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August 1, 2015
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A legislative committee has approved a
proposal requiring state agencies and universities to report on any
stem cell research they are conducting, funding or supporting.
The new bill was proposed by Sen. Steve Ogden, a Bryan
Republican who had placed a provision in the state budget to thwart
embryonic stem cell research. He said he offered the new bill --
quote -- "to try and find out, frankly, what is going on - because
we as policymakers don't know."
His new bill was approved 5-0 late Tuesday, with all five GOP
members of the Health and Human Services Committee voting for it.
It now goes to the full Senate and could be approved quickly under
a process designed to speed through non-controversial measures.
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Top view of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, note the special engine cover and dashboard
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1931 Ford Model A, frame has been restored. Was in the process of restoring, has all new wiring. The top will need to be... More
Take a look at this nicely restored 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe. This pony is powered by a 302 cubic inch V8 engine painted in... More
1957 Ford Thunderbird, This car was own be mantilia Ford in Ct. till about 5 years ago, The car was used. It's been painted... More
Up for sale in our Tampa Showroom is this astounding example of pure American Muscle the 1965 Ford Mustang 2+2 Fastback K code. This... More
For sale in our Orlando showroom is a 1928 Model A. Sitting in the driver??s seat is like getting in a time machine!... More
Up for sale in our Tampa Showroom is one super clean 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe. Straight out of the gate flashing style and sophistication... More
Up for sale in our Tampa Showroom is this gorgeous Numbers Matching 1966 Ford Mustang GT. One of the more rare cars on the... More
1941 Ford Super Deluxe convertible restored 1980 lovingly maintained. Good driver will enjoy the top down.... More
For sale is a Colonial White 1956 Ford Thunderbird sporting a peacock and white interior, with a 312cid V8 engine.... More
1956 Ford Thunderbird Convertible '56 Ford Thunderbird Convertible with 2 tops in white with tuxedo interior. Comes equipped with the continental kit and a porthole... More
Passing Lane Motors, LLC, St. Louis's Premier Classic Car Dealer, is pleased to offer this 1965 Ford Cobra Replica for sale! Highlights Include: 410 Cubic Inch... More
For sale is one of the cleanest 1966 Mustang Convertibles weve received. In actuality this is a Mustang GT convertible with the rally pac... More
Gateway Classic Cars of St. Louis is proud to offer a very sharp and nicely modernized 1964 Ford Falcon Futura. This is a... More
For sale in our Tampa showroom is a simply gorgeous 1957 Ford Fairlane 500. This 57 Ford for sale went through an extensive frame-on... More
Up for sale in our Tampa Showroom is this beautiful 1948 Ford Coupe. Found to be a popular choice at most car shows across... More


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Something to Smile About :)
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Covenant House Youth
Our kids have so many obstacles to overcome! This past fall one of our youth scored higher on her GED test than any previous youth at CHMO. Catherine is bright, beautiful, and destined for great things. The only thing holding her back was a smile that's brought her shame and ridicule all her life. Last week our Board Chairman, Paul Kindle and his dentist, Dr. Joseph Shea gave her something to smile about. Dr. Shea donated his time and over $7000 worth of dental work to help restore Catherine's smile and confidence. When the procedure was finished and Catherine smiled for the first time, everyone in the office was overcome with emotion. She told Dr. Shea he'd changed her life and for the first time in her life she had nothing to be ashamed of.
Isn't that what this is all about? If we could all just help change one life, imagine the possibilities… Thank you Donna, PK and Dr. Shea!
Tags: Covenant House, Dr. Joseph Shea, Youth Success
One Response to "Something to Smile About :)"
Crystal Wilson Says:
March 8th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
In a world seemingly filled with selfish people, it is wonderful to see there are those among us who welcome the opportunity to freely help others with their time, talent, and treasure.


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Staybridge Suites San Diego Rancho Bernardo Area
San Diego All-Suite Hotel Offers Easy Area Travel.
Distinguished, all-suite accommodations await you at the Staybridge Suites® San Diego Rancho Bernardo Area hotel. Northern San Diego's beautiful rolling hills surround this quiet, upscale facility. Nearby attractions like the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, corporate destinations, and all the highlights of downtown San Diego afford California visitors a positive travel experience.
Commuting is convenient at this Rancho Bernado hotel. Complimentary hotel shuttle service is available to companies, including Sony, Hewlett-Packard and Pulse Northrop Grumman. Our free wireless anywhere Internet access keeps you connected to the office while the Business Center provides copy, fax and printing capabilities. After work, join us at The Social evening reception for a little mix and mingle over complimentary wine and appetizers.
Vacationers seeking hotels near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park find us to be the ideal choice. We are close to the renowned wildlife preserve, as well as LEGOLAND and SeaWorld San Diego. Downtown is also within a short drive and boasts dynamic entertainment, shopping and dining attractions.
Take advantage of our free and hot breakfast served daily. Guests here also enjoy amenities like the outdoor pool, Sport Court and a 24-hour Fitness Center. Other 24-hour features include free laundry facilities and The Pantry sundry shop. Begin planning your trip today!
Quick Info
- Check In: 4:00 PM
- Check Out: 11:00 AM
- Late Check Out Available
- Parking: Free
- Print Fact sheet
- Chat Online
Important Update
Hotel Highlights
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
- Housekeeping Full Service
- Complimentary Breakfast Buffet
- Standard Wireless Internet service is free for all members
- On-Site Fitness Center Available
Guest Reviews
Overall Experience
Great Week in San Diego
July 29, 2015
This hotel fits all the necessary requirements for a comfortable stay. They were hosts to a Little League team from Hawaii, the team was well behaved and courteous to the other guests.
Family oriented but still cater to the business travel.
July 25, 2015
The air conditioner buzzed like a saw all night, the staff didn't fix it for subsequent nights. On night 3 I discovered a hard kick would quiet it for a couple of hours, so there was that.
There was a large group of elementary age kids (a softball team) there during my stay, they were playing basketball right under my window nightly and didn't stop till well after 11pm. I like (and have) kids but the staff could have tried to quiet them down a bit later at night.
Weekend Getaway
July 22, 2015
My family and I wanted to get away for the weekend and the Staybridge Suites helped us enjoy it! All our interactions with the staff were wonderful. And the hotel is walking distance to lots of restaurants and shopping. We will stay again!
July 22, 2015
Staybridge Suites San Diego Rancho Bernardo Area Good stay. Thanks,


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Report: Sacramento Kings Owners Sell Franchise To Seattle
It appears that the NBA could be headed back to Seattle soon.Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday that a deal with the Maloof family to sell the Sacramento Kings to a Seattle ownership group led by Chris Hanson and Steve Balmer is closed to being finalized.
The sale price reportedly would be approximately $500 million, the largest in NBA history.
The new owners hope to move the Kings to Seattle's Key Arena for the 2013-'14 season. Plans are to build a new arena that would be ready after several seasons in the existing building.
The Maloofs would maintain a minority share in the team but have no control over the operations of the franchise, Yahoo! reported.
Seattle has been without an NBA team since the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. The Seattle franchise will be allowed to reclaim the Sonics nickname.
via Sports Xchange
Photo Credit: Getty Images


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About Four Star
Four Star General Cleaning is a privately-owned professional cleaning company that has provided personalized and quality cleaning services for over 20 years in the New York Tri-state area. Our cleaning programs emphasize personalization – daily, weekly, or monthly – since each business has different needs.
Four Star General Cleaning can develop an office cleaning service plan specifically for you no matter what is the size of your facility. Our current client roster includes: office buildings, schools and universities, retail facilities, banks, medical offices, computer firms, industrial lofts and other commercial dwellings.
Our Services
- General Cleaning
- Floor Care
- Carpet Shampooing
- Window Cleaning
- Matron Service
- Porter Service
Office Types Serviced
We work with many different kinds of offices, including:
- Office Buildings
- Schools & Universities
- Retail Facilities
- Banks
- Medical Offices
- Computer Firms
- Industrial Lofts
- Other Commercial


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Griffin Press Room
Griffin Previews the Twenty Audio Amplifier for Airport Express at CES
Twenty gives your existing non-powered speakers the ultimate in untethered digital playback from iTunes
Las Vegas, NV – January 9, 2012 – Griffin Technology, one of the world's foremost creators of innovations for everyday life, will debut Twenty at CES – an audio amplifier that uses an Airport Express to capture the AirPlay stream, decode it, then send the lossless, amplified sound through speakers.
"The Griffin Twenty is the easiest, best-sounding solution for consumers who have speakers that are not AirPlay-enabled but still want to stream high-fidelity audio wirelessly," said Mark Rowan, President of Griffin Technology. "Not only can users stream from their iTunes library, they can easily connect with any AirPlay-enabled iOS device."
Twenty boasts a zero-configuration audio set-up that streams Apple Lossless sound from iTunes or any other AirPlay-enabled app (Pandora, Spotify, last.fm, etc.) to the user's speakers via a low-profile digital amplifier. Twenty comes equipped with a power connection and mount for Airport Express. It features a 2.1 channel sound system with 20 watts output per channel and also supports a powered subwoofer with an automatic active crossover at 80 Hz.
To learn more visit www.griffintechnology.com/twenty and watch the video of Twenty in action.
• Class D Stereo Amplifier - TI PurePath™
• Input: S/PDIF optical, TOSLINK connector (included)
• Outputs: Spring-loaded right & left channel connectors; RCA subwoofer connector
• Sensitivity: 0.34 dBFS for 20 watts (Volume control set to max.)
Speaker Output:
• Power: 20 watts per channel into 8 ohms @0.08% THD, both channels driven
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20kHz, +0, -0.34 dB
• Signal-to-Noise ratio: 95 dB
• Crosstalk: -71 dB
Subwoofer Output:
• Left + Right sub-bass audio
• Autoswitching when powered subwoofer is detected
• Power: Line-level output (2V rms at 0 dBFS input)
• High-Pass Filter: 80 Hz 2nd order Linkwitz-Riley applied to L+R channels
• Low-Pass Filter: 80 Hz 2nd order Linkwitz-Riley applied to subwoofer output
AC Power:
• 100 - 240 VAC @ 50/60 Hz supplies both amp and power connection for Airport Express.
For more information about Griffin Technology, visit www.griffintechnology.com.
About Griffin Technology
Founded on Paul Griffin's kitchen table in 1992, Griffin Technology Inc., is today one of the world's foremost creators of accessories for home, mobile, and personal technology. Unique products such as iTrip®, PowerMate®, iFM®, iMic® and Evolve® Wireless Speaker System have broken new ground in consumer electronics and created loyal fans the world over. Today, Griffin products are conceived, designed and developed in-house and continue to push the envelope of the industry they helped create. Learn more about Griffin's entire range of ingenious designs at www.griffintechnology.com, www.facebook.com/griffintech and on Twitter, @griffintech.


