The Crypt of Lazarus

[Lazarus]

will this news benefit PSCO???

http://followthemedia.com/fittoprint/websites28092007.htm

who does this:
http://p2ionline.com/newp2i/



wonders Lazarus????

[Wildbilly]

Good post. I think many do forget.

[Lazarus]

Do you remember?


1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by
a. Superman
b. Jay Leno
c. Harry Potter
d.. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40


2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by& nbsp;
a. Olga Corbett
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:
a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


4. During the 1980's a numb er of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:
a. John Dillinger
b. The King of Sweden
c. The Boy Scouts
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:
a. A pizza delivery boy
b. Pee Wee Herman
c. Geraldo Rivera
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by:
a. The Smurfs
b. Davey Jones
c. The Little Mermaid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue
passengers was murdered by:
a . Captain Kidd
b. Charles Lindberg
c. Mother Teresa
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:
a. Scooby Doo
b. The Tooth Fairy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed&n bsp;the first time by:
a. Richard Simmons
b. Grandma Moses
c. Michael Jordan
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:
a. Mr. Rogers
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems
c. The World Wrestling Federation
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by:
a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd
b. The Supreme Court of Florida
c. Mr. Bean
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:
a. Enron
b. The Lutheran Church
c. The NFL
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:
a. Bonnie and Clyde
b. Captain Kangaroo
c. Billy Graham
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

[ToshacH]

Hottest July here since 1936. 1 day below 92 degress or in our terms 1 day below 30 celius. The good news is I am not spending money on heating the pool.

Like you, I like my pool at about 86 - 87 degrees but has been sitting around 90

ToshacH

[Lazarus]

my parish:

http://stpeterfresno.com/assets/images/gallery/gallery.html


the Reader Lazarus

[Lazarus]

VEGANSEXUALS:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/AAMB4/aamsz=300x44_MULTILINK/4147483a6009.html

[Lazarus]

we have had about a week straight of triple digits...

although it is HOT - it really isnt that bad. went swimming last nite around 5:30 and the water was 86 degrees. i really like at that temp. around 90 its not quite refreshing - but 86 is nice for my bones.

its about9:30 here and 93 degrees as i type.

Lazarus

[Lazarus]

looks like down might close down minus 400+ today

[Lazarus]

thermometer on the patio said 110...

at around 5:00 p.m this afternoon. pool was 90.

its HOT in fresno.

Lazarus

[Lazarus]

hey Shawn...

it was HOT yesterday. my patio thermometer said 111 in the afternoon and i neve checked the official weather but think it was between 110 and 113. today its supposed to hit a high of 108 and its already around 85 and its only 8:30 am...lol

had all my family here for the 4th except my oldest son [and his wife and kids]. lots of fun! i wentt swimming and didnt want to get out...which resulted in sun burn :(

up until this week the summer weather has been very moderate for Fresno - hope the hot spell doesnt last toooo long.

Lazarus

[ToshacH]

Hi Lazarus,

Hey buddy how are you doing?

I was thinking about you today and how hot it gets there. Wondering how hot you guys have it today?

We are 98 today and 102 tomorrow, not sure what I will do!! My igloo might melt and my husky dogs that pull my sled are cooking. LMAO

Not icing down the pool just yet like you guys, but spending all day in and out of the pool to be sure. I love summer!!!

Cheers,

Shawn

[ToshacH]

A fun read:

Canaccord denies role in Natco shorting


2007-06-13 15:43 ET - Street Wire

See Street Wire (C-CCI) Canaccord Capital Inc


by Mike Caswell

Canaccord Capital Corp. denies allegations it lent shares of Natco International Inc. to short sellers as the stock plunged from $3.30 to $2.25 on April 18, 2007. The brokerage says internal records show it has never lent shares of Natco and it has a policy of not lending stock in OTC Bulletin Board companies.

Canaccord lawyer David Mitchell says Natco has dropped an injunction application it filed last week in the case, but the main lawsuit continues.

Natco's case

The case began last Monday, when Natco and eight of its shareholders filed a 14-page complaint against the brokerage. The shareholders alleged Natco suffered a "precipitous decline" on April 18, the same day Canaccord lent out Natco shares. The stock opened at $3.30, up from a 52-week high of 10 cents, but it plunged to $2.25.

It was not clear how Natco traced the alleged shorting back to Canaccord, but the company claims a Canaccord broker, Barry Hartley, confirmed that the brokerage was lending shares.

The shareholders demanded Canaccord return their Natco shares, which they held in accounts there. The statement of claim identifies the shareholders as Canafra Financial Ltd., Donna Moroz, Gurminder Bajwa, John Rennie, Narinder Tahndi and Rajinder Thandi.

Canafra Financial made the first demand on May 16, through its beneficial owner, Gerry Podersky-Cannon. Three other shareholders in the case say they asked for their shares in certificate form on May 22, but received nothing.

"Canaccord has improperly refused to convert the shares of Natco from depository form to certificate form, ignoring the demands of shareholders and Natco," the statement of claim alleges.

Natco also alleged Canaccord engaged in naked shorting, or lending the stock "when there was no prospect of delivering the shares that had been sold because insufficient free-trading shares were available to cover the short positions."

Natco and its shareholders sought a court order for the return of their shares, plus damages for loss of opportunity caused by Canaccord's alleged naked shorting.

Off to court

Natco went to court last Monday, June 4, to request that its case be heard on an expedited basis. B.C. Supreme Court Justice H. Groberman ordered the company to deliver a copy of its complaint to Canaccord by the end of the day, and agreed to hear the case the next day.

On Tuesday Natco went back to court, this time with Canaccord's lawyers on the other side. The brokerage agreed to a consent order, which instructed it to deliver share certificates to Natco's shareholders "without delay once those certificates are in the hands of Canaccord Capital Corporation."

Canaccord denies any shorting

Last Friday, June 8, Canaccord's lawyers assembled the brokerage's version of events in three affidavits they presented to Natco's lawyer, Rupert Shore.

In one of the affidavits Bruce Maranda, Canaccord's chief compliance officer, says the brokerage has never lent any Natco shares. "On the basis of direct inquiries that I made of my staff and documentation provided to me ... I can say with confidence and I verily believe that no Natco shares have ever been loaned out by Canaccord. In particular, the Natco stock belonging to the plaintiffs was never loaned," his affidavit reads.

"Apart from the fact that Canaccord's records show that Natco stock has never been loaned, the loaning of such stock would be contrary to Canaccord's policy not to loan OTC Bulletin Board stocks," he states.

Mr. Maranda says he reviewed short sale reports from April 18 that showed no short sales on any Natco stock in any Canaccord accounts.

In another affidavit, Canaccord's Mr. Hartley says delays in getting share Natco share certificates were caused by a chill placed on the shares by Depository Trust Company. (Chills are used by DTC to limit potential problems on a stock. They are a special restriction that prevents share transfers.)

Mr. Hartley says he informed Mr. Podersky-Cannon on May 23 there was a chill on Natco and that there would be a delay in producing his Natco share certificate. Mr. Hartley claims he did not say there would be "no problem" returning the shares, as Natco alleges.

Two days later, on May 25, Mr. Hartley told Mr. Podersky-Cannon that a regular, non-rush certificate takes three weeks to produce. Mr. Hartley said a rush order could cost as much as $400, although he later discovered it was $155.

Injunction application dropped

Canaccord's lawyer, Mr. Mitchell, claims Natco's lawyer, Mr. Shore, read the affidavits and dropped his application for an injunction against Canaccord. A Natco representative, reached Tuesday, said the main case is still on, however.

"We have not dropped it yet. They have still not delivered the share certificates," he said. Mr. Shore did not return a message seeking comment.

Natco closed at $2.25 Tuesday, up five cents.




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Reader Comments - Comments are open and unmoderated, although libelous remarks may be deleted. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Stockwatch.



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all they have to do us deliver the stock simple and easy or be bought in


Posted by just deliver @ 2007-06-13 16:26



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Gee, a penny stock dropping of its own accord (no pun). Who has ever heard of such a thing. Stuckholders!!


Posted by goLEEgo @ 2007-06-13 18:58



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Cannacord is a bunch of thieves. Should be in jail.


Posted by BN @ 2007-06-13 19:12



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Just as I expected, Cannacord squirms their way out out of dilivering the certs!

These people are liars and cheats!


