Playstation 3 : Entertainment like you’ve never seen before

Sony Computer Entertainment UK (SCEUK) today announced details of two new PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) packs that will be launched on 10th October 2007. The existing PS3 Starter Pack will be replaced by a 60GB value pack at a price of £349. Additionally, a new 40GB entry level PS3 model will be introduced at £299.

Providing a highly attractive entry point to the world of High Definition gaming and movies, the new PS3 is designed to bring the next generation of interactive home entertainment to households all across Europe. Along with an expanding line-up of PS3 titles (a total of 65 titles tracking across all genres by Christmas), the new PS3 is equipped with a 40GB HDD and includes all the features central to the High Definition entertainment experience; true next generation gameplay, stunning High Definition Blu-ray Disc movies, SIXAXIS wireless controller, USB, Wi-Fi and HDMI connectivity, all powered by the Cell Broadband Engine, the digital heart of PS3.

As with the 60GB PS3, the new PS3 features upgradeable system software allowing new features and functionality to be added to the system as time progresses. A recent system software update, for example, enabled PS3 to upscale DVD discs played on the system to full 1080P High Definition.

The introduction of the new PS3 has been determined following user feedback from thousands of existing PS3 owners as well as research into future potential PS3 owners. The new model features two USB 2.0 ports rather than four and no longer includes the multi memory card port – both features that, for those who wish, can be enhanced or provided through the addition of readily available aftermarket accessories.

The new model is also no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).

The existing Starter Pack will be replaced by a new Value Pack featuring a fully functioning 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility, a SIXAXIS wireless controller and two first party titles which will be offered at a price of £349. The 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3.

“As we approach our very first PlayStation Christmas, it is satisfying to be able to offer UK consumers the choice of two PlayStation 3 packages both now representing remarkable value,” commented Ray Maguire, managing director of SCEUK, “We have a brand new 40GB machine that represents an excellent entry point into the world of High Definition games and movies, and we have the fully featured 60GB machine being offered with two next generation gaming experiences at a highly competitive price.”

“The introduction of the new PS3 has been the result of extensive research into the entertainment needs and preferences of the next generation of PS3 owners,” said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “It has allowed us to deliver an extremely advanced, yet highly affordable High Definition entertainment system, configured to the needs of the next generation of European PS3 owners. PS3 has always been the device of choice for the discerning gamer and entertainment seeker, and the new PS3 is more than ever the perfect High Definition entertainment system.

PlayTV - Use your PS3 as a TiVo/DVR

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The PS3 will be able to record TV in 1080p and stream it to the PSP, TiVo beware At Games Convention in Leipzig Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) unveiled PlayTV, a combined TV tuner and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) for the PS3. PlayTV will be available in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain early in 2008, with other PAL territories to follow in due course. No word yet as to a North American release date. The PS3 is being pushed not only as a game device, but also a personal media center. The dual channel TV tuner peripheral and DVR software turns the PS3 into an advanced TV recorder, allowing you to watch, pause and record live TV. Much like TiVo and other DVR systems, PlayTV will record individual programs or whole seasons of shows to the PS3's hard drive. The European system will use the Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial (DVB-T) format. PlayTV will be able to show a 7-day Electronic Program Guide, the EPG2, for use in planning which shows to record or watch. PlayTV provides quite a few features not seen on most DVRs. First, the PS3 PlayTV’s dual TV tuners are High Definition ready and are able to view, record and play back High Definition signals in full HD1080P. Most DVRs currently on the market record in standard def. In contrast to the electronic program guides found on consumer satellite and cable services, PlayTV’s guide is surprisingly fast, and can be controlled with either the Sixaxis or the Blu-ray remote. Perhaps the biggest single advantage that PlayTV seems to have over TiVo and other DVR systems is its connectivity with the PSP. You can not only view live TV, but recorded TV. PErhaps the biggest surprise is the ability to control the PS3's PlayTV remotely using the PSP to select shows to record, as well as all other major PlayTV functions. Essentially you will be able to use your PlayTV DVR from anywhere in the world with a WiFi connection. Being able to watch Grey's Anatomy or Hotel Babylon from anywhere on the planet is a major step for the PlayStation platform. For quicker download, you can transfer shows from your PS3 to PSP via USB cable. Allowing you to watch recorded TV on the PSP with or without WiFi. Long flights just got a whole lot easier. Sony claims that PlayTV will evolve with time. The functionality of PlayTV will be updated via the PlayStation Network. Sony has gone so far as to state that, "PlayTV will never be out of date." David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, was enthusiastic about PlayTV, stating, "the introduction of PlayTV really will extend the already broad entertainment credentials of PS3, and makes it an exceptionally attractive proposition for the whole family. [The] PS3 already provides High Definition gaming, Blu-ray Disc movies, music, video, photo album, web browsing and PlayStation Network support. With the introduction of PlayTV’s state of the art TV tuner and PVR [Personal Video Recorder] functionality, [the] PS3 is now the best choice of home entertainment hub for the whole family." One can only hope that PlayTV's European release is a sign of things to come for the rest of us. While there has yet to be a discussion of cost, PlayTV looks to be the first step in unlocking the full potential of the PS3.

Advantages of an Online Mortgage Quote

There are several advantages when getting an online mortgage quote. First fast, easy, and quick response. Second you have ability to shop around with more than 1 mortgage prospect, and some services shop around for you! Unlike traditional mortgage quote you will not get bombarded with phone calls from 30 different lenders, only the 1 you choose to contact you. There are several things to look for when shopping online for a mortgage quote. The mortgage field is cut throat competition. Mortgage companies are falling over each other to give consumers the lowest quote to get the deal. They only get paid if you go with them, so their best interest it to get you the lowest rate possible, and that means they have to shop around for lenders that you're deal is suited for. Behind the scenes if they are not a direct lender they bargain with direct lenders to see what rate they can get, and then turn around and sell you. The downside of this is that you are dealing with a middle man approach. There are websites like A2zLoanQuotes.com for example, that are the direct lenders. There is no middle man with their service, and that means less middleman fees, and not only do you get the best rate available, you pay overall less than the person who is shopping with a middleman company. A friendly service is always the greatest asset a company can have. Once you decided to go with a specific company, their initial response to your needs should be a great factor when you want to close the deal. If they are kind, and give you detailed explanations of the whole process you know you've got yourself a winner. The best way to help the mortgage process move faster is by always having the paper work to the broker onto usually the same day if not with 24 hours of the mortgage company asking for it. This is the best way to get the fast and quick service you want. Most companies can close with 2 weeks. Some rare companies such as A2Zloanquotes can close within 1 week if all documents are made available. It is up to you on how fast you want the mortgage process to go. Another things to look for and is one of the most important is a great rating with a 3rd party. The Better Business Bureau is the choice for most. If a company has a B+ or better, this is signs of a reputable company. The less complaints the better. A company for example like A2ZLoanquotes, which has an A rating, and Zero complaints, is probably worth looking at. Check out the background of the company, make sure you know who you are dealing with, and have a brick and mortar location. This is a sure sign of a great standing company. Once you fill out a mini-form on the mortgage quote company's website, you should get an immediate response, usually between 5 minutes to 24 hours. This lets you know that you are being taken seriously. If you feel out information and a company gets back to you in over 48 hours that usually means it is not organized. The best part about shopping online is being able to shop around without obligation. You can get several quotes from different companies and choose the best one that fits your needs. You even have the possibility of staying anonymous.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Bell : The Trial Begins (Chapter 10)

"Well, that was a very naughty thing to do, wasn't it, to think of killing little boys and girls and talk about it?"

