Kate & Gerry McCann: We believe Maddie is still alive

KATE and Gerry McCann believe their missing daughter Madeleine is still alive and think one key piece of information will reveal her whereabouts.

Speaking two days before the first anniversary of the day she was abducted, the couple said their ordeal had been "almost unbearable" and said they had been pulled through by their young twins, Sean and Amelie.

Launching a media campaign in a renewed bid to find Madeleine, Gerry McCann said: "Any parent will understand we will do anything to get that child back. We will go to the ends of the earth."

Kate added: "We're Madeleine's parents; if we're not there for her, who is?"

The couple were speaing in a live TV interview this morning.

Kate admitted the couple had received hate mail for leaving the little girl and her younger siblings alone in the unlocked apartment while they went to dinner at a nearby restaurant.



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Da Vinci genius brought to life

Five-hundred-year-old drawings by the grand master of art and science, Leonardo da Vinci, have been brought to life in an interactive and informative exhibition which opened in Perth yesterday.

More than 60 of da Vinci's famous works, including the tank, the hangglider and the spring-powered car, have been carefully constructed in raw materials by world renowned group the Artisans of Florence.

Other models are concept designs of the modern bicycle, parachute, helicopter, lifebuoy, paddle boat and scuba gear, which da Vinci reportedly created while working in Venice.

Exhibition manager and Australian member of the group Thomas Rizzo has travelled the world exhibiting the works inside a theatrical tent modelled on da Vinci's Ideal City concept.


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Assess farm financial performance now

BROOKINGS, S.D. - Now is a good time for producers to assess farm financial position and performance, a South Dakota State University specialist said."It is important to remember that if a cost can be measured, it can be managed. Start your farm's benchmarking and profit improvement by taking the first step: Measure your costs to know where you are," SDSU Extension area management specialist Jack Davis said.SDSU has online resources available to help producers measure costs and returns for last year, and prepare a budget for this year. Use a Farm Enterprise Budget available from SDSU Extension at http://econ.sdstate.edu/.Use the "Extension" pulldown bar, then click on "Management tools and links" to find the budget appropriate to your operation.Davis said machinery, labor and management costs account for 30 percent of total costs and may provide an opportunity for helping control costs.


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Outdoors: New contour maps reveal lakes’ secrets

New high-tech contour maps are providing more accurate information in attempts to catch fish and restore lakes.

Data have been collected through the use of special sonar equipment on 44 publicly owned lakes in the state, said fisheries biologist Mike Hawkins of Spirit Lake.

Hawkins said contour maps of Iowa lakes have not been made since the 1970s, when they were hand-drawn. Many lake beds have changed, and in some lakes new structure has been added.

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As economy slows, some locals hope for the best

Raymond Porco said he's thankful he has a paycheck.

His wife just lost her job in the financial services industry. The dollar's low value alarmed him greatly on a recent trip to Mexico.

And he's worried about his ability to fund his 9-year-old twin daughters' college education.

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Your Office Coach: Reprimand calls for intense focus on goal

Q. On her recent performance review, my sister was rated "below expectations." Her boss said she took too long to complete a major project. However, this really wasn't her fault.

During that time, she had a lot of computer problems. Also, management changes created some confusion, and her co-workers weren't very cooperative. But she still got a bad review.

Now she's on three months' probation with a warning that her current project must be completed on time. It's not clear what will happen if she doesn't meet the deadline.

I don't think this is fair, because many things are out of her control. And the rules seem to be different for her. My sister tries hard, despite getting little cooperation from others. I feel that "below expectations" should be for people who goof off all day.



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Eighth-grade girls from St. Gregory�s and Maryville Middle school participated in a job shadowing experience March 19.

This is the 16th year the event has been sponsored by the Maryville branch of the American Association of University Women. Job Shadow Day started as a response to an AAUW-sponsored study and report titled �Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America.� One of the missions of AAUW is to promote lifetime education and self-improvement for girls and women. �Job shadowing is an opportunity to encourage young women in our area to pursue as much education and training as possible,� said Bridget Brown, the event�s co-chairwoman. �It also influences young women to think about their futures and to take steps to accomplish their career goals.� The 54 eighth-graders were matched with a professional woman in the community based on student essays about careers they would like to learn more about.


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