text:
SEC Favors Special Interests in New Corporate Elections Rule
Yesterday, the SEC repealed a long‐standing rule which allowed brokers to vote shares on behalf of their investors, unless they obtained written directions from each individual investors. While investors have long been able to direct the voting of their shares, many do not take the time to. In these cases, the brokers vote those shares, after all they are the agents of the investors and are hired to act on their behalf.
The direct effect of the rule will be to reduce the voting weight of retail investors, as represented by their brokers. In voting against the rule, SEC Commissioner Kathy Casey raised the point that the rule would skew voting toward large institutional investors and away from little retail investors.
What did the large institutions investors have to say? As reported in today's Financial Times, Ann Yerger, who represents large pension funds claimed that "counting uninstructed broker votes is akin to stuffing the ballot box for management." One has to wonder whether the pension funds, which Ms. Yerger represents should have to get written instructions from all the pensioners whose pensions are managed by these funds? Of course not, treating all agents of investors equally would make too much sense for the SEC.
Then one should not be too surprised to see pension funds be allowed to cast their "uninstructed" votes while brokers cannot. The largest pension funds manage the retirement of unionized state and local employees, often with the fund management itself representing the interests of the unions. We witnessed this same favoring of union interests over the common good in the auto bailouts.
The rule once again illustrates that the new bosses in Washington are busy rewarding their allies at the expense of everyone else.