-- Prosecution's question to Norma Bell

Mary Bell and Norma Bell were brought to trial for the murder of Martin Brown and Brian Howe at the Newcastle Assizes Moothall on December 5th 1968. The trial would last nine days. The media attention, although mild by today's sensationalist standards, was generating increasing interest as the trial progressed -- by the final day the press was everywhere. Despite attempts to make the court proceedings less threatening to the children, both Norma and Mary were bewildered. Mary appeared to be attentive, but later admitted the whole thing was a "blur."

Prosecutor Rudolph Lyons opened the trial by suggesting that whoever murdered Brian Howe also killed Martin Brown. Lyons methodically recounted the suspicious behavior of both girls at the scene of Martin's death, how they plagued the mourning family with their morbid questions, and how they vandalized the Nursery the next day, leaving notes that amounted to a confession. For Norma, these notes were the most damaging to her innocence. Handwriting analysis had verified that Norma had written the "I murder so that I may come back" note. If Norma was truly innocent, why would she participate in these dreadful scribblings?

How did Mary know that Martin had been asphyxiated? asked Lyons. This was not public knowledge, yet she demonstrated to the Howes how Martin was strangled. Forensic evidence also implicated Mary -- gray fibers from one of her wool dresses were discovered on the bodies of both victims. Fibers from Norma's maroon skirt were found on Brian's shoes. Although there were doubts about Norma's guilt, Mary was considered guilty by most. According to Gitta Sereny, who was at the trial, the issue at stake was whether Mary was a sick little girl or a monster, a "bad seed."

Mary's family presence at the trial certainly didn't help her case. Her mother Betty Bell disrupted the proceedings with all her wailing and sobbing, her long blond wig slipping off her head. Like a poorly-played character in a lurid soap opera, she stormed out during the trial, only to dramatically reappear moments later. Her father Billy Bell sat quietly, ignoring his wife's spectacles. Mary, who Sereny described as very pretty and intelligent, with dark hair and sharp blue eyes, which "in anger looked emotionally blank." Observers in the courtroom, wrote Sereny, were "watching her with a horrified kind of curiosity." For such a "manipulative" and "cunning" little girl, Mary knew nothing about attracting sympathy. At one point Mary told a police officer how a "woman up in the gallery smiles at me, but I don't smile back. It isn't a smiling matter. The jury wouldn't like it if I smiled, would they?"

Norma, on the other hand, was surrounded by a much more sympathetic family. She was the third of eleven children, and reacted to evidence and testimony with a more childlike combination of fear and nervous tears (Mary disdained crying as a sign of weakness.)

Young Serial Killer - Mary Bell : Caught (Chapter 9)

"Murder isn't that bad, we all die sometime anyway."

-- Mary Bell to one of her guards



The first night in their small jail cells in Newcastle West End police station, the girls were restless. "They kept shouting to each other through the doors," said one of the police women who watched the children. The police station was not accustomed to housing child offenders, and they had to make provisions as best as they could. "We finally told them to shut up. At one moment I heard Mary shout out angrily about her mother." Mary, who had been a chronic bedwetter, was terrified of going to sleep, for fear that she might mess her bed. "I usually do," she confided. At home, Mary's mother severely humiliated her whenever she wet the bed, rubbing her daughter's face in the pool of urine, said Mary, years later. She then hung the mattress outside for the entire neighborhood to see.

During the course of her incarceration, the women guards got to know Mary better, describing her as confident, intelligent and "cheeky." Some of Mary's casual comments would shock the police women, but others saw her as a scared little girl who had no comprehension of the enormity of her actions. In the middle of the night Mary would "bolt upright." Mary's hostility had an almost naive quality: while tightly grabbing a stray cat by the neck, a guard told her not to hurt the cat. Mary allegedly replied, "Oh, she doesn't feel that, and anyway, I like hurting little things that can't fight back." In another incident, a police woman said that Mary said she'd like to be a nurse, "because then I can stick needles into people. I like hurting people."

If her parents were somehow responsible for young Mary's behavior, she would not talk about it. She had been taught to keep quiet, especially around authority figures. Her father, Billy Bell, had lived with the family, but the children (Mary and her younger brother and sister) were instructed to always call him "uncle," so that their mother could collect government assistance. Billy Bell was a thief, and the mother, Betty Bell, was a prostitute who was often away in Glasgow on "business." Because of the family's shady vocations, Newcastle Welfare authorities knew very little about Mary's family. One detective who visited Mary's home described it as having "no feeling of a home, just a shell. Very peculiar... the only life one felt was that of a big dog barking."

Was it because Mary was unresponsive that the psychiatrists found her "psychopathic"? If she had broken her silence and told them of her abusive home life, would she have earned a more sympathetic analysis? "I've seen a lot of psychopathic children," said Dr. Orton, the first to see her during her incarceration. "But I've never met one like Mary: as intelligent, as manipulative, or as dangerous." During the murder trial, Mary's behavior would do little to harvest sympathy.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Bell : Mary's Notebook (Chapter 8)

That same morning, Mary Bell drew a picture in her notebook of a child in the same pose as that in which Martin Brown had been found, with a bottle near him with the word "TABLET.." There was a man walking toward the child. It read, "On saturday I was in the house, and my mam sent Me to ask Norma if she Would come up the top with me? we went up and we came down at Magrets Road and there were crowds of people beside an old house. I asked what was the matter. there had been a boy who Just lay down and Died." Mary's notebook entry did not strike the teacher as odd, although she was the only student who wrote on Martin's death.

Notebook entry

On Friday of the same week, the newly-installed alarm sounded off at Nursery. Mary Bell and Norma Bell were caught red-handed, but denied breaking in before. Released to the custody of their parents, a date was set for them to appear at Juvenile Court.

A week later, Mary attacked Norma near the Nursery sandpit. A boy saw Mary scratch her friend and kick her in the eye, but only laughed when he heard Mary scream, "I am a murderer!" She pointed in the direction of house where Martin Brown was found. "That house over there, that's where I killed... " Since Mary was well known as a show-off, he didn't take her ominous bragging seriously.

