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Joyce A. Hernandez Loving and caring wife and mother
Joyce A. Hernandez
Joyce was born in Waterbury on March 18, 1952, daughter of Florence (Crupo) Ermini Hawks of Tolland, Conn. and the late John J. Ermini. She graduated from Chase Grammar School and W.F. Kaynor Technical High School, class of 1970, with a license in hairdressing.
She later pursued a career as a certified paraprofessional, where she found her true passion working with children. She worked at Bethlehem Elementary School and currently at Mitchell Elementary School in Woodbury.
Joyce found true love at the age of 15 when she started dating the love of her life, Maurice, and they were married June 26, 1971. She gave birth to her beautiful daughter Nicole Ashley, who she adored, in 1985. Their favorite saying was, "Love You Around the World and Back Again."
Joyce battled cancer for 20 years, never letting the everyday battle take control of her passion for life, family and countless number of friends, always making time for everyone. She loved cooking and hosting big family parties and picnics, as well as bowling in the Elks Women's League and riding with Moe on the Harley.
Her courage, strength and love was an epic story that will be told and exampled for generations to come.
Besides her husband Maurice of 43 years and her mother, she leaves her daughter, Nicole Ashley Hernandez of Waterbury; her sister, Patty Gagliardi and her fiancé Douglas Bird of Deltona, Fla.; her mother's husband David Hawks of Tolland; her beloved nieces and nephews, Jennifer Bourdeau and her partner Tara Dains, and Jeff Bourdeau and his wife Rachel, all of Waterbury and Joseph Gagliardi of Fla.; a great-niece that lit up her life, Sophia Bourdeau of Waterbury; her mother and father-in-law, Maurice and Grace Hernandez Sr. of Weekiwachi, Fla.; her sister-in-law, Beatrice Palls and her husband Dr. Byron Palls, and their children of Clearwater, Fla.; her brother-in-law Steven Hernandez and his wife Charlene, and their children of Albuquerque, N.M.; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, including special friend Bob Keating.
She was predeceased by her sister, Sandra Bourdeau.
Always strong, always happy, may her memory be eternal and her laughter will always be.
Arrangements: Funeral Friday, 9 a.m. from Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home, 430 Chase Parkway, Waterbury to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m.. Burial will follow in All Saints Cemetery in Waterbury. Calling hours will be held Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
For more info or to send E-Condolences visit: www.chaseparkwaymemorial.com.
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Janice Gordon Ash wrote on Jun 18, 2014 8:23 AM:
" Dearest Moe, Nicole, Ma Ermini/Hawks & family. My heart grieves with all of you in the loss of such a very special, beautiful woman. I can't say enough about the love I feel in my heart for Joyce. She was one of the best and will be missed by all of us who knew her. May you find peace in her passing knowing she is resting in the arms of our Lord and dancing with the angels. In love, respect & friendship always.
Janice "
Janice "
Frank and Sandee wrote on Jun 18, 2014 10:34 AM:
" We will always love and miss you "
Sandra L Seeley Krutzky wrote on Jun 19, 2014 4:07 PM:
" Dear Moe my husband and I are so sorry for your loss. My the good Lord bless you and your family. Msgt. & Mrs Frank J Krutzky Jr. "
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Tim Tebow was selected in First Round of NFL Draft!
Why is this great? And why am I blogging about this?
- He is a University of Florida/Gator Graduate – and so am I
- He helped us win 2 NCAA National Championships in Football
- He won 1 Heisman and was nominated for two more
- Biggest reasons why this is great:
- He was ridiculed by all of the NFL scouts as not being a "NFL product"
- All of the major NFL "Analyst" predicted he would be picked in the 3rd round
- All of the major NFL "Analyst" said "he didn't have it"
It sounds just like what Pentaho went thru in 2007-2009 with analysts, mega-vendor competitors, pundits, etc. – "we wouldn't be anything" , "we couldn't stand up to the big guys", "we wouldn't be around in a few years", etc. Well, what are the analysts' saying now? – "OSBI is Here to Stay", "OSBI will Grow by 500% by 2012", "OSBI is a 80% Better TCO", "Pentaho Leads The Way in OSBI", etc. What are the mega-vendors doing now? Giving away free reporting in a desperate attempt to compete with us, providing their sales teams with competitive ppts vs Pentaho, losing in bake-offs against us, upsetting their customer base by rising maintenance prices, buying "Pentaho" Google adwords – oh, how times have changed!
So, just like Tebow did in football, Pentaho continues proving its leadership position in the BI market.
Go Gators,

subset: commoncrawl


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Women's Track and Field Slips to Seventh in Southeast RegionFebruary 26, 2014
NEW ORLEANS – Following the conclusion of its indoor schedule and prior to opening its outdoor slate, the Anderson University women's track and field team slipped two spots to seventh fifth in the latest Southeast Region in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll.
The Trojans, who were fourth in the regional rankings three weeks ago before staying steady at fifth in the last two polls, will open their outdoor season at the Wingate Tri-Meet on March 8.
Fellow South Atlantic Conference member Queens continued at the top of the poll for the second consecutive week, after leaping from 13th to first two weeks ago.
Perennial powerhouse Mount Olive climbed up a slot to second with Wingate dropping to third. Clayton State remained fourth this week, while King and Limestone each moved up a notch to fifth and sixth, respectively. Mars Hill, Belmont Abbey and Barton rounded out the top 10.


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The lower regions of the female anatomy. Her vagina, her kooter, her fun-zone.
Guy 1: "I can't believe Beverly has not shaved chewbacca in 3 years."
Guy 2: "I know man, it's a forest in there."
Guy 2: "I know man, it's a forest in there."
by Cory P June 14, 2008
Trending Now
Photos & Videos
Top Definition
Wake your partner up by inserting your harry balls in her mouth and you'll hear the sound of a wookee.
What example. Definition says it all.
by DCB March 09, 2005
Best Star Wars character. A big, hairy guy who growls and moans constantly.
Chewy! What a wookie!
by Anonymous May 19, 2003
A larger than normal crap that rips out several ass hairs that stick to it. This in turn causes you to roar.
Johnny had to sleep half the day after last nights Chewbacca episode.
by The Chop October 05, 2006
Before engaging in intercourse, you prepare by shaving your pubic hair. Without her knowing, you hold your shaved pubes in your hand. While doing doggie-style, you pull out right before climax, and spit on her back (houdini). She'll turn around think you're done, then you cum in her face and throw the excess pubic hair in her face (making her look like chewbacca) and scream with a loud chewbacca roar!!
Wasn't my rendition of the Chewbacca spot on last night honey!?
by perfectchewie June 21, 2007
1. A Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk, who used to be seen in the company of smuggler Han Solo. Chewbacca was killed on the planet Sernpidal by the Yuuzhan Vong.
2. What your mom looks like when she forgets to shave her forehead.
2. What your mom looks like when she forgets to shave her forehead.
2. Damn, bitch, go rub some Nair on that shit before you grow a Chewbacca!
2. Damn, bitch, go rub some Nair on that shit before you grow a Chewbacca!
by Weeeeeeeezel October 03, 2003
1. the most awesome fucking creature that ever lived.
1. CHEWBACCA is grrrrrrrrrrrreater than tony the tiger.
by Deadseraph April 26, 2007
Chewbacca is refferrig tho a woman who hasent shaved her vagia in a couple years so it looks like chewbacca went and made a new home there.
ohh uhh i cant wait...
Holy shit its chewbacca!
by Grenchezzzz187 October 16, 2010


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This article left me wondering what do they mean by the term alien planet? Aren't all planets simply alien by default, or do they mean planets outside our solar system are alien? Do they mean there is alien life there? Is this a a new keyword the astronomy community is using to generate more buzz and get more attention to their articles?
Very interesting article!. The term alien planet is not a scientific one, so I think you already answered your own question by saying that it was used in the article to generate more buzz.
In the English language the word is used to describe something that's not familiar, so you could argue that this is in fact an alien planet, but because of the subject in question being an exoplanet I would bet they did this as a technique to get more attention.
Apparently the term is being used as a more common way to say exoplanet. Here is an Article with a hyperlink to the term Alien Planet. The hyperlink then references an article on exoplanets: worlds beyond our solar system.


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As the title suggests...
I actually bought an FC Basel and an Atletico Madrid shirt from the internet because I fell in love with them whilst playing FM.
Also, I have a strange affinity to Fenrando Torres and Sergio Aguero because of my Atletico adventure
Anyone else done anything as sad as that?
who do you love/hate because of the game?


