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[J-119-2012] IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA MIDDLE DISTRICT CASTILLE, C.J., SAYLOR, EAKIN, BAER, TODD, MCCAFFERY, ORIE MELVIN, JJ. HERD CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC, P.C., : No. 35 MAP 2012 : Appellee : Appeal from the Order of the Superior : Court entered on 8/23/11 at No. 882 : MDA 2010, which affirmed the judgment v. : of Dauphin County Court of Common : Pleas, Civil Division, entered on 6/29/10 : at No. 1320 CV 2006 STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE : INSURANCE COMPANY, : : Appellant : ARGUED: October 16, 2012 OPINION MR. JUSTICE SAYLOR DECIDED: February 20, 2013 This appeal concerns the sustainability of an award of attorneys' fees against an insurance company under the peer-review provisions of the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law. Section 1797 of the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (the "MVFRL"),1 captioned "[c]ustomary charges for treatment," limits the amount providers may charge for treatment, accommodations, products, or services rendered to patients injured in automobile accidents, where the injury is covered by an automobile insurance policy.2 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(a). The enactment also requires providers to seek remuneration 1 Act of Feb. 12, 1984, P.L. 26, No. 11 (as amended 75 Pa.C.S. §§1701–1799.7) (the "MVFRL"). 2 For convenience, we will use the term "treatment," below, to subsume accommodations, products, and services. directly from insurers and bars provider recourse against covered patients with regard to the difference between the provider's ordinary charges and those paid by insurers. See id. In furtherance of the same underlying cost-containment objective, the statute also establishes a process by which insurers may contest their obligation to fund treatment, through implementation of a "peer review plan." Id. at §1797(b)(1). These plans entail contracts between insurance companies and "peer review organizations" ("PROs"), which are approved by the Insurance Department to evaluate the reasonableness and necessity of treatment. Id.; see also 31 Pa. Code §69.55 (delineating the Department's application and approval process for PROs). If, upon a timely challenge, a PRO determines that treatment is unreasonable or unnecessary, the provider may not collect (or must return with interest) any related payments. See 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(7). In the present case, an individual obtained treatment from Appellee, Herd Chiropractic Clinic, P.C. ("Provider"), for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. The automobile insurer for the patient's family, Appellant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company ("Insurer"), submitted Provider's invoices to a PRO pursuant to Section 1797(b). The PRO determined that certain chiropractic treatments were not necessary or reasonable, and Insurer refused to pay for such treatment. Provider then commenced a civil action against Insurer, seeking compensation for unpaid bills in the amount of $1380. Provider also sought treble damages and attorneys' fees, under the theory that these are authorized under Section 1797(b)(4) and (6), which provide as follows: (4) Appeal to court.--A provider of medical treatment or rehabilitative services or merchandise or an insured may challenge before a court an insurer's refusal to pay for past or future medical treatment or rehabilitative services or [J-119-2012] - 2 merchandise, the reasonableness or necessity of which the insurer has not challenged before a PRO. Conduct considered to be wanton shall be subject to a payment of treble damages to the injured party. * * * (6) Court determination in favor of provider or insured.-- If, pursuant to paragraph (4), a court determines that medical treatment or rehabilitative services or merchandise were medically necessary, the insurer must pay to the provider the outstanding amount plus interest at 12%, as well as the costs of the challenge and all attorney fees. 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b). On the attorneys' fee question, in relevant part, Insurer defended on the basis that such an award is authorized, under Section 1797, only where insurers fail to invoke the peer-review process as a prerequisite to refusals to pay for otherwise covered treatments. Insurer stressed that Section 1797(b)(6), on its terms, is implicated only where proceedings have occurred under Section 1797(b)(4). See 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(6) (opening with the proviso: "If, pursuant to paragraph (4), . . ."). Since, per its plain language, subsection (b)(4) applies only where an insurer has not invoked the peer-review process, see id. at §1797(b)(4) (establishing providers' entitlement to challenge in the courts an insurer's refusal to pay for treatment, "the reasonableness or necessity of which the insurer has not challenged before a PRO"), it was Insurer's core position that Section 1797(b)(6) simply cannot apply where an insurer has proceeded with peer review. According to Insurer, Section 1797(b)(5) – which does not authorize fee shifting -- reflects the appropriate limits on an award by a court on review of a refusal supported by a peer-review determination. See id. at §1797(b)(5) ("If a PRO determines that medical treatment [was] . . . necessary, the insurer must pay to the provider the outstanding amount plus interest at 12% per year on any amount withheld by the insurer pending PRO review."). [J-119-2012] - 3 The common pleas court, however, rejected this position. Initially, the court observed that Insurance Department regulations authorize provider appeals regardless of whether insurers invoke the peer-review process. See 31 Pa. Code §69.52(m) ("Upon determination of a reconsideration by a PRO, an insurer, provider or insured may appeal the determination to the courts."). While recognizing that those regulations facially contemplate initial recourse to a reconsideration process, see generally 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(2) ("An insurer, provider or insured may request a reconsideration by the PRO of the PRO's initial determination."), the court explained that this Court had refused to treat reconsideration as a necessary prerequisite to appeals under the regulations. See Terminato v. Pa. Nat'l Ins. Co., 538 Pa. 60, 71, 645 A.2d 1287, 1293 (1994). Based on these considerations, the common pleas court reasoned: it appears that through regulation and judicial interpretations of both the statute and the regulations, any party adversely impacted by a peer review decision has recourse in the nature of a challenge before a court under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1797(b)(4). In such a proceeding under that subsection, the statute further provides that, if the court determines that the treatment was medically necessary, the insurer must pay to the provider the outstanding amount, plus interest "as well as the costs of the challenge and all attorneys fees." 75 Pa.C.S. § 1797(b)(6). * * * . . . Had the legislature intended to grant immunity [to insurers that pursue the peer review process] . . ., it certainly could have done so, but it did not. We do not believe that the legislature intended that an insurer's use of a peer review process which results, even if unintentionally, in a decision which during a court proceeding is proved to be flawed, to exempt the insurer from the statute's requirement that fees be awarded. [Insurer's] immunity interpretation would, in our opinion, only serve to provide an incentive to all [J-119-2012] - 4 insurers to send all bills to a peer review process in which all semblance of objectivity could be all but ignored, so long as the insurer's conduct is not "wanton", and the provider (or an insured) would be left with the enormous expense of seeking redress in the courts with no possibility of recovering those costs and fees. Herd Chiropractic Clinic v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., No. 2006-CV-01320-CV, slip op. at 6-7 (C.P. Dauphin Apr. 30, 2010). The common pleas court acknowledged Insurer's reliance on Barnum v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 430 Pa. Super. 488, 635 A.2d 155 (1993), which took Insurer's view of Section 1797(b)(6). 3 Nevertheless, the court believed the case had no relevance, since it had been reversed on appeal. See Barnum v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 539 Pa. 673, 652 A.2d 1319 (1994) (per curiam). Applying this rationale, the common pleas court found an award of attorneys' fees proper and mandatory under Section 1797(b)(6), since it had found, separately, that the treatment rendered by Provider was, in fact, reasonable and necessary to 3 Barnum reasoned: The peer review process provides a strong incentive for insurance carriers to route disputed claims through this alternate dispute resolution process. Where the insurer denies a claim without first obtaining a PRO evaluation, the claimant may immediately commence a court action. If the court finds in favor of the claimant, the insurer becomes liable, in addition to the amount of the claim, for counsel fees, costs, and interest at the rate of 12%. Moreover, if the court finds that the insurer acted wantonly in denying a claim, treble damages may be awarded. Conversely, if the insurer uses the peer review process, its potential liability is limited to the amount of the claim plus interest. Barnum, 430 Pa. Super. at 493, 635 A.2d at 157 (emphasis added). [J-119-2012] - 5 address the patient's injury. Accordingly, and based on Provider's credited evidence concerning the amount and reasonableness of the fees, the court awarded approximately $27,000.4 On Insurer's appeal, the Superior Court affirmed on reasoning similar to that of the common pleas court. See Herd Chiropractic Clinic, P.C. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 29 A.3d 19 (Pa. Super. 2011). According to the intermediate court, "[u]nder section 1797(b)(4), any party adversely impacted by a peer review decision may seek recourse before a court." Id. at 22.5 Like the common pleas court, the intermediate court appeared to be less concerned with an absence of express statutory authorization of fee shifting than with a lack of specific disapproval. See id. ("There is nothing in the language of [Section 1797] that specifically precludes attorneys' fees where a peer review decision is challenged and the court finds the treatment reasonable and necessary.").6 In terms of Barnum, the court opined that the decision concerned an insurer's liability for exemplary damages but did not address attorneys' fees. See id. But see supra note 3. We allowed the present appeal to resolve the salient question of statutory interpretation, as to which our review is plenary. 4 The court declined to award treble damages, however. 5 The Superior Court, however, neither offered an account for Insurer's observation that Section 1797(b)(4), by its plain terms, simply does not apply when an insurer employs the peer-review process, nor otherwise squared its pronouncement with the actual terms of that subsection. 