1,740-litres of it if you fold the back seats.
Driving Experience
As with the Volkswagen Golf and the SEAT Leon, the German engineers who created this car took a pragmatic approach to driving dynamics, deciding that drivers opting for lower order engines wouldn't care too much about cutting edge handling response. So the sophisticated multilink rear suspension is reserved for the performance-oriented vRS models, the most powerful of which uses the 2.0-litre TSI petrol unit borrowed from the Golf GTI. Here though, we're focusing on the mainstream variants that most Octavia customers will be considering, all suspended with a much humbler torsion beam arrangement. A very large proportion of customers opt for entry-level petrol power, previously a 1.2-litre unit but now a more frugal and sophisticated 1.0-litre engine developing 115PS and 200NM of torque. It can be ordered with or without 7-speed DSG auto transmission and in manual form, makes 62mph in 9.6s. Otherwise, the engines on offer are much as before. Petrol people get a 1.5 TSI ACT 150PS unit or, in the top vRS performance models, 230PS or 245PS versions of the 2.0 TSI turbo unit borrowed from the Golf GTI. Those in search of a diesel get either a 115PS 1.6 or 150 or 184PS versions of the usual 2.0 TDI unit. Opt for an engine with 150PS or more and you get the option of DCC adaptive damping. 4WD is an option with the 2.0 TDI engine. And handling? Well as we suggested at the beginning, it isn't really geared towards the needs of the enthusiast driver, though to be fair, bodyroll is well controlled and the steering direct and precise. If you're after more than that, then you'll appreciate one of the sporty vRS models. Horses for courses you see. And if those courses are likely to be on the rough and muddy side, then you'll be interested in the four-wheel drive system also developed for this car, primarily for a Scout estate model with additional body cladding and a raised ride height.
Design and Build
Skoda people will probably quite like the fact that the look and feel of this car doesn't attract too much attention, even in this updated form where the lines have been streamlined, especially at the front. The two adjacent headlights form a dual face with a crystalline look and feature full-LED technology. The brand logo has gained more presence, with the front of the car featuring what the Czech maker hopes is a more powerful and wider appearance. Of course, it remains just as spacious as before and you get a feel for that when you lift the heavy tailgate. There can be no arguments about the 610-litres of space you get in the boot when all the seats are in place. By contrast, if you opted for a really big car like a Mondeo estate, you'd get a mere 537-litres and a car from the class the Octavia used to compete in, such as a Focus Estate yields a mere 476-litres. Now you get an idea of the sheer utility of this car. By folding the rear backrests down, the boot space increases to an impressive 1,740-litres. Skoda prides itself on its 'Simply Clever' philosophy and the Octavia estate lives up to the billing with a double-sided boot floor mat, a net restraint system, multiple bag hooks, a waste bin and numerous bottle holders, multimedia device holders, an ice scraper in the fuel tank opening and a warning-vest holder under the driver's seat. On top of that, there's a coat rack and a remote fold-down function for the rear-seat backrest. The folding passenger seat makes transporting long objects easy. There's even space for the retractable parcel shelf and roof bars under the adjustable variable boot floor.
Market and Model
If you're anything like most, you'll probably be shocked at the prices of new cars. This is a time when Honda can charge you over £27,000 for a diesel Civic and still keep a straight face and as such, the fact that you can buy a Skoda Octavia estate for around £19,500 seems extremely reasonable. Positively generous in fact. Okay, so that'll mean the entry level engine and trim, but even that includes alloy wheels, an eight speaker stereo with a digital radio and Bluetooth compatibility, roof rails, leather trim for the reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, climate control, and a touchscreen infotainment controller. Safety gear includes stability control, hill hold, automatic post collision braking, front, side, knee and curtain airbags. Paying £4,000 more for that Mondeo estate that holds less, seems less well built inside and comes with nothing like as much gear suddenly doesn't seem the smartest choice. Ascend up the range and you can start fitting features like the DSG twin-clutch gearbox which adds about £1,250 to the asking price. There are also some worthwhile extras such as alcantara and leather trim, 'Amundsen' satellite navigation, cruise control, intelligent light assistant, bigger alloys and a remote rear seat fold down facility. An electric panoramic sliding/tilting sunroof is also available for the Octavia estate. Comprising two parts - the front part can be tilted and shifted electrically, while the rear section is fixed - the entire roof module is made of tinted, heat-insulated glass.
Cost of Ownership
The engines on offer are much more frugal than they used to be and a fuel-efficient 1.6 TDI version offers 54.3mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of only 111g/km. Skoda's engineers have achieved significant improvements in the Octavia's consumption and emission figures thanks to advanced petrol and diesel engines, a low drag coefficient and reduced vehicle weight. This has been achieved thanks to resolute lightweight engineering, a progressive body design, utilisation of high and ultra-tensile steel and a careful selection of materials. The entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine emits just 109g/km of carbon dioxide, which is amazing for a petrol estate of this size, but even the 2.0-litre diesel can return up to 53.3mpg on the combined cycle. All figures are WLTP-rated converted to NEDC2. Residuals? It's hard to imagine there won't be a long queue of ready buyers who want a smart, cost-effective, reliable and practical car.
By Jonathan Crouch
If you�re looking for a new SKODA Octavia 2.0 TDI CR SE Drive 5dr Diesel Estate for sale, you�ve come to the right place. At Bristol Street Motors we don�t just have the best SKODA Octavia 2.0 TDI CR SE Drive 5dr Diesel Estate deals, we also offer friendly advice and help with all your enquiries to ensure your buying experience is a happy experience.
What are you waiting for? Make an enquiry online using the link above or call one of our friendly sales advisors today.
