text:
- Research article
- Open Access
Genome-wide inference of regulatory networks in Streptomyces coelicolor
- Marlene Castro-Melchor†1,
- Salim Charaniya†1, 4,
- George Karypis2,
- Eriko Takano3 and
- Wei-Shou Hu1Email author
© Castro-Melchor et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010
- Received: 22 June 2010
- Accepted: 18 October 2010
- Published: 18 October 2010
The onset of antibiotics production in Streptomyces species is co-ordinated with differentiation events. An understanding of the genetic circuits that regulate these coupled biological phenomena is essential to discover and engineer the pharmacologically important natural products made by these species. The availability of genomic tools and access to a large warehouse of transcriptome data for the model organism, Streptomyces coelicolor, provides incentive to decipher the intricacies of the regulatory cascades and develop biologically meaningful hypotheses.
In this study, more than 500 samples of genome-wide temporal transcriptome data, comprising wild-type and more than 25 regulatory gene mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor probed across multiple stress and medium conditions, were investigated. Information based on transcript and functional similarity was used to update a previously-predicted whole-genome operon map and further applied to predict transcriptional networks constituting modules enriched in diverse functions such as secondary metabolism, and sigma factor. The predicted network displays a scale-free architecture with a small-world property observed in many biological networks. The networks were further investigated to identify functionally-relevant modules that exhibit functional coherence and a consensus motif in the promoter elements indicative of DNA-binding elements.
Despite the enormous experimental as well as computational challenges, a systems approach for integrating diverse genome-scale datasets to elucidate complex regulatory networks is beginning to emerge. We present an integrated analysis of transcriptome data and genomic features to refine a whole-genome operon map and to construct regulatory networks at the cistron level in Streptomyces coelicolor. The functionally-relevant modules identified in this study pose as potential targets for further studies and verification.
- Gene Ontology
- Streptomyces
- Consensus Sequence
- Network Module
- Adjacent Gene
Streptomycetes are soil-living organisms with a complex life cycle that includes formation of aerial mycelia and spores. Members of this genus have large genomes and the capability of producing multiple secondary metabolites, many of which have uses as antibiotics, anti-tumor agents, and immunosuppressants [1]. The genome of Streptomyces coelicolor, the model organism for this high G+C genus, contains 7825 genes. The genome contains more than 20 secondary metabolite clusters and 965 genes encoding proteins predicted to have a regulatory role [2].
With more genes than lower eukaryotes and an unusually high number of regulators, deciphering the regulatory network of Streptomyces coelicolor remains a challenge. Regulation is a dynamic process, in which overlapping signaling cascades integrate into complex networks, linking diverse aspects of growth, morphology, and secondary metabolite production. In addition, in the case of bacteria, genes can be co-transcribed as polycistrons, and it is at this level of cistrons that regulation occurs, rather than at the level of individual genes.
Single knock-out/disruption mutations have been extensively used in this organism to try to decipher the mechanisms regulating secondary metabolite production and their link to morphological changes. The study of these mutants has made multiple advances over the years, including the characterization of the regulators of gene clusters specific to synthesis of antibiotics. These approaches have also revealed that cross-regulation among disparate pathways occur [3], and is thus desirable to explore regulation at a genome scale. Transcriptome profiles across a diverse set of conditions can be used to systematically determine regulatory interactions [4].
In this study we used functional similarity, conservation of gene order, intergenic distance, and gene expression similarity as features for refining our previously published operon predictions [5]. Gene expression data at the cistron level was then used to predict networks centered on 692 regulatory cistrons.
Among the algorithms to reconstruct whole genome regulatory networks, the information-theoretic approaches have gained support in the bioinformatics community. These approaches rely on the estimation of mutual information (MI) from expression data between pairs of genes, or cistrons, to estimate candidate interactions. MI is a correlation measure that can detect non-linear correlations that other measurements like Euclidean distance or Pearson correlation cannot identify. Among the state-of-the-art information-theoretic approaches are relevance networks [6], ARACNE [7, 8], CLR [4], and MRNET [9]. Benchmark studies [10, 11] comparing the accuracy of the methods have not resulted in a clear winner over all, as the performance of the algorithms is affected by the type of network, and the mutual information estimator, among others. In this work we inferred whole-genome regulatory networks with ARACNE [7]. ARACNE removes indirect interactions by using the data process inequality (DPI), a property of MI [8, 12]. ARACNE has been used to identify putative transcriptional targets of the cancer related genes MYC and KLF6 [13], and to reconstruct breast, colorectal, and glial normal and cancerous tissue gene coexpression networks [14].
Microarray data compilation and processing
The transcriptome data used in this analysis was obtained from in-house generated data and the public repository databases Stanford Microarray Database, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and Array Express. In addition to data used previously [5] for operon prediction, 326 transcriptome data were used. The additional data consists of 105 hybridizations performed on Affymetrix diS_div712a GeneChips [15]; 55 cDNA:cDNA hybridizations [16–20]; and 166 cDNA:gDNA hybridizations [21–24] and GEO [25] accession numbers GSE21807, GSE21808, GSE21811, GSE22398, and GSE22399. The data was divided into three datasets, according to the platform used: dataset 1 for cDNA:gDNA, dataset 2 for cDNA:cDNA, and dataset 3 for Affymetrix chips. Eight transcriptome data (cDNA: cDNA) were removed before further analysis as more than 30% of the genes in those samples were flagged absent.
a = Fraction of absent flags in dataset 1
b = Standard deviation in dataset 1 (25th percentile of the standard deviations is 0.50)
c = Fraction of absent flags in dataset 2
d = Standard deviation in dataset 2 (25th percentile of the standard deviations is 0.43)
e = Presence of a probeset for that gene on Affymetrix diS_div712a GeneChip
In all, transcript profiles of 6225 genes, corresponding to 4399 cistrons, were used. The k-nearest neighbor method [26] was used to estimate any missing values, as ARACNE requires a complete expression matrix. For each of the three datasets the expression data for each gene was z-standardized to an average of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.
Features used in operon prediction
Functional similarity was estimated based on the protein classification scheme available at the Welcome Trust Sanger Institute [27] and on Gene Ontology (GO) terms. In the case of the protein classification scheme, functional similarity was determined for adjacent genes if both genes were assigned to one of the 140 protein classes. A score of 1 was assigned when both genes belonged to the same functional class and -1 when they belonged to different classes.
where a and b are the number of GO terms associated with each gene, and c is the number of GO terms common to both genes.
Conservation of gene order was estimated by the number of bacterial genomes in which the orthologs of a pair of adjacent genes are present in the same order. The number of orthologs was obtained from OperonDB [30, 31] and it is included in additional file 1. Intergenic distance was calculated from data downloaded from StrepDB [32]. Pearson correlation (r), calculated between pairs of adjacent genes, was used as gene expression similarity measure.
Supervised classification for operon prediction
Supervised classification models for the prediction of operons were obtained using SVM light [33]. Classifiers were assessed by a 10-fold cross-validation scheme. Recall, false positive rate and area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the performance of classifiers as previously described [5].
Positive and negative classes were defined as known operon pairs (KOP) and non-operon pairs (NOP), respectively, as described previously [5]. The positive training set consisted of 425 KOPs. Of these KOPs, 149 were used in our previous study [5]. An additional 266 gene pairs were experimentally verified to be co-transcribed in the same study. Also, eleven pairs were identified from six recently reported operons: nikABCDE[34], devAB[35], nrdABS and nrdRJ[36], znuACB[37], and rpmG3-rpmJ2[38]. This last pair, rpmG3-rpmJ2 had also been verified in our previous study [5]. The negative training set consisted of 131 NOPs. Of these NOPs, 119 gene pairs were retained from our previous study comprising 122 NOPs. The three pairs that were removed were verified to be co-transcribed in the previous report. Twelve additional NOPs were obtained from the six recently reported operons mentioned above. The list of positive and negative training sets is given in additional file 2.