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Is the discovery of Alien or Extra Terrestrial Life a function of the science of Astronomy? When i read astronomy articles on the search for new Planets or discussions on Mars a lot of the topic is on the planets occurring in the habitable zone and the possibility of life on them or stories on the possibility of previous life on Mars. Is this actually part of the science objectives for the Astronomy community, or is there another branch of science who is tasked with this? Is Astronomy only focused on the mechanics of celestial bodies and the discovery of Alien or Extra Terrestrial life is just and interesting sidebar?
The search for extraterrestrial life is usually covered by "exobiology". But astronomy can provide clues of whether a planet or an exoplanet provides some of the conditions, which allow life or indicate life.
The habitable zone - in its various versions - defines, in which distance from a star a planet needs to be to allow for e.g. liquid surface water, a condition regarded as necessary for most life-forms we know from Earth. With the discovery of extremophiles the habitable zone for that kind of life has been extended.
Astronomy can provide information about the central star and the distance of a planet from the central star. From these data a decision is possible, whether the planet fulfills the surface temperature condition for habitability.
Astronomy can provide information about the stability of a star, necessary for life to evolve on its planet.
Astronomy can - in principle - provide information about the chemical composition of a potential atmosphere of a planet. Oxygen and methane at the same time would be regarded as an indicator of possible life on the planet.
Astronomy can determine size and density information about the planet. That way it can be decided, whether it's a rocky planet or a gas planet, and infer the gravitational acceleration at the surface. The gravitational acceleration is relevant, e.g. for constraints of the atmospheric composition, or for possible properties of life, if extant.
Certainly it's a function of astronomy - chances are, if you're doing science outside the Earth then by definition it's astronomy in some form or another. There are many sub-fields of astronomy that are useful in the search for extra-terrestrial life:
All of these sub-fields contribute very interesting and valuable information towards what is by no means a simple question to answer.


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Is there a systematic way to determine the order of a pole of a function? For instance, I want to calculate the residues of $\frac{1}{\sin z}$, for the poles at $k\pi$.
If the poles are simple, and apparently they are, it's easy to see the residues to be $(-1)^k$. However, how can one tell the poles are simple?


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Like to visit other
Parts of Iceland?
Planning to visit other regions of Iceland? North, South, East, West, with non-stop panoramas and natural wonders to be discovered. Every region has its unique qualities. Take your time and experience some of the most amazing scenery that Iceland has to offer and let us help you plan your trip.


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Granulomatous rosacea
See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health.
rosacea, a chronic skin condition involving inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids.[1][2][3] Rosacea may appear as redness, prominent spider-like blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne.[3] Granulomatous rosacea appears to be a distinctive papular form of rosacea that is found primarily across the upper part of the face, particularly around the eyes and the nose. These discrete papules may appear as yellowish-brown hard nodules, and may be accompanied by marked erythema.[1][2][4] Granulomatous rosacea can often be difficult to differentiate from other facial granulomatous dermatoses of unknown cause, especially lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei (LMDF).[2] Granulomatous rosacea has been reported primarily in middle-aged women, and in association with immunosuppression and constitutes about 10% of all cases of rosacea.[1][2] This pattern of rosacea is sometimes associated with scarring and may be resistant to conventional treatment.[4]Granulomatous rosacea is a variant of
Last updated: 4/26/2010
- Khikhar O, Khachemoune A. Dermatology Online Journal. 2004; http://dermatology.cdlib.org/101/case_reports/rosacea/khachemoune.html. Accessed 4/26/2010.
- Kaur S, Kanwar AJ, Thami GP, Mohan H, Arya SK. 2003; http://www.ijdvl.com/article.asp?issn=0378-6323;year=2003;volume=69;issue=7;spage=58;epage=60;aulast=Kaur. Accessed 4/26/2010.
- Vorvick LJ. Rosacea. MedlinePlus. November 1, 2009; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000879.htm. Accessed 4/26/2010.
- Banasikowska AK, Singh S. Rosacea. eMedicine. June 12, 2009; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1071429-overview. Accessed 4/26/2010.
GARD Video TutorialsLearn how to find information on treatment, research, specialists, and more.
Your Questions AnsweredView questions about this condition answered by GARD Information Specialists. You can also submit a new question.
On this page
Basic Information
- The MayoClinic.com web site provides information about granulomatous rosacea. Click on the above link to access this information.
- MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
- The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
In Depth Information
- Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Granulomatous rosacea. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
Resources for Kids
- Kids Skin Health, a American Academy of Dermatology's web site, provides kids, teens, and parents with information on skin conditions. Click on Kids Skin Health to access this Web site.
See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health.


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This is a question where I seek guidance from fellow/senior developers to get into my dream company - it's a pioneer in OOP and Agile.
I've already failed once to clear an interview. One part I feel most challenging is to come up with a proper Object Oriented design(classes, interfaces, methods, interactions etc.) in a very short time for certain situations like Pacman, Game Of Life and so on. As the problems are unprecedented ones - my approach is mostly to try different things and then make decisions - which they feel is not clear and not what they expect from a developer with 5+ years of experience.
I've already studied a few books on patterns, OOP - it didn't help me much and I think it'll take a bit more than that. Could some one please guide on what specifically shall I practice so that I can do better at design problems as above. I want to refine my approach and have a better thought process.


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STEUBENVILLE - Franciscan University of Steubenville alumni back on campus to receive awards said Friday the university was a significant part of their success in life.
The university recognized eight alumni Friday during its 24th annual alumni banquet.
Alumni receiving awards included:
Article Photos
ALUMNI AWARD — Franciscan University of Steubenville held is 24th annual alumni awards banquet Friday on campus. Seated from left, Deacon Larry Meagher, accepting on behalf of his son, the Rev. Joseph Meagher; award winners Mary Lundrum, Christi and Bobby Aborn and Dr. Adam Berman. Back from left, award winner Nathaniel Pollock and the Rev. Terence Henry, T.O.R., university president; Chris Wright, alumni board president; and Tim Delaney, alumni relations director. John Henricks and Michael Kehoe also received awards. -- Mark Law
- The Rev. Joseph Meagher, class of 1984, the Bishop John King Mussio Award, for his service to the Archdiocese of Newark, his involvement in the Pro-Life movement, and his ministry to young adults and diocesan seminarians;
- Mary Grace (Kniola) Landrum of Houston, class of 1972, the Dr. John J. Carrigg Award, for her work with youth of Texas as a teacher and special education specialist, and for launching her own consulting company to train educational leaders;
- John Henricks of Alexandria, Va., class of 1991, the Alumni Citizenship Award, for his work in the public square as past Director of Government Relations for the Family Research Council, and currently in the same position for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops;
- Bobby Aborn, class of 2012, and Christi Aborn, class of 2009, both of Steubenville, the Rose M. DeFede Faithful Franciscan Award, for their service to Franciscan University students by acting as household coordinators, mission trip coordinators, marriage preparation assistants, athletic coaches, and hosts of the Dinner for Twelve Strangers;
- Dr. Adam Berman of Evans, Ga., class of 1994, the Father Dan Egan Award, for his work as an expert cardiologist, specializing in complex arrhythmia ablation, and for medical research he is conducting in conjunction with two leading medical centers;
- Michael Kehoe of Dublin, class of 1968, the Professor Edward J. Kelly Award, for his work in the telecommunications industry, rising to executive levels with AT&T, as well as his involvement with numerous civic, educational, and charitable boards, such as the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College; and the
- Nate Pollock of Laurel, Md., class of 1999, the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, for graduating at the top of his class from the University of Notre Dame Law School, going on to a successful career in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, and authoring numerous legal briefs, two of which have reached the United States Supreme Court.
Berman said he was thrilled to see the expansion on campus since he graduated.
"It is a fantastic environment. The friends you make here are friends for life," he said.
Berman said he worked in the computer lab on campus when he was a student. He said the computers weren't very powerful and there were dot matrix printers and no Internet.
Today, he uses electroanatomic mapping techniques in his heart research using computers that can't compete with the ones he used as an undergraduate student.
"Technology is evolving every day," he said.
Pollock said the university means a lot to him as an alumnus.
"It is a place where I got started and credit the university for a significant part of my success. It is a great place to be and I think of it fondly," he said.
The Rev. Terence Henry, T.O.R., university president, said he enjoys hearing the many stories of alumni.
"I know, in a sense from the beginning, they are out there doing good things and helping others. It is a true sense of helping. They learned to apply that in everyday living," he said.
Christi Aborn said, "It is great to be a part of a big family. It is wonderful to see so many alumni from across the U.S. - even though we don't often see each other - it is like a family reunion."
Her husband, Bobby Aborn, said he has realized as an alumnus, how great the university has become - not only its impact locally but nationally.
"It is a real gift and blessing."