Key Standard Features*
- 8 loudspeakers
- Solid - Energy blue
- Black roof rails
- Solid paint
- 3 spoke multi-function leather steering wheel
- Multi function trip computer
- Amundsen satellite navigation system with 8" touch screen, USB, SD card reader and integrated Wi-Fi
- Multifunction colour trip computer in combination with Columbus 9.2" touchscreen satellite navigation system
- Cruise control
- Drive Mode Selector
- Acoustic rear parking sensors
- Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
- Front fog lights
- LED rear lights
- Cloth - Black
- 17" Denom alloy wheels with anti theft wheel bolts
- Tyre repair kit
|Body Glass
|Rear wiper
|Tinted glass
|Aero wiper + intermittent function
|Electric front and rear windows with child safety lock
|Rain and light sensors
|Hill hold control
|Automatic Post collision braking
|Energy recovery system
|ESC including ABS, EBV, MSR, ASR, EDS, HBA, DSR
|Voice control system
|Bluetooth system
|Driver Aids
|Driver alert system
|Driver profile selection
|Electro-mechanical power steering
|Proximity sensors
|Driver Convenience
|Stop/start system
|Driver Information
|Outside temperature gauge
|Service interval indicator
|Driver fatigue sensor
|SmartLink with Apple Carplay/Android auto and MirrorLink
|Diesel particulate filter
|USB, SD card and Proximity sensors
|DAB Digital radio
|Auxiliary input socket
|Multi device interface
|Bolero radio with 8" touchscreen display
|Exterior Body Features
|Rear mudflaps
|Body colour door mirrors and handles
|Body coloured bumpers and protective side mouldings
|Chrome grille surround
|Exterior Lights
|High level third brake light
|Halogen Projector Headlamps
|Internally adjustable headlight beam level
|LED daytime running lights
|Light assistant (coming/leaving home/tunnel light)
|Air re-circulation and pollen filter
|Dual zone automatic air conditioning with humidity sensor and control
|Interior Features
|Height/reach adjust steering wheel
|Cloth upholstery
|Sunglasses storage
|Lashing eyelets in boot
|Illuminated air conditioned glovebox
|Front armrest with storage box
|Chrome inner door handles
|Gear shift indicator
|Umbrella under front passenger seat
|Interior Lights
|Interior Courtesy Light operated by Door Switches
|Illuminated luggage compartment
|Height adjustable front seatbelts + pretensioners
|Passenger airbag deactivate switch
|Seatbelt warning lamp
|Fuel supply cut off
|3 rear 3 point seatbelts + pretensioners
|Drivers knee airbag
|Tyre pressure monitor
|Driver and passenger front and side airbags
|Head and curtain airbags
|Front seatback pockets
|Split folding rear seat backrests
|Rear seat backrest release
|Height adjustable front and rear head restraints
|Height adjustable driver and passenger seat with lumbar support
|Two isofix child seat fitting in rear
|Remote central locking
|Electronic engine immobiliser
|XDS electronic differential lock
|Vanity Mirrors
|Driver + passenger vanity mirrors
|8 loudspeakers
|2 x rear USB ports
|Canton sound system - premium German sound engineering with 570W output and 10 speakers including subwoofer in boot
|All season tyres
|Smoker's pack
|Winter pack - Octavia
|Rough road pack - Octavia
|Simply clever pack - Octavia
|Simply clever pack for variable boot floor - Octavia
|Paint - Metallic
|Metallic - Quartz grey
|Metallic - Brilliant silver
|Metallic - Race blue
|Metallic - Moon white
|Metallic - Maple brown
|Paint - Solid
|Solid - Energy blue
|Driver Convenience
|Virtual pedal with electrically operated boot door
|Electrically operated boot door
|Keyless entry and keyless start
|Heated front and rear seats
|Heated front seats
|Fold flat passenger seat
|Exterior Body Features
|Metallic paint
|Black roof rails
|Pearlescent paint
|Solid paint
|Silver roof rails
|Chrome window surround
|Special solid paint
|Exclusive paint
|Dynamic chassis control with drive mode select
|Interior Features
|Net partition
|Boot net
|Variable boot floor
|3 spoke multi-function leather steering wheel
|3 spoke leather supersport multifunction steering wheel with radio and telephone controls
|Body Glass
|Privacy glass
|Driver Information
|Multi function trip computer
|Multifunction colour trip computer
|Amundsen satellite navigation system with 8" touch screen, USB, SD card reader and integrated Wi-Fi
|Multifunction colour trip computer in combination with Columbus 9.2" touchscreen satellite navigation system
|Columbus satellite navigation with 9.2" touch screen, gesture control, CD/DVD, 3D map and WLAN
|Driver Aids
|Cruise control
|Adaptive cruise control
|Rear parking camera
|Lane assist
|Park assist (inc front/rear parking sensors)
|Drive Mode Selector
|Trailer assist + front and rear parking sensor
|Trailer assist and park assist
|Front assist with pedestrian protection
|Acoustic front and rear parking sensor
|Acoustic rear parking sensors
|Wi-Fi with LTE internet
|Driving Mirrors
|Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
|Electrically adjustable heated folding and auto dimming door mirrors
|Auto dimming rear view mirror
|Exterior Lights
|Front fog lights
|Cornering front fog lights
|LED rear lights
|LED rear lights (high)
|Telescopic front headlight washers
|Paint - Pearlescent
|Pearl - Black magic
|Paint - Special
|Special paint - Corrida red
|Special paint - Candy white
|Exclusive paint - Velvet red
|Crew protection assist and rear side airbags
|Towing bracket - removable and lockable
|Towing preparation
|Trim - Cloth
|Cloth - Black
|Wheels - Alloy
|Super ROWI tyres for 16" alloy wheels
|17" Denom alloy wheels with anti theft wheel bolts
|18" Alaris alloy wheels with anti theft wheel bolts
|18" Golus alloy wheels with anti theft wheel bolts
|Wheels - Spare
|Tyre repair kit
|Temporary space saver wheel
|0 to 60 mph (secs)
|0 to 62 mph (secs)
|Engine Power - BHP
|Engine Power - KW
|Engine Power - PS
|Engine Power - RPM
|Engine Torque - LBS.FT
|Engine Torque - MKG
|Engine Torque - NM
|Engine Torque - RPM
|Top Speed
Terms & Conditions: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information shown. However, errors do sometimes occur. The specification of each vehicle listed on the Bristol Street Motors website is provided by "CAP". Please note that the Images of each vehicle are range shots, these can include images which do not reflect the precise details of the vehicle you are looking at and are purely used for illustrative purposes. The inclusion of such data does not imply any endorsement of any of its content nor any representation as to its accuracy. We do not charge a fee for introduction to a finance provider; however we may or may not receive a commission.