Transcriptional network prediction using ARACNE
Transcriptional networks were predicted on the whole genome using ARACNE [7, 8]. The input to ARACNE consisted of a matrix containing the gene expression data at the cistron level and a list of regulators. The gene expression matrix consisted of 4399 rows, corresponding to cistrons, and 524 columns, corresponding to microarrays. A p-value of 1.0 × 10-9 was used as threshold for mutual information. A DPI tolerance of 0.05 was used as criteria to remove possible indirect interactions. Predicted networks were visualized in Cytoscape [39] within ARACNE.
Network modules with functional enrichment and consensus sequences
Fisher's exact test was used to identify network modules in which a significant fraction of genes are involved in the same biological pathway or function, as defined by the protein classification scheme [27] and GO terms. Those network modules with a p-value less than 1.0 × 10-4 were considered significantly enriched. The R package qvalue[40] was used to calculate the corresponding q-values using the bootstrap option [41]. All network modules reported as significantly enriched were significant at an FDR = 0.01.
The upstream regions (300 bp) of the cistrons belonging to the same network module were examined for the presence of consensus sequences using MEME version 3.5.7 [42, 43]. The zero order background Markov model used in MEME (A: 0.153; C: 0.351; G: 0.347; and T: 0.149) was determined by calculating the fraction of each base in the upstream region of all 5346 predicted cistrons. To reduce the probability that the reported motifs are not statistically significant, motifs were determined for the same sequences but after randomly shuffling the sequence letters. To make this criterion stricter, this was repeated five times. An E-valuethreshold was set for each network module as the minimum of five E-values determined when the upstream cistron sequences were randomly shuffled. A consensus sequence was considered present in a network if the E-value was less than the E-valuethreshold. Consensus sequence images were generated with WebLogo [44].
Operon prediction refinement
Building upon the whole genome operon map developed previously [5] we employed additional features for operon prediction: functional similarity of adjacent genes, and conservation of gene order. The training set used in this work consisted of literature reported operons, and 266 experimentally verified pairs predicted from our previous work. The positive training set thus consisted of 425 known operon pairs (KOPs), while the negative training set consisted of 131 non-operon pairs (NOPs). The compiled transcriptome dataset comprised a total of 524 cell samples, substantially larger than the 206 samples used in the previous predictions.
Features for operon prediction
Genes which are part of an operon are often involved in the same biological function or pathway. Functional similarity was assessed for the positive and negative training sets based on a protein classification scheme available at the Welcome Trust Sanger Institute [27] and on Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Functional similarity assessment requires that both genes in a pair have a category assigned, thus not all KOPs and NOPs could be tested for functional similarity. Functional similarity based on the protein classification scheme revealed that a high percentage of KOPs (72%) corresponded to pairs in which both genes belonged to the same protein class, whereas for NOPs the percentage was low (10%). Functional similarity based on GO was calculated using the Czekanowski-Dice score (see Methods) and an information theoretic metric available in the R package GoSim [29]. A Czekanowski-Dice score greater than 0.6 was calculated for 33% of the KOPs, but for none of the NOPs. Based on the information theoretic metric, adjacent genes in 79% of the KOPs have functional similarity greater than 0.6, while only 37% of the NOPs have a similarity greater than 0.6. All these functional similarity metrics indicate that adjacent genes in the same operon have a high-likelihood of being involved in the same biological function. Therefore, these similarity metrics can be used for operon prediction.
Genes in the same operon are often conserved across multiple genomes. Conservation of gene order has been previously used for operon prediction in prokaryotes [31]. The number of bacterial genomes in which the orthologs of adjacent Streptomyces coelicolor genes are present in the same order was thus used as a feature for operon prediction. Also, KOPs have shorter intergenic distance compared to NOPs, and therefore, this feature was also used for operon predictions.
Genes which are part of an operon and are co-transcribed have similar expression profiles. Pearson correlation (r) was used as measure of gene expression similarity between the transcript profiles of pairs of adjacent genes. A correlation r > 0.7 was observed for 35% of the adjacent gene pairs in the KOPs. In contrast only 2% of the adjacent gene pairs in the NOPs had a correlation r > 0.7. The sharp discrimination between the two classes strongly indicates the importance of transcriptome data for predicting operons.
Classifiers to differentiate KOPs and NOPs
Comparison of the AUC of different classifiers.
Average AUC
Null hypothesis
Functional similarity
a. Protein classification scheme-based
b. Czekanowski-Dice score
c. Information theoretic metric
Conservation of gene order
Intergenic distance
Gene expression similarity
2.8 × 10-2
All features
1.6 × 10-4
Whole genome identification of transcription units
The operon status of same-strand pairs in the genome was predicted using the SVM classifier based on all the features. The SVM model assigns a score to each same-strand gene pair. A positive score indicates that the adjacent genes are predicted to be co-transcribed. Adjacent gene pairs with positive score were grouped into operons. A total of 5346 transcription units were predicted (additional file 3). Among these, 1389 transcription units are polycistronic, containing two or more genes.
Whole genome regulatory network prediction using ARACNE
Gene expression regulation occurs in prokaryotes at the level of cistrons instead of individual genes. The predicted cistrons were used as the basis to infer regulatory networks using ARACNE (Algorithm for the Reconstruction of Accurate Cellular Networks) [7, 8]. The interactions predicted with ARACNE were of the type "cistron A regulates target cistron B". Cistrons containing at least one gene encoding a regulatory protein were categorized as "cistron A". The regulatory proteins belong to families such as sigma factors, transcription factors, DNA-binding proteins, two-component systems, defined-family regulators, and repressors. ARACNE was used to compare the expression of every combination of two cistrons to identify the pairs with statistically significant and high mutual information. ARACNE infers regulatory interactions when pairs exhibit a high degree of expression dependency or correlation. Indirect interactions are eliminated by using the data processing inequality (DPI).
ARACNE predicts interactions based on a matrix of expression values and a list of regulators. To generate the matrix of expression values the profiles of all 7825 genes from the 524 transcriptome samples were examined and those with low dynamic expression profiles were removed. In all, the expression profiles of 6225 genes, corresponding to 4399 cistrons, were used for network prediction. The expression values for cistrons were obtained by averaging the expression values of adjacent genes in the same predicted cistron over 524 transcriptome samples. Of the 4399 cistrons, 692 contain at least one gene encoding a putative regulator. These 692 cistrons constituted the input list of regulators to ARACNE.
This result is highly encouraging, as the mode of action of two-component systems involves phosphorylation and not only interactions at transcript level. Nevertheless some interactions can be inferred from transcript levels. For two-component systems such interaction could be the effect of autoregulation, as has been reported in Streptomyces (AbsA [45]) and other organisms (TrcRS [46], SenX3-RegX3 [47], PrrAB [48]).
Supporting evidence for predicted network modules
Network modules containing known edges
Identification of consensus sequences
Operons which are part of the same regulon (i.e., operons activated or repressed by a common regulatory protein), often have a consensus sequence in their upstream region. Consensus sequences have been used not only for regulon prediction, but for operon prediction [56]. For each network module, the upstream regions (300 bp) of the cistrons in that module were examined for the presence of consensus sequences using MEME [42, 43]. Consensus sequences in 414 network modules were identified. In 84 of those network modules, the consensus sequence appeared in the upstream region of all the network module elements. Additional file 5 lists the consensus sequences found in each network module.
Network modules containing known consensus sequences
Several previous reports on Streptomyces coelicolor have identified the upstream consensus binding site of regulatory proteins. The consensus sequences discovered in this study were compared with previously reported binding sites. Overlaps between discovered consensus sequences and previously reported binding sites strengthen the evidence for the validity of our predicted network modules. Some of the commonalities between the sequences discovered in this study and those previously reported, are presented next. We also report the presence of these consensus sequences in additional network module members.
