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Desktop printing at the nano level
A new low-cost, high-resolution tool is primed to revolutionize how nanotechnology is produced from the desktop, according to a new study by Northwestern University researchers.
Currently, most nanofabrication is done in multibillion-dollar centralized facilities called foundries. This is similar to printing documents in centralized printing shops. Consider, however, how the desktop printer revolutionized the transfer of information by allowing individuals to inexpensively print documents as needed. This paradigm shift is why there has been community-wide ambition in the field of nanoscience to create a desktop nanofabrication tool.
"With this breakthrough, we can construct very high-quality materials and devices, such as processing semiconductors over large areas, and we can do it with an instrument slightly larger than a printer," said Chad A. Mirkin, senior author of the study and a world-renowned pioneer in the field of nanoscience.
Mirkin is the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of medicine, chemical and biological engineering, biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering. He also is the director of Northwestern's International Institute for Nanotechnology.
The study will be published July 19 in the journal Nature Communications.
The tool Mirkin's team has created produces working devices and structures at the nanoscale level in a matter of hours, right at the point of use. It is the nanofabrication equivalent of a desktop printer.
Without requiring millions of dollars in instrumentation costs, the tool is poised to prototype a diverse range of functional structures, from gene chips to protein arrays to building patterns that control how stem cells differentiate to making electronic circuits.
"Instead of needing to have access to millions of dollars, in some cases billions of dollars of instrumentation, you can begin to build devices that normally require that type of instrumentation right at the point of use," Mirkin said.
The paper details the advances Mirkin's team has made in desktop nanofabrication based upon easily fabricated beam-pen lithography (BPL) pen arrays, structures that consist of an array of polymeric pyramids, each coated with an opaque layer with a 100 nanometer aperture at the tip. Using a digital micromirror device, the functional component of a projector, a single beam of light is broken up into thousands of individual beams, each channeled down the back of different pyramidal pens within the array and through the apertures at the tip of each pen.
The nanofabrication tool allows one to rapidly process substrates coated with photosensitive materials called resists and generate structures that span the macro-, micro- and nanoscales, all in one experiment.
Key advances made by Mirkin's team include developing the hardware, writing the software to coordinate the direction of light onto the pen array and constructing a system to make all of the pieces of this instrument work together in synchrony. This approach allows each pen to write a unique pattern and for these patterns to be stitched together into functional devices.
"There is no need to create a mask or master plate every time you want to create a new structure," Mirkin said. "You just assign the beams of light to go in different places and tell the pens what pattern you want generated."
Because the materials used to make the desktop nanofabrication tool are easily accessible, commercialization may be as little as two years away, Mirkin said. In the meantime, his team is working on building more devices and prototypes.
In the paper, Mirkin explains how his lab produced a map of the world, with nanoscale resolution that is large enough to see with the naked eye, a feat never before achieved with a scanning probe instrument. Not only that, but closer inspection with a microscope reveals that this image is actually a mosaic of individual chemical formulae made up of nanoscale points. Making this pattern showcases the instrument's capability of simultaneously writing centimeter-scale patterns with nanoscale resolution.
The Nature Communications paper is titled "Desktop nanofabrication with massively multiplexed beam-pen lithography." In addition to Mirkin, other authors are Xing Liao, Keith A. Brown, Abrin L. Schmucker, Guoliang Liu and Shu He, all of Northwestern University.
Journal information: Nature Communications
Provided by Northwestern University


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This section provides instructions for installing the Server and Agent software components of Novell ZENworks 7.3 Linux Management ZENworks 7.3 Linux Management with Interim Release 1 (IR1), ZENworks 7.3 Linux Management with Interim Release 2 (IR2), ZENworks 7.3 Linux Management with Interim Release 3 (IR3), and ZENworks 7.3 Linux Management with Interim Release 4 (IR4).
Complete the tasks in the order listed:
If you intend to use an existing PostgreSQL or Oracle database installation for your ZENworks Data Store rather than have ZENworks install a new PostgreSQL database, you need to set up the database correctly. See Section 3.0, Preparing the Database for the ZENworks Data Store.
If desired, verify the signatures on the RPM packages. All packages are signed by Novell. You can verify the package signatures to ensure that the packages have not been tampered with. See Section 4.0, Verifying the RPM Package Signatures.
Install your first ZENworks Server and create your ZENworks Management Zone. The first ZENworks Server you install is called the ZENworks Primary Server. See Section 5.0, Installing the ZENworks Primary Server.
Install additional ZENworks Servers as needed. Any ZENworks Servers you install after the first one are called Secondary Servers. See Section 6.0, Installing a ZENworks Secondary Server.
Prepare managed devices for ZENworks Linux Management and install the ZENworks Agents on devices (servers and workstations) you want to manage, and register the devices in your Management Zone. See Section 7.0, Setting Up Managed Devices.
Ensure that there is no eDirectory service installed on the server. See Section 5.1, What the Installation Program Does.
If you are unfamiliar with any of the ZENworks components or terminology in the above task list, please review Section 1.2, System Architecture.

subset: commoncrawl


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BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — A team of Ferris State University Graphic Design students placed second in the Brand X Experience Design Student Competition.
Brand X is a national competition for college or university undergraduate design and marketing students. The event's stated goal IS to: "Expose students to the creative challenges of 'experience design,' a fun and growing segment of the design industry and one of the fastest-growing job sectors for design professionals." This year, Brand X participants developed a hypothetical marketing campaign for Under Armour's sponsorship of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Russia.
Jeff Ek, a College of Business faculty member and coordinator of the Graphic Design program, was thrilled with the achievement of the team of juniors: Haley Hawes, of Cedar Springs; team captain Ashley Kasul, of Rockford; Brandon Knap, of Hudsonville; and Alex Papin, of Whitmore Lake.
"The Graphic Design program faculty members are extremely proud of this junior design team and their accomplishment," Ek said. "They are applying what they've learned in a design curriculum that includes marketing and business practice. We can't wait to see what THEY ARE capable of next year as seniors."
For its second-place finish in the competition, the Ferris team earned a $2,000 prize.
Brand X was created by George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: http://www.gpj.com/. GPJ helps its clients strengthen their brands through experience design. The annual Brand X competition provides a platform for students to design a hypothetical experience for a real-world company.
The 2013 competition client was Under Armour, a sports apparel company. Managing the entry process and communications with the students were the editors of Event Marketer magazine and Event Design magazine.
Information on Graphic Design can be found here:
Brand X Challenge:
Ferris' Under Armour presentation:


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"Paper is excellent quality as is the envelope. Shipping can be high unless you are ordering a larger number of cards but I only bought one."
"Great all through when creating it"
"The cards and pillow I purchased for my family came out great. I would always use Shutterfly for these types of gifts"
"Really like this card design. I love that you don't have to add a picture and can still have a nice Christmas card to send out to family and friends at a reasonable price."
"The cards turned out really nice. I choose the matte finish, which made the artwork on the front and image inside really pop. Worth the extra money, IMHO. We've used Shutterfly for the past 4 years for our cards and have yet to be disappointed."


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Множество исполнителей, альбомов, текстов песен.
Рок музыка
Поп музыка
Электронная музыка
Хип-хоп, Рэп, Реп
G : GANG STARR : Moment of Truth
Moment of Truth
Текст песни In Memory of...
In Memory of...
* I'm not sure about any of these names *
Mami mary, mary coleman that is
I love you, rest in peace
You still here though
Word up
This goes out to you
Mary parker, loretta randall
Grandfather bill
Runy manuel, robert n'blangio
Uncle c, alicia elon
To my man g.o.v., I remember how you used to be
You were the illest man alive now I'm reading your eulogy
Eyes so serious, you told me hold my head
Pursue this rap shit and go forward never backwards
While you gripped tec's tight, and ran niggaz out of town
I ripped up mics, showin wack niggaz how to sound
Still your essence, was callin
By two gunshots, at close range, your frame had fallen
Now like a angel you've risen
And you will stay in my heart, and yo I wish you were still livin
Word... this is in memory of
* I'm not sure about any of these names *
Zachary bro, cousin paula
Harry o-fives rest in peace -- biggie smalls
Yeah, sam-o, 183rd
Joshua faust rest in peace
Brian brown y'all, yeah
To my man brian b, I remember how you used to be
You were the flyest in the club with three bitches doin rub-a-dub
You was the pimp of all panderers
Gq, johnny presley, fuckin up the elegances
So many hookers on your schedule
Slammin cadillac doors and mackin whores on the regular
You used to boost, the slickest of suits
Climbin through the back windows on the bus, you was ill dukes
Until that chick you vicked, for the cutlass
Started snillz-niffin ki-daine, and went to cut cha
That freak shanked you six times in your sleep
I wish you was here, cause your philosophy was mad deep
Yeah... this is in memory of
Keith 'cowboy', scott larock
Prince messiah rest in peace
Buffy, the human beatbox y'know
Tupac shakur rest in peace
Pinkhouse, sub roc
O.g. boo bang, salute! rest in peace
Seagram's, killa black from mobb deep
Biggie smalls, yeah rest in peace
Lance owens y'all
To all my brothers doin time, whether or not you did the crime
You know the system is devised to keep you deaf dumb and blind
Like scarface said, them cats are smart
In order for things to change we must all play a part
It's easy for us to blame society
But now it's way too late, and we must take responsibility
To all my brothers in the streets
I know you feel you gotta hustle cause your peeps gotta eat
Makin moves right and exact; don't wanna see you layin flat
Don't wanna see ya catch a bullet black
If we don't build we'll be destroyed
That's the challenge we face in this race of poor and unemployed
Freud, a philosopher, but I'm a realist
So philosophize this, without love we won't exist
To those who passed out there, in the deserts and the jungles
With pain on their shoulders, and heavy bundles
I pray each one will, ascend to new heights and new enlightenment
And this is why I'm writin it
Yeah... this is in memory of
* I'm not sure about all of these names *
Linnet grinnich, cookie murray
Yeah rest in peace
Ross, laverne la-la eyelif
John hood rest in peace
Kevin fredricks, donny charles
Leslie clark, and will clark rest in peace
Tommy saunders, princess di
Don clark, betty shabazz rest in peace
This is in memory of...
Rest in peace
Другие тексты песен из альбома Moment of Truth
Еще тексты песен GANG STARR
© 2006 ALyrics - тексты песен, слова песен, песни, mp3, музыка, ноты, аккорды, лирика, lyric. Для связи : firstname.lastname@example.com Аквамания, http://www.spicylyrics.com
0.00056099891662598 - 2023-10-02 12:12


