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By nature of my work I meet a fair number of private inventors. Where there appears to be a possibility of obtaining a patent, I explain the process, costs and options. I stress the importance on not waiting for the patent application to issue before trying to raise funds and move the project forward.
Whether or not it is advisable for the client to do a patentability search very much depends on the technology, how well the client is aware of the market, and the client's business plan.
Frequently an application, perhaps US provisional, perhaps Israel Application, regular US application is filed and a year goes by and the Paris Deadline comes up. Often the client is not in a position to file regular applications around the globe and goes the PCT route. Not infrequently, 18 months later, even with a positive search report that indicates that the claimed invention is patentable, the money has run out and the client forgoes national stage entry, or merely files in the US.
I rarely get enthusiastic about a new idea to the extent that I'd consider investing in it, but occasionally clients manage to launch successful products and establish companies.
A year or so back, I drafted an application for a client that had an idea that, on searching the Internet and patent databases, seemed to be patentable. When we filed a PCT application we got a fairly positive search report, that cited some art that had not published when I did my original search. Rather later than I had advised, the client started looking for investment. In this instance, a consultant did a new search and found a competing product on the market. With details of the product I could find design and pending patent applications and was relieved to see that nothing had published when I did my search. They managed to file an application and then develop and market a product which, from their website, it is clear to me that they are aware that there is room for improvement. My client is an expert in her field and her husband has complementary expertise. As I team, I thought they'd succeed. We can probably obtain a patent for their product despite the competing product on the market, but if and when they launch they will have to compete with an existing solution that itself shows many of the advantages of their product over earlier art.
History is full of examples of scientists and inventors that discover or invent something about the time that a competitor makes a similar discovery or invention. It happened to Darwin, Newton, Alexander Graham Bell, Tesla and others. It has now happened to a client of mine. It happens.
Even the best of searches won't uncover something that has not published, even if a patent has been filed. In this instance, the client can continue to develop her product with its assumed improvements but it is not unlikely that the competitor has already filed a patent application for the improvements as well. Even if the client's product is superior, it will be considered a copy of the first product to be launched.
In this instance, the client could and should, in my opinion, have moved faster, but raising funds, setting up a company, prototying, etc. does take time. Inventors have to realize that even if they do everything correct someone else may beat them to the finishing line with a similar product or with a very different one that supplies the same market need.
All sorts of problems can arise in bringing a product to market, including safety issues, manufacturing issues, regulatory issues, unforseen problems that result in the developing of a workable solution taking much longer than expected or in the budget running out. entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted.
Even when enthusiastic about a new invention I try and curb that enthusiasm. I can usually tell if a product will work from a scientific / technology angle and whether it is patentable from a legal angle. That is what I am trained to do. Bringing a product to market and understanding whether the market will be willing to pay for the product is something else entirely. I don't think betting on horses is a good analogy, but entrepeneurship is a risky business. I can and do observe from the side, and get tremendous satisfaction when breakthrough products are successful and clients makes a go of it.
Categories: Opinion, Uncategorized


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Nick and I spent the afternoon on Sunday looking at some homes for sale in Denver. We have a delightful real estate agent who is excited to be working with us in the long term (we warned her up front that we're not ready to buy for about another year!) and she's really nailed down the locations and styles we're looking for.
We saw several houses remodeled by Dovetail Homes, a Denver company that's focused on restoring vintage homes in some of the most charming, unique neighborhoods in Denver, such as Highlands, Park Hill, and Wash Park. We saw two of their homes and were utterly blown away by the quality of work and choices in finishes (aside from my addiction to HGTV, Nick's and my parents both have built homes, so we feel we have some good experience in making judgments about quality!). They clearly have a focus on making homes into quality, contemporary, modern residences while retaining the original charm. These are not your typical flippers, the layouts and changes are clearly well thought out, and the company itself has a sterling reputation.
We're going to be keeping an eye on this company and their homes as we continue our home search, and I'm truly thrilled to see more of what they're doing!
Did you focus on any builders or renovators in your home search?