Identification of biologically enriched network modules
A functional module is a group of components and their interactions that can be attributed a specific biological function [61]. We investigated which network modules represented functionally coherent modules. Fisher's exact test was used to identify the network modules in which a significantly larger number of members were associated with a protein class or a GO term than would be associated by chance. The protein classification used was that at the Welcome Trust Sanger Institute [27]. At a p-value threshold of 1.0 × 10-4, 146 network modules were enriched in 33 different protein classes. Twenty-five network modules were enriched in the secondary metabolism protein class. Additionally, 16 network modules were enriched in the polyketide synthase protein class. For the classification using GO terms, at a p-value threshold of 1.0 × 10-4, 115 network modules were enriched in 67 GO terms. The term that appeared as enriched in the most number of network modules (13) was NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) activity. The complete list of 188 unique enriched network modules can be found in additional file 6.
Functionally coherent network modules including a consensus sequence
Network modules enriched and with consensus sequences
Protein class enriched
GO terms enriched
Secondary metabolism
ATPase activity, coupled to transmembrane movement of substances
Transport/binding proteins
Hydrolase activity, hydrolyzing O-glycosyl compounds
Transporter activity
Sigma factor
DNA binding
Transcription initiation
Sigma factor activity
Anaerobic respiration
Electron transporter activity
Electron transport
Mitochondrial electron transport, NADH to ubiquinone
Fatty acid and phosphatidic acid biosynthesis
NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) activity
Nitrate reductase activity
Nitrate reductase complex
Sigma factor
Transcription initiation
Sigma factor activity
Secondary metabolism
Ligase activity
Cofactor binding
Adaptations, atypical conditions
Structural molecule activity
Methyltransferase activity
Biosynthetic process
In this study, we integrate large scale transcriptome data with genomic features to predict operons in the antibiotic producer Streptomyces coelicolor. The transcriptome data, at the cistron level, was then used to infer the whole genome regulatory network of this organism. The network modules, centered on cistrons containing genes encoding regulatory proteins, contain potential interactions between genes encoding regulatory proteins and their targets. Some of the interactions in the network modules correspond to experimentally known interactions. In addition, the network modules were analyzed for functional enrichment and the presence of consensus sequences. Some of the consensus sequences overlap previously described binding sequences and motifs.
Improved operon prediction by using an expanded transcriptome set
The inclusion of additional predictive features and the expansion of the training set and the transcriptome dataset resulted in an improvement in the operon predictability of the classifiers developed in this work. The performance of the classifier based on gene expression similarity, as determined by area under ROC graph, improved from 0.81 in the previous work to 0.87 in this study. Even though the classifiers based on functional similarity performed poorly, most likely due to the lack of GO term assignment for many genes, they contributed to improve the performance of the classifier including all features. The area under ROC graph increased from 0.91 in the previous work to 0.97 in this study. Comparison of our current operon predictions to our previous predictions indicated a good agreement between the two sets. Of the 4965 same strand pairs, 4439 (89.4%) retained the same prediction. Of the 526 differences, 422 correspond to adjacent genes predicted to be co-transcribed in the current prediction, but not in the previous one. Only 104 differences corresponded to adjacent genes not predicted as co-transcribed in the current work and predicted as co-transcribed in the previous work. Most of these pairs had a low expression correlation in the expanded dataset.
The training set for the current predictions consisted of 425 KOPs and 131 NOPs. The KOPs consist of literature-reported operons as well as those experimentally verified in our previous study [5]. Thus, the training set contains more than three-fold higher KOPs compared to NOPs creating the possibility of an imbalance between the positive and the negative training sets in the operon model. However, as noted above, with an 89.4% overlap, there is a high degree of consistency between the prediction of the previously-reported model and the current predictions. The previous predictions employed a more balanced training set (149 KOPs and 122 NOPs) and the prediction results were experimentally verified. Thus, the consistency between the two predictive models gives credence to the results of the current predictions.
Reverse engineering transcriptional network prediction
An advantage of the algorithm employed in this study (ARACNE) is that unlike clustering algorithms (such as k- means, or self-organizing maps) where cistrons or genes are assigned to mutually exclusive groups, a cistron can participate in multiple network modules, thus linking them and allowing a cistron to engage in different biological functions. ARACNE identified a Streptomyces coelicolor transcriptional network with scale-free connectivity distribution. Scale-free architecture has been noted in other networks derived from transcriptional interactions [7], metabolic reactions [63], and protein-protein interactions [64].
Additional considerations for regulatory predictions
An implicit assumption of most reverse engineering approaches based on microarray data is that all the network components are fully observed. However gene interactions are not static and additional layers of gene regulation exist. Although on a global level, mRNA abundance correlates with the protein levels of the corresponding genes, discrepancies between mRNA and protein profiles have been noted for several genes in Streptomyces coelicolor[65]. Moreover, due to post-translational modifications (e.g., phosphorylation of two-component systems), the active protein levels cannot be reliably estimated from transcript levels. These uncertainties introduce hidden variables which are not observed in transcriptomic studies. Due to this limitation of partial observability, it may be impossible to identify all the direct interactions and eliminate those interactions that arise due to indirect statistical dependencies [66]. It is conceivable that many of these regulatory predictions can be substantiated and improved by combining gene expression data with other genomic data sources such as functional annotation, associations discovered by text-mining biomedical literature, and protein-protein interactions. In addition, approaches that detect dependencies between genes at different time delays are starting to emerge, see for example [67].
Combination of network modules with annotation and consensus sequence presence
A vast majority of the 7170 interactions predicted in this study are novel and not yet experimentally verified. Because the network prediction was based only on transcriptome data at the cistron level, other interaction types involving proteins and even protein modifications would most likely not be captured with this methodology. It is encouraging though that known protein-DNA interactions were obtained in several network modules. Techniques such as EMSA, ChIP-chip and even ChIP-Seq can be used to experimentally verify these predictions. However, genome-scale experimental data for protein-DNA interactions in Streptomyces coelicolor is at the moment almost non existing. Prioritization of these predicted inferences will undoubtedly assist any future attempts to further analyze or verify these interactions. In this study a total of twenty network modules (additional file 7) presented functional enrichment and the presence of a consensus sequence in all of its members. These modules represent promising candidates for further analysis and experimental verification.
Network module overlap with coherent clusters from an independent study
In a recent study by Nieselt et al. [68] the metabolic switch of Streptomyces coelicolor was studied by clustering of temporal transcriptome profiles, which resulted in several biologically coherent clusters, dominated by a few large operons. The eight clusters discussed in that study were compared to our predicted network modules and a considerable overlap was identified in all of them. This overlap includes the clusters associated with synthesis and regulation of the cryptic type I polyketide, and the RED and ACT antibiotics, which have several genes in common with the biologically-relevant networks identified in this study. Additionally, the ribosomal gene cluster from Nieselt et al. includes 46 genes, 23 of which appear in our network module 570, which is enriched in the protein class "Ribosomal proteins - synthesis, modification" and the GO cellular component "Ribosome". Similarly, the nitrogen metabolism cluster from Nieselt et al. includes five genes, three of which appear in our network modules 213 and 488. The network module 213 is enriched in the GO terms "nitrate reductase activity" and "nitrate reductase complex" whereas the network module 488 is enriched in the GO term "nitrogen compound metabolic process", which indicates that both networks may be involved in nitrogen metabolism. Some of the genes up regulated by phosphate depletion also appear in our network modules 370 and 371, which are centered on phoU and phoRP, respectively. Thus, the overlaps between the predicted network modules and the coherent gene clusters from an independent study further indicates the importance of combining global and temporal gene expression datasets with physiological information such as gene functions and consensus sequences.
Here, we implement a systematic approach for mining large volumes of transcriptome data to predict the transcription regulatory network of Streptomyces coelicolor. The network comprises more than 7000 direct associations between putative transcription factors and more than 3500 predicted cistrons in Streptomyces coelicolor. The network displays a scale-free architecture with a small-world property observed in several biological networks in bacteria as well as higher organisms. A substantial percentage of these interactions comprise network modules with coherency of biological function. Further attempts to integrate diverse genomic dataset will seek to improve the sensitivity and specificity of these network predictions. Such integrative efforts substantiated with experimental validation present a highly promising systems approach for elucidating the regulatory determinants of secondary metabolism.
We would like to thank Govind Chandra for guidance in querying StrepDB.
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Hollywood Celebrities In Adverts
Have you noticed the amounts of Hollywood celebrities in adverts recently? Not just film trailers or transatlantic airways or American banks and all that jazz; not Victor Kiam. I'm talking bona fide Hollywood legends knowingly advertising utter shit in exchange for cold, hard cash and a significant hit to their credibility.
It's currently possible to see Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nicole Kidman, Harvey Keitel and a raft of silver-screen legends debasing themselves in the bit between repeats of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire on ITV56 every Tuesday afternoon. In exchange for yet another mansion - or a year's worth of fuelling a Lear jet - they appear in these parochial, ironic and very shit adverts for products as pitiful as insurance, price-comparison websites and bread. Often sending up themselves - or the roles for which they're known. In British adverts for British brands.
This tells us many things. One, most celebrities are utterly shameless. Two, there must be a hell of a lot of cash flowing through the coffers of these companies. Three, there's a very good reason they're coming over here, rather than doing it on their native TV networks, to do it.
In years gone by Sylvester Stallone, Snoop Dogg, Al Pacino, Samuel L Jackson and Bruce Willis have also made the trip over the water. Or have they? In many cases, probably not, but there's a calculation going on here - a calculation that suggests the shame of patronising this shit is worth the money if you only damage your street cred in a faraway land.
In years gone by it was known as Japandering - whoring yourself for cash in foreign lands on the basis that none of your white, English-speaking fans would ever see you humiliate yourself. Here's a good example: Schwarzenegger, one of the biggest movie draws of the 80s, appearing in a fucking bonkers Japanese advert for an energy drink at the height of his fame.
There are various degrees of awfulness and contempt to these adverts, but no-one comes out with much credit. Apart from a couple million more in the bank. One thing I am certain of is that we haven't seen the last of Hollywood celebrities in British adverts. They'll be back. Oh yes, they'll be back.
Harvey Keitel / Winston Wolfe Direct Line adverts
Harvey Keitel is a funny one. Here is a man who has has authenticity coming out of his arse. Born to immigrant parents who ran a restaurant in Brooklyn; a veteran; taught to act by Strasbourg; long associations with Scorsese and Tarantino; earned his stripes with against-type portrayals in films by Jane Campion and Abel Ferrara; acted under De Palma, Coppola and Scott; a peer of De Niro, Pacino and Nicholson - a quartet of actors you could argue have formed the bedrock of some of the most acclaimed and successful films of several recent decades; one of Hollywood's most iconic tough guys of the last 40 years. He must be fucking minted.
And yet he is happy to collect a cheque in which he shits all over one of his most iconic roles in a film directed by his protege, Quentin Tarantino. I happen to think that Tarantino is vastly overrated as a director, but popular opinion and celluloid consensus is against me: Pulp Fiction is a classic, the film's fixer, Winston Wolfe, is an icon and Keitel is one of the coolest character actors in modern Hollywood.
Which makes it all the more bizarre that he's prepared to spray that film and his own reputation with whippet shit. Keitel not only riffs on his image from the film as a mob fixer but repeats phrases and set-ups in the adverts, extricating Direct Line customers from minor scrapes with recourse to an insurance company. Or does he? Perhaps he really is going to shoot a lot of people in the head in order to remedy these prangs, leaks and boiler repairs. And surely Direct Line aren't equating home insurance with illegal racketeering?
Al Pacino and Bruce Willis Sky adverts
Seeing this pair advertise Sky in their inevitably half-hearted styles is sad as much as anything. Pacino once smouldered with intensity; Willis a wise-cracking everyman. Nowadays they look tired, used up, bored to tears by everything they do - including these embarrassing Sky adverts, in which they inevitably come up against some dopey, star-struck, weird-looking Brits.
Pacino actually references the fact that he might keel over at any second. And Willis taking one of them home to fuck does not make it any less sad. Indeed, after half an hour of trying to get it up and failing it probably serves to enhance the innate tragedy.
Harrison Ford Sky advert
This is, at least, not wholly embarrassing for Ford - and at least it's not inserting him into some drab domestic situation and asking him to make a fool of himself. But he just looks so very tired, as if all he wants to do is lie down and go to sleep. The man who played Han Solo, Rick Deckard and Indiana Jones looks more likely to doze off and start snoring halfway through a movie than be a kid again.
I find the overt wielding of cash fairly vulgar in this instance too. Sky, Virgin, Netflix, BT and the rest hurl around utterly vast sums of money in an effort to increase their share of the cash you allocate towards making your snoozy nights on the sofa that little bit more bearable. Lulling you into a soporific stupor as they lift another £80 monthly fee out of your bank account. We're slaves to our tellies in this way and these box-set wielding behemoths are our masters.
That they can spend these shit-tonnes of cash to convince more and more people to watch slightly differing shades of glossy, largely braindead television is one of the more sinister facets of our modern society. Oh, look, Game Of Thrones. A child being burned to death. LOL!
Sylvester Stallone Warburton's adverts
This the one that take the floppy, rubbery, processed-flour cake. Tory donors Warburton's offer up a grisly concoction of Chairman Jonathan Warburton and dough-faced Hollywood punchbag Sylvester Stallone engaging in an unlikely conversation about bread. For more background on this I urge you to read this apparently serious interview with the bread impresario, in which he voices his disbelief that Alastair Cook didn't realise supermarket bread was fresh.
I suppose it's something to be grateful for that Stallone didn't rape Rocky in earning his filthy lucre. And a soldier with PTSD massacring Muslims probably wouldn't play too well in Bolton, so they've plumped for a thinly-veiled Expendables pastiche. A mass-murdering mercenary, then, was deemed an appropriate character to base the advert around. Yet the odd smart visual gag can't rescue the fact that this is just horrible - a patronising, badly-acted and fundamentally dishonest advert about bread that votes for David Cameron.
Snoop Dogg / MoneySupermarket adverts
Gangsta rap's whole ethos is an expression of the desire for money and power - and ability to express both in the most vulgar way possible - so it's no surprise Snoop is prepared to eat shit in exchange for lots of The Benjamins.
The idea that saving money on a price-comparison site is somehow equatable to doing burnouts in low-riders and twerking with a bunch of honeyz is surely one that resonated with the Essex-dwelling C2s that make up MoneySupermarket's core demographic too.
John Cleese / Specsavers advert
It gives me no pleasure but say it, but it's precisely 28 years since John Cleese was last funny. In the same way that most musicians outlive their sell-by dates, churning out forgettable music by muscle-memory rather for any especially noble reason, many comedians start a low slide into irrelevance around middle age.
Fawlty Towers will always remain a landmark in comedy - and Cleese will rightly be lauded for his work - but this advert is just rather sad, for lots of reasons. It's impossible to link Cleese-Now with Cleese-Then, as a result this is simply the equivalent of acting karaoke by an old man who bears a passing resemblance to Basil Fawlty. Cleese must have been offered a tonne of cash for this - as he must have been hundreds of times over the last 30 years - and claims that he acceded this time because he thought it was funny. But it isn't.
Neither Cleese nor Specsavers come out with any credit. For the latter this is simply an opportunity to keep a tired joke going by besmirching the memory of a comedy classic. For the former, a million quid.
Nicole Kidman CompareTheMarket adverts
In my mind's eye Kidman gets booked in for a day of soul-destroying shit one every couple of months. She does a few voiceovers for adverts (probably those ones where radio stations can bag a bespoke mention), takes part in a few round-table interviews in which unlucky journos are allowed to ask one question each about her new film no-one gives a fuck about and spends two hours talking to a CGI meerkat. For this day's work she bags, ooh, let's say $1m. Then she goes home and devours the soul of a maid whose name she's never really known.
Put all that to one side and you have someone who's been rich, successful and acclaimed for almost 30 years. Humiliating herself for money in a market she's calculated cannot damage her fame or professional standing. Perhaps the lack of nobility about the whole shouldn't surprise us - but it's worth remembering that while your man on the street might think it a bit of fun, the very existence of these adverts shows us what these celebrities, agencies and brands really think of us.
