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What percentage of RAP is best? It depends.
T here are powerful inducements today to reuse reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in a variety of applications. And the big question about RAP has shifted from whether it belongs in mixes at all, to how much can safely be accommodated in a mix.
It is this question that is driving an enormous amount of attention and research today. Many road agencies are closely observing the research as they permit higher percentages of RAP in a mix. Environmental legislation at the state level also is compelling higher percentages of RAP.
In the meantime, research continues on the questions of to what degree does the residual asphalt on RAP replace performance-graded (PG) binders; how will larger percentages of RAP impact the type of PG binder that should be specified for a Superpave mix in a particular location; and how important is the processing and analysis of RAP stockpiles in allowing higher percentages of RAP in asphalt mixes.
New guidance was released this year and last from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) on higher amounts of RAP in asphalt mixes.
Today, critical-performance mixes – such as those for surface or friction courses – typically get a lower percentage of RAP allowed than the intermediate or leveling courses just below them. It's being demonstrated that warm-mix asphalt (WMA) modifiers can permit higher percentages of RAP in a mix, and that warm mixes are very friendly to RAP. Use of a rejuvenator can allow vastly higher percentages of RAP in noncritical intermediate courses. And foamed asphalt- or asphalt emulsion-stabilized bases can use 100-percent RAP, as was done in a major recycling project on Interstate 81 in Virginia this year.
In 2009, researchers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) estimated that across the United States, RAP usage varied considerably, but the average RAP content was estimated to be around 15 percent. Boosting that average could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from roadbuilding substantially, National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) president Mike Acott says. "Use of 25-percent RAP reduces total lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent, which equates to 2 million tons [of carbon dioxide] offset annually," he says.
And more emissions reduction is possible, Acott implies: "A singular quality of asphalt cement in that it is rejuvenated when RAP is incorporated into new pavement, becoming an integral part of the binder. In view of the high reuse/recycling rate in lead states, including a preponderance of evidence that the quality of asphalt pavements incorporating RAP is equal to or better than pavements using all virgin materials, there is ample opportunity to double the quantity of RAP used within five years."
Boosting the amount of RAP in mixes is a line item in the National Asphalt Road Map: Commitment to the Future, produced in 2007 by NAPA; FHWA; American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials; Asphalt Institute; and National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association.
The asphalt road map lists Item No. 4.09: Develop High RAP Content Mix Design Procedure as one of its needed high-priority research projects. The road map also urges study on use of recycled materials other than RAP in asphalt mixes.
"The use of RAP in recycled asphalt pavement is well accepted practice by many federal, state and local agencies," the road map says. "In many areas, almost all hot-mix asphalt (HMA) contains at least some RAP. However, with a few exceptions, the amount of RAP that can be added in hot plant mix asphalt mixtures is limited to relatively low percentages and in some areas the use of RAP is prohibited in certain types of mixtures, such as surface courses. Typically, the maximum percentage of RAP allowed is anywhere from 15 to 30 percent by weight of HMA mixture."
The road map anticipates considerably higher percentages being implemented. "Laboratory and field studies have been performed on HMA with much higher percentages of RAP," the road map says. "These investigations have concluded that HMA materials with percentages in excess of 50 percent can be produced to perform the same as 'virgin' mixes. It has been well established that agencies that are not currently allowing RAP into their HMA mixtures and those that are only allowing small percentages of RAP can safely increase the amount of RAP used without fear of shortening pavement life, provided that best practices are followed. . . . [T]he state-of-the-practice relative to the mix design procedures using high RAP content mixes needs to be established."
To this end, last year, the leaders of trade associations that represent 150 million tons a year of asphalt recycling signed a cooperative agreement aimed at doubling the rate of reuse/recycling of asphalt pavements within five years.
Principal signatories to the agreement were NAPA and the Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA). Letters of support were provided by the FHWA and EPA. Under the agreement, NAPA and ARRA pledge to support each other's efforts to deal with common challenges and build on each other's strengths regarding asphalt recycling issues.
"Asphalt pavement is America's most recycled material," says NAPA's Acott. "There are more than 18 billion tons of asphalt pavement already in place on the roads, streets and highways of this country. These same roads that Americans use every day are also a resource that future generations can use. Our goal is to increase the rate of recycling even further."
"Reclaiming and recycling asphalt roads brings America the best possible pavements while conserving precious natural resources," says Mike Krissoff, executive director of ARRA. "The members of both ARRA and NAPA are proud of the industry's long track record of delivering quality and value."
Efforts to boost RAP usage are restrained by the fact that larger-than-conventional doses of RAP – without binder adaptation – can complicate long-term mix performance.
One "rap" against RAP is that its composition varies because it's sourced from a wide variety of locations. Therefore, advance knowledge of the composition of the residual binder in RAP – along with the separate stockpiling of different varieties, or blending of varieties to create a consistent product – is necessary for creation of reliable mixes.
One way to boost use and consistency of RAP in asphalt mixes is for producers to maintain sheltered, blended RAP stockpiles and, if needed, to reprocess, or fractionate, the RAP into individual gradations. Sheltered stockpiles are favored because RAP doesn't shed water as easily as virgin aggregate.
The processing, or "fractionation," of RAP replicates conventional best practices for virgin aggregate processing. With fractionation, RAP is screened, with oversize broken into smaller fractions and each stockpiled separately. Fractionated RAP may result in more uniform mixes, in which RAP fractions can be isolated, in contrast to general stockpiles in which large and smaller fractions may become segregated.
Long ago it was established that RAP was not just a "black rock," but that its residual asphalt – oxidized and brittle as it is, and in varying amounts – still provides a bituminous portion to the overall mix design, permitting addition of a lesser amount of expensive liquid asphalt binder. The Asphalt Institute (AI)stated components of RAP have value, particularly true of asphalt binder, and the residual asphalt can reduce the amount of new asphalt binder in a mixture. A mix with 20-percent RAP with 5-percent asphalt content can result in a 1-percent savings in new asphalt binder, AI says.
RAP = Stiffer Mixture
Excessive amounts of RAP in the mixture can have substantial effects on pavement performance. Use of 15-percent or more RAP can result in a significant increase in stiffness of the mixture, which can enhance durability. But the use of RAP in hot-mix asphalt also can negatively affect low temperature cracking characteristics of the pavement.
"The aggregate in RAP should be considered as if it were just another stockpile of virgin aggregate," states the Washington State DOT in an online tutorial. "RAP aggregate properties, as with virgin aggregate properties, may limit the amount of RAP that can be used in a particular mixture."
The residual binder in RAP must be taken into account when designing a mix, WashDOT says. "The effect of RAP asphalt binder must be considered when using RAP in Superpave mix design (or any mix design)," the tutorial states. "RAP asphalt binder will blend with virgin asphalt binder in most any mix design, and the resulting properties of this blended asphalt binder must be understood."
The reason is that RAP asphalt binder already is significantly aged because of its previous field life, WashDOT says. "This aged binder is generally stiffer than virgin asphalt binder and thus will cause the resultant binder blend to become more viscous (stiffer)," the tutorial says. "This, in turn, will cause the HMA to be more viscous."
Therefore, successful RAP mix designs incorporating RAP above 15 percent by weight should analyze the stiffness of the existing residual binder in the RAP, and compare it to the stiffness of the virgin liquid binder, along with the proportions of each in the final product.
In their 2010 Transportation Research Board paper, A Backcalculation Method to Determine "Effective" Asphalt Binder Properties of RAP Mixtures, Thomas Bennert, Ph.D., senior research engineer, Rutgers University's Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), and Raj Dongré, Ph.D., Dongré Laboratory Services, Fairfax, Va., observe that it's important to understand the effect that RAP has on the final asphalt mixture performance.
"Current recommendations for the use of RAP in asphalt mixtures follow those developed under NCHRP Project 9-12, Incorporation of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in the Superpave System," they write. These include: no change in binder selection necessary for RAP percentages less than 15 percent; select a virgin binder grade one grade softer than normal for RAP percentages between 15 and 25 percent; and follow recommendations from blending charts when RAP percentages are greater than 25 percent. The results were based on laboratory testing of asphalt mixtures containing approximately 5-percent asphalt binder and using non-fractioned RAP.
'Tiered' Approach to Higher RAP
Similarly, New Jersey has taken an incremental approach in raising allowable percentages of RAP in its mixes, with evaluation of the residual RAP binder required for doses higher than 15 percent.
In his 2010 presentation, Higher RAP Mixes in New Jersey: Changes in Mix Design and Production, CAIT's Bennert describes the efforts that New Jersey DOT is undergoing to incorporate higher levels of RAP in mixes while maintaining pavement durability.
New Jersey DOT has established "tiers" describing increasing levels of RAP in mixes.
• Tier 1: 10- to 15-percent RAP. Asphalt binder grade for the mixture is selected for the environmental and traffic conditions the same as required for a mixture with all virgin materials. With RAP limited to 15 percent or less, it is not necessary to determine the properties of the RAP binder. No [PG] grade adjustment is made to compensate for the stiffness of the asphalt binder in the RAP.
• Tier 2: 16- to 25-percent RAP. The asphalt binder grade can also be selected using an appropriate blending chart if the supplier chooses to adjust the binder selection to compensate for the stiffness of the reclaimed asphalt binder. Extraction and recovery of RAP binder with binder testing is required. Regardless of the method used to select binder grade, adjust binder grade as necessary to meet mixture performance requirements
• Tier 3: 26- to 40-percent RAP. The binder grade for the new asphalt binder is selected using an appropriate blending chart for high and low temperatures. Extraction and recovery of RAP binder and testing is required on a minimum of five samples. Adjust binder grade as necessary to meet mixture performance requirements.
Indiana Justifies More RAP
Use of larger amounts of RAP – and thus changes in a state's RAP acceptance spec – can be justified by adjusting the type of PG grading used for a Superpave mix, say Matthew Beeson and Michael Prather, Indiana DOT, and Gerry Huber, Heritage Research Group, in their 2011 TRB paper, Characterization of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in Indiana: Changing INDOT Specification for RAP.
But doing so requires intensive study of the binder properties in the existing storehouse of RAP across the state, and comparing them to the properties of new asphalt binders being used in the state.
"Interest has been growing to increase reclaimed asphalt pavement usage by increasing the allowable percentage that can be used in hot-mix asphalt," Beeson, Prather and Huber say. "[Indiana DOT] undertook a detailed evaluation of asphalt binder properties in RAP and the properties of new asphalt binders being supplied to INDOT."
