24 carat gold China doll [March 3 is traditionally known as Girl’s Day}

A Reuters news video showing a pair of 24 carat gold hinamatsuri dolls put on display yesterday in Tokyo:

Japanese jeweller Tanaka Ginza unveiled the 24 carat gold dolls which weigh 2 kilogrammes each.

The dolls, representing the Emperor and Empress of Japan, are a 1,000-year-old tradition dating back to a time when dolls were suppose to help ward off evil spirits and help with the coming of Spring.

Similar dolls usually decorate homes ahead of March 3, which is traditionally known as Girl’s Day.

"The Subject Is Jazz" - THE FUTURE OF JAZZ: George Russell + BILLY TAYLOR [TV 1958] + "The World of Lenny Bruce" [TV PILOT]

THE

SUBJECT

IS

JAZZ

1958

• 
  

Billy Taylor
"The Subject Is Jazz"
1958
TV

featuring

Bill Evans
Tony Scott
Art Farmer
Jimmy Cleveland
Doc Severinsen
Ed Thigpen
Mundell Lowe
Eddie Safranski
and
George Russell

25:13

The Subject is Jazz is a series of thirteen half-hour shows produced at WNBC in New York. Footage from the show features many interviews and performances of 50s jazz legends

Lenny Bruce's TV pilot "The World of Lenny Bruce,"

featuring
Cannonball Adderley
Bill Evans
Teddy Kotick
and
Philly Joe Jones

Valentine’s Day: Be Mine. . ? Names of Romantic-Sounding Places + video AND DEATH ROW VALENTINE DATES