The Worst Adverts Of 2015 : Vote
Here we go then. The worst adverts of 2015. If you're just here for the videos and want to give my usual Christmas Message Of Despair, skip the next 1,000 words...
Some people I know who are teachers have started to tell me recently that children don't necessarily know why we celebrate Christmas. No Jesus, manger, frankincense, little donkeys or Boney M. No Once In Royal David's City, O Little Town Of Bethlehem or God Rest Ye, Merry. Not even that version of Oliver Twist that Alistair Sim did. No, not because of immigrants or loony-left councils.
They think it's something to do with shopping. Some other people I know - people who are legally adults - got so excited by the arrival of a Coca-Cola truck in Sunderland I'm fairly sure they soiled themselves. When I pressed them further it became fairly clear they thought Saint Nick was something to do with fermented vegetable extract.
Easter? Chocolate eggs. Hallowe'en? Gaudy tat from pound shops that catches fire in any room above body temperature. Bonfire Night? Bangy things. September: Back To School. May: Barbecues, beach holidays and booze. November onwards: the Christmas Behemoth. We even have days dedicated to shopping: Black Friday; Cyber Monday; the New Year Sales. Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays - our lives are mediated by how, when and where we spend money.
Everything that we do is filtered through spending money. Shopping. Adverts. Our whole way of life is driven by acquisition - or the desire to acquire things. Forget the library, theatre, cinema, park, gallery or even pub - people go down the shops for something to do these days. They rule our lives.
Nando's is event living. Starbucks a daily gift to oneself. Maccies is a treat. We're so entranced by McDonald's, in fact, that we'd rather step over a dying man than risk getting our Happy Meal.
We show our love for another by exchanging cookery books that will never be read; box-sets forgotten and filed the second they're watched and Christmas jumpers thrown out the second the deccies come down. The system we've decided to live by is predicated on us having, eating and burning more things.
It's a manifesto for our own unhappiness and subjugation. But it's an insanity that we're happy to go along with as long as our friendly local supermarkets keep us fed, banks keep giving us money and TV provider keeps churning out good-looking trash. Advertising is the oil that greases the wheels of this ridiculous state of affairs.
And so we absorb it, assimilate it and are influenced by these little precision-guided films without even knowing it. To buy, eat, drink, travel. To tell us that we deserve it. To understand that the overriding thing in life is to have whatever you want, whenever you want it. To be the masters of our own ultimate doom.
When we've burned the last fossil fuels, chopped down the last tree, concreted the last pasture and eaten the last of the penguins we'll still have adverts telling us that we deserve more. That we should have more. Adverts are the ultimate expression of the way we enslave ourselves.
Not only that, they're really fucking annoying too. These are my selection for the worst adverts of 2015 but you can tell me which one you hated the most below. And if your most despised isn't present, feel free to add it below. In a futile way, you might just improve the human condition in some infinitesimal, unmeasurable and wholly pointless manner. But it might stave off the existential loneliness for a few minutes.
The Worst Adverts of 2015
My choices for the worst of the crop are below. Underneath that a poll. Read, weep and vote for your most-hated.
People used to quite like advert families. The Bisto Family. The Nescafe Couple. The Milky Bar Kid. We welcomed them into our homes and missed them when they were gone. But somewhere along the line things changed. Now we don't like advert families. We hate them. We've learned to distrust our Gods - the banks and supermarkets and car-makers and broadcasters. We may never stop using them. But in this set of Tesco adverts is a new paradigm. We hate these adverts - and we hate the businesses behind them.
Vax Air Cordless Lift
Like a mongoose brushes off cobra venom, I'm immune to the supposed charms of Miranda Hart. I find her whole 'whoops I'm a bit clumsy and look a bit weird' shtick a massive turn-off. In fact I'd rate my fondness for Miranda Hart as somewhere between 'acquiring wisdom teeth' and 'claiming housing benefit'. This Vax advert has all the traits that leave me colder than an Iceland party-food pack present and correct.
Only a total bell-end could have written this ghastly faux-twee affair. A proper Clem Fandango. Someone with a sleeve full of tats, a vial of expensive beard oil and a belief that Ed Sheeran, Catfish and the Fucking Bottlemen and Kodaline are the last words in amazing music. Hateful.
An exercise so fundamentally disturbing it can only have been made by actual children or psychopaths. Though it is incredibly fitting in that Haribo seems to have a phenomenal ability to reduce adults to dribbling infants.
I guess trying to make people go to a Travelodge in this day and age is a fool's errand, but breaking out the puppets just results in a mawkish, try-hard and charmless spot that suggests a polar opposite to common belief: that you'd be mad not to stay at a Travelodge.
The equivalent of buying David Attenborough and making him read out Katie Hopkins columns for the sheer Hell of it. Grisly, depressing - the utter triumph of cold, hard cash over something joyous and innocent.
A surreal, grotesque sex nightmare harder to avoid in 2015 than George Osborne's horrible smug little face. Still, there are definitely bigger and more annoying arses on television. George Osborne, for example.
The man who says 'You make me laugh Cortana' looks like he's physically choking on the words. He looks appalled and ashamed of himself. But what's bizarre is that many, many people - perhaps 100 - sat and watched and nodded and smiled while this abomination was allowed to happen. Even when the man looks like he'd rather shoot himself in the head than say those words. You can see it on screen - a man whose very soul is dying in front of our eyes. And everyone involved still said 'yep, that's the shot. Print it. We're using that one.'
In the cult sci-fi film Cube a massive, self-contained, indestructible death-trap is constructed simply because no-one involved in its creation ever questions what their tiny part in its making portends. No-one ever questions it; no-one ever stops doing their job and something inexplicably terrible just happens as a result. Just like this Clean Bandit Cortana advert. A vast, mechanised, purposeless killing machine. Only the advert is much worse.
If anything good has emerged from austerity it's that our relationship with banks has been changed forever. We finally learned to distrust big business in 2015, though we haven't quite figured out yet what to do about it. In that context Lloyds' desperate, misjudged 'we're your friends, really' advert felt as outdated as Jeremy Corbyn's wardrobe.
John Lewis
John Lewis finally runs out of steam with the 593rd iteration of its cover-versioned sad-sad-sad-happy routine. A tired, misfiring cry-wank of a glory-years photocopy.
Andrex seems to be on a mission to make people spew up into their TV dinners, with this the latest in a long succession of adverts apparently intent on either discussing bodily matter in great detail - or inspiring their sudden emergence.
Nothing against Vauxhall, I just hate Jake Bugg - a man with a voice like a stress headache.
Aldi graduates to the same level as the usual Big Four suspects with an ad featuring one of those singing voices that sounds like a Victorian urchin has been rescued from a gin parlour then partially educated by an aristocrat. The result is an estuary whine less loveable than cholera.
Fuck off Postman Twat.
Virgin Media
Appalling, insulting, patronising drivel that dares to compare Paloma Faith to Billie Holiday and a lady who plays football to Emmeline Pankhurst. Women - apparently these are your Gods? Lots of bonus points for being insufferably smug and boasting an abysmal soundtrack. The last shot of the young girl glancing across to the camera physically pains me. 'Women who rock'. Dear Christ.
Vote: Worst Adverts of 2015
Vote for your worst adverts of 2015 here. But think carefully - you can only choose one...
And finally...
Finally, thanks to Jon 'Holmesy' Holmes for sending in this billboard spotted in Ealing. I have absolutely no bloody idea what the Hell is going on, but felt it deserved to be mentioned here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Potential Policies if Paris Hilton Becomes President
By Sean Leviashvili
Will the White House become the Pink House?
If Paris Hilton has any say, yes.
"I want America to know that I'm, like, totally ready to lead," she says smiling on her most recent publicity stunt: a parody of McCain's "Spears, Paris, Obama" campaign video posted on www.funnyordie.com. In her spot, Hilton discusses her plans for the nation and considers her running mate. "I'm thinking Rihanna."
