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A new study released by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) blaming two neonicotinoid insecticides for being major causes of honey bee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) prompted Bayer CropScience to respond with high criticism of the research.
Lead author Chensheng (Alex) Lu, associate professor of environmental exposure biology at HSPH, said "We demonstrated again in this study that neonicotinoids are highly likely to be responsible for triggering CCD in honey bee hives that were healthy prior to the arrival of winter."
Lu and colleagues who have assisted him in his research were inclined to blame insecticides for bee health problems prior to this study because they issued a study report with very similar results in 2012. This is their follow-up, which Bayer CropScience contends has as much or more bias against the insecticides.
Lu released the latest study through the Bulletin of Insectology on May 9.
Bayer scientists have reviewed the study and, in their opinion, "find it to be seriously flawed" for major reasons. The Bayer scientists listed their concerns in the three following bullet points:
- "Feeding honey bees levels of neonicotinoids greater than 10 times what they would normally encounter is more than unrealistic—it is deceptive and represents a disservice to genuine scientific investigation related to honey bee health.
- Given the artificially high levels tested over 13 consecutive weeks, the colony failure rates observed are completely expected.
- Unfortunately, this latest study conducted by Dr. Lu repeats the fundamental flaws seen in his previous research and provides no meaningful information regarding honey bee risk assessment."
Bayer also noted that the company "is committed to understanding the multi-causes that impact the health of pollinators by bringing together some of the brightest minds in agriculture and apiology to develop comprehensive solutions for bee health through its North American Bee Care Center which is part of the company's $12 million investment in bee health in 2014."
The Bee Care Center in the U.S. opened last month at the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina and has facilities for cooperative research with beekeepers, universities and others. Another major Bayer bee research center is in Europe.
Lu basically appears to have repeated much of the research done blaming for bee deaths and CCD in 2012; this time he included clothianidin, another neonicotinoid. He says neonicotinoids "appear to significantly harm honey bee colonies over the winter, particularly during colder winters." He is saying that low doses of imidacloprid and clothianidin caused bees to abandon their hives over the winter and eventually die.
"Further, although other studies have suggested that CCD-related mortality in honey bee colonies may come from bees' reduced resistance to mites or parasites as a result of exposure to pesticides, the new study found that bees in the hives exhibiting CCD had almost identical levels of pathogen infestation as a group of control hives, most of which survived the winter. This finding suggests that the neonicotinoids are causing some other kind of biological mechanism in bees that in turn leads to CCD," according to the news release announcing the study results.
What the agriculture industry and Lu agrees on is that significant losses of honey bees cannot continue since bees are prime pollinators of roughly one-third of all crops worldwide. Experts have and are considering a number of possible causes, including pathogen infestation, beekeeping practices, and pesticide exposure.
Lu and his co-authors from the Worcester County Beekeepers Association studied the health of 18 bee colonies in three locations in central Massachusetts from October 2012 through April 2013. At each location, the researchers separated six colonies into three groups—one treated with imidacloprid, one with clothianidin, and one untreated. (As noted by Bayer, the amount of neonicotinoids feed the bees should have resulted in death and/or a CCD situation.) By April 2013, 6 out of 12 of the neonicotinoid-treated colonies were lost, with abandoned hives that are typical of CCD. Showing some of the diverse problems with honey bee mortality, one of the control colonies was lost—thousands of dead bees were found inside the hive—with what appeared to be symptoms of a common intestinal parasite called Nosema ceranae.
Lu referred back to the 2012 study in noting that mortality found in the 2012 study was even higher than the 2013 study results, and he suggested that the central Massachusetts winter of 2012, which was particularly cold and prolonged, has lead the research group to speculate that colder temperatures and the insecticide combination can play a role in the severity of CCD
Even though Lu claims to have demonstrated the validity of the association between neonicotinoids and CCD, he too sees the need for further research. Funding for the study came from Wells Fargo Foundation and the Breck Fund at the Harvard University Center for the Environment.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
" Brand: Nestle / Type: Egg "
I received a Milkybar egg as a gift from somewhere I volunteer at. Usually I take one bite of an easter egg and then get fed up of eating it but this was not the case here. I actually only opened this egg an hour ago and now it is all gone.
Unlike the majority of eggs this has a white chocolate egg rather than milk which they usually are. I really like white chocolate and I have always enjoyed milkybar buttons. I was very pleased to find it tasted exactly like a Milkybar and after the first delicious mouthful I couldn't stop until the end. It was a small egg though, just 65 grams.
The egg itself is a cream colour and has an eggshell pattern over the egg. This is like I have seen on most eggs.
It is wrapped in a gold foil which keeps it fresh and makes an attractive sight through the hole on the box.
The box is made from recyclable cardboard and has a picture of the milkybar kid finding a golden egg. There are some nice easter related rabbits and daffodils and a cow as the milkybar kid is on an easter egg hunt.
This is a really nice egg but it does not come with an actual Milkybar. This is a shame but I would still buy the egg on its own.
I got my 2 little sisters proper sized Easter eggs but have had a few other kids to buy for this year so I brought a few of these Milkybar eggs from Sainsburys where they was £1.00 each. I ended up buying 1 too many so me and my 2 year old sister shared the spare one last night before she went to bed.... I told her the Easter bunny had brought it for a treat because she had been such a good girl! lol
It's one of the new eggs that have been brought out this year where the stuff inside isn't in a bag so if you pick the egg up and shake it you can hear the chocolates inside rattling about.
They aren't Milky Bar Buttons inside the egg but white chocolate chips, that helps them make a better noise as you shake the egg and it doesn't matter what shape they are because they are deffo made out of Milky Bar chocolate so they taste the same.
The egg looks lovely and shiney, it was a bit of a shame to break it up but my sister couldn't wait any longer! lol It was a bit tougher to break than I thought it would be and I was mega surprised at how thick the chocolate was, I remember buying a Milky Bar one last year and the chocolate was a lot thinner and it broke easier.
The chocolate is the same as any Milky Bar chocolate, I'm not mad keen on white chocolate anyway so only had a couple of little mouth fulls but it's yummy. Milky Bar is deffo the best white chocolate going because it's so creamy, I think it's a bit sickly sometimes but because of not liking white chocolate all that much I never eat enough of it to make myself feel pukey!
The white chocolate chips have to be emptied into a dish and you get more of them than I thought you would, probably just under a bags worth of Milky Bar Buttons but my sister loved eating the chips because they were nice and small and easy for her to pick up.
For £1.00 I think this is a wicked little Easter egg, the box is only small so it's not madly suitable for a MAIN egg for a kid but if you've got loads of children to buy for then it's a much cheaper way than buying the full sized Cadburys eggs.
Milkybar is made by Nestle and is white chocolate. It contains dried whole milk and vegetable fat in addition to cocoa butter. It also contains all natural ingredients which has been enjoyed for over 70 years and is well known for the blonde milkybar kid since 1961. Milkybar has a large range which includes buttons, slim-line bars, chunky bars, multipacks and sharing packs which include block chocolate, buttons sharing bag and milkybar moments sharing bag. The range is available to buy in most local supermarkets and some local shops as well. Prices may vary in different shops.
The milkybar egg comes in cardboard packaging and has the milkybar kid on the front with a cow on the left hand side. There is a small shape cut out of the front of the box and you can see some of the egg which is wrapped in Gold foil. On the side of the box you will find nutritional information and a list of ingredients. It also states that this egg is 65g. On the back of the packaging it says that the cardboard carton and the tray are made from materials sourced from replenished forestry. It also has the symbols to tell you, that you can recycle the card and to check local recycling to see if you can recycle the aluminium foil as well.
