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Nowadays, the hub for developing healthy habits isn't just the gym or home. For kids, at least, it's increasingly their schools, according to a study released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School districts across the country are demonstrating a range of improvements in terms of nutrition, exercise and tobacco policies.
For instance, after years of efforts to phase out junk food like candy and chips, the percentage of school districts that prohibited such food in vending machines increased from 29.8 percent in 2006 to 43.4 percent in 2012, according to the CDC's 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study. Also, slightly more than half of school districts — up from about 35 percent in 2000 — made information available to families on the nutrition and caloric content of foods available to students.
"Schools play a critical role in the health and well-being of our youth," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, in the news release. "Good news for students and parents — more students have access to healthy food, better physical fitness activities through initiatives such as 'Let's Move,' and campuses that are completely tobacco free."
Since 2000, the number of school districts that require elementary schools to teach physical education increased. In addition, the number of districts entering into agreements with local YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs or local parks and recreation departments went up, according to the study.
Meanwhile, the percentage of districts with policies that prohibited all tobacco use during any school-related activity increased from 46.7 percent in 2000 to 67.5 percent in 2012.
The CDC study is a periodic, national survey that examines key components of school health at the state, district, school, and classroom level, including health education; physical education and activity; health services; mental health and social services; nutrition services; healthy and safe school environment; faculty and staff health promotion; and family and community involvement.


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Source: The Fable of Diamonds and the US$15bn story – The Zimbabwe Independent April 13, 2018
THE entire nation must have been relieved this week as we all took one more step towards solving the great mystery of the missing diamonds.
While most of us sceptics had always suspected that some unscrupulous foreigners, working in cahoots with local corporate sell outs, were responsible for spiriting the national wealth across the country's borders, it is increasingly emerging that this was not so.
If testimony before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy this week is anything to go by, then it appears there is nothing to worry about. Apparently, some of the diamonds were seized by our caring police force for "safe custody".
Of course, in reality there are series of incidents in which police and their accomplices — which is strange — seized diamonds. Remember those taken from RBZ and Mbada?
One simply got dizzy watching the whole hearing. Here was a roomful of big names, all of them tied in one way or the other to the diamond trade. All spoke under oath, so who are we to even imagine they would lie?
First, you had former Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation board chairperson, Godwills Masimirembwa, saying the ZRP was a 20% shareholder in a company called Gye Nyame, which had diamond operations in Chiadzwa.
Recall Masimirembwa and the US$6 million saga?
Well, documents say former Mines minister Obert Mpofu helped police muscle their way into the company.
Yes Mpofu — fallen Dear Leader Robert Mugabe's "ever obedient son" — was neck-deep into the Marange diamond saga.
Lovemore Kurotwi accuses him of demanding a US$10 million bribe. Mpofu has virtually refused to co-operate with parliament's investigation.
And then we always hear President Emmerson Mnangagwa waxing lyrical about government's alleged anti-corruption campaign.
The other Gye Nyame shareholders included one William Ato Essien.
If the name rings a bell, it's because you've heard it before. Back in 2013, over overflowing plates of oversized chicken and coleslaw salad, Mugabe claimed Masimirembwa had asked Essien for a US$6 million bribe.
There was much noise for a few days. But then, in no time, Mugabe backtracked. No, he later said, it was Essien who had lied. Masimirembwa was clean, he suggested. Obviously, some people had forgotten to pay homage to the Dear Leader, in more ways than one.
US$15bn fiction
While government and parliament are busy investigating Mugabe's claims that US$15 billion in diamond revenues could have been lost during the Marange mining operations, it transpires the whole thing was an urban legend; a story circulated as though true, even if it is just a fable.
As we report somewhere in this edition, Mugabe told the Zimbabwe Independent in an interview on March 15 that his claims that diamond revenues worth US$15 billion could have been siphoned was "just a story", of course without a factual basis.
The Conqueror of the British was just telling fictitious tales. He was clearly misled by some of his corrupt and incompetent officials who wanted to find someone to blame for the Chiadzwa fiasco.
The sad reality, though, is that Zimbabweans have taken that seriously and ran with it. Government has even commissioned three audit firms — BDO Zimbabwe Chartered Accountants, HLB Zimbabwe Chartered Accountants and PriceWaterhouseCoopers — to investigate the falsehood. Parliament has joined in the fray.
How does the country lose US$15 billion when it produced diamonds worth no more than US$5 billion at the material time? Even if you factor in theft and looting it will not go much above that.
Yes, certainly diamonds were plundered, but not on that scale. Let's not be naïve or a country governed by a herd mentality. We need progressive contrarians in society, much like Muckraker of course, to question such things.
An inquiry into the Marange diamonds scandal is needed, but it must be grounded on reality, not fiction. All those who were involved, including Mugabe and the military, must be summoned to parliament to explain their roles. There must be now sacred cows if government and MPs are to be taken seriously on this. But will Themba Mliswa summon the People's Commander to testify in parliament?
In the meantime, Muckraker is planning to write a book or make a movie, whatever tells the story better, about the diamonds saga titled The Fable of Diamonds and Mugabe.
Collective amnesia
The sudden outbreak of amnesia in the top echelons of the security forces and government should spring David Parirenyatwa into action. It's a health crisis with serious consequences on our national security.
Under oath, one official after the other who appeared in that diamond inquiry process swore they had never heard that the ZRP was mining diamonds in Chiadzwa. Startling amnesia, seeing as these reports were out in the public many moons ago, including here in the Independent.
In fact, Muckraker remembers a report by a Kimberly Process team back in 2009, which found that "Government was aware of these syndicates" involving the cops. Besides, there was a letter the ZRP wrote to then minister Mpofu in 2010, begging for diamond concessions for a police company aptly named Security Self-Reliance Enterprises.
And yet, this week, nobody remembers. Deputy police chief Innocent Matibiri claims to have never heard of the ZRP's diamond mining activities. Ignatius Chombo too, a former Home Affairs Minister, said he knew nothing about it. When a person like Chombo forgets about dodgy deals, we must all be worried.
The minister in charge of the ZRP must come out and tell us how the former Minister of mines gave diamond concessions to the police. Oh well by the way, it was same guy who allegedly wanted to be given US$10 million for his signature.
Professor Twitterati
Muckraker is impressed at how Jonathan Moyo, the poster-boy of all non-cerebral propaganda, is trying to morph into a reliable, credible source of information.
Even journalists, who by the nature of their job must walk around with a permanent side-eye, doubting everything they hear, especially from politicians of Jona's shifty ilk, are out there whipping out their notebooks and licking their lips each time Jona tweets from whatever hole is hiding in.
This week, Jona helpfully claimed that Zanu PF had used state funds to buy party regalia worth US$70 million in 2013. Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, tweeted Jona, had "unilaterally done a multi-US$ deal in 2012 to buy and ship unapproved 2013 campaign gear".
It is refreshing to see people who are this honest. Having been part of the Zanu PF publicity machinery himself, Jona is confessing to having dipped into state coffers for party business. He has shown similar honesty when confessing that Zimdef funds were used for party affairs in Tsholotsho, including to buy bicycles for his former constituency.
It is, however, surprising to hear Jona claim that nobody in Zanu PF knew about the 2013 regalia. Muckraker recalls Zanu PF's manifesto, written by the professor himself, July 2103 launch at Zimbabwe Grounds, Highfield. It was announced quite loudly that Cde Mugabe, in his infinite benevolence, had singlehandedly bought the party regalia, using his own money. There was much cheering, thanking, and dancing at the news.
In fact, the Herald reported at the time, quoting Webster Shamu: "Zanu PF national political commissar told party supporters at Zimbabwe Grounds last Friday that the beautiful regalia had been donated to the party by the First Family which used its own money to rescue the party after it pleaded financial constraints."
But it seems, much like those chefs at the diamond enquiry, memory loss has caught up with Jona and those who would choose to ignore his own selective amnesia in his tweets from self-imposed exile.
By the way, let's ask Jona how many people does White City Stadium in Bulawayo accommodate at full capacity. You can tweet the answer Professor Twitterati!
Where on earth is Cde Stephen Chocha?
Muckraker is gravely concerned about the whereabouts of former police chief Augustine Chihuri.
The great revolutionary called Stephen Chocha. Not revolutionary in the political sense, but for allowing revolutionary corruption episodes at the police.
At one time it was almost official policy for police to be corrupt under him. They were allowed to harass, extort and demand from citizens or motorists what to all intents and purposes were bribes.
The time last we saw him in public, the poor man had been dragged screaming and kicking to State House during the crisis triggered by "military intervention" to oust the Dear Leader, to use authorities' favourite line these days.
He has since been summoned to parliament, but was a no show. He has not appeared to attend to the little matter of his mistress in Bulawayo, and a public summons had to be issued. His former minions at ZRP say they don't know where their former boss is.
But anyone who has seen Chihuri's estate in Gletwin would completely understand how someone can easily get lost in that obscenely vast mansion!

subset: commoncrawl


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Watching this show for the second time around is just solidifying for me how masterfully it was executed. The characters are actually believable, tangible human beings. In fact, they're the kind of people you'd want to get a beer with at the pub on Friday night. It has the same fresh breath of life that makes Coffee Prince feel so astoundingly real and pierce straight to the soul.
It struck me last night as I was sitting tearfully on the edge of my seat, breathlessly waiting for the events that I already knew were going to happen to gracefully unfold, that episode 5 has to be one of the most simultaneously heart wrenching and heart warming drama excerpts I have ever beheld. It has a fluidity about it, a natrualness, rather than this chopped up overly dramatic, commercialistic, wheel spinning that entices you to find random projectiles to hurl at the T.V. screen. It looks and feels like a real family that fights over real every day things like money, and grades, and spending too much time mooning over unattainable famous boys. A family that loves each other enough to drive each other crazy, but also loves each other enough to come together in a time of crisis. A wife that loves her husband so much that she'll call the drama script writer 100 times just to get the ending that will make him feel encouraged about his recovery. A father that loves his daughter so much that even though she acts like spoiled baby, he'll do her homework while he's in the hospital because he can't stand to think of her being hit by the teacher at school. It's plain, simple, humanistic beauty captured at its best, and I was soaking in every gloriously emotional second of it.
Seriously, if you have never taken the time to watch Answer Me 1997, I highly suggest that you do. You won't regret it!! Especially if you are a 90s/early 2000s kid like me. You just can't beat the nostalgia with a stick.


