Below are the lowest gasoline prices
6/15 $2.75 Shell – North Port
6/12 $2.81 RaceTrac Daniels Pkwy – Fort Myers
6/11 $2.76 Wal-Mart McCall Rd – Englewood
6/9 $2.81 Hess Kings Hwy – Port Charlotte
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Sony is taking two steps forward and one step back as the company tries to deliver on the promise of Blu-ray high-definition digital video and keep pace with Toshiba and the rival HD DVD format.
With the release of a Blu-ray-capable laptop and the first collection of Blu-ray film titles expected within the week, Sony is serving notice that its premium digital video format is coming closer to prime time.
But those developments are tempered by the company's decision to push back delivery of its standalone Blu-ray disc player by about a month to August 15. Pioneer also has reportedly announced a delay in the delivery of its own Blu-ray player.
Laptop Unveiled
Sony's $3,500 Vaio AR laptop arrives months after rival Toshiba began selling HD DVD players and portable PCs with HD DVD drives built in, although any advantage for Toshiba might end up being short-lived, analysts say.
The 17-inch Vaio AR has a Blu-ray drive, is powered by Intel's Core Duo processor, and has 1 GB of memory and a 17-inch screen.
The first Blu-ray movies, set for a June 20 release, include "50 First Dates," "The Fifth Element," "House of Flying Daggers," and "The Terminator." More titles are expected in the coming weeks.
Most experts watching the battle over next-generation DVD give the edge to Blu-ray players because of support from the film industry and the inclusion of Blu-ray in the forthcoming PlayStation 3 game console.
Despite earlier plans to deliver HD DVD hardware last year, Toshiba's $500 HD-A1 and $800 HD-XA1 players, along with an HD DVD-enabled laptop, arrived in April.
Anyone's Game
"It's still anyone's game," said Michael Goodman, a Yankee Group analyst. "Sony may have more studios lined up, but the players are more expensive and they've had to clear a lot of hurdles to deliver the new products."
Goodman said that Toshiba and its partners must be pleased, given that they were first out of the gate and that Microsoft will provide an HD DVD peripheral for the
Xbox 360 gaming machine.
Gartner analyst Laura Behrens pointed out that while Toshiba is touting the fact that its discs are less expensive to produce than Blu-ray, the early-to-market advantage for HD DVD has not worked out because the players have arrived about a year later than expected.
"With the delays, other sources for high-definition will have a chance to get into the market, including cable and satellite TV providers, as well as online video outlets," Behrens said.
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The developer of Babcock ranch addresses a business group in Fort Myers and describes the deal in literary terms.
Sydney Kitson could write a book about the story of the sale and development of Babcock Ranch, he told a group of Lee County business people, community leaders and state legislators Wednesday.
He's just not sure anyone would buy it — or when he will be able to write the final chapter.
Chapter 1 – The Negotiation
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness …
"I can't believe how far we've come in the last 11 months, and how much I've learned about negotiating," he told a lunchtime gathering of the Chamber of Southwest Florida at Edison College. "I've learned that when you're negotiating with the state, you're not negotiating with a person. You have a signed agreement, and then you're just beginning.
"I was so naive. We worked out all the details with Lee County and the comprehensive plan with Charlotte. When the state signed off on it, I thought we had it done. But then everybody else in the state wanted to get into the middle of this."
Chapter 2 – The Legislative Session
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents …
"When I first started going to Tallahassee, I tried to get meetings with people and they would say: 'Who are you? How do you spell that again?' Nobody knew who I was or wanted to talk to me. By the end of the session, though, it seemed like everyone up there was calling to meet with me.
"You probably didn't know that (Rep.) Trudi (Williams, R-Fort Myers) was a psychologist. Near the end, as it went down to the final days and then the final hours of the last day, I was getting nervous and kept calling her, and she kept telling me: 'It'll be alright — I think.' She did a phenomenal job carrying this through the Legislature, and also keeping me calm."
Chapter 3 – The Construction
In the late summer of that year we lived in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain …
"With all the permitting and other things we're working through, it probably will be between two and two-and-a-half years before you start to see anything come out of the ground, which is a shame because thousands of people have asked me how to get on a waiting list to buy a place there. The new town we're going to build will be 17,800 acres, and half of that is greenways with 30 miles of motor-free paths for families to take walks and for people to hike and bike. So between that and the 71,000-plus acres the state and Lee County are buying, over 90 percent of the whole ranch is going to be preserved as it is in perpetuity.
"We'll be selling all types of homes there, from the truly affordable selling for $200,000, $250,000, $300,000, $350,000, right up to a million. Of course, the longer it takes to build, the harder it will be to hold those prices. We still have a long way to go."
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Clove cigarettes are made in Indonesia. Depending upon the manufacturer and brand, they contain approximately 60% tobacco and 40% ground cloves. A clove cigarette looks just like an ordinary cigarette. They are made with filters or without. Most are made with white paper, some with brown paper and a few with black paper. It is normal for the clove oil to slightly discolor the cigarette paper. Most are machine made but a few brands are still rolled by hand.
Before burning, a clove cigarette has the delightful aroma of fresh cloves. While burning, the cigarette provides a full rich taste with a distinctive flavorful aroma. The aftertaste is much like that of a breath candy.
Clove cigarettes are generally rolled more dense than ordinary cigarettes and thus have more substance and body with less air. An unattended burning clove cigarette in an ashtray will go out rather than continue to burn like most other cigarettes. Because of their density, a clove cigarette will generally take longer and be more satisfying to smoke than an ordinary cigarette.
Over the years there have been numerous studies and research conducted on clove cigarettes. While the results are mixed, a broad generalization is that clove cigarettes are probably no more or no less of a health risk than ordinary cigarettes.
