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Efficiency's the mother of invention
By Beth Dalbey
Sunday, April 23, 2006 7:00 AM
In 1996, Tom Carpenter of Ankeny didn't set out to establish a business that in 10 years would generate $6 million in annual revenues and become the foremost erosion and sediment control contracting business in the state. Carpenter, a specialty contractor for area developers at the time, simply wanted to finish a trenching job and get a fabric silt fence at a housing development installed with some degree of efficiency.
It was August, the rain clouds had been stingy that summer and the clay had been baked hard in the cruel heat. "Thirty seconds in, I thought, 'This is the stupidest thing I have ever done,'" Carpenter recalled. Frustrated, he gave up on the trencher and returned to the old standby used by farmers to cut furrows. He hitched a tractor to a one-bottom plow and made short work of the job, doing it better and more efficiently than he could have on the rented trencher.
That winter, he scoured junk yards for spare parts, welded them together and created what he calls his own "better mousetrap," a piece of equipment that would become the first Tommy Silt Fence Machine and change industry standards. Carpenter said he ran it past seven Iowa Department of Transportation engineers – "very conservative people," he said – and all pronounced it a vast improvement, so he began perfecting his invention and obtained a patent for the product that would launch Carpenter Erosion Control.
Soon, contractors throughout Iowa and Minnesota were using the machine. It set a new industry standard, and Carpenter avoided seasonal layoffs and kept his employees busy in the winter manufacturing the Tommy Silt Fence Machine.
Carpenter, it appeared, had found his niche. He'd graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in business in 1974, but drifted between industries for several years. He worked in commercial real estate, banking, advertising and landscaping before he and his wife, Pepper Ricci, decided the Tommy Silt Fence Machine had tremendous potential and "decided to jump into the erosion control business."
Carpenter's company started out on firm financial footing with development of the Tommy Silt Fence Machine because Carpenter brought in a local angel investor. "A lot of start-ups struggle because they're not properly capitalized," he said.
That's how Carpenter Erosion Control was born, but Carpenter's ingenuity wasn't limited to one invention. He's written a book, "Silt Fence That Works," an industry bible of sorts. He went through the rigorous process to become a certified professional in erosion and sediment control – one of about 20 people in Iowa to earn the distinction – and began inspecting construction sites and helping contractors with their pollution prevention plans.
All of that left his business well poised when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency came to town in 2004 and, through its state partner, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, began cracking down on developers and builders for a failure to comply with sections of the Clean Water Act of 1970. That legislation requires that sediment be retained at its source of origin. To accomplish that goal, the rules require contractors to develop a Storm Water Pollution Protection Plan, which typically would call for silt fences to hold sediment in place and other methods to prevent erosion until permanent groundcover can be established.
That's Carpenter Erosion Control's past. It's bright – the company has been profitable since its inception, Carpenter says – but dull, perhaps, in comparison with its future.
He's invented another product, ScourStop, that commercial real estate professionals like Chris Murray can't stop raving about. ScourStop is a heavy-duty plastic mat installed at a culvert outlet to protect against soil erosion. Vegetation grows through the holes in the mat, making it an aesthetically pleasing alternative to rock riprap. Once the vegetation has grown, ScourStop is hidden from view and the groundcover can be mowed.
Murray, executive vice president of Denny Elwell Co., an Ankeny-based realestate development company that developed the business park where Carpenter's company is located, predicted the product will cause a paradigm shift in the industry. "This will really revolutionize the market and make riprap virtually non-existent," he said, adding out his company will use ScourStop on most of its development projects.
"It's aesthetically appealing, but also effective in preventing wash-out," he said. "It allows you to take space that would not be counted as green space."
Carpenter says, and Murray agrees, that ScourStop is also more effective at preventing erosion than riprap, which can move under strong pressure and take soil with it, and will last longer.
Testing at Colorado State University, using cumulative 30-minute duration flows of 8, 12 and 16 feet per second, confirmed ScourStop mats mechanically protect the soil from scour. The product was found to withstand more than double the allowable flows for riprap, which Carpenter said "completely blew out" in strong velocities of 16 feet per second.
Today, Carpenter won't speculate specifically on how far the new product might propel his business. "I have a hard time going there," he said, "but ScourStop has the potential to be huge."
The product is so important to the business' future that Carpenter has hired Tim "Pete" Peters as vice president to oversee the day-to-day operations of the business, which employs about 35 full-time workers, so he can concentrate on product development and marketing. Carpenter hopes to introduce the ScourStop in 10 major markets this year, including fast-growing areas on the East Coast.
Peters likes the entrepreneurial culture at Carpenter Erosion Control and hopes to nurture and retain it as the company matures. "So many companies grow, but don't capture the culture of what got them here," said Peters, a restaurant manager for most of his professional career. He handled a couple of turnarounds and then decided to apply his skills in other industries.
"It's a challenge to keep companies in that entrepreneurial phase as long as humanely possible," he said. "If you analyze every single thing in the world, it's just not as much fun."
Peters also appreciates the fact that Carpenter's innovations have had a positive effect on the environment, even if stewardship wasn't the inventor's primary goal.
"It was purely entrepreneurial," Carpenter said. "I was challenged by the problem. I want to use my time most efficiently and effectively.
"With the trencher, that was going to cost me a lot more work. With ScourStop, I saw a huge problem. The [erosion and sediment control] industry had been going for a while, but nobody was doing anything about it."
Carpenter approaches problems scientifically, which sets him apart from many of his competitors, and thoroughly tests his products before taking them to market, Peters said.
"If you look at, all of [Carpenter Erosion Control's] products may be to lessen work, but in every single instance, it has impacted the environment positively," Peters said. "Competitors approach it from trying to be environmentally friendly, but the product didn't get them there because they didn't start with a scientific approach. We don't want to market claims we want to market substance."
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Sadam Ali upset Miguel Cotto, who was having his last fight, to win the WBO junior-middleweight belt when he won on a unanimous 12-round points decision at the Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday night.
The scores were 116-112 and 115-113 twice.
After a slow start in the first round Ali (27-2; 14) stunned the defending champion with a straight right in the second round but Cotto came back in the third to possibly shade the round.
Cotto did well to take rounds five and six but Ali outscored him and did enough in the later rounds to take the decision.
Despite a good last round for the 37-year-old Cotto, this proved one fight too many.
On the undercard, WBC junior-featherweight champion Rey Vargas (31-0; 22) retained his belt with a wide unanimous points decision over Oscar Negrete (17-1; 7).
The scores were 120-108 and 119-108 twice.
Despite the wide margins in the scores, it was an entertaining fight with the taller Vargas scoring from the outside throughout.
Angel Acosta won the vacant WBO junior-flyweight belt with a 10th-round stoppage win over Juan Alejo.
Acosta dominated from the opening bell as he scored with uppercuts in the middle rounds.
He caught Alejo with a big left hook in the 10th round and with Alejo in no condition to continue, the referee stepped in to wave the fight off at 1:33 into the round.
Acosta improves his record to 17-1; 17 and Alejo's record drops to 25-5-1; 15.

subset: commoncrawl


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dont blame it on me Association
"Don't Blame It On Me" (D. Addrisi - D. Addrisi) The B-side of "Cherish", also recorded around the same time by the Vogues as "Don't Blame The Rain" (B-side of "Please Mr. Sun"). I transcribed it in G even though it's about 3/4 tone sharp and sounds almost in A-flat. Intro [2X]: bass, doubled w/vibes: G Gsus4 G Gsus4 v v v v v v v v -----------------|----------------- -----------------|----------------- -----------------|----------------- -3---------------|---------2---3--5 Verse 1: G Gsus4 G Gsus4 Go blame the rain for your cloudburst of teardrops G Gsus4 G C Blame the wind, say how lonely and cold it can be Cm D7 G You asked to be free Cm Don't blame it on me Verse 2: Go blame the night for the darkness descending Blame the wind, say it laughs at you now that you're free That's how you want it to be Don't blame it on me Chorus: G C/G Now your life is empty D7/G G And only tears remain G C/G Your high hopes turned to heartaches C D7sus4 D7 Your freedom turned to chains [repeat verse 1] [repeat chorus] Verse 3: Go blame rain and the wind and the darkness Blame the world for the way things have turned out to be Blame whatever you please Cm But don't... D7 G Don't blame it on me Coda [repeat to fade]: Cm D7 G Don't blame it on me -- another ace 60's tab from Andrew Rogers
Important: The song above is NOT stored on the Chordie server. The original song is hosted at tabfu.thudspace.net. Chordie works as a search engine and provides on-the-fly formatting. Chordie does not index songs against artists'/composers' will. To remove this song please click here.
This song is displayed as text-only. Transposing and tuning is only available for chordpro-songs.


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text: The image of the black crow I created for this episode has been re-posted, re-pinned, and liberally re-used many times since I released it as a wallpaper on dsktps.com. This is flattering, and I have always given permission, on the condition of a credit line, for its use. (Hint: if you want to use it for anything, just ask.)


text:
Gallery Follow galleryproject.org | Open Source
Gallery is no longer maintained. You can download Coppermine or evaluate other solutions in the Photo Sharing Category
Gallery is a photo management tool that can be easily integrated with a website. Features include multiple ways to organize and display photos, watermarking, tagging, search and more. There is now a mobile app for Gallery that allows you to manage your photos on the go.
Why use the Bitnami Gallery Stack?
Bitnami makes it easy to run Gallery. The Bitnami Gallery Stack is:
We track every release of Gallery and update our stack shortly after it's released.
If serious security issues are discovered, we provide new versions of Gallery as soon as possible, often within hours of the availability of a fix.
With Bitnami, you get the same software stack and configuration regardless of where you are deploying Gallery or other Bitnami Applications. This makes it easy to migrate between different platforms.
With the Bitnami Gallery Stack compiling, configuring and all of its dependencies are taken care of, so it works out-of-the-box.


