Reebok is a little seaside village just outside Mossel Bay. It lies between Klein Brakrivier and Groot Brakrivier, one of a handful of beachside holiday hamlets east of Mossel Bay.
These towns tend to run into one another, functioning more as suburbs of Mossel Bay (they fall under the same municipality) than as separate towns. As such they are good alternatives for holidays, particularly if you want uncomplicated access to a remote beach.
To reach Reebok, take exit 401 off the N2, heading over the highway away from the Klipheuwel Padstal. At the t-junction part ways with the road to Klein Brakrivier driving through Fraaiuitsig before reaching Reebok.
Fraaiuitsig is rather interesting. The houses are predominantly wooden and many are on stilts; the elevation desirable for the 'view' (Fraaiuitsig when loosely translated means beautiful view) across the Klein Brakrivier valley, its hilly mounds a rather unusual landscape.
Reebok is not what you would describe as 'pretty'. It is not a fisherman's village with quaint whitewashed cottages. Many of the homes are characterless face brick (less maintenance) affairs. In complete contrast some are made from wood, and a couple are even painted in a style that evokes 'beachside cottage' rather than 'flashy double-storey by the sea'.
Historically Mossel Bay has functioned as a holiday town for inland farmers, and the tradition continues in places like Reebok, although if car number plates are anything to go by, visitors are from across the country.
What makes Reebok attractive is that it rests perched on a hill above the sea, allowing for sea views all round; it enjoys an unhurried pace of living (there is only a Spar in Fraaiuitsig as a distraction); the sound of the sea as it breaks on the shore is unceasing; and the kilometres of unoccupied sandy beach is at once inviting and calming.
Reebok's tidal pool is perfect for early morning swims and children, the beach, although not a swimming beach, is wonderful for walks and beachcombing, particularly given the numerous rock pools, and the wide pavement, edged with succulents, along the edge of the beach functions as a late afternoon promenade.
Just west of Reebok is Klein Brakrivier's beach and lagoon (good for swimming), and Mossel Bay is but 10 minutes' away for restaurants, shopping malls, coffee shops, antique stores, historical buildings, walks and Cape St Blaize lighthouse.


