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Thursday, October 15, 2009
No More Snore!
Fast forward through several more years of his snoring and several more nights of interrupted sleep for both of us. Now, he's finally getting his tonsils taken out and his badly deviated septum fixed.
The kids said, "Hey Dad, you get to eat ice cream every day," to which Austin replied, "And that's different than now because...?" It's true. Joe eats half a gallon of ice cream every two days. And, of course, he never gains any weight. I hate him. I mean, lucky him!
So, say a prayer that everything goes well with his surgery tomorrow and that I don't lose my mind trying to occupy Clay and Brooklyn at the hospital for several hours. Thanks!
33 comments:
So glad he's finally dealing with the sleep apnea! Praying so that the surgery goes well and that it fixes everything and no more sleep apnea! That would be fantastic!
- October 15, 2009 at 11:51 PM
- C! said...
I just stumbled on your blog tonight and had to comment - I feel your pain. My husband - identical story, although I can't even get him to try the CPAP machine. I was getting so sick of earplugs or moving to the guest room or sofa for half the night. What saved us? He now works from 9 pm to 6 am! Best wishes on the surgery - I hope it goes well and the outcome is silent nights!
- October 16, 2009 at 12:49 AM
- 7csandme said...
I hope everything goes well for your husband and his surgery. My husband just had this done a few months ago. Be prepared for how he will look afterwards. My husband had balloons in his nose with tubes coming out and it bled horribly. He honestly looked like a horror show.
I feel for you. Good luck and take care. - October 16, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Praying for Joe that everything goes well. AND praying for your sanity (or what's left of it ;o)) through all of this.
Donna in PA :) - October 16, 2009 at 1:03 AM
You'll both be so glad he has this surgery. I had this over a year ago and was suprised to be able to breathe so much better - after the packing was removed that is ;)
My husband and I were both able to get a decent nights sleep after I finished healing.
Best wishes Joe! - October 16, 2009 at 1:47 AM
- Kelley O said...
My husband had exactly the same experience, and exactly the same surgery, and it worked GREAT. Good luck with the surgery (for Joe) and good luck with the kids (for you).
- October 16, 2009 at 6:00 AM
Hi Dawn
I had mine out back in June... it went well.. however.. day 5/6/7 after surgery was the worst.. have the pain killers ready!
Good luck to Joe - October 16, 2009 at 6:04 AM
- Lynn Kellan said...
I hope the surgery goes well!
- October 16, 2009 at 6:08 AM
- Jen@Scrapingirl said...
Prayers going out to you guys.
- October 16, 2009 at 8:18 AM
I've had surgery twice on my deviated septum. He'll be miserable for a day or two, but then will begin to feel better. Good news is that it will really help with the snoring!! Good luck Joe :)
- October 16, 2009 at 8:41 AM
My husband had this same surgery last week and yesterday he got the splints out of his nose. He could really breathe for the first time in years! Days 3 and 4 are the worst. But the snoring is almost gone. We figure it will be gone when he's completely recovered. I hope all goes well!
- October 16, 2009 at 8:57 AM
I will be praying for your husband's surgery -- and praying for you as he recovers. My husband has had a few surgeries himself, and I kind of think the recovery period is the toughest. I can't imagine balancing taking care of him plus six kids. So yeah, praying for *you* as well there!
Vanessa - October 16, 2009 at 9:13 AM
Prayers for all of you!
- October 16, 2009 at 9:33 AM
- The Only Girl said...
WOW - lucky you! I'd kill to get my snoring husband to have that surgery. Until then, I'll just keep wearing my earplugs and pray I hear the smoke detector if it goes off through the night. Good Luck!
- October 16, 2009 at 9:52 AM
- sue said...
Here's hoping all goes well!
- October 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
- T.M. said...
I hope the surgery goes well and that his recovery is not too bad. I had to laugh about the ice cream comment though. Too funny! Yeah...lucky him...but it's NOT fair!
- October 16, 2009 at 10:11 AM
My husband had the same surgery about three years ago. He had to sleep sitting up for a week, and couldn't swallow anything except milk. He lost about 10 pounds and didn't snore at all for about 6 months. After that, he gradually started snoring again, and now, 3 years later, he's back to the same volume as before. (he also was given a CPAP mask, and he did try to wear it, but it bothered him so much that he finally gave up as well.) I hope Joe does better, but given my hubby's experience, I can't make any promises!
- October 16, 2009 at 10:24 AM
- Our Unique Family said...
We will be praying for you guys!!!
- October 16, 2009 at 10:56 AM
- Tara said...
One of the blogs I follow went through a similar surgery recently! I'll post a link here so you can read about his experience.
http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/2009/09/surgery.html - October 16, 2009 at 11:01 AM
- Jen said...
We're praying that the surgery goes just fine, Dawn. Sleep apnea is a pain at times, we know all too well, but the fact that he's getting things taken care of is a good thing. Rest well, Joe! We're rooting for a speedy recovery for you! :D
Talk soon! :D - October 16, 2009 at 11:17 AM
- Jenni said...
My hubby had his septum fixed, but it didn't help with the snoring...good luck! I am also having my tonsils out within the month, hoping and praying for a speedy recovery...(and a good nights sleep!)
- October 16, 2009 at 11:25 AM
- Jess B. said...
"Deviated septum," hmm? Isn't that what all the celebrities claim to have surgically fixed when they really just get nose jobs? :-Þ
Good luck to Joe!
And good luck to you in the waiting room with the kids... how much "I Spy" can one play before heads explode? - October 16, 2009 at 11:27 AM
- kr said...
I wish it had worked for my husband, although he didn't get his tonsils out just his deviated septum fixed. He still snores like a train, have to sleep in the spare bedroom many many nights
- October 16, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Praying for you and your husband!! Hope everything goes well.
- October 16, 2009 at 12:03 PM
- Cayce said...
I hope it goes well. I, too, had my tonsils removed as an adult and all I can say is ... someone lied to me about the ice cream. The thickness of it made me sick. And I can't even begin to decribe the pain of throwing up when you've just had your tonsils removed. It ranks right up there with giving birth to my 2 children w/o drugs. OUCH!!!
Best of luck Joe, Dawn and 6 pack. - October 16, 2009 at 12:13 PM
- Unknown said...
My husband was diagnosed with sleep apnea and is supposed to be wearing the CPAP, too. He tried it maybe three times and hated it. That was a few years ago, and he finally has an appt with an ENT next week about other options. I will be praying for your husband and watching on your blog for updates!
- October 16, 2009 at 12:40 PM
One word: babysitter!
- October 16, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I snore like a freight train and don't know what to do about it. I did a sleep study and they said that I have a mild form of apnea, but not bad enough to treat. Meanwhile, I wake up to my nose being held shut so I will stop and he can get some sleep....
- October 16, 2009 at 5:39 PM
I'm glad everything went okay Dawn!!!!! LOL at Austins comment!
- October 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM
- Stephanie said...
My husband keeps me up at night snoring too! :) Hope everything goes well with the surgery today, and good luck coralling (is that a word?) those kiddos!
- October 16, 2009 at 5:42 PM
- BeccaSaun84 said...
SSO question! :-D We'll be visiting St. Louis next weekend and will only be able to go to one thing (thanks to time and money constraints).. having been to both the City Museum and the Magic House- which one would you recommend we definitely see? We have a 10 year old, a 3 year old and an 8 month old (he's pretty much just along for the ride, but he likes looking around at stuff :-) ) I'd appreciate your opinion SO much!
I hope all goes well with Joe's surgery! He's in our thoughts! - October 16, 2009 at 8:45 PM
I hope that his recovery is better than mine was! I am 26 and had my tonsils out it June and it was hell!! I couldn't eat anything, even drinking hurt. I lost 12 pounds in a week and a half. It took about 2 months before I felt better and I have had strep throat 2 times since then!! Hoping and praying his recovery goes okay! And that you can keep your sanity!!
- October 16, 2009 at 10:18 PM
- Maureen Fitzgerald said...
I hope this went well for you all. I just had my tonsils out this past August and it was a much tougher recovery than I had thought it would be. It really does take a full 10 to 14 days before you feel like doing anything. (But it will be worth it if it fixes the problem.)
If the liquid pain meds make him sick, try switching to the pills. That helped me - just bury it in a spoonful of pudding and it will slide right down :) - October 18, 2009 at 6:07 PM


