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Monday, 29 July 2013
UK Rapper Rimzee Sentenced To 13 Years For Shooting At Police [News]
"A GANG member who shot at police with a handgun in east London last year has been jailed.
29 comments:
3RIMZEE!! NEED HIM N HIS MUSIC BAK ON DA ROADS 2 VYBZ 2 ODG!! CHAA!ReplyDelete
Free the brother, you feds ruined his life, he never killed anyone. 13 years, come on, Fuck You, i'ma pull out my MK11, Fuck the Fedz!ReplyDeleteReplies
Ruined his own life loool no one told him to shoot at under covers.Delete
Stfu Josh, Rimzee's from my hood and he was an illustrious rapper, compassionate to other. Despite going through a lot of hardship, he was still enthusiastic to make money. Fuck you and the fedz, gave my other brother 20, free Rico. For covering up his Codey's murder, and claiming it was him. If i ever catch you on roads Josh, i'll make sure my 9 millimeter barks at your face.Delete
your 9mm penis cos you have a fetish for wanking in mens faces tut tutDelete
- Anonymous7 October 2013 at 13:55
o shut up you fucking idiot, i dont give a fuck if he was your brother the guys a dickhead, if you own a gun and fire a gun in the direction of anyone your a potential murderer should lock him up for life and through away the key, dickheads like him are not needed on london roads, we need them all removed, some dickhead could easily shoot your mum down someday, if this is the world you want to live, everyone walks around thinking it cant happen to them until its to late, pussies like you cant take a punch so you need guns, your pussies not badmenDelete
- Anonymous3 January 2014 at 20:07
both of u shutup dnt kno wat ur on boutDelete
- Anonymous22 February 2014 at 12:31
are you a dickhead? yeah hes a good rapper but he let it off at a fed he ruined his own life lool, low all that dumb talk, do you think he was strapped to show 'compassion' to others? He was strapped to dead someone else's brother, someone else's son, wise up u fucking idiot the trap is what it is, I aint got anything against him but if you wanna live the trap life then accept that you can be locked in a box for 13 years, straightDelete
- Anonymous25 September 2013 at 04:53
Free Ricardo ! Lord Knows Hid Career Didn't Happen Overnight . He Worked Hard To Get Where He Was I Don't Know Wat He Was Thinking . I Grew Up With All Three Of Them Rimz , Bola & Frogz In East London E5 Dats Where Rimz & Daniel Started . Shit Breaks My Heart ManReplyDelete
- Anonymous7 October 2013 at 13:52
Reading the comments here remind me why blacks have no community, everyone saying free this wasteman is part of the problem, fuck this idiot, no he never killed anyone but a dickhead like this will go on to kill someone if he has not already, i dont give a fuck what hood he is from or how you role with him infact make sure to pass this message on that he is a dickhead and should have got a longer sentance, all you pricks worshiping this wasteman are also dickheadsReplyDelete
- Anonymous15 October 2013 at 08:44
AND UR A FACKIN DICKHEAD U CUNTReplyDelete
- Anonymous15 October 2013 at 08:51
ALL U BLACK MUTHA FUCKERZ Y DONT U COMZ TO MA HOOD ALL UZE FAKE MUTHA FUKER WANT TO B REAL UD GET ETHIER POPPED OR FUKIN RAPED .CLICK KLACK POW NOW BOW B4 A REAL MUTHA FUKER TRICK BITCHSReplyDelete
- Anonymous20 October 2013 at 21:24
r u people crazy. This guy needs to rot in jail. he had a gun.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous23 October 2013 at 20:10
you boys dont be actin fuckin stupid, he didnt get done ca he was bangin on another bredda, he fired at the jakes. bare man wanna bang on their own kind, certain man even involve the kids as we know but theres a select few that have the heart to bang on feds. fuck all the stinking jakes, they the biggest criminals going anyway rt. they are the ones imposing the stereotypes some of us unfortunately uphold. they are the ones allowing heat and food to come into the country. they are the ones stealing evidence to for monetary gain or for users within their families. rape dont make feds any money. drugs and guns do. why you think we got rapists n sex offenders walking the streets n shotters are gettin sent down n robbed by these scum every day n nightReplyDelete
- Anonymous14 November 2013 at 01:52
There's not enough evidence to link rimzee to this they only had the other two boys dna and the message saying delete the picks of the whistle. They can't prove in a courtof law eyond reasonable doubt what was meant by whistle cos that's not even a standard hood term for a gun anyway. His lawyer was shit I hope the yute never had a duty solicitor. He was by Miles (No pun intendted) the best Uk rapper out of the younger lot.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous2 January 2014 at 15:15
3 rimzee fuk the fedsReplyDelete
- Anonymous4 January 2014 at 22:21
3 my bruddaReplyDelete
- Anonymous8 January 2014 at 13:06
Free rimz, the police hurt innocent people everyday, their the real criminals.ReplyDelete
Solders invade countries with hidden agendas and kill children, mothers and civilians, with these same "dangerous" weapons everyday, surely they should be consequences? No
This country is fucked and the justice system is even worst.
They say Black guys are drug dealers and criminals well sorry too burst your bubble but it's been proven the majority of white males are sex offenders and serial killers.
I don't condone violence of any kind but cummon, 13 years... really??? Get the fuck outta hear, look how long it took for Steven Lawrence killers to be sentence with the overwhelming evidence. I bet it's only because the person he shot at was an officer, a "White Male" to be precise.
Wonders shall never end...SMH
- Anonymous9 January 2014 at 17:24
How come most u lot acting like bitches arguing over internet lawe tha ygm like dont bate urselves out sayin ur gonna burst man obvs when u see eachother do ur ting no point bitching n shit But Free Rimz RNS hes the hardest rapper on road everythin he raps is about his life u lot need to understand that my man was gonna get signed Trus but man bussed off thats when u know a mans official cause hes actually got he heart to buss of at Fedz Fuck Feds Know like tha SNMReplyDelete
- Anonymous9 January 2014 at 17:28
Thats actually If he did buss off tho feds only knew bout iklumeo n the other youte basically feds stiched him up moretime if he appeals hes got a good chance on bussing case know like thaReplyDelete
Your this blog is very informative and interesting. Keep doing this type of great work.ReplyDelete
Mp3Juices UK proxy
- Anonymous16 February 2014 at 01:24
Its dumb that he did it but I think they need to review some laws.... Shooting other criminals is different to shooting normal people... 12 years is a lot of time for that considering people get 8 years for rape.ReplyDelete
5 years is enough for someone to think about something in my opinion.
- Anonymous20 March 2014 at 23:54
wow what a bunch of dumb cunts commenting. Prick should get life for trying to take someone else's regardless of if he was a pig or not. I don't want some dickhead walking round town with a gun who might end up hittin my daughter with a strayReplyDelete
- Anonymous24 March 2014 at 19:58
Wait, hold on. In the video hes in a benz talking about 2 grand on a pinky,5 grand on a cartier yet they got caught by police rolling on push bikes...ReplyDelete
It's about time scum like this guy gets the sentence he deserves. I couldn't stop laughing.......13 YEARS !!!! London is a better place without you, rot in prison you scumbag......Ha,Ha,Ha !!!!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous18 May 2014 at 20:07
its long for him stillReplyDelete
- Anonymous20 May 2014 at 02:11
good riddanceReplyDelete
- Anonymous24 June 2014 at 18:20


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We are fast approaching one of the notorious Dead Zones of the sports calendar: the two week period leading up to the Super Bowl. The NHL and NBA are not yet at mid-season, college basketball is still a week or two away from beginning its crescendo to the tourney, and Spring Training is almost a month away. For a vast majority of us, it's even too cold to go outside. What's a sports loving gal to do with all that time on her hands?
How about making a hat for a needy newborn as part of the Ladies… Craft Like A Champion Challenge?
The Craft: Knit (or crochet) hats for low birth-weight newborns around the world.
The Charity: Warm Up America and Save the Children's Caps for Good Campaign
The Challenge: While we're waiting on the Super Bowl (and coming down from the post Bowl high), let's see if the Ladies and our readers can finish as many caps as there are NFL teams (that would be 32).
Here's how to participate:
Step 1. Download the Caps for Good Kit, which has basic patterns, instructions on mailing your hat, and lots of good information on why these hats are needed in so many places around the world.
Step 2. Pick your favorite team's colors and knit your hat.
Step 3. Take a photo of your hat and upload it into our Facebook album! Be sure to tell us what team's colors your hat represents (it doesn't have to be an NFL team). Not on Facebook? Email us your photo. Our favorites will be featured on the blog.
Step 4. Mail your hat to Caps for Good's collection site by Feb. 28.
Never knitted before? You can find lots of instructions and beginner level patterns on Warm Up America's website. Hats are fairly simple and quick to knit; an (adult sized) hat was actually the first pattern I knit successfully, so don't be scared to give it a try.
Lady Bee's already finished hers: anyone want to guess which navy-pinstriped team her hat is representing?
So go ahead, represent for your favorite team, amuse yourself during these long winter nights, and give a newborn child a better chance at survival. I'll be over here deciding whether to knit with Jets green or Sooner crimson.

subset: commoncrawl


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Spring migration.
Those words make me giddy.
(Photo by Charley Eiseman)
Next week, I'm attending the Biggest Week in American Birding. It's been too long since I got to experience the absolute wonder of Lake Erie's marshes and shore in May.
I'll be blogging live from the festival, (I'm an "Official Blogger", woohoo!) so stay tuned to this blog for all the news!