*The information given about models and their specification and features applies at the time that a vehicle is listed online or when the listing has been updated. Specifications and features do change and the information is given only as a guide. It may contain errors or omissions. The actual specification of a vehicle at the time of purchase may differ from that listed above and any important feature should be clarified as part of your purchase. The information above does not constitute an offer to sell.


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Michael Schumacher enjoys two-wheel return
|By Sam Tremayne
|Monday, December 10th 2012, 11:51 GMT
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher enjoyed a two-wheel track day with bike legends John McGuiness and Randy Mamola and 2012 Moto2 runner-up Pol Espargaro last week.
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18th September 2005, 11:49 PM
We were at my parent's this weekend, and Abbey gave us all a scare when she choked on her dental chew. Besides the occasional Greenie, we also give her CT Dental chews, per our vets recommendations. Well, one became stuck in the back of her throat today, and my heart was racing as we trying to figure out just what was wrong with her. She stood up, started screaming so we immediatly thought it was a SM thing, although she appread to be walking fine but she wouldn't close her mouth. We got a flashlight and managed to get her --she went behind the table and pressed herself against the wall. I pried her mouth open and saw it suck way down in her throat--the whole time she was screaming. I tried to grab it, and instead it slipped down her throat. I grabbed a bottle of water with the squeeze type cap and gave her a few shots. She then lurched over and puked. She did this 5 times and then seemed to be OK. We then gave her more water, at this point she was drinking from her own bowl. She was pretty clingy for awhile and seemed pretty freaked out. A few hours later she had dinner and seems fine, but we're watching her pretty closely. I plan to take back the CT chews and tell my vet about this incident. If anything, let this be a lesson in making sure dogs are always supervised with this and or any other chew/toy.


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Katie Laury
Class of 2012
Major/Minor: Biology, Premed, psychology
During her short time at Washington College, Katie Laury '12 established herself as a standout student. The First-Year Scholarship Medal recipient was inducted as an apprentice to the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows, and was recognized by Washington College's Theta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa as one of nine freshmen to achieve a GPA of 3.9 or higher.
Based on Katie's early achievements, Katie was on track to join the elite academic society known for honoring and advocating the ideals of a liberal arts education. A biology major with aspirations of becoming a veterinarian, Katie chose Washington College because of the individualized instruction she knew she would receive from her professors. On her campus visit as a pro
Campus Involvement
- Major: Biology with a Pre-Vet Track
- Academic Honors: Presidential Fellow, First-Year Scholarship Medal
- Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows
- Internship: Cherryville Animal Hospital, Balliet & Associates
- Extracurricular Activities: Intramural Sports


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A sole proprietor and a general partnership conducting or transacting business in this state under a name other than the real name of the person(s) must file a Certificate of Assumed Name or Certificate of Co-Partnership.
Bid Opportunities
Access bids and RFPs for consultants, service providers, contractors, vendors, and suppliers.
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The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority is responsible for facilitating the implementation of Brownfield plans relating to the designation and treatment of Brownfield Redevelopment zones and for promoting the revitalization of environmentally distressed areas.
Construction Code
This office issues all of the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for Grand Traverse County.
Department of Public Works
The Public Works Department strives to provide the best, cost effective method of quality service to all customers.
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Drain commissioners are responsible for many aspects of surface water management.
Economic Development
The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is tasked with retaining, expanding, and attracting businesses in order to create high quality jobs in Grand Traverse County.
House Number
Exact location is the most important factor in enabling all Emergency Services to properly respond to what you need in an emergency situation.
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Learn more about the Grand Traverse region's hub for economic prosperity.
Planning Department
The Planning and Development Department staff is committed to providing professional expertise and service to the people of Grand Traverse County.
Grand Traverse County is part of the Michigan Inter-governmental Trade Network (MITN), an online purchasing site utilized by several government agencies. County bid opportunities will be posted to the MITN site as they are available.
Register of Deeds
The mission of the Grand Traverse County Register of Deeds Office is to provide timely, secure, and accurate recording services that are delivered in a prompt and courteous manner.
Resource Recovery
Resource Recovery is the collecting and separating of certain waste materials for processing into new forms, which will ultimately be marketed as raw materials for new products.
Street Index
View a comprehensive listing of streets within the County.
Take It Back Program
The Take It Back Program is a convenient product return infrastructure where consumers can return unwanted products to local businesses.


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With everyone and their grandmother trying out Qimo, I suppose my assessment isn't novel, or really even necessary. I can only say I had the ISO downloaded about a week ago, but finally gave it a turn a day or two ago.
Nicely done, and that's really all that can be said. If you want a replete, smooth, good-looking desktop prearranged with small people in mind, I can think of no better option. Low maintenance, high usability and visually attractive. I'm probably a little outside the target demographic, but if I was still in the single-digit age bracket, I'd probably think it was a winner.
Qimo does a couple of things right from my perspective though, that probably wouldn't be immediately evident to the average 5-year-old. For one thing, using Ubuntu is a no-brainer. It's so complete and so zero-effort that anything else (outside of another heavyweight distro) would be counterintuitive.
And by extension, using Xubuntu as the background system does (I will admit) reduce the overall system demands slightly, meaning that old 1.4Ghz Pentium III you have in the closet can handle it without sweating … too much. The picture you see there is the Inspiron running Qimo at 1Ghz, and performance is acceptable.
I also like that there are actually two accounts installed when you start it, one for "Qimo," and one for an administrator. Qimo (the user) has access to most all the software installed in a generic Xubuntu system (that I can tell), but has almost no privileges beyond that. Games and accessories? Yes. System management and sudo? No.
On the other hand, there's an "administrator" account built into the system that gets a default-ish Xubuntu desktop on login. So you're not so much installing Qimo as a complete and new system, as installing Xubuntu with the added pleasure of Qimo for the little people.
And this is probably the wisest way to do it. Set up the machine with one master account to serve as "administrator," give it a standard Ubuntu deviant as the desktop, and keep the standard "Qimo" account for people who are new to the planet. It might seem obvious, but at the same time, it's smart.
About the only difficulty I have with Qimo is something I've mentioned already — it's based on Xubuntu. That in itself is not a bad thing, but what it means is that your initial impulse to dash down to the cellar, drag up the old Pentium II and holler at the kids, "I've got one for you!" … well, it's not misguided, but it might be premature.
