text:
Benefits Plans - Retirement Savings Plans: fund fees and expenses
Investing for retirement is an important way to plan for your future. However, fees and expenses assessed by investment carriers will reduce your retirement savings, and can have a noticeable effect when compounded over several years.
Investment carriers pay for operational expenses, portfolio management, record keeping, general administration, and customer service by assessing fees on its investment funds. The fees are subtracted from the investment returns or earnings of those funds, with the net return being credited to participant accounts.
The prospectus of each fund summarizes its various fees. The combination of these fees will generally equal a fund's expense ratio. The expense ratio is reported as a percent of assets under management and is measured in basis points (bps), with 100 points being equal to 1%. The fee is subtracted from the revenue generated from the performance of the underlying investments. This reduces the net earnings credited to participants.
Fund Fees and the U-M Plans
There are no sales charges or loads on any fund offered by TIAA-CREF or Fidelity Investments through the university retirement savings and 457(b) plans, and all transaction fees have been waived. In addition, U-M does not pay any fees to TIAA-CREF or Fidelity Investments. Please refer to a fund's prospectus for information on fees and expenses associated with that fund.
All TIAA-CREF mutual funds and the Fidelity Freedom Index Funds available through the University of Michigan plans are offered at the lowest cost share class available. Low fees mean more of your money remains in your account, working toward your financial future, and your retirement account balances have more earning potential.
The ticker symbols and expense ratios for the U-M designated default investment funds, TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index and Fidelity Freedom Index, are listed below. Details about all of the other fund choices are available from the each investment company's micro site developed exclusively for the University of Michigan.
Fidelity Investments
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index Funds |
Fund Name |
Ticker Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index Retirement Income |
0.21% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2010 |
0.20% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2015 |
0.19% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2020 |
0.20% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2025 |
0.19% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2030 |
0.19% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 |
0.19% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2040 |
0.19% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2045 |
0.19% |
TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2050 |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index Funds: Class W |
Fund Name |
Ticker Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Fidelity Freedom Index Income: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2010: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2015: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2020: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2025: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2030: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2035: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2040: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2045: Class W |
0.19% |
Fidelity Freedom Index 2050: Class W |
0.19% |
Where to Find More Information
Information and a breakdown of the fees assessed by TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments for its funds may be found in each fund's prospectus. A fund prospectus may be requested by phone or downloaded from each carrier's website.
Information on a fund's current and historical investment performance, as well as benchmarks, may also be found online at TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments.
In addition, you may also provide direction on your investment choices by calling TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments at the phone numbers listed below or through their secure websites.
Fidelity Investments |
Types of Fees
The following are common fees and expenses assessed by investment carriers. Please refer to a fund's prospectus for information on fees and expenses associated with that fund.
Investment Management
This covers the cost of professionally managing the portfolio holdings. The fee varies by the investment style of the fund (indexing vs. active management) and type of investment. Sector funds that specialize in a particular segment of the economy (gold, financial services, etc.) usually have higher fees than general equity funds. International equity funds generally have higher fees than comparable domestic funds. Bond and money market funds are generally the least expensive to manage.
Administrative Services
This covers a wide range of functions such as record keeping, legal and trust services, tax reporting, processing transactions, producing quarterly statements, communications to plan participants, staffing a telephone service center, and providing financial planning services to participants.
Mortality & Expense Risk
Annuities offered by insurance companies charge this fee to offset the expense and risk assumed to provide contractual guarantees, such as guaranteed lifetime income. This fee does not apply to mutual funds.
This fee pays for marketing and distribution to grow a fund's assets. As a fund's assets increase, economies of scale serve to decrease overall fund expenses and benefit all fund shareholders.
Short-Term Trading
Many carriers impose a fee on participants who sell fund shares shortly after purchasing them as a means to discourage market timing. A participant who repeatedly purchases and redeems fund shares to take advantage of short-term fluctuations in a fund's share price will drive up expenses for all fund participants due to the associated costs of having to buy and sell the portfolio holdings and also reduces investment returns.
Fees Not Assessed in the U-M Plan
The following types of fees are not assessed or have been waived by TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments for its funds offered through the University of Michigan retirement savings and 457(b) plans:
This is a fixed-dollar fee subtracted from a participant's account for transactions such as taking a loan or cash withdrawal.
Wrap fees are charged as a percent of a fund's assets and pay for various services not covered by the investment management and 12b-1 fees.
Account Maintenance
Carriers sometimes charge a fixed-dollar account maintenance fee, typically for accounts or plans with small balances.
Loads and Charges
Loads and charges can be assessed when shares in a fund are purchased, sold, or a combination of both. This fee is paid to the broker that sells the mutual fund and typically is assessed as a percent of the fund price. A fund may charge a fee for redemptions and exchanges for other funds offered by the same investment carrier in lieu of loads.
Purchase, Redemption, and Exchange
Some investment carriers charge a fee when a person buys shares of a fund, sells those shares, or exchanges those shares for those of another fund within the carrier. Unlike sales loads and charges, these fees are paid to the fund and not a broker.
Fees Outside the U-M Plan
Several types of fees have been waived by TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments for the University of Michigan. You may incur these and other fees if you rollover accumulations out of the U-M plans and into an investment carrier through another employer's retirement plan or through an IRA. Check with any investment carrier with whom you intend to rollover accumulations to determine the types of fees you will pay and the expense ratios you will be assessed on the investment funds you choose.
Return to Retirement Plan Home
The University of Michigan in its sole discretion may modify, amend, or terminate the benefits provided with respect to any individual receiving benefits, including active employees, retirees, and their dependents. Although the university has elected to provide these benefits this year, no individual has a vested right to any of the benefits provided. Nothing in these materials gives any individual the right to continued benefits beyond the time the university modifies, amends, or terminates the benefit. Anyone seeking or accepting any of the benefits provided will be deemed to have accepted the terms of the benefits programs and the university's right to modify, amend or terminate them.


