For the love of music

When Janet Standeford was 7 years old, she would press her ear to her familys quiet radio, listen, and sing. She sang as a child, and learned to play accordion.Years later I picked up a guitar and its been an uphill battle since, she said with a laugh. I fell in love with the guitar. Now I hope to learn the electric guitar.

Though she usually plays 12-string acoustic guitar, she took advantage of the auction at the Blues at the Brewery music festival,Weymouth is collecting gently used, dry cleaned customkeychain at their Weymouth store. and bought a six-string Gibson for $80.Standeford, who currently lives in Baker City but is in Klamath Falls working at Experience Works, decided to come to the Klamath Blues Societys annual event for the first time Saturday.

The festival has been at Veterans Memorial Park in past years, but this year moved to a more rural setting at Mia and Pias brewery between Klamath Falls and Merrill. Organizer Phyllis Faries said the new location worked well, with summer breezes wafting through in the afternoon. The only challenge was shade. Canopies shaded people while they sat, but if they wanted to dance they had to do so in the sun.

Faries called the Blues at the Brewerys music lineup fantastic.Local band Nephilim started off the festival, followed by Central Point band Mercy. In between that set and the next, Jasmine Zangari, the Klamath Union High School grad receiving the blues societys scholarship this year, played a mash-up of Purple Haze and Sonata in E Minor by Bernhard Romberg on her cello. Last was the headliner, Cee Cee James and her band.

Faries compared James belting voice to Janice Joplin. The band performed at the Klamath blues festival in 2009. After placing in the semifinals of the International Blues Challenge in Nashville, James toured Europe and lived in Tennessee. She now lives in Grants Pass.Our top picks for the cableties and gear,Those who came to the festival came for the love of music, and the love of blues.I love blues, always loved the blues, said Pamela Thompson, of Klamath Falls. The beat. The rhythm. It makes you want to get up and move.

Fantastic bands, added Loren King, of Klamath Falls.For $9 you cant beat it, chimed in Van Johnson, of Malin.Music adds a lot of happiness, said Zangari, the KU grad who received the blues society scholarship. She will be going to Western Oregon University to study nursing. Playing on cello, or singing, itll lift your mood no matter what age you are. Why do people listen to music? It makes them feel better.

A year later, more questions than answers remain.A indoorpositioningsystem has real weight in your customer's hand. But the police investigation is closed, and aspects of Hughes' and Jackson's deaths will probably always be unfathomable, especially to those who knew and loved the young men.This much is known: A former classmate from Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis dropped Jackson and Hughes off on an empty Summit-University street. He later said that he saw the handle of a gun in Jackson's waistband and heard a "pow" as he drove away. Police found Police believe Jackson killed Hughes. Jackson had untreated schizophrenia, "which most likely played a significant role" in what happened, said Sgt. Paul Dunnom,Here's a complete list of granitecountertops for the beginning oil painter. the lead investigator. "However, since he is dead, we will never know the answer to that question."

Jackson's family says they don't know what happened to Hughes. They were desperate to get help for Jackson, who was 22 when he died, and they think more treatment should be available to the mentally ill."He wouldn't take his medicine," Frances Jackson said. "I used to say, 'Let's break it up and put it in his orange juice,' " but they didn't because they didn't want to deceive him. Police found a 9mm handgun under Jackson's leg. A forensic scientist at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's laboratory determined that it was the one used to fire the bullets found in Jackson's and Hughes' bodies and the spent casings recovered on Fuller Avenue and Charles Street, a police report said.

DNA from several surfaces of the gun, including the trigger and muzzle, matched Jackson's. Neither Hughes' nor Ondieki's DNA was on the gun, a police report said. The gun, with an altered serial number, had not been reported stolen,This technology allows high volume gemstonebeads production at low cost. a report said.One friend told police he'd "never seen Jackson with a gun and added 'nobody would give him a gun' and referred to Jackson's mental health," a police report said.

