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Numerical solution of multiband k·p model for tunnelling in type-II heterostructures
A.E. Botha
Department of Physics, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, UNISA 0003, South Africa. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
ABSTRACT]]> A new and very general method was developed for calculating the charge and spin-resolved electron tunnelling in type-II heterojunctions. Starting from a multiband k·p description of the bulk energy-band structure, a multiband k·p Riccati equation was derived. The reflection and transmission coefficients were obtained for each channel by integrating the Riccati equation over the entire heterostructure. Numerical instability was reduced through this method, in which the multichannel log-derivative of the envelope function matrix, rather than the envelope function itself, was propagated. As an example, a six-band k·p Hamiltonian was used to calculate the current-voltage characteristics of a 10-nm wide InAs/GaSb/InAs single quantum well device which exhibited negative differential resistance at room temperature. The calculated current as a function of applied (bias) voltage was found to be in semi-quantitative agreement with the experiment, a result which indicated that inelastic transport mechanisms do not contribute significantly to the valley currents measured in this particular device.
Key words: spin-dependent electron transport, semiconductor nanostructures
1. Introduction
Electron tunnelling phenomena associated with the broken-gap1 configuration in type-II semiconductor heterostructures have been studied both theoretically2 and experimentally.3 In these structures, the minimum in the conduction band of the material on one side of the hetero-interface lies at a lower energy than the maximum in the valence band of the material on the other side. Charge transfer between two adjacent layers can lead to the formation of a 2-D electron gas on one side and a 2-D hole gas on the other, even at zero bias. Interband tunnelling may thus occur between the spatially-separated intrinsic carriers situated on opposite sides of the hetero-interface, i.e. between electrons in the conduction band on one side and holes in the higher-lying valence bands on the other side.4 Under suitable conditions, electron-hole bound states (excitons) may be formed. The InAs/GaSb system, for example, is currently the most promising candidate for observing Bose-Einstein condensation of excitons.5
Since the electron states of both conduction and valence bands of the constituent semiconductors participate in the tunnelling process on an equal footing, theories of electron tunnelling in type-II heterostructures must include the band-mixing effects.6 Direct numerical solution of the multiband k·p Schrödinger equation, which is frequently employed to model these systems, is not feasible due to the inherent numerical instability that occurs in type-II systems. The numerical instability in these systems arises because of the simultaneous presence of propagating (real wave vector) and evanescent (imaginary wave vector) states. To circumvent the numerical difficulties that arise in such calculations, several innovative techniques have been proposed within the context of multiband k·p theory.7,8
Multiband formulations of the transfer matrix method (TMM) become numerically unstable in the simultaneous presence of evanescent and propagating states. For this reason the TMM is not very useful for studying type-II systems. In cases where the TMM fails, it is possible to propagate the scattering matrix instead.9 This technique was first applied to resonant tunnelling in GaAs/A1xGa1xAs multilayer systems, with the influence of higher bands included.10 Although the scattering matrix method is numerically stable it is computationally no more efficient than the TMM. A third method, the multiband quantum transmitting boundary method,11 is slightly more efficient; although with modern processor speeds the time saved on a typical calculation may be minimal in practice.
In Section 2.1 of this article, a new and very general method is proposed for calculating the electronic structure and transport properties of type-II heterostructures. In common with the preceding methods, the theory is based on a realistic, multiband k·p envelope function description of the energy-band structure. Starting from the general form of the n×n matrix Schrödinger equation, a multiband k·p Riccati equation is derived for the logarithmic derivative of the envelope function matrix. In Section 2.2 a boundary condition is derived for the Riccati equation. This boundary condition is used to integrate the Riccati equation numerically over the entire heterostructure. In Section 2.3 it is shown how to obtain the reflection matrix R, which contains the tunnelling amplitudes for each of the n channels along its diagonal. In Section 2.4 it is shown how the solution to the Riccati equation may be incorporated into a self-consistent calculation of the confining potential profile. The current through a device may then be calculated according to the definition given in Section 2.5. In Section 3, the room temperature current was calculated as a function of applied voltage for a 10-nm wide InAs/GaSb/InAs quantum well device and the results were compared to an experiment.3 It was found that the calculated current-voltage characteristics were in semi-quantitative agreement with the measured characteristics. This agreement suggests that, contrary to previous claims, inelastic transport mechanisms did not play a significant role in the resonant interband coupling mechanism that was most likely responsible for the negative differential resistance.
]]> 2. Theory
2.1. Multiband k·p Riccati equation
Consider a heterostructure with its growth direction along the x-axis. In multiband k·p models the energy-band structure within each layer of the heterostructure is described by a set of coupled differential equations for the components of the slowly varying envelope function, Φ(x). It can be shown that the Schrödinger equation for the envelope function can be decomposed into the following very general matrix form:12
In Equation 1 the eigenvector Φ(x) is a column vector of length equal to the number of bands (n) which are explicitly included in the k·p model being used. The n × n matrices H0, H1 and H2 are usually derived through second order quasi-degenerate perturbation theory (Löwdin partitioning).13 Examples of the decomposition in Equation 1 can be found in Liu et al.,7 Harrison8 and Eppenga et al.14
Instead of working with an n-component column vector Φ(x), it is advantageous to construct an n × n envelope function matrix, denoted by F(x). This matrix contains in its columns the n, linearly independent solution vectors of the stationary problem posed by Equation 1.
It can be shown quite generally that H2 is non-singular.15 Equation 1 can therefore be multiplied throughout by , resulting in
By substituting the general relation
]]> (which holds for any non-singular matrix F) into the left-hand side of Equaion 2, the multiband k·p Riccati equation
is obtained. Here Y has been defined as
In recognition of the logarithmic derivative form of Equation 5, Y will be referred to as the log-derivative of F.
2.2. Boundary condition for the Riccati equation
Consider the multiband potential profile of the heterostructure shown schematically in Fig. 1. The device consists of a central active region sandwiched between two flat-band contact regions. Assume that within the active region (xL, xR) the potential may vary arbitrarily, but that it remains constant (not necessarily zero) in the outer two contact regions, i.e. for x < xL and x > xR. By making the very reasonable assumption that all charge carriers are incident from the left contact region, it follows that there can be no reflected waves in the right contact region. For (x > xR), the matrix solution to Equation 1 can therefore be written in terms of transmitted plane waves as
Here D+, T and C are n × n matrices. D+ is a known matrix whose columns are made up of the n linearly-independent eigenvectors of Equation 1 within the right contact region. Although D+ can be obtained analytically for relatively small values of n (for example, see Botha4), a more general numerical method has recently been suggested by Harrison.8 The numerical method consists of re-writing the non-linear eigenproblem posed by Equation 1 as a linear eigenproblem for the wave vector components (ki)x (i = 1, 2,..., n) (see Equation 10.35 in Harrison8). In Equation 6, T is an (as yet) unknown transmission matrix which depends only on the electron energy E, the transverse component of the carrier wave vector k|| and the applied voltage Va. The matrix C is constant with respect to x and may be chosen arbitrarily. It is most convenient to choose C such that FR(x0) = 1, where 1 is the n × n identity matrix and x0 > xR. By making this choice, and evaluating Equation 6 at x = x0, it follows that
]]> Because the wave vector components (ki)x and matrices D± only depend on x indirectly through the potentials Vi(x), D± can be treated as constants within the two contact regions. Equation 6 can therefore be differentiated partially with respect to x, yielding
Evaluation of Equation 8 at x = x0, with C given by Equation 7, produces the result
Since FR(x0)=(x0)=1 (by choice of C), the boundary condition required to integrate Equation 4 is then clearly given by
The main advantage of working with Y, as opposed to F, is that its entries never grow excessively large or small. Equation 4 can therefore be integrated without difficulty over several hundreds of nanometres, even in the presence of strong k·p coupling.
Once Y has been obtained by numerical integration of Equation 4 over the entire heterostructure, the tunnelling probabilities for each channel can be obtained from the reflection matrix R, defined next.]]> 2.3. Reflection matrix
In the left contact region (see Fig. 1), for x < xL, the solution to Equation 2 can also be expressed in terms of plane waves. In this region there are both incident and reflected waves and the solution must be written as
where D± are defined as before and R is the desired reflection matrix. By evaluating Equation 12 and its first derivative at x = 0, and multiplying both the resulting equations from the right by C1, it is found that
Here K is defined as in Equation 9. Multiplication of Equation 14 from the right by the inverse of Equation 13, produces
By solving for R in Equation 15, the reflection matrix is obtained as]]>
All quantities on the right of Equation 16 are to be evaluated at x = 0. The matrix Y(0) is obtained by integrating Equation 4 from some point x = x0 > xR back to x = 0, starting with the boundary condition given by Equation 11. Note that the diagonal entries in R contain the reflection amplitudes for each channel. It can be shown that transmission coefficient Ti for the ith channel is related to R by Ti = 1 (no sum over i), where Rii is the ith diagonal entry of R and denotes complex conjugation.
2.4. Self-consistent Schrödinger-Poisson scheme