subset: commoncrawl


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Reviewed by Ami and Nikyta
Title: Traditions
Author: Ann Anderson
Series: 2016 Advent Calendar – Bah Humbug
Heroes: Marcus & James
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 35 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 1, 2016
Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: When Marcus and James started dating a few years ago, James invited Marcus home to spend the holidays with his close, Christmas-loving family. Marcus quickly realized once was enough, and since then, he's stayed behind.
But this year will be different. Though the festivity and chaos make Marcus uncomfortable, he loves James, and he's decided to put aside his unease so they can spend Christmas together—even if it means losing his hotel room to one of James's siblings, braving the cold to go caroling, and battling the crowds so the children can visit Santa. It'll all be worth it if Marcus can take his place in the family's traditions—and maybe begin a new tradition for the two of them.
Continue reading


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Tourguide with Van or Car – Bratislava
You work as guide and driver for small groups of foreign tourists. Your clients and you will visit different activities near Bratislava like rafting, shooting, paintball.
In association with our suppliers you will provide a memorable experience.
Job Description
Main Responsibilities
- Guiding and driving foreign groups during their day activities.
- Providing basic information on Bratislava and group's itineraries.
- Coordinating group programs according to planned schedule, solving minor problems.
- Creating positive memorable experience for clients just be being a smiling and service-oriented person.
Type of Employment
Part-time job with irregular schedule or Trade licence contract (živnosť).
Bratislava and surroundings within 50 km. All tours start from Bratislava.
Starting Date
We hire new guides several times per year.
6,00 EUR per hour (with a minimum of 3 hours per tour).
Fuel and compensation for using your vehicle in case of driven tours.
Other Benefits
All your direct expenses during the tours are covered by company (phone costs, entry fees to venues, etc.).
Essential Requirements
- English language spoken – advanced level.
- Your own van or car and licence to drive it.
- Communicative and sociable nature.Smiling and pleasant behavior.
- Responsibility, autonomy.
- Willingness to work on weekends.
- Minimum 21 years.
Additional (Non-essential) Requirements
- We prefer applicants with high school / colleage education.


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I just thought I had to pass along that sweet little resident advisor Frankie Knuckles interview that just gives us so much insight into what Chicago House and Djing are in so little words.
Highlights :
"Ronny (Ron Hardy) did all of his stuff on a cassette deck, he pause edited everything. Erasmo and I sat behind a reel-to-reel with grease pencil and splicing blocks. And we cut everything. Ronny didn't know how to do that or didn't have the patience to learn it."
"Jamie (Principle) wrote all of those songs for the girl that he was in love with at the time—her name was Lisa, a beautiful young girl."
"I have Hercules & The Love Affair to thank for getting me back to my first love. Correction, not my first love, my real love."
If you don't know who Frankie Knukles is, do yourself a favour and listen to this piece of raw heaven, discussed in the ITW.
Bertrand Delanowave


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Cwc009 Boot Jack – Travel Style
BOOT JACK – TRAVEL STYLE Wood is Red Oak, Size 11 X 4 X ¾
Chris does Expressive yet Intricate Wood Craft with Key Rings, Carved Scenic Art Desk Clocks, Hidden Chamber Clocks, Business Card Holders, Table Lamps, Domino, Checkers or Chessboards and Tables of all kinds
He also crafts Wood Pen and Pencil Sets with or without a Box, 3 Types of Boot Jacks, Several different size and Styles of Crosses, Coaster Holders, Plaques of varying sizes. He can create Jewelry Boxes, Desk or Wall size, Horse Spurs and a Stand to set them on, as well as Boot Jack Stands to take off those Cowboy Boots, we carry both Stationary and Travel Type. We can Craft Saddle Stands, Toddler, Children and Adult Rocking Chairs, Wooden Porch Love Seat Rockers. Need a Toy Box or Hope Chest? And so much more!
Please look through the Beautiful Selections we have posted here online or contact us on this Web Site for a Specific Product or Item you would like Custom Crafted to your specifications
For all Custom Work
A final price is agreed upon before ANY work is started and Shipping will be determined by Weight, Zip Code and Box Size
Made in San Antonio, TX
By Bluehorn Custom Leather
All of our products are handmade
by expert makers.
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Every maker has a story. Be a part of Bluehorn Custom Leather's story by placing an order, leaving a review, and seeing your review appear here.