When you open the main box there is another cardboard tray inside which has been made to look like a basket. The egg simply sits inside the basket tray. The idea of the basket tray is that it replaces the plastic holder which you often find within Easter egg packaging. The cardboard tray makes it easier to recycle than the plastic trays.
This is avaliable to buy from all good supermarkets and local shops. Prices may vary but I got this on offer with 2 other egg's the same size which was 3 for £3.00, this was at my local Martin's newsagent.
The egg comes wrapped in Gold foil and as you open the foil you will see a white chocolate egg which has a pattern all over it. The egg smells creamy and milky and feels smooth to touch. When trying to break the egg in half along the guidelines it wasn't very successful and egg broke into a few pieces rather than in two halves.
When putting some of the egg into my mouth it feels smooth on my tongue and I can taste a lovely creamy taste which just melts on my tongue. The egg does taste very sweet and can get sickly quite quickly. The egg is makes a nice change from milk chocolate and it does have the goodness of whole milk as well and it does taste extremely milky. It leaves a very sweet after taste in your mouth and it makes you quite thirsty as well. I could only eat a small amount of egg each time as it gets very sickly and a bit too sweet for my liking.
The following information is per ½ egg.
* Protein - 2.8g (12% RDA)
* Fat - 11.7g of which saturates 7.4g
* Carbohydrate - 21.3g of which sugars 16.1g
* Sodium - 0.1g (4% RDA)
* Salt Equivalent - 0.2g (4% RDA)
This is a great sized egg's and an ideal treat for children at easter rather than buying a bigger egg. I think you get plenty of chocolate with this egg and although it doesn't come with any extra's such as button's, the chocolate is a good enough treat for me. I also think that it's a brilliant idea that they have used the cardboard tray idea rather than using plastic packaging. Not only is this easier to recycle but it might also help children to learn about recycling as well. The egg was a reasonable price and although it's white chocolate it does have the goodness of whole milk as well. A yummy treat sized egg which is just perfect for me, and my nephew was more than happy with this sized egg as well.
(review also on ciao)
I have recently finished off this egg, as I wanted to keep it for a treat as it is really nice! It has the usual high quality of Nestle, a great flavour and melts in your mouth, making it a brilliant Easter Egg. It is also usually available for a cheap price, making it great value for money. However, it does rattle with the chocolate chips inside which can be very annoying.
The packaging is very simple, but also easy to recognise on the shelf as it follows the usual Milkybar branding. The text is clear and crisp, making it easy to read. The packet is easy to open, and it is always fresh, even after all this time. It can be closed easily and there is enough foil left over usually to wrap the remaining chocolate, keeping it fresh.
The quality of the product is fantastic, the same as other Nestle products. It is always fresh and has the same great taste. You also get the same amount of chocolate and it is very thick, not thin like other eggs.
The price is very good, with a similar price to smaller eggs, making it great value for money. You also get a very big egg that will fill you up.
When you open the foil, a nice sweet smell drifts into your nose, encouraging you to take a bite. It is very sweet and silky smooth in your mouth. It starts to melt. It is quite hard to break apart, which isn't very good for the young children who are most likely to get the eggs. However, it does include some very nice white chocolate drops that are tiny and melt in your mouth, exactly like the the chocolate bars.
However, it is quite unhealthy and it is quite sickly.
Overall, a great Easter Egg that all children will love with the great taste. It also melts very quickly in your mouth, with a silky smooth texture.
I'm not the biggest eater of white chocolate, and when I do eat it, I think that Nestle White chocolate is the best kind, as it is sweet, milky and very more-ish. While Asda had their offer on easter eggs just before easter I decided to buy 1, and it is the first white chocolate easter egg I have ever had. It was on offer for 68p, which is a bargain considering other shops were asking for around £1.30.
The packaging is alright. the colourings are cream, yellow and the writing is in blue and red, so the branding stands out well. This doesn't stand out that well on a shelve and catch your eye, as the cream colour isn't exactly bold. You can see the foil of the egg through a cut out star shape on the front, and there is a cartoon picture of the Milky Bar kid on the front as well. Most easter eggs have cut down on the cardboard packaging, but I think they could have cut it down a bit more and made the box a little snugger fit, as there is room inside for the egg to move about. The egg is covered in a gold foil wrapper and this sits in a cardboard tray that is coloured to look like a basket, so no plastic in here and the packaging can be put in your blue paper bin for recycling.
Now to the egg. This is obviously white in colour (well more like a yellow cream colour) and there is 2 bags of white chocolate buttons inside the egg. These aren't in packaging, which could mean that you have to leave them inside the egg if you don't want to eat all at once, or I put mine into a food bag to keep it fresh. This is marketed as a shaker egg, due to the fact if you shake it when the egg is still whole then you will hear the buttons rattling about. The egg doesn't break up that easy, but who cares as long as you can eat it!
I enjoyed the egg, and since it wasn't a huge egg I found it nice to eat in this quantity. Milky Bar chocolate is just so nice and creamy, that next easter I would buy another one of these and eat it quite happily!
The other week Toby was given a small Easter egg at Playgroup. It was a Nestle Milkybar Shaker egg. I'm not overly keen on white chocolate, but for the purpose of this review I happily opened it up for Toby, and secretly took a small piece to sample.
The outer packaging looks almost exactly like the picture above, except the one I have is a shaker egg and doesn't contain 2 milky bars. It contains all the relevant information you would need to know about the product and more besides, including why some of the ingredients are added, and where they are from i.e. 'Acacia gum' - from trees! For those who don't know what that is, it's a glazing agent - makes the drops shiny!
There is also child friendly pictures to explain recycling, informing us that they have replaced the plastic tray with a cardboard one to make recycling even easier.
As you open the outer box you see the cardboard inner tray it has a basket weave pattern around the outside and is raised along each side making it look like basket handles, inside is a gold foil wrapped egg, which as you shake it you hear the chocolate drops inside rattling around, hence why it's called a shaker egg!
The Egg
Inside the foil you find a white chocolate egg, patterned with a traditional chocolate egg pattern, which looks a bit like crazy paving. When you break this open, you find the egg about a ¼ full with small round white chocolate drops.
Sampling the egg and drops, they melted slowly and you can taste the creaminess and sweetness of the chocolate. I find with white chocolate you get a strange after taste; this is probably from the vanilla flavouring.
My thoughts
My first thoughts on this egg were quite positive, I don't like to buy Easter eggs as I find there is too much wasted packaging included, and you don't seem to get as much chocolate for your money compared to a chocolate bar.
This egg has minimal packaging, and all of it can be recycled, even the foil can be recycled just like a tin can! There is no plastic involved and this is great, maybe other companies can take this on board and ditch the plastic next year.
Placing the chocolate drops inside of the egg reduces on packaging, but also gives the recipient an extra bit of fun, by shaking it, and making lots of noise. Don't shake it too hard though as the egg may break.
I still am not keen on white chocolate, I prefer milk or plain, but white chocolate can be a great alternative for children. It doesn't seem to melt as fast as milk chocolate; Toby didn't seem to get as messy with this as he does with other chocolate.
When I was looking for small foil covered eggs for a hunt before Easter I saw these and similar shaker eggs available at Tesco at £1.49 and Buy one get one free, so for 75p each these are very good value for what you get.
Obviously Easter is over now, and shops have either stopped selling them or selling them at reduced prices, but look out for them next year, they are great value for money, and great for the environment too.


text:
TEMPE, Ariz.—Throughout most of last summer, an unbiased observer could walk through the Los Angeles Angels' clubhouse and not see a jovial man among the lot.
