Inside this edition:

— a quote worth repeating —

"You might be a Redneck if ...
You think the last line of the Star Spangled banner is:
"Gentlemen, start your engines!"  —Author: Jeff Foxworthy

«  Information Making the Headlines  »

T raffic.com technology to monitor turnpike traffic ...
Traffic.com Inc. has received a contract to build a network of digital roadside sensors along 84 miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The $3.3 million contract from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission also calls for the Wayne, Pa. company to collect and process real-time data from the sensors and share the resulting information with turnpike drivers. The PennDOT contract is similar to other agreements that Traffic.com has with 19 other local and state agencies across the country. The new sensors on the turnpike will also enable it to improve the traffic information it already provides in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas from an earlier contract in 1999.
Related Links:
Traffic.com  |  Pa Turnpike  |  Pittsburgh Traffic Reports
Other Pittsburgh roads  |  More Pittsburgh traffic resources
PA Turnpike / I-95 Interchange Project

W hat could YOU do - with 43 million dollars? ... Did Ken Lay really die? In Internet sites, conspiracy theorists have floated the idea that the Enron founder's powerful friends helped him fake his death to escape sentencing in one of the biggest corporate frauds in U.S. history. Some disbelievers are serious while others are having fun with the idea. See KenLayisAlive.org.

Lay, 64, died of a heart attack July 5 while vacationing with his wife, Linda, in Aspen, Colorado. He had been convicted in May of perpetuating fraud by repeatedly lying to investors and employees about Enron's financial health and was scheduled to be sentenced in October. His trial and conviction had certified him as a bona fide evil genius, a master illusionist who could fill sheets of paper with meaningless numbers and convince gullible employees and investors that they were seeing actual profits. Lay fooled them all long enough to rake off an enormous fortune for himself of more than $40 million. So, did Ken Lay save his most dramatic coup for last? Continue reading.

... some facts helping to fuel the conspiracy theories are ...
His pastor, in Houston, made the first announcement of his death to news media. Why not the hospital in Colorado, where he died?
Moments after he was pronounced dead, his wife released a photo of him to the press and said, "He's dead, see?"
His body was autopsied and cremated - both within 24 hours.
A closed casket with very tight security surrounded the private memorial service.
His friend, (the former Secretary of State) Colin Powell was treated for "altitude sickness" at the same Aspen hospital - the very next day. The theory here purports that Powell was actually there to bring Lay an escape plan, passports and a new ID.
Later, Mrs. Lay is seen toting suitcases for her trip to Greece.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations be made on Ken's behalf to: Lifeline Ministries for the Poor, in Pikermi, Greece.
Lay's death will prevent the government seizure of his assets, the $40 million now belongs to his wife.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one Govt. official said, "Even if we had looked inside the coffin, I'm sure there was a body, but I wonder if it's his. I have a bad feeling that some pizza delivery guy's last words to his co-workers were, "Hey, I have a delivery to that Enron guy's house. Wish me luck! "

Some Rumored Ken Lay sightings are:
with Elvis  |  Lay in Space  |  Ken and Ben.
Other breaking news, this just in - Humpty Dumpty was pushed !

R achael Ray is everywhere ... four shows on the Food Network, ("30-Minute Meals" - "$40 A Day" - "Inside Dish with Rachael Ray " and "Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels"), a successful series of ten best-selling cookbooks and a lifestyle magazine called
"Every Day with Rachael Ray."
Now, she's adding daytime talk show hostess to her resume. The high-energy cook who shows America how to whip up inexpensive meals in 30 minutes promises her hour-long syndicated show will present "can-do" advice about cooking, travel, relationships and pop culture trends.
The Rachael Ray Show debuts Sept. 18. Looking for a Rachael Ray recipe? Search here.

Rachael, 38, did take time out from her busy schedule to wed her longtime boyfriend John Cusimano, a lawyer and member of the band The Cringe, on September 24, 2005 in Montalcino, Italy.
The brown-eyed brunette and former cheerleader posed for the men's magazine, FHM in 2003 and was later voted No. 92 on that magazine's list of the 100 Sexiest Women of 2004. Fans of Rachael may be interested in seeing a fansite's photo gallery.

N eed to Get Out of your Car Lease? ... For people who are stuck in a car lease and are looking for a way to get out, there are websites now who offer a program to match you up with someone who will take over your lease.
According to Smartmoney.com editor Ray Hennessey, you can expect to pay about $300 for the service. He adds that, as with anything else, there's always a catch. He offered some tips in his interview on CBS News. Read it here.
Also read "Dodging Your Lease" at SmartMoney.com.
The services are Swap a Lease.com and Lease-Trader.com.