Valentine’s Day February 14
 / 30.587504; -104.495498 (Valentine, Texas) v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Jeff Davis County, County seat: Fort Davis Valentine, Texas is at coordinates 30°35′15″N 104°29′44″W / 30.587504°N 104.495498°W  / 30.587504; -104.495498 (Valentine, Texas)Coordinates: 30°35′15″N 104°29′44″W / 30.587504°N 104.495498°W Town Valentine A Prada store in West Texas near Marfa CDP Fort Davis One legend has it that Valentine’s Day originated to commemorate the anniversary of the death of St. Valentine, a Roman clergyman who was executed on Feb. 14, about 270 A.D., for secretly marrying couples in defiance of the emperor. According to another, the holiday began as a Roman fertility festival. Americans probably began exchanging handmade valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, began to sell the nation’s first mass-produced valentine cards.
Top Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day Household participation rates Greeting Cards 65% Plush 21% Date Night 44% Other Gifts 17% Candy 38% Perfume/Cologne 12% Flowers 32% Jewelry 11% Gift Cards 29% Sources: Hallmark/Retail Industry Leaders Association/NRF Valentine’s Cards 180 million Number of Valentine’s Day cards exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion. (This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.) (Source: Hallmark research) Nearly 50 percent Typically, the proportion of all Valentine’s Day cards purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight. (Source: Hallmark research) About 40% Proportion of all Valentine card purchases which parents account for. (Source: Hallmark research.) Young and Looking for Love 120 Number of single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) who are in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same ages. Corresponding numbers for the following race and ethnic groups are: Hispanics: 153 men per 100 women Asians (single race): 132 men per 100 women (This ratio is not significantly different from that for Hispanics or non-Hispanic whites.) Non-Hispanic whites (single race): 120 men per 100 women Blacks (single race): 92 men per 100 women (The numbers of black men and women in this age group are not significantly different from one another.) Young at Heart and Looking for Love Following the mid-air collision of a UFO and a small plane, both the U.S. and Mexico send teams to recover the crashed UFO. Author Noe Torres summarizes what happened next in this excerpt from "Eyes to the Sky" with Dee Andrew (July 26, 2008) 33 Number of single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) age 65 or older for every 100 single women of the same ages. Corresponding numbers for the following race and ethnic groups are: Hispanics: 38 men per 100 women Non-Hispanic whites (single race): 33 men per 100 women Blacks (single race): 33 men per 100 women Asians (single race): 28 men per 100 women (Note: None of the ratios for the individual groups differ significantly from one another nor from the ratio for all people age 65 or older.) Try Looking Here . . . Below are names of some romantic-sounding places: Date of Execution: Kevin Zimmerman \ #977 Last Statement: Yes. Connie, Nanny, Bea, Kathy and Richard - I love you all and I thank you all very much for supporting me with your love. In the name of Jesus, I am sorry for the pain I caused you all. I am sorry. Gilbert didn't deserve to die and I want you all to know I am sorry. I pray that the good Lord will give you all peace. Okay. Lovelady, Texas Scheduled Executions Scheduled Execution Link Last Name First Name TDCJ Number Date of Birth Race Date Received 2/10/2009 Photograph of Offender Name Scheanette, Dale Devon TDCJ Number 999440 Date of Birth 05/07/1973 Date Received 02/06/2003 Age (when Received) 29 Education Level (Highest Grade Completed) 12 Date of Offense 12/24/1996 Age (at the time of Offense) 23 Summary of incident On 12/24/1996, in Arlington, Texas, Scheanette sexually assaulted and strangled a 22 year old black female, resulting in her death. Co-defendants None Race and Gender of Victim black female Scheanette Dale Devon 999440 5/7/1973 B 2/6/2003 2/12/2009 Offender Information Johnson Johnny 999197 8/2/1957 B 6/25/1996 3/3/2009 Offender Information Pondexter Willie Earl 999111 3/5/1974 B 7/25/1994 3/4/2009 Offender Information Morris Kenneth Wayne 999117 3/4/71 B 9/6/1994 3/10/2009 Offender Information Martinez James Edward 999404 6/9/1974 H 2/13/2002 3/11/2009 Offender Information Salazar Luis 999285 8/31/1970 H 10/30/1998 4/7/2009 Offender Information Briseno Jose Garcia 999043 5/14/1957 H 9/11/1992 04/30/2009 Offender Information Johnson Derrick 999339 09/20/1980 B 12/22/1999 Valentine, Neb. Lovelady, Texas Racial Breakdown of Electrocuted Offenders 1923 - 1973 Race Male White 108 29.9% Black 229 63.4% Hispanic 23 6.4% Other 1 0.3% TOTAL 361 100.0% Lovelady, Texas View Larger Map Valentine, Texas Loving County, Texas Loveland, Colo. Lovington, N.M. Lovejoy, Ga. Loving, N.M. Loves Park, Ill. Love County, Okla. Lovelock, Nev. Lovington, Ill. Love Valley, N.C. Romeo, Colo. Loveland, Ohio Romeo, Mich. Loveland Park, Ohio Romeoville, Ill. Loveland, Okla. Date of Execution: February 17, 2004 Offender: Cameron Todd Willingham #999041 Last Statement: Yeah. The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man - convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for 12 years for something I did not do. From God's dust I came and to dust I will return - so the earth shall become my throne. I gotta go, road dog. I love you Gabby. [Remaining portion of statement omitted due to profanity.] Be Mine 2.2 million The number of marriages that take place in the United States annually. That breaks down to more than 6,000 a day. <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/> 145,800 The number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2004. So many couples “tie the knot” in the Silver State that it ranked fourth nationally in marriages, even though its total population that year among states was 35th. <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_21.pdf> <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/003153.html> 25.8 and 27.4 The estimated U.S. median ages at first marriage for women and men, respectively, in 2004. The age for women rose 4.7 years in the last three decades. The age for men at first marriage is up 4.3 years. <http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/ms2.pdf> Men and women in northeastern states generally have a higher median age at first marriage than the national average. In Massachusetts, for example, women were a median of 27.4 years old and men 29.1 years of age at first marriage. States where people typically marry young include Utah, where women were a median of 21.9 years and men, 23.9 years. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/fertility/005807.html> 54% and 57% The percentages of American women and men, respectively, who are 15 or older and currently married (includes those who are separated). <http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2004.html> 4.7 million Number of opposite-sex cohabitating couples who maintained households in 2004. These couples comprised 4.2 percent of all households. <http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2004.html> Candy is Dandy 1,271 Number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2003. These establishments employed 43,379 people. California led the nation in the number of such establishments (with 146) followed by Pennsylvania (with 120). <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html> 519 Number of locations that produced nonchocolate confectionary products in 2003. These establishments employed 23,343 people. <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html> $13.5 billion Total value of shipments in 2003 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was a $5.5 billion industry. <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/am0331gs1.pdf> 3,523 Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2003. Often referred to as candy stores, they are among the best sources of sweets for Valentine’s Day. <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html> 24.7 pounds Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2004. Candy consumption has actually declined over the last few years; in 1997, each American gobbled or savored more than 27 pounds of candy a year. <http://www.census.gov/industry/1/ma311d04.pdf> Flowers $422 million The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2004 for all flower-producing businesses in 36 states with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for nearly three-quarters of this amount ($304 million). <http://www.nass.usda.gov> $43 million The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2004 for all businesses in 36 states with $100,000 or more in sales. Among all types of cut flowers, roses were second in receipts to lilies ($78 million). <http://www.nass.usda.gov> 22,022 The number of florists nationwide in 2003. These businesses employed 113,270 people. <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html> Jewelry 28,527 Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2003. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages. In February 2005, these stores sold $2.4 billion worth of merchandise. (This figure has not been adjusted for seasonal variation, holiday or trading day differences or price changes.) <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html> <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html> The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation’s 1,892 jewelry manufacturing establishments. The manufacture of jewelry was an $8.6 billion industry in 2003. <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html> <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/am0331gs1.pdf>