It was a sign that the season had gone badly for the Angels, who finished it with a third consecutive dark fall as they saw two division rivals make the playoffs while they packed up for the winter.
Josh Hamilton has already changed all of that.
As he did for most of his career with the Texas Rangers, Hamilton has brought a sense of fun and light-heartedness to Angels camp. And he's been here less than a week.
MORE HAMILTON: Striving for consistency | Shed 20 pounds in offseason
Already Hamilton has old friend and all-business first baseman Albert Pujols smiling, even joking around with the media. He has manager Mike Scioscia, who can sometimes be a curmudgeon, giddy. He has Mike Trout, who never has a problem smiling, showing a more playful side in public.
As for Hamilton himself, well, he was nothing but a ball of fun when he sat on a stage with Pujols and Trout for a press conference Thursday afternoon. When Pujols started giving one of his stock, boring answers to a question, Hamilton jumped in and said, "This is where you're supposed to just make something up," inciting laughter from everyone in the room. When a reporter brought up his prolonged slumps, Hamilton interrupted his question and quipped, "Thanks for pointing that out." More laughter. He even joked about his too-much-caffeine excuse from last season when he was going through one of those slumps.
Then, when talking about his past in comparison to Pujols', Hamilton joked, "I took a little bit of a different route than Albert did," referencing his drug addiction and suspension by Major League Baseball.
The 31-year old made funny faces, held conversations with others off to the side of the stage while Trout and Pujols answered questions, grabbed a piece of candy from a dish and shared one with Trout. He might take his game seriously, but he doesn't take himself too seriously.
If Hamilton continues to show this kind of character and produces at the plate, the Angels will be a totally different team than the one that finished a not-good-enough 89-73 last season.
If expectations last season rated a 10 thanks to the additions of Pujols and left-hander C.J. Wilson, they are off-the-meter high this year. This is truly a World Series-or-bust season, and a source with knowledge of the situation said that anything short of an American League pennant could cause heads to roll; not even Scioscia, whose contract runs through 2018, would be safe considering owner Arte Moreno isn't committing to one of the game's highest payrolls to field a loser.
One of the franchise pillars, ace right-hander Jered Weaver, also wants an immediate winner. He knew this in August 2011 when he left as much as $50 million on the table to sign an extension with the Angels. He gave the team a discount so they could put pieces around him to get the team to the World Series.
Over the last two winters, the Angels have done that with Pujols, Wilson and now Hamilton.
"The organization did a great job in getting the pieces to fill in here," Weaver said. "It's always exciting to get that blockbuster deal.
"This is why I did what I did. I wanted them to be able to bring in guys to win a world championship. I said from Day 1 that's what I'm about. I don't need the blockbuster deal if it helps them to bring the right people in."
In keeping with this year's theme, Weaver was smiling while delivering those words and talking about Hamilton, just as Hamilton was smiling when talking about choosing the Angels over the Rangers.
NO ROOM: Angels' outfield depth forces Wells to bench
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't appealing thinking about the Angels, thinking about placing myself in the lineup with these guys," Hamilton said.
Scioscia knows he will have fun filling out his lineup card. The Angels just might have the most intimidating order in the business, but Scioscia said he doesn't think the reality of his good fortune will sink in until he writes his first real lineup, April 1 in Cincinnati.
Until then, it's surreal, he said.
FANTASY: Trout's weight gain
As for Pujols, he's dealt with dense expectations for nearly his entire career. He's also been with teams that started the season outside the spotlight and wound up winning it all (the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, for example). He's also failed with teams that were supposed to dominate only to miss the postseason (last season's Angels).
He also knows what it's like to try to win the division in April. It was just last spring that Pujols got off to a horrible start because he wanted to prove to Angels' fans and his teammates that he was worth the 10-year, $240 million contract he signed months earlier.
His slump helped to produce a 4-16 record, the worst 20-game start in franchise history. That start is a big reason why there wasn't much laughter, fun or joy in the LA clubhouse last year.
"We look good on paper," Pujols said, "but we still have to go out there and perform.
"Last year we all tried to do too much (in April). We knew what kind of team we had, and we knew we were better than what our record was showing. Sometimes you press, and that's human nature. If you don't do that, you're not human."
Hamilton is as human as they come. He has fought addiction and depression, relapsed and dealt with slumps that have drowned his production on the field.
Even with all of that around him, Hamilton's attitude and demeanor just might be the reasons the Angels succeed this season.
Fantasy insight
— Who benefits from shorter fences in San Diego and Seattle?
— 3B Toss-up: Brett Lawrie vs. Will Middlebrooks


text:
Stage Stores, Inc. (NYSE: SSI) announced today that it will consolidate its South Hill, Virginia regional operations into its Houston, Texas corporate headquarters. This consolidation is expected to increase efficiency, create synergies, reduce expenses and enhance growth. "This action is the culmination of an initiative that we began last year," said Michael Glazer, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Given the impact on South Hill employees, the decision to consolidate was a difficult one. However, the significant benefits from having all department store functions and processes entirely together in one location could not be ignored. This strategic action will strengthen collaboration, teamwork and communications, while streamlining operations, enhancing overall operational efficiency and reducing costs. Combining all department store functions will also create consistency in merchandising, marketing and eCommerce, which should result in higher sales and earnings growth." Functions being consolidated into the Company's Houston headquarters include merchandising, planning and allocation, human resources and other services currently supporting 331 stores located in 24 Mid Atlantic, Southeastern, Midwestern and Northeastern states. The consolidation and subsequent office closure is expected to be completed by the middle of 2013 and will result in the elimination of approximately 180 South Hill-based positions. Approximately 75 new positions will be added at the Company's Houston headquarters. The Company noted that the consolidation will have no impact on the operations of its South Hill distribution center. A number of employees will be offered the opportunity to relocate to other Company locations, including the Houston headquarters. Those not relocating will receive severance packages, outplacement counseling services and other benefits. The current estimate of costs associated with the consolidation is approximately $20 million, with approximately $4 million incurred in 2012 and the balance anticipated to be incurred in 2013. The Company expects that this consolidation will result in annual cost savings of approximately $5 million.
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text:
Game Time Start: 7:00 PM EST
Where: The Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Officials: E. Malloy, S. Anderson, T. Brown
Media Notes: Indiana Notes, Philadelphia Notes
Television: FOX Sports Indiana / Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WFNI 1070 AM, 107.5 FM / WPEN 97.5 FM
NBA Feeds:*NBA Audio League Pass (available free to NBA All-Access members)
*NBA League Pass Broadband (subscription req'd)
REMINDER: Per PD policy, please do not share a link to, describe how to search for, request a link to, or request a PM about streaming video of a NBA game that is not coming directly through the NBA. Not even in a "wink-wink, nudge-nudge, know-what-I-mean" round-about sort of way. Thank you
Season Records: (W-L) 11-1 Home: 6-0
East: 9-1
6-8 Away: 1-4
East: 5-4
Upcoming Games: Nov 25 Nov 27 Nov 29 Dec 01 vs at vs at 7:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 3:30pm
Projected Starting Lineup: HIBBERT WEST GEORGE STEPHENSON HILL Projected Starting Lineup: ORTON HAWES TURNER ANDERSON CARTER-WILLIAMS
Danny Granger - kneecapped by a clown baby (out)
CJ Watson - upper respiratory infection (probable)
Arnett Moultrie - left ankle (out)
Nerlens Noel - left knee (out)
Tony Wroten - low back strain (game-time decision)
Thaddeus Young - personal reasons (out)
Perpetually Disappointing Trader Joe Minimally Relevant Video:
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Semi-Relevant Trivia: Last night, Lance Stephenson became the first Pacer
to record multiple triple-doubles in one season since
2002. Which player recorded the most triple-doubles
during a single season in Blue & Gold (after 1986)?