Toward the end of July, before Brian Howe's murder, Mary visited the Howe household, and declared "I know something about Norma that will get her put away straight away." She told them her secret: "Norma put her hands on a boy's throat. It was Martin Brown -- she pressed and he just dropped." To make her point, she grabbed her own throat in a choking gesture, then left. It would be a few days later that Mary would strangle the Howe's own child. This insatiable need to "show and tell" her deadly crimes would be acted out upon another innocent babe.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Bell : Murderous Messages (Chapter 7)

"Look out THERE are Murders about"

-- note found in vandalized nursery

On Monday morning, May 27 the teachers at the Day Nursery, on Woodlands Crescent at the end of Whitehouse Road, arrived to find the school ransacked. School supplies were strewn about recklessly, and cleaning materials had been splattered on the floor. But the most disturbing discovery was the four scribbled notes left behind:

Note

"I murder so THAT I may come back"

"fuch of we murder watch out Fanny and Faggot"

"we did murder Martain brown Fuck of you Bastard"

"You are micey Becurse we murdered Martain Go Brown you Bete Look out THERE
are Murders about By FANNYAND and auld Faggot you Srcews"

Police took the notes back to the station and filed them away as a sick joke. Mary would later admit they wrote the notes "for a giggle." Because this wasn't the first break-in at the Nursery, the school installed an alarm system.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Belle : Martin Brown (Chapter 6)

Martin was last seen at approximately 3:15 pm, and was discovered at 3:30, lying on the floor of a boarded-up house. Three boys foraging for some scrap wood had found the child on his back next to a window, with blood and saliva trickling down the side of his cheek and chin. Panicked, they called out to the construction workers outside, who remembered giving little Martin some biscuits earlier that day. They raced up the stairs and tried to revive him, but Martin was already dead.

One of the boys noticed Mary Bell and a friend coming toward the house, and stopping directly below the window. "Shall we go up?" said Mary. They squeezed through boards to get inside. Mary had brought Norma to show her that she had killed Martin. But they were told to go away.

The girls then went to find Martin's aunt to tell her that there had been an accident, that they thought it was Martin, and that there was "blood all over." "I'll show you where it is," said Mary to the distraught woman.

Strangely, the police could not find any signs of violence. A bottle of aspirin was nearby -- perhaps he ate them all. There were no visible strangulation marks or any other marks on the child, and therefore the authorities believed his death was accidental. The Criminal Investigation Department was not called in.

The official report on Martin Brown declared the "cause of death open." But the Scotswood community couldn't simply let go of the tragic death, so they marched and protested against the dangerous conditions of the condemned buildings in the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the true menace of Scotswood, Mary and Norma, were giving Martin's aunt the creeps with their prying questions. "They kept asking me, 'Do you miss Martin?' and 'Do you cry for him?' and 'Does June miss him?' and they were always grinning. In the end I could stand it no more and told them to get out and not to come back."

June Richardson with a photograph of her son Martin Brown, who was murdered by Mary Bell

"There has been a boy who Just lay down and Died."

-- Mary Bell's notebook

Martin's mother, June Brown was also bothered by the girls. After hearing a knock, June opened the front door to find Mary standing there. "Mary smiled and asked to see Martin. I said, 'No, pet, Martin is dead.' She turned round and said, 'Oh, I know he's dead. I wanted to see him in his coffin,' and she was still grinning. I was just speechless that such a young child should want to see a dead baby and I just slammed the door on her."

Mary's ominous behavior was by no means exclusive to Martin's grieving family. On Sunday, the day following Martin's death, Mary celebrated her eleventh birthday by trying to throttle Norma Bell's younger sister. Fortunately, Norma's father saw Mary's stranglehold on the girl. "I chopped Mary's hands away," he said, "and gave her a clip on the shoulder."

But the day wasn't over yet. The next morning the staff at the Day Nursery at Woodlands Crescent would make a chilling discovery.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Belle : Warning Signs (Chapter 5)

"'What happens if you choke someone, do they die?"

-- Mary Bell's notebook

Investigators now looked at the mysterious death of Martin Brown as a homicide. In fact, Mary Bell's behavior after Martin's death was so flagrant, it was a wonder she hadn't been apprehended sooner. Perhaps Brian Howe's life would have been spared. But, as one local boy said, everyone knew Mary was a "show-off," and her screams "I am a murderer!" had simply been laughed at.

Even before Martin's death, other children were being hurt by Mary.

On May 11, 1968, a three-year-old boy was found behind some empty sheds near a pub, bleeding from the head. He was found by Norma Bell and Mary Bell. The boy was a cousin of Mary's. He had "fallen" off a ledge, landing several feet below. Mary would later admit to having pushed him over the edge.

The following day, three girls who were playing by the Nursery were attacked by Mary, with Norma nearby. One of the girls said that Mary "put her hands around my neck and squeezed hard... The girl [Mary] took her hands off my neck and she did the same to Susan." The police were soon called. Norma stated that "Mary went to the other girl and said, 'What happens if you choke someone, do they die?' Then Mary put both hands round the girl's throat and squeezed. The girl started to go purple... I then ran off and left Mary. I'm not friends with her now."

According to the official report on May 15, "The girls Bell have been warned as to their future conduct." Ten days later Martin Brown was killed.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Belle : Mary's Statement (Chapter 4)

I couldn't kill a bird by the neck or throat or anything, it's horrible that.

-- Mary Bell

The following is Mary Bell's official statement.

I, Mary Flora Bell wish to make a statement. I want someone to write down what I have to say. I have been told that I need not say anything unless I wish to do so, but that whatever I say may be given in evidence.

Signed, Mary F. Bell

Brian was in his front street and me and Norma were walking along towards him. We walked past him and Norma says, 'Are you coming to the shop Brian?' and I says, ' Norma, you've got no money, how can you go to the shop? Where are you getting it from?' She says, 'Nebby' (Keep your nose clean). Little Brian followed and Norma says, 'Walk up in front.' I wanted Brian to go home, but Norma kept coughing so Brian wouldn't hear us.

We went down Crosshill Road with Brian still in front of us. There was this coloured boy and Norma tried to start a fight with him. She said, 'Darkie, whitewash, it's time you got washed.' The big brother came out and hit her. She shouted, 'Howay, put your dukes up.' The lad walked away and looked at her as though she was daft.

We went beside Dixon's shop and climbed over the railings, I mean, through a hole and over the railway. Then I said, 'Norma, where are you going?' and Norma said, 'Do you know that little pool where the tadpoles are?' When we got there, there was a big, long tank with a big, round hole with little holes round it. Norma says to Brian, 'Are you coming in here because there's a lady coming on the Number 82 and she's got boxes of sweets and that.'

We all got inside, then Brian started to cry and Norma asked him if he had a sore throat. She started to squeeze his throat and he started to cry. She said, 'This isn't where the lady comes, it's over there, by them big blocks.' We went over to the blocks and she says, 'Ar--you'll have to lie down' and he lay down beside the blocks where he was found. Norma says, 'Put your neck up' and he did. Then she got hold of his neck and said 'Put it down.' She started to feel up and down his neck. She squeezed it hard, you could tell it was hard because her finger tips were going white. Brian was struggling, and I was pulling her shoulders but she went mad. I was pulling her chin up but she screamed at me.

By this time she had banged Brian's head on some wood or corner of wood and Brian was lying senseless. His face was all white and bluey, and his eyes were open. His lips were purplish and had all like slaver on, it turned into something like fluff. Norma covered him up and I said, 'Norma, I've got nothing to do with this, I should tell on you, but I'll not.' Little Lassie was there and it was crying and she said, 'Don't you start or I'll do the same to you.' It still cried and she went to get hold of its throat but it growled at her. She said, 'Now now, don't be hasty.'

