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Irvine, Calif. - At Nissan, it is not unusual for creative types to define and maintain design intention for a new vehicle with a collection of 3-D objects. Past inspiration has been found in things like a bulldog, a shark fin, and a motorcycle tank.
"Objects for us designers are very important. They allow us to communicate very well our design intention and to keep that intention all along the project," said Francois Farion, senior manager, Nissan color and design strategy.
At the Nissan 360 program for media, which runs through Sept. 15 in Southern California, the main meeting area features a dedicated space to house design elements that have served as metaphors for current, and concept, Nissan vehicles. There's a bulldog with sunglasses, a globe suspended by gravitational pull, a windmill and even a shark fin.
"The objects - we have to look for them and find them everywhere. To work like this in 3-D, gathering objects and putting them together in a meaningful way, is really unique to Nissan as far as I know," said Farion.
Source: Nissan

subset: commoncrawl


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By Lisa Desjardins, CNN
Follow on Twitter: @LisaDCNN
Editor's Note: Listen to the full story in our player above, and join the conversation in our comments section below.
Capitol Hill (CNN) – So, what the heck is this razor hanging over the federal government? The forced budget cuts, or sequester, are more than your regular breed of spending knife.
This is more of a chainsaw. Agencies have little flexibility in how the cuts hit, and now, if they go into effect, have only six months to come up with tens of billions in savings.
A few examples of what this will mean?
[1:49] Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told members of Congress last week, "At the major international airports, average wait times to clear customs will increase by 50%."
Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said furloughs will hit 80,000 civilians who work for the Pentagon.
[2:56] "Many of them will be furloughed for as many as 22 days…before the end of the year. In other words, a fifth of their paycheck, gone."
For more on why agencies are limited in how they make these cuts, as well as how the food supply could be affected, listen to our story above.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. And listen to CNN Soundwaves on our SoundCloud page.
Let the axe fall and make the cuts. Its will not be the disaster as politicians say. Depts will be forced to reorganize, to eliminate waste, to use technology more efficently, to not purchase excess, to reevalute.....basically to do as civilian business do. There is way too much waste and abuse in government. Make them work more efficently. Initiate the cuts now. It will mkae the departments more efficent.
Chuck, yes, it will be a disaster. It will shut down numerous programs that people rely on to keep from starving/freezing/etc. to death.
They would do better to focus SOLELY on cutting the military, which in my opinion the only thing that we need to protect us is our nuclear weapons. Terrorists? Not a huge worry and impossible to get rid of, let alone stop in most cases.
Gees, Chuck, I really don't mean to be sarcastic but you sure are gullible. Are you anywhere near Washington? If so, stop by the Capitol building and see who is there. Nobody. Congress is all at home with their families doing what they do best. Nothing. They are playing politics at the expense of the people who pay their considerable salaries. In my opinion they and their "let 'em eat cake" attitude should be sent home permanently.
There is plenty of waste but these furloughs aren't touching it. This is political grandstanding.The military industrial complex is huge with weapons systems, contractors, utility bills, active duty pay, civilian pay. These furloughs for only a 20% reduction in civilian pay for a few months will make almost no effect on balancing anything or reducing the deficit. These people are working and contributing to society...providing a service...producing a product...whatever. If you want to save money then reduce the entitlement programs....those sacred cows aren't being touched. If we both cut spending across the board and raise taxes in incremental chunks over 10 years then we get healthy again without put us back into a recession....which is what is going to happen if you let this sequester go on for very long.
5 percent cuts for domestic spending & 8 percent defense cuts.... Hardly draconian.
What programs have too much money?
umm how was this explained with a tomato? there wasn't even an analogy given.
This is exactly the WRONG way to cut government spending. The salaries of government employees – who are mostly middle-class folks – are not the problem. The problem is the stupid, wasteful projects that they're required to work on.
Furlough government employees, and they'll lose a significant portion of their paychecks. They'll stop spending, hurting the economy. Then, they'll go back to work, and continue wasting taxpayer dollars on planes the military doesn't want, programs that don't work, etc.
We'll be back just where we started, only we'll have hurt thousands of middle-class families in the process.
ag, you are the first person that I have seen or read that has finally stated that about the federal employees!!! Thank you!! All I keep hearing is all negative things about us and we are the root of the debt, etc... because we are all "overpaid"! which is B.S. Washington has talked talked talked about how they dont want to affect the middle-class family, but then they turn around and put federal employees at the top of their list to go after. We have had our paychecks affected by all this for the last 4yrs and it will affect our paycheck for the rest of our careers due to compound interest. Now they want our retirements!! WTH!! Meanwhile, Congress is getting their full checks and getting all their full benefits and retirement for NOT doing their job at all!!!
Ag: Thank you for stating what most do not realize – this is affecting normal everday hard working people! 20% is a lot of money to not have coming in. I live in San Diego where gas is $4.25 per gallon and the cost of food is skyrocketing also (even though the Government doesn't think so). I will be making $600 per week if furloughed. I pay for the healthcare for me and my kids. I pay for daycare for my kids. No, I do not live beyond my means – I bought a mobile home for my kids and I to live in. I receive no "handouts" from the Government but, they sure do take a lot from me. They have already "borrowed" our retirement funds and our TSP (401K) just like they have already done with Social Security. A Government employee is stereotyped as a fat cow cash hog or whatever. We are not. Our pay has been frozen for the last few years while Congress has given themselves a pay raise (4% this year alone I think). Oh, and here is a real kicker: regular civilian counterparts that have we have the same job as make 20-40% MORE than us.
You have to but wonder when the article says that some 80,000 civilians who work for the Pentagon will lose a fifth of their paycheck and that's only 22 days? How would the rest of the working class like to only have to work 110 days a year? Just once I would like to see a cut in the senate, house, congress etc... paychecks; and see how fast they fix that!
By working 4 days a week instead of 5, the employee will lose 1/5 of paycheck. This is true at factories, restaurants, wall street, retail stores, most places that pay an hourly wage. Losing one day a week of work is losing 1/5 of one's pay. This loss of a fifth of the weekly pay will continue and might cost them 22 days of unpaid work by October 1, 2013.
Nice that private industry continues to work 40 hours a week.


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text: For a second time this season, scandalous photos of an American Idol contestant are causing a stir. And this time, they're not of steamy songstress Antonella Barba-they're of androgynous tween heartthrob Sanjaya Malakar. The disturbing images have been circulating on the Internet for the past 24 hours, and while Idol has yet to issue a formal statement, Malakar told the Associated Press that he should've been "more careful with who [he] trusted." Below are the pictures that have caused the uproar.


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I was watching a program on Veria Living yesterday (great channel!) on which Alex Jamieson, of Supersize Me fame, was discussing the health benefits of garbanzo beans. She talked about how good they were for the heart, and how, coincidentally, they look quite similar to it. The show host, Dr. Holly, then mentioned the resemblance of walnuts to the human brain, and how good they are for its health. "Isn't it funny how nature does that for us?" She asked. I found this topic so fascinating that I decided to look into it further. Here's what I found.
Chickpeas- The Heart
Garbonzo Beans do look quite a bit like the heart, don't they? And Alex Jamieson was right-they are full of heart healthy dietary fiber. Fiber is only found in plant foods, and is a must in our diets. It reduces blood pressure, lowers LDL, and eases inflammation, thereby reducing risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.source
Walnuts- The Brain
Corn- The Pancreas
Once again- fiber, fiber, fiber, only found in plants, is absolutely essential for our health. And the pancreas. In fact, research has shown that people who eat high fiber diets have a 50%-60% lower risk of pancreatic cancer!(source)
Sweet Potatoes- The Liver
High in Vitamin A, sweet potatoes can actually loosen up tough fibers caused by excessive drinking or vitamin deficiencies, and eliminate free radicals that cause degeneration over time.(source)
Carrots- The Eyes
Speaking of Vitamin A, did you know deficiencies in this nutrient are the leading cause of blindness in developing countries and in the elderly? Not something you want to mess around with. Vitamin A removes free radicals from cells of the eyes and protects the surface of the eye, the cornea, from damage.(source)
Beets- Blood Vessels
Beets are high in nitrates, which not only open blood vessels in the body, increasing blood flow and oxygen to places in the body which are lacking, but also increase blood flow to the brain, possibly reducing risk of dementia.(source)
Alfalfa Sprouts- Hair
Chia Pets aren't the only things alfalfa sprouts grow hair on. That's because they're high in protein- one of the highest protein plants you can eat, in fact. Protein encourages hair growth and stimulates the roots of your hair.(source)
Suffice it to say, Mother Nature is looking out for us, and has done her best to take the guesswork out of healthy eating. I think we'd all do well to stop taking nutrition advice from labels and start heeding her signs. Happy eating!
Picture Sources: Kidney Beans, Kidney, Walnut, Brain, Corn, Pancreas, Sweet Potato, Liver, Carrot, Eye, Garbanzo Beans, Heart, Beets, Blood, Alfalfa Sprouts, Hair