text:
The genetics of Mexico recapitulates Native American substructure and affects biomedical traits – "We studied genomic variation within Mexico from over 1000 individuals representing 20 indigenous and 11 mestizo populations. We found striking genetic stratification among indigenous populations within Mexico at varying degrees of geographic isolation. Some groups were as differentiated as Europeans are from East Asians. Pre-Columbian genetic substructure is recapitulated in the indigenous ancestry of admixed mestizo individuals across the country. Furthermore, two independently phenotyped cohorts of Mexicans and Mexican Americans showed a significant association between subcontinental ancestry and lung function. Thus, accounting for fine-scale ancestry patterns is critical for medical and population genetic studies within Mexico, in Mexican-descent populations, and likely in many other populations worldwide." – see also: People from Mexico show stunning amount of genetic diversity – "When the team analyzed the genomes of 511 indigenous individuals from all over Mexico, they found a striking amount of genetic diversity. The most divergent indigenous groups in Mexico are as different from each other as Europeans are from East Asians, they report online today in Science. This diversity maps onto the geography of Mexico itself. The farther away ethnic groups live from each other, the more different their genomes turn out to be…. But most people in Mexico or of Mexican descent these days are not indigenous but rather mestizo, meaning they have a mixture of indigenous, European, and African ancestry. Do their genomes also vary by what region of Mexico they come from, or has all that local variation been smoothed out by centuries of different groups meeting, mixing, and having babies? To answer that question, the team collaborated with Mexico's National Institute of Genomic Medicine, which has been collecting genetic data from mestizos for many years. Somewhat surprisingly, they found that mestizos in a given part of Mexico tended to have the same 'rare' genetic variants as their indigenous neighbors. The mestizo genomes 'track so well with the indigenous groups that we could use the genetic diversity in mestizos to make inferences about [their native] ancestors,' Pasaniuc says."
Neanderthal-Human Skulls Shed Light on Evolution – "Skulls found in a Spanish cave exhibit both Neanderthal and primitive human features, according to a new study published in the journal Science. The discovery provides clues about when the common ancestor of modern humans and Neanderthals lived, what happened after the two groups diverged, and how the two became so different over a relatively short period of time. There is consensus about the ending of the story: Modern humans and Neanderthals interbred, and Neanderthal DNA is still present in people of European and Asian ancestry. But the thousands of years before they connected, however, have been a mystery." – see also: Palaeontology: How Neanderthals evolved – "A study reveals that not all distinguishing features of hominid skulls have evolved at the same pace."
Oldest human faeces show Neanderthals ate vegetables – eat your veggies!
Searching for Answers in Very Old DNA – interview with svante paabo.
Island-hopping odyssey brought civilisation to Europe – "The farmers who brought advanced civilisation to Europe got there by sailing between the many islands strewn across the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, according to a new genetic analysis. The first modern humans in Europe were hunter-gatherers who arrived around 40,000 years ago. But around 9000 years ago the first farmers arrived. They spread rapidly, dominating the continent by 7500 years ago, and pushing the hunter-gatherers into decline. The farmers originated in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, where farming arose, but until now no one knew which route they took to get to Europe." – see also Publication Delays from greg cochran.
The population genomic landscape of human genetic structure, admixture history and local adaptation in Peninsular Malaysia – "Peninsular Malaysia has greater genetic diversity corresponding to its role as a contact zone of both early and recent human migrations in Asia. However, each single Orang Asli (indigenous) group was less diverse with a smaller effective population size (Ne) than a European or an East Asian population, indicating a substantial isolation of some duration for these groups. All four MEGs were genetically more similar to Asian populations than to other continental groups, and the divergence time between MEGs and East Asian populations (12,000—6,000 years ago) was also much shorter than that between East Asians and Europeans. Thus, Malaysian Orang Asli groups, despite their significantly different features, may share a common origin with the other Asian groups. Nevertheless, we identified traces of recent gene flow from non-Asians to MEGs. Finally, natural selection signatures were detected in a batch of genes associated with immune response, human height, skin pigmentation, hair and facial morphology and blood pressure in MEGs. Notable examples include SYN3 which is associated with human height in all Orang Asli groups, a height-related gene (PNPT1) and two blood pressure-related genes (CDH13 and PAX5) in Negritos. We conclude that a long isolation period, subsequent gene flow and local adaptations have jointly shaped the genetic architectures of MEGs, and this study provides insight into the peopling and human migration history in Southeast Asia."
Investigating brain connectivity heritability in a twin study using diffusion imaging data – h/t jayman! who tweeted: "Surprise, surprise: diffusion imaging twin study (N = 328) finds patterns of brain connectivity are heritable."
The stability of self-control across childhood – "Results indicate that variation [76%] in self-control is predominantly genetic."
Race a factor in mortality in heart attack patients on anti-clotting drug – "The first genetic variations linked to race have been identified that begin to explain a higher risk of death among some African American and Caucasian patients taking the anti-clotting drug clopidogrel after a heart attack. In particular, the team found that two DNA variants common in African Americans were associated with an increased risk of both bleeding and death. In Caucasians, a different variant was linked to additional heart attacks and a higher risk of death." – h/t hbd bibliography!
A common Greenlandic TBC1D4 variant confers muscle insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
GWAS-based pathway analysis differentiates between fluid and crystallized intelligence – h/t stuart ritchie! who tweeted: "Distinction between fluid and crystallised IQ at the genetic level."
A hair-color allele of Neanderthal origin? – "60-70% of Taiwanese aborigines have a loss-of-function allele at the main hair color gene, MC1R, yet their hair is as black as humans with the original 'African' allele. This seems to be a general pattern in Asians. They have fewer MC1R alleles than do Europeans, and the ones they have produce the same hair color." – from peter frost.
Physical attractiveness as a phenotypic marker of health: an assessment using a nationally representative sample of American adults – "[T]he more attractive a respondent was rated, the less likely he or she was to report being diagnosed with a wide range of chronic diseases and neuropsychological disorders. Importantly, this finding was observed for both sexes. These analyses provide further support for physical attractiveness as a phenotypic marker of health."
Mellow, Paranoid, Happy, or Mean: Why do people respond so differently to the same drugs? – "Although the research hasn't settled on simple explanations, it's clear that some combination of personality traits, genetics, and experience affects how people respond to intoxicants."
How universal is empathy? – "Pro-social behavior seems to be a human universal, but is the same true for full empathy?" – from peter frost.
Woodley launches his Victorian defence – "The Woodley gang argue that, once they have done a complete re-analysis to respond to the points raised against their original 'Victorians' paper, their new results 'reveal a seemingly robust secular trend towards slowing reaction time in these two countries, which translates into a potential dysgenics rate of −1.21 IQ points per decade, or −13.9 points in total between 1889 and 2004. We conclude by arguing that the best way forward is to test novel predictions stemming from our finding relating to molecular genetics, neurophysiology and alternative cognitive indicators, thus shifting the research focus away from the purely methodological level towards the broader nomological level. We thank our critics for helping us to arrive at a much more precise estimate of the decline in general intelligence.'" – @dr. james thompson's blog.
HVGIQ: Cambodia and HVGIQ: Turks and Caicos Islands and HVGIQ: Vietnam – from jason malloy @human varieties.
U.S. Ethnic/Race Differences in Aptitude by Generation: An Exploratory Meta-analysis – from chuck @human varieties.
Ability, Effort, and Academic Achievement among Asian Americans – from steve hsu.
andrew "the goth" sabisky on the pisa tests/scores and their implications for education.
The Flynn effect and "real intelligence"(tm) and Why a mental age of eleven and an IQ of 70 are distinct – from elijah.
Embryo selection for cognitive enhancement: curiosity or game-changer?
Power to edit who you are – on CRISPR.
Reading to Newborns Is Probably Useless – from razib.
For One Baby, Life Begins with Genome Revealed – "How a California father made an end run around medicine to decode his son's DNA." – on razib's boy! (^_^)
Criminal offending as part of an alternative reproductive strategy: Investigating evolutionary hypotheses using Swedish total population data – "Convicted criminal offenders had more children than individuals never convicted of a criminal offense. Criminal offenders also had more reproductive partners, were less often married, more likely to get remarried if ever married, and had more often contracted a sexually transmitted disease than non-offenders. Importantly, the increased reproductive success of criminals was explained by a fertility increase from having children with several different partners. We conclude that criminality appears to be adaptive in a contemporary industrialized country, and that this association can be explained by antisocial behavior being part of an adaptive alternative reproductive strategy." – h/t mary lou cowan! – chicks dig jerks. – see also You dropped your glove, my liege from the awesome epigone.
Men Who Hate Women – from staffan.
Why women see differently from the way men see? A review of sex differences in cognition and sports – h/t keith laws!
For The First Time, Chimpanzees Are Making A Fashion Statement — Sticking Blades Of Grass In Their Ears – "It's a trend that's taken a troop of chimpanzees by storm: a blade of grass dangling from an ear. The "grass-in-ear behavior," as scientists have termed it, seems to be one of the first times that chimpanzees have created a tradition with no discernible purpose — a primate fashion statement, in other words…. There's no genetic or ecological factors, the scientists believe, that would account for this behavior — only culture." – but, but, but…where does chimp culture come from?
Faces of Old World monkeys evolved to prevent crossbreeding
No effects of androgen receptor gene CAG and GGC repeat polymorphisms on digit ratio (2D:4D): A comprehensive meta-analysis and critical evaluation of research – "In contrast to a small-sample (N=50) initial report, widely cited affirmatively in the literature, meta-analysis of the entire retrievable evidence base did not support any associations between CAG variants and right-hand, left-hand, or right-minus-left-hand 2D:4D. Effects of GGC variants on digit ratios likewise were almost exactly null." – h/t dr. zhana!
Parents of children with autism often have autistic traits – kid has all his ducks in a row! (~_^) – h/t jason moore!
Sensitive? Emotional? Empathetic? It could be in your genes – "Do you jump to help the less fortunate or cry during sad movie scenes? If yes, you may be among the 20 percent of our population that is genetically pre-disposed to empathy, according to a study. The results provide further evidence that highly sensitive people are generally highly tuned into their environment, and provide evidence that especially high levels of awareness and emotional responsiveness are fundamental features of humans characterized as HSPs." – h/t mr. robert ford!
Negotiating the gap: Four academics and the dilemma of human biodiversity – from peter frost.
Guns & Violence, Again… – from jayman.
The Little Divergence – "A 'great divergence' between the economies of Western Europe and East Asia had unambiguously occurred by 1800. However, there's a growing body of opinion that this was preceded by a 'little divergence' which might have started as early as 1200. I argue that the pre-modern 'little divergence' was probably real, but that doesn't mean it happened because of a modern growth process — a sustained rise in the production efficiency of the divergent economies. The 'little divergence' might be only a reflexion of those societies' Malthusian balance of natality and mortality." – from pseudo. – see also Addendum to The Little Divergence.
Searching for the "Free Will" Neuron – "Gabriel Kreiman's single-neuron measurements of unconscious decision-making may not topple Descartes, but they could someday point to ways we can learn to control ourselves."
Denying the Tribe – from claire lehmann.
Mike Lotus Meeting with Emmanuel Todd in Paris, Discussing Todd's Current Work and America 3.0 – "Todd spoke about the origins of the Absolute Nuclear Family, as contrasted with the Community Family which predominates in much of Eurasia. Todd said that his most recent book, 'L'Origine des systemes familiaux' he shows that the entire history of the world is understood backward. Specifically, the supposedly most backward places are the most advanced. He told me that he had made an absurd mistake in his early book The Explanation of Ideology: Family Structure and Social Systems. He said in Explanation that the distribution of family systems appeared to be random. But, he said, he should have realized that this could not be correct. He took out a pile of printer paper and with rapid strokes sketched an oval and filled in the center, noting that this was the community family area. It was a given that I understood that the oval was Eurasia. He then marked Xs around the periphery for England, Iceland, Finland, France, Japan, Korea, the Philippines all areas which were still individualistic in family structure. He said the book articulates the 'Principle of Peripheral Conservation.' The oldest known family structure is the Undifferentiated Nuclear Family (UNF). In England the UNF evolved into the ANF over many centuries. The Community Family forms took four to five thousand years to form and to reach their current state of development. In particular the subjugation of women took a very long time to complete in these systems. In other words, the societies which are currently considered the most modern have as a foundation an archaic family structure." – h/t t.greer!
A Dozen Words for Misunderstood – "Slaying, yet again, the idea that the languages we speak shape the thoughts we think." – h/t steve stewart williams!
Understanding current causes of women's underrepresentation in science – "[D]ifferential gendered outcomes in the real world result from differences in resources attributable to choices, whether free or constrained, and that such choices could be influenced and better informed through education if resources were so directed. Thus, the ongoing focus on sex discrimination in reviewing, interviewing, and hiring represents costly, misplaced effort: Society is engaged in the present in solving problems of the past, rather than in addressing meaningful limitations deterring women's participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers today."
Breaking the Glass Ceiling? The Effect of Board Quotas on Female Labor Market Outcomes in Norway [pdf] – h/t ben southwood! who tweeted: "Norwegian gender quotas on boards had 'very little discernible impact on women in business beyond its direct effect.'"
Archaeological cave dig unearths artefacts from 45,000 years ago – "An archeological dig has revealed artefacts of early occupation so old they rival the dates of those found at sites of the earliest human settlement in Australia. The discovery of the artefacts of animal bone and charcoal at the Ganga Maya Cave (named by traditional owners meaning 'house on the hill') in the Pilbara region of Western Australia are the subject of a scientific paper not yet submitted to archaeological journals."
Artificial cranial modification in Kow Swamp and Cohuna – "This project provides added support for the argument that at least some Pleistocene Australian groups were practicing artificial cranial modification." – h/t neuroskeptic!
Researchers discover 6,200-year-old schistosomiasis parasite egg – "Researchers have discovered what they believe is the oldest ever schistosomiasis parasite egg in a 6,200-year-old grave by the Euphrates river in Syria, potentially providing the first evidence that Middle East agricultural irrigation systems – the artificial application of water to land or soil – may have contributed to the schistosomiasis burden." – d*mn agriculture! – h/t adam benton @evoanth!
Tablet about payment of donkey debt discovered in Kültepe believed to be oldest trade document – h/t frau katze!
bonus: Assessment of Genetic Variability of Fish Personality Traits using Rainbow Trout Isogenic Lines – "The study of inter-individual variability of personality in fish is a growing field of interest but the genetic basis of this complex trait is still poorly investigated due to the difficulty in controlling fish genetic origin and life history…. To this end, seven to ten rainbow trout isogenic lines were screened for their spatial exploratory behaviour, their flight response toward a stressor and their risk taking behaviour. Results showed that some lines seemed less sensitive to new events or environmental changes and could be defined as low responsive, while others were very sensitive and defined as high responsive." – h/t justin tiehen!
bonus bonus: Meet one of your ancestors: a 505-million-year-old fish
bonus bonus bonus: H. pylori Bacteria Frantically Mutate to Establish Infection – "A burst of rapid evolution allows Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes ulcers in humans, to evade the immune system during the early, acute phase of infection. This finding complements earlier work that quantified how quickly H. pylori mutations accumulate during chronic infection. During the acute phase, mutational rates are 30 to 50 times greater than during the chronic phase."
bonus bonus bonus bonus: An 81 million year herpes infection: First endogenous herpes virus found!
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Scientific proof that dogs don't like bananas
(note: comments do not require an email. social construct duck vs. social construct duck!)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Henrietta Swope Telescope
1. General
In 1971, the Carnegie Institution put into operation the first telescope at its new observatory on Cerro Las Campanas in Chile. The Swope Telescope, a 1-meter (40-inch) reflector, is named after a former Carnegie astronomer, Henrietta Swope, a collaborator of Walter Baade and the author of several classic papers, whose generous gift made possible the construction of the telescope.
The Swope telescope was built by the Boller and Chivens Division of the Perkin-Elmer Corp. The optical characteristics are discussed in detail by Bowen and Vaughen (1973, Applied Optics, 12, 1430). The optical design is an f/7 Ritchey-Chrétien in which the radii of curvature of the primary and secondary are equal, thereby achieving a zero Petzval sum and a flat field. Astigmatism is eliminated with a Gascoigne corrector lens. This design achieves a well-corrected field about 3 degrees in diameter. However, to do this it was necessary to use a secondary one-half the diameter of the primary, thereby intercepting 25% of the incident light.
An f/13.5 secondary used for infrared imaging is also available through a top-end "flip".
The following table gives the optical specifications of the f/7 Cassegrain configuration.
|Diameter primary:
|1,016 mm
|Focal length primary:
|4,118 mm
|Focal length Cassegrain:
|7,112 mm
|Diameter hole in primary:
|386 mm
|Diameter secondary:
|508 mm
|Diameter corrector plate:
|386 mm
|Distance between mirrors:
|2,384 mm
|Focal point distance behind surface of primary:
|610 mm
|Radius of curvature of focal surface:
|Unvignetted/corrected field of view:
|1.92 degrees
|Vignetting @ 88 arcmin field angle:
|0.0345 mm/arcsec


text:
Featured Products
Whatever your horse bitting problem we are able to help. Whether you are looking for a double bridle bit set or just a loose ring snaffle we have a full range or bits available to buy or to trial from our comprehensive Bit Bank.
We have a full team of trained bitting advisors based at our head office and Bit Bank centre, here to help with bitting problems like crossing the jaw, tongue over the bit, tongue out of the mouth, open mouth, strong horses, over bending, lack of brakes, we can help you with all of them.
With over 10,000 bits in stock we have a full range of pelhams, loose rings, eggbutts, continental gags, universals, hanging cheeks, combinations, butterfly flips, weymouths, bradoons, bevels, loop rings, running gags, nelson gags, pee wee's, D rings, in hand, stallion, driving, kimblewicks, mullen mouth, straight bar, ported, segundo, hanavarion to name a few.
Horse bits which include the unique styles and mouthpieces of WH Ultras, KK Ultras, Salox, Aurigan, Cyprium, Flexi, Happy Mouth, Rubber, Stainless Steel, Sweet Iron and Copper are all available.
The bit bank service is a very useful tool particularly if you are having bitting problems as it contains thousands of bits in all styles and mouthpieces, having so many bits allows us to offer quick delivery on all your standard bits and majority of specialist bespoke bits. Every bit that is returned to the bit bank is sterilized and disinfected before been sent out on trial, giving you the piece of mind to know that trialing a bit is safe and hygienic.
The HBS Team with their extensive Equine knowledge base both in manufacturing and retail, and are also experienced horse owners and riders will be able to offer you even better advice and customer service.
From first hand experience we understand how frustrating and complex it can be trying to get to the bottom of a problem you are experiencing with your horse. With so many products on the market we are here to help you find the right bit to suit both you and your horse's needs that makes riding, driving, schooling and breaking much easier and more enjoyable for you both.
We run Clinics, in conjunction with some of the industries leading Equestrian Magazines, throughout the year combining our Bitting, Bridle and Saddle Fitting knowledge to give you an opportunity of a 'one stop shop' to help iron out any problems you may have.
Each member of The HBS team has over 20 years experience with horses and an excellent reputation in equestrian customer support to both the trade and consumer. We are here to give you the same standard of service whether you want to hack around the lanes or compete at an affiliated level.


text:
Thanks for the reply. I've tried everything you indicated, but both BaseCamp and MapSource insist the files are not recognizable.
I downloaded a "trails" map from this site and it showed up in the BaseCamp map drop down list.
© 2007 - 2011 GPSFileDepot.com
A Division of OzTheory
Privacy Policy | Usage Agreement


text:
Long Read: Where's the money? 13 hours ago
CMOs, their focus, challenges and what are they doing with their mounds of cash?
Meet Ken the Keno Kraken
He's the new face of Keno in a campaign created by Clemenger Brisbane.
Suzuki launches next instalment of 'For Fun's Sake' by Deloitte Digital
Running through December and January, the campaign encourages Australia's prospective car buyers to own a piece of 2019.
Spotify kicks off annual Wrapped campaign
The paid media campaign includes out of home advertising in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, as well as digital, social, and cinema.
Making meaningful brand impact
Creatives and marketers must now disrupt complex algorithms and make consumers care.
The rule for brands and big data: See the people through the patterns
25th anniversary of the world's first banner ad online.
Taking CX from good to great
Measuring the impact of different types of experiences on brand preference.
PERSPECTIVES: Brutally simple ideas 13 hours ago
Inspiring change.
Industry Profile: DDB Sydney head of planning Dom Hickey 8 hours ago
Dom Hickey describes her job as unpredictable, has an addiction to streaming services and before advertising, she worked in the crime scene lab for the NSW police department.
eBay chief marketing officer Julie Nestor joins Hilton in APAC role 9 hours ago
Nestor has been named vice president, marketing and eCommerce in Asia Pacific.
JCDecaux appoints GM of people and culture 10 hours ago
Alissa Bartlett will be on the executive leadership team reporting to Steve O'Connor and her role is effective from March 2020.
XTD buys out of home sports specialist Adline Media 11 hours ago
Adam Cadwallade is diversifying the out of home operation.
oOh!Media completes sales team refresh in Queensland 12 hours ago
The team will focus on best-practice client service, working together to deliver audience solutions across the company's portfolio of locations.
Social media predictions 2020: Private communication, TikTok and attribution 12 hours ago
Hootsuite's five key trends that will impact social marketing in the new year.
Australia has no real CX leader 12 hours ago
Forrester's CX Index found two-thirds of brands are still delivering "just OK" experiences.
McCann's Fran Clayton: Australian brands need to be braver 12 hours ago
"[There is] this cultural aversion to taking risks, this fear of failure."
In other news...
- James Warburton's play for Prime appears to have hit a roadblock 13 hours ago
- Twitter's top Australian brands of 2019 14 hours ago
- GroupM: Global advertising growth is decelerating yesterday
- The Monkeys appointed DrinkWise's creative agency yesterday
- Zenith: Australian advertising spend growth will weaken in 2020 yesterday
- The Monkeys' head of planning Michael Hogg joins Emotive yesterday
- James Boardman returns to Wavemaker in newly created role yesterday
- Disruption to the news media is not about technology yesterday
- TBWA: Bringing disruption to Adelaide yesterday
- Seven names Pacific CEO as new digital boss yesterday
- PERSPECTIVES: Will the ad market return to growth in 2020? yesterday
- Canva partners with Facebook and Google yesterday
- Cookies?are crumbling yesterday
- A question of loyalty: Inside the big business of frequent flyer points yesterday
- Media owners remind CEOs of the importance of advertising yesterday
- SunRice and Identity win NSW Premier's award for multicultural communications 4 days ago
- Ten reveals first joint UK production following ViacomCBS merger 4 days ago
- Maurice Riley at Digitas selected as a Cannes Lions jury president 4 days ago
- Amazon is reviving Packed to the Rafters for its first local drama 4 days ago
- Spotify's Dan Robins joins PwC 4 days ago
- PERSPECTIVES: Disrupting the disruptors 4 days ago
- Mythbusting AI, what marketers should really know 4 days ago
- MINI launches 3D banner ads with AFK 4 days ago
- Australia's top trending YouTube videos of 2019 4 days ago
- PERSPECTIVES: Creating an emotional connection 4 days ago
- Movers & Shakers: Carsales, Seven, Unilever 4 days ago


text:
Due to input from many members as well as the moderator team, we are announcing a change in moderating rules which will become effective shortly. This announcement is being posted here in order for members to give the moderator team their comments on the proposed system prior to its launch.
The forums will move to an infraction based system - our hope is that this system will be more transparent and fair, and will address any feelings of unfairness or uneven enforcement of rules. In addition to this, we are going to be more strict on rule violations such as name calling to make sure an appropriate tone and atomsphere is maintained on these forums. This includes one-line posts towards other members such as "You're a ****".
With that in mind, we have created the following set of infractions for each of the rule violations. If a member reaches 15 infraction points, they will be banned for a short period of time (for example, a week). If they reach 30, they will be banned for a moderate amount of time (e.g one month). If they accrue 45 points, it will be a long ban (three months or more). At every point a member knows how many points they have on their account, so a long or short ban does not seem like it is 'coming out of nowhere'. Most infractions will stay on a member's account for six weeks (42 days), though that is variable depending on the infraction. With that said, here is the list:
Name (infraction points, number of days the infraction stays on)
General warning (0,42)
Inappropriate language (3,42)
Not posting in English (3,42)
Frivolous reporting of posts (3,42)
Off-topic discussion in thread (3,42)
Repetitive posting (5,42)
Avoiding swear filter (5,42)
Inappropriate sexual references (5,42)
Trolling or baiting (5,42)
Plagiarism, not referencing sources (8,42)
Discussion of piracy (8,42)
Slander (8,42)
Ignoring moderator instructions (8,42)
Lack of respect for, insulting, or harassment of other members (8,90)
Continual disobedience (20,90)
Requesting/posting illegal downloads (20,90)
Posting offensive material (40,90)
Serial offender (40,90)
Advertising (40,42)
General spam (40,42)
Multiple accounts (40,90)
Disparaging comments on race/sexuality/personal circumstances (50,90)
This is of course subject to change, and as it is put into action, we will keep a close eye on it and adjust as needed. As always, we welcome appropriate feedback, which can be given here or by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
Specific posts for moderators attention should still be reported using the "!" icon on the bottom left of the post. Each post that is reported sends us an email, and leaves a thread in the moderator forum, so we do read and discuss all reported posts.
New Forum Rules
Post in English: - We welcome members worldwide, but in order to avoid confusion, we ask that you make all posts in English. Posts made in languages other than English will be removed.
Trolls are not welcome: - Controversial opinions are welcome, so long as you present them properly. Flame-baiting and trolling, thinly veiled or not, are easy to see and the moderation team will not give the benefit of the doubt. Please note that repetitive posting of otherwise acceptable opinions in a manner that derails unrelated conversations or to annoy other posters will be considered trolling. Frac: Minor to Serious
Respect your fellow members:- Remember you're interacting with real people so keep your posts respectful of one another. Don't insult others (that includes insults towards individuals & groups) and don't bait others or post to provoke aggressive responses. Calling others idiots/******s/morons, making disparaging comments based on race, personal circumstances, or sexuality is never acceptable and will results in an infraction. Publicly accusing a member of trolling or of being a duplicate account of another member is also unacceptable. Resorting to personal attacks in the midst of a discussion is particularly looked down upon – as a rule of thumb we ask members to argue with the post, not the poster. Posts or threads attacking other posters will be deleted and result in an infraction. Frac: Warning to Serious
Retaliation: - If you feel that someone has posted in an offensive or disrespectful manner towards you, or that they are trolling, it is not acceptable to respond in a manner that also breaks forum rules. Use the report post function or email the moderation team – the moderation team will not accept "but he started it" or "but he called me a …." as an excuse for disregard for the forum rules.
Report posts:- If you think a post (or series of posts) breaks the CW rules or interrupts the flow of a thread, please report it using the report posts function (small red triangle) in the bottom right hand corner of the post/s in question. However, please note that the moderation team may not always agree with your view on a reported post, and reserve the right not to take action regarding any reported post. If you would like clarification of a decision regarding a reported post, please contact the moderation team via email. Frivolous reporting of posts (especially old posts) will see you receive minor-mid range infraction points.
Keep it clean:- The forum is used by people of varying ages & cultures, be aware of this before posting. Posting racist, pornographic or excessively vulgar material will result in an instant 30 day ban or permanent for repeat offenders. Linking to potentially offensive material should only occur within a relevant and serious context of a discussion. Any linked material of an adult nature should come with a warning or disclaimer. Even if a disclaimer is given, the moderation team reserves the right to use their judgment to decide whether the link is appropriate. Fracs: Racist: Serious Adult/Porn: Instant 30 day ban, or permaban for repeated or particularly bad offences
Harassment is unacceptable:- Continually making negative personal comments regarding individual members, and conducting of 'feuds' across multiple threads are both unacceptable. Should the moderation team judge that you are harassing someone, you will be infracted or banned. Frac: Mid to Serious
Keep it legal:- Do not post illegal content or discuss illegal activities. This includes, but is not limited to links or discussion about illegal video streams, torrents, program hacks, drugs and other topics of that nature. Don't make up rumours about others, or post potentially slanderous statements you found on the web/heard from a friend of a friend etc. Be it against members of this forum, cricket players/officials/journalists/politicians etc. such comments have the potential to bring unwelcome attention to CricketWeb. You are responsible for what you post, and if necessary CricketWeb will take legal action against its members. Frac: Warning to Mid
No spamming:- Posts which offer nothing and bear no relevance to the discussion at hand are not allowed and will be deleted. This includes, but is not limited to, making the same post multiple times, the creation of threads that have no room for discussion, posts and threads intended simply to boost post-counts, and needlessly digging up old threads. The moderation team's decision on what constitutes spam is final, and not up for discussion. Frac: Warning to Mid
Reference sourced material:- When posting articles/material from other websites you must give proper recognition to its owner, including a link. Claiming material written by others as your own is illegal and not permitted. Frac: Warning to Mid
Don't avoid the swear filter: - Should you feel the need to swear, do not attempt to avoid the swear filter (eg. Sh*t is avoiding the filter). Continued avoidance will result in an infraction. Also note, the presence of the filter does not mean excessive swearing is acceptable, and it may also result in an infraction. Frac: Warning to Minor
Read before posting:- There's always the chance that a current topic you're interested in is already being discussed. Please ensure you check back over threads active in the past 7 days before creating a new thread. Persistent disregard of this rule by creating new threads to make posts that are either spam or which belong in an existing thread will be considered to be spamming and dealt with accordingly. Frac: Warning to Minor (Mid for persistent offences deemed as spam).
Stay on topic:- Keep your posts on the topic of the thread. If there is a new subject you want to cover either take it to the relevant thread, or create a new one. Idle back-and-forth chit chat is best left for chat rooms or instant messaging. Frac: Warning to Mid
No advertising:- Threads/posts advertising your website are not allowed and will be removed. Continued advertising will result in a permanent ban. If you wish to advertise on Cricket Web, email firstname.lastname@example.com Frac: Mid to Serious
Multiple accounts are not allowed - Each member creates their own unique username to suit their style, personality and this identifies them in the forum. Under no circumstances is a member allowed to have more than one account. Multiple accounts will be banned, and also result in an infraction on the users original account. Frac: Mid to Serious
Avatars & Signatures: - These are a luxury, do not abuse them. Keep offensive material out of them, and keep your signature short and in accordance with other forum rules. The forum's staff reserve the right to remove or edit them as they see fit.
Testing forum: - If you want to practice or test whether a link, smiley, poll etc works, please use the Testing Forum, a sub-forum within Site Discussion area. Given the nature of this sub-forum, the rules regarding spam are relaxed there, however all other rules remain very much in force.
Help the Moderators Make the Forum a Pleasant Environment: - Please listen to directions provided by moderators within forum discussions – the aim of the team and these rules is to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for the many different users of the forum. There will likely be times when you disagree with a comment or decision from the moderation team, however responding in a dismissive or abusive manner will not assist matters and may result in an infraction.
If you wish to discuss a comment or decision, please contact a moderator via either the VM system on forum, or by emailing them - email@example.com.
Make your case clearly and calmly and it will be given a fair hearing – that said, the moderation team as the representatives of the site owner reserve the right to apply the forum rules as they deem appropriate. Moderation team decisions are not to be discussed in-thread, as they often are an unwelcome disruption and often only take a thread further off-topic.
The creation of multiple accounts to get around a ban WILL see an increase in the duration of your suspension.
The administrators and moderators reserve the right to remove or alter your posts and threads at any time for any reason. We also reserve the right to suspend, restrict or completely block your user account at any time for any reason. If you don't receive a reason or notification of an action please ask.


text:
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Study: Breastfeeding Results in Increased Morbidity and Developmental Delay
Introduction: Many studies have shown benefits of breastfeeding, but there are limitations to all these studies since the breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding groups are different. This study looks at babies of the same sex from the same parents, so obviously they're exactly the same.
Methods: Two babies, both girls, from the same parents were studied, examining the number of infections, rate of growth, and developmental milestones. Subject #1 received breastmilk for only six months and got formula supplementation during that time. After six months, Subject #1 received only formula. Subject #2 received only breastmilk for the first six months, then very minimal formula supplementation for the rest of the first year.
Results: At the end of the first year, Subject #1 was at the 99th percentile for both height and weight. She had zero ear infections and zero infections requiring antibiotics. At the end of the first year, Subject #2 was at the 5th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height. She had been treated for two cases of conjunctivitis and three ear infections. She also threw up a bunch of times. Subject #1 crawled and pulled up two months earlier than subject #2. Subject #1 walked at 10 months of age (data on Subject #2 still pending).
Discussion: Subject #1 showed significantly decreased infection rate compared with Subject #2, in addition to improved growth and reaching milestones. Since Subject #2 received more breastmilk than Subject #1, this likely accounted for the differences.
Conclusion: Breastmilk, once thought to be so great, is actually a source of infection and developmental delay. Who would have thought it?
7 comments:
aren't you full of groundbreaking research lately :PReplyDelete
I think you can blame subject #1 for the infection rate in subject #2--- toddlers/preschoolers are walking germ factories.ReplyDelete
I love new research. Two of the things that came to mind reading this was #1 Being siblings doesn't make two children exactly the same, and although they are siblings they are different in age and no two people have the EXACT same life experiences. They many not have come in contact with the same exact people, germs, etc. #2 This is one case study on two individuals so I do not believe this can be considered a medical breakthrough as of yet.ReplyDelete
I'm sorry, but I just don't consider that a study. It's anecdotal at best and it's worst it's inflammatory and incorrect. What statistical analysis did they use to determine this was significant and how did they control for that fact that being the second child means you were raised in different circumstances than the first. You can't look at only 2 kids in the same house hold and call it a study.ReplyDelete
I've gotten a few comments criticizing this "study" and although they have been deleted, I am genuinely uncertain if people realize this post is supposed to be a farce.ReplyDelete
For the record, in case it isn't totally obvious, I don't think comparing my two kids constitutes a scientific study :)
- AnonymousJune 8, 2012 at 3:43 AM
*sigh* Once again a study proving that a sarcasm font is needed.ReplyDelete


text:
Free Modules on the Accordance Exchange
Posted 13 September 2011 - 02:02 PM
- Johannes likes this
OakTree Software
Posted 07 November 2011 - 05:20 AM
could you increase the upload-size? I tried to upload some bibles that have about 6MB (maybe a little more) - but the upload doesn't work!
Best wishes, Johannes
Bibellesen mit Accordance: http://accordancebible.de
Posted 05 December 2011 - 12:05 PM
After a long delay (mea culpa) we have added a new batch of user modules to the Exchange. There are several German modules, and a very interesting original metrical Psalter (Psalms for singing). Thanks to the contributors. Please everyone, feel free to upload more modules and then bug me to get them posted.
Can these be uploaded to an IPad, or are they just for the Mac version?
Posted 05 December 2011 - 01:07 PM
OakTree Software
Posted 05 December 2011 - 03:27 PM
They are currently formatted to download only to the Mac, but can then be synced to the iOS App. There is no mechanism to download to the iOS app except for the items on our regular website.
Unfortunately, I'm synching my IPad with a Windows laptop.
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
RBC108/01 Arazzo 50cm Cushion Rosewood
- Collection
- Kaleido
- After Care
- Cover
- Embroidered Jacquard Weave
- Reverse
- Faux Silk
- Note
- All cushion panels are cut at random from the fabric design therefore the design placement may differ from the product image shown resulting in each cushion being unique.
- Find your nearest stockist >
Note: Due to variations in computer screens, we cannot guarantee that colours shown here are truly representative of our products. Prior to purchasing we recommend that you order a sample, available through your local supplier.


text:
Some areas to get second punch before storm moves out
Lunenburg reports 12 inches of snow, Logan has 7 inches
The National Weather Service warned areas of black ice were possible Tuesday evening as temperatures dropped, turning wet roads into icy roads.
"While a fresh covering of snow may occur in some locales, the main concern will be overnight temperatures dropping into the 20s," the NWS said. "This will cause any standing water to re-freeze resulting in some black ice. Slippery spots may persist into the Wednesday morning rush hour."
Police responded to a new flurry of crashes, including a tractor-trailer that had crashed on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Framingham, closing the turnpike westbound.
Click here for up-to-minute storm updates
From Andover to Foxborough, the storm's impact on the Tuesday morning commute was felt in long drives, spin outs and crashes.
"I'm tired of it. I'm ready for the warm weather to come," one driver said.
Areas that remain all snow could see as much as a foot, prompting the weather service to issue a winter storm warning.
As of 2 p.m., Lunenburg was the jackpot with 12 inches of snow, and Reading reported 11 inches. About 7 inches of snow was reported at Logan Airport, while just 6 inches had fallen at Worcester Airport.
"Slow and easy going – that is the rule of the day," Boston DPW's Tom Tinlin said. "Take your time."
MassDOT's Frank Depaola said crews hit the roads before midnight to stay ahead of the storm. As of 7 a.m., the department had about 2,800 pieces of equipment out clearing the roadways.
The speed limit on the Mass Pike was reduced to 40 mph and the HOV lane on the Southeast Expressway remained closed for the morning and evening commute.
Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien said they had 350 plows, sanders and salters out on the roads in that city. He said the long-duration storm is a tough job, but his teams have "been there, done that" and will be out all day.
Utility companies only reported a few hundred outages statewide.


text:
Skinny Buffalo Wings Recipe
Baked, not fried, these wings will be the hit at your next party!
Traditional buffalo wings are deep fried and made with lots of butter. These are broiled to reduce fat and calories and we eliminated the butter altogether. You can adjust the heat to your taste. Great for appetizers, lunch or dinner!
Lighter Buffalo Wings
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 2 chicken wings • Points +: 5 pts • Smart Points: 8
Calories: 204 • Fat: 5.4 g • Carbs: 2.3 g • Fiber: 0.6 g
3 lbs (about 18) chicken wings
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Franks hot sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp oregano
4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chili powder
salt and fresh pepper
2 celery stalks, sliced into strips
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into strips
In a large bowl combine chicken, 2 tbsp hot sauce, vinegar, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder salt and pepper. Mix well and let marinate for 30 minutes.
Place wings on a broiler rack and broil on low, about 8 inches from the flame for about 10-12 minutes on each side. (All ovens are different so be careful not to burn and make sure it is cooked before removing)
While chicken cooks, heat the remaining hot sauce until warm. Toss the hot sauce with the chicken and arrange on a platter. Serve with celery and carrot strips and blue cheese dressing or dipping.
Keywords: Skinny Buffalo Wings


text:
Catch of the Day: Creative Seafood Recipes
Walleye Wild Rice Cakes with Wasabi Dressing
Cindi Rockwell of Berkley, Michigan, says this recipe, which has two signature Minnesota ingredients, was inspired by the resort her grandparents owned there.Walleye Wild Cakes with Wasabi Dressing
Lake Chowder
Angry Trout Cafe in Grand Marais, Minnesota, makes this buttery, dill-flecked chowder with lake trout, a mild-flavored and relatively oily fish. The recipe tastes just as good with salmon or whitefish.Lake Chowder
Pepper-Lime Shrimp and Grits
Mexican flavors give a fresh twist to this classic Southern dish. Best of all, each serving has only 382 calories!Pepper-Lime Shrimp and Grits
Crispy Beer Batter Fried Walleye with Mango Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Fresh-fruit sauce brings a lively taste of the islands to down-home beer-battered fish.Crispy Beer Batter Fried Walleye with Mango Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Dilled Shrimp and Orzo Bowl
Dill, shrimp and a hint of vinegar shine in this light, veggie-filled dish.Dilled Shrimp and Orzo Bowl
Old Bay Burger
This tasty burger from Northern Waters Restaurant in Duluth, Minnesota, is essentially a tender fish cake on a bun. The key is grinding or chopping the fish enough to hold together--but not so finely that it becomes mealy. Old Bay Burger
Curried Coconut Shrimp and Noodles
This pasta-based seafood dish features a flavor-packed broth of ginger, curry and coconut milk. The tender noodles soak it up.Curried Coconut Shrimp on Rice Stick Noodles recipe
Planked Salmon with Grilled Tomato Salsa
Grilling brings out the sweetness in cherry tomatoes, which pair beautifully with the smoky flavor of planked salmon. Brown rice or quinoa round out a healthy dinner.Planked Salmon with Grilled Tomato Salsa
Dilly Smoked Salmon Pizza
This simple smoked salmon pizza was inspired by one served at The Stone Barn in Nelson, Wisconsin. We love the ease of using purchased crust, but you can sub your favorite homemade dough.Dilly Smoked Salmon Pizza
Cider-Brined Coho Salmon with Dijon Cream
Freshwater salmon soaks up the flavor of cider-tarragon marinade created by Sally Sibthorpe of Shelby Township, Michigan. She finishes the elegant main dish with a cream sauce scented with aniselike tarragon.Cider-Brined Coho Salmon with Dijon Cream
Crabmeat-Stuffed Whitefish
Seasoned crabmeat and marsala sauce complement Lake Michigan whitefish in this recipe from The Inn at Kristofer's in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.Crabmeat-Stuffed Door County Whitefish recipe
Salmon Smorrebrod
At Northern Waters Restaurant in Duluth, these open-face sandwiches are assembled in the kitchen, but you can array the components as a make-your-own appetizer or light brunch dish. Improvise with thinly sliced radish or by offering RyKrisp crackers in addition to bread. Salmon Smorrebrod
Hummus-Encrusted Tilapia
Hummus and a panko-walnut mixture tops tender, moist tilapia filets.Hummus-Encrusted Tilapia
Finfish and Vegetables in Papillote
Cooking in paper-en papillote-is a simple, elegant way to prepare fish. When the package is opened, an aromatic puff of steam escapes.Bill Dugan suggests that beginners try this simple method: Sprinkle a fresh 4- to 5-ounce portion of fish with salt, wrap in a parchment bag and steam in a vegetable steamer for 5 to 8 minutes. Serve au jus or with a splash of vinaigrette. He also suggests baking delicate fish 15 minutes in a parchment bag with fresh herbs.The Finfish and Vegetables in Papillote recipe uses fresh vegetables as well as herbs to create a fragrant main dish.Finfish and Vegetables in Papillote recipe
Caribbean Shrimp Kabobs
These weeknight-easy skewers marry gently spiced shrimp with juicy pineapple. Serve with rice and a fresh lettuce salad.Caribbean Shrimp Kabobs
Grilled Fish with Moroccan Vinaigrette
This flaky white fish looks like a gourmet dish when served over a bed of couscous and dressed with mesclun (a mix of salad greens) and colorful radish slivers.Grilled Fish with Moroccan Vinaigrette
Shrimp and Tilapia Ceviche
Ceviche (seh-VEESH) is a Latin American dish of raw fish and seafood marinated in acidic citrus juices until it turns opaque. In this recipe, you'll cook the shrimp and fish in boiling water for a minute (to avoid any problems with using fish that's not perfectly fresh), cool it, and marinate in the original citrus juices, coconut milk and tequila.Shrimp and Tilapia Ceviche
Corn-Roasted Walleye
Use corn husks to package your fish fillets in this main dish. Roasting the corn salsa intensifies its flavor. Serve with tortilla chips to scoop up any leftover salsa on your plate.Corn-Roasted Walleye recipe
Grilled Salmon with Pistachio-Basil Butter
A mixture of fresh basil, pistachios, lime juice, garlic and butter tops easy grilled salmon. Store leftover pistachio-basil butter in your refrigerator for up to a week; toss with hot pasta or spread on toasted French bread.Grilled Salmon with Pistachio-Basil Butter
Willis Family Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
Peel and devein 1 pound of large fresh shrimp in shells (about 16), leaving tails intact. Rinse; pat dry. Using 8 slices of Niman Ranch Bacon or other bacon (halved crosswise), wrap each shrimp in a piece of bacon, securing with a wood toothpick (neck to tail in a half-moon). To grill, place shrimp on lightly greased rack of uncovered grill over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and shrimp turn opaque, turning once. (For gas grill, cover and grill as directed.) If you like, serve with your favorite barbecue sauce. Makes 16.
Honey-Bourbon Salmon
Although this recipe takes very little hands-on cooking time, be sure to allow an hour to marinate the salmon so it absorbs all the flavors of the sweet-and-salty marinade.Honey-Bourbon Salmon


text:
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.– Whether you raise cattle, corn or cucumbers, accurate enterprise budgets are crucial in gauging the potential profitability of your operation, says a University of Missouri Extension agriculture business specialist.
"In addition to predicting profits, enterprise budgets help producers evaluate alternative strategies for making the most out of their land, capital and labor," said Whitney Wiegel.
By definition, an enterprise budget is a financial management tool for projecting costs and returns for an activity such as livestock, grain or vegetable production, Wiegel said. A typical enterprise budget will include five main sections:
1. A summary of the projected total revenue from the enterprise. "The revenue or income section of an enterprise budget must contain a description of the expected yield or amount of product produced such as bushels, pounds or number of head of livestock," Wiegel said. This section must also specify a projected market price. Total revenue is calculated by multiplying total production (expected yield, number of head, etc.) by the market price per unit of production and then adding any other payments received, such as government payments.
2. Expected variable costs of production. Variable costs are the costs of inputs that are used up during one production period. These costs vary with changes in the number of head, acres or other units produced in the enterprise. The variable cost section of an enterprise budget outlines the expected inputs and amounts of inputs to be used in the enterprise. It also assigns a cost figure to each input. Examples of these inputs/costs include fertilizer, chemicals, feed, minerals and labor.
3. Fixed costs of production. Fixed costs are those that do not change with the level of production. These include items like interest on intermediate and long-term loans, depreciation, taxes and insurance.
4. Total cost of production. The projected total cost of production is the sum of variable and fixed costs.
5. "Returns" or profit. This part of the budget compares the revenue of the enterprise to its costs. Often, this section will be segmented to describe both returns over variable costs and returns over total costs. While an enterprise should earn a profit above total costs, this is not always the case. Income received is sometimes less than total production costs. Should an enterprise be continued if total revenue is less than the total costs? The answer may be yes if (1) income is above variable costs and (2) this is a short-term condition. If fixed costs are not covered in the long run, however, reinvestment in capital items (such as tractors, implements, buildings and equipment) cannot be made and existing capital stock is eventually depleted.
Numerous examples of enterprise budgets are available on the Internet, Wiegel said. "Most of the budgets available on the Web will contain some suggested cost and return figures. However, be cautious about using figures without doing cost and market research first."
-Cost and Return Estimates for 2011 (MU Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute): http://www.fapri.missouri.edu/farmers_corner/budgets/.
-Farm Budgets (MU Agricultural Electronic Bulletin Board): http://agebb.missouri.edu/mgt/budget/.
-Links to many budgets can be accessed through the Ag Risk Education Library (University of Minnesota): http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/Budgets/.


