Tux of Borg

My Webpage Q: 'Buried' in debt, can he dig out? By Mindy Fetterman, USA TODAY Remember when you were sent to the principal's office in high school and were threatened: "This will go on your permanent record"? Remember your relief when you realized that a school day's discipline report didn't really follow you all through life? Well, Todd Townsend has learned that there is, in fact, a permanent record. It's called a credit score. And his isn't very good. Two years after graduating with a degree in theater from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., Townsend, 25, finds himself loaded with student debt and working at a job that doesn't pay enough to make the payments. He earns $10.50 an hour as a concierge for a lodge in the Lake Placid, N.Y., area. His student debt totals $47,000. After graduating from St. Lawrence in 2004, Townsend headed West to attend the Art Institute of Colorado in Denver. There, he racked up more debt. Then he decided to follow his dream to be an actor and moved to New York City to find work. He lasted 4½ months. "I lived like an animal," he says of his big-city life, spent eating ramen noodles and absorbing job rejections. Like thousands of young people, he retreated to safety: Mom's house. In fact, 19% of the twentysomethings polled recently by USA TODAY said they had moved back with their parents. "It was a good financial decision" to move back home, Townsend says. Still, he's the first to recognize that "girls don't think it's sexy." Now, Townsend's dreams of entering the theater world are being deferred. "I graduated from a great school with honors, and I'm not using the degree at all," he says. "Schools don't prepare you for the real world." Townsend remembers his first day as a freshman when, "You got a meal card, your class schedule and a credit card application," he says. "I was 18 years old. I didn't know it was wrong." Every one of his college friends, Townsend says, got a credit card and ran up debt to the limits. He did, too. Townsend also signed promissory notes for college loans without really understanding the terms. Now, he's stuck with a variable loan at 14.25% interest. "I kept accruing loans and interest on the loans, and I found myself buried," he says. At the moment, Townsend's happy to be earning a steady paycheck, and he's paying a minimum amount of rent and utilities to his mother. It's not free? "She loves me," he says. "But not that much."

Paris Hilton

I'd like to make the playoffs just so I can see McGahee's 'A' game.

This board really does live and die with the Bills.

You guys know how to keep things interesting.

I didn't realize anybody still watched the NBA. The sport took a nosedive in popularity after Jordan retired.

They have been calling for his head all week down in Atlanta.

How you play the game BY MIKE DOSER J.P. Losman was making me nervous before he spoke last week at St. John Fisher College's 5th Annual Conference on Sportsmanship. The 23-year-old Bills quarterback gave the keynote address before 246 athletes from 27 mostly Monroe County high schools. He seemed uptight, as quarterbacks coach Sam Wyche warmed up the audience for him. Losman's hands were in his pockets and he shuffled his weight from side to side. This was just Losman's second public appearance, and it didn't look like it was going to be good. I've seen athletes fumble public speaking opportunities before. Former Sabre Doug Bodger once got up at the Press-Radio dinner to tell a dirty joke and then sit down. I recall how former Bills QB Rob Johnson dealt with public appearances, and I inevitably wondered just what in his chest kept him alive. So I didn't expect much from Losman. Thirty-six minutes later, however, I couldn't recall a better public presentation by a Buffalo Bill. Losman's ability to convey his story and connect with the kids was unrivaled --- better than Doug Flutie, Drew Bledsoe, and Jim Kelly. He was even bold enough to stop his talk and chide a kid who was apparently laughing in front of him. That was truly a rare occurrence because, after all, the pro sports public relations manual says that when an athlete speaks in public, he should do just about anything to avoid even the possibility of offending someone. Losman evidently missed that page. "What's so funny, big cat?" he asked the student, who might have just wet his pants. "I just want to know, what's so funny? Things like that, it's kind of rude. I'm up here. I'm kind of nervous myself. It's a chance, an opportunity to get inside of you guys. And somebody's laughing. It's disrespectful. I don't appreciate it... Now I don't mean to call anybody out like that, but this is real life. People call each other out. It's OK. You know, you live and learn. You forgive." After that, Losman commanded attention like Norman Schwarzkopf. If he displays that kind of bold sensibility as one of the youngest Bills this season --- and if he plays well, obviously --- maybe things will work out. Read the rest of the article here...

