text:
Financial services for the unbanked are among the most promising opportunities for mobile-telecom operators hoping to counter slowing subscription growth with auxiliary offerings, such as banking, health care, and education services. In emerging markets, formal banking reaches about 37 percent of the population, compared with a 50 percent penetration rate for mobile phones. For every 10,000 people, these countries have one bank branch and one ATM—but 5,100 mobile phones.
A new focus on bringing financial services to the unbanked—those without easy access to traditional banking channels—represents a strategic shift for mobile operators. The very small deposits and loans held by poorer customers make them unprofitable for banks that use traditional delivery models. But mobile devices reduce the cost to serve customers by 50 to 70 percent, making it possible to offer financial services to a vast population once considered unprofitable.
The commercial potential for mobile operators could be significant. Our estimates reflect research, on 147 countries, that we conducted together with the GSMA (mobile industry trade group) and CGAP (independent policy and research center dedicated to advancing financial access for the world's poor). They show that about one billion people in emerging markets have a mobile phone but no access to banking services; by 2012 this population will reach 1.7 billion. Today, only about 45 million people without traditional bank accounts use mobile money, but we expect that this number could rise to 360 million by 2012 if mobile operators were to achieve the adoption rates of some early movers. By that year, the opportunity could generate $5 billion annually in direct revenue, primarily from fees for financial services such as transactions and cash out, and an additional $3 billion annually in indirect revenue, including reduced churn and higher average revenues per user for traditional voice and short message service (SMS).
In the Philippines, for example, mobile-subscriber penetration is almost 80 percent, but banking penetration is only around 35 percent, leaving 21 million mobile subscribers with no bank account (Exhibit 1). If operators in the Philippines could bring mobile-money penetration rates among the unbanked into line with those achieved by best-practice operators elsewhere, they could acquire four million to five million new customers and add two to three percentage points of growth to their revenues. And these numbers don't include earnings on loans and deposits, which we conservatively estimate could be a further $60 million to $80 million. Introductory mobile-money services also set the stage for additional cross-selling and up-selling in the future. In addition, eight million unbanked people in the Philippines don't have mobile phones, and mobile money could make phone subscriptions more attractive to this segment.
Few mobile-money users
Beyond the commercial potential, mobile money can have social and economic benefits. Access to financial services lowers the cost of sending and receiving remittances, improves the safety and security of cash, and makes payments more convenient. More important, it promotes saving and borrowing, allowing families to pursue economic initiatives, generate income, and accumulate small amounts of net worth. As a result, it may make it easier for lower-income families to meet their periodic expenses, such as school fees and rent, or to buy seeds at planting time and fertilizer over the growing season. Mobile money also offers a savings cushion against expected and unexpected events, such as weddings or health emergencies.
Creating a working mobile-money model will be complicated. It calls for coupling physical assets and capabilities from two distinct domains, telephony and banking, as well as for partnerships with a variety of players—some unfamiliar—to manage cash collections and disbursements and promote adoption. Early movers that crack the code can not only capture the opportunity in their home markets but also have unique know-how that would be valuable in other geographies, either through strategic alliances or direct investment.
A strategic shift toward the unbanked
The technology needed to use mobile devices in financial services has been around for more than a decade, but the focus on using the technology to bring them to the unbanked is a recent development. In the original model, mobile phones acted as a payment and information device for people who already had bank accounts. But a strategic shift now targets the unbanked, who are being offered a broad set of financial services, including savings and credit.
In the basic model for mobile money, customers deposit funds by giving cash to agents, who credit the accounts using a special text-messaging system. Also using text messages, subscribers can make payments from their accounts to retailers in the system or transfer money to others. They can withdraw cash from any agent in the system as well. Loans and other services follow a similar pattern.
SmartMoney and GCash (in the Philippines) and M-Pesa (in Kenya) are at the leading edge of this shift, which is now gaining momentum. In our study with the GSMA and CGAP, we estimated that 120 operators in 70 markets will deploy mobile-money offerings within the next 6 to 12 months. Half of the operators we surveyed said that the unbanked were their principal target. But except for a few notable cases, most of these operators are in the early stages of development; nearly three-fourths have been at it for less than two years.
Understanding the unbanked
Most mobile operators know little about the financial needs and habits of the unbanked. Limited information is available about their saving, borrowing, and payment habits; what they want; whom they trust; and how they buy. Some operators have gained insights through trial and error, but this approach is costly and slow. To help fill the gap, we took a close look at several markets, including the Philippines and India.
In general, the unbanked—even the lowest-income segments—actively use informal financial services. Without access to traditional banks, many turn to their families or communities or to pawn shops when they need credit. Nearly 90 percent store money at home, with a household member, a friend, or a village savings club. Some buy assets, such as cows or chickens, as a store of value. These informal channels tend to be unreliable and expensive.
Nearly 60 percent of unbanked mobile customers in the Philippines keep some form of savings, with a median balance of $40 (about 15 times the average daily income). Our survey also showed that 13 percent of unbanked Filipinos borrow: 55 percent from family or friends, 17 percent from microfinance institutions, and 13 percent from moneylenders. In India, about 20 percent of the unbanked borrow, but in that market moneylenders are the primary source (60 percent of these loans). Family and friends account for about 12 percent.
Low-income households in both countries cited many of the same reasons—primarily liquidity—for using informal channels. Such households want quick access to funds, so the proximity of outlets and round-the-clock availability are essential. Few banks can meet these needs, because typically outlets are centered in urban areas and the unbanked mostly live in the countryside. Although more than 50 percent of the unbanked in India have considered using banks, only about half have done so, and our survey showed that distance is one of the top five obstacles (Exhibit 2). These households also need flexible repayment terms, and here again banks fall short. Even when low-income workers do have access to a nearby traditional bank branch, they can find the environment alien and intimidating.
Bank avoidance
Ethnographic testing and focus groups provide nuanced insights into demand in India. The primary requirements of its low-income households go beyond simple savings vehicles. Many households are looking for a way to help them manage their money or cash flow. But for these consumers, money management is different from pure long-term savings or credit. Its principal focus is balancing times of cash surplus and cash deficits over a typical salary cycle—for example, 30 days.
Rural families, for instance, take in large sums at harvest time. Without a vehicle for savings and cash flow management, they generally store harvest funds at home, and the cash gradually dwindles as it's tapped for discretionary purchases. When the time comes to plant seeds for the next growing season, there's not enough money on hand to pay for them. As a result, these families turn to informal lenders, whose rates can be quite high. Many people often run deficits for two to three weeks every month. Small entrepreneurs may be in the red for much longer periods (Exhibit 3). The ensuing debt cycle is hard to break.
Empty pockets
Looking at the requirements of low-income people who already use mobile-money services, we see that products for sending and receiving money are important as well. Many young men and women seek jobs in the larger domestic cities and abroad, and these people need a way to send money home. Money transfers are the most widely used mobile-money service in the Philippines: more than 50 percent of current subscribers use it—40 percent of them more than once a week. The alternatives are perceived as more expensive (money transfer agents) or less reliable (using bus and taxi drivers to deliver cash).
Our research shows an openness to using mobile devices to meet some of these needs. Nearly two-thirds of Philippine unbanked mobile subscribers knew about mobile money, and almost as many—about 60 percent—expressed no misgivings about trying it. Most observers assume that low-income households are cash poor, so it's surprising that nearly 55 percent of those we surveyed were interested in savings products, compared with 17 percent in insurance and 12 percent in straight credit.
Lowest tiers highly interested
Despite a common assumption that people with little money are relatively indifferent to banking, our work showed that even the lowest-income segment has a strong interest in mobile money. In the Philippines, about 8 percent of the unbanked have subscribed to it. Of these 1.6 million customers, almost one in five—300,000—come from households at the base of the income pyramid: those earning less than $5 a day. While the numbers remain low, several promising tendencies suggest an eagerness to take advantage of mobile money.
