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Ten years after the U.S.-led war in Iraq, NPR is looking at where the country stands now. NPR's Kelly McEvers recently visited Baghdad and offered this take on how the Iraqi capital feels today.
I think the single word that would best describe Baghdad these days is traffic. It can take hours just to get from one place to another. And I guess that's both good and bad.
Good because it means people are out, going to work, leading normal lives. They feel safe enough to be in the streets, to be in their cars. On the weekends, the parks are full of families picnicking. People stroll the streets, shopping. There's even a mall in Baghdad now.
But the traffic is also a bad thing, mainly because it's caused by checkpoints. All around the city and on the roads between Baghdad and other cities, soldiers stop and search cars for explosives, in hopes of preventing the violent attacks that still take place.
The structures are pretty ad hoc, and the Iraqi soldiers who man them look like their American counterparts: night-vision goggles on their heads, knee pads, sunglasses, American rifles, even the American Humvees that are now the property of the Iraqi army.
Unlike the Americans, the Iraqis decorate their checkpoints with plastic flowers. One way to greet the soldiers when you stop is to call them "flowers" — or "good men," or "gold."
On many days, as you drive around Baghdad, you can squint your eyes and pretend there was never a war. But as soon as you stop at one of these checkpoints you are reminded all over again.
Behind The Bombings
Overall, the violence in Iraq is still way down. There are many Latin American countries that have a higher murder rate than Iraq.
But still there are brazen attacks that target police, soldiers, government workers, even civilians — many of them Shiite pilgrims on their way to religious ceremonies.
On Tuesday, the 10th anniversary of the start of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a series of coordinated explosions — mostly in Shiite areas — ripped through Baghdad, killing more than 50 people.
The attacks could be targeted hits, revenge killings, a settling of old scores from the sectarian war, or even a way to resolve a political dispute.
Or, more likely, they are the work of al-Qaida in Iraq, known as the Islamic State of Iraq. This is not the organization of Osama bin Laden. U.S. officials say that umbrella group is at its weakest point in 10 years.
Rather, ISI is a local "franchise" of al-Qaida, like those in North Africa, Yemen and now Syria. While those groups tend to morph and adapt to local conditions, ISI still apparently believes that the path to an Islamic state in Iraq is to unleash violence against civilians as a way to divide and destabilize the country. So far, that tactic is not winning any hearts and minds.
What Remains To Be Done
Iraq has elections. Iraqis can criticize their politicians. One of my favorite places to go is the Iraqi parliament, where on any given day, Iraqis from every corner of the country engage in heated debates.
Some analysts say Iraq offers a model of democracy in a region still struggling with how to throw off dictators and install elected governments. They point to Iraq's inclusive government, made up of the country's main groups: Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites.
But many worry this alliance might be falling apart, with mass protests in Iraq's Sunni heartland, and widespread accusations that the Shiite prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, is becoming more authoritarian.
These days, the major question might not be whether Iraq is a model for the rest of the region, as the U.S. once envisioned, but whether Iraq's fragile democracy can hold, as the region splits along sectarian lines.
Iraq now is the second-largest oil exporter in the world, after Saudi Arabia. It could use this revenue to develop the country, but most Iraqis agree there is much work to be done.
Iraqis still don't have electricity 24 hours a day. Water, sewage and roads have yet to come back online. The health care system has been decimated. Iraq's once-celebrated doctors have fled; many have yet to return home.
Few Iraqis doubt that much of the oil revenue ends up with corrupt officials. We regularly hear stories about Iraqi politicians buying not just one apartment building in London, but a whole row of them.
Many Iraqis say the old ruling clique was simply replaced with a new one. "We got rid of one Saddam," goes the familiar saying. "Now we have thousands of Saddams."
All this raises questions about whether 10 years of blood and treasure were worth the cost. Hundreds of billions of dollars were spent. More than 4,000 Americans were killed. More than 100,000 Iraqis died, and millions more were displaced.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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First, a quick explanation. In D3, you have six categories of abilities. Each category has 3 to 5 abilities within it. For example, the Demon Hunter has Primary Attack, Secondary Attack, Defensive, Hunting, Devices, and Archery categories. Under the default settings, you can only pick one ability per category.
However, if you go into Options, you can turn on a setting called Elective mode. In Elective mode, you are no longer restricted to one ability per category. Instead you can take multiple abilities from the same category, like two Defensive abilities. You are still restricted to 6 abilities in total.
Elective mode is more powerful than the default setup. This is obviously true because all default builds are a subset of elective mode builds.
The reason elective mode is bad is that it destroys any semblance of exclusive choices, which is the major advantage of Blizzard's new series of explicit choices model. Instead, it replicates the worst feature of talent trees. As I wrote about talent trees:
The lack of explicit choices means that all talents within reach are compared to each other and ranked accordingly. And this has lead to some awkwardness. For DPS, damage talents always outweigh survivability talents. For tanks, survivability talents always outweigh damage talents. So for a final build, the only choice is between a few talents that you don't really care about, that aren't really important to your role.
In a talent tree, it is extraordinarily hard to make someone choose between two good choices. Most of the time the player will take both, and drop a third, less important choice.This same pattern occurs in Elective mode. Trying to choose between two good Defensive talents? Don't make the hard choice. Turn on Elective mode and take both.
Restrictions breed creativity. Restrictions make games interesting. If you don't have access to both good Defensive talents, you have to choose one and adjust your play-style to match. You have to get the most value out of a weaker ability in a different category.
However, the hardcore players hate being restricted. They hate having to make choices. All they see is that it lessens their power. Thus they will whine and moan until the game developers give in.
This is one of the most important responsibilities of the game developers. To tell the playerbase that they need to deal with weaknesses, to work around the weaknesses with new tactics. Instead of watering down the game by erasing the restrictions that make the game interesting.
Blizzard knew elective mode was a mistake. It's not the default system in Diablo 3. The option to turn it on is buried in the menus where, realistically, only the hardcore will find it. The default system with the different categories produces far more interesting builds, in spite of--or maybe because of--the fact that default builds are weaker.
Blizzard gave in to the hardcore players who hate restrictions and weakened the game. The default ability system produces far more interesting and varied builds than elective mode. Unfortunately, good elective mode builds are far more effective in practice.

subset: commoncrawl


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Updated 2016
Getting off the beaten track may be quite hard in any popular travel destination and the Netherlands make no exception. However, there are things to do and places to see which allow you to get off the beaten travel trail and avoid the tourists, too.
- Popular museums in Amsterdam attract a lot of tourists but there are some lesser-known ones worth your time, too, such as: The Tulip Museum and The Houseboat Museum.
- Amsterdam is ideal for just walking. Or biking. Or taking a boat on the canals.
- See a small replica (1:25) of the Netherlands at Madurodam.
- Cycle or hike through Nationaal Park Zuid Kennemerland.
Read: The First Time Guide to Renting a Bicycle in Amsterdam.
Why you should add the Netherlands to your RTW travel list
Of course, visiting the Netherlands won't be complete without seeing some of the major sights that make the country famous. Here are some ideas on what to do if you've never been there or plan on staying for a while.
- Coffee shops, Red Light District and canals…the three things I am sure you won't miss experiencing in Amsterdam.
- Rent a bike in Amsterdam.
- Enjoy nature in Amsterdam's Rembrandt Park.
- Alkmaar is a small town in the north known for its cheese market.
- Visit the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
- Floriade. Every 10 years, though and it happens in 2012.
- Visit the historic center of Haarlem, a short train ride from the capital.
- See the medieval architecture of Maastricht.
- Visit the bustling port of Rotterdam.
- The old center of Utrecht is charming. See it from above. Or walk on its streets.
- Spend some time in the The Jordaan district of Amsterdam, sipping a coffee .
Read: The Home and Prison of Anne Frank.
Why you shouldn't add the Netherlands to your RTW travel list
- The high prices are going to put you off visiting Netherlands. But there are always ways to cut down costs.
- Some areas , especially in Amsterdam, are too touristy and you'll feel tired very easily.
When you think of the Netherlands the image of wooden shoes, tulips and windmills might come to mind. Throw in a picture of a little boy holding a finger next to a dyke and the cliche is complete. For all that is known about Holland – Amsterdam's Red Light district, the flatness, the canals, the tallest people in the world – there are also mysteries to be discovered. How does a country that is below sea level exist? Where did all those bikes come from? Why do the Dutch people speak better English than native speakers? These are the questions you can answer while visiting a country that oozes hipness.
Read: Netherlands Travel Facts.
What to do
Of course you'll want to visit Amsterdam, which combines world-class museums and stunning architecture with all those coffeeshops you've heard about as well as the infamous Red Light District. The Rijksmuseum is the finest in the country, but the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House often have longer lines.
Rotterdam has an all-new city center, but it can be fascinating as well, since it can give you a much better look at the real Dutch culture. They've got an enormous harbor, museums, and even coffeeshops, but only a tiny fraction of the amount of tourists that Amsterdam has, and that can make it worthwhile by itself.
Getting there
Book a flight into Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (code: AMS) and see what all the fuss is about. Fares tend to be quite low from everywhere due to the heavy competition. The city is also easily reached by rail so it's an excellent stop for Eurail Pass holders as well.
Read: Rotterdamned.
Where to stay
There are more hotels in the Netherlands than you can shake a stick at, and prices can be reasonable. But there are also loads of hostels in the Netherlands, most of those being in Amsterdam itself. Summers are crowded, but otherwise you shouldn't have much problem finding a room.


