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November 18, 2009
Duke Researchers Find Explanation For Rapid Maturation Of Neurons At Birth
At the moment a newborn switches from amniotic fluid to breathing air, another profound shift occurs: nerve cells in the brain convert from hyperexcitability to a calm frame against which outside signals can be detected.
"Fetal neurons need hyperexcitability for proper development, because they are moving to the right places (in the brain) and forming the right connections," said Wolfgang Liedtke, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at the Duke Center for Translational Neuroscience and Klingenstein Fellow in Neuroscience. "But at birth, the brain has to undergo a developmental shift."It does this by controlling a "pump" that drains chloride out of newborn neurons, making these highly chaotic, developing cells quiet down. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have figured out the genetic control of the pump in rodents.
These findings may ultimately benefit people who suffer from the neuron misfirings that occur in epilepsy and neuropathic pain, Liedtke said.
"The "chloride shift" is a process that changes newborn neurons and sets the stage for cognition," said Liedtke, who is also an attending physician at Duke Pain Clinics. "It is a fundamental mechanism for brain function."
The findings were published online in the Journal of Neuroscience on Nov. 19.
The researchers discovered why the pump is almost absent in the developing brain and then goes into high gear after birth: there's a dual-brake mechanism that keeps the chloride-transporter (pump) molecules in check during pregnancy.
Liedtke, lead author Michelle Yeo, Ph.D., and the rest of the team identified a set of DNA repressor elements that act as a pair of brakes. Together the two suppress the gene Kcc2, which is responsible for producing proteins for the transporter molecules that "pump" out the chloride.
The researchers confirmed that increased activity of the gene resulted in lower levels of chloride in the neurons.
Around birth and for a few months afterward, when the brakes are no longer holding fast, Kcc2 makes proteins for the transporter molecules which remain at high levels for a lifetime.
What remains unknown is how the brakes, known as REST (Repressor Element Silencing Transcription) are turned off so Kcc2 can encode for the transporter proteins.
"The research was motivated by trying to understand how the Kcc2 levels are lowered in pathological states like chronic pain and epilepsy," said Yeo, who is a research scientist in the Duke Division of Neurology and author of a landmark study of REST in Science journal. The scientists wanted to create a developmental model that would explain how the pump functions. They also wanted to explore the hyperexcitability of neurons in people with chronic pain and epilepsy, and what makes their neurons revert to this earlier state.
Re-establishing natural inhibition in chronic pain and epilepsy may be a more rational, realistic approach to treatment, Yeo said.
Liedtke also noted that neuron maturation, in terms of the chloride shift, is faster in female rodents. "It's really true that girls mature faster than boys. In rodents, by the three-month mark after birth, there is no difference in chloride levels in neurons. The males catch up."
Image Caption: The figure shows a novel gene-regulatory mechanism of the neuronal chloride transporter, Kcc2, which is the only transporter that removes chloride molecules from cells. During mammalian development, chloride levels are high in neurons, but levels rapidly decrease around the time of birth when the Kcc2 transporter removes the chloride. Low neuronal chloride is the hallmark of virtually all mature central nervous system neurons. The study findings help us better understand the neurodevelopmental neuronal chloride shift at birth and form a basis for exploring chloride increases in neuronal injury. Researchers may focus on conditions like epilepsy and neuropathic pain to learn whether high chloride levels could be causing problems. The researchers have shown that binding of the REST transcriptional repressor complex to a unique binding element in the promoter portion of the Kcc2b gene works as a transcriptional dual-brake mechanism. Releasing the REST-complex "brake" leads to increased Kcc2b expression, which "pumps" out the chloride in mature neurons.
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With the exact nature of their postseason fate still undetermined, the Baltimore Orioles at least know they'll be participating.
The same can't be said for the Tampa Bay Rays - the hottest team in baseball.
One day after their chances for the AL East title took a major hit, the Orioles continue their push for the top wild-card spot Tuesday night against the recently eliminated Rays.
Baltimore (92-68) officially clinched a wild-card berth Sunday but entered this three-game series with its sights set on its first division crown since 1997. However, a 5-3 loss Monday coupled with the Yankees' 10-2 rout of Boston made that goal much more difficult as it fell one game behind New York with two to play.
"We didn't take care of our business," center fielder Adam Jones said. "We lost. When it comes to the Yankees, we can't control them. We can't control if they win or lose."
Matt Wieters hit a solo homer and Chris Davis continued his power surge with a two-run shot in the ninth, but the Orioles had their four-game win streak snapped. They dropped into a tie with Oakland for the top wild card, which would include home-field advantage for that one-game playoff.
Although the Rays (89-71) staved off elimination for a few hours with their 11th win in 12 games, they were ousted from contention when the Athletics beat Texas.
"Honestly, it just is what it is," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We had opportunities early in the year to win more games, and we did not. But so did everybody else."
Maddon said he's thought about lineup changes for the final two games now that his team has been eliminated.
Third baseman Evan Longoria, still dealing with a partially torn left hamstring, may have played his final game of the year.
"I've thought about talking to certain guys that are banged up," he told the team's official website. "That's my only thought."
Davis has homered in a career-best five straight games, with six total and 12 RBIs during that span. He's 3 for 9 with one home run against scheduled starter James Shields.
The last player to homer in six consecutive games was Rays first baseman Carlos Pena from June 6-12, 2010, and the last Orioles player to do it was Reggie Jackson in 1976.
Miguel Gonzalez (8-4, 3.45 ERA) wouldn't mind if Davis matches Jackson as he tries to win three consecutive starts for the first time.
The rookie right-hander was sharp again Wednesday in a 12-2 victory over Toronto, allowing two runs and five hits over seven innings. He is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in his past three starts and has completed at least six innings in five straight outings.
After struggling in his first start this season against the Rays, Gonzalez has a 1.38 ERA in the past two meetings without recording a decision.
With the playoffs no longer an option, Shields (15-9, 3.62) can focus on matching his career high in wins set last season.
Despite walking four and hitting two batters, the right-hander was able to limit the damage against the White Sox on Thursday. He gave up two runs over 6 1-3 innings before the Rays scored a run in the ninth for a 3-2 win.
That was Shields' 10th quality start in his past 11 outings, with his team winning nine of those games.
He is, however, 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in two starts this season against the Orioles, both at Baltimore.
Adam Jones is 13 for 36 (.351) with a homer and five doubles off Shields, while Jim Thome is 9 for 27 with one home run.
Copyright 2018 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written
consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

