I am sick and tired of having people come to my desk and ask me why this edition of Big Brother Africa (BBA) features a lot of good-looking people. In fact, it is more the guys than the ladies who are happy with the outcome of this year’s auditions.

There is so much eye-candy one could go blind in a week. In fact, the contestants are so spoilt for choice they could even afford to evict the beautiful Huddah after a week’s stay in the house. And that’s unheard of!

BBA loyalists will know that over the years the good-looking contestants have made it through the three months just so that there was some form of entertainment in the confined space the players were locked up in.

But with everyone looking as if they stepped off a catwalk, there is really no demand for otherwise hot chicks like Huddah, so she got the boot. Imagine those former contestants who stayed in the barn years ago. Imagine how they would have preyed on the Kenyan beauty as the chicken and the goat watched.

For the next three months we are going to look at Big Brother Africa once a week and assess the progress of the show in this column. We will call it the Cupid Edition for that obvious reason. This was a match-making exercise that has already garnered good results for the show.

Honestly, how do you have 28 young and attractive people live together in a locked up space for 91 days and expect nothing to happen?

PARTING WORDS

Two people have been casualties so far and these were Uganda’s Denzel and Kenya’s Huddah. While he was a favourite among the ladies, contestants felt Denzel was a strong player who probably tried a little too hard to impress everyone.

If he wasn’t giving massages to the ladies he was sucking toes, and all this in one week. But all that “niceness” could not save him.

“It is disappointing and I am still coming to grips with it,” said Denzel just after leaving the house.

“Having been stronger personalities, who were not responding to all the jokes or worshipping anyone, I can understand why Huddah and I got the chop,” he concluded.

The Kenyan model agreed with him, saying she saw her eviction coming from a mile away.

“Look, a lot of women watch this show across Africa, more than men, so I think some of the things I did in the house did not sit well with them,” she said.

“For example, I had never worn a bikini and walked around people, but when I got into the house I thought, why not? Some people may have found that tasteless.

“I am also an assertive person who says what’s on her mind, so I don’t back down. These traits are unattractive in a game like this.”

Now we wait to see what becomes of these two.

WAY TO GO

According to some of the contestants, there isn’t as much booze in the house and that is a good thing. After all the fights we have seen over the years there is a need to keep the contestants off the booze at times and busy with other things. Well done, Big Brother Africa. As a matter of fact, why don’t you make them earn it?

MOEMISH

What was really up with Bolt entering the house with a wedding band on, only to remove it and claim he wasn’t married? And now he is smooching the living daylights out of Betty. This is another Prezzo and Goldie situation and a lot of people are hooked on this story arc. Here’s hoping they are not split up, otherwise it would really be funny.

WHAT FATE HOLDS

Dillish, Feza, Koketso, LK4 and Hakeem are on the eviction block and two people might leave if Biggie is not feeling up to some twists and turns. Hakeem, although he has been a hit with the ladies, might lose out since he is not playing the game anymore.

Since being moved from his love interest Cleo, he is being a child about it by sulking. Dude, man up, or you’ll be seeing her from a TV back home.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

It might be a little rainy these days, but hey, we'll take whatever above-50 temps we've got. Between neighborhood barbecues, Ravinia, and the Millennium Park concert season kicking off, it's time to embrace the outdoors. Wine can and should be a part of the equation. But when it comes to tippling outside, convenience is key. Make it easier on yourself to imbibe with the following tips (and tipples).

1) Keep it simple. Most of us don't carry corkscrews in our purses (but no judging if you do!), so for the party and park season, embrace the screwcap. Certain countries have defaulted to this method, and so if you're looking for ease, search for wine from New Zealand, Chile, and Austria, all of which prefer this closure. (And Austria is known for frequently packaging wine in 1-liter bottles instead of 750ml, making you 25% more popular when you bring one to a party!)

2) Leave nothing behind. Nobody likes a litterbug! Eliminate the chances of this by eschewing the aforementioned cork and foil; screwcaps and cute, reusable stemware mean a lot less debris and fewer abandoned Solo cups in the grass. Keep it comfy for all of us.