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Step 1: The Problem: 50+ letters to send
In addition I had to to put not adhesive stamps on every letter. I had adhesive stamps but they were valid only for standard letters and mine got heavy so I had to put some extra postage on. And those extra postage stamps had also to be moistened to become adhesive.
So I came up with this little helper made entirely form household materials: A small peace of sponge squeezed into a clothespin.
The sponge will hold the water for moistening and the clothespin will act as a shaft to hold it without getting wet fingers (and therefor spoiling the envelopes).
Step 2: Gather Materials
To build this little helper you 'll need a scissor or some (kind of x-acto) knife/cutter. The knife works better since the scissors will squeeze the sponge more then it will cut through it. I started with a scissor but change to a (sharp kitchen) knife.
A non permanent marker will also be handy.
Step 3: Mark and Cut
To mark this cutout volume hold your clothespin on top of the sponge and mark the width of the clothespin.
The length and depth of the cutout depend also on your clothespin. Just remember you only need a little tip.
Then cut out the volume along the marked lines.
If there are leftovers from the marker on the cutout then wash it to get rid of it. Otherwise you'll spoil the envelopes later.


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Click Here To Watch This Video at Brazilian Studz
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Permanent link to this video:
Code to embed player in blogs and forums, etc:
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Simply copy the above code into your JUB forum post and the movie will appear.


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Regulatory Harmonization
The term "regulatory harmonization" can have different definitions depending on the context of its usage. One definition that is applicable to those efforts CBER is involved with is: the process by which the interpretation and/or application of technical guidelines can be made to be uniform or mutually compatible. The Agency engages in a range of explicit harmonization initiatives, a subset of which includes the participation of CBER:
International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use
The International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) is a unique project that brings together the regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical industry experts from Europe, Japan and the United States to discuss scientific and technical aspects of product registration. ICH also includes the participation of Health Canada, the European Free Trade Association (represented by SwissMedic) and WHO as official Observers. CBER joins the Center for Drugs Evaluation and Research (CDER) as members to the ICH Steering Committee and provides technical representation to the various expert groups that undertake the work of ICH, i.e., Expert Working Groups, Implementation Working Groups, Informal Discussion Groups, Brainstorming Groups, etc.
Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme
In November 2010, FDA became a member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme (PIC/S), a network created in 1970 to promote cooperation in the field of GMPs among pharmaceutical inspectorates. The organization, which is based in Geneva, facilitates networking among its members (called Participating Authorities), exchanges inspectional information and experiences in the field of GMP and related areas, and trains GMP inspectors. There are currently 39 Participating Authorities in PIC/S which include most EU Member States, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Singapore and others. CBER has a representative on the FDA Steering Committee managing the Agency's interactions with PIC/S and actively participates in the technical group known as the PIC/S Expert Circle on Human Blood, Tissues and Cells.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Life Sciences Innovation Forum Regulatory Harmonization Steering Committee
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Life Sciences Innovation Forum (LSIF) is an on-going initiative founded on the idea that life sciences innovation is important in promoting public and economic health improvement. Early on APEC leaders recognized the importance of good regulatory performance in contributing to life sciences innovation and supported the LSIF's role as an 'enabler of regulatory harmonization'. APEC leaders promoted the use of existing international standards and best practices across a number of medical product lines and at the same time served as a vehicle to promote prospective harmonization dialogue in the area of advanced therapies. The LSIF supports a strategic, coordinated approach to harmonization activities, and strives to complement rather than duplicate the work of other parties, thereby leveraging respective resources and efforts. To that end, LSIF endorsed the establishment of the APEC Harmonization Center (AHC) as well as a Regulatory Harmonization Steering Committee (RHSC), both which were inaugurated in June 2009. CBER participates with other Agency components in the work of the RHSC.


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Xavier Closes A-10 Swimming Championships With 12 Medals
Men Finish Third, Women Tenth In Championships
Johanns Breaks 18-Year Old Team Record At A-10 Championships
Eleven Musketeers Reach Day Two Finals
XU Drops Three More Team Records During A-10 Championships
Johanns Breaks Record Twice In One Day
Musketeers Swamp Raiders, Topple Pool Records
Xavier Begins Preparation For A-10 Championships
Swimming Set To Close Out Regular Season This Weekend
Ohio, Wright State On The Docket For Final Weekend
Xavier vs. Cincinnati
XU Swimming vs. UC 2010
Landon Graham Photo Gallery
Action Photos
2012-13: Competed in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle, 100 and 200 butterfly and the 200 and 400 individual medley ... placed fourth in the 200 fly B-Final with a time of 1:53.31 at the A-10 Championship ... notched top personal times in the 200 free (1:41.60) and the 200 fly (1:53.28) at the A-10 Championship ... also had top personal times in the 50 fly (24.73) at the Viking College Invite and the 100 fly (53.40) at the A-10 Quad Meet.
2011-12: Competed in the 100 and 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 butterfly and the 200 individual medley ...Finished 12th overall (fourth in the consolation final) in the 200 fly at the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship ... also competed in the 100 butterfly and 200 IM at the championship ... honored with the Dean's Award for maintaining a 3.5 or better grade point average and received one faculty nomination at All Honors Day ... was named to the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll following the fall and spring semesters.
2010-11: Set a personal-best time of 1:52.82 in the 200 fly which ranks fifth all-time ... named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll following the fall and spring semesters.
2009-10: Competed in the 200 medley relay and the 200 butterfly, and the 800 freestyle relay at IUPUI.
Prior to Xavier: Swam on high school varsity for four years ... finalist at the Tennessee State meet all four years ... qualified for Junior Nationals.
Personal: Mother played volleyball for Arkansas University ... biology major ... born March 3, 1991 in Tyler, Texas.


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Posted at: 07/31/2013 2:36 PM
Updated at: 08/01/2013 8:59 AM
By: Alan Hoglund
A motorcyclist was killed in an accident in St. Louis County Wednesday morning, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Authorities said the motorcycle collided with a deer on Highway 73 at 10:37 a.m.
65-year-old Thomas L. Kotula of Hibbing, Minn., was killed in the crash, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. His passenger, 60-year-old Kathryn A. Kotula, was seriously injured.


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2002 Verizon District II Academic All-American Honorees
The Verizon Academic All-America Teams program recognizes student-athletes who have succeeded on the field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected by votes from CoSIDA, the 1,800-member College Sports Information Directors of America. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Since the program's inception in 1952, over 12,000 student-athletes have been honored with the award.
Lafayette Athletics, as a partner in the mission of the College, provides an incredibly effective learning experience for student-athletes through competitive NCAA Division I athletics. Lafayette sponsors 23 varsity sports with more than 600 student-athletes.Mission Statement | Leopard Tradition | Staff Directory | Feedback
The Lafayette Sports Network (LSN) handles all multimedia elements and advertising sales for athletics at Lafayette College. LSN is the Patriot League leader in delivering high-quality programming worldwide via television, radio, streaming video and satellite.Advertising and Sponsorships | Digital Media | LSN TV