Posted by victim @ 2007-06-13 20:32



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HAND OVER THOSE STOLEN CERTS!!!!!!!!!!


Posted by Collector Jones @ 2007-06-13 20:33



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If dtc won't issue a physical, Cannacord can't deliver it. In this day and age physical certs are very rarely requested and DTC (and CDS) hate creating them. Further, once DTC requests them, the Issuer actually prepares them for DTC, this can be a huge delay as Issuer lawyers always drag their feet. (issuing certs is a very low priority.)

What's even more to the point, so the sellers sold stock and it dropped, what's the big deal? If they'd bought stock and it went up should someone sue Cannacord as well?

Grow up, stop whining and if this dog is a real company it'll rebound.


Posted by you people are idiots @ 2007-06-13 21:06



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[Lazarus]

The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family.



On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, "Well, I'm off now. The man should be here soon."



Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale.



"Good morning, Ma'am", he said, "I've come to...”



"Oh, no need to explain," Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, "I've been expecting you."



"Have you really?" said the photographer. "Well, that's good. Did you know babies are my specialty?"



"Well that's what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat"



After a moment she asked, blushing, "Well, where do we start?"



"Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun You can really spread out there."



"Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn't work out for Harry and me!"



"Well, Ma'am, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results."



"My, that's a lot!", gasped Mrs. Smith.



"Ma'am, in my line of work a man has to take his time. I'd love to be in and out in five minutes, but I'm sure you'd be disappointed with that."



"Don't I know it," said Mrs. Smith quietly.



The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. "This was done on the top of a bus," he said.



"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Smith exclaimed, grasping at her throat.



"And these twins turned out exceptionally well - when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with."



"She was difficult?" asked Mrs. Smith.



"Yes, I'm afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep to get a good look"



"Four and five deep?" said Mrs. Smith, her eyes wide with amazement.



"Yes", the photographer replied. "And for more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling - I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in."



Mrs. Smith leaned forward. "Do you mean they actually chewed on your, uh...equipment?"



"It's true, Ma'am, yes.. Well, if you're ready, I'll set-up my tripod and we can get to work right away."



"Tripod?"



"Oh yes, Ma'am. I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It's much too big to be held in the hand very long."



Mrs. Smith fainted!!

[Lazarus]

this kept me on the edge of my seat:

http://www.runningscaredthemovie.com/


Lazarus

[Lazarus]

Great and Holy Monday...

BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMES AT MIDNIGHT...



...and blessed is that servant whom He shall find watching, but unworthy is he whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, lest you be weighed down with sleep, lest you be given up to death, and be shut out from the kingdom. But rouse yourself and cry: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O God, through the Theotokos have mercy on us!"

[Lazarus]

wife and i just got done watching Kinky Boots:

http://www.thefilmfactory.co.uk/kinkyboots/index_flash.html

http://www.kinkyboots-movie.com/

luved it!

Lazarus

[Lazarus]

here's the light...

EAC Industries had sold off its assets and was a shell with about $800k in cash.

Compton is a well established company that has been in business since 1937. about 5 years ago Compton went into bankruptcy at which time EACI (Peter F.) purchased the assets of Compton through the bk sale.

so... Compton is the property of EACI.

this stock has been a sleeper and a screaming buy for YEARS. when they had 28 cents per share in cash the shares were trading as low as 2 or 3 cents. its been ridiculous.

Bartley told me that they recently purchase another small company which is boosting revenues to around 3.5 million.

look - there around 2.9 million shares outstanding. at 7 cents the market cap is around 200k on a company with 3.5 million in sales. how cheap is that? go find me another company as cheap and i will buy shares of it too. if i owned it i would hold it. if i didnt own it i would accumulate some. if i owned some i would accumulate more. trust me when i say i practice what i preach - i have been accumulating for around 8 years. and yes, i have bought shares at 7 cents.

one day, this sleeper will do what they all do --- WAKE UP.

Lazarus

[trix]

I read about Peter senior's death last year. I haven't seen any SEC filings since 2000. The son is running Compton, some employees and profit...but how is that related to EACI...can you shed some light on the situation?

[trix]

Any news on EACI? Do you think P. Bartley (jr)...still growth potential and worth holding in your opinion?

[Lazarus]

late nite laff...

[Stock]

Great post. Will give to my CPA -- framed -- in a few weeks!

[Lazarus]

TAXES

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he's fed.



Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.



Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.



Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.



Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries, then
Tax his tears.



Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass

Tax all he has

Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.



When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.



Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.



Put these words
upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me
to my doom..."



When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Keep Going...; It's not over yet!...

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax,
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Interest expense
Inventory tax
IRS Interest Charges
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road usage taxes
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage c harge tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft registration Tax
Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax


COMMENTS: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and.

Mom stayed home to raise the kids.


What happened?

And I still have to

Press "1" for English?!

[Lazarus]

now all we need is a press release that gives a reason to BUY the stock.

we can hope that with their expertise they can stake a good enuf claim that they are able to attract a major. not enuf money here to go into operation. last time the company had a million in assets they blew throught it in a few years.

fingers crossed.

Lazarus

[Lebaneseproud]

The one good thing i can take out of all this(THMG) is at least with the new directors on board they have figured out how to put out a press release.

[Lebaneseproud]

I do agree, i didnt like that either. They should have at least allowed existing shareholders to participate in that or did it at a higher price if it was to be just limited to insiders.

[Lazarus]

somebody is joining me in ELSF this morning...

i dont think the share structure has changed much (if at all) since the last Q.

AT AUGUST 16, 2004, APPROXIMATELY 10,745,091 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, $.001 PAR
VALUE, WERE OUTSTANDING

so it looks like the market cap is under 100k which to me looks like a fairly safe gamble here.

Lazarus

[Lazarus]

it will obviously take more than driving 4 stakes into the ground to garner interest in the stock.

i know that these guys know gold; im not sure if they know how to run a company.

i sure didnt like their pp of 2.5 million shares to directors, etc at .05.

we'll see.

Lazarus

[Lebaneseproud]

PPMD will get noticed eventually. I can wait and will add.
Yes i saw the THMG pr. Own it as well. Was also interested to see that they mentioned Alaska and Mexico as areas that they explore. A signal news coming on the Alaskan or Mexican front? Ive never heard those areas associated with THMG in the past. Nevada doesnt surprise me at all with Jim Collord being out of Elko, NV.
What do you make of the pr?

[Lazarus]

thanks...

i notice BLFS is getting some buying action - while PPMD gets no respect.

also - did you see the news on THMG?

Lazarus

[Lebaneseproud]

I feel the very same way. Btw, im only 50% Lebanese. The other 50% is Irish!! Quite a combination. God Bless

[Lazarus]

one of my godsons married a Lebanese Orthodox Christian...

they are both Antiochian Orthodox. the wedding was quite an eye-opener for me. WAY KOOL!

we have 6 children, 5 grandchildren, 7 godchildren.

my family has a pure irish name, however we are ethnically mutts, culturally AMERICANS.

our home parish is in Serbian Orthodox Church [Patriarch Pavle]. we have a wonderfully diverse parish. serbians, russians, ukranians, filipinos, hispanics, etc.

my boast though is neither in my ethnic or cultural heritage... nor is it in my natural family ... BUT IN THE LORD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

hope you have a blessed Lent,

Lazarus

[Lebaneseproud]

Best post on IHUB today. Thanks for that beautiful link.
Lebanon is still hanging on to its Maronite Christian identity and Orthodox identity although the some other religions would like to see it disappear altogether from the Middle East

[Lazarus]

TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!

Lazarus - Orthodox Christian

[Lazarus]

Stem cells hot topic at UW

by Nick Penzenstadler
Monday, March 5, 2007

In an attempt to both inform and highlight research innovation, local business members and campus faculty gathered Friday for a stem cell symposium at the University of Wisconsin.

The La Follette School of Public Affairs, along with WiCell Research Institute — a non-profit research support facility near UW — led the discussion.

The gathering is part of the “Wisconsin Idea” of integrating recommendations for public policy decisions at the state and national levels.

“People don’t really understand or know much about the important issues related to stem cells … n terms of intellectual property rights, licensing and the trade-off between stimulating innovation and improving public health,” said Barbara Wolfe, director of the La Follette School of Public Affairs.