3) Check the alternative packaging. To really be efficient, avoid toting multiple heavy bottles and instead opt for wine in a box. And no, we don't mean Grandma's Franzia. Lots of great cooperative wineries now package their juice in handy 3-liter containers, perfect for a group, with no danger of breakage or spoiling. If you're counting your pennies, choose a white wine, which is almost always less expensive, and the chilly serving temperature helps to hide the "economical" taste.

4) Plan ahead. If you're heading to Millennium Park and forget to bring the hooch, you're stuck with Walgreens options and very high Loop markup. Make a point to get off the El one stop early and swing into Pastoral on Lake Street. They also have a French Market location if you're heading to Ravinia. And hey, Metra allows you to drink on the train, so get a head start and mellow out the blanket war stress before you arrive.

5) Know your laws. Millennium Park allows alcohol consumption within certain areas, as do Metra and Ravinia. DuPage County forest preserves do not, but Cook County forest preserves do, as long as there's no glass and you're not within 50 feet of a parking lot or roadway. (Read: alternative packages, no fancy stemware, champagne in cans).

Chicago is ripe with opportunity for drinking wine outdoors if you play it smart and keep it casual. If you really need to raise a Lalique flute of Champagne and saber some magnums in Chicago this summer, cool. Just do it on private property. And make sure to invite us!

"At least 70 per cent of target vehicles are unlocked…but we've seen it as high was 85 per cent," said Cnst. Kris Clark, Kelowna RCMP spokesperson.

The culprits are often youth and they're often drug-addicted, said Clark. But it isn't the perpetrators so much as the victims police are after.

Starting Monday, auxiliary officers will head to hot spots for this sort of crime—beaches and parks—to flag vehicles with information sheets that appear much like a ticket. The notices are orange in colour and ask people to lock their car and remove valuables, and will be placed on windshields.

It's hoped the warnings will catch drivers' attention enough to spur a change in behaviour and, at the very least, provide a clear warning about crime levels to those who may be vacationing from smaller communities where this form of crime is less prevalent.

"Thieves tend to work residential areas overnight, while targeting recreation and business parking lots during the day," said Clark, noting parkades are particularly vulnerable as they offer a lot of inventory, protected from prying eyes.

Any and all personal belongings left in a car are insured under homeowners insurance, not car insurance, according to Michelle Hargrave, senior communications specialist for ICBC. The insurance in an option within homeowner insurance packages and applies whether the car was left unlocked or not; although claims do affect a person's premiums.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

 

It started to rain last Saturday night, and the temperature dropped. So 19-year-old Said Sanchez Garcia stopped home to get a sweater. He'd been gone all afternoon and now he and his friend, Jerzy Ortiz, 16, were headed out clubbing on Jerzy's motor scooter.

"The only thing I said was, 'Son, it's raining, you shouldn't be going out,"' said Josefina Garcia. It was the last time she saw him.

By late Sunday she was calling Jerzy's mother, Leticia Ponce, to see if she knew where the boys were. By Tuesday, both mothers were at the Mexico City prosecutor's office with other distraught relatives. The boys disappeared from an after-hours bar in central Mexico City on Sunday morning along with nine others, kidnapped by masked men with large guns and SUVs in broad daylight, according to the story of one man who got away.

Nearly a week later, the two mothers found themselves denying that the brazen abduction had anything to do with their sons.

Both acknowledged that the boys' fathers are serving prison sentences for drug-related crimes. But Ponce tearfully pleaded with reporters on Friday not to criminalize her son, Jerzy. His father has been in jail for 10 years.

"If somebody wanted to do something to us, they would have already kidnapped us," said Ponce, shaking with sobs.

Authorities have been searching desperately for motives in the bizarre crime that left no clues. It followed the May 9 beating death of Malcolm Shabazz, grandson of the late Malcolm X, in a fight over a bill at another rough Mexico City bar. Two waiters have been arrested in that killing.

After scouring available surveillance tapes in the kidnapping and searching the bar, Mexico City Attorney General Rodolfo Rios said Saturday that so far they so far have found no evidence that a heavily armed command abducted the young people.

"We have found no signs of violence inside or outside the place," he told a press conference.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said authorities were not eliminating any line of investigation but could not act on assumptions because of some of the victims' fathers. When asked if the city could be facing an increase in organized crime attacks, he said "Mexico City has its security guaranteed."