Of the lowest-income households we surveyed, about 65 percent said they wanted to use mobile money as a savings vehicle, compared with 50 percent across all income groups. Also, a larger portion of the poorest customers save, and they save nearly as much as the others do. Overall, 6 percent of subscribers to mobile money use it to store value, and their median balance is about $40. But among the poorest segment, about 10 percent have accounts, with an average balance of about $31. Mobile money may even be encouraging the lowest-income groups to save: those who save using informal methods report lower average balances—for example, 44 percent, with an average balance of $19, say that they save at home, and 9 percent, with an average balance of $26, save with a village savings club. It's not clear whether (or how) mobile-money accounts encourage people to save more than other vehicles do or if they simply attract customers with a higher propensity to save. But this noteworthy correlation provides a promising indication of the demand for and value of a mobile phone–based savings vehicle among the poorest income segments and its impact on their lives.
Overall, the results are encouraging for mobile operators and banks. They show that the unbanked desire to use a range of financial services, particularly savings, and—especially among the lowest-income groups—are comfortable using mobile devices to get them.
Getting to market
To make mobile money for the unbanked commercially viable, operators must sign up 15 to 20 percent of the addressable market. This range is well within the experience of early movers, whose take-up rates have varied from 1 percent to 35 percent. Regionally, the greatest success has been in Eastern Europe (22 percent), the lowest in Asia (around 5 percent).
Mobile operators have distinct advantages. In surveys, nearly two times more respondents recognize mobile brands than bank brands. Respondents also tend to trust mobile brands more than banks. The issue of lost airtime is prominent in the minds of respondents, however, and could be a knockout factor if it isn't definitively addressed.
Mobile money operates at the intersection of banking and telephony, so skills in both are needed to get products to market. This requirement creates three challenges that any successful model must overcome. Mobile-money operators need a distribution network that can take in and dispense cash from accounts. Operators must work to shape regulations so that they don't undermine the economics of mobile money. Finally, they need access to financial-services capabilities, most likely from a partner financial institution.
Low-cost distribution, leveraging unique partners
Consumer adoption will turn on the extent of access. Mobile-money operators must create an access network to take cash for deposits and payments and to distribute it for withdrawals and loans (known in the industry as cash-in/cash-out). There must also be a process and location to take applications for other services, such as loans.
Our experience shows that when a cash agent is more than 15 minutes away, mobile money has relatively little appeal, and customers use it once or twice a month. But when the agent is less than 10 minutes away, usage rises to 10 times a month—and for those within 2 minutes of an agent, to 30 times a month. Clearly, proximity of access is vital for getting the unbanked to move from informal financial services to mobile money. Operationally this means creating a low-cost, ubiquitous distribution network.
Mobile operators are experimenting with several ways to create widespread, low-cost distribution. All these approaches involve the use of partners, some of which may not be familiar. One option relies on existing retail networks that sell prepaid cards. Smart Communications in the Philippines, for example, has one million airtime resellers (the whole country has only about 5,000 bank branches). Taking advantage of existing relationships, mobile operators could find tapping into this network, or at least a part of it, relatively easy. Many of these retailers are street-side kiosks, however, and may have difficulty meeting the physical and process requirements associated with security standards and customer enrollment.
A second option is to ally with partners—for example, microfinance institutions, post offices, ubiquitous retailers (including government-owned chains), utility payment centers, or gas stations—that already have the reach needed to access target customers. Operators would provide the basic product design, service requirements, and back-office processing, while the partners would run the cash-in/cash-out facilities. The fundamental idea is that the partner would have an existing distribution network, allowing the mobile operator to avoid footing the bill for the outlets.
Operators may also develop a network from scratch. With the help of airtime retailers, for example, exclusive agents working directly with subscribers to collect and distribute cash could be based in villages and made responsible for specific territories. Although complex to create, a village-based network would have the local knowledge needed to evaluate credit requests and pursue collections. Other industries have used similar models. GlaxoSmithKline has enlisted midwives to distribute specialized vaccines to infants in the Philippines, for example, and rural women in India work for Hindustan Unilever as sales representatives in their communities.
The option (or mix of options) fitting an individual market depends on finding the right balance among three imperatives: customer service skills beyond basic retailing, low costs, and compliance with security and financial regulations.
Shaping regulation
Because the distribution partner is engaging in financial transactions, there will be pressure to put such networks under financial-services regulation, at least to some degree. The broader the product offering—such as money transfers and savings and credit—the greater the pressure to bring these operations under the financial supervisory umbrella. Regulators will naturally require compliance with "know your customer" and anti-money-laundering rules to contain fraud and other criminal activities. Some operational aspects will also be subject to safety and soundness guidelines, including regulatory-capital rules.
Mobile operators will need to help regulators build a framework of rules proportionate to the services on offer. While there are important risks to consider, bringing mobile-money services under the same requirements facing traditional banks would undermine the economics. The objective should be to create a regulatory regime that enables operators to extend formal financial services to the poor and is appropriate for the level of risk created.
In many countries, regulators have already signaled a willingness to work with mobile operators to find this balance. Our global study showed that 60 percent of the mobile operators believed that regulators are indeed open to designing rules that allow mobile money to serve its target customers. Yet 80 percent didn't think that regulators would grant low-value transactions exemption from anti-money-laundering rules.
In helping to create an appropriate regulatory framework, mobile operators should ally with an industry many might consider their natural rivals: banks and other financial institutions. Both industries are adept at working with governments to craft regulations, however, and since using mobile devices to bring financial services to the unbanked is new territory, there's little existing turf for either industry to protect and far more common ground. Indeed, successful models will probably require partnerships between companies in both industries. A first step would be to jointly develop a clear view of the full set of regulatory innovations that would support mobile banking while addressing legitimate risks and to articulate the social and commercial benefits of adopting those rules. Few players have gone down this road so far. Bank of the Philippines (BPI) and Globe in the Philippines are notable exceptions.
Acquiring the right skills
Financial-services capabilities are required across the mobile-money value chain, from designing products to managing the flow of funds to handling clearing and settlement. To offer mobile money, mobile operators must acquire these skills quickly.
In the early going, many have opted to build such capabilities internally. While autonomy may bring some advantages, such as not having to share profits, these may be outweighed by the disadvantages. Financial capabilities could take months or years to develop and deploy, allowing speedier competitors to break ahead. What's more, this approach would limit the range of products a mobile operator can offer. In addition, interest-bearing deposits or credit offerings will inevitably bring a mobile-money service under the oversight of banking regulators, which will either prohibit them or require some sort of banking license.
We believe that successful mobile-money operators are more likely to partner with a financial institution to gain the needed financial-services capabilities and license quickly. Early movers are trying two approaches. In the first, the mobile operator partners with an established financial institution that offers the needed capabilities, providing for a fuller product offering. Keeping costs under control is crucial, since burdening a mobile-money service with fully loaded banking costs will scuttle it. The partners must therefore work out an agreement that bases costs on the specific set of services provided by the mobile-money operation. This model has been deployed by Globe and BPI in the Philippines and is being explored in other markets. The idea is to leverage the financial capabilities of the bank partner and to build up a special-agent network for distribution.
Mobile operators could also consider founding a bank, possibly as a joint venture with an existing one. Its sole purpose would be to provide the core banking capabilities for the mobile-money business and to manage regulatory compliance, back-office operations, product design, and the distribution network. Such a bank could control costs relatively well, since it would avoid legacy costs or, in the case of a joint venture, would be structurally separate from the partner bank. Some models may not require a full banking license.
As subscription growth slows, mobile operators are turning to auxiliary services like mobile money, which allows them to build on their technical expertise, customer base, and, in part, existing distribution networks. A new strategic direction that focuses on using mobile devices to bring financial services to the unbanked has shown significant potential in early markets.
But to succeed, mobile operators must gain distinctive insights into low-income consumers, develop a widespread and inexpensive distribution network (sometimes with unfamiliar partners), and acquire financial-services skills. It's a tall order, but players getting it right can add two to three percentage points to revenue growth in their home markets—a huge benefit amid declining growth rates for traditional mobile services—and create a platform to move into other geographic markets.


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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
There she is, Miss Man-on-Woman Marriage!
Miss California thinks that it cost her the crown.
