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Ruth PalatasOverland Park, KS
Submission from daughter, Denise
My Mother, Ruth Palatas was diagnosed with PD at the age of 65. She retired in 1985 from a career as a reading specialist. Currently she is 89 years old and living in an assisted living facility in Overland Park, Kansas since my Dad passed away in 2001. She loves the social aspects of the facility, especially singing and dancing. From the literature I have read some patients with PD can dance better than they can walk. Something about the beat of the music? She also loves candy, cookies and cake. Lucky for Mom she is very petite and has no dietary restrictions!
When my Father was living (retired engineer) he would keep a very detailed spiral notebook of her PD symptoms throughout the day to include the dose of Sinemet given along with the symptoms my Mother exhibited. He also took my Mom to The University of Kansas Medical Center to meet with a PD specialist to specifically titrate her medications to best manage the PD symptoms.
Most recently she underwent Botox injections around her eyes for blepharospasm related to PD and we have seen excellent results with the treatment. I have seen some decline in her through the years to include weight loss, "mask-like face", and freezing. She also has a walker and wheelchair on standby should she need them. However, per Mom these are for "Old people".
I would recommend that caregivers have their loved one seen by a PD specialist. This has made all the difference in the world. I think this is because the neurologist that Mom is seen by is up to date on the most cutting edge treatment such as the Botox for Blepharospasm.
I admire my Mother for her positive attitude towards PD. She has never let it stop her from doing the things she loves to do. As a school teacher she always had the summer off so she went on many trips to include Europe, Jamaica, Mexico, and Hawaii. Myself, or one of my two sisters were included on the trips since my Dad wasn't much of a traveler. I have never once heard my Mom, say "Why do I have PD."
While I miss the summer vacation trips with my Mom and the shopping trips to the mall. I feel fortunate that Mom has managed to live with PD for 25 years.
Through the years Mom has experienced some memory loss. I would say she is pleasantly confused. She still knows who we are but sometimes she will ask where my Dad is. PD is not an easy diagnosis to live with; however my Mom has made it very easy. She is so calm, funny and easy to be around. She has taught us all to keep on going no matter what the challenge. She always said to me "Eat less buy a dress." I think this was her attitude of how to still be in fashion during the depression!
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Miley Cyrus and Alexander Skarsgard Party at Hollywood Club
It's no wonder Miley Cyrus likes Rihanna's "We Found Love." She and fiance Liam Hemsworth did find love in the "hopeless place" of Hollywood. But an engagement ring can't tame Miley's partying ways.
While Liam was in New Orleans over the weekend, working on a film, Miley and friends hit up Beacher's Madhouse inside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. People says Miley and friends arrived around 11:45 p.m. (presumably Saturday) and headed to her usual table in the front row of the club.
"Miley spent most of the night dancing," an onlooker told People. "She threw her hands in the air when the deejay started playing, 'We Found Love.' She was very chatty and was in a great mood. At around 12:15 a.m., she pulled her girlfriend into the photo booth to take pictures together."
People said True Blood's Alexander Skarsgard was also at the club that night and, naturally, he was approached by a "handful of girls" but seemed to spend the night "mostly under the radar." (Like Eric at Fangtasia.) He was probably just allowing each lady to get close enough to have her little "Skargasm" in his presence, then sending her on her merry way. Maybe that's why Miley was in such a good mood?
Source: People

subset: commoncrawl


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Blow Off Valve Soundboard Lite
Everyone loves the sound of a wastegate going off. compiled a few blow-off valve sounds for you guys. Dont forget to rate. please no talking trash. THIS IS JUST A LITE VERSION. FULL VERSION AD FREE VERSION IN MARKET! Please take a look at the paid version Do not use while driving. Im not...
Blow Off Valve Soundboard Pro
This is a BOV soundboard with a few more sounds. Including: Blow Off Valve Soundboard Racing Soundboard Will add more sounds and more features soon. please rate Do not use while driving. Im not responsible for your actions! Keywords: turbo.boost.jdm.wastegate.drift.
Window Tint Laws
Simple app that tells you the laws for how dark you window tint on your car can or cant be. nothing major just helpful
JDM CAR GALLERY + submit
Everyone loves to look at sweet stanced jdm rides and the people that make them LOVE to show them off. Well this is a place where you can do that!!!!! Submit your rides and see them on the app where EVERYONE can see!!!!!!!!! All images save to sdcard\images Send me email from app with a photo...
Skate/statepark Locater
This is a Simple app that uses google maps to locate skate parks in your state. simple app. nothing special. under construction
Jdm Car Wallpapers
assortment of jdm car wallpapers. Please rate and share with your friends. All images save to sdcard\images when submitting a picture please specify the app name as the subject. Jdm gallery + submit now where you can submit your ride!!!!!!! check it out.


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Archaeology Island
More than 4,000 years of history in only 16 square miles
Monday, February 11, 2013
A forgotten sliver of land in the far north of the Persian Gulf, Kuwait's Failaka Island is home now mostly to camels. Its only town is a sprawling ruin pockmarked with bullet holes and debris from tank rounds, and the landscape beyond seems empty and bleak. Even before Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait prompted its sudden evacuation, Failaka in the past century was little more than a quiet refuge for fishermen and the occasional Kuwaiti seeking relief from the mainland's fierce heat. But just under the island's sandy soil, archaeologists are discovering a complex history extending back 4,000 years, from the golden age of the first civilizations to the wars of the modern era.
The secret to Failaka's rich past is its location, just 60 miles south of the spot where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers empty into the Gulf. From the rise of Ur, the world's largest metropolis in the late third millennium B.C., until Saddam Hussein's attack during the First Gulf War, the island has been a strategic prize. For thousands of years, Failaka was a key base from which to cultivate and protect—or prey on—the lucrative trade that passed up and down the Persian Gulf. In addition, there were two protected harbors, potable water, and even some fertile soil. The island's relative isolation provided a safe place for Christian mystics and farmers amid the rise of Islam in the seventh and eighth centuries A.D., as well as for pirates a millennium later.
Currently, archaeological teams from no less than half a dozen countries, including Poland, France, Denmark, and Italy, are at work on Failaka. Given the political volatility of neighboring nations such as Iraq, Iran, and Syria, the island offers a welcome haven for researchers unable to conduct their work in many other parts of the region. "I started encouraging teams to come in 2004," says Shehab Shehab, Kuwait's antiquities director. "And I want to encourage more."
The mainland of Kuwait is mostly harsh desert, with only a handful of significant ancient sites. Even the old town of Kuwait City, dating back two centuries, was long ago demolished to make way for skyscrapers. Thus Failaka is of prime importance to the country's heritage. Recently, much of the island's history was threatened by a plan to transform the barren land with its rocky coast into a major tourist magnet, complete with marinas, canals, spas, chalets, and enormous high-rise hotels and condominiums. In the wake of the global economic recession, however, the $5 billion project foundered, and was recently shelved. Shehab has moved into the resulting vacuum, lobbying hard to turn all of Failaka into a protected site in order to enable archaeologists to uncover, study, and preserve this small nation's past.
The government already sets aside more than $10 million annually to cover the costs of foreign projects in Kuwait, and hopes to promote science as well as encourage heritage tourism. "Shehab's dream is to create in Kuwait a kind of research center for Gulf basin archaeology," says archaeologist Piotr Bielinski from the University of Warsaw, who is digging at a prehistoric site on the mainland just north of Kuwait City. And excavators on Failaka are making the most of this unique opportunity, exposing evidence of Mesopotamian merchants, religious structures representing three cultures and spanning more than 2,500 years, a pirate's lair, and the remains of Failaka's last battle, ample testimony to the island's millennia-long endurance.
Traders from Ur?
Economic Might
Ikaros of the Gulf
Hidden Christian Community
Pirate Hideout
The Battle of Failaka
Also in this Issue:
Pirates of the Original Panama Canal
Archaeology Island
A Soldier's Story
Letter from Cambodia
From the Trenches
Saving Northern Ireland's Noble Bog
Off the Grid
Mussel Mass in Lake Ontario
Europe's First Carpenters
Medici Mystery
Deconstructing a Zapotec Warlord Figurine
Messages from Quarantine
Let Slip the Pigeons of War
The First Spears
Burials and Reburials in Ancient Pakistan
Life (According to Gut Microbes)
Mapping Maya Cornfields
Inside a Painted Tomb
Minoan Mountaintop Manse
A Prehistoric Cocktail Party
World Roundup
Correcting the record on Tycho Brahe, a 2.5-mile-long labyrinth among Peru's Nazca Lines, Ramesses III may have been the victim of a "Harem Conspiracy," and northwestern India identified as the birthplace of the Romani
Recent Issues


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Psychology and Zerona
|July 16, 2011
|Posted by admin under Blog
The most recent Image magazine has an article entitled "The Psychology of Self-Improvement," and it caught my attention. The article details how cosmetic procedures not only improve a person's outward appearance, but also their overall well-being.
The spokesperson and president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), Dr. Donn Chatham, explains "There is a strong mind-body-spirit connection in all of us. If we feel physically lousy, it shows, and likewise if we feel great physically, our 'outer selves' will reflect this."
He goes on to say: "As such, when we feel good about how we look and appear, this translates into a greater sense of well-being. It would not be unusual for a person who feels positive about how they look to also feel physically better. And if you take good care of one part, you are likely to also take good care of the other parts. They all complement one another."
This is why we are also adamant about you maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen. We want to not only "melt" away your excess fat with ZERONA treatment, but we also want to get you on the right track toward achieving a greater sense of wellness.
The article goes on to explain how less invasive procedures are on the rise. Treatments involving injections, peels, and lasers reached 10.4 million in 2008, up 5 percent from the previous year (ASPS).
Clearly, people are catching on to the appeal of non-surgical procedures. The ability to continue with your daily activities right after treatment is certainly a perk! There is also the anonymity factor. No one has to know!
ZERONA will definitely put you on the path to looking and feeling better about yourself. Our goal is to have you leave our office each visit feeling rejuvenated and more confident than you did on your way in.