We went home and I took little Lassie home an all. Norma was acting kind of funny and making twitchy faces and spreading her fingers out. She said, 'This is the first but it'll not be the last.' I was frightened then. I carried Lassie and put her down over the railway and we went up Crosswood Road way. Norma went into the house and she got a pair of scissors and she put them down her pants. She says, 'Go and get a pen.' I said 'No, what for.' She says, 'To write a note on his stomach,' and I wouldn't get the pen. She had a Gillette razor blade. It had Gillette on. We went back to the blocks and Norma cut his hair. She tried to cut his leg and his ear with the blade. She tried to show me it was sharp, she took the top of her dress where it was raggie and cut it, it made a slit. A man came down the railway bank with a little girl with long blonde hair, he had a red checked shirt on and blue denim jeans. I walked away. She hid the razor blade under a big, square concrete block. She left the scissors beside him. She got out before me over the grass on to Scotswood Road. I couldn't run on the grass cos I just had my black slippers on. When we got along a bit she says, 'May, you shouldn't have done that cos you'll get into trouble' and I hadn't done nothing I haven't got the guts. I couldn't kill a bird by the neck or throat or anything, it's horrible that. We went up the steps and went home, I was nearly crying. I said, if Pat finds out she'll kill you, never mind killing Brian cos Pat's more like a tomboy. She's always climbing in the old buildings and that.

Later on I was helping to look for Brian and I was trying to let on to Pat that I knew where he was on the blocks, but Norma said, 'He'll not be over there, he never goes there,' and she convinced Pat he wasn't there. I got shouted in about half past seven and I stayed in. I got woke up about half past eleven and we stood at the door as Brian had been found: The other day Norma wanted to get put in a home. She says will you run away with us and I said no. She says if you get put in a home and you feed the little ones and murder them then run away again.

I have read the above statement and I have been told that I can correct, alter or add anything I wish, this statement is true. I have made it of my own free will.

Mary Flora Bell (signed at 6:55 pm)

Mary's statement had some partial truths but for the most part was a transparent attempt to blame Norma. Dobson formally charged Mary Bell with the murder of Brian Howe. "That's all right with me," she replied. He then arrested Norma Bell, who in anger to the charge, declared, "I never. I'll pay you back for this."

The girls were incarcerated at the Newcastle West End police station. Their upcoming trial would attract the attention of a fascinated, yet horrified nation.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Belle : Closing In (Chapter 3)

"All that mattered was to lie well."

-- Mary Bell (as an adult)

Before Brian's funeral, Dobson questioned Norma again. She now claimed that Mary told her she killed Brian, and brought her to see his body at the blocks. Mary told Norma "I squeezed his neck and pushed up his lungs that's how you kill them. Keep your nose dry and don't tell anybody." When she saw Brian, Norma knew he was dead. "His lips were purple. Mary ran her fingers along his lips. She said she had enjoyed it." That night, Norma was taken to the police station to give an official statement.

Norma's story shocked the police, who wasted no time in picking up Mary Bell at 12:15 that night. Her intense-blue eyes were bleary, but she kept her wits. "She appeared to see herself in a sort of cliché scenario of a cops-and-robbers film: nothing surprised her and she admitted nothing," Dobson told Gitta Sereny, who has written extensively on the case.

"I have reason to believe that when you were near the blocks with Norma," said Dobson. "A man shouted at some children who were nearby and you both ran away from where Brian was lying in the grass. This man will probably know you."

"He would have to have good eyesight," she responded.

"Why would he need good eyesight?" Dobson said, ready to catch her in a lie.

"Because he was... " Mary said, after a moment, "clever to see me when I wasn't there." She stood up. "I am going home... This is being brainwashed." But Dobson wasn't about to let her go. At one point Mary asked, "Is this place bugged?"

In the end she refused to budge. "I am making no statements. I have made lots of statements. It's always me you come for. Norma's a liar, she always tries to get me into trouble." At 3:30am Mary was permitted to leave. Dobson second-guessing himself. But after seeing Mary's behavior at Brian's funeral, and gathering additional testimony from Norma, he brought Mary back into the station.

"She was very apprehensive," said Dobson. "She gave me the impression that she knew the time of reckoning had come." Mary now admitted to being present when Brian died, but her "confession" took a bizarre turn.

IHG launches $1bn Holiday Inn revamp

The Holiday Inn logo, which adorns more than 3,000 hotels around the globe, will be changed for the first time since it was unveiled in 1952.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which owns the ubiquitous chain, is spending up to £30 million kickstarting the switch to the new signage.

That investment, which will be treated as an exceptional item in its results, includes the cost of commissioning the new design from Interbrand, the global branding consultancy, although IHG is refusing to split out the actual amount.

However, the cost to its army of Holiday Inn franchisees will be somewhat higher. They will face an estimated bill of $1 billion (£488 million) implementing the new look by the end of 2010.

Opinions are likely to be divided over the merits of the garish new green logo, compared with the retro 1950s script that will forever be associated with Kemmons Wilson, who opened the first Holiday Inn in Memphis in 1952. Nevertheless, Andy Cosslett, IHG’s chief executive, claimed that in-depth market research conducted among Holiday Inn customers had also found strong acceptance for what he called a “refreshed and contemporary brand image”.

“Our research is clear: people like it,” he said. “You don’t want to alienate loyal users so the trick is to find a way of keeping the familiarity while making it fresh and relevant.”

Mr Cosslett added: “Signage is very important. We’ve worked out that over 100 million people see our sign every day. It’s a very important part of the marketing of the brand.”

The $1 billion investment by franchisees would cover more than new signage, he said. The company has drafted new brand standards that will see all bedding replaced and fixtures such as lighting and showers improved.

Mr Cosslett revealed that a “scent and music strategy” had also been developed for the chain to enhance the customer experience: “We’re creating a Holiday Inn scent. It’s going to be very subliminal. You’re not going to walk in and find it hits you between the eyes. It’ll be very subtle.”

One change will remove the anomaly whereby the chain’s budget brand is called Holiday Inn Express in the United States and Express by Holiday Inn elsewhere. All will become Holiday Inn Express under a blue sign.

Asked about the reaction from franchisees, he replied: “They vary in terms of their receptiveness. But we think there’s a tangible economic return to the owners from this – there needs to be.” He said that the brand was enjoying “real momentum”, with 1,000 new properties in the pipeline.

Many of these are being built to a recently introduced prototype design. There are 25 prototype Holiday Inns and 200 more planned.

One analyst said: “The new logo is pretty awful. I expect Kemmons Wilson will be turning in his grave.”

Nevertheless, Mr Cosslett insisted that Mr Wilson’s family “absolutely love it”. He said that the new Holiday Inn logo would be used on a hotel to be built in Memphis, together with a small Holiday Inn museum.

Mr Wilson’s son, Kemmons Wilson Jr, said: “Well, if my Dad were here and he saw these changes, I think he would be very excited about what is going on. I think he would say this is exactly what the brand needs.

“This is what the owners have been starving and crying out for and it’s mission accomplished. It’s a new day and we are off and running.”