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Simon wrote a post earlier this week about the lessons that corporations can learn from web workers as a follow-up to his GigaOM Pro post, "Making Coworking Corporate-scale," (subscription required). While corporations can learn quite a bit from web workers, I think that the reverse is also true. As someone who has worked recently on both sides of the fence — as a corporate employee and as a freelancer — I thought it would be interesting to turn it around and think about what web workers can learn from corporations.
Since I'm currently working full-time in a corporation with part of that time as a web worker, I've been thinking more and more about the way that corporations are run compared to freelance and other types of web worker businesses.
Planning and Strategy
Most corporations have whole teams of people who are responsible for planning and strategy. They look at the next few years to determine the best direction for the organization over the longer term, while coming up with shorter-term plans to make sure that they can execute on that longer-term strategy. Some web workers spend an appropriate amount of time strategizing, but I see too many web workers making mistakes by avoiding it entirely, or taking it to the opposite extreme and spending so much time planning that they don't have time to do the work that pays the bills. Either extreme can be devastating for web workers, especially freelancers or small startups. Spending time setting your strategy and creating your plans to achieve your long- and short-term goals are important for all web workers, but be careful about how much time you spend.
Corporations have formal budget processes where expenses are planned, approved and adjusted throughout the year. We're currently reviewing our Q3 budget requests at work, and I'm remembering how rigorous this process can be within a corporation. You need to be able to clearly explain how much you will spend and what it will be spent on, along with being able to justify exactly why you need to spend that money. Sometimes you even need to compete with your peers to demonstrate why your request is more critical than the others. While a complex budgeting procedure is overkill for freelancers and smaller organizations, having a slightly more rigorous process can be beneficial. Even for freelancers, looking at your projected income for the year or the quarter and deciding how much of that should be spent on expenses is definitely worth the time you'll spend. Once you have the amount you can spend on expenses, you are in a better position to make appropriate trade-offs between the many conferences, supplies, equipment and other expenses to determine which ones you can realistically afford and which ones you can skip for now. Don't forget to revisit this budget if there are any changes (positive or negative) in your income or when you encounter unexpected expenses.
As an employee of a corporation, I have certain required training classes that I must take along with other opportunities for training that I can choose to take if needed. As a web worker, especially as a freelancer, it's easy to get busy and neglect training. When time taken out of the day for training means hours that you can't bill clients, this can be a tough trade-off. However, a web worker with stale, out-of-date skills is unlikely to be successful, so at some point you need to make time for some type of training to learn new things. However, you don't need to attend formal, classroom training to improve your skills. A great way to get some training without sacrificing income as a web worker is to take on an assignment that stretches you just outside of your comfort zone and requires some additional learning on your part. I'm also a big fan of picking up side projects or other activities outside of work to learn new skills. Even just spending an hour or two a week learning a new tool or technique on your own can make a big difference.
What are some other things that web workers can learn from corporations?
Photo by Flickr user ell brown, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.


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Your opinion matters.
Managing our digital photos, along with our printed photos, is getting increasingly difficult! The number of photos we take is staggering compared to even 5 years ago.
I'd like to hear from you about how you deal with your photos and what you'd like to do differently with them.
Please complete the survey, How We Use & Manage Our Photos. I value your opinion. It won't take long to complete and it will help me better help others, maybe even you someday!!
Responses are completely anonymous so no worries there.
Please share this with your friends, family, blog and social media followers, etc., so they can put in their 2 cents worth. Have fun with it! And thanks for helping!


