text:
super happy with product
|INCI Name
|Organic vegetable glycerine
|Purified water
|Water (aqua)
|Althaea officinalis root extract
Non-GMO Status
No GM materials are used.
No palm oil
No palm oil products or derivatives are used.
Processing of ingredients
No synthetic additives/processes are used during the extraction process.
Content of plant extractives
All PureNature glycetracts contain the extractives from no less than 20% w/w fresh plant matter equivalent, the spent plant material being removed at the end of the production process.
Natural precipitates
Every effort is made to filter solid plant matter from our glycetracts, but by the artisanal nature of the production processes used small quantities of very fine plant matter may remain, and may over time deposit out. We suggest that they are shaken before use or decanted with care.
No preservatives
With the purpose of producing extracts which are entirely natural, our PureNature branded glycetracts are preservative-free. The high osmotic pressure exerted by the vegetable glycerine in these extracts does not allow micro-organisms to reproduce, so preservatives are deemed unnecessary. As viable micro-organisms may nonetheless be present, good manufacturing practice should be followed whenever these extracts are diluted.
This product is intended for external use only
super happy with product


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Lance v Dave, round two, in Snowmass
Lance Armstrong will race in the inaugural 12 Hours of Snowmass mountain bike race this Sunday, joining a three-racer team. Race organizers say Gunnison's 44-year-old world mountain biking champion Dave Wiens, who last month bested Armstrong in the grueling Leadville 100, has also enlisted on a three-man team, promising Armstrong a second chance at the cavernously lunged Wiens.
It's been a big week for Armstrong, a 36-year-old Texan who the Aspen Daily News says recently bought a home in Aspen. On Tuesday, an interview with Vanity Fair leaked that he aiming for the Tour de France in 2009. He's won the road race a record seven times and retired from road racing in 2005. The skinny-tired lycra tribe has been buzzing since the announcement.
On Wednesday he raced to an easy victory in a local's mountain bike race in Aspen, telling reporters he was racing this weekend in Snowmass. Organizers said Olympic racer Tinker Juarez, the 47-year-old lord of the singletrack, has signed up for the 12 Hours of Snowmass solo race.
So it's an old-school racing showdown in the Roaring Fork Valley this weekend, with the masters on stage.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
something new to try...
Two rolls of lightweight pink ribbing. I guess it's the type that would be used as a trim on t-shirts or similar, but of course I won't be using it for that!
Actually... I'm not entirely sure what I will use it for! My initial thoughts are to crochet it into a rug or a bathmat using a giant hook. But maybe that's a bit obvious?
I'm open to all sorts of suggestions. Any other ideas out there???
11 comments:
- Karen said...
My project using muslin ripped into strips is still very much in its initial stages so when I saw your rolls of 'strips' I thought to pass this idea along: if you have a window or door that would be enhanced by a light 'dressing' then you could hang strips on a rod suspended at the top of the door or window and then roll some paper beads up those strips. The strips could be close together or further apart; my muslin with its ripped strips are side by side by side but I could remove every other one or every second one if I want it airier - it's to 'block' the view of a bathroom at end of a hall. And the beads could be random and scant or more patterned and many. I'm planning to use beads made from the heavy colourful paper of advertising supplements. That's my two cents worth. I am sure whatever you come up with will be just dandy - but it was fun to come up with a reply to your query.
- October 28, 2008 at 1:30 PM
- AC said...
If you pop over to my blog you can see my finished Easy Peasy Bag...I just loved making this bag thanks for all your great ideas and keep them coming:-)
Take care,
- October 28, 2008 at 7:35 PM
- Cats-Rockin-Crochet said...
2 thoughts. A nice edging for the bags you make. It looks quite wide, could you cut it down the centre, there fore doubling what you have and making it easier to crochet with. Lots of work though. Good luck, I know you'll come up with some thing very crafty.
- October 28, 2008 at 8:36 PM
- Michelle said...
Hi purple, I reckon it would make a lovely crocheted basket. Something that you put your bits and pieces in, like keys when you come in the door, or on a dressing table for odds and ends. Done with a giant hook, like you say, it would look so pretty, it's a gorgeous color. xxx (Yarnplay)
- October 29, 2008 at 7:45 AM
- laughing purple goldfish said...
karen - my daughter would love something along those lines in her bedroom doorway... she loves butterflies, so I'm thinking I could incorporate some of them into it too... good idea :) thanks
ally - gorgeous!
cat - actually, I could use it to edge one of my rag bags... thinking... thinking... thinking... yes... definitely!!!
michelle - it's very pink... too pink for the decor in my home... BUT... once again... it would be perfect in my daughter's room... everything in there is PINK!
- October 29, 2008 at 11:22 PM
- Islagringo said...
How about making it into basket weave fabric and sewing it up as a purse?
- October 30, 2008 at 1:39 AM
- laughing purple goldfish said...
islagringo - I'm so glad I asked for ideas... that's another good one I would never have thought of :)
- October 30, 2008 at 10:05 PM
- Katy said...
Cant wait to see what you make! My Gran bought a massive roll of purple elastic once from an Op Shop and then spent the next 15 years using it to re-elasticizing her underpants when they lost their strech... Classy stuff.
- November 3, 2008 at 12:11 PM
- laughing purple goldfish said...
katy - thanks for sharing that :) what a scream! I'm all for recycling, but I haven't yet taken the step of re- elasticising my old underwear!!! lol... and I probably won't... but what a fabulous story
- November 3, 2008 at 4:23 PM
you need to take price tags off if u gona take pics!!
but they were cute
- November 4, 2008 at 5:41 AM
- Libby said...
I'm curious to see what you decide because interestingly enough, I found a roll of this at a place in my state called "The Scrap Exchange." My roll is a carnation pink and I'm looking for ways to use it too. Thought about a crochet rug of sorts, but I don't have enough for and I would have for it to be just one color. Humm.....
*BTW, love your blog!
- November 26, 2009 at 5:46 AM


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Actually, it's the size of the hole. Just a bullet hole, through the fuselage or an window isn't going to cause a EXPLOSIVE decompression. Explosive decompression is a pilot's nightmare. 1-time of usefull consciouness; the higher you go the less oxygen the less time you have awake. At 35,000 feet your looking at about 15 SECONDS. At 41,000 your down to about 10 seconds and at 51,000 you'll be conscious about 5 seconds. 2-the cold. It usually around -54 degrees Celsius at 35,000- a normal cruise altitude. So exposed to those altitudes you're basically freeze-dried. The larger the hole in the fuselage the bigger the rush of air (explosive) out of the cabin, the faster all of the above will come into play. Okay, enough prattle from me. :
Started by Bridget , Nov 03 2003 04:59 AM
18 replies to this topic
Posted 16 January 2004 - 03:43 PM
Bubbles are proof that ghosts exist.This person still under construction.
Posted 16 January 2004 - 04:36 PM
Hawker, back to the insane asylum for you!
We really know that you can't fly [smiley=cwm12.gif] [smiley=cwm12.gif]
We really know that you can't fly [smiley=cwm12.gif] [smiley=cwm12.gif]
If it looks like an orb, floats like an orb, it must be an orb!If you're reading this, you're too close!________________________________________________
Posted 23 January 2004 - 06:10 PM
Hey! After the horrible Simulator session I had tonight I pretty sure I don't know how to fly. It was as if I didn't know a jet from a car. :-[
Bubbles are proof that ghosts exist.This person still under construction.
Posted 23 January 2004 - 06:26 PM
Hmmmmmm freeze dried. I had some specimens I was going to take to a taxidermist, but now,,,,,,, Hawkers, what's the chance of loading them on the plane and punching a few small holes at 35000 feet? ;D
CRY HAVOK! Let Slip The Chihuahuas Of War.....When an ORB dies.......a Chihuahua is born!
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Structure My Deal tools are complete — you're ready to visit Brickner's of Wausau, Inc!
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1) Script Title: Ultimate Fade In Slideshow
2) Script URL (on DD): http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...nslideshow.htm
3) Describe problem:
I am simply trying to re-locate the status div.
I want to display the image counter within the status div, but I need it to be away from the navigation controls. I need to put the image counter in the right hand column that says "Status needs to go here"
Please excuse colored borders, they are only visible for responsive testing.
Dev URL: http://re-brand.us/jp/graphic.html
Any help is appreciated!
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Garth Brooks Breaks His Own Ticket Sales Record
After adding several extra Chicago dates, Garth Brooks has broken his own record for tickets sold!
Brooks' first stop on his world tour is proving to be huge, and he's not even finished selling tickets yet.
"On Oct. 21-26 and Dec. 18-19, 1997, Garth set a personal record in Chicago when he sold 141,717 paid admissions," Ben Farrell says in a release. "Today, for the first city on his world tour he has already exceeded his personal record and continues to sell."
Brooks put tickets for the Sept. 4 Allstate Arena show on sale on sale Friday morning (July 25) at 10AM and by 10:35 another show had been added. When it was all said and done, 10 shows were on the books for Chicago.
CMT reports that in less than three hours the country superstar had sold over 180,000 tickets to the Chicago shows. That surpasses his first record -- by a lot! The previous record had also been set for the same venue, which was then called the Rosemont Hotel.
All of the Chicago shows kick off the world tour that Brooks is embarking on with Trisha Yearwood. The tour could last a total of three years and will feature music from an upcoming album. Tickets for the Chicago shows are available for purchase on Ticketmaster and there are still seats left (for now)!


