text: 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times https://nyti.ms/AyNgCY Magazine How Companies Learn Your Secrets By CHARLES DUHIGG FEB. 16, 2012 Andrew Pole had just started working as a statistician for Target in 2002, when two colleagues from the marketing department stopped by his desk to ask an odd question: "If we wanted to figure out if a customer is pregnant, even if she didn't want us to know, can you do that? " Pole has a master's degree in statistics and another in economics, and has been obsessed with the intersection of data and human behavior most of his life. His parents were teachers in North Dakota, and while other kids were going to 4-H, Pole was doing algebra and writing computer programs. "The stereotype of a math nerd is true," he told me when I spoke with him last year. "I kind of like going out and evangelizing analytics." As the marketers explained to Pole — and as Pole later explained to me, back when we were still speaking and before Target told him to stop — new parents are a retailer's holy grail. Most shoppers don't buy everything they need at one store. Instead, they buy groceries at the grocery store and toys at the toy store, and they visit Target only when they need certain items they associate with Target — cleaning supplies, say, or new socks or a six-month supply of toilet paper. But Target sells everything from milk to stuffed animals to lawn furniture to electronics, so one of the company's primary goals is convincing customers that the only store they need is Target. But it's a tough message to https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 1/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times get across, even with the most ingenious ad campaigns, because once consumers' shopping habits are ingrained, it's incredibly difficult to change them. There are, however, some brief periods in a person's life when old routines fall apart and buying habits are suddenly in flux. One of those moments — the moment, really — is right around the birth of a child, when parents are exhausted and overwhelmed and their shopping patterns and brand loyalties are up for grabs. But as Target's marketers explained to Pole, timing is everything. Because birth records are usually public, the moment a couple have a new baby, they are almost instantaneously barraged with offers and incentives and advertisements from all sorts of companies. Which means that the key is to reach them earlier, before any other retailers know a baby is on the way. Specifically, the marketers said they wanted to send specially designed ads to women in their second trimester, which is when most expectant mothers begin buying all sorts of new things, like prenatal vitamins and maternity clothing. "Can you give us a list?" the marketers asked. "We knew that if we could identify them in their second trimester, there's a good chance we could capture them for years," Pole told me. "As soon as we get them buying diapers from us, they're going to start buying everything else too. If you're rushing through the store, looking for bottles, and you pass orange juice, you'll grab a carton. Oh, and there's that new DVD I want. Soon, you'll be buying cereal and paper towels from us, and keep coming back." The desire to collect information on customers is not new for Target or any other large retailer, of course. For decades, Target has collected vast amounts of data on every person who regularly walks into one of its stores. Whenever possible, Target assigns each shopper a unique code — known internally as the Guest ID number — that keeps tabs on everything they buy. "If you use a credit card or a coupon, or fill out a survey, or mail in a refund, or call the customer help line, or open an e-mail we've sent you or visit our Web site, we'll record it and link it to your Guest ID," Pole said. "We want to know everything we can." https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 2/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times Also linked to your Guest ID is demographic information like your age, whether you are married and have kids, which part of town you live in, how long it takes you to drive to the store, your estimated salary, whether you've moved recently, what credit cards you carry in your wallet and what Web sites you visit. Target can buy data about your ethnicity, job history, the magazines you read, if you've ever declared bankruptcy or got divorced, the year you bought (or lost) your house, where you went to college, what kinds of topics you talk about online, whether you prefer certain brands of coffee, paper towels, cereal or applesauce, your political leanings, reading habits, charitable giving and the number of cars you own. (In a statement, Target declined to identify what demographic information it collects or purchases.) All that information is meaningless, however, without someone to analyze and make sense of it. That's where Andrew Pole and the dozens of other members of Target's Guest Marketing Analytics department come in. Almost every major retailer, from grocery chains to investmentbanks to the U.S. Postal Service, has a "predictive analytics" department devoted to understanding not just consumers' shopping habits but also their personal habits, so as to more efficiently market to them. "But Target has always been one of the smartest at this," says Eric Siegel, a consultant and the chairman of a conference called Predictive Analytics World. "We're living through a golden age of behavioral research. It's amazing how much we can figure out about how people think now." The reason Target can snoop on our shopping habits is that, over the past two decades, the science of habit formation has become a major field of research in neurology and psychology departments at hundreds of major medical centers and universities, as well as inside extremely well financed corporate labs. "It's like an arms race to hire statisticians nowadays," said Andreas Weigend, the former chief scientist at Amazon.com. "Mathematicians are suddenly sexy." As the ability to analyze data has grown more and more fine-grained, the push to understand how daily habits influence our decisions has become one of the most exciting topics in clinical research, even though most of us are hardly aware those patterns exist. One study from Duke University estimated that habits, rather than conscious decision-making, shape 45 percent of the choices we make every day, and recent discoveries have begun to https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 3/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times change everything from the way we think about dieting to how doctors conceive treatments for anxiety, depression and addictions. This research is also transforming our understanding of how habits function across organizations and societies. A football coach named Tony Dungy propelled one of the worst teams in the N.F.L. to the Super Bowl by focusing on how his players habitually reacted to on-field cues. Before he became Treasury secretary, Paul O'Neill overhauled a stumbling conglomerate, Alcoa, and turned it into a top performer in the Dow Jones by relentlessly attacking one habit — a specific approach to worker safety — which in turn caused a companywide transformation. The Obama campaign has hired a habit specialist as its "chief scientist" to figure out how to trigger new voting patterns among different constituencies. Researchers have figured out how to stop people from habitually overeating and biting their nails. They can explain why some of us automatically go for a jog every morning and are more productive at work, while others oversleep and procrastinate. There is a calculus, it turns out, for mastering our subconscious urges. For companies like Target, the exhaustive rendering of our conscious and unconscious patterns into data sets and algorithms has revolutionized what they know about us and, therefore, how precisely they can sell. Inside the brain-and-cognitive-sciences department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are what, to the casual observer, look like dollhouse versions of surgical theaters. There are rooms with tiny scalpels, small drills and miniature saws. Even the operating tables are petite, as if prepared for 7-year-old surgeons. Inside those shrunken O.R.'s, neurologists cut into the skulls of anesthetized rats, implanting tiny sensors that record the smallest changes in the activity of their brains. An M.I.T. neuroscientist named Ann Graybiel told me that she and her colleagues began exploring habits more than a decade ago by putting their wired rats into a T-shaped maze with chocolate at one end. The maze was structured so that each animal was positioned behind a barrier that opened after a loud click. The first time a rat was https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 4/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times placed in the maze, it would usually wander slowly up and down the center aisle after the barrier slid away, sniffing in corners and scratching at walls. It appeared to smell the chocolate but couldn't figure out how to find it. There was no discernible pattern in the rat's meanderings and no indication it was working hard to find the treat. The probes in the rats' heads, however, told a different story. While each animal wandered through the maze, its brain was working furiously. Every time a rat sniffed the air or scratched a wall, the neurosensors inside the animal's head exploded with activity. As the scientists repeated the experiment, again and again, the rats eventually stopped sniffing corners and making wrong turns and began to zip through the maze with more and more speed. And within their brains, something unexpected occurred: as each rat learned how to complete the maze more quickly, its mental activity decreased. As the path became more and more automatic — as it became a habit — the rats started thinking less and less. This process, in which the brain converts a sequence of actions into an automatic routine, is called "chunking." There are dozens, if not hundreds, of behavioral chunks we rely on every day. Some are simple: you automatically put toothpaste on your toothbrush before sticking it in your mouth. Some, like making the kids' lunch, are a little more complex. Still others are so complicated that it's remarkable to realize that a habit could have emerged at all. Take backing your car out of the driveway. When you first learned to drive, that act required a major dose of concentration, and for good reason: it involves peering into the rearview and side mirrors and checking for obstacles, putting your foot on the brake, moving the gearshift into reverse, removing your foot from the brake, estimating the distance between the garage and the street while keeping the wheels aligned, calculating how images in the mirrors translate into actual distances, all while applying differing amounts of pressure to the gas pedal and brake. Now, you perform that series of actions every time you pull into the street without thinking very much. Your brain has chunked large parts of it. Left to its own devices, the brain will try to make almost any repeated behavior into a habit, because habits allow our minds to conserve effort. But conserving mental energy is tricky, because if our https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 5/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times brains power down at the wrong moment, we might fail to notice something important, like a child riding her bike down the sidewalk or a speeding car coming down the street. So we've devised a clever system to determine when to let a habit take over. It's something that happens whenever a chunk of behavior starts or ends — and it helps to explain why habits are so difficult to change once they're formed, despite our best intentions. To understand this a little more clearly, consider again the chocolate-seeking rats. What Graybiel and her colleagues found was that, as the ability to navigate the maze became habitual, there were two spikes in the rats' brain activity — once at the beginning of the maze, when the rat heard the click right before the barrier slid away, and once at the end, when the rat found the chocolate. Those spikes show when the rats' brains were fully engaged, and the dip in neural activity between the spikes showed when the habit took over. From behind the partition, the rat wasn't sure what waited on the other side, until it heard the click, which it had come to associate with the maze. Once it heard that sound, it knew to use the "maze habit," and its brain activity decreased. Then at the end of the routine, when the reward appeared, the brain shook itself awake again and the chocolate signaled to the rat that this particular habit was worth remembering, and the neurological pathway was carved that much deeper. The process within our brains that creates habits is a three-step loop. First, there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use. Then there is the routine, which can be physical or mental or emotional. Finally, there is a reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future. Over time, this loop — cue, routine, reward; cue, routine, reward — becomes more and more automatic. The cue and reward become neurologically intertwined until a sense of craving emerges. What's unique about cues and rewards, however, is how subtle they can be. Neurological studies like the ones in Graybiel's lab have revealed that some cues span just milliseconds. And rewards can range from the obvious (like the sugar rush that a morning doughnut habit provides) to the infinitesimal (like the barely noticeable — but measurable — sense of relief the brain experiences after successfully navigating the driveway). Most cues and rewards, in fact, happen so quickly https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 6/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times and are so slight that we are hardly aware of them at all. But our neural systems notice and use them to build automatic behaviors. Habits aren't destiny — they can be ignored, changed or replaced. But it's also true that once the loop is established and a habit emerges, your brain stops fully participating in decision-making. So unless you deliberately fight a habit — unless you find new cues and rewards — the old pattern will unfold automatically. "We've done experiments where we trained rats to run down a maze until it was a habit, and then we extinguished the habit by changing the placement of the reward," Graybiel told me. "Then one day, we'll put the reward in the old place and put in the rat and, by golly, the old habit will re-emerge right away. Habits never really disappear." Luckily, simply understanding how habits work makes them easier to control. Take, for instance, a series of studies conducted a few years ago at Columbia University and the University of Alberta. Researchers wanted to understand how exercise habits emerge. In one project, 256 members of a health-insurance plan were invited to classes stressing the importance of exercise. Half the participants received an extra lesson on the theories of habit formation (the structure of the habit loop) and were asked to identify cues and rewards that might help them develop exercise routines. The results were dramatic. Over the next four months, those participants who deliberately identified cues and rewards spent twice as much time exercising as their peers. Other studies have yielded similar results. According to another recent paper, if you want to start running in the morning, it's essential that you choose a simple cue (like always putting on your sneakers before breakfast or leaving your running clothes next to your bed) and a clear reward (like a midday treat or even the sense of accomplishment that comes from ritually recording your miles in a log book). After a while, your brain will start anticipating that reward — craving the treat or the feeling of accomplishment — and there will be a measurable neurological impulse to lace up your jogging shoes each morning. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 7/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times Our relationship to e-mail operates on the same principle. When a computer chimes or a smartphone vibrates with a new message, the brain starts anticipating the neurological "pleasure" (even if we don't recognize it as such) that clicking on the e-mail and reading it provides. That expectation, if unsatisfied, can build until you find yourself moved to distraction by the thought of an e-mail sitting there unread — even if you know, rationally, it's most likely not important. On the other hand, once you remove the cue by disabling the buzzing of your phone or the chiming of your computer, the craving is never triggered, and you'll find, over time, that you're able to work productively for long stretches without checking your in-box. Some of the most ambitious habit experiments have been conducted by corporate America. To understand why executives are so entranced by this science, consider how one of the world's largest companies, Procter & Gamble, used habit insights to turn a failing product into one of its biggest sellers. P.& G. is the corporate behemoth behind a whole range of products, from Downy fabric softener to Bounty paper towels to Duracell batteries and dozens of other household brands. In the mid-1990s, P.& G.'s executives began a secret project to create a new product that could eradicate bad smells. P.& G. spent millions developing a colorless, cheap-to-manufacture liquid that could be sprayed on a smoky blouse, stinky couch, old jacket or stained car interior and make it odorless. In order to market the product — Febreze — the company formed a team that included a former Wall Street mathematician named Drake Stimson and habit specialists, whose job was to make sure the television commercials, which they tested in Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho, accentuated the product's cues and rewards just right. The first ad showed a woman complaining about the smoking section of a restaurant. Whenever she eats there, she says, her jacket smells like smoke. A friend tells her that if she uses Febreze, it will eliminate the odor. The cue in the ad is clear: the harsh smell of cigarette smoke. The reward: odor eliminated from clothes. The second ad featured a woman worrying about her dog, Sophie, who always sits on the couch. "Sophie will always smell like Sophie," she says, but with Febreze, "now my furniture doesn't have to." The ads were put in heavy rotation. Then the marketers https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 8/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times sat back, anticipating how they would spend their bonuses. A week passed. Then two. A month. Two months. Sales started small and got smaller. Febreze was a dud. The panicked marketing team canvassed consumers and conducted in-depth interviews to figure out what was going wrong, Stimson recalled. Their first inkling came when they visited a woman's home outside Phoenix. The house was clean and organized. She was something of a neat freak, the woman explained. But when P.& G.'s scientists walked into her living room, where her nine cats spent most of their time, the scent was so overpowering that one of them gagged. According to Stimson, who led the Febreze team, a researcher asked the woman, "What do you do about the cat smell?" "It's usually not a problem," she said. "Do you smell it now?" "No," she said. "Isn't it wonderful? They hardly smell at all!" A similar scene played out in dozens of other smelly homes. The reason Febreze wasn't selling, the marketers realized, was that people couldn't detect most of the bad smells in their lives. If you live with nine cats, you become desensitized to their scents. If you smoke cigarettes, eventually you don't smell smoke anymore. Even the strongest odors fade with constant exposure. That's why Febreze was a failure. The product's cue — the bad smells that were supposed to trigger daily use — was hidden from the people who needed it the most. And Febreze's reward (an odorless home) was meaningless to someone who couldn't smell offensive scents in the first place. P.& G. employed a Harvard Business School professor to analyze Febreze's ad campaigns. They collected hours of footage of people cleaning their homes and watched tape after tape, looking for clues that might help them connect https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 9/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times Febreze to people's daily habits. When that didn't reveal anything, they went into the field and conducted more interviews. A breakthrough came when they visited a woman in a suburb near Scottsdale, Ariz., who was in her 40s with four children. Her house was clean, though not compulsively tidy, and didn't appear to have any odor problems; there were no pets or smokers. To the surprise of everyone, she loved Febreze. "I use it every day," she said. "What smells are you trying to get rid of?" a researcher asked. "I don't really use it for specific smells," the woman said. "I use it for normal cleaning — a couple of sprays when I'm done in a room." The researchers followed her around as she tidied the house. In the bedroom, she made her bed, tightened the sheet's corners, then sprayed the comforter with Febreze. In the living room, she vacuumed, picked up the children's shoes, straightened the coffee table, then sprayed Febreze on the freshly cleaned carpet. "It's nice, you know?" she said. "Spraying feels like a little minicelebration when I'm done with a room." At the rate she was going, the team estimated, she would empty a bottle of Febreze every two weeks. When they got back to P.& G.'s headquarters, the researchers watched their videotapes again. Now they knew what to look for and saw their mistake in scene after scene. Cleaning has its own habit loops that already exist. In one video, when a woman walked into a dirty room (cue), she started sweeping and picking up toys (routine), then she examined the room and smiled when she was done (reward). In another, a woman scowled at her unmade bed (cue), proceeded to straighten the blankets and comforter (routine) and then sighed as she ran her hands over the freshly plumped pillows (reward). P.& G. had been trying to create a whole new habit with Febreze, but what they really needed to do was piggyback on habit loops that were already in place. The marketers needed to position Febreze as something that came at the end of the cleaning ritual, the reward, rather than as a whole new cleaning routine. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 10/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times The company printed new ads showing open windows and gusts of fresh air. More perfume was added to the Febreze formula, so that instead of merely neutralizing odors, the spray had its own distinct scent. Television commercials were filmed of women, having finished their cleaning routine, using Febreze to spritz freshly made beds and just-laundered clothing. Each ad was designed to appeal to the habit loop: when you see a freshly cleaned room (cue), pull out Febreze (routine) and enjoy a smell that says you've done a great job (reward). When you finish making a bed (cue), spritz Febreze (routine) and breathe a sweet, contented sigh (reward). Febreze, the ads implied, was a pleasant treat, not a reminder that your home stinks. And so Febreze, a product originally conceived as a revolutionary way to destroy odors, became an air freshener used once things are already clean. The Febreze revamp occurred in the summer of 1998. Within two months, sales doubled. A year later, the product brought in $230 million. Since then Febreze has spawned dozens of spinoffs — air fresheners, candles and laundry detergents — that now account for sales of more than $1 billion a year. Eventually, P.& G. began mentioning to customers that, in addition to smelling sweet, Febreze can actually kill bad odors. Today it's one of the top-selling products in the world. Andrew Pole was hired by Target to use the same kinds of insights into consumers' habits to expand Target's sales. His assignment was to analyze all the cue-routine-reward loops among shoppers and help the company figure out how to exploit them. Much of his department's work was straightforward: find the customers who have children and send them catalogs that feature toys before Christmas. Look for shoppers who habitually purchase swimsuits in April and send them coupons for sunscreen in July and diet books in December. But Pole's most important assignment was to identify those unique moments in consumers' lives when their shopping habits become particularly flexible and the right advertisement or coupon would cause them to begin spending in new ways. In the 1980s, a team of researchers led by a U.C.L.A. professor named Alan Andreasen undertook a study of peoples' most mundane purchases, like soap, toothpaste, trash bags and toilet paper. They learned that most shoppers paid almost no attention to how they bought these products, that the purchases occurred habitually, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 11/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times without any complex decision-making. Which meant it was hard for marketers, despite their displays and coupons and product promotions, to persuade shoppers to change. But when some customers were going through a major life event, like graduating from college or getting a new job or moving to a new town, their shopping habits became flexible in ways that were both predictable and potential gold mines for retailers. The study found that when someone marries, he or she is more likely to start buying a new type of coffee. When a couple move into a new house, they're more apt to purchase a different kind of cereal. When they divorce, there's an increased chance they'll start buying different brands of beer. Consumers going through major life events often don't notice, or care, that their shopping habits have shifted, but retailers notice, and they care quite a bit. At those unique moments, Andreasen wrote, customers are "vulnerable to intervention by marketers." In other words, a precisely timed advertisement, sent to a recent divorcee or new homebuyer, can change someone's shopping patterns for years. And among life events, none are more important than the arrival of a baby. At that moment, new parents' habits are more flexible than at almost any other time in their adult lives. If companies can identify pregnant shoppers, they can earn millions. The only problem is that identifying pregnant customers is harder than it sounds. Target has a baby-shower registry, and Pole started there, observing how shopping habits changed as a woman approached her due date, which women on the registry had willingly disclosed. He ran test after test, analyzing the data, and before long some useful patterns emerged. Lotions, for example. Lots of people buy lotion, but one of Pole's colleagues noticed that women on the baby registry were buying larger quantities of unscented lotion around the beginning of their second trimester. Another analyst noted that sometime in the first 20 weeks, pregnant women loaded up on supplements like calcium, magnesium and zinc. Many shoppers purchase soap and cotton balls, but when someone suddenly starts buying lots https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 12/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times of scent-free soap and extra-big bags of cotton balls, in addition to hand sanitizers and washcloths, it signals they could be getting close to their delivery date. As Pole's computers crawled through the data, he was able to identify about 25 products that, when analyzed together, allowed him to assign each shopper a "pregnancy prediction" score. More important, he could also estimate her due date to within a small window, so Target could send coupons timed to very specific stages of her pregnancy. One Target employee I spoke to provided a hypothetical example. Take a fictional Target shopper named Jenny Ward, who is 23, lives in Atlanta and in March bought