I've detailed my disappointments with Xubuntu elsewhere, and I stand by those assessments. I haven't actually put Qimo on a Pentium II, but I expect performance would be sub-par. I think I would have been happier if Qimo had been based purely on XFCE, with a few added packages to round out the administrator's desktop. It would open up and entirely different bracket of hardware to Qimo.
As it is though, I get the feeling that something slower than the 1Ghz machine I playtested this on … would end up suffering. "Suffering" is a relative term that is best determined by you, but from my angle, there is a lot more potential with something lighter than Xubuntu.
The only other thing I would criticise is the use of Ubiquity cued from the boot menu as a method for installing: It hinges too heavily on Ubuntu's success in establishing a graphical environment to put Qimo on the drive. I've found myself in a nifty Catch 22 in past days trying to put Qimo on the K6-2, because of the fact that Ubuntu goes two different directions simultaneously — 24-bit depth but incomplete framebuffer support — and ends up scuttling my small sliver of the technological spectrum.
That's not really Qimo's fault though; that issue lies with Ubuntu. I will combine both of those points and say that a text-based installer and a lighter framework would keep me happier. But my allegiance lies with antique hardware, and that's not necessarily what Qimo is intended to satisfy.
For now I give a wholehearted, giant, cartoon-sized thumbs-up to Qimo, for keeping very small computer users happy, and keeping some otherwise outdated machines in circulation. And for giving me an idea or two of what to do with this K6-2. 😉


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A decision to close a high street's last remaining branch will be a "hammer blow" to the entire community, an MP has claimed.
Harrow East Conservative MP Bob Blackman has called for Nat West to reverse its decision to close its Harrow Weald branch, in High Road.
Last month, shopkeepers in the area gave an overwhelming thumbs down to the plans, which they fear could in turn kill of their businesses.
Mr Blackman said: "It is an essential service for a small but loyal group of local residents and small businesses in the Harrow Weald area.
"It is the only bank locally, has constantly big queues and its loss will be a hammer blow to the entire community and put businesses at risk, as well as leaving staff without jobs which they currently carry out with pride, skill and passion for retail banking and local community businesses.
"A number of constituents have written in to me with outrage that this is to happen. Time is short, but I hope that RBS will get the message before it is too late."
The branch is set to close its doors on July 25, although a cash machine will remain in place.
The nearest alternative branch will be in Harrow Town Centre.
A spokesman for Natwest said footfall and transactions at the bank have fallen by 18 per cent in the past few years as people turn to online banking.
It will take a number of measures to ensure its customers can still access to their bank services including agreeing an arrangement with the nearby Post Office branch.


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What drives our food culture? For many Americans, it's convenience and speed of delivery. But how is that different from the rest of the world?
Illustrations by Robert Roth
What drives our food culture? For many Americans, it's convenience and speed of delivery. But how isthat different from the rest of the world?
The butcher shop was named Al's Meat Market, but my family just called it Al's after its Italian owner. My mother and I would drive to Al's just north of Chicago at least once a week. As I examined long rolls of bologna, liverwurst and salami beneath a glass counter, Al would offer me a slice of whatever I wanted, handing it to me on a square sheet of wax paper.
Customers would ask Al what was good that week. He explained the differences between prime and choice beef, choice beef from select beef, pork steak from bottom round steak, rump roast from cube steak. Brown butcherpaper drawings of cattle hung from the walls with lines sectioning off the different cuts.
When I was a boy, supermarkets were making inroads on neighborhood stores like Al's. They were cheaper, yes, but as far as Al was concerned, the salespeople didn't know their product. It was all precut. Al apprenticed for years before he became a butcher. Sirloin steak, short ribs, bottom round—sometimes called goose round. He learned to cut it all and bought it from trustworthy sources.
He did not live to see the continued rise of discount stores that further stretched the distance between consumers and the food they eat. Nowadays, I press my thumbs into a price reduced, plastic-wrapped package of hamburger to see if it looks fresh. I know which store has the best sales, but I don't really know much about the food I eat.
I'm not alone in this. Our distance from food and the land it comes from stands in contrast to other parts of the world where food belongs to a culture of self-production and social gathering, part of an intimate process for maintaining bonds with family and the earth.
Asma Lateef, director of Bread for the World Institute told me, "and we've lost the sense that food is part of a broader culture. Food is part of a convenience lifestyle. Everything has to be convenient and fast. The culture of eating together and telling stories has disappeared here."
Equally important, our ignorance about food limits our ability to participate knowledgeably in agricultural policy or choose the most nutritious items for the grocery cart.
"Consumers don't know where food comes from," said D. Scott Brown, assistant professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. "Not being able to debate food policy with educated consumers makes it difficult to have an open exchange about it. Should we have more or less meat in our diet? What is inhumane animal treatment? If we don't know or understand, how can we have a debate about it?"
Nearly 80 cents of each dollar Americans spend for food goes to pay for marketing services—processing, packaging, transportation, storage and advertising, said Sara Baer-Sinnott, president of Oldways, a Boston-based nonprofit that educates Americans on food and nutrition. All of these costs are associated with getting food into the most convenient form and packaging, sending it to the most convenient location at the most convenient time, and then convincing us to buy it. As consumers, we pay far more for the convenience of our food than for the food itself, she said.
"Since the 1950s we've moved away from the traditional diet of whole grains, fruit and vegetables," Baer-Sinnott said. "Status, the perception that it's easier, women moving into the workplace, that all played a part."
I don't know if the drawings of rural Italian landscapes on Al's walls influenced me, but when I was a boy I wanted to be a farmer. By the time I was a teenager, I had long since abandoned that goal, but farms continue to attract me. When my brother told me that the husband of a colleague was a farmer, I asked to meet him.
Bob Brackman farms about an hour outside Chicago in Bartlett, Ill. I parked behind a red pickup near a shed and watched Brackman drive a combine toward me across his 60-acre cornfield. Husks bounced in a front tray of the combine before being sucked inside it. Seconds later, corn spewed into a trailer behind the combine, rising and falling in a dissembling mountain of knotty yellow kernels.
Every other year, Brackman grows soybeans. The crop rotation keeps the rich, dark soil fertile. He showed me how his field rose and fell in small waves. No reason. Just part of the natural undulation of the land. In some areas the soil gave way to clay and gravel, and the corn there was smaller than the rest of the crop.
