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Posts Tagged 'pomegranate'
Harvest | Pomegranate
By MANDY SINCLAIR
Store pomegranates in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
What to do with glut
- Freeze:
Cut pomegranate in half. Using a wooden spoon, firmly tap the skin to dislodge seeds. Squeeze excess juice from fruit. Pour into an airtight container or ice cube tray and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Preserve:
pomegranate cordial
1 cup water
1 ½ cups caster sugar
½ cup lemon juice
2 tsp tartaric acid
2 pomegranates
Stir water and sugar in a saucepan on low heat until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice, tartaric acid and pomegranate seeds and juice and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for 20 mins. Strain, pressing down seeds with back of a spoon. Pour into hot sterilized bottles and seal. Refrigerate.
To serve – combine 1/3 cup of cordial with 2/3 cup mineral or soda water.
Tartaric acid – is a plant-derived preservative and is available from most supermarkets.
Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICSfreezing, fruit, pomegranate, preserves, recipe
Posted under harvest
Grow | Pomegranate
By MEREDITH KIRTON
Image from Harvest by MEREDITH KIRTON
Throughout December and January, gardens with pomegranates are lit up by the vermillion shades of these spectacular flowers. Revered by sultans, these blooms look like their petals are made from tissue paper yet have the colour intensity of embers in a fire. The highly unusual fruit that follows in late summer and autumn is another marvel, with the many seeds inside, covered with a jelly-like sac of juice, glowing garnet. The pith that segments the fruit is bitter and inedible, as is the rind.
Pomegranates are tough too, coping well with heat and drought and even cold, with temperate or tropical climates both acceptable. A tree bearing well should produce about 40kg of fruit and they start to produce fruit from about 3 years of age, and will continue for hundreds of years. Pick the fruit using scissors or secateurs one if has started to show good colour. It will continue to ripen post pick too.
Pomegranates don't like humidity, so need to be lucky to bear well on the coast. Deep loam is ideal, but their tolerance of sandy, slightly alkaline and even poorly drained soils is testament to their adaptability. Although they are adaptable to extremes, they will bear better crops if not under water stress and fed regularly with either citrus food or chicken manure and blood and bone.
Grown either as a tree or bush, depending on how they have been pruned from a young age, there is also dwarf forms available, though these are grown for their blossoms and ornamental fruit rather than for food and make excellent pot plants.
Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICScontainer planting, fruit, planting, pomegranate, pots
Posted under grow
Cook | Pomegranate
By MANDY SINCLAIR
Crispy duck breast with pomegranate sauce
4 x 200g duck breasts, skin scored
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pomegranate, seeds removed (see tip)
½ tsp Cajun seasoning mix
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp brown sugar
½ cup chicken stock
mashed potato, to serve
coriander and chervil salad, to serve
1. Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan.
2. Rub half of the oil over duck breasts and season well. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan on high. Cook duck, skin side down for 2 mins, until skin is crisp and golden. Turn and cook for another 2 mins, to seal. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 10 mins. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 mins.
3. Meanwhile, make sauce. Heat oil in same frying pan on low. Cook onion and pomegranate seeds for 5 mins, until onion is soft. Add Cajun seasoning and stir for 1 min, until fragrant. Add lemon juice and sugar. Simmer for 2 mins, until reduced by half. Stir through stock and simmer for 2-3 mins, until reduced and thickened slightly,
4. Serve duck breast with pomegranate sauce spooned over with mashed potato and coriander and chervil salad.
Serves 4
tip ….
to make coriander and chervil salad, pick leaves from 1 bnch of coriander and 1 bunch of chervil. Place in a bowl. Combine 1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp brown sugar. Pour over salad and toss to combine.
try this ….
Toss together 100g baby spinach, 1 chopped small red onion, ½ cup toasted walnut halves and seeds from 1 pomegranate. Mix together pomegranate juice and a little olive oil. Add to salad and toss to combine.
Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICSduck, mains, pomegranate, recipe, sauces
Posted under cook


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Gets the default Input Method Editor (IME) mode supported by the control.
Namespace: System.Windows.Forms
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)
An input method editor (IME) is a program that allows users to enter complex characters and symbols, such as Japanese Kanji characters, by using a standard keyboard.
As implemented in the Form class, this property always returns the ImeMode::NoControl value. The value of this property is assigned to the Control::ImeMode property.
Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core Role not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core Role supported with SP1 or later; Itanium not supported)
The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

subset: commoncrawl


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Financial Aid 101
College Financial Aid
Financial Aid Officers
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Determining EFC and Cost of Attendance
What is Cost of Attendance?
Free step-by-step guide on financial aid with secret tips on saving money!
Your college or university will generally publish on its Web site or in its financial aid office the college's cost of attendance. This is an estimate of how much money will be required to attend school for one year at that college, including all reasonable expenses. Most people, when budgeting for college, look at the tuition and assume that tuition is more or less the "price tag" for that school, when the reality is that tuition may be as little as 50% of the overall budget. Here are some sample costs of attendance from a survey done by TheStreet.com:
Prestige school (Ivy League or near-Ivy League):
- Tuition, $31,644;
- Room/board, $9,873;
- Books & supplies, $1,419;
- Plus similar costs for personal expenses and transportation.
- Total cost: an estimated $44,592 per year.
Private four year university/school:
- Tuition, $16,086;
- Room/board, $6,540;
- Books & supplies, $920;
- Plus costs for personal expenses and transportation.
- Total cost: an estimated $26,226 per year.
State university/Public school:
- Tuition, $8,670;
- Room/board $7,176;
- Books/supplies $950;
- Plus expenses and transportation.
- Total cost: an estimated $18,452 per year.
Incidentally, the fact that state and public universities are broken out into a separate category is an indication of price range, not quality. Some public universities are as well regarded or even more prestigious than their private university counterparts.
How does Cost of Attendance influence financial aid?
A school's financial aid office generally determines the programs and amounts of aid an applicant receives. This involves determining the cost of attending the college, calculating a student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and then awarding aid to meet the difference between the two - the calculated financial need.
What is the EFC?
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount a family can be expected to contribute toward a student's college costs. Financial aid administrators determine an applicant's need for federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education and other non-federal sources of assistance by subtracting the EFC from the student's cost of attendance (COA).
The EFC formula is used to determine the EFC and ultimately determine the need for assistance from the following types of federal student financial assistance: Federal Pell Grants, subsidized Stafford Loans (though the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan [DL] Program and assistance from the "campus-based" programs-Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Work-Study (FWS).
The methodology for determining the EFC is found in Part F of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
Financial aid administrators use the information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), including the EFC, to develop a financial aid package. This package specifies the types and amounts of assistance, including non-federal aid, a student will receive to cover his or her education-related expenses up to COA. However, because funds are limited, the amount awarded to a student may fall short of the amount of aid for which the student is eligible
What is the source of data used in EFC calculations?
All data used to calculate a student's EFC come from the information the student provides on the FAFSA. A student may submit a FAFSA (1) through the Internet by using FAFSA on the Web, (2) by filing an application electronically through a school, or (3) by mailing a paper FAFSA to the Central Processing System (CPS).
Students who applied for federal student aid in the previous award year may be eligible to reapply by filing a Renewal FAFSA over the Internet or by submitting a paper renewal application. Applying for federal aid is free. However, to be considered for non-federal aid (such as institutional aid), a student may have to fill out additional forms and pay a processing fee.
We encourage applicants to complete the appropriate electronic version of the FAFSA rather than a paper FAFSA because the electronic versions contain additional instructions and help features, have built-in edits that reduce applicant error, and allow the Department to send application results to students and schools quicker.
What happens if awarded aid falls short of Cost of Attendance?
Then it's student loan time - private student loans, to be specific. Alternative private student loans bridge the gap between awarded aid and Cost of Attendance. For example, let's look at the Prestige School's Cost of Attendance again and some financial aid. Let's say that you are awarded the maximum amount of federal aid for Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, and Stafford Loans as a freshman. That means:
- Perkins Loan - maximum of $4,000
- Stafford Loan - maximum of $6,625 ($2,625 subsidized)
- FSEOG - maximum of $4,000
- Pell Grant - maximum of $4,050
That puts your federal financial aid package at $18,675. Let's also assume that you receive $2,000 in scholarships and an additional $5,000 in state and institutional financial aid. That puts your aid package at $25,675, which will almost cover tuition. You'll still have about $2,955 in tuition to cover, plus the remaining expenses, which totals $20,680.