cocoa-butter lotion, a purse large enough to double as a diaper bag, zinc and magnesium supplements and a bright blue rug. There's, say, an 87 percent chance that she's pregnant and that her delivery date is sometime in late August. What's more, because of the data attached to her Guest ID number, Target knows how to trigger Jenny's habits. They know that if she receives a coupon via e-mail, it will most likely cue her to buy online. They know that if she receives an ad in the mail on Friday, she frequently uses it on a weekend trip to the store. And they know that if they reward her with a printed receipt that entitles her to a free cup of Starbucks coffee, she'll use it when she comes back again. In the past, that knowledge had limited value. After all, Jenny purchased only cleaning supplies at Target, and there were only so many psychological buttons the company could push. But now that she is pregnant, everything is up for grabs. In addition to triggering Jenny's habits to buy more cleaning products, they can also start including offers for an array of products, some more obvious than others, that a woman at her stage of pregnancy might need. Pole applied his program to every regular female shopper in Target's national database and soon had a list of tens of thousands of women who were most likely pregnant. If they could entice those women or their husbands to visit Target and buy baby-related products, the company's cue-routine-reward calculators could kick in and start pushing them to buy groceries, bathing suits, toys and clothing, as well. When Pole shared his list with the marketers, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 13/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times he said, they were ecstatic. Soon, Pole was getting invited to meetings above his paygrade. Eventually his paygrade went up. At which point someone asked an important question: How are women going to react when they figure out how much Target knows? "If we send someone a catalog and say, 'Congratulations on your first child!' and they've never told us they're pregnant, that's going to make some people uncomfortable," Pole told me. "We are very conservative about compliance with all privacy laws. But even if you're following the law, you can do things where people get queasy." About a year after Pole created his pregnancy-prediction model, a man walked into a Target outside Minneapolis and demanded to see the manager. He was clutching coupons that had been sent to his daughter, and he was angry, according to an employee who participated in the conversation. "My daughter got this in the mail!" he said. "She's still in high school, and you're sending her coupons for baby clothes and cribs? Are you trying to encourage her to get pregnant?" The manager didn't have any idea what the man was talking about. He looked at the mailer. Sure enough, it was addressed to the man's daughter and contained advertisements for maternity clothing, nursery furniture and pictures of smiling infants. The manager apologized and then called a few days later to apologize again. On the phone, though, the father was somewhat abashed. "I had a talk with my daughter," he said. "It turns out there's been some activities in my house I haven't been completely aware of. She's due in August. I owe you an apology." When I approached Target to discuss Pole's work, its representatives declined to speak with me. "Our mission is to make Target the preferred shopping destination for our guests by delivering outstanding value, continuous https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 14/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times innovation and exceptional guest experience," the company wrote in a statement. "We've developed a number of research tools that allow us to gain insights into trends and preferences within different demographic segments of our guest population." When I sent Target a complete summary of my reporting, the reply was more terse: "Almost all of your statements contain inaccurate information and publishing them would be misleading to the public. We do not intend to address each statement point by point." The company declined to identify what was inaccurate. They did add, however, that Target "is in compliance with all federal and state laws, including those related to protected health information." When I offered to fly to Target's headquarters to discuss its concerns, a spokeswoman e-mailed that no one would meet me. When I flew out anyway, I was told I was on a list of prohibited visitors. "I've been instructed not to give you access and to ask you to leave," said a very nice security guard named Alex. Using data to predict a woman's pregnancy, Target realized soon after Pole perfected his model, could be a public-relations disaster. So the question became: how could they get their advertisements into expectant mothers' hands without making it appear they were spying on them? How do you take advantage of someone's habits without letting them know you're studying their lives? Before I met Andrew Pole, before I even decided to write a book about the science of habit formation, I had another goal: I wanted to lose weight. I had got into a bad habit of going to the cafeteria every afternoon and eating a chocolate-chip cookie, which contributed to my gaining a few pounds. Eight, to be precise. I put a Post-it note on my computer reading "NO MORE COOKIES." But every afternoon, I managed to ignore that note, wander to the cafeteria, buy a cookie and eat it while chatting with colleagues. Tomorrow, I always promised myself, I'll muster the willpower to resist. Tomorrow, I ate another cookie. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 15/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times When I started interviewing experts in habit formation, I concluded each interview by asking what I should do. The first step, they said, was to figure out my habit loop. The routine was simple: every afternoon, I walked to the cafeteria, bought a cookie and ate it while chatting with friends. Next came some less obvious questions: What was the cue? Hunger? Boredom? Low blood sugar? And what was the reward? The taste of the cookie itself? The temporary distraction from my work? The chance to socialize with colleagues? Rewards are powerful because they satisfy cravings, but we're often not conscious of the urges driving our habits in the first place. So one day, when I felt a cookie impulse, I went outside and took a walk instead. The next day, I went to the cafeteria and bought a coffee. The next, I bought an apple and ate it while chatting with friends. You get the idea. I wanted to test different theories regarding what reward I was really craving. Was it hunger? (In which case the apple should have worked.) Was it the desire for a quick burst of energy? (If so, the coffee should suffice.) Or, as turned out to be the answer, was it that after several hours spent focused on work, I wanted to socialize, to make sure I was up to speed on office gossip, and the cookie was just a convenient excuse? When I walked to a colleague's desk and chatted for a few minutes, it turned out, my cookie urge was gone. All that was left was identifying the cue. Deciphering cues is hard, however. Our lives often contain too much information to figure out what is triggering a particular behavior. Do you eat breakfast at a certain time because you're hungry? Or because the morning news is on? Or because your kids have started eating? Experiments have shown that most cues fit into one of five categories: location, time, emotional state, other people or the immediately preceding action. So to figure out the cue for my cookie habit, I wrote down five things the moment the urge hit: Where are you? (Sitting at my desk.) https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 16/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times What time is it? (3:36 p.m.) What's your emotional state? (Bored.) Who else is around? (No one.) What action preceded the urge? (Answered an e-mail.) The next day I did the same thing. And the next. Pretty soon, the cue was clear: I always felt an urge to snack around 3:30. Once I figured out all the parts of the loop, it seemed fairly easy to change my habit. But the psychologists and neuroscientists warned me that, for my new behavior to stick, I needed to abide by the same principle that guided Procter & Gamble in selling Febreze: To shift the routine — to socialize, rather than eat a cookie — I needed to piggyback on an existing habit. So now, every day around 3:30, I stand up, look around the newsroom for someone to talk to, spend 10 minutes gossiping, then go back to my desk. The cue and reward have stayed the same. Only the routine has shifted. It doesn't feel like a decision, any more than the M.I.T. rats made a decision to run through the maze. It's now a habit. I've lost 21 pounds since then (12 of them from changing my cookie ritual). After Andrew Pole built his pregnancy-prediction model, after he identified thousands of female shoppers who were most likely pregnant, after someone pointed out that some of those women might be a little upset if they received an advertisement making it obvious Target was studying their reproductive status, everyone decided to slow things down. The marketing department conducted a few tests by choosing a small, random sample of women from Pole's list and mailing them combinations of advertisements to see how they reacted. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 17/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times "We have the capacity to send every customer an ad booklet, specifically designed for them, that says, 'Here's everything you bought last week and a coupon for it,' " one Target executive told me. "We do that for grocery products all the time." But for pregnant women, Target's goal was selling them baby items they didn't even know they needed yet. "With the pregnancy products, though, we learned that some women react badly," the executive said. "Then we started mixing in all these ads for things we knew pregnant women would never buy, so the baby ads looked random. We'd put an ad for a lawn mower next to diapers. We'd put a coupon for wineglasses next to infant clothes. That way, it looked like all the products were chosen by chance. "And we found out that as long as a pregnant woman thinks she hasn't been spied on, she'll use the coupons. She just assumes that everyone else on her block got the same mailer for diapers and cribs. As long as we don't spook her, it works." In other words, if Target piggybacked on existing habits — the same cues and rewards they already knew got customers to buy cleaning supplies or socks — then they could insert a new routine: buying baby products, as well. There's a cue ("Oh, a coupon for something I need!") a routine ("Buy! Buy! Buy!") and a reward ("I can take that off my list"). And once the shopper is inside the store, Target will hit her with cues and rewards to entice her to purchase everything she normally buys somewhere else. As long as Target camouflaged how much it knew, as long as the habit felt familiar, the new behavior took hold. Soon after the new ad campaign began, Target's Mom and Baby sales exploded. The company doesn't break out figures for specific divisions, but between 2002 — when Pole was hired — and 2010, Target's revenues grew from $44 billion to $67 billion. In 2005, the company's president, Gregg Steinhafel, boasted to a room of investors about the company's "heightened focus on items and categories that appeal to specific guest segments such as mom and baby." https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 18/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times Pole was promoted. He has been invited to speak at conferences. "I never expected this would become such a big deal," he told me the last time we spoke. A few weeks before this article went to press, I flew to Minneapolis to try and speak to Andrew Pole one last time. I hadn't talked to him in more than a year. Back when we were still friendly, I mentioned that my wife was seven months pregnant. We shop at Target, I told him, and had given the company our address so we could start receiving coupons in the mail. As my wife's pregnancy progressed, I noticed a subtle upswing in the number of advertisements for diapers and baby clothes arriving at our house. Pole didn't answer my e-mails or phone calls when I visited Minneapolis. I drove to his large home in a nice suburb, but no one answered the door. On my way back to the hotel, I stopped at a Target to pick up some deodorant, then also bought some T-shirts and a fancy hair gel. On a whim, I threw in some pacifiers, to see how the computers would react. Besides, our baby is now 9 months old. You can't have too many pacifiers. When I paid, I didn't receive any sudden deals on diapers or formula, to my slight disappointment. It made sense, though: I was shopping in a city I never previously visited, at 9:45 p.m. on a weeknight, buying a random assortment of items. I was using a corporate credit card, and besides the pacifiers, hadn't purchased any of the things that a parent needs. It was clear to Target's computers that I was on a business trip. Pole's prediction calculator took one look at me, ran the numbers and decided to bide its time. Back home, the offers would eventually come. As Pole told me the last time we spoke: "Just wait. We'll be sending you coupons for things you want before you even know you want them." Charles Duhigg is a staff writer for The Times and author of "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business," which will be published on Feb. 28. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. Editor: Joel Lovell A version of this article appears in print on February 19, 2012, on Page MM30 of the Sunday Magazine with the headline: Psst, You in Aisle 5. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 19/20 7/25/2019 How Companies Learn Your Secrets - The New York Times © 2019 The New York Times Company https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html 20/20