The family members have met with city and federal prosecutors, and have demanded to see tapes from the office buildings that tower over the narrow side street just off the city's leafy Paseo de la Reforma. The bar is also a short walk from the federal police building and the U.S. Embassy.

Employees in nearby businesses say they had noticed for some time strange activity and loud music at the building with the sign Bicentenario, some calling it a narco-bar for the expensive cars that came and went. Several said they would cross the street to work to avoid the drunks who would hang out on the sidewalk, still partying in the early morning. The after-hours club, called "Heaven," had been operating for about a year, neighbours estimated.

It was running with a different name than the one listed on a license that expired in 2009 and was never renewed. Still, it stayed open. Humberto Huerta, a spokesman for the city borough office that is responsible for inspecting bars and other businesses, noted his office only has 16 inspectors to oversee 60,000 businesses.

But no one saw anything Sunday around 10 a.m. when the abduction supposedly happened, nearly unbelievable given that nearby Reforma was full of people that day — for a five-kilometre foot race, the city's weekly urban bike ride and an international culture fair that had just opened the day before.

Amid the lack of an explanation, speculation emerged that it was a retaliation crime relating to the fathers of the two boys.

The spokesman for the city's penitentiary system said Sanchez's father, Alejandro Sanchez, was sentenced in October 2004 to 23 years in prison for extortion, organized crime, homicide and robbery. He is serving time in a maximum security prison in the city.

Jerzy's father Jorge Ortiz, known as "the Tank," was arrested the same day as Sanchez and was sentenced for the same crimes and to the same number of years. He was transferred to a federal maximum security prison in 2009 because he is considered a high-risk criminal.

"My husband has been locked up for many years," Garcia said. "He doesn't have any problems with anybody, he doesn't mess with anybody. So that would be a long time for that to keep having consequences, right?"

Others accused authorities of stigmatizing the kidnap victims because they hail from Tepito, one of Mexico City's most dangerous neighborhoods and the main clearinghouse for millions of dollars of contraband, from guns and drugs to counterfeit handbags.

In the winding, narrow streets of the 150-block area, stalls selling knock-off sneakers and pirated CDs block access for most cars. Youths ride motorbikes, often two to a bike, as the main form of transport. Garbage is piled on street corners, and warehouses full of auto parts of dubious origin spill their contents.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

 

Soroptimist International of La Jolla will host its annual Purses Plus Party to raise funds for agencies that help women and girls lead better lives, from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 2. Reservations are required to enter the event in the Windemere Clubhouse. Wine, nibbles, jackets, shawls and handbags will fill the bill. Admission is $5 or a donated purse.

A 2013 Oscar-winning documentary short, “Inocente,” will screen 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at the La Jolla Community Center,  6811 La Jolla Blvd. Inocente is a San Diego artist and activist. As a young child her family emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. After her father’s arrest and deportation for domestic violence, most of Inocente’s childhood was spent moving from one homeless shelter to the next. She discovered the power of art when she was 12, and since then has been able to use art as a vehicle to rise above many life challenges.

This year’s event commemorates San Diego’s contributions to World War II and its “Arsenal of Democracy,” the fleet of war machines that were designed or built here. Dozens of planes will take to the skies, including Consolidated’s famed “flying boat,” the PBY Catalina, and one of the few PB4Y-2 Privateers still flying today. New this year is the Silver Wings Wing-walking team, combining flying and artistry in a dynamic sky ballet on the wings of Stearman bi-planes. The only Northrop N9M Flying Wing returns, along with John A. Collver and his AT6/SNJ “War Dog,” a World War II trainer performing in an aerial display to the strains of patriotic music. The show also features NASA educational displays, military services and defense contractors, and booths with everything from aviation art to airplane models. Food and beverages, including a beer garden, too. The weekend event runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 1-2, Gillespie Field, 1960 Joe Crosson Drive, El Cajon.