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How to Adopt >
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A blog by the friendly folks at Midland Humane Coalition
Finding Fisher (A Lost & Found Story)
This is a story of love, of faith, of hope; the power of prayer and positive thinking. It is a story of never giving up and a lesson we cannot emphasis enough--microchip, microchip, microchip!
Last Fourth of July Elissa DeMaria Battista and her husband, Matt, along with their new baby and 2-year-old Boston terrier, named Fisher (aka Fishy Pup), were enjoying a long holiday weekend in Ocean City, Maryland when Fisher went missing.
They believe that he had learned to open the screen door of the rental property and let himself out. He was wearing a harness and a bandana, but no collar with an ID tag. However, Fisher was microchipped.
The family immediately began looking for him and extended their stay in Ocean City to search. They put up signs, notified the police, lifeguards, fire department and searched on foot, on bicycles and in cars. They hired a dog tracker and Fisher's picture appeared on the city's famous floating billboard, The Seaboard.
You name it, they did it, but eventually the family had to return home without Fisher. Elissa started a group Facebook page, "Find Fisher."
"We will never give up until we find him," Elissa posted.
The posts went viral and thousands and thousand of people responded with well wishes and pictures of Boston terriers each time one was found. Unfortunately, for nine long months, 290 days, Elissa's response was always the same, "Thank you for sharing, but it's not Fisher."
Until yesterday! Goose bumps and tears, when in response to the picture of a found dog, the post read, "I think it is Fisher."
A male Boston had been found roaming the streets of Baltimore. He was picked up, taken to a vet, scanned and confirmed to be Fisher.
Elissa made the five-hour drive from her Connecticut home to Maryland yesterday afternoon and in a tearful reunion and repeated exclamations of "Oh, my god," she was reunited with Fisher, making her family whole again.
Elissa commented this morning that she would like to turn the "Find Fisher" Facebook group page into a place to post all lost dogs in an attempt to get them home and reunited with family.
For those of us who have followed the story and prayed for Fisher's safe return, we are ecstatic about this happy ending and once again, encourage everyone to microchip their pets.
Watch the heartwarming reunion video: here.
Shelia Huffman, Contributor/MHC Board
Shelia recently moved to the Greenwood community of Midland from Dallas where she was a staff writer for White Rock Lake Weekly and a columnist for Bubblelife Media. A retired travel agent and event planner, she has been an animal activist her entire life. Shelia has a daughter and son-in-law in Midland, a grandson in Dallas and a granddaughter at Texas Tech. She lists cooking and writing about food, and, of course, playing with her Terrier Mix rescue, Penelope, as some of her favorite things.
Hello! Welcome to our blog, pet lovers! We hope to share some helpful information regarding pet care, health and wellness here. Stay tuned for updates!
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Midland Humane Coalition is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to partner with the Midland Community to end euthanasia of and to find Furr-Ever Homes for healthy, adoptable Dogs and Cats.
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The Things You're Doing That Will Get You a Speeding Ticket (Besides Speeding)
Lauren CahnUpdated: Jan. 5, 2022
Here's a puzzler: Everyone's going the same speed, yet you're the one that got pulled over. Here's what you're doing wrong, and how to avoid trouble the next time you're on the road.
stephane106/Shutterstock
The official reasons for getting pulled over
There are a handful of things that a cop can pull you over for—which is when you better know the best way to talk yourself out of a ticket. You've likely committed a moving violation, which means you could end up with points on your license, an increase in your rates, or depending on your recent behavior, a license suspension, warns insurance advisor, Bradley Hamburger.
According to Edmunds.com, which conducted a poll of three separate police agencies, the number one most common of moving violations is speeding. In fact, a whopping 34 million speeding tickets are handed out each year in this country. After speeding, here are the other most common:
running a stop sign or red light
failing to yield (when another car has the right of way)
failing to signal (turns or lane changes)
failing to drive within a single lane
driving on the shoulder
failing to stop for a pedestrian on a crosswalk
failing to stop for a school bus when its stop lights/signs are displayed.
failing to secure a load
making illegal use of a carpool lane
failing to wear a seat belt
using illegal window tints
driving without a license or outside the conditions of one's license
driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
unsafe driving (which in some states includes using a cell phone and other forms of distracted driving)
vehicular homicide
fleeing the scene of an accident
Find out what could happen if you don't pay a parking ticket.
Alessandro Colle/Shutterstock
The unofficial—but still valid—reason you got pulled over
Although the number one reason police officers cite for issuing tickets is moving violations, according to Hamburger, it's common practice for police officers to use traffic stops as a way of investigating whether another, more serious violation may be occurring.
For example, a car that is weaving across lanes may also be a car driven by a distracted driver or a drunk driver, Hamburger explains. A car that is speeding may be fleeing an accident that a police officer has already been notified by radio. Here are the things that really catch a traffic cop's eye. Here are 15 safe driving tips everyone should know to avoid an accident.
Krieng Meemano/Shutterstock
You're driving a beater
Driving a few miles an hour over the speed limit isn't usually going to get you pulled over, says Harold Hilliard, retired Plano, Texas police officer, unless you're driving a beater. Why? Hillard says beaters are more likely to have broken or burned out taillights or headlights, broken windshields, or expired license plate tags. Some of these aren't always visible at first sight, but a cop will be able to spot the violations in a traffic stop.
PlusONE/Shutterstock
You drive an awesome car
"If you're driving a Bugatti even slightly over the speed limit, you might get pulled over," says Hamburger, "just because in addition to getting to write out a speeding ticket, the police officer now has the opportunity to check out your awesome car." If your slick ride stands out in a sea of ordinary cars that are speeding down the highway, you can attract a police officer's attention in both positive and negative ways. Find out which state is the strictest when it comes to speeding tickets.
pio3/Shutterstock
Or you're driving one of these otherwise unremarkable cars
Yep, there are makes and models that attract more attention and seem to get singled out for a traffic stop. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety these vehicles are the most likely to get pulled over (although no police officer we spoke to could explain exactly why):
Mercedes CLK63 AMG
Toyota Solara
Mercedes CLS AMG
Scion Xa
DrimaFilm/Shutterstock
If you stand out
Drive vintage a vintage retro car? You could be a cop magnet for another reason: Scientific studies like this one suggest the human eye is drawn to contrast. If seven cars are driving over the speed limit on a stretch of highway, the one most likely to be picked out by a traffic cop is the one that looks different. It could be an unusual color—although it doesn't have to be red, according to retired Police Captain Michael Palardy of Millburn, NJ, contrary to popular belief. It could be a particularly noteworthy vanity plate ("1 EM DRNK" perhaps?) or it could be a Grateful Dead bumper sticker. Don't miss these other 10 secrets cops won't tell you about avoiding speeding tickets.
Predrag Sepelj/Shutterstock
Our experts agree: Don't violate traffic rules during rush hour. More cars on the road mean more police officers issuing tickets. Cops know when they're most likely to catch bad behavior, and the commute hours—along with holiday weekends—can encourage people to bend and break laws. Check out these other 45 things police officers wish you knew.
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DWR—driving while rude
Tailgating. Failing to yield. Buzzing through a crosswalk with people waiting to cross. Speeding down a residential street. These things are against the law and they reveal that the driver is a bona fide jerk. Cops love pulling over jerks—and then there's the fact that poor driving etiquette is tied to other potential driving violations, including:
driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
unsafe driving, including distracted driving and road rage
not wearing a seatbelt
DWR entices a traffic cop with the possibility of writing a two-for-one ticket: Don't do it. Make sure you always follow these 11 driving etiquette rules you've probably forgotten.
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet/Shutterstock
DWY—driving while young
It's sad but true, kids: New drivers are cop catnip, according to Hamburger. "Being new to the road and lacking in experience, young drivers will provide cops with the opportunity for a teaching moment, and cops will be happy to point out to the youngsters that they'll be held responsible for their driving choices."
In other words, young drivers, you're being watched!
Syda Productions/Shutterstock
Eyes on the road, buddy
The most obvious "tell" that you're driving while texting is looking down. Especially if you're breaking any other traffic laws while driving with your head down, you're begging to be stopped—whether for distracted/unsafe driving or for the other traffic violations you may be committing (such as stopping too long at stop signs and red lights, and weaving in and out of your lane, according to Hamburger). This is the real reason why your police officers touch your car's tail light during traffic stops.
Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock
How to get out of a ticket
Just because you got pulled over doesn't mean that you're going to wind up with a ticket, says Hamburger. "As soon as you realize you've caught a traffic cop's attention, you're going to want to slow down, stay calm, and think polite thoughts because there's a right way to talk to a policeman, and a wrong way. The right way is to be unfailingly polite. The wrong way is any other way."
A few rules of thumb:
Don't get out of your car. No matter how long it takes the officer to make his way to your car, just stay put—because whatever you might be feeling when you're stopped by a cop, you should assume the cop is concerned for his own safety. Being a law enforcement officer is a dangerous job. "Even with a weapon, every traffic stop a police officer makes could be the last," Hamburger explains.
Follow instructions to the letter. This shows you're making an effort cooperate, and it goes a long way to alleviating the police officer's own worries concerning the stop.
Don't confess. Anything you say can be used against you in traffic court. Instead, as politely as possible, talk about how safe of a driver you generally are and how you understand that driving safely is of critical importance. "You have 30 seconds to convey that you're a safe-driving, law-abiding citizen," so use it wisely, Hamburger emphasizes. If whatever you did had a safety reason attached to it, let the officer know.
Ask politely to be released with just a warning. It can't hurt as long as you don't flirt or otherwise act smarmy. The key phrase here is "ask politely."
Try these other magic phrases that will get you out of a speeding ticket.
Lauren Cahn
Lauren Cahn is a New York-based writer whose work has appeared regularly on Reader's Digest, The Huffington Post, and a variety of other publications since 2008. She covers life and style, popular culture, law, religion, health, fitness, yoga, entertaining and entertainment. Lauren is also an author of crime fiction; her first full-length manuscript, The Trust Game, was short-listed for the 2017 CLUE Award for emerging talent in the genre of suspense fiction.
Lauren Cahn for Reader's Digest