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Consumer Summary – Sept. 23, 2011
Treatment Options for GERD or Acid Reflux Disease: A Review of the Research for Adults
- View PDF (PDF) 434 kB
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Table of Contents
- Is This Information Right for Me?
- Understanding Your Condition
- Understanding Your Options
- Making a Decision
- Source
- Ordering Information
Is This Information Right for Me?
Yes, if:
- A doctor said that you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic disease that causes ongoing pain and burning in the chest and throat (heartburn). GERD is also called "acid reflux disease."
- You want to know what research says about your options.
No, if:
- You sometimes have heartburn or acid reflux, but a doctor has not said that it is GERD.
- You are under 18. This information is from research on adults.
What does this summary cover?
This summary describes GERD and explains research about types of treatment. It also talks about what research has found about the benefits and risks of each treatment. It can help you talk with your doctor about GERD.
Where does the information come from?
Researchers funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a Federal government research agency, reviewed 166 research studies on GERD. The report was reviewed by clinicians, researchers, and the public. You can read the report at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/gerdupdate.cfm.
Understanding Your Condition
What is gastroesophageal reflux disease?
GERD is an ongoing condition in which the contents of the stomach come back into the esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach). Doctors call this "acid reflux."
There are several reasons why people have GERD. One possible reason has to do with the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus. Normally, this muscle closes to keep food and stomach acid from coming back up the esophagus. In some people with GERD this muscle does not always work right.
- GERD often causes heartburn, a burning feeling in the chest and throat. Heartburn may happen many times a week, especially after eating or at night.
- GERD can also cause you to cough or have asthma symptoms. It can also make your voice sound hoarse and raspy. These symptoms can happen even if you do not have heartburn. The acid may also leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
How common is GERD?
- GERD is one of the most common health problems for adults.
What else should I know about GERD?
- Your heartburn may keep coming back if not treated.
- Untreated GERD can cause serious health problems. The acid can damage your esophagus and make it hard to swallow.
- In some people with GERD, the cells in the esophagus can become abnormal. These abnormal cells could lead to cancer of the esophagus, although this is rare.
Understanding Your Options
How is GERD treated?
You may need to make changes to your lifestyle such as maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, or not eating foods that make GERD worse.
Treatment options for GERD may be different for each person.
Taking medicine for GERD is the option most people choose first.
For some people, surgery can improve GERD symptoms and lower the amount of medicine they need.
|Endoscopic Treatments
Endoscopic treatments for GERD are newer and are still being studied, so less is known about how well they work or how safe they are.
In the next few pages, you can find more information about these types of treatment.
Different medicines can help control problems caused by GERD.
- Some relieve heartburn symptoms when they happen, and some help keep heartburn and other problems from happening.
- Some medicines are taken only when needed and some are taken every day for a few weeks or months. Others must be taken every day for years.
- Some medicines can be bought over the counter without a prescription, and others need a prescription. Some are available both over the counter and by prescription.
- The three main types of medicines to treat GERD are antacids, H2RAs (histamine type 2 receptor antagonists), and PPIs (proton pump inhibitors).
- Antacids stop heartburn by neutralizing (weakening) the acid in your stomach.
- They work quickly to treat mild GERD symptoms.
- Antacids go by many names, such as Mylanta®, Rolaids®, or Tums®, and they are available without a prescription.
- They are taken as pills or liquids.
- You may need to continue taking antacids along with an H2RA or PPI to control symptoms.
- H2RAs and PPIs work for a longer time than fast-acting antacids, but they do not start working as fast.
Histamine type 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs)
- H2RAs cause your stomach to produce less acid. Less acid in your stomach lowers your chance of getting heartburn.
- All H2RAs are available both by prescription and over the counter.
- They are taken as pills.
|Generic Name
|Brand Name
|Pepcid AC®; Calmicid®; Fluxid®; Mylanta AR®
|Axid®; Axid AR®
|Zantac®; Tritec®; Wal-Zan®
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
- PPIs cause your stomach to make less acid, which helps prevent heartburn.
- Many PPIs are prescription only, but some are available over the counter.
- They are taken as pills.
|Generic Name
|Brand Name
|* Available over the counter.
|Prilosec®*, Losec®*, Omesec®*
|Omeprazole with sodium bicarbonate
What does research say about medicines for GERD?
- PPIs work better than H2RAs to relieve heartburn and let the esophagus heal.
- Most PPIs work equally as well as each other to prevent heartburn.
- PPIs of prescription and over-the-counter strength seem to work equally well to prevent heartburn and let the esophagus heal.
- Taking a small dose (amount) of a PPI may work as well as a larger dose in some cases.
- Taking a PPI every day seems to work better than taking it only when you have symptoms.
- PPIs may help cough but not hoarseness caused by GERD, although there is not enough research to know this for sure.
- There is not enough research to know if PPIs help asthma caused by GERD.
- Patients who are very overweight do not respond as well to medicine.
What are the side effects?
- Antacids can have side effects such as diarrhea or constipation.
- Possible side effects of H2RAs include headache, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
- PPIs can have side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, pain in your abdomen (belly), upset stomach, and headache.
- PPIs may increase your chance of getting an infection in your intestines (diarrhea) or lungs (pneumonia). They may also increase your chance of breaking a bone. These side effects are less common, however.
For some people, surgery to strengthen the barrier between the stomach and esophagus may be a treatment option for acid reflux. This surgery to treat GERD is called a "fundoplication" (pronounced fun-doeply-KAY-shun). Your doctor can tell you if surgery might help you.
How does surgery for GERD work?
- In a fundoplication, the top part of your stomach is wrapped around the bottom of your esophagus and attached there.
- This helps strengthen the muscle at the bottom of your esophagus that closes to keep food and acid from coming back up.
- The surgeon may be able to do the surgery with a tool called a "laparoscope" (pronounced LAH-pruh-skohp). A laparoscope is a thin tube with a tiny camera that the surgeon puts through small cuts in your belly along with other small tools to do the surgery.
- It usually takes less time to recover from surgery with a laporascope than if the surgeon has to make a large cut in your belly to do the surgery.
There are two types of surgery: total fundoplication and partial fundoplication.
What does the research say about surgery?
- Fundoplication surgery works as well as only taking medicine to keep you from getting acid reflux and heartburn. However, you may still need medicine after surgery to control your symptoms.
- There are different ways to do the surgery (for example, with a laporascope or through a large cut in your belly), but they all work about the same.
What are the side effects?
- Fundoplication surgery can cause you to feel bloated and make it hard to swallow. These side effects may last for 30 days or longer, and some side effects may require a second surgery to fix.
- Serious side effects, such as infection and heart attack, may be more common with surgery than with medicine. These side effects are rare.
Endoscopic treatments
Endoscopic (pronounced en-doh-SKAHP-ik) treatments help strengthen the muscle that keeps food and acid from going up into your esophagus. These treatments are not considered surgery because no cuts are made in your belly. Instead, a doctor puts a thin tube called an endoscope through your mouth and down your esophagus to do the treatment.
Three types of endoscopic treatments are EndoCinch™, Stretta®, and EsophyX™. These treatments are very new and are not as common as medicines or surgery to treat GERD. People receiving one of these treatments may be in a study to see how well it works.
What does research say about endoscopic treatments?
- There are not enough studies to say how well endoscopic treatments (EndoCinch™, Stretta®, and EsophyX™) work to control the symptoms of GERD.
What are the side effects of endoscopic treatments?
- Endoscopic treatments can cause pain in your chest or abdomen (belly) and bleeding.
- They can also cause you to feel bloated and make it hard to swallow. These side effects may last for 30 days or longer.
- Because these treatments are new, not enough research has been done to know how safe they are.
Lifestyle changes
Your doctor may suggest some lifestyle changes that can help control your GERD symptoms. These include:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Quit smoking.
- Limit alcohol.
- Avoid eating 3 hours before lying down.
- Raise the head of your bed.
- Avoid foods that can make GERD symptoms worse (spicy foods, fatty foods, mint, chocolate, tomato-based foods, coffee, and citrus fruits).
Making a Decision
What should I think about when deciding?
There are several things to consider when choosing a treatment:
- The benefits and risks of each treatment.
- The cost of each treatment.
- Which treatment best fits your likes, dislikes, and values.
What are the costs of treatment?
The cost to you for these medicines depends on:
- The type of health insurance you have.
- The dose (amount) you need to take.
- Whether the medicine is available in generic form or is sold over the counter. Many H2RAs and PPIs are available over the counter, but your insurance may not cover the cost if you buy them this way.
|Drug Name
|How Often
|Price per
Month for
|Price per
Month for
|* These are wholesale prices are from the 2011 edition of Red Book. Generic prices are the middle value in the range of prices listed from different manufacturers. The actual prices of the medicines may be higher or lower than the prices listed here depending on the manufacturer used by your pharmacy. N/A = not applicable.
|20 mg
|Twice a day
|150 mg
|Twice a day
|150 mg
|Twice a day
|400 mg
|Four times a day
|800 mg
|Twice a day
|20 mg
|Once a day
|40 mg
|Once a day
|Omeprazole with
sodium bicarbonate
|20 mg
|Once a day
|40 mg
|Once a day
|15 mg
|Once a day
|30 mg
|Once a day
|20 mg
|Once a day
|40 mg
|Once a day
|20 mg
|Once a day
|20 mg
|Once a day
|30 mg
|Once a day
|40 mg
|Once a day
|30 mg
|Once a day
|60 mg
|Once a day
Costs of over-the-counter GERD medicines
The cost of over-the-counter medicines are different for every store that sells them. Most cost between $13 and $30 per month depending on the brand and how much you take.
Ask your doctor
- What should we consider when deciding which treatment is best for me?
- If medicine is the best treatment, does it matter if I buy these medicines over the counter or if I get a prescription from you?
- How long will it take until I feel better?
- What do I do if I still have heartburn after treatment?
- How will we decide if and when surgery is needed?
- Would losing weight or other lifestyle changes help my GERD symptoms? If so, how do I do that?
The information in this summary comes from the report Management Strategies for Adults With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease — An Update. The report was prepared by Tufts Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Additional information came from the MedlinePlus® Web site, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. This site is available at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus.
This summary was prepared by the John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. It was written by Emily White, M.S., Amelia Williamson Smith, M.S., Thomas Workman, Ph.D., Marcelo Vela, M.D., and Michael Fordis, M.D. Illustrations were created by Douglas Alexander. Patients with GERD reviewed this summary.
Ordering Information
For free print copies of this guide, call 800-358-9295. Ask the Publications Clearinghouse for AHRQ Publication 11-EHC049-A.