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Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Thanks to the great team at The New York Asia Society, Michael, Yoshie and Fran, my deep bow to you. The Tea Event at the New York Asia Society was a huge success, with over 260 guests attended. After the screening of Tea and the World: The Meaning of Tea by Scott Chamberlin Hoyt. There was a book signing for Mr. Hoyt's tea book and a tea tasting reception. We celebrated the soft launch for The Mandarin's Tea Room. Michael and Dae from the Tea Gallery helped me to present a Kung-Fu tea tasting ceremony using a light Anxi Tikwanyi and a traditional roasted version, both harvested from Fall 2009. Although our guests had a split decision between my light TKY and Michael's heavy TKY. We did have a positive demonstration to our new tea lovers how diverse a same kind of oolong could be, with different processing and brewing methods.
Very nice meeting all of you who came by to have a sip, and thank you to everyone who I know for your support. I am looking forward to introducing more fine tea to my new and season tea friends.
Posted by toki at 1:06 PM 6 comments
Monday, March 22, 2010
Brewing Wuyi Shui Xian Oolong with Yixing Teapot
5g of a 50 years old, aged Yancha. The tea master who roasted it 50 years ago brewed it up using a gaiwan, just to show me the tea foundation. But I prefer using a yixing to further enjoy the rich yet subtle moment.
Preheating the teapot with heated water in this brewing method is very important. All vessels should be cleaned and preheated. Here is the Step-by-Step how-tos:
1. Fill the yixing pot with fully boiled water, replace the lid.
2. Pour out the water into the fairness cup (serving vessel). After any remaining moisture has evaporated off the pot surface, pour the water from the fairness cup back over the lid and the exterior of the pot.
3. Fill the teapot up to 1/3 of it's volume with the tea leaves. Softly tap the body of the pot with the palm of your hand to settle the tea leaves to create an even surface. Please remember the teapot will be hot and this step requires quick but gentle movements.
4. The heated leaves are ready to be rinsed. Slowly pour more water (fully boiled and left to cool) into one corner of the pot until it overflows.
5. Replace the lid and immediately pour the rinse into a fairness cup.
6. Fill the drinking cup with the rinse. Pour the remaining rinse back over the pot, avoiding the air hole in the lid.
7. Once the pot has dried, slowly pour more water into the pot for your first brew.
8. Fill until the water level rises above the teapot opening and use your lid to skim off any foam.
9. Replace the lid. Pour water over the pot to seal in the heat. Discard the rinse from the drinking cup at the same time.
10. Steep the first infusion for about 10 seconds. Pouring into a fairness cup from a little height to help oxygenate the liquor.
11. Serve the infusion from the fairness cup into the teacup.
12. If there is any remaining liquor, pour it over the pot to build up the patina.
Posted by toki at 12:42 PM 3 comments
Brewing Light TiKwanYin Oolong with Gaiwan
7g of top grade Anxi Xiping TikwanYin harvested in OCT 2009. How do tea masters brew it in Xiping? They mostly use a Gaiwan.
Here is the step-by-step how-tos:
1. Use a Standard (3 oz) / 4 serving Gaiwan set. Bring water to a boil until the bubbles are no larger then fish-eyes.
2. Fill the gaiwan with the heated water.
3. Pour the water from the gaiwan into the drinking cups. Once the cups have been heated, empty them and discard the remaining water in the gaiwan.
4. Place 5g of tea leaves into the heated gaiwan.
5. For the rinse; use fish-eye boiled water that has been slightly cooled. Pour a fine stream of water into one corner of the vessel, letting the leaves get rolled and tumbled by the water.
6. Pour out the rinse from the gaiwan immediately into all cups and then empty the cups.
7. For the first brew; pour slightly cooled down water in a fine stream (around 6 inches height) aimed at one spot below the rim until the leaves are just covered.
8. Cover with the lid and pour out after 5 seconds.
9. For the second brew; pour in a fine stream at a lower height then the 1st brew.
10. Use the lid to gently turn and loosen up tangled leaves.
11. Use the edge of the lid to skim off any foam
12. Cover the gaiwan with the lid at a slight angle creating a 0.25 inch gap.
13. Use your thumb and middle finger to hold the very tip of the gaiwan's rim, and index finger to hold onto the lid.
14. Pour out in a continuous stream. The 2nd brew should be steeped no longer than 20 seconds.
15. After the brewing session, display the spent leaves for their visual appreciation.
Posted by toki at 10:52 AM 2 comments
Thursday, March 18, 2010
James Norwood Pratt: A Respectful Friend.
To me, tea is the fabric of Culture and Traditions. It's woven with different times, places and minds together as a whole, through a tiny cup. Although it was a disposable plastic cup, Indeed it was a very good cup that we shared. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Pratt, it was such a pleasure for me.
Posted by toki at 8:24 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Expectation from a 80's Pouchong Oolong
Drawing wisdom from a recent tequila tasting in Mexico.... I am surprised how difficult for us to unlearn or undo our own experience in taste and senses. Expectation is one of the darkest enemy, and raw perception could end a good tasting session prematurely. The fact that most people are unable to understand new information, without the inherent bias of previous experience, a sort of made-believe knowledge to which ones have been exposed. Not only I saw the frustration on the tequila master, when he passed around a 7 years aged 100% blue agave to us and half of the group down the whole thing in record time: "It's only tequila, we drink the finest Patrón without all this fuzz in the States...." The cold reply from the Master was: "Patrón is a blend made in the US. It's the same as drinking a bottle of Vintage Champagne from Mexico."
We often embrace ourselves based on the raw perception we inherent, and it is very amusing to see how it carries in a group tasting. Seeing people changing from an arrogant attitude to disbelief and finally to humble. Of course, only a small percentage of people in the right mind could taste the humble but enlightening result. For me, it took many years to even step into the disbelieve stage. Luckily tea is one of the most forgiving gifts from the nature, along with the tea lovers who continue to rediscover and understand it.
Tasting this Pouchong from the 80's is one of those experiences that I had to completely reset my expectation. It has nothing to do with the aroma nor the taste, even the structure is not important. Notes of floral dry hibiscus with hint of orchid and plum seem out of context. I sometimes question myself as if I was involved in a perfume judging competition? Naming the right combination of a male Moschus moschiferus or a Female Biziura musk could win you a free spa vacation.
This tea sits on my palate for a good 30 sec. letting the whole mouth getting used to the taste and it's temperature, then rolled around for another 5 sec., so the saliva is reacting with the brew to create sweetness. Slurping exhibits more character and lets enough oxygen to let it blossom. Finally after a min, not drinking but letting the less than 20 ml of liquid dissolved downwards. It took 3 mins before the clearing of the mind and the minty refreshing wave that kept coming over and over again from within. Meanwhile, looking at the water to come to a full boil for my forth serving.... it helps to create a state of mind, without judgment and anticipation from the tea, the vessel, the water, or my brewing skill. A total surrender to the tea and its spirit.
Most of the aged tea that I come across including puerh and oolong share the same kind of quality, like a novel or a good play. Nothing matters from what the surface might bring but the result after an hour or even half a day. I missed out a lot of this fine Cha Qi moment in my early tea days, now I have the time to reflect on them. Often judging on some old treasure in less than 3 mins and giving conclusion to the host how this tea should be such and such.... I wish someone back then could have asked me about how good Mexican Champagne might be....
Giving an extra hour for a fine aged tea to speak for itself is the least we can offer, letting the expectation of those shallow perception go is one of the truly humbling experience.
Hong Kong Yixing Collector
Brewing Parameter:
40ml '80s Yixing / 3 grams of tea / full boiled 2 weeks aged spring water.
Flush rinse / sit 60 s. /1st - flush/ 2nd - 5s / 3rd - 5s / sit 1 mins / 4th - 20s / 5th - 30s. All boiling crab-eye temp.
Liquor Color and Aroma:
Clear and oily burnt amber with golden rim. Earthy dried shitak, flower, aged plum, sea salt, citrus peel. Clear refreshing minty character of clean, chewy and sticky mouth feel followed with long lasting sweet sandalwood on the palate.
Ending Notes:
Calming Cha Qi, complex and relaxing. Similar to an 20 years aged raw Yiwu. The cooling effect on the throat lasted for an hour plus. Warming effects on the forehead, palm, cheek and numbing the lips.
Posted by toki at 1:13 PM 7 comments
Thursday, March 04, 2010
New York Asia Society Tea Event
Please come and join us for a Tea Tasting Reception on the 17th of March. I will be sharing and brewing a couple of my favorite selections. Hope to see you there. www.asiasociety.org
Posted by toki at 10:09 AM 2 comments
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Intergraph to Layoff 200
Intergraph acknowledged that it is laying off 200 people. The news was sent to employees yesterday. In a statement issued by the company:
"As a result of the unprecedented macro economic climate, Intergraph is taking prudent and responsible actions to reduce costs, improve efficiency and manage risk to assure our company's long term prosperity. Regrettably, one of the actions to be taken is a reduction in our global workforce. Effective Jan. 13, 2009, the company began a program to reduce its workforce by approximately five percent, affecting approximately 200 of Intergraph's 4,000 worldwide employees."
This is a relatively modest layoff given the depth of the current recession. And given that Intergraph is well positioned to capture some of the major infrastructure projects that may result from the economic stimulus package being considered by the incoming U.S. administration, it appears that the company is being cautious so as to not let go key personnel.


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False 6 English 50 Breastfeed Your Baby Getting Ready for Your Baby, Nutrition and Physical Activity Nutrition and Physical Activity, Babies and Toddlers 11/25/2014 12:05:59 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/icons/breastfeedyourbaby.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/getting-ready-for-your-baby/breastfeed-your-baby Stay Active During Pregnancy: Quick tips http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/obesity/stay-active-during-pregnancy-quick-tips tool Eat Healthy During Pregnancy: Quick tips http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/nutrition-and-physical-activity/eat-healthy-during-pregnancy-quick-tips tool Have a Healthy Pregnancy http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/doctor-and-midwife-visits/have-a-healthy-pregnancy topic Talk with Your Doctor about Newborn Screening http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/doctor-and-midwife-visits/talk-with-your-doctor-about-newborn-screening topic Eat Healthy While Breastfeeding: Quick tips http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/nutrition-and-physical-activity/eat-healthy-while-breastfeeding-quick-tips tool Make the Most of Your Baby's Visit to the Doctor (Ages 0 to 11 Months) http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/doctor-visits/make-the-most-of-your-babys-visit-to-the-doctor-ages-0-to-11-months topic Keep Your Baby Safe During Sleep http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/getting-ready-for-your-baby/keep-your-baby-safe-during-sleep topic The Basics Breastfeeding is healthy for you and your baby. Breastfeed your baby for the first 6 to 12 months, if you can.
Breastfeeding is very healthy for you and your baby. Try to breastfeed your baby for at least the first 12 months. In the first 6 months, breast milk is the only food or liquid your baby needs.

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn't mean it's always easy. You and your baby may need practice. But remember, breastfeeding gets easier with time.

Check out these guides to breastfeeding:

Learning to Breastfeed

Your Guide to Breastfeeding for African American Women [PDF - 2 MB]

Easy Guide to Breastfeeding for American Indian and Alaska Native Families [PDF - 797 KB]

If you have a health condition or are taking any medicines, talk with your doctor or midwife about breastfeeding before your baby is born.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding gives you and your baby time to be close, get to know each other, and bond. Breastfeeding is a healthy choice for both moms and babies.

Benefits for baby
Breast milk:

Has just the right amount of protein, fat, sugar, and water to help your baby grow

Helps protect your baby from infection and illness

Is usually easier for babies to digest than formula

Benefits for mom
Breastfeeding:

Gives you and your baby time to be close, get to know each other, and bond

Can save your family thousands of dollars

Burns calories and may help you lose some of your pregnancy weight

May help lower your risk of diabetes, depression, and some types of breast and ovarian cancers

When is my baby ready to eat other foods?

From birth to age 6 months:

Feed your baby breast milk only (no water, no juice, no non-human milk, and no foods).

Give your baby any vitamins, minerals, or medicine that your doctor recommends.

From ages 6 months to 12 months:

Keep breastfeeding your baby.

Start feeding your baby cereal or other baby food, like mashed fruit.

For age 12 months and up:

Keep feeding your baby new foods that are recommended by your doctor.

Continue to breastfeed until you or your baby decide to stop.

 Take Action! If you are going to be away from your baby, ask your doctor or midwife how you can plan to supply breast milk.
Here are some tips and resources for breastfeeding success.

Talk to your doctor or midwife about breastfeeding.
While you are pregnant, tell your doctor or midwife that you plan to breastfeed.

Many health centers, clinics, and hospitals have lactation (breastfeeding) experts to answer all your questions and help you get started. These experts are usually called lactation counselors, consultants, or specialists.

After you begin breastfeeding, you may still have questions. Talk to your doctor, nurse, or lactation counselor as often as you need to.

What about cost?
Support for breastfeeding is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. This help includes counseling and access to breastfeeding supplies for pregnant and nursing women.

Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get help with breastfeeding at no cost to you. Talk to your insurance company to find out what this means for you.

For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

Make a plan for after your baby is born.
You can provide breast milk for your baby even when you are apart. A lactation counselor can help you plan to keep providing breast milk for your baby while you are away.

If you plan to go back to work after pregnancy, talk to your supervisor now about where you can pump and store your breast milk at work. Most employers are required by law to give you time and a place to pump milk for your baby.

Get more information about:

Pumping and storing your breast milk

Your rights at work

Try to nurse your baby right away.
 Tell your doctor, midwife, or nurse that you want to breastfeed within 1 hour of your baby's birth. After the first hour, your baby will be sleepy.

At first, your milk will be yellow. This is called colostrum ("coh-LOSS-trum"), and it's very good for your baby. Your regular milk will come in after a couple of days, and your breasts will feel full.

Nurse your baby whenever he wants to eat.
 Newborn babies need to nurse often (about every 2 hours). Watch your baby for signs of hunger, such as:

Moving his head from side to side (called rooting)

Being more alert

Acting fussy

Put your nipple as far back in the baby's mouth as you can.
Nurse with the nipple and the brown area around the nipple (called the areola) in the baby's mouth. This will make you more comfortable.

Try out these different breastfeeding positions.

Ask for help if breastfeeding is difficult.
Breastfeeding is new for you and your baby, and it may take time and practice. Some women may experience problems with breastfeeding at first, but these problems can usually be solved.

Talk to your doctor, nurse, or lactation counselor if you have pain in your nipples or any other problems. Ask for help so that you and your baby get the most from breastfeeding.

Find out how to deal with common breastfeeding challenges.

Get tips on managing stress with a new baby.

Eat healthy.
If you are breastfeeding, eating healthy will help you and your baby get the nutrients you need. Get tips on eating healthy while breastfeeding.

Give your baby vitamin D.
Babies need vitamin D for healthy bone growth. Even if you take extra vitamin D, your breast milk won't provide enough vitamin D for your baby. Talk to your baby's doctor or nurse about how to make sure your baby gets enough vitamin D.
 Start Today: Small Steps

Check out these tips for successful breastfeeding.

Tell your family and friends that you plan to breastfeed. Ask for their support.

Get the facts about breast pumps.

 http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov 62 Help Your Child Stay at a Healthy Weight Nutrition and Physical Activity, Helping a Loved One, Helping a Loved One, Helping a Loved One, Helping a Loved One, Helping a Loved One, Helping a Loved One Nutrition and Physical Activity, Babies and Toddlers 11/25/2014 4:07:01 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/icons/helpyourchildstayatahealthyweight.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/nutrition-and-physical-activity/help-your-child-stay-at-a-healthy-weight Healthy Snacks: Quick tips for parents http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/nutrition/healthy-snacks-quick-tips-for-parents tool Get Active http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/get-active topic Prevent Bullying: Quick tips for parents http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/healthy-communication-and-relationships/prevent-bullying-quick-tips-for-parents tool The Basics Help your child stay at a healthy weight by balancing what your child eats with physical activity.
Help your child – and your whole family – eat healthy and stay physically active. The healthy habits your child learns now can last a lifetime.

What can I do to help my child stay at a healthy weight?
Help your child stay at a healthy weight by balancing what your child eats with physical activity. Two of the best ways to prevent your child from becoming overweight or obese are to:

Help your child eat healthier foods

Be more physically active as a family

You are a role model.
Parents are often the most important role models for children. When you choose to eat right and be physically active, your child will be more likely to make those choices, too.

Eating healthy and getting active as a family will also help you spend more quality time together.

Why do I need to worry about my child's weight?
Being overweight or obese as a child can lead to serious problems, like:

Heart disease

Type 2 diabetes

Asthma

Sleep problems

Low self-esteem

Getting bullied

Learn more about health problems and childhood obesity.

Being overweight as a child increases the risk of being overweight or obese as an adolescent and young adult. In other words, many kids don't "grow out of" being overweight.

Today, most adults – and about 1 in 3 children – are overweight or obese.

How do I know if my child at a healthy weight?
Finding out your child's body mass index (BMI) is the best way to learn if he or she is at a healthy weight.

Children grow at different rates, so it's not always easy to tell if your child is at a healthy weight. Healthy weight is also defined differently for children and teens than it is for adults.

Ask your child's doctor or nurse whether your child is at a healthy weight. You can also use this BMI calculator for children and teens if you know your child's height and weight.

What if my child is overweight or obese?
Successful weight management programs for kids include counseling and education about eating a healthy diet and being physically active. Parents have an important role to play in these programs, too.

Talk to your child's doctor or nurse for more information.
 Take Action! Put at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity into your child's day.
Help your child make healthy choices and learn healthy habits.

Ask the doctor to screen your child for obesity.
Your child's doctor or nurse can calculate your child's BMI (body mass index) and say if your child is at a healthy weight. If your child is overweight or obese, ask the doctor or nurse to help you find a weight-loss program for your child.

Look for a weight-loss program that includes counseling to help kids:

Make healthy choices about food

Get more physical activity

What about cost?
Obesity screening and counseling are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, your child may be able to get these services at no cost to you.

Check with your insurance provider to find out what's included in your plan. For information about other services for children that are covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

Make sure your child gets at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day.
It doesn't have to be 60 minutes all at once – it can be shorter activities that add up to 1 hour a day. Fun activities that children do on their own are best. For example, playing tag is a great way for kids to get moving.

Be sure your child is doing different types of activity, including:

Aerobic activities, like running, skipping, or dancing

Muscle-strengthening activities, like climbing playground equipment or trees

Bone-strengthening activities, like jumping rope or playing basketball

Find out more about the different types of physical activity.

Make getting active a family project.

Let children choose family activities.

Try walking the dog or biking to the library together.

Post a family activity calendar [PDF - 148 KB] on your refrigerator.

Find a park to explore near your home.

Plan your next outdoor family activity.

Sign up for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) challenge.

Get more ideas on how to increase your family's daily activity.

Limit screen time.
Keep inactive (sitting down) screen time to 2 hours or less a day for kids age 2 and older. Screen time is time spent using computers or smart phones, watching TV, or playing video games.

Set clear rules about when and for how long your child can use the computer or smart phone, watch TV, and play video games.

Keep the TV out of your child's room.

Use this screen time log [PDF - 118 KB] to track how much time your family is spending in front of a screen.

Get more tips to limit screen time.

Exercise TV shows or video games where your child moves around are better choices than inactive screen time.

Shop, cook, and plan for healthy meals.
Buy and serve more vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods. Here are some tips and ideas:

Make a shopping list with healthy foods [PDF - 285 KB].

Read the Nutrition Facts label on packages to help you make healthy choices.

Let your child pick out healthy foods to try.

Give children age 2 and older water or fat-free or low-fat milk instead of soda or juice. Children under age 2 can drink whole milk.

Get tips on how to lower the fat and sugar in family meals and snacks.

Help children know when they've had enough. Give your kids a chance to stop eating when they feel full.

Get more tips for smart food shopping.

Eat healthy.
You can be a role model for your child by eating healthy. Plus, a healthy diet can help protect you from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Start the day with a good breakfast.
Skipping breakfast can make kids hungry and tired, and it may lead them to snack on junk food later in the day. Give your kids whole-grain cereal with fat-free or low-fat milk and fruit instead of sugary cereal.

Make healthy snacks.
Healthy snacks give kids important nutrients and help control hunger between meals.

Sit at the table and eat together as a family.
When families eat together, children eat more vegetables and fruits and less junk food. Plan healthy, affordable meals and enjoy them as a family. Let children help pick out healthy foods, prepare meals, and set the table.

Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
If kids don't get enough sleep, they are at higher risk of being overweight or obese.

Teens need at least 9 hours of sleep each night.

School-aged children need at least 10 hours of sleep each night.

Preschoolers need between 11 and 12 hours of sleep each day.

Newborns need between 16 and 18 hours of sleep each day.

Set a bedtime schedule and remind your child when it's time to get ready for bed. Get more tips on helping your child get enough sleep.

Share these websites with your kids.
These kid-friendly websites can help children learn about healthy habits.

BAM! Body and Mind

MyPlate Blast Off Game

 Start Today: Small Steps

Get tips to give your favorite recipe a healthy makeover.

Use this tool to calculate how many fruits and vegetables you need each day.

Take the pledge to raise a healthier generation of kids.

 http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov 71 Ride Your Bike Safely Physical Activity, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Safety, Outdoor Safety, Physical Activity Safety, Children 11/25/2014 4:22:15 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/icons/rideyourbikesafely.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/physical-activity/ride-your-bike-safely Take Steps to Prevent Skin Cancer http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/safety/protect-your-skin-from-the-sun topic Protect Your Child from Injury http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/protect-your-child-from-injury topic Learn First Aid http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/learn-first-aid topic The Basics Always wear a bike helmet and ride in the same direction as cars.
Riding bikes is a great way for you to get active. Riding a bike can help you:

Get in shape

Lose weight

Lower your risk of health conditions like heart disease

Save money on gas

Riding bikes is also a great way to spend time with your family and get active together.

Follow these safety tips every time you ride.

Ride a bike that's the right size for you.

Check the brakes before you ride.

Always wear a bike helmet.

Wear bright colors and reflective tape.

Ride in the same direction as cars.

A bike crash could send you to the emergency room. The good news is that many bike injuries can be prevented.

If you have kids, teach them these safety tips right from the start.
 Take Action! Make sure your bike has reflectors on the front, back, and tires.
Follow these tips to make safe biking a habit.

Ride a bike that's the right size for you.
Riders of any age should be able to put one leg on each side of the top bar (tube) of their bike with both feet flat on the ground. Otherwise, the bike isn't safe to ride.

Check the brakes.
Make sure the brakes are working before you ride.

If you are choosing a bike for a child, choose one that brakes when the rider pedals backwards. Young children's hands aren't big enough or strong enough to use hand brakes.

Always wear a bike helmet!
Get in the "helmet habit" – wear a helmet every time and everywhere you ride a bike. A bike helmet is the best way to prevent a head injury or death from a bike crash.

Make sure your helmet is certified by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Look for a sticker on the inside that says "CPSC." This means it's been tested for safety.

Bike helmets only protect you if you wear them the right way. Every time you put your helmet on, make sure that:

The helmet is flat on the top of your head

The helmet is covering the top of your forehead

The helmet fits snugly all around your head

The strap is buckled snugly under your chin

Find out more about the right way to fit a bike helmet [PDF - 2 MB].

Kids grow quickly – check regularly to make sure their helmets still fit.

Replace your helmet if you crash.
Even if your helmet doesn't look cracked or damaged, the material inside the helmet will be crushed after an impact. This means that the helmet can't protect your brain and head from another crash.

Make sure people can see you easily.
Drivers can have a hard time seeing bike riders, even during the day. Follow these tips to help drivers see you:

Wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors.

Put something on your clothes or bike that reflects light, like reflective tape.

Try to plan ahead so your bike rides are over before it gets dark. If you are going to ride at night:

Make sure your bike has reflectors on the front, back, and wheels.

Put battery powered lights on your bike. A red light is for the back, and a white light is for the front – just like with cars.

Follow the "rules of the road."

Look both ways before entering the street.

Ride in the same direction as the cars.

Stop at all stop signs and intersections.

Use hand signals to show others what you plan to do next.

For a left turn, look behind you, hold your left arm straight out to the side, and turn carefully.

For a right turn, hold your left arm out and up in an "L" shape.

To signal that you are stopping, hold your left arm out and down in an upside-down "L" shape.

Use your left hand to make these signals for left turn, right turn, and stop.

Stay alert.
Paying attention to the things around you can help you stay safe.

Look for potholes, rocks, wet leaves, or anything that could make you fall.
Be aware of cars that are parking or backing up.
Listen for traffic and other activity around you. Don't wear headphones when you ride.
If you are riding in bad weather, go slowly.

 Start Today: Small Steps

Remember to drink plenty of water when you ride.

Print these bike safety tips and share them with your family.

Get tips on how to start biking to work [PDF - 116 KB].

 http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov 1 Healthy Snacks for Kids Nutrition, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Nutrition Nutrition and Physical Activity, Babies and Toddlers 9/30/2014 5:53:12 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/tools_icons/healthysnacksquicktipsforparents.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/nutrition/healthy-snacks-quick-tips-for-parents Eat Healthy http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/eat-healthy topic Protect Your Family from Lead Poisoning http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/getting-ready-for-your-baby/protect-your-family-from-lead-poisoning topic Take Care of Your Child's Teeth http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/doctor-visits/take-care-of-your-childs-teeth topic http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet11KidFriendlyVeggiesAndFruits.pdf http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet11KidFriendlyVeggiesAndFruits.pdf http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/choosing-foods.htm http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/choosing-foods.htm
Snacks give kids important nutrients and help control hunger between meals.

Healthy snack ideas

"Ants on a log" (celery with peanut butter and raisins)

Fresh or canned fruit (canned in 100% juice, not syrup) with fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Whole-grain crackers with low-fat cheese

Frozen grapes (rinse grapes and freeze them overnight)

Whole-wheat bread or apple slices with peanut butter

Quesadillas (low-fat cheese melted in a whole-wheat tortilla)

Unsalted pretzels or air-popped popcorn

Baked (not fried) tortilla chips and salsa

Whole-wheat pita bread with hummus (dip made with chick peas)

Put fresh fruit in a bowl that's easy to reach in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter. This will make it easier for kids to grab a healthy snack.

On the go

Take dried fruits and nuts, fresh veggies, or fruit in small baggies.

Pack low-fat string cheese sticks.

Set the rules

Teach your kids to ask before they help themselves to snacks.

Eat snacks at the table or in the kitchen, not in front of the TV.

Serve snacks in a bowl. Don't let kids snack directly out of the bag or box.

Drink water or milk (fat-free or low-fat) instead of soda or juice.

 http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov 42 Swim Safely: Quick tips Nutrition and Physical Activity, Safety, Outdoor Safety Safety, Babies and Toddlers 11/6/2014 1:56:53 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/tools_icons/swimsafelyquicktips.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/nutrition-and-physical-activity/swim-safely-quick-tips Take Steps to Prevent Skin Cancer http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/safety/protect-your-skin-from-the-sun topic Protect Your Child from Injury http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/protect-your-child-from-injury topic Learn First Aid http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/learn-first-aid topic http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/index.html http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/index.html http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/tips.shtml http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/tips.shtml http://www.poolsafely.gov http://www.poolsafely.gov
Swimming is a great way for the whole family to get active. Follow these tips to stay safe in and around the water.

Swim safely.

Take swim lessons if you don't know how to swim.

Sign your kids up for swim lessons as soon as they are ready. This can be as early as age 1.

Swim near a lifeguard and never swim alone.

Don't drink alcohol if you are swimming or watching children.

Use floating toys like water wings and noodles for fun – not for safety. Don't use them in place of life jackets.

Watch out for rip currents. A rip current is when the water pulls you away from shore. If you get caught in a rip current, swim along the shoreline until you are out of the current, then swim to shore.

Watch children carefully.

Make sure at least one adult is always watching when children are in or around the water.

Don't read or use the phone while you are watching young children.

Watch all children in the water, even if they know how to swim.

Make sure pools are safe.

If you have a pool, install a 4-sided pool fence that's at least 4 feet high and separates the pool from the house and yard.

Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward and are out of reach of children, so kids can't get to the pool when you aren't watching them.

Check water and weather conditions before going swimming.

Learn the meaning of colored safety flags used at the beach, and obey all warnings.

Get out of the water right away if you hear thunder or see lightning. Strong winds can also be dangerous.

 Don't swim in the ocean, lakes, or rivers after heavy rain. Water is more likely to be polluted after a rain storm.

Check for signs or warnings about bacteria or other pollution in the water before swimming.

Protect yourself and others from germs in the water.

Try not to get water in your mouth.

Make sure everyone is clean before swimming. Shower with soap. Wash your hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers.

Take your kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often. Change diapers in a bathroom or a diaper-changing area.

Protect your skin from the sun.

Wear plenty of sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15.

Put on more sunscreen every couple of hours and after swimming or sweating.

 http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov 59 N/A Nutrition and Physical Activity Nutrition and Physical Activity, Babies and Toddlers 9/30/2014 6:03:19 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/tools_icons/eathealthywhilebreastfeedingquicktips.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/nutrition-and-physical-activity/eat-healthy-while-breastfeeding-quick-tips Breastfeed Your Baby http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/getting-ready-for-your-baby/breastfeed-your-baby topic Eat Healthy http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/eat-healthy topic Make the Most of Your Baby's Visit to the Doctor (Ages 0 to 11 Months) http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/doctor-visits/make-the-most-of-your-babys-visit-to-the-doctor-ages-0-to-11-months topic http://www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html http://www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-and-everyday-life/nutrition-and-fitness.cfm http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-and-everyday-life/nutrition-and-fitness.cfm
Breastfeeding has many health benefits for moms and babies. For example, breastfeeding will:

Help protect your baby from infection and illness

Give you and your baby time to be close and bond

Save your family money

By making healthy food choices, you'll help you and your baby get the nutrients you both need.

Most people can get all the nutrients they need by making healthy food choices. If you are worried about getting enough nutrients while breastfeeding, ask your doctor about taking a multivitamin.

Make your calories count.

To get the nutrients you need while breastfeeding, make sure to include these foods in your diet:

A variety of vegetables and fruits

Seafood, poultry, lean meats, eggs, beans, and nuts

Fat-free or low-fat milk or soy products with added calcium

Brown rice, 100% whole-wheat bread, and other whole grains

Fortified cereals (cereals with added iron and folic acid)

Limit foods and drinks high in "empty calories" from added sugars and solid fats. Foods and drinks with lots of empty calories include desserts, fatty meats, fried foods, and sugar-sweetened drinks.

Eat 8 to 12 ounces of seafood each week.

Fish and shellfish have nutrients that can help your baby see and learn better. Eat seafood 2 to 3 days a week. Be sure to include a variety of healthy choices, like:

Salmon

Catfish

Cod

Herring

Canned light tuna

White (albacore) tuna – no more than 6 ounces a week

Avoid fish that are high in mercury, especially swordfish, tilefish, shark, and king mackerel. Mercury is a metal that can hurt your baby's development.

Drink plenty of fluids.

Your body needs extra fluids, like water and fat-free or low-fat milk, when you are breastfeeding. Limit or avoid drinks that are high in caffeine or added sugars. Try drinking a glass of water every time you breastfeed.

If you choose to drink alcohol, follow these safety tips.

Wait until your baby is at least 3 months old and has a breastfeeding routine.

Plan ahead for how you'll feed your baby if he gets hungry. For example, pump (express) some breast milk before having any alcohol.

Drink only in moderation – for women, this means no more than 1 drink a day.

Wait at least 4 hours after having a drink before breastfeeding. (Any alcohol that's in your blood when you breastfeed will pass into your breast milk.)

 http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov


text:
Contact: Robert Hazen
Carnegie Institution
Caption: The magnesium silicate forsterite was one of the most abundant minerals in the Hadean Eon, and it played a major role in Earth's near-surface processes. The green color of this mineral (which is also known as the semi-precious gemstone peridot, the birthstone of August) is caused by small amounts iron. The iron can react with seawater to promote chemical reactions that may have played a role in life's origins.
Credit: Robert Downs, University of Arizona, Ruff Project
Usage Restrictions: With credit
Related news release: Ancient minerals: Which gave rise to life?


text:
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text:
Carlos Fuentes, one of Latin America's best-known authors and a critic of governments in Mexico and the United States, has died after a literary career spanning more than five decades. He was 83.
Fuentes wrote more than 20 novels and several collections of short stories. His best-known works include The Death of Artemio Cruz, The Old Gringo and The Crystal Frontier.
The Old Gringo was the first US bestseller by a Mexican author and was made into a movie in 1989 starring Gregory Peck and Jane Fonda.
Local media on Tuesday said Fuentes died in a Mexico City hospital, although the cause of death was unclear.
Dividing his time chiefly between Mexico City and London, Fuentes dovetailed literature and social observation throughout his career.
Along with Colombia's Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Peru's Mario Vargas Llosa, Fuentes brought Latin American literature to a global audience in the second half of the 20th century. His work was translated into two dozen languages.
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Target Ad: Color Changes Everything
How can you watch this and NOT feel happy inside?
This Love&Toast collection of delicious Mandarin Tea products.
I recently received the hand cream. Every time I apply it, someone asks "What is that delicious smell?"
I love the way form meets function in this "time-out timer stool" from Wisteria. I'm pretty much past the "time out" phase, but I can just hear myself say, "Go flip your stool and sit down until the sand runs out!" I think I may have to get this in anticipation of grandchildren (and no, I can't believe I just typed that!)
The new look (and approach) at JCPenneys I loved their February catalog and I love even more the spirit of reinvention — just makes me giddy! Note that TODAY is the "best prices" of the month!
This is called Kendama and it's the new rage at our house.
I ordered seven, in seven different colors, to keep downstairs with the ping pong paddles and guess who's children did NOT watch TV or do anything technology related last night? I'm liking the idea of some easy-to-pick-up alternatives in the "un-plugged" area of play!
Here's a YouTube introduction of the pro-models. We started out with a much cheaper version (still $20 at Amazon), but this will help you catch the vision of the "world's best skill toy"


text:
Chris Lau, Kapitall: Time is running out for HP to release a smartphone this year. But would that even be a good idea?
If rumors that Hewlett-Packard ( HPQ ) could enter the smartphone market are true, it might be a sign that the company is headed in the right direction.
Even if the rumor turns out to be false, sentiment clearly shifted favorably for HP. Bearishness was at its worst very recently, in November 2012, when HP shares bottomed out at around $12.50. Since then, the company reduced its debt, improved its position in the PC market, and its shares are headed towards $30.
[Read more from Kapitall: 3 Mobile Stocks to Consider as Americans Double Down on Data]HP maintained its relevance as a hardware supplier for PCs by offering Chromebooks. Though, HP's Chromebook 11 had to be recalled due to fire and burn risks, sales of laptops running Google's (GOOG) Chrome OS could potentially have been strong during this holiday season. HP also sold tablets running Android. Click on the interactive charts below to see data over time. Sourced from Zacks Investment Research. HP smartphones? If HP enters the smartphone market, it may choose to start in emerging markets. China, for example, would be a good starting point for HP. Smartphone usage in the region is dominated by small-sized Androids. If HP releases phablet devices (with screens at between six and seven inches) at a competitive price, that would also give the hardware maker some traction in the smartphone market. And while webOS would give an HP smartphone a unique position in the market, it would also be costly. HP will most likely sell an Android-based smartphone in the beginning. It could then pre-install HP-based printing apps on the device. HP still has a long way to go before it reaches previous highs, but the company is stabilizing its consumer divisions. By embracing Android, HP does not need to spend much of its resources in building tablet, smartphone, and PC markets.
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text:
Lambing time soon...
Adopt A Sheep To Eat (from The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
"People can grow their own vegetables, but it is difficult for most people to grow their own meat. This way they have a little bit of control.
"It is an ideal project for schools. Children can understand the way meat is produced, how fairly they are slaughtered after living a happy life in an natural environment."
"With our system, the consumer can choose their own sheep or lamb, find out how it is raised and even come to see it grazing on the lovely Pewsey Downs."
The website www.adoptasheepformeat.co.uk


text:
Cover Letter Information
Purpose of a Cover Letter
A cover letter is a brief letter that introduces your resume to the company or organization to which you are applying. Your cover letter should emphasize why you want to work for that particular organization and why you would be a good fit. An effective cover letter engages the reader and encourages him or her to invite you for an interview.
A resume should always be accompanied by a cover letter. It serves as the first sample of your writing ability and attention to detail. A cover letter should be specifically tailored to the job and organization.
Letters of Recommendation
- "Letters of Recommendation" are often written by faculty members recommending a student for admission to a graduate program. However, some employers will request letters of recommendation from your references.
- Interfolio Credential Services: Through our partnership with Interfolio, Career Services provides the university community with a state-of-the-art on-line credentials service that securely streamlines, simplifies, and speeds up the credentials and portfolio process for everyone. Visit the Interfolio website.
Thank You Letter Information
Thank you letters are critical to your job search success, and interviews are not only occasions to send thank-you and follow-up letters. If you've ever experienced helping or doing something for someone, and not receiving a thank-you, you understand how employers view this lack of courtesy on the part of job seekers.
Following an interview, promptly (within 2 business days) write the interviewer a letter expressing appreciation and thanks for the interview. The purpose of this letter is to:
- Show appreciation.
- Reiterate your interest in the position and in the organization.
- Review or remind the employer about your qualifications for the position. If you thought of something you forgot to mention in the interview, mention it in your thank-you letter.
- Demonstrate that you have good manners and know to write a thank-you letter.
- Follow up with any information the employer may have asked you to provide after the interview.
Letter of acceptance
A letter of acceptance documents your acceptance of the position after the job offer. Restate the details of your start date, job title and other pertinent details.
Reference Letters
Positive references and letters of recommendation are essential to a successful job search or entrance into graduate school. Throughout your career you will be developing new references, as well as maintaining contact with individuals who have known you and your skills for a long time. Important contacts, which could turn into references, are made through all aspects of your life, including any job, college course, or volunteer situation.
Potential References:
- Former or current employers
- Faculty and staff
- People who have supervised you
- Volunteer, practicum or internship advisors
- People you have supervised
- Co-workers
Evaluating an Offer of Employment
In the excitement of being offered a job it's easy to forget there are still important decisions to be made before you officially accept the offer. You need to remember: You didn't work hard in school just to take any job that comes along. You want to make sure the job is right for you, that you'll be happy in the position or with the company you'll be working for. Chances are, if you did your homework before applying for the job and asked the right questions during your interview, you'll know if it is right.
Still, it's important to carefully evaluate and give serious thought to a job offer. There are three critical issues to consider:
- How closely does the job offer match your career goals?
- Do you need additional information about the job, the offer, the company, or any other factors in order to make a decision?
- Are there issues you may want to negotiate to bring the offer closer to your employment goal?


text:
Photo #: 80-G-301393
USAT Edmund B. Alexander (U.S. Army Transport)
Underway near Boston Light, Massachusetts, 6 January 1945.
Photographed from a Squadron ZP-11 blimp.
Completed in 1905 as the German passenger liner Amerika, this ship served as USS America during World War I. She was extensively modernized in 1942-1943.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than this digital image, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
4 December 2002


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Jaguars' Will Blackmon raising money for cure to disease that killed his mother
Updated On: May 14 2014 12:25:00 PM EDT
Jaguars cornerback Will Blackmon remembers his mother was always in the hospital, always sick. He lost her when he was just 6 years old to complications associated with Crohn's disease.
It's the reason he is serving as Revenue Chairman for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America's Take Steps Walk this Saturday at the University of North Florida.
"Over the years I've dealt with the loss of my mother and knew that I wanted to do something to help others," Blackmon said. "I wanted to create awareness for this disease that affects so many and help those living in silence have a voice."
Crohn's disease and colitis are diseases that cause inflammation of the digestive tract, which can lead to bleeding, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
If you don't have a team of walkers, you can walk with Blackmon. To register click here. There will be a festival with fun events for the kids. It starts at 4 p.m. Saturday at the UNF amphitheater. The walk begins at 5 p.m.
Event organizers say it's rain or shine. Strollers are welcome at all walk sites. Bicycles and in-line skates are not allowed.
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Study film as an integral, omnipresent art form and component of our day-to-day lives.
As a film studies minor, you will examine how film reflects and affects the social, intellectual, cultural, ethical, economic, aesthetic, and political aspects of our world. Think critically about how film influences values and ideologies as well as views on gender, race, class, sexuality, religion, and nationality.
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Diddy, Biggie, and the L.A. Times: Take Two
By Christopher Bateman
Last week, the Los Angeles Times published a web-only article alleging that Sean "Diddy" Combs and Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace (pictured here) were behind the the 1994 attack on Tupac Shakur at New York City's Quad Recording Studios. VF Daily reported on the significance of the piece being an online exclusive.
However, the Times is now backing off its story after The Smoking Gun dug up evidence suggesting that the newspaper's scoop relied on documents that were fakes. "The Times appears to have been hoaxed by an imprisoned con man and accomplished document forger, an audacious swindler," the muckraking website said yesterday.Interestingly, the Times's own apology hints that the editing process the article went through was not as rigorous as usual, saying that "other investigative stories published by the Times in recent years have in some cases received the scrutiny of at least one more editor and often of the managing editor or editor of the newspaper. The Shakur piece did not receive that many layers of review."
Could the fact-checking failure be partly due to the article's running as a web exclusive, and not in the print edition? Even the Times probably can't answer this speculative question, but the oversight could potentially prove a costly one: Diddy's lawyer is talking about a libel suit and expanding his demands for a retraction of the story, which Diddy said was false as soon as it came out.
The Shakur story would appear to mark another coup for The Smoking Gun, which was a key force in exposing the James Frey scandal, among other controversies.


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by Tom Norton
We are now less than three weeks away from the initial sign up period for Obamacare. After October 1st, the reality of the program and all that it portends for the future of the US pharmaceutical industry will begin to make itself apparent. One area that is of extreme concern to Rx brand managers across the country is, "Will my drug be covered under Obamacare?" The apparent answer to that important question is — it depends.
Why the vague response? To begin, let's review the latest February 2013 HHS regulatory statements on access to prescription medicines under Obamacare laid out in the so called 10 "Essential Health Benefits" (EHB). This outline will drive all medical service under the new Obamacare program. In its final rule on the drugs to be covered under the program it notes, "Each participating state must offer at least — the greater of one drug for each USP category and class — or the number of drugs in the state EHB "benchmark" plan."
What does this mean? Well, following public outcries from patients after the initial December 16, 2011 EHB drug rule was issued, which suggested that only one drug per therapeutic class would be needed to satisfy the requirements of the Obamacare formulary, HHS backtracked. This winter the agency concluded that the current formulary of each state's "benchmark" health insurance plan could be used to determine if additional drugs might be available to Obamacare patients. However, the rule also seems to suggest that the states do not necessarily have to include these additional drugs. So maybe one drug per therapeutic class will be available? Maybe more? Is it up to the states to decide?
It's not clear at the moment.
So let's piece together what we do know at this point and attempt to answer what we can about Obamacare drug coverage — three weeks before this program is supposed to begin signing up patients.
A recent 2012 Avalere Health study, underwritten by Pfizer, totaled up the number of drugs currently available under each state's likely exchange "benchmark" healthcare plan. The study concluded the following:
- Each state's "benchmark" plan substantially exceeded the HHS EHB suggestion of one drug per therapeutic class. The numbers of drugs listed as available on the 50 state formularies ranged from about 480 to nearly 1,110.
- The differences in the state-to-state drug coverage were vast. So it is reasonable to assume drug formularies could also vary dramatically between the various state exchanges.
But the question remains: Will the states adopt the EHB "one drug per therapeutic class" approach, or the state's "benchmark" approach? Currently, 25 states including California and New York have submitted their "benchmark" plans to HHS. The rest have not, so the exact disposition of the state exchanges in many states is not known today. (For the latest up-to-date info on all state exchanges, bookmark this page.)
Certainly the most interesting study I have found on the question of Obamacare drug pricing was published on July 11th, 2013 by insurance reviewer HealthPocket.com. While the study does not actually answer what drugs will be covered, it does give us some very clear clues about what drugs may be selected for reimbursement, and those that will not.
Here are some highlights from the review:
- The study concurs with my earlier suggestion that understanding what individual drugs will be covered under Obamacare, and at what cost, "is vague."
- However, HealthPocket.com did present publicly available information on those plans that could provide prescription drugs services under Obamacare.
The results of their survey are fascinating and may assist you in your search for answers on reimbursement of your product under Obamacare. Here are their findings:
First, HealthPocket.com examined publicly available rate filings for 2014 Obamacare Bronze Plans, Silver Plans, Gold Plans, and Platinum Plans to determine what copay consumers will pay for drugs.
Based on this review HealthPocket.com reported that, overall, as a consumer climbs up the Obamacare "metal" ladder (i.e., Bronze to Silver, etc.), the premium paid for health plan coverage is higher — but the corresponding drug formulary expands, and copays for drugs go down. This, of course, is not unusual in today's insurance market. However, what is unusual is comparing the copays that current individual and family health plans are charging for service today versus what the EHB state "benchmark"s apparently will charge in 2014.
The report found that average out-of-pocket copayments, particularly for the "Bronze" & "Silver" healthcare drug programs, (those plans likely to be utilized by those with the lowest incomes, or young people who just want basic coverage) will go up, substantially. Consider these findings:
The average copay for a "generic" formulary product in today's current health plan environment is $11.72. HealthPocket.com reports that the average copay for "generics" reviewed under Obamacare state exchanges will come in at $20.24 for "Bronze Plan" patients, an increase of 73% versus today's copays; while the "Silver Plan" that requires higher premiums will drive the average copays down to $13.44. But this is still an increase of 15% over current copay charges for generics.
Preferred Brand
On the other hand, the average copay for a "preferred brand" product on formulary in the current health plan environment is $36.37. However, like the generics, HealthPocket.com reports that average copays for "preferred brands" reviewed under Obamacare state exchanges will come in higher at $58.47 for "Bronze Plan" patients, or a 61% increase versus today's copays. Meanwhile, the higher "Silver Plan" premiums will drive the average drug copays down to $41.33, still an increase of 14% when compared to current plan copays for "preferred brand" products.
HealthPocket.com's finding: "When compared to the current individual and family health insurance market, both the entry-level "Bronze" and the higher tier "Silver" "benchmark" plans will increase most out-of-pocket drug costs for consumers."
So what does this tell us?
First, people who currently have drug insurance, and may choose to join, or be forced into Obamacare state exchange offerings, are going to pay more out of pocket for the same category of products, at least for generics and "preferred brands," than they are today under their current plans.
Secondly, even with elevated copays, the absolute copay cost differentials between generics and "preferred brands" will continue to be as substantial as they are today. This suggests that when a consumer enrolled in either a "Bronze" or "Silver" plan must make a decision between a prescribed "preferred brand" product or a "generic" in the same therapeutic class, the person will likely opt for the lower priced generic product. So, even though you don't currently know specifically that your product is on an Obamacare state exchange formulary, this economic reality is definitely not good news for brand name product managers.
Thirdly, HealthPocket.com's study is silent on the fate of "non-preferred brand products", that is, all the other drugs in a therapeutic class that are not "preferred." This is because data on the "non-preferred brand products" was not available to the authors. Can we infer, perhaps, that this was so because few, if any "non-preferred brand products" were available to be evaluated on the current state "benchmark" formularies? Frankly, it would be hard to believe, especially when you look over the Rx summaries from the Avalere study.
However, per the February 2013 HHS rule, is it possible that states could decide to rework their current formularies, offering, say, one generic and one "preferred brand" per therapeutic class — and that would be it? Not realistic you say? Think about how many states are currently running huge deficits and what this new healthcare obligation is going to do to their future debt. Given my 25 years of experience with state Medicaid formularies, I would suggest an Rx solution like this is very realistic.
So, extrapolating these facts to the expected 30 million Americans who are expected to sign up for Obamacare after October 1st, and anticipating that large numbers of these individuals will opt for the lowest cost "Bronze" programs because of low income subsidies, or their relatively young ages, it's fairly apparent the brand name industry faces real challenges in getting their products covered for this large new patient population.
A few obvious take-aways for drug product managers include:
- Tens of millions of patients, who do not currently have access to Rx care, will shortly have insurance assistance to obtain prescription drugs.
- Exactly what drugs will be reimbursed and available under Obamacare is still very unclear.
- As a product manager, it appears you will have to assess the "benchmark" plan in each of the 50 states to learn if your drug may be covered.
- Associated with this point is the fact that just because California's exchange may decide your product is a "preferred brand" there is absolutely no guarantee that New York, Florida or any other state exchange will accord your product the same designation.
So will your prescription product be covered under Obamacare's Rx scheme? As stated at the beginning of this review, it depends. My guess is that unless you have managed to negotiate a "preferred brand" status for your product with each of the state "benchmark" formularies, or found a way to have them accept a "branded generic" deal (think Lipitor) – your product will likely be relegated to the third-tier of their formularies. And long term, this is certainly not a good position to be in if your goal is to expand your product's market share within the massive, new Obamacare patient population.
Tom Norton is principal at NHD Smart Communications. He can be reached at email@example.com


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At Faith Temple, we offer ministries for every generation and would love for you to get involved! Have questions about volunteering, or which ministry might be right for you? Register with us to begin your journey.
Our youth ministries are second to none and we know you'll quickly discover that we strive for excellence in all that we do! Visit our ftKidz page to learn more about what our children's ministry has to offer.
Are you a young person looking to get involved, or do you have a teenager who needs to get connected? Check out Destiny Generation , our amazing youth program that will have you hooked up, excited and on fire for God!
Do you need help, guidance, encouragement or direction? We offer various ministries for men and women, whether you are single, engaged or seeking marital counseling.
Whatever your needs, or if you are simply just looking to meet members of the Faith Temple family and get involved, we have something for you!
We're glad you've stopped by our website. Here at Faith Temple we are about knowing him and making him known in the Rochester,NY area. We'd love for you and your family to join us for one of our sunday services soon. With a dynamic youth ministry,exciting children ministry, and challenging adult services, there is sure to be something here for you whole family. We look forward to meeting you and your family soon!
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|December 2014


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Clarkson Declares the LFA as the Best Car He's Ever Driven
Now, if that's not high praise, I don't know what is. Keep in mind that Jeremy Clarkson's job to drive the worlds most interesting and exciting cars... And evaluate them with brutal honesty (and humor). He's been doing this for over 20 years. And yet, it is Lexus' super car that manages to be the best car that he's ever driven. That's saying something.
Sure, the LFA may be several times more expensive than it's contemporaries. Some cars might have a higher top speed, or a quicker 0-60 time. Some might have more visually alluring sheet metal. Those things are absolutely important, but they're parts that make up a whole. The LFA's allure isn't that it excels in any of those individual areas, but it's because the car is an exceptional package all together. The price might be high, but considering the tremendous amount of R&D Toyota has poured into making the car, it's easy to understand why.
Clarkson understands that it's not just the numbers that make a car. That's why Ferrari's are special, and Jags are special, and Alfas are special. Ferrari's have a certain "Ferrari-nes" to them that makes them unique, performance be damned. In the LFA's case, it's as close as anyone's been able to get to mechanical perfection. In Clarkson's words, it's like the Terminator.
There's only one comparable car I can think of. The Ferrari 599 GTO. Kato, if you follow the show closely. Obviously, this has bags more personality than the LFA and feels so much more human as a result. It's fallible and confused, and when it rains it goes all to pieces. It's hard to master, but deeply rewarding when you do.
The LFA doesn't show any of those traits at all. It's more like a Terminator. You tell it what to do, and it will keep on doing it. It absolutely will not stop.


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Associated Press
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syria's prime minister escaped an assassination attempt Monday when a bomb exploded near his convoy in Damascus, state media reported, in the latest attack to target a top government official.
Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi was not hurt in the explosion in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh, state TV said. The TV showed video of heavily damaged cars and debris in the area as firefighters fought to extinguish a large blaze set off by the blast.
A government official said two people were killed and 11 wounded, while the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activist group said the explosion killed at least five, including two of al-Halqi's bodyguards and one of the drivers in his convoy.
The government official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements to reporters.
As evidence that the prime minister was unhurt, the state-run Al-Ikhbariya station said al-Halqi went into a regular weekly meeting with an economic committee just after the bombing. The station broadcast video of the prime minister sitting around a table in a room with several other officials.
But in the recorded comments after the meeting, al-Halqi made no reference to the bombing, nor was he asked about it by reporters, leaving doubt as to whether the video was shot before or after the bombing.
The state news agency quoted al-Halqi as saying that the assassination attempt exposed how armed groups "are bankrupt" after the latest advances made by Syrian troops around the country.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's suicide attack. Such bombings have been a trademark of Islamic extremists fighting in the rebel ranks, raising concerns about their role in Syria's civil war.
Syria's conflict started with largely peaceful anti-government protests in March 2011 but eventually turned into a civil war that has so far killed more than 70,000 people, according to the United Nations.
State TV quoted Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi as saying that targeting al-Halqi, who is in charge of carrying out the political program to end Syria's crisis, shows that some in the opposition "reject a political solution."
In January, al-Halqi formed a ministerial committee for dialogue with opposition groups. The dialogue is part of a peace plan, including a national reconciliation conference, that Assad outlined in a speech that month.
The opposition insists it will not accept anything less than Assad's departure, and no progress has been reported from the dialogue since it was announced.
A Syrian government official told The Associated Press that an improvised explosive device was placed under a car that was parked in the area and was detonated as al-Halqi's convoy passed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
The attack in the highly secure Mazzeh neighborhood took place only about 100 meters (yards) from the Swiss ambassador's residence. The posh area also is home to a major military air base. Security forces sealed off the area, allowing only pedestrians to get near the scene of the bombing.
Damaged cars, their seats soaked with blood, were surrounded by debris. A blackened shell of a school bus was left standing. A man told state TV that none of the students on board were hurt because the explosion went off shortly after they had left the bus and entered the school.
Later Monday, the Observatory reported that nine people, including four fighters and three civilians, were killed in government airstrikes on al-Halqi's home village of Jassem in the southern province of Daraa.
The attack was just the latest targeting a senior official in the Syrian capital during the past year.
On July 18, a blast at Syria's national security building in Damascus during a meeting of Cabinet ministers killed top four officials, including the defense minister and his deputy, who was Assad's brother-in-law. That attack also wounded the interior minister.
In December, a car bomb targeted the Interior Ministry in Damascus, killing several people and wounding more than 20, including Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar. Initially, Syrian state media said al-Shaar was not hurt in the Dec. 12 blast. News of his wounds emerged a week later, after he was taken to neighboring Lebanon to be treated for a serious back injury.
This month, Ali Ballan, head of public relations at the Ministry of Social Affairs and a member of Syria's relief agency, was shot dead while dining in a restaurant in Mazzeh.
Al-Halqi, a senior member of Assad's ruling Baath party, took office last year after his predecessor, Riad Hijab, defected to Jordan. Al-Halqi was Syria's health minister before taking the post.


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Nia (fitness)
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2008)
Nia is a non-impact physical conditioning program. The Nia Technique was founded in 1983 by Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas in the San Francisco area. Nia combines martial arts and dance arts in a workout set to music.
From 1972 to 1983 Debbie Rosas operated an exercise business in the San Francisco Bay Area known as the Bod Squad. In 1983 a series of sports related injuries prompted her to research and develop an alternative method of aerobic exercise and strength training aiming for safe, non-impact, bodymind based movement. This led to the establishment of the Nia Technique. Nia Technique headquarters moved to Portland, Oregon in 1991 and is currently overseen by Debbie Rosas, CEO.
Nia dance cardio fitness classes are taught by instructors licensed in the Nia Technique. Each class includes mindful movement guidance and somatic education; class cycles include warm-up, sustained non-impact aerobic conditioning, strength training, cool down and stretching. Nia Fitness classes are taught to music, including pop, electronica, jazz, Latin, New Age, Indian and hip hop. They employ 52 basic movements and techniques that draw on a combination of Jazz, Modern and Duncan Dance styles, Tai Chi, TaeKwonDo and Aikido; and the bodymind healing arts of Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique and Yoga.
Nia Technique started a proprietary music label NiaSounds in 2001 producing their own CDs and music downloads. Home workout DVD's are produced and sold under the company's brand Nia Technique. Nia also has their own line of workout clothing NiaWear created in 1993.
Nia offers a series of training segments in 50+ hour formats. The courses cover topics of somatic theory, philosophy and movement practices with an emphasis on sensation awareness. Training format includes classroom style somatic education, discourse, experiential anatomical research, movement, and meditative visualization.
As an aerobic and strength training practice, Nia aims to provide cardio vascular health, body toning, stress reduction, weight loss, improved memory, raised endorphin production and relaxation.
Nia claims to influence the brain, with a Dopamine-increased sense of pleasure and lessening depression; Serotonin-increased learning capacity, improved short term memory; Norepinephrine-increased energy, motivation and long term memory retention; and Glutamate-providing greater mental focus.[citation needed]
Further reading[edit]
- The Nia Technique, (Three Rivers Press) 2005
External links[edit]
- Olga Rukovets (May 2013). "This Way In: Nia for Parkinson's Disease | Neurology Now". Neurology Now. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
- Shayna Samuels (January 2005). "NIA: fitness meets improv | Dance Magazine". Dance Magazine. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
- Gila Leiter (May 19, 2003). "Find Fitness Bliss With NIA". Webmd.com. Retrieved 2012-06-07.


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Vessels of Color and Light
Presented by Gallery Seven at Gallery Seven
May 17 - June 18, 2011
"Vessels of Color and Light". Paintings by Marian Dioguardi and B. Glee Lucas. May 17th - June 18th. Artists' Reception: Saturday, June 4th from 7-9 p.m. Free and open to the public.
7 Nason Street
Maynard, MA 01754
Admission Info:
General Day and Time Info:
Tuesday - Friday 10- 6 p.m. / Saturday 10-5 p.m.
ARTISTS' RECEPTION: Saturday, June 4th from 7-9 p.m.
Phone: 978-897-9777
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