Asphalt binder was recovered from 33 RAP samples taken across the state, and characterized for low temperature and high temperature grade [for Superpave mixes], they say. "New asphalt binder properties were obtained from more than 200 quality acceptance samples that covered three minus-22 grades and three minus-28 grades," they said in January. "The data were analyzed to determine the maximum amount of RAP that could be added. Up to 22-percent RAP could be added without changing the original grade of binder. By shifting to a minus-28 grade, the allowable RAP increased to 38 percent. These findings supported the findings of a North Central Superpave Center study on five asphalt plants."
The result was enough confidence in the existing RAP and its interaction with virgin PG binders that Indiana DOT was able to change its RAP acceptance specs upward. "On the basis of this information, INDOT changed the specification for RAP to allow up to 25-percent binder substitution without changing the normal binder grade of minus-22, and up to 40 percent if the binder was changed to a minus-28 grade."
WMA and RAP
As WMA is an unfolding technology, its interaction with RAP is being studied in an ongoing investigation. The Effect of Warm Mix Asphalt on RAP in Hot Mix Asphalt is being undertaken by Rutgers' Bennert and Nazhat Aboobaker of the New Jersey DOT.
The project is intended to determine how RAP can be used at typical and higher percentages in warm-mix asphalt. "One of the critical issues facing warm-mix asphalt is the lack of a formal mixture design procedure," the researchers say. "If warm-mix asphalt is to replace or be used in conjunction with hot-mix asphalt in the future, a laboratory mixture design procedure for warm-mix asphalt must be established."
Key issues that will be addressed during the research project are: the appropriate RAP percentages due to potential of decreased RAP and virgin asphalt binder blending with WMA; possible mixture design modifications for WMA technologies and additives, including foamed asphalt; possible recommendations for minimum production temperature and storage times of warm-mix asphalt; and acceptance procedures for allowing the use of current and new WMA technologies and additives. The project began Mar. 1, 2010, and is set to end April 30, 2012.
A Limit to RAP Content?
Use of larger quantities of RAP in highways might be attractive today due to the obvious savings in material costs, but that might lead to trouble "down the road," say José P. Aguiar-Moya and Jorge A. Prozzi, Ph.D., University of Texas-Austin, and Feng Hong, Ph.D., P.E., Texas DOT, in their January 2011 TRB paper, RAP: Save Today, Pay Later?
In Texas, the DOT allows up to 30-percent RAP in base mixtures and up to 20-percent RAP in surface mixtures. "There are many advantages that are associated with the use of RAP, including economic benefits due to the reduction in virgin asphalt binder and new aggregates required, environmental benefits associated with the use of a recycled material, significant energy savings, and short-term performance benefits due to increased rutting resistance," the authors say. "However, field observations have raised some concerns in terms of the long-term performance of mixtures containing RAP compared to those of virgin mixes."
In order to address these concerns, the authors used data from FHWA's Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) project's SPS-5 experiment in Texas to quantify and compare the field performance of pavement sections containing RAP to those of those that don't.
Based on the SPS-5 data, simple performance models were developed for rutting and cracking of the pavement structure. The models were then used to statistically quantify the effect of RAP on each type of distress and to estimate the expected pavement life of a given overlay, with and without RAP.
"As expected, the results indicate that there is a significant gain in rutting resistance when using RAP," the authors say. "However, pavements containing RAP develop cracking earlier, and at a faster rate, so short-term savings may be offset by additional overlays later in the life of the pavement. This raised the following concern: Are we saving today to pay later?"
The authors conclude that RAP may not be always the most economical solution, and that lifecycle cost analysis is imperative to assess the real benefits and costs of the various alternatives. "The interim results indicate that, under particular scenarios, the use of RAP might not be the most economic choice," the authors say. "Where and how much RAP should be used should be determined through a case-by-case analysis."
The authors don't want to discourage higher amounts of RAP in mixes, but emphasize that pavement designers need to be cautious with the use of RAP and to take into consideration that pavement structures with RAP might deteriorate faster in the long run, mainly in cases where RAP is used in thin overlays.
"Increasing RAP percentages is not always the solution," they write. "Consequently, it is important that proper deterioration models be developed and calibrated for the different regions where RAP is used so that proper economic analysis is applied for determining whether or not to use RAP in each specific project. Pavement managers should consider that using RAP today may result in initial construction savings, but the long-term maintenance and rehabilitation costs might overshadow these initial benefits."
ETG Guides RAP Use
Also guiding the effort toward higher percentages of RAP is the Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Expert Task Group, or RAP ETG. Created in 2007 by the FHWA, the RAP ETG is composed of materials specialists from FHWA, state DOTs, AASHTO, NAPA, NCAT at Auburn University in Alabama, and other stakeholders.
Its mission is to advance the use of RAP in asphalt paving applications by providing information emphasizing the production of high-quality, high-RAP mixtures, the performance of asphalt mixtures containing RAP, technical guidance on high-RAP projects and RAP research activities.
In September 2011, activity of the RAP ETG was the subject of an FHWA Tech Brief titled High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Use (the ETG defines high RAP as 25-percent or more RAP in an asphalt mixture by weight of the total mix).
The Tech Brief contains the latest responses to a biannual survey on RAP use conducted by the RAP ETG. With the assistance of AASHTO, the survey was conducted in 2007, 2009 and 2011. "In 2007, the typical hot-mix asphalt mixture contained about 12-percent RAP," the document states. "From 2007 to 2009, about 27 states increased the amount of RAP permitted in asphalt mixtures, and, as of 2009, 23 states have experience with high-RAP mixtures. As of 2011, the majority of state highway agencies (more than 40) allow more than 30-percent RAP; however, only 11 report actually using 25-percent RAP or more."
The RAP ETG Tech Brief also lists recent documents that articulate new technical information on higher RAP contents. Download it by searching for "FHWA-HRT-11-057."
Earlier in 2011, the FHWA rolled out a definitive document that maintains that, based on an evaluation of pavements containing 30-percent RAP through the LTPP program, performance of pavements containing up to 30-percent RAP is similar to that of pavements constructed from virgin materials with no RAP.
The April 2011 report, Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in Asphalt Mixtures: State of the Practice (Publication No. FHWA-HRT-11-021), provides new guidance on best practices when using RAP, and documented information about long-term performance of high-RAP pavements.
The state of the practice for RAP use across the United States, as well as common challenges for increasing the use of RAP, are identified. Authored by FHWA's Audrey Copeland, best practices for the use of RAP are presented for developing specs, and for sourcing, processing, stockpiling, testing, designing, evaluating, producing and placing high-RAP mixtures. Ways to attain best performance for high-RAP mixtures are presented. Download the report by searching for "FHWA-HRT-11-021."
When Politics Drives RAP Use
While other states adopt a tiered approach to higher percentages of RAP, California is using legislation to aggressively adopt higher RAP in HMA specifications.
The California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA) reported in October 2011 that Caltrans' acting director Malcolm Dougherty says the state transportation department is "moving aggressively" to adopt new standards to permit more RAP usage on state highway jobs.
The pledge comes as assembly speaker pro tem Fiona Ma is pressing Caltrans in legislation to allow up to 50-percent RAP in mixes. In an August 10, 2011 letter to Dougherty, Ma said she was "disappointed" by an earlier letter to her office from Caltrans indicating a lengthy process involved in evaluating a move to a higher RAP standard.
In his official response dated September 5, Dougherty said his department "recognizes the benefits of using a higher percentage of [RAP]. Caltrans is moving aggressively to introduce specifications and guidelines that will incorporate a higher percentage into our projects, while ensuring long-term performance of our paving materials."
Dougherty announced that the department has accelerated an internal deadline, from June 2012 to November 2011, to develop a specification for 25-percent RAP, which will be incorporated into pilot projects in 2012 and evaluated. Current Caltrans specifications limit RAP to 15 percent of mixes.
"Industry's reaction to the news was mixed," CalAPA reports. "On the one hand, industry representatives were glad that Caltrans was recognizing the need to increase RAP limits, but the incremental approach and relatively slow pace of the changes bred frustration."
CalAPA reported Bill Williams of Bo Dean & Co., an asphalt producer in Santa Rosa, as having said, "There is no known reason why Caltrans should limit high percentage RAP to 25 percent. I believe that 25 percent is achievable without fractionalization, especially when incorporated with warm-mix asphalt technology. Caltrans should not limit our ability to move toward a greener asphalt that creates better roads."
RAP Basics
Reclaimed asphalt pavement – cold-milled using dedicated, high-performance machines that remove deteriorated pavement, improve overhead clearances and reveal curbs to enhance drainage – is one of the most recycled products in North America.
Stockpiles of RAP are commonplace at asphalt plants and even alongside construction projects. The self-propelled cutting machines mill off aged, cracked asphalt pavement in varying depths and widths, and convey the RAP to dump trucks which haul to stockpiles. From there, RAP is reused as inexpensive road base, added to virgin hot-mix asphalt as a tested material, used for driveways, bike paths, recreational trails and much more.
Asphalt pavement is unquestionably the nation's most widely recycled product, reports the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, an industry coalition. APA says about 100 million tons of asphalt pavement are reclaimed each year during resurfacing and widening projects, and more than 95 percent of that total is reused or recycled.
Use of RAP saves valuable aggregate resources. While in America there are plenty of construction aggregates in place in the ground, virgin aggregate extraction sites are finding it more and more difficult to obtain mining permits.
Existing quarries or gravel pits once outside of a city now are being overwhelmed by new suburbs and neighbors who don't like living near quarries and will fight any kind of expansion. This also puts the future supply of virgin aggregates at risk.
But RAP already contains existing aggregates that have been acquired, permitted, shot, loaded, crushed, screened, stockpiled, reloaded and hauled – at great expense – thus their reuse saves time, money and resources. Use of RAP also eliminates costly landfilling of the material, which was the practice prior to the popularizing of RAP use in the last two decades.
Moreover, big jumps in the cost of asphalt and asphalt paving – in addition to increased pressure for an environmentally sustainable transportation infrastructure – have boosted the use of RAP in asphalt mixes. RAP significantly lowers the overall cost of bituminous road mixes while providing substantial environmental benefits.
Higher use of RAP is another way to lower production of greenhouse gases in road construction, said National Asphalt Pavement Association president Mike Acott at a House hearing in 2009.
"Consumption of fuels in the process of acquiring and processing raw materials accounts for a significant share of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing asphalt pavement material," Acott told the House in March. "Therefore, it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions simply by incorporating RAP in new pavement."