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After several outings fishing for buyers, actor David Spade has parted with his beach house in Malibu.
The sales price has yet to appear in public records, but Zillow reports the La Costa Beach two-story sold for $10.25 million.
Built in 1996, the house features a cylindrical staircase, four fireplaces and beach-facing balconies and decks. The four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home of more than 3,700 square feet sits on a quarter-acre lot with a pool.
Spade, 49, starred as single friend Russell on the romantic comedy "Rules of Engagement" (2007-13) and is in the recently released film "Grown Ups 2." Among his notable skits from his 1990s "Saturday Night Live" days, Spade played a receptionist repeatedly asking, "And you are?" and a flight attendant who utters "buh-bye" as passengers disembark.
Public records show that Spade bought the Malibu property in 2005 for $9.3 million. He listed it two years later for $16 million and subsequently put it up for lease.
The sale closed outside the Multiple Listing Service.
Lakers' Chris Kaman sells Manhattan Beach home
Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell sell Malibu beach home
Basketball analyst Kenny 'the Jet' Smith lists house in Encino


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You could step up to Masters....oh wait.....there is no Masters group. Tom...there could be..You and I, now we just need one more.....Danger?
Any player participating in the Tree Love Classic with the overall lowest score has the ability to qualify for the 2013 United States Disc Golf Championship Performance Flight. The USDGC is held at Rock Hill, South Carolina Oct 2-5th, 2013. You have to establish your intent to qualify for the spot, prior to the first round of the TLC. The winner of the USDGC spot would have to register very quick as the cutoff is quickly approaching.Jack did i miss anything on this?


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AlbumsSee All
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About Sponge
Sponge was one of the more underrated groups in the post-grunge boom of the mid-'90s. When they were on top of their game -- as evidenced by the hits "Plowed" and "Molly (Sixteen Candles)" -- the band's songs had a knack for jangly riffs and catchy, anthemic hard rock hooks, despite being wrapped in the fuzzy guitars and brooding seriousness that typified grunge music. Sponge grew out of a Detroit-based hard rock act called Loudhouse, which released an album on the Virgin label in 1988 before losing its record contract and disbanding shortly thereafter. Drummer-turned-vocalist Vinnie Dombrowski (born Mark Dombrowski) and guitarists Mike Cross and Joey Mazzola regrouped as Sponge in 1992, adding Mike's brother Tim Cross on bass and Jimmy Paluzzi on drums. Adapting their '70s hard rock influences to fit the grunge zeitgeist, the bandmates earned a major-label deal with Columbia and released their debut album, Rotting Pinata, in late 1994.
Initially, critics compared Sponge unfavorably to Stone Temple Pilots, but alternative radio embraced the band's first two singles: the driving rocker "Plowed" and the jangly, introspective "Molly (Sixteen Candles)." A third single, "Rainin'," also earned airplay, and Rotting Pinata went gold; meanwhile, Sponge went on tour as Live's opening act. With new drummer Charlie Grover in tow, their 1996 follow-up album, Wax Ecstatic, was a more diverse affair, rediscovering some of the band's roots in arena rock, British glam, and jangle pop. Even though singles like "Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)," "I Am Anastasia," and "Have You Seen Mary" enjoyed some degree of radio airplay, Columbia was dissatisfied with the sales figures and dropped Sponge once the album left the charts.
Undaunted, Sponge signed a new deal with the Beyond label, which released the more classicist New Pop Sunday in 1999. It attracted little commercial attention, and more personnel shifts ensued. Tired of touring, the Cross brothers both left and were replaced by guitarist Kurt Marschke and bassist Tim Krukowski; Billy Adams also came on board as the new drummer. After several years of recharging -- during which time Dombrowski played in several Detroit-area side projects -- Sponge returned with For All the Drugs in the World in 2003 and Man in 2005. Dombrowski reworked the lineup once again, this time adding guitarists Kyle Neely and Andy Patalan, before returning again to the studio in 2007 to record Galore Galore for Bellum Records.
Two year later, there was another lineup shift -- Tim Patalan became the group's bassist -- and they released an EP called Destroy the Boy. A full-length called Stop the Bleeding arrived four years later; the LP contained all of the 2009 EP plus new songs. ~ Steve Huey
- Detroit, MI
- Rock
- 1992
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Hon Authorized RetailerShop All Hon | Shop All 10500 Series
105005 Series Private Office 2
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HON's 10500 Series office furniture collection features durable laminate with the look of real wood, giving the sturdy desks and storage long-lasting quality. With a 72" wide storage hutch, a work credenza, and two 3/4 height file pedestals under both the desk and credenza, this HON 105005 workstation provides both storage and extra worksurface area. The desk features dual grommets for wire management.
This office setup provides as much storage capacity as possible with a dual worksurface setup. The 72" x 36" desktop and 72" x 24" credenza ensure that you won't be lacking for worksurface space.
- Durable melamine wood-look laminate
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Inspired by practicality and invested in understanding the needs of its customers, The HON Company strives to establish meaningful connections resulting in product solutions and customer support that exceed market demands. As a leading designer and manufacturer of workplace furniture including chairs, storage, panel systems, tables and desks, HON's commitment to serving its customers is rooted in reliable performance and a member culture that is approachable, confident, smart and ready to serve. Headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, The HON Company has numerous manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the United States, and markets its products through a nationwide network of loyal dealers and retailers. The HON Company is an operating company of HNI Corporation.
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HON made its name in the furniture industry by producing incredible storage and organization products. Their filing cabinets, mobile storage pedestals, and office-wide filing and cabinet systems gave them a reputation for functional, efficient furniture with simple, elegant aesthetic appeal. Today HON has taken their expertise and their unique perspective on office design and applied it to the world of desks and complete workstations. The 10500 Series Private Office 2 is one of the best examples of these new high quality systems.
The 10500 Series Private Office 2 features a 72 inch wide storage hutch, a work credenza, and of course a large desk, measuring 72 inches wide by 36 inches deep, yielding a total of 2,592 square inches on the desk top. That's certainly plenty of room to store your computer monitor or laptop with plenty of room to spare for papers, display, and work accoutrements. The hutch and the credenza offer even more working space, but more importantly ample room for storage and organization. The desk itself even features storage options - two filing pedestals hang underneath the surface of the desk.
Altogether the 10500 Series Private Office 2 is a complete system for your working office. Everything you need can be easily and readily at hand, or neatly and securely filed away. The entire set is built with a strong, durable laminate that has a beautiful wood finish - a classic touch for a classic set of furniture.
Because this HON 10500 Series product is on sale at Smart Furniture, we've made sure our customers are able to make choices about its final look. Using the design engine on this page, you can test and preview seven different wood colors for the Office. Isn't it time to get an office set that works as hard as you do?
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Inclusive Prayer Day
People of Many Faith Traditions Calling For an Inclusive National Day of Prayer
We are Calling for an Inclusive National Day of Prayer
Again this year JewsOnFirst.org, the parent organization of the campaign for an Inclusive National Day of Prayer, and the Interfaith Alliance have written to President Barack Obama, asking him for an inclusive declaration of the National Day of Prayer, which, this year, falls on May 6th. Our letter specifically asks the president not to issue a separate proclamation for the exclusivist National Day of Prayer Task Force, a group linked to Focus on the Family that has hijacked the annual observance.
"We are compelled to make this request," our letter says, "because in past years the National Day of Prayer was taken over by a group of religious exclusivists led by Shirley Dobson of Focus on the Family. In past years Mrs. Dobson's group, the National Day of Prayer Task Force has represented itself in a way that led many to believe that they were the government sanctioned National Day of Prayer organizers. In fact, they clearly represent only certain evangelical Christians." The Dobson group limits participation in its events to fundamentalist Christians. To read our letter to President Obama, please click here.
Our 2009 campaign concluded with President Barack Obama's inclusive proclamation for the National Day of Prayer. JewsOnFirst.org, welcomed President Obama's open-hearted proclamation with its focus on unity for the benefit of our nation. Please click here to read President Obama's 2009 statement and a responding statement from the Interfaith Alliance. We believe a similar presidential statement on May 6, 2010 will affirm our tradition of religious liberty church-state separation.
Judge rules National Day of Prayer Unconstitutional.
A federal judge in Wisconsin has ruled that the congressionally mandated National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it involves a government endorsement of religion. In her ruling, issued on April 15th in a lawsuit against President Barack Obama and the National Day of Prayer Task Force, headed by Shirley Dobson, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara B. Crabb wrote that the law establishing the first Thursday in May as the National Day of Prayer "does not use prayer to further a secular purpose; it endorses prayer for its own sake."
Crabb's ruling (in the unlikely event that it is not appealed) will end the annual presidential proclamations of the national day required by the law. Under previous presidents, Dobson's Task Force used those proclamations to enhance the perception that the Task Force was an official government operation. As JewsOnFirst.org's campaign for an Inclusive National Day of Prayer has documented, Dobson's Task Force explicitly limits participation in its events to certain evangelical Christians. Judge Crabb dismissed the case against Dobson in March, but the transcript of Dobson's deposition, provide a detailed description of the Task Force's practices, most notably its use of public officials and government buildings for its events.
In her ruling, Judge Crabb noted that "much of the controversy" over the National Day of Prayer "has been generated by events of private organizations such as the National Day of Prayer Task Force. However," continued Judge Crabb, "government officials, including former Presidents, have sometimes aligned themselves so closely with those exclusionary groups that it becomes difficult to tell the difference between the government's message and that of the private group."
In a brief, Justice Department lawyers defending President Obama (and the day of prayer statute) against the lawsuit, brought by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, distinguished Obama's handling of the day from his predecessors. They noted that last year the president had declined to quote the Task Force's "theme" in his proclamation, despite the Task Force's request that he do so. Last year JewsOnFirst joined the Interfaith Alliance in asking President Obama to issue a single proclamation that was inclusive and not delivered directly to the Task Force. The President issued a single, inclusive proclamation that was not posted until the afternoon of May 7th. "Accordingly," states the brief, "President Obama's proclamation was not used at all during the Cannon House Office Building ceremony, by the NDP Task Force's coordinators."
The National Day of Prayer has been hijacked! What began in 1952 as President Truman's declaration of a National Prayer Day for all Americans is now excluding and dividing us on religious lines. The "Task Force" excludes Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics and even mainline Christians from participation in the events it coordinates around the country. Many of those events are staged in government venues with elected officials, in a deliberate affront to the separation of church and state.
Our Inclusive National Prayer Day project works with religious, civil rights and social justice activists in many states to lobby elected officials to refrain from proclaiming or endorsing the National Day of Prayer in ways that enhance the Task Force's exclusive control of the day and its efforts to create the appearance of government-sponsored religious ceremonies. We also work to educate the public about the Task Force's religious discrimination.
We have posted a sample letter that you can send your elected officials, requesting that they not issue special proclamations or give special treatment to the Task Force.
As they did last year, groups working with the Campaign for an Inclusive National Day of Prayer will call on elected officials to insure that clergy representing Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and other faith traditions be included in all observances staged on public property. Some groups held their own inclusive events. You can read about those events here. And you can see news coverage of previous years' campaigns here: 2008; 2009.
We have compiled talking points and documentation about the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Please click here. You will find a model letter to send elected officials here.
PO Box 33821, Washington DC 20033 | email@example.com | 310.910.9153