Brackman's father put him on a tractor when he was 13, and 43 years later he was still glad to be sitting atop one kind of farm contraption or another. His father taught him to be patient, to work hard when crops are ready for harvest and to be persistent when droughts suck the land dry and rains turn the fields into swamps.
But in many cases, Brackman said, science has trumped the vagaries of Mother Nature by transforming farming into the art of the possible. Most people don't know it, he continued, but the corn they eat is most likely a hybrid developed in laboratories to resist insects, drought, wind, flooding and other environmental pressures. Farmers used to spray against rootworm. These days, however, farmers can plant rootworm-resistant corn, cutting costs and other problems associated with pesticides. These traits are naturally present in other vegetable species. Scientists simply crossbred these qualities into the seeds.
The technology does not stop with the development of hybrids. Brackman said new combines will appear to have more computer parts than the space shuttle and may cost as much as $700,000. Push a button and the blades will adjust to different settings accommodating different crops. Global positioning systems will map out farm fields, and the farmer won't evenhave to steer.
"Cheap supply and new technology increases our distance from the food supply," Brackmansaid. "It's a never-ending issue."
My thoughts of becoming a farmer somehow morphed into a desire to be a reporter. And it was in that capacity that I flew across the globe and about as far from Brackman's farm as can be imagined, to the African nation of Chad.
There, the notion of cheap supply took on a whole new meaning. I hired a driver to take me from the capital to the town of Abeche. A flock of gray African quail crossed the cattle trail that served as a road. The driver accelerated. The quail scurried and squawked, and I heard one of them thump beneath our Land Rover. The driver removed a knife from the dashboard and ran back a few yards watching the side of the trail. He paused at a clump of weeds, knife raised, and made a slashing motion. He looked up smiling, carrying the dead pheasant by its feet. Lunch.
I was also introduced to the zeer pot, an ingenious device that helps keep food fresh without electricity, a handy tool in areas where power outages are frequent and the poor lack basic amenities like refrigeration. Also known as the pot-in-pot refrigerator, the zeer works like this: A large porous pot holds a smaller container insulated by wet sand. As water evaporates from the sand, it draws heat from the inner pot where food is stored. Periodic additions of water keep the sand wet and the process of evaporation continuous so that the food remains cool and fresh.
Refrigeration remains a problem in many parts of Africa. Aisha White, employment program coordinator for the Nashville International Center for Empowerment, explained to me that in her native Nigeria, families buy food daily to get around the problem. Meat is either boiled or fried to preserve it.
A typical diet in White's family consisted of beef, rice and casaba, a kind of melon. They ate corn and tomatoes often, purchased not from supermarkets but in community bazaars similar to our farmer's markets. A typical dinner required at least two hours of preparation.
"Everything is so quick here in America," said White, who moved to the United States in 2000 to attend college. "Here you have to intentionally plan to eat as a family. In Nigeria, a meal may take an hour. We sat, lingered, ate and drank tea afterward."
Subsistence agriculture, where small farmers grow their own food to feed their families, remains common in developing countries. The typical subsistence farm includes a variety of crops and animals the family needs to feed and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye toward family needs for the coming year rather than market prices.
Roughly 65 percent of sub-Saharan Africa's population relies on subsistence farming. For instance, 86 percent of Ugandans earn a living through subsistence farming; 85 percent of Angolans also rely on subsistence farming. Most of the economies of Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda are also based on subsistence farming.
In contrast, the United States employs commercial farming on a massive scale. In the 1930s, crop yields in the United States were comparable to those of India, England and Argentina. Since the 1950s, the use of pesticides and fertilizers as well as a host of governmental policies have vaulted the U.S. into the biggest farming economy in the world. Today, fewer American farmers feed more people than ever before in the history of food production. In contrast to Africa, and as Illinois farmer Bob Brackman reminded me, virtually none of these farmers feeds his or her own family with homegrown crops.
"It's hard for Americans to understand, because U.S. farmers are very different from African farmers," said Pedro Sanchez, of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. "African farmers can't buy on credit because there's no credit system. In the U.S., farmers are heavily subsidized. The U.S. as a country is so varied that it is difficult to conceive of food shortages. If it's dry in Texas, it's fine in Nebraska. In the U.S., hunger is an economic issue; in Africa it's a shortage issue."
Although Redda Mehari, program director of the Ethiopia Community Development Council in Arlington, Va., has lived in the U.S. since the 1970s, he continues to be surprised at how crops produced through large agriculture morph into packaged and easily accessible food.
"American food buyers don't have to farm," he said. "You just grab it from the store and run without labor, without physically sweating. For me, even now years later, I am still amazed. In Ethiopia, you eat to live. Americans live to eat. Back home, what we ate was not a topic of discussion. It's just another meal.
"What we made came from the farm straight to you," he continued. "We cooked it and maybe spiced it a little but there were no additives. In the market, a cow would be milked in front of you, butchered in front of you."
Injera, a yeast-risen spongy flatbread, remains a staple food in Ethiopia. "Preparing injera is a half-day to day-long activity," Mehari said. "Nobody buys loaves of bread."
Americans have begun inching toward eating fewer processed foods. Community gardens are now trendy in cities across the nation. Backyard gardens are seeing a comeback as well. "Gardens are a teacher," said Jill Litt, associate professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. "Gardens reconnect us to where food comes from. People do it to get their hands dirty. We've taken the tactile experience out of our environment. Convenience has replaced feeling. We garden because it feels great. It's very natural."
I realize my small vegetable garden won't soon replace regular trips to the supermarket. But if I know nothing else about my dinner, I'll know the tomatoes and green peppers. My garden is admittedly a small reconnection to the land and to food, a start. But as I slice a homegrown tomato, I flash back once again to Al advising my mother—not only on what to buy for dinner and how best to prepare it, but also on the journey that white-wrapped package of protein took before it landed in her hands.


