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Polymers 2014, 6(5), 1602-1617; doi:10.3390/polym6051602
Published: 23 May 2014
Abstract: The structural properties of model microgel particles are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations applying a coarse-grained model. A microgel is comprised of a regular network of polymers internally connected by tetra-functional cross-links and with dangling ends at its surface. The self-avoiding polymers are modeled as bead-spring linear chains. Electrostatic interactions are taken into account by the Debye–Hückel potential. The microgels exhibit a quite uniform density under bad solvent conditions with a rather sharp surface. With increasing Debye length, structural inhomogeneities appear, their surface becomes fuzzy and, at very large Debye lengths, well defined again. Similarly, the polymer conformations change from a self-avoiding walk to a rod-like behavior. Thereby, the average polymer radius of gyration follows a scaling curve in terms of polymer length and persistence length, with an asymptotic rod-like behavior for swollen microgels and self-avoiding walk behavior for weakly swollen gel particles
1. Introduction
Microgels are cross-linked polymers, typically polyelectrolytes, with a network structure. They are able to undergo reversible volume phase-transitions in response to environmental stimuli, such as pH, temperature, the ionic strength of the surrounding medium, the quality of solvent and the action of the external electromagnetic field [1,2,3,4]. This renders them potential candidates for a broad-range of applications in drug delivery, sensing, the fabrication of photonic crystals, template-based synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles and separation and purification technologies [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13].
Theoretical studies of the macroscopic properties of polyelectrolyte gels have a long history; a summary can be found in the review article by Khokhlov et al. [14]. Computer simulations have mainly been performed during the last decade. Such simulations typically consider defect-free microgels applying periodic boundary conditions, i.e., only the bulk properties of the gel are considered [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27]. Monte Carlo [15,16,18,20,22,25,26,27] or molecular dynamics [17,19,21,23,24] simulations have been performed using coarse-grained polymer models with an implicit solvent, but explicit counterions. A major aspect of these studies is the swelling behavior of the polyelectrolyte networks. These simulations provide valuable insight into the origin of the driving force responsible for gel swelling. It is generally accepted that the entropy of the free counterions is responsible for swelling, whereas Coulomb repulsion between the charged polymer chains shows no explicit effect [16,21]. A detailed study of the latter aspect shows that this is due to the cancellation of various pressure contributions [21,23].
Comparably little attention has been paid to finite-size cross-linked polyelectrolytes [28,29,30]. A markedly different behavior of the counterion distribution has been observed. Now, no longer are all counterions confined inside the microgel, but rather, a large fraction is distributed outside, around the colloidal gel particle [28,31]. This is caused by the permeability of microgels. Another important aspect is the presence of the surface. We expect that, when the surface effect is non-negligible compared to the bulk effect, this effect will cause inhomogeneities in the structure of microgels.
To characterize the structural properties of microgels, we perform large-scale computer simulations, combining molecular dynamics simulations for the polymers with the Brownian multiparticle collision dynamics (B-MPC) approach [32]. Electrostatic interactions are taken into account by the Debye–Hückel potential. Hence, we consider counterions only implicitly. The study is intended as a reference to discriminate between effects caused by explicit charges and counterions—such as counterion condensation [33,34]—and effects due to repulsive interactions in finite-sized microgel particles. The simulations reveal a significant dependence of the microgel structure on the monomer interactions. Under bad solvent conditions, we find highly compact particles with a rather constant radial monomer distribution. Switching to good solvent conditions implies a swelling of a microgel particle. An additional increase of the Debye length, i.e., an increasing electrostatic repulsion, leads to further swelling, and the monomer distribution becomes inhomogeneous. Thereby, the polymer conformational properties change from self-avoiding walk to rod-like behavior. At the same time, the surface properties of the microgels change from a rather sharp interface to a more fuzzy one for neutral, non-compact gels, back to a rather well-defined one at large Debye lengths.
The rest of the paper is organized as follows. In Section 2, the microgel model and the simulation approach are outlined. The results are presented in Section 3, and Section 4 summarizes our findings.
2. Models
2.1. Microgel
A microgel particle is comprised of a regular network of polymers, which are internally connected by Nc tetra-functional cross-links and with Nd dangling ends at the surface, due to its finite size, as illustrated in Figure 1. The ratio Nd/(Nc − Nd) indicates the relative importance of surface effects [29]. The limit Nd/(Nc − Nd) → 0 corresponds to the case of a macrogel, where surface effects are negligible.
An individual polymer is modeled as a linear chain of Nm monomers. A nearly constant bond length, l, is maintained by the harmonic potential:
Charge-charge interactions between monomers are captured in an effective manner by the Debye–Hückel potential:
2.2. Brownian Multiparticle Collision Dynamics
In order to perform isothermal simulations, we couple the microgel monomers with the Brownian multiparticle collision dynamics method (B-MPC) [32,36,37]. This is a non-hydrodynamic version of the multiparticle collision dynamics approach for fluid systems [36,38]. In B-MPC, a monomer performs a random collision with the fluid after a time increment, Δt, which is denoted as collision time. Thereby, we assign an effective fluid particle to every monomer. The velocity of the fluid particle of mass M (equal to the mass of a monomer) is taken from a Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution of variance MkBT. In the collision, the relative velocity of every monomer, with respect to the center-of-mass velocity:
2.3. Parameters
We consider microgels comprised of polymers with Nm = 20 and 40 monomers of Nc = 147 and 729 cross-links, respectively. With the number of dangling ends Nd = 64 and 204, the ratios Nd/(Nc − Nd) are 0.39 and 0.77. In the largest system, the total number of monomers is N = 50,169. The topological structure of a microgel for Nc = 729 cross-links is illustrated in Figure 1.
We employ l as the unit of length, kBT as the unit of energy and M as the unit of mass. Thus, the unit of time is . The Lennard–Jones parameters are σ = 0.8l, ε/kBT = 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 for a poor solvent and 1.0 for a good solvent. For the bonds, we set ks = 103kBT/l2. The collision time is Δt = 0.1τ, and we perform 20 molecular dynamics simulation steps between collisions. To achieve a reasonable statistical accuracy, we performed, at least, 5.0 × 104 collision steps, which corresponds to 106 molecular dynamics simulation steps, after reaching a stationary state in every simulation.
3. Results
3.1. Microgel in Good Solvent (lD = 0)
As a reference, we consider the polymer conformational properties of a microgel under good solvent conditions and lD = 0. Figure 2 displays the chain-length dependence of the polymer radius of gyration for Nc = 0, 147 and 729 . Here, is the square root of the average over all polymers of the mean square radius of gyration, where the radius of gyration of a polymer ( ) itself is defined by:
The system with Nc = 0 corresponds to a non-cross-linked network. As expected, the radius of gyration exhibits the power-law dependence ~ (Nm − 1)v with the number of bonds. Thereby, the critical exponent, v, for the non-cross-linked polymers closely follows the theoretical prediction v ≈ 0.59 [39]. Similarly, the values for the systems with Nc = 147 and 729 follow a power law; however, with the somewhat larger exponent v ≈ 0.62. Hence, cross-linking leads to swelling of the polymer chains.
Further insight into the microgel structure is gained by the spherically averaged static structure factor [39]:
3.2. Microgel in Poor Solvent (lD = 0)
Figure 4 shows radial monomer distribution functions P(r) with respect to the microgel vcenter-of-mass for Nm = 40, Nc = 729 and various attraction strengths ε under poor solvent conditions.In addition, P(r) with lD = 0 under good solvent conditions is shown. The distribution function is normalized, such that:
With increasing ε, the size of a microgel particle shrinks and its density increases. As expected, microgels in a good solvent with lD = 0 are more swollen. This behavior is in qualitative agreement with experimental results [40,41,42]. The inset of Figure 4 indicates that P(r) decreases fast for r > Rg and vanishes at r ≳ 1.5Rg, where Rg is the average microgel radius of gyration. Thereby, the fuzziness of the surface decreases with increasing ε and the interface becomes rather sharper for large ε. The fuzziness for ε/kBT = 0.5 is comparable to that of a microgel in a good solvent with lD = 0.
The gel compaction is also reflected in the static structure factor displayed in Figure 5. The shift of the strongly dipping part of S(q) at ql ≈ 0.1 with increasing ε is reminiscent of the shrinkage of the microgel. In the range of 0.3 < ql < 2.0, S(q) is proportional to q−4.1 for ε/kBT = 1.0 and 1.5. This behavior is in close agreement with Porod's law S(q) ∝ q−4 for a system with a sharp interface. In contrast, for ε/kBT = 0.5, S(q) is proportional to q−1/0.6 in the range of 0.6 < ql < 2.0,. Thus, scales as ∝ (Nm − 1)0.6 with polymer length, and the interface is less sharp. The scaling exponent, 0.6, is smaller than 0.62 obtained for microgels in a good solvent. Hence, the polymers are somewhat more compact for ε/kBT = 0.5 as compared to the bare good solvent system. The attractive interaction brings the polymers closer to the scaling behavior of free polymers.
3.3. Microgel with Debye–Hückel Interaction
We now elucidate the conformational properties of microgels, where the monomers interact via the Debye–Hückel potential Equation (3). We focus on good solvent conditions, i.e., only the repulsive part of the Lennard–Jones potential is taken into account.
3.3.1. Microgel Radius of Gyration
The Debye–Hückel potential Equation (3) is a short-range potential, since it decays very fast with the distance between two particles. The actual range depends on the Debye length, lD. For lD ≪ σ < l, UDH decays so fast that it is essentially negligible. This corresponds to the limit where the charge-charge interactions in a system are screened and only excluded volume interactions remain. In the opposite limit, when the Debye length is larger than the microgel particle, there is a strong repulsion between monomers, and we expect the microgel to be swollen. This corresponds to unscreened charge-charge interactions within the microgel. Hence, by increasing lD, we expect a conformational change of the gel particle from a good solvent state to a fully swollen state and essentially stretched polymers. This expectation is reflected in Figure 6, where the microgel radius of gyration is shown for various Bjerrum and Debye lengths. The onset of the increase in particle size depends on the Bjerrum length; the larger the Bjerrum length, the earlier the increase. Moreover, the slope of the increasing curve increases somewhat with increasing lB. Interestingly, the swelling behavior only weakly depends on the number of cross-links. Here, we conclude that the microgel behavior should be very similar to the behavior of a macroscopic gel, i.e., there is little effect due to the finite size of the microgel. However, we observe a polymer-length dependence of the swelling behavior. The microgels with Nm = 40 swell significantly faster with increasing Debye length compared to the shorter polymers. Hence, we speculate that very long polymers will show a very steep increase in the form of a first order phase transition.
3.3.2. Microgel Structure Factor
Figure 7 displays structure factors of microgels for various Debye lengths. The shift of the initial decay (small q values) with increasing lD toward smaller q values reflects the swelling of the microgel. The surface is rather sharp for all lD, as indicated by the steep decay and the appearing successive oscillations. More importantly, on the length scale of the polymers, we see a crossover in the chain conformations from a self-avoiding to a rod-like polymer. For lD/l = 0.4 and lD/l = 6.3, S(q) is proportional to q−1/0.67 and q−1.05, respectively, in the range of 0.05 ≲ ql ≲ 0.3. We obtain a somewhat larger scaling exponent v = 0.67 compared to the good solvent value due to monomer repulsion.
3.3.3. Polymer Size Scaling
From simulations, we can extract the average polymer radii of gyration for the various Debye lengths. Since the Debye–Hückel potential is of short-range order, we assume that the polymer radius of gyration obeys the scaling relation:
3.3.4. Radial Monomer Distribution
Figure 9 shows radial monomer distribution functions for various Debye lengths and a microgel in a poor solvent. Already for small Debye lengths, characteristic peaks appear due to the underlying diamond lattice structure of the cross-linked microgel. The undulations are weak for lD/l ≲ 1, but they become rather sharp for large lD. Note that the density distribution for a microgel under good solvent conditions with lD = 0 is close to the distribution for lD/l = 0.4. We do not necessarily expect such a detailed structure for a real microgel, since the polymer lengths are rather polydisperse and the cross-link density is inhomogeneous. In the range of r/Rg > 1, the density profiles decrease for lD/l > 3 as fast as P(r) of a microgel in a poor solvent with ε/kBT = 1.5. This indicates that the microgel has a sharp boundary, and peripheral polymers are smaller than internal polymers. For small lD, P(r) gradually decreases in the vicinity of the surface. The fuzzy boundary implies that the radius of gyration of a polymer at the surface is larger than that in the interior.
We find a rather high monomer concentration in the vicinity of the center-of-mass of the microgel at larger lD. This is a consequence of the on average isotropic distribution of monomers and a cross-link at the location of the center of mass.
3.3.5. Radial Polymer Conformation
To gain insight into possible inhomogeneous polymer conformations, we consider the radial dependence of the polymer radius of gyration, (rcm), in a microgel. As shown in Figure 10, we find a qualitative difference for /Lp > 2.5 and /Lp < 1. For /Lp > 2.5, i.e., lD/l ≲ 0.45, exceeds the mean value at large rcm/Rg. Hence, polymers near the surface are swollen as compared to internal polymers. We attribute the inhomogeneities to anisotropic intramolecular interactions by short-range repulsion. Internal polymers experience an almost isotropic interaction, whereas at the surface, the symmetry is broken and repulsion is stronger from inside to outside, which leads to a swelling. For /Lp < 1, i.e., lD/l ≳ 2, is smaller than the average value at large rcm/Rg. Thus, the outside polymers are somewhat more compact than the internal polymers. This is attributed to the inhomogeneous radial monomer distribution, as displayed in Figure 9. The larger interaction range of the Debye-Hückel potential for these parameters combined with a larger number of neighbors leads to the stronger swelling of internal polymers than those at the surface. Overall, the effect is small, but is a consequence of the finite size of a microgel and is thus not present in bulk systems.
4. Summary and Conclusions
We have performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to unravel the structural properties of finite-size polyelectrolyte microgel particles and the conformations of their comprising linear polymers. Counterions are treated implicitly via the Debye-Hückel potential. We find radially inhomogeneous polymer conformations due to the finite size of the microgel. Thereby, polymers at the surface are swollen compared to internal polymers for microgels where polymers exhibit self-avoiding walk scaling behavior. Oppositely, peripheral polymers are more compact for microgels where polymers behave rod-like. The difference in polymer conformations is also reflected in the radial monomer distribution function. Due to the swelling of surface polymers, the surface of a microgel becomes fuzzy, and the density decays gradually to zero. Oppositely, microgels display a rather sharp surface with a fast decaying monomer density in the case of more compact polymers. Although differences in the radial dependence of the polymer radii of gyration shown in Figure 10 are small, it is a consequence of the finite size of a microgel.
In general, the radial variations of the polymer properties are surprisingly small. We expected more severe inhomogeneities. The smooth variations suggest that the microgel properties are rather similar to those of the bulk properties of macrogels, at least as along as the Debye-Hückel description applies.
We considered a model microgel with an underlying diamond-lattice structure of the cross-links. This certainly is not the case of typical synthetic microgels. Although we do not expect severe differences between microgels with a more random distribution of polymer lengths and cross-link density for the adopted Debye-Hückle description, a more generalized description is desirable for a quantitative comparison with experimental results. The structure will definitely matter for the transport of particles in the microgel.
The presented results are intended as a reference for simulation studies of microgels where monomers interact by the bare Coulomb potential and where counterions are taken into account explicitly. The comparison will shed light on the influence of explicit ions on the structure of a microgel. Specifically, the inhomogeneous charge distribution of the spherical particle implies an inhomogeneous distribution of counterions (in the simplest case, it can be considered as a radially dependent Debye length), and correspondingly, interesting effects appear, which reach beyond those presented in the current article. Such studies are currently under way.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the computing time granted on the supercomputer JUROPA at Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC). We also acknowledge financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 985 "Functional Microgels and Microgel Systems".
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Smoke and mirrors
Submitted by the_chiefe71 on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 03:57. Permalink
Everything is smoke and mirrors!!!
This is the latest LIVE report of unprocessed ballots. This report supposedly keeps getting updated hourly.
According to this, more than 3 million California ballots have not been processed yet! Is this for real?
Our election process and reporting is total shambles, there is absolutely no accountability left.
Immoral funding of Military Industrial Complex by Federal Reserve and US taxation system must stop!!!! End illegal/unconstitutional wars! Preserve US currency!
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New York Times bestselling sportswriter John Feinstein tackles doping in the NFL in this exciting football mystery. The Super Bowl. America's biggest sports spectacle. Over 95 million fans will be watching, but teen sports reporters Stevie and Susan Carol know that what they'll be watching is a lie. They know that the entire offensive line of the California Dreams have failed their doping tests. They know the owner is trying to cover up the results. The only thing they don't know is how to prove it. John Feinstein has been praised as "the best writer of sports books in America today" (The Boston Globe), and he proves it again in this fast-paced novel.
"Sure to be a hit with sports fans."—Kirkus Reviews"An entertaining mix of mystery, insider detail (including cameos by bigname sports media figures), and ripped-from-the-headlines subject matter"—Booklist"Fast-paced action . . . a glamorous background."—The Horn Book"Every teen with NFL or ESPN dreams will appreciate Feinstein's latest sports mystery"—VOYAFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
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John Feinstein, author of many bestselling books, including Last Shot, an Edgar Award winner. He is a regular commentator for National Public Radio and Sporting News Radio, and an essayist for CBS Sports. He lives in Potomac, Maryland.
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Should the Key Figures of the Book of Judges Be Considered Heroes?
Jonah and the Whale: Real or Symbolic?
How Does Envy "Rot the Bones" According to Proverbs 14?
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers. (English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)