Because the above method produces the log-derivative Y(x) it can be used to perform a fully self-consistent calculation of the heterostructure energy-band profile. This is an important advantage over other methods, such as the scattering matrix method which only produces the amplitudes of the envelope functions, not the functions themselves. Once Equation 4 has been integrated and Y(x) is known throughout the entire heterostructure, a second integration can be performed to obtain the envelope function matrix F(x) from Equation 5 and the boundary condition F(x0) = 1. By using the envelope functions, the energy-band profile and the corresponding reflection matrix can then be calculated self-consistently in conjunction with Poisson's equation.16
2.5. Current-voltage characteristics
Having obtained the transmission coefficients Ti as functions of the electron energy E, transverse component of the wave vector k|| and applied voltage Va; the current I flowing through the device can be calculated as a function of Va. For the InAs/GaSb/InAs quantum well device studied in Section 3, there is only one open channel and the current I flowing through the structure is defined as17,18
where FA and FC are the respective Fermi distribution functions for the left (anode) and right (cathode) contact regions. In Equation 17, A is the device area, T is the transmission coefficient, ρ is the density of states and νx is the incident carrier velocity. The latter two quantities are computed numerically by using the appropriate bulk carrier energy-dispersion relation.
3. Results]]> In this Section the above theoretical results are implemented numerically by using a six-band matrix Hamiltonian.1921 In this model the basis has been chosen in order to decouple the spin components of the electron for kz = 0. Each of the two possible spin states of the electron can then be treated separately in terms of two identical 3×3 matrix Hamiltonians. For details concerning this model, including the k·p parameter values for InAs and GaSb, see Botha.4
There are a variety of numerical methods available for integrating coupled systems of first order differential equations such as Equation 4. Although the log-derivative form of Equation 4 is much simpler to integrate than the envelope function appearing in Equation 1, the integration subroutine nevertheless has to be quite sophisticated to take into account the discontinuities in the material parameters and potential as the integration proceeds through the heterostructure.22 The computations in this Section make use of an excellent integration subroutine called ODE. This subroutine is freely available and is described fully by Shampine and Gordan.23
The current I as a function of applied voltage Va has been computed for an InAs/GaSb/InAs quantum well device in which the GaSb layer is 10 nm wide. This device has been manufactured and studied experimentally.3 Based on the description of the device, the potential profile was calculated according to the self-consistent method outlined in Section 2.4. Figure 2 shows the calculated potential profile under zero bias and for Va = 0.6 V, respectively. In order to compute I, as defined in Equation 17, the calculated potential profile was used to obtain the corresponding transmission coefficient T according to the method described at the end of Section 2.3. Note that T is in general a function of the electron energy E, the perpendicular component of the wave vector ky (a good quantum number) and the applied voltage Va. As an example, the transmission spectrum is shown in Fig. 3 for ky = 0 and various applied voltage. The transmission spectrum differs considerably from that predicted by a simple two-band model in which the potential varies linearly.24 Instead of one broad resonance peak, corresponding to a confined light-hole resonant state in the GaSb layer, two narrower peaks are observed in Fig. 3. Physically, this more complicated transmission spectrum is the result of the coupling between a confined light-hole state in GaSb and quasi-bound electron states in the InAs anode. For ky ≠ 0 the transmission spectrum is further complicated by coupling of heavy-hole confined states in GaSb with quasi-bound electron states in InAs.
It is important to note that, in Fig. 2, for zero applied voltage there are two triangular quantum wells formed in the InAs layers which surround the GsSb barrier. As the applied voltage increases the potential profile gradually changes so that the triangular quantum well to the right of the barrier eventually disappears completely, as shown in Fig. 2 for Va = 0.6 V. On the other hand, an increase in applied voltage tends to increase the depth of the left triangular quantum well (in the anode). Coupling between the quasi-bound electron states in the InAs anode and the confined hole states in GaSb is responsible for the observed negative differential resistance. This coupling also accounts for the reduction in transmission peak height with increasing applied voltage, as seen in Fig. 3.
The transmission spectrum, calculated as in Fig. 3, produces the correct current-voltage behaviour for the device. Figure 4 shows the calculated room-temperature current through the device as a function of applied voltage. In this figure the calculated peak height has been normalised (using a multiplicative factor of 1.23) to the experimental peak height in the forward biased direction. This normalisation factor is required mainly because of the uncertainty in the device area (which is in the range of 105104 cm2). In addition, there may be inevitable impurities in the sample and the value of the valence band offset between the two materials, and the position of the Fermi levels may also be uncertain.
The discrepancies between the current predicted by the present model and the much simpler two-band model, which was originally used to interpret the experimental data, do not alter the main conclusion which may be drawn from this experiment, namely that a resonant interband coupling mechanism is responsible for the observed negative differential resistance.3 However, unlike the two-band current-voltage model, the present model provides semi-quantitative predictions of the peak-to-valley ratios. Since the present model does not take into account inelastic transport mechanisms, it may be concluded from the agreement reached in Fig. 3, that contrary to what was previously thought, inelastic transport mechanisms do not contribute significantly to the observed valley currents in this device, even at room temperature. Whether this conclusion generalises to other similar structures depends on how well the model compares to the other available experimental data (for example see Collins et al.25). A more detailed investigation of the negative differential transport mechanism in GaSb/InAs heterostructures is currently in progress.
Finally, it should be emphasised that the preliminary results presented in this section are merely an example of how the general theory may be implemented and compared directly to an experiment. In this article, the main aim was to communicate the very general method that was developed in Sections 2.12.4. Since this method was based on the well-established multiband k·p model, it will be useful for theoretical studies of a wide variety of other interesting phenomena which occur in semiconductor heterostructures, for example, anisotropy (band warping)26 and spin-splitting (bulk, structural and due to an applied magnetic field).27
4. Conclusion
An alternative method was developed and implemented numerically to calculate electronic transport properties of type-II heterostructures. As an example, a realistic numerical implementation of the method was made by using a six-band matrix Hamiltonian in which the electron spin components decoupled. The preliminary results from this model have been compared to measured current-voltage characteristics of an InAs/GaSb/InAs quantum well device in which the GaSb layer width is 10 nm. The calculated current as a function of applied voltage was found to be in semi-quantitative agreement with the experiment3 and it was therefore concluded that inelastic transport mechanisms probably did not play a significant role in the device.]]> Given that only the bulk k·p parameters for the relatively simple six-band model were used in these calculations, the semi-quantitative agreement obtained from this model is encouraging and warrants further investigation. Such an investigation is in progress. The minor discrepancies between the model and experiment considered, in particular the necessity of using a current normalisation factor, can be attributed mainly to the uncertainty in the device area and the value of the valence band offset parameter.
1. Zakharova A. and Chao K.A. (2002). Influence of band state mixing on interband magnetotunnelling in broken-gap heterostructures. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 14, 50035016. [ Links ]
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5. De-Leon S. and Laikhtman B. (2000). Excitonic wave function binding energy and lifetime in InAs/GaSb coupled quantum wells. Phys. Rev. B. 61, 28742887. [ Links ]
6. Beresford R. (2007). Conserved flux in interband tunnelling. Solid State Electronics 51, 136141. [ Links ]
7. Liu Y.X., Ting D.Z-Y. and McGill T.C. (1996). Efficient, numerically stable multiband k·p treatment of quantum transport in semiconductor heterostructures. Phys. Rev. B 54, 56755683. [ Links ]
8. Harrison P. (2005). Quantum Wells, Wires and Dots, 2nd edn., pp. 345369. Wiley, New York. [ Links ]
9. Ikoni Z., Srivastava G.P. and Inkson J.C. (1992). Ordering of lowest conduction-band states in (GaAs)n/(AlAs)m [111] superlattices. Phys. Rev. B 46, 1515015155. [ Links ]]]>
10. Yu Kei Ko D. and Inkson J.C. (1988). Matrix method for tunnelling in heterostructures: resonant tunnelling in multilayer systems. Phys. Rev. B 38, 99459951. [ Links ]
11. Ting D.Z-Y. (1999). Multiband and multidimensional quantum transport. Microelectronics Journal 30, 9851000. [ Links ]
12. Odermatt S., Luisier M. and Witzigmann B. (2005). Band structure calculation using the k·p method for arbitrary potentials with open boundary conditions. J. Appl. Phys. 97, 046104. [ Links ]
13. Winkler R. (2003). Spin-Orbit Coupling Effects in Two-dimensional Electron and Hole Systems, pp. 201205. Springer, Berlin. [ Links ]
14. Eppenga R., Schuurmans M.F.H. and Colak S. (1987). New k·p theory for GaAs/Ga1xAlxAs-type quantum wells. Phys. Rev. B 36, 15541564. [ Links ]]]>
15. Smith D.L. and Mailhiot C. (1986). k·p theory of semiconductor superlattice electron structure I. Formal results. Phys. Rev. B 33, 83458359. [ Links ]
16. Tsu R. (2005). Superlattice to Nanoelectronics, pp. 100103. Elsevier, Oxford. [ Links ]
17. Duke C.B. (1969). Solid State Physics: Advances in Research and Applications, suppl. 10, pp. 124126. Academic Press, New York. [ Links ]
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19. Altarelli M. (1983). Electronic structure and semiconductor-semimetal transition in InAs-GaSb superlattices. Phys. Rev. B 28, 842845. [ Links ]]]>
20. Altarelli M. (1983). Electronic structure of semiconductor superlattices. Physica 117B & 118B, 747749. [ Links ]
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24. Yu E.T., Collins D.A., Ting D.Z-Y., Chow D.H. and McGill T.C. (1990). Demonstration of resonant transmission in InAs/GaSb/InAs interband tunnelling devices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 26752677. [ Links ]]]>
25. Collins D.A., Yu E.T., Rajakarunanayake Y., Söderström J.R., Ting D.Z-Y., Chow D.H. and McGill T.C. (1990). Experimental observation of negative differential resistance from InAs/GaSb interface. Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 683685. [ Links ]
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Received 18 May. Accepted 5 June 2009.]]>