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We are a forward-thinking association of technology-driven Yukon companies
TechYukon: What and Why
TechYukon: What and Why.
Since this is the first of what will be many posts on this new website, the first order of business has to be to explain what this website is about, what TechYukon is about, and why we went to the effort to get all this up and running.
TechYukon--the website and, ultimately, the organization it turns out to be--came about in the process of an exercise in self-evaluation and re-visioning on the part of the members of the Yukon Information Technology Industry Society (shortened, usually, to YITIS).
YITIS has a history of being a pretty sound and respectable organization, but one not much known outside of a fairly narrow range of members and partner organizations.
It has been around since the year 2000, and has been active in partnering with the Yukon government in fostering the stability and growth of the information technology sector in the Yukon. But, aside from the occasional Friday evening beer-and-snack social event, it has not been much engaged with the business sector generally.
The time has come for that to change. Having been active in developing an IT Sector Strategy, and then an implementation plan for that strategy, YITIS found it had tasked itself with ownership of a plan that meant re-thinking its very nature and purpose. The outcome of that re-thinking is TechYukon.
Though it will continue to operate as YITIS behind the scenes for the moment, it will eventually evolve into either a newly-named non-profit society, or perhaps a non-profit corporation. Those are options we will be exploring in the months to come.
Because TechYukon is both a point of arrival, and point of departure. It marks a transition from the older IT-business focus of YITIS, to a broader version of technology-driven business generally.
That is why the new name speech to technology generally, not just information technology, and why we sport the tag-line, "Technology is our territory."
Even sixteen years ago, "information technology" was actually a pretty narrow definition for what the society was all about. A number of member companies—the telephone company, radio-communications companies like Total North, and the half-dozen Internet service provider companies that existed in those days--were more about communications than information technology. They were technology-driven, but not technology-producing enterprises.
That is even more true of the technology ecosystem in the Yukon today. Film and sound producers, telecommunications companies, even mining and tourism companies, are now technology driven in a way they were not two decades ago, and are now an important part of the technology ecosystem.
TechYukon's ambition is to be the agency that advocates for and supports the health and development of those enterprises, and by doing that supporting the health and development of the Yukon economy.
There are a number of jobs in hand for TechYukon in the year ahead: Striking productive working relationships with other industry organizations to mutually advance their mandates; discovering the best organizational model for TechYukon itself (society or non-profit corporation?); uncovering and addressing the most important issues and most promising opportunities facing the technology sector.
As we said, the creation of TechYukon is not a destination point for the organization that once called itself YITIS. It is the start of a whole new journey, of which this website is just the first, tentative step.
300-309 Strickland StreetWhitehorse, Y1A 2J9
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TechYukon is also a member of the Canadian Digital Media Network


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[INTERVIEW] Traveller: Country Music's Quirky Group of Highway Guys
Photo courtesy of Facebook
Traveller: Country Music's Quirky Group of Highway Guys
Interview by Elisa Regulski
Call them a super group if you want, but Traveller's Robert Ellis, Jonny Fritz, and Cory Chisel don't really care if you call yourself a fan. With five solo albums between the three of them, these quick-witted songwriters aren't interested in clunking down the music business conveyor belt. Instead, they're turning their attention to crafting catchy and memorable country music.
This goofy group of highway guys churn out songs even faster than they dish one-liners, and they won't sacrifice their authenticity for anything. You won't see these country troubadours playing the beer-drenched bars during South By Southwest, but you will hear them cracking jokes as they tune guitars under the sweltering Texas sun. After their Saturday morning set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Traveller sat down for one last leap through the backstage media circus.
Q: When does your album come out?
JONNY FRITZ: March 2nd is the release date here.
ROBERT ELLIS: There's a music festival in March we should play here in Austin. We should get on that. It pays great.
JONNY: Oh, the pay is incredible.
CORY CHISEL: The exposure, alone!
JONNY: The opportunities! Free sunglasses!
COREY: Professional hydration!
JONNY: And $700 rooms! In Pflugerville! There's a dog motel I really like to stay at… a kennel.
Q: I heard a little bit of your origin story during your set today, but what's the real story?
ROBERT: That's the real story. We were hanging out in Jonny's backyard, and we said we should start a band…. And then we told Cory that he was in it. And then we booked a tour!
JONNY: And then we ran into a promoter, the guy who books Newport Folk Festival, and Robert approached [him] and were like "hey, we've got a new band: me, Jonny, and Cory Chisel. Will you book us at Newport?" …And the three of us had never, at that point, actually hung out.
ROBERT: We had no songs!
JONNY: By the time we could actually find time to get together and write and the festival… I think it was two weeks.
Q: So what's your tour going to look like?
JONNY: Sold out.
ROBERT: I mean, we are exhausted old men. We don't feel like touring. So we're kind of only taking the choice best stuff. If all three of us aren't like "YES let's do this," then we don't do it.
Q: Do you think you'll do more Traveller or more solo stuff?
JONNY: I would rather only do Traveller stuff, honestly.
CORY: I think one of the things that we're experiencing ...is that individually it's lousy being a singer/songwriter by yourself. But then getting out there with a bunch of guys that are, legitimately, not here for the fans. We're here because we love to play these songs and we really hope that the audience does too, but if they don't then we're good.
ROBERT: Fuck 'em!
CORY: And we mean that with all the love in our hearts.
Written by Speakers in Code
Tags: Elisa Regulski, Interview, Traveller


Rapidly growing Mobile Internet usage surpassed Desktop Internet usage in May 2012, in India.
Global mobile traffic growing rapidly to 10% of Internet traffic.
Are you ready yet to support mobile devices in the Employer Branding and Recruiting process?


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Vinyl Sales Surpass CD Sales for the First Time in 34 Years
Despite the pandemic, the music industry actually saw a small profit during the first half of 2020.
by Nina Corcoran
Vinyl sales on track to earn more than CDs for first time in over 30 years
If sales continue to increase as projected, vinyl will become the most profitable form of physical music.
by Keely Quinlan
Go figure, 2016 is the worst year for album sales in the SoundScan era
The popularity of streaming, however, continues to rise.
on July 06, 2016, 6:05pm
Kanye West confirms the obvious: The CD is dead
Going forward, Kanye says none of his albums will be available on the dying format.
on March 07, 2016, 2:59pm


"Southwest makes it so easy to book and check in. Flew to Nashville. Crew was great. Just wish there was a direct flight but understand with Albany being a smaller Capital city."
Flight stats for Westerville - did you know?
Westerville is 14 km from Port Columbus Intl Airport (Columbus, OH).


