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Mitsuku Chatbot Wins Loebner Prize 2013
samzenpus posted about a year ago | from the more-human-than-human dept.78
mikejuk writes "The final round of the 23rd annual Loebner Prize competition took place in Londonderry, Northern Ireland with four chatbots hoping to convince four judges that they were humans. Mitsuku, a chatbot that is kept busy chatting to people around the world, was awarded this year's bronze medal. Mitsuku's botmaster, Steve Worswick, used to run a music website. Once he added a chatbot he discovered more people visited to chat than for music so he concentrated all his efforts on the bot but he still regards it as a hobby. Mitsuku uses AIML (Artificial Intelligence Markup Language) and is a pandorabot, based on the free open-source-based community webservice the enables anyone who wants to, to develop and publish chatbots on the web."


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Composting Food Waste: Is it the best solution?
June 25th, 2014 | by Becky Striepe
Is composting food waste the end all solution to our food waste problem? It's complicated
June 25th, 2014 | by Becky Striepe
Is composting food waste the end all solution to our food waste problem? It's complicated
April 19th, 2014 | by Mary Gerush
Want to know how to compost? It may sound intimidating, but it's surprisingly easy if you break it down into 5 simple steps. Composters, start your engines!
February 4th, 2014 | by Becky Striepe
There's really only so much that we can do as individuals to curb our food waste. Businesses need to step up, and they need help
November 5th, 2013 | by Jo Borrás
Getting the most out of food is always a worthwhile goal, whether you're buying it in bulk at a big [&hellip
May 18th, 2013 | by Mary Gerush
We've written a lot about ways to reduce food waste, but it bears repeating now that spring is bringing us the good stuff
March 18th, 2013 | by Mary Gerush
We've shared the scary food waste statistics. Here are three entrepreneurial companies with creative approaches to addressing this ridiculous, yet serious, issue
August 24th, 2010 | by Raza Imam
No doubt, coffee consumption takes a major toll on the environment. And since most people won't just give up their coffee habit altogether (not that they should), here are a few relatively easy ways to make your coffee drinking habit more responsible
July 30th, 2010 | by Jeannie Moulton
The world produces an insane amount of coffee each year, somewhere around 16 billion pounds. The grounds are soaked in [&hellip
July 22nd, 2010 | by Jeannie Moulton
Picnics and outdoor gatherings offer some of summer's most enjoyable occasions. However, if you are an environmentally-conscious person, it's likely [&hellip
January 6th, 2010 | by Rachel Venokur-Clark
Priscilla Magnusen, raw food expert and teacher shares some valuable information with us about going raw. How does going Raw [&hellip
October 22nd, 2009 | by Becky Striepe
Not only is VerTerra's dinnerware all natural, it's biodegradable and compostable, too! The holidays are coming fast, and that means [&hellip
April 3rd, 2009 | by Megan Prusynski
No garden would be complete without its own natural recycling system, a compost pile. Without a way of dealing with [&hellip

subset: commoncrawl


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Carlisle Boys Youth Lacrosse: Welcome
Interested in learning how you can become a part of C-Lax?
If so, contact Jill Gaito at email@example.com.
Offering competitive teams at U15, U13 and U11 and an instructional team at U9.
Information on registration for the 2015 season coming soon.
2014 Schedule
CORK & BREW fundraiser event is on!!!
Visit our forms page to download snail mail registration form
|Click to Register


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Another person created the theme for Civilization Engineering which is hosted through Fatcow. I just took over as admin and uploaded 4 .pdfs into the media file. That was probably my first error. Immediately after I started getting error messages for all the pages except the splash and home page.
Called Fatcow, and they tried to recover the site from a few days ago. Didn't work. They removed the 4 offending files and still nothing worked and told me to contact you folks.
Now I can't even gain access at all as admin. The splash and home pages are still viewable but all the other pages show "Error establishing a database connection"
I spent some time replicating the look of the site through Fatcow's Site Delux thing so the site owner wouldn't go ballistic but I really need some help here.


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Key proposals of new cap on payday lenders
The Financial Conduct Authority's cap on the interest charges and fees set by payday lenders will ensure customers will never be hit with loan costs higher than the amount borrowed.
ITV News Business Editor Joel Hills has tweeted the FCA's key proposals:
FCA caps interest charges on payday loans and default fees. Overall cost of payday loan "will never exceed 100% of amount borrowed".
FCA says cost of borrowing a £100 payday loan for 30 days (repaid on time) will never exceed £24. It's currently £30.
FCA says default charges "cannot exceed £15". Wonga's was £30 but was recently lowered to £20.


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"Curious Incident" tops Olivier Award nominations
The nominations for this year's Olivier Awards have been published today - and leading the field is The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.
The National Theatre production, based on the hit murder mystery novel about a boy with Asperger's syndrome, has been named in eight categories, including Best Actor, New Play, and Director.
The toe-tapping new musical Top Hat follows in second place, with seven nominations, while the West End transfer of Chichester Festival Theatre's Sweeney Todd is also in close competition with six.
The Olivier Awards are seen as the most prestigious awards in British theatre - and have even been dubbed the "Oscars" of the West End.


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Adam's culinary crusade takes him on a road trip along the beautiful Gulf Coast. He tries legendary baby back ribs and the fresh flavors of a seafood platter. He then coaches local musician AJ Fratto to try ...Go to Episode
Gulf State Park Pier
Right on the water, Gulf Shores is a great place to relax by the water, and Adam enjoys the eye-catching scenery before beginning his food fest through the Gulf Coast.
20800 East Beach Blvd, Gulf Shores, AL
Blalock's Seafood and Specialty Market
Blalock's has some of the freshest seafood around, and they are a proud member of Man V. Food Nation.
24822 Canal Rd, Orange Beach, AL 36561
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Bizarre Foods: Third Coast Travel Guide
Forget about the East and West Coasts; Andrew visits the Third Coast, tasting Gulf Shore fare like pan ...
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Find FN chefs' favorite ice cream, BBQ, and burgers across the country.
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Get creative in the kitchen and see cooler ways to cook from Cooking Channel.


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This is a recording of Black Eyes' final show, performed at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C. on 3/26/04.
Recorded to minidisc by Christopher Grady.
Photo by Shawn Brackbill.
this is our drummer mikes old band black eyes and its their last show 10 years ago. yesterday was the anniversary.
MARRIAGE is playing one show during SXSW and this is it. At Beerland on Wednesday March 12th at 2pm. It's free. You should come.
Marriage Percussion Ensemble is playing with Tim Kerr for his freedom piece. At Delta Mill Works (5th and Springdale) on this Saturday July 20. After Brown Whornet and before Ed Hall.
MARRIAGE For Brötzmann records arrived today. Out on Monofonus Press on 4/23 or get one on saturday 4/20 at the record release show at Museum of Human Achievement. Weird Weeds and SUR will be playing as well.
Members of Marriage will join KOOP DJ Bryan Carroll on Fresh From the Underground this Sunday. We'll talk about the record we are about to release on Monofonus. Show starts at 4:30. Tune in online http://www.koop.org/ or 91.7 in Austin.
Friday, April 20: Austin, Tx — Album release party w Weird Weeds +1 TBA at the Museum of Human Achievement
Friday, April 26: Norman, Ok. — Guestroom Records (125 E. Main Street) as part of Norman Music Festival
Saturday, April 27: St. Louis, Mo. — Mushmaus w/ Britches, Spelling Bee, and Raglani
Sunday, April 28: Louisville, Ky. — The Rudyard Kipling w/ Tropical Trash and Alcohol Party
Monday, April 29: Chicago, Il — Permanent Records in-store
Monday, April 29: Chicago, Il — Empty Bottle w/Nude Sunrise, Rollin Hunt, and Matchess
Tuesday, April 30: Milwaukee, Wi — Quarters
Wednesday, May 1: Columbus, Oh — Ace of Cups w/ AS*US
Thursday, May 2: Brooklyn, NY — Shea Stadium w/ Zula, Lodro, and Mr. Dream
Friday, May 3: Washington, DC — TBA
Saturday, May 4: Memphis, Tn — Buccaneer Lounge w/ Modern Convenience
We posted two tracks from our upcoming record out on Monofonus Press on April 20th.
We recorded a full length album at OHM recording facility in Austin recently. Enjoy this video of us recording.


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Ok, I know I've posted about this, but basically the Fantasy League I set up is having LOTS of trouble filling open slots so again -- ANYONE who wants to join, please feel free to do so.
League Name: BullsLeague
Password: bsellers
Looking back, I made the league way too big, but I guess it shrinks to fit however many of us are in the league by the time of the draft (about this time next week).
So, to sum up -- PLEASE JOIN.


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Well once again thanks to the help and inspiration from people on this forum I built my own motorized mill. At the NHC this year I took advantage of the discount that monster mill offered and ordered their MM-3 mill with extended grain chute. I wanted to go with a direct drive motor. There was some question on whether the motor that everyone was using would have enough torque for a 3 roller mill. Link to Motor.
I decided to take my chances, and ordered it, along with the appropriate love-joy spider couplings from McMaster Carr. I found a overstock cabinet for reasonable at the local HOBO's. I made the top from some leftover lumber. I wired the switch for forward and reverse. The sliding shelf I relocated to the bottom, so it can hold the bucket. I needed to make a chute to get the grain from the opening in the top closer to the bucket. I ended up cutting out the bottom of a taller Tupperware container, and attaching that to the underside (not visible in pictures). It works great.
Well there is no doubts in my mind about this motor handling the grain. I used it the other day on 20 lbs of grain without any problems. It went along at a nice slow and steady rate, and produced an excellent crush, with no signs of bogging down. I am hopeful it will last for some time.
Please excuse the messy basement in the photos.
Any questions or comments, fire away!
how much was the motor?
ahh, i see that now, good price


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Though At War With the Army was the third film appearance of [[Performer~P121802~Dean Martin~deanmartin]] and [[Performer~P99633~Jerry Lewis~jerrylewis]], it was the team's first starring vehicle. A pattern is set herein for all the [[Performer~P121802~Martin~deanmartin]]-[[Performer~P99633~Lewis~jerrylewis]] flicks to follow: [[Performer~P121802~Martin~deanmartin]] plays a self-assured romeo, forever bursting into song, while [[Performer~P99633~Lewis~jerrylewis]] is a hopeless screw-up unable to perform...more
All At War With the Army cast + crew photos
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.