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After five months of Microsoft CEO purgatory, we're finally reaching a climax: It's most likely going to be Microsoft enterprise head Satya Nadella, though everyone except Larry Page wants it to be Google's Sundar Pichai (kidding).
While we don't know for sure whether Nadella will be the future CEO of Microsoft, we do know that @satyanadella is his long abandoned Twitter account.
With exclamation-heavy quips about tech like "Bing on Yahoo!," "HTML5 – what fun!" and "playing with my new msn hp!," Nadella's account reminds us of a simpler 2010 Twitter, one where mindlessly broadcasting your whereabouts — Loopting your visit to the Garlic Crush — was perfectly acceptable.
The activity dates from around the time Nadella was negotiating the first Twitter search deal with Microsoft (10/21/09 was its launch). It's like some sort of Twitter time capsule, complete with egg avatar.
If Nadella does get the job, he'll have a whole new world of rapt followers for his first 2014 tweet. #HasSatyaNadellalandedyet?


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Officials reflect on progress in downtown Waynesboro
Pat Fleagle and Craig Newcomer, who have devoted their time to the revitalization of downtown Waynesboro, are ending their tenures at the close of 2013.
Fleagle, director of economic development for Mainstreet Waynesboro Inc., and Newcomer, a Waynesboro councilman, are pleased with the positive direction downtown Waynesboro is headed.
"The reason I ran for council eight years ago was because of the downtown," Newcomer, chair of council's downtown revitalization committee, said. "That was my whole drive. I made a commitment to downtown and to Mainstreet Inc. and I'm happy. As a council, we have been advocates for Mainstreet. It's hard for a borough to do it all by itself, and Mainstreet is the tool council needed."
Fleagle said as he prepares to retire at the end of the year he is "hoping to leave a viable community that is set to blossom," for his replacement, Scott Hershberger.
Newcomer and council were instrumental in working with the late Sen. Terry Punt to secure funding to add brick sidewalks along Main Street through the downtown core.
Newcomer also worked with council on the grueling stormwater management upgrades through town that are finally under way, and also helped with improving visibility to reduce the number of pedestrian accidents in town.
"I'm very pleased at the progress from eight years ago to today," Newcomer, who is not running for re-election, said. "We've worked together with Mainstreet and other entities to get things done. I can walk away happy as I look at downtown eight years ago and look at it today."
Moving forward
Though several businesses have closed on Main Street over the years — the most recent being Celebrity Deli on East Main Street — Fleagle said he sees "definite positive movement in several areas that are critical to downtown revitalization."
One area is the renovation of Main Street rental properties, and the opening of the Leland of Laurel Run on West Main Street, which bring foot traffic to downtown eateries and specialty shops.
He said there is a potential for a number of businesses opening in Waynesboro in the near future, and stressed that the downtown needs unique eateries that will not try to compete with social clubs that offer cheap dining options to members. He mentioned Sapporo, the new Japanese restaurant that recently opened in Center Square.
Fleagle said the key to bringing businesses that will thrive is to attract entrepreneurs to the area who have a flare for the business.
Fleagle feels another asset is making the entire downtown a destination area for travelers, and added the forming of the Arts Alliance of Greater Waynesboro is a positive move that will draw more people to the area to add to the destination effect.
"We want to bring businesses to town that have the possibility to thrive," Fleagle added. "We don't want to just fill a void. Many people pine after the Main Street from the '40s, but that's never going to happen. We need to bring entrepreneurs to town who know that the old way of doing business these days isn't going to cut it."


text: accident SportsIn Cycling Sep 04, 2017 0comments 98 Views 0 Likes Download the PDF file . SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER! I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Get the latest tips, how tos, reviews and cycling news!We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else. Author Recent Posts SportsIn CyclingWe're a lifestyle ecosystem for cyclists in Singapore. Get local cycling news, features, performance, training tips and reviews on our online magazine. #theRIDEcommunityFollow us on Instagram: @sportsincycling Latest posts by SportsIn Cycling (see all) The Ultimate Guide For Beginner Cyclists - September 14, 2022 Cycle for Good 2021 - July 15, 2021 Mountain Biking In Subic Bay - December 17, 2019 (Visited 7 times, 1 visits today)


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SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Bellator's first pay-per-view event will happen sooner rather than later if Eddie Alvarez returns to the promotion's fold.
"If we can figure that out, I think we'd be on a fast track to being able to put [a pay-per-view card] in motion," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney on Tuesday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
After suing each other in court, the two parties apparently are at a standstill. To Rebney's knowledge, there haven't been any new developments since a federal judge blocked an injunction to allow Alvarez to sign with the UFC, which intended to promote him at UFC 159 in April.
A rep for Alvarez recently declined comment on the dueling lawsuits' status.
Rebney said he hasn't kept close track of the cases since he's been focused on Bellator's crossover to Spike TV and the recent announcement of a new reality show featuring UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture.
"I put it into the hands of the attorneys and said, 'Let me know when and if we can reopen the door and try to get it fixed and work it out,'" he said.
In matching an offer from UFC parent Zuffa at the expiration of Alvarez's previous contract, Bellator signaled its intention to promote him in a spring pay-per-view fight against the man who took his belt, current champ Michael Chandler (11-0 MMA, 8-0 BFC).
Alvarez (24-3 MMA, 8-1 BFC), though, declined to sign the offer, arguing that the deals weren't equivalent and questioning whether Bellator could deliver on pay-per-view.
Bellator lawyers argued the promotion's relationship with Viacom positioned it for success in the pay TV market. The media giant, which owns Spike TV, purchased a controlling interest in the promotion two years ago.
In court late this past month, the federal judge determined that Alvarez hadn't sufficiently proven that he would be irreparably harmed if he didn't sign with the UFC.
Now, Alvarez will ultimately decide whether to return to Bellator or fight further to free himself. Rebney remains optimistic he'll do the former. The promoter wants to see Chandler vs. Alvarez II.
"It's the best fight I've ever seen live, pay-per-view or free," Rebney said. "I think the rematch of that fight would be epic."
For more on Bellator's upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Bjorn Rebney)


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The Internet is your best friend when it comes to shopping. Many of your favorite retailers provide online only discounts and sales. Instead of clogging your inbox with marketing emails, use to alert you when something you want goes on sale.
If you still like shopping in a brick and mortar store, the RedLaser app allows you to scan barcodes and instantly check prices and reviews. Also, always check coupon aggregators, like CouponCabin or RetailMeNot, for promo codes or printable coupons for a purchase you want to make.
Feel like your cable company is ripping you off and the cost of movie tickets has gotten outrageously high? Consider cutting your chord and using Netflix or Hulu instead. You can stream movies in the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the price.
More From Good Housekeeping
Streaming music sites, like Pandora or Spotify, are a great way to a deal on music. Pandora allows you to stream music in your favorite genres for free.
Airlines are charging a fee for booking reservations on the phone, so whenever possible book online. Utilize Kayak.com to comparison shop for flights and see what other people bought their flights for that same month.
Ever feel like you are rolling the price dice when you are booking a flight since the costs fluctuate so rapidly? Farecast.com takes some of the guesswork out of booking and will predict if your flight will get more or less expensive.
Travel websites like Travelocity and Orbitz offer discounted hotel, flight and car packages to popular destinations. You can plan your entire vacation with one click while also saving money. Also, if you are a last minute planner, you can use HotelTonight to access same-day discounted hotel rooms.
More Great Advice From Manilla.com:


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Pa. zoo: Wild dogs killed boy who fell in exhibit
PITTSBURGH — A zoo where a 2-year-old boy fell into an exhibit and was fatally mauled by African wild dogs had met or exceeded all safety standards for animals and visitors, proving that no exhibit is "fail-proof," the zoo's president said Monday.
Nearby staff responded "within seconds" on Sunday but quickly determined the dog attack was fatal and didn't send handlers into the enclosure to intervene, Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium president Barbara Baker said.
Instead, the dogs were recalled into an indoor enclosure as they've been trained to respond, though four of the 11 lingered near the boy even after blank anesthetic darts, used out of an abundance of caution for the boy's safety, were fired to shoo them away. One of the dogs, which are endangered, was fatally shot by police.
Baker said the zoo has been open since 1898 and this is the first time there's been "a visitor incident of this magnitude." She called the boy's death a "horrible, horrible tragedy" and said there's "no such thing as a fail-proof exhibit."
Baker struggled to maintain her composure during her Monday news conference and made clear she was careful to consider the family's feelings before answering questions, including one about how the boy died.
She paused several seconds before saying, "I'm trying to think of a family-sensitive way to address that. The child did not die from the fall. The child was mauled by the dogs."
Police were investigating, though police Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki, who attended Baker's news conference, said he was there only to observe.
The boy's mother had put him on a wooden railing at the edge of a viewing deck before he fell late Sunday morning. He bounced out of netting below before dropping more than 10 feet into the dogs' enclosure.
Baker said the Allegheny County medical examiner's office determined the boy survived the plunge. The medical examiner's office has not publicly confirmed its findings or released the boy's name. Pittsburgh media outlets reported the boy was from suburban Whitehall, but The Associated Press couldn't immediately confirm that.
A spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits zoos and aquariums that meet certain standards, said the Pittsburgh Zoo successfully completed its five-year review in September. And Baker said the U.S. Department of Agriculture had inspected the zoo and found it safe in recent months.
The wild dogs, about as big as medium-size domestic dogs, resemble wolves. They hunt in packs, targeting prey such as antelopes, gazelles and wildebeest calves, and their kills are noted for their savagery. Visitors view the zoo's dogs from a wooden deck that's enclosed except for the front, where the roughly 4-foot-high wooden railing is located.
The exhibit is closed indefinitely, and the dogs have been quarantined, though Baker said they will not be euthanized. The zoo also has been closed since the boy's death but will reopen Tuesday, Baker said.
Mourners left teddy bears and other items outside the zoo and responded to a condolence message on the zoo's Facebook page.
Nearly 1,000 people commented on the post, some passionately condemning the boy's mother and others urging compassion and understanding. More than a few parents acknowledged lifting their children onto the rail, too.
Baker said zoo officials "discourage" parents from setting their children on the wide, wooden railing, which slopes toward the viewing platform at a 45-degree angle so a child placed there would be more likely to fall backward into a parent's arms than forward into the exhibit.
Nate Legler takes his 4-year-old daughter to the Pittsburgh zoo two or three times a month and said it's safe and there's no way for a small child to climb over the wooden railing without assistance. He said he has lifted his daughter to give her a better view but never close enough to the railing to be dangerous.
"You can take your child to the Grand Canyon and hold them up to let them look down but not feel unsafe like you're going to drop them into the canyon," he said.
The director of animal care at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in neighboring Ohio, Doug Warmolts, said exhibits are designed with visitors' expectations in mind because they all want to have unobstructed views and "the up-close experience" but the first priority is always safety.
He said accidents like the boy's death in Pittsburgh are "one of those things that keep you up at night."
"I'm sure it's going to send ripples through our industry and everybody's going to double-check their measures and how to respond to things like that," he said.