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Fourth Quarter 2015 Net Income of $583,000 ($0.14 per share) v. Net Loss of $653,000 ($0.15 loss per share) in Prior Year Period
Hauppauge, New York, March 10, 2016 – Orbit International Corp. (OTC PINK:ORBT) today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015.
Fourth Quarter 2015 vs. Fourth Quarter 2014
Net income was $583,000 ($0.14 per diluted share), as compared to a net loss of $653,000 ($0.15 loss per share).
Full Year 2015 vs. Full Year 2014
Net sales were $20,130,000, as compared to $19,160,000.
Net income was $902,000 ($0.21 per diluted share), as compared to a net loss of $2,001,000 ($0.46 loss per share).
Net loss for the 2014 year includes $1,089,000 of costs associated with the consolidation of our Quakertown, PA facility into our Hauppauge, NY facility. Exclusive of these costs, net loss for the 2014 year was $912,000 ($0.21 loss per share).
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and stock based compensation (EBITDA, as adjusted) was $1,288,000 ($0.30 per diluted share), as compared to a loss of $1,396,000 ($0.32 loss per share).
Backlog at December 31, 2015 was $11.1 million as compared to $10.3 million at September 30, 2015 and $12.0 million at December 31, 2014.
Mitchell Binder, President & Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our results for the fourth quarter, and the full year, benefitted from the significant operating leverage our business generates as a result of an increase in our revenues. Our sales for the fourth quarter increased by 39% from the prior comparable period and due to the operating leverage and cost cutting measures we implemented over the past two years, our net income improved significantly."
Mr. Binder added, "We continue to keep our costs under control as evidenced by our improved gross margins and a 22% reduction in selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended 2015 as compared to 2014. Our challenge remains to drive our revenue levels higher and to further improve our operating margins. To that end, since the fourth quarter of 2015, we have received several new contracts that have resulted in the following:
Bookings in our fourth quarter of 2015 exceeded $6,300,000.
In January 2016, our Electronics Group received two awards for its displays on a major aviation program totaling in excess of $3,000,000.
Consolidated bookings for the month of January 2016 exceeded $4,650,000.
Due to additional orders received in February, our first quarter bookings through the end of February 2016 were in excess of $7,500,000 which compares to bookings of approximately $5,400,000 during the first two months of 2015.
Mr. Binder continued, "As a result of this activity, delivery schedules are well positioned in the third and fourth quarters of 2016. Our backlog at December 31, 2015 was $11.1 million and was slightly down from our $12.0 backlog at December 31, 2014. This was due to slightly lower backlogs at both our Electronics and Power Groups as well as the aforementioned 39% increase in 2015 fourth quarter sales during the current year. This reduction in backlog has been partially offset by the significant bookings that we have received during the first quarter of 2016 to date."
Mr. Binder added, "Our Power Group is working with its customers on several new opportunities for its COTS products. Furthermore, new customer alliances and the bid and proposal pipeline for our VPX products are also active. Most of our VPX contracts to date have been for pre-production orders with significant quantities projected once full production is attained. However, bookings in our commercial division remain weak due to a decrease in oil and gas activity and a weak capital spending environment."
David Goldman, Chief Financial Officer, noted, "Our financial condition remains strong. At December 31, 2015, total current assets were approximately $16.2 million versus total current liabilities of approximately $1.7 million for a 9.8 to 1 current ratio. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2015, aggregated approximately $2.0 million. To offset future federal and New York State taxes resulting from profits, we have approximately $10 million and $3 million in available federal and New York State net operating loss carryforwards, respectively, which should enhance future cash flow."
Mr. Goldman added, "During the quarter, we continued to pay down our debt. Our tangible book value at December 31, 2015 was $3.10 as compared to $2.96 at September 30, 2015 and $2.89 at December 31, 2014 (this does not include any value for the potential deferred tax asset from our operating loss carryforwards that could offset future taxable income). During the fourth quarter of 2015, we purchased 11,670 shares of our common stock and from January 1, 2016 through March 3, 2016, we purchased an additional 22,890 shares. Since January 1, 2012, we have repurchased in excess of 493,000 shares of our stock in the marketplace at an average price of $3.41 per share."
Mr. Goldman concluded, "As previously announced, we amended our Credit Agreement with our primary lender in October 2015 whereby the maturity date for our $4 million committed line of credit was extended to August 1, 2017. We were in compliance with our financial covenants at December 31, 2015."
Mr. Binder concluded, "Our goal is to build on our 2015 earnings and continue to drive revenue to maximize our operating performance. Our Electronics Group has gotten off to a very strong start in 2016 and is currently working with our customers on several pending awards for both new and follow-on opportunities, although timing is always an uncertainty. In addition to VPX technology, our engineers are working with our key customers on certain next generation products, which we hope will secure our position on certain mission critical programs."


