Jenny Ewing Memorial Ride

Please pass this on to anyone who might be interested in participating in this event……you may not be in the area or able to ride, but there are nice shirts for purchase available to help as well. Or, guys, get one for a girl/woman you care about.....

On July 25th, 2006, Jenny Ewing, a resident of Atlanta, was assaulted and murdered while riding her bike on the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia. Jenny was an avid cyclist who rode the Silver Comet Trail several days a week. Her tragic death was a blow to her family, friends and the extended cycling community, both in Atlanta and around the country.
She was raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender JUST previously released from prison (by some nut on the parole board), --a couple months later - this tragic event.
A memorial ride will be held in her honor on September 23rd on the Silver Comet Trail. If you are interested in participating, please see below…..
http://www.jennyewingmemorialride.com/
Also, t-shirts in her honor are available at
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22150

ART FOR JUSTICE & VICTIMS UNITED
www.artforjustice.com
SEEKING JUSTICE!
404.350.9232
Art - www.designmindatlanta.com
www.myspace.com/madonnainart

September 11, 2001

As I sit this early morning and reflect upon those events which happened exactly five years ago, I can't help but think of those who lost their lives not knowing what was actually going on in the United States. There was no warning, no way for anyone to communicate with the outside world. Then I sit and wonder if this country is better and safer now than it was five years ago and if we are still focusing on what really matters. I know I will never forget this day and I hope none of you will either. It took a coward to do what was done to this country and we will overcome. We shall rise up and take a final stand against those who attempt to kill our freedom, our way of life that has been fought for over 200 years. Please take time today in remembering those who have fought for us and those who have lost their lives living what has been fought for.

Ahhh, the Moon!

September 2006 features the first northernmost moon of the century, as well as the closest full moon and farthest new moon of the year. In addition, a partial lunar eclipse at full moon, September 7, and an annular solar eclipse at new moon, September 22, will also occur.

Northernmost Moon

Northern and southernmost moons come in cycles of approx 19 years. The last northernmost moon fell on September 15, 1987; the next will occur March 7, 2025. This year the northernmost moon is on September 14 EDT. In the U. S., except Alaska, the moon will be underneath the horizon at this time.
Closest Full MoonFull moon occurs the night of September 7-8; of all the full moons this year, this moon aligns most closely with perigee, the closest monthly approach to the earth. A full or new moon coinciding with perigee brings forth a perigean spring tide, which further accentuates the extreme monthly variation between high and low tides.

Farthest New Moon

At it's apogee, point in the moon's orbit farthest from earth, the moon is directly between the earth and sun. Since sunlight only illuminates the far side of the moon, it appears dark or faintly visible from earth.
Partial Lunar Eclipse A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth's shadow falls over the moon. Lunar eclipses occur, on average, about every 6 months. When only part of the moon enters the earth's umbra, darker core of shadow, a partial eclipse will result.

Annular Solar Eclipse

The September 22 new moon and sun are in perfect alignment, therefore a visible ring, or annulus of sunshine, surrounds the moon at this time. This is called an annular solar eclipse, which is significant to the northernmost moon because it occurs so close to the September 23 equinox.

-attributed sources
http://www.idialstars.com/smoon.htm http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moonpedia/

Thanks to Jnxrtist!

Yet another day

If you want you can read another blog on my Yahoo! 360 page because I really don't feel up to typing it all out again here.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/sunnydaze_28
Thanks....later....

Well, this is a little better

Teammate doesn't expect Roethlisberger
to miss more than 1 game

By ALAN ROBINSON
Associated Press Sports
Updated: 8:15 p.m. ET Sept 4, 2006

PITTSBURGH (AP) -Ben Roethlisberger will miss at least one game following his emergency appendectomy. Hines Ward, who had the same procedure four years ago, will be surprised if the Pittsburgh quarterback misses a second.
After all, Ward said, isn't Roethlisberger's remarkably fast recovery from his June motorcycle accident proof enough how fast a healer he is?
Unless there are some unexpected medical complications, Ward expects Roethlisberger to play in the second game of the season Sept. 18 in Jacksonville. Because the Steelers play the NFL's season-opening game Thursday against Miami, they will have 11 days off before their next game.
"He's going to do whatever it takes to play against Jacksonville. He doesn't like to miss games,'' Ward said Monday. "Knowing Ben, he's going to be there for Jacksonville.''
Ward, a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, spoke with some knowledge of the situation. He also had an appendectomy during the preseason, in 2002, but returned 17 days later to make eight catches in the Steelers' opener against New England.
Ward was still in pain, but not to the point it affected his play.
"You're not going to be 100 percent - you just went under the knife - and it all depends on how much pain tolerance he has,'' Ward said. "Ben's a guy who's played with pain before.''
Roethlisberger broke his nose, upper and lower jaw, some eye socket bones and got a concussion during his June 12 motorcycle accident, but didn't miss any training camp time because of it.
The quarterback was released from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian on Monday following his third operation in less than a year. Coach Bill Cowher said he won't discuss Roethlisberger's playing status until next week.
"He's doing fine and eating well and walking around. ... He's eager to get back,'' Cowher said. "The best thing about it is the surgery went well.''
Losing Roethlisberger is a setback to the Super Bowl champions going into a difficult opener against Miami, Ward said, but he emphasized how they went 2-0 with Charlie Batch as a fill-in starter last season.
Batch looked rusty while throwing for only 65 yards in a 20-10 victory in Green Bay on Nov. 6, his first substantial game action in nearly four years. He was much sharper a week later, going 13-of-19 for 150 yards during a 41-0 rout of Cleveland while Roethlisberger was out following arthroscopic knee surgery.
"You think you can jump right in and the game speed is going to come right away, and it didn't happen,'' said Batch, the Lions' starter for most of four seasons from 1998-2001. "I was kind of a split-second off while I was in Green Bay, but I was able to rebound when I came back against Cleveland. Definitely, having those games was good.''
Batch doesn't expect to be off on his timing against Miami after spending considerable time practicing with the starting offense during camp.
Ward said the offensive game plan wasn't altered despite the change at quarterback.
"It is disappointing for us watching Ben get better, working his tail off to get back to where he was, and it's frustrating,'' Ward said. "But we've got to rally around Charlie. The confidence and comfort level with Charlie, it's there.''
Ward returned to practice this week and expects to play after missing much of training camp with a sore hamstring.
The Steelers signed their one-time No. 3 quarterback, Brian St. Pierre, to their practice squad Monday. Either St. Pierre or rookie Omar Jacobs, also currently on the practice squad, will be Batch's backup Thursday.
Batch grew up in Pittsburgh and was an elementary school classmate of Dolphins defensive star Jason Taylor, so he expects to be more pumped up than usual starting a season opener. Batch hasn't played in an opener since 2001 with Detroit, but now gets to start one in his hometown.
"I've got to calm myself down because I'm excited, and to be able to start at home and do this in front of family and friends is great,'' Batch said. "I haven't had too many opportunities to play at Heinz Field and that's why I'm excited. But my mom is probably more excited than me, so I'll have to calm her down.''
Batch attended the Virginia-Pitt game with Roethlisberger on Saturday night, and was as surprised as anyone to learn 12 hours later that he was ill and would miss at least one game.
"I never imagined anything was wrong with him,'' Batch said. "But that's why I'm here. I'm glad to have this opportunity and a couple of days to prepare for that. Most of the time, your number is called and you just run into the game.''
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14670988/