subset: commoncrawl


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Volume XI, No. 2,777 • March 7, 2012
Baruch Cohen
In beloved memory of Malca z'l
"Should all Jewish festivals be abolished, Purim will remain."
"Tefilot Mikol Hashana" (D.W. Libshitz, p. 419, 1878)
Purim will be celebrated forever. Purim will live on so long as prejudice, hatred, and enemies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad exist, reminding us of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king who destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
Today, the Jew is again being attacked, with hostility and enmity largely directed at the Jewish state of Israel. Accordingly, this year's Purim holiday should be celebrated with greater joy and with greater enthusiasm then ever! Davka! We are here!
The Book of Esther is a book in which not just one period of Jewish history is depicted, but all periods. It is a book that remains as relevant as ever—the enemies of the Jewish people strive to ensure this always holds true.
The Book of Esther is a story which connects one Jewish generation to the next, evidencing the indestructibility of the Jewish people! Am Israel Chai!
Today's Amalekim, like the Hamans of the past, are Ahmadinejad and his cohorts. They aim to disrupt Israel's journey towards its glorious destiny—the creation of a better and just world for all.
The joyful holiday of Purim calls upon all Jews, all over the world to:
"Remember what Amalek did to you." (Deuteronomy XXV:17)
Hag Purim Sameach to all friends of the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research
and to the entire nation of Israel!
Media-ocrity of the Week
"With his country contemplating an attack on Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit[ed] his closest ally in the world [last] Friday: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Mr. Harper has changed Canada's traditional positions on questions relating to Israel, to the intense satisfaction of Israel and, in particular, the very right-wing coalition government Mr. Netanyahu leads.… [Mr. Harper's] government has become Israel's pulling guard in the world. Inside meetings of la Francophonie and the G8, Mr. Harper has personally inserted himself…to block resolutions even mildly critical of Israel.… After last fall's UN General Assembly meeting, Israel announced new settlements.… Canada said nothing. At that UN meeting, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird wrote his own speech, an over-the-top effort laced with fiery rhetoric supporting Israel and damning its foes.… Mr. Baird recently spent five days in Israel, with an Orthodox rabbi from Canada alongside.… By contrast, Mr. Harper spent four days in China, a rather more important country than Israel. But not more important, apparently, to the Harper government, whose insensitivity to the Palestinians is complete and whose support for anything Israel does or wants is unconditional. Should Israel attack Iran's nuclear installations…he can assume complete support from Mr. Harper.…"—Jeffrey Simpson, in "With Friends Like Harper, Bibi Can Do No Wrong," strongly denouncing the Harper government's steadfast support for Israel. (Globe & Mail, March 2.)
Weekly Quotes
"As for Israel, like any sovereign country, we reserve the right to defend ourselves against a country that calls and works for our destruction."—Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, to reporters in Ottawa at the start of a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, reinforcing Israel's right to defend itself in the face of the Iranian regime's "relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons." Netanyahu added that it is "particularly gratifying to be among such good friends in Ottawa," and publicly thanked Harper for his "principled" support of Israel. For his part, Harper reiterated that Canada "of course recognize[s] the right of Israel to defend itself as a sovereign state, as a Jewish state." (Reuters & National Post, March 2.)
"After all, that is the very purpose of the Jewish state, to restore to the Jewish people control over our destiny."—Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in the Oval Office on Monday with US President Barack Obama, explaining why Israel must always remain the "master of its fate" in dealing with Iran's nuclear program. (Reuters, March 5.)
"Let's begin with a basic truth that you all understand: No Israeli government can tolerate a nuclear weapon in the hands of a regime that denies the Holocaust, threatens to wipe Israel off the map, and sponsors terrorist groups committed to Israel's destruction.… A nuclear-armed Iran is completely counter to Israel's security interests. But it is also counter to the national security interests of the United States. Indeed, the entire world has an interest in preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.… I have said that when it comes to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, I will take no options off the table, and I mean what I say.…"—US President Barack Obama, to the AIPAC Policy Conference, reiterating his commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. (White House Website, March 4.)
"This speech is part of Obama's election campaign."—Chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, criticizing US President Barack Obama's address to AIPAC for "ignor[ing] the requirements for peace as it did not touch on urging Israel to accept the two-state solution, halt settlement activities, and stop imposing facts on the ground." (Jerusalem Post, March 5.)
"It's pretty straightforward in my view. If Barack Obama is re-elected, Iran will have a nuclear weapon."—Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, claiming Iran will obtain nuclear weapons if US President Barack Obama is re-elected for a second term. (Jerusalem Post, March 5.)
"I don't believe that an Iranian nuclear weapon is just a threat to Israel. It is also…a danger more broadly, not least because there are signs that the Iranians want to have some sort of intercontinental missile capability. So we have to be clear this is potentially a threat much more widely."—British Prime Minister David Cameron, reiterating that Tehran's drive to develop nuclear weapons poses a global threat. (Daily Mail, March 7.)
"The agency continues to have serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program. [The IAEA] is unable to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities."—Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), announcing that Iran has tripled its monthly production of higher-grade enriched uranium since November, and conveying the IAEA's "serious concerns" about the military dimensions to Tehran's nuclear activities. (Reuters, March 5.)
"We are witness to state-sanctioned assaults that are tantamount to crimes against humanity, including the highest per capita rate of executions in the world; the imprisonment and silencing of more journalists and bloggers than any other country; the persistent and pervasive assault on women's rights; the targeting of religious and ethnic minorities, particularly the Baha'i and the Kurds; the criminalization of fundamental freedoms of speech, association and assembly; and the imprisonment of opposition leaders, human rights defenders, and the lawyers who would defend them."—Prof. Irwin Cotler, Canadian MP and member of the Inter-Parliamentary Group for Human Rights in Iran—an international consortium of Parliamentarians dedicated to promoting and protecting Iranian human rights—condemning on the eve of Iranian Parliamentary elections the "massive state-sanctioned assault on the human rights of the Iranian people." (Office of Irwin Cotler, February 29.)
"On more than one occasion, we have captured IRGC officers and Iranian experts. There is a full armored IRGC brigade operating on Syrian soil…along the Lebanese-Syrian border. This is information that we are revealing publicly for the first time, although they [the IRGC armored brigade] have been present there since 2007, following Hezbollah's war with Israel."—Free Syrian Army commander, Brigadier General Hussam Awak, disclosing for the first time that an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp armored brigade is fighting alongside Bashar Assad's forces in Syria. He added that Assad "is also utilizing…Hezbollah Brigade 101, [which] specializes in street battles and sniper attacks…against the Syrian people." (Independent Media Review and Analysis, March 1.)
"If Hezbollah decided to support the democratic process in Syria, there would not be any barrier [to relations]. We will not sacrifice Hezbollah if Hezbollah does not sacrifice us as a people and as a cause."—Leader of the Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, announcing the opposition group's willingness to engage with Hezbollah after assuming power. Ghalioun added that "Hezbollah's greatest popularity in the past in the Arab world was in Syria because it did a glorious job when it stood against Israel." (Jerusalem Post, February 29.)
"The nations gathered here, including Syria, have solemnly pledged to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet when a government massacres thousands of its own citizens—innocent men, women and children—it violates that declaration's most basic right: the right to life. When a government turns heavy artillery upon its own cities, day after day, it commits inhuman acts that shock our collective conscience.… We ask: Does Syria believe the UN will be silent while it commits mass murder before the eyes of the world? If so, perhaps it is because, for too long, this council turned a blind eye to Syria's gross human rights abuses.… For too long, this council adopted Syrian-sponsored resolutions against a neighboring state [Israel], a liberal democracy that protects, not attacks, its citizens.… As a result, millions have suffered. For the sake of Syria's victims, it is time to right this wrong.… Today, it is time for this council to send a clear message: a government that murders its citizens must go."—Executive director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer, providing testimony at an urgent UN Human Rights Council session on Syria session. The meeting concluded with a resolution criticizing Bashar Assad's widespread violations, but fell short of calling on the Syrian President to step down. Both Russia and China defended the Assad regime during the proceedings. (UN Watch, March 1.)
"The point of elections is that the outcome should be uncertain. This was not the case in Russia. According to our assessment, these elections were unfair."—Tonino Picula, a monitor for the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), claiming last weekend's presidential election in Russia was skewed to favor Vladimir Putin, who secured nearly 65 percent of vote. (Reuters, March 5.)
"Dollis is one of Israel's best friends in Greece. He has been arguing for more than 20 years that Greece should get closer to Israel.… [He] was one of the architects of Greece's decision to upgrade its relationship with Israel, which has only flourished since then."—Israel's envoy to Athens, Aryeh Mekel, following the announcement of a joint Israel-Greece Conference to take place in Thessaloniki (Salonika) this summer, describing Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitrios Dollis as a major force behind Athens' dramatic realignment of its foreign policy toward Israel. Dollis described the warming relations between the countries as "taking place in a truthful manner, with an emphasis on the long run." The Conference will focus on ways for both countries to strengthen ties to their respective Diaspora communities. (Jerusalem Post, February 29.)
Short Takes
WORLD POWERS ACCEPT IRANIAN OFFER OF NUCLEAR TALKS—(Jerusalem) European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has written to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, accepting an offer to resume negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. Ashton, who represents the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany in dealings with Iran, was responding to a previous letter from Jalili claiming Iran had "new initiatives" to bring to the table. Last week in Canada, Israeli prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu cautioned the West over Tehran's purported willingness to resume negotiations, saying "[Iran] could again…exploit the talks…to deceive and delay so they…can get to the nuclear finish line by running up the clock.… I think the international community should not fall into this trap." (Reuters, March 2 & 6.)
CANADA SANCTIONS SYRIA, MCCAIN CALLS FOR STRIKES—(Toronto) Canada has shut its embassy in Damascus and is imposing fresh sanctions on Syria, banning all dealings with the country's central bank and seven cabinet ministers. "Our message remains clear: Assad must go," Foreign Minister John Baird said in reference to Canada's latest moves. Meanwhile, US Senator John McCain became the first high-ranking US official to publicly advocate for military intervention in Syria. McCain called on the Obama administration to lead an international effort to protect key Syrian population centers through air strikes on President Bashar Assad's forces, saying "The ultimate goal of air strikes should be to establish and defend safe havens in Syria…in which opposition forces can organize and plan their political and military activities against Assad." McCain affirmed in remarks on the Senate floor that "The time has come for a new [Syria] policy. Assad needs to know that he will not win." (Reuters, March 5.)
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD FORMS POLITICAL PARTY IN LIBYA—(Tripoli) The Muslim Brotherhood in Libya has announced the formation of a political party, the Justice and Development Party, after six decades of repression under dictator Moammar Gadhafi's regime. The Brotherhood's spokesman, Mohamed Gaair, said the group has representation in more than 18 cities across the country, and that more than 1,400 members attended last Friday's meeting in Tripoli to formally declare the formation of the body. The Brotherhood is considered the most organized political movement in Libya. Meanwhile, tribal leaders and militia commanders in eastern Libya have declared the formation of a semiautonomous region, raising fears the country is witnessing the first stages of political disintegration due to the failures of the Western-backed National Transitional Council (NTC) in Tripoli. A conference of about 3,000 delegates in Benghazi installed Ahmed al-Senussi, a great nephew of Libya's former king, as head of the new Cyrenaica Provincial Council, and proposed that the Eastern region run its own affairs apart from foreign policy, the army and oil resources. The Cyrenaica province would cover nearly half of Libya's territory. (Associated Press, March 3 & National Post, March 7.)
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS CALL ON A-G TO INDICT FREED TERRORISTS—(Jerusalem) A group of 52 US congressmen and women have called on US Attorney-General Eric Holder to prosecute those Palestinian terrorists, released in October as part of the Gilad Shalit deal, who are responsible for killing and maiming Americans. Under the 1991 US Anti-Terror Act, the United States may prosecute foreign nationals who perpetrate terrorist acts against American citizens, even if those acts are not carried out on US soil. However, for prosecution to proceed, the law requires written certification from the attorney-general that the alleged offenses were intended to "coerce, intimidate or retaliate against a government or civilian population." In a bipartisan letter to the Attorney-General, the lawmakers slammed as "disappointing" the US Department of Justice's record regarding terrorism committed in Israel, saying that the US has never indicted, extradited or prosecuted any of the Palestinian terrorists responsible for perpetrating the 71 terrorist attacks since 1993 in which Americans were killed or injured. (Jerusalem Post, March 2.)
CANADIAN MUSLIM YOUTH GROUP LOSES CHARITABLE STATUS—(Toronto) Canada's World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has been stripped of its charitable status after a Canada Revenue Agency investigation found that its Saudi-based parent organization purportedly financed Islamist terror campaigns. Under the heading of "Adverse Reporting on WAMY and its Affiliates," the Canadian government audit cites testimony by counterterrorism consultants before a U.S. Senate committee that says Osama bin Laden in 1993 identified three Muslim charities, including WAMY [in Saudi Arabia], as the "primary sources of al-Qaeda financial and fundraising activity." Last month, Citizenship and Immigration Canada also stopped funding Ontario non-profit The Palestine House Educational and Cultural Centre due to the group's "pattern of support for extremism." (Canadian Jewish News, February 23 & National Post, March 7.)
RUBINSTEIN: ARAB CITIZENS DON'T HAVE TO SING HATIKVA—(Jerusalem) Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein has come to the defense of his judicial colleague, Justice Salim Joubran, claiming that the Arab-Israeli justice's refusal to sing Israel's national anthem was justified. Joubran last week faced harsh criticism for failing to sing "Hatikva" at a ceremony marking Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch's retirement. According to Rubinstein, the criticism of Joubran was "a storm in a teacup" and "Arab citizens shouldn't be required to sing words that do not speak to their hearts and which do not reflect their roots." Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called on Joubran to address his "split personality," as one cannot be a Supreme Court justice while shunning Israel's national anthem. (Ynet News, February 29 & Jerusalem Post, March 1.)
SBARRO TERRORIST GETS TV SHOW—(Jerusalem) Ahlam Tamimi, the Hamas terrorist who drove a suicide bomber to the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem where 15 people were consequently killed, has gotten her own television show. After being freed from an Israeli prison last October as part of the Gilad Shalit deal, the Hamas-affiliated Al-Quds satellite channel offered Tamimi a slot to present a weekly program called "Nassim al-Ahrar." The show deals with Palestinian convicts imprisoned in Israel, and those who have been freed. In an interview published shortly after her release, Tamimi said she does not regret her involvement in the attack, which took place in 2001. (Ynet News, March 1.)
BIRTHRIGHT CONTRIBUTED NIS 2B. TO ISRAELI ECONOMY—(Jerusalem) According to Taglit-Birthright Israel, the organization's trips have contributed more than NIS 2 billion to the Israeli economy since their inception in 2000. The Birthright program, which brings Jewish adults between the ages of 18 to 26 from the Diaspora to Israel on a free, 10-day educational trip, has brought some 280,650 people to the Jewish state since the program was established. CEO Gidi Mark estimated that around 40 percent of participants have returned to Israel at some stage, and that 7-10% have made aliya. Birthright expects to bring a record 50,000 visitors to Israel in 2013. (Jerusalem Post, February 26)
On Topic
Jerusalem Post, March 1, 2012
Jonathan Rosenblum
Purim in Contemporary Guise
New Republic, March 7, 2012
Yossi Klein Halevi
Yossi Klein Halevi: Why Israel Still Canât Trust That Obama Has Its Back | The New Republic
Jerusalem Post, March 6, 2012
Herb Keinon
Analysis: PM at AIPAC - powerful... JPost - Iranian Threat - News
NY Times, March 4, 2012
Neil Macfarquhar
Iran Elections Deal Blow to Ahmadinejad and the Presidency - NYTimes.com
Prof. Frederick Krantz, Director (Canadian Institute for Jewish Research)
Prof. Harold Waller (McGill University)
Prof. Ira Robinson, Associate Chairman (Department of Religion, Concordia University)
Baruch Cohen, Research Chairman (Canadian Institute for Jewish Research)
Rob Coles (Canadian Institute for Jewish Research)