When I was a third-year medical student rotating for the first time on a general medicine service inpatient ward, my team admitted a thirty-year-old woman in acute congestive heart failure. That a thirty-year-old was in congestive heart failure was unusual enough. Even more shocking was the cause: an echocardiogram revealed a tumor sitting on top of her mitral valve preventing the normal flow of blood out of her lungs to the left side of her heart. No one on my team, including the attending physician, had ever seen anything like it. A CT scan revealed widely metastatic cancer throughout her entire body—it looked as if every square inch of her had been splattered with buckshot—with no obvious dominant lesion to suggest its point of origin. With the diagnosis "metastatic cancer of unknown primary," her prognosis was grim. Our patient's oxygen saturation was hovering near 75% (normal being above 95%) despite the 15 liters/minute of oxygen we had flowing through her face mask. She was too weak to rise unassisted from the bed. As we watched her lying there, laboring to breathe, we all realized we were watching someone in the process of actively dying.
The way she seemed to accept her fate, the courage she displayed in the face of it (if that's indeed what we were seeing), was made all the more poignant when we learned she was a single mother of four small children.
My patient's case was as unusual as it was tragic: thirty-year-olds rarely get cancer and those who do rarely present to hospitals only twenty-four hours before they die. She had no real time to prepare herself or her family, and had no real decisions to make. But in the 21st century, many of us will face a different experience. We'll see our deaths coming, be surrounded by caregivers attempting to prevent or forestall it, and in the technology-rich environment of the modern hospital, innumerable decisions will confront us and the medical teams in charge of our care.
One question typically dominates all end-of-life experiences. It's the first question that must be answered before any other, and answered again and again as circumstances change: what is the goal of care? Is it to cure (and palliate) or to palliate only? How we answer this question hinges on the likelihood that cure is possible and the recognition of it, or lack thereof, on the part of the medical team, patient, and the patient's family.
This is often far harder a question to answer than most people think. Identifying the point at which a patient shifts from having a chance to survive a disease to actively dying is frequently difficult to nail down. Even patients with incurable illnesses like terminal cancer can often live months or even years beyond what doctors predict. Yet predicting likely outcomes is exactly what doctors struggle to do every single day with critically ill patients in order to be guided in choosing appropriate therapies.
At what point, then, should doctors, patients, and patients' families step back, look at the proverbial forest for the trees, and recognize though we might reverse the kidney failure, treat the pneumonia, and anti-coagulate the pulmonary embolism, the likelihood of survival has slipped below our threshold for continuing to provide treatment aimed at cure? The difficulty in answering this question is compounded by the fact that statistical probabilities for survival on which doctors rely predict outcomes for populations better than for individuals. Exactly where a particular patient will fall on the survival curve for a given diagnosis like, for example, lung cancer (to the far left where survival is measured in hours or to the far right where survival is measured in months or even years—or somewhere in the middle where, by definition, most patients land) is largely unknowable. Studies have shown repeatedly that, for all our population statistics, doctors are uniformly poor at predicting when the particular patient in front of them will die. Yet when the spread between the shortest survival times and longest isn't days or weeks but rather months or years, knowing where a particular patient is likely to fall really does matter. If he or she is highly likely only to live a few hours no matter what we do, aggressive measures would be considered by most to be inappropriate. If, on the other hand, he or she is most likely to live months or even years with whatever underlying diagnosis he or she has, the opposite is true. What's more, the likelihood of survival constantly changes as new complications develop or resolve. Physicians must constantly recalculate the odds and often change strategies from cure to palliation (and even sometimes back again) depending on how a patient's course proceeds. It's an enormously challenging process.
Know yourself. How important is a pain-free (or minimally painful) existence to you? How much pain can you tolerate on a chronic basis before life is no longer worth living? What self-management skills are most important to you (being able to feed yourself? Dress yourself? Clean yourself up after you go to the bathroom?). You often won't know the answers to these questions until you experience the circumstances that cause you to ask them. But consciously asking and answering them can be empowering.
Communicate. With your family. With your physician. With your nurses. Talk in general terms about your preferences surrounding dramatic life-saving measures (CPR, defibrillation, artificial ventilation) before you ever come close to needing them. Do this even before you're even diagnosed with anything that might make such conversations necessary. If you change your mind (and you always can) revisit the subjects as many times as necessary, no matter how awkward it may be for you or your family.
WHO DECIDES WHEN TO PALLIATE?
The answer, at first glance, might seem as if it should be doctors and patients and patient's families all working together. And this is usually, in my experience, how it goes. But making a collaborative decision to switch from an intent to cure to an intent to palliate only, or leaving the decision entirely in the hands of a patient's family when the patient is unconscious or otherwise unable to decide for themselves often has an unintended consequence: guilt. Family members who find themselves burdened with decision-making authority over their ill loved one who decide to withdraw aggressive medical care even for the most logical and compassionate of reasons are often left feeling, whether rational or not, that they themselves killed the very person they meant to protect.
Having seen this multiple times early in my career, I've since taken to telling families when further attempts to cure seem hopelessly futile that, though their agreement is necessary to switch to palliative care only, I'm more informing them that's what we should do than asking their permission. It may seem at first glance overly paternalistic to say, "This isn't your decision to make, and it's not mine, either. The disease made the choice for us all." But in all the years I've been caring for terminally ill patients, the only reaction I've ever encountered in response to my saying this, usually after days or even weeks of emotional ups and downs as their loved one improved then worsened then improved and then worsened again, is relief.
Most patients express the desire to die at home when asked (which itself happens rarely) but few do. Why? Because even when a plan to die at home is laid out in advance, complications invariably arise that weren't foreseen and patients and families panic. They then come back to the hospital for reevaluation and reassurance. Despite the extensive home services we've had available in this country for decades, dying at home still seems to be the exception rather than the rule. My only piece of advice here: if you're certain you want to die at home, if it's important to you, discuss in advance the panic your family will undoubtedly experience and plan for it. Recognize and discuss the possibility of your own panic and plan for that as well. But also know that if in those final moments you change your mind and go the hospital, that's okay, too.
There are thankfully few circumstances in which modern medicine can't adequately control a terminal patient's pain (though, of course, exceptions do exist). There is sometimes, however, a choice to be made between pain control and level of alertness (narcotics are good pain relievers but may impair a patient's consciousness at the high doses sometimes required to quell pain). Surprisingly, almost every patient for whom I've cared who was faced with this trade off has chosen to endure more pain rather than clouding of their consciousness.
Doctors are notoriously undertrained in the principles of good pain management, often reluctant to go after their patient's pain aggressively. Patients should communicate directly and concretely their fears about needless suffering and their expectations that their doctors will work with them to keep them comfortable. I always make a point to say two things to my terminal patients that in my experience has never failed to provide reassurance: "No matter what, I will not abandon you" and "I will keep you comfortable." And I mean both. If your doctor fails to convince you he or she can and will as well, find another.
I came back to see our patient several times during the day to check in on her, to see if she needed or wanted anything, only to discover that each member of my team had done the same thing, bringing her what she'd asked of each of them: candy bars. Torn Kit Kat, Snickers, and Three Musketeers wrappers lay strewn about her bed. She seemed grateful for these small gestures. I wanted to ask her about her children but couldn't work up the courage (I think I deliberately wanted to avoid learning an answer I would find heartbreaking). So instead I came back later with a candy bar myself. Unfortunately by then the team had turned up the morphine drip to help her with pain and she'd lapsed into unconsciousness.
She died later that night, in the hospital, but pain free. I found out later her children only learned their mother had been admitted to the hospital after she'd already died.
An issue that really haunts me is suppose the patient is not terminal but just doesn't want to suffer any longer as when there is a chronic illness. What are the guidelines?
Helen: Currently in the U.S., most physicians would continue to work with such a person to limit their suffering as best they could. In 1997 the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that implied laws legalizing (or illegalizing) assisted suicide must be passed on a state-by-state basis. I believe currently only Washington and Oregon have laws making it legal.
Thank you for this eloquent post.
Wendy: Thanks for your excellent links. I completely agree with what you've written (and I find your own story so encouraging and inspiring). I touched on the issue of preparation myself in an earlier post, Only Three Ways To Die.
Thank you, Alex, for this thoughtful post. I would add one more entry to the To Do list for end of life planning: do the paperwork. Make or update your will; double-check who've your named as beneficiary of any life insurance or retirement account you might have; execute a power of attorney; appoint an executor. These steps will ease some of the burden on your survivors and help to ensure your intentions are carried out.
You skipped an essential first question, one very much germane to this blog, and without which the question How much pain can you tolerate…before life is no longer worth living? is unanswerable.
What makes life—your life—worth living in the first place? It's a harder question than most think.
VicW: Agreed. I tried to touch on this in an earlier post, The Importance Of Having A Mission.
If I can piggyback on Chris, the paperwork should include explicit instructions on this subject. In my state, it's called an Advance Directive; in others, a living will. Often, the form is set by statute and requires only a single witness (not an attorney, notary, etc.). My state's is very comprehensive in terms of medical situations and possible responses (every measure to prolong life, ventilator or no, nutrition or no, pain relief only, etc.).
A documentary that played on PBS a few years back, "A Lion in the House," followed several children with cancer, and as someone who had a parent die while I was in high school, it was shocking to see my own and my family's drama played out in this film. I guess the end-of-life drama is pretty much the same for all of us, and we'll tend to make the same mistakes if not given forewarning of what's in store. It's a tough film to watch, but it's worth it.
What a heartbreaking story. She was lucky to have you on her team.
Heather: It was heartbreaking. I've never forgotten her.
Thank you, Dr. Lickerman, for that poignant story. You are right that planning in advance of a serious illness is the wise course, but it's one few actually follow, and particularly young people. We have found with "Five Wishes" that people will begin and complete these conversations if the discussion is framed in terms that are meaningful. People will turn away from talk of ventilators and feeding tubes, but they will freely discuss maintaining dignity, comfort, family issues and forgiveness. National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16, a good day to think about and plan for what kind of care you want or don't want. As with Terri Schiavo, these decisions will be made for you by somebody else if you don't put your wishes in writing and designate your health care agent—Paul Malley, President, Aging with Dignity.
We all desire the information to "control" this messy process of death. There's much to be learned to help us prepare, but ultimately, it's rarely the way we envisioned it; it's a shock, and the survivors are left with many questions about whether they did the "right thing." Even if we were more familiar with (non-medicalized) death, it still remains one of the most life changing events, in both good and bad ways, for those left behind.
I read Jane Brody's moving column in the NY Times and realized it was time to do some serious thinking about end-of-life issues. And now, you've put "meat on the bones" so to speak. I've hit the print button and will use your post to begin a discussion with my husband and our two grown children. Once again, thank you so much, Alex.
Your eloquent and touching story and discussion of what doctors must deal with is deeply moving. It's been obvious in many of your other posts, but this one really makes it clear that while medicine is science, it is also so much an artful blend of intuition, experience, teamwork, compassion, and being human.
I am a hospice nurse and can say for sure that many do not die at home because many MDs are reluctant to refer them to hospice. And when they do, it is often at the request of the patient or family.
Most patients get their cues from the treating MD and most MDs do not understand hospice care.
Hospice care can and often does provide for a comfortable death at home or even in the hospital as a hospice general inpatient. There we work with the medical team to offer palliative services and also to provide bereavment support to the family and loved ones.
Your blog is good work. I enjoy reading it.


