During the concept lawn show at Pebble Beachs Concours dElegance a few weeks back, Mercedes-Benz Gran Turismo inspired AMG VGT literally stole the show. But while that PlayStation concept enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame down by the Pacific, another GT6 concept was enjoying its North American debut at a private event up in the sun-scorched hills east of Monterey. Aston Martin had invited a select group of media and clientele to not only drive and experience cars like the Vanquish and V12 Vantage S, but also to view firsthand the digital-inspired awesomeness that was the DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo.

The DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo (which in the game features an 800 hp, twin-turbo V12) made its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month in England. "The car is not just an exercise in entertaining the whims of the GT6 set," notes Matthew Clarke, PR & Brand Communications Manager for Aston Martin The Americas. "The car, which is only drivable in PlayStations Gran Turismo 6, actually allowed the design team to have some fun/break the rules, while exploring future design concepts."

Unlike the Mercedes-Benz GT6 concept, Aston Martin kept its concept in the shade, protected from the intense California sunshine. Although the DP-100 may look ready to go it is just in fact a rolling four ton concept.

"The car, albeit a fantasy based vehicle for GT6, has allowed our designers to experiment, says Clarke. The DP-100 concept, as extreme as it may be, does in fact carry with it a number of signature Aston Martin design elements. The orange 'light blade' LED taillights may push current design boundaries, but could one day become possible in production models."

Clarke noted that Aston Martin has worked closely with Gran Turismo since the games conception, so this clearly was not the company's first PlayStation rodeo. The concept, which took the design team over six months to produce, is a fairly substantial machine in person.

Taller and longer than I expected, the concepts proportions are future-world fantastic and the first time Aston Martin has presented such a radical mid-engined design. The floating front fenders flare up from the descending hood line, a departure from Astons normal ascending treatment highlighted by Clarke. The hoodline starts so low in the front that you can hardly see the signature Aston Martin grill, but that glorious line carries uninterrupted in one fluid motion from tip to tail.

In the tail end of those winged fenders are rear view cameras which act as mirrors. Vented wheel arches, inspired from GT racing, are designed to increase downforce and handling at speed, while near seamless "swan wing" doors are fashioned in such a way as to improve access to the cockpit area.

The rear fender treatment is equally complex, as the shape flares out into a floating wing up top. This surface covers the LED taillights then snakes and wraps itself in and around the rear section. Twin exhaust pipes recessed into a tapered, vertical element are situated low in the tail, right above the concepts massive rear deck that resembles a yachts boat launch.

The massive turbine wheels, that look ready to devour lesser machines, possess some interesting dual-purpose aerodynamics. Aston Martin calls them Active Wheel Blades.

"At lower speeds the design provides cooling to the brakes," explains Clarke. "But at higher speeds, the inner vanes help develop a high pressure system inside the cavity that in turn creates a pressurized area that behaves like a flat disc. The pressure system thus increasing the cars aerodynamics and reduces drag around the wheels."

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In the hills with Aston Martin's DP-100 Vision GT concept, and Q-series rides

Dear Neil: I have a handsome oak growing in my yard. Every year about this time, its leaves develop tiny holes. Many of the leaves start to fall, although new leaves are also being produced. My tree is the only oak in the area that is doing this. What would cause it, and what can I do?

A. It may be a bacterial leaf spot. They result in what is called "shot-hole" effect on tree leaves, most notably on purple-leafed plums. You'll often see a newer brown spot that is hanging partially attached, as if cut by a dull paper punch. As to why your tree is affected and the others not, that could be something as simple as genetic variation between the trees. I would suggest that you send a sample to the Texas Plant Clinic at Texas A&M for analysis. You can find instructions at their website (http://plantclinic.tamu.edu) or by calling your local county Extension office. There will be a small fee for their services, but that way you would know for sure. I don't believe it is a serious threat. I see it on my own oaks (now that you mention it), and it hasn't been a problem in 37 years.

Dear Neil: I hired a lawn care company this year. The lawn is lush and green after all of their applications. However, it has developed nutsedge, and the control they applied doesn't show signs of doing much in the several weeks since it was put down. Did I make a mistake in hiring them?

A. If your lawn looks the way you want it to, and if you're satisfied with the price, no mistake made. These companies turn out lovely turfgrass. If you had done the same things yourself, you would have had the same (or nearly so) results, but you would have had the work to do yourself - also the timing to figure out. They also have a lot of experience, and they have access to products that we consumers do not. As for the nutsedge, the products that are legally labeled for use in nutsedge control are slow-acting by their nature. Unlike most herbicides that go in through leaves, the good nutsedge controls are taken in through the soil via the roots, then conducted up to the leaves. It's not unusual for it to take four or five weeks to make significant impact on the lawn. You may even need a second application one month after the first treatment. But they do work!

Dear Neil: I have a large avocado tree. It's in a patio pot, but the tree has gotten big enough that I won't have room for it indoors this winter. Can I plant it into the ground?

A. Avocados are extremely sensitive to freezing weather -- even to frost. The only place where they have even a fighting chance would be in the lower Rio Grande Valley near Brownsville. Certainly not here. You can try trimming it significantly to get it inside, but at some point you'll want to discard it and start a new one.

Dear Neil: You can see from the attached photos that my red oak tree is losing the end 12 or 18 inches of several of its branches. I take very good care of my trees, including regular watering. I cannot figure out what is happening to this healthy red oak. Another red oak on the other side of the yard looks just fine. What is going on?

A. I'm going to guess that it's one of two things. Clip down one of the browned twigs (using a pole pruner if you have to). Trim it several inches farther back than necessary, because I want you to look at the interface between the dead and healthy tissues. If you see a swollen area in the twig there, that's the work of a gall-forming insect. She stings a twig when it's smaller and lays her eggs in the young tissues. The plant creates a gall of its own tissue around the eggs. The damage eventually girdles and kills the twig. There is no major damage, and there is no way to prevent or control the dieback. And the second option would be, if the twigs appear to have been chewed, either squirrels or birds have been picking at the twigs. Squirrels are quite active in pecans, live oaks, and this year, in cedar elms. Again, no major harm and no call to action.

Dear Neil: I have a lawn that I would like to be totally St. Augustine, but bermuda keeps moving in. I do not have a sprinkler system, and I can't afford one right now. Could this be lack of nutrition? If so, what should I use and when?

A. Keep telling yourself that "St. Augustine trumps bermuda." Better yet, maybe you need to tell that to the St. Augustine. Given ample moisture and all-nitrogen fertilizer in early April, early June and early September, St. Augustine should be the dominant grass for you. That assumes that you'll protect the St. Augustine from Take All Root Rot in the spring (if it shows up), chinch bugs in the summer (they will show up - always in the hottest, sunniest part of the yard), and brown patch in the fall. It also assumes that you'll never let the St. Augustine get really dry, to the point of its turning tan and crisp. Ramp up the care you give it next year and see if that doesn't help it crowd out the bermuda.

More here:
Nutsedge in new lawn resisting control efforts

Residents who attended a public hearing Thursday to discuss the construction of a proposed $16.2 million residential treatment facility by Baker Victory Services were united in their concern over lax security conditions at the current facility on Martin Road.

A janitor who works at the treatment facility at 125 Martin Road described fights among residents on the front lawn. A neighbor said residents and workers from the facility smoke on his front lawn.

Even the mayor of Lackawanna chimed in describing how the young residents break out on summer evenings to go swimming in the neighbors backyard pools.

These arent little angels, Mayor Geoffrey M. Szymanski said. They are criminals, and we dont want them in our neighborhood.

With that, Szymanski offered a 3-inch stack of police and fire calls at the treatment center over the last eight years.

Thats 1,622 calls for service, the mayor said. Nonprofits become a drain on city budgets. If Father Baker wanted to help these kinds of individuals, he would have founded it.

The hearing held by the Lackawanna Planning and Development Board drew about 50 residents and 15 representatives of Baker Victory to the Lackawanna Senior Center. The hearing was the latest development for the beleaguered project that was proposed in 2009.

The current treatment facility, resembling a 1950s Army style barracks, is outdated, said Terese M. Scofidio, CEO of Baker Victory Services. It serves as a temporary home for 40 youth ages 13 to 21 with psychiatric and behavioral issues. Many are referred by the New York State Office of Mental Health, she said.

The average age of residents is just under 16, and the average stay is just over a year, said Scofidio, who took the top job six months ago. Eighty-two percent of residents come from the eight counties of Western New York, she said, and 40 percent of the population is female.

Baker Victory is the largest employer in Lackawanna, Scofidio said. We have 123 residents on the payroll.

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Lax security at Baker Victory cited in Lackawanna hearing

Lawn treatment with Worm Casting

By: Wiggle Farm

Original post:
Lawn treatment with Worm Casting - Video

Donna Tatting

Chisago County Master Gardener

It seems we just got started on summer, and here we are talking about fall. There is still plenty of warm season left to enjoy our yards and gardens, but some lawn care chores are best done now.

My lawn really suffered from the long, cold, snowy winter. I waited months for those bare spots to fill in. For some, its just not going to happen.

Mid-August to mid-September is the best time to repair a lawn or to seed a new lawn. There is still plenty of sunlight and the nights are cooler, good for germinating seeds and growing new plants.