Online Community Diggs and Shares ... Digg.com is a Web site that ranks and displays news items based on recommendations from its users. Digg has recently expanded its topics beyond the tech-related categories to include video and world, business and entertainment news as well. Jay Adelson, chairman and chief executive of Digg Inc., said the site has increased to over a million registered users, (10 times as many as a year ago).
Digg is part of a trend in tapping the collective wisdom of a community to uncover items that might otherwise be hard to find. Digg users who find items they like, or "dig," can submit it to the site by providing the Web address and writing a short title and description. The item stays in a holding bin until enough other users vote in its favor, at which point it bumps up to the front page. Items that don't get enough votes are simply forgotten over time. Digg users can also customize their pages, if they wish, in order to eliminate certain categories or subcategories.
Check it out at Digg.com.

Chauncey, Ohio uses a 'Redneck Wishing Well' to Pay Bills ...
A town citizens group is trying to pay its street light bill with a little potty humor. The Chauncey Emergency Management Group places an old-fashioned, wooden outhouse on a resident's lawn with a donation box where the toilet bowl should be and a sign on the door that says "Redneck Wishing Well." People who find the latrine in their yard have to chip in to get it shipped out. They also get to pick the next home it graces. The emergency management group's Jerry Dowler, whose phone number is posted inside the outhouse, hauls the privy in his pickup truck. Money donations (of any size) are acceptable and it helps cover the southeast Ohio village's $500-a-month bill for street light expenses. One could say their  "donations go down the pot." Read the full story.

    J-O-K-E  of  the  M-O-N-T-H

Well, it's not a mid life crisis, BUT ...

Being married 25 years, one day I took a look at my wife and said,

"Honey, 25 years ago, we had a cheap apartment, a cheap car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10 inch black and white TV,
BUT ... I got to sleep every night with a hot 25 year old blond.

Now, we have a nice house, nice car, big bed and plasma screen TV, BUT I'm sleeping with a 50 year old woman. "It seems to me that you are not holding up your side of things."

My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go out and find a hot 25 year old blond, and she would make sure that I ...
would once again be living in a cheap apartment, driving a cheap car and sleeping on a sofa bed.

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« Computer Tips: »

Transferring Files to a New PC
After getting a new PC, wouldn't it be nice to transfer your email and other important files from your old computer to the new one. It's not easy but it can be done. Windows XP has an automated tool called the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. The Wizard allows you to move data files and settings between the two computers. Expert Author, Ed Bott, has a must read article to explain it. Read it here.

Microsoft Scans our PC's ...
and during a 15 month period, found 6 million computers that had been infected at some stage. The data, taken from scans of 270 million computers using Microsoft's malicious-software removal tool during the downloading of Windows security updates, reveals much of the malware identified and removed were Trojan horses.

The malicious-software removal tool is a temporary program that is downloaded with security updates for Windows 2000 and XP operating systems, and then self deletes.

These potentially dangerous Trojan horse programs are often used by attackers to gain remote control of computers and use them for criminal activities such as the circulation of spam & spyware. Experts say earlier systems like Windows 98 and Windows ME are even less secure because Microsoft is in the early stages of ceasing security support for them.

Windows 98/ ME is Too Old ...
For a few years now, application developers have stopped supporting the two operating systems and Microsoft says it is no longer feasible to patch security flaws for users of the aging operating systems and urges users of Windows 98 and ME to upgrade to a newer operating system or use a perimeter firewall. Read more.

According to analysts, only 10 percent of consumer households rely on the older operating systems. Existing support documents and content are still available through the Microsoft Support Product Solution Center Website.

End of support for XP SP 1 ...
On October 10, 2006, Microsoft will end all public assisted support for Windows XP Service Pack1 (SP1). After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident support options or security updates for this retired service pack under the policies defined by their Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy.

To enhance the security of your computer and to continue to receive updates for Windows XP, Microsoft recommends you upgrade your computer, for free, to Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Need to Upgrade?
If you don't yet have Windows XP, learn how to upgrade here.

If you already have Windows XP but you still have the (SP1), you can find how to upgrade to Service Pack 2 for free, here.

Related Links:
Windows Update
Microsoft Support News
Windows XP Solution Center
Windows XP Get Started Guide
Troubleshooting Windows XP
Q & A on Windows XP Setup
Q & A Configuring Windows XP
How-to's for Windows XP SP2

Time for a Quiz:

True or False ?
PNC Park in Pittsburgh
is the second smallest ballpark
in major league baseball.

- click here for answer -

- True -

PNC Park,
home of the Pittsburgh Pirates
is the 2nd smallest ballpark
with a capacity of 38,496.

See an aerial view here
and more pics and facts at
Ballparks of Baseball.

(to hide the answer, click it again)

this just in:

Wanna hear Jessica Simpson
say your name? ...

The sexy singer is inviting fans to purchase a personalized version of her new song
"A Public Affair"
by logging on to Yahoo! Music
or on her website at
www.jessicasimpson.com.

After making a choice from a list of 500 names, fans will be able to immediately download a song that contains three personalized shout outs.
(woo hoo !)
If the person's name is very unique, songs will be delivered in 1-3 weeks. A sample of the customized cut can be heard on her MySpace page.
Her new album, also titled
"A Public Affair,"
will be in stores August 29.
See her other videos here.

Just click here to
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