My Webpage Miss USA pulls a 'Lohan,' Trump not having it Miss USA is under fire for her underage partying ways, much like most of young Hollywood, except "The Donald" isn't having it and may just strip the title from Tara Conner. Donald Trump is America's most visible real estate mogul, tv star and co-owner of the Miss Universe contest, and after allegations of underage drinking and bad behavior have surfaced, Trump, also the host of the reality television hit The Apprentice and a man known for his tea-totalling ways and strict disciplinarian rules for his own children, will make the decision next week whether to fire Tara Conner as Miss USA 2006. According to the New York Post, the Miss Universe Organization states it was re-evaluating Miss Conner’s “behavioral and personal issues” after news and blogger reports surfaced that Conner had been boozing it up way around Manhattan and not using discretion in the love department either. “We have to make a decision,” Mr Trump, 60, said to the AP. “There is no question about that.” The legal age for drinking is 21 in the United States. Conner is a Kentucky girl, a place that is home to a multitude of dry (no alcohol) counties and extremely fundamentally religious people who frown on imbibing. Ironically, it is also the source of fine American bourbon whiskey too. Since arriving in the Big Apple, the Bluegrass state gal Conner allegedly has been linked to all sorts of after-hours goings on.

My Webpage Girl Suing Marcus Vick for $6.3 Million By MATT REED Associated Press Writer RICHMOND, Va. — A 17-year-old girl who claims she had an almost two-year sexual relationship with Miami Dolphins rookie Marcus Vick has filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual battery upon a minor, fraud and other charges. The lawsuit — filed Wednesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court — states that the girl was a 15-year-old honor student at Christiansburg High School when she first had sex with Vick in January 2004 while he was a quarterback at Virginia Tech. The lawsuit says Vick and the girl, identified only as Jane Doe, had a sexual relationship through December 2005. "As a direct and proximate result of Marcus Vick's unlawful sexual intercourse with Jane Doe, the plaintiff suffered, and will continue to suffer, psychological trauma associated with the child sexual abuse perpetrated by defendant Marcus Vick," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit also says Vick wanted her to have sex with other men and contends that Vick offered her alcohol and marijuana several times. It also names the girl's grandmother as a plaintiff. The 22-year-old Vick is the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. "She's maybe seeing this thing in a different light now," the girl's Christiansburg-based attorney, Stephen Haga, said Thursday. "I think she's now seeing that he misused her." Lawrence Woodward, a Virginia Beach attorney representing Vick, said Vick is aware of the case. "We're just going to deal with it through the court process," he said. Miami Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said the team first found out about the suit on Thursday. "We are just starting to process all of the pertinent information," Greene said. Vick's mother, Brenda Boddie, refused comment when reached by phone on Thursday. "We don't want to talk about this," she said. After-hours calls to Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch to see if Vick could face criminal charges were not answered. The girl accuses Vick of fraud, saying he told he loved her, wanted her to have his child and that having a sexual relationship with someone her age was acceptable. Vick and two of his former teammates at Tech were convicted in 2004 of three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for giving three underage girls liquor and encouraging them to strip. Vick confessed to police that he had consensual sex with one of the girls. The girl who allegedly had sex with Vick invoked her Fifth Amendment rights at the trial. In the lawsuit, the girl identifies herself as the one who had sex with Vick on that night in January 2004 that led to his arrest and conviction. After an appeal, Vick pleaded no contest in September 2004 to one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was ordered to have no contact with the teenagers in the case. Vick was suspended from the team after the incident, but was Tech's starting quarterback in 2005. He was kicked off the team by school officials in January for his on- and off-field behavior. Vick entered the NFL draft last spring, but was not selected. The Dolphins signed him as a free agent in May.

My Webpage Vegetarians are more intelligent, says study Frequently dismissed as cranks, their fussy eating habits tend to make them unpopular with dinner party hosts and guests alike. But now it seems they may have the last laugh, with research showing vegetarians are more intelligent than their meat-eating friends. A study of thousands of men and women revealed that those who stick to a vegetarian diet have IQs that are around five points higher than those who regularly eat meat. Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers say it isn't clear why veggies are brainier - but admit the fruit and veg-rich vegetarian diet could somehow boost brain power. The researchers, from the University of Southampton, tracked the fortunes of more than 8,000 volunteers for 20 years. At the age of ten, the boys and girls sat a series of tests designed to determine their IQ. When they reached the age of 30, they were asked whether they were vegetarian and their answers compared to their childhood IQ score. Around four and a half per cent of the adults were vegetarian - a figure that is broadly in line with that found in the general population. However, further analysis of the results showed those who were brainiest as children were more likely to have become vegetarian as adults, shunning both meat and fish. The typical adult veggie had a childhood IQ of around 105 - around five points higher than those who continued to eat meat as they grew up. The vegetarians were also more likely to have gained degrees and hold down high-powered jobs. There was no difference in IQ between strict vegetarians and those who classed themselves as veggie but still ate fish or chicken. However, vegans - vegetarians who also avoid dairy products - scored significantly lower, averaging an IQ score of 95 at the age of 10. Researcher Dr Catharine Gale said there could be several explanations for the findings, including intelligent people being more likely to consider both animal welfare issues and the possible health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Previous work has shown that vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, cutting their risk of heart attacks. They are also less likely to be obese. Alternatively, a diet which is rich in fruit, vegetables and wholegrains may somehow boost brain power. Dr Gale said: 'Although our results suggest that children who are more intelligent may be more likely to become vegetarian as adolescents or young adults, it does not rule out the possibility that such a diet might have some beneficial effect on subsequent cognitive performance. 'Might the nature of the vegetarians' diet have enhanced their apparently superior brain power? Was this the mechanism that helped them achieve the disproportionate nature of degrees?' High-profile vegetarians include singers Paul McCartney and Morrissey and actress Jenny Seagrove. Past exponents of a meat-free lifestyle include George Bernard Shaw and Benjamin Franklin. Promoting the cause, Shaw said, 'A mind of the calibre of mine cannot drive its nutriment from cows', while Franklin stated that a vegetarian diet resulted in 'greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension'. Liz O'Neill, of the Vegetarian Society, said: 'We've always known that vegetarianism is an intelligent, compassionate choice benefiting animals, people and the environment. Now, we've got the scientific evidence to prove it. 'Maybe that explains why many meat-reducers are keen to call themselves vegetarians when even they must know that vegetarians don't eat chicken, turkey or fish!'

They said in the news today that this was a hoax.

Pictures from the party. Judging by these photos that might not be a bad thing.

My Webpage Reports Say Duke Rape Accuser Is Pregnant By DAVID SCOTT, AP RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 15) -- The woman at the center of the Duke lacrosse rape case is pregnant and due to give birth any day, roughly nine months after the team party where she says she was raped by three men in a bathroom. The pregnancy was confirmed late Thursday by a person familiar with the case, speaking to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Both Fox News and WRAL-TV in Raleigh reported she gave birth Thursday night. There had been no prior indication the woman, a 28-year-old college student who already has children, was even pregnant. She has not spoken in public since granting a single interview to the News & Observer of Raleigh shortly after the party. The person who confirmed the pregnancy to the AP had no information about the father. Defense attorneys have stressed for months that no sex occurred at the party and they have cited DNA testing that found genetic material from several males in the accuser's body and her underwear - but none from any member of the lacrosse team. Calls to attorneys representing the three indicted players were not returned Thursday night, as were calls and messages left with District Attorney Mike Nifong. Medical records included in a defense motion filed Thursday were not made public. It wasn't clear whether a pregnancy test was taken immediately after the party. The development came just hours after defense attorneys file a motion saying the woman misidentified her alleged attackers in a photo lineup that was "an incoherent mass of contradiction and error." The attorneys asked a judge to bar prosecutors from using the photo lineup at their clients' trial and prevent the accuser from identifying the players from the witness stand. Duke University law professor James E. Coleman Jr. said the case would be "effectively dismissed" if the court finds the lineup inadmissible "and rules that it is so suggestive that there can't be an in-court identification." Within Thursday's motion, the defense highlighted what it considers numerous holes in the accuser's story. Among the details cited are examples of how the accuser's story changed in the hours and days after the party; that she has a history of bipolar disorder; that she identified two people as having attended the party who were not there; and that she identified four attackers during the April photo lineup. An earlier defense motion argued the lineup was "unnecessarily suggestive" because the accuser was shown only photos of lacrosse players. Thursday's motion adds details about efforts by police investigators and Nifong to assist the accuser in identifying the three men she said gang-raped her in a bathroom at a March 13 team party where she had been hired to perform as a stripper. Based in part on those identifications, Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans were indicted on charges of rape, kidnapping and sexual offense. All three players have insisted they are innocent. Investigators conducted three photo lineups, according to the defense motion. In the first two, the accuser failed to identify Evans and did not identify Seligmann as an attacker, despite being shown photos of both men. Defense lawyers argue that the third lineup, conducted April 4 at the Durham Police Department, violated departmental policies and the defendants' constitutional due process rights because it included only pictures of those at the party. A hearing is scheduled Friday, but it is unclear whether the defense might argue their motions filed Wednesday and Thursday. The hearing had been expected mostly to deal with scheduling.

My Webpage Woman Gets 11 Years for Cooking Boyfriend and Feeding Him to Guests A court in the Russian internal republic of Bashkortostan has passed an 11-year sentence to a woman who killed her boyfriend with an axe and then cooked him in a variety of dishes which she fed to her guests at a New Year party. The Komsomolskaya Pravda daily reports that the incident took place in the small town of Sterlitamak. The 44-year old woman suspected her boyfriend, who was younger than her, of unfaithfulness and in a heated row grabbed an axe and hacked him to death. Then, the woman flayed and dismembered the body. She threw away the head and used the rest to cook a New Year dinner. She minced some meat and used in meatballs and dumplings and also made jellied meat with hands and feet — she later bartered that dish for liquor with neighbors. When the guests arrived, the woman treated them to everything she cooked — meatballs, dumplings, soup and liver sausage. The people did not know they were eating human flesh, only one guest noticed that the meat was unusually sweet, but he was told that this was because it was very fresh. When the party was coming to an end, one of the guests looked into the fridge and found a severed human hand there. He called the police and the murderer confessed during the first questioning.

My Webpage Car chase teen pledges to drink and drive again A teenager whose high-speed drink-driving left his girlfriend in hospital is promising to drink and drive again. Rae Rae, 16, has admitted drinking heavily before driving his Toyota early on Saturday in South Auckland. He had three other teenaged passengers and during a police pursuit the car crashed into a lamp post and caught fire. Anita Matangi was pulled injured from the car and remains in hospital. "I would do it again but with no-one in the car besides me. I would drink and drive again with just me in the car," Rae told National Radio. His younger sister was also injured in the crash. Rae said he had been drinking alcohol including beer and pre-mixed drinks. "Too much to drink for me to be behind the wheel." His sister estimated Rae hit 180kmh in a 50kmh zone. Another sister said Rae would not have learned his lesson and would be enjoying the publicity. Alcohol watch groups and police have slammed the behaviour and that of family and friends who supply young teenagers with alcohol. Rae's mother told National Radio she gave her son alcohol and would not be punishing him. "Every time I told him not to drink too much but he don't listen. He ignore it," she said. "I don't blame him because he was working hard. He needs something to relax." Police said the incident would be investigated by the police complaints authority. They have not so far said whether Rae is likely to face charges.

For me it's Lord of the Rings... for some reason I just can't get into it.

I had season tickets when I lived in Western, NY. Unfortunately, the economy up there is horrible and I was forced to move away.

If the weather stays nice, I'll sit on the beach and stream the game over the internet.

We'll see how well Miami does when they aren't stealing Brady's call at the line.

Misleading? I told the recruiter I wanted to go to Airborne an Ranger school and that's what I got.

It's going to reach 70 here today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosexual

A person is 'entrapped' when he is induced or persuaded by law enforcement officers or their agents to commit a crime that he had no previous intent to commit.

How do you think Nate Clements is going to look in Jets green next year?