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Contact Info
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
SCAA phone: 941 331 4333
The SCAA headquarters address is:
Suite 800
910 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
It is best to send mail directly to the intended recipient.
For invoices, corporate documents, grants and administrative matters:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association
Attn: Richard Brown, Executive Director
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Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
For Program Related Matters:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association
Attn: Robert Schriever, Vice President
392 High Street
North Attleboro, MA 02760
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England are still unsure about the identity of their ideal number 6 or their third seamer despite having already played their first Ashes warm-up game. Their second Ashes warm-up is going to be played at Hobart from November 6 against Australia A. However, stand-in captain Matt Prior is confident the team will bounce back from the very average performance they displayed at Perth in their opening warm-up match against Western Australia Chairman's XI. The first game was declared a draw an hour before the scheduled close of play after a mediocre performance by the England. The only highlights of the match were magnificent tons from Ian Bell and Jonathon Trott while the rest of the team put on a largely forgettable display. Gary Ballance had a poor Test audition as a probable No. 6 with him getting a golden duck and the trio of seamers fighting for the spot of the third fast bowler (behind Anderson and Broad) were also unimpressive. Prior himself admitted Chris Tremlett, Boyd Rankin and Steve Finn were rusty but showed significant signs of improvement on the final day. He insisted that Finn and Rankin showed good pace and also managed to scalp two wickets each before the draw was called. "There were a lot of positives not least of which were from these two. The three big guys improved from the first two days and towards the end Finny was really hitting his straps while Boyd Rankin was great throughout the final day. He could be a really useful weapon on bouncy Australian wickets," said Prior. "The three of them would admit that the first day wasn't great and there was a bit of rustiness but that's why we are here four weeks early - to clear the cobwebs before the first Test," he added. Alastair Cook appeared to get a message out to the middle in the drinks break that he wanted Finn to keep going despite having bowled seven overs on a trot. This could mean, he might be the man they want in Brisbane. However, what exactly Cook or coach Andy Flower will want to do with the No. 6 spot in the playing XI is still unclear. As of now, they have three options - persist with Jonny Bairstow, trust Gary Ballance to shine in Hobart or go with Michael Carberry. Prior said that Ballance will definitely get a second chance to prove himself and that the Zimbabwe-born batsman is bound to come good soon. "It's written in the stars. Guy goes away and scores a lot of runs, comes here all excited and then gets a first-baller. He's not the first to do that and won't be the last. He will get another opportunity and I am sure he will get some runs," Prior insisted.
England in Australia, 2013/14 (Full Coverage)
England will bounce back: Matt Prior
|Perth, 2013/Nov/04 09:15:00 ,
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When Supreme Court justices aren't satisfied with their role.
Judicial Power Grabs
May 24, 2010 by 7 Comments
Secure Borders, Secure Jobs
April 28, 2010 by 20 Comments
Bruce Thornton
September 3rd, 2014
Los Angeles, CA
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September 11th, 2014
Los Angeles, CA
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Palm Beach, FL
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How to speak leftist: truthrevolt.org/videos/andrew-…
Jew-hater-in-chief: online.wsj.com/articles/bret-…
Saudi warns U.S. will be hit by terrorists in two months; Obama golfs and fund-raises (he can't play the fiddle). truthrevolt.org/news/terror-sc…


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Update on rail services at Cardiff Central Station
Network Rail has confirmed access to all main line platforms at Cardiff Central Station after yesterday's landslip.
First Great Western are operating full service, including additional services planned for the Olympic Football event in Cardiff this evening.
Passengers are warned that services on the Cardiff Valley lines are still subject to disruption, and Arriva Trains Wales has outlined an amended timetable for the rest of today.