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University of Alberta researchers have made breakthrough use of 3-D magnetic resonance technology to map the structure of a common fungus that is potentially deadly for individuals with impaired immune function. The work could pave the way for development of an effective vaccine.
The researchers targeted Candida, a pathogen that in its most virulent form has led to more than 70,000 bloodstream infections in North American hospital patients. Health officials estimate that death rate from this bloodstream infection is 40 per cent.
Lead U of A researchers Margaret Johnson and David Bundle as well as collaborators, at the Alberta Glycomics Centre, used nuclear magnetic resonance for a three-dimensional examination of the fungus at an atomic scale that measures less than 100 millionth of a centimeter.
The process, called molecular recognition allowed researchers to examine carbohydrate and antibody molecules related to the fungus to determine what sort of vaccine can best combat Candida.
Johnson described the three-dimensional approach to vaccinology as giving researchers a clear picture of how a vaccine must physically fit against the surface of the fungus.
The researchers used their findings to design test vaccines that produced positive results in containing the fungus. "Our multi-pronged strategy allowed us to observe a new type of molecular recognition," she says.
Johnson added if the private sector chooses to complete the development of a vaccine it could be 10 years before the drug is available.
Johnson and Bundle were assisted by U of A researcher Jonathan Cartmell and colleagues at the National University of Ireland and University of Georgia. The research was published May 25 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.


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|Llewellyn's 2019 Daily Planetary Guide
|Yoga for the Creative Soul
|The Pure Heart of Yoga
Most herbs are tolerant of harsh growing conditions—even those found in our urban centers, which are man-made heat wells. With a little direction and some perseverance, urban gardeners can grow plenty of herbs for the kitchen, bath, or cupboard.
It is a lucky urban gardener, indeed, who has access to a plot of land for gardening. Some cities provide access to community garden land.(Check with your local Cooperative Extension or city recreation department to see what is available in your area.) But if a little piece of land isn't available, the urban gardener often turns to container gardening. Fortunately, gardening in containers allows the grower to maximize limited space. Most culinary herbs will fill out a large pot, and any herb that trails across the ground can be encouraged to run up a trellis.
If you want to plant herbs and you have limited space, the first thing to do is survey what you have available and choose the most appropriate growing space. Even plants that are grown in containers will need adequate light. The best growing location is a southern exposure that gets sun throughout the day. A western exposure, where the sun hits the location from midday onward, is next best. Finally, an eastern exposure that sees sunlight from early morning until around noon will work well for many herb plants. While most herb plants need at least four hours of direct sunlight, it's possible to grow a selection of herbs that will survive in the shade. Your choices will be limited, though. Northern exposures that receive no sunlight will be very challenging!
Tips on Containers, Soil, and Planting
Of course, pretty containers can be purchased from a department store or garden center. Plastic pots are ideal, though, because they are durable and lightweight. Terra cotta pots are very attractive, but they can be heavy, and they must be protected from cold weather, as they are likely to break from freezing and thawing. The new foam pots that have become available more recently are, like plastic pots, durable and lightweight. Some are so well made that it's hard to tell them from a terra cotta pot—until you try to pick one up!
As a rule, it's hard to go wrong with a general-purpose potting soil. It will support most annual herbs, like basil, parsley, sage, coriander, and Clary sage. Ironically, if you are growing culinary herbs, you can save yourself some money by purchasing plain soil, because culinary herbs don't need a lot of fertilizer. Feeding them with a general-purpose fertilizer at the time of planting and then once more midway through the growing season is enough. (A general-purpose fertilizer has equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.) Fertilizing more often will result in lush growth that has little flavor. A great thing about herbs is that they are tough little fighters, and "roughing it" helps them to develop the right amount of essential oils.
This is especially true of the herbs (such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram) that originated in the Mediterranean area. In this case, purchasing a soil mixed for succulents, which is formulated to drain well, would be a good idea. If you can't find this type of soil, it's easy to make. Just mix one part coarse builder's sand with two parts general purpose potting soil and you're all set!
Begin the setup of your containers by adding a one-inch layer of pebbles to the bottom of the pot. This will allow the container to drain and help prevent the soil from pouring out of the bottom of the pot. If you have access to old broken terra cotta pots, the shards make excellent material for covering the holes at the bottom of a container without totally blocking them.
Fill the containers up to two-thirds full with soil if you are using sets or plants from a garden center. If you plan to use a granular fertilizer, read the package directions and add the recommended amount of fertilizer now. Be sure to mix the fertilizer and soil together to avoid burning the root ball of your plants. If you use a liquid fertilizer, wait until planting is finished before adding fertilizer.
A 10-gallon container will hold up to three 15- to 18-inch tall plants. A 15-gallon pot can handle up to five such sets. A single plant that gets bigger, like rosemary, will quickly fill a 10-gallon container in two growing seasons. Check the plant tags that come with most nursery plants. They usually tell how big a plant will be at maturity.
When you plant each herb set in the container, the top of the root ball should come to roughly two inches below the rim of the container. If you don't have enough soil, add more now. Herbs that are set too low in the container will likely die from crown rot. Those that are set too high will dry out quickly and probably die from stress.
As you add plants, surround them with soil. Once all plants are in the pot, add more soil, firming as you go. Now, water the plants thoroughly to settle out any air pockets in the mixture.
If you are planting seeds, fill the pot to within two inches from the top of the pot. Read the directions on the back of the seed packet carefully. Some seeds are so "fine" they need to be distributed on top of the soil. Some need to be barely covered with soil and others can be buried one or two inches deep. The packet should also tell you when to expect your seeds to sprout.
Keeping soil moisture consistent is critical for seedlings. Watch tender, little plants carefully and if necessary, move the container out of the hot afternoon sunlight until the new plants develop a sufficient root system.
Once the plants are established, adding a layer of mulch will help control the moisture content of the soil. Mulch will also keep your herbs clean by prohibiting the soil from splashing up on the plants during rains or when you water.
As you plan your container garden, give some thought to the layout. You don't have to segregate your plants. In fact, mixing compatible herbs is a great way to add visual interest. Just be sure to mix those plants that have similar growing requirements. Thyme, oregano, garlic, chives, marjoram, artemisia, and pennyroyal need good drainage to grow well. They also appreciate that lean soil mixture of potting soil and sand mentioned earlier.
Anise, hyssops, calendulas, lemon balm, borage, santolina, sage, and tarragon are full plants that like average potting soil. Several of these plants come in a variety of colorful foliage that will give you plenty of design options as well as useful harvests for cooking or crafts.
Don't forget to look up as you garden. A trellis in the back of a large pot will give passionflower vine and sweet peas something to grow on, or a place to support tall herbs such as cat mint, dill, and tansy. Some herbs work well in hanging baskets. Scented geraniums are naturals for hanging containers, as are nasturtiums.
Mixing annual and perennial herbs, especially in the first season, is a good way to adjust for robust plants later. For example, you can mix perennial lavender and annual calendulas in a 10-gallon pot the first year. But by the second year, the lavender will probably prefer to be left alone in its pot.
Container gardening is an adventure in learning. While books and Internet sources can get you started, nothing beats getting your hands in the soil and finding out what works for you. A golden rule in gardening is "You've got to grow it to know it." Find out for yourself if basil planted with thyme works for you. Will you be a mint lover? How many times will you have to plant oregano to get it to flourish for you?
Push your boundaries. Test your limits. Create your own little green spot wherever you live and thumb your nose at that concrete jungle that surrounds you.


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By Vincent Warren, Executive Director for the Center for Constitutional Rights
It is a bedrock principle of democratic government that the state cannot be judge, jury and executioner all at once. Yet the CIA and Pentagon maintain lists of suspected terrorists to be targeted for killing and have these "kill lists" approved only by an internal executive process. They then hand them over to drone operators who sit thousands of miles away from their targets and execute the strikes via a video monitor that makes it hard to remember that "targeted killing" is a real government program and not the name of a cool new XBox game. In this depersonalized, dehumanized setting, drone victims are referred to as "bug splats," as Michael Hastings reported in Rolling Stone this week, because on the video monitors "viewing the body…gives the sense of an insect being crushed."
The loss of life inflicted by the al-Majalah attack and the irreversibility of "mistakes" or "collateral damage" – innocent people killed – is not unique, unfortunately, and as of yet, the entire targeted killing program is beyond the reach of the checks and balances that make us a nation of laws rather than an authoritarian regime. Shining the light of transparency on this one case is a desperately needed, long overdue first step in restoring proper accountability for government actions. Without such accountability, it is all too easy to treat men, women and children in other countries simply as bug splats.