Lithographs from Hamilton Press are on exhibit 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (Wednesday to 8:30 p.m.) through June 15 at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St. In 1990, Ed Hamilton, a Tamarind Master Printer, and artist Ed Ruscha opened HP in Venice, California to provide a good print experience for artists. The shop is very small and everything is printed by hand, without a mechanical offset or ink jet printer. In the last 23 years, many artists at the press have chosen to use words or texts in their prints — especially Raymond Pettibon, Allen Ruppersberg and Ed Ruscha.

or the first time, paddle surfing will be the vehicle for participants at the seventh annual cancer-survivor celebration, Survivor Beach, on Sunday, June 2 at the beach in front of Scripps Institute of Oceanography, The event gets underway at 7:30 a.m. and doubles as a fundraiser for UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. There will be races, speakers and boarding events — including the infamous photo op with all the boards lined up in the sand. Winners will receive awards in these categories: Cancer Survivor, Surfing Legends, Up to Age 20, Ages 20-49, and Ages 50 and Older.

A 43-year-old Baton Rouge man was arrested Thursday and charged with the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods during a raid in which agents seized $1 million in fake designer shoes and purses, according to the Louisiana attorney general’s office. The U.S. Office of Homeland Security and the state’s attorney general's office conducted a sweep at Fashion Express, 5956 Airline Highway.

Bocar Ba, of 11888 Old Hammond Highway, was arrested.

Agents seized 3,082 fake designer shoes and purses with an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1 million in the raid, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said.

Among the items were fake Nike shoes, and bogus Louis Vuitton, Prada and Coach merchandise.

“Once again, this illustrates my commitment to maintaining a level playing field for our good Louisiana businesses,” Caldwell said. “There are unscrupulous individuals out there selling everything from fake handbags to prescription medicines. Counterfeit goods seriously harm our legitimate Louisiana businesses and often endanger the safety of our citizens. Such criminal activity will not be tolerated.”

Read the full story at http://www.anmison.com/ !

The Mendhwan accident, which claimed 14 lives, including that of the driver of the container which rammed into an oncoming luxury bus on Wednesday, has brought to light a chilling demonstration of greed taking precedence over life.

The locals who came forward to help the accident victims did so not for nothing. They first rummaged through their baggages, took all valuables and then helped the victims.

This heart-rending story has been told to the police by none other than one of the two drivers of the ill-fated bus (GJ.3.AW.9914) who miraculously survived the big bang with minor injuries.

The fatal collision took place on the Mendhwan Khind bridge on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway when Lalaji Amarsingh Rajput, 28, was at the wheel and Mahesh Ramanlal Mina, 35, the additional driver, was sitting next to him.

Both of them visited the Kasa police station on Thursday to give their statement.
In his statement, Mina said that after the accident, he fell out of the bus cabin and saw around 10 locals reaching the spot.

Instead of picking dead bodies and rescuing the injured, they boarded the bus and took away bags. They not only removed valuables from the bags, but also snatched away jewellery from the dead and the injured, Mina said, adding that they came back to help the hapless passengers only after hiding the booty.

Assistant police inspector of Kasa police station Bharat Choudhary said, “We were informed about the theft at the accident spot, but at that very moment our primary responsibility was to save lives. We could only recover those items which were found on the locals. Some handbags are missing and we will look into the matter.”

Nearly a half-billion dollars in grants will be made available for construction projects in districts across the state through a partnership between the state Schools Development Authority and the New Jersey Department of Education, state officials said today.

The $425 million, for which any of the state’s 559 districts and may apply, and an additional $30 million for the state’s county vocational schools, mark the largest single grant program in New Jersey’s history, according to the state department of education.

The authority will be working with the department to open the application process through which school projects will be selected to receive the new funding, according to the state.

“In this critical time of rebuilding the Garden State, it is more important than ever for these school projects to move forward with state financial support,” said Governor Chris Christie in a news release.

“I have heard from superintendents across the state that they have critical facilities needs that they would like to address, and this substantial allocation by the state will help them address those concerns without having to sacrifice their investment in what matters most – teaching and learning,” added DOE Commissioner Chris Cerf.

Authority CEO Marc Larkins said the grants also will provide needed jobs in construction trades.

The funding will expand the authority’s grant program, which includes 882 active grants supporting $1.6 billion in school facilities work.

Read the full story at http://www.anmison.com/ !

In recent events around the world stretching from India to the Coast of California the plastic bag is on the chopping block. Countries are starting to believe that plastic bags are the cause of so much pollution around the world and are now focusing on corn or starch based plastics. The plastic technologies made from corn and starch are causing more harm than good according to UC berkley, Stanford University, Pittsburgh University and others across the globe. These so called “bioplastics” which have lobbied the recent Californians Against Waste and the State of California into believing the miracle cure for the plastic bag is corn based plastic to be composted.