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My five-star reviews:
I entirely understand why the marketing team for Walt Disney Studios and Dreamworks Pictures invited me to a screening of The Hundred-Foot Journey starring Helen Mirren, Manish Dayal, and Om Puri last week. Even as a food-obsessed avid moviegoer, I wasn't planning to see the movie in the theater. I wanted to watch it eventually, sure, but it looked like one of those feel-good, fun-for-the-entire-family films that I could enjoy from the comfort of my living room while also browsing Twitter. It was feel-good, and your whole family probably will like it, but it's so, so much more than that. It made me feel so many feelings. I had tears in my eyes for about 75% of it, and I had tears on my cheeks for the rest of it. It was unexpectedly beautiful and a must-see for anyone who's passionate about cooking and food.
Nitehawk Cinema is an eat-in movie theater in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where servers bring food right to your seat throughout the show. You share a small table with the person next to you and write your order on slips of paper that attach to the front of the table and that the servers watch for while the movie's playing.
The menu is full of new American classics like burgers and Carolina BBQ short rib sandwiches, familiar sides like tator tots with a twist in the form of queso and scallions, favorites from other cultures like quesadillas and empanadas, plus some frou frou farro and kale salads for the health-conscious. There are themed food and drink specials to go along with each movie, and sure, being served a meat and cheese tray in the midst of a film can be a little distracting, but I'm not complaining when I'm chomping chorizo a minute later. Plus, the theater plays these amazing retro ads and old movie mashups before the show that are better than any preview.
That night, we were served two types of popcorn to enjoy during the movie: herbes de Provence popcorn to represent the French cooking, and curry popcorn to represent the Indian.
Likewise, I had a glass of sauvignon blanc, and my boyfriend had a Kingfisher beer.
It's hard for me to say exactly why the movie hit me so hard. Maybe it's because Indian food was the first "ethnic cuisine" I ate when I left my tiny farming town and moved to the city, and I still remember what it was like for me to taste samosas and kormas and dosas as an adult who had grown up eating only American food. There's this moment at the very beginning of the film where the young Hassan races through the streets of India, trying to catch a man who's bringing sea urchin to a stall in the market. The moment he pops open the shell and smells uni for the first time, and his face melts into bliss–I know what that feels like.
Or maybe it's that my Michelin-starred restaurant experiences have been so meaningful to me. I absolutely loved this scene where the director was trying to show the difference between the hearty, rustic Indian cuisine by panning over big pots full of curry at the Indian family restaurant and then cutting to a clean white plate spotted with tiny foods barely big enough to cover a spoon at the Michelin restaurant across the street. Later, we're shown a sleek, supposedly soulless restaurant in Paris using molecular gastronomy techniques, where the clientele constantly demands style over substance. And I love all of those things! At that moment, I felt so lucky to have grown up eating the food of my family, the incredibly newfangled food at restaurants like Atera and wd-50, and the classic teeny tiny foods at Per Se and Eleven Madison Park.
I'll stop giving away everything in the movie, but the scene that really made me tear up was the one where Hassan opens up his family's spice box full of their own special blends, and I didn't recognize a single word on any of the jars, and my heart was filled with all of this joy over secret family recipes and the fact that with all I've eaten, there's so much more I have to eat.
This movie made me fall even more in love with food, family, and France. The acting was fantastic, the characters seemed real, and the entire audience laughed all the way through it. I understand why the marketing team for Walt Disney Studios and Dreamworks Pictures invited me to a screening of The Hundred-Foot Journey, because you can't fit how wonderful this movie is into a 30-second preview.
It opens nationwide today, and if you're a food lover of any kind, I hope you'll go see it.
It's rare that I leave a prix-fixe dinner wondering, "How did they do that?" But at most of the meals I eat, the chef doesn't come out of the kitchen to explain exactly what was in each dish. That's exactly what happened at the last Friday Night Dinner at the Natural Gourmet Institute, though, and I was left befuddled by how such simple ingredients were turned into such complex dishes. Or maybe it's the other way around.
I was invited to dine on the house at the Natural Gourmet Institute by their marketing coordinator and, you know, immediately had my doubts about an all-vegetarian meal cooked by students. But once I saw the menu, I became a little intrigued. And then when my boyfriend and I figured out that bullet points under the appetizer, entree, and desserts sections weren't "or"s ("pick this OR this OR this") but "and"s ("you're about to get this AND this AND this"), I was downright excited about getting to try all of these different tastes.
We were led to our table by a gentle, polite woman, and that was sort of the theme of the night when it came to the crowd there for the Friday Night Dinner series. Everyone was gentle and polite. A little free-spirited. Very knowledgeable about food. There to enjoy a delicious health-conscious meal and good conversation. We were seated at a communal eight-top, which shocked me a little at first, because ew, I don't want to get to know strangers. But the couple next to us were lovely, foodies and wine lovers who were moving out west and wanted to visit one of their favorite places before they left. She was a vegan and he wasn't, but he assured us we'd like the meal.
This isn't the first time I've had vegetables masquerading as pasta, and I'm a huge fan as someone who usually eats a low-carb diet. The zucchini was so fresh and crisp and light, and it was a neutral enough base that the macadamia nut(!) pesto could really shine. A leaf of Boston Bibb underneath provided a contrasting texture.
It sounded like as strange a combination to me as mushroom ice cream, but the sweet and savory flavors really worked. The cabbage was mostly a textural component, so the flavor of the grapefruit really came through. The carrot coulis was lost on me, unfortunately, but I thought adding the natural sweetness of carrots was a smart idea.
This hearty stew with Cajun flavors was filling enough to have been full of meat, and its flavor was rich enough for it, too; chef Hideyo Yamada told us later that it was the addition of trumpet mushrooms that fooled us. An earthy chia seed cracker, grilled broccolini, a dollop of cucumber and shiso leaf pressed salad, and eggplant and shishito pepper tempura with horseradish sauce completed the sampling. I loved the fresh cucumber with the delicate shisho flavor, the buttery broccolini that probably didn't actually use any butter at all, and the light tempura batter made with quinoa flour (low-carb!) and seltzer water. The bright kick of the horseradish provided a juxtaposition to the richer flavors of the dish.
Don't even ask me what was going on here. The "cake" tasted like raspberry sorbet over a dense, chewy brownie, but it was raw and apparently made of cashews. What a feat. The tapioca pearls had a strong mint flavor and were dry, not slimy, so they stuck together and formed a solid mass. The fresh fruit was so summery with the mint, but the mint quickly gave way to the more forceful raspberry flavor. It sort of reminded me of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which is all about the fleeting beauty of natural objects. I loved the chocolate "tuile", which was much too thick to actually be considered a tuile, and of course that's just the way I wanted it.
The Friday Night Dinner at the Natural Gourmet Institute was serious enough that I felt like I was getting an inventive tasting menu at an NYC restaurant, but it was casual enough that I could go there any Friday night. There's no pretentious decor, no attire requirements, and your placesetting won't include four unnecessary plates there just for looks. The tickets were about $50, including tip and beverage, it was BYOB, and 10% of the proceeds from each dinner are donated to a worthy cause. The night we attended was graduation night for the students, and they came into the dining room with Chef Yamada to talk about the food, the school, and how it's changed their lives. One of the students told us about how sick she had been until she started eating a vegan diet and how she chose the Natural Gourmet Institute because they were open-minded about different ways of eating and didn't force her to take butchering classes like other culinary schools.
You can read more about their history and philosophy here, and check out the menu for the next Friday Night Dinner while you're at it!
I'm writing pizzeria reviews as Examiner.com's Manhattan Pizza Examiner. I know it shows that I have the palate of a 5-year-old, but pizza's easily my favourite food, so you can count on me for plenty of fangirling over crust and sauce in these articles.
Read my review of all of the pies, meatballs, watermelon salads, and burrata cheese here!
Recently, I've been watching the movie Silver Linings Playbook a lot, both because it's been on HBO and because I'm a sap. There's this epic scene where Bradley Cooper's character is desperately trying to find his wedding video in the middle of the night, and Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be" plays over his frantic search. I try to imagine the scene without the song, and it's just nothing by comparison. And I'm sure we all have these movie moments where the music mattered so much to us and really made the scene. Chef and author Barbara Werner has figured out that the same can be said for music and food with her new book series and app, Musical Pairing: The Art of Harmonizing Music to Your Meal.
When Barbara invited me to a nine-course music-paired tasting on her at the Ruth's Chris Steak House near Times Square last week, I expected that she'd just rented out the upstairs meeting room for the atmosphere and would be having a caterer serve us tiny one-bite plates, enough to give us a sample of what an actual musical pairing dinner party could be like. After the first course, I was dying to know the caterer's name. Because I am dumb. Of course it was Ruth's Chris food we were eating, and it was all incredible.
My friend Kim and I were seated at a U-shaped table with other journalists, bloggers, photographers, and eaters,
and in front of each of us was a set of Frends headphones in either rose gold or black that were ours to keep.
When Barbara Werner began speaking, we couldn't help but stop sipping our champagne and admiring our new electronics, because the woman is a real charmer. She was funny. She was honest. She spoke openly about being divorced and how much she loves being a single woman but how she hates the way restaurants announce to all of the other diners that she's alone the moment she walks in the door. "Table for ONE? Do we have a table for ONE LONELY PERSON?" She didn't want to have to join Match.com just to be taken out to dinner, she said, but she hated the stigma attached to treating just herself to dinner. So Barbara started wearing headphones while she ate to block out the clatter of silverware as the server removed the extra setting from her table for two, and that's when she realized that something special was happening.
To start the evening, Barbara's assistants hooked us all up to iPods,
and then servers brought our food to us as we began listening to the song Barbara had decided to pair with that particular course. She said that she'd specifically chosen headphones versus piping the music throughout the room over loudspeakers to ensure that we'd know it was the music that had made the meal so memorable and not the fantastic conversation we were having with the people next to us.
Our example course was a single scoop of vanilla ice cream, something we all knew well and could use as a baseline. As our dishes arrived, a classical music piece began playing. It was fine. The ice cream tasted like ice cream. But when they switched us over to "Pachelbel's Canon in D Major", the ice cream suddenly tasted . . . different. Brighter. Creamier. I knew it was just the power of suggestion, but did I care? If I stop feeling pain because of a placebo pill, I've still stopped feeling pain, right? It was a little bit exciting to me to think that my brain could be won over by a couple of violins. I was also probably won over by the fact that this woman was serving me ice cream for an amuse bouche.
The rest of the night would only get better from there, thanks to Barbara's song choices and this sampling of the Ruth's Chris menu.
Barbara explained that her pairings are derived from a simple mathematical formula that takes into account the type of protein, the way it's cooked, and then all of the side dishes and sauces. Since this tuna wasn't cooked, its musical pairing number was small, so she needed a song with a matching small number. She was looking for a steady beat with no big sweeps, not a lot of dynamics. What she ended up with was "We Got the Beat" by The Go-Go's. I absolutely loved the spicy wasabi and ginger with the freshness of the tuna and cilantro.
Barbara has a culinary degree and comes from a long line of butchers. She was a self-described nerd in school, a choir geek, and learned about whatever music her crush of the moment was into to make boys like her. And she's great at talking about food. The way she described the classic veal osso buco had my mouth watering even before the dish was anywhere in sight. This one was infused with saffron and was so rich and buttery. I'm not sure I'd heard of Florida Georgia Line before the dinner, and I don't usually listen to country music, but "Cruise" had me wanting to dance in my seat and sing along.
I don't eat a whole lot of squid in my life, and I was actively trying to control my portions so I'd be able to save room for the THREE COURSES OF DESSERT, but I couldn't stop shoving this stuff in my maw. Set to the tune of Carly Simon's "Let the Rivers Run" (the theme from Working Girl), it was bursting with red pepper flavor that's making me salivate even as I type this. The lemon we squeezed over the whole plate was the perfect bright contrast to the heavy batter.
And speaking of heavy batter, next up was the biggest onion ring I'd seen in my life. Barbara called this "the greatest stoner food known to man" and paired it with stoner music, "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones. The coating on this was so thick it went from crunchy on the outside back to doughy again on the inside. I loved getting the best of both worlds, and really, the fact that this was a tempura batter meant that it was surprisingly light. I loved the Thai flavors of the dipping sauce.
Next up was a roasted chicken breast paired with Cream's "White Room", perfect for the herbaceous cream sauce that burst out of the chicken when I cut into its crisp skin. But the star of this dish, and maybe reason enough on its own to visit Ruth's Chris Steak House, was the sweet potato casserole with a pecan crust. It was CANDY. It could've easily been dessert. And did I taste a hint of orange in it? The fact that no one is writing love poems to these sweet potatoes is a crime. The Best.
Finally, we got to the Ruth's Chris signature: a petite filet mignon medallion with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. This is the dish that inspired Barbara to write her Musical Pairing series. She was at Ruth's Chris one night by herself, listening to Luciano Pavarotti sing "Nessum Dorma", when she was inspired to figure out why this song and this food went so perfectly together. The song was so epic–probably too epic for my taste in any other setting, actually–but there was this moment when I was spooning these potatoes drowning in butter into my mouth that I thought I'd never be able to eat steak without music ever again after this.
Harry Connick, Jr. sang "It Had to Be You" to us as we ate this mini banana cream pie that was more fresh banana than pie. We loved how it was just lightly sweet and how it was so much more "real food" than banana pudding is. The espresso martini it was served with was all chocolate and sugar, on the other hand, and of course I loved that in an entirely different way.
This was like an apple pie stuffed into a bread pudding with all of its cinnamon and fruits. It was paired with The Mamas and the Papas' "Words of Love" and a creamy whiskey sauce that seemed to also have a whole lotta powdered sugar in it.
This really needs no description, because it's all in the name. Eating this cake is a sin. Especially after eight previous courses and ice cream to start the whole night off. It was so dense and decadent that half of the room left their plate nearly untouched. I, on the other hand, ate nearly all of it but left behind a single bite to show that I'm in control of my appetite. And I'll regret that decision every day of my life.
Several years ago, when I was a faithful minimum wage bookstore employee, I was so excited to read This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession the moment it arrived in the store. I was dying to know why music affected me so much, influenced my mood so intensely. What the book basically told me was, "We have no idea." But even if I don't know why my connection to music is so meaningful, it is. And well, my connection to food is embarrassing at times. As I sat listening to this Florida Georgia Line song I had never heard before and was finding it so unbelievably catchy, I wondered if the food had as much to do with me liking the song as the song had to do with me liking the food. It's been a few months since I'd had a good tasting menu, so maybe it was partly just that I was experiencing the euphoria of an overly-full belly, but I kept exclaiming, "This is the best night of my life!" Loudly, so my friend could hear me through her headphones. And she was feeling the same way. Whether or not we can pinpoint the science behind musical pairing, we're dying to host a music-paired dinner party full of the very best/truly, truly terrible songs our iPods can produce.
If you want to do the same, check out the beginnings of musicalpairing.com for videos and contests, and try the beta app at mpwebapp.com to see actual song suggestions based on your menu.
Thanks to Barbara Werner and Ruth's Chris Steak House NYC for an amazing time!
If you're wondering where the pretty people in NYC are eating (or not eating, to maintain their girlish figures), it's at The Chester in the Meatpacking District. The restaurant serves American food, but the crowd is a mix of world flavors thanks to its prime location, attached to the Gansevoort Hotel with its famous rooftop pool.
I happen to work right next door and looked longingly at the soft blue-and-white striped banquettes on the outdoor patio every morning at The Chester until I finally convinced my friend Kim to join me there for lunch one day. We ordered lobster Cobb salads with chopped lettuce and piles of hard-boiled egg, bacon, blue cheese, avocado, huge chunks of lobster, and pineapple(!) and haven't stopped talking about them since.
Incredibly, The Chester contacted me recently to see if I'd be interested in reviewing their new dessert menu, and I jumped at the chance when I saw that one of the new offerings is served in a jar, which automatically makes everything taste like sunshine and butterflies in flight. The desserts were on the house, but of course Kim and I had to sample a little bit of the rest of the new menu on our own dime.
An appetizer big enough to be an entrée is a rare and beautiful thing in NYC. This duo of dips was extra satisfying in that it included both the savory part of the meal and a part I would've been happy to eat for dessert. The white bean dip was the salty portion, and I loved its strong red pepper flavor. The sweet honey came through in the ricotta dip so well that it tasted like candy next to the white bean. Both seemed extra creamy when paired with the crunchy toasted bread.
Contrasting that was the soft bread of our other appetizer, this flatbread topped with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and arugula tossed in truffle oil. The prosciutto was so tender, not sinewy at all, and I loved the richness that the grilled flavor added to the bread.
The thickly seared scallops were of course the star of this plate, but I couldn't get over how the sweet slice of cornbread complemented the naturally sweet scallops. Everything was perfectly seasoned, and there was lots of complexity thanks to the buttery cream sauce, salty capers, and bitter greens on top.
Plus, it was just plain nice to look at.
Kim's kale Caesar was SPICY! Surprisingly so. The portion size was again really satisfying, and Kim didn't even think she needed to add the salmon but thought it was a well-cooked piece of seameat and was glad she'd ordered it. The big slices of Parmesan were our favorite part, as a couple of cheese hogs.
The first thing I said was, "There's liquor in here!", which is always a great way to start a dessert tasting. The dark chocolate cake had just a hint of bourbon infusion, and I wanted to drape that thick velvety frosting all over everything I ate. The raspberry sorbet had a bright, fresh taste, like it was plucked straight from the raspberry garden. The cocoa nibs, by contrast, added a dark richness and crunch.
The panna cotta is the very last dessert I would've ordered for myself because they're usually too light and not decadent enough for my taste, but this was easily my favorite of the desserts we tried. It reminded me of eating a flower in the best way, the very perfumed flavor of cardamom filling my nose. The warm sensation of the cardamom and strong whiskey cream hit my throat first, but then the cooling burst of Meyer lemon and orange followed. I loved the textural differences of the cream, followed by the crunchy almond brittle, followed by the custard, followed by a layer of liquid on the bottom. The whole experience made me think of drinking a cup of Early Grey tea. Except, you know, it was a creamy cool dessert and not hot tea and therefore much, much more delicious.
My dessert in a jar, at last! Layers and layers of fluffy vanilla bean sponge cake and strawberry compote. I loved that there was plenty of saltiness in this lightly sweet dessert, which really brought out a lemon flavor in the cake. It was such a pleasure to dig through the cream down to the cake and strawberries and come up with a spoonful of different flavors and textures. The honeycomb candy added another reminder of summer with its sweet honey flavor, and it hardened in our teeth so we could continue to enjoy the dessert all of the way home.
pink donuts: expensive meals
glazed donuts: inexpensive meals
5 donuts: transcendent experiences
4.5 donuts: extremely awesome meals
4 donuts
3.5 donuts: good eats
3 donuts
2.5 donuts: food I could have made
2 donuts
1 donuts: dinners not fit for the dogs
• Daniel (2)
• Eleven Madison Park
• Eleven Madison Park (2)
• Eleven Madison Park (3)
• Jean-Georges
• Le Bernardin
• Per Se
• Per Se (2) (extended tasting)
• Per Se (3) (vegetarian tasting)
• Per Se (4)