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Sprint, Samsung and Google have teamed up to announce the 4G' version of the Nexus S the Nexus S 4G.
The Nexus S 4G is totally identical to its T-Mobile sibling, which launched at the end of December last year, except for some minor changes. The handset is powered by a 1GHz Hummingbird processor and packs 512MB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage. A PowerVR SGX540 handles the graphics department of the handset.
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Google also announced that the Nexus S will start retailing in six more countries France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Romania, and Portugal.


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Smith Optics Named Official Eyewear and Helmet Sponsor of Aspen/Snowmass
KETCHUM, Idaho - Smith Optics announced their three-year partnership with Aspen/Snowmass today as the new official eyewear and helmet sponsor for Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands resorts.
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WRAL characterizes firearms enthusiasts as a "threat akin to sex offenders," says NC resident
Paul Joseph Watson
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
News station WRAL has caused outrage amongst gun rights activists by listing address details of firearms owners in Raleigh, North Carolina – prompting critics to complain they are being treated like sex offenders and left open to criminal predation.
In an article about firearms training, a WRAL.com article homes in on the fact that rural areas have a much higher per capita rate of concealed carry permit holders.
The story also mentions efforts to increase regulation on concealed carry permit holders and quotes Gail Neely, executive director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, who claims that "concealed weapons permit holders aren't as law-abiding as they are reputed to be."
However, the part that really has second amendment proponents up in arms is a searchable box that allows the public to identify where concealed carry permit holders live, by typing in the street name, city, county and zip code.
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Indeed, when activist group Grass Roots Norths Carolina (GRNC) complained to WRAL, the news station responded by erroneously claiming the data was publicly available, when in fact it can only be obtained via an application to the SBI.
Knight says the news station's act of helping the public identify gun owners is an attempt to name and shame while suggesting that second amendment advocates "pose a potential threat akin to sex offenders."
GRNC's F. Paul Valone wrote an email to WRAL demanding that the search function be removed and that WRAL issue a public apology to gun owners in North Carolina, noting that the group had received dozens of complaints focused around concern that the search box would potentially expose "concealed handgun permit-holders to criminal predation."
The group also threatened to use its database of 60,000 gun owners to target WRAL's advertisers for a boycott unless the search feature was removed.
In a follow up conversation, WRAL General Manager Steve Hammel admitted that street numbers had initially appeared for some records before they were removed, but the station refused to withdraw the search function. GRNC responded by providing contact information for numerous people at WRAL as part of an email campaign to boycott the station's sponsors until the offending item is deep-sixed.
This is by no means the first time that news media organizations or government bodies have attempted to shame gun owners by listing their private details for public inspection.
A similar controversy ensued last year when Illinois' Attorney General ordered law enforcement to make a list of 1.3 million gun owners available to the media. The New York Times also obtained a list of gun owners in New York City two weeks beforehand.
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a regular fill-in host for The Alex Jones Show and Infowars Nightly News.
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Quantification of carbon species in soil
For the determination of TOC (total organic carbon) and TIC (total inorganic carbon content) two DIN standard methods are currently available. A separate quantification of elemental carbon is not possible with this approach. The elemental carbon is recorded together with the organic carbon.
In case of soil samples containing elemental carbon the common quantification of TOC and elemental carbon results in increased TOC values and thus in increased disposal costs of the soil material.
In addition, this can lead to false conclusions concerning the further use of the soil since organic material in its microbiological function in the environment needs to be considered differently than the rather inert elemental carbon.
For these reasons, a temperature gradient method was developed as part of a standard committee, which makes it possible to quantify all three carbon fractions separately. This procedure shall be included in a new DIN standard.
Frau Dr. S. Willbold Tel.: 02461-61 6063
Frau J. Pelikan Tel.: 02461-61 1832


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Cook the Book: 'Nom Nom Paleo' by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong
The Paleo diet is pretty far from my diet of choice. Frankly, I eat I pretty strict non-Paleo diet: very little meat, lots of beans and lentils, and plenty of good bread. I could toy with the idea of giving up beans and eating more meat, but bread? There's too much wonderful bread here in the Bay Area to even begin to consider it.
Despite my fanatical allegiance to grains, I'm willing to experiment with some Paleo cooking with the help of well-known blogger, Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo. (Consider this week my equivalent of Kenji and Ed's vegan experience—except it's kind of the opposite.) Tam, along with her husband, Henry Fong, just released a graphic novel-esque cookbook celebrating their quirky approach to the popular Paleo diet. The book is over 50% photographs amended with colorful cartoons, with recipes that are cheerful and lighthearted to match. And while the duo is both proud of and sincere about their dietary choices, they are far from self-righteous; this is no diet handbook. Even without considering the recipes, though, the book is a fun read.
Tam and Fong lay out the basics of the diet—no grains or legumes, no processed foods, little to no dairy, plenty of meat and vegetables—before diving into the recipes. The first chapter is devoted to Paleo staples like nut-based "cheeses," ghee, egg-based dipping sauces, and how-tos for cooking bacon and eggs. After that, the book's format is similar to most any cookbook published today: there are soups and salads, vegetable mains, seafood, poultry, meat, and desserts. Tam's directions are clear and concise, and her aim is as much to teach people to cook just as it is to explain the Paleo diet. Many of the recipes don't contain any diet-based substitutions, and the number of vegetable-based dishes certainly surprised me.
But as a non-Paleo eater, I was most curious about those Paleo substitutions like nut "cheese" and the supplemental staples like bone broth. I'm guessing you are, too. So this week, we'll learn how to make macadamia nut "ricotta," a gelatinous broth, and cauliflower "rice," before transforming these basics into eggplant- and "ricotta"-stacked appetizers, fried "rice," and a beefy chili.
Win 'Nom Nom Paleo'
Thanks to our friends at Andrews McMeel, we have five (5) copies of Nom Nom Paleo to give away this week. All you need to do for a chance to win is to tell us what food you think of when you hear the words "paleo diet" in the comments section below.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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A Powerhouse With A Tiny Appetite
I do not use torrents or p2p (e.g. Lime Wire) because I do not enjoy unlimited and high bandwidth internet speed most of the time but I try them for sure to know how these work and what is out there behind these communities/secret sharing giants. I have tried BT which was a boring blacknGrey client with not enough tools to bear the user's quest, searching and downloading speed. Now a days users are pros. The people behind the PCs who search for videos, HD, HQ, Movies, Music, pre-releases or beta heavy softwares and more are really super active. They search with speed, quickly find and try to download multiple streams of files. And they want anything and everything. Limewire has got facility to search and download stuff with ease and in a user friendly way. There are a lot of Torrent users. I am gonna share a brilliant Bit Torrent client which will revolutionized your Torrent experience and life.


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Priscilla Patrick began her training in Hatha Yoga in Okinawa, Japan from 1972 until 1975. She has been teaching these exercises through television, starting with the Far East Network in Japan in l973 - "Fitness is Fun" and in the United States since 1980 with PBS's "To Life! Yoga with Priscilla Patrick", Cable Health Network's "Stretch!", PBS's "Stretching for Life!", and her current PBS series, "Priscilla's Yoga Stretches".
Priscilla's television series have been included in the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune's list of "Best television exercise programs" and her videos have received national acclaim. Priscilla also teaches private classes in her studio in Columbia, SC.
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Yoga is very scientific exersise and Priscilla is an excellent teacher - the class
My wife and I don\'t really know how many years we have been participants
View newletter archives »


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Creamy Hash Browns
Total TimePrep: 15 min. Cook: 4 hours
Makes14 servings
- 1 package (2 pounds) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
- 2 cups (8 ounces) cubed process cheese (Velveeta)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
- 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Place potatoes in an ungreased 5-qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over potatoes and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until potatoes are tender and heated through.
Nutrition Facts1 each: 303 calories, 20g fat (11g saturated fat), 54mg cholesterol, 745mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 10g protein.
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Feb 15, 2013
No comment left
Apr 1, 2012
I've made this recipe several times for barn potlucks, but I prefer to lighten it up a little. I use one bag of the potatoes with peppers and onions, low fat soups, butter and sour cream, leave out the bacon and reduce the sour cream to 1 cup. It's still very tasty and a far cry from healthy but at least I can eat it without crying lol
Nov 9, 2011
I make a few adjustments to this recipe to suit my tastes. I only use 1 lb of 'shredded' hash browns and I do not use as much bacon that is called for in the recipe. I make this anytime we go to a family get together or a church function and I never have leftovers. :)
Mar 23, 2011
I have made this a few times and love it! I would really like to know what the serving size is though. My son is diabetic and I see it is 18 grams per serving but it doesn't say what the serving size is.....anyone know??
May 10, 2010
Excellent! Made for a mother's day picnic and my family love it.
Apr 5, 2010
I often sub ham for the bacon - also use "real" American cheese & about 1 Tbsp. instant minced onion (the fresh doesn't seem to cook enough for my taste....)
Jan 17, 2010
I normally don't like hash brown casseroles, but this is really, really good. I'll definitely make it again.
Nov 8, 2009
I made this for the monthly church potluck and it was a big hit. There was none left. Will definitely make this again - with a little less onion.
Jan 10, 2006
No comment left


