Virgin Mary In Grilled Cheese

eBay Auction

Winning bid: US $28,000.00
Ended: Nov-22-04 17:22:07 PST
Start time: Nov-15-04 17:22:07 PST
History: 27 bids (US $3,000.00 starting bid)
Item location: Ft. Lauderdale, United States
Shipping costs: US $9.95 - Standard Flat Rate Shipping Service (within United States)

THIS IS A SERIOUS AUCTION!
THE WINNING BIDDER WILL RECIEVE THIS PHYSICAL ITEM!! EBAY PLEASE DO NOT PULL THIS AUCTION OFF, IT NOT A HOAX OR A JOKE OF ANY SORT, A GENUINE ITEM!!! THIS IS A PAYPAL AUCTION ONLY!!! PAYMENT MUST BE RECIEVED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF AUCTION CLOSE! NO EXCEPTIONS!! NO BIDDERS WITH A ZERO FEEDBACK RATING!!

You are viewing an extroidinary out of this world item!! I made this sandwich 10 years ago, when I took a bite out of it, I saw a face looking up at me, It was Virgin Mary starring back at me, I was in total shock, I would like to point out there is no mold or disingration, The item has not been preserved or anything, It has been keep in a plastic case, not a special one that seals out air or potiental mold or bacteria, it is like a miracle, It has just preserved itself which in itself I consider a miracle, people ask me if I have had blessings since she has been in my home, I do feel I have, I have won $70,000 (total) on different occasions at the casino near by my house, I can show the recipts to the high bidder if they are interested, I would like all people to know that I do believe that this is the Virgin Mary Mother Of God, That is my solem belief, but you are free to believe that she is whomever you like, I am not scamming anyone, I would like all potinetal bidders to know that this has gained alot of attention from media personell around the country, On Tuesday November 16, 2004 the Miami Herald will feature a story in thier paper on this phenomon, Also Today which is November 15, 2004 The story of The Virgin Mary In The Grilled Cheese will be aired on Channel 4 News here in South Florida, The story has been told nationwide on radio stations ect. I also would like all onlookers to understand why I am choosing to keep the high bidders ID private, I listed this once before and had all kinds of emails some were nice and funny comments but many were cruel intended, and vindictive, I ignored them but, I do not wish to subject potiental buyers to this form of invasion, The last time this was listed there were over 80,000 viewers, Like I said I recieved alot of emails that were down right cruel intended, I do not care I will not read them anyhow, but you should not waste your time being vindictive, I am asking that only serious questions about the item be emailed to me, not jokes or ridiclous comments, If you have a genuine question please do feel free to email, I am not scamming anyone I am selling this item proivided that there is a serious bid with a payment, SERIOUS BIDDERS ONLY! DO NOT BID IF YOU INTEND TO RETRACT THE BID OR FOOL AROUND, THERE IS NO RESERVE ON THIS AUCTION!! I AM STARTING IT OUT AT THE BOTTOM LINE PRICE THAT I INTEND TO SELL THIS ITEM FOR!!

I would like all bidders to know that this item is not intended for consumption, it is intended for collectable purposes only..All bidders must be on a pre approved bidder list, to get on that list you must email me prior to bidding, eBay is not allowing you to bid unless you do so, eBay is watching this auction very closely and veryifying all bids, An eBay official will be calling you, if you are bidding! if you bid and you retract the bid, you may be subject to concequences at eBay's discretion! Also I would like to add that this item has been featured in newpaper articles, and tv interviews, and radio stations worldwide, One of those radio stationsis WFTL Ft. Lauderdale on live 80.

Fracas in Detroit. . .

NBA Suspends Artest for Rest of Season

Mon Nov 22, 4:30 AM ET
By CHRIS SHERIDAN, AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK - The wrath of David Stern was unleashed, giving Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal a long time — extremely long in Artest's case — to ponder the error of their ways.

The NBA commissioner suspended Artest for the remainder of this season Sunday and disciplined eight other members of the Pacers and Pistons, sending a strong message that the league won't tolerate the type of unprecedented violence displayed Friday night.

Jackson drew a 30-game suspension and his Indiana teammate O'Neal was banned for 25 games. Ben Wallace of Detroit was hit with a six-game ban, and Indiana's Anthony Johnson got a five-game suspension.

Four others drew one-game suspensions for leaving the bench during the initial stages of a fracas that quickly escalated into a five-minute melee with players and patrons exchanging punches.

While coming down hard on the players, Stern also announced the league would review several procedures, from in-game security to alcohol sales, in order to establish a safer arena environment.