A. Vern Fleming
B. Mark Jackson
C. Detlef Schrempf
D. Jamaal Tinsley
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Enrico Campitelli Jr. @The700Level


text:
" Brand: Spin Master / Type: Crafts "
I first came across these Bendaroos a few years ago now. My niece was at my parents busy making something hunched over the table and being a child at heart I was keen to see what it was that was so interesting! Since then, Bendaroos have featured regularly at my parents house.
==What are Bendaroos?==
Bendaroos are described by their maker (Merchant Media) as 'amazing flexible building sticks' and this is basically what they are. Bendaroos are long thin sticks which are about the length of a drinking straw but about a quarter of the width. They come in a variety of colours and they are quite sticky meaning that their main purpose is to use them to make or decorate things. As they are bendy they can also be shaped. Thinking about it, in a way these are a bit like modern day artstraws!
==Where can I buy them?==
Bendaroos can be found in a number of toy stores and supermarkets. They are also easy to find online.
==What options do I have?==
Well, the world really is your oyster with these Bendaroos! My niece started off with a bumper pack a few years ago where Bendaroos provide 400 sticks, 4 templates and a cutting tool. This cost my parents around £20 which I thought was a bit steep at the time! However, looking online now I can see that the price has remained stable.
Now, a lot of different kits are available including 100 piece packs where there are a choice of themes - space and sky, sweets and treats, animals etc. In these packs you are provided with an assortment of colours and a guide with instructions on how to make your models. You can also buy 200 piece packs which again are themed with topics such as the zoo, ocean creatures and royal fantasy. A 500 piece pack includes 500 sticks and a guide to make a variety of models.
Bendaroos now make special packs which include a 3D activity pack and a glow in the dark one. There is now even a Spongebob set which if I'm entirely honest may well end up in my nieces christmas present pile!
To give a rough idea of pricing you can get the 500 piece mega pack for £5.89, theme packs for around £7.50 and the mega pack that my niece originally had for £19.99 (all prices from amazon.co.uk)
==Using the Bendaroos==
You can either use the bendaroos to make things from the included guides or you can use them to make your own designs. This is great fun as it means you really can make anything you want to. This also really aids childrens creativity I think as they can make anything. Dependent on age they may not be able to follow the guide or may prefer to be individual and create their own designs. My niece does a mixture of both.
Using the bendaroos is easy. You simply bend them to shape in order to form either your model or picture. You will often need half a stick or just a tiny bit so the special cutters you can get prove invaluable. I'm not sure if you could cut them with normal scissors as I've never tried but I would imagine you could with some good kitchen scissors but children would probably struggle.
My niece began making 2D objects as this was what she felt more confident doing. You don't have to stick these on paper. Instead you can make your object on a board or hard surface and then peel it off. Some of the first things my niece made were butterflies. She made one of her own designs and then found one in the guide to follow. Both looked good, for her own design she used the cutters to get the right length and did an outline of the wings and then filled this with a different colour. For the guided one she twisted the bendaroo sticks round into a spiral to use as the wings. Both of these looked really good and she was able to do them with ease. She actually gave them to me and I stuck them on my bedroom mirror where they still are today over 3 years later and they still look fab.
The bendaroos stay soft and tacky so that your models can be broken up and you can start again. You will need to do this carefully to ensure that none break or end up stretching but this is simple enough.
The 3D objects you can make using these are really effective but obviously these will take a bit more time and effort and your child may need some assistance when doing this. I believe my nieces first 3D attempt with my mum was an elephant which looked quite cool!
The bendaroos go a long way - for my nieces own design butterfly she used 4 and for the guided one I believe she used 5 which when you consider you could have 500 in a pack this is great. Obviously 3D constructions will require more but I do believe that for the amount you get in a pack you have plenty and also they can be reused so there are always enough.
However, if you would like to use these and keep the end results you can and they will keep their shape as I have had my butterflies for a few years now.
==Ideas for Bendaroos==
These would be fantastic for children to make gifts with as in addition to making 2D or 3D objects they can also be used to decorate.
A plain wooden photo frame jazzed up with some bendaroos would be a fab gift for a family member or maybe a nicely decorated pot or jar.
==Are they worth the money?==
Yes, I do believe they are worth the money. Although initially this does seem to be a lot of money for some of the packs the bendaroos last a long time and will keep your children busy for hours and hours.
==Would I recommend them?==
Yes, I would wholeheartedly recommend these for kids and adults! They are good fun, mess free and something different. They can make fantastic objects and after just seeing a lion on the website I think my niece may be persuaded to make her auntie lyndz a lion!
Bendaroos are construction-type / craft toys for kids, a bit like a cross between Plasticine and Lego. They take the form of maybe 20cm lengths of string, coated in a skin of brightly coloured, sticky wax-like material. They are highly flexible - and sticky, and can be made to stick to one another as well as being bent back on themselves and rolled / stuck into spirals, flower shapes, etc. They're also reusable (to some extent) and anything you've made from them can be unravelled quite simply and re-formed into new shapes.
The Bendaroo strings are available in various sizes of packet - from the basic £5 kit that contains about 80 pieces in a range ofseven colours, to huge multi-packages with hundreds of strings selling for up to £20. There are also smaller 'bespoke' themed kits - such as space astronaut etc. which contain strings appropriately coloured to build certain set-ups (eg. in the case of the space kit - spaceships, spacesuits and so on) together with crafting ideas for how the various items can be made up. I understand that he strings can be cut (with a special 'Bendaroo' tool) and then re-stuck afterwards, but we haven't tried this ourselves as yet.
They don't seem to dry out even if left out of the bag for a while (which is a bonus) but you will need some sort of covered tub to keep them in, as otherwise once out of the packet, they tend to fall on the floor and get spread absolutely all over your home. They also stick to paper (so you can make pictures) and glass and smooth plastic surfaces....but you tell me whether that's a selling point, versus a disadvantage, or not.
The strings are intended for kids age three and up. Younger kids will need a bit of instruction before they get the idea of what can be done with the strings.
As for playing with, Bendaroos I'd say are essentially a partial success. They can be stuck / restuck quite easily, and I'd say work best for making two-dimensional (I mean flat) figures / structures. 3-D figures, although they can be made based on a 'coil pot' type of structure, are heavy on Bendaroos (they get used up for the internal structure) and also inevitably come out with a slightly odd ribbed appearance, by virtue of the nature of how Bendaroos themselves are constructed.
Where the craft sticks fall down a little I'd say is in their excessive stickiness. They do leave a noticeable residue on the fingers after you've handled them which is a bit unpleasant (although this comes off very easily - even with a wet-wipe) but it's no worse admittedly than the residue you get eg. after handling Plasticine. Also because of the sticky surface they strings tend to pick up 'dirt' - some of ours that got dropped on an apparently clean vinyl floor came back with bits of fluff stuck to the surface that wouldn't come off afterwards - and even though the sticks could still be used afterwards, they'd lost their lovely bright colours to some extent. This a problem in particular, with the lighter- coloured sticks (eg. yellow).
We got a starter pack of Bendaroos for my five year old to play with to see if she like the idea. I was reasonably impressed with them, but won't be buying any more until the sprog's a couple of years older, as I don't think she's getting the most from these toys as yet. So in my experience these play strings would be better for children in the over six years age category at least.