text:
Superficially, this is a horror movie, although its distinct lack of such important elements as mounting suspense and genuine scares forces us to think otherwise.
Superficially, this is a horror movie, although its distinct lack of such important elements as mounting suspense and genuine scares forces us to think otherwise.
Think of the worst movie you've ever seen.
"The Ballad of Narayama" is a Japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice, telling a story of startling cruelty. What a space it opens…
Patrice Leconte's "Monsieur Hire" is a tragedy about loneliness and erotomania, told about two solitary people who have nothing else in common. It involves a…
A look at the gifted musicians scheduled to perform at Ebertfest 2015.
Meet the critics attending Ebertfest 2015.
An FFC reviews "The Motel Life", which just played at Ebertfest.
A reposting of Godfrey Cheshire's landmark essay in anticipation of the Critic's Forum at Ebertfest.
An FFC reviews "The Motel Life", which just played at Ebertfest.
A review of Ramin Bahrani's Goodbye Solo from a far-flung correspondent.
Videos from Ebertfest 2015.
A review of the third season of Inside Amy Schumer.
* This filmography is not intended to be a comprehensive list of this artist's work. Instead it reflects the films this person has been involved with that have been reviewed on this site.
A review of Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cups" from the Berlin Film Festival.
The best recent releases on Blu-ray and streaming services, including "Blue Ruin," "Middle of Nowhere," "Only Lovers Left Alive," and "Love Streams."
Peter Sobczynski ranks 27 films by Brian De Palma.
Marie writes: Behold an ivy covered house in Düsseldorf, Germany and the power of plants to transform stone, brick and mortar into a hotel for millions of spiders. To view an amazing collection of such images and showcasing a variety of buildings from around the world, visit The Most Colorful Houses Engulfed in Vegetation at io9.com.
This piece is about director Neil Jordan's seven most overtly supernatural, fairy tale-like films—The Company of Wolves, High Spirits, Interview with the Vampire, The Butcher Boy, In Dreams, Ondine, and his latest, the mother-daughter vampire shocker Byzantium. An infographic analysis of each—please refer to the key for each symbol's meaning—reveals this pattern and confirms Byzantium is the culmination of 30+ years of Jordan exorcising his personal demons on-screen.
"As film exhibition in North America crowds itself ever more narrowly into predictable commercial fodder for an undemanding audience, we applaud those brave, free spirits who still hold faith with the unlimited potential of the cinema." - Roger
Marie writes: Behold a truly rare sight. London in 1924 in color. "The Open Road" was shot by an early British pioneer of film named Claude Friese-Greene and who made a series of travelogues using the colour process his father William (a noted cinematographer) had been experimenting with. The travelogues were taken between 1924 and 1926 on a motor journey between Land's End and John O'Groats. You can find more footage from The Open Road at The British Film Institute's YouTube channel for the film. You can also explore their Archives collection over here.
Marie writes: The late John Alton is widely regarded as being one of greatest film noir cinematographers to have ever worked in Film. He perfected many of the stylized camera and lighting techniques of the genre, including radical camera angles, wide-angle lenses, deep focus compositions, the baroque use of low-level cameras and a sharp depth of field. His groundbreaking work with director Anthony Mann on films such "TMen" and "Raw Deal" and "He Walked by Night" is considered a benchmark in the genre, with "The Big Combo" directed by Joseph H. Lewis, considered his masterpiece. John Alton also gained fame as the author of the seminal work on cinematography: "Painting with Light".
The Big Combo (1955) [click to enlarge]
Marie writes: Kudos to fellow art buddy Siri Arnet for sharing the following; a truly unique hotel just outside Nairobi, Kenya: welcome to Giraffe Manor.
Marie writes: Christmas is almost upon us, and with its impending arrival comes the sound of children running free-range through the snow, while grown-ups do battle indoors in the seasonal quest to find the perfect gift...
We know that "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982) is the best of all of the "Star Trek" movies. I am not stating anything new here. The rest of the series of films struggled to repeat the mastery of this film, and the reboot has also fallen short, thus far. I did, however, watch Star Trek 2 recently to see if the overlooked "Star Trek: First Contact" was able to take the helm as the Best of the Treks. In the process, however, I realized that Star Trek 2 is a much better movie than I remembered. I invite everyone to watch this movie again to appreciate how great it really is. This is a great movie. It is exciting. It is complex. It is emotional and philosophical. It is one of the great adventure movies.
Marie writes: Once upon a time, a long time ago and in a childhood far, far away, kids used to be able to buy a special treat called a Frosted Malt. Then, with the arrival of progress and the subsequent destruction of all that is noble and pure, the world found itself reduced to settling for a frosty at Wendy's, at least where I live. Unable to support a "second rate" frosted malt for a second longer, I decided to do something about it!
Marie writes: I recently heard from an ex-coworker named Athena aka the production manager on an animated series I'd painted digital backgrounds for. She sent me some great photos she'd found on various sites. More than few made me smile and thus inspired, I thought I'd share them with club members. I've added captions for fun but if you can come up with something better, feel free to submit your wit by way of posted comment. Note: I don't know who the photographers are; doesn't say. (Click pics to enlarge.)
"I want a peanut for every photo you took of me..."
Marie writes: yet again, we have intrepid club member Sandy Kahn to thank for the following find. She sent me some links devoted to automata and how I ultimately discovered the amazing work of artist Keith Newstead...
Marie writes: Okay, this is just plain cool. This is clearly someone using their brain, in combination with "what the hell, let's just go ahead and try it..."
Dr Julius Neubronner's Miniature Pigeon CameraIn 1903, Dr Julius Neubronner patented a miniature pigeon camera activated by a timing mechanism. The invention brought him international notability after he presented it at international expositions in Dresden, Frankfurt and Paris in 1909-1911. Spectators in Dresden could watch the arrival of the camera-equipped carrier pigeons, whereupon the photos were immediately developed and turned into postcards which could be purchased. (click images to enlarge.) - from The Public Domain Review. Visit the site to see even more photos.
Marie writes: If you're like me, you enjoy the convenience of email while lamenting the lost romance of ink and pen on paper. For while it's possible to attach a drawing, it's not the same thing as receiving hand-drawn artwork in the mail. Especially when it's from Edward Gorey..."Edward Gorey and Peter Neumeyer met in the summer of 1968. Gorey had been contracted by Addison-Wesley to illustrate "Donald and the...", a children's story written by Neumeyer. On their first encounter, Neumeyer managed to dislocate Gorey's shoulder when he grabbed his arm to keep him from falling into the ocean. In a hospital waiting room, they pored over Gorey's drawings for the first time together, and Gorey infused the situation with much hilarity. This was the beginning of an invigorating friendship, fueled by a wealth of letters and postcards that sped between the two men through the fall of 1969."
Marie writes: remember "The Heretics Gate" by artist Doug Foster? Well he's been at it again, this time as part of an exhibit held by The Lazarides Gallery - which returned to the subterranean depths of The Old Vic Tunnels beneath Waterloo Station in London, to present a spectacular group show called The Minotaur. It ran October 11th - 25th, 2011 and depending upon your choice (price of admission) dining was included from top Michelin-star chefs.Each artist provided their own interpretation of the classical myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and as with The Heretics Gate before it, Cimera, Doug Foster's new and equally as memorizing piece made it possible to project whatever comes to mind onto it, as images of body forms and beast-like faces take shape and rise from the bowels of earth. (click image to enlarge.) Photo by S.Butterfly.
Lesson for the day: How to have fun while wasting time... Marie writes: welcome to DRAW A STICK MAN, a delightful Flash-based site prompting viewers to draw a simple stick figure which then comes to life! Ie: the program animates it. You're given instructions about what to draw and when, which your dude uses to interact with objects onscreen. Thanks go to club member Sandy Kahn who heard about it from her pal Lauren, in Portland Oregon.Note: here's a screen-cap of what I drew; I've named him Pumpkin Head.
Pedro Almodovar's movies are so beguiled by lustrous surface textures and colors (fabrics, hair, makeup, architecture, upholstery, jewelry) that the title "The Skin I Live In" (or "The Skin That I Inhabit," as I've seen "La piel que habito" translated elsewhere) would serve well as the name of his artistic autobiography. It's a shimmering horror-farce-melodrama quilted together from scraps of Georges Franju's 1960 "Eyes Without a Face," Andre de Toth's 1953 "House of Wax" (without the one-eyed 3D) and Douglas Sirk's 1954 "Magnificent Obsession" and 1959 "Imitation of Life" -- though it doesn't stop there -- about a mad doctor, a pioneering plastic-surgeon Dr. Frankenstein named Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas, of course) whose personal life has been scarred by tragedy.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot because stitching together all the parts is so much of the pleasure of watching the movie. It begins in the middle, folds back to fill in a few mysterious spots in the patchwork, and then unpredictably pieces together the rest of the picture, bit by bit, for an absurdly touching and tentative finish.
Marie writes: At first you think you're looking at a photograph. Then the penny drops, along with your jaw..."Alan Wolfson creates handmade miniature sculptures of urban environments. Complete with complex interior views and lighting effects, a major work can take several months to complete. The pieces are usually not exact representations of existing locations, but rather a combination of details from many different locations along with much of the detail from the artist's imagination. There is a narrative element to the work. Scenarios are played out through the use of inanimate objects in the scene. There are never people present, only things they have left behind; garbage, graffiti, or a tip on a diner table, all give the work a sense of motion and a storyline. Alan's miniature environments are included in art collections throughout the US and Europe." - Alan Wolfson - Miniature Urban Sculptures
"FOLLIES BURLESK" (1987)14 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 21 1/2 inches(click images to enlarge)
"I realize that most of the turning points in my career were brought about by others. My life has largely happened to me without any conscious plan. I was an indifferent student except at subjects that interested me, and those I followed beyond the classroom, stealing time from others I should have been studying. I was no good at math beyond algebra. I flunked French four times in college. I had no patience for memorization, but I could easily remember words I responded to. In college a chart of my grades resembled a mountain range. My first real newspaper job came when my best friend's father hired me to cover high school sports for the local daily. In college a friend told me I must join him in publishing an alternative weekly and then left it in my hands. That led to the Daily Illini, and that in turn led to the Chicago Sun-Times, where I have worked ever since 1966. I became the movie critic six months later through no premeditation, when the job was offered to me out of a clear blue sky."Visit "I was born inside the movie of my life" to read the opening pages from Roger's forthcoming memoir to be published September 13, 2011.
"I love music so much and I had such ambition that I was willing to go way beyond what the hell they paid me for. I wanted people to look at the artwork and hear the music." - Alex Steinweiss
Marie writes: this past Monday, the Chicago Sun Times updated "Movable Type" - a program used to create blogs. Roger's journal for example. Other newspapers might use "Word Press" instead; same idea though. Any-hoo, it's hosted on the "new" server at the Sun-Times and as is customary, you have to login to use it. It's online software. Meaning you're totally at the mercy of any freakiness that might be going on.I mention this because there was indeed some weirdness earlier (server choked) and that, plus the fact Movable Type does things differently now, put me behind schedule. So I don't really have anything for the front page. I can go look, though! Meanwhile, just continue reading and if I find anything interesting, I'll let you know....Ooo, clams...
This morning, Pedro Almodovar, Spain's biggest big-cheese filmmaker, handed us a limp noodle with "The Skin I Live In," his entry in the Cannes competition. The film stars Antonio Banderas (who began his career in Almodovar's early films) and Elena Anaya, who looks like a cross between Penelope Cruz and Audrey Hepburn. Even a second-best Almodovar film has its delicious moments, but "The Skin I Live In" is flat compared with his best work, including "Broken Embraces," "Volver," and his Oscar winner "All about My Mother."
Typical of Almodovar, the film is a melodramatic farce. Although it's based on the novel "Mygale" ("Tarantula" in English) by Thierry Jonquet, the story is also strongly reminiscent of the 1960 French horror classic "Eyes without a Face" by Georges Franju. In the Franju film, a surgeon kidnaps women in order to graft their faces onto the head of his disfigured daughter. In "The Skin I Live In," a plastic surgeon is engaged in highly experimental work in order to create synthetic skin as a tribute to his dead wife, who was burned to death in a car crash. He subsequently uses the results of his research in service of a unique punishment for his daughter's rapist.
This story has a lot of twists, and the element of surprise is important. I don't want to give away too much, especially since it's due to open in the U.S. in the fall. I haven't read "Mygale," but I understand that the narrative is fragmented into sections that all come together in the end. In this, Almodovar appears to have followed the structure of the book, perhaps too closely. One of the principle weaknesses of "The Skin I Live In" is that the story is scattered in pieces. Characters and subplots are introduced then dropped. They are loosely but not completely tied together in the end.
Marie writes: allow me to introduce you to Travel Photographer, founded by Chris and Karen Coe in 2003 and their annual contest "Travel Photographer of the Year".After years spent working in the travel industry as a professional photographer and finding it was mostly conventional images making it into print, Chris decided to create a way to showcase great travel photography and broaden people's perception of what it can encompass - namely, that it can be much, much more than a pretty postcard image.The contest is open to one and all; amateur and professional photographers compete alongside each other. Entrants are judged solely on the quality of their photographs. There's a special competition to encourage young photographers aged 18 and under; Young Travel Photographer of the Year. The youngest entrant to date was aged just five, the oldest 88. The competition is judged by a panel of photographic experts, including renowned photographers, picture buyers, editor and technical experts.And the 2010 winners have now been announced. Here's a few random photos to wet your appetite - then you can scroll through the amazing winners gallery!
Enal is around 6 years old and knows this shark well - it lives in a penned off area of ocean beneath his stilted house in Wangi, Indonesia. Photo: James Morgan, UK (Portfolio Encounters: Winner 2010) [note: click images to enlarge]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Officer involved shooting ruled unconstitutional
UPDATED 6:01 PM MST Feb 20, 2013Wednesday's ruling goes against the city's own ruling in 2011, which stated the shooting was justified.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
Average Customer Rating
(based on 1 review)
Reviewed by 1 customer
Displaying review 1
Back to top
Love this pic
By lbrads
from Elkton, MD
Purchase Reason
This is a fun picture. Purchased 3 similar cocktail pictures from this artist, framed them in dark shadow boxes, and lined the 3 parallel on our kitchen wall. They look great. Very much worth the price / good value.
Items that are designated by "Usually ships within 24 hours" normally leave our facilities on the same business day if the order is placed before 5:00pm EST.
Ship time indicates the typical number of business days it takes for your item(s) to leave our facilities but does not include transit time from our facilities to final destination.
Orders that contain multiple items with different ship times will be shipped out based on the item with the longest ship time.
Complete your piece!SwitchArt™ Magnetic Framesand SwitchArt™ Prints only workwhen paired together.
Select Your Format
We offer a variety of product types. Determine which is right for you.
Learn more about product types /-se/products.htm
Customize Your Selection
Personalize and enhance your art with our finishing options.
Learn more about our services /-se/services.htm
The shipping rate shown is an estimate only; actual shipping rates will be determined during checkout. Orders with multiple items may be eligible for discounted shipping rates.
For more information, including a full list of shipping destinations, visit Shipping & Returns /gallery.asp?startat=/help/shipping.asp&CID=8176F0D819984FEDBC9F5ACE1A8F351A&subject=shipping#rates.
Orders with multiple items may be eligible for discounted shipping rates. Combined shipping discounts will be applied during checkout.
Learn more /gallery.asp?startat=/help/shipping.asp&CID=8176F0D819984FEDBC9F5ACE1A8F351A&subject=shipping#rates
Frame Unavailable
The framing you previously selected isn't available in this size. Please choose another framing option.