The symposium focused on several legal and legislative issues likely to influence the future of research surrounding human embryonic stem cells at UW.

Carl Gulbrandsen, president of WiCell and director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation — the exclusive patent management non-profit corporation for UW — gave an overview of the history of embryonic stem cells since first cultured in Madison by James Thomson in 1997.

“It has breakthrough technology, it’s got potential significant value, and there are patent issues,” Gulbrandsen said. “It’s the center of the perfect storm.”

With the possibility of endless replication and boundless differentiation, Gulbrandsen said HES cells could be the “window into human development.”

Gulbrandsen described some current research at UW, which deals with differentiation to heart tissue for research of heart disease and other implications.

UW conducted the research with significant oversight, Gulbrandsen said, since its inception by both the National Academy of Science and University Hospital.

“[The hospital] put down four requirements — they must be excess embryos, … there had to be a proper consent form so that [donors] understood what was going to be done,” Gulbrandsen said. “They could not be created solely for the purpose of Thompson’s research, and there could be no payment made to the embryos.”

With a restriction on federal funding for research, Gulbrandsen said WiCell was formed in 1999 to have private labs work on the project.

Since then, however, the state and federal support has shifted, with 69 percent of Wisconsinites agreeing to pursue the research.

Representative Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, said although members of WiCell say they are comfortable under the direction of Gov. Jim Doyle, many legislators look for a stringent set of guidelines.

“There are many of us who believe there needs to be an ethical standard set for that type of research,” Suder added. “While the governor may not want guidelines, there are many throughout the state that feel some standard for this type of major research is necessary.”

Suder said he supports the research, so long as it stays away from cloning or “mad science.”

The symposium also held panel discussions where experts fielded questions from the audience about patenting and funding of research at universities.

Bradford Barnham, chair of the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, addressed the need for more federal funding for the research and the difficulty to receive it due to the slow process.

“When it comes to the research and development side, the concern is slow progress,” Barnham said. “Everyone is held up by policy, and we have inadequate funding.”

[Lazarus]

Stem cell research expands at UC Irvine

Monday, March 5, 2007

By CATHY TRAN
The Orange County Register
A major expansion is beginning at UC Irvine in the study of human embryonic stem cells, which have the potential to become any of the more than 200 cells in the body and offer hope of a repair kit for people suffering from injuries and disease.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which operates the state's publicly funded stem cell program, has awarded six UCI scientists $3.5 million to examine such things as whether certain drugs slow the growth of the cells or how mutations may cause such cells to go bad.

The institute was created in 2004 after voters passed Proposition 71 to fund human embryonic stem cell research through the sale of $3 billion in bonds. Litigation froze distribution of the funds for more than two years but a $150 million state loan launched this first wave of funding.

The $3.5 million is part of the $45 million that the institute gave in its first grants to investigators at 20 institutions to expand a field that is comparatively new and, so far, is not close to providing verifiable medical benefits.

"The value of these grants is tremendous," said Hans Keirstead, co-director of the UCI Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. "I'm most excited by the fact that the projects span basic discovery through applications to disease. We're in a very unique position for getting from bench to bedside."

The California Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled last week that the proposition "suffers from no constitutional or other legal infirmity," a decision that is expected to free up more money. "It really ensures us that we're on the right track," Keirstead said. The university is now raising money to establish a new stem cell research center.

[Lazarus]

‘Freaking Awesome’ Chicago Ranked Top City in U.S. For Business Investment

CHICAGO – Coined “freaking awesome” in the March 2007 edition of Site Selection magazine, Chicago has once again taken the No. 1 spot and was ranked as the top city in the United States for business investment.
The magazine’s proclamation of Chicago as “top metro” in 2006 lands it the award the fifth time in the past six years.

Site Selection, whose annual ranking is considered by some as the industry scoreboard for economic development, added: “Chicago lures young, high-tech talent on the way to becoming the No. 1 metro in America.”

The magazine says Chicago landed 165 corporate facility projects – totaling more than $5 billion in capital investment – and specifically points to the city nabbing the new regional headquarters for EA SPORTS. The choice by EA SPORTS is cited as a $6 million, 200-job relocation to Chicago’s River North neighborhood.

Kudo Tsunoda, the general manager of the EA SPORTS Chicago office, told Site Selection that it chose Chicago because “the city is freaking awesome. It has such a vibe and a pace to it. … The city stimulates creative minds and enables EA to effectively recruit top young talent.”

“Chicago’s economic diversity is a huge strength for our city,” said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who on Tuesday won a record sixth term as mayor. “We’re strong in so many sectors including manufacturing, business services and technology. This – combined with our impressive professional talent pool – makes us a truly global competitor.”

While Chicago’s 165 projects took the magazine’s first-place spot, second place with 110 projects went to Washington, D.C. Atlanta came in third with 110 projects and New York and Los Angeles did not make this year’s top 10. The full table of city rankings can be found below.

“The city is really on fire. It is rocking and rolling,” said Paul O’Connor, executive director of World Business Chicago, in the Site Selection ranking. “Mayor Daley’s transformation of the neighborhoods is making these areas a great place to live and raise a family. In turn, that has created the highest-end talent pool that is clustered within three or four miles of downtown.”

Other major Chicago projects noted in the Site Selection story include the decision by United Airlines to move its world headquarters downtown to 77 W. Wacker Dr.

“Chicago has demonstrated once again that the ‘Second City’ moniker does not apply to its economic development performance,” said Site Selection editor Mark Arend. “Those in the economic development community in Chicago should be proud of this recognition because their efforts clearly are paying off.”

To be counted as a “project” in the Site Selection ranking, cities must meet one of three factors: new and expanded facilities must involve a capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 50 new jobs or add 20,000 square feet of new floor area.

Site Selection, which covers corporate real estate and economic development, says it is read by 44,000 corporate executive readers. Arend, who has worked at Site Selection for a decade, says the magazine has been publishing this ranking since 1989 and has been tracking this data even longer

[Lazarus]

A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:

http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=17546285

THE PROFESSOR

[Lazarus]

Conglomerates Seek Small Business Acquisitions

CINCINNATI - February 24, 2007 - When Dr. Edward Goldman heard the Procter & Gamble Co. had called, he immediately suspected it was a prank.

"We thought somebody was actually playing a joke," said Goldman, who couldn't guess what the giant consumer products company would want from his primary medical care business in Boca Raton, Fla. One of his colleagues had recently talked about P&G, praising the company as "the Harvard of marketing," so he figured someone was playing off that discussion.

It was no joke.

The phone call began a relationship that led to P&G's recently announced acquisition of a stake in MDVIP Inc., a company Goldman helped start six years ago in which physicians keep practices small and focus on preventive care for fee-paying patients. The deal, its terms undisclosed, is one in a series of little-noticed investments Procter & Gamble has made in the aftermath of its blockbuster $57 billion purchase of Gillette Co. in 2005, and the company says it's now focusing on smaller acquisitions.

While mergers such as P&G-Gillette or AT&T Inc.'s $86 billion buyout of BellSouth in December capture the headlines, large companies have also been busy with comparatively little deals. Companies such as P&G can expand business quickly that way by throwing their marketing muscle and infrastructure behind products that are already developed but in their early stages.

Coca-Cola Co. this month bought Fuze Beverage LLC for an undisclosed amount, extending the world's largest beverage maker's line of drinks with Fuze juice and tea brands. Johnson & Johnson Co. has also been active, obtaining cardiac stent maker Conor Medsystems Inc. and the consumer health products business of Pfizer Inc. in recent months.

"The rationale is from little seedlings grow big oak trees," A.G. Lafley, P&G's chief executive, told analysts last month, explaining that his company likes such deals "because it gives us time to learn; it gets us in early in the formation of the new category or segment."

Michael Docherty, chief executive of Venture2, which consults for and supports innovative entrepreneurs, said acquiring or partnering with smaller companies can be a quick way to add growth potential for big companies.

"They could have identified the same business opportunity and said let's do this ourselves," Docherty said. "It's this notion of open innovation."

"We've had a clarion call to find innovation wherever we can," said Nathan Estruth, general manager for P&G's new business division. "As part of that, we're always looking for companies that have interesting business models or brands."

In the case of MDVIP, P&G wanted to learn more about patients willing to pay up to $1,800 a year for personalized care that operates on a premise that close attention to wellness and prevention results in better health and lower medical costs in the long run.