I have creative children. How wonderful I hear you say. Well yes ,it is. With my first son, now aged 12, I was the doting first time mother keen to encourage his creative exploits from an early age. For his first Christmas aged 6 months, he sent the whole family hand made Christmas cards, complete with co-ordinating paint and glitter effects. (interestingly now aged 12, he has turned out to be the least artistically inclined of all the children, though I am sure that my early attempts to encourage his talent have nothing to do with this.)
Once my second child came along I was a little more tired and a little less enthusiastic about possible mess making activities such as painting. Never the less I still regularly dragged out the art box and let her indulge her creative side. As my family continued to grow however, so did my dislike of paints and my loathing of glitter. My youngest child, now aged 2, it must be said has not had the same early experiences of creative materials that his older siblings got. This does not limit his creativity however it seems. Have you any idea what a wonderful wall covering tomato ketchup makes, or just how effective chocolate mouse can be as a face paint?
There is therefore a certain type of product that always appeals to me. The products that are marketed as "great creative fun, with NO mess" Hooorrray! Now of course, over the years many such products have found their way into our house, and yes, I have to admit, that in the majority of cases I have been ashamedly duped by marketing ploys. Usually there is mess involved, often their is little fun or creativity to be had.
And so it was with cautious optimism that I purchased my first pack of Bendaroos. The advertising certainly made them sound appealing. Colourful flexible sticks that could be bent and moulded and stuck together. No need for paint, or glue. Non staining and re-usable. Brilliant. Hours of creative fun for my creative little mess monsters...without the mess!
** What They Are**
Bendaroos are basically brightly coloured long waxy strings. They in fact have a wire core, not too dissimilar to a pipe -cleaner, but are covered in a brightly coloured waxy substance. They are available in various packs, and we bought an assorted beginner's pack with about 200 Bendaroos in.
Being a cautious and experienced Mummy, I opened the box without the children present. This gave me an invaluable chance to make my own assessment of the potential risks of the product(I'm not talking risk of serious injury here, even I know that serious injury is unlikely from a waxy bendy piece of string. I'm more thinking along the lines of major mess or permanent structural household damage!) So emptying out the box I find a nice colourful mixture of, yes little bendy pieces of string! On closer inspection I notice with some alarm they have a slightly tacky feel to them, but after a good bit of fumbling with one I was pleasantly surprised to see no residual colour on my hands (which could then obviously be transferred to any multitude of household surfaces in an instant!)
The little waxy strings were indeed truly bendy. They retained well any shape into which they were moulded. The slight tackiness made it possible to stick pieces together with relative ease. I made some quick further investigations, and having re-assured myself that they weren't going to stick permanently to the dining room table , television set or the dog (best to cover all eventualities when you live in a house where children outnumber adults 3:1 !) I called in my little darlings.
**How Are They to Play With**
My children (well 5 out of 6 as my oldest now opts out of craft!) were all immediately impressed by the bright colours.
Obviously they had all seen various TV ads, so knew what they were and what to do with them(although my 2 year old initially seemed to be possibly confusing them with Coco Pops straws- but it's OK, they're non-toxic!) And so an amazing thing happened. They were actually able to play happily with them with the minimum of intervention from me for some fairly significant time!
My 2 year old was the first to get bored with them. Having discovered early on that they weren't edible, and that they didn't stick to the dog he soon lost interest. Now in fairness this product is marketed for over 3's,but in this household nothing much gets passed the 2year old!
The other children who ranged in age from 4to10,all played with them for well over 40 minutes, which is something of a record for a joint child activity with minimal adult intervention! My oldest daughter made some truly impressive3D models by twisting and sticking various colours together. Her ambition did slightly get the better of her, and her attempt at the Eifel Tower did have more of a Leaning Tower of Pisa look about it, but none the less some of the things she was able to make were genuinely impressive. My middle daughter had lots of fun twisting various strands to make friendship style bracelets for all the family which again turned out surprisingly well. The younger children stuck to more basic 2d shapes on the table but were delighted to find that they could unravel their creations easily and start again.
There was particular rejoicing when they discovered that the shapes they made could be stuck to the windows, and more importantly I would let them!(remember my pre-play safety assessment? Yep I checked they were easily removable from the windows!) Now we did discover that there was a weight limit to what would stick reliably to the window. Some of the bulkier creations gradually lost their grip and flopped to the floor, much to the delight of the dog who seemed to disagree with my son in her assessment of whether or not these were edible. None the less the window was soon covered in an array of colourful creations to rival any art gallery. So proud were my daughters of their creations that I was made to leave them on the window for somewhat longer than my Mummy sense suggested was wise. This did lead to a nice array of greasy marks on the window which took more than a little elbow grease and windowlene to remove, but on the whole not too bad as far as potential creative mess goes.
At the end of creative fun it was perfectly possible to re-starighten the Bendaroos to be stored for re-use. It should be noted though that eventually after multiple uses they can become somewhat less tacky and more brittle making them harder to mould and stick. It is however also possible that these seemingly innocent pieces of bendy string will escape and hide themselves in all manner of places around the house, just waiting to be walked into the flooring, or run through the washing machine. However I am pleased to report that both these situations are relatively easy to fix and leave no permanent damage. In fact I can also happily tell you that tumble drying a Bendaroo is much less of a disaster than tumble drying a wax crayon ( you see how much further I go to give you wonderful dooyooers the most in depth reviews!)
**Our verdict**
I must say we loved these. They are perhaps slightly pricey for what they are, but they kept my rabble happily and creatively entertained for a long time. They required very little adult supervision or assistance. They are really simple, and really let the children's imagination take over unhindered. They are reusable, up to a point, they don't cause any permanent damage and little mess, and they don't stick to Dogs. What more can I say!
I wasn't sure what these would be like, sometimes things are not what they seem!
I was plesantly surprised. My mum bought these for my daughter for her birthday and she has loved them.
They are quite amazing I guess they're sort of waxy & bendy but not sticky - yet they stick! you can cut them with the special cutter and if you do it correctly they can be stuck back together again. My daughter has made some amazing creations with them. She is very creative I have to say - I would think that you need the imagination to start with! she's 7 and she loves making little bits of food - pizza slices, little ice creams or little animals.
They are basically brightly coloured sticks of wax which can be rolled up like a spiral, twisted or bent to make creations.
It comes with an ideas sheet so that's helpful. We keep it all in a tin now as once she's cut the strips they end up in little bits. I think after a long time they may wear out but they've certainly lasted longer than I thought.
I think it's a really nice gift idea it comes in a lovely box, it's about £16 for the set but it comes with plenty to have a proper play with.
Great crafty idea and not at all messy - no glue involved.
Bendaroos are advertised as 'Amazing Flexible Building Sticks', and to some degree this is true- yes, they are sticks, yes, they are flexible, and yes, you can sort of build things with them. The 'amazing' bit might be stretching things a tad!
My daughter asked for these for Christmas, I had seen the 'Mega pack' on the argos website for £19.99- it looked a pretty good set for this price. My sister bought it, and I couldn't believe the size of the box- suddenly the price didn't seem so reasonable after all. For what you get, twenty quid seems a bit steep, but i suppose if we're silly enough to pay it?!
My daughter (8), couldn't wait to open this, and both her and my son (6) have had hours of fun playing with it since. Basically you get 400 bendy, waxy straws in lots of different colours. You do get more of some colours than others, and my daughter commented that there wasn't enough black, and that black is a colour you need quite a lot of! This hasn't affect her enjoyment of the product at all though.