While it may be too late to make it into the race, and she may be a few years short of the age requirement (She's 27 and you must be at least 35 to run for president), MainStreet, along with Sara Benincasa, comedian and reporter for MTV News' Choose or Lose 2008 campaign, wondered what a Paris Hilton Presidency might look like.
Paris's Energy (Specifically Oil) Plan:
Paris already solved this one herself, as explained in her video:
"Barack wants to focus on new technologies to cut foreign oil dependency, and McCain wants offshore drilling. Well, why don't we do a hybrid of both candidates' ideas? We can do limited off-shore drilling, with strict environmental oversight while creating tax incentives and get Detroit to make hybrid and electric cars. That way the offshore drilling carries until the new technologies kick in, which will then create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved."
Doesn't sound too complicated, does it? Thanks, Paris!
Benincasa's Prediction: "Looks like she solved it. Thank God!" she says. "But I doubt she had any contribution to it, it was probably the work of really talented writers."
What about universal healthcare? And what about universal shopping sprees? According to a recent CNN poll, 48% of Americans are most concerned about the economy and the troubled job market. And with big name-companies such as Wal-Mart missing their earnings expectations recently, the U.S. might need someone who actually knows what Wal-Mart sells. Paris once asked what Wal-Mart (WMT) was on national TV ("What's Wal-Mart? Do they sell, like wall stuff?"), let's hope she's done some research.
Benincasa's Prediction: To boost the economy, Hilton may consider a second stimulus check. "She'd probably write a few her self and have the dogs do the rest."
Animals seem to be on Hilton's mind the most.
"Every woman should have four pets in her life," Hilton has said. "A mink in her closet, a jaguar in her garage, a tiger in her bed, and a jackass who pays for everything." That's a philosophy guaranteed to rile up the folks at PETA. But what about Tinkerbell, the heiress's favorite live accessory? This February, Hilton was in the doghouse for announcing on the Ellen DeGeneres show that she owned 17 pups (each with their own outfit), a number exceeding the three-dog limit established by the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services for non-breeders in California. The location of her many dogs is currently reported as unknown.
Benincasa's Prediction: "She doesn't seem to be a great pet-owner, and I know she adopted an illegal animal a while back, but she loves that Tinkerbell. She'd probably make Tinkerbell Secretary of Education, maybe even in charge of Health and Human Services."
If the media's coverage of Hilton has taught us anything, it's not to mess with Paris. This bottled-blonde takes (almost) nothing laying down! Based on the seemingly endless list of catfights Paris has reportedly been involved in, her defense policy would likely be categorized as aggressive or hawkish.
Things got complicated on The Simple Life (NWS) when Paris and childhood-friend, Nicole Richie, put their friendship on hiatus after rumors circulated that Nicole had shown the notorious "One Night in Paris" tape to friends at a party. The duo finally patched things up and reunited on the show for its fifth season, after spending season four apart. This isn't the first time Paris had a war with an ally! While doing a radio interview in April, Paris made childhood-friend, Kim Kardashian the butt of her joke by criticizing her bottom. "It's disgusting," she said. "It reminds me of cottage cheese inside a big trash bag." (Ever the diplomat, Hilton realized the inappropriateness of her comment and made a public apology in In Touch magazine shortly after.) The wars don't begin and end with childhood connections. Tabloids have captured Paris going head to head with the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Mischa Barton, and former Playboy Bunny (PLA), Shanna Moakler.
So would Paris stay on defense the way she does in her personal life is she were Commander in Chief?
Benincasa's Prediction: "She would probably keep [U.S. Secretary of State] Condi [Rice] in place because she wears [cute] pumps, but she'd leave all the work to her. As for attending foreign balls and conferences, I can see her having a throw down with [Chancellor of Germany] Angela Merkel or [French president Nicolas Sarkozy's wife and former model] Carla Bruni, it could be hard not being the hottest girl at the ball."
As for toying with the gray area of the constitution, a la The Patriot Act, potential President Hilton would probably just issue her own 'Paris Act.' As she's said before: "The only rule is: don't be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in."
Loves it!


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19 comments:
They do look good. Lots of details. Always a plus. In footwear.ReplyDelete
Love these - they look so warm and comfortable. xReplyDelete
great i love them!ReplyDelete
those boots are so nice! xxReplyDelete
Aww they look so nice!ReplyDelete
Love them, they look comfy and like they'd go with anything!ReplyDelete
Those boots are so cute, but I know I'd just go flying in them (it wouldn't even need to be icey!)ReplyDelete
i just bought a pair of furry boots at new look too! really! and i love them! :DReplyDelete
Ipod nano giveaway at Illustrated-Moodboard.com
Nice !ReplyDelete
Look my blog and follow me if you want ! xx
they are indeed lovely xReplyDelete
love the boots, so great for this time of yearReplyDelete
Hannah xx
- Anonymous20 January 2011 at 22:14
They are really lovely!!ReplyDelete
If these look well worn then they're withstanding the weather well! I'm sure they would look good with bare legs, just like milatary boots last spring.ReplyDelete
They look so warm! :) xReplyDelete
they're so amazing! if i didnt have so many nice pairs of boots id snap them up for 24.99!!ReplyDelete
im having an Alexander Wang - esque studded bag giveaway if you want to check it out hon, you might liike it xx
They're so nice, I have some in a similar style and I'm constantly wearing mine xxReplyDelete
I really like the 'worn' look & they are a bargain!:) xxReplyDelete
Thank you for all of your comments, I'm so glad the weather is still cold so that they don't look out of place on my feet haha xxReplyDelete
my flatmate just got these...too cute! the black pairReplyDelete
Don't apologise, they dont look that scuffed lol
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.
I'd love to hear your thoughts... Leave a comment below!


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Action Contre la Faim (ACF) is an international non-governmental organization working in more than 40 countries in the fields of nutrition, food security and livelihoods, water sanitation and hygiene, and care practices. ACF is looking for its program in the Kurdistan Regional Government for one (1) Distribution Logistician (M/W).
Work place: Erbil
Type of contract: fixed-term contract of 3 months (with possible extension)
Assignments: Manages the store: food, equipment, hygiene products
Specific activities:
- Manage the food transportation and delivery ( Organise and supervise the transport to the distribution points of the food, Complete the various dispatch documents, Organise and supervise loading / unloading of the food commodities and distribution sites)
- Manage the stock (Identify the commodity entering and outing and check the quality and quantity, ensure follow-up of stocks and pay particular attention to use-by dates of food, draw up a monthly inventory and write an inventory report of food commodities movement )
- Check the quality of the food stuff to be stocked (Ensure that the stores are hygienic and clean, examine the deliveries- quantity, quality, documentation and report any problem with the quality, check the sanitary conditions of the products entering, remove infected products and inform the base logistician)
Recruitment criteria:
Lower high school leaving certificate or equivalent, training in stock management and experience as a storekeeper
Required skills: Command of reading and writing –Command of arithmetic – Knowledge of English - rigorous – meticulous - Languages skills (oral and/or written, Arabic, Sorani, Badini, English).
How to apply:
The application period closes on March 20th 2014.
Applicants may submit their cover letter and resume (including 2 professional references) in English to:
- firstname.lastname@example.com (please note the job offer reference in the email object)
- ACF office 240/9/815 Shlama Ashti, Ainkawa, Erbil in a sealed envelope specifying job offer reference
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and interviews maybe performed before the closing date of application.


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DkIT is to host the 11th FIS exhibition in the newly renovated Carrolls' building at the start of June
Members of the public are invited to attend the launch of Dundalk Institute of Technology's annual FIS Music & Creative Media Exhibition
It will allow the public to experience a wide variety of completely new and original projects that have been developed since the beginning of the academic year. The projects on display will range from film to interactive installations and games.
Oraculum is one of the many enthralling projects being exhibited this year. This engaging interactive narrative was created keeping the current economic climate in mind, showing a hypothetical instance of what could happen to our society.
This interactive experience will take place in the newly renovated Carrolls' building. The aim of the FIS exhibition is to promote the innovative and diverse projects that are created by the college's multi-media students.