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Nokia's Bumpy Ride Gets Bumpier as CTO Rich Green Goes on Leave
Nokia confirmed on Thursday that Rich Green, its chief technology officer has taken an indefinite leave of absence "to attend to a personal matter."
Green joined the company just over a year ago after a long career at Sun Microsystems.
"We have not provided a specific timetable for his return but during his absence, Henry Tirri, head of Nokia Research Center, will assume the responsibilities of the CTO office," Nokia said in a statement to AllThingsD. "This has no impact on our product strategy or our expected product launch timelines."
Word of Green's departure broke in a Finnish newspaper, which also said that Green is not expected to return and had disagreements with the company over strategy, particularly the company's decision to move away from the mobile Linux-based MeeGo operating system it had been developing with Intel and instead pin its hopes on Microsoft's Windows Phone software.
In any case, Green's leave is the latest bump in an already far-from-smooth transition. The company warned last week that quarterly sales would fall short of estimates as Symbian sales are already dropping faster than expected–particularly worrisome since Nokia won't have a full slate of Windows Phone products until sometime next year. Nokia also withdrew its full-year 2011 fianancial guidance. Nokia aims to get its first Windows Phone model out in the fourth quarter of this year.
In an interview after appearing on stage last week at D9, CEO Stephen Elop said he wasn't concerned that Android would be able to eat away Symbian's entire base as the Google operating system reaches the lowest-end of the smartphone business.
"Just because there is a version of an operating system at a price point, doesn't mean that it is a great experience," Elop said.


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Corporate bookings
Corporate events with spectacular views
The Prince Henry Centre is a picture-perfect location for your next seminar, conference, workshop or meeting. It offers flexible and divide-able oceanfront rooms for small or large groups.
Advanced audio-visual capabilities
The Centre has the latest multimedia and audio-visual equipment, including:
- Data projectors
- Lectern with microphone
- DVD players
- MP3 capabilities
- Wireless microphones
- Lapel microphones
- Electronic whiteboard
Explore the room floor plans
Check out the room floor plans for all the modern function rooms available for hire at the Prince Henry Centre.
Contact us
For enquiries and bookings talk to the Prince Henry team.
- 02 9093 6200
- email@example.com
Prince Henry Centre
Coast Hospital Rd


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Módulo de formación sobre educación entre pares en prisión
Este módulo de formación proporciona una guía paso a paso sobre la educación entre pares en entornos penitenciarios. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.
Suscríbase a las Alertas mensuales del IDPC para recibir información sobre cuestiones relacionadas con políticas sobre drogas.
Volunteer's work on prevention is one of the ways which allows changing the process of training on HIV issues into something more interesting than just providing the information. In a way this is an attempt to change the attitude towards the problem and to motivate people to review their risk behaviour. It can also lead to removing some social barriers. A peer prisoner (volunteer) can become the only person capable of plain conversation with the other prisoners about the routes of HIV transmission and some other diseases. The result of such training is the change in people's behaviour as well as their habits leading to
If you are planning to introduce peer education programme in prison, you may find useful the training module Step by Step. A training module on peer education in prison.
Training sessions from this module have been translated into English.
Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.