Included in this set is a very useful little tool for cutting the straws. There is also a bit at the front of the tool that joins two pieces together- this bit doesn't actually work very well though, the straws tend to stick to the tool instead! You also get some cards with examples of pictures and mosels on them. The kids enjoyed trying to copy these, but they had more fun creating their own masterpieces to be honest (my son made a bendarooney, geddit?!!)
The straws can be used again and again, if your kids can bear to take apart the things they've made- mine haven't yet, maybe when they run out of unused sticks...!
All in all this is a good fun crafty product which keeps the kids entertained for hours at a time, and on the plus side they're not messy, and they don't take a lot of storage space like some other craft toys. Although reusable, I don't know how long the straws would last before losing their 'stickiness'- time will tell I guess- but for the price I hope they last a fairly long time!
Alongside the Dsi Nintendo my daughter brought herself out of her birthday money, she discovered that she has a bit left over to spend, she was over the moon to find the product I will now review, as it did say in the television advert we had seen prior to going to Toys R Us, that these were only available to buy through a dedicated website.
The product I will now review is - "Bendaroos"
These are advertised as the "amazing flexible building sticks", they are shown on the advert as being the ideal thing to build 3D pictures and models, sticking to virtually any surface with them actually encouraging the child to build a picture or plaque on a wall in your house as they apparently don't stain walls or furnishings, with them being able to remove said picture or plaque and sticking them elsewhere upon completion.
The pack my daughter brought was deemed as the "mega pack", this contains 400 Bendaroos, two double sided templates, one instruction booklet and a complimentary "cut and join" tool, don't really see how this can be complimentary when she's paid for everything else!
The Bendaroos themselves are what I can only describe as pipe cleaners, coated with a tacky, bendy and soft layer of wax, this means they can be bent into any shape without the wax cracking, and can be twisted and stuck together with the other colours available in the pack, after use they can be removed from the masterpiece your child has created and straightened back ready for re-use. My daughter has done this on a few occasions and I have yet to see any wax flaking off or bare wires.
In the pack there is a vast array of colours available, this enables the child to make a plethora of models and crafts with the colouring being true to form.
My daughter decided that upon opening the pack she would attempt one of the pictures featured on the double sided cards, there is a lion and a crocodile to be made on the first card.
Even though the cards show you step by step methods of making the models, they of course never look like the picture, but I give Kaitlin her due she made a reasonable job of the lion's face.
The cutting tool mentioned earlier is actually invaluable, due to the wire within the Bendaroos it is reasonably difficult to cut them with bog standard kitchen scissors, the tool is plastic and very sturdy. There is a hole to thread the Bendaroo through, this ensures the child can cut the stick without ever getting their fingers near the blade within the tool. The joining part is situated at the front on the pincers part, this is really an unnecessary accessory as you could simply join with a twist, but if it's there so be it!
My daughter has thoroughly enjoyed this set, this has kept her entertained for many hours and in my humble opinion this is a really good set, this is geared towards the 5+ age range, though my four year old has enjoyed playing with it too.
As mentioned earlier there is no colour transferring onto walls and soft furnishings, even when the picture has been initially made there, it does however struggle to stick to everything as pre-advertised.
My daughter decided in her infinite wisdom that she was going to make name plaques for her and her brothers bedroom, and a blackbird for my bedroom door....not sure where that came from, I can only assume that is the only picture she really feels competent at making!
After making her name in Bendaroos and the also the bird, she stuck the bird to my bedroom door and her name to her wardrobe door. I swear if I have to pick Bendaroos from her sock draw once more this week I will commit harry cary!
Though in fairness not once has the Bendaroo stuck to her clothes or stained them in any way, which is more than can be said for my poor laminate flooring!
After cutting up some of the sticks some must have fallen onto the floor, and by god are they hard to pick off, the first two days after these were bought I seemed to spend the days on my hands and knees scraping them up with a knife!
Aside from this gripe these are actually much more welcome in my house than some of the other crafty items available for purchase now (you know the one's... Bindeez and the like!).
These are available in starter packs, these range from £10.00 upwards. This particular set cost £19.99, which yes, I agree is a little steep, but if brought through the website as stated it would have cost that and P&P, so this is the cheaper option!
For more information on availability visit - www.toysrus.co.uk
For more information on the product other products and colours available (they do neon online only!) visit - www.bendaroos.com
Thanks for reading x
As an afternote, i have since found out that the Bendaroos are not made of wire but rather string, then covered in wax, not sure why the scissors struggle to cut them!
Bendaroos are the magical flexible building sticks - bend and twist then stick together without the need for glue! Magical wax over super strong string makes Bandaroos do almost anything - Draw, Build ,Transform and Decorate! Stick Bendaroos to any surface and they'll hold their shape! Simply unbend them to re-use again and again for endless creative fun with no stains and no mess! Create jewellery, gear for your action figures or furniture for your dolls, make signs and pictures on the walls, doors and windows - stick and stay, then lift away! The Mega Pack features 400 coloured Bendaroos - the magical, flexible building sticks you can twist and bend to make all sorts of creatures and shapes! This creative craft set comes with a Cut 'n' Join tool, 2 double-sided templates and an instruction booklet. Bendaroos are a wonderful way to encourage creativity and construction skills!


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They used to be called hatchet men.
The blunt edges of their talents hewed out rebounds, screens, defense and the kind of selective brutality essential to any contact sport. They were later referred to as enforcers. However, in today's game, the skills and duties of power forwards cover the entire spectrum of the game.
No. 1 TIM DUNCAN
Since the retirement of David Robinson, Tim Duncan has become just a part-time power forward because come crunch-time, Robert Horry plays the four, while TD is the Spurs' center.
In any case, Duncan's virtues are well known: Nifty post-up moves (with his right-handed jump hook being his supreme weapon), sure-handed rebounding, long-armed defense, alert passes and somewhat overrated jump shooting. Although he uses his elbows as grappling hooks, the Big Fundamental plays with more finesse than actual power. Despite that fact, his ability to deliver in the clutch, resourcefulness and above all, his will to win, put him at the top of this list.
No. 2 KEVIN McHALE
Kevin McHale had the most effective variety of low-post moves of any power forward or center. Drop-steps, spins, hooks, duck-unders, face-ups, back-downs, fadeaway and turn-around jumpers as well as some improvised moves that were beyond categorizing. His unstoppability was evidenced by McHale's leading the league in field goal percentage twice (1986-88, with identical percentages of 60.4).
He was also an OK passer, great offensive rebounder and adequate presence on the defensive glass. And McHale's defense was every bit as outstanding as his offense. He was listed at 6-foot-10, but with his long arms and high shoulders, McHale played at least five inches taller.
The Larry Bird-Robert Parrish-Kevin McHale front line is generally considered to be the most dominant of all time and it was McHale who did most of the heavy lifting that enabled the Celtics to win three championships (1981, '84, '86) during his 13-year tenure in Boston. Indeed, all of McHale's pertinent numbers were higher during the playoffs.
Although partially hidden in Bird's shadow, McHale was a legitimate franchise player in his own right.
No. 3 BOB PETTIT
This guy rendered most of his opponents' numbers powerless. His honors included two MVPs, (1956, '59), one championship ('58), and he was selected to the All-NBA First Team from 1955-64.
Bob Pettit was a savage rebounder his career-high was 20.3 per game in 1960-61, and he concluded his 11 seasons (with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks) averaging 16.2. He scored with one-handed sets, mid-range springers, put-backs and hard-nosed drives to the rim. Put Pettit down for a lifetime mark of 26.4 ppg. He was a dependable (if not prolific) passer and a ferocious (if foul-prone) defender.
The bigger the game, the bigger he played.