text:
Cleanable Computer KeyboardsFebruary 15, 2007 7:16 am | Product Releases | Comments
Medigenic infection resistant computer keyboards are designed to combat the growing problem of hospital acquired infections. These keyboards not only can be easily cleaned, but also alert hospital staff when they need cleaning. The flat design of the keyboards allows for easy cleaning as well as excellent tactile response.LISTED UNDER: Communications Equipment
Liquid-Proof Computer EquipmentJanuary 12, 2007 9:59 am | Ikey Industrial Peripherals | Product Releases | Comments
In response to rising concerns about hospital acquired infections as it relates to the recent shift to electronic records, iKey has developed a series of cleanable medical keyboards and a mouse designed to reduce cross contamination. The new liquid-proof keyboards feature low-profile silicon rubber keys that can withstand bleach cleaning, and are easily sprayed or wiped down for complete disinfection.LISTED UNDER: Communications Equipment
OR Integration Made Easy from STERIS CorporationDecember 18, 2006 11:02 am | Product Releases | Comments
The Harmony® Integrated OR from STERIS Corporation harnesses the power of the most advanced technologies to create a future-ready OR integration solution. Whether you are building a new OR or upgrading, we'll design a system to meet your needs and your budget. The open architecture of the Harmony Integrated OR is compatible with all major camera and endoscope brands, making it uniquely adaptable to vendor changes or equipment upgrades.LISTED UNDER: OR Control Systems
Planning, Designing & Implementing a Modern ORNovember 13, 2006 10:16 am | Product Releases | Comments
How can you bring your vision to reality? Here's some ideas to help ensure that your OR construction project meets the current and future needs of your surgeons, OR nurses and other departments while coming in on time and on budget? On September 19, 2006 Surgical Products, in association with STERIS Corporation, presented a live, educational and interactive webcast entitled From Vision to Reality: Planning, Designing and Implementing a Modern OR.LISTED UNDER: OR Control Systems
Waterproof MouseNovember 13, 2006 10:15 am | Ikey Industrial Peripherals | Product Releases | Comments
The AquaPoint optical mouse offers the safety and convenience of a completely liquid-proof pointing device that can be disinfected using any hospital cleaning agent. It features a comfortable, ergonomic design, as well as the "click" feel of an office-grade mouse. Its optical technology allows the AquaPoint to function on nearly any surface, while its rugged, silicone overlay, polycarbonate frame and solid-state engineering, all ensure the AquaPoint a long operating life.LISTED UNDER: Communications Equipment
Medical KeyboardNovember 13, 2006 10:15 am | Ikey Industrial Peripherals | Product Releases | Comments
The SLK-101-FL medical keyboard has both backlighting and a large numeric pad. Resistant to dust, water and corrosive liquids, it is constructed using a fully sealed, industrial silicone keypad. Its low-profile keys provide for easy cleaning/disinfecting by eliminating the difficult to clean spaces of office-grade keyboards.LISTED UNDER: Communications Equipment
Medical-Grade Wireless KeyboardNovember 13, 2006 10:12 am | Ikey Industrial Peripherals | Product Releases | Comments
The DW-860 wireless keyboard combines the compact functionality of a small-footprint keyboard with the added convenience of WirelessUSB technology. A 30-foot RF range and no line of site limitations ensure dynamic applications, including secure communication with a PC inside a metal enclosure.LISTED UNDER: Communications Equipment
Digital Operating Control SystemOctober 11, 2006 7:09 am | Compview Medical | Product Releases | Comments
CompView Medical's Digital Operating Control System (DOCS)® is a suite of state-of-the-art integrated audio, video, communication and control systems designed specifically for the surgical environment that provides surgeons, nurses and staff with optimum audio-visual control and communication capability.LISTED UNDER: OR Control Systems
RFID Material Management SystemAugust 11, 2006 6:14 am | Scan Modul Systems Inc. | Product Releases | Comments
Scan Modul System has introduced a new RFID solution based on its NoCount® system, which is not dependent on supplier compliance. This RFID solution only requires only one RFID transmitter per physical location, not a transmitter for each item. This means that the RFID solution will work with any item in stock and is not dependent on whether or not RFID has been integrated into a particular product.LISTED UNDER: Inventory Management Software
Equipment Cord Management DeviceJuly 12, 2006 10:49 am | Osborne Orthopedic Group, Inc. | Product Releases | Comments
The BOWTIE® device was designed by a surgeon to secure and protect the surgical lines and cords in the operative field and is ideal for all types of arthroscopic and laparoscopic surgery. The wings on the device allow for easy securement to the surgical drape with any surgical clamps. In addition to organizing and managing surgical lines and cords, this device can also assist new surgical techs and beginning residents in setting up cases.LISTED UNDER: Instrument Management Systems
Patient Tracking DeviceJuly 12, 2006 10:49 am | Ultimate Safety, Inc. | Product Releases | Comments
UltiMat® with EdgeSense® is a convenient bed mat with a built-in early warning system. The EdgeSense sounds an alarm when the patient sits on the edge of the bed to exit. This alarm allows health care professionals to respond quickly, preventing a fall. UltiMat with EdgeSense provide restraint free protection, alerting caregivers before patients can harm themselves.LISTED UNDER: Waunder Prevention Products
Asset Management SystemsJune 15, 2006 12:30 pm | Getinge USA, Inc. | Product Releases | Comments
The GETINGE T-DOC Asset Management Systems are the instrument and equipment tracking systems are designed to help facilities maximize productivity and make purchasing decisions based on statistical information accumulated in the computer database. Users can track and manage surgical instrumentation and its use, by investing in a complete tracking system that utilizes bar code capabilities.LISTED UNDER: Instrument Management Systems
Instrument Maintenance TagsMay 12, 2006 11:59 am | Health Care Logistics | Product Releases | Comments
These "Repair" and "Sharpen" tags call attention to devices in need of maintenance. Ideal for operating rooms, nurses stations, emergency rooms, these colored tags make it possible to quickly and easily identify, at a glance, instruments that need to be serviced. Repair tags are red and Sharpen tags are blue.LISTED UNDER: Instrument Management Systems
Wireless Foot SwitchesApril 12, 2006 10:48 am | LINEMASTER Switch Corp. | Product Releases | Comments
These plug and go wireless foot switched offer a variety of functions, including maximum combinations of 5 functions, and up to 3 Linears and 3 switches. Multiple systems can be operating at the same time in the same room. The switches use industry standard AA Alkaline batteries and offer a typical transmitter battery life of 150-200 hours at 50-percent duty cycle.LISTED UNDER: OR Control Systems
A/V Control SystemApril 12, 2006 10:44 am | Karl Storz Endoscopy-America, Inc. | Product Releases | Comments
The Karl Storz OR1® Icon-Driven A/V Control System Interface provides efficient operation and monitoring of all operating room components from a single touchscreen and allows user- and operation-specific equipment parameters to be programmed easily from outside or within the sterile area. The A/V Interface uses easy-to-use icons to provide intuitive graphic representations of all OR 1® image sources and available displays.LISTED UNDER: OR Control Systems