Do Not Accept To Be A Victim

If you had a surgery and now encounter some complication, may be the operation was a botched one. If you think you are a victim of negligence, you have many options. But before you do anything else have a doctor examination to determine if the surgery was indeed botched. Also, there is a statute of limitations usually in such cases. Find out if you can sue at this late date.

If you have a doctor who agrees that the surgery was poorly done and needs to be fixed get a couple of estimates of the cost of the fix. Then speak with an attorney who handles medical malpractice about the statute of limitations. The fix may be cheap enough to go to small claims court or you may need an attorney.

Any type of complication post-surgery could give cause of action for a malpractice claim; the question is whether the plaintiff can find the doctor negligent as opposed to 'liable'. And even when it isn't the surgeon's fault, some patients may still sue and win. Other factors that may have contributed should also be considered, such as post-op treatment orders (early ambulation, narcotic selection, etc.) to prevent such complication.

There are people winning lawsuits against restaurants for self-inflicted injuries from spilling coffee on themselves. There are people winning lawsuits against homeowners for self-inflicted injuries in automotive accidents enroute to delivering pizza to these homeowners.

All I can say is that what goes around will eventually come around. Meanwhile the litigation lawyers get richer.

My advice would be that you meet with all parties involved and work with them to settle any dispute or lingering grievance you may still have in an amicable fashion. If you don't eventually get a satisfactory resolution, file a complaint with the medical board in your state. Many medical boards are now Internet-friendly making past complaints about physicians readily accessible to the concerned public.

How To Surf Blocked Sites Anonymously

So you're trying to surf a site like myspace, hotmail or yahoo mail from work or school and its blocked by your school, work or government. Or maybe you want to go on a site without anyone knowing what your doing. The simplest way to do it is by using a web proxy. A proxy is another computer that is like a mask your computer puts on when it connects to the Internet. It's also a private gateway to blocked sites because the site you are actually surfing is hidden behind the proxy, which is unblocked. For example, if you go to a web proxy in London and surf the Web, every other computer in the world thinks you are from London!

There are plenty of free web proxy sites that you can use. The problem is that many of the popular ones also get blocked by people at your school, company or government. However, once you find one that is not blocked, all you do is go to the proxy site, enter the URL you want to browse and click go! Its that easy. You can then click on any links in the page you are browsing and you're still anonymous to the outside world. Just remember that if you go to a proxy and its blocked or no longer works, its no big deal, there are thousands of them. Just try another one and eventually you will find a web proxy that lets you browse freely and privately. Part 2 of this article will show where to find more unblocked working proxies that you will ever need!

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Black Forest Cake, is a chocolate cake with a strong cherry element to it which is popular throughout North America.

Called Schwarzwälderkirschtorte in German, which means Black Forest Cherry Torte (torte is the German word for cake).

The origin of this cake in unknown, but it is believed to have originated in the late 16th century in the Black Forest Region (Der Schwarzwald in German) located in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg. The area is known for its sour cherries and Kirsch or Kirschwasser (a double distilled, clear cherry brandy made from the sour Morello cherry).

It is a chocolate layer cake with Kirsch, whipped cream, sour cherries and chocolate curls.

Ingredients:

Cake

4oz Irish butter
8oz brown sugar
4oz plain chocolate
7oz self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pint sour cream
3 tablespoons strong cold black coffee
2 eggs
pinch of salt

Pastry Base

4oz cream flour
pinch of salt
2oz icing sugar
2oz/ Irish butter
1 egg yolk
a few drops of vanilla essence

Other:

1 pint cream
1lb tin black cherries
4 table spoons black cherry jam
brandy or cherry juice
4oz grated chocolate

Directions:

Cake:

Cream butter and sugar together well.

Melt the chocolate and beat into the creamed mixture, then mix in the eggs.

Sift flour, salt and cinnamon together.

Fold the dry mix lightly into the liquids, then fold in the sour cream and cold coffee.

Into a lined and greased 9-inch round, deep tin pour the cake mixture and bake for 1 hour, 25 minutes.

Set to cool on a wire rack.

Pastry Base:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and bind until the mixture stiffens.

Roll the pastry onto a floured board worktable until pastry is about the same size as the base of the tin.

Lay out on baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Assembly:

Whip cream until it holds its shape.

Put some cream into pastry piping bag with a star pipe attached, and reserve this for the decoration.

Slice the cake into 3 equal-sized layers.

Drain the cherries, reserve 8 for decoration and remove the stones from the remainder.

Put pastry on serving plate and spread the pastry with black cherry jam.

Soak the cakes with sprit used.

Put one layer of cake on top of coated pastry.

Spread a layer of cream with half the stoned cherries.

Put the second layer of cake and add another layer of cream and cherries.

Add the final layer of the cake.

mask the entire cake with the remaining cream and press on the grated chocolate. Decorate the top with piped rosettes of cream and the reserved whole black cherries.

Tips:

Using 3 identical cake pans instead of 1 large is OK.

Margarine, vegetable oil or regular butter will substitute for Irish butter.

In some countries the brandy is often replaced by rum, in Germany itself it is almost always replaced by Kirschwasser.

This recipe did not come with a temperature to bake at for either the pastry or cake. Cakes usually work at between

325°F and 400°F (160°C and 205°C). Pastries usually work at between 350°F and 425°F (175°C and 220°C).

Steroids

The usage of steroids in any form in sports is banned and pronounced illegal. There is the World Anti-Doping Agency, created in 1999, to deal with steroid abuse in sports. However, there’s no strong and strict agency to monitor the steroids for sale.

The pharmaceutical companies are openly producing steroids for sale. The steroids for sale are produced in several countries. These drugs are smuggled across international borders of the countries that do not produce steroids for sale.



There have been no serious efforts to curb the smuggling of steroids like that of psychoactive recreational drugs such as cannabis and heroin. There is a highly flourishing black market that offers illegal steroids for sale.

Legally, steroids for sale are allowed as prescription drug or prescription medicine, however steroids for sale are openly available for all from black marketers, specifically, pharmacists, veterinarians, and physicians. Often anabolic steroids for sale in the Black Market are counterfeit, or originally manufactured for veterinary applications.

Anabolic steroids for sale are required to be produced under sophisticated pharmaceutical processes and by legitimate pharmaceutical companies. However, illegal drug trades are distributing the steroids for sale that are mere chemical substitutions. The illegal steroids for sale are in fact diluted or affected illegal anabolic steroids that are possibly extremely dangerous.

Most of the US steroid producers such as Ciba, Searle and Syntex, stopped producing steroids for sale within the US in 1990s. However, steroids are produced in bulks in many regions, particularly Eastern Europe. The European anabolic steroids are the source of most medical grade illegal anabolic steroids for sale in North America. Anabolic steroids are widely produced for veterinary purposes and most of the illegal anabolic steroids for sale are actually veterinary grade.

Internet is also growing very popular place where people can get bulks illegal anabolic steroids for sale. There are a number of online drug stores offering illegal anabolic steroids for sale.