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Three 13-year-old boys were among several youths charged for taking part in loyalist riots in Belfast.
Manchester City has apologised to Rio Ferdinand after he was hit above the left eye by a two-pence coin thrown from the crowd near the end of a heated derby clash with Manchester United.
South Africans have prayed for the health of former president Nelson Mandela and anxiously awaited further word about the anti-apartheid leader after he was admitted to a military hospital.
Tributes have been paid to the "irreplaceable" astronomer Sir Patrick Moore who has died aged 89.
David Cameron is under mounting pressure on Europe after Boris Johnson predicted he would back an "in-out" referendum.
A former families minister has renewed Tory demands for David Cameron to introduce tax breaks for marriage.
A Labour MP who described how her late husband died "like a battery hen" because of bad nursing has said she intends to meet with campaigning organisations this week to see how she can help raise standards in "compassion and care".
The Duke of Cambridge has pulled out of attending the British Military Tournament so he can spend time with the Duchess as she recuperates after receiving treatment in hospital for a severe form of morning sickness.
Genetically modified food should be grown and sold widely in Britain and opponents of the technology are talking "humbug", according to the Environment Secretary.
The Australian radio station embroiled in the Royal baby hoax scandal has said it is reviewing its broadcasting practices and will help with investigations into the suspected suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha.
Police questioning a teenager who was allegedly at the wheel of a car which killed a young child at a caravan site have been given an extra 12 hours to hold him.
Referee Wolfgang Stark admitted he had made a mistake in sending off Borussia Dortmund's Marcel Schmelzer and awarding a penalty in the Westphalian club's 3-2 home defeat to Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes admits alarm bells are ringing after defeat to Stuttgart left them 16 points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl continues to enjoy the full support of his club, even after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at home to Bayern Munich - the club's 10th reverse of the season.
Barcelona have confirmed midfielder Cesc Fabregas will miss up to four weeks with a thigh injury sustained in their win at Real Betis.
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller believes Borussia Dortmund are now out of the Bundesliga title race after the champions fell 14 points behind the leaders.
Ligue 1 leaders Lyon defied Mouhamadou Dabo's 55th-minute dismissal to beat derby rivals St Etienne and extend their unbeaten run at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard to 18 years.
Hannover hit Bayer Leverkusen's hopes of keeping pace with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich as Szabolcs Hustzi scored two penalties to secure a narrow 3-2 victory for the hosts.
PSV Eindhoven knocked FC Twente off top spot in the Eredivisie with a 3-0 win over their title rivals.
Juventus marked boss Antonio Conte's return to the touchline with a 1-0 win at Palermo which moved them four points clear at the top of the Serie A table.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi broke Gerd Muller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year as his brace helped Tito Vilanova's side to a 2-1 victory at Real Betis.
Leinster picked up a losing bonus point in a titanic clash with Pool Five leaders Clermont Auvergne, which the French side edged 15-12 at the Stade Marcel Michelin.
Leicester collected the bonus-point victory they required at Welford Road to stay in contention for a Heineken Cup quarter-final place as they defeated Treviso 33-25.
Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy were set for a late-night finish in the final of the williamhill.com UK Championship as they remained locked together in York.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is fearful he could be without midfielder Mohamed Diame for up to 12 weeks after he suffered a hamstring injury in the 3-2 defeat to Liverpool.
Alastair Cook believes England's historic back-to-back Test wins in India are deserved reward for their year of hard work and willingness to learn.
The Football Association has confirmed it has opened an investigation into an incident at the end of the Manchester derby when an object was thrown from the crowd and hit United's Rio Ferdinand.
Everton scored twice in the last couple of minutes to snatch a well-deserved 2-1 victory from a Tottenham side who looked to have escaped the Goodison Park fortress with all three points.
Liverpool proved they could win without talismanic striker Luis Suarez as they fought from behind to take three points from a 3-2 victory over West Ham at Upton Park.
Robin van Persie scored an injury-time winner to give Manchester United a 3-2 victory amid ugly scenes at the end of the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.
Paris St Germain sounded a warning shot to their Ligue 1 title rivals with a 4-0 thrashing of lowly Evian.


text:
SI, SI!!! YOU'RE WELCOME, YOU'RE WELCOME, YOU'RE WELCOME!!! XD I'm sooooooo glad you loved it! *feels accomplished* b=w=d *MEGA-huggles* ~X<3
And...I agree with you! That's why I chose that background...I saw it and instantly thought, "Ezio." It just...SUITED HIM!!! XD
Grazie, mia amica!!! ...For loving your gift! It makes me so happy to make something my friends love ~X<3


text:
There's nothing wrong with wanting a little attention, it's only natural. We groom ourselves, we accessorize, and we dress well, not only because it makes us feel confidant, but because, like it or not, we're judged by how we present ourselves to the world. We (many of us) bask in that attention, especially when it comes from the fairer sex, with some likely lads going to great lengths to maintain a sense of notoriety, especially in their social lives. Fortunately, it might be as easy as waving your hand at a waiter next time you're hitting the club.
Introducing Midnight Sabre, a breakthrough, eye-catching, and certainly attention-gaining new luminous bottle from Polish vodka gurus Belvedere. Available exclusively at Asia's top nightclubs, this very special bottle of vodka (sibling to Belvedere's 2014 precision cut Night Sabre club bottle) features exquisite laser etching and a delicate black coating, which helps set the scene and captivate the crowds when you turn on the built-in LED lamps in the bottle's base. The effect of misty trees emerging from within the bottle is sure to act like a welcoming beacon to the lovelies with their eyes on the VIP tables.
Go ahead, bask.
Belvedere Midnight Sabre
Available in good wine stores


text:
I picked up an old issue of Parade Magazine that was lying around our friends' house this past week, mainly because Nathan Fillion was on the front cover reading an old paperback copy of Peter Benchley's "Jaws." The cover was promoting the issue's main theme of summer reading, which was the second thing that grabbed my attention. Parade's cover identified Fillion as the star of "Castle," but anyone with any knowledge of true classic television will know that Nathan Fillion is better known as Mal Reynolds, captain of the ship Serenity in the wonderful but regrettably short-lived TV series "Firefly." The geek-boy in me back flipped in excitement.
It seems that Fillion is a big-time reader and has been ever since he was a kid. Even though he reads digital books because of his shooting schedule, he does love real books: "The smell, having it in your hands – there's really no substitute."
That's my kind of guy.
It also turns out that some of his favorite books are some of mine as well. The series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin, better known by the title of the first volume "A Game of Thrones," is a Fillion favorite. So are the Spenser books by the late, great Robert B. Parker. Fillion also stated that if they ever decide to revive the old "Spenser: For Hire" TV series, he'd be interested in the Spenser part. Yes!
On top of all of that, it turns out that Nathan Fillian is a cofounder of an organization called Kids Need to Read. This group donates books to libraries and schools who can't afford to buy the books they need. You should definitely check these folks out.
As you can tell, I'm impressed with this guy. Not only is he a fine actor but he's also a reader and a generous human being. That's something anybody can get all geeky about!


text:
New Content Updates
Educational Webcast Alerts
Building Products/Technology Notices
Access Exclusive Member Content
Automated Logic Corp.
| Company information
The Environmental Index tool is designed to help facility managers identify operational problems and manage energy conservation measures to ensure sustainable performance. Expressed as a percentage, it reflects how close the zone temperature is to the heating and cooling setpoints in a space. Every zone, floor and building can be calculated, weighted for importance, trended and reported.
Content Category: Building Automation
posted: 5/19/2009


text:
Drinking bottles are great for many reasons: easily available hydration, eco-friendliness, etc. There's tons of designs on the market, but the 'Clean Bottle' Square Water Bottle happens to be one of the nicer ones.
The Plastic Square Water Bottle makes it a snap to get your recommended eight cups of water daily. It's a piece of cake to use, opening from both ends for easy cleaning, and boasts a square design that keeps it from rolling away. Ergonomic, durable, and sleek, this is one bottle you'll be eager to carry wherever you go.
– Keep yourself hydrated on the go
– Give the second bottle to a friend or loved one, or keep it at the office
– Easily wash w/ dishwasher-safe design
– Protect your health: composed of BPA-free material
– Enjoy a square design that keeps the bottle in place
– Easy to transport: fits in most cup-holders
– Seamlessly grip from the top w/ wide handle on cap
Normally you'd have to pay $24 for this, but with today's deal, it's $17.99.
[ Get The 'Clean Bottle' Square Water Bottle: 2-Pack ]


text:
CURRENTS: CURTAINS!; Never Before Such Treachery: Interior Designers on Reality TV
By PENELOPE GREEN
Published: January 18, 2007
This late in the game the reality show is as comforting in its genre structure as a 1920s-style murder mystery: formulaic, but what fun when applied to different settings. Bravo's ''Top Design,'' which begins Jan. 31 at 11 p.m., puts 12 interior designers together in a setup that's part ''Project Runway,'' part ''Survivor.'' Teams are assigned by paint chip (contestants pick colors and are matched with those who choose the same ones), and the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles is their island. In each of 10 episodes, they'll be set an interior design task to pass or fail, until their numbers are winnowed down to one. Todd Oldham, top, strangely wooden and seemingly not allowed to ad-lib on the first night, is the host. The judges are looser and harsher: from left, a charming Jonathan Adler; the beauty-queen-lovely Kelly Wearstler; and a feline and appealingly severe Margaret Russell, in whose magazine, Elle D?r, the winner will appear. Starting Feb. 7, ''Top Design'' will be broadcast at 10 p.m. PENELOPE GREEN
Photo (Illustration by Wes Duvall)


text:
A friend writes:
"I think I'm learning what true faith is and that I don't have any. I think when we say we have faith, we have things like "what we've always been used to" or "I think I'll believe this because I don't like the alternatives and I haven't even bothered to consider them". Things like that. I think true faith must be running out of all rational reasons to believe in something and choosing to still do it–and what an extraordinary, near impossible (ridiculous?) leap that is! Things like "life after death" are what I'm talking about, for example."
In response, as the culmination of 4 distinct conversations on faith subjects today, I improvised the following, which is revealing even to me:
I sincerely appreciate that idea of true faith. It seems to me to be an act of desperation, a response to the futility of human efforts at self-preservation, defying the rational constructs of our typical ideologies.
In other words, I'm not sure I choose it or I come to it having exhausted myself pursuing all other ideas, then realize the ridiculous, the incomprehensible, irrational are all that could possibly respond to the yearning. Whatever is the answer, the deepest desires of the human heart must be outrageously ridiculous; preposterous even.
Jesus is a safe bet on those terms, and I fall back upon him for hope again and again.
Now, life after death, whatever the hell (no pun intended) that means, is another thing entirely. I cannot fathom, nor even extend my limited hope to that great length. It would be nice, but the speculation is too much for me – not only in regard to its existence, but the how's and why's. [To be clear, I heartily believe in heaven, and need it, but the comprehension of it, and the apprehension of it for today's needs, as it's typically conceived, is beyond me.]
Besides, I'd much rather have, and am more readily drawn to, life during life. Life after death seems only more appealing than that in the sense that because it is so speculative it seems to be more plausible, because the plausibility of the absolutely unknown always seems greater than the plausibilities of the preposterous within the known. But how much more glorious and meaningful would it be to have the reality of that visionary ideal in the present.
I don't even know what that means – the coming of Christ?, some sort of rapturous transformation?, the end of the world?, world peace? – and it seems impossible, but with all the incredulity piled high, I confess it is my ultimate longing.
Less so, though, because I choose it, but rather it seems to have chosen me. Captivated by the foolishness of hope.
God knows I've given what I believe to be earnest effort to cast it off, to no avail. God help us.
One further thought: maybe, just maybe, as "I am crucified with Christ […] and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God" (Gal. 2:20), life after death and life during life are not so far removed from one another. At least they are related and share some "genetic" material.


text:
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text:
Makes 24
Exceptionally moist, these brownies take only a few minutes to mix in a saucepan. My mother, Doris, always kept the ingredients on hand and cut them right in the pan. I line the pan with foil, refrigerate the cool brownies, lift out the cake, and cut the bars, so they're even with clean edges.
|Butter (for the pan)
|Flour (for dusting)
|stick plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
|ounces unsweetened chocolate
|cups sugar
|teaspoons vanilla extract
|1 1/4
|cups flour
|teaspoon baking powder
|teaspoon salt
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan and dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate.
3. With a wooden spoon, beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture, mixing it well.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture will go from grainy to glossy.
5. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle is just firm when pressed with a fingertip. Set on a wire rack to cool.
7. Make 3 cuts in one direction, 5 in the other, to form 24 bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Sheryl Julian


text:
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I've been making music in FL Studio for a few years now, and I decided it was finally time to put some of it out on the web for people to enjoy!
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FoodReference.com (since 1999)
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT - July 22, 2009 - Mark R. Vogel - [email protected] - Mark's Archive
Recipe Below
In 1494, on his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus landed on Jamaica. He found a beautiful island paradise inhabited by the Arawak and Taino peoples. Originally from South America, they settled in Jamaica somewhere between 10,000 and 4,000 BC. Like most European excursions into the new World, Columbus's proclaiming of Jamaica for Spain contributed to centuries of territorial warfare, the proliferation of slavery, and the rapacious pillaging of the Caribbean's natural resources. In 1655 Admiral William Penn (1621-1670), (father of the William Penn who founded the colony of Pennsylvania) seized the island for the British. England ruled Jamaica for 200 years, profiting from the exportation of sugar on the backs of African slaves.
Some of these slaves escaped. As early as the initial 1655 invasion, runaway slaves, (known as the Maroons), eluded their captors and established their own inland communities in Jamaica and other Caribbean lands. Their culture reflected their African ancestry intermingled with elements of western influences. Culinary traditions are one constituent of their cultural mosaic and one of the most famous is Jamaican jerk seasoning. The origins of Jamaican jerk seasoning can be traced through the Maroons, all the way to their ancestral hunters of Western Africa.
"Jerk" originally referred to a process of curing and drying meat, hence the term beef jerky. The term derives from the Quecha language, spoken by the indigenous denizens of Peru. They referred to preserved, dried meat as "charqui" which was somehow transmuted via the Spanish and the English to "jerk." There's another theory that "jerk" refers to the process of repeatedly flipping grilled meat, i.e., jerking it. Even if that's true, repeated flipping is not the proper procedure for grilling. Generally speaking grilled items are seared on their first side, flipped once, and then seared on the other.
Eventually, jerk evolved into a way of spicing food, either as dry rub or, when mixed with some form of liquid, as a marinade. Jerk recipes vary from cook to cook but they virtually always include hot peppers, thyme, garlic, onions, and spices, primarily allspice, but also cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg. Sugar and ginger are common ingredients as well. Liquids include citrus juices, vegetable oil, and sometimes, obviously breaking with Caribbean tradition, soy sauce.
Jerk is principally used on grilled meat, especially chicken and pork. In addition to being jerked, the grilled item is often cooked over redolent wood to add to the naturally smoky taste.
The hot peppers used in Jamaican jerk seasoning are Scotch bonnets. They are often confused with or assumed to be the same chile as the habanero. While similar in appearance and heat level they are two distinct chile peppers. The scotch bonnet is a cultivar of the habanero. They sometimes have a somewhat flattened top resembled a tam o'shanter, a flat Scottish hat, ergo the moniker Scotch bonnet. Scotch bonnets are slightly smaller than habaneros and relatively speaking, a little less hot. I stress "relatively" because even the Scotch bonnets are among the hottest peppers on earth. In any event, Scotch bonnets and habaneros can be used interchangeably in Jamaican jerk seasoning.
• 4 Scotch bonnets or habanero peppers, (more or less to taste), stems removed
• 1 large batch scallions
• 1 small piece of ginger, peeled
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of 3 limes
• Vegetable oil, as needed
• 6 pieces of chicken, legs and/or thighs
Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix. Then, with the food processor or blender running, slowly add a thin stream of oil until the mixture comes together into the consistency of a thick marinade. Reserve a small amount of the marinade.
Place the chicken and the larger amount of the marinade in a sealable, plastic bag and marinate the chicken for at least two hours or overnight.
Preheat and grease your grill.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill, searing the first side, (about 3-5 minutes). Flip the chicken, drizzle on the reserved marinade, and sear the other side. Move the chicken to an area of indirect heat, (such as the grate above the grill) and cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
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Highschool, girls, Sports, and grades....Thats mainly all that runs through my head at all times...Im going to try to start writing to vent out some of my feelings...and what better place to do it than fanfiction from my favorite book series?/
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: Krum's Devotion by silent_strong
Short story
Viktor Krum led the Bulgarians to win the world cup but is still not happy. He dicides to take a trip to London to sort out his mind and feelings. But runs into the one person who has broke through his rough exterior to reviel the softer side of viktor krum
Genres: Drama, Romance Era: Post-Hogwarts Characters: Harry, Hermione, Krum, OC, Pansy, Ron Pairings: Hermione/Krum, Ron/OC, Other Pairing
Advisory: Mild Language, Mild Violence, Scenes of a Sexual Nature, Substance Use or Abuse, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme
Published: 2006.12.07 Latest Chapter: 2007.02.05 Updated: 2007.02.05 Status: WIP (4588 words)


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OASIS: Online Archival Search Information System
|http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.ARCH:hua17002View HOLLIS Record
Frames Version
Questions or Comments Copyright Statement
© President and Fellows of Harvard College
Call No.: HUGFP 144
Repository: Harvard University Archives
Creator: Keyfitz, Nathan, 1913-
Title: Papers of Nathan Keyfitz, 1947-2002
Date(s): 1947-2002
Quantity: 5 cubic feet (10 document boxes)
Language of materials: English
Abstract: Nathan Keyfitz, was Andelot Professor of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and of Demography in the Harvard University School of Public Health from 1972 to 1983. He is a leader in the field of mathematical demography and a pioneer in the application of mathematical tools to the study of population characteristics.
- Records of the Harvard Department of Sociology, 1931-1980.
- Records of the Center for Population Studies, 1960-1978.
Nathan Keyfitz,Professor of Demography and Sociology at Harvard University (1972-1983), is a leader in the field of mathematical demography and a pioneer in the application of mathematical tools to the study of population characteristics where vital statistics and census data are incomplete. He has written extensively on a wide range of topics that include population theory, historical demography,mortality,urbanization,forecasting,social security and retirement, poverty, democracy, and the interaction between people and their environment.Keyfitz was born on June 29, 1913 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to Arthur (an advertising agent) and Anna (Gerstein) Keyfitz. He graduated from McGill University in 1934 with a degree in Mathematics. In 1936 Keyfitz began working for the Dominion Bureau of Statistics in Ottawa, Canada as a research statistician. He would remain with the bureau for the next twenty-three years.Beginning as a statistician, Keyfitz analyzed census schedules and census results. He studied occupational distributions in Canada, England, and the United States and wrote monographs describing the unemployment situation existing in Canada during the Great Depression. Later, as a mathematical and senior statistical advisor, he became known for his statistical surveys, which examined the size and nature of the Canadian population, its distribution, trends in fertility, emigration and immigration. In 1950 he was elected to the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population, a leading international professional association for individuals interested in population studies. In 1952 Keyfitz received a fellowship to attend the University of Chicago and graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology. His dissertation was a study of the fertility of the Canadian population as reported by the 1941 census.Keyfitz's first contact with less developed countries occurred in 1951 when he accepted a three-month assignment as a census advisor to the Burmese Statistical Office in Rangoon. He helped develop a trial census and procedures for editing schedules, punching cards, and taking tabulations. This would be the beginning of many trips abroad for Keyfitz.Keyfitz began his academic career in 1959 at the University of Toronto (1959-1962). At Toronto he taught general sociology. In 1962 he took a leave of absence and joined the faculty at the University of Montreal (1962-1963). Here, his objective was not only to teach, but also to learn French, which he accomplished. The University of Chicago (1963-1968) offered Keyfitz, at the age of 50, his first real opportunity to explore the field of demography. It was at Chicago that Keyfitz began to apply mathematical tools and computer technology to the analysis demographic data. In 1968 he published his groundbreaking Introduction to the Mathematics of Population that described his methodology. As of 2003, this work is still widely used. In 1968, Keyfitz moved on to the University of California at Berkeley and remained with the Department of Demography until it was disbanded in 1972.Keyfitz was appointed the first Andelot Professor of Demography and Sociology at Harvard University in 1972. He was associated with the Department of Sociology, the Department of Population Sciences in the School of Public Health, and the Center for Population Studies. During his eleven years at Harvard, Keyfitz found himself traveling around the world. He acted as a demographic consultant for the Indonesian government in 1972, and a lecturer on population mathematics in Rome (1974), India (1975), Russia (1978), and China (1982). In 1977, Keyfitz wrote Applied Mathematical Demography, which examined demographic questions that could be analyzed mathematically. This work was revised in 1985 and published in Chinese in 1999. Keyfitz's changing schedule at Harvard allowed him to accept a Professorship in Social Demography at Ohio State University in 1981. As a result, he served both at Harvard University and Ohio State University until his retirement from teaching in 1983.Keyfitz's retirement did not end his demographic research. In 1983 he accepted the directorship of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, a research organization located near Vienna, Austria. This institute conducts scientific studies about environmental, economic, technological and social issues related to global change. In 1998 he became its first president.Keyfitz continued his association with Harvard University by accepting a consulting position with the Harvard Institute for International Development in 1985. Under the auspices of this institute, Keyfitz visited Jakarta, Indonesia several times between 1985 and 1990 as part of an effort to improve Indonesia's higher educational system. In 1985 Keyfitz wrote An East Javanese Village in 1953 and 1985: Observations on Development, which compared his first experiences in Indonesia in 1953 with his later observations in 1985.In the 1990s, Keyfitz consulted for the Center for Initiatives on Children, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and became interested in examining the relationship between population growth, the middle class lifestyle and environmental security.Nathan Keyfitz has traveled as a teacher, consultant, advisor, and researcher examining demographic trends and developments in both the developed and underdeveloped world. He has taught population and planning in Ceylon and Argentina, lectured at the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta, and advised the United States Bureau of the Census and the Social Security Administration. Keyfitz has remained at the forefront of demographic research for over a half-century and his innovative approaches and techniques have helped advance an understanding of human development and its impact on global change.Nathan Keyfitz was married on October 8, 1939 to Beatrice (Orkin) Keyfitz. They have two children, Barbara Lee and Robert Norman.
- Nathan Keyfitz, Oral History Interview, conducted May 1991 by Jean van der Tak, for the Population Association of America Oral History Project.
- Biographical Material
- Books
- Shorter Writings
- Correspondence
- Subject files
The papers of Nathan Keyfitz document his studies in the characteristics of human population growth and its impact on social and economic development. The bulk of the collection consists of published and unpublished writings, and incoming and outgoing correspondence with colleagues, friends, and family members. A small quantity of biographical material, photographs, and subject files are also included in this collection.
This document last updated 2016 November 10.


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For one of my app, I wanted to share data to WhatsApp contacts. I tried few solutions overs the StackOverflow but couldn't get exact solution. After some trials could achieve what I was looking for, so sharing here for anyone's future reference.
var url = NSURL(string: "whatsapp://send?text=Hello%20Friends%2C%20Sharing%20some%20data%20here...%20!")
//Text which will be shared on WhatsApp is: "Hello Friends, Sharing some data here... !"
if UIApplication.sharedApplication().canOpenURL(url!) {
Note: text needs to be URL encoded. You can get it using any of the open source tools over internet or using stringByAddingPercentEncodingWithAllowedCharacters function in iOS. e.g.
var urlString = "Hello Friends, Sharing some data here... !"
var urlStringEncoded = urlString.stringByAddingPercentEncodingWithAllowedCharacters(.URLHostAllowedCharacterSet())
var url = NSURL(string: "whatsapp://send?text=\(urlStringEncoded!)")


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Shortly after journalism conference, editors from major publications were invited to the GM Proving Grounds for a hands-on driving experience, hot laps with expert motorists and briefing on all elements of the Camaro. Dealerships saw the Camaro for the first time in August, at the Chevrolet Sales Convention in Detroit. LIFE Magazine teaser ads appeared in early September. On September 25, the first Camaro ads appeared in nationwide papers. On September 28, 1966, Chevrolet launched an unprecedented ad blitz consisting of papers, magazines, radio, television, outdoor and tv advertising.
While engineers and designers feverishly worked overtime on the advancement of a four-passenger sports car they code-named the F-car, the Chevy public relations, marketing and advertising team prepared the world for the introduction of an automobile they called the Panther.
All through the summer season of 1965 essentially every element of the vehicle's design and advancement, from initial design sketches to clay designs, was photographed and thoroughly documented. Chevy used the assets to produce a 30 -minute movie The Camaro for sale in Yanceyville NC , which was later on revealed on TELEVISION and in cinema. They likewise presented ladies's clothing called the Camaro Collection as well as a Camaro roadway race game.
Chevy Camaros For Sale
In November, Chevy sales executives and creative individuals previewed prototype models at the GM Tech Center. Campbell-Ewald, Chevy's age-old ad agency, immediately started work on brochures, direct-mail advertising and sales promo products, in addition to print, outdoor and TV/radio marketing. In April 1966, at the New York Automobile Program Press Conference, Chevrolet sales executives admitted no name had been selected for the brand-new vehicle, however did announce that pricing of 1967 Chevy Camaro for sale in Yanceyville NC design will remain in the Corvair-Chevy II variety.
Throughout early 1966 Chevy struggled over a name for its Mustang-killer. GM's upper management was nervous about the aggressive undertones of the Panther name. A similar bout of cold feet would later trigger the Pontiac variation, code named the Banshee, to be relabelled Firebird. Over its brief lifetime, the F-car had actually been called by many names consisting of Wildcat, Chaparral, Leader and Nova. It's likewise rumored that Chevy considered utilizing the letters "GM" in the name, and created G-Mini, which progressed into GeMini and lastly Gemini. However, GM's upper management vetoed the concept, fearing the vehicle might be a failure.
Automotive legend has it that someone at Chevrolet lastly proposed the name Camaro and upper management quickly agreed. Although the name has no real significance, GM scientists apparently found the word in a French dictionary as a slang term for "good friend" or "buddy." It's reported that Ford Motor Company researchers likewise found other definitions, consisting of "a shrimp-like animal" and an arcane term for "loose bowels."
Since a number or pre-launch materials had currently been launched using the Panther name, Chevy's most pushing obstacle was to now relabel their brand-new Mustang killer, the Camaro. Camaros are found in Yanceyville NC by looking for classic car dealers.


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Choosing Your Tank
One of the most significant reasons why new aquarists fail is improper selection of the aquarium tank. For the purposes of this book, aquarium refers to the complete system—including the water, fish, decorations, equipment, etc.—while the tank is simply the physical container. No two aquariums are exactly alike, but tanks can be alike.
The problem that many new aquarists encounter with regard to tank selection is simply a lack of forethought. That is, new aquarists do not understand the ramifications of various choices because they are not familiar enough with the equipment to be informed consumers. As such is the case, this section is devoted to giving aquarists basic information with regard to tank selection.
Types of Tanks
When strolling through the pet shop aisles, the modern aquarist is exposed to a huge selection of tanks. This plethora of options can be troublesome if one does not know the ramifications of the basics of tank design. Here is how some of the FishChannel.com users classify freshwater aquarium tanks:
"I see four general categories of tanks: a) standard glass tanks, b) vertical-stylized glass tanks, c) acrylic or plastic tanks, and d) "bowl" tanks.
"Standard Glass Tanks are the fairly typical tanks that are rectangular in footprint and offer a near one-to-one ratio for width-to-height. These tanks are fairly easy to find equipment for, have a decent amount of surface area per volume, and tend to last a fairly long time. However, the glass can be scratched by algae razors or gravel, they are typically heavier than some other tanks, and are rather plain.
"Vertical[-Stylized] Glass Tanks have a width to height ratio that exceeds 1:1.7, and have a small footprint relative to volume. Their unique shapes make them easier to fit into the home, they are more interesting to look at, and they will accept most standard equipment (with the exception of UGF plates or standard hoods). No less, their small surface area limits stocking capacity, there is usually a "dead zone" in the tank (a void that no species occupies on a consistent basis), and they tend to be a bit more expensive per gallon than Standard Glass Tanks.
"Plastic Tanks are those tanks that are molded to shape and are often smaller than 15 gallons but larger than 3 gallons. They are often cheaper than some standard tanks when bought as a starter kit, can have interesting shapes, and fit in very small spaces that larger tanks could not. Yet there are problems with plastic tanks: they do not last a super long time, they often require highly specialized and expensive equipment, replacement parts can be difficult to find, and they are too small to offer much stocking variety compared to larger tanks.
"'Bowls' are any tank at or under 3 gallons in capacity. They are often very inexpensive and easy to manage [do not require much space consideration or special accommodations], but there are only a few species that can really do well in such small environments. As such, small tanks are best avoided by beginners if possible."
"…I do [not] know about the classification of 'bowls.' I mean, as a class of tanks—small setups under 3 gallons—it [is] sound, but what about the connotation of "bowl?" We [or at least I] have a very low opinion of keeping fish in your typical bowl: the rounded or nearly spherical little globe of water that houses a miserable fish with no heating or filtration. These are instruments of animal cruelty to a large degree and I [would] never recommend them.
"But there are some small setups out there that I do [not] think deserve the negative baggage that comes along with the world 'bowl.' Some highly efficient setups at the 2.5-gallon or so mark can make wonderful betta setups, for instance. There are small filters available for these tanks and you can even find 'junior' heaters to provide warmth. Now that I think about it, the majority house incandescent light hoods, which can be adapted to hold compact fluorescents… [This makes] live plants a more viable possibility.
"I would [not] recommend [bowls or small tanks] for a beginner. When I first got into the hobby, I kept bettas in bowls (still working on forgiving myself for it), and I was thrilled when I graduated to my first 'real' tank…
"…But for the most part, these tanks are hard to maintain. With such a small amount of water, there [is] not much room for mistakes. Fish do [not] forgive water chemistry fluctuations very easily, and it can be hard to keep constant values in those tanks. They [are] awkward to clean unless you purchase one of those 'mini-siphons,' and they [cannot] house much more than a betta fish and maybe a couple of invertebrates, like snails.
"My point is, these setups work in some situations. They are not suited for beginners, in my opinion, but they are viable and can be maintained. I think that this sets small, complete aquarium systems apart from simple fishbowls, in which those necessities—filtration and heating, as well as light—are…not present.
"…I was just thinking about all the weirdly shaped tanks out there that are larger than the typical plastic/acrylic sizes mentioned and made of glass. Many of these are custom but some can be purchased at your local fish store. I figure that some of them, like the bowfront tank, will fall under established categories (like the typical rectangle-shaped setup). With some others, though, they [cannot] really be sandwiched into our general tank categories."
Male Betta
"Definitely no on bowls. Yes, they look pleasing with a tiny comet goldfish in it, but once the reality is divulged then the complications start to get out of control:
"1) No space. Bowls are rarely even over 2 gallons (it [is] just that no one buys them in a gigantic size). It [is] best to just buy a small (or nano) fish tank. Any fish housed in a bowl [of] about 1 gallon [in capacity] will be miserable. Bettas may look fine, but you have to get under the scales to see what [is] taking place underneath.
"2) No heating. Now this does [not] pertain to some temperate water fish, but tropical fishes—bettas especially—have a hard time. Their metabolisms are used to…heated [water and a] fast-paced heart beat…Since bettas are one of the most popular fish to put in a bowl, you really begin to see how it shapes up.
"3) No filtration. Here [is] the whammy. Since filtration is such a big part [of] aquariums, the toxins and whatnot build up. With [regard to] the Nitrogen Cycle…the bacteria really have no place to call… "home". They [are] trying to get every little nitrite and ammonia compound but with no water circulation, how does it get to them? And then the problem with no surface agitation: Anaerobic pockets in the gravel [form] and the poor betta has to overwork its labyrinth organ to make up for the lost oxygen.
"4) Hard to maintain. In what aspect? Literally every aspect! Since the body of water is very tiny, the water can fluctuate in temperature and chemical [composition] faster than that of, say a 36 gallon tank…"
"Yes I totally agree on the 'bowl' post. To me, anything that [does not] have a filter, [heater], and/or lighting [could be considered] a bowl no matter what the size. And I have found that some of the smaller 2- or 3-galllon [tanks] are pretty good for quarantine especially if you [are] only dealing with one of your fish that does [not] look just right. I also have [a small tank] that I…put my guppy in when she is close to giving birth. [It is] a quiet, safe place for her.
"Also, a lot of people want to 'try' out the hobby before jumping right into a large tank, which…I think is smart. You would hate to start a…55-gallon then hate it. [What would you do?]"
"I like bowls and 2.5-gallon tanks for my bettas. I [do not] use filters, they [are not] necessary if you have live plants in there. And, as Nikita mentioned, they make mini-heaters and filters specifically for such tanks. I see nothing wrong with them, provided the person puts the effort into maintaining them that they would expect to put into a larger tank.
"That said, I see them as inappropriate for a beginner's first tank for…the reasons mentioned above. I just wanted to say that if someone did have the basic knowledge and was willing to put in the effort, then there really is nothing wrong with [smaller tanks].
"I [do not] think any bowl smaller than [a gallon] should be considered, though. Those stupid quart- and even pint-sized bowls are ridiculous."
Best Practices Summation:
· New aquarists are advised to refrain from buying small tanks and particularly those without filtration/heating systems. The reason for this suggestion is that larger tanks tend to be more stable with regard to water parameters. On the other hand, too large a tank can be an irresponsible purchase as well in that a lack of interest in the hobby would orphan many more fish than abandoning a smaller initial tank would. Using the numbers given, new tanks probably should be between 15 and 55 gallons for best results.
· Long, wide tanks are preferred to those that are tall and skinny. These tanks also have more stocking capacity and often fare better in mimicking natural conditions than some of the more stylized tanks.
· Be aware of the availability of the equipment associated with your tank; refrain from buying a tank that may prove difficult with regard to replacement of filters, heaters, hoods (lamps, canopies, etc.), and other devices associated with keeping fish.
· Be sure that the tank is maintainable and relatively easy to work with. For example, a 125-gallon tank can be a large chore to clean unless one owns a water-exchanging device. As another illustration, it is very difficult for the average person to reach all the way into a tank that is 30 inches tall. As such, it would be hard to clean or decorate.
· Lastly, make sure you like it. Try to find a tank that appeals to you and maintains your interest.
Reference for Types of Tanks:
(click for better resolution)
Fish Needs
Now that the basic classifications of freshwater tanks have been established, attention is turned to matching fish to the selected tank. This is an important process because it is not the case that you can simply throw any assortment of fish into the tank and expect it to work. For example, no aquarist would expect a whale to be a good candidate for a 5-gallon tank or a shark to be suitable for the average home aquarium. Similarly, aquarists must take into account practical considerations when selecting a tank and the fish that will live in it.
The basic considerations that need to be on the aquarist's mind when looking at tanks are the potential sizes of fish that can be kept and the stocking capacity of a tank (how many fish it can hold). Thinking about these things helps keep expectations realistic. Also, realistic expectations prevents the disappointment experienced by many new aquarists when they figure out that certain combinations of fish and tanks just will not work.
Here is what FishChannel.com users had to say about the needs of fish:
"As budget is the primary concern for most new (and even experienced) aquarists, I tend to believe it is better to select fish based on the tank rather than select a tank based on what kind of fish you want. This tank-dependent approach allows us to formulate some general selection guidelines:
1. Tank length determines activity level and size of the fish. Thus, a longer tank correlates to larger, more active fish.
o Active Fish (Tetras, Danios, Rainbowfish, etc.) need a tank at least 8-10 times their own adult length in order to have enough space for active swimming. Therefore, the maximum size of an active species you should keep is your tank length divided by 10 (L/10=A).
o Normal Fish (Most Cichlids, Many Cyprinids, Many Livebearers, etc.) need a tank 5-6 times their adult size. As such, the maximum adult size of a normal fish you should keep is equal to the tank length divided by 6 (L/6=A).
o Sedentary Fish (Some Cichlids, Many Bottom-Dwellers, etc.) need a tank 4 times their own length to feel at home. This being the case, length divided by 4 is equal to the adult size of the largest sedentary fish you should keep in your tank(L/4=A).
o Eel-Like and Nearly Stationary Fish (Spiny Eels, Bichirs, Plecostomus, etc.) need a tank at least 3 times their adult length. Therefore, length divided by 3 is the maximum size of [sedentary] and eel-like fish that you can keep in your tank (L/3=A).
2. The footprint of the tank influences both oxygen exchange and territory creation. With regard to oxygen exchange, the more surface area that a column of water exposes at its surface, the more oxygen it will contain. Also, more surface area equates to less dissolved carbon dioxide if surface agitation is present. With regard to territory, a larger footprint offers more decoration space. This leads to more hiding places for the fish and better boundary lines for territorial species. This being the case, if two tanks have identical volumes, then the footprint should be considered as another indicator of future success.
A Well-Planted Aquarium with Neon Tetras
3. Some fish are taller than they are long. For these fish, the tank height should be at least double their own adult height. Therefore, if the tank is 24 inches tall, then the tallest fish should not exceed 12 inches in height."
"I would think that someone would be better [off] choosing the fish to match the tank, rather than vice-versa, unless the person is starting with a particular fish in mind.
"I would also add a blurb on the width (depth?) of the tank. For some reason, [I have] heard more than a few people talk about how proud they are that they got a long enough tank for the oscar they are keeping, but [do not] consider that the poor fish [could not] turn around very well [as the] the width of the tank was still shorter than the [adult] length of the fish."
"…Most beginners and even seasoned aquarists have to select a tank first and fill in with fish based on [the tank's] statistics. Most of us would love to have a tank big enough to house a whale, but there [is] a lot of baggage that comes along with our 'dream tanks'—space, money, and resources (like equipment, food, and medicine). In most situations, we have only a certain amount of these things, and must select our aquaria around them.
"I do think it [is] important to have a general idea the fish you [would] like to house before committing to a tank. After all, if you [are] going to purchase a 20-gallon tank and you really like zebra danios, it [is] clear that a 20-gallon long tank will be much more suitable than its cousin, the 20-gallon tall, even though the price, space, and resources required may be similar…"
"…A lot of times [tank selection] is based on how much space you have and the cost, of course, comes into the matter as well.
"I myself have done both. I have gotten a certain size or [shape of] tank based on what sort of fish I would like to have and also have gotten several tanks then decided on what to house in [them] afterwards. There are way too many choices and thus [I have] 10 tanks.
"I would say that…most people buy according to their space limit and [available money supply]…
"…In going with this thought, the cost of fish is also an issue. Bigger fish tend to cost more and cost more to feed as well. [Also,] you [cannot] have as many different species in your tank either [if you select bigger or more expensive fish]."
The net result of this discussion is that tank selection has a direct influence on the size, activity level, behavior type, and number of fish you can safely keep. This being the case, Best Practices dictate that a responsible aquarist answer the following questions and consider them when buying a tank:
· What is the LENGTH of the tank?
· What is the HEIGHT of the tank?
· What is the WIDTH of the tank?
· What is the VOLUME of the tank?
To aid new aquarists, here are some of the most common standard aquarium sizes and their respective stocking statistics (NOTE: All values are approximate and based on average levels of filtration, aeration, water chemistry, etc.):
*The suggested number of fish is such that the higher number corresponds to the smaller maximum size of the fish while the lower number of fish corresponds to the larger maximum size.
The above values are based on the length of the respective tanks. Also, the suggested number of fish is based on the maximal sizes of the fish that can be kept in the respective tanks. Therefore, if smaller fish are kept, then the relevant number of fish could be increased.
Reference for Fish Needs:
Physical Factors and Location
Lastly, the aquarist must decide where in the home (or office, etc.) to put the tank. This action necessitates that the physical properties of the tank be taken into account. For example, a large, heavy 125-gallon aquarium would not be a good candidate for a second story or a good tank for a single person to try to move alone. With regard to these ideas, FishChannel.com users had this to say:
"I suggest:
"Figure out where you want to put the tank before you buy it.
"Buy the biggest you can fit/afford otherwise you will wish you did.
"Make sure the tank is LEVEL or [you will] stress the joints."
"I always take weight into consideration, well the empty weight since when its moved it will be empty. I have to make sure its small enough that I can carry/lift it alone (since I live alone) and that I can take it up a flight of stairs. For me, 60 [gallons] is about as large as I will go because of [the issue of weight] (according to Hagen, my 40 breeder…[weighs] nearly 60 pounds.
"If you [are] on a [second] floor apartment, make sure your floor can support the weight of an aquarium, [do not] assume your 125-gallon can be safely supported anywhere; always make sure the floor can handle the weight.
"The best spot for an aquarium, for me, is away from a large window, near electrical outlets, and away from a heating vent."
African Cichlids
"1) The access to an electrical outlet…
"2) …On which story of a building the tank is on. This is important, very important, in old structures. Even in new structures, try to keep the fish tank on the ground floor so there are no worries about the tank falling through the flooring. A 10-gallon tank upstairs is no worry, but a 55-gallon is a different story...
"3) Bolt it. I know this is really only applicable to areas with earthquakes, but it really is necessary. Bolt the stand to the wall behind it, otherwise the tank will fall over in what [would have] been a minor earthquake.
"4) Add a lip. This is only applicable to earthquake-prone areas…but I feel the need to say it. If the tank slides off the stand or out of place, only the lip will be able to hold it on the stand."
"The tank and all supplies should be positioned well out of range of any doors. The resulting drafts and possible knocks from the door are dangerous to the security of the tank. [Editor's Note:{Temperature changes and sudden sounds/vibrations can stress fish.}]
"Also, set the tank up out of direct sunlight. Do not place the tank where it will receive light from any window, particularly during peak lighting hours of the day. This will invite excessive algal growth and if the tank is too close to the sunlight [Edit:{receives direct sunlight in a closed room/environment}], you risk overheating.
"…Any light that hits the tank from a distance can also pose problems. Before you set up the tank, take a look around the area. Is it across from any windows? Does the sun strike near where [you are] planning to place the aquarium? You may need to check this a few times in a day to determine if your tank will get sun at any point during daylight hours.
"If the tank has to be set up in an area receiving sunlight, invest in a good set of blinds. When the sun is at its worst, keep the blinds tightly drawn to prevent excessive algae growth or overheating.
"…Another issue…is proximity to the faucet. A tank that is inconveniently far from a water source is a real headache to maintain, [as] is having sinks that [will not] accept buckets or jugs for refilling. House the tank in a place [near] a bathroom or kitchen sink. If you have to put forth too much effort to maintain the tank, [it is] easy to fall into the trap of not doing proper maintenance. Avoid this by [positioning] the tank well and investing in a water-change device if needed."
"…Bolt [tank stands] even when you are not in an earthquake region for safety with small inquisitive children…Only use stands that are made for aquariums, unless [Edit: removal] you have the technology or knowledge to make sure that whatever you are putting the tank on will withstand the ENTIRE weight [of the complete aquarium system]. A lot of new aquarists do not take the weight of the water, ornaments, and substrate that is added to the tank into consideration."
"Make sure your tank is located conveniently by electrical outlets and a sink. It is useful to have a sink nearby for water changes. Also ensure your tank is on a solid stand and that the floor can support it."
The advice given above covers all the concepts demanded by Best Practices in that these recommendations are definitely aimed at achieving the best possible outcomes. As such, I simply offer a short summation of what was just delineated:
When Selecting a Location for Your Tank:
· Drafts/heat registers
· High traffic areas (i.e., near doors or in hallways)
· Places that receive direct sunlight
· Floors that may not support the full weight of the aquarium system (a complete aquarium system, on average, weighs 11-15 pounds per gallon)
Seek Out
· Electrical outlets
· Sinks or places conducive to water changes
When Erecting the Tank:
· Make sure it is level (using a foam pad between the stand and the tank can help in this regard)
· Bolt the stand to the wall and add a lip if you live in an earthquake zone or have small children
Reference for Physical Factors and Location:http://board.fishchannel.com/Topic162412-5-1.aspx


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Swedish Knit Blanket
Just before we tip over into the hottest days of the year (with some cool nights) I wanted to find a really nice, simple cotton blanket for the home. I found this one, which has generous proportions (48x96), is all cotton and washable, AND is now on sale for almost half price. Good time to jump.


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'Little House' Is Not a Big Libertarian Conspiracy
Did Rose Wilder Lane, Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter, turn the "Little House on the Prairie" stories into libertarian propaganda? That's the argument of a long article in the Boston Globe this week.
Rose Wilder Lane, the only child of Laura and Almanzo Wilder to survive into adulthood, was a well-known author long before her mother set pen to paper. (I highly recommend "Old Home Town," her collection of short stories that seem to be loosely based on her own childhood in Missouri and Louisiana. Don't be fooled by the title, however; they're not sweet nostalgia, but brutal portraits of people coping with the privations and strictures of small-town life at the turn of the 20th century.) "Little House" buffs, of which I am one, have long known that Lane was actually her mother's co-author, or at least a heavy editor. By the time the first books were published, Lane was also a fervent opponent of the New Deal; she is known in the American libertarian movement as one of its founding figures. Christine Woodside, the author of the Boston Globe piece, argues that Lane imposed her own politics on her mother's narrative, turning it from a story of deprivation into a mythical fable about self-sufficiency:
A close examination of the Wilder family papers suggests that Wilder's daughter did far more than transcribe her mother's pioneer tales: She shaped them and turned them from recollections into American fables, changing details where necessary to suit her version of the story. And if those fables sound like a perfect expression of Libertarian ideas -- maximum personal freedom and limited need for the government -- that's no accident. Lane, and to an extent her mother, were affronted by taxes, the New Deal, and what they saw as Americans' growing reliance on Washington. Eventually, as Lane became increasingly antigovernment, she would pursue her politics more openly, writing a strident political treatise and playing an important if little-known role inspiring the movement that eventually coalesced into the Libertarian Party.
Today, as Libertarian values move back into the mainstream of American politics, few citizens think to link them to a series of beloved childhood books. But the Little House books have done more than connect generations of Americans to the nation's pioneer history: They have promoted a particular version of that history. The enduring appeal of the books tells us something about how deep the romance with self-reliance runs through American history, and the gaps between the Little House narrative and Wilder's real life say a lot about the government help and interdependence that we sometimes find more convenient to leave out of that tale.
Bold claims! Unfortunately, they are not bold claims backed up by excellent evidence. Woodside seems to be writing a book on the topic, so perhaps she reserved her "A" game for a space where she could present her arguments at greater length and detail. But the stuff in the article doesn't really live up to the promise of those intriguing opening paragraphs. As an amateur "Little House" hobbyist, and a semi-professional practitioner of libertarian policy writing, I found the thesis largely unconvincing.
For example, here's one of the most damning bits of evidence that Woodside offers:
Comparing Wilder's original memoirs to the contents of the published books, it's possible to see a pattern of strategic omissions and additions. In the fifth book, for example, "By the Shores of Silver Lake," Laura promises to become a teacher to pay for her older sister Mary to attend a college for the blind. Wilder's own account of her life reveals that although Wilder's sister did attend a college for the blind, in reality it was the government of Dakota Territory -- and not the family's hard work -- that covered the bills.
This is probably something of a bombshell to folks who knew and loved the original books; Laura working hard to keep Mary in college is one of the main themes of the last three books. But it's not quite as devastating as all that. That the Dakota Territory government paid Mary's tuition at the Vinton, Iowa, college for the blind has been well known to Ingallsologists for some time; it's mentioned in Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer's Life, by Pamela Smith Hill. However, here's the full passage:
Of course, the family needed much more than Wilder's earnings -- or even her father's -- to finance her sister's education. Certainly the family made sacrifices during the seven years Mary Ingalls was in school, a reflection of their consistent commitment to education, but, in fact, they also received government assistance, something that Wilder mentioned in neither her autobiography nor her fiction. Dakota Territory actually paid for Mary's tuition; the family paid for her room and board, books and supplies, and clothing.
Woodside's passage implies that Wilder basically lied about having to work hard to keep her in college, but unless Pamela Smith Hill is in error, she didn't make up the bit where she worked long hours to help keep her sister in college; she just didn't explain what, exactly, she was paying for. You can argue that she should have included it to give an accurate portrait of Mary's years in Iowa. But it's not nearly as misleading as what Woodside wrote, if Smith Hill has the right of it. And she doesn't offer any proof that this was politically motivated. It could have just been a simplification to improve the readability of what was, after all, a short book for children. Wilder and Lane may have decided that it was easier to focus on the efforts of the family to pay Mary's expenses, rather than explaining that the Dakota Territory paid for this, but not for that, and who wrote what letter to whom … because in fact, no one but Christine Woodside probably cared.
It's not as if either Laura Ingalls Wilder or her daughter were anarchists who deliberately omitted the mention of the government's role in offering them land and services. Woodside implies that they somehow conspired to conceal the rigors of prairie life, or the extent of government intervention in the prairies, which is really just not so. There's quite a bit about the Homestead Act, which Pa Ingalls describes as the government "betting a man that he can't live on the land for five years," and the attempts to reforest the prairies via tree claims.
Yet somehow, Woodside complains that they don't spend enough time talking about this:
The Little House books barely mention the obvious, which is that the impoverished Ingallses never could have gone to Dakota Territory without a government grant: Like most pioneers, their livelihoods relied on the federal Homestead Act, which gave settlers 160 acres for the cost of a $14 filing fee -- one of the largest acts of federal largesse in US history.
This is frankly bizarre, and made me wonder if she'd read the books as an adult. As it happens, I did just re-read the books, for a project I'm working on, and there are many lengthy passages explaining the Homestead Act, and how it works, including the granting of the land to the family by the government. Much of the dramatic action of "By the Shores of Silver Lake" consists of Pa filing a claim with the government for the land on which Laura spent her teen-age years, which hardly seems to qualify as "barely mentions." It's also pretty clear that the government is the source of the land for the schools where Laura teaches in "These Happy Golden Years," and the paychecks that she is paid for teaching in them.
Clearly, these are the sorts of government programs that Wilder and her daughter approved of. One could argue that they shouldn't have -- that a true libertarian should have been horrified by the practice of taking the plains from the Indians and giving it to white farmers to plow. This is an argument I'd be very sympathetic to, but it is not the one that Woodside makes. Instead, she makes the strange claim that Wilder and Lane conspired to hide the role of the government in doling out that land, and the even stranger complaint that the books are insufficiently grim.
Wilder's memoirs offer a picture of the costs and risks of isolation that never made it into the book series: A baby brother who died at 9 months. A miserable year working and living in an Iowa tavern. A pair of innkeepers who murdered guests and buried them out back. Another pioneer couple who boarded with them during the Long Winter whose attitudes were far more whining than stoic.
Perhaps the most telling omission is the book that almost never was. Wilder wrote one final volume, never revised by Lane, and not published until after they'd both died. "The First Four Years," the ninth book, told of the drought that led to the failure of the Wilders' first homestead after they were married in 1885. No one is sure why Lane did not revise that book, but it's no stretch to imagine that she found herself at a loss to mold its dire underlying story -- struggling, borrowing more and more money, losing the homestead anyway -- into another celebration of self-sufficiency.
I've read the story of those innkeepers, as told by Lane. But it never occurred to me that Wilder and Lane might have put it in a children's book, because it was one of the most chilling stories I've ever heard, and used to wake me up at nights. Only a lunatic would put a story like that in a book for children … at least, in a book for children that they wanted to sell. And it seems to me that you'd have to be nearly as crazy to regard the omission of the grisliest stories, in a work of commercial fiction aimed at young children, as some sort of conspiracy against the New Deal. It's not as if Rose Wilder Lane was opposed to police, or laws against murder.
Even without these particular horror stories, there is plenty of evidence that life on the prairies was really, really hard. Mary goes blind. The family spends a winter without enough to eat, and sister Carrie never really recovers from the resulting malnutrition. Laura ends up boarding with a hysterical woman, and one night wakes up to find her brandishing a knife at her husband. Wilder and Lane do file down the rough edges of the experience, but, to once again state the obvious, this is a book for children.
And a book that they wanted to sell well. Woodside implies that Wilder and Lane's approach -- "playing up toughness in adversity" -- was some kind of secret strategy to portray the pioneers as tough when they were really hapless and in need of government help. But "toughness in adversity" is the theme of virtually every mass-market book of the last century. It's like trying to figure out the secret ideological motives behind the proliferation of sex and violence in Hollywood movies. You're trying too hard.
Moreover, even if they had included all the misery Woodside wants, Woodside is confused about what this would have proven. It wouldn't have told us much of anything one way or another about the New Deal, which did not fix the problems of serial murder, infant mortality, unpleasant jobs or distinctly uncongenial roommates. With the exception of serial murder, most of the improvements on these fronts have come from technological progress and economic growth, not the sort of government safety-net programs that Lane opposed. (Yes, even infant mortality has mostly declined because of economic growth, which is not to say that the government can't play a role in the hardest cases.)
If the government of 1880 had enacted the New Deal 50 years early, the Ingalls would still have been dirt poor, and their son would still have died, the town would still have been cut off from the rest of the rail line during the long hard winter, and serial killers would still have been able to operate in isolated places (as indeed they do today). As Woodside no doubt knows, because she seems to be writing a book on the pioneer era, the fundamental problem of 1880 was not a lack of government programs, but a lack of resources and knowledge to make people healthier and richer; and the specific problem on the prairies was very low population and a lack of infrastructure. Families actually did mostly rely on their own resources, because there weren't any others close at hand. Elaborating the travails of life in the late Victorian era would have provided a nice tribute to the strong growth of the intervening 50 years, not an argument for FDR.
Unfortunately, it also would have been a drag on their book sales. Woodside is a writer. And like every other writer on the planet, she probably knows that sometimes, you have to leave out interesting details because they bog you down in five paragraphs of explaining a fact that, ultimately, your readers don't care about that much. There's ample evidence that Lane did a lot of this sort of editing, on things that obviously have no political implications. Because it's fiction, she and Wilder could even create new people and dialogue -- the character of Nellie Oleson, for example, was actually three different real-life people that she rolled into one for the sake of narrative clarity. Taking the handful of these edits that arguably have some political implication, and weaving them into a tale of ideological myth-making -- well, Woodside is doing exactly what she accuses Rose Wilder Lane of having done. Except not very convincingly.
To be sure, Woodside may have loads of evidence that she doesn't present that Lane viewed her edits as a way to further her political views. In the actual magazine piece, however, she mostly manages to prove that: 1) Rose Wilder Lane was a libertarian 2) She and her mother edited out some of the most awful bits of her life on the prairies and 3) Christine Woodside would probably have preferred an account of prairie life that better validated her own ideological priorities. Only the last is really new information.


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No Talking by Andrew Clements is a novel about a fifth-grade class in which the boys and girls make a pact not to talk for two days.
At the beginning of the story, Dave Packer is trying to go a whole day without speaking. Last weekend, while preparing for a report about India, Dave read that Mahatma Ghandi used to spend one day silent every week because he "believed this was a way to bring order to his mind." This idea intrigues Dave, who is normally a loudmouth, so he has decided to try it for himself.
So far it has been four hours, and Dave has not said a word. Now, however, he has a problem. He and his study partner, Lynsey Burgess, are supposed to deliver a report orally in front of the class. Dave fakes a violent coughing fit until the teacher, thinking he is nervous, takes pity on him and says he can deliver his report another day.
Dave makes it all the way to lunch, where he listens instead of talking like he usually does. The fifth graders at his school are extremely divided between boys and girls, like kindergarteners who are still obsessed with cooties. Dave sits at a table with only boys, but he overhears Lynsey, at the girl's table, babbling about shopping and buying a sweater. Dave gets so annoyed at her longwinded story that he whirls around and shouts that Lynsey's head would explode if she had to be silent for five minutes.
Lynsey is not the sort of person to let an insult go. She fights back, saying that there is nothing wrong with talking, and that Dave himself babbles on and on about useless topics all the time. Dave wants to make an impressive ending to this conversation, so he blurts out, "And anyway, boys never talk as much as girls do, ever!" Not only is this not true, but it makes Lynsey even more angry. She demands that Dave take it back. When he refuses, they challenge each other to a contest.
It does not take long for Lynsey and Dave to work out the rules for their game. For two days, from lunchtime on Tuesday until lunchtime on Thursday, all of the fifth graders will try to be silent. They are allowed to say up to three words to teachers but only if the teacher calls on them directly. At home at night, they are not allowed to talk at all. Dave and Lynsey will keep a tally of all the words spoken illegally by the other side, and whichever side says more words loses. Both kids spend the rest of lunch convincing their classmates to join the competition.
Dave's class is not only unique in its level of conflict between boys and girls; it is also, under normal circumstances, a particularly loud group. They are mostly good kids who want to show respect for their teachers, but they have trouble quieting down even when they are ordered to do so directly. The principal, Mrs. Hiatt, patrols the lunchroom every day with a bullhorn, occasionally bellowing "STUDENTS! YOU ARE TALKING TOO LOUD!" This does not make much of a difference in the noise levels. The teachers at Laketon Elementary have a nickname for Dave's class: "the Unshushables."
The first day of the no-talking challenge begins during fifth-grade lunch. As always, Mrs. Hiatt marches into the cafeteria with her bullhorn, but she does not need it. The room is so silent that Mrs. Hiatt wonders at first if she is dreaming. She asks a student, Sheila, if everything is all right. Sheila looks nervous, but she answers in three words: "Fine, thank you." Mrs. Hiatt asks all the kids if they are enjoying their lunch, and they all answer in three words: "Yes, Mrs. Hiatt." When she congratulates them on being so silent, they all giggle and look at Dave and Lynsey. Mrs. Hiatt sees this and pinpoints those two as the ringleaders, but for now she does not try to stop them.
Dave finds the silence exciting, but when he sees Mrs. Hiatt watching him at the end of the first lunch period, he realizes it may be dangerous, too. During lunch and recess, a couple of boys and a couple of girls talk by mistake, usually in bursts of emotion. However, as time passes, the group gets louder, not quieter. They realize that they can make noise as long as they do not make words. The science teacher, Mrs. Marlow, is watching recess, and she finds it quite interesting. The custodian declares it "practically a miracle."
None of the teachers know exactly what is going on with the kids, and they react in varying ways. Mrs. Marlow gathers evidence, as if the kids were in a scientific experiment, to try to figure out what is happening. She is annoyed with their three-word answers in class, but it also pleases her not to have to fight against the usual noisiness. Mrs. Akers, the...
(The entire section is 1922 words.)


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Fitness Frenzy: Cycle Karaoke
Writing this blog instead of exercising (no, I swear, I'm going to the gym in an hour to ZUMBA my little heart out) has given me an insight into the craziness that exists to get people in shape. No, I am NOT talking about DRAG QUEEN WORKOUT SCENE (be still, my heart), which I am still searching aimlessly for a class offering in West Virginia (a girl can dream, can't she?), but another kind of fabulous but confusing class: CYCLE KARAOKE!
Essentially, this class combines pedaling on an exercise bike and singing even more terribly than you would if you weren't on an exercise bike and I LIKE IT! Check plus from me. Seriously though, I used to be really into cycling until I a) fell off the bike once (reeeally hurts, take my word for it) and b) started having chest palpitations. So, I had to stop for a while. But, if there were a KARAOKE MACHINE involved, I would so get back up on that bike. Offered only at Crunch Fitness (omigod, wait, there's a CRUNCH in DC…WHY DID I MOVE TO THE WILDERNESS), this class allows you also to "give your vocal chords a workout"! Kill 2 birds with one stone…or something. Seriously, though, who has the energy or stamina to sing karaoke AND cycle at the same time? I would like to meet this person. Call me if you're him/her, and I'll buy you a drink before you hit the microphone.
(Image courtesy of CarrotsNCake, super fabu blog)


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Sunday, December 04, 2011
Breaking News: Marlins Offer Jose Reyes a Six Year, $106 Million Dollar Deal with Option for 7th Year
The Miami Marlins have put themselves in a position to acquire shortstop Jose Reyes.
The revamped franchise has offered Reyes a deal worth a minimum of $111 million, sources told ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com.
According to the sources, Miami would pay Reyes $106 million for six years, with an option for a seventh year for $22 million. If they decide not to use the option, they would pay Reyes $5 million.
Earlier in the offseason, Miami offered Reyes a six-year, $90 million deal, which he rejected.
Reyes, 28, is coming off the best year in his career. He hit .337 for the New York Mets to win his first batting title. In nine years, all with the Mets, he is batting .292 with 370 steals and 740 runs scored.
Published at Sunday, December 04, 2011
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As a kid, I loved, loved, loved popsicles, Otter Pops, and any other frozen treats I could get my little hands on. But my hands down favorite was the cherry-pineapple Big Stick. Often, my younger brother and I would fight over who got to eat the last one in the box. It was a big ordeal that frequently involved crying, pouting, and hysteria. I have no idea why we would react that way to popsicles. Looking back, I can't help but laugh at such situations.
My dad would get frustrated hearing my brother and I quarrel over the popsicles. He didn't get it…until we started to like his favorite ice cream Bon Bons (no longer available in stores, but replaced by similar product- Dreyer's Dibs.) Once that happened, he'd stock the freezer in the garage with extra boxes of Big Sticks to hinder us from his ice cream.
I still don't understand why I was so drawn to that cherry-pineapple popsicle that didn't even taste like cherry or pineapple. It was just sweet with vibrant, happy colors.
Here is my grown-up version of my favorite popsicle. Instead of cherry-pineapple, this is a strawberry pineapple popsicle! Not only does it tastes better than the original, it has a lot less sugar!
Homemade popsicles or frozen pops are a great way to use up extra fruits you have in the kitchen. Whenever I see a good deal on produce, I always buy it. Even if I don't need it, I have a tendency to believe that I will find a use for it. Like in this case, I bought a 4-pound container of strawberries. After eating it with my oatmeal/cereal/yogurt, I've just about had enough of the fruit. Rather than freeze it before it goes bad, I whipped it into a popsicle.
This is also a nice way to use up fruits that are no longer in their greatest, prime condition. So what if your strawberries are a little bruises or your pineapple was butchered as it was being cut, it doesn't matter because it'll all end up pureed.
- Puree the pineapple and strawberry separately and transfer to liquid measuring cups with a spout. The spout makes it a lot easier to pour the purees. Have your popsicle mold and wooden sticks ready.
- Pour the strawberry puree first. Fill the mold about halfway. Then slowly add the pineapple puree.
- Because the pineapple puree is more dense than the strawberry, it will displace some of the strawberry puree creating that desired swirl/marble effect.
- Place a layer of foil over the popsicle mold, followed by the popsicle mold cover. Insert wooden sticks into the mold and then remove the popsicle mold cover, leaving only the foil. In my experience, I have had difficult removing the plastic mold cover once frozen, so I prefer to use foil to hold up the wooden sticks. Place filled mold in the freezer for at least 3 hours until the popsicles are solid.
Let's get into the summer spirit a little early! If you don't have popsicle molds, there are also sorts of alternatives. You can use other freezable containers… paper cups, ice cube trays, or recycle yogurt containers!
What was your favorite frozen treat as a child?! Let me know and I'll try to recreate it!
Strawberry Pineapple Popsicles
Yield: makes 10 popsicles
- 2 cups pineapple chunks
- 3 cups sliced strawberry
- 1/3 c + 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 3 Tbsp simple syrup
Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- In a blender, or food processor, puree pineapple chunks with 1/3 cup of pineapple juice. Taste and sweeten with 1 Tbsp simple syrup, if necessary. Transfer pineapple puree into a liquid measuring cup with a spout and set aside.
- Wash and clean out blender. Puree strawberries with remaining 1/2 cup pineapple juice. Taste and sweetened with 2 Tbsp simple syrup, if necessary. Transfer strawberry puree into another liquid measuring cup with spout.
- Pour strawberry puree into molds, filling mold half way. Next, slowly pour pineapple puree into mold. Since the pineapple puree is more dense than the strawberry, it will cause that swirling/marble effect.
- Place a layer of foil over the popsicle molds, followed by the popsicle mold cover. Insert wooden sticks into the mold and then remove popsicle mold cover, leaving only the foil. In my experience, I have had difficultly removing the plastic mold cover, so I prefer to use foil. Place mold in freezer for at least 3 hours until the popsicles are solid.
- To remove popsicles from mold, submerge mold into room temperature water for 60-90 seconds. Remove from water and pull popsicles out. Enjoy immediately!
Simple Syrup:
- In a small sauce pot, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil until sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Store in fridge until ready to use.
The popsicle mold I used can be found here.


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BETHESDA, Md. — Tiger Woods was back on the PGA Tour for the first time in more than three months Thursday and said he felt "fantastic."
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