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J. D. Heyes
Natural News
July 14, 2012
(NaturalNews) Millions of Americans have wondered aloud since news broke that former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky molested young boys in the shower of the football complex how it could have happened over the years without the knowledge – and tacit consent – of the college's legendary head coach, Joe Paterno, and others associated with program.
Well, the answer is officially in: "Jo Pa," as he was once affectionately known, and some of Penn State's senior leaders did know of Sandusky's horrible, serial abuse, but displayed "total disregard" for the children he was victimizing.
That's the verdict from one-time FBI director and former federal judge Louis Freeh, who – along with a team of investigators he led – have just wrapped up a months-long investigation into allegations that Paterno & Co. may share culpability for what Sandusky was doing well out of the public's view.
Freeh and his team had "unfettered access" to the university during the investigation, according to the 267-page report released following the inquiry. They interviewed hundreds of people in a bid to learn how the university and its famed coach Paterno, who won two national titles with Sandusky, responded to the available warning signs.
"Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State," Freeh told reporters during a press conference this week. "The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized."
Ignoring warning signs 'empowered' Sandusky
Said the report: "These men concealed Sandusky's activities from the Board of Trustees, the university community and authorities. They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky's victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child who Sandusky assaulted in the Lasch Building in 2001.
"Further," the report continued, "they exposed this child to additional harm by alerting Sandusky, who was the only one who knew the child's identity, of what [receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Mike] McQueary saw in the shower the night of February 9, 2001."
Freeh's team went onto conclude that inaction by Paterno, his senior staff and the university "empowered Sandusky to attract potential victims to the campus and football events by allowing him to have continued, unrestricted and unsupervised" access to the university and its facilities, which provided him "with the very currency that enabled him to attract his victims."
The eight-month inquiry found that Paterno, athletic director Tim Curley, the university's vice president, Gary Schultz – who was in charge of the campus police department – and university president Graham Spaner "never demonstrated, through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky's victims until after Sandusky's arrest."
Sexual abuse of the children could have been prevented if university officials banned Sandusky from bringing them on the campus after a 1998 inquiry, said the report. But despite their knowledge of the police investigation into Sandusky showering with a boy in the football facility locker room, Paterno, Spanier, Curley and Schultz took no action whatsoever to even limit Sandusky's access to camps, the report noted.
Paterno passes but victims remain
In May 1998, a woman lodged a complaint after her son came home with wet hair after showering with Sandusky, but it did not result in charges at the time. Freeh's report said Schultz was worried at the time that the matter would be akin to opening a "Pandora's box."
Finally, university officials did ban Sandusky from bringing children to the campus, but the damage was already done.
University officials' disregard for the children's well-being was "callous and shocking," Freeh said.
In comments to the Washington Post after news of the scandal broke, Paterno sounded a lame tone.
"I didn't know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was," he said. "So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn't work out that way."
Paterno, a hall of fame coach, died of lung cancer in January. He was 85.
The victims he helped create; however, live on.
Freeh report: http://www.cbsnews.com
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Photography 101: exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO
Unlock your camera's potential! Here's everything you need to know about exposure settings
Every quality photo begins with exposure. Even if you catch a great subject at the perfect moment with strong framing, everything is lost if you blow the exposure. Photographers who shoot in automatic mode are accustomed to the camera taking care of all the settings. But, as smart as digital cameras have become, they aren't perfect. Elevating your picture-taking from good to great requires a general understanding of the three elements of exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Understand the interplay between these three elements, and you will be able to anticipate great photographs, rather than wait for happy coincidences.
The temptation to stick to auto mode is understandable: High-end digital cameras can be daunting, especially for anyone whose only prior camera was a smartphone. But once you know how a camera's exposure settings work, a lot of that intimidation should be alleviated. When you have a basic understanding of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO – which are also the basics of photography, in general – you're well on your way to mastering your digital camera's advanced modes, even if you never opened the user manual. (Although, you really should read the manual too.)
There's a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo that goes into how a digital camera handles exposure, but we'll attempt to keep this discussion in plain English as much as possible.
The aperture is simply a hole within the lens that limits the amount of light that can pass through the lens. By changing the aperture value on your camera, you increase or decrease the size of that hole, thereby allowing more or less light into the camera. Aperture is measured in f-stops, such as f/22 and f/4, but here's the thing: The smaller the f-stop number, the larger the opening, and vice versa. So, when you are adjusting the settings, think of the opposite: If you want less light to enter (small aperture), go for a larger f-stop. How large your lens' aperture can open will depend on your lens. (Hint: A lens' maximum aperture will be part of its model name, like a 50mm f/1.8 or a 12-120mm f/4.)
Beyond controlling the amount of light, aperture determines an image's depth of field (DOF). Simply put, DOF is how depth will be in focus within the image. An image with a large DOF will have sharp focus from foreground to background, while a small (or "shallow") DOF sees the focus concentrated on one particular focus plane, with foreground and background elements blurred away. When thinking about the f-stop, choose a smaller number (larger aperture to let in more light) to achieve a smaller DOF, or a larger number (smaller aperture, less light) to increase DOF.
A small aperture (larger f-number) helps keep both foreground and background elements in focus. (1/60 sec., f/16, ISO 400). Daven Mathies/Digital Trends
When would you want to control aperture? The most common examples are portraits and landscapes. Portraits often look more appealing when the subject is separated from the background, which a DOF will achieve. On the other hand, for landscapes we typically want everything to be in sharp focus, from the foliage in the foreground the distant mountains. If you're not sure how much depth of field you need, the beauty of digital photography is the ability to "guess and check." Simply take a photo, check it out on the camera's LCD screen, and either increase or decrease the size of the aperture to get the desired DOF.
A large aperture (small f-number) is commonly used in portraits to separate the subject from background and foreground elements. (1/125 sec., f/1.6, ISO 200). Daven Mathies/Digital Trends
Just like the shutters on your windows, a camera's shutter opens to allow light in. The shutter lives just in front of the imaging sensor (or film, in the old days) and the shutter speed is the amount of time it stays open. Aperture and shutter speed work together: Whereas the aperture determines the amount of light that's coming through the lens, the shutter determines the length of time the sensor will be exposed to that light. When you set the shutter speed – usually measured in fractions of a second (e.g. 1/30, 1/1,000) – you are telling the camera how quickly or slowly to open and close the shutter. A shutter speed of 1/4,000 second is very fast and will let in very little light, while a shutter speed of 1/2 second will let in a lot of light.
In addition to its role in exposure, shutter speed controls how motion is captured by the camera. A fast shutter speed will freeze moving objects in their track, while a slow shutter speed will record the movement, allowing objects to blur. While a certain shutter speed is required to take a steady picture without a tripod, blur isn't necessarily bad and sharpness isn't necessarily good. There are many situations when the choice between the two is a creative one, rather than a technical one. For example, imagine a speeding race car: Some may want a blurry effect to illustrate its motion around the track, while others may want to freeze it to show a specific moment, such as when it crossed the finish line. In the former example, you'll want to try a slower shutter speed like 1/60, while the latter example would require a speed of 1/1,000 or more.
On a tripod, a slow shutter speed will add motion blur to any moving elements in the frame, such as water and foliage, while stationary objects will remain sharp. (30 seconds, f/5, ISO 400). Daven Mathies/Digital Trends
There are a few things to keep in mind. If you are using a very slow shutter speed, make sure your camera is stabilized on a tripod or other steady surface to prevent camera shake. When hand holding your camera, the slowest shutter speed you can shoot without introducing shake depends on many factors, including the focal length of your lens and whether or not it (or your camera) has image stabilization. Generally speaking, shutter speeds between 1/60 and 1/125 second (or faster) are safe for handheld shots.
ISO simply stands for International Standards Organization, but its meaning in photography is unique. Also known as "film speed," it is a rating carried over from the film days, but means the same thing on digital cameras: sensitivity to light. ISO controls how the sensor responds to the light it receives from the shutter and aperture. A high ISO makes it more sensitive to light, whereas a low ISO is less sensitive to light.
Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO all affect exposure in similar ways, but whereas the first two have creative side effects (DOF, motion blur), ISO isn't so lucky. Generally speaking, you'll want to keep ISO as low as possible while still achieving the correct exposure, as increasing the ISO also increases noise. When you hear someone describe a photo as being "too noisy," ISO is likely to blame. Noise is rarely a creative effect we're after, and if we are, it's usually best to add it in post. Sensors also just perform better at low ISO settings, recording better color depth and dynamic range. (In the film days, high ISO films were "grainier." You can think of "grain" and "noise" as being effectively the same thing.)
In daylight or well lit scenes, the ISO can be set low, usually around 100 to 400 (ISO is rated in the hundreds, e.g. 100, 200, 400, 800, etc.). In such cases, you can typically rely on just your aperture and shutter speed to dial in a proper exposure. However, in dim lighting, there may be no other option than to increase ISO. Furthermore, if you want both a fast shutter speed and deep depth of field (small aperture), then raising the ISO might be necessary. Many cameras advertise insanely high maximum ISOs, but don't always believe the marketing hype. Just because a camera can shoot at ISO 102,400 doesn't mean you should use it.
Is there a way to shoot in dark settings without raising the ISO? Well, there's always flash – but in general, on-camera flash produces unflattering results. Whether you prefer the look of flash or the look of noise is a choice you may have to make. You can also place the camera on a tripod to allow the use of a slower shutter speed, thereby keeping ISO low. However, if you're trying to shoot people other other subjects that aren't perfectly still, this may not be an option. Finally, investing in a lens with a wider maximum aperture might be a good idea, as the kit lenses included with most interchangeable lens cameras have relatively small maximum apertures. But, as evidenced in the photo above, sometimes even an f/1.4 lens isn't enough to keep the ISO down.
As you've probably concluded, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together to properly expose an image. A change to one will impact the other two. For example, increasing the shutter speed will need to be matched by an increase in ISO or aperture size to maintain the same exposure value. Likewise, decreasing the size of the aperture (selecting a larger f-number) will require a faster shutter speed or lower ISO. The basic point here is that selecting an exposure is always an exercise in compromise. In many situations, it may not matter, but in tricky lighting, finding a balance of settings that offers the DOF, motion, and noise levels you want may be a challenge.
If this is sounding complicated, don't worry: In addition to full automatic and full manual exposure modes, there are "in-between" modes that give you more control while streamlining and simplifying the exposure process. Want to just focus on depth of field? Aperture Priority or Aperture Value mode (A or Av) lets you set the aperture and compensates with the shutter speed automatically. Shutter Priority or Time Value (S or Tv) is the reverse, controlling aperture automatically while letting you manually select a shutter speed. Auto ISO is generally turned on or off independently of exposure mode, and turning it on will remove another step from the equation, but may inadvertently lead to noisier pictures.
Don't freak out if this all seems overwhelming. Know that there's no magic answer to understanding exposure, and even professional photographers constantly play with the settings until they get an image they are happy with. The key is to experiment and not be intimidated.
For this post-sunset scene, we found a combination of settings that allowed for the sharpness and depth of field we needed, while not introducing too much noise. (1/125 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800). Daven Mathies/Digital Trends
When it comes to the aperture setting, think of the opposite: a small f-stop number equals a large aperture setting, while the large f-stop number equals a small aperture setting.
To blur the background of a portrait, choose a large aperture (small f-stop). To keep the entire image in-focus, choose a small aperture setting (large f-stop).
To "freeze" a moving object, use a fast shutter speed. For a blurring effect, use a slower shutter speed.
A tripod is handy when shooting images at very low shutter speeds.
To reduce noise, try to always keep ISO as low as possible — but know you may have to raise it in low light settings.
Changing one setting affects the others. If you are using a slow shutter speed, you'll likely need to use a smaller aperture to compensate.
If you don't mind handing over some control to the camera, choose Aperture Priority mode to only control depth of field or Shutter Priority mode for motion capture.
There's no wrong way to take a photo. Experiment with the settings until you get the shot you're happy with.