So, the matter of the fact in the bottom line is that there is a strong need of a strong authority to monitor and curb illegal anabolic steroids for sale. People are advised to buy steroids from genuine and legitimate druggists and only for positive usage.

Mental Math Practice Worksheets

Today, we all know the importance of learning and marveling at mathematics. And every time we visit our children's schools we see Chinese and Indian students marveling at SATs. And we all know why they succeed in Engineering and Medical fields. Answer is quite simple, they are good at Math. But why are they so good? How did they study Math that makes them so good at that one arduous subject?

When we go to teacher meetings we are told by the teachers, to marvel at Math one must practice, practice and practice. But what if the child loses interest in practicing math? We all have had our share of experiencing the monotonous boring task of memorizing times tables. And after so many years, the same is repeated by the teachers everywhere, except, Asia. What do these Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Indians, etc.) do to make their children so good with Mathematics? Answer is quite simple, practice, practice & practice. But what is it that those students actually practice?



Lately, Abacus math has taken some of these Asian nations by storm. Abacus is a Latin word that has its origins in the Greek words abax or abakon (meaning "table" or "tablet") which in turn, possibly originated from the Semitic word abq, meaning "sand". The abacus is an instrument, a manual tool invented by the Chinese 2000 years ago. Over the past five years, in nations like Malaysia, Taiwan and India, countless tutoring centers like Sylvan, Huntington and Kumon have sprung up but with one goal in mind, tutor abacus math. Most of these centers offer training using the Japanese "Soroban abacus", which has one upper row of beads and four lower rows. The Soroban abacus is particularly effective for teaching mathematical calculating skills to young children.

Using an abacus, a child can do all arithmetic calculations up to 10 digits and master the skill of doing it mentally, without relying on modern devices such as calculators.

There are procedures and training methodologies to master abacus use. When children use both hands to move the beads for small and large arithmetic calculations, the quick communication between hands and brain not only stimulates brain cells promoting speedier and faster calculation ability but also promotes quick, balanced and whole brain development.

Now that you know what are all the benefits of learning abacus math - let us continue talking about practicing math. Every textbook comes with few practice problems and we always feel that these few problems are not enough. We want more practice problems for our children and students. The next best alternative is to find math practice worksheets. There are many websites that offer you downloadable practice worksheets for a small fee. And there are some websites that offer you for free. Some offer you predefined sheets where as very few websites offer you build your own math practice worksheets.

Usage of math practice sheets early on can instill a great habit of enjoying math and at the same time help to solidify mental math skills. And using these sheets to perform abacus math mentally is absolute fun for a child.

How To Watch Live Streaming Football Online

Throughout the years, plenty of Internet websites made themselves an important part in people.s lives. Business solutions as well as entertainment options became accessible for almost anyone with computer skills or at least with the curiosity to find out what the web has to offer.

This is why watch-football.net is a site that has become really popular thanks to the software it is offering. People who love to Live Football, the most popular sport in the world, can do this nowadays (with the help of watch-football.net) without spending a small fortune on traveling expenses and match tickets to Watch Live Football games. They can even save money that would normally be otherwise spent on extra TV channels. By becoming members on this website which provides all the best live football games at very low costs, a fantasy can become true.

As long as a computer and an Internet connection are available for this entertainment method, it can be very easy to watch live football.

No matter what you.re interested in regarding the king of sports (the way Europeans call football), you can find it all: champion.s league matches, premiership matches, cup matches - all the live football you want. And you can watch the games exactly when they take place. You can tune into the excitement of Live Soccer TV easily by paying a remarkably small fee.

As long as you are a member of the site, things are as easy as they can be. It.s not expensive; it.s not difficult; it.s just Live Football.

How can one be able to watch live football through the computer? It is not necessary to understand the concept of streaming Live Football, but it can be interesting to know. Whenever a football game takes place, it is broadcasted in order to be shown on TV.
The Internet takes these streams and when a person wants to watch a certain live football game, the information is taken through the web and recomposed in your computer almost instantly. This is the way you can Watch Live Football instead of a recording.
Unfortunately, this feature of watching live football on computer can take away from the quality of the broadcast if the network is busy and the information that becomes the images of live football takes longer to be recomposed. This is the reason why it is recommended to have a good Internet connection for the quality of the transmission to be at its best. However bothering this aspect might be (and it isn.t because it can be fixed through a good connection), the advantages of watching live football. over the Internet are obvious.

Also, to be able to understand the concept of streaming live football, it is necessary to go through the steps that compose the history of it. It started in the late 1980s, with the birth of multicasting. This is the most important element to be taken into consideration in regards to the concept. Also, over the years, as networking evolved more and more and the broadcasts over the Internet became necessary, live streaming turned into a regular demand. This is the reason why it is so cheap nowadays to watch live football on a PC.

Because the main interest for sport fans is to watch live football, the technological intricacies aren.t the main issue here. Their concern is to find out whether they need some extra software for their computer to be able to start seeing all the best live football games they can.t miss no matter what. Well, as long as the computer has an Internet broadband connection the images and sound will be impeccable. However, one can use a dial-up or any other type of connection and still get a reasonable transmission.

The computer has to have a player like Winamp, Media Player or Real Player, but the persons installing the software don.t need to be skilled in computers. The whole process is quick and easy. Just by a click of the mouse anyone can watch live football in the comfort of their home and take part in the excitement of the matches.

People with laptops can Watch Live Football as a way of entertainment anyplace they wish, sometimes even at the office, no matter what the boss might say. Most broadcasts have an English commentary and can be viewed anywhere in the world because the software in not an US only product. So, no matter where you are situated on the Globe, no matter what language you natively speak and what game you are watching, you will most likely understand everything perfectly.

So, the arguments for becoming a fan of live football over the Internet are quite sufficient: cheap, easy, instant and convenient. All one really needs is a computer, Internet access and the most important element of all - the passion to watch live football. This is something that can.t be bought, whereas all the others have a price.

We have the software of your dreams. Just visit our home page and find out how you can Live Football on your PC anytime and anywhere. If you love live football you can conveniently start viewing all the games you like and spend very little too.

Should I Get Cable Or Dsl High Speed Internet?

When signing up for broadband internet service, you'll usually have to choose one of 2 options. Cable or DSL. To the uninformed consumer they may seem like the exact same thing, but in fact they are two very different services. Each has its own pros and cons. So, before you decide on which one to go with, you should inform yourself of their benefits.

DSL is internet service that is routed through existing phone lines. However, unlike dial-up connections, it allows you to use your phone and get on the internet at the same time. This is because it transfers the data at a different frequency than the phone uses, so the two data streams don't interfere with each other. This is a huge benefit, because you need minimal additional equipment to set it up. DSL is cheaper than cable, and also is available in more areas.

Cable, on the other hand, means that your internet connection is provided to you through a devoted cable. The cable can carry internet exclusively, or it may also have TV channels. The downside of cable is that you have to pay the price to have a cable run directly to your house. This is usually not cheap. However, once you have it, your internet connection will be much faster than the average DSL connection. For example, if you watch an internet video on a cable connection, you can watch it straight through. On a DSL connection, you may have to pause it and let it load all the way.