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Summer is here, school's out and, though my children have mixed feelings about it, that means more time for family adventures. My youngest, to his mother's chagrin, chomps on his mouthguard at flag football camp. My oldest proudly assists her … Read More
As many longtime readers know, I am an avid coffee drinker. I am also originally from the Boston area. Put the two together and you'd be right to assume I have an inordinate love of Dunkin' Donuts. Alas, I have … Read More
Cory Richards and climbing partner Adrian Ballinger documented their long journey to the top of Mount Everest on Snapchat (and Instagram, Facebook and YouTube). Their goal was to summit the tallest mountain in the world together without using supplemental oxygen. … Read More


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You start working on your next writing assignment with a fast approaching deadline. You've had ample time to brainstorm, research, and put everything you have down on paper.
You revise, edit, rinse and repeat. But, as the deadline looms closer.
The words stop flowing.
Writing doesn't feel like fun anymore. It's starting to feel a lot like… work. Dreadful and exhausting, work.
If you are feeling this way about writing, it's a sign that you are probably burned out and need a fresh perspective on your project. The tips below can help you regain your creative drive and learn to enjoy your writing life again.
Nature Helps Creativity
Get outside.
Breathe fresh air.
Look at the morning dew evaporate from blades of glass.
Walk in a sunshower.
Anything is better than sitting behind a desk, staring at the blinking cursor on a blank page when you are too tired to even type out a word let alone a chapter for your next novel.
An article produced by Berkeley University recommends getting in the great outdoors to shake off the dullness which comes with writing for a living.
Let's face it. Being a writer is a lonely gig. It's one of the few jobs where collaboration isn't necessary until the actual work is completed or near completion.
Now, consider how helpful the next pointer is not only to your well-being but your creativity as a writer.
Burn Calories
Exercise for some is the bane of their existance. But, consistency is key to building a proper exercise routine.
Now what does this have to do with writing?
The WritePractice states that working out may even improve your creativity.
If you've ever been stumped on a particular plot twist or can't get the creative juices flowing for your next blog post.
Try going for a walk and using a tape recorder or a recording app on your phone to take verbal notes during your workout. You may end up with better ideas than if you were sitting in a chair letting the blood pool in your glutes.
Everyone can't afford the expense or time needed to go on a grand vacation. And, if you are pinched for cash and don't have that giant writer's salary that every writer should be earning (kidding!), you may be more inclined not to travel.
Whether you fly out to visit your favorite country from your favorite story, or opt for a staycation. Traveling can make you a better story teller.
Which writer do you think would be able to create a story worth claiming your attention?
The person who perused a couple of travel guides about a small town in Italy for a research project?
Or, the person who visited the village, smelled the local cuisine and livestock, listened to the native tongues of the people and their intracacies, and tasted the yummy pasta fresh from the kitchen?
Sometimes experience is your best teacher.
Limit Social Media
Social media is one of the best ways to promote and humble brag about accomplishments. It's also a well known distraction. Just the thing a tired and drained writer needs.
A fifteen minute reprieve may turn into hours worth of cat videos, life quotes, and celebrity gossip. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or one of the other popular sites, it may be a good idea to take a break, based on this Readers Digest article.
On a personal note, I recently dropped off a few social media accounts, and I focus scheduled time on 2. I feel like my writing has improved. I don't feel stressed about not reaching the same forms of success as my peers. And, I have time to enjoy my writing.
Dream Bigger – Start with a Life Plan
Sometimes writers are focused on stepping up the next rung, instead of looking at their path up the ladder.
Wishing to have a bestselling book on Amazon or successfully finding an editor, may be things on your list and it's not a bad thing.
Some dreams need to be big, so that you don't lose steam when dealing with the small stuff.
Don't just create a fancy book cover, use it to build your brand.
Don't just find an editor, build a hype-team for your next launch.
And, so on.
Successful or not creating a map for your journey through life can help you dream big and accomplish bigger things. This interactive video is a great guide that shows you how to get started on creating a life plan.
So, there you have it, the five ways that writers can improve their creativity and defeat writer's burn out.
Do you have any other ways that help you deal with creative burnout? Leave a comment below.
Also, if you liked what you read, get more updates, and even a free e-book when you sign up for my newsletters.


text: The last couple of days, I have shown you a painting in progress. Today is the last steps where you see how I pull all the "randomness" together into a cohesive work. I retraced my original vine sketch to scale (24″ x 24″) to fit the dimensions of the painting panel and transferred it to the surface of my paper collage surface. Then I painting multiple layers of white acrylic paint around the outline to reveal the main subject material. Voila! Colorful vines and flowers appear as if out of the mist. The surrounding white really makes the colors pop. The last touch was to add some red-painted outlines of branches of berries. Some of my favorite parts are actually in the white areas with their detailed but subtle textured surfaces. See the two companion paintings are below.


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Low Vision Aids
In cases with irreversible severe or partial loss of vision due to any cause, magnifying aids and specialized telescopes may be used. Formal assessment of vision and guidance is available in Low Vision Aid Clinic. In addition, you may be eligible for registration as an individual with sight impairment and benefit from additional social help and rehabilitation. Please ask Mr Saeed for Certificate of Visual Impairment.


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I'm filling in for MetsPolice.com all week long, here is one of the posts from their site that I recently uploaded. Give it a look on their site.
Yesterday, as I was watching the game, I had my phone on the At Bat app looking at the balls and strikes (yep, I'm one of those fans).
When out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the black skyline ball logo on the left field wall, to the left of the MLB Network sign.
Now, it should be noted that for anything digital, like a video game or background photo, MLB Advanced Media typically only inserts generic team and MLB ads in place of the typical "Delta" and "Geico" signs that you would actually see at a ballpark. This is done only to keep the visuals realistic, as I doubt many people actually tune into MLB Network when they see their logo on the outfield wall.
That being said, this isn't the first time the black skyline logo has appeared, it was in previous versions of MLB The Show, before being removed, but has popped up again.
What's especially interesting is that the Mets got rid of their black alternates officially after the 2014 season (they stopped wearing them after 2011, which is when I consider them to be out of circulation) yet here we are in 2018, and MLB still inserts it whenever possible, but only in the outfield fence in that one specific spot.
My hunch is that someone tried to replicate the wall from 2012, where in that exact space, there was a circle (50th Anniversary) next to a home plate logo (Carter).
Now, sure, there are more important things MLB could change before this, like keeping the volume level on the Mets feed of WOR, or making World Series games end before 12:30am, but I dislike the black uniforms as much as the next guy, and I continue to scratch my head at this mystery that will probably never see a resolution.


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As part of National Selfie Day, OPPO Philippines also announced the newest variant of its newest selfie expert, the F5 – Meet the OPPO F5 Limited Edition Red!The OPPO F5 Limited Edition Red is set to raise the bar high with a fashion statement, and has 6GB of RAM versus 4GB on the standard model, and 64GB of storage compared to the standard's 32GB.
Apart from memory and storage, you still get everything that makes the F5 such an iconic product – a 2.5GHz octa-core processor, a 6-inch FHD+ 18:9 display, and most importantly, a 20MP selfie camera with AI Beauty technology.
It also runs on ColorOS 3.2, which introduces features like Speedy Facial Unlock and Game Acceleration.
"The new OPPO F5 6GB shows that a smartphone is not just powerful, but can also be a
lifestyle statement with its loud and stylish red color. We're sure that people will adore our
outstanding A.I. Beauty Technology selfies along with its upgraded RAM and storage in a
standout color." – Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng.
The OPPO F5 6GB Limited Edition Red will be available exclusively on OPPO Concept Stores nationwide starting December 9, 2017, with an SRP of PhP21,990. Every purchase of a unit also comes with a FREE Olike Bluetooth Speaker worth PhP2,990.
In addition, every purchase of an OPPO F5 6GB entitles customers to a FREE Hero in Arena of Valor – The Joker. Customers will also get the chance to win in-game items through lucky draws to be held in the coming weeks.
For more updates, you may follow OPPO Philippines' Facebook Page.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.