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If you are suddenly stricken with an illness - and in need of a trip to Emergency - then avoid Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas like the plague. In fact, run the other way, if you value your overall health and well-being.
Based on my own personal experience - and after lending a sympathetic ear to others so situated - it has become evident that the facility on Rainbow Boulevard (there's only sh** at the end of this long-and-winding road) is being manned by poorly-trained, unprofessional medical staff, who are particularly ignorant about patient rights and the law of the land.
For instance, when one patient was admitted for severe stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and headaches, Doctor Timothy Vanduzer ordered a few tests but neglected to prescribe medicine to alleviate the patients severe pain.

subset: commoncrawl


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How Did the Term "Open a Can of Worms" Originate?
By Matt Soniak
Metaphorically speaking, to open a can of worms is to examine or attempt to solve some problem, only to inadvertently complicate it and create even more trouble. Literally speaking, opening a can of worms, as most fishermen can attest, can also mean more trouble than you bargained for. No surprise, then, that the phrase was inspired by real live creepy crawlies.
While the exact origin and first usage isn't clear, various dictionaries and historians of slang and idioms agree that the phrase was born in the U.S. in the 1950s or earlier and references an actual conveyance for Oligochaetes. In the days before plastic and styrofoam containers were ubiquitous, bait shops often sold earthworms and other live bait to fishermen in metal cans with handles and lids.
The great thing about live bait is that it's alive, so it wriggles on the hook and tempts fish with its movement. The bad thing about live bait is also that it's alive, and leaving the lid of the container loose or off is a great way to lose your bait. Given the opportunity to exit, worms will often either escape or just generally make it difficult to get them all back in the can and replace the lid. Once you've opened a can of them, you've got a problem on your hands.