So, if you place a lot of importance on the speed of your internet connection, it may be worth the extra money to pay for cable. But, if you prefer a simple installation and you don't mind a slower connection (not nearly as slow as dial-up, though), then DSL is a great option.

Kissing Tips for Lovers

Discover the powerful kissing tips that will make your love partner crazy. Before I start, I will like to talk a little about kissing. Kissing is a kind of foreplay that involves touching of the lips. Below are tips that will help lovers to have great kissing moment with each another.

If you plan to have a kiss with your lover, you ought to make sure you brush your teeth properly before the kissing starts. How would you feel if you kiss someone with a bad breath? Kissing someone with a bad breath could be very embarrassing. If you are not opportune to brush your teeth before the kissing, you can take a mint before the kiss. This will make your breath refreshing and romantic. Also, avoid having the mint in your mouth when you kiss.





Before you start kissing, it is also advisable that you moisturize your lips. Avoid kissing with a dry lip. Kissing with dry lips will make it difficult for you to move your lip. You can moisturize your lips by running your tongue over your lip before you start kissing.

Relax when kissing. To have a great kissing experience, you have to be relaxed. Be confidence in yourself. Do not be nervous. You don't need to rush the kiss. Just do it gently with your lips closed. You may close your eyes if you don't feel comfortable looking at your partner.

Finally, be in a comfortable position. Don't be in a position that will make the kissing energy consuming. Be in a position that will make the kissing last.

When Men Date Multiple Girls

Men enjoy risks, according to psychologists thus dating multiple girls gives them an intense feeling, at the same time men consider it as an approach to date efficiently. Yes, it puts men in a lot of risks, but that's how they want it.

Studies in a certain university show that forty five percent of men at one time had been in dating multiple girls and was in a relationship wherein they and their dating partners is free to date other people.

On the other hand, almost all girls are not comfortable with their steady dates seeing other girls. A fact is, girls are jealous individuals and infidelity is never accepted.

According to psychologists, a relationship helps one to understand and discover one's self more deeply and learn how to interact more effectively with others; being in several relationships enables one to learn more.



Dating multiple girls can without a doubt give rise to uncomfortable and risky situations and can be a great strain. That is why one should think twice before doing it, or else, be totally prepared of whatever consequences that will result from your actions.

One reason why men date multiple girls is that to them, there is no "Miss Perfect". It is by dating multiple girls that men can delight in each unique individuality that every girl brings. To some men, this is an excellent approach wherein one can discover their likes and dislikes from girls and relationships.

You get to know each person well and then you get to choose!

Dating multiple girls can be really worth it once men are truly sure about the girls that they want to spend some time dating and importantly, if the girl that they are dating agrees that their dating is not mutually limited to each other. Simply put, being honest can save one from a lot of stress when dating multiple girls.

The man should set things clear from the very start by letting the girl know that they should not be entirely committed to each other and that he still wants to date other girls; this sets the record straight and keeps both of you from trouble.

However men has to keep in mind that this kind of arrangement has to work both ways; the girl that you are dating, is free to date other men as well. Then if are uncomfortable with this, or even insecure about the situation, then you should only commit to date only one girl.

Having a commitment with a girl one has everything that there is to gain. However, when you are unsure, never expect the girl to understand you.

Keep in mind that you should only date multiple girls for the reason that you simply must and never do it for the reason that this can be an exciting game to play or to boost your ego. The emotions and consequences are more than enough to exercise so much caution when dating multiple girls is concerned.

On the other hand, should you decide on being a player, there is one simple and considerate thing to do and that is setting your own rules and making it known to each girl that you are dating right from the start. If she accepts this, then good for you. If not, then find another one. Simple. You don't have to be a snake and lie and worst, play on the girls emotions.

When you are not yet ready for a commitment or still in the process of finding the right girl for you, then casual dating of multiple girls is never wrong. As a matter of fact, it can be an intelligent decision. You are able to know a lot of girls, learn their behaviors and know if they are compatible with you and your life style. Just be honest and tell them exactly what you feel and what you want, so that there will be no need for you to sneak and no hearts will be broken.

Along the way, you might find the right girl that will stand out from among the rest. Then when you are ready, it is better to go ahead and spend some time with her exclusively. You don not want to loose her do you?

Big Ideas - How to Have Them

The search for big ideas starts with big questions. What's the basis of spiritulity? Why can't people motivate themselves to do what they really need to do? Is there a better way to organize a city? Do we always need to understand a problem to solve it?

To generate big ideas, then, whether for a book you're writing, an essay, a discussion, or just for your own intellectual entertainment, start with powerful questions. Ask how things might be different. Questions that seem silly are okay too, as long as they are "big" questions like, "What if there were no wars?" or "What if cities had no streets or cars?" The "what if" questions are some of the best.

Big Ideas Come From Challenging Premises

Of the many specific idea-creation and problem-solving techniques that can yield new and big ideas, one of the simplest and most profound is to challenge existing premises. For an example, let's look at the licensing of doctors by governments and how it affects people's perceptions.

Licensing is a widely accepted idea which requires a minimum standard that is primarily measured in terms of education and training. Despite not measuring performance, licensing leads the public to think it means safety. People will typically spend more time researching which stereo to buy than which doctors to go to. This complacency comes from the premise that doctors are licensed and so are roughly equally safe.

Now, for some types of heart operations a given doctor might have one-in-a-thousand patients die on the operating table, while another has four fatalities. You are four times as likely to die with the second doctor, a fact not published anywhere, since his having a "license" is supposedly all you need to know. Well what about a system of ratings that tracks the real achievements and statistics of doctors and makes the information publicly available?

Then you could to pay according to the doctors skill. This may offend doctors with lower performance scores, and the first reaction of many is that they just don't want the four-deaths-in-a-thousand doctor at any price. Of course there will always be better and worse doctors in any system, and there is no way for the best doctor to treat everyone, so doesn't it make sense to pay less for lower quality?

What big ideas might come from challenging the idea of jobs? Could we all be self employed somehow? Are there advantages to this? How about the premise that lying is bad? Can a rule be found for when lying is a morally good thing? What about "punishing" those who commit crimes. Can we have a safer system by challenging this premise?

Creative Combining

An entertaining and effective way to generate new ideas is to combine ideas. Combine "car" and "kitchen," and you get a "mobile restaurant," for example. To use this technique for generating big ideas, you just start with at least one "bigger" concept.

The "free bonus" idea from marketing and "virtue" from morality might result in a better way to promote virtue. With products the perceived value is higher due to the addition of bonuses. Could you "sell" virtue by increasing the perceived value in a similar way? We're so trained to respond to the word "free," that this might translate directly. Nevermind a boring book on morality. Have a catalog of virtues, and after making a case for honesty, add, "Free bonus - buy this virtue today and get a better reputation, which translates into more success in business." The fact that we "pay" with effort rather than money in this case may not matter. The bigger, more general idea here is that maybe virtue needs to be "marketed" better.

What else could you combine to generate ideas? Love and business, childhood and spiritual growth, survival of the fittest and ideologies, and on and on. You could even combine the concept of "art" with "big ideas," to see where that leads.