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Nick Iannelli, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – The District-run shelter for families is now caring for a record 600 children, a milestone that homeless advocates say highlights the need for District officials to help struggling families.
"In the inner city, there are many different family situations that allow them to break up," says David Harrison, who sought help at Central Union Mission, which runs an emergency shelter for men, Wednesday.
According to the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, about 1,800 children are homeless in D.C. And about 1,000 families are homeless, a figure that increased 19 percent between 2011 and 2012.
"Because of joblessness and different things families are split up. Some children now are forced to work for themselves out on the street," Harrison says.
The mission is joining a call for D.C. government to spend some of its $417 million budget surplus on services for the homeless.
"Families are struggling with basic necessities," says the mission's Director of Community Outreach Deborah Chambers. "Affordable housing, employment, the rising cost of rent and paying for basic necessities, it impacts the children."
The Washington Post reports that families staying in the D.C. General Shelter for Families, which is housed inside a former hospital, complain of overcrowding, pests, a lack of play space for children and a lack of bath tubs. Limited space and too much paperwork turns families away.
And now lawmakers are listening. D.C. Councilman Jim Graham says he will lead a public hearing Feb. 28 at the shelter, 1900 Massachusetts Ave. SE, to discuss conditions at the District-run shelter.
Councilman Marion Barry has called for the District to use $100 million of the surplus to provide more affordable housing units and to provide services for the homeless and disadvantaged families.
Mission leaders say the best way for every day citizens to help is by donating food.
Related Stories:
- Homelessness skyrockets in D.C.
- Barry says D.C. Should spend some of surplus
- Gray hopes to move on from year marked by scandal
Follow @WTOP on Twitter.


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Would you pay a fee to access a library of written content? A Netflix for the book-reading world? Amazon is apparently banking you might, as it was reported tonight by the WSJ that the online retailer was considering that option.
Vizio's Latest TVs Go All Quantum
As noted by The Next Web, such an idea isn't new (i.e. booksforfree.com and bookswim), but this is certainly the first time that a behemoth like Amazon would be driving things into the public conscience.
Couple the whole thing with the powerhouse known as Kindle and we could very well have a platform that is worthy of the "Netflix for books" hyperbole I just fanned with my headline. [WSJ via The Next Web]


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Sterling Silver Beach Girl Anklet
This anklet brings the breezy ocean air to your senses as it dances around your wrist. If you love the beach, like me, I love to surround myself with all things beachy. The perfect bracelet for all beach girls and beach lovers, a 5/8 inch sterling silver disc is personalized with name or words of your choice, adorned with a dainty sterling silver starfish charm (or charm of your choice). Sea glass rondelles and pearls dance around the sturdy sterling silver chain. This would be an excellent anklet for beach weddings.
Product InfoBracelet is made with sterling silver link chain and finished with a sterling silver lobster clasp.


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Ashes of Twilight
Ashes of Twilight
Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent and the coal is running out. Plus there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome or is the world still consumed by fire? When one of Wren's friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome's way of life. But Alex's final words are haunting. "The sky is blue." What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence.Ashes of Twilight is the first book in a trilogy by Kassy Tayler.
Book Details
- Adventure
- Romance
Age Level:
- 12 and up


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Hawaiian Noni Juice: Healing, Pure & Simple
For thousands of years, noni juice has been valued throughout Polynesia, including Hawaii, as a powerful health tonic. Noni has a rich history with these native peoples and has traditionally been used as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments and overall good health.
To acquire noni juice, the native Hawaiians employed a very simple method of fermentation, allowing the noni fruit to naturally "leak" the juice out of the whole fruit over of period of about 6 weeks. Some residents of Hawaii still use this process today to make their own noni juice at home. While the process is simple, it does require a lot of time and patience. Consequently, even those who have access to a noni tree generally opt to purchase bottled noni juice as a convenience.
When shopping for quality noni juice, purity is paramount. As you scan the supplement aisle at your local health food or online store, you'll find that there are a lot of noni juice brands to choose from. But buyers beware: Not all noni juice is created equal.
Customers are advised to read labels and opt for one that contains only 100% noni juice. Some brands are diluted with inexpensive fruit juices, which may leave consumers wondering just how much noni juice—and how much benefit—they're actually getting for their money.
If taste is a concern and having a little fruit juice in the mix sounds appealing, concoct a quick blend at home. Preparing your own noni and fruit juice mix will taste far fresher and enable you to control the amount of noni juice you're ingesting.
The processing method used to obtain the noni juice is an important consideration when selecting high-quality noni products. The traditional method, which takes time to properly age and ferment the fruit, produces the highest quality and best-tasting juice. Reputable brands such as Wai Lana recognize the wisdom of the ancient Hawaiians and continue to use the traditional method used for generations.
Wai Lana's 100% pure, raw noni juice is made from sun-ripened, hand-picked noni fruit grown year-round in Hawaii 's rich volcanic soils and is aged to perfection for maximum potency. This pure Hawaiian Noni Juice is available both in liquid form and convenient 100% pure Noni Capsules.
Reported Benefits of Taking Noni Juice
Those who regularly take noni juice claim an impressively long list of health benefits. Here are just a few:
- Provides Antioxidant Power Contains potent antioxidants, such as vitamin C and polysaccharides, to help protect your body at a cellular level from premature aging, heart disease, and many other disorders.
- Improves Immune Function Helps boost and regulate your immune system so that it functions more efficiently and you're better able to ward off colds, flus, infections, and disease.
- Enhances Digestion Supplies a wealth of digestive enzymes that improve digestive function, letting you absorb and assimilate more nutrients and experience increased health, energy, and vitality.
- Cleanses and Detoxifies Cleanses and protects the liver and helps your body neutralize and eliminate toxins.
- Eases Inflammation Has both analgesic (painkilling) and anti-inflammatory properties.
Noni Body Care Products
In addition to the plethora of reported health benefits one can obtain by taking noni juice, this remarkable plant has also been prized as a powerful beauty tonic throughout Polynesia and Hawaii.
Wai Lana has taken great care to bring the healing properties of the noni plant together with other natural ingredients to create a body care line gentle enough for the whole family:
Wai Lana's Hawaiian Noni Soap is lovingly made by hand and specially formulated to soothe, tone, and protect skin, leaving it clean, smooth, and positively radiant.
Wai Lana's Noni Shampoo & Conditioner are made with the finest natural ingredients and infused with the healing powers of pure noni. Gentle and perfect for all hair types, including normal, dry, oily, and even color-damaged hair, Wai Lana's Noni Shampoo nourishes hair, leaving it clean, shiny, and healthy, while the conditioner increases softness, shine, and body. These special formulas are designed to improve the health of your hair.
Wai Lana's Pure Hawaiian Noni Body Butter soothes and tones skin while moisturizing it to perfection! It leaves skin soft, smooth, and rejuvenated. Creamy and luxurious, it is especially beneficial for problem skin. Available in 6 dreamy scents like coconut and ylang-ylang.
Visit our Noni store to purchase these noni products and receive fast FREE* shipping to U.S. delivery addresses in all 50 states—including Alaska and Hawaii!
*FREE shipping not available on all products.


