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Martha Decker founder of East Texas Paranormal likes talking about investigative techniques
by Martha Decker on Sep.17, 2012, under Paranormal
East Texas Paranormal Founder Martha Decker likes talking on the radio about investigation technique. She applies a lot of the techniques she learned while in law enforcement. Decker retired from policing in 2007 and formed East Texas Paranormal (ETP) and hasn't look back, well maybe not too often. Since then she has appeared on numerous paranormal radio shows as a guest speaker. While they talk about a variety of subjects the interviews always seem to turn toward her law enforcement experience and how she applies her knowledge to the paranormal. In fact, a majority of this group are current or former law enforcement officers. Decker talks about how many of the techniques used for police investigations and interviews work well when applied to the paranormal. She is working on a couple of books and the one that will be completed first is about police techniques and the paranormal. Decker began conducting paranormal investigations in 1999 after going to the Myrtles Plantation with fellow ETP member and longtime friend Tamra Brickey.
Here are the archive links for some of the radio shows she has been on – If you have the time, you just might like to listen in…..
Just Energy Radio with Dr Rita Louise
Spirit Buzz with Jill Marie Morris
Bridging the Gap with Anthony Zepeda
Related articles
- The Paranormal Podcast… To Ouija or not to Ouija? (bigseance.com)
- Ghosts, demons and psychics: Paranormal activity takes center stage at Fort Knox (bangordailynews.com)
Travel Face Scares People
by Martha Decker on May.09, 2012, under Life in General
This is my travel face when I'm silly and bored. Let's not see your face looking like this please. The last thing you want when traveling is to become bored and start making faces on your camera phone.
A good idea is to check ahead online and try to pick a hotel where you can walk to a variety of places during any down time.
Can you tell us about your favorite place to hang out on a trip?
Black's Barbecue in Lockhart Texas is real BBQ
by Martha Decker on Dec.19, 2011, under Travel
Recently I was lucky enough to drive from ETX to the valley – McAllen, TX. On the way down we found an interesting mostly French restaurant in a little town. That was quite a surprise. However, we drove back home a different way and found some of the best BBQ I have ever had. We stopped at Black's Barbecue in Lockhart. It had been a fun drive, but we had begun looking for that unique and special little place to eat probably 50 miles SW of Lockhart.
I am so glad we waited for the perfect place to eat. We arrived just about sunset and were already half way home. There was a large sign for Black's Barbeque we spotted and I decided to follow the pointing hand. When I pulled up to Black's it turned out to be a quaint Texas eatery that promised to be inviting and interesting. Especially when we saw the nice outside eating area. Inside Black's looks like a Texas BBQ place should look and it smelled divine. There were plenty of tables and all kinds of Texas memorabilia hanging from the walls.
You should have seen the juices flowing when the brisket was cut. Holey Moley! The restaurant is owned by Edgar and Norma Jean Black. The Black family established the restaurant in 1932 and seems to be the place TX BBQ legends are made. You can find them at 215 Main St and they are open 8 days a week.
A neat little tidbit of history about Black's is that President Lyndon Baines Johnson selected Black's to represent Texas barbeque at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC, according to their website.
Don't worry, if you can't get to Lockhart they can come to you. Just go to their website and order online. You can even find Black's on Twitter.
(Author's note – this is not a sponsored post, just a story about a good place to eat with a little bit of Texas thrown in for good measure)
Loretta Hazzard Fussell AKA LorettaLean Process Server, Personal Trainer, Fitness Guru and Chef, Who Knew?
by Martha Decker on Nov.08, 2011, under Health/Fitness/Beauty
LorettaLean Can Cook
Loretta Hazzard Fussell AKA LorettaLean Process Server, Personal Trainer, Fitness Guru and Chef. Who Knew? She can do just about anything, I think. But then again she is my sister. Loretta started cooking when we were kids. There weren't fancy or fast food snacks in the house when we came home from school. If we were hungry we would have to cook something from whatever was in the pantry. She was great at whipping up so really decent afternoon snacks. I learned to do the same, but not as well as Loretta. Then she continued on with her culinary skills and my mouth drools just thinking about going to her house for dinner. Pastries are one of her specialties. Yes, even those but made into healthy tasty deserts instead of those that are laden with high caloric goodness. Loretta can make those as well, but enjoys adapting old favorites into healthy alternative. One benefit of being a client of Loretta's only obtaining nutrition advice, but getting copies of her favorite healthy adapted recipes. A couple of those are listed below. So if you live in the North Dallas area in Plano or Frisco, maybe you can be the lucky one to be accepted as a client if she has any openings available. Then you can get more delicious recipes!
Here are a couple of her healthy and easy to make recipes
Cowboy Stew
serves 4
1 pound low fat ground sirloin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 16 oz can of Green Giant mixed vegetables
2 cans tomato sauce
1 package Uncle Ben's Spanish rice (90 seconds), cooked
1 17 oz can cream corn
Brown beef and onions in a large pot. Drain meat and add remaining ingredients without draining the mixed vegetables. Cover and simmer one hour.
Tuna Salad Rollups – Great for warmer weather
serves 4
1/4 cup light Miracle Whip salad dressing
2 Tbsp chopped green onions
1/2 tsp dill
Pepper to taste
1 6 1/2 oz can of tuna packed in water, drained
3/4 cup 2% low fat milk shredded cheddar cheese
1 small tomato, seeded and cut in small pieces
4 whole wheat tortillas
Stir together salad dressing, onions, dill and pepper. Gently stir in tuna, cheese and tomato. Spoon tuna mixture onto the edge of each tortilla, roll, hold together with toothpick, cut in half and serve.
Now you are thinking Who IS LorettaLean?
I'm over 50 years old!!
- Desire
- No Excuses
You can find personal trainers in your location by visiting gyms, checking web sites or talking to friends. Loretta is available in the Frisco and Plano area of Texas. You can reach her by going to her About Me page and sending an email. She is Loretta Fussell and she actually has one or two spots available for new clients. If you are interested it's a good idea to move fast as her openings tend to fill fast and client's often turn into longtime clients because of their results.
LorettaLean even has health supplements to offer for those interested in healthy living. Especially those who can't get to her location for training.
Loretta Hazzard Fussell the TX Process Server
Loretta is the Muscles in the MadDog and Muscles of TX process serving. As if personal training wasn't enough Loretta decided to serve court papers a couple years ago with her sister, Martha Decker. Her sister is a retired assistant chief of police and Loretta has had martial arts training. They enjoy working difficult serves so the impossible is usually possible when these two get together. It's been an interesting trip for Loretta and one that brought her into a world know only too well by her sister.
So now you know – if you want to look good, eat well or need court papers served – contact Loretta! Think I'll make some rollups for lunch – later folks…………..
The Infant Earth a Fantasy Young Adult Fiction by Katherine Grossmueller
by Martha Decker on Sep.05, 2011, under Books
The Infant Earth
Book Review
Editor's note, I was given a copy of the book to read and review
The Infant Earth a Fantasy Young Adult Fiction by Katherine Grossmueller was written for young teen readers. Ms Grossmueller brings a new world to life through her writings. The story is about a dying world and one that is newly created. It's about family and a cousin who was once a member of the Elfin royal family. This cousin happens to join forces with a warring wizard who has vowed to destroy the royal family. The same family that drove him out and into the dead zone of their planet to die. A meeting is held with the heads of the clans and they declare war on the wizard. They won the war but discover that they must leave their planet for a new home to keep everyone safe. When their planet is left somehow an orb mysteriously follows them through a warp that brings them to the red planet. The orb stays with the people while on the planet. The clans soon realize this is not the right planet for their people and decide to leave for another planet. Once they are ready to leave the orb turns into an angel and brings them to a newly born planet – Earth. Once there the Elfins start their new life and plan to teach humans what they need to know to live a better life.
I just finished reading the book and found that it kept my interest even though I haven't been a young adult for a very long time. There are a few spelling or grammatical errors on a few pages of the book. Ms Grossmueller asked that readers be forewarned. When the mistakes were discovered it was too late for the printer to have them corrected. Even the best of us will have mistakes here or there. The first chapter introduces most of the characters so it's an easy place to find out about them if you can't remember a name. I don't want to give away too much of the story but must say if you know someone who enjoys young adult fantasy, no matter their age, I think they will enjoy this book.
This is Ms Grossmueller's first book and one that may become the first in a series if we are lucky. She is as ambitious as TL Jones, who is about to release the second book in her paranormal fiction series. Katherine Grossmueller lives in Wisconsin and has led an interesting life. In addition to writing fantasy, she had done her fair share of paranormal investigating. If you click on the link above for the radio show interview, you can listen in as she talks about some of her paranormal endeavors.
Find Katherine Grossmueller on FaceBook
Find her book The Infant Earth on Amazon, flipkart, or through other sources found on Google.
Happy reading everyone. You can find The Infant Earth a Fantasy Young Adult Fiction by Katherine Grossmueller at most online book stores.
Author Martha Decker Looking for Paranormal Hauntings Legends and Mysteries in East Texas for New Book
by Martha Decker on Sep.04, 2011, under Books, Paranormal
Solving Mysteries Surrounding East Texas in new book
by Martha Decker
Author Martha Decker Looking for Paranormal Hauntings Legends and Mysteries in East Texas for New Book. Martha Decker is a longtime published news journalist. In 1995 she won a first place Associated Press award for specialty reporting for an article she spent a year researching before it went to print. She is also the founder of East Texas Paranormal, a paranormal group dedicated to helping individuals in need of answers for unexplained events.