text:
Being pretty behind the times, I have only noticed in recent months that there is a new Voltron series.
I've not personally seen it myself, I will eventually.
What I would like to know is your thoughts on the new series versus the old. Which one did you see first? Do you think the new series does the old series justice?
Try to keep your opinions polite, there is no need for fighting among the group because one person likes the new series and someone else likes the old series. Because we can all agree anything is better than what they did in the 90s.


text:
Taf Toys
Taf Toys' wide range of products provides parents with developmental toys that correspond to baby's age that are challenging, fun, and inspire the imagination. All Taf toys are created with the intention to promote your baby's emotional, cognitive, and physical development during their first two years of growth. Their goal is to help your baby establish a foundation for a healthy and happy developmental path.
Watch this short Taf Toys cartoon to find out what 4 things go into the mix when creating their range of developmental toys! Design, Quality, Music and child development......
Categories Featuring Taf Toys Products
The Concept Behind Taf Toys
Taf are big music fans and strongly believe in the positive contributing factor that music has on a baby's development. Music is commonly recognized as an ideal tool to sooth, entertain, and even stimulate baby's imagination. That's why Taf have created such a wide variety of designs that incorporate diverse melodic styles such as classical, jazz, rock, country and more.
All Taf toys are designed using a multi-perspective approach that incorporates the viewpoint of the baby, the parents, and of course their creative designers. In addition, Taf also utilize the perspectives of psychologists' so as ensure they target, enhance, stimulate and allow baby to flourish.
Being parents, Taf fully understand that parents are looking for a toy that will excite their baby while at the same time contain the relevant developmental challenge, as well as safety, quality and value. Taf also believe that the right toy can act as an essential building block in an infant's development process. Therefore, Taf incorporate unsurpassed safety and quality, developmental appropriateness, educational value, and practicality into every single product produced.
Finally, as designers Taf aim to create innovative toys that spark the imagination, emphasize basic shapes, colours, and richness in form and function.


text:
ATLANTA — The Coca-Cola Company and Select Milk Producers have teamed up to acquire the newly created Fair Oaks Farms Brands, which owns and operates Core Power, a high protein milkshake.
With the Fair Oaks Farms Brands, the Coca-Cola Company and Select will expand an ever-growing portfolio of brands and products, which will now feature dairy.
"At The Coca-Cola Company we strive to provide people with a wide range of beverage choices that meet every occasion and lifestyle need. This new investment led by our Venturing & Emerging Brands group is another great example of our ambition to be the best brand, sales and customer service system in North America," said Steve Cahillane, president and CEO, Coca-Cola Refreshments.
"Our leadership in technology, innovation and sustainability within the dairy industry, combined with the Coca-Cola Company's brand development and distribution capabilities will enable a new portfolio of nutritional beverages with strong growth potential," said Mike McCloskey, co-founder and CEO of Select, an independent group of 87 American family farmers.
"Our initial launch of Core Power is off to a great start and this new partnership agreement with VEB will help us realize our vision of becoming a leading health and wellness company and the most trusted brand leader in dairy nutrition," added Steve Jones, CEO of the new Fair Oaks Farms Brands.
Core Power is currently distributed by Coca-Cola Refreshments. All five drinks are lactose- and gluten-free.


text:
Top Diet Recipes of 2011 (Slide 5)
(Slide 5 of 25) Start at the beginning | View recipes as list
Recipe: Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Vegetables
View as: Thumbnails List
Almond-&-Lemon-Crusted Fish…
Coating fish with nuts and baking it is an easy, foolproof way to cook it elegantly. And it is espec…View slide
Garlic Roasted Salmon & Bru…
Roasting salmon on top of Brussels sprouts and garlic, flavored with wine and fresh oregano, is a me…View slide
Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo, or chicken cooked with rice, is a common dish in Spain, Latin America and the Carib…View slide
Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole
Known as Tuna-Pea Wiggle to some, this family-friendly tuna noodle casserole tends to be made with c…View slide
Creamy Garlic Pasta with Sh…
Toss a garlicky, Middle Eastern-inspired yogurt sauce with pasta, shrimp, asparagus, peas and red be…View slide
Vegetarian Taco Salad
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture c…View slide
Chicken Piccata with Pasta …
Our chicken piccata, served over whole-wheat pasta, has a rich lemon-caper sauce that's made with ex…View slide
Black Bean Croquettes with …
Staples like canned black beans and frozen corn transform into spicy croquettes in mere minutes. Ser…View slide
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pies
These mini vegetarian shepherd's pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mas…View slide
Chicken Breasts with Mushro…
The secret to a good cream sauce is always the same: not too much cream or it can be overpowering, m…View slide
The EatingWell Taco
Building the perfect taco is a very personal task—cheese under meat, cheese on top, no cheese at a…View slide
Black Bean-Smothered Sweet …
For a quick and satisfying last-minute supper, it's hard to beat a sweet potato zapped in the microw…View slide
Hearty Kale Salad
A riff on the classic warm spinach-and-bacon salad, this recipe features thin ribbons of kale instea…View slide
Hamburger Buddy
Very finely chopping onion, mushrooms and carrots in the food processor is not only fast—it makes …View slide
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
This zesty Cajun-style pasta is full of lean chicken, peppers and onions. Serve with sautéed green …View slide
Half-Hour Chili
This truly tasty half-hour vegetarian chili is made possible by using convenient canned beans and to…View slide
Chicken Breasts Stuffed wit…
Stuffing boneless, skinless chicken breasts with pimientos, scallions and cheese gives them great fl…View slide
Caramelized Onion Lasagna
This unusual lasagna with portobello mushrooms, sweet onions, spinach and Gorgonzola cheese has a ri…View slide
Corn & Broccoli Calzones
These calzones are stuffed with a summery combination of corn and broccoli, but you can use whatever…View slide
Tomato-Corn Pie
Tomatoes and corn have a natural affinity for one another: the slight acidity of tomatoes balances t…View slide
Asparagus & Salmon Spring R…
These spring rolls are filled with smoked salmon, tender-crisp asparagus and plenty of fresh herbs. …View slide
Sicilian Olive Chicken
This saucy one-skillet chicken dish is full of tomatoes, spinach, olives and capers. Try Kalamata ol…View slide
Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bea…
This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to…View slide
Herbed Salsa with Grilled C…
This fresh tomato salsa, which doubles as a marinade for grilled chicken, is packed with flavor from…View slide


text:
Official EasyStand website; Standers and Standing frames, supine, prone, upright, sit to stand and multi-position standing devices for pediatric and adult wheelchair users
Funding for standers is not a myth. Private insurers, state medicaid programs and demo sales
can make getting an EasyStand a reality. Full-service suppliers are out there and willing
to supply equipment that is medically beneficial and improves quality of life.
Check out our Funding Guide to learn more!