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James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Born:
- March 27, 1912 Portsmouth England
- Died:
- March 26, 2005 (aged 92) East Sussex England
- Title / Office:
- prime minister (1976-1979), United Kingdom foreign minister (1974-1976), United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer (1964-1967), United Kingdom House of Commons (1945), United Kingdom
- Political Affiliation:
- Labour Party
James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan, original name in full Leonard James Callaghan, (born March 27, 1912, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England—died March 26, 2005, Ringmer, East Sussex), British Labour Party politician, who was prime minister from 1976 to 1979.
Callaghan entered the civil service at age 17 as a tax officer. By 1936 he had become a full-time trade-union official. After serving as a lieutenant in naval intelligence during World War II, he entered Parliament in 1945, representing the Welsh constituency of Cardiff South. Between 1947 and 1951 Callaghan held junior posts at the Ministry of Transport and at the Admiralty. When Harold Wilson's Labour government was formed in 1964, Callaghan was named chancellor of the Exchequer. In this capacity he helped secure in 1966–67 international agreement to a system called Special Drawing Rights, which in effect created a new kind of international money. He resigned from the Exchequer in 1967, when he was forced to devalue the pound sterling. He then served as home secretary until 1970. In Wilson's second government in 1974, Callaghan was named foreign secretary; and in 1976, upon Wilson's resignation, Callaghan succeeded him as prime minister, largely because the Parliamentary Labour Party considered him the least divisive candidate.
Throughout his ministry (1976–79), Callaghan, a moderate within the Labour Party, tried to stem the increasingly vociferous demands of Britain's trade unions. He also had to secure the passage of unpopular cuts in government spending early in his ministry. His reassuring public manner came to be criticized as complacency when a series of labour strikes in 1978–79 paralyzed hospital care, refuse collection, and other essential services. In March 1979 his government was brought down by a vote of no confidence passed in the House of Commons, the first such occurrence since 1924. At the subsequent general election, Callaghan's party was defeated. On October 15, 1980, he resigned as leader of the Labour Party, to be succeeded by Michael Foot. He was created a life peer in 1987 and published an autobiography, Time and Chance, the same year.


text: BBC NEWS – Hundreds of problems have been found at European nuclear plants that would cost 25bn euros (£20bn) to fix, says a leaked draft report. The report, commissioned after Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster, aimed to see how Europe's nuclear power stations would cope during extreme emergencies. The final report was to be published last Thursday. The draft says nearly all the EU's 143 nuclear plants need improving.


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Story by
Emil Protalinski
Emil was a reporter for The Next Web between 2012 and 2014. Over the years, he has covered the tech industry for multiple publications, incl Emil was a reporter for The Next Web between 2012 and 2014. Over the years, he has covered the tech industry for multiple publications, including Ars Technica, Neowin, TechSpot, ZDNet, and CNET. Stay in touch via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Google has a vision for how Chrome OS users will one day be able to lock and unlock their devices, without requiring a password. The Chromium OS team is building support for unlocking and locking devices running the operating system with a new Chrome API called "chrome.screenlockPrivate."
The API was first spotted by developer and Google open-source Chromium evangelist François Beaufort, who points to a Chromium code review with a very short description: "The chrome.screenlockPrivate API allows select apps to control the ChromeOS ScreenLocker." Thankfully, it also includes a Google Docs link titled "chrome.screenlockPrivate – New Chrome API Proposal," and that's where things get interesting.
As its name implies, the API aims to let Chrome apps lock or unlock the screen on Chrome OS. It would also let apps monitor when the screen is locked or unlocked by other means as well as show messages to the user if an app decides not to unlock the screen for some reason.
The whole document is worth reading, but if that's not your thing, here are the best parts:
Use cases
A platform app may use the USB, NFC, and/or Bluetooth APIs to communicate with a secondary trusted device such as a phone, ring, watch, or badge, thereby allowing that trusted device to serve as an alternative form of authentication for the user.
How would you implement your desired features if this API didn't exist?
The entire app might need to be implemented in C++ in Chrome. The app may implement other features besides screen unlocking, and may be unable to safely share control of USB devices with Chrome.
Can these use cases be addressed by leveraging the standard web platform?
In other words, the writer of this API has made quite a good case for its implementation. Chromium OS is the open source project that shares much of the same code as Chrome OS, and new features are often added there first. This feature is still quite a long ways away, but it looks like the early seeds are already being planted.
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Audi is using its new A3 Concept sedan to target rivals like BMW and Infiniti during this year's 2011 Geneva Auto Show. In terms of overall proportions and size, the A3 Concept is reminiscent of the A4 sedan of two or three generations ago. That's no great surprise, considering that this little Audi sedan will fill in the niche created as its larger sibling grew in both size and price.
The exterior of the A3 Concept is well-proportioned and appears very close to production format. In the sloping roofline there's a subtle hint of the sedan/coupe styling seen in cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLS, and Audi's own recently introduced A7 hatchback. The front fascia features LED headlights flanking Audi's signature single frame grille that, in this concept car, has a healthy serving of chrome added to it. A pronounced character line runs from the headlights along the sides of the car, providing the 4-door with a sporty stance.
Video window may take a few moments to load...
The interior is full of all the leather and luxury you'd expect from Audi, one of the best in the business when it comes to crafting a classy cabin. The biggest news is what's out back, specifically the addition of a trunk and loss of the A3's hatchback. Measuring 174.8 inches in length, the Audi A3 sedan is approximately 6 inches longer than the current A3 4-door wagon.
A Sales Boost
Buyers in the U.S. and emerging markets, such as China, traditionally view notchback sedans (i.e., 4-doors with a trunk) as a cut above their hatchback equivalents. While we love the looks and utility of the current A3 sport-wagon, there's no doubt this new small sedan will give the A3 a big boost in terms of overall sales. An A3 sedan is likely to target everything from fully loaded family sedans to more obvious rivals like the BMW 3 Series and Infiniti G37.
With base models of the current Audi A4 starting at roughly $33,000, having a smaller and cheaper sedan in its lineup will allow Audi to broaden its appeal. While the A3 Concept being shown in Geneva has a snarling 408-bhp 5-cylinder engine under the hood, expect U.S. models to come with a choice of two 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines, one gasoline and one diesel-powered.
A 7-speed S tronic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive—also included in the A3 Concept—are likely to be optional to keep the base price in check. Front-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual transmission are likely to be standard on base models of the A3 sedan when it comes to market.


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January 10th, 2012
Survey: U.S. Protestant pastors reject evolution, split on Earth's age
By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor
America's Protestant pastors overwhelmingly reject the theory of evolution and are evenly split on whether the earth is 6,000 years old, according to a survey released Monday by the Southern Baptist Convention.
When asked if "God used evolution to create people," 73% of pastors disagreed - 64% said they strongly disagreed - compared to 12% who said they agree.
Asked whether the earth is approximately 6,000 years old, 46% agreed, compared to 43% who disagreed.
A movement called Young Earth creationism promotes the 6,000-year-old figure, arguing that it is rooted in the Bible. Scientists say the earth is about 4.5 billion years old.
The Southern Baptist Convention survey, which queried 1,000 American Protestant pastors, also found that 74% believe the biblical Adam and Eve were literal people.
"Recently discussions have pointed to doubts about a literal Adam and Eve, the age of the earth and other origin issues," said Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, a division of the Southern Baptist Convention, in a report on LifeWay's site. "But Protestant pastors are overwhelmingly Creationists and believe in a literal Adam and Eve."
The phone survey was conducted in May 2011, sampling ministers from randomly selected Protestant churches. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent, LifeWay said.
A 2010 Gallup poll found that 40% of Americans believe God created humans in their present form, versus 54% who said humans developed over millions of years.
soundoff (6,504 Responses)
About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.