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With all eyes on Central Florida for the George Zimmerman trial and its aftermath, one question keeps surfacing: Why are juries made up of just six people?
Throughout most of the country, 12 jurors determine the guilt or innocence of suspects in felony trials.
But in Florida and a handful of other states, only six jurors are seated in the majority of felony cases — even in some of the most violent and serious crimes.
- Why only six on Florida juries? Legislator to push for 12
- 4 Zimmerman jurors: B-37 does not speak for us
- Zimmerman Trial Photo Galleries
- Pictures: Key players in the case against George Zimmerman
- Pictures: George Zimmerman's many faces
- Pictures: Trayvon Martin through the years
See more photos »
- Justice System
- Crime
- Laws and Legislation
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Orlando, FL, USA
This element of Florida's criminal justice system was highlighted during Zimmerman's trial, and after his acquittal on second-degree murder charges in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012.
When the all-female jury was chosen, critics pointed out the lack of diversity on the panel.
And now, in the wake of Zimmerman's acquittal, Rep. Randolph Bracy, D-Orlando is calling for state leaders to change Florida's law so that in felony trials, juries must have 12 members.
"It's more of a jury of one's peers when you have more jurors," Bracy told the Orlando Sentinel. "I think that is better for the people of Florida and for our criminal justice system in general."
Small jury more efficient?
Legal experts and researchers back up Bracy's premise — that six-member juries are less diverse than 12-member panels, said Susan Rozelle, a law professor at Stetson University College of Law.
Defendants are constitutionally entitled to a fair cross-section of potential jurors, but that doesn't mean the people who are actually seated for the jury have to demonstrate that diversity, she said.
In Zimmerman's trial, all of the jurors were women — five of them white — and they ranged in age from 20s to 60s. Rozelle said even if the jury pool is ethnically diverse, a smaller panel lessens the likelihood of having other kinds of diversity.
Rozelle said if every juror on any panel has the same background, the same life experiences, and are the same demographic, they are likely going to view the facts the same. They may not see an alternative perspective because it simply didn't occur to them, and they have no one to point it out, she said.
In some cases, the law professor said, "everyone agrees what the facts are, but they disagree bitterly on what those facts mean," she said. "If the trial is about truth seeking, it helps to have all possible interpretations of those facts considered."
In the days since Zimmerman was acquitted, the Seminole County jurors who found him not guilty have faced sharp criticism from legal observers and others. Some have questioned why there were no African Americans on the jury, since there were several in the pool that was culled from several hundred down to 40 after a week of jury selection.
After one juror known only as B-37 spoke out on CNN earlier this week, saying race was not a consideration in deliberations, some critics said the homogeny of the panel led to a lack of empathy for the dead teenager.
Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Trayvon's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, said it more pointedly:
"[Juror B37] never, ever saw Sybrina Fulton's child, Trayvon, as her child," Crump told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "She never saw that that could have been her child."
In addition to added diversity and range of experience, some experts say 12-member juries are more likely to deadlock, or "hang," than smaller panels.
But researchers say further studies need to be conducted to determine other differences between six and 12-member juries.
"The jury is really out on if it is more efficient or not," to have a smaller panel, said Mark Summers, a law professor at Barry University and former federal prosecutor and defense attorney.


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How's that for a change of pace? While "Sometimes a Great Notion" and "A Disquiet Follows My Soul" were full of character revelations and quiet moments, "The Oath" is all action, all the time.
Standard warning: If you haven't seen the show, or the most recent episode, and you care about that sort of thing, don't click to the next page. There be spoilers, and lots of them; you've been warned.


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The only dedicated addiction recovery program for seniors in the region.
Belmont's Geriatric Community Intensive Outpatient Program, also called the Senior Recovery Track, is designed for older adults with alcohol or chemical dependency problems in addition to psychiatric illness. Up to 17 percent of older adult patients have substance abuse problems, according to research.
Patients have several options depending on their level of acuity, including outpatient treatment.
As part of Belmont's Community Outpatient Program for the Elderly (COPE), all Senior Recovery Track participants join in therapeutic groups.
A combination of medication management and counseling is used to address both "chemical imbalances" and crucial life events that may have triggered the behavioral health issue. Treatment typically takes six months to complete.
Treatment issues are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, after which a determination is made about the type and appropriate level of care. Each patient's level of care is reassessed throughout the course of treatment, which may include:
Senior Recovery Track utilizes many treatment modalities to help patients recover, including:
A clinician with expertise in treating older adults with co-occurring diagnoses provides treatment in collaboration with staff at Belmont's Woodside Hall Addictions Program, a full-service inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol program.
Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment4200 Monument RoadPhiladelphia, PA 19131215-581-3941
Germantown Community Health ServicesSuite 136One Penn BoulevardPhiladelphia, PA 19144215-951-8121
Grief & LossFeelings of denial, shock and sickness are common emotions when dealing with the death of a loved one. Doctors discuss health implications of loss and overall wellbeing.
Suicide PreventionOver a million people attempt suicide in a year worldwide, yet most people do not realize it until it happens to someone close to you. Our physicians discuss the warning signs to watch out for and steps for prevention.
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text: Russian team penetrates Lake Vostok Science 06 February 12 by Mark Brown NASA/NSIDC Updated 15:30 06/02/2012: Russian news agency Ria Novosti has reported that the team penetrated Lake Vostok on 5 February. According to the report, the researchers stopped drilling at a depth of 3768m as they reached the surface of the sub-glacial lake.Original story: After twenty years of drilling, a team of Russian researchers is close to breaching the prehistoric Lake Vostok, which has been trapped deep beneath Antarctica for the last 14 million years.Vostok is the largest in a sub-glacial web of more than 200 lakes that are hidden 4km beneath the ice. Some of the lakes formed when the continent was much warmer and still connected to Australia.The lakes are rich in oxygen (making them oligotrophic), with levels of the element some 50 times higher than what would be found in your typical freshwater lake. The high gas concentration is thought to be because of the enormous weight and pressure of the continental ice cap.If life exists in Vostok, it will have to be an extremophile -- a lifeform that has adapted to survive in extreme environments. The organism would have to withstand high pressure, constant cold, low nutrient input, high oxygen concentration and an absence of sunlight.The conditions in Lake Vostok are thought to be similar to the conditions on Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus. In June, Nasa probe Cassini found the best evidence yet for a massive saltwater reservoir beneath the icy surface of Enceladus. This all means that finding life in the inhospitable depths of Vostok would strengthen the case for life in the outer solar system.Back on planet Earth, the team at Vostok are running short on time. Antarctica's summer will soon end and the researchers need to leave their remote base while they still can. Temperatures will drop as low as -80C, grounding planes and trapping the team.They missed their chance last year. "Time is short, however. It's possible that the drillers won't be able to reach the water before the end of the current Antarctic summer, and they'll need to wait another year before the process can continue," we wrote in January 2011. The drill halted in February.Meanwhile, Russian engineers are planning to venture into the lake itself, with swimming robots. In the Antarctic summer of 2012 to 2013, they plan to send a robot into the lake to collect water samples and sediments from the bottom. An environmental assessment of the plan will be submitted at the Antarctic Treaty's consultative meeting in May 2012. Edited by Duncan Geere Comments This is the begging of something big, once the lake has been broken into then onto the Earths surface and all of its inhabitance will something new take them over. This is how it will go The Chosen Consiousness Feb 2nd 2012 This is scary. It almost feels like a violation of an ancient sacred site. Nothing good will come of this. What is wrong with humanity that we continue to kill and exploit our earth and its people and this is not enough. What has science brought us but misery and greed in the pursuit of some kind of elite knowledge? LEAVE ANTARCTICA ALONE YOU GREEDY KNOWLEDGE HUNGRY PEOPLE. You will not understand what it is that you will find down there anyhow because science has no soul. All it will bring is more greedy people who want to take and not give to the sacred knowledge of this planet. The Unspoken Antarctica Feb 3rd 2012 In reply to The Unspoken Antarctica How does having a soul have any bearing on understanding organisms. It would be quite the trip to have your world view for a day. The Realist Feb 3rd 2012 In reply to The Unspoken Antarctica Can't decide if troll or lunatic. mike Feb 3rd 2012 In reply to The Unspoken Antarctica "What has science brought us... " – Spoken like a true ignoramus. The very food you eat and the water you drink would not have been possible were it not for the scientific community. Had our early pioneers not broken "ancient sacred" rules, I have no doubt mankind would still be living in caves and using fire for light. Jake Feb 4th 2012 In reply to The Unspoken Antarctica "What has science brought us but misery and greed in the pursuit of some kind of elite knowledge?"Hmm . . . the computer you typed that drivel on, for one. Umm . . . penicillin? Oh, sorry, I guess that's misery. I just wish science would hurry up and develop brain transplants so the space between your ears could be filled, with, say, some kind of mushroom matter. It would be a definite improvement. Nicholas Robinson Feb 6th 2012 Reply to a comment Name Email Comment Submit » Latest on wired.co.uk


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Trotters is a family-owned business which first opened its doors in October 1990. With 6 stores in and around Central London, selling exclusive ranges of clothing, footwear, accessories, books, toys, gifts and of course our famous hairdressing service for boys and girls aged 0 - 10 years.
Due to our great success, we are now available online to our loyal customers all around the world.
So here it is! We make no excuses for starting off small...for that's what we are: a small family-owned and run company which offers a wide choice of childrenswear and accessories, excellent in quality, value and design. Exclusive, yet affordable: stylish yet traditional...and you won't find our exclusive designs anywhere else.
We cannot offer everything we do, online, that we sell in store. Who ever heard of hair-cuts online? Nor are we, as yet, offering our full range of shoes. Why not? Simply because we have not yet worked out how we can offer the proper shoe-fitting service online, that we pride ourselves on offering instore...but bear with us, we will: but that's for the future!
Shopping online with us is easy; our website is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can browse by girls, boys or babies or you can shop by outfit, where readymade outfits have been selected by our designers from this season's collection. Everything has been specially coordinated from the clothes to the accessories; simply select the size for each item required, and that's it. What could be simpler?!
If you would like to find out more about Trotters, please visit the pages Our Promise and In the Beginning. Our Memories page contains comments from our customer's first encounters at our Trotters stores, please feel free to send us your comment too! If there is anything you would like to ask us or you have a comment you wish to bring to our attention, you can contact us by phone or email or by filling in our contact us form. Click here for more details.