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Not only are we in the middle of National Ice Cream Month but it is National Ice Cream Day on Sunday. This extensive celebration of frozen cream comes to us thanks to President Ronald Reagan (clearly a puppet of big ice- cream) who signed these observances into public law in 1984.
America may be divided on lots of things, but when it comes to ice-cream, there is at least some national unity: 96% of Americans say they eat ice-cream, according to new data from YouGov.
Familiar divisiveness, though, is more apparent once you get into America's favorite flavor. Topping the charts nationally is chocolate, followed closely by vanilla. Butter pecan comes in third. But there are pronounced regional differences: in the west, people are more than twice as likely as people in other parts of the US to pick rocky road as their favorite flavor, whereas in the south, butter pecan was as popular as chocolate and vanilla.
While people across the political spectrum seem to generally like the same ice cream flavors, Republicans are three more likely to have rocky road as their favorite flavor than people who identify as Democrats.
It seems our tastes change as we age. Millennials are much more likely to prefer cookies'n'creme (14%) and chocolate chip cookie dough (13%) than older people. Those aged 55 and up are significantly more likely to prefer butter pecan (17%) and vanilla (16%).
Mint chocolate chip seems to divide people down gender and race lines. Ten percent of white people surveyed liked it the most, compared with only 2% of black people and 4% of Hispanic people. It seems the profile of a mint chocolate chip lover is a middle-age white female living in the north-east in a domestic partnership earning over $80K.
There are also racial differences when it comes to butter pecan. Twenty percent of black people surveyed said it was their preferred flavor, compared with 11% of white people and 7% of Hispanic people.
If all of this has left you hungry for more ice-cream statistics, the entire survey is online here. Fill your boots.


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TAMPA, Fla. -- Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews collected the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHLPA's most outstanding player at the NHL Awards on Tuesday night.
Matthews, 24, scored 60 goals, leading the NHL for the second straight season. He set a Maple Leafs franchise record and the single-season record for most goals by an American-born player. He led the NHL in even-strength goals (44), goals per game (0.82) and shots (348). He was tied for sixth in points with 106 -- the highest total of his career.
"I think it's a tremendous honor to wear the blue and white, represent the city of Toronto and wear the Maple Leaf every night," he said. "Every time you get your name etched in history, with an organization like that, it's something I don't take for granted."
Matthews earned 119 first-place votes for the Hart Trophy, which is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers was second in the voting, and New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was third.
Matthews is the first Maple Leafs player to win the NHLPA's most outstanding player award, which is voted on by the players and was first handed out in 1971. He is the second American-born player to win it, joiningChicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane(2015-16). McDavid and Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi were the runners-up for the Ted Lindsay.
"I'm not going to lie to you, it feels really good," Matthews said. "It's special to have my family here with me. There are a lot of great players in that room."
The closest vote of the night was for the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL's best defenseman by the PHWA. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar won his first Norris with 1,631 points in the voting, with 92 first-place votes. Josi was second (1,606) with more first-place votes than Makar (98). The points allocation on the ballot, which ranks the top five choices, is 10-7-5-3-1. Makar was named on 195 ballots, while Josi was named on 194.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was third for the Norris.
Both Hedman and Makar will play in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night.
"I feel like once it's all said and done, you can enjoy [the award]," Makar said. "But for me right now, I've already kinda forgot about it. You have to move on. Obviously, it's weird circumstances with [the awards] being presented before the season's over. As a team, we put ourselves in a great spot right now. We just need to capitalize on that."
Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender, which is voted on by the NHL's general managers. The other finalists were runner-up choice Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames and Juuse Saros of the Predators.
"It means a lot for me," said Shesterkin, who completed his third NHL season. "I didn't think about it when I came to the NHL. But sometimes you think maybe I have a chance. In the first preseason game against the Islanders, I didn't play. One small child [fan] showed me a picture with myself and it said, 'Future Vezina Trophy winner.' I think, 'Why not?' We have a good team for that."
Shesterkin led the NHL with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in 53 games, leading the Rangers to 110 regular-season points, the third-highest total in franchise history. He was a first-time Vezina nominee and joined Henrik Lundqvist and John Vanbiesbrouck as Rangers who won the Vezina since the current criteria for the award was set in 1981-82.
Some expected he could be a unanimous choice, but Carolina's Frederik Andersen, Tampa Bay'sAndrei Vasilevskiy and the New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin also had first-place votes.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider won the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year, as voted on by the PHWA. He played all 82 games for the Red Wings and averaged 23:02 in ice time per game, tops among rookies. He led all rookie defensemen in points (50), the third-highest for a first-year blueliner in the last 30 years. He led all rookies in assists (43) and power-play points (21).
Seider earned a big laugh at the awards show when he mentioned his parents weren't in attendance because they had just gotten back from vacation in Croatia.
"They scheduled their vacation and there were just not any more days to escape from home," he said. "They definitely watched. Very proud to bring something back [for them]."
Seider collected 170 first-place votes. Trevor Zegras, the Anaheim Ducks forward who created several highlight-reel goals this season, was second with 15 first-place votes. Maple Leafs rookie Michael Bunting, who was notable for being 26 years old, was third in the voting.
Julien BriseBois of the Lightning, Chris Drury of the Rangers and Joe Sakic of the Avalanche are the three finalists for the 2021-22 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at the NHL draft next month in Montreal.
The NHL Awards were held at Armature Works on the off day between Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The league previously announced several awards during the playoffs: Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings; Jack Adams Award: Daryl Sutter, Flames; Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens; Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award: Noel Acton of Baltimore. Frank J. Selke Trophy for best defensive forward: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for most gentlemanly player: Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets; King Clancy Memorial Trophy for community service: P.K. Subban, New Jersey Devils.


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Jaberi Ansari, who is heading the Iranian delegation to the Syria peace talks, told IRIB on Saturday that "the aim of this visit is to attend the Syria peace negotiations in the Kazakh capital of Astana with the purpose of [enforcing] a lasting ceasefire in Syria and preparing the ground for serious talks about sustainable peace between the Syrian government and the opposition groups."
He added that Iran would participate in the Astana talks "with full readiness."
The two-day talks, mediated by Iran, Russia, and Turkey, are to involve the representatives of the Syrian government and opposition to discuss a potential solution to the conflict in Syria. The negotiations will start on Monday.
The negotiations exclude the ISIS and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist groups, Press TV reported.
The Iranian diplomat said the Islamic Republic has always emphasized that the Syrian crisis has no military solution and "must be solved through peaceful means and political and serious talks."
"The continuation of the Syrian crisis will have no result but the killing [of people] and the destruction of a Muslim country," he added.
He expressed hope that the Astana talks will be a watershed in resolving the Syrian conflict.
The Astana talks will be addressing issues such as the further stabilization of the all-Syria ceasefire, effective confrontation with terrorism, and intra-Syrian dialog toward the achievement of a political solution to the crisis.
Iran's Delegation to Astana Holds Talks with Russians and Turks
The Iranian delegation held separate meetings with the Russian and Turkish teams there on Saturday.
The Iranian and Turkish delegations, led by deputy foreign ministers of the two countries, held talks at Astana's Marriott Hotel on Saturday, according to IRIB.
The unofficial bilateral talks followed a same meeting between Iranian and Russian diplomats.
The peace negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition will be held on January 23 and 24.
Jaberi Ansari has announced that Tehran will pursue a four-point plan that it had put forward earlier, entailing preservation of Syria's territorial integrity, Tasnim reported.
The proposal includes plans to safeguard Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty and put all issues to the vote of the Syrian people, he noted, saying Iran will pursue the same plan in the Astana talks.


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Breaking Down Stigma
I put together an interactive storytelling site prototype for a fourth year exhibition on social innovation at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. I chose to pursue possible design solutions for breaking down stigma surrounding substance abuse to help those suffering from being socially ostracized. My prototype creates an empathetic connection between users and real anonymized stories from Canadians suffering from substance abuse. Users interact with these stories by choosing to reveal hidden information that can often be missed with these stories. Every user has to put in the effort if they want to learn more, or choose the alternative of being oblivious to the actual struggle these Canadians faced. The site lets users experience various emotions to give them enough information to rationally consider if stigmatizing people suffering from substance abuse is appropriate or not. I assembled my prototype through Adobe Experience Design.
Example Pages
I chose to keep the identities of the individuals anonymous and to properly blur out their faces, because I wanted users to focus on the feelings rather than the person's identity. The goal of the site was to raise an empathetic connection towards those suffering. Much of the philosophy behind this involves encouraging people to let their feelings influence how they act, instead of acting how society might expect them to (e.g. ostracizing a drug user).
Video Demonstration
I kept my design simple and clean. Substance abuse is an incredibly sensitive topic, and I chose to keep my design solution to a minimalistic aesthetic to avoid taking away from my featured stories. I wanted the experience to be simplistic, and to make this topic as approachable as possible for every user.
Process Overview
My first efforts were clearly identifying and defining the issue, which is that stigma does not go towards resolving the issue of substance abuse for those suffering from it. From there, I began my research by collecting articles from both academic experts and media outlets that covered this topic. I met with Ryan Magnussen, who is a public speaker and expert on this topic, and learned a lot about the difficulties associated with changing public opinion. Although the solution was a designed site, it was only a small fraction of my project, with most of my efforts invested in research and reflection.
Project Reflection
During the exhibition, I spoke with numerous individuals whom opened up to me regarding their experiences with substance abuse. These individuals told me that my approach was respectful, informative, and powerful. This was exactly the experience I wanted from people, and was very moving to hear how difficult substance abuse is on those suffering and the people who's lives are connected to them. If I could change anything with my approach, I would try to meet with even more subject matter experts to learn even more about this issue in a Canadian context.


text: Dr. Lanctin presenting a pediatric resectoscope to Dr. Dreux. This is a gift from Dr. Ed. Miedema, a retired urologist from Colorado. This is an instrument that has been needed for a long time, to deal with a congenital malformation in males that can lead to kidney failure, posterior urethral valves.