Dunnom said the gun's last legal owner was unknown; where and how Jackson got the gun wasn't the focus of Dunnom's investigation. A check of a law enforcement database didn't match it to any other crimes, Dunnom said.Jackson's mother told police that her son's friends said the gun was given to her son and/or Hughes by a friend; she didn't know why, a report said.It wasn't the first time a gun had figured into Jackson's and Hughes' lives.

They were charged as teens in 2007 with having a gun in a Minneapolis park. Hughes said he'd bought it for $100 for protection, and Jackson asked to see it and put it in his own backpack, according to juvenile petitions.
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Protection against e-pickpockets

The brand's innovative prowess dates back to 1983, when its trademark FXT ballistic nylon bags (developed from the nylon material in the flak jackets used by the American army) were first introduced to endure the rigours of travel, rapidly catapulting the company to becoming one of the leading brands of choice in premium business and travel accessories for discerning frequent travellers, including United States President Barack Obama.

Thirty years on, the inner workings of the black-on-black ballistic nylon have inspired a new boxed pattern design, which is the feature of the brand's latest Ticon collection, launched this spring.

A linear pattern is created out of its double-lined "T" logo to produce a square-like grid with a basket weave formation, mirroring the visual effect of two nylon yarns interlacing inside the ballistic material. The result is an easily identifiable Ticon logo-constructed weave, which decorates an extensive range of the best-selling styles from Tumi's travel, business and lifestyle range.

Embossed on leather, it shakes up the international leather zipper carry-on and soft leather travel satchel with a coat of textured detail across its full-leather body, while the classic magazine tote is reinterpreted with a combination of weave-patterned tan leather and signature ballistic nylon in a choice of raspberry, marigold, bone or black.

Backpacks, sling and slim-flap briefcases, messenger bags and a selection of small leather goods make up the rest of the Ticon collection in classic black ballistic nylon, as well as brown and tan leather.

Staying true to the brand's longstanding reputation for function and performance-enhanced designs, a new protective feature, ID Lock, has been developed by Tumi to protect customers from Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) theft of personal data,We have a wide selection of handsfreeaccess to choose from for your storage needs. which is encoded on most identification cards, credit cards and passports. An RFID tag is composed of a miniscule data-storing microchip and wireless antennae, which can be easily accessed via any RFID reader within close distance. Information stolen, especially from credit cards, often lead to fraudulent purchases by card-skimming thieves.You've probably seen solarpanel at some point. RFID-enabled ATM cards can also reveal bank account details.

The ID Lock is a feature on select bags and small accessories, such as wallets and card cases. An internal pocket with Tumi's red Ticon pattern lining and subtle red detailing on the zipper pull indicate the presence of the security feature. Storing one's identification cards, credit cards or any other RFID-enabled cards

UFC president Dana White says it would be the biggest upset in company history – bigger than Matt Serra over Georges St-Pierre.Elpas Readers detect and forward 'Location' and 'State' data from Elpas Active RFID Tags to host besticcard platforms. I disagree. Jones might be a 10-to-1 favorite or more in some sports books. Sonnen might not have fought at 205 pounds in the UFC. But there are reasons to believe he’ll be able to dethrone Jones, the best young fighter in the world, in New Jersey.

It’s easy to think Sonnen is the guy who runs his mouth and earns big fights. You think he’d be in this position right now, though, if he had not beaten Anderson Silva up for almost five full rounds in 2010? Sonnen talked all the crap in the world and went into UFC 117 and did everything he said he would – until Silva stunned him with a triangle choke with just 1:50 left in the fight.

Before that, no one ever touched Silva. The UFC middleweight champion – and the greatest MMA fighter of all time – dominated just about everyone who stepped into the Octagon with him. Granted, Sonnen did test positive for increased testosterone levels after that fight, but he also dominated the first round against Silva clean last summer before being knocked out in the second.