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I work at the University of New South Wales, where I use Ruby to analyze biological data.
In part of my spare time, I work on fun programming projects. One was trying to analyze what underlies Wikipedia's Get to Philosophy game. I also worked on one called the "Small Eigen Collider".
I'm currently learning Japanese, and I'm an active participant in lang-8.com, a website where you write journal entries in a language you're learning, and get corrected by native speakers of that language. In return, you correct people writing entries in your native language. Recently, I've been asking a few questions prompted by slightly incorrect English I've encountered on lang-8.

subset: commoncrawl


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PHOENIX (AP) — A team of federal investigators swept into Phoenix last month amid allegations of a disturbing cover-up at the veterans hospital.
Their goal: to unravel the truth behind a secret waiting list supposedly maintained to hide lengthy delays for sick veterans, making it appear as if they were seeing doctors sooner when some may have waited months and died in the meantime.
The claims, which so far have not been proved, have thrown the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs into turmoil. Politicians have called for resignations, congressional inquiries are underway, and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is appearing before a Senate committee in Washington this week.
And it's only the beginning. Shinseki has ordered an audit of every VA facility nationwide and similar claims of waiting-list manipulations have cropped up in other states. As the election-year talk surrounding the debate rages, here is a look at some key facts about the issue:
A former clinic director for the VA in Phoenix started sending letters to the VA Office of Inspector General in December, complaining about systematic problems with delays in care.
"The time is now. The place is Phoenix, Arizona where a message needs to be sent loud and clear to VA administrators and bureaucrats alike that the murder of our veterans for cash bonuses and career advancement will no longer be tolerated," wrote Dr. Samuel Foote, who retired after spending nearly 25 years with the VA.
Foote later took his claims to the media, then to Republican Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, who announced the allegations at an April hearing.
Foote says up to 40 veterans may have died while awaiting treatment at the Phoenix hospital and that staff, at the instruction of administrators, kept a secret list of patients waiting for appointments to hide delays in care. He believes administrators kept the off-the-books list to impress their bosses and get bonuses.
"If you died on that list, they could just cross your name off and there was no trace that you'd ever been to the Phoenix VA," Foote told The Associated Press. "As if you never existed. You're just gone."
Since Foote's revelations, two more former Phoenix VA employees have made the same claims.
But some question their motives. One employee, who first raised the concerns publicly a few weeks ago, was fired last year and has a pending wrongful termination lawsuit against the hospital. Before he retired, Foote was reprimanded repeatedly for taking off nearly every Friday, according to internal emails he provided the AP.
He said the reprimands were unfair and that he was overworked and had every right to take the days off. Managers said it looked bad for a clinic director to work just four days a week.
Phoenix administrators vehemently deny the allegations. The VA announced recently it found no evidence to substantiate the claims after an internal probe.
The Phoenix hospital's director, Sharon Helman, scoffed at the notion that she would direct staff to create a secret list and watch patients die in order to pad her pockets.
"To think that any of us would do anything like that to harm any veteran for any financial reasons is very, very disturbing," Helman told the AP hours before placed on leave while the Inspector General's Office investigates. She has been provided with police protection after receiving numerous death threats.
Last year, Helman was awarded a $9,345 bonus in addition to her $169,000 annual salary.
Helman and hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Darren Deering, who remains in his job, said Foote and others have not provided names of any of the 40 patients or any documentation of a secret list. Foote, who would not provide that information to AP, said he obtained it through other employees at the VA. He won't say who.
Helman and Deering also speculated that if up to 40 patients did indeed die while awaiting doctor's appointments, some may have died from car accidents or heart attacks or other ailments unrelated to their care at the Phoenix VA facilities.
Grieving family members of dead veterans have joined politicians from both parties in protests over VA care. Several of them shared the stage with Sen. John McCain last week at a town hall meeting.
Many are appalled to think that their loved one might have been on a secret list while waiting to see a doctor.
Sally Barnes-Breen said her 71-year-old father-in-law, a Navy veteran, died while awaiting an appointment at the Phoenix VA. Thomas Francis Breen had bladder cancer and died Nov. 30.
Barnes-Breen said she took him into the Phoenix hospital with blood in his urine in September. He was examined, she said, and sent home, told they would get a call for an appointment to see a primary care physician within a week.
But the days came and went and the phone never rang. She said she followed up repeatedly, but no one responded.
"They left him to die," Barnes-Breen said during a recent interview while cradling a wooden box containing her father-in-law's ashes.
In early December, a few weeks after Breen died, Barnes-Breen said she finally got a call from the hospital with an available appointment.
"I said, 'Well, you're a little too late,'" she said.
VA administrators in Phoenix declined to discuss Breen's case, citing privacy laws.
The VA operates the largest integrated health care system in the country, with more than 300,000 fulltime employees and nearly 9 million veterans enrolled for care.
The Phoenix claims are the latest to come to light as VA hospitals and clinics around the country struggle to handle the enormous volume. VA facilities in South Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Washington state have been linked to delays in patient care or poor oversight. An internal probe of a Colorado clinic found that staff had been instructed to falsify records to cover up delayed care at a Fort Collins facility.
The VA has acknowledged that 23 patients have died because of problems related to care since 1999, according to an ongoing nationwide internal VA review, which showed that delays often occur when a doctor refers a patient to another physician, such as a specialist. During the same time period of the deaths, more than 250 million of these consults were requested.
The White House said the VA has made tremendous progress in reducing case backlogs, but that they need to be completely eliminated. President Barack Obama has said he remains confident in Shinseki's leadership.


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Unlike the last time when Reader was replaced by Google Sites, this time is not an accident. A Google employee explained that this is a permanent change.
While the link to Reader has moved, you can continue to access Google Reader under the "More" dropdown. Or, you can also set a specific bookmark to reader.google.com for one-click access. Depending your browser, try dragging http://reader.google.com right from this post onto the bookmark bar on your browser (usually below the URL bar).
Google has usually made changes in the navigation based on the popularity of the services and it's likely that Reader's popularity is declining, while Google Sites gains more users. According to Google Trends, the queries [google reader] and [google sites] have almost the same search volume in the US.
Like Picasa Web Albums, Google Reader doesn't have a new interface based on Google+. The latest features added to Google Reader were comment moderation and integration with Google Buzz, a service that will soon disappear.
{ Thanks, Cougar. }


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Clayton Kershaw (2-2, 2.96) vs. Jair Jurrjens "Binks" (1-0, 0.00).
Businessperson's Delight! Or Businessman's Special. Yeah, I think it's Special. Anyhoo, the Dodgers go for the series win this afternooner on the first of five throwback jersey promotional days. The light blue uni, chosen by fans in online voting, originated in the 1940s.
April 21 marks the anniversary of the Dodger franchise's first victory, which also came against the Braves, and took place in 1890.
If my math is right, and it probably isn't, a win today would give the Dodgers victory number 9,200.
photo by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers


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Search our Certified Vendor Directory by entering search criteria and clicking Search. You must select at least one certification type. You can also search by a variety of other fields which are listed below.
Search results may be downloaded to Excel, by clicking the "Download Results to Excel" button after your search results are displayed. To download the full Certification Directory do not enter search criteria, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "Download Entire Directory to Excel" button.


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South Dakota Parson Russell Terrier Rescue |
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No Parson Russell Terrier for adoption in South Dakota, please click a new state below. |
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Rescue Me! - HeIpingAnimaIs in Need. | |||||||||
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Help Spread the Word! Please link to South Dakota Parson Russell Terrier Rescue from your website. |
Rescue Me! Website
Follow @RescueMeOrg Parson Russell Terrier Page
Follow @ParsonRussells


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Pet Adoption St. Petersburg FL
When you adopt a pet, you've added a new member to your family. You have a new long term companion. Naturally you want everything to go smoothly with your new best friend and so does VCA. After taking care of thousands of dogs and cats, we know what it takes and our hospital teams are here to help you.
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There's something special about adopting a pet from a local shelter or rescue. VCA understands this and partners with animal organizations across the country in an effort to increase pet adoption. One less animal in a shelter is one more victory for mankind.
It's equally as important to consider any current pets you may have. The ability of pets to get along together in the same household depends on their individual personalities. Wise handling of the "getting acquainted" period is an important factor in the successful introduction of a new pet.
Get a Free First Exam


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Services for Health Information Consumers
From Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki
- Assessing the information needs of health care providers in rural areas shares strategies that have worked medical librarians as they serve the Native American population in the Four Corners Region.
- Working with tribal populations to increase access to health information share "lessons learned" from medical librarians working with Native American tribes
- Kansas GoLocal a collaboration of public, academic, and health sciences libraries building an online locator service for health care resources and services in the state of Kansas
- Crossing the Religious Divide a partnership between an academic library and a faith-based organization to train caregivers in religious diversity
- Changing the Face of Medicine shares the practices of a library exhibit and related events to celebrate the contributions of women physicians, to increase community awareness of medicine, and to inspire youth to pursue careers in medicine or health sciences.
- Aurora Lights
- Senior Outreach providing on-site health information resources to seniors who patronize a senior center
- Mobile School Health Information Initiative (MoSHI) a train-the-trainer program to connect K-12 librarians in the St. Louis metropolitan area with credible health information.
- Utah Consumer Health Information Infrastructure (Utahealthnet)
- Tribal/Library Health Information Partnerships Libraries partnered with tribal organization(s) in selected communities to develop, implement, and evaluate a program to improve access among health care providers and consumers to knowledge based health information
- Evidence Based Nursing Training for School and Public Health Nurses Librarians partner with nurses to teach evidence-based nursing to school and public health nurses.
- 39th Street Crew Librarians partnered with social workers, educators, and others to plan an after-school outreach program for local middle school children.
- Promotoras de Salud Lay-health advisors in the Latino community receive laptops and training so they can find and share reliable health information with their peers.
- Services for Older AdultsTips for Providing Quality Services for Older Adults in the area of health information access.
- Together Prepared : The purpose of this project is to provide improved access to disaster and emergency information for residents of Douglas County, Kansas, with a particular emphasis on assuring that vulnerable populations are served and to improve their access to critical information to help them prepare for, endure, and recover from disasters that may occur in this community in the future.
- Consumer Health Information Service for the Palm Beach County Library System A collection of health information resources open to the residents of Palm Beach county.


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Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Death, devices and celebrity drove the quest for more information on Google's search engine this year.
Three of the world's four fastest-rising search requests on Google were triggered by the deaths of famous men.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died earlier this month, occupied the top spot, followed by "Fast & Furious" movie star Paul Walker, who died in a Nov. 30 car crash. "Glee" TV series cast member Cory Monteith, who died of a drug overdose in July, ranked fourth in an annual retrospective released Tuesday.
The Boston Marathon bombings in April that killed three people ranked sixth.
The iPhone 5S, the latest upgrade in Apple's most popular product line, finished third in Google's rankings. A rival smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, took the eighth spot. PlayStation 4, Sony Corp.'s newest video game console, held the ninth position.
The Top 10 was rounded out by the "Harlem Shake," a song that inspired a procession of amusing dance videos, at No. 5; "royal baby" Prince George, the heir to England's throne, at No. 7; and North Korea, whose saber-rattling has become a source of international tension, at No. 10.
Google's review follows annual round-ups compiled during the previous two weeks by its main search rivals _ Microsoft Corp.'s Bing, Yahoo Inc. and Ask.com. Although its list usually comes last each year, Google's breakdown typically provides the greatest insight into the world's collective mindset because the company's technology processes about two out of every three search requests made on the Internet.
Bing ranks a distant second with 18 percent of the U.S. search market, and even less in most other countries. Yahoo, which relies on Bing's technology, handles the third most search requests.
Because the same inquiries tend to crop up from one year to the next, Google tries to keep its list fresh by focusing on the queries that post the biggest annual gains _ a measurement that the Mountain View, Calif., company calls "trending."
Google also is slicing its vast database of search requests into a hodgepodge of other categories spanning 72 countries, up from 55 last year. In the U.S. alone, Google is compiling more than 90 different lists examining the hottest inquiries about everything from finances to pop culture.
A handful of the rankings are based on the total number of requests entered into Google's search engine, instead of breaking them down by the variance from last year.
Google's pecking order of the most-searched people in the U.S. consists exclusively of singers, with the exception of reality-TV show star Kim Kardashian, who is engaged to be married to one of her peers on the list, hip-hop artist Kanye West (she ranks No. 3, while he came in at No. 10). The top spot is held by Miley Cyrus, who also was No. 1 in Yahoo's search rankings for this year (Kardashian ranked second on Yahoo's list).
Cyrus, Kardashian and Justin Bieber were the only three people to appear in each of the most-searched lists from Google, Bing and Yahoo. The lists of most-searched people on Google and Bing shared the most in common, with six stars appearing in both categories. Beside Cyrus, Kardashian and Bieber, the other three to make the cut on both Google and Bing were Beyonce Knowles (No. 1 on Bing, No. 5 on Google); Rihanna (No. 3 on Bing, No. 6 on Google); and Taylor Swift (No. 4 on Bing, No. 7 on Google).
The Web surfers who use Bing evidently have quite different tastes in television from those who search on Google.
Only two series, "Big Bang Theory" and "Big Brother" appeared in each of the two rivals rankings' of the year's most-searched TV shows. "Big Bang Theory" ranked first on Bing's list, a distinction held by "Breaking Bad" in Google's rankings. The two search engines couldn't agree on the most popular morning news show either, with NBC's "Today Show " making it on Bing's list of most frequent TV requests and ABC's "Good Morning America" securing a spot on Google's list.
Google was on its own list of trending stocks this year, ranking No. 4. That's not a big surprise, given the company's market value has surged by about 50 percent so far this year, its biggest gain on Wall Street since 2008. That was still not enough to surpass Google rival Facebook Inc. on the list of trendiest stocks. Facebook's shares have more than doubled so far this year. After Facebook came electric car maker Tesla Motors, whose stock has more than quadrupled this year, and online messaging service Twitter Inc., whose stock has more than doubled since its Wall Street debut last month.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Hi guys,
Firstly, no one says that Muslims should 'rise up to kills all americans' - READ THE FULLY QUOTE "Muslims should stand up and fight the aggressor and that we should not be in the war in the first place."
Which I believe in too - which means military targets are viable during war, but NO CIVILIAN TARGETS (and before you mention civilians on the Army base - they are just a sad accident of war- much like the 1000's of dead Iraqi and afghan civilians right?).
I'm sorry guys, but it is time for you to admit when you are wrong to condemn - soldiers go to fight in wars, and in that incident, soldiers got killed - big deal!
Yeah so it happened on american soil, so what, american pilots and drone controllers will track down the enemies of the USA to their very homes and shoot a missle through its living room, despite their family being there or not. I guess the motto of the story is, do unto others, as you would have done unto you". Perhaps your christians should look at this incident, as a 'judgement of God' upon the wicked american army.
p.s. One thing I have noticed, for people who profess to love everyone, most of you are full of hate (your emotions are hateful, whether or not your tongue issues peaceful platitudes - repent now to the only God 'the Father').
So the attack was justified because it was a military target, and the civilians killed were "just a sad accident of war." According to Abdullah, then, Muslims in the U.S. military are justified if they open fire on military bases.
I have never said that we are at war with Islam, but others have been condemned for saying as much. I find it interesting, however, that even moderate Muslims like Abdullah al-Andalusi believe that Islam is at war with the West and that Muslims are justified in attacking any military target--even if the Muslims have sworn to protect their country "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
For more on Muslims supporting Hasan's attack, see the following:
Washington D.C.'s Khadeeja Nuur and other Muslims Pray for Allah to Bless Hasan withe a Full Recovery
Killeen Mosque Member Sides with Attacker
Muslims at Fort Hood Blame the Military for Hasan's Attack
Here's a video of some American Muslims calling Hasan "an officer and a gentleman":
Isn't it strange that Muslim organizations like CAIR an ISNA are claiming that Muslims condemn such attacks?


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Major League Baseball Goes Green in Collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council
Major League Baseball and the Natural Resources Defense Council today announce the creation of a Team Greening Program. This program was developed to support and coordinate the many environmentally-sensitive practices now pursued by virtually every Major League Baseball Club. The announcement marks the first time that Major League Baseball will implement a league-wide environmental protection strategy.
"Baseball is a social institution with social responsibilities and caring for the environment is inextricably linked to all aspects of our game," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "Sound environmental practices make sense in every way and protect our natural resources for future generations of baseball fans."
The Team Greening Program, a collaboration of Major League Baseball and NRDC, will provide to each Club an individualized NRDC Team Greening Advisor for Major League Baseball, which is a web-based software tool featuring advice and resources for every aspect of a Club's operations. This unprecedented program, more than two years in development, will expand on the industry's best practices, offering specific local advice concerning such topics as energy use, purchasing, concession operations, water use, recycling and transportation.
"MLB's greening initiative is good for the environment and the bottom line," said Frances Beinecke, NRDC President. "Their work will save energy, reduce waste, and make the organization, the teams, and the stadiums all run more efficiently. By launching the NRDC Team Greening Program for Major League Baseball, the League is showing tremendous leadership, using its influence to show the world the importance of environmental protection and green business practices to protect and preserve this historic game for future generations."
The NRDC Team Greening Advisor for Major League Baseball was developed through surveys which assessed the environmental practices in a number of operational areas, throughout the 2006 season. The surveys, sent to all 30 Clubs, demonstrated a high level of interest among Clubs in environmentally-sensitive operating policies and creative implementation of sound policies that should be more widely recognized and shared throughout the industry.
"The NRDC Team Greening Advisor for Major League Baseball should be used as a guide with ideas, suggestions and proposed policies for all Major League Clubs," said John McHale, Executive Vice President, Administration & Chief Information Officer, Major League Baseball. "Many of our Clubs have already begun working to protect the environment and `their leading efforts form the core of this information. By partnering with NRDC to create this initiative, we are supporting the Clubs' efforts, making available the Club's best practices, and improving the health of our game."
"The commitment by our national pastime to enhance its ecological profile in a meaningful and public way marks a watershed in the history of baseball and the environmental movement," said Allen Hershkowitz, Senior Scientist, NRDC. "No other sporting institution has influenced American culture as much as baseball and the League is once again putting that influence to very good use."
The NRDC Team Greening Advisor for Major League Baseball aggregates the best practices of the Clubs and dramatically expands the range of advice and potential sources of assistance concerning environmentally-sensitive and sensible business operations for each Club. Topics include:
- Adopting an official environmental policy
- Incorporating environmental language into contracts, purchasing policies and requests for proposals that specify preferences for environmentally sound products and services
- Encouraging the use of renewable energy
- Providing information about how to credibly offset the carbon emissions related to team and fan transportation
- Using post-consumer recycled content paper for all paper products
- Implementing paper reduction strategies in offices
- Offsetting the environmental impact of up to half team and employee travel
- Establishing Club eco-committee
As part of this ongoing relationship, Major League Baseball and NRDC will also provide materials throughout the League's ballparks to encourage fans to make environmental changes in their own homes and businesses. The NRDC Team Greening Advisor for Major League Baseball has also been posted on www.mlb.com, as well as each MLB Club website, and www.greensports.org/mlb for use in the communities in which Major League Baseball teams are located.
Note: B-roll is available of Club greening efforts and other highlights are available at http://www.criticalmention.com/vg/mlb/


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The other day Jane saw my Ham Chim Peng post and she tak boleh tahan (can't wait) and tempted her to try. On the other hand, I saw her Bourke Street Croissant and I also tak boleh tahan (can't wait) and tempted to try, hahaha..Later her sister Helena also made. I told them how nice if three of us are living nearby, then must be very fun, we will non-stop baking and eating, hehehe..I love croissant, usually I will take croissant first whenever I take buffet breakfast in a hotel…
The most delicious croissant I took was in Switzerland at Hotel Gasthof Tiefenau. They serve croissant daily and other types of pastry, all were yummy. I hope one day I can visit this hotel again and learn making croissant from the chef here. Dream first !!
I did not try Bourke Street recipe this time, as it look quite complicated, I wait till I have confident then I will try this recipe. Instead I tried a recipe that I found in a French's lady blog (I supposed she is a French) and use Google translate into English. Why I choose her recipe, because I like her dough laminating process (i.e. incorporating butter into the dough) by spreading the butter (under room temperature) but not like the usual recipe which requires to incorporating cold butter into dough that I feel is not easy to handle.
This time I still failed on the laminating part, butter still leak out and torn layer. Next time, i must try to do in a air-cond room.
I got very flaky crust if I followed the recipe to bake at 240c for 12mins but it looks burnt. I tried to adapt the Bourke Street method which pre-heated 240c and change to 190c for 12-15mins, nicer colour but the crust is not so flaky. Actually i prefer the first "chow tar" croissant because the flaky crust and nice aorma, eventhough it look dark,.
The taste of this croissant is there, very close to that one i had in Switzerland, nice aroma, flaky and fluffy, but I was little bit disappointed of the texture inside, not many layers and quite soft. I blamed myself of poor handling of laminating process.
(recipe source: adapted from here)
Makes 9
1 and 1/4tsp instant yeast
45 ml warm water (less than 100 ° F/38 ° C)
1tsp caster sugar
250 g all purpose flour
2tsp caster sugar
1tsp fine salt
125ml milk
30 ml of neutral oil (sunflower, canola, corn oil)
120g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 egg yolk, for egg wash
To make dough
1. Mix yeast, warm water and sugar in a small bowl for 5mins.
2. Heat the milk until lukewarm, then dissolve salt and sugar in the milk.
3. Add flour, yeast mixture and oil in a mixing bowl. Slowly add in milk mixture and combine well.
4. Knead the dough until smooth. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Let dough rise at room temperature for 3hours or until triple in size. (I only wait for 1hour)
1. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle of 14 x 8 inch (35 cm x 20 cm).
2. Spread butter on 2 / 3 of the dough and fold in 3 (The non-buttered the middle, then the last 1 / 3 above). Cover with plastic sheet and refrigerate for 30mins.
3. Take the dough out of the fridge and rotate the dough 90 degree so that the dough will be rolled in opposite direction from previous fold. Repeat this folding and resting process twice more.
4. After the final round, refrigerate the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 5 hours or overnight.
1. On floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle 15 in. x 6 in. (38 cm x 15 cm ).
2. Using a pizza cutter, cut triangles 3 inches (7.5 cm) core.
3. Starting from the base and roll up towards the tip, pressing the tip of triangle to make the triangle longer. Pull away two corners at the base and roll it towards the tip to secure.
4. Place croissants 2inches (5cm) apart from each other on the baking pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Cover with plastic wrap/cloth and let rise for 1hour in a warm place (72F/22C) or until they have doubled in size.
1. Preheat oven to 475F (240C).
2. Mix the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water, then brush on the croissants.
3. Bake the croissants in the oven for 12mins, until top is golden OR reduce oven temp to 190C and bake for about 15 mins, or until a deep golden colour.
4. Remove the croissants from the oven and place on wire rack. Cool slightly on tray before serving.


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Sex kitten? Well of course! After all this is a Carolyn's Kitchen giveaway.
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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
In Praise of B Students
For example, selecting undergraduates as research assistants or advisees based on their grades in classes does not automatically lead to a fulfilling research experience for all concerned. This is a hazard of the admissions process for graduate school, but it also afflicts the selection of students for undergraduate research experiences, even when we have taught these students in our very own classes.
This is (mostly) not a rant about supposedly smart students who can't or won't do research, or who can do research but are such incredibly high maintenance that the research experience becomes a serious burden for everyone within a 5 kilometer radius of their research project. This is instead a prose poem of praise for the hard-working B students who excel at research and with whom it can be very enjoyable to work.
Some of my undergraduate research assistants are chosen after a competitive application process. Summer interns, for example, are from a highly-selective pool comprised of the top students from the top universities in the country. In this case, "top student" is typically defined as the students with the highest GPA. Most of these students are in fact excellent interns, but some of them are mediocre and some of them are abysmal.
It is fascinating in a semi-disturbing kind of way that the same situation applies for selecting students from my own institution. These are students I have met in person before I hire them as undergraduate research assistants or sign on as their advisor for a thesis or research project. In some cases these are the students who got top grades in rigorous courses taught by me and others, yet some of them, however bright, are not so smart when it comes to research.
When choosing undergrad research students from my own university, I don't always select the A students. Don't worry -- the hard-working and talented A students are not going without research experiences. In fact, every student who wants such an experience can find an advisor. But sometimes I select a B student who seems to be motivated and smart, but who just doesn't do as well in some classes as some other students.
In my experience, the success or failure of these B students at undergraduate research projects is indistinguishable from that of A students -- I have had experiences ranging from outstanding to ghastly with both -- but there are some mutual benefits to working with B students.
For the student, a successful research experience as an undergraduate may in some cases offset a modest GPA in graduate admissions efforts.
For the advisor, the B student might be easier to work with in some ways. An unscientific hypothesis some of my colleagues and I have recently discussed is that many B students might have the advantage of being less high-maintenance than some A students because they tend not to be so anxious. I think we are perhaps not the first to propose this; for example, see the cartoon in the 9 January 2009 Chronicle Review by V Hixson. In the cartoon, one professor says to another "Actually, I like the B+ students best.. bright, but still humble."
And many B students do just as well as A students in research. Reasons for this include:
Doing well in a classes, even really difficult ones, does not mean that someone has the skills necessary to do research.
Of course we don't expect that students, however stratospheric their GPA, will automatically know how to do research -- as advisors we try to teach this -- but some students learn and thrive as a project evolves, and others do not, no matter how 'smart' they are. The same is true of graduate students.
Random example: An apparently top student with A's in difficult courses worked with me on a straightforward bit of research, but it quickly became clear that he had no ability to make connections between different observations or thoughts, could not visualize phenomena, and only understood basic concepts if they were repeated to him many times. He had a great attitude about the work and eked out some results (with lots of help), but he never really understood what he was doing and never went beyond a 'problem set' kind of approach to the research.
Doing research as a student typically means you have to be willing to interact with at least one other person (the advisor) and possibly others as well (other students, other faculty, postdocs, technicians). Some people can do this well and some people can't, even with experience, no matter how high their GPA.
Random example: One of my A-student interns needed to learn and use a not-complicated technique. Others in the group were experienced with this technique, and several of us were available to answer her questions. After a day or so, A-student came to me, clearly upset, and said "I had some questions and X (an undergrad) and Y (a grad student) helped me a lot, but it is obvious that they care more about their own research than they do about mine." I replied "Well, I should hope so", a comment that shocked her. Her voice quavered as she said "But what about me?".
Heroically resisting saying something sarcastic and/or insensitive, I gave her a gentle mini-lecture about being a part of a community of researchers driven by individual curiosity and working together but also independently etc. etc. She was not happy to learn that the major focus of all our efforts and interests was not her. Alas, this realization did not change her world view, but we somehow got through the rest of the summer and she returned in the fall to her home institution and the professors who wrote her rave letters of recommendation and later admitted to me that they didn't like working with her either.
It would save a lot of time, money, stress, and grief if we could predict in advance which students would do well in a research experience, but in the absence of a reliable method of prediction, we'll just have to continue with the classic trial-and-error approach. Most of the time this works out well, especially if the students are mostly sane.
43 comments:
That makes a lots of sense to me. I'm not sure I pass the less anxious test (o: but I've just been granted a grade of 87 (high distinction - top grade in Aust) for my undergrad honours thesis but my grade average was around 66 when I started honours.
I'm now working as a researcher at what my peers consider to be a very selective research institute.
Failing some tricky maths exams (a few times) does not make me a top environmental engineer, but doesn't affect my ability as a researcher in environmental areas without hard core maths (or even to use said tricky maths under non-exam conditions). - 1/14/2009 12:31:00 AM
This post caused me to reflect on my own experience as an undergraduate researcher. You are definitely right - being an A student did not make me "a natural" in the lab. General knowledge is one thing, thinking critically about scientific problems involves a different skill (and mind)-set. This was something I had not learned in my coursework. Luckily, I picked it up over time!
- David Moles said...
Do you think this might mean that something ought to change in the undergraduate asssessment process? The top student who couldn't get beyond problem sets is particularly scary, though the entitled intern is maybe more obnoxious.
- clodovendro said...
Being a "hard-working B students who excel at research and with whom it can be very enjoyable to work" (ok, probably here I'm praising myself a little too much) I'd like to thank you for this post. It's refreshing to know that somewhere there is someone who think good of us :-)
- Rachella said...
I love this post. I only work with undergrads, mostly Freshmen, so my experience is a little bit different but I have noticed that many students who get As are not nessessarily the smartest students in my classes, the most creative, or even the best writers. They're just skilled at fullfilling the criteria to earn an A. Also....there's the ongoing battle of grade inflation.
It would save a lot of time, money, stress, and grief if we could predict in advance which students would do well in a research experience, but in the absence of a reliable method of prediction, we'll just have to continue with the classic trial-and-error approach.
My experience is that SATs and GREs are much more predictive of success at science than grades. - 1/14/2009 05:22:00 AM
The difference between A students and C students is that C students will help out A students, but A students only help out themselves.
Wow, FSP, thank you for this!
At my university, grades were the only thing that counted, so being the B student, I was never able to get any sort of lab job during my undergrad. I got the marks I did because the material was really hard and I was in a major that required lots of blind memorization and little understanding.
All that to say I had to take an extra year of undergrad classes after finishing my major (in a new field which I love) to get into grad school, and I really appreciate that you're sticking up for the less-than-perfect students! :) - 1/14/2009 07:14:00 AM
- Eugenie said...
Have you ever taken a chance to offer internship to B students, or do you default to taking the kids with the better grades?
I'm a B+/A- student and I've made the mistake of jamming to many difficult courses into my schedule at once and my took some GPA hits. My friends take the high road* and scoot by with their A's and it drives me nuts when they get scholarships/internships/etc.
*You know, study all the time, don't socialize much, don't participate in academic clubs/volunteer programs/ research. - 1/14/2009 07:50:00 AM
"An apparently top student with A's in difficult courses worked with me on a straightforward bit of research, but it quickly became clear that he had no ability to make connections between different observations or thoughts, could not visualize phenomena, and only understood basic concepts if they were repeated to him many times."
It seems to me that there's something flawed with a "difficult" course if a student who can't make connections between topics receives an A. - 1/14/2009 08:12:00 AM
- Prof-like Substance said...
I completely agree, but probably because I was that B student who excelled at research.
I have also found that many of the A++++ students have designs on med-school and get into research only to provide fodder for their applications. Beyond the problems of research not being "book learning", those students may not be as motivated to understand the questions at hand. - 1/14/2009 08:42:00 AM
- Not Just Academic said...
FSP speaks true - good grades do not predict a good researcher, but there are ways around it.
I teach an undergrad class where the assignment is to write a research proposal that addresses an unexplored research question in the subject field. It essentially amounts to making the case for support for a single experiment but the topic is wide open. Since doing well in this assignment involves all the synthesis of ideas, originality, analytical skills, big-picture view, etc. that are important in real-life research, students who do well in this assignment are generally those that I would be happy to have as a research assistant.
Students who get top marks in the assignment (assuming 1st class hons in the UK equates to A-grade in the US, for the purposes of this discussion) are not always those who get top marks in exams or other assignments, so I seem to be tapping into something different. Now, if only I could persuade some of these students to start a PhD... - 1/14/2009 08:58:00 AM
- Ψ*Ψ said...
For the student, a successful research experience as an undergraduate may in some cases offset a modest GPA in graduate admissions efforts.
Thanks for giving me hope! My grades suck, but I live for my research. :) - 1/14/2009 09:24:00 AM
- Sarah said...
I agree with Prof-like Substance. My postdoctoral advisor had the crazy idea that he would only take undergraduate researchers who had 4.0 GPAs. While this included a very few good students who wanted to pursue a career in research, the majority of undergraduates who fulfilled this criteria were "premed" students. Therefore, their main interest was just to have research "experience" with which to pad their med school applications. Their lack of actual interest in the projects, plus trying to accomodate their myriad of extra-curricular activities (also done to pad their apps) meant that they spent very little time in the lab.
After several very frustrating mentoring experiences, the graduate students and postdocs in the lab finally told him that he needed to drop his 4.0 GPA requirement. Turned out that only about 10% of lab members had achieved a 4.0 GPA in undergrad. Yet we were the ones with bright futures in research. - 1/14/2009 10:23:00 AM
Had a student who got straight As through rote memorization of written material, but in the lab who couldn't follow verbal instructions whatsoever, and complained about a course (he failed) that was non-traditionally taught that forced the students to "think" (gasp). Would much prefer the B student who works well with others and has some learning capacity for practical things, and curiosity beyond grades.
- LMH said...
Thank you for this. I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way - I have seen it in action. My advisor is also easily wooed by grades - and boy have we had some spectacularly bad graduate students because of it.
- daisy mae said...
this is something that i've struggled with in a different manner. i think that the underlying issue is how undergraduate students, and the "college experience" as a whole has manifested itself.
as an undergrad, i was first admitted to a very prestigious ivy-league school, but dropped out after my second year due to a variety of reasons. in general, there were no options regarding working in a lab at my level.
however, when i finally went back to finish my degree, i chose a small liberal arts school. all of my courses in the sciences were lab-based. and more importantly, we were encouraged to figure things out "on our own" or in small groups. rather than traditional exams we submitted research portfolios and lab reports... in fact, lectures were treated as supplemental to what went on in the lab.
it inspired in me a love of research - the idea of being able to go to work every day and work out problems was enthralling. but by virtue of going to a no-name college (even with a solid 3.9 GPA) meant no big name grad school.
our educational system/society seems to encourage the (what i would call) faulty system where grades in coursework are encouraged over actual skills and talent. - 1/14/2009 10:52:00 AM
I find that the students in our Honors program often have the best features of the A students and the hard-working B students: All the content mastery and quick uptake you'd hope for from an A student, all the work ethic and drive and curiosity that you'd hope for from the person who works for the B. I don't know if it's the type of students they accept or the nature of the program and the special discussion-based classes that they take, but it works.
I am surprised to hear that GRE and SAT are good predictors of research success. I've heard that they are good predictors of GPA in first year courses, but I also understand that the tests have certain problematic aspects. I believe a recent study found that the GRE is a decent predictor of completion in grad school, but it's not clear that it isn't just a self-fulfilling prophecy: The student admitted with good credentials on paper is more likely to get fellowships rather than TA positions and first shot at picking a research advisor, and these factors will help with grad school success. - 1/14/2009 11:07:00 AM
- Arlenna said...
Yup, another B student here who always did well in research, even starting in high school. I've seen many A students flail at trying to do something that requires more than just a perfect memory, such as actual problem solving skills. That's probably more a reflection of the typical way things are taught and assessed than either the A or the B students themselves, though.
- Alyssa said...
I want to thank you for this post! As a solid B student in my undergrad I was told I would have a very hard time getting into graduate school. However, I found an advisor that gladly took me under her wing, as she understood that high grades didn't necessarily equal A-class research.
I find when I talk to PhD candidates I work with now that I consider very good researchers, most of them say they did not have great marks in undergrad. The problem in undergrad classes is, if you're not a good test-taker, you won't do well. It's unfortunate that students aren't "tested" on their lab/research skills (critical thinking, both collaborative and independent work, etc.). - 1/14/2009 11:34:00 AM
Perfect students can't deal with failure. Science is full of little failures, with occasional great successes. People who can't deal with failure are unlikely to succeed at science.
Ummmm. . . Can I say "word." This is so true. I've worked with undergrads who got the highest grade in a 300 person O-chem course who can't do research to save their lives and I've worked with stellar B-level undergrads who tear sh*t up in the lab. Book smarts coupled with good memorization and test taking skills is not really a good thing if you want someone who can 'think' about what they are doing in the lab.
Yes, I found the same. I actually much prefer B students as undergraduate researchers. My motivation is mainly personality. Since undergraduate projects are not probably the projects that will bring the next Science paper (with maybe some exceptions), a B student that is hard working, smart (it's not that easy to get a B either) and doesn't have an arrogant attitude is more than good enough. And by doing research they can evolve, learn and better themselves even more. Some of them have great potential of success.
I personally prefer B students. I myself was one, afterall!
- usagibrian said...
The corollary in the performing arts is do you want to cast A) the excellent but high maintenance "star" performer or B) the good worker who's always prepared at rehearsal and willing to pitch in on what needs to be done? Just about everyone learns "B" is the correct choice in virtually all cases after one experience with "A" (the exception being a show that one person has to carry).
I was a B-B+ student UNTIL i took a semester of research abroad. I got back, and was a straight A student for the rest of my course. It really helped me focus on what's important, and somehow my newfound enthusiasm carried over to the driest, less relevant subjects too. Then I went on for PhD, postdoc, tenure-track....
I come from a University abroad with a 0/10 grading system. My GPA was 9.85, which put me probably among the best 1%.
When I approached a professor to join his lab as an undergraduate, I was devastated to find out that he thought my GPA was too good! He basically told me that great grades usually meant no so great research skills, and suggested that I slowed down and started getting a few 9s and 8s. He reluctantly took me anyway, which ended up working great to the point that we now (15 years after) laugh about it. I stayed in his lab for my Ph.D. (very common in my home country), and he still says I was his best graduate student... even with my off-chart grades!
a FSP - 1/14/2009 02:03:00 PM
I am really relieved and happy to read this. As a non-A student, some research opportunities were not available to me, but those outside my undergraduate institution (specifically at another college with a whole department for my field) were available and enormously useful. The people who at some point learned my GPA, usually by asking, frequently told me I must be lying, it was so low at one point.
- Eugenie said...
Wow, my grammar was terrible in my previous comment. (How embarrassing...oops)
Reading the comments with addition to FSP's post makes me feel a little better to know I'm not completely alone in this academic boat.
When I started research my advisor never asked me what my grades/gpa were. He just wanted to know what classes I'd taken and what project I wanted to work on. I realize now that I was lucky to snag a spot in a lab with a great advisor (and great funding). I hope having such a positive experience doesn't totally bite me in the butt when (if) I'm in grad school....
@Daisy mae- your description of the liberal arts college oddly sounds like my current college. - 1/14/2009 02:48:00 PM
- PonderingFool said...
What is interesting among undergrads at SnobU in upper division courses that I taught in, we got a bimodal distribution. A group got As while the other group got Cs. Grad students in the course got As and Bs. Breaking it down by questions asked, undergraduates from both grade groups tended to do well on the do you know X type questions. Grad students on the other hand tended to do better on thinking/synthesizing type questions. A students did both well regardless of group. The A undergraduates were the one's who did research. Talking with them I found that they in previous classes were a mix of A & B students. The C group were a mix of B & C students.
- Phagenista said...
My undergrad research advisor almost withdrew his offer of a job when he found out I was a straight A student. He was a C student, and much preferred students who were smart and creative... sometimes too creative to survive/excel in the regimented school environment.
- frigidtoaster said...
I think it's also important to remember that some people choose to be B+ students. I know that I am fully capable of achieving an A average, but I don't think it's worth the extra stress. I work to understand the concepts so I can apply them, but I rarely spend the extra time to memorize everything, just in case it might come up on an exam. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Part of growing up and being an adult and living on your own is learning what you're capable of and what you think is reasonable to expect of yourself. That requires being intelligent about life, something I think contributes to research ability a lot more than being smart in school.
I am much happier as a B+ student, because I have more time for a balanced lifestyle, and for my undergrad research. I am positive that the work I'm doing outside of classes will make up for that small disparity in grades if I choose to continue in grad school. - 1/15/2009 12:59:00 AM
- Brian said...
FPS said "Of course we don't expect that students, however stratospheric their GPA, will automatically know how to do research -- as advisors we try to teach this"
I'd really question you on this. In my experience as graduate and undergraduate student, I found that most (though not all) of my research advisors expected you to either: a) already know how to do something or b) figure it out on your own. I fully support the idea of independent learning, especially if you are doing research, but I don't think either a or b could count as teaching.
If you don't mind answering the question, I'm interested in finding out what methods you use to teach research to those new to the experience. - 1/15/2009 06:51:00 AM
- Quill2006 said...
FSP, thank you and all the other professors like you for believing in B students! I've always been happy with my grades even though they weren't at the top, because I knew that if I wanted to get straight A's I'd have to cut everything else out of my life, like my beloved extracurriculars and interesting part-time job. Several of my professors chided me for not getting the best grades in my department, because they knew I was interested and could have done the work, but they also believed in me enough to encourage me to take on research projects and high-level courses I wouldn't have appeared to qualify for based on my grades. The more work I do at these higher levels the better my grades and other measurements of accomplishment get, because I'm more interested in the subject of my work.
Many B students aren't able to memorize enough facts to reach an A level in lecture/test based courses, but are energized by tasks that require thought, discussion, and consideration of larger themes. And not doing perfectly in a few courses over the course of 4 or more years should never be the end of the world, although unfortunately it often makes the difference between who receives scholarships and awards and who doesn't. - 1/15/2009 11:40:00 PM
I think another issue is that there are a lot of B students who are A students when they are interested in the material. A lot of them benefit more from the hands-on experience and then perform better in class because they understand its importance.
This is such an interesting post. As a "straight A" student myself, I struggled with several issues when it came to my Ph.D. research. One issue was that getting an "A" in a class generally involved doing exactly what the professor wanted. When I started grad school, I thought that was how my advisor wanted me to behave in my research as well. He was a big micromanager, so I continued thinking that way for awhile and getting nowhere in my research.
A second issue I had was with both failure of experiments and lack of positive feedback from my advisor. As an "A" student, I had only experienced positive results and positive feedback from professors. I felt like such a failure that I came very close to quitting altogether.
A final issue (related to the first issue) had to do with getting excited about topics enough to pursue them independently. Again, to earn those A's in classes, I always had to quell my excitement about specific topics so that I had time to complete my assignments and study material that would be on the exam.
I'm excited to say once I moved past those issues, I found so much more joy in research than I did in my classes. I can't imagine giving up the freedom I now have to pursue topics that excite me. And once I discovered that my research progressed much better when I made decisions independently of my advisor, I also discovered that made my advisor a lot happier, as well.
Maybe there is hope for "A" students, afterall. :) - 1/18/2009 11:59:00 PM
phagenista: That sort of thing frustrates me to death. It's even worse than those who think that people who worked their way up from a C to an A must be better than someone who got As all along because the C-to-A person showed improvement. It's not a bad thing to have done well all along. Some people just happen to be very good at academics; they shouldn't be penalized for that.
Some A-students *do* have the work ethic and critical thinking skills to do well in research. In my experience, *many* A-students have that combination. (I may be biased by the fact that I teach a course that requires and tests for thinking and analysis rather than rote memorization.)
That said, I agree that many B-students are just as capable of good research as the A-students. Frankly, some C+ students do great research too. I just don't agree that a B-student will automatically be better than an A-student. - 1/24/2009 02:24:00 PM
I am a B student. Thank you for your encouragement.
- Catherine Crook said...
I am an undergraduate student currently. Ordinarily I have A's throughout every semester, yet recently have had some difficulty in seeing eye to eye with, to use the terminology from your essay, "Teacher X" (love that by the way). I worked remarkably hard throughout the course, did all of the necessary work and more, yet my final grade was dependent essentially upon this particular professors point of view on a piece of work I did. After it being graded I was subsequently given a B for the course.
The point of this comment is not to rant about this professor yet to thank you for the humility and encouragement you bring to an exceedingly "A" based academic world in which anything lower does not categorize you amongst the "Top Students" of your school. This label I always found to be aggravating in itself, seeing that I have found a number of students to do half the necessary work, with very little care yet still pass with an A, making them a "higher" student than the B students who learn a little differently. I also enjoyed the the cartoon about working with "bright" and "humble" B+ students!
Your article was articulate, humanizing, inspiring and incredibly smart. You have my utmost gratitude for writing it and I am pleased to have read it!
I don't know if we can yet predict how well-suited a student will be for a research position, but I think it would be interesting to study success stories. I think one way to do this may be to take a look at a student's grades before and after a research experience. My guess is that our favorite (mine, too) 'B' students' grades will improve slightly, but significantly.
i think the variance matters! i would rather have someone getting straight A's than someone getting straight B's, since they're probably both working to maximize their grades. The student with a few A's and a few C's, however, probably doesn't care about their GPA, and got those A's due to a true interest in and deep learning of the subject. This suggests they are much more capable than their GPA suggests.
I don't know what to do with myself. I am graduating from college next semester and my cumulative GPA is only 2.5. My GPA was below a 2.0 during my freshman and sophomore years. However, I had a 3.8 during my senior year. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do now to change the past. I wish that I could go back in time and study harder my first two years of college. I have a strong interest in human and primate evolution, population genetics, osteology, forensic anthropology, Viking archaeology, and Mesoamerican archaeology. I live in New York City. I would like to work for a museum, an archaeological research center, a historical society, a national park, or a primate conservation center. I think that I ruined my future and I will never be able to get an entry-level position or get into a Masters program. Most employers ask for transcripts and no one will hire someone who graduated with a 2.5. Do you think that my life is over because of bad grades in the past? I am suicidally depressed and I feel like jumping off a bridge.
- Brian Carpenter said...
Dear Anon Xmas poster,
I am not the author of this blog, only someone who commented a while back and subscribed to the post. Your post came up and it has me worried. After thinking about it for a few days, I only have the following advice to offer.
First and most important, please talk to someone about how you are feeling. You have to take care of your self because without doing that the rest of your future is hard to figure out. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Please take the time to talk to someone.
Secondly, your future is not ruined. While I agree that your GPA is lower than you would like, many potential programs/employers focus on the work you did in your major. Typically, on resumes, I listed my major GPA separate from my overall GPA. Additionally, GPA is not all the helps an applicant stand out. Unique project work, internships or research experiences can help as well. And if you don't have those, start looking at getting them now. Academic work doesn't typically start right after graduation, so keep looking around and applying for positions. This might require moving, but if the work is there and it is work you are passionate about, you will need to consider it as a possibility. I hope you keep trying though and I wish you the best of luck in the coming new year.
Don't give up! - 12/27/2013 09:43:00 PM


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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Viennese Chocolate Pepper Cookies
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We have the Aztecs to thank for combining chocolate with chili or black pepper. They seasoned chocolate with herbs and spices for centuries before it was enhanced with sugar. Returning Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors brought chocolate and methods for seasoning it back with them to the courts of Europe. Court chefs learned that the addition of black pepper to dishes containing chocolate, enhanced the chocolate's flavor and intensity, without adding heat to the finished dish. Today's recipe is a great example of what happens when the two are combined. Although these cookies contain over a teaspoon of black pepper, its presence will be obvious to only the most discerning palates. The rest of us will enjoy a cookie that has an intense chocolate flavor that lingers on the tongue for a while after the cookie is gone. If you love chocolate, I hope you'll give these adult cookies a try. While the dough must be chilled before baking, the cookies are very easy to make. They keep well and are perfect accompaniments to afternoon tea or coffee. Bruce Weinstein developed this recipe which is an adaption of an old Viennese favorite. The cookies are delicious. Here's how they are made.
Viennese Chocolate Pepper Cookies...from the kitchen of one Perfect Bite courtesy of Bruce Weinstein
1-1/2 cups flour, plus additional for dusting the work surface
3/4 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (1-1/2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided use
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1) Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
2) Using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat butter to soften, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. If mixture is gritty beat an additional 2 minutes.
3) Beat in 3/4 teaspoon of pepper and all of allspice. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, just until combined.
4) Lightly dust work surface with flour and turn dough onto it. Roll into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate about 3 hours.
5) Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
6) Slice log into 1/4 inch-thick slices and place on sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 6 minutes then rotate sheets top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 6 more minutes until slightly puffed or springy to touch. Cool for 2 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7) Mix confectioners' sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Sift mixture over completely cooled cookies. Yield: 3 dozen cookies.
One Year Ago Today: Zucchini Gratin
Two Years Ago Today: Chipotle Marinated Pork Tenderloin
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Triple Chocolate Cookies - Christine's Pantry
German Chocolate Cookies - Cookie Madness
Double Chocolate Cookies with Chile - She's In the Kitchen
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies - Mrs.Reguiero's Kitchen
Mexican Spiced Chocolate Cookies - The Gourmet Collection
49 comments :
- Angie's Recipes said...
I am still not quite used to chillie chocolate combination, but I do enjoy the mild peppery touch in chocolate sweets. Those cookies look really tempting!
- September 13, 2011 at 12:13 AM
- Sanjeeta kk said...
Pepper in cookies..this sounds so exciting...and the cookies look absolutely gorgeous, Mary!
- September 13, 2011 at 12:26 AM
- Rita said...
I have always wanted to try these cookies; they must really have a special flavour.
Rita - September 13, 2011 at 12:44 AM
- Aldy said...
I would have never thought to add black pepper in cookies! It sounds wonderful :) And I bet they taste absolutely great. Love this post introduction, Mary.
Aldy. - September 13, 2011 at 12:50 AM
- Unknown said...
Oh Mary, these look so yummy! What an interesting recipe! I always enjoy your beautiful pictures and stories.
- September 13, 2011 at 1:33 AM
Oh peper cookies and than a chocolate what an invention:) Fantatsic;)
- September 13, 2011 at 3:04 AM
- Martha said...
These look delicious as well and pepper is a good flavor with chocolate -- I had a similar ice cream flavor at Christopher Elbow's!
I did make the Mexican cookies yesterday and although odd flavor combinations of orange and anise and cinnamon the finished cookie is yummy and one that I will make again -- it's a perfect coffee (or tea) cookie! - September 13, 2011 at 3:11 AM
- Linda Starr said...
I love chocolate and never knew about adding pepper to enhance the flavor, something I must try, thanks for recipe.
- September 13, 2011 at 3:37 AM
- Alessandra said...
I like them, and the idea of using pepper for the icing sugar too (I guess that what I call icing sugar you call confectioners' sugar...).
Alessandra - September 13, 2011 at 3:54 AM
- Angie said...
What an amazing blog ...found you by way of 'Hook Hand and Heart' ...I will be dipping in and out to have a good read ...past and present recipes .... this is going to be even better than reading a cookery book.
- September 13, 2011 at 4:37 AM
- Katarina said...
Sounds interesting to add pepper in cookies!
- September 13, 2011 at 4:52 AM
- Ana Rita Marreiros said...
Yesterday was anise, today is pepper...you are in a mood for spicies!!Loved th also!
Rita - September 13, 2011 at 5:00 AM
- Choclette said...
Mary, these sound divine and just my sort of biscuit. I keep meaning to try black pepper in my chocolate recipes, but have so far not managed it. I am bookmarking this recipe right now.
- September 13, 2011 at 5:25 AM
- Cheah said...
I would love to have a bite of this cookie just to see how it will taste. Looks good!
- September 13, 2011 at 6:11 AM
- Lynn said...
Sound like great cookies Mary, I love black pepper:@)
- September 13, 2011 at 6:44 AM
- Clint said...
This looks wonderful. I doubt very seriously that my palate is discerning enough to detect the pepper.
- September 13, 2011 at 7:15 AM
- Kim said...
Oh! I love chocolate and spices... I'm sure it is perfect with black pepper or any other kind of peppers. These looks really good!
- September 13, 2011 at 7:22 AM
- JasmyneTea said...
Oh wow, this would be awesome! I love chilli with my chocolate, so I think pepper would go well. I'll have to give these a go!
- September 13, 2011 at 8:24 AM
- A Sunflower Life said...
Just checked the pantry--I have all the ingredients to make these cookies. I'll have to give them a try since I love chocolate and I love black pepper!
- September 13, 2011 at 8:53 AM
- Unknown said...
I love the chili and chocolate combo, but I don't know if I've had the black pepper and chocolate combo before... I can't wait to see how they taste. They look fantastic!
- September 13, 2011 at 8:56 AM
- Karen (Back Road Journal) said...
I have to make these right away. I love pepper cookies but have not had chocolate pepper ones before.
- September 13, 2011 at 9:14 AM
- Diane said...
Must try these they sound fantastic. Keep well Diane
- September 13, 2011 at 9:29 AM
- Jocie's Mom said...
Such a neat idea! Never had a black pepper cookie before :) I bet it really adds a cool depth of flavor
- September 13, 2011 at 9:57 AM
- Kim of Mo Betta said...
Thank you so much for visiting and taking the time to look around!
- September 13, 2011 at 10:14 AM
- Unknown said...
This looks great! & tempting!
I do loves chocolate, especially the bitter one
I hope when I have a chance to try this recipe, I can taste the blackpaper ;)
Very temphing cookies! ;) - September 13, 2011 at 10:46 AM
- Julie said...
These sound so unique...I'll bet that pepper really adds to the flavor quite nicely :)
- September 13, 2011 at 11:42 AM
- That Girl said...
I like the idea of hidden pepper!
- September 13, 2011 at 12:18 PM
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
Sounds delicious - the pleasures of chocolate with just a little extra bite!
- September 13, 2011 at 12:23 PM
- Banana Wonder said...
Mmmm wow these sound so intriguing! I must make them. Yum! Thanks for the recipe.
- September 13, 2011 at 12:55 PM
- Joanne said...
I'm thinking the pepper must elevate these from mmm to MMMM.
- September 13, 2011 at 1:18 PM
- Chiara said...
Looks good Mary!Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! have a good day....
- September 13, 2011 at 2:25 PM
- Manasi said...
These cookies cry out sugar, spice and everything nice!
- September 13, 2011 at 2:56 PM
Deliziosi questi biscotti,bravissima!!;-))
Ciao un bacio - September 13, 2011 at 3:07 PM
- Margaret Murphy Tripp said...
These look great and just the thing to try my new Dutch process cocoa in!
- September 13, 2011 at 3:52 PM
- Inspired by eRecipeCards said...
I just love adult cookies... looks wonderful, and pepper in a cookie sounds terrific
- September 13, 2011 at 4:14 PM
- Saji said...
like the idea of using pepper with chocolate
- September 13, 2011 at 5:07 PM
- Unknown said...
these look excellent. I looooove pepper/spice with sweet chocolate, somehow the flavors are just perfect together.
Laura @ A Healthy Jalapeño - September 13, 2011 at 6:00 PM
- Vittle me this... said...
very interesting! I like the idea
- September 13, 2011 at 6:53 PM
- Jihane @ Sinful Sundays said...
Mmmm, it's like my fave Mexican dish--mole! The cookies look great! :)
- September 13, 2011 at 7:16 PM
- Mary | Deep South Dish said...
Sounds like a wonderful cookie Mary!
- September 13, 2011 at 7:50 PM
- Buttercup said...
Of all things, I've had visiting Vienna on my mind. These will be the next best thing to going there.
- September 13, 2011 at 9:42 PM
- Beckis Whole Life said...
These look yummy. I imagine that the pepper in these cookies adds a lot of flavor like ginger does in a gingerbread - with a little bit of kick!
- September 13, 2011 at 10:48 PM
- Marilyn @ Live First Write Later said...
Oh my goodness I'm so glad I've 'met' you today! I'll have to make these.
- September 13, 2011 at 11:54 PM
- Anna said...
I love that blue willow crops up in your pictures! My mother serves everything on blue willow :D and I LOVE chili and chocolate!!!!
- September 13, 2011 at 11:55 PM
- Erika Beth, the Messy Chef said...
Ican't wait to try this recipe! Pepper and chocolate = ooo!
- September 14, 2011 at 2:14 PM
- Leila said...
Made these tonight. Absolutely YUMMY! A hint of a bite combined with decadent chocolate goodness.
- September 18, 2011 at 6:05 PM
- Norma said...
I am so glad I am not your neighbor...I would probably be begging you foryour deserts and cookies.
- October 5, 2011 at 10:23 AM
- Erika Beth, the Messy Chef said...
I made these a couple of weeks ago and I don't see where it says to add in the flour mixture. I added it after the eggs and it worked fine. Check them out: http://lifestooshorttoskipdessert.blogspot.com/2011/12/viennese-chocolate-spice-cookies.html
- December 8, 2011 at 1:34 PM
- SCK Recipes said...
Hi, Mary ... I am so glad you stopped by my blog as it led me here. These cookies sound so delicious. And I have to say, the plate they are on is gorgeous! Have a wonderful day and thank you for sharing =))
- March 19, 2012 at 1:01 PM


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