***check waterproof mascara then cue tears***
A bitch looked at the tape whilst drinking my morning coffee and…well, I think she may be right.
Catch the knee before you put someone's eye out!
I hope Miss California is right because this bitch thinks her answer was unattractive as a motherfucker, un-American and worthy of costing a contestant a crown.
Oh no, she didn't?!?
Oh yes, I did!
I'm not saying that people don't have the right to be wrong…to express their wrong as hell fucked up from the floor up values…and even share their opinion that their beliefs should be the law of the land even though the law of the land was intended to protect the minority group from the whims of the majority.
A bitch is a proud ACLU supporter and I'll fight like hell to protect the right of the citizen to have public displays of ig'nance…mostly because that shit protects this bitch's ability to indulge in public displays of bitchitude-based brilliance (wink).
But what Miss California doesn't get and probably won't ever get is that no amount of MAC eye shadow or lip gloss or 'no disrespect intended, for sure…I just think y'all aren't worthy of the thousands of rights associated with legal marriage anymore than I think brunettes should win this title!' can make her opinion of marriage being an exclusive man-on-woman right attractive.
And, since pageants are subjective as a motherfucker…just look at who made the final cut, for the love of all that's the return of the 1980's Seventeen magazine cover model…the judges were in the right to judge that answer to be unpretty.
Pause...sing TLC's UnPretty chorus...continue.
Miss California should review the film…cease channeling her inner Coulter…find the empowerment to approach her social values the way she tackled her natural hair color and make that change.
30 comments:
- NativeNYker said...
As always your post is a brilliant assessment of the incident with just enuf bitch-ness and the rite dose of politic!
Work it out, girl!
Rants, Thoughts & Merde
http://www.rantsthoughtsmerde.com/2009/04/jenna-dewan-virginal-in-white.html - 9:16 AM
- Sparky said...
Ah it's part of that lovely special "free speech" argument I see going round among the prejudiced set.
See, THEIR freedom of speech means that the rest of us are to allow them to say whatever they want - no matter how hateful or prejudiced or offensive - but we're not allowed to criticise (OUR freedom of speech be damned) nor should they ever face consequences from what they say (like us not liking them/voting for them or think they're bigots).
It's a very very very special version of Freedom of Speech and requires a whole ton of entitlement to pull off - 9:25 AM
I read that the woman had the option of choosing from which judge she wanted to take a question. What I don't understand is why, given her attitudes, she chose the very openly gay Perez. Doesn't seem like a smart move to me.
Still, I don't know that being a judge on a tacky beauty contest is all that much more politically appealing than opposing gay marriage. - 9:32 AM
- Roxtar73 said...
You have no understanding of the intentions of the founding fathers, their goal was to ensure that rich white men stayed rich. that was the purpose of their intent. fortunately there was a bill of rights added at the end to protect us little people.
- Shark-Fu said...
Roxtar73...you have no home training.
And since I didn't share with you my understanding of the intentions of the founders, you have no understanding of my understanding of their intention.
Lawd, give me strength... - 10:28 AM
What her PR people probably have told her is that by saying she is opposed to equality and that it cost her the crown, she can turn around and say that they(those who do not agree with her) are being bigotted towards her. She becomes the victim, even though she is the bigot! This is the slippery slope on which we all now live.
Has anyone one out there read, The Man Who Sold The World. It's about Reaganomics and it speaks to this idea that these bigots/big business lovers/haters of the common folk have that they are the true victims, eventhough they are the ones causing all the problems. They simply can not see that they are the problem. This woman is the problem and so are all the other men and women who work daily to oppress others. - 2:58 PM
I watched the video of this and you nailed it, Bitch. I think her comments lost her the crown, but deservedly so. If she is so unaware of facts that she doesn't know that one CAN'T choose what kind of marriage (it's ILLEGAL in my state, princess) then she doesn't get to win.
Anonymous has a point. She has already appeared on FOX and has positioned herself as the victim.
The smoke and mirrors tour has kicked off. - 7:13 PM
- Nat said...
Let's face it, it's a pageant. I don't get why we're still have these in this day and age. And to expect the best and brightest to enter is foolish really. What you get is pretty with a lot of media training.
Now if I may descend into the unpretty for a moment. What really cost her the crown was her enormous head and that weird boob job... - 10:07 PM
- SagaciousHillbilly said...
Yea, the beauty queen sounded like one of those religious fundie extremists, but the question I gotta ask is: who gives a damn what some dumb fuck barbie doll beauty queen from Calleefornia thinks about gay marriage?
First of all, will we ever get rid of the anachronistic, misogynistic Miss Twat USA/Universe/whatever?
As a native Californian, in some fucked up way, she does reflect the ignorance and stupidity of our "hip and progressive" state judging from Prop H8's success. Wake up California! - 12:27 AM
- Jeffrey Ricker said...
That rancid heifer can kiss my big gay ass. C U Next Tuesday, Miss Kalifornia.
- NativeNYker said...
Dear SagaciousHillbilly;
We do need to care about what this "dumb fuck barbie doll beauty queen from Calleefornia thinks" cuz, given the platform from which she spoke - televised globally, it registered with all those who look to a "figure head" dumbass for validation of their bigotry and hate!
Its fucked up but the reality of the world we are in! Need someone point out that ignorance seldomly looks outside its own box for education!
Rants, Thoughts & Merde
http://www.rantsthoughtsmerde.com/2009/04/debra-messing-tff-vf-fete.html - 8:11 AM
- Shady_Grady said...
I thought it was a pretty good statement in that she mentioned that people could choose, but that she had a different view. She didn't say anything that was hateful or bigoted, unless you happen to believe that the current President (who is also opposed to gay marriage) is hateful and bigoted.
For Hilton to call her a c*** and a b**** shows who's really hateful and intolerant. - 8:22 AM
- Unknown said...
I won't disparage her statement or beliefs..as sadly hateful as they are.
But I would bet the current Miss America feels the same way, as most of the females that take part in these types of contests are shallow, self-centered women with a conservative bent...I mean really..how many progressives would put themselves through the shit these broads gladly go through? ;p - 11:20 AM
Shady_Grady, it's good that she mentioned that people could choose? why? so that she can demonstrate her ignorance? Only people who live in Iowa or Massachusetts can choose same-sex or "opposite" marriage.
- MaggieJoon said...
I that her use of the term "opposite marriage" should bar her from the competition!
- Jebuff said...
Dear Rants, Thoughts & Merde, You're partly right... We do need to pay attention to what passes for acceptable opinion in broadcast. Not to censure it, but so we can shine light on the ideas to see if they hold with our current vision (ever-expanding, hopefully) of civil rights, our society, etc. However, I take exception to your "televised globally". This crap certainly was not broadcast here in France, and I doubt in any other culturally developed country. Don't worry about world opinion being shocked or America's image distorted by this particular episode. Where anybody is still paying attention, epectations are pretty low already.
Thanks, Angry Black Bitch! This Angry Black Man needed a quick reminder of how intolerant you pro-gay motherfuckers truly are. I'm in favor of regular, old-fashioned, every-major-religion, man-and-woman marriage, just like the vast majority of motherfuckers on this motherfuckin' planet. I never thought of myself as bigoted or anti-gay until all you idiots started throwing out that shit like confetti. Maybe I should embrace it and become anti-gay, since being pro-gay seems to have the same effect on your argumentative skills as a lobotomy.
I would never do any harm to anyone, but I more than thoroughly pissed off at people (straight and gay) who keep calling me a hater and acting like I'm fuckin' Bull Connor just because I don't wanna go fuckin' with the definition of marriage. Fuck all you bitches! Keep disrespecting us and trying to force gay marriage down our throats and you'll see what real Haterade tastes like. - 4:24 PM
- Shark-Fu said...
Good Gawd, y'all!
Anonymous managed to express frustration at being lumped in with Bull Conner and channel his inner Bull Connor at the same time!
Note the date and time, please. - 4:40 PM
- Shady_Grady said...
If Hilton didn't want to hear Miss California's answer on a topic that is evidently so near and dear to his heart, then he shouldn't have asked the question. I don't think she should have lied and given Hilton the answer he obviously wanted to hear.
