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All-new specials, "The Nerdist: Comic-Con" and "The Nerdist: Tribute to Toys and Games"
Every year, thousands of nerds converge in beautiful San Diego, where they shun the sunny skies and head indoors for the biggest comic book convention in the world: Comic-Con. In The Nerdist: Comic-Con, Chris Hardwick and his crack team of nerd experts do their best to piece together what happened at this year's event. From cosplayers to blockbuster films, new TV shows and video games, this episode has it all. Even comic books. The special features interviews with Doctor Who's Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill at Comic-Con, with in-studio guest appearances from Damon Lindelof (Lost, Star Trek) and John Barrowman (Torchwood, Doctor Who). The Nerdist: Comic-Con premieres Saturday, July 28, 9:00pm ET/PT.
The Nerdist: Tribute to Toys and Games comes new in the box. Chris and co-hosts Jonah Ray and Matt Mira talk about the nerdiest toys, collectibles, and games. Brooke Leigh Lawson and Gregory Crafts make in-studio guest appearances, while Chris and Aisha Tyler travel across time and space... playing the game, "Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock." The Nerdist: Tribute to Toys and Games premieres Saturday, July 28, 10:00pm ET/PT.
The Nerdist Specials Premiering August
· The Nerdist: Tribute to Science - Saturday, August 4 at 10:00pm ET/PT
· The Nerdist: Tribute to Nerd Girls - Saturday, August 11 at 10:00pm ET/PT
· The Nerdist: Tribute to Time Travel - Saturday, August 18 at 10:00pm ET/PT


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Should it be Welsh Rabbit, or Welsh Rarebit? Either way, are these the same as Cheese on Toast? I'm afraid that you can spend hours googling and going through old recipe books and not get a clear answer. Actually, you will get lots of clear answers, with various degrees of huffiness (of the "I'm right and every other author is wrong…" type) but sadly they will often contradict each other.
So, while there is certainly no overall consensus, it does seem to me that "rarebit" is a latter-day rationalisation, and that "rabbit" was indeed the original form, as there exist ancient recipes for "Scottish Rabbit" and "English Rabbit" along with the Welsh, most referring to versions of cheese on toast with or without additional ingredients.
Why "Rabbit?" Frankly, the implied insult that the Welsh were so poor that they couldn't afford rabbit, so ate cheese on toast as a substitute is not only patronising, but doesn't hold water. I can see no way that melted cheese on toasted bread resembles rabbit in appearance or flavour, and surely, in all but the most metropolitan areas, rabbit has been a cheap and easily available meat for centuries. Perhaps there is an old word in the Welsh language for variants on cheese toasties that sounds a little like rabbit, and has subsequently been anglicised. Perhaps there was a tradition of using cookie-type cutters on toasted snacks to amuse the kids, and the rabbit-shape predominated at one time. If you have any ideas or theories, please feel free to comment below.
Is there is any real difference between "Rabbits" and Cheese on Toast? Although you can find many recipes and methods where one is a synonym for the other, most often "Welsh Rabbits/Welsh Rarebits" involve first making a cheesy sauce, frequently incorporating mustard and beer, which is then poured onto toast and grilled, whereas Cheese on Toast is usually just what it says: toast simply topped with uncooked sliced, crumbled or grated cheese, and then grilled.
Two basic recipes and methods follow for "Welsh Rabbit" and for Cheese on Toast. Many recipes for either suggest buttering the toast before adding the topping: I prefer not to, but it's up to you.
The Toast: traditionally, the bread will be thick "doorstep" slices of day-old crusty white farmhouse-style bread, but there is no reason that you shouldn't use whatever bread you enjoy eating or have to hand – granary, wholemeal, sourdough breads, rolls, baps, baguettes, ciabatta etc. But please not horrible white "plastic" supermarket sliced white, unless that is your particular perversion, in a "childhood favourite/guilty pleasures" kind of way.
Preheat the grill/overhead broiler to its full temperature before you start.
Toast the bread, and leave to cool on a rack, which will enable it to release any steam and crispen up a little. I prefer to only lightly toast what is to become the "cheesy" side, as I don't particularly like the corners and other exposed bits to become black and carbonised by the time the topping has grilled. For some, semi-burned bits are a treat: so whatever you like.
Cheese on Toast: grate or crumble enough cheese (whatever cheese you like) to generously cover the slice(s) of toast. Remember that grated cheese will heat through and melt better than chunks or slices, but will also cook down. Top the slice(s) of toast, and pop under your (preheated) grill/overhead broiler. Keep an eye on it: it's ready when the cheese has melted and has some golden brown spots and patches.
Welsh Rabbit Basic Sauce: (enough for four average slices of toast)
1oz/25g flour
1oz/25g butter
1 teaspoon (or a good pinch or two) dry English Mustard powder (see note below)
5fl oz/150ml milk
6oz/175g grated cheese (a good tangy cheddar or similar)
5fl oz/150ml beer – a good ale, preferably; if not whatever tasty beer you have
Several good dashes (around two teaspoons) of Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and pepper
Two egg yolks, beaten
(Note re Mustard: if using a ready-made, i.e. "wet" mustard, rather than the powdered form, add to the mixture and stir well just before spreading on the toast. "Made" mustard can lose some of it's flavour and volatility during cooking.
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat, add the flour and mustard powder, stir well and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk in several stages, whisking continuously. Bring just to the boil, then immediately reduce heat to minimum (use a heat-diffusion mat if necessary) and continue to cook gently for ten minutes or a little longer, until any "raw flour" taste has gone. Remove from the heat, and stir in the grated cheese. Boil the ale and Worcestershire Sauce until greatly reduced – down to about a tablespoonful or two, then add to the cheese sauce, mixing well.
Check for seasoning: you may not need much if any salt due to the cheese and Worcestershire sauce, but be generous with the pepper.
Whisk in the egg yolks, spread the mixture on the toast and grill until bubbling hot with golden brown patches. Serve immediately, piping hot.
Whichever of the above methods you chose, I see no reason not to ring the changes (I often do) and add ingredients such as chopped ham, cooked bacon, salami, chorizo or cooked chicken, finely chopped or sliced onion, garlic, tomatoes, anchovies, fresh/dried herbs or whatever you like. Which only goes to beg the question: apart from the base, could we not consider the Welsh Rabbit/Cheese Toastie to be a northern European version of Pizza? Or, indeed, the other way around; Neapolitan Rabbit, anyone?

subset: commoncrawl


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Many women continue working or going to school (or both)
during pregnancy. Doing so can increase your activity level, help you focus on
things other than your body's changes, and prevent you from feeling
Work or school activities that mostly involve sitting can
usually be continued right up to the due date in an uncomplicated pregnancy.
But if your work or school involves more than 3 hours of standing at a time or
a lot of walking or demanding physical activity, discuss with your doctor how
long you can continue this activity. It's likely that you will simply have to
pay attention to how you feel as your pregnancy progresses and take precautions
not to get overly tired.
Your doctor may want
you to reduce or stop working at some point in your pregnancy if you
CitationsAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2007). Antepartum care. In Guidelines for Perinatal Care, 6th ed., pp. 83–137. Elk Grove
Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.Cunningham FG, et al. (2010). Prenatal care. In
Williams Obstetrics, 23rd ed., pp. 189–214. New York:
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Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
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To learn more visit Healthwise.org
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10 Great New Year's Eve Apps
Happy New Year's! 2013 is on the way, and on behalf of everyone in the world with small children, I'm really hoping you'll ring it in with a wild party (because we can't.) Your smartphone, of course, will be a continual companion on this night of happy endings and new beginnings, so as PCMag.com's lead analyst for mobile I've picked out ten great apps to load up so you can make sure you have the best plans - and so you can make sure everything goes as planned.
I'd also suggest putting your phone in a nice case before you go off partying on any day of the year. You never know what kind of puddle it can land in, and you don't want to be phone-less out on the street at 2 a.m. Mobile Internet access will be just as important in the early hours of 2013 as in the late moments of 2012. If you'd prefer to look back than look forward, we've been churning through tech year-in-review stories here at PCMag.com. You can take a look at what Microsoft, Samsung, Google and Apple did this year, the top 10 overall tech news stories of 2012, the year's biggest tech failures or the worst tech PR disasters this year.
In looking for New Year's apps I found that iOS and Android had a lot of apps in common, but Windows Phone, as usual, danced to the beat of its own drummer. I focus on Android and iOS apps below, but I enocurage Windows Phone owners to search for apps in similar categories to those below. For instance, there's a third-party Eventbrite client and several breathlyzer apps on the platform.
And there's one category of apps I'm not putting on here, with a wink: social photo-sharing apps. Yesterday, I wrote "Get Naked In Person, Not On Facebook," and that made me think: you can certainly take photos in the midst of New Year's Eve festivities, but maybe you should wait until the clear light of New Year's Day to post 'em. Some things done in 2012 should probably stay in 2012.
So which apps will best help you celebrate 2013? In alphabetical order, here are my 10 picks.
1 2013 New Year Countdown (Android)
2 Times Square Official New Year's Eve Ball App (iOS/Android)
3 New Year's Live (iOS)
4 Leloca (iOS/Android)
5 Can I Drive Yet? (iOS)
6 MyCar Locator (Android)
7 Uber (iOS/Android)
8 Taxi Magic/Sedan Magic (iOS/Android)
9 Eventbrite (iOS/Android)
10 Astrid Tasks & To-do List (iOS/Android)


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Glycolic Facial Lotion
Glycolic facial lotion pH 3.2. Light weight, oil-free, 8.5% Glycolic treatment renewal lotion ideal for acne or oily skin. Fights blackheads, lines and large pores! Lightly hydrates your skin. No residue or greasy feeling. Also contains green tea, licorice and Hyaluronic Acid. Use 1-2 times daily. Other lotions with same ingredients sell for up to $45 !
Learn more about glycolic acid, home skin peels, microdermabrasion and other skin care related topics in our blog
More Information:
- View Ingredients
- Directions for Use


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Thanks to MindsLiveMisery'sMenageria for hosting Tale Weaver Fairytales prompt. This week we are retelling: The Ugly Duckling.
"Fatty fat. You're so fat you break the ice," the popular boys and pretty girls taunted her. Shanna ignored them, or at least tried.
Every year at school the snow would melt in spring and the melting snow would pool, causing small lakes of water.As the temperature dropped over night, the pools of water would freeze on top.
The children played a mean game. The kids who were not chubby, could walk on the ice without breaking it.But the chubby kids such as Shanna, would carefully, walk on the ice, only to have the ice top break like glass; the popular boys and girls teased her endlessly.
In the spring, the children played another game, called spin-the-bottle, on the grassy and now dry field.
None of the boys wanted to kiss Shanna. They only kissed the pretty girls; the thin ones. The boys insisted they only give Shanna a kiss on the cheek, which was all she was allowed to give them. No boy wanted to kiss a fat girl or have her kiss them on the lips.
Years later, Shanna was all grown up and finishing her History degree. Her friends and her went to their favourite pub, The Blue Whale, whenever they were able.
One day, two of her guy friends brought a a guy named Wren with them. Shanna had admired Wren from some of her History classes. He was hot; built but appeared studious with sexy glasses he wore at times.
Wren and Shanna easily fell into conversation. He was fun, smart, and in touch with what was going on in the world.
When Shanna's girl friends dared her to kiss Wren, sparks sizzled and Shanna and Wren couldn't stop kissing. Her friends tactfully wandered off when the kissing went on longer than they wanted to see.
At university, Wren and Shanna kept running into each other. They talked and Wren often asked where Shanna and her friends were going to dance, so he could go there with his friends at the same time.
A smile was always on Shanna's lips as she began to date Wren; he made her day brighter and made her happy. She felt cared for with Wren.
The boys on the university hockey team stared at Shanna as she passed their table in the cafeteria. Many of them thought she was pretty. Her large eyes were stunning and her body curvacious but athletic; she was often in the gym when they were.
Shanna didn't talk at the gym and she maintained a serious expression, concentrating on her weight-lifting.
Presently, Shanna's lips were full-on smiling. The hockey guys who liked her, had never seen her look smile like this before. Her eyes sparkled. Shanna was all the more attractive because she was genuinly happy.
The girls who followed the hockey team around were sick with jealousy, wondering what certain hockey players saw in Shanna.
But when Shanna's stunning gaze turned the hockey team's way, she looked past them to Wren.
He smiled at Shann softly, her placed saved at a seat beside him. Wren bought her yogurt and and cut-up fruit for lunch. He knew Shanna's eating habits well.
Shanna thought back to the days the boys and skinny pretty girls called her fat and how the boys would only let her kiss their cheek.
Times had changed. Shanna knew of several guys who would like more than a kiss from her now; yet she cared only for Wren.
Shanna had wisely, claimed the best guy for herself; the one who liked her especially, when she ate as much ice cream as she wanted to eat.
©Mandibelle16. (2016) All Rights Reserved.


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Behind the Headlines
Caylee Anthony's face has been splashed across magazine covers and TV screens since July 2008, and her mom, Casey, has been named a person of interest in the case. Many fear that the worst has happened to the missing 3-year-old.
Dr. Phil examines the psychological aspects of a story that continues to grip America's imagination with its bizarre twists and turns.
UPDATE: Anthony was found not guilty of first-degree murder and other charges related to her daughter's death. She was convicted of giving police false information.
Casey Anthony didn't report her daughter missing until her mother, Cindy, made the 911 call a month later. Is Casey a pathological liar with something to hide, an irresponsible 22-year-old, or is something else going on?
"It smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car!"
Pictures of Casey partying at a local club surfaced shortly after her daughter vanished. Were those photos taken before Caylee's birth, as Casey's father claims? Lisa Bloom, renowned legal analyst and host of TruTv's In Session, explains what a jury might think.
"A picture is worth more than 1,000 words."
Caylee's grandparents, George and Cindy, have had screaming protesters parked on their front lawn since the story broke. The couple is accused of everything from covering for their daughter to hiding the whereabouts of Caylee.
The Anthonys lawyer, Mark Nejame, has some harsh words for the protesters.
Bounty hunters Leonard Padilla and Rob Dick say they helped bail Casey out of jail after she agreed to help them find her daughter. Rob says he drove Casey around in search of Caylee for nine days, and what he says about how she behaved might surprise you.
"It sounds like it's going to be a very sad ending."
Why is Caylee's story prominently featured in the media, while other missing children go virtually ignored? Ernie Allen, president and founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, says racism isn't the reason. A woman whose biracial grandson vanished in 2004 begs to differ.
"Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, gorgeous little children get a lot more exposure."
If you have any information about the disappearance of Benjamin Everett, please call 1-800-THE-LOST1-800-THE-LOST FREE (1-800-843-56781-800-843-5678 FREE), or log on to cybertipline.org.
Click here to view information about other missing children featured on the show.
Get caught up on the Casey Anthony story:


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It's easy to swap two letters around or forget the state. When possible, we'll give you a list of locations that you might have meant.
There are several ways to search for agents or companies. Here are some examples:
We cannot find agents or companies using informal location names like "Maui" or "bay area".
At this time, the vast majority of our agents or companies are within the United States.


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GE Concord Express LCD Keypad
Alarm Panel:
*Note: This style keypad may be used by several panels
View The Trouble Beep Help for this model
Control Panels / User Manuals:
Select your panel from the list below.
Finding Your Alarm System Model Number
Most alarm panels normally have the model information on a sticker inside the lid of the main panel box. This is not the keypad used to arm and disarm; instead, look for a tan metal box about 16" square. It will probably be tucked away in a closet or laundry room, and may or may not have a locking lid. It could just be screwed shut and you will need a screw driver.
If you don't have a key, look on top of the panel. Or, check the "catch-all" drawer in the kitchen. It will be smaller than a house key, with teeth cut on only one side.
Once the lid is open, locate the panel information. Most lids have a wiring diagram sticker on the inside of them. Usually the make and model number is in a larger bold font than the rest of the text. (Please see some sample pictures below.)
If there is not a sticker present, look directly on the control panel itself. The control panel looks like a mother board that would be in a computer. It almost always has a green background. (Please see the sample pictures below.)
Check the selected areas for model numbers.


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What to Leave Out of Your CV
Your final CV needs to be concise, well-written and not hindered by long-winded phrases or excess content that slows the reader down and sabotages an otherwise competitive document. Here are some items to ditch:
Unnecessary document title: You don't have to begin your CV by flashing across the top 'Curriculum Vitae'. You know, the employer knows, the entire world knows it's a CV. Eliminate the document title and use precious space for more vital information.
Career objectives: Oh, so ancient! The reason you're applying for a position is to either change your career or elevate yourself to the next rung of the corporate ladder. Wasting two or three sentences stating your long-term aspirations doesn't hit the mark.
Reasons for leaving other jobs: Usually you're asked such questions on an application form. The employer knows there are lots of reasons why people leave their jobs, otherwise they wouldn't called it an 'employment history'. You can explain your reasons at the interview, if asked.
Lessons learnt from your career: Some candidates make the cardinal mistake of stating how many skills they acquired from each position. Instead, use the Key Skills box at the top of your CV to summarise the experience and skills you amassed throughout your career. The CV isn't a self-searching exercise; it's there to sell you within two pages.
Salary expectations and how much you earn: An employer usually asks you to write salary information or expectations on a cover letter rather than your CV. You've seen the job ad, so you have an idea about how much is being offered.
Family details: The employer isn't interested in how many times you have been married, or how many offspring you have! Don't state that you've been married for the last ten years with two beautiful children.
Travel memoirs: Don't write about all the countries you've visited and how long you backpacked around them. These details take up too much space and are usually irrelevant. Simply list in your Interests Section that you've travelled extensively.
Health: Unless your health directly affects your ability to do the job, it's irrelevant.
Employment gaps: Modern recruiters realise that people move around from one place to another, change jobs and sometimes take sabbaticals to convalesce or take stock. Unless you have significant gaps in your CV (more than two years), don't start explaining the reasons you didn't work from September to February. The employer assumes you were recovering from illness, on sabbatical or waiting for another position.


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Tethering lets you to use the 3G connection on your Android-based cell phone to browse the internet from your laptop. Some phones come with tethering applications build int, but on other phones tethering is not possible – or you have to jump through a lot of hoops to enable it.
The nice new Motorola DROID phone does not have a tethering ability by standard (all-though a Verizon representative told that Verizon will be coming out with something at some point) but it is still possible to tether it using the Proxoid application. Unlike other approaches, you do not have to root your phone.
A detailed installation guide is available here. To use this guide with the Motorola DROID phone you should put the following line in /etc/udev/rules.d/11-android.rules:
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", SYSFS{idVendor}=="22b8", SYSFS{idProduct}=="41db", MODE="0666", OWNER="USERNAME"
If you're on Ubuntu Karmic Koala 9.10 you should restart udev using the following command:
sudo service udev restart
When trying to connect to the android phone you mave have to run
sudo ./adb kill-server
sudo ./adb start-server
Before you can see the device (this happens if the server was already started when you changed the udev rules). This works on Ubuntu Karmic Koala.
Be aware that tethering may not be allowed by your service provider, you should read your contract to find out.


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Browse Health Supplies & Food Safety
$3.66/EAComark - T550AK - 50 - 550 F Fryer Thermometer
Did you know that every day in the US an average of 13 people are killed on the job, and approximately 4 million people are injured per year at the workplace? When your employees come to work, they expect to have a safe work environment that protects them from potential hazards, toxins and risks. It's up to you to help create that environment.
Here are a few of our health and safety supplies, including first aid kits for small owies and cut resistant gloves to help prevent those owies. And because we still wanted to inject a little fun in the health supplies and food safety zone, here's the safety dance.
Exclusive offers and product updates will be arriving to your inbox soon.


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SUNNYVALE, CA – November 27, 2012 – Ruckus Wireless® (NYSE:RKUS) today announced that Cincinnati Bell Inc. (NYSE:CBB), one of the nation's most respected local exchange and wireless providers, has standardized on Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi products and technology to support its fast growing enterprise managed services, Wi-Fi hotspot and emerging metro public access businesses.
Having offered commercial Wi-Fi services for its high-speed data customers since 2004, Cincinnati Bell is now deploying Ruckus ZoneFlex™ Smart Wi-Fi to support its business customers requiring managed, campus-wide Wi-Fi solutions such as local stadium venues, college campuses, and other hospitality establishments. Cincinnati Bell is also considering upgrading their current Wi-Fi hotspots to higher speed 802.11n using Ruckus Wireless Smart Wi-Fi.
At one college campus in particular, with Ruckus ZoneFlex 802.11n products, Cincinnati Bell is supporting an average download of 440 gigabytes within a 24-hour period from only 100 students and their devices.
"We're seeing a steady rise in interest and use of public Wi-Fi," said Paul McDaniel, network engineer at Cincinnati Bell. "As our deployment footprint grows to meet customer needs, we've seen a marked increase in the bandwidth required to meet the demand."
According to Cincinnati Bell, higher smartphone penetration continues to drive wireless data services for its subscriber and commercial business. However, Wi-Fi as a best effort access technology is no longer acceptable to business customers and subscribers now armed with powerful, new, Wi-Fi-enabled tablet devices and smart phones.
"Our business customers are looking for us to provide a comprehensive solution that includes true carrier-class Wi-Fi," said Mike Waggoner, senior product manager for Cincinnati Bell. "With Ruckus, we are improving our position on delivering to our customers what we believe is the best Wi-Fi products and technology."
"With our legacy Wi-Fi system we were seeing performance degrade dramatically as more and more users were trying to connect to the same AP," said John Miller, integrated planner, Data and Transport Networking for Cincinnati Bell. "This is a real problem that conventional Wi-Fi was never really designed to address."
With Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi, Cincinnati has been able to realize much greater user capacities per access point (AP) with better signal coverage. An adaptive antenna array integrated into every Ruckus Wi-Fi AP allows Cincinnati Bell to deploy less hardware that can support more users at greater distances.
Cincinnati Bell's commercial Wi-Fi services are managed through Ruckus ZoneDirector Smart WLAN controllers, located at Cincinnati Bell's central office. Looking forward, Cincinnati Bell sees only more demand for Wi-Fi data services everywhere their subscribers roam. "We live in an always connect world. We see Smarter Wi-Fi technology as a cornerstone to satisfying applications as mobile Internet usage continues to grow," concluded Waggoner.
About Cincinatti Bell Inc.
With headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB) provides integrated communications solutions - including local, long distance, data, Internet, entertainment and wireless services - that keep residential and business customers in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton connected with each other and with the world. In addition, Cincinnati Bell provides best-in-class data center colocation services to its enterprise customers through its facilities with fully redundant power and cooling solutions that are currently located in the Midwest, Texas, London and Singapore. Complementing the colocation products, Cincinnati Bell also offers complex information technology solutions like managed services and technology staffing. For more information, visit www.cincinnatibell.com.
About Ruckus Wireless
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Ruckus Wireless (NYSE: RKUS) is a global supplier of advanced wireless systems for the rapidly expanding mobile Internet infrastructure market. With 2011 revenues of $120 million, the company offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor "Smart Wi-Fi" products to mobile carriers, broadband service providers, and corporate enterprises, and has more than 18,000 customers worldwide. Ruckus technology addresses Wi-Fi capacity and coverage challenges caused by the ever-increasing amount of traffic on wireless networks due to accelerated adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ruckus invented and has patented state-of-the-art wireless voice, video, and data technology innovations, such as adaptive antenna arrays that extend signal range, increase client data rates, and avoid interference, ensuring consistent and reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi. For more information, visit https://www.ruckuswireless.com.


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Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to standard: standard deviation
standardnoun archetype, basis of comparison, canon, comparison, criterion, example, exemplar, frame of reference, gauge, grade of excellence, guide, ideal, level of excellence, measure, model, norm, norma, paradigm, paragon, pattern, precedent, prototype, regula, touchstone
Associated concepts: standard established by law, standard of care, standard of conduct, standard of proof
See also: broad, bylaw, canon, code, constant, conventional, cornerstone, criterion, customary, decorum, designation, epitome, example, exemplar, familiar, general, guide, habitual, household, law, mediocre, model, mundane, norm, normal, ordinary, paradigm, paragon, pattern, popular, precedent, prevalent, principle, pro forma, prototype, rate, regular, repeated, representative, routine, rule, stare decisis, symbol, typical, uniform, usual
STANDARD, in war. An ensign or flag used in war.
STANDARD, measure. A weight or measure of certain dimensions, to which all other weights and measures must correspond; as, a standard bushel. Also the quality of certain metals, to which all others of the same kind ought to be made to conform; as, standard gold, standard silver. Vide Dollar; Eagle; Money.


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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was on The Piers Morgan Show last night.
He just presented his 2012 budget, so he was talking taxes — he's cutting them by 10% for everyone.
In the interview, Christie got ahead of Morgan a bit and started preempting his questions about who would benefit from these tax cuts. "The top 1% (of New Jersey residents) pay 40% of the taxes," he said.
And then Warren Buffett came up (somehow), and Chris Christ went off. Here are some choicest quotes from the interview (h/t Politico).
"He should just write a check and shut up," Christie said Tuesday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." "Really, and just contribute. The fact of the matter is that I'm tired of hearing about it. If he wants to give the government more money, he's got the ability to write a check — go ahead and write it.
"I'm so tired of talking about Warren Buffett," Christie said, interrupting Morgan. "What are you going to bring up next, his secretary? I mean, this is the old song."
"You haven't even heard the question," Morgan exclaimed.
"I know the question," Christie replied. "Do you really think Warren Buffett needs as much attention from the government as the most vulnerable … since I got the question right, I'm not answering the question, how about that. That's my gift for getting the question right."
Pretty harsh words, so Morgan pressed the Buffett talk after the commercial break. First Christie defended himself by pointing out that Buffett is not from the state of New Jersey, and argues that as Governor he needed to look out for all his constituents in touch economic times, not just the most poor. "Everyone deserves to have the government responsive to their concerns and needs," said Christie.
You can watch the 'shut up' moment below:


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i had a question in one of my classes regarding SNR in underwater acoustic channels. There are a couple of terms with the unit
dB re uPa. I know it stands for dB with reference to uPa but I am not exactly sure what it means. Can I convert it to dB. If yes, how?
Thanks in advance!!


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value added
fluorescent pink acrylic1, blue acrylic2, copper leaf3, high-density polyethelene4, beach firewood5, epoxy resin6 and black resin dye7, camphor8, PVC9, drywall screws10, paper11, pushpins12, Redi-Slip Remembrance playing card13
22in. x 22in. x 9in.
1 Bought at a discount from the nice lady at D&G Plastics that she had initially ordered for Arthur but he hadn't purchased all of which she seemed slightly put off about.
2 Bought by weight from Altec plastics out of the drops bin, which the salesman was excited to tell me was scrap from their recent job of fabricating the anchor's desk at Boston's WHDH Local News.
3 Bought from Plaza after I gold-leafed Michael's throne sculpture and decided I wanted to use it but that copper was better than gold because of its relationship to Arizona and the potential for it to oxidize turquoise, which it didn't.
4 Given to me by Anthony as I was moving out of the studio, which I was excited about because it was much thicker than anything I had found at Trident and was jealous of his find and a bit resentful because I had told him about the dumpster to begin with, and felt that he owed me.
5 From a pile I found out at Herring Cove, which I was compelled to drive to by Alex when he was visiting and wanted to see some of "cape cod's sublime oceans", which I felt a little guilty for not really wanting to do, but ultimately was glad we went.
6 Given to me as a gift for helping a stressed and departing Arthur quickly move his studio and house into a cramped POD after he realized he was being optimistic with how many of his belongings he could actually keep.
7 Bought from Woodcraft for too much money and felt guilty over.
8 Scraps from James' guitar-making days, unsuccessfully traded in part of another larger package deal with him for an as yet undelivered wooden Buddha, tuxedo, or tuba, none of which I seem to be able to find.
9 Retrieved after hours from the Trident Plastics dumpster after the good old boy owner told me I could hit it up because he "thought I was alright" but not to tell anyone else.
10 Admittedly bought from Lowe's.
11 Cut from the last page of the September 1975 National Geographic with the holographic Australopithecus skull on the cover, two copies of which I had found at the Truro Swap Shop.
12 Taken out of a coffee can from the Fine Arts Work Center woodshop.
13 From a deck of commemorative WWII playing cards I purchased for fifty cents from the Provincetown Episcopal Church's thrift sale, an act that felt slightly indulgent as the sale took place in the same room as their soup kitchen.


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Memory Eternal! + Fr. Matthew MacKay
Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Archpriest Matthew MacKay, 54, proistamenos of St. Joseph Church in Houston, TX, Dean of East Texas and member of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America Council of Presbyters, who fell asleep in Christ yesterday morning, July 26th. Fr. Matthew is survived by his wife Khouriya Lynn and their sons Patrick and Sean.
His Grace Bishop Thomas writes:
It was with great shock and with sadness that I heard of the passing of Fr. Matthew. Fr. Matthew and I have been good friends since he was assigned to St. Joseph's. For a good period of time, he heard my confession. He shared the altar with me at St. Joseph's for many Fridays during Great Lent as we celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. We renewed this practice during this past Great Lenten period when I visited Houston and once again celebrated the Presanctified Liturgy with him on Friday morning.
Fr. Matthew was a priest who loved the holy Orthodox Church with his whole body and his whole soul. He celebrated the divine services diligently and with great joy. He loved God, and he loved the parishioners God gave him to minister to. I can remember many times when we visited together he talked about the concern that he had for the salvation of the parishioners of St. Joseph.
He was a man of great courage. He was not afraid to speak the truth, even if it meant that he would personally suffer because of it. The most important thing to him was that he did what God wanted him to do. In my humble opinion, he ministered faithfully and diligently, always seeking to do God's will.
I will miss him greatly. He was usually one of the first calls I made when I came into Houston. Seeing him and speaking to him was always one of the highlights of my visits. I know that he will be greatly missed at St. Joseph's. He was the only pastor St. Joseph's has ever had. Please know that you are in my prayers.
This evening, I went and prayed for him very close to the grave of St. Raphael and asked intercession for his soul. Fr. Anthony Bahou remembered him this evening at Great Vespers here at the Antiochian Village. Fr. Anthony and I will be remembering him here with all the priests who are gathered with the counselors and campers in our daily services. We will be serving the Trisagion service here in his memory.
May God give you the strength to bear his departure from this life. May his memory be eternal.
His Grace Bishop Basil instructs:
Members of our Clergy Brotherhood (as well as the clergy of our sister Orthodox jurisdictions) are invited to serve at the following divine services which will be offered for the repose of Father Matthew's soul. Please bring an exorasson and a full set of black - or in lieu of black, purple - vestments.
Wednesday, July 28th
Anointing and Vesting of Father Matthew by the Clergy at the mortuary at 2:00PM
Thursday, July 29th
Transfer of Fr. Matthew to St. Joseph Church and start of the Vigil with continuous reading from the Gospels (which is only interrupted during divine services).
The special Funeral Service for a Priest will be served at 7:00PM (clergy will meet at 6:30PM in the parish's fellowship hall).
Friday, July 30th
A Concelebrated Presbyteral Divine Liturgy will be served at 10:00AM (clergy will meet at 9:30AM in the parish's fellowship hall) followed by the usual Funeral Service, Interment and Meal of Mercy.
Clergy who plan to attend and serve any or all of the above-listed divine services must inform Fr. Richard Petranek of St. Paul Church in Houston, TX at email@example.com. Condolences to the family may also be sent c/o Father Richard's e-mail address.
Biographical details for Fr. Matthew are available here. May he be granted Paradise and may his memory be eternal!


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Your blood pressure is one of the best barometers of your overall health and one of the best predictors of your risk of illness. While high blood pressure may cause no obvious symptoms, left untreated it can damage blood vessels and the organs they feed, including the heart, kidneys, eyes and brain.
If you've been diagnosed with hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, you have lots of company: More than 65 million adults in this country have the condition (defined as blood pressure of 140/90 or higher). At least 65 million more people are at risk of developing it, either because they have pre-hypertension — their blood pressure is higher than optimal but not quite in the danger zone — or because they have diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease or other conditions associated with hypertension.
Age and family history can increase the risk of high blood pressure, but lifestyle is a huge factor too. A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that women with the healthiest lifestyles — good diet, regular exercise, moderate (at most) alcohol consumption, no smoking — had the lowest rates of high blood pressure. And while more is better when it comes to healthy habits, you don't have to change everything at once. A study in the journal Circulation found that among men taking blood pressure medication, those who adopted just one healthy habit had lower rates of heart disease than those who had no healthy habits.
So start small, and start now.


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Longo looking for fan help in ASG balloting
ST. PETERSBURG -- Evan Longoria needs a healthy push from Rays fans if he's going to catch Josh Donaldson in the vote to become the American League's starting third baseman for this year's All-Star Game.
Longoria sits in second place with 729,092 votes, while the Athletics' third baseman is in first with 1,470,544 votes.
ST. PETERSBURG -- Evan Longoria needs a healthy push from Rays fans if he's going to catch Josh Donaldson in the vote to become the American League's starting third baseman for this year's All-Star Game.
Longoria sits in second place with 729,092 votes, while the Athletics' third baseman is in first with 1,470,544 votes.
Longoria, who has been on three AL All-Star teams, entered Sunday's game hitting .272 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.
Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15.
Fans may submit up to 25 online ballots, but they can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, you must be logged into your MLB.com account when you submit any online ballot. If you do not have an MLB.com account, register on the site in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account.
Fans this year once again can participate in the Home Run Derby Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league who they would most like to see participate in the Home Run Derby. The 2014 Home Run Derby will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 14.
The 2014 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on the 2014 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show during the weekend of July 5-6, with further details to follow on MLB.com. Immediately following the announcement of the AL and NL All-Star rosters, fans can begin voting to select the final player for each league's 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Fans will cast their votes from a list of five players from each league over the balloting period.
And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.
MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities.
The 85th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.
Longoria is the only Rays position player to rank in the top five in the voting or the top 15 for the outfield (a list from which three players will be chosen).
In addition to Longoria, this year's Rays nominees include: James Loney, first base; Ben Zobrist, second base; Yunel Escobar, shortstop; Ryan Hanigan, catcher; Matt Joyce, DH; and David DeJesus, Wil Myers, and Desmond Jennings, outfield.
Last year, the Rays were represented by left-hander Matt Moore, who is on the disabled list after Tommy John surgery, and Zobrist, who filled a nice niche for the AL team, given his talents to play several positions well.
1. Matt Wieters, Orioles: 1,235,369
2. Brian McCann, Yankees: 827,200
3. Derek Norris, A's: 813,053
4. A.J. Pierzynski, Red Sox: 491,709
5. Kurt Suzuki, Twins: 465,202
1. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 1,477,420
2. Jose Abreu, White Sox: 845,059
3. Albert Pujols, Angels: 707,924
4. Chris Davis, Orioles: 659,800
5. Mark Teixeira, Yankees: 436,504
1. Robinson Cano, Mariners: 1,111,880
2. Ian Kinsler, Tigers: 887,544
3. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: 778,700
4. Brian Dozier, Twins: 488,524
5. Jose Altuve, Astros: 392,416
1. Derek Jeter, Yankees: 1,376,054
2. Alexei Ramirez, White Sox: 1,212,362
3. J.J. Hardy, Orioles: 754,764
4. Jose Reyes, Blue Jays: 536,525
5. Jed Lowrie, A's: 401,798
1. Josh Donaldson, A's: 1,470,544
2. Evan Longoria, Rays: 729,092
3. Manny Machado, Orioles: 720,761
4. Adrian Beltre, Rangers: 707,952
5. Brett Lawrie, Blue Jays: 469,855
1. Nelson Cruz, Orioles: 1,404,275
2. David Ortiz, Red Sox: 1,036,055
3. Victor Martinez, Tigers: 843,215
4. Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays: 738,107
5. Brandon Moss, A's: 480,597
1. Jose Bautista, Blue Jays: 2,135,223
2. Mike Trout, Angels: 1,945,170
3. Melky Cabrera, Blue Jays: 1,096,784
4. Adam Jones, Orioles: 820,336
5. Jacoby Ellsbury, Yankees: 813,357
6. Yoenis Cespedes, A's: 799,123
7. Michael Brantley, Indians: 720,961
8. Carlos Beltran, Yankees: 712,154
9. Nick Markakis, Orioles: 691,023
10. Torii Hunter, Tigers: 666,116
11. Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers: 532,267
12. Alex Rios, Rangers: 483,151
13. Brett Gardner, Yankees: 453,169
14. Coco Crisp, A's: 444,433
15. David Lough, Orioles: 396,085
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com.


text: vizelcog caeltoue rodelbocou domorzel pascernotael riclibocro c4taclilir acnoolobodr cnadel c4torcn domeracva ousitzeldron ECRR is the abbreviation for Every Child Ready to Read @ your library. It is a partnership among two divisions of the American Library Association (Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health, and Parents and Caregivers. The goal is to provide workshops on early literacy to convey to parents and child care providers the importance of their role in developing early literacy and enjoyable ways to do so. For further information on the background of the project go to http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/ECRR/projecthistory/ProjectHistory.htm For the


text: 3 Ways to Have Fun with Bubbles by on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 4:29:00 AM Don't Just Blow Bubbles, Create Art With Bubbles Bubble activities for outdoor playtime beyond just blowing bubbles. Kids will have fun being creative and using their imaginations. This entry was posted in Creative Kids Arts and Crafts, Let's Play - Kids of All Ages, Toddlers & Preschoolers Playtime, Big Kid Adventures, Cool Science. fun with bubbleskids funkids playbubble paintingoutdoor gamesoutdoor play


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The first step to starting off 2012 right? Starting your DAY right! Eating a protein-packed breakfast will fuel you up and set you up for success. But instead of falling for a fatty restaurant omelette, make this insanely delicious guilt-free one. Tasty morning goodness? This just might be your year... Filling 1 frozen meatless or turkey sausage patty with 80 calories or less (like the kind by Morningstar Farms or Jimmy Dean) 1 slice center-cut bacon or turkey bacon 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 1/4 cup diced onion 1/4 cup diced bell pepper 1/4 cup diced tomato Omelette 3/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 3 tbsp. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese Optional toppings: diced chives, additional diced tomato Directions: Prepare sausage patty and bacon in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray or on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave. (Refer to packages for cook times and temperatures.) Chop or crumble and set aside in a bowl. Bring a medium skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and pepper. Cook and stir until softened, 3 - 5 minutes. Transfer veggies to the bowl with sausage and bacon. Add tomato, stir, and set aside. If needed, wash and dry skillet. Remove from heat, re-spray, and bring to medium heat. Add egg substitute and let it coat the skillet bottom. Cover and cook until solid enough to flip, about 3 minutes. Flip egg and top one half with filling. Sprinkle filling with cheese. Cover skillet and cook until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Fold egg over filling and transfer to a plate. Enjoy! MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: 1 omelette (entire recipe)
Calories: 278
Fat: 6.5g
Sodium: 937mg
Carbs: 14g
Fiber: 2.5g
Sugars: 6.5g
Protein: 35.5
PointsPlus® value 6*
HG Alternative: Sodium counters and meat avoiders can enjoy a version of this omelette without the salty meats; skip the sausage and bacon, and your omelette will have about 166 calories, <0.5g fat, 560mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 6.5g sugars, and 27g protein (PointsPlus® value 4*).
We've made it -- the big holiday season is over! Now it's time to jump straight into eating smart, and there's no better meal to start with than breakfast. Studies show that dieters who regularly eat breakfast lose more weight than those who don't... but be careful! If you're a big fan of eggy restaurant b-fasts, it's really easy to end up with a super-heavy a.m. meal. ESPECIALLY at Denny's. This fully loaded morning menu item is chock-full of delicious yet fatty things: sausage, bacon, cheese, and eggs. Plus, it comes with bread and either hash browns or grits, which can add nearly 500 extra calories to the stats below! SO unnecessary. A better way to have an ultimate breakfast is to make our swap. It has all the essentials -- including bacon, sausage, cheese, and eggs -- but calls for our go-to guilt-free ingredients. (Side note: The carbs in our recipe mostly come from veggies. Denny's must be using a scarce amount of the healthy stuff to come up with a carb count so low!) So pull yourself out of the holiday-indulgence rut and start eating right... the HG way!
Serving Size: 1 omelette (no sides) Calories: 620 Fat: 48g Sodium: 1,170mg Carbs: 8g Fiber: 2g Sugars: 3g Protein: 36g PointsPlus® value 16*
Get your buddies on the guilt-free bandwagon -- click "Send to a Friend" to spread the word about HG!
Happy Chocolate-Filled Cherry Day, a.k.a. January 3rd. Skip the candies and try our BFFs (Black Forest Fillo-Cups) or a Cherry Bomb Iced Mocha!
SmartPoints® value not what you expected? Click here for more info on how the values are calculated, plus more FAQs about PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® values on our website.


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Yorkshire Holiday Cottages
Yorkshire was once only a part of a larger region known as Yorkshire and Humberside, which made up the North East of England. Although still occasionally used to describe this large area, Yorkshire has now not only become a region in its own right, it is also one of the largest counties in the UK. Stretching from the vast moorlands and fells of the Yorkshire Dales to the stunning coastlines of East Yorkshire, and from the top of the Peak District in the South to the dramatic North Yorkshire Moors the region really does have it all. To see holiday cottages along the Yorkshire coast, simply tick the 'By The Sea' tick box in the 'Refine Your Search' options on the left-hand side.
With nature being generous to the area, it has a total of three National Parks and two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; it is hardly surprising that it is known by many as 'God's own country'. The magnificent landscapes, assorted with limestone geology, vast heather moorlands, English rural communities, sea fronts, and cliff edges, have captured the imagination of people coming here and encouraged them to return year after year.
865 Cottages in Yorkshire
Location: YORKSHIRE x
Bridge House
- Bedrooms: 3
- Sleeps: 5
- Changeover day: Friday
Moss End Cottage
- Bedrooms: 2
- Sleeps: 4
- Changeover day: Saturday
Willow Garth House
- Bedrooms: 6
- Sleeps: 12
- Changeover day: Friday
Harvest Cottage
- Bedrooms: 1
- Sleeps: 2
- Changeover day: Saturday
Topsy-Turvy Cottage
- Bedrooms: 2
- Sleeps: 4
- Changeover day: Saturday
Clock View
- Bedrooms: 1
- Sleeps: 2
- Changeover day: Friday
Cornfield Lodge
- Bedrooms: 2
- Sleeps: 4
- Changeover day: Friday
The Flat
- Bedrooms: 2
- Sleeps: 4
- Changeover day: Friday
The Barn
- Bedrooms: 4
- Sleeps: 8
- Changeover day: Saturday
Mount Cottage
- Bedrooms: 3
- Sleeps: 7
- Changeover day: Friday
The Cow Byre
- Bedrooms: 1
- Sleeps: 2
- Changeover day: Friday
- Bedrooms: 4
- Sleeps: 10
- Changeover day: Friday
Much of the rural landscape can be found within the North Yorkshire moors and the Yorkshire Dales and is encompassed by the National Park. The landscape is considered to be one of the most breathe taking in the country, and many ramblers travel from all corners of the country to experience it. The rustic moorland drops down and heads toward the sea where some of the most popular coastline in the country can be found, with seaside towns such as Staithes and Whitby being home to world class angling.
With such varied landscape and scenery it is no wonder that the area is home to a vast array of wildlife, making it a bird watchers dream. On a holiday in Yorkshire it is possible to see and hear the lap wing, the curlew and the skylark as well as many other bird species.
The area is characterised by its landscape of patchwork fields, natural stone walls, fells and moorland. The influence of the Victorian era can still quite clearly be seen by visitors in the architecture with distinctive red tiled roofs of many communities. The area was also greatly shaped by the Industrial Revolution, with many relics of the time still visible today.
Dotted throughout the region you will find holiday rentals from the Yorkshire coast through to North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and the Dales in plenty of towns and hamlets. With a mild climate averaging around 21°C in summer there really is something for anyone. We have cottages available for large groups, small groups, adults and families. So with an extraordinary area to explore why not browse the cottages that we have to offer, you're bound to find something that will catch your eye.
Whether you have decided to go for a short weekend break or a longer stay there is plenty to keep you entertained in Yorkshire.
Why not make the most of the beautiful scenery and explore a landscape which was made famous through television programmes such as Heart Beat and Brideshead or books such as Wuthering Heights travelling through the hills and moorland. This can be enjoyed through a variety of ways whether it is walking, cycling, horse riding or even quad biking. There are plenty of paths and passes to enjoy for all levels of ability. The landscape also offers other ways to enjoy it such as paintballing, abseiling, golf, orienteering, and archery.
For those who enjoy the outdoors it will come as no surprise that Yorkshire is the home of trails such as the Three Peaks where you can enjoy a cup of tea at the Pen-y-Ghent cafe and also underground walks such as through Ingleton Caves and White Scar. For a more leisurely break, take a stroll through some of the picture postcard towns such a Settle, Ingleton and Bentham or a walk through the RSPB parks in the Bempton Cliffs where you can see a wide variety of wild life. What a great way to spend an afternoon!
You can also enjoy the scenery in a more relaxing way by enjoying a trip on one of the steam trains, such as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. In fact, the large railway history of the region has made it an extremely popular location for train spotters. You'll be able to find out more about the history of the area's railways at York's National Railway Museum.
If the rural landscape is not for you then the large and energetic cities of Leeds, Sheffield and York offer something else entirely. With a mixture of old and new the cities give the chance to enjoy contemporary entertainment in old surroundings.
If it is history that you are interested in whilst in Yorkshire you'll have plenty to see, with medieval citadels and atmospheric palaces you really are in for a treat. York city itself is host to a number of historical sites, including the Gothic cathedral of York Minster and the Jorvik Viking Centre where you can step back in time and meet the Vikings. York is one of the most visited cities in the UK and is a medieval attraction in itself with its city walls and castle
Another of the large cities of Yorkshire which offers historical days out is Leeds where you can visit the Royal Armouries and watch a joust or see how you would measure up against the suit of armour once owned by King Henry VIII.
Other places to visit to enjoy a splendid day of history include the ruins of Fountains Abbey, The home of Brideshead revisited which is Castle Howard, one of the UK's very best stately homes and also Haworth Parsonage Library and Museum. Barnard Castle and Bowes offer medieval citadels and stately homes; Georgian country house Eggleston Hall and Gardens, Rokeby Hall and Park and Raby Castle being only three such examples. A visit to Ripon must include a trip to the cathedral whilst Bradford Mill Village, Leeds Victorian Quarter and the Victorian Turkish Baths in Harrogate are some of the most popular historical sites in Yorkshire.
Once you have enjoyed the history why not try out the modern day? With picture-perfect towns such as Hawes, Leyburn and Middleham on offer you can see what the local communities are like now. Alternatively, sample the delights of regional ale from Pickering and Malton's micro breweries. Horse racing is a popular sport in the area with a racecourse in Beverley which is worth a visit.
For those of you who would prefer to be beside the seaside there is a huge choice of places to go and things to do, such as enjoying the sandy beaches and magnificent waterfronts.
Why not try the hugely popular harbour town of Whitby and watch the fish being caught whilst discovering the town's Dracula connections. Or sample the Fish and Chips that are enjoyed by many who travel there. You could also try out Blacktoft Sands, go rock-pooling in Robin Hood's Bay, learn about the Captain Cook connection to the town of Staithes or head to the excellent shores of Filey.
With such popular seaside towns angling is huge in the area, with keen fishermen able to get advice on where is best to go in many of the towns.
One of the largest seaside towns is Scarborough with its vast array of marine life and is home to the Scarborough Sea Life Centre, which houses animals such as turtles, sharks and seals.
If you are looking for more things to do for the kids then look no further than the two theme parks that the region has to offer. Flamingo Land has thrilling rides and a zoo, and the well liked Lightwater Valley. Also on offer for the kids are the award-winning National Children's Museum Eureka and the National Media Museum, which is home to a five storey IMAX screen. The family experience can also continue on to the Sewerby Zoo, the fun fair at Bridlington, a nature reserve around Flamborough Head and Goathland, which was used as Hogsmeade in the Harry Potter films.
With so much to see and do it's no wonder that Yorkshire is one of the most popular holiday rental destinations in the country.
The variety of location within Yorkshire gives us the opportunity to offer you a cottage in a location that will suit you. Whether it is a cottage in isolation surrounded by the scenery, at the heart of the quaint English communities, or overlooking the sea we have something for you. Here is a selection of locations to choose from.
Hebden Bridge with River Calder running through and its rustic homes on the edge of Holmfirth, which is well known for the TV series Last of the Summer Wine, will give you the opportunity to stay within the local community the same as a stay in Haworth would allow for.
Alternatively one of the smaller hamlets allows for you to get away from it all and enjoy the scenery. Saltaire, Burnsall, Grassington, Grosmont and Kettlewell are the places for this.
For a Seaside destination a number of popular resorts include Scarborough, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes and Bridlington.
Browse our holiday cottages in Robin Hood's Bay and Whitby.
For a larger, livelier break why not try York, Sheffield, Leeds or a smaller town such as Pickering. Take a look at cottages in York.
Yorkshire is made up of different dales, each of which has its own characteristics. These include Airedale with lots of larger cities, rural Malhamdale, Arkengarthdale and Swaledale which are the most northern, Dentdale which borders Cumbria, Nidderdale and Teesdale on the East, Wharfedale with its historic communities and Wensleydale at the heart famous for its cheese.
Travel to Yorkshire couldn't be easier with a number of airports in the vicinity. The Leeds Bradford Airport hosts an abundance of national flights whilst also having great train and transport links.
Why choose Web Cottages?
Over 10,000 Cottages
With over 10,000 properties throughout the UK and Ireland to choose from, Web Cottages is one of the largest providers of self catering accommodation on the internet. We work with some of the biggest regional cottage companies as well as individual owners to bring you a huge choice of cottages to suit all tastes and budgets.
Great Value Prices
Here at Web Cottages, we have taken thousands of holiday properties from various websites and brought them together in one place. This means we can offer you the very best price from across the web. It also saves you the time of checking numerous websites to compare prices. Moreover, we carry out constant checks to ensure all our cottages are well-priced all year round. Whatever your budget, we're bound to have a cottage for you.
Years of Experience
Web Cottages was one of the very first holiday cottage companies to appear online and, because of our vast experience, we're a brand that people trust. Over the years, we have helped tens of thousands of holidaymakers just like you find their perfect cottage.
Secure Online Booking
It couldn't be easier or quicker to book your next cottage holiday online using our secure, encrypted website. Or if you prefer, you can call our UK-based Reservations Team on 0845 680 3593 (we're open from 9am to 5.30pm, 7 days a week) and book over the phone.


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Stem Cells In Breastmilk
Tel. +41 / (0)41 769 54 37
Breastmilk contains stem cells - taken to a higher level
Nov. 10, 2011 – BAAR, Switzerland –The theory developed in 2007 by scientists at the University of Western Australia (UWA) that breastmilk contains stem cells has been taken to a higher level with the latest discovery by one of the team's newer members. UWA Ph.D. candidate Foteini Hassiotou has proven that stem cells from breastmilk can now be directed to become other body cell types such as bone, fat, liver and brain cells. Could this finally be the answer to ethically and easily obtaining pluripotent stem cells in a non-invasive manner? And what does this mean with regard to the unique power of breastmilk for the growth and development of babies?
Stem Cells in Breastmilk – Theory Becomes Reality
Following Hassiotou's recent win of the 2011 AusBiotech-GSK Student Excellence Award for her research into breastmilk stem cells (Oct.17, 2011), Medela is proud to announce Hassiotou's first presentation of her findings of stem cells in breastmilk in Europe early next year. She will share her findings during Medela's 7th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium to be held in Vienna, Austria from April 20-21, 2012.
This discovery by Hassiotou, who is part of the Human Lactation Research Group under the direction of Professor Peter Hartmann at the University of Western Australia, may well be the answer to ethically and easily obtaining stem cells in a non-invasive manner. The value in harvesting stem cells from breastmilk lies in their incredible potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. They have the ability to act as a type of "internal repair system." With both types of stem cells (embryonic and adult), however, well-documented hurdles exist both from an ethical as well as from a practical harvesting perspective.
Medela has been working with the Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group since the mid-1990s resulting in numerous scientific breakthroughs including overturning a 160-year old anatomical model of the lactating human breast, and a unique insight into the sucking, swallowing and breathing mechanism that babies must master to feed properly. The Group has been working on the subject of stem cells for over five years.
"It is great to see the biology of breastmilk stem cells unfold and to be able to demonstrate new findings that take our knowledge a step further. Through the financial support of Medela it has been possible for me to conduct this research, which shows for yet another reason why breastmilk is so much more than nutrition for the baby," said Hassiotou. "In addition, it is becoming clear that breastmilk can serve as an ethical, non-invasive and plentiful source for human stem cells—but a lot of questions still remain unanswered, especially about the function of these cells in the breastfed baby. I feel proud to be part of this exciting journey of discovery, and I plan to continue this research at The University of Western Australia."
Medela is committed to supporting research into the unique composition and value of human milk.
"We are proud that Medela can support scientists in their work to uncover the power and promise of human milk," said Renate Schreiber, CEO of Medela. "The existence of stem cells in human milk is very exciting and we are curious to better understand the contribution that these cells can make to the health of the baby."
First Presentation in Europe at the Symposium in Vienna
Medela has developed an extensive line of products to meet the diverse needs of nursing mothers. These products include hospital-grade, double and single electric and manual breast pumps; breastfeeding accessories such as pump cleaning products, breast care products and specialty feeding devices; and maternity and nursing intimate apparel.
Founded in 1961 by Olle Larsson in Zug, Switzerland, Medela continues to grow under the ownership of the Larsson family. Medela serves customers through a worldwide network of distribution partners in more than 90 countries and its 15 subsidiaries in the United States, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, France, Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, Poland, China and Spain. The company entered the United States more than 30 years ago; its U.S. headquarters are located in McHenry, Illinois.


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Available Online and In Store
The BeaverCreek BCUKEE-S Electric Mahogany Soprano Ukulele is a warm sounding, low maintenance ukulele perfect for beginners of all ages. With a built in pick up, this ukulele is perfect for plugging in and performing on stage!
- Carrying Bag Included
- Mahogany Finish
At The Music Depot, we don't just teach ukulele, we also sell the BeaverCreek line of ukulele's for several reasons. Not only are they extremely portable and low maintenance, they small enough for young children just starting music, easy enough for young aspiring songwriters and trendy with all genres of today's music.
They are extremely affordable and come in so many colors that you may find it hard to choose just one. The second reason is we have yet to find one that doesn't play well or offer that perfect ukulele twang that you would expect to hear.
We care about your order and want to make sure that you receive it fast and damage free! If you live in the Niagara Region, The Music Depot will personally deliver your order over $50 to your door with a smile and a handshake!
*We also now offer shipping at checkout! Please allow 3 business days for delivery*
We understand that learning music can be a challenge and we do everything possible to make things easy for music students. That is why every instrument and accessory that comes from The Music Depot has been inspected and/or professionally adjusted before it goes out to our customers.


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Forex Trading Profit/Loss Calculator
Calculate a trade's profit or loss. Compare the results for different opening and closing rates (either historic or hypothetical).
Profit Calculator
How to Use This Tool
- Choose your primary account currency.
(The tool will calculate the profit/loss in this currency.)
- Select the trade's currency pair from the list.
Current exchange rates are shown.
- Choose the action (the type of trade, buy or sell).
- Type the number of units in the trade.
- Type a hypothetical closing rate for the currency pair (for example, a future value you speculate the pair might reach).
(Alternatively, type the current rate into this field and then change the pre-filled value to a previous rate.)
- Use the Calculate button.
The profit/loss is shown below this button (a negative value indicates a loss).
- To compare new values, just change them and use the Calculate button again to see the results.
How This Tool Works
This calculation follows the following formula:
(Closing Rate - Opening Rate) * (Closing {quote}/{home currency}) * Units
For example, suppose:
Home Currency: USD
Currency Pair: GBP/CHF
Base = GBP; Quote = CHF
Quote / Home Currency = CHF/USD = 1.1025
Opening Rate = 2.1443
Closing Rate = 2.1452
Units = 1000
Profit = (2.1452 - 2.1443) * (1.1025) * 1000
Profit = 0.99225 USD
How This Tool Works
This is for general information purposes only - Examples shown are for illustrative purposes and may not reflect current prices from OANDA. It is not investment advice or an inducement to trade. Past history is not an indication of future performance.
Your capital is at risk. Losses can exceed investment. Leverage trading is high risk and not for everyone.


text: Blog 5 Factors that Affect the Cost of Replacement Windows in Albany, NY December 29, 2015 At Pella Windows and Doors, we suggest having an in-home consultation so our professionals can help you find the right replacement windows to fit your home, your needs and your budget. Because there are a number of factors that affect the cost of replacement windows, we've gathered these five factors for you to consider when you begin your search for replacement windows. Project size. As you'd expect, replacing just one window versus an entire room, or even a whole house plays a big role in the total cost. Replacement windows can provide different benefits for different rooms in your home too, so you may want to prioritize areas that may see increased exposure. Material. Regardless of if it is vinyl, fiberglass or wood windows, Pella® offers a variety of products that can help meet your needs. Each material has its own benefits, but comes with its own cost as well. Stop by the Albany showroom to get a closer look at your options. Features and options. If you'd like to add features to your new replacement windows, they can impact your project cost, so keep that in mind as you're perusing the options. Style. You and your home have your own unique style, and windows should reflect that. That's why we provide so many different window styles to choose from. Find the best match for your home and your budget. Installation. It may be easy to assume that installation for your replacement windows is an easy task as a homeowner, but many homeowners quickly realize how vital expert installation is when it comes to installing replacement windows. Don't forget to factor this in to the cost of your replacement windows. These five factors aren't your only considerations when you're estimating the cost of your replacement windows, but they can help you start thinking how much the windows will cost so you can properly budget for them. If you want to learn more about these factors or any others that we deal with in Albany, stop by Pella Windows and Doors' local showroom to see what will work best for your home and your budget. Feel free to give us a call at 518-414-5302 or schedule an appointment online as well. Schedule Now! Back to Blog


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Recent News
June 20, 2013
Garden-Fresh Foods, Inc. Recalls Archer Farms Smoked Salmon Dip Because of Possible Mislabeling
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services received information regarding a recall of Archer Farms Smoked Salmon Dip that may contain undeclared allergens, fish and egg. Some of Archer Farms Smoked Salmon Dip may have inadvertently been filled in a limited amount of Bacon Parmesan Dip containers.
The packaged product was shipped to distributors in IA, FL and TX.
It was packaged in Archer Farms Bacon Parmesan Dip tubs with Unit UPC: 0 85239 99017 9
Lot Codes: 28/JUN/2013/01
Best By Date: 28/JUN/2013/01
The full recall can be found at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm357912.htm?source=govdelivery.


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Gifts and appeals may seem like true love, but Better Business Bureau says be aware of the top 12 schemes of the holidays:
12. Trip Troubles: Before visiting relatives, evade overly enticing travel deals. Watch out for unexpected hotel and flight "confirmation" or "cancellation" notices—which trick consumers into clicking unsafe links to "stop" unreal reservations.
11. Getaway Goons: When shopping or vacationing, don't become a target for theft. Guard belongings, be observant and pack lightly. Avoid broadcasting travel plans or empty homes on social networks—as it may entice burglars.
10. Cheating Charities: Be skeptical of seasonal charitable solicitors who use high pressure tactics, won't answer basic donation questions or can't provide proof of charity affiliation. Don't trust solicitations with invoices for past due payments.
9. Good-For-Nothing Gift Cards: Avoid purchasing from disreputable third parties and examine gift cards closely for terms, restrictions, fees and expiration dates. Use cards early as they may become non-redeemable if retailers go out of business.
8. Gotta-Have Goodies and Gadgets: Dodge deceptive deals and "free" offers on desirable toys, jewelry and electronics in audacious auctions, classified ad sites, social media posts, pop-up ads, online coupons, sweepstakes and surveys.
7. Cruel Credit Catches: During the big spending season, discard ads and offers for high-interest credit cards, costly layaway programs and payday loan traps.
6. Jester Jobs: Laugh off limited-time job offers for high-paying mystery shopping gigs and online work-at-home tasks. "Employers" may steal data from applications, fail to send start-up materials or induce paycheck money transfer schemes.
5. Suspicious Santa Sites: Steer away if "Santa" requests unnecessary personal data, doesn't abide by advertising laws or fails to disclose contact details and privacy policies.
4. Dodgy Domains: Dangers may be hiding in holiday-themed articles, music, screensavers and other downloads. Before surfing the Web, social media sites or emails, update anti-virus protection and check firewalls. Avoid shopping or banking online on unsecured Wi-Fi networks at public places, like airports and hotels.
3. Hacking Holiday E-Cards: Do not click links or attachments in e-cards and other holiday greetings from unfamiliar senders. Ensure spam filters are set.
2. Bogus Bank Emails: Disregard sudden emails or text messages about bank account issues. Instead, contact banks or financial institutions directly to verify.
1. Deceiving Deliveries: Don't accept notices about delivery delays or confirmations on unordered packages; phishers and smishers often pose as well-known retailers or shipping companies to gain false credibility.


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Upset Republicans propose chicken protest at Colorado GOP meeting Saturday
LATEST UPDATE: The secretary of the state GOP responds to Chairman Ryan Call, today's blog post.
UPDATE: The hotel has reminded the state party that no outside food is allowed. The party earlier contracted with the hotel to provide "breakfast snacks and beverages."
A group of Republicans upset with state GOP Chairman Ryan Call suggested party members attending a meeting in Denver Saturday bring boxed chicken lunches as a sign of protest against Call and a sign of support for two state lawmakers criticized for their poultry politics.
They also proposed censuring Call for criticizing Sen. Vicki Marble and Rep. Lori Saine after Marble made comments about what minorities eat and Saine later showed up with a box of Popeye's chicken.
The boxed-chicken lunch proposal is one of 14 complaints outlined in "plan of action" e-mail about Saturday's Central Republican Committee meeting, where the party typically handles routine matters. Saturday's meeting begins at 9 a.m. and is at the Crown Plaza Hotel in east Denver.
"Get the chicken the night before and bring it with you in the box so the protest is obvious," the e-mail states.
The e-mail, obtained by The Denver Post, shows it was sent from an account belonging to Lana Fore-Warkocz, secretary of the state party. It was signed "Jen" and included a phone number that belongs to Jen Raiffe, third vice chairman of the Adams County Republican Party.
Neither responded to requests for comment. Raiffe did not respond to a request for comment; Fore-Warkocz sent a written statement after this blog appeared. It appears at the end of this post.


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The Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve marshlands, home to the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse and the California clapper rail, have turned to fall colors of red and gold. Behind the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center, yellowing native Pacific cord grass nods at the channel's edge, and the succulent pickleweed, which tastes briny and tart, is crimson.
Last week, long-billed dowitchers and godwits pecked at mudflats exposed by the receding tide. The elusive clapper rail did not appear along the watery channel known as "rail alley." But there were signs: Marks in the mud bank showed where the birds had scooted down to water's edge from hollows made in the pickleweed. A lone feather clung to a nearby plant.
Chances of seeing the rails are slim. Ruddy-breasted, with tan and black striping and sturdy legs, the chicken-sized California clapper was fairly common in the San Francisco Bay 50 years ago. But today, there are only an estimated 1,500 birds in the area about 15 to 20 of them in the Palo Alto Baylands, according to the nonprofit organization Point Blue Conservation Science.
More elusive still is the tiny salt marsh harvest mouse, which weighs as much as a quarter and does not live anywhere else in the world except for San Francisco Bay's marshes. No one really knows their numbers, experts said.
Environmental groups are engaged in a battle to save these endangered species, focusing mostly on preserving the wetlands they and other species call home. Over the years, as much as 80 percent of the San Francisco Bay marshlands have disappeared, according to scientists. Development and salt-pond conversion are the chief culprits.
So far, the work of re-establishing the marshes appears to be helping. Birds and mice are increasing in numbers where some habitat restoration has occurred, scientists said.
But it is a long-term and ever-changing fight. A predicted rise in sea levels due to climate change will, in future years, flood the marshes, washing away nests and making the habitat unsuitable for clapper rails and other species, according to a Point Blue study of projected sea-level-rise impacts.
The best time to spot clapper rails and harvest mice is during the highest solstice tides, said Richard Bicknell, a City of Palo Alto supervising ranger. The mice and rails emerge from their thickets of pickleweed and cord grass and seek higher ground. The rails climb onto the boardwalk or perch on driftwood; the mice cling to the tops of the plants.
In his four years of working at the Baylands, Bicknell thinks he saw a harvest mouse once, hanging from the pickleweed. He has seen clapper rails twice, he said.
Howard Shellhammer, emeritus professor of biology at San Jose State University, has studied the salt marsh harvest mouse since 1961. He said the loss of tidal marshes has forced species that used to live in the lower half to lower third of the marsh zone to higher land. And that leaves them more at risk of running into predators.
"The upper part of the high marsh zone is where the salt marsh harvest mouse, various shrews and other small mammals, plus a variety of birds, escape to during the highest tides ... when the larger birds feast on all those cover-dependent animals forced out of cover," Shellhammer said.
Though endangered, clapper rails aren't the only birds whose numbers have dropped. The populations of black-crowned night herons and snowy egrets, which nest in the trees near the duck pond during the spring, have decreased dramatically in the past two to three years, Bicknell said.
The showy herons, which sport red eyes and two long head feathers on their greenish-black caps, are known to soar gracefully through the sky, while the snow-white egrets glide like prehistoric creatures, making unearthly gargling noises as they flap their wings in the trees.
No one knows why there have been fewer of the herons and egrets, Bicknell said. Perhaps the habitat has changed in some way to make it less favorable; perhaps the much-loved birds sought a more favorable locale where they don't have to put up with human onlookers pointing oversized camera lenses at their nests.
The Point Blue "State of the Birds: San Francisco Bay 2011" report asserts that the primary threats to both birds are the loss or disturbance of nesting sites and noise from construction, which scares the birds away.
Several species of ducks such as the canvasback, greater scaup, a diving duck, and surf scoter, a deeper-water duck are also decreasing in population, the report found. Those losses could be significant. The San Francisco Bay populations of scaup and scoters represent between 40 and 50 percent of all scaup and scoters counted in the Pacific Flyway.
There is some good news in the report: Populations of some birds, including the black rail, are increasing.
It's not only the loss of marshes but the invasion of the wrong type of plants that threaten the clapper rails and salt marsh harvest mice. A nonnative, invasive species of cord grass, Spartina alterniflora, is pushing out the native variety, Spartina foliosa, Bicknell said. The aggressive weed is replacing plants on which the rail and mouse depend.
But volunteers, including from the nonprofit organizations Acterra and Save The Bay are working to remove the invasive plant, he said.
Lynn Hori, a retired Palo Alto High School teacher, started working with students on science research projects at the Baylands in 1997. Students took a raft and collected samples of the cord grasses, which were genetically tested at U.C. Davis. The tests showed which plants were nonnative Spartina, she said.
The invasive plant was discovered west of the sailing station and in Charleston Slough and Hooks Island, a flat, arrowhead-shaped spit of land at the preserve's easternmost edge. It hybridized with the native cord grass, making it harder to tell one from the other, she said.
"Some picked up the roots characteristics; some picked up the height or the flowers. You almost had to test it all to find out what was native or nonnative. It just comes in and takes over. It grows denser than the native species and makes it harder for animals to move around. It is interfering with the dynamics of the marsh," she said.
The students monitored various areas in search of the nonnative species, and they used tarpaulins to smother some of the plants. They replaced the invasive Spartina at Hooks Island with native cord grass, she said.
Groups have made major efforts to cull invasive Spartina throughout the bay region. Work by the California Coastal Conservancy's San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project reduced the weed from a high of 800 acres to 40 acres, said Amy Hutzel, coordinator for the project.
Save The Bay has planted native grasses in Palo Alto, said Seth Chanin, the nonprofit's restoration program manager. The organization works with other nonprofit groups and government agencies to restore Bay Area wetlands. Currently there are 45,000 acres of historic and restored wetlands around the bay. Scientists agree the bay needs 100,000 acres of wetlands.
Levees, which have poor, degraded soil and have been taken over by invasive European weeds such as wild fennel, mustard, radishes and ice plant, are also the focus of restoration work.
Volunteers collect local native seeds at the marshes in the fall and install plants in the winter during the rainy season. Save The Bay is propagating 40,000 plants at a nursery set up in the Palo Alto Baylands, Chanin said.
"We go into undisturbed transition zones (from one kind of plant habitat to another) and look at what's growing and try to replicate that," Chanin said. They use 25 to 30 plant types, including salt-tolerant grasses and low shrubs that provide cover for animals and a food source, he said.
Save The Bay, Acterra and the East Palo Alto nonprofit organization Collective Roots are working jointly on projects to restore habitats in East Palo Alto's Faber-Laumeister Tract. The project is paid for through a grant from the 2007 Cosco Busan oil spill, said Alex Von Feldt, Acterra's stewardship program director. The restoration also involves schoolchildren from the East Palo Alto Charter School and Youth Community Services. A Junior Bay Stewards program will teach East Palo Alto students about marshland ecology, she said. This past summer the project started a clapper-rail habitat restoration project, she said.
Save The Bay has planted half-mile stretches of native species at Palo Alto's 126-acre Byxbee Park. The plants line the edge of a levee overlooking the pickleweed and cord grass. Chanin has seen a clapper rail once in the three years he has worked there, but volunteers often hear its loud, distinctive call: keck keck keck keck keck keck keck keck.
The Bay Area's tidal marshes comprise an ever-shifting system, and the presence or absence of animals presage its future condition. The shorebird population in San Francisco Bay has shifted north, where their numbers have increased in the north bay, and away from the central and south bay, according to the State of the Birds report. The numbers of one of the more common species, the Western sandpiper, has declined Bay Area-wide, while two other common species, the least sandpiper and the willet, have increased greatly.
Burrowing owls that nested in the Palo Alto Baylands are gone, while along Mountain View's shoreline, habitat improvements have helped the species.
In 2008, the clapper rail population dropped, especially in the south bay.
"We suspect the entire Bay Area really crashed in 2008. Most likely, it was weather-related. Pressures could have caused poor reproduction. We really don't know," said Julian Wood, Point Blue's San Francisco Bay program manager.
Pollution can seriously upset the food supply, according to Joanne McFarlin, a senior ecologist with Acterra, who three years ago examined bugs at Stevens Creek. Endangered steelhead trout and clapper rails feast on invertebrates. When samples from the upper creek found only pollution-tolerant insects, such as black flies and midge flies, McFarlin suspected a pollution source in the surrounding neighborhood was emptying into the water.
Soil analysis found very high levels of pesticides known as pyrethroids, which are commonly used in backyard gardens, she said. An outreach program to educate residents by the City of Cupertino resulted in lower levels of pesticides, which in turn allowed insects that are important on the food chain to repopulate the waterway, she said.
Some restoration work covers large swaths of land. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, a massive plan by state and federal agencies and private foundations, purchased 15,100 acres from Cargill Inc., with plans to restore 50 to 90 percent of south bay ponds to a mix of tidal marsh and shallow, managed ponds.
Restoration has brought back large numbers of leopard sharks and native fish to south bay waters, Hutzel said. Restored areas include near the Dumbarton Bridge at Ravenswood Open Space Preserve, near Moffett Field in Mountain View, at Eden Landing near Hayward, in Alviso in the South Bay and at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Jen McBroom, clapper-rail monitoring manager at Berkeley-based habitat restoration and monitoring firm Olofson Environmental, Inc., has done hundreds of surveys of clapper rails all around the bay. Some hope is coming to the rails as a result of returning salt ponds to wetlands, she said. A 2012 Point Blue study found the number of clapper rails increases dramatically following restoration of tidal marshes, but the increase begins after 17 to 20 years, she noted.
"Currently, we don't have data on clapper rail response to restoration through planting. However, we do know that much of the depredation of clapper rails occurs during high tides, when clapper rails are forced to seek refuge on higher ground. Plantings adjacent to tidal wetlands can provide the cover that the clapper rails need to hide from predators during high tide," she said.
The effects of higher tides from climate change and the human response to it is a concern for many scientists.
Claire Elliott, a senior ecologist with Acterra, said there has been talk of raising the levees in response to sea-level rise. That will have an impact on what kind of plant refuges are available to the animals, she said.
"My fear is that the levees will isolate species from areas they need to access," she said.
Local officials are indeed planning for a sea-level rise but they're also taking Baylands animals into account.
The San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority, a coalition that includes Palo Alto, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the San Mateo County Flood Protection District, is in the midst of a major multi-year project to protect surrounding communities from flooding.
The work includes the widening of channels, reconstruction of levees and a complete reconfiguration of the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course. Though flood control is the main objective, habitat restoration is also part of the plan. The Environmental Impact Report for the project lists as its first objective to provide a "golf course that has enhanced wildlife habitat, improved wetland areas and a more interesting course."
One of the goals, in fact, is to make the golf course feel more like the Baylands. The reconfiguration would reduce the area of "managed" turf from 135 acres to 81 acres. Rob de Geus, assistant director of the Community Services Department, noted that the project will "add over 50 acres of natural Bayland."
Former councilwoman Enid Pearson, who along with former councilwoman Emily Renzel was largely responsible for saving the Baylands in the 1960s, said she fears the marshes will be damaged by attempts to stem flooding.
The flood-control plan would direct overflowing water from the San Francisquito Creek, between the Baylands and U.S. Highway 101, toward the Faber Tract in East Palo Alto, where clapper rails and harvest mice live.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shares her concern. In July, the agency raised flags in a letter to the Creek Authority. The Wildlife Service stated that flood waters in the Faber Tract could result in the loss of refuge for the clapper rails and the mice, exposing them to predators. The project, the agency argued, "has the potential to have severe adverse effects to the California clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mouse."
Among the Creek Authority's plans, it is looking into ways to protect the species, including building mounds that harvest mice could climb, should flooding occur.
Rising sea levels pose challenges more widely, McBroom and Hutzel said.
"We've built communities up to the edge of the bay. If that wasn't there, the marshes could move upward and inland, but they will get squeezed between the communities and a rising bay," Hutzel said.
But Wood said computer modeling by Point Blue indicates that marshlands might have more resilience in the face of a sea-level rise than previously thought. Sediment deposits could increase in some areas, building up the marshland. As sediment builds, marsh plants start to grow.
"The sooner that happens, the more likely it is that the marsh can keep pace with sea-level rise," he said. But he added a caveat: "If there is a faster rise, will they be able to do it faster?"
The study, which is found at www.prbo.org/sfbayslr, shows that some areas currently under water will become mudflats in the Palo Alto Baylands by 2030, with low sediment deposits and a more than .52-meter sea-level rise. Under a scenario with higher sediment deposits, much of the lower marshes will fill in to become so-called "mid-marsh" zones. The Baylands would have a less-varied habitat, according to many of the models.
While that could portend big changes for wildlife that depend on varied zones for their survival, Wood said the models also offer tools for marshland managers to design habitats that could help species to survive.
McBroom agreed that humans, who have contributed significantly to the demise of the marshes, must have a hand in saving species. Clapper rails need large, round marshes with a range of elevations, from low marsh to forage in during low tides to high marsh in which to take cover during high tides, she said.
"Their habitat will shrink as the rising waters drown the tidal wetlands unless we are able to increase the elevation of these marshes or allow them to expand landward," she said.
Daren Anderson, Palo Alto's manager of open space, parks and golf, said the city must consider the best ways to manage the competition between the rising tides, wildlife and community. In its search for ways to care for the Palo Alto Baylands, the city will seek ways to manage and preserve the tidal marshes for generations of wildlife and humans to come.


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AAI® Eurotramp® Booster/Vault Trampoline.
Any activity involving motion or height creates the possibility of catastrophic injury, paralysis or even death. This equipment is intended for use ONLY by properly trained and qualified participants under supervised conditions. Use without proper supervision or abuse, could be DANGEROUS and should NOT be undertaken or permitted. Before using, KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS and the limitations of this equipment. If in doubt always consult your instructor. Always inspect for loose fittings or damage and test stability before each use. Be sure proper matting is in place.


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HarperCollins presents
Everybody Dies: A Children's Book for Grown Ups.
Finally, a book about death that the whole family can enjoy. It's 48 full color pages of fun, including "Diseases that could be killing you right now" and "Last Will and Testament" that you can fill out at home.
Written and Illustrated by Ken Tanaka along with his long lost identical twin brother, actor David Ury, Everybody Dies will help grown ups cope with the inevitable fate that awaits us all. Although originally meant for adults, Everybody Dies may be most effective when read to frightened parents by their children.
Tell your friends about it. Use #EverybodyDiesBook