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IF you believe that books set in your neighborhood will somehow help your child love to read, then you would be lucky these days to be a parent in Brooklyn. Books for children by Brooklyn authors now match the similarly numberless books by Brooklyn-based authors for grown-ups.
And into this crowded field comes John Rocco's "Blackout," apparently set in Dumbo or another nearby locale that includes the Brooklyn Bridge in its deep space. "Blackout," as the title suggests, concerns a young boy whose classically nuclear family is busy with other stuff, at least until the sudden failure of the electrical grid. Remember: the quintessential New York City blackout of 1977 featured a lot of looting and disorderly conduct. Rocco's blackout seems to concern a lightly fictionalized version of the blackout of 2003. In this friendlier crisis, much of New York City (and, presumably, the rest of the Northeast) spread into the streets to relax, and was rewarded by restaurants intent on giving away what might otherwise go bad.
The 2003 blackout started at 4:11 in the afternoon, which would make impossible the beautiful and nearly monochromatic tonalities of Rocco's nighttime illustrations (rarely has a children's book featured so much unalloyed navy and black). Into the dramatic darkness, the unnamed protagonist and his family head up to the roof, where for once the stars are visible.
"Blackout" is about the restoration of a sense of community, not only within a family but in the larger context of a neighborhood. Once power is restored, our protagonist lobbies to turn off the lights electively, in order to preserve and continue with the experience of being together.
Rocco's parable of life off the grid is warm and sweet; my own daughter liked it a great deal despite being a little scared of the dark. My one minor criticism is that the airbrushed, stylish pages resemble a graphic novel more than a conventional picture book. Graphic novel visual syntax - the panels, the labels, the bubbles of text - assumes a visual fluency not all children will have. But this is a quibble.
An argument for turning off devices and spending more time with people (even if by candlelight), and for making an effort to gaze at a clearer night sky are fine suggestions, which kids will greet with their elastic capacity for wonder. Even if they're Brooklyn kids, used to thinking that all the books in the world are about their home.
Rick Moody's most recent novel is "The Four Fingers of Death."
Tearjerkers are a fixture in the dog book genre, but they are perhaps less prevalent in the kiddie division, which makes this enormously affecting Australian import so distinctive. While not the book parents would want to present alongside the new family puppy. "Harry & Hopper," the slory of a boy who loses his beloved dog, will provide literary comfort to any child mourning a pet of his own. Softly colored charcoal drawings add tenderness to this empathetic, bittersweet tale.
WOOF MEOW TWEET-TWEET Written and illustrated hy Cécile Boyer. 48 pp. Seven Footer Kids. $15.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8)
A high-concept portrait of the contrasting lifestyles of dog, cat and bird, "Woof Meow Tweet-Tweet" never once depicts the animals described within. Instead, each is portrayed by its "animal sound," whose letters are stretched, bent and amplified "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"-style to reflect the animal's movements and manner. Translated from the original French, the story is simple, but with animal noises added, young children will appreciate it read aloud.
CHARLIE THE RANCH DOG By Ree Drummond. Illustrated by Diane deGroat. 40 pp. HarperCollins. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8)
The one-woman blogging enterprise known as the Pioneer Woman, whose Web site tracks her path from city gal to ranch wife, has written her first children's book, a day in the life of her basset hound, Charlie. Described from Charlie's languorous perspective, ranch living is a round of hard labor, from sniffing the porch steps to supervising the activities of his peppier companion, Susie. DeGroat appealingly illustrates the bucolic setting, and Charlie agreeably channels his owner's down-homey twang.
PUSSYCAT, PUSSYCAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? By Dan Bar-el. Illustrated by Rae Maté. 32 pp. Simply Read Books. $16.95. (Picture book: ages 4 to 8)
Unbeknownst to many Mother Goose readers, a number of classic rhymes continue way past their well-known opening stanzas ("Old Mother Hubbard" is a particularly fine example), but here, Bar-el creates his own extension of the initial London rendezvous in "Pussycat, Pussycat." Traveling onward to Paris and Australia and over the midnight seas, the pussycat adventures through imaginative Chagall-style acrylic paintings. "Pussycat, Pussycat, will you stay home? / I always get restless, I always will roam." Take that, lazy cats.
MEET THE DOGS OF BEDLAM FARM, by Jon Katz. Illustrated. 32 pp. Holt. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8)
Another blog, another book: Kalz, the author of popular dog books for adults ("A Dog Year") makes a foray into children's books with an introduction to his four dogs. Rose herds sheep, Izzy visits sick people and Frieda guards the farm. But what, the book repeatedly asks, does Lenore do? Katz's photographs depicting the dogs' vastly different personalities are great fun for dog lovers and a fine lesson for dog fearers. Lenore, it turns out, makes sure everyone is happy. "Thanks to Lenore, the dogs are a family."
GRACIE THE LIGHTHOUSE CAT, written and illustrated by Ruth Brown. 32 pp. Andersen Press USA. $16.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 9)
This true story of a double rescue in 1838, in which Grace Darling, a lighthouse keeper's daughter, alerts her father to a storm-struck ship at the same time the lighthouse cat, Gracie, discovers one of her kittens is missing, is illustrated with lush, expressive paintings. From the cat's-eye view, the human drama, in which 13 people were saved, is relegated to backdrop. A historical note about Darling, a heroine in Victorian England, appears on the endpaper. PAMELA PAUL
A pair of biographies connect a pre-eminent primatologist's lifelong work to her childhood fascinations.
WHEN you consider Jane Goodall's happy British childhood, largely spent outdoors and filled with horses, dogs, chickens and pet turtles - earthworms tucked beneath her pillow at night - and her adult life as the world's pre-eminent authority on chimpanzees and an influential conservationist, you can't help wondering: why haven't there been more biographies of Goodall for young readers?
Two new picture books, "Me . . . Jane" and "The Watcher," help fill the gap, and both, wisely, connect Goodall's childhood to her later achievements. Even as a young girl, Goodall dreamed she would one day travel to Africa and become a naturalist - not an unusual childhood fantasy. But Goodall actually went on to study under the famed anthropologist Louis Leakey, and to work in Tanzania.
Her research methods were unconventional. Rather than assigning numbers to chimpanzees and studying their behavior from a distance, she immersed herself in the life of a chimpanzee troop, gradually winning its members' trust. The qualities of patience and observation she displayed as a child serve her well as a primatologist.
"The Watcher," by Jeanette Winter, a lively and elegant introduction to its subject, opens with 5-year-old Jane sitting in a chicken coop, determined to find out where eggs come from. Though the biography is conventional in its chronological account of Goodall's life, there is a poetic quality to the writing - a meter that tempts one to read the book aloud.
Winter's text is spare (''Jane quietly watched an English robin at her window for days and weeks"), and the artwork, with its strong colors and flat shapes, almost childlike. Her decorative style, pleasing as it is, fails to express the characters of the individual chimpanzees, an important part of the story. But the paintings arc more sophisticated than they might first appear. Patterned foliage echoes the rhythm of the words. Goodall is often a tiny figure in a rich landscape -a formulation that feels true to her story.
"Me ... Jane," by Patrick McDonnell (the creator of the comic strip "Mutts") takes a different approach. McDonnell, working with the cooperation of Goodall, makes no attempt to catalog the arc of her career. Instead, he writes about her childhood, which was spent in the company of a stuffed toy chimp named Jubilee and books like "The Story of Doctor Dolittle" and "Tarzan of the Apes."
With engravings of animals and natural artifacts stamped in soft colors and McDonnell's simple line and wash drawings. "Me ... Jane" evokes the charming journals of a child naturalist. Some of Goodall's own sketches and drawings are included, and they feel at home here. McDonnell's skill as a cartoonist enables him to express Goodall's joy, wonder and satisfaction with a simple stroke of the pen.
"Me ... Jane" ends with an illustration of Goodall falling asleep next to Jubilee "to awake one day ... to her dream come true." A moving photograph shows the adult Goodall reaching out to a baby chimpanzee, which is reaching back to her. The book closes with a page about the naturalist's life and work, and a heartfelt message from Goodall herself.
For any child interested in animals, exotic locales or how dreams can actually come true - have I left anyone out? -both books provide a satisfying and complimentary introduction to an extraordinary human being.
Following her dreams: Jane Goodall cherishes a stuffed toy in "Me . . . Jane," top, and lives among the chimpanzees in "The Watcher."
Steve Jenkins has written and illustrated many science-related books for children, including, most recently, "Time to Eat," written with Robin Page.
IN 1484, William Caxton, the man credited with introducing the printing press to England, brought Aesop to English speakers - and we've been reading him ever since. Aesop has been a part of the nursery for so long it is hard to imagine a jailed Socrates, awaiting execution, deciding that nothing is more important than turning the Greek slave's fables into poetry. Like the stories Plato called old wives' tales, these fables have become part of the cultural bloodstream, passing wisdom from one generation to the next.
It was John Locke who urged parents to give their children an edition of Aesop with "pictures in it," and John Tenniel, Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane and Arthur Rackham were among the artists who illustrated the fables, enlivening them with images that turned the stories into visceral hits with young readers. Animals have always made fine characters, and none more so than Aesop's pleasure-seeking grasshoppers, vain crows and brash hares.
Aesop himself, however, remains something of an enigma. We know very little about the man and do not have a single tale written in his hand. The name, in fact, may be nothing more than a construct, much like Mother Goose.
Under the great umbrella of Aesop's name come three new variations in the form of a pop-up book of classic tales, a vibrantly illustrated anthology setting the less familiar fables in Africa, and a new picture-book version of "The Lion and the Mouse." All three remind us how skillfully these stories walk the line between playfulness and instruction, rarely succumbing to heavy-handed lessons. The current versions of Aesop seldom let the message take over, as did the "mush and milk" school of moralists who once tortured British schoolchildren. They tend to play down what the Greeks called the epimythium, the concluding statement about the wisdom to be derived from each fable.
In "Aesop's Fables: A Pop-Up Book of Classic Tales," illustrated by Chris Beatrice and Bruce Whatley, the morals appear in fine print on tiny white banners almost lost in the wow effects wrought by bursts of color on paper foldouts. In their telling of "The Lion and the Mouse" the king of the jungle leaps off the page spreading his paws in an effort to liberate himself from snares so magnificently formed they almost reach out to grab the reader. The golden egg laid by the goose shines so luminously from its pop-up nest we almost forget that its greedy owner killed the source of his wealth. If amped-up morals once overwhelmed the stories, here the images, in all their energetic elaboration, overpower the text in ways that might have troubled Locke but will not fail to entertain children today.
Beverley Naidoo, inspired by the presence of African animals in the thickets of Aesop's landscapes and by his so-called Libyan tales, in which people talk to animals, speculates, as some have before her, that Aesop's name is derived from "Ethiop" and that the storyteller hailed from Africa rather than from Thrace or Phrygia. The 16 fables she retells, whimsically illustrated by Piet Grobler, enshrine survival skills, often siding not with the weak and vulnerable but with the crafty and cruel. "Life is tough" in the menagerie of Aesop's world, Naidoo affirms in her introduction, and she shows respect for the more unforgiving fables by including one describing a tortoise "smashed into a thousand tittle pieces" for not realizing that "just wishing for something" - in this case, wings - won't make it happen.
But the Good Samaritan fables, rather than the harsher Darwinian tales, with their callous hawks and ambitious donkeys, often attract readers today. It is not surprising then that in choosing a fable Rand Burkert and Nancy Ekholm Burkert favor a soft approach to Aesop. Their "Mouse & Lion" is beautifully reimagined in soothing earth-tone watercolors for the younger reader.
Jerry Pinkney's rendition of the same tale, which won the 2010 Caldecott Medal, taught us you don't always need words to get lost in Aesop's fables. All three of these new volumes give us versions of the same story, with the Burkerts naming the mouse first (given that he does the lion's share of the work) and Naidoo adding high-wattage verbal drama to the zany energy of Grobler's illustrations. In a brilliant touch, Rand Burkert shows us, on the last page of "Mouse & Lion," a contented beast surrounded by tiny creatures: "That day, such small things made him happy!" It's a reminder that miniature forms can have monumental effects, both ethical and aesthetic.