Decker currently is working to complete a book about paranormal experiences, hauntings, legends, myths and mysteries in East Texas. This area consists of all counties east of I45 and SH 75 from the Gulf of Mexico to the Oklahoma border or from the Red River to the Big Thicket.
She has heard stories about Tool, Eustace, Gun Barrel City, Malakoff and Peeltown along with other places near Cedar Creek Lake. Surely someone has a story to be told. Out of the way, odd, weird or unusual might just fit the bill. Decker can always use more information about things that may have already covered by other individuals. What about mysterious lights, big foot sightings and so much more……….
Decker is interested in hearing your story. If you have any information you would like to pass on please send her email at firstname.lastname@example.com. She can be reached by mail at PO Box 73, Kemp, TX 75143. Feel free to use the Contact Me page on this site and I will get her the information. If you would like to contact East Texas Paranormal they would be glad to hear from you.
Author Martha Decker Looking for Paranormal Hauntings Legends and Mysteries in East Texas for New Book
Troy Taylor – What to do when your house is haunted
by Martha Decker on Jul.10, 2011, under Paranormal
American Ghost Society
an article
Troy Taylor
Editor's note: This article is reprinted with the written permission of Troy Taylor. The photograph is of (L) Keith Age and (R) Troy Taylor . For more information go to American Hauntings.What to do when your house is haunted
Thanks to the type of work that I do, I meet people on what seems an almost weekly basis who have (or claim to have) a ghost in their house. These otherworldly encounters may not be occurring at the present time, or may have happened in a house where they used to live, but they assure me that strange things did, or do, occur at the place they inhabit.
Perhaps even more frequent than these chance, fact-to-face encounters are the phone calls and email messages that I receive from people who also claim to be going through the same predicament. All manner of strangeness may be reported and on many occasions, the callers and correspondents will ask what they should do about their uninvited and often spooky guests. Should they move out? Should they stay? Should they talk to the specters or ignore them? What is the best thing to do in this situation? And most of all, should they contact a ghost hunter to come in an investigate?
First of all, let me say that over the years that I have been involved in ghosts and ghost research, the vast majority of the cases that I have been involved in have perfectly natural explanations. These explanations may not be immediately realized, but they can be discovered. Of course, that is not to say that I have not been involved in some cases that did puzzle me and which did leave me feeling that (based on the witness accounts and my own research) the location really was haunted.
As the witness to a series of what could be ghostly events, you (the reader this article is aimed at) have to first determine whether or not you think the odd happenings in your house (or business, theater, etc.) are natural or supernatural. In order to do this, you should try and relax and be a good observer. Even if you are scared by what you have seen or heard (or what someone else has seen) you have to give the occurrences some rational thought. Could those "phantom footsteps" have been simply the house settling or the floorboards creaking? Could that "cold chill" have been merely a draft? Could the "ghost" that you saw out of the corner of the eye have been nothing more than a trick of the light?
Maybe the events have explanations, or maybe they don't. Believe me, I know that it's easy to let your imagination get away from you. All it might take are a few harmless comments to someone else in the house and before long, you have a "haunted house" made to order! Here's how that works:
Let's say that you and your family just moved into an old house in a neighborhood in your town. You don't know anything about the history of the house but unknown to you, a family of mice lives quite comfortably in the cellar. One night, you wake up and hear strange noises coming from under the floor. Since you don't know that the sounds are caused by the mice, you jump to the conclusion that the house is haunted. Of course, it's not haunted… but that's not the point. What is important is that you think the house is haunted! In fact, you get quite caught up in the idea and begin to think that every bump and creak that you hear is something ghostly. An odd reflection or a curtain moving in the wind might even look like a ghost. Combine all of these things together and you have a haunted house on your hands!
At this point, you have come to believe that you have a haunted house with bumps, rappings, ghostly footsteps and even apparitions that roam the hallways. It's not long before your family begins to pick up on your fears, either consciously or unconsciously, and they also begin hearing the "unexplainable" sounds and seeing the resident "ghost".
You can see why it might be easy to feed off one another's fears and literally "invent" a haunted house. That's why I try to ask the people who contact me to step back for a moment and try to look at the events they describe to me as a skeptic. I ask them to try and consider some other possibilities for the events besides supernatural ones. Sometimes this can be done and sometimes it can't. I never tell the witness that their house cannot be haunted! Obviously, there is no way that I can know that and for several reasons:
1. I was not present at the time the reported events occurred.
2. At this point, I have never visited the location.
3. I cannot claim to be an "expert" on all things paranormal because no such thing exists.
What I am trying to do at this point is to simply assist the witness in looking at what they feel is a supernatural event in another manner. As a witness, you should not take offense at this. In fact, you should welcome the skepticism of the investigator. A legitimate investigator will not accuse you of lying but he will also not immediately accept your story as fact, based on the idea that he really has very little evidence to work from at this time. It is not that he doesn't believe you, but only that he is keeping an open mind to everything, including the idea that the house may not be haunted. This is the sort of investigator that you should be looking for… not the one who immediately accepts your story at face value. This is a sure sign of inexperience with real cases and one best to be avoided.
However, at this point, I may have gotten ahead of myself a little bit. As mentioned already, it is best for the homeowner to try and determine for themselves if the possible ghostly activity has some natural cause. In many cases, if they do contact an investigator, that investigator may try and suggest some natural causes for the activity and it would be best to try and rule that out ahead of time. You might save yourself some embarrassment down the line, although a good investigator would never try to make you feel silly for some misidentified happenings.
Another thing that I recommend doing is to try and keep a log or a journal of any activity that occurs in the house. This will be extremely helpful and as a rule, I always suggest it to people who contact me about their possible haunting. It's a great way to not only recall the events while they are fresh in your mind (so you don't have to try and remember them for the first time in a later interview) but also to see if a pattern of activity exists. The determination of such a pattern would be extremely helpful to an investigator. It could show a natural cause for the activity (such as a furnace kicking on or a nearby fright train passing by) or might make it possible (if the activity turns out to be real) to decide when might be the best time for a paranormal investigation to take place. Obviously, if it looks like the ghostly events are occurring at a certain time (or day), then this would be the time the ghost hunter and his team would want to be present.
When you are compiling your journal or logbook, here are a few things that you want to be sure to include:
1. Note the exact time and date when the activity occurred.
2. Make a note of everyone who was present and what they saw. If possible have each witness record their thoughts in their own words.
3. Try and note the weather conditions at the time.
The journal will be an invaluable piece of research if an investigator comes to call and it will go a long way in establishing evidence about the haunting in your home.
Now that you have been able to try and rule out natural explanations for the events in your house and perhaps have even kept a log of the weird things that occurred, you have to decide what you want to do next. Admittedly, many witnesses will not have gotten this far with their own research. Many people are frightened by what is going on and very few of them understand it. The fact that (if you think your house is haunted) you have gone as far as to read this article is something you should be commended for. People are frightened by the unknown and by things that they don't understand. I should tell you though, that in all of the years that I have been involved in ghost research, I have never run across anything that I would consider to be "evil" or "demonic". Yes, I have run across some cases that are outside of the norm, and were certainly strange, but they were not "demons" disguised as ghosts! Despite what some people would have you believe, the cases of people actually being hurt by ghosts are very, very rare. There is an extremely remote chance that you have anything at all to be afraid of, so try and relax and keep your eyes and ears open to any other developments.
At this point, you have a choice of what to do next. You can either learn to live with the novelty of a ghost in your house, or you can get in touch with a legitimate ghost researcher to help you understand it better. You may also decide that you can't abide the idea of sharing your house with a ghost and we'll talk about what you can do about that later. Even if you decide that you want to "get rid of" the ghost, it's likely that an investigation team would need to determine the veracity and extent of the haunting first.
This leads up to you getting in touch with a qualified ghost hunter, who can come into your home and determine what sort of activity is taking place. This is not as easy as it sounds! There are literally hundreds of websites on the internet that claim to be affiliated with paranormal research and it would seem that you have scores of ghost hunters to choose from. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Once you discard the inactive groups who still have websites, the "wanna-be" ghost hunters who offer all sorts of services and yet have never actually done a real investigation and the ones who think that wandering around in cemeteries with cameras makes them "researchers"… you don't have near as many to choose from as it first appeared!
Here's some information though that may help when it comes to actually choosing a ghost hunter to do an investigation at your location:
1. Make sure they offer a phone number. While there is nothing wrong with making contact through email, make sure that the group or ghost hunter you are contacting offers a phone number where they can be reached. This does not insure credibility but it does at least rule out the wishful ghost hunters who are living in their parent's basement! In many cases (as with the American Ghost Society), larger organizations may not offer the phone numbers of their area investigators but they should offer a main number where information can be given out.
2. Make sure that the contact information on the ghost hunter's website lists a first and last name of the persons who are actually doing the investigations. If they are listed by their first names only, then it's likely that they are not serious investigators but rather more wishful ghost hunters looking for thrills.
3. Try and determine from the website if the investigators are someone that you would like to have in your home. Remember, the website is the method of advertising that they chose to offer their services through and if the site is questionable, the ghost hunters are likely to be as well. Anyone can put up a website but the quality of the material on it will speak volumes about who is behind it.
