Thursday, July 21, 2011

Google + Overview for Unversed

There are lots of things you can do with Google +. I posted some articles about it in my stream. Once you join and you added me to one of your Circles, you should be able to see them in your Stream.




But this is a quick overview of the main features:


I am liking the idea of Hangouts. The button is in the column to the right. It is like the video calls in Skype, but you can have up to 9 other people on at the same time. Think online video class or a small meeting. I have a Circle called hangout, that I will change the members of depending on who I am hoping to hangout with. If you are in a Circle that someone chooses to hang out with, you will get a message or notification that I am hanging out and you are invited.

Sparks, in the left column, will collect articles on the web about subjects that interest you. Rather like Google alerts or a news clipping service. I have one search that is for my name and others on stuff that interests me (maybe you would like one for Fringe).

If you have the G+ app on your phone (I think it is available for the I-phone now), there is a thing called Huddle. It allows you to exchange texts with a group of people all in one thread. Great for making plans or having a quick discussion.

Circles allow you to control who you share any of the content on G+ with, whether it is one person, people in one or more circles or the public. You can use the pre-existing circles or add your own. I have some people in more than one circle.

You can also find interesting people to follow by looking at the suggestions in right column or searching for them in the people finder. Click on their name and you will see their profile. If you add them to a Circle, you will see what they share with the public, unless they add you to one of their Circles. Then you will see what they share with the public and/or with the Circle they put you in. You will not know what Circle they put you in. Nor will anyone know what Circle you put them in.

Conversely, people may put you in their Circles, so you will see what they share for that Circle. They will only see what what you share with the public, unless you add them to one of your circles.

I hope this helps explain it a little. If you are interested in am invite let me know in the comments.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Newlywed nabbed in hit for hire sting

While at her gym this morning, a Boynton Beach newlywed received a call from the police. Little did she know that, in a hit for hire sting, her actions had ended with her being charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

When Dalia Dippolito arrived at her home there were crime scene investigators dusting for prints, yellow crime tape and police. The police informed her that her husband had been murdered, shot in the head twice. Only married to Michael Dippolito six months, she broke down sobbing and collapsed into the sergeant’s arms. (See video below)

Taken to the police station, Dalia came face to face with the "hit man", who in actuality was an undercover police officer. She was also told that her husband was, in fact, alive and well and in the next room. She was then placed under arrest.

It was just this past Friday when a confidential informant notified the Boynton Police department that Dalia was looking to hire someone to murder her husband. The informant met with her the next afternoon and received pictures of her house & husband and money. The $1,200 down payment was to be used to purchase a gun.

During this meeting, she spoke about creating an alibi and how she would lie to the police and asked if this was a “solid deal”. In a parting remark, Dalia said that she didn’t want to hear any excuses later about why it did not happen.

The meeting with the "hit man" took place on Monday. During it, the undercover Boynton Beach Police Officer gave Dalia two occasions to change her mind and back out of the arrangement. Both times, she affirmed her intent. First, laughing and saying, “I will be very happy.” Then again, after agreeing to pay $3,000 once the deed was done. When asked if she was sure, she responded, “I’m not going to change my mind. I am 5,000% sure I want it done. When I set my mind to something, I get it done.”

Dalia was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail.



If you liked this post, see my others at Palm Beach County Top Examiner

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Thank You, St. Anthony

Yes, I had a wonderful weekend in Warm Mineral Springs.


As the time approached for me to leave on Sunday evening, I began collecting my laundry and other belongings to load into my car. Rather, I should say, the Prius my brother lent me for the trip. But, before I went out I attempted to locate the key fob.


The fob is a magical square of plastic, circuitry and metal. As long as you have it about your person, it will operate the ignition and locking systems on the car. No need for a key. But, if you don’t have it, you are SOL.


As you have already figured out, I performed a fruitless search on Sunday evening. I reran the weekend over in my mind and thought that the most likely place that it might be was back over at the Springs. It being after the close of business, I figured that forces were conspiring to not let me leave that night, as I had forgotten about a burned out headlight. So, I settled in for another lovely evening and ran over in the morning.


We did not find it. So back to the house, to empty every bag and makeup pouch again. I looked in the bathroom and down in the coach, and under the couch. Nothing.


If you have ever lost something, you may have used the Prayer to St Anthony to locate the missing item. If not, you may want to take a moment to memorize this little appeal my friend said out load:

“St. Anthony, St. Anthony please come around. Something’s lost that cannot be found.”


Not 5 seconds later, I found the fob under the bed. (She had added the request that we find it in the next 10 seconds.)



It always seems to work for me. So, try it the next time things are not where you left them. Or, tell us about when it worked for you.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Two Wheels and Too Much Speed

It was a late Sunday morning, when the young man made a series of decisions that ultimately ended his life. The young man, Christian Holmes, died on an exit ramp from I-95 in Jupiter, FL.

He was riding on his beloved motorcycle heading south, towards his home in Broward County. Maybe, he was blowing off steam or he was anxious to get home to his fiancé or it was just the sunny weather. But he chose to exceed the speed limit by enough to catch the attention of the FHP.

The trooper attempted to overtake Christian. But rather than stop and get his ticket, he made another choice to outrun the law. For 12 miles it went in his favor. It only took 6 minutes to cover the distance according to Lt. Tim Frith, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. That’s about 120 miles per hour.

Then Mr. Holmes made his final decision. Who knows how things would have turned out had he taken the first exit, 87B. It is a long gently curved ramp down to the westbound lanes. But instead, he exited the highway by taking exit 87A. This ramp has such a sharp curve that circles back around to the east bound lanes, the posted speed limit is just 20 mph. His speed was so great he could not hold the curve and crashed into the metal guardrail.

He lost his life before the paramedics got there.