text:
- What is the ideal cipher model?
- What assumptions does it make about a block cipher?
- How does it relate to assuming that my block cipher is a pseudo-random permutation (PRP)?
- When is the ideal cipher model appropriate to use?
- How do I tell whether a particular block cipher can reasonably be modelled using the ideal cipher model?
When cryptographers create algorithms, they usually provide some argument that the algorithm is secure. They need to start the argument with some set of assumptions. For example, the in public-key cryptography, they may begin with the assumption that factoring large numbers is hard.
Many algorithms use use a block cipher as a building block. The arguments that these algorithms are secure need to make some (mathematical) assumption about the block cipher in question in order to get started. Normally, the assumption goes something like this: "If the encryption key is chosen at random, then an attacker who does not know the key cannot distinguish between the block cipher and a truly random permutation, even using a chosen-plaintext attack." (This is an informal statement of the pseudo-random permutation [PRP] assumption.)
But the PRP assumption isn't always applicable. Sometimes block ciphers are used in ways where the key is either not random or not secret (we'll see an example in a bit). In these cases, we need to make some other assumption about the block cipher's security properties.
What is the ideal cipher model? This is where the ideal cipher model comes into play. In the ideal cipher model, we just pretend the block cipher is a random permutation for every key. Furthermore, we treat these permutations as independent. We assume that if an attacker wants to know what happens when a block is encrypted under a given key, he has to go to the work of computing it himself. He can't infer anything about the output by encrypting other blocks, or the same block under a different key. (Exception: Given a fixed key, no two inputs will produce the same output. So the attacker can rule out that possibility, but that's it.)
Example: the Davies-Meyer Compression function. Some hash functions, such as MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-2, are examples of Merkle-Damgard constructions. Let's say we'd like to find an argument that Merkle-Damgard constructions are collision-resistant. They look like this (IV is a constant, and Hash is the output):
The function $f$ above is a compression function. Now, it's possible to show that if $f$ is secure, then so is the hash function. But we can go a bit deeper using the ideal cipher model. For MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-2, $f$ is built out of a block cipher $E$ using a so-called Davies-Meyer construction (each of these three hash functions uses a different block cipher):
$f(\mathrm{M}, H) = E_{M}(H) \oplus H,$
where $M$ is the message block and $H$ is other input (the chaining value). So $M$ is being used as the key, but if someone is trying to find a collision for MD5, then each message block $M$ is under his control. It is neither random nor secret. So we can't use the PRP assumption.
But we can model $E$ as an ideal cipher. Using this assumption, we can show, for example, that no one could find a collision for MD5 or SHA2 without doing an insane amount of work (or getting really, really, lucky).
But wait! We can find collisions for MD5! So what went wrong? Well, the ideal cipher model is just a heuristic. Block ciphers must be describable using simple algorithms --- we can't generate and store random tables listing every output under every key, these tables would be huge. This makes it inevitable that there's some mathematical relationship between different outputs and different keys.
When is it appropriate to use the ideal cipher model? Because the ideal cipher model is a heuristic way of modeling block ciphers, rather than an assumption that could plausibly be true in a technical sense, it should be avoided whenever possible. But sometimes, notably in hash functions that don't have a random secret key, it's our only option.
How do I tell when a block cipher can reasonably be modeled using the ideal cipher model? It's better to ask if the block cipher is being used in a way that requires the ideal cipher model (as opposed to a PRP assumption). Next, look at how the block cipher is being used. In MD5 and SHA1, SHA2, for example, the block cipher is buried inside of the compression function, and the attacker doesn't have complete control over the inputs to this function. Since the attacker is a couple steps removed from the actual block cipher, using the ideal cipher model becomes a bit more reasonable because it may be harder for the attacker to exploit the block cipher's weaknesses. Ultimately, the best test is the test of time.
That being said, certain common ways of constructing block ciphers have been proven to result in constructions that are indifferentiable from an ideal cipher... but these proofs make heuristic assumptions about the internals of the block cipher. So although these proofs are interesting from an academic perspective, it's not clear how much they contribute to trusting a real-world block cipher in the ideal cipher model.
An Ideal Cipher with $k$-bit keys and a $b$-bit blocksize is a family of $2^k$ permutations on the set $\{0,1\}^b$ indexed by the set $\{0,1\}^k$, selected uniformly at random from the set of all such families of permutations. See e.g. http://eprint.iacr.org/2005/210.pdf.
The IC model is primarily useful for proofs where you need to assume that the adversary can get no significant advantage merely by knowing --or even choosing-- the $k$-bit string $K$. Or to put it another way, it is useful where you need a component that acts randomly and unpredictably even when the adversary knows/controls all the inputs. To illustrate, consider DES (a decidely non-ideal cipher), which has the complementation property whereby $E_{K}(P) = E_{K^C}(P^C)$ with probability 1 ($X^C$ is the complement of $X$). Contrast this with an Ideal Cipher, where $E_{K}(P)$ and $E_{K^C}(P^C)$ are both independently and uniformly random values that will equal each other only with probability $\frac{1}{2^b}$.
The IC model is not especially helpful when trying to prove the confidentiality of an actual blockcipher or cryptosystem (it's too strong of an assumption that no real cipher can ever hope to meet). But it is (allegedly) useful for modeling other properties of blockciphers, like collision-resistance or pre-image resistance.
Partial answer for points 1 to 3...
The ideal cipher model describes a keyed permutation that approximates a random oracle, but with a fixed input size.
Given any single plaintext $P$, there are $2^N$ ciphertexts for all keys, and if $N=B$, all ciphertexts should NOT be distinct. The choice of ciphertext should model a random function. This may not make sense, but if they were distinct, the cipher would not approximate a random oracle. This can be shown using examples where $B$ is very small:
With a 2-bit block and 2-bit key, the following 2 tables are constructed of all possible inputs $P$ and outputs $C$ for all keys:
Table 1 exhibits the property where a plaintext will not encrypt to itself under any key.
In the 1st table, the probability of a 1 being the ciphertext for any key with $P1$ is 0.0.
The first 3 properties make an ideal cipher a pseudo-random permutation.
I do not believe I am well qualified to answer points 4 or 5, but the ideal cipher model is used to build cryptographic constructions around block ciphers that are believed to be secure, and then infer the security of the construction from the model using the key and block sizes of the cipher.


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22 Nov 2010 12:44 PM #21
Yeah, the top 10 list was kinda strange...
I come from jQuery background, found Sencha Touch to be exciting and learnt Sencha / ExtJS to enter the contest. My app was surely not the greatest. But I felt it was very useful! My reaction to the Top 10 list was that Sencha has probably given more weight to design and aesthetics than innovation or functionality.
I certainly found some of the top 10 apps to be quite basic. I loved some of the apps that were being discussed in these forums more than the top 10.
But I think this is alright. Sencha's purpose organizing the contest is different. They want to promote Sencha. And it gets good press if the winning apps look good and are easy to understand by common users.
I got a lot to learn and I think that's what I am taking for myself from this contest.
Best to all...
25 Nov 2010 7:07 AM #22
Hi niravmehta and thanks for your feedback.
I agree with you in everything.
Sencha wanted to promote itself so the judges took the application that was easyer to use for everyone and with the best design so that's ok. I just wanted to express my personal opinion about the innovation requirement Sencha asked into the official contest rules, and, I think, most of us who joined the contest, like you done, tried to develope something usefull instead something "beauty to see". But I'm not a judje, so it's absolutely right that Sencha reserves itself the right to pick the application they was looking for promote the company and the framework. My disappointment was based on this argument: "Sencha Touch is an amazing framework never seen before, so I expect that even the winner application takes all the best about it and become itself something never seen before to show off what you can really develope thanks to Sencha in terms of innovation". Maybe this was a wrong way to live the contest, but that's what I thought to offer to Sencha to promote the company. Nothing more, this is only my personal opinion and interpretation of the contest. My post was not for offence purpose like somebody said.
However the contest push me up to learn even more how the framework works and I can really say that it offers to developers endless opportunities.
However, just to everybody know, if you read my previous posts, you already know my BIG problem about my contest entry. Well once again, Sencha doesn't lose the opportunity to demostrate his professionality even in this situation, in fact, after apologize and send me a free coupon to use whenever I want to buy a Sencha product, they invited me to the 2011 Sencha conference with a free pass, airfare and hotel paid for even to demonstrate how much they care about comunity members supports. As I already said in the first post I wrote, even if I was really disappointed about this situation, I really belive in this company and, after the support all the Sencha team reserved me about it, I belive even more in my convinctions.
Cheers guys and thanks again to all the Sencha Team!Sencha Inc
Andrea Cammarata, Solutions Engineer
Owner at SIMACS
github: https://github.com/AndreaCammarata
TUX components bundle for Sencha Touch 2.x.x
25 Nov 2010 9:29 AM #23
Congratulations on winning sponsored entry to next year's conference. That itself is a nice price for all your excellent efforts.
Time now for me to finish up the pending app and roll it out to general public!
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A Quote by Sol Luckman on beginners luke, sol luckman, luke soloman, fiction, nonfiction, author, character, personage, disclaimer, reality, fantasy, truth, imagination, writing, and novel
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction insofar as we are all, each and every one of us, including yours truly, and including you (perhaps most of all), works of fiction. Beyond that, it is pure and absolute nonfiction; and though its "author" technically never existed, at least not in the dense, empirical, flesh-and-blood sense, the personages and events herein depicted are drawn straight from life, as it were. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual places, living or dead, while purely coincidental from the point of view of intention, should surprise no one.
Source: Beginner's Luke: Book I of the Beginner's Luke Series, Pages: 6
Contributed by: Luke


text:
After 47 years in broadcasting, Wayne County Broadcasting General Manager Dave Land has announced he is retiring.
Land, 62 says he will officially leave broadcasting on March 28, 2013.
Officials with the Vincennes, Ind.,-based Original Company - the new owners of Wayne County Broadcasting - have not named a successor at this time.
Land says he has no immediate plans after retirement except to "take it easy".
Land entered the field of broadcasting in 1966 at the age of 15 as the station's janitor. His father and founder of WFIW, the late Tom Land gave him his first job in broadcasting.
A 1968 graduate of Fairfield Community High School and Southern Illinois University class of 1972, Land also served two years in the U.S. Army from 1973-74. Except for time away for college and military service, Land has served in various capacities at WFIW over the past 47 years, including as an on-air personality and general manager the past 20 years.
During his tenure at WFIW, Land has overseen the addition of WOKZ-FM 105.9 in 1996 and an increase in the transmitting tower height the same year. Land also launched the wfiwradio.com website more than ten years ago.
Land is married to his wife Kathy who is a fifth grade teacher at Jasper Grade School in rural Fairfield. She too has announced plans to retire within the next four years.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
We use an ancient Macon MapKit! component to display GIS maps in a Windows gui.
Does anyone know what has become of MapKit! ? All traces of MapKit! have been removed from the current GfK GeoMarketing (their new name) web site.
And more specifically, is there any way to convert the maps (extension .mkl and .mkb) from/to other GIS formats?