4. Avoid ghost hunters who dabble in magic, the occult or offer "magical cleansings" of homes. All of these things are the ghost hunter's own business ( and on their own time!) but should not in any way be a part of a legitimate investigation. If anything like this appears on the website, move on. And be sure to ask about this when you speak to the person on the phone because solid researchers will not employ these methods.
5. Legitimate ghost hunters will not charge for their services. If you are asked to pay for an investigation, then you should look for something else. Only services that produce concrete and tangible results are worthy of payment and paranormal research is too unpredictable for that. In most cases, very little may occur in an investigation and no one should be expected to pay for that. It should be noted however that if the ghost researcher is expected to travel (especially overnight) to reach your location, it should be expected for you to offer that person reimbursement for their expenses.
6. Remember that legitimate ghost hunters will come to your home by invitation. If you are contacted and are asked if an investigation can be conducted in your home, quickly decline. Trustworthy ghost hunters don't go where they are not wanted! This may not be the case in public locations though, so if you are involved with a location that has a reputation for being haunted, you may be contacted by someone. At that point, you should simply judge the researcher on his merits.
7. Once you believe you have found an investigator that you are comfortable with, you need to check his qualifications for an investigation. Ask how long he has been involved in paranormal research and about investigations in the past, especially those involving private residences. If he claims to be some sort of "doctor", ask where this certification may have come from. Just because he chooses to pay for a questionable "doctorate" from an internet university, does not make him qualified to interact with people. Believe it or not, many ghost hunters have never conducted an investigation in a home (no matter how experienced they seem) and you have to decide if you are comfortable with this person starting out in your house. They may turn out to be great investigators, but you have to decide if you want to be their first one!
8. Also ask the researcher if they are affiliated with a research group or a national organization. Just because they are not does not make them less legitimate, however being affiliated with a group that has a good reputation can help you make a decision about allowing the researcher into your home. You can also get in touch with the main number for the group and check this person out before working with him.
Just remember though, once you have decided on the person that you want to contact, you have to be patient when requesting help. Although there are people out there claiming to be legitimate and charging large sums of money to "bust your ghost", genuine researchers do not charge for investigations, being more interested in collecting evidence. Because of this, there can be a shortage of funding for most people involved and witnesses are often asked to wait until the investigator can be freed from his "real job".
Once you have a ghost hunter to work with, they will need to determine if an on-site investigation of your home is needed. They will do this by asking a lot of questions and by referring to information that I mentioned you should gather earlier in this article. They will need to know that you have already tried to rule out natural explanations for the phenomena and perhaps even that you have compiled dates and times for the reported events.
Should the researcher then decide that an investigation of the house is warranted, then prepare to be invaded! Even though legitimate research groups will consist of no more than 5-6 individuals, a good team can seem like many more. An investigation can be very invasive and there will be photographs taken of the house and hundreds of feet of video shot. The investigators will ask you to describe the events that occurred (perhaps several times) and your statement will be recorded. They will ask you dozens of questions and many of them will seem unconnected and perhaps even embarrassing. Bear with them however, because the questions do have a purpose and the investigators will be working to try and not only legitimize your story but also to try and determine if the reported activity is real.
Here are some things that you should be aware of when it comes to legitimate paranormal investigations:
1. The investigating team should be no more than 5-6 people in your home. If the group is larger than this, then they have no idea what they are doing and should be questioned by you.
2. The investigators should not be drinking or smoking at any time.
3. Remember that they should arrive at your home with healthy skepticism. No one is trying to debunk your reports but have to keep an open mind to all possibilities. Good investigators must remain non-committal until they have had a chance to gather their evidence.
4. Make sure that the investigators seem to know how to use all of their equipment. If there is anything that you don't understand, be sure to ask them to explain what it is used for. If they cannot, you may have a problem.
5. Unless the investigation was set up through you with a local television station or newspaper, the investigators should not be accompanied to your home with a reporter or media person. This should never occur without your permission! The investigators are duty-bound to keep all aspects of your case confidential unless they have your permission to disclose anything.
6. As mentioned already, the investigators should be able to explain to you what they are doing and don't be afraid to ask. If there is anything that you want to know or need to information to feel comfortable, a legitimate researcher will give it to you. Just remember that any natural explanations that are discovered that might show the "haunting" has nothing to do with ghosts should be properly explained. This is not an indictment against your honesty, so don't be offended. You asked this person in to give you an honest opinion and you have to be prepared to accept it.
7. You can also help by making sure that everyone who experienced anything unusual is present on the night of the investigation and that you keep out friends and relatives who want to come over to watch the proceedings. This can be very distracting to you and the to the investigators and can interfere with an accurate investigation.
8. Also remember that if you become uncomfortable with what is going on at any point in the investigation, you have the absolute right to call a halt to everything. The investigators are present at your request and are "guests" in your home. They should be given the respect that such a title signifies, but they also have to respect your feelings and fears as well.
As the investigation continues in your home, the team members will divide up their duties and while you are being thoroughly interviewed, other investigators will be filming and mapping the house, taking photos and looking for any anomalies with their equipment. They will likely ask you to show them where any odd happenings took place and may ask you to recreate what you were doing when they occurred.
If the phenomena that you have reported occurs on a regular basis, or has a set pattern, the investigators may want to conduct a vigil or "ghost watch". This means that they will set up themselves and their gear in hopes that the activity might occur again. This can be a long process and can be very boring for you and the investigators. At this point, you may want to consider going (quietly) about your activities and to let them work.
You may have noticed in this article that I mentioned several times that activity rarely occurs during the investigation. In some cases it does though, and this can be exciting for everyone involved. However, in most cases (if the investigator has determined that there seems to be a strong possibility that the reported phenomena is genuine) a follow-up investigation will be required. This usually means a return visit that will be much less "painless" than the first, as the initial groundwork has already been laid.
It should be stressed that a legitimate researcher will always follow up on a case. If you do not hear from him, and the phenomena persists, then call him yourself. Don't be afraid to get in touch with him and ask him to come back.
The information that has come before has been mostly geared to the witness who has experienced something out of the ordinary and while not completely frightened by it, is curious enough to contact someone who can tell them more. Truthfully, I have worked more often with this type of person than any other. They aren't necessarily afraid of the activity they have reported, but are bothered by it to the point that they decided to seek some help.
This is not always the case though. As a witness, you may call in a researcher to decide whether or not your house is truly haunted and once you realize that something is actually happening (and that others are seeing it too!), you may want to call the proceedings to a halt. This can happen when the witness is afraid of making the ghost "angry" and you may decide that you want to just leave well enough alone, who knows? Some witnesses also may decide that they want to get rid of the ghost and if this happens to you, the investigators that you have contacted have no choice but to go along with your wishes.
But unless the investigator is a psychic (and I don't recommend contacting a psychic for your investigation unless they are accompanied by a legitimate team to back up their findings), they will not be equipped to get rid of the ghosts that may be haunting your house. Most ghost hunters are merely investigators. We do not talk to ghosts and we don't see them around every corner. If we are going to be able to help you, we are going to have to contact an outside source.
Let me reassure you again though that ghosts are not present to hurt anyone and in almost every case, a family can peacefully coincide with a spirit. Obviously though, not everyone wants that and some even insist that the ghost itself would be better off passing on to wherever we go at the time of death. In this case, the ghost hunter should be proactive in helping you with your wishes.
If you have a family minister, the ghost hunter will likely suggest that you get in touch with this person and ask them to come to the house and to pray for the soul of the spirit that is present. This is not an "exorcism" but simply an attempt to get the ghost to leave in peace. It can be of great benefit to you and your family as well.
If a willing minister is not available, then the ghost hunter should be able to suggest or find an expert in getting rid of ghosts. They may not be a professional medium or psychic but someone who is sensitive to spirits and who has a good reputation. It should be someone the ghost hunter has either worked with before or someone who was referred through a legitimate source. There is usually a complete lack of ceremony with this type of person as they are not a phony psychic or exorcist. They are likely going to want to look over the location and sit down and talk with you before proceeding.
Remember though to beware of any medium that tries to pump you for too much information up front! It is obviously more legitimate if this person can gather impressions that match the information you already have. If they come up with weird things that you have not experienced and seem to be making things up out of thin air, they most likely are!
If an authentic medium detects a spirit that is present, they will try and convince it to move on. How effective is this? It's hard to say. It has been my experience that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It usually has a positive effect on the house though, no matter what else it does. I often get calls from people who ask for this service but in my years in the paranormal field, I have found very few people that I can recommend as someone trustworthy enough to be given this assignment. They are out there though and if you request it, the ghost hunter you work with should do all they can to get you in touch with them.
In closing, I hope that this article has been worthwhile for you and has provided you with some of the essential information that you need in order to find a legitimate ghost hunter. I always say that ghost hunting has several goals. Not only is the ghost hunter seeking evidence of ghosts, but he is also there to help the person who called him in to investigate the case. It is the ghost hunter's main responsibility to alleviate the fears of the witness and to help them deal with the activity they are experiencing. The witness should never be shut out of the investigation but should be treated with the utmost respect .. for man always fears what he does not understand.