Maria Tatar, director of the Program in Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University, is the author of "Enchanted Hunters: The Power of Stories in Childhood" and "The Annotated Peter Pan."
CHILDREN have demonstrated their endless appetite for stories about mice, from Geronimo Stilton to "The Tale of Despereaux" - the more courageous the better. Maybe it's because children are wired to be curious about the escapades of creatures even smaller than they are; or maybe the enthusiasm for rodents is yet another variation on what made "Toy Story" so appealing: We all love to imagine what's going on when we're not looking or in places we can't see, like behind the walls. Either way, mouse lit is a perennial favorite, and its enthusiasts will be tickled to discover two additions, both from veteran authors.
Richard Peck's witty and wise "Secrets at Sea" follows the Cranstons, a venerable mouse family (their lineage predates the Dutch in the Hudson River Valley) as they travel by steamship from New York to London, Helena's bossiness and protectiveness of siblings Louise, Beatrice and Lamont proves from the get-go that eldest mice share traits in common with their human counterparts. But Helena, who tells the story, wasn't born into this role; we immediately feel the void left by her dearly departed sisters who succumbed, along with the mouselings' parents, to the species' greatest enemies: hungry barn cat and brimming rain barrel.
So why would these water-fearing mice be willing to brave an Atlantic crossing? Because the Upstairs Cranstons, the family whose kitchen wall they call home, are bound for Europe to hunt down a husband for their hopelessly uncharismatic 20-year-old daughter, Olive, and the mouse Cranstons are nothing if not loyal. Moreover, Helena's peek into a crystal ball - a marble, actually - belonging to Aunt Fannie Fenimore, a sort of Yoda figure for mice, reveals that the voyage is the best way to avoid losing one sister to a nogoodnik boyfriend, and little mouse brother Lamont to a life of petty crime. After all, Helena realizes, "You can't go back, not in this life. You have to go forward." Human or vermin, these are words to live by.
And the Cranstons really do live it up at sea. Perched on spools, they gather around tables fashioned from yardsticks and alphabet blocks to dine alongside a "major infestation," a Who's Who of the mouse world, including the entire chorus of "The Nutcracker." They're dazzled by Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cheddar Gorge, a descendant of the Roqueforts and Mouse-in-Waiting to Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. They survive a lifeboat drill and weasel their way into a royal reception by clinging to the trains of their humans' ball gowns. People fall in love; so do mice. By the time the boat arrives at its destination, Cranstons of both persuasions have proved themselves a team, even though one half isn't aware of the existence of the other. Helena is sanguine when her humans fail to appreciate the rodents' efforts on their behalf - but isn't that always the way?
"Secrets at Sea" is Peck's 33rd novel for children; he won the Newbery Medal in 2001 and has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award for young people's literature. He has proved himself many times over as a storyteller - and now, definitively, as a humorist. Helena's tale is rife with snappy asides and clever but never heavy-handed mentions of mousecentric nursery rhymes like "Hickory Dickory Dock." These comic touches blend seamlessly with Peck's moving story, avoiding the buffoonery trap while still remaining accessible to young readers.
The same does not always hold true for "The Cheshire Cheese Cat." Children will undoubtedly be entertained by the book's premise: Skilley, a London alley cat who has no taste for mice, takes up residence at Ye Old Cheshire Cheese and strikes a cheese-for-amnesty deal with the mouse population, led by a literate charmer named Pip. But unless readers are well schooled in Victorian literature, they may be challenged by the authors' Dickensian references. Dickens himself even lurks around the famous public house, rubbing shoulders, with literary cronies like William Makepeace Thackeray and Wilkie Collins, and desperately casting about for a first line for his novel-in-progress. Whether you come to this book as an English major or as a cat lover, you will agree the first line of "The Cheshire Cheese Cat" is pure genius: "He was the best of toms. He was the worst of toms."
This joint effort from Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, illustrated charmingly by Barry Moser, might be best appreciated as a read-aloud. It is sure to spark dialogue about loyalty and bullying (Skilley's nemesis, Pinch, is a textbook tormentor); and Angloplules young and old will appreciate the tale of Maldwyn, an injured raven hiding out at the Cheese and plotting a return to his rightful role guarding the Tower of London.
"Secrets at Sea" may be likelier to inspire reading by flashlight after lightsout, but each tour of the miniature world is bewitching in its way. Readers will never again look at a thimble without wondering if it might have been used as a milk cup or ink pot by an industrious British mouse.
Elisabeth Egan is books editor at Self magazine.
EVEN in a literary cosmos populated by teenage wizards and smart alecks, the characters in Meg Wolitzer's first young adult novel might seem fantastical bordering on ridiculous. Kids obsessed with Scrabble? Who play in a national championship? With a first prize of $10,000? Come on.
Apart, however, from a protagonist with a magical power convenient for winning games, "The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman" is set in a world that is very real, and that Wolitzer knows well. Not only is she a tournament Scrabble player herself, one of her sons participated in the National School Scrabble Championship, which attracts 200 children to compete for a prize of, yes, $10,000.
Wolitzer gets the Scrabble right. She doesn't shy away from lingo like "Betsy's Feet" (a mnemonic for the letters that can be appended to KA to form acceptable three-letter words) or "bingo stem" (letters that can be combined with other letters to form words using all seven tiles).
But Scrabble is just a stage for Wolitzer's empathetic and sometimes farcical exploration of the emotionally confusing lives of preadolescent boys and girls searching for identity. Duncan Dorfman and his down-on-her-luck single mom move to her hometown, Drilling Falls, Pa., where she works a low-wage job and buys him shirts in hues of mustard, ketchup and relish. ("It could be a set," she says.) They live with her "box shaped" Aunt Djuna in a house with "squirrel colored" walls that smells of yams and beans, "the same way that the smell of brownie mix or roast chicken would float your way in other houses." At school, Duncan is nicknamed "Lunch Meat" after someone slaps a piece of bologna on his back. "Life was joyless - that was the best word for it."
But Duncan has a gift: he can "read" printed text without a glance, by running the fingers of his left hand over the words. When Duncan unveils his talent in the middle school cafeteria, the resident bully, Carl Slater, who was forced to join the Scrabble club but then discovered he liked the game, sees his potential as a partner: Duncan can feel the tiles inside the Scrabble bag. Meanwhile, in Oregon, brainiac April Blunt wants to prove to her family of jocks that Scrabble is indeed a sport. And in New York, Nate Saviano, a longhaired skateboarder pressed into fulltime Scrabble training by a father seeking to avenge his own loss in the championship 25 years earlier, longs for the day when "he'd never have to form the words KEF or OORIE or QANAT again."
The kids meet at the (renamed) Youth Scrabble Tournament in (Fictional) Yakamee, Fla. Duncan struggles with whether to use his power. Nate struggles with loyalty to his dad. As for April, I wish the book's main female character struggled with something other than longing for a boy she met once in a motel.
The tiles, and the behavior of the children and the adults, all fall into place, a bit more conveniently than they do in Scrabble or in life, or in Wolitzer's novels about midlife ennui. But the lessons learned are good ones, and it's hard to quibble with a story that brings together a tween in a mustard shirt and one with magenta hair to play a board game that promotes mental dexterity and linguistic ballet. Any kid who thinks it's cool that MARASCHINO is an anagram of HARMONICAS is cool with me. No wizardry required.
Stefan Fatsis is the author of "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players."
WHAT formative experiences make a great children's book illustrator? In the case of Allen Say and Ed Young, both Caldecott medalists, the journey begins with unusual childhoods in wartime Asia. Connecting the dots from those beginnings to what would become long and successful careers, "Drawing From Memory," by Say, and "The House Baba Built," by Young, both picture books, portray the authors and artists as not-yet men.
Allen Say, author of "Grandfather's Journey," which won the Caldecott in 1994, is known for his watercolor paintings; among Say's many books, only one, "The Ink-Keeper's Apprentice," forgoes artwork, even as it tells the story of his early artistic training. With "Drawing From Memory," Say reworks that unillustrated autobiographical middle-grade novel into a transporting hybrid of picture book and graphic memoir. In doing so, he shows just how evocative illustration can be in conveying a life to young readers.
"Drawing From Memory" begins in prewar Yokohama, Japan, where the precocious Say decides early on to become a cartoonist: "When I was drawing, I was happy. I didn't need toys or friends or parents." Yet he quickly learns to hide his art, particularly from his mostly absent and disapproving father. Soon, he is forced to flee. bomb-ridden Yokohama for the countryside. By the end of World War II, he says, "everything was broken," including Say's scattered family. Following an unusual deal with his grandmother - he gets an apartment in exchange for gaining admission to a prestigious Tokyo middle school - Say moves into a room of his own just before his 13th birthday, determined to become an artist.
Inspired by a newspaper article about a boy who walked 350 miles to apprentice himself to the renowned cartoonist Noro Shinpei, Say likewise walks through the famous artist's studio door. He re-emerges with a sensei - a master instructor - and a new name, Kiyoi, a mispronunciation of his pre-Westernized surname, Sei-I. Say's training with Noro-Sensei, whom Say lovingly refers to as his "spiritual father," lasts for several years, until Say emigrates to the United States. This memoir allows Say to acknowledge, six decades later, his lifelong bond to his teacher.
"The House Baba Built," illustrated by Ed Young with text as told to Libby Koponen, opens with another unconventional real estate exchange. With war approaching 1930s Shanghai, Young's engineer father, Baba, strikes an agreement with a wealthy landowner in an attempt to shelter his family in the city's safest neighborhood. He will design and build a big house with courtyards, gardens and a swimming pool, which he must then give to the landowner after his own family has lived there for 20 years.
The sprawling, three-story complex becomes a magical playground for Young and his four siblings and, soon, a safe haven for relatives and friends. With vibrant collages comprised of drawings, cutouts and manipulated photographs, Young, who won the Caldecott Medal in 1990 for "Lon Po Po," dreamily reconstructs his childhood. The fall of Nanjing, the arrival of a German refugee family and other wartime events figure in the background, but, Young says, "I knew nothing could happen to us within those walls."
"The House Baba Built" is as intricately constructed as his father's house, with pages that extend and open to reveal additional detail and memories. The first such spread depicts an overview of Baba's house, an oasis surrounded by a bustling Shanghai cityscape, its citizens dwarfed by the house's epic proportions. The final two facing-spreads, hidden behind a useful time line and author's note, open to simplified architectural line drawings of the house's interior, populated by cutouts of the family and friends who made Baba's house so welcoming.
Both books describe how family can guide artists in their early years. In Say's case, it was a chosen family; for Young, the extended family into which he was born. In "Drawing From Memory," Say, who outwardly faced greater adversity, reveals winking secrets to longtime readers about the ways his youth informed his later work: how he immortalized his mother's uncle as the curmudgeonly protagonist in "Once Under the Cherry Blossom Tree" (1974) and threw tiles from the same roof that appears on the cover of "The Ink-Keeper's Apprentice." He also shows how he channeled the cartoon ego his sensei created of him, decades later, in "The Sign Painter" (2000). All this is revealed through comics, line drawing, watercolor and half-century-old photographs, a combination that highlights Say's range and depth as both an illustrator and storyteller. Meanwhile, Young, whose childhood self was largely cocooned, uses a mix of media to depict disquieting reminders of things past: flocks of hovering crows, fading pictures, dark silhouettes and nameless faces as viewed from the safe haven within.
As if intended to be paired, the titles of these two remarkable books prove complementary: "Drawing From Memory the House Baba Built." In both artists' lives, art provides a refuge.
Terry Hong writes Smithsom'an Book-Dragon, a book review blog for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program.