R.I.P. STEVE IRWIN

'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin dead

POSTED: 2:46 p.m. EDT, September 4, 2006

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Steve Irwin, the enthusiastic "Crocodile Hunter" who enthralled audiences around the world with his wildlife adventures, died Monday morning after being stung by a stingray while shooting a TV program off Australia's north coast.
Media reports say Irwin was snorkeling at Batt Reef, a part of the Great Barrier Reef about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) from the town of Port Douglas, when the incident happened.
Irwin, 44, was killed by a stingray barb that pierced his chest, according to Cairns police sources.
Irwin was in the area to film pieces for a show called "The Ocean's Deadliest" with Philippe Cousteau, grandson of Jacques, according to Irwin's manager and friend John Stainton. But weather had prevented the crew from doing work for that program, Stainton said, so Irwin decided to do some softer features for a new children's TV show he was doing with his daughter, Bindi.
"He came over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand, and the barb came up and hit him in the chest," Stainton said.
Wildlife documentary maker Ben Cropp, citing a colleague who saw footage of the attack, told Time.com that Irwin had accidentally boxed the animal in. "It stopped and twisted and threw up its tail with the spike, and it caught him in the chest," said Cropp. "It's a defensive thing. It's like being stabbed with a dirty dagger." (Read the TIME.com obituary. )
Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality Monday morning off Port Douglas, according to Australian media. (Gallery: The life of the "Crocodile Hunter")
Queensland Police Services also confirmed Irwin's death and said his family had been notified.
Irwin was director of the Australia Zoo in Queensland. He is survived by his American-born wife, Terri, and their two children, Bindi Sue, born 1998, and Robert (Bob), born December 2003.
"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns, according to The Associated Press. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!' " (Watch a remembrance of Steve Irwin -- 1:58)
"Steve was a larger-than-life force. He brought joy and learning about the natural world to millions and millions of people across the globe," said Discovery Communications founder and chairman John Hendricks in a statement. "We extend our thoughts and prayers to Terri, Bindi and Bob Irwin as well as to the incredible staff and many friends Steve leaves behind."
Irwin's "Crocodile Hunter" show aired on the company's Animal Planet network.
Discovery Communications said it will rename the garden space in front of Discovery's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, the "Steve Irwin Memorial Sensory Garden."
The company also is looking at the creation of a Steve Irwin Crocodile Hunter Fund. The fund will support wildlife protection, education and conservation, as well as aid Irwin's Australia Zoo and provide educational support for Bindi and Bob Irwin, the company said.
Australia Prime Minister John Howard said he was "shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death," according to AP. "It's a huge loss to Australia."
Irwin became a popular figure on Australian and international television through Irwin's close handling of wildlife, most notably the capture and relocation of crocodiles.
Irwin's enthusiastic approach to nature conservation and the environment won him a global following. He was known for his exuberance and use of the catch phrase "Crikey!" (E-mail us: How will you remember Steve Irwin?)
"His message is really about conservation: He really wants to leave the world a better place for everybody," Animal Planet's Maureen Smith told CNN.com in April.
"It's unbelievable, really," Jack Hanna, the host of "Jack Hanna's Animal Adventure" and director emeritus of the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo, told CNN. "You think about Steve Irwin and you think of people who are invincible."
Hanna, a friend of Irwin's, noted that Irwin's persona of the Crocodile Hunter was no act. Irwin grew up around crocodiles, snakes and other animals at his parents' Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park and had been handling such creatures since he was a child.
"Steve really knew what he was doing. He was one of the finest reptile people in the world. He knew more about reptiles than anybody did. He was raised that way," said Hanna.
Though stingrays can be threatening, their sting -- usually prompted by self-defense -- is not often fatal. The bull ray that apparently stung Irwin was "a one-in-a-million thing," Cropp told Time.com. "I have swum with many rays, and I have only had one do that to me." (Watch a marine biologist talk about the dangers of stingrays -- 3:48)
"A wild animal is like a loaded gun -- it can go off at any time," Hanna said. "You have to be careful of that." But, he added, it's not the animals who are inherently dangerous, but the way they may react around humans. "People use the word 'dangerous,' and that sometimes is a word that's not fair to that animal, because that animal is only using the defenses that God gave it," said Hanna.

Rise to popularity

Irwin became popular with his show "Crocodile Hunter," which first aired on Australian TV in 1992. Eventually, the program was picked up by Discovery in the United States, establishing Irwin worldwide.
His popularity led to a film, "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course" (2002).
Irwin was caught in a minor flap in January 2004 when he held his then 1-month-old son while feeding a crocodile at his Australian zoo. (Full story)
In 2003, Irwin spoke to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s "Australian Story" television program about how he was perceived in his home country.
"When I see what's happened all over the world, they're looking at me as this very popular, wildlife warrior Australian bloke," he told the ABC.
"And yet back here in my own country, some people find me a little bit embarrassing. You know, there's this ... they kind of cringe, you know, 'cause I'm coming out with 'Crikey' and 'Look at this beauty.' "
At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes, the AP reported. Drivers honked their horns as they passed.
"Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace," was written on a card with a bouquet of native flowers.
"We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do without him. He's done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss," said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at the gate, according to the AP.
"He has left a legacy: That people do love some of the unloved animals like crocodiles and reptiles that people wanted to kill," Stainton told CNN. "He's actually put a position in their hearts for them. I want that to continue. ... I want people to really go out there and remember Steve Irwin for what he really was, which was a great conservationist, saving wildlife and actually promoting wildlife that people didn't love."

Please go to CNN.com

Thanks Niki

THIS IS HILARIOUS!!! Enjoy! :)

SIPPING VODKA
A new priest at his first mass was so nervous he could hardly speak. After mass he asked the monsignor how he had done. The monsignor replied, "When I am worried about getting nervous On the pulpit, I put a glass of vodka next to the water glass. If I start to get nervous, I take a sip." So next Sunday he took the monsignor's advice. At the beginning of the sermon, he got nervous and took a drink. He proceeded to talk up a storm.

Upon his return to his office after the mass, he found the following note on the door:

1) Sip the vodka, don't gulp.

2) There are 10 commandments, not 12.

3) There are 12 disciples, not 10.

4) Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.

5) Jacob wagered his donkey, he did not bet his ass.

6) We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C.

7) The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as Daddy, Junior and the spook.

8) David slew Goliath, he did not kick the sh*t out of him.

9) When David was hit by a rock and was knocked off his donkey, don't say he was stoned off his ass.

10) We do not refer to the cross as the "Big T."

11) When Jesus broke the bread at the last supper he said, "take this and eat it for it is my body." He did not say "Eat me".

12) The Virgin Mary is not called "Mary with the Cherry.

13) The recommended grace before a meal is not: Rub-A-Dub-Dub thanks for the grub, Yeah God.

14) Next Sunday there will be a taffy pulling contest at St.Peter's not a peter pulling contest at St. Taffy's.

Well this really sucks!!!

QB Roethlisberger undergoes appendectomy, out of opener

September 3, 2006

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - Ben Roethlisberger will not be under center when the Pittsburgh Steelers begin defense of their Super Bowl title on Thursday night.

Roethlisberger underwent an emergency appendectomy on Sunday afternoon.

The latest setback for Roethlisberger comes four months after he suffered serious facial injuries in a motorcycle accident.

Roethlisberger arrived at the team's practice facility on Sunday morning, was feeling ill and was sent to see the team doctors, who performed the surgery.

"The surgery went well," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "He is obviously going to be out this week and we will go week-to-week from there."

Charlie Batch will start on Thursday when the Steelers host the Miami Dolphins.

Roethlisberger was injured in a motorcycle accident on June 12 and underwent surgery for multiple facial fractures, a broken upper and lower jaw and broken nose. He also suffered a mild concussion, lost two teeth and chipped several others.

It was questionable whether Roethlisberger would be able to be ready by the start of training camp on July 28. But Roethlisberger reported on time and played in three of the club's four preseason games.

At 23 years of age, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl last February. He completed just 9-of-21 passes for 123 yards and was intercepted twice, but rushed for a touchdown in the Steelers' 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL.

The 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Roethlisberger owns a 27-4 record, including 5-1 in the playoffs, as a starter. He is the first quarterback in the modern era to start a conference championship game in each of his first two NFL seasons.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=steelersroethlisberg&prov=st&type=lgns

Damn funny!

There's also one out on the internet that has something like "an arm, a leg, first born", too damn funny!

The 2006 Primetime Emmys: Part 2

Mariska Hargitay holds the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her work on 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Producers of 'The Amazing Race' gather onstage after winning the award for outstanding reality-competition show at the 58th annual Prime time Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles August 27, 2006. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES)
Nominee Kyra Sedgwick (L) arrives with her husband, actor Kevin Bacon, at the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles August 27, 2006. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES)

Law & Order: SVU and Amazing Race are two other shows I like a lot. The Closer, which is on TNT, is another great show. Too bad it didn't win an Emmy, Kyra Sedgwick is great!

The 2006 Primetime Emmys: Part 1

Actor Kiefer Sutherland waves backstage after winning two Emmys, one for best actor in a drama series for his work in '24' and one for outstanding drama series for the show '24', during the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles August 27, 2006 REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES)
Actress Mary Lynn Rajskub arrives for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Actor Kiefer Sutherland (L) and director Jon Cassar gesture onstage during their award for outstanding drama series for '24' at the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, August 27, 2006. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES)

My all-time favorite show wins Emmys!

BTW

I really don't care what people say, I like what I posted below and it's staying, no matter what y'all folks think! Ha!

I have a confession to make

Ever since the '80's, I've had a quiet, yet sick at times, obsession with Kevin Bacon. Those who are closest to me, can you figure out why? I've never told anyone this before in my life because I didn't want to be looked at as some kind of psycho. I know, I've already posted this on my Yahoo! 360, but I had to put it here too. If I could do it all over again, when I was in L.A. in 2002, I would have stayed through the Oscars that year instead of coming back to work. Then I would have tried my best to spot him on the red carpet. There is just something about him that draws me to him.

Emotional...

http://www.newseum.org/pulitzer/

After the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this past week or two, I saw this today and it brought even more emotions. Such compelling photos! Thanks to Sheila for bringing it to my attention.

Can't believe I forgot to post this

Well, since my man hasn't read my posts to him yet, I figured I'd go ahead and go back to trying to occupy my time without him.
This whole scenario is just too damn funny in the photo above.

This is dedicated to my love

Honey, I know this is a song, but I really like the group and the song, and I wanted to dedicate it to you.
I love you very much.

"I set out on a narrow way
Many years ago
Hoping I would find true love
Along the broken road.
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow, kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign
Pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream
Led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
They were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way
Into your loving arms
This much I know is true:
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I've spent
Just passing through
I'd like to have the time
I lost And give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there; you understand
It's all part of a grander plan
That is coming true
Every long lost dream
Led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
They were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way
Into your loving arms
This much I know is true:
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms
This much I know is true:
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you."

By Rascal Flatts, 'Bless the Broken Road'
Honey, there's something for you on my Yahoo! 360 page also.

FOR CAROL

This is for my good friend Carol. I know how much she's luvs her Andre Agassi!

OHIO STATE #1

Updated: Aug. 18, 2006, 6:22 PM ET

Ohio State clear-cut No. 1 in preseason AP poll
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- When Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and the rest of Ohio State's blazing Buckeyes were last seen on a big stage, they were whizzing around Sun Devil Stadium at warp speed.
That 34-20 victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl made a lasting impression.
For the first time since 1998, Ohio State is preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25.
"Around here, whether you're high in the polls or not, the expectations are still the same," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said in a telephone interview.
The Buckeyes received 35 of a possible 65 first-place votes from a panel of media members in the poll released Friday. Notre Dame was No. 2, the best preseason showing for the Fighting Irish since they were second in 1994.
Texas will start the defense of its national title as the No. 3 team in the country. Auburn was fourth and West Virginia fifth.
Southern California, preseason No. 1 the past two years, was No. 6. Florida, LSU, California and Oklahoma rounded out the top 10.
No. 11 Florida State and No. 12 Miami will renew their rivalry on Labor Day night in the Orange Bowl.
No. 13 was Louisville, followed by Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Penn State and Nebraska.
The final five were Oregon, TCU, Tennessee, Arizona State and Texas Tech.
Unlike the past two seasons, when Southern California started the season as an overwhelming No. 1, the Buckeyes received 54 percent of the first-place votes, and all the teams in the top six received at least three votes for No. 1. Notre Dame had 10 first-place votes, Texas eight, West Virginia six and Auburn and USC three.
Ohio State closed the 2005 season on a seven-game winning streak and was No. 4 in the final AP poll. The Buckeyes' two losses were to Texas and Penn State by a combined total of 10 points.
The emergence of Smith, a dual-threat quarterback whose junior season started with a suspension, gave the Buckeyes' a new identity.
In Ohio State's first five seasons under Tressel, defense had become the Buckeyes' forte, complemented by a play-it-safe offensive mentality. Tresselball won Ohio State a national title in 2002 with Maurice Clarett powering the offense on the ground.
With Smith running the show, Ohio State has a new MO.
These Buckeyes run a jet-powered spread-option offense, turning Smith loose the way Texas did Vince Young. During the seven-game winning streak, Ohio State averaged 38 points per game.
"There's no question we'd love to be explosive," Tressel said. "We have some kids who can do those type of things."
Smith passed for 2,282 yards, ran for 611 more and accounted for 27 touchdowns on the ground and through the air last season. He did all that despite sitting out the first game for taking money from a booster and then sharing the job for two games.
Smith solidified his status against Michigan and Notre Dame, throwing for 642 yards.
"I think he has done an excellent job battling through adversity, some of which he created and others were circumstances that had nothing to do with him," said Tressel, who's 50-13 with Ohio State. "Now the fun thing about Troy Smith is to find out how he'll handle success."
Smith has a couple of excellent running mates in Ginn and tailback Antonio Pittman.
Ginn, the super-fast receiver and return man who was a freshman star in 2004, was having a disappointing sophomore season until he burned Notre Dame for 167 yards on eight catches, including touchdowns of 56 and 68 yards.
Pittman had the second-best sophomore season of any running back in Ohio State history with 1,331 yards rushing -- only two-time Heisman winner Archie Griffin did better -- capped by a game-clinching 60-yard yard touchdown sprint against the Fighting Irish.
The Buckeyes must replace seven defensive starters, including linebacker A.J. Hawk and two other first-round draft picks.
"You miss the maturity, the leadership and the game experience," Tressel said.
All the top teams seem to be missing something.
Notre Dame's 17 returning starters include its Heisman contender, quarterback Brady Quinn, but also most of the defense Ohio State torched.
Texas would have been a lock to enter the season No. 1 if Young hadn't left early for the NFL. Without him, the Longhorns are loaded but leaderless.
USC must replace Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and enough offensive talent to start an NFL expansion team.
Auburn's smallish defense was last seen being run over by burly Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl.
West Virginia proved it belonged among the nation's elite with a 38-35 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. But how will last season's fabulous freshmen, quarterback Pat White and backfield mate Steve Slaton, respond to high expectations?
LSU and Cal have quarterback questions. Speaking of quarterbacks, how will Florida's Chris Leak do in Year 2 under Urban Meyer?
And how will Oklahoma hold up after its starting QB, Rhett Bomar, was kicked off the team for taking a no-show job?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2554075

CAUTION!!! WARNING!!!

Get the code at www.winterrowd.com

GO BUCKS!!!

GO BUCKS!

It's That time of the year again!!!!

A farmer outside of Ann Arbor was working his cattle one day when he heard faint music coming from nearby. After hunting about for a time, he discovered the sound was loudest near one particular calf, and was even louder near the calf's tail. Putting his head close to the calf's hind end, he heard the University of Michigan's fight song Amazed, he put the calf in the truck and drove the animal to a vet in Ann Arbor. When the vet asked him what was going on, the farmer told him. The vet went around behind the calf and gave a listen. He casually agreed he heard the University of Michigan's fight song but didn't seem particularly excited. "Man, this is unbelievable! How can you stand there and not be amazed?" the farmer asked. The vet, a third generation Ohio State University graduate, said, "Hell, Bud, I'm a Buckeye and I've been listening to assholes sing that song my whole life."

Hello Buckeye Fans!

*Never agree to get married on a Saturday Ohio State is scheduled to play football. There are typically 40 other freakin' weekends to choose from...sack up and make her choose one of those!

*Never attend a wedding during an Ohio State football game unless you carry a TV......and watch it even during the ceremony.

*It is OK to wear an OSU football jersey even when old....and fat....and bald. Extra points if you've got an OSU baseball cap on backwards, sit in the "Huntington Club" seats and repeatedly spill stuff on anyone named "Chas" or "Muffy." (Make sure you do so early and often because they'll be long gone by the end of the third period). Maybe some "real" fans will take their seats.

*Always, and I mean ALWAYS, return any "O...H" with a hearty "I...O." This is true even during funerals, sex, in foreign countries or when witnessing the birth of your child.

*When driving on I-75 during spring break season (March through April), every fifth vehicle you see with Michigan license plates should be honked at then flipped off. By Tennessee, even those dumb SOB's should get the point.

*When Notre Dame plays Michigan, it is mandatory to despise both teams. There are no winners.

*You cannot have a second favorite football team behind OSU. You are permitted to have another team (non-Big Ten or ND) that you hate less than the others.

*It is OK to be emotional (and even "tear" up) during the following:
-Script Ohio
-Your child's first Buckeye game
-Carmen Ohio -During a Tressel speech
-Listening to "What I Want"
-Remembering Woody
-After beating Michigan
-Winning the National Championship
-Hearing Brett Musberger exclaim,"Holy Buckeye!"
-When NFL Buckeyes state on MNF that they are from "THE" Ohio State University.
-Hearing the phrase, "Rest easy Woody, the new man has arrived."

*It is not cool to make fun of the Neutron Man. Especially now that he is watching games with Woody

*Buckeye necklaces must be worn at all times on game day from the time you leave your place of abode until you return. One other time: If you happen to get desperate and are in the process of bagging a girl from Michigan, you must have on your Buckeye necklace to ward off any feelings of affection. (This is true even if you go over to the dark side and marry her).

*Always take off your hat during Carmen Ohio and physically remove the hats of anyone in your vicinity who fails to do so.

*Everyone should rush the field after an OSU home victory over Michigan at least once in their lifetime. (Extra kudos for those of you who rushed The field at IU and tore down THEIR goalposts a few years ago...c'mon you know who you are!).

*Once your children attain age ten, they should be allowed to say "F" Michigan but only during game day in your presence.

*Attending Skull Session is mandatory at least once each season.

*ESPN employees must be verbally taunted at every opportunity.

*We must all pray that the next president of OSU has more of a clue than the present one.

*When you die, you must have at least one item of Buckeye memorabilia with you. (Specify which one in your will, that way your spouse won't pick something stupid).

*Your children should be taught to let you know when they "have to take a Wolverine."

*You must be willing to die to defend your right to drink beer during tailgates.

*You are forbidden to fall for the National Media crap sandwich that JoePa is still a "good guy." In reality, he is a bitter, senile old man reduced to a cheerleader and referee-baitor. His credibility went south forever when he hired Galen "Cheatin" Hall to resurrect his sorry football program.

*Recruiting must be followed as intensely as any game. This is true even if it puts your job/career at risk.

*Attend the Spring Game. It makes it easier to survive the summer.

*When in church, it is not sacrilegious to count being a Buckeye as one of your blessings.

*Try to never boo a former or current Buckeye football player. (unless is Clarett!)

*Correct anyone who doesn't refer to OSU as "THE" Ohio State University. If they argue with you over what they think to be a nit-picky point, you are free to kick their a$$.

*When making fun of guys in marching bands always caveat your comments with a statement that, regardless of what you just said, anyone in TBDBITL is very cool.

*Admit that secretly, you wished you played tuba and could dot the "i." You'd even be willing to put on a few dozen pounds to look the part.

*You would not trade the opportunity to swill beer while listening to The Danger Brothers after an OSU victory over Michigan for tickets to any rock band that has ever existed.

*It is important to consider the "good old days" ARE NOW. Enjoy them even when OSU doesn't win the NC.

*Scarlet and Gray always works. Maize and Blue is always gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

*Drinking alcohol before 9:00 A.M. is, at best, immature, and likely, a sign of a serious problem. Except on game day.

*It is never ok to talk to a stranger at the urinal next to you unless he is dressed in OSU garb. That said, the topic should be limited to Buckeye football.

*There are no bad seats in Ohio Stadium.

*If you attend a game at Wisconsin, you must never engage in "Jump Around" at the end of the third quarter no matter how tempting. Also, never, and I mean never, take your kids to a Wisconsin game unless you want to explain why everyone there are drunken jerks.

*If your wife asks you what was the greatest night of your life, admit the truth that it was January 3, 2003. Sex isn't as important or rewarding as that NC.

*Plant a Buckeye tree in your yard.

*Hang a Buckeye flag on game day. If any of your neighbors counter with a Michigan flag, it is your solemn duty to tear it down and deface it anyway you see fit.

*It is "ok" to not get the drum major thing; it is "not ok" to fail to cheer when the plume touches the field.

*Be thankful beer is not sold during the game. It leaves more room for HineyGate.

*In honor of Woody, the principle of "paying forward" should be practiced at all times by all Buckeyes. I hope that you have a great day, and LET'S GO BUCKS!!!

Well, since I tried to sleep...

...and failed miserably, and I couldn't call my boyfriend because it's too late at night, I thought I'd play around with this: http://www.yeeguy.com/freefall/georgerag.swf

What fun, and yeah I know I've posted it before but I like it way too much.

Thank you Niki!

My friend Niki sent me this!
How cute!
My girls luv Hello Kitty!
Oh wait, this was for me LOL :)

My other blog

I've posted some neat photos on my other blog here A Sunny World Revisited

Drifter Accused of Killing New Jersey Teen, Leaving Body in Trash Bin

http://tinyurl.com/p5ymo

Drifter Accused of Killing New Jersey Teen, Leaving Body in Trash Bin

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

WEST NEW YORK, N.J. — Just before she was kidnapped and killed, a suburban teenager called her boyfriend to say she was lost in Manhattan and someone was following her, a law enforcement official said Friday. Eighteen-year-old Jennifer Moore's cell phone was later used by Draymond Coleman, the drifter charged with her slaying Thursday, said the official, who asked not to be named because the investigation was ongoing.

Coleman, 35, did not speak Friday during a brief appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court, and no plea was entered. Coleman, who has prior arrests for robbery and assault, was ordered held without bail until an Aug. 25 hearing.

"He's not guilty as far as I'm concerned," his attorney, Sidney Luster, said later.

Witnesses said Moore was last seen early Tuesday as she walked alone along a major roadway along Manhattan's west side, wearing a black halter top and white miniskirt. Her body was found Thursday in a trash bin in West New York, N.J.

New York police think Moore was lured or forced into a taxi, taken to a New Jersey motel and strangled, the law enforcement official told the AP. Officials said surveillance video from the motel in Weehawken, N.J., showed Coleman entering the building with Moore early Tuesday, according to reports published Friday.

Coleman, who has no permanent address, was arrested Thursday at a cheap hotel in Manhattan. He is fighting extradition to New Jersey.

A woman believed to be Coleman's girlfriend was charged Friday with hindering his arrest, evidence tampering and prostitution in Hudson County, N.J. Krystal Riordan, 20, of Orange, Conn., was being held on $1 million bail.

Moore's death followed a night of partying with a friend that ended at the Guest House, a nightclub complex in Manhattan's trendy Chelsea neighborhood. Police describe the complex as a magnet for trouble, with reports of drug dealing, robbery and assault.

After discovering that their car had been towed, Moore accompanied a friend to the city tow pound, but Moore's friend passed out and had to be taken by ambulance to a hospital. Moore stayed behind.

Moore called her boyfriend on her cell phone about 5 a.m. and said someone was following her, the law enforcement official told the AP. He reportedly told her to call a taxi, and when he tried to call her back a short time later, there was no answer.

Later, the suspect used the same cell phone to call a woman staying at the hotel to come down and pay for the taxi when they arrived, the official said. Authorities described the woman as a prostitute who worked for Coleman.

A woman who answered the phone at the Riordan home in Connecticut said Krystal Riordan "wouldn't do something like this." The woman identified herself only as Riordan's adopted sister and said she had been instructed not to talk about the case.

Hugh Moore described his daughter as "smart and bright and funny."

"Wrong place, wrong time. It could happen to anybody," he said outside the family home in Harrington Park, N.J.

Moore graduated from high school in May and was enrolled at the University of Hartford for the fall, her father said.

Is Vitale murder case a media frenzy?

Blair visit a big publicity boost for Schwarzenegger in election year

Phillip Matier & Andrew Ross

Sunday, July 30, 2006

British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to California was quite an election-year coup for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Schwarzenegger is expected to get a big photo op with Blair today when he introduces the prime minister at that star-studded corporate conference down in Pebble Beach. It's hosted by News Corp. publishing mogul Rupert Murdoch and features the likes of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, U2's Bono and Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Everything from the environment to poverty to AIDS will be addressed.

The even-bigger show comes Monday in Long Beach. That's when Arnold, who has been trying to buff up his eco-credentials, will join Blair and the likes of British Petroleum chief Lord John Browne and Virgin Group CEO Sir Richard Branson to announce a new agreement to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions involving British and California businesses.

Speaking of green, Blair's visit is certain to cost San Francisco taxpayers plenty for all the police protection -- especially after the feds warned the department of a "high threat level'' and strong possibility of demonstrations.
"They've really ramped up the security,'' said one station captain, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the visit.

The department has mustered the full complement of 25 motorcycle cops to usher Blair around town -- the standard treatment for a U.S. president or visiting head of state.

There are a number of extra cops assigned to guard his Fairmont Hotel digs around the clock and deal with any protests.

Police sources say the call went out for no less than 400 hours of officer overtime -- at anywhere from $47 to $65 an hour -- and that's just mostly for the hotel detail. Down in the southern end of town, there were 80 more hours or so of overtime planned to cover Blair's visit today to the Delancey Street Foundation.

The motorcycle cops on duty today are planning on working 14-hour shifts -- not only escorting Blair in the morning and late at night, but keeping watch over the San Francisco Marathon in between.

While the bill for the Blair visit isn't in yet, you can bet it will easily match or surpass the $105,000 tab that police ran up during Prince Charles and Camilla's visit to the Bay Area in November.

Attention deficit: Maybe it's the wars in the Middle East -- or maybe America wants a break from celebrity trials -- but whatever the case, the murder trial of Scott Dyleski isn't turning into nearly the media circus that court officials had envisioned.

The 17-year-old Dyleski is accused of murdering Lafayette resident Pamela Vitale, wife of attorney and TV court commentator Daniel Horowitz. The killing in October got the national media's attention, partly because of who Horowitz is and partly because of the school photo that circulated of a stringy-haired, Goth-bedecked Dyleski.

Early inquiries from national media had Contra Costa County court officials bracing for wall-to-wall TV coverage. To accommodate the expected onslaught, officials set up a special media "spillover" room for reporters who couldn't get seats in the Martinez courthouse, barricades to protect the anticipated TV trucks, plus all the other technical hook-ups needed for high-profile coverage.
To help cover the costs, officials sold tickets to the media -- $120 guaranteed a seat every day of the trial, and $500 bought a TV truck space for a month.
So far, however, the tale has proved pretty much a national bust.
The court has sold only 19 seats (including one to The Chronicle) and five of the eight available truck passes. Two of the five have gone to local TV stations -- CNN, Fox and Court TV are representing the national electronic media, but even they're not giving it the heavy chatter.

"From what I've been told, other things started dominating the news -- the Middle East, the heat wave -- so the attention hasn't turned out to be nearly as heavy as we thought, '' said court Assistant Executive Officer Bill Darden.
Lawyer and court TV analyst Paula Canny gave a little broader picture.
"For one, a lot of the cable shows that used to do a lot of the court hoopla are no longer on the air," she said. "Two, unlike Scott Peterson, there aren't a lot of questions about did he do it or how he did it, so there isn't a lot of tabloid coverage.

"And three, you're talking about a 17-year-old kid, whose Mr. Goth picture makes people think of Columbine. And no one wants to think about something like that."

Go for the gold: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is trying to keep a good game face, but Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval's call for a referendum in November on whether the city should even bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics was just about the last thing he needed.

"He might have at least waited until we got out of the second round,'' said the mayor's press secretary, Peter Ragone.

Sandoval needs the backing of at least three other supervisors to get the measure on the ballot. So far, he has two -- Chris Daly and Ross Mirkarimi.
"And I have one more, but I'm not ready to disclose the name just yet,'' Sandoval said.

The fear in the mayor's office is that even going to voters to ask whether the city should spend millions on the games will reinforce U.S. Olympic Committee suspicions about the political will around here to host the event -- something that could kill the Bay Area's chances.

Newsom's aides also see a bit of payback in the play by Sandoval, who has been at odds with the mayor ever since Newsom opposed his bid to be city assessor.
"This has everything to do with politics and nothing do with policy,'' Ragone said.

Sandoval insists the Olympic question is all about policy -- specifically, the costs involved.

As for any paybacks: "I'm still a supervisor,'' Sandoval said, "and as a supervisor, my job is to ask the tough questions -- all the way to the end of my term."

On the job: "What is Karl Rove up to?" was the question former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown asked when he got back from watching the signing of the new Voting Rights Act at the White House this past week.
"President Bush only showed up for about 10 minutes, but Rove was working the crowd like nobody's business," Brown said. "He knew all of the brothers and sisters by first name and was all over the place. He was really on the job.
"He came up and said, 'Hello,' when I arrived, came up to me when I sat down -- then came back to say goodbye when I was leaving," Brown said of Rove. "And each time he repeated that he was coming out to San Francisco soon and wanted to get together."

Brown and Rove together?

Now that's a scary thought.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/30/MANDR.TMP

Found this while surfing the net...

The difference between USA/Iraq and Israel/Hezbollah

1. How it started

Bush lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Israel was invaded, had soliders killed/kidnapped by Hezbollah

2.Who the enemy is

The US is fighting "insurgents" in iraq. They could be Sunni or Shi'a or Al Qaeda or anyone who wants to blow us up.

Israel is fighting a known terrorist group, Hezbollah. Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks including some against Americans, and civilians.

3. The goals

Bush wants to bring "democracy" and stay until the "job is done" and other vague slogans that don't spell anything out.

Israel wants the release of captured soldiers and Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon.

4. Civilian Deaths

Over 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died so far and thousands continue to die each month, often through targeted attacks by suicide bombers in public places. Both Sunnis and Shiites have targeted civilians, and Americans have killed them "accidentally" or by a few soldiers going too far.

In Lebanon, Israel has dropped leaflets and warned civilians prior to attacks and so far only a few hundred have been killed by Israeli forces. Hezbollah is firing rockets into civilian areas killing both Israeli's and Arabs (who they call "Martyrs", even the children they've killed)

Israel is fighting against a known and specific enemy who attacked them first and threatens their very right to exist.

America is stuck fighting in the middle of a civil war we helped to start because our leaders lied to us then and are lying to us now.

Blog from http://tinyurl.com/n2cmz

Reponse from an Israeli teen

I had posted a question to Eugene, the young man who has written the "Live from an Israeli Bunker" blog, and another young man answered it via email by saying this below.

"Hi, Sunny!

I live in Israel and I thought I'd answer this question you had;"I'm sure you've been asked this already but I'd like to know for myself; why are innocent people being hurt and being put in the middle of a conflict that they were never involved in? Why do the children have to suffer? Not all Lebanese are Hezbollah so why do they have to endure such a tragedy? I'm not saying Israel doesn't have a right to defend themselves because I feel they do, but maybe something less violent could have been done first. This is just my opinion."

Firstly, I thought I'd just mention that Israel is barely using a small part of it's capabilities, the IAF is fighting at a restraint and has limited it's attacks to 20% power. There are only 2 Hativot in Lebanon, which is not THAT much...But that does not answer you question. I just thought you'd like to know that. :)The answer is quite simple, Hezbollah have set up their Bases in citizen populous, and are fighting in a guerilla type fighting from those citizen areas, which is known as a type of fighting that has a great impact on the citizens who live where the fighting is taking place. So basically, it's a win-win situation for Hezbollah, because in some cases we let them go (like when a friend of mine saw a Hezbollah terrorist holding a RPG launcher in one hand and a baby on the other, and had no choice but to let him get away), and they survive, or we have no other choice but to attack (like in Beirut, which contained terror facilities of highly importance) and get the bad reputation.

But oh well, there'll be peace in the middle east one day, I hope, no, I know I'll live to see it. :D

Idan, 18 years old from Israel"

Thank you Idan, you and Eugene have given me a lot of good information.

Child Protection and Safety Act

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=69893

Bush Signs Sex Offender Legislation on 25th Anniversary of Adam Walsh Abduction; NCMEC Praises Lawmakers for Sex Offender Registry
7/27/2006 12:31:00 PM
To: National Desk
Contact: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children media line, 703-837-6111
WASHINGTON, July 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) calls the passage of "The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006," the toughest and most important piece of legislation in the past 25 years in helping to save children's lives. This legislation (H.R. 4472) creates a national sex offender database and implements measures designed to drastically improve the tracking of sex offenders. It will also help to protect children against sexual exploitation and violent crimes.
"I commend President Bush and the members of Congress for enacting a bill allowing law enforcement to stay one step ahead of the sex offenders in this country who prey on our children. This bill provides a more comprehensive system for tracking sex offenders within the 50 states, calls for better resources for keeping tabs on these predators, and holds sex offenders accountable for failing to register," said NCMEC President and CEO Ernie Allen.
"The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" will be signed into law today on the 25th anniversary of the abduction of Adam Walsh, the 6-year-old son of NCMEC co-founders John and Reve Walsh. The law is named for Adam, who was kidnapped from a shopping mall in Hollywood, Fla., and found murdered 16 days later. Sadly, no one was ever charged in Adam's murder. His abduction and murder helped spark the nation's missing children's movement.
Allen added, "Twenty-five years after Adam's abduction we can state with confidence that we have come a long way in our efforts to help keep our kids safer. Thanks in large part to the tireless efforts of John and Reve, who have turned their personal tragedy into a call to action, we have this historic legislation. This new law will change the way we deal with child predators across this nation. Now we need Congress to fully fund this bill so it can be strongly executed."
Today, there are nearly 600,000 registered sex offenders in the United States; however, as many as 150,000 are "lost" in the system having failed to comply with registration duties and remain undetected due to law enforcement's inability to track their whereabouts. NCMEC believes this new bill builds on 20 years of legislative efforts to better manage the problem of sex offenders in our communities.
Highlights of the bill:
1) Creates a national public sex offender registry. Provides the public with better and more uniform information about sex offenders so that all communities benefit from the same kind of information. States will be required to list all, not merely some, sex offenders on their Web site registries.
2) Provides for consistent sex offender requirements in all states. Sex offenders will no longer be able to take advantage of different state requirements to avoid registering. It mandates that sex offenders be registered before they are released from prison or three days after a sentence of probation. 3) Penalizes failure to comply with registration duties as a state and federal felony. 4) Enhances the ability of law enforcement to track sex offenders when they move, cutting down on the number of "missing" sex offenders in the system. It requires sex offenders to verify registration in person to law enforcement rather than by mail.
5) Makes important changes in the way law enforcement handles missing child reports. Reports must be entered into the FBI's National Crime Information Center within two hours. It also prohibits the removal of a missing child report when the child turns age 18 before being recovered.
6) In response to the growing problem of commercial child pornography and the exploitation of children online, the bill increases the number of Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces across the nation.
Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) was one of the primary authors of the original bill. Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Joseph Biden (D- Del.) were the primary sponsors of the bill in the Senate. NCMEC also recognizes U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.); House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), along with all the members of the Judiciary Committees in both the Senate and the House and the other co-sponsors of the bill for their dedication in getting this legislation passed.
To obtain a copy of "The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" and to learn what you can do to help protect children, visit http://www.missingkids.com.
-----
About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 400,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 120,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 100,000 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 800-THE-LOST, or visit its Web site at http://www.missingkids.com.
---
http://www.usnewswire.com/

Justice for Pamela

http://tinyurl.com/ka36e

Testimony to begin in trial of 'Goth' teen accused of killing prominent lawyer's wife

By Lisa SweetinghamCourt TV

Opening statements are slated to begin Thursday in the murder trial of a former Boy Scout who is accused of the bludgeoning death of high-tech executive Pamela Vitale, the wife of a prominent California defense attorney.
Prosecutors believe that 17-year-old Scott Dyleski murdered Vitale on Oct. 15, 2005, during a violent struggle at the home she shared with her husband, Daniel Horowitz, in Lafayette, a woodsy neighborhood about 20 miles east of San Francisco.
Investigators say they have compelling evidence linking Dyleski to the murder, including DNA, bloody clothing and a Goth-inspired symbol found in the teen's room, which appears to match the symbol Vitale's killer carved on her body.
Money and drugs are the alleged motives for Vitale's killing.
A teenage friend of Dyleski's testified under immunity during pretrial hearings that he and the defendant concocted a scheme to grow their own marijuana. Dyleski is accused of stealing credit-card information from neighbors and attempting to use their addresses to order the hydroponics equipment online.
Vitale and Dyleksi had never met, but her address was found among the stolen credit card evidence in Dyleski's possession.
A gag order prevents Deputy District Attorney Harold Jewett and Dyleski's attorney, public defender Ellen Leonida, from discussing the case.
Leonida did not present evidence during pretrial hearings, but she has questioned the credibility of the state's DNA evidence and has unsuccessfully argued for a change of venue, noting that the high-profile coverage of the case has made it impossible for Dyleski to receive a fair trial.
Dyleski was arrested Oct. 19 and is being tried as an adult. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder, residential robbery and the special circumstance of murder during a robbery. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if he is convicted.

Web surfing interrupted

Married nearly 11 years, Vitale and Horowitz were living in a modular home on their 12-acre estate in 2005 while Vitale oversaw the construction of their dream house, an Italian-style hilltop villa with a vineyard.
Horowitz told officers that on Oct. 15, he arose at about 6:45 a.m., tended to the couple's two German shepherds, had breakfast with a friend at about 8:10 a.m., and worked at his office before picking up groceries and heading home.
According to computer forensics analysts, Vitale began her day by surfing the Web at 7:49 a.m. She viewed news reports on CNN.com, Courttv.com and Websleuths.com about the murder trial of Susan Polk, a woman who was on trial for the murder of her therapist husband.
Horowitz, and his co-counsel Ivan Golde, had recently taken Polk on as a client. Vitale was actively involved in her husband's practice. Earlier that week, Horowitz delivered opening statements in Polk's trial, which Vitale helped him to write.
Vitale's Web surfing ended at 10:12 a.m., which is when prosecutors believe she was interrupted and attacked by her killer.
Crime scene detectives believe Vitale put up a fight. Blood spatter was found over the walls and doors. There were broken pottery and crushed boxes, and a big-screen TV had been pushed against the entryway to the bedroom during the struggle.
Horowitz reported to detectives that he had tried calling his wife from work several times that day. He was concerned to see her white Mercedes in the driveway when he got home at 6 p.m., because she had plans to see the ballet with a friend.
As he walked toward the mobile home, Horowitz told detectives, he saw blood smears on the front door. The bags of groceries fell from his arms, he dropped to his knees, and he held the body of his wife, who was lying in a fetal position in the entryway.
A neighbor reported hearing Horowitz's car coming up the driveway, and then the sounds of a man crying out, "Oh my God, no, no, no."
Horowitz said he checked his wife's pulse, called 911, checked her pulse again and then called the local police.
He later told officers that he noticed Vitale's 2.5 carat wedding ring was turned with the diamond toward her palm, a custom whenever she was in the company of someone who made her uncomfortable.
The crime scene was rife with evidence. A piece of broken crown molding, one of the alleged weapons, had evidence of blood swipes and hair. The killer appeared to have taken a shower, leaving blood behind on the fixtures, and drank a glass of water before exiting.
Vitale's fight against her attacker, according to a witness present at her autopsy, resulted in 30 lacerations to her face and scalp, dislodged upper front teeth, two broken fingers, and a four-inch stab wound to her abdomen. Her official cause of death was "blunt force injury to the head."
Adding insult to injury, the killer carved an H-shaped symbol onto her back, as if leaving a signature. Detectives would be reminded of the symbol when their search of Dyleski's room turned up a dark connection.

A symbol of 'hate'

Esther Fielding testified during pretrial hearings that her son Scott Dyleski had studied online to receive his GED at age 16 and had been taking history, abnormal psychology and anthropology classes at Diablo Valley College.
Fielding was arrested nine days after her son for allegedly hiding and destroying evidence, including his journal and notes from his backpack, which she threw into a fire. Fielding escaped prosecution when she agreed to cooperate with authorities. She is expected to be a reluctant witness for the prosecution at her son's trial.
Prosecutors allege that Dyleski killed Vitale that Saturday morning, stuffed his raincoat and bloody clothes in a duffel bag, and hid the bag in an abandoned van that was parked on the property where he lived with his mother and three other families.
A member of Dyleski's household testified seeing wounds on the boy's face between 10:30 and 11 a.m. as he walked in the house. He allegedly explained that he scratched his face on a bush during a nature walk.
Crime scene analysts say a mixture of both Vitale and Dyleski's DNA was found on the duffel bag, and on a ski mask and shoes inside the bag. A swab sample from Vitale's right foot came back as a partial match to Dyleski's DNA.
When the 110-pound, 5-foot 6-inch teen was stripped and examined, investigators say he had numerous superficial injuries, including a scratch on his nostril, contusions on his arms and healing abrasions on his lower right leg.
Authorities collected evidence from Dyleski's bedroom, including artwork and poetry, allegedly signed by Dyleski, with the words "murder" and "Live for the kill."
A bumper sticker with the phrase "I'm for separation of church and hate" was noted for the style of the letter H, in "hate," that appeared similar to the symbol on Vitale's back. A CD of the band Velvet Acid Christ with a similar symbol on the CD packaging was also collected.
One of Dyleski's former housemates, David Curiel, testified that he made a discovery some three months after the boy was arrested and his mother had moved out: a sinister note lodged inside the top of a dresser drawer in Dyleski's room.
Scribbled on the paper, according to Curiel, was a list of actions including "knockout/kidnap," "keep captive to confirm PINs" and "cut up and bury."
"I was just aghast at what I was seeing," Curiel said. "It was a list of 'What to Do.'"

This makes me angry

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=380101 Destiny Norton Found Dead, Suspect Arrested
July 25th, 2006 @ 4:00pmKSL Team Coverage
The neighbor who kept the body of 5-year-old Destiny Norton in his basement told police the girl "went limp" after he lured her into his house and gagged her.
Destiny's body was found last night around 8:30 in the basement of 20-year-old Craig Roger Gregerson's home, about 150 feet behind the Norton's home. Sara Woods / Neighbor: "We're sick, this is right behind the wall of my house!.To have her missing, and have her turn up just two doors down, and we didn't even know she was here."

Craig Gregerson has been booked on kidnapping and murder charges. A spokesperson for the District Attorney's Office says prosecutors have not yet met with police. He says it could be a couple of days, before formal charges are filed. According to a probable cause booking statement, Gregerson saw Destiny outside his home. He then opened the gate to his backyard and lured the five-year-old into his home. The statement went on to say Destiny began to scream, so Gregerson put his hand over her mouth and began to squeeze. Her body then went limp and he laid her body on the floor. The man who calls himself Destiny's uncle, Peter Brooks, broke down when he heard the circumstances surrounding Destiny's disappearance. He says, Gregerson should receive the death penalty. Brooks believes the police betrayed the family's trust, but credits them for bringing an end to the mystery of Destiny's disappearance. Peter Brooks, Destiny's Uncle: "With everything I've said about the police department and law enforcement agencies, there is a bottom line to this; and the community needs to know this, they are teh ones who brought Destiny home." Earlier in the week when detectives went door-to-door in the neighborhood, they interviewed Gregerson inside his home. But police say canines never picked up Destiny's scent.

And even though Gregerson refused to allow police to search his home, the police chief says that is not sufficient probable cause to search someone's home. They had to wait for a warrant. Then last night, police received two tips. One was information leading them to Gregerson. The other was the witness who supposedly saw Destiny in a black truck outside a convenience store in Farmington. Police say these two tips came in around the same time and investigators were pursuing the leads simultaneously. Chief Chris Burbank / Salt Lake City Police Dept.: "As I was sitting in my office, I had two leads come to me. One was concerning the incident in Farmington and the black pickup. The other was this information. They said should we hold onto the info on the pickup? I said definitely not. In the event the information we had here did not pan out, I wasn't about to give up a lead in Farmington."

The Farmington lead turned out to be nothing. Then, around 10:30 last night, police called a press conference, but left a lot of questions still unanswered. How long was Destiny in that basement? And what led police to Gregerson's house now-- why not a week ago? The police chief's only statement about that was that there has been conflicting information from various sources up until the last minute. Another important piece of information to confirm-- could Destiny have been somewhere else when police originally went to Gregerson's home? Police have not said a word about the investigation today, and there are so many unanswered questions. They are choosing to wait until autopsy results come back. That could be as late as tomorrow but we may know preliminary autopsy results later today.

The suspect, 20-year-old Craig Roger Gregerson is seen here in a mug when he was arrested in 2004 for investigation of domestic assault. No charges were ever filed in that case, Nancy Volmer, a spokeswoman for Utah's district courts, said Tuesday. Court papers paint a picture of an abusive husband. Gregerson, a Radio Shack warehouse clerk, kicked and punched his wife, once causing a miscarriage, in a trouble marriage detailed in court papers filed in March by her attorney. His mother-in-law filed an affidavit accusing Gregerson of once choking and punching her when she tried to kick him out of her home. Gregerson once threw the couple's 1-year-old daughter across a bed when the infant kicked some food off his lap, said an attorney for Gregerson's wife. The attorney, Delano Findlay, detailed those allegations in a court filing in March, opposing a protective order Gregerson had obtained against his wife, Catherine Gregerson. A judge revoked the order and dismissed Gregerson's hand-scrawled complaints, which Findlay called fabricated. According to the papers, Gregerson told his wife that he didn't care if he killed her that it would be better to be in jail than living with her.

The papers stated Catherine Gregerson is a battered wife who put up with it because she loved him and felt a need for his love. Eyewitness News spoke with Catherine Gregerson early on in the search for Destiny last Tuesday. Cadie Gregerson/ Neighbor/ July 17: "I came over and I talked straight to the mother. Then I went and took my daughter inside and then went straight out to go look. I mean, I have a child too. How would I feel? It's the same way. What if my child went missing? I'd be completely devastated." Witnesses say they saw Gregerson's wife several times near the house prior to his arrest, including last night after his arrest. Jeannie Hill / Family Friend: "She came up last night, and says, ‘Oh, where's my husband?'. And she said the guys name, and somebody said, you need to go, he was just arrested for murder. And she didn't even seem surprised, she just walked away." Gregerson's wife told KSL radio today, she things her husband has been set up. Catherine Gregerson, Doug Wright Show: "I think somebody's setting him up. Unless I hear it from my husband's mouth himself that he did it...that's what I think and I have yet to talk to my husband." She also claims she had no knowledge of this until she walked up to the house last night.

She helped with the search efforts in the days following Destiny's disappearance and even spoke to one of our crews on the scene. Today she said she's heartbroken about what's happened. She also says she was in the home as recently as yesterday, but didn't notice anything unusual. Doug Wright: "Did you notice anything unusual at all in the home?" Catherine Gregerson, Suspect's Wife: "You know what, the house smelled like it normally does. I didn't smell a single thing. I've been in that house several times since she was missing and I haven't smelled a single thing. And if he killed her, I will not stand by him, no doubt in my mind at all. But if he tells me to my face that he did it, but I will stand by him if he denies he did it." Cadie Gregerson said her husband had only some minor trespassing brushes with law in high school. Police say they never had enough probable cause for a warrant and the Norton family never identified Gregerson as a suspect. In fact, neighbors barely saw him. He kept to himself. Sara Woods / Neighbor: "The only time I hung out with him is when he was standing here talking with the FBI, and he lied right to our faces. He look right at us and said "I wish I knew where he was." Peter Brooks, Destiny's Uncle: "I have no idea who he is. I never got to know any of the neighbors." Police say Gregerson lived in the house alone, though we know he is married with a small child.

Norton's family and friends are devastated and outraged. Holding up Gregerson's mug shot, the crowd reacts to seeing his face. Peter Brooks/Destiny's Uncle: "You see that? Let society see what the face of a sick man looks like. The man who would take a five-year-old child away from a loving family like ours. Let everyone remember this face." A growing pile of cards, candles and stuffed animals now sit outside Destiny Norton's home. During that week, hundreds of Utahns, many complete strangers, helped search for the little girl. Now, the community is showing their support with items left in Destiny's memory. Jeannie Hill, Family Friend: "The whole community, they've been wonderful. They've been wonderful. They've been so helpful and looking everywhere." Destiny's family will remember her as a beautiful little girl, mugging for the camera at her parent's recent wedding, full of life and laughter. Destiny's younger sister, Trinity turned one-year old today. A family spokesperson says the family is turning their attention to her today. Peter Brooks: "After such a tragic loss, that was Rick and Rachael's focus, was to make sure that today was Trinity's day." Pictures of Gregerson with his own child and family are posted online. He's listed himself on the website myspace.com. We couldn't find Gregerson listed on the state sex offender registry. But once again, he was arrested for assault and domestic violence charges a couple years ago, and now is charged with Destiny Norton's murder.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story)

My heartache

A shattered heart tells many tales of times that a loved
one has broken it.
Many stories of painful moments that have left a heart
torn into pieces and never whole.
The gashes grow bigger with each moment it cannot
undo or force itself to forget.
A heart never forgets or trully heals it only mends
temporarily until another tale is born.
Excruciating heartache pounding on my chest to free
itself of captivity.
Wanting so much to make the person it loves trully
happy.
Those tales of the broken heart are not forgotten.
Heart is kept in captivity to be guarded and watched.
To never go through a similar tale again.
Yet heat hurts because it's love is forcing it to forget.
Therefore, the blood is falling with no signs of stopping.
The pools of it filling the captivity drowning the heart.
Heart wants to make the love happy but at what price is
it willing to risk it or the love willing to risk it's well-
being?
How far will they both go?
The answer is until one no longer exists like before.
Hurting so much that I cannot hide it any longer and a
river of tears flow down my cheeks to my pillow.
Crying until I cannot anymore.
Words the invisible knife that goes deeper with each
word spoken until it makes it through.
Words that then make a knife slice downward more each
time with it’s painful intention.
In the end, what is left is a broken heart, sitting inside
depressed crying in pain.
My mind can’t stand the heart this way.
Thoughts fluttering in of the possible solutions all no
good to be thought; let alone acted upon.
My heart feels so weak it can’t go on; there is no hope
or support.
Time to end it, my heart can’t take any more and either
can I.
Hands shaking as they accept the mind’s command.
Taking slowly a few pills at a time, in the palm of my
hand and taking them to my mouth.
After that slowly taking a knife and slicing my will to
live.
Sitting in the corner in the fetal position, my face to the
wall and my back to the rest of it all.
Silently awaiting my fate as the blood trickles all over and my blurred vision sets in.
Could this be the end?
Oh please let it be!!
I can take no more.
Set me free of this life and bring my heart to the joyful
beats it once had.
Bring me to the place of ecstasy and harmony so that for
once I may be happy.
I cannot and will not take this pain and guilt anymore.

Amidst the chaos, a glimmer of humanitarianism

http://tinyurl.com/ngp6v

Copyright (c) 2006 The Daily Star

Friday, July 21, 2006
Invaders test ground defenses in South
By Leila Hatoum and Mohammed Zaatari Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Israel has opened a 60-kilometer front along the southern Lebanese border, from Naqoura to Majidiyeh, a Lebanese security source said on Thursday. "This front is to estimate Hizbullah's retaliation strength on the ground," the source said. "The fighting zone is inside Lebanese territory, which the UN itself has marked and which Israel agrees is Lebanese."
As The Daily Star went to press, three Israeli bombs fell on the southern suburbs of the capital and additional ordnance hit the northern city of Baalbek, leaving both areas ablaze. No casualty count was available.
Although up to now Israel has only hinted that it might undertake a full-scale invasion of Lebanon, on Thursday its tanks in fact attempted to cross the UN-demarcated Blue Line.

According to a Hizbullah statement, Israeli troops met "fierce resistance from Hizbullah fighters as the Israelis crossed into Lebanon."
An Israeli Army spokesperson said his troops were looking for "tunnels and weapons for the second day."

The Hizbullah statement said Israeli tanks and soldiers were "relentlessly trying to advance into Lebanese territory to achieve any military victory, but they were defeated by Hizbullah fighters. The latest Israeli attempt to advance toward the Southern Lebanon town of Maroun Al-Rass failed as the Israelis lost two Merkava tanks and a helicopter."