Corn based plastic is causing more harm to the environment than regular polyethylene bags, says the report from Pittsburgh University’s life cycle assessment. The disposal method easily accessible by the vast majority of consumers is the landfills. This causes confusion to the general public as to where they can throw their “compostable bags”, it is for this reason students from Stanford University did a very lengthy study on the use of corn based plastics on the campus. With great anticipation they began asking students if they knew “corn based” plastic is actually thrown into landfills more than compost facilities. Some frightening things were also found out that these compostable plastics are not even compostable, they are industrial compostable and can only be taken to the curb in San Francisco. These compost facilities can not be found be average consumers and to top it off which consumer is going to be driving their “bioplastic” products to the compost facility every week to dump their trash. This is not economical by any means.

The plastic bag which was developed to carry 1000 times the weight of the products which it holds is a great technology improvement than carrying a reusable bag, which has been shown to carry viruses and other bacteria due to not washing out the bags.

The truth about the thin plastic bag, it takes 500 times reusing the same bag made from polypropylene or polyethylene to offset the reusable bag. If you are washing these reusable bags, as one should the reusable bags life of 500 uses is far beyond the “shelf – life” of the product.

There are some fascinating technologies which overcome these issues, companies such as BioSphere Plastic LLC have engineered a special additive when is is loaded at 1% allows microbes to consume the plastic at a rapid rate. This technology works as the opposite as building a polymer when interacting with enzymes which are produced by microorganisms. The enzymes and the additive work to create a biocatalyst for microorganism to reduce the plastic chain. The plastic chain is reduced allowing microorganisms to rapidly consume the plastic bag.

Answer Vending’s president, Tom Murn, disputed Ms. Carlson’s claim that his company had previously sold her Pop Tarts in packs of two. But he acknowledged that teachers could probably find cheaper prices elsewhere. He also noted that under his company’s contract with the city, schools receive commissions from the snacks sold in its machines. The company gives each school 28 percent of gross sales each year; in the last three years, Ms. Carlson’s school has received $59,401.34.

At Middle School 51 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the parent coordinator, Audrey Komaroff, expressed frustrations similar to Ms. Carlson’s. “The vendor prices are staying the same and the size of the packages are getting smaller,” Ms. Komaroff said.

She also took issue with some of the items on the approved list, which did not seem to her to be all that wholesome. Her school’s students hold more traditional bake sales at the end of the lunch hour, but at the park across the street, she said, outside the reach of the Education Department. All the proceeds go directly to charity, like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, she said. “We felt that it was kosher, as long as it wasn’t inside the school,” Ms. Komaroff said.

In Queens, Ms. Carlson’s students stopped selling most snacks altogether. Instead, they hawked a “red bag of stuff” during cold and flu seasons: tissues, lip balm, hand sanitizer and, from Answer Vending, a package of gummy fruit snacks. Even so, some of her students could not sell enough bags to pay for the trip to Boston last week. To fill the minimum number of slots, Ms. Carlson and her colleagues she and her colleagues in a social studies program opened registration to other students.

Chennai-based healthcare technology start-up Perfint Healthcare has been granted its first patent by the US patent office for its robotic targeting technology for image guided cancer care. The private-equity funded company started in 2005 is in the process of bringing out its fourth product into the market.

“This is an important milestone in our R&D efforts. More patent applications are in the pipeline and we expect a few of them to be granted soon,” said David Gustafson, Seattle, WA, USA-based CTO and VP of R&D of Perfint Healthcare.

Perfint’s products, ROBIO and MAXIO, based on this patented technology have installations in about 20 countries across the world. These products help physicians with procedure planning and robotic assistance to perform minimally invasive cancer care procedures like tumor ablation under image guidance. These procedures are increasingly preferred as an alternate or in addition to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

“The technology is also being deployed for performing image-guided pain care procedures of the spine and liver,” said S Nandakumar, co-founder and CEO of Perfint Healthcare.