Yeah, Sonnen is a caricature of himself with a microphone in his hands. But let’s not forget he’s beaten guys like Michael Bisping and Yushin Okami, two of the top middleweights in the world.

Jones is not either one of those guys. He’s much better. But is he far superior to Silva? I’m not so sure. He does present a different skill set. But counting out Sonnen isn’t the smart thing to do. He’s shocked us all before.

Their combined experience shines through at this slick gem, occupying what was once the Centurion Tower at Caesars Palace - the building was completely gutted to make way for the Nobu rooms, creating a luxury hotel enclave within the larger resort. Although not boutique by traditional standards, the hotel's 181 rooms make it positively petite in Vegas - the rest of the Caesars complex is home to some 4000 accommodations over five additional towers plus dozens of restaurants and bars, multiple casinos, a performing arts centre and a vast alfresco pool area.

Unfortunately there isn't a private entrance to the Nobu Hotel, as is the case at a number of other exclusive Vegas properties. It does see me crossing a casino gaming floor but considering that some guests face treks of more than five minutes to reach their beds, this seems like a sure bet. From the intimate lobby I'm whisked up in high-tech lifts, sans buttons, where I scan my room card before entering and allow "smart technology" to read floor and room details.

I've barely had time to admire the David Rockwell-designed room - dragon mural above the bed, lantern-inspired lamps, textured carpeting to resemble rake lines in a Zen garden, and traditional Japanese woodblock prints - when a welcome tray of green tea plus rice cakes from Matsuhisa's home town arrive.

My deluxe king room is large with a window-side L-shape velvet sofa and coffee table and plenty of space. The bathroom is almost as big, with a huge black-tiled rain shower stocked with customised Natura Bisse amenities infused with rosemary and white tea, and a teak stool should all the late nights catch up with me.

While private hotel facilities are limited, Nobu guests are granted access to all of the offerings at Caesars. And there's a lot, from the pool to the restaurants to the spa, which offers a handful of signature treatments exclusively to Nobu guests. The Nagomi Ritual, for example, is a 90-minute therapy that incorporates a foot treatment with crystallised honey particles, a shiatsu massage using four aroma "nectars",Explore online some of the many available selections in lasercutter. and a facial featuring carbon dioxide to increase skin hydration and revitalisation.

Between the shows and the casinos, dinner ends up being a late affair in Vegas. With my 10.30pm restaurant reservation still four hours away I make the most of the hotel's room service, which features an all-Nobu menu.

The latter offers neat compartments filled with lobster lightly brushed with wasabi, perfectly seared wagyu, spicy garlic shrimp, nigiri and hand-rolls. In-room cocktails and desserts also have a Nobu twist: for a sweet ending I order the Suntory whiskey cappuccino,The 3rd International Conference on custombobbleheads and Indoor Navigation. tofu cheesecake and green tea brulee.

The minibar has a good selection of sakes and Japanese beers on offer. The room-service menu lists a couple more, including the Nobu Special Reserve 28, a full-bodied spirit that - I'm told - is best served over ice with a hint of yuzu juice. It's delicious, but not cheap at $US160 for a 750-millilitre bottle.

The Nobu Restaurant off the hotel's lobby is the only one of its kind in the world to offer a morning meal, with a Japanese twist: yuzu soba pancakes come topped with blueberry-and-yuzu compote plus pecan-miso butter, and the eggs Matsuhisa feature roasted asparagus, bonito egg sauce, ikura and toasted bao.

Get your home office wired for success

Luckily for me, the move she has in mind won't involve lawyers or packing bags. She wants me to move out of the home office we share. She works neatly. I, on the other hand, leave a trail of debris and clutter behind like some especially messy snail.

I do have another office down in the daylight basement. But I often find myself sitting at a desk in the upstairs office Mary uses. She profits from that:  I offer witty remarks about things I have found on the Web and sometimes I even turn on a spare ham radio I keep up there to add to the entertainment. So you can see, even if she does not, that I bring a lot of value to the table.