text:
God Help The Girl | Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian.
"From the moment I held the box of colours in my hands, I knew this was my life. I threw myself into it like a beast that plunges towards the thing it loves" Henri Matisse
— VI Los enamorados.
I was a wing in heaven blue
soared over the ocean
soared over Spain
and I was free
needed nobody
it was beautiful
I was a pawn
didn't have a move
didn't have nowhere
that I could go
but I was free
I needed nobody
it was beautiful
and if there's one thing
could do for you
you'd be a wing
in heaven blue…
Well, she's walking through the clouds,
with a circus mind that's running wild,
Butterflies and Zebras,
and Moonbeams and fairy tales.
That's all she ever thinks about.
Riding with the wind.
When I'm sad, she comes to me,
with a thousand smiles she gives to me free.
It's alright, she says it's alright,
Take anything you want from me,
Fly on little wing.
"Tu habilidad de tener una vision acertada del mundo debe darse sin que necesites validacion de otros. La intuicion no es el resultado de una dieta, de rituales, ni campanas en una puerta. Es la consecuencia natural de tener alta estima, de confiar en ti misma. Cuando confias en ti la perspectiva de la vida cambia porque sabes que pase lo que pase, puedes manejarlo, y ademas puedes ayudar a otros sin miedo de lo que piensen, y esa es una gran liberacion" - Caroline Myss
ph: cecilia ferraro
Summertime and the living is easy…
Ph: Cecilia Ferraro
Paul Newman's letter to his wife on their wedding day: "Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. A good marriage must be created. In the Art of Marriage, the little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say 'I love you' at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon; it should continue through all the years. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have the wings of an angel. It is not looking for perfection in each other. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding rooms for things of the spirit. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner."
They met in 1953, were cast together in "The Long Hot Summer" in 1957, married in 1958, and remained blissfully happy together for 50 years.
Suspended | Andrew Telling captures figures in flight for Chloe Early exhibition.


text:
Forming a unique part of the animal kingdom, corals have built the only living entity visible from space: the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists have recently discovered a previously unknown reproductive strategy in corals, adding another dimension to our understanding of their complex life cycles.
read more
Scientists from the Catlin Seaview Survey say they've discovered the Great Barrier Reef's deepest corals, over 400 feet beneath the waves. read more Read Post
Researchers have discovered a previously unknown coral reef in the Seychelles. Diving revealed an extensive coral reef to the south of the island, at a depth which would not be visible to the occasional snorkeler, according to resea... Read Post
By sheer coincidence, Canadian researchers have discovered a reef of living cold-water corals in southern Greenland. The first-ever Greenlandic reef is located in southwest Greenland and was formed by cold-water corals with hard lim... Read Post


text:
Data Center Don't: Unplug First, Ask Questions Later
An IT pro is tasked with looking into unused servers, but ends up creating a whole different set of problems for the network team.
Bugged Out by Pests and Printers
As one on-call technician discovers, appearances can be deceiving when you're making on-site repairs
Errant Out Of Office Email: Don't Let This Happen to You
A techie closes down the email account of a laid-off company employee -- and an overlooked detail creates a PR nightmare.
Admin Brings Mortuary's Net Connection Back from Dead
IT horror show: a spine-tingling tale of an ISP service call and the poor response time that followed.
Analysis: Your guide to protecting your identity during the recession.
Analysis: An IT tale of learning to communicate with — and never making assumptions about — your junior staff.
Can an Enterprise iPhone Really Be Secure?
Analysis: As part of the evaluation process for any enterprise business solution, a risk analysis should be conducted beforehand.
DHS Creates Conficker Worm Detection Tool
Tool can be used by can be used by the federal government, commercial vendors, state and local governments.
Sly Students Spell Trouble for Hapless Admin
The school faculty believes its computer admin doing a great job, but the students know what's truly going on.


text:
Lynda Waddington is the former editor of The Iowa Independent, which closed last month. She resides in eastern Iowa with her husband, two children, two dogs and a cat. No hogs are involved, but there are a couple of corn stalks in the back yard.
California High-Speed Rail No. 10: Palate Cleanser
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Almost Half of Syria's Population Has Been Uprooted
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The Bottom 1 Percent
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The Harsh, Polarizing Language of a 'Kill Switch' for Smartphones
Aug 29, 2014
Lies Immigration Reformers Told Me
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The Trip to Italy: You'll Laugh, Until You Cry
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Our Roommates, Ourselves
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Actually, Obama Does Have a Strategy in the Middle East
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Acting French
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Why I'm Ending My Boycott of German Cars
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Man Arrested While Picking Up His Kids: 'The Problem Is I'm Black'
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A Moderately Amusing Life of Crime
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Inside Google's Secret Drone-Delivery Program
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Jennifer Aniston: A Monomyth
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The Man Who Made Off With John Updike's Trash
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The Dark Side of Almond Use
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Will Republicans Shut Down the Government Again?
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'Going to Switzerland' Is a Euphemism for Assisted Suicide
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The Procrastination Doom Loop—and How to Break It
Aug 26, 2014
Breaking Bad's Hard-Earned, Heartwarming Emmys Win
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text:
Online dating brings singles together who may never otherwise meet. It's a big world and the SeniorPeopleMeet.com community wants to help you connect with singles in your area. Whether you are seeking just a date, a pen pal, a casual or a serious relationship, you can meet singles in Johnson City today! Tennessee is known as the "Volunteer State" and SeniorPeopleMeet.com is here to bring their Senior Singles together.Search Single Senior Men in Johnson City | Search Single Senior Women in Johnson City
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Tours & Tickets
The New York Pass
Tour New York City your own way with the flexible New York Pass. Enjoy free entry to almost 80 New York attractions, as well as discounts at top ... Read more
New York City, New York
Duration: Flexible
Best of Brooklyn Half-Day Food and Culture Tour
What better way to explore the ethnic diversity of New York City than this exclusive history, culture and gastronomy lesson on a varied international bus and ... Read more
New York City, New York
Duration: 4.5 hrs
Manhattan to Brooklyn NYC Walking Tour: Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo
This unique walking tour of New York City will take you from Manhattan over the famous Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn. Admire the stunning city skyline as you ... Read more
New York City, New York
Duration: 2-2.5 hours
Brooklyn Highlights Bike Tour with East River Ferry Ride
See New York City through the eyes of a local on this small-group bike tour through the vibrant borough of Brooklyn. Make your way through well-known ... Read more
Brooklyn, New York
Duration: 3 or 5 hours (seasonal)
New York Neighborhood Contemporary Art Tour
New York City's art scene extends far beyond the big museums and small, expensive galleries of Lower Manhattan! Choose from three fascinating two-hour walking ... Read more
New York City, New York
Duration: 2 hours (approx.)