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End of an Era
I've been working in journalism since I was in college back in 1993. I started out as a reporter, but eventually found my niche in design. My mentors, Dr. Manuel Flores & Jack Waldhelm, brought me in from the rain one afternoon after they saw me walking across the campus looking dejected. I don't clearly remember what was going on in my life at that time, but I know Manuel & Jack both saved my life that day.
After that day, things weren't the same for me. The lost and angst-ridden high school graduate who couldn't decide what he wanted to do with his life finally found a purpose. I hadn't yet found myself, the person I wanted to be, but I had found out what that person- whoever he might be -wanted to do with his life. I wanted to design newspages. And I did. Well. I was part of a weekly college newspaper that one year decimated the major university dailies. Division I newspapers are now all daily papers, but back in my day, we were one of the few weeklies who could go head to head with any Texas university daily and win.
I was in heaven. I mean, there I was, doing what I loved and doing it well. I worked hard and partied harder. And with each passing day I grew to realize that all the art classes I'd ever taken, all the drawing and sketching, all the visually oriented things that struck my fancy all could be used in my chosen career. I even took side jobs and did them for free- that's how much I loved what I did back then.
My first job in design was working for an ad agency in Corpus Christi. I was an assistant production designer who worked mostly at night. The job was great, but our boss was a bit...intense. While I got to do lots of interesting things, the job came with a rather sharp and pointy thorn that eventually drove the creative director away and later me. I worked freelance during that time and got a few gigs doing posters and corporate ID. Eventually, I moved on to working for a Naval museum, the U.S.S. Lexington Museum on the Bay, for a couple of years. I also worked in ad composing at the Caller-Times for a few months, in tandem with the Lex job. I almost burned myself out doing that, but it was great money while I did it. Eventually I left the ad composing job, then later left the Lex for a job at a print shop. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but after a few months, they cut me loose.
I went on unemployment for a while, not knowing what I should do. My exit from the Caller-Times wasn't good and it prevented me from getting hired on there for some time. After taking some temp work and trying once again to get on with the Corpus paper, I decided that maybe what I needed to do was find a place to start new.
Eventually, I moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where I would land a copy editing/design job with a medium circulation paper. It was a great job and I made some of my closest friends while I was there.
After a year or so, thee paper in Fort Smith started to go through some managerial changes that would eventually land me in hot water. Maybe I was just too combative with the new regime, but after a few scrapes with the "design coordinator," I began to realize that my job might be in jeopardy. So I started to look for a new job and found it in the form of a Spanish-language paper that was about to launch in San Antonio, Texas. They offered me great money. Three days after I announced I was quitting, I was in San Antonio and on the job.
The first few months in that job were hard. Long hours and lots of work, but it was rewarding because it was a new publication. We were creating something from scratch and it was something revolutionary. Everyone who worked there agreed- it was a labor of love. But after the first year, the company lost its funding and I almost lost my job. It would be another tense year before a second round of layoffs would come and I would be given my release.
I was angry, mildly heartbroken, but anxious to find another newspaper job in the city. I applied at several places before making into the Express-News. It was just the break I had been looking for. I felt my skills were getting a little stale and I needed to get reinvigorated. It did the trick. For a while. But the young man who would do his job for free was long gone. Replaced by a cynical designer who didn't care about the art and only the money. There had been so many little things about the business that I hadn't anticipated. It sure didn't help my self-esteem any. I had started to shoot independent film, a long standing passion of mine, and was starting to come into my own. With three films under my belt, I felt good about myself again. And slowly, I realized that my time in newspapers would most likely be drawing to a close. I was plotting to get out. I wasn't sure how or when or how, but I wanted out.
I would be moved all over at the Express-News. I was doing the business section when I started, moved onto sports for a time and then to news. My final move would land me in the company's Latino-centric, weekly publication, which I had been hoping to work on someday. It came at the right time and helped put me in a better frame of mind career-wise. I started to feel good about the job again, about my skills, about my career. I began to think about ways of improving my skill set and began to really get myself into a proper mindset to be as effective as I could be. And while I had plotted to get out of the business, each day that I walked by the press I would once again be reminded how much I loved it. I think maybe I romanticized it all so much that when the bottom fell out again, so did my heart.
I arrived at work almost two weeks ago to find that a large chunk of the editorial team had been layed off. It was a slaughter. They said it was a 15% cut in the workforce. I think it was more than what they said. Regardless, I was called into talk to the design director and the deputy design director where I was informed that I had been given my release. The business had been in a state of flux for quite some time and with other papers all over the country either folding or slashing their staffs, ours was no different.
I won't lie. I cried in that office, in front of my boss and the deputy. I had taken a 50 caliber round to the chest and the round broke my heart into a thousand little pieces so jagged and tiny that I couldn't put it back together. I put my sunglasses on and walked to my car, fighting back tears which would eventually flow the minute I sat down and closed the door. At home, in my girlfriend's arms, I cried some more. From time to time now, my eyes well up with tears that I fight back or wipe away before anyone can notice. I'm not sad about losing my job. I've lost jobs before. I'm sad because a decision was made for me the day they let me go- I would leave the business. Forever.
Before I moved to Arkansas, I was made editor of the college paper that I had worked on, on and off, throughout the years. I was only editor for one semester before leaving, but I remember thinking back then, "This what I love. This is who I am." I love the newspaper business. In Fort Smith, we had to drive over to the press to check the edition for head busts or mistakes. The last line of defense. I remember that sometimes I would get there and it was still being printed. I remember standing at the doorway to the press room, watching the spool of newsprint fly through the rollers and get inked. I remember the smell of the ink and the paper. The way it was still damp when they handed you the copy fresh off the press. I remember the staff at RUMBO, the Spanish-language daily, hustling and working in that big newsroom at our downtown office. The phones were ringing and people typed furiously on their machines, cranking out stories. I remember, way back in my formative college years, how tensions would run high between reporters, photographers and editors and we would yell at each other and call ourselves names and be angry with one another. But by the end of the night, we would be at a bar, enjoying a beer and laughing about the entire day. I remember the feeling of looking at my work, on the printed page, and realizing that, for better or worse, this was my life. And I loved it.
I was hoping that my new place at the paper would allow me to revitalize my career goals. But I think in the back of my mind, my love for the business had started to fade. I had even told a few people that from time to time. Each time someone would say to me, "Don't give up on it." And for as much as I loved it, each day that a paper would close or some company layed off a bunch of people, I lost a little more love for the business.
So here I am now. Waiting for my last day. I am still heartbroken over having to go. Day by day, I was starting to see major improvements in my work and I was feeling good about my path. But now, I have to focus on using what I've learned in order to get myself into a new line or work.
I'm not scared or worried about the future. I know my future will be full of really great things. And much like the life I had before the newspaper business, I await the new challenges and new experiences with great anticipation. I saw a post about a major player in the design universe at Newsweek taking a buyout. And something he said has really suck with me:
"I defined myself by the job. Now, just gonna start looking for a new definition."
I realized, just now, that I will never stop loving this business. Never. I'm just gonna have to love my next gig with the same kind of passion.
Good luck to all my friends in the business. Good luck to all the reporters, photographers, copy editors, designers and illustrators out there who are still in the business. And to those of you who are young and idealistic and want to be in the business, just makes sure you love it.