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Staff Directory
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Title I School: Jefferson Elementary School qualifies as a Title I School Wide Program. This means that at least 40% of students are low income. In order to raise academic achievement for all of our students, our district allocates funds to our school. These funds may be used to reduce class size, buy resources, provide programs, and etc. One of our school's goals is to create a partnership with our parents, students, and community. With the help of Title I funds, we are able to provide Parent/Family events such as Family Night. We also look for ways to keep our parents informed and involved through meetings, newsletters, conversations, and etc.
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We're a CATCH School
"CATCH" stands for "Coordinated Approach To Child Health." CATCH schools are committed to healthy students in a healthy school. We invite you to help us teach positive health choices and be a CATCH MVP! A CATCH MVP is someone who Moves and stays active, Values healthy eating, and Practices healthy habits every day.
Be a CATCH MVP Family:
♦ Move and stay active: Try to be more active as a family - part the car farther away in parking lots to walk a bit more, stretch while watching TV, walk as a family after meals.
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2014 Season
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EcoTech Launch
Thursday, 11/20/2014 – 04:00 pm – 06:00 pm
667 Northwest 90th Street
667 Northwest 90th Street,
Miami, Florida 33150
Webpage Link
On November 20th 2014, EcoTech Visions opens its doors to the public. The new business incubator and accelerator is designed to assist entrepreneurs in creating, planning, and launching innovative and "green†manufacturing businesses in South Florida.
In collaboration with Give Miami Day, EcoTech Visions is hosting its first benefit for green advocates, the public, city officials, and philanthropist alike. This event features live music by Inner City Youth and Preforming Arts (ICYPA), high school violinists, light fare, auctions, and showcases EcoTech Visions' facilities.
EcoTech's mission is to address systemic poverty and climate change through manufacturing and environmentally-conscious ideas.


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Originally written on Fantasy Football Champs | Last updated 11/18/14
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette expects the Steelers to start Jonathan Dwyer at running back again in Week 9 versus the Giants if his quad holds up. Dwyer won't practice Wednesday, however.Fantasy Spin:Dwyer has rushed for back-to-back 100-yard game and is averaging 5.2 ypc on 58 runs this season. Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles) will go through individual workouts Wednesday and will likely be questionable for Week 9 and Isaac Redman (ankle) will practice all week. Redman may wind up being Pittsburgh's healthiest running back in Week 9, but he's not as good of a fantasy option as Dwyer or Mendenhall.
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Search Baltimore Or Less
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Author Archives: Tom Warner
"American Horror Story": Welcome to the Freak Show, hon!
The Curious case of Kathy Bates' Baltimore-ish accent By Jordan Bartel (The Baltimore Sun, Oct. 15, 2014) Her beard may be the least interesting aspect of Kathy Bates' character on "American Horror Story: Freak Show." Can we discuss Ethel Darling's … Continue reading
True Detective Stories from the Annals of the Maryland Police
28 Articles by Alexander Gifford in the "Baltimore News-Post" and "Baltimore American" from April 13-June 3, 1936 In the spring of 1936, legendary reporter-broadcaster Alexander Gifford selected 28 of the most sensational turn-of-the-century crime stories culled from Baltimore and Maryland … Continue reading
H. L. Mencken rips Gum-shoe Steiner & sour old maids at Pratt Library
The following excerpt was published in yesterday's Baltimore Sun ("Sage Words" by Mary Carole McCauley, September 21, 2014). It's taken from H.L. Mencken, "The Days Trilogy, Expanded Edition," edited by Marion Elizabeth Rodgers (Copyright 2014 by The Library of America, … Continue reading
Posted in 1890s, 1900s, Baltimorons, Celebrities, Roadside Attractions, Uncategorized Tagged enoch pratt library, gum-shoe steiner, h.l. mencken Leave a comment


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Screen Free Spring Break - 03/12/14
I know 75% of you have a smartphone. That's what they told us in a consulting seminar I sat in on today. I know the majority of you watch TV while also surfing your smartphone. Did you know there's a name for people like you? They taught us today that you're called "two screeners." They even taught us about "four screeners." Talk about ambidextrous--- these folks can watch tv, text on their smartphone, work on their laptop and surf Facebook on their tablet simultaneously.
I know we can't put the genie back in the bottle, but my family WILL for 9 straight days for Spring Break. We're disconnecting to reconnect... with each other. No smartphones, no TV, no Ipads. We're going to play with each other instead of our devices. What a concept.
In our house, we do this many weekends anyway and our kids are screen free most days during the school week while at home. We're screen free at the lake during the summer (mostly because there is no wifi or TV.. heaven on Earth.)
Last weekend we were screen free and oh the joy that swept over us all. The kids went outside, built a fort with blankets over the swingset, then made arrows out of sticks for a bow and arrow, they found rocks for the slingshot and kept an eye out for the bad guys. Oh, the days of old. They had a look of sheer satisfaction on their faces as they fell asleep having used up a nice dose of kid creativity that afternoon. It is truly satisfying.
Screen free is healthy. Our screens are helpful, vital to our jobs and vital to education in many cases. However, these screens have their place and sometimes we just need to remember to put them back there.
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Get This
Last Update on November 27, 2014 10:10 GMT
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- The winter storm that hit much of the East made it tough for Thanksgiving travelers. But it's good news to New England ski areas. Dave Meeker of Mount Snow in Vermont says it's a "dream come true." The resort opens for the season today. Noelle Tuttle, spokeswoman for Maine's Sugarloaf, says even the rumor of snow generates a lot of excitement. Area ski resorts say the early storm is getting people to think about skiing for their Christmas vacation.
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) -- These brewers are baring more than their beer. Brawny beer makers are stripping for charity. The 2015 Brew Men Calendar features 11 brewing pros from the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, area. Not too surprisingly, the idea was hatched over some beers. But the brew men don't expose too much. Strategically placed pieces of beer making equipment protect their modesty. Sheboygan Press Media reports the calendars cost 20 bucks each, with the proceeds going to local charities.
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Say it ain't so Santa! The FBI is looking for Santa Claus in a San Diego County bank robbery. Actually, Ol' Saint Nick isn't the suspect. Authorities are on the hunt for a robber who was wearing sunglasses, a fake beard and a Santa Claus hat. This evil elf was armed with a gun and demanded large bills from a teller at a Chase bank branch. Officials say no one was hurt and the gunman escaped with an undisclosed amount of money.
UNDATED (AP) -- Dog lovers want their best friends rubbed the right way. Shelah Barr is a San Francisco dog massage therapist. She says massage can give the four-legged members of the family "a high quality of life." But don't expect incense burning around the massage table. Barr says she'll often give her patients a bone to chew on. On Barr's Happy Hounds Massage website, an initial house call is listed at $90. Follow-up visits are 75 bucks.