Perfints’s Sonio, the fourth product that works on ultra sound scanners, is in the prototype stage. In order to accelerate new product development and their commercialisation, the company had recently raised $11 million from Norwest Venture Partners. Perfint had earlier received $3.5 million from Accel Partners and IDG Ventures in 2007. In 2010, Norwest Venture Partners joined the existing investors to fund $7.2 million and in 2011 they further invested $6 million.

Shuffling in 50 to 60 people within an hour can be challenging, especially on busy days when 100 people could line up outside.
Johnson estimated that people at the soup kitchen are fed for $1.01 each, thanks to volunteer cooks and donations from local restaurants and grocery stores.
The ministry also relies on churches, individuals and the Second Harvest Food Bank to meet the need for the food boxes and bags.
Individuals are especially giving around Thanksgiving and Christmas. But Christian Ministry of Lincoln County counts on the generosity of the community year round, as it has for more than 30 years.

Tom and Bea Levenhagen take Southwest Airlines when they can.

The couple from Elizabethtown, Pa., look at things like the availability of a direct flight instead of those that require numerous connections. Good customer service. And the fees that some airlines charge enter into the final decision.

"We traveled with them for a lot of years -- originally because they were a discount carrier," Bea Levenhagen said last week, while waiting for a flight near the Southwest ticket counters at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. "We don't look at it that way anymore. It is more the convenience."

Southwest Airlines, which pioneered the concept of low-cost, no-frills flying, has seen its typical base airfares surge to the rest of the pack at a time of continued airline consolidation, soaring fuel costs and rivals that charge fees for checked bags and ticket changes, according to interviews and government data.

Average one-way airfares between St. Louis and seven other cities have increased 25 percent since the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a review of the most recent U.S. Department of Transportation's Domestic Airline Fares Consumer Reports.

The average fare between St. Louis and Dallas increased to $194 in the fourth quarter of 2012 from $122 in 2008 -- a 59 percent increase. That is a sizable jump, considering Southwest competes with American Airlines in that market. Fares between St. Louis and Cleveland rose more than 50 percent during those four years.
 

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have been together a year and a half. I regret moving in with him when I did, which was after only three months of dating.

We have been through a lot, including my struggle with various health issues. Throughout this he has become an insensitive person who treats me like garbage. There has been a lot of emotional abuse happening, and it has taken me quite a while to be able to see it.

The other night I was about to break up with him. Then he suddenly changed his tune. He said: "I'm listening. You're right. I need to change. I love you."

Abby, at this point I really don't care, but I gave him another chance. Was I wrong to do that? He has changed for now — quite drastically — but I know he could easily go back.

I no longer love him. I also no longer find him attractive, and I actually think he's immensely annoying. He's trying to get me to fall back in love with him, but I really don't want to. So do I stay or do I go?

— Wavering in Canada

DEAR WAVERING: Re-read the last paragraph of your letter, and you will see in your own words why it's time for you to go. He may be trying, but frankly, it is too late. Pack your bags. There's nothing deader than a dead romance.

DEAR ABBY: A friend recently shared some great advice. Her mom is 86 and in poor health, so my friend put together an emergency information briefcase for the trunk of her car and another one by the front door.

If anyone needs to take her mother to the ER, all her important information is in two places. This includes medications, doctors, insurance cards, living will, power of attorney and family emergency numbers.

I took my friend's advice, and it turned out to be a godsend when I had to take my 79-year-old mother to the ER after a serious fall. The admitting clerks said they wished everyone would do this. (I also included $100 in cash in a small envelope.) I hope you think her idea is worth sharing.

— Glad I Did in Alabama

DEAR GLAD: If the admitting clerks said they wished everyone would do this, then it's worth a mention in my column. Readers, advance planning such as this could save precious minutes in an emergency.

DEAR ABBY: Due to an accident I had as a teenager, I can't father a child. How far into a relationship should I wait to tell a woman this? While I wouldn't mention it on the first date, I don't want someone to feel betrayed if she wasn't informed.

There's also the issue of finding a woman who's OK with it. So far, the ones I have dated ended the relationship because they couldn't accept being childless or adopting.

— Guy Who Needs an Answer

DEAR GUY: Mention it when the subject of children comes up. Not every woman wants children. It's nothing to be ashamed of.

P.S.: If you include the fact that you can't father a child on your dating profile, it will filter out those women who do. Prepare for an avalanche.