No. 4 KARL MALONE
Why such a low rating for a two-time MVP and the second-leading scorer ever?
Because Karl Malone was a choke artist. In the clutch, he'd miss free throws and take ill-advised shots. For example, instead of pounding his way into the lane from his customary station on the left box, Malone would spin baseline and uncork a low-percentage jumper.
And don't pay any attention to his being named three times to the NBA's All-Defensive Team (1997-99). In truth, he was strong enough to move any low-post player several feet from his favorite spot. But his lateral movement was always poor, meaning any opponent who could turn and face would always wind up with a clean look. Also, Malone's pet ploy was to swipe at the ball while his opponent was preparing to shoot. Sometimes Malone was successful, but more often than not, his gamble would be futile, and he would be left exposed and off balance, placing his teammates in jeopardy.
Malone was never anything more than a good player. John Stockton's crafty passes are responsible for turning Malone into a cinch Hall-of-Famer.
No. 5 DAVE DeBUSSCHERE
Yeah, he was a terrific spot-shooter with incredible range. He could rebound, pass and drive. But Dave DeBusschere gained entry into the Hall of Fame (1983) mostly on the basis of his Velcro-chested defense.
He wasn't fond of switching on defense. He'd take care of his man and thought his teammates should take care of theirs. And his single-minded resolve to shut down his opponent (usually the other team's high scorer, often even at the small forward position) disrupted the bad guys' game plan more than if DeBusschere went out and scored 30 points.
No player was tougher, and no guy worked harder. DeBusschere was the unsung hero of both of New York's championships.
No. 6 DOLPH SCHAYES
Dolph Schayes' rough-and-tumble game was made for the pros, and indeed he was a much better player with the Syracuse Nationals than he ever was at New York University.
He put up points (18.2 over 16 seasons) with a high-arcing, two-hand set, with fearless drives into the lane and superb marksmanship at the foul line. Schayes led the NBA in free throw percentage in 1957-58, 1959-60 and 1961-62. He was also a savvy passer and determined rebounder (pacing the league in 1950-51 with 16.4 per game). Schayes may have been a belligerent (and slow-footed) defender, but most of his fouls left opponents with bruises.
As mild-mannered as he was off the court, Schayes played in a fury once the lights were switched on, How tough was he? He once broke his right arm during the prime of his career and proceeded to shoot left handed, using the cast to club his way to the basket.
Schayes was an All-NBA First Team selection six times over, and was the primary reason why the Nationals were NBA champs in 1955. He was also one of the few players who had All-Star seasons both before and after the installation of the 24-second shot clock.
No. 7 DENNIS RODMAN
Despite his zany lifestyle, Dennis Rodman was the ultimate role player. Defense, rebounding and running the court were his contributions to a slew of championships with Detroit and Chicago. For sheer athleticism, no other power forward could compare with Rodman.
Unbeknownst to many casual basketball fans, Rodman was also an incredibly intelligent player. Whereas Karl Malone could never absorb even the most basic elements of the triangle offense, Rodman mastered every intricacy in his first training camp with Chicago.
Not as physically strong as DeBusschere, and (besides put-backs and fast-break flashes) never being a scoring threat, Rodman was a more versatile defender than the Knicks' Hall of Famer in that he could throw a net over shooting guards, small forwards, power forward and centers.
Like Bill Russell before him, Rodman proved that defense wins championships
Just missing the cut:
Bobby Jones
Jerry Lucas
Vern Mikkelsen
James Worthy
Gus Johnson.
Missing in action:
Kevin Garnett hasn't been there, hasn't done that.
Charles Barkley only played defense when the spirit moved him. He routinely came into training camp grossly overweight, and then chastised his teammates for being out of shape.
Elvin Hayes awful defense, awful fundamentals, awful attitude.
Bob McAdoo soft, selfish and defenseless.
Charley Rosen, former CBA coach, author of 12 books about hoops, the current one being A pivotal season How the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers changed the NBA, is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com.


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In 2007 the Watkins Library began a zine collection for the benefit of the Watkins community. Zines—self-published, small circulation, non-commercial materials—have been collected from donations and various zine distribution centers.
Check out our zines and books arts page for general information.
The zine collection is non-circulating. Library patrons are urged to peruse our continually growing collection in the library. Zine donations are also welcome for review.


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Dumpling of Crottin de Chavignol
Heat the milk to boiling point and mix in the butter. Add the flour and beat the mixture on a slow flame to achieve a consistent, regular pastry dough.
Use a mixer, or by hand, to crush the goat cheese. Stir into the dough.
Then mix the eggs, one at a time into the dough. Allow this to settle for about 30 minutes.
Take the dough and make the dumplings. Allow these to cook for a few minutes in slightly salty water that is near boiling point.
Drain and serve covered with melted butter sprinkled with chives.
A simple and refined recipe. This is a light dish that is ideally accompanied by a green salad with a vinegar sauce.
Ingredients :
100 grs of Crottin de Chavignol
1/4 liter of milk
100grs of butter
200 grs of flour
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
100 grs of butter
4 spoons of chopped chives
Sancerre blanc
Crottin 2 pcs.


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Hi all,
I am quite a novice in new tech and am looking for some help.I am quite often "on the road" but still need to access email and manage my accounts.What do people recommend for the following:?
contact management software;laptop plus mobile or laptop plus mobile plus palm pilot???.How do you make all of this work for you?
Geoff sober
You have to be logged into the site before you can participate in the disussion.


text:
Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases
We are dedicated to developing therapies to treat, slow or prevent disease progression and improve the quality of life of patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular (CV) and kidney diseases. Our core focus areas include next-generation blood glucose control, targeting weight management in T2D, and improving outcomes in those at highest risk for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. To achieve our goals, we use our scientific platforms to understand whole body metabolism, insulin sensitivity and underlying human genetic associations with these diseases.
We continue to advance the science around anticoagulation, both in terms of stroke prevention, reducing atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Pfizer is also leading antibody development in support of PCSK9 inhibition, to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease amongst those who continue to suffer from hypercholesterolemia.
Work With Us
If you're interested in collaborating with our Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases team, visit our Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases Partnering page to learn more about the work we're pursuing.


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Even though I use Ableton as my main DAW for over a decade I was in love with Cubase. I went to the Steinberg user group in NYC and wrote many of my great songs using Cubase. Steinberg has always been one of the most innovative music software companies and lately they are shining again. Cubasis for iPad is amazing and with the power of the iPad Air it's actually a viable way to make full on tracks. Steinberg also showed off a little recently by adding Leap Motion tech to Cubase allowing you to wave your hands in the air Minority Report style to control your DAW. They just released Cubase 7.5 and one feature I really think is stellar called TrackVersions. TrackVersions allows you to create different versions of parts in a neat manner. One "trick" I use when making music is to always try out 4-5 things per transition or part. I love the idea of being able to keep this different options labeled and inside the track. With Ableton I end up with a very long page full of muted ideas.
"Create, rename and manage parallel versions of the same track or tracks and use them to compare takes or create alternative versions of your recordings while keeping all track settings. Interfacing perfectly with existing track handling features like lanes, the flexible new TrackVersions feature will significantly speed up your workflow when working not only with audio but also MIDI, instrument, chord, tempo and signature tracks." – steinberg.net
For more info: steinberg.net


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Shannon Elizabeth
After showing the world her assets in American Pie, Shannon Elizabeth decided to take the comedy route once more and starred in The Grand and Deal. She also appeared in a star-studded season of Dancing With The Stars.