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(formerly known as the Business Policy and Strategy Division)
With the launch of the new Academy-wide resource AOMConnect, we have taken the opportunity to simplify the structure and content of the STR website to streamline access to the most popular and useful resources. This is a work in progress and will continue to evolve; look for further improvements coming soon.
Learn more about the Strategic Management Division of the Academy of Management:
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NEW YORK, N.Y. – Taco Bell is taking another jab at McDonald's in a new ad for its breakfast menu.
The fast-food chain will begin airing a TV spot that is set to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and shows a man who has been eating Egg McMuffins since 1984. After trying Taco Bell's breakfast, the man trims his mullet, switches to tighter pants, gets a smartphone and takes down his "Loverboy" poster.
It's a follow up to another ad that featured real-life men named Ronald McDonald professing their love of Taco Bell's breakfast (notably, the men were paid to appear in those spots). If Taco Bell seems fixated with McDonald's, it's with good reason; McDonald's has long been the heavyweight in the fast-food breakfast category with 31 per cent of the market, according to food industry researcher Technomic.
Whether the strategy of going after the No. 1 player so directly translates to sustained sales is yet to be seen. McDonald's breakfast has been hugely popular since it rolled out the Egg McMuffin in the early 1970s, and getting people to think of Taco Bell as a place to get breakfast won't be easy. Wendy's, for instance, has retreated from plans to expand its breakfast menu after testing the offering in select locations.
"We knew we had to have a disruptive marketing campaign," said Chris Brandt, Taco Bell's chief marketing officer, in a phone interview.
Taco Bell's breakfast menu is also fairly limited compared with McDonald's, which now includes oatmeal and the option to substitute egg whites in breakfast sandwiches. But Brandt said the company has additional offerings in development.
"Some of the things on our menu might run out of gas," he also noted.
When asked to specify which items he was referencing, Brandt declined to elaborate. But there are only four main attractions on the menu — the A.M. Crunchwrap, a breakfast burrito, a grilled taco and the waffle taco. Reviews for the last item have been mixed. The website Gothamist, for instance, declared them "really meh."
"I wouldn't give up on the waffle taco," Taco Bell's Brandt stressed.
In the meantime, McDonald's is firing a few volleys in response to the teasing from Taco Bell. The day after the first Taco Bell ad, it tweeted an image of its spokesclown kneeling down to pet a Chihuahua with the words, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
The image, a reference to Taco Bell's retired mascot, got nearly 3,000 retweets.
The two chains aren't alone in trying to capitalize on the growing breakfast category. Starbucks also revamped its breakfast sandwiches in hopes of driving up sales. And the CEO of Sonic recently said on CNBC that convenience stores are posing greater competition with stepped-up breakfast offerings.
Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi


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Challengers is pleased to host renowned cartoonists RAINA TELGEMEIER (Smile, Drama), JOHN GREEN (Teen Boat, Jax Epoch), DAVE ROMAN (Astronaut Academy, Avatar: The Last Airbender), and JERZY DROZD (The Front, Comics Are Great podcast) for an all-ages party on June 27th! All four artists will be signing books and meeting fans, snacks will be served, and you can catch a LIVE Comics Quickfire event! Don't miss it!
Comics Quickfire is a fast-paced game show where volunteers are paired off with (or against) professional cartoonists in a series of fun-filled drawing challenges! Audience members provide suggestions and add to the creation of totally improvised epic drawings! Hosted by Dave Roman, Comics Quickfire has entertained large crowds at conventions and book festivals across the country and featured some of the biggest names in comics and kid lit.
Challengers Comics
1845 N. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647


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That affects how English is spoken by its hundreds of millions of native speakers; also, how it's spoken by those who come to it as a second or third language.
Those speakers are having a profound influence on English. Especially in country as large as India.
Many young Indians mash up English with Hindi, Punjabi or Bengali. The result is known as Hinglish.
Hinglish comes in many forms. Sometimes, you conjugate a Hindi word with an English conjugation. Sometimes you put together a 50-50 sentence—half Hindi, half English. And sometimes you "throw a choice Hindi word into a sentence that without it would lack the right amount of masala," says Anand Giridharadas, author of India Calling.
If you've seen a Bollywood film, you've probably heard some Hinglish. Giridharadas believes that Hinglish, in this modern form, reflects India's new-found confidence.
But what about when English first rubbed shoulders with Hindi and India's other languages? The British ruled India for nearly 200 years. In 1886, at the height of British power, a dictionary called Hobson-Jobson was published. It was subtitled: "A glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms etymological, historical, geographical and discursive."
Compiled by Colonel Henry Yule and AC Burnell, Hobson-Jobson wasn't just a dictionary. It was a cultural snapshot, with linguistic advice for British bureaucrats and army officers.
It listed words from India that were entering English: shampoo, pajamas, dungarees, bungalow etc. The entry for the term Hobson-Jobson explains that it's an anglicized version of something very different-sounding.
"Hobson-Jobson: My friend Major John Trotter tells me that he has repeatedly heard this phrase used by British soldiers in the Punjab. It is in fact an Anglo-Saxon version of the wailings of the Mahommedans as they beat their breasts in the procession of the Moharram. 'Ya Hasan! Ya Hossain!'"
"There is a huge delight in language that's evident throughout the dictionary," says Kate Teltscher, the editor of an upcoming edition of Hobson-Jobson. That delight in language continues to be contagious. Even Indian-born writers have written about how seductive some of these mixed-up words are. Salman Rushdie wrote that it nearly made him regret the passing of empire in India.
But you just can't get away from the linguistic power plays in Hobson-Jobson. "There is an almost innate sense of British cultural superiority." says Teltscher
It's in the phrases that made their way into English, and even in the use of verbs. For example, the authors note something strange that happens to some verbs when they traveled into English. "They are often in the imperative form, says Teltscher. "They are giving orders." This often happens with words associated with violence, like the words for to bully, and to lay hold, "usually of a recalcitrant native."
"All this language obviously relates to British colonial role," says Teltscher.
Of course, most of the words used by the British in India were English. But they sometimes took on new shades of meaning. Hobson-Jobson sought to explain those words too.
Take the entry for the word home:
"Home. Home always means England. Nobody calls India home. Not even those who have been there 30 years or more, and are never likely to return to Europe."
Javed Majeed of Kings College, London, says the entry reveals that the British "never became a hybridized elite" in India. But he says that other entries in Hobson-Jobson suggest that, despite certain misgivings, India did become home for many British "because of the long periods of service there…and because they're dealing with India in quite a lot of detail."
Majeed views Hobson-Jobson as a "careful balancing act." It captures the colorfulness and the creativity of the slang of the time. But at the same time, "it has to guard against going native and becoming vulgar."
At times, the authors of Hobson-Jobson complain of undesirable words from India "insinuating themselves" into English—words like calico, chintz and gingham which Hobson-Jobson warned were "lying in wait for entrance into English literature," as if to impose some kind of linguistic reverse colonization.
No-one called Hobson-Jobson a study of Hinglish. The word Hinglish didn't exist—which is just as well. In today's Hinglish, there's no longer colonial control of the language. And it's Indians who are selecting the words, and how and when to jump between languages.
But Anand Giridharadas says the use of Hinglish in India—as well the use of much more English—can be misinterpreted. "We tend to assume from the outside that when countries modernize and have growth and get on the cover of Newsweek and Time that they're becoming more Western," he says. "My experience in India suggests otherwise."
English these days is spoken with different accents—American and local. English suffixes, and sometimes whole phrases, are added to Hindi.
"My cousins in India feel more comfort speaking Hinglish and mixing Hindi into their English, and speaking without the British accent that my parents were taught, than my parents generation," says Giridharadas. "That's actually about self-belief and self-confidence—which is also part of the fuel of India's rise."
Indian English may have its roots in a history of imperial rule but it doesn't sound like that any more. It sounds light and playful.
- The World in Words Podcast on iTunes
- The World in Words Podcast via RSS
- The World in Words on Facebook


