Brickyard 400

The Brickyard 400 is an annual 400–mile (644 km) NASCAR Dash Cup points race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Illinois. The event, when first held in 1994, marked the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1916. Since the inaugural race, the Brickyard 400 has become NASCAR's most–attended event, drawing an estimated crowd of over 250,000 fans yearly. It also has become NASCAR's second highest paying race in dollars (behind the Daytona 500).

The term "Brickyard" is in reference to the nickname historically used for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1910. The course was paved in brick in 1909, and a one-yard strip of brick remains exposed at the start/finish line. From 2005-2009, the race was known as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, under a naming rights arrangement with Allstate Insurance.



The latest Brickyard Race took place on 25th July, 2010...

Former Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya dominated most of the race for the second year in a row, leading 86 laps. However, Montoya gave up the lead when they took two tires in a late pit cease. They restarted the race in 7th with 18 laps to go & could never recover. Montoya crashed with 16 laps to go. Before the caution came out Kevin Harvick had passed race leader Jamie McMurray for the lead. On the final restart of the race McMurray passed Harvick to go on to win the 400. they became the third driver to win the Daytona 500 & Brickyard 400 in the same season joining Dale Jarrett (1996) & Jimmie Johnson (2006). McMurray's win also gave automobile owner Chip Ganassi a Daytona 500 win, Indianapolis 500 win & Brickyard 400 win in the same season, the first owner to do so.

My Morning Jacket

The band first came to surface in 1998 with music from Neil Young's classic rock genre, then it steadily spread its sound, by trying everything from neo-psychedelia to funk, Americana, reggae and prog. The band had successfully transformed themselves into Kentucky's reply to Wilcom, by the time Evil Urges arrived in mid-2008.

Vocalist/guitarist Jim James, founded the band with Johnny Quaid (guitar), his cousin. The other two members were J. Glenn (drums) and Two-Tone Tommy (bass). Headquartered in Louisville, KY, the first album was released on Darla Records in 1999. Keyboardist Danny Cash joined them a year later. Even though The Tennessee Fire became a smash hit overseas, especially in the Netherlands, it found modest success in U.S.

My Morning Jacket then launched a tour to Europe, where the Dutch music press showered accolades on them. The band also featured in a Dutch documentary film. They released Christmas EP in 2000, but it was 'At Dawn' in 2000 that really helped them earn recognition at home. When the album released stateside, Patrick Hallahan, became the band's new drummer.

Throughout the early 2000s My Morning Jacket had a hectic tour schedule with acts such as the Foo Fighters, the Doves and Guided by Voices. In 2003, 'It Still Moves' was released under a major label (RCA/ATO Records).
However the schedule had taken its toll on Cash and Quaid. They left in 2004. Soon after, the group was joined by guitarist Carl Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster, they continued to tour as a five-piece.

In 2005 My Morning Jacket released Z. The addition of reggae influences and synthesizers , under production of John Leckie; showed audiences My Morning Jacket's unseen side. The band continued with Evil Urges. Evil Urges showed James' expanding vocal range, its keenness to challenge the alternative country-rock boundary and their fascination with Prince.

Michael Clayton

Michael Rashard Clayton was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on October 13, 1982. Before attending Louisiana State University, Clayton completed his high school studies from Christian Life (Baton Rouge, LA). In the year 2004, Clayton debuted professionally for Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NFL in 2004 and for his entire 3 year career played for them.

The season of 2004 was Michael Clayton's best year, he hauled in 80 receptions, caught 7 TD passes and had 1193 receiving yards.

Clayton can be described as an amazingly fit physical receiver who is equally good in pass-catching as also in run-blocking. He showcases fearlessness over the field and great route-running ability. He displays a knack for catching passes and also consistently fights for yards after catch.

Clayton has played in 84 career games with 56 starts. He has to his name 221 receptions for 2,936 yards and 10 touchdowns. Has rushed 18 times for 100 yards, caught one two-point conversion attempt, returned one punt for two yards, returned 11 kickoffs for 241 yards.

At Atlanta(12/14/08), Clayton made his 200th reception.

Clayton has tied for the team lead receiving yards in 16 games during his career, has caught 7 passes of 40 or more and 39 passes of 20 or more yards. Has at least one reception in 70 of his 83 career games.

Clayton set the Buccaneers' record for most receiving yards (1,193), receiving touchdowns (7) and receptions (80) in his rookie season in 2004. It is one of the five most prolific by a first-year wideout in NFL history.

Tampa Bay’s first-round selection (15th overall) in 2004. The highest wide receiver ever taken by the Buccaneers and just the second wideout selected by Tampa Bay in the first round.

Roto Rooter

Roto-Rooter is a company based in United States which specializes in clearing tree roots and other obstructions from sewer lines. Roto-Rooter was started by Samuel Oscar Blanc in the late 1920s. A clogged drain in his son’s apartment being the motivation.

The father-son duo of Samuel & Milton Blanc had already made sewer-cleaning machine from roller skate wheels, washing machine motor and steel cable, by the year 1933. The machine helped eliminate the expensive and tedious need to dig and clean, by rotating the sharp blades using the cable to cut tree roots from the clogged sewer lines. The name "Roto-Rooter" was suggested by Blanc's wife 'Lettie', she called it a heavy-duty plumber snake.

Blanc sold “Roto-Rooter” machines for around $250 in the mid-30s. Many started their own Roto-Rooter businesses throughout the Great Plains, the Northeast and upper Midwest.

In 1980, Roto-Rooter Corporation was sold to Cincinnati-based Chemed Corporation.

The Roto-Rooter has one of the best-remembered and longest-running musical jingles:

“Call Roto-Rooter, that’s the name, and away go troubles down the drain.”

Even today, servicemen from Roto-Rooter use same kind of machine.

Around-the-clock service was being provided by some Roto-Rooter franchises, in the 1980s. Along with it, they also provided general plumbing repair for commercial as well as residential customers. Today, sewer and drain-cleaning work represents half of the company’s business & plumbing serviceforms the other half.

Roto-Rooter Corporation, has a manufacturing plant, at West Des Moines, Iowa for producing machinery for the plumbing and Roto-Rooter tools.

The company celebrated it's 70th anniversary in 2005.

Roto-Rooter Employees are mostly non-union. Spencer Lee is Roto-Rooter Group's CEO. Kevin J. McNamara, is CEO of Chemed Corporation. The President of Roto-Rooter Corporation in West Des Moines is Charles Scavo, while Rick Arquilla serves as President and COO of the Company, based in Cincinnati.

West Memphis Three

3 eight-year-old boys — Christopher Byers, Steve Branch and Michael Moore were reported to be missing on 5th of May, 1993. Byers' adoptive father made the first report to the police around 7:00pm. A neighbour had last seen the three boys entering a playground named Robin Hood Hills, together at 6:00pm. Initially, the police made limited searches that night. Even the neighbours and friends made unsuccessful and improptu searches that night, which had finally led them to the place where the bodies were found.

The term West Memphis 3 is name given to three teenagers who were convicted of the murders of these three children at West Memphis, in 1993. Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment. Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley, Jr., was sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years.

The case has received considerable attention. Supporters of the convicts feel that the convictions and arrests were not properly carried out and the defendants were convicted wrongfully. The legal proceedings are ongoing, but the defendants remain imprisoned.

A status report jointly issued by the State and the Defense team on July 17, 2007 states, “Although most of the genetic material recovered from the scene was attributable to the victims of the offenses, some of it cannot be attributed to either the victims or the defendants.” On October 29, 2007, a Second Amended Writ of Habeas Corpus was filed by the defense, to outline the new evidence.

Judge David Burnett denied Echols’ application for a hearing, in September 2008, on the new DNA evidence. Hearings for Misskelley and Baldwin were scheduled to continue in August, 2009.

An appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, is Echols’ next stage in the legal process. He will proceed to federal court on his pending writ of habeas corpus, Unless that court reverses the conviction.

The West Memphis 3 case has gained attention and interest from celebrities, who have spoken out in support, staged fund-raising events and recorded albums.

Jamie Mcmurray

Around his hometown of Joplin, Jamie McMurray began racing at the age of eight on the local tracks. In 1991, McMurray won the World Go-Karting Championship. In 1992 McMurray moved to NASCAR and from 1998-1999 took part in the NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series.

In 1998 McMurray debuted in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and competed in 15 truck races in 2000, earning two Bud Pole Awards and three top-10 finishes and posting one top-five.

McMurray then advanced to the Busch Series from NASCAR in 2001 and 2002 racing seasons. In 2002 Busch Series, he scored 2 victories and finished six times in the top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, finally finished sixth in the point standings.

Jamie McMurray shocked everyone by winning his first NASCAR Cup race in only his second start in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. After winning the Lowe's Motor Speedway, he set a new NASCAR modern-era record by becoming the quickest driver to win a Cup race.

At the start of the 2003 season, for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates McMurray assumed driving duties behind the wheel of the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge . The Joplin native laid a solid foundation during his rookie year, scoring five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and finished 13th in the final point standings. McMurray grabbed his first career Bud Pole Award at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He was named the 2003 Raybestos ookie of the Year.

The 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season was no different from 2003. During the 36-race stretch, McMurray posted nine top-five and 23 top-10 finishes. In addition, McMurray finished 11th in the 2004 season and as a bonus earned $1 million for his efforts. McMurray posted 12 top-10 finishes in the last 14 races of the 2004 season and scored the second-most points during the 10-race Chase for the Championship.

Continuing his success from 2004, McMurray drove another great season in 2005, posting four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. Near the end of 2005, McMurray signed a multi-year deal to drive for Jack Roush at Roush Racing beginning with the 2006 season.

Prader Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome is a congenital (present from birth) disease characterized by decrease in muscle tone, decreased mental capacity, hypogonadism and obesity.

Prader-Willi is caused by the deletion of a gene on chromosome 15. However, the reason for this is still unknown. Only the father's copy of the gene on chromosome 15 is active. The gene from the maternal side is inactive. The disease occurs, when the only copy received from father's side is deleted; since the maternal copy is always inactive.

At birth, new infants born with the disease are often very floppy (hypotonic) and small. Testicles in male infants may be undescended. The child shows slow mental and motor development, characteristically small hands and feet and increasing obesity.

The patient develops uncontrollable hunger, which becomes a cause for rapid weight gain. The weight gain leads to Obesity, respiratory failure with hypoxia and corpulmonale (right-sided heart failure). There is slow mental development, and the IQ seldom exceeds 80.

There is no general consensus as to the cause for morbid obesity, although genetic abnormalities in chromosome 15 obstructs the normal functioning of the hypothalamus. Since appetite and many other basic processes is regulated by hypothalamus, the resulting insatiable appetite maybe because of the failure. But the post-mortem investigation doesn't reveal any organic defect.

High ghrelin levels in Prader–Willi syndrome patients have direct contirbution in the increased appetite, obesity, and hyperphagia seen in this syndrome.

The mental health difficulties experienced by them include anxiety and compulsive behaviour. Approximately 5 - 10% of young adults have showcased psychiatric symptoms, like hallucinations, paranoia and depression. The most common cause of hospitalization are behavioural and psychiatric problems.

Symptoms/ Warning Signs
# Floppy new born infant (hypotonic)
# Slow mental development
# Delayed motor development
# Very small hands and feet
# Insatiable appetite
# Undescended testicles in the male infant
# Narrow skull
# Almond shaped eyes
# Rapid weight gain with marked obesity