"There is an element out there that thinks they can take certain liberties. That didn't used to be the case," Stern said. "We have to really begin anew to determine what that covenant of civil behavior in our arenas is going to be all about.

"Frankly, we've got a lot of work to do in the next several days and weeks," Stern said.

Reaction to the suspensions came quickly. Union director Billy Hunter said the penalties were unduly harsh and vowed an appeal, Artest issued a contrite statement in which he also questioned the length of his suspension, while O'Neal's agent released an angry missive accusing the league of singling out O'Neal without taking into concern the fear for their own safety that the players were feeling.

Stern, meanwhile, said Artest's history of suspensions and anger management issues contributed to the severity of his penalty. He also made clear that things could have been even worse for O'Neal.

"His penalty actually would have been harsher if he had succeeded in getting into his stands, which he tried to do but was restrained from," Stern said.

Four players — Indiana's Reggie Miller, and Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman — were suspended one game apiece for leaving the bench during the initial fracas.

Artest's suspension is the strongest ever levied for a fight during a game.

"The line is drawn, and my guess is that won't happen again — certainly not by anybody who wants to be associated with our league," Stern said.

All of the suspensions are without pay.

Artest will lose approximately $5 million in salary, while O'Neal's suspension will cost him nearly 25 percent of his $14.8 million salary for the current season.

Stern took the unusual step of calling a news conference at Madison Square Garden before the Knicks-Cavaliers game to announce the suspensions, commenting that Friday night's fracas represented "the worst" of the 20,000 to 25,000 games he has presided over in his more than two decades as commissioner.

"To watch the out-of-control fans in the stands was disgusting, but it doesn't excuse our players going into the stands," Stern said.

Friday night's brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands near center court and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players.

Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O'Neal.

Players who entered the stands and tried to act as peacemakers were not penalized.

All appeals of disciplinary penalties for on-court disturbances are heard by Stern, making it highly unlikely any of the suspensions will be reduced.

Wallace began the fracas by delivering a hard, two-handed shove to Artest after Wallace was fouled on a drive to the basket with 45.9 seconds remaining. After the fight ended, the referees called off the rest of the game.

The initial skirmish wasn't all that bad, with Artest retreating to the scorer's table and lying atop it after Wallace sent him reeling backward. But when a fan tossed a cup at Artest, he stormed into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.

Jackson joined Artest and threw punches at fans, who punched back. At one point, a chair was tossed into the fray.

"Mr. Jackson was well into the stands, and certainly anyone who watched any television this weekend understood he wasn't going in as a peacemaker," Stern said. "Jermaine, I think it's fair to say, exceeded any bounds of peacemaking with the altercation with the fan in which he was involved."

Rocket Wins $10M Prize for Trip to Space

Rocket Wins $10M Prize for Trip to Space

By JOHN ANTCZAK, Associated Press Writer

MOJAVE, Calif. - A stubby rocket plane powered its rockets and appeared to blast through the Earth's atmosphere for a second time in two weeks Monday to capture a $10 million prize meant to encourage space tourism.

Photo
AP Photo

AFP Photo
AFP
Slideshow Slideshow: X Prize Space Launch Competition



SpaceShipOne, the rocket plane funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, appeared to top its required altitude within minutes of firing its rockets, said Peter Diamandis, who founded the X Prize eight years ago.

The plane took off from a desert runway early Monday, slung to the belly of a carrier plane with a test pilot at the wheel. It was released at about 46,000 feet and fired its rockets to continue to an altitude of just over 62 miles — generally considered to be the point where the Earth's atmosphere ends and space begins.

Radar confirmation of the rocket's peak altitude was expected soon after landing, but a crowd of thousands of enthusiasts on the ground began celebrating as soon as SpaceShipOne appeared to exceed the minimum requirement.

"This is the true frontier of transportation," said Marion C. Blakey, head of the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites), who stood near the runway to watch the space flight.

"It feels a little bit like Kitty Hawk must have," Blakey added.

If the altitude of 368,000 feet is confirmed, the backers will claim the Ansari X Prize, a $10 million award that goes to the first privately built, manned rocket ship to fly in space twice in a span of two weeks.

The choice of Brian Binnie as Monday's pilot was kept secret until hours before the scheduled takeoff. Last week, SpaceShipOne rolled dozens of times with Michael Melvill at the wheel as it hurtled toward space at three times the speed of sound.

Melvill also flew the first flight by a private plane into space on June 21, and he was awarded the nation's first commercial astronaut wings by the FAA (news - web sites).

