Edition 4-13-06

If tax time truly stresses you out, here's a tip. Hire someone to stress out for you. That's right, find an accountant, and drop off all your tax documents. Now you don't have to stress out. But here's a little secret that can save you some cash on your tax preparation fees.
Most accountants raise their prices in the last couple of weeks or days before the tax deadline. You can pay less for tax preparation by filing an extension yourself, and making a tax prep appointment when your tax accountant is far less busy.

Austin Upset With Hogan's Comments;
Story By: Steve Carrier Credit: PWTorch.com Reports indicate that Steve Austin was a bit upset at the 2006 Hall of Fame ceremony when Hulk Hogan made the choice to push a possible match between the two before his induction of Mean Gene Okerlund. Austin felt that was not the time or the place to push a big money match as he felt the night belonged to the inductees.

Austin's line about finding a can of "whoop ass" with Hulk Hogan's name on it was not scripted and no one knew Austin was going to say it. The old saying of whoever has the mic last no doubt came into play with this situation as Austin informed people after the show that he planned on saying a few more one-liners at Hogan, but held back when he knew he had the crowd on his side.

If you need to clean your electric can opener, soak an old toothbrush in vinegar, hold it under the wheel/blade assembly and turn on your opener for about 30 seconds, this should do the trick very nicely.

Place a clove of garlic in plant soil to eliminate bugs.
The garlic keeps the nasty bugs away and will also grow along with your plants.

Just a little bit of tea or juice left in the pitcher?
Freeze it in an ice cube tray, then use it in your drinks. No more watered down drinks and no more leftovers to pour out.

The smell of onions on your hands can be removed by wetting hands then sprinkling with Baking Powder and rubbing the paste all over - then wash in cold water.

Apr 10, 2006 (financialwire.net via COMTEX) -- April 10, 2006 (FinancialWire)Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HDI) has opened its first dealership in China, eyeing gradual sales growth prospects among China's urban nouveau riche.
The company opened its 1,800-square-foot showroom on the outskirts of Beijing, where customers reportedly pose for photographs among the heavily chromed display models.

While Harleys have been smuggled into China for years the outlook for big sales is limited by bans on motorcycle riding on major highways and streets in large cities, with an outright ban on motorcycle registration Shanghai. There's also the high price of the bikes, which ranges from $12,000 to $37,450. Beijing's urban workers only average $2,200 in income per year. The company refuses to give sales projections, but hopes that gradually building the legendary brand among China's increasingly affluent consumers will mark a long, thundering march to success.

By the end of this month, U.S. Border Patrol officials plan to monitor a larger area of the southwest border with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which has been in use since September 2005. They plan to add a second one this summer.

Chief David Aguilar said yesterday that officials will increase the UAV surveillance footprint from 150 miles to 300 miles in Arizona at the end of this month. And because the program has been a success, officials will start using a second UAV in Arizona by June, he said.

The Basenji, often called the barkless dog, is by no means noiseless. Although silent workers, they break into a joyful yodel during play and when greeting owners. Basenji curiosity can cause trouble. They love to be in the middle of things and won't accept no for an answer. Basenjis think situations are made for their entertainment, as in "Hmmm, a hole -- I'd better explore. Let's make it bigger!" "A laundry basket -- they must want me to empty it."
"A box of tissue -- I'll make confetti."

One of the more appealing characteristics of the Basenji is its cleanliness. Catlike, they're fastidious in their grooming habits, licking themselves clean. This may be a partial ploy to avoid baths, for this breed detests the rain. People who like feline independence and habits can relate well to the breed. They love to climb and are often found on top of the strangest places.

Find out about the best dog for you and your family with the help of Choosing a Dog For Dummies, by Chris Walkowicz.