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At La Charlotte de l'isle, her fab old fashioned chocolate molds... (I will refrain from showing you the rats this year by popular request) Chocolatier Jean-Paul Hevin went for a GINORMOUS chocolate (bien sur) chicken in all of his shop windows!Chickens lay what else? Macarons.Galerie Lafayette Gourmet's floor was covered with chickens.
FYI:The difference between "poule" and "poulet"
A "poule"is a hen while a "poulet" refers to chicken meat..cooked chicken.
S.V.P. correct me on this.

subset: commoncrawl


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One day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was calling off his side's participation in the next session of peace talks with Palestinian leaders, Israel's Cabinet has endorsed that decision and "unanimously decided to cut off contacts," The Associated Press writes.
The impetus, as we reported on Wednesday, is the announcement from the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas that they plan to form a national unity government within five weeks.
As the AP notes: "Israel is furious over Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to form a unity government with the rival Hamas movement after a seven-year rift. Israel and the West consider Hamas a terrorist group."
Talks could always resume at some point, of course. The New York Times notes that "the Israelis said no talks would be held at least until the new unity government announced by the Palestinians takes shape." But it's difficult to envision the type of Palestinian government that might lead Israel to reverse its position. The Times adds that Israel said "it would not in any circumstances negotiate with a government that was backed by Hamas, the militant Islamic faction it considers a terrorist group."
The AP concludes that Israel's decision "appears to end a nine-month peace initiative by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The negotiating period is scheduled to end next Tuesday, though the sides had been trying to agree to an extension."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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I have to thank Changing Hands especially for allowing us to stay a full hour and a half past closing to accommodate everyone. (I talk a lot. Heh.) In fact, they didn't even tell me the store was closed; I didn't realize until everyone had left! So many, many thanks to Rachel and the rest of the staff: you guys ROCK.
Now, here's what you've been waiting for: the CAKES!!
This AMAZING work of art was courtesy of Breanna of Sugar Dreams. I first featured one of Breanna's cakes on Sunday Sweets quite a while back, and the encouragement she received from you readers helped spur her on to start her very own company! So this was her way of saying thanks to our whole Wrecky family.
Just look at this detail:
Breanna made one suitcase for each leg of the tour, and she even listed the cities on the luggage tags! Inside the top case are these fantastic CW t-shirts:
Even the back was amazing:
Oh, and it tasted as good as it looked. :)
And as if that wasn't enough, Vanessa of Amazing Cakes by Vanessa (located in north/central AZ) also provided fabulous vegan and gluten-free cakes:
She also concocted this hilarious "Wreck Creator" contraption:
Our three "winners!"
(She used bacon for the straps. Heh. Aheh. Heh.)
So cool.
Plus, Christy crocheted me one of my favorite Wrecks:
She even let me keep it. :)
And these girls got crafty with their custom t-shirts:
"Snape wants Sprinkles" - Hah! I think CW and Harry Potter make a great combo, don't you?


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It's been a nightmare. A horrible, unimaginable nightmare.
On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 14, Rudy Samora got a phone call that every parent dreads.
An accident, a very bad accident.
It was his 17-year-old daughter Kiley on the phone. She didn't know where she was, she just knew that her brother Brett wasn't moving.
A terrifying nightmare.
Rudy figured out where she was and raced to the scene. That's when the horror story got worse.
His three kids, Kiley, Brett, 16, and 15-year-old Breana were injured. It was chaos, sheer terror and panic.
"It was terrifying," Rudy says. "I wanted to be holding all of them, but I couldn't."
Kiley and Brett were airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction.
For the past 27 days, the Samora family has lived day to day. Taking every sliver of good news like it's a winning lottery ticket.
Kiley is better, Breana is OK. But Brett is still in the Grand Junction hospital.
The good news is that Brett has been accepted into one of the best physical therapy facilities in the nation. The bad news is, that facility is for people with spinal cord injures.
Right now, Brett can't walk. He's paralyzed.
Rudy hasn't returned home since the accident. Brett is never alone. Rudy and his wife Amy take turns spending the night by Brett's bedside.
Rudy is amazed at the strength and attitude of his son.
"I don't think I would handle it as good as he has. He's pretty amazing," Rudy says, cracks in his voice evident.
Every day, there are tears.
It's been a nightmare.
At the accident scene, Rudy made a promise to Brett. And he's kept it.
"I promised my son that I would be with him for as long as it took."
Day to day means lots of prayers and staying strong.
"Today, his legs aren't working, so we're working on what we need to do at the moment," Rudy says. "It might be another story down the road."
They are praying for a miracle and miracles happen.
Rudy talks about a woman at St. Mary's Hospital that they met. She was paralyzed for more than two months.
"And now she's walking around the hospital," Rudy says, his voice alive with thoughts of miracles.
Next week, Rudy, Amy and Brett will head to Denver, to Craig Hospital, a facility that specializes in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
Rudy and Amy plan to stay as long as possible. The hospital offers 30-day stays at a nearby apartment.
"We'll stay the 30 days and get him settled in, then we'll see," Rudy says.
The length of rehabilitation is undetermined. It could be as long as four months.
On Sunday, Oct. 14, life changed in an instant for the Samora family.
Friday and Saturday before the accident were two of the best days ever for Kiley. She was homecoming queen. Mom and dad, brother and sister were in the stands proudly watching as she was crowned on the Mancos High School football field.
Sunday morning was undoubtedly the worst day of her life.
After a long day and night of homecoming activities, Kiley was behind the wheel when she dozed off for an instant.
"Emotionally, it's been really hard on her," Rudy says.
But he says it could have been worse. At the last moment, she corrected the vehicle, steering away from a possible head-on collision with a huge tree.
But the car rolled and the nightmare began.
Rudy says his oldest daughter has spent a lot of time with Brett and he doesn't blame her at all. Brett accepts his responsibility for the injury. He had taken off his seat belt to lie down in the backseat for a nap.
"He regrets that," Rudy says. "It was his choice that he didn't have his seat belt on."
Brett and the Samora family hope that the accident will serve as a powerful reminder to kids and adults that seat belts should always be worn.
The Samora family lives in Lewis but the kids go to Mancos High School — a great school, Rudy says.
Kiley was driving home from her job in Mancos on Oct. 14, when she picked up Brett and Breana, who were staying in Cortez.
Ever since the accident, there have been fundraisers, prayers and more community support than anyone can imagine.
Rudy says the family has been blown away by the support.
Support from the school, neighbors, friends, family, hundreds, maybe thousands of people who don't even know the family, have all stepped forward to do whatever they can.
Rudy's voice again cracks when he talks about the outpouring of support.
"You see so much bad news," Rudy says. "But this really opened my eyes. It's been amazing.
"I don't think I can ever walk by a donation jar again without putting something in it. I hope I can return my gratitude and service to my community. I hope someday I can help someone else as much as people have helped us," he says.
Kiley and Breana are currently staying with their aunt. Rudy's crew from his Rustic Wood Construction business, along with L&L Construction workers, have gone to the Samora home and constructed a wheelchair-accessible door and concrete ramp.
"I didn't ask them to do that, they just did it," Rudy says.
Family and friends are taking care of Kiley and Breana, feeding livestock, handling the chores — doing whatever needs to be done, so Rudy and Amy can keep their focus on being with Brett.
It takes a village.
On Oct. 14, life changed in an instant for the Samora family. Things are getting better, but they still have a long road ahead of them.
The nightmare has given way to hope, and prayers for a miracle.
Today, Brett's legs aren't working. But maybe they will in the future.
"We're taking it day to day," Rudy says. "Brett has such a good attitude."
The family is strong — strong for one another. The community has been strong for the Samora family.
Slowly, there's a light at the end of the nightmare.
[email protected]