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Could a seemingly simple clear plastic bag—the kind that you load your fruits and vegetables into at the supermarket—actually be as strong as steel? It could if it was made from a new composite plastic that blends the strength of nanoparticles with the pliancy of a water-soluble polymer.
Although it is no secret that nanotubes, nanosheets and nanorods are incredibly strong when combined in small numbers, larger materials made out of these microscopic building blocks cannot utilize much of that strength because the links between them are weak. But University of Michigan at Ann Arbor researchers report in Science that they have found a way to scale the strength of the nanomaterials to larger materials by transferring stress between nanosheets and a nanoscale polymer resembling white glue. Visually, it looks like a brick wall, where clay nanosheet "bricks" are held together by water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol "mortar." The result, according to the researchers, is a composite plastic that is light and transparent but as strong steel.
"If you take the nanoscale materials individually, say one carbon tube or one clay sheet, their mechanical properties will be astonishing," says U.M. engineering professor Nicholas Kotov, a co-author of the study. Simply combining a large volume of clay, nanosize platelets into one continuous block, however, results in a brittle chalklike material riddled with cracks.
Researchers created a strip of clear material as thick as a sheet of plastic wrap by using a robotic arm to uniformly blend many millions of square clay platelets 100 nanometers on each side and one nanometer thick (one nanometer equals 3.94 x 10-8 inch) with the same polymer used in Elmer's glue. The robo-arm crafted this new material by dipping a piece of glass about the size of a stick of gum alternately into the gluelike polymer solution and then into a liquid that was a dispersion of clay nanosheets. The end result—consisting of 300 layers of the blended nanomaterials and polymer—was modeled after mother-of-pearl found in the lining of mussel and oyster shells."The material is an exemplary structure where we have achieved nearly ideal transfer of the nanoscale mechanical properties to the macroscale," says Paul Podsiadlo, a doctoral candidate in U.M's College of Engineering who assisted with the research. "If we can further achieve the same with these other nanomaterials then we will be able to make lightweight composites which will be exceeding the properties of steel by far."
The bricks-and-mortar structure allowed the layers to form cooperative hydrogen bonds, which gives rise to what Kotov called "the Velcro effect"—one of the reasons the material is so strong. Such bonds, if broken, can reform easily in a new place. Kotov is developing methods to apply the composite in the development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and devices, as well as microfluidics devices for actuation and valve manufacturing. In addition to military uses, improving the ductility of the researchers' nanoinfused plastics could aid in the development of dent and scratch-resistant cars and windshields.
Now that the researchers have created a composite exhibiting resistance to deformation (stiffness) and resistance to load (strength), they are working to improve the composite's ability to dissipate energy, thus improving its toughness, says U.M. mechanical engineering professor Ellen Arruda, another of the study's co-authors. "We want the material to have the ability to absorb the energy of a projectile," she says.
The impetus for the research was a $1.2-million grant awarded last year by the U.S. Defense Department, which was interested in developing more effective armor for the Air Force's unmanned aerial craft as well as for vehicles and body armor for other branches of the armed forces.
The cost of this composite is difficult to estimate, Kotov says. The components are inexpensive and the process does not require large energy expenditures, but it is by no means a fast process. Cost will depend largely on how efficiently processes are developed to create nanoinfused composites and whether these composites need to be produced in high volumes. For highly specialized technologies such as MEMS and microfluidics devices, cost would not be as great an issue as it would in creating large sheets of armor.
The development of these composites is also expected to take less of a toll on the environment, because this superstrong polymer does not require the high temperatures or great energy expenditures required to make steel.


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By Ken Ritter / Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — A former Wynn Resorts shareholder is suing company founder Steve Wynn and former and current executives and board members, saying that his stock fell in value because they concealed information about sexual harassment accusations that led to Wynn's resignation.
An attorney for Wynn did not immediately respond Wednesday to messages seeking comment about the lawsuit filed Nov. 27 in Nevada state court in Las Vegas. Wynn Resorts marketing chief Michael Weaver declined to comment on behalf of the company and the board.
Plaintiff Robert Bruce Bannister says that Steve Wynn, current chief executive Matt Maddox, former executive Kim Sinatra and nine former and current board members knew for several years about sexual misconduct allegations against Wynn but failed to act.
The lawsuit says that Wynn and company officials misled shareholders and the public by concealing information about women who alleged Wynn harassed or assaulted them, including a $7.5 million settlement with a former company manicurist who said that Wynn forced sex on her on company property in 2005.
Steve Wynn has denied allegations of wrongdoing. He resigned Feb. 6, days after the Wall Street Journal reported about the allegations.
Records show that Wynn Resorts traded at more than $200 per share before the Wall Street Journal report, and closed at about $165 after Wynn resigned. Company stock closed at about $110 Tuesday.
Gambling regulators in Nevada and Massachusetts also are investigating the allegations.
A judge in Nevada dismissed a defamation lawsuit that Wynn filed against The Associated Press for its reporting on a separate allegation made to Las Vegas police.
The new shareholder lawsuit was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal . It names current board members Jay Johnson, Patricia Mulroy, Clark Randt and Alvin Shoemaker and former board members John Hagenbuch, Ray Irani, former Nevada Gov. Bob Miller, Edward Virtue and D. Boone Wayson.
It asks a judge to find that the defendants breached fiduciary duties, and it seeks monetary damages from the company and Steve Wynn.
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Park Silly Market Serious Enjoyment
We came to Park Silly Sunday Open Air Market for the music – specifically the George T. Gregory band who were playing at the Main Stage. I had read the promo in the Park Record -they combine some of my favorite genres with blues, pop jazz, and rock so we wanted to check them out. As we headed down Main St toward the stage, we ran into a few silly people.
Let me ask you this-If you saw a grown woman wearing a curly bond wig, and sporting a plastic inner tube around her waist with a froggy on it, would you stop and wonder or stop and stare? How about a man with a blue face on one side but normal looking on the other? A guy in a wide brim purple hat with feather trim and a purple tie dyed shirt? Usually yes, but not at Park Silly Market. The volunteers and coordinator enjoy not taking themselves too seriously so when I asked the inner tube sporting lady to pose for a picture and couldn't quite get out of my mouth why, she simply said, "because I am silly?" Yes, wonderfully silly.
I noticed that even though some of the volunteers were dressed in silly ways, they were doing serious work. One was focusing on open areas to add more booths for the farmer's market and another was working the sound board for the band. The silliness set a relaxed vibe for the rest of us to enjoy the open air market with booths full of local artisans and food vendors as well as the shops and restaurants up and down historic Main St.
We came for the music and ended up walking home with a fresh loaf of Tuscan sour dough bread, lots of locally grown organic veggies, a big bag of kettle corn (after shamelessly stuffing our faces with samples) and a pink fish shaped bubble maker with a battery powered fan for our two year old granddaughter's upcoming visit. We'll probably play with it ourselves a few times before she comes — just to be silly. Seriously.


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Is your anger killing your art?
It's rare to find a consistently creative or insightful person who is also an angry person.*
They can't occupy the same space, and if your anger moves in, generosity and creativity often move out. It's difficult to use revenge or animus to fuel great work.
Ironically, when you decide to teach someone a lesson they richly deserve, you often end up strangling the very source you were counting on.
(*Angry is not the same as being a jerk. For some reason, there are plenty of creative jerks–I think because they mistakenly believe that being a jerk is a useful way for some people to wrestle with their lizard brains).


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Museum archive quality prints
Original Artwork
The First Room - Floor Puzzle
Medium: Airbrushed acrylic ink, scraped highlights, dilute acrylic wash on illustration Board
Dimensions: Image area: 595mm x 420mm on CS10 illustration board: 773mm x 520mm
This site and all illustrations © Copyright 2020 David Rowe. All Rights Reserved.
Telephone: 01570 493505


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It's that time of the week when real foodies come together for a food festival! Fat Tuesday is the official end of Mardi Gras and here at Real Food Forager we are having our own Fat Tuesday Forager Festival! Share your special holiday meal! Every Tuesday come join in this Real Food Free For All! Link up your great real food recipes, natural remedies, posts, articles and book reviews about real food, food politics, green living and our food supply.
Special diet recipes are welcome such as SCD, GAPS, gluten free, dairy free, sugar-free, Paleo, Primal, all are welcome as long as they involve REAL FOOD. Please feel free to post your recipe in the comments section if you are not a blogger.
Giveaways are welcome as long as they involve only real food items or cool kitchen tools. Pretty much anything goes — it's party time!
The Rules are simple:
1 — No artificial ingredients. Nothing commercially canned, packaged or processed. No fake foods. No soy or tofu, no artificial sweeteners like Splenda, no bad fats like margarine, soybean or corn oil. You get the idea.
2 — Provide a link back to this post on your site (a common courtesy).
3 — Please do not make me delete any non real food linkups. Please don't link them here. This is a place for real food recipes and issues.
4 — Please link the URL of your actual blog post and not your blog's home page.
5 — Be kind and come back and leave a comment after linking up. And check out some of the links. There is a wealth of knowledge here.
Be sure to visit on Sunday for Sunday Snippets, a weekly post that features recipes and articles from the previous Fat Tuesday. The next feature could be yours so be sure to check back!
The owner of this website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. Disclaimer
Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil is a product I use every day.