All children and adults are welcome to attend with free admission.


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As I mentioned you will be seeing couple non-recipe posts this month and here is the first one.
When I was reading the background of Idiyappam and its references in Ponniyin Selvan I came across this book and got fascinated right away. My interest in historical novels, attributed to my interest in history of food too. So got this book and here I am to talk about it.
I am not an architect nor a historian nor a botanical scientist but just a foodie. That said I am not reviewing this book. I am just sharing the interesting facts from the book about our food. Also I don't think I can bring out the facts in just one post.
The book is all about our ancestors, Mohenjo-Daro, Harappan culture, native grains, fruits and vegetables of India and how the invasion over India affected our food culture.
The author starts with a brief description of our ancestors and about ancient languages like Munda, Sanskrit and Tamil. It was very surprising that the English words rice and curry got its name from Tamil words Arisi and kari. Basically our story of food goes back to Aryan age. Architects were able to find the grains of burnt wheat and husks of barley still lying in the crevices of the storage granaries excavations. These were the same grains that were eaten by people nearly 4000 years ago.
The author then explains how weeds became food grains. Man used to look for weeds bearing lot of grains, tasted them and started cultivating them. Rice, Wheat, Barley, Millets and Ragi were all once weeds. Sugarcane and Banana are from India which went across various territories. Mustard oil and gingelly oil were also native to India.
The Aryans impacted a lot in our food culture. Agriculture being the chief occupation, they taught us the process of sowing, irrigation, seeding, transplanting, weeding, watering, defensing against pests, reaping and threshing. Crop rotations and seasonal sowing were followed 4000 years ago. Boling, steaming and fermenting, frying foods were followed by Aryans too. Paneer, ghee, buttermilk, and even shrikhand find the roots from Aryans.
"In the famous manual of statecraft written in 300BC, the Arthasastra of Kautilya, a balanced meal of a gentleman is described. This consists of rice 500g, dhal: 125g, oil: 56g and salt 5g respectively. This balanced diet mentioned so long ago is the same in essentials as the so-called recommended balanced diet which the Indian Council of Medical Research laid down in 1987!."
I really liked all the chapters where author explains food and culture through other's eyes. India had lot of Greeks, Chinese visitors and then the Mughals who invaded. From the beginning rice was the principal crop of the country.Mughals contributed new foods like biriyanis, shullas, kababs, pulaos. Author explains how each and every region in India prepared their food and what all fruits, vegetables and spices they used.
Then came the Europeans and britishers who bought in tea and coffee for us but took a lot from us. Europeans obseved Bengal as one the fertile and cheap lands and they had a proverb among themselves which said, "The kingdom of Bengal has a hundred gates open for entrance, but not one for departure."
Foods that we take it for granted like tomato, potato, papaya, groundnut, pineapple,coffee, tea all came via europeans and above all chilli from Mexico. Yes, India got introduced to chilli just 300 years ago, till then pepper was used for spicing up the dish. But just imagine today, can our cooking be complete without red chillies or green chillies?
This book was very informative and really a good read.
Earlier cross posted here


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Thomas Nelson (September 14, 2010)
Whimsical and frolicking illustrations bring the pages alive with color while the rhythmic and flowery prose will capture children's vivid imaginations. As they hear and repeat the words and inspect the illustrations even toddlers will find encouragement for the tasks they already perform at home. Youngsters will also discover new ways to use their skills and talents for the benefit of others as well as the satisfaction of receiving back through their own giving. Parents will be thrilled with the additions to this book which assist in finding additional media from this author, an introduction written in the form of a letter to parents with activities and suggestions to correlate with the story, and even some simple questions and lists of tasks or projects to involve children long after the book has been read. Even the language itself is formatted for emphasis on specific phrases through the use of bright colors and larger fonts. Other adults who have relationships with children in their lives will enjoy sharing this book with the youngsters as well.
(ISBN#9781400316496, 32pp, $16.99)
Visit the author's site, visit the illustrator's site, and don't forget the publisher's site. Click the cover above for more info or to purchase a copy. Thanks to Thomas Nelson's Book Sneeze blogger program for a review copy. The scheduled release of this title is Tuesday Sept 14 don't miss out on a wonderful new tale for your younger loved ones or the young at heart.


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Acid treated starch is a carbohydrate polymer prepared by treating starch or starch granules with inorganic acids such as sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or phosphoric acid, which is later neutralised by the use of sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate. This causes the starch to partially hydrolyse (breakdown). Starch is a natural polysaccharide derived from the seeds, roots, and leaves of corn, wheat, potato, rice, tapioca and sago. The properties of acid treated starch change with the heat and acid treatment applied, as does the varying degree of solubility in cold water. Acid treated starch is used as a thickener, stabiliser and binder in food.
Common Uses
Used in fermented milk, drinking yoghurt, flavoured milks, whipped creams, unripened cheese, whey products, fat-based desserts, semi-preserved or frozen fish and some seafood, coffee, coffee substitutes, tea, herbals teats, hot cereal, breakfast oats, pre-cooked pastas and noodles, batters, starch based desserts (rice pudding, tapioca), dried or heat-coagulated eggs, pie fillings, sauces, salad dressings, soups, puddings, custards, confectionary, and many more.


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Many organisations, large and small, have benefited from the wide-ranging experience, proven frameworks and in depth knowledge of our consultants.
Our experienced PM consultants can help your organisation:
Understand the effectiveness & performance levels of the team, then advise on and implement improvement programmes to enhance your Product Management capability.
Provide a fresh perspective on your current product strategies, roadmaps and methodologies, then work with you to customise new frameworks to meet your unique challenges.
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The output from this review will be a series of recommendations and an implementation plan including:
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"The training matched our needs exactly and has already enabled us to focus on offering a range of winning products to our customers. A very worthwhile investment in our future."
Steven Logan, Product Manager, CTI Data Solutions Ltd


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January-February 2010
Informed Consent FDA
Justice Dept. and Ebooks
COBRA Notices
Animal Research FOIA
Cell Phone Update
Google Books
TILA Disclosure Forms
Final TILA Rule
IRS and FICA Refunds
ADA Physical Access
March 2010
Proposed FDA Rule
Deemed Export & H1B
ADEA Proposed Rule
Open Internet and FCC
Off Campus Employment
Title IX Report
April-May 2010
Comcast v. FCC
Medicare Secondary Payer
AGB Board Responsibility
Genes and Patents
No Title IX Surveys
COBRA Extended
FAR and unions
Campus Attacks
HIPAA Privacy Rule
Diversity and law
Notice of Employee Rights
Timely Warning
FCC Broadband Plan
June 2010
Cert in Mayo
Conflict of Interest PH
Timely Warning
July/August 2010
Red Flag Rules Delay
Fundamental Research
June 4 Dear Colleague Letter P2P
75 Fed. Reg. 34806
Christian Legal Society Chapter v. Martinzez, Leo P. et al.
NASFAA Initial Summary of the Proposed Regulations
DOL Administrator's Interpretation No. 2010-3
Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies, 75 Fed. Reg. 43825
September/October 2010
Grants Reporting on Subawards
Badger Catholic Inc. v. Walsh
University of Wisconsin v. Southworth
Export Control System Changes Proposed
1099 Reporting under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Spending and Management of Endowments of UPMIFA
Summary of Rights and Duties, FCRA, Proposed Rule
Fall Faculty Newsletter
Final Rule on Electric I-9 Forms
Cheerleading Case: Biediger et al v. Quinnipiac University
Revised ADA Regulations Implementing Title II and III


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Douglas-Carson Legal Professionals (DCLP) is a local, northern Nevada chapter affiliation of NALS...the Association for Legal Professionals, otherwise known as NALS. We meet for lunch and CLE once a month at Reds Old 395 Grill in Carson City.
Our local, non-profit Chapter was chartered in 1985, while NALS was founded in 1929.
The legal support profession is fast-paced and ever-changing, and NALS can help you stay up-to-date on the tools, skills, and resources you need to adapt and grow. Becoming a member helps you stay informed, stay connected to fellow legal professionals, improve your skill set, and support your career, all while ensuring that there is a large organization able to advocate on your behalf for the issues that matter most.
NALS offers members and nonmembers the opportunity to sit for three unique certifications dedicated to the legal services profession. The exams are of varying levels and are developed by professionals in the industry. Each of the three certifications is developed by NALS and takes advantage of the more than 84 years of experience and dedication to the legal services industry only NALS has to offer. NALS has the certification for you, whether you are beginning a career in the legal industry or are a veteran paralegal ready to display your skills.
NALS conferences are well known for offering great education while creating a fun environment for you to enjoy your time away from the office. With state meetings and two national conferences, we hope that you can make the most out of your membership and attend a NALS conference!
Request to get on our Email list for details and future events at firstname.lastname@example.com Click here for more information
Douglas-Carson Legal Professionals
Copyright © Douglas-Carson Legal Professionals. All Rights Reserved
Douglas-Carson Legal Professionals
P.O. Box 2994, Minden NV 89423 us


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- Cropped length
- Ribbed trims
- Elasticated waistband with drawstring fastening
- Inside leg length from (approx) 55cm/21.5"
- 100% cotton
- Machine washable
- Model is 5"9/175cm and size UK 18/EU 46
Plus Sizes: 16, 18, 20, 22-24, 26-28, 30-32, 34-36
Fit & Fashion Notes:
Update your casual clothing collection with a pair of these staple joggers. In a cropped length, they feature ribbed trims and an elasticated waistband with a drawstring fastening for a comfortable fit throughout the day. Team with a simple tee and trainers for daytime appeal.
Why We Love It:
We love their easy-to-wear and versatile design.
Click & Collect at UK stores
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Home delivery
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International delivery
We deliver to over 150 countries. Click here to find out more
FREE UK Returns
FREE returns to UK stores within 21 days
FREE returns via the toyou service at Asda stores within 21 days
Stores cannot refund PayPal or Amazon payment transactions
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Hearing Aids of Hawaii
Call Us: 808 875-4517
Same day appointments available. Call or Text 808 875-4517 today for your appointment.
Walk ins are always welcome.
My Wife and I got our Hearing aid through Hearing Aids of Hawaii. David fitted us with state of the art equipment and provided the best customer service we could ask for. Not only can we hear, we were able to connect the hearing aids to our cell phones and to our TV via blue-tooth. How cool is that? Thank you David and Charmane for a great experience.
John S., Kihei, HI
Hearing Aids of Hawaii has been wonderful helping me as a first time Hearing Aid user. I live on Maui only part-time but was so impressed with their personalized care, great prices and professionalism that I chose to purchase my Hearing Aids through them. I am glad I did. I can listen with ease and comfort now.
- Anthony C., Laguna Niguel, CA
We are a staff of Hearing Care Professionals that base our success on our patients' long-term Hearing Aid satisfaction.
We believe in personalized care based on your individual concerns and needs.
Hearing well plays a key role in staying tuned in to the world around you. A recent study by the Better Hearing Institute found that better hearing helps keep people active and can improve quality of life. Results reported include improvements in relationships; self-confidence; sense of humor; mental, emotional and physical health; cognitive skills and more.
Ensure you stay active by making an appointment with us for a comprehensive look at your hearing health. While here, we will discuss your hearing history, give you a complete hearing test and review your results. We also can show you the latest in hearing technology and how discreet, comfortable and high-tech today's hearing aids are.
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All new patients receive a complementary Hearing evaluation, including a one-hour consultation with one of our Hearing Care Professionals.


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Hey guys
This is my second day of using ACV (apple cider vinegar) and my small bumps is gone. I use it twice a day. Its burns like forever but its worth it. And no I did not sleep,but as I said its worth it. The big ones is shrinking and I hope to be wart free by the end of the week. I apply ACV on cotton wool and put it in between my but cheeks in the morning for the whole day until I go take a bath in the evening. I repeat it before I go to bed and sleep with it. I don't get much sleep thou. But I'll take a sleeping tablets for the time I'm using ACV. It works guys. Just hang on there. U can also drink 2 teaspoons of ACV if u have warts inside ur anal. I'll be back at the end of the week hopefully with a success story. I'm keeping good faith. Burning the whole day and night for a week is worth it. Instead of walking around with it for months. And years to come. So make urself proud


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Security companies are modern-day slave masters
This article was submitted by a former security guard who has requested anonymity.
Many security companies subject their guards to gross abuse. When an individual joins a security company out of frustration of being unemployed, he or she is maltreated and grossly disrespected.
Most guards work tirelessly, and on payday they are told that they cannot receive their salaries, or they receive a quarter or half. If security guards assertively demand their pay, they are often fired or chased from their company's office and told to return their uniform, which they bought for $10,000-$15,000, having had the funds deducted from their wages.
Security companies often stipulate that no employee should get a salary while on probation. One must sometimes work even up to three months to be qualified for remuneration. Guards have to fork out their own money for travelling, uniforms and for food. Most times, they are on a 12-hour shift, or even double.
Security companies are modern-day slave masters, as many of them pay workers a lower rate than the Government authorises.
It should be stated, too, that security companies' managers, such as operation managers, accountants and other heads at the office, receive hefty salaries on time, while guards' mediocre wages are often delayed or owed to them.
Uniforms are another crisis. Guards are issued sometimes with one or two uniforms. Because of the length of a shift, they cannot do their laundry appropriately.
Mr Editor, it's only by God's grace that security guards who are not trained but placed in dangerous locations survive gunmen's bullets. Many companies in the Corporate Area and rural parishes are not registered, and they hide behind the high perimeter walls with barbed wires atop. They do not pay the Government's statutory taxes. Some, too, do not have a permanent location or office. Guards are then directed to a lot or someplace convenient where the managers dispatch untrained men and women. These managers evade the Government's scrutiny, as they have no proper or stable address.
I have been employed to several security companies - most times the smaller ones - and had to leave because I could not query my pay or salary. As a consequence, I was unduly fired.
I am now letting the country know of the plight security officers face. I also beg prospective clients: Before you solicit the services of a security company, enquire of the relevant government authorities or agencies if the one you are considering is reputable, licensed, and has well-trained guards and dogs. At some companies, dogs are just for show to reap more money from innocent, unsuspecting clients, as they are often worthless, no matter the breed or size of the animal.
I beg of the governmental and regulatory powers that be to step in to protect the rights of officers, as they are human beings and not dogs to be mistreated. In fact, some dogs get better treatment than security guards because they are kept healthy and in tiptop shape.
I also urge the Firearm Licensing Authority to monitor weapons used by security firms to ensure proper accountability and safety procedures.
I hope the relevant authorities stand in defence of security guards and their welfare and challenge security companies that breach government policies and the laws of Jamaica.
- Email feedback to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Sergio Aguero insists he will not be leaving Manchester City after helping the club to their second Premier League trophy, Mirror reports.
The Argentinean striker has been linked with a summer switch to other European giants, but he's relishing the chance of repeating their title triumph again next year.
Real Madrid have reportedly attempted a £60million bid for City to part ways with their star man, who scored 28 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions this season.
But after the Sky Blues clinched their second league title in three years with a 2-0 victory over West Ham United, Aguero has pledged his future to staying at the Etihad.
"I'm so happy," said Aguero. "It was an amazing moment to win another title. I'll be back next year even stronger to win more trophies."
This season the 25-year-old has been hit with niggling injuries, but will now aim to get fit before the 2014 World Cup.
Argentina are one of the favourites – with the likes of Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain – to lift the trophy in Brazil this summer.


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@lashaw7800active 5 years, 8 months ago
A cellular promotional activity is something which no promotional company will shun on. Actually, using the rising costs of media advertising, flexibility in campaigns have sort of changed advertising. Far more efficient than advertising is the fact that in promotions, the marketplace receives samples of the products and services and also other […] View
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