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Katherine Bouma, Staff WriterMarch 10, 2023
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Media Contact
For images, interviews, and more on SITES, contact firstname.lastname@example.com. For more information about SITES, visit www.sustainablesites.org.
First Projects Certified by SITES™
National Rating System for Sustainable Landscapes
Washington, D.C., January 25, 2012 — The Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™) has announced the first three projects to be certified by the nation's most comprehensive system for rating the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of built landscapes.
The corporate headquarters of an international manufacturing company, a new university green space and a children's playground in an urban park are the first to be recognized for their sustainable land practices from among 150-plus pilot projects that began the certification process in summer 2010. These initial projects are the St. Charles, Missouri, campus of Novus International Inc.; the Green at College Park of the University of Texas at Arlington; and the Woodland Discovery Playground at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tenn.
SITES is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center of The University of Texas at Austin and the United States Botanic Garden. SITES was created to fill a critical need for guidelines and recognition of green landscapes based on their planning, design, construction and maintenance. The partners have collaborated since 2005 in developing a voluntary, national rating system and set of performance benchmarks for sustainable landscapes in areas with or without buildings.
The certified pilot projects are participating in a pilot program begun in June 2010 to test the four-star rating system created by dozens of the country's leading sustainability experts, scientists and design professionals. Projects selected to be pilots are at various stages of development and represent a diverse mix of project types, sizes, locations and budgets.
The SITES rating system includes 15 prerequisites and 51 additional, flexible credits to choose from. The credit options, totaling 250 points, address areas such as the use of redeveloping brownfields or grayfields; soil restoration; water conservation; use of recycled materials and native vegetation; and sustainable construction and land maintenance approaches.
Certified pilot projects are recognized with one through four stars for obtaining 40, 50, 60 or 80 percent of those 250 points. The Novus headquarters, the Green at College Park, and Woodland Discovery Playground SITES certified projects received a 3-star, 1-star, and 1-star rating respectively.
The Novus Headquarters: Plant communities such as riparian edges and aquatics are used to enhance the habitat and water quality.
Among the features Novus developed with SWT Design and others for the nine-acre headquarters was a parking lot with stormwater retention features, a walking trail that winds through restored prairie and other habitat, and a vegetable garden that staff maintains. The garden is fed by a windmill-powered well that retrieves rainwater stored underground. A detention basin captures stormwater on site and provides aquatic habitat and a scenic view from a nearby pavilion topped with a vegetated roof.
"The innovation and analytical thinking of these first certified projects is helping point the way for the next iteration of the guidelines, which will form the basis for open certification in 2013," said ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville.
The Green at College Park: Shade structures and Muhly Grass Garden.
Landscape architects and engineers with Schrickel, Rollins & Associates designed sustainable features at The Green at College Park in downtown Arlington, including a gathering lawn, shade arbors and drainage gardens. David Hopman, an associate professor of landscape architecture at UT Arlington, led the effort for SITES application and worked with the designers documenting development of the roughly three-acre green space.
The site had served mostly as a parking lot, with poor stormwater drainage that flooded a nearby creek. Now the green space sits next to Arlington's first mixed-use development, and features native and adapted plants in rain gardens and a water detention system that help slow down the flow of stormwater. That process cleanses the water of impurities and captures it for re-use on the green space's new vegetation.
"Developing inviting outdoor spaces that make the most of precious resources such as water is critical to our future," said Susan Rieff, executive director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. "These projects powerfully demonstrate how sustainably designed landscapes can produce environmental, economic and aesthetic benefits."
The Woodland Discovery Playground at Shelby Farms Park.
The conservancy that oversees Shelby Farms Park developed the Woodland Discovery Playground with James Corner Field Operations and others to restore a woodland and promote children's health. The 4.25 acre playground with tunnels, swings and other amenities was developed based on current children's play theories and after workshops with children and adults. It uses recycled athletic shoe material as a surface for several play areas and loose, recycled boot material as a soft landing under a playroom of nets and tree houses. The permeable surface material allows stormwater to soak into the ground to help nourish an arbor enhanced with native trees that surrounds and links playrooms within the space.
"The educational value of these pilot projects is significant. They demonstrate what a sustainable site looks and feels like and now serve as a model to others aspiring for sustainability in a designed landscape," said Holly H. Shimizu, executive director of the United States Botanic Garden. "Having the first pilot projects certified solidifies years of work into something tangible that we hope will be replicated all around the country."
SITES will continue to receive feedback from the SITES Certified Pilots and the remaining pilot projects until June 2012. These projects include private residences, streetscapes, industrial complexes and other settings. Their input as well as the public's will be used to finalize the rating system and reference guide, expected to be released widely in 2013.
SITES contacts: Terence Poltrack, ASLA, email@example.com, 202.216.7852; Saralee Tiede, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, email@example.com, 512.232.0104; Laura Condeluci, firstname.lastname@example.com, U.S. Botanic Garden, 202.226.4145


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Shoppers buying one of Apple's shiny new Thunderbolt-equipped iMacs are faced with a choice before they check out: Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, or both?
Each input device normally retails for $69, supports multitouch gestures, and can handle all your cursor-control and pointing-device needs. So how do you choose?
Easy: You don't. Let Macworld choose for you.
Senior Associate Editor Dan Moren (DM) and Staff Writer Lex Friedman (LF) decided to debate the pros and cons of each Apple accessory in this point/counterpoint—which didn't quite go as expected.
LF: Let me start by saying this: The Magic Mouse places itself on a "best-of-both-worlds" pedestal, but it's a scam, a sham, and another word that rhymes with "scam." It's a decent mouse, but its multitouch features are sorely lacking. So the mere fact that you would even attempt to defend, let alone celebrate, it here is truly unthinkable. Rebuttal?
DM: Mr. Friedman, I notice you launch your argument by attacking your opponent, rather than by discussing the benefits of your own chosen input device—which, I should add, are many. (Also, I believe the third word you were looking for was "flimflam.")
LF: Wait a second. If I'm reading you right, you're implying that you, like me, feel that there are numerous benefits to the Magic Trackpad. Am I reading you right?
DM: Don't change the subject. The fact remains that the Magic Mouse incorporates not only a multitouch surface that allows users to easily scroll, zoom, and navigate their Mac, but also acts as a pointing device with pinpoint laser accuracy. And, have I mentioned, it's a sharp-looking accessory to any Mac?
LF: You have now. And you've nailed the two best points of the Magic Mouse—it uses lasers and it looks nice. The Magic Trackpad, I'll grant you, is a rather dull-looking slab, and it's sadly laserless—but what it lacks in style, it more than makes up for in sheer awesomeness.
DM: Look, everybody knows how to use a mouse. But a trackpad? They confuse, befuddle, perplex. They're, dare I say, downright un-American.
LF: I can admit, I was hesitant about my decision when I first bought the Magic Trackpad. But that hesitation lasted only a few seconds, until I realized that I used a pseudo-Magic Trackpad almost every day, courtesy of the lovely glass surface resting below the keyboard of my trusty MacBook Pro. And whenever I used any other input device—a trackball I relied upon for a while, a Mighty Mouse, and others of that ilk—I missed the delicious shortcuts a MagicTrackpad (and only a Magic Trackpad) can offer. Not to mention the fact that if you can find your way around an iPhone, you can handle a Magic Trackpad, too.
DM: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you saying that a Magic Trackpad is the same thing as the trackpad on my MacBook?
LF: I am very nearly saying that. In fact, I'll take it one step further: The Magic Trackpad is better than the trackpad on your MacBook—because it's bigger.
DM: Huh. Tell me more.
LF: That's my second-biggest knock against the Magic Mouse as a multitouch device. The multitouch surface of the Magic Mouse is crippled by its narrow width. And Apple admits as much, by limiting what multitouch gestures you can use on it: The device doesn't support any of the Magic Trackpad's three- or four-finger gestures (which can be used for dragging, triggering Exposé, and swiping between applications).
DM: You know, it's almost as though the Magic Mouse is some kind of Trojan, er, Mouse, designed to inculcate touch gestures in us, preparing us for a future in which we're all subjected to an autocratic requirement to use only Magic Trackpads.
LF: Well, Dan, I'm glad I paid you to write that paragraph. Because I think Apple knew just what it was doing when it introduced the Magic Mouse: Creating further future demand for the Magic Trackpad. But really, Cupertino's clear goal in launching multiple multitouch Mac peripherals was to prepare us for an OS that embraces such gestures to a greater and more powerful extent than Snow Leopard already does.
DM: You're speaking, of course, of Apple's Mac OS X Lion. The forthcoming 10.7 reportedly integrates improved support for multitouch gestures throughout the operating system, thus making a multitouch input device almost a necessity. Certainly, it would seem that if you don't have one, you're missing out on an entire layer of functionality.
LF: Indeed. I only ordered my Magic Trackpad after my first dalliances with Apple's initial Lion developer preview. It's an operating system that begs to be touched, with good reason. iOS devices foster an intimacy between users and their screens that Macs thus far can't recreate. And since we all know that a touchscreen Mac ain't ever gonna happen—with good reason—the notion of leveraging multitouch through an external interface is a good one.
DM: I have a confession to make… I've been using a Magic Trackpad for more than a year now, and I can't imagine ever going back to a mouse, Magic or otherwise. In fact, when I helped set up my cousins' recently purchased iMac, I felt a deep sense of physical—well, is revulsion too strong a word to use?—at using the Magic Mouse. Truly, it's a poor simulacrum of the Magic Trackpad's superior experience. Using many multitouch gestures on the Magic Mouse is cramped, awkward, and often downright uncomfortable.
LF: I have a confession to make too, Dan. Not to you, but to our readers. I knew full well going into this point/counterpoint that you, like me, adore the Magic Trackpad and would never recommend that anyone purchase a Magic Mouse instead.
DM: So when you were dropping those words like "scam" and "sham" above, you were really talking about us, weren't you?
LF: Guilty. In fact, when I polled Macworld's editorial team to find someone to defend the Magic Mouse's honor, I couldn't find a single soul willing to take up that cause. And I think I understand why. The Magic Mouse is cool, but if you want multitouch gestures—and believe me, if you intend to upgrade to Lion, you really want multitouch gestures—you should go with the device that supports more of them, in a more natural manner. And that device is a Magic Trackpad.
DM: There's no reason to be afraid, either. Frankly, most Mac users these days have at least a passing familiarity with iOS devices. And really, the Magic Trackpad just extends the operating metaphor of iOS devices to the Mac in a logical way.
LF: And frankly, once you're relying on multitouch gestures like two-finger scrolling, and sliding all your windows away with a four-finger swipe, it's easier to keep using your finger to slide the cursor around, too, instead of suddenly dragging your entire multitouch surface around, Magic Mouse-style.
DM: Well, despite our arguments to the contrary, you can buy a Magic Mouse if you really prefer it or have a strong affection for lasers. If you can't quite make up your mind, well, it should be obvious that we think the Magic Trackpad's a better buy. And for the love of all that is good, don't buy a Magic Trackpad and a Magic Mouse. Unless you've got a Magic Cat that really needs feeding.