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Jan 26 2010
A Tasty Recipe: Lettuce Wraps
First. The four winners of the Surf & Turf sushi weekend have been contacted. (See list of winners here.) However…as of Tuesday morning, only three have responded. I'll give the fourth winner till the end of the day today to respond; if I don't hear from them, I'll choose another winner tonight. Meanwhile, I'm in the process of planning several other cooking weekends at the Lodge this year and am gathering creative ideas for cooking/baking themes and expert demonstrations. Feel free to offer suggestions here for unique/hands-on cooking retreats—2010 is the year of the Lodge getaway.
Second. It's been about six months since my happy little community recipe site called Tasty Kitchen was born. It's been a wonderfully fun experience, and the goldmine of recipes people are sharing there is…is…well, let's just say it's a treasure. My girls now regularly scour the submitted recipes for new ideas (note that they never veer far from the "Cookies" category) and I've found some real jewels over there myself.
Last month, I added a blog to Tasty Kitchen and have been planning some fun things: featuring Tasty Kitchen members, quick how-to's, guest posts from foodbloggers, and—of course—step-by-step recipe instruction once a week. The recipes chosen for the step-by-steps will be some of the less-noticed ones, recipes that might otherwise be overlooked. I think it'll be a fun way to find hidden treasures that folks might otherwise miss.
I started this series with this recipe for Lettuce Wraps, submitted by Tasty Kitchen member tfenger. Follow the link below to see the step-by-step recipe on the TK Blog.
A Tasty Recipe: Lettuce Wraps, Step-by-Step
(Here's the printable recipe if you need it now.)
Print Options
Lettuce Wraps
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Servings:
- 4
- 1 pound Ground Beef Or Turkey
- 2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil, Or Other Light Cooking Oil
- 1 whole Onion (small)
- 1 clove Garlic, Large
- 1 piece Fresh Ginger (1 Inch Long)
- 1 whole Red Pepper
- 1/2 cup Diced Water Chestnuts
- 3 Tablespoons Chinese Cooking Wine
- 4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Peanut Chili, Or Satay, Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 head Iceberg Lettuce
Preparation Instructions
The prep for this dish takes the longest, so get everything chopped and ready beforehand. Once you get cooking, you add ingredients fairly quickly.
Prep the veggies:
Dice the onion and red pepper. Drain and rinse the water chestnuts. Mince the garlic and the ginger. Cut out the core of the iceberg lettuce and give it a rinse. Allow the lettuce to drain, and carefully loosen the leaves.
Prep the sauce:
Mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, peanut chili sauce, hoisin sauce and the sesame oil.
Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil to the pan, allow it to heat up for a minute, then add the diced onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes. When it starts to become translucent (after 4 or 5 minutes), add the garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 30 seconds, then add the ground meat. Brown the meat, then add the red pepper and water chestnuts, stirring constantly. After another 3 or 4 minutes, add in the Chinese cooking wine. Allow this to sizzle and cook for about a minute, then add in the sauce. Stirring frequently, let this cook for 2 or three minutes. The sauce should thicken a bit. If it doesn't, you can add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch.
Serve with the iceberg lettuce: take one leaf and add a few heaping spoonfuls of the meat mixture, fold up, and enjoy! I recommend serving this with steamed rice.
New recipe here on PW Cooks tomorrow. I apologize in advance for the butter I might use.
345 Comments
danita On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:13 am
Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat? On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:14 am
Thanks for the buttah warning – honestly.
Kristen Pruett On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:14 am
Am I first?? Looks delicious!
WebSavvyMom On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:14 am
–>I'm available if you want to make me the fourth winner!
Love lettuce wraps too but have never tried them at home. Thanks for the inspiration.
KS Kris On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:14 am
I've been wanting to make these! Now I simply must!
tabitha (From Single to Married) On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:16 am
this looks fantastic! And don't worry, you can never use too much butter!
mary ann On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:16 am
If I win JUST ONE thing in my lifetime. . .this is what I want to win!!
jen On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:17 am
Never apologize for butter! Happy Tuesday!
Nichole On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:18 am
Ooh that looks good! Thank you for doing the blog. Sometimes when it comes to HUGE databases full of recipes that are all wonderful, I don't even know where to start. I truly appreciate you finding one and posting pictures for those, like me, that need help. In the kitchen that is, well maybe in the general sense too.
Farmrgurl On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:19 am
These look great!
How about a wild game cooking weekend at the lodge???
A little venison, pheasant, maybe some elk??? Most folks have not had properly prepared wild game. If it is fixed correctly….oh my goodness….
Erin On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:20 am
Oh, gosh, please don't let the other winner reply! And please let the new winner be me! I had a dream that I was at the lodge last night. I figure it was meant to be.
Lisa B. On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:20 am
How about a pasta and pizza cooking weekend? Nothing says "party" and "comfort food" so well as pasta and pizza! And then there's the wine selections to accompany…yummy!
jjk On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:21 am
I agree with #6!
I have never given a second thought about the state of OK, until I started reading your site. Now, I would love to visit the amazing, open, plains. It just seems incredible.
Tessa On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:23 am
These sound delicious!
Tessa On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:26 am
For a hands on Lodge weekend- I would love to bring my horse & work cattle. Maybe steak & wine at the end of the day, but working cattle horseback is the best thing ever. At least in my little world.
C.C. On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:27 am
I don't know who that fourth person is, and I take no credit for stuffing her in a closet so she can't answer your e-mail and you are forced to move on to the next person.
This looks super yummy and will be made tonight. Last night's lasagna was outstanding and will be today's lunch.
Check out my Card Making site!
Latest Tutorial: Origami fun on your cards
Melanie On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:27 am
I want to be the 4th winner. LOL! It would be a great birthday present. For hubby and me! We are born on the same day, same hospital, 11 hours apart:) We so want to win!
Beki - TheRustedChain On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:28 am
I LOVE these! I make them really often with a similar recipe.
Kansas isn't too far from OK. Just sayin'.
Kansas Girl
penny On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:30 am
I think a Japanese themed weekend would be fun. I have always wanted to know how to make the delicious soup, salad, and other delicious food you get when dining at a Japanese restaurant. And, it looks like they always use lots of butter….so that should work well for you!
Jane On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:30 am
You should do a gluten free cooking weekend
Mai Nguyen On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:31 am
How about a weekend at the lodge with all food grown on the ranch.
LUSCIOUSLIZ On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:33 am
Do you have the restaurant chain- The Cheesecake Factory where you are?????? If not when you come East I will introduce you to the best lesttuce wraps- none of that wussy Iceberg lettuce I see yuou sportin'. It is my fave go to recipe for a nice apetizer at a party- sure breaks the ice!!!
So You have my e-mail- don't understand why I haven't heard from you re the weekend—- my citified hubby is polishing his s—-kicking boots so that he will be ready to 'wrasle a cow.!!!!!!!
Bridgett Slaughter On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:34 am
I think a pasta weekend sounds good. I love all things pasta!
Jack On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:35 am
This looks amazing! YUM!
the domestic fringe On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:35 am
This looks good! I think I even have all the ingredients except for oyster sauce. I may try this tonight! Thanks.
Rhonda Tiedt On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:36 am
Being from Texas, I love Tex-Mex food, so what about a Mexican themed weekend? Fajitas (beef/chkn/shrimp), homemade salsas (red & green) and of course you can't have Mexican food without margaritas!
Erin from VA On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:37 am
I've checked my email 3 times since I read this. It's definitly not me who isn't responding Pick me!!! This is probably my only chance for a vacation this year.
I know I am jumping ahead, but one idea is a cookie baking weekend around Christmas…
Karen On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:41 am
I have only had lettuce wraps once, maybe it wasn't a good recipe, yours looks interesting and maybe I will try it. I have the chicken and noodles recipe printed out and will try it this weekend when it is more than me here to eat.
Jessica @ How Sweet On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:41 am
We LOVE lettuce wraps and I've been looking for the perfect recipe!
Kathleen On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:42 am
Hm – #6 I would rather win the lottery than eat over at someone's house I don't know and smell the smells of farm animals. I know it's sushi, but still. Guess I'm just strange.
Brigid On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:42 am
Idea for a hugely awesome weekend giveaway….
You could give away a digital camera with your favorite lens, and then have a weekend tutorial at the lodge where you teach a photo tutorial and eat lots of great food. If you wanted to make it an even bigger, crazier prize you could also give away a laptop and the photo software and teach the same people how to use it. Or maybe have those as two separate giveaways, wrapped up in a weekend retreat at the lodge.
Jamie On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:43 am
oh yum! I've always wanted to try lettuce wraps… and NEVER apologize for the butter! no such thing as too much
Dot O On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:43 am
These look delish, PW – and I just happen to have the gr turkey in. I'm thinking that if I can get my act together today, this will be dinner tonight!!!
Buckeroomama On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:43 am
Lettuce wraps are one of my favorite things to order whenever we're at a Thai restaurant!
Maggie On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:43 am
I just made lettuce wraps last night! They are super fun and the kids love them. I am bummed I didn't win the lodge sushi getaway, but there is always next time. Some suggestions: Bakerella (again) or bread making? I also like the idea of a Mexican theme. Yum.
Kasie On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:43 am
I think you should host a grilling weekend. My finance and I would love to learn how to use a grill properly. No matter what we try, the grill is either too hot or too cool, or we leave the meat on too long or not long enought……please help!!!!
P.S. the lettuce wraps look amazing! It's only 8:45 a.m. and I'm ready for lunch.
Michelle Bunton On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:45 am
I just realized that my email address is wrong…….PLEASE if I won resend!!!!
USED TO BE: [email protected]
NOW IS: [email protected]
My heart just skipped a beat!
Sara Galaso On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:45 am
Since I have three little girls it is very pink around here. How about a lodge food of one color theme? Maybe that would be weird, but since my birthday is on St. Patty's, I am used to everything being green that day. It's fun. I love bright colors! Oh and I am tote serious about helping in the calf chutes if I get picked.
sweetiepies On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:46 am
Idea~French Cuisine y'know like Julia Child….French cooking scares me.
Idea~ Puff Pastry, Croissants,yeast doughnuts, unshrinkable tart crusts, Challenges in the kitchen!
My daughter is 14 and has only been to St. Louis she is in need of a vacation. It is just her and I. Due to our precarious financial situation vacays are on the back burner. We would love to fill that 4th spot!
The Park Wife On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:47 am
This looks good, not sure what hoison sauce is though, not sure I can get it out here in the country. I am up for any kind of cooking weekend, although I am not using the smoke detector as a timer as much, I still need some cooking help. And, I would love to meet other women, gets lonely out on a state park with just Smokey the Bear to socialize with (o.k. I might be exaggerating, there is always Yogi and BooBoo).
The Park Wife
Kathy On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:49 am
A regular ranch weekend would be nice. You know, a day in the life of a rancher. Although this may not go with a real ranch experience, how about demonstrating how to do a tasty meal that's low in fat and cholesterol. Not exciting, I know, but some of us are trying to feed our significant others with this issue. Then top it off with tasty margaritas. Or wine. Or beer. I'm not picky. Just something that will make my skirt fly up.
Susan's Snippets On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:50 am
Good Morning, PW –
I am down in sunny, WARM Florida! A much needed break from Chicago's cold/snow!
My sister makes lettuce wraps with an Asian flair – marinates chicken breasts in soy sauce, grills them and serves them with chopped cabbage, hot chili paste, thai peanut sauce, crushed peanuts, and most anything else that she thinks will work!!
on your face will be a smirk
the7msnranch On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:50 am
Holding out hope for the #4 wildcard spot…
Do all Lodge getaways have to be about cooking? Think of the extra help you could muster for a branding or a gather. And millions would enter for the opportunity to photograph your wild horses…and cowboys.
Amanda On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:51 am
For anyone trying the recipe who has a grocery store that stocks a wider range of veggies, Boston lettuce works better. It doesn't have the rib down the middle of each leaf of lettuce, so it doesn't break like all the other lettuces.
Kari in Atlanta On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:52 am
How about a mother-daughter weekend?!? I have a 9 year old that loves to cook – she and I are truly enjoying the Kitchen-Aid mixer I won in November… hands free baking is the best!!! Thank you SO MUCH!!!