6 As discussed below, such approach is problematic, because the default rule in Pennsylvania is that attorneys' fees are not available, in the absence of express statutory authorization. See Merlino v. Delaware Cnty., 556 Pa. 422, 426, 728 A.2d 949, 951 (1999) (explaining that "a statutory provision must be explicit in order to allow for the recovery of [attorneys' fees]"). [J-119-2012] - 6 Presently, Insurer relies upon the default rule in Pennsylvania that litigants bear responsibility for their own attorneys' fees in the absence of express statutory authorization for fee awards, contractual fee-shifting, or some other recognized exception. See Merlino, 556 Pa. at 425, 728 A.2d at 951 (citing Chatham Commc'ns, Inc. v. Gen. Press Corp., 463 Pa. 292, 300-01, 344 A.2d 837, 842 (1975)). Since, in the circumstances before us, there is no agreement reallocating fees and no claim to any recognized exception other than statutory authorization, Insurer's main argument segues into a review of Section 1797. In this regard, Insurer maintains that the common pleas and intermediate courts "completely misread" the statute, since subsections 1797(b)(4) and (b)(6), by their plain terms, authorize fee awards only in the absence of peer review. Brief for Insurer at 9, 12.7 Insurer highlights the Superior Court's previous indication that, "when the peer review process has been followed, as it was here, the insurer's potential liability is limited to the amount of the claim plus interest." Id. at 9 (citing Barnum, 430 Pa. Super. at 493, 635 A.2d at 157). 8 According to Insurer, the prior reviewing courts simply ignored the express "words of limitation" in Sections 1797(b)(4) and (b)(6). Id. at 16. 7 Insurer and its amicus, the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, invoke various principles of statutory interpretation to support a plain-meaning approach to the statute. See Brief for Insurer at 15 (citing Commonwealth v. Tate, 572 Pa. 411, 413, 816 A.2d 1097, 1098 (2003) (explaining that "it is not a court's place to imbue the statute with a meaning other than that dictated by the plain and unambiguous language of the statute")); see also Brief for Amicus Pa. Defense Inst. at 10 (referencing the principle of statutory interpretation providing that no clause, sentence, or word of a statute is to be rendered superfluous, void, or insignificant). 8 See also Brief for Insurer at 18 ("[T]he Legislature crafted Section 1797 in such a way as to eliminate an award of attorney's fees and treble damages in exchange for the insurers' submission of disputed treatments to . . . a regulated peer assessment."); accord Green v. State Farm Ins. Co., No. 1:CV-09-1668, 2010 WL 330355, at *2 (M.D. Pa. Jan. 20, 2010); Brief for Amicus Pa. Defense Inst. at 12-15 (referencing several (continued…) [J-119-2012] - 7 Supplementing its plain language argument, Insurer contends that the Superior Court's holding undermines the cost-containment aim of the MVFRL, as well as the subsidiary goal of encouraging insurers to engage the peer-review process. See id. at 10 ("If the Superior Court's decision below is allowed to stand and attorney's fees are to be awarded every time a court overturns a peer review decision, insurers would have absolutely no incentive to first seek a peer review of questionable medical bills."); accord Brief for Amicus Pa. Defense Inst. at 8 (positing that a "chilling effect on policing unreasonable and unnecessary medical expenses" results from the intermediate court's holding, which "will undoubtedly increase insurance costs for all Pennsylvania insurance consumers"). Insurer also asserts that this Court's Terminato decision pertained solely to the question of whether reconsideration of a PRO determination is a prerequisite to judicial review invoked by an insured under the salient Insurance Department regulation. See Terminato, 538 Pa. at 63, 645 A.2d at 1288. Elaborating on this position, Insurer contends as follows: The effect of the Court's ruling [in Terminato] was to expand [that regulation, i.e.,] 31 Pa. Code §69.52(m) to allow court redress without a reconsideration being performed. It is through this regulation, and not through 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(4), that court action is authorized where a peer review has been performed. Conversely, if no peer review is performed, then an appeal to [c]ourt is pursuant to 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(4). Reply Brief for Insurer at 5 (emphasis in original). Insurer also stresses that Terminato simply did not discuss the range of appropriate damages, including whether and/or (…continued) decisions of the courts of common pleas over the past twenty years, which are consistent with Insurer's position). [J-119-2012] - 8 when attorneys' fees may be appropriate. Finally, responding to a series of policy arguments advanced by Provider, Insurer counters: Although [Provider] seeks to attack the [peer review] system as a whole, such arguments are misdirected, not at issue before this Court, and better put to the Legislature. . . . At its heart, the present case concerns statutory interpretation only. [Provider's] arguments against the system are wholly irrelevant and seek only to cloud the straight-forward issue presented to the Court. Id. at 3. Provider, on the other hand, asserts that, under Section 1797, "[t]here is no statutory distinction between mandatory damages of the outstanding medical bills amount, interest and all attorney fees." Brief for Provider at 5. It is Provider's position that Section 1797(b)(6) applies on its terms whenever a court determines that medical treatment was necessary, regardless of whether or not peer review was pursued by an insurer. See id. Furthermore, Provider highlights the Superior Court's observation that Section 1797 does not expressly preclude attorneys' fees for any reason, including cost- containment. Although Provider discusses various of the provisions of Section 1797, its arguments consistently flow into policy statements and explications. See, e.g., id. at 7 ("1 Pa.C.S. §1922(2) states the presumed intent of the Legislature is that it 'intends the entire statute to be effective and certain.' A reading of 1797 in its entirety indicates a public policy to make health care providers whole."); see also id. (contending that fee awards against insurers inure to the public interest). In one instance in which Provider does focus on the statutory language, it concedes that "[a] first reading of 1797(b)(4) indicates that an appeal to [c]ourt occurs when 'the insurer has not challenged (the medical bills) before a PRO.'" Brief for Provider at 9 (quoting 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(4)). Provider, however, suggests that this Court rejected such a reading in Terminato, as a corollary to its holding that an insured [J-119-2012] - 9 may challenge a peer-review determination in court, without a threshold request for reconsideration asserted within the peer-review system. See id. at 10 ("Since §1797(b)(4) and (6) are the only sections of 1797 that pertain to a [c]ourt's determination[,] then the damages in §1797(b)(6) must apply. It is illogical to reason that Terminato stands for the proposition that §1797 grants a provider the right to appeal a peer review to Common Pleas but does not entitle the provider to the damages expressly stated in the statute following a [c]ourt determination."). Moreover, Provider observes, Insurer does not challenge the award of statutory interest; thus, according to Provider, Insurer should not be permitted to "pick those damages from the statute which it deems applicable and ignore other damages." Id. In terms of Insurer's argument predicated on the cost-containment aims of the MVFRL, Provider references recent expressions from a majority of Justices confirming that the remedial purposes of the statute must also be taken into account. See, e.g., Williams v. GEICO Gov't Emps. Ins. Co., ___ Pa. ___, ___, 32 A.3d 1195, 1210 (2011) (Saylor, J., concurring); id. at ___, 32 A.3d at 1210-11 (Baer, J., concurring); id. at ___, 32 A.3d at 1213 (Todd, J., concurring, joined by McCaffery, J.). With regard to Barnum, Provider notes that the salient passage of the opinion was dictum, which Provider believes to be erroneous in any event. To the degree that Insurer relies on Section 1797(b)(5), it is Provider's position that Insurer "misapprehends that 1797(b)(5) acts to grant [Provider] immunity from attorney fees which is the same argument rejected by the Superior and Trial Courts." Brief for Provider at 19. As noted, Provider advances lengthy policy arguments. Principally, Provider contends that health care providers need "real access" to the courts, because the peer review system is biased in favor of its revenue source, namely, the insurance industry. [J-119-2012] - 10 Brief for Provider at 23.9 Along these lines, Provider highlights the Terminato Court's expressed skepticism of the peer-review system. See, e.g., Terminato, 538 Pa. at 68, 9 See also Brief for Provider at 32-33 ("State Farm knows that a high percentage of peer reviews will find the care not reasonable and necessary and State Farm has no risk of being sued because State Farm has made it too expensive for the litigant. . . . The award of attorney fees for prevailing health care providers avoids the injustice of financially foreclosing access to the [c]ourts to health care providers who have given reasonable and necessary care." (footnote omitted)); id. at 35 ("State Farm forced Herd Chiropractic's counsel to incur $27,047.50 in attorney fees [relating to a $1,380 claim] for 131.6 hours which the Trial Court held reasonable. Those are the known expenses and do not include the fees associated with appeals to the Superior and Supreme Courts."); id. at 36 (attributing to Insurer a "scorched earth litigation strategy"); id. at 37 ("Without the assurance that its counsel will be paid under section 1797(b)(6) there is simply no chance that [Provider's professionals] or any other healthcare provider will file an appeal to [c]ourt to be paid for medical bills disallowed under the biased peer review system."); id. at 38-39 ("The final insidious reason State Farm spends tens of thousands of dollars to wrongfully refuse payment to health care providers is to reduce the verdict and settlement value of personal injury cases. . . . This is an extraordinary example of cost containment gone berserk."); accord Brief for Amicus Pa. Ass'n for Justice at 7 ("This is not 'cost containment' but a windfall to the insurance companies – a stacked deck, slanted terribly in favor of the denying insurance company while leaving the vast majority of medical providers (if not all of them) without reasonable recourse."). Insurer offers the following response to criticisms of the peer-review system advanced by Provider and its amicus: Without belaboring the point, the Legislature created and enacted the peer review system and expressly endorsed it as a viable tool in evaluating automobile medical claims. . . . Furthermore, the system is subject to oversight and regulation by the Insurance Department. In particular, an insurer may only contract with peer review organizations that have been certified by the Insurance Department. 