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Aquarius, the water bearer, scoots low across the south on autumn evenings. Three of its stars bear ancient Arabic names that all mean "lucky." Sadalsuud (also known as Beta Aquarii) is the constellation's brightest star, with Sadalmelik (Alpha Aquarii) just behind it.
You are here
The celestial water bearer pours a streamer of faint stars across the southern sky on October nights. Aquarius is low in the southeast as the sky gets good and dark, and stands due south before midnight.
The constellation was important to the cultures of the ancient Middle East. In Babylon, it represented the god Ea, who ruled the Sun's path for a quarter of the year. And in Egypt, it represented the god of the Nile because it was associated with the river's annual life-giving floods — the floods came when the water bearer dipped his jug into the Nile.
Aquarius's brightest star is Sadalsuud — an Arabic name that translates as "best luck" or "luckiest of the lucky." The name is related to the rains that accompanied it in the spring, when it first appeared in the morning sky.
Sadalsuud is many times bigger and heavier than the Sun, and more than 2,000 times brighter. When it was born it was smaller but much hotter than it is today. But it's nearing the end of its life, so changes in its core have caused its outer layers to puff up like a balloon. As it puffed up its surface got cooler. But the surface also got a lot bigger, making the star much brighter.
We'll talk about another star system in Aquarius tomorrow.
In the meantime, look for Aquarius in the southeast in early evening. Sadalsuud is at its top right corner. It stands high above Fomalhaut, the brightest star in that part of the sky, which can help you pick it out.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2012
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He said: Come into our kitchen and you'll find cookbooks gracing it. About three dozen of them tucked away on two shelves along one side of the cooking island, their bindings perfectly even (thanks to a ruler I frequently nudge up against them). But they're cooking eunuchs, nothing more than decoration, as if we were selling the house and wanted to convey subtley to potential buyers the domestic pleasures awaiting them in those pages. The motherlode of books are found far away from the UXBZ (unexploded bomb zone) of the kitchen: In CT, that would be my writing studio, and in NYC, the dining room. Plainly put: No sauces, tomato stains, or grease smudges will ever deface my books.
So it's curious that my laptop, which cost me three times my monthly mortgage, is what I bring into the kitchen when I cook.
For me, comprehensiveness trumps logic. I know I should keep the computer miles away from the stove and my preternatural clumsiness. (I won't even eat near my computer during the day.) But I just can't stay away from everything the Internet has to offer while cooking. It's like having my own personal Schlesinger Library's Culinary Collection in my kitchen.
Whether you like it or not, just about any recipe you want to make from just about any cookbook is online, somewhere. (Me, I like it.) And I like having Leite Brain—what I call my laptop—handy because I rarely cook from just one recipe. I pull from three or four at once, and the last thing I want is piles of books on the counter. Plus I oftentimes cook from this blog but am curious how other sites and blogs whip up, say, gougeres or bavette, so I browse. And soon enough, I'm lost in that great, wonderful, frustrating worm hole of cyberspace. Along the way I pick up a few tips from Michael Ruhlman here, a video from Mark Bittman there, and sometimes even a new idea for tomorrow's dinner.
Then comes the ritual of the printing of the recipes and the taping to the cabinets (something The One hates, because I once pulled off paint when ripping them down after a particularly frustrating dinner). After the kitchen is kitted out, the computer isn't out of reach—I never know when I might need more info, want to catch up on the latest episode of "Desperate Housewives" while onions sauté, or reply to Momma Leite, who likes to e-mail during the early evening.
What can I say, I have cooking ADD.
Of course, Leite Brain's being in the line of fire (sometimes literally) has prompted me to jury-rig it for safety. First, I never have it next to the stove, anymore. We won't go there, but suffice it say that I have a new laptop. I also cover the keyboard and screen with plastic wrap—kind of a giant computer condom, protecting it from all kinds of nasties.
Now, the one place I never hesitate to bring my beloved books is the bedroom. There I luxuriate in their words and pictures and sometimes even fall asleep with a pile at my feet. I don't know what that says about me or my relationship, but we're not going there, either.—David Leite
She said: If you could see the state of my cookbooks, you'd understand why I don't take my laptop into the kitchen.
It's not that I'm intentionally careless or that my cookbook collection is mistreated terribly. It's that I'm simply not the type of cook who can maintain the books in just-off-the-shelf condition. As my husband says, I really get into my cooking. I'm prone to what he describes as Seussian stacks of teetering pots and pans everywhere. And that's not all. Chopping boards balance over the kitchen sink. All four burners blast aflame. The narrow ledge outside our window doubles as a makeshift cooling rack. Guests have been known to duck and dive, but for me, there's a rhythm, albeit an occasionally discordant one. In the midst of this juggling act, there just isn't a lot of time to be prissy about things like splashes and drips and splotches. If there's a lull in the cooking, fine. Otherwise, it's just too distracting.
Even when I try, really try, to be careful, I just can't seem to pull it off. Just ask David. The last time—and I do mean the last time—he loaned me a cookbook, I set it safely outside the kitchen. One stray, damp thumbprint was all it took to give my habits away.¹
I wouldn't dare take my electronics into that fray. Nor would I want to, practicality aside. You know how they say to use your bedroom only for sleep and, um, other bed-centric pursuits? I feel the same about my kitchen. I don't want to read emails that other people feel are urgent while my eggs perfectly sunnyside up—soft, please—slip tragically into mediocrity. And I don't want to interrupt everything to tweet 137 self-deprecating characters about the incident. Laptop as resource? Without a doubt. But not when I'm in the throes of cooking. I already did my homework, sussing out an ingredient substitution or summoning a technique online before I decide to stand facing the stove. If something comes up, I'll deal with it on my own. When I'm in the kitchen, it's time to cook. Anything else just messes up my mojo.
So the closest my delicate, Meyer-lemon-averse Mac gets to the mess—and I to its distracting charms—is the wee wooden schoolhouse chair in the foyer, just outside our galley kitchen. With my laptop's volume cranked, I can ponder deep thoughts from "All Things Considered" or croon off-key to Ella while otherwise considering things cooking-related.
As far as I'm concerned, perhaps the best use of technology in the kitchen is to photocopy a recipe in order to keep a book out of harm's way. Yet I'm a sucker for the sentient pleasures related to cooking from a book, which explains why my cookbooks are a mess in the first place. I need the soothing white space around the edge of the page in order to dance a duet with the ingredients in my imagination. I spend those idle moments waiting for a stock to burble lost in the lyrical headnotes of Judy Rodgers. And I learn every time my husband leans over my shoulder to eye an open cookbook to make pithy comments about the writing style, urge me to take more liberties with the ingredients, or muse over recipes that may be more to his liking.
They're not just cookbooks. They're scrapbooks of sorts. Telltale translucent stains from melted butter both grease and grace my mom's binder of go-to recipes. I continue her legacy with a blemish here (a smear of cilantro that escaped my maiden molcajete run with a Peppercorn-Coriander Root Flavor Paste) and a batter-splattered page there (the incomparable Laurie Colwin channeling Katherine Hepburn's brownies in a decades-old issue of Gourmet). Though the perfectionist in me sometimes cringes, I don't mind the splotches that shout out those memories, moments that probably wouldn't exist had the recipes blinkered onscreen. I don't mind them at all.—Renee Schettler
¹Okay, let's be real. A single watery fingerprint would be fine. But I could tell which recipe she tested by looking at the side of the book. The page was so wavy, it looked like an EKG readout.—David
Tell us: Do you bring your computer or cookbooks into the kitchen? And why?


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Duke Energy's residential customers in North Carolina will pay 20 cents more a month to pay for the utility's foray into solar power.
The N.C. Utilities Commission approved the increase Tuesday to let Duke recoup its 2010 costs under the state's renewable-energy law. The law makes utilities produce increasing amounts of electricity from renewable sources and energy efficiency, starting last year with solar power.
The initial solar target was tiny -- 0.02 percent of Duke's total retail sales for the previous year, rising ten-fold by 2018. The law lets utilities recover their costs of complying with the law, and that's what Tuesday's order did. Those costs will add 47 cents a month to residential bills, beginning Sept. 1 (up from the current 27 cents). Commercial customers will pay $2.36 a month, industries $26.07.
The way Duke went about satisfying the solar mandate didn't sit well with some critics, who have said Duke's dependence on one huge solar farm and utility-owned rooftop arrays did little to help local solar companies grow.
Duke installed the rooftop systems at 25 businesses and homes, and bought power and renewable-energy certificates, or RECs, from SunEdison's big solar farm in Davidson County. It also bought RECs, which each represent 1 megawatt-hour of clean energy, from in-state and out-of-state solar generators. Duke accumulated so much solar power, in fact, that it will satisfy the full solar mandate law to 2018.
The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, which represents renewable-energy companies, objected. As costs fall, it argued, utilities could likely meet the state mandate more cheaply by buying solar power from others than by generating it themselves, as Duke has done in part.
The commission disagreed, noting that it had already approved the Duke-owned rooftop program. It's not appropriate, the order added, for the commission to address future projects now.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Commission signs off on Duke's green-energy costs
Duke Energy's residential customers in North Carolina will pay 20 cents more a month to pay for the utility's foray into solar power.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Duke's new-nuclear spending limited
The N.C. Utilities Commission today endorsed Duke Energy's decision to spend up to another $120 million to develop its Lee nuclear plant site near Gaffney, S.C.
The commission's order reflects an argument, accepted by Duke, that limits the scope of its spending on the $11 billion plant, which is scheduled to open in about 2021. It's similar to an order from South Carolina's utility commission in June.
Duke initially sought the commission's endorsement of spending $229 million on Lee between January 2010 and the end of 2013. Including earlier spending, that would have put its total investment for engineering, designs and site development at $455 million.
The commission's Public Staff, which represents consumers, argued it would be overly ambitious for Duke to spend that amount given the uncertainties around new nuclear plants - among them shaky financing, reactor design problems and the nuclear calamity in Japan. Duke agreed to a $120 million spending cap over a shorter period, January 2011 through June 2012.
The commission approved that cap -- or, in the cautious language of the order, Duke's decision to spend that much. At some future point, the commission will be asked to approve the "prudence and reasonableness" of Duke's investment --and how much will be passed to customers.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Dead fish found near McGuire plant
Nearly 300 dead striped bass have been found since Friday in Lake Norman near the McGuire nuclear plant, Duke Energy reported today. The fish kill follows the 7,000 stripers that died on the lake last summer, and is the fourth die-off since 2004.
Power plants are no stranger to dead fish. Cooling water intakes kill millions of small fish a year, and the Environmental Protection Agency is considering new rules to reduce the toll.
Duke and other utilities also have to worry about the cooling water they return, heated, to the rivers or lakes from which they pumped it. Discharge water that's too hot can hurt fish and other aquatic life. McGuire's discharge, which goes into a canal connected to the lake, is limited to 99 degrees this time of year.
Which takes us to the dead stripers on Norman. Hot weather limits oxygen at some depths of southern reservoirs, especially in a middle zone that acts as a barrier to fish trapped on the cooler bottom.
But in order to moderate the temperature of its discharge water, McGuire pumped water from a low intake about 80 feet deep for five days in July, Duke told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission today. The plant's cooling water normally goes through intakes closer to the surface.
Duke had also pumped from the lower intake before last summer's fish kill.
Pumping from such depths takes oxygen from the bottom, biologists say, hastening its natural depletion. Some fish trapped there can't survive. Duke told the NRC that staff members monitored fish around the intake by video camera and took temperature and oxygen readings while pumping the low-level water.
Despite that, dead fish were found Friday near Cowan's Ford dam, near McGuire, four days after the pumping stopped on July 25, McGuire spokeswoman Valerie Patterson said. The current count is 290 dead fish, she said.


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Art Gallery necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 177 diseños de 54 diseñadores freelance.
Higher Art represents a large collection of limited-edition works on paper such as etchings, lithographs and mezzotints, by a prestigious group or international artists, most of whom have works in major museums. We both SELL and RENT artwork from our gallery, the latter mostly to decorate offices, and we want to expand our presence in this market. This logo is part of a major re-design of our web site and launch of our new hire brochure.
While our current logo "Higher Art" OK, it is a text logo and difficult to use as a design feature on our new web site. What we need is something more visual / graphic oriented that has some pizazz and that will work for both sides or our business. We do like the font and the colour of our current logo and may continue to use them in some form, depending on whether or not one or both meshes well with the graphic logo we select.
We have a retail gallery space open to the public from Fri-Sun and during the week we cater to the corporate market by offering private showings, hosting events, etc. Our new web site is going to be more geared towards this corporate market and our hire business, but will still serve for both. It will contain high quality (web) photographs of the artwork that we have in our inventory so that our clients can use the web site to see what we have, figure out what they like and maybe even select works for their offices or homes.
Our current logo is our name in EnvirSCD (an all-caps font) in a deep & bright red colour (see below for details). We have a trademark for this text logo. We have also used several sub-text lines which are printed in the same font. Our initial sub-text was geared towards the corporate rental market and is "When You Want to Hire Art" (also in EnvirSCD and printed in black). This text is quite small compared to the name and is nestled in under the name between the right side of the 2nd "H" and the middle of the 2nd "R". For those of you who are not word smiths, Higher Art is a play on the fact that we "hire" art and also offer art of "higher" quality.
When we opened the retail gallery, we used the sub-text "Artwork of International Distinction" because we didn't want that market to think we only hired art. We have also added "gallery" to our name so that people know we are and come in to take a look. In general advertising, we use "Artwork of International Distinction for Hire or Purchase" as a sub-text. FYI, for other text printed on busines cards, etc. the font is EnvirD which has both upper and lower case letters.
According to Photoshop, the current red colour has the following RGB/CMYK values:
As far as ideas concerning what the graphic should be, the only idea we have come up with is pretty corny: that through our international artwork our gallery provides a "window on the world". A window is also a "frame" and all of our artwork is displayed in frames and behind glass to protect it from dirt, moisture, etc. so there might be some opportunity to play on this concept.
You can also think of the gallery or artwork in terms of:
-- expanding peoples horizons;
-- allowing them to step into another world or transporting them to another world;
-- adding international (read: "sophisticated") flavour to their home or office;
-- adding prestige to their home or office;
- A visual / graphic logo with some pizazz that is suitable for our web site and also for brochures, stationary, et al.
- We want to use the same or similar logo for our hire and retail businesses.
- We want something clever:memorable.
- We would prefer to use our current red colour, or incorporating it somehow into the new logo.
- We like the concept of "Higher Art - when you want to hire art" but can't envision how this could be incorporated or expressed in a logo.
- Design in a vector format.
- We don't want something based on our initials -- too forgetable, not visual in the way we want as it could be for any type of business.
- We don't want something corny, folky, etc..
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Dynamics Technology - Stock Car Dynamics Part 2
How To Apply Dynamics Technology To Your Race Car
In Part One of this series, we learned about the early research in chassis dynamics and something about the individuals and companies that were involved. In this final part, we will take a look at modern-day setups and see where we can apply the technology we have learned.
We have presented all of the elements that influence the chassis setup as far as balancing the two suspension systems. We discussed the moment center (previously called the roll center), how the moment arm works, and what the differences are between the front and rear suspension systems.
We explained how to make the car balanced by predicting what the front and rear suspension systems desire to do and then changing components to allow them to work together. A balanced setup-one in which both ends are working together-is what we have always tried to find by using trial-and-error setup techniques.
Sample Setups Let's now take a look at four types of commonly raced stock cars and see how we can produce a more equally balanced setup for each one. The primary influences on the base setup of each car are the front moment center location, the rear moment center height, and the four spring rates. The modern trend for asphalt racing is the big bar and soft spring setups. This brings the larger sway bars into the picture, and we now have one more primary influence on the setups of asphalt cars.
As we discuss the setups in these cars, follow the reasoning and methodology so that when you think about making changes to your car, you can move in a direction that makes sense and causes a more positive result. This is important because every race car is built a little differently than another within the same class or division.
Setup information in the charts will include the four spring rates (LF is the left-front spring, shown in the left upper corner of each chart, RF in the right upper corner, LR in the left lower corner, and RR in the right lower corner). The front moment center is shown first as height off the ground and then as width from a centerline that is halfway between the centers of the two tire contact patches (a negative number represents an MC that is to the left of the centerline).
The Panhard bar is listed as left/right mounting heights off the ground in inches. For the metric four-link, we show the moment center height. The sway bar diameter (if shown) is in inches, and we will assume an average wall thickness for a hollow bar. The banking angle is shown in degrees, and the last number shown is the estimated g-force.
The top numbers represent common but not necessarily balanced setups. The bottom numbers represent changes we have made to the car to make it more balanced.
Example One: A Stock Clip Late Model on a Dirt Track Many of these cars are the metric type with a four-link rear suspension. The rear moment center in these cars is very high, usually 14 inches or higher. The original front MC is too far to the right, the spring base is narrow, the front springs are too stiff, the rear springs are too soft, and the rear roll desire will be much more than the front.
This car would be very tight and would require a lower amount of cross weight in order to make the car neutral. The balance problem would still exist, though. The two ends of the car are very different in what they desire to do. The difference in roll angle is approximately 2.2 degrees.
To balance this car, we could do several things:1. Soften the front springs and reverse split the rates to:LF= 50,RF= 00
2. Decrease the rear spring split to: LR = 185, RR = 175
3. Make changes to the rear ride height or trailing link mounting points to lower the rear MC to 13 inches or so
4. Move the dynamic width of the moment center 2 inches to the left of the centerline by increasing the upper control arm angles (inner mounts lower than the ball joints), which will also raise the MC. Installing taller ball joints is one way to do this.
With these changes, the two suspension systems are now much closer to being balanced. The car will turn much better, and we can use more crossweight to load the LR tire and promote better bite off the corners. Our roll angle desires are now within less than 111/42 degrees.
Example Two: A Stock Clip Late Model On An Asphalt Track This car also has the metric four-link rear suspension system. This would be called a Street Stock or Hobby Stock. As with the dirt stock clip car, this setup is a tight one. Because of the higher g-forces encountered on asphalt, the front and rear roll angles differ by 3 degrees, resulting in an unbalanced setup. We need to match the desires of each end more closely.
To balance this car, we could make these changes.
1. Change the front spring rates to :LF = 850, RF = 950.
2. Change the rear spring rates to:LR = 175, RR = 225
3. Move the dynamic MC to 2.5 inches in height and 5.0 inches to the right of the centerline. This improves the camber change on the RF wheel and makes the front end more efficient to work harder to turn the car.
These changes will make both ends of this car more balanced, and the performance will be consistently fast because both ends will work together.
Example Three: An IMCA Modified on a Dirt Track With the low g-forces, the small moment arm (caused by the MC being located too far to the right of the centerline), and the stiff front springs, this car is unbalanced and much too stiff for dirt racing. We can make changes similar to those in the stock clip dirt Late Model, which include the following:
1. Soften and reverse split the front spring rates to: LF = 750, RF = 650.
2. Reduce the rear spring split to:LR = 175, RR = 150
3. Raise the Panhard bar to 9/10.
4. Move the dynamic MC width 2.0 inches to the left of the centerline.
The changes served two important purposes. By softening the front springs, raising the Panhard/J-bar, reducing the rear spring split, and moving the front MC to the left, we were able to bring the roll angles of the front and rear closer together to better balance the two suspension systems. We have also maintained the rear spring split, which gives us more bite off the corners.
Example Four:An IMCA Modified on an Asphalt Track The asphalt Modified experiences much more g-force, not only from the improved grip that the asphalt gives, but also because of the 14-degree banking of the racetrack and low center of gravity that these cars have. Nonetheless, this setup is also very unbalanced.
The MC is too far to the right of the centerline, and the Panhard bar (rear MC) is too low. There is about a 2-degree difference in how far each suspension wants to roll, with the rear out-rolling the front. Here is what we might change to correct the setup:
1. Leave the front and rear spring rates alone
2.Raise the Panhard bar (rear MC)to: 10.75/11.75.
3. Move the dynamic MC width 2.0 inches to the right of the centerline.
With these changes, the car is now balanced with both ends (suspension systems) wanting to do exactly the same thing in the turns. This car will now turn well, drive through the middle faster, and exit the corner much faster
As you make these changes, don't forget to change the weight distribution to add more left-rear weight or crossweight percentage. As the left-front tire begins to carry more load, the car will turn better and become loose if cross is not added.
Example Five: a Four-Bar Super Late Model on Dirt This car is set up from recommendations that were published by some dirt Late Model builders about seven years ago. Since that time, most manufacturers of dirt Late Model cars have changed their view of a starting setup. Many now publish starting front spring rates that have lower overall rates and a LF spring that is stiffer than the RF spring. This reverse split helps the car on turn entry.
The older base setup makes the car so tight that the driver would need to throw the car sideways in order to have any chance at all of setting up a good line for coming off the corner. We can make the following changes to help the car turn better and make it more neutral in the middle of the turns so we don't have to be nearly as sideways.
1. Soften and reverse split the front spring rates to: LF = 375,RF = 350 for dry-slick only
2. Reduce the rear spring split to:LR = 200, RR = 175
3. Change the J-bar to 12.0 on the left and 9.5 on the right.
4. Move the dynamic MC 2.5 inches to the left of the centerline
5. For tacky/tight track conditions, we would raise the rear MC even up the rear springs, and level out the J-bar
The plan for setting up all dirt cars is to narrow the gap between roll angles, front and rear, but not necessarily match them exactly like we do on asphalt cars. This method provides enough front grip so that the car will turn well, but still allows adequate rear bite so that the car has enough rear grip to get off the corners.
On tracks where there is plenty of moisture and the grip level is high, we can set up the dirt Late Model more like an asphalt car with even spring rates in the front and rear and a higher average J-bar. This is not theory, but reality, as some major dirt races have been won with even spring rates front and rear.
Example Six: An Asphalt Touring Late Model on a Flat Track: Conventional Setup This car has a front MC that is too far to the right of the centerline for a flat asphalt track. It also has stiff front springs and too much rear spring split. The roll angle difference is 1.3 degrees, and that makes for a very unbalanced and inconsistent setup. This car might be fast for a few laps, but in the long run, the lap times will fall off quite a bit.
These changes will balance the car while still providing sufficient bite off those flat corners. A high crossweight percent range works best to help with exit performance.
1. Change the front spring rates to LF=350,RF=325
2. Change the LR spring to 185. The split is reduced to 10 pounds,versus the original 25 pounds.
3. Raise the Panhard bar to:10.75/11.75
4. Move the dynamic MC width to the left to end up 2.0 inches to the right of the centerline.
5. Use a high crossweight range (a range more equal to the left-side weight percentage)
The reverse spring split on the front helps the car on entry to the corners. If we were to run a stiffer RF spring than the LF, the car would begin to roll to the left when braking into the corners because of the softer LF spring. As the car continues to drive further into the turn, the front must reverse and roll to the right. This gives the driver a very uncomfortable feeling and can best be described as a "flip-flop" sensation.
When we use a stiffer LF spring, the car will begin to roll in the same direction as we brake into the corner that we would normally see at mid-turn. The transition is smooth, and the driver will have more confidence on entry.
The rear spring split with the softer RR spring helps promote traction in the rear by increasing the crossweight percentage as load is transferred to the rear upon acceleration. Usually, a 10- or 15-pound rate split is sufficient to provide the desired effect, whereas a split of 25 or more is often too much.
The front MC change (moving the MC to the left) makes the front suspension feel softer and more efficient and makes it want to roll to a greater roll angle to match the rear suspension's desired roll angle.
Example Seven: An Asphalt Touring Late Model with BBSS Setup For the big bar and soft spring setups at flat tracks, we would change the springs to look something like this: We reduce the front spring rates, increase the size of the sway bar, and increase the right-rear spring rate (but not too much). The original setup has a right-rear spring that is much too stiff. This is not necessary and may unbalance the car, with the front out-rolling the rear.
There are special shocks that are built in conjunction with these BBSS setups, and we recommend that you consult your shock manufacturer so that the setup matches the shocks. Be careful when trying to run soft front springs at high-banked tracks. The car may bottom out and cause damage.
Example Eight: An Asphalt Touring Late Model on a High-Banked Track Many teams who mostly run the flatter tracks try to set up their cars the same way at the higher-banked racetracks. The higher banking produces much more downforce, and the arrangement of springs that works best on the flatter tracks won't work well at all on the high banking. The higher the banking, the worse it gets. Rear spring split with the LR stiffer than the RR cannot be used because the higher g-forces cause more downforce and magnify the effects of the spring split. This will make the cars very unbalanced.
At the high-banked racetracks, we get more chassis dive and less chassis roll, which is similar to the effect experienced due to running the BBSS setups. Excess camber change is a factor, but traction loss is less obvious because of the high amount of downforce and available traction caused by more load ending up on each of the four tires. Here are the changes that we would make to the setup to make the car balanced for a 14-degree track.
1. Reduce the front spring split to:LF= 350,RF=375
2. Reverse the split in the rear springs to: LR = 175, RR = 200
3. Raise the Panhard bar by 0.50 inch.
4. Move the front MC to the left so that it is 4.0 inches to the right of centerline
5. Use the low crossweight range (about 50 to 52 percent)
Example Nine: An Asphalt Touring Late Model on an Ultra High-Banked Track The following is a setup we would want if the track banking angle were much higher (e.g., Bristol or Salem, about 26 degrees). The car will have a lot of traction due to the high amounts of downforce and, therefore, the cornering speeds will be very high. The resultant force, which is a combination of gravity and the lateral cornering force called centrifugal force, will be in a direction that points between the front tires. This results in a lot of vertical chassis travel and less chassis roll. Bite off the corner is almost never a problem unless the setup is very unbalanced. Here is an example of a balanced setup for a highly banked racetrack for an asphalt Late Model.
Note that the front spring rates are much higher and the rear spring rates are both higher and split to a greater extent. Both of these could be even higher if the radius of the turn is smaller. The front MC is farther to the right, the average Panhard bar height is higher, and the g-forces are up considerably to 2.2 g's.
The front suspension travel will average in excess of 3 inches, and the rear suspension will travel more than 4 inches. If your car normally has a 4-inch ride height, then the car must be raised or it will make contact with the track surface.
The starting cambers might be: LF = +4.0, RF = -1.0. This is because of the high amount of chassis dive the car will experience, which will reduce the positive LF camber (become less positive) by 3 or more degrees and increase (add to the negative amount) the RF camber by about the same amount.
Conclusion Again, let me say that the changes we have made to these sample cars are the same changes we have made to real cars in actual competition. That is not to say that you need to run out to your shop and put these setups in your car. Rather, remember the directions in which we have gone and trends we have described related to the different types of race cars. The hot tire temperatures as well as the tire wear will be an indication of how close you come to a balanced setup.
The differences that probably exist between these cars and yours indicate that these setups might not work for you. Typical differences include: a) center of gravity height; b) front moment center (roll center) location; c) front-end motion ratios for spring mounting; d) weight distribution front to rear; e) front and rear spring location and spring angles
All race teams need to know certain basic technical information about their cars. Learn the tendencies that make a car's suspension want to roll more or less, and try to match the ends for a more balanced setup. Know your front geometry settings, especially the moment center location and camber change characteristics. If you do, finding that winning chassis setup will be a much easier process. Above all, be willing to take control of your chassis and do not be afraid to make whatever changes are necessary to improve the geometry, the alignment, and the balance of your setup


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Join the Team America is Watching
Geisinger is seeking a board-certified/board-eligible Pediatric Dermatologist to join our practice in Danville, PA. This physician will join a diverse team of Dermatologists and Mohs surgeons.
The ideal candidate will join a diverse team with opportunity to participate in resident teaching and research. As part of the Geisinger family, you join a tradition of service that is deeply rooted in the personal and professional well-being of our employees. We believe in the right balance between life and work, as well as the importance of feeling fully appreciated and satisfied at the end of each day. Our employees are rewarded with competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, including health plan options, vacation time and holidays, a 401(k) retirement plan and more.
Geisinger Medical Center (GMC), located Danville, Pa., the largest tertiary/quaternary care teaching hospital in the region, is licensed for 475 beds, including 89 pediatric beds in the Janet Weis Children's Hospital. GMC, a Magnet Hospital, maintains the region's only Level 1 Regional Resource Trauma Center with additional qualifications in pediatrics. GMC offers an array of highly specialized medical and surgical services, including neurosciences, cardiovascular services, transplantation, women's health (in the Women's Pavilion), oncology and orthopaedics. The Hospital for Advanced Medicine serves as an integrated center for the most critical patients. Outpatient services are available on and off campus.
Geisinger fosters an atmosphere of clinical excellence while offering the best of life in small-city America. Enjoy the balance of country and city life with great schools, safe neighborhoods and affordable housing close to a wealth of cultural, academic, and recreational activities including professional baseball and hockey teams, Big Ten College sports, multiple venues for the performing arts, beautifully convenient airports, and multiple college and university campuses. The surrounding natural beauty provides opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and rafting on the scenic Susquehanna River, multiple ski areas, and hiking and mountain biking in clean state parks. Urban life is easily accessible with New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia or Washington D.C. just a 2-3 hour drive away.
Geisinger serves more than 3 million people in central, south-central and northeast Pennsylvania and also in southern New Jersey with the addition of National Malcolm Baldridge Award recipient AtlantiCare, A member of Geisinger. In 2017, the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine became the newest member of the Geisinger Family. Geisinger is nationally recognized for innovative practices and quality care. A mature electronic health record connects a comprehensive network of 13 hospital campuses, two research centers and nearly 1,600 Geisinger primary and specialty care physicians.
For more information, please visit geisinger.org/careers or contact: Deanna Reed, FASPR, Talent Management, Geisinger Health System firstname.lastname@example.com 570-271-7202
**Does not qualify for J-1 waiver. We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status.
*Domestic partner benefits not applicable at Geisinger Holy Spirit.


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We have a monoid M, and a function $f: M \rightarrow \{0, 1\}$. We're promised that this function factors through a (surjective) homomorphism to a finite abelian group (considered as a commutative monoid), $M \rightarrow G \rightarrow \{0, 1\}$, but not told what the group is.
Can we recover any information about the structure of G, just given $f$? I'm particularly interested in the case where M is the monoid of positive integers under multiplication.
[Edit: As I realized after reading Mariano's comment, we can take f = 0 identically and obtain no information whatsoever about G. So a better question might be, under what assumptions on f can we recover G? Or information about G? In particular, if the function from $G \rightarrow \{0, 1\}$ takes on its two values approximately equally often, can we say anything?]
More generally, and more interestingly: Can we recover any information about the structure of G, assuming that the black-box is allowed to lie about a small fraction of values of the function?


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While the catalyst for much of the recent rally in risk assets seems to have been on the back of Europe clambering back from the edge of the abyss (and admittedly hope for better global growth and US decoupling), JPMorgan's Michael Cembalest notes that Europe remains very much an Achilles Heel going forward. With former ECB member Stark's recent comments on the already 'shocking' quality of the ECB's balance sheet, it is the outflows (or net balance of payments) from the periphery that means the ECB will simply have to keep printing. ECB funding of Spanish and Italian banks is still a relatively small part of their liabilities and should we see even a crack in the resilience of these knife-sitting nations, the retail depositors, bondholders, and non-local wholesale/retail money is unlikely to stay put (especially if there is the continued lack of growth that seems inevitable). The latest Spanish data is dreadful, as Cembalest notes, but the economic situation in France remains weak and while JPM's analysis looks for a gradual closure of the periphery's current account deficit by 2015, the ECB's need to finance the gap in the interim raises a critical question. Since the ECB's printing has boosted the US stock market primarily, will the Fed now take the lead and return the favor (QE3 or more) to help its European partners grow their (net trade) way out of this hole?
J.P.Morgan's Michael Cembalest
While Europe was the primary catalyst for the rally since November, it remains an Achilles heel. ECB repo operations have been life-savers for European governments and banks, but will Europe keep printing its way out? Bundesbank head Jens Weidmann reportedly sent a strongly-worded letter to ECB head Mario Draghi regarding Germany's concerns about ECB financing being permanent, and on declining ECB collateral standards. Former German ECB member Stark chimed in this week, calling the quality of the ECB's balance sheet "shocking". However, I am inclined to view Weidmann as a paper tiger, and not just because he sent his letter after ECB operations already took place. Why believe Weidmann would be any more successful in changing ECB policy after 2 German predecessors already resigned from the ECB over the same thing?
Here's what Weidmann is up against: the ECB may need to print a LOT more. I asked our Chief Economist Michael Vaknin to convert what the ECB is doing into a single chart (above). The bars in the chart above show the net balance of payments in the periphery, combining their current account and capital account deficits; money has been flooding out. The red triangles show how much of these outflows were financed by the ECB. There would probably already have been a banking crisis/default had these rescue operations not taken place. There may be a lot more left for the ECB to finance; our estimates of future outflows are the yellow bars (We assume a gradual closure of the periphery's current account deficit by 2015 (through further improvements in net trade), but that the ECB has to finance the gap in the interim. For the capital account, we assume that foreign lenders only roll half of their maturing positions). Will the ECB keep printing? We think they will, but this issue admittedly lies beyond the scope of fundamental investing.
Here's another way to think about how much heavy lifting the ECB may still have to do. As shown above, despite 645 billion Euros in emergency lending to periphery banks since 2009, the ECB still represents a small portion of bank borrowing in Italy and Spain. Assume that retail depositors stay put, as do local interbank lenders. What about bondholders and non-local wholesale/retail money; will they keep leaving? It might depend on whether Europe starts growing again. Here, the news is mixed at best. The latest from Spain is dreadful, but enough of that; let's focus on France instead.
The economic momentum in France is only modestly better heading into the election. Sarkozy has trailed Hollande consistently in second-round polling since January, by 56 to 44. The debates may change that, but as things stand now, Hollande is in the lead, and promises to shelve Maastricht 2.0 and start from scratch. A Merkel-Hollande summit would be worth the price of admission, that's for sure. Current IMF and OECD forecasts for French growth this year round to zero, which sounds about right given the data above.


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skaiwayne needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 64 designs submitted by 18 freelance designers.
The concept can be puzzle pieces or blocks coming together or formed in a way. Be creative as possible.
Data Masters Inc.
Building Better Data Information Management
Desired Color Scheme:
Desired Style:
Modern, Contemporary
Accepted File Formats:
.ai, .psd, layers intact
We would like something different than the current logo. which is seen here:
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Dartmouth 9, Harvard 8
Marina Burke caused two turnovers against the Big Green (Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Despite a 32-19 advantage in shots, the Harvard women's lacrosse team fell at home to Dartmouth by a score of 9-8 at Harvard Stadium Friday evening.
Marisa Romeo led Harvard with three points on two goals and one assist, while Chelsey Newman and Megan Hennessey each added two goals. Goalie Kelly Weis recorded seven saves in net for the Crimson, who completes the regular season 9-6 overall and 4-3 in the Ivy League. The Crimson, which has qualified for the upcoming Ivy League tournament, will learn its semifinal round opponent later this weekend. The conference tournament will be hosted at Princeton May 2-4.
Liz Calby scored four times, and Kristen Giovanniello turned aside 16 shots in net for Dartmouth, who finishes the year 6-8 and 3-4 in the Ancient Eight.
Prior to the game, Harvard's seniors (Kyleigh Keating, Chelsey Newman and Chloe Soukas) were honored in a pre-game ceremony.
Harvard Highlights:
- Maria Romeo led Harvard in scoring with three points on two goals and one assist.
- Romeo paces the Crimson with 46 goals and 53 points this spring.
- Chelsey Newman and Megan Hennessey both scored two goals.
- Audrey Todd won four draw controls, a team-high Friday.
- Harvard was 11-of-15 on clear attempts and has had at least 10 successful clears in all 15 games.
- The Crimson held the advantage in shots, 32-19, and draw controls, 11-8, while ground balls were even, 15-15.
- Kelly Weis recorded seven saves in net for Harvard.
Game Notes:
- Harvard completes the regular season 5-3 at home and 4-3 in the Ivy League.
- Harvard has clinched a spot in next week's Ivy League tournament and will either be the No. 3 or No. 4 seed.
- The Crimson's nine victories (9-6) are the most for the program since finishing 9-7 in 2012.
- A freshman has led Harvard in scoring in 13 of the first 15 games.
- Marisa Romeo has scored 18 goals in Ivy League contests.
- Romeo needs ftwo goals to move into an 11th place tie for most tallies in a single season in school history.
- Romeo extended her point scoring streak to 15 games.
- Kelly Weis now boasts a 9.36 goals-against average and .467 save percentage for the year.
- The all-time series between Harvard and Dartmouth is now tied, 20-20-1.
Game Progression:
- Harvard scored the game's first two goals, leading, 2-0, at 26:54 of the first half.
- The Big Green answered with a 5-0 run to go up 5-2 by the 9:51 mark.
- Harvard tallied the game's next five goals, making it 7-5 with 27:27 remaining in the game.
- The teams traded the next two goals before the Big Green concluded the game with a 3-0 run, scoring the game-winner with 1:16 to play.
Ties: Three
Lead Changes: Four
Largest Leads: Harvard by two (twice) – 1st: 26:54, 2nd: 27:27, Columbia by three - 1st: 9:51
Up Next:
Harvard will head to Princeton, N.J., for the Ivy League tournament May 2-4. The Crimson will be either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed and will learn its opponent later this weekend.


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Poetry Dispatch No.128 | November 23, 2006
LOVE POETRY WEEK, Thursday, No.5
Men Improve with the Years by W. B. Yeats
I am worn out with dreams;
A weather-worn marble triton
Among the streams;
And all day long I look
Upon this lady's beauty
As though I had found in a book
A pictured beauty,
Pleased to have filled the eyes
Or the discerning ears,
Delighted to be but wise
For men improve with their years;
And yet, and yet,
Is this my dream, or the truth?
O would that we had met
When I had my burning youth!
But I grow old among dreams,
A weather-worn marble triton
Among the streams.


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BANNER ELK, N.C. – Top seeded Lees-McRae advanced in the 2012 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Tournament with a 3-0 win over the No. 8 King Lady Tornado, Monday afternoon. Sarah Mahar pulled a hat trick against King in the match. Morgan Lawson tied her career high in saves with 12.
The Bobcats wasted no time getting their first score on the board when at 1:21 Sarah Mahar put in her first of three goals. Stemming from a corner kick, the ball fell into an open area right to Mahar where she chipped it in over King goalkeeper Morgan Lawson for the 1-0 lead. The goal went unassisted.
King's defense kept Lees-McRae at bay despite allowing 11 shot attempts, leading to a pair of saves for the freshman keeper. The Bobcats came out of the half intent to continue testing Lawson and with 28 shot attempts in the second half, they did and with two successful strikes.
In the 58th minute, Mahar was on the receiving end of a cross pass into King territory where she scored her second goal of the afternoon. Ally Titsworth brought the ball up the pitch where teammate Marybeth Sullivan crossed it into Mahar who finished it off to put LMC up 2-0 with 31:36 to play.
Mahar added to the lead once again late in the contest with her ninth goal of the season, benefitting from a rebound opportunity. Rachael Nobbs took the initial shot that bounced back to Mahar who cleaned up the rebound, giving the Bobcats their third tally of the day.
Lees-McRae rode out the three-goal lead to the final horn for the win, advancing them to the semifinal round of the 2012 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Tournament. They will play the Pfeiffer Falcons, who defeated Queens (N.C.) 2-1, on Nov. 1. King is now eliminated from the conference tournament.
King was on the losing end of both total shots taken (39-5) and corner kick (11-0) as they failed to score for the fourth straight match. Rachel Thorpe (Ontario, Canada) and Jamie Grigsby (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) each had two shot attempts to lead the team, combining for all three of King's shots on target.
Freshman Morgan Lawson (Goodview, Va.) tied a career high in saves, making 12 on 15 shots on goal against.
The Lady Tornado conclude their season with a final overall record of 4-10-2 after earning the No. 8 seed in this year's conference tournament with a 3-6-2 league record.


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Ya'll are a weird bunch. While the rest of the world happens upon our fine blog through, probably, the expected avenues of entry—"iphone" and "android" and "mars"—you, yes you searched some pretty strange stuff to land here. Stranger by the hour. Super strange at night.
Do you recognize yourself here?
blackberry is horrible
its afraid
shrimp defects and oil spills
strongest material
inception ending
g spot
scenes from toy story 3
meth addict
kiddie porn
heyyyy meaning
gizmodo i hate you
slow carb diet
amazing toys
hermaphrodite organs
A fun game is to imagine why on Earth you searched these things in the first place. So...thank you!


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The success story of the International Balkan University began in 2006. The Foundation for Education and Culture "USKUP" was founded by a group of intellectuals and academicians (scholars) to establish the INTERNATIONAL BALKAN UNIVERSITY as a cultural bridge between the Balkans and Turkey, with the intent of increasing the quality level of human capital in the region.
As a provider of high-quality education, International Balkan University has adopted the mission of educating self-confident, multidimensional, socially responsible and globally competitive individuals. In addition, the university produces high-quality scientific research that will contribute to technological and economic development in the region. With this mission in mind, International Balkan University aims to become a renowned international educational institution that sees cultural diversity as an asset, and that contributes to the development and stability of the Balkans by producing the best professional individuals who are ready to compete in the workforce.
International Economic Relations ▲▲
Banking and Finance ▲
Management ▲
Business Administration ▲
Architecture ▲▲
Industrial Engineering ▲▲
Computer Engineering ▲▲
Civil Engineering ▲
Turkish Language Teaching▲
English Language Teaching ▲▲
Psychological Counseling and Guidence ▲
Legal Studies▲
Administrative Law ▲
Political Sciences ▲
Clinical Psychology ▲
Public Relations▲▲
New Media and Communications ▲
Graphic Design ▲▲
Visual Arts ▲
Board of Trustees
Honorary Members of the Board of Trustees
Copyright 2019 - International Balkan University. This website has been developed by IBU Media Center.


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simonfc needed a new stationery design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 19 designs submitted by 11 freelance designers.
Logo design required to go on a range of stationary
Healthy Escapes
Desired Color Scheme:
No Particular colors required however blues, grey, green and burnt orange are liked (not together)
Desired Style:
Clean and modern
Should put foward a clean, fresh, fun and healthy image.
This is a health, fitness and tourism related product
Accepted File Formats:
Looking for a complete range of stationary including logo design.
This is to include:
Business Cards
Power point Template
Logo Design
Banner ad
Comp slips
The company provides health and fitness retreats and adventure camps. The designs should portray the fun, fresh and health of the company
There is no tag line at this stage but if one is suggested it may be bonus.


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I was able to find connections to Jacksonville, Florida of four of the signers of the card.
Gladys Eberhardt - Jacksonville 1910Ethel Westmorland - St. Augustine 1910The signers of the card must have been students of a college or something.
Pearl Holmes - Jacksonville 1910
Mrs. J. A. Heagy - Jacksonville 1930
The card itself is copyrighted 1911 by P. F. Volland & Co. Chicago.


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Hoobamac needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 50 designs submitted by 17 freelance designers.
We need a new logo for our web application called messagepac
Desired Color Scheme:
currently the inteface uses greens and yellow/tan
Desired Style:
Web 2.0, engaging, contemporary. Needs to work horizontally in a banner
Accepted File Formats:
Illutrator or EPS or high res Photoshop file
Messagepac is a very powerful web based content management and online communication tool. It is used by both business and public sector, so it needs to be a professional looking logo with a cutting edge web 2.0 feel..
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Neshoba County, Miss. Traditions run deep in Neshoba County and none could be more firmly rooted than the Neshoba County Fair - an annual event that traces its heritage back to the late 1880s, when agriculture was the predominant driver force for the area. Fast forward 125 years, the fair is still going as strong as ever and has earned a reputation as "Mississippi's Giant House Party", an experience that many have grown to love over the years.
"I love it and I enjoy the friendship, the fellowship, and especially the food," Newton resident Pat Vaughn said. "You can't believe the food that people have up here and it's delicious."
The fairgrounds are ready for an influx of people to partake in the numerous activities held throughout the week, but according to many, the greatest part about the week is the memories created.
"When we were kids, our parents would be in the kitchen playing cards, yacking, and gossiping," Indiana resident Gloria Bennett said. "We would shimmy down these trees from upstairs and go over to the pavilions to hear the bands."
The pavilion has always been a relaxing spot for many to sit down and listen to local bands and gospel music, but it's the large variety of activities that keeps families entertained.
"The children enjoy the rides and my husband and his friends enjoy the horse races," Cabin #181 resident Carol Weems said. "We just enjoy getting to see old friends and acquaintances that we don't see all the time."
While the unofficial rule is to have fun, many fairgoers will see plenty of security officers patrolling the area.
"We have almost 80 different security officers working the gates and internal securities inside the fairgrounds," Security Supervisor Ward Calhoun said. "We also have officers in the parking lots. Our job here is to ensure that people come to the fair and have a safe and good time."
If you want to go to the fair, a day pass will cost you $15, while season tickets cost you $40. Kids 9 years of age and under get in free.


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As many have noticed, the Lightroom 4 public beta we released last week does not support Windows XP. This decision did not come lightly and was based on a number of factors. With each version of Lightroom, our goal is always to provide a consistently excellent customer experience. Developing and testing across Operating System versions and platforms to ensure that we're achieving this goal is a significant effort that takes time and resources. XP is substantially different from Windows Vista and Windows 7, and requires a independent testing matrix, which increases the complexity of our development efforts. Every cycle we need to make difficult resource tradeoff decisions and operating system support competes heavily with new features and performance enhancements planned for each version. The decision this cycle was to end XP support for Lightroom going forward.
NOTE: On the Mac platform we needed to make a similar decision to end support for systems that are not 64-bit capable.


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Chad has a few of his very favorite dishes, the kinds of things he'll order off of basically any menu. We used to have a favorite Italian place where fettuccini alfredo was actually on the menu, and it was on our regular rotation for at least a year in school. (For you New Yorkers, it was one of those cursed restaurant spaces that inevitably goes out of business after a year, no matter how great the food is, sigh). But since that place closed, we haven't been anywhere with any regularity that has this dish on the menu.
I waited a bit of time before attempting my own version, in part because I usually avoid recipes that are a little "boring," the kind of things you'd see on a T.G.I. Friday's menu (sorry, Chad). But sometimes, especially in the middle of winter, all you want is your favorite classic pasta. This isn't exactly a healthy recipe (ok, it's not at ALL a healthy recipe), but it's a great occasional treat.
Although, if alfredo sauce is one of your favorites, you might not want to read the ingredient list. As Chad sometimes says when I start rattling off lists of ingredients, sometimes you're just better off not knowing.
Fettuccine Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
1 pound dried fettuccine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sea Salt
Freshly ground pepper
8 ounces grilled chicken
Cook the fettuccine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water according to the box's instructions. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until tender. Add the heavy cream and Parmesan and bring it to a boil for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the sauce, along with the reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired. Serve.


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Nicaragua: Risk Assessment
Country Risk Rating
Business Climate Rating
- Mineral (gold) and agricultural (coffee, sugar, meat) resources
- Membership in Central America/United States and Central America/EU free trade zones
- Cautious economic policy
- Stable financial system
- Support from the international community
- Low crime rates compared with other countries in the region
- Highly vulnerable to natural disasters (cyclones, earthquakes)
- Healthcare and education shortcomings and persistent poverty rate
- Inadequate infrastructure (energy, transport)
- Structurally large current account deficit
- Dependence on international aid, particularly from Venezuela
- Institutional failings: concentration of power within the executive and the Sandinista party, corruption
- Worst business environment in Central America (127/190 according to the Doing business 2017 ranking)
Current Trends
Political Unrest Drags on Growth
Whereas Nicaragua used to be characterized by above-average growth compared to the rest of Central America, economic activity in 2018 continues to suffer from the ramifications of the vast opposition movement to President Daniel Ortega, which began in April 2018. The tourism sector is heavily impacted by violent clashes and insecurity. Roadblocks by demonstrators severely disrupt the transport of goods, affecting the wholesale and retail sectors in particular. The construction sector will also suffer from the consequences of the crisis, with a delay in infrastructure projects to be expected and a decline in investment. Foreign investors, hitherto reassured by the stability of the Ortega's regime, will likely be more reluctant in the face of rising political uncertainty. On the demand side, although supported by the influx of expatriate remittances (+9.3% in Q1 2018 compared to the same period in 2017), private consumption is also likely to suffer from the crisis. The unemployment rate is expected to rise (4.2% in 2018 according to the central bank), as should inflation, notably via higher energy and food prices. However, external demand should remain fairly dynamic, supported by the growth of activity in the United States – the main destination for exports.
Weaker Public and Current Accounts
Public finances will likely also suffer from the spillover effects of the political crisis, which has reduced 2018's growth prospects. The financial needs of the social security system (INSS), whose viability is now threatened, are weighing on the public account. The prospects for reform seem to be waning, especially given that the most recent reform project sparked the unrest in April 2018. Since abandoned, the project planned to increase contributions while reducing benefits.
The reduction of financial flows from Venezuela and a possible approval of the NICA Act (Nicaragua Investment Conditionality) by the US Congress would constrain external financing possibilities. Indeed, if this bill were passed, the United States would make future loans to Nicaragua conditional on the country's adherence to democratic principles, which would have a severe impact on public finances and send a negative signal to investors. A prolongation of the political crisis until the end of the summer could threaten the sustainability of the public debt, 80% of which is held by foreign investors. The external share represented 38% of GDP in Q1 2018.
The current account deficit is expected to increase in 2018. Exports (food, textiles, machinery, and equipment) will be strongly impacted by the political crisis and production constraints, while imports (manufactured goods, oil, food) should continue to grow in line with domestic demand. Financial flows from Venezuela will decline further, while access to official multilateral loans of a highly concessional nature may decline (see NICA Act). On the other hand, transfers of immigrants will remain high. They would nevertheless remain exposed to a possible more restrictive US migration policy that could reduce these flows (50% from the US).
Political Risk on the Rise in the Face of a Violent Crackdown
After winning a third consecutive term in the November 2016 presidential elections, President Daniel Ortega, from the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (FSLN) party, enjoyed strong popularity until early 2018. However, the attempt to reform the pension system, which has since been abandoned, triggered a vast protest movement in mid-April 2018. The conflict became more severe as demonstrations were violently repressed, causing more than a hundred deaths. Conciliation negotiations organized by the Catholic Church are struggling to lead to a real agreement, while the government continues to suppress demonstrators who are demanding the departure of President Ortega and his wife, Vice-President Rosario Murillo. Nonetheless, the control of the various institutions by the Sandinistas and the absence of an alternative in the opposition give an advantage to the presidential couple, both of whom will likely be able to finish their mandate until the 2021 elections.
On the external front, relations with Costa Rica and Colombia remain characterized by tensions, in particular with Costa Rica, due to a dispute over maritime and land borders. However, the decision of the International Court of Justice in February 2018 in Costa Rica's favor, accepted by both parties, should ease tensions once compensation payments have been carried out. The government will finally have to face increasing pressure from the international community to negotiate a way out of the crisis with the demonstrators. In June 2018, the United States introduced visa restrictions for officials close to the government.


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Black Vinyl Stick-On Letters or Numbers
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Professional quality lettering that is guaranteed to stick on any clean, dry surface. Made of PVC vinyl. Designed to last for years indoors or outdoors. Each package or "font" contains an assortment of letters and/or numbers in proportion to their popularity. These letters and numbers are great for personalizing and identifying trucks, boats, mailboxes, luggage, doors, and for making signs.
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TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States and Japan announced on Friday an agreement for the return to Japan of a U.S. air base, taking a step to resolving an issue that has vexed ties when both countries face a belligerent North Korea and a rising China.
The U.S. Marines' Futenma air base on Okinawa island will be returned to Japan as early as 2022 if a planned relocation within the island is carried out.
By unveiling the deal, which includes time frames for the return of all or part of five other U.S. military facilities on the southern Japanese island, Japan and the United States aim to send a message that their alliance is on a solid footing.
"With the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region getting tougher, I'm glad that we were able to show that the bond of trust in the Japan-U.S. alliance is not wavering at all," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.
Japan's ties with the United States were strained after then-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in 2009 sought to keep a campaign promise to move the Futenma base off the island.
The Japanese government, however, could find no alternative site and was forced to reaffirm a 2006 agreement to move the base to a less populous area on the island, although the plan still faces opposition from residents, who associate U.S. bases with noise, pollution and crime.
Okinawa, occupied by the United States from 1945-72, accounts for less than 1 percent of Japan's total land but hosts three-quarters of the U.S. military facilities in the country in terms of land area.
The Futenma facility is surrounded by more than 100 schools, hospitals and shops. Former Japanese defense minister Naoki Tanaka once called it the world's most dangerous air base.
Abe's government hopes to win the support of residents for the relocation of Futenma facility to another part of Okinawa.
The agreement comes when the United States is shifting its economic, diplomatic and security focus to Asia-Pacific.
"Now more than ever it is essential that the United States maintain a geographically distributed and sustainable force throughout Asia that can provide for the protection of Japan and our other allies, and U.S. interests," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a statement.
"We are resolved to focus our bilateral efforts on modernizing the alliance to meet emerging security challenges."
Osaka University professor Kazuya Sakamoto said the agreement would help maintain the deterrent that the Japan-U.S. alliance posed.
"It is extremely dangerous to give out an impression the deterrent is weakening," he said.
Ties between China and Japan deteriorated sharply when Japan bought disputed East China Sea islets from a private Japanese owner last September.
The island row has in recent months escalated to the point where both have scrambled fighter jets while patrol ships shadow each other in nearby seas, raising worries that an unintended collision or other incident could lead to a broader clash.
Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Robert Birsel