The STEM and Math Learning Centers hire tutors and desk assistants as part of our team. If you are interested in working in our centers, check out the descriptions below for more information.
STEM and MLC tutors provide one-on-one and small group tutoring to students. Tutors are chosen through a selective process based on staffing needs, recommendations, interpersonal skills, experience and an interview with STEM or MLC faculty and staff.
We accept applications at any time, however our typical hiring periods are in May for the fall semester and in December for the spring semester. Directions for submitting a STEM/MLC Tutor Application are on the application form available below.
NOTE: If you are not a current or recent MiraCosta student and are interested in applying to work as a tutor in our centers, your faculty recommendation can come from a faculty member at your most recent institution.
We look for friendly and welcoming students who are able to assist with front desk responsibilities, serve as the point of contact for checking out materials, and help make the STEM and Math Learning Centers an inviting place for students to study and receive tutoring. You must be a current MiraCosta student taking a minimum of 6 units to apply for this position. Current on-campus job openings and application information for student workers can be found through the Career Studies & Services webpage.


Ronaldo won the inaugural Best Fifa men's player of the year award last year following the end of a six-year merger between the Fifa honour and the Ballon D'Or. The 32-year-old previously won the Fifa World Player of the Year award, the precursor to the Best Fifa award, in 2008.
"Thanks a lot for voting for me," said the former Manchester United favourite after receiving his trophy from Argentina great Diego Maradona and Brazil's Ronaldo at the London Palladium theatre. "I mention Leo and Neymar, great to be here. Real Madrid supporters, my team-mates, my coach, they all support me all year."
The XI also included Fifa's goalkeeper of the year, Gianluigi Buffon. AC Milan's Leonardo Bonucci and PSG's Dani Alves were in the defence, with Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta in a side also featuring Messi and Neymar.
Monday also saw the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2017 go to Arsenal's Olivier Giroud. The France striker received the award named in honour of Hungary great Ferenc Puskas for a spectacular 'scorpion-kick' against Crystal Palace in January.