After a safety analysis, SpaceShipOne designer Burt Rutan posted preliminary information about last week's flight on his Web site this weekend to address what he called the "incorrect rumors" that have circulated.

The first roll occurred at a high speed, about Mach 2.7, but aerodynamic loads on the spacecraft were low and decreasing rapidly "so the ship never saw any significant structural stresses," he said.

Diamandis came up with the X Prize, hoping it would have the same effect on space travel as the Orteig Prize had on air travel. Charles Lindbergh claimed that $25,000 prize in 1927 after making his solo trans-Atlantic flight.

Major funding came from the Ansari family of Dallas. More than two dozen teams around the world are trying to win the prize, but only SpaceShipOne has reached space.

Last week, Richard Branson, the British airline mogul and adventurer, announced that beginning in 2007, he will begin offering paying customers flights into space aboard rockets like the SpaceShipOne. He plans to call the service Virgin Galactic.

Giants to Offer Wi-Fi Instant Replays

Giants to Offer Wi-Fi Instant Replays

Wed Sep 22,10:01 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO - Peanuts, hot dogs and wireless instant replays. It's the future of baseball.

SBC Park, home of the San Francisco Giants (news), is already a giant wireless hotspot. Next season, the team plans to offer Wi-Fi users instant replays on demand, possibly even of different angles on controversial plays.

"We're charting new territory here so it's really going to be up to what our fans want," said Bill Schlough, vice president and chief information officer of the Giants.

Since the ballpark launched its wireless network in April, the first major sports venue to do so, a few hundred spectators per game have brought along their laptops or handheld computers to use the free service, Schlough said.

They're logging on to check e-mail or visit a customized Web site that offers live streaming video of other baseball games, stats and historical footage.

Either way, experts say it's a sign of things to come.

"Wireless capability is in the planning docket for every major facility in professional sports because it's becoming ubiquitous in most public areas," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon's James Warsaw Sports Marketing Center.

In addition to instant replays, the Giants plan to add a wireless feature so fans can order food online for delivery right to their seats.

Apple pie, anyone?

Let in the light. . .

It's Easy Being Green

The California Energy Commission found that call-center workers processed calls 6% to 12% faster when they had views to the outside, compared with workers without a view. They also performed 10% to 25% better on tests of mental function and memory recall compared with their 'shut-in' co-workers.

The Herschong Mahone Group consultancy found that retail locations with skylights reaped 40% higher sales than stores without skylights.

It also studied elementary-school students, finding that "Students who had the most daylight in their classrooms progressed 20% faster on math tests and 26% faster on reading tests compared with students who had the least daylight.

Outsourcing Pays Off at Home

Outsourcing Pays Off at Home
By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool
August 23, 2004

China: the low-cost provider
According to CNET, for the first five months of 2004 the average price of a DVD player made in China was $40.80. The average cost to produce it, including operating costs, was $39.80. (Just five years ago, it cost at least $500 to purchase one in the U.S., guaranteeing huge profits to its manufacturers. Clearly, the profit margins to manufacture a DVD player have fallen dramatically.) In those same five months, China manufactured 41 million DVD players on outsourcing orders from a variety of firms, such as Sony, Philips, and Matsushita Electric Industrial Company's Panasonic.

Japan: winner of the last trade war
But notice that none of these companies, which outsource production to China, are American. Chinese DVD player manufacturers aren't threatening American jobs because the American electronics industry lost its trade war with Japan long ago. Which puts us in the interesting situation we find ourselves in today. According to USStuff.com, a website devoted to promoting U.S.-made products (preferably by U.S.-owned companies), there are no U.S.-owned companies manufacturing DVD players in the U.S. (or VCRs, TVs, and so on), and only a handful of companies here assemble such products, manufactured abroad.

There's no disputing that the demise of the U.S. electronics industry was tragic for hardworking Americans at firms that once made TVs and related products. Still, the fact of the matter is that, well, it is a fact. The war is over. We lost.

A war not worth winning
But guess what? Despite waging and losing the trade war with Japan, the Republic did not fall. Bankrupted businesses were bought out, or they disappeared and were replaced with new ones. Laid-off employees retrained and found new jobs in other industries. Meanwhile, the rest of the country benefited from the downfall of the U.S. electronics industry. Yes, benefited. Prices for TVs, stereos, and other electronics fell, and they continue to drop.

Outsourcing creates jobs
That's right. Outsourcing creates jobs. And I'm not talking about the kind that workers retrain for and step into once a factory closes. By driving prices down, outsourcing drives demand up. It's a simple tenet of economics that low prices increase demand for a product. To meet increased demand, firms that sell, store, or transport a product (which now costs less) have to hire workers.