whatupduck On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:54 am
AHH, so many ingredients. I may just keep getting mine at PF Changs! They do look awesome.
Lara H. On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:55 am
I am happy to step in, haha, if you need a replacement for your weekend- I will be just back from China and can bring silk and pearls
Another idea for a weekend- Salty…or Sweet. Something about baking, or snacks, my two favorite things.
Monie On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:55 am
Indian food….yum.
Jenna On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:55 am
I second the gluten-free cooking weekend!!!! I would LOVE to be there. And Kansas is pretty darn close to OK!!
Hannah On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:56 am
This comment will probably be buried, but a tip for making the lettuce cups: Soak the head of lettuce in ice water (it stiffens it up) to make it easier to separate without ripping it. Then trim the edges off with kitchen scissors so it looks like a neat bowl, not ragged.
Mrs. Jen B On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:56 am
Gasp! Perhaps there's still a chance to go to the ranch! *fingers crossed*
Unless it's me you've been trying to get in touch with. In which case, I've been checking my email and my junk folder to make sure I didn't miss you but, alas, nothing.
Rhonda On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:57 am
Of all the things my kids won't eat, water chestnuts are one he will and he'd rather have green leaf over the iceberg lettuce. How about a kid cooking lesson…it's hard to get the scouts to be creative when campfire cooking and my particular son has learned that if he wants something decent to eat he has to be the camp cook. The male parents/leaders all try to out do each other but my honey won the dutch oven cookoff so a dutch oven cooking class would be fun too.
Cathy Bell On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:57 am
I am all about having a photography get away at the Lodge. But really… only if I get to come.
Oooh. That's a little selfish of me, I think.
Wendy Gleaves On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:58 am
I love someone's idea of the photography weekend. I am a beginner and would love some pointers. (You could invite Mrs. Booshay)
Or, a nice baking weekend (you could invite Bakerella) so you could have some help…
Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage On Tuesday, January 26 at 9:59 am
Printing….can't wait to try!
The Teacher Cooks On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:00 am
The photo of the lettuce leaves on the cutting board is stunning. How do you make lettuce leaves stunning? Teach me. Oh, the recipe sounds great, too. I've been looking for something like this.
jessicavz On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:00 am
For themed weekend, you could just stay with ethnic dishes! You could have a mexican weekend, oh yeah, tacos can be incredible in so many ways, or a dutch weekend! Have you ever had REAL pig in the blankets and almond patties (my heritage is Dutch, so I'm biased) or Italian, or Polish, or so many things that could be great!
The lettuce wrap, btw, looks delicious, but I'm working on the chicken soup from the other day!
Jenny On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:01 am
How about a fingerfood weekend?
Or a pizza weekend?
Or a dessert weekend?
Or an international food weekend? I'd come and make beef Rouladen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouladen) with potatoe dumplings and red cabbage. I'd have to bring my mom though, cause I still haven't figured out how to make those dumplings…
Andrea On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:02 am
YUM! Congrats to all the winners of the Surf and Turf sushi weekend!
Rachel On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:03 am
for a themed weekend, what about aside from food themes, themes on the people who come? you know…a male reader weekend, or a sisters weekend, or best friends weekend?
TR On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:04 am
It sounds like you have
lots of fun planned for us!
3 Baking Sheets to the Wind On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:04 am
A beer/food pairing weekend! Who's with me?
:raises hand to be high fived:
thegypsychick On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:05 am
Congrats to the winners! I just love that you added the blog to the TK, lots of goodies!!!!
cursingmama On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:06 am
Several years ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to an Italian cooking lesson/participation dinner with the author of the Betty Crocker Italian Cookbook, Antonio Cecconi. It was a fantastic evening, we helped make everything he & his assistant eventually served us for dinner – I still dream about that meal.
Rebecca On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:06 am
What looks like iceberg lettuce. How in the world do you keep it from breaking. I have to use leaf lettuce because its easier to roll. Not that turning it into a salad is necessarily a bad thing. Its just different.
Del On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:07 am
I guess that means I didn't win How about a knit retreat for my knit friends. We would love to teach you how to knit!!
Karen Summers On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:07 am
Ooh ooh! I have an idea! How about cookie decorating?! I have this little cookie decorating instructional web site, and I would LOVE to come teach you how to decorate cookies like a pro. I know it would be so hard for me to come all the way out there to the lodge and have to see all those chaps and cowboy boots, but I'm am willing to make that sacrifice for you, PW (insert cheesy grin here). I think that would be a super-fun mother-daughter weekend, like someone mentioned above. Congrats to the winners of the sushi weekend!! Have fun!
(P.S. Here's my cookie decorating site– think about it! http://www.KarensCookies.net)
Jerilee E. On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:07 am
I have ALL the ingredients for this already and it looks DElicious! Thank you!
I'm diggin the Mexican food weekend idea… or steak… yum! I SO wanted to win the sushi one- but 20,000 entries!?!? Oh my! I'm happy to fill in if anyone can't show up :). Mama needs a vacation!
Meseidy On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:08 am
How about bringing the caribbean to the ranch. Teach people how to peel and fry a plantain, make yummy deep fried fritters, roast a pernil (pork sholder) slow and low or ribs with guava bbq. Also how to make a flan or coconut rice pudding.
I know just the gal for the job
www.taracooks.com On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:09 am
I bet chicken in place of beef would work well too!
Lauren Ellerman On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:09 am
I think you should have a weekend where you pick people from different cuisine centers and make everyone share the best dish of their area. Example – Louisiana, Cajun food / Maryland – Blue Crabs / Texas – Tex Mex., etc…
Missy of Missyisms On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:10 am
I hope you sent the 4th winner a second email in case something happened to the first!
Wendy Brahney On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:10 am
Ohhh Emmmm Geeeeeeee I've been checking my email every minute. My husband is tired of hearing "I can't believe I did NOT win"!!!!!! Saints are finally going to the Super Bowl and luck is on my side. SUSHI SUSHI
Stacey Krinsky On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:10 am
Just had lettuce wraps in a chinese restaurant – so I can't wait & always wanted to try this at home – – easy recipe – thanks
BTW – – for a ranch party – how about a 'branding party' if you brand your own cattle – – or a 'city slicker' ranch/hand weekend – -at least you get your chores done!!!
Jess Jaso On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:11 am
I'm not sure how you feel about Mexican food, but i think a good cooking activity for the lodge would be to get a group together to make tamales. It's definitely a hands on, bonding type experience since the group of cooks basically line up in a row and pass the corn husk from one person to the next to be lined with the masa, filled with the meat, rolled up, and finally tied, all the while talking and sharing. We usually make these a few times a year in my family and it's always a really fun time, especially because it caters to all levels of skill in the kitchen-even if you're not a master chef, you can probably roll the tamale up! There's no shame in that job…but maybe i just say that because it's the one i usually get!
Nezzy On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:12 am
MMmmmm, this Ozarks farm chick can almost taste the goodness and feel the juices drippin' off my elbows. Looks down~right larapin'!!!
God bless ya'll from the hills and hollers of the Missouri Ponderosa!!!
Married to an Aussie in OK On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:13 am
I think you should have a recipe swap weekend! With all your loyal cookbook fans and TK readers, you'd no doubt come away with tons of great recipes!
Zoe On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:13 am
I can think of endless ideas…
-Love the idea of a photography weekend to help beginners like me. Plus a food theme… got to have food (and wine!) in there…
-Authentic Mexican
-Breads, Rolls, Crusts & Pastries
-The Basics: sauces, cooking techniques, etc.
-The Best of Comfort Foods
-Best of PW: cooking ranch favorites
-Vegetable Heaven: incorporating more veggies into meals in a yummy way
-Soups & Stews
I'll stop there. Just about anything would entice me out to the ranch, no matter what the theme.
Aimee Widmann On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:15 am
a "very veggie" weekend at the lodge would be rad… all vegetarian, all weekend. people would be surprised how wonderful and flavorful non-meat dishes are… and so healthy!
SoupAddict Karen On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:15 am
How about an all-grillin', all-the-time weekend? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, on the grill….
bethany davis On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:16 am
a Healthy cooking weekend would be awesome! Maybe it will help balance out the butter!
Angela On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:17 am
That looks yummy! And I'll cross my fingers for the Sushi weekend again – especially since it's my birthday weekend!
Lori On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:19 am
I love lettuce wraps. I first had this dish in vietnam where it was served with pigeon. Yep, you heard it right.
Clare On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:19 am
A bread baking weekend would be awesome. I love to cook but have so little confidence in myself when it comes to making bread rise, messing with yeast packets, etc. I'd love to have a hands-on learning experience. That, and I love bread.
Brynna On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:19 am
I like the idea of a grilling weekend. I can never get anything right on the grill. Also, I would love to see a photography weekend at the Lodge. I would even buy a new good camera if I got to go. I haven't bought one yet because I'm scared. If I had others to teach me and do action lesson, it would be perfect!!!
kimmerbean On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:19 am
Ree, how about a lodge weekend that combines your love for cooking along with your love for photography? Maybe you could offer some hints throughout the weekend for photographing food, Charlie, landscapes, Charlie, people, Charlie, etc. And as for my hint, I'd love to come! hehehe
GA in GA On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:20 am
A mother-daughter weekend! My 14 year old punk would love to visit the ranch with me! For the contest – art by the daughters.
She says I never take her anywhere, and so heading to the Middle of Nowhere, OK would be quite the get-a-way from the Middle of Nowhere, Georgia!
Love the idea of lettuce wraps. A local lunch spot offers collard leaves stuffed with a Tex-Mex veggie/walnut filling that is yummy.
Kandace On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:23 am
I deleted my Spam yesterday morning without thinking….hoping it isn't me who isn't responding. Would be very disappointed. Congrats to the winners. And I think a photography weekend would be awesome.
Leigh T On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:25 am
I've got all the ingredients on hand. YEA! Making it and my husband will be pumped! We're trying to be healthier. Thank you, Ree!
momtotripsandlilbro On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:26 am
I would love a class on the cake balls, pops or anything related to child friendly eating! My boys and girl would love, love, love those cake balls but they are turning out a gloopy mess. Would love to know the proper way to make them!
Casey - The Baker Bee On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:28 am
Yeah for the year of the Lodge getaway! Of course, this is the year that I am pregnant and giving birth to my first little punk, so I don't think I will be entering said getaways
peachkins On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:30 am
one word…WOW!
Susie P On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:30 am
What about doing a gluten free baking weekend? Or what about a family tradition weekend, where everyone brings something that's a family traditional dish. (we do "Uncle Joe's Fig Cookies.") What ever you decide to do, I can't wait to start throwing my hat in to win!
SP On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:31 am
How about a contest to for who has the best idea for a lodge getaway. Two birds, one stone. I'm dying to come hang out on a real ranch, circa City Slickers!
Brookie On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:32 am
Indian/Thai cuisine! I love it and I have a few GREAT recipes, but would love to learn more and perfect the skill of cooking Southeast Asian cuisine. OR How about doing a Bread/Soup weekend. MMmmmMMM! That sounds yummy, too!
jeremy m On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:34 am
You should do a baking demonstration. That way those of us that can't bake can learn to make bread, rolls and all the great goodness that is baking.
sandraB On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:35 am
I think a bread making weekend would be fab!
And to go with the bread,small plates ; marinated peppers,roasted garlic,homemade goat cheese…yum!
Pick me!
I love food,talking about food,making food,having nice wine while doing it. And taking photographs !
Jessica Jones On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:36 am
Lodge Weekend Idea!
A French dessert/pastry 'oh la la!' weekend. We could learn how to make macarons, croissants, tart doughs, truffles, etc. Very froufrou, but so fun and educational!
Kim On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:37 am
Gotta have the BBQ Lodge weekend in the summer, when you can break out the grill and ice cream!
Jamie On Tuesday, January 26 at 10:38 am
You could do a sweet and salty lodge weekend. I get intimidated by baking. A weekend of baking could put everyone in a sugar coma, though. So a cocktail themed appetizers and desserts weekend. It could feed your need for a girly weekend also.


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MOUNT PLEASANT — Homeowners' water and sewer bills here may go up 7.5 percent this summer, continuing a trend of rising rates.
On average, Mount Pleasant Waterworks has increased its rates by 5.4 percent annually during the past five fiscal years.
An aging water and sewer system — and less consumption because of heavy rains and conservation measures — are driving the increases, Mount Pleasant Waterworks Manager Clay Duffie said.
"This is happening across the country," he said. "In a lot of the country, what we have in the ground is 50 years old. In some cases, it's more than 75 years old."
The life spans of all those pipes vary. Last year, Mount Pleasant Waterworks had to spend more than $1 million to replace part of a large pipe along Simmons Street that was only 25 years old.
Replacing pipe is more costly than installing new pipe because the work must take place around other roads and utility lines.
"It's gotten to the point now where half the cost is the pipe and half the cost is the restoration cost, putting the neighborhood back the way it was," Duffie said. The utility system's cost would be about $350 million to build but would cost more than $2 billion to replace, he added.
Meanwhile, demand is expected to fall this year by 2 percent, largely because of heavy rains and other conservation steps, such as more low-flush toilets.
"To make that up, you have to raise the rates by 2 percent," he added.
Here's how it will impact households: Those homes using 5,000 gallons of water will see their monthly bill rise by about $4.07, but a $3 special assessment for relocating utility lines on U.S. Highway 17 will come off. That means the net increase would be $1.07.
Even with that increase — and those of previous years — Mount Pleasant Waterworks still would have the lowest rates in Charleston County and the second lowest rates in the tri-county area, Duffie said.
The Mount Pleasant Waterworks commissioners will hold a public hearing on the increase at 5:30 p.m. June 3, and they could approve it on June 24.
Earlier this month, the utility's customers noticed a redesigned bill that more clearly laid out the penalties for paying late.
But Barbara Powell of Mount Pleasant said she felt the late charges, which begin at $5 and escalate to $80 within 43 days, are "totally excessive."
While she has her water and sewer bill paid each month through an automatic bank draft — and has avoided any late fees, she said, "I was just outraged when I saw it because I know a lot of people are struggling in our community," she said.
Duffie said the utility wants everyone to pay on time, and about 60 percent of its customers have set up some sort of automatic payment.
He said the bills were redesigned "so there are no surprises about when the bill is due and when the charges are added."
Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.
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The second Boeing X-37B landed at Vandenberg AFB, California, on 16 June, after 469 days in orbit, says the US Air Force.
While its mission remains classified, USAF officials have publically praised the spacecraft's performance in orbit. The spacecraft itself is considered experimental, hence the X-designation.
The craft has a payload bay carrying classified equipment for testing.
"The X-37B's advanced thermal protection and solar power systems, and environmental modeling and range safety technologies are just some of the technologies being tested," says Lt. Col. Tom McIntyre, USAF X-37 programme manager.
There are two X-37B airframes in existence. The first airframe, which launched in April, 2010 and recovered that December, is being refurbished for a scheduled October launch.
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10 Incredible Health Benefits of Papaya
The papaya is considered as one of the most nutritious fruits. Find out what nutrients this tropical fruit is loaded with and how it will benefit your health.
Papaya is one of the fruits which can be eaten both ripe and unripe. It is best enjoyed when ripe due to its delicious sweetness and juiciness. Unripe papaya can be added to vegetables stews, made into salads and pickles and other food preparations. The ripe flesh can be added to fruit salads or eaten straight by scooping with a spoon.
Can you finish 1 cup of papaya? Good! Here's what you'll benefit.
1. Lowers cancer risk (Vitamin C – 144% DV)
Vitamin C is believed to help prevent and fight cancer. Papaya is teeming with vitamin C, an essential nutrient which works as an antioxidant and helps prevent cells from free radical damage.
2. Promotes good eyesight (Vitamin A – 31%)
Enjoying a slice of papaya after meal ups your body's natural supply of vitamin A, a nutrient best-known for its role to preserve and improve good eyesight.
3. Ensures a healthy pregnancy and baby (Folate – 13%)
There's this folk belief that papaya is a contraceptive. But there's no scientific evidence to this claim. In fact, papaya is packed with folate, a B vitamin necessary for fertility in both men and women. It contributes spermatogenesis in men and oocyte maturation, implantation and placentation in women.
image by moemoechi via Flickr cc
4. Regulates blood pressure levels (Potassium – 10%)
Have a natural supply of potassium with the help of papaya. Some studies have associated low levels of potassium in the diet with hypertension.
5. Aids in weight loss (Fiber – 10%)
The papaya's rich fiber content aids in weight loss by assisting in digestion and adding to the feeling of fullness without having to worry about calories.
6. Good for the skin (Vitamin E – 5%)
For a more radiant and glowing skin, let papaya add to your body's supply of vitamin E, one of the antioxidants which helps promote flawless skin.
7. Needed in normal blood clotting (Vitamin K)
Papaya is a good source of vitamin K, a nutrient best known for its role in healthy blood clotting.
8. Prevents bone loss (Calcium – 3%)
It is one of the few fruits which contain calcium, a must-have mineral for healthy, strong bones.
9. Guard against leg cramps (Magnesium – 3%)
It contains magnesium. Lack of magnesium in the body may show in the form of muscle weakness, tremor or spasm.
10. Keep wrinkles at bay (Water – 124 mg)
In addition to its skin friendly nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E, papaya is also high in water. Water keeps you looking younger by keeping the skin well hydrated.
Nutrient data source: USDA
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Heat-producing solar panels receive £1m to get to market
Naked Energy will start pilot production of heat-producing solar panels by mid-2014 [Credit: Naked Energy]
Innovative solar panels producing electricity and heat at the same time developed by London-based company Naked Energy have received a financial boost from DECC.
Promising to produce more than four-times the amount of energy of conventional photovoltaic panels, the Virtu combined solar collectors might enter the market by the end of 2014.
Naked Energy is currently in the production optimisation stages of the project and plans to start small-scale production by mid-2014 with larger volume activity set to start a year later.
The UK Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) funding awarded through the the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund will help the company to test the modular collectors in different climates ranging from temperate to very hot, to assess their efficiency.
"We are delighted to receive this award and vote of confidence from DECC, in what is a highly competitive space," said Christopher Williams, Founder and CEO of Naked Energy.
"The funding will have a dramatic impact on our progress, as we are now able to secure additional talent to our team and partner with some of the best scientific and academic partners in the country."
Previously, Naked Energy secured nearly £250,000 from The Climate-KIC, Europe's largest public-private innovation partnership, working to address the challenge of climate change.
"Innovation is vital for the move towards a low carbon economy and it's great to see so many entrepreneurs rising to the challenge," Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker commented.
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The Faculty Development Fund (FDF) provides financial support for a multitude of research expenses such as conference travel and research assistant wages. These grants are primarily intended for faculty looking to fund preliminary projects that will lead to applying for funding from outside sources. There are two funding cycles in the College of Arts and Sciences (one in the fall and a one in the spring). To apply after a deadline is announced: gnosis.usfca.edu/fdf/
For more information about support for research and creative activities from other areas of the university please see the Provost's support.
Get help from the experts! The Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) helps USF faculty and staff secure and manage federal, state, and local funding for research and institutional contracts and grants.
If you decide to apply for a research grant, you will complete the Intent to Apply form, which is sent to the Dean's Office and the OCG. A process begins that involves the Principal Investigator (PI), the Associate Dean or Dean, and the OCG. The process is faster if the PI has met informally with the Associate Dean about support issues, such as cost sharing, dedicated research space, and course buy-outs.
Please contact the Office of Media Relations to become a faculty expert and to keep them posted on your research.
Over 100 CAS faculty have participated in weekly writing teams. This is not a peer critique process, but a structured program designed to support research and writing throughout the semester. Faculty choose their own days and hours. The team is simply comprised of people who sign up for the same block of times. At the start of each semester, an email with a sign up form is sent out.
Each semester, CAS offers three Saturday all day writing retreats. Meet new colleagues, get addicted to writing in teams. Free breakfast and lunch provided. Look for email announcements for signing up.
Throughout the academic year, the schools and college sponsor special Faculty Development Luncheons and Workshops. These events provide an opportunity for faculty to come together to learn about and discuss matters related to research and scholarship.
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Scottsdale, AZ (Sports Network) - David Freitas hit a solo home run to help the Oakland Athletics take a 7-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies in Cactus League action on Sunday.
Scott Sizemore had two hits and an RBI while Grant Green added two hits and a run scored for the Athletics. A.J. Griffin pitched three innings in the win as he gave up a run on three hits.
Nolan Arenado hit a solo home run and drove in both of the runs for the Rockies. Jorge De La Rosa gave up a run on two hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.