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I have half an eye on a short-story collection. I'm not seriously thinking about it yet, but just leaving it dangling out there in the distance. In my head, it's called Witches & Devils and it's filled with stories about, yes, witches and/or Devils.
I could put "Bone," "Frank," "Sarah Clark," "Allendale," and "The Witch's Friend" in there right away. And I was thinking of grabbing a couple of pieces from Flock that could be reworked into stand-alone stories, so I was rereading those parts last night and I decided two things. 1. No. I like them where they are in the story and I don't want to pull them out. 2. I really like Flock. I still think it's good. Weird, but good.
I was away from it for so long that I thought I'd open it up and be like "Oh, this is why no one wants it." But no, I like it. I still like it.
If it has any problem, it's that it's a book about Christianity that isn't a Christian book. I think that may be the problem. I feel like it stars the folkloric Devil and, as such, is straight-up fantasy. But maybe it seems too much like a religious book? I don't know.
But I was glad to find that I still liked it.


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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Coming off an 11-day holiday break, No. 3 Duke didn't show much rust against Old Dominion.
Tricia Liston had 17 points, all in the first half, and Elizabeth Williams 12 points and 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the season as the Blue Devils beat the Monarchs 87-63 Thursday night.
Freshman Oderah Chidom had 13 points and Alexis Jones 12 to help Duke (13-1) win its 64th straight against unranked teams at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Manteca native Chelsea Gray had five points on 2-of-4 shooting.
"It was a really good game for us, and I was really proud of the bench — 33 points against their 19," Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "Elizabeth's energy was fantastic. She could have gone forever tonight. She was aggressive and demanding of the ball.
"I think they're excited. If you get proper rest (over a break), there's not that much of a challenge. I thought that we've had a great schedule. I'm really proud of this team — No. 1 RPI and No. 1 strength of schedule — that's the 'number ones' we care about right now."
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Coming off an 11-day holiday break, No. 3 Duke didn't show much rust against Old Dominion.


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Am I missing something? Has not the FOMC marginally moved toward - not all the way to - an agnostic position with regard to its next likely directional change in the federal funds rate? That's what I took away from Fed Chairman Bernanke's JEC testimony and Q & A today. Yes, the FOMC still sees higher inflation as the "predominant policy concern ...[h]owever, the uncertainties around the outlook have increased somewhat in recent weeks." One of those uncertainties has to do with business capital spending. To wit, "the magnitude of the slowdown [in business equipment and software expenditures] has been somewhat greater than would be expected given the normal evolution of the business cycle." And today's anemic report on February durable goods orders and shipments reinforced the notion that the slowdown is greater than the Fed expected. Any other downside risks? "[T]he correction in the housing market could turn out to be more severe ... perhaps exacerbated by problems in the subprime sector." And perhaps by problems in the Alt-A market, too. "Moreover, we could see greater spillover from the weakness in housing to employment and consumer spending than has occurred thus far. Ask the folks in Irvine, California, the headquarters of New Century Financial about the spillover from housing into employment and consumer spending ("Subprime Mortgage Collapse Eviscerates California Headquarters", Bloomberg, March 28, 2007). My reading of all this is that the FOMC, although still concerned that inflation might not moderate into its comfort zone, is also is now worried more than it was on January 31 that real economic growth will not stabilize in the range of 2% to 2-1/4%, but rather will head toward zero or below. That worry is well placed if the FOMC takes into consideration the behavior of the index of Leading Economic Indicators (see The Econtrarian, March 22, 2007, "Recession Imminent? Both the LEI and the KRWI are Flashing Warning").
January-February Durable Goods Orders/Shipments Bode Poorly For Capex
New orders for durable goods rebounded a pathetic 2.5% in February after a downwardly revised 9.3% January decline. New orders for core nondefense capital goods - nondefense capital goods excluding civilian aircraft - fell 1.2% further in February after their January decline of 7.4%. Adjusting for prices, the January-February average of new core capex orders is down at an annualized rate of 23.5% vs. the Q4:2006 average. New orders have more to do with future capital goods expenditures in future quarters. So this whopping contraction in January-February new orders will likely have economists revising down their Q2 real GDP forecasts. With regard to current-quarter capex, shipments are more relevant. The news there is not better qualitatively speaking. The January-February average of real core capex shipments is down an annualized 12.0% vs. the Q4:2006 average. So, economists also may be revising down, yet again, their Q1 real GDP forecasts as these shipments data are pointing toward the second consecutive quarterly contraction in real expenditures for business equipment and software. If so, then indeed, "the magnitude of the slowdown [in capex] has been somewhat greater than would be expected given the normal evolution of the business cycle."