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MoraleLeadershipIntelligenceMurphy's LawWinningPeace Time
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Intelligence: Russians Rue The Good Old Days
August 10, 2010: The Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin recently praised the ten Russian spies who had been discovered earlier this year in the United States, and exchanged for four spies in Russian prisons. Until this recent praise from Putin, it was uncertain how Russia would react to what was actually an espionage debacle. Now we know that Russia will stand by, and look after, its ten inept spies.
This ineptitude is in sharp contrast to the Cold War (1945-91), where the Soviet Union had a much larger number of spies, and much better ones at that. Russia used to be the premier trainer of all types of spies. The ten Russian spies caught in the United States are called, in the trade, "illegals." This is because the most important spies usually have official jobs at the embassy, and thus are protected ("legal") by diplomatic immunity. During the Cold War, the U.S. and Russia restricted how many diplomatic personnel they allowed the other side to have. This is a normal part of establishing diplomatic relations, determining how many diplomatic personnel will be "recognized" (as immune to arrest, for any crime). All you can do with unwanted diplomatic personnel is to order them to leave the country, and this is usually done when "legal" spies are caught.
"Illegals" are spies who do not have diplomatic immunity, and can be imprisoned, or even executed, if caught. Most countries use a lot of diplomatic personnel, without diplomatic immunity, for this job. But the most important illegals were those who were living in a foreign country pretending to be locals, or migrants from some friendly nation. The Russians were very good at creating convincing "legends" (fake identities and back stories) for their illegals. During the Cold War, the Russians were so good that they were rumored to have special boarding schools where promising Russian children were sent to learn how to speak and act like an American (or German, or Briton or Brazilian or whatever). This was mostly fantasy, but there were schools that taught the customs of foreign nations, and language institutes where illegals could have their accent tweaked to eliminate all trace of its Russian origin.
Russia would also recruit spies in third countries, and train them to be illegals in another nation, like the United States (where there were always a lot of migrants.) All these illegals were employees of the KGB (the Russian CIA/FBI), had KGB ranks, and, if they stayed alive and were successful, would eventually retire to a comfortable life on their KGB pension. Many did so, although dozens were caught and served long jail terms. A few were exchanged for U.S. spies in Russian jails. Some illegals switched sides, and had to worry about KGB death squads until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
All those KGB schools, and most of the world class KGB expertise, disappeared with the Soviet Union in the 1990s. The ten illegals caught in the United States this year were strictly amateurs, although they had some training and were employees of the FSB (the much smaller Russian successor to the KGB). But their language and cultural training were not up to KGB Cold War standards. Neither were their espionage skills. All ten were quickly detected and put under surveillance by the American FBI, which hoped to learn as much as possible about how the FSB operated, before rounding the illegals up. This crew were arrested when one of them apparently began suspecting that they were being watched, and reported this back to Russia. The FBI was indeed watching, and managed to arrest ten of the eleven Russian illegals they were monitoring. The eleventh spy may have been a double agent, as the Russians have said little about him.
The FBI, obviously, is not releasing many details of this case, because they are likely other Russian illegals being watched. Some of these may not been confirmed as illegals, or may have been called back to Russia. Details on that sort of thing will be revealed in the future. Needless to say, all this espionage continues, much as it did when the Soviet Union collapsed. During the 1990s, a lot of suddenly (or potentially) unemployed KGB personnel (including legals, and officials back in Russia), offered to sell information to the CIA and FBI. Many of these deals were consummated, and Russia's formidable Cold War espionage network took a lot of damage in the 1990s. But in the last decade, Russia has been rebuilding. But it won't be the same. Now that we know how extensive the KGB espionage network was (due to all those 1990s turncoats), it's unlikely anyone else will have the resources, or ignorance in the West, to pull it off.
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Dublin's RedBox opened on this day in 1996…
Some three-and-a-half years after the opening of The Pod nightclub, on Dublin's Harcourt Street, the late entrepreneur John Reynolds unveiled a state-of-the-art live venue perched on top of it, the RedBox.
As time would go on, the 1,250 capacity space would become better known as the main nightclub within the three-venue complex, attracting some of the world's biggest DJs and live acts. Later, it would evolve into Tripod, arguably a more purpose-built club venue.
With a capacity of 1,250, a quality atmosphere was guaranteed
Earlier this year, 909originals spoke to club designer Ron McCulloch, who, having worked on The Pod and neighbouring Chocolate Bar, was summoned back to Dublin in the mid-90s to work on the new venue.
"John was keen to show me the space above the Chocolate Bar, and I was thinking to myself, 'ok, this is going to be the next one'," McCulloch explained. "And sure enough, within a year or two, I was working on the RedBox.
"It was a big space, so compared to the Pod or the Chocolate Bar, there wasn't too much to the design of it. It was a case of spatial modelling, and working out how we can get the best possible use out of it."
And as for the name?
"The name didn't really have a story behind it, just out of some conversations that myself and John had," said McCulloch. "It was a lean towards the functionality of the place, which was to provide a 'box' for live entertainment and the sort of events he started putting on there.
"One of the fun design elements of the place was that there was a tiny little 'red box' somewhere in the club, and you had to try and find it. It ended up being in two or three different places. You might be in the venue a hundred times, and you wouldn't know it was there!"
Read the full interview with Ron McCulloch here.
Jeff Mills brought some three-deck mastery to Harcourt St in 2002
The opening night, 10 December 1996, saw a gig by Neneh Cherry, at the end of a tour to promote the album Man, which would be the Buffalo Stance artist's last full album release until 2014.
"The new Red Box venue in Dublin's POD nightclub was given a man-sized launch last night when UK hip-hop diva Neneh Cherry ended her current tour at the Harcourt Street venue," Kevin Courtney wrote in The Irish Times (read the full review here).
"Neneh's most recent smash, Woman, was given a dubby remix, opening up a heady world of beats and echoes, but 7 Seconds was ticked off like clockwork, and the capacity crowd synchronised perfectly with the familiar rhythm."
Irish techno legend Francois on the ones and twos
The RedBox (and latterly Tripod) would continue to pack them in well into the next decade, with the venue eventually closing its doors in 2012.
It's currently under development, with plans to reopen the site soon as a restaurant, retail and office complex – a step towards property group Clancourt Holdings' (which owns the building) 'master plan to create an €850 million 'Covent Garden-style district' in Dublin city centre called 'Opera Quarter', as The Journal reported last year.
Work underway at the former Pod complex, in April of this year
But whatever form the former Harcourt Street railway station takes in the future, they can't erase the memories. See you down the front, yeah?
Feel free to share some of your favourite RedBox memories (or DJ sets) in the comments below. 🙂
[All photos (except last image) by Francois Pittion]
Tags: Pod, Redbox
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5 thoughts on "Dublin's RedBox opened on this day in 1996…"
Kingbenni says:
Was the best club in dublin for at least 5 years. John Digweed, Sasha, Darren Emerson all played there but best night was George Clinton and Parliament. George signed my girlfriends boobs that night
Peter Kendrick says:
Stuart McMillan DJ'ing with Funk DeVoid playing live….lost my cloak room ticket as you do, thought id put it in my coin pocket, checked just as the night was getting going, ticket not there. Just said feck it and didn't worry about it. Moved in to the middle of the dance floor and had an amazing night. Just as the lights were coming on my then girlfriend picked up a cloakroom ticket off the floor, went up to see if it could possibly be my ticket….got to the top of the long queue….was only my ticket!!!
Daft Punk 1997
TheInpatient says:
It is hard to be negative about something without drawing criticism as I realise many people had a great time in the Red Box, but I have my own view of that period in Dublin development of the Rave.
The Red Box was a club, the distinction between a Rave and a Club I can only offer how I see and understand it.
A Rave was in essence an expression of freedom, breaking away from the societal norms of the past, where anyone could come and enjoy the experience and was accepted for what they are regardless of dress sense or social background. Also, the music and people was what it was all about and DJ would not be elevated to the focal point of the Rave, most of the time you would hardly know where the DJ is or even who they were, check out this short video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGvDnpomAaI
A Club was when the music was adopted by the nightclub industry and sanitised, a club adhered to normal rules of opening and closing times and exclusion of people that they deemed not fit for their club, it was an enterprise being run with the aim of making money utilising the music and energy of the Rave in order to do that, dress codes and drink promotions all being part of the rules of a club.
The Red box did have amazing line up of DJ's, and no doubt played killer tunes, but I know from experience if you turned up at the door in runners, you were not getting in, who can dance like crazy in shoes!!!?, they were very selective in who they admitted to the venue, if you attempted to remove your top in the place you would be either told to put it back on if they were in a good mood, or most likely turfed out. You couldn't let it all go in the Red Box the way you could in the venues that preceded it (Olympic, Asylum, Sides, Waterfront, Ormond)
Like I said, its hard to criticise without upsetting people that enjoyed the place, its not my intention, but that's my take on it, places like the Red Box started the sanitisation of the Rave and what the music was born out of and was for me anyway the beginning of the end of Raves in Dublin city.
Matt Galligan says:
DJ Shadow in 97 was a special gig.Great memories


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Carriera

Championship Wrestling Association (1985–1987)
Dopo una promettente carriera come dilettante, Jones iniziò a lottare nel wrestling professionistico con il ring name "Soul Train" Jones nella Championship Wrestling Association di Memphis (Tennessee) nel 1985. Ebbe dei feud con Chick Donovan e Big Bubba. Fece anche un'apparizione nella ICW con la gimmick di Soul Train Jones.