text:
Doing Right by Risotto
No fancy gear or special training required: Producing stellar risotto is simply a matter of listening to your rice
CERTAIN FOODS BEG to be cooked to music. Risotto is one. Get a rhythm going, and all that stirring takes on a new dimension. A little dancing, some backup vocals and suddenly 20 minutes have vanished, and you've built up an appetite for the fabulously guilty, carb-loaded, butter-fattened, Parmesan-laced pleasure ahead of you.
There are those who presume that some magic—or at least years of tutelage at a nonna's side—is required to pull off a just-so risotto: a little creamy or soupy, depending on the recipe, but still retaining the integrity of the individual grains. In fact, it's simply a matter of choosing the best rice, imbuing it with the right boozy note and making sure those precious kernels are never kept waiting for their next drink nor left drowning in too much of a good thing (though a good soundtrack certainly helps.)
Before cooking comes shopping. Don't automatically reach for the Arborio rice at your local supermarket. It is dependable, but Carnaroli rice produces the very creamiest of risottos, and Vialone Nano rice is the right choice for a soupy base and plump kernel.
Carnaroli, from the Piedmont region of northern Italy, has a high starch content, allowing it to absorb copious quantities of liquid while maintaining its bite. For this reason, it takes a few minutes longer to cook than Arborio. Vialone Nano hails from the Veneto region of northern Italy, where cooks often add shellfish broth to seafood risottos right before serving them. Arborio, named for a town in the Po Valley, where it is grown, is now also cultivated in other countries, including the U.S. That said, I have found that Italian-grown Arborio rice retains its texture better than those domestically harvested.
'The rice should never cede center stage; don't mask it with excessive seasoning or ingredients.'
Always lightly "toast" the rice with butter, oil and onion for a minute or two before adding the first ladle of liquid. The flavors will infuse the kernel and the heat will draw out the rice's character. I then often add a splash of white wine or Prosecco before moving on to the stock. If I'm making a wild mushroom risotto, I might turn to Vin Santo or Madeira; when using fennel, I take a cue from Ruth Rogers of London's River Café and use vodka.
Next, you can go one of two ways. Stick with tradition and stir, stir, stir, and the risotto should be done in 20 to 25 minutes. Or, do as the Romans do, and use a pressure cooker. This is the secret of Italian cooks seeking to keep their heritage alive and their families happy in the contemporary time crunch. It yields, effortlessly, near-perfect results that could fool many a nonna into thinking you'd been diligently standing over the pot. If set on high, the pressure cooker should produced finished risotto in six to nine minutes, depending on the machine and the amount of rice.
If you choose to stir, remember: Unlike Uncle Ben's, risotto wants to be stirred more or less continuously as it cooks. It does not take well to drowning, preferring instead to drink half a cup of simmering broth at a time. It likes a lively heat. If you can't hear it cook, the temperature is too low, but if the liquid sizzles loudly on contact, the heat is too high.
Once the rice is cooked through, but still offers a little resistance, immediately remove your saucepan from the heat. I like to add a knob of butter and a ladle of broth and cover the pan while I call everyone to the table. This keeps the rice moist and hot, which is essential. If you want to heat your plates or bowls, now is the time. If that's too much trouble, add a few spoonfuls of broth to each dish before plating: It will warm the dish and keep the rice ever so very slightly soupy.
There are so many variations to try, including the four wildly different risottos at right. But no matter the recipe, the rice should never cede center stage—don't mask it with excessive seasoning or ingredients. I'm also a bit of stickler and won't make risotto unless I have homemade stock on hand. Make a large batch and freeze half: With rice in your pantry and a wedge of Parmesan in your fridge, dinner will never be more than a half-hour away.
Risotto with Winter Greens and Taleggio
Chef Danny Amend of Marco's in Brooklyn, N.Y., uses copious greens for a jolt of antioxidant goodness, and taleggio cheese for bliss-inducing luxury.
Active Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 90 minutes Serves: 4
For the vegetable stock:
1 cup each: thinly sliced onion, celery, carrot and fennel bulb
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Reserved tough outer leaves of kale, spinach, escarole and radicchio (see below), thinly sliced
11 cups water
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon salt
For the risotto:
½ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
⅓ cup thinly sliced shallot or red onion
6 cups each: red or green kale, escarole, radicchio and spinach, tough outer leaves removed and reserved for stock (see above), inner leaves cut into ½-inch strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Carnaroli rice
1 tablespoon each: chopped sage and rosemary
1½ cups white wine
½ cup grated Parmesan
6 ounces taleggio cheese, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1. Make stock: Place all ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to very low and gently cook 45 minutes. Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain. Set aside and keep warm. (You should have about 9 cups.)
2. Heat half of oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add all greens except spinach, and cook 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just tender, 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a large, high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add rice and herbs and cook 1 minute.
4. Add wine, and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is mostly absorbed, 5 minutes.
5. Add hot stock, ½ cup at a time, and cook, stirring, until most of liquid is absorbed. Repeat process until there are about 2 cups of stock left. At this point, add greens and 1 cup stock and cook, stirring, until almost dry. Add remaining stock, stirring to combine, and cook 15 seconds more. Remove from heat.
6. Stir in remaining butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in taleggio and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Risotto with Fennel and Vodka
This elegant risotto, adapted from "The Café Cookbook" by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, is bracing and just a bit boozy.
Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4
3 small fennel bulbs, with their green tops
2 cloves garlic
1½ small dried red chilies
1½ teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 cup vodka
Juice of 1½ lemons
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1½ cups Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
½ cup grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Remove and discard outer leaves of fennel bulbs and finely chop bulbs. Chop fennel tops and reserve.
2. Use a mortar and pestle to crush garlic, chilies, fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, forming a paste.
3. In a medium-size, nonreactive bowl, mix together vodka, lemon juice and chopped fennel tops. Set aside to macerate.
4. In a medium stockpot, bring broth to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low.
5. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt half of butter along with oil. Add onions and sweat 2 minutes. Add fennel seed paste and stir to combine. Add chopped fennel bulb and cook, stirring, until soft, 7 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat.
6. Start adding broth, one ladle at a time. Stir continuously, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed by rice before adding the next. Continue until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining butter, fennel-vodka mixture and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Risotto alla Birra
Adapted from "Seductions of Rice" by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, this risotto reveals the mellow complexity of dark beer.
Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4
4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup dark beer
¾ cup grated Parmesan
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a medium stockpot over high heat, bring broth to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Meanwhile, in a 180-degree oven, warm shallow soup plates.
2. In a wide, heavy pot over a medium flame, heat the oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened and translucent, 3 minutes. Add rice, stir to coat and cook 1 minute. Add cream and cook, stirring, until it comes to a simmer, 3 minutes. Add beer and continue to stir as rice absorbs the liquid, 5 minutes.
3. Once liquid is almost absorbed, add broth, one ladle at a time, stirring until it is absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth until rice is tender with a slight firmness at the center, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in ⅓ cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pass remaining Parmesan at the table. Garnish with additional shavings of Parmesan, if you like.
Risotto al Barbera
Stirring red wine into risotto makes for a dish as rich in hue as it is in taste. Barbera, a lively wine that pairs well with food, works particularly well.
Total Time: 45 minutes Serves: 4
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed from stem and minced
6 cups chicken or veal stock
2 cups Carnaroli rice
3 cups red wine, preferably Barbera or Barolo
3 tablespoons butter
⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat butter and oil in a large, lidded braising pan over low heat. Add onions and stir to coat with fat. Cover pan and sweat onions until transparent but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary. Meanwhile, in a separate pot over high heat, bring stock to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.
2. Remove lid from braising pan and add rice. Increase heat to medium, stir to coat rice and cook 1 minute. Add 1 cup wine and cook, stirring, until rice has absorbed liquid. Repeat with remaining wine.
3. Add stock to rice ¾ cup at a time. Stir until rice has absorbed liquid. Repeat process until rice is close to al dente, about 20 minutes. Reduce additions of stock to ½ cup at a time, testing frequently for doneness, until cooked. The total time will be between 25 and 28 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Corrections & Amplifications
Though the Barbera wine grape grows in many parts of Italy, it is associated primarily with the Piedmont region. A recipe for Risotto al Barbera that ran in earlier versions of this article, suggested that Barbera wine is local to the Emilia-Romagna region.


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When there are how many Provinces left (if that is the way the game will most likely end), should you switch from buying Gold to Duchy (when you don't have 8 money)? Does this amount change for 3, 4 player? Is there a good rule of thumb based upon the number of players/potential buys before your next turn?
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For 2 player, the generally accepted tipping point is when there are 5 Provinces left, buy Duchies (and Estates when there are 2 Provinces left). This has been shown as optimal according to simulator testing for BM-based strategies (e.g., BM only or BM + any given card, e.g., Smithy). For race games (e.g., Gardens or IGG), the tipping point is much earlier, although it depends on the set in question. The answer will also change if you or your opponent is playing a mega-turn engine deck.
For multiplayer, the key is to remember that 3 player games have 4 Provinces/player, just like 2 player, but 4 player games only have 3 Provinces/player. So, the Duchy-buying should occur earlier in a 4-player game.