If you are experiencing a haunting and have been thinking of contacting a ghost hunter, then I hope that you now know what to expect from this experience. In some small way, I hope that this knowledge can contribute to the end of people being taken advantage of by the questionable and inexperienced ghost hunters who are out there. A little knowledge can go a long way and now that you know what to look for, you can avoid the problems that so many have encountered in the past. Good luck!
© Copyright 2008 by Troy Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
For even more information you might want to get the Bump in the Night newsletter.
If you would like an investigation please contact ETX Paranormal. Our information is on our About ETX Paranormal page.
Paranormal Thriller Jaded Visions by Author TL Jones
by Martha Decker on May.08, 2011, under Books
Jaded Visions
TL "Terri" Jones
TL Jones held a book signing in Gun Barrel City when this book was newly released. Since then she has been in other cities and at paranormal conferences for book signings. Considering she and I have worked together in law enforcement and most likely have responded to some of the same calls I like to think of her as a sister in blue. She is a happy person and I was sad to see leave the area where we worked for bluer pastures. I know, I wouldn't mind moving to Galveston either. Anyway, she was vigorous and diligent in law enforcement and seems to have continued the trend with the publication on Jaded Visions, her first thriller. It got even better for her after the book was first published. A publishing house picked up the book and it was republished.
I've had several great visit with her over a few weekends and have challenged her to be my "book coach." Ms. Jones has another book in mind so if you like this one, make sure you get the next one. Her books can be purchased in several locations, including her Jaded Visions website. You can order the book at Amazon for your Kindle. They are working to have it available for the Nook.
I promise you she is not wrong about the details of law enforcement in the story. Coming from law enforcement she knows what she is talking about. The story is about a killer and a six year old:
"Jade Hamilton is barely staying one step ahead of a ruthless killer. Paranormal visions have been a part of her life since she was ten and this time her visions put her in the middle of a murder. Jade has to keep six year old Emmie Linderhoff safe from this killer, as well as, keep herself out of jail for kidnapping.
Jade runs with the child after the girl's parents are murdered and along the way she meets up with St. Joseph's most eligible bachelor, Detective Ryan Douglas. Ryan, along with his partner, try to help Jade solve this case before another murder occurs. As they become more involved in the case, they begin to realize that their feelings for each other are growing as quickly as the fear that they won't find the killer in time!"
This is the description on the website. I have read the book, twice, and have to say that I enjoyed the story line. Can't wait for book 2. It is an enjoyable read and you may not want to stop reading until you are through and there are no more pages to turn. I had to stop just so I could complete this post! Otherwise I would still be reading.
BTW – Ms Jones has just completed Book 2 so hang on and keep up with her to learn when the book will be released.
TL Jones is on FaceBook in addition to the Jaded Visions site. Stop by and give her a shout.
She has been on TV and the radio giving interviews.
T. L. Jones lives in South East Texas with her husband, Dave, two dogs, Zeus and Harley, and an African Grey Parrot named Herman. A former police officer, T. L. Jones has acquired valuable insight into criminal behavior. Her experience in law enforcement and her fascination with the paranormal has supercharged her creative juices to give you … Jaded Visions.


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Product Description
Niche 20" x 10" Silver Milan Wheel with Machined Spoke Faces and +40 Offset for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Mustangs.
20" x 10" Niche Milan wheels will make your Mustang look like one of a kind. Designed with a +40mm offset, the Milan wheel fits the rear of 2005-2014 Mustangs perfectly. Five spokes extend from the center to the outer edge of the wheel creating a nice concave profile. This one-piece, cast aluminum 20" x 10" wheel has a monoblock look without a lip. The open style wheel shows off large brakes extremely well. The face of this Niche Milan wheel features a beautiful machined surface, along with the outer edge of the wheel. The edge of the spokes and the rest of the wheel features a perfect silver finish. Niche engraves their logo in one spoke and a Niche center cap completes the look.
Wheel Information | |
Size: | 20" x 10" |
Lugs: | 5-Lug |
Finish: | Machined Face with Silver |
Offset: | +40mm |
This Niche wheel requires small diameter, tuner style lug nuts (WHLLN7 and WHLLN8). Larger OEM style lug nuts will NOT work.
The Milan wheel is part of Niche's Sport Series which features cast aluminum monoblock construction without a lip. Spokes extend from the center to the outer edge of the wheel allowing maximum concavity, aggressive staggered fitments and room for large caliper upgrades. Niche offers their 20" x 10" cast wheels at an affordable price while retaining the high quality Niche is known for. Niche offers the same wheels for Mustangs that are found on many high end super cars. Aggressive styling and high quality manufacturing processes keep Niche one step ahead of the game.
Please Note: The 20" x 10" wheel is intended for use on the rear of your Mustang. Wider rear wheels have a deeper concave to enhance the look of a staggered setup.
*Valve stem TPMS compatible. All 2007 and newer Mustangs use tire pressure sensors in each wheel.
One of the easiest ways to get the biggest visual impact from an upgrade to your 2005-2014 Mustang is by adding some new wheels from CJ Pony Parts. If you want to stray away from common replica style wheels, Niche Road Wheels offers a variety of styles so your Mustang can be one of a kind!
Product Questions
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Product Video
This is a Niche Milan. It's a beautiful concave five spoke wheel available in the silver finish shown there, as well as this matte black finish shown here. These are available in 19x8.5", 19x9.5", 20x8.5", and 20x10" inch sizes.
This is a Niche Targa. It's a great looking concave ten spoke wheel. It's available in a matte anthracite finish, a matte black finish, as well as a bright silver. It's available in a 19x8.5", 19x9.5", 20x8.5", and 20x10" inch size.
This is the Apex, another great looking five spoke concave wheel from Niche. These are available in the silver finish shown there, as well as this matte black shown here. They're available in 18x8", 18x9.5", 20x8.5", and 20x10" inch sizes.
This is the GT5, another great five spoke concave style wheel from Niche Road Wheels. These are available only in the matte black finish, and only in a 20x8.5" and 20x10".
Everyone is familiar with Chip Foose and his Foose design wheels. Legend is a classic five spoke wheel. It's available in either a chrome or a gloss black finish. These come in 17x8", 17x9", 18x7", 18x8", 18x8.5", 18x9", 18x9.5", 20x8.5", and 20x10" inch sizes.
The Enforcer is a great looking modern design five spoke wheel from Foose. It's available in the chrome finish shown here with the blank inserts. It's, also, available in a full gloss black finish. These are going to be available in a 20x8.5" for the front, and a 20x10" for the rear.
The Speed is another great looking five spoke wheel from Foose Design. These are available in the chrome finish shown here, as well as gloss black. They're available in 20x8.5" for the front, and 20x10" inch rear sizes.
The Outkast by Foose is the perfect choice for your Mustang. It's a modern ten spoke style, even has a red, white and blue tri-bar in the middle. It's available in a chrome or a gloss black finish, and a 20x8.5" for your front, and a 20x10" rear.
This is only a small selection of the wheels that are available here at CJ Pony Parts. Check out our website at www.CJPonyParts.com for more options, and if you have any questions, give our sales staff a call at 1-800-888-6473.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bacteria's use of pyruvic acidModerator: BioTeam
6 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Bacteria's use of pyruvic acidIs it possible for a bacteria to use pyruvic acid for energy, and if so, how many ATP molecules are generated from a complete catabolism of 13 molecules of pyruvic acid?
of course, even you could use pyruvate as energy source.
But the yield depends on further metabolism. Will it be broken to down to CO2 or fermented to ethanol or other compound? http://www.biolib.cz/en/main/
Cis or trans? That's what matters.
Re: Bacteria's use of pyruvic acidIt will be broken down to CO2.
The answer I got was a total of 195 ATP if there are 13 molecules of pyruvic acid. After glycolysis, (asuming there are 13 molecules of pyruvic acid) the stages from pyruvic acid to the end of the kreb cycle there will be a total of 52 NADH and 13 FADH2 produced. And 13 ATP will be produced during the kreb cycle. Applying the rule that one NADH will produce 3 ATPs during the electron transport chain and one FADH2 will produce 2 ATPs during the same process, then 52 NADH will produce 156 ATPs and 13 FADH will produce 26 ATPs. Adding 156 ATPs, 26 ATPs and the previous 13 ATPs will equal to 195 ATPs. Im not sure if this makes sense? Let me know what you think. Thanks. http://www.life.umd.edu/classroom/bsci4 ... ummary.gif Last edited by bowzerwowzer on Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Bacteria's use of pyruvic acidI see. Perfect. Thank you.
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Variety Insight premium subscribers can access phone, email and more.
Joseph Rice
SVP, Motion Pic & TV Talent
: Abrams Artists Agency, Abrams Artists Agency (NY)
Access the industry's most accurate development and production listings,credits,contact info, org charts, box office, TV ratings and more.
Want to see projects Joseph Rice is developing? Visit Variety Insight .
Latest Headlines: Joseph Rice
"A Single Shot" aims to serve up gritty backwoods noir but misses its target by some distance.
The new tuner adaptation of "From Here to Eternity" -- the first new legit work in a decade from lyricist Tim Rice -- will have its world preem in London at the West End's Shaftesbury Theater in…
Agnes Bruckner has been set to star as Anna Nicole Smith in Lifetime's "The Anna Nicole Smith Story."
The wedding-day waffling of a '30s-era Brit femme yields predictable comedy and melodrama in "Cheerful Weather for the Wedding."