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(1); 31 Pa. Code §69.55(a). In order to obtain certification by the insurance department, a PRO must submit to the department (1) a "Certificate of Independence" (i.e. that no insurer has any ownership or financial interest in the PRO); (2) a certification that reviews are conducted by medical personnel licensed in the Commonwealth; and (3) a quality assessment of the PRO's review services, including examples of the PRO's review (continued…) [J-119-2012] - 11 645 A.2d at 1291 ("The detachment and neutrality required of a fact-finder is conspicuously absent in the contractual relationship between a PRO and an insurer."). According to Provider, reversal of the Superior Court's decision "will have a chilling effect on health care." Brief for Provider at 45. Finally, Provider also offers its own tally concerning the interpretations of Section 1797(b)(6) in the federal and state courts, see id. at 39-44; see, e.g., Miller v. Allstate Fire & Cas. Ins. Co., Civil No. 07-260, 2009 WL 577964, at *7 (W.D. Pa. Mar. 5, 2009), and, in any event, admonishes that "a score card argument is not an appropriate rationale to offer this Court." Brief for Provider at 43. Upon review of the above arguments, we find Insurer's to be correct in material respects. As Insurer notes, this Court has consistently followed the general, American rule that there can be no recovery of attorneys' fees from an adverse party, absent an express statutory authorization, a clear agreement by the parties, or some other established exception. Merlino, 556 Pa. at 425, 728 A.2d at 951. Since no agreement or other (non-statutory) exception has been identified, to be sustainable, the fee award attained by Provider must gain grounding from some express term of Section 1797. See id. at 426, 728 A.2d at 951.10 (…continued) procedures, among others. See 31 Pa. Code §69.55(b). The regulations also set forth certain "standards for operation" for PROs, 31 Pa. Code §69.53(e), and the Insurance Department monitors the performance of PRO's [sic] through an annual report that each PRO is required to file with the Commissioner. See 31 Pa. Code §69.54. Reply Brief for Insurer at 2 (footnote omitted). 10 To the degree the common pleas and intermediate courts relied on the absence of any statutory prohibition of fee shifting, their focus was misplaced, since the controlling question under longstanding precedent is whether there is a pertinent, explicit provision for it in Section 1797. See Merlino, 556 Pa. at 426, 728 A.2d at 951. [J-119-2012] - 12 Section 1797(b)(4), however, authorizes appeals by providers from insurer refusals to pay for treatment, "the reasonableness or necessity of which the insurer has not challenged before a PRO." 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(4) (emphasis added). Moreover, by its opening proviso, Section 1797(b)(6) – which contains the statute's sole authorization of fee shifting -- is expressly tied to subsection (b)(4). See id. at §1797(b)(6) ("If, pursuant to paragraph (4), a court determines . . ."). Thus, both subsections, by their explicit terms at least, apply only in the circumstance in which an insurer has not pursued peer review. There is, as Insurer emphasizes, simply no express statutory authorization for fee shifting on provider challenges to peer-review determinations. It is true that the Insurance Department regulation sanctioning such provider appeals serves to alleviate due process concerns arising out of the Legislature's failure to provide for this category of challenges. See generally Terminato, 538 Pa. at 72 n.3, 645 A.2d at 1293 n.3. The regulation, nonetheless, neither provides for fee shifting nor serves to bootstrap the statutory fee-shifting requirement pertaining to non-peer-reviewed insurer refusals into the peer-review arena.11 11 Provider correctly notes that Section 1797(b)(5) pertains to peer-review determinations favorable to providers or insureds and, as such, does not directly serve as a basis for awards of interest where insurers have prevailed in the peer-review process but are unsuccessful in the judicial venue. The governing insurance regulation, nonetheless, couches civil actions ensuing after a peer-review decision as "appeal[s]." 31 Pa. Code §69.52(m). Moreover, the underlying determination on a provider "appeal" is a PRO's decision that treatment was unnecessary and/or unreasonable, and, if such decision was unjustified, the PRO also necessarily erred in failing to award mandatory interest. See 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(5). In all events, as to various matters other than fee shifting, there is some latitude for courts to employ principles of statutory construction to give effect to legislative intent where the Assembly has been unclear as to the details of implementation. The Court consistently has been clear, however, that there is no similar license in the fee-shifting arena. See, e.g., Merlino, 556 Pa. at 425-26, 728 A.2d at 951. [J-119-2012] - 13 We acknowledge Provider's concerns with the financial incentives in the peer- review industry and with the fact that litigation costs incurred by providers may discourage legitimate challenges. The fee accruals here – in the amount of $27,000 to vindicate a $1380 claim -- present a stark example of the difficulty. Moreover, we appreciate that Section 1797 is neither comprehensive nor a model of clarity, in various respects. Nevertheless, fee shifting raises a host of mixed policy considerations in and of itself, which this Court has found are best left to the General Assembly, in the absence of contractual allocation or some other recognized exception to the general, American rule. The Legislature's failure to adjust Section 1797 over time as imperfections have been revealed by experience, while unfortunate, does not alter the functions ascribed to our respective branches of government. Accordingly, in the absence of a demonstrated constitutional infirmity, courts generally must apply plain terms of statutes as written; they are to confine efforts to effectuate legislative intent -- above and beyond the prescriptions of written laws -- to ambiguous provisions; and they are to enforce the longstanding responsibility allocated to the policymaking branch to provide for fee shifting, when it is deemed appropriate, through explicit pronouncements. The dissent's primary position is that due process requires mandatory attorneys' fee awards in the PRO setting, and it suggests that such fee shifting may be justified as an application of principles of statutory construction. See, e.g., Dissenting Opinion, slip op. at 7 (indicating that there is "ample room to construe [Section 1797] to avoid this violation of due process"). 12 We do not discount that there may be due process 12 Another linchpin of the dissent is the belief that providers and/or their attorneys do not participate in the PRO process. See, e.g., Dissenting Opinion, slip op. at 2-3. Salient regulations, however, allow for provider participation. See 31 Pa. Code §69.52(c) ("The PRO shall afford the provider an opportunity to discuss the case with the reviewer and to submit information to the reviewer prior to a final determination."). Additionally, (continued…) [J-119-2012] - 14 concerns with the statute which might be raised and considered via a constitutional challenge to its enforcement. 13 In terms of addressing the question of statutory interpretation with which we are presented in this appeal, however, we observe the dissent's construction contradicts Section 1797's express terms. In this regard, as we have explained, the Legislature has provided for fee awards only in relation to matters pursued under subparagraph (b)(4), see 75 Pa.C.S. §1797(b)(6), which applies only to insurer refusals-to-pay for treatment "the reasonableness or necessity of which the insurer has not challenged before a PRO," id. §1797(b)(4) (emphasis added). 14 Additionally, contrary to the purport of the dissent, this Court's Terminato decision did not effectively channel appeals from PRO decisions through Sections 1797(b)(4) and (b)(6), in derogation of the statute's plain terms. Rather, Terminato reflects the far more modest and restrained holding that a statute providing an evaluation process funded by an interested party could not serve to foreclose judicial review on the filing of a civil action in the nature of an appeal from an adverse decision arising from such process. See Terminato, 538 Pa. at 71, 645 A.2d at 1292. While, as we have otherwise recognized, the dissent's policy concerns relative to access to justice are not unfounded, these apply equally to a wide range of small-claims scenarios involving deep-pocket defendants and implicate countervailing policy considerations beyond the scope of the discussion offered by the dissent. In our (…continued) nothing of which we are aware prevents providers from retaining attorneys to represent their interests in such process. 13 No such challenge, however, has been presented in the instant litigation. 14 The statute itself makes obvious that the General Assembly knows how to provide for fee-shifting where intends it. Accordingly, we decline to infer that the Legislature wished to implement a fee-shifting regime broader than what it has actually prescribed. [J-119-2012] - 15 considered judgment, the present appeal -- which is limited to an issue of statutory interpretation -- is not an appropriate venue for reconsidering Pennsylvania's longstanding adherence to the American rule.15 The order of the Superior Court is reversed, and the matter is remanded for conformance of the judgment with this opinion. Madame Justice Orie Melvin did not participate in the consideration or decision of this case. Mr. Chief Justice Castille, Mr. Justice Eakin and Madame Justice Todd join the opinion. Mr. Justice Baer files a dissenting opinion in which Mr. Justice McCaffery joins. 15 It should also be noted that the dissent reflects characterizations concerning Insurer's behavior and motivations that are not grounded in any salient findings by the fact-finding tribunal. See, e.g., Dissenting Opinion, slip op. at 6-7. Furthermore, while such assertions would have relevance in a discretionary fee-shifting regime, we (as well as the common pleas and intermediate courts) have found they have little bearing on the issue of statutory interpretation before us here, i.e., whether Section 1797 provides for across-the-board mandatory attorneys' fee awards in successful provider challenges to PRO determinations. [J-119-2012] - 16
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Hanes Or Fruit Of The Loom: Which Is Better?
The eternal question, Hanes or Fruit Of The Loom, which Is better? We all want quality over quantity, so the next time you go out to buy those undies think about "quality." Hanes is higher quality while Fruit of the Loom provides more quantity, so there's no doubt that Hanes is better.
Hanes' fabric seems to be more comfortable and could be sent to the washer numerous of times without causing the fabric to thin and wither. Hanes has recently formulated a new comfort strap for all of their briefs and they are so comfortable that you wouldn't even know that they're on. Their items seem to be more supportive than their counterpart, Fruit of the Loom. Also, Hanes seems to be upgrading to the best material, far more comfortable than Fruit of the Loom.
Fruit of the Loom's items are good on their price point and quantity as Hanes' items are a little more expensive. Although, you get your money's worth with Hanes. Going for anything just because it has more in the package and cheaper doesn't make it a great product. Most Fruit of the Loom items are thin and easily damaged. Hanes' items would last much longer than Fruit of the Loom items.
Buy wisely so that you won't have to come back to the store for the same exact item weeks later. You would be spending more money re-buying products that do not last. if you prefer quality underwear over a bunch of low grade underwear, Hanes is the choice over Fruit of the Loom.
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North Central College is one of five institutions nationwide to receive a 2015 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization.
North Central College alumnus Rick Guzman '99 delivered a TEDx talk about using new strategies to combat cyclical poverty by harnessing the earning power of the working poor.
Guzman was one of 12 presenters at the inaugural TEDxNorthCentralCollege event Feb. 13. The theme of the TEDx was "Changing the World for Good" and his talk was titled "Discovering the Value of the Poor."
Student journalists from North Central College have earned five awards for excellence from the Illinois College Press Association (ICPA).
The awards were announced at ICPA's annual conference Feb. 20-21 in Chicago. College newspapers throughout Illinois, ranging from those at small colleges to publications at large state universities, participated in the annual journalism contest. Entries are judged by working journalists and professional editors who are members of the Illinois Press Association. Some 38 schools contributed 1,260 entries, resulting in 270 winners.
North Central College has expanded its commitment to sustainability by investing more than $200,000 to replace old fixtures with energy-efficient LED lighting.
The most recent upgrades to lighting in the College's geothermal-controlled, LEED-certified Residence Hall/Recreation Center and in the Harold and Eva White Activities Center are estimated to save the College an additional $35,000 annually in electricity costs. The projects are supported by a $67,989 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation's Energy Efficiency Lighting Upgrade Program.
Faculty from North Central College's political science department will discuss timely issues during its winter term Topics in Politics (TIP) Talk March 3.
The TIP Talk is free and open to the public and will be held from 12:10 to 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, in North Central College's theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St.
The TIP Talks are modeled on the TED Talk concept and feature short presentations on current political topics. Speakers for the March 3 TIP Talk are:
Music students appreciate having a fresh pair of ears critique their performances, especially when they are the ears of a world-class artist.
North Central College voice students experienced hands-on instruction from lyric soprano Sarah Wolfson during a master class on the stage of the College's acoustically magnificent Wentz Concert Hall. The 90-minute session Feb. 5 covered topics ranging from physical techniques that improve sound to using facial expressions to advance narratives created by composers.
North Central College has been named to the 2014 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve significant outcomes. North Central College was honored for engaging students, faculty and staff in meaningful service that achieves measurable results in the community.
North Central College has joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Workplace Charging Challenge as part of the institution's ongoing commitment to sustainability.
Leaders define themselves by their service to others, North Central College alumna Shawndra Brown '06 Lucas told an audience of students, community leaders and others Monday at the College's annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week Prayer Breakfast.
In her keynote address about King's legacy, Lucas cited scripture and urged the audience to consider the question, "Who's the greatest among us?"
North Central College's commitment to environmentally friendly practices has earned gold-level recognition through the Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact.
North Central College prepares students to be informed,
involved, principled and productive citizens and leaders over their lifetime.


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Kluft mattress
I am looking to purchase a new mattress set and in my search I found a Kluft latex mattress that I like. One concern that I have is that it can't be turned over, only rotated. Also, I am not familiar with Kluft mattresses.
Does anyone know anything about the quality of Kluft mattresses?
We looked at the line at Bloomingdales along with the Shifman brand. Kluft looked like a quality product but the cost looked out of line with other quality competitors.
I suggest you also look at Royal Pedic, they make 2 latex models that are high quality and very comfortable. Dealers might be hard to find, I suggest you check their website or contact them directly. BTW for full disclosure we did purchase a Royal Pedic set with an all cotton mattress and a 4"thick organic latex/wool topper, which we absolutely love.
Cuse69, thanks for the information about Royal Pedic. I did find some dealers near me who had a few mattresses on display and tried out a few different mattresses. I eliminated the pillowtops, since they were too high, so I am considering the all cotton and the latex.
One question for you; did you try the latex model and if yes, how does it compare to what you purchased in terms of comfort? I ask because while I did try the all cotton mattress, it was with the 3" topper and I found this to be a little hard. They did not have the 4" topper in the store.
Here is the information that Royal-Pedic provides regarding firmness of the various combinations. The scale is 1=most firm 5=most plush
8"cotton mattress 1
8"cotton mattress w/3"topper 3
8"cotton mattress w/4"topper 4 (2x the latex in a 3"topper)
8"cotton mattress w/5"topper 4 (3x the latex in a 3"topper)
8"cotton mattress w/2"organic topper 2
8"cotton mattress w/3"organic topper 3
8"cotton mattress w/4"organic topper 4
8"cotton mattress w/5"organic topper 5
Royal Latex Mattress (7 zone latex with cotton padding) 2
(this is a 8" thick Mattress)
Royal Latex Quilt-Top(7 zone latex w/cotton&wool padding) 4
(this is a 9-9.5 " thick mattress)
Based on your comments I would suggest the Royal Latex Quilt-Top (this is available in an organic version also if you are so inclined). We found the 4" topper to be softer that the 3". The quilted latex was not available for us to try, but we did try the Royal Latex Mattress (rating of 2)and found it too hard without a topper. We opted for the 8" cotton mattress with the 4"organic topper for the feel and the fact it only contained natural latex, organic wool and organic cotton cover (this eliminates any fire retardants in the topper if you might have any chemical sensitivities). Also, with this arrangement flipping the topper (75lbs) is much easier that a large pillowtop mattress. I would suspect that the Royal-Pedic firmness ratings are a reasonably good predictor of the firmness but for the cost of these units I would recommend you find one you can actually try. Again I went from waking after a fitfull night of tossing with pain to most nights finding myself in the same position for the entire night, extremely sound sleep and no back pain whatsoever. I could not be more pleased. My wife is equally happy with significantly fewer episodes of waking due to night sweats/hot flashes. This is probably due to the properties of the organic wool/latex (and no polyurethane or polyester) in the topper. We previously slept on a Sterns & Foster pillow top purchased for approx $3000 six years ago.
I hope this information helps, please ask away if you need more information or clarification.
Hi Cuse69
I'm thinking about purchasing a Royal-Pedic latex, and had a few questions:
(1) Are you still happy with your Royal-Pedic? (I know you have the cotton version) Have any issues come up, re: quality, comfort, etc.?
(2) How does the Royal-Pedic compare to the Sterns & Foster you had, in terms of quality and feel/comfort? I had the Sterns & Foster Buckingham Kingsbridge and loved it, but they don't make them like they used to!
(3) Should I expect to pay full-price for the Royal-Pedic? I.e., most mattress manufacturers and retailers seem to set the 'retail' price articially high with the intention of putting them 'on sale' or to otherwise 'discount' them all the time. I haven't seen the same with Royal-Pedic, so am wondering if the ostensible price (which seems to match Royal-Pedic's official list price, which is also the price at which they sell directly to the customer) is as-is -- i.e., no room for negotiation and never on sale. Just want to make sure I'm not paying full price when I could get it for less elsewhere.
Many thanks!
What mattress did you purchase? I am also looking to the Kluft and have not as yet seen the Royal Pedic. Are you still happy with your mattress? I am looking at the Kluft Overture on sale at Bloomingdales for $1800 (without the box spring as I have a platform bed). If you purchased the Royal Pedic, which model did you get and what did you pay for it?
Thank you,


text:
Product code: 57940
Category:CLUTCH FOR TRACTOR
Brand: AMA
Available: yes
More items available upon order: yes
Tip a friend : click here
More questions ? : click here
Registered users can share their experience with this product. Register to access all of the benefits reserved to registered users or click on login if you are already registered.


text:
Do You Like Gingerbread?
I really like home made gingerbread. I use the same recipe I have used in over 50 years. I like it warm with either whipped topping or whipped cream on it. How about you, do you like it? Want to share your recipe?
Sue who is full from the church dinner.
Gingerbread cake, you mean? Love it (don't care for gingerbread cookies)
Has to have chocolate frosting for me--that's how my mom always made it, and nothing else is the same. Yes, I know it sounds a little odd if you've never had gb with chocolate frosting, but it's one of those combinations that sounds as if it wouldn't work.... but is magical when you try it!
No particular recipe--I just grab whatever cookbook is handy and use theirs. It's the spices and chocolate that matter most, anyway.
Love it!
Gingerbread and gingersnaps! I don't have a recipe for either. We all know you can snag a recipe off of the web but if you have one close to your heart... geez, I would love to have it.
Marylin, please post your recipe!
Heh.. I'm a good beggar. :)
Here's one I have used:
a 9X9X2 inch pan
preheat oven to 350 ( not really nessecary)
Put in a bowl:
1/2 cup margarine or butter (or use like me about a 1/3 cup crisco filled up to make a 1/2 cup with the added olive oil)
Add and beat well:
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
Sift together ( here I just measured and used, did NOT sift):
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light molasses
1/2 cup honey
1 cup hot water
(1 tablespoon grated orange rind)
Add the sifted and liquid ingredients alternately to the butter mixture until blended. Bake in a greased pan about 1 hour.
and another, but I don't remember if I ever made that one.
* Posted by marygailv on Sun, Dec 10, 06 at 18:23
I first used this recipe about 30 years ago when I was subscribing to the Farm Journal magazine.
GINGERBREAD DELUXE (Farm Journal recipe)
2 cups sifted flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
(sift together)
1/2 cup shortening, 2/3rds cup sugar, creamed together
2 medium eggs
2/3 cups molasses (light or dark)
3/4 cups boiling water
Beat in eggs one at a time, gradually add molasses, blend in flour at low mixer speed, lastly add water; mix until smooth.
Pour into well greased and floured 9" pan. Bake 350 degrees, 34-45 minutes
Delicious with applesauce and whipped cream
OAH, this is my sister's recipe for ginger snaps. They have a "zing" to them (which I love). They get those little lines in them just like store-bought ;-) They are very hard to stop eating once you start! They're really good with cream cheese or pineapple cream cheese.
Annie's Ginger Snaps
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 tsp. soda
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
Melt shortening. Add next 3 ingredients and beat well. Mix flour and soda with spices. Add to mixture. Chill overnight or a few hours. Form into balls, dip in granulated sugar and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Seems like we all have old gingerbread recipes. This one is at least 100 years old. When my mother was a child (she was born in 1913), their neighbor made what mother says is the best gingerbread ever. Must've been pretty good for her to remember all those years later. She happened to see that neighbor's daughter in town (the mother had long since passed) and asked her if she, by chance, had the recipe. She found it and sent it to mother. Be sure to read the note at the end.
Coconut Gingerbread
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. molasses
1 c. shredded coconut
3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1-1/4 c. sour milk
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
Chopped nuts (optional)
Cream butter (shortening?) and sugar. Add eggs. Next add molasses and coconut, then flour, salt and spices sifted together. Stir soda into sour milk and add alternately with flour mixture. Bake at 350 until done. Ice with caramel icing.
Handwritten note: I have no oven temperature for this. When we used to bake it we built a fire and when the oven got hot enough we put in the gingerbread and it ususally turned out all right. I would be afraid to try that now so I set the oven according to a recipe of gingerbread (around 375). Good luck. So glad I found this. Thought it was lost. Mrs. V.
Rockin'! Coming up on the Christmas season this is very timely. I always make chocolate chip cookies since the kids love them but I want to make gingersnaps from an old recipe.
Patti, like yourself I'm a zing lover with the snaps! I hesitate to use the description "burn" but it's not very far off of what I'm talking about.
Marilyn Sue? You can't post that and NOT give the recipe
Moni, you made it but was it good? It has to be good you know. (smile)
Sheesh, I hate when I type in bullets. :( I apologize, I'm a touch person and in print it's hard to do that.
This thread has reminded me of my favorite food that was served in the cafeteria all 4 yrs of high school. The line was waaayyy down the hall when they served gingerbread with caramel sauce. You also had to be on the lookout for line jumpers as on occasion they ran out before everyone could get some. No one wanted to be at the end of the line.
I love it warm with the lemon sauce,but my sister uses my t fine pudding to make her sauce.I've never made it myself.Also love ginger snap cookies.
I make a pudding cake similar to this one, from the Washington Post - it is HEAVEN on a plate:
Warm Gingerbread Pudding Cake
The Washington Post, September 17, 2009
Flour Girl
Course: Dessert
This cake uses an interesting technique of pouring hot liquid over the batter before it goes into the oven. Odd as it is, the liquid turns into a lovely pudding-like layer on the bottom once it's baked. It is best served directly from the pan to preserve this layer.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
MAKE AHEAD: This cake is best served warm. If you do have leftovers, reheat them on LOW in the microwave.
Makes one 8-inch cake (6 servings)
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup molasses (do not use extra-strong or blackstrap)
1 1/4 cups boiling water
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons melted
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking oil spray.
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper in a small bowl; mix well, then add the chopped crystallized ginger and stir to coat.
Whisk together the molasses and 1/2 cup boiling water in a separate bowl.
Combine the butter and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or an electric hand-held mixer. Beat on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy, then add the egg and beat until incorporated. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed; beat the mixture until uniformly combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture; stir with a flexible spatula just to combine, then add the molasses mixture. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until all the ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the brown sugar evenly over the top.
Whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of the just-boiled water and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a separate bowl. Pour the water-butter mixture over the brown sugar and batter in the pan, but do not stir. This liquid layer on top of the batter will look strange and wrong, but it's okay. Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake is cracked on top, set and spongy when lightly touched.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving straight from the pan.
Love it. Will have to copy these recipes. I used a recipe from a 19th.century cookbook one time, and it came out dark, solid(just enough), and delicious. Never have found that recipe again, and I have gone through all my cookbooks over and over.
I see that Kay's gingerbread recipe has chopped crystalized ginger in it. I'll have to try that as I always put lots of these in my ginger snaps. (Which I call ginger bends, as they're not really very hard and would bend before they snap!) I will also fiddle with the amount of spices put in as I like things a bit spicier than what recipes generally call for.
10 X 14 Pan...Preheated oven 350 degrees F...Baking time-40 to 45 minutes
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour-sifted before measuring
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 Cup shortening
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Egg
1 Cup sorghum molasses
1 Cup hot water
Sift flour with soda, salt and spices. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add beaten egg and molasses. Add sifted dry ingredients and hot water alternately. Beat until smooth. Pour into well-greased, floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. This gingerbread may be re-heated to serve hot.
This recipe is one I have had for over 50 years.
yes we both do, I have never made any gingerbread. But we do buy the cookies from time to time. Our recent trip to Costco they had these very nice metal cookie tins, tall copper colored with a nice sealing top, nice cookie jar filled with bags of gingersnap cookies. My husband had to have it. The cookies are good.
We had a dog once, Kassie, that dog LOVED some gingersnaps!The minute my husband got out the gingersnaps she was right there with her head in his lap.
Oh my, this has to be one of my favorites, right there up on top.....I am surprised, in reading through the recipes, no one used raisins.....My recipe is very much like Marilyn's but I also load it up with raisins and only dust it with powdered sugar......If I have enough molasses, I'm baking one this afternoon.....You really got my taste buds working.......
I had to put sorghum molasses on my shopping list. I might have to make one for Amber's birthday that is coming up this month. They would not eat it if it had raisins in it I am afraid. I am not sure if the grocery even sells it any more. If they don't then I will probably go for one of the ones like Brer Rabbit ones if they still make that. Several different toppings too that I had never heard of using also. Anyone else have some recipes?
I like gingerbread, don't love it but like it a lot. when my children were growing up someone, maybe Betty Crocker, had a mix that included lemon sauce and we all loved it fresh out of the oven, still warm, for dessert.
During the holidays Starbucks has gingerbread biscotti that is really good.They are individually wrapped, not cheap, but I bought a bunch last year for stocking stuffer type gifts. They were good enough that I'll be there, probably the first of next month to see if they have them again.
Molasses and Sorghum - What is the difference?
The sorghum plant, which is a type of grass, was introduced into the United States
from Africa in the early part of the 17th century. Sorghum syrup is a natural sweetener
made by processing the juice that is extracted from the sorghum plant. Special milling
equipment extracts the juice from the crushed stalks, and evaporating pans with heating
units steam off the excess water leaving syrup. Sorghum syrup is produced primarily in
the United States and is used as a substitute for sugar. It tends to have a thinner
consistency and a slightly more sour taste than does molasses. Sorghum contains
vitamins and minerals and is a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, thiamin and
omega 6 fatty acids.
Molasses was also introduced to the United States during the 17th century when
traders started transporting it from the Caribbean to New England where much of it was
made into rum. Molasses was the most popular sweetener until the late 19th century
because it was more affordable than sugar. Molasses is the by-product of processing
sugar cane into sugar. The sugar cane plant is stripped of its leaves and the juice is
extracted from the cane by crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to concentrate it,
which produces crystallization of the sugar. The result of the first boiling and removal of
the sugar crystals is called "first molasses" (mild) and is the sweetest tasting. "Second
molasses" (dark) is created from a second boiling and removal of sugar crystals.
"Blackstrap" is the result of a third boiling of the syrup. The darker molasses is
considered bittersweet. Sulfured molasses is made from young sugar cane - sulfur dioxide
is added as a preservative. Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane which
does not require a preservative. Molasses contains significant amounts of vitamins and
minerals and is a good source of calcium, magnesiumSor, potassium and iron.
Sorghum and molasses may be stored on the shelf for up to 2 years. Once they are
opened, they can be stored up to a year, if properly stored in the refrigerator to retard
mold growth. If mold growth does appear, the syrups should be discarded. If the syrups
crystallize, it does not cause any harm and the syrups can be liquefied by placing them in
a larger container of hot water until melted.
Sorghum and molasses are old-fashioned sweeteners - many people have grown up
using them. Molasses is the sweetener generally preferred for cooking and baking, while
sorghum is popular as a syrup.
I did not know the difference, but I looked this up online. I always liked sorghum molasses better as it seems more mild.
Love Gingerbread. Now I have to make a pan. LOL
Here's the recipe I use:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup light molasses
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup boiling water
Cream shortening and sugar until light. Add egg and molasses; beat thoroughly. Sift togther dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with hot water, beating well after each addition. Bake in greased and floured 8x8x2-inch pan at 350 for 35-40, or til toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream.
Yes, I read that too Maxmom but I found it to be more mild as I have tried molasses in recipes and it does seem too robust for my taste. :) In the past some years they used to make sorghum molasses in a couple counties over from us and I was able to buy it in the local grocery, but no more. I always liked it on pancakes or french toast too.


text:
lilies not getting tall
clairdo2(3)July 12, 2008
These lilies were much taller last year. They started blooming while they were only a few inches tall. Why is that>
Clairdo2 it just seems like a strange year. I don't know if it was the winter, wasn't particularly cold, or the spring which was crappy weather but some of my lilies seemed to get smaller, some large clumps are smaller this year. And yet in some areas of my yard, everything is just fine. Some of my phlox, which are three or four years old are only half the size they were last year.


text:
Ind. law draws GOP contenders into culture wars
Republicans had sought to avoid such disputes in 2016, but most top GOP presidential contenders quickly backed the bill, putting them out of step with growing national support for gay rights.
Secret, unlimited donations could boost a Jeb Bush run
Bush has given his tacit endorsement to a new group that lets donors give unlimited amounts without releasing their names, as a super PAC does.
Iraqi prime minister claims victory against Islamic State in Tikrit
But military officials said some parts of the city are still heavily rigged with explosives, keeping them out of reach of an uneasy coalition of U.S. air power, Iraqi troops and Iran-backed militias.
Local News
Both NSA gate-crashers have criminal histories in Md., court records show
The FBI identified Ricky Hall as the man who died after the stolen SUV plowed into a police cruiser.
Hours-long manhunt for escapee ends when he's spotted on a bus in D.C.
Police said Wossen Assaye took a gun off a guard at a Virginia hospital before carjacking two people.
Bowser pledges era of transparency, accountability in D.C. government
In her first citywide speech, the mayor sketched out a plan to combat economic inequality.
Shell shock: An out-of-town impostor could lurk in your Maryland crab cake
Nearly 40 percent of the time, crabs were imported, not Chesapeake blues as advertised, a report says.
America's 'national library' is behind the digital curve, federal report finds
A watchdog report criticized the Library of Congress as lacking the leadership to solve its problems.
With his 50th goal of the season, Ovechkin joins rarefied group
His tally against Carolina made him just the sixth player in NHL history to record six, 50-goal seasons.
More Local Headlines
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Families across the nation have increasingly turned to the courts to intervene in youth sports disputes.
Why congressional gyms — and what people see — keep getting mentioned
RELIABLE SOURCE | The vice president is only the latest to offer a too-much-information memory.
Peeps Show 2015 winner and finalists
INTERACTIVE | Get a 180-degree view of the winning diorama and finalists, and see how they're made.
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Lufthansa acknowledges that it knew
about co-pilot's depression in 2009
The company's admission came after it said last week it hadn't known Andreas Lubitz's medical history.
Leaders in Iran nuclear talks struggle to reach consensus as deadline passes
Negotiators were grappling with tough issues, including sanctions and Iran's research program.
For the 1st time, a Nigerian president lost an election — to a former dictator
Muhammadu Buhari stuck to a populist message and pulled off the first upset in 16 years of democracy.
Zappos is offering severance to those who don't like its 'no bosses' approach
ON LEADERSHIP | The company is gently showing the door to workers who dislike the lack of hierarchy.
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Supporting Indiana's new "religious freedom" law won't help the contenders in 2016.
Egypt's 'meaningless' rule of law
Those who saw police shoot an activist are facing charges.
U.S. to establish sanctions program
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Edward Kennedy, the last of the Senate's partisan dealmakers
A tribute to the late senator shows how today's ideological warriors lack the relationships to get things passed.
Yes, the new 'Daily Show' host is black. And he's spent his career making fun of African Americans.
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A failed brake light illuminates room for improvement by a patrol officer
A few tips from the U.S. guidelines on traffic stops may have helped on that night in Prince George's County, Md.
Ovechkin records sixth 50-goal season
CAPS INSIDER | The Capitals star also tied Peter Bondra for the franchise record with 472 goals.
What to watch in the Washington-area housing market this year
A hike in the interest rates and/or a government shutdown could have a significant impact on whether house hunters maintain the financial ability and confidence to become buyers.
'The clean-plate club is not for us': Claudine Pépin on kids and food
WEEKEND KITCHEN | The new author doesn't always agree, foodwise, with her famous father.
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IN THE LOOP | The fears of the merely wealthy, eager for postings at U.S. embassies, may be unfounded.
Supreme Court says state Medicaid payments not open to private lawsuits
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Trevor Noah's tweets and why people should overlook bad jokes by good comics
We want our comics to be like preachers and we must agree with every aspect of the gospel they deliver.
'Woman in Gold' soars and sags as it revisits Maria Altmann's story
Fact-based drama about the return of art stolen by Nazis flips between stories set in past and present.
Microsoft debuts new Surface tablet that runs full Windows
The announcement is also notable because of what it doesn't mention -- anything about Windows RT.
Good news: Millennials are savers after all
Even if they don't save very much.
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text:
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Bauza: San Lorenzo fulfil potential
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ESPN FC on TV: ESPN FC analyst Craig Burley sounds off on Juventus fans for giving death threats to Antonio Conte, Gibraltar scoring their first competitive goal and the wrong national anthem being played during El Salvador's friendly with Argentina.
(03:27) | Mar 30, 2015
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International Football: Gibraltar head coach Davie Wilson praised his side after scoring their first historical goal in European competition against Scotland.
(01:27) | Mar 30, 2015
Premier League
Manchester CIty's David Silva planning La Liga swansongDavid Silva says he is happy at Manchester City but could see himself returning to La Liga later in his career, suggesting former side Valencia and hometown club Las Palmas as potential destinations
Premier League
Falcao plans to bring Colombia form back to Man UnitedColombia striker Radamel Falcao said he will return to Manchester United with more confidence after rediscovering his touch in front of goal during the international break
Premier League
Barcelona's Neymar won't be following Arsenal's SanchezBarcelona forward Neymar has said he has no current plans to follow Alexis Sanchez to the Premier League
Premier League
Manchester United star Mata wants return to Spain squadManchester United midfielder Juan Mata has not given up hope of playing for Spain again
Rooney tells Harry Kane to watch out for Italy's dirty tricksWayne Rooney has warned England striker Harry Kane that Italy's defenders will "do anything to try and stop you"
Wayne Rooney to edge closer to Bobby Charlton's target at 25/1
After a 10-year break in the fixture, England and Italy have faced each other three times in as many seasons, with one win each and a draw
Quote Unquote
"We can't call it football - we should call it UFC"
A Klose call
Miroslav Klose scored goals in the World Cup final tournaments of 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. Has anyone else scored World Cup goals 12 years apart?
(Not) up for the cup
I remember Manchester United withdrawing from the FA Cup one year to play elsewhere. When was this?
Lagging behind
Were England ever behind in a match during the 1966 World Cup?
Rooney out on his own?
Wayne Rooney reached 100 England caps in about 11 years. Has anyone ever got there quicker?
Hitting the half-century
Who was the first English footballer to win 50 international caps?


text:
"Narration ruins it."
I may have liked this book more if I had read it rather than listened to it. The narrator sounds much older than the protagonist and the southern accent in unbearable. That being said by a Southern girl. The writer takes a while to develop the main character with lackluster results. The heroine's personality seems to be modeled after Sookie Stackhouse of The Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris. This is like trying to turn Andy Griffith into Elvis. The sound quality was poor and depressive. May read the next book, may not. Blah....
"Major fan of Sookie looking for a new series"
I was looking for a new series because I can almost quote my old favorites. I am a big fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series so much that I went on to read everything ever written by Charlaine Harris. I honestly had low expectations of the Night Huntress Series but I was VERY pleasantly surprised. I love the relationships between the characters, Cat and Bones. (Bones reminds me of Spike from the Buffy TV shows.) The narration is very good and I bought the next 3 audiobooks within 3 days. I hate to say it but Cat makes Sookie look like a whiner and the heat between Cat and Bones rivals anything on True Blood (the HBO series based on Sookie Stackhouse books.) You get invested in Cat as the protagonist and fall in love with Bones for his tenderness and absolute devotion. This series is not all hugs and kisses though. Cat and Bones can kick some serious butt.
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text:
Here's an early-20th-century one-family close to the park in Crown Heights south with a lot of charming period details.
There are beams, a working fireplace with an original mantel, herringbone floors, charming moldings, a globe light on the newel post — the works. We're guessing it will need some skim coating in a bedroom and work in the main bathroom, at least, but the bones are good.
We like the location two blocks from the park and not far from shops and restaurants on Franklin on the other side of Eastern Parkway. But just be aware, it's next to a church and close to one of the two Crown Heights armories at 1555 Bedford Avenue.
There's an open house this Sunday from noon to 2 pm. What do you think of the house and the ask of $1,100,000?
1056 President Street [B.H. Tal Real Estate] GMAP


text: Industrial Engineering Jobs 2 were found based on your criteria Post a job. It's free! Expert Electrical and industrial engineer for manufacture prepare of smartphone Fixed-Price – Est. Budget: $700.00 Posted March 28 2015 Hello i have a smartphone design and i need help from an engineer to determine what needs to be changed with my design to make it possible to build, i have a .obj model of the phone but it is just a model nothing else, i need to have it determined that the phone can be built the way i want before i proceed to the prototyping stages. a stp file of the phone for prototyping would be great too ... 3d-design 3d-modeling 3d-rendering autodesk-autocad-civil3d cad-design electrical-engineering industrial-design industrial-engineering mechanical-engineering Need a model converted to a stp file Fixed-Price – Est. Budget: $50.00 Posted March 25 2015 Hello i need a model converted to a stp file. 3d-design 3d-modeling cad-design engineering-design industrial-design industrial-engineering mechanical-engineering


text:
Playstation 2
Game Unlockables for Chains Of PowerHome / Playstation 2 /
This page contains Chains Of Power Unlockables for Playstation 2 called "Game Unlockables" and has been posted or updated on Nov 13, 2006 by Merci. Let us know what you think of this Unlockable by thumbs voting.
Boxshot / Details
- Developer: KCET
- Publisher: Konami
- Genre: Action Beat-'Em-Up
- Release Date: Feb 24, 2006
- ESRB: Not Set
Game Unlockables
Unlockables for Oz and platform playstation 2
|How to Unlock:
|Bad ending sequence
|Beat the game with a "C" overall rank.
|EX mode
|Complete Chapter 8.
|Good ending sequence
|Beat the game with a "A" overall rank.
|Hard mode
|Finish the game completely.
|Normal ending sequence
|Beat the game with a "B" overall rank.
|Play as Galumn in EX mode
|Defeat Juju first in Chapter 6.
|Play as Juju in EX mode
|Defeat Galumn first in Chapter 6.
All Unlockables
From: Merci
Back to all Cheats
From: JayDee
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text:
"The best poker book I've ever read or listened to."
Yes, because it offers real, honest, helpful information.
I liked this far more than The Mental Game of Poker (1&2). My mind would drift off in those books, while Haseeb's information and presentation kept me engaged.
I really like the tone and sincerity his reading added to the book.
Much of what I learned is that my own attitudes regarding poker and my life in general are very healthy and will allow me to enjoy the game far more than others. I also thought of many poker strategies in different ways that helped me to better understand them.
If you're like me and are tired of books that stress formulas, calculations or theories on pre-flop and post-flop play under every possible combination of cards, you will love this book. I found those types of books mind-numbing and pointless at all stages of my poker development.
Haseeb even explains why it doesn't help your game much to read those math/theory books.In addition to reading poker books, I have also read several books on psychology and brain function, and I feel Haseeb really did his homework before writing this book.
The author also possesses a sincere honesty that I've never heard from ANY other poker book authors. You'll have to read the book to know exactly what I mean, but you'll agree with me once you've read this book.
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text:
Jeff Eakins, a longtime Hillsborough County School District employee and the current deputy superintendent, was selected as the next superintendent of the nation's eighth-largest school district. He will taking over the position from Superintendent MaryEllen Elia, who was recently let go by the Florida district's school board.
Read more »
The Ohio district chose David J. Brand to serve as its superintendent. Brand, who serves as superintendent of South Central Local Schools in Greenwich in Huron County, was selected by the board of education from seven finalists for the position.
Higley USD named Mike Thomason, currently the district's assistant superintendent of operations, as its next superintendent. Current Superintendent Denise Birdwell will retire at the end of the school year.
Atlantic City High School principal John DeStefano will become the new superintendent of the Buena Regional School District. He replaces Walt Whitaker, who left in December.
The South Carolina district's trustees voted to hire Craig Witherspoon, even as controversy swirled about him and another of the three top finalists and some parents sought to delay the vote. Witherspoon most recently served as superintendent of Alabama's Birmingham City Schools.
Christopher W. Heilig will become the new superintendent of schools for the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District. He is leaving the Lenape Regional High School District as director of programs and planning to take the new post.
The Arizona district has tapped Mike Thomason to be its next superintendent. Thomason, who succeeds the retiring Denise Birdwell, is currently the assistant superintendent of operations for the Higley district.
Schools in Freeport, Pownal and Durham will have a new superintendent in September. Regional School Unit 5 voted to hire Edward McDonough, who is currently the superintendent in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Curtis L. Jones has been named as Georgia district's new school superintendent. Jones comes to Bibb County by way of Griffin-Spalding County, where he has served as superintendent since 2009.
Morgan Forness, a longtime private-school educator, was named the superintendent of North Dakota's Central Cass Schools. Forness is the superintendent and principal of Shiloh Christian School in Bismarck.


text:
The fabrication and use of corrosion resistant Cu/Cu(x)Ge(y) alloy or Cu/Cu3 Ge phase bilayer interconnect metal lines is disclosed. A solid state, selective process of forming a Cu3 Ge phase or Cu(x)Ge(y) alloy by reacting GeH4 gas with Cu surface at low pressure in CVD reactor at temperatures of 200°-450° C. is described. Corrosion resistant semiconductor devices and packaging interconnects where corrosion of copper interconnects was a problem, is now made possible by the Cu/Cu3 Ge phase or Cux Gey alloy bilayer of the present invention. A structure where copper vias are completely or partially converted to Cu3 Ge or Cux Gey is presented. Also, dissimilar metals like Al--Cu can be connected by Cu3 Ge phase or Cux Gey alloy filled vias to improve electromigration performance.
1. A method of producing a corrosion resistant conductor, comprising the step of forming a layer of copper-germanium alloy over a copper surface including reacting said copper surface with a germanium containing gas source at a low partial pressure of 0.5 to 1.0 Torr in a chemical vapor deposition reactor at about 200°-450° C. so that a bilayer of Cu/Cu(x)Ge(y) alloy is formed, wherein x and y are atomic percentages x+y=100% and 5%<y<75% .
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said germanium containing gas source is selected from the group consisting of GeH4 and Ge2 H6.
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices and substrates using copper or copper alloy as a wiring or metallization material. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing corrosion resistant interconnect metal lines.
Presently, copper is used in conventional semiconductor devices for metallization purposes due to its better electro-migration resistance and lower resistivity than aluminum. Copper is also used as thin film wiring for substrates in packaging technology. However, it has been found that copper metallization or wiring suffers from the problems of oxidation and corrosion. Since the protective property of oxidation by an oxide film such as CuO and Cu2 O formed on the surface of Cu. is lower than that of Al, Cu is more susceptible to high temperature oxidation and is more easily corroded in an oxidizing aqueous solution environment usually encountered in semiconductor micro-electronic fabrication processes.
It is, therefore, a critical technical problem to improve the corrosion resistance of the metallization film layer material for a semiconductor device while satisfying the need for high electrical conductivity, heat resistance and electro-migration resistance.
This invention is directed to providing a corrosion resistant conductor material of low electro-resistivity, comprising a copper surface overlaid with a copper-germanium alloy layer.
The invention is also directed to providing low resistivity, corrosion resistant Cu lines, useful among other things, in interconnect, backend metallization and packaging applications in microelectronics industry.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical conductor having increased corrosion resistance compared to Cu alone.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a manufacturable process of forming such an improved electrical conductor.
Other objects and advantages will become evident from the following detailed description of the invention.
The foregoing and other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be better understood upon a reading of the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a copper-germanium phase diagram.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show diagrams of the process of the present invention and the resulting structure of the improved conductor of the present invention.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show a diagram of a second embodiment of the process and resulting conductor structure of the present invention.
FIGS. 4A-C show diagrams of a variation of the use of the present invention in building a vertical interconnect (stud or via) layer.
The above and various other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a corrosion resistant thin film interconnect material, comprising a bilayer formed of a copper (Cu) film over which a layer of Cu3 Ge or a copper-germanium (Ge) alloy layer has been deposited. Referring to FIG. 1, a known Cu--Ge phase diagram, copper has an appreciable solubility for germanium (9.5 atomic percent). Further, Cu--Ge forms a series of phases up to 25 atomic percent germanium. At 25 atomic percent, a stoichiometric compound Cu3 Ge is formed. These will be referred to as Cu rich phases. Germanium has very low solubility for Cu, indicating that the Ge rich phase will be highly resistive. Between 25 atomic percent Ge and less than 100 percent germanium, the resultant structure will have a mixture of Cu3 Ge and Ge. The copper rich phases have substantially low resistivity in the range of a few micro ohm-cm, whereas the Ge phases will have resistivity in the range of a few ohm-cm. A key object of the invention is to preserve the conductivity of the resultant layer, as shown in TABLE I, which is achieved by limiting the Ge amount and forming preferably Cu rich phases.
Referring to FIG. 2A, an insulating layer 20, contains a conducting line or feature 60 by contacting the side surfaces thereof. Layer 20 and feature 60 are in physical contact with a semiconductor device or a ceramic substrate (not shown) containing at least one level of wiring and further, making electrical connection to the semiconductor device or to the surface terminals of the substrate. For the purpose of discussing the inventive feature, it is sufficient to examine FIG. 2A. A suitable insulating layer 40 such as SiO2 is deposited over layer 20. A conducting feature 80 is formed in layer 40 by known techniques, including the steps of etching an opening in layer 40 corresponding to feature 80, depositing a seed or an adhesion layer for copper, followed by deposition of copper by one of the following techniques: sputtering, plating, and CVD. The copper deposition process can be selective or blanket. When blanket deposition is used, excess copper is removed by ion milling or chemical-mechanical polishing. The exposed Cu surface is susceptible for corrosion as Copper. A layer of germanium is formed over the copper surface and reacted to form a copper rich alloy phase 100 or Cu3 Ge compound which have excellent passivation properties. As discussed earlier, they also have good electrical conductivity. The resulting structure is shown in FIG. 2B illustrating that feature 80 is in electrical contact with the upper surface of feature 60.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show an example of the present invention when the copper feature 160 is formed free-standing over an insulating layer 120 containing a conductive feature 140. This type of copper feature is achieved by subtractive etching, lift-off and resist plate up followed by resist removal. In this type of structure, the present invention forms the Cu--Ge passivation layer 180 on all exposed surfaces of copper.
A preferred process for forming this alloy layer is by selective deposition of germanium over copper surfaces. The process of forming a thin Cu(x)Ge(y) (where, x+y=100%; 5%<y<75%) layer over Cu lines or surfaces includes exposing the initial Cu layer (or surface) at a low pressure (0.5 Torr to 1 Torr) to a source of germanium, e.g., GeH4 gas, in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor at temperatures ranging from about 200°-450° C. to convert the outer surface of the Cu lines to Cu(x)Ge(y) or Cu3 Ge (FIG. 2). Any Ge containing gas source, e.g. GeH4, Ge2 H6 and the like can be used. It is noted that the reaction is a solid state reaction, e.g., of GeH4 gas on Cu which-is quite selective to Cu and does not result in deposition of germanium on oxide/nitride dielectric. It is noted that by increasing the partial pressure of GeH4 more than 0.1 Torr, the Cu(x)Ge(y) alloy can be changed to Cu3 Ge or additional Ge can be formed. Furthermore, the process is a batch process with high throughput. The deposition time and the deposition rate must be optimized to minimize total thickness, while at the same time achieve minimum spreading of Ge into Cu. Of course, the alloy can be encapsulated by an organic or inorganic layer.
Although not bound by any theory or mechanism, it is believed that the reaction proceeds as follows:
x Cu+y GeH4 →>Cu(x)Ge(y)+y(2H2)
The resulting Cu(x)Ge(y) alloy or Cu3 Ge forms a capped or overlaid structure as a cover on the copper surface.
The process is particularly advantageous in the manner of (1) passivating all exposed Cu surfaces and vias with the inert an Cu(x)Ge(y) alloy or Cu3 Ge; and/or (2) filling all recessed seams in Cu interconnects.
As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, Cu(x)Ge(y) or Cu3 Ge studs are used to connect two levels of wiring. Insulating layer 200 containing conductor 220 by contacting the side surfaces thereof and insulating layer 280 containing conductor 260 by contacting the side surfaces thereof represent the two wiring layers that are connected by a stud 240 contained in the insulating layer 210. The stud 240 is in electrical contact with the upper surface of conductor 220 and the lower surface of conductor 260. The present invention envisions the use of Cu(x) Ge(y) or Cu3 Ge as the stud material, deposited by the preferred method of the present invention as discussed above.
The wiring levels can be of dissimilar metals, such as Al--Cu, Al--Si, Ti layered Al--Cu or Al--Si, alloyed copper such as Cu--Ti etc. Al--Cu lines with dissimilar studs (e.g., CVD tungsten) have poor electromigration performance. However, if Cu(x)Ge(y) is used as a stud material, the electromigration performance can be improved dramatically, as the Cu--Ge alloy provides a source of Cu which readily replenishes depleted Cu from the conductors and further the Cu--Ge phase does not provide a hard diffusion block as is the case with W. This improvement is achieved while at the same time improving the corrosion resistance of the conductor.
Examples of some semiconductor devices where the improved bilayer of the present invention can be used as conductor elements, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,985,750; 4,931,410; 5,060,050 and the like.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the methods and materials described herein are preferred. Unless mentioned otherwise, the techniques employed or contemplated herein are standard methodologies well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The materials, methods and examples are only illustrative and not limiting.
As is noted above, in the formula Cu(x)Ge(y), x and y are atomic percentages with x+y=100% and 5%<y 75%.
As will be suggested to the skilled artisan, Cu rich phases and in specifically Cu3 Ge may also be produced by plating (electrolytic and electroless), sintered powder and sputtered bilayers which are subsequently reacted. However, the solid state methodology described herein is particularly preferred because, as mentioned above, it is truly selective to Cu and does not result in deposition of germanium on an oxide/nitride dielectric. Of course, the Cu(x)Ge(y) or Cu3 Ge layer, being inert, provides the desired corrosion resistant property without noticeable effect on the low electrical resistivity of Cu per se, as demonstrated by the data presented in Table 1. Hence, the Cu/Cu(x)Ge(y) bilayer can be advantageously employed wherever corrosion resistance and low electrical resistivity is desired, such as in microelectronics including packaging technology, flex connectors, PCB manufacture, HDI manufacture and the like.
It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims.
In the following examples a Cu layer having a thickness of 100 nm and a sheet resistance of 0.25 Ω/□ was exposed to GeH4 in a CVD reactor.
TABLE 1______________________________________Example CVD CVD SheetNo. Temperature (°C.) Time (min.) Resistance (Ω/□)______________________________________1 250 5 0.2512 300 5 0.423 350 5 0.6514 400 5 1.6595 450 5 2.2996 300 30 1.8367 250 73 0.899--.______________________________________
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Photo: Late top out © Gustav
View all 3 photos or Submit a new photo of this climb.
Took a wandering line through the ground to the left of the direct route, mainly determined by where the neve was. JamesRoddie - Solo O/S - 06/Feb/15
Hidden - 05/Dec/10
Bruce Kerr - AltLd - 15/Nov/98 with Robert Durran


text:
G is slower... The order is:
G = 1g
E = 2.5g
H+ = 3.5g
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Ah so that makes sense! I had it backwards in my head.
Still nothing ever loads tho on it. Presumably because it's just pointless it's that slow
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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Innovative Artists has signed thesps Timothy Busfield ("West Wing") and Swoosie Kurtz ("Pushing Daisies") for representation. Busfield's past credits include "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and "Entourage" while Kurtz was recently seen on "Heroes."Kurtz continues to be repped by Sterling Winters Co.
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Hardin Fiscal Court approved three resolutions at its meeting Tuesday.
One accepted the bid for Certified Communications Solutions to furnish and install telecommunication services at the new government building.
A Vine Grove man is in custody after police say he harassed two girls at a Vine Grove park and was identified by four witnesses through a photo lineup.
Jordan Dale, 32, was arrested around noon Tuesday on a warrant and charged with harassment. Harassment is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine or both, if convicted.
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College students aiming to transfer their credits or associate degree to a four-year institution have a unique opportunity to learn more about the process without leaving their home.
After a jury recommended a sentence that is not legally possible in Kentucky, a Hardin circuit judge said he was struck by it.
Two Elizabethtown Independent Schools teachers have been chosen for Campbellsville University's 2015 Excellence in Teaching Awards.
Kerrie Bal and Melissa Gregory will be recognized May 16 in the Ransdell Chapel at Campbellsville University for their leadership and dedication to teaching.
The News-Enterprise
The Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force reportedly found a Radcliff woman with methamphetamine in the presence of a child.
Kyle Thompson, who was found guilty last month for a 2014 fatal crash that killed Ashlee Nicole Berry on Ky. 313, was formally sentenced to life in prison plus 100 years Tuesday morning in Hardin Circuit Court.
The sentences are to run concurrently, as Kentucky Revised Statutes do noT allow a consecutive sentence to be added to a life sentence.
Officers from Elizabeth-town Police Department and community members will come together Friday morning in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and drink coffee.
Bookings at the Hardin County Detention Center from 5 p.m. Monday through 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Copyright © 2015
The News-Enterprise is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Elizabethtown, KY, Hardin County and the surrounding area.


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iHerb Customer Reviews
Very bitter, slow to dissolve
1 person found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer3242287 on Feb 27, 2012
Won't be getting this again. This is slower to dissolve than a capsule in my stomach. It is also more expensive than capsule form. You could take a capsule with 5 times the amount of B complex here, and I'm sure you would end up with more in your blood stream for less money.
coenzymate B complex - Source Naturals
Posted by Reviewer1631757 on Nov 22, 2012
This seems good. Has a strong taste despite the orange flavour, but all B vitamins do, and it doesn't worry me. I don't find it too bad. The tablet takes about 5 minutes to dissolve in the mouth. You can suck - but if you do that part will go to the stomach and take longer to digest - which is also OK. A study found that stomach-digested B vitamins were more effective long term, if i remember rightly. So you have the option here.
The Best B Complex
Posted by Reviewer2167095 on Feb 10, 2013
This is the best & most effective B complex I have ever taken. I do prefer this peppermint flavor over the orange.
Boosts mood and physical energy
Posted by Reviewer1636696 on Nov 24, 2013
This Coenzymate B Complex supplement really works on me. I chew the tablets and like their taste. Without them, I eventually start to feel run down and worn out - mentally and physically. When I do take them, I feel happier, mentally sharper, and have more physical energy. As another reviewer observed, chocolate is no longer a necessity to feel happy - these tablets do the job! Highly recommended.
Fabulous taste and price
Posted by Reviewer1768994 on Jun 20, 2011
I use this as a natural calmer and as a breathe mint. I take between 2-3 a day. My daughter has an immune deficiency and needs B complex and does not absorb as much through food and has difficulty swallowing so this is just fantastic. She loves the peppermint the orange she does not enjoy as much.