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The community behind our TV ad starring Bookham Colts FC at Effingham
290 words approx. 1.5 minutes to read
Effingham Village Recreation Trust in Surrey offer spaces that our local community can join in with like football clubs, garden clubs and walking groups. The playing fields and Hall are spaces for the community to enjoy together through their hobbies.
We're one of these groups and as Bookham FC's youth football club, we have 25 teams in Surrey with players ranging from 6 to 18 years old. We're a tight-knit community, mainly run by devoted parents with FA Level One coaching qualifications.
We care more about an individual player's development rather than winning a match at all costs. We're able to bring our local community together through their shared love of the sport, developing skills and forming friendships.
Being part of Co-op's Halloween TV ad
Effingham Village Recreation Trust are part of Co-op's Local Community Fund, which means when Co-op Members in our local community buy selected Co-op branded products and services, 1% of their spend goes to them as their chosen local cause.
We were still so surprised when the Co-op asked us to get involved with their TV ad, the kids were really excited to be a part of it.
On the day of filming, the kids really enjoyed themselves and I'm sure you'll agree, they were all naturals on camera. You can watch the TV ad below.
Co-op Members are helping to improve community spaces
Whether you're on the pitch or cheering from the sidelines, the friendships formed here and the games played are what people talk about years later.
That's why Effingham Village Recreation Trust are part of the Co-op's Local Community Fund; to raise money to improve the facilities and open up our club to more children and young people. We're fundraising for an all-weather sports pitch.
This is why the Co-op and the Local Community Fund fit so well with our ethos.
Mike Creffield
Chairman Bookham Colts
Read more on local communities at our Co-op;
- Giving young lads a second chance with new skills
- Being part of the Community Fund has been amazing in so many ways
- Community is the knot that keeps us together
Join the conversation! 10 Comments
Fantastic idea. Does it matter whereabout in Britain the funds go to???? The Co-op supports LOCAL charity groups and good causes too and as long as people benefit from the funding then more power to their elbow. Keep up the good work!!! If it gets kids off their computers and into the fresh air then so much the better. I also think that the advert is delightful! xx
We support over 350 local children become active in sport and in order to increase membership and opportunity we just need to get over our funding line, if you are able to support pls do:
At first site the Bookham colts might not seem worthy, but on refection, these could be fairly under privileged youngsters, male or female in a particularly wealthy area. As to support for "Trick or treat' etc. this is an American marketing idea on which the less said the better. I will add that this can be construed as a pre-pagan ritual originally from central Europe and another form of legalised begging that has taken over from Guy Faulkes night. I am aware that both can be found on the national curriculum Key stages 1 & 2.


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Darrell Issa To Lead Obama Investigations: Suspected Arson, Car Theft, Weapons Charges! Wait! That Is Issa's Past!
Darrell Issa, Multi-Millionaire Congressman Is Not Mr. Clean!
Darrell Issa, Republican Congressman from California, who has a checkered past, with multiple arrests for auto theft and weapons charges, was also suspected of arson for a fire that destroyed one of the buildings he owned. Now, the man who sobbed for television cameras when his party backed Arnold for governor of California instead of him, is planning to spend the next two years
of his Congressional life investigating the Obama administration, but this time he will be using taxpayer money to pursue Obama.
When Issa became the Republican hatchet man who was almost solely responsible for the recall of California's Governor Gray Davis in 2003, he had to use his own money. At that time, Issa donated almost 2 million dollars to the recall effort because he had plans to be crowned the new and improved governor of California. Issa's ambitions to govern the state in which he was, years earlier, indicted along with his brother for auto theft, never came to fruition because the Republican party pulled the rug out from under Issa and his dreams of power. He sobbed openly when withdrawing
his name as the chosen one. His party had betrayed him, so now when the new Congress convenes in January, Issa will try again to make a name for himself with his party. He has stated that he plans to hold at least seven hearings a week as head of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Just who is Darrell Issa and what is his past? First, Issa's history with auto theft charges: In 1971, Issa reportedly took a Dodge sedan from an Army post where he was stationed near Pittsburgh. There were no charges filed in that case, but the story was leaked to the press by a retired Army sergeant, who says he threatened Issa and then was able to retrieve the car. As a college student in 1972, Issa and his brother were arrested in Cleveland, suspected of stealing a red Maserati from a dealership. The witnesses recognized Darrell and his brother, William as they pushed the Maserati down the street. The third incident took place in San Jose, California. In 1980, Issa, then 27 years old, and his brother William, 29, were again arrested and this time indicted on felony auto theft charges. William Issa, using his brother's second driver's license, sold younger Darrell's cherry red Mercedes to a dealer for $16,000.00. Three hours after William received and cashed the check, Darrell reported the car stolen. The police also charged Darrell because his answers to questions were inconsistent. Why did he have two driver's licenses? Initially, Issa denied having two driver's licenses, but then changed his story. Simple, responded Issa. He did not like the way his picture came out in the first one. As to whether Darrell knew the identity of the man pictured in the composite drawing of the suspect (his brother), Issa stated he did not know who the man was, but would like to send the picture to his mother to see if she knew who it was. According to detectives, the composite was so detailed that it was clearly a composite of William. That answer and answers to other questions created so much doubt in the minds of the police officers involved, they arrested and charged both brothers, even though Darrell reportedly offered to pay the auto dealer more than the $16,000.00 that William was paid.
Suspicious Fire and the Weapons Charges!
In 1982, Issa was suspected, but never charged in a suspicious fire that burned his Ohio manufacturing plant. Although there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Issa, the police suspected he was behind the fire based on two facts. Just a few weeks prior to the fire, Issa increased the fire insurance coverage to quadruple the original amount and according to the company bookkeeper, Karen Brasdovich, a few days before the fire, records and a company computer were removed from the plant, which was completely out of character for Issa. Charges were not filed due to lack of evidence, but the suspicions remain.
Issa was arrested twice for weapons charges, once in Ohio and once in Michigan. While Issa was
in Ohio, he was given the job of firing a high level executive, Jack Frantz. Frantz recalls that Issa came into his office carrying a box. Issa opened the box and showed Frantz the gun. Frantz knew
he was being fired and felt that was Issa's method of intimidating him. Frantz relayed the story to
the Los Angeles Times and in response, Issa told the reporter, "No shots were ever fired." He further stated that he doesn't even remember whether he had a gun that day. The bookkeeper backed up Frantz's story, telling the LA Times that day was frightening. In the Michigan case, Issa received probation and paid a fine.
Issa Becomes A Multi-Millionaire Selling Car Alarms! Isn't It Ironic?
Darrell Issa made his millions by developing and selling car alarms, including the top-selling Viper. Issa's own voice was used for the Viper, which would say things like, "Step away from the car." He has stated that he started the company because his brother was a prolific car thief.
The company, Directed Electronics, is responsible for Issa's listed worth of $303 million dollars (reported by CNBC in November of 2010). He was listed in 2009 as the second wealthiest member of Congress, with only John Kerry being worth more money. In November of 2010, CNBC reported that Darrell Issa is the richest member of Congress, surpassing John Kerry.
Issa Just A Kid When He Was In Trouble!
Whenever Congressman Issa is pressed by reporters to explain past arrests and scandals, he has almost always bristled and brushed off the questions. He has repeatedly stated that he was "just a kid" or that it "was my brother." He additionally states that these things happened so long ago that he really doesn't remember the details.
In 1980, when Issa was indicted for felony auto theft, he was 27 years old. In 1982, when he was under suspicion for the arson fire, he was 29 years old. Just a kid? Too long ago to remember?
Issa's motivations for making his most recent threats of non-stop subpoenas are unknown. When he attacked Gray Davis, he wanted the Governorship of California to be his prize. Many stated at the time that Issa had a longer history of arrests than of service to the state of California. Outside the state of California, Issa is a relative nobody. Clearly, he will be making a national name for himself in his soon to be position of power. If he conducts seven hearings a week as promised, his name should make almost every daily news cycle. What reward will Issa expect this time? If his efforts go unrewarded over the next two years, will there be a national update to his infamous California crying scene? California is holding its collective breath, waiting to see the latest chapter of the Issa saga!
The wealthiest member of congress. He wants to investigate EVERYTHING. Maybe he should start with...HIMSELF! Repuke hypocrite! Soooo easy to find these examples. Let the excuses begin!
1/31 UPDATE: See additional article about this jerk on page three of this thread.


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More than 1,000 people rallied at the Georgia Capitol and marched through downtown Atlanta on Wednesday to support comprehensive immigration reform and call for an end to deportations.
The crowd waved signs, chanted mostly in Spanish and listened to various speakers who urged Congress to come up with a comprehensive reform solution that includes a path to citizenship for millions of people living in the country illegally. The rally was one of a number scheduled in various cities around the country to coincide with a larger rally Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
The rallies are intended to send a message to Congress where a bipartisan group of senators is working to hash out a bill to address the nation's immigration system.
Organizers in Atlanta said they were pleased with the turnout, given that the rally and march were scheduled for the middle of the day in the middle of the week — when many people are supposed to be at work.
Carlos Lagunas, 14, a ninth-grader who lives in Douglasville and was brought to the country illegally by his parents when he was a young child, said he saw a posting about the rally on Facebook and thought it would be a good way to spend a day of his spring break.
The issue is very personal for him, he said, because his father was stopped at a roadblock two years ago, arrested for driving without a license and subsequently deported to Mexico. Lagunas hasn't seen his father since then and hopes that immigration reform will allow his family to be reunited. Seeing all the people who turned out for the rally encouraged him.
"Together with a lot of people we can show that we want this to happen," he said. "It's powerful."
Jose Hernandez, a Mexican national, has lived in Atlanta for eight years after crossing the border illegally. He is the father of a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old who were born here and said a path to legalization would make his life much easier.
"I'm hoping I can get papers so I can work legally in this country," he said in Spanish. "I'm an honest and noble person. I'm a mechanic, and I want to be able to work legally."
D.A. King, an activist who fights for stricter enforcement of the nation's immigration laws, said the protesters at the Capitol were proving their agenda by demanding an end to deportations.
"These people are against borders and enforcement, and that would not change with another amnesty," he said. "We've proven that legalization by any name only increases illegal immigration. This wouldn't be any different."