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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a joint project of the UN and the World Meteorological Organization, is tasked with releasing periodic reports on the state of our understanding of climate change and how to cope with it. It has been preparing its fourth report, to be released in 2007. As part of that process, 300 delegates have been meeting in Paris to finalize the executive summary, which was released at a press conference earlier today.
Anyone even vaguely conscious of the news recently will already be aware of many of its most striking conclusions: with a certainty of over 90 percent, we can say that the global temperatures are increasing, primarily due to human activities. One optimistic speaker at the press conference suggested that today would be noted as "the day the question mark was removed" about human influences. Furthermore, even if we stabilized emissions at today's levels, we can expect warming trends to continue for decades before they stabilize.
But the devil has already been in the details. As many recent press reports noted, the final wording of the executive summary was the subject of considerable debate, as recent results are suggesting that both temperature and sea level increases are outpacing IPCC estimates. Do recent changes represent a temporary aberration, or an indication of an acceleration in the process? The summary notes both possibilities, but suggests that it's too early to say.
The logic behind that and many other conclusions doesn't appear in the report, nor does the methodology that was used to derive the 90 percent figure noted above. According to its presenters, the 13 pages of text and 7 figures of the report were designed so that business and political readers could digest the conclusions on a train ride between Paris and Brussels. The report didn't even include the 90 percent number; instead, it had to be derived from a key that revealed that "very likely" meant >90 percent (as opposed to "extremely likely" meaning > 95 percent, and "likely", which extended all the way down to 66 percent). Much of the emphasis in the press conference focused on how intensive study of the issue has increased these measures of certainty in many of the conclusions since the last report in 2001.
Those hoping for a chance to digest the actual methodology that leads to this certainty (a group that apparently includes the American Enterprise Institute) will have to wait until the full report is completed over the next several months. There is some primary data in there (such as the graph shown on the right, which provides some indication of the rate of CO2 accumulation), but much of that data is already widely disseminated.
While waiting for more detailed information, it's worth highlighting two data points that haven't attracted a great deal of notice from the press. The first is that, even if we stabilize the climate at the levels it's expected to reach at the end of the century, the temperature would be such that the Greenland ice sheets would eventually melt over the span of millennia. That would, in turn, raise sea levels by approximately 7m (23 feet), radically altering the planet's geography. This emphasizes that we are likely to be coping with the results of our last few centuries of activities for many centuries to come.
The second item is that increasing atmospheric CO2 is changing the chemistry of the oceans by acidifying them. Oceanic pH has dropped by 0.1 unit since industrialization, and is expected to continue to drop by another 0.14 to 0.35 units by the end of the century. Although such changes appear small, the basic chemistry of all single-celled creatures and that of corals and shellfish will have to make major adaptations to cope with such a change. This has the potential to cause major disruptions to the ecology of the oceans at a time when many fish stocks have already collapsed.
These two parts of the report, which are not receiving widespread attention, provide a far clearer picture of the challenges that lie ahead of us.