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San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, accused by at least eight women of sexually harassing them, never received a mandated training course on sexual harassment from the city, according to his attorney.
Harvey Berger says the city failed to meet its legal requirement and therefore should foot the mayor's legal bills. Filner and the city of San Diego are being sued by the mayor's former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson.
The Associated Press reports that "Berger said the training was scheduled but the city trainer canceled and did not reschedule." Berger laid out his arguments in a letter to City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. Parts of the letter were made public Wednesday.
City council members have unanimously refused to fund Filner's defense and are suing the mayor for any damages the city may incur dealing with McCormack Jackson's lawsuit, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
"If Bob Filner is engaged in unlawful conduct and the city is held liable, he will have to reimburse us every penny the city pays and its attorney fees," Goldsmith told the U-T.
Member station KPBS reports that when McCormack Jackson went public with her allegations earlier this month:
"She described Filner's penchant for putting her into a headlock and pulling her about, while whispering sexually explicit comments in her ear. She said the mayor often told her he loved her, wanted to kiss her, told her he wanted to see her naked and that she should work without panties at City Hall; and that he wanted to 'consummate their relationship.' "
McCormack Jackson, whose suit seeks unspecified damages, alleges the city's Democratic mayor also acted inappropriately with other women. She and her attorney, Gloria Allred, are among many who have demanded the mayor resign.
Filner, 70, has refused to step down. As KPBS reports, he has acknowledged that he's made terrible mistakes and engaged in "intimidating conduct." The mayor says he's apologized to his staff and plans to address his behavior by entering an inpatient rehab clinic for two weeks, starting Aug. 5.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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- Trap Girl
August 21, 2021
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Price includes all materials, take-home canvas, artist instruction, and music.
Class will start on time. The instructor will not be able to start over for late arrivals.
Cancellations: There will be no refunds for no-shows on the day of the event.
Alcohol: Alcohol is present during our events, therefore, we restrict attendance to adults 18 and over. Alcohol consumption is permitted only for adults over 21. Please have ID available.
Event Minimum: If we do not have at least 10 people registered for this class, we may cancel. We will reach out to any registrants prior to event if there is chance of cancellation
Inclement Weather: We understand that weather is unpredictable, however, if we are open for business, there will be no refunds or reschedules allowed. In that event that we do have to cancel for severe weather, then we will be happy to reschedule you for a later date.


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Champion Briefs March 2020 PF File
Champion Briefs for Public Forum Debate are unique because of their structure, quality, and quantity of arguments. Each brief includes topic analyses by the Triple Crown Champions, the champions of the NSDA National Tournament, NCFL National Tournament, and the Tournament of Champions. These writers know how to win tournaments and know how to help you do the same. Following this section, we provide you with background information on the topic before delving into the arguments themselves.
Our briefs include 15 heavily warranted arguments on each side of the topic. Every argument is paired with blocks and answers to ensure that you are prepared for anything. Our expert writers provide analysis for every argument and answer to provide a better understanding of the argument logic. We believe that this structure, rather than an assortment of unrelated cards as most briefs provide, is the best way for debaters to achieve a better understanding of the topic. If you want to become a Champion, these are the briefs for you.
See more: Public Forum Debate Briefs


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The U.S. has added another gold medal to its Olympic tally. As NPR's Tamara Keith reports, this latest win comes courtesy of Ted Ligety and with it, he has cemented his place as one of the great giant slalom skiers.
TAMARA KEITH, BYLINE: Ted Ligety came into the second run of today's giant slalom competition with such a commanding lead - nearly a full second - that all he had to do was not mess up. He blazed down the mountain, though taking fewer risks than on the first run; making each turn with his aggressive and yet seemingly effortless style. When it was over, Ligety had what he came for - gold.
His lead, 48-hundredths of a second, certainly not the biggest he's had, but more than enough.
TED LIGETY: You know, the competitive side of me when I finish - cross the finish line seeing only 48-hundredths, was a little bit mad at myself for not pushing harder at some points, but all I really cared about was seeing a green light when I went to the finish line, whether it was a hundredth of a second or two seconds.
KEITH: This is Ligety's second gold medal. He won the super combined eight years ago. But at the Olympics in Vancouver, when expectations were high, he came up short. He didn't push hard enough to win. And that, he says, was a turning point. Coming into today's race, the pressure on Ligety was intense. Giant slalom is his event, but he hadn't been doing all that well earlier in the Sochi Games.
LIGETY: It's awesome to be able to come here and, you know, be able to compete and finally do it - and get the monkey off the back, I guess.
KEITH: Ligety has dominated giant slalom in international competition, and came into Sochi the one to beat. But as he knows better than most, that doesn't mean anything.
LIGETY: Ski racing is probably the least guaranteed sport out there, you know. It's really rare - actually, oftentimes - when the favorites win.
KEITH: The goal is to be out of control enough to go extremely fast, and in control just enough not to crash. Ligety, more than any other skier, has figured this out with a combination of finely tuned equipment, technique and strength. Just ask the skiers he beat. Tim Jitloff, from San Jose, Calif., finished 15th.
TIM JITLOFF: He's able to just risk it to the point and make turns that all of us are sitting there going, wow, I really wish I could to one of those. So - and he's able to do it the whole way down the course. It's not like it's three turns, or something like that.
KEITH: Jitloff compares Ligety to tennis great Roger Federer.
JITLOFF: I think it reminds me of like, when Federer was so dominant there for about four years. Everyone's like, what do you do? How do you beat him? I don't know. Obviously, super impressive.
KEITH: It's a question Austrian skier Benjamin Raich, who finished seventh, has been trying to answer.
BENJAMIN RAICH: Hard to say. I try a lot of times, but it's - up to now, it's impossible.
KEITH: Ligety says he plans to compete in the next Olympics four years from now, in South Korea.
Tamara Keith, NPR News, Sochi. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Plasma laboratory wins $12 million grant for fusion research
A center based at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has won a highly competitive $12.25 million grant to develop computer codes to simulate a key component of the plasma that fuels fusion energy. The five-year DOE award could produce software that helps researchers design and operate facilities to create fusion as a clean and abundant source of energy for generating electricity.
The grant comes from the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program supported by the DOE Office of Science.
The grant will go to PPPL's Center for Edge Physics Simulation (EPSI) headed by C.S. Chang, a principal research physicist. The award will fund an advanced computer simulation of the complex and turbulent conditions at the edge of the plasma, the hot, electrically charged gas that scientists confine inside magnetic fields in facilities called tokamaks. Controlling the little-understood plasma edge is crucial for maintaining the confinement so that fusion can take place.
"The DOE grant is terrific for the laboratory because it allows us to work in the forefront of the simulation of the edge region of fusion plasmas," said PPPL Director Stewart Prager. "This code could go a long way toward modeling and understanding this pivotal region."
The task of confining fusion plasma has everyday parallels, noted Chang. "If you want to confine soup, the bowl should not leak, wobble or be broken by the heat," said Chang, who joined PPPL in 2011, from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University.
The EPSI team consists of leading physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists from 11 U.S. research institutions, together with PPPL participants. Collaborating institutions include: DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Brown University; the University of Colorado-Boulder; the University of Texas-Austin; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the California Institute of Technology; the University of California-San Diego; Columbia University; Lehigh University; and Rutgers University.
PPPL participants in EPSI include staff physicists Stephane Ethier, Seung-Hoe Ku, Jianying Lang and Daren Stotler, and postdoctoral fellows Devon Battaglia and Robert Hager.
The EPSI team will work on Titan, a Cray XK6 supercomputer that is one of the world's fastest scientific computing systems, which is housed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Titan is expected to have a peak performance of more than 20 petaflops — the technical term for a million billion calculations a second. The machine will have the combined power of well over 2 million home computers and the ability to perform in one day what a single desktop device would take more than 5,000 years to complete. The EPSI team also will work on Hopper, a Cray XE6 supercomputer at the DOE's E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The new computer code will build on software created by a previous Chang-directed center, the Center for Plasma Edge Simulation. The new code will seek to model the harsh pressure, temperature, density and flow conditions that mark the edge of intensely hot fusion plasmas, and cause them to grow unstable, leak from their magnetic confinement and damage tokamak walls.
The EPSI researchers will test their model against data gleaned from actual fusion experiments to see if the model's predictions are accurate. "If the code proves to be validated for all the relevant aspects of today's experiments, then we would have the confidence to project it for the future," Chang said.
The validated model could serve as a guide to developers of next-generation fusion facilities, which will need to confine hot plasmas at temperatures of over 100 million degrees and cope with extreme heat fluxes against their walls. Such facilities include ITER, the huge tokamak that the European Union, the United States and five other countries are building in Cadarache, France. Plans call for ITER to produce 500 million watts of fusion energy for up to 500 seconds by the late 2020s.
Efforts such as the EPSI project would thus serve as a pathway to fusion power.
PPPL, in Plainsboro, N.J., is devoted to creating new knowledge about the physics of plasmas — ultra-hot, charged gases — and to developing practical solutions for the creation of fusion energy. Through fusion, which is constantly occurring in the sun and other stars, energy is created when the nuclei of two lightweight atoms, such as those of hydrogen, combine in plasma at very high temperatures. When this happens, a burst of energy is released, which can be used to generate electricity.
PPPL is managed by Princeton University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States.