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This article is part of the supplement: Selected articles from the First IEEE International Conference on Computational Advances in Bio and medical Sciences (ICCABS 2011): Bioinformatics
Exploring behaviors of stochastic differential equation models of biological systems using change of measures
Author affiliations
1 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando FL 32816 USA
2 Computer Science Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
3 Lane Center for Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
Citation and License
BMC Bioinformatics 2012, 13(Suppl 5):S8 doi:10.1186/1471-2105-13-S5-S8Published: 12 April 2012
Stochastic Differential Equations (SDE) are often used to model the stochastic dynamics of biological systems. Unfortunately, rare but biologically interesting behaviors (e.g., oncogenesis) can be difficult to observe in stochastic models. Consequently, the analysis of behaviors of SDE models using numerical simulations can be challenging. We introduce a method for solving the following problem: given a SDE model and a high-level behavioral specification about the dynamics of the model, algorithmically decide whether the model satisfies the specification. While there are a number of techniques for addressing this problem for discrete-state stochastic models, the analysis of SDE and other continuous-state models has received less attention. Our proposed solution uses a combination of Bayesian sequential hypothesis testing, non-identically distributed samples, and Girsanov's theorem for change of measures to examine rare behaviors. We use our algorithm to analyze two SDE models of tumor dynamics. Our use of non-identically distributed samples sampling contributes to the state of the art in statistical verification and model checking of stochastic models by providing an effective means for exposing rare events in SDEs, while retaining the ability to compute bounds on the probability that those events occur.