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Will Rainy Weather Affect 2012 Farm Bill Provisions?
If you've spent time watching the weather lately, you'll know that much of the country hasn't exactly been experiencing a pleasant spring. The northeast has seen weeks of rain and cloudy skies. Naturally, conditions such as these aren't great for early crops—tomatoes and basil are still in greenhouses, and outside crops like spinach and leeks are taking their time to poke very far above the soil. Farmers' markets have yet to see the abundance of spring, and my CSA has delayed our first week of pick-up to give the crops a better shot at sunny skies.
But though small farms are suffering, large-scale agriculture is also vulnerable to weather conditions. Rain is the primary problem facing growers in the Midwest and Northeast, but severe drought is causing alarm in Texas and other Southwestern states. Two main crops affected so far are corn and wheat, and both commodities' prices have gone up as a result.
Rain and cold has prevented much of the spring corn crop from being planted, leaving growers behind schedule. Ag Week reports that only 40% of the corn crop has been planted compared with 60% of the crop at this time last year. Farmers can plant through the end of May, but this deadline is fast approaching. Consequently, the price of corn rose by 7 cents a bushel to $6.90 as of May 16—a seemingly small increase that could have larger trickle-down effects in a corn-dominated industry.
Meanwhile, dry weather is hindering the winter wheat crop, as well as preventing planting of spring wheat. Nearly half of the winter wheat currently being harvested and sold has been rated poor or very poor by the USDA. At the same time, only about 22% of the spring wheat crop has been planted compared to 65% by mid-May last year. Consequently, prices have risen by over 5%, to $8 a bushel. Again, not a huge jump—but not exactly encouraging.
Agriculture Committee Secretary Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has been responsive to farmers' concerns. The 2008 Farm Bill contains "safety net" provisions to protect farmers from poor weather conditions such as these. Crop insurance, disaster programs, and other stipulations prevent farmer income from suffering in proportion to price fluctuation. But budget constraints may change agricultural priorities for the 2012 Farm Bill.
Stabenow is holding two Farm Bill hearings in the coming month, one for general public feedback on May 26 in D.C., and one for Michigan-only interests on May 31. She is calling for a full re-evaluations of Farm Bill programs, keeping in mind the interests of vulnerable farmers while still cutting back on wasteful spending. Stabenow is in the difficult position of having to represent both small- and large-scale agricultural interests, using a shrinking budget and finding middle grounds among many differing opinions.
While poor weather is certainly detrimental to all parties, it is wise to take this seasonal opportunity to consider the usefulness and success of farmer-protection programs. It's unclear how current weather conditions will affect the year's production—if crops are planted soon, this delay will be merely a meteorological blip. But with the 2012 Farm Bill looming, it's time for some important decisions to be made about how farmers will be accommodated in future uncertain seasons.
About the Author: A student in Providence, Rhode Island, Leah Douglas loves learning about, talking about, reading about, and consuming food. Her work is also featured in Rhode Island Monthly magazine.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Wolford Tights
Wolford Tights and pantyhose are luxury items from a designer brand - however, unlike most designer labels, the tights sizing is generous. A thoroughly international brand, manufactured in Austria, the size chart information displays UK, USA and EU dress sizes plus Height and Weight Measurements. Size Small fits a UK dress size 10 - 12, which is generous compared to many other european brands. This is partly due to the strength and stretch of the high-quality materials used – a lower quality material couldn't accommodate such a size range as the materials would become vulnerable or warped under the same amount of stretch. Therefore it is very important to check the size chart on each product that you are considering to buy carefully. If you are not sure what size to choose, then be sure to contact us to speak to our team who will be more than happy to help you choose the right size for your bodyshape. If in doubt - size down, particularly in leggings and bodywear. A size inclusive brand, meaning luxury legwear is available to most body types, many products are available in XSmall, UK Dress size 6 - 8 or plus size up to XL, UK Dress size 20 - 22 and XXL, UK Dress size 24 - 26. There's plenty of choice to find the perfect fit. The right fit is another key factor to the longevity of these pantyhose. The right size pantyhose should feel like a second skin, so you don't need to touch them throughout the day to pull them up or rearrange their position. When you're paying for preimum quality wolford hosiery, you want to be sure you get the right size.
Wolford Tights and Pantyhose Size Chart/Fitting Information
For Stockings, consider your height and thigh width specifically, as these are the most important factors when purchasing stockings. Again, these Stockings run on the tall side so bare this in mind when shopping.
To help you choose the correct size, also check the reviews from customers regarding how accurate the sizing is or any tips on fit that you may want to consider. Carter bought the Wolford Neon 40 Tights and said "the XL fit my 170lb (12stone) 6' (1.8M) body perfectly, very durable and excellent value." Yuni also tried this style. They said "They are so elastic I think medium would have been better as the knee parts were wrinkled when I fold and unfold my legs."
How to Wash Wolford Tights To Make Sure They Last
Wolford tights are a great investment, as they are built to last using the highest quality materials and latest manufacturing innovations - such as seamless hosiery construction or bonded seams. In fact, this was the first brand to create seamless stockings, in 1954. Continuing to strive for technically advanced designs, they were also first to release completely Seamless Tights 40 years later in 1994. Knowing how to wash your tights is essential if you are going to keep these luxury items in top condition.
Tights are one of the most fragile items in your wardrobe, alongside other underwear and delicates, but we often don't care for hosiery in the same way we might care for lace underwear - even though it's the key to long lasting wear! There are a few options when it comes to hosiery washing; 1. Hand-wash with a very gentle soap in warm water - satisfying but possibly time-consuming. 2. Pop them in a lingerie or hosiery bag and into a not too hot machine wash, this option is a great way for helping hosiery to keep its shape. Once washed, hang or dry flat so they don't shrink, tear or go misshapen. The one golden rule? Under no circumstances should you put Wolford tights in the tumble dryer! They will very likely shrink or tear and the heat could damage the yarns, decreasing their life expectancy. Ultimately, take good care of your tights and they'll look packet new every time you wear them.
If you prefer the sheer styles be sure to keep an eye out for the multi pack promotions. The Wolford Satin Touch 20 and Wolford Sheer 15 styles are both available in 3 for 2 packs - however, they are only released once or twice a year so sign up to our newsletter to make sure you can take advantage of this special price - when they're gone, they're gone!
Wolford Tights Reviews Show Why Wolford Pantyhose Are So Loved
The world's leading brand for legwear luxury, due to their supreme quality, excellent design and wonderful feel. Popular in the UK and Europe but also in the USA and the rest of the world. But such luxury pantyhose do not come cheap - so what makes these high-end tights so expensive? And why are they so popular, in the UK and the USA, despite the high price tag? It's all about quality and longevity.
This brand does not cut corners when it comes to high-quality hosiery. In fact, each pair goes through a minimum of 16 construction processes and is inspected each step of the way to ensure quality is maintained. The complete process takes seven days to make just one pair.
Highly technical circular knitting machines are used, which gives the tights additional strength when stretched and means their tights mould to the body as the body bends, which gives that second skin feeling. Once knitted the tights go into an oven on metal legs. This shocks the fibres, which keeps them from overstretching and the colour from fading. This also helps the tights keep their shape when being worn and during washing. All steps of the production process go towards achieving the quality that has come to be associated with this famous hosiery brand, with many steps being completed by hand rather than machine. For example, most tights use oval gussets, whereas this brand use cotton, diamond-shaped gussets which can only be sewn by hand.
Our reviews show how much this attention to detail is appreciated by customers throughout the world, winning loyalty and dedication from their many followers.
Creating striking hosiery designs has paved the way for famous collaborations with creatives such as Photographer Helmut Newton and Chanel. These tights may be expensive, but after knowing what goes into making just one pair, its easy to see why! So with all this extra attention to detail- are these expensive tights worth the money? If you are into fashion tights, then they most certainly are and their basic styles are not only expertly made for ultimate comfort but, if handled correctly, can last season after season meaning that one pair of Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights could last more than four winters. You do the maths!
- Wolford Satin De Luxe Tights£42.95
- Wolford Estella Leggings£249.95
- Wolford Perfect Fit Leggings£144.95
- Wolford Joan Ankle SocksSpecial Price £8.95 Regular Price £19.00
- Wolford Josephine Patterned TightsSpecial Price £25.95 Regular Price £38.95
- Wolford Speckles String BodySpecial Price £189.95 Regular Price £224.95
- Wolford Dora Sparkle Tights£38.95


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Fun Fun Fun Fun
Man oh man the Italian lifestyle took a little getting used to. It's the complete opposite of California culture in that they really enjoy the little things. A classic tailored suit to last 20 years over a cheap and trendy one, a meal eaten outside with fresh air instead of inside, an afternoon with friends relaxing in the streets instead of indoors on a computer… I got attached in the end and didn't want to leave. It seemed like they enjoyed and took advantage of their beautiful surroundings.
Maybe it has to do with the U.S. being fairly new, I don't know, but walking the streets of Italy you can see the history and I LIKE THAT! The cobble stone streets are still narrow as all hell and we kept getting lost because street names are engraved on the old buildings.
If that's not appealing, the food was to die for (and so were the charming men ;)).
I took a few hundred photos on this trip so far but of course don't dare share them all. Below are a few from London and towards the bottom are the ones from Italy.
Eating the most delicious falafel wrap outside Liberty.
My new friend Lola!
Started a Boneyard shawl for a woman who's been taking very good care of me! Bought the yarn from Loop and wound it on my nostepinne (love that thing).
The two lattes end the London photos (for now), the rest are from Italy.
I always thought Italy looked the prettiest in the evening…
The store owners made the ice cream/gelato themselves!
Penne al'arrabiata . All I know is that it was damn good and I ordered it for dinner and lunch the next day. I felt so fancy when I didn't have to point to the menu 😉
This was taken right before I fell and ate shit on the stairs. I am SO not poised.
Twin being silly.
The colosseum!!! It was so neat. Photos don't do it justice.
I'm in London now but my suitcase was left in Rome. I don't really know what to do about my flight to Sweden tomorrow… No clothes and no shoes. The airline said they'd send it on the next flight and would deliver it to the house I'm staying at but we'll see. Cross your fingers.
Hope all is fine on your side of the world!
July 26, 2011 7:01 pm
Your trip looks like a lot of fun!
And you can experience history like that in the US, but you stop noticing it like I'm guessing most Europeans do. I live in Gold Rush central, but I don't ever notice or appreciate the late 19th century buildings and older areas unless I've been away from home for awhile.
July 27, 2011 3:21 pm
nostepinne cameo! yes! 🙂 sounds like you're having fun; i'm jealous of all the food!