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Last June, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce got Washington's attention by announcing that it was developing a "sweeping national advocacy campaign ... to defend and advance America's free enterprise values in the face of rapid government growth and attacks by anti-business activists."
By mid-October, the business lobby had aired its first television ad, officially launching the effort. Now, however, it appears that the chamber's American Free Enterprise campaign has lagged behind its ambitions. Between press releases, the operation has proceeded without the urgency or the political buzz that chamber CEO Tom Donohue expected. With little fanfare last month, he brought back Stan Anderson, his longtime confidant and former chief legal officer, who was a consultant on the project, to run the campaign. That shift demoted Brian Gunderson, a former George W. Bush administration official and a top aide to then-House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, who had headed the drive since July. (Gunderson is expected to stay on as a consultant for a few months.)
"We didn't come as fast and far as I wanted to in the beginning," Donohue said in an early-February interview. "It's very hard to get one of these [campaigns] going." It eventually became clear, he said, that the effort required "someone who knew the inside of the chamber intimately" and was familiar with Donohue's thinking. Having worked with Anderson for 25 years, Donohue said, he had "absolute confidence in his ability" to run the free enterprise program, and knew that "we could get it straight in a hurry." Having made the switch, he avers, "I really believe we're making progress."
The chamber does not seem to have revised its ambitions. The campaign is still designed as a vast multimedia and retail push, to rally support not only from individual business owners around the country but also from a variety of less traditional audiences, including women and minority entrepreneurs and, most strikingly, children and young adults from kindergarten to college.
In addition, the business group is using the campaign to forge stronger alliances with conservative think tanks and to form partnerships with business-friendly state and local elected leaders of both parties on projects of mutual interest.
The slow start, however, has squandered one of the campaign's original assets: its prescience. By making job creation the rhetorical centerpiece of its campaign last fall, the chamber was quicker than other business groups, and faster than the Obama administration, to try to tap the political potency of the unemployment issue. Now that the topic has become the surround-sound refrain of interest groups across the ideological spectrum, the business group faces a tougher time differentiating its campaign from the background noise.
But in the interim, the political winds have already shifted markedly in the chamber's direction. Thanks to intense interest-group lobbying, the sharp ideological divide in Congress, and the populist anger aimed at Washington, the prospects for the Democratic Party's legislative agenda had dimmed even before Republican Scott Brown's upset win in the Massachusetts special election ended Senate Democrats' filibuster-proof majority.
The chamber can claim a significant share of the credit, or blame, for the current climate. The group is already a formidable advocate for its policy positions, spending a record $144 million last year to lobby Congress. That's not only more than five times as much as the second-highest-spending interest group -- ExxonMobil -- it is nearly 60 percent more than the chamber spent on lobbying in 2008.
The chamber has been in the vanguard of business campaigns to weaken or kill Democratic-backed health care, climate-change, and financial regulation measures. The organization also plays hardball on the electoral field, recently plowing more than $1 million into ads supporting Brown's election. And it may just be warming up. Because a January Supreme Court ruling now lets corporations tap their treasuries to explicitly endorse or oppose candidates in campaign ads, many experts believe that businesses will funnel millions of dollars through the chamber, dwarfing what the group spent on more-regulated issue-oriented ads in previous elections.
Although chamber officials say that the new free enterprise drive is intended to be both positive and nonpartisan, they and their allies acknowledge that the campaign should reinforce and boost the trade group's lobbying and election strategies. "They want to frame issues so that it will have an impact on elections [and want] seemingly disparate issues to be tied together by the concept of free enterprise," says Kurt Pfotenhauer, the CEO of the American Land Title Association. The free enterprise campaign, meanwhile, originally pegged at $25 million a year over several years, is requiring Donohue, a tireless fundraiser, to look beyond the chamber's traditional donors for money.
On the political right, the campaign has met mixed reactions. "I know half a dozen different groups that wanted to start something like this," says James Gattuso of the Heritage Foundation. Some critics grouse about the cost and value of Donohue's serial grand initiatives. "This is a fundraising device," says one Republican activist who asked not to be named because he is a chamber ally on some issues.
Liberals, not surprisingly, find the campaign's premise disingenuous. "There's nobody who disagrees that we want and will have a market-based economy," says Larry Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute. "The only question is, will businesses be free to do whatever they want, whenever they want?"
Donohue defends the effort and its cost, arguing that public sentiment is fickle and that his organization can't afford to ignore threats to its philosophy or agenda. "This is an ongoing challenge, and you'd better be in the game," he said in the early-February interview. In short, the show will go on as planned.
Sunday Firing Squad
The free enterprise campaign is both a salvo in the war of ideas and a convenient hook for mass marketing the chamber's agenda.
Chamber brass take pains to explain that the effort predates President Obama's election and shouldn't be construed as an attack on him or his policies. Donohue says he has contemplated such a campaign since at least the early 1980s, when -- during an earlier stint at the business group -- he ran an idea-focused mass-market operation called Citizens Choice.
The chamber's musing got more serious after the near-collapse of the financial industry and the economy in 2008. And the threat became especially urgent on March 29 last year, chamber insiders say, when the Obama administration gave General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner the pink slip. His firing sent shock waves through corporate America, prompting some worried executives to call Donohue at home. Although "everyone was concerned about who caused that to happen, and [about] where were we going from here," Donahue recalls, CEOs also grudgingly acknowledged "that the guy who pays the piper calls the tune, and there were huge amounts of federal money going in there."
The sacking highlighted an uncomfortable predicament. Facing the meltdown of the financial system and the broader economy, many business executives and the chamber had supported, with some even clamoring for, Uncle Sam's rescue of Wall Street and GM, and the infusion of billions of government dollars to restore a pulse to the marketplace. Yet key business segments and vocal chamber constituents oppose most of the market reforms and major policy initiatives proposed by the Democrats in control at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
So the chamber decided that now was the moment to wage a charm offensive -- not merely on its own behalf but also to promote the broader ideals of creativity, enterprise, and hard work.
Even though, at bottom, the campaign hopes to fan opposition to activist government policies, chamber officials have taken great pains to portray their message as positive and constructive. " 'Ideological' could be a fair description" of the campaign, said Thomas Collamore, the chamber's senior vice president of communications and strategy, and counselor to Donohue. But he added, "It is designed to be an inclusive movement, not a divisive movement,"
While the business lobby group was devising its campaign, a recession-battered public was shifting gears. As the months passed, the anti-Washington sentiment that helped to elect Obama turned, at least in part, against his administration.
The anger motivating the populist "tea party" movement is also palpable in some parts of the business community. "Have you seen the movie Network, and the Peter Finch character [who says], 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore'?" asks Dave Kilby, president and CEO of the Western Association of Chamber Executives, who works closely with business leaders on the West Coast. "That's what I'm sensing."
"There's a perception of a political class against the business class," said Ruben Barrales, head of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, "and that we need to better organize and work together on priorities to improve the business climate."
The chamber's challenge has now become to race to the head of the parade, channel the dissident energy, and make good on its promise of uplift.
Pep Talk Tour
Thus far, efforts have consisted largely of pep talks by top chamber brass to business folks at meetings of affiliates around the country -- 70 sessions last year, with more than double that number promised this year. An accompanying series of television and print advertisements has celebrated entrepreneurship and diligence, ending with the tagline "Dream Big."
Chamber officials come to the meetings armed with talking points and some eye-popping statistics on the size of the job deficit: The nation, according to a chamber-commissioned study, needs 20 million-plus new jobs over the next decade to return to prerecession employment levels (including 7 million to recoup jobs lost to the recession, and 12 million needed to accommodate growth in the working-age population). The chamber's traveling leaders also present state-specific breakdowns of the jobs numbers, supplying a surefire conversation starter.
Of the 20 million new jobs needed, Donohue told a crowd at an early-December event in Birmingham, Ala., "Alabama will need to create 286,000 of them. The $64,000 question is, how do we do it and who will do it?"
The local participants then typically get a breezy distillation of the chamber's long-standing agenda: expanded trade, lower taxes, less regulation, and curbs on lawsuits. In Birmingham, Donohue issued a call to rebuild America's infrastructure and, in the next breath, complained about excessive government spending and borrowing. He took some potshots at Congress's health care and climate-change proposals, then moved to an upbeat conclusion that invoked the virtues of the American spirit and the free enterprise system.