I did think her answer was good in that she did not respond hatefully, call Hilton out of his name or state that she thought there was something wrong with gays. All she did was state her belief, which is held by a sizable portion of the US population. Are ALL of those people bigots?
I don't think anyone really cares what Miss California or Miss USA think of gay marriage issues. It was a silly question for that venue. She's a beauty contestant, not a politician.
Why is Hilton seemingly getting a pass for using such hateful sexist language? If Prejean had called Hilton a f** and refused to answer the question, would that be ok? Obviously not.. - 5:03 PM
Angry Black Man really is angry. He outcussed you ABB. Never thought I would see this happen. Love your response to him.
And ABM-it used to be that black people couldn't marry white people. The same arguments were being used then as now. How can you not see that this is the same problem of bigotry raring its ugly head?
People should stop calling this gay rights or gay marriage it is more than that, it is a civil right, a human right.
If marriage is so sacred to straight people then why do they keep messing it up so much? Gay people aren't making marriage less sacred, straight people are.
Think about it ABM. Think about what you are buying into. And... stop drinking the kool-aid, it is filed with hate and other vile things.
Peace, love and soul - 6:41 PM
I wasn't too upset about what she said, she is from a Christian college so her viewpoints would most likely be different from mine.The main reason I felt she should have lost the crown was that she was so all over the place in her response, she just isn't ready to do any big media stuff if she can't get out a streamlined response.These ladies are supposed to be graceful in all categories and this category was flubbed and she did a miserable job of representing her "opposite" viewpoint.Go back over how to respond to on the spot questions Miss California and try again next time in stead of being so damn bitter,not every girl wins but some ladies do.
- Political Season said...
I don't flow like anonymous, but I'm certainly not in agreement with your take on Ms. California. One of my friends who watched the pageant said she had this thing in the bag until Hilton sandbagged her with this hot potato question.
Believing in traditional marriage doesn't make her a bigot. Her views in this area are no different than the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State, but I don't see them getting called outside their name or labeled as bigots. When people are inconsistent that way, it makes me think they espouse beliefs which they have not really thought deeply about.
I thought the woman was treated poorly by the pageant. Hilton behaved like a jackass. As I posted at my own blog, if the deal is that people with conservative opinions or values are no longer ever going to have a shot, the pageant should let folks know that up front so people can save themselves the effort and spend it elsewhere.
Believing in traditional marriage does not make one a defacto bigot or intolerant and I think its highly asinine and lacking in analysis to think so. For the many here that think otherwise, just tell me why you're not excoriating our President, who takes the very same position? - 11:25 PM
- Shark-Fu said...
President Obama was in the pageant?
How the fuck did I miss that shit?!?
For the record, a bitch does not absolve the President or any politician for their fence straddling or outright anti-marriage equality stance.
I'm puzzled as to why folks assume I do...since I've several ass chewing posts about Obama's marriage stance up that earned me some grief from his supporters.
'Tis curious.
Anyhoo, Miss California chose to take her question from Hilton...and she made the wrong call if she assumed she'd get a soft ball question. - 7:18 AM
- Jebuff said...
This is not a religious issue. It is a question of granting civil rights to every citizen. Citizenship in America guarantees equal protection under the law. Inclusion in that equality has been expanding since the founding of the country to include those that did not own property, women, blacks, etc, and we're a better country for it. Gays & lesbians current demand for the same right to marry is testing traditional boundaries, ruffling feathers, but it is no different from earlier demands for inclusion. We now think of those citizens who tried to deny such expansion as intolerant, ignorant, and bigoted. Get used to those labels if you're on the backward side this time around.
hateful is not the same as ignorant. if Miss Cali thinks gays and lesbians can get married in most of this country, then she is as dumb as a sack of hammers. if she wants to share her beliefs, fine and fucking dandy. if she wants to espouse an opinion about policy, she should get a clue.
i think it was inappropriate for mr. hilton to use the paegent to advance his own political agenda. and i am gay, btw. i do respect ms. california for telling her own truth, especially because she's experienced enough to know that winning paegents has nothing to do with letting your little light shine and being true to yourself, but about conforming yourself as much as possible to the judges' expectations. however, both of their opinions and actions made me really dislike them and not want to listen to them, and in the aftermath they both made themselves look even more irrational, petty, and just plain ugly (like, on the inside). hopefully in the future we'll see as little of the both of them as possible.
- Nomad said...
Perez Hilton made an awfully quick transition from respectable pageant judge to vindictive media beast
It would seem people have varying opinions on if Miss California had it "in the bag" prior to being asked a question by Perez -- that is, I have seen opinions elsewhere stating that she received lower marks in some other categories. And I have also seen mentioned here and elsewhere how she flubbed the whole concept of "public speaking." Yes, even if the question is something of a hot-button.
It is a civil rights issue, you are talking about denying things like visitation rights in the hospital, filing taxes together, and all the other things a couple gets when they have their union officially recognized by the government -- and those rights are not given with the intent of "marriage is supposed to be for having children," else there'd be enforcement on making sure you could actually, y'know, have children before you're allowed to get married. (Would there be some sort of "punishment" if you, as a couple, decided to not have children? Whee.) This also presupposes that homosexual couples aren't raising children either, blatently untrue, some of them do so (and some of these children might even have one of the adults as a biological parent. It happens.)
Denying the right for certain types of couples to receive marriage benefits is most certainly a civil rights issue, others too have already mentioned how interracial marriage was similarly unrecognized by the government in the past.
One can disagree with the concept of two consenting adults spending the rest of their lives together and getting rights/recognition from the state, but don't be surprised when other people find your opinion rather bigoted. It would have been entirely possible to answer the question without getting into her personal opinion on gay marriage at all, and merely make some mention about how civil rights are for everybody and not merely some arbitrarily chosen few. Of course, she would've had to be able to articulate such an answer, and I have my serious doubts. - 4:27 PM
The Gumdrop Stage of Grief ...
So many of you have shared condolences and support after the death of my beloved brother Bill from COVID-19. I wish I could thank you indiv...
I was slightly illish this weekend and took to my bed Saturday, but I did rally for Brother Rob Thurman's fantabulous cookie decorating part...
Okay, so most of you know that this bitch has some evil assed fibroids . Most of them were successfully murdered with full premeditation se...
So many of you have shared condolences and support after the death of my beloved brother Bill from COVID-19. I wish I could thank you indiv...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Yahoo News:
Doubts over Harvard claim of 'Jesus' Wife' papyrus
ROME (AP) — Is a scrap of papyrus suggesting that Jesus had a wife authentic?
And experts in the illicit antiquities trade also wondered about the motive of the fragment's anonymous owner, noting that the document's value has likely increased amid the publicity of the still-unproven find.
Karen King, a professor of early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, announced the finding Tuesday at an international congress on Coptic studies in Rome. The text, written in Coptic and probably translated from a 2nd century Greek text, contains a dialogue in which Jesus refers to "my wife," whom he identifies as Mary.
King's paper, and the front-page attention it received in some U.S. newspapers that got advance word about it, was a hot topic of conversation Wednesday at the conference.
Christian tradition has long held that Jesus was unmarried, although there is no reliable historical evidence to support that, King said. Any evidence pointing to whether Jesus was married or had a female disciple could have ripple effects in current debates over the role of women in the church.
Stephen Emmel, a professor of Coptology at the University of Muenster who was on the international advisory panel that reviewed the 2006 discovery of the Gospel of Judas, said the text accurately quotes Jesus as saying "my wife." But he questioned whether the document was authentic.
"There's something about this fragment in its appearance and also in the grammar of the Coptic that strikes me as being not completely convincing somehow," he said in an interview on the sidelines of the conference.
Another participant at the congress, Alin Suciu, a papyrologist at the University of Hamburg, was more blunt.
"I would say it's a forgery. The script doesn't look authentic" when compared to other samples of Coptic papyrus script dated to the 4th century, he said.
King acknowledged Wednesday that questions remain about the fragment, and she welcomed the feedback from her colleagues. She said she planned to subject the document to ink tests to determine if the chemical components match those used in antiquity.
"We still have some work to do, testing the ink and so on and so forth, but what is exciting about this fragment is that it's the first case we have of Christians claiming that Jesus had a wife," she said.
She stressed that the text, assuming it's authentic, doesn't provide any historical evidence that Jesus was actually married, only that some two centuries after he died, some early Christians believed he had a wife.
Wolf-Peter Funk, a noted Coptic linguist, said there was no way to evaluate the significance of the fragment because it has no context. It's a partial text and tiny, measuring 4 centimeters by 8 centimeters (1.5 inches by 3 inches), about the size of a small cellphone.
"There are thousands of scraps of papyrus where you find crazy things," said Funk, co-director of a project editing the Nag Hammadi Coptic library at Laval University in Quebec. "It can be anything."
He, too, doubted the authenticity, saying the form of the fragment was "suspicious."
Ancient papyrus fragments have been frequently cut up by unscrupulous antiquities dealers seeking to make more money.
An anonymous collector brought King the fragment in December 2011, seeking her help in translating and understanding it. In March, she brought it to two papyrologists who determined it was very likely authentic.
On Tuesday, Harvard Divinity School announced the finding to great fanfare and said King's paper would be published in January's Harvard Theological Review. Harvard said the fragment most likely came from Egypt, and that its earliest documentation is from the early 1980s indicating that a now-deceased professor in Germany thought it evidence of a possible marriage of Jesus.
Some archaeologists were quick to question Harvard's ethics, noting that the fragment has no known provenance, or history of where it's been, and that its current owner may have a financial interest in the publicity being generated about it.
King has said the owner wants to sell his collection to Harvard.
"There are all sorts of really dodgy things about this," said David Gill, professor of archaeological heritage at University Campus Suffolk and author of the Looting Matters blog, which closely follows the illicit trade in antiquities. "This looks to me as if any sensible, responsible academic would keep their distance from it."
He cited the ongoing debate in academia over publishing articles about possibly dubiously obtained antiquities, thus potentially fueling the illicit market.
The Archaeological Institute of America, for example, won't publish articles in its journal announcing the discovery of antiquities without a proven provenance that were acquired after a UNESCO convention fighting the illicit trade went into effect in 1973.
Similarly, many American museums have adopted policies to no longer acquire antiquities without a provenance, after being slapped with successful efforts by countries like Italy to reclaim looted treasures.
Archaeologists also complain that the looting of antiquities removes them from their historical context, depriving scholars of a wealth of information.
However, AnneMarie Luijendijk, the Princeton University expert whom King consulted to authenticate the papyrus, said the fragment fit all the rules and criteria established by the International Association of Papyrologists. She noted that papyrus fragments frequently don't have a provenance, simply because so many were removed from Egypt before such issues were of concern.
She acknowledged the dilemma about buying such antiquities but said refraining from publishing articles about them is another matter.
"You wouldn't let an important new text go to waste," she said.
Hany Sadak, the director general of the Coptic Museum in Cairo, said the fragment's existence was unknown to Egypt's antiquities authorities until news articles this week.
"I personally think, as a researcher, that the paper is not authentic because it was, if it had been in Egypt before, we would have known of it and we would have heard of it before it left Egypt," he said.


text:
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We'll start off by diving into the basics of writing a computer program. Along the way, you'll get hands-on experience with programming concepts through interactive exercises and real-world examples. You'll quickly start to see how computers can perform a multitude of tasks — you just have to write code that tells them what to do.
If the coupon is not opening, disable Adblock, or try another browser.


text:
Obesity and Pregnancy
Topic Overview
How does your weight affect your pregnancy?
Most pregnant women have healthy babies—and that includes women who are obese. But being very heavy does increase the chance of problems.
Babies born to mothers who are obese have a higher risk of:
- Birth defects, such as a heart defect or neural tube defects.
- Being too large. This can cause problems during labor and delivery.
Mothers who are obese have a higher risk of:
- Problems during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or preeclampsia.
- Cesarean (or C-section) birth and a higher risk of problems from it.
- Preterm birth.
- Miscarriage or stillbirth.
If you're not pregnant already, being obese can make it hard to get pregnant.
But if you are obese, you can do a lot to improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy.
Work with your doctor to get the care you need. Go to all your doctor visits, and follow your doctor's advice about what to do and what to avoid during pregnancy.
Should you try to lose weight during pregnancy?
No. Pregnancy is not the time to lose weight. Your baby needs you to eat a well-rounded diet. Don't cut out food groups or go on any type of weight-loss diet.
How much weight should you gain during pregnancy?
Experts recommend that obese women gain between 11 and 20 pounds.footnote 1 Your doctor will work with you to set a weight goal that's right for you. In some cases, a doctor may recommend that a woman not gain any weight.
Although pregnant women often joke that they're "eating for two," you don't need to eat twice as much food. In general, pregnant women need to eat about 340 extra calories a day in their second trimester. Women in their third trimester need to eat about 450 extra calories a day.footnote 1 You can get about 340 calories in a peanut butter sandwich. Having a cup of 1% milk with a peanut butter sandwich is about 450 calories.
How much can you eat during pregnancy?
How much you can eat depends on:
- How much you weigh when you get pregnant.
- Your body mass index (BMI).
- How much you exercise.
Like any pregnant woman, you need to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups. You especially need to make sure to get enough calcium and folic acid.
You may want to work with a dietitian to help you plan healthy meals to get the right amount of calories for you.
How will your prenatal care change if you're obese?
You will have the same number of doctor visits as a woman of average weight, unless you start to have problems. Then you would see your doctor more often. But you'll have the same type of tests to look for problems and make sure your baby is healthy.
What can you do to have a healthy pregnancy?
The best things you can do to have a healthy pregnancy are to eat a variety of foods, get regular exercise, avoid alcohol and smoking, and go to your doctor visits. If you didn't exercise much before you got pregnant, talk to your doctor about how you can slowly get more active.
For more information on healthy habits, see the topic Quick Tips: Healthy Pregnancy Habits.
For more information on eating well when you're pregnant, see:
- Healthy Eating: Changing Your Eating Habits.
- Healthy Eating: Making Healthy Choices When You Shop.
- Healthy Eating: Cutting Unhealthy Fats From Your Diet.
- Quick Tips: Adding Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet.
- Meal Planning: Menu and Grocery List( What is a PDF document? ).
If you're not pregnant yet, what can you do to get ready for pregnancy?
If you're not yet pregnant, now is a good time to try to lose some weight. Losing even 5 or 10 pounds may help reduce your risk for problems.
You also can make other lifestyle changes to get a future pregnancy off to a good start. These include getting enough folic acid, avoiding alcohol and smoking, and avoiding or limiting caffeine. See your doctor for a checkup before you become pregnant.
For more information on getting ready for pregnancy, see the topic Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy.
Some women may want to have weight-loss surgery. If you're thinking about it, talk with your doctor to learn how it might affect a future pregnancy. For more information, see the topic Pregnancy After Bariatric Surgery.
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
- Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (2009). Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Also available online: http://iom.edu/Reports/2009/Weight-Gain-During-Pregnancy-Reexamining-the-Guidelines.aspx.
- Kaiser LL, Campbell CG (2014). Practice paper: Nutrition and lifestyle for a healthy pregnancy outcome. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 114(7): 1099-1103. http://www.eatrightpro.org/resource/practice/position-and-practice-papers/practice-papers/practice-paper-nutrition-and-lifestyle-for-a-healthy-pregnancy-outcome. Accessed November 16, 2017.
Other Works Consulted
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2013). Weight gain during pregnancy. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 548. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 121(1): 210–212.
Current as of: May 29, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Sarah Marshall MD – Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD – Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine & Elizabeth T. Russo MD – Internal Medicine & Rebecca Sue Uranga
Topic Contents
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.


text:
(CNN) — Area 51 has long been a topic of fascination for conspiracy theorists and paranormal enthusiasts, but newly released CIA documents officially acknowledge the site and suggest that the area served a far less remarkable purpose than many had supposed.