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Test Driving
Test Driving
Vawlkus | 28 juli 2011
Yes they would.
They would appreciate it if you booked a test drive in advance, and informed them when booking that you were not in the market so they don't waste your time, or theirs giving you a sales pitch.
Just be careful, many people go for a test drive thinking they won't buy, only to turn right around and throw that thinking out the window during the first 10 seconds of test driving :P


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Also in Slate: Dana Stevens reviews Angels & Demons.
About eight years ago here in Santa Fe, N.M., everybody was talking about the bikini Virgin. That's virgin with a capital V—and the reference was to a piece of art on exhibition at a local museum, in which Our Lady of Guadalupe, the most beloved figure in New Mexico Catholicism, was depicted in a skimpy floral bathing suit with as many colors as a birthday piñata.
Angry Catholics demanded that the image be removed from the show, but it stayed on display until the exhibition closed, and the young artist who created it received the kind of career boost that only comes with being denounced from the pulpit.
The controversy has long since faded but I thought about it again last night as I waited in line for an advance screening of Angels & Demons, the new thriller (based on a Dan Brown novel) in which the Vatican comes across as an age-old enemy of reason and scientific truth.
The movie, which has already been denounced in the United States by William Donohue of the conservative Catholic League, stars (along with Tom Hanks) a legendary cabal called the Illuminati—a group of evil eggheads who have figured in various conspiracy theories for more than 200 years. This time, they are plotting (or so it seems) to vaporize the Vatican as punishment for centuries of oppression against freethinkers. I was a little disappointed when there were no picketers at the theater passing out copies of Donohue's new tract, "Angels & Demons: More Demonic Than Angelic."
Maybe that is still to come.
What has the Catholic League particularly upset is the movie's insistence that Galileo himself—punished by the church for promoting the view that the Earth orbits the sun instead of vice versa—was an Illuminatus, oppressed for insisting on what was then a heretical view. For years, some Vatican scholars have been fighting the idea that the church is anti-science and have been promoting a more nuanced view of Galileo's trial in which the astronomer appears (a little like the creator of the bikini Virgin) as a self-promoter wanting more than anything to draw attention to himself.
There may be some truth to this view. Scientific knowledge is necessarily tentative, and Galileo's version of heliocentrism did, in fact, turn out to be wrong: He had the planets orbiting the sun in perfect celestial circles, instead of ellipses, making his model nearly as unwieldy as the geocentric one he opposed. If Galileo had presented his case more humbly, Catholic apologists argue, he never would have drawn the church's ire.
There are other interpretations of the episode. (Later this month, Catholic scholars will meet in Florence for a world congress called "The Galileo Affair: A Historical, Philosophical and Theological Re-Examination.") But however you parse the past, there's no getting around the cold fact of the Inquisition and the church's long history of quashing dissent. That's exactly what got all the speculations about a great Illuminati conspiracy started in the first place.
Over the centuries, those who differed from the church were branded as heretics. There were the Sabellians, Monophysites, Eunomians, Nestorians, Messalians, and Priscillianists, not to mention the Cathars and the Knights Templar. Their differences with orthodoxy could be literally as small as an iota.
Was Christ similar to God (homoiousios) or of the same substance (homoousios)? Compared with that, the difference between geocentrism and heliocentrism was a pretty big deal.
All these obscure groups and many more have made appearances in various mutations of the Illuminati conspiracy theory—along with Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Jeffersonian Democrats, Jewish bankers, Communists, secular humanists, the Trilateral Commission, Skull and Bones, Proctor & Gamble, the Clintons and the Bushes, and even the Vatican itself. But the centerpiece of the plot—and the movie—is the Order of the Illuminati, a short-lived Bavarian cult that got on the wrong side of the church by trying to sneak books by Voltaire, Diderot, and other Enlightenment thinkers past the Catholic censors.
In his attack on Angels & Demons, Donohue of the Catholic League makes much of the fact that Galileo could not have been a member—he was dead for more than a century before the Bavarian Illuminati was formed. But that's just not how conspiracy theories work. There was, you see, a group in Galileo's time called the Alumbrados (Spanish for "enlightened ones"), who are sometimes cast as precurors of the Bavarians.
And these Spanish Illuminati were targets of the Inquisition.
It's quite a stretch to suppose Galileo had anything to do with the group. But if you fuzz up the mind's eye, Alumbrados, Illuminati, and, for that matter, Enlightenment philosophers and Lucifer himself (lux, light, Illuminati) all blur into a scintillating mush. It was in fact a Jesuit priest, Augustin Barruel, who in the late 1700s originally squeezed such seemingly immiscible ingredients into the first great Illuminati conspiracy theory—an attempt to explain away the French Revolution. Struggling to understand how an uprising of Godless riffraff could have overturned his country's ancient church-state establishment. Barruel filled four volumes with plots and subplots. Others quickly picked up on the story, spinning it in every imaginable direction. With the release of Angels & Demons two centuries later, Barruel's legend has come back at the church like a boomerang.
So far, there have been only minor rumblings about the movie from Rome. The Vatican roundly denounced the earlier Dan Brown-based movie, The Da Vinci Code, which plays with the notion that Jesus sired a family with Mary Magdalene. Official opposition only drew more attention to the movie, which might be why the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, dismissed Angels & Demons as "harmless entertainment."
It's taken a few centuries, but it sounds as if church leaders have learned an important truth. You can't stamp out the spread of ideas and images, no matter how stupid or tacky they are. Sit back, bite your tongue, and even a blockbuster movie will, like the bikini Virgin, eventually fade away.


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A sold out TOC 2008 has concluded in New York. You can see all the highlights from the conference here:
Driven by the Internet, technology is fundamentally transforming publishing. Creation, development, production, distribution, and consumption have all been touched by the changes and challenges that have accompanied the greatest shifts in publishing since the printing press. Which technologies are important? Which provide exciting business opportunities? And what are the strategic questions you need to consider in adopting new models?
The second annual O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing (TOC) Conference considers what's at stake for the future of publishing for people who are passionate about books and book publishing. Most publishers know that next steps are needed—TOC helps them take the plunge and connect with the right ideas, tools, and innovators. The conference will emphasize practical/tactical information and knowledge transfer so that attendees come away armed with skills to lead change within their own organization. Learn more about TOC
The TOC Conference is for people and organizations (big and small) that care about books across the publishing industry and beyond, at all levels of technical expertise: Editors, authors, and agents; marketing and production managers; consultants and business managers; librarians, researchers, and academics; and technologists rethinking the form of the book itself.
TOC takes place February 11-13, 2008 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.
Read the Reviews and Highlights from the June 2007 Conference (PDF).
For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at the conference, contact Sharon Cordesse.
For information on trade opportunities with O'Reilly conferences, contact email@example.com.
For media-related inquiries, contact email@example.com.
View a complete list of TOC contacts.


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In case you're sick of hearing the same old story about women and retirement—women earn less, save less, feel less confident than men do, blah blah—imagine how we feel.
We actually have to read all that data. And we're sick of it, too.
So when ING Direct suggested that we partner on a new survey, we jumped at the chance to ask the questions NO ONE else seemed to be asking:
If women aren't planning for the future… why?
The results of our joint research were startling.
Almost 80% of women say they lack financial savvy about retirement planning (OK, we knew that).
But many women aren't even taking on the basic questions:
|30% of women have no idea what the main source of their retirement income will be.
|40% say they "don't know" what kind of retirement lifestyle they want.
|47% say they get "most of their knowledge" about retirement from friends, family, the media or popular money experts.
But here's the weird part.
When we asked women whether they identified as "modern" or "traditional," 65% picked traditional. And it's not a function of age: Nearly half of younger women, ages 18 to 34, also picked traditional.
Interpretation #1: Many women still live in a retro fantasy where they think Someone Else will take care of the future.
Interpretation #2: Women actually have what it takes to plan a secure future—but their lack of confidence prevents them from taking control.
Help us solve this mystery, Nancy Drew. What's your interpretation?
photo source: bobbyjoefontenot's shop on etsy