MDVIP agreed about a year ago to give P&G access to the patients if P&G would share its research. From there, P&G decided to buy minority ownership of the privately held company.

Docherty said that with MDVIP, P&G is placing what is, for it, a small bet on a new consumer health model with big potential.

The investment in a doctors' network is a little out of the ordinary for the Cincinnati-based maker of products such as Crest toothpaste, Tide detergent and Pampers diapers. However, Estruth said it fits with P&G's "the consumer is boss" philosophy because it's about people making choices about their health care.

Other recent P&G health-related deals have included a licensing agreement with dental laser company Biolase Technology Inc. and paying $325 million in a venture with Inverness Medical Innovations Inc. to develop and market home diagnostic products.

"If you look at our current portfolio, the one area where we are continuing to experiment and where we are continuing to broaden and deepen and learn is health care," Lafley explained last month when P&G reported that its second-quarter profit jumped 12 percent and projected full-year sales growth of 10 to 12 percent, or up to $76.4 billion total.

"If you just look at the dynamics around the world, you will get demographics driving it, and you look at the cost of health care, it is going to be huge, and P&G has got to play in a bigger way there," he said.

General Electric Co., which recently bought part of Abbott Laboratories' diagnostics business for $8.13 billion, and Microsoft Corp. are among other giant companies that have been expanding their health care business with the help of acquisitions, joint ventures and other partnerships.

Steve Aylward, who heads Microsoft's health care and life sciences group, said the unit has swelled in five years from five people to 600. Microsoft sees strong growth for wireless and other software to help doctors, hospitals and others in the field speed up communications and improve information gathering and storage systems.

Docherty said many companies are looking at ways to get into health care because the aging baby boomer population, rising costs and increasing interest in new approaches add growth opportunities.

"The grass is always greener on the other side," he said.

For the small companies teaming with the big ones, there can be issues of adjusting to change.

"There's no getting around that P&G is going to apply their management disciplines and their approach to things," Docherty said. "There are some key personnel who may or may not get acclimated to the P&G culture."

But MDVIP's Goldman sees the P&G investment as a catalyst to keep building his business beyond the current 16 states, with some 50,000 patients.

"We think they are bringing a world of knowledge to us," he said. "They are masters of scaling and branding."

[Lazarus]

Small, midsized businesses new core of economy


Gary Craig
Staff writer



(February 25, 2007) — At one time, Tammy Marino says, Eastman Kodak, Xerox and Bausch & Lomb were all small businesses.

It's hard to imagine that corporate behemoths that once were the heart of the local economy — before laying off thousands — started with little more than a few dollars and a lot of dreams. And, of course, a handful of employees.

But they did. The lesson? While, granted, it's rare for small businesses to swell into major corporations, the opportunity for growth should not be underestimated.

"Small firms tend to be the growth engine of local employment," said Marino, the state Labor Department's labor market analyst for the Rochester/Finger Lakes region.

The region has turned to small business for jobs and entrepreneurship as the corporate giants have shrunk.

"The statistics are remarkable," said lawyer Anthony Cotroneo, president of the Small Business Council of the Rochester Business Alliance. "We haven't really lost that much employment population with all the downsizing."

According to the Labor Department, 75 percent of the regional nine-county work force works for companies with fewer than 500 people.

The smallest of businesses make up a sizable share of the employment numbers: 40 percent of the region's work force is employed by businesses with fewer than 50 workers.

Still, the smaller employers have also seen job loss in the region's stagnant economy, but not like their larger brethren. According to the Labor Department, between 2001 and 2006 employers with 500 or more workers experienced a declining job rate more than twice that of smaller businesses — a 5.1 percent overall decline compared to a 2.5 percent drop.

The conversations within the membership of Rochester's Black Business Association are indicative of the evolution toward small business. According to association President Tim McCauley, the focus a decade ago was often on the opportunities for African Americans to work at or with the major manufacturers.

Now, he said, the talk is more about how to build a small business while navigating regulatory and tax minefields.

"I still see opportunities," McCauley said. "Is it the same opportunities as it was 10 years ago? No. But the opportunity is still there."

Consider, for instance, the evolution of two local businesses — Optimation Technology Inc. of Rush and Butler/Till Media Services of Brighton.

While some small businesses grow gradually, Optimation Technology took a gigantic step last year with the acquisition of Kodak's capital engineering, capitalized maintenance and construction units.

The acquisition is allowing Optimation to add construction to its suite of automation, systems integration, engineering and design services — as well as 155 people to the company's work force. Optimation employs 310, three-fourths of whom work in greater Rochester.

The addition of construction talent means that Optimation can now build some of the machines it designs, rather than finding a subcontractor.

"We can build, design and maintain essentially any manufacturing facility. It opens a lot of opportunities we didn't have before," said William Pollock, the company's president.

Some small businesses, such as Butler/Till, are oriented toward helping others grow. Butler/Till is a Cmarketing services company, helping clients select the right publications or other media for placement of advertising, then negotiating rates and auditing results.

The company, now at 40 people, expects to grow to 45 at least by the end of the year.

One area that's keeping the company increasingly busy is new technology, such as digital video recorders that allow viewers to skip commercials. Clients are looking to Butler/Till to explain how they can alter their advertising methods to stay abreast of technology, said Peter Platt, vice president of online media.

"If you want to advertise, that's where we jump in," said Tracy Till, partner at Butler/Till.

Inherent in an economy built upon small businesses are both a certain volatility and stability, experts say. For job seekers, the road can be tougher and require more patience than in eras past.

And an employee's standard of living — if judged by wages and benefits packages — can vary tremendously from one small business to another. Of course, fewer people now expect to stay at the same job for a lifetime, said Matt Hurlbutt, executive director of RochesterWorks, an agency that matches people with employers.

As for stability, the economy, when spread across a base of thousands of small and midsized businesses, won't be as susceptible to roller coaster changes, some experts say.

"The good news is you're not going to have huge downturns," said Bruce Zicari, an accountant who is the Bonadio Group's partner-in-charge of the small business advisory group. "The bad news is you're not going to have the huge upswings, either."

Also, the probability of business leadership assuming the role of community leader is less likely than in the day of George Eastman and other corporate chieftains, said Kent Gardner, president and chief economist of the Center for Governmental Research.

Whatever the result of an economy balanced upon small and midsized businesses, there is one consensus among experts and businesspeople: This will likely be the reality for a long time to come.

"By all means, we're much less dependent on the larger firms," said the state Labor Department's Marino.

[Lazarus]

TOOT! TOOT!...

up early to go to the gym but figured that before i head out i would toot my horn on the huge gap up on CDLA with no volume.


AXCS has raised their bid to 90 cents. currently bidding .90 X 1.01 (which is WAY up from the former bid of .65)


now - let me state clearly that im not trying to tout this stock - and, in fact, if was qualified to advise someone (and i am not) i would advise them to pass on it.

im just quite pleased that after many years [about 7 or 8] or patient holding and accumulation [at much lower prices] that this little 125 year old company with great management and solid revenues and earnings is getting some recognition.

another interesting note: i bot my shares of CDLA with profits from high-flying dot comes that have since went bellyup. this is definitely a story of the turtle overtaking the (spent) hare

Lazarus

[Lazarus]

is this cool or what?

[Lazarus]

Honeybees Vanish, Leaving Keepers in Peril
By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO
VISALIA, Calif., Feb. 23 — David Bradshaw has endured countless stings during his life as a beekeeper, but he got the shock of his career when he opened his boxes last month and found half of his 100 million bees missing.

In 24 states throughout the country, beekeepers have gone through similar shocks as their bees have been disappearing inexplicably at an alarming rate, threatening not only their livelihoods but also the production of numerous crops, including California almonds, one of the nation’s most profitable.

“I have never seen anything like it,” Mr. Bradshaw, 50, said from an almond orchard here beginning to bloom. “Box after box after box are just empty. There’s nobody home.”

The sudden mysterious losses are highlighting the critical link that honeybees play in the long chain that gets fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and dinner tables across the country.

Beekeepers have fought regional bee crises before, but this is the first national affliction.

Now, in a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie, bees are flying off in search of pollen and nectar and simply never returning to their colonies. And nobody knows why. Researchers say the bees are presumably dying in the fields, perhaps becoming exhausted or simply disoriented and eventually falling victim to the cold.