text:
InTouch Weekly
Beauty & Fashion
Got a hot tip?
Latest Kourtney Kardashian Posts
May 25, 2013 8:55AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Scott Disick Offers Khloe Kardashian $100 To Drink Kourtney's Breast Milk!
There's not much the Kardashians won't do – especially when money is involved! So Scott Disick thought he'd test Khloe...
May 12, 2013 10:38PM
Kourtney Kardashian
Pregnant Kim Kardashian's Confession: Is She Ready To Be a Mom?
With only two months left until she welcomes baby no. 1, is pregnant Kim Kardashian ready to tackle motherhood?The 32-year-old reality star opened...
Apr 29, 2013 1:59AM
Kourtney Kardashian
EXCLUSIVE: Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Family Get "Kissing Foot" Treatments in Greece
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Apr 27, 2013 2:00AM
Celebrity GPS
Celebrity GPS: Where Hilary Duff, Sean Lowe, Kim Kardashian and Other Stars Were Spotted This Week
They may be on the move, but they're never off our radar! Check out where some of Hollywood's hottest stars like Sean Lowe, Hilary Duff...
Apr 21, 2013 10:00PM
Kourtney Kardashian
Pregnant Kim Kardashian Shows Off Serious Cleavage (PHOTO)
If you got it, flaunt it— and pregnant Kim Kardashian is doing just that. The expecting star, 32, was seen out and about in Beverly...
Apr 19, 2013 10:00PM
Kourtney Kardashian
From Shambles to The Spotlight: How Khloé Kardashian's Turning Her Life Around
She was always the family outcast, but Khloé Kardashian is finally coming into her own and taking control of her life.The star— who's...
Apr 17, 2013 8:17AM
Kourtney Kardashian
EXCLUSIVE: Khloé Kardashian to Kris Jenner: Tell Me Who My Father Is!
She's always wondered if the rumors are true. Now, after decades of secret doubts, Khloé Kardashian finally intends to find out.In Touch can...
Apr 10, 2013 11:08PM
Kourtney Kardashian
The Complete Kardashian Diaries: Kim Kardashian's Father, Robert Kardashian, Detailed Her Emotional Struggles
Long before she was America's most famous pregnant reality star, Kim Kardashian was a 9-year-old elementary school student going through...
Mar 31, 2013 2:00AM
Scott Disick
Would Kourtney Kardashian Be Better Off If Scott Disick Weren't Mason's Father?
Earlier this week, In Touch exclusively revealed that model Michael Girgenti, who worked with Kourtney Kardashian on a photo shoot in 2008,...
Mar 29, 2013 7:30AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Kim Kardashian Talks Giving Birth to Baby on Camera— Will She Do It?
Kim Kardashian is no stranger to the spotlight, but don't expect her to film the birth of her first baby for Keeping Up with the...
Mar 27, 2013 5:53AM
Kourtney Kardashian
EXCLUSIVE: New Kardashian Bombshell: Model Michael Girgenti Claims He May Be Mason Disick's Father
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Mar 27, 2013 2:06AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Kendall Jenner's Advice From Her Sisters Khloé, Kourtney and Kim Kardashian
Kendall Jenner may only be seventeen, but she's done a lot of livin' in her years— and she handles it all so gracefully, thanks...
Mar 24, 2013 11:06PM
Kourtney Kardashian
EXCLUSIVE: PETA Reacts to Scott Disick's Alligator Kill on 'Kourtney and Kim Take Miami'
He's becoming a reality star that viewers love to hate, and now, Scott Disick is giving fans even more of a reason to shake their heads.Only...
Mar 13, 2013 1:40AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Scott Disick Receives Backlash Over Kourtney Kardashian Weight Comments, Calls Angry Fans "Fatasses"
He just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut.After Scott Disick told Kourtney Kardashian on a new episode of Kourtney and Kim Take Miami...
Mar 11, 2013 8:08AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Scott Disick Tells Kourtney Kardashian: I Wish You Were 93 Pounds (VIDEO)
Scott Disick really has a way with words!In last night's episode of Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, Scott had some opinions about his wife...
Mar 11, 2013 1:22AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Penelope Disick is Not Impressed: Kourtney Kardashian's Baby Makes the McKayla Maroney Face (PHOTO)
Penelope Disick is not impressed.Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick's 8-month-old baby girl is giving Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney...
Mar 2, 2013 1:00AM
Kourtney Kardashian
EXCLUSIVE: Giuliana Rancic: Kourtney Kardashian Gives Amazing Baby Advice
From one E! mom to another, Giuliana Rancic tells In Touch exclusively that her fellow network star Kourtney Kardashian is a pro when it comes to...
Mar 1, 2013 6:34AM
Kourtney Kardashian
Pregnant Perks: How Kim Kardashian is Benefiting From Having Baby
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Feb 25, 2013 1:00AM
Kourtney Kardashian
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text: Lessons Learned from Natural Gas STAR Partners Replacing Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps with Electric Pumps Executive Summary Technology Background Approximately 36,000 glycol dehydrators in the natural Most natural gas producers use triethylene glycol (TEG) gas production sector are used to remove water from the gas dehydrators to remove water from the natural gas gas. Most glycol dehydration systems use triethylene stream to meet pipeline quality standards. TEG is glycol (TEG) as the absorbent fluid and rely on pumps to circulated through the dehydration system using pumps circulate TEG through the dehydrator. Operators use two powered either by an electric motor or by a gas expansion types of circulation pumps: gas-assisted glycol pumps, also piston or turbine driver. The latter is called a "gas referred to as "energy-exchange pumps," and electric assisted" or "energy-exchange" pump. In some operations, pumps. a combination gas-assist/electric pump system may be used. Gas-assisted pumps are the most common circulation pumps in remote areas that do not have an electrical The gas dehydration process includes the following power supply. They are basically pneumatic gas driven elements: pumps, specially designed to take advantage of the energy of high-pressure natural gas entrained in the rich (wet) Wet natural gas is fed into a glycol contactor, where TEG leaving the gas contactor. Additional high-pressure it bubbles up counter-current through "lean wet production gas is necessary for mechanical advantage, TEG" (triethylene glycol without absorbed water) in and therefore more methane rich gas is carried to the TEG the contactor tower trays. regenerator, where it is vented with water boiled off of the rich TEG. The mechanical design of these pumps places Lean TEG absorbs water and under pressure, some wet, high-pressure TEG opposed to dry, low pressure TEG, methane from the natural gas stream-becoming "rich separated only by rubber seals. Worn seals result in TEG." contamination of the lean (dry) TEG making it less efficient in dehydrating the gas, requiring higher glycol Dry gas goes to the sales pipeline. circulation rates. Typical methane emissions are about 1,000 cubic feet (Mcf) for each million cubic feet(MMcf) of A reboiler operating at atmospheric pressure gas treated. regenerates the rich TEG by heating the glycol to drive off water, absorbed methane and other Replacing gas-assisted pumps with electric pumps contaminants, which are vented to the atmosphere. increases system efficiency and significantly reduces emissions. For example, a 10 MMcf per day dehydrator The regenerated (lean) TEG is pumped back up to could save up to 3,000 Mcf of gas a year, worth $21,000. contactor pressure and injected at the top of the contactor tower. Economic and Environmental Benefits Value of Natural Gas Savings Payback (Months) Method for Reducing Volume of Natural ($) Cost of Natural Gas Losses Gas Savings (Mcf) Implementation ($) $3 per $5 per $7 per $3 per $5 per $7 per Mcf Mcf Mcf Mcf Mcf Mcf Replace gas-assisted pumps on glycol 360 to 36,000 per $1,150 - $1,900 - $2,680 - $2,700 - $15,100 2– 29 1 - 17 1 - 12 dehydrators with dehydration system1 115,000 191,000 268,000 electric pumps 1 Depending on TEG circulation rate and inlet gas temperature and pressure, as reported by Natural Gas STAR partners. 1 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) Exhibit 1 is a diagram of a typical glycol dehydrator Methane Content of Natural Gas system. The atmospheric vent stack on the glycol reboiler/ regenerator is the main source of methane emissions. The average methane content of natural gas varies by natural gas Reduction of methane emissions is achieved by reducing industry sector. The Natural Gas STAR Program assumes the the amount of wet gas bypassed to supplement the rich following methane content of natural gas when estimating methane savings for Partner Reported Opportunities. TEG that is regenerated in the reboiler. There are three ways to reduce the methane content of the rich TEG Production 79 % stream: Processing 87 % Transmission and Distribution 94 % Reducing the TEG circulation rate. Installing a flash tank separator in the dehydration pressure gas) expands from contactor pressure (200 loop. to 800 psig) down to reboiler pressure (zero psig), pushing against the driver side of the main cylinder Replacing gas-assisted pumps with electric pumps. piston. The other side of that piston pushes a cylinder full of Exhibit 1: Dehydrator Schematic low-pressure lean TEG out to the contactor at high- pressure. The driving piston is connected to a mirror-image piston, which simultaneously expels low-pressure rich TEG to the regenerator, while sucking in low- pressure lean TEG from the regenerator. At the end of the stroke, slide valves switch the position of the pilot piston, redirecting high-pressure rich TEG to the opposite drive cylinder. Check valves on the suction and discharge from the lean TEG cylinders prevent back-flow. The pistons are then driven back in the other direction, one expanding gas in the rich TEG while pressuring lean TEG to the contactor, the other Replacing gas-assisted pumps with electric pumps is the expelling the now low-pressure rich TEG to the subject of this Lessons Learned paper. The other regenerator while filling the other side with low- methane emission reduction options are discussed in pressure lean TEG from the regenerator. EPA's Lessons Learned: Optimize Glycol Circulation and Install Flash Tank Separators in Glycol Dehydrators. The driver-side rich TEG mixture with low-pressure natural gas passes to the reboiler where the Gas-Assisted Pumps entrained gas separates and water is boiled out of solution with the TEG. The most common circulation pump used in dehydrator systems is the gas-assisted glycol pump. An example of a The water vapor and separated gas mixture of popular piston type is shown in Exhibit 2. These methane and other hydrocarbon gas contaminants mechanical pumps are specially designed to use rich TEG (VOCs and HAPs) are vented to the atmosphere. and natural gas at high pressure for power. By design, gas- assisted glycol pumps increase emissions from dehydrator At the end of each stroke, the flow paths are systems by passing the pneumatic driver gas entrained switched, and high-pressure rich TEG pushes the with rich TEG to the reboiler. A basic overview of the pistons back. pump's operation is described below: This type pump has an inherent design requirement that The high-pressure natural gas entrained in rich TEG extra high-pressure gas be added to supplement the gas from the contactor (plus additional wet, high 2 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) absorbed in the rich TEG from the contactor (about two TEG flows by pressure drop directly to the regenerator, volumes for one) to provide mechanical advantage on the and contains only dissolved methane and hydrocarbons. driver side. This means that a gas-assisted pump passes Exhibit 2 shows an example of an electric glycol pump about three times as much gas to the regenerator as an assembly. electric motor driven pump would. Furthermore, gas- assisted pumps place high-pressure wet TEG opposite low- Using electric pumps as alternatives to gas-assisted pumps pressure dry TEG in four locations with rings on the two can yield significant economic and environmental benefits, pistons and "O-rings" on the central piston connecting rod including: separating them. As the piston rings becomes worn, grooved, or the O-rings wear, rich TEG leaks past, Financial return on investment through contaminating the lean TEG. This contamination reduced gas losses. Using gas-assisted glycol decreases the dehydrator's capacity to absorb water and pumps reduces methane emissions by a third or reduces system efficiency. Eventually, the contamination more. All of the wet production gas remains in the becomes sufficient to prevent the gas from meeting system to be dehydrated and sold as product. In pipeline specifications (commonly 4 to 7 lb of water per many cases, the cost of implementation can be MMcf). recovered in less than 1 year. As little as 0.5 percent contamination of the lean TEG Increased operational efficiency. Worn O-rings stream can double the circulation rate required to in gas-assisted glycol pumps can cause contamination maintain the same effective water removal. In some cases, of the lean TEG stream in the dehydrator, reducing operators can over circulate the TEG as the dehydrator system efficiency and requiring an increase in glycol loses efficiency, which in turn, can lead to even greater circulation rate, compounding the methane emissions. emissions. The design of electric pumps eliminates the potential for this contamination to occur and Economic and Environmental Benefits thereby increases the operational efficiency of the system. Electric Pumps Reduced maintenance costs. Replacing gas- In contrast to gas-assisted pumps, electric motor driven assisted glycol pumps often results in lower annual pumps have less design-inherent emissions and no maintenance costs. The floating piston O-rings in gas pathway for contamination of lean TEG by the rich stream. -assisted pumps must be replaced when they begin to Electric pumps only move the lean TEG stream; the rich leak, typically every 3 to 6 months. The need for this replacement is eliminated when electric pumps are Exhibit 2: Electric Drive Gear Pump employed. Reduced regulatory compliance costs. The cost of complying with federal regulations of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) can be reduced through the use of electric pumps. Dehydrator HAP emissions, including volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX), are significantly lower in units powered by electric pumps. Five Steps to Evaluate the Use of Electric Pumps 1. Determine whether an electricity source is available. 2. Determine the appropriate size of the electric pump. 3. Estimate capital, operation, and maintenance costs. 4. Estimate the quantity and value of gas savings. 5. Calculate the net economic benefit of replacement. Source: Kimray, Inc. 3 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) Decision Points Exhibit 3: Sizing the Pump A five-step process can be used to evaluate replacement of gas-assisted glycol pumps with electric pumps. Each step Given: Q = Circulation rate (gallons per minute) = 5 gal/min requires field data to accurately reflect conditions at the P = Pressure (in psig) = 800 psig site being evaluated. E = Efficiency = 0.85 Step 1: Determine whether an electricity source is available. Calculate: BHP = (Q x P) x (1/E) Electricity to power an electric pump can be purchased = (5 x 800/1,714) x (1/0.85) from a local grid or generated onsite using lease or casing BHP = 2.75 head gas that might otherwise be flared. If a source of electricity is available or can be obtained cost-effectively, the operator should proceed to Step 2. When no electricity source is available, a gas-assisted glycol pump might be at least a 2.75 horsepower pump, and would therefore the only option. Combination hydraulicelectric pumps round up to the next available size (i.e., a 3.0 BHP pump). should also be considered for field situations where only single-phase power is available, purchased power costs are Operators might wish to obtain a pump one size larger high, or there is insufficient electrical service for a large than called for by the formula above. A larger pump electric motor. A combination pump uses high-pressure, provides additional capability to increase the glycol wet glycol to drive a hydraulic rotary gear motor/pump; a circulation rate, if needed, to accommodate input gas with small single-phase electric motor is added for mechanical higher water content, or to meet more stringent output advantage, in place of the bypassed wet gas in the gas- specifications. Variable speed electric pumps are also assisted pump. In either case, using a properly sized, well- available. Although larger pumps or variable speed pumps maintained, efficient pump maintained at the correct can cost slightly more to operate, a larger size provides an circulation rate can minimize gas loss. additional measure of safety and flexibility to cover contingencies. Step 2: Determine the appropriate size of the electric pump. Step 3: Estimate capital , operation, and maintenance costs. A variety of electric pumps are available to meet site- specific operational requirements. Electric TEG pumps can Costs associated with electric pumps include capital to be powered by AC or DC, single phase or 3-phase, 60 Hz or purchase the equipment, installation, and ongoing 50 Hz. They are available with a choice of variable or operation and maintenance. constant operating speeds. Pump capacities range from 10 to 10,000 gallons per hour (GPH). Capital and installation costs Electric pumps can cost from $1,425 to nearly $12,953, The correct pump size for a dehydrator system should be depending on the horsepower of the unit. Exhibit 4 calculated based on the circulation rate and the operating presents a range of sample capital costs for electric pumps pressure of the system. Exhibit 3 illustrates how to of different sizes typically used for glycol dehydrators. calculate the horsepower needed (in Brake Horsepower or Operators should also consider installation costs when BHP) for an electric pump using typical system evaluating the overall economics of electric pumps. information. Estimate 10 percent of capital costs for installation. Coordinating replacements with planned maintenance In the example shown in Exhibit 3, an operator would need Exhibit 4: Capital Cost of Electric Pumps Pump Motor Size 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 5.0 7.5 10 (BHP) Pump and Motor 1,420 1,485 1,550 1,630 1,680 1,770 1,845 3,795 3,995 4,205 Cost ($) 4 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) shutdowns can minimize installation costs. Exhibit 5: Estimate Methane Emissions from Glycol Dehydrators1 Operation and maintenance costs The primary operational cost of an electric pump is the Step 1: Calculate Emissions Factor electricity needed to power the unit. In general, the Given: EF = Emission Factor (scf natural gas emitted/MMcf gas kilowatt (kW) requirement to run a pump is nearly the processed) same as BHP. For example, a 3.0 BHP pump would PGU = Pump Gas Usage (scf natural gas emitted/gallon of require approximately 3.0 kW to operate. TEG)2 G = Glycol-to-Water Ratio (gallons of TEG/lb water removed) 3 In 2006, the average cost of purchased electricity in the WR = Water Removed Rate (lb water removed/MMcf gas commercial and industrial sectors ranged from $0.061 to processed) $0.094 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) nationally; site-generated OC = Over Circulation Rate electricity cost approximately $0.02 per kWh. If electricity Calculate: EF = PGU x G x WR x OC costs are assumed to be approximately $0.075 per kWh, the estimated cost for purchased power for the 3.0 BHP Step 2: Calculate Total Emissions pump identified above would be $1,971 per year (3.0 kW x Given: TE = Total Emissions 8,760 hrs/yr x $0.075/kWh). The cost for site generated AF = Activity Factor (MMcf gas processed annually) electricity would be about $525 per year (3.0 kW x 8,760 hrs/yr x $0.02/kWh). Calculate: TE = EF x AF 1 Calculation methods and standard values are presented in EPA's Lessons Typical maintenance costs for gas-assisted glycol pumps Learned: Optimize Glycol Circulation and Install Flash Tank Separators in Glycol range from $270 to $530 annually. Maintenance cost is Dehydrators. primarily associated with internal O-ring replacements 2 Industry Rule-of-Thumb: 3 cubic-ft/gal for gas-assisted pump, 1 cubic-ft/gal and related labor costs. Normally, these replacements are for electric pump; the difference being 2 cubic-ft/gal 3 Industry accepted Rule-of-Thumb: 3 gal TEG/lb water. necessary once every three to six months. Electric pumps are usually gear-driven. They have no characteristics (pressure, temperature, moisture specs) reciprocating pump parts and do not depend on and then multiplying the unit emissions factor by an elastomeric parts, slides, pistons, check valves, or internal activity factor (amount of gas processed annually). Exhibit O-rings, which are all subject to wear, deterioration, and 5 presents formulas for estimating the potential methane replacement. As a result, maintenance costs for electric emissions for a gas-assisted pump and, consequently, the pumps are generally less than maintenance costs for gas- potential methane savings from replacing the gas-assisted assisted glycol pumps. Annual costs for electric pumps can pump with an electric pump. be expected to be about $263 per year for labor, consumables (lubrication and seals), and inspection. Field operators often know or can calculate the pump gas usage and the glycol-to-water ratio. To determine the Step 4: Estimate the quantity and value of gas savings quantity of water that needs to be removed (WR), refer to Because electric pumps emit no methane, emissions Appendix A, which presents a set of empirically derived savings from an electric pump installation are equal to the curves. Using the gas inlet temperature and system emissions from the gas-assisted pump being replaced. The pressure, the saturated water content can be determined quantity of avoided emissions can then be multiplied by by reading the corresponding value where the psig curve the market price of gas to determine the total value of gas intersects the temperature. Subtract 4 lb/MMcf to 7 lb/ savings. Note: if the glycol dehydration unit has a flash MMcf of water from the water content value to determine tank separator, and a beneficial use for all gas recovered, WR. The 4 lb/MMcf to 7 lb/MMcf water content limitation then the gas savings might not, by itself, provide enough is based on typical pipeline specifications for water content justification for installing an electric pump. in the gas stream. (A) Estimate methane emissions from gas-assisted To estimate the over circulation ratio, use a 1:1 ratio (OC = pump. 1) if there is no over circulation and a 2.1:1 ratio (OC = 2.1) if over circulation is an issue. These ratios are based on the Estimating emissions is a two-step process, which consists average of measured ratios from 10 field units reported by of calculating an emissions factor for the unit's operational 5 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) the Gas Research Institute. scf of natural gas per gallon of TEG. Two examples of determining water removal (WR), Applying these data to the emissions factor formula results emission factor (EF), and total emissions (TE) are provided in a range of 318 to 668 scf gas emitted for every MMcf gas on the pages that follow. Each example shows a range of processed. Assuming the dehydrator processes 10 MMcf of savings based upon the two different inlet assumptions. wet gas daily, the additional volume of the gas recovered Example 1 presents a high-pressure gas stream, and would be 1,160 to 2,440 Mcf per year. Exhibit 6 Example 2 presents a low pressure