Clove cigarettes are often called Kretek cigarettes. Kretek means "crackle" in Indonesia. This name is derived from the occasional cracking of the burning cloves. In Indonesia over 90% of all cigarettes consumed annually are clove cigarettes.
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Our Current Tracking Of Alberto as of June 13, 2006 10:45 am (Eastern Time Zone)
…ALBERTO NEARING THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO COAST…
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA
FROM LONGBOAT KEY TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF LONGBOAT KEY TO
ENGLEWOOD…AND WEST OF THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO INDIAN PASS.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTIC COAST
FROM FLAGLER BEACH FLORIDA NORTHWARD TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH
CAROLINA.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 800 AM EDT…1200Z…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 84.2 WEST OR ABOUT 50
MILES… 80 KM…EAST-SOUTHEAST OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA AND ABOUT 75
MILES…120 KM…WEST-NORTHWEST OF CEDAR KEY FLORIDA.
ALBERTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 9 MPH…15 KM/HR…AND
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL LANDFALL AROUND
MIDDAY TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH…100 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. THERE IS NOW ONLY A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY THAT ALBERTO WILL
BECOME A HURRICANE PRIOR TO LANDFALL.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES…280 KM
FROM THE CENTER.
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE AIR FORCE
RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS WAS 995 MB…29.38 INCHES.
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED MAINLY TO THE EAST AND SOUTH OF WHERE THE
CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS TO 10 INCHES…ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF
FLORIDA AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA THROUGH TODAY. STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF
3 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE COASTAL
PLAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA THROUGH
WEDNESDAY.
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHERN FLORIDA…SOUTHERN GEORGIA…AND SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA
TODAY.
REPEATING THE 800 AM EDT POSITION…29.5 N…84.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD…NORTHEAST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…65 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…995 MB.
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Click On The Link to get the current tracking map of Alberto:
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Click below to get your own copy of a tracking map you can use to track the hurricanes this season.
Tracking Map For Hurricanes In Florida
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As of 8 p.m. (June 12, 2006), Tropical Storm Alberto is moving NE at 8 mph with sustained winds of 70 mph. Alberto could become a hurricane before it makes landfall. SWFL remains under a tornado watch until Tuesday morning.
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Click on the link, and a new window will pop up to view the video:
Latest News Warning About The Hurricane Cat. 1 To hit West Coast Of Florida By Tuesday Morning.
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weather map as of 6-10-06 7:45 am.
A cluster of showers and thunderstorms, near a broad area of low pressure east of the Yucatan Peninsula, continues to be monitored. Pressures continue to fall in this vicinity and upper winds are becoming more favorable for tropical cyclone development. A Hurricane Hunter Aircraft is scheduled to investigate the area this afternoon. A tropical depression may develop. If this system evolves into a tropical storm the name will be Alberto.
In the meantime, locally heavy rain and flooding may occur from coastal areas of Belize and the Yucatan through the Cayman Islands, Jamiaca and Cuba. Parts of Grand Cayman have picked up almost nine inches of rain since Tuesday. If a tropical system does develop, it may slide northward into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. All interests along the US Gulf Coast should monitor the progress of this system. Stay with Al & Mike News https://alandmike.wordpress.com for the latest updates.
In the eastern Pacific, thunderstorms extend westward from Central America to just south of Mexico. Any thunderstorms over land may produce flooding and mudslides in the higher elevations. Slow development of a low off the coast of Guatemala is possible over the next few days as it heads northwestward to along the southern Mexican coastline.
The Season Ahead
Experts say the 2006 season could be another very active one. The latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) calls for 13-16 total storms, 8-10 hurricanes, and 4-6 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher).
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Below are the lowest gasoline prices
6/8 $2.83 Wal-Mart Del Prado Blvd – Cape Coral
6/7 $2.79 $2.99 Wal-Mart McCall Rd – Englewood
6/7 $2.89 $3.09 Citgo US 41 E & CR 751 – Naples
6/5 $2.79 Circle K State Hwy 70 & U.S. Hwy 27 – Lake Placid
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World Cup
The World Cup is underway. With so many teams playing all day for the next 29 days. It is hard to keep up with them all, so I did a search today for the World Cup. Here is the links I found to keep you on tabs on all the action, scores, and information without losing too much time.
Links to the World Cup
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer
http://www.sportsline.com/worldcup
Source From Al & Mike News https://alandmike.wordpress.com
Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. on Thursday said it signed a deal with Loral Space & Communications Ltd. to build a new satellite for its pay-radio service.
The cost of designing, building, launching and insuring the satellite will be $260 million, Sirius said. The satellite would support the company's three other satellites and help improve customers reception of the service.
Loral has agreed to provide a $100 million vendor financing facility. Sirius said it has no current plans to draw on the facility.
Construction of the satellite is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2008, and it will be launched via an agreement with International Launch Services.
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Hello, we started a new entry to our blog of wild, crazy information on our blog tonight. It's news from U.S. A. Library Of Congress News, Information, Bills, and other information that you may find crazy, funny, or down right gets you call your local Representative on the issues we post to the blog.
So, read the crazy things we have here at our blog. We are always looking hard to find something crazy, important, or informative to post to our blog we have.
And, you can always make comments to the blog entries we have made currently, or in the past. So, speak up, and add your say in the matter on the blog's postings!
Thank you for your support,
Al & Mike
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H.CON.RES.399
Title: Recognizing the 30th Anniversary of the victory of United States winemakers at the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting.
Sponsor: Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] (introduced 5/3/2006) Cosponsors (150)
Latest Major Action: 6/7/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.SUMMARY AS OF:
5/3/2006–Introduced.
Recognizes and honors the 30th Anniversary of the California victory at the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting and recognizes the historical significance of this event to the U.S. wine industry.
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