As researchers scramble to find answers to the syndrome they have decided to call “colony collapse disorder,” growers are becoming openly nervous about the capability of the commercial bee industry to meet the growing demand for bees to pollinate dozens of crops, from almonds to avocados to kiwis.

Along with recent stresses on the bees themselves, as well as on an industry increasingly under consolidation, some fear this disorder may force a breaking point for even large beekeepers.

A Cornell University study has estimated that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in the United States, mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts. “Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,” said Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation.

The bee losses are ranging from 30 to 60 percent on the West Coast, with some beekeepers on the East Coast and in Texas reporting losses of more than 70 percent; beekeepers consider a loss of up to 20 percent in the offseason to be normal.

Beekeepers are the nomads of the agriculture world, working in obscurity in their white protective suits and frequently trekking around the country with their insects packed into 18-wheelers, looking for pollination work.

Once the domain of hobbyists with a handful of backyard hives, beekeeping has become increasingly commercial and consolidated. Over the last two decades, the number of beehives, now estimated by the Agriculture Department to be 2.4 million, has dropped by a quarter and the number of beekeepers by half.

Pressure has been building on the bee industry. The costs to maintain hives, also known as colonies, are rising along with the strain on bees of being bred to pollinate rather than just make honey. And beekeepers are losing out to suburban sprawl in their quest for spots where bees can forage for nectar to stay healthy and strong during the pollination season.

“There are less beekeepers, less bees, yet more crops to pollinate,” Mr. Browning said. “While this sounds sweet for the bee business, with so much added loss and expense due to disease, pests and higher equipment costs, profitability is actually falling.”

Some 15 worried beekeepers convened in Florida this month to brainstorm with researchers how to cope with the extensive bee losses. Investigators are exploring a range of theories, including viruses, a fungus and poor bee nutrition.

They are also studying a group of pesticides that were banned in some European countries to see if they are somehow affecting bees’ innate ability to find their way back home.

It could just be that the bees are stressed out. Bees are being raised to survive a shorter offseason, to be ready to pollinate once the almond bloom begins in February. That has most likely lowered their immunity to viruses.

Mites have also damaged bee colonies, and the insecticides used to try to kill mites are harming the ability of queen bees to spawn as many worker bees. The queens are living half as long as they did just a few years ago.

Researchers are also concerned that the willingness of beekeepers to truck their colonies from coast to coast could be adding to bees’ stress, helping to spread viruses and mites and otherwise accelerating whatever is afflicting them.

Dennis van Engelsdorp, a bee specialist with the state of Pennsylvania who is part of the team studying the bee colony collapses, said the “strong immune suppression” investigators have observed “could be the AIDS of the bee industry,” making bees more susceptible to other diseases that eventually kill them off.

Growers have tried before to do without bees. In past decades, they have used everything from giant blowers to helicopters to mortar shells to try to spread pollen across the plants. More recently researchers have been trying to develop “self-compatible” almond trees that will require fewer bees. One company is even trying to commercialize the blue orchard bee, which is virtually stingless and works at colder temperatures than the honeybee.

Beekeepers have endured two major mite infestations since the 1980s, which felled many hobbyist beekeepers, and three cases of unexplained disappearing disorders as far back as 1894. But those episodes were confined to small areas, Mr. van Engelsdorp said.

Today the industry is in a weaker position to deal with new stresses. A flood of imported honey from China and Argentina has depressed honey prices and put more pressure on beekeepers to take to the road in search of pollination contracts. Beekeepers are trucking tens of billions of bees around the country every year.

California’s almond crop, by far the biggest in the world, now draws more than half of the country’s bee colonies in February. The crop has been both a boon to commercial beekeeping and a burden, as pressure mounts for the industry to fill growing demand. Now spread over 580,000 acres stretched across 300 miles of California’s Central Valley, the crop is expected to grow to 680,000 acres by 2010.

Beekeepers now earn many times more renting their bees out to pollinate crops than in producing honey. Two years ago a lack of bees for the California almond crop caused bee rental prices to jump, drawing beekeepers from the East Coast.

This year the price for a bee colony is about $135, up from $55 in 2004, said Joe Traynor, a bee broker in Bakersfield, Calif.

A typical bee colony ranges from 15,000 to 30,000 bees. But beekeepers’ costs are also on the rise. In the past decade, fuel, equipment and even bee boxes have doubled and tripled in price.

The cost to control mites has also risen, along with the price of queen bees, which cost about $15 each, up from $10 three years ago.

To give bees energy while they are pollinating, beekeepers now feed them protein supplements and a liquid mix of sucrose and corn syrup carried in tanker-sized trucks costing $12,000 per load. Over all, Mr. Bradshaw figures, in recent years he has spent $145 a hive annually to keep his bees alive, for a profit of about $11 a hive, not including labor expenses. The last three years his net income has averaged $30,000 a year from his 4,200 bee colonies, he said.

“A couple of farmers have asked me, ‘Why are you doing this?’ ” Mr. Bradshaw said. “I ask myself the same thing. But it is a job I like. It is a lifestyle. I work with my dad every day. And now my son is starting to work with us.”


Almonds fetch the highest prices for bees, but if there aren’t enough bees to go around, some growers may be forced to seek alternatives to bees or change their variety of trees.

“It would be nice to know that we have a dependable source of honey bees,” said Martin Hein, an almond grower based in Visalia. “But at this point I don’t know that we have that for the amount of acres we have got.”

To cope with the losses, beekeepers have been scouring elsewhere for bees to fulfill their contracts with growers. Lance Sundberg, a beekeeper from Columbus, Mont., said he spent $150,000 in the last two weeks buying 1,000 packages of bees — amounting to 14 million bees — from Australia.

He is hoping the Aussie bees will help offset the loss of one-third of the 7,600 hives he manages in six states. “The fear is that when we mix the bees the die-offs will continue to occur,” Mr. Sundberg said.

Migratory beekeeping is a lonely life that many compare to truck driving. Mr. Sundberg spends more than half the year driving 20 truckloads of bees around the country. In Terra Bella, an hour south of Visalia, Jack Brumley grimaced from inside his equipment shed as he watched Rosa Patiño use a flat tool to scrape dried honey from dozens of beehive frames that once held bees. Some 2,000 empty boxes — which once held one-third of his total hives — were stacked to the roof.

Beekeepers must often plead with landowners to allow bees to be placed on their land to forage for nectar. One large citrus grower has pushed for California to institute a “no-fly zone” for bees of at least two miles to prevent them from pollinating a seedless form of Mandarin orange.

But the quality of forage might make a difference. Last week Mr. Bradshaw used a forklift to remove some of his bee colonies from a spot across a riverbed from orange groves. Only three of the 64 colonies there have died or disappeared.

“It will probably take me two to three more years to get back up,” he said. “Unless I spend gobs of money I don’t have.”

[Lazarus]

saw this exhibit at the Getty Museum over the weekend:

http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/icons_sinai/

really big turn out we had to park in the constiution parking lot and wait in line for about 45 minutes to catch the shuttle up. well worth the wait.

the we went to visit my son David's parish [actually a mission]

http://www.joyofallwhosorrow.org/

what a sweet little parish.

this is the second week of Lent:

SECOND WEEK OF LENT                                   MONDAY MATINS 
  
  
  
                 (After the 2nd reading of the Psalter): 
  
                 SESSIONAL HYMN (by Joseph)           TONE 4 
  
 I ENTREAT YOU IN YOUR COMPASSION, O CHRIST, 
 RESTORE TO LIFE THROUGH TRUE FASTING AND REPENTANCE 
 MY SOUL SLAIN BY THE FRUIT OF DISOBEDIENCE. 
 GRANT THAT I MAY EVER WALK THE STRAIGHT PATH OF YOUR HOLY 
                                              COMMANDMENTS, 
 THAT IN THE COMPANY OF ALL WHO LOVE YOU, 
 I MAY SHARE IN YOUR DIVINE GLORY, O JESUS,// 
 AND PRAISE YOUR GOODNESS TOWARDS ALL! 
  
                 GLORY... 
  
 I ENTREAT YOU IN YOUR COMPASSION, O CHRIST... 
  