To convince Mary of my good intentions -- and perhaps maintain my seat in the upstairs office -- I have embarked on a decluttering mission to convince her of my worth. I'll take you along with me today as I attack a maze of wires clumped together like especially amorous snakes that trail under desks and along the walls of our home office.

There's value in this for you, since there are reasons beyond neatness for straightening up the growing number of cables and wires in any home office. Computers breed wires like rabbits breed young ones.  There will be times when you need to replace one of your home office devices or work on one of them. The worst part of the job often is finding which cable in the tangle goes where.

Unless you've paid close attention to your own growing collection of wires you may be surprised at what you'll find under your desk (not even counting the Coke bottles and candy wrappers I found).

It's not unusual to see, in one room, a couple of computers; a router for networking your home office; a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) to provide back-up power for your computers; a telephone or two; maybe even an old-fashioned fax machine like we own; external hard disks that connect to your computers for making back-ups; a high-speed modem; a paper shredder; cables used to connect a smart phone to the computer; a card reader device to transfer photos to your computer, a table lamp or two; and various wall warts used to power modems, hard disks, telephones and the like.

Making sense of all those wires and cables can let you quickly connect and reconnect your gadgets when something goes haywire. You'll also avoid tripping over one of the wires and hurting both yourself and the devices attached to the wire. And, not so incidentally, the office will look a lot better when you’re done.

Decluttering your wires isn't difficult, although it can be time consuming. So let's get started.

First, we will put a label at both ends of every wire and cable. If you have a label-making machine, you can do an especially neat job of things. If not, I suggest using your printer to create the labels. You can attach them using clear tape; I recommend the extra sturdy clear tape used for taping shipping boxes since it's more likely to stick around. It'll do a better job than the transparent tape you keep on your desk. However you do things, tape the labels on securely and in a way that will let you read them easily.

When you're done, a typical cable might have a label that looks like this. On one end it might say: ROUTER. On the other end of the same cable: BILL'S COMPUTER. Make the same kind of labels for every wire and cable. You'll end up with labels like: iPHONE CHARGER, SPEAKER POWER, TO MODEM, FROM MODEM. You get the idea.

Do all that while the wires and cables are still connected to your devices so you don’t add to the confusion. Then, once everything is labeled, we're going to disconnect almost everything. By doing that, we'll free up the wires so we can untangle the mess beneath your desk or desks. It's almost impossible to straighten out the wires while they are connected.

You'll need several packages of cable ties. They can be found at Home Depot, Lowes or Radio Shack. Cable ties are used to bundle wires together. So, for instance, if you have several power cables that go to a UPS, you can create a neat bundle. Then you can bundle up ethernet cables. Once that's completed you'll have a neat, tangle-free group of wires.

Some of your wires may travel quite a distance. In our home office, there are both ethernet and telephone cables that start beneath Mary's desk and travel along the walls over to my desk. They're an accident waiting to happen. If they eventually creep away from the wall a bit, you can trip over them (I've demonstrated that more than once). Hardware stores sell hollow plastic molding strips specially made to solve the problem. Your wires fit in the hollow section and the molding strips can be tacked between wall and floor. That not only hides the wires, it protects them.

Once all that is done, you will have an easy time reattaching all your wires and cables, since everything is neatly bundled and labeled. And, as you reattach them, you are almost certain to make a nice discovery. I'll bet -- once everything is hooked up -- you'll find wires and cables and wall warts that are no longer used. Remove them (tuck them away in a drawer instead of throwing them away, they may come in handy some day).

Now you're done. Not only does your home office look better but it's also going to be much easier next time you need to replace a router or work on a computer. After all, the last thing you want to do in a repair emergency is to paw through a nest of wires just to find the ones you need.

I did such a good job in the upstairs office that I'm now assigned to repeat the same decluttering process in the downstairs office. At times virtue has unexpected and unpleasant rewards.