Young Serial Killer - Mary Bell : Suspicious Behaviour (Chapter 2)

In this summer of 1968, Scotswood, an economically depressed community 275 miles north of London, was in a state of panic. Police flooded the community, interviewing kids between the ages of three and fifteen. The adults wondered if Martin Brown's "accident" was also murder. "We were real nervous," said Martin's aunt, "but the kids themselves felt it too."

Among the children who stood out as suspicious to the investigators were eleven year old Mary Bell and thirteen year old Norma Bell (no relation). Mary was evasive and acted strange. Norma was excited by the murder, remembers one authority. "She was continually smiling as if it was a huge joke."

As the investigation narrowed on Mary, she suddenly "remembered" seeing an eight year old boy with Brian on the day he died. The boy hit Brian for no reason, she claimed. She had also seen the same boy playing with broken scissors. But that boy had been at the airport on the afternoon Brian died. By revealing that she knew about the scissors, which was confidential evidence, Mary implicated herself. She described them exactly: "like silver coloured and something wrong with the scissors, like one leg was either broken or bent." It was becoming clear that either Mary, Norma, or both, had seen Brian die. And one of them was probably the killer.

Brian Howe was buried on August 7th. Detective Dobson was there: "Mary Bell was standing in front of the Howe's house when the coffin was brought out. I was, of course, watching her. And it was when I saw her there that I knew I did not dare risk another day. She stood there, laughing. Laughing and rubbing her hands. I thought, My God, I've got to bring her in, she'll do another one."

Young Serial Killer - Mary Bell : Brian Howe (Chapter 1)

"Brian Howe had no mother, so he won't be missed."

-- Mary Bell

"Are you looking for your Brian?" asked Mary Bell. Brian's sister, Pat, was worried about the missing toddler, who should have been home by now. A small, three-year-old boy with fair hair, Brian Howe usually played close to home. Mary and her best friend, Norma, eagerly offered to help search for him. They led Pat through the neighborhood, looking here and there, all the while knowing exactly where Brian was.

Mary Bell

They crossed the railroad tracks to the industrial area, where the kids of Scotswood often played among construction materials, old cars, and dangerous wreckage. Pat was worried -- only a few weeks ago little Martin Brown was found dead inside of a condemned house. Mary pointed to some large concrete blocks. "He might be playing behind the blocks, or between them," she said.

"Oh no, he never goes there," insisted Norma. In fact, Brian lay dead between the blocks. Mary wanted Pat to discover her dead brother, Norma later said, "because she wanted Pat Howe to have a shock." But Pat decided to leave. The Newcastle Police would find his body at 11:10 later that night.

Brian was found covered with grass and purple weeds. He had been strangled. Nearby, a pair of broken scissors lay in the grass. There were puncture marks on his thighs, and his genitals had been partially skinned. Clumps of his hair were cut away. The wounds were bizarre: "There was a terrible playfulness about it, a terrible gentleness if you like, and somehow the playfulness of it made it more, rather than less, terrifying," said Inspector James Dobson. Brian's belly had been signed "M" with a razor blade. This cut would not be apparent until days later. It appeared that someone had imprinted an "N", and that a fourth mark was added (by a different hand?) to change the "N" into a "M".

Top 10 Exercises Without Weights

If you hate to go to the gym, you are not alone. The good news is - you can get results in the comfort of your own home with some simple home exercises.

Bodyweight training CAN be effective. It CAN be a substitute for weights, if necessary. Training using your own body weight as a source of resistance is a time tested technique to get results fast.

Here are the ten best bodyweight training exercises that give you great workouts and great results - without the gym.

1. Supine Pull-Ups (works major muscles in back, shoulders, and biceps) Use two chairs and a pole - a heavy broom handle works well. WARNING: make sure the chairs are stable and that the broom handle is strong enough to take your weight. You could be SEVERELY injured if the pole were to break or the chairs to slip. Lie on your back underneath a low bar. Grab the bar with a wide overhand grip. Pull up. Lower and repeat for 6-8 reps.

2. Supine Biceps Pull-Ups (biceps, some back) Use the same chairs-and-pole arrangement from #1. Sit underneath a low bar. Grab the bar with a reverse grip (palms facing you), hands about shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body upright, pull up until your chin just clears the bar. Focus on the tension in your biceps, trying to relax the rest of your body. 6-8 reps.

3. Push-Ups (chest, triceps, shoulders) The key when targeting the chest with Push-Ups is the direction in which your elbows travel. As with bench presses, the elbows must move AWAY FROM THE BODY to target your chest, and be kept CLOSE TO THE BODY to target the triceps. Place each hand just outside your shoulders, slightly behind the line of your shoulders. Hands pointing straight ahead, upper body rigid as a board. 6-15 reps.

4. Tent Push-Ups (primarily upper chest) Assume the position in #3, but walk your feet forward so your body is bent at the waist, and your hips are up high in the air. Bending at the elbows, lower yourself until your nose touches the floor. Push up. Repeat. 6-8 reps.

5. Push-Ups, Triceps Position (you guessed it - triceps, and some chest) Begin with fingers facing forward in position from #3, hands slightly LESS than shoulder width apart. Lower your body to the floor keeping arms in against your body. Push up. 6-8 reps.

6. Triceps Dips With Chairs With your hands behind your back, support yourself on your palms at the edge of a chair. Your hands should be touching; your elbows should angle outward. Dipping in this position relieves a lot of stress on the elbow and shoulder joints. Lower yourself, keeping your back close to the chair. Bend your elbows back and slightly to the sides. Keep your body angled slightly forward throughout the motion. Press yourself up until your arms are straight. 6-15 reps.



7. One-Legged Squats (front thighs, glutes, hamstrings) Stand perpendicular to a wall, about arm's length away from it. Extend your arm out to the side and place your palm against the wall at just under shoulder-height. Angle the foot farthest from the wall at 45 degrees. Bend the other leg back. Keeping your body upright, lower yourself until the non-weight-bearing knee is close to (but not touching) the ground. Support yourself by leaning against the wall. Press yourself back up to starting position. Repeat 6-8 reps.

8. One-Legged Hamstring Bridges Lie on your back with one leg extended, heel on the ground. Hold the other leg up off the floor. Pushing through your heel, flex your hamstrings to lift your body. Lower and repeat for 8-10 reps. Repeat with other leg. You can control the resistance and the degree to which the glutes contribute by changing the distance you place your heel relative to your butt.

9. Lunges Begin the lunge by taking a large step forward, keeping your head up and torso erect. Lower your hips and allow your trailing knee to drop to a point just before it touches the floor - never let the knee touch the floor. To return to the start, push off with your forward leg and then step back when the knee is completely straight. Repeat with other leg, 10-15 reps each leg.

10. Stair Running Stair running isn't usually considered a resistance exercise, and in fact, it makes hefty demands on your cardiovascular system. However, it also does an incredible job of conditioning the lower body. If your knees are in good shape, try doing 10-20 one-story sprints, preferably two stairs at a time. As you get stronger, work up the number slowly, keep one hand on the stair rail to catch yourself if you lose your balance. Give yourself a bigger challenge by wearing a backpack filled with nice and heavy books.