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Printer News
Andy Lyke, president of Ripon Printers, Ripon, WI, was presented with the 2012 Harry V. Quadracci VISION Award during the Offset & Beyond Conference in St. Louis this month.
Charlie Bolger, CFO at Bolger Vision Beyond Print in Minneapolis, was chosen as the recipient of the Printing Industry Midwest's 2012 Graphic Arts Industry Leader award. The honor was presented to Bolger during the association's annual Star of Excellence banquet.
The Xplor International 2012 Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement Award was presented recently to Harry Stephens, president, CEO and founder of Atlanta-based DATAMATX Inc. Stephens was recognized for his industry contributions, his proactive involvement in postal reform and the key role he played in the recent "2nd ounce free" ruling for business mailers from the USPS.
Wright Enterprises Holding (parent company of Wright Business Graphics and Wright Imaging) announced the addition of Jeff Trump as vice president and general manager of the company's Chino, CA, facility. He previously served as vice president of operations for Cenveo Inc.
At Victor Graphics, Baltimore, Kevin Wasowski has been hired as a Midwest sales account executive. He most recently was as an account executive in the Midwest with Edwards Brothers.
EBSCO Media, a division of Birmingham, AL-based EBSCO Industries, has named Newt Higman national sales manager. He has worked at Ricoh/Lanier Business Solutions, ASI Business Solutions and Printwise Technologies.
David Meacham is the new West Coast sales manager at Thomson-Shore, Dexter, MI. He previously served with Cenveo Inc. in Minneapolis.
Innovative Print & Media Group, Phoenixville, PA, Suzanne Hayes has been named vice president of client services. PI


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The Battle of New Orleans – January 8th, 1815
"In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in a town in New Orleans"
The Battle of New Orleans was the final major battle of the War of 1812.
It was fought between January 8 and January 18, 1815.
Americans commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson (the future President of the United States) fought the British commanded by Admiral Alexander Cochrane and General Edward Pakenham. Pakenham and his second-in-command, Major General Samuel Gibbs, were both fatally wounded by artillery fire during the battle while on horseback.
The Americans had constructed three lines of defense to protect New Orleans, the first about 4 miles from the city along the Rodriguez Canal (from the Mississippi River to the cypress swamp). The British advanced early in the morning under the cover of fog. The fog lifted, leaving them exposed in the open and easy targets for the American artillery.
"We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began to runnin'
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!"
In just twenty-five minutes, the British casualties totaled 700 killed, 1400 wounded and 500 were taken prisoner (after the battle ~500 British soldiers who pretended to be dead surrendered). American losses were only seven (7) killed and six (6) wounded.
"Yeah they ran through the briers and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!"
The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Ghent, Belgium on December 24, 1814. The Treaty was approved by British Parliament and signed by the Prince Regent (the future King George IV) on December 30, 1814. It took a month for the news to reach the United States during which time the Battle of New Orleans was fought. The treaty was ratified by the US Senate on February 17, 1815.
ANDREW JACKSON (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845)
United States House of Representatives (Tennessee 1796-1797)
Military Governor of Florida (1821)
United States Senator (Tennessee 1823-1825)
7th President of the United States (1829-1837)
Country singer Johnny Horton had a Number 1 hit in 1959 with "The Battle of New Orleans" written by Jimmy Driftwood. It won the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording and was also awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
Here's Johnny Horton on the "Ed Sullivan Show" with the original sound:
And a little music from the "Alabama Wildman" Jerry Reed and Glen Campbell:
(RIGHT CLICK and "Open In New Window" to view on YouTube)
and Jerry Reed sings "City of New Orleans":
"Good morning America how are ya
Say, don't you know me, I'm your native son
I'm a train they call the City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done…"
Use the links below to FOLLOW and LIKE us on other social media!
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Category: Dailies
Favorite Players — Past & Present
Justin Townsend asked who is my favorite player to watch today. Well Justin, I do watch 4 or 5 players all the time. I check out the box scores every day to see how they do. One is third baseman Scott Rolen, who I think is really a terrific player offensively and defensively. He?s had problems staying healthy. Derek Jeter has really caught my eye the past couple years. What a terrific player he is along with Alex Rodriquez. I know these guys just to say hello to, so that?s probably why I like to watch them.
My all time favorite certainly was Stan Musial, who I grew up idolizing. I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the Cardinals played an exhibition game there in Little Rock every year. The Cardinal games were the only games we got on radio. Stan Musial was my all time favorite, and getting to play against him in Spring Training and the All-Star Game made that just even better.
Jyoung asked me about what type glove I use. I signed with Rawlings when I first started playing professionally, and I used a Rawlings glove my whole career. I used different ones throughout my career. I didn?t like them too big or too small. I couldn?t use a large glove, because I got the ball lost in there a couple times. I always preferred the H web because I could pull the strings tighter to make the pocket smaller. If you had the one-piece web, the pocket seemed to get a little deeper every game that I used it.
It?s been a busy summer filled with a lot of Minor League baseball. Last weekend I attended a Camden (NJ) Riversharks game. I threw out the first pitch, along with some beautiful rescue dogs from 9/11. I can honestly say that it was the first time I ever participated in a first pitch ceremony with dogs. It was a lot of fun. The stadium is beautiful, and the Ben Franklin Bridge is the backdrop for centerfield. I had a great time meeting the Minor League fans.
Next week I?m participating in the ground-breaking ceremony for the new stadium in York, PA. The York Revolution of the Independent League will begin play there in 2007. I began my professional career with the York White Roses in 1955. York and their fans hold a special place in my heart. I am thrilled that they are finally bringing baseball back to York.
You can always check out more information on www.brooksrobinson.com. Thanks.
Minnie, a Rockwell and a big game
Sorry I haven?t blogged in a while. I was traveling quite a bit. I did receive a question about why Minnie Minoso wasn?t chosen for the Hall of Fame this year.
I love Minnie Minoso. Minnie has been one of my favorite people. I see him about two or three times a year, usually at Legends Games or sports banquets. He is always looking great and doing great, just as in that 1951 picture to the right here. He was one terrific player. I think the reason he wasn?t voted in during the special election was the fact that he spent many years in the major leagues and has not been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame through the regular process.
The African American players being inducted this year played primarily in the Negro leagues and would have never had the chance to being inducted into the HOF through the normal channels.
It was a very exciting week back here in Baltimore. I own the original Norman Rockwell print of ?Gee, Thanks Brooks.? My wife Connie and I are loaning this wonderful piece of artwork to the
Maryland Science Center for a great exhibit: Rockwell?s America. The exhibit features many of the original Saturday Evening Post covers and other works of Norman Rockwell. The exhibit is interactive so you can sit in a WWII Jeep or at the soda counter that was reconstructed from an original cover. The Becker Group put together this traveling exhibit. I was there for the opening in Nashville. It went to Indianapolis and now it is in my adopted hometown of Baltimore. I?ll be there throughout the summer. You can always check my website at brooksrobinson.com to see when I?ll be there.
I?m heading to a press conference today to announce the Maryland High School Seniors who will participate in the Brooks Robinson All-Star Game. Many of the seniors who participate in this game go onto major league careers. In the past few years Mark Teixeira (Rangers), Gavin Floyd (Phillies) and Mike O'Connor (Nationals) have all made it to the big leagues.
As always, please feel free to leave your comments and questions below.
Happy Anniversary to MLBlogs
Congratulations to the MLBlogs community and MLB.com. It's been a year since my friend Tommy Lasorda first logged on to mlblogs.com and entered his first blog. I joined in shortly thereafter and it's been a lot of fun. I enjoy interacting with the fans who post comments. This is my 22nd post and I hope you enjoy it, too.
Luke posted a comment that asked how the early Major Leaguers managed to field with the gloves that had no webbing.
As far as I can remember, in the 1940s and 1950s, gloves were not that good. There was no lace in the fingers to keep them together. The gloves in the '60s were pretty good. My first glove was a Bob Dillinger glove. Bob played for the St. Louis Browns.
I remember I had my picture taken with Home Run Baker at Memorial Stadium in 1957. He brought along the glove he used. I told him that there was no way I could play with that glove. And don't forget that the fields weren't as good.
I've been pretty busy this spring. On April 22, I'll be in Secaucus, N.J. for a signing for MAB Celebrity Shows (www.mabcelebrity.com). They'll have a lot of Gold Glove winners at the show, including Jim Kaat, who also has 16 Gold Gloves. On April 25, I'll be in York, Pa., for the Press Conference announcing the new minor league stadium in York. I'm very excited about this. The people in York have been waiting for a stadium for a long time and it has special meaning to me since I started my professional career playing for the York White Roses. I'm a part of Keystone Baseball and we'll own the minor league team that plays in the new stadium. Keystone Baseball also owns the minor league team that plays in Lancaster, Pa. The team in Lancaster has been a huge success. I'll be at their Opening Night on April 28.
As always, you can check out my website at brooksrobinson.com for up-to-date information on upcoming appearances.
Game gloves
People always ask me how often I changed gloves during my playing days. I switched gloves about every 2 1/2 years. Once I got a glove broken in, I used it until I couldn't anymore. My game glove was used only during the game and not in practice. At practice, I would work on breaking in a new glove for the next time I needed to switch.
I look forward to hearing from you. Please leave your comments and questions right here, and visit my official site at brooksrobinson.com for much more!
The glove and voter love
The Baseball As America Exhibit now moves to Detroit from March 11 through Sept. 5, and Kellia from Oakland — which is where the Exhibit last stopped — left a comment here about whether my glove that is touring in that Exhibit seemed small by today?s standards.
I?m glad you got to see the exhibit. It?s been a huge success for the Hall of Fame. Much appreciation goes to Ernst & Young, who is a sponsor of this traveling exhibit.
My glove was an average glove. I always felt my glove was the normal size. Not too big and not too small. Most outfielders seemed to use bigger gloves than I did at 3rd base. I didn?t want a large glove because I had a hard time getting the ball out of the glove sometimes. I?ve seen a lot of gloves a lot smaller than mine including Joe Morgan?s and Mark Belanger?s. I always asked them, ?How did you catch anything in that glove?? I always used the ?H? web because you could always pull the laces tighter if it started to give some.
You can see a better view of that glove I wore in this photo if you go to my official site at brooksrobinson.com and check out the authentic memorabilia, including that 16×20 signed stat photo. There is appearance/booking info on my site as well, hope you will stop by and say hi there anytime.
George Miller asked if the Hall of Fame has become too hard on the new candidates and if guys like Rice and Dawson are deserving:
First of all I do think the Baseball Hall of Fame is the toughest Hall of Fame to get into. When you have almost 500 writers voting, everyone has a different opinion as to who should and should not be inducted. It is quite controversial. Certainly Jim Rice dominated the American League for 10 years. Andre Dawson did the same thing in the National League. I?m surprised they haven?t gotten more support for the Hall of Fame. There are no set criteria for attaining the Hall of Fame – that is the reason there is so much controversy.
More on my friend Elrod
Kellia from Oakland, Calif., commented about seeing Elrod Hendricks.
I just wanted to say a few more words about my favorite player. He was really the heart and soul of the Orioles Organization and Community. This guy gave so much during his career. He came up n 1968 after being in Minor League Baseball for many years. He played for Earl Weaver in Puerto Rico when Earl was managing there and that?s where Earl got to know him. In 1967, Earl sent Frank Lane down to take a look at Elrod in the Mexican League and the Orioles ended up bringing him to Baltimore in 1968.
He was a wonderful guy and absolutely the most beloved Oriole of all-time. Not only in Baltimore, but everywhere we went to play, Elrod would be the first at park, the first one on the field, the first one to sign autographs and the first to pat some kid on the head. He was just a wonderful gentleman and we?re going to miss him.
Pete Rose
Mr. Carey, thank you for your comment on my recent post. You did make some very good points. My opinion is that as long as Bud Selig is Commissioner, Pete Rose will not be made eligible for the Hall of Fame. Pete signed a 5-page document that banned him from the game. Rumor has it that he signed because either there was still more to come out or that he had made a deal with Bart Giamatti to serve his time and then get back into the game in good standing.
To set the record straight, it was marijuana, not cocaine that was found in Ferguson Jenkins? suitcase when he entered Canada. And you were right when you said Gaylord Perry threw a spitter. I think both were punished somewhat by not receiving enough votes to enter the Hall of Fame right away.
Also, as far as signings are concerned, today?s players and former players really have no say where they sit during an autograph show. Pete really had nothing to do with the timing of his latest book. I know he did not want it to coincide with the Hall of Fame announcement but in this case the publisher ruled.
I am with Pete 3 or 4 times in a year and I enjoy it very much. If Pete flips over next year into the Veteran?s Group, which is made up of all 62 living Hall of Famers plus about 20 other broadcasters and writers, I am afraid that he will find very little support from that group also.
I believe that the fact that he cannot put on a uniform, coach, manage or tell a story hurts him more than attaining the Hall of Fame.
I get many emails and whenever I do speaking engagements almost every question is: Why did I have a short brim? I think I was the only player that wore the short brim in the Majors and I never realized it got that much attention until I left the game. But back in the early ?70s, the Commissioner?s Office made it mandatory for anyone coming into the big leagues to wear a flap on your hat. If you were already in Major League Baseball you had a choice whether to do that or not. Of course, I wanted to wear the flap because it gave me more protection. I had been hit 3 or 4 times in the head and so the more protection, the better for me. When I got the helmet with the flap and put it on, it seemed like the bill was a little longer than my normal hat. The flap was a little longer and consequently when I went up to hit I could see the brim and part of the flap. It made me lose my concentration. I took care of it by taking a hacksaw blade and cut off about 1 � inches off the brim and about � off the flap. That?s how I got my short brim.
I was very happy to see Bruce Sutter get into the Hall of Fame. I have watched his climb up the ladder as far as attaining the 75-percent vote to get in. Certainly his qualifications meet all the standards when you talk about his impact on the game, his statistics, his longevity and what he brings to the game. Somehow I think there are a lot of relievers that have been lumped into one group. What do you do with a guy like a Goose Gossage or Lee Smith? It?s nice to see a guy like Sutter attain it because he was certainly one of the premier relievers of his era. I?m happy to see him attain the Hall of Fame.
This week I?m at the Orioles Fantasy Camp. I?ve done the camp since I?ve retired in the ?70s. I have a lot of fun putting on the uniform and trying a little baseball.
Also, on Feb. 18, I?ll be in Southern Maryland. Peter Kirk?s group, Maryland Baseball, is behind building a stadium in that area and certainly Southern Maryland is going to be a great area for baseball. There are a lot of people there and great baseball fans. I?ve been to several of their meetings and they are very enthusiastic fans down there. Whether it ends up being Independent Baseball or Minor League Baseball, I?m sure it?s going to be a success. They?re having their FanFest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I?ll be there with my good friend Ron Hansen, who was Rookie of the Year when he played with the Orioles. A number of other players will be there also. You can check out their website for more details.
You can find out more about my appearance schedule and look for memorabilia and more by going to my official site at brooksrobinson.com.
Elrod Hendricks
We lost the most beloved Oriole of all time. Not only was Elrod Hendricks loved here in the Baltimore area, but all over the country. Every ballpark that we would go into, he?d be the first one on the field signing autographs and saying hello. It goes beyond the game of baseball. He was just a people person. Certainly, he was a big part of the success of the Oriole organization. My heart and thoughts go out to Merle and his children.
He has touched more lives in this town than anyone else. From 1968 to 2005, he was the Orioles' Goodwill Ambassador. Even though it?s a sad day for all of us, I do have a big smile on my face when I think of Elrod.
He gave me so many laughs and so many wonderful moments during our years together.
Reminiscing about the 1970 World Series
Junktrunk2000 asked about the 1970 World Series:
All I can say is that I played in four World Series and the two we were suppose to win, we lost, and the two we were suppose to lose, we won. With respect to the call on Bernie Carbo, certainly, that play at home did change the complexion of the game. The Reds pitching staff was hurting at that time and we were able to take advantage of that. What you might not know is that even though Cincinnati was called the Big Red Machine we actually scored more runs than they did during that 1970 season. We had guys like Woodling, Elrod Hendricks and Boog that could put some runs on the board. I do think we were a pretty good team. I do think the 1969 team that lost to the Mets was better than the 1970 team. You just never know. I just happened to be in the right spot in that series. I tell people that I played 23 seasons and I never did have five games in a row like I did in that World Series. As an infielder you can go a week or two and never get a chance to do something spectacular. In this series, every game I had a chance to do something outstanding defensively and I was hitting well, too. It was a once in a lifetime five-game series for me and it just happened to be in a World Series.
Daniel, thanks for your question. I really didn?t keep that much memorabilia early on in my career. The last year that I played was in 1977 and that?s when the memorabilia business was in the early stages. I do have some things. I have the uniform of the last year that I played, my glove, spikes and the 16 Gold Gloves that I won from 1960-75. Overall, I did not keep much. Some items that I did keep, I put on my website and 100% of the proceeds go to charity (www.brooksrobinson.com). I kept some bats that I used in the All Star Games. I never really was interested that much in memorabilia. I have sons that are 44, 42, 41 and a daughter who is 37 and they were never really interested in it either. What I feel bad about is that I never started collecting baseballs in 1983 when I joined the Hall of Fame. I just wished I had balls from Cool Papa Bell, Joe Sewell, Ted Williams and Johnny Mize. Thinking back on it now there are probably about 50 Hall of Famers that have passed away since I joined the Hall of Fame in 1983 and I just wished now that I would have started collecting back then.
Richard, Gene Woodling is one of my all-time favorite guys – not only as a player but also as a coach. Gene said something to me many years ago that certainly helped me with my career. As a young 19- or 20-year old I got four hits in a game and I came into the clubhouse and I was happy jumping up and down. Woodling came over and said ?Hey Kid, don?t get carried away when you?re full of bull.? That told me one thing ?- be humble. Keep an even keel if you are doing well or doing poorly. There are 162 games so don?t get carried away about what you do in 1 game. I remember that more than anything else in my career. Gene Woodling passed away a few years ago. When he came to the Orioles he had that little unorthodox batting stance, feet close together and he was crouched down. He used one of the heaviest bats I?ve every seen. It had to be a 42-ounce bat. I used a 32- or 33-ounce most of my career. He used that big bat and he was a terrific player and he played on five World Championship teams with the Yankees. He was one of my favorite guys.
What I?m Up To:
I?ll be signing Norman Rockwell ?Gee Thanks Brooks? Prints at the Ollie?s in Pasadena, Maryland on December 10th. I?ll be helping Santa give out gifts to kids on December 17th in conjunction with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police. I?ll be appearing at the TriStar Show in Marlborough, MA on December 18th (www.tristarproductions.com). You can always check out my website for the latest appearance information (www.brooksrobinson.com).
White Sox and Joe Crede
Congratulations to the White Sox ? World Series
Champions. Everyone keeps asking me what
I think about Joe Crede. I think Joe
Crede is probably like most of the White Sox players – not many had heard of
any of these guys before the World Series but after the Series people will be
looking at these guys and saying ?hey, those guys are terrific players.? Joe Crede is certainly one of those
players. I?ve been impressed with
him. He?s got a good short swing. He hits the ball to right field and left
field and makes some great plays in the field. After this series, everyone will know who Joe Crede is. He?s had a terrific post season and I wish him
the best.
I was just in Bordentown, NJ for an appearance over the weekend. I?ll
be in Chantilly, Virginia for Collector?s Showcase (www.csashows.com) on November 6th
along with Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken. It should be a great time. I?m
doing a big signing for my website (www.brooksrobinson.com). I give the proceeds to charities. It is a great way to help with the requests I
get and makes everyone a winner. I have
a busy December planned, too. I?ll be
doing my annual Norman Rockwell appearances for Olllie?s Bargain Outlet (www.olliesbargainoutlet.com). You can always check my website for an update
on appearances.