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Assistive Technology
To make our computers easier to use we offer a range of software and hardware alternatives in Birmingham Libraries.
We have trackball and joystick mice as well as the standard computer mouse. These mice can be operated with just one finger, ideal if you find a standard mouse difficult to use.Keyboard
Big-key keyboards are available as well as regular keyboards. There are big-key versions with large black keys and yellow letters or variegated keyboards. All of them are almost four times normal size.Furniture
Adjustable height desks allow comfortable access to the PC for people who use a wheelchair.Supernova
Supernova screen reader and magnifier software will enlarge the image on the computer screen to make things clearer. Supernova also has the ability to read out the on-screen text.Reading and Writing
Two software packages - 'Read and Write' and 'Penfriend' - can help people with dyslexia or mobility problems. The predictive text features of this software can speed up typing and help with spelling.Magnifier
As well as all of this computer equipment, we have CCTV magnifiers. Any document can be placed under the magnifier and an enlarged image will appear on the magnifier screen. The contrast and the colour of the text can then be adjusted to help you read the document more easily.Where to find:
Nearly all of the 39 Community Libraries in Birmingham provide some assistive technology.


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I would need a program, that outputs the number of the different characters in a file. Example:
> stats testfile
' ': 207
'e': 186
'n': 102
Exists any tool, that do this?
I would need a program, that outputs the number of the different characters in a file. Example:
Exists any tool, that do this?
The following should work:
First, we insert a newline after every character, putting each character on its own line. Then we sort it. Then we use the uniq command to remove the duplicates, prefixing each line with the number of occurrences of that character.
To sort the list by frequency, pipe this all into
Steven's solution is a good, simple one. It's not so performant for very large files (files that don't fit comfortably in about half your RAM) because of the sorting step. Here's an awk version. It's also a little more complicated because it tries to do the right thing for a few special characters (newlines,
Here's a Perl solution on the same principle. Perl has the advantage of being able to sort internally. Also this will correctly not count an extra newline if the file does not end in a newline character.


text:
They both sound right and I've found examples of both.
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Definitely "the" nick of time. It is a specific thing - one chance. You don't get nicks of time.
I believe the "in the nick of time" (the popular usage) is short for "In the last nick of time", with nick being a unit of measure. In which case, to do something at the last possible moment would be "in THE nick of time" or "in THE LAST nick of time", whereas to do something QUICKLY would be to do it "in A nick of time"
I've always seen it as "the nick of time"
Could you give any examples of where 'a nick of time' has been used?
EDIT: After some more thought
I have always understood a nick to be a small piece of something, for example if I were to say
In which case using 'a nick' would be valid if you were to say say
When referring to time you wouldn't be able to use 'a nick' in the same way as 'the nick' though
I suspect that if "in a nick of time" was valid, it would have a different use case than "in the nick of time" but I've never seen it used. It doesn't really sound right either, since there are no "nicks" of time. I know, I'm a Nick!


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CNN cited the American Immigration Council's recent report ...
Enforcing Immigration Laws: Repairing our Broken Immigration System
For years the U.S. government has addressed unauthorized immigration primarily through the lens of deportation and removal, pursuing enforcement-only policies that have not effectively curbed unauthorized immigration. An increase of personnel and technology along the U.S.-Mexico border has been accompanied by increased worksite enforcement in the interior of the United States. In addition, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has partnered with state and local police agencies and jails to identify and apprehend immigrants and to remove them from the country. None of these efforts has resulted in a significant decline in the size of the unauthorized population, but these enforcement policies and priorities have had devastating impacts on U.S. families and communities.
Comprehensively reforming our broken immigration system will necessarily transform the role of immigration enforcement. Legalization of unauthorized immigrants already in the United States will result in a significantly smaller unauthorized population, and the creation of flexible legal channels for those immigrants we want and need will ensure that future flows of illegal immigration are minimal. However, there will continue to be a need to enforce our nation's immigration laws. The challenge is designing appropriate, effective enforcement mechanisms for a new, well-functioning legal immigration system.
Border enforcement will always be necessary for immigration enforcement and national security. However, the borders must be recognized as gateways through which legitimate transnational commerce and travel are encouraged. The U.S. government should focus its enforcement efforts on combating genuine security risks along our borders. Comprehensive immigration reform also means enforcing current laws in a manner that ensures fair and humane treatment for all. Due process and humane policies must be restored at every stage of the process, including during worksite and home raids. Finally, enforcement must include employment law enforcement. Comprehensive reform must recognize that strong employment protections for all workers reduces the incentive for unscrupulous employers to hire and mistreat unauthorized workers, thereby improving wages and working conditions for all workers.
A comprehensive immigration-enforcement strategy would provide the following benefits to the United States:
- Allow law-enforcement agencies along the border and in the interior of the country to focus on genuine security risks, as well as smuggling, trafficking, and other serious criminal activity.
- Ensure that all persons are treated humanely and fairly, and that human and civil rights are respected throughout the enforcement process.
- Reduce the incentive for unscrupulous employers to hire and exploit unauthorized workers.
- Ensure that people who are arrested have access to due process for determining their right to remain in the United States and to not be detained.
The following are principles for immigration enforcement within the context of comprehensive immigration reform:
Border Enforcement
- Make border-enforcement policies, projects, and agencies accountable to the communities in which they operate. This includes the creation of a U.S.-Mexico Border Review Commission, a mandatory Congressional Report on Border Deaths, significant increases in training for the Border Patrol, and regular consultations with local communities.
- Differentiate between border security and enforcing immigration laws. Although border enforcement necessarily involves preventing illegal border crossings, it also encompasses a host of other issues that do not necessarily involve immigration. We must provide resources that address cross-border drug trafficking, gun running, and border violence to the appropriate law-enforcement agencies.
Interior Enforcement
- Improve detention policies and conditions. Detention standards—including guidelines relating to transfers, language access, medical care, access to counsel, telephone access, and religious practice and visitation—must be codified and applied to all locales in which ICE detainees are held. There must be additional oversight of detention facilities to ensure compliance with detention standards.
- Legislation should expand judicial discretion to consider individual circumstances so that each immigration case can be evaluated on its own merits. Judges and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials should be able to consider the individual circumstances of each case when making a determination about a person's liberty. Mandatory detention categories should not be expanded, nor should removal grounds be added or expanded. The detention statute should be modified to enhance release and parole options for individuals who pose no flight risk or danger to public safety. Detention should only be a last resort and, in every case, the burden should be on the government to demonstrate that detention is necessary.
- Ensure access to counsel and legal information. Legislation should provide for national expansion of the legal orientation presentation program, and other programs to secure legal counsel for all detained individuals and for vulnerable populations, including children and mentally ill individuals who are unable to meaningfully participate in their removal proceedings. Pilot programs for exploring government-funded positions for "Guardians ad Litem" and legal counsel for vulnerable populations should be included.
- All individuals should have their fair day in court. Legislation should ensure meaningful judicial and administrative review and provide essential resources and personnel necessary to prevent delays in resolving cases in immigration court.
- The federal government should be in charge of immigration enforcement. The established doctrine of federal pre-emption of immigration enforcement must be followed. Before entering into any partnerships with state and local police agencies, DHS and Congress must assess the impact of that partnership on the local community, the impact on the immigrant population, the potential for racial profiling and civil-rights violations, and the impact on DHS's ability to fulfill its enforcement priorities. Further, meaningful oversight and adequate supervision of local law-enforcement agencies by DHS is necessary.
- Enforce civil-rights laws and protections for noncitizens during all enforcement actions. Provide civil-rights training for all immigration officials and local law-enforcement officers enforcing immigration law. Create independent oversight mechanisms to monitor and enforce the protection of civil rights, including prohibitions against racial and ethnic profiling.
Enhanced Enforcement of Laws Protecting Workers
- Make enforcement of labor laws a priority. The Department of Labor must be provided with additional resources to investigate and prosecute wage and hour violations, ensure worksite safety, and enforce other protections designed to prevent employers from taking advantage of workers. Increasing this kind of enforcement would directly affect unscrupulous employers who frequently rely on unauthorized workers.
- Establish clear rules that give precedence to labor investigations where there are potential conflicts between labor and immigration-enforcement issues. Immigration enforcement must not interfere with ongoing labor disputes or with investigations into labor law violations. DHS must have a policy which requires that if ICE discovers employment or labor law violations in the course of its worksite enforcement actions, those violations are reported to the appropriate government labor or employment-rights agency.
- Hold employers accountable for employment- and labor-law violations. Ensure confidentiality for those who cooperate with employment and labor-law investigations, and grant visas and an opportunity for immigrant workers to petition for them and for work authorization, so that they can cooperate with investigations into workplace law violations.
Published On: Tue, Dec 08, 2009 | Download File
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Welcome to Undergraduate Biology
Stony Brook University is one of the nation's top public research universities and our biological sciences departments are among the best in the country. There are exciting opportunities for Biology Majors at Stony Brook. The Biology Core courses are the foundation for all life science and pre-health programs on campus. Revised in 2007, the Core courses are designed around discovery-based laboratory activities that develop student performance in laboratory and research process. Advanced Study: At the advanced level, biology students may elect to specialize in Developmental Genetics, Ecology & Evolution, Environmental Biology, Interdisciplinary Biology, Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics, or Bioengineering. The advanced tracks relate to areas of research excellence at Stony Brook and can provide direct links to faculty-sponsored independent research. Research Opportunities: Stony Brook undergraduates benefit from being able to work one-on-one with leading scholars and research scientists. Many of the Life Sciences students engage in research in the Centers for Molecular Medicine, the Life Sciences departments, the School of Medicine, and even at sites off campus. Facilities: Stony Brook Biology is housed in a state-of-the-art facility, the Biology Learning Laboratories (BLL). This undergraduate facility is linked structurally and thematically to the research laboratories in the Centers for Molecular Medicine and the Life Sciences buildings. The BLL houses instructional laboratories, fully equipped support facilities, and advising and administrative offices. The 15 instructional laboratories in the BLL offer research-grade equipment and close proximity to scientists working to solve important and exciting questions in Life Sciences.
Related Links
Biology Program Mission
Biology Major: Mission,
Goals, Outcomes
Undergraduate Biology
Strategic Plan
Quick Links
Visit Us on Facebook
Undergraduate Biology, 107-112 CMM/BLL, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5110 - 631 632-8530, 631-632-1680 (fax)