And that's just the start. Lowering the price of goods through outsourcing spurs job creation in related industries, too. Just one example: The more DVD players come down in price, the more people can afford them. And the more people can afford DVD players, the more people will want to buy DVDs. When you add up all the jobs gained from lowering costs through outsourcing, there can be little doubt that they outweigh the few that are lost. So the next time a talking head comes on TV and tries to tell you that outsourcing is bad for America, don't accept the easy answer.

Bikes Bring Internet to Indian Villagers

Bikes Bring Internet to Indian Villagers

By S. SRINIVASAN, Associated Press Writer

BITHOOR, India - For 12-year-old Anju Sharma, hope for a better life arrives in her poor farming village three days a week on a bicycle rickshaw that carries a computer with a high-speed, wireless Internet connection.

Designed like temple carriages that bear Hindu deities during festivals, the brightly painted pedal-cart rolls into her village in India's most populous state, accompanied by a computer instructor who gives classes to young and old, students and teachers alike.

"By using computers, I can improve my knowledge," Sharma, whose parents plan to pull her out of school at 15, said in Hindi, before joining a class on Web cameras. "And that will help me get a job when I grow up."

The bicycle cart is the center of a project called "Infothela," or info-cart. It aims to use technology to improve education, health care and access to agricultural information in India's villages, where most of the country's 1.06 billion people live.

Conceived in 2003 by the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, about 10 miles southwest of Bithoor, the project is funded by the national government and provides free computer classes in six villages here in Uttar Pradesh state.

Another computer on a pedicab is being used in an experiment to help doctors in Lucknow, the state capital, provide consultation to villagers through video-conferencing in nearby Saroha village. A project to disseminate the latest crop prices and farming methods is also being developed.

In Bithoor, on the banks of the Ganges River in northern India, manual labor is the alternative to farming and annual incomes rarely exceed $130. Sharma's teachers make only $11 a month. Young people look for jobs in cities, but often lose out to better educated urbanites.

"Computers and Internet open up new opportunities for these villagers," said Lalty Dutta, a project official.

With only 12 computers and four Internet connections per 1,000 people, India has one of the world's lowest Internet usage rates and much of rural India remains oblivious to the sweep of technology. But the villages involved in Infothela all lie within a 50-mile wireless corridor created by the Institute of Technology and linked by high-rise Wi-Fi antennae and amplifiers along the highway.

Until recently, such technology was the privilege of a tiny section of Indians — engineers in the country's software hubs who earn more money while in their twenties than Bithoor farmers do in a lifetime.

India churns out 300,000 engineers each year and is a growing software power, but farmers are the backbone of its economy. Infothela seeks to break the disparity that confines access to technology and growing affluence to the cities.

Many Indian villages are poorly wired — telephone lines can go dead for weeks at a time — making wireless technology the most reliable Web connection.

The mobility of a cycle rickshaw, which is light enough to cross muddy, potholed roads, ensures that the same computer and Internet connection can be used by people in several neighboring villages. The Infothela cart has a specially designed frame and cushioning to protect the computer and accessories from the bumpy ride.

"The mobile platform is necessary to reduce cost of ownership because the resources are shared by a larger population. It is also necessary to push information to women and elderly people who can't travel outside their village," said Manoj Kumar, a project manager.

The service is free for now, but fees will eventually be charged, Kumar said.

A few miles from Bithoor, another cycle rickshaw carries its high-tech load to Gorahah village, where men and women gather side-by-side for a class on electronic mail. The mix is nothing short of a revolution in tradition-bound rural India, where women are often kept indoors.

"We are now learning computers. There is no point if we can't use that new knowledge. We have to go out and do something worthwhile," said Snehalatha, 22, who also attends college.

Clad in orange pants and a pink tunic, Snehalatha signs up for Yahoo mail, as an impatient queue lengthens behind her.

The classes teach the basics of computing, word processing, spreadsheets, Internet browsing and Web cameras. Once they learn own to use a webcam the villagers can take part in online classes, something the info-cart organizers hope to implement later.

The simple lessons are a big privilege in an Indian village, where half the population can't read or write.

In Bithoor, which is mired in tradition and poverty, Sharma's parents plan to take her out of school in about three years, so she can be trained in domestic chores and married by 18.

But a brush with computers has made Sharma look beyond cooking and washing.

"I want to work and make a name for myself. I want to see the world," she said, adding that she hopes to get a job in the city and then travel more widely.

Sharma said she has not disclosed her plans to her parents lest they stop her from attending computer classes, "But I know what I will do."