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'God' Is Alive (in the Pledge of Allegiance)
The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the inclusion of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.
WASHINGTON — God was put into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 at the urging of the Knights of Columbus. So when Michael Newdow sought Supreme Court standing to remove the Almighty, the Knights girded for legal battle — and won.
"We are very happy," said Knights' vice president Patrick Korten. "This is a victory for human rights."
The Supreme Court decided June 13 simply not to consider an appeal by Newdow of a New Hampshire case he has argued before the First Circuit Court of Appeals for parents objecting to their children being forced to witness classmates saying the pledge. The Knights decided to join in the case as a co-defendant.
Newdow, who first gained prominence when he won an initial ruling in the Ninth Circuit in 2004 on behalf of his own children, only to lose in the Supreme Court, is president of the First Atheist Church of True Science. "It's not surprising," Newdow said about the defeat. "We'll keep trying."
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which was a co-plaintiff with the parents in the case, also promised to carry on the fight to remove religion from public life.
"We have other cases we are working on, and we are waiting for the composition of the Supreme Court to change," said the foundation's president, Annie Laurie Gaylor.
Until 1954, the pledge said by schoolchildren each morning across America stated: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Article of Faith?
But a strong lobbying effort that year by the Knights of Columbus, the international Catholic fraternity headquartered in New Haven, Conn., produced near unanimous support in Congress for a law inserting "under God" after "one nation."
The argument all along by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Newdow has been that the reference to God violates the Constitution's Establishment Clause by coercing children to participate in a statement of religious faith.
"The phrase is a lie," said Gaylor. "The U.S. is not one nation under God. It is a secular republic. There is no mention of God in the Constitution."
But the phrase's defenders claim, in Korten's words, that "the words 'under God' do not impose a state religion, but instead express the belief that there are fundamental rights that come before the state which the state is bound to defend but cannot remove."
And so far, apart from the initial 2004 loss, the courts have always agreed with this argument.
Korten said Newdow has tried to use the Knights' affiliation with the Catholic Church to prove that the phrase is an expression of faith. And this gave the Knights pause when they pondered whether to participate in the New Hampshire case.
"But then [in 1954] and now, the Knights have argued that the phrase is about how our basic rights are unalienable," Korten said. "And I searched through volumes of our files and never found any reference to it being an expression of faith."
More tellingly, he adds, Newdow has never been able to come up with any evidence to that effect either.
"This came up in the throes of the Cold War," Korten explained. "The Knights argued for the phrase because it would emphasize how the United States differed from communist regimes, which believe that the state grants rights and can take them away."
Eric Rassbach, litigation director for the Becket Fund, calls Newdow's efforts to remove "under God" a "quixotic quest that gets more quixotic with every failure."
But the Freedom From Religion Foundation's Gaylor, calling the recent contrary decisions "an affront to nonbelievers and an injustice for everyone," said neither her organization nor Newdow will stop. "We are going to look for cases to bring in other circuits. And we will wait for a slight change in the composition of the Supreme Court. For now, we are stuck with a 5-4 bloc [opposed to our goals]."
Gaylor argues that the pledge is inherently coercive, especially for elementary-school children, even though schools are prohibited by a 1940s' Supreme Court ruling from requiring any student to participate.
"If young students stay sitting or stay silent when everyone else is standing and reciting, there's a stigma," Gaylor said. "There's embarrassment."
'So Help Me God'
But Rassbach counters that the courts have required a "much higher standard for what constitutes coercion than a twinge of discomfort."
Gaylor also uses the argument that religion is something the parents should be teaching. By holding the pledge ceremony daily in each classroom, the state is intruding on parental rights.
But Korten says that argument depends on the pledge being seen as a statement of faith, and not what the courts have ruled that it really is — a statement that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as well as freedom of speech, thought, assembly and religion are above the state.
Newdow has other irons in the fire: He is fighting against religious content in the ceremony for inaugurating U.S. presidents, including the phrase "So help me God."
Rassbach commented: "Really they [the Foundation for Freedom From Religion] don't just want separation of church and state. They want an end of religion. They think it is ugly and horrible."
But the Establishment Clause, Rassbach insisted, "does not put religion under quarantine. It forbids the federal government from selecting bishops or establishing a religion — but not from making any mention of religion in public life."
Steve Weatherbe writes from Victoria, British Columbia.
- Keywords:
- July 3-16, 2011


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You may not give much thought to how you use your credit card, but your issuer sure does. Credit companies know that you fit into one of three distinct credit card personality types. Here's a rundown of all three.
Type 1: the Revolver
Let's get this out of the way first -- if you're a Revolver, your credit company loves you. You're the kind of customer they want to keep on their books as long as possible. What is it Revolvers do that makes them so desirable, you ask?
It's simple, really. Revolvers are practically money machines for credit companies. This credit card personality type gets its name from the unpaid balance that comes back around every month, causing revenue-generating interest to accrue and drive up the total amount you'll eventually pay. Revolvers are probably the most diverse type of credit card user, making up a broad demographic that includes both minimum-wage workers and high-powered financiers.
Even if you're not the type of debtor to buy big-ticket items on a small-time budget and make minimum payments on a maxed-out limit, carrying a balance month to month is all it takes to fit in with the Revolvers. It isn't bad to be a Revolver, necessarily -- it's just that you often end up paying more for most things than other people do.
Type 2: the Deadbeat
Contrary to its popular usage as one who chooses to sneak away with debts unpaid, the Deadbeat is a characteristically responsible credit user. Deadbeats get that negative name because, well, they don't tend to make the credit companies a lot of money.
The Deadbeat type is defined by one simple trait -- something that's undesirable to credit issuers but quite desirable to just about everyone else. Deadbeats, those scoundrels, pay their credit card bill in full every month. Credit users who are unshakable deadbeats will never pay a single cent in interest, keeping their cost of credit as low as fiscally possible. The Transactor, a slightly more easygoing cousin of the Deadbeat, has been known to exist as well, typically paying their balance in full and on time but sometimes letting small amounts ride month to month.
Deadbeats tend to be financially responsible people who shy away from spending more money than they know they can afford to use, even in the face of strong desires and tantalizing bargains. If you're a credit card Deadbeat and you're not admired for your self-control, the people around you probably just aren't paying close enough attention.
Type 3: the Card Hacker
Now, don't be alarmed. Hacker in this sense doesn't refer to an info-phishing fraudster or identity thief. Card Hackers are the sort of credit users who might open two cards at once -- one with big bonuses and double rewards in key categories but an inadvisable APR, for example, and another with a bare-bones reward structure and low or zero-percent interest on balance transfers for the first 12 months. If you're already aware of why they'd do this, you might just be a Card Hacker at heart.
To finish the trick, Card Hackers would then proceed to charge a few thousand dollars on the big rewards card -- book a vacation they'd already budgeted for, maybe -- and then immediately shoot the charge over to the card with low rates on balance transfers. When the dust clears, what's left is a fat stack of earned rewards points and a full year to pay off their balance before their non-zero interest rate kicks in.
This type of credit card use might sound exciting, but it's not without its risks. If you're going to give credit card hacking a try, it's important to first take into account any balance-transfer fees, which may negate the benefits. Also, make sure you have extra reserves of attention to pay to your personal finances. One little slip-up and you might find yourself wishing you'd been less adventurous.
Which type are you?
If we just go by the statistics, you're probably a Revolver. According to an April 2012 study by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, 60 percent of women and 55 percent of men carry a month-to-month balance on their credit card. Not only that, but about 40 percent of U.S. adults pay just their minimum payment each month, costing themselves more than the retail price of their purchases.
Not that there's anything wrong with being a Revolver, or a Card Hacker for that matter. How you choose to use your credit is your own business, after all. Our recommendation, though? Don't let the nasty-sounding term scare you off. When it comes to credit cards, it's good to be a Deadbeat.


text:
Tracked Mobile Jaw Crushing
Tracked mobile jaw crushing plant has five models, among which,J-1480E and J-1175E are the oil-electricity dual-use tracked mobile jaw crushing plants, with the characteristics of large production capacity, high cost-effective performance, energy-saving and environmental protection and with unparalleled advantages on the aspects of production efficiency, stability and cost savings for the users in various types of applications.J-1480 is equipped with TEREX® Jaques JW55 single toggle jaw crusher main body, with the maximum output of the handled materials up to 750t/h. In a range of applications,J-1175 can provide the best production output and is an ideal equipment for quarrying, mining, solid waste recycling and reuse. J-1160 is a tracked mobile primary jaw crushing plant with compact structure and good performance, times-saving installation, convenient transportation and user-friendly operation, which is an ideal machinery equipment for all kinds of materials operators.
- 01 Drying System:
1. The system uses four world-renowned shaft-mounted motor reducers to easily and freely drive dry drums.
2. The optimized lifting blades provide more uniform heating and high heat utilization ratio.
3. The external roller of thermal insulation materials and coat of stainless steel effectively avoid heat loss.
4. The drive drums and imported bearings undergoing careful calculation and heat treatment act long service life and reliable operation.
5. The patented new drying drums reduce energy consumption by 20% compared with the original ones.
- 02 Oil/Gas Burner:
NZGOB burners are the new-generation axial flow oil/gas burners that play a leading role in our's burners and are developed jointly by China and Europe. These burners use the special burner simulation analysis conducted by the European organization for thermal energy technology research, integrates the advanced European technologies, and takes advantages of the best burner model patent with the principle of low emissions for environmental protection and calorific value as the core. These burners with excellent and stable quality are highly praised by customers around the world and therefore they can be used as the ideal accessory products for asphalt mixing equipment.
- 03 Dust Collection System:
1. The two-stage dust collection meets European emission standards.
2. Rotary reverse blowing is used for energy conservation and high efficiency.
3. The key fittings are reliable and durable.
4. Safe protection and intelligent detection are provided.
- 04 Vibrating Screen:
1. The durable vibrating screen with high strength provides excellent screening performance.
2. The mesh is easy to maintain and replace for time saving.
3. The vibrating screen frequency matching well with the amplitude provides a graduation precision greater than 95% under various severe operating conditions to achieve high temperature resistance and high output, thereby maintaining excellent screening performance at any time.
4. Good amplitude and frequency design ensures the best screening effect.
4-1) The screen uses the self-synchronous drive technology for energy conservation and environmental protection without maintenance.
4-2) The screen uses the enhanced drive axle design to eliminate screen damage for durable purposes.
4-3) The screen uses a high-quality imported vibrating motor.
- 05 Metering System:
1. The system uses the weighting mechanism with strong adaptive capability.
2. The system uses the unique combined two-door coarse and fine scale patent for accurate metering.
3. The axial flow asphalt scale uses the unique secondary tracking and metering patent to provide a stable and reliable asphalt-aggregate ratio.
- 06 Mixing System:
1. The system uses the simulated and optimized material mixing speed technology.
2. The system ensures that materials in each mixer are homogeneously mixed to increase the mixing efficiency by 25% while reducing energy consumption by 20%.
3. The system uses the original wear-resistant parts imported from Sweden which rank first in the world.
High-efficiency twin shaft asphalt mixer
Motor: uses the high-performance motor technology fromGermany SIEMENS/SEW/ABB mixer to ensure long-time continuous and reliable operation.
Reducer: uses the drive technology of Italy BONFIGLIOLI reducer to continuously transfer power.
- 07 Intelligent Control System:
The remote service platform based on the automation, industrial control, drive and industrial information technologies as well as service experience in the software provides customers with a full solution, from manufcature, management and future services.


text:
Campers, race car drivers find ways to beat the heat
Temperature soared into 90s on Friday
Whether it was swimming laps or driving laps, people had a tough time keeping cool on Friday.
Oxford Plains Speedway is getting ready for the TD Bank 250 this weekend.
Track officials said the race cars get up to 150 degrees inside. The key to staying safe is hydration.
"Just drink fluids. I've been keeping a lot of Pedialyte to me. Same thing as a little baby, but you gotta stay hydrated. That's all it is," said TD Bank 250 driver Ben Rowe.
That's the same advice folks at Camp Arcadia in Otisfield received.
The all-girls camp said they keep their campers in the water to keep their body temperatures low and make drinking water a priority.
"You come in to a meal and you have to drink three glasses of water before you actually eat anything," said Frank Fritts of Camp Arcadia.
Counselors said they also make sure the campers wear hats and sunblock and monitor activity level when it's too warm for too much play.