stream. summarizes this example. Example 1: High-Pressure Gas Stream: Example 2: Low-Pressure Gas Stream: This example dehydration system has an inlet pressure of The system uses an inlet pressure of 300 psig and a 800 psig, a temperature of 94º F, and a glycol-to-water temperature of 94º F, and a glycol-to-water ratio of 3.0 ratio of 3.0 gallons of TEG per lb water recovered. Using gallons of TEG per lb water recovered. Again referring to Appendix A, the saturated water content for the gas the Smith Industries' curves (Appendix A), the water stream is estimated by reading the corresponding value content is about 130 lb per MMcf. Therefore, 123 lb of where the 800-psig curve intersects the 95º F line. In this water must be removed from the natural gas stream and example, the water content is about 60 lb per MMcf. absorbed by the TEG to meet the pipeline standards. In Subtracting the pipeline requirement of 7 lb/MMcf, results this example, the pump size is 3.0 BHP, and the pump gas in 53 lb of water, which must be removed from the gas usage is 2.8 scf of natural gas emitted per gallon of TEG. stream and absorbed by the TEG. The pump gas usage is 2 Using the formula, an Emissions Factor (EF) of 1.03 to Exhibit 7: Example 2—Estimated Methane Exhibit 6: Example 1—Estimated Methane Emissions from a Glycol Dehydrator with Low Emissions from a Glycol Dehydrator with High Pressure (300 psi) Inlet Gas Pressure (800 psi) Inlet Gas Where EF = Emission Factor (scf natural gas emitted/ Where EF = Emission Factor (scf natural gas emitted/ MMcf gas processed) MMcf gas processed) PGU = Pump Gas Usage (scf natural gas emitted/ PGU = Pump Gas Usage (scf natural gas emitted/ gallon of TEG) gallon of TEG) G = Glycol-to-Water Ratio (gallons of TEG/lb G = Glycol-to-Water Ratio (gallons of TEG/lb water removed) water removed) WR = Water Removed Rate (lb water removed/ WR = Water Removed Rate (lb water removed/ MMcf gas processed) MMcf gas processed) OC = Over Circulation Rate OC = Over Circulation Rate TE = Total Emissions TE = Total Emissions AF = Activity Factor (MMcfd gas processed) AF = Activity Factor (MMcfd gas processed) Given: PGU = 2.8 scf natural gas emitted/gallon TEG Given: PGU = 2 scf natural gas emitted/gallon TEG G = 3.0 gallons of TEG/lb of water removed G = 3.0 gallons of TEG/lb of water removed WR = 123 lb of water remove/MMcf gas WR = 53 lb of water remove/MMcf gas processed processed OC = 1:1 to 2.1:1 OC = 1:1 to 2.1:1 AF = 10 MMcfd gas processed AF = 10 MMcfd gas processed Calculate: EF = PGU x G x WR x OC Calculate: EF = PGU x G x WR x OC = 2 x 3.0 x 53 x (Range: 1 to 2.1) = 2.8 x 3.0 x 123 x (Range: 1 to 2.1) = 318 to 668 scf/MMcf = 1,030 to 2,170 scf/MMcf TE = EF x AF TE = EF x AF = (318 to 668) x 10 = (1,030 to 2,170) x 10 = (3,180 to 6,680) scfd x 365 days/ = (10,300 to 21,700) scfd x 365 days/ year /1,000 scf/Mcf year /1,000 scf/Mcf = 1,160 to 2,440 Mcf/year = 3,760 to 7,921 Mcf/year 6 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) 2.17 Mcf/MMcf is estimated. Assuming the dehydrator processes 10 MMcf of wet gas daily, the additional volume Nelson Price Indexes of the gas recovered would be 3,760 to 7,921 Mcf per year. In order to account for inflation in equipment and Exhibit 7 summarizes this example. operating & maintenance costs, Nelson-Farrar Quarterly Cost Indexes (available in the first issue of (B) Calculate the value of the methane savings each quarter in the Oil and Gas Journal) are used to To determine the total value of the methane savings, update costs in the Lessons Learned documents. simply multiply the total emissions reduction by the price The "Refinery Operation Index" is used to revise of gas. Assuming a value of $7.00 per Mcf, both the high- operating costs while the "Machinery: Oilfield Itemized and low-pressure examples presented above yield Refining Cost Index" is used to update equipment significant annual savings. Increased gas sales from the costs. high-pressure system will range from $8,120 to $17,080 per year, while the low-pressure system will yield savings To use these indexes in the future, simply look up the from $26,320 to $55,447 per year. most current Nelson-Farrar index number, divide by the February 2006 Nelson-Farrar index number, and, Step 5: Calculate the net economic benefit of finally multiply by the appropriate costs in the Lessons replacement. Learned. To estimate the net economic benefit of replacing a gas- assisted glycol pump with an electric pump, compare the It is important to note that larger pump sizes require a value of the gas saved to the initial cost of the electric larger up-front investment, and higher electricity costs pump, plus the electricity and the operation and might result in longer payback periods. It is therefore maintenance costs. important to correctly calculate the pump size required and to circulate the TEG at the optimal rate. As a general rule, if the cost of electricity exceeds the value of recovered methane and avoided operation and In addition, as part of looking at the overall replacement maintenance costs, replacing the gasassisted glycol pump cannot be justified on a cost-only basis. Even in such cases, however, other factors, such as lower cross contamination Partner Reported Savings rates and environmental benefits (e.g., reduced VOC and HAP emissions) might still make the electric pumps an One Natural Gas STAR Partner reported recovering an attractive option at certain sites. average of 15,000 Mcf/year of methane by replacing four gas-assisted glycol pumps with electric pumps. At Exhibit 8 uses the low-pressure example from Step 4 to $7.00 per Mcf, this amounted to an average of $105,000 demonstrate the possible savings available to operators in additional product sales. who purchase electricity. Exhibit 8: Economic Benefit of Replacing Gas-Assisted Glycol Pump with an Electric Pump—Low Pressure Inlet Gas Example Gas Volume Electric Pump Gas-Assisted Value of Gas 3.0 BHP Electric- Electricity Cost Payback in Saved per Year Maintenance ($/ Pump Mainte- Saved per Yeara Pump Costb per Year months (Mcf) Year) nance ($/Year) 3,760 - 7,921 $26,320- $55,447 $2,400 $1,971 $263 $530 1-2 a Gas Valued at $7.00 per Mcf. b Including capital costs and installation cost, which is assumed to be 30 percent of the capital cost for this example. 7 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) economics, operators should consider the timing of any obtain a pump that is one size larger than normal. replacements. Older gas-assisted glycol pumps, at the end This will allow for additional circulation capacity that of their useful lives, are typically good candidates for can prove useful if the water content increases as the replacement with an electric pump. Gas-assisted pumps field matures or "waters out." that might not be at the end of their useful life, but that Glycol pumps, whether gas-assisted or electric, represent only one element of a dehydration system. Exhibit 9: Gas Price Impact on Economic Analysis Operators should consider the dehydration process as a whole, including glycol composition, circulation rates, contactor temperature and pressure, inlet gas composition, dew point requirements, and reboiler $3/Mcf $5/Mcf $7/Mcf $8/Mcf $10/Mcf temperatures. Value of Gas Saved $11,280 $18,800 $26,320 $30,080 $37,600 Partners considering replacing gas-assisted pumps with electric pumps should review the other Payback Pe- opportunities for reducing methane emissions from 3 2 2 2 1 riod (months) dehydration systems. See EPA's Lessons Learned: Optimize Glycol Circulation And Install Flash Tank Separators In Glycol Dehydrators. Internal Rate of Return 415% 729% 1042% 1199% 1512% (IRR) Glycol dehydrators with flash tank separators might not be good candidates for replacing the gas-assisted NPV $35,384 $63,891 $92,397 $106,651 $135,157 pump, because most of the excess gas is recovered and put to beneficial use or recycled. have started to need more frequent maintenance as a Include reduction in methane emissions from result of increased contamination, might also be good replacing gas-assisted glycol pumps with electric candidates for replacement. pumps in annual reports submitted as part of the Natural Gas STAR Program. When assessing options for glycol pumps and dehydrators, natural gas price may influence the decision making References process. Exhibit 9 shows an economic analysis of installing an electric pump on a low pressure glycol dehydrator at American Petroleum Institute. Specification for Glycol-Type Gas different natural gas prices. Dehydration Units (Spec 12GDU). July 1993. Lessons Learned American Petroleum Institute. Glycol Dehydration. PROFIT Training Series, 1979. Installing electric pumps to replace gas-assisted glycol Ballard, Don. How to Improve Glycol Dehydration. Coastal Chemical pumps can offer significant operational, environmental, Company. and economic advantages. Natural Gas STAR partners offer the following lessons learned: Collie, J., M. Hlavinka, and A. Ashworth. An Analysis of BTEX Emissions from Amine Sweetening and Glycol Dehydration Facilities. 1998 Gas-assisted glycol pumps can often be cost- Laurance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference Proceedings, Norman, effectively replaced with electric pumps if there is a OK. readily available source of electricity. Garrett, Richard. Making Choices—A Look at Traditional and Alternative Electric pumps are available with varying Glycol Pump Technology capabilities and efficiencies. Operators are Gas Research Institute. Technical Reference Manual for GRI-GLYCalc TM encouraged to work with various pump Version 3.0 (GRI-96/0091). manufacturers to find the most appropriate type. Gas Research Institute and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In sizing an electric pump, operators might wish to Methane Emissions from Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps. January 1996. 8 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) The Hanover Compressor Company. Personal Contact. Kimray, Inc. Personal Contact. Radian International LLC, "Methane Emissions from the Natural Gas Industry. Volume 15: Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps" Draft Final report, Gas Research Institute and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, April 1996 Rotor-Tech, Inc. Personal Contact. Tannehill, C.C., L. Echterhoff, and D. Leppin. "Production Variables Dictate Glycol Dehydration Costs." American Oil and Gas Reporter, March 1994. Tingley, Kevin. U.S. EPA Natural Gas STAR Program. Personal Contact. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Categories: Oil and Natural Gas Production and Natural Gas Transmission and Storage-Background Information for Pro-posed Standards (EPA-453/R-94-079a, April 1997). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Lessons Learned: Reducing the Glycol Circulation Rates in Dehydrators (EPA430-B-97-014, May 1997). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Lessons Learned: Installation of Flash Tank Separators (EPA430-B-97-008, October 1997). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Methods for Estimating Methane Emissions from National Gas and Oil Systems". Emissions Inventory Improvement Program, Vol. III, Chapter 3, October 1999. 9 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) Appendix A Exhibit 10: Electric Drive Gear Pump Source: Kimray, Inc. 10 Replace Gas-Assisted Glycol Pumps With Electric Pumps (Cont'd) United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Radiation (6202J) 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20460 October 2006 EPA provides the suggested methane emissions estimating methods contained in this document as a tool to develop basic methane emissions estimates only. As regulatory reporting demands a higher-level of accuracy, the methane emission estimating methods and terminology contained in this document may not conform to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule, 40 CFR Part 98, Subpart W methods or those in other EPA regulations. 11