According to these reports, which include a map of the base's location in Nevada, Area 51 was merely a testing site for the government's U-2 and OXCART aerial surveillance programs. The U-2 program conducted surveillance around the world, including over the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Area 51, about 125 miles northwest of Las Vegas, is synonymous in popular culture with government secrecy, and many have theorized that it holds the answer to one of the greatest questions plaguing mankind: Are we really alone in the universe?
But the newly released documents make no mention of alien autopsy rooms or spaceship parking lots.
This information will be disappointing to some, who have come to view the area has been a Mecca of sorts for alien encounters.
For these true believers, the existence of alien spacecraft at Area 51, and the government's attempts to cover up their trace, is irrefutable and has been since reports of Unidentified Flying Objects — or UFOs — began to emerge from the Nevada desert in the middle part of the 20th century.
The map and other documents were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by Jeffrey T. Richelson, a senior fellow at the National Security Archives, in 2005.
Richelson submitted the request as part of his continuing study of aerial surveillance programs and told CNN that he was not given an explanation of why the new documents were less redacted than previous versions declassified by the agency.
He points out, however, that the location of Area 51 was not a particularly well-kept secret. Its location appears in books on aerial surveillance and is widely referenced in popular culture.
In fact, the map that was released in the CIA documents mirrors the one that appears after a simple Google Maps search for "Area 51."
Area 51 has also been referenced in government documents in the past, though this newest release is the first that acknowledges its existence and location in a purposeful way.
Richelson told CNN he believes this could signal a dramatic change in the government's willingness to declassify information about the famed base, meaning even more information could come out about Area 51 in the future.
The release of these reports seem to put the theories about aliens and flying saucers to rest for the time being, although they may not be enough to silence the true believers.
At least they still have Roswell, right?
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


text:
One of the bad things about living in São Paulo is the huge traffic jams I have to face every single day; it takes me forever to get to work and then to get back home. So exhausting.
I don't know what happened in one of these days but the streets were so free that I arrived home in less then 40 minutes! A miracle! That deserved a celebration – a delicious dinner that I put together in 20 minutes.
This recipe was really good so I'm submitting it to the Weekend Herb Blogging, this time hosted by Zorra, from the blog Kochtopf.
Parsley polenta with balsamic tomatoes
adapted from Off The Shelf: Cooking From the Pantry
4 ripe tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons basil leaves
2 cups (480ml) hot water
2 cups (480ml) milk
1 cup quick cook polenta*
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
60g (2 oz) butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, in an ovenproof ceramic dish. Combine the oil, balsamic, sugar and basil and pour over the tomatoes. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
Make the polenta while the tomatoes are roasting. Place the water and milk in a saucepan over medium to high heat and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the polenta, stirring, for 3-5 minutes. Stir through the parmesan, parsley, butter, pepper and salt.
To serve, spoon the polenta onto serving plates. Top with the tomatoes and the pan juices. Finish with extra parmesan and serve.
* I made the polenta little bit thicker because that's how João likes it.
Serves 4
Friday, August 17, 2007
Parsley polenta with balsamic tomatoes
44 comments:
- Nora B. said...
Lovely dish, Patricia. I love balsamic tomatoes. And pairing it with the polenta is such a terrific idea.
p/s: wow, you have to be in your car a long time. - August 19, 2007
- Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...
Such a lovely combination, the sweet-tart tomatoes and the richness of the polenta. I just watched Anthony Bourdain's show about Sao Paulo, so now I can picture that traffic!
- August 19, 2007
I bet this is delicious and I love that it comes together so quickly.
- August 19, 2007
- Anh said...
Delicious! I am a big fan of every ingredients that you have here. And the way you cook them is perfect!
- August 20, 2007
- Susan said...
Urban commutes can be hell, but this quick meal is a nice little taste of heaven to come home to. I'm a big fan of polenta, Patricia - so comforting - pile my plate high, please!
- August 20, 2007
- MyKitchenInHalfCups said...
Commuting is just the pits so a fast trip once in a while is like heaven. I think the creamy polenta with the tart/sweet balsamic must be a little heaven too!
- August 20, 2007
- eatme_delicious said...
i have yet to try making polenta, and yours looks really good! i love balsamic vinegar on things.
- August 20, 2007
- Pat said...
That sounds like such a lovely combination!!! Love tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Just learning about polenta and it's versatility! YUM!
- August 20, 2007
I love the balsamico tomatoes!
- August 20, 2007
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
Patricia - This dish looks lovely. I really enjoy polenta, and sometimes forget that it can be cooked so quickly, or even prepared in advance. In one of my classes, we actually deep fried slices and used it as the base for crostini! It was amazing!
- August 20, 2007
- Maggie said...
Looks delicious. What a wonderful way to flavour polenta.
- August 20, 2007
- sunita said...
A nice meal to enjoy after a hectic day...and so quick too!!!
- August 20, 2007
- Cynthia said...
What a tasty combo, Patricia. I bet those tomatoes were doing a dance in your mouth, bursting with flavour.
- August 20, 2007
- Mandy said...
When I first saw the picture, I couldn't guess that the reddish thingy was tomato! :)Thanks for the recipe, Patricia. I can make it for our weekly vegetarian meal.
- August 20, 2007
- Janet said...
Wow - that is some crazy traffic... if 40 minutes is fast, I wonder what a regular day would be? This looks wonderful, I really enjoy polenta!
- August 20, 2007
- Figs, Bay, Wine said...
I love the syrupy balsamic with the polenta here. What a beautifully comforting dinner!
- August 20, 2007
This looks so yummy and seems so easy to prepare! Polenta is not something I grew up with but I see it at the delis here...maybe I'll try it with this recipe :)
- August 20, 2007
- Aimée said...
Great looking dish! I love polenta.
- August 20, 2007
- test it comm said...
This looks good. I really like roasting tomatoes in oil, balsamic vinegar and basil, though I usually turn them into a pasta.
- August 20, 2007
- Kalyn Denny said...
Sounds just delicious. I think roasted tomatoes just can't turn out bad, no matter how you do it!
- August 20, 2007
Sounds delicious. I love balsamic vinegar, so this has got be fabulous.
- August 20, 2007
- ilingc said...
ooh yum. Patricia this sounds fabulous. I love tomatoes and balsamic and just started getting into polenta. I think you have a winner here! :)
- August 21, 2007
- Amy said...
This dish looks so delicious comforting! I just bought some red potatoes from the market so now I know what to make.
- August 21, 2007
- Patricia Scarpin said...
Nora, thank you. I do drive for a long time every day, it's really bad. But at least that is a good thing when it's very cold or raining.
Lydia, now you know I'm not overreacting. I can't wait for them to air the show here, so I can see which places they chose to go to.
Kristen, dinner in a heart beat, sweetie. :)
Anh, I love tomatoes and love polenta, so I was pretty happy with this dish. :)
Susan, you are so right - one good thing as a sort of reward. :)
I'll serve you seconds as well, if you want, sweetie!
Tanna, I agree - and the food was a moment of happiness. :)
Delicious, you definitely should try it!
Pat, it is very versatile, you can have it so many different ways!
Zorra, thank you!
T.W., we eat deep fried polenta here in São Paulo a lot, but not the way you mention here - I'm intrigued, it is amazing, I bet!
Margaret, thank you. I'm glad you liked it.
Sunita, very quick!
Cynthia, they were so good, my dear friend.
Mandy, I hope you like it!
Janet, it takes me more than 1 hour, sweetie. Very tiring.
Amanda, thank you, dear!
Joey, very easy and quick. I think you are going to love polenta.
Aimée, thank you, sweetie! Me too. :)
Kevin, that idea sounds delicious. :)
Kalyn, I'm so glad you like my post!
Lynn, balsamic vinegar really adds a different and wonderful touch to these tomatoes.
Ilingc, thank you! Both Joao and I were pleased with this food.
Amy, let me know what you do with the potatoes. - August 21, 2007
- Belinda said...
I live out in the country, and my "commute" is walking from the house to the horse barn! lol I would hate to have to deal with traffic on an everyday basis. I love this idea for sprucing up tomatoes...very nice, and it sounds delicious with the polenta. :-)
- August 21, 2007
- Stella said...
I've always used balsamic in salad, never thought about including them in tomatoes!
What a super dish Pat! - August 21, 2007
Goodness gracious...that looks like a match made in heaven. I love the taste of balsamic vinegar on tomatoes (or probably anything, let's be honest.) Delicious photos too! :)
- August 21, 2007
- Wendy said...
Sounds wonderful! I haven't tried making polenta yet. You've inspire me...
- August 21, 2007
- Everything4sweets said...
I wish I can find polenta in here, your picture is making me hungry.
- August 21, 2007
- Kelly-Jane said...
So comforting, and so good!
You did really well to cook this after getting home :) Traffic makes me very cranky! - August 21, 2007
- Andreea said...
hello, i've just tagged you for a 4x4 meme. hope you don't mind. if you have alredy done (or don't feel like it) no worries :)
- August 21, 2007
- Lucy said...
What a gorgeous, fast meal.
Can't wait for the tomatoes to come back in season! - August 21, 2007
When I was working in London I had the same problem with traffic + a crazy work schedule - but somehow I found relief in coming home and cooking! I can not resist tomatoes with balsamic vinegar (my uncle made them for me as a child!) and look forward to trying your recipe :)
- August 22, 2007
- Cris said...
Move here!!! Big city with low traffic! These baked tomatoes Patricia... I am going to try them soon... Have a great day!
- August 22, 2007
- Patricia Scarpin said...
Belinda, it's a quick commute! :)
I'm glad you liked this recipe. I'd certainly trade a plate of this polenta for a slice of that sinful chocolate cheesecake you made. ;)
Valentina, thank you, dear!
Hillary, I love balsamic vinegar, too. :)
Wendy, you should try it, sweetie!
Everything 4 sweets,
Kelly-Jane, it makes me cranky, too. :)
Andreea, I've been tagged already, but thanks!
Lucy, tks for the visit!
Erika, tks for stopping by! Food can be very therapeutic in days like these! :)
Cris, I used to go to Campinas a lot as a child, who knows? I think I like the idea. ;) - August 22, 2007
What a great dish. Oh and I so love polenta!
- August 22, 2007
Patricia--Each dish alone sounds delicious. And paired? Excellent! I'm also thinking that just a bit of uncooked chopped basil and parsley on their respective dishes might pump up the herb flavor even more.
- August 22, 2007
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
Herbed polenta sounds very versdaltile paired with many different dishes. The roasted tomato combination sounds full flavoured. Don't you just love tomatoes this time of year?????
- August 22, 2007
- lululu said...
Quick, simple and hearty dinner!!!!
- August 23, 2007
- Ilva said...
I just tagged you, do it if you feel like it!
- August 23, 2007
- East Meets West Kitchen said...
That looked so good I can taste it. Yums!
- August 23, 2007
- Patricia Scarpin said...
Veron, thank you! I love it too!
Terry, I love your idea - gonna try it next time.
Valli, tomatoes are great in so many dishes, so many ways!
Lu, tks, sweetie!
Ilva, I'm gonna check that out later, tks!
East Meets West, I'm glad you like it! - August 23, 2007
- Thistlemoon said...
Delicious, delicious, delicious!
That is about all I can say about this wonderful dish! - August 24, 2007
- Paola Westbeek said...
Wow! I am mad about balsamic and this looks like a winning combination!
paola - August 29, 2007


text:
Here's how it went down when I was in school:
The breakup happens.
I tell my friends and he tells his friends.
My friends tell his friends that I hate him and I'll never forgive him. His friends tell my friends that he never did what I think he did and that he still likes me. My friends tell me that his friends told them that he still likes me and wants to get back together. I think about maybe getting back together. I tell my friends that I'm thinking about maybe getting back together. My friends tell his friends that I'm thinking about maybe getting back together.
It's good to know it still works that way.
And it is apparently working this way between Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber. Bieber performed last week at the Victoria's Secret Angels fashion show in New York. Then he went to the Lion King with a model called Barbara. Then Selena tweeted a photo of him with some dude and Barbara standing in the background. Click here to see. There was a meltdown. Selena fans were worried about her and Justin's fans were anxious about him, and then PEOPLE confirmed that she was indeed the one who ended it because there are "some trust issues" because, I dunno, all the lingerie models went to see Justin's concert in New Jersey and Selena showed up at LAX with a really sad face. God, it totally ruined everyone's weekend.
But wait!
Yesterday TMZ reported that Justin isn't sending teddy bears to any other girl and he wants Selena back!
A couple hours later though, Gossip Cop quoted a friend of Selena's saying that it was done for sure...but that "you never know"...which...I mean ... that's hope, right? That's hope!
Selena was really smiley at a promotional appearance at Kmart in New York yesterday. Maybe she's feeling the strength from her fans to get through this really, really difficult time in her life. And I say this with no sarcasm. Breaking up at 20 is the END OF THE WORLD. It leaves residual pain forever.
Maybe she's in good spirits because TMZ told her that Justin's not ready to give up on their love.
If it's not now, it's later. It has to happen two, three, four times to stick, but it will stick. And when it does stick, does it stick amicably or does it stick ugly? With Britney and JT it was ugly. With Selena and JB, I think eventually it might be ugly too. If he's trying to make her jealous on Twitter and she gets jealous because of what she sees on Twitter, there is very good chance it will be ugly.


text:
Samuel A. Walker is the former communications specialist for the Mackinac Center.
In addition to writing and editing Viewpoint commentaries and news releases, Walker edited the Center's many studies, pamphlets and publications, including Michigan Privatization Report, Michigan Education Report and the IMPACT! newsletter.
Walker came to the Mackinac Center from The Heritage Foundation, Washington's preeminent conservative think tank, where he served as director of editorial services in Heritage's award-winning public relations department. Before that, Walker was an on-air reporter and producer of television news and also served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Republican Conference.
Walker has a bachelor's degree in political science from Claremont-McKenna College in Claremont, Calif.


text:
Advantage Solutions
Part Time Retail Project Merchandiser
We are hiring a Part Time Retail Project Merchandiser to help increase sales of premium consumer products at our client's retail locations within in assigned territory. The foundation of retail is built with strong displays for consumers to easily spot the brand names and quality products they love. A successful merchandiser builds, and crafts merchandising displays and maintains strong relationships with in-store management. The ideal candidate is flexible and adaptable with the ability to complete multiple duties with accuracy.
Bring your skills to the company, the largest sales and marketing agency in North America, APPLY TODAY.
Things to Consider:
The Company is one of North America's leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.
Position Summary
The Retail Project Merchandiser is responsible for calling in for project work for merchandising products at retail accounts within an assigned territory.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities
New Items
Distribution Audits
Reset Activity and Schematics Completion
POS Placement
Customer Relations
Display Building
Reporting Administration
Supervisory Responsibilities
Direct Reports
This position does not have supervisory responsibilities for direct reports
Indirect Reports
This position does not have guidance or mentoring responsibilities for indirect reports
Travel and/or Driving Requirements
Minimum Qualifications The following are the minimum job-related qualifications which an individual needs in order to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job
Education Level: (Required): High School Diploma or GED or equivalent experience
(Preferred): Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience
Field of Study/Area of Experience: Merchandising
Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
Environmental & Physical Requirements
Field / Reps Requirements
Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed in a retail in-store environment. Typically requires the ability to spend 66%+ hours each work day doing the following activities: engage in considerable physical activity, ability to lift and/or push up to 74 pounds, stand on feet for long periods of time, use products or cook food as appropriate for the demonstration, and may be required to work in extremely cold conditions (i.e. refrigerated and freezer sections). Also required to travel and drive. The use of proper safety practices when handling the products and/or cooking is essential.
Additional Information Regarding The Company Job Duties and Job Descriptions
Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one's supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.
Any estimate, schedule, or guideline provided to associates in this job description or elsewhere in connection with their jobs is only intended to help describe job duties and for planning purposes. Regardless of any such estimate, schedule, or guideline, associates must always record all time worked for our company (which includes but is not limited to on-site work time in an assigned store, office, or other work location; required waiting time; administrative time; and work-related travel time).
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of associates so classified.
The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.
To apply, please visit the following URL:https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?t=Retail+Project+Merchandiser&c=Advantage+Solutions&l=Sheridan%2C+WY&jk=5bf174afe403f0a0&rtk=1eo4gj8tpu47i800&from=rss→


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Navigating the Healthcare System
Good health is important to everyone. And our Healthcare Center is just the tool you need to make better informed decisions about your own care and coverage.
You can navigate the system—and we can help!
The Basics
Review the basics of healthcare here:
Evaluating Your Options
To make smart choices, become knowledgeable about each aspect of your care:
- Getting to Know Your Healthcare Providers
- How to Choose a Primary Care Doctor
- Beyond Primary Care: Choosing a Medical Specialist
- Boutique Options Offer Greater Choice in Medical Care
- When and How to Get a Second Opinion
- How to Choose a Surgeon and Hospital for Major Surgery
- Elective Surgery: Weighing the Risks and Benefits
Choices in Care:
- Health Insurance: Choosing the Plan That's Right for You
- Medicare Part D: How to Choose a Medicare Drug Plan
- Beyond Medicare Part D: Internet Prescription Drug Programs Helping the Low-income and Elderly
- Health Spending Accounts: A Complement to Regular Health Insurance
- Long-term Care Insurance: In Case of a Prolonged Illness or Injury
Choices in Coverage:
Especially for Seniors
Here we discuss some of the special healthcare options available to seniors:
The Proactive Patient
Go out there and be your own best advocate. Enhance your medical care and save money doing it.
Special Circumstances
Everyone has unique healthcare needs; explore your circumstances below:
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Review some key dos and don'ts of drug treatment:


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India Briefs: Recent Incidents of Persecution
By Nirmala Carvalho and Shireen Bhatia
9/26/08 India (Compass Direct News) Uttar Pradesh – Police on Sept. 21 arrested pastor Sunil Rana in Gonda district on an anonymous tip that "forcible conversion activities" were taking place at his church's Sunday worship. A representative of the Evangelical Fellowship of India told Compass that at around 12:30 p.m. police came to the Believers Church to make the arrest. Pastor Rana was charged for "forceful conversion" and released on bail on Sept. 23. – NC
Karnataka – Police on Sept. 20 arrested a pastor and others in Siddapur, Uttara Kannada district on false charges of "forcible conversion." The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the independent pastor identified only as Biju and five evangelists were speaking with children in Guya Palakere village when a local Hindu extremist identified only as Halappa angrily questioned them and falsely accused them of forcible conversions. Halappa telephoned other local extremists, and soon a mob of nearly 25 intolerant Hindus surrounded the Christians and took them to the Siddapur police station. They were charged with "hurting religious sentiments," statements conducive to public mischief and unlawful assembly. With GCIC intervention they were released on bail on Sept. 22. – NC
Karnataka – Police on Sept. 19 sealed Bethel Church in Mysore city and detained pastor Samuel Channaiah. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that at around 10:30 a.m. three policemen led by a senior official identified only as Shivaram came to the rented church and questioned Channaiah about the prayer services. Shivaram falsely accused Channaiah of forcible conversions, sealed the church and took the pastor with them to the Vijayanagar police station. With GCIC intervention, Channaiah was released at around 5 p.m. without being charged. "No Sunday worship was held on Sept. 21, and the landlord has asked Channaiah to vacate the premises," a GCIC representative told Compass. – NC
Karnataka – Police on Sept. 17 stopped a pastor's training program in Arsikere, Hassan district. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that independent pastor Hoysala Raj was attending a four-day training at St. Thomas Church on Sept. 16-19 and staying at the Vijayalakshmi Lodge. As he was returning to the lodge after a session, a policeman identified only as Nemiraju recognized Raj, whom he had previously arrested. At around 11 p.m. Nemiraju and two other police officers came to the lodge and began beating and cursing Raj. Nemiraju then took Raj to the police station, angrily questioning him about the training program and the pastors who were attending. With GCIC intervention, Raj was released Sept. 17 at 8 p.m., and he received treatment at a private clinic for internal injuries. On Sept. 17 at around 9 a.m., police went to St. Thomas Church and forced the organizers to close down the training program. – NC
Madhya Pradesh – Three suspected Hindu extremists vandalized and set fire to St. Peter and Paul Cathedral at Pentinaka, Sadar, Jabalpur at 8 p.m. on Sept. 18. Father Anthony Rocky said the attackers broke into the building unnoticed and broke window panes, desecrated the altar, destroyed a cross and statues and burned Bibles. "They carried kerosene oil packed in polythene bags and spread it in the entire church," Fr. Rocky said. "Setting it aflame, they absconded." Father Davis George, principal of the adjoining St. Aloysius College, said that bystanders informed him about the fire in the cathedral. "There is no doubt that the Dharma Sena, led by Yogesh Agarwal has done this," Fr. George said. He told Compass that the Hindu extremist group threatened church leaders some 10 days prior, saying, "We will turn the face of the church within a week's time, as done in Orissa." The Dharma Sena and Agarwal have been involved in many cases of intimidation and attacks on the Christian community of Jabalpur. Father Anand Muttungal, spokesman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, said Madhya Pradesh has seen more than 110 cases of violence against Christians since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in December 2003. "In spite of clear evidence, the authorities have failed to take any action against the culprits," Fr. Muttungal told Compass. "As the elections are at hand, the authorities don't want to annoy the majorities." – SB
Andhra Pradesh – Hindu extremists on Sept. 7 stormed a prayer meeting in Ayodhya Nagar, near Madanapally in Chittoor district. Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), said independent pastor T. Peter was blessing the new house of a widowed Christian with about 25 others present. As the prayer service was in progress, nearly 20 Hindu extremists led by a Vishwa Hindu Parishad state leader, B.R. Narendra, barged into the house shouting curses at the believers. They slapped Pastor Peter and made false allegations of forcible conversion, beating and chasing away the participants. A GCIC representative told Compass that Ravindra Babu attempted to shield Pastor Peter and the Hindu extremists repeatedly slapped and punched him, breaking two teeth. The intolerant Hindus returned to the house at around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 and warned the widowed homeowner that her house would be bombed if prayer meetings continued there. Pastor Peter filed a complaint against the Hindu extremists at Madanapally police station, and the attackers concocted a complaint against the pastor for "forceful conversion." – NC


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After having made several sweet maple recipes it was time to make a savoury one. I remembered seeing a tasty looking maple and mustard glazed chicken dish on Noble Pig that I had bookmarked to try. Honey and dijon mustard are a classic combination that I really enjoy and I had no doubts that the maple dijon combo would be just as good. Recently I have come to really appreciate mustard and one of the things that I liked about this recipe was that it used a grainy mustard in addition to the Dijon mustard for extra flavour and a nice texture. In this recipe the chicken is breaded and fried until golden brown and crispy and then smothered in the maple and mustard glaze and before it is finished cooking in the oven. For the breading I used a mixture of regular bread crumbs and panko breadcrumbs to add more nooks and crannies for the glaze to stick to. The chicken came out really tender and moist and good! The maple and mustard glaze was great! It was really tasty and it had a great balance between the sweet and spicy elements. The maple really worked well with the mustard and its flavour came through nicely. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I served the maple and mustard glazed chicken with some cheesy broccoli rice and maple and dill carrots .
Maple and Mustard Glazed Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts (pounded flat)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- 1 cup bread crumbs (I used a mixture of regular bread crumbs and panko bread crumbs)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour.
- Dip the chicken into the egg.
- Dredge the chicken in the bread crumbs.
- Heat the oil in a pan
- Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
- Mix the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, whole grained mustard, brown sugar and thyme in a bowl.
- Place the chicken in a baking pan and brush the maple mustard mixture onto it heavily.
- Bake in a preheated 400F/200C oven for 10 minutes.