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How do you not let deadlines sneak up on you? How do you not stay up until midnight writing a school paper? People say "just work backwards." How do you DO that? Here are several ways with the exact steps….
How do you not let deadlines sneak up on you? How do you not stay up until midnight writing a school paper? People say "just work backwards." How do you DO that? Here are several ways with the exact steps….
What happens when your list feels so long that you simply want to turn away? You'd have time to work on projects you excel at. You'd leave your office on time, with a clear head. Be mentally present as you…
"Sue West brings a librarian style sensibility to organizing while offering advice that is easily accessible to everyone….the art of reorganizing to suit your values and to help you through life transitions…. She emphasizes that there is no right or wrong way to organize. ….aims to overcome any fear individuals have about getting organized by encouraging small steps….She discusses organizing as an "ongoing process" and encourages communication among those who share living space to avoid unintentionally sabotaging any strides toward a more ordered household. … As an archives consultant who helps families create order for their personal papers, and as a former professional librarian, I recommend this book to anyone who bemoans lacking an innate sense of how to order their world.
It is also helpful for those who need a new perspective to help rethink their possessions and to re-examine their sense of self to step comfortably into the future. Ms. West's book will walk you through the steps you need to create an organizational system that works for you and makes you feel in control."
Melissa Mannon, Archives and Cultural Heritage Consultant, ArchivesInfo
"Sue's book leaves no stone unturned, no question unanswered … Whether it's stuff, time, perspective or plans, she presents clear, easy-to-follow suggestions and ideas that help the reader clarify what's important and how to let go of the rest. … from a holistic standpoint, taking into account the emotional and relational factors that are so often at the core of our difficulties…."
Her work is based on the recognition that our lives are a series of stages or chapters, and that each new stage has its own requirements for a successful and fulfilling transition. It can often feel like an overwhelming challenge to manage such transitions deliberately and mindfully. Sue's robust and encouraging approach to this challenge makes it possible to break down and eliminate even the most daunting-looking obstacles."
Kathryn May, MSW, Life Coach and Therapist
Subscribe to read practical strategies to common challenges, either as they're published or as a monthly summary.
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Sunday, July 29, 2007
Posted by Jara at 1:41 PM 1 comments Links to this post
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Little Rock, Arkansas
Posted by Jara at 12:49 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Sunday, July 1, 2007
I guess I'm jumping on the bandwagon of starting a blog like all my friends! I just love looking a everyone else's and thought it was such a good idea for the grandparents, family and friends out of town!
We have had a pretty busy summer so far, and from the looks of things, it doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon! But, such is life in our family - we love being "on the go"!
I started a new job at the Met as the new preschool director, and it is going great, thanks to the help of the previous director, Sue - what a blessing she has been in my life!
We just got back from a trip to Arkansas for a reunion on my mom's side of the family. It was a blast! We went to Little Rock to stay with Sharon, Ethan, Allie, and Linda. Sharon and Scott's house was spectacular! We shopped, ate, stayed up late, rode the trolley in downtown Little Rock, decorated Sharon's house, and had a WONDERFUL time.
Then...Mom, Jae, and I went to Shreveport, LA, for the weekend for my cousin, Natalie's baby shower. We had a blast at the restaurant Joe's family owns that is also a local celebrity hangout of stars like Katie Holmes/Cruise, and many others. The food was fabulous as was the shopping at the nearby stores! Natalie was precious as always and we can't wait to meet Alexandra!
Kaden and Kinsley stayed home with Curtis and they had a ball going to see Surf's Up, getting new baseball hats and gloves, and playing outside!
They are both growing up SO fast. Kaden started T-ball and LOVES it, we have to keep him from tackling the other little boys to get the ball :) Kinsley has become quite the talker and has a new word every day! Lately it's been "no worries, guys"! What a stinker! They amaze us continuously and we feel so blessed to have two sweet little angels! Thanks God!
I hope to post some pictures soon, we'll see!
Posted by Jara at 9:21 PM 4 comments Links to this post


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Ricotta, tomato & spinach frittata
Nutrition and extra info
- Vegetarian
- Healthy
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal236
- fat16g
- saturates5g
- carbs7g
- sugars6g
- fibre2g
- protein16g
- salt0.5g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 1 large onion, finely sliced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 300g cherry tomatoes
- 100g spinach leaves
Used in almost every cuisine across the world, spinach is an enormously popular green vegetable…
- small handful basil leaves
- 100g ricotta
Ricotta is an Italian cheese made from whey and traditionally a by-product of…
- 6 eggs, beaten
The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…
- salad, to serve
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the onion for 5-6 mins until softened and lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and toss for 1 min to soften.
Remove from the heat, add the spinach leaves and basil, and toss together to wilt a little. Transfer all the ingredients to a greased 30cm x 20cm rectangular baking tin. Take small scoops of the ricotta and dot over the vegetables.
Season the eggs and beat well, then pour over the vegetables and cheese. Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until pale golden and set. Serve with salad.


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Pasta Salad Recipe
Ok, so I needed a recipe for cold pasta salad that wasn't too …fussy. I did search google for recipes, cause I wasn't too confident with flavours at the time. But came up with nothing that really appealed and fit what I needed; which was to satisfy many different taste buds for a BBQ. So here's what I threw together. Simple flavours, but big on taste! Leave a comment if you try this. I'd love to know what you think.
Serves 8-10 buffet portions
400g Dry weight Cavatappi (spirals)
8 Heaped Tablespoons of Light Mayonnaise (using regular dinner spoon not measuring type) Approx 600g
340g Drained Salad Crisp Green Giant™ Sweet corn (large can)
5 Large Spring Onions
12 Rashers of Streaky (or any that you prefer) Bacon
Salt and Pepper to taste
Large pinch of Paprika
Cook pasta and bacon in your usual, preferred way. Pasta should not be overcooked. Drain pasta and let sit to cool in the drainer, washing with cool water to help speed up the process. Let bacon cool on a plate.
Roughly chop the onion and place in a large mixing bowl along with the sweetcorn. Add cold pasta and mayo and lightly mix together, being careful not to break up the pasta shapes. Sprinkle on most of paprika.
Using scissors or a knife if you prefer, cut the bacon into slithers over the pasta mix. Stir to incorporate the bacon, add more mayo with you feel you need it. Place pasta salad into a container with a lid and finish off with a sprinkling of paprika all over. Cover and store in a fridge.
Best eaten 3+ hours after making, to give the mayonnaise a chance to absorb the flavours otherwise it can taste really eggy.
You could substitute the bacon for ham or chicken. Spring onion can be subbed with chives too. When including any meat, please make sure it has cooled thoroughly before you mix into your pasta mix.


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A small number of children, teenagers, and young adults (up to 24 years of age) who took antidepressants ('mood elevators') such as amoxapine during clinical studies became suicidal (thinking about harming or killing oneself or planning or trying to do so). Children, teenagers, and young adults who take antidepressants to treat depression or other mental illnesses may be more likely to become suicidal than children, teenagers, and young adults who do not take antidepressants to treat these conditions. However, experts are not sure about how great this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a child or teenager should take an antidepressant. Children younger than 18 years of age should not normally take amoxapine, but in some cases, a doctor may decide that amoxapine is the best medication to treat a child's condition.
You should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways when you take amoxapine or other antidepressants even if you are an adult over age 24. You may become suicidal, especially at the beginning of your treatment and any time that your dose is increased or decreased. You, your family, or your caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: new or worsening depression; thinking about harming or killing yourself, or planning or trying to do so; extreme worry; agitation; panic attacks; difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; aggressive behavior; irritability; acting without thinking; severe restlessness; and frenzied abnormal excitement. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor when you are unable to seek treatment on your own.
Your healthcare provider will want to see you often while you are taking amoxapine, especially at the beginning of your treatment. Be sure to keep all appointments for office visits with your doctor.
The doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with amoxapine. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You also can obtain the Medication Guide from the FDA website: Web Site.
No matter your age, before you take an antidepressant, you, your parent, or your caregiver should talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of treating your condition with an antidepressant or with other treatments. You should also talk about the risks and benefits of not treating your condition. You should know that having depression or another mental illness greatly increases the risk that you will become suicidal. This risk is higher if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had bipolar disorder (mood that changes from depressed to abnormally excited) or mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood) or has thought about or attempted suicide. Talk to your doctor about your condition, symptoms, and personal and family medical history. You and your doctor will decide what type of treatment is right for you.
Amoxapine is used to treat depression. Amoxapine is in a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). It works by increasing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain that are needed to maintain mental balance.
Amoxapine comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken one or more times a day. If you take amoxapine once a day, you should take it at bedtime. Try to take amoxapine at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take amoxapine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
It may take several weeks or longer for you to feel the full effect of amoxapine. Continue to take amoxapine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking amoxapine without talking to your doctor. Your doctor probably will want to decrease your dose gradually.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Before taking amoxapine,
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Amoxapine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at Web Site] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
Amoxapine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Mich. pot supporters to promote clout through $2 bills
- 3-week campaign calls for spending at least one %242 bill with each cash purchase
- Studies estimate Americans spend %2430 billion a year on marijuana
- About 13 percent of Michiganders reported using marijuana in the past year%2C surveys say
DETROIT -- Steven Greene watched through the clear partition of a credit union in Southfield, his smile growing to a grin as a teller counted out $200 in $2 bills.
"That's a lot of twos — thank you, brother!" said Greene, 45, of South Lyon.
Teller Antonio Pritchard smiled back Tuesday as Greene walked out of the Family Service Center Credit Union, pocketing bills that he hopes will send a message that Michigan's green economy of marijuana puts green into cash registers.
Starting Wednesday, leaders of medical marijuana and cannabis legalization groups in Michigan plan a quirky three-week campaign to demonstrate their economic clout. They want supporters to spend at least one $2 bill for every cash purchase.
"That translates into people saying, 'Hey, we should get a piece of that, and we should start taxing it, too,'" said Greene, a state-registered user of medical marijuana and a caregiver licensed by the state to grow medical marijuana for others.
When $2 bills start popping up, "People will also realize, if you arrest us, you're taking that same money out of circulation, and you're spending tax dollars to put us in jail," said Greene, who hosts a weekly talk show on medical marijuana and other issues.
It's not the first time $2 bills are being used to highlight a particular group's spending power. The odd denomination that never caught on for regular use has been harnessed elsewhere to draw attention to groups of spenders — from an embattled steel plant in Utah that in 1989 paid employees in $2 bills to show their value to the local economy; to gun rights bloggers who asked fellow gun owners last year to spend $2 bills at Starbucks branches to protest the coffee chain's refusal to allow the open carrying of handguns.
In Michigan, with 130,000 registered users of medical marijuana and 30,000 caregivers licensed to grow the drug, cannabis advocates say they hope their economic argument gets traction among those willing to put jobs and the state economy ahead of moral arguments about drug use.
According to a study released this year by several researchers, including one from the RAND Corp. think tank in Santa Monica, Calif., Americans who use marijuana — both legally and illegally — spend about $30 billion per year just on the drug itself.
"Michigan has slightly over 3 percent of the U.S. population, so that should mean that Michigan's marijuana users currently spend about $945 million a year on marijuana," said Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies for the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Marijuana Policy Project.
Harvard researcher Jeffrey Miron found that in 2008 dollars, Michigan could see about $96 million in tax revenue from taxing and regulating marijuana, according to O'Keefe, a native of Grosse Pointe Farms.
About 13 percent of Michiganders reported using marijuana in the past year, according to annual federal surveys of nationwide drug use.
"We want this $2 drive to spark conversations in chambers of commerce and during business lunches of shop owners," said Rick Thompson, editor of the Flint-based Compassion Chronicles website. "They're going to start to realize they shouldn't just dismiss this big segment of Michigan's economy."
Thompson also hopes to reach marijuana opponents who have not been swayed by other arguments for widening access to medical cannabis and to outright legalization of the drug.
"Some people continue to cling to the war on drugs and the morality argument," he said. "What they don't realize is that there's a tremendous investment that the country is making in continuing that war, and it's completely unproductive. It costs every taxpayer hundreds of dollars a year. We need to turn that money into jobs, into taxes and into productive activity."
Carol Mastroianni, executive director of the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition, said she was disappointed to hear of the $2 bill drive. Hers is one of dozens of nonprofit community groups throughout southeast Michigan that promote drug-free lifestyles for youth and say legitimizing medical marijuana entices young people into thinking marijuana is harmless.
"To me, the whole medical marijuana thing is not supposed to be about economic clout. It's supposed to be about health and quality of life," Mastroianni said.
The campaign launches two days after federal, state and local police executed 25 search warrants Monday as part of a seven-month investigation into a marijuana trafficking ring operating in Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw and Jackson counties. Michigan State Police said Tuesday that officers seized $221,509, 736 marijuana plants, 31 vehicles, eight firearms and large quantities of processed marijuana.
Medical marijuana user Christeen Landino of Eastpointe said she is delighted to find the portrait of one of her heroes, Thomas Jefferson, on the $2 bill. Jefferson is from an era when the drug was an accepted part of farming, said Landino, 63, who has been promoting the $2 drive on Facebook.
Jefferson is credited with saying, "Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country." Hemp is a plant widely used for thousands of years to make rope, paper, cloth and livestock feed, but it was banned in the United States in the 1930s because one variety of the hemp plant produces marijuana.
Jefferson also is thought to have smoked some of his crop, used then to make rope, on the veranda of Monticello, according to websites on early American history.
"There's a lot of quotes that I really like from him, so it's fitting," Landino said.