text:
Current committees, meetings and papers
Details of all current committees, including members, meetings, papers and agendas.
The County Council has 62 councillors representing 56 electoral divisions. They are elected for a four year term. Leader of the council – Cllr. Izzi Seccombe
Calendar of meetings
Find details of past and future meetings including agendas, councillor attendance and details on which meetings are open to the public
Forward Plan of Decisions
The Council publishes information about all of the decisions that it takes.
Overview and Scrutiny
The process by which councillors monitor, scrutinise and propose improvements to Council services
Community forums
Community forums are local meetings which offer a straightforward way for residents to put their views and concerns about local issues directly councillors, councils, the police, local health services and community groups.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel
The role of the Police and Crime Panel is to scrutinise the Police and Crime Commissioner, promote openness in the transaction of police business and to support the Police and Crime Commissioner in the effective exercise of his/her functions..
Older People's Forums and Groups in Warwickshire
There are 10 independent older peoples groups across the county, consisting of Older People's Forums (OPFs), Senior People's Forum (SPF), Senior Citizens Action Networks (SCANs) and Counsel of Older Residents (CORE).
We run a variety of consultations on issues affecting all residents and businesses in the county. The results of these consultations are fed directly into our policy and decision making processes.
Petitions and e-petitions
We welcome petitions and recognises that petitions are one way in which people can let us know their concerns. Anyone who lives, works or studies in Warwickshire, including under 18's, can sign or organise a petition.
Complaints about councillors
How to complaint about councillors, the types of things that you can complain about, and how these are handled.
Members of Parliament
Find contact details for the MPs in Warwickshire.
Information on elections and registering to vote.
Parish and Town Councils
The range of powers Councils have are many and varied and include the purchase of land and buildings, providing and maintaining village greens, the provision of recreational facilities, crime prevention measures, and traffic calming.
Corporate Governance
Corporate Governance is about delivering our promises, engaging with our communities and maintaining high standards of conduct. It sets the framework for the way in which we work corporately to achieve our priorities and it is essential for the delivery of high quality services. It is all about "doing the right thing".
Warwickshire County Council has agreed a constitution which sets out how the Council operates and makes decisions are made.
Shaping Local HealthWatch in Warwickshire
The Government recognised that more people should have more choice and a louder voice about the services they receive not only from the NHS, but social care as well, in recognition that people tend not to use just one service alone and care packages can involve both health and social care.
The coroner enquires into deaths which are reported to him. It is his duty to find out the medical cause of the death, if it is not known, and to enquire about the cause of it if it was due to violence or was otherwise unnatural.
Lord Lieutenant
The Lieutenancy Office is responsible for the organisation of all Royal visits to Warwickshire; liaison with Buckingham Palace; advice on bids for royal visits, honours nominations, wedding and anniversary messages; organisation of Queen's Awards and Medal ceremonies; general advice on protocol.


text:
Your Account: Sign In
Data Science Starter Kit
This kit includes everything you need, from analysis and visualization to management.
Get all 13 ebooks for a 60% savings.
Photographic Visions
By 1x.com
Helps readers focus on the overlooked issue of business school "fit," create a personal ranking of their best-fit schools, and prepare applications that tell admissions committees why they're the right match for their programs.


text:
Image Unavailable
- Sorry, this item is not available in
- Image not available
- To view this video download Flash Player
List Price: | $12.98 |
Price: | $5.48 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35. Details |
You Save: | $7.50 (58%) |
Watch Instantly with | Rent | Buy |
Other Formats & Versions | Amazon Price | New from | Used from |
"Please retry"
Widescreen Version | $5.50 | $4.53 |
"Please retry"
2-Disc Version | $6.10 | $6.09 |
"Please retry"
[VHS] Standard Collector's Edition | $0.98 | $0.01 |
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Neo thus embarks on an adventure that is both terrifying and enthralling. Pitted against an enemy that transcends human concepts of evil, Morpheus and his team must train Neo to believe that he is the chosen champion of their fight. With mind-boggling, technically innovative special effects and a thought-provoking script that owes a debt of inspiration to the legacy of cyberpunk fiction, this is much more than an out-and-out action yarn; it's a thinking man's journey into the realm of futuristic fantasy, a dreamscape full of eye candy that will satisfy sci-fi, kung fu, action, and adventure fans alike. Although the film is headlined by Reeves and Fishburne--who both turn in fine performances--much of the fun and excitement should be attributed to Moss, who flawlessly mixes vulnerability with immense strength, making other contemporary female heroines look timid by comparison. And if we were going to cast a vote for most dastardly movie villain of 1999, it would have to go to Hugo Weaving, who plays the feckless, semipsychotic Agent Smith with panache and edginess. As the film's box-office profits soared, the Wachowski brothers announced that The Matrix is merely the first chapter in a cinematically dazzling franchise--a chapter that is arguably superior to the other sci-fi smash of 1999 (you know... the one starring Jar Jar Binks). --Jeremy Storey


text:
[ Movies Index | Show Times | Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]
Shut Up, Danny
'The Believer' looks fearsome but is actually cerebral and more than a little comic
By Richard von Busack
THE STORY of a conservative Jew who becomes a fire-breathing Nazi is too much like a Mel Brooks conceit to be believed, but The Believer leads you to believe it. This talky yet often funny film appears to be about ultimate evil, but director/co-writer Henry Bean is actually skeptical of such ultimates (as we all should be). It's an allegorical film--not at all an exposé of the "Aryans" among us.
The protagonist, Danny Balint (Ryan Gosling), is a devoted but quarrelsome New York student of the Torah who turns against his teachers and embraces Jew-hatred mostly because he loathes Jehovah's Old Testament cruelty. Being young and articulate, Danny comes to the attention of a pair of wealthy fascists (Billy Zane and Theresa Russell, compressing her lips into a thin line, as a good Brunhilda should). They groom Danny for the lecture circuit, figuring that he possesses the charisma to promote one particularly hard-to-sell political agenda.
Unfortunately, Danny's fellow Nazis, whom he meets at a summer camp, are intellectually lazy bruisers. So he retreats to the company of a masochistic maid, Carla (Summer Phoenix), who becomes entranced with Jewish lore. He helps her study, on the grounds that she ought to know her enemy. Actually, he can't get the faith out from under his skin: he sees its arbitrariness reflected in the cruel demands of fascism.
Except for a few pretty gratuitous fight scenes, the movie takes place on such an intellectual level I'm surprised it has been taken as inflammatory material that might launch a copycat audience out on a new pogrom. The flashbacks to a Nazi atrocity (tastefully handled) aren't as tough as the scene of Danny and his pack defiling a synagogue. Even in that desecration, Bean makes a prime sick joke: a fearful skinhead remembers what happened to the Nazis who mishandled Jewish sacred goods in the finale of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I'd hate to see a brainy, amusing film dismissed because people fear it'll burn their eyes out, as the Ark of the Covenant did to Indiana Jones' enemies. Moviegoers understandably dreading a bad time will miss Gosling's witty, grand depiction of charismatic villainy. In that great Jewish movie The Big Lebowski, the converted Jew Walter (John Goodman) dreads a pack of self-proclaimed nihilists, considering them worst than actual Nazis: "At least Nazism is an ethos!" Danny's key problem is that he mistakes Nazism for nihilism. And he dreads Jews because he's correctly afraid they'll outargue him. Finally, Danny learns that not even death will allow him to escape the religious quarrels that he's been so unwilling to face with anything but fights or flights.
The Believer's questions of faith are completely entertaining even to this atheist. I don't care a button about God. However, I enjoy films about fanatics and The Believer is an example of what Paul Schrader's films would be like if he had a sense of humor. This love/hate relationship with the eternal is as compelling as any other turbulent love story.
[ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]
Copyright © Metro Publishing Inc. Metroactive is affiliated with the Boulevards Network.
For more information about the San Jose/Silicon Valley area, visit sanjose.com.
Foreclosures - Real Estate Investing |
San Jose.com Real Estate |


text:
January 8, 2013 Freedom in Security Pisces Daily Horoscope
Insecurity can no more interfere with your progress today than you could willingly bow to doubt. You are likely feeling highly self-assured and optimistic where your future prospects are concerned, as well as eager to challenge yourself. As you move through the various spheres of your life, you may find yourself utilizing your talents and skills with a newfound confidence. This intense self-belief can become a catalyst that propels you toward opportunities that might once have fallen outside of the range of your comfort zone. This can be an auspicious time to ask to train in a new position at your workplace or to take up a demanding hobby that tests your abilities. You will likely take risks gleefully today, impatient for novelty and certain of your emotional, financial, and career security.
For more information visit dailyom.com
This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.
© 2004-15 DailyOM - All Rights Reserved
No portion of this site can be reprinted without express permission


text:
Netflix Page |
Beat Girl1960 2.6★ 83 mins Dramas Rated: NRSynopsisWhen her hard-drinking father marries a much younger French woman, disaffected teen Jennifer (Gillian Hills) retreats to the seedy beat culture of underground London rock 'n' roll clubs, strip bars and hash dens. But when a leering go-go joint owner who fancies Jenny winds up dead, she realizes she may have carried her rebellion a little too far. Edmond T. Gréville directs this campy exploitation cautionary tale, co-starring Christopher Lee.Directed ByEdmond T. GrevilleStarringShirley Ann Field, Nigel Green, Oliver Reed, David Farrar, Peter McEnery, Adam Faith, Gillian Hills, and Christopher Lee |


text:
Tropical Watermelon Sorbet
- 1 (2-pound) piece seedless watermelon, rind removed and flesh cut into 1-inch pieces to yield about 3 1/2 cups
- 1 (6-ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
- 3/4 cup ginger ale, chilled
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 large limes)
- 1/2 cup grenadine (recommended: Rose's)
In a blender, blend the watermelon, pineapple juice, ginger ale, lime juice, and grenadine until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze, according to the manufacturer's instructions, for about 35 minutes.
Spoon into glasses or small bowls and serve.
Cook's Note: The ginger ale can be replaced with dark rum.
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Cooking Tips
More Recipes and Ideas
Watermelon Sorbet
Recipe courtesy of Patrick and Gina Neely
Watermelon Granita
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Spiked Watermelon Pops
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis


text:
Players and their Salaries
View Single Post
Hall of Fame
Join Date: Apr 2004
Age: 54
Posts: 2,333
Rep Power:
Originally Posted by
We can conclude that the Texans may make signifant leaps forword and still be just better then average. Therefore if the Texans do not have a winning record next year the fans better not exit stage left. Stick to it for the long hall it may be a couple of years before the dynasty starts to settle in. however once it does start to happen it will be worth the wait.
I think patience in the NFL as far as time to develop players and for a team to win has drastically changed in the last 10 or so years. Most players feel no sense of loyalty to a team. The $ rules. I've never understood why a player will leave a team that drafted him and spent countless hours coaching him for another team. Where are the Pat Tillmans? The dollar amount is insignificant when your comparing 5.5 to 6 million or 7.5 to 9 million. Does it always have to be more than the next guy so that salaries never stop spiraling out of sight? Give me more!
Houston is on a 5 year plan supposedly. To me that is a long time in todays NFL. You could lose half the players that started with your team in 5 years. Teams have become revolving doors for players. Mediocre players now command a lot of money and get it. I don't feel sorry for their short careers because most will make more in 1 contract signing than you or I do in our entire life. I think Capers and CC have done a good job up to this point but who is to say key players won't bolt right when our team is turning the corner.
After saying all that I really don't think that there is a whole lot that we could do different. As a matter of fact I think character is one of the things Capers and CC take into consideration when drafting a player. So hopefully when our key players are up for contract negotiations we will see that "character" come into play.
Last edited by bckey; 05-16-2004 at
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by bckey


text:
In the 1980's, personal computers became a common fixture in homes and
offices. Supplying business with computers and software grew into one
of the biggest industries in less than a decade. Soon, networking became
a profitable business for engineers previously restricted to networking
Some of the engineers trained on the ARPAnet went out on their own to
found some of the fastest growing high-tech companies in history. Bob
Metcalfe, one of the pioneers of ARPAnet, developed a better way of
networking personal computers together and founded 3Com.
Four 27 year-olds from Stanford and Berkeley formed a company named Sun
and built networkable workstations that could crunch numbers faster than
many mainframes. Taking advantage of Metcalfe's invention, four programmers
in Utah wrote a network operating system (Netware) and resurrected
Novell Systems into a multi-billion dollar software company. A married
couple working at Stanford developed an improved way to connect different
networks together and operated a multi-million dollar company, named Cisco,
from their house until venture capitalists took over and propelled it to a
multi-billion dollar business.
The Internet opened a gold rush in the 1980's that built huge fortunes
and toppled old empires. Passionate engineers and savvy venture capitalists
built a new economy that would lay the tracks for the Information Super
Next Section:
Wiring the World
Copyright © 1998, PBS Online,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||


text:
May 3, 2015
Two women got the scare of their lives Thursday night after they were attacked and robbed at knife point in front of a Chineese restaurant. It happened around 8:00 at the Super Buffett along Highway 127 in Frankfort. Police tell 27NEWSFIRST the women were outside in their car when a man came up and tried to make conversation with them. Then he reached through the window and grabbed one woman's hair and put a knife to her throat.The robber demanded they women hand over their purses and drive away. He then fled on foot. The victims say they were unable to get a good description of their attacker. They describe him as a young, tall, black man with a goatee.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
February 7, 2011
Josh Gershon GOAZCATS.com
In a week and a half, a long recruitment will finally come to an end, when 6-foot-8, 205-pound San Diego Hoover star Angelo Chol announces between Arizona, Alabama, Kansas, North Carolina and Washington at a press conference on Feb. 17. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
Already a member? Click here to sign in


text:
J3371 : National Cycle Network milepost, Stranmillis, Belfast (1)
near to Beal Feirste, Stranmillis, Windsor, Ballynafeigh and Rosetta, Ireland
National Cycle Network Mileposts
1000 Millennium cast iron mileposts were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and found along the cycles routes through the UK.
There are four different types of posts, "Fossil Tree" by John Mills, "The Cockerel" by Iain McColl, Rowe Type by Andrew Rowe, and "Tracks" by David Dudgeon. The four artists are from each country of the UK though all posts can be found in all four countries.
Read the National Cycle Network article Link
year taken
- Grid Square
- J3371, 299 images (more nearby )
- Photographer
- Albert Bridge (find more nearby)
- Image classification?
- Supplemental image
- Date Taken
- Friday, 20 August, 2010 (more nearby)
- Submitted
- Friday, 20 August, 2010
- Category
- Path > National Cycle Network route (more nearby)
- Subject Location
Irish: J 338 715 [100m precision]
WGS84: 54:34.4819N 5:55.8732W - Photographer Location
- Irish: J 338 715
- View Direction
- Southwest (about 225 degrees)
This page has been viewed about 33 times.


text:
Free Shipping on all Ship to Store Orders
"World's Largest Hardware Store" ®
Home Plumbing Supplies Sinks & Lavatories Sink Installation Parts Sink Clips Sink Clip.
Item #: 483915 Model #: 52520B
click to zoom
5 packages
0 Reviews
Write Review
Free Ship To Store
Selected Store Unavailable
Free Ship to Store
Unavailable to ship to this location
Change Learn More
Learn More
Add to Cart
Add to Wish List
View Full Product Details
Quick View
Sink Clip.
Item # 494550
Model # 52517B
0 out of 5 stars
Online Only
Supply Stop Repair Kit.
Item # 446985
Model # 88001
Replacement Trimmer Bump Knob
Item # 763613
Model # 49M3066P953
Top of Page
Your Store


text:
The following articles and research papers are some interesting reads about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. While we may not agree with everything written, we thought you'd enjoy reading some of the articles written about Alzheimer's. Be sure to contact us if you have a valuable article to submit!
- "Dementia Units Require Full-time Managers", Allan Vann, McKnights, November 10, 2014
- "War on Alzheimer's?", Allan Vann, JAGS, September 2014
- "Pat Bowlen and Alzheimer's", Allan Vann, The Denver Post, July 27, 2014
- "Placing a Loved One in Assisted Living", Allan Vann, Social Work Today, May/June 2014
- "The National Alzheimer's Project Act - Missed Opportunities from a Caregiver's Perspective", Allan Vann, JAGS, May 2014
- "Alzheimer's - Would You Want to Know?", Michael Dobie, Long Island Newsday, March 14, 2014
- "First Large-scale Study Finds Cognitive Training Aids in Long-term Function in Older People", Tara Bahrampour, The Washington Post, January 13, 2014
- "My New Year's 'Wish List' for a National Alzheimer's Agenda", Allan Vann, January 10, 2014
- "Alzheimer's Cure Must Be Pursued", Allan Vann, Newsday, January 6, 2014
- "Making Brain Gains in Memory-loss Battle", Claude Solvik, Long Island Business News, December 3, 2013
- "Making New York the Center for Alzheimer's", Allan Vann, November 1, 2013
- "Three Important Actions for Alzheimer's Caregivers", Allan Vann, Clinical Geriatrics, October 1, 2013
- "For Alzheimer's Caregivers, a Much Needed Break", Amy Norton, HealthDay News, June 7, 2013
- "Alzheimer's Behaviors or Coincidences?", Allan Vann, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinsonism, April 12, 2013
- "Empowering People With Alzheimer's and Their Caregivers - There Is Still Much Work To Be Done", Allan Vann, Dementia, April 8, 2013
- "Current Alzheimer's Medications: Effective Treatment Options or Expensive Bottles of Hope?", Allan Vann, JAMDA, March 7, 2013
- "Expressway: Travelling a Difficult Road with Alzheimer's", Allan Vann, Newsday, November 23, 2012
- "Easier Trails: Travelling with People with Dementia", Allan Vann, care ADvantage, October 2012
- "Listen More Carefully to Alzheimer's Caregivers", Allan Vann, JAGS, October 2012
- "Stamp the Foreheads of People with Alzheimer's Disease", Allan Vann, JAGS, August 2012
- "Please Tell People with Alzheimer's Not to Drive", Allan Vann, JAGS, March 2012
More information: News and Events | Upcoming Events | Press Releases | Media Gallery | Recent Events


text:
Teamwork Marketing & Promotions: My Site News: FREEDOM FEST TOURNAMENT A BLAST ON AND OFF THE FIELD!
Tuesday, July 5FREEDOM FEST TOURNAMENT A BLAST ON AND OFF THE FIELD!
From the first pitch on Friday night, through Saturday morning play and the Trace Adkins-Buddy Jewell concert Saturday night, to the last out in the 12-inning 14u finale on Sunday and Sunday night fireworks - the tournament was simply outstanding. Thanks for coming to play baseball in west Kentucky over the holiday weekend.
Here's a special congratulations to the winners in each age division: 7u - West Ky Warriors; 8u - Henderson Young Guns; 9u - Sikeston Diamond Dawgs; 10u - West Ky Patriots; 11u - West Tn Stixxs; 12u - Jackson Indians; 13u - Murray Thunder; 14u 54/80 - Anna-Jonesbobo Wildcats; 14u 60/90 - Memphis Force; 15u - St. Louis Cougars; 16u - Chattanooga Colonels.


text:
A new issue of 'The Old Radio Times' is out and you can find it at –
This entry was posted on Friday, July 19th, 2013 at 6:03 am and is filed under What's new on the site.. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Name (required)
Mail (will not be published) (required)
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.


text:
Evaluation of the Osteogenic Potential in Experimental Defects, With and Without Bone Marrow, in the Rabbit Tibia: A Pilot Study
Alexander Veis, DDS, PhD/Konstantinos Kougias, BChD, MDSc/Anastasios Tsirlis, DDS, PhD/Nikolaos Parisis, DDS, PhD/Christina Papadopoulou, DDS/George E. Romanos, DDS, Dr Med Dent, PhD
Purpose: The influence of bone marrow in the osteogenic potential of bone has not been evaluated in the rabbit tibia model. Previous studies employed this model extensively to test the osteogenic capabilities of bone grafts. The primary aim of the present study was to assess the role of bone marrow in the healing of experimental defects in the rabbit tibia model. Materials and Methods: Ten New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups of five each. In the first experimental test group (PoP), the marrow cavity was emptied completely under a 6-mm defect in the rabbit tibia metaphysis; the marrow was replaced by plaster of Paris, and a round piece of lyophilized collagen membrane was placed in contact with the endosteum and rested on the plaster. In the second experimental group (control), similar artificial defects were made, but the marrow was left intact. After 8 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and prepared for histologic and histomorphometric analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (P = .016) in newly formed bone area between the control group (mean, 68.08% ± 12.09%) and the PoP group (mean, 54.02% ± 13.93%). Similarly, there was a statistically significant difference in new bone density (P < .001) between the control group (mean, 95.99% ± 1.74%) and the PoP group (mean, 75.37% ± 13.27%). Conclusions: The current study confirms the significant effect that bone marrow has in bone regeneration and also the true regenerative capabilities of the osseous walls of the defects. The proposed experimental model may be a more reliable method of investigating and comparing the potential of different graft materials and methods. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2009;24:10541060
© 2015 Quintessence Publishing Co, Inc |
JOMI Home Current Issue Ahead of Print Archive Author Guidelines About |
Accepted Manuscripts Submission Form Submit Reprints Permission Advertising |
Quintessence Home Terms of Use Privacy Policy About Us Contact Us Help |


text:
Jian S.
ISTQB certified Senior Automation QA + Manual tester
I have been working in IT industry more than 9 years.
In last 9 years, I became a well-experienced tester and QA manager. Testing and managing the testing of project website applications and software products gave me a great experience in creating test-plans, implementing any kind of testing, such as black-box, white-box, automation, functional, stress and ad hoc.I have a big experience in automation testing like selenium webdriver. I passed successfully ISTQB Foundation level exams and receive…
Jian S. has added 7 portfolio pieces. Create an account to review them.
Work History & Feedback
Web App Testing in China
Selenium Regression Tests
QA Automation & Manual Test Engineer
Ongoing Software QA Job for Website and Mobile App
Name | Percentile Score |
English To Mandarin Translation Skills Test |
25 |
Software Testing Test |
60 |
U.S. English Basic Skills Test |
36 |
Windows XP Test |
83 |
oDesk Readiness Test for Independent Contractors and Staffing Managers |
Passed |


text:
Audit (A-09-12-02041)
Review of Medicare Outpatient Billing for Selected Drugs at Doctors Medical Center
Executive Summary
For the two line items reviewed, Doctors Medical Center did not bill Medicare for injections of selected drugs in accordance with Federal requirements, resulting in overpayments totaling $181,000.
Complete Report
Download the complete report
Adobe® Acrobat® is required to read PDF files.
I'm Looking For
Let's start by choosing a topic
Exclusions Database
Report Fraud


text:
A Sugar Free Organic Cacao Sweet Emerges
Thanks for visiting The Macalat Shop. My name is John Troy. My wife and partner's name is Carol. We live in a woodsy grove in rural North Carolina north of Chapel Hill. Carol and I are the innovators of the Macalat Sugar Free Chocolate. Macalat captured our heart and soul as a worthy hands-on project at a time when sugar in our food supply is raising a lot of eyebrows. Here's the story on the emergence.
Carol and I began our first food company 35 years ago as a cottage industry, Linden's Elf Works. Our product was called, Wizard Baldour's Power Pac. Wizard is my nickname. It was a no sugar added confection with dried fruit, nuts, Ginseng, herbs and Chia Seeds. That initiated a wonderful 25-year career for us in the natural and organic food trade, lastly as The Wizard's Cauldron, Ltd.
Through the years, we have worked with many organic companies and brands where we pioneered Vegan and organic flavor profiles that currently prevail in the organic marketplace. I was the originator of Honey Mustard dressing. I developed and produced the many organic dressings and condiments under the Whole Foods 365 Organic brand that are in distribution at Whole Foods, nationwide. I formulated and produced many other successful brands including The Wizard, Premier Japan, Whole Foods 365 Fresh, Central Market, Spectrum, Litehouse, Simply Delicious, Earth Fare, Charlie Trotter, OrganicVille and Kraft Foods. We formulated and produced many sugar free products for the late, Robert Atkins. Our company, The Wizard's Cauldron, grew and flourished until it became time to sell our company and pass the rapidly growing enterprise on to more professional managers. That was 7 years ago. That company continues to flourish as Sky Valley Foods and their flagship brand, OrganicVille.
Since then, we have enjoyed our time traveling around the world and sharing in wonderful fellowship and music but now our roots in working with innovative organic food ideas are calling us, once again. Carol and I love to work together, especially with food and hands on. We both see the benefits of using ingredients as tonics and we like tweaking and refining the flavors. We are now full circle; back to hand made good-for-you sweets in small batches and an enterprise that is small enough to have the fun and fellowship that an artisan endeavor like Macalat brings.
We first began making our own chocolate because we were unable to find an existing sweet that fits our sugarless diet style and satisfies our taste buds, too. We pretty much follow the Paleo and other sugar free diets and the recommendations of Dr. David Perlmutter. We grow our own organic veggies and spend a lot of time both in the kitchen and garden. We supplement our diet with many nutrient dense foods like Cacao, Matcha Green Tea and Maca that are in Macalat. We appreciate the synergy of these foods that brighten our day. We are foodies, too, and appreciate the culinary arts in all its forms.
We are really focused on getting ALL the sugar out of chocolate without it being a negative. We see a place for Macalat with savvy consumers wanting more nutrition and less sugar and/or hidden sugars and not wanting anything artificial or phony to take their place. Non-GMO and organic ingredients now go without saying for us. We appreciate foods that contribute to our peace, alertness and wellbeing, too. We want to do sugar free chocolate, right, and needed a lab to do it. So, we fashioned an artisan chocolate shop out of our guest house with four Indian stone grinders, two tempering machines, chocolate tools & molds and all the accessories. We home schooled and honed our skills in the art of grinding and tempering chocolate. We call it The Macalat Kitchen aka The Wizard's Den.
Finally, a breakthrough in sugar free chocolate formulations
We found that taking the sugar out changes the paradigm in chocolate and presents a number of challenges. Sugar has been such a significant part of the standard of identity of chocolate from its inception and is assumed to be a critical ingredient in the recipe in order to mitigate the astringent flavor notes that develop in Cacao beans during the fermentation process. Sugar serves in the consistency of the finished confection, as well. Sugar sweetens the finish and tastes really good with chocolate, no doubt. And sugar is cheap, bulking up an otherwise healthy recipe. But sugar has a downside that is becoming more and more evident every day. The sugar "up" is short-lived and the negative effects of sugar in the diet are becoming all too well known with new scientific data coming forth every day. Some, like diabetics, and insulin resistance patients cannot tolerate sugar at all. It's not working out with the kids. We can do better.
We thought outside the box to figure out a sugar free Cacao recipe that doesn't have an astringent bitterness that lingers on the palate. We worked at mitigating it in several ways, accentuating and broadening the flavor profile, tweaking the sweet notes with aromatic spices and still keeping it an authentic organic Cacao sweet. We tried different Cacao roasts. We found that natural fermented Maize crystals (Erythritol) served functionally in a way similar to sugar in the grinding process, without actually adding any sugar. Sweet herbs and exotic fruit blends in a fuller sweet. We made many, many different batches, tinkering, tasting and listening to critical feedback, brainstorming and tapping into our years of experience in organic flavor development. We scrutinized and tried many ingredients, sources, and explored benefits and how they work synergistically with one another. Finally, a unique sugarless Cacao sweet emerged.
The foundation of Macalat starts with a gold standard recipe of dark chocolate made with 66% Organic Peruvian Cacao. It is rich enough to embrace other super food ingredients and aromatic spices. Macalat has more premium Cacao butter in ratio to the Cacao solids than conventional chocolate. This melted Cacao butter provides a warm liquid in the grinder with all the ingredients grinding together. The higher Cacao butter content also helps to counter the bitter flavors as the grinding enrobes every speck with a thin film of Cacao fat. An added pinch of Inca Pink Salt helps buffer the bitter, too.
The next challenge is to replace the sugar buzz, as well. The Maca and Matcha Green Tea supplement the Cacao. Together, they provide peaceful alertness with a sustained sense of well being that trumps the typical sugar rush and crash. The building blocks of sweetness come from natural fermented Maize, Monk Fruit, a sweet taste from an Asian plant and a hint of organic Stevia. The flavors are pulled together with Whole Madagascar Vanilla pods ground in with spices like Lucama, Cinnamon, Fenugreek and Sweet Orange. It takes many hours of stone wheels rolling over solid granite, generating the warmth needed to keep the Cacao butter fluid while all the ingredients are grinding, refining and equilibrating.
When the grinding in finished, the warm elixir is critically tempered for delicate crystal seeding and poured into their pillow forms for the Cacao crystals to precipitate. This brings about the sheen and snap of a Couverture chocolate. Eight little square sweets make up a single bar. Macalat is hand wrapped in a thin colorful tin foil to prevent the Cacao Butter from being absorbed into the outer wrapper as well as protecting the Cacao sweets from absorbing foreign aromas. The outer wrapper provides additional cushioning to protect the delicate sweets of Macalat during shipping and handling. Macalat has zero sugar, making it the perfect treat for Paleo, diabetic and insulin resistant dieters, as well as low carb diets, Vegans, and those who are gluten intolerant. The kids love it, too, without ever missing the sugar.
I must say that upon reflection, there is magic in the synchronicity of this emergence of Macalat. We really didn't expect it. It wanted to happen. Macalat is a gift with a real sassy and savvy attitude that defies the notion of doer-ship and contrivance with its integrity. We are going with what wants to happen and we hope that includes your giving Macalat a try. You won't regret it.
Macalat is Really More than Just Chocolate. Shop the Macalat Shop and See Why...