September 18, 2008

GETAWAY CAR DRIVER IN VALENTINE'S DAY BANK ROBBERY SENTENCED

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Margret Jean Warren, 26, formerly of Colchester, Vermont was recently sentenced to 37 months in prison for her involvement in the robbery of the Merchants Bank in Colchester on Valentine's Day 2007. Chief United States District Judge William K. Sessions III, sitting in Burlington, also sentenced Warren to two years of supervised release following her prison sentence, and ordered her to pay restitution.

According to court documents in the case, on February 14, 2007, Austin Levielle walked into the Merchants Bank in Colchester, pulled out a black semi-automatic handgun, pointed it at the head of one of the tellers, and demanded money. The teller quickly gave Levielle over $10,000.00 in cash and Levielle fled the scene in a vehicle driven by his then girlfriend, Margret Warren. Warren and Levielle then proceeded to spend the money on drugs, food, a television and other personal items. Levielle was arrested a month later in Shelburne. Warren was arrested shortly thereafter. Warren had been free on conditions of release pending resolution of her case.

The United States Attorney commended the Colchester Police and the FBI for their work on this matter. The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. The defendant was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.

STORM WORM VIRUS

02/11/08—With the Valentine's Day holiday approaching, be on the lookout for spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software (malware). The e-mail directs the recipient to click on a link to retrieve the electronic greeting card (e-card). Once the user clicks on the link, malware is downloaded to the Internet-connected device and causes it to become infected and part of the Storm Worm botnet. A botnet is a network of compromised machines under the control of a single user. Botnets are typically set up to facilitate criminal activity such as spam e-mail, identity theft, denial of service attacks, and spreading malware to other machines on the Internet.

The Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays in the last year by sending millions of e-mails advertising an e-card link within the text of the spam e-mail. Valentine's Day has been identified as the next target.

Be wary of any e-mail received from an unknown sender. Do not open any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any links provided.

If you have received this, or a similar e-mail, please file a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

we really get some good search hits around here

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