                 NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) 
  
 TOSSED IN THE STORM OF THE PASSIONS, 
 DEAF TO THE VOICE OF MY CONSCIENCE, 
 I CALL ON YOU WITH FERVOR, PURE VIRGIN! 
 DO NOT LET ME PERISH IN MY WRETCHEDNESS, 
 FOR YOU HAVE BORNE THE LORD OF UNENDING MERCY: 
 I HAVE NO OTHER HOPE BUT YOU; 
 I PUT MY TRUST IN YOU! 
 DO NOT LET MY ENEMIES TRIUMPH OVER ME AND MOCK ME. 
 ALL THAT YOU DESIRE YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO,// 
 FOR YOU ARE MOTHER OF THE GOD OF ALL! 
  
  
  
                (After the 3rd reading of the Psalter): 
  
                 SESSIONAL HYMN                       TONE 6 
  
 DIRECT OUR STEPS, O LORD, 
 AS WE SET OUT ON THE SECOND WEEK OF THE FAST. 
 SHINE THE SANCTIFYING LIGHT OF YOUR COMMANDMENTS ON US 
 AND MAKE US WORTHY TO OFFER YOU AN ACCEPTABLE PRAYER ON BENDED KNEES: 
 FOR YOU ARE OUR FATHER AND WE ARE THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS:// 
 WE SING YOUR PRAISE WITH FEAR AND CALL ON YOUR NAME! 
  
                 GLORY... 
  
 DIRECT OUR STEPS, O LORD... 
  
                 NOW AND EVER... (Theotokion) 
 SECOND MONDAY MATINS SESSIONAL HYMNS (continued)     page two 
  
  
 THE MESSAGE OF GABRIEL TO THE VIRGIN 
 WAS THE BEGINNING OF SALVATION 
 FOR SHE HEARD HIS GREETING: REJOICE! 
 AND DID NOT REJECT HIS SALUTATION. 
 SHE DID NOT DOUBT LIKE SARAH IN THE TENT, BUT REPLIED: 
 BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD,// 
 BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD! 
  
                                TRIODION 
 SECOND WEEK OF LENT                                   MONDAY MATINS 
  
                               APOSTIKHA 
  
                 TONE 5 
  
 PRAYER AND FASTING ARE A MARVELOUS WEAPON 
 WHICH SHOWED MOSES A WRITER OF THE LAW, 
 ELIJAH, A ZEALOT IN SACRIFICE. 
 ABIDING IN THEM, FAITHFUL, LET US CRY TO THE SAVIOR:// 
 AGAINST YOU ONLY HAVE WE SINNED!  HAVE MERCY ON US! 
  
 PRAYER AND FASTING ARE A MARVELOUS WEAPON... 
  
 BLESSED IS THE ARMY OF THE HEAVENLY KING! 
 BORN ON EARTH AND ENDURING SUFFERINGS 
 THEY HASTENED TO ACHIEVE THE RANK OF ANGELS. 
 NOT CARING FOR THE FLESH, THROUGH SUFFERING, 
 THEY WERE ACCOUNTED WORTHY OF BODILESS NOBILITY!// 
 BY THEIR PRAYERS, LORD, SAVE OUR SOULS! 
  
                 GNE... (Theotokion) 
  
 WE ENTREAT YOU AS THE MOTHER OF GOD:// 
 PRAY FOR OUR SOULS, BLESSED ONE! 
  
                                TRIODION 
 SECOND WEEK OF LENT                                  MONDAY SIXTH HOUR 
  
  
                 TROPARION OF THE PROPHECY            TONE 5 
  
 REMEMBER THAT WE ARE BUT DUST, 
  
 CREATOR OF OUR HEARTS!// 
  
 DO NOT CONDEMN US TO THE NETHERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH, SINLESS ONE! 
  
  
                 PROKEIMENON OF THE PROPHECY          TONE 6 
  
 COME, PRAISE THE LORD,  *  ALL YOU WHO FEAR THE LORD! 
  
                 VERSE: My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? 
                        Hear me! 
  
  
                 READING FROM THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH  4:2-6, 5:1-7b 
  
  
                 PROKEIMENON                          TONE 6 
  
 YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF,  *  THEY COMFORT ME. 
  
                 VERSE: The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want! 
  
                                TRIODION 
 SECOND WEEK OF LENT                                   MONDAY VESPERS 
  
                            "LORD I CALL..." 
  
                 TONE 8 (By Joseph) 
  
 TO WHAT SHALL YOU BE LIKENED, WRETCHED SOUL? 
 LAZY IN GOOD DEEDS, BUT WATCHFUL FOR EVIL! 
 REPENT, FOR JUDGMENT IS AT THE DOOR: 
 CLEANSE YOURSELF BY PRAYER AND FASTING. 
 CRY OUT TO THE MASTER:  I HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU;// 
 PARDON ME IN YOUR COMPASSION AND GRANT ME FORGIVENESS! 
  
 YOUR LOVINGKINDNESS IS WIDER THAN THE SEA! 
 CHRIST MY GOD, DRY UP THE SEA OF MY EVIL AND SIN, 
 FOR YOU ALONE ARE SINLESS. 
 GRANT MY HEART COMPUNCTION, RESTRAINING  THE TEMPEST OF MY WICKEDNESS 
 THAT I MAY SING YOUR PRAISES AND GLORIFY YOUR INFINITE COMPASSION,// 
 LONGSUFFERING BENEFACTOR OF OUR SOULS! 
  
                 (By Theodore) 
  
 YOU LEAD US THROUGH THE TIME OF THE HOLY FAST, O GOD, 
 AND HAVE ENABLED US TO ENTER INTO ITS SECOND WEEK. 
 GRANT, LORD, THAT IN THE WEEKS TO COME 
 WE MAY RUN THE RACE WITH ALL OUR MIGHT. 
 GIVE OUR SOULS AND BODIES GRACE AND STRENGTH 
 THAT WE MAY COMPLETE THE COURSE WITH COURAGE AND JOY 
 AND COME TO THE ROYAL DAY OF RESURRECTION;// 
 AND WEARING CROWNS OF VICTORY, CEASELESSLY PRAISE YOU! 
  
                                TRIODION 
 SECOND WEEK OF LENT                                   MONDAY VESPERS 
  
  
  
                 PROKEIMENON                          TONE 1 
  
 THE LORD, STRONG AND MIGHTY!  *   THE LORD MIGHTY IN BATTLE! 
  
                 VERSE: The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness 
                        thereof! 
  
  
                 READING FROM GENESIS 3:21-4:7 
  
  
                 PROKEIMENON                          TONE 6 
  
 LOOK UPON ME,  *  AND HAVE MERCY ON ME! 
  
                 VERSE: To You, Lord, do I lift up my soul! 
  
  
                 READING FROM PROVERBS 3:34 - 4:22 
  
                                TRIODION 
 SECOND WEEK OF LENT                                   MONDAY VESPERS 
  
                               APOSTIKHA 
  
                 TONE 3 
  
 LET US PERFORM A SPIRITUAL FAST! 
 LET US LOOSE EVERY TIE! 
 LET US FLEE FROM THE PITFALLS OF SIN! 
 LET US FORGIVE OUR BROTHER'S DEBTS 
 THAT OUR TRANSGRESSIONS MAY ALSO BE FORGIVEN! 
 THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO SING:// 
 LET MY PRAYER ARISE IN YOUR SIGHT AS INCENSE, LORD! 
  
 LET US PERFORM A SPIRITUAL FAST... 
  
 THE PROPHETS, APOSTLES, AND MARTYRS OF CHRIST 
 TAUGHT US TO PRAISE THE CONSUBSTANTIAL TRINITY. 
 HAVING ENLIGHTENED THE NATIONS THAT HAD GONE ASTRAY,// 
 THEY MADE THE SONS OF MEN COMPANIONS OF THE ANGELS! 
  
                 GNE... (Theotokion) 
  
 DO NOT FORGET YOUR POOR TO THE END, THEOTOKOS! 
 BUT DELIVER US FROM PRESENT HARM AND FUTURE TROUBLE 
 THROUGH YOUR INTERCESSIONS, LADY,// 
 SPARE YOUR SERVANTS FROM THE WRATH OF THE LORD. 
  
 

[3Saints]

Where is the outcry from the civilized world?

[Lazarus]

as i suspected CAVR...


the stock is not nearly as liquid now as it was. i was only filled for 35k shares at a penny so the inventory for big blocks on the cheap is really thining out.