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Abuse of ADHD drugs following path of opioids
- Abuse of ADHD drugs by adults is an under-the-radar problem that is following the path of opioid addictions.
- Complications from the drugs, including overdose deaths, have grown dramatically in recent years.
- Adult ADHD has gone from a seldom-diagnosed disorder to a part of mainstream medicine.
Public health officials have focused on the national plague of narcotic painkillers. But another scourge is looming largely unnoticed: The drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults.
Since 2013, there have been more than 19,000 reports of complications from ADHD drugs, most of which are stimulants like Adderall, made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MedPage Today analysis.
Of those, adults were far more likely than children to suffer severe complications, such as death and hospitalization.
Meanwhile, among those 26 and older, recreational use of Adderall, an amphetamine, rose fourfold, from 345,000 people in 2006 to 1.4 million in 2014, according to the latest available federal data.
In emergency departments around the country, the number of cases involving two common ADHD drugs nearly quadrupled over seven years.
And at morgues in Florida, a bellwether state for drug abuse problems, overdose deaths involving amphetamines increased more than 450% between 2008 and 2014.
Taken together, the data shows the drugs — which have been heavily promoted by the pharmaceutical industry — have left a trail of misuse, addiction and death, a Journal Sentinel/MedPage Today investigation found.
Twenty years ago, adult ADHD was a seldom-diagnosed disorder.
But it has become a part of mainstream medicine over the past decade, fueled by relaxed standards for diagnosis and a push from drug companies, one of which helped fund a study that claimed 1 in 23 adult Americans are affected by it. That represents about 10 million people.
"The streets are awash with Adderall," said Nicolas Rasmussen, a medical historian who has studied the history of amphetamines in the United States. "Amphetamines are grossly overused."
Independent experts question whether adult ADHD truly is a widespread condition that needs treatment with dangerous drugs.
It is among a series of conditions identified by the Journal Sentinel and MedPage Today in which diagnostic definitions were expanded — often by experts or organizations with financial ties to drug companies — to create a larger market for treatment with expensive, often dangerous drugs.
In the case of adult ADHD, the definition was relaxed in 2013 by the American Psychiatric Association. Under the new definition, adults need to have five of a possible nine symptoms from either of two categories, down from six of a possible nine, and the symptoms must have been present before age 12, instead of the previous age 7.
Of the experts on the panel that approved the changes, 78% had financial ties to drug companies, according to a 2012 analysis by the journal PLoS Medicine.
In a Journal Sentinel/MedPage Today investigation in May, an association spokesman said financial conflicts of interest among panel members were limited to $10,000 a year in income, such as working as industry speakers and consultants.
He also defended inclusion of the adult ADHD definition in the organization's diagnostic manual, saying the condition is a real one that affects many adults.
The symptoms of the condition typically involve an inability to focus on tasks, fidgeting or interrupting others. Experts note the symptoms are vague, can be caused by other conditions and are easy to fake.
One study, in 2010, found that 22% of adults tested for ADHD had exaggerated their symptoms.
For years, the legitimacy of adult ADHD was based on the belief that for some it was a condition that started in childhood and persisted into adulthood.
But that belief was undermined last year, when researchers published the results of a long-term study that began in the early 1970s and followed more than 1,000 New Zealand children until age 38. The study found little overlap between those who had ADHD as children and those who were diagnosed as adults.
While none of its symptoms are life-threatening, the drugs approved by the FDA to treat adult ADHD can raise heart rates and blood pressure, and have been linked to sudden death. They also carry a high potential for abuse and dependence.
The long-term risks and benefits in adults are not known. Drugs often are tested for a year or more, but rigorous clinical trials of the ADHD drugs on adults have not lasted more than a few weeks or months.
Among the reports of complications to the FDA:
- A 41-year-old woman was hospitalized with kidney failure after abusing methylphenidate, better known as the stimulant in the ADHD drug Ritalin.
- A man on heart medications also was on two ADHD drugs, which can increase heart problems. He had a fatal heart attack at age 41.
- A 33-year-old man on the ADHD drug Vyvanse was hospitalized after suffering a panic attack, an increased heart rate, chest pain and dizziness.
The Journal Sentinel/MedPage Today analysis of the FDA data focused on reports of problems submitted by health care professionals and drug companies. Companies are required to report any cases they learn about. It did not include cases submitted directly by patients.
As such, the number of complications is likely much higher than the 19,000 found.
University of Wisconsin cardiologist James Stein said he has treated adult patients who developed serious problems after being misdiagnosed with ADHD and put on prescription stimulants.
One patient developed extremely high blood pressure; another developed an irregular heartbeat.
Stein, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, worries about the increase in prescriptions and marketing of the drugs to patients.
"I don't think these are the kinds of drugs that should be thrown around willy-nilly."
More prescriptions, more problems
Between 2010 and 2015, sales of ADHD drugs jumped from $7.9 billion to $11.2 billion, according to data from IMS Health, a drug market research firm. Prescriptions increased from 67 million to 87 million.
The surge came on the heels of a pattern starting in 2008 in which prescriptions to adults jumped 53% over four years, according to Express Scripts, a national prescription benefit plan provider.
Those numbers only tell part of the story:
- In the last decade, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration authorized increased production of legal methylphenidate, the stimulant in Ritalin, from 38 tons to nearly 106. That's enough to provide every man, woman and child in America with 30 tablets of Ritalin — a month's supply.
- Use of amphetamines is so common that in Tacoma, Wash., its presence in wastewater samples collected near college dormitories was eight times higher during final exams week than the first week of classes, according to a 2013 study.
- On the user-driven site Reddit, nearly 5,000 readers share tips on abusing Adderall, ranging from how to convince doctors to write a prescription to dealing with skin outbreaks from snorting the drugs.
Wes Hannon, 30, of Harrisburg, Pa., is a former addict who got his first prescription for Adderall at age 24. He has tried to help others on the site overcome their own stimulant addictions.
Hannon said it's easy to persuade doctors you have the disorder.
"I have no doubt that ADHD does exist, but not nearly the amount of people that they say have ADHD," he said in an interview. "They're way too liberal with their diagnosis, and they're willing to prescribe this to anyone who exhibits symptoms."
In Hannon's case, he quickly developed a tolerance and soon switched to an illicit stimulant, methamphetamine. The street drug was cheaper, stronger and easier to get than Adderall.
After several unsuccessful attempts to stop using it, he successfully quit in 2014.
Rasmussen, the medical historian who has studied amphetamines, said the drugs are prone to abuse because "people often feel it makes their lives better. It's an antidepressant, it offers weight loss, and it improves confidence."
But those effects soon wear out.
"Someone might start out with methylphenidate or Vyvanse, but then their tolerance builds and they want more," he said.
While opioids are more lethal than prescription stimulants, some experts see parallels between the opioid epidemic and the increase of problems tied to stimulants.
In the opioid epidemic, users switched from prescription narcotics to heroin and illicit fentanyl. With the ADHD drugs, patients such as Hannon have switched from legally prescribed stimulants to illicit ones, such as methamphetamine and cocaine.
Other similarities include loose criteria for diagnosing underlying conditions and large numbers of prescription drug options — more than a dozen in the case of ADHD. The relaxed definition of adult ADHD also has played a role.
"Doctors get more patients; patients have their symptoms 'medically explained' and pharma has a new group of people to use their medications," said Lewis Nelson, an emergency room physician at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
"Clearly it becomes a cat and mouse game of new diagnoses begetting new drugs."
Petros Levounis, chair of psychiatry at Rutgers, said he saw an increase in people seeking help for stimulant addiction when he opened a treatment center aimed at college students.
Levounis said he believes ADHD is poorly understood, which leads to both under- and over-treatment.
In some cases, people who need treatment don't seek help, he said. Other times, doctors are quick to diagnose ADHD when other conditions are causing the problems.
"Medicine has a huge responsibility with what happened with the prescription opioid epidemic," Levounis said. "If there is something brewing with prescription stimulants, we should be doubly, triply concerned about it."
Drug company representatives say adult ADHD is a real and treatable medical condition affecting millions of Americans and that all medicines carry benefits and risks.
Charlie Catalano, a spokesman for Shire, which makes the ADHD drugs Vyvanse and Adderall, said the drugs have been approved by regulators around the world as safe to use.
"Our medications are proven to be effective when used according to prescribing practices of a licensed, trained health care professional," he said.
Eric Althoff, a spokesman for Novartis, which makes Ritalin, said its drug "has been used safely and effectively for more than 60 years." He noted that "if used inappropriately, the results could be serious, just like with the misuse of any other medication."
Evidence of problems mounts
Overdoses and deaths involving prescription stimulants are not tracked by any one government entity. To assess the scope of the adult ADHD drug problem, the Journal Sentinel and MedPage Today examined data from federal, state and municipal authorities:
Reports to the FDA: The analysis of FDA adverse event reports showed more problems occurred in children, for whom ADHD has long been a common diagnosis. But when adults did report problems, they were more likely to be serious and life-threatening.
Adults accounted for just over one-third of reports, but made up more than half of all hospitalizations and 85% of deaths.
Users reported several psychological problems. Hallucinations, suicidal thoughts and depression show up in hundreds of reports. Quitting the drugs also posed a problem, as several reports indicated withdrawal symptoms.
Except for Strattera, nearly all adult ADHD drugs are stimulants. That drug has not been shown to lead to abuse, but carries the FDA's most stringent warning because it can create suicidal thoughts in children and adolescents.
Adults are warned that it can cause serious cardiovascular problems, including strokes, heart attacks and sudden death.
Emergency room visits: In 1972, the Drug Enforcement Administration set up a system to monitor emergency room visits caused by drug abuse. Though the program, known as the Drug Abuse Warning Network, stopped collecting data in 2011, in its final years a rise in stimulant-related visits stood out.
In 2004, just two ADHD drugs played a role in 10,800 cases of emergency department visits. By 2011, the figure for those two drugs jumped to 42,000, a nearly fourfold increase in less than a decade.
The increase involved methylphenidate, the stimulant in Ritalin, and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine, the stimulant in Adderall.
In 2004, the number of emergency amphetamine/dextroamphetamine-related visits in those 25 and older was so low it couldn't be estimated. By 2011, there were 10,000 people age 25 to 44 who went to emergency rooms after using the drug.
In the five years since the tracking program ended, the DEA has approved a 60% increase in amphetamine production and the number of prescriptions for ADHD drugs jumped 20%.
The tracking was ended due to a lack of funding, said Elizabeth Crane, an analyst at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which last oversaw the program.
"It was unfortunate timing," she acknowledged.
Death reports: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not separate overdose deaths caused by prescription stimulants from those due to illicit stimulants.
Still, the number of deaths in the overall category has increased by 22%, on average, every year since 2008. In 2014, the most recent year available, there were 5,100 deaths.
Other data suggests deaths from amphetamines specifically have exploded. While a few of the drugs can be used to treat conditions such as narcolepsy and binge-eating disorder, the vast majority of their use is for ADHD.
In Florida, medical examiners found amphetamines in 1,318 cases from 2008 to 2014, ruling that the drugs contributed to 277 deaths. Florida is one of just a few states that centrally track medical examiner death data.
In 2008, the drugs led to 12 deaths. In 2014, reports reached 67 deaths.
If that rate were applied to the nation, it would mean there were more than 1,000 deaths from amphetamines in 2014.
Preliminary data indicates a substantial increase in deaths in Florida again in 2015.
"It looks to me like it's an under-the-radar epidemic," said psychiatrist Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "It's a real phenomenon."
Related Coverage: From Adderall to meth — and finally recovery
John Fauber is a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Matthew Wynn and Kristina Fiore are reporters for MedPage Today. This story was reported as a joint project of the Journal Sentinel and MedPage Today, which provides a clinical perspective for physicians on breaking medical news at medpagetoday.com.
How do ADHD drugs work?
Stimulants often are used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. That may seem counterintuitive — those with the condition typically are fidgety or impulsive. Wouldn't a stimulant make the condition worse?
One theory is the drugs, which increase levels of the brain chemical dopamine, provide mental stimulation. That, in turn, allows users to become more focused and calm because they no longer need to engage in self-stimulating behavior.


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Boiled Creamer Potatoes with Garlic and Dill
Radish's note: Few things in my opinion are as simple, elegant and festive as simple boiled potatoes cooked in salty water with garlic and tossed with fresh dill and sea salt. It was also the very perfect accompaniment to our New Year's steak. In my family, no celebration has ever passed without this dish gracing our table.
2 lbs creamer potatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped dill
flaky sea salt to taste
2 tsp unsalted butter
Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with enough water, so that it sits 3-4 inches above the potatoes. Add the garlic and the salt. Cook until potatoes are soft when pierced with a knife.
Drain the water and press the garlic into a paste and add back to the potatoes. Toss with dill, add the butter and season with flaky sea salt to taste.


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QB Brian Hoyer loses one of the Browns best weapons with TE Jordan Cameron out.
Cleveland Browns – Browns cut WR Nate Burleson
Josh Gordon – Browns RB wants banned WR back badly
Josh Gordon suspension – Banned WR working as car salesman
The Browns have deactivated TE Jordan Cameron for Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints. Cameron is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained last week.
Jordan Cameron was a Pro Bowl selection for the Browns in 2013. He recorded 80 receptions for 917 yards.
Cameron was the Browns second leading receiver behind All-Pro Josh Gordon. Gordon is suspended for the 2014 season for failing a second drug test.