What decisions would you have made?

Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call Sgt. Kurt Hardley at (561) 357-4119

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Warm Mineral Springs

I am on a visit to the West Coast (of Florida). I have come to spend some time with a good friend, who I only get to see 3 or 4 times a year. We talked, ate and spent hours floating in Warm Mineral Springs.

According to their website:
“Warm Mineral Springs is believed to be the “Original Fountain of Youth” sought by the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon. Believers to the healing powers of Warm Mineral Springs say that the highly mineralized waters help ease back pain, gastrointestinal illnesses, various skin diseases, sinusitis and many other ailments.”

When you get there, the first thing you notice is the smell. The Springs water has more mineral content than any spring in the USA and third highest in the world! And, you can smell the sulfur. The old timers will tell you how the smell is not nearly as strong as it was 20 years ago. But, after a while, you don't notice the aroma anymore.

It is a picture out of old Florida with a vast lawn with palm trees and Spanish moss festooning the trees. Adirondack chairs circle the 1.4 acre water filled sinkhole (or cenote).



The amount of minerals in the water adds buoyancy, making it easy to walk around the perimeter in water up to your neck. One lap is about and eighth of a mile. But, if you pass under the rope boundary, the bottom falls away to 230 feet with an opening to the connecting the Floridian aquifer.

Swim noodles are the order of the day here. You float around, gaze at the beautiful blue sky, chat with other bathers. You hear the call of birds, drone of insects and conversations in other languages often with an eastern European accent. You float around passing through warm and cool spots in different areas of the pool with clumps of algae floating by. The passage of time goes unnoticed. Eventually you come out of the water. There is a great sense of relaxation and the feeling of aaaaah.

And, you will sleep like a log.


I'm off to bed now.

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

My Guilty Pleasure

I am fascinated with what I termed “newsette”. It is not the hard hitting news of economics and politics that can affect all of our lives. These stories may or may not influence me on a personal level depending on my choice to change or not. I thought that what I follow so closely needed a new term to describe it.

But, truth be told, I have become a tabloid news junkie. While I don’t buy the papers or magazines, thanks to CNN's TMZ and Headline News and the feeds from news outlets on twitter, I get notified of breaking stories and updates almost instantly.

And what kind of stories do I devour and research further on the web? They are the sensational, social and/or feel good items, like criminal behavior, hookups, breakups, and deaths. Sometimes it takes place on a personal level and sometimes it plays out in a court room. It is the news of the human condition that feeds the voyeur in me.

What is the siren’s call of what has been called "gutter press"?

1. Logic. I try to figure out the mystery or look for inconsistencies in the stories.

2. A superficial moral barometer. I observes how we treat each other and the dynamics of relationships. I then measure myself against the actions of others. Am I capable of treating others that way or taking that action? Is my answer a good thing?

3. Gossip. I love it, because I like to know things. Not to use over another to further an end. I just like to know every detail.

And, now I want to know what you think.

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Friday, July 17, 2009

A New Resolve

My friend Marion, told me about the challenge of blogging everyday in the month of July.

Now, she has done pretty well, keeping up on her end. I love hearing about her family, including my two god daughters. As neither of them has attained double digit ages, they are changing fast. I can easily imagine myself as a fly in the wall observing their day and how they are growing. The pictures help, but it is her descriptions and commentary that bring them to life. I just wish they did not live 1043 miles away or I could be there myself.

But as for me... physical blogging and posting has not happened on my end. It does go on in my head several times a day. I ruminate on all kinds of things and run across lots of things I find fascinating. But, I have not slowed down enough to put fingers to keyboard, as it were.

But I am going to try to change that. Wish me luck.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Mermaids:

a Species Protected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Harass a mermaid and you could lose your job.

The manager of the Weeki Wachee State Park near Spring Hill, FL found that out first hand this past week. Ok, it was one of the many things that became grounds for the dismissal of Tommy Ervin, a 31 year state employee, after an investigation by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

During the course of the investigation, it was found that he did indeed make sexually inappropriate remarks to a mermaid and others at the park, which is known for its world-famous mermaid shows.

But there is more to the story. It appears that Mr. Ervin operated as though the park was his own little fiefdom, creating “tension in the mermaid village”. The investigation found that there were three areas for which charges were sustained against Ervin.

1. Misuse of Public Office/Official Misconduct

Ervin falsified payroll documents

A. to pay one employee for vacation she was not entitled to and

B. to prevent many others from reporting overtime hours they worked to meet his deadlines.

2. Violation of law or agency rules. To Wit: Violence-Free Workplace Policy

On more than one occasion, Ervin got in the face of other state employees who wound up feeling concerned for their physical safety. These seem to have occurred on occasions when he perceived his authority was being questioned.

3. Conduct unbecoming a public employee.

A. He displayed inappropriate, disrespectful and unprofessional comment to Heather Flowers in the workplace. Specifically, Ervin called one of the mermaids “bubble butt”.

B. Ervin engaged in disrespectful and insubordinate behaviors making comments on how a Bureau Chief got her position because she “had tits”.

C. While on a call with District management on a speaker phone, he “rolled his eyes and made a sexually inappropriate hand motion simulating masturbation” while others were in the office with him.

D. Ervin acted in a disrespectful and unprofessional manner towards the event planner and her assistant, by yelling at them and not allowing other park employees to assist them moving tables, as had been the custom. Yet, after firing the planner, he allowed the assistance to resume for her replacement.

E. He also show a lack of impartiality by not properly addressing the multiple exposures of sexual organs by a subordinate, while firing the event planner for unsubstantiated excessive phone use and being disruptive in the office.

Ervin denied most of the allegations. But he and the short wearing commando have been let go and the event planner has been rehired.

I say, Don’t mess with the mermaids.

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