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Now Khaiyum says e-mail was not sanctioned by Solicitor-General; Sources claim pressure on Bole to retract made him ill
School prayers, religious ceremonies or observance are permitted as long as they are not forced upon anyone.
In a letter to the Minister for Education, the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said religious instruction, ceremony or observance may be given in any school whether a government or private school.
However, neither teachers nor students can be compelled to give or be present if the religious instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion that is not his or her own religion. Sayed-Khaiyum said this is affirmed in Section (22) 6 of the Constitution.
His letter to Minister Filipe Bole dated March 10 further said religious classes can be undertaken and opportunities must be given to students who wish to receive religious instructions of their choice but this must not disrupt classes. Sayed-Khaiyum also said government schools are at liberty to organise prayers for school assemblies and gatherings in the name of God.
The AG pointed out an email from the Ministry dated of January 28, 2014 on devotions and prayers in public and religious schools which purports to provide legal advice on the Constitution and Education Act is misleading and incorrect. The content was not cleared from the Solicitor General's Office. Source: Fiji Broadcasting Commission


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Raw Materials Scoreboard 2016
The Raw Materials Scoreboard is an initiative of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials. Its purpose is to provide quantitative data on the EIP's general objectives and on the raw materials policy context. It presents relevant and reliable information that can be used in policymaking in a variety of areas.
The Scoreboard will for example be used to monitor progress towards a circular economy, a crucial issue on which the European Commission recently adopted an ambitious Action Plan. The Scoreboard will be published every two years
Please Log In or Sign Up to rate this resource or make a comment.