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Amma isn't very fond of Chocolate cakes,so despite wanting to bake this cake for long,I had to skip baking this.Made a mental note to bake this as soon as I landed in Chennai,but it wasn't to be.Life's quite busy these days and to measure,sift,line the pan and bake did seem like a bit too much work,yes it happens to me too!
While watching Masterchef last night,I saw this fudgy,gooey chocolate cake they made for a team challenge and thought to myself-this is it!I got to buck up and bake and the first bake after the break's got to be a chocolate cake.(it rhymes!!)
The recipe is quite easy to put together.It uses oil in place of butter(no waiting for butter to soften)and chopped walnuts and chocolate chips(my addition)as a natural topping.I love the combination of chocolate and walnut and added a tsp of instant coffee to the batter to pep up the flavor and the resulting cake's a winner.Fudgy and chocolatey with the crunch of walnuts,this one's truly a chocoholics treat.
Eggless Chocolate Walnut Cake
Recipe adapted from PAB
Flour - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup
Instant coffee powder - 1 tsp
Thick curd(homemade) - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 1/4 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1/2 cup
Vanilla bean - 1/2 of 1 bean,scraped(or else use a tsp of Vanilla extract)
Chopped Walnuts - 1/2 cup
Vanilla bean sugar(or regular sugar) - 1 tbsp
Chocolate chips - 2 tbsp
Preheat oven to 200C.Grease and line an 8' round cake tin.
Sift together flour,cocoa powder and coffee powder,reserve.
In a mixing bowl,beat together sugar and yogurt till creamy.Mix in baking powder,baking soda and scraped vanilla bean,beat well and let it rest for a couple of minutes or till bubbles start to appear on top.
Beat in the oil.Add the sifted flour mix and beat till you get a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts,chocolate chips and sugar.
Bake at 200C for 10 minutes and 170C for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack for further cooling.
- Cool the cake completely before cutting.I was impatient and cut the cake while still warm(the batter was too delicious and I couldn't wait!).
- The cake remains soft even after refrigeration,but if you are not eating it immediately,cover the cake with a cling film on top and warm it up in the microwave just before serving.
- Though the cake is delicious on its own,it would pair up wonderfully with ice-cream or even some chilled coffee.


text: Last weekend was the opening of a massive photo festival in Knokke-Heist, Belgium called Wonderland. Christophe De Jaeger, the curator of the Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels (BOZAR), chose six international photographers to show their work all over town, indoors and outdoors on a gigantic scale. Â The photographers include Michael Light, Ruud Van Empel, Sanna Kannisto, Olaf Otto Becker, Corey Arnold, and Gerco De Ruijter. Knokke is a high class beach town on the coast of Belgium and they spared no expense producing enormous inkjet prints on Canvas and Dibond plates. The show was designed to be a bike tour taking you on a scavenger hunt around the city and countryside. I also had a solo exhibition of Fish-Work images at the Sincfala Museum in Heist. Here are some snaps! Oh, and I was interviewed by A Belgian TV station called Cobra. You can watch the video here.


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Low-bush, organic wild blueberries, picked and infused with organic apple juice concentrate, slowly dried and misted with organic sunflower oil to prevent clumping. No refined sugar, sulfites, or other chemicals. Very low sodium, no salt added, a good source of fiber, and low fat. USDA rates 'wild' blueberries' #1 in antioxidant activity.
Organic EDEN Wild Blueberries are from lowbush wild blueberry fields called 'barrens' in northern Québec that have been organically managed since 1996. Formerly heavily forested, just a few years after logging they became filled with native wild lowbush blueberries. Blueberries are picked in August, washed, cleaned, sorted, and quick frozen. Later they are thawed and infused with organic apple juice concentrate to a targeted sweetness or 'Brix'. Infused blueberries are rinsed, slowly dried, and misted with organic sunflower oil to prevent clumping. They require no refrigeration.
Wild blueberries have been gathered from fields and forests by Americans for at least centuries, used in stews, soups, cooked with corn, sweetened with maple syrup or honey, and worked into jerky. The blossom or calyx of each berry forms a five pointed star. Native Americans called it 'star berry', and elders told stories of the Great Spirit bringing star berries to comfort children. Blueberry juice was used to ease 'old coughs,' and to dye rugs, blankets, and clothing. They made smoked berries, sun-dried berries, and blueberry powder to add to their meats and other dishes. Leaves and roots where used to make tea. Native Americans taught Pilgrims how to grow, store, and use native plants. Wild berries were important food of early settlers.
There are more than 450 plants in the blueberry family Vaccinium, but just a few are native to North America: the wild low-bush sweet blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium; two high-bush varieties now used to cultivate blueberries Vaccinium corymbosum and Vaccinium ashei; and the sour New England variety Vaccinium myrtilloides. The wild low-bush blueberry is native to northeastern North America growing from Minnesota to Maine, and from southern Canada to as far north as the Arctic. It grows in cooler regions producing small blueberries on a dwarf plant 1 to 2 feet high. Cultivated blueberries are a much taller bush grown in many areas and are planted like an orchard. Wild blueberry plants are not planted. They develop from native stands and their habitat is simply protected.
Nutrition Facts
Although both types of blueberries contain antioxidants, it is the wild, low-bush blueberry that is far higher in antioxidant activity. USDA uses a system called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). By testing the ability of foods and other compounds to subdue oxygen free radicals, USDA determines antioxidant capability. The ORAC value of wild blueberries is 2,400. The highest of the 20 common fruits tested.
Unlike commercial dried fruit, organic EDEN Wild Blueberries contain no added refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. They are free of sulfites, chemical preservatives, or any other additives.
Organic EDEN Wild Blueberries are a healthy snack food great for lunches, camping, and hiking, or just a real good snack anytime. There's no limiting them to a snack though. Use them in hot or cold cereals, cakes, scones and muffins, in pie fillings and puddings, and in grain and bread stuffing. Sprinkle them on salads. They're great in granola, muesli, granola bars, popcorn balls, and caramel corn.


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Although I have been enjoying the pumpkins and winter squash a lot lately, I was ready for a bit of a change and that got me to thinking about other fall produce that I enjoy. Pears are one that I have regularly but I rarely seem to use them in recipes and now was the perfect opportunity to do so! I still needed something for breakfasts for the week and that reminded me of the pear and gorgonzola omelette that I had enjoyed so much last year and I recalled thinking that it would also be nice in quiche form at the time. I simply could not resist the idea of using one of my favourite flavour combinations, pear and gorgonzola, so I had my breakfast idea, a pear and gorgonzola quiche.
I figured it would not be all that fun to be biting into your light and fluffy quiche only to hit a rock hard piece of pear so I wanted to cook the pear a bit before putting it into the quiche. There are a few ways to do this and although poaching the pears crossed my mind I went with a simpler solution and I just sauteed the pear in some butter and brown sugar until tender. The sweetness added by caramelizing the pears like this goes surprisingly well with the pear and tangly gorgonzola combo in eggs. Next up, I wanted something salty to balance things out and diced pancetta sounded like they would do the trick nicely. I also wanted to work a nut into the quiche somehow but I did not like the sound of biting into nuts in a quiche so I decided to replace some of the flour in my my all butter crust with ground walnuts.
The caramelized pear and gorgonzola quiche turned out amazingly well! The pear and gorgonzola flavour combo proved once again why it is a classic and it worked really well in a quiche. Caramelizing the pears first added a nice hint of sweetness that was balanced by the salty pancetta. Most of all, I really enjoyed the way that the ground walnuts worked in the butter pastry crust and I will definitely have to remember to try adding nuts to future pie crusts like this.
Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Quiche
- 1/4 cup pancetta or bacon, diced
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 pears, cored and sliced into bite sized pieces
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 cup gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled
- 1 pre-baked walnut butter pie crust (see below)
- Cook the pancetta and shallot in a pan.
- Add the butter and let it melt.
- Add the sugar and cook until bubbly, about 3 minutes.
- Add the pear and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Mix the pears, eggs, half and half, thyme and gorgonzola and pour it into the pre-baked pie crust.
- Bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven until golden brown on top and set in the center, about 25-45 minutes.
Walnut Butter Pie Crust (Pâte Brisée)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup ground walnuts (toasted before ground)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
- 4-5 tablespoons water (cold)
- Pulse the flour, ground walnuts, salt and sugar in a food processor to mix.
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 6-8 times.
- Add a tablespoon of water at a time pulsing in between until it starts to clump together.
- Place the dough on a clean surface and shape it into a disc.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle about 1/8 of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
- Place the dough into a 9 inch diameter spring form pan with the edges going up the side of the pan.
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the pie and fill it with rice or beans to hold it down.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the parchment paper and weight and poke the bottom of the crust with a fork a few times.
- Bake until a light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Pear and Gorgonzola Tart
Caramelized Pear and Blue Cheese Soup
Gorgonzola Cheesecake with Vanilla Pear Compote
Pear and Gorgonzola Risotto
Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Omelette with Bacon and Pecans
Pear Salad with and Bacon, Gorgonzola and Candied Walnuts
Pear and Gorgonzola Tart
Apple and Cheddar Quiche
Roasted Pumpkin Quiche with Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola and Sage
Caramelized Pear, Chocolate and Goat Cheese Smoothie
Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quiche with Quinoa Crust
Caprese Frittata