TRIESTE, Italy, -- Italy has become the first nation to use new X-ray technology developed in Trieste for breast cancer tests, allowing accurate diagnosis with less radiation. The new machine, called a synchrotron, produces X-rays by increasing the speed of electrons to nearly the speed of light, Italy's ANSA news service reported Monday, noting synchrotrons are already being used worldwide to investigate various forms of matter. The use of a Sychrontron to perform mammographies was announced by Edoardo Castelli of Trieste University and Giuliana Tromba of the National Synchroton Laboratory Elettra. "The intense and compact X-rays produced by the Elettra lab allow us to get radiological images that are significantly better than those obtained with conventional equipment," Castelli said.
"At the same time, we can cut the radiation the patient is subjected to". Tromba said initial results have been "extremely encouraging" and the new technology will now be used in clinical tests on breast lesions that are not detectable by conventional technology. Health tips from gophercentral

NEW YORK, -- New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine is the coordinating center for the first study to assess the efficacy of combining two multiple sclerosis drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the medi cations for initial treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. Sponsored by the U.S. National Insti tutes of Health, the study, known as CombiRx, will determine if the combined use of each drug -- interferon beta-1a (Avonex) and glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) -- re duces relapse rates when compared to either agent alone.
Enrollment is underway at clinics across the United States and Canada. "This is a very important trial because, if effective, combination therapy will allow us to take advantage of these agents that have different and comple mentary mechanisms of action to slow or halt progression of MS," said study chairman, Dr. Fred Lublin, a neurology professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine-Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis. Approx imately 400,000 Americans suffer from MS, a chronic neuro logical disease that affects the central nervous system.
Relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of new cases of the disease, is characterized by episodes of attacks of neurological dysfunction, which occur over many years.

Judge Lets Motorcyclists' Federal Suit Stand
By JEFFREY B. COHEN
Courant Staff Writer April 8 2006 A federal lawsuit filed by members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club accusing the state of using excessive force and making unreasonable seizures during a raid of a club Christmas party in 2003 can proceed, a federal judge has ruled.

Ruling on a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the state, Judge Janet C. Hall did dismiss some claims, including those alleging that the state lacked probable cause for its original warrant and that its decision to employ a "tactical team" was excessive.

But in a 108-page ruling, Hall found there was enough evidence to move forward on other claims, including allegations that police unreasonably seized photographs and the club spokesman's address book. Hall also allowed allegations of excessive use of force to go forward.

In executing a search warrant for guns at the club's Waterbury clubhouse on Dec. 20, 2003, state police officers forced people to the floor, handcuffed revelers, ripped open Christmas presents, and injured some detainees, the lawsuit alleges.

The plaintiffs also allege that while state police said they were there with a warrant to find guns belonging to a club member, they were actually there to gather intelligence on the club. The lawsuit claims police individually photographed everyone at the party.

"If they wanted to find guns, they didn't have to do it in the middle of a Christmas party," said Kathleen Eldergill, the attorney for the plaintiffs. "Clearly, they went in the middle of a party and their purpose was to gather intelligence."

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, in a written statement, said the ruling was good news for the state.

"This decision is significant in greatly reducing the scope and severity of the claims against the state police,"
Blumenthal said. "This decision confirms that the state had just cause for a search warrant - and executed its warrant without intent to harass or unfairly target those present at the time the warrant was executed."

State police officials said Friday there is no link between the information gathered during the Christmas party raid and intelligence on the Outlaws seized during the arrest of two Hells Angels earlier this week. The seized paperwork, which identifies Outlaws by name and photograph, was generated in the spring of 2003, half a year before the Christmas party, said state police Sgt. J. Paul Vance.

Last weekend's highway shooting in West Haven of two Hells Angels that left one man dead has revived interest in relations between the two organizations.

The night of the shooting, Enfield police arrested two men they identified as Hells Angels in a car with stolen plates. Police are investigating whether the men were on a mission to retaliate, they said. The men had a loaded gun, six knives, and pages from a classified state police manual that listed the identities and addresses of various Outlaws.
Copyright 2006, Hartford Courant

Questions, that really need answers...Thanks Gene

1. Who was the first person to look at a cow and say,
"I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

2. Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there?
I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it's butt."

3. Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

4. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

5. Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?

6. Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?

7. Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?

8. Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

9. If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that Acme crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

10. If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

11. If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables,
then what is baby oil made from?

12. If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

13 Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

14. Stop singing and read on.........

15. Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

16. Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

17. Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

18. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?