Choosing the right variety of grass for your lawn is very important. First, consider how much sun the area receives. Kentucky bluegrass is a favorite for full sun or light shade. Creeping red fescue is the most tolerant of shade. Its a good idea to use a mixture that blends the attributes of several varieties of grass.

The best advice for sowing grass seed is to make sure you have good seed-to-soil contact and that you water regularly if we dont get enough rain.

During this late summer season and into the fall, keeping the lawnmower height at 2 to 2 inches. Cutting it shorter will severely limit its ability to make and store food for growth in the spring.

If you fertilize your lawn only once a year, do it in mid to late October. Nutrients will be absorbed and stored until needed for spring growth. Lawns that have received late-season fertilizing are often the first to begin growing in the spring.

Some recent research has shown that an early spring feeding can be very beneficial as well.

More:
Now is the time for fall lawn care

A Lower Makefield man who claimed he was Jesus after one of his three arrests last month is headed to trial but not before receiving mental health treatment.

In a brief court appearance Wednesday, Andrew Buzzo, 41, who police say is a disabled veteran, agreed to waive his preliminary hearing in two of the three cases against him.

In return, the Bucks County District Attorneys Office agreed to request that Buzzo be released on his own recognizance so he can enter inpatient treatment. As part of the agreement, Buzzo also will surrender all firearms he possesses.

Buzzo was incarcerated in Bucks County prison in the three cases; two on bail of 10 percent of $25,000 and one on 10 percent of $50,000. He is facing charges of fleeing and eluding an officer, possession of marijuana, reckless endangerment, theft, receiving stolen property, DUI and institutional vandalism

Lower Makefield police say Buzzo was seen driving his car in a figure-eight pattern July 8 on the lawn of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection on Makefield Road, then getting out of his car and kicking down a wooden cross on the property.

When police stopped Buzzo on Afton Avenue, he claimed he drove on the lawn because it was his property, as he is Jesus and all belongs to him, and drove in the figure-eight pattern because in the Bible the number means a new beginning, a resurrection, a probable cause affidavit shows.

He kicked down the cross because he didnt want to be reminded of the extreme torture he endured when he was crucified, police said.

During that arrest, police said Buzzos eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and they found a pipe similar to ones used to smoke marijuana on him. Buzzo admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day, but said he was fine to drive, police said.

Police again encountered Buzzo on July 25 when he allegedly led them on a high-speed chase along Route 1 into Bensalem. Police allege that Buzzo had flashing blue and red lights activated in his silver BMW X5. Buzzo allegedly refused to pull over, was passing vehicles in the oncoming traffic lanes and, at one point, was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of Route 1 before making a U-turn and continuing south on the highway, according to a probable cause affidavit.

He was stopped on Route 1 near the Neshaminy exit, where he had to be removed from the car, police said, adding that marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in the cars center console.

See the original post:
Lower Makefield man arrested 3 times in July headed to trial

Reallocation of funds may lead to more wildfires

Airline gives 7-year-old girl to wrong person; dad is frantic, worried for her safety

Girl's cat runs into Fort Pierce neighbor's house, where she is raped after trying to retrieve it, police say

Law enforcement presence to increase in Josephine County

Lawmakers pass firearm safety, ammunition bills

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Many without residency proof could lose Obamacare

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Girl's cat runs into Fort Pierce neighbor's house, where she is raped after trying to retrieve it, police say