The 71-year-old Scot’s unparallelled success in British soccer ended on Sunday with a remarkable 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion.

"In a way I am glad it is all over now because it has been hard work," Ferguson told the BBC. "It has been overwhelming.

"The club has been fantastic and congratulations to West Brom with the way they handled yesterday (Sunday).

"I think (West Brom manager) Steve Clarke should get an award because anyone who scores five against United deserves it."

The match against West Brom was Ferguson's 1500th in charge of the famed club.
He won 38 major trophies in more than 26 years at Old Trafford, capped by the team's 20th league title, a season after losing it to cross-town rivals Manchester City.

"There is no doubt that the LMA Annual Awards are perceived as the most accurate measure of a manager's ability because there are no better judges of your performance than your peers," LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson said.

"Finding words to adequately describe the monumental levels of achievement and the indelible legacy Sir Alex Ferguson leaves in the game, is nigh on impossible."
 

The Cleartrip Mobile App was announced the Best App - Travel & Hospitality at the "The Mobies 2013" which honor the best in mobile innovation in the Middle East at a ceremony on the 15th May 2013.

Smaller, simpler, smarter - The Cleartrip Mobile App emerged victorious as the winner of this coveted award. Proving Cleartrip's relentless commitment to innovation and providing its customers in the Middle East with a refreshingly simple booking experience.

Tarique Khatri, Senior Vice President & Head of Cleartrip Middle East said; "We are extremely delighted and proud to be recognized as the best Travel App in the Middle East. At Cleartrip, our first priority has always been to deliver the very best products for our customers. An independent and respected award like The Mobies is a testament to our commitment to deliver the best user experience in travel. With over 12 million mobile users in the region, Cleartrip is poised to offer this growing and discerning traveler with the best options to book their travel on the move."

Awarded the Best App - Travel & Hospitality at The Mobies 2013, Cleartrip Mobile was also selected as a finalist in the category: Best Mobile Website and Best New Android App.

Cleartrip were exhibiting at the 'The Mobile Show Middle East 2013' this week, which hosts one of the largest mobile solutions and technology events in the GCC. With 6 acclaimed conferences: Planet of the Apps, Mobile Advertising World, m-Commerce, m-Health, m-Enterprise & m-Entertainment - this celebrated gathering boasts over 2000 attendees annually.

The event concluded with the final results at an award ceremony for "The Mobies 2013" - the technology awards that honor the best in mobile innovation. The Mobies maintain their fiercely protected independence thanks to the services of an experienced panel of judges. They represent the best of the industry, selected for their knowledge, reputation and contribution to the region.

My boyfriend and I have been together a year and a half. I regret moving in with him when I did, which was after only three months of dating.

We have been through a lot, including my struggle with various health issues. Throughout this he has become an insensitive person who treats me like garbage. There has been a lot of emotional abuse happening, and it has taken me quite a while to be able to see it.

The other night I was about to break up with him. Then he suddenly changed his tune. He said: "I'm listening. You're right. I need to change. I love you."

Abby, at this point I really don't care, but I gave him another chance. Was I wrong to do that? He has changed for now — quite drastically — but I know he could easily go back.

I no longer love him. I also no longer find him attractive, and I actually think he's immensely annoying. He's trying to get me to fall back in love with him, but I really don't want to. So do I stay or do I go?

Ever have a rummage sale so big it needed a portable, outdoor toilet? Or nine such commodities?

That’s what was needed at the annual Port Edwards villagewide garage sale Saturday. Serious shoppers could plan their routes, thanks to an online map from organizers, listing locations and even the bathroom stops.

This year, some bargain hunters got a bonus when the Green Bay Packers Tailgate Tour made a stop on the way to Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids, visiting the Port Edwards Fire Department and dropping by some rummage sales.

With or without the special guests, the event was a success for many involved.“It was absolutely super,” said Julie Allworden, who has hosted a sale for about 25 years.Organization of items is a key factor.“Ours is so successful because of how we set it up,” said Allworden, who held her sale with seven other families.Allworden and company organized their sale items in categories, so customers didn’t have to look through piles to find something they might be seeking, she said.Elaine Ksionek, 54, of Port Edwards, agreed that helps. Ksionek has lived in Port Edwards for nine years and has participated in the event eight of those years.