Lyricist honoree Sir Tim Rice still packing them in with Broadway and London revivals
Abrams Artists Agency is kicking off 2012 by expanding its ranks and renovating its offices.
Biblical pain and suffering? Get outta here. There used to be a stage makeup color called "light Egyptian," and that's exactly what's on offer here. There's darkness in the one (much reprised) song…
Treat Williams is effectively enigmatic as the egotistical Michael Peterson, an acclaimed novelist on trial for the murder of his socialite wife in "The Staircase Murders," an original pic for…
A bruising, personal film based on the early-adolescent experience of director Allison Anders, "Things Behind the Sun" centers on the meeting between two people scarred by childhood rape…
Conceived in 1969 as a 20-minute oratorio to be presented in an English public school, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is now considerably longer and flashier. Still, as the touring…
Army Archerd: Just for Variety


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Open Firmware
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Open Firmware, or OpenBoot in Sun Microsystems parlance, is a standard defining the interfaces of a computer firmware system, formerly endorsed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It originated at Sun, and has been used by Sun, Apple, IBM, ARM[1] and most other non-x86 PCI chipset vendors. Open Firmware allows the system to load platform-independent drivers directly from the PCI card, improving compatibility.
Open Firmware may be accessed through its Forth language shell interface. It achieves essentially the same functionality as the later EFI standard initiated at Intel, with lower overhead[citation needed].
Open Firmware is described by IEEE standard IEEE 1275-1994, which was not reaffirmed by the Open Firmware Working Group (OFWG) since 1998 and has therefore been officially withdrawn by IEEE.
Several commercial implementations of Open Firmware have been released to the Open Source community in 2006, including Sun OpenBoot, Firmworks OpenFirmware and Codegen SmartFirmware. The source code is available from the OpenBIOS project. Sun's implementation is available under a BSD license.[2]
Open Firmware Forth Code may be compiled into FCode, a bytecode which is independent of computer architecture details such as the instruction set and memory hierarchy. A PCI card may include a program, compiled to FCode, which runs on any Open Firmware system. In this way, it can provide platform-independent boot-time diagnostics, configuration code, and device drivers. FCode is also very compact, so that a disk driver may require only one or two kilobytes. Therefore, many of the same I/O cards can be used on Sun systems and Macintoshes that used Open Firmware. FCode implements ANS Forth and a subset of the Open Firmware library.
Open Firmware furthermore defines a standard way to describe the hardware of a system. This helps the operating system to better understand its host computer, relying less on user configuration and hardware polling.
Being based upon an interactive programming language, Open Firmware can be used to efficiently test and bring up new hardware. It allows drivers to be written and tested interactively. Operational video and mouse drivers are the only prerequisite for a graphical interface suitable for end-user diagnostics. Indeed, Apple shipped such a diagnostic "operating system" in many Power Macintoshes.
This section contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. (July 2011) |
On Sun SPARC systems, the Open Firmware interface is displayed on the console terminal before the bootstrapping of the system software. If a keyboard is connected, the main video display will be used as the console terminal and Open Firmware can be re-entered at any time by pressing Stop-A (L1-A) on the keyboard. If no keyboard is connected, then the first serial line on the system is usually used as the console and Open Firmware is re-entered by sending a "Break" on the serial line. While the system software is running, various Open Firmware settings can be read or written using the eeprom
On a PowerPC-based Macintosh, the Open Firmware interface can be accessed by pressing the keys ⌘ Cmd+⌥ Option+O+F at startup (⊞ Win+Alt+O+F if using standard PC USB keyboard). Intel-based Macintoshes do not use Open Firmware; they use Extensible Firmware Interface, following Apple's transition to Intel processors. Also, early versions (before the PowerBook 3400) connect Open Firmware's input and output to the Modem port by default.[citation needed] This functionality is generally only used by developers or troubleshooting I.T. personnel; for common users, the Mac OS X operating system provides a high level graphical user interface to change commonly used Open Firmware settings. For instance, it is possible to specify the boot disk or partition without directly using the Open Firmware interface, but with some limitations (e.g. it is not possible to select boot from USB mass-storage devices, but Open Firmware allows iMac to boot using boot ud:,\\:tbxi
command). Other Open Firmware settings can be changed using the nvram
command while the system software is running.[3]
On Pegasos, the interface is accessed by pressing Esc at startup.
On IBM Power Systems, Open Firmware ("ok" prompt) can be accessed through the SMS Boot Menu. SMS Boot Menu can be accessed by pressing 1 or F1 during the boot sequence, after hardware checking, and just before the OS boot.
On the OLPC XO-1 laptop, Open Firmware access requires a developer key, that can be obtained after registration with OLPC. After installing the key, upon each power-on, the boot countdown can be interrupted with Esc (the upper left key) to get to the Forth prompt.
See also[edit]
- Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
- ARMboot
- Coreboot
- Extensible Firmware Interface
- Input/output base address
- OpenBIOS
- Power-on self-test
- Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
- ^ Building Open Firmware for ARM
- ^ "OpenBIOS". Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ^ Apple's Transition from Open Firmware to Extensible Firmware Interface, mactech, 2007.
External links[edit]
- Sun's SPARC OBP documentation
- The last IEEE 1275 text
- Firmworks OpenFirmware source code
- Codegen SmartFirmware source code
- Boot Process on IBM POWER
- OFW FAQ on OLPC Wiki
- Aurora SPARC Linux OBP reference guide
- Quick Reference
- TinyBoot aka Tiny Open Firmware: an embeddable OpenFirmware-like system for small CPUs (via Internet Archive)


text: Gmote Turns Your Android Phone Into a Remote Control for Your PCThe How-To Geek7/20/10 1:00pmFiled to: Androidgoogle androidMobileMobile PhonesWindowsMacLinuxRemote ControlGoogleMedia CenterMedia ServerMediaDownloads44EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink Android only: Gmote controls your desktop PC directly from your mobile phone, letting you control playback of music and movies, browse your file system, or even use your phone as a keyboard and mouse. Advertisement To get the media playback controls working, you'll need to make sure that your PC has VLC installed, install the Gmote server application—there are versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and then install the Gmote client on your phone. Once you've completed the setup you can connect the mobile client to the Gmote server by IP address, and start controlling your PC from your phone.It's definitely not a substitute for a good media center remote, but it's a great way to control a PC using your Android phone. Hit the link for the download, or check out the How-To Geek guide for a screenshot tour of how it works. Gmote is a free download for Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Advertisement Gmote [via How-To Geek]Reply44 repliesLeave a reply


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Fall Art Highlights
Fifteen new shows worthy of a trip, from Byzantine icons in Los Angeles to Cezanne in New York City
Domains of Wonder: Selected Masterworks of Indian Painting Court paintings and manuscript pages of passionate scenes of love and religious devotion, from the 14th to the 20th centuries and from all corners of India. Museum of Fine Arts, mfa.org, through Nov. 26, 2006
Massive Change: The Future of Global Design A sweeping exploration of how design affects various aspects of daily life (among them, transportation, health, and the military), how it might bring about social change, and what the latest design innovations are. Museum of Contemporary Art, mcachicago.org, through Dec. 31, 2006
Klee and America After stints in New York City and Washington, D.C., here's a last chance to catch this show of the German-born modernist painter's works from the 1930s and '40s. Menil Collection, menil.org, Oct. 6, 2006-Jan. 28, 2007
Julian Opie: Signs Downtown Indianapolis hosts the British artist's largest public project yet: 11 eye-catching installations--some electrically lit--of stylized animals and bodies in motion. Organized by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. indyarts.org, through Sept. 2007
Holy Image, Hallowed Ground: Icons from Sinai The sixth-century Monastery of St. Catherine in Mount Sinai, Egypt, has lent the Getty 43 of its most stunning Byzantine icons as well as five manuscripts and numerous ceremonial objects. J. Paul Getty Museum, getty.edu, Nov. 14, 2006- Mar. 7, 2007
Skin and Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture Works by an international selection of fashion designers and architects invite a comparison of the similar processes and themes behind designing clothes and structures as well as overlapping trends, such as minimalism. Museum of Contemporary Art, moca.org, Nov. 19, 2006-Mar. 5, 2007
Bierdermeier: The Invention of Simplicity The first major North American show to focus on the mid-19th-century Biedermeier movement in central Europe, which stressed utility and refined, clean lines in furnishings, ceramics, jewelry, and paintings alike. Milwaukee Art Museum, mam.org, through Jan. 1, 2007
Africa Comics The first U.S. show of its kind, co-organized with the Italian nonprofit Africa e Mediterraneo, highlights recent comics from Angola, South Africa, Tanzania, Mali, Nigeria, and beyond. Studio Museum in Harlem, studiomuseum.org, Nov. 15, 2006-Mar. 18, 2007
Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956-1966 Concert footage, handwritten lyrics, letters, instruments, and photographs taken from a key period in Dylan's career, when he transitioned from folk to rock. Morgan Library and Museum, themorgan.org, Sept. 29, 2006-Jan. 6, 2007
Cézanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde Vollard, an influential Parisian art patron and dealer who gave Cézanne his first solo exhibit, gets his due. More than 100 works, all of which he commissioned or handled, by Degas, Van Gogh, Rousseau, Matisse, and other stars. Metropolitan Museum of Art, metmuseum.org, through Jan. 7, 2007
Ecotopia: The Second I.C.P. Triennial of Photography and Video A timely survey of 39 international artists whose often-haunting images grapple with environmental change and catastrophe. International Center of Photography, icp.org, through Jan. 7, 2007
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Black Hills State University student Chris Hoy, sophomore technology major from Belle Fourche, takes part in the Stump Scratch contest held once a month by the BHSU bookstore. Participants enter by seeking out the bookstore mannequin's dog, Scratch, and guessing the answer to the trivia question taped to his back. Each month, one winner receives their pick of any sweatshirt in the bookstore. At the end of the school year all the monthly winners will be entered for the grand prize, a BHSU area rug.