Dear Editor, I usually write political letters, but the current Child in Chief isnt worth bothering about lately so on to another topic affecting our fair Ciry of Great Bend. Several years ago I managed townhomes in Lees Summit, Missouri and one summer we had a bit of a plague that affected our Pin Oak trees. Some three hundred of them to be exact. Lawn and Garden Specialists all gave us different reasons for varied treatments and most included the addition of iron products to the soil. None of these acutally worked. Our trees were being eaten alive by insects, the spring green leaves were riddled with brown spots and falling off in mid summer. Spring Green is the key here. After hearing everyones suggestions and trying the best to no avail, I called a State Forester who arrived a day or two later to assess the situation. He said that I needed to get treatment started immediately. Wating for him to give me some long and tedious prognosis and treatment scheme, I was surprised when the solution was so very simple. No doubt you have noticed many trees in Great Bend this summer and last that are only spring green -- you know, that chartreuse green of early budded leaves... and NOT the dark green of summer that we should be seeing in August. You will also notice upon closer examination that some leaves are also spotted and dying. This is a condition called Chlorosis. It is a soil condition and it WILL kill the trees.... especially the hardwoods. Through years of leaching the soils in our yards with rain water and sprinkler water whether from wells or from City supply, the soils tend to turn alkaline. Hardwoods like slightly acidic soils and after many years of extracting iron from the soils, the contrast in pH of the soils prohibits the trees use of the natural or added iron....Lawn and Garden stores locally tell me that Great Bend residents are buying iron supplements by the truck load. This will not hurt, but until you sweeten the soil, this iron will not be metabolized by the trees. The foresters told me to buy SULPHUR. It comes in a yellow powder form in twenty five pound bags at the Farmers Coop Garden Store and Im sure a few other places as well. The Sulphur will sweeten or acidize the soil and the tree will then be able to metabolize the available iron. Our sandy clay and mixed clay loams while not as iron laden as some other soils still have more iron than the trees need for decades but the imbalance in the pH is the culprit preventing the use of the iron. For best and quickest results use a deep root waterer and simply put the powdered sulphur in the container and connect to the garden hose...many times around the drip line of the tree. OR the easiest, simply scatter a few pounds per tree (two or three)on the ground under the tree, out to the drip line and water it in well! Treat NOW, again in a few weeks and I also repeated just before snowfall. The next spring our trees were glorious and by July were dark summer green and healthy. You will also notice that some trees are affected on one side, or just a few limbs. The roots that are servicing the affected limbs are in leached alkaline soil and the rest are in relatively acidic soil. Treat the WHOLE area around the tree. The sulphur will not harm your grass... water it in well however or simply let your sprinkler do the work. Treat your trees to save them. William Schneider Great Bend

The rest is here:
Treat trees now

Highland Park has ordered a temporary ban on outdoor water use after discovering "clogged strainers" at the water treatment plant, according to a Highland Park news release.

Deerfield and Bannockburn, which receive water from Highland Park's water treatment plant, issued their own respective bans on outdoor water use.

The ban is effective immediately, lasts until further notice and prohibits all outdoor water use, including lawn sprinkling, the release said. There are no restrictions on indoor water use.

Earlier Monday morning, plant workers reported problems with clogged strainers, through which water passes from Lake Michigan, the release said. As a result, the plant's ability to deliver water has been limited.

Once the strainers are unclogged, the ban will be lifted. In the meanwhile, Highland Park will receive "emergency water" from Lake Forest and Northbrook through its "mutual aid connections."

For more information, call the public works department at (847) 432-0807.

gtrotter@tribune.com|Twitter: @NorthShoreTrib

Excerpt from:
Ban on outdoor water use for Highland Park, Deerfield, Bannockburn

A new mother in Oregon says she wants to breast-feed her baby even though she regularly smokes marijuana, but experts say they would be concerned about the risks of the drug to the baby's brain.

The mother, Crystal Cain, said she is a medical-marijuana user who smoked the drug during her pregnancy to reduce anxiety and nausea, according to the Portland TV station KATU. Her baby was born 8 weeks premature, and Cain planned on breast-feeding the child because of the known benefits of breast-feeding.

But doctors at the hospital did not allow Cain to breast-feed until she signed a waiver acknowledging the potential risks of using marijuana while breast-feeding, KATU said.

"There's not enough information [on the risks] because nobody tests it," Cain was quoted as saying. [Trippy Tales: The History of 8 Hallucinogens]

t's true that few studies have looked at the risks of smoking marijuana while breast-feeding, and many of the studies that have examined this question were conducted several decades ago. However, several organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, discourage the use of marijuana by breast-feeding mothers, in part because of concern that the drug may affect the baby's brain development.

What is clear is that the drug can get into breast milk, and into the baby's body.

The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, is fat soluble and can be stored in the fat tissue for quite a while. "Any drug that is fat soluble gets into fat (tissue), and breast milk has lots of fat because that's what's good for the baby," said Dr. David Mendez, a neonatologist at Miami Children's Hospital, who had not treated Cain or her baby. The more marijuana that a woman smokes, the greater the amount of THC in her breast milk, Mendez said.

Babies who have been breast-fed by a woman who smokes marijuana can have a positive urine test for marijuana for up to three weeks, said Martha Lasley, a lactation consultant from Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando. However, the amount of THC that's transferred to the baby through breast-feeding is not enough to produce a high, Lasley said.

There is also some concern that smoking marijuana can lower women's levels of prolactin, the hormone needed for breast-milk production, Lasley said.

A 1990 study found that a baby's exposure to THC in the first month of life was linked with reduced movement and coordination skills at age 1. Doctors have also observed lethargy, less frequent feeding and shorter feeding times in babies exposed to THC, according to a 2005 review in the journal Canadian Family Physician.

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Smoking Pot and Breast-Feeding: What Are the Risks?