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Genetic Link Between Stress and Depression
Feb. 7, 2011 — A gene that influences how the brain responds to stress may also play a key role in depression.
A new study shows people with a certain genetic mutation that causes them to produce less of the brain chemical neuropeptide Y (NPY) have a more intense negative emotional response to stress and may be more likely to develop depression than others.
Researchers found low levels of neuropeptide Y caused a stronger emotional response to negative stimuli and physiological response to pain in the brain, which may make people less resilient in the face of stress and more prone to depression.
"We've identified a biomarker — in this case genetic variation — that is linked with increased risk of major depression," says researcher Jon-Kar Zubieta, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and radiology at the University of Michigan, in a news release. "This appears to be another mechanism, independent of previous targets in depression research, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine."
Genetic Link to Depression
In three separate tests, researchers looked at the link between this genetic mutation and depression in 39 adults with depression and 113 healthy adults. The results are published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
First, researchers measured the amount of NPY expression in each of the participants and used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the brain's response to positive, neutral, or negative words like "hopeful," "material," or "murderer."
The results showed people with low levels of this brain molecule had much more activity in an area of the brain associated with regulating emotions, the prefrontal cortex, than those with high levels.
Response to Stress
In a second experiment, researchers measured the response to a stressful event involving injecting saline solution into a jaw muscle, which produces moderate pain for about 20 minutes, but no lasting harm.
The study showed those with low neuropeptide Y rated their emotional response as more negative while anticipating the event before and immediately after the event while reflecting on their experience.
"This tells us that individuals with the risk-associated NPY gene variant tend to activate this key brain region more than other people, even in the absence of stress and before psychiatric symptoms are present," says researcher Brian Mickey, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School, in the news release.
Finally, researchers found participants with this genetic variation were much more likely to have been diagnosed with depression than those without it.
"These are genetic features that can be measured in any person. We hope they can guide us toward assessing an individual's risk for developing depression and anxiety," Mickey says.


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How James Patterson Sells More Books Than J.K. Rowling Or Stephen King
According to Nielsen BookScan, James Patterson has sold more books in the past decade than any other writer — more than Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling or horror master Stephen King.
To date, Patterson has sold 300 million copies of 130 novels worldwide.
Previously a creative director for the massive ad agency J. Walter Thompson, Patterson published his first novel in 1976. Though he now writes across genres, he started in thrillers. Patterson puts the turn into page-turner — quickly paced plots with short chapters, crisp sentences, and a gruesome murder here and there.
To allow for his outsize output, Patterson has shifted from the standard method of publishing, where one author writes a given book. Instead, he treats his Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, and other series the way a television writer might approach a new season of "The West Wing." He's worked with more than 20 co-authors, and, since 2002, he's written only a reported 20% of his books by himself.
Thus his outrageously high productivity. He will publish 15 books this year alone. As the U.K.'s Telegraphreported, Patterson has had 4.7 published pages per working day since 1976.
We spoke with Patterson about how he writes and approaches his business. (This interview has been condensed and edited.)
Business Insider: Your book sales show you've developed an ear for knowing what people want to read. How did you develop that?
James Patterson:I think to some extent it's story, story, story. I'm a storyteller. That's what a lot of people want out of books. I'm reading "Flash Boys." Michael Lewis is a terrific storyteller. He has that ability to take something that could have been the driest, most boring goddamned thing, but he makes it dramatic. I think that's a piece of it. People who have that ability to turn that situation into a compelling story. That's one of the things.
With me, it's a combination of pace and then trying to make sure that the characters I'm writing about hold people's interest and they want to be involved with them.
Could you walk me through a typical workday for you?
I'm usually up 5:30-ish. I will write for an hour or so. Then quickly blast through the highlights of a few newspapers — The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today. Frequently, then, I will go and walk the golf course for maybe an hour. I'm usually back here by 9:30 or so. Write until noon. Go to lunch with my wife. Come back and write some more. Occasionally, I'll write later at night if I'm worried about something, or if there's some inspiration and I need to deal with it a bit.
It's pretty much seven days a week. Somebody said, you're lucky if you find something you like to do and then it's a miracle somebody will pay you to do it. That's my situation. It's not work for me. These are all stories that I'm really dying to tell.
What do you do when you sit down to write?
What will be sitting out will be wherever I am on a certain manuscript that I'm writing myself or a manuscript that I'm rewriting, one of the co-author-written things or an outline or two. There are usually at least three or four things ... then I just decide which one am I going work on that day, or sometimes I'll work on two or three in the same day.
What's a good day's writing look like for you?
For me it's all rewriting. It's layering. The writing keeps hopefully getting better. The dialogue gets sharper. My style is very colloquial. It's the way we tell stories. It would be a disaster if everybody wrote the way I do. I don't put in a ton of detail.
I used to live across the street from [former U.S. Army General] Alexander Haig. If I were telling you a story and went out to get the mail and there was Haig lying in the driveway, if I then for the next five minutes talked about the palm trees waving and the architecture of the house, you'd say, "What the f---? Stop! What's the story with Haig?" I kind of write that way. I'm going to write about Haig in the driveway, and you're only going to hear about the architecture if it really is relevant to the story I'm telling.
When you say that the writing and rewriting is a matter of "getting better," what does getting better mean to you?
Emotionally, I just go, "This isn't there yet. I'm not feeling it." I'll put "Be there" on a top of a chapter sometimes. I need to be in the scene. I need to have put enough detail in there where I'm seeing it, I'm certainly feeling it. The dialogue needs to be somewhat true. It needs to be moving the thing forward instead of marching in place.
I'd like to digress a bit and talk about the way you work with co-authors. Did your former life in advertising help shape this collaborative way of working?
There are a lot of things that are collaborative. You start wandering through Florence and Venice and start looking at these churches. They are all collaborations. You look at these ceilings and you see, like, nine painters.
TV scripts — 60 pages, two writers. Movie scripts — four writers. It's a lot more prevalent than people think it is.
What's the workflow of the collaboration look like?
The outline will be 60 to 80 pages. I then ask what they contribute, for a couple of reasons. One is, I want their ideas. Secondly, I want them invested, which is most important. With all the people I work with, they want to do this as well as they can do it. This is not hack work. There's pride. They are into it emotionally.
I insist on seeing stuff every two or three weeks. With publishers, they say, "We'll see in a year or so," and they go, "Oh, this isn't really what I was thinking of." With me, it's every couple of weeks, and I'll get pages and I'll talk — "This is going well, remember this, remember this. Hold it, we're off the tracks. We got to stop it and figure out where this went." Then we'll talk about that, and then continue.
When do you feel like you're doing your best work?
I'll write a good chapter. I'll write a good outline. My outlines, you read one of my 80-page outlines and you felt like you read a book. The story is all there. That's very satisfying to me. I can make a breakthrough on an outline or on a direction or with something that was missing from the story. That is very satisfying. I can come up with a new idea. That's probably the most joyful thing — to go,"You know, it would be very cool ... "
See Also:
- How To Take The Perfect Power Nap At Work
- Dwight Eisenhower Nailed A Major Insight About Productivity
- $37 Billion Is Lost Every Year On These 9 Meeting Mistakes
SEE ALSO: Here's The Fascinating Reason Bill Maher Still Plays Theaters In Small-Town America


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Copyright Rania Matar 2009 courtesy The Quantuck Lane Press
In recent years, we have become very familiar with a recent spin on combat photography; the embedded photojournalist; one who is assigned to and lives with a military unit which is in an active combat zones and is sanctioned by the military. The role and definition of the embedded photojournalist role is still familiar yet developing. Although much akin to the many war photojournalists that preceded them and who have yet to be defined by the new authority of what is; Wikipedia. I would venture that the photographic style of many embedded photojournalist begins to emote a stylistic appearance; the perspective is intimate and close, the framing is tight with the events and individuals falling out of the edges of the borders, wide-angle viewpoints in and amidst the chaos, as though afloat in the sea of combat with the action swirling about them. This too is a characterization of the photographs of Rania Matar, and the place of her project can be equal terrifying, disorienting and frightening, the places where actual combat is not yet a distant memory, amidst the immediate aftermath of war.
Regretfully, there exists many places where the aftermath of war can be found and for Matar, she has found hers in Lebanon, which also represents an emotional duality for her, that being experienced from a distance and yet in the present moment. Matar brings an ability to see the social infrastructure from an unusual perspective; she was born and raised in Lebanon and subsequently resided in the United States for over twenty-five years. She maintains the broader perspective of an outsider without appearing aloof and yet the familiarity and access of an insider. This book of black & white photographs is a result of observing, looking and watching intermittently over a five-year period, from 2003 to 2008.
In these intimate photographs, the recent turmoil and the aftermath of internal and external war is not just a backdrop; we have been dropped into the midst of this hellish place, it surrounds and engulfs her subjects, and subsequently us, the viewer. Like war itself, many of the situations depicted is difficult to comprehend, the dichotomies are numerous and many times bordering on absurd. The social contexts are observed and recorded by Matar in a documentary style, but like a photojournalist, we also recognize that she has the ability to extract and frame events to create a visual narrative. In a heavy-handed way, this narrative could take on a strong political or religious bias, but in her narrative, it becomes apparent that her story has a sociological bias towards an attempt to investigate the social fabric of families and personal relationships coping with very difficult environmental conditions..
Many of Matar's subjects appear to live in dismal conditions, perhaps for a short duration and other circumstances for an extended period of time, to the point that her subjects appear to be accepting the current dismal conditions as normal. We suspect that her subjects are nevertheless worldly enough to know that others beyond their sphere have a different lifestyle, as her photographs illustrate how these various social worlds collide or how they seemingly manage to co-exist. Her photographs appear to be about individuals who are searching and seeking a normalcy within the madness.
In reflecting on her work, Matar writes: "In these photographs I concentrated on people who did not lose their humanity and dignity despite what they have been and are still going through. I tried to portray them as the beautiful individuals they are, instead of as part of any religious or political group. I concentrated on the spirit with which they continue with the mundane tasks s of daily life regardless of their circumstances: their lives that are ordinary in an environment and political climate that are often anything but ordinary."
Although the book is narrated through three sections, The Aftermath of War, The Veil: Modesty, Fashion, Devotion or Statement, and Forgotten People, her photographs appear to be equally applicable to either of these sections and it difficult for me to discern the applicability to one section from another. Her photographs seem to merge into one complex narrative. The possible exception is that the Forgotten Peopleis a story of thePalestine's who refuge camps are in a state of "temporary" status in Lebanon for the last sixty years.
I find that Matar's story about Lebanon has a strongly feminine undercurrent, with family relationships as the subject of her focus, and predominately the interaction of women and children, although mostly young girls. It is also a story of survival, endurance, fortitude and assimilation into the current economic and social conditions brought on by repeated conflict and segregation. Perhaps this could be construed to be a feminine response to a conflict wrought by men.
She investigates and captures the contradictions, contrast and juxtaposition of the old family and religious values with the contemporary and predominately Western lifestyles. Occasionally the photographs paired across the book's spread are very obvious contradictions, such as the young men in bathing suits drinking at the edge of a pool, while the facing photograph contains ill-dressed children holding buckets in what appears as a food line. At other times, it may take a long time to develop an understanding of how the paired photographs complement each other. Her photographs have a warm poignancy, at time with a dry wit and humorous, and she has a watchful eye to capture the social contradictions and juxtapositions of the absurd. Thus Matar's book can lend itself to a fast read, but I found that with investing more time, this is a visual interesting and provocative lyrical narrative.
Looking at Matar's black & white photographs, I become aware that I am not distracted by the potential colors and hues that could overrun my senses, thus I become more attuned to of the graphic elements. Similar to her embedded photojournalist brethren, she chooses a close, tight and intimate vantage point, not poaching with a long lens, as her subjects are very aware of her presence, occasionally playing up to her. The narrative is not that of an uninterested Diane Arbus voyeur, but the visual dialog resulting from an insider's viewpoint, sometimes gritty and difficult to view, similar to Zoe Strauss's America.
Matar goes on to state in another one of her essays, "What struck and humbled me most was how quickly people, seasoned by the experience of war, resumed their lives, how they picked up the pieces and moved on to preserve their dignity, their children, and their spirit, with a humanity that shines through destruction and rises above the rubble."
This hardcover book has a dust jacket and the book was printed and bound in Italy. The paper has a matte finish that subsequently reduces the contrast of the black and white interior photographs. The essays are provided by Matar and Anthony Shadid and in the accompanying end notes Matar has provided brief, yet informative, captions for each photograph.
By Douglas Stockdale


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Astrophysicist and Exoplanet Discoverer; Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow at the Institute of Space Sciences (IEEC-CISC) and 2018 European Young Leader
Guillem Anglada-Escudé is a well-known astrophysicist and scientist, whose current work focuses on exoplanet detection and planetary exploration. Most notably, Guillem and his team discovered the Proxima b exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri, our closest neighbouring star and the nearest star to the Sun. He- has previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Carnegie Institution for Science, University of Goettingen, as well as Queen Mary University of London, where he became a reader in astronomy. He has conducted research in several countries and has been actively engaged with space agencies, such as NASA and the European Space Agency. In 2016, Guillem was named among the ten most prominent scientists worldwide by Science Magazine and one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.


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Jennie Geisler: As fall nears, dinner offers simple comfort
I've been holding onto this cookbook from Best of Bridge called "Sunday Suppers." I like the BoB series because they have tasty, traditional, no-fuss recipes in spiral-bound books. They're trusty, like a beloved coffee mug. I can always find a bunch of stuff in them I want to try, and this time I had little sticky notes sticking out at every angle: To the side for sides, to the bottom for dessert, to the top for entrees, out the corners for bread.
I forget how many I had stuck in this particular book, but it would have made a remarkable flapping sound if I'd held it up in a stiff wind. I finally decided I'd make one thing from every category and call it, well, a Sunday supper. Everything worked out really well and nothing was the least bit complicated. Well, the ravioli got a little dicey, but a few emergency measures saved them from the trash can.
It's technically still summer, but fall arrives Saturday, and for some reason, this makes me want to go into the kitchen and bring out beautiful, tasty comforting food. Sheet Pan Chicken, Squash and Ricotta Ravioli, Naan and Spiced Pumpkin Cake filled the bill quite nicely.
Five things I learned:
1. I want to write a book about baking sheet dinners. That's when you cook protein and veggies together under the broiler for 10 minutes or so and then you eat. I want to write this book because that's how we eat in my house these days, and it seems like it would work well in lots of busy families full of people who have no patience for Mom's 45-minutes roast anything.
Here's my book: I put four or five boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork chops or fish fillet in the middle of a baking sheet covered in foil and surround the meat with fresh vegetables, such as summer squash, sliced onions, tomatoes, pepper strips, eggplant or the like, drizzle it all with olive oil, sprinkle it with some seasoning blend or another and put it all under the broiler for five minutes. Then turn the meat over, stir the vegetables and put it back in for another five to eight minutes. The end.
It almost feels like cheating, except that it's real, honest-to-God cooking. (It's actually upside down grilling, but out of the elements.) You can get creative with it by cooking some foods longer and adding shorter-cooking foods later. If you use potatoes or carrots, for example, they might need 15 more minutes than a salmon fillet.
Things I haven't tried this with but want to: Corn on the cob, pork tenderloin sliced into medallions, flank steak, mushrooms, top sirloin, shrimp, and now I have to stop because they're piling up in my brain faster than I can type.
2. This sheet pan recipe called for bone-in chicken pieces, and I used thighs. I'm with my husband on this: We've been eating thigh cutlets (bone and skin removed) for a while, and much prefer them. With the bone in, they just seem to take forever to fully cook, and even when they do cook through, they're more difficult to eat around the bone. I don't know if the flavor is just too rich with the bone in, or if I'm doing something wrong, but the cutlets just seem to taste better.
3. The ravioli sounded delicious, but I probably should have chucked the whole project though, when the store was out of wonton wrappers. They had pot-sticker wrappers and egg roll wrappers, but no wonton wrappers. Grr. I got egg roll wrappers, planning to cut them in half diagonally, but if my life had an orchestra soundtrack, the music would have turned foreboding at this point.
Slicing the wrappers seemed to work fine, but as my ravioli pile got bigger, I got a little nervous about them sticking to each other while raw. Those fears were well-founded. Once I had the water boiled and tried to put one in, they had all become quite fond of each other, and I had to stretch and cajole and massage them apart.
Once in the water, they didn't act like ravioli. They acted like wet tissue. After scooping out three flimsy, shapeless, water-logged mounds of blech, I decided to pan fry them. That worked much better. I still had trouble picking them off of each other, so they looked deformed, but at least they tasted good.
I can only assume wonton wrappers would work better since they're made to go into soup, while egg roll wrappers are meant to be deep fried. But I did not test this theory.
4. As for the naan, that's a Middle Eastern type of soft bread kneaded and rolled into an oblong shape and briefly pan-fried on both sides until it blisters. I've made it before. This time I used my bread machine's 90-minute dough cycle, so I didn't have to worry about the kneading and rising. I just put all the ingredients in and turned it on. When I was ready to cook it, it was ready to roll — really.
I reflexively added oil to the pan to cook it in, and it got a little dense. Naan shouldn't be cooked in oil. Just put the naan right on the hot pan and flip it over after a minute or two. I'd use a nonstick pan for this. After the naan is cooked, Indians typically brush it with melted ghee (clarified butter).
You could also bake the naan on a hot pizza stone in the oven.
5. What to say about the cake? Uhm, it's perfect? I just made it as a 9-by-13, though the recipe is for one of those three-layer deals. Layer cakes are a pain and I wasn't up for it. The authors do make an excellent point in that you can freeze the layers and then frost them while they're frozen for minimal crumb and logistical complication. Just, obviously, let it thaw before serving.
That said, I'm still partial to oblong cakes. Dump in the batter, bake, frost, hack off as much as you want, all in the same day. Mess contained to one pan, easier to transport, just as scrumptious.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Pistachios and Honey
Serves 4 to 6
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron, optional
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 pounds assorted bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
3 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon warm water
¾ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
In a small bowl, combine onion, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place chicken in a shallow dish or sealable plastic bag and cover with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, then pour marinade over top. Roast for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine honey and vanilla. Stir in warm water to form a paste (start with a little water and add more until you get a workable consistency.) Stir in pistachios. Remove chicken from oven and spread the paste evenly on top of chicken. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.
Tip: Any combination of bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces is fine in this recipe, and the same amount of marinade will work for a slightly larger quantity. If you are comfortable with dismantling a whole chicken, or have a butcher who will do it for you, that will work. For ease, we like buying a couple of packages of chicken thighs and legs.
Nutrition information per piece of chicken, assuming 8 are cooked: 270 calories; 16 g fat (2.5 g saturated); 81 mg cholesterol; 292 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 1.4 g fiber; 7.9 g sugar; 22 g protein
— Best of Bridge "Sunday Suppers"
Roasted Squash and Ricotta Ravioli
Serves 6
1 small butternut squash
Vegetable oil for roasting, frying
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ (1-pound) package wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
Small dish of water
Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim stem off squash and cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking dish and drizzle with oil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until soft. Set aside until cool enough to handle. (Alternatively, pierce squash in several places with a fork and microwave 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.)
Scoop cooled roasted squash into a bowl and mash it, then stir in ricotta, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Place a wonton wrapper on the counter and put a small spoonful of filling in the middle. Dip your finger in water and run it around the edges of the wrapper, then fold wrapper over, forming a triangle. Press down to seal the edges, pressing out any air bubbles around the filling. Place formed ravioli on a plate with wax paper between layers.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan and place 2 or 3 ravioli in the pan, cooking 3-4 minutes, until browned on one side. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes and remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Tip: To make ravioli ahead, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Then transfer to freezer bags. Cook straight from frozen.
Nutrition information per serving: 256 calories; 11 g fat (7 g saturated); 16 mg cholesterol; 657 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrate; 1.7 g fiber; 3.1 g sugar; 8.7 g protein
— Adapted from Best of Bridge "Sunday Suppers
Makes 6 to 8 naan
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup warm water
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt
In a large bowl, stir yeast and sugar into the warm water; let stand for 3 to 5 minutes or until foamy. Stir in flour, salt, egg, oil and yogurt.
Knead for 5 to 7 minutes or until dough is soft and elastic. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Divide dough into 6 to 8 pieces. Roll out each piece into a thin circle or oval. Heat a nonstick pan and cook naan, one at a time, flipping as necessary until deep golden and blistered on both sides.
Nutrition information per serving: 252 calories; 12 g fat (7.8 g saturated); 23 mg cholesterol; 15 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrate; 1.3 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 6.1 g protein
— Adapted from Best of Bridge "Sunday Suppers"
Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Serves 12
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice (or add both)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (14-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Water or milk as needed
For cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter and oil until pale and light. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. It might look curdled. Add the flour mixture and beat on low or stir by hand, just until combined. Divide batter among 3 greased 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, or a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan, smoothing the tops.
Bake for 24 to 35 minutes, or until golden and springy to the touch. If using round layers, invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. (You can wrap and freeze layers for up to 6 months.)
Frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until there are no more lumps. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until frosting is spreadable. (Add a spoonful of water or milk if it's too thick and a little extra powdered sugar if it seems too runny.)
If the round layers are domed on top, slice off the domed part with a serrated knife to make more even layers. Spread frosting over the top of one of the cake layers, then place another layer on top. Repeat, frosting the top of the second layer and placing the third layer on top. Frost the top of the cake, leaving the sides exposed or covering them with a thin layer of frosting.
Nutrition information per serving: 508 calories; 27 g fat (17 g saturated); 62 mg cholesterol; 263 mg sodium; 73 g carbohydrate; 3.5 g fiber; 50 g sugar; 4.4 g protein
— Adapted from Best of Bridge "Sunday Suppers"
— Jennie Geisler can be reached on Twitter: @ETNGeisler.


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36-year-old Saranac man killed in ATV accident
Deputies from the Ionia County Sheriff's Office responded to a personal injury accident of an ATV in a wooded area north of Sayles Road, between Johnson Road and Hawley Highway, just after midnight Saturday morning.
While Deputies were en route to the scene, Ionia County Central Dispatch advised that the subject involved in the accident was not breathing.
The investigation revealed that a Polaris ATV operated by a 36-year-old man from the Saranac area had gone over the edge of a ravine in the woods. Based on witness accounts, it is believed that the operator was attempting to climb a steep hill and was going too fast to stop when the ATV reached the plateau. The ATV struck a large fallen tree branch and then proceed to go over the edge of a deep ravine.
First responders on scene attempted to revive the male subject but were unable to resuscitate him. No other passengers were on the ATV at the time of the accident.
This accident still remains under investigation by the Ionia County Sheriff's Office. Also assisting at the scene were Life EMS, Saranac Fire, Ruehs's Towing, and Lake Funeral Homes.


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The Lesson
Posted on: June 30, 2008
Today we had a heavy downpour combined with a wild wind. However, I had to have my "expedition", I had to go far amidst unfairly uneasy conditions. With one leg that doesn't work, with a crutch in one hand, with an overused aching knee tired of replacing his pair, an equally exhausted elbow and an umbrella. Facing a wind that kept changing direction all the time apparently with the aim of reversing or snatching my umbrella from my hand. With a backpack that was not supposed to get wet for it contained the precious X-ray printouts of my damaged ankle. Almost two miles, an uphill walk. Then I had to take buses, get into the town, see the doctors and get back kangarooing to various distant bus stops.
After a time I realized the umbrella offered not much protection from a horizontal rain. It was rather an impediment. I didn't throw it away as I would have done it a mere month ago, before my irascible temper triggered an accident to be well-remembered for the rest of my coming years. I just shook the water off and folded the umbrella. I was very proud of myself at this point. Maybe I have finally learnt the lesson of not being upset with THINGS.
The first big lesson gave me a dark blue ring around my right eye when I once got angry with my helmet. I had not fixed it the right way and when I was in the middle of an ice slope it started sliding down my front and pushing down my sunglasses. The sunglasses became foggy from my breath. I couldn't see any more, but I had no free hands as I was holding myself to an ice axe and an ice hammer. Thank God, I was second in the rope, not leading. However, I was furious of having to blind-climb and by the time I arrived to the top of that small frozen waterfall I was cursing loudly and telling my helmet how I hated it. Nevertheless, it was the ice axe that thought me the lesson when I impatiently tried to get it out from the wall.
Then there was this second lesson. I had to experience a humiliating exclusion from a climbing event and later that day I had an angry impatient jump that ended in a slip and a double fall with a glass bottle in my hand. Now here I am, hardly able to walk, as the summer days approach, miles away from any adventure that involves leaving the asphalted flat grounds. Two miles are normally not a distance for me. But now it takes me 40 minutes to traipse along this street, totally alone, bending against the adverse wind and rain. And another hour on the way back.
Suddenly an urge of gratitude invades me. All those harsh times in the mountains seem to be useful now, when I realise that even if I forgot how to walk, I haven't yet lost the capacity of ignoring the wind and rain. They somehow don't bother, although my trousers and shoes are not waterproof and I feel cold wet clothes stuck to my legs. Indeed, why was I so scared when an abundant wet snow drenched us an evening while trying to locate a hut on a nunatak of the Aletsch glacier last summer? Why was it a torturing experience to learn ice climbing amidst small avalanches and snowstorms? These and all the other tree-uprooting, glove-stealing storm experiences have become an asset now when I am so hardly trying to imitate a human walking movement.
When I finally get home and dry myself, I look in a mirror and behind my head I incidentally catch glimpse of a picture on the facing wall. It is a Swiss Alpine peak we climbed almost a year ago. Around three thousand meters it wears a thick white cloud skirt, but above that layer a thousand meters of seemingly virgin brilliant white slope ends in a partly stony suave summit. Perfectly elegant and as calm as the sky when your aircraft reaches its cruising altitude above a landscape that had looked so grim and gloomy when you were still down.
A moment of happiness invades my core: I KNOW how it is up there. The wind splashes tiny ice crystals onto your face. You don't want to remove your sunglasses, it is so bright. You see dozens of miles away. You see clouds from above. If the wind lifts them, far down the glaciers really look like huge grey wrinkled-backed snow-rivers petrified while streaming down the valleys.
Going for that mountain was a moment's decision. I was not given more than a few seconds to say whether I would join a team. I had no time to think, to consider whether it was within my abilities and courage. My heart quickly nodded and I surprised myself by loudly saying YES. Nine months later, today I know how much this answer and its consequences changed me.
In the aftermath of that climb the world can no more be the same. It is bigger, wider, bolder, vaster, and I feel as if I have carved a tiny place for myself in its vastness. It holds me even now with this broken leg. It doesn't hurt to look in the mirror. I touch my painful ankle and keep reading on the alpine style ascent of the Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face. I remained a dreamer, but a different one. Not that I learned so many things in nine months. True, I learned a bit of meteorology and of avalanche risks, but the real erudition of this escapade is actually a very simple thing: if you want to be happy, let your heart answer the unexpected calls of adventure.


text:
Twitter tops 200 million active users
Twitter said Tuesday the number of active users of the service has topped 200 million, in a sign of the sizzling growth of the messaging platform.
News of the milestone came in a tweet, of course, from the official Twitter account: "There are now more than 200M monthly active @twitter users. You are the pulse of the planet. We're grateful for your ongoing support!"
The number was the first official estimate from Twitter since it claimed 140 million active users.
Twitter offered no details on the latest update, but in the past has said the majority of active users were in the United States.
Outside analysts have provided various estimates for Twitter, which is privately held and thus not required to disclose most business data.
Earlier this year, a French-based research firm said over 500 million people are on the micro-blogging site, with Americans and Brazilians the most connected.
Another group, Sys-Con media, estimated last month that Twitter had over 465 million accounts and that the number of daily tweets had topped 175 million.
A recent survey found one in seven Americans who go online use Twitter and eight percent do so every day.
(c) 2012 AFP


text:
You must add --enable-v4l to ./configure to use this feature .
% vlc -vvv v4l:/dev/video:norm=secam:frequency=543250:size=640x480:channel=0:adev=/dev/dsp:audio=0 --sout '#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,acodec=mpga,vb=3000,ab=256,vt=800000,keyint=80,deinterlace}:std{access=udp,mux=ts,url=188.8.131.52}' --ttl 12
where :
/dev/video is the device corresponding to your acquisition card or your webcam ,
norm=secam is name of the standard of the analogic signal (possible values are pal, secam, and ntsc) ,
frequency=543250 is the frequency of the channel in khz (Warning : for VLC < 0.6.1, Frequency is channel frequency in MHz multiplied by 16) ,
size=640x480 is the size of the video you want (you can also put the standard size like subqcif (128x96), qsif (160x120), qcif (176x144), sif (320x240), cif (352x288) or vga (640x480)) ,
channel=0 is the number of the channel (usually 0 is for tuner, 1 for composite and 2 for svideo) ,
adev=/dev/dsp is the audio device ,
audio=1 is the number of the audio channel (usually 0 is for mono and 1 for stereo) ,
vcodec=mp4v is the video format you want to encode in (mp4v is MPEG-4, mpgv is MPEG-1, and there is also h263, DIV1, DIV2, DIV3, I420, I422, I444, RV24, YUY2),
acodec=mpga is the audio format you want to encode in (mpga is MPEG audio layer 2, a52 is A52 i.e. AC3 sound) ,
vb=3000 is the video bitrate in Kbit/s ,
ab=256 is the audio bitrate in Kbit/s
vt=800000 is the video bitrate tolerance in bit/s ,
keyint=80 is the maximum interval between two "I" images in number of images ,
deinterlace tells VLC to deinterlace the video on the fly ,
192.168.0.42 is either :
the IP address of the machine you want to unicast to ;
or the DNS name the machine you want to unicast to ;
or a multicast IP address .
12 is the value of the TTL (Time To Live) of your IP packets (which means that the stream will be able to cross 11 routers) .