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Welcome to Indie Tee Spotlight #13! This week we feature the newest brand to enter the horror tee genre – Zombie Liquorice! Zombies are very popular these days, in fact, according to PleaseDressMe, Zombies were the number one searched tee type on their tee search engine. People want their zombies – and Zombie Liquorice delivers!Â
Brothers Jason and Jeff, founded Zombie Liquorice this past year and opened up shop just a few months ago. They have worked with some great artists, including Dan Mumford and Godmachine. I had the fortunate opportunity to talk with Jason of Zombie Liquorice, he provided some great insight into how Zombie Liquorice came about and who he would like to work with in the future!Â
Be sure to check out the Zombie Liquorice Online Store – you can buy all of their tees there! Also, if you decide to purchase be sure to use the code:Â COTYGONZ
Coty: You and Jeff started Zombie Liquorice just a few months, with the online store opening just this past November. When did you and Jeff decide to start a clothing line and what got the both of you interested in starting a new brand?
Jason: We both really wanted to start our own tshirt company, with designs we couldnt find in stores. It also helps we both hate our day jobs Ill never forget checking out Emptees for the first time and saying wow, this stuff is amazing I really want to wear this. So I called Jeff (my brother) asked him to check it out and he had the same reaction. So at that point we started Zombie Liquorice, dont ask me how we ever came up with that name, I think it was a heavy metal band name generator if you can believe it.
Coty: You guys obviously love Zombies, so I guess an appropriate question would be to ask what your Top 5 favorite zombie films are.
Jeff:  1. Shaun of the Dead, 2. Evil Dead (all three), 3. Dawn of the Dead, 4. Night of the Living Dead, 5. Cemetery Man.
Coty: Your initial line of tees feature artwork designed by some of the Internets top indie designers like Godmachine, Corefolio, Survival and most recently Dan Mumford. What has it been like to work with these guys? How did you select the initial group of artists to work with? What other designers would you like to work with in the future?
Jason: These designers have all been great to work with. Everyone has been very professional and its been great to pitch them an idea and watch it come to life! Selecting the artists was very easy for us, we just checked out there online portfolios and if both of our mouths hit the floor we hired them! Right now we would both love to get Chad Lenger to do something for us, his style is out of control. Also Horsebites and maybe in due time Alex Pardee! Those are a few we can think of now, there are many more.
Coty: You've been hitting the Internet hard promoting Zombie Liquorice. What have the two of you been doing offline, if any, to promote your line? What marketing technique has best worked so far for Zombie Liquorice?
Jason: Well Offline promoting is hard when you have a day job, most of our sales have been friends and work mates who have said "where can I get that shirt", however we are going to start trying to work with concert promoters to sell our gear at metal shows. So far the best marketing has been MySpace by far, we have landed over 75% of our sales from myspace traffic, its been incredible and we have GodMachine to thank for the heads up on that.
Coty: You recently announced on the Zombie Liquorice blog that your line is now being carried by the German shop Comet Coma. How did you guys hook up with the Comet Coma guys?
Jason: They actually approached us and asked if we would be interested in dealing with them for distribution in Germany. We decided it was definitly worth it, it was just frustrating at times dealing with German customs, they are very strict we found out when it comes to importing Tshirts of all things.
Coty: You currently have five designs available for sale at Zombie Liquorice. Which of these designs has been your best seller so far? I really dig the Mad Hatter tee, which is your favorite Zombie Liquorice tee?
Jason: So far our best seller is a toss up between Lumber Jacked and Gut Eater, the response to these two has been crazy. As far as favorites go Jeff's fav is Lumber Jacked my personal fav is the new Scorpion tee
Coty: There have been an increased interested in zombie/horror themed tees by many indie tee brands. Were there any indie brands/designers that inspired Zombie Liquorice?
Jason: I would say its more the designers that inspired us, I have seen such amazing talent on sites like emptees or deviant and think man I wish that was on a tshirt.
I'd like to thanks Jason and Jeff of Zombie Liquorice for taking the time to chat about their brand with us! We look forward to more great tees from the ZL brand – keep up the amazing work!


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TeresaFoodie wrote:Sue I distinctly remember finding my first pure white hairs. I hadn't even reached 20.
Herbidacious wrote:I'll look into that! I did have a gym sub once. It helped tone things but I didn't enjoy it one bit.
Edit: well maybe a little bit. I liked the arm exercises... and overdid and injured myself. Doh.
I remember waiting for Mum when she went on the "toning tables", never hear of them these days.Bodystreet
aero280 wrote:I'm quite ancient! I was at uni when England won the World Cup in 1966.
suffolk wrote:I've ordered it from Amazon ... there's loads on there ... the one I'm getting is half price at the moment ... it's made by Sabichi.
StokeySue wrote:So it's not a Sholley which is a brand? They seem to start at about £130
StokeySue wrote: ...The thing is my trolley has a built in hook, so you can hang it on the supermarket cart and they no longer seem to be made them, either built in or separate
The 1966 World Cup final was the first football match I ever watched all the way through
suffolk wrote:The Amazon Q & A says"Question: Can this trolley hang on the front of a supermarket trolley in the same was as shown in one of the photos for the Gimi flexi trolley? tia.Answer: Yes it can. I've been to M&S and Asda with my trolley and it hangs on the bit where you would put your bags. By Amazon Customer on 25 May 2017"So hopefully the one I've ordered will have a hook.
aero280 wrote:I'm quite ancient! I was at uni when England won the World Cup in 1966.
suffolk wrote:aero280 wrote:I'm quite ancient! I was at uni when England won the World Cup in 1966.
I wasn't that old, but I do remember it ... I was on holiday with Bro and parents on the Isle of Wight
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Between the Lines
Erik Assadourian asks, what does it mean when one of the world's largest oil companies starts using the marketing slogan "Beyond Petroleum"?
Yes, George, there is a changing climate. Unlike the current U.S. president, BP CEO John Browne explicitly recognized the dangers of climate change and, in 1998, set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from production to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2010. BP succeeded in achieving that goal by 2001, saving $600 million in the process. (Recent acquisitions increased its 2002 output). Compared to ExxonMobil, which remains in denial, BP has shown itself to be an industry leader on climate change. However, now that the company is close to its original goal, its new goal is not further reductions, but simply no further increases in the absolute tonnage of emissions. If any argument can be made that that's a fair goal, it's only because BP's vast expansion plan would otherwise lead to an increase of 50 million tons of greenhouse gases.
Not exactly "beyond": In 2002, BP extracted over 736 million barrels of oil and 3.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. It sold over 4 million barrels of oil each day at its 29,000 gas stations. Oil and gas sales make up at least 90 percent of BP's annual profit.