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Mary Pride
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Jonathan English
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Tricia Goyer
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Steve Hake
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Bob Hazen
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Michele Lee
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Geneva Miller
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Edwin Myers
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John Nixdorf
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June Oberlander
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By Howard and Susan Richman
Printed in Practical Homeschooling #47, 2002.
Has plagiarism ever come up in conversation at home with your kids?
Maybe it should.
I think my own kids' first intro to the idea of plagiarism was way back when our oldest son, Jesse (now 24 years old), was about seven. We had a huge stack of old Highlight Magazines that a retired teacher friend of ours had given to us. We especially liked looking through the pages with kids' original writings and drawings. And there it was - blatant plagiarism by a child. One of the submitted poems was not really written by an 8-year-old, but instead was a poem I'd read in a professional anthology of poetry for children. I found the original poem, showed it to my kids, and we talked about how terrible this was that the child had lied and said the poem was his when it wasn't. Plagiarism was just like stealing.
Later we had other glimpses into plagiarism, sometimes through books we were reading aloud. We found out about the time Helen Keller was accused of plagiarizing a story while in high school - and the hurt and confusion this caused her. We related it to that Highlights incident.
My kids also knew about the story I'd later share in our book Writing from Home, in the intro to a chapter about creative alternatives to report and research writing:
I remember many years ago a young 9-year-old neighbor came up to visit at our house, with Volume "K" of a borrowed school encyclopedia under his arm. He told me that he had to write a report for school about the Kremlin. On talking more with the boy, I gradually became aware of something shocking - he actually believed that the teacher wanted him to copy verbatim the encyclopedia entry on the Kremlin. He thought that's what writing a report meant - copying the dry words somebody else (an anonymous someone at that) had already written. He had no notion of the wrongs of plagiarism - that stealing someone else's words and passing them off as your own was very wrong. And he had even less notion that the goal probably was that he actually learn something about his topic. The Kremlin meant nothing to him at that point, and I'm sure it didn't mean much more once he'd finished his "report."
The issue of plagiarism hit closer to home many years ago, at our own homeschool Writing Club. A sixth grade girl had just read aloud her "report" on Germany. She'd had great difficulty getting through it, laboring over complex sentences that surely didn't sound like they really came from her - and I wondered if she had copied it from an encyclopedia like my young friend writing about the Kremlin. My son Jesse immediately asked her where she'd gotten her information for her report. The girl innocently showed everyone the book on Germany she'd borrowed from the library. I grabbed it, flipped through - and found that indeed she'd simply lifted various sentences about different aspects of German life directly from a smattering of pages from the book.
I was faced with a real dilemma. As leader of the group, I felt I couldn't let this pass by, but of course I did not want to embarrass the girl in front of her friends. I decided upon a sort of general approach. I talked about how important it was to find several different sources of information on a topic, as otherwise we'd often feel that there was no other way to put the ideas we were learning about than exactly the words used by the sole author we'd just read. I also talked about how it was often a better idea to write about things we really did know more about - that when we wrote about something quite (literally!) foreign to us, our writings were often hollow or stilted or . . . merely copied. I asked if anyone had ever heard of the word "plagiarism." My kids were the only ones who had.
The mother of this student was right in the room the whole time. She later thanked me for my careful approach, and said she'd had no idea that her daughter had just copied the info straight from the book. In fact, the mother hadn't yet even read her daughter's report. The mother admitted that she had never ever discussed the idea of plagiarism with her daughter - it just had never come up.
Around that time a new member of Writing Club shared a poem about ballet that she'd written. This girl was a dancer. I knew she was very bright. (She had been in the fifth grade gifted program at the local public school before starting homeschooling mid-year). Her poem was remarkable: lilting, fluid, really capturing the essence of stretching into a ballet pose. I enthusiastically asked if we could use the poem in the BackPack, the children's writing section in each issue of Pennsylvania Homeschooler. The homeschool mother who was the BackPack editor then also loved the piece. She later wished that she had shown the poem to her daughter, also a ballet dancer, before we had published it. Claire immediately recognized the poem - it was plagiarized (with very minor changes) from a poem used regularly in a ballet magazine ad. We were devastated.
Then there was the time I was evaluating a homeschool student who had great difficulty with writing. As a seventh grader he could barely eke out a five-word sentence on any topic. But this time his mother talked on and on about the wonderful book report the boy had written that year. It was his very first book report, and he'd certainly spent lots of time on it, and she was so proud. After I'd read through this summary of the biography of a western hero, I too was warmly congratulating the boy, amazed at his strong progress. Then the family happily showed me the book, and I was devastated to realize rather quickly that the boy had simply copied various sentences from different chapters, and strung them together to write his "book report."
In this situation, I chose not to say anything. Maybe I was too dumbfounded and startled. Maybe I was hit with the fact that maybe the parent didn't even realize how wrong this was. Or maybe I worried about what might happen to the boy if I exposed the fact that the boy had just plagiarized - maybe the family did not know. For whatever reason, I said nothing. I did give many ideas for other types of writing the boy could try for the next school year, and hoped for the best.
Then there was the time that my daughter Hannah came up to me and interrupted me quietly, saying, "Look at this story." She showed me the new magazine that had just arrived that day, Merlyn's Pen, which is devoted to publishing original children's writing. This was their big "awards" issue. The top prize went to a lengthy story by a 12-year-old girl. This was the story Hannah pointed to, asking me to read the first paragraph. Then she held out another magazine, this time an older copy of her beloved American Girl magazine. She opened to a story in American Girl, and pointedly said, "Now read this." It was the identical story, with only a few names changed, and an occasional (very occasional) word altered. The young girl had copied this story and submitted it as her own - and won first place! We were all stunned. We pored over the two stories very carefully, noting every little word altered. These minute changes must have made the girl feel that she wasn't really plagiarizing.
I immediately had Hannah write an email to American Girl Magazine and had my older daughter Molly email Merlyn's Penn, letting them know about this blatant plagiarism. Both magazines wrote back by the end of the weekend, thanking us for alerting them, and noting that several other readers had also reported the situation. We put all these letters in our girls' portfolios that year - a major lesson in ethics for them, and on writing for a real purpose.
Over the next several months we continued to receive updates from the magazines, telling the lengthy process they went through with the girl to ascertain that she had not copied it (one editor had had some doubts about its authenticity, but she wasn't a "connoisseur" of American Girl like my daughter Hannah, and so of course couldn't verify the steal). The girl had originally submitted the story to a teacher for a routine assignment, perhaps thinking that "writing" it out by hand equaled "writing" it in the real sense. And she had made those little changes. . . . The teacher had raved about the story and insisted it be sent in to the competition. The school had a special assembly when it won, and on and on. How devastating for this young girl to have to now face the humiliation of having to admit to everyone that she had cheated, that she copied, that she'd merely plagiarized. The girl was now receiving special counseling. How foolish the teacher must have felt - she should have realized this was not the work of that child. I thought too of that ballet poem I'd gushed over, and remembered vaguely that the girl had sort of tried to get me not to publish it, but I'd thought this was just a bit of normal shyness or humility. I had reacted just like this teacher.
Plagiarism isn't just seen among young kids who maybe really just don't understand fully what they are doing. It happens even with Advanced Placement level homeschool students. I've uncovered plagiarism at least four times in my own AP US History online course. I have had to discuss this issue at length with these students and bring the issue up for discussion at times with the whole class. I now have plagiarism warnings right in my syllabus. I let kids know that if caught a second time in this, they will be dropped immediately from the course. All offenders were strongly religious kids, from good families - the types of kids who would never steal things. They just didn't think of words as things.
Interesting enough, in my current studies of Hebrew I've found the fascinating fact that the Hebrew word devar means both word and thing. In Jewish tradition, stealing words is equal to stealing anything else, and much attention is given to the ethics of properly attributing ideas to their original source. I think more attention needs to be given to this in our homeschooling. We need to specifically teach our children about what is honest writing and what is plagiarizing, not just hope they'll somehow make the connection. Some won't.
In my class, plagiarism has almost always been in a biography assignment, where kids are pulling info off the Internet. Computers just make it so very easy to copy-and-paste and be done with an assignment when you're pressed for time. Now whenever I see something odd in a biography essay - things out of chronological sequence, ideas or even whole sentences repeated in different paragraphs, or simply a very choppy presentation, I now do a quick google search on a few sentences from the piece. The plagiarized website quickly pops up on the screen. (To do this yourself, go to google.com and type the phrase or sentence inside quote marks. That will cause the search engine to try to locate that exact phrase or sentence.)
How to help your kids avoid plagiarism? First, tell them some of these stories. Read this whole article around the lunch table and discuss it. Keep your eyes open for other examples. Let them know plagiarism is wrong before the story you find out about is your own child's. Bring the issue up for discussion directly.
This doesn't just happen with kids. Recently I continued our study of plagiarism with my daughter Hannah by reading aloud an essay from Time magazine about the popular history writer Stephen Ambrose. Unfortunately, this fine writer has now been caught in multiple cases of plagiarizing from secondary sources in a number of his recent books.
Next, see that assignments are structured to almost make it impossible for a student to plagiarize. At the suggestion of some wonderfully creative students in my AP online course, I've encouraged the kids to write their Biography Essays in innovative ways. I let them know that their audience is their classmates, who really want to learn something from their piece - but they may fall asleep in three sentences if their essay starts out droning "John Doe was born in 1827 in Philadelphia. . . ."
My students have been remarkable in the range of formats they've developed now for this assignment. They've done mock interviews, funeral orations, series of imagined letters from the famous person to a grandchild, or from an invented friend to the famous person. They've written mock news articles from different periods of the person's life - often making sure they write from different perspectives in each "article" so we get a sense of how opposing groups reacted to the person. They've created journal entries spanning a lifetime. Perhaps one of my very favorites was one written this year about President Buchanan. The student created a whole story. The plot: as a student in my course, she was touring outside the White House, and pondering her Bio Essay assignment, when all of a sudden a strange, skinny old man pops out and starts telling her all about Buchanan. She eventually finds out at the very end of the story (after we've learned a remarkable amount about Buchanan) that this old man is really . . . Uncle Sam. It was delightful.
Students who take this sort of creative approach can't possibly plagiarize. They have to use the info they've gathered in really novel ways, showing us both personality as well as facts, and they have to make true decisions about what is really important to include.
Students caught doing cut-and-paste from the Internet are always those trying to get by with a straightforward, bare-bones, factual, and usually short essay. They then must rewrite it completely, this time using one of the creative approaches.
The difference is remarkable.
Next year, I'm requiring inventiveness from everyone, right from the start.
This idea can be adapted to all ages, and across many disciplines. I remember the time our daughter Molly wrote about Helen Keller in her very early elementary years. Rather than having her write a report, the task was to create an alphabet book about Keller's life, coming up with something for each letter of the alphabet that would tell something important. It was charming. Perhaps my very favorite entry was this one for the tricky letter Q:
"QUIET: Everybody was quiet. She could not even hear herself. It is like being sealed in a rock that only your hand could go through."
There was no plagiarism here!
What if you want your child to write a report on a foreign country? In seventh grade my daughter Hannah was faced with this for a distance geography course she was taking. She had to write about a country that was a new political entity. Hannah was bored thinking she'd have to do this as a straight encyclopedia-type paper, so instead she developed a creative story format. A girl from the US, who knows little to nothing about world geography, went out in her backyard and was suddenly in a very strange land. . . . which she eventually finds out is Eritrea. The format gave her ample opportunity to bring in all the information required in the assignment, and her distance teacher was delighted with the amusing approach. Hannah was definitely not bored while working on it, and there was no way she could have done it by merely copying info from a website or atlas.
One last story about plagiarism, one with a positive ending: several years ago, when my daughter Molly was editing the BackPack, she wrote an editorial about plagiarism, telling a bit about that Merlyn's Pen fiasco I shared about above. She knew her writing had really done some good in the world when a young boy wrote to her a few months later, apologizing for sending her a poem that had really been plagiarized. He now knew what this meant from her editorial, and he was sorry. I don't think he'll ever plagiarize again. Hope this will be true for your kids also.