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Governmental Accounting Standards Board Issues Standard to Improve Disclosures on Deposit and Investment Risk
Norwalk, CT, March 27, 2003—In an effort to provide the public with better information about the risks that could potentially impact a government's ability to provide services and pay its debts, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has published Statement No. 40, Deposit and Investment Risk Disclosures, an amendment of GASB Statement No. 3. The Statement amends GASB Statement No. 3, Deposits with Financial Institutions, Investments (including Repurchase Agreements), and Reverse Repurchase Agreements and addresses additional risks to which governments are exposed.
According to GASB Project Manager Randal J. Finden, "All deposits and investments can be exposed to risk. Under the GASB standard, we looked at the most common risks, that is, the risks that have been the cause of depository and investment losses in the past. This Statement requires disclosures to communicate those risks in what we believe is an easily understandable manner."
The new accounting guidance requires that state and local governments communicate key information about deposit and investment risks, frequently one of the largest assets on a government's balance sheet. Under Statement 40, state and local governments are required to disclose information covering four principal areas:
- Investment credit risk disclosures, including credit quality information issued by rating agencies;
- Interest rate disclosures that include investment maturity information, such as weighted average maturities or specification identification of the securities;
- Interest rate sensitivity for investments that are highly sensitive to changes in interest rates (example, inverse floaters, enhanced variable-rate investments and certain asset-backed securities); and
- Foreign exchange exposures that would indicate the foreign investment's denomination.
The provisions of Statement 40 are effective for financial statements for periods beginning after June 15, 2004. Earlier application is encouraged.
Statement 40 (Product Code No. GS40) can be ordered through the GASB's Order Department at 800 748-0659 or on-line via its website at www.gasb.org.
About the Governmental Accounting Standards Board
The GASB is the independent, not-for-profit organization formed in 1984 that establishes and improves financial accounting and reporting standards for state and local governments. Its seven members are drawn from the Board's diverse constituency, including preparers and auditors of government financial statements, users of those statements and members of the academic community. More information about the GASB can be found at its website www.gasb.org.
Governmental Accounting Standards Board
Improving governmental accountability through better financial reporting


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I don't think I want to know a six-year-old who isn't a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don't want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don't have a college degree. I don't even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're all good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you! Now, take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face! Good day to you, madam.
• The Xbox 360 Wireless Controller is $36.99 at Amazon with free shipping (normally $40). [LogicBuy]
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As always, smart gamers can find values any day of the week, so if you've run across a deal, share it with us in the comments.


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Erin Trieb hopes her photos of soldiers can help save some of them from the horrors that follow too many of them home from war—and that followed her, too.
One hundred and fifty-four American soldiers committed suicide in the first 155 days of 2012—claiming 50 percent more lives than combat fatalities in Afghanistan over the same span. PTSD is often the culprit or a contributor, and it's what galvanized Trieb to tell the stories of the troops who suffer—because she also believes she suffered from it herself.
The 30-year-old Texan says she caught the photo bug early, when her grandfather gifted her the vintage Graflex Speed Graphic camera that he had used to document the heroic efforts of the Red Cross during the Second World War. After graduating college, she spent eight months in Israel capturing the frenetic wind down of the second intifada, where she says she and other female photographers experienced brazen sexual assaults. Trieb recalls Palestinians awaiting the media's arrival before becoming aggressors and throwing rocks, and felt that she and other photographers were responsible for literally triggering conflicts.
"Other journalists get off on it. To produce images like that was not genuine," she says. "I had to step back and realize the country wasn't for me."
She returned to Texas, where her photographs of Kinky Friedman's quixotic gubernatorial campaign in 2006 won her awards and subsequent calls from national news organizations like Newsweek and The New York Times.
But she wanted to go back to war, and in July, 2009, Trieb went to Afghanistan, where she connected in with Col. Kit Swiecki, a surgeon stationed in San Antonio, who she figured would be of interest to the Texas press. She ended up spending six weeks living in a tent in Logar Province along with Swiecki and his unit, the 8th Forward Surgical Team, comprised of about 20 people—medics, nurses and surgeons. The images she captured from the operating room are arresting—patients whisked in on helicopters, prostrate on gurneys, bleeding, screaming.
But Trieb wanted to see what had caused all those injuries, so she extended her ticket six weeks and joined missions and patrols orchestrated by six different battalions. "To be honest, it was so fun. It was dirty and gross and hard. Maybe it's because I'm a tomboy and like adventure," Trieb says, describing sleeping outside in abandoned houses, going on missions in the middle of the night, and not showering for days.
When she returned to the states, she says she wanted to continue following some of the soldiers she had bonded with in Afghanistan. So she just started showing up at their base, driving the nearly six hours from New York City to Fort Drum to see them.
Over six months making trips to Fort Drum, Trieb says she spent most of her time there simply spending time with the soldiers, many her own age and younger, rather than photographing them. Unlike when she embedded with them in Afghanistan, they didn't entirely understand what she was doing with them in New York, she says.
"When you're over there, they get it. They know you want to photograph them as heroes. But if you want to hang out with them until 4 a.m., they're like, 'Why are you still hanging out with us?' You have to be pushy," says Trieb, who adds that she struggled with the gender dynamics that arose late at night when everyone was soused.
"If you're a girl and you're in the barracks at 2 in the morning, all bets are off."
She photographed them executing calisthenics on a snow-covered training base, or wrestling each other drunk or dragging on cigarettes in the infantry barracks. She has shot homecoming parades, hospital waiting rooms, and a circle of photos of a widow collected on her dead fiancé's wall.
Back home, she says, she saw more soldiers fall apart than she had on the battlefield. They abuse drinks or drugs, abuse spouses and loved ones, shirk sleep and plummet into crippling depression. Their commanders, bosses, and the military doctors are under-resourced and ill-equipped to treat them or mandate psychological care once they are home, she says.
After returning to Texas, Trieb says she had her own experience with PTSD, that tracked those of the soldiers at Fort Drum she'd spent so much time with. She describes feeling anxious and impatient, recalling her boyfriend's seeing a temper she hadn't had before.
"You get really angry. You get home and you don't give a shit what cereal you eat. The grass isn't as green as it was when you left it," she says. She felt that her decisions and actions were pointless after watching her friends encounter so much sadness, loss, and trauma.
"It was a huge struggle for me to get past that," Trieb says, but she talked to psychology professionals and continued to engage with her own work. A tragic tidbit she learned from a psychologist is that many 20-something soldiers are so young when they internalize trauma that the part of the brain for processing such experiences hasn't even developed yet.
"I'm a sensitive artist and a woman. If these problems exist in me, I can't imagine how hellish it would be for a 20-year-old kid who can't make sense of any of it," she says.
But one of the most trying assignments for Trieb, and what helped inspire the Homecoming Project, was photographing the funeral of Dirk Terpstra, a 26-year-old infantry specialist who shot himself in the head while on leave near his home in Kalamazoo, Mich. Trieb knew him in Afghanistan, and read about his death on Facebook. She drove to his parents' home bearing a card and flowers and asked if she could photograph their son's funeral the following day.
They said yes, and she sat with them for hours, listening to Terpstra's family discuss the life he had lived. "You feel like you're invading a family's privacy," she says. "But nobody else was there to photograph the proof that this person had killed himself, and what the family was going through."
In June 2011, Trieb launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $22,000 for the Homecoming Project, that "takes storytelling, imagery and mixed media beyond the magazine page into the audience's backyard" by presenting photographs taken by Trieb and other professionals (including Ashley Gilbertson, Ed Kashi, Craig Walker, Ron Haviv, Peter Van Agtmael, Damon Winter), along with those by service members and their families in public settings like parks and movie theaters—places "where people must look at them." The idea is to raise awareness of current issues facing today's veterans while raising funds and support for local, nonprofit, veteran advocacy organizations.
The Project exhibition commenced on July 4th coupled with a symphony performance in Austin, Texas where Trieb lives. Another leg will kick off next April, combining those images with creative workshops in music and photography for vets taught by industry professionals. National Public Radio's StoryCorp will also join the event to include some veterans' experiences in their reservoir of American story recordings.
For Trieb, the work is personal but it's also her duty as a journalist witnessing history that most people will never see.
"How many people can say they have seen the frontline of the war in Afghanistan? That knowledge comes with great responsibility. We have to be here to help each other."


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The Red Flannel Festival Board of Directors delivered a Community Share check for $600 to the Cedar Springs High School Drama Club for their outstanding volunteer efforts at the 2013 Red Flannel Queen Scholarship Pageant. The Red Flannel Festival is proud of the annual Community Share Program that generated over $5,000 for area local non-profits in 2013.
The Festival is proud and excited to have been able to donate more than $40,000 to area non-profits as partners in the RFF's Community Share Program.
As a completely volunteer, independent, non-profit organization, the Red Flannel Festival is keenly aware of the challenges organizations face in fundraising, and the RFF mission is to encourage collaboration and positive economic growth for all of the area's non-profit organizations. If your non-profit organization is interested in participating in this exciting Community Share Program in 2014, please contact the Festival office at 616-696-2662 or email email@example.com.


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family recipes from vickie kerr, creator of miss vickie's potato chips
Vickie Kerr has always been passionate about preparing nutritious meals for her family, and it was her desire to make a healthier snack for her four young children that resulted in the recipe that launched Miss Vickie's Chips, one of the most successful potato chip brands in North America. Now, after more than thirty-five years preparing food for her family in her kitchen, Vickie Kerr has written her first cookbook.
Miss Vickie's Kitchen is both a collection of recipes and the story of a family legacy spanning decades. The book features more than seventy recipes, from healthful salads and sides, to delicious entrées, hearty soups, and comforting casseroles,through classic desserts and preserves. Beautifully designed with full-color photographs, it offers instructions that are so simple and straightforward that even the newest cooks will feel confident getting into the kitchen. Also included are Vickie's family stories, photos, and anecdotes that are sure to inspire readers to gather loved ones around the table for a meal prepared with their very own hands.
Every book ordered from MissVickiesKitchen.com is signed by Vickie with the option for a personalized message.
Miss Vickie's Kitchen is also available from the following retailers
Terms & Conditions
Comment 10 Replies
Good morning,
Would it be possible to get a signed autographed book from Miss Vickie ?
Miss Vickie, I heard you on CJAD yesterday morning. I'm sooooo glad to meet you virtually. Believe it or not, I'm a health/fitness buff and OMG, you're chips – Pepper & Lime – ARE THE ONLY CHIPS I absolutely go crazy for!!! And I didn't know you were from Montreal!!! OMG! I hope to get to one of your book signings. I'm a huge foodie, love recipes and anything and everything the healthiest possible. You're my idol! I always wanted to do something like you have achieved – starting out with such a simple/healthy concept! Congratulations! Well done! And recognition well deserved!! WOW! I'd love to work for such a company!!! Sooooooo interesting! Food!!!
Hello, we are the students doing a class project on your invention of Miss Vickie Chips, we were hoping you could answer a few questions for us. Thank you!
Love your sea salt original recipe chips! ❤
Hello! This may seem a bit odd but my boyfriend and I bought your house in New Lowell a year ago. We absolutely love it! Everyone in this town has a memory of you or this property, it's awesome. I plan on picking up a copy of your book and hopefully one day I can even get your autograph :)
Thanks for building such an amazing house. We couldn't love it more!
You are such a nice and wonderful woman..and a wonderful cook..wow! Why did subway stop carrying your bbq chip? Love to meet you sometime.. I love to BBQ..well take care.. Love bennie


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text:
Willamette University Anti-Sweatshop Code of Conduct
I. Introduction
Willamette University is committed to conducting its affairs in a socially responsible manner consistent with its religious and educational mission. Willamette University expects nothing less of its business partners. Therefore, Willamette University will not knowingly do business with those who engage in business practices or follow work place standards inconsistent with this Code of Conduct.
II. Principles
Willamette University firmly believes that workers in this country and abroad who help produce apparel bearing the insignia or name of Willamette University should be treated humanely and fairly and should work under healthy and safe conditions. The following provisions aim to meet these standards.
- Manufacturers will comply with laws and regulations in all locations where they conduct business;
- Manufacturers will pay at least the minimum total compensation required by local law, including all mandated wages, allowances and benefits;
- Hours worked each day, and days worked each week, shall not exceed the legal limitations of the countries in which manufacture is conducted. Compensation beyond the prevailing rate of pay is provided for overtime work;
- Manufacturers will not hire an employee of an age interfering with compulsory schooling, or under the minimum age established by law, whichever is greater;
- Manufacturers will provide a safe and healthy working environment;
- Manufacturers may not hire, pay, promote or terminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, disability, nationality, pregnancy, child birth or ethnic origin;
- Prohibition of harassment, abuse or corporal punishment of employees;
- Manufacturers shall recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
III. Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility
Willamette University will establish a Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility to meet as needed. It will be composed of four (4) students, two (2) faculty, and two (2) staff, including the purchasing agent for the University Bookstore.
The committee members shall serve as an advisory and auditing body for the University Bookstore's purchasing agents.
Bookstore Apparel Purchasing Agent Responsibilities
- Bookstore apparel purchasing agents will ensure that all new vendors disclose the company names, owners and/or officers, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and nature of the business association, of all the company's contractors, subcontractors, agents, and manufacturing plants which are involved in the manufacturing of WU emblematic apparel.
- Bookstore purchasing agents should ask vendors to certify in writing that all of the contractors, subcontractors, agents and manufacturers involved in production of WU emblematic apparel have done so in accordance with WU's Code of Conduct.
- Bookstore apparel purchasing agents will maintain a current list of manufacturers with which WU does business, the status of their compliance certification and any relevant records necessary to investigate and/or audit compliance to the Code of Conduct.
- Bookstore apparel purchasing agents will actively seek out and utilize vendors whose manufacturers have instituted proactive mechanisms to insure production of WU emblematic goods is done in compliance with the WU Code of Conduct.
- The bookstore apparel purchasing agent will, to the best of their abilities, research the manufacturers with which the college does business and keep abreast of relevant information regarding how goods are produced in order to recognize violations of WU's Code of Conduct. This research will include the entire supply chain involved in the production of WU emblematic apparel.
- When research conducted by the purchasing agent reveals an alleged violation of Willamette's Code of Conduct, the purchasing agents will submit a formal complaint to the Committee for their review.
Committee Responsibilities and Process for Auditing Compliance with Code of Conduct
- The Committee will convene to review alleged violations of WU's Code of Conduct.
- The Committee will determine any alleged violations of WU's Code of Conduct standards by reviewing independent documentation of abuses, discussing the case and weighing the circumstances of the violation(s) and the effort of the manufacturer to improve the conditions that led to the violation(s). The intent of the Committee should be to encourage improvements of manufacturing conditions and not to punish manufacturers for unintentional violations.
- After reviewing all available evidence, including the position of the manufacturer, the Committee will determine when excessive and continuous violations have been committed and recommend appropriate actions by Willamette University. This recommendation will be submitted to the Vice President for Administrative Services for approval.
- The Committee is further chartered to recommend actions that further promote the University's responsible purchase of apparel goods manufactured in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
IV. Formal Complaint Process
Willamette University is committed to insuring that the provisions of the Code of Conduct are followed. To insure compliance, Willamette community members wishing to register a formal complaint against an apparel provider are required to submit their allegations in writing to the Director of the Willamette Store. All complaints will be forwarded to the CMR for their review.
V. Public Disclosure
Willamette University believes that members of this community, and consumers of Willamette University emblematic apparel, should know that these goods are manufactured in compliance with the Code of Conduct. Members of the Willamette University Community may request minutes of the meetings of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility and records regarding the compliance of Willamette University apparel vendors and their contractors, subcontractors, agents, and manufacturing plants to the Willamette University Code of Conduct.
VI. Amendments
Amendments to the Anti-Sweatshop Code of Conduct shall be approved by the Vice President of Administrative Services.
Revised 9/09


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Private clouds were the right solution for many enterprises that wanted to realize the value of cloud services without actually moving to a public cloud. However, from what I can see, the trend now appears to moving to deployments on public or hybrid cloud models.
Gartner seems to agree. Michael Warrilow, a research director at Gartner, says more enterprises will look to use public and hybrid cloud models in 2014 as they realize "it's impossible to private-cloud everything."
[ From Amazon Web Services to Windows Azure, see how the elite 8 public clouds compare in the InfoWorld Test Center's review. | Stay up on the cloud with InfoWorld's Cloud Computing Report newsletter. ]
Although a private cloud is indeed a solid and viable architectural option, it's typically overused. Enterprises that want to maintain control of their hardware and software see the private cloud as an option to help them kick the cloud can farther down the road. They can claim to have a cloud, but that cloud looks like the other systems lying around the data center. Moreover, the cost is about the same or more than traditional systems.
Public clouds have matured a great deal in the last few years, and the truth is they're more ready for prime time than most private clouds. In addition, they're more cost-effective and do a much better job of providing time-to-market advantages, business agility, and scalability.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, and Google took the lead in the push toward public clouds, with AWS scoring a massive lead. AWS and Google offer only public cloud services, whereas Microsoft offers both. There are pure private cloud providers as well, such as Eucalyptus, which is an AWS-compatible private cloud, and the many OpenStack-based private cloud providers.
I suspect that private clouds are not losing steam as much as public clouds are picking up steam. Having implemented both, I can tell you that private clouds are a sound architectural option, and they are required in many instances. But public clouds are also a legitimate option, and where public clouds fit, they provide a lot more value than many private clouds. Most enterprises will end up with both, using hybrid or multicloud implementations.
Looking out three to five years, I suspect that most cloud implementations will be public clouds, and most applications running on clouds will be on public clouds. Consider the massive investment made by public cloud providers and the fact that the public cloud is simply the better architectural choice most of the time.
Still, don't shed tears for the private cloud guys: They will always have some part of the market, which happens to be expanding. Just be clear that the momentum is now adamantly behind public clouds.
This article, "The private cloud is giving way to the public cloud," originally appeared at InfoWorld.com. Read more of David Linthicum's Cloud Computing blog and track the latest developments in cloud computing at InfoWorld.com. For the latest business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.


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Culminating months of increasingly eager anticipation, Canonical on Thursday released the final version of Ubuntu 11.04, also known as Natty Narwhal.
The free and open source Linux distribution, which entered beta about a month ago, is now ready for download for laptops, desktops, netbooks and servers from the project's Web site, offering computer uses around the globe a no-cost, feature-packed alternative to Microsoft Windows and other operating systems.
Users of Ubuntu 10.10 will be offered an automatic upgrade to 11.04 via the Update Manager. Further information about upgrading can be found on the Ubuntu site.
"11.04 continues Ubuntu's proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution," the project team said in its press relese.
Standard maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu 11.04 for 18 months, through October 2012. The current Long Term Support (LTS) version is Ubuntu 10.04, with another one expected in April 2012. The next major release following Ubuntu 11.04 will be 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot," which is slated to arrive in October.
From GNOME to Unity
I've already looked fairly extensively at Natty Narwhal, including both a slideshow and a detailed report on some of its key features.
Certainly the most widely discussed new feature in Natty is its Unity interface, which first made its debut in Ubuntu 10.10's Netbook Edition last fall. Offering a multitouch-enabled alternative to previous Ubuntu versions' traditional GNOME interface, Unity mimics the clutter-free look of many mobile operating systems.
When it's downloaded, Ubuntu 11.04 will automatically determine if the user's graphics card supports Unity. If not, the software will provide a "classic" experience instead.
Regardless of their hardware, users can also choose the classic experience if they prefer it.
Free Trials in the Cloud
Search has also been integrated into Natty Narwhal such that users need only enter a few letters into the top search bar in Ubuntu's Dash feature and it will list files, folders and applications in terms of those used today, yesterday and recently, making it easier for users to find what they need.
On the server side, Ubuntu Server 11.04 has made it easier both to provision servers and to reduce power consumption, the project team says. Ubuntu Server 11.04 for UEC and EC2 also has a new kernel and improved initialization and configuration options.
Another first in Natty Narwhal is that Canonical is offering free one-hour trials of the software in the cloud, making it easier than ever to get a taste of the operating system without committing anything in advance.
An overview of the release's features and new additions can be found on the Ubuntu site.
There's little doubt this has been the most closely watched Linux release of all time, and I'm expecting it to captivate more new users than any other. Now that the final release is here, why not check it out for yourself?


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The cheater's chicken pho is ingenious! I never would have thought to do that!
Pasta is one of the most versatile ingredients in your pantry. It can be whipped up in a couple of minutes for a quick weeknight meal, or it can be elegantly prepared for a dinner party. It's perfect for potlucks, can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, and tastes great microwaved the next day. I've divided this collection of pasta recipes into different sections — Quick and Easy, International, Classic Pasta Dishes, Impressive Dinners, and Up for a Challenge? — for easy reference.
A friend of mine who is a mother of four takes this easy shortcut to making dinner — at the beginning of the week, she boils up a big pot of pasta, drains it, and stores it in a large container in the fridge. During the week, whenever she needs a quick meal (emergencies happen when you've got four kids), she whips up a sauce to serve with the pasta, stirs in some frozen spinach, and calls it a meal. Pasta dishes are the easiest main dishes to cook in a flash, especially if the pasta's already done. Most of the below recipes serve two to three, so double if cooking for a family.
1. Spinach, Ham, and Artichoke Pasta
In a little olive oil, sauté 2 handfuls of baby spinach and 3 slices of ham until warmed through and spinach is beginning to wilt. Add a few spoonfuls of artichoke antipasto (or tapenade, or prepared pesto) and 2-3 cups cooked penne, and stir until heated through. Add a couple tablespoons of water if sauce is too thick. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
2. Stovetop Tuna Casserole
In a large pan, heat a can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup, stirring until smooth and creamy. Add a drained can of tuna and 1 cup of frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, and corn). Cook until veggies are thawed and heated through. Add 3 cups of cooked ziti, penne, or other large pasta, and stir into sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with grated Parmesan.
3. Pasta Primavera
In a tablespoon of olive oil, sauté 1 thinly sliced zucchini, 1 bell pepper, and ½ cup frozen peas with a clove of minced garlic until cooked through. Add 2 handfuls of baby spinach and cook until they begin to wilt. Add a jar of marinara sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook until sauce is heated through. Toss with cooked pasta and serve.
4. Black Pepper Chicken Pasta
This Asian-inspired pasta is easy and quick to make. Sauté ½ chopped onion until softened, then add 1 diced chicken breast and 1 sliced zucchini. Cook until chicken is cooked through and zucchini is softened. Add 2 heaping tablespoons Lee Kum Kee Black Pepper Sauce (available in the Asian grocery aisle) and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Mix well until sauce coats chicken and vegetables. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over cooked spaghetti.
5. Quick and Easy Couscous Tabbouleh
Couscous is one of the easiest pastas in the world to make — no cooking required! And it truly is a pasta, made of semolina flour, NOT a grain. For this quick salad, dice up 1 English cucumber and 2 tomatoes and place in a large bowl. In a separate, heat-proof bowl, mix together ½ cup whole-wheat couscous and ½ cup boiling water. Let couscous sit for five minutes, and then fluff with a fork. Let couscous cool while whisking together a vinaigrette of 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried basil or parsley. Toss together cooked couscous, vegetables, and some of vinaigrette to taste; adjust seasonings. Serve with a grilled chicken breast or other protein.
6. Cheater's Chicken Pho
Pho, the quintessential Vietnamese rice noodle soup, typically takes hours to make when you're simmering the stock. This quick version of chicken pho takes all of 15 minutes. Simply soften the rice noodles in hot water, and then add them to pre-bought chicken stock doctored up with five-spice powder, lime juice, fish sauce, and shredded rotisserie chicken.
7. Lemon-Basil Ricotta Pasta
Cook ½ pound penne in a large pot of water. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. In a skillet over low heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese, salt and pepper, and the zest and juice of 1 large lemon (or 2 small). Mix together until sauce is bubbling — add a little pasta water if sauce is too thick. Add ½ cup of chopped fresh basil and the penne, and toss together until ricotta sauce coats pasta. Serve!
Pasta and noodle dishes from around the world can add variety to your repertoire.
8. Mango-Shrimp Summer Rolls
Pasta goes light with these Vietnamese summer rolls: vegetables, rice noodles, shrimp, and mango wrapped up in rice-paper rounds.
9. Egg-Topped Soba Noodles With Asparagus and Prosciutto
Soba, Japanese buckwheat noodles, are the delicious and healthy base for this egg-topped noodle dish, which combines crisp asparagus and savory prosciutto with the creaminess of a fried egg. A delicious easy lunch or weeknight dinner recipe!
10. Chinese Fried Noodles
My mom used to make this fried noodle dish for a quick Saturday lunch. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over med-high heat. Stir-fry 1 sliced bell pepper, a cup of thinly sliced broccoli or cauliflower, and 2 cloves garlic until cooked through. Add 1 tomato, sliced into wedges, and cook until beginning to soften. Push vegetables to side of pan and add 2 beaten eggs. Scramble until cooked through. Add ½ package cooked, drained spaghetti and toss with vegetables and eggs. Add the sauce you mixed earlier and stir the whole thing together until hot and coated with sauce. Taste for seasonings and serve.
11. Singapore Curry Noodles
Classic Singapore rice noodles are fried with yellow curry and various vegetables. The rice noodles are easily cooked by soaking in warm water, and then all you have to do is stir-fry the rest of the ingredients for an easy curry dish.
Sometimes you just crave those comforting classics.
12. Prize-Winning Noodle Kugel
Sweet pudding and pasta in one? Yes, please! This honey-sweetened noodle kugel recipe reportedly won first prize at the Yiddishkayt Festival in Los Angeles, so it must be delicious as well as authentic.
13. Spaghetti Bolognese
My sister's fabulous mother-in-law shares this recipe for spaghetti Bolognese, with a delicious, slightly sweet sauce simmered with olives and bay leaves for a hearty, stew-like texture.
14. Eggplant Lasagne With Parsley Pesto
This white lasagna is made with vegetables and a béchamel sauce instead of a traditional meat sauce, but it's just as tasty and provides a nice alternative for vegetarians. You can substitute a prepared basil pesto instead of the parsley pesto to make this recipe a little faster to put together.
15. Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad
A good orzo salad is an essential dish for parties and potlucks. This one includes sweet cherry tomatoes, feta, and a light vinaigrette. Simple and sweet.
16. Beef Stroganoff
A good friend of mine makes this excellent Beef Stroganoff. The finishing touch is plenty of fresh dill. Brown 2 pounds of stew beef in a hot skillet in a little olive oil. Remove meat from pan. Add 2 onions in chunks and cook over medium heat until beginning to soften. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and add the meat back into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons ketchup and 2 tablespoons sweet barbecue sauce. Pour in enough beef broth or water to just cover the chunks of meat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1½ hours. Add 1 pound sliced mushrooms and simmer another half-hour. Add chopped fresh dill to taste, and serve over egg noodles.
17. Baked Ziti
Sausage baked with tomato sauce, cheese, and pasta in this comforting baked ziti casserole is perfect for a filling meal or for bringing to a potluck. You can even make this ahead of time and freeze it for those nights when you don't feel like cooking.
Pasta can be an impressive main course, even at a formal dinner, when paired with the right ingredients.
18. Linguine With Clams
This easy clam pasta with a tomato-parsley sauce is surprisingly easy to make. Just steam the clams open with tomatoes and herbs, and toss the liquid with the pasta. You'll impress your dinner guests, but you'll still have time to sit down with them and enjoy the company.
19. Lobster Mac and Cheese
If this lobster mac and cheese is good enough for the Barefoot Contessa's guests, it's sure to be elegant for your dinner party. Bring up the luxe factor of classic macaroni and cheese by adding silky lobster meat and then baking the pasta in individual gratin dishes topped with breadcrumbs and cheese.
20. Chianti-Braised Chicken Thighs on Egg Noodles
When in doubt, add wine. These stuffed chicken thighs are a classy company meal, served on top of egg noodles and accompanied with a good bottle of Chianti. This recipe isn't difficult, but it does take time, so you might want to save it for impressing the in-laws.
21. Baked Manicotti With Sausage and Peas
More elegant than lasagna but simple to put together, this baked manicotti can be prepared and then left to cook in the oven while you entertain your guests.
Yes, dried pasta from a package is easy and delicious, but making your own pasta from scratch really kicks things up a notch. The following recipes are for those who like to experiment in the kitchen, but the recipes really aren't that difficult to master. You'll feel an immense sense of accomplishment when you taste your own gnocchi, spaetzle, and other pasta.
22. Basic Gnocchi
This basic gnocchi recipe from Smitten Kitchen is an easy place to start if you're not experienced making pasta. Gnocchi are dumplings that are basically composed of mashed potatoes mixed with flour, so they're pretty simple to make.
23. Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Fried Sage and Shaved Chestnuts
When this recipe for sweet potato gnocchi appeared in Gourmet magazine in 2009, it spawned a plethora of inspired blog posts around the Internet as home cooks tried — and loved — the flavorful, pillowy gnocchi. This recipe is a bit of a process, but the results are rewarding in the end.
24. Homemade Trofie al Pesto
Trofie is a rustic handmade pasta from the Ligurian coast of Italy, and it doesn't need to be rolled out with a pasta machine. All you need are your hands, some flour, salt, and water, and you can make this pasta. And if your pasta turns out looking like little worms rather than rustic corkscrews, it'll still taste delicious.
25. Homemade Ravioli
Learn how to make your own ravioli with this ravioli tutorial from AllRecipes. Or you could take a short-cut and use pre-made wonton wrappers to wrap up mixtures of ricotta and spinach, butternut squash, mashed green peas, and other easy ravioli fillings.
What's your favorite pasta recipe?
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