subset: commoncrawl


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NYC Parks Events Calendar
Get up, get out, and do something! Just about any day of the year, you can find something fun, informative, and healthy to enjoy at an area park. Feel free to browse the listings below, or use the search tools to find an event that matches your interests and location.
Viewing 9,291–9,300 out of 17,797 events
from December 4, 2012 (x) to April 25, 2026
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Latinos In Comics Exhibiton
at Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park), Bronx
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Over fifty pieces of work by Latinos in the comic book industry will be on display at the Poe Park Visitor Center.
Category: Art, Kids
Morning Fitness at Fort Tryon Park (Saturdays)
at Heather Garden (in Fort Tryon Park), Manhattan
8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Join us for one hour of walking, stretching, and strengthening exercises.
Category: Fitness, Outdoor Fitness
Shape Up NYC Zumba
at Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park), Bronx
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.
Combining Latin, international and popular music with dance moves that create an aerobic workout. This class features a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt…
Category: Fitness
Art In the Garden: Paul Lin & Botanical Therapeutic Art
at Queens Botanical Garden, Queens
9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Art In the Garden: Paul Lin- Botanical Therapeutic Art Tuesdays through Saturdays, January 20 to April 12 in the Visitor & Administration Building Gallery. (Note: The…
Category: Art
Health and Race Walking
at North Meadow Recreation Center (in Central Park), Manhattan
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Moderate to brisk walks led by the NY Walkers Club for people 18 years and older of all abilities. This low-impact fitness program is perfect for those who want to get in shape, build…
Category: Fitness, Seniors
ESL Advanced Class
at Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park), Bronx
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
The focus of this class will be on sharpening English language speaking, reading comprehension, and writing for Spanish-speaking adults.
Category: Education
Shape Up NYC Body Sculpting
at Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park), Bronx
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
This total body workout addresses muscle strength and endurance while keeping the heart rate up to burn calories. Enjoy fun, continuous movement to great music.
Category: Fitness
Family Art Project: Give the Winter Bird a Home and a Feeder
at Wave Hill, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Using recycled materials, make a little home or feeder for birds, and decorate it with natural materials to welcome in your new feathery friends.
Category: Arts & Crafts, Nature, Kids
Tai Chi Chuan
at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Quiet like a mountain, moving like a river, Tai Chi is a sequence of gentle movements based on images found in nature. In this hour-long class, Irving Yee, a member of the William CC…
Category: Fitness
GreenThumb Garden Registration & License Renewal
at GrowNYC Conference Room, Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Gardens must update their registration in order to remain in good standing (with no violations) to be eligible to receive supplies, assistance, and services.
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The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!
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July 2 2013, 09:15 PM
Fleet Admiral
Location: The Warped Sector of the Demented Quadrant
Re: The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!
Makes me wonder if they'll go hogwild and plaster the entire surface of the planet with every conceivable Episode VII toy and collectible possible or if recent experiences with merchandise fizzles and less-than-expected sales performances will lead them to scale back on Episode VII retail product compared to the three Prequels, which each saw an avalanche of stuff both great and crap arrive in stores.
Disney loves a good marketing scheme that's visible just about anywhere, so I imagine if there is a scaling-back compared to 1999-2005 it won't be that big of one.
"Human instinct is pretty strong. You can't expect us to change overnight."
-Jonathan Archer, 2151
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|ISSN 1088-6826(online) ISSN 0002-9939(print)
Correction to the paper ``Duality and flat base change on formal schemes''
Abstract | References | Similar Articles | Additional Information
Abstract: In §8.3 of our paper ``Duality and Flat Base Change on Formal Schemes" some important results concerning localization and preservation of coherence by basic duality functors were based on the false statement that any closed formal subscheme of an open subscheme of the completion of a relative projective space is an open subscheme of a closed formal subscheme of . In this note, the said results are provided with solid foundations.
Retrieve articles in Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society with MSC (2000): 14F99, 13D99, 14B15, 32C37
Retrieve articles in all journals with MSC (2000): 14F99, 13D99, 14B15, 32C37
Additional Information


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I've got this strange feeling that DanO will be managing this team more so than Narron. We'll see.Originally Posted by BRM
Maybe Dunn can get a start tonight.
I've got this strange feeling that DanO will be managing this team more so than Narron. We'll see.Originally Posted by BRM
Maybe Dunn can get a start tonight.
"My mission is to be the ray of hope, the guy who stands out there on that beautiful field and owns up to his mistakes and lets people know it's never completely hopeless, no matter how bad it seems at the time. I have a platform and a message, and now I go to bed at night, sober and happy, praying I can be a good messenger." -Josh Hamilton
I think it was the puppetmaster who gave the order to axe Miley and Gully, we can only hope that DanO is next.Originally Posted by TeamCasey
I believe this is more O'Brien's call than Narron's, and obviously, we know how O'Brien intends on addressing the issue....slowly.Originally Posted by Gallen5862
'When I'm not longer rapping, I want to open up an ice cream parlor and call myself Scoop Dogg.'
-Snoop on his retirement
Your Mom is happy.
From ESPN's Website:
CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds have fired manager Dave Miley, replacing him on an interim basis with Jerry Narron.
The Reds, at 27-43 this season, are mired in last place in the NL Central at 18.7 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. The club has struggled mightly on the road this season, going 6-24 away from Great American Ballpark.
Miley, who has managed Cincinnati since 2003, compiled a 125-164 record and was named Baseball America's Manager of the Year in 2004.
The Reds are in the midst of a three-game series at home against the Cardinals, dropping the first game Monday night 6-1. The second game in the set is Tuesday night.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
If things continue status quo now, then O'Brien goes. Remember, Miley wasn't his choice, Narron is one of his men. The rest of this season falls on Dan O'Brien.
My dad got to enjoy 3 Reds World Championships by the time he was my age. So far, I've only gotten to enjoy one. Step it up Redlegs!
Good start! But O'Brien should go at the end of the year!
What's wrong with right now? I'd rather have a competent GM making the deadline trades.Originally Posted by fs43340
It's all on O'Brien now. He's got his man in as manager. If the Reds continue to spiral out of control he will be the next one gone,although it will be after the season.
doesnt change anything imo. we still have that idiot oboring running things and lindner is still the owner.
I would guess, at least with the pitchers, Ruhle will want to have some time to evaluate the talent (ok, that is debatable) he was given....Originally Posted by BRM
I hate to be happy when someone loses their job, but Miley has lost control of the club and gullett just wasnt getting any production out of the staff he was given, except for harang.....
Ruhle is one of O'Brien's hires as well. It is entirely an O'Brien regime now.Originally Posted by cumberlandreds
My dad got to enjoy 3 Reds World Championships by the time he was my age. So far, I've only gotten to enjoy one. Step it up Redlegs!
He won't be though. Partly because Miley and Gullett were not really his hires and by replacing them with his guys he will have gained a little more time on the job. I also expect you will see enough improvement in both Milton and Ortiz to justify Gulletts firing. Quite a few pitchers have come to Cincy in the last few years and performed below career norms and a few more have left only to improve when they went elsewhere.Originally Posted by fs43340
So since Ruhle was there in '96 that means he was insturmental in developing what young pitcher for the Astro's...
Who Oswalt already in the system?
What is the direct effect he has on the pitchers there? Maybe that type thing will relate here.??
Last edited by RedsFan75; 06-21-2005 at 01:34 PM.
Hope Narron can turn it around.
With the talent we have, if I was Narron, I wouldnt be out there buying a new house to celebrate....cant see him here past season's end...Originally Posted by KearnsyEars
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.


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I'm at university and also have Boss Bottled. I really like it but everyone seems to have it. A few times people have said to me 'mmmm you smell like so and so'
Type: Posts; User: Mystery H; Keyword(s):
I'm at university and also have Boss Bottled. I really like it but everyone seems to have it. A few times people have said to me 'mmmm you smell like so and so'
It should just say it next to where the number of total reviews are
For example on Terre d'Hermes page, it says: Showing 6 out of a total of 186 reviews. Overall, it is 67.20% positive.
Ahh ok, sorry, I posted it in the Female fragrance forum too. Can a moderator move it?
For those of you who have firefox, some kind sir named Avindra Goolcharan has created a greasemonkey script (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748) which will show the % of positive...
Latest update carrying on from zoop's excellent work (he hasn't posted in a while)
Vetiver takes over from Égoïste as the most mentioned masterpiece*
Top 5:
33: Vetiver - Guerlain (1961)
Really looking forward to this SMM! Nice work!
Does anyone think that a fragrance could do the double? Winning BMM and Basenotes award 2009?
Diorella has 22-0-0
That must be some scent!
Dior Homme
Having never bought a fragrance before (birthday presents etc), it feels addictive. I WANT THEM ALL!
Thanks guys!
I've just ordered Dior Homme, kept smelling it over and over and loved it. Can't wait for it to arrive.
To be honest, I'll probably get TdH too, just need to find the funds in...
Having been in to town today to test some fragrances, I narrowed it down to either Terre d'Hermes or Dior Homme. However, I can't choose between them, please help!?
I'm a 21 year old if it helps...
Here's mine!
Hope this works:
This looks very interesting, good work!
I'll have a cheeky wager on Antaeus to win :)
As a result of this little exercise, I am going to buy samples of the top 10 from the perfumed court and see which I like best. They don't seem to have Mugler Cologne though?
Hi Stuigi, yes there are a few with better percentages but they can only make the list if they have 50 reviews or more.
fakepurseninja good idea. I have tried to implement the imdb's scoring system. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_true_Bayesian_estimate_mean_in_connection_with_the_IMDb_Top_250_ratings)
Hi narcus, there is no sheet 2. The title of 'Top 100' is wrong, I'll change that.
Do you guys agree with the list? I've only tried one of them!
Somerville metro man, I agree that the...
Have added M7 Fresh. It has indeed leapt to the top! Although it does have a small number of reviews at the moment.
One problem that I have just thought of, is that the fragrances with a small...
Thanks for the nice replies!
I have put the ratio of Positive:Negative reviews on, is that the sort of thing you wanted?
I guess a good ratio would be above 5
I have gone through the 'Most Reviewed' Male Fragrances and put them into a spreadsheet which can be viewed here:
The spreadsheet...