World Wrestling Federation (1987–1994)
Trasferitosi nella World Wrestling Federation, in principio debuttò in qualità di wrestler jobber con il nome di "Lucius Brown", perdendo un match contro "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff.

Adottò l'identità di "Virgil" nell'estate del 1987, presentandosi come assistente e bodyguard di "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. Il suo nome d'arte, ideato da Bobby Heenan, era una presa in giro dell'allora campione della World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Virgil Runnels, meglio conosciuto come Dusty Rhodes. Virgil si occupava di portare il denaro che DiBiase gettava alla folla o infilava in bocca all'avversario sconfitto in segno di sfregio. Inoltre spesso interferiva nei match in aiuto del suo "padrone".

Tuttavia, dopo qualche tempo Virgil si stufò di essere costantemente umiliato da DiBiase e si ribellò a lui, colpendolo con la sua stessa cintura da un milione di dollari alla Royal Rumble del gennaio 1991, diventando automaticamente un beniamino del pubblico. Dopo aver stretto amicizia con Roddy Piper, che si occupò anche del suo allenamento, Virgil sconfisse DiBiase per conteggio fuori dal ring a WrestleMania VII e lo schienò il 26 agosto 1991 a SummerSlam aggiudicandosi la preziosa Million Dollar Belt. Perse poi la cintura restituendola a DiBiase nel novembre seguente per colpa di un'interferenza da parte di Repo Man. L'episodio portò a un incontro di coppia al ppv This Tuesday in Texas, dove Repo Man e DiBiase sconfissero Virgil e Tito Santana.

A WrestleMania VIII, Virgil fece coppia con Big Boss Man, Sgt. Slaughter, e Jim Duggan per sconfiggere Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs e Jerry Sags), Repo Man, e The Mountie. Virgil schienò Knobbs. Successivamente venne impiegato principalmente come sparring partner designato a mettere in mostra il talento di nuovi lottatori sui quali puntava la federazione, perdendo contro Nailz a SummerSlam e Yokozuna alle Survivor Series. Tuttavia, Virgil ebbe l'occasione di sfidare Bret Hart per il titolo WWF Championship il 21 novembre 1992 durante una puntata di WWF Superstars. Dopo una violenta contesa, Virgil venne costretto a cedere per dolore da Hart che lo imprigionò nella sua mossa di sottomissione Sharpshooter. Dopo il match, i due (entrambi face) si strinsero la mano. Virgil lasciò la WWF nel 1994. La sua ultima apparizione ebbe luogo alla Royal Rumble di quell'anno dove sostituì Kamala come partecipante alla rissa reale.

World Championship Wrestling e ritiro (1996–2000)
Debuttò in WCW con il nome "Vincent" nel 1996, dove svolse la funzione di "capo della sicurezza" per la stable nWo. Questa volta il suo ring name era un ironico rimando a quello del proprietario della WWF Vince McMahon. Jones riscosse un successo alquanto modesto al suo arrivo nella federazione, vincendo qualche match poco importante a WCW Saturday Night. Combatteva raramente, preferendo apparire come assistente di membri dell'nWo come Scott Norton e Scott Steiner. La prima vittoria di Vincent in un ppv WCW avvenne a Starrcade 1997, dove in coppia con Scott Norton e Randy Savage sconfisse The Steiner Brothers e Ray Traylor. Il prossimo match in pay-per-view arrivò nel novembre 1998, dove Vincent partecipò alla World War 3 Battle Royal, ma senza successo. Divenne parte della fazione nWo Hollywood quando la stable si divise in due e rimase membro dell'nWo fino alla dissoluzione finale del gruppo nel 1999. L'unico incontro singolo combattuto da Vincent in WCW in pay-per-view ebbe luogo a Uncensored 1999, dove perse.  Alla fine del 1999, Jones cambiò ring name in "Shane", ennesima canzonatura, questa volta del figlio di Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon. Durante questo periodo Jones fece spesso coppia con Curt Hennig e Harris Brothers, lottando sotto la direzione del misterioso "Powers That Be" (Vince Russo). Alla fine del 1999, Jones si unì ai West Texas Rednecks adottando il nome "Curly Bill" ma la fazione si sciolse poco tempo dopo. L'ultimo ruolo interpretato in WCW fu quello di "Mr. Jones", manager di Ernest "The Cat" Miller, ma venne presto rimpiazzato da una valletta chiamata Ms. Jones. Negli ultimi giorni della WCW, Jones iniziò a lottare con il suo vero nome.

A seguito della fuoriuscita dalla WCW, Jones si ritirò dal wrestling, e prese ad insegnare matematica in una scuola superiore a Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania.

Ritorno in WWE (2010)
Nella puntata del 17 maggio 2010 di Monday Night Raw trasmessa da Toronto, Ontario, in Canada, Jones ritornò in WWE rispolverando la gimmick del bodyguard Virgil, questa volta ai servigi di Ted DiBiase Jr., figlio di The Million Dollar Man. Nel corso di una puntata di Raw, Virgil e DiBiase lottarono in coppia contro Big Show e Mark Feuerstein. Dopo che Virgil fu schienato e perse il match, DiBiase ficcò un biglietto da 100 dollari nella bocca di Virgil e se ne andò schifato dal ring abbandonandolo. La settimana seguente DiBiase prima si scusò con Virgil, ma poi lo licenziò rimpiazzandolo con Maryse.

Personaggio

Mosse finali
Camel Clutch
Million Dollar Dream (Cobra Clutch)
Russian Legsweep

Manager
Roddy Piper
Ted DiBiase

Wrestler assistiti
Larry Sharpe
Ted DiBiase
Curt Hennig
Ernest "The Cat" Miller
Ted DiBiase Jr.
nWo (Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall, Ted DiBiase, Vicious and Delicious (Scott Norton & Buff Bagwell), Konnan, Scott Steiner, Brian Adams  e Horace Hogan, Stevie Ray)
West Texas Rednecks (Curt Hennig, Barry Windham e Kendall Windham)

Titoli e riconoscimenti
American Wrestling Association
AWA International Heavyweight Championship (1)
AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1) – con Rocky Johnson
New Jack City Wrestling
NJCW Heavyweight Championship (1)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
74º nella lista dei migliori 500 wrestler singoli nei PWI 500 del 1992
483º nella lista dei migliori 500 wrestler singoli nei PWI Years del 2003
United States Wrestling League
USWL Intercontinental Championship (1)
World Wrestling Federation
Million Dollar Championship (1)1
1 = Il Million Dollar Championship non è un titolo ufficialmente riconosciuto dalla WWE.

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Manager di wrestling
Wrestler della WWE

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia