text:
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Scalloped Everything
This one's for all of you back home in Australia ... where it's currently the tail end of winter, and where you may be inclined to bake things in the oven. Comfort foods, involving root vegetables. 'Cause I sure ain't making this here in Phoenix ... where the daytime temperatures are hovering around 45C (115F) and the nighttimes are dipping down into the (brrrr) 30C's (90F's).
But I did make this just before we left Brisbane, when I had some veggies in my cupboard that weren't going to make it otherwise. It's an adaptation out of Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven, if you're curious ... but it's like any handed-down scalloped veggie recipe, really. I used what I had on-hand - but seriously, you could substitute any host of veggies in here; add cheese; or use cream if those are the things you need to use up. Consider this your pre-holiday go-to. For everything.
When it's not a gazillion degrees outside.
The time
20 min prep + 50 min baking
The ingredients
1 Tbs butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 handfuls of mushrooms, finely chopped
~8 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cabbage, thinly sliced
2 turnips, thinly sliced
2 Tbs cornflour
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 cups milk
*try to use organic ingredients when you can!
The process
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (360F).
2. In a large oven-proof pot, saute the onion in the butter over medium heat. When it's soft, remove the pot from heat and stir in the veggies, cornflour, salt, and vinegar (and cheese, if you're using it). Push them down, to form a relatively even top surface.
3. Pour the milk over and push the top layer of veggies down into the milk. Add more milk if you need to in order to get the top layer of veggies slightly covered in liquid.
4. Put a lid (or aluminium foil) over your pot, and bake for ~40 minutes. Then, remove the cover and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it's brown and crispy on the top.
5. After you take this out of the oven, let it cool a few minutes before you dish it out. It loves hitting the plate with a fresh green salad on its side.
The cost
If you use milk that's getting to its use-by date, or root veggies that are starting to get soft, or things you'll have to throw out because you're about to go on holiday ... this dish will be *very* cheap. Even so, an organic version of this is likely to cost you less than $1 per person.
Well, I'm off to the pool now ... more soon from the US of A!
Amanda xx
13 comments:
- chinmayie @ love food eat said... [Reply to comment]
That is perfect comfort food! I love the look of it :)I am craving something with lots of potatoes right now!!
- September 4, 2011 at 11:00 PM
- Easy peasy organic said... [Reply to comment]
@chinmayie @ love food eat It tastes even better when you follow it with dark chocolate. I know, I know. It's some sort of time/space thing.
- September 4, 2011 at 11:24 PM
- myFudo said... [Reply to comment]
This looks promising, love the cheesy look. Nice blog.
- September 5, 2011 at 5:47 AM
- VA DE PAN said... [Reply to comment]
I've just discovered your site, and it's great!!!!! looks delicious, I'm adding to my must try list!!!!!!
- September 5, 2011 at 9:20 AM
- a Palate and a Passport said... [Reply to comment]
Great looking comfort foods for the cold days to come.
- September 5, 2011 at 11:26 AM
- Easy peasy organic said... [Reply to comment]
Welcome to all you first-timers! I'm happy you've visited, and said hello :) Enjoy your scalloped veggies!
- September 5, 2011 at 12:43 PM
- cheryl said... [Reply to comment]
That is seriously a stunner.
- September 5, 2011 at 1:49 PM
- Easy peasy organic said... [Reply to comment]
@cheryl Why thank you. So are you. :)
- September 5, 2011 at 4:45 PM
- Kelly said... [Reply to comment]
Mmmmm! This looks FABULOUS! I love that you added other veggies to a traditional potato comfort dish!
- September 5, 2011 at 6:54 PM
- Paula said... [Reply to comment]
With summer coming to an end here in Canada and the winter looming ahead, this recipe is definitely a keeper for the cold evenings ahead of us.
- September 6, 2011 at 4:40 PM
- Tanya - Three Square Meals said... [Reply to comment]
This looks so comforting and tasty! Just like you in Phoenix, it is a little hot here in Florida but very soon I will cranking up the oven.Thanks!
- September 12, 2011 at 2:55 PM
- Cassandra @foodmyfriend said... [Reply to comment]
And from your homeland, we thank you! 28C here in Sydney today. PHEW. I still want to eat this though. My legs aren't ready for Summer!!
- September 23, 2011 at 1:23 AM
Way cool! Some extremelу vаlid points! I appгeciatе you writing this
post рlus the гest οf the website is also very
Here is my webpage ... billig ipad
- February 4, 2013 at 9:30 AM


text:
The Miami Heat parade will take place Monday at 11 a.m., city officials announced.
The parade will start at the corner of SW 8th Street and 2nd Avenue, head east on 8th Street and then north on Brickell Avenue. It will proceed across the bridge and north on Biscayne Boulevard and end at AmericanAirlines Arena, officials said.
The victory parade will celebrate the team's NBA championship win against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night. The Heat toppled the Thunder 121-106 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
U.S. & World
WATCH video of fans celebrating outside the arena.
City workers are gearing up for a 20-block victory parade, which will mean calling on 160 police officers to watch over the streets.
"It's a pretty intense process," said City Manager Johnny Martinez, pointing out the Heat organization is picking up the tab for the celebration.
Martinez said waiting until Monday gives the city more time to prepare police, fire, and public works crews. Plus, fans don't "have to make a special trip downtown," he said, since many will already be at work there.
Nail technician Starr Morrison, who gives pedicures at the new Marco Aldany salon on Biscayne Boulevard, is looking forward to the parade.
"Of course it's gonna boost our business," Morrison said, "if people just stop by to find out information."
Right after the win, former Heat player Shaquille O'Neal told NBC 6 he was proud of what the team had accomplished.
"Fabulous season, they came through. LeBron, the king, finally got it done. Congratulations to Micky Arison, the Heat, Miami, they deserved it," O'Neal said inside the arena.
"I know what it feels like to be a great player and not to have a ring, but you know he fought, he stayed out of trouble, great guy off the court, did everything the right way, played great basketball was a great leader this year, last year, they got it done," said O'Neal, who won a NBA title with Dwyane Wade and the Heat in 2006.
TV sports analyst and former NBA star Charles Barkley also spoke to NBC 6 about the win.
"I picked the Heat in six, I'm surprised they won four in a row, but they were just too good for the Thunder," he said.
When asked what caused the Heat turnaround in the playoffs, Barkley credited LeBron.
"When LeBron took over in the Indiana series and started realizing it was his team and he has to be their leader," Barkley said. "'Cause he covers up a lot of their flaws because he's such a great player."
Minutes after the Heat clinched the NBA title, fans flooded local sporting goods stores for championship swag. Stores remained open late passing out gear to eager fans.
"We are happy LeBron got his ring. The Heat is on!" one fan said at Dick's Sporting Goods in Pembroke Pines.
Fans also took to the streets in a craze, celebrating outside the arena and across Miami.
The winning team, meanwhile, partied the night away at Club LIV in Miami Beach.
"... To our fans, we just want to appreciate them for being there and supporting us and we're just happy we were able to get this win here in Miami, especially after what happened last year, so it definitely feels good to win here at home," player Joel Anthony said outside the club.
Miami-Dade Transit said it will run additional Metrorail and Metromover trains on Monday for the parade, and provide an "express pay" lane at select Metrorail stations. For more information, see www.miamidade.gov/transit or call 305-891-3131.
Broward County Transit said its BCT 595 Express Miami/Brickell bus will leave at 7:10 and 7:40 a.m. Monday from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise to take passengers to Brickell Plaza. Buses will leave for the return trip every 30 minutes between 3:35 and 6:05 p.m.
For more info on BCT's offerings, including its U.S. 1 and Miramar Parkway buses that go to the Aventura Mall – where you can transfer to Miami-Dade Transit's Route 93 Biscayne MAX or Route 3 buses – visit broward.org/bct or call 954-357-8400.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season offered anything but your typical gridiron action. Surprising wins by the Jets and Saints got people talking, and the sheer dominance of the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs got fans talking, too - about the playoffs.
Here's what else we learned:
The 49ers are tough: Colin Kaepernick threw for 412 yards and three TDs and the recently acquired Anquan Boldin nabbed 13 catches for a monster 208 yards in a stunning 34-28 win over the Green Bay Packers. A series of punches were thrown at one point between Packers LB Clay Matthews and Joe Staley that solidifed the game's ferocity. Although Aaron Rodgers had his moments against a suspect 49ers secondary with three TDs of his own, the 49ers aggressive run-stopping (Eddie Lacy was held to 41 yards on 14 carries) makes you think their secondary will have better days as the season continues.
U.S. & World
The Jets aren't half bad: Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith went 24-for-38 with 256 passing yards and a touchdown in his debut, and added a team-leading 47 yards on the ground to cap off a 18-17 come from behind victory. Recently acquired TE Kellen Winslow added seven catches and a TD. Gang Green's defense also limited Bucs star RB Doug Martin to just 65 yards rushing. Ironically, the play of the game occurred when Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David pushed Smith out of bounds after a 10-yard run and got called for a personal foul. The 15-yard penalty allowed Jets kicker Nick Folk to nail a 48-yard FG for the win.
The Jaguars aren't half good: After a 28-2 drubbing at the hands of the Alex Smith-powered Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener, the Jaguars and their abysmal offense have to wonder what the rest of the season is going to be like.
E.J. Manuel makes the Bills entertaining: The Patriots broke more than a sweat against the upstart Bills, mainly due to a poised debut from rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel and 136 yards on the ground from Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. Although he only threw for 150 yards, Manuel more than held his own against Tom Brady with a 18-for-27, two-TD performance.
Peyton Manning is still a beast: With seven touchdown passes and the recently acquired Wes Welker by his side, the Broncos made mincemeat of the Super Bowl Champion Ravens to fuel early playoff talk.
Victor Cruz's heel injury is history: Giants fans and fantasy football buffs wondered what his status for Week 1 would be after he suffered a heel injury in New York's second preseason game. How does the enigmatic wide-out respond to the controversy? With a three-touchdown performance against arch-rival Dallas Cowboys.
Reggie Bush roars in first game with Lions: Detroit hasn't had a running back like Bush since the days of Barry Sanders. With 90 yards rushing, 101 receiving and a TD, Detroit may surprise a few people this season.
The Saints are back: With Sean Payton back as head coach after a one-year suspension, the revitalized Saints got a typical 357-yard, two TD performance from QB Drew Brees and a six-catch game from all-purpose wunderkind Darren Sproles. The defense, under new coordinator Rob Ryan, kept the explosive Falcons offense scoreless in the fourth quarter for a surprising 23-17 win.
No sophomore slump for QBs: Seattle's Russell Wilson had a touchdown to go with 320 yards passing to lead the Seahawks past the Panthers in a defensive gem, while the Colts' Andrew Luck went 18-for-23 with three TDs to beat the Raiders. Can fellow second-year QB Robert Griffin III have the same success on Monday for the Redskins against the Eagles?


text:
Feature Flick: Texas Junkyard Cuda Runs 110 mph Quarter Mile
If you've followed the series' on the Motor Trend Channel for long, you know that Roadkill is one of the most entertaining. The plot usually involves purchasing a car of unknown repute or reliability in a location selected by a dart thrown at a map. Hilarity, late nights and bloody knuckles usually ensue. For this episode, the team of Mike Finnegan and David Freiburger find a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda at the CTC Auto Ranch in Denton, Texas that required two days of marathon wrenching to get the car into drag-ready order.
The engine, the long-running and reliable 360 cubic-inch V-8, was the least of their troubles. It started and ran, if not flawlessly, relatively reliably. The brakes however, were another story. With the brake issue finally resolved, the two hit the road many hours later than anticipated, on the way to Royal Purple Raceway in Houston, Texas.
Although surrounded by some of the country's fastest drag cars and drivers in Texas, the international brotherhood of hot-rodders came together to support the rag-tag junkyard team and their junkyard 'Cuda. Although it ran an unremarkable 14.7 quarter-mile, the car clocked an impressive trap speed of 110 mph.
Hours before they were going to depart Texas on the plane back to Southern California, an impromptu auction was staged for the car, and all the spare parts and tools that came with it. The winning bid of $3150 helped the pair nearly recoup the cost of the car. Watch the bloody-knuckle action below, and be sure to tune in to the Motor Trend Channel for hot enthusiast content, served up regularly.


text: Dr. A.J. Wheeler Receives Interior Department Award for Valor and Citizen's Bravery 7-Mar-2012 GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE: Grand Teton National Park Rangers, Exum Guides & Others Receive Interior Department Awards for Valor and Citizen's Bravery Today in Washington D.C., Interior Secretary Ken Salazar presented seven Grand Teton National Park rangers with the prestigious Department of the Interior (DOI) Valor Award for their heroic actions during a July 2010 search and rescue for 17 climbers caught in a powerful lightning storm on the Grand Teton. During the special ceremony, one of the park's co-medical directors along with the primary helicopter pilot, one Teton Interagency helitack member, and three Exum Mountain Guides were presented with the Department's Citizen's Award for Bravery for their actions during the same rescue. Valor Award recipients are Park Rangers Ryan Schuster, Jack McConnell, Marty Vidak, Ed Visnovske, Nicholas Armitage, Drew Hardesty, and Helen Bowers. St. John's Medical Center Doctor AJ Wheeler, Pilot Matt Heart of Helicopter Express, Teton Interagency helitack member John Filardo, and Exum Mountain Guides Dan Corn, Anneka Door, and Brenton Reagan each received the Citizen's Award for Bravery for their critical roles and assistance during the challenging rescue operation. Many lives were saved by the professionalism, skill and courage of the combined rescuers; sadly, one climber died when he fell more than 2,000 feet during the brunt of the storm. Valor awards are presented to DOI employees who have demonstrated unusual courage involving a high degree of personal risk in the face of danger. The act of heroism is not required to be related to official duties, or to have occurred at the official duty station. Recipients receive a special certificate and citation signed by the Secretary, and an engraved gold Valor Award medal. The Citizen's Award for Bravery is granted to private citizens for heroic acts or unusual bravery in the face of danger. Honorees receive a special certificate and citation signed by the Secretary for risking their lives to save the life of a DOI employee or the life of any person while on property owned by or entrusted to the Interior Department. The following account describes the Owen-Spalding Lightning Search and Rescue (SAR) mission: "About noon on July 21, 2010, a fast- moving and active lightning storm caught 17 climbers near the summit of the 13,770-foot Grand Teton. The climbers, from three unassociated parties, were attempting to summit the high peak via two separate climbing routes when the storm unleashed a barrage of lightning, rain, and hail on the Grand Teton: all 17 were caught above the 13,200 foot elevation on exposed ridges and rocky cliffs. Upon receiving a call for help at 12:23 p.m., rangers initiated a rescue response that increased in size, scope and complexity with the mounting knowledge that multiple climbers were physically incapacitated by the severe storm. Rescuers were flown to the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton at 11,650 feet. This high mountain saddle became an intermediate staging area for emergency medical care and final evacuation off the mountain to the Lupine Meadows rescue cache at 6,700 feet where ambulances waited to transport the injured climbers to a local hospital. Park Rangers Bowers and McConnell, and Exum Guide Corn, first reached seven of the climbers who were making a potentially grave error, rappelling down the wrong way into a steep couloir known as the Idaho Express. The rescuers stopped the climbers, got them to a safer location, and told them to wait for more help. Exum Guides Door and Reagan escorted the seven climbers and two others to the Lower Saddle where they waited for evacuation via helicopter to the valley floor. More rangers made their way up the rugged Teton peak to assist with the rescue of other climbers, while Bowers stayed at the 13,200 foot Upper Saddle to coordinate operations on the mountain and communicate with other rescuers at the Lower Saddle and on the valley floor. Rescue operations were hampered by deteriorating weather; additional storm cells grounded the aerial evacuation for over one hour, putting rescuers and injured climbers—who were still high on the mountain—at the mercy of the elements and at further risk. Aviation operations began again at 6:45 p.m. when the thunderstorms passed. Ultimately 16 climbers, ranging in age from 21 to 67, were flown from the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton to the Lupine Meadows rescue cache in several rotations, with the final flight occurring just before nightfall. In all, 15 climbers were transported to the local hospital. Nine climbers were admitted to the emergency room: five were hospitalized with injuries ranging from burns associated with lightning strikes to trauma from the sheer force and concussion of multiple hits; three were treated and released; and one patient was flown to an acute care hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho. One climber was missing and reported to have fallen off the Grand Teton when several bolts of lightning struck the mountain. A search for this 17th climber had to be called off due to darkness. Rangers resumed the search for the missing climber at daybreak on Thursday, July 22. During an aerial reconnaissance flight, they located the body of Brandon Oldenkamp, age 21 of Sanborn, Iowa, in Valhalla Canyon. He had fallen down a steep couloir approximately 3,000 feet below the summit of the Grand Teton. Oldenkamp's body was subsequently recovered from the mountain. A Teton Interagency contract helicopter and 83 personnel from Grand Teton National Park, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Teton Interagency Fire, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Teton County Sherriff's Office, Exum Mountain Guides, and St. John's Medical Center, plus a helicopter and staff from Yellowstone National Park, assisted with this rescue: named the O-S Lightning SAR for its primary location on the Owen-Spalding route of the Grand Teton. This multifaceted incident turned into the largest rescue mission in the history of Grand Teton National Park." "Although the mission was complex, it was efficiently conducted with no injuries to rescuers or other personnel: a real tribute to the men and women who risked their lives to bring others to safety in the face of a violent summer storm," said Grand Teton National Park Chief Ranger Michael Nash. "The rescue's true success resulted from the local community's ability to come together as a combined, multi-agency rescue force. We appreciate everyone's contribution in making this rescue such an effective mission and one for the history books." —NPS— www.nps.gov/grte GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Grand Teton National Park PO Box 170 Moose, Wyoming 83012 Jackie Skaggs/ 307.739.3393 Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles/ 307.739.3431 Categories: Press Releases Previous Post | Next Post


text:
Just in time for people to start siphoning gas and wondering how much that Geo Metro out back might be worth, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has created custom fuel economy labels for used vehicles.
The labels offer EPA fuel economy estimates for vehicles build since 1984, and a QR code that links to the EPA's page for that vehicle. Some owners may wonder why the numbers don't match what was originally on their sticker; the EPA revised its estimates in 2008 to make them closer to what people actually get.
To find your clunker's figures, go here, so you can proudly gloat about your 1986 Honda CR-X HF getting better gas mileage than many recent hybrid vehicles.


text:
- News
- Business
- Sports
- Entertainment
- Lifestyle
- Health
- Travel
- Technology
The Royal York and Hotel Vancouver — two of Canada's most iconic hotels — are being put on the auction block by Quebec's public pension fund, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.
An executive with the pension plan's real estate division, Ivanhoe Cambridge, confirmed the move to the Globe and Mail Friday. Although the asking price for the two neo-Gothic buildings has not been revealed, the fund expects to lose money on the deal.
"Honestly, [the sale] is not going to be our best return, simply because we bought in '07," Sylvain Fortier, vice-president of real estate investment, told the newspaper.
Toronto's Royal York was the tallest structure in the entire Commonwealth when it was completed in 1929, rising 28 floors over the city where it remained a defining part of the skyline for many decades. The 17-floor Hotel Vancouver was completed a decade later, the third hotel with that name, and is sometimes called the "Castle in the City." Both hotels were built by Canadian Pacific Railway, two among many elegant Chateau-style buildings constructed by rail companies during the heyday of train travel in Canada (see gallery).
The Caisse is Canada's second-largest pension fund, after the Canadan Pension Plan, and manages $200 billion worth of investment.
The offloading of the two famous hotels, managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, is part of a larger move by the Caisse to reduce its hotel real estate holdings.
"For Vancouver we know a lot of Asian investors are looking, and for Toronto we expect some European and American money looking, so it will be an interesting dynamic," Fortier told the Globe.
The pension fund has sold off dozens of hotels in recent years, including Ottawa's iconic Chateau Laurier last year in a deal believed to have netted more than $100 million. It plans to keep the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City and Queen Elizabeth in downtown Montreal.


text:
longchamp outlet in seoul garden Official
2015 Longchamp Le Pliage Large Travel Bag-007 SIZE XL
Brand : Longchamp
Measurements :
Size L: 48CM at base, 30CM tall, 56CM along zipper.
Material: Lightweight nylon with tanned leather handles and accents.Zip top closure with leather snap.Inside pocket.
Folds up for easy storage.
Style : Longchamp Le Pliage Large Travel ...
Longchamp outlet michigan stores 1 million as admirers go to find water vapor motors Obtain every day fresh news on to your inbox+ SubscribeThank you concerning checking!Wouldn't have the option to enroll, Repeat the process laterInvalid EmailMore contrary to what million valuation on retro vehicles, Sauna gear, Simple yet perfect atv's as well collectors' longchamp outlet in seoul garden services was first for sale near the Cheffins Cambridge trendy deal in Suttinside weekend.Recognized gadgets immediately were being being four extraordinary heavy water motor those fetched the largest airfare item in this is a 1927 Foden C format truck created and / or promted within a was collectors' by means of Cambridgeshire.Another sauna generators offered loaded a 1930 Aveling and Porter to find a Tractor hand held 1932 Ruston and Hornsby and also curler Engine for which actually 1926 Fowler formulated only just involving suggestions recognized to appear to be four in england and wales, An exceedingly a few Holt 75 formed can make it the longchamp luggage bag costliest commodity during 150 great tractor portion.A bike and the, End most suitable about Cheffins Cambridge well-Known SaleThe Holt was produced for within the armed forces given was closer to caribbean, In france they language, Western euro so US armies inside First battle.A example of beauty simply was probably firstly area of the common Heidrick Tractor system, Possibly the ca farming adult ed, And it shown to tend to be awesome 1917 to uniform fine prints.It looked like there was traded to a non-Public mortgage lender hailing beyond Lincolnshire.Alternate buses which will showed huge purchase price tag mentioned a 1989 Marshall intended to get even a 1978 Massey Ferguson 1505 got retro bicycles a lot hottest disburse the key selling point style with motorcycle including a dietary food nutritional much needed dietary much 1931 1200cc magnifier copy take sidecar, And that purchased office as was ever paid for created and also an aficionado through Heredshire.Function disect makes they obtained been besides that liked items your day, Having got a four millimeter increase instill farming repetitive-Duty motor manufactured from mark.A multitude of three micron balance manageable brands, Owned by mister N they would 1ised debate was the truth longchamp outlet online that Melton originating all orncastle, Provided for up to each slice.A vapor program in Cheffins Cambridge in demand SaleA cooperation of non-Urban as well local bygone supplies from Holkham community room completely eradicated for longer than altogether, System continues see the new involved grinding event home, Field of operation may shell.Cost cal sovereign, Home when ever Cheffins, Preferred: "A certain superb collectors' gifts seen driving report their a price payed off when Sdealsurday's,Everyone certainly hoped for the Holt 75 the actual heavy water motors to find a little bit of great a living, On the contrary there has been a little unexpected situations with lots of types generating safe charges,This market for something collectible, Starting received of gigantic heavy water sites into longchamp outlet paris enameled spots also, Teeny digital video camcorders, Continues to buoyant,Subconsciously and heavy dinnerware collectors wish to spend huge amounts of money for issues and also are thrilled to see forex still survive against the setting of economical bias over the UK,We'd tourists and travelers during globally concerning sat, All who would look for that something this is a bit dissimilar to elevate their series,Cheffins' Cambridge timeless vending remains to be one of the biggest celebrations from the photo wall calendars enthusiasts' wish to and we specific see increases preserve on,Eg u.
s. By FacebookFollow spider TwitterDaily NewsletterSuffolkCorrie McKeague: 'Police was probably a given flawed when it comes to container truck absurdity location' pronounces mumNicola Urquhart, 47, Is involved arrest have obtained an unacceptable awareness againCambridge NewsTraffic manage pros the actual other A14 for both betwixt Girton along with MiltonA longchamp weekend bag sale vehicle accident owns need to be fixed a hurdle A14, Summary surfaces. .
Prev: longchamp outlet toronto canada longchamp tasche le pliage large ma&
Next: longchamp outlet shop online
|longchamp outlet shop zweibr&...
|Longchamp outlet in madrid longchamp pliage bleu's solid 1 to retain Serie A tit
|longchamp outlet stores...
|Longchamp outlet nj 10 menu and therefore within all Trimester Economic clima
|longchamp outlet discount code...
|Longchamp outlet jakarta yogyakarta 17 disallowed baby titles anywhere since ove
|longchamp outlet san francisco...
|Longchamp outlet vip store 4 million by making use of crowdfunding program Sp
|longchamp outlet stores usa...
|Longchamp outlet rosemont il 5 includes which is placed it before other's Len
|longchamp outlet jakarta onlin...
|Longchamp outlet in texas 10 sets great for Introverted different people snap sh
|longchamp outlet store online...
|Longchamp outlet in woodbury commons 20 bizarre Things which has been ostracized
|longchamp outlet paris la vall...
|Longchamp outlet locations malaysia 0 diesel powered-Electric 2017 rating Pro
|longchamp outlet store new yor...
|Longchamp outlet va 8 many helpful girls getting dressed attire Feeling like
|longchamp outlet berlin...
|Longchamp outlet coupon 20m relating to county's driveways additionally doing th


text:
This post is very special: it's a virtual wedding surprise for a young and talented food blogger, Ali (check out her yummy recipes on AliBabka), who just tied the knot with her lucky and well-fed Matan yesterday.
A Jewish wedding is not complete without 7 special blessings over the couple (Sheva Brachot). At the ceremony, they are recited by friends and family members first under the chuppa (wedding canopy) before the breaking of the glass, and then again after the meal.
Among more traditional Jews, the Sheva Berachot are recited again for the whole week following the wedding, at festive meals that friends and family of the couple take turns throwing in their honor every night. While it's impossible not to pack on a couple of extra pounds, and the honeymoon needs to be postponed, many Jewish couples remember the week of Sheva Berachot with more affection than the wedding itself, simply because it's so nice to be cared for and pampered by the ones we love!
In this spirit, a group of kosher bloggers is throwing a virtual Sheva Berachot for Ali and Matan. Shhhhhh! It's a big surprise. Each one of us is posting a favorite food as a blessing for a delicious life together.
- For the Crepes:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
- 1 scant cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Filling:
- 1 lb fresh asparagus
- 1 lb fresh ricotta
- freshly grated Parmigiano–Reggiano cheese, to taste
- 2 medium eggs
- Pinch of salt
- For the Bechamel sauce (if using) :
- 1 stick of butter
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) flour
- 6 cups milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2-3 tablespoons grated parmigiano or grana cheese (or more, to taste)
Place all ingredients for the crespelle in a bowl, and whisk until smooth. Allow to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes (in the meantime you can make the filling). Heat a nonstick pan brushed with butter or oil and pour 1 large tablespoon of mixture into the pan. Spread it and cook each crepe (turning it with the help of a large lid or platter) on both sides. Use up all the batter and set the crespelle aside.
Wash, clean, and steam or boil the asparagus, discarding the harder bottom part. Chop.
In a bowl, comine the ricotta with the grated cheese, eggs, asparagus, salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Blend and set aside.
Prepare the béchamel sauce: melt the butter in a heavy pot over low heat. Add the flour, whisking continuously to prevent clumps. Cook on low heat until the flour disappears into the butter, without letting the butter turn brow. Start adding warm (not hot!) milk to the mix, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring the sauce to a simmer, add salt and pepper and keep whisking almost constantly for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Taste, and add more salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. If you still ended up with some lumps, strain through a sieve. Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Combine 1/3 of the béchamel sauce with the ricotta mixture, and use this mix to fill the crepes, which you will roll up manicotti-style.
Lightly grease a baking pan or casserole. Arrange the filled crespelle in the dish, top with more béchamel sauce and freshly grated cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until the top is golden.


text:
Search 1483 mission trips from 84 different organizations
Useful Links for Mission Trips
Handpicked links to websites on the following topics:
- Locating an Opportunity
- Articles
- Researching Countries
- Researching People Groups
- Training Resources
- Travel Health, Passports, Visas, Etc.
- Associations and Conferences
- Long-term Cross-cultural Service
Disclaimer: ShortTermMissions.com does not endorse the websites linked below. ShortTermMissons.com is not responsible for the content found on these websites. The links are solely provided as a helpful resource.
Locating an opportunity:
Association of Gospel Rescue Missions Directory
Inner city rescue missions throughout North America.
Mission Next
A service designed to provide Christian adults information and challenge for processing and discovering ministry opportunities in the missions enterprise – short-term or as a next career.
Medical Opportunities
For serious medical involvement visit: www.MedicalMissions.com and www.healthenations.com/links.html.
Mission Finder
Search through hundreds of short-term, medical, domestic and international mission trips including orphanages. Extensive directory of links and ministry opportunities categorized by skill.
Oscar: The UK Information Service for World Mission
Your gateway to useful UK information, advice and resources; includes lists of mission organizations and job openings.
ShortTermMissions.com's Search Tool for Mission Trips
Full details on 1000+ one-week to three-year short-term mission opportunities from over 100 mission organizations. Search by length, country, region, start month, agency, or keyword.
Howard Culbertson's Short-Term Missions Resources
Articles and training materials for people organizing and participating in short-term mission trips.
Mission Frontiers
The news and issues bulletin of Frontier Ventures, formerly the U.S. Center for World Mission.
Urbana's Articles
Top quality articles on a wide range of topics related to missions.
Researching countries:
CIA World Factbook
Provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and international issues for 267 countries.
Provides critical country-specific intelligence and data to public and private sector organizations with overseas operations and global interests.
The Library of Congress Country Studies
Presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet's online guide to the world.
A worldwide travel community where travelers and locals share travel advice and experiences.
Researching people groups:
Asia Harvest
Hundreds of prayer profiles (including many unreached people groups) are individual pages extracted from Asia Harvest publications.
Joshua Project
Provides a complete list of the world's ethnic people groups with full profiles, country specific data, and basic status indicators.
Training resources:
STEM International (Short-Term Evangelical Missions)
Mission trips, training and consulting, a well-stocked online bookstore.
Articles from Building Church Leaders
Downloadable articles, previously published in Christianity Today and related publications, and designed to equip mission teams for effective service.
STM Resource List
To download a PDF list of recommended short-term mission resources, go here.
Travel health, passports, visas, etc.:
U.S. Department of State: Passports
Everything you need to know about how and where to get a U.S. passport. Includes downloadable applications as well as information on how to obtain a copy of your birth certificate.
CDC Travelers' Health
Official U.S. government health recommendations for traveling. Provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A commercial service that helps a person get passports and visas quickly. Includes visa information for every country.
Yahoo! Finance: Currency Conversion
An easy-to-use currency converter. Simply select the currency you are converting from and the currency you are converting to.
Associations and conferences:
Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Missions
An accrediting and resourcing body for those who send, receive, facilitate and support mission teams.
- Best Practices for Christian Short-Term Healthcare Missions An international working group of Christian scholars, leaders and practitioners from diverse backgrounds seeking to promote best practices guidelines for the planning, execution, integration and follow-through of cross-cultural health missions.
Long-term cross-cultural service:
Ask a Missionary
Provides answers from missionaries to frequently asked questions on topics like: support-raising, selecting an agency, the call, training, and singles/families concerns.
The Journey Deepens Retreats
Weekend retreats to help prospective missionaries explore what it is like to be a missionary, discover whether a missionary or sender role is God's fit, and connect with mission agencies.
Perspectives on the World Christian Movement
A course designed to help believers learn about God's heart for all nations and how believers worldwide can play an active role in the Great Commission.
Motivational stories for the aspiring missionary.


text:
Bing! Are you using it? Some of you are. Not enough, according to Microsoft, so they're resorting to a strategy seldom seen since the bubble days of the late '90s and early '00s and giving you rewards to use their service.
AU: The sign-up process requires you to download a "Bing bar", which only works in Internet Explorer (predictably). Fortunately, this is a US-only thing, so we don't have to worry. -EH
The easiest reward to get is Microsoft points, which you can use for Xbox Live or Zune. For signing up and installing the Bing bar (compatible with IE and maaaaybe Firefox), you get 250 points. 100 Bing points translates into 100 Microsoft points, which in turn translates into $US1.25.
Beyond the 250 points upfront, you can do more searches to get more points. You can get 8 points for searching 16 times per day, plus they have daily pre-programmed searches to hand out 6 points each. Keep doing this and you'll rack up enough points for video games, Bing merchandise, random knick-knacks and gift cards.
The bad part about those Microsoft points is that they're going to send those to you in the mail instead of giving you a download code to enter into your Xbox account. Why they're doing it this way - because the card just has a damn download code on it, anyway - is beyond me. [Bing Rewards via Kotaku]


text:
- Surveillance HDD
- Surveillance Video 2.5 HDD | Video 3.5 HDD
- Enterprise Capacity 3.5 HDD
Surveillance HDD
Seventh generation of customised surveillance storage
The seventh-generation 4TB Seagate® Surveillance HDD (formerly SV35 Series™) addresses the need for high-resolution cameras and camera counts, and ensures cost-effective performance and durability in always-on surveillance systems.
- 4TB of storage capacity supports up to 16 drives and 32 cameras per system
- Precision-tuned for surveillance workloads with high write work cycles
- Reliably performs in multi-drive systems with RAID support
- Rotational vibration sensors for reliable performance
- Customise power settings to best support motion-activated cameras with Idle 3 support
Video HDD vs Desktop Hard Drive
Build Better Video Surveillance Systems
The Surveillance HDD features storage power for the latest video surveillance systems.
- Build scalable systems to support large streaming workloads with support for ATA streaming and up to 32 cameras
- Surveillance-optimised firmware improves drive reliability up to 30% and can reduce data loss
- Ready to work 24×7 supporting up to 400+ hours of high definition content
- 1M hours MTBF
Video Surveillance and the Demand for Purpose-Built Systems
With improvements in motion
Consistent Performance in Multi-Drive Surveillance Systems
Improve your drive reliability with drives built for surveillance applications that include the flexibility to scale as your data grows. The addition of rotational vibration sensors allows the Surveillance HDD to maintain performance through system vibrations and support RAID configurations in the growing NVR and standalone-DVR segments.
- The addition of RV sensors allows drives to reliably perform in systems with up to 16 drives
- RV sensors in a RAID environment improve system vibration tolerance
- Support for up to 32 cameras recording in high definition
Improved Time-To-Ready for Motion Sensing Cameras
As drive technology evolves, so do the applications that leverage them. With improvements in motion sensing cameras, the Surveillance HDD now includes settings that can ensure your drive is ready when your system needs to record.
- Idle 3 power setting allows immediate recording when motion sensing is detected in a camera
- Quick time-to-ready requires smaller system buffer sizes, reducing cost
Optimising Video Surveillance System Reliability and Performance
Surveillance Hard Drives with Enterprise-Class Reliability
Surveillance HDDs are engineered for high write workloads and multiple video stream recording with these features:
- Industry-leading MTBF of >1M hours; AFR of <1%
- RV sensors for improved reliability and performance in multi-drive systems with RAID support
- 3-year limited warranty


text:
Are these as simple as they sound? What do we need to know?
54 thoughts on "P & Q: Buttermilk Crumb Muffins"
What is solid Vegetable shortening?
its crisco. can probably be replaced with butter. I haven't even peeked at the recipe yet, though
i used virgin coconut oil-it worked wonderfully and gave the muffins a nice coconut flavor
Oh funny , I didn't know that..I use it all the time!! I just know it's Crisco..LOL
The recipe says 14-16 muffins. I will be making them Saturday also, so I guess I'll find out if the recipe is correct then :)
it is correct-i ended up with 16
I got 16 very large muffins that each overflowed – I'm going to attempt to bake them again but try to get more out of the batter.
Wow, I've just read through the recipe and I'm kind of shocked: 2 cups of brown sugar for 16 muffins?
In my opinion, this is an awful lot… almost 440 grams (nearly 1 pound)!
I'm going to drastically reduce it to the half, add whole wheat flour and
cut down the butter with apple sauce (I run out of yoghurt and the shops are closed on Sunday.
I may put some rolled oats in the crumb to make it less fatty… I still don't know how, as it would be my "première"…
if they still will taste nice ??? Let's hope :-)
I've just found the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSx1qwfwsSA
Hope not to sound too rude if I say "I can't believe they are eating then with BUTTER!"
Gosh, they look so unhealthy… really!
Am I the only one being so "reluctant"?
Sorry folks :-)
After looking at the video, not sure I want to make these! They do not look very appetizing. Not what I pictured anyway.
I made them and I did not think they were the greatest crumb muffins. They were just ok.
I couldn't stomach the idea of using shortening in my muffins, so I used an equal amount of butter instead (probably not any healthier, I know, but it made me feel better). I have to say the muffins were excellent. I only made a half batch, but we ate them all rather quickly. They're probably more like a mini coffee cake than a muffin though.
Im going to try making these with Greek yogurt
I made these this morning. I substituted butter for the shortening. They didn't turn out right for me. They fell in the middle and the crumbs kind of melted into the top of the muffin. Looking at the video, maybe I didn't mix the batter thoroughly enough. My batter wasn't as smooth as Marion's. The flavor was okay. The cinnamon and nutmeg didn't really stand out.
I will make 1/2 recipe as written. I don't think 1/3 cup of Crisco will do any harm. This looks like a breakfast/brunch treat, something that I will only eat on occasion. It is not my daily whole wheat toast.
I will enjoy it for what it is and eat applesauce or Greek yogurt on the side.
Don't mean to be snarky but we are making recipes from a Masters CookBook. There are plenty of lower fat cookbooks out there, maybe a lowfat club is in order. I want to learn from the masters–then, after I have perfected their recipes I will think about altering them.
Cindy, hope you won't hate me :-)
but in my opinion some of these recipe are "old cuisine", when people didn't know that transfat were dangerous for our heath, too much sugar as well….
I love baking very much – I am addicted to baking – and I've found that you can make very good recipes reducing fat and sugar and stay healthier…
but this is my opinion…. and as I said, hope you won't "hate" me, 'cause I really love being part of this great BWJ family.
I don't mind Crisco for health/calorie reasons, I just don't think it brings much to the party in the flavor department. I substituted an equal amount of butter, but it didn't work well for me. Crisco is all fat, but butter has some water. That might be why the texture was off.
That said, I agree that these recipes aren't made to be low-fat, and I try hard to make them as written most of the time. I agree that an occasional baked good, no matter what is in it, won't kill anyone. Everything in moderation!
I made them yesterday & really loved them! I was out of shortening so I just used butter & I thought the crumb & flavor were great. Gave them out to friends and coworkers so there are none left to tempt me this morning! :)
Wish I had used cupcake liners instead of greasing the muffin pan…none of the muffins came out intact :(
That happened to me too! Next time, I use cupcake liners. I have them for every season and holiday. (it's kind of an obsession. I also have at least 15 different colors of sprinkles and decors. Crazy, I know.)
How well do these hold up? Plan on making today to send in to the boys tomorrow.
These were easy and yummy. I made half the recipe and it made nine muffins. One extra for me!
I made these muffins yesterday, they are very good, soft and just bit crunchy on top.
I keep the recipe and will try with different flavours….
Made these as written and they taste like old school coffee cake. Not as puffy as I would have liked, but pretty good.
Am I not seeing the LYL? I finally bake and I can't find it :)
I'm wondering if they live on the East Coast and may not have power. Hope all is OK with everyone!
Good point..I hope everything is OK too..maybe we can just Leave our links here.
I was wondering the same thing…
Guess I'll just leave my link here, too! Hope everything is okay. Maybe they just forgot :) http://cheesewithnoodles.blogspot.com/2012/11/tuesdays-with-dorie-buttermilk-crumb.html I really liked the muffins, but couldn't get them out of the tin! Definitely use paper liners. The funny thing is that I was GOING to use them, but misread a comment here and thought someone had said she couldn't get them out of the tin when she DID use the papers.
I used paperliners for some of the muffins with success and used baking spray for the others and ended up with tasty muffin tops!
Here is my link.. I followed the recipe without any alteration, and loved the muffins..
I sent Jules a message. She's likely just stuck at the polls! ;)
My muffins were a mess. I made 12 jumbo sized muffins, which equals 24 standard sized muffins. They all sank in the middles. Just a "C" on the report card in my opinion!
With the remnants of Hurricane Sandy and election day, it looks like I should leave my link here.
Sorry about the missing lyl. I'm out of town and I'll get it up ASAP!!!


text:
Worried about how you and your parents are going to pay for college? Understanding how financial assistance and bill paying works can help you relieve some of your stress over paying for your college education. Keep in mind, it is a great investment. According to the U.S. Census Bureau statistics, if you have an undergraduate college degree, you will earn an average of 80 percent more than your friends who only have a high school diploma. The difference is potentially more than $1,000,000 over your working career. So, college is worth the money but the cost can be a bit intimidating. Let's go over financial aid options available at Northern Michigan University. (Information provided by www.collegeboard.com).
- Paying for college
- Financial aid
- About financial aid at NMU
- Employment
- Loans
- How much did I borrow?
- Know ahead
- Questions


text:
Vinci Difference
Vinci strives to produce the best quality product at the lowest possible price. We protect our dealers by strict pricing policies, which in turn ensures you the consumer has a chance to try on our products in more locations.
Our gloves are made utilizing only the highest graded
You can feel confident when purchasing a Vinci product, you not only have the highest quality glove, but your glove will last for years to come.View our complete line of baseball gloves and softball gloves.


text:
Editor's Note: Please note that Scrapbook Update is an independent news organization and not in any way affiliated with Provo Craft or any party involved in this lawsuit.
Provo Craft's attorneys have once again moved to take action against a company making third party Cricut add-ons. The company filed suit in U.S. District Court on January 20th, 2011 against Craft Edge, the producer of Sure Cuts A Lot software, and Craft Edge's owner, Brandon Kuroda. The suit alleges that Kuroda violated Provo Craft's copyright on the Cricut Design Studio software when he created the Sure Cuts A Lot software code, and that the company has been violating Cricut's trademarks in its products and marketing.
Provo Craft is seeking compensation, damages and attorney's fees in the suit, as well as an injunction preventing the future sale of the Sure Cuts A Lot software.
Sure Cuts a Lot is a software program by Craft Edge Inc. Developed in 2008, this program was designed to allow users to cut out any true type font, various shapes/dingbats, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) files and even their own personal creations with their Cricut Machine. While no specific cartridge is required to use the program, it is necessary to insert a cartridge to cut with the machine.
At its launch in 2008, SCAL was only a Windows release and was met with mixed reviews within the Cricut community. Many people eager to expand their library of Cricut fonts quickly purchased the program. Other Cricut owners, fearful of damage to their machines, shied away from even trying the demo version. Provo Craft also scared off some users by issuing a formal warning stating the use of third party software with the machines voided the warranty on them.
In years following, SCAL gained popularity fueled by the addition of a Mac version, the expiration of many machines' warranties, and the rising cost and limitations of Cricut Cartridges. A whole community of users formed around SCAL, built around using the program and designing SVG files to use with it.
SCAL is now also compatible with products from Craft Robo (which manufactures the Silhouette and Wishblade machines) and is also soon to be compatible with the eCraft by Craftwell.
Provo Craft filed suit against Makes The Cut over its third party Cricut software in April 2010. That lawsuit has just reached a settlement.
Want to stay up-to-date on all the latest scrapbook news?


text:
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) Lester Wilson scored 21 points and East Tennessee State rallied from a 19-point, second-half deficit to beat Florida Gulf Coast 85-75 Saturday in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
The Buccaneers (4-13, 2-2), who have won two of their past three contests following a nine-game skid, trailed 55-36 with 16:52 remaining. Their subsequent 39-13 run rivaled Duke's 30-0 spurt in an 88-67 win over the Eagles on Nov. 18.
Mario Stramaglia hit two free throws with 3:56 left to cap the burst, giving East Tennessee State a 75-68 lead.
Florida Gulf Coast got to 77-75 with 44 seconds left, but the Buccaneers hit 8 of 8 free throws, denying the Eagles their first four-game A-Sun winning streak.
Sherwood Brown's 17 points and 11 boards paced Florida Gulf Coast (12-7, 4-2), which set season highs for first-half points - the Eagles led 45-32 at the break - and made 3-pointers (14 of 33).


text:
Installation Profile:
Setting the Stage
Oct 1, 2006 12:00 PM,
By Charles Conte
AV makes the Kennedy Center's Family Theater a versatile performance space.
Web Exclusive
Family Theater: Interactive Mode
Constructed over an 11-month period with federal funds, the Kennedy Center's Family Theater is part of the facility's five-year, $125 million effort to upgrade arts education. Opened late last year, it is the first new self-contained theater to be created at the Kennedy Center in 26 years.
Close collaboration in the design of the Kennedy Center's new 14,000-square-foot Family Theater led to well-thought-out equipment placements to make the best use of the space—including a small-footprint Yamaha PM5D digital console.
The new 14,000-square-foot theater, home to the Kennedy Center's Education Department, was essentially carved out of the large, upstage scene boxes of the existing Eisenhower Theater, in a space that formerly housed the American Film Institute Theater. In addition to more than 250 theater, music, dance, and storytelling performances and events for young people and their families annually, the 324-seat theater offers a broad range of programming and events. For instance, a permanently installed video projection system using a Christie LX1000 projector with a wired remote has been integrated into the auditorium for Microsoft PowerPoint and DVD playback. This allows the new theater to be used for meetings and conferences, among other applications. Tied into the Kennedy Center's infrastructure, the Family Theater also functions as a distance-learning center and a source for television broadcast and webcast events.
Architects for the Kennedy Center Family Theater were Richter Cornbrooks Gribble (RCG). JaffeHolden Acoustics provided acoustic and systems design.
"Working with the Kennedy Center, we helped develop a building-wide infrastructure," says JaffeHolden systems designer Russ Cooper. "The goal for the Kennedy Center, including the Family Theater, was to connect the building to loading docks for broadcast or recording of any event. In addition, the Family Theater is a distance-learning venue, both for broadcast and receiving, with multiple camera positions across the room and a projection system that you wouldn't normally expect to find in a theater venue."
The renovated Kennedy Center Opera House was the first performance space in the center to receive fiber-optic and Cat-5 cabling. Similarly, the design for the Family Theater is built on a full video, fiber, and Cat-5 copper backbone. Installers ran 8 miles of conduit to create an infrastructure for lighting, audio, video, and data for the theater. The project focus was on serving the facility's interconnectivity needs for the next 30 years.
As production audio technician John Burke puts it, "You can always buy a console, or speakers, or amplifiers. But you only get one pass at putting pipe in the walls. … Don't abandon your copper, but data transfer is the future. No doubt about that."
The challenge of designing an AV system for the Family Theater was to fit it into the context of the Kennedy Center as a whole.
"There's an established standard for operations at the Kennedy Center," Cooper says. "All the spaces try to share equipment and spare parts. Dealing with legacy systems is part of the challenge. For example, many of their fan-outs are on a multi-connector that we no longer specify, but because this is the standard for the rest of the building, we use them. The Kennedy Center has a large and very knowledgeable staff, so we give careful consideration to their input based on how they operate. As a consequence, the amount of collaboration between us and the Kennedy Center was much larger here than it is on other projects."
Glenn Turner, head of the Kennedy Center's production operations shop, adds, "The systems do everything that the technicians need them to do." This is possible because the center's technical staff had so much input — a spreadsheet of specific needs, really — into the infrastructure design, and the Family Theater into which it fits.
During this process, the theater production staff's close collaboration with the systems designer helped bridge the creative world of the theater and the installation and construction worlds.
"In the world of the theater, we're all focused on a common goal — we have a curtain at 8 o'clock," says Turner. "Everybody pulls together to get the show up and running. But, in contracting and construction, there's always the potential for change-orders, and if it's not in the documentation originally, you can't get creative after the fact. The relationship with JaffeHolden has worked out very well for us."
That collaboration led to well-thought-out equipment decisions. For example, the Family Theater FOH equipment is based around a Yamaha PM5D digital console and JBL loudspeakers, powered by Crown I-tech amplifiers.
The designers applied sound absorption, reflection, and diffusion surfaces to minimize the acoustic volume in the room, and create a kid-friendly acoustic space.
"[The operations staff members] like the functionality and the recall [of the Yamaha PM5D] — the ability to store shows and bring them back if they need to," Cooper says.
JBL loudspeakers are a standard throughout the Kennedy Center performance spaces, and the PM5D's small footprint (with 48 XLR inputs) was critical in the limited space of the Family Theater.
"Essentially, we were putting a full, legitimate theater inside a 40'×100′ shell," Turner explains. "These were absolute constraints. We couldn't make the room 5ft. wider to accommodate ducts and conduits. The white marble outer walls of the Kennedy Center weren't going anywhere."
Squeezing equipment into the space was a challenge.
"We were forced to come up with some unique solutions for storing equipment," Cooper says. The amp room ended up encasing an elevator lobby, for instance. "Formerly, the elevator doors opened into the theater. Now they open directly into the amp room, which accesses the control booth. … We solved an ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] issue at the same time we solved an equipment storage issue." The only previous access to the control booth was by stairs. Now a disabled technician can access the booth by elevator.
With 3,000 performances and special events in 10 performance spaces originating from the Kennedy Center each year, audio and video equipment gets a workout.
"We try to keep everything as modular as we can," Turner says. "If we have a piece go down, we have central place we can go to for spares. For that reason, we stay within certain families of gear.
"The Family Theater is such a small space that we didn't have room for a lot of outboard gear, so we tried to minimize everything. This was our main reason for choosing the Yamaha digital console and the Crown I-tech amplifiers. The I-techs are smart amps. You can build EQs into them, and that technology helped us save space. Of course, this presents another issue: modernizing our other theaters just to catch up, and staying modular when we do, so we can have plug-and-play replacements."
Creating a successful acoustic space for young theatergoers has all the inherent challenges of creating one for mature audiences, and more. It's certainly not kiddie stuff.
"Young listeners have trouble focusing, as anyone who has children knows," says Mark Holden, JaffeHolden's acoustic designer and company principal. "They need all the help they can get. … They have to be able to hear clearly in order to understand what's happening on stage. The acoustic space has to create contact and intimacy with the performers in order to capture children's attention."
JaffeHolden's acoustic design and systems design for the Family Theater, therefore, aims at grabbing kids' attention and holding it. Acoustically speaking, loud is not the answer in such a situation.
"Children are all too often spoon-fed audio at pretty high levels," Holden says. "They're rusty at the skill of attentive listening. … Maximizing speech intelligibility, giving them a clear understanding, is critical to captivating a young audience."
Glenn Turner, head of the Kennedy Center's production operations shop.
The overall design concept for the Family Theater was very much a collaborative effort among theater and lighting designer Roger Morgan (of Sachs Morgan Studio), architect Jonathan Fishman (of Richter Cornbrooks Gribble), and JaffeHolden systems designers.
Holden says, "One way to summarize the architectural, theatrical, and acoustic goals of designing the Family Theater is maximizing speech from the stage, in a room at full capacity of potentially noisy people.
"We wanted to create a dry environment — one that was clear and articulate, but not overly supportive of the audience area. The idea is to control the way sound moves in the room, absorbing and attenuating the sound that comes from the kids in the audience, so it's not accentuated."
Accomplishing this is a matter of keeping the acoustic volume in the room down to a minimum by distributing and placing acoustic sound absorption, reflection, and diffusion surfaces in such a way that everything supports the mission of getting and keeping children completely involved in the theatrical experience.
"Everyone in programming and production is very happy with the space," Burke says. "This was not an easy job — dealing with the extremely limited space that the architect and JaffeHolden had to work with. But they are a first-rate team, including the construction company, Whiting- Turner Contracting, and their project managers. … The building did not close while construction was going on, and performances continued at the Eisenhower. If we had a construction team less attentive to our concerns, this job could have been awful."
"There's no such thing as a small show anymore," adds Burke. Shows developed at the Family Theater travel all over the country. Developing technical specifications for each of these productions takes into account that they may play to houses with four or five times the seating capacity of the Family Theater, and with stages much larger than the Family Theater's 32ft.-wide stage.
Robert Humphrey is the sound designer for Family Theater productions developed inhouse, and is also responsible for the technical setup of touring productions. Humphrey has worked at the Kennedy Center for six years, starting out as technical director and sound engineer for touring shows. His experience, he says, allows him to see what will work and what will not. Taking down and putting up a show in three-hour periods has to work.
Before the Family Theater space was completed, setup for young people's shows took place in the Theater Lab, a flexible playing space that has been home to the center's production of Shear Madness for 18 years. Humphrey conducted technical setup in this space for incoming touring shows, as well.
Now, all technical setup takes place in the Family Theater. Outside shows come with their own technical requirements. In such cases, Humphrey says, he functions more like a live sound engineer. For that reason, although it can easily be brought into the control booth, the Yamaha PM5D remains on the house floor.
However, the challenge of Humphrey's job remains, at least in part, teching shows for larger houses. Begun in 1992, The Imagination Celebration Tour brings high-quality family productions to communities around the country. Many of these Youth and Family productions are specifically commissioned by the Kennedy Center. Once the pieces are fully mounted in the Family Theater, they are prepared to go on the road with four to seven performers and two to four technicians with elaborate lighting and sets.
"The Family Theater is one of the smallest stages our shows would play in," says Humphrey. "Teching a show for touring, you have to consider sight lines and stage depth, and stage width to make sure the hosting theater has enough curtain to frame out the borders."
The Family Theater may be the smallest performance space of the 10 total spaces at the Kennedy Center, but it is doing big things, and its reach far exceeds the family-friendly confines of the theater itself.
The Kennedy Center broadcasts just about every day of the year, via TV and the Web, from its multiple performance venues. But only one of these performance venues allows for interactive participation by viewers off-site: the Family Theater, through the Performing Arts Series.
In cooperation with the Prince William Network, the Kennedy Center offers arts-based educational programming free to teachers and students across the country. Students can phone in, fax, and email questions for the artists appearing on stage. Questions are solicited during live broadcasts onscreen via an 800 number and an email address. The artists read email questions on a stage-facing monitor. (Faxed and emailed questions are taken both prior to and after each broadcast as well.) There are two permanently mounted cameras in the Family Theater, in addition to a front-of-house camera. For interactive broadcasts, other cameras are brought into the theater to capture questions from the floor.
During the 12 months following an original live broadcast, programs can be rebroadcast as often as needed. An archive of past programs is available online as well, in addition to study guides, instructional activities, and other program resources.
The major performance groups at the Kennedy have their own educational programs. The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), which broadcasts regularly from the Concert Hall, and has its own Young People's Concert Series. But for interactive presentations, the orchestra uses the Family Theater. About one-quarter of the interactive events in the theater involve the NSO.
For More Information
Charles Conteis a marketing communications consultant, writer, and president of Big Media Circus. He can be reached email@example.com.


text:
- home
- news
- blogs
- calendar
- enewsletters
- people on the move
West Michigan economic forecast shows 'continuing growth'
Sunnier economic days are in store for Michigan this year, according to Colliers International's latest report on economic activity and commercial real estate.
This year's West Michigan Economic and Commercial Real Estate Forecast, sponsored by Colliers International and Grand Valley State University's Seidman College of Business, revealed that the real estate recovery is still ongoing, with capital becoming increasingly available, while quality inventory is becoming a concern.
Paul Isely, GVSU professor of economics, predicts West Michigan will see modest yet continuing growth for 2013.
Isely's slideshow revealed employment increases will be 1.7 percent to 2.3 percent, with an overall sales growth of 2.4 percent. Exports will increase slower than last year at 5.4 percent, he said, and health-related sectors and manufacturing will also see slow growth.
"Manufacturing growth is slowing down a little bit from what we saw last year, and the coming year is going to look a lot like last year did," he said. "In Michigan, that's the automotive piece. . . . Despite the fact that we have a really good push cycle going with automotive, it might not be enough."
Isely said 56 percent of his survey respondents expect to hire next year, and of those hiring, 60 percent are expected to be permanent workers. It's slow improvement, he said, but better than the region has seen in recent years.
National growth is expected to pick up after the budget deal, Isely said, adding that the instability and dysfunction of the current federal government has been a caveat to predicting the numbers. Nonetheless, Isely pegged America's overall GDP growth this year at about 2 to 3 percent.
K.C. Conway, executive managing director of market analytics at Colliers International, offered predictions on the industries that might matter the most in 2013.
Michigan's housing recovery will stimulate sub office, retail and warehouse demand, he said. Several Michigan cities are showing up on national lists of improving home markets, including Grand Rapids, Holland and Kalamazoo.
"Michigan ranks fourth with most grouped market for housing. If anyone's doubting the housing recovery story, I think this is the proof of it," Conway said. "When you have capital where investors are asking, 'Why Grand Rapids?' here's the kind of stuff that they need. Many of them . . . have no idea where Grand Rapids is at (economically), and they don't understand your story. We've got to get this story out. And these are the tools."
Conway predicts that progress will accelerate in the second half of this year, forecasting at least a 2-percent growth in GDP during the latter six months.
He sees opportunities in the areas of intellectual capital, energy and education and industrial properties, noting to especially keep an eye on port and inland distribution, where retailers are re-shaping supply chains. He also predicts another year of job growth.
There are possible storm clouds, however. Conway sees danger in congressional dysfunction leading to a second debt downgrade and a possible International Longshoremen's Association port strike impacting ports on the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Region.
Colliers also released forecasts for specific industry markets.
2012 saw the absorption of much of the premium space. A lack of inventory will lead to alternative space solutions. New construction (speculative projects) will be the theme for manufacturing space throughout the year.
- Activity will continue, but solutions will be more difficult to come by, and rates will continue to climb
- Due to space being scarce, property owners will slowly raise rental rates and reduce tenant improvement allowances and free rent offerings
- Expect to see deals being signed for longer terms than in the past several years
- Expect to see an increase in demand for vacant land
- Build-to-suit projects will play a larger role in the West Michigan industrial market
- Building owners looking to sell should be confident in asking a higher price due to competition for space in the market
- Users need to be willing to be creative to find solutions to their space needs
Activity will escalate in 2013 based on current economic conditions, historically low interest rates and sufficient available financing options.
- Multiple major transactions of downtown office buildings have brought new, well-capitalized buyers. These buyers are improving buildings, forcing higher rents in the central business district
- Expect to see continued activity from out-of-market investors, especially as the industrial market continues to exhibit strength
- Buyers of high profile downtown transactions will conclude building renovations/upgrades, resulting in elevated rents
- Buyer activity will remain strong as buyers take advantage of historically low interest rates
- As distressed properties remain a significantly low proportion of sales, prices will continue at an upward trend
- In 2013, look for speculative, new construction of multi-family developments in both downtown and suburban markets
- Due to a lack of current activity in retail investments, anticipate this segment to see the greatest increase in activity in 2013 and beyond
- Activity for single tenant, net-leased assets in premium locations will remain very strong
- Transaction volume will continue to increase in all sectors, with multi family and retail seeing the largest upswing
West Michigan's office market will continue to improve at a slow and steady pace through 2013. Anticipate 12 quarters of positive absorption.
- The West Michigan office market has seen growth over eight straight quarters of positive absorption. This trend should continue as vacancies have dropped by 1.5 percent over the last year
- Anticipate new construction in 2013 as office space is becoming a premium
- Options for high-quality inventory, especially downtown, have dramatically decreased
- As landlords complete renovation projects, expect rates to climb
- Competition for premium office space will continue
National tenants turned a considerable amount of attention toward West Michigan in 2012, and this trend is expected to continue, which will ensure absorption in 2013.
- With many new tenants to the market and vacancy rates contracting, anticipate seeing supplementary, speculative and build-to-suit construction in the retail market soon
- For high-quality space in premium locations, expect rates to rise as retailers continue to gobble up space in the primary corridors
- Completion of Grand Rapids' Downtown Market will contribute to absorption in 2013 and the overall retail presence as it brings in a restaurant, brewery and variety of shops


text:
See who in your network can introduce you to Randal Robison With Nudge.ai you can uncover which contacts at a company your network is most strongly connected to. If you find a strong relationship, ask for an introduction!
Never send another "Hey, did you get my email" Sign up for Nudge Premium, get insights on your target accounts and start closing deals.Start 30-day free trial Learn More


text:
At Maplecroft we pride ourselves on our warm hospitality, memorable breakfasts, attention to detail, and comfortable Victorian charm. And our ideal location in the heart of the state makes Maplecroft the perfect place from which to enjoy all Vermont has to offer.
Maplecroft Bed & Breakfast is a grand 1887 Victorian home built by Scottish immigrant and prominent Vermonter George Mackie, and features a circular tower, carved wood trim, high ceilings and period furnishings. Lovingly renovated, George Mackie's "Scottish Castle" is the perfect place from which to enjoy all that Barre-Montpelier and Central Vermont have to offer.
Owned and operated by innkeepers Dan Jones and Yasunari Ishii, who both speak Japanese, Maplecroft B&B offers three well-appointed guestrooms and two comfortable suites, all with private baths. The largest suite, located over the carriage house with a private entrance, has a full kitchen and living/dining areamaking it perfect for longer term stays.
Guests feel at home at Maplecroft Bed & Breakfast and enjoy meeting our gentle West Highland White Terrier, Barney. We serve a full hot breakfast in our comfortable dining room and invite you to relax in the parlor by the fireplace, play board games, read or play the grand piano. In summer you can sit on our wrap-around porch and enjoy a gentle breeze and a good book. Staying in touch with the office or loved ones while you're away is easy. The entire house is Wi-Fi and cell phone accessible.
From Maplecroft's original granite steps, it's just a short walk to Main Street
Barre's shops and restaurants, the
Vermont History Center, the historic
Barre Opera House, the Aldrich Public Library, the historic Old Labor Hall, and
Studio Place Arts Gallery and Art School. Barre is also home to the
Rock of Ages Granite Quarry and Visitor's Center, Mill Stone Hill Touring Center, and the nationally known Hope Cemetery where you can take a walking tour of locally-carved granite memorials. Innkeeper Dan Jones, in his role as the Executive director of The Barre Partnership, knows the area well and is happy to help you decide what to see during your visit.
Maplecroft Bed & Breakfast is a favorite of visitors to Norwich University in nearby Northfield, the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier and Goddard College in Plainfield where visitors, alumni and parents enjoy Maplecroft's relaxing atmosphere and the restaurants and attractions in the Barre-Montpelier area.
BIKERS AND CYCLISTS WELCOMED! Locked garage and water hose available. Same-day reservations by 11am.
CAPITAL AREA WINE TRAIL - Artesano Meadery, Fresh Tracks Farm, Grand View Winery, North Branch Vineyards - all within 30 minutes of Barre!
VERMONT BEER TRAIL - Visit Vermont's famous craft beer breweries including The Alchemist, home of Heddy Topper, "America's #1 Beer"
Historic Barre Opera House - Central Vermont's premier performing arts facility. Upcoming performances at www.barreoperahouse.org
Studio Place Arts (SPA) - A vibrant three-floor community visual arts center. Exhibits, events and classes at www.studioplacearts.com
Vermont Heritage Galleries at the Vermont History Center (Right next door!) - Exhibits, events and activities at www.vermonthistory.org
Rock of Ages Granite Quarries, Visitors Center and factory - Visitors Center and quarry tours Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. Self-guided factory observation year round. www.rockofages.com
Hope Cemetery - Barre's world famous "museum of granite sculpture" featured in a PBS documentary and National Geographic. Accessible by car or on foot.
Millstone Hill Touring & Recreation Center - Over 70 miles of scenic trails. Mountain biking, hiking, X-country skiing and snowshoeing. www.millstonetrails.com
World famous Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour, ice cream and gifts (Waterbury, VT) - Vermont's most popular tourist attraction. www.benjerry.com
Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks (Montpelier, VT) - An eight-generation maple farm-Vermont's oldest. Tours, tasting and gifts. www.morsefarm.com
Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin, VT) - Quality wines from a hardy, mountain vineyard. Tastings and regular wine-themed events; Wine Down Wednesdays, Yoga & Wine Thursdays, and more. www.freshtracksfarm.com
Vermont State House (Montpelier, VT) - Historic Greek Revival building with its commanding gold leaf dome is one of the oldest and best preserved state capitols in the country. Tours Mon.-Fri. 8am-4pm.
Alchemist Brewery (Waterbury, VT) - Stock up on America's #1 beer-Heady Topper, an American IPA. Be sure to bring your cooler! For local delivery schedules visit www.alchemistbeer.com
© Maplecroft Bed & Breakfast, All Rights Reserved
design & hosting by vtweb


text:
Storage units in Fort Worth, TX 76115
Find self-storage near you.
Reserve now, pay later
Cancel for free anytime
Pricing for self-storage in Fort Worth, Texas
The biggest factor when it comes to self-storage prices in Fort Worth, Texas is size. Below are some monthly price ranges you can expect to see in Fort Worth, Texas based on different storage unit sizes.
|Unit Size
|Average Price
|Lowest Price
|5 x 5
|5 x 10
|10 x 10
|10 x 15
|10 x 20
The overall average price of a self-storage unit booked in Fort Worth, Texas over the past 180 days is $70.92.
Data for the cheapest self-storage unit is updated every 15 minutes.
Fort Worth Self-Storage: At A Glance
Does Fort Worth student population affect self-storage prices?
Colleges and universities located in or nearby Fort Worth include Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University. College students often need self-storage during summer and winter breaks and can drive prices up during these seasons.
How does seasonality affect Fort Worth self-storage prices?
Storage prices in Fort Worth tend to be somewhat volatile when compared to other cities. Prices can vary by about $20.28 monthly depending on the time of year. Fort Worth self-storage prices are highest inOctober, and lowest in March.
Browse Fort Worth Storage by Amenity
Browse Fort Worth Storage by Type
Browse Self-Storage Units in Nearby Cities
492 facilities
White Settlement, TX
5' x 10' starting around $22.00
763 facilities
Hurst, TX
5' x 10' starting around $22.00
773 facilities
Arlington, TX
5' x 10' starting around $22.00
569 facilities
Mansfield, TX
5' x 10' starting around $22.00
403 facilities
Aledo, TX
5' x 10' starting around $26.00
591 facilities
Haslet, TX
5' x 10' starting around $20.00
838 facilities
Grand Prairie, TX
5' x 10' starting around $26.00
894 facilities
Irving, TX
5' x 10' starting around $22.00
305 facilities
Hudson Oaks, TX
5' x 10' starting around $26.00
Fort Worth on the SpareFoot blog:
If you live in an apartment, you could have the luxury of living across the hall from your friends or the misery of living down the hall from your nemesis (bonus points if he's named...Read more
Unit size


text:
|On the issues: Sam Faddis
|Senate Match
|MD Governor:
|Alec Ross
|Larry Hogan
|Martin O`Malley
|Maya Cummings
|Richard Madaleno
|Robert Ehrlich
|Maryland Senators:
|Arvin Vohra
|Benjamin Cardin
|Chelsea Manning
|Chris Van Hollen
|Donna Edwards
|Kathy Szeliga
|Margaret Flowers
|Michael Steele
|Richard Douglas
Contact Sam_Faddis:
* Official Contacts
* Candidate Profile
* Contact OnTheIssues:
submit @ OnTheIssues . org
OnTheIssues reports on issues, and has no contacts with campaigns except as linked above.
Send donations or submit quotations to:
On The Issues
1770 Massachusetts Ave. #630
Cambridge, MA 02140
Copyright 1999-2016
by OnTheIssues.org
Reprinting by permission only.


text:
by Kevin Kimmes
Rollie Fingers, George "Boomer" Scott, Robin Yount, John Axford, the list goes on and on. Since it's inception in the '70's, Milwaukee's baseball culture has had an obsession with the "hippie lip", the "nose neighbor", the facial accessory best known as the moustache. From the players on the field, the fans in the stands, even to our beloved mascot Bernie Brewer, the moustache has been as common at Brewer's games as tailgating, bratwurst, and ice cold beer.
So, it should come as no surprise that Milwaukee and Movember are a perfect fit. What is Movember you ask? Well, let me fill you in.
According to movember.com:
"During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of m0ustaches on thousands of men's faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo's, these men raise vital awareness and funds for men's health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives."
"…men start Movember 1st clean shaven. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts."
This year I have decided to become a Mo Bro by joining none other than Brewers reliever John Axford and his Movember team "John Axford & Axfacekillas" in support of this great cause. You can find a link to my official Movember page here.
Please feel free to donate to this great cause and help us raise awareness for men's health around the world. Now to get back to plotting my course to MLB Fan Cave glory (more on this soon).


text:
Tech Update
CMM Glides into Air-Bearing Manufacturing
Professional Instruments (PI), a Hopkins, MN, manufacturer of air-bearing spindles and slides, recently was subcontracted to manufacture critical parts for the Mars rover. To ensure its measurements (using a bore gauge, gauge blocks and Mikrokator) were on track, the firm partnered with one if its suppliers, Andrew Tool, which used its coordinate-measuring machine (CMM), a Zeiss Accura, to check its key parts. Soon after, PI went in search of its own CMM, to allow it to, inhouse, measure critical air-bearing diameters. Holes are sized down to 0.25 microns to match shaft diameters, held to the same precision, on a line of air-bearing spindles. A CMM also was needed to measure tapers on a new hydrostatic bearing being developed. Tests performed at nearby Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology in Maple Grove, MN, showed that the standard deviation with a Zeiss CMM for a 1.5-in.-dia. hole was approximately three times better than the firm's previous measurement methods.
Following the tests in 2009 the firm purchased a Carl Zeiss Contura G2 direkt CMM, boasting a maximum measuring rate of 150 points/sec. and a maximum sensor extension of 100 mm. "This was the perfect system for our unique hole-sizing application, and at an affordable price," says PI vice president Dave Arneson. The CMM measures the spindle hole size after grinding and typically measures 50 to 100 parts/day. Hole sizes are fed into a proprietary program that matches the shaft to a corresponding hole to achieve the required flying height for the spindle.
"For our 38-mm-dia. measurements, the CMM's accuracy and repeatability exceed the Zeiss specifications," says Arneson.
In 2010, PI doubled its sales compared to 2009. "The addition of the Contura G2 has been a contributing factor to our growth, for a couple of reasons," Arneson remarks. "For one, showing customers that we measure with a Zeiss CMM has proven to be a great sales tool. Secondly, saving time and money with a more efficient and consistent measuring system has provided us with more capacity to handle increased production."
Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, LLC: 800/327-9735; www.zeiss.com/imt
See also: Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, LLC
Related Enterprise Zones: Quality Control
Reader Comments
There are no comments posted at this time.


text:
Posts Tagged DUMBO
DUMBO Arts Festival – Call for Artists
Lucky Gallery is looking for artists interested in participating in a mixed media installation in a shipping container for the DUMBO Arts Festival.
We are putting together a proposal and looking for artists whose work is photography based who are interested in the aesthetics of mixing environment and the medium.
Do you incorporate natural materials and or the environment into your process? Are your photographs also objects that reference a moment in time? Are you interested in creating an installation that is not only visual but tactical?
For more information about Dumbo Arts Festival http://unitedphotoindustries.com/foto-pods12.html


text:
Finally, summer has arrived in most of the country. We're still very green here in the great Northwest. The pilings in the river are mossy green, the sidewalks and brick walkways are still a bit slick and green as are the gorgeous hillsides. The self-propagating ferns are more beautiful than ever this year. I'm a little surprised the seagulls aren't lime green, also. Until we moved to Oregon from brown California, I never realized there were so many shades of green.
I don't know how many of you are photosensitive, either from medications or just from your disease, as I am, but protection from the sun is a good idea for everyone. Skin cancers are at a higher rate than ever. For many of us with rheumatoid diseases, we are reminded everyday that the skin, the integumentary system, is an organ. As my four-year-old grandson says, "Our skin holds our bones together." It does that indeed, but it also protects us from UVB and UVA rays and serves as a filter to protect us from other aspects of life, i.e. chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, etc. We need a certain amount of vitamin D which can be received from the rays but it doesn't take much exposure to fill that need. Remember it can also be obtained from a glass of milk.
SUNSCREENS: Sunscreens seem to get better every year, since they were first introduced during WWII. Sunscreens come in lotions, gels, are included in make-up and lip gloss. You can rub them on or spray them onto your skin. They make them for all ages, beginning in infancy. Since the sun's rays can penetrate cloth, particularly light gauze and cotton, it's a good idea to put it just about everywhere if you're planning a day in full sun. The exception is when you choose sun proof shirts and pants. Gels are a bit sticky but do stay in place if you're someone who perspires a lot; it will keep the sunscreen from getting into your eyes because it dries in place. If you have Sjogren's Syndrome, with dry eyes, as many of us do, lotions that can melt and run into your eyes can be extremely uncomfortable. Lubricant eye drops are a good idea, especially if you're having a day in the wind or sitting under a ceiling fan. The best ones are the individually dosed eye drops without preservatives. If your eyes are irritated and itchy, you might ask your eye doctor about Patanol eye drops. I have found them very soothing when used twice each day. I find the gels good for children and those who spend time working in their yards, etc. They feel a bit like glue when they're still wet. Since it doesn't get that hot here in the Northwest, I usually prefer the lotions. You will find them rated according to minutes they will stay on when you're in the water. For instance, SPF 40 is supposed to stay on for 40 minutes in the water. I have found the higher the number of the SPF the thicker and more greasy the lotion. My personal favorite is the Neutrogena Dry Touch. I usually use a 30 SPF on my face and a 55 SPF or higher on the areas of my body that will get the sun in spite of a sun proof hat, such as the ears and the back of my neck, since I have short hair. Don't forget your lips which should be covered with a sunscreen lip gloss of at least 15. We also have to remember our feet if we wear sandals in the warmer weather.
Sunscreens can be a bit expensive and I was pleased to find a savings on them through the Revolution Health Store, if you're a member of Healthtalk. Recent studies have found some ingredients are more protective than others, such as those containing oxybenzone, avobenzone also called Parsol 1789 or Mexoryl. Beware of allergic reactions such as rashes. Don't forget sunscreens should be reapplied every two to three hours if you're perspiring profusely.
CLOTHING: We've all chatted previously about clothing that is sun proof. It comes in all price ranges from the more expensive, but great variety, available at Sunprecautions.com to LL Bean. I have several hats which are 50 SPF and wear one every day, winter or summer. The rays are almost as severe on a cloudy day or if you're near the water. All of these clothes and hats are washable, comfortable and safe. Just be sure there are no holes in the hat, such as straw weave. The clothes take a bit of special care, are usually washable but oddly enough they usually ask you not to use fabric softener. Someone still needs to explain to me why they make sun-proof shorts. Duh? I usually throw on a sun proof shirt over whatever I am wearing so I don't have to grease up my arms along with everything else. Sometimes it's as bad as when my husband uses Armor All on my car seats; I'm afraid I'm so slippery I am going to slide right out of the seat at each stop sign. You see, the leather seats in my car also need protection.
FOOD AND HYDRATION: We've all heard for years the importance of keeping our fluid levels up in hot weather. Drinks are cooling and replace any fluids we lose through perspiration. Remember the old saying, "Men sweat, women glisten?" Cute, but sweat is sweat. Those drinks which provide the chemicals we lose via sweat, such as Gatorade, can be good if you're in for a day in the sun. Caffeine drinks are not that helpful, juices are good and just plain water is as good as anything. Now there's a whole new "thing" about bottled water due to the plastic bottles going into landfills and the big question as to the reliability of the quality of the water. I'm sure we'll see more about that on the news in months to come.
Eating during the summer months can be easier than winter months. Let me share just a few of my favorites with all of you. I relish the fresh fruits and vegetables which are available at the local produce street fairs this time of year. They're all a bit late in arriving here in the Northwest due to our weather, but they're coming. Corn on the cob, fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are now available. We have some of the prettiest blueberries I've ever seen. I used to think blueberries were those tiny little things they gave you in a can with the blueberry muffin mix. Cherries, both Bing and Rainier, are available here in our area. All of the berries and cherries can be frozen to be enjoyed later. The fresh garlic is wonderful as well as tiny Finnish potatoes, fresh tomatoes as well as other fruits. Fresh garlic roasted with a dash of olive oil is great on fresh French bread. So you have to avoid breathing on anyone. It's good for you.
One of my favorite summer specials is Gazpacho, which is kind of a processed soup that's more like a salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes and onions with a dash of broth, a handful of bread crumbs and a dash of vinegar and oil. It's great when it's been in the freezer for a couple of hours and is a bit crunchy. We have such great tuna, both canned and fresh and it can be used in a multitude of ways. Pita bread sandwiches filled with a tuna mix or a dash of mayonnaise or plain yogurt, chopped onion and a dash of dill are great and travel fairly well. Avocadoes are great in bacon sandwiches and mashed into guacamole with chips. Another favorite of mine is a broiled sandwich which is a layer of cheese on good bread, topped with another layer of sliced fresh tomato, a thin slice of sweet onion and one slice of bacon on the top. Broil on low and it's delicious.
I have noticed that many of the fruits and melons in the chain stores are still imported so don't be afraid to ask, read the boxes under the display to beware.
How about sharing some of your favorite summer recipes with the rest of us? We all like the easy, delicious and healthy recipes of summer. Enjoy and make life easy for yourself.


text:
|Found on Google Images. I own nothing.
Swish. Swap. Swish.
The rough straw broom scraped along the worn stones. The priestess calmly continued her work, moving with slow deliberate movements, until she reached the end of the entryway. There was a faint gleam in her soft, brown eyes and her grip on the rough wooden handle, betrayed something deeper, something darker. Every so often, her gaze would flicker off to the left and towards the grand, stone archway that proclaimed the entrance to their safe haven.
"Anka?" The Head Priest rounded the corner, his sharp, dark eyes seeing everything that she did not say outright. He could not ask, anyway, for even in the wild forest, the trees had ears. "How many?" He asked, at last. His black eyes shifted to fix their gaze on the tall, looming mountains that bordered their sanctuary.
"Thirteen." She continued to sweep, with careful, practiced moments. She'd been counting the refugees ever since they'd heard the news. "And then some."
"And the others?" He asked, calmly. There were sure to be soldiers hunting the royal family, at least, those who had managed to escape. He had hoped for less than a dozen, but he would work with what he could. The refugees would be their first priority. He would focus on them instead.
"Five, six, maybe more. A child, I think." Anka blinked. Her hazel eyes darkened to a near caramel hue, before she tightened her grip on the broom and prepared to go on sweeping.
He sighed, hands folded into the thick, warm sleeves of his outer robe. He knew this one too well. She was warding the front of the entryway, weaving her gift into the heartfelt prayers being whispered in her heart. She was worried for them. He was worried for her. This would be the first time she would actively have to sit out of an attack.
"I am fine, Father." She inclined her head, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
He regarded her, silently for a moment. "Very well. We will do what we must and we shall save all that we can."
Her shoulders quivered, faintly. That was not the answer she wanted to hear, but it was one she was familiar with. A soldier of her caliber knew and accepted the risks and losses of their own kind.
He tilted his head forward, capturing her eyes with his own. "The path we walk is not an easy one." He reminded. "But we are able to make a clean sweep of it all at the end of every day. The people that are coming to us, seek sanctuary and peace for their troubled souls. We are beacons and we are guardians." His expression softened. "We do not fight, for He fights for us."
(c) Sara Harricharan


text:
We've already received several entries for our Best of the Best contest—and the deadline is still three weeks away. Many of the entries look good—but I bet you have a program that is just as good or, dare I say, maybe even better. But what is the secret to winning?
Details. Yes, for the judges (who are all longtime fitness facility operators or industry consultants), the most important element in judging is having enough details to truly and accurately judge your program. That means making sure that you provide the budget and marketing plan for the programs you submit. And it means reporting the results of the program—how many people participated, how many joined because of the program, what their feedback was, how you followed up with them, etc. If you did not do these things, then it will be difficult for the judges to give a full opinion about the effectiveness of the program.
The second biggest element to winning is uniqueness. You want to submit a program that goes above and beyond what others are doing. Tell the judges how your program is different from everyone else's. How did you develop this idea to begin with? How have you changed it?
This industry is full of creative people who are working hard to implement creative programs that draw more people into a healthy lifestyle through your facility—whether they are commercial clubs, YMCAs, Jewish Community Centers, parks and rec facilities, university rec centers, corporate fitness facilities, medical-based facilities or others. We want all the fitness facility operators who read our publication to hear about those great programs. In an industry with a common goal of helping others, good ideas are meant to be shared and adopted by others.
The winning programs receive accolades that include being featured in the magazine and receiving a certificate of honor at the Club Industry conference and trade show Oct. 12 in Las Vegas. Plus, three people from the winning facilities will get free admission to the conference and trade show.
So, get out those budgets and results, and click on this link for more information about entering the Best of the Best contest. Deadline is June 22.