According to a statement from Amal, one Hizbullah fighter - identified as Hani Alawiya, 50 - died in the clashes at Maroun Al-Rass.
A separate Hizbullah statement said nine Israeli soldiers died in a Hizbullah ambush Thursday afternoon.

The resistance group's Al-Manar TV aired footage of Israeli Army equipment seized by Hizbullah fighters in the clashes.
Hizbullah guerrillas continued on Thursday their missile bombardment of Haifa, the party said, and fighters advanced as far inside Israel as the northern settlement of Avirvim.

Meanwhile, a source close to the resistance denied reports that rocket posts in Baalbek had been hit, or that the party had such posts in the area.
Media reports said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had struck Hizbullah's rocket operations headquarters in Baalbek and claimed the unit controlled the party's storage and distribution of rockets.

Also Thursday, Israeli warplanes and warships continued their bombardment of Lebanon, from the North to the South and the Bekaa Valley.
In the latest reported civilian casualties, four Lebanese were killed when an Israeli missile struck their car in Tyre as they were fleeing the city.
Beirut's southern suburbs were hit in the early morning. The strike targeted a construction site that Hizbullah said was a mosque.

"No Hizbullah leaders or members died in Thursday's bombing of Bourj al-Barajneh [part of Beirut's southern suburbs]," said a statement. Hizbullah dismissed as false claims made by the Israeli Army that the strike targeted a bunker.

"The building which Israel used 23 tons of explosives on was a mosque," it said.
The bombardment of the suburbs resumed Thursday afternoon as Israeli attack helicopters targeted the area's empty streets and buildings.
The flow of displaced Lebanese also continued Thursday, as residents of Southern towns and villages, under constant attack by Israel, continued to pour into Sidon.

Eyewitnesses said that convoys of hundreds of families "crammed in cars and buses, starting to arrive in Sidon and its suburbs during the early hours Thursday."

Malek Abdul-Khaliq, the governor of the South, and representatives from the Higher Relief Committee distributed 4,000 food portions and aid to the displaced Thursday, in collaboration with the army.

The Hariri Foundation has also provided the displaced with 7,000 food portions, 2,000 mattresses and 3,000 blankets over the past week.
The UN and several humanitarian organizations have estimated that some 500,000 Lebanese have been displaced by the Israeli assault.
The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees said Thursday that the situation for civilians in the South "is increasingly critical due to Israeli raids."

Sven Berthelsen told the Danish news agency Ritzau from Beirut that "the situation is serious and is deteriorating every day.
"They are starting to lose electricity, and water pumps are working less and less," he added. "Very few basic foodstuffs are getting to this zone."
In the absence of safe passage guarantees from Israel, UNRWA is unable to send aid to the region. UNICEF, the WHO and the UNHCR are facing the same dilemma.

Other NGOs are working on the ground to help the displaced but their numbers are increasing and the offerings the NGOs have are insufficient, a Daily Star reporter observed.

Separately, the Lebanese Higher Relief Commission said that at least 30 houses had been completely destroyed since Israel launched its attacks, 1,000 residences damaged, 20 bridges demolished and five gas stations burned in the Bekaa district. - With agencies

Lebanon's capacity to rebuild is greater than that of others to destroy

Editorial from Lebanon's "The Daily Star"

Nothing can describe the feeling of having worked tirelessly for 15 years rebuilding a country from the ruins of war, only to see it once again laid waste within a period of days. Just over a week ago, the Lebanese were only beginning to reap the benefits of all their toils, with the summer tourist season making a major comeback. But now the bridges, buildings, factories and roads that they have spent the decade-and-a-half working to rebuild have been destroyed, along with any immediate hope of an economic rebound. Even the airport, which was named after late former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was a driving force behind much of Lebanon's reconstruction, has been put out of action in a relentless series of air raids.

Yet the ambiance of horrendous destruction has not ruined the country's spirit of humanity. The resilience of this spirit can be seen in each and every act of compassion that Lebanese citizens are now showing toward their compatriots, 500,000 of whom have been made homeless as a result of Israel's assaults across the country. As a wide range of Israeli weapons rains down from above, many Lebanese on the ground are arming themselves with determination, and channelling all of their energies into providing relief and refuge to their fellow citizens.

Political parties, including the Free Patriotic Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party, have been turning their offices into temporary shelters and providing food, water and words of comfort to terrified refugees. Christian churches and schools have opened their doors to the floods of mostly Shiite refugees, proving that compassion and mercy know no religious or sectarian boundaries. Artists, including the SHAMS Arts Collective and Sanayeh's Zicco House, are now using their talents to prepare food and distribute supplies such as water and medicine to those made homeless as a result of Israel's offensive. http://www.dailystar.com.lb

These simple acts of kindness and generosity in these times of crisis are a testament to the spirit of the Lebanese people. Their response to this tragedy has been to pool all of their resources in order to provide assistance to those in need. They are demonstrating that their capacity for compassion is abundant, even now, in the midst of massive destruction.

These gestures also prove yet again that the will of the Lebanese to survive and rebuild is far stronger than the will of others to kill and destroy. They know that Israel has launched a deadly mission to set their country "back 20 years" - an assault that has claimed the lives of about 300 civilians in just eight days. But in spite of that, the Lebanese are holding on to the belief that no matter how hard this country is trampled upon, it will once again rise up from the ashes, all the more determined to thrive.

"Live from an Israeli Bunker"

http://israelibunker.blogspot.com/ or www.israelibunker.com

Please check out this blog, featured on CNN. It contains opinion of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. I found it very informative.

Also, here at CNN, there is a poll asking "Do you think the Israeli military response inside Lebanon is justified?" Click on link, poll near center of page.

Amazing Race, the reality show I actually watch

'Amazing Race' moves to new night, time
By BETH HARRIS,
Associated Press Writer

An Indian-American husband and wife, a gay couple and two Muslim friends are among the 12 teams that will compete in "The Amazing Race" this fall.
The three-time Emmy-winning reality show is moving to Sunday nights at 8 p.m. on CBS. Its 10th season will start in Seattle, with the teams traveling westward for the first time and stopping in China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Kuwait and Madagascar, among other countries.
They will travel more than 40,000 miles in under 30 days in pursuit of the $1 million prize.
"This cast is as different as it's ever been," executive producer Bertram van Munster told the Television Critics Association's summer meeting. "It's meltdown city on this trip."
Van Munster said the language barrier made traveling difficult for the teams, along with 130-degree heat in Kuwait and filming in Communist countries. In Vietnam, the government insisted on viewing daily footage but didn't request any changes or cuts.
"The show worldwide is extremely popular and that has helped us," he said.
The teams announced Saturday are:
• Vipul Patel, 29, and Arti Patel, 26, of Windermere, Fla. They are the first Indian-Americans on the show.
• Brothers Erwin Cho, 32, and Godwin Cho, 29, of San Francisco.
• Tom Rock, 39, and Terry Cosentino, 45, a gay couple from New York City.
• Friends Kellie Patterson, 22, and Jamie Hill, 22, of Columbia, S.C.
• Friends Lyn Turk, 32, of Birmingham, Ala., and Karlyn Harris, 32, of Helena, Ala.
• Husband and wife David Conley, 32, and Mary Conley, 31, of Stone, Ky.
• Friends Bilal Abdul-Mani, 37, and Sa'eed Rudolph, 39, of Cleveland, who are Muslims.
• Friends Peter Harsch, 35, of Laguna Beach, Calif., and Sarah Reinertsen, 31, of Trabuco Canyon, Calif. Sarah has an artificial leg.
• Rob Diaz, 31, and Kimberly Chabolla, 28, of Los Angeles, who are dating.
• Friends Tyler Denk, 29, and James Branaman, 27, of Los Angeles, who are models.
• Friends Dustin Konzelman, 24, of Riverside, Calif., and Kandice Pelletier, 24, of New York City, both former Miss USA contestants.
• Father and daughter Duke Marcoccio, 52, and Lauren Marcoccio, 26, of Warwick, R.I.
http://tinyurl.com/rxfo3

From Professor Dunham

Received via email.

"Sunny's site listed an interest in alternative religions. My post, in response to her site's question, "Do you believe in fate?" said I don't believe in fate in any strict deterministic sense, but do believe in karma. I said while I hoped "one death & then you get Heaven by virtue of a gracious God" would be great, part of me fears, "after 10,000 lifetimes you might just start to get it right" might be more like it."

Thank you Professor Dunham, I know I can always count on you to be seriously knowledgeable yet humorous at the same time. You're too great!

For Beth Karas

All of my sympathies are with you at this terrible time.
I know your mother is finally resting.
You have been very brave making your mother comfortable enough so she may pass.
You are a wonderful person and many of us stand by you in this difficult time.
May you and your family be blessed.