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Fire department remind homeowners to shovel out hydrants
As southeast Wisconsin clears the sidewalks from Sunday's snowstorm, fire departments are reminding residents to shovel out their fire hydrants.
The city of Milwaukee has over 20,000 hydrants and keeping them clear of snow is a neighborlhood responsibility.
VIDEO: Residents need to clear snow from around fire hydrants
Lt. Daniel Berendt with the Milwaukee Fire Department said trucks carry about 500 gallons of water, but a hydrant buried in snow could cause a fire to double in size before it can be used.
"The rule of thumb is (a fire) doubles in size every 17 seconds," he said.
North Shore Fire Department is being proactive by putting out signs near hydrants.
Lt. Dan Tyk said hydrants should be a neighborhood responsibility, not just the closest property owner.
"That hydrant belongs to the entire neighborhood when we need to use it, so make it yours," Tyk said. "Do it as a team or as a group."
It is recommended to shovel out at least 18 inches around the hydrant for fire department access.
Both Tyk and Berendt said digging out a fire hydrant could make a critical difference in the event of an emergency.


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Here's the latest article from the Australia site at BellaOnline.com.
Aussie Sayings Q - T
There is a plethora of websites in internet land that highlights the unique slang language of Australians. We know what a sheila or a nong is, but many times I have witnessed foreigners completely baffled when an Aussie lets fly with uniquely Australian Sayings.
Please visit Australia.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Australia.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Australia located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Judie Bellingham, Australia Editor
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com


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Begin the search for college athletic scholarships
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Mercedes-Benz today introduced a fierce little four-wheel-drive car that is destined to do battle with BMW and Audi and should be available in the U.S. by November. It's dubbed the CLA45 AMG 4Matic (I hope you're all taking notes) and is said to run zero to 60 in four and a half seconds and top out at 155 mph. All this comes via a two-liter four-cylinder engine with 355 horsepower. Price for this privilege? A bit north of $48,000, according to Autoweek's coverage of the New York International Auto Show.
And Chevrolet showed a new Camaro Z28 with — count 'em — 500 ponies' worth of power from its seven-liter V8, an engine which normally lives in the Corvette. The only available transmission is a six-speed stick. Chevy, who did not reveal the price of the Z28, says the car can be legally driven on the street, but suggests that its real home is the track. Zoom. More on the show, from Autoweek, can be seen here. The show opens to the public on Friday (March 29, 2013) and runs through April 7.


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The good news is that it has been warmish here, and I believe we even hit sixty degrees today. A patch of earth has emerged in the backyard:
On raising a son on the autism spectrum, progressive politics, pop culture, and coffee addiction.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
One down...
The good news is that it has been warmish here, and I believe we even hit sixty degrees today. A patch of earth has emerged in the backyard:
15 comments:
- VTBudFan said...
Hmm. That is a lot of snow. I may have to show up with a hairdryer and an extension cord on April 17th.
- April 10, 2008 6:23 PM
- Kaethe said...
Now I picture your yard being invaded by would-be winners with snow blowers.
Good luck with Spring.
- April 11, 2008 9:32 AM
Pavement -- is that more of a bulb, or a corm?
Happy early spring! Hope that you thaw quickly (and no, that is not just because I have mid May in the pool!)
- April 11, 2008 10:00 AM
I'm with vtbudfan. If you see a bunch of psychos outside your house with hairdryers don't call the cops K. There could still be a massive heat wave this weekend. It could happen. Maybe
- April 11, 2008 11:23 AM
- gretchen said...
The pessimist with the latest date will be right behind you with my Snoopy Snowcone machine.
- April 11, 2008 1:57 PM
- Rock Farmer said...
Oh, my stubborn optimism is still intact - My April date is late enough that I still have hope...
- April 11, 2008 2:35 PM
- Daisy said...
I took pix of my backyard and posted them yesterday -- swampland. Today? We have snow. I hope your weather-luck is better than mine this weekend.
- April 12, 2008 2:27 PM
- Stimey said...
I'll be there too with my space heater. I may have to plug it in inside your house.
- April 12, 2008 11:40 PM
I didn't get plane tickets in time :(. I'm guessing you still have snow huh ;-)
Does it count that we have no snow...lol
- April 14, 2008 1:10 PM
- Mommy to those Special Ks said...
I'm telling you... May 16th! I WILL WIN! hahahah
- April 14, 2008 6:46 PM
- MOM-NOS said...
Sorry, FXSMom. You are officially out of the running. You can blame Gretchen and her evil snowcone machine...
- April 14, 2008 7:34 PM
- David said...
Looks like the pavement will be yielding a nice crop this year! I am pretty convinced now that it's spring for real. So many signs are present now. I shoulda taken a date in your Ice Out game. Oh well, maybe next year.
- April 14, 2008 8:31 PM
I'm researching a magazine article about DIR/Floortime schools for children with ASD. I love what I've read of your blog and wonder if I could correspond with you privately, off-blog, about your impressions of DIR/Floortime -- if, indeed, it's something you're aware of and have either considered or ruled out for your son.
There may be a simpler way to email you but I can't seem to find one.
Thanks for your time,
Melissa Fay Greene
- April 17, 2008 9:40 PM
I'll leave my website, too, in case you want to know more about me before replying.
- April 17, 2008 9:42 PM
- VTBudFan said...
Well? It's the 18th....
:) VTBudFan
(also a MOM-NOSfan)
- April 18, 2008 9:06 PM


text: MIA Faculty The MIA is taught largely by professors from the four disciplines of Economics, Political Science, Public Management and Public International Law. The following faculty is closely involved in the Master's programme in International Affairs and Governance (MIA). Political Science Prof. James W. Davis, Ph.D. Prof. Dr. Klaus Dingwerth Prof. Patrick Emmenegger, Ph.D. Prof. Dr. Christoph Frei Prof. Dr. Tina Freyburg Prof. Dr. Roy Gava Prof. Dirk Lehmkuhl, Ph.D. Prof. Philipp Thaler, Ph.D. Prof. Oliver Westerwinter, Ph.D. Economics Prof. Petyo Bonev, Ph.D. Prof. Dr. Thomas Epper Prof. Simon Evenett, Ph.D. Prof. Dr. Reto Föllmi Prof. Dr. Roland Hodler Dr. Stefan Legge Public International and European Law Prof. Dr. Thomas Burri Prof. Dr. Bardo Fassbender Public Management Prof. Dr. Kuno SchedlerProf. Dr. Rolf Wüstenhagen Further Faculty and Experts Further HSG faculty members, external professors and external experts from international institutions and the private sector teach in the MIA Programme. These include: Prof. Dr. Tilmann Altwicker (Public International Law) PD, Dr. Claudia Brühwiler (Political Theory & American Studies) Dr. Katja Gentinetta (Public Affairs) Dr. Eduard Gnesa (Migration Law) Prof. Dr. Michael Graff (Development Economics) Dr. Beat Habegger (Political Science) Prof. Heiner Hänggi (Political Science) Dr. Gieri Hinnen (Public Affairs) Dr. Bernhard Knechtenhofer (Defence Management) Dr. Jovan Kurbalija (Internet Governance) Dr. Reto Malacrida (International Commercial Law) Dr. Manuel Rybach (Public Affairs) Dr. Roland Scherer (Regional Economics) Dr. Lars Stein (Economics) Prof. Dr. Kerstin von der Decken (Public International and European Law) Prof. Andreas Ziegler (Public International Law)


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By Jay Kernis
Rock Center
The toughest ticket to get on Broadway is for the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, "The Book of Mormon." It may not be too much of a stretch to state that the totally tuneful and deeply profane religious satire is informing more people about Mormonism than anything else in popular culture today.
Created by "South Park's" Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and "Avenue Q" composer/lyricist Robert Lopez, the story of American Mormon missionaries sent to northern Uganda sells out every performance. That means exactly 8,752 theatergoers see the Broadway show every week. And it's just opened in Denver and another touring company hits Chicago this winter.
In the musical, missionary Elder Price sings a stirring song, "I Believe," to reaffirm his faith after it is shaken during his experience trying to convert a Ugandan warlord.
How much of the song is true to Mormon beliefs?
We turned to Matthew Bowman, author of the new book, The Mormon People: The Making of An American Faith.
Matthew Bowman, Ph.D.
Bowman received his PhD in American religious history from Georgetown University and a master's in American history from the University of Utah. The associate editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Dr. Bowman teaches at Hampden-Sydney College.
1. Dr. Bowman, in the song "I Believe," the character of Elder Price sings that he believes that "ancient Jews built boats and sailed to America." Do faithful Mormons believe that's what happened?
In a nutshell, yes. The Book of Mormon opens with a story very much like the story of Moses and the Exodus: a group of Jews flee captivity several hundred years before the birth of Jesus. Moses led some Jews from Egypt; in the Book of Mormon, God leads another group of Jews from Jerusalem right before the Babylonians destroyed it in 587 BC. Eventually they're brought to a great ocean where God commands them to build a ship, and they sail for a long time to what the Book of Mormon calls, "the promised land." It's never, of course, called "America," but Mormons today believe the American continent is where this group landed. Joseph Smith said that the people in the Book of Mormon were the only and direct ancestors of American Indians; the leadership of the church today has indicated that's probably overstated.
2. Price then sings that he believes that "God has a plan for all of us" and "that plan involves me getting my own planet." Is one's own planet a metaphor for what happens after life on Earth or are there planets out there awaiting Mormons?
That really depends on what Mormons you talk to. Joseph Smith's universe was a very crowded one. He believed that God and human beings are basically of the same species, and Mormons today speak of their relationship with God as that of a father and his children (and yes, there is a Heavenly Mother, a divine female, as well). God created this earth as a place for his children to, more or less, attend school: to learn math and science and poetry and morality and how to be nice to each other and eventually to graduate and one day attain a degree of divinity themselves. To many Mormons, this means more or less attaining perfect communion with God. To many others, particularly Mormons who tend to be literal-minded, it does mean continuing to create universes in the future.
3. There's also a lyric about God living "on a planet called Kolob" and that "Jesus has his own planet as well." That's from the original Book of Mormon?
Neither are, in fact. The riff about Jesus getting his own planet is one point where Matt Parker and Trey Stone's particularly blunt reading of Mormon theology slips a bit too far. It's not enunciated anywhere in authoritative Mormon writings. And after all, Jesus already seems to have a planet that takes up most of his time. "Kolob" is not a planet. It's mentioned in "the Book of Abraham," a pretty esoteric work of scripture Joseph Smith produced late in his life that's packed with rather obscure cosmological references to various celestial bodies with names that sound Egyptian or Hebrew: "Kolob" is a star that's said to be near where God's throne is.
Frankly, most Mormons find all the astrological meanderings in the book of Abraham a bit confusing and strange; they're not very frequently talked about, sort of like the weird murder subplot in the second season of Friday Night Lights.
4. Elder Price also sings, "And I believe that in 1978 God changed his mind about black people!!" What actually happened in 1978, and why?
In 1852, eight years after Joseph Smith's assassination, Brigham Young announced that Mormons of African descent would not be allowed ordination to the Mormon priesthood. Given that it has always been policy that every Mormon man be ordained to a priesthood office, the decision had dire implications (and indeed reversed previous policy; several African American men had been ordained to office while Joseph Smith was alive). Not only would African and African-American Mormons be denied the priesthood, but they were also denied access to the initiatory rituals done in Mormon temple worship, which is a bit like forbidding Muslims from going on a Hajj or Jewish boys from having a Bar Mitzvah.
Brigham Young, and many other Mormons for several generations, presented various theories for why these policies were required: some followed nineteenth century theories about bloodlines and said that Africans were the descendants of Cain. Others speculated that Africans were children of God who chose before earth life to be less righteous. Such beliefs were commonly held among Mormons until the middle third of the twentieth century, and they and the policy they explained remain a blot and point of shame for Mormonism to this day.
After World War II, increasing numbers of Mormons grew uncomfortable with the policy, and in 1978, after several months of prayer and fasting, the president of the Church, Spencer Kimball, announced that he felt God had directed the policy be reversed. Most Mormons greeted the decision with joy, but the theories explaining why the policy existed in the first place were not refuted, and thus still circulated in Mormonism for many years after.
In 2006 the then-president of the Church issued a stern rebuke for persistent racism among his flock and in February of 2012, the Church's Public Affairs department finally issued a forceful repudiation of these theories after a professor at BYU recapped them to a reporter for the Washington Post. Many Mormons, however, still await a statement directly from ecclesiastical leaders.
5. And one more: Elder Price sings that he believes that "the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri." Why Missouri?
You'd have to ask Joseph Smith. He made this announcement, rather abruptly and apparently surprising to his friends, while visiting a meadow there in 1838. To be specific, he stated that this particular valley was where Adam blessed his children before he died, which would, logically, not be where the Garden of Eden was. To many Mormons, the idea reaffirms a theme the Book of Mormon inaugurated: that the Americas are a sacred place, no less holy than the traditional Holy Land, and that the United States could host the sort of utopian society Joseph Smith wanted to build.
6. Were you raised in the Mormon faith? How did you develop such a deep interest in the LDS Church?
I was indeed raised in the Mormon faith, but have gained a renewed appreciation for it as I've pursued the academic study of religion. Mormonism gives scholars like me a fascinating look at religion-making from the ground floor; studying the founding and early history of Mormonism is like getting a front row seat when Paul and the apostles were spreading Christianity across Rome or when Muhammad was leading a band of Bedouins back to Mecca. That Mormonism has flourished so powerfully in the modern world is one indication that despite some scholars' predictions of secularization, religion is not going anywhere; that it has grown in America helps us understand the culture of the United States and the fantastic possibilities for religious creativity it's offered.


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Spice Girls get-together sparks reunion rumours
Girl-power group shares pictures together on Instagram
All five former members of the Spice Girls have met up amid rumours of a plan to reunite the girl-power group.
Photos posted by several group members on social media showed Victoria (Posh Spice) Beckham, Melanie (Sporty Spice) Chisholm, Emma (Baby Spice) Bunton, Melanie (Scary Spice) Brown and Geri (Ginger Spice) Horner.
They had been seen earlier Friday arriving at Horner's home north of London, along with former manager Simon Fuller.
The Sun newspaper reported the quintet is considering several projects, including a TV talent show, though not a live tour.
The Spice Girls were a 1990s phenomenon, with hits including Wannabe. They split in 2000 and last reunited at the 2012 London Olympics.
Now the group's highest-profile member is Beckham, a fashion designer married to former soccer star David Beckham.