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SEIA comments to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission joint proposed rules regarding the further definition of "swap."
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SEIA Files Petition on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Interconnection Standards
WASHINGTON - The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) submitted a petition today requesting a rulemaking to update Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) interconnection standards for small photovoltaic generation. The filing targets certain provisions of the "Standardization of Small Generator Interconnection Agreements and Procedures" or "Order No. 2006," which was established in 2005.


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I want to upgrade my current devise from 2.1.2 to 3.2.2 I added the secret_key to the initialiser so the rails server starts fine. But when I try to login I can't. Examining the logs didn't make me any smarter. I just get a 401 Unauthorized exception in the Rails log.
Can anybody give direction how to upgrade? Or how I could debug this a little bit better?


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Boston Holds Ceremony to Commemorate One Year After Marathon Bombings [PHOTOS]
On April 15, 2013, two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 260. On Tuesday, the city of Boston commemorated the event with a brief ceremony on Boylston Street.
Facebook, Gmail & More — Change Your Passwords for These Sites Affected by Heartbleed
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Missing Flight 370 Crashed Into Indian Ocean, Says Malaysian Prime Minister
Authorities have concluded that Malaysia Airlines flight 370 fell into the Indian Ocean, killing all 239 people onboard.
3 Reasons Chocolate Is Healthier Than You Think and You Should Eat More of It
Can eating more chocolate actually be a smart, healthy decision? Yes, it can, despite everything your parents used to say.
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Ralph Waite of 'The Waltons' Dies at 85
Ralph Waite, a fixture on American TV screens during the 1972-1981 run of 'The Waltons,' died Thursday. He was 85.
'Jeopardy!' Contestant's Unconventional Style Rankles Viewers — But He Wins
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On Christmas Eve in Antarctica, a blizzard descended upon the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, surrounding it in ice and immobilizing it. Seventy-four people, including tourists, scientists and crew members, are onboard. But help is on the way.
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The giving spirit is strong this time of year.
This Eagles Cheerleader Also Does Army Intelligence in Afghanistan
Last month Rachel Washburn returned home from Afghanistan, following her second tour as a first lieutenant in Army intelligence. She was honored Sunday night at halftime of the Bears-Eagles game in Philadelphia, where she was a cheerleader for three years.


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Taylor's Steak House
- d
- DVLL Apr 10, 2003 08:31 PM
Maybe as an ex-New Yorker raised on Peter Lugar's Steak House and the like, I am a bit of a snob, but I have yet to find a truly memorable steak and/or steak house in LA, until recently, at Taylor's Pirme Steaks in Koreatown . . . which is memorable for how AWEFUL it was. The steak was like a five dollar piece of choice meat bought at Vons and thrown on a lousy broiler for a couple of minutes: bland, fatty (not by way of marbling, just fat), and limp. Their creamed-spinach was a joke: a tiny cup of tastless steamed spinach with a couple shredded pieces of Velveeta baked on top. The potatoes were so unremarkable that I can't even remember in what form I had them.
What is the consensus on this place? Why is it such an institution? Is our society that desparate for red banquettes?
You're not a snob, but it's silly to compare Peter Luger's which is a prime eatery in New York with Taylor's which is an old-fashioned neighborhood place that is by no means a prime eatery. The Palm will compare with Peter Luger's in price and in quality. The highest priced steak for one at Taylor's is about $20. So, the comparison is going to be skewed.
re: Jerome
If I wanted to read New Yorkers bragging about their home town in contrast to L.A., I'd take out a subscription to The Times.
The L.A. Times, that is.
Never tried Taylors, but not under the impression that is anything spectacular. Scroll down a bit and read recent thread about LG's Prime Steakhouse in Palm Desert. The on-premise dry-aged cuts are truly dreamy. Will be trying Luger's or Bobby Van's next week, but as far as I'm concerned, LG is the one to beat.
re: Ernie
I've never seen a post referring to Taylor's as the place to get the best steak -- it's referred to as a place to get a good bargain on a steak dinner.
Two very different things.
Peter Lugar's isn't great(one of the worst steak dinners ever(1200-), for NY) but Taylors is horrible compared. Some of the best Prime Dry Aged Beef in the World still exists in LV. I know I'll be demoted for saying this but CIRCUS CIRCUS STEAK HOUSE is very GOOD, quality vs. price, almost unbeatable. PRIME Steakhouse(in NY,NY in LV) is better and the Japanese"Highend" Kobe Steakhouses blow it all away. We've had lot's of great Steaks in NY but hardly ever in the Tourist places. On a good day, Mortons.
re: russkar
The Prime steakhouse you mention, isn't that in the Bellagio? Anyway, the one in the Bellagio is indeed remarkably good.
I've never understood the whole Taylor's thing. For me I thought it was just an ok steakplace. Maybe it's because I don't drink and that seems to be a part of it's charm (the bar?)
re: Filmfreaketta
I'm sure your right about the location of PRIME Steakhouse (All Casinos are begining to look the same to me). Drink or not, Taylor's just doesn't have it, especially at the bar and I cringe when a client insists on going there. I had a really good Steak(Ribeye and Filet) at Gulfstream in NB recently.
re: russkar
You deserve a promotion for your mention of the Circus Circus Steak House. The place is an oasis in a hellhole of a hotel. I haven't found a better steakhouse in Vegas given the level of service, the quality of the beef and the prices. I've sent dozens of people there and all have thanked me, If only they could have a separate entrance so you could avoid having to walk through the hotel.
re: russkar
Demoted, hell. I had a fine dinner at Circus Circus, to which my brother is almost religiously devoted. Or maybe it was so good because it was paid for by the poor suckers who played that slot before I did. (Michael's unbeatable Vegas system: win once and never go back.)
re: russkar
Speaking of LV steakhouses, I had a fine hunk of meat at "Nine Steakhouse" at the Palms hotel. Certainly in the Morton's class in terms of the quality of steak.
Russkar said it best when stating "On a good day, Mortons." Let's face it. It all depends on the cow. I've had several steaks at Morton's, Ruth's Chris, The Palm, etc, etc...I usually get the same cut each time. They're almost always cooked to perfection each time and certainly their supplier of meat couldn't change from visit to visit. So what makes one steak on a certain visit a good notch above the identical steak on another visit? A happy cow!
Of course, the best steaks are still prepared over the grill at home.
Yeah, I'd say you are a snob. The thing about Taylor's is not 'the food' but rather everything rolled into one: the location, the atmosphere, the waitresses, the bar, the booths, the price, the molly salad, the martinis, and the Raymond Chandler LA-ishness. I dunno -- maybe you have to be an LA freak to get off on the place. All I know is that although I would never say it had the area's best steaks (my current vote is Arroyo Chop House ... and before I get my head bit off, I have never been to Mortons. I was a Ruth's Chris employee for nine years and still can't get myself to walk into out arch competitor) I frequent Taylor's and love it everytime.
I am curious, though. Which steak did you get? I have much better luck there with the Filet and the Culotte than anything else. The Prime Rib can also be surprisingly good. If you get the cottage fries, you MUST ask for the very very crispy/well done.
Also, please don't think I am some LA food heathen I love NYC and love the food there. If I could eat at Gramercy or Jean Georges once a month, I would certainly be fat but I would also be in heaven. I just think you have to understand that there are certain LA places that you have to be here a while to understand. El Coyote would probably be another.
re: Tom P
You are right on in your analysis of Taylor's "cachet". And as far as Morton's goes, they consistently, from city to city, serve the best New York steak I have ever had. So you ought to at least give them a try.
I am also looking forward to trying out L.G.'s the next time we are in Palm Desert, and if I am ever trapped at Circus Circus, I will be eating steak.
re: Tom P
Sharon Tate had her last meal at El Coyote. It's an L.A. thing.
I LOVE Taylor's for all the Raymond Chandleresque reasons you posted. Get the culotte with a Molly salad. Great value and a really fun experience. VERY friendly staff too.
Morton's is overpriced and snooty.
I'll stick with Taylors!
As a longtime customer of both Taylors', I sadly and reluctantly must agree with your assessment. The last 2 of 3 outings to Taylor's in Koreatown were dismal. (Within the last 4 months.) Send-backs for both of us on the prime-rib and cullotte steak. Knots of gristle in the PR and the cullotte steak was tough beyond salvation. I can think of no more than 8 times in my life where I've sent food back, so I'm not overly picky. Where once Taylor's was a haven for mid-priced, tasty aged prime beef, these latest ventures have been a real disappointment for us.
We will still patronize Taylors (given the familiar service and atmosphere) but with a heavier heart and less expectation. If we want top-shelf prime, we'll have to pony up to Lawry's prices (and quality).
I must note that I often have lunch in the La Canada location (near work) and have yet to be disappointed. Though I admit that I rarely stray from the Beefeater sandwich (which is without peer), it seems the quality of beef at La Canada tops that of downtown. Wish I knew why.
Hopefully this isn't a downhill trend to one of my favorite (formerly unknown) smaller steak joints. Proceed with a degree of caution - and moderate expectations - and you may be pleasantly rewarded.
Going to Taylors & expecting top-of-the-cooler dry-aged steaks is like going to Echigo & expecting Ginza Sushiko sushi. Aint gonna happen.
Taylors is a throwback to the 50s in every respect, from the prominent bar to the red button Naugahyde booths. Unfortunately, this also includes the food. On virtually every occasion the Grubs have hit up Taylors (Koreatown only), we have thoroughly enjoyed the steaks culotte, thick-cut sirloin especially, but the T-bone & prime rib as well. Occasionally once actually we have had a bum steer so to speak, a sirloin that was too tough & overcooked to boot. Otherwise, we revel in the red meat, the Molly salad, the cold martinis, the relaxed service, the whole Magilla. & well return again & again.
IMHO, if you want the definitive prime rib & currently best red meat in the city, go to Mastros in BH on Canon. If you can stand the be seen scene & the cacophony (& have MUCHO dinero), carnivores can do no better.
All I know is that, *for the price*, the New York strip steak at Taylor's is the best I've had in Los Angeles.. quite delicious/nicely cooked, like a bargain version of the amazing one I had at Sparks in New York last year.. and the atmosphere of Taylor's (and a whisky before the food arrived) really adds to the overall experience. A definite LA treat without the high cost, which is why it's indeed special.
Basically, it easily blows away (and is somewhat classier than) other *inexpensive/bargain* places like Damon's in Glendale, Edward's in El Monte, etc.. and of course the really problematic chain places like Sizzler & Black Angus..
Though indeed I'm sure the kitchen does have its off days.. which would make the whole drive into Koreatown for a steak seem almost foolish.. but I look forward to going back again soon..
I think you are absoluetly correct on your description. I couldn't figure out what the attraction was either. Even the so-called Molly salad was ruined with such watery dressing I thought I was eating under a running tap. Atmosphere-wise, however, the place is a fun throwback. I just kept thinking how enjoyable the whole experience would have been if the food wasn't so poor.
(p.s. I am not from NY, but have been to Peter Lugar's a couple of times. As far as that goes, you're better off never comapring anything to it, otherwise you always will be dissapointed. Anyone who says otherwise simply doesn't know steak, or what a steak house is supposed to be.)
re: Ed.Fontleroy
Hi, yammer. Yeah, you've been to Lugar's.
BTW, it's spelled "Fauntleroy."
Ten+ years later- going tonight, finally, after 18 years in LA. My cousin suggested it for the authentically old-timey ambiance. (www.janetklein.com -- you can see, she's into that scene.)
Is New York strip and the coulotte the best way to go? Sides?
Mr Taster
re: Mr Taster
Or the London broil. It's a bad cut of beef but tasty as hell. Report back often. And grab a few martinis too.
And cheesecake for dessert.
re: jessejames
Overly harsh.
I had the "Dinner Culotte" (10 oz), a thick, well charred steak cooked a little rarer than the medium rare I ordered, but with a fine crust and beefy flavor. With a baked potato, $25. In this category (and at this price point), Jocko's in Nipomo reigns supreme, but hey-- we're not in Santa Maria. Great gin martini and a decent Manhattan were each $6.50.
Dining companions ordered swordfish and an unspecified "whitefish"-- the swordfish was surprisingly moist. Whitefish was light and flaky, light on flavor but serviceable. Creamed spinach was unexceptional, and the sourdough on the table had been baked relatively recently.
Great old atmosphere. The place was hopping.
Particularly considering the price, what the hell else could you want from a humble neighborhood steakhouse? It (mostly) rings all the right bells.
Mr Taster
re: Mr Taster
Glad you like it. I think terrible and vastly overrated on CH.
re: jessejames
Taylor's reminds me of places like The Galley in Santa Monica. Comfortable with a nice vibe and old school energy. I'm sure that for those that like cutting edge (or only want to eat prime meat) it's not a good fit. But its longevity and ambiance keep it on my list of places that I'll go back to and enjoy when I'm in the neighborhood and don't want to eat Korean food.
re: Servorg
I have not been to Taylor's so could be wrong, but places like the Galley and Che Jay have an edge and vibe that I don't imagine Taylor's does. That said, I am sure you know better than me.
re: Thor123
Along those lines rainbow bar and grill nice steak sandwich.
re: Thor123
What the Galley has over Taylor's (at least coming at this as an appreciative member of the male persuasion) is their waitresses are generally VERY easy on the eyes.
re: Servorg
The galley is rated arrr
re: jessejames
Taylor's uses high quality meat and they generally cook it perfectly, and that's 85% of a steakhouse.
I'm not a huge fan of ribeye in general; have you tried their New York?
I would only describe Taylor's as "terrible" if you're referring to their sides, which are comically and delightfully old school. Except their baked potatoes, which are the way I like 'em: slow cooked to just shy of shoe leather on the outside, still moist and steamy delicious on the inside.
re: Servorg
Taylors has a geriatric crowd that might disagree with that assessment...
I finally made it to Taylor's for a steak dinner. I had the dinner culotte (the 10 oz version that comes with soup and salad and potato) on the advice of the bartender who said it's their most popular. Medium rare.
No, it's not a top-tier steakhouse but was perfectly cooked and I challenge anyone to find a better steak dinner for $24.95.
Salad was basic but fresh; mashed potatoes are real potatoes. Plenty of acceptable red wines by the glass for $10 and under.
I'll admit that my wife's ribeye was not nearly as good. Go with what's popular.
re: estnyboer
did you go to the Ktown location or La Canada Flintridge ?????????
Thanks for the note.
re: kevin
While the food may be the same, that La Canada version has no excitement nor feel to it whatsoever.
But if convenience matters, then so be it.
I like Taylor's for what it is - a second tier steakhouse that has lasted forever, or so it seems, and does a very good job of not being nor even trying to be any of the large chains.
I always get the filet, and it has never disappointed.
re: estnyboer
i really like the bar at taylors in ktwon. very good, stiff gin martinis at like $8 each. cool old school vibe. not on par of mastros but i think i have much more fun here.
re: Mr Taster
had a j and b and soda at the interlude, lbc. for 4.75
as well as johnny black for 6 buks.
re: Mr Taster
another place that's just a classic in the area. i'm a fan of the prince too.
re: jesstifer
Mastro's is extremely pricey and who really wants to/can spend that kind of dough more than once a year? That's why I'm challenging anyone to find a better value than Taylor's culotte.
Mastro's is definitely great, though - not just the steaks but the entire menu. I've been to Beverly Hills, Costa Mesa (a couple of times) and Newport. Strangely, the Costa Mesa branch is the best.
re: estnyboer
Pinnacle Peak in San Dimas offers a huge and tasty 28oz Porterhouse with all the fixings for the same $27 as Taylor's 10oz culotte, however they are over 30 miles apart
re: kevin
No, not on top of a hill like Pomona Mining Co. It's a bit kitschy Western-themed (they will cut off your tie if you come in wearing one). However the steaks are very good for the price point and they come served with campfire style beans which I really like


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S AFRICA: SABMiller gatecrashes Budweiser, FIFA World Cup party
While Budweiser lager will be available in stadiums at this summer's FIFA World Cup, SABMiller has secured a deal with the football body to exclusively supply hundreds of thousands of fans at screenings.
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|Cottonwood considers moving dog park
|Written by Trista Steers MacVittie
|Saturday, 25 August 2012 00:00
Cottonwood's canines face relocation of their bark park after noise complaints from neighbors.
Jeanine Allen lives right next to the dog park and said she can smell it and hear talking and barking.
"I love dogs, but I do not want a dog park 73 feet from my home," she said.
Allen addressed the Cottonwood City Council during a work session Aug. 14 aimed at finding a solution to the problem.
At the end of the presentation, council asked city staff to come back with more information on three proposed relocation options and the cost of building a sound barrier instead.
Councilman Tim Elinski said seeing the dog park leave Riverfront Park would be disappointing because it draws people to that area of the city.
However, according to the council agenda communication documents, where the dog park is currently located is planned for future development into soccer fields.
Cottonwood City Manager Doug Bartosh said the city received 26 complaints in two years about the dog park.
"We have done as much as I think we can," Bartosh said.
For the full story, see the Wednesday, Aug. 22, edition of The Camp Verde Journal or the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
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I don't know if all this was intentional by the store management, if they no longer wanted customers to linger in the store for hours and preferred instead people to come in, pick up their books, purchase them and leave. But it doesn't really work that way. Some people may have a specific book in mind to purchase, but most just like to browse through several books or magazines before buying.
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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — It's a non-word that barely existed a few years ago, but it has ... »
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The British School of Guangzhou
A Nord Anglia Education School
Located directly on the shores of the scenic South Lake (Nan Hu), we offer your child a respite from busy city life each day.
We are the only school in Guangzhou to offer your child premium access to the globally praised English National Curriculum.
Activity & Responsibility
Your child will be offered world-class opportunities designed to develop confidence, skill and responsibility.
Highest quality staff
Our teaching staff are the finest in Guangzhou. All are police verified and fully qualified with UK or international teaching experience.
You won't just receive an excellent education for your child, you'll also be joining our growing international community.
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From our choir to our sports teams, every day something wonderful happens at The British School of Guangzhou.
Tell us about your child
Your child is our focus. Tell us about them and we'll help you make the right choices.
We are the leading premier British international school in Guangzhou.
76% of our 2014 IGCSE results were graded A* and A. This compares to the UK average of 21%.
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Meet the teachers who will inspire your children to a lifelong love of learning.
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In the 2014 Primary student survey, 97% of our children said they enjoy coming to school each day.
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We've had an excellent response from staff, students and parents.
Students swam through the night to raise money for FOBISIA and ActionAid.
One of our students is a winner in the first Global Classroom competition of the year.
Our flying camera captured the event in fantastic high-definition.
3 IGCSE students achieved the best results in China.
A plaque was unveiled by the British Consul-General to celebrate our new building.
A record number attended our scenic lake shores for the annual family funfair.
The Christmas period is packed with performances from all three of our choirs, plus our new orchestra.


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As Grant......more
As Grant continued his work, suffering increasing pain, the American public became aware of this race between Grant�s writing and his fatal illness. Twenty years after his respectful and magnanimous demeanor toward Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, people in both the North and the South came to know Grant as the brave, honest man he was, now using his famous determination in this final effort. Grant finished Memoirs just four days before he died in July 1885.
Published after his death by his friend Mark Twain, Grant�s Memoirs became an instant bestseller, restoring his family�s financial health and, more importantly, helping to cure the nation of bitter discord. More than any other American before or since, Grant, in his last year, was able to heal this?the country�s greatest wound.
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Tags » Anointed
Frustrating Grace
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Whether we like it or not, God's grace will be hindered whenever we revert to law.148 more words
A Worshipful Splurge (Prayer Devotional for the week of November 16, 2014)
I don't splurge on very many things, but I have a bottle of perfume that cost about $40 on sale, which is expensive, in my book. 347 more words
Worship & Preaching 1
This is the audio from our weekly service. Yes, the worship is done a cappella. I have nothing against using musical instruments. In fact, I prefer it. 66 more words
A Dozen Learning from Leading Worship
Leading worship every week without any training may seem challenging or let us say HARD. I am one of my church's worship leaders and I admit that I do not undergo any lesson or training like the other worship leaders had–I do not have a good voice, I do not know how to handle instruments, I do not have the personality–but it doesn't discourage me instead I train myself and had the blogs as my resources and the Lord as my Instructor. 372 more words
Virtuous Woman
Share this with a Virtuous Woman you know, to remind her of her worth. God bless and encourage the woman viewing this. Remind her she is exactly who God Created her to be! 28 more words
Spotting "Out-of-Bounds" Wolves Isn't Easy
Scripture Reading in Acts 20:28-31
Take care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of the Lord or of God which He obtained for Himself with His own blood. 1,777 more words


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I thought I would share a Friday chuckle with you. My daughter and son-in-law are going to Mexico for a week and my hubby and I will be living in their home while they are away. Busy and fun times ahead with a 10 and 13 year old. I will try to get to my blog throughout the week.
Have a fabulous weekend.
I thought of myself when I read this joke, not because of the false teeth. I am blessed to still have my own teeth, although my hubby tells me I can be a chatter box. ha ha
A Pastor goes to the dentist for a set of false teeth. The first Sunday after he gets his new teeth, he talks for only eight minutes.
The second Sunday, he talks for only ten minutes.
The following Sunday, he talks for 2 hours and 48 minutes.
The congregation had to mob him to get him down from the pulpit and they asked him what happened.
The Pastor explains the first Sunday his gums hurt so bad he couldn't talk for more than 8 minutes.
The second Sunday his gums hurt too much to talk for more than 10 minutes.
But, the third Sunday, he put his Wife's' teeth in by mistake and he couldn't shut up..
I KNOW you are smiling.


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Seagulls Nest
Apartment | 1 bedrooms | sleeps 2
|Key Info
The Seagull's Nest is a contemporary and spacious apartment adjoined to Carters Rest guesthouse in beautiful north west Skye. The location is remote but stunning. If you want to get away from it all this is the place! Situated 9 miles from Dunvegan and very close to Neist Point lighthouse there is an abundance of wildlife including Minke whales, seals, basking sharks, otters, dolphins and porpoises. There are regular sightings of golden eagles and sea eagles.
The apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, free Wi-Fi access, lap top for guests use, fluffy bathrobes and toiletries by Arran Aromatics. Complimentary fresh coffee & tea provided. Heating in apartment is self regulated. The bedroom has a memory foam mattress and contemporary furniture. The heating in all rooms is regulated by the guests.
We're ten minutes away from the world famous Three Chimneys restaurant.
|Sleeps up to 2, 1 bedrooms
|Nearest beach
|Coral Beach 22 km
|Will consider
|Short breaks (1-4 days)
|Car essential, Wheelchair users
|Nearest Amenities
|2.7 km
|Nearest travel links
|Nearest airport: Inverness 230 km, Nearest railway: Kyle of Lochalsh 90 km
|Family friendly
|Suitable for people with restricted mobility
|No pets allowed, No smoking at this property
Features and Facilities
|Internet access, DVD player, Staffed property, Sea view
|Central heating, TV, Wi-Fi available
|Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer
|Clothes dryer, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine
|1 bedroom, 1 bathrooms of which 1 En suites
|1 Sofa beds, Double beds (1), Dining seats for 4, Lounge seats for 2
|Linen provided, Towels provided
|Shared garden
|Parking, Wheelchair users
Availability Your dates are available
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2 Aug 2014
"Very pleasant and helpful hosts, good quality accommodation and food - a 4.5 star experience"
Right from the contact at booking stage with Julie, there was real personal interest shown in making our trip successful. Our main reason for wanting to stay in Glendale was proximity to The Three Ch… More
23 Apr 2014
"A peaceful place to recharge your batteries."
Stunning views. Beautiful sun lit hills with sheep and rabbits playing happily. Everything catered for. Clean and modern. Friendly owners who leave you to your own devices unlessyou need them. No fuss… More
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text:
Houston author Katherine Center gives her characters plenty of second chances in The Lost Husband, her latest novel, which she's reading and signing at Brazos Bookstore today. In Husband, Libby Moran has suddenly become a widow. Overnight she loses everything and finds herself living with her hyper-critical mom and sleeping on a pull-out sofa. Not exactly the life she had imagined for herself. Then an aunt offers Libby a chance to work on a farm. Willing to do anything to get off the sofa at her mom's house, she accepts. But life on a working goat farm isn't what she imagined she'd be doing either. The small rural community is filled with oddballs. There's a feed store clerk who's also a psychic, and a farm manager with a dark past. And now there's Libby, a woman who so far has seemed happy to fade into the background of her own life story.
2421 Bissonnet
Houston, TX 77005
Category: Retail
Region: Kirby-West U
7 p.m. Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-523-0701 or visit brazosbookstore.com. Free.
Tue., May 7, 7 p.m., 2013


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There are very few decisions we can make that have truly eternal consequnces. The staff at WHNJ is committed to helping you make the right choices both now and for eternity. You will hear uplifting and encouraging music, childrens' stories and songs, messages of God's love and of the life and ministry of Jesus, along with great tips for health and lifestyle improvements!
Tune in 24/7 for commercial-free programming that gives praise to God and will help you be filled with thanksgiving every day!
Adopt Peaches: She is a Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis). These birds are known for their brilliant white downy plumage that erupts into an unexpectedly flamboyant orange display as they toss their heads and their ear-splitting calls demand your undivided attention.


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- Filed Under
Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai says his injured left shoulder is progressing each day and he hopes to return to the lineup soon.
When? That's still in question.
The team's leading rusher, who has missed the past two games with the injury, said he is unsure of when he will return during a fan promotion today at the FedEx office on Monument Circle. ...


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Kris Baptiste and Young Mula's Flow team up to record a remix over Lil Wayne and Drake's "Grindin'" instrumental that was co-produced by Vinylz and Boi-1da.
You can listen and download the "Grindin'" freestyle after the jump below!
October 23, 2014 by Danny M
Kris Baptiste and Young Mula's Flow team up to record a remix over Lil Wayne and Drake's "Grindin'" instrumental that was co-produced by Vinylz and Boi-1da.
You can listen and download the "Grindin'" freestyle after the jump below!
October 23, 2014 by Danny M
Mack Maine recently took to Instagram to reveal who he has featured on his forthcoming Food For Thought mixtape.
The Young Money President says that he has verses on his project from Lil Wayne, Euro, Birdman, Meek Mill, Future, 2 Chainz, Mac Miller, Caskey, Skip, Juvenile, and he is now just waiting on a verse from Busta Rhymes.
"Busta telling me I shoulda been dropped Food For Thought…I told him I already got a verse from Tune, Euro, Meek, Future, 2 Chainz, Mac Miller, Stunna, Caskey, Skip and Juvenile……just waitin on yours…#FoodForThought"
We first heard about Food For Thought back in July, 2013 and a few songs off the tape have already been released, such as "Open Letter (Freestyle)", "Up Until Then", and "Ethan Couch"!
October 18, 2014 by Danny M
In a recent interview with XXL, music video director Colin Tilley spoke on directing Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" visual and her "The Boys" visual featuring Cassie.
During the conversation, Tilley discussed coming up with the concept for the "Anaconda" video, breaking the VEVO 24-hour record with it, leaving out some crazy shots from the video shoot, and more.
Hit the jump to read what Colin said about the two Nicki music videos and click here to read what he said about shooting Young Money's "Senile" visual!
October 13, 2014 by Danny M
Young Money's Drake and Nicki Minaj have both been nominated at the 2014 Soul Train Awards, which will be taking place at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 7th.
Nicki picked up one nomination in the "Best Hip-Hop Song Of The Year" category for her "Pills N Potions" song. Drizzy picked up three nominations in the "Song Of The Year", "Album Of The Year", and "Best Hip-Hop Song Of The Year" categories.
You can view the list of nominations in the categories below. This year's Soul Train Awards will be hosted by Wendy Williams and air on Centric, as well as BET at 8PM EST on November 30th.
Click here to see which categories Lil Wayne and Tyga were nominated in at the awards show!
Chanel West Coast recently chopped it up with SOHH about how she copes with having various jobs in her life.
The female Young Money rapper also spoke on loving what she does, meeting Rob Dyrdek, meeting Lil Wayne, and more.
You can read Chanel's interview below!
October 1, 2014 by Danny M
Last year, Trina performed Nicki Minaj's "Moment 4 Life" song at the 2013 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards in New York City as it was a special tribute to Cash Money's Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams.
In a recent interview with HipHopDX, Trina spoke on performing the track at the show and how terrified she was in case she messed up any of the lyrics. However, she came over that fear as soon as she saw Nicki and Lil Wayne singing along.
You can read what Trina said about the performance, as well as her relationship with the Young Money Barbie below!
September 28, 2014 by Danny M
Yesterday, the "Drake vs. Lil Wayne" tour came to an end in The Woodlands, Texas at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.
After Weezy performed "Loyal" and both of the rappers showed off their dance moves to the song, Drizzy told the crowd that he had been listening to too much Chris Brown lately and if he had learned to dance earlier on in his career, he might of been able to keep Rihanna:
"I just been listening to too much Breezy lately, you know I just had to do it. Man, I should've brought that shit out earlier. Maybe I could've made that shit work with Rihanna a little better and shit."
You can watch a short clip of this below!


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Pizza Dough 101
- k
- Kristine Jan 20, 2005 08:18 PM
After months of procrastinating I have finally decided to take on making my own pizza dough. I have Lidia Bastianich's recipe which
calls for two risings, the last can take from 12 to 24 hours.
My question is, can I get away with making the dough the morning I want to make the pizza or would I be better off making the dough the day before? If I do make it the day before can I let the dough sit in the fridge for a little more than 24 hours? Also if you have what you feel is a better recipe please feel free to let me know. I've never worked with dough before and I'm pretty intimidated by the whole process. (thus the procrastination)
Thanks For Your Help
The reason for allowing the dough to retard overnight is to allow the bacteria to develop and provide a deeper flavor. The flavor of bread dough is both a function of the yeast and the lacto-bacteria. Given time the little devils provide a bit of extra flavor.
But if you want to make it early in the day and use it that night, no problem. Just don't punch it down until you are nearer the time you want to use it. And make sure that it doesn't get too warm. Using the fridge or a cool spot would be ideal. but remember to get it back to working temperature at least 2 hours before you will need to bake the pizza.
re: Food Tyrant
Good advice...
And if you are feeling a little less ambitious than a 2 rising dough, I make mine in the bread machine, wrap it in Saran, throw it in the back of the fridge until I need it, then I pull it out to rise. Works like a charm :-) And no kneading!
If really good homemade pizza is your goal, this is the website to check out
re: thesteiner
Don't know about that. If Shakey's and Pizza Hut is this guy's idea of good thin crust pizza, I'm kinda skeptical of his cred.
From their thin crust pizza page:
"For many years I have been trying to learn the secrets of making a good thin-crust pizza. I've had this type of pie at various pizza parlors such as Shakey's Pizza Restaurant, Pizza Inn, Pizza Hut, and the Village Inn Pizza Parlor. I have been told that this type of pizza is officially known as an "Original California-Style" pizza and is also found at such restaurants as Straw Hat and Round Table."
re: Professor Salt
So what exactly is your problem with this person's credibilty? Are you some kind of Food Police/Pizza snob or something? Instead of criticizing someone who is trying to improve on their cooking skills, why don't you tell us all about your superior experience and why you are so qualified to judge someone about what they think is good pizza crust even to the extent of doubting their credibility. Well let's here it Professor!!
re: pcguy67
Pizza Inn is the most wretched pizza ever given to life. Anyone who would admire it is disgusting.
re: observor
I don't necessarily think he was admiring it but rather talking about how he thinks their thin crust is crispy and worthy of consumption. Is it possible you are being a little to hard on him for this and that maybe you just had a bad experience with Pizza Inn and are going off of that single experience? What does wretched really mean anyway? Could you maybe describe what you think was so terrible about their pizza? I mean I do understand that they are not by any means Gourmet but I at least think they should get some respect for being able to open a chain of pretty highly successful stores. I don't think anyone is saying they are the best pizza but that does not mean that they can't create a great thin crust for their pies that someone would potentially want to create for themselves. Also calling someone disgusting seems pretty harsh and am not 100% convinced that you are not just coming on here to be negative and condesending to others. Try not to be such a troll to people and see if you can actually say things that are meaningful and helpful based on fact and reality versus some overly excited negative experience you had. In other words....cheer up and stop being a jerk!!
re: observor
According to the web site, he's talking about Pizza Inn 30 years ago, not Pizza Inn today. We had a Pizza Inn in town then and it was pretty good pizza back then. It sucks now, but it didn't always.
Believe it or not, Olive Garden used to be a pretty good restaurant too. When they first started they made their pasta fresh, right up front where you could watch it being made.
Now it's just expensive blah dumbed down Italian, but it used to be fairly good.
re: ZenSojourner
I remember when Olive Garden was hugely popular, but I think it became corporate crap. Their salads are filled with the whitest lettice around.
re: observor
How old are you, observor? Did you try Pizza Inn during it's hey-day in the 1960's? Do you read and research before you make posts? Are you always so short, and non-helpful with internet posts?
re: Professor Salt
Shakey's pizza back in the '60s was great. Around 1973-74 they were bought by a large corp. and after that it was crap. The current Shakey's are supposedly back to the original owners (or family) and are supposed to be good, but I've never eaten at one of them. I've never had Pizza Inn. Pizza Hut as far as I can remember back was never good, but I never ate at one of the original ones before they had started expanding nationwide, so it could be more of the same; originally good, go big and go crap.
I'm a dough fool trying to learn, too.
This link is very helpful...
Just wanted to thank everyone for all your help and let you know how things turned out. I ended up following Lidia's recipe to the letter, I left it for the second rise in the fridge for 24 hours and brought it to room temp for about two hours before rolling it out and it was perfect!!! Just like the pizza crust I remember from Italy, thin, crisp yet still a little chewy. I can't wait to get in the kitchen again, I'm even thinking about buying a second stone and peel so my boyfiend and I can make our own and eat at the same time!!
Thank's chowhounds for helping me conquer my fear of dough, I couldn't have done it without you!
Most pizzarias use whats referred to as a retarded dough formulation. The dough has less yeast than you would expect and is allowed to undergo a long, cold fermentation in a cooler. This process allows flavors to develop, improves the texture/color of the finished crust and extends the shelf life of the dough. The dough is ready to use after 24 hours and can go up to 96 hours, which is important when you're trying to control waste in a restaurant.
This is the formula I use at home...
500 grams bread flour
300 grams water
1-2 grams instant dry yeast
10 grams salt
10 grams olive oil
I use cold tap water that's been run through a Brita filter, add the yeast then the flour and finally the salt. This is mixed on the Kitchenaid for about 2 minutes at "mix" speed with a dough hook, then the mixer is turned off and the oil is added. I let the dough rest for about 10-20 minutes before turning the mixer back on to "mix" and letting it run for about 3-5 minutes until the dough is smooth. The the dough is portioned (makes 2-3 dough balls depending on the size pizza you want and how thick of a crust), rolled in to balls which are coated with a little oil and placed in the refrigerator in loosely closed plastic bags (bread bags work well, twisted and folded under the dough ball) until I'm ready to use them in the next four days or so.
re: Coogles
We have pizza night every Friday - my husband makes a sourdough crust on Tuesday afternoon, and it sits in the fridge until early Friday afternoon, when he takes it out of the fridge to "rise" several hours before shaping it and baking. 3 days in the fridge is pretty much the maximum, though.
re: Krislady
Yeah, I should have put that in my post. The dough does need to sit out for a few hours and warm up to room temperature before shaping and baking. Otherwise you'll get large bubbles in the crust.
re: observor
Sounds like too much gluten development either due to over mixing or using a flour with a really high protein content. You could try using a weaker flour, less kneading or adding some oil to your formula (3-5%). Here is a good resource for troubleshooting your pizza dough...
re: Coogles
I know for sure they use high gluten flour, but I'm not sure if they are mixing too much or using too much flour. Either way, it is crispy but hard to chew.
Try this recipe. It makes really good pizza dough, bread, or rolls.
1 C beer (preferably warm)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2-1/2 C AP or bread flour
2-1/4 tsp dry yeast
I usually let it rise twice before I shape it. Then give it a 30-45 minute rise after it's been shaped for bread or rolls. Pizza only needs about 10 minutes at that stage.
Bake in a preheated 450 degree (F) oven.
Usually I make 1-1/2 times the recipe so that I can use a whole bottle of beer at once.
re: Euonymous
I think one of the secrets is to bake at the highest temp possible. I've heard of NY coal fired brick ovens baking pizza at 700 - 1000 degrees. They say this is how you get that super crisp crust. Alas my oven only goes to 550, but it still comes out pretty crispy.
re: tullius
The stone bottoms in a pizza oven help a lot too. The closest we can get is a pizza stone on the bottom rack.
I really really wish I still had my pizza dough recipe, it never failed. I can't even remember where I got it.
I have always heard the secret is in the flour. High Gluten flour is the best for pizza.
King Aurther makes it
Help...Aiuto, I am here in Praiano Italy. I have been to the market, bought the farina and a CUBE of Lievito Fresco. Now what? I have made one million pretty darn good pizza doughs at my other home (FLA/USA), but this yeast is so foreign looking. Does one immerse it in warm water? What gives? It can't be that difficult...I've been all over the place...no answers. Please, just a basic primer on Pizza dough using real Italian yeast...Thanks in advance for caring...
re: praianogirl
You just crumble it up in the water and whisk to dissolve. I'm not sure if Italian fresh yeast is different from what is found in the US, but here I use 2% of the flour weight of fresh yeast for dough that will be fermented at room temperature for use that day or 1% if I'm going to retard the fermentation in the fridge for use over the next few days.


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Upgraded with 2 motors and 6V 10AH battery
The Mini Motos, Kids Mini Cooper electric car in pink with ** remote control features everything possible to give your child the feeling of a being in a real car. This riding toy features ** an adjustable seat belt, ** MP3 hookup, ** working headlights, built in music tunes, cushioned seat, in-car forward and reverse control and battery level indicator.
The Mini Motos Kids Mini Cooper kids electric car pink can be can be controlled by the parent or guardian using the included remote control or driven by the child using the steering wheel and foot pedal "accelerator". Controls are very intuitive and your child will figure out this cool battery operated riding toy in no time.
Your toddler will have hours of fun riding in their Mini Motos kids Mini Cooper kids electric car....play music with your Mp3.
With the remote control, you can effortlessly guide them until they get the hang of it.....a great way to take them on their "first drive".
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12V, Kids Audi R8, Electric Cars for Kids to Ride, Battery, Seatbelt, Mp3, Remote Control, Black
Price: $258.00
Mercedes SLR722, Licensed, Electric Cars for Kids, 12V, Remote Control, MP3, Black
Price: $318.00
12V, Kids Audi R8, Electric Cars for Kids to Ride, Seatbelt, Mp3, Remote Control, Pink
Price: $258.00
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SKU: BMFG-Lic
Kids Ride On, Mini Cooper Electric Car, Pink, Remote Control, Seatbelt, MP3
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12V, Audi TT Style, Electric Ride on Car, Battery Operated, Remote Control, MP3, Pink
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