On the bright side: According to BP, "our renewables business, of which BP Solar is the largest part, is growing fast." Indeed, BP Solar's production grew 28 percent in 2002 (to 70 MW) and the company now holds 17 percent of the entire solar market. That's something to applaud. However, the entire solar market is still in its infancy. BP Solar took in about $300 million in 2002-just 0.2 percent of BP's entire revenue. In the past 6 years, BP has invested over $200 million in solar power. That's a sizable investment, until compared with what BP spent on marketing its new image (another $200 million or so) or how much it invested in exploration and production of fossil fuels in just 2002-$9.3 billion.
A second look: These figures just show "operational emissions," not the emissions from the millions of barrels of oil sold each day, which can be 10 times as much.
Just one little problem: On its website, BP notes that it is "implementing a series of demonstration projects in Europe to develop a good understanding of the technical, cost, and customer acceptance issues associated with this alternative energy." Sure, that's a start, except that BP is producing most of the hydrogen from fossil fuels. The benefits of hydrogen will only be realized if it is made from renewable sources like solar power so that it's not polluting. Maybe with more tests, BP will figure this out.
Fortune writer Cait Murphy: "If BP put its advertising where its money was, its ads would be featuring oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, where it will invest $15 billion over the next ten years." Asked its investment plans for solar energy, BP declined to give a concrete figure, indicating only that the goal was to make BP's solar division "economically viable."
And more! BP forgot to include petrochemicals in this list. The company's annual production of over 27 million tons of petrochemicals and plastics brings in over $13 billion each year.
A powerful transformation: the BP shield morphed into a sun burst-nothing could connote renewable energy better than this.
Yes, a start. But what is BP's real plan? Even as the company works to make its solar business "economically viable" (though it declines to provide a numerical goal), it invests heavily in exploring new oil and gas fields, recognizing that "hydrocarbons will be the mainstay of the world for decades to come." While it is working to clean up its act-providing cleaner burning fuels, reducing emissions, ending all facilitation payments (bribes) and political contributions-its efforts end there. BP is currently the 5th largest corporation in the world and with its capital could help drive the energy market to be genuinely sustainable. BP's leadership thus far has been encouraging. But will it lead the world in a sustainable energy revolution, truly moving beyond petroleum, or will it be content to profit from the exploitation of an increasingly taxed planet while draping itself in green?
BP, once known as British Petroleum, is neck and neck with ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell in the race to be the world's largest oil company. (In 2002, BP had revenues of $178.7 billion, just under Shell's $179.4 billion and Exxon's $182.5 billion). Yet BP's current ad campaign seems to promote the company at least as much as a provider of renewables, like solar and hydrogen, as of oil and gas. How much of this is an actual change in strategy, and how much is just greenwashing?
Erik Assadourian is a Staff Researcher at Worldwatch Institute.


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Read Across America
Read Across America
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Jeff Bakkensen
As a child, I was a bit of a nerd, and when I was in fourth grade, my homeroom took part in a program called "Read Across America". "Read Across America" was a nationwide contest in which students competed to see how many books they could read in a single month, charting their progress on a map of the continental United States. For each book you read, you could color in one state. Color your way across the country and you could turn back the other way. The winner was the student who had crossed the map of the United States east to west and west to east the most number of times. Simple enough.
Well, not only was I a bit of a nerd, but I was extremely competitive, too. Think Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood – I wanted no one else to succeed. I raised my hand for every question. I interrupted my classmates when I thought they were wrong, which, being fourth graders, they often were. I made what I thought were "in" scholarly jokes between myself and the teacher, which invariably ended in awkward silence. I was an intellectual bully, and I was very lonely, as bullies often are, and I couldn't figure out why my classmates didn't like me. And like a cliché of a neurotic, I came to the conclusion that they must not have thought I was very smart. I certainly wasn't going to outrun anyone on the soccer field, or on the Presidential fitness exam. I wasn't going to beat anyone up or kiss anyone's older sister. But there was one thing I was good at, and I was going to show them all just how good I was. I was going to win the "Read Across America" challenge.
I had all the advantages. I was an excellent reader – for a fourth grader – and in preparation for the contest, I'd picked out about a dozen of the shortest books from the grade three section of the student library. Cheap, sure, but it's harder to win if you don't get dirty. I'd also mapped out the shortest routes across the country, in terms of number of contiguous states I'd have to cross. I could go east to west (North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, California) in seven states, and on the way back, I could go west to east (Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia) in eight. I have never in my life been so supremely confident. There was no way anyone was going to beat me.
Also in my homeroom was a girl named Rachel McManus, whose mother had taught us all the year before. Rachel was quiet and friendly and always tried to mediate arguments, and I hated her. I hated her because everyone seemed to like her without her trying, and I hated her because I felt like she'd gotten special treatment from her mother and from all the other teachers, who were also her mother's friends, in the form of being picked first to pass out papers or lead the line to lunch. I hated her with the irrational fire with which traditional weavers must have greeted the sewing machine, or stage coach drivers, the steam engine. Her mere existence threw mine into question.
By the second week of the "Read Across America" contest, at which point I'd already reached Oklahoma and was a few pages away from New Mexico, Rachel McManus was in Pennsylvania, having started in New Jersey. Fourth graders, contest or no, being generally unenthusiastic readers, no one else had finished more than one book; they were all still stuck on the eastern seaboard.
When Rachel McManus finished her third book, she opted to fill in West Virginia. If you can picture a map of the United States, you know what a major strategic blunder this is. So, apparently, did Mrs. Li, our teacher. In the morning, Rachel filled in West Virginia. In the afternoon, she filled in Ohio. I called bullshit.
"Mrs. Li," I asked as we were transitioning from multiplication to grammar lessons. "I noticed that Rachel added two states today, and she told me that she only finished one book. How could that be?"
At first, Mrs. Li ignored me.
I asked again, loud enough for the rest of the class to hear. Mrs. Li said that that was something she and I might discuss after the lesson was over. But I wanted an answer right away.
"It's not fair," I said, looking to my classmates. "Why can't we all have one state extra?"