Lazarus

[Lazarus]

this morning i am going to average up on my position in CAVR.

its very liquid right now due to the fact that its been dormant for so long. over the last 9 years or so its likely that most shareholders sold for a loss including insiders. if you read the 8k you attorney is stating that its been abodoned and he is reclaiming it.

i looked at one of the other companies stocker was involved with and was underwhelmed...it currently has around 343,000,000 million shares out. so, if anything is done with CAVR i would expect it will get the crap diluted out of it...but until then....

i would not be surprised to see a fairly decent looking balance sheet in the future.

this is all speculation of course.

Lazarus - the ever-speculating

[Lazarus]

Egypt blogger jailed for insulting Islam


http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyid=2007-02-22T130227Z_01_L...

[Lazarus]

yeow! i've heard its nice out there but never seen the places. 4/3 sounds like a McMansion for the two of you. is the house already built or do you have to wait for them to complete it?

latest thing i bot: a 357 magnum (used). not super crazy about hand guns but i will feel a little safer when we go up to our property that borders the national forest with one strapped to my side. snakes, wild boar, cows with calves, (marijuana growers), etc.

today is the beginning of lent for us.

you're welcome to come and join us tonite for the chanting of the Canon of St Andrew of Crete:




Eirmos: He is my Helper and Protector, and has become my salvation. This is my God and I will glorify Him. My father's God and I will exalt Him. For gloriously has He been glorified. (Exodus 15:2,1; Psalm 117:14)

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? What first-fruit shall I offer, O Christ, for my present lamentation? But in Thy compassion grant me release from my falls.

Come, wretched soul, with your flesh, confess to the Creator of all. In future refrain from your former brutishness, and offer to God tears in repentance.

Having rivaled the first-created Adam by my transgression, I realize that I am stripped naked of God and of the everlasting kingdom and bliss through my sins. (Genesis 3)

Alas, wretched soul! Why are you like the first Eve? For you have wickedly looked and been bitterly wounded, and you have touched the tree and rashly tasted the forbidden food.

The place of bodily Eve has been taken for me by the Eve of my mind in the shape of a passionate thought in the flesh, showing me sweet things, yet ever making me taste and swallow bitter things.

Adam was rightly exiled from Eden for not keeping Thy one commandment, O Savior. But what shall I suffer who am always rejecting Thy living words? (Hebrews 12:25; Genesis 3:23)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: Superessential Trinity, adored in Unity, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of compunction.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Mother of God, hope and intercessor of those who sing of thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and as thou art our pure Lady, accept me who repent.

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 2.

Eirmos: Attend, O heaven, and I will speak, and will sing of Christ who came to dwell among us in flesh which He took from the Virgin.

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

Attend, O heaven, and I will speak; O earth, give ear to a voice repenting to God and singing praises to Him.

Attend to me, O God my Saviour, with Thy merciful eye, and accept my fervent confession. (Proverbs 15:3; Psalm 33:15)

I have sinned above all men, I alone have sinned against Thee. But as God have compassion, O Saviour, on Thy creature. (1 Tim. 1:15)

Having formed by my pleasure-loving desires the deformity of my passions, I have marred the beauty of my mind. A storm of passions besets me, O compassionate Lord. But stretch out Thy hand to me too, as to Peter. (Matthew 14:31)

I have stained the coat of my flesh, and soiled what is in Thy image and likeness, O Saviour. I have darkened the beauty of my soul with passionate pleasures, and my whole mind I have reduced wholly to mud.

I have torn my first garment which the Creator wove for me in the beginning, and therefore I am lying naked. (Genesis 3:21)

I have put on a torn coat, which the serpent wove for me by argument, and I am ashamed. (Genesis 3:4-5)

The tears of the harlot, O merciful Lord, I too offer to Thee. Be merciful to me, O Saviour, in Thy compassion. (Luke 7:38; 18:13)

I looked at the beauty of the tree, and my mind was seduced; and now I lie naked, and I am ashamed. (Genesis 3:7)

All the demon-chiefs of the passions have plowed on my back, and long has their tyranny over me lasted. (Psalm 128:3)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: I sing of Thee as one in three Persons, O God of all, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Spotless Mother of God, only all-hymned Virgin, pray intensely that we may be saved.

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 3.

Eirmos: Establish Thy Church on the unshakable rock of Thy commandments, O ChriSt

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

The Lord rained fire from the Lord, my soul, and burnt up the former land of Sodom. (Genesis 19:24)

Escape to the mountain like Lot, my soul, and make Zoar your refuge in time. (Genesis 19:22)

Run from the burning, my soul! Run from the heat of Sodom! Run from the destruction of the divine flame. (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29)

I alone have sinned against Thee, sinned above all men. O Christ my Saviour, spurn me not. Thou art the good Shepherd; seek me, Thy lamb, and neglect not me who have gone astray. (John 10:11-14)

Thou art my sweet Jesus, Thou art my Creator; in Thee, O Saviour, I shall be justified.

I confess to Thee, O Saviour, I have sinned, I have sinned against Thee, but absolve and forgive me in Thy compassion.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: O Trinity, Unity, God, save us from delusion and temptations and distressing circumstances.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Rejoice, God-receiving womb! Rejoice, throne of the Lord! Rejoice, Mother of our Life!

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 4.

Eirmos: The Prophet heard of Thy coming, O Lord, and was afraid that Thou wast to be born of a Virgin and appear to men, and he said, "I have heard the report of Thee and am afraid." Glory to Thy power, O Lord. (Habbakuk 3:2)

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

Despise not Thy works and forsake not Thy creation, O just Judge and Lover of men, though I alone have sinned as a man more than any man. But being Lord of all, Thou hast power to pardon sins. (Mark 2:10)

The end is drawing near, my soul, is drawing near! But you neither care nor prepare. The time is growing short. Rise! The Judge is near at the very doors. Like a dream, like a flower, the time of this life passes. Why do we bustle about in vain? (Matthew 24:33; Psalm 38:7)

Come to your senses, my soul! Consider the deeds you have done, and bring them before your eyes, and pour out the drops of your tears. Boldly tell your thoughts and deeds to Christ, and be acquitted.

There has never been a sin or act or vice in life that I have not committed, O Saviour. I have sinned in mind, word and choice, in purpose, will and action, as no one else has ever done.

Therefore I am condemned, wretch that I am, therefore I am doomed by my own conscience, than which there is nothing in the world more rigorous. O my Judge and Redeemer Who knowest my heart, spare and deliver and save me, Thy servant.

The ladder of old which the great Patriarch saw, my soul, is a model of mounting by action and ascent by knowledge. So, if you wish to live in activity, knowledge and contemplation, be renewed. (Genesis 28:12; Rom. 12:2; Titus 3:5)

Because of his crying need the Patriarch endured the scorching heat of the day, and he bore the frost of the night, daily making gains, shepherding, struggling, slaving, in order to win two wives. (Genesis 29:16-30; 31-40)

By the two wives understand action and direct knowledge in contemplation: Leah as action, for she had many children, and Rachel as knowledge, which is obtained by much labour. For without labours, my soul, neither action nor contemplation will achieve success.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: I confess Thee to be undivided in essence, unconfused in persons, One Triune Divinity, co-enthroned and co-reigning. I sing Thee the great song thrice sung on high.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Thou givest birth and livest a virgin life, and in both remainest a virgin by nature. He Who is born of thee renews the laws of nature, and a womb gives birth without travail. Where God wills, the order of nature is overruled; for He does whatever He wishes.

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 5.

Eirmos: Out of the night watching early for Thee, enlighten me, I pray, O Lover of men, and guide even me in Thy commandments, and teach me, O Saviour, to do Thy will.

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

I have passed my life ever in night, for the night of sin has been to me thick fog and darkness; but make me, O Saviour, a son of the day. (Ephesians 5:8)

Like Reuben, wretch that I am, I have planned an unprincipled and lawless act against God Most High, having defiled my bed as he defiled that of his father. (Genesis 35:21; 49:3-4)

I confess to Thee, O Christ my King: I have sinned, I have sinned, like Joseph's brothers of old, who sold the fruit of purity and chastity. (Genesis 37)

Righteous Joseph was given up by his brothers, that sweet soul was sold into slavery, as a type of the Lord; and you, my soul, have sold yourself completely to your vices. (Genesis 37:27-28)

Imitate, wretched and worthless soul, righteous Joseph and his pure mind, and do not be wanton with irrational desires, ever transgressing. (Genesis 39:7-23)

If Joseph of old also occupied a pit, O Sovereign Lord, yet it was as a type of Thy Burial and Rising. But will I ever offer Thee anything like it? (Genesis 37)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: Thee, O Trinity, we glorify, the one God: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, Father, Son and Spirit, simple Being, Unity ever adored.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: From thee, O pure maiden Mother and Virgin, God Who created the worlds and ages was clad in my clay and united to Himself human nature.