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ARMONK, N.Y. -- With the spring real estate season in full gear, home sellers should take advantage of the remaining season by following simple and effective steps to ensure everything is in tip-top shape.
The first step for any potential seller is to find an experienced Realtor. They have expertise, know the market inside and out and can help determine a marketing strategy that will create interest among potential buyers. Realtors can also help determine the appropriate value of a property and can set the pricing to get the most out of a house and expedite the sale.
Brian Milton, a Realtor with Houlihan Lawrence, believes it's important to portray a positive first impression when selling a home. "Cleaning up the landscape and sprucing up the exterior is a good start,'' said Milton. "A lot of buyers believe that it is indicative of the maintenance of the home."
Milton also suggests staging certain homes to catching the eye of potential buyers. "It's a good online tool for first impressions,'' said Milton. "Even if people have to rearrange furniture, remove or bring in more furniture, it's imperative to have the home show well online."
Before opening a home to potential buyers, it's also important to address any maintenance issues that may have been a problem in the past. "Homeowners should perform maintenance that is required,'' said Milton. "Make sure evidence of past problems have been removed. You want to portray a well-maintained home."
When the home is finally ready for an open house, sellers should make sure to clean their home and make it as attractive as possible. Putting away family photographs or visible personal items depersonalizes a home, allowing buyers to imagine themselves living there. "There is a lot of thought and effort that needs to be done before selling a home, but taking the right steps is sure to please both buyers and seller and lead the way to an easy sale," said Milton.
For more information about home selling, or to find a listing, visit Brian Milton's website.


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BIOAGRO Energy™ – From residue to revenue
BIOAGRO Energy™ is a production facility that turns dry agricultural residues into a pelletized fuel and provides district heat supply to the local area. Low-density agricultural residues and by-products are at present an economic burden on the local farmer and grain trader as well as an environmental hazard.
The system replaces the use of oil and electricity for heating with a renewable alternative.
The ash produced can be returned as nutrient to the field.
The BIOAGRO Energy facility was the result of a project targeted towards developing and implementing an innovative method to reduce greenhouse gas output from the agricultural sector. The project involved the seed industry, combustion technology industry and academia. It resulted in a complete facility for agricultural waste reduction, renewable energy supply, carbon neutral fuel production, as well as a demonstration system.
It was realized by the two project partners – the seed company Skånefrö AB and the combustion technology company HOTAB, Sweden. It was co-funded by the EU LIFE Environment Programme under grant number LIFE/ENV/000517 at a total budget of 5.2 million EURO.
To learn more about the BIOAGRO project, log on to: www.bioagrolife.com
The BIOAGRO Energy facility.
The BIAOGRO process – a closed-loop cradle-to-cradle system
The state-of-the-art combustion systems developed by HOTAB.


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It's funny how after living someplace for a while, you sorta get complacent about things like the weather when there's a storm brewing that could potentially blow your recently purchased and hopefully adequately insured new house halfway across town…
It's kinda crazy to actually sit back and do the math, but I guess I've technically been living here in Florida for 9 years now – nearly a third of my life! – so much in the same way that up in Michigan when "the blizzard of all blizzards" was coming in off Lake Michigan and we simply shrugged it off as an excuse to try out our new shovels, now here in the middle of "hurricane season" I find myself not so much scrambling around for canned goods and batteries as do wishing that I'd have taken Cleo out for her walk before it started to torrential downpour that will likely last for the next week and a half!
I honestly don't think that Isaac is going to have much impact on us here in the Tampa Bay area at all, aside from some rain and wind, anyways.
I will admit that I do find it a little amusing that threat of the storm may upset the Republican National Convention that's taken over downtown for the next week … hey, at the very least those guys deserve to get a little inconvenienced after the floods of ridiculous bullshit coming from their own mouths that we have to wade through the rest of the year!


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[This is an archived interview that was first published in the September 3, 2002 issue of The Advocate.]
So there I was in London, thumbing through the June issue of Gay Times, the closest thing the United Kingdom has to The Advocate, when I'm startled on page 29 by Luke Evans. Three-dimensionally handsome, the 23-year-old actor costars in Boy George's musical Taboo, the hit West End show chronicling George's rise and fall and rise again. It isn't just the photograph — it's what he says that leaves me slack-jawed: "People come up to me in pubs, gay pubs mind you, and can't believe that I'm gay," he says. What did he just say? I'm thinking. Did this young actor in his first major role really announce that he's gay? Doesn't he have handlers or agents who know what's best for him?
Off I went to see the show — and found Luke to be a fine actor, a terrific singer, and completely at home playing the straight guy who's the object of the Boy George character's affections. So I decided I'd better talk to this young man — before Luke Evans becomes a household name here in the States and changes his mind!
Has Taboo met your expectations for your career?
Definitely. I hadn't really done a lot before Taboo. I graduated from drama college 2 1/2 years ago, played a small part in a musical called La Cava in the year 2000, then I did 15 episodes of a soap. I played their first baddie in a new soap on telly. And I didn't do anything for eight months, so this is my big break.
Where did you grow up?
I come from south Wales. A place called Aberbargoed.
A small town?
Oh, very small, yeah, too small for me and my ego! [Laughs] I had a very difficult upbringing. I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness. And I'm the only child. And my mom and dad still are Jehovah's Witnesses, so I was never able to sort of naturally come out. It would have been very difficult anyway, even if my parents weren't Witnesses, to come out in the village that I was brought up in. [But] they both know now and they're both fantastic and they love Taboo. My mom and dad said, "You know, you're our boy and no matter how much we love our religion and our God, we're sure he's going to understand that we can never turn our backs on you."
How did you decide you're going to be open about your sexuality?
Well, it was something I'd spoken to a lot of people about, including my boyfriend at the time — we've broken up now — but at the time when I just got Taboo, I knew that even though my part was a straight character everybody knew me as a gay man, and in my life in London I never tried to hide…. I knew I was going to have to do interviews with gay magazines; I knew this was going to happen. So I thought, Well, I'm going to have to be open. It's who I am. And if people don't like it, then I don't want their jobs. I've never been a very good liar, which is another thing…
Aren't actors all good liars?
Well, it's not nice. Look at George Michael, let's say. I mean, he hid it for so many years, and then he gets found out in a really awful way…. Y'know, you start a slippery slope downward, and I didn't want to start that at 22. If that means I'm going to be a poor man at 60, then at least I've lived a happy, open, gay life and not had to hide it from anybody.
I've had letters from people who have read my articles and said, "I'm a guy, I'm 18, and I've not come out to my mom and dad yet, but it was so nice to hear your story, and you know, I wish your article would have been longer, because you gave me hope for the future." As far as I'm concerned it's not a big issue. You come out, that's it, the end.
Do you think it might be different in the U.K. than in America?
Well, it depends on how big you are. It's not a big issue, and it's never going to be a big issue for me; whether I'm successful or if I weren't successful, at least I'll never have that skeleton in the closet they can rattle out. Y'know what I mean?