Whether that litany amounts to an actual blueprint for job growth is subject to debate. "It's sloganeering; it's not thinking hard about serious issues," said Gary Burtless, a labor economist at the Brookings Institution. "It's the usual grab bag of issues that the chamber would have supported in 1999, when there was no [jobs] hole. Job creation is just a convenient hook to hang their agenda on." He adds, "Part of the jobs hole we've dug ourselves into wouldn't have happened if it were not for the huge financial crisis," precipitated largely "by the horrendous behavior of private actors and ... on the part of government regulators."
The chamber offers scant evidence of how exactly its agenda would translate into 20 million jobs. Indeed, the study authors confess that even the relationship between growth in the gross national product and job creation is still poorly understood. Instead, for the moment, the business group is relying on symbols and exhortations to carry its argument. "The government can't create 20 million jobs; it's only going to be the private sector," Collamore said. "That's the conversation we're trying to spur and stir up."
Young Hearts And Minds
The chamber is trying to include more than just the usual suspects in its free enterprise conversation.
In January, at a Palm Beach, Fla., gathering of top business trade associations that make up the chamber's Committee of 100, a panel of three trade group leaders suggested ways that others could help the chamber's campaign find new donors and audiences. The Direct Marketing Association, for example, had piped a recorded Donohue pep talk on the effort into its annual meeting in San Diego last fall.
The campaign is also approaching lower-visibility, business-friendly groups to help take its message to targeted demographic groups: African-Americans through the National Black Chamber of Commerce, and young entrepreneurs through the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the National Future Farmers of America Organization; it is also expanding its geographic reach. (Anderson says that the chamber has not yet devised a strategy for reaching out to women entrepreneurs but is looking into broader use of social-networking technology.)
"I'm interested in [the Future Farmers'] 3,000 members in South Dakota; that's who I want to communicate with," Anderson says. "And the junior chambers that are around the country that have guys [who] are up and coming and have energy and enthusiasm."
Indeed, the chamber is hoping to convert young people still in school: Besides setting up the requisite Facebook page, the campaign recently signed a contract to partner with the New York City-based Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour -- run by two 20-something self-made M.B.A.s with a bus -- to bring chamber officials and young business owners to college campuses to share the secrets of their success and, according to the company's website, "help spread the entrepreneurial mind-set during a half-day, high-energy conference."
The chamber hopes to cultivate not just tomorrow's grassroots but also a whole new crop of seedlings. Margaret Spellings, who was Education secretary in the George W. Bush administration, now heads the lobby group's nonprofit wing, the National Chamber Foundation, which plans a survey of what children are taught about the free enterprise system in elementary and high schools in every state, with an eye to eventually pushing for the topic to be included in curricula.
"You can go to any chamber meeting and it's basically middle-aged people," Spellings says. "One of the things we learned in [the campaign's] focus groups is that young people often don't understand the free enterprise system; they don't appreciate it, and they don't understand how they fit into it. So we have some real work [to do] in the educational aspects, both K-12 [and] university audiences."
Spellings's foundation is also charged with talking to state and local elected officials, to find and showcase policies that help job creation -- by streamlining business permits, for example -- and then encourage others to adopt them. Officials are receptive, "particularly since states are struggling with budget gaps," she says. As the head of a nonprofit barred from partisan initiatives, Spellings says she has dealt with officials of both parties, noting, "Democrats like to create jobs, too."
On another track, the foundation has been convening free-market-oriented think tanks to advance the intellectual case for free enterprise. The first meeting brought together representatives last fall from eight groups, including the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Kauffman Foundation, and the American Legislative Exchange Council, to swap information and consider ways to complement the others' work.
The chamber quickly discovered a meeting of the minds with the American Enterprise Institute, whose new president, Arthur Brooks, had already made defense of the free enterprise system a focal point of the think tank's new mission statement. Since his hiring last year, Brooks has continually made the case, in speeches and articles, that free enterprise is not merely an economic system but also, as he put it in a recent interview, "a moral and a cultural bedrock issue."
This belief frames the new American culture war "between the 70 percent who do [believe they're better off in a free enterprise system] and the 20 percent who don't," Brooks said, alluding to the broad results of a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. (Ten percent of respondents weren't sure.) "People at the chamber," he added, "do see the principles involved in much the same way we do."
The AEI and the chamber have already conducted one joint venture, a November seminar in Washington on the proper role of government in creating 20 million new jobs, and plan to hold more. Anderson says that the chamber has an agreement with the AEI to produce "intellectual content" for the campaign as the debate over job creation heats up. In turn, the chamber plans to make financial contributions to the institute.
Collecting Names
The chamber may be seeking to win hearts and minds, but along the way, the group is also taking names. "We tend to have a lot of people sign our free enterprise pledge, give us their names and contact information," Gunderson said.
The names collected are valuable commodities in the era of microtargeting and grassroots mobilizing. The chamber's political shop has already amassed a database of millions of contacts that it uses for federal and state election activities. Now the campaign has set a goal of acquiring 1 million new names of its own from individuals who sign a pledge to support the concept of free enterprise. Anderson says that the project acquired more than 400,000 contacts in its first four months.
Officials insist that the campaign's name-gathering is distinct from the chamber's lobbying and political activities and that the new database is not being shared with the group's lobbying or political shop. "We will never be communicating with this group to go vote for X, Y, or Z, so it's not political in that context. It's not designed to be," Anderson said in a late-January interview.
That may be a distinction without a meaningful difference, however. "If there comes a time when there is some legislation pending in Washington where the jobs issue is at the forefront, we may communicate with these people" and express the chamber's views, he acknowledged.
A few days later, Donohue suggested that using the campaign's list of names to mobilize voters is not off the table either. "I don't see an overt direct political engagement this year, in the 2010 elections, by the free enterprise program," he said, but he added that from the outset, the chamber envisioned that the campaign would "find a way to demonstrate who supports free enterprise and who doesn't." Whether the campaign would use that litmus test to sway voters at election time, Donohue said, "quite frankly, we haven't figured that part out."
In the meantime, the campaign is intended to at least indirectly supplement the chamber's election strategy. "It's fair to say they will target their resources to priority Senate races," a GOP lobbyist close to the group adds.
As the free enterprise drive picks up speed, the chamber presumably has to pick up its fundraising pace. Although Donohue once put the goal at $25 million a year, other officials say only that the campaign will cost "tens of millions of dollars a year." That might sound like an effort to lower expectations, but Anderson insists that he has all the money he needs.
Given Donohue's ambitious expansion of the chamber over time -- the group is expected to report $250 million in revenues last year, a 25 percent increase from $200 million in 2008 -- coming up with the money for yet another initiative has required some creativity.
When he launched the campaign last spring and summer, Donohue initially talked to ExxonMobil and some other longtime financial angels about committing new funds to the project, according to lobby sources. Executives at two companies that he approached let it be known that they had already made big contributions to other chamber efforts, such as the Institute for 21st Century Energy. (Chamber officials dispute that these corporations gave them the cold shoulder.)
The executives suggested that Donohue consider approaching wealthy individuals in such sectors as energy, financial services, and high tech, according to a lobbyist close to the chamber.
Donohue has done just that. For the first time in chamber officials' memory, he is seeking to finance most of the campaign through donors outside of the corporate community. He has been searching out individuals, who, as Donohue puts it, "have done exceedingly well in a free enterprise system" and asking them for contributions as high as six and seven figures. "These are people who said, 'Hey, I never could've done this anywhere else in the world, and it's probably a good idea to remind everybody how it worked.' "
Invariably, however, the campaign has reignited controversy about Donohue's near-legendary zeal for expanding the lobby group's roster of institutes, programs, and initiatives, and the relentless fundraising required to support them. Some of the chamber's donors have periodically grumbled privately about the wisdom and cost-effectiveness of some of his ventures, and some allies wax cynical about the new campaign. "This is to cover overhead," one Republican activist said. "The chamber is incredibly top-heavy, with Washington, D.C., staff, and its building, and its lobbyists."
Donohue is not shy in his own defense. "We're not putting it on the bottom line. We also happen to have some other resources, in case people hadn't noticed," he said. "The reason we can do the free enterprise program at what's going to really be a very reasonable price over time is because we already have the infrastructure" and have to hire only a few additional staff people.
As for his zealous fundraising, Donohue says that it is the sine qua non of the chamber's power. "There are all kinds of people around town who are well intended and probably smarter than us, but we have the money."
Staff Correspondent Neil Munro contributed to this report.
This article appears in the February 20, 2010 edition of National Journal Magazine Contents.


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TweakTown NewsRefine News by Category:
Cases, Cooling & PSU Posts - Page 24
Corsair Takes Fan Testing Seriously
While in San Jose we visited Corsair to see the new lab toy. The Longwin LW-9266 is an advanced fan testing machine but don't let the application fool you. This 45K USD tool is a serious piece of hardware that takes fan testing to levels far beyond the reach of computer component reviewers.
It looks like something from the movies, a cart the bad guys wheel from a truck to blow up a city.
Continue reading 'Corsair Takes Fan Testing Seriously' (full post)
Alliance for Wireless Power approves more flexible power specification
The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) have approved a more flexible wireless power specification that will usher in a new way consumers can wirelessly charge their phones on a variety of compatible surfaces. President of the A4WP, Dr. Kamil A. Grajski, says:
The Alliance for Wireless Power and its members have been focused on creating a more flexible wireless power specification that sets the stage for formal standardization in the future. Approval of the A4WP wireless power specification establishes a true path forward for the commercialization of wireless charging that will satisfy the needs of most consumers. A4WP and its members will now set their sights on building compliant wireless applications that can be integrated by key industries including automotive, furniture and retail.
Continue reading 'Alliance for Wireless Power approves more flexible power specification' (full post)
BitFenix unveils new chassis dubbed Ghost, offers 'superb silence'
Your options for a new computer case have just increased as BitFenix has just launched a new chassis dubbed Ghost. According to BitFenix themselves, it features "superb silence with powerful water cooling capabilities and flexibility for the latest hardware," something everyone wants in a computer case.
"After changing the way people think about the mini-ITX form factor with Prodigy, fans around the world have been wondering what would happen if BitFenix were to design a chassis with focus on silence. Today, it gives us great pleasure to reveal the answer to that question - Ghost," says BitFenix Product Manager David Jarlestedt. "Extremely silent yet surprisingly capable, we believe fans of silent chassis are going to fall in love with our newest creation."
Continue reading 'BitFenix unveils new chassis dubbed Ghost, offers 'superb silence'' (full post)
Corsair announces availability of AX1200i Digital ATX power supply
That's right, you can now own the power supply that helped TweakTown set a world record just a short while ago. The AX1200i received a Must Have award right here from TweakTown because the device is just that good. And our award for the device was just one of many bestowed upon this excellent power supply.
"We're hugely excited to announce that our award-winning AX1200i PSU is now available to enthusiasts and gamers worldwide", said Thi La, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the PC Components Group at Corsair. "This incredible power supply has created a huge stir in the market, winning numerous prestigious accolades, and securing Corsair's position as the leading manufacturer of premium quality PSUs."
Using a digital design also allows Corsair to provide some cool features: "The use of a Digital Signal Processor also results in a simplified circuit design, and incredible energy efficiency. The AX1200i easily achieves 80 PLUS® Platinum certification, and can operate in a silent fanless mode until the PSU reaches between 30 - 40% of its1200 watt power rating. In addition, the AX1200i's DSP-based design and Corsair Link technology provides real-time monitoring of temperature, current draw, and power efficiency, as well custom control of fan speeds and overcurrent protection settings."
Continue reading 'Corsair announces availability of AX1200i Digital ATX power supply' (full post)
Could thermal paste have its days numbered? Sony thinks so
Thermal paste has been a long-time friend of computer enthusiasts, and over the years has evolved and had some great work done to it to reduce those temperatures, even by a few degrees. But, Sony showed off a new product in Tokyo last week that could thermal paste disappear, forever.
Sony revealed a prototype of a silicon and carbon-based thermal sheer which is currently known as "EX20000C" that measures 0.3-2.0mm thick with a thermal resistance of 0.4-0.2K cm2/W and a compress load of around 1-3kgf/cm2 - this is five or six times the effectiveness of Sony's previous solution.
EX20000C is said to meet, if not exceed the thermal conductivity of standard thermal grease. One of the show floor exhibits compared the sheet's effectiveness with a conventional setup and it managed to reduce the processor's temperatures by another 3C. Not only that, it removes the need for cleanup and also prevents over application, as the sheets last longer than paste because they don't degrade.
Continue reading 'Could thermal paste have its days numbered? Sony thinks so' (full post)
BitFenix reaffirms SuperCharge technology, charges mobile devices from PC
BitFenix has reaffirmed their commitment to SuperCharge technology which allows mobile devices to charge from a PC. But why is this any different from a regular USB port to charge with? Well, for starters, it has a microchip designed to monitor the voltage required for rapid charging and will provide that voltage so that the device is not damaged.
Further improvements come in the form of using a SATA power connector to prevent the possibility of installing the power cable incorrectly. This prevents users from applying 12 volts when it really should be 5 volts or the other way around. BitFenix also calls out the safety of their implantation over others'. "Recently, similar solutions introduced by competitors have begun making their way into the market, sometimes with hazardous results. In fact, a recent case led to a wire catching on fire during normal operation."
Continue reading 'BitFenix reaffirms SuperCharge technology, charges mobile devices from PC' (full post)
Antec shows early version of the P280S, has curves as sexy as your hottest neighbor
Computex 2012 - We just got done showing you the Antec Reverse, next to it in the Antec meeting room was the near finished version of what the company will probably end up calling the P280S.
For me personally this was the most impressive upcoming product from Antec that I saw today mainly because of the amazing curve shape design which is employed throughout the top and front of the case.
The power and reset buttons are positioned on the left and right of the top front of the case with the top also have a sexy curved shape that just does it for me. On the top of the case is room for a radiator with a black grill that lets you see inside to see what's happening in that area of the case.
When you open the front door you see the noise cancelling foam that has been added along with the large front grill for air to flow into the case from the front. Antec tells us that this case is almost done and will go into mass production soon.
Antec Reverse prototype case will sit any way you want it and supports HPTX
Computex 2012 - One of our stops on Day 3 was with Antec where we got access into the upcoming toys area where we got to see a couple upcoming case designs that the company is currently working on right now.
The first one we want to discuss right now is the Antec Reverse. That's a temporary name at the moment for this prototype design and Antec may end up going with something else once it starts shipping around September of this year.
The Reverse is a case that gets its name for the fact that it can sit on its top or on its bottom. Depending how you are feeling on a certain day, you can just change it around to how you like. Not only that though, but this case supports motherboards up to HPTX. So if you want to run a high-end enterprise level dual socket motherboard in your system, Antec has you covered well here.
InWin continues creative trend with H-Frame open air concept case at Computex
Computex 2012 - InWin has impressed us over the few months. I'll be honest and say they've had some weird and wonderful designs over the year, but with their recent open air chassis designs, we've really liked what we've been seeing. We just posted our review of the InWin X-Frame recently which received an award for its features. We also awarded the X-Frame with our TweakTown Computex 2012 Recommended award today as well.
The latest unique open air design from InWin is the H-Frame which will go on sale a little later this year. The two designs we saw today featured some rather bright colors including a pink and orange version along with a black and orange version. You will have the option for a full window side panel or a regular closed panel.
The front and back of the case are open and are split with a small gap between each panel to allow for air to freely flow in and out of the case. InWin told us in their testing that some system configurations do not even require a case fan due to the open air concept of the H-Frame...
Continue reading 'InWin continues creative trend with H-Frame open air concept case at Computex' (full post)
Cooler Master's Cosmos II Ultra Tower, it's big, it's blue, and it's beautiful
Computex 2012 - Cooler Master's booth featured their amazing Cosmos II Ultra Tower but just a little different this time around, in blue. The case itself features a stylish, race-car inspired design against brushed aluminum and steel.
It can house 10 fans, 13 HDDs total, supports XL-ATX motherboards and 4-way SLI or CrossFireX. It features an Advanced Control Panel that includes 4-channel fan speed control. Ports include USB 2.0, USB 3.0, eSATA and audio-in/out. But, the stand-out thing here is the color. Whether this makes it to the retail channel is another question, but just look at that blue... beautiful.


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Employees at the University of Central Florida would get help paying for health insurance for gay partners under a new program that UCF's board of trustees is expected to approve Thursday. .
The change is, in part, designed to help UCF recruit and retain top faculty, officials said. Many higher-education institutions nationwide — including Valencia College, Rollins College and Stetson University in Central Florida — already offer some sort of health insurance benefit for domestic partners.
Under UCF's plan, employees could receive a stipend every other week to help offset the cost of private health insurance for same-sex partners. Because state health plans do not offer coverage for partners, they must acquire it elsewhere.
The benefit would not be offered to opposite-sex domestic partners because state law allows them to marry, university spokesman Chad Binette said. The university has long offered insurance to employees' heterosexual spouses.