Based on an article that originally appeared in issue #78 of Pennsylvania Homeschoolers, Susan and Howard Richman's quarterly newsletter. Used by permission.
The Charlotte Mason Approach to Poetry
Give Yourself a "CLEP Scholarship"
Character Matters for Kids
The Benefits of Cursive Writing
Top Tips for Teaching Toddlers
Critical Thinking and Logic
How to "Bee" a Spelling Success
Whole-Language Boondoggle
Advanced Math: Trig, PreCalc, and more!
A Homeschooler Wins the Heisman
Teach Your Children to Work
AP Courses At Home
The Benefits of Debate
The Equal Sign - Symbol, Name, Meaning
What We Can Learn from the Homeschooled 2002 National Geography Bee Winners
A Reason for Reading
Saxon Math: Facts vs. Rumors
Montessori Language Arts at Home, Part 1
Interview with John Taylor Gatto
The Charlotte Mason Method
University Model Schools
How to Win the Geography Bee
Start a Nature Notebook
Phonics the Montessori Way
Can Homeschoolers Participate In Public School Programs?
Bears in the House
Classical Education
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Art Appreciation the Charlotte Mason Way
Columbus and the Flat Earth...
Discover Your Child's Learning Style
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Getting Organized Part 1 - Tips & Tricks
Why the Internet will Never Replace Books
Who Needs the Prom?
Getting Started in Homeschooling: The First Ten Steps
I Was an Accelerated Child
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Don't Give Up on Your Late Bloomers
Combining Work and Homeschool
The Gift of a Mentor
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Top Jobs for the College Graduate
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Getting Organized Part 3
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Sending Notificationsimprove this page | report issue
In order to send push or SMS notifications to iOS, Android or Windows devices, the MobileFirst Server first needs to be configured with the FCM details for Android, an APNS certificate for iOS or WNS credentials for Windows 8.1 Universal / Windows 10 UWP. Notifications can then be sent to: all devices (broadcast), devices that registered to specific tags, a single Device ID, User Ids, only iOS devices, only Android devices, only Windows devices, or based on the authenticated user.
Prerequisite: Make sure to read the Notifications overview tutorial.
Jump to
- Setting-up Notifications
- Defining Tags
- Sending Notifications
- HTTP/2 Support for APNs Push Notifications
- Proxy Support
- Tutorials to follow next
Setting up Notifications
Enabling notifications support involves several configuration steps in both MobileFirst Server and the client application.
Continue reading for the server-side setup, or jump to Client-side setup.
On the server-side, required set-up includes: configuring the needed vendor (APNS, FCM or WNS) and mapping the "push.mobileclient" scope.
Firebase Cloud Messaging
Note: Google has deprecated GCM and has integrated Cloud Messaging with Firebase. If you are using a GCM project, ensure that you migrate the GCM client apps on Android to FCM .
Android devices use the Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) service for push notifications.
To setup FCM:
- Visit the Firebase Console.
- Create a new project and provide a project name.
- Click on the Settings "cog wheel" icon and select Project settings.
- Click the Cloud Messaging tab to generate a Server API Key and a Sender ID and click Save.
You can also setup FCM using either the REST API for the MobileFirst Push service or the REST API for the MobileFirst administration service
If your organization has a firewall that restricts the traffic to or from the Internet, you must go through the following steps:
- Configure the firewall to allow connectivity with FCM in order for your FCM client apps to receive messages.
- The ports to open are 5228, 5229, and 5230. FCM typically uses only 5228, but it sometimes uses 5229 and 5230.
- FCM does not provide specific IP, so you must allow your firewall to accept outgoing connections to all IP addresses contained in the IP blocks listed in Google's ASN of 15169.
- Ensure that your firewall accepts outgoing connections from MobileFirst Server to fcm.googleapis.com on port 443.
Apple Push Notifications Service
iOS devices use Apple's Push Notification Service (APNS) for push notifications.
To setup APNS:
- Generate a push notification certificate for development or production. For detailed steps, refer the
For iOSsection here.
- In the MobileFirst Operations Console → [your application] → Push → Push Settings, select the certificate type and provide the certificate's file and password. Then, click Save.
- For push notifications to be sent, the following servers must be accessible from a MobileFirst Server instance:
- Sandbox servers:
- gateway.sandbox.push.apple.com:2195
- feedback.sandbox.push.apple.com:2196
- Production servers:
- gateway.push.apple.com:2195
- Feedback.push.apple.com:2196
- 1-courier.push.apple.com 5223
- Sandbox servers:
- During the development phase, use the apns-certificate-sandbox.p12 sandbox certificate file.
- During the production phase, use the apns-certificate-production.p12 production certificate file.
- The APNS production certificate can only be tested once the application that utilizes it has been successfully submitted to the Apple App Store.
Note: MobileFirst does not support Universal certificates.
You can also setup APNS using either the REST API for the MobileFirst Push service or the REST API for the MobileFirst administration service
Windows Push Notifications Service
Windows devices use the Windows Push Notifications Service (WNS) for push notifications.
To setup WNS:
- Follow the instructions provided by Microsoft to generate the Package Security Identifier (SID) and Client secret values.
- In the MobileFirst Operations Console → [your application] → Push → Push Settings, add these values and click Save.
You can also setup WNS using either the REST API for the MobileFirst Push service or the REST API for the MobileFirst administration service
SMS Notification Service
The following JSON is used to setup the SMS gateway for sending SMS notifications. Use the
smsConf REST API to update the MobileFirst Server with the SMS gateway configuration
"host": "2by0.com",
"name": "dummy",
"port": "80",
"programName": "gateway/add.php",
"parameters": [{
"name": "xmlHttp",
"value": "false",
"encode": "true"
}, {
"name": "httpsEnabled",
"value": "false",
"encode": "true"
Find more SMS-related REST APIs in the Push Service API Reference
Scope mapping
Map the push.mobileclient scope element to the application.
- Load the MobileFirst Operations Console and navigate to [your application] → Security → Scope-Elements Mapping, click on New.
Write "push.mobileclient" in the Scope element field. Then, click Add.
Scope Description apps.read Permission to read application resource. apps.write Permission to create, update, delete application resource. gcmConf.read Permission to read GCM configuration settings (API Key and SenderId). gcmConf.write Permission to update, delete GCM configuration settings. apnsConf.read Permission to read APNs configuration settings. apnsConf.write Permission to update, delete APNs configuration settings. devices.read Permission to read device. devices.write Permission to create, update delete device. subscriptions.read Permission to read subscriptions. subscriptions.write Permission to create, update, delete subscriptions. messages.write Permission to send push notifications. webhooks.read Permission to read event-notifications. webhooks.write Permission to send event-notifications. smsConf.read Permission to read SMS configuration settings. smsConf.write Permission to update, delete SMS configuration settings. wnsConf.read Permission to read WNS configuration settings. wnsConf.write Permission to update, delete WNS configuration settings.
Authenticated Notifications
Authenticated notifications are notifications that are sent to one or more
Map the push.mobileclient scope element to the security check used for the application.
- Load the MobileFirst Operations Console and navigate to [your application] → Security → Scope-Elements Mapping, click on New or edit an existing scope mapping entry.
Select a security check. Then, click Add.
Defining Tags
In the MobileFirst Operations Console → [your application] → Push → Tags, click New.
Provide the appropriate
Tag Name and
Description and click Save.
Subscriptions tie together a device registration and a tag. When a device is unregistered from a tag, all associated subscriptions are automatically unsubscribed from the device itself. In a scenario where there are multiple users of a device, subscriptions should be implemented in mobile applications based on user log-in criteria. For example, the subscribe call is made after a user successfully logs in to an application and the unsubscribe call is made explicitly as part of the logout action handling.
Sending Notifications
Push notifications can be sent either from the MobileFirst Operations Console or via REST APIs.
- With the MobileFirst Operations Console, two types of notifications can be sent: tag and broadcast.
- With the REST APIs, all forms of notifications can be sent: tag, broadcast and authenticated.
MobileFirst Operations Console
Notifications can be sent to a single Device ID, a single or several User IDs, only iOS devices or only Android devices, or to devices subscribed to tags.
Tag notifications
Tag notifications are notification messages that are targeted to all the devices that are subscribed to a particular tag. Tags represent topics of interest to the user and provide the ability to receive notifications according to the chosen interest.
In the MobileFirst Operations Console → [your application] → Push → Send Notifications tab, select Devices By Tags from the Send To tab and provide the Notification Text. Then, click Send.
Broadcast notifications
Broadcast notifications are a form of tag push notifications that are targeted to all subscribed devices. Broadcast notifications are enabled by default for any push-enabled MobileFirst application by a subscription to a reserved
Push.all tag (auto-created for every device). The
Push.all tag can be programmatically unsubscribed.
In the MobileFirst Operations Console → [your application] → Push → Send Notifications tab, select All from the Send To tab and provide the Notification Text. Then, click Send.
REST APIs
When using the REST APIs to send notifications, all forms of notifications can be sent: tag & broadcast notifications, and authenticated notifications.
To send a notification, a request is made using POST to the REST endpoint:
Example URL:
To review all Push Notifications REST APIs, see the REST API Runtime Services topic in the user documentation.
Notification payload
The request can contain the following payload properties:
|Payload Properties
|The alert message to be sent
|The settings are the different attributes of the notification.
|Set of targets can be consumer Ids, devices, platforms, or tags. Only one of the targets can be set.
|An array of the devices represented by the device identifiers. Devices with these ids receive the notification. This is a unicast notification.
|Integer value to indicate the channel (Push/SMS) used to send message. Allowed values are 1 (only Push), 2 (only SMS) and 3 (Push and SMS)
|An array of device platforms. Devices running on these platforms receive the notification. Supported values are A (Apple/iOS), G (Google/Android) and M (Microsoft/Windows).
|An array of tags specified as tagNames. Devices that are subscribed to these tags receive the notification. Use this type of target for tag based notifications.
|An array of users represented by their userIds to send the notification. This is a unicast notification.
|The phone number used for registering the device and receiving notifications. This is a unicast notification.
Push Notifications Payload JSON Example
"message" : {
"alert" : "Test message",
"settings" : {
"apns" : {
"badge" : 1,
"iosActionKey" : "Ok",
"payload" : "",
"sound" : "song.mp3",
"type" : "SILENT",
"gcm" : {
"delayWhileIdle" : ,
"payload" : "",
"sound" : "song.mp3",
"timeToLive" : ,
"target" : {
// The list below is for demonstration purposes only - per the documentation only 1 target is allowed to be used at a time.
"deviceIds" : [ "MyDeviceId1", ... ],
"platforms" : [ "A,G", ... ],
"tagNames" : [ "Gold", ... ],
"userIds" : [ "MyUserId", ... ],
SMS Notification Payload JSON Example
"message": {
"alert": "Hello World from an SMS message"
"target" : {
"deviceIds" : ["38cc1c62-03bb-36d8-be8e-af165e671cf4"]
Sending the notification
The notification can be sent using different tools.
For testing purposes, Postman is used as described below:
Configure a Confidential Client.
Sending a Push Notification via the REST API uses the space-separated scope elements
- Make a POST request to http://localhost:9080/imfpush/v1/apps/com.sample.PushNotificationsAndroid/messages
- If using a remote MobileFirst, replace the
portvalues with your own.
- Update the application identifier value with your own.
- If using a remote MobileFirst, replace the
- Set a Header:
- Authorization:
Bearer eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImp ...
- Replace the value after "Bearer" with the value of your access token from step (1) above.
- Authorization:
- Set a Body:
- Update its properties as described in Notification payload above.
- For example, by adding the target property with the userIds attribute, you can send a notification to specific registered users.
{ "message" : { "alert" : "Hello World!" } }
After clicking on the Send button, the device should have now received a notification:
Customizing Notifications
Before sending the notification message, you can also customize the following notification attributes.
In the MobileFirst Operations Console → [your application] → Push → Tags → Send Notifications tab, expend the iOS/Android Custom Settings section to change notification attributes.
- Notification sound, how long a notification can be stored in the FCM storage, custom payload and more.
- If you want to change the notification title, then add
push_notification_tilein the Android project's strings.xml file.
- Notification sound, custom payload, action key title, notification type and badge number.
HTTP/2 Support for APNs Push Notifications
Apple Push Notification service (APNs) supports a new API based on HTTP/2 network protocol. Support for HTTP/2 provides many benefits, including those listed below:
- Message length increased from 2 KB to 4 KB, which enables to add extra content to notifications.
- Eliminates the need for multiple connections between client and server, this improves the throughput.
- Universal Push Notification Client SSL Certificate support.
Push Notifications in MobileFirst now supports the HTTP/2 based APNs Push Notifications along with the legacy TCP Socket based notifications.
Enabling Legacy TCP socket connection
The Legacy TCP Socket based notifications can be enabled using a JNDI Property. The HTTP/2 support is default from iFIX 18.104.22.168-MFPF-IF202008201003.
<jndiEntry jndiName="imfpush/mfp.push.apns.http2.enabled" value= "false"/>
Note: If the above JNDI property is added, HTTP/2 based notifications will not be used and only the legacy TCP Socket based notifications will be enabled.
Proxy Support for HTTP/2
HTTP/2 based notifications can be sent via a HTTP Proxy. To enable routing of the notifications via a proxy, see here.
Proxy Support
You can make use proxy settings to set the optional proxy through which notifications are sent to Android and iOS devices. You can set the proxy by using the push.apns.proxy. and push.gcm.proxy. configuration properties. For more information, see List of JNDI properties for MobileFirst Server push service.
Tutorials to follow next
With the server-side now set-up, setup the client-side and handle received notifications.
- Handling push notifications
- Handling SMS notifications
Inclusive terminology note: The Mobile First Platform team is making changes to support the IBM® initiative to replace racially biased and other discriminatory language in our code and content with more inclusive language. While IBM values the use of inclusive language, terms that are outside of IBM's direct influence are sometimes required for the sake of maintaining user understanding. As other industry leaders join IBM in embracing the use of inclusive language, IBM will continue to update the documentation to reflect those changes.


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I promised recipes for some of the things we had on Memorial Day... Promise made~promise kept.
Fruit Salsa
It really was a simple menu~ I was more interested in spending time with friends than spending time in the kitchen. That is my definition of a party! All of this I was able to do ahead of time. Bill manned the grill while I manned the sangria.
Chicken K-bobs
4 boneless chicken breasts
6 small potatoes
2 yellow squash
1 bell pepper
fresh mushrooms
Sage leaves
Slice the chicken breasts into large chunks, and place in a zip-loc bag to marinate. Boil the potatoes for 5-10 minutes until tender. Slice squash and pepper in large chunks. Skewer all of these ingredients onto a skewer. Using the sage leaves around the potatoes. Grill over a low flame 20-25 minutes turning until the chicken is done. (this serves 4- double or triple as needed) Serve with fruit salsa.
Fruit Salsa
1 cup diced honeydew
1 cup diced cantaloupe
1 apple diced
8-10 leaves fresh mint, chopped
8-10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
3-5 slices jalapeno, diced
1 tsp vinaigrette dressing
Combine all ingredients. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
I hope you were able to celebrate with friends and family as well. Memorial Day is the beginning of summer~ Y'all enjoy!


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This article is more than 1 year old
SHA-1 compromised further
Crypto researchers point the way to feasible attack
Crypto researchers have discovered a new, much faster, attack against the widely-used SHA-1 hashing algorithm. Xiaoyun Wang, one of the team of Chinese cryptographers that demonstrated earlier attacks against SHA-0 and SHA-1, along with Andrew Yao and Frances Yao, have discovered a way to produce a collision in SHA-1 over just 263 hash operations compared to 269 hash operations previously. A brute force attack should take 280 operations.
One-way hashing is used in many applications such as creating checksums used to validate files, creating digital certificates, authentication schemes and in VPN security hardware. Collisions occur when two different inputs produce the same output hash. In theory this might be used to forge digital certificates but it shouldn't be possible to find collisions except by blind chance. Wang and her team have discovered an algorithm for finding collisions much faster than brute force. The researchers released a paper (PDF) on their finding at the Crypto 2005 conference in Santa Barbara, California earlier this week.
"The SHA-1 collision search is squarely in the realm of feasibility," writes noted cryptographer Bruce Schneier in a posting to his web log. "Some research group will try to implement it. Writing working software will both uncover hidden problems with the attack, and illuminate hidden improvements. And while a paper describing an attack against SHA-1 is damaging, software that produces actual collisions is even more so."
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently advised the US government to phase out SHA-1 in favor of SHA-256 and SHA-512. NIST is holding a workshop on the subject in late October. ®


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Knowing that the ancients invested special meaning in certain numbers is critical to understanding a very challenging, and neglected, story in the Gospels, namely, the parable of the woman with the 10 coins (Luke 15, 8-10). Without grasping the symbolism of the numbers, this parable loses its meaning.
Here is the parable as Scripture gives it. A woman had 10 coins and lost one. She became extremely anxious and agitated about the loss and began to search frantically and relentlessly for the lost coin, lighting lamps, looking under tables and sweeping all the floors in her house.
Eventually she found the coin and her joy in finding it matched her agitation in losing it. She was delirious with joy, called together her neighbours to share in her joy and threw a party whose cost far exceeded the value of the coin she had lost.
Why such anxiety and such joy over the loss a coin and the finding of a coin whose value was that of a dime? The answer lies in the symbolism of numbers: In her culture, nine was not a whole number; 10 was a whole number. Both the woman's anxiety on losing the coin and her joy in finding it have little to do with the value of the coin. They have to do with the value of wholeness. A certain wholeness in her life had been fractured and only by finding the coin could it be restored.
In essence, this is the parable: A woman had 10 children and these constituted her family. With nine of them, she had a good relationship, but one of her daughters was alienated from her and from the family. Everyone else came regularly to the family table, but this one daughter did not. The woman couldn't find rest in that situation; she needed her alienated daughter to rejoin them. She tried every means to reconcile with her daughter and, one day, in a miracle of miracles, it worked.
Her daughter reconciled with her and came back to the family. The family was whole again, everyone was back at table. The woman was overjoyed, withdrew her modest savings from the bank, and threw a lavish party to celebrate the great grace that her family was whole again.
There's an important lesson here. Like that woman, we are meant to be anxious, not able to rest, lighting lamps and searching, until our families, churches and communities are again whole and those who will no longer sit at a table with us are back in the fold. Nine is not a whole number ... and neither is the number of those who are normally at our family or eucharistic tables.
We need to be constantly uneasy. Who is not at table with us? Who no longer goes to church with us? Who feels uncomfortable worshipping with us? Who will no longer join us in a conversation over morality or politics? And, most importantly, are we comfortable with the fact that so many people can no longer join us at our family, eucharistic, moral or political tables?
Sadly, today, too many of us are comfortable in families, churches and communities that are far, far from whole. Sometimes, in our less reflective moments, we even rejoice in it: "Good riddance! Love us or leave us! She wasn't a real Catholic in any case! His views are so narrow and bigoted it's just as well he isn't here! We are better off without that kind! There's more peace this way! We are a purer, more faithful, family or church because of her absence!"
But it's this attitude and lack of healthy solicitude for wholeness that, perhaps more than any other thing, explains the joylessness and hardness that is so evident everywhere today in our families, churches and political circles.
Unlike Jesus, whose heart ached with God's universal salvific will and who prayed in tears for those "other sheep who are not of this fold," and unlike the woman who lost one of her coins and would not sleep until every corner of the house was turned upside down in a frantic search for what was lost, we content ourselves with just nine coins, an incomplete set, instead of setting out solicitously in search of that lost wholeness that would again bring us completeness and joy.
The preciousness and joy of a whole numberBy Fr. Ron Rolheiser
- October 4, 2011
Today we don't attach a lot of symbolism to numbers. A few, mostly superstitious, remnants remain from former ages, such as seeing the number seven as lucky and the number 13 as unlucky. For the most part, for us, numbers are arbitrary.
This hasn't always been the case. In biblical times, they attached a lot of meaning to certain numbers. For example, in the Bible, the numbers 40, 10, 12 and 100 are highly symbolic. The number 40, for instance, speaks of the length of time required before something can come to proper fruition, while the numbers 10, 12 and 100 speak of a certain wholeness that is required to properly appropriate grace.


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Having trouble keeping up with our increasingly organic, eco-friendly world? Let me be your guide! From all-natural makeup to the best in eco-conscious jeans, I will test and review the products and treatments that are best for you and the planet.
As the owner of Priti, the only all-organic spa specializing in luxurious manicures and pedicures in New York City, Australian native Kim D'Amato is at the forefront of a natural beauty revolution. While it's easier than ever to pop in for a quick manicure and pedicure (or facial or eyebrow wax) at one of the thousands of salons lining the streets of the five boroughs, D'Amato is the only one who has taken a close look at the ingredients contained in the average bottle of nail polish and decided to take a different approach. All of the polishes and polish removers used at Priti are free from dibutyl phthalate (or DBP), toluene and formaldehyde (ingredients commonly found in most nail color and remover). The Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Database has found all three of these ingredients to be extremely toxic, with possible links to cancer.
On a continual hunt for nontoxic beauty treatments, I've had the pleasure of receiving several treatments at Priti. Each time, I've found it impossible to locate the "but" — the exception that makes a natural, organic or eco-friendly product almost as good as its conventional counterpart (you may buy organic cotton sheets to find that they're not nearly as soft as your regular cotton set, or you may buy a bottle of all-natural nail polish to find that it doesn't last nearly as long as the regular polishes you've been using for years). In fact, I found my Priti experiences to be more satisfying than a typical manicure and pedicure. Not only were my tootsies slathered in organic rosemary oil and fresh mint leaves, but the deep red polish used on my toes lasted just as long as that of a traditional pedicure. Since I refuse to subject my toes — or my nose — to the toxicity of a regular pedicure and I apply polish like a clumsy 6-year-old, finding Priti is almost too good to be true. Owner Kim D'Amato recently answered a few of my pressing questions, assuring me that she is dedicated to natural beauty and that Priti will be around for a long time.
What inspired you to open an all-organic spa and how did you make it a reality?
Priti has been open for just over two years and the inspiration came from being pregnant with my daughter. I started to change my eating habits and after sitting in a conventional salon, I figured that if I can eat organically I can also find a way to do beauty routines in the same way. After reading Richard Branson's biography, I was inspired to just go for it. I took one day a week from my job as a photographer's rep and after 250 hours I got my license as a nail tech. Then I took what money I had in my pocket, quit my job and built and opened Priti.
Is Priti really the only spa in New York City that uses 100 percent organic products? Why do you think that is?Yes, Priti is the only salon that uses only organic products. I feel this is because of the cost of running a green spa. The products that we buy and use in our services are expensive, which drives our prices up. That said, I have checked all the spa salons in my vicinity and Priti compares with them very fairly considering the fact that we are using products that are all clean. I also try to use vendors from local sources and family-run businesses to support other small-business owners. As for the products, our nail polish remover is made from soy and corn; we use Dr. Alkaitis organic skin food in our facials, and our polishes are DBP, toluene and formaldehyde-free. Our teas are also organic, and the creams, sugar scrubs and essential oils that we use in our pedicures and manicures are organic, too. Our spa also uses organic cleaning products; our Web site is run by Thinkhost, which is a green Web hosting company that plants a tree for every person who joins. Plus, we use green energy services from ConEd, and recycled paper in our marketing.
Do you think we will see more organic spas in the future?
The more people use green products and the more we support organic farming, the more we will drive the market and lower the prices of organic products and then more people will change over to green products. Then I am sure we will see many more green spas — my dream is that it will become the norm. I don't understand why women still choose to use toxic products on themselves. Most of the beauty products out there contain parabens, petroleum, formaldehyde, DBP and toluene. We can choose not to use these products and yet we keep choosing the cancer-causing option. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogenic, toluene is linked to birth defects and nerve damage, and DBP is linked to birth defects and reproductive problems. The skin is the largest organ in the body. It respires, regulates, excretes, protects and absorbs. Organic products contain no petrochemicals, no parabens and are full of ingredients that are grown without chemicals. We use organic essential oils as an aromatherapy treatment at the same time you are receiving your services — I am a firm believer that these plant oils can help us relax and heal as well.
What is your favorite Priti treatment? My favorite treatment is the Deep Manicure and Pedicure. We use fresh rosemary and mint in these services. Rosemary is great for nervous exhaustion, colds and stress and is also excellent for skin generation.
Marisa Belger is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience covering health and wellness. She was a founding editor of Lime.com, a multiplatform media company specializing in health, wellness and sustainable living. Marisa also collaborated with Josh Dorfman on "The Lazy Environmentalist" (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang), a comprehensive guide to easy, stylish green living.
Please note: Neither Marisa Belger nor TODAYshow.com have been compensated by the manufacturers or their representatives for her comments or selection of products reviewed in this column.