AppealShe's right up there with Denise Richards on the sexiness scale. She looks attractive even if she's wearing a parka, jogging pants and construction boots.
SuccessHer bit roles in movies have made her a favorite among the pimple-faced portion of the population, but they also helped catch the eye of some of Hollywood's head honchos. Watch for her in a blockbuster action movie in the near future.
In the meantime, we're satisfied with her sexy performances in American Pie (1999), Scary Movie (2000), Thir13en Ghosts (2001), and Cursed (2004) -- even if she wasn't necessarily trying to be sexy. She also had roles on nine episodes of That 70s Show and the flicks The Kid & I (2005), The Grand (2007), Deal (2008), You Belong to Me (2008), and Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust (2008).
In 2005, it was announced that she is separating from her actor husband Joseph D. Reitman (they were married in June 2002). But Shannon is keeping busy with more movie roles, such as the 2005 made-for-TV movie Confessions of an American Bride and 2005's The Kid & I.
Shannon Elizabeth BiographyShannon Elizabeth Fadal was born on September 7, 1973, in Houston, Texas. Her exotic look can be attributed to the fact that her father is part Syrian and Lebanese, while her mother is of English, French and Cherokee Indian descent. Shannon's parents decided to move to Waco, Texas when Shannon was a young child.
Claiming to not be part of the popular group in what she described as a cliquey high school, Shannon Elizabeth was involved in many after-school activities. Part of the student council executive, Shannon was active in volleyball and cheerleading (which probably came easy to her thanks to her tap and ballet lessons as a child). Her biggest interest during high school, however, was tennis, which she considered doing professionally.
shannon elizabeth becomes a modelShannon Elizabeth's life took an unexpected twist in her senior year when she starred in a video that a local band was shooting. The producer thought that Shannon Elizabeth had what it takes to become a model, and convinced her and her parents to go to New York to get some photos done.
Once Shannon Elizabeth graduated from high school in 1991, she moved to New York, where a modeling agency was waiting for her to graduate and begin her modeling career. While doing some modeling work in New York (where she lived in the NYU dorms), Shannon Elizabeth also worked in countries such as France, Japan, Hong Kong, and Italy.
Although working abroad was an excellent experience, Shannon Elizabeth admits to having been homesick. When she returned to the U.S., she spent a few months in South Beach, Miami before moving to Los Angeles. Ready to pursue an acting career, she hesitated about going to L.A. immediately, recognizing the amount of competition among young budding actresses. When she finally did go to L.A., Shannon Elizabeth signed with the Ford Modeling Agency, figuring that getting some of her pictures done would help her get into acting. She later signed with Elite Model Management.
It didn't take long for Shannon Elizabeth to get her first commercial -- for Taco Bell -- and she decided to stay in L.A. and join an acting class. Soon after, the roles came in: she appeared in the television series Pacific Blue, Step by Step and USA High.
shannon elizabeth in american pieIn 1997, Shannon Elizabeth had a role in the film Jack Frost (where she appeared nude), and two made-for-TV movies, Blade Squad (1998) and Dying to Live (1999), soon followed. But it was her role in 1999's summer hit American Pie, as Nadia, a Czech foreign exchange student who bares it all, that launched Shannon's fame and career.
shannon elizabeth in scary movieIn 2000, Shannon Elizabeth appeared in the teen horror spoof Scary Movie, as well as in Evicted and Dish Dogs. The following year, she reprised her role as sexy Nadia in American Pie 2 and also appeared in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Tomcats and Thir13en Ghosts. After that, she had a slew of smaller roles, like in Love Actually (2003) and Cursed (2004). In 2005, she appeared in The Kid & I and starred in the made-for-TV movie Confessions of an American Bride. She also worked on 13 episodes of the comedy TV show Cuts.
Shannon Elizabeth separated from her husband, Joseph D. Reitman, to whom she had been married since June 2002, as well.
shannon elizabeth on dancing with the stars and in maxim Shannon Elizabeth was also a cover girl for Maxim, Playboy and Details, and she was Enrique Iglesias' love interest in the video for his song "Be With You."
In 2008, Shannon Elizabeth appeared on the star-studded cast of Dancing With The Stars. She worked on the comedy Deal and the crime thriller You Belong to Me. She was also the June cover girl for Maxim magazine.
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Three California legislators have teamed up to try to stop their colleagues from stripping the text out of legislation and replacing it with unrelated verbiage, preventing any real scrutiny.
Not surprisingly, the proposed constitutional amendment has met with resistance from other legislators — especially the kind of legislators who would prefer their constituents not know what really goes on in Sacramento.
The corrective legislation would require that Assembly and Senate bills be in print at least three days before going to a vote. But in one of the weakest arguments ever offered, a staff report from the Assembly Budget Committee complains the three days could kill enthusiasm for important legislation and allow those crafty lobbyists to do their dirty work.
"This time can allow the resolve for action to dissipate, and special interests can exert pressure and work to block carefully crafted agreements," the committee report, offered in defiance of history and common sense.
We're talking about three days. Three days for the public, the press, watchdog groups and everyone else to take a look. As opposed to the status quo, which provides for zero days.
As it stands, bills struggling for support are simply stripped of their language and new text is inserted on a different topic. The practice intensifies in the closing days of the legislative session, when "gut-and-amend" becomes standard procedure. Examples include new language that provided for accelerated review of for large construction projects, such as a proposed NFL stadium in Los Angeles and an amended bill that delayed collection of sales taxes from online retailers.
The switcheroos prevented environmentalists from studying the impact of the construction bill and stopped brick-and-mortar retailers from weighing in on the tax measure.
"Some things slip through the cracks, mistakes are made, too many laws lead to unexpected consequences," said state Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, who introduced the reform bill along with Assembywoman Kristin Olsen, R-Modesto, and Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord.
The Senate version of the bill is SCA10 and the Assembly version is ACA4. Either would need a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to get onto a public ballot in the fall. It is a very good bill that deserves widespread support. New York requires a three-day review period for all bills and Hawaii requires two.
The public has made it clear that it wants an end to backroom deals and to legislation written by and for the benefit of moneyed special interests. Our legislators have ignored public sentiment, however, and now seem to be doing most of their business outside public view. In fact, it shouldn't not shock anyone if this attempt at transparency isn't hijacked and turned into legislation meant to keep the public even more in the dark.


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Bochy enjoys seeing former Giants
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Manager Bruce Bochy revealed a soft spot in his heart for former Giants Eli Whiteside and Jonathan Sanchez, who performed for the Cubs in their 3-2 exhibiton victory Monday over San Francisco.
Whiteside spent 2009-12 with the Giants, spanning their pair of World Series titles. Sanchez won five of his last six decisions in 2010 to help San Francisco surge to the National League West crown.
"I pull for these guys. They did a lot for the organization," Bochy said.
In Monday's game, Whiteside played six innings and went 0-for-3 before Sanchez pitched a perfect ninth inning to record a save.
"I was telling Johnny that I was trying to get a helmet and a bat myself," Bochy said jokingly. "But I ran out of time. I was just waiting for somebody to get on base."
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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"We've got to be very clear about this. We don't want our players hanging around with murderers," said Larry Bird, Pacers president.
When you can get 15 blocks from your starting front court you are usually going to have a pretty good day!
but how he did so well in preseason?
@WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!
Paul and Roy did what we've come to expect from them. Lance looks like he's taking his game to another level, so for that I'll give the nod to him. This guy will be significantly improved over last season.
That was fun to watch, been waiting FOREVER for the season to start. Hibbert's a monster. PG and Lance being very aggressive. Nice to see OJ and Scola make some solid contributions...
Don't know what the deