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Value Line's Health objective group is a fairly small, yet surprisingly diverse, collection of mutual funds. Clearly, the funds in this category invest the vast majority of their assets in healthcare and related businesses. That said, there are a number of different variants within what would seem to be an otherwise narrow space.
The two biggest areas of differentiation are biotechnology and general healthcare funds. The former, such as Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund (FBDIX), strives to focus on companies at the forefront of medicine in what is called biotechnology—often these are small companies with novel drug compounds in the testing stage of research. The latter, meanwhile, may own shares of biotech companies like T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund (PRHSX), but enjoy a much broader mandate to invest in healthcare across all of its subsectors. These funds often own both mature companies, like the major pharmaceutical firms, and developing companies, like the biotechs or small medical device makers.
There are, of course, index offerings, such as Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHCIX), and leveraged funds, such as ProFunds Biotech Ultra Sector Fund (BIPIX) and ProFunds HealthCare UltraSector Fund (HCPIX). In addition, funds take different approaches to foreign exposure, with some using words like "global" in their name to highlight their worldwide focus.
There are also funds that focus on subsectors beyond the more established biotech niche, including ProFunds Pharmacuticals UltraSector Fund (PHPIX), a leveraged fund focusing on drug stocks; Fidelity Select Medical Delivery Fund (FSHCX); and Fidelity Select Medical Equipment and Systems Fund (FSMEX). Some of these niche categories are so narrow that there is only one fund specializing in the space (such as the two Fidelity offerings), while others have multiple entrants, such as the drug-focused ProFund.
Ultimately, if there is a particular healthcare niche one is interested in, there might just be a fund to fill the need—it's just important to ensure that it is managed in a way that is complementary to one's overall investment approach. For most investors, however, a broad-based healthcare-focused fund is probably most appropriate.
Over the long term, the Health objective group has been a good performer relative to the broader market, as measured by the Russell 3000 Index. For the 10-year period ended June 30, 2012, the group had an annualized gain of 7.2%, while the Index reported an annualized gain of 5.8%. Looking at the past five years and three years, the group had gains of 5.0% and 16.0%, respectively, while the Index reported increases of 0.4% and 16.7%. During the one-year period ended June 30, 2012, the Health objective group reported a return of 6.6%, compared with 3.8% for the Russell 3000 index. The group has a better-than-average risk rank of 2, indicating that funds in this group might appeal to many investors, including those that are risk-adverse.
Year to date through June 30, 2012, the Health objective group outperformed its benchmark, reporting an increase of 14.0% compared to a gain of 9.3% for the Russell 3000 Index.
One fund with a relatively high year-to-date return through June 30, 2012 is Rydex Biotechnology Fund A (RYBOX). This fund provides capital appreciation by investing in companies involved in research and development, genetic or other biological engineering, and in the design, manufacture, or sale of related biotechnology products or services.
The fund will invest in the securities of biotechnology companies with small to mid-sized market caps. Biotechnology outfits are engaged in the research, development, and manufacture of various biotechnological products, services, and processes; manufacture and/or distribute biotechnological and biomedical products, including devices and instruments; provide or benefit significantly from scientific and technological advances in biotechnology. The fund may also purchase American Depositary Receipts to gain exposure to foreign biotechnology companies and U.S. government securities.
The fund invests in the securities of a limited number of issuers conducting business in the biotechnology sector and therefore may be concentrated in an industry or group of industries within the biotechnology sector. The fund is non-diversified and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer in comparison to a diversified fund.
Another fund with very good year-to-date return is T. Rowe Price Health Services Fund (PRHSX). This fund is an aggressive equity fund seeking long-term capital growth through investments in companies expected to benefit from changes in the health care, medicine, or life sciences fields.
The fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of companies engaged in the research, development, production, or distribution of products or services related to health care, medicine, or the life sciences (collectively termed "health sciences").
While the fund can invest in companies of any size, the majority of fund assets are expected to be invested in large- and mid-capitalization companies. The fund defines the health sciences industry broadly and divides it into four main areas: pharmaceutical companies, health care services companies, medical products and devices providers, and biotechnology firms. Its allocation among these four areas varies depending on the relative potential seeen within each area and the outlook for the overall health sciences sector.
In general, the fund will follow a growth investment strategy, seeking companies whose earnings are expected to grow faster than inflation and the economy in general. When stock valuations seem unusually high, however, a "value" approach, which gives preference to seemingly undervalued companies, may be emphasized.
In pursuing its investment objective, the fund has the discretion to deviate from its normal investment criteria, as previously described, and purchase securities that the fund's management believes will provide an opportunity for substantial appreciation.
A third fund with a very good return through June 30, 2012 is Janus Global Life Sciences Fund A (JFNAX). This fund's objective is long term growth of capital.
It invests its net assets in securities of companies that the portfolio manager believes have a life science orientation. Generally speaking, the "life sciences" relate to maintaining or improving quality of life. These companies are generally engaged in research, development, production, or distribution of products or services related to health and personal care, medicine, or pharmaceuticals.
The fund normally invests in issuers from several different countries, which may include the United States. Management may, under unusual circumstances, invest in a single country. The fund may have significant exposure to emerging markets. Management may also invest in U.S. and foreign debt securities.
Management applies a "bottom up" approach in choosing investments. In other words, it looks at companies one at a time to determine if a company is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the fund's investment policies. The fund may invest its assets in derivatives, which are instruments that have a value derived from or directly linked to an underlying asset, such as equity securities, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates, or market indices, as substitutes for securities in which it invests. Management may invest in derivative instruments (by taking long and/or short positions) for different purposes, including hedging (to offset risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions) and to earn income and enhance returns. The fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, in an amount equal to up to 1/3 of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.
In the table below, we have listed 10 top-performing funds through June 30, 2012 that we follow in our Fund Advisor database.
10 Top Health Funds Performance
Fund Name
% Year-to-Date
Total Return
% 1 Month
% 3
% 6 Month
% 5 Year
Rydex Biotechnology Fund A
Fidelity Adv Biotechnology A
Fidelity Select Biotechnology
Prudential Jennison Health Science Fund A
JHT Health Sciences Trust Ser. I
T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund
VALIC Co 1 Health Sciences Fund
Janus Global Life Sciences Fund A
Manning & Napier Life Sciences Fund
Hartford Healthcare Fund A
Health Objective Group
At the time of this article's writing, the authors did not have positions in any of the funds mentioned.


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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina police officer will appear in court to face a voluntary manslaughter charge in the shooting death of an unarmed man.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Randall Kerrick has a first court appearance Monday morning.
The deadly encounter unfolded early Saturday after 24-year-old Jonathan A. Ferrell had apparently been in an automobile wreck.
He sought help at a nearby house, according to police. A woman answered the door and, when she didn't recognize the man, called 911.
Officers responding to the breaking and entering call found Ferrell nearby. Ferrell ran toward the officers, who tried to stop him with a Taser. Police said he continued to run toward them when Kerrick fired his gun, hitting Ferrell several times.
A police statement Saturday said the investigation showed the shooting was excessive.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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It's a Texas Derby in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
After the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas won their respective third round matches, the two Lone Star State rivals will face off in the round of 16 on Wednesday (8 p.m. CT, live stream on HoustonDynamo.com), with bragging rights again on the line.
Of course, this comes after a thrilling (and controversial) MLS regular season game in Frisco, in which FC Dallas came away with a 3-2 win and the rights to El Capitán, the replica 18th century mountain howitzer that goes to the winner of the season series between the two teams. But will that change after the teams meet in the Open Cup?
It's a question worth asking, and a question many have been asking us. What happens to the cannon if the Dynamo win on Wednesday night?
The short answer: probably nothing, at least according to the current rules.
The current guidlines for the distribution of El Capitán stipulate that the winner of the regular season series gets the cannon. Head-to-head goal differential is used as a tiebreaker, and if that's still even, then results from other competitions, such as MLS Cup playoffs or U.S. Open Cup matches, are taken into consideration. If everything is even, the holder of the cannon keeps possession.
Those rules are a change from the original arrangement, which used goal differential, then away goals scored and finally total goals scored as tiebreakers. This was implemented in 2006 and 2007, when the teams faced each other four times in the regular season--twice in Houston and twice in Frisco.
Matches outside of those in the regular season happened, but none in a way that would have impacted who received El Capitán (had there been provisions on how to handle those matches in the guidelines).
In 2006, Houston defeated FC Dallas 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the Open Cup, but also won the regular season series with a 2-1-1 record. They also faced off in the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals, where the Dynamo won 4-2 on aggregate over two games (0-1 loss in Frisco, 4-1 win in Houston). The series was already decided in the regular season that year, however, as the Dynamo went 3-0-1 against FCD.
The current state came about in reaction to the 2008 series, when the teams started playing each other three times per season. That season saw three draws in three matches between the rivals, and FC Dallas was proclaimed the victor via the away goals rule. Two of those matches occured in Houston, however, giving FC Dallas more opportunities for away goals and prompting both sides to reconsider the tiebreakers in place.
Then, in 2010, the Dynamo moved to the Eastern Conference, and the number of matches against FC Dallas dropped again. With a 34 game balanced schedule, every team played each other twice in the regular season. There was no need for tiebreakers in 2010 or 2011, as both teams won the season series outright, and no matches outside of MLS caused any confusion.
2012 brought another scheduling change, as teams would only face out-of-conference opponents once during the regular season. The Dynamo won the only meeting between the clubs that year.
Which brings us to 2013. The existing rules were clearly written for a multi-game regular season series and use SuperLiga results as a possible tiebreaker. Neither of these things can happen in the current state of affairs because of the MLS scheduling format and the fact that SuperLiga doesn't even exist anymore.
The rules of 2009 were written for those times, but we've failed to keep them updated for the current situations.
It's unlikely that anything will change who gets the cannon this year, but should the rules be modified to head off this type of confusion in the future?
Especially as the league anticipates the arrival of New York City FC in 2015 and regular season scheduling and possibly even conference affiliations change, can the clubs stay ahead of the curve and determine the fairest way to crown "the best Major League Soccer team in Texas during the year?"
Of course, a Dynamo loss or penalty shootout win (penalty shootouts are recorded as draws in official stats) would render this all a moot point for now, but that doesn't mean the issue should be ignored.
So what do you think? Does the system need to be overhauled, tweaked with, or left alone? If you were making the rules, how would you determine who reigns supreme in the Lone Star State?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! The best comment will receive two free tickets to Social Media Night on June 22!


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Chicken Cider Stew is a colorful fall stew with moist bites of chicken, sweet potatoes and carrots cooked in apple cider. The recipe makes up quickly and lucky thing, tastes good right away. It's a long-time favorite recipe, mine, yes, but also other Kitchen Parade readers. No wonder, it's hot, it's healthy, it's full of flavor. Better still? It's one of those one-pot quick supper recipes we all love so much. Enjoy!
"I absolutely love the Apple Cider Chicken Stew." ~ Amanda
"My husband ... loved it, and so did I!" ~ Kirsten
"I tried this over the weekend and it was excellent!" ~ Jenn
"Apple Cider Chicken Stew is DELISH!" ~ ColoradoCookie
"Excellent recipe and open to experimentation." ~ Phil
"OMG!!! That was great!!!! All full and happy." ~ Ann
"I made it last night – good!" ~ Pat
Over the years, I've collected several recipes that feature sweet potato, the thick-skinned, orange-fleshed tuber so packed with Vitamins A and C that some nutritionists call them a "super food".
Especially plentiful during the fall, sweet potatoes carry about a third fewer calories and carbohydrates than white potatoes. Even low-carb diets encourage sweet potatoes when others are a no-no.
If your experience with sweet potatoes is limited to sweet concoctions topped with marshmallow, try these simple recipes and be treated to rich flavor unadulterated by added sugar. I could make a meal out of either one!
MASHED SWEET POTATOESCook peeled sweet potatoes in boiling water until soft. Drain the water, then mash until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with a touch of butter.
ROASTED SWEET POTATOESPeel sweet potatoes and slice cross-wise about 1/3" thick. Spray or lightly brush both sides with olive oil, then arrange in single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt or parmesan cheese and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until edges become crispy and centers soft.
Total preparation time: 50 minutes
Makes 8 cups
- 2 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 rib celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 apple, cored and chopped in 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cups apple cider (see TIPS)
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme (or savory), crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
- 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
Cook bacon until crisp over medium heat in a large, heavy Dutch oven or braising dish. Remove bacon, chop and set aside.
Drain fat from pan, leaving only what coats the surface. Add onions, celery and chicken and sauté, stirring regularly, until onions are golden and chicken is cooked through.
Add carrots, sweet potatoes and apple and let cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add apple cider, water, ketchup, salt, savory, basil and pepper. Let simmer over low-medium heat about 20 minutes until carrots and sweet potatoes are cooked.
Put flour in small dish and slowly add 1/2 cup hot liquid from the stew to make a smooth paste. Stir into hot stew and cook another five minutes. Sprinkle with the cooked bacon. Serve and savor!
SERVING SUGGESTION Serve with rice cooked in half water, half apple cider, which adds a sweet, almost nutty flavor to the rice that complements the stew beautifully. That said, this stew is substantial on its own and really doesn't require a starch.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
from Kitchen Parade
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~ Delicious Microwave Sweet Potato ~
~ Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes ~
~ Fresh Candied Yams ~
~ more sweet potato recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture,
my food blog about vegetable recipes
More Apple Cider Recipes
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I couldn't find savory in the store, so I substituted Herbs de Provence for the herbs.
Thanks Alanna! 4th year of Chicken Cider Stew and I'm still going strong.
Here's why: I find that in a slow cooker, flavors and textures get all muddled, everything tastes the same instead of creating bursts of individual flavors in the same bite. For this particular recipe, the cooking time is quite short too, just 25 minutes. So maybe use that stove-top time to set the table, cook some rice, even, you know, pour yourself a glass of wine?
Thanks for asking, it is such a favorite recipe, I really should try it in the crockpot, just to see. :-)
1) If using chicken thighs, would you use the same amount as the breasts-1 1/2 lb? Or a certain quantity?
2) I'm thing that perhaps I might want to brown the thighs first, take them out and then sautée the vegetables and then put the chicken back in and proceed with rest of recipe.
Any thoughts on this method?
Sunny ~ Ah, good question. By the time you take off skins/bones, I'd go for almost lbs of chicken thighs to yield the equivalent amount of meat. Or if you like, allow one per serving, the guys will eat two! And yes, I'd brown the thighs if they're bone-in, though with boneless thighs, I just cut up the meat and toss it in with the onions/etc. I've made this recipe so often (and have learned how forgiving it is) that I usually just wing it. The essentials are some sort of meat (this week I intend to try it with beef!) and apple cider plus the ketchup (for a little acidity) and the apple/sweet potato/carrot combination (although butternut squash would work too instead of sweet potatoes).
Pat ~ Yay, another fan! Another idea, I served this last week with grits, they were excellent!
Last night, I was all set to start cooking, peeled the plastic off the pack of chicken...and was met with a terrible stench! The chicken went in the trash and a dig through the freezer unearthed some pork chops that would thaw quickly. It came out fantastic. I am not sure which I like better now, the stew with chicken or pork.
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna


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National Science Foundation
Air Pollution a Culprit in Worsening Drought and Flooding
Press Release • Nov 15, 2011 07:27 EST
Increases in aerosols can affect cloud development
A radar image of clouds; data from a decade of time played an important role in the results.
Credit and Larger Version
November 14, 2011
Increases in air pollution and other particulate matter in the atmosphere can strongly affect cloud development in ways that reduce precipitation in dry regions or seasons.
This while increasing rain, snowfall and the intensity of severe storms in wet regions or seasons, according to results of a new study.
The research provides the first clear evidence of how aerosols--soot, dust and other particulates in the atmosphere--may affect weather and climate.
The findings have important implications for the availability, management and use of water resources in regions across the United States and around the world.
"Using a 10-year dataset of atmospheric measurements, we have uncovered the long-term, net impact of aerosols on cloud height and thickness and the resulting changes in precipitation frequency and intensity," says Zhanqing Li, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Maryland and lead author of a paper reporting the results.
The paper was published today in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Co-authors are Feng Niu and Yanni Ding, also of the University of Maryland; Jiwen Fan of the U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Yangang Liu of the U.S. Department of Energy Brookhaven National Laboratory; and Daniel Rosenfeld of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
"Aerosols' effects on cloud and precipitation development are key questions for scientific community," says Chungu Lu, program director in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funded the research.
"The question is not only important for our understanding of the effects of natural processes and human activities on climate change, but for addressing issues in air pollution, disaster relief, water resource management and human weather modification."
In addition to the scope and timeframe of the research team's observations, the scientists matched their findings with results from a cloud-resolving computer model.
"Understanding interactions among clouds, aerosols and precipitation is one of the grand challenges for climate research in the decade ahead," says Tony Busalacchi, a scientist at the University of Maryland and chair of the Joint Scientific Committee of the World Climate Research Program.
"Findings from this study are a significant advance in our understanding of such processes, with implications for both climate science and sustainable development," says Busalacchi.
"We have known for a long time that aerosols impact both the heating and phase changes [such as condensing and freezing] of clouds, and that they can either inhibit or intensify clouds and precipitation," says Russell Dickerson, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Maryland.
"What we have not been able to determine until now is the net effect," says Dickerson. "This study shows that fine particulate matter, mostly from air pollution, impedes gentle rains while exacerbating severe storms. It adds urgency to the need to control sulfur, nitrogen and hydrocarbon emissions."
According to Steve Ghan of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, "This work confirms what previous cloud modeling studies had suggested: that although clouds are influenced by many factors, increasing aerosols enhances the variability of precipitation, suppressing it when precipitation is light and intensifying it when it is strong.
"This complex influence is completely missing from climate models, casting doubt on their ability to simulate the response of precipitation to changes in aerosol pollution."
Aerosols are tiny solid particles or liquid particles suspended in air. They include soot, dust and sulfate particles and are what we commonly think of when we talk about air pollution.
Aerosols come, for example, from the combustion of fossil fuels, from industrial and agricultural processes and from the accidental or deliberate burning of fields and forests.
They can be hazardous to human health and the environment.
Aerosol particles also affect the Earth's surface temperature by reflecting light back into space.
The variable cooling and heating that results is, in part, how aerosols modify the stability that dictates atmospheric vertical motion and cloud formation.
Aerosols also affect cloud microphysics because they serve as nuclei around which water droplets or ice particles form.
Both processes can affect cloud properties and rainfall. Different processes may work in harmony or offset each other, leading to complex yet inconclusive interpretations, scientists say, of their long-term net effect.
Researchers agree that greenhouse gases and aerosol particles are two major agents dictating climate change.
The mechanisms of climate warming effects of increased greenhouse gases are clear: they trap solar energy absorbed at the Earth's surface and prevent it from being radiated as heat back into space.
The climate effects of increased aerosols are much less certain.
"This study demonstrates the importance and value of keeping a long record of continuous and comprehensive measurements to identify and quantify the important roles of aerosols in climate processes," says Steve Schwartz, a scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
"While the mechanisms for some of these effects remain uncertain, the well-defined relationships discovered demonstrate their significance," says Schwartz. "Controlling for these processes in models remains a future challenge, but this study clearly points to important directions."
"The findings from ground measurements of long-term effects are consistent with the global effects revealed from satellite measurements reported in our separate study," says Li.
"They attest to the needs of tackling the climate and environmental changes that matter so much to our daily lives."
Media Contacts
Cheryl Dybas, NSF (703) 292-7734 email@example.com
Lee Tune, University of Maryland (301) email@example.com


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Used 2009 Toyota Tundra CrewMax Cab Review
Edmunds expert review
The 2009 Toyota Tundra gets it right in terms of performance, functionality and available configurations. It remains a worthy rival to established domestic models in this highly competitive segment.
What's new for 2009
Vehicle overview
The 2009 Toyota Tundra is essentially the same truck that made waves three years ago when it arrived on the scene as the first full-range, top-to-bottom overseas threat to the domestic truckmakers. With its robust chassis, wide range of body styles, available 381-horsepower V8, pleasant driving demeanor and distinctive interior, the Tundra set itself apart from the pack. The recently redesigned GM pickups were certainly viable challengers, but after living with both a Tundra and a Silverado in our long-term fleet over the past year, we ultimately determined that the Toyota was the better buy.
What a difference a year makes, or rather, what a difference two redesigned competitors make. After ruling the roost for its first couple years of production, the 2009 Toyota Tundra must now contend with the redesigned trucks from Dodge and Ford. Despite this onslaught, the Tundra sticks to its still-mighty guns for 2009, adding only a pair of limited-edition sport and off-road packages. The lineup of three stout engines, three bed lengths and three cab styles remains the same. Notably, the Tundra forgoes a traditional extended cab in favor of two crew-cab flavors: regular Double Cab and jumbo CrewMax. Now that Dodge's Mega Cab is discontinued, no other truck comes close to matching the Tundra CrewMax's rear-seat space.
During our long-term test of a Tundra Double Cab, it proved to be a capable workhorse that tackled all our towing, hauling and commuting needs without breaking a sweat. Its strapping 5.7-liter V8 and responsive six-speed automatic consistently impressed, and although the cabin evinced a few ergonomic missteps, it was generally durable, spacious and comfy. On the downside, the Tundra's wide haunches and expansive dashboard make it seem larger than some competitors from behind the wheel. Also, its rear suspension provides a significantly bouncier ride than the sophisticated coil-spring setup found in the new Dodge Ram.
The full-size-pickup segment is an embarrassment of riches these days. The new trucks from Dodge and Ford are impressive, but so are the GM full-sizers. In our most recent full-size truck comparison test, the Tundra was narrowed edged out of first place by the Ram. Nonetheless, the 2009 Toyota Tundra remains a well-built and thoroughly competent truck. Make sure it's on your to-drive list if you're shopping for one of these beasts of burden.
Trim levels & features
The 2009 Toyota Tundra is a full-size, half-ton pickup truck available in three body styles: regular cab, Double Cab (crew cab) and CrewMax (really big crew cab). Regular and Double Cabs can be ordered with either a 6.5-foot or 8-foot bed, while the CrewMax comes only with a 5.5-foot bed. Trim levels include base Grade, midlevel SR5 and plush Limited. The regular cab is only available in Grade trim, while Double Cab and CrewMax styles are available in all flavors.
Standard Grade features include 18-inch steel wheels, a bed light, a 40/20/40-split cloth bench seat, manual accessories, a tilt steering wheel, dual-zone manual climate control and a six-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary audio jack (four speakers in regular cab). The SR5 adds cruise control, full power accessories, heated mirrors, a console-mounted shifter, front bucket seats (the bench remains an option, returning the shifter to the steering column), a power driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a six-CD changer, keyless entry and rear heater ducts. Many of these options are available on the Grade. The SR5 CrewMax also includes a reclining and sliding rear seat and a power vertical-sliding rear window.
The Tundra Limited adds 18-inch alloy wheels, a bed rail system with adjustable tie-downs, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power passenger seat, automatic climate control, auto-dimming side mirrors, Bluetooth and a 10-speaker upgraded sound system with a subwoofer (12 speakers with CrewMax).
Other options include 20-inch wheels, driver memory functions, a navigation system, a back-up camera, a towing package and a sunroof (CrewMax only). The TRD Off-Road package available on the SR5 and Limited trims adds an off-road-tuned suspension, unique 18-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, front tow hooks and a sliding rear window. The TRD Rock Warrior package adds 17-inch alloy wheels, all-terrain tires, Bilstein shocks, a black cloth interior, foglamps and special exterior detailing and decals (available only on four-wheel-drive 5.7-liter Double Cab standard bed and CrewMax). The TRD Sport package includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a special shift knob and pedals, and unique detailing and decals (available only on two-wheel-drive 5.7-liter regular and Double Cab standard bed models).
Performance & mpg
Three engines are employed for duty underneath the Tundra's sculpted hood, and all versions of the Tundra can be equipped with two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Standard on the 4x2 Tundra regular cab and standard bed 4x2 Double Cab is a 4.0-liter V6 good for 236 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy for this engine is 15 mpg city/19 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined. Optional on these models and standard on all other Tundras is a 4.7-liter V8 with 271 hp and 313 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy with this V8 is 14/17/15 (13/16/15 with 4WD). Both these engines come standard with a five-speed automatic transmission.
Optional on all Tundras is a muscular 5.7-liter V8 that produces 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard. This truck is seriously quick, as a Double Cab SR5 4x4 we tested went from zero to 60 mph in just 6.9 seconds. Fuel economy is an estimated 13/17/15 mpg (14/18/16 with two-wheel drive). Properly equipped, the Tundra can tow between 10,100 and 10,800 pounds, depending on driveline and cab style.
Antilock disc brakes, traction control, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are all standard. In government crash testing, the 2009 Tundra scored four stars out of five in frontal impact tests for both driver and passenger. In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's frontal-offset crash testing, the Tundra earned the highest possible "Good" rating. In side impact crash testing, a Tundra Double Cab also achieved a "Good" rating.
The 5.7-liter V8 makes the 2009 Toyota Tundra one of the quickest pickups on the road, and the engine's delivery is impressively smooth. Shifts from the six-speed automatic transmission are prompt, and the console shifter's precise action makes it easy to use the manual mode while tackling steep highway grades or off-road challenges. The light steering further complements the Tundra's easy-to-drive nature.
We were satisfied with the Tundra's ride quality a few years ago, but the new Dodge Ram's rear coil spring suspension and the Ford F-150's sturdier frame make the Tundra seem jiggly by comparison. During our long-term test, rear seat passengers often complained about the choppy ride. Braking distances are a few feet off the pace of competitors, but we've found the Tundra is very good at resisting fade after multiple stops.
The 2009 Toyota Tundra has without a doubt the most stylish interior among full-size trucks. However, many of its audio controls are out of comfortable reach for the driver. Meanwhile, each gauge is housed in its own deep tunnel, resulting in less-than-stellar legibility. Materials quality is satisfactory for a full-size pickup, though the same can be said for the Tundra's rivals.
The regular cab offers comfortable seats as well as a generous amount of interior cargo space. In Double Cabs, the backseat is fully usable for adults, while the CrewMax offers the roomiest rear seat of any pickup truck. With a limolike 44.5 inches of rear legroom, even 6-footers can stretch out and cross their legs.
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We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
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text: Social networking increasingly important in b-to-g market By Mark Amtower. Published on July 26, 2013. Without a doubt, the influence of social networks in business-to-government marketing has grown exponentially over the past two years. According to market research company Market Connections, the social networks making the biggest inroads in business-to-government are LinkedIn and Google+. Other studies show that companies leveraging social networks are growing faster than those that don't. My observations in the b-to-g arena support this. When federal policy on allowing social networking started to shift in early 2011, use of social networks by the feds was low. Since the relaxing of the initial policies, federal presence on social networks, especially LinkedIn, has increased dramatically, with almost all federal agencies showing LinkedIn member numbers in the thousands, some in the tens of thousands. Due to the federal budget crunch, sequestration and revelations about misspending at government conferences, there has been a radical downturn in attendance at many conferences and other events by federal managers and influencers over the past 12 to 18 months. The lack of federal attendees at industry events—a mainstay of b-to-g marketing for decades—has contractors scrambling to find ways to get messages in front of buyers and other influencers. Enter social networks. LinkedIn has more than 10,000 groups focused on some aspect of "government," and hundreds, if not thousands, more focused on various business niches that overlap industry and government. About 200 groups discuss various aspects of government contracting. These represent communities of business professionals and government managers, and offer an open venue for idea sharing and discussions. Social networking platforms allow contractors to position themselves as subject matter experts in virtually any, and every, business field you can think of: ergonomics, productivity, IT, telecom, engineering, training, security, facilities management and healthcare. Government managers and influencers use the groups and other facets of LinkedIn to evaluate contractors and weigh options when looking at potential sources for products and services. Some of the big issues for contractors on LinkedIn are understanding that it is a marketing and positioning platform, not a sales platform—then recognizing that a profile on LinkedIn is not a presence. The first issue deals with those who feel the constant need to push their product or service regardless of the venue. While there is a place for these activities, that place is not social networks, where overt sales are viewed as spam. The second issue is somewhat more subtle. Having a profile and accumulating 500-plus connections does not take much effort, and many do so in short order. But they often do so without a strategy, without setting realistic goals. Those b-to-g companies leveraging LinkedIn with an overall strategy and set goals are generating quality leads, positioning themselves as subject-matter experts, sharing pertinent content and making valuable connections. Those without a well-defined strategy often sit there wondering why leads are not falling into their laps. Mark Amtower is a partner with Amtower & Co., a government sales and marketing consultancy. Most Popular In this article: BtoB


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Meet the Spartans (UK - BD RA/B)
Chris Gould does his best to sit through the worst mainstream movie he's seen
Hollywood has produced countless great films over the years, many of which I own on DVD and Blu-ray. Films such as The Godfather, Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings are examples of superb commercial features that have gone on to permeate every aspect of popular culture. Meet the Spartans is the complete antithesis of them all. It's the sort of film that makes me despair at the current state of movie-making, not to mention the state of mind of the people who actually paid to watch it.
I simply cannot remember viewing such an offensively bad (meaning poor, not good) film distributed by a major Hollywood studio. Sure, I've watched my fair share of DTV crap on VHS in the eighties, but this is Twentieth Century Fox, the studio responsible for bringing us such landmark films as Alien and the aforementioned Star Wars. Granted they've released their fair share of filler, but I can honestly say that I can't remember them serving up anything approaching the crassness of Meet the Spartans. Simply put, the film has no redeeming features. The plot, for want of a better word, is loosely based on Zack Snyder's adaptation of Frank Miller's 300, but when I say loosely I'm talking 'clown's pocket' proportions. Basically, it's just an exercise in cramming as many pop-culture references and film parodies into the running time as possible, with nods to such 'topical' events as Brittany Spears' mental breakdown.
No one is safe from their wrath. Along with Ms. Spears there are scathing attacks on such hard targets as Brad and Angelina, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and George Bush, along with a host of other 'celebrities' and pop-culture icons. Unfortunately each and every one of the celebrity impersonators is so bad that the characters in the film literally have to introduce them by name, just in case the audience fails to recognise them. So you end up with situations where an impersonator will do a questionable impression of a celebrity, only for one of the main characters to turn to the camera and say 'hey Ryan Seacrest' (or similar) with such a look of desperation in their eyes I almost felt sorry for them. It comes to something when a film as dumb as this doesn't credit its target audience with enough intelligence to understand the 'jokes'. It's like one giant admission of failure on the part witer/director duo Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg.
Of course when all else fails (which is the only constant in the film) the filmmakers fall back on the tried and tested dick and fart jokes, but these are so poor they make Kevin Smith look positively Kubrickian in his execution. I have to wonder which screenwriter came up with the idea of having the penguin from Happy Feet shit in Leonidas' mouth. Wow, comedy genius! Then of course one of the writers figured out that there were slight homosexual undertones running through 300, so we get endless 'the Spartans are bummers' gags. There's even a point where the Spartans wheel on a blue screen in an attempt to point out that 300 used a lot of CGI. What incisive minds these guys have! I don't think I can possibly overstate how repugnant Meet the Spartans actually is. In fact, I can't think of a single positive thing to say about the film, other than I wouldn't mind a crack at Carmen Electra (circa ten years ago).
When will these talentless, juvenile morons realise that there's more to parody than simply stringing a bunch of unrelated, unfunny sketches together around the (very) basic framework of a far superior movie? Even their previous shite-fests, such as Epic Movie and the Scary Movie series, didn't induce the level of retardation I experienced after watching Meet the Spartans. At the risk of causing offence, anyone who finds this film funny needs to take a long hard look at themselves, because the likelihood is that they're a total idiot. This isn't the first time I've felt cheated by a film, but it's the first time I've felt cheated by a film that I didn't have to pay to see. As it stands, I think Seltzer and Friedberg owe me and everyone else that sat through this cinematic abortion a refund and a sincere promise to never again inflict their particular brand of 'humour' on the world.
Fox presents Meet the Spartans in 1080p/24 (AVC) at its theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. To say that the transfer is far better than the film deserves is perhaps the understatement of the year, but since the film is deserving of nothing that was always going to be the case. The image is clean, colour rendition is good, contrast is solid and the level of detail on offer is fairly high. There is a fair amount of digital grain to be be found in the image, but this is intended to emulate the look of 300, so it's not a flaw in the transfer per se (the colours are also slightly desaturated in keeping with Zack Snyder's film). On the whole this is actually a pretty good looking transfer, but what's the point when no one in their right mind wants to watch the film in the first place? That visual clarity also has the unintended side-effect of showing up the cheap sets and poor effects.
The primary audio track for this release is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 effort that, like the video before it, is much better than the film deserves. As I have to keep pointing out in my reviews, I still can't experience the delights of full DTS-HD Master Audio, but the 1.5Mbps Core track is still pretty impressive considering the source material.
There's plenty of surround action from the start, with thunder claps, lighting (very, very frightening) and other ambient effects setting the mood. Panning from the front to the rear of the soundstage is also effective, while bass kicks in with an appreciable thud whenever it's called upon to lend its weight to an action scene. Dialogue is well balanced in the mix, although with Meet the Spartans that's a bit of a mixed blessing. Christopher Lennertz's score is actually a pretty good take-off of Tyler Bate's 300 score (which itself was a rip-off of the Titus score); in fact, it's probably the most impressive thing about the whole release...
First up we have a commentary track by writer/directors Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg, along with selected cast members. They sit around discussing the fun they had making the movie, laughing at all the on-set antics. Personally I couldn't care less about how much fun these people had while making this unholy abomination, but it is at least funnier than the film itself. Personally I think the filmmakers should have recorded an apology track, but there you go.
A 'Know Your Spartans' trivia game comes next. Basically you just have to answer questions on some of the characters and events 'spoofed' in the film. Get an answer right and Leonidas kicks someone into the Pit of Death. Get one wrong and nothing happens. If you still care after the first three questions, you're a better man than I. 'Meet the Spartans: The Music' is simply a way to jump to any of the musical numbers found in the film without having to endure the whole thing. It might be useful if they weren't so atrocious.
'Prepare for Thrusting' is a mercifully short featurette in which Kevin Sorbo (yes, the bloke who played Hercules) takes the crew through a short training regimen. I think it was supposed to be funny, but I couldn't find any evidence to support this theory. 'Tour the Set with Ike Barinholtz' is another short featurette in which a terrible Dane Cook impersonator gives us a quick tour of the set while everyone pretends to hate him. Once again, I couldn't give a toss.
A short gag reel follows, but to be honest the movie made me gag plenty all on its own. However, if you want to watch more puerile humour, this is for you. The 'Celebrity Kickoff' game asks you to kick celebrity impersonators into the pit of death using clumsy controls for little reward. Personally, I'd rather have played something along the lines of 'Execute the Meet the Spartans Writing Staff'. 'Super Pit of Death Ultimate Tactical Battle Challenge' (sounds Japanese) is yet another incredibly poor game that requires you to press the coloured buttons on your remote to kick various impersonators into the pit of death. Is it just me or is there a theme developing?
Things are rounded off by a couple of theatrical trailers and some weblinks. The trailers do nothing to suggest that the film is anything other than the crap-fest it turned out to be, so Christ knows why it took any money in the States. On paper the bonus material appeared more impressive than the film deserved, but closer inspection reveals that it's just as hollow as the main feature.
For once it doesn't matter what the rest of the disc is like, nothing can salvage this train wreck. I don't know how much attention (if any) people pay to our reviews, but if you buy this film on Blu-ray (or any other format) you'll have no one to blame but yourself. Furthermore, you'll only encourage the knuckle-dragging throwbacks who made this piece of crap to pull their fingers out of their arses long enough daub faeces onto what will undoubtedly become their next 'script'. I don't think I'm being unfair when I say that everyone involved in the creation of this film should be sterilised so that they can't pollute the gene pool. In fact, Meet the Spartans is so devoid of humour it makes paedophilia look positively hilarious. Do not buy this disc, not even in some half-arsed attempt at irony—you won't be subverting anything other than your own will to live. You have been warned.
As an aside, my Samsung BD-P1400 flat out refused to play this disc using the latest firmware. I'd like to thank Samsung for the undocumented 'taste filter' in their machines, even if it did mean I had to borrow a PS3 for this review.
* Note: The above images are taken from the Blu-ray release and resized for the page.
Review by Chris Gould
Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over
Disc Details
Release Date: 18th August 2008
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 1.85:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English, Audio Description 5.1 English, Dolby Digital 5.1 German, Dolby Digital 5.1 Hungarian, Dolby Digital 5.1 Portuguese, Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish (Castilian), Dolby Digital 5.1 Thai
Subtitles: Arabic, Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai
Extras: Commentary, Games, Featurettes, Gag Reel, Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Cast: Sean Maguire, Carmen Electra, Kevin Sorbo,Diedrich Bader, Ken Davitian
Genre: Comedy
Length: 86 minutes
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Romulo Yanes
Tapered eggplants and a mix of large and medium tomatoes will give your stacks a more graceful appearance.
- Yield
- Makes 4 light-lunch or first-course servings
- Active Time
- 45 min
- Total Time
- 50 min
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium eggplants (1 3/4 to 2 lb total)
- 1 large tomato (about 4 inches in diameter) and 2 medium tomatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
- 3 oz feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
- Garnish: finely shredded fresh basil leaves
- Blend basil with oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in blender until finely chopped. Pour into a paper-towel- or coffee-filter-lined sieve set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes. Gather together sides of towel or filter and press gently on it to extract more oil. (You will have a generous 1/3 cup oil.) Reserve 1 tablespoon basil oil separately for serving. Scrape basil solids into a small bowl and reserve.
- Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see "Grilling Procedure," below.
- While grill heats, cut off bottoms of eggplants, then cut 6 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise rounds from each, starting from cut end. Reserve remaining eggplant for another use. Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from large tomato and 2 center slices (1/3 inch thick) from each medium tomato, reserving remaining tomato for another use.
- Lightly brush eggplant rounds on both sides with basil oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, lightly brushing eggplant with more basil oil occasionally if it looks dry, until eggplant is very tender, 6 to 10 minutes. (Leave gas grill on.)
- Make stacks:
- On baking pan, arrange 4 largest eggplant rounds side by side and spread each with a generous 1/2 teaspoon of reserved basil solids, then top each with 1 of 4 largest tomato rounds. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and top each with about 1 tablespoon feta. Make another layer with medium-size eggplant rounds, basil solids, medium tomato rounds, salt, pepper, and feta, then top with remaining eggplant and feta.
- Set baking pan on grill and cook stacks, with grill cover closed, until heated through and cheese on top is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to 4 plates and drizzle plates with reserved basil oil.
- Grilling Procedure
- If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. When charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows:
- Hot: When you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds
- Medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds
- Low: 5 to 6 seconds
- If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.
Cooks' note:
If you aren't able to grill outdoors, cook eggplant in a hot lightly oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over moderately high heat, turning over once, about 20 to 25 minutes total. Bake stacks in shallow baking pan in a preheated 450°F oven, about 8 minutes.
Related Video
Nutritional Info
- Calories401
- Carbohydrates21 g(7%)
- Fat34 g(52%)
- Protein8 g(16%)
- Saturated Fat8 g(40%)
- Sodium269 mg(11%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat3 g
- Fiber10 g(38%)
- Monounsaturated Fat21 g
- Cholesterol25 mg(8%)


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Remember Sprint's Samsung Conquer 4G? You certainly should 'cause we showed it to you barely two weeks ago. Well, Samsung and Sprint have stopped the foreplay and just announced the thing. There's no info on pricing and availability, but I'm guessing Sprint will let us know in the very near future.
Like we told you before, the Conquer 4G raises the bar for what a low-priced Android phone should be. While the phones's 3.5-inch screen and 3.2 MP camera might tell us that this is just another cheapo Android device, its 4G speeds, front-facing camera and 1 GHz CPU tell us otherwise. Here's a summary of the Conquer 4G's hardware specifications:
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread
- 1GHz single-core Qualcomm MSM8655 processor
- 3.5-inch screen with a 320×480 pixel resolution
- Slider QWERTY keyboard
- 3.2 MP back-facing camera with LED flash
- 1.3 MP front-facing camera
- 4G support
- Sprint ID
It's hard to believe this phone can go toe to toe with the once mighty Nexus One. At this pace, I expect to see low-end Android phones next year with 3D screens, NFC and dual-core processors. The Conquer 4G will be competing with other affordable phones on Sprint (like the Optimus S. And from this moment on, I hope every other OEM recognizes the Conquer 4G's specs as the new blueprint for their future low-end Android phones.
We'll keep an eye out for the Conquer 4G's price and availability, and we'll update this article once we have them. If the Conquer 4G launches with a price below $100, will any of you guys consider buying one?


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Rubio to anti-gay group: Nation's morality at risk
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Sen. Marco Rubio told an anti-gay group that the fight to protect the nation's morality needs to be part of government debate.
Rubio was the keynote speaker at the Florida Family Policy Council's fundraising dinner Saturday night. He told the group that the debate in Washington should not be whether issues about moral values should be debated, but which issues to debate.
Likewise, he said the debate about whether God should be allowed in school or government is ridiculous because God is everywhere and doesn't need permission to be in either.
Rubio was well received by supporters of the group that led the effort to put a gay marriage ban in the state constitution. Before he began speaking, a guest shouted "Rubio for President."


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(Photo courtesy of MMA Weekly.)
Answer: Quite broken. Like, so broken that he might not be recovered in time to rematch Alistair Overeem on New Year's Eve. First, there's this interview with Filipovic (from dnevnik.hr, translated by Robert at betwwx.com) where he recounts the fight-stopping injury at DREAM.6 and stresses that he absolutely wasn't faking to get out of the match:
"The third strike to my balls was very strong…I know some people were saying that I was saved by the fact the match was ended. There was blood, but those cuts were nothing…I wasn't hurt until I got hit in the nuts. The third strike into the nuts was very powerful and the biggest problem was that the cup squashed my nuts…I need to go to the hospital for some check ups. I still have some problems, I pissed blood, but thats all part of the job."
MMA Convert (via Fightlinker) passes along more details about those check-ups, and things aren't sounding too pleasant:
Mirko will have to undergo a testicle exam which got injured in the Overeem fight. Mirko's genitals still hurt a lot says Dr. Zeljko Kapulica.
"Mirko's left testicle is still hurting and I have to examine it to determine whether it's stable in the scrotum; complications might occur if the testicle rotates and clogs the blood vessels. Also I need to check if the inguinal canal in which his tescticle was pushed in is open because it could lead to a hernia."
Gross. At this point, Cro Cop's life is imitating Ow! My Balls! Between this and the Cheick Kongo fight at UFC 75, his nards are like supermagnets for knees. Nobody wants to go out on such a low point, but could this be a sign that you maybe need to reconsider the way you make a living?


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Oxalate is a compound found in some foods, and it is also produced as
a waste product by the body. It exits the body through the urine. Too much
oxalate may cause
kidney stones in some people.
Foods high in oxalate include:
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Last Revised:
April 28, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine & Tushar J. Vachharajani, MD, FASN, FACP - Nephrology
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text:
QR codes, those square-dotted bar codes that open up a page of information or �quick response� action when scanned by a smartphone, are everywhere these days. You find them on business forms, advertisements and at points of interest.
QR codes are also starting to crop up in unexpected places such as hanging in a pine tree or affixed to the underside of a railing in a park.
It�s revenge of the gadget nerds.
One of the latest things to do with a smartphone is to play Munzee, a hide-and-seek game in which people find and scan, or �capture,� game pieces containing a registered QR code. The person who captures the munzee game piece code automatically receives points. So does the person who hid, or �deployed,� the munzee.
The name Munzee comes from the German word M�nze, which means coin.
�The original idea was to use poker chips or coins� for game pieces, said Robert Vardeman, director of business and community relations for Munzee. �We settled on the fact that it would be easier for people to print their own QR codes on paper.�
Mr. Vardeman said that for reasons not totally clear to him, Germany was one of the first places the game really took off, along with California and Michigan.
This newcomer to geolocation games follows in the footsteps of geocaching, launched in 2000, in which participants search for hidden containers using handheld GPS units. And both games are 21st-century versions of letterboxing, the original geographic hide-and-seek game which uses written clues.
Veteran geocacher and MetroPCS cellphone technician Michael F. Mann of Millbury heard about Munzee in May at GeoWoodstock, a national gathering of geocaching fans.
Mr. Mann was intrigued by the prospect of being able to score a find inconspicuously by scanning a code with his phone, rather than having to root around for a hidden container and sign a geocaching logbook, often drawing stares from passers-by.
�I figured it was a good complement to get into the urban areas,� Mr. Mann said, who is a novice �munzer� but has found 965 geocaches with his wife, Maxine.
He�s enjoyed capturing a handful of munzees so far in the area, but he added, �I don�t think it�s worth walking two miles in the woods to take a picture of a bar code.�
Manny Orejola of Grafton, a tech support specialist for Cisco Systems, discovered Munzee in August while driving his daughter to college in Iowa. He wanted to stop in Le Claire, Iowa at the home of the History Channel�s reality TV series on antique collectors, �American Pickers.�
A geocache and letterbox are hidden in a Nash automobile there. Mr. Orejola, an avid geocacher, found the munzee QR game piece inside the hidden cache container.
�What�s this thing called Munzee?� he said he asked himself. �So I scanned it.�
He was immediately hooked.
Since then, Mr. Orejola has captured more than 100 munzees and deployed some 70 others, including �virtual munzees� at sites such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
The person who captures a virtual munzee doesn�t scan a QR code, but has to be within 300 feet of the site�s coordinates � based on the smartphone�s internal GPS � for the capture to register points.
Mr. Orejola and another munzer have developed themes for their deployed munzees. The �Local Ice Cream Konnoisseur Series,� or LICKS, features munzees hidden near ice cream stands like Swirls �n Scoops in Grafton and West End Creamery in Northbridge.
They�ve recently branched out to include barbeque restaurants such as Buck�s Roadside BBQ in Auburn as part of a munzee theme.
�We also hide them in parks where there�s a geocache nearby, so geocachers get more bang for the buck,� Mr. Orejola said.
But he said he�s received some resistance from geocaching organizers about placing caches along with munzees. �The folks at Geocaching (Groundspeak) consider it a competitive product, for reasons I don�t understand, because they really go hand in hand.�
Mr. Vardeman, one of Munzee�s four staff members based near Dallas, Texas, said Aaron Benzick, Munzee founder and iPhone application developer, came up with the idea for the game in 2008 when QR codes became popular. The game had to wait, however, until smartphone use and capabilities caught up.
After testing with friends and family around Prosper, Texas, Mr. Benzick and two co-founders launched Munzee July 1, 2011.
The Munzee app can be downloaded on iPhones, Androids, Windows Phones and iPads with 3G, but not on BlackBerries.
The game has spread to more than 50 countries and there�s at least one deployed munzee on every continent, including Antarctica.
�It was total word of mouth,� Mr. Vardeman said about Munzee�s growth.
Although director of business and community relations for Munzee, Mr. Vardeman has a day job as a fifth-grade math teacher.
�We all have full-time jobs,� he said.
Mr. Benzick is a Web developer and a police officer from Plano, Texas, and co-founders Scott Foster and Chris Pick are Web developers.
�We do this during the evening. It�s our passion and our love,� Mr. Vardeman said. �We�re obviously looking for it not to be part time.�
A basic Munzee registration is free, which allows the user to hunt for and capture munzees and deploy regular munzees. There is a small charge to deploy some special munzees.
Some �business munzees� can be captured at retail locations and the finder receives loyalty rewards in addition to capture points. A standard business munzee doesn�t cost the business anything but the Munzee company is considering offering products with promotional logos and other marketing services.
Jason Terho, co-owner of Twin City Fuel in Fitchburg, has deployed one of the few business munzees in the region. Munzers who scan the QR code at the office can come in for a free ice scraper, he said, although his real purpose was just to have fun and get more people interested in the game.
Mr. Terho said he hasn�t had many captures, but, �A lot of people have been asking about it. It definitely generates conversation when people walk in and see a giant QR sign on the door.�
Mr. Terho has been a munzer since May, capturing munzees up and down the East Coast. He said he liked the immediate gratification of getting points when he captures a munzee.
�My biggest reason (to do it) is to compete with my brother to see who can get the most points. It�s a brotherly competition thing.�
So far, Jason is winning.
He also thinks it�s a more healthful family pastime that sitting around watching TV.
�The kids love it and I like it because it gets them outside,� Mr. Terho said.