text:
HelpContents > HelpForAdministrators
This page lists other help pages that are useful for administrators of a MoinMoin wiki or those that are about to install one. If you first want to test a MoinMoin wiki you can do this by installing the DesktopEdition.
HelpOnInstalling - how to install a MoinMoin wiki
HelpOnConfiguration - how to configure your wiki
HelpOnAdministration - how to maintain a MoinMoin wiki


text:
We accidentally found out that there were more channels available for free on cable on the weekend. My first reaction was "I bet there won't be anything good on" but I bit my tongue: last night, on Cinemax, several of Kubrick's films in a row. "The Shining" – which I have seen 5 times or so - followed by "Full Metal Jacket" (Vincent!) and "Barry Lyndon".
I guess you've noticed my obsession for Mr. Kubrick... Sort of like the one I have for lemons. :)
Double-lemon bars
from here
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (94g) powdered sugar
2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
2 cups (400g) sugar
4 large eggs
7 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with pulp*
¼ cup finely grated lemon zest (from about 5 large lemons)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup (35g) all purpose flour
additional powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, beating until moist clumps form. Using back of fork (I preferred a spatula), press dough over bottom of nonstick 13x9x2-inch (32.5x22.5x5cm) metal baking pan – I used a regular 20x30cm pan and lined it with baking paper.
Bake crust until light golden, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat sugar and eggs in medium bowl until blended. Beat in fresh lemon juice with pulp, lemon zest, baking powder, then flour for filling.
Pour lemon filling over hot crust. Bake until filling is set in center and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Cut pastry into 24 bars. Transfer lemon bars to serving platter and dust with additional powdered sugar.
* to remove all juice and pulp for the lemon filling, cut lemons in half and use a spoon to scoop between the membranes; discard seeds.
Makes 24


text:
Type of vehicle | Car (3 seats), Van (8 seats) |
Distance | 200 km |
Time Duration | 2h 30min |
Private shuttle bus from Munich to Hallstatt
per vehicle
You can choose your pick up poin in start city anywhere you want, for example in front of your hotel or in city center.
Similarly like with pick up point, you can choose your drop off point in destination city. So if you are heading to hotel, hoster or airport, just tell us the address.
You can specify your pick up and drop off points in booking form.
Fast, comfortable and reliable transportation from Munich to Hallstatt
We provide affordable, friendly and reliable shuttle bus transfer from Munich to Hallstatt.
We provides daily transportation from "Door to Door". No need to carry your luggage across town to a pick up point and wait for the scheduled time. We'll come to YOU, exactly when you need us!
Private and scenic transfer from Munich to Hallstatt
Private shuttle from Munich to Hallstatt are excellent solution for larger groups. With private shuttle you can change your trip to scenic and sightseeing. With this you won't miss a single place what you want to visit.
For private transportation from Munich to Hallstatt we guarantee that only passangers in car or van will be from your group.
So if you want to travel with us, don't hesitate and book a shuttle bus transfer from Munich to Hallstatt. You find find all of the informations on the top of this page.


text:
1960 Chrysler 300F
Text by Joe Babiasz, photos by Jerry Heasley
When the 1960 Chrysler 300F was unveiled to the public, it cemented the Chrysler Letter Series into a class of its own. Under the watchful eye of talented auto designer Virgil Exner, a small group of visionaries spent a massive amount of time massaging the clay into an iconic piece of Americana on wheels. While the 1960 Cadillac and Lincoln had incredible styling, only the 300F had both great styling and earthshaking performance. It was, in fact, considered a "gentleman's hot rod."
The 300F was an entirely new car from top to bottom. Earlier cars were manufactured with body-on-frame construction. The 1960 Chrysler was designed with unibody construction. This design decreased vehicle weight, reduced the number of component parts, and increased vehicle rigidity. Another advantage was added interior comfort accomplished by lowering the floor area at the footwells. Outside, new longer doors gave passengers added room to get in and out. The front grille carried over the Letter Series queues of previous years. The blacked-out aluminum front grille was comprised of a horizontal and vertical bar with the traditional Letter Series medallion at the intersection of the grille bars. Front bumpers arched upward at the ends with integral side bumper guards. The rear edge of the hood included non-functional louvers.
From the side, gently flowing horizontal feature lines started at the front fenders, kicked up mid-door, and then continued rearward to form an elegant canted fin with hockey stick-styled taillamps. In keeping with the 300 Series motif, a handsome horizontal spear with a circular red, white, and blue "300" medallion ran along each quarter panel. From the rear, Chryslers unique "toilet seat" spare tire outline was prominent on the decklid. This was perhaps the only like it or hate it design on the vehicle.
The interior of the 300F was futuristic, to say the least. Chrysler's domed cluster and a new "Panelescent" lighting system gave the instrument panel a spaceship look. A long center console included a 6,000-rpm tachometer, shift lever, and power window switches separated four well-cushioned individual bucket seats. Front bucket seats swiveled into the door opening when the door was opened then back again when the door was closed, aiding ingress and egress.
The 413, now in its second year as the powerplant for the 300 series, used a unique cross-ram dual-quad induction system. Designed with twin 30-inch tubes, the added ram effect provided additional power. The tubes were made from cast aluminum, then painted red for an incredible visual when the hood was opened. Chrysler's base engine was rated at 375 horsepower. An optional 400-horsepower engine was available at extra cost. The additional 25 horsepower came from a shorter ram induction system with different carburetors, a wilder cam, and larger exhaust valves.
Transmission options were limited to the tried and true three-speed automatic TorqueFlite, or the new, French-built Pont-a-Mousson four-speed manual. The four-speed manual was available only on the 400-horsepower engine. When Chrysler announced the 400-horse engine/four-speed transmission option, they didn't expect many buyers. However after six weeks, the option was cancelled due to lack of available components for the four-speed transmission, much to the disappointment of the public.
Exner's vision of understated styling was perhaps best shown on the 300F. Simple flowing lines and lack of gaudy add-ons (with the exception of the faux spare tire) provided the buying public a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of history. Too bad we didn't know it at the time.
Fuel For Thought
400-horse 300F "Special" began as a 300F TorqueFlite, then was shipped to another Chrysler facility for upgrades.
The year's only luxury performer to offer a four-speed manual (approx. 15 built)
Engine compartment included removable wheelwell panels to aid in engine installation
Solid lifters opened the valves of the optional 400-horsepower engine
Number built – 964 hardtops, 248 convertibles
Construction – Unibody
Engines – (2) 413 cubic-inch V-8s
Power/Torque – 413 cubic-inch V-8, 375 horsepower, 495 lb-ft torque, 413 cubic-inch V-8, 400 horsepower, 465 lb-ft torque (solid lifters)
Transmissions – Three-speed automatic, four-speed manual
Suspension front – Torsion bar
Suspension rear – Leaf springs
Steering – Rack and sector
Brakes – Four-wheel 12-inch drums
Length/width/height – 216.6/79.4/55.5 inches
Wheelbase – 126 inches
Weight – 4,310 lbs.
0-60mph/quarter mile – 7.1 seconds, 16.0 seconds at 90 mph (Motor Trend, February 1960 and Hot Rod, April 1960)
Top speed – 105 mph (with 2,000 rpm left on the tach: Motor Trend, February 1960)
MPG – 11.6 mpg (Motor Trend, February 1960).
Price – MSRP - $ 5,841; Today – $39,200 - 101,200
Insurance cost
Insurance cost is $438/year for a $61,500 1960 Chrysler 300F. This is based on 3,000 miles per year of pleasure driving.
*Based on a quote from Heacock Classic Car Insurance, www.heacockclassic.com
Engine – The raised block (RB) 413 was designed for heavy-duty use. Compression ratio was 10.1:1. Its air/fuel mixture flowed past 2.08-inch intake valves and 1.60-inch exhaust valves. Twin Carter carburetors were used on both engines.
Handling – For a heavy luxury car, the 300F handled quite well. The unibody added stiffness to the platform. Heavy-duty front torsion bars and seven-leaf rear springs kept the car somewhat flat around corners. The weak links were the 14-inch bias-ply tires.
1960 Cadillac Series 62 convertible
Number built – 14,000
0-60/quarter mile – 10.6 seconds, 18.2 seconds at N/A mph
Top speed – 115 mph
Price – MSRP - $5,455; Today – $20,900 - $48,900
1960 Lincoln Continental convertible
Number built – 2,044
0-60/quarter mile – 8.7 seconds, 16.3 seconds at 81 mph
Top speed – 116 mph
Price – MSRP - $7,056; Today – $18,000 - $77,300
Strong Points
Excellent appreciation
Outstanding styling
Unique cross-ram engine
Weak Points
Low production, difficult to find
Restoration parts hard to source
Vehicle Category
The current values of these cars prevent them from being used on a regular or semi-regular basis. Most are brought out for major shows only.
What to pay
Low – $39,200
Average – $61,500
High – $101,200
*Based on prices from the Classic Cars and Parts Price Guide, fueled by NADA and available wherever Classic Cars and Parts magazines are sold.
Parts Prices
Owners must rely on purchasing NOS parts at swap meets and salvage yards for used 300 parts.
Chrysler Buyer's Guide by Richard M. Langworth
Chrysler 300 America's Original Muscle Car by Robert Ackerson
Chrysler 300,1955-1970 Gold Portfolio by R.M. Clarke
MOPAR Muscle: 50 Years by Robert Genat
The 300F was without a doubt the watershed model for the 300 Series. It was quite frankly the ultimate luxury performance car. Today it is sought after in the collector car arena with prices well into the six figures.
Published Dec 7th, 2015


text:
How will this ticklish situation work itself out? What will become of the baby? Who will win the sponsor's "Name The Great Gildersleeve Mystery Baby" contest? And, what will the winning name be?
Find out in these 16 digitally restored and remastered episodes!
Includes Program Guide by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.
Episodes Include: Baby Girl Left in Gildy's Car 09-08-48, Taking Care of Baby 09-15-48, Taking Pictures of Baby Upsets Leroy 09-22-48, Name the Baby Contest 09-29-48,Gildy Tries to Reform for Welfare Investigation 10-06-48, Visit by Aunt Hattie 10-13-48,Marjorie Ready to Marry to Keep Baby 10-20-48, Gildy Proposes to Adeline 10-27-48, Engagement 11-03-48, Leila Ransom Back in Town 11-10-48, Engaged to Leila and Adeline 11-17-48, Water Commissioner's Helicopter Flight 11-24-48, Leroy's Holiday Job 12-01-48, Disappearing Christmas Presents 12-08-48, Christmas Shopping 12-15-48, Christmas Eve at Gildersleeve's 12-22-48
Related Products


text:
The news that someone has shut off the Internet (and cellphone service) across Syria has led Anonymous to vow it will "shut down Syrian government websites around the world," as Reuters' Anthony DeRosa puts it.
SecurityWeek's Steve Ragan writes that:
"When the public first learned of the Internet blackout in Syria, the Syrian Minister of Information was quick to blame terrorists and made a halfhearted attempt to assure the world that the government had nothing to do with the outage. ...
"However, network analytics firms and Internet monitors tell a different story. Renesys was the first firm to go on record and confirm a complete shutdown of the Web within Syria, noting that all 84 of Syria's IP address blocks has become unreachable, 'effectively removing the country from the Internet.' " ...
"Once the outage was confirmed, it wasn't long before Anonymous, under OpSyria, entered the conflict. 'The nation of Syria has gone dark. And Anonymous knows all to well what happens in the dark places,' a statement from OpSyria stated."
Late last night, this message appeared on Twitter:
"Anonymous is attacking Assad due to the internet outage. Anonymous is not attacking Assad in support of the Free Syrian Army. #OpSyria."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Madam Speaker, I rise today to call on the Obama administration to support efforts to bring about a negotiated resolution of the Cyprus conflict and reunification of the country as a federal bi-zonal, bi-communal, with a single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship. This formula is based on several UN Security Council resolutions and serves as the basis for ongoing talks between Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Talat.
As my colleagues know, the road to a final settlement over the past few decades has been fraught with difficulty. Numerous earlier diplomatic initiatives were launched, but in the end failed. Ultimately, a negotiated resolution of the conflict must be by the Cypriots, for the Cypriots and one that enjoys the support of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike. There is a strong desire by younger generations from both communities to experience the rebirth of a Cyprus where the rights of all are respected and all can participate in the national life of their country.
As a member of both the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues and the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations and Turkish Americans, I am gratified that the leaders of both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities have stated their mutual commitment to work towards a final settlement, and have continued their discussions accordingly. While the administration is currently observing developments and has offered its support if called upon by both communities. It is my hope that it will seize this opportunity to offer and make the resolution of the Cyprus issue a priority. At a time when so many of the world's disputes seem intractable, I believe the Cyprus dispute is one area where, working together, we can truly bring hope and change to a place and people that have longed for it for decades.
Madam Speaker, I hope the United States can play a supportive and active role in making a final settlement possible and encourage others to do likewise. Meanwhile, as President Christofias and Mr. Talat and their teams grapple with an array of tough issues it is my hope they seek to overcome the legacy of the past 35 years and build a brighter future for all Cypriots.


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Dallas Cowboys Air JD13 Sneakers 7
Air Jordan 13 is Michael Jordan's thirteenth signature basketball shoe with Brand Jordan. The AJ13 features a unique outsole that resembles a panther?s paw because of MJ?s play style resembling a "black cat". This is must-have item if you love shoes and want look cool every time in your life. Take your sneaker game to the next level. Upgrade your abilities and your shoe collection right now!
Product Features
- Microfiber leather upper with rounded toe construction.
- Lace-up closure for a snug fit.
- Rubber outsole pods are strategically placed to optimise traction and flexibility.
- Each of our boot sneaker is custom-hand-made with a high quality EVA out sole for traction and exceptional durability
- Features a semi-glossy leather to make the shoes more breathable and easier to clean
Size guide
Processing time: 5-6 business days
Shipping time : 5-7 business days.


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The estimated delivery time for SCREW, TAPPING, 5X16 (PO) - 93913154J0 will vary depending on the location. If we have the item in stock and your order is placed before 14:00 we will dispatch the item same day using your chosen shipping method. Meaning, if we have it on the shelf, you could get your item next day! The order is processed from Monday to Friday(excluding weekends and holidays). A notification will be sent via email when your order has shipped or is available for in-store pickup. For more details, you can check our Shipping Policy Page.
Part No | 93913154J0 |
Barcode No | 93913-154J0 |
Supplier Part No | 93913154J0 |
Express Delivery | Yes |
Weight | 0.003000 |
Supplier Name | Honda Power Equipment |
supplied with fuel tank | No |
We offer a 14-day returns policy for our products, subject to the terms and conditions. The customer should use the "Returns portal" to see if SCREW, TAPPING, 5X16 (PO) - 93913154J0 is eligible for a return. You can organize a return and handle it in the portal. The original payment method will be used to process the refund. Visit our Return Policy page for more information.
Our complete line of boat engines, boat parts & accessories tends to come with a manufacturer's warranty. SCREW, TAPPING, 5X16 (PO) - 93913154J0 offers the guarantee provided by the manufacturer.
You will receive an email from us letting you know when SCREW, TAPPING, 5X16 (PO) - 93913154J0 has shipped, along with a tracking number you can use to check on its progress. Kindly allow the tracking information 48 hours to become available.


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The Vixen VMC200L telescope is a unique 200mm 8 inch catadioptric optical system. It incorporates a primary mirror and a meniscus corrector just before a secondary mirror
By doing so, light is corrected twice on the optical path. The end result is that spherical aberration and field curvature are corrected to a high degree of optical performance.
The VMC200L's primary mirror is f/2.5; the compound optical system is f/9.75. This makes the system much more compact and portable than its competition.
With the optical correction placed before the secondary mirror, the VMC200L avoids the necessity of having a corrector plate and all the dewing problems associated with a closed optical tube.
An additional key feature is the rack and pinion focusing that is placed behind the primary mirror. The use of this focusing system eliminates the image shift associated with most other SCT systems.
This is especially important when using high power magnification or astro-photography. When focusing, the image is stable and easy to adjust.
Return From Vixen VMC200L Telescope To Vixen Telescopes


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I have been enjoying making my own fresh Thai curry pastes ever since I discovered how easy they were to make. Since they keep well in the freezer I almost always have some on hand. I recently made a new batch of red curry paste and I was looking for some new recipes to try using some of it in. One dish that I kept coming across was tod mun pla or Thai fish cakes that used red curry paste in the cake mixture. Some of the things that I liked about the tod mun pla recipes were that they included a green vegetable in the form of long beans and that they also used a lot of fresh herbs. The fish cakes promised to be really tasty all by themselves but I found that they were often served with a cucumber dipping sauce which also sounded good. Many of the recipes that I came across called for fish paste but I decided to just use some chopped up white fish which in this case was tilapia. The fish cakes were pretty easy to make. You pretty much just mix everything, form patties and fry them in oil until golden brown. You could deep fry the fish cake but I chose to shallow fry them as it would be easier. The tod mun pla were really tasty! I was right, they were packed with so much flavour that they hardly needed the dipping sauce but it provided some nice contrasting flavours and textures. The fish cakes had a nice crispy outside and the insides were nice and warm and soft and moist. I really liked the freshness that the herbs brought to the cakes and overall they were a really nice light meal.
Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)
- 1 pound white fish (cut into small pieces)
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- 1/2 cup long beans (thinly sliced)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves (thinly sliced)
- 1 birds eye chili (thinly sliced)
- 1 green onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- peanut oil for frying
- Mix everything for the cakes in a large bowl by hand until sticky.
- Form into small 3 inch diameter cakes.
- Fry in oil until golden brown on both sides.
Cucumber Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cucumber (seeded and sliced)
- 1 birds eye chili (thinly sliced)
- 1 green onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon peanuts (roasted and finely chopped)
- Heat the water, vinegar and sugar in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves.
- Allow the vinegar mixture to cool.
- Mix everything.