There were murmurs of assent from dark corners of the classroom. Emboldened, I pushed my point. I could practically hear the thoughts racing through my classmates' heads – What's this? Bakkensen going up against the teacher? I'd never had the classroom behind me before. It was exhilarating, dizzying. I felt myself swell with importance.
I probably said something dignified about the need for rules in an orderly society, and how contempt for these rules signifies the first crack in the paper-thin wall separating us from the animals.
But Mrs. Li wasn't having any of it.
"Jeff," she said. "I really wish that you'd drop this. We're losing time out of our grammar lesson."
Mrs. Li knew me well, and knew how much I hated to miss out on schoolwork. Her comment stung. But not as much as the feeling that a grave injustice was occurring, that rules were being ignored, and not as much, furthermore, as my creeping suspicion that not only had Mrs. Li allowed Rachel to fill in two states for one book, but that she had actually suggested that she do so. And this, the feeling of betrayal by an adult whom I respected and who I needed to enforce the rules that kept the class going on schedule and kept me from getting hit or tripped on the playground or any number of other places where Wayne Murphy and Eugene Giroux might find me alone before or after class, along with the pressure of leading my first radical charge against the authorities, it was too much. I felt a tear begin to gather at the corner of my eye. And then, as I tried to explain again why it wasn't fair that Rachel McManus should be allowed to fill in two states when she'd only read one book, I felt the tear detach and drop slowly down my cheek, another gathering to take its place. And suddenly I was crying, sobbing, and throughout the entire class, which just a moment before had been solidly behind me, there was an audible gasp. I could feel the support of two dozen nine and ten year olds, turn to disgust. I'd had my chance, my moment of celebrity, and I'd cried it away. I buried my head in my hands and waited for the bell to ring.
The class emptied for lunch, save for Rachel, who was apologizing profusely and promising to not color in a state for the next book that she read, and me, and Mrs. Li. Mrs. Li asked Rachel to leave.
Then she sat down at the desk next to mine. You always knew things were getting serious when an adult sat down next to you.
She asked me why I thought that Rachel had got to fill in an extra state and I said essentially what I'd said before, that it was because Rachel's mom was a third grade teacher and one of Mrs. Li's friends. Mrs. Li shook her head.
She delivered one of those famous speeches that every kid hears once in a while and every teacher gives more often than they'd like to about how reading is very easy for some people and very difficult for others, and that some people, from time to time, need a little extra help and understanding. I said that I knew that, but that there was still a difference between helping someone and helping someone cheat. Mrs. Li listened and nodded, and said that adding a state for a classmate was not the same as taking a state away from me, and there was no way that Rachel or anyone else in the class was going to catch up with me. I didn't need to be afraid of my classmates having a little success every now and then. Eventually, I stopped crying, and agreed to go down to lunch, ready to really face the music. I knew it was going to be a long day; no fourth grader cried and got away with it.
Of course there was one seat open at the lunch bench, and of course it was next to Rachel McManus. I don't know if this was the cold hand of karma or, more likely, if she, perhaps the most considerate fourth grader in Bancroft Elementary's long history, had left a spot open specifically for me. I sat, shamefaced, and apologized, and she apologized, and everyone else felt too awkward about the whole thing to say anything to either of us. Silently, I thanked them.
I have no idea where Rachel is now. She and I lost touch when we went off to different high schools, and we never got to be really close friends, anyway. It wasn't, incidentally, until I got home that afternoon and relayed the entire event to my mother, who was a special education teacher at another school, that I understood just what an idiot I'd been. There was, of course, a reason Rachel was asked to pass out papers and lead the line, and it had nothing to do with the fact that her mother had been our teacher. I simply hadn't known any better.
A week and a half later, I stood in front of the class and received the first place prize in our "Read Across America" contest. I'd read fourteen books, nearly one every other day, and one short of crossing our great nation twice. It was, until the GeograBee the next fall, my proudest moment.
The "Read Across America" ribbon is currently sitting on a bureau in my parents' house, right next to my spirit award from basketball camp and my certificate of participation in the all-town band, and various other essentially meaningless awards. I also have a paper doll that Mrs. Li brought me back from a trip to China, she and I having eventually resolved our differences in pedagogical theory.
What puzzles me most, as I look back, is what didn't happen. I didn't get in trouble, but then again, I was at that point probably more worthy of pity than punishment. I didn't get made fun of, or mocked, or laughed at for crying in front of my classmates. It amazes me, because I got made fun of for just about everything else. Maybe it had finally become too easy. Maybe they were embarrassed for me. Maybe Rachel got to them first. But I'd like to think that Mrs. Li or some other interested adult took them aside sometime when I was out of the class, and reminded them that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and that there are some people who, from time to time, need a little extra support and understanding. It's a lesson I try to remind myself of as often as possible.


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Reading coaches needed
|May 05, 2017
|All Day
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), sponsored by Catholic Community Services, seeks people age 55 and over for a variety of volunteer opportunities. We are looking for those who have a few hours a week to assist in making Snohomish County a better place to live. Volunteers to help elementary aged students, after school, with reading are needed. You can do this at various Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County. Commitment is one day a week or up to four days a week for one hour, 3:30-4:30 p.m. For more information, email John McAlpine at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 425-374-6374 or toll free at 1-888-240-8572.


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HOUSTON - A man suspected of a carjacking and stealing brass rings from sprinklers was arrested after a police chase in west Houston.
Houston police said they received a call around 3 a.m. Thursday about two suspicious vehicles in the 1900 block of Kirsten in the Memorial area.
Homeowners said a couple of men were stealing brass rings off sprinkler heads in their front lawns. Minutes later, police arrived and spotted one of the suspects, Hector Leon, in an SUV that was reported stolen, officials said. A police chase ensued.
Officers said Leon, 20, drove through several red lights during the high-speed chase.
Leon ditched the SUV near Memorial and Dairy Ashford and tried to make a run for it, officials said.
"He took off running and the officer gave chase and eventually caught him," Sgt. Dennis Gonzales said.
Police said in addition to the stolen vehicle, they found a man's wallet, several stolen cellphones and the brass rings.
Leon was also wanted in connection with a carjacking a couple of hours earlier. Officers said at 1 a.m., Leon forced a driver out of his vehicle at gunpoint in the 1300 block of Trail Hollow. He stole the victim's keys, wallet and cellphone, police said.
Investigators said three others remain on the loose.
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