Anything is Possible at Black Hills State University! Faculty, staff, and students are making headlines with their achievements. See what BHSU is in the news for lately. Call 605.642.6215 to share your news item.


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Happy Thursday! You know what's funny? That very greeting always makes me laugh at myself, but yet I can't help but write it — "Happy Thursday!" It's so enthusiastic and peppy, yet, truthfully, when I'm composing these posts, 99% of the time it's late at night, once the girls are asleep, and I'm often exhausted and feeling not even a wee bit exclamation mark-ish. Somehow, though, my inner enthusiast manages to get that out and keep it there. And not once, but twice: I had actually deleted it a few seconds after writing it, but then there it is again! Oh, and yet another. It's a condition, I'm certain.
Before I get started with tonight's post, I'm excited to announce the winner of this gorgeous print of the original painting "Violetta and the Tiny Tea Set" by Vanessa Valencia, (the incredible talent behind A Fanciful Twist) . This prize is courtesy of Vanessa, as a sweet gesture to one of my readers who visited and commented on my last post, "Ruffles & Roses: A Mad(ish) Tea Party." I was the lucky honorary guest this year to Vanessa's popular virtual Mad Tea Party, and I had so much fun stepping even one pink-painted toe into her magical world. She is so unbelievably talented, and I adore her. So, the winner is…
#25 Bourbonnatrix: "Oh Rosie, what a pretty tea party! Love LOVE your cakes and sweets. Absolutely beautiful, and the rain, on some pics made it that much more special :) Great post!"
Congratulations, Bourbonnatrix (and thank you for the sweet words)!
So, tonight I want to chat about this fun cupcake version of my Inside-Out Neapolitan Cakes (truly, one of my favourites), and I also want to talk more about Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Would you believe that I get more emails with Swiss Meringue Buttercream related questions than anything else? Many readers write to tell me how it's changed their lives, and they adore it with all of their being, and others write perplexed and filled with questions about troubleshooting, or just general concerns, etc. I thought it may be helpful to shed more light on the topic of the beloved Swiss Meringue Buttercream tonight, based on your questions and experiences.
I'll quickly talk about these yummy cupcakes, which are, incidentally, filled with 3 flavours of Swiss Meringue Buttercream. A few months back I decided to turn a few of my favourite cake recipes/combinations into cupcakes, and it was a lot of fun and kind of a refreshing change from lofty layer cakes. After posting about the Campfire Delight Cupcakes, followed by the Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Buttercream Cupcakes, this was my third cake-into-cupcake experience, and they were as flavourful and moist as the mama version, but definitely a simpler alternative for those who don't feel like embarking upon the layer cake process. If you do make the layer cake (and I do urge you to; it's a crowd pleaser!), the cupcakes are a great addition to it — you can bake a quick batch of the cupcakes and then use your remaining Swiss Meringue Buttercream trio and fill the cupcakes. Who wouldn't love their own little layered Neapolitan cupcake?
So here is the original Inside-Out Neapolitan Cake: 3 layers of a southern take on Devil's Food Cake, including some rich and decadent ingredients such as mayonnaise, butter, and, of course, my favourite cocoa powder, (Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder – Extra Dark), which makes every chocolate cake rich and incredibly chocolaty, in my opinion, and filled with a layer of each Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I particularly love the contrast of the cloud-like buttercream and the rich chocolate cake, and when the Neapolitan flavour combination comes from the filling and not the cake itself, it adds an interesting (and delicious) dynamic to Neapolitan cake.
For the layered cupcake effect, I simply baked the cupcakes as muffins (in greased and floured muffin tins with no cupcake liners), and then, once cooled, sliced each one into 3, then piped each flavour of Swiss Meringue Buttercream between and on top, then added some chocolate sprinkles. I was happy with the cake-to-buttercream ratio in the end, after worrying it would be too much buttercream. The Swiss Meringue Buttercream is not overpowering, so is the perfect pairing to these cupcakes, and the dark, rich, southern Devil's Food Cake can definitely hold its own surrounded by all three flavours. If you'd like to try these, I've included the recipe below. In the meanwhile, I want to chat more about making, using, eating, and storing Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream, or SMB, or SMBC as most call it can be an intimidating endeavour, but, honestly, once you get the hang of it, you may never look back. Let's just get it all out in the open right now. Truly, let's just stay up all night talking it through until we've run the gamut of emotions and can, finally, share a group hug and skip off into the horizon, armed with our whisks and unwavering confidence to make it, use it, and decorate with it. Since this post comes as an answer to your emails and questions following my previous post, Swiss Meringue Buttercream Demystifyed, I'll put it in point form and Q&A format, and hopefully I cover it all. So, let us talk Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMB):
*If you would simply like to read the cupcake and buttercream recipe, they are at the bottom of this post.
A few quick facts about my deep and meaningful relationship with Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
1. No, I didn't invent SMB, but I love its not-too-sweet taste and satiny texture, and I use it for all of my wedding cakes, gourmet cakes, and even many casual cakes and cupcakes. I'm not an SMB expert, but I make it often, love it, and was taught how to make it by professionals at Bonnie Gordon Confectionary College in Toronto.
2. The first time I tried SMB, I was used to sugary confectioners' sugar-based , and I didn't like the taste of SMB at all; I felt it tasted oily and too buttery. I didn't think there was hope for my converting to an SMB lover, or even liker.
3. I still love sugary frostings from time to time (as you will see some of my other posts), but once I acquired a taste for it, SMB quickly became my favourite frosting (after a few tries).
4. The first few times I made SMB, I used a lower grade butter, and it would not hold my batch together; it wasn't creamy, or satiny, but rather almost separated. It wasn't until I was advised to try a better quality butter, that I figured out how to make the ultimate batch of SMB. I now use only premium butter, with my favourite being Lactancia.
5. One of my favourite treats in the entire world, and out of everything I've ever made, is a dark chocolate cake frosted with vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It's just that good.
Now, onto the questions and answers:
Q: My SMB was coming along fine, but then, once I added all of the butter, it was still too runny. What did I do wrong, and is there hope at this stage?
A:Yes, there is hope! Actually, there's nothing hopeless about this situation, but rather just an extra step involved. If you added your butter and the SMB is still runny, then 1 of 2 things (or both) has likely happened, in my opinion: 1. Your butter was much too soft (should be cool, but not cold, which is about 20 minutes out of fridge for me) when you added it to your meringue. 2. Your meringue was still too warm when you started adding the butter. Be patient, because I know it takes seemingly forever for the bottom of the mixing bowl to feel neutral before you add the butter, but it needs to be, or, as you can imagine, the butter essentially melts when you add it. As for repairing this runny batch, you can take the entire mixing bowl, cover it, and place it in the fridge until it chills up a bit, say 30 minutes or so (or even in the freezer for 15 or so), and then re whip. It's not an exact science, as far as how many minutes, or how cold, etc, but I can tell you this: in my experience, it is practically impossible to ruin a batch of SMB to the point of no repair. If your meringue has whipped up nicely, then you can get away with a lot from that point on, and it's most often fixable. I promise, promise, promise!
Q: My SMB suddenly curdled, and looked like scrambled eggs in the bowl. Why did it do this, and is it ruined?
A: It often does hit this "scrambled egg" stage, and this happens to my batches occasionally as well. Basically, from what I can tell, this happens when the meringue is a little "shocked" by butter that is too cold, but after mixing for a few more moments, the butter blends in nicely, and it magically becomes smooth and satiny. Is it ruined? Never!
Q: I had no problem making my SMB, and it looked so beautiful and satiny, but when I tasted it, it tasted like pure butter. What did I do wrong?
A:You did nothing wrong, and I have a feeling you did everything right! Here's the thing about SMB: It tastes much like butter and not a lot like sugary sugar, which to many is the draw, but if you are used to sugary frostings, chances are your palate hasn't developed the tastebuds for SMB yet, and you simply aren't used to it. There is also a chance that you just don't like it — as with any food, it's not for everyone. If you're making it for fun, for your own friends and family, you may want to stick with the frostings you love, and revisit it at a later time, or not at all. If you're aspiring to make wedding cakes and gourmet cakes, you will likely need to continue making it, in which case, trust me, you will probably find yourself licking the bowl and spatula clean, begging for more, a few batches down the road. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Q: Why do I have to use pure vanilla extract in my SMB when I have imitation vanilla extract on hand? Will anyone taste the difference?
A:If we're being honest, then yes, they will. And so will you, I imagine. You have to keep in mind that sugary frosting (those made with icing sugar/confectioners' sugar) are dominated by the taste of sugar, and the vanilla can be a little overpowered by the intense sweetness. With SMB, the sugar takes a backseat (albeit delightfully sweet, it's still subtle), and the flavours, let it be simply vanilla, or others, shine through. That's why it's such a great base for almost any flavour you can dream of: coffee, liqueur, citrus, chocolate, berries, and more. It's also important to add that pinch of salt, particularly when opting for vanilla flavoured SMB, because no, it doesn't result in a salty flavoured frosting, but it really pulls the true flavours out — kind of crazy, but true.