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 6.

Eirmos: I cried with my whole heart to the merciful God, and He heard me from the lowest hell and raised my life out of corruption.

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

I sincerely offer Thee with a pure intention, O Saviour, the tears of my eyes and groans from the depths of my heart, crying: O God, I have sinned against Thee; be merciful to me. (Luke 18:13)

You, my soul, have revolted from the Lord like Dathan and Abiram. But with all your heart cry, "Spare!", that a yawning gulf of the earth may not swallow you. (Numbers 16)

Like a stampeding heifer stung to madness, my soul, you have resembled Ephraim. Winged with action, resolve and contemplation, save your life like a gazelle from the noose. (Hosea 4:16)

Let Moses' hand assure us, my soul, how God can whiten and cleanse a leprous life. So do not despair of yourself, even though you are leprous. (Exodus 4:6-8)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: I am the Trinity, simple and undivided, divided Personally, and I am the Unity, united in nature, says the Father, the Son, and the Divine Spirit.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Thy womb bore God for us Who took our form. Implore Him as the Creator of all, O Mother of God, that through thy intercessions we may be justified.

Lord, have mercy (Three times).

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The Eirmos is repeated. Then is sung the:

Kontakion, tone 6:

My soul, my soul, arise! Why are you sleeping? The end is drawing near, and you will be confounded. Awake, then, and be watchful, that Christ our God may spare you, Who is everywhere present and fills all things.

Ode 7.

Eirmos: We have sinned, transgressed, done wrong before Thee, we havenot watched or done as Thou hast commanded us. But do not give us up utterly, O God of our Fathers.

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

I have sinned, offended and rejected Thy commandment, for I have advanced in sins and added wounds to my sores. But in Thy compassion have mercy on me, O God of our Fathers.

I have confessed to Thee, my Judge, the secrets of my heart. See my humility, see also my distress, and attend to my judgment now. And in Thy compassion have mercy on me, O God of our Fathers.

When Saul of old lost his father's asses, besides getting news of them he incidentally found a kingdom. But watch, my soul, lest without noticing it, you prefer your animal cravings to the Kingdom of ChriSt (I Kings 10:2)

If David, the father of our Divine Lord, doubly sinned of old, my soul, when he was pierced with the arrow of adultery and struck with the spear of remorse for murder, yet you have a sickness graver than deeds in your will and appetites. (II Kings 11; 12: 1-23)

David once joined sin to sin, for he mixed adultery with murder, yet he immediately offered double repentance. But you my soul, have done things more wicked without repenting to God.

David of old composed a song, painting it as in a picture, by which he exposes the deed he had done, crying: Have mercy on me, for against Thee only have I sinned, Who art God of all. Cleanse me. (Psalm 50)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: O Trinity simple and undivided, of one essence and one nature, Lights and Light, three Holies and one Holy, God the Trinity is hymned. But sing, my soul, and glorify the Life and Lives, the God of all.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: We sing of thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, O Mother of God, for thou gavest birth to one of the inseparable Trinity, the one Son and God, and to us on earth thou hast opened the heavenly realms.

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 8.

Eirmos: Him Whom the heavenly hosts glorify and before Whom Cherubim and Seraphim tremble, let every breath and all creation praise, bless and exalt throughout all ages.

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

I have sinned, O Saviour, have mercy! Awaken my mind to conversion, accept me who repent, have compassion on me as I cry: Against Thee only have I sinned and acted lawlessly; have mercy on me.

Elijah the charioteer once ascended by the chariot of the virtues as to heaven and was carried above earthly things. Consider then, my soul, this ascent. (IV Kings 2:11)

Elisha received double grace from the Lord when he took up Elijah's sheepskin. But you, my soul, have not shared this grace owing to incontinence. (IV Kings 2:9)

Jordan's stream of old was made to stand still on either side by Elisha by Elijah's sheepskin. But you, my soul, have not shared this grace owing to incontinence. (IV Kings 2:14)

The Shunammite woman of old with right good will entertained the righteous man. But you, my soul, have taken into your house neither stranger nor traveller. Therefore you will be cast out of the bridal hall wailing. (IV Kings 4:8)

You have always imitated the vile mind of Gehazi, O wretched soul. Rid yourself of his love of money, at least in old age; escape from the fire of Gehenna by leaving your evil ways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: Eternal Father, co-eternal Son, gracious Comforter, Spirit of Truth; Father of the Divine Word, Word of the Eternal Father, living and creative Spirit, Trinity Unity, have mercy on us.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: As from scarlet silk, O spotless Virgin, within thy womb the spiritual purple was woven, the flesh of Emmanuel. Therefore we honour thee as in truth Mother of God.

The Eirmos is repeated, and then we begin:

Ode 9.

Eirmos: Ineffable is the childbearing of a seedless conception, unsullied the pregnancy of a Virgin Mother, for the birth of God renews natures. So in all generations we magnify thee in orthodox fashion as the Mother and Bride of God.

Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Troparia:

The mind is wounded, the body is feeble, the spirit is sick, the word has lost its power, life is ebbing, the end is at the doors. What then will you do, wretched soul, when the Judge comes to try your case?

I have reviewed Moses' account of the creation of the world, my soul, and then all canonical Scripture which tells you the story of the righteous and the unrighteous. But you, my soul, have copied the latter and not the former, and have sinned against God.

The Law has grown weak, the Gospel is unpractised, the whole of the Scripture is ignored by you; the Prophets and every word of the Just have lost their power. Your wounds, my soul, have multiplied, and there is no physician to heal you.

I am bringing before you examples from the New Scripture, my soul, to lead you to compunction. So emulate the righteous and avoid following the sinners, and regain Christ's grace by prayers, fasts, purity and reverence.

Christ became man and called to repentance robbers and harlots. Repent, my soul! The door of the Kingdom is already open, and the transformed pharisees, publicans and adulterers are seizing it ahead of you. (Matthew 21:31; 11:12)

Christ became a babe and conversed in the flesh with me, and he voluntarily experienced all that pertains to our nature, apart from sin; and He showed you, my soul, an example and image of His own condescension. (Matthew 1:25)

Christ saved wise men, called shepherds, made crowds of infants martyrs, glorified old men and aged widows, whose deeds and life, my soul, you have not emulated. But woe unto you when you are judged! (Matthew 2:12; Luke 2:9-12; Matthew 2:16; Luke 2:25-38)

When the Lord had fasted for forty days in the wilderness, He at last became hungry, showing His human nature. Do not be despondent, my soul, if the enemy attacks you, but let him be beaten off by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 4:1-11; 17:21; Mark 9:29)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

To the Holy Trinity: Let us glorify the Father, exalt the Son, and faithfully worship the Divine Spirit, inseparable Trinity, Unity in essence, as the Light and Lights, the Life and Lives, giving life and light to the ends of the earth.

Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokion: Protect thy city, spotless Mother of God, for in thee it faithfully reigns, and in thee is made strong, and through thee it conquers and routs every trial and temptation, and spoils its foes and rules its subjects.

Refrain: Holy father Andrew, pray for us.

To St Andrew of Crete: Venerable Andrew, thrice-blessed father, shepherd of Crete, cease not to pray to God for those who sing of thee, that He may deliver from anger, oppression, corruption and our countless sins, all of us who faithfully honour thy memory.

And again the Eirmos of the Ninth Ode, as the conclusion of the Canon:

Ineffable is the childbearing of a seedless conception, unsullied the pregnancy of a Virgin Mother, for the birth of God renews natures. So in all generations we magnify thee in orthodox fashion as Mother and Bride of God.

[FRE$NO]

Laz, how you doing buddy!! Bought a new 4/3 over at Harland Ranch today!!We very excited!!

[Lazarus]

something very few people know about me:

i like to cut bananas with a steak knife. butter knives are too dull and a cleaver is an overkill.


Lazarus