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Uncle Nick's is a Greek restaurant (with another location in Chelsea), that is open all day and with a slightly more hip, liquor focused ouzeria next door that really gets hopping at night. When we arrived for an early lunch, the place was pretty empty, but on a Saturday night at 8 pm, good luck getting a table. The atmosphere is incredibly casual in the big and bustling restaurant – people everywhere are ordering plates of flaming saganaki, servers are running around yelling at each other in Spanish, and the scent of garlic and oregano envelopes the place like a heavy cloak.
Greek Fries
Mahi Mahi
The zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and potato dish served alongside the fish deserves its own mention. Savory, earthy with thyme and oregano, and cooked until all the vegetables were soft and creamy – kind of like gourmet baby food. Sound gross? Well, it wasn't…it was awesome. One of the best dishes of the day.


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Chinese startup creates a virtual reality machine to take on the Oculus Rift
The ANTVR KIT promises an immersive, high definition experience ideal for gamers
The Oculus Rift may be the most well-known device amongst virtual reality aficionadios, but it's not the only machine on the block.
A Chinese startup company is launching its own Kickstarter-funded virtual reality machine called the "All-in-One Universal Virtual Reality Kit", or ANTVR KIT for short.
The company, Beijing-based ANTVR, claims that its product - which includes a wireless headset and a controller - gives users the opportunity to completely immerse themselves in larger-than-life versions of their favourite media.
It can be used in conjunction with a variety of movies and games, including those available for consoles like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.
Watch: ANTVR KIT Kickstarter Video
"Anything that can put out an HDMI signal can be picked up by the headset," said Qin Zheng, the project's founder, in an interview with Tech in Asia.
"The [ANTVR KIT] is equipped with a full [high-definition] display," the product's Kickstarter description reads. "The sharp picture is projected onto your retina through the aspherical lens without distorting the image, allowing every pixel to remain in sharp focus.
"While wearing the headset, you're surrounded by the largest 4:3 standard screen in the world, which gives you a 100° diagonal field of view. This gives users an IMAX-like experience in the comfort of their own homes."
Unlike the Oculus Rift headset, which uses a spherical lens which causes distortion along the edges of the wearer's vision, the ANTVR KIT is built with an aspherical lens - meaning that in theory, the product is capable of producing superior virtual reality images that wrap seamlessly around the user.
Qin says he was inspired to found a company and create the ANTVR KIT largely from a love of science fiction.
"During college, I wrote...sci-fi stories, several of which were published in a major Chinese magazine, and even produced a few short movies," he told Tech in Asia. "I [also] built several swimming robots, developed some satellite software, and a made a device that can identify people in virtual reality worlds.
"But, being a big sci-fi fan, my biggest dream was to make a real-life Holodeck [like the one from the Star Trek television series]. To this end, I invented a lot of virtual reality devices like holographic glasses and...headsets. Then I created the first ANTVR KIT prototype all by myself last year."
First revealed on Kickstarter this week, the ANTVR KIT has already raised over US$100,000 in funding from interested parties. If the project raises over US$200,000 by June 23, then it will be put into production.
Virtual reality headsets have gained popularity in recent years, particularly as avid video game fans search for new ways to achieve complete immersion. The Oculus Rift, which also began as a Kickstarter project, raised over US$2 million in 2012. The finalised consumer version of the product is slated for a release in late 2014.
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State Police report that the remains have been tentatively identified as those of Brian Austin of Syracuse. The remains were found by a NYSEG worker near a state park in Ulysses in Tompkins County Wednesday; Austin had been reported missing from the Syracuse area since 2011. The cause and manner of death are pending. The investigation is continuing.
The Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force arrested 24 year old Angelina Brown of Binghamton, after a search of her home netted 46 glassine bags of heroin, 3 knotted wraps of crack cocaine, a baggie of marijuana, a live marijuana plant and ecstasy pills. Brown was charged with -Criminal possession of a controlled substance, endangering the welfare of a child, growing cannabis & Unlawful possession of marijuana. Brown's 5-year-old son was removed from the home & is staying with family. Brown was being held at the Binghamton Police Department pending arraignment.
Tomorrow is the National Take Back Collection for prescription drugs throughout the country. The events will run from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, with DEA officials taking the unwanted collected prescriptions with them at the conclusion of the collections. Locally, collections will be at the Norwich City Police Department at 18 East Main Street, at the SUNY Oneonta Police Department at 1 Alumni Hall & with the Oneonta City Police department at 79 Main Street. The Chenango County Sheriff's Office will also be participating at the Plymouth and Guilford Fire Departments; they will still accept unused or unwanted medications at the Sheriff's Office at 279 County Road 46 in the Town of Norwich.


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March 04, 2013
– Comments (3)
This is super cool! Related to this post from December: http://caps.fool.com/Blogs/onion-soaks-up-heavy-metal/780269
--------------------------------------------------Plants that can detox waste lands will put poisons to good useMarch 4, 2013 http://phys.org/news/2013-03-detox-poisons-good.htmlCommon garden plants are to be used to clean polluted land, with the extracted poisons being used to produce car parts and aid medical research. Scientists will use plants such as alyssum, pteridaceae and a type of mustard called sinapi to soak up metals from land previously occupied by factories, mines and landfill sites. Dangerous levels of metals such as arsenic and platinum, which can lurk in the ground and can cause harm to people and animals, will be extracted using a natural process known as phytoremediation. Once the plants have drawn contaminated material out of the soil, researchers will harvest and then process the plants into materials that can be used more productively. The conversion process will take place in a biorefinery, which will use specifically engineered bacteria to transform the toxic metal ions into more useful metallic nanoparticles. These tiny particles will be used to make catalytic converters for motor vehicles. They will also be used to help develop cancer treatments. Cleaning polluted land and rivers could also allow land to be reclaimed and reused, the researchers say. The project involves scientists from the University of Edinburgh, the Universities of Warwick and Birmingham, Newcastle University and Cranfield University. Dr Louise Horsfall of the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences, said: "Land is a finite resource. As the world's population grows along with the associated demand for food and shelter, we believe that it is worth decontaminating land to unlock vast areas for better food security and housing. I hope to use synthetic biology to enable bacteria to produce high value nanoparticles and thereby help make land decontamination financially viable."Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-03-detox-poisons-good.html#jCp
Neat! From prior owners of my property there was an unsightly blackened patch of ground near the garage. Evidently it had seen too many oil changes. I planted some lirope there and now the ground is much better. I was on the cusp of research without even knowing it :).
Thanks for some good news, Binve. Using plants to reverse pollution--fantastic!
Agreed! This is really such a positive step.
lemoneater ,
Excellent research :) It is just amazing that some plants can clean up the polluted Earth and then other plants can amend it. It really is amazing.
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New and decidely different at the PGA Show
It ain't what it used to be. Orlando's PGA Show has dwindled a bit over the years, hurt by a continued soft golf economy, and hampered by the absence of some of golf's marquee names. (Titleist, Taylor-Made and Ping make up a "Big Three" of recent abandonment, opting to use the millions of dollars it takes to have the appropriate presence at The Show and divert the resources to other areas of their respective operations.)
But what The Show will always have in spades are dreamers—entrepreneurial types, inventors, little guys with a hopefully big idea. Here's a quick and quirky sampling of what was on display last week as those in and around the golf industry, however peripherally, continue to try and build a better mousetrap:
• Turf Trike was invented by Jason Deal, who looks like he'll be old enough to shave any month now. It's a three-wheeled, pedal-driven beach cruiser-type contraption, outfitted to hold a golf bag between the handlebars, with plenty of baskets and storage units. It's apparently targeted for those who want more exercise than a golf cart can provide, but aren't willing or able to actually play the game the way it was intended—on their own two feet. www.Turftrike.com
• Speaking of one's own two feet, the German inventors of Free-Release golf shoes want players to reduce the stress of the golf swing in their feet, knees, hips and spine. So they developed a high-end golf shoe with a rotating sole plate (USGA legal) that reduces strain and keeps golfers from spinning out of their stance during the follow-through. www.free-release.com
• An English chap at a small corner booth pressed a football-shaped golf ball in my hand, which at first glance seemed to be a promotional oddity, like a massive animal head-cover, or jewel-encrusted putter. But the oblong, dimpled orb is the key to a brand-new game he's attempting to market called Golf Cross, where instead of depositing the ball into a hole in the ground, as has been the object for centuries, one endeavors to "kick a field goal" into a net, set up 20-or-so yards to the side of the green on a conventional golf course. Speaking of which, players use conventional clubs to propel the ball, and apparently by tilting the top of the egg-shaped ball left or right on the tee, one can automatically slice or hook on command. www.golfcross.co.uk
• My interest was piqued when I saw four men attempt to lift a burly fellow sitting in a chair with just two fingers each. They couldn't budge him, but when each donned a Quantum Pendant, they lifted him with ease. Next thing you know, I spent 15 minutes doing field tests, and it's indisputable that my balance, flexibility and strength was noticeably better wearing this half-dollar sized medallion than without. It produces scalar energy, whatever that is, and I made for the exit quickly when my Malaysian guide was telling me it'll make screw-cap wine taste like the finest Beaujolais, and putting it in the trunk under the spare tire will result in better gas mileage. But I'm wearing one as I type, and I feel like I'm in better balance over the keyboard. www.fusionexcel.com
|« The golf-rich are getting richer in Cabo San Lucas
|Happy 25th Anniversary, John Smith! »
3 comments
Why dident you take me with you?
I could have lined up a Shirt Vendor
for 85 Dye-na-mite.
P.S. You would would be the talk of the island on a Turf Trike.
As usual, enjoyed your report from The Show. You always seem to find the strange and different...or is it that they find you?
I also agree with George about the Turf Trike.


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A woman has died after being struck by a snow-removal vehicle in Stratford, P.E.I., on Sunday.
Her name and age have not been released.
The accident occurred about 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Glen Stewart Drive, Const. Jennifer Taylor stated in a news release.
A heavy equipment vehicle was removing snow when it struck the woman, Taylor said.
The victim was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown, where she died.
Police, fire and EMS crews responded to the accident, along with officials from P.E.I.'s Worker's Compensation Board.


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Applications are invited for a PhD student position in Electrical- and Computer Engineering. The project is in the field of medical image analysis.Field of work
The main objectives of the project are the development of image processing and analysis methods to study and characterize the ventricular system of the human brain. The purpose of this resear
We are looking for a highly qualified and motivated researcher for a Ph.D. position focusing on profiling metabolites in breast cancer tissue at the University of Iceland, Reykjavík. The PhD. student will be enrolled in to the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
This project is supported by the Icelandic Science and Technology Council Research Fund for three years.
Field of workThe ob
The Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science at the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the University of Iceland, seeks applicants to fill two PhD positions in the research domain of Food Supply Chain Systems with a focus on Supply Chain Management and System Dynamics and application of research methodology to unravel the link between the complexity and diver
The Faculty of Physical Sciences seeks applicants to fill a PhD student position for 3 years, for the project: Reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (R-HiPIMS).
The high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge is an ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) technique that has attracted much interest lately. In HiPIMS, high power is applied to the magnetron target in unipolar pulses at low duty
The natural products chemistry research group seeks applicants to fill a (full time) Ph.D. student position for three years, to work on the project: Natural products as potential drug leads for neurodegenerative diseases – a multi-target approach.
Description of the project
In this project natural compounds and derivatives with favourable properties will be identifi
Deadline : 26 February 2018
Deadline : 28 February 2018
Deadline : 28 February 2018
Deadline : 1 March 2018
Deadline : 1 March 2018
Deadline : 1 March 2018
Deadline : 9 March 2018
Deadline : 20 March 2018


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Synonyms & Trade NamesCarbomethene, Ethenone, Keto-ethylene
CAS No.463-51-4
RTECS No.OA7700000
DOT ID & Guide
Conversion1 ppm = 1.72 mg/m3
IDLH5 ppm
See: 463514
Exposure Limits
NIOSH RELTWA 0.5 ppm (0.9 mg/m3) ST 1.5 ppm (3 mg/m3)
OSHA PELTWA 0.5 ppm (0.9 mg/m3) See Appendix G
Measurement MethodsNIOSH S92 (II-2)
See: NMAM or OSHA Methods
Physical DescriptionColorless gas with a penetrating odor.
Molecular Weight42.0
Boiling Point-69°F
Freezing Point-238°F
Vapor Pressure>1 atm
Ionization Potential9.61 eV
Flash PointNA (Gas)
Upper Exposive Limit?
Lower Explosive Limit?
Relative Gas Density1.45
Incompatibilities & ReactivitiesWater, alcohols, ammonia [Note: Readily polymerizes. Reacts with water to form acetic acid.]
Exposure Routesinhalation, skin and/or eye contact
Symptomsirritation eyes, skin, nose, throat, respiratory system; pulmonary edema
Target OrgansEyes, skin, respiratory system
Personal Protection/Sanitation(See protection codes)
Skin:No recommendation
Eyes:No recommendation
Wash skin:No recommendation
Remove:No recommendation
Change:No recommendation
First Aid(See procedures)
Breathing:Respiratory support
Respirator Recommendations
Up to 5 ppm:
(APF = 10) Any supplied-air respirator*
(APF = 50) Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece
Emergency or planned entry into unknown concentrations or IDLH conditions:
(APF = 10,000) Any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode
(APF = 10,000) Any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained positive-pressure breathing apparatus
(APF = 50) Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted organic vapor canister
Any appropriate escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus
See alsoINTRODUCTION ICSC CARD: 0812 MEDICAL TESTS: 0126
- Page last reviewed:April 11, 2016
- Page last updated:April 11, 2016
- Content source:
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Education and Information Division


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Das Process: Episode 26: RuthAnn ThompsonPosted by Admin | Popular Now | No Comments
RuthAnn Thompson, actress, fangirl and lover of all things nerd, joins the Das Process crew to geek out…
RuthAnn Thompson, actress, fangirl and lover of all things nerd, joins the Das Process crew to geek out…
If you're a fan of animation, you're in luck. If you're a fan of "South Park" you win!! Das Process x Eric Stough; Fractured, but whole.
Daz Crawford has been a Gladiator, a Vampire and a Hydra Agent. Not too shabby for a kid from Liverpool, England. The Das Process gang takes a few moments to get his whole story.
Eric Adkins is a Director of Photography/Cinematographer who, for the past 20 years, has been making people look good on screen.
The lovely Alina Aliluykina thrills the Das Process guys when she stops by to talk about her acting, modeling, and the days she spent in Russia, living near a nuclear power plant.
Doug Goldstein stops by to chat with the Das Process crew about comics, Robot Chicken and reminisce about his long gone by days of living in Rockland County, NY. Ah…the good old days.
Mehar Sethi, Writer on Bojack Horseman, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and The Cleveland Show joins the Das Process crew this week!
Deirdre Devlin — actress, writer and marinara sauce lover — joins the Das Process crew to talk about her life, projects and all things deliciously Devlin.
Shannon Kook of "Degrassi" fame stops by Das Process to give us a look into his acting career and his upcoming film 'Dark Places.'
SNL writer Mikey Day stops by the studio to have a little chin wag with the Das Process boys!
Adam Green (and his dog Arwen) stop by from the Movie Crypt!
Magda Apanowicz brings some class to the Das Process crew this week!
Das Process gets an up close and personal view into the world of writer Joel Hurwitz. Check it out and see what he's all about!
This episode of Das Process features Jeff Eckman who talks TV, Movies, the coming robot wars and what the effects of teleportation could be.
This week…. Mark Hoppus.


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- email@example.com
- 04 4635961
- Room 529, Cotton Building, Gate 7 Kelburn Pde
Professor School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences
Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Earth structure, Plate Tectonics
PhD Geophysics, Univ. Wisconsin, Madison (1987); M.S. Geophysics, Univ. Wisconsin, Madison (1984 ); B.A. Physics, Swarthmore College (1979)
Publications from 2004 - Now
Seismology and its relation to Tectonics and Earthquake Hazards. More specifically:
The study of seismic anisotropy is a rapidly growing field which is yielding information on the orientation of cracks in the crust and aligned minerals in the mantle. These can in turn be related to deformation within the Earth. This is very exciting, as it allows us for the first time to get an understanding of the strain, or the "structural geology" within the mantle. We are still in the fundamental stages of mapping this deformation, and determining the contributions from the crust and asthenosphere, and from past and present tectonic processes. Field programs in the United States and in New Zealand are helping to unravel relations between tectonic provinces and seismic anisotropy. Exciting developments are suggesting anisotropy can be used as a tool to study stress changes on volcanoes, which could lead to new methods of eruption forecasting.
Seismic Anisotropy in New Zealand
Earthquake hazards continue to cause great concern to the general public, and mitigating those hazards is an important part of applied seismology. My research in this area ranges from examination of properties claimed to be precursors to larger earthquakes, to determining statistically the likelihood of a moderate event being followed by a larger one, to working with other researchers to calibrate finite difference models of Wellington region earthquakes to measured ground motions.
Prof Martha Savage CV 2014pdf44KB


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Marvel: Untold Story
October 9, 2012
MARVEL COMICS: THE UNTOLD STORY, a behind-the-scenes story of Marvel Comics three years in the researching, by HiLobrow friend Sean Howe, hits bookstores today!
Sean has been posting excerpts, outtakes, and ephemera on the book's Tumblr and Facebook pages; you must click on these links.
Check out these glowing encomia:
"Sean Howe's history of Marvel makes a compulsively readable, riotous and heartbreaking version of my favorite story, that of how a bunch of weirdos changed the world. That it's all true is just frosting on the cake."
— Jonathan Lethem
"A warts-and-all, nail-biting mini-epic about the low-paid, unsung 'funnybook men' who were unwittingly creating twenty-first century pop culture. If you thought the fisticuffs were bare and bloody on the four-color page, wait 'til you hear about what went down in the Marvel bullpen."
— Patton Oswalt
"Sean Howe is to Marvel Comics what Procopius was to the Byzantine Empire: a court gossip of breathtaking thoroughness and exactitude, and a sly and nuanced writer. It is imperative that this work not fall into the hands of alien species, or we're done for."
— Luc Sante
Sean will be celebrating the book's release with an onstage conversation with Chuck Klosterman, at the PowerHouse Arena, 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, at 7pm this evening.


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Awakener Druid
Magic 2011 — Uncommon
Creature — Human Druid
When Awakener Druid enters the battlefield, target Forest becomes a 4/5 green Treefolk creature for as long as Awakener Druid remains on the battlefield. It's still a land.
The druids of Mazar treat each seedcone with respect for the warrior it will become.


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Shoulder Bags
Featuring a shoulder strap and mostly structured design, these purses can be adopted in day-to-evening looks. Wear your Gucci Dionysus or Valentino Rockstud bag cross body for a sporty feel. Most of them feature removable strap, so you can also hold them as a clutch. The palette is both bold and neutral depending on your mood. Check the Furla 'Metropolis', the Proenza Schouler 'Hava' and more.
Showing all 0 results
No products were found matching your selection.


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Net-SMS is a simple java based desktop application to send sms through free and paid service providers, This application is quite easy to use and supports rich address book features.
Note: In order to send sms with this application you will need to have a way2sms.com account, for which you can sign up for free and then you can send free sms to any number with this free windows application for windows.
Following are some key features of this application
1. Send free SMS from desktop through Way2SMS.
2. SMPP interface to connect and send SMS through SMSC.
3. Rich address book to maintain contacts.
4. Groups of contacts in address book.
5. Username and password remember option.
6. Search engine to locate service provider for any number in INDIA
7. Import contacts from Google, Yahoo, Outlook Express address-book
But you can send SMS for free maximum 140 character at a time.
Download Net SMS | Related Resources: Send Unlimited Free SMS with Airtel Connection, free sms to friends with google sms channels


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1000D Cordura, suede bottom, adjustable shoulder strap, 2 black web loops to hang bag when not in use. Bungee cord with grip-lock for adjusting. Flap covered zippers keep rain out.
Back Country Pack
Capacity: 1140in^3
Dimensions: W12 x H19 x D5in
Fabric: 1000D Cordura (Body), Suede Bottom
Fits 15″ Laptop
From: $130.00


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Staff/Faculty Dir.
Waterbury & Danbury
Held twice a semester, Confluencia is a confluence celebrating a wide variety of voices. At Confluencia, students, faculty and staff, community members, and award-winning writers are invited to gather and share the experiences of different cultures via the written word.
Our last Confluencia was held Wednesday, November 15, 5:30 p.m., on NVCC's Waterbury Campus in the Playbox Theatre. The night featured NVCC poets, writers and musicians.
Please RSVP to: email@example.com
Carmen Bardeguez-Brown is a poet and educator from Puerto Rico. Her work was featured in
the documentary film: Latino Poets in the United States. This award-winning piece was produced
by Ray Santiesteban and showcased her, along with other founding members of the Nuyorican
Poets movement such as Pedro Pietri and Willie Perdomo among many others.
Sasha Kamini Parmasad, (MFA, Columbia University)is the author of the poetry collection No
Poem (Yuganta Press, 2017). She has won international awards for her poetry as well as her first
Ink and Sugar. In addition, she has taught academic/creative writing courses at Columbia
University. With more than 20 years of meditation experience, she is a Director of the Women's
Initiative at the David Lynch Foundation (NYC).
Juan Matos is a Dominican educator residing in Worcester, MA. He has written many books
including Temblor de espejos (2011). A founding member of literary groups and workshops, his
works have been featured in numerous anthologies and literary reviews. He holds two Master's
degrees and has studied in the U.S. and internationally. He teaches Advanced Placement Spanish
Literature and Culture classes at North High School in Worcester. MA
The evening's moderator is Marianela Medrano. She is a writer and professional
counselor with a Ph.D. in psychology. She offers workshops and readings in Connecticut and
around the country. She has published six poetry books including,
Diosas de la Yuca/Goddesses
of the Yuca
(2011) and Prietica (2013).
Edited by Marianela Medrano and Juleyka Lantigua-Williams
In 2013, NVCC's Confluencia reading series celebrated five years of gathering writers to share their work. Dozens of poets, playwrights, authors, and performance artists contributed to a first-ever commemorative collection of poetry, prose, and other selections from those who shared their gifts at one of the signature evenings. The collection, titled Confluencia in the Valley: The First Five Years of Converging with Words, was edited by founder/organizer Marianela Medrano and Assistant Professor of English Juleyka Lantigua-Williams. Confluencia is Spanish for "confluence"—the merging of elements, forms, movements, or people. Copies are available for sale at the college bookstore, with proceeds benefitting the Foundation for Student Emergencies Fund and scholarships in the Humanities.
"This publication was designed to celebrate this significant achievement and to signify that the humanities are alive and doing well at Naugatuck Valley Community College. Whenever I have a chance to discuss my understanding of what the humanities mean to community college students, I reflect on the need—even as we teach necessary and utilitarian careers—to cultivate the arts and letters as a means of transforming lives by strengthening the human spirit. The selections included in this collection speak of falling and standing up, drifting, reaching back and moving forward with strength, precision and beauty. What a meaningful gathering of words this is!" – From the introduction by NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.
Marianela Medrano is poet and a writer of non-fiction and fiction who holds a Ph.D. in psychology, a professional counselor's license and certification as a poetry therapist. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines in Latin America, Europe and the United States. Her individual publications include Regando Esencias/The Scent of Waiting; Curada de Espantos/One Who Has Seen It All.
Juleyka Lantigua-Williams, a journalist, writer, editor, Fulbright Scholar, formerly a professor of English at NVCC. Her syndicated opinion columns have appeared in national and international publications. Her magazine credits include JET, The Progressive, GIANT, and Urban Latino. The Simon and Schuster Short Prose Reader, Once Upon a Cuento, and Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today's Feminism also feature her work. Visit juleykalantigua.com for more.
Copies of the book are for sale at NVCC's bookstore. Proceeds will go to support scholarships for the Arts and Humanities.
Request your SAT, ACT or AP test scores
CLEP (College Level Examination Program) information and testing at NVCC
Official transcripts are prepared by a college bearing their official seal and provided in a sealed envelope. If the envelope is opened by anyone other than an official at the receiving college, it is no longer considered official.
Unofficial transcripts is a record of college classes taken including grades received. The document can be produced by the college or student, but does not have a raised college seal. It may also be a transcript that bears the official seal, but is not in the original sealed envelope. These transcripts can be emailed or faxed to NVCC.
To Waive Placement Testing or Prerequisite Requirements (Unofficial transcript accepted)
Unofficial college transcripts may be submitted to waive placement testing and prerequisite requirements. Contact the respective college to request your transcript. These transcripts may be emailed to email@example.com or faxed to 203-596-8766.
To transfer credits to NVCC (Official transcript needed)
An official college transcript is required to assess if your courses are eligible for transfer towards your NVCC degree or certificate. Contact the respective college to request your official transcript or CollegeBoard.org to transfer AP credits. Transcripts are only considered official when received in the original sealed envelope. Transcripts may be sent from the college directly to the Admissions Office.
Naugatuck Valley Community College
Admissions, Room K502
750 Chase Parkway
Waterbury, CT 06708
Please note: Official college transcripts may also be used to waive placement testing or prerequisite requirements.
If your college credits were earned overseas, you must get your transcripts professionally evaluated in order for transfer credits to be considered. Choose one of these evaluation services to assist you with the process.
For students born after December 31, 1956: Connecticut State Law requires that all full-time (degree seeking and non-degree/non-matriculating) and part-time matriculating students enrolled in post-secondary schools be adequately protected against measles, mumps and rubella. Beginning August 1, 2010 all full-time and matriculating students, except those born in the continental United States prior to January 1, 1980 must provide proof of immunization against Varicella (chicken pox). Student must have two (2) doses of each vaccine administered at least one (1) month apart to insure adequate immunization.
Download the Proof of Immunization Form.
The following proof will be accepted:
F-1 visa students applying from overseas:
Schedule an exam at www.toefl.org or www.ielts.org.
Students already in Connecticut may choose to take the Accuplacer instead.
The Lab School at Naugatuck Valley Community College, which was then Mattatuck Community College, opened its doors in January 1977 to provide a training laboratory for early childhood education majors at the college as well as a quality educational environment for young children ages 3 - 6.
The initial set-up of the center included one large preschool. Today there are three classrooms, including two preschools, one with an integrated Kindergarten component, a toddler class.
The enrollment of the center includes children of staff, faculty, students and the local community.
In 1998, the Lab School received a school readiness grant from the state of Connecticut, expanding it's role in the community through collaboration with the Waterbury School System. There are currently 20 full-time children who attend year-round under the umbrella of Waterbury School Readiness.
The Lab School has evolved through the years to become a nationally accredited, high-quality model school that serves as the training ground for approximately 40 early childhood education students per year as well as students in other related disciplines, such as psychology, English and nursing.
The Lab School is the only training facility in the state to incorporate the Reggio Emilia approach into its teacher preparation program as well as fully utilize the approach in the classrooms with young children.
High-interest, in-depth studies that encompass a variety of learning and embedded curriculum and assessment are considered the Project Approach.
Reggio Emilia Italia
No Way. The hundred is there.*
The child
is made of one hundred.
The child has a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking.
A hundred always a hundred
ways of listening
of marveling of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred wolds
to invent
to dream.
The child has
a hundred languages
(and a hundred, hundred, hundred more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
The school and the culture
separate the head from the body.
They tell the child:
to think without hands
to do without head
to listen and not to speak
to understand without joy
to love and to marvel
only at Easter and Christmas.
to discover the world already there
and of the hundred
they steal ninety-nine.
that work and play
reality and fantasy
science and imagination
sky and earth
reason and dream
are things
that do not belong together.
And thus they tell the child
that the hundred is not there.
The child says:
No way. The hundred is there.
-Loris Malaguzzi
*Translated by Lella Gandini


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Racing identities from all over the world gathered at Rosehill Gardens on Tuesday to farewell popular jockey Nathan Berry.
Berry died after suffering from Norse syndrome, contracted not long after starting what was a successful riding stint in Singapore.
Fittingly, Berry's final ride was a winner.
More than 1500 people, most wearing Nathan's colour blue, attended his funeral. Such was the esteem he was held in by everyone in the racing community.
Nathan's twin brother Tommy gave a moving eulogy and paid tribute to his closest mate, saying his death "left a hole in my heart".
Nathan's career included 351 winning rides. The highlight was the Magic Millions victory on the Gold Coast in January.
He married his beloved wife Whitney in February.
As she was walking down the aisle at their wedding Nathan told the priest that "his life" was walking towards him.
What made Berry so popular with everyone he came in contact with was that no matter who they were, from the heavyweights of the industry to the small-time owners, he treated everyone equally and with as much respect.
Trainer Michael Freedman and jockey Corey Brown were just two of many who travelled from overseas to be at his farewell.
Nathan Berry was 23 years old.


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NEW YORK - In the harshest punishment in NBA playoff history, five New York Knicks, including three starters, and P.J. Brown of the Miami Heat were suspended Thursday for a bench-clearing brawl.
Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, John Starks and Charlie Ward were suspended one game apiece, although only Ewing, Ward and Houston will miss Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals tonight.
Brown's suspension is for two games, meaning his season is over unless the Heat can overcome their 3-2 deficit in the bestof-7 series.
More Knicks were suspended because NBA vice president Rod Thorn adhered to the rule mandating a one-game suspension for players who leave the bench during an altercation. The suspensions were announced in a news release; Thorn did not return phone calls seeking comment.
NBA rules stipulate teams must have nine players in uniform for playoff games, so only three of the Knicks will miss Game 6 tonight. Ward must serve his suspension first because he was one of the principals in the fight on Wednesday night.
Ewing and Houston will miss Game 6 because the NBA uses an alphabetical system when so many players are suspended at once.
Johnson and Starks will miss Sunday's game - whether it's Game 7 at Miami or Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls.
The suspensions figure to have a greater effect on the Knicks, who will have to replace their two leading scorers - AllStar center Ewing (10.8 points per game) and Houston (18.5) - in Game 6. Buck Williams will probably replace Ewing at center and Starks will start in place of Houston. Third-stringer Scott Brooks will handle Ward's duties as the backup point guard.
Miami will sorely miss Brown, one of the few members of the Heat who has sustained his energy and production throughout the series. Brown, who has drawn the defensive assignment on Ewing, did an especially good job in Game 5.
At Heat practice Thursday, Brown said he had "no second thoughts" about grabbing Ward and flipping him upside down along the baseline during the fourth quarter of Miami's 96-81 victory.
"That's what I had to do. I have to protect myself. There was nothing else I could do," he said.
"We have a lot more confidence now. We feel good about what we accomplished last night," Brown said. "You'll definitely see a lot looser Heat team than what you've seen."
Until the blowup at the end of Wednesday's game, the series had been relatively free of the animosity that the teams had shown one another in the regular season.
Aside from several technical fouls, the series wasn't living up to its advance billing. Instead of being a war, it was more like slow torture - two defensiveminded teams making it exceedingly difficult for the other to score.
But the tone changed Tuesday when Miami coach Pat Riley harangued his players for their post-game comments following a Game 4 loss. Riley, who quit the Knicks to take the Miami job two years ago, challenged his players to stand up to the Knicks and get physical with them.
And just like in the past, Riley's motivational tactics worked.
Brown was talking trash to Ewing as early as the first quarter Wednesday night, and the game started to turn nasty late in the fourth quarter when Charles Oakley knocked Alonzo Mourning to the ground on a hard foul.
Starks stirred things up in the third quarter when he started trading insults with the Miami fans, and he waved his middle finger at the crowd - a photo of which ran on the front page of Thursday's New York Post - when he went to the bench.
Just two seconds after Oakley's ejection, Ward ducked down and moved sideways into Brown's legs as Tim Hardaway made a free throw.
Brown wrapped his arm around the smaller Ward's waist, lifted him, flipped him over and threw him to the floor behind the baseline.
New York's John Wallace grabbed Brown, and players from both teams joined the pile.
Before order was restored, several Knicks left the bench to join the melee while the Heat players not in the game stayed on the sideline.
Both coaches, Riley of Miami and Jeff Van Gundy of the Knicks, entered the fray to try to pull players apart.
Starks was pelted with debris as he walked to a tunnel leading to the lockers, and security guards had to restrain him from going into the crowd.
"John (Starks) brought it down on himself. You challenge people in the stands in a highly energized, competitive game - one that's about to end very negatively - and you start flipping people off like that, he brought it upon himself," Riley said at practice Thursday before learning of the suspensions.
The Heat were traveling to New York on Thursday and were not immediately available for comment.
In addition to the suspensions, Brown was fined $10,000; Ward $6,000; and Ewing, Houston and Starks $2,500 each.
The Knicks were fined $20,000 - $5,000 for each player who left the bench, and Starks was fined an additional $5,000 for making an obscene gesture toward the crowd.
Inactive Knicks rookie Dontae' Jones also was suspended for a game and was banned from sitting on the bench for the rest of the postseason. He also left the bench during the fight and reportedly spit at some Miami fans.
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Clothing Service Program
The Clothing Service Program is the League's effort to ease the strain on international student clothing budgets. Many foreign undergraduates arrive on campus unprepared for a New England winter or for the job interviews they may have later in the year.
To help reduce the need for these students to purchase costly sweaters, winter coats, interview dresses, suits and neckties, the League collects donated clothing throughout the year. And each fall it hosts a "Fall Fashion Free For All," at which delighted students can select needed items for their wardrobes at no cost. Volunteers serve as "fashion consultants" to students during the event itself.
The League seeks clean, gently used interview clothes, warm winter-appropriate outerwear, and formal wear for spring proms. Clothing donations may be mailed or brought to the League office (Room 10-342). Donations are tax deductible and a receipt for income tax purposes is provided upon request. A valuation guide is available at the Salvation Army website.
Volunteers interested in assisting with sorting and tagging donations or helping with the "Fall Fashion Free For All" should call the League office at 617.253.3656 or email email@example.com.


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Today we're speaking about food (not sure I can stand so much yumminess, after one entire day with two cookies). Every once in a while I'm feeling majorly drawn to food photography. Perhaps this happens when I'm starving, but still – there is nothing more delicious than food photography, right? I love how talented photographers make you drool over a cake or a salad keeping it stylish and beautiful to only look at. I discovered Cannelle et Vanille on Flickr and fell for those photos right away – they meet all I've ever expected from food photography. Take a look:
Base magazine Spring/Summer 2011
Happy Monday! To start off the week on an inspiring note I have for you a real feast for the eyes – the magazine of my fellow blogger Dagny (congrats, lady!) – Base! Covering wallpapers and rugs, Base magazine is a gorgeous mix of Scandinavian and modern, so if you know me you understand how blown away I am by the content of Base. Their Spring/Summer issue is filled with colours, patterns and home tours to die for! Take a look:
These pictures from the May Color Me Pretty post on decor8 has me swooning big time. Leslie rocks and so do her monthly boards and pictures! With these two gorgeous images I wish you a very happy weekend! xo
*images via decor8
Color+Inspiration: Aqua+Red
What's with this combo, I get to see plenty of it and it's literally everywhere – in the kitchen, in the patio, in the living room and at parties! Well, I can totally understand the trend, bright and fresh aqua looks fabulous with hot, daring red – it's like something you'd never put together yet which looks fantastic when combined. You know what I mean, right?
Pinteresting post
Have I ever mentioned how addicted I am to Pinterest? If not, this post will say it all. I'm browsing over there for hours and hours every day and still can't get enough of all that inspiration, stunning pictures I'd never come across otherwise and all the inspiring pinners – it's always nice to see what fellow bloggers and friends like in real life (again, things I'd never find out if it wouldn't be for Pinterest). The best of it is that it doesn't matter what style you think suits you better – you can pin everything and create a VERY inspiring artful mess. Yes, it's that good. I'm happy to be on Pinterest from the very beginning, seriously, these days I can't imagine my life without it. You must try it, if you didn't (which is highly unlikely). I have pinboards for fashion, interiors, food and much more – it's unbelievable how much I cherish my pinteresting place :)
Office spaces to inspire
We all know that for a productive day we need an office which is both cozy and motivating. And yes, I truly believe an office is like a bed – crucial for one's life, I mean how cranky can you be when your bed sucks, right? So since I don't really have a comfy-inspiring office, I decided to browse around the web and indulge myself with pretty pictures – hopefully that will make me do something to improve my own situation. Ok, enough chit-chat, here are some office spaces that have me drooling big time.
New week, new expectations, new exciting moments. Make sure you're off to a fantastic start! Talk to you soon!
*image via style me pretty
Happy weekend
This is what I'll be doing this weekend. I hope you have a good one! Enjoy, loves – see you next week! xo
*image via we heart it
Turner Pocock Cazalet wallpaper collection
I'd like to introduce you now to a company based in UK that last year launched its own wallpaper collection and I'm digging pretty much everything they have there – Turner Pocock Cazalet! I was contacted by them as they kindly offered me to take a look at their line and well, I was pleasantly surprised to see such names as Tennis, Cricket (sports section) as well as Zebra, Ostrich, Ibis – I mean who wouldn't love a stylish zebra wallpaper, right?
Home with a 'wow factor'
Ok, I know I wished you all a happy weekend and I'm supposed to give you a break these two days, but I just came across a home that is TOO awesome not to be posted. I nearly fell off my chair, seriously – it's ah.mazing! I love every inch of it, every colour and every single detail of the interior. Take a look:


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WASHINGTON — Americans, the Australian ambassador remarked the other day, seem obsessed with their politicians' fitness for office-and only marginally interested in their performance in office.
I don't want to make trouble for Don Russell, who is fairly new to the diplomacy game. It was, after all, an offhand remark at an informal lunch. But it did strike me as one of those cultural insights that can only come from an outsider.


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Gregor Garage Door is Owner Operated!
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The Journal of Humanitarian Assistance
A Tale of Two Disasters: The plight of migrants caught up in Hurricane Katrina and the Asian Tsunami
On November 4, 2008 · Leave a Comment · In Asmita Naik
Click here to view the article by Asmita Naik (PDF).
Comments are closed.
Recent Articles
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- Mapping Population Mobility in a Remote Context: Health Service Planning in the Whantoa District, Western Ethiopia
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NEW YORK (Oct. 6)
The establishment of the Seven Stars Line to provide fast, frequent and dependable freight service between the United States and West Africa, was announced here today on behalf of the Zim Israel Navigation Company by the American-Israeli Shipping Company, U.S. representatives of the Zim line.
The new service, employing both Israel-flag and chartered vessels, will be inaugurated by the "Clivia" which starts loading for U.S. ports on October 24th at Lobito, Portuguese Angola, the announcement said. The "Clivia, " also loading cargo at Luanda, Matadi, Douala, Lagos, Takoradi, Abidjan and Monrovia, is due in New York about November 21 and will sail for West Africa on or about November 28. Subsequent sailings will be made by the "Dagan" and the "Lealott, " the former ship offering space for refrigerated cargo.


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How to make pickles - made easy, and illustrated!
This month's notes: February 2018: Strawberries have a very brief season; and the start in early April in the South, don't miss them: See your state's crop availability calendar for more specific dates of upcoming crops. And see our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals, such as strawberry festivals and blueberry festivals. Organic farms are identified in green! Also make your own ice cream - see How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals. Have fun, eat healthier and better tasting, and save money by picking your own locally grown fruit and vegetables, and then using our easy canning and freezing directions
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Making Homemade Pickles
Using the "Quick process" method and a store-bought mix
Click here for a PDF print version
Making and canning your own pickles, gherkins, kosher dills, bread and butter, sweet pickles, etc. is one of the easiest things you can do with produce! Here's how to do it, in easy steps and completely illustrated. It is much faster than the old method your grandmother used with tons of pickling salt and de-scumming the brine! Ugh! This method is so easy, ANYONE can do this! It's a great thing to do with your kids! I'm experimenting with the various techniques, such as soaking the cucumbers overnight in lime solution first, using "pickle crisp" etc.
Note: this is the easiest way to make pickles. If you want to put a little more effort into it, you can have pickles that are more crisp and crunchy than this method provides. See this page for crispy low temperature processed pickles!
I've added free labels for your jars here, in a Word format! Just download, edit, and print in label paper.
Types of Pickles
- Fresh-pack (or quick process) pickles are cured for several hours in a vinegar solution or are immediately combined with hot vinegar, spices, and seasonings. Examples include dills, bread-and-butter pickles and pickled beets. Quick Process is what these instructions (below on this page) show.
Other types are:
- Fermented pickles are vegetables soaked in a brine solution for 4 to 6 weeks. During this time, lactic acid bacteria, naturally present on the surface of vegetables, grows. Other microbes are inhibited by salt. The color of the vegetables changes from bright green to olive/yellow-green, and the white interior becomes translucent. Examples include dill pickles and sauerkraut. See this page, if you'd rather make fermented pickles.
- Refrigerated dills are cucumbers marinated for 1 day to 1 week in a salt and spice brine (in the fridge) and then stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. No canning is required! See this page for refrigerated dill pickle directions!
- Fruit pickles are whole or sliced fruit simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour syrup. Examples include spiced peaches and crabapples. See this page for directions to make spiced peaches!
- Relishes are made from chopped fruits or vegetables that are cooked to a desired consistency in a spicy vinegar solution. Examples include corn relish and horseradish. See this page for cucumber pickle relish directions!
- NEW! Low salt / reduced salt dill pickles.
- Cucumbers - fresh, crisp - not wilted, soft or overripe! Thos ebest for cucumbers are the smaller, underripe ones, also refered to as gherkins, cornichons, Kirby cucumbers (kirbies),and sometimes lemon cucumbers
- Quick Process Pickling mix - It usually goes for about $2.00 to $4.00 per packet. A packet will make about a dozen pint jars. See this page for pickling supplies, equipment, books, crocks and additives. If you want to make your own seasoning see this page!
- Clear vinegar - 4 cups of 5% vinegar, apple cider vinegar works well. Store brand is about $1.25 for a 64 oz bottle.
- 1 large pot; teflon lined, glass or ceramic. See notes below about metal pots.
- 1 Canner (a huge pot to sanitize the jars after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores, sometimes at big box stores and grocery stores.). Note: we sell many sizes and types of canners for all types of stoves and needs - see canning supplies.
- Pint canning jars (Ball or Kerr jars can be found at grocery stores, like Safeway, Publix, Kroger, grocery stores, even online - about $9 per dozen jars including the lids and rings). Be sure to get wide mouth jars to fit the pickles in! Pint size works best!
- Large spoons and ladles
- Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
- Lids - thin, flat, round metal lids with a gum binder that seals them against the top of the jar. They may only be used once.
- Rings - metal bands that secure the lids to the jars. They may be reused many times.
- Pickling Equipment notes:
The basic equipment used for pickling is similar to other types of canning. However, there are some differences:
* Utensils made of zinc, iron, brass, copper, or galvanized metal should not be used. The metal may react with acids or salts and cause undesirable color and taste changes in the pickles or make pickles unfit to eat. Likewise, enamelware with cracks or chips should not be used.
* Almost any large container made of stainless steel, glassware, or unchipped enamelware can be used.
- Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sanitize them. ($2 at Target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page)
- Jar funnel ($2 at Target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page)
Directions - How to Make Pickles
Step 1 - Selecting the cucumbers
It's fun to go pick your own and you can obviously get better quality cucumbers!
At right is a of picture cucumbers from my garden - they are SO easy to grow. But be sure to grow the varieties that are labeled "pickling cucumbers" - they will be much more crisp!
The picture at right shows a good cucumber for pickling (bottom) and a bad one (top). The good one is dark green, firm, and not bloated. It has lots of warts!
The bad one is overripe, it has yellow or white areas in the skin, and the warts are almost all gone. If you cut it open, you will see developed seeds. You don't want seeds!
For cucumber pickles, use cucumbers intended for pickling that are no more then 2 inches in diameter. Start with crisp raw vegetable varieties to get crisp pickled vegetables.
The most important factor in getting crisp pickled vegetables is to start with fresh, just-picked vegetables. Overripe cucumbers make mushy pickles. Vegetables become soft as their pectin structure changes due to microbial activity, excess heat or improper handling. As each day passes, vegetables lose crispness. Once a vegetable is soft it cannot be made firm again.
Step 2 - How many cucumbers?
It takes about 3 or 4 cucumbers to fill a pint jar. Each cucumber is about 4 - 5 inches long and you will cut off the ends so they will fit with -inch to spare..
Step 3 -Wash and cut the vegetables!
I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the fruit in plain cold water.
You will need to cut the ends off (about -inch, the blossom harbors microbes that can cause softening. ) and then slice them lengthwise if you like spears. I remove both ends, but, since the enzymes are in the blossom end, the key is removing the blossom end; you can leave the stem end on, if you like.
You can also leave them whole or cut them cross-wise for bread-and-butter pickles.
Set them aside for use in step 7.
Step 4 - Get the jars and lids sanitizing
The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle. I get that going while I'm preparing everything else, so it's done by the time I'm ready to fill the jars. If you don't have a dishwasher, submerge the jars in a large pot (the canner itself) of water and bring it to a boil.
Be sure to let it go through the rinse cycle to get rid of any soap!
Get the canner heating up
Fill the canner about 1/2 full of water and start it heating (with the lid on).
Start the water for the lids
Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes. Note: everything gets sanitized in the water bath (step 7) anyway, so this just helps to ensure there is no spoilage later!)
Need lids, rings and replacement jars?
Get them all here, delivered direct to your home, at the best prices on the internet!
Step 5 - Mix the vinegar with the pickling mix and bring to a near boil
OK, you can make your own pickling mix from spices, salt, dill, etc.; but it is MUCH more time-consuming, complicated, and prone to problems. ( If you want to make your own seasoning see this page! )This method produces pickles which are just as crisp - as long as you pick very firm cucumbers. It also helps to add 2 grape leaves to every jar (I kid you not, they have something in them that makes the pickles crunchier).
The stores (grocery stores, like Publix, Kroger and Safeway and local "big box" stores, sometimes even local hardware stores) sell several varieties of mixes - Kosher dill, bread-and-=butter and sweet pickles are the most commonly seen. And be sure to get them by July - they tend not to re-order them when they sell out. Mrs. Wages "quick process refrigerator pickle mixes" are the easiest, as they do not even require a water bath canner (but must be stored in the fridge!). The others require canning as shown in these instructions, and may be stored on the shelf.
Pickle Mixes
To interject a crass commercial here - hey, my wife says I've got to pay for the website somehow :) I have found the best (crispest, best tasting) pickles from a mix are with the "Mrs. Wages Polish Dill Refrigerator Pickle Mix" They REALLY are good AND you don't need a canner - you store them in your fridge right after making them. They're ready to eat in 24 hours! Our affiliate sells the mixes (and at really good prices, too)
Whether you want dills or sweet pickles; canning them or straight into the refrigerator; there is a mix for every taste and need here!Get them all here, delivered direct to your home, at the best prices on the internet! Get everything you need to make pickles: mixes, salt, brine, etc. here! or here:
Step 6 - Heat the pickle mix
Bring the mix and vinegar to a near-boil - just simmering! The directions on the packet will tell you how much vinegar to add, it's usually about 4 cups
Be sure to use a NON-metal pot - or a coated metal (teflon, silverstone, enamel, etc.) without breaks in the coating. the metal reacts with the vinegar and makes the pickle solution turn cloudy.
Step 7 - Fill the jars with cucumbers and put the lid and rings on
Pack the raw cucumbers from step 3, whole or slices in and pour the simmering pickle mix liquid over them. Fill them to within -inch of the top, seat the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.
Step 8 - Boil the jars in the canner
Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep the water boiling. Boil them for 10 minutes (or as directed by the instructions in the pickle mix, or with your canner). Remember to adjust for altitudes and larger jars! Note: some mixes, such as the Ball Kosher Dill mix call for only boiling for 5 minutes - I'll let you know how that works out! generally, the longer you process the jars, the more mushy (less crisp) the pickles will be.
Step 9 - Done
Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like, but if you leave them on, at least loosen them quite a bit, so they don't rust in place due to trapped moisture. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.
When can you start eating the pickles? Well, it takes some time for the seasonings to be absorbed into the pickles. That's at least 24 hours, but for best flavor wait 2 weeks! Ah... the wait...
Pickle Making Problems?
See this page for a more complete set of frequently asked pickling questions and answers
Other Equipment:
From left to right:
You can get all of the tools in a kit here:
Home Canning Kits
This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used to
make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts
for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a
plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball
Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll
never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)!
There is also a simple kit with just the canner and rack, and a pressure canner, if you want to do vegetables (other than tomatoes). To see
more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
Average Customer Review:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Summary - Cost of Making Homemade Pickles - makes 12 pint jars, 16 oz each*
|Cost in 2012
|30-36 (about 3 per pint jar)
|free from the garden, or $3.00 at a PYO
|Pick your own
|Canning jars (pint size, wide mouth), includes lids and rings
|12 jars
|Grocery stores (Publix, Kroger, Safeway, etc.)
|4 cups
Publix, Kroger, grocery stores
|Pickle mix
|1 packet
|$3.00 per package
|Grocery stores (Publix, Kroger, Safeway, etc.)
|$15.00 total
or about $1.25 per jar INCLUDING the jars - which you can reuse!
* - This assumes you already have the pots, pans, ladles, and reusable equipment. Note that you can reuse the jars! Many products are sold in jars that will take the lids and rings for canning. For example, Classico Spaghetti sauce is in quart sized jars that work with Ball and Kerr lids and rings. Note that the Classico's manufacturer does not recommend reuse of their jars: see what they have to say on this page:
How to make other pickles - recipes and instructions:
- Refrigerator pickles (no canning required)
- Cucumber pickle relish
- Pickled beets
- Pickled green beans
- Pickled dilled okra
Canning processing times
Type of pickling method
|Jar size
|0 to 1,000 ft above sea level
|1,001 to 6,000 ft above sea level
|Quick process, (raw cucumbers put in the jar, hot liquid poured over them)-
|10 min
|15 min
|Quick process, (raw cucumbers put in the jar, hot liquid poured over them)-
|10 min
|15 min
Can't find the equipment? We ship to all 50 states! Use our Feedback form!
Answers to Common Questions
Click here for the page of frequently asked questions (with answers) about making pickles.
[ All About Home Canning, Freezing and Making Jams,
Pickles, Sauces, etc. ]
[FAQs - Answers to
common questions and problems] [Recommended
books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving!] [Free
canning publications
to download and print]
Illustrated Canning, Freezing, Jam
Instructions and Recipes
[ All About Home Canning, Freezing and Making Jams, Pickles, Sauces, etc. ] [FAQs - Answers to common questions and problems] [Recommended books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving!] [Free canning publications to download and print]


text: Hello, all. Is there a way at noisebridge to print circuit boards? I remember about there being a workshop there not too long ago. Wondering if the tools needed for such a task can be found there. Thanks. - John -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://www.noisebridge.net/pipermail/noisebridge-discuss/attachments/20110128/db7cb514/attachment.html>


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After all the research I did on the benefits of Baby-wearing I just knew this would be the answer to our sleepless nights. I was determined to find the best carrier for Bean and me.
I started with a free Sling from Seven Slings (www.sevenslings.com). Well, I paid the $12 shipping and got a free sling. After a number of attempts, I just did not feel like my daughter was safe in it. If I put her in the newborn hold (like a nursing or feeding position) her chin would rest in a deep slouch on top her chest. I felt like she wasn't able to breathe in this position and because this particular carrier is not size adjustable, there was no other position that worked for a 15lb, 4 month old. I tossed it to the back of the closet.
Next, I pulled out a strap carrier. It was one I found in the local Walmart clearance section while I was pregnant. I don't remember the brand, but it was the same style as a standard Strap Carrier, with soft cushioning all around. The upside, was that she could sit in front and rest her head on my chest, which is what I was looking for. The downside, was that the straps were not meant for a person my size and I never got it to fit well enough to wear. There was also no head support in this one, so I continuously had to hold her head while I wore her – which in the end, kind of defeated the purpose of wearing her.
At my baby shower, before my daughter, and thanks to technology, I had received 3 Moby wraps. If you have never heard of this type of baby carrier you can learn more about them here – (http://mobywrap.com). However, as a brief summary – they are about 6 yards of 95% cotton/5% spandex fabric that you contort around your bodice and hips in order to hold the baby. It took me a number of attempts as well as a lot of You Tube videos in order to figure this one out….but when I did….magic. I felt as though it held Bean safely, her head laying on top my chest so she could hear my heart. According to my Dr. Sears 'bible' if I wore her for 3 or more hours every day she would rest better at night….well….I think I wore her for 8 hours that first day….and for the first time in her 4 months of life, she slept a full 3 hours between feedings! I was in love! I worn Bean as often as possible; cleaning the house, vacuuming, washing floors, in the bathroom, walking to get the mail, walking the dogs, talking on the phone, grocery shopping, at church, at restaurants, and schools. Bottom line; she loved it, she was safe in it and I could simply pull the fabric over her head in public places so no creepy strangers would try to touch her. Heaven.
So, I know what you are thinking – this is too good to be true. How could the answer to this 'high-needs" baby just be in a baby carrier? Well, you are not wrong unfortunately. Although the Moby was my saving grace for those first few months, she outgrew it quickly. I tried to DIY a wrap with more fabric, or wider panels, but it was a flop. The Moby found its way to the carrier graveyard with Dr. Strappy and Mr. Seven Slings.
I had a $200 gift card to Babies-R-Us…so shopping I went. I had been eying an Ergo a friend had for sometime but was waiting to buy it. Well, with 'cash' in my pocket I took the plunge. I knew nothing about the Ergo carrier before I bought it, other then the fact I had 2 or 3 friends who's children lived in it. I bought it in black, with the infant insert. (http://store.ergobaby.com). I went straight home and took it out of the box and started trying to figure it out. My first impression, "holy crap – this is huge!.' Bulk, it had a LOT of bulk to it and even if Bean liked it, it was not going to be easy to fit it into my diaper bag or purse.
Moving on. I got her in it. Then, I walked.
You know the 'walk.' That walk that every parent does to soothe their crying child. You go in circles, or up and down the hall. Anything to make the crying cease…..am I wrong? Aren't you smiling right now because you 'remember those days' or crying because 'today are those days.'
I digress.
As I walked, I realized that I must have put it on incorrectly because it began to hurt my shoulder blades. I ignored the pain and continued my walk….until she fell asleep. I reached up behind my head and unclipped the strap to a euphoria similar to the one where you unbutton your pants after Thanksgiving Dinner. I sat, or plopped, onto the couch, sleeping baby on my chest, Ergo strapped to my hips and started crying. Was I ever going to find a carrier that worked for us?
Back to the books. And the coffee.