TampaYankee

I guess the tongue-in-cheek tone didn't quite come thru.

You obviously fare better in light than I.

This forum provides a segregated space, similar to the Politics Forum, for problematic threads that some may not wish to view on a daily basis or at all. Inclusion of threads is by invitation only. Members may not initiate a thread in this forum but may respond to existing threads. From time to time eruptions occur between members who have personal differences of no interest to the general community. Other times, some may refuse to let go of issues that have been previously aired and closed, choosing to replay, in vain, their disaffection with the outcome. Such a thread inspired the creation of the forum at this time. In a prior thread generated by Matrix: Image and Video Forum http://www.maleescortreview.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5227-image-and-video-forum/ he posed the legitimate issue of whether a separate forum should be created posting photos and videos. After much discussion and input, Management created a separate forum. In that thread Matrix objected to the fact that login was required to view forum attachments. (See post #1, para #4) Management explained the reasons for the policy and why it would be retained. (See post #13) Matrix acknowledged and seemed to accept the legitimacy of Management views and concerns without further continuing exception. (See post #24) End of discussion, that is until the thread that inaugurated this forum. Less than one month later, after the issue had been discussed and closed, and the Management decision explained, Matrix decided to drag out his soap box in the middle of the night, climb up on it and begin railing about the attachments/login policy all over again. The issue was closed, the policy explained. The only thing to be gained by this was a public pissing and moaning exhibition about the outcome which it seems he came not to accept. I was a bit ticked about this meaningless exhibition over a closed issue designed solely to piss on the Management decision. My first thought was to delete the post. However, we are very reluctant to delete posts at MER except in cases of extreme policy transgressions. Not so much out of respect for the poster but out of respect of the community. Oz and I have been a regular posters in communities where posts or threads suddenly go missing without explanation. It is very dissatisfying and the general members deserve better consideration in our opinion. Hence our strong reluctance. I next considered removing the thread to the Moderator’s Forum to languish for eternity. Better than deleting the post but still disrespectful to the community. Finally, I decided to create a forum for problematic threads that impose on the comity of our main forums, whether by individuals with personal differences or those pissing at windmills about things that don't go their way. At first I was not sure how I felt about this forum as a long term feature of our Message Center. I decided to give it a week to see how I felt about it. Also, I wanted to see what others thought about the new forum. I chose not post about it because I did not wish to color member responses. Very few chose to respond. Those who did were not generally favorable to the new forum. I have to believe there is a quiet majority out there who are supportive. As time passed, the idea of the new forum actually grew on me. Had this forum existed in the past it would have been the appropriate venue for a number of rancorous threads. Not a large number but definitely a number of unpleasant episodes better segregated out of the main forum. I’m sorry that we didn’t institute this forum from the beginning. Some argue that assigning threads to this forum is disrespctful to posters. My view is this is where disrespectful threads belong. This forum is in no way an assessment of posters. Anybody can have a bad day and let it overflow into a post. It is an assessment of problematic threads. If a poster becomes overly associated with problematic threads, that is an inference for readers to make, not management. This forum is here to stay. It’s charter and appellation may be fine-tweaked over time but its mission will remain constant.

I have no desire to move to any of these cities, now or in the future. Not my cups of tea. I'm pretty amazed that these are the 'ten best'. Definitely a middle America slant to the livability concerns. I've been to Buffalo, Austin, and Minneapolis. I have also been to Colorado Springs 80 miles south of Denver as well as the Denver airport. I've been to Muncie but not Indianappolis. The others I have no experience with. Of all these cities I did find Austin a nice town in the seventies. It truly is an oasis in an otherwise lackluster environment IMO. Still much too hot for human habitation. Did a business trip to Minneapolis in the summer -- 98 degrees. Big middle America city -- not bad but not much excitement either. Hot in the summer cold in the winter. Not a Goldilocks city. What I remember most about Buffalo was miles and miles and miles of high power lines -- surprise, surprise. That and a lot of rundown buildings. It wasn't much better toward Niagra Falls until you went on the Canadian side, then a nice clean 'middle Canadian' city. Not much excitement on either side of the border. I was all set to like Colorado but The Springs is a little wacko and I suspect Denver has its share of em too. Maybe it is the thin air. Also, at that time, Denver had a very poor escort scene for a big city. A little too barren of big city accoutrements for a big city -- my impression. Also, it is so far from everywhere. I'd love to visit the Unicorn Club in Indianapolis but not enough to move there. I'm not into agriculture or the agricultural machine industry. Another middle America city for quiet comfy living but not much excitement. These observations are all dated to very dated, as I am. So they may bear little relationship to today, except I doubt the weather has changed much.

Best Cities to Move to in America Provided by: By Cindy Perman, CNBC.com Oct 27, 2010 What people are looking for when they relocate changes from time to time. In the 90s, it was a city with low crime. Then, it was places with good schools. "These days, you want a job and to make sure you can get a house there," said Bert Sperling of BestPlaces.net, which helps people find the best places to live, work or retire. Sperling crunched the numbers to find the 10 best cities to relocate to today. The list takes into consideration all kinds of data points from cost of living to crime rates, the number of colleges and how healthy the population is, as well as access to museums, shows, sporting and other events. Plus, one you might not think of - stability. "We're a big believer in the concept of stability, where there is modest, controllable growth," Sperling explained. "Big booms lead to disruption, and ultimately big busts. Neither is good for livability." Here are Sperling's Best Cities to Relocate to in America - Why they're the best and who's hiring there. 1. Pittsburgh, PA 2. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 3. Omaha, NE/Council Bluffs, IA 4. Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas 5. Austin-Round Rock, TX 6. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 7. Madison, WI 8. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN 9. Denver-Aurora, CO 10. Indianapolis-Carmel, IN For all the whys and wherefores see the original article at: http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/best-cities-to-move-to-in-america.html

When I travelled for business I lived out of one carry-on and one garmet bag, also a carry-on in those days. The idea was quick in and out of airports and no lost luggage. Laundry, if needed was a business expense. If my toiletry bag or the hotel room supplies were insufficient, as was seldom the case, I shopped the hotel shop or nearby pharmacy. The object was business not creature comforts of home. One of my colleagues needed a gaggle of porters when he travelled. I never saw anyone with so many bags. I think he carried a toaster and fridge. If I travelled for pleasure then I ditched the g-bag and a check bag was optional, depending on length of stay.

Gawd, but you are a drama queen!! Lighten up. No one is asking you to be happy or forgive or forget, just stop the foot-stomping breast-thumping tantrums like a child. It doesn't present you in the best light or generate much sympathy and it won't get you anything positive from me. How over the top. How egocentric. I have no personal vendetta against you. To the contrary, I have been accused of turning a blind eye to you, if not showing you favortism. Based on past behavior and posts, members have demanded that I dismiss you from the forum, multiple members, multiple incidents. I resisted. When you made early morning posts bordering on divulging personal information of others and making unsubstantiated announcements that could have been intrepreted as breaking site taboos, I quietly removed the offending posts and informed you privately about why. I chose to interpret your actions as falling in a gray area under extenuating circumstances rather than crossing a line. It was a judgement call. So much for my vendetta against you. I think you are a valuable contributor even if I do not believe every contribution you make is valuable. I'm not sure that I could say differently for anyone here else either. Nobody bats a thousand, I certainly don't. Here we go over the top drama again. You made a pissy post by my lights. Not the first time and probably not the last. Others have made pissy posts. I suspect I have some in my past too. So get over it. You are not a witch or a leper. If you wish to portray yourself as one then that is your drama trip. I'm not following. As for explaining the forum and why your post was selected to inaugurate it, that is on me, not Oz. An explanation will be forthcoming soon, as I said earlier above.

That does sound more PC, but less honest and direct. Shall we hint at the sweet smell of the rank stench of bullshit? Will that make it smell better? This is not intended to offend just to remark that it is not necessarily bad to call a spade a spade. I shall have more to say on this forum shortly. I have wanted to give it and me some time to age.

Haven't they been doing that already? I mean... come on...

Death toll in Indonesian tsunami, volcano tops 300 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101027/ap_on_re_as/as_indonesia_earthquake

The Best Toothpastes Tom Schierlitz Brush up on what you brush with: Of 44 tubes tested, these squeezed out the others. BEST FOAM Aquafresh Iso-Active Whitening Fresh Impact This gel's plentiful bubbles froth up when they hit your tongue and penetrate deep between teeth, leaving behind a well-scrubbed feel. Suggested retail price: $4 BEST INNOVATION Arm & Hammer Whitening Booster Plus With Enamel Strengthening If you already have a toothpaste that you love, top it with this liquid-calcium concentrate. It lightens stains and can help fill in tiny cracks. Suggested retail price: $5.50 BEST OVERALL Colgate Total Enamel Strength The gel-paste hybrid keeps your mouth feeling clean and fights germs for 12 hours. Plus, it protects enamel from acids found in foods and drinks. Suggested retail price: $3.50 PRO'S HEALING PICK Tom's of Maine Clean & Gentle Care "It soothes bitten cheeks, sore gums, and even an achy throat with licorice root," says New York City periodontist Greg Diamond. Suggested retail price: $5, tomsofmaine.com BEST BOTANICAL Burt's Bees Fluoride-Free Natural Whitening Toothpaste This herbal wonder fights plaque with cranberry extract, polishes with silica, and it contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. Suggested retail price: $5, burtsbees.com BEST WHITENING Luster White 7 Toothpaste With—you guessed it—seven polishing agents, including bamboo, silica, and peroxide, this stain blaster can brighten teeth in one week. Testers loved its mild, sweet flavor, too. Suggested retail price: $7, lusterpremiumwhite.com BEST FOR SENSITIVE TEETH Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield It forms an imperceptible barrier around teeth to calm delicate nerves that are agitated by pain triggers, like hot and cold drinks. Suggested retail price: $3 BEST ON-THE-GO Supersmile Quikee Squirt a dollop of this no-rinse paste onto your tongue, then run your tongue over your teeth to fade stains with calcium peroxide and freshen breath in an instant. Suggested retail price: $6, supersmile.com See original article at: http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/449/the-best-toothpastes/

Is it any surprise with so many religious wackos in this country? Pretty pathetic that we have so many clutching their guns and bibles while denying science and Thomas Jefferson. Now the wackos want to repeal the First Ammendment Church and State clause. What is troubling about this is that it is not limited to a narrow fringe of the populace. Some might see that as 'our' counterpart to Islamic fundamentalists... minus the gunpowder... for now. Some are even beginning to talk about 'Second Ammendment Solutions', so maybe that isn't far behind either.

Top 5 Riskiest Country Web Domains Ranked By McAfee The Huffington Post | Catharine Smith First Posted: 10-26-10 01:22 PM | Updated: 10-26-10 01:58 PM McAfee, an Internet security software provider, has released its fourth annual "Mapping the Mal Web" report (PDF), which rates the world's riskiest top-level domains (TLD). McAfee used its Global Threat Intelligence database to analyze 27 million websites in 120 countries. According to McAfee, "[t]he database correlates multiple types of threat data from more than 150 million sensors located in more than 120 countries. These sensors--individual computers, gateway network devices, endpoint software, in-the-cloud hosted services--come from consumers, small- and mid-sized businesses, enterprise customers, educational institutions and governmental agencies." The most dangerous TLD in the world is the .COM domain, also "the most heavily trafficked domain," according to McAfee. Meanwhile, .TRAVEL and .EDU were rated this year's safest domains. McAfee found that the safest country domain for 2010 was Japan (.JP), which took the top spot last year as well. Catalan, Guernsey, Croatia and Ireland also ranked highly this year. To see the country Web domains that McAfee rated "riskiest," view the slideshow at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/26/riskiest-country-web-domains_n_774042.html

America's Meanest Airlines By Hamooda Shami Simply put, flying can be a stressful activity. A lot of the time it begins with the airports: dizzying parking garages, overpriced food and a series of long lines have a way of making even the most serene travelers a little bit agitated. And that's even before the airplane leaves the ground. So it's easy to see how poor service from an airline can put the finishing touches on a ruined day -- long check-in lines, flight delays, lost luggage, baggage fees and general rudeness have a way of doing that. Not to mention the scary food (at least it used to be free scary food). Based on the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) Report, which covers 18 domestic carriers, here is a list of the airlines that could stand to do the most work on making their customers happy. The report's conclusions are based on surveys of airline industry experts, with positive and negative values assigned to different elements in airline quality. Several common complaint areas were factored in -- including on-time arrival, mishandled baggage, delays and involuntary denied boardings -- the scores of which were then calculated to produce an overall quality score. We also took a look at a number of other sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and the Air Travel Consumer Reports by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Regional airlines are ranked separately because of their tendency to score lower. Worst Major Airlines 5. US Airways 2009 AQR Score: -1.19 While US Airways improved five percent in passenger satisfaction according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, they were one of three airlines cited as having the rudest flight attendants and serving the worst food, in a survey conducted by SeatGuru last year. Additionally, US Airways received a below-average score in the J.D. Power 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Domestic Baggage Fees: 1st Bag: $25 2nd Bag: $35 3rd Bag: $100 Overweight Bags: $50 Extra (51 - 70 lbs) $100 Extra (71 - 100 lbs) Oversized Bags: $100 Extra (larger than 62") 4. American Airlines 2009 AQR Score: -1.25 American Airlines has an Airline Quality Rating (AQR) of -1.25 -- which isn't awful, but where its reputation takes the hardest hit is with its regional airline, American Eagle (more on it later). This year AA has had frequent incidents of mishandled baggage with an average of 4.07 reports per 1,000 passengers, according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports (this is the worst rating among the major airlines in the study). SeatGuru's survey named American Airlines as one of the three airlines that have the rudest flight attendants and the worst food. Domestic Baggage Fees: 1st Bag: $25 2nd Bag: $35 3rd Bag: $100 Overweight Bags: $50 (51 - 70 lbs) $100 (71 - 100 lbs) Oversized Bags: $150 (larger than 62") 3. Alaska Airlines 2009 AQR Score: -1.39 Alaska Airlines has an Airline Quality Rating (AQR) of -1.39, which can be partially attributed to the airline's high number of mishandled baggage reports. According to Air Travel Consumer Reports, the airline averaged 3.98 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. However, Alaska Airlines did a stellar job when it came to delays, with 88 percent of its flights having on-time arrivals (in the 12-month period ending August 2010). Domestic Baggage Fees: 1st Bag: $20 2nd Bag: $20 3rd Bag: $20 Overweight Bags: $50 (51 - 100 lbs) Oversized Bags: $50 (63 - 80") $75 (81 - 115") 2. United Airlines 2009 AQR Score: -1.43 Now that the merger with Continental Airlines is official, United can turn its attention to improving customer service. United received a score of "about average" in the J.D. Power 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Study but it placed last in passenger satisfaction in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. According to the SeatGuru survey, United joins American Airlines and US Airways as one of the three worst airlines for meals and rude flight attendants. In addition, the Air Travel Consumer Reports places this airline second in consumer complaints (behind Delta), averaging 1.82 per 100,000 enplanements in 2010. Domestic Baggage Fees: 1st Bag: $25 2nd Bag: $35 3rd Bag: $100 Overweight Bags: $100 (51 - 100 lbs) Oversized Bags: $100 (larger than 62") 1. Delta 2009 AQR Score: -1.73 Delta had the worst AQR among major airlines with a -1.73, and a couple of its regional airlines did even worse (see Comair and Atlantic Southeast below). It also had the largest drop in passenger satisfaction in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, Delta was number one in delays for major airlines (78 percent of flights arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010) and first in consumer complaints (averaging 2.23 per 100,000 enplanements in 2010). Also, make sure to note Delta's baggage fees below, as they can get quite painful for those hauling heavy and/or large cargo. Domestic Baggage Fees: 1st Bag: $25 ($23 if checked online) 2nd Bag: $35 ($32 if checked online) 3rd Bag: $125 Overweight Bags: $90 (51 - 70 lbs) $175 (71 - 100 lbs) Oversized Bags: $175 (larger than 63 - 80") $300 (larger than 81 - 115") Worst Regional Airlines Please note that the regional airlines follow the baggage fee structure of whichever major airline you happen to be flying under. 4. SkyWest 2009 AQR Score: -1.57 SkyWest Airlines has several hubs throughout the United States, including Chicago and Los Angeles. SkyWest received a -1.57 AQR, which is the fifth worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. One area that contributed to this score was mishandled baggage, where they averaged 5.69 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. It acts as a regional airline for AirTran, Delta Connection and United Express. 3. Comair 2009 AQR Score: -2.22 With a -2.22 AQR, Comair got the third worst score overall among the airlines surveyed in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. Mishandled baggage was an issue, with an average of 6.04 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. Comair was also number one in delays overall, with only 73 percent of flights arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports. Comair is a regional for Delta Connection, with its main hubs at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky and JFK airports. 2. Atlantic Southeast 2009 AQR Score: -2.49 Atlantic Southeast serves as a regional airline for Delta Connection and United Express with several hubs in the States, including Memphis and Chicago. It has the second most incidents of mishandled baggage (6.67 reports per 1,000 passengers on average in 2010 so far) according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports. Atlantic Southeast received a -2.49 AQR, which is the second worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. 1. American Eagle 2009 AQR Score: -2.83 With a -2.83 AQR score, American Eagle has the unwelcome distinction of having the worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, it also had the most incidents of mishandled baggage (7.41 reports per 1,000 passengers on average in 2010 so far) and was number two in delays, with only 76 percent of flights arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010. American Eagle is the main regional for American Airlines. American Eagle operates out of a number of hubs in the United States, including Boston and Dallas. See original article at: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-36360593

Maybe nothing. So do I but it has a serious side as well. The serious side. I agree. Great minds... ?

See the article at: http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1556/consumer-reports-most-reliable-cars/

Spanish Prostitutes Ordered To Wear Safety Vests Spanish prostitutes have been ordered to wear reflective safety vests for their own safety, according to reports. Women working on rural roadsides in Catalonia must don the vests to avoid a €40 ($56) fine. Prostitution is not banned in Spain, but it has been outlawed in some cities. However, lack of the safety vests is the only reason to fine the women working outside of the Spanish city of Lleida, where the vest program is now in effect, as prostitution is not illegal outside of the city limits. However, some see the move as an attempt by Mayor Josep Maria Bea of Lleida to drive the women out of town. There are an estimated 300,000 female sex workers in Spain, according to the Telegraph. Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodrígue Zapatero promised to ban prostitution ads in newspapers, but has failed to do so. Meanwhile, a recent survey showed that one in four Spanish men admitted to paying for sex. See original article at:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/25/spanish-prostitutes-order_n_773861.html

Univision set to become top U.S. broadcast network By Steve McClellan Steve Mcclellan Tue Oct 26, 5:50 am ET NEW YORK (Adweek) With double-digit ratings growth this season, Spanish-language broadcaster Univision is off to a better start than any of the major English-language networks, and the future is promising as well. The new census is expected to show a nearly 45% increase in the number of Hispanic Americans since 2000, to a total of 50 million. This couples with continuing audience erosion at the major networks and Univision's recent deal with Mexican programer Grupo Televisa, which locks up the source of much the network's popular programing for at least another decade. Just a few years ago, the notion of Univision catching and surpassing them would have had mainstream network executives rolling with laughter. They're not laughing now. And they're not talking publicly about it either: When asked to comment, the Big Four nets refused. But a couple of executives talked on background and indicated that they take the threat from Univision seriously. "They're already No. 5," as one put it, having eclipsed the CW. One top network researcher's calculations concluded that Univision could surpass the Anglo networks in seven years, even without the boost provided by growth in the Hispanic population. Ad buyers also believe that Univision has a good shot at topping the Anglo networks on its stated schedule. "It's totally conceivable that in three to five years they would be, regardless of language, the No. 1 broadcast network," said Steven Wolfe Pereira, senior vp and managing director at MV42, a unit of Publicis Groupe's media agency MediaVest. Brad Adgate, senior vp and director of research at Horizon Media, confirmed that Univision is already making strides. "I could see them this season starting to win a couple of nights in adults 18-49," Adgate said. "On Friday nights, they're close to being No. 1 already." Univision CEO Joe Uva is confident that audience growth will drive ad growth in the future. He noted that 55 new brands signed on during this year's "upfront" advertising market, where the network achieved 14% organic growth -- compared with 3% organic growth for the Big Four. And he said tens of millions of that growth were dollars shifted from English-language budgets, a trend he believes will accelerate. "If you're a marketer today, it's almost impossible to achieve sustainable long-term growth if you don't spend against this consumer," he said. That said, about two-thirds of TV advertisers have avoided Spanish-language TV up to now, according to buyers. But when the census is released next year showing the huge jump in the Hispanic population, "corporate boards will pay attention," Wolfe Pereira said. "It will be a real wake-up call." See original story at:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101026/tv_nm/us_univision

Indonesian volcano erupts, up to 18 killed in ash By SLAMET RIYADI, Associated Press MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia – Indonesia's most volatile volcano erupted Tuesday after scientists warned that pressure building beneath its dome could trigger the most powerful explosion in years. At least 18 people were killed, including a two-month-old baby, according to doctors and media reports. Smoke poured out of Mount Merapi, obscuring its cone, according to footage from the private station, Metro TV. Police and volunteers were shown carrying ash-covered corpses, some wrapped in blankets and yellow body bags, to waiting vehicles. Thousands of villagers started streaming off the 9,737-foot- (2,968-meter-) high mountain as darkness fell Tuesday, crowding into makeshift emergency shelters with straw sleeping mats and bags of clothes and food. Earlier, many had refused to budge, saying they wanted to tend to crops along volcano's fertile slopes and protect their homes against looters. While there are fears the current activity could foreshadow a much more destructive explosion in the coming weeks or months, Gede Swantika, a government vulcanologist, said the mountain appeared to be releasing some pressure building up beneath the lava dome. "It's too early to know for sure," he said, adding a big blast could still be coming. "But if it continues like this for a while, we are looking at a slow, long eruption." As they contended with the volcano, Indonesian officials were also trying to assess the impact of Monday's 7.7-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) from Merapi. The temblor caused a tsunami that left hundreds dead or missing on a string of remote islands. Subandriyo, the chief of vulcanologist monitoring Merapi from a nearby observation post, said the eruption began just before dusk Tuesday. A 15-minute thunderous rumble was followed by a huge burst of searing ash that shot hundreds of yards (meters) into the air. Rocks and debris cascaded down the side of Merapi, which literally means Mountain of Fire. Officials earlier said, by closely monitoring the volcano — which lies on the main island of Java, some 310 miles (500 kilometers) southeast of the capital Jakarta — they hoped to avoid causalities. But the death toll was quickly climbing. An infant died Tuesday when a mother ran in panic after the eruption started, said Mareta, a hospital worker who goes by only one name. As the child's tiny body was covered with a white blanket, his mother looked on, crying hysterically. Three people at Panti Nugroho hospital succumbed to bad burns after being hit by a searing cloud of ash, said Agustinus Parjo, a spokesman. News portal Detik.com reported 14 other bodies were found in several houses in a mountainside village. It cited an official who visited the site. Metro TV, which showed authorities carrying bodies out of the homes, said 15 were pulled out. There are more than 129 active volcanoes to watch in Indonesia, which is spread across 17,500 islands, but Merapi has long been considered one of the most volatile. In 2006, an avalanche of blistering gases and rock fragments raced down the volcano and killed two people. A similar eruption in 1994 killed 60 people, and 1,300 people died in a 1930 blast. This vast archipelago is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire — a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia. ___ Associated Press writer Irwan Firdaus contributed to this report from Jakarta. See original photo at:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_on_sc/as_indonesia_volcano

Indonesia tsunami kills 113; scores more missing By JOHN NEDI, Associated Press PADANG, Indonesia – Rescuers battled rough seas Tuesday to reach remote Indonesian islands pounded by a 10-foot (three-meter) tsunami that swept away homes, killing at least 113 people. Scores more were missing and information was only beginning to trickle in from the sparsely populated surfing destination, so casualties were expected to rise. With few able to get to the islands to help with searches, fisherman were left to find the dead and look for the living. Corpses were strewn about since there were not enough people to dig graves, according to the Mentawai district chief, Edison Salelo Baja. More than 4,000 people expected to spend the night without shelter because tents and other supplies had also not arrived. The fault that ruptured Monday on Sumatra island's coast also caused the 2004 quake and monster Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. Though hundreds of disaster officials were unable to get to many of the villages on the Mentawai islands — reachable only by a 12-hour boat ride — they were preparing for the worst. "We have 200 body bags on the way, just in case," said Mujiharto, who heads the Health Ministry's crisis center, shortly before announcing a five-fold increase in the death toll. Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire — a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia. The country's most volatile volcano, Mount Merapi, 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the east, started to erupt at dusk Tuesday as scientists warned that pressure building beneath its lava dome could trigger one of the most powerful blasts in years. The 7.7-magnitude quake that struck late Monday just 13 miles (20 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor was followed by at least 14 aftershocks, the largest measuring 6.2, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Many panicked residents fled to high ground and were too afraid to return home. That could account in part for the more than 500 people still missing, said Hendri Dori, a local parliamentarian who was overseeing a fact-finding missing. "We're trying to stay hopeful," he said. Hundreds of wooden and bamboo homes were washed away on the island of Pagai, with water flooding crops and roads up to 600 yards (meters) inland. In Muntei Baru, a village on Silabu island, 80 percent of the houses were badly damaged. Those and other islets hit were part of the Mentawai island chain, a popular and laid-back surfing spot 175 miles (280 kilometers) from Sumatra. A group of Australians said they were hanging out on the back deck of their chartered surfing vessel, anchored in a bay, when the temblor hit just before 10 p.m. It generated a wave that caused them to smash into a neighboring boat, and before they knew it, a fire was ripping through their cabin. "We threw whatever we could that floated — surfboards, fenders — then we jumped into the water," Rick Hallet told Australia's Nine Network. "Fortunately, most of us had something to hold on to ... and we just washed in the wetlands, and scrambled up the highest trees that we could possibly find and sat up there for an hour and a half." Ade Edward, a disaster management agency official, said crews from several ships were still unaccounted for in the Indian Ocean. The quake also jolted towns along Sumatra's western coast — including Padang, which last year was hit by a deadly 7.6-magnitude tremor that killed more than 700. Mosques blared tsunami warnings over their loudspeakers. "Everyone was running out of their houses," said Sofyan Alawi, adding that the roads leading to surrounding hills were quickly jammed with thousands of cars and motorcycles. "We kept looking back to see if a wave was coming," said 28-year-old resident Ade Syahputra. ___ Associated Press writers Niniek Karmini and Irwan Firdaus contributed to this report. See original article with more photos at:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_on_re_as/as_indonesia_earthquake

Oz, Thanks for sharing your trip with us. It has been fantastic voyeur experience for those of us stuck at home. I have been very interested in PA since Tomcal began posting about it. Sounds like my kind of place although I'm sure I would love Rio and SP too. Good luck in Rio although I know luck has nothing to do with it.

New Figures Detail Depth Of Unemployment Misery, Lower Earnings For All But Super Wealthy First Posted: 10-25-10 12:22 PM | Updated: 10-25-10 03:05 PM One out of every 34 Americans who earned wages in 2008 earned absolutely nothing -- not one cent -- in 2009. The stunning figure was released earlier this month by the Social Security Administration, but apparently went unreported until it appeared today on Tax.com in a column by Pulitzer Prize-winning tax reporter David Cay Johnston. It's not just every 34th earner whose financial situation has been upended by the financial crisis. Average wages, median wages, and total wages have all declined -- except at the very top, where they leaped dramatically, increasing five-fold. Johnston writes that while the number of Americans earning more than $50 million fell from 131 in 2008 to 74 in 2009, those that remained at the top increased their income from an average of $91.2 million in 2008 to almost $519 million. The wealth is astounding, says Johnston. "That's nearly $10 million in weekly pay!... These 74 people made as much as the 19 million lowest-paid people in America, who constitute one in every eight workers." Johston sees the depressing figures as a result of government tax policies maintained by politicians with an eye on re-election, not good government: It is the latest, and in this case quite dramatic, evidence that our economic policies in Washington are undermining the nation as a whole.We have created a tax system that changes continually as politicians manipulate it to extract campaign donations. We have enabled ''free trade'' that is nothing of the sort, but rather tax-subsidized mechanisms that encourage American manufacturers to close their domestic factories, fire workers, and then use cheap labor in China for products they send right back to the United States. This has created enormous downward pressure on wages, and not just for factory workers. Combined with government policies that have reduced the share of private-sector workers in unions by more than two-thirds -- while our competitors in Canada, Europe, and Japan continue to have highly unionized workforces -- the net effect has been disastrous for the vast majority of American workers. And of course, less money earned from labor translates into less money to finance the United States of America. Johnston's assertions appear to be supported by a recent Senate vote. In September, Senate Republicans along with a handful of Democrats, partnered to defeat the Creating American Jobs and Ending Offshoring Act, a bill that would have raised taxes on companies that send jobs abroad and benefited companies that bring jobs back to American soil. The notion that it's good business for American corporations to send jobs overseas has been championed by U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's biggest and most powerful business lobby. The tabulations, staggering as they may be, are only half of half of picture. Behind the official 9.6 percent unemployment (which is probably somewhere closer to 22 percent), are the stories of millions of individuals who are struggling to get by or are coming to terms with a future of lower wages and a life with less. "60 Minutes" profiled the underemployed and unemployed on Sunday in a piece titled "The 99ers." Among the most troubling stories: a financial analyst unemployed for two years and living in a stranger's attic and a former office manager who collects bottles and cans to get by. See original artcile st: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/25/income_inequality_statistics_tax_code__n_773392.html

. Op-Ed Columnist Falling Into the Chasm By PAUL KRUGMAN Published: October 24, 2010 This is what happens when you need to leap over an economic chasm but either cant or wont jump far enough, so that you only get part of the way across. If Democrats do as badly as expected in next weeks elections, pundits will rush to interpret the results as a referendum on ideology. President Obama moved too far to the left, most will say, even though his actual program a health care plan very similar to past Republican proposals, a fiscal stimulus that consisted mainly of tax cuts, help for the unemployed and aid to hard-pressed states was more conservative than his election platform. A few commentators will point out, with much more justice, that Mr. Obama never made a full-throated case for progressive policies, that he consistently stepped on his own message, that he was so worried about making bankers nervous that he ended up ceding populist anger to the right. But the truth is that if the economic situation were better if unemployment had fallen substantially over the past year we wouldnt be having this discussion. We would, instead, be talking about modest Democratic losses, no more than is usual in midterm elections. The real story of this election, then, is that of an economic policy that failed to deliver. Why? Because it was greatly inadequate to the task. When Mr. Obama took office, he inherited an economy in dire straits more dire, it seems, than he or his top economic advisers realized. They knew that America was in the midst of a severe financial crisis. But they dont seem to have taken on board the lesson of history, which is that major financial crises are normally followed by a protracted period of very high unemployment. If you look back now at the economic forecast originally used to justify the Obama economic plan, whats striking is that forecasts optimism about the economys ability to heal itself. Even without their plan, Obama economists predicted, the unemployment rate would peak at 9 percent, then fall rapidly. Fiscal stimulus was needed only to mitigate the worst as an insurance package against catastrophic failure, as Lawrence Summers, later the administrations top economist, reportedly said in a memo to the president-elect. But economies that have experienced a severe financial crisis generally dont heal quickly. From the Panic of 1893, to the Swedish crisis of 1992, to Japans lost decade, financial crises have consistently been followed by long periods of economic distress. And that has been true even when, as in the case of Sweden, the government moved quickly and decisively to fix the banking system. To avoid this fate, America needed a much stronger program than what it actually got a modest rise in federal spending that was barely enough to offset cutbacks at the state and local level. This isnt 20-20 hindsight: the inadequacy of the stimulus was obvious from the beginning. Could the administration have gotten a bigger stimulus through Congress? Even if it couldnt, would it have been better off making the case for a bigger plan, rather than pretending that what it got was just right? Well never know. What we do know is that the inadequacy of the stimulus has been a political catastrophe. Yes, things are better than they would have been without the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: the unemployment rate would probably be close to 12 percent right now if the administration hadnt passed its plan. But voters respond to facts, not counterfactuals, and the perception is that the administrations policies have failed. The tragedy here is that if voters do turn on Democrats, they will in effect be voting to make things even worse. The resurgent Republicans have learned nothing from the economic crisis, except that doing everything they can to undermine Mr. Obama is a winning political strategy. Tax cuts and deregulation are still the alpha and omega of their economic vision. And if they take one or both houses of Congress, complete policy paralysis which will mean, among other things, a cutoff of desperately needed aid to the unemployed and a freeze on further help for state and local governments is a given. The only question is whether well have political chaos as well, with Republicans shutting down the government at some point over the next two years. And the odds are that we will. Is there any hope for a better outcome? Maybe, just maybe, voters will have second thoughts about handing power back to the people who got us into this mess, and a weaker-than-expected Republican showing at the polls will give Mr. Obama a second chance to turn the economy around. But right now it looks as if the too-cautious attempt to jump across that economic chasm has fallen short and were about to hit rock bottom. A version of this op-ed appeared in print on October 25, 2010, on page A27 of the New York edition. See original article at:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/opinion/25krugman.html?_r=1

Nothing shakes the skeletons out of the closet like a good old fashioned political race. Sometimes it even manufactures some out of imaginaton, not that I know that to be the case here.

I'm with Msguy on this one. I would be very disturbed if this had been done for a buiness partner, contributor or 'friend'. I too would probably have alerted my brother if he were the object of an investigation for no other reason that he seek legal representation and advice in preparation. I wouldn'f find it sinister with regard to aiding and abetting a criminal enterprise, just alerting family that they are in harms way and should take notice. I know a 'federal case' could be made out of this and will be in the commercials next week. I also know there are any number of people that would excoriate me for that stand. I also know that family is family and that I strongly believe they should have legal representation no matter what they might be suspected of.