“(The event) is a good opportunity for me to move merchandise at the sale prices,” Ksionek said.It takes a lot of work to get ready for the communitywide sale.“I bring stuff over from my daughter’s home in Green Bay all year long,” Allworden said.She starts tagging items in April and begins setting up tables in early May.Another family member often participates with Ksionek.

“They know there are a large amount of people coming through,” Ksionek said.Ksionek starts organizing the week before.“I have the garage cleaned out real good,” she said. “It’s quite involved for me.”But it’s worth the effort, the ladies said.

“I always get comments that (shoppers) have never seen such a beautiful rummage sale,” Ksionek said, adding that they tell her it’s like walking into a store.It’s an event anticipated by sellers and shoppers, participants said.“I think because we’ve had so many at this location, we’ve had repeat customers galore,” Allworden said.
 

Manchester United-bound Wilfried Zaha ensured his Crystal Palace farewell party will be at Wembley after his two goals sank arch-rivals Brighton to set up an all-London Championship play-off final against Watford.

The winger has already earned Palace $15million after agreeing a switch to Old Trafford in January, which will be completed in the summer.

And a well-taken double means he could now leave the Eagles a parting gift of a place in the Premier League next season and the millions of pounds that go with it.

A tense derby encounter was going the same way as the goalless first leg until Zaha broke the deadlock in the 69th minute, just moments after Brighton substitute Ashley Barnes had twice come agonisingly close to giving the hosts the lead.

And the 20-year-old England international killed off the Seagulls with a fabulous turn and shot with two minutes remaining.

It means Ian Holloway's Palace, who only secured their place in the top six on the final day of the season following a dismal run of form, will play Gianfranco Zola's Watford in the final in a fortnight.

It was a different story in the first half for Zaha, who struggled to make an impact and became frustrated at some of the close attention he was receiving from Brighton's defenders.

Instead the Seagulls bossed the early stages with Julian Speroni having to keep out Will Buckley's drive before David Lopez's shot was deflected narrowly over.

Former England defender Matt Upson headed Andrea Orlandi's corner wide, Dean Hammond was also off target with a fierce, low drive and Orlandi's volley was straight at Speroni.

But Palace were a different proposition after the break and Jonny Williams missed a gilt-edged chance to put them ahead when he was sent clean through by Aaron Wilbraham.

The young Wales midfielder's low shot beat the dive of Seagulls goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak but rolled just wide of the far post.

Brighton striker Barnes twice came even closer to breaking the deadlock just a minute after climbing off the bench.

He latched onto Leonardo Ulloa's flick-on, only for Speroni to tip his shot onto the crossbar and from the resulting corner saw his header cleared off the line by Dean Moxey.

And the fine margins which decide these play-off encounters were brought home to Brighton moments later.

Palace sub Yannick Bolasie got the better of Inigo Calderon on the left and swung in a cross which Zaha, who had got in front of Wayne Bridge, met with a firm diving header which crashed into the net.

And as Brighton pushed for an equaliser they left a hole at the back which Kagisho Dikgacoi exposed by playing in Zaha, who turned Gordon Greer before thumping his shot into the roof of the net in front of the jubilant travelling fans.

With just under four minutes remaining, Henrik Zetterberg made the mistake of throwing the puck over the glass on a backhand clearing attempt to signal a delay of game penalty. It was now or never.

The Ducks made it now on a fluke goal much like Game Six. Fracois Beauchimin threw a puck to the front of the net that bounced off of Jonathan Ericsson's skate and behind Jimmy Howard to make it 3-2. At least Justin Abdelkader's goal wouldn't be the winner.

Time ticked down but Detroit would not allow the Ducks to get Jonas Hiller out of the net for an extra attacker again after an icing call late pinned the Ducks deep. It wouldn't matter as time would run out and the game would end.

It's fitting that my only loss of the year as a blogger comes in the final game of the season for Anaheim as they fall in game seven 3-2, losing the series 4-3. Despite outshooting Detroit 8-5 in the third period for a 33-32 final advantage, the Wings were the ones moving on.

Good season, readers. And to the Wings... good riddance. I won't miss seeing your faces and your deluge of fans in our building multiple times a year.