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7 Kama Sutra Sex Tips That Will Put You In The Hospital
#3. Biting the Sides
"Teeth of good quality are even and of the right size, with a shiny, reflective surface, sharp edges..."
- Vatsyayana
The Kama Sutra contains a remarkably in-depth section dedicated to the biting of various erogenous zones, and really any place on the body that can fit between your teeth (though they do helpfully remind us that biting your partner's eyes is generally frowned upon).
The same section details an optimal oral sex technique called "biting the sides," which is exactly what it sounds like.
"Pecker Chomp" was rejected by the Kama Sutra editorial staff.
Some of the other biting maneuvers that are described include "The Swollen Bite," "The Hidden Bite" and "Chewing on the Wild Boar." Really, there is no way any of these could possibly backfire.
Why it's Dangerous:
Obviously biting is already a dangerous game, so when you throw genitalia and orgasmic spasms into the mix, it becomes a frigging minefield. Sexologist Anne Hooper prefaces the biting section in her editions of the Kama Sutra that "at orgasm the jaws often go into spasm and clamp shut, and can inflict a serious wound."
So yeah, make sure to whitewash every "biting" part of the book with Holy Water should you ever buy a used copy for your Twilight-loving girlfriend.
#2. The Variant Yawning Position
"When she raises both of her legs, and places them on her lover's shoulders, it is called the 'yawning position.'"
- Vatsyayana
The Variant Yawning Position offers the deepest penetration possible in traditional intercourse, essentially turning your penis into one of those armor piercing bullets from Lethal Weapon 3.
"Wow, he's... he's really in there."
Why it's Dangerous:
Believe it or not, the Kama Sutra was written for men with even smaller penises than what women have to settle for today. Back then, a good size dong was about four-inches, whereas today, the average guy maxes out at about six and a half. The average vaginal depth is around five-inches, give or take, so you can do the math. Being positioned for the deepest possible penetration isn't doing men or women any favors unless he's attempting to drill her uterus for oil.
The most common injury is tearing the vaginal wall, but if the guy goes in too far he could end up knocking so hard on the girl's cervix that it ruptures. Basically, if you don't stay in constant communication with each other while attempting this position, you're basically flying blind while performing very delicate surgery with a mallet.
#1. Painful Heating
"If a man has shed his semen in non-human females, in a man, in a menstruating woman, in something other than a vagina, or in water, he should carry out the Painful Heating vow."
- Vatsyayana
The Painful Heating vow is what the Kama Sutra instructs men to engage in should they ever throw a shot into anything that isn't a human vagina not currently in its monthly cycle.
While the "non-human vagina" thing shouldn't be too hard for most people to avoid, the rest of the list is admittedly limiting, because it essentially means no oral sex, no anal sex, no homosexual sex, no pulling out, no condoms and no tugging on your pool cue in the shower.
"Um... we could watch Batman, I guess."
Still, the vow is meant as an honorable gesture to keep men from turning into sexual deviants, which despite the surprisingly conservative list of restrictions (coming from the Kama Sutra, which has an entire chapter about how to seduce other men's wives) isn't itself a totally unreasonable idea.
Why it's Dangerous:
That is, until you realize what exactly Painful Heating is. Basically, the man is supposed to drink a mixture of cow urine, cow shit, grass, water, milk, butter and yogurt.
The yogurt is for consistency.
After sucking that hellacious cocktail down, he's not allowed to eat anything else for an entire day, virtually guaranteeing permanent damage to his stomach before he shits it down his pant leg and likely dies from 14 different bacterial infections.
Considering this vow is the same regardless of whether you were caught nailing a water buffalo or caught masturbating into a tube sock, we're thinking it would be less extreme to just wrap a bar of soap in a bath towel and smash yourself in the nuts with it.
Do you have something funny to say about a random topic? You could be on the front page of Cracked.com tomorrow. Go here and find out how to create a Topic Page.
We aren't finished frightening you yet. Check out 7 Sex Tips from Cosmo That Will Put You in the Hospital and 9 Awesome Places to Have Sex (And the Horrific Consequences).
And stop by our Top Picks (Updated 3.15.2010) to see Seanbaby's version of the Kama Sutra.
And don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get dick jokes sent straight to your news feed.


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WINTERSVILLE -- It seems as if there shouldn't be a hall of fame that Phil Niekro isn't a part of.
You name them and he's a part of it.
Major League Baseball? Check!
Article Photos
T-L Photo/SETH STASKEY
FROM ONE Ohio Valley legend to another. Lou Holtz (left) presented Bridgeport native and MLB Hall of Famer Phil Niekro with his plaque commemorating his induction to the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame Monday evening in Wintersville. Additional coverage of the banquet can be found on Page B1
Bridgeport High School? Check!
Ohio Valley Athletic Conference? Check!
Number retired by the Atlanta Braves? Check!
Monday evening at St. Florian Hall, however, Niekro made yet another acceptance speech in front of family, friends and droves of baseball and Ohio Valley sports fans.
Niekro was formally inducted to the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame.
"This is special because it comes from this valley and my hometown," Niekro said prior to the ceremony. "I consider Wintersville, Steubenville and everywhere in this valley, along with Bridgeport of course, as my hometown. I consider Powhatan up to East Liverpool and out to Cambridge, St. Clairsville, Bellaire, Martins Ferry, Wheeling, Triadelphia all of my home. It just feels good to be here and brings back a lot of memories."
Niekro was in the valley all weekend. He once again hosted his annual golf scramble at Belmont Hills Country Club in St. Clairsville on Friday and then took part in all of the activities surrounding the Holtz Hall of Fame, which included a party in which Niekro was reportedly wowing folks in attendance with Las Vegas style magic tricks.
"I was able to spend three days in Lansing before coming up here, so nothing is better right now for me," Niekro said.
One thing that's always been true about Niekro and it was pointed out by Tony Figaretti, who presented Niekro for induction, is that he never forgot about the Ohio Valley and where he learned to throw the knuckleball, which led to him posting 316 career victories in a professional career that spanned 24 years.
"That's why the entire tri-state area respects him as much as ever," Figaretti said about Niekro. "He never hides from anyone and is always willing to do anything he can to help the Ohio Valley."
It's that mentality and more that leads Niekro to think more about his time in the Ohio Valley than simply pitching for Bridgeport High and then heading off to the professional ranks, which he signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Braves for $500.
"I don't just think about the athletes or the sports of this area, but I think about all of the good, wonderful people who worked in the steel mills and coal mines," Niekro said. "Mostly everyone where I came from worked in those industries. I just enjoy sitting on the porch in Lansing, looking up at the trees and hearing the creek running in the back."
Niekro had met Holtz a handful of times prior to this weekend's events, but he said he'd been a fan of the former Notre Dame and South Carolina head coach since he was "probably 10 years old."
"Anyone who knows the least amount about football knows of Lou Holtz," Niekro said. "I am a Notre Dame fan, a Buckeye, a Mountaineer and since I live in Atlanta, I am a Georgia and Georgia Tech fan."
Niekro was also excited to catch up and talk with keynote speaker Urban Meyer. The Ohio State Buckeyes' head football coach, who was inducted to the Holtz Hall of Fame as the Distinguished American in 2009, actually was in the Braves' organization at the same time as Niekro.
"We were actually teammates," Meyer recalled. "I was at a lot lower level, but he was as respected as any player in the Braves' organization. I love him. I've studied him and I love who he is. I'm a big fan."
Niekro didn't spend much of his induction speech talking about baseball. Instead, he spoke about his affection for the Ohio Valley and his late brother, Joe.
"My brother Joe and I were the best of friends," Niekro said. "When you saw me, you saw Joe. We laughed together and we cried together. It didn't matter if I didn't see Joe for a day, five days, a week or a few months, the first thing that came out of his mouth was, 'I love you' and that's the first thing I said to him, too."
Niekro told the crowd that people don't express their feelings and love for their family members nearly as much as they probably should.
"I think sometimes we take for granted not saying that because we may feel it," Niekro explained. "There are 84 thousand seconds in one day and telling someone, 'I love you' will take about one second. So, the next time you go on a trip or away for a few days or even asleep tonight, tell the people who mean the most to you that you love them because there are no guarantees in this life."
That love is exactly what Niekro feels about his brother, his family and the Ohio Valley. And he won't hesitate to talk to about it, either.
Staskey can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com