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Date Stuffed Baked Pears
23 Sep 2009
Date Stuffed Baked Pears is an amazingly delicious dessert recipe. The effortlessly prepared Date Stuffed Baked Pears is a dish that you would love to serve in your parties.
|Ripe pears
|8 Large
|Lemon juice
|25 Milliliter (2 Tablespoon)
|Slivered almonds
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs) (Toasted)
|Chopped dates
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|Firmly packed brown sugar
|1⁄3 Cup (5.33 tbs)
|25 Milliliter (2 Tablespoon)
|Chopped preserved ginger
|15 Milliliter (1 Tablespoon)
|Pear nectar/Apple juice
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
Peel pears; halve lengthwise and core.
Place pears, cut side up, in 13 x 9 inch (3.5 L) pan.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
In small bowl, combine almonds, dates, half the sugar, all the raisins and ginger.
Spoon into pear halves, mounding mixture high on pears.
Combine remaining sugar and pear nectar; drizzle over and around pears.
Dot with butter.
Cover with foil.
Bake pears in 375°F (190°C) oven for 45 minutes or until tender and juicy.
Spoon sauce over pears once or twice during baking.
Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings as is, 16 when served with ice cream.
Toast almonds on baking sheet in 350°F (180°C) oven for 5 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Summary
Course:Dessert, Fruit Dessert
Rate It
0 Comments
Date Stuffed Baked Pears Recipe


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We offer innovative products that will transform your breastpump experience and help you achieve your breastfeeding goals. Check out our STORE LOCATOR for your nearest location.
Signature Hands Free Pumping Bra
This innovative bra gives moms the valuable gift of time by freeing up their hands for other tasks or allowing them to simply relax while using their breastpump. The patented design is adjustable in size, using high quality Velcro, to sustain a perfect fit over time as a nursing mother's size changes. Straps and 1" Zip In Center Panel included to help achieve the perfect fit!
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Horn, Switzerland Hotels
Hayva.com offers access to over 1 hotels in Horn.
We have a wide range of hotels in Horn - from budget, business, tourist to luxury
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We categorize Horn hotels into both Star rating and location for your best experience. With lowest rate guarantee for all Horn hotels, your money will be well spent on every minutes of your stay in Horn.
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- Price: $140.00
- Exclusive Price: $1100.00
Book Store CRE Loaded Template 19476
CRE Loaded 6.2 Patch 13 Template that was composed by our webmaster artist Glenn.
This demo will open in a new window.
Please make sure you have disabled popup blockers!
Click Here to start the live demo
Description, Sources, Software & Requirements
Book shop template with a kids theme. There are three columns of white backgrounds with light green, blue, and aqua accents along with black text. The header has s pair of boys reading books. There are various books on display in the content area. Book Store CRE Loaded Template 19476 is available in the following sources: .PSD, and .PHP. Software required includes Winzip 9+ (Windows) or Stuffit Expander 10+ (Mac) for uncompressing .zip files, Adobe Photoshop CS+, Hosting with PHP4x and MySQL4x, Adobe Dreamweaver 8+ (or any php-editor), Apache Only (on Unix/Freebsd/Linux/Windows), and CreLoaded 6.2 patch 13 Standard, Pro Only. It has had a total of total of 4 downloads since it first appeared.


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Johnson sunscreen or daily lotion w/SPF?
Comments (5)
I'll bump for you, I bought the same thing and didn't realize there were 2 different bottles, waiting for my delivery from Amazon...
SAHM/FTM to Madelyn Grace 8/26/10
Proud to be EBF and GOLD!!!
Its ok....the most important thing is the active ing....you did good! EWG doesnt always get the updated relabeling or packaging info but they have the toxicity levels there for you. I wouldnt worry about what the name was as long as I saw the active ing that you have there. Remember, once opened, spf has 1 yr shelf life unless you expose it to heat ( keeping in the car, outside etc)
Good job mama. If you need anymore help pan me, Im the spf teacher...
8-18-2010 LO-former silent refluxer due to food intolerances. Instantly healed by a Dr in AZ using the NAET machine method.
hey i m from india i want to buy johnson sunscreen plz help me from where i can get it
Kate....A USMC wife and a BWing, CDing, Christian, SAHM to 2 beautiful girls! Grace 8-24-10 & Claire 9-29-12!
EWG? What does that stand for?
C 8/1/2010 Dear Cylis
Help me find a vintage 1986 Patriots Skin the Bears tshirt!


text:
Health and Human Services secretary to visit Memphis
WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius plans to be in Memphis on Friday.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said the cabinet secretary will meet privately with him and with Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, then appear at an event at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library at 1:05 p.m. Cohen said she will be in town to encourage people to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Sebelius, who is responsible for the rollout of the health reform law, will be in the Bluff City after what is expected to be a contentious hearing Wednesday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on which U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., serves.
Blackburn told "Fox News Sunday" that the committee will concentrate its questions on the cost of repairing the Healthcare.Gov website, on privacy concerns and a timeline for the system to be fully operational.
Memphis was most recently visited by a Obama cabinet member when Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx came in August to talk about the "Main Street to Main Street" initiative involving Memphis and West Memphis.
Subscribe to The Commercial Appeal
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Medical office complex near North Naples hospital has new owner
NORTH NAPLES - Collier Health Park is in the care of a new owner.
Subscribe to the Naples Daily News
Ready to subscribe to the Naples Daily News? Choose between a Premium or Digital subscription below.
Need Help? Call us at 1-888-878-6842.
Monday-Friday: 6am-6pm / Saturday: 7am-3pm / Sunday: 7am-2pm


text:
La Farge, WI (PRWEB) August 15, 2013
Organic Valley, the nation's largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic brand, today announced that Organic Valley Grassmilk™, an organic milk produced from cows that are 100 percent grassfed and the first of its kind from a national brand, is available nationwide.
While all Organic Valley milk is sourced from pasture-raised cows grazing in lush pastures, Organic Valley takes it one step further with Grassmilk, which is 100 percent grassfed. The cows eat only fresh grasses and dried forages, like hay. They do not eat supplemental grains or soybeans. Nutritionally, Grassmilk is flowing with naturally-occurring calcium, omega-3s, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a good fat that is the best indicator that a cow's diet includes plenty of pasture. It all starts with the soil—organically managed soils that support diverse forages and the highest quality pasture grasses, which the cows eat.
Grassmilk is produced on family farms like the Jahnkes' in Grant County, Wis. For Kevin, his wife Mary and their boys, the benefits of feeding their cows only grass and dried forages are bountiful. The herd is nearly maintenance free when it comes to health, and because the cows are raised only on green grasses, the milk yields a rich taste and color.
"There's no greater feeling of satisfaction than to stand in my pastures and watch and listen to a beautiful herd of cows grazing on lush green grass," said Kevin Jahnke. "Our milk is the color of melted vanilla ice cream."
There are environmental advantages, too. Grazing and organic agriculture practices minimize soil erosion, maintain wildlife habitat and manage soil nutrients. All 190 acres of the Jahnkes' farm qualify for top levels of the federal Conservation Stewardship Program, which rewards farmers for taking good care of the land.
To be closest to the way Mother Nature inte
|Source: PRWeb
Copyright©2012 Vocus, Inc.
All rights reserved


text:
Resolution: standard / high
Figure 4.
Overview of P. acidipropionici metabolism. Reactions of fermentative pathway are in green while reactions of respiratory pathway are in blue. Reactions described in literature but absent in the genome are in gray dotted lines. Putative reactions for CO2 fixation are in orange. The total number of transporters in each major category are shown.
Parizzi et al. BMC Genomics 2012 13:562 doi:10.1186/1471-2164-13-562