text:
...its my birthday, we gonna party like it's my birthday, we gonna sip Bacaradi like it's my birthday, and we dont give uh *bleep* cause its my birthday.....
Well actually, I will not be sipping Bacardi, but I will be going to Bible Study - Holla! I know, pretty cray cray of me isn't it? Pretty sure I am turning 62 and not 26 because I am having a low key birthday all the way. On the schedule is is the following: Bible Study, a sweet 1 hour massage, nails did, picking up my "poopin on the potty" T Rex from my madre's, grabbing some cupcakes & dinner with a few of my girlfriends. The Nickmesiter will be working late so this old gal wants to get together with the ladies.
Am I the only one that gets selfish on their birthday? I think not, but I feel as moms, it really is a-ok to get all selfish on the day you made your grand entrance. We are always taking care of others, so its justified in my mind.
And Im off for now ladies!!
PS. I went on a retreat to Lake Tahoe with some church ladies that I've fallen in love with & I am going to post about it. I just have to figure out what to say because it changed my life.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Go Shorty...
Posted by californiadreamin at Thursday, September 27, 2012 3 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
You know you're a momma when...
...You blow up peoples Facebook feed with the news that your 1 year and 8 month old son is peeing and pooping on the potty!
I've been letting him just sit on the potty after breakfast for a couple weeks now. He is a morning pooper, so once his milk kicks in, he's ready to go. Yesterday I noticed he still hadn't pooped when he finished his breakfast, so I thought I'd just sit him on the potty and see how it goes. Within 5 minutes I could hear him pooping! Ladies, I about died. I started clapping and threw a huge smile on my face and kept saying, "Troy!! Troy!! You're pooping on the potty like a big boy! Oh my gosh, good job, Troy!!! YAY!!!" His reaction? "Car....car....." and was pointing out the window at the car he was hearing drive down the road. Ain't no thang. He did however, like to flush the toilet and wave, telling it "bye, bye". I swear, is that a total boy for you or what?
This morning, same thing - after breakfast, still nothing, so I sat him on the potty & what happened? PEE! He pee'd and THAT was something he was happy about. He reached behind him and flushed telling it "bye". The polite thing to do I guess, haha. Theeeeen....I waited. And in about 2 minutes? He was pooping! This he was more excited about and again, got joy out of flushing.
Im trying not to get my hopes up because I know some kids can start potty training and then regress for no reason & still wont be potty trained for another year or so. But...this is a huge start & I am *hoping* this takes off and he just runs with this whole no wet diapers thing.
Posted by californiadreamin at Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Doin the Dang Thang
I have yet once again hit a workout rut. It all started when I got back from Colorado and I looked in the mirror and was like, "oh girl, get yourself on a treadmill STAT", and since then I've done HIIT cardio about 3-4 times every week for 30 minutes and then finish up with a 10 minute elliptical session. I've maybe had 1-2 lifting days in there <----- no bueneo. I just really wanted to shred it up and lean out, and HIIT is the way to do it. But, Im getting bored and when it comes to the gym, I need structure. Enter, bodybuilding.com ....... *this is now way a plug for bodybuilding.com, although they deserve a shout out!*
I think I've mentioned before that bodybuilding.com, not only offers supplements at unbeatable prices (I have checked GNC, Costco, Sams Club, amazon, etc. & they beat em' all), but they offer FU-REEEE workout routines catered to what your goals are as well as your age & sex. So I always go there when Im in the workout rut. I also want to throw in, that if you're someone who is just starting down, do NOT be intimidated by the name or think that only experienced peeps go to this site. They offer a Facebook type community that you can talk and relate to other people who are where you're at. If that's not your cup of tea, then you can still go and get the hook up with workouts/meal plans for....FU-REEEEEE! They have beginner programs, and structure (in my opinion) is KEY in a workout regimen! Even if you're just a cardio junky *cough cough you need to add lifting STAT cough cough*, a good schedule or switch up plan is important if you want to keep your body conditioned and/or challenged and changing.
****stepping off my soapbox*****
So anywhoot, there I was at home, thinking about how I really didn't look forward going to the gym cause it was the same ol same ol - cardio. While I've been seeing good results, I MISS and CRAVE lifting. I have educated myself and I know that lifting weights is something that is so important to your body & keeping it maintained. Since I've been out of the weight room for what seems like years, I have noticed those muscles I had worked so hard to build, weren't as bulgy anymore, and that booty that was lifting and firming, was just staying put - the improvement has stopped. So, I went to bodybuilding.com, and browsed a couple of their plans for the right one for me. I've done a couple of theirs, so I wanted something fresh & different. Enter Lindsay Kaye's Cutting Program: This program was designed by THE Lindsay Kaye - the fitness model banned from magazine covers cause she was just that hot.
Girlfraaand obviously knows her shiz. I found some other body envy pics, but due to the fact that my Gma reads this blog, I decided against posting them. Since I want to cut down fat around my muscles, but also continue to build up on them, I went with her cutting program you can find here. I am also going to be following her eating program to an almost T. Remember how I told y'all I was sorta doing the Weight Watchers point system? Well I added everything on her meal plan up and it should be exactly what Weight Watchers has allotted me - SCORE! I just want to say too, that Im only doing this Weight Watchers thingy only because I want to push my body until Mexico and see where I can get it. After we get back, I'll still be doing this program, but about ready to switch it up again since you should change your workout routine every 6 weeks or so. Gotta get your muscles guessing and pushing that endurance.
Even tho Summer is just about over (and actually is over for a lot of y'all - LUCKY!), you still want to either maintain or improve. Halloween, Thanksgiving, AND Christmas are major junk food holidays and even tho I would love to eat an entire mixing bowl of mashed potatoes with sour cream doused over it, I don't. You have to think to yourself, why would I just kill myself at the gym, and then sabotage my work with over indulging? Eat the potatoes and all the fun stuff, but don't be going crazy, ya know? A trick I try to do to stop overeating is popping in a piece of gum and that works pretty good. Any other tricks you ladies have that work?
Posted by californiadreamin at Tuesday, September 18, 2012 3 comments Links to this post
Labels: bodybuilding.com, working out, workouts
Monday, September 17, 2012
My Heart is Full/Weekend Recap
Top of the mornin to ya! I just came back from a make you wanna puke workout (The best kind in mine and Jillian Michaels opinion!) and thought I'd like up for my Weekend Update
My weekend was filled with love for the 2 guys in my life....and shopping!! Sadly I didn't take a picture of my loot before I hung it all up in my closet, but my very generous loving mamacita, took her youngest out to shop for some clothes for my birthday present (my birthday is 10 days away exactly!) and it was glorious! I know Im not the only girl who loves to shop. Granted, there are some girls who just cant stand it, but I? I love it! I get so excited when I score a hot little something on the clearance rack or if I catch a great sale. Which is what happened this weekend. Kohls is where it's at ladies. Most of the tops I got was the Rock & Republic brand they started carrying, but I got a couple Jennifer Lopez sweaters (sooooo comfy and sex-ay! Sure to warm that special guy in your life haha), and a Lauren Conrad sweater. Oh and I got these
I wanted something that didnt scream mom (Im talking to you sketchers!) and I am NOT on that TOMS train - blah! Sorry, but it's how I feel. Anyways, these are classics and paired with the right jeans and just a casual top? Im in!
Anyways, here is my handy dandy (you can thank Blues Clues for that) collage about this weekend:
1. This is my little BBQ dude. He cooks up cuteness on the daily, as well as snot - poor dude has a cold. Tis the season
2. This dude is healing from having his meniscus taken out & I cant tell you how much I enjoy doting in him. It helps that he's an easy patient, but our days have consisted of him icing and elevating his leg & me getting him snacks/beverages. So happy for him since now he can actually STRAIGHTEN his leg which he hasn't been able to do in 3 months! Oh, the little things in life. Anyways, he makes me happy and I *did* say in sickness and in health, so Im doing my right to take care of him.
3. Nick was feeling up to going to the park with our little T Rex and oh Mylanta, it was hot. Troy had a fun time climbing around the pretty sweet playground & the trees. He is normally a wuss when it comes to going down the slide, even tho he says "wee!" when he sees other kids. This time however, he did it a few times! Pretty sure it was cause dad was there :)
4. And lastly, this was a verse I got on my YouVersion Bible app & it's true. I think we (and by we, I mean *I*) tend to think it was us that worked so hard for the privilege of being saved, when really, it was God who saved us. We didn't save ourselves, Christ did. We came to know Him because of His work in our hearts. This was a great verse in humbling.
Can't wait to see what y'all did this weekend! Link it up, ladies!
Posted by californiadreamin at Monday, September 17, 2012 3 comments Links to this post
Labels: link ups, weekend recap
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Finally fixing him up
So Im sure you ladies remember me mentioning how Nick tore his meniscus back in June, and it's been a long drawn out process due to a
idiotic flippant mistaken Urgent Care doctor thinking Nick had a knee contusion & was absolutely completely sure of this. He told Nick to walk it off for 4-6 weeks. Welllllll, that 4-6 weeks came and went and Nick was still in pain, so after a few tests and doctor appointments, a torn meniscus was the issue. So today was the big day he got it fixed - HALLELUJAH! I am one of *those* wives that genuinely love their husbands and think of them as their bestie, so I hated seeing him in discomfort and was stoked he was getting it fixed. Go figure that his surgery was on September 11th outta all the days.
Prepped and ready to go!
Someone is feeling that anesthesia....
Recovering and reviewing the pics the doc took of his knee from the internal camera
He did awesome and they had to completely remove his meniscus since it was inoperable. Had he come in within a week of it happening, he coulda gotten it fixed no problem. Guess I can kiss those dreams of him being my running buddy bye bye. That's okay, he can keep on being my eye candy!
Posted by californiadreamin at Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3 comments Links to this post
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Inspire Me: Heatlhy
G-Morning lovelies! So I skipped last week, but I am back at it this week. So my updates are as follows:
1. I have worked it HARD in the gym 3-4 times a week and have done a workout at home every week
2. MOST of my days, I do in fact finish that 1 gallon jug of water. I'd say 5/7 days I completely finish it and the other 2 days, I get close.
3. My eating has been superb! I tried this yummy recipe via Skinnytaste on Tuesday night and it was so yummy! Spicy & flavorful. I mean, very spicy. Like, even if you aren't a milk drinker, you better have a
glass gallon on hand.
Low-fat Chicken Enchiladas
Gina's Weight Watcher RecipesServings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 enchilada • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts Calories: 159.5 • Fat: 5.9 g • Protein: 16.2 g • Carb: 17.8 g • Fiber: 8.3 g
Ingredients:For the sauce:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
- 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
- kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
For the chicken:
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 large clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- kosher salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (la tortilla factory)
- 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping
Directions:In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.
Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce... Then top with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes.Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas.
So this past week I've been sorta hoping on the Weight Watchers train. I only really do it with dinner, because I know what I eat and how much I eat during the day are lower calories. Nicky poo is even grabbed a seat on the "Lets get ridiculously hot before Mexico" train. So, since its easy counting wise, he is taking the Smart Ones frozen meals to work. Ive seen nothing but amazing results from all y'all, so lets hope we get your results!
At the gym, I've been sucking in the weight lifting department. I seriously LOVE lifting weights, but I've become obsessed with shredding some el bee's around the muscles I do have. Im doing HIIT cardio every time I step foot in the gym. I haven't set anything in stone yet, but pretty sure I'll be continuing the straight cardio for the rest of this week, and then next week start lifting again. The point of HIIT is vs. regular cardio, you continue to burn calories 32 hours after you've already left the gym. You can use any cardio equipment, but what I've been doing is a total of 30 minutes on the treadmill and sprinting (9mph) for 1 minute, then walking 1 minute at 3.8 mph. Oh and I do a light jog (6.2mph) for 10 minutes prior to the sprint/walks.
No pic this week, as I am too lazy to take one, HA! But I promise my love handles and saddle bags are for reals diminishing.
Posted by californiadreamin at Thursday, September 06, 2012 9 comments Links to this post
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text:
Former Growing Pains star and born-again Christian Kirk Cameron ignited a controversy Friday when he told CNN's Piers Morgan he thought homosexuality was "unnatural … destructive to … civilization." GLAAD immediately responded, calling Cameron "dated" and "out of step."
Judging by the trailer for his new documentary Monumental: In Search of America's National Treasure, Cameron won't back down any time soon. He leads the promo — which you can watch below — by saying, "something is sick in the soul of our country … we're headed for disaster if we don't change our course now." The actor travels the U.S. in a sort of Who Do You Think You Are? for morality. But how will the film perform given Cameron's recent, potentially alienating, comments?
Monumental is Cameron's first foray into producing, though the strength of his Christian reputation has driven several smaller, niche projects to notoriety. He headlined the Left Behind movies (based on the apocalyptic book series of the same name by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins) as the 2008 movie-turned-viral sensation Fireproof. Both movies have not fared well critically, with Left Behind scoring a poor 22 out of a 100 score on Metacritic, and Fireproof barely besting that with a 28. Likewise, their Rotten Tomatoes scores are 16 percent (Cameron's career low) for 2001's Left Behind and 40 percent for Fireproof. (Two other films in the Left Behind series went straight to DVD, though weren't met with much — okay, any — praise, even from Christian media outlets.)
Despite the critical pounding, though, Cameron's films have at least recouped and sometimes exploded financially. Left Behind made a very modest profit (about $200,000 on top of its effects-driven, relatively expensive $4 million budget), and the decision to send the other films to DVD bears that out. Fireproof, however, was an out-and-out success. The film cost only half a million to make and earned $33.5 million at the box office. It's worth noting that 99.9 percent of that was domestic.
One thing is clear about Cameron's following: It is very specific and very devoted. It seems reasonable to guess, then, that anyone who would pay to see Monumental in theaters come March 27 is already familiar with Cameron's philosophy and his oeuvre. Though Cameron's comments about gays may have been some of the strongest he's made in recent memory, they're not particularly off-brand for him and they're certainly on-message for the sentiment of Monumental's trailer. Has Kirk Cameron hurt himself with the average American? Maybe. Has he alienated his core demographic? Highly unlikely.
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