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A 7-1 start to the season has come down to a must-win game and relying on your biggest rival to help you out. It's not exactly the way the Bears envisioned Week 17 playing out, but if the Bears hope to avoid missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six years, they have to beat the Detroit Lions on Sunday and hope the Green Bay Packer knock off the Minnesota Vikings.
If that happens, and the Bears make the playoffs, does that warrant a contract extension for Lovie Smith? Our panel weighs in on that and more:
Fact or Fiction: After getting shut down in their first meeting, Calvin Johnson will have a big game against the Bears.
Jeff Dickerson: Fact. Johnson wants to be the first player in NFL history to top 2,000 receiving yards. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford could reach 5,000 passing yards. Outside of Johnson, there aren't many other options on Detroit's offense. Add it all up: Johnson should get the ball early and often on Sunday. But that doesn't mean the Lions will win. Johnson's been on fire for much of the season and Detroit has lost seven straight. So it's not like the Bears will lose if they don't stop Johnson.
Michael C. Wright: Fact. Johnson can top 2,000 yards on Sunday to become the first receiver to eclipse that mark in a single season. With 117 catches for 1,892 yards and five touchdowns, Johnson needs 108 yards to reach 2,000. So look for the Lions to put some effort into freeing up Johnson to reach this milestone. Lions coach Jim Schwartz complimented offensive coordinator Scott Linehan for devising creative schemes to get the ball into the hands of Johnson, who will likely line up in several spots on Sunday, after catching just three balls for 34 yards the first time these teams met. Johnson will also have the hometown crowd behind him, not to mention a team hungry to help him reach 2,000, and break a seven-game losing streak, while ruining Chicago's season.
Scott Powers: Fiction. Johnson may have himself an above-average game just as Reggie Wayne, Larry Fitzgerald and Randall Cobb had against the Bears, but I don't foresee Johnson going off for some astronomical performance. The Bears cornerbacks are just too good for that to happen. Pro Bowl selections Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings have been two of the NFL's top defensive backs this season, and they haven't allowed any receiver to have a massive game. Johnson will likely do better than his three-reception, 34-yard game the last time he faced the Bears, but I'd say it's 50/50 for him to gain much for than 100 yards and catch more than one touchdown.
Jon Greenberg: Fact. Johnson is on a tear and has a chance for 2,000 yards. Two games after the Bears locked him up Johnson started his Megatron run, gaining more than 100 yards for eight straight games. But the Lions are 1-7 in those games. So Johnson's big game definitely doesn't equal a Detroit victory..
Fact or Fiction: The biggest obstacle for the Bears getting into the playoffs is the Packers beating the Vikings, not Chicago beating the Lions.
Jeff Dickerson: Fiction: Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The late game in the Metrodome won't mean anything if the Bears don't first take care of business in Ford Field. The Bears are their biggest enemy. Can the offense score more than two touchdowns? Will the Henry Melton trash-talking this week backfire? Will Matt Forte be limited with a bad ankle? These are far more pressing issues for the Bears and their biggest obstacle on Sunday.
Michael C. Wright: Fiction. The chances seem almost equal for either scenario transpiring. Just because it's the mighty Packers doesn't mean the Vikings have no shot at winning this ballgame. First off, the Vikings are playing at home, and their deafening crowd noise will be a factor for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay passing attack. Another obstacle for Rodgers is Minnesota's pass rush led by Jared Allen. Everyone knows Allen plays even faster when he's in front of the home crowd. The last time the teams played back on Dec. 2, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson gashed the Packers for 210 yards rushing. If Peterson is being that productive, it means the Packers aren't getting many offensive possessions to put points on the board. With the postseason on the line for the Vikings -- which have won three in a row by the way -- Peterson needs 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. The truth is the Packers are on the road facing a hungry Vikings team with arguably the league's best running back ... and he's motivated. This certainly doesn't appear to be a gimme for the Packers, which need a win to clinch the No. 2 seed.
Scott Powers: Fact. I'm confident the Bears will beat the Lions. I'm not so confident the Packers will take care of the Vikings. The Lions' seven-game losing streak has a lot to do with my confidence in the Bears. As for the Vikings, they've been one of the hottest teams in the NFL in recent weeks and have been nearly invincible at home. They've lost just once this season in Minnesota. The Vikings also have more riding on Sunday's game than the Packers.
Jon Greenberg:
Fact. I'm going to reverse my argument from the Hot Button. I have a great feeling about the Bears beating Detroit. After that palate-cleansing win over Arizona, they're confident again and that will translate onto the field. The Bears love to pick on the bums of the league. While the Packers have a lot to play for, and should be able to pull out this win on the road, the Vikings have Adrian Peterson and should be pumped to sneak into the playoffs. Green Bay has to find the edge to get that No. 2 seed.
Fact or Fiction: The season will be salvaged if the Bears make the playoffs.
Jeff Dickerson: Fiction: The Bears got off to a 7-1 start. The playoffs should have been a given, so the fact the Bears find themselves in this situation is an indictment on the entire franchise. The only way the season can be "salvaged" is for the Bears to win a Super Bowl. Shouldn't that always be the goal?
Michael C. Wright: Fiction. Certainly, the Bears will give off that impression. But really it depends on how far the Bears advance into the postseason. If this is a one-and-done situation, the Bears didn't salvage anything after starting the season 7-1. The Bears need to win a couple of games to call the season "salvaged."
Scott Powers: Fiction. Even though the Bears are flawed this season, the bar for this franchise still isn't set at simply the playoffs. Getting to the playoffs is an achievement for a team like the Indianapolis Colts with a rookie quarterback. It's not for the Bears. The Bears didn't go out and get a franchise quarterback and wide receiver to just make the playoffs. The goal remains to win the Super Bowl, and anything short of that is a failure.
Jon Greenberg: Fiction. The season will only be salvaged if the Bears win a playoff game, considering they'll be road underdogs. If the Bears can win at San Francisco, exorcising the demons of the past, you have to reconsider the way you judge this season. It's a little odd that Bears fans are so down on this team on the eve of a must-win game. In a normal season, this would be such an exciting scenario. Instead, fans and media are captivated by the behind-the-scenes intrigue at Halas Hall. Will Lovie Smith be back for Year 10? If the Bears get waxed in San Francisco, I think Smith is out. If they win, he's back..
Fact or Fiction: If the Bears make the playoffs, Lovie should be given an extension.
Jeff Dickerson: Fiction: Smith deserves a contract extension only if Bears' ownership and general manager Phil Emery believe he can win the franchise a Super Bowl. That's it. There's no middle ground. Maybe the Bears truly think Smith is the guy to lead the organization to a championship. If so, then it's their right to award him an extension. If not, the Bears need to go in another direction. It's their call. The Bears have had nine years to evaluate Smith, so to base his future on the outcome of two games against sub-par competition would be unfair. Either commit to him, or don't. All I can say is the Bears better make the right call, or we'll be having this conversation again in a couple of years.
Michael C. Wright: Fiction. Making the postseason isn't good enough. But at the same time, surely general manager Phil Emery will realize that Smith wasn't blessed this season with the best in terms of overall talent on offense. Despite all that's been said, the team's struggles this season didn't come as a result of bad coaching. While it would save the Bears a lot of grief by avoiding putting Smith into a lame-duck situation, giving the coach an extension wouldn't necessarily be the best move for the team. The scenario I envision is Emery working feverishly to upgrade the talent on offense (especially the offensive line) and depth on defense this offseason, and making Smith go into the final season of his contract with something to prove. Smith is a confident enough coach to handle such a situation. Halfway through the season, if Smith's team is producing, you give him the extension then. Smith knows his pedigree as a coach, and likely wouldn't have a problem being thrust into that type of situation.
Scott Powers: Fiction. If the Bears reach the Super Bowl, we can talk about an extension. Anything less than that, and Smith should fear for his job. The Bears have reached the playoffs in three of Smith's first eight seasons and have gone 3-3 in the playoffs in those years. That's not satisfactory. Even if they limp into the playoffs this season, that shouldn't be deemed a success. The Bears' failures haven't all been Smith's fault, but it's his turn to take the fall. Unless the Bears make some miraculous run in the playoffs in the coming weeks, it's time for the Bears to part ways with Smith.
Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Making the playoffs isn't enough for this team. It's tough for me to say a coach should be fired after making the playoffs, but the expectations for this team, for better or worse, were greater than just getting in. Now one win, while not that much more impressive, would probably be enough to get Smith two more years tacked onto the one he has left. Smith should get an extension if Phil Emery is confident he is the man to lead this team in the future. I don't know what Emery's vision for the future is, but unless he thinks he can find the right offensive leadership for Lovie, I don't see how Smith gets an extension without winning one playoff game.


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Children's Prayer Ministry
We have been so blessed with the number of youth and children who attend our church. Every day they face challenges t o their faith. We as adults need to be praying for them, but we also need to be praying for our children even before they are of school age.
On February 1, 2022, we began the tenth year of this special ministry to our children and youth.
We adults who chose to participate were given the name of one of our youth or children. We have been asked to commit to praying for that young person every day. We have also been asked to send cards of encouragement on occasion to our child or youth, as well as at holidays and on birthdays. We are permitted to give them small gifts for their birthday or on a holiday (especially at Christmas).
If you missed getting involved in this special ministry this year, you can still pray for our children. Then look for the sign-up sheets again in January.


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Before and After School Childcare
After school care is one of the most popular childcare jobs
After School Childcare is where families need help getting children off to school and getting them picked up at the end of the day, with the childcarer providing help with homework, as well as doing the tea and bedtime until the parents get back from work.
Send us your Childcare Requirements
Finding the right before or after school childcare
Before School Care and After School Care are some of the hardest positions to fill. You should give yourself plenty of time to find the right person.
Tinies can often help, but if we cannot, we can recommend alternatives, such as childminders or nanny shares.
Nanny help in the school holidays
If you are struggling to cope during the holidays due to work commitments, then why not hire a temporary nanny for part or all of the school holidays?
Our holiday nannies are used to joining a household for short term bookings, and making the most of the days off school. And you can even take your temporary nanny on holiday with you, as an extra pair of hands.
Send us your Before or After School childcare requirements
Hiring a nanny yourself?
We can run all the essential checks for your new nanny.Nanny Screening


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Pandemic puzzle solved as scientists decode why Covid-19 largely spares children
Scientists have unraveled one of the mysteries of Covid-19, why the virus strikes down older people while seeming to leave children untouched. The breakthrough could pave the way for new treatments to combat the pandemic.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center figured out that children have lower levels of a receptor protein that SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes Covid-19 – needs to invade the lungs.
"Our study provides a biologic rationale for why particularly infants and very young children seem to be less likely to either get infected or to have severe disease symptoms," explained Jennifer Sucre, an assistant professor of pediatrics who led the research.
When a virus particle is inhaled into the lungs, protein 'spikes' latch on to the ACE2 receptor, which lies on the surfaces of certain lung cells.Also on rt.com Cod liver oil, a weapon in the fight against Covid-19? Norwegian scientists expand massive study to find out
A cellular enzyme produced in mammals called TMPRSS2 then chops up the spike protein, allowing the virus to "break into" the cell by fusing with the cell membrane. After completing the infiltration, the virus then hijacks the cell's genetic machinery and uses it to replicate itself.
The scientists were inspired to investigate whether the TMPRSS2 enzyme could explain why older people experienced much more severe symptoms than children.
"Our research has always focused on understanding lung development and how infant lungs differ from adult lungs in their vulnerability to injury," Sucre said. "In this study we actually took the opposite approach, and were able to see how the developing lung by its differences is protected from SARS-CoV-2 infection."
In a study carried out on mice, the experts used a technique that can detect the expression of genes in individual cells of lung tissues. This allowed them to track the expression of genes known to be involved in the body's response to Covid-19 over time.Also on rt.com Mutation that made coronavirus so infectious may also be Achilles heel for vaccines to target – study
They found that the gene for the ACE2 receptor was expressed at low levels in the mouse lung. Meanwhile, TMPRSS2 had a striking trajectory of increased expression during development.
The team then carried out analysis of human lung tissue collected from donors of different ages and found similar results as they had seen in mice. The enzyme that lets the virus break into the cell increases significantly with age.
The boffins believe that the enzyme could be utilized in treating people who contract the virus and as a means of preventing high risk people from being exposed.
Like this story? Share it with a friend!


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According to a NY Times article over a decade ago, 81 percent of Americans would like to write a book some day. That number resonated with me because I wanted to write a book.
And I did something about it. In fact I did it, and did it again.
My very first book was self-published after an a-ha moment left me with a sold book in mind.
That led to a contract with a publisher in a niche market.
From there I begin weaving a variety of self-published books into my business.
That path has led in a variety of directions. And it's led me to the realization that writing will forever be a part of my life.
How about you?
Do you want to write a book?
Studies still show that over 80 percent of Americans have the dream of writing a book. That's about 250 million of us with the dream of creating a book. Yet numbers show that somewhere between 600,000 and 1,000,000 books were published last year (the numbers are hard to count because of the numerous self-publishing options there are). And that's a long way off from the 250 million that have the desire.
So why not make this your year?
How This Year Has Changed For Me
Two years ago, when we sold off a big part of our business, it was to free up our time to do other things. We sold off our 3300sf home, sold or gave away two-thirds of our stuff, and relocated to the Pacific Northwest for a year. Just to play, learn and grow.
Our year has recently come to an end, and we've decided to stay here for at least another year. There's still so much more to explore! And we've both discovered parts of ourselves we want to work on in a little deeper way.
For me, it's writing.
I've always written in the non-fiction and business genres. That's about to change (and I'll be asking more for your help in the coming weeks). I've now crossed over to the fiction genre, and am in the process of outlining an entire series of books, three of which I'll be introducing to you shortly.
Big change. A world of difference.
Yes, writing fiction is a little scary for someone with a Masters degree in business. But it's something I want, and am willing to work for for many years to come.
So once again I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo to give me another book in my series. Why? Because it's a fun way to get your writing done for the day. It's motivating to take part in something many others are doing along with you.
Writing doesn't come easily for everyone. But if you have a desire to write a book, chances are you enjoy writing on some level.
Writing isn't something you have to learn; instead it's something you have to perfect.
You can't sit down and write a thousand words a day unless you're willing to sit down and write a thousand words every day.
The first day is very difficult. But by the tenth day, it becomes a little easier. The hundredth day is even easier yet.
Writing simply takes practice. It takes doing.
And if you need a little motivation to help you get started here in just a few days, pick up a copy of Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic.
Because writers read. And the more you read, the more you'll have to say, the more you'll write. The two will always go hand in hand.
So this is as good of a starting place as any. And I guarantee #BigMagic will make you want to write.
If you were to look at my copy, you would find page after page of highlighted paragraphs and side notes. Any of them could be motivating. Any of them could tell you the real reason you should write.
What I like about Elizabeth's stories is the way she gently nudges you along. She doesn't write #BigMagic as a self-help book to motivate you to do more. Instead, she writes from a personal place that gives herself permission to be more.
She writes because she has no choice; she has a story to tell and it's the method she best knows how to deliver.
And she does it well.
Defending yourself as a creative person begins by defining yourself. It begins when you declare your intent. Stand up tall and say it aloud, whatever it is.
I'm a writer.
Speak it. Let it know you're there. Hell, let you know you're there, because this statement of intent is just as much an announcement to yourself as it is an announcement to the universe or anybody else. Hearing this announcement, your soul will mobilize accordingly. It will mobilize ecstatically, in fact, because this is what your soul was born for. Trust me, your soul has been waiting for you to wake up to your own existence for years.
Who can argue with that?
Will you join me on November 1st?


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Special Collection
Materials of archival and historical value to the Eanes History Center.
The Special File Collection in the Eanes History Center contains materials that are of special archival and historical value and require special care and storage.
Entries include papers, diplomas, certificates, booklets, report cards, and other memorabilia of former students who attended when the only Eanes school was the Rock School Building.
The Special File Collection of the Eanes History Center also includes newspaper collections of issues in series and special single editions or sections. There are special displays of some items such as rare or unusual books, old postcards, historical pictures and photographs, and special old maps, as well as other collections of related materials that need special care.
Certificates, Diplomas, Booklets, Scrapbooks, Books, Documents, Newspapers, Magazines
Boy Scout Merit Badge Series. 1932-1935
Crowell, Evelyn: Men of Achievement, Texas. 1948
Delineator and Pictorial Review. July,. 1937. Magazine.
EISD: Westlake High School Boosters Club, 1969 - 1975. Notebook with Minutes.
EISD: Westlake High School Fine Arts Dedication, March 14, 1986. Guest Book and Invitation.
Eanes School Parent-Teacher Association. "History of Eanes P.T.A., 1934 - 1972." Minutes of Meetings of the Parent-Teacher Association. Historian's Scrapbook, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71.
Eanes School Parent - Teacher Association Yearbooks. 1954-57; 1967-1972. Eight Volumes.
Eanes School: Scrapbook Project "23 + 1". Fifth Grade. 1961-1962. A Studyof Geography with Pictures of Students. Martha Cheico, Teacher
Early Texas and Austin Scenes of Everyday Life. Collected by Janet and Walter Long and Used as Christmas Greetings in the 1950s.
Inaugural Program For Governor Dolph Brisco. Austin Inaugural Committee, Jan. 16, 1973.
Inaugural Program for GovernorWilliam P. Clements. Texas Inaugural Committee. Jan. 16, 1979.
Instructor Magazine. March, 1961.
Johnson, Cecil. Collection of Documents of Eanes Public School:
Certificates of Attendance, May 5, 1934, April 26, 1933;
Booklet - "My Career Book";
Workbook of Texas History, 1938-39, 6th Grade;
Autography Book, 1937-38, Mrs. Landers, Teacher.
Junior Historians. Magazine of the Texas State Historical Association for the Junior Historian Association. 1941-1970.
Landers, Betsy Ray. Travis County Public Schools Certificate of Promotion, 1938. Document.
Modern Priscilla, A Magazine Exclusively for Women. September, 1909.
Modern Priscilla, Fancy Work and Everyday Housekeeping. September, 1912.
Music Score of "Overture, Martha." Scored for Four-Hands Piano. 1916
Newspaper: Daily Texan. April 7, 1938. (VF)
Newspaper: Daily Texan. Centennial Issue. 1883-1983. February 4, 1983. (VF)
Newspaper: Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, July 5, l862, Nos. 351 and 353, Vol. XIV, New York. (acid-free laminated.)
Newspaper: Houston Chronicle, April 15, 1912. (VF)
Newspaper: New York Transcript. April 18, 1836, Vol. IV, No. 92. Newspaper. (acid-free laminated.)
Newspaper: New York Transcript. November 9, 1835. Newspaper. (acid-free laminated.)
Newspaper: Patriot and Democrat, May 28, 1826, No. 65. Newspaper. (acid-free laminated.)
Newspaper: Presidio County News. May 31, 1884. Special Anniversary Issue. (reproduction.) VF
New Testment of Our Lord and Savior. No date.
Recognition: Senate Resolution - Fourth Grade Class from Eanes School. Doris Walcott. l967. Document.
Saturday Evening Post. May 13, 1911.
Saturday Evening Post. February, 1969.
Scully, Michael. This Is Texas - A Photographic Tour of the Greatest State. 1948.
Sesquicentennial Program for Eanes Independent School District developed by Sarah Crossland and presented to the School Board in the "Community History Room Proposal Scrapbook." 1985-1986. .
Texas Historian. Magazine of the Texas State Historical Association for the Junior Historians of Texas. 1970 to the Present.
Travis County Public School Commencement Programs. May 20, 1938; May 17, 1940; May 24, 1941.
Webster, Noah. The Elementary Spelling Book. Blue-back Speller. 1908, 1880. Display
Webster, Noah. Webster's Universal Dictionary of the English Language. 1912
White: E.E. A New Elementary Arithmetic, 1883. Display
White House Cookbook. 1900s.
Winkler, E. W. Manuscript Letters and Documents of Early Texas in Facsimile Folio Collection of Original Documents, 1821-1845.


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Chipotle-Orange Rib Steaks
Prep: 10 minutes plus marinating and standing
Grill: 10 minutes • Serves: 2
1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 semi-boneless rib steaks
1.In blender or food processor with knife blade attached, purée garlic, chipotle, orange juice, cilantro, oil, brown sugar, vinegar, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cumin. Makes about 1-1/4 cups sauce.
2.Place steaks in large zip-top plastic bag. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce; pour remaining sauce over steaks. Seal bag pressing out excess air. Massage steaks in bag; refrigerate 30 minutes.
3.Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Pat steaks dry with paper towel; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
4.Place steaks on hot grill rack and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until internal temperature of steaks reaches 140°F for medium-rare, turning once. Transfer steaks to cutting board and loosely cover with foil; let stand 10 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to 145°F upon standing.)
5.Serve steaks with reserved sauce for dipping.
Approximate nutritional values per serving:
678 Calories, 39g Fat (13g Saturated), 213mg Cholesterol,
875mg Sodium, 14g Carbohydrates, 1g Fiber, 65g Protein