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POPLARVILLE – The RiverRoad show choir at Pearl River Community College will host the River Run race on Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Wellness Center on the Poplarville campus.
Proceeds from the race, The 5K to Broadway, will go toward the show choir's March trip to New York City.Medals will be awarded to the overall male and female winners and to the Grand Masters (over 50) male and female winners. First, second and third places will be awarded to males and females in the following age groups: 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60-69.
Early registration is $20 ($15 for PRCC students with Ids) and must be received by Monday, Nov. 26. Registration on Dec. 1 will be $25 ($20 for PRCC students). Pre-registered participants are guaranteed to receive t-shirts; race day registrants will receive shirts as long as they are available.
RiverRoad, made up of 30 students selected by audition, was chosen as a host choir for the 2013 Show Choir National Championship Series for high school choirs in New York City. PRCC students will be assigned to the high schools and will be with them throughout the competition. RiverRoad will do an exhibition performance before the awards ceremony.
LaDona Tyson is the RiverRoad director.
Entry forms can be found on the PRCC website at https://prcc.edu/files/pdfs/riverrun_flyer.pdf, on the college's Facebook page and at the bookstore, Wellness Center, math lab and choir room on the Poplarville campus. They should be returned to Pearl River Community College, Attention: LaDona Tyson, 101 Highway 11 North, Poplarville, MS 39470 or at the Wellness Center.


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How to change tire in Fergus Falls
January 22, 2023
The process of changing a tire is an ability that every driver must be aware of. It isn't always possible to have the convenience of a mechanic garage or gas station nearby when it's time for changing the tire. Blower outs and flats can be not predictable, but we are aware that bad luck can happen at the most inconvenient moments.
Be sure to carry an auto jack, a tool for lugs, and an extra tire. The spare could be a normal tire, like those that are already in your car, or a donut. The donut is a tiny tire and is not designed to travel long distances.
If you happen to be on the road that has a tire that is flat remove yourself from the traffic as the best way you can.
Find a flat, level surface that can provide the required support when changing your tire.
Put the jack on the frame near the tire you want to change, however, make sure that you put the jack in the metal part of the frame to prevent injury.
Before lifting the car off of the ground you should remove the hubcap, and remove those lug nuts. Lift the car off the ground, and remove the nuts completely way.
Take off the tire that was in use and put the new one or the donut onto it and then replace the nuts.
Then slowly lower the vehicle until it is on the floor and put the nuts in place. Replace the hubcap, and then place the jack, wrench, and tire that was previously used into the truck.
Get rid of the tire in an appropriate place.
Making a change to a tire swiftly and efficiently requires some time but if you're able to do it, you'll never need to be worried about getting trapped due to a flat again. If you have a flat tire on the road in Fergus Falls and do not know how to change a tire or do not have a jack, we strongly recommend that you contact roadside assistance in Fergus Falls. We will help you solve the problem within half an hour.


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Music Service, Mobile Software Expected From Apple
Apple hasn't said what it will unveil at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. But the major announcements are expected during Monday's keynote presentation. Last year, Apple used the conference to announce its own mapping service, better integration with social networks and improvements to virtual assistant Siri. It also announced thinner MacBooks with high-resolution screens. The conference runs through Friday.
This year, Apple is expected to show off a simplified look on iPhones and iPads. If the speculation is correct, it would be the most radical design change since the iPhone made its debut in 2007, showing consumers that phones could do much more than make calls and exchange messages.
This week's event comes at an important time for Apple. The company's stock price has fallen amid concerns that another breakthrough product isn't imminent. Although CEO Tim Cook has said people shouldn't expect new products until the fall, Apple is likely to preview how future products will function in its unveiling of new services and features.
Monday's highlight is expected to be an updated version of iOS, the software that runs iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. It will be called iOS 7 and will come with new devices expected to go on sale this fall. Owners of recent models such as last fall's iPhone 5 will likely be eligible for free upgrades.
Icons in iOS now have a three-dimensional look that tries to mimic the real-world counterparts of certain apps. For instance, the icon for the Notes app looks like a yellow notepad and the Contacts app is represented by a leather-bound address book. The speculation is that Apple will do away with that theme in iOS 7. Instead, icons will look plain and simple, offering more consistency from app to app. The new design is likely to favor black and white elements rather than splashes of color.
While design modifications could help Apple distinguish its devices from rival phones and tablets, they risk alienating longtime users.
Microsoft's radical makeover of the Windows operating system in October was meant to give the company a stronger presence on tablet computers, but it ended up confusing many people who had become accustomed to using the old operating system on traditional desktops and laptops. IDC blamed Windows 8 for accelerating a decline in PC sales.
Apple riled users of its gadgets last fall when it kicked out a beloved app using Google's mapping service and replaced it with its own Maps app. Travelers complained of misplaced landmarks, overlooked towns and other problems. What was supposed to be a triumph for Apple served to underscore Google's strength in maps. Apple CEO Tim Cook issued a rare public apology and promised improvements.
Apple may use iOS 7 as an opportunity to update its Maps app. Other features in iOS 7 may include new ways to do things through gesture commands.
Apple is also expected to debut a streaming music service dubbed iRadio.
Apple is a pioneer in digital music sales. The debut of its iTunes music store in 2003 gave people an easy, legal way to obtain music for their iPods. Apple persuaded the major recording companies to join its efforts as a way to thwart online piracy. What started with a catalog of about 200,000 songs has grown to tens of millions today. The iTunes store is now the leading U.S. retailer of music.
With iTunes, people buy songs or albums to download to computers, phones and tablets. But streaming services such as Pandora and Spotify have emerged as popular alternatives for listening to music. Pandora relies on its users being connected to the Internet at all times and plays songs at random within certain genres for free. The service is supported by advertising. It is the most similar service to the one Apple is expected to announce Monday The difference is that Apple is expected to feature a seamless way for listeners to purchase songs through iTunes.
The announcement could further cement Apple as a leader in digital music and cut into Pandora's status as the most-listened-to Internet radio service.
But Apple faces a new type of competition that it didn't have when it debuted iTunes. Rival Google Inc. started an on-demand subscription music service called All Access last month. The service joins Spotify, Rhapsody and others that give subscribers the ability to pick and choose specific songs and albums from a catalog of millions for playback on computers, tablets and smartphones. Such services allow songs to be saved on mobile devices for playback outside of Internet connectivity as long as the user keeps paying a monthly fee – usually $10 a month in the U.S.
Apple Inc. faces more competition on phones, too. Phones running Google Inc.'s Android system have surpassed iPhones in sales. In addition, new phones running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Phone 8 system and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry 10 have started going on sale in recent months.


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NEW YORK — The secret U.S. government memo outlining the justification for the use of drones to kill American terror suspects abroad was released by court order Monday, yielding the most detailed, inside look yet at the legal underpinnings of the Obama administration's program of "targeted killings."
The 41-page memo — whose contents had previously been summarized and released piecemeal — was heavily redacted for national security reasons, with several entire pages and other passages whited out.
But it argues among other things that a targeted killing of a U.S. citizen is permissible under a 2001 law passed by Congress soon after 9/11. That law empowered the president to use force against organizations that planned and committed the attacks.
"The release of the memo will allow the public to better assess the lawfulness of the government's targeted killing policy and the implications of that policy," said Jameel Jaffer, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney who argued for release of the memo. "Despite the release of this memo, the public still knows scandalously little about who the government is killing and why."
He said the memo contains the first formal acknowledgment by the government that the CIA is involved in the program.
The July 2010 memo was written by a Justice Department official who is now a federal appeals court judge. It was released after a yearlong legal battle by The New York Times and the ACLU.
The memo specifically provided the legal justification for the September 2011 killing in Yemen of Anwar Al-Awlaki, an al-Qaida leader and one-time cleric at a Virginia mosque who had been born in the United States, and another U.S. citizen, Samir Khan, who edited al-Qaida's Internet magazine. An October 2011 strike also killed Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, al-Awlaki's teenage son and also a U.S. citizen.
Al-Awlaki had been involved in an abortive attack against the U.S. and was planning other attacks from his base in Yemen, the memo said. It said the authority to use lethal force abroad may apply in certain circumstances to a U.S. citizen who is part of the forces of an enemy organization.
The memo said the Defense Department operation was being carried out against someone who was within the core of individuals against whom Congress had authorized the use of "necessary and appropriate" force. David E. McCraw, vice president and assistant general counsel for the Times, called the memo "a critical addition to the public debate over targeted killings and should fuel a richer discussion of the legal and security issues that are at the heart of that debate."
The memo was written by David Barron, who at the time was acting chief of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. He was recently confirmed as a judge in the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.
U.S. officials considered al-Awlaki to be an inspirational leader of al-Qaida, and they have linked him to the planning and execution of several attacks targeting American and Western interests, including a 2009 attempt on Christmas Day to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner.
Pardiss Kebriaei, a senior attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, said the memo's contents showed that the targeted killing program was built on "gross distortions of law."
Kebriaei, who worked with the ACLU on two lawsuits challenging al-Awlaki's killing, estimated that more than 4,000 people may have been killed by drone strikes since 2009. The lawyer said that although the U.S., England and Israel are the only countries that have used drones to kill, other countries soon will have such aircraft of their own.
"The United States loosening and redefining international rules governing the use of force and war is ultimately not going to make anyone any safer," the lawyer said.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Circuit indicated that the memo's release might not be the last. The appeals court also ordered the Justice Department to show other legal opinions to a lower-court judge to determine whether they, too, must be disclosed.
In February 2013, the administration released a 16-page Justice Department "white paper" summarizing the legal arguments detailed in the memo released Monday. The paper asserted that it would be legal to kill a U.S. citizen who had joined al-Qaida if "an informed, high-level official" concluded that the person could not be captured and posed "an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States."
The paper said an imminent threat "does not require … clear evidence that a specific attack on U.S. persons and interests will take place in the immediate future."
A Yemeni human rights activist, Abdel-Rahman Barman, said the memo shows that any security tip that reaches the U.S. government could lead to somebody being killed.
"This will only endanger the lives of more people," Barman said.


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Entertainment is not a one-size-fits-all world. We want you to be able to choose the hardware that makes sense for you, so we are working with multiple partners to bring a variety of Steam gaming machines to market during 2014, all of them running SteamOS.
Where Sony and Microsoft follow the iOS model for consoles, Valve is aiming for the Android model, including Valve's own line of 'Nexus' devices. As Valves notes, no restrictions – you can change the hardware, software, and install any operating system you want. The right approach, obviously.
The cooperation between Valve and NVIDIA is quite close, as NVIDIA details on its blog:
Engineers from Valve and NVIDIA have spent a lot of time collaborating on a common goal for SteamOS: to deliver an open-platform gaming experience with superior performance and uncompromising visuals directly on the big screen.
NVIDIA engineers embedded at Valve collaborated on improving driver performance for OpenGL; optimizing performance on NVIDIA GPUs; and helping to port Valve's award-winning content library to SteamOS; and tuning SteamOS to lower latency, or lag, between the controller and onscreen action.
This is going to be big. After being defeated in mobile, it seems Microsoft is facing another frontal assault on another one of its strongholds: gaming, whether it be Windows or Xbox.


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Recent world events may have you feeling especially concerned about your family's safety. The biggest threats to safety, though, are very close to home. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), motor vehicle accidents, falls, accidental poisoning, drowning, and choking are the leading causes of unintentional death in the United States. Don't overlook some of the easiest ways to keep your family safe. These 10 tips can help.
1. Buckle up. In the event of a car accident, this simple act can mean the difference between life and death. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 33, according to the NSC. About every 12-1/2 minutes, someone in the United States is killed because of an auto accident. Every 14 seconds, someone suffers a disabling injury. Seat belts save the lives of thousands of people every year.
2. Use child safety seats. Using a child safety seat can reduce the risk for fatal injury by about 70 percent in children under age 1. Be sure to install the seat properly—close to 80 percent are not installed correctly. The safest place for a child safety seat is in the middle of the back seat. If a child must ride in the front passenger seat, the airbag should be turned off. For more information on how to install car seats, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
3. Don't drink and drive. Consider this: Approximately 40 percent of auto accident deaths involve drinking. In drunk-driving deaths involving children, over 60 percent of the children are riding in the drunk driver's car. About three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident at some point in their lives, the NSC says. If you will be drinking, designate a nondrinker to drive. Or call a cab.
4. Wear a helmet. Always use a helmet when biking or when playing sports, such as football, hockey, or baseball. About 800 bicyclists die each year in crashes involving motor vehicles, the NSC says. A head injury often results in irreversible damage to the brain. Wearing a helmet can cut the risk for head injury by about 85 percent. Enforce strict rules with your kids—no helmet, no playing the sport or biking. Set a good example by wearing your own helmet when biking.
5. Prevent falls. More than 50 percent of all falls occur in the home. The CDC reports that about 20,000 people age 65 and older die each year of falls.
Children are almost as likely as seniors to be injured in a fall, but you can take steps to help keep both older adults and children safely upright. Keep your home clear of tripping hazards, such as electrical cords, throw rugs, and toys on the floor. Keep stairs free of clutter and place handrails on both sides of all stairs. Install light switches at the top and bottom of stairs. Use nonslip mats in the bathtub and shower. Install grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower.
Never leave a baby alone on a bed or changing table and use the safety straps on high chairs and strollers. Install gates to prevent access to stairways and balconies. And make sure spindles on staircases are four inches apart or less to prevent an infant's head from slipping through them.
6. Watch those windows. Screens are designed to keep insects out, not children in. If you install guards that keep children from opening windows more than a few inches, make sure that the guards can be released easily in case of fire. Periodically check your windows to make sure that they're not painted, nailed, or swollen shut.
7. Prevent poisoning. Poisoning is a leading cause of death in the home, the NSC says. People at highest risk for poisoning at home are those ages 25 to 44. The main substances that cause accidental death are medicines, poisonous houseplants, cleaning products, and pesticides. Keep your medications locked away from inquisitive young fingers and always tighten child-resistant caps properly. Move your cleaning products to cabinets with safety latches. Keep your local poison control center phone number close to the phone.
8. Be watchful near water. More than 3,000 people drown every year, and children up to age 4 are the most susceptible. Never leave your child alone at a pool or beach or in a bathtub. If you have a swimming pool, fence it in, install self-closing doors leading to it and put toys away from curious eyes when not in use. For added protection, install a cover that prevents access to the water.
9. Keep children from choking. Suffocation is a leading cause of death in the home for children ages 4 and younger. Always put babies to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress, not on a soft cushion, pillow, or blanket. Make sure to keep toys with long cords and window-shade pull cords away from small children. Children under 4 can choke on firm, round foods. such as popcorn, nuts, grapes, and hard candy, so introduce new foods carefully. Also keep small objects that a child could swallow—such as jewelry and tacks—safely out of reach.
10. Be prepared for fire. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers can help prevent injury and death if a fire breaks out in your home. Test smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries twice a year. Make sure that everyone knows where to meet outside the house and teach children their last name, address, and how to call 911 in case of an emergency. To help prevent fires at home, make sure all electrical appliances, electrical cords, and outlets are in good condition; keep children, pets, and combustible materials away from space heaters; if you smoke, don't smoke in bed or on upholstered furniture.


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Well, it's happened. British scientist Peter Higgs has won a Nobel Prize for proposing the Higgs boson particle as part of a mechanism that explains how things in the universe came to have mass.
Higgs seems to be lying low today so far — a colleague told The New York Times that Higgs had "gone off by himself for a few days without saying where" and that a reporter seeking an interview recently had been "sent away with a flea in his ear."
As it happens, when I was just starting out in journalism 16 years ago, I wrote an email to Higgs at the University of Edinburgh asking him how the particle everyone was looking for had come to bear his name. (The Higgs is also known as the "God Particle" — a name that started out as a joke and stuck.)
I had just finished grad school in physics and was nervous to be emailing the guy whose name had figured so prominently in my classes. (Is this what journalists do? Just email famous people asking questions?)
I didn't hear anything for a month. But then this lovely aerogramme appeared in the mail. I've kept it in my desk ever since.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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A lot of people like to compare Google Docs & Spreadsheets with Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, and other office suites, and to say that Google's product is less powerful and can't be a threat for Microsoft. But this comparison is plain wrong.
Here's an excerpt from a 2005 press release of Writely, that was bought by Google in 2006 and became the Docs part of Google Docs & Spreadsheets:
While Salesforce.com's Marc Benioff and others have hailed Writely as a serious challenge to Microsoft and its dominance of the office productivity market, Writely is not a carbon-copy of existing desktop solutions. Rather, Writely is an innovative, Web-centric word processor that leverages the connected nature of the Internet to provide online storage, editing, sharing and communication of documents - documents that users can now upload and save in multiple formats.
In a post from 2005, Writely argued that web applications have the advantage of being more approachable. They don't require software installation, reading manuals.
One of the reasons the web is so nice is that the page UI is simple...a few things at a time, a very easy metaphor, etc. It passes the "mom" test - I can usually just tell my mom to go to a site, and she usually can figure it out. I can't remember the last time I could do that with a desktop app. So, even though the windows desktop is "richer", it's not necessarily better.
And because they wanted to build something new, they ignored the obvious approach of trying to copy Microsoft Office. Writely tried to add features that make sense on the web.
The other question I get asked a lot is related - "So, how much of Word are you planning to copy?" The answer is: "none of it". We don't think of ourselves as a copy of Word on the web. (...) We're a word processor, re-invented for the web.
Writely stayed away as much as possible from copying Word, and admired Gmail's success, that didn't copy any desktop mail client, unlike Oddpast, which was released much earlier than Gmail. Oddpost was bought by Yahoo, that transformed it into the new version of Yahoo Mail.
What's the difference between Oddpost and Gmail? One followed desktop interaction conventions, required a particular browser and a particular operating system, and gained a cult following. The other came along four years later, followed Web interaction conventions, worked across all modern browsers — and transformed its entire category. Some might argue that Oddpost is the more sophisticated solution. But Gmail is part of the larger Web in a way that Oddpost never could have been.
This philosophy transferred to Google Docs & Spreadsheets, so that's why it's unfair to compare it to Microsoft Office. Even if they'll add more features (charts in Google Spreadsheets, pagination in Google Docs), the products won't try to be an imitation of a desktop product, but something that can be done on the web and takes advantage of the huge power of the web: collaboration, instant feedback, mashups, live data from the web, contextual search.
* All the quotes are from Writely Blog, which now redirects to Docs & Spreadsheets blog.


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Babies usually start speaking by their first birthday. But new research suggests talking to your baby stimulates his brain well before she utters those first words.
For the study, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the authors compared how 7- and 11-month-old babies from English-speaking families processed sounds from English and Spanish.
Researchers at the University of Washington looked at 57 babies who were 7, 11 and 12 months old. The babies sat in an egg-shaped, noninvasive brain scanner that measures brain activation and listened to speech sounds played over a loudspeaker.
The researchers examined patterns of brain activation in areas of the brain that analyze sound, as well as areas that plan the motor movements required to produce speech.
At 7 months, infants responded equally to sounds from both English and Spanish.
"Babies are citizens of the world," Dr. Patricia Kuhl, the lead researcher on the study, said. "They're not committed to any language or any languages. They're just open."
At 11 months, however, the infants saw greater activation of the motor areas in the brain for English sounds. Kuhl said this suggests that as infants' brains develop further, they focus in on sounds familiar to them.
"What we believe is happening is that the babies are dying to talk back," Kuhl said. "It means that babies even at an early age are practicing and rehearsing and activating brains in a social way so that when we serve something to them, they're attempting to volley back."
These findings reinforce the importance of talking to your baby, instead of just plopping him or her in front of the television.
"When [babies] look at the TV set, they seem interested but their brains don't learn," Kuhl said. "Babies recognize and can distinguish the sounds only if they heard live speakers present to them – only if they were interacting socially."
Dr. Gordon Ramsay, director of the spoken communication laboratory at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, said multiple elements are at play when infants learn how to speak.
"The message for parents is that speech acquisition in infancy is built upon a scaffold of sensory experience, motor activity and social interaction," Ramsay said. "All these components need to come together in the natural resonant coupling between child, caregiver and environment if every child is to progress along the path to spoken language."
However, Ramsay says the study should have followed the same babies through the course of their development, rather than examining different 7-month-olds and 11- and 12-month-olds.
"Because developmental timing is so important, and there is so much variability and delay within children, it's really important to do longitudinal studies," Ramsay said.


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Welcome to Course One of Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR! In these first 4 Modules you will gain the knowledge and the confidence that will help you make good choices as you consider qualities of the camera you own, and the qualities of the other types of digital cameras you might be considering. You will learn about the basic functions that most digital cameras have in common. You will also go beyond the "technical" matters and learn about how you can make exciting pictures by emphasizing the aspects of Frame and Vantage Point to interpret old subjects in new ways. Discovering accessories that photographers find useful, and the types of camera bags from mini to carry-on sized, is also in store for you. You will also make your first photographs and, if you are a subscriber to the specialization, upload pictures to the web gallery and start interacting with your fellow learners in our "Gallery." Let's get started with Module One!
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It happened. You arrive and you find your home or office is flooded and has suffered water damage. The list of potential causes reads like a Letterman comedy list but this is no joke. Regardless if the water damage was caused by a broken pipe, a flood, a hurricane, a faucet left running, or if the fire department shot a tonne of water through the building in order to extinguish a fire, it happened and it needs to be fixed.
The first emotion many people have is panic and a overwhelming sense of loss. This is an understandable and justifiable reaction as despite overall shock at witnessing the water damage, the most fearful aspect for many people comes when they call their insurance company to start their claim. You wonder who can help, how long it will take, and how much will the restoration effort cost. Your insurance adjustor assures you that everything will be alright and they are dispatching their restoration team to fix your home. The reassurance sounds good but what is the value of this service?
The first thing you need to know is that the insurance adjustor works for the insurance company and their job is to save the insurance company as much money as possible by manipulating every sneaky trap and technique they are trained to use and can imagine to find a way to reduce or deny your claim. Knowing this, you must also realize that the restoration company your insurance adjustor dispatches is the restoration company preferred by the adjustor for reasons of saving the insurance company money not for reasons of job quality or customer satisfaction. For you see, rather than having your best interests at heart, the restoration company your adjustor prefers and dispatches, has the interests of the insurance adjustor in mind. So then when this insurance adjustor preferred restoration company arrives, they are the eyes and ears of the adjustor and they have a laundry list of exclusions they are seeking to match your claim to in order to reduce or deny your claim. They know and now YOU know that any work this insurance adjustor preferred restoration company completes will be at the lowest possible profit margin so this "restoration" company will, like their insurance company masters, cut every corner and use the least expensive equipment and materials possible to pacify your emotions and claim. Many times, however, this pacification is truly only a thinly masked surface repair and the work fails across the board when an independent industry expert reviews and evaluates the completed work.
Here is a secret the insurance adjustor does NOT want you to know… you have a CHOICE!
You have the right to choose your restoration company. You have the right to competent and professional service. You have the right to have your home, office, or asset professionally restored to its preloss condition by a company who holds YOUR BEST INTEREST at heart. You have the right to choose an Independent Restoration Company.
An Independent Restoration Company is in business to serve the customer. The Independent Restoration Company gets it business and stays in business through ongoing professional industry education and certification; rapid, quality work; and fully satisfied customers. In most cases, the trained professionals who operate an Independent Restoration Company will make every effort to do everything possible to make this challenging time as pleasant as possible by using the same top quality equipment and materials you would use, and you expect to be used, if you were doing the service yourself. The true industry professionals found at your local Independent Restoration Company are Consumer Advocates who are not satisfied until your home, office, or asset is dried and restored to Industry Standards. In many cases the Independent Restoration Company can bill your insurance company directly so there are no headaches for you. With all of the benefits outlined herein, it is clear that the best benefit of using an Independent Restoration Company to Fix your Water Damaged Asset is the piece of mind you get when you make the call to hire one.
Hopefully you never have to use the information provided herein but should the need ever arise, you now know you have a choice in who handles your restoration and why your choice should be to use an Independent Restoration Company.


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Feedback about this Meditation CD: FC: As an instructor of meditation, I found this practice profound in experience unlike any other. It not only relaxes and rests the body through deep sleep, it allows one to move beyond mental confines into a place of perfect peace and awareness of the vast and infinite of the unseen dimension. Words are inadequate to express the experience. I use Yoga Nidra for bodily rest as well as developing a deeper spiritual awareness. On a recent cross country (USA) drive of some 2,300 miles, I replaced normal sleeping with Yoga Nidra (deep sleep) and made the trip in 51 elapsed hours. For a deeper spiritual awareness, Yoga Nidra has brought me to the verge of sammadhi and the precipice of the vast unmanifest realm. It has also enhanced my normal meditative practice by moving me into the peaceful state more quickly and consistently. Yoga Nidra does not require adherence to any particular religion, therefore, it is applicaple to any spiritual aspirant who seeks a deeper relationship with the Divine Creative Intelligence. RC: I have been using Yoga Nidra in my teaching work for years and find this CD to be a very useful addition, informationally and practically as far as the meditation included on the CD is concerned. Definitaly a good addtion to anyone's spiritrual practice. AL: Every time I come home from work and feel stress, overwhelming with the everything, I just turned this CD on and started my meditation. It works well, relief the stress, become more focus and calm. It clears your mind so that you feel much better and fresh. It's a good way of relaxation. BM: I have used it daily for the past month and love it. I like the fact that there is only a voice directing me through the meditation, it helps to focus. If I use it a night, I fall asleep immediately and sleep without interruption until morning (unless my cat wants to be let out early). Alternatively, I use it in the late afternoon to relax from the stress of the day, before beginning evening chores. I am a yoga practitioner and have also felt its benefits in my asana practice. RF: I had only taken 2 yoga classes and listened to one other relaxation cd before buying this. I am not a friend of the author. I had jetlag from an 11 hour flight and couldn't relax to sleep. I gave my undevoted attention to this CD start to finish wearing noise reduction headphones. I did not fall asleep during the meditation like some reviewers. I DID completely relax, clear my mind of distraction, refresh my body, and experience a physical release of tension that let me fall into sleep 15 minutes later. NO LIE! Be a good listener with desire to learn and you will get something from this meditation. KG: I just got this cd a few days ago. I've listened to it twice already. The second time I fell asleep before Bharati got through the breathing segment and woke myself up snoring. That tells me something. Swami Bharati doesn't try to seduce you with his voice. He simply guides you through the Yoga Nidra experience. I liked that part about it a lot. AR: I highly recommend this cd! The voice is smooth, the volume doesn't suddenly get louder which is unlike many other meditation cds I have purchased in the past. Couples can do this one together. It's great! AT: I am not even going to bother explaining the CD this is the best yoga nidra CD there is! the voice is the best and I feel like a million bucks when I get up from a session of this CD! I despise meditation but this is awesome. Lay down listen and relax and enjoy the nap it is like nothing exists but you. Complete still is what I can say about the experience. MD: The most effective relaxing and rejuvenating recording I listened to so far. One can replace the sleep time with Yoga Nidra and feel even more restful after 45 minutes of Yoga Nidra. A tool of re-educating and getting rid of undesirable habits, the Intention in Yoga Nidra is what makes the method so effective. I recommend the CD to anybody who wants to make a difference in life. ME: This CD is quiet and subtle. It leads the listener (meditator) into a deep restful meditative state. IMHO Music is not included because it would keep the mind of the meditator more active and distracted and thus not allow a state of deeper rest. After the guided meditation, there are quiet periods on the CD. These quiet periods allow the mind to go deeper into its own spacious, silent meditation. True meditation is profoundly personal and is done in the stillness of ones own mind and heart. This CD trusts your intuitive wisdom, to lead you into the depths of your own shining silence. RP: This CD is a must for all searchers. It will certainly help to stabilize one's mind and will alter the way you experience your being. As this process unfolds it is necessary that you to continue the practice. Do not let a sense of well being lull you into any diversion. Continue the work for it is rewarding. CR: Swami J's Yoga Nidra CD adds a wonderful dimension to our Yoga classes. It is flexible in format. For example, after asana and pranayama practice, selections from the CD precede meditation. On other days, the guided yoga nidra is practiced in lieu of meditation. RS: I have been meditating daily for over 5 years, and find that Swami Jnaneshvara's guided 1 hour session will take me to a much deeper place than I am able to get to by myself. In a gradual, comfortable progression, the mind becomes increasingly quiet. One immediate benefit is deep relaxation and reduction of the stress caused by incessant thinking. A more profound benefit is the experience of being truly present and the logging of some time on the path to lasting inner peace. SS: Swami Jnaneshvara's "Yoga Nidra Meditation CD" serves as a virtual trekking guide to a most sublime vista within. It would be difficult to find more lucid instruction in this powerful technique, particularly in a recorded form. This CD has really changed the way I experience at sleep. CR: Yoga Nidra CD is an excellent aid to relax and go into deep meditation. You rest while fully conscious. The ancient yoga techniques are brought into modern usage by Swami J. In today's stress-filled life, this CD is a great tool to achieve peace and rest. DI: Swami Jnaneshvara gives straightforward, step-by-step guidance in the ancient yogic preparatory exercises for Yoga Nidra, "yogic sleep." Used effectively for thousands of years, these practices quickly lead to deep states or relaxation, and eventually to greater refinement and sensitivity of the nervous system. Swami Jnanesvara's delivery is accessible and non-didactic; you will soon look forward to doing the practice under the guidance of this compassionate teacher. FB: Not only does this Yoga Nidra practice give one an opportunity to relax, and settle deeply in the body each time it is done, but it has amazing effects over time. This guided Yoga Nidra practice has helped to reduce sleeping needs while keeping me rooted in my body throughout the day. It has helped to reduce attachments and build healthier relationships with people and the objects of the world. As an Occupational and Massage Therapist, I recommend this CD to many of the patients I work with who are recovering from strokes and cancer. Patients are finding that it lowers their blood pressure, reduces pain and helps them cope with their recovery process. I am fortunate in that this teacher is in my vicinity and have had the pleasure of first hand teachings in this practice. This Yoga Nidra CD and practice comes highly recommended as well as the personal trainings by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati. ME: Having used Swami J's Yoga Nidra CD regularily for almost a year now, I find it very rewarding. Physically I feel more rested and energized. Mentally I feel more alert and focused. The advantages of practicing Savasana (total relaxation) are enhanced with its use. Practicing Yoga Nidra with the help of Swami J's CD has definitely added a new dimension to my overall Yoga practices and made them much more beneficial. RF: This CD produces an amazing experience of the deeper levels of consciousness with no effort on the part of the listener. Although I was listening to the simplest instructions, "put your attention of the elbow," "put your attention on the wrist," I found myself melting through the fabric of the bedspread and reaching very subtle levels of awareness. This CD has none of the dry explanations of other yoga CDs; after a brief explanation of the contents of the CD, Swami J's pleasant voice leads the listener through the yoga nidra experience. Yoga Nidra means yogic sleep so this isn't exactly meditation, but it gives the listener an experience of the subtler levels of awareness that are reached in meditation. JS: Great piece of work and an excellent tool for those wanting to find ways to go deep within and find that place of inner peace and relaxation. LE: One of the challenges to meditation has always been the quieting of the mind...but really one can have deep meditation by keeping the mind "occupied". Yoga Nidra accomplishes this with the 61 point body meditation. Totally awesome for complete relaxation. Only one catch...one must take the time to participate. Enjoy! MT: This CD leads one far
beyond a simple relaxation exercise. My experience, while using the CD,
of being Consciousness Itself with no reference to the mind has helped
me to realize that the mind is just another object that appears in
Consciousness. Thoughts, even old repetitive ones, are becoming less
troublesome. Deepening awareness is the natural consequence of reaching
the state of Yoga Nidra. MS: I have used this CD many times to help me relax, relieve stress and get in tune again with myself, my inner most self. Recently, it has been a tremendous help with preparing for the delivery of my baby. NS: Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati has provided an excellent aid for relaxation with this Yoga Nidra CD. For a practice whose effects take many months to observe, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati takes the listener through it in one hour. As a Yoga teacher, Savasana was recommended by myself as one of the most important practices of Yoga because of its therapeutic and deep relaxation benefits, not to mention its spiritual effects. Tracks 2 through 5 of this CD take the listener through a very comprehensive 61-point body survey which makes the listener aware of each and every part of his body. At certain points, I must confess that I could even feel the tingling in my extremities and emanation of body heat, which can be observed whenever deep conscious relaxation occurs. I would recommend this CD as a must-have relaxation tool for every student of Yoga. ------- |
ashtantga, astanga, bikram, fitness-in, fitness-yoga, fitness-yoga-class, fitness-yoga-club, hatha-yoga, hot-yoga, iyengar-yoga, kripalu-yoga, massage, physical-yoga, power-yoga, vinyasa-flow-yoga, yoga-class, yoga-classes, yoga-postures |


text: Caroline didn't want to move. It had been hard enough to make the transition from junior high to high school, especially when many of her friends went to different schools. Now she liked her friends, she liked her school, and she liked her routine. She didn't want to leave the big city for a small town and felt angry with her parents and out of step with everyone else. It isn't easy for anyone to pack up and leave everything that is familiar and try to fit into a new environment. But it's especially hard during a time in your life when there are already so many physical and emotional changes taking place. Why Do I Feel Upset About Moving? Experts consider moving to be one of the major stresses in life. Leaving behind friends, familiar places, and activities creates anxiety for everyone involved — parents included. And it's hard work to pack and prepare for a move and then settle into a new home. The reasons behind a move can sometimes be upsetting, and that can add to the stress. A parent may be forced to take a job in a new town because of company layoffs or staff reorganizations. Sometimes a death or divorce in the family can lead to a move, or your family may have to move to take care of a sick family member, such as a grandparent. During the busy, stressful time of planning, preparing, and packing for a move, your mom and dad may be too preoccupied to realize how the change is affecting you. They may not even realize you are unhappy if you don't discuss it with them. Be open with your parents and try to talk reasonably about the move and how it is affecting you. Your parents or siblings may have the same concerns or fears. A move can lead some people to become depressed. If you find that you can't shake feelings of sadness or anxiety, talk to an adult. Don't worry that your parents are too focused on organizing their own lives and don't worry that you'll be bothering them. Most parents appreciate knowing how you feel. Or you can talk to your brother or sister or a school counselor. Not dealing with feelings now may lead to problems later. It can help to remember that the problems involved in moving are always temporary. People usually feel better once they've had time to settle in. What to Expect Even when the reasons for a move are good (such as a promotion or better job for a parent) and you're excited about it, it's still a good idea to be prepared for unexpected changes. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and expect everything to be perfect. Ali remembers her move to Germany. Like many military families, she'd moved many times before so it seemed like no big deal. In fact, Ali was so excited at the prospect of living abroad that she didn't think about the challenges involved in living in a place where she didn't speak the language. She was also surprised by some of the cultural differences — things she hadn't anticipated because she'd assumed that Germany would be pretty much like the United States. Today she says she makes a list of positives and negatives before she moves to help keep her expectations realistic. One unexpected difference may be school. It's easy to assume that one school is pretty much like another, but your new school may not use the same textbooks or procedures. Some of your classes may be different, or the teacher may have already covered topics you haven't learned about yet. It can be particularly hard if you're moving in the middle of a school year, but your teachers will understand and work with you to be sure you feel comfortable. It's common for people who move to feel like they're starting all over again. You have to learn new streets, new faces, and new ways of doing things. People may dress or speak differently. The slang and accents may sound different in your new community, depending on how far you move. It's natural for people to feel out of place in a new situation where they don't know the customs and rules. Making the Best of It Although there is no way to eliminate the anxiety of moving, there are many ways to make the move easier. Before you even begin packing, you can start to get to know your new home. The Internet and library may contain lots of good information about your new community. Make a list of your interests and hobbies, and then find the locations and phone numbers of places where those activities take place. When you're visiting your new school, find out if there are deadlines for activities you're interested in and see if you can still join. A new place seems more familiar, and it's easier to make friends, when you can participate in a common interest with people who do the things you enjoy. Look for opportunities to try new activities as well. If you have a job, ask your current boss to write a reference letter for you. If you work for a food chain or a chain of stores, you might be able to arrange a transfer and have a job waiting for you. See if you can get a city map and highlight where you will be living, where your new school is, and the location of places of worship, movie theaters, skate parks, and other places you like to go. Ask if your realtor can videotape your new house if you haven't been able to see it yet (most realtors post indoor and outdoor pictures of properties online). It can help to learn about what makes your new city or town unique. Share the information with your friends and make them feel part of your moving experience. Soon you will feel like you already know your new community. Packing It Up You can pick up a copy of the United States Postal Service Mover's Guide in any post office or online; it will give you and your parents some tips. The guide includes change of address forms, a checklist of things to do, and suggestions for a survival kit that will contain items you may need to have at hand and might otherwise be packed out of reach during the move. You can help — and feel more in control — by making a list of things that need to be done before the move. Offer to help your parents with some of their items. The more you participate and keep busy, the more it will feel like your own experience rather than something that is being done to you. For example, organize a yard sale to sell the stuff you don't want to take with you. You may find that friends and neighbors are interested in participating in a yard sale, too. As soon as you know you are moving, start preparing by: sorting out clothes and giving away items that you aren't going to take packing away items you are going to take, but won't need until after you've moved spreading out the chores you have to do so you won't be overwhelmed during the last few days cleaning up your room or any other areas you are responsible for to make packing easier labeling your boxes so you can easily identify where things are when you get to your new home Keeping in Touch One of the fears of moving is losing old friends. Remember your friends when you get to your new destination by putting pictures up around your new room. Print out copies of pictures for your friends to keep, too. Saying goodbye is never easy, but it doesn't mean it's forever. Luckily, today it's easier than ever to stay in touch. Share pictures and videos. Let your friends know about the differences, both good and bad, between your old home and your new place. You might be able to plan summer visits to see old friends or for a friend to visit you. Moving is hard, but you may discover that it has taught you some valuable skills: how to make new friends, be flexible, and find your way around strange places. Although learning these lessons can feel tough at the time, once you've settled in, you may find you like the new place better. And be sure to say "hi" to the next new kid in town — you can relate./p> Back to Articles Related Articles Dealing With Divorce If you're dealing with your parents' divorce, it may seem hard, but it is possible to cope and have a good family life in spite of the changes divorce can bring. Read More Coping With Stressful Situations How well we get through a stressful situation depends a lot on us. It's how we deal with that makes all the difference. Here are some ways to understand and manage stress. Read More Stress There's good stress and bad stress. Find out what's what and learn practical ways to cope in this article. Read More Starting High School The transition from middle school to high school is an important one. Here are a few topics that commonly worry incoming freshmen and some things you might want to know about them. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.


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What follows here are definitely not the rules of patchwork, just snippets of information that may be of help to the beginner quilter, most of which you probably have heard before, and some of which states the obvious.
- I always use a rotary cutter and cutting mat for cutting fabrics. It is handy to have a range of large and small mats and rulers. My favorite ruler is the 6.5 inch x 24 inch ruler as it is great for cutting strips across the width of the fabric. My most often used cutting mat measures 24 inches x 36 inches. Big. My best cutting mat tip: keep it out of the sun or the car in warm weather as it will buckle!
- Press fabric before cutting.
- When cutting strips across the width of the fabric, align selvedges, smooth out, and straighten the raw edge. With the use of a long ruler you will not need to fold the fabric again. Align the trimmed end with the markings on the ruler; keeping the ruler firmly in place, push the rotary cutter away from you. When cutting patches, first cut a strip the width of the square, then cut the strip into squares.
- If you are left-handed, invest in a left-handed ruler. Numbers read from left to right and which makes cutting without mistake much easier.
- Cut fabric squares/rectangles on grain either lengthwise or cross wise to minimize stretching during cutting and sewing.
- Accurate cutting is essential, and whether you use the ruler so as to cut on the line or alongside the line, be consistent. Be as accurate as you can as tiny fractions of difference will come to haunt you when machine piecing.
- Replace the rotary blade regularly.
- Use a neutral color thread. I prefer to use a light grey, beige, white, or off-white color thread. I always use cotton thread, either Gutermann or Aurifil Mako 40/2 thread without preference for either.
- Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance. This is a universal quilting standard when using cotton quilting fabrics. It is sufficiently wide enough that your seams will not pull apart, but not so much that they will be bulky.
- I recommend the use of a 1/4 inch presser foot. This presser foot will allow you to run the edge of the foot along the edge of the fabric to achieve the 1/4 inch distance, or it may have a bar along the side to run along the fabric edge. If you do not have a 1/4 inch presser foot, some sewing machines will allow you to move your needle to different positions. Sew and then measure to get it right. A scant seam allowance is ideal as some of the fabric is "held up" in the fold or by the thread.
- For patchwork piecing I use a stitch length of 1.8 to 2.0 mm.
- I don't pin. Gasp! I only use pins for securing quilt binding to the back of the quilt and unfortunately to block my knitting. This means a lot of my pins are rather bent.
- When piecing I align the patches together from edge to edge, right sides facing and sew. No pinning. Never have. I guess that makes me from the "hold and sew" school - breaking all rules!
- I press seams to one side - which side depends on what other seams are required to be matched up, and also take into consideration that I would prefer to iron to the darker side.
- To match seams I press opposing seam allowances in opposite directions (at times this means I press seams to the lighter side). I then take the two pieces in hand right sides together, match or "lock" the seams by butting together. Pinch together with index finger and thumb. You will soon get a feel for how the seams lock together and how it feels when they are correctly abutted. This gets easier with time and practice. Again I don't pin.
- I do not back stitch at the beginning and end of each patch as the stitches will be secured by crossing seam lines when joining the pieces together.
- Change your needle regularly - I try to do so every time I start quilting a new quilt. Blunt or damaged needles can tear fabric, cause skipped stitches or snap! I use Universal Point needles for both piecing and quilting either an 11/75 or 12/80.
My quilts are not perfect, and I would hope you focus on the journey rather than on the end result. Try not to get caught up with perfection and the details, but enjoy playing with fabric and color, sewing, quilting and just being creative. Try to find your own rhythm and sewing techniques without fear of breaking the rules.