Q: I refrigerated my SMB, then thawed it on the counter overnight, as suggested, but when I went to use it on my cake, it wasn't satiny or smooth anymore, but rather airy and thick. What can I do to fix it?
A: The great thing about SMB is that it can be made in big batches and frozen, or refrigerated for up to a week. The only thing is you need to take a moment to reconstitute it back to its glorious satiny texture when you're ready to use it. If it's frozen or refrigerated, you need to thaw it at room temperature; this can take overnight if it's frozen, and several hours if it's refrigerated. There are a few ways you can revive it, but I do 1 of 2 things: 1. I take the thawed (but sometimes still cool) SMB in a microwavable container, and I warm it up for about 10 seconds, then remove container from microwave and stir it aggressively with a rubber spatula in kind of a back and forth motion, repeatedly until it's smooth. If I think I need to warm it up a bit more, I microwave again but am careful not to melt it. I mix it really well with the spatula, to remove the air bubbles. 2. I take about 1/3 of the SMB I thawed and I warm it up by the above method, and put the remaining 2/3 in the electric mixer bowl. I add the 1/3 warmed SMB to the 2/3 cool SMB and mix on medium or medium-high speed with the paddle attachment (flat beater) until smooth and satiny.
Q: After I make my SMB, and add gel food colour to it, the SMB seems to "reject" the colour. What am I doing wrong?
A:I've been asked this question many times, and I hate to do this, I really do, but it's seemingly the truth: In my experience, using Wilton brand colours are the culprit here. I know this can be an issue as far as availability goes, because sometimes the premium colour brands such as Sugarflair, Americolor, and Ateco colours are difficult to get, particularly outside of North America, but if you find you will be doing this kind of work often, I personally feel it would be worth it to get your hands on these colours.
Q: Is SMB stable enough to pipe such things as flowers, basketweave, etc.?
A:Yes! SMB is what you will see Martha Stewart uses for all of these techniques, and for good reason: it's so light and fluffy yet super stable and resilient. Kind of perfection, really.
Q: Once my cake is frosted in SMB, does it have to be refrigerated?
A: Well, you know, it seems that all baker's have a different opinion on this topic, but all I can do is tell you what I do. Many will tell you that it's okay to leave SMB frosted cakes out for a few days, but, personally I like to refrigerate my cakes overnight, and then take them out first thing in the morning so that they are nice and soft and fluffy when I serve them. If I'm making it on the day of serving, I would just keep it out. I just find that Swiss Meringue Buttercream that is too warm isn't appealing, and it if it's too cool, it's too buttery in texture. Definitely a fine line, but mostly, it's just heaven.
I hope this helps in some way! All of that being said, I promise you with all my heart that it's A. Not really as difficult as it may seem, and B. Even if it was, it's worth it!
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (230 g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons (115 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (38 g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mayonnaise
- 5 large fresh egg whites (150 g)
- 1-1/4 cup (250 g) superfine granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 cups (340 g) (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour standard cupcake pans as you would for muffins, tapping out the excess.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until lighter in color and slightly increased in volume, about 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder into a medium bowl. Add the salt to the dry ingredients after sifting, and whisk dry ingredients.
- Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk into creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated, or finish by hand gently.
- Fold mayonnaise into batter with a whisk, until just blended.
- Fill cupcake pans 2/3 each (I like to use a 1.5 oz cookie scoop) and bake for approximately 17 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out just barely clean (a few crumbs). This works well for moist chocolate cake (not vanilla).
- Let cupcakes cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then gently remove from pan and continue to cool on a wire rack. Let cool completely.
- Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 160°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
- Place bowl back on mixer and fit with whisk attachment. Whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes, or longer). Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth).
- Add vanilla and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
- You can also add a wide variety of flavourings, extracts, and more, but always add the vanilla first, as it brings out the true taste of the other flavours.
- Divide buttercream evenly into 3 bowls. Flavour 1/3 chocolate, 1/3 strawberry, and leave final 1/3 vanilla (using instructions above). Add a few drops of pink gel colour to strawberry buttercream.
- Using a very sharp serrated knife, slice cupcakes twice, horizontally, resulting in 3 "layers."
- Fill one layer of each flavour (chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla), and top with sprinkles, if desired.
- Best eaten at room temperature on the day they were made, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days (in refrigerator overnight).
*Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, leaving out at room temperature when needed, re-whipping in mixer for 5 minutes.
**Can freeze for up to 6-8 weeks. To thaw, place on counter overnight, and rewhip for 5 minutes with paddle attachment in an electric mixer.
***For Chocolate Buttercream, add 150 g (3/4 cup) melted bittersweet Belgian chocolate (the best you can get--I use Callebaut) to Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and beat until incorporated.
****For Strawberry Buttercream, add strawberry puree to taste, OR a few drops of LorAnn Strawberry Flavor Oil.
Southern Devil's Cake Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking, by David Guas.
Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians, and Happy Independence Day to our American friends! Wishing you all a safe and happy weekend!
Good luck & enjoy!


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Something has been fishy about Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag's breakup from the start. First of all, we pretty much assume that every time she breathes or he blinks, they're doing it for publicity. Then, Heidi's sister Holly Montag tweeted that the split was a lie, because Heidi and Spencer are "LIARS." When news of Heidi's planned reality show with fair weather BFF Jen Bunney hit the media, we lost all hope that this might be real.
Today, a HollywoodLife source close to "The Hills" claims that the break-up was "originally intended to be a story arc, but now it's a reality." Apparently, the duo noticed that their names weren't being dropped in the press as often, so they fabricated the split, but now it's "a case of art becoming reality."
]]>Follow Zap2it and @cadlymack on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Photo credit: Getty Images


text: Drake's Voice Actor Says Jackman's the ManOwen Good10/28/09 10:40pmFiled to: unchartedUncharted 2MoviesVideo Game MoviesHugh JackmanNolan North319EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink In a podcast interview, Nolan North, the voice of Nathan Drake, indicated that Hugh Jackman is the preferred actor - by producers - for the upcoming Uncharted movie. Desmond - er, Drake - er, North - told the Official Playstation Magazine UK's podcast that not only is Jackman who he'd like to see take on the treasure hunters role, but the film's producers agree too. Advertisement Advertisement Jackman is who I'd like to see. I think the producers would like to see Jackman too, because he has that tough guy exterior, but [...] there's also a lot going on behind his eyes. A lot of emotion and sensitivity on that brusque exterior, and he has great comic timing. He's a phenomenal actor. I just hope I get a part on the movie so I can work with Hugh."For his part, North said he'd of course "love to do the movie; obviously I'd love to do it as Nathan Drake," however, "I've done film and television and I understand the reality of the business."Those who follow me on Twitter know I've spent a ton of time in Borderlands lately, but I am also playing Uncharted 2 and for my money, North's work is the best of any big-budget game I've played. And this isn't his first rodeo (Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed). North does have screen credits, but he's right that he's not a marquee name. And it's a shame. He's a heavyweight in video game voice acting and if this business ever delivers a big Hollywood breakthrough for a game actor or actress, he'd be very deserving. Nolan North Hints Heavily At Hugh Jackman Assuming The Role Of Nathan Drake In The Upcoming Uncharted Movie [PushSquare via Joystiq]


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With scarcely a pause for breath in which to reflect on England's winter, domestic cricket resumes on Friday with the County Championship. It has a tough act to follow to match the drama of 2010; three title contenders did not yield a winner until 4.52pm on the final day as Nottinghamshire claimed the last point they needed to pip Somerset.
None of those players whose exhausting itinerary ended in Colombo last weekend will be taking part, with the possible exception of Kent's James Tredwell. Their involvement is deferred until the first week in May at the earliest.
Yet there will be players who know how it feels to win a World Cup for England. Until Paul Collingwood lifted the World Twenty20 last year, the only major trophy to have come home to Lord's was the 1998 Under-19 World Cup.
The subsequent careers of most of the team that beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the Johannesburg final made a nonsense of assumptions that they were a golden generation. But there are survivors – and one of them is plying his trade with the county champions, all-rounder Paul Franks.
Of the 14 others who made up that junior England squad, only Franks's Nottinghamshire team-mate Graeme Swann can claim to have established himself as a world-class player.
Rob Key's 15 Test caps should not be dismissed lightly and while Owais Shah, the captain, has frustrated his admirers, there is no disputing his talent. Others – Stephen Peters, Graham Napier, Chris Schofield – remain familiar names but the most startling realisation is that less than half the squad are still playing.
Five quit in their early twenties, including Giles Haywood, the Sussex medium-pacer who took three wickets in the final. He made only one first-class appearance and now works as a chartered surveyor. Jonathan Powell, Nick Wilton, Jamie Grove and Ian Flanagan were others who moved on before their prime.
For Franks, a haul of nine wickets and 206 runs in the tournament was the catalyst for a rapid rise, culminating in a call-up to the senior one-day side only two years later, albeit for only one appearance. Yet he believes too many of the class of '98 were let down by their profession. "It's shameful that so many have been lost to the game," he said. "But the support that young players enjoy today just wasn't there. I believe there were a number who became disillusioned.