text:
Stone Mountain woman wins Mega Millions Jackpot | News
(USA TODAY) -- A Stone Mountain woman was one of the two winners of Tuesday's $648 million Mega Millions jackpot.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, the Georgia Lottery said Ira Curry, 56, picked family birth dates and their lucky number 7. She elected to take the cash option, which amounts to more than $173 million before taxes.
State income tax of 6 percent and federal income tax of 25 percent are automatically withheld at the time a prize is claimed, but there are ordinarily additional taxes due on prizes.
Georgia Lottery officials said Curry would receive her proceeds in about two weeks.
Curry bought her winning ticket at the Gateway Newstand in Buckhead.
The store does not get any winning money but does get 6 percent of ticket sales.
The Georgia Lottery used to pay bonuses to stores that sold winning tickets, but that was changed during the first year of Gov. Nathan Deal's administration. When Deal signed the HOPE Scholarship revamp bill in March, 2011, bonuses to stores that sold winning tickets were eliminated, and lottery employee bonuses were cut back significantly.
This was done because lottery proceeds had flattened, and with HOPE Scholarship demand soaring, the agency's balance was in danger of turning negative.
The other winner was a lucky costumer who bought a winning ticket at Jennifer's Gift Shop in San Jose, according to California Lottery spokesman Alex Traverso.
After sales were tallied, the jackpot in Tuesday's drawing was increased from an advertised $636 million to about $648 million, marking the second richest lottery prize in American history.
RELATED | Check your numbers at 11Alive's lottery page
MORE | You won the big one -- now what?
In addition to the jackpot prize in Georgia, two $1 million prize winning tickets were sold in Columbus and Winder, three $20,000 tickets were sold in Cave Spring, Decatur and Marietta. There were also 26 $5,000 winners, 18 $2,000 winners and more than 929,000 winners at lower prize levels in the state.
"For us, the main thing we'd like to get across is the level of excitement we saw all across California," Traverso told the Associated Press. "At one point, we were selling about 25,000 tickets per minute."
"It's been an amazing experience. It's unbelievable," he said.
The odds of winning were about 1 in 259 million.
Jennifer's Gift Shop owner Thuy Nguyen will receive a prize of about $1 million for selling the winning ticket, lottery officials told the San Jose Mercury News.
"I am so happy, I feel good," Nguyen told the Mercury News after learning his store had sold the winning ticket.
There is no retailer bonus in Georgia for selling the winning ticket.
Tuesday's jackpot had rolled over 21 straight drawings since Oct. 4, worth a lump, sum, pre-tax payout worth $314.2 million.
The winning numbers were 8, 20, 14, 17, 39 and 7.
Ticket sales - the topic of TV, radio, social media and burgeoning office pools - surged in the hours leading up to the drawing, even though up to 75% of the possible number combinations were expected to be picked.
"Even though the odds are against you, it's just the excitement of, 'H


text:
I thought it was time to make Creme Caramel which is the Western world's version of our very own leche flan. Afterall, I live in the Western world where the ingredients for it are abundant and cheap.
My effort was not particularly stellar as you can see with the various holes. The oven was probably quite hot that's why it's overcooked. Though thankfully this did not affect the overall quality of the custard. It was still smooth and silky with just the right sweetness.
The recipe I adapted is from The New Best Recipe cookbook from Cook's Illustrated.
Creme Caramel
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup or golden syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp lemon juice (optional)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups single cream (light cream)
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
*For the syrup:
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, syrup, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer without stirring on medium heat.
While doing this, wipe the sides of the saucepan with a wet cloth or a wet brush to remove any sugar crystals that can turn the syrup grainy.
- Continue to cook the syrup until it turns golden (about 8 minutes). Occasionally swirl the saucepan gently for even browning.
- Cook for a further 4-5 minutes while swirling the saucepan gently and constantly until the syrup turns honey-caramel in colour.
- Remove from the heat and immediately pour and divide into ramekins or baking moulds you are using. Careful when doing this because the syrup is very hot at this point. Let the caramel cool and harden completely in the moulds.
*For the custard:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F.
- Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir from time to time and cook until steam appears (about 7 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Mix gently the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the heated milk mixture, salt, and vanilla while stirring gently. Whisk until just combined but not foamy. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
- Boil about 5 cups of water in a kettle. Put a folded tea towel to fit in the bottom of a large baking pan.
- Divide the custard mixture in the ramekins or moulds. Arrange the moulds on the tea towel in the baking pan making sure they do not touch.
- Position the pan in the middle of the oven. Pull the oven rack and the pan about less than half-way out.
Pour the hot water in the baking pan to reach halfway up the side of the ramekins. This is called a bain-marie or water bath.
- Cover the entire pan loosely with aluminium foil. Bake until a skewer or small knife inserted between the centre and edge of the ramekin comes out clean. Baking time for small ramekins is about 35-40 minutes while for larger baking dish is about 70-75 minutes.
- Remove from the bain-marie and cool completely on a wire rack. [Optional] Cover individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.
- To unmould, run a knife all around the edge of the ramekin. Cover it with a plate and turn it upside down. Shake the ramekin gently to release the custard.


text:
What You Need To Be A Pit Warrior
Outfit Your Crew For Safer, Faster Pit Stops
Every warrior has his uniform. Knights of old had suits of armor and modern-day soldiers have their battle gear. Todays pit crewman is a warrior of sorts, and he needs his own equipment if hes going to win the battle of pit road.
Todays over-the-wall pit crewman needs protection, because the enemy in this case isnt carrying a 10-foot lance or a grenade launcher: Hes driving a heavy stock car. In effect, todays pit crewman is like a knight of old in that hes facing a mechanized cavalry charge every time he steps over the wall.
If youre going to do pit stops on a consistent basis, there are essential items you must have in your pit box to be both safe and competitive. Britt Goodrich, who is currently the jack man for the No. 48 Stacker2 Chevrolet driven by Kenny Wallace in the NASCAR Busch Series, came up with a list of essentials that should be in every pit area, no matter the level of racing.
Helmets First
Beginning with what the crewman himself (or herself, as the case may be) should wear while pitting the car, Goodrich first names the helmet. I wear a Simpson helmet, the kind that looks like the Harley-Davidson helmets for motorcycles, Goodrich says. It has straps that make it adaptable to the kind of radios we wear. You could use a racing helmet, but if youre hooked to the radio youd have to spend a lot of money getting a radio kit and fitted earplugs installed. A lot of the guys are wearing skateboard-type helmets and that sort of thing.
Goodrich has to wear a helmet, because NASCAR rules mandate it. He does recommend, however, that all pit crewmen wear one. Anyone who goes over the wall, whether it be to change tires, put gas in the car or jack it up, is strongly urged to wear a helmet, period. Many sanctioning bodies require such equipment, and if yours doesnt, then wear one anyway. The debate on this is much like the one that raged over head and neck restraints, but the facts are simple: You stand a better chance of surviving a pit accident with a helmet than without. You can get run over just as easily at a Saturday-night short track as at Michigan or Bristol. Pit helmets can be racing helmets, but helmets made especially for the pit crew are available from many different vendors.
Protective Clothing
If you make pit stops where fuel is being added to the car, we strongly recommend wearing a fire-retardant suit, underwear, socks, shoes and gloves. Youve heard it before but well say it again: The wrong time to find out you should have all these things as part of your normal equipment is while youre on fire. Sure, its heavy and it makes you sweat a lot, but consider the alternative. It is part of the condition of the job, so wear it. Wear it every time. This is especially true of the fuelers themselves. If your budget allows, wear a double-layer suit as well as the pit aprons made especially for the job to keep fuel from splashing on your suit all the time. Nobody wants to walk around smelling of racing gas, not to mention the danger of having a stray spark light off your suit.
The gloves, especially among tire changers, can be a hindrance, so the fireproofing isnt often as important as protecting your hands from the bumps and bruises associated with yanking a heavy wheel off and putting another heavy wheel back on. Several companies, including G-Force Racing Gear, Mechanix Wear and Ringers, make gloves that are ideal for this use. For crewmen who work with hot metal (in the engine) or torn metal (on a pit stop after a crash) there are gloves made of Kevlar knit with rubber pads for grip.
Many companies, among them Mechanix Wear, BSR and Ringers make kneepads for tire changers that feature hard plastic shells for sliding to your knees. These are excellent for tire changers, who need something to keep their knee joints from injury while ripping off a four-tire change.
Goodrich says that eye protection is a good idea as well. Eye protection can really help you on a short track, he says. Theres a lot of brake dust kicked up when you change tires, and a lot of the tire guys will wear those bubble goggles like Dale Earnhardt used to wear. If youre pitting in the daytime, they make them in black to keep the glare down.
Tools and Equipment
If youre changing tires, then you need a jack. Goodrich uses a Brunnhoelzl jack for pitting the car and also has a Brunnhoelzl flat jack for getting the car off the ground if the tires are flat or there is damage from a crash. You need a racing jack, but the flat jack is an option depending on your budget.
When your driver is involved in a crash and comes limping into the pits, Goodrich says its a good idea to have a Sawzall or some kind of metal cutting tool handy for rearranging the sheetmetal. A rivet gun or zip gun is a good idea, if your budget allows. Also, if the car has significant damage and you need to get underneath to fix or inspect a damaged part, jackstands are a must. Most sanctioning bodies require jackstands anytime theres a crew member under the car, and its a good idea to leave the pit jack engaged in case theres unintended contact from another car.
If youre fixing crash damage, pre-cut tape patches for the fenders and grille are available from many sources. If you dont want to go that route, theres plenty of racer tape that will get the job done. Working as he does in the Busch Series and Winston Cup, Goodrich says a video camera is an option for teams if they want to record their stops for later discussion. This might not be feasible at all levels, but its a useful tool for reviewing pit technique.
Sweep Clean
Assorted items like a brush for the grille, a squeegee for the windshield, drink pole and the pit sign are all nice to have, but their expense might be too much for smaller teams. One item that all teams ought to have in the trailer or on the truck is a good broom. Theres all sorts of stuff that is on the ground in your pit stall, Goodrich comments. Lugs, brake dust, spilled fuel, dirt, rubber and trash can get on the ground where you have to work, so a good broom will help you keep that area as clean and neat as you can.
A pit pop-up canopy is a good idea, and you can get them from BSR Products, among other places.
If youre traveling or running extra-distance races on a regular basis, it might be wise to invest in both a car cover and some good tarpaulins for both the car and the pit area. A brief rain shower can make your pit area very hard to work in, so a pit-sized tarp can keep a lot of water off the prime working space. A car cover can help keep the car dry and ease any worries about the electronics getting fouled by Mother Nature.
Mobile Workshop
Some teams have pit boxes, some dont. If youre traveling a lot, a pit boxsometimes called a war wagoncan make it easier to do, because it holds so much equipment. If you dont have or need one, you can still pit effectively without it. Nitrogen bottles and regulators are necessary to power the pit guns, and so are hoses, so you need at least two for that purpose. Spares are a good idea. Tire racks and gas can racks are luxuries, but can be useful in an open pit area with no inner wall. Its always a good idea to have as many spare parts as possible, especially spare body panels and suspension pieces, in the pit. If the trailer is not handy, then it becomes a necessity to have the bare minimum in spares arranged where you can get at them.
In terms of comfort, for both the driver and the crew, a stout cooler with plenty of ice is a handy thing to have in the pits. Cold drinks for the crew go a long way toward keeping everyone fresh, and the driver needs a drink now and again, especially if he doesnt have a water bottle in the car.
Much of what is essential in a pit area depends on the type of racing you do. Every pit needs basic toolswrenches, screwdrivers, air pressure gauges, etc. If youre a Saturday-night racer with a limited budget, compromise is the word of the day. Figure out, based on what you know to be true and what your experience tells you could happen, the absolute bare necessities for your form of racing and work from there. Weve given you the basics from a top-level team, so load the trailer, snug down your helmet and go racing!


text:
I was extremely delighted to participate in the Heroes Helping Heroes event last night sponsored by by Cops 4 Causes at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. Last night's benefit concert was held in honor and remembrance of the tragic events of 9/11 as well as to recognize, give back, and honor the troops and veterans who have served and are continuing to serve in the military forces.
From the moment we arrived men of the armed forces escorted us to the red carpet for photos and interviews. Afterwards we arrived in the Foundation VIP room where many of the guests had the opportunity to mingle and take photos with the war veterans who were extremely enthusiastic and charismatic. The men were some of the nicest people I have met! Gift bags were handed out that included some free samples. One of the main highlights of the event included a session where we could write letters to the troops still abroad to thank them for their work.
The proceeds from the event will go on to benefit organizations like R.J. Cottle's Returning Heroes Veterans Fund, Operation Gratitude, and USO. The event opened with saluting the flag and singing the national anthem followed by live performances from Steve Stevens (played with Billy Idol), Black Sabbath, Sugar Ray, and Scars on Broadway.
Other guests in attendance were Pauley Perrette, Jack Osbourne, Tippi Hedren, Martha Davis & The Motels all of whom have done their part to support the troops. Cops 4 Causes is a great organization that not only initiates but also organizes efforts to raise funds and bring public recognition to those who continue to fight and protect this great country so that we have the privilege of never having to worry for our safety and well being. The organization's fund goes to supporting our troops abroad as well as aiding veterans into work and educational programs. Please visit Cops 4 Causes to learn about how you can give back to the community and play a role in helping our war heroes!
Finally, I would especially like to thank Francine Marseille for all her great work in producing the event. I am grateful to have been a part of something so special! Thanks!
For up-to-date information on my daily whereabouts please follow me on Twitter or visit my website
Have a lovely Friday everyone!
Published on Sep 13, 2013


text:
|Working Group I: The Scientific Basis
|Other reports in this collection
8.6 20th Century Climate and Climate Variability
8.6.1 20th Century Coupled Model Integrations Including
Greenhouse Gases and Sulphate Aerosols
Since the pioneer experiments conducted at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research (Mitchell et al. 1995) and at the Deutsche Klimarechenzentrum (DKRZ) (Hasselmann et al. 1995), reported in the SAR, a number of other groups internationally have reproduced the trend in the surface air temperature instrumental record over the 20th century. These include the Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCma) (Boer et al. 2000), Centre for Climate System Research/National Institute for Environmental Studies (CCSR/NIES) (Emori et al. 1999), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) (Haywood et al. 1997) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) (Meehl et al. 2000b). Many of these new contributions, including recent experiments at the Hadley Centre and DKRZ, include an ensemble of projections over the 20th century (e.g., Figure 8.15). Such an ensemble allows for an estimate of intra-model variability, which in the case of the CCCma model (Figure 8.15), is larger than the possible anthropogenic signal through the early part of the 20th century (cf., inter-model variability shown in Figure 9.3).
Coupled models that have been used to simulate changes over the 20th century have all started with "control model" levels of atmospheric CO2 (typically 330 ppm). This initial condition is then referred to as the "pre-industrial" initial condition. Changes in radiative forcing are then calculated by taking the observed atmospheric equivalent CO2 level over the 20th century as a difference relative to the actual pre-industrial level (280 ppm), and adding this as a perturbation to the control model levels. Implicit in this approach is the assumption that the climate system responds linearly to small perturbations away from the present climate. Haywood et al. (1997) demonstrated the near linear response of the GFDL-coupled model to changes in radiative forcing associated with increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases and sulphate aerosols. When added together, experiments which included aerosol and greenhouse gas increases separately over the 20th century yielded a similar transient response (in terms of globally averaged and geographical distribution of surface air temperature and precipitation) to an experiment which included both aerosol and greenhouse gas increases. This analysis is particularly important as it validates the methodological approach used in coupled model simulations of the 20th century climate.
As noted in the SAR, the inclusion of the direct effect of sulphate aerosols is important since the radiative forcing associated with 20th century greenhouse gas increase alone tends to overestimate the 20th century warming in most models. Groups that have included a representation of the direct effects of sulphate aerosols have found that their model generally reproduces the observed trend in the instrumental surface air temperature warming, thereby suggesting that their combination of model climate sensitivity and oceanic heat uptake is not unrealistic (see Chapter 9, Section 9.2.1 and Figure 9.7). These same models have more difficulty representing variability observed within the 20th century instrumental record (Sections 8.6.2, 8.6.3). As mentioned in Section 8.6.3, some modelling studies suggest that the inclusion of additional forcings from solar variability and volcanic aerosols may improve aspects of this simulated variability. Delworth and Knutson (2000), on the other hand, note that one of their six 20th century integrations (using GFDL_R30_c) bears a striking resemblance to the observed 20th century warming which occurs primarily in two distinct periods (from 1925 to 1944 and from 1978 to the present), without the need for additional external forcing. In addition, all coupled models have shown a trend towards increasing global precipitation, with an intensification of the signal at the high northern latitudes, consistent with the observational record (Figure 8.16). Nevertheless, AOGCM simulations have yet to be systematically analysed for the occurrence of other key observed trends, such as the reduction in diurnal temperature range over the 20th century and the associated increase in cloud coverage.
The aforementioned studies all prescribed the temporal and geographical distribution of sulphate aerosols and included their radiative effects by perturbing the surface albedo according to the amount of sulphate loading in the atmospheric column above the surface (see Chapter 6, Sections 6.7, 6.8 and 6.14). This approach both ignores the indirect effect of these aerosols (i.e., their effects on cloud formation) as well as weather affects on aerosol redistribution and removal. Roeckner et al. (1999) made a major step forward by incorporating a sulphur cycle model into the ECHAM4(ECMWF/MPI AGCM)/OPYC3(Ocean isoPYCnal GCM) AOGCM to eliminate these shortcomings. In addition, they included the radiative forcing due to anthropogenic changes in tropospheric ozone by prescribing ozone levels obtained from an offline tropospheric chemistry model coupled to ECHAM4. The simulation of the 20th century climate obtained from this model (Bengtsson et al. 1999), which includes the indirect effect of aerosols, shows a good agreement with the general 20th century trend in warming (see Chapter 12, Section 184.108.40.206). The results of this study also suggest that the agreement between model and observed 20th century warming trends, achieved without the inclusion of the indirect aerosol effect, was probably accomplished with an overestimated direct effect or an overestimated transient oceanic heat uptake. Alternatively, since these studies include only idealised scenarios of sulphate radiative forcing alone (direct and/or indirect) that do not include the apparent effects of other aerosol types (Chapter 6), one might view the sulphate treatment as a surrogate, albeit with large uncertainty, for the radiative forcing associated with all anthropogenic aerosols.
As noted in Chapter 2, Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3, land surface temperatures show a greater rate of warming than do lower tropospheric air temperatures over the last 20 years (see also discussion in Chapter 2, Section 2.2.4). While noting uncertainties in the observational records (Chapter 2, Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3), the National Research Council (NRC) (2000) pointed out that models, which tend not to show such a differential trend, need to better capture the vertical and temporal profiles of the radiative forcing especially associated with water vapour and tropospheric and stratospheric ozone and aerosols, and the effects of the latter on clouds. Santer et al. (2000) provide further evidence to support this notion from integrations conducted with the ECHAM4/OPYC3 AOGCM (Bengtsson et al. 1999; Roeckner et al., 1999) that includes a representation of the direct and indirect effects of sulphate aerosols, as well as changes in tropospheric ozone. They showed that the further inclusion of stratospheric ozone depletion and stratospheric aerosols associated with the Pinatubo eruption lead to a better agreement with observed tropospheric temperature changes since 1979, although discrepancies still remain (see Chapter 12, Section 12.3.2 and Figure 12.4).
Other reports in this collection


text:
The American Heart Association works closely with each school to assess its ability to successfully benefit from an American Heart Association Teaching Garden. The program is a functional addition to schools and can be as unique as the community it serves.
Once a school commits to the program, a school-wide planting day is scheduled.
The American Heart Association provides the materials for planting day, garden beds, organic soil, seedlings and plants, cooking demonstrations and other fun activities.
Schools receive an American Heart Association Teaching Garden Tool Kit with useful information including a school garden manual, lesson plans, school activation ideas, and parent and community resources.
With oversight from American Heart Association staff, the Teaching Gardens program provides volunteer opportunities for the community.
The American Heart Association measures program success with annual tracking reports.
There are many ways to support the American Heart Association. Your donation will support programs, tools and resources to drive healthy eating habits.


text:
In this new blog entry, Sebastian Bergmann talks about two bits of functionality that PHP has that bring it a bit closer to a full functional language - array_map and array_reduce.
Just like Python, PHP is not a full-fledged functional language, but it supports some very useful functional idioms such as map and reduce. A blog posting by Scott Moonen on Functional Python prompted me to write this posting on PHP's array_map() and array_reduce() functions that apply callback functions to arrays.
He includes examples of each (in the functional context) showing how you can map callbacks to the array values, one that adds one to each number in the array and the other that combines the values and returns the sum.


text:
$ time cat fileThis technically measures the amount of time it takes cat to write the data into the TTY, but since the buffer is a fixed 4KiB in size, it also measures the time that pangoterm takes to read all but the final 4KiB of the file, which is under 1% of the file. I managed to obtain the following timings. Before I started:
real 0m4.206s user 0m0.000s sys 0m0.036sBy optimising libvterm's moverect buffer operation with memmove() (revision -r511):
real 0m2.035s user 0m0.000s sys 0m0.048sWith pangoterm deferred updates, that delay re-rendering of the screen until all the PTY data has been read, or every 20 msec (revision -r482):
real 0m0.358s user 0m0.004s sys 0m0.016sIt's now well over 10 times faster than it used to be. Ohh.. and it beats xterm. By quite a bit.
real 0m2.294s user 0m0.000s sys 0m0.036s


text:
Sunday School – 10:00 am
Worship Service – 11:00 am
Bible Study – 12:15 pm
Wednesday Bible Study - 6:30 pm
12859 Martin Road Spur
Northport, AL 35473
Watering the Tulips
April 23, 2014
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" – John 3:18
We, as Christians, have confused the Gospel today. We have gotten way from "the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3). Though we've been sent into the world to share the Gospel with the every creature, most believers don't know how. Many feel they don't completely understand the formula because they have witnessed it being presented in so many ways. Does a person have to bow his head and raise his hand? Does a person have to repeat a certain prayer? Does a person have to do this at the front of a church? To the vast majority of Christendom, it seems simpler just to let the preacher do this…and anybody can see why. There is confusion.
The vast majority of what can be witnessed in churches today is a confusion of the Gospel and a confusion of the requirement of salvation. The New Testament churches presented a much simpler message than what we commonly see. It should interest our reader that we never once see a crowd instructed to bow their heads while those that desire salvation raise their hands (sadly, this immediately encourages people that it's OK to be ashamed of Jesus…but that is not our lesson today). It should interest the reader that not one person is ever instructed to repeat a "magical" prayer in order to get into Heaven. These things add complexity to something that is simple.
Paul and Silas were once asked, "'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household'" (Acts 16:30-31). Now, Paul was inspired by God to pen more of the New Testament than any other man. If there were some complex formula, we would have seen it here. But, Paul kept it simple. And more importantly, these instructions to the Philippian jailor are in perfect accord with the declaration of Jesus in our text verse.
Folks, an unbeliever can repeat words. This often happens. And sadly, we have convinced a generation that Heaven is their future home based on their having repeated some words. Many are trusting in that prayer, and not in Christ. And, by both the declaration of Jesus and Paul, they are still yet in a state of condemnation.
But, what is belief? Is it just a mere belief that Jesus existed? Is it some idea that Jesus was a good man? No…it is a trust that He is the only Way of salvation (Ephesians 1:13). Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures". Is this your hope today?
Watering the Tulips is brought to you by Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Northport, AL. For more information, please visit www.sovereigngrace.net . "Your App to the Gospel" can be downloaded at iTunes for iPhone, iPad and IPod Touch, Google Play for Android, the Windows Phone Marketplace, and the Windows Store for Windows 8/8.1 based tablets and computers. Please download it today!


text:
While I like to cook and bring leftovers - life right now is a little insane - so I've been in frozen meal land - which isn't so bad. I'm also a couponer - so I try and get deals whenever possible.
With all of this - I've decided to review the lunches - and hopefully find out from you what your favorites are so I can try those! We all know - some are awful and some are pretty damn tasty!
First up - Zatarain's Big Easy Rice Bowl.
I think the package shot is key because how much like the package does it really look? And seriously - who ever takes their frozen stuff out of the package and puts it in a real bowl????
This is red beans & rice with chicken and cheddar cheese. I chose this because it's different than the typical pasta and I had a coupon.
Here's the outcome - not quite like the package - but nothing ever is.
Here are my notes:
- Flavor - as usual with frozen meals - it was screaming for salt! Other than that - it tasted fairly close to what their regular packaged red beans & rice tastes like.
- Meat - The chicken tastes like chicken - sometimes frozen meals have a funkity funk texture - this one was really good on that front.
- Time - directions say 3 minutes but needs 3:30-4, some parts were cold
- Cooking - The cheese sticks to the sides a bit but doesn't get hard and inedible at all.
- Cost - $3.69 and I had coupon for 50 cents off/2 that doubled to $1 off - so $3.19 each
- Nutrition - 430 calories, 12 grams fat
- Allergens - milk, wheat
- Fullness Factor - as usual I need a side item to really feel full. I usually bring fruit or a snack. But it didn't leave me starving - so that's pretty good!
Also - if you're with me in the world of packing lunch and saving money - check out Lunch It Punch It - when you hit 10 packed lunches - you can go out to eat! Great idea and Cincinnati-owned!
I hope some of you will share your favorite frozen dinners or quick lunch ideas with me!


text:
20th Century Fox brings a bunch of content to Google Play, Google plans to update Maps for Android, Groupon is about to get simpler, OAuth gets more secure, and Office for Mac gets updated with retina support.
- More movies and TV shows from Twentieth Century Fox coming to Google Play and YouTube Google announced that 20th Century Fox is bringing over 600 new titles to Google Play and YouTube, including Prometheus, X-Men, Ice Age, Glee, Modern Family, and more. These new titles are currently US only, but will be coming to other countries soon. [Official Google Blog]
- Introducing Groupon Payments Groupon just launched a new payment system, called Groupon Payments, to merchants all over the US. This means Groupon, which was previously difficult to use at many merchants, will soon get much easier for those that participate—meaning quicker payments for you. [Groupon Blog]
- Adding OAuth 2.0 support for IMAP/SMTP and XMPP to enhance auth security Google is expanding OAuth, the service that lets you securely log into your online accounts, to IMAP/SMTP and XMPP. That means your email and IM clients will soon be more secure, allowing you to log into your Gmail or Google Talk accounts using OAuth 2.0. [Google Developers Blog]
- Office for Mac 2011 gets Retina display support at last Microsoft just released a new version of Office 2011, complete with support for retina display Macs. It also has a number of other improvements and bug fixes. [The Next Web]


text:
Later this month, according to Milton Fire Chief Nick Marique, an informational meeting will be held to give the public a chance to learn about the rationale for building a new fire station in Milton at a maximum cost of $2.69 million.
That is the amount of the bond that voters will be asked to approve (or reject) at the polls in March, and if passed, it will be paid off over the next 20 years at a 3.25 percent (or perhaps slightly lower) interest rate. The impact on the average homeowner will be an additional $94.50 on their annual property tax bill, a sum that will decline over the years, as municipal bond repayments are different from home mortgages.
In these economic times, it may be difficult for some folks to give their assent to a higher tax bill and this is understandable. After all, there have been almost 160 foreclosures in this town of 4,600 residents since 2007, and the last official (U-3) unemployment rate (November) given for the town was 6.1 percent. This means that when discouraged workers and people working part-time who would like full-time jobs are factored in, the U-6 rate (an obviously truer measure), can confidently said to be over 11 percent. Thus, for people in poverty, or teetering on poverty's edge, an extra hundred bucks is a daunting proposition.
The arguments for a new fire station, however, are compelling, and these have been made, almost annually to the voters of Milton since 2007. This year, however, the push for a new fire station is more organized, in that it has done more groundwork and involved more people in committee discussions than in previous years, and as a consequence, we assess that it has picked up more support.
It is not as if there hasn't been strong support in the past for a new station to replace the current building where water seeps in at the lower level, and new pumper trucks have to be custom ordered to fit in the tight, low ceilinged bays. (A more comprehensive list of drawbacks in the current building can be viewed on www.miltonfirestation.com.) The station proposal on a previous warrant (with a lower price tag) has been approved by a majority of the voters, but not by the 60 percent needed to pass a bond article.
Since then, too, land in an ideal spot — the former location of the former Moose Club, has been donated by the family of Herbert Downs, provided the station is constructed within seven years. That clock has now been ticking for over two years.
Heartening for new fire station supporters, also, is the fact the Milton voters, last year, approved $30,000 for a building design to fit that location — a conceptual design that we ran on the front page of the Rochester Times, last week.
There is also the argument that with the construction industry in New Hampshire still in the doldrums, and with interest rates at an all time low, there will never be a better opportunity to get the same bang for the buck. That said, the $2.69 million cost is not to be sneezed at, and the committee of Milton residents involved in the design work were well aware of this. Hence they shaved $200,000 off the original estimate by mothballing a non-urgent part of the design — that means, the shell of part of the building will be constructed, but remain unfinished, until a later time.
As Selectman Bob Bridges pointed out, last week, this fire station, if approved by voters, will serve the town for 50 years or more — that's until around 2063. Fifty years ago, Milton had a population of fewer than 1,500 people. At that rate of growth, this town can expect to have 10,000 residents or more — thus building now for the future is well advised.
We can appreciate and empathize with those people in town, who are financially hard-pressed, not being won over by any argument in favor of a new fire station, because putting food in the table of their families has to be a priority — although these days, $1.82 (the weekly cost of the building on the average tax rate) scarcely buys half a gallon of milk.
When people go to cast their votes, though, we expect they will not only weigh up their own personal circumstances, but take into account that Milton Fire and Rescue Services has 40 volunteers (apart from two full-time members) who are on hand night and day, in all weathers and circumstances, to help their friends and neighbors in a time of crisis.