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If you want to grow your capital with minimal risk, there's no easier way than with a business savings account. That way, your excess cash is always working for you. SunTrust offers two different business savings accounts, depending on your needs.
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- Any combination of deposits or deposited items per statement period
- Monthly statements if there is electronic activity (quarterly if no account activity)
- Online banking if linked to a SunTrust business checking account
To speak with a business banker call 877.227.9330.


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Sunshine leaving clouds coming
April 6, 2011 - 10:38 PM
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Delightful today but a chilly damp end of the week
Tonight: Mostly Clear Chilly
Lows: 38-45 | Wind: SW 10-15
Thursday: Mostly Sunny Mild Clouds Late
Highs: 65-70 | Wind: SW-NE 5-10
Friday: Cloudy Chilly 70% chance rain by Noon
Highs: 52-57 | Wind: E-NE 5-10
It was a delightful sunny breezy day but April often means rapid weather changes and that will be the story the next few days. A cool front with clouds will settle over us on Thursday and by Friday easterly winds will keep us in cool ocean air, which coupled with some rain moving in from the west will make for a chilly, wet end of the week. That damp ocean air will be around Saturday before warm south to southwest winds bring back the 70s by sometime later Sunday.
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Short URL: http://wj.la/qJaU6G


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Well, hello! It's so good to be back in the kitchen! So one of the first things The Angry Chef did when we got back from the country was get to work cleaning up the grill and getting it ready for summer. While he was outside, I whipped together one of my all-time favorite burgers. […]
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin
What's better than roasted pork? How about roasted pork wrapped in crisp bacon? I know. That's kind of what I thought, too. (Pig x 2!). This is so simple, but so delicious. (This is one of my favorite roast beasts, along with my Deli-Style Roast Beef.) With most pigs bred as lean as […]bacon, garlic, pork, roasting, rosemary
Garlic & Herb Roasted Pork Shoulder
C'mon. Let's do some magic tricks in the kitchen. We'll start by making a feast that's fit for a king�for practically pennies. All you need is a sharp knife, a few hours, and a roomful of friends to feed. This pork shoulder is butterflied, rubbed with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, then slow roasted�a method […]garlic, herbs, pork, roasting
Warm & Smokey Asparagus Salad
Fresh asparagus is one of my favorite signs of spring. This salad is a fabulous, no fuss way to enjoy it. Whip it up when you start cooking dinner, then let the flavors happily meld together while you finish preparing the rest of your meal. Asparagus and bacon are a match made in heaven. For […]asparagus, bacon, lemon, shallot
Sizzling Hot & Spicy Meatballs
Seriously? I could eat a big bowl of these, then go back for more. I'm not saying that I have a meatball problem. Yet. Made with traditional Asian flavors, these meatballs get a satisfying, subtle heat from a generous amount of chili flakes, ground ginger, and fresh garlic. The sweetness of the sausage balances out […]beef, meatball, pork, sausage
Rustic, Family-Style Pork with Red Sauce
This is a fabulous way to feed a crowd on a budget. Pork shoulder is a tough cut of meat, so it's generally on the cheaper side. (In fact, this is the same cut of meat that's often used to make pulled pork.) My pork roast was about 8.5 lbs. and was only 99 cents/lb. […]braising, Pasta & starch, pork, tomato
Toasted Pecan Rice Pilaf
This is a quick and easy rice dish you can whip together on a weeknight in short time. It's packed with buttery, toasted pecans and bits of fried ham. A fresh bay leaf and pinch of clove give it a distinct and warm spiciness. I used the same absorbtion-cooking technique that I use to cook […]ham, pecan, rice
Rib of the Week: The Angry Chef's Maple-Asian Fusion Pork Ribs
I've said it before: My husband can work absolute magic with the barbecue. When he made these mouthwatering pork loin chops for us the other night, I asked him if he could do something similar with pork spare ribs—inside, in the oven. (You know how we love ribs at The Mouse House.) He kindly obliged, […]pork, ribs, spices, walnuts
Rib of the Week: Fig & Ginger Glazed Pork Ribs
You all know that I'm one of those folks who loves pork and fruit together. Now, you have to like figgy-flavored things for this one to work. But man, if you do…the combination is absolutely heavenly. These ribs get the perfect amount of earthy sweetness from fig preserves. A heaping dose of ginger gives them […]fig, ginger, pork, ribs
Panko-Crusted Thin-Cut Pork Chops
OK, so this isn't diet food. This is a fried pork chop. And it's just about one of the best things I've had in a long time. These pork chops are dipped in a mixture of garlicky buttermilk and egg, coated in fluffy, Japanese panko breadcrumbs, then shallow-fried in a bath of pure olive oil […]frying, pork


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Joined: May 2009
Location: middle of Middle Europe
Oddometer: 9
Not saying there's not a problem, just my observation - after riding most of the day with earplugs, my hearing becomes very sensitive of mechanical noises.
Hope you'll be fine and thanks for beautiful ride report!
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
Check you oil, sir?
My excuse for not checking this last night was that it was very dark when I arrived at my friend's apartment, and I'd been on the road for 13 hours. And I'm kind of dumb that way.
Bike Addict
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Denmark-Europe.
Oddometer: 510
You ride a V-Strom - just add some oil and the bike will be fine.
V-Strom's dont brake down they die of old age
Suzuki V-Strom DL650AL2
Eastern Europe 2014 - England and Ireland 2013 - Morocco 2013 - Nordkapp 2010
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: beautiful San Diego
Oddometer: 52
I will tell you also that fuel in some part of the country at some not so honest gas stations is not what it says at the pump they add stuff to it to make more profits, could it be that you fueled in morocco at a not honest gas station it happened to me before and there is no way to know until you start hearing noises coming from your engine.
I had once pumped shitty gas to a car and it run like shiit until I burned 3/4 of the tank (lucky for me I was on the motorway way so no slowing down) then I refilled my tank and the problem went away.
Bad quality gas in a small motorcycle engine is a lot worse that in a car and I am willing to bet that if you fueled in morocco you probably had bad gas sold to you.
2009 BMW R1200GSA Adv stuff
2006 SUZUKI DRZ400S Light Adv/tech
2004 HONDA TRX250 wife
2007 YAMAHA WR250 son
2006 YAMAHA TTR125 daughter
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
The good news is that the bike is fine, it seems. I wasn't able to find real motorcycle oil, so I had to use regular motor oil, but about 250ml filled it up and the noise either went away or I can't hear it with my ear plugs in.
I had planned a day off riding today to visit my friends Eric and Michelle in Ifrane. Here's Eric in the market in Ifrane.
These are popular everywhere I've been in Morocco.
At lunch time Michelle came home sick, so I thought it best all around to get out of their cozy 1br apartment. Having company when you're sick can't be fun. I took the long route to Fes (Fez) where I'd made a quick reservation in a Riad in the Medina. You have to go there when in Morocco, right?
My ride took me up through some pine and cypress forests and to Timahdte.
I had to stop here for a moment where my bike odometer turned to 20,000 miles.
I hit 10,000 on my way home through France on my last trip to Spain. I'll probably hit 30,000 somewhere a bit less interesting, like Eaton, Ohio, so these things have to be celebrated when they can. This is the only bike I've ever owned that I put more than about 1500 miles on.
Eventually I made it to Fes, which I really don't care for. Too crowded, too many people trying to hustle the tourists, very stinky. Lives up to pretty much all my negative stereotypes. It's about enough to put me in a bad mood in spite of staying in one of the nicest places I've ever stayed.
I'm planning to get out of here tomorrow and meet up with Don T., a fellow ADV'er and V-Strom rider who is doing a trip from Denmark to Morocco. We had similar schedules and plans, so we're going to ride together for a while. Looking forward to that, one of the great things about ADV.
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: beautiful San Diego
Oddometer: 52
glad all is well with your bike but the bad mixed quality gas should not be forgotten, try to put gas in large big gas station that are very busy.
those tagines being cooked yummmmy.
2009 BMW R1200GSA Adv stuff
2006 SUZUKI DRZ400S Light Adv/tech
2004 HONDA TRX250 wife
2007 YAMAHA WR250 son
2006 YAMAHA TTR125 daughter
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
Pictures from yesterday have been addd to the post from yesterday, so if you want to see them click back a page.
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
Many miles ago
My dad sent me this picture of what he says is likely my first motorcycle ride. Ohio State Fair, August 1970. That's me on the left in the red stripe shirt, and my brother Tom with me.
Seeing this put a big grin on my face.
Thanks Dad. Love you.
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
I woke this morning at 3:30, unable to go back to sleep for no good reason. I got to thinking all kinds of stupid stuff, like my bike would get stolen, or maybe just the front wheel and I'd find it for sale in the souk, and stuff like that. I hated Fes and couldn't wait to get out of there. I got up to use the bathroom and hit my head on the wood carving over the doorway, which nearly knocked me over. Guess I need a sleeping helmet, too! I kept dwelling on all the crap of the night before. Not being able to find the hotel. Having to pay to park on the sidewalk. Having to pay a kid to help me get back to the hotel, and him insisting I give him 100 dirham (about $12) for walking me about one minute. (Didn't happen.) Feeling like I'm seen as a walking bank machine by everyone who sees me. Being too pissed of about dinner to even eat it. I looked at the menu at the riad (hotel) and the dinners were mostly about 300 dm ($40). Huh? In Morocco? Dinner down the street was the same thing for 80 dm.
But it was too late to go out, so I just had a beer (still an unbelievable $5 for a 10 oz beer). I nearly came to my senses once and decided to order dinner anyway when a couple of Swiss guys came over to chat. They're riding to the Sahara, had seen me come in wearing riding pants, and wanted to chat about bikes, routes, etc. Nice guys, but by the time we got done tlking, I think it was too late to order dinner. Whatever. I wish my wife had been there, she would have pointed out that it was all done, we were in a great place, and to get over it and enjoy it. But I have a harder time with that. The kid who guided me told me the owner of my hotel was mafia and I was sleeping with mafia, like it was my fault. He also pointed out what he said was the hotel owners burgundy Mercedes right next to where I parked, as if to reassure me this was a good place. I didn't really buy any of it.
But breakfast wasn't until 0830. I tried to sleep but couldn't. I might have gone down and checked on the bike but I was pretty sure the front door to the Riad would be locked either going out or coming back, so that made no sense. The only thing to do was wait.
By breakfast I was really hungry, having skipped lunch and dinner yesterday. I don't really know why, but sometimes I get that way. I get going and I don't want to stop, unless it's to take a picture, which I'll u-turn and go back a mile for without hesitation.
Anyway, I packed up my stuff, dumped it in a pile in the gorgeous tile courtyard, and had breakfast. While I was eating and drinking coffee spiced with cinamonn (yum) the owner came over and started chatting with me. He seemed like a nice guy, really enthusiastic about the riad, which he said he spent six years restoring. He said he saw where I left my bike, and that it was a good place, very safe, he parks his Mercedes there. Turns out his accountant lives about an hour from me, in Luxembourg, and he talked about living in the US, and other stuff. By the time I was done with breakfast and lot of good coffee, I was in a better mood. I even looked around and admired my surroundings. When I checked out he didn't even charge me for the beer.
I had no trouble finding the bike, and it was fine, as he said it would be. Only a spot of bird poop on the seat (glad I took my sheepskin cover off!). They guy I paid last night was still there, and gave me a friendly nod. OK, maybe this isn't all bad. I decided to give Fes another chance. Like my friend Pete said when I was thinking I was having bike trouble, "Think about where you are, and how hard it will be to get back there". Or something like that. So like with Lisbon earlier, I did my best to shrugg it off and went for a walk in the medina. It is the largest ancient medina in the world, and I decided I shouldn't run off quite so quick.
On my way back I saw the Swiss guys, loaded up and getting a bit of help to get going. They had asked if I was on a BMW, coming from Germany, and they were surprised when I said no. I was equally surprised when I saw what they were riding.
I hope that when I'm in my sixties I'll still want to do things like ride a dirt bike 4000km's on vacation. (I'm not even sure I want to do that NOW!) What kind of bike is that, anyway. DR400? He had an aftermarket larger fuel tank on it and a Suzuki sticker slapped on it kind of off kilter.
Turns out the medina is a very different place on a sunny morning. or maybe just on Friday, the Muslim holy day of the week. Shops are mostly still closed, the hustling kids must still be in bed, and I walked around for about an hour very peacefully.
It really is a very interesting place. Not somewhere I'd want to live, but very interesting to see. The smells were the most interesting. Mint tea and cat pee. Pigeon poop and cumin. Frying garlic and wet sweaty donkeys. Lots of good and lots of bad, but I like it a lot more in the morning.
I took these pictures for my friend Mark, who owns a house I'm helping to restore in Piesport, Germany.
Very glad it's not as detailed as this, and very glad our supplies don't have to arrive by donkey!
OK, not everyone rides a donkey.
I even found a bric-a-brac salvage store up at the top of the hill.
The owner I talked with was Suleiman. When I asked him if he was named for Suleiman the Magnificent (longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire), he grinned and showed all nine of his teeth, and proclaimed that he was Suleiman the magnificent. I liked him immediately. Maybe that's why I ended up with a wool rug and a scrap piece of Fez tile.
Or maybe 'cause I kept walking away and the price kept coming down until they were $50 for the both.
Not sure what I'll do with them and it's dumb to haul them all the way south to Marrakech and back, but it was the thing to do at the time. Maybe make some coasters from the tile piece, I don't know.
I hit the road and made it out of Fez, going through a really nasty suburb. This area is buildings made of bare concrete block, peppered with satellite dishes.
Not sure if it's clear in the picture but the huge pile of stuff off the side of the road is trash. Stinking, ugly, rotten trash, being eaten by goats and unloaded from trucks by hand, and every bag being picked over for anything of value.
The goat herders were sitting under tents on the mounds of trash, watching their flocks. I got to thinking about how some of these people live, and if I was in that place and someone like me came by on a shiny expensive motorcycle, someone who's helmet cost more money than I had seen in my whole life. I think I'd feel OK about looking at them as a walking bank machine, and about hustling them out of whatever I could.
I took P4050 northwest from Fez, and if you're thinking about doing that, I'll save you the trouble. Lots of traffic and terrible pavement.
I've seen lots of these irrigation systems in both Spain and Morocco, and wondered if they are in use. I saw one today that had water flowing in it, on that had a plastic pipe in it, and this one, obviously not in use.
I got stopped by my first police checkpoint, two guys who shared very few common words with me. They talked in French, I talked in English, we all shrugged a lot and smiled. I finally showed them my GPS, as they seemed to want to know where I was going. They looked at my route and said it was "impratique". Well I knew that. I was riding 50km north to go somewhere that was 40km west. Yeah, but the scenery, the roads... they finally sent me off with a wish for bon journee.
Turns out maybe it wasn't just the route that was impratique.
But I finally got to the end of it and turned south, retracing my favorite part of the N13 in the process. I stopped for gas and had a nice lunch (65 dirhams including water and Fanta). Maybe I've relearned the lessonn of don't skip food and water when easily available, as it leads to more poor decisions later. Bet I'll need to keep learning it.
Another thing happened at lunch. After gassing up, I rode the 50 feet over to the restaurant parking without my gear on. After lunch, I was walking over to the bathroom when a young guy sitting at a table held out a black leather glove and asked me something. I looked at the glove, and thought, "Hey, that's just about like mine. Wait, maybe it IS mine. So I looked down at my hand, and sure enough, I didn't have it on (duh!). His little brother was wearing the other one, which he took off and handed me. He smiled and wished me "Bon Journee". Yeah, OK, not everyone here looks at me like a bank machine.
I got to Volubilis and saw this bus, and for half a second couldn't believe a bus would come all the way from Africa. And then I realized that I was IN Africa. Duh! Somehow it's still a bit odd.
I spent about two hours walking around Volubilis. It's just really incredible to see what's there, all in it's original place, not glassed over and in a museum. There was a small sign asking that visitors not walk on the mosaics and not graffiti the walls, but that was about it.
If you're interested in Roman stuff, you GOTTA go here, and do it before they finish the new and expensive visitors center. Bet it will cost more than 10 dirhams ($1.50) to get in then.
Just over the hill from Volubilis is Moulay Idriss, the holiest town in Morocco for muslims. For those who cannot afford to make the required hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, required as one of the five pillars of Islam, five pilgrimages here is an acceptable substitute. During festival time in August, the area is packed, with people camping out in tents. Eric told me it is know for the two hills of town looking like a camel.
The town was closed to non-Muslims until 1912, but since then has welcomed visitors to all but the most holy sites. Here's a cool old travel poster from the early 20th century.
I ended up at the IBIS hotel in Meknes. Not really proud of the decision, but after last night I wasn't in the mood for more hotel adventures. Predictable corporate sounded good. And they have a POOL! It was pretty hot today walking around, about 85 degrees, so I couldn't wait to get in the pool. Which doesn't open until next week, and has no water. So much for predictable.
Tonny (aka Don T.) arrived after a long ride from the coast, on some of the same roads I took two days ago. It was fun talking about some of the same things we had noticed. We're planning to ride together for the next few days, which I think will be fun. He's riding the NEWER model 650 V-strom, so I may have to work a bit to keep up with him.
We walked over to the old medina to find some dinner and ate at a great little sandwich shop.
You order your meat, and are asked "how much?", which is usually what I'm asking, meaning the price. But they want to know how much meat you want to eat. You order by the hundred gram (about 1/4 pound) and they weight it out and give it to the guy at the grill, who cooks it for you over charcoal while you wait a few minutes. I had chicken, Tonny had beef heart ground into sausage, both were excellent. Wish this was common in the US.
On the way back to the hotel we passed McDonalds, which was PACKED! This is just part of the outdoor seating area, which can probably seat 250 people.
And the drive through had maybe fifteen cars backed up waiting. Funny that many here seem to wish our way of eating was more common there, too. The grass (grease?) is always greener on the other side, right? Tonny called it candy food, ok for a couple times a year but you can't eat it regularly, and I agree.
jbar28 screwed with this post 04-20-2013 at 12:24 AM Reason: add photos
SoCal Rider
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Southern California
Oddometer: 573
Big Trip to Washington, Vancouver Island and British Columbia
So Cal Day Trips
2012 Suzuki DL1000 V Strom
2007 Suzuki GS500f - Don't underestimate (and don't take it in loose rocks!)
2004 Suzuki LS650 "Savage" - Either stolen or ran away from home.
Joined: Feb 2009
Oddometer: 13
I don't understand the rating system on adv.This is an amazing rr with very real photo's of the type of stuff I like.
Great seeing places you have been and others that you haven't through other eyes.
Very whimsical writing .
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Florida Keys
Oddometer: 2,293
Very nicely done. I rode North Africa a couple of times in the 1970s ( I grew up near Orvieto, and was frequently stopped by the Carabinieri there, speeding, but I was young) and reading your report reminds me of the agitation of seeing AFRICA for the first time, and smelling it's exotic scents. Then after a bit you start to understand its all just people.
I think you will relive this great journey every time you roll the Suzuki out for a ride in Ohio. Don't short yourself on any experience, but don't beleive this is the trip of your lifetime. These journeys have a way of altering our inner compasses and what would seem impossible for your neighbors at home will seem easy to you, once you get home. You will be different.
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Oddometer: 166
On the south side.
Before leaving Germany I bought a map of Morocco, and today we made it to the south side, below the fold. We left Meknes about 9am. While Tonny fueled up, I snapped this picture of the taxis. Here's what you need to know about getting a taxi in Morocco.
There are two kinds of taxis, and they are different colors. There are small cars that are called Petit Taxi. They are like taxis in the US, you get in and they take you where ever you tell them, and you pay the fare on the meter. In this picture they are baby blue. The color varies from town to town but all the Petit Taxis are the same color in each town.
Then there are Grand Taxis. These are usually 1970's and 80's Mercedes 240D. The same color rules apply, but these are more like small buses. They go from taxi stand to taxi stand, usually to the next town over or to a big town nearby. Each one has six seats, the driver and five passengers, and the passenger seats are each sold separately. Yeah, six seats in what most of us would consider a four seater.
Say you are in Ifrane and you want to go to Fes, about 45 minutes away. You go to the Grand Taxi stand and find the head guy, who has a notebook. You tell him where you want to go, and he'll point you to the next taxi going there. But it doesn't leave until all five seats are sold. Maybe he already has 4 passengers and you're number five, but if not and you are in a hurry, you can buy the rest of the seats, so now the taxi is full and it goes. But say you want to go somewhere in Fes that's not walking distance to the Grand Taxi stand. Once you get to the next town, you would get a Petit Taxi from the Grand Taxi stand to your final destination. You can haggle with the driver of the Grand Taxi to take you where you want to go, but this is out of his normal route and it gets expensive (I'm told). Imagine if you were taking a Greyhound bus from Cincinnati to Cleveland, but you wanted the bus to drop you at your house, not the bus station. Imagine how that conversation might go. The Grand Taxi guys is going to say the same things the bus driver would say.
But enough of that, we're taking a bike, not a taxi. We go on our own schedule. But we don't go unnoticed. Riding a big bike (anything bigger than 125cc) in riding gear (not a t-shirt and sunglasses) will get you noticed here. Which is OK most of the time, but takes some getting used to. In Europe, nobody looks at you twice in adventure riding gear. Not the same here. You're about as subtle as a Martian driving a spaceship down Main Street in small town USA. The good news is that almost all the people who react to you do so in a positive way. I've had about 1000 people give me a friendly wave, smile, thumbs up, that sort of thing. And two people who have yelled something at me while making an ugly face and pointing away. No idea what they said, I had earplugs in, was moving, engine running, and don't understand their language. But I knew it was negative both times. I can live with a 1000:2 ratio.
And then there were these guys.
Tonny and I stopped at a scenic overlook between Meknes and Azrou, and about as fast as I could take my helmet off, these five guys were right up by my side. One of them offered his hand and in French welcomed me to Morocco. I was thinking he would quickly try to sell me something, like a guided tour of the scenic overlook, but I was wrong. They wanted to have their picture taken with the bike. Well, OK, go ahead. If I saw a Martian in a space ship, I'd probably want a picture with him, too!
As I mentioned earlier, there are very few big bikes here in Morocco. Being something of a novelty, I guess I understand. These guys were really nice, and I told them where to find this ride report. They gave me a couple of their emails and I'll send them some pictures and a link.
Before we could get going, another guy came over to talk.
He lives in Belgium, about an hour and a half from me. We talked in a mix of English, German, Spanish, and French. Not that I'm capable in all of these, they just kind of came out. We were talking about the great weather today compared to Europe's spring, and I used the German word for snow (schnee) and the French word for rain (pluie), not really intentionally, they just came out. But that was fine, he understood both. My friend Eric in Ifrane says it's common there for people to mix Arabic, French, and Tamazight (the local Berber language) all in one sentence. This seemed strange to me only a few days ago, and now I was doing the same. Eric is taking classes in Arabic, French, and Tamazight all at the same time, which seems unbelievable given that they all use a separate alphabet. Here's a sign in Arabic, Tamazight, and French.
On the way out of Meknes we passed a scene I would have loved to photograph but could not. A motorcycle police man had two guys pulled over, and both were arguing and talking to him. As we sat at the red light, he reached out and handed a ticket to one of them. This guy turned and walked away in disgust, but the guy who did not get a ticket grabbed the policeman's helmet with both hands and started kissing the side of his helmet. This is not totally weird here as it would be in the US, as men often greet each other with a kiss or two, or even four if they are good friends. But it was funny to see in this way. Wonder if this happens to him a lot.
Between Meknes and Azrou we passed a huge vineyard. When I saw the grape vines I wondered if they were for table grapes or wine, but eventually we passed the brick gate for Chateau Roselane. OK, it's for wine. Interesting.
After Azrou we hit the N8 and followed it all day, going SW in the direction of Marrakesh. The first half of the day was fun riding, if a bit crowded with traffic. The N8 follows the Middle Atlas mountains, and they must hold rain and moisture close to the coast the same way mountains on the west coast in California do. Parts of this area remind me very much of California. And again, not what I thought Morocco would look like.
If there was a web site for adventure driver, I would nominate this guy.
Notice that the side door and all the windows are open. Brave men.
Somewhere around here Tonny and I got separated. He took a brief wrong turn at a roundabout, and in the time it took for him to go around again, I went by and passed a truck, so he couldn't see me. He thought I was behind, so eventually stopped to wait. I thought he was ahead, so kept going and tried to catch up. Carefully, of course. Along here I passed a guy I really wish I could have stopped to talk with. He had black skin, very unusual here, was riding a bicycle with a trailer (not unusual) but was wearing a riding helmet and lycra riding clothes. There was a sign or piece of paper on the back of the trailer, and when I went by he gave me a big grin and a wave. He was resting by the side of the road, in a hilly area. I really wonder what his story is. I'm not sure we could have talked, but I'd love to know who he is a what he's doing. Riding a bicycle around Africa? Around the world? Wish I knew.
After Beni Mallal, the Middle Atlas mountains end and the countryside turns dusty and brown. And flat, which means the road it boring to ride. The last 150KM's were just dodging traffic and getting where we were going. It give you time to think, and wonder about a town that much of the traffic is donkeys, but has two stores selling granite and marble countertops. That seems like an odd contrast to me. Kind of like the guy I saw a few days ago riding a donkey, hauling two car tires, and looking at his smart phone. Wish I had a picture of that.
I also saw my first camels, and first mud brick buildings around here.
And quite a number of small towns, which in Morocco are nearly charmless. The country side is usually beautiful, especially in wildflower season, but the small towns are just horrible, totally devoid of anything pretty.
We finally got our first look at the High Atlas, so stopped for a few quick photos.
We decided to avoid Marrakesh and are staying at a nice hotel outside of town at the base of the mountains. If you're coming this way, I recommend the Hotel Le Coq Hardi. The rooms are 'rustic' in Tonny's assessment, but the courtyard, pool, and food are excellent.
And we aren't the only bikers to find it!
Tomorrow we head over the High Atlas and Tiz-n-Tichka pass to Ourzazate and Kasbah Ait Benhaddou.
jbar28 screwed with this post 03-02-2015 at 05:18 PM
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- Steel Strain Pole Analysis -Calculates the required strengths for Steel Strain Poles, Steel Mast Arm Poles, and Steel Highmast Poles based upon the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals, 2009 Edition.
New Webapp for SALSA is now available: All users will need to request login/password. Please email Ted Swansegar for access. After prequalification for Electrical design is verified a login/password will be sent to the user.
Signal and Lighting Tutorial for project design
These documents will show the consultant the step by step process that the KYTC designers follow to get Signal\Lighting design from the start of a project to the final submittal to Construction Procurement. It also will show some detailed steps for the actual design process.
Signal Plan Preparation Tutorial 2013.docx
Lighting Plan Preparation Tutorial 2013.docx
Authorizes programs to use for Lighting Layout
Lighting Analysts illumination engineering software (AGi32)- The photometric design should be a change to a 3D design. For typical design see tutorial above.


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Fit After FortyJuly 30
Women today have all the advantages that our ancestors only dreamed about. From having the right to vote, to being able to own land and manage our own earnings, modern women have come a long way.
Women's Fitness Quote: Physical Fitness is Not a matter of Chance, it is a matter of Choice." You have one life to live, Choose Fitness…
Fully dedicated to women's fitness and health, the Fitness4Her™ Diet and Exercise program will help you lose weight and get in shape without ever having to count a single calorie. Learn to live life to it's fullest, love food, enjoy exercise and celebrate the beauty in you. ~ Karen
Women today have all the advantages that our ancestors only dreamed about. From having the right to vote, to being able to own land and manage our own earnings, modern women have come a long way.
If you feel like you just don't want to exercise maybe you need a boost in your motivation. It helps to try new things when you need to trick your mind to comply. If you've never tried imagery to help you get motivated, I've outlined the steps to help you get started.
Sweet and delicate, halibut is a flavorful fish that makes this meal heavenly. A white fish, with few bones, halibut steaks are a favorite of mine. Pay careful attention when cooking and don't overcook.
Pregnancy is a very special time. It is a time of excitement, anticipation and joy. It is also a time during which your body experiences dramatic changes. These changes can be overwhelming and some women feel they have lost control of their body. During this time, it is important to remember that this is a normal, natural part of pregnancy. Additionally, your health has never been more important. A useful tool during pregnancy to help maintain a healthy lifestyle is a fitness journal.
It's not easy to stick to a diet, not in a world of advertisements for food that is not the best for our health. Couple that, with the easiness of fast food, both at drive-through restaurants and convenience stores, it's no wonder that it's hard to stay on a diet.
Just like Mama used to make when I was down with the sniffles. This family favorite has the power to cure just about any ailment or at least make you feel better. Depending on the number of people you are feeding, you can add 1/2 cup chicken for each additional person, this recipe serves 4.
Great for a snack or lunch, this chicken sandwich is similar to one I had on vacation a few years ago. I can't remember the restaurant, but I loved the taste of spinach and basil with the chicken. Since then, I've been serving to my family and friends and everyone seems to enjoy it.
New diets, old diets or diets in between, anyone courageous enough to commit to a diet program is entitled to a little help now and then. That's why positive affirmations are so beneficial when you are trying to reach your goal. And you know how I feel about that…the goal to improve your body is as important as any goal on this planet.
Vitamin C is very important to our health, but our bodies cannot store this vital nutrient. That's why it's important to eat foods rich in Vitamin C every day. There are many misunderstood myths that abound about this magical fruit.
A great snack or dessert. This healthy take on a banana split won't leave you feeling guilty when you reach the end of the dish. Quite satisfying and delightful, this tempting treat is okay to eat.
A superb entree that I dedicate to my niece, this is her favorite. She's into women's fitness and loves working out at the gym but she is truly a meat and potatoes girl. This recipe makes 4 servings.
A back sprain is a ligament injury. The severity of the injury can range from mild to severe.
Sudden movements like a fall or car accident can cause injury to the ligaments because the muscles don't have time to react. When the muscles don't have time to react and contract enough to keep the spine within its normal range of motion, it causes the back ligaments to stretch or tear.
Starting a diet isn't always easy, but there are times when something in our lives propels us forward and we begin a diet program that is fast and effective. However, after a while, our motivation begins to wane causing our resolve to weaken, paving the way for us to fall temptation to some of our old ways of eating. I find when that occurs it always helps to hear some new diet tips. If not new, perhaps a different twist on an old one.
These are great when served with Steak Diane, so creamy…but low in fat! For a successful women's fitness program, a diet low in fat will bring quicker results. Twice baked potatoes have a way of sounding fattening. But they won't be if you prepare them with this recipe. Enjoy!
You've finally begun an exercise program and you've been working really hard at it. You want to make sure you are getting the best results for all of your hard work but you aren't really sure if it will pay off or not. What you need are some exercise tips. Sometimes, just reading tips that others use will increase your focus on your fitness goals. Try them and see—they just may work for you too.
This is my favorite! You know, the usual Caesar salad can be extremely high in calories and fat. But you can always find a healthy version of most all of your favorite foods. That's what a healthy lifestyle and women's fitness is all about. Enjoying a healthier life without having to sacrifice all the foods you love.
Face it, we are all busy. Those of us trying to juggle a family and our countless other responsibilities may feel pulled in many directions. With such time constraints it is often easy to put ourselves and our individual needs last.
Unfortunately this attitude can take a toll on not only our fitness but also our health. Do you feel like you don't have time to work out? No time to prepare a healthy meal? You are not alone. With some planning and by incorporating a family fitness journal into your life you can make your health and the health of your family a priority.
A great alternative to regular white potato French fries, these sweet treats are so good they are addictive. The chili powder, garlic powder and parmesan cheese toppings add sophisticated flavor to these tasty taters.


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Diabetes was first described in Egypt about 3,500 years ago. The name diabetes means "to pass through," referring to the frequent urination that occurs in diabetics. The urine also contains glucose, a sugar, hence the name mellitus from the Latin mel which translates to honey. In fact, many physicians in years past diagnosed the disease by watching the attraction of insects, particularly ants, to a patient's urine. Some bold physicians even went so far as to do a little taste test (thank goodness for the development of the urine dipstick)!
I've received a request to write about thyroid gland problems. Thyroid problems are fairly common in a family medicine setting. For those who don't know what a thyroid is or does, keep reading.
The thyroid is an endocrine gland found in the neck. Endocrine glands produce hormones and secrete them into the bloodstream. The hormones then travel around the body and facilitate various biologic functions by interacting with cells in different tissues. Hormones are like microscopic fingers that flip switches on cells to make the cells perform particular functions.
An adult patient has asked me to write about night terrors. While night terrors can be seen in adults, they are much more common in children. It's hypothesized that this is due to their developing brains.
Night terrors are a subclass of sleep disorders termed "parasomnias." Rather than focus specifically on adults, I'll also cover kids. People who exhibit parasomnias often have family members who suffer from them as well. Virtually all of these conditions go away with time.
I received a request from a reader to address sciatica. She and some of her family members are suffering terribly from this condition. Rather than address just sciatica, I thought I would address the broader topic of neuropathic pain or "neuralgia."
Neuropathic pain is just that – pain that originates from the nerve itself. This pain is usually related to some type of physical injury to the nerve but sometimes the nerve can just malfunction and act like it's been injured. Common causes of neuralgia other than physical trauma include diabetes, herpes virus infections (shingles or Zoster), nerve compression and cancer. Many cases are "idiopathic," meaning there is no obvious cause.
Believe it or not, kids are starting summer practices in preparation for fall sports. That means it's time for another round of sports physicals. Many of our youth participate in some type of organized school sport. The IHSAA requires high school athletes to have a yearly Pre-Participation Examination (PPE). Many junior highs or middle schools and even elementary schools are now requiring them before allowing athletes on the field.
Unfortunately, some athletes and families see the PPE a bothersome hurdle and want to get it over with as quickly as possible. This mind set has resulted in schools or other organizations setting up mass screenings for athletes. These cattle calls usually involve setting up multiple "stations" to complete the PPE. For example, one station might review the athlete's medical history, another might do the blood pressure, another the heart and lung exam, etc.
I've seen a fair number of cases of swimmer's ear in the last few weeks. We tend to see more cases of this in hot, humid weather, but it can also be brought on by other conditions.
The medical term for swimmer's ear is otitis externa, indicating inflammation of the external ear. This is in contrast to the more common otitis media, or inflammation of the middle ear (the part of the ear behind the ear drum).
The number of people who suffer from swimmer's ear is about four per 1,000 per year, or about three to five percent of the population. It afflicts males and females in equal numbers and tends to present between seven and twelve years of age.
I had a request to write about lupus. Lupus is the shortened name of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. It is an autoimmune disease first described by the physician Rogerius in the 12th Century. There are many opinions regarding the origin of the name "lupus." One of the most popular is that the rash on the face of many lupus sufferers resembles a wolf's face. Lupus is Latin for wolf.
Autoimmune diseases are a group of illnesses caused by a person's immune system attacking their own body. In the case of lupus, the immune system makes antibodies against proteins in the nuclei of cells, where the DNA is found. It is believed that people who develop lupus have an underlying genetic predisposition to the disease. There is no single "lupus gene." It appears to involve problems with multiple genes.
Spring & early summer rains bring news reports of West Nile virus. West Nile is a virus that is spread to humans by mosquitos.
Many people wonder what a disease named "West Nile" is doing in Indiana. Shouldn't it be called "West Sugar Creek," "West Wabash" or "West White?" The name is derived from the first description of the disease in 1937 in a woman living in the West Nile District of Uganda.
The virus first appeared in non-human mammals in the Western hemisphere in 1999. Shortly thereafter, it was found in humans around New York City, then rapidly spread across the U.S. The number cases has been slowly dropping. There were 2,122 reported cases of West Nile infection and 85 deaths in the U.S. in 2014. Indiana had nine infections and no deaths.
The virus has an interesting life cycle. Its primary reservoir is in birds where it reproduces in large numbers. The sentinel appearance of dead birds often precedes an outbreak of West Nile in other mammals and humans. Mosquitoes feed on the birds and then may eventually bite humans and transmit the virus. The virus survives over the winter in mosquitoes that live in warmer underground locations.
We're just starting to enter barbecue season and it's a good time to review food safety. Food-borne illness is something that almost all of us have experienced at some point in our lives.
Food-borne illness is defined as more than two people having a similar illness with evidence of food as the source. The overall rate of these illnesses has gone down drastically in the last century with improvements in food handling and sanitation. However, we still hear about illness outbreaks.
There are approximately 76 million cases of food-related illness in the United States each year. There are also about 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. Underdeveloped countries, as a group, experience about one billion cases annually and four to six million deaths.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that 97 percent of all cases of food-borne illness comes from improper food handling. Most of these (79 percent) are from commercial establishments, while the other 21 percent originate in the home.
"All parts of the body if used in moderation and exercised in labors to which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy and well developed, and age slowly; but if unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth, and age quickly." - Hippocrates
Few things benefit the body more than maintaining physical fitness. While doctors have typically recommended exercise for younger patients, we're realizing how important it is for our older patients as well. Regular exercise, even in one's senior years, can still reduce your risk of a number of health conditions, particularly heart attacks and strokes.
Most communities are blessed to have many options available for exercise, especially those that are supervised. I prefer these activities because a trained professional typically leads the group. This person can make recommendations to get the most out of the program in the safest way possible.
Why is regular exercise so important for seniors? You may have noticed that as our bodies age a number of physiologic changes occur. We lose muscle mass and tone, leading to weakness, reduced flexibility, and problems with balance. Our bones become weaker from a lack of weight-bearing activity. Balance problems and weak bones lead to falls and broken bones. Our hearts and lungs can get out of shape causing reduced stamina and difficulty breathing with activity.


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"Get a load of the Smokey Bacon Maple Bar at Frost Doughnuts. Mmm, yummy
bacon. We get these on occasion at Uber but it's way too good to have
it all the time."
Via the Examiner
Jun 09, 2010 at 10:49 AM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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| Digg This
We had so many awesome submissions for our Design your Dream Doughnut contest, it was nearly impossible to pick finalists. Thankfully choosing a winner was in your hands!
Of the hundreds of submissions we received, there were several that we wanted to highlight as honorable mentions.
Most Unique
"Hoji-cha cha cha" by Scott WalkerAs Scott describes... "Mix hojicha (roasted green tea) into the doughnut batter. Glaze with hojicha based glaze, drizzle with white chocolate, and sprinkle black sesame seeds on top."
"Bacon Beer Goggles"
by Ken Pacquer
As Ken describes... "What could be better than beer? Or bacon? Or doughnuts? How about all three together at last? It'll make the whole world look more beautiful."
Most Gourmet
"Summer Shiso Surprise"
by Steven Ishmael
As Steven describes... "Original bismarck (topped with caramel instead of chocolate) infused with Marjoram injected with Shiso & Green Apple custard and a sprinkle of sea salt. Marjoram would give the outer shell a great floral herb note, and the shiso/green apple combination would be a very refreshing summer flavor! The salt would help intensify the sweet tartness of the entire doughnut. A festive play on the caramel covered apple!"
Most Unusual
"The Unbelievably Good Bismarck Bar"
by Helen Walworth
As Helen describes... "Smokey Bacon Maple Bar filled with chocolate-garlic pudding."
Best/Funniest Name
"Lime in the Coco-doughnut"
by Kim Latshaw
As Kim describes... "Coconut cake doughnut topped with lime glaze (or lime frosting)...with a few coconut flakes sprinkled on top for some extra flair!"
Most Calories
"These are a Few of My Favorite Things"
by Brett Wise
As Brett describes... "Raised doughnut covered in chocolate frosting, Oreo cookie crumbles, bacon crumbles, and drizzled with peanut butter."
Most Outrageous
"Raised Pizza Glaze"
by Michelle Ellen
As Michelle describes... "I'm envisioning a raised glazed doughnut, except instead of the glazed part, it would have pizza toppings. Hear me out! The dough would still be slightly sweet, but the "glaze" would be a light tomato-basil sauce, topped with little shredded mozzarella 'sprinkles'!"
Best Story/Description
"Bronx Rainbow Cookie Doughnuts"
by Harrison Aviles
As Harrison describes... "My idea for the perfect doughnut brings me back to my younger days, and my Sicilian Grandmother who used to tell me stories of the famous "rainbow" cookies our family loves and raves about. I am sure it's the sentiments, yet, I am visualizing baking these doughnuts in layers of color for the rainbow effect, then cut the doughnuts and double dip them in thick rich dark chocolate, and colorful sprinkles all over the finished doughnuts. The cake doughnut would have to be rich and have that "rainbow" almond flavor which reminds us of growing up in the Bronx. Rainbow doughnuts would rule the world!"
With so many great submissions we can only feature a few, but don't be surprised if you see some (or similar) in our display case one day!
Thanks again for making this such a fun contest!
Jun 07, 2010 at 11:07 AM in New Flavors, News | Permalink
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Thank you to everyone who participated in our National Doughnut Day event yesterday! We all had a great time and we hope you did too!
The votes are in for our Design your Dream Doughnut contest!
Wow, was this close! There were no more than 4 votes separating the three finalists! Everyone clearly loved each one of the flavors, and so did we! But, there can be only one winner...
CONGRATULATIONSJennifer Byass-Rascoe and her "Aloha Fritter"!
Jennifer wins a $100 FROST Gift Card and we will be adding her fritter to our lineup in the coming weeks!
The TIn Roof Sundae and Almond Joy Bismarck were very popular as well, so don't be surprised if they make their way into our case at some point as well!
A sincere thank you to everyone who entered and voted. This was a fun contest and we are certain to do it again!
Jun 05, 2010 at 11:04 AM in Media + Press, New Flavors, News | Permalink
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It was extremely difficult but we somehow managed to select three finalists for our "Design your Dream Doughnut" contest! We were so excited to see so much creativity and attention to detail in your submissions! FROST fans rock!
Because we could only select three finalists, here's some of the criteria we used to make our picks:
Nearly every entry we received made our mouths water, but these three finalists met all of our criteria - and we think you'll love them. So without further adieu, here they are:
Jennifer Byass-Rascoe"Aloha Fritter - Take all the ingredients that are in pineapple upside-down cake: pineapples, cherries, and brown sugar and make it into a yummy fritter!"There were numerous delicious suggestions for pineapple upside-down cake inspired doughnuts. This one in particular sounded delicious in the form of a fritter!
Michael Kluck"Tin Roof Sundae - Do you like Tin Roof Sundaes? This creation stars a delicious vanilla cake doughnut with chocolate frosting topped with salty red-skin Spanish peanuts and completed with a caramel drizzle."
We loved the Spanish peanut element of this suggestion. The salty/sweet combination sounds uniquely irresistible!
Alana Nawaa"Almond Joy Bismarck - A regular Bismarck doughnut with coconut cream filling, chocolate frosting, and topped with coconut and almond pieces."
With so many requests for coconut varieties (and many entries similar to this one), we went with Alana's entry that was simple and would taste close to it's namesake.
Stop in tomorrow during our National Doughnut Day event from 5pm-Closing and sample these three new flavors and vote for your favorite! The winner's flavor will be featured in the lineup at FROST and they will win a $100 FROST Gift Card!
Tomorrow we'll also be giving "Honorable Mentions" for some of the most unique, wacky, and elaborate submissions we received!
See you tomorrow!
Jun 03, 2010 at 09:16 PM in Media + Press, New Flavors, News | Permalink
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All entries must be received by Wednesday, June 2, 11:59am.
All entrants must be 18 or over. Entrants under 14-17 may participate with parental permission. You must register to enter at the shop by 5:00pm. Contest will occur between 5:30-6pm. Winner will be chosen by FROST at it's sole discretion and results will be deemed final. Entry into and participation in eating contest is at your own risk. FROST Doughnuts, Frostology LLC, or it's affiliates shall be held harmless in the event of any injury or other adverse effect caused by participation in the contest. Please visit the store for more details or questions.
May 28, 2010 at 02:45 PM in Media + Press, News, Special Offer | Permalink
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A new business was moving into the Mill Creek Town Center. But tarp
curtains obstructed the view of what was brewing behind the large-paned
windows. The only clue was a single newly invented word — "Frostology."
Apr 30, 2010 at 10:47 AM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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Apr 15, 2010 at 02:56 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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by Tom Cole, Etta's
Apr 12, 2010 at 01:14 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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Mar 26, 2010 at 01:17 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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photo: Julien Perry
Mar 02, 2010 at 11:21 AM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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FROST has been featured in the March 2010 issue of Sunset Magazine!
The "Northwest Editor's picks" section features some of the region's best. not-to-be-missed destinations.
Featured is FROST's Smokey Bacon Maple Bar. "The quarter-pound best seller is possibly the first doughnut popular enough to generate a reservation system", says writer Jess Thompson, "call ahead and ask a staffer to set a few aside; they sell out early".
Sunset Magazine is available at newsstands everywhere.
Feb 22, 2010 at 01:39 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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Join participating merchants of the Mill Creek Town Center as we give back to our favorite charities during our 1st Annual "Have a Heart" campaign!
Each participating retailer will be featuring it's own offer that will benefit their chosen charity. At FROST Doughnuts, when you purchase our upcoming "Lulu Valentine Rum Cake" doughnut, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Lifelong AIDS Alliance here in Seattle.
"As always, we wanted to choose a local charity that directly benefits Washington residents in need. Lifelong AIDS alliance is not only committed to preventing the spread of AIDS, but they provide practical support services to local residents living with HIV and AIDS", said Daniel Sterling, FROST founder. "I have always been impressed with the positive impact Lifelong has made in the region."
The "Have a Heart" campaign officially begins February 5th through the 14th. You can pick up the Have a Heart 2010 Giving Guide at these participating Mill Creek Town Center retailers:
Paddywack, FROST Doughnuts, Artis Photography, Boston's Pizza, Color Me Mine, Eye Society, Lil Lads n' Lasses, Nest Home & Gifts, Lady D's Garden of Lavender, Musings Artist Inspired, CLIX Portrait Studio, Firestation Deli, Active Martial Arts, Opal, Belle Provence, and Blazing Onion.
Feb 01, 2010 at 04:54 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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Jan 27, 2010 at 04:23 PM in New Flavors, News | Permalink
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FROST Doughnuts in Mill Creek Town Center announced their Valentine holiday flavor line-up today. "With the celebration just around the corner, we will be offering an array of new FROST Doughnut creations," explain FROST co-owners Del Hernandez and Daniel Sterling, the master-minds behind the inspired FROST Doughnut flavor profiles.
We are also introducing the new Frostini Duets package: eight Frostini (FROST's version of the classic "doughnut hole") paired with a coordinating dipping sauce in a grab-and-go container." At launch, flavors to be offered are: (More flavor pairings will follow):
FROST Valentine Holiday Flavors:Note: We will also have a variety of sprinkle varieties featuring hearts and valentine colors for the week leading up to Valentine's Day. We will also be featuring HEART SHAPED BISMARCKS in our traditional flavors.
Lulu Valentine's Pecan Rum CakeNamed after Daniel's mom who's birthday is the day before Valentine's Day (and her middle name is "Valentine"), this special vanilla cake doughnut is laced with top-shelf rum, delicately glazed and topped with pecans. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the Lulu Valentine between Feb. 5 and Feb 14 will be donated to Seattle's Lifelong AIDS Alliance.
Strawberry Shortcake BismarckStrawberries are layered between two Bismarck halves, nestled among fluffy vanilla crème.
Jan 20, 2010 at 02:54 PM in Media + Press, New Flavors, News | Permalink
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Join FROST and many of Seattle's most celebrated restaurants at the 2010 Seattle Food & Wine Experience! We will be serving miniature "taster" varieties of our most popular flavors, and pairing them with wines from around the Pacific Northwest.
Along with FROST, some of the attendees include: Andaluca, Artisanal Brasserie, Earth & Ocean, The Hunt Club, Pearl, Ray's Boathouse, Salty's on Alki, Ruth's Chris Steak House...and many more along with wines from 10 countries!
This will be a fantastic event for food & wine lovers! To learn more, visit the event's website at:http://seattlefoodandwineexperience.com/
You can purchase tickets for the event here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/76445
Jan 12, 2010 at 01:07 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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We have launched a Frequently Asked Questions page to address some of those question that get, well... frequently asked!
We'll be adding new questions as they arise. Take a moment and have a look... you may learn something new about FROST!
Jan 08, 2010 at 06:36 PM in News | Permalink
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We are excited to announce the launch of the all-new frostology.com! The new FROST Doughnuts website is loaded with great features, such as a Daily Flavor Calendar and a fully browse-able Flavor Menu!
Jan 05, 2010 at 01:47 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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FROST Doughnuts in the Mill Creek Town Center hit 3,000 Facebook Fans today, awarding the 3,000th fan a $50.00 gift card.
"We are extremely excited about our continued growth in Social Networking", said owner Daniel Sterling, "The enthusiasm for FROST continues to exceed our expectations".
Dec 29, 2009 at 12:09 PM in Media + Press, News | Permalink
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Good News! FROST will be open on New Year's Day!
New Year's Eve: 6am - 4pmNew Year's Day: 10am - 6pm
We're pretty sure the Smokey Bacon Maple Bar will cure just about any hangover... so stop in and see us!
Dec 28, 2009 at 07:25 PM in News | Permalink
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For a limited time, get 2x the Rewards Points for every dollar you spend on Mondays!
Dec 27, 2009 at 06:49 PM in Rewards, Special Offer | Permalink
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The secrecy surrounding the "signing" into law of the 2013 Appropriation Act by President Goodluck Jonathan is sparking concerns across the country.
Analysts believe that, technically, no budget has been signed since some conditions were attached and the document sent back to the National Assembly for alteration.
That the Federal Ministry of Finance also failed to provide a breakdown of the "signed" budget also points to the fact that the "signing" was merely cosmetic. The president signed the budget in secret, defying the known tradition of previous years when it was done in full public glare, fuelling suspicion that the budget may not have been signed.
The suspicion is further fuelled by the failure of the finance ministry to make available a breakdown of the signed budget unlike in the past when details of the signed budget were readily available to allow for public analysis.
According to Wale Abe, chief executive officer of the Financial Market Dealers Association of Nigeria (FMDA), signing a public document like the budget of the country behind closed door means that the budget has not been signed.
Okechukwu Unegbu, former president of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), said that, as it were, there is no way anybody can implement such a budget.
Samir Gadio, a London-based emerging markets strategist with Standard Bank, said the final shape of the 2013 Appropriation Bill will hopefully be made public in the near future.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the decision to keep sealed lips over the breakdown is not unconnected to the grey areas identified in the budget approved by the National Assembly (NASS).
An inside source at the Ministry of Finance told LEADERSHIP that the executive has decided not to accept the major alterations made to the 2013 budget by the NASS. Among the areas of disagreement between the executive and the legislature are the inclusion of constituency projects in the budget and the provision of zero budget for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Accordingly, it has decided not to make the breakdown public until the differences are sorted out.
The president signed the budget in the understanding that that the Act is to be further referred to the National Assembly for amendment to accommodate some of the hitherto grey areas that the two parties had reached consensus on.
While President Jonathan sent a budget of N4.92 trillion to the National Assembly for approval last October, the National Assembly returned an approved budget of N4.98 trillion, that is, N63 billion higher.
Sketchy highlights of the signed budget gleaned by LEADERSHIP indicated that the National Assembly had increased statutory transfers from N380.02 billion proposed by the executive to N338.97 billion. Also the capital expenditure was jacked up from N1.54
trillion to N1.62 trillion while the recurrent expenditure was reduced from N2.412 trillion proposed by the executive to N2.38 trillion, indicating a difference of N26 billion. Only the provision for debt service was left untouched at N591.76 billion.
Gadio said, at this stage, it appears that the National Assembly has been successful in raising the oil price benchmark to USD79 per barrel versus USD75 per barrel in the draft put forth by the finance ministry. This is consistent with the multi-year stance of parliament which has typically sought to impose a more expansionary fiscal stance than that proposed by the government.
"There are few countries in Africa where parliament systematically pushes spending up, even though it is controlled by the same party that won the presidential contest," said Gadio.
In this context, one can understand why the MPC of the CBN recommended creating an independent body that would set up the oil price benchmark based on tangible economic fundamentals and oil price projections.
An upward trend in the oil price benchmark in coming years would be problematic not only because the oil price is unlikely to increase sizeably from current levels, but also given that the effective fiscal breakeven point has generally been much higher as illustrated by the modest accumulation of Excess Crude Account (ECA) proceeds (only USD9.2 billion [3.5 per cent/GDP]).
In solving the benchmark puzzle, Unegbu wondered how a board which will not implement the budget of a company force on the managing director what the budget midget must be.
Abe said the only thing the National Assembly could do is to ensure close monitoring of budget implementation.
Gadio went further to say that the reality is that the budget of the federal government is only a part of the fiscal puzzle in Nigeria.
What really matters is the federally consolidated fiscal position at the three-tier level (including the budget of the federal government and states) that also factors in above-the-line expenditure and the balance of the excess crude account.
This aggregate approach would be in line with international best practice since one would be able to compare Nigeria's overall revenue as a country (rather than federal government revenue) with total public expenditure across the board.
"At this stage, only the IMF attempts to calculate this ratio (-0.4 per cent/GDP in 2012; expected 2.8 per cent/GDP in 2013), but the Nigerian authorities have yet to provide similar estimates".
"Even in the absence of precise and official federally consolidated fiscal figures, we suspect Nigeria's fiscal position is balanced at best despite the elevated oil price as illustrated by the marginal proceeds of the excess crude account.
Indeed, the excess crude account is, in a sense, the residual of the fiscal equation in Nigeria and a key indicator to monitor in this regard", said Gadio.
Meanwhile, the presidency has declared that, contrary to the claims of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, the nation's economy is not in danger of collapse as all globally recognised indices indicate that the Nigerian economy is stable and on an upward beat.
A statement signed by the senior special assistant to the president on public affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, described the claim by the ACN as lacking in substance and runs contrary to the verdicts of reputable international rating agencies who have consistently upgraded the country's economic ratings in the last one and a half years.
According to the presidency spokesman, contrary to the claim of the ACN that the cost of producing a barrel of oil had "skyrocketed" to 35 dollars in 2012 from 4 dollars in 2002, the actual cost of production stands at approximately 17 dollars per barrel. The cost of oil production per barrel had never risen as high as the opposition claims.
Even at the height of restiveness in the Niger Delta area and its consequential effect on the upstream oil sector, the per barrel cost of oil production in Nigeria never rose above 18 dollars.
When compared with a sum of between 50 and 70 dollars per barrel spent on production of shale oil by the United States of America, the cost of producing oil in Nigeria, which is 17 dollars per barrel, as well as a prevailing sale price of over 100 dollars per barrel does not support the alarming claim of the opposition, he said.
The statement added that the second leg upon which the ACN based its wrong assertions is similarly laden with deceptive undertones. "For a fact, there are incidents of crude oil theft which had existed for several decades before this administration came on board. However, the truth is that this is currently being tackled through proactive steps by the government.
The opposition is most probably aware of the fact that President Jonathan recently secured the cooperation of the prime minister of the United Kingdom and the French president on measures to prevent refineries in Europe from buying crude oil stolen from Nigeria.
"Similarly, the Jonathan administration has provided more and better surveillance boats for the Nigerian Navy to enhance patrol of our coastal waters. This has resulted in arrest of several vessels engaged in oil theft and these were well reported in the Nigerian print and electronic media."
The presidency drew the attention of the opposition political party to the Petroleum Industry Bill currently before the National Assembly which, it said, was conceived by President Jonathan to provide for best practice processes for acreage availability, bidding and awards and therefore address the problems of dwindling oil and gas exploratory opportunities and corruption, among other problems in the sector.
It added that the need to diversify the Nigerian economy and reduce dependence on oil has also been the driving force of the federal government's massive investment in agriculture in a manner unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria. "In the year 2012 alone, the agricultural sector accounted for over 75 per cent of all non-oil export, the highest output in 25 years."
While agreeing that there is indeed a need to reduce the cost of governance at all tiers of government in Nigeria, the statement explains that that President Jonathan has shown practical commitment through a reduction in recurrent expenditure from 74 per cent in 2011 to 71 per cent in 2012 and 68 per cent in the 2013 budget, adding that the medium-term target is to reach 60 per cent recurrent expenditure.
The statement said it is of concern that a political party, individual or any organisation worth its salt would choose to ignore the positive rating of the Nigerian economy by reputable international rating agencies in the last one and a half years of the Jonathan administration but rather conjure imaginary figures to make wild claims.
"One wonders if the ACN would have ignored the ratings by Fitch, Standard & Poor's, Moody's and JP Morgan if those bodies had turned in a negative verdict on the Nigerian economy.
The only conclusion one can draw from this is that the opposition has once again chosen the myopic and jaundiced path of public policy analysis rather that base its assessment on verifiable, objective indices.
Unfortunately, a matter as sensitive as a nation's economy ought not to be subjected to this fashion of blind politicking."
While assuring Nigerians that the federal government remains committed to implementing sound economic policies and development of the nation's infrastructure, the presidency urged politicians to exhibit statesmanship in addressing issues of critical nature rather than seeking to score cheap points in a desperate manner.


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Dark Tantrums brings a full on energetic set loaded with heavy weightlines! This will be a popular podcast! Watch the full video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFTqms...
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monogammee2 years agoReplyDelete and block
Pure destruction, loved the set.
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Mikelpiper2 years agoReplyDelete and block
its just shattered my windows lol......shit hot!!!!!
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dlb_23 years agoReplyDelete and block
This was a wicked ass set, well done!
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T1ZZL33 years agoReplyDelete and block
It's better than a cup of coffee and almost as good as a beer or 12. I like it. keep it up.
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drscagpoople3 years agoReplyDelete and block
Tasty tasty jams! All night long or first thing in the morning, it's all gooooood!


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Kahnawake attractions are listed below. Find things to do in or near Kahnawake, QC for your upcoming individual or group travel for Kahnawake visitors. We also offer the great discounts on Kahnawake Quebec hotel and motel rooms.
Attractions + Things To See in Kahnawake
... Next 6 Things to see > [1 - 6 of 30]


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Ignoring the details and going for the big picture this month is your best bet when dealing with stressful things and people until well into lunch time on the 28th of April. Map reading and specific co-ordinates should be avoided in preference to pointing generally in front and waving your finger in a circle.
Animals with big eyes should be avoided as they invariably have pointy claws which could, in the worst cases, grab you by the shoulder and carry you off screaming helplessly in the air on the 7th of the month.
This month your destiny is like a two for one offer for fresh vegetables with only one day left on the best before date and no time to eat both purchases before the best before date expires..
feature is brought to you by theVoiceofReason.com


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Kendal nightlife
How to have a good night out in Kendal
The Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal (122a Highgate, Kendal LA9 4HE; +44 1539 725133; www.breweryarts.co.uk) is a haven for live music and arthouse cinema, with no less than three cinemas, a theatre and a music venue. Check out the Intro Bar and the Vats Bar, the latter with a daily pizza menu and bar snacks.
For a sundowner, the Hawkshead Brewery (Mill Yard, Staveley LA8 9LR: +44 1539 822644; www.hawksheadbrewery.co.uk) offers a chance to sample its beers and watch them being made in the vault-like Beer Hall.
For more information on nightlife, see my Lake District nightlife page.


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36 Packs Per Box, 6 Cards Per Pack
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