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A week-old strike that "crippled the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach" and kept about $1 billion worth of goods a day from arriving on shore is set to end today.
"We've got a deal and people are going back to work," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced late last night, as our colleagues at Southern California Public Radio report.
OnMorning Edition, NPR's Kirk Siegler said the work stoppage at the nation's busiest ports was prompted by the walkout of several hundred clerical workers, who wanted guarantees that their jobs won't be outsourced in the future. More than 10,000 regional members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union refused to cross the picket lines.
Details about the deal — struck soon after two federal mediators were called in, which prompted union leaders and company officials to sit down again — haven't been released. But theLos Angeles Times writes that Steve Berry, lead negotiator for the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbor Employers Association, " said the package included unspecified wage and pension increases. He also said there was added job security to the deal, that included a 'no layoff' clause that would go into effect once ratified."
While there is a "huge backlog" of goods waiting to be taken off ships, Kirk said the delays should not affect the arrival of toys and other goods intended for U.S. stores during this holiday season. Retailers got those shipments weeks or months ago.
Though the deal still needs to ratified by workers, KPCC's Wendy Lee reports that union leaders are confident it will be approved. So work can resume today. She was posting updates last night as the news was announced.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s.
The average age of onset for a first manic episode of bipolar disorder is during the early 20s.
Dysthymic disorder, which often begins in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood, affects nearly 3.3 million American adults each year.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that research indicates that depression onset is occurring earlier in life today than in past decades.
NIMH states that early-onset depression often persists, recurs, and continues into adulthood. Depression in youth may also predict more severe illness in adulthood.
What are mood disorders?
Mood disorders refer to a category of mental health problems that include all types of depression and bipolar disorder. Mood disorders are sometimes called affective disorders.
During the 1980s, mental health professionals began to recognize symptoms of mood disorders in children and adolescents, as well as adults. However, children and adolescents do not necessarily experience or exhibit the same symptoms as adults. It is more difficult to diagnose mood disorders in children, especially because children are not always able to express how they feel. Today, clinicians and researchers believe that mood disorders in children and adolescents remain one of the most under-diagnosed mental health problems. At any age, mood disorders put individuals at risk for other conditions that may persist long after the initial episodes of depression are resolved.
What causes mood disorders?
What causes mood disorders is not well known. There are chemicals in the brain, called endorphins, that are responsible for positive moods. Other chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters, regulate endorphins. Most likely, depression (and other mood disorders) is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Life events (such as unwanted changes in life) may also contribute to a depressed mood.
Affective disorders aggregate in families and are considered to be multifactorially inherited. Multifactorial inheritance means that "many factors" are involved. The factors that produce the trait or condition are usually both genetic and environmental, involving a combination of genes from both parents. Often one gender (either males or females) is affected more frequently than the other in multifactorial traits. There appears to be a different threshold of expression, which means that one gender is more likely to show the problem, over the other gender.
Who is affected by mood disorders?
Anyone can feel sad or depressed at times. However, mood disorders are more intense and difficult to manage than normal feelings of sadness. Children, adolescents, or adults who have a parent with a mood disorder have a greater chance of also having a mood disorder. However, life events and stress can expose or exaggerate feelings of sadness or depression, making the feelings more difficult to manage.
Sometimes, life's problems can trigger depression. Being fired from a job, getting divorced, losing a loved one, death in the family, and financial trouble, to name a few, all can be difficult and coping with the pressure may be troublesome. These life events and stress can bring on feelings of sadness or depression or make a mood disorder harder to manage.
The chance for depression in females in the general population is nearly twice as high (12 percent) as it is for males (6.6 percent). Once a person in the family has this diagnosis, the chance for their siblings or children to have the same diagnosis is increased. In addition, relatives of persons with depression are also at increased risk for bipolar disorder (manic depression).
The chance for manic depression (or bipolar disorder) in males and females in the general population is about 2.6 percent. Once a person in the family has this diagnosis, the chance for their siblings or children to have the same diagnosis is increased. In addition, relatives of persons with manic depression are also at increased risk for depression.
What are the different types of mood disorders?
The following are the most common types of mood disorders:
- major depression – a two-week period of a depressed or irritable mood or a noticeable decrease in interest or pleasure in usual activities, along with other signs of a mood disorder.
- dysthymia (dysthymic disorder) – a chronic, low-grade, depressed or irritable mood for at least one year.
- manic depression (bipolar disorder) – at least one episode of a depressed or irritable mood and at least one period of a manic (persistently elevated) mood.
- mood disorder due to a general medical condition – many medical illnesses (including cancer, injuries, infections, and chronic medical illnesses) can trigger symptoms of depression.
- substance induced mood disorder – symptoms of depression that are due to the effects of medication, drug abuse, exposure to toxins, or other forms of treatment.
What are the symptoms of mood disorders?
Depending upon age and the type of mood disorder present, a person may exhibit different symptoms of depression. The following are the most common symptoms of a mood disorder. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.
Symptoms may include:
- persistent feelings of sadness
- feeling hopeless or helpless
- having low self-esteem
- feeling inadequate
- excessive guilt
- feelings of wanting to die
- loss of interest in usual activities or activities once enjoyed
- difficulty with relationships
- sleep disturbances (i.e., insomnia, hypersomnia)
- changes in appetite or weight
- decreased energy
- difficulty concentrating
- a decrease in the ability to make decisions
- suicidal thoughts or attempts
- frequent physical complaints (i.e., headache, stomach ache, fatigue)
- running away or threats of running away from home
- hypersensitivity to failure or rejection
- irritability, hostility, aggression
In mood disorders, these feelings appear more intense than what a person may normally feel from time to time. It is also of concern if these feelings continue over a period of time, or interfere with an individual's interest in family, friends, community, or work. Any person who expresses thoughts of suicide should be evaluated immediately.
The symptoms of mood disorders may resemble other conditions or psychiatric problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
How are mood disorders diagnosed?
Mood disorders are a real medical disorder. A psychiatrist or other mental health professional usually diagnoses mood disorders following a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation.
Treatment for mood disorders:
Specific treatment for mood disorders will be determined by your physician based on:
- your age, overall health, and medical history
- extent of the condition
- type of mood disorder
- your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- expectations for the course of the condition
- your opinion or preference
Mood disorders can often be effectively treated. Treatment should always be based on a comprehensive evaluation. Treatment may include one, or more, of the following:
- antidepressant medications (especially when combined with psychotherapy has shown to be very effective in the treatment of depression)
- psychotherapy (most often cognitive-behavioral and/or interpersonal therapy that is focused on changing the individual's distorted views of themselves and the environment around them, working through difficult relationships, and identifying stressors in the environment and how to avoid them)
- family therapy
Families play a vital supportive role in any treatment process.
Prevention of mood disorders:
Preventive measures to reduce the incidence of mood disorders are not known at this time. However, early detection and intervention can reduce the severity of symptoms, enhance the individual's normal growth and development, and improve the quality of life experienced by persons with mood disorders.


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(CNN) -- An 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami that killed five people but didn't threaten the wider region.
Four elderly people and one child died after the roughly 1-meter (3-feet) high wave hit the Santa Cruz Islands, an eastern region of the Solomon Islands, said Augustine Bilve, a director at a hospital in Lata, the main town in the area.
The strong waves appeared to have caused damage and disruption at the local airport and nearby villages. Bilve said that some patients were being relocated, but the hospital was intact.
"Our staff in Temotu province felt the quake and within five minutes there were a number of wave surges, which flooded the runway there," said Andrew Catford, the program director in the Solomon Islands for the humanitarian group World Vision.
World's biggest earthquakes since 1900
Temotu province is another name for the Santa Cruz Islands. World Vision said it was still trying to gauge the damage from the tsunami in the area, adding that "it is likely that several villages close to the airport have been severely impacted."
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami warning for several countries in the area, including Papua New Guinea and Fiji. But the center later canceled the alert after reassessing the relevant data.
It also called off a tsunami watch it had sent out for a larger number of countries in the region such as New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia.
The center of the quake was located near the Santa Cruz Islands, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. It was initially reported to be 3.6 miles deep, but that was later revised to a depth of 17.8 miles.
What is a tsunami?
Precautionary measures taken in the region Authorities elsewhere in the region took precautionary measures following news of the quake.
The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management warned people along certain areas of the country's west coast to stay out of the water and away from the shore.
Japanese authorities issued advisories that small sea level changes could affect the country's entire eastern coastline Wednesday.
The New Caledonia High Commission in the capital of Noumea ordered the immediate evacuation of coastal residents on the eastern coast of New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands.
The main quake was preceded by a 6.3-magnitude quake in the region and was followed by several others, the largest of which had a magnitude of 6.6, the USGS said.
In 2007, an 8.1-magnitude quake struck in the western part of the Solomon Islands, setting off a tsunami. At least 52 people died as a result of the disaster and thousands of others were left homeless.
source: edition.cnn.com


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- Fonds
- 1948 - 1997
Fonds consists of records made and received by Ron Baker in his roles as academic planner, and charter faculty member, as well as additional materials relating to SFU's history. Includes personal and professional correspondence, reports, reference materials, a memoir by Baker about the early history of SFU, and other documents.
Baker, Ron


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Carrot Cake Macarons With Cream Cheese Frosting Filling
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by friends and family or just chilling. We loved being able to share the day with a few different groups of people, plopping from one dinner to another and a glass of Champagne to a glass of wine, surrounded by the warmth of a good fire and a few good hugs.
Bill and I don't exchange presents as we'd rather book tickets to a play or the symphony, things we wouldn't just "get up and do" during the year.
From the feedback I received over the last few days, it looks like everyone found their happiness in all the treats Santa brought. I like to vary things up from one year to the next but there are a few items that will always be on the list. Chocolate truffles, sugar cookies and macarons. This year, I went a tad bit mad scientist and made Carrot Cake Macarons.
Carrot Cake is one of those desserts that would make a Frenchie raise an eyebrow (or two) on the first try but one I quickly came to love. We don't usually mix vegetables and sweets as people do here with carrot cake or zucchini bread and I think we are missing out on something! At the same time it's nice to introduce my family to different culinary icons when I return home such as carrot cake, Boston cream pie, whoopie pies, red velvet cake, etc…
Yes! I love carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and the idea of coming up with a macaron having these flavors had been in the back of my head for quite some time. I know there are as many variations for carrot cake as there are bakers to make them, some add pineapple, some add raisins, some add this or that but I needed to just keep the concept of a carrot flavored confection. Kind of like stripping it to the essential to make it clean and simple.
My husband's reaction was as honest and simple as could be "how on earth do you fit a carrot into a macaron?" Ah…Well…Since I was short on time to make several batches if my idea didn't work out, I decided to flavor the shells with carrots and make a simple cream cheese frosting to fill the macarons with. I cut ling strips of carrots that I dehydrated in a low temperature oven. Once they were dried and cooled, I pulverized them in a coffee grinder and added them to the almonds.
It worked like a charm. Perfect hint of carrot and bit of tang from the cream cheese filling! So much so that Bill was a tiny bit pouting I was giving the bulk away as Christmas presents. Guess I know what I'll make again on New Year's Day!
Carrot Cake Macarons With Cream Cheese Filling:
Makes 20-30 filled confections, depending on the size
Note: I know this sounds weird, but pick the most "carrot scented carrots" you can find. Meaning, forget the ones sold in plastic bags, they have very little flavor compared to smaller carrots labeled as "new" with the stems on, farmers market carrots or simply organic carrots. It will help concentrate the flavor in the shells as much as possible.
For another dehydrated creation, check these Powdered Strawberry Macarons.
I updated and cleaned up the macaron tutorial a little and found it a better format so no more need to email me for a copy. You can read and download it here. Special thanks to my friend and talented photographer, Jackie, for letting me use a couple of pictures.
For the shells:
200 gr powdered sugar
110 gr almonds (slivered, blanched, sliced, whatever you like)
2-3 small carrots, sliced thin lengthwise, dehydrated and finely ground(see below)
90 gr egg whites (use egg whites that have been preferably left 3-4 days in the fridge)
25 gr granulated sugar
For the carrots: cut long thin matchsticks or slices from 2-3 small carrots and lay them flat on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in a 250F oven until they shrivel and dry out. It usually takes about 30 minutes but check at 20 minutes in case your oven runs high. Let them cool and grind them as fine as possible. I find that a coffee grinder works great for that job.
Prepare the macarons:
Place the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the ground dehydrated carrots and mix until blended. Sift if desired (helps keep the shells smooth in appearance).
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, (think bubble bath foam) gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue (think shaving cream). Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry.
Add the nuts and powdered sugar to the meringue, give it a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. Give quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip (Ateco #807 or #809) with the batter and pipe small rounds onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 280F.
Bake the macarons for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool.
Once baked and if you are not using them right away, store the shells in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (longer and the sugar starts to seep out which makes them sticky). Fill the macarons and let them mature in the fridge at least 48 hours prior to eating them.
Cream Cheese Frosting Filling:
1 stick (115 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
In bowl of electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Pipe or spoon about a tablespoon into the center of each macaron shell and top with another shell.


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Tis the Season! Time to pull out the lights and put up the tree! At FLORAL INNOVATIONS, we specialize in all-things Christmas! With the trendiest Christmas accessories and ornaments, you are sure to find exactly what you need for your holiday decor at FLORAL INNOVATIONS in Twinsburg.
Whether you're planning for a Christmas party or just decorating your home for the holiday, we've got you covered. From traditional, to playful and fun, you will find the Christmas decorations you need at FLORAL INNOVATIONS.


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You are here
Choking Prevention for Little Kids
Choking Prevention for Little Kids
Like babies, little kids are curious about the things around them and will touch, taste and smell just about anything. That's the way they learn. But this is an area where parents have to be diligent, because swallowing the wrong thing can cause serious injury. Here are some ways to make home and play areas safer.
Top Safety Tips
- Keep small objects such as buttons, beads, jewelry, pins, nails, marbles, coins, stones and tacks out of reach and sight.
- Cut food for toddlers into tiny pieces. Children under 5 should not eat small, round or hard foods, including pieces of hot dogs, cheese sticks or chunks, hard candy, nuts, grapes, marshmallows or popcorn.
- Consider your child's age when purchasing a toy or game. It's worth a second to read the instructions and warning labels to make sure it's just right for your child.
- Before you've settled on the perfect toy, check to make sure there aren't any small parts or other potential choking hazards.


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It's another case of a beautiful idea colliding with some ugly facts.
The beautiful idea is the notion that clearing the blocked artery of a stroke patient with a device snaked right up to the blockage would salvage threatened brain cells and prevent a lot of disability.
A lot of stroke patients in the U.S. are already getting this endovascular (within-the-artery) treatment because the Food and Drug Administration approved the devices without clinical proof that they work. Medicare has begun paying for the treatment.
But now come those ugly facts. Three studies have now found no difference in outcome between patients who got the endovascular treatment along with an intravenous dose of a clot-busting drug called tPA, or Alteplase, and other patients who got only tPA.
"There wasn't really clear evidence that endovascular therapy added to tPA ... was better overall than tPA as the standard treatment," Dr. Joseph Broderick told MedPage Today. "It was hard to detect a signal of benefit in the studies that were presented."
Broderick, who led the largest of the three studies, was referring to disappointing results presented this week at the International Stroke Conference in Honolulu. He's research director of the neurological institute at the University of Cincinnati.
Stroke specialists will be chewing on the findings for months and perhaps years to come. But the first guess about why the artery-clearing devices didn't improve outcomes is that patients didn't get the treatments in time.
After all, the endovascular procedure can't be started until after intravenous tPA is tried first, and that can be as long as four-and-a-half hours after the first symptoms of stroke.
"Even a one-hour delay in the time to treatment negates the benefit" of a higher rate of artery clearance, Dr. Mark Chimowitz of the Medical University of South Carolina notes in an editorial accompanying online publication of the three studies in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Chimowitz was referring to an Italian study of 362 stroke patients called SYNTHESIS Expansion.
Dr. Brian Silver of the Rhode Island Hospital Stroke Center agrees that the disappointing outcomes were probably due to the passage of too much time. "It's not sufficient to just open up the (blood) vessel, it has to be done early on," Silver says in an interview with MedPage Today.
There was a hint in Broderick's study, called IMS-III, that outcomes might be better if tPA can be started within two hours of stroke onset and endovascular treatment within 90 minutes of that.
But that kind of speed is almost impossible to achieve consistently in the real world. It takes time to gather the specialized personnel needed to do the fancy imaging tests and then perform the delicate endovascular procedure safely. Not to mention that many stroke patients aren't lucky enough to live close to a center that can muster the effort quickly.
Speaking of fancy imaging, a third study, nicknamed MR RESCUE, tested whether CT or MRI scans could identify patients most likely to benefit from endovascular treatment, based on the amount of brain tissue at risk from the blockage but not yet dead. Many of these patients have large blood clots in a major artery of the brain, and tPA doesn't always dissolve these blockages.
But alas, even patients who seemed to have the most favorable scans "had the same level of disability at 90 days, whether or not they had undergone the clot-removal procedure or had received standard therapy," says the National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke, which funded the MR RESCUE study.
So what's next? Given the enormous toll of strokes, there will be more studies to figure out how to improve outcomes for patients who aren't being rescued with tPA alone. Some will involve new clot-busting drugs and devices.
But Broderick tells MedPage Today that some of these studies "are not paying enough attention to how quickly the therapy is delivered." And none is big enough by itself to provide good answers.
And many worry that it will be difficult to recruit stroke patients (and their doctors) into studies that randomly assign them to receive tPA alone or in combination with endovascular treatment. That's because the endovascular devices are so widely used.
Maybe, Chimowitz says, Medicare will have to declare a moratorium on paying for endoscular therapy until "these urgently needed trials" are carried out. That ought to stir up some lively debate.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.