text:
Dr Nick Baylis, PhD (Jesus College, Cambridge University) FRSA
has been a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts for 12 years now.
The Cambridge Well-being Consultancy Ltd, UK Company Number 6581522,
is Registered at 6 Pearce Close, Newnham, Cambridge CB3 9LY
In all & any of his consultancy work, in schools, businesses, or one to one,
Dr Nick Baylis is trading solely as an Officer/Director of that limited-liability company.
This website, books & recordings © Dr Nick Baylis 2012 All Rights Reserved
Legal Representative: Chief Executive of RiverViewChambers
No.1, Temple Avenue, London, EC4


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You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Food' category.
Appropriate for North Hollywood (NoHo), but actually short for "no hormone" chili. I was really excited about using bison meat, but sadly, my local farmer's market store said it's currently "out of season" for them. I substituted lean grass-fed beef instead. I made it on Saturday for a big group of friends and it was delicious! I recommend this recipe for your next party / superbowl gathering…
Bison is the only red meat in America to which no hormones have ever been added, as stipulated by federal law; no hormones, and no unneeded antibiotics–ever. So for these hormone high holy days, I offer a slow cooker recipe I call, "Keep Your Damn Hormones Chili." My best friend prefers to call it "No-Ho Chili," which works, as well.Keep Your Damn Hormones Chili
By Marion
*3 tbs olive oil
*2 medium onions
*3 cloves garlic
*2 pounds ground bison
*2.5 tbs chili powder
*1 tsp cumin
*1 tsp allspice
*1 tsp cinnamon
*1 tsp coriander
*2 15.5-oz cans red kidney beans
*1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
*1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
*1 4-oz can tomato paste
*1.5 tbs red wine vinegar
1. Sautee bison in large frying pan until done. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to slow cooker.
2. Wipe out frying pan.
3. Add olive oil to frying pan.
4. Pulse together onions and garlic in food processor until chopped.
5. Transfer to frying pan and add spices. Sautee on medium heat for five minutes or until onions are soft.
6. Transfer to slow cooker.
7. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and set for 6 hours on low or whatever suits your schedule.
(I add a dollop of organic plain strained or Greek yogurt to mine before eating. Also, all the beans, spices and oil are organic in my version, but that's your call).
I'm also excited about finding THIS LINK. Very Julie and Julia minus all the kitchen time. Yummmm.
Nasal Irrigation. It doesn't make for great date conversation, but who I am to withhold such helpful info in my blog? (Shameless, I know.)
Check out this NYT article:
Well, OF COURSE it does. If you've done it, then you know it is INSTANT temporary relief. I use my NeilMed Sinus Rinse everyday (usually before bed so that I can sleep better). I can't imagine that anyone who suffers from allergies, congestion, etc. wouldn't use a nasal irrigation system. I prefer this system so that I don't have to tilt my head and play with gravity:
This version just shoots the water into your sinuses (based on the pressure you use to squeeze the bottle). I should be their spokesperson, don't you think?
Other fun links 'o the day:
Silence noisy facebook friends
Today is National Wear your PJs to Work Day
How Long Will This Last? (Food expiration)
How Long Can You Refridgerate or Freeze Food?
Expiration Dates for Beauty Products
Growth Waves: Texas and the New South
OK class. Read. Discuss…
Pictured above: Stonyfield Farm Organic lowfat Vanilla w/ a few "Honey Bunches of Oats: Just Bunches" crumbles and dried wild blueberries.
It's not necessarily low-cal or low sugar, but I'm pretty sure it's packed full of nutritious goodness for your body.
Rating: 9 brown cows (minus one for sugar content).
I didn't know anyone else shared my deep affection for peanut butter until I came across this blog. Her photos make me salivate, and they gave me all kinds of topping ideas for oatmeal and yogurt! Yum!
I use 1/2 regular 1/2 whole wheat flour, cut the sugar a little, and add chocolate chips and walnuts 🙂 Recipe compliments of my mom, modifications compliments of me!
I walked into the kitchen and saw a bowl of lemons (freshly picked from a co-workers tree). I immediately started making fresh squeezed lemonade.
A coworker walked in while I was shaking up my concoction.
"Look! Someone brought lemons! Now we can make lemonade!" I chirped.
"Well…that's the spirit. I like your outlook…" she replied, dryly.
Oh…um…yeah. I guess am literally a "make lemonade" person even when I don't realize I'm a WALKING CLICHE. Underneath this red hair, I am still a blonde. A "make the best of what life gives you" bubbly blonde. Ugh. Makes me want to go brood somewhere and listen to emo music…KIDDING! "Happy Happy Country Country" anyone?
Chocolate Mint Tea
you will need:
-hot water
-mint tea (I used Plantation Mint)
-hot chocolate powder (I prefer no sugar added)
Brew a cup of mint tea. Pour in hot chocolate. Stir. Drink. It's an easy, quick treat that's especially good for a freezing cold office (like ours…brrr…I'm considering buying fingerless gloves).
This creation was inspired by the Moroccan mint latte at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and improvised using our ever-depleting stock in our office kitchen cabinet.
RICH Mint Hot Chocolate
Another option is to make a cup of hot chocolate and drop in an Andes mint. It's heavenly.
I love this!
Not only do I LOVE vinegarette based salad dressings, candied walnuts, and apples, but I love this earnest cook in her tiny kitchen!


text:
We're a week away from Valentine's Day, and normally I am just thankful that I'm not Rosaline from Romeo and Juliet.
This year, though, I wanted to show my appreciation for those of you who read this blog and read my books! No contest, no sign ups, no opting in for anything – none.
If you would like me to mail you a chapbook with my short story "When I Met Crazy in the Morning" and Recipes from Hefner Falls (recipes from the Great Depression), just send me an email (I won't spam you and I won't share your email address) – melindamcguirewrites @ yahoo dot com with the subject line "chapbook". Include your mailing address in the email, and I will mail you the chapbook and a bookmark.
Just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have been so supportive. I do truly appreciate you! So —> THANK YOU!
And, of course, you can always download the free ebook copy of "When I Met Crazy in the Morning" on Amazon, Sony, Diesel , Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.


text:
Fragrant candied strawberries with palpable small seeds together with exquisite chocolate is a real quintessence of flavour. Strawberries, also called the fruit of love, together with chocolate covering create refined duet, which is additionally richened with the cocoa sprinkle.
Candied Strawberries, Dark Chocolate: cocoa solids minimum 43%.
Allergen information:
soya lecithin


text:
Work is about to start on upgrading the historical wharf in Waiuku's Tamakae Reserve.
Contractors are preparing the site for works that include upgrading shoreline retaining walls, new piles and replacing part of the wharf with a new timber structure.
"The reserve is a real focal point for the town and a valuable historical, recreational and cultural landmark for Waiuku. The wharf has needed improvements for some time so it's great to see the work finally getting underway," says local board member Sharlene Druyven.
This is all part of a desire to have people reconnect with the reserve, she says.
The current work is expected to be completed in late 2017.
Information sought on willow tree
The project involves heavy machinery and digging up the area near the wharf, so Auckland Council is proposing to remove a weeping willow tree located nearby.
"Its location makes it logistically really hard to work on the area and even trying to work around it would potentially cause more damage to the tree, especially with its expansive root structure. The best course of action is to remove it," says the council's Parks and Places Specialist, Greg Lowe.
"We've also had it inspected by an arborist, who found that it had a major split in one of its limbs and is infested with Black Willow aphid – which has killed a number of willows across Auckland in the past few years."
The tree has a heritage protection so the council will need to apply for resource consent for its removal, but first we are keen to find out a bit more about its history.
"Other than its age we can find little information about it, and we would love to hear from the community if they have any history or stories about it," says Mr Lowe.
Once the renewal project is complete, it is proposed that a new tree, a pohutukawa, would be planted further away from the wharf and shore's edge.
Anyone with any information on the history of the willow tree can email Greg Lowe by Wednesday 31 May.