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There are no events currently happening in Kent, have a look further afield
to spend with a great local business
*terms & conditions apply
from Denise's Cakes for all Occasions
Sarah N
said about:
The Chapel
"I enjoyed my experience and I felt that the stylist took the time to listen to me and that she was not rushed off her feet as you find in other salons. Added June 2015
Beni V
said about:
The Chapel
The whole experience was great. Although it has taken me 5 years to find Chapel.... Added June 2015
Anne S
said about:
Denise's Cakes for all Occasions
Absolutely brilliant cake maker! Denise really understood the type of cake I wanted.... Added May 2015
If you need more business, more contacts, support, a cheery face, advice, expertise and to connect with other savvy business women over a delicious lunch - you're in the right place with 1230 TWC!
The oldest and best agricultural day out in Kent.
3 Course Meal and The Big Yin Revisited Tribute.
Suitable for beginners and experienced alike, £10 per class, inc. materials / refreshments.
Antiques and Collectable Market On the 3rd Sunday of each Month
Yahoo Customer Service Helpline for Yahoo Mail Account Password Recover Steps.
Tracy Fance Clairvoyant Medium Presents: An Evening of Clairvoyance with International Mediums Pauline Mason & Tracy Fance
We've all lost loved ones, this is your opportunity to reconnect with those loved ones in spirit as International Mediums Pauline Mason & Tracy Fance bring you evidence of their presence around you on a day-to-day basis. This is an audience participation event & you must be over 18.
+ Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm + Raffle to win a reading with Pauline Mason & Tracy Fance (donation to Pilgrims Hospice & Treetops Animal Sanctuary) +
Abbots Barton Hotel, 36 New Dover Rd, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3DU
Tickets are £10 in advance & £15 on the door, to book please contact Tracy Fance 01227 749759 or buy online http://conta.cc/1JPrHEv
If you want to network for free with inspirational women in your area join us at Sittingbourne LadiesWhoLatte. We don't have any speakers, don't have an agenda and don't have a meeting fee...
Calling all businesswomen in the Margate/Thanet area
Calling all businesswomen in the Margate and surrounding areas!


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Are you...?
If yes, click here to login.
BBB Accredited Business since
Authorized Credit Card System, LLC
Phone: (512) 535-0120 Fax: (603) 386-6610 3500 S. Lamar Blvd, Bldg 2A, Austin, TX 78704 http://www.authorizedccs.com
BBB Business Reviews may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
If you are a business owner, chances are you've had to deal with credit card processing in some
capacity. Unless you have a PhD in Quantum Physics, it can be very difficult to understand. Even
then, it's complicated. Keith Miller, President of Authorized Credit Card Systems, has created a credit card and transaction processing firm that puts clarity and good old-fashioned customer service back into the equation. "As a firm whose sizable growth year over year since inception has been based on making the most difficult and problematic remain simple and easy…We educate and empower our clients…not
confuse them!" states Keith. Authorized Credit Card Systems simple approach to a complicated industry has proven to be a great commodity to business owners throughout Central Texas and for that matter, the entire State of Texas. As a result, Keith garners an unparalleled reputation merely through the number of referrals received from his customers. "We take great pride in earning every customers trust and growing our customer base through excellent service and super competitive rates…not through lengthy contracts, hefty penalties and hidden fees." states Keith. Let's be honest.
Credit card processing is not what it used to be and for many business owners, the process is not getting any easier, just more complex with POS and mobile processing. Most credit card processors including their sales agents, banks and telemarketing firms alike fail to properly educate merchants in understanding their processing fees opening the door for higher fees to the merchant and even higher profits for the processor. Hidden fees seem commonplace in the industry and most merchants would be surprised to learn the lack of industry knowledge most sales agents achieve before hitting the streets (or phones) seeking a merchants signature.
So what's the good news? "Credit card processing in itself is not difficult to understand," says Keith. "My philosophy flies directly in the face of the industry. An educated referral becomes an everlasting customer. I spend half of my initial consult with a new customer unraveling their confusion of the industry and the balance explaining how we can help bring a real strategy and plan to their payment processing. Both are by-products of building trust" asserts Keith. If you're a business owner, it's time to stop pouring and puzzling over monthly processing statements and join the ranks of those who trust Authorized Credit Card Systems. From local independent restaurants to commercial giants,
everyone is discovering Authorized Credit Card System's honest and transparent approach to
transaction processing. "We bring a strategy and solution to your electronic payment processing. We can do business nationally, but our focus and preference is to service the greater Central Texas area so we can make a meaningful difference to the local business community.
Still fretting about those merchant account problems? Stop right now and call Authorized Credit
Card Systems. You'll be thankful you did!
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A BBB Accredited Business since
BBB has determined that Authorized Credit Card System, LLC meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.
BBB accreditation does not mean that the business' products or services have been evaluated or endorsed by BBB, or that BBB has made a determination as to the business' product quality or competency in performing services.
Reason for Rating
BBB rating is based on 13 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.
Factors that raised the rating for Authorized Credit Card System, LLC include:
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Customer Complaints Summary
|Complaint Type
|Total Closed Complaints
|Advertising/Sales Issues
|Billing/Collection Issues
|Delivery Issues
|Guarantee/Warranty Issues
|Problems with Product/Service
|Total Closed Complaints
Definitions | BBB Complaint Process | File a Complaint against Authorized Credit Card System, LLC
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|Total Customer Reviews
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Read Customer Reviews | Submit a Customer Review | See Trends in Customer Reviews on Authorized Credit Card System, LLC
Additional Information
Type of Entity
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Business ManagementMr. Keith B Miller, President
Contact Information
Business Category
Credit Card - Merchant Services Online Payments Credit Cards & Plans Credit Card Processing Service
Products & Services
Authorized Credit Card System, LLC sells the following brand(s): We are Authorized Agents for more than 9 direct Payment Processors and more than 30 other Industry related providers. We Authorize.net Reselers, Virtual Terminal Providers,
Authorized Credit Card System, LLC offers the following product(s): Merchant Accounts, Credit Card Processing, Mobile, eCommerce and POS payment providers
Hours of Operation
Method(s) of PaymentWe don't charge you even $0.01 for our service. No startup fees, No Application fee, No Annual Fee, No PCI fees, No equipment costs, rental, lease or purchase needed. We get paid by the processors similar to how an Insurance Agent gets paid by the Insurance company.
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text:
Wild Rice Breakfast Bread
31 Oct 2009
Wild Rice Breakfast Bread has a fine taste. Wild Rice Breakfast Bread gets its taste from flour mixed with eggs and rice. Wild Rice Breakfast Bread is inspired by many bakeries around the world.
|Extra light margarine
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs), softened
|Packed brown sugar
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Egg whites
|Vanilla extract
|1 Teaspoon
|Well cooked rice
|1 1⁄2 Cup (24 tbs)
|Chopped pecans
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|Whole wheat flour
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
|All purpose flour
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
|Baking powder
|1 Teaspoon
|1 Teaspoon
|Ground cinnamon
|2 Teaspoon
|Skim milk
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs)
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Grease 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.
Beat margarine and brown sugar in large bowl until creamy.
Add egg whites and beat until fluffy.
Add vanilla.
Stir in rice and pecans.
Combine flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk to rice mixture; stir just until flour mixture is moistened.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake about 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Wild Rice Breakfast Bread Recipe


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The P.R. process requires extensive documentation for the faculty member and all dependents.
If you will be applying through the Express Entry system, you are advised to have all documentation ready prior to entering the pool of applicants. If your profile is selected and you are given and Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will have only 60 days to submit a complete application.
If you have lived in numerous locations for more than six months after the age of 18, it may take considerable time to assemble the documents, as you will need criminal record checks (police certificates) from each location.
Faculty members who have spent time in certain countries (China, South Africa) have reported that these countries are very slow to process requests for police checks. If you need information about where to have fingerprinting done in Kingston, please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support office.
Materials documenting your work experience must be made available in professional English or French translation. For information on translation services, please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support office.
Check CIC's Application processing times under "Processed in Canada" for current processing times. Applications under the Express Entry system will be processed within six months of receipt of a complete application.
Medical exams will be requested by the visa office once processing of your application has started. To speed up the process, you can also request upfront medicals from an immigration physician. If you need information about where to access medical services for CIC purposes in the Kingston area, please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support office.


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Originally written on Next Impulse Sports | Last updated 1/9/13
The Dallas Cowboys organization canned their defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan, on Tuesday and in a perfect Rob Ryan way, he responded. "I inherited a team that was 31st in the league in defense and made them better," Ryan told ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon. "I (expletive) made them a hell of a lot better. I'll be out of work for like five minutes." Yep, that sums up Rob Ryan in a nutshell! We aren't doubting that Rob's reasoning is off, or if the Cowboys were wrong to fire him. We just love Rob, and especially love his reactions when things are going wrong. via Mocksession.com Article found on: Cosby Sweaters
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World Championships roundup: Turkey's fans keep singing, Spain's fans crying over their Tapas
Sep 8, 2010, 6:45 PM EDT
And it is looking more and more like the gold medal game of the World Championships will be the USA vs. Turkey.
Serbia 92, Spain 89: This was an upset — not a massive, Buster Douglas/Mike Tyson upset, but an upset. It was also the fair result, Serbia controlled most of this game, but a late Spain comeback tied it at 89-89 on a Marc Gasol dunk.
Then came The Shot.
Milos Teodosic went Kobe Bryant — he dribbled out the time on the clock, not passing to a teammate or really even considering it, then when it came time for his move he pulled up for the ridiculously long three. And drained it. With just 3.1 seconds left. Then Spain did what Spain seemed to do a lot of this tournament, some sloppy execution led to a turnover.
And like that, the co-favorites of the tournament are toast. This was a really fun game to watch, if you see the replay on NBA TV. Serbia and its offensive-system will advance to the semifinals to take on…
Turkey 95, Slovenia 68: Turkey continues to look like the second best team in this tournament. Or maybe the best — a USA/Turkey finals would be a barnburner. With the USA players in the most hostile environment any of them has ever seen.
Turkey took control of this one midway through the first quarter, were up 27-14 at that point and that pretty much was it. Turkey hit 10 of 17 from three, and Ersan Ilyasova scored 19 to lead the team.
If you like to compare numbers, Turkey beat Slovenia by 27, the USA did by 22 (99-77 in pool play). What does that really say? Not much, other than the USA and Turkey have both had little trouble with a common opponent able to reach the final eight of this event.
And that they may be on a collision course.
- Çetin Taş - Sep 9, 2010 at 1:33 PM
I wonder why did the commentator has written the following sentence: "With the USA players in the most hostile environment any of them has ever seen." If he meant that Turkish fans are awesome and support their team during the game without stopping, yes, he is right. But if he had another meaning, I really want to know what he has meant?!
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Albums & Mixtapes
Slow Motion Soundz
Artist: G-Side
Album: Gz II Godz
Late last year, Southern hip-hop fans rejoiced when S.T. 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova announced that they were ending their year-long hiatus and rejoining forces as G-Side. Now, after several months in the studio, the Huntsvillle,... More
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32 year old man | Metuchen, NJ, USA | Seeking women 26-33 within 50 miles
No games!! ready to settle down, looking for a friend, lover, someone to share the rest of my life with?
I'm not interested in meeting the person I'd like to spend the rest of my life with at a bar, so here I am being proactive. I know that was cliche but you can't argue the with the truth. Plus work takes up a good amount of my time and I have found that Match is a great way to meet people. My Life is going well for me thus far; I am ready to settle down and see what adventures lie ahead. I believe the old saying 'birds of a feather flock together' applies to our life, and because of that I'm looking for someone who shares similar qualities and personality traits. Respect, curiosity about life and the willingness to experience new things are important to me. I'm looking for someone who can say the same. I am attracted to cultured people with strong family values and hope to meet someone who lives a healthy lifestyle. Like me, this person is genuine, balanced and excited about new experiences with someone special. Few random facts I believe give a better representation of who I am: I have a 4 tattoos. I am 1 of 4 brothers. Second youngest or third oldest..haha I lost 40lbs to win a weight loss competition. It's obnoxiously rude when people chew with their mouths open. I've been a best man twice and god parent to their respective first born My two boxers gave birth to two litters I make my bed nearly every morning... unless I snoozed one to many times and as a result running late for work. If you think we might have more to talk about, please say hello.
Camping , Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Gardening/Landscaping , Hobbies and crafts , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Exploring new areas , Nightclubs/Dancing , Performing arts , Playing sports , Shopping/Antiques , Travel/Sightseeing , Watching sports , Wine tasting
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I exercise 3-4 times per week.
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Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, Newark, NJ
Generally, whatever it is I am doing dictates the genre of music I'll be listening too...and it varies lol Eggs, and buttermilk pancakes, staying active and healthy, trying/learning new things, culture, nephews, Roxy, morning coffee at my desk!
As long as I am surrounded with friends and family I'm sure to have a good memorable time. Other interested include: snowboarding, gym, staying and with a bottle of Cab and/or a movie, beach, Cowboys, DIY projects around the house.
CPA study material... Business Ethics!
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
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|Dark brown
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Posted Jun 18 2012 10:57AM - Updated Oct 22 2012 3:56PM
Player Movement Pages:
EAST: Atlantic | Central | Southeast
WEST: Southwest | Northwest | Pacific
Below is a list of players on every team's roster at the end of the 2011-12 season, grouped by free agent and contract status along with players added or lost this offseason through free agency, trades, waivers or the Draft.
* * *
Under Contract: C Andris Biedrins, C Andrew Bogut, G Stephen Curry, F Richard Jefferson, G Charles Jenkins, F/C David Lee, G Klay Thompson, C Jeremy Tyler
Free Agents: C Mickell Gladness, F Dominic McGuire, C Mikki Moore, F Chris Wright
NBA Draft: F Harrison Barnes, C Festus Ezeli, F Draymond Green, C Ognjen Kuzmic
Free Agents: G/F Brandon Rush (re-signed), F Carl Landry, G Carlon Brown, G Lance Goulbourne, F Rick Jackson and G Tarence Kinsey
Trades: F Edin Bavcic, G Jarrett Jack
Free Agents: G Nate Robinson
Trades: F Dorell Wright
* * *
Under Contract: G Eric Bledsoe, G Chauncey Billups (re-signed), F Caron Butler, F Blake Griffin (re-signed), C DeAndre Jordan, G Travis Leslie, G Chris Paul, F Trey Thompkins, G Chauncey Billups (re-signed)
Free Agents: F Kenyon Martin (unrestricted), F Bobby Simmons (unrestricted)
NBA Draft:
Free Agents: G Chauncey Billups (re-signed), G Jamal Crawford, C Ryan Hollins, F Grant Hill, C Ronny Turiaf, F Matt Barnes
Trades: G Willie Green, F Lamar Odom
Free Agents: G Randy Foye, G Nick Young
Trades: F Reggie Evans, F Sofoklis Schortsanitis, G Mo Williams
Waived: F Ryan Gomes (amnesty)
* * *
Under Contract: G Steve Blake, G Kobe Bryant, F Devin Ebanks (re-signed), F Pau Gasol, G Andrew Goudelock, F Jordan Hill (re-signed), G Darius Morris (re-signed), F Metta World Peace
Free Agents: F/C Troy Murphy (unrestricted)
NBA Draft: C Robert Sacre
Free Agents: Devin Ebanks (re-signed), F Jordan Hill (re-signed), G Jodie Meeks, G Darius Morris (re-signed), G Steve Nash, F Antawn Jamison, Trades: F Earl Clark, G Chris Duhon, C Dwight Howard, G Darius Johnson-Odom (Draft-day trade with Mavs), G Steve Nash (sign-and-trade with Suns)
Free Agents: G Ramon Sessions, F Matt Barnes
Trades: C Andrew Bynum, F Christian Eyenga, F Josh McRoberts
Waived: C Ronnie Aguilar
* * *
Under Contract: F Jared Dudley, F/C Channing Frye, C Marcin Gortat, F Markieff Morris, G Sebastian Telfair
Free Agents: G Michael Redd (unrestricted)
NBA Draft: G Kendall Marshall
Free Agents: F Michael Beasley, G Shannon Brown (re-signed), G Goran Dragic, CJermaine O'Neal, F/C Luis Scola, F P.J. Tucker
Trades: G Wesley Johnson
Free Agents: G Aaron Brooks, F Grant Hill, G Ronnie Price
Trades: G Steve Nash, C Robin Lopez, F Hakim Warrick
Waived: G/F Josh Childress (amnesty)
* * *
Under Contract: C DeMarcus Cousins, G Tyreke Evans, G Jimmer Fredette, F Francisco Garcia, F/C Chuck Hayes, F Tyler Honeycutt, F Travis Outlaw, G John Salmons, G Isaiah Thomas, F Jason Thompson (re-signed), G Marcus Thornton
Free Agents: F Donte Greene (restricted), G/FTerrence Williams (restricted)
NBA Draft: F Orlando Johnson, F Thomas Robinson
Free Agents: G Aaron Brooks, F Jason Thompson (re-signed)
Trades: F James Johnson
Free Agents:
Trades: F Orlando Johnson (draft day trade to Indiana)
Waived: C Hassan Whiteside
|Free Agent Fever: Analyzing Sacramento
Steve Smith and Ron Thompson look at how new pieces will fit in Sacramento amidst tension between DeMarcus Cousins and George Karl.
|Free Agent Fever: Dissecting Dallas
Steve Smith and Ron Thompson take a look at the new-look Mavericks after moves in free agency.
|Free Agent Fever: Clipped
Steve Smith takes a look at how the Clippers will rebound after losing the rebounding and defense brought by DeAndre Jordan.
|Free Agent Fever: DeAndre In Dallas
Jared Greenberg and Steve Smith speak on the Mavericks' signing of center DeAndre Jordan.
|Free Agent Fever: Rondo In Sacramento
Jared Greenberg and Steve Smith report on the signing of Rajon Rondo in Sacramento.


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Mr. Mogelof is a managing director in the Hong Kong office and head of PIMCO Asia Pacific, with responsibility for the firm's business throughout the region. In his previous roles, he was head of PIMCO's institutional business in the Americas and was global head of PIMCO Advisory. Mr. Mogelof is also a member of PIMCO's Inclusion and Diversity Committee and served on the board of directors of the PIMCO Foundation. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2003, Mr. Mogelof worked as a financial analyst in the investment banking division at Salomon Brothers Inc. and was also an associate at Jupiter Partners LLC, a private equity firm. He has 18 years of investment experience and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. He received an undergraduate degree in mathematics and economics from Yale University.
No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, 650 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, 800-387-4626. ©2015, PIMCO.
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Would you employ this man as your lawyer?
Video-streaming service Netflix gives you a vast number of films, TV shows and documentaries to choose from – and that can be a problem.
More often than not, you find yourself spending your entire evening shuffling through the selection trying to pick something to watch – before realising that you no longer have time to actually watch a film.
Never fear; we've rifled through the Netflix catalogue to bring you our top picks, from chucklesome comedies to action-packed adventures. Let Stuff be your guide on your cinematic odyssey.
The 15 best TV box-sets on Netflix
The 15 best sci-fi movies on Netflix
The 10 best horror movies on Netflix
Better Call Saul
Everyone's favourite sleazy-yet-likeable lawyer Saul Goodman (well, Jimmy McGill) returns to Netflix, in a series which throws us back seven years before the explosive events of Breaking Bad.
Bob Odenkirk slips into his cheap suit with remarkable ease, and his superb performance allows his character's desperation, tenacity and humour to seep through the screen and grab our attention with both hands.
It's always fun to root for the underdog, and from the very first episode you're right there alongside Goodman, wanting him to fight to the top - all while being aware of the dark things to come. Congratulations, Netflix. You've done it again.
Wreck-It Ralph
In the last ten years, Disney has consistently produced films that don't feel like a chore to watch as an adult. Wreck-It Ralph is one such movie, a Golden Globe-winning example with a well thought out plot and brilliant animation which combine to make a great family film.
In fact in many ways Ralph will resonate more strongly with the adults among you, brimming as it is with some of the most iconic video game characters of yesteryear: Q*bert, Clyde from Pac-Man, Zangief from Street Fighter II and Sonic The Hedgehog, to name a few.
The acting is also excellent. From what we'd seen of John C. Reilly in Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, he seemed destined to be the 'other funny guy' to Will Ferrell, but here he steals the show in this story of a video game bad guy who wants to turn good.
22 Jump Street
21 Jump Street was a breath of fresh air – a self-aware riff on lazy cinematic adaptations of old TV shows that revealed Channing Tatum's hitherto-unknown comedy talents.
22 Jump Street reunites Tatum's undercover cop Jenko with his partner, Jonah Hill's Schmidt – and where the first film saw them infiltrating a high school, now the pair are off to college.
Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have carved out a niche for themselves creating postmodern comedies that play as well at film schools as at the box office (their biggest effort to date, The Lego Movie, was a sly subversion of the Hero's Journey that underpins everything from Harry Potter to Star Wars).
Here, they're gunning for by-the-numbers Hollywood sequels, poking fun at their tendency to repeat the preceding film verbatim, with a bigger budget and some forced conflict between the leads to generate some drama. It's also a damn fine comedy in its own right, with Hill and Tatum's antics generating some proper belly laughs. Stick around for the end credits, which are worth the price of admission on their own.
Gorky Park
This classic crime thriller is a fascinating snapshot of a lost world: Soviet-era Moscow, complete with Cold War-tensions, KGB 'disappearings' and ramshackle cars.
It's based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, and that's evident from the taut, tight script, believable characterising and plentiful attention to detail.
William Hurt leads a fine cast which also includes Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy and Joanna Pacula, but the real star of the show is the city and its environs: shrouded in snow, teeming with betrayal and easy to lose yourself in.
Zero Dark Thirty
Sometimes the truth really does live up to the fiction; the hunt for Osama Bin Laden was the stuff of Tom Clancy thrillers, with its stealth helicopters, Seal team raids and tense situation rooms.
For the majority of Zero Dark Thirty, though, director Kathryn Bigelow shifts the focus on to the CIA officers chasing down leads, conducting "enhanced interrogations" and working contacts in the world's most protracted game of cat and mouse. Wisely, Bin Laden himself is kept off-screen throughout, as elusive a presence to us as he is to the analysts.
Instead, the heart of the film is Jessica Chastain's steely CIA officer Maya, a composite of the real-life agents who worked to track down Al-Qaeda's figurehead; her Terminator-like intensity would seem almost implausible were it not for the fact that she's based on real people. Sadly, the film's forced to unceremoniously sideline her for its denouement, a blow-by-blow account of Seal Team Six's attack on Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan that's fraught with tension – despite the fact that the outcome isn't in doubt.
The film also strays into controversial territory in its assertion that actionable intelligence was gained through the euphemistically-described "enhanced interrogations" – though it depicts them with unflinching, documentary-style realism, and doesn't shy away from their lasting effects on both interrogators and captives.
The 20 best TV box-sets on Netflix
25 best things to watch on Amazon Prime


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Many agricultural challenges are not confined
by national boundaries and are truly regional from an environmental
and climatic perspective. A co-ordinated agricultural research
effort within the ERA should therefore work within the context
of agro-ecological or agro-economic zones. The opening of
national programmes to researchers from other countries
is intrinsic to the overall success of any proposed ERA.


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Q&A: Is Hypnotism a Pain-Relief Option?
Q. I've heard that you can be hypnotized to make labor less painful. Is that really possible?
A. Silly television stunts and stage acts in which hypnotists wave pendants and command people to moo like cows or eat ice cream out of their shoes have given hypnosis a bad rap. In fact, hypnosis--also called hypnotherapy--is a respectable tool for overcoming fears and pain. The American Medical Association has approved of hypnosis as a medical intervention since 1958, and hypnotherapy is now used to conquer everything from smoking to migraine headaches. Hypnosis has been used routinely in many countries for more than 50 years to help women manage childbirth pain. It's now catching on in the United States as well. Many hospitals and birth centers now offer classes in "hypnobirthing," the term used to describe hypnosis during pregnancy and childbirth. Hypnobirthing helps women alter their conditioned or learned reflexes to pain.
How does it work? Basically, hypnobirthing teaches pregnant women how to achieve a state of focused relaxation so they can take advantage of the human body's natural ability to anesthetize itself against pain. This meditative trance isn't that different from what you experience if you do yoga or if you practice the breathing techniques taught in some childbirth classes. About a quarter of women who try hypnosis say they suffer no pain at all during childbirth. Some researchers believe it's effective because, in a hypnotic state, the part of the brain that controls concentration is able to direct other areas of the brain to reduce or eliminate awareness of pain. In other words, if your brain isn't paying attention to what hurts, then you won't feel it. Researchers liken this to the ability some people have to study or read when there's a lot of noise and commotion around them.
If you want to add hypnosis to that bag of tricks you're planning to bring to the birth, sign up for a hypnobirthing class at your local hospital or find a certified private practitioner. Ideally, you should start learning hypnosis techniques several weeks before your due date to give you time to master them. You can find a hypnotist through the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (630-980-4740; www.asch.net) or the American Psychotherapy & Medical Hypnosis Association (www.apmha.com).
Originally published in You & Your Baby: Pregnancy.
All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.