"It can happen when you carry the weight of expectation that comes with winning a major tournament, and some players struggle to cope. These days they have the Professional Cricketers' Association to turn to, but at that time players had to work out for themselves how to deal with things."
At 32, Franks is enjoying a renaissance in a career that began with enormous promise but has never quite delivered its full potential. He broke into the Nottinghamshire team at 17 and took 165 wickets in his first two full seasons but has since had his share of difficult times.
His call-up to face West Indies at Trent Bridge in 2000 proved to be his only senior appearance. His progress was then hampered by long-term injury and a loss of confidence.
But the retirement of Mark Ealham in 2009 offered him an opportunity and he delivered probably the best all-round season of his career – 765 first-class runs and 41 wickets – as Notts just clinched the title.
They began this campaign by losing heavily to MCC in Abu Dhabi last week but Franks believes they can defy claims that this season's favourites, Somerset, would have been more deserving champions.
"A lot of people thought Somerset were better and I'm not disputing that they had quality players, but we showed some character at the end.
"Losing Ryan Sidebottom leaves big shoes to fill but Andre Adams was amazing for us last season and there is an opportunity there for a young player – a Luke Fletcher or an Andrew Carter – to step up. We are still capable of competing on every front."
County Championship Division One
If Graham Onions is fit after his lay-off, expect them to improve on last season's fifth, but knee surgery means Paul Collingwood will not be able to reinforce the batting as soon as had been hoped. Regaining the title looks a step too far.
Prediction: 4th.
Key player: Ian Blackwell: Big shows needed with bat and ball.
England prospects: Ben Stokes (all-rounder), Scott Borthwick (leg spinner).
A talented squad that will be led from the front by Dominic Cork, they may be surprise contenders, especially with Imran Tahir back to provide a quality spin attack with precociously talented Danny Briggs.
Prediction: 3rd.
Key player: Jimmy Adams: Last season's top scorer led England Lions successfully in the West Indies.
England prospects: James Vince (right-handed batsman), Danny Briggs (left-arm spinner).
Struggled for runs last year and there is no Ashwell Prince or Shivnarine Chanderpaul this. Result pitches at Liverpool, Southport and Blackpool might be ar benefit but could find themselves nearer the bottom than top.
Prediction: 7th.
Key player: Glen Chapple: Veteran paceman's wickets still vital.
England prospects: Simon Kerrigan (left-arm spinner), Luke Procter (left-handed batsman).
Won the title despite having no batsman make 1,000 runs. The return of Ryan Sidebottom to Yorkshire places even more responsibility on leading wicket-taker Andre Adams.
Prediction: 5th.
Key player: Andre Adams: His 68 wickets were key to 2010 title.
England prospects: Andy Carter (right-arm fast bowler), Alex Hales (right-handed batsman).
Missed out to Notts on fewer wins last year, but Marcus Trescothick's side have lured Gloucestershire bowlers Steve Kirby and Gemaal Hussain, Division Two's leading wicket-taker, and will have Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis until Murali Kartik arrives. Strong favourites for first title.
Prediction: 1st.
Key player: James Hildreth: Only Adam Lyth hit more runs in 2010.
England prospects: Lewis Gregory (right-arm seamer) along with Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper-batsman).
Amjad Khan's attempt to rebuild his international career after leaving Kent will enhance the Sussex attack but he will need to take 55 wickets to match Corey Collymore's contribution to the Division Two title.
Prediction: 6th.
Key player: Monty Panesar: England's discarded spinner took 52 wickets last year.
England prospect: Luke Hatchett (left-arm swing bowler).
Unless England discard Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott they will find runs hard to come by, while Imran Tahir's return to Hampshire leaves them short of a frontline spinner. Need Younus Khan to show up and score heavily.
Prediction: 9th.
Key player: Chris Woakes: Only 22 but already has 167 first-class wickets and three centuries.
England prospects: Woakes (all-rounder), Tom Milnes (right-arm pace bowler).
Favourites to be relegated, their best hope lies with their overseas players, Australian all-rounder Damien Wright and Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, whose form late in the season could be key.
Prediction: 8th.
Key player: Saeed Ajmal.
England prospects: Moeen Ali (left-handed batsman), Jack Manuel (left-handed batsman).
Outscored everyone last season but the loss of Jacques Rudolph is a major blow and there is no money for a big-name overseas signing. Andrew Gale's team may come up short again.
Prediction: 2nd.
Key player: Adam Lyth: 1,500 runs last year.
England prospects: Jonathan Bairstow (wicketkeeper-batsman), Gurman Randhawa (left-arm spinner).
Jon Culley
County Championship Division Two
Back with the wooden spoon holders after five years at Old Trafford, wicketkeeper Luke Sutton is captain of an inexperienced squad shorn of its leading run-scorer as Chris Rogers has moved to Middlesex.
Prediction: 9th.
Key player: Martin Guptill: The Kiwi must make his mark quickly when he arrives in June.
England prospect: Chesney Hughes (left-handed batsman).
Failed in a bid to sign Australian paceman Peter Siddle but may be strong enough to bounce back after relegation and even challenge for the title if a change of scenery inspires Owais Shah after his move from Middlesex.
Prediction: 2nd.
Key player: David Masters: A reliable wicket-taker at this level.
England prospect: Ben Foakes (right-handed batsman).
A turbulent winter led director of cricket Matthew Maynard and captain Jamie Dalrymple to resign but there is enough depth in the squad to challenge, particularly if talented 20-year-old paceman James Harris can repeat last year's 63-wicket haul.
Prediction: 4th.
Key player: Alviro Petersen: New captain and overseas player will need to be a strong leader.
England prospect: James Harris (right-arm paceman).
Off-season cost-cutting has impacted heavily on the four-day squad, with New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin and strike bowler Gemaal Hussain, who took 113 wickets between them, among those gone. Signing Muttiah Muralitharan for Twenty20 does not compensate.
Prediction: 8th.
Key player: Alex Gidman: The captain has a major task to lead a young squad.
England prospect: Chris Dent (left-handed batsman).
Have stayed competitive despite financial constraints that are likely to mean no overseas player for 2011, with England bowler Amjad Khan the only major figure to leave. However, may find their way to promotion barred.
Prediction: 3rd.
Key player: Rob Key: Will ensure that his small squad give their utmost.
England prospect: Daniel Bell-Drummond (right-handed batsman).
A new chairman, a new chief executive and a new coach after last season's internal strife. Somehow, fledgling skipper Matthew Hoggard held his team together and still has outstanding young players in James Taylor, Nathan Buck and Greg Smith.
Prediction: 6th.
Key player: James Taylor: Another big season will encourage promotion talk.
England prospects: Nathan Buck (right-arm pace bowler).
Signing former Derbyshire captain Chris Rogers and Corey Collymore signals promotion intent despite Owais Shah's departure but they need consistency in a competitive division.
Prediction: 5th.
Key player: Chris Rogers: Can lift the pressure on young captain Neil Dexter.
England prospect: Adam Rossington (wicketkeeper-batsman).
Apart from Chaminda Vaas, the winter's recruitment of bowlers may not be enough to prevent an anonymous season, despite a depth of batting talent.
Prediction: 7th.
Key player: Andrew Hall: Another year of all-round quality from the captain looks vital.
England prospect: Rob Newton (right-handed batsman).
Disappointed last season but with a core of home-grown talent beginning to mature and an attack that now includes Yasir Arafat, Chris Tremlett and Jade Dernbach, Surrey look well equipped, even if Kevin Pietersen never plays.
Prediction: 1st.
Key player: Steven Davies: A good season would be timely after his admission about his personal life.
England prospect: Matt Dunn (right-arm fast bowler).
Jon Culley
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Runaway Rapist Calls Local News, Says She's Tired of Parole
Bad decisions beget bad decisions.
Former teacher, Cara Dickey, is on parole for a 2009 second-degree rape conviction, which came after she was found having a sexual relationship with a student, a 14-year-old boy. Dickey called Buffalo's WKBW on Friday to let them know that she was tired of being on parole and was going on the run.
The phone call came after Dickey was confronted by her parole officer on January 8 concerning allegations of a new relationship with a minor.
On that the phone call to WKBW, Dickey said:
There's never been a minor involved in any type of relationship. I had been in trouble with parole because I had been involved in a relationship with another felon, somebody else on parole, a woman. I have been in a lesbian relationship for almost a year and I, we have been told to stay apart and we refused. The thing that they're getting as far as the child is concerned is the fact that on Christmas, we spent Christmas with her little brother. Christmas. A nice Christmas. There was no sexual involvement, there was no inappropriate conduct at all. My parole officer knows that.
Ahh, the ol' "Why would I bang another underaged boy, I'm totes scissoring with a fellow felon now?!" gambit. It's a good one.
She might also look like this:
Here's a description of Dickey, according to the Examiner:
Dickey is a described as a white female with green eyes, 5'5" weighing approximately 145 pounds with a scar on her abdomen and a tattoo on her right forearm. Cara Dickey may either have blonde or brown hair at this time. She has gone by the alias Cara Pietras.
With her ankle monitor illegally removed and a warrant out for Dickey's arrest, any information on her current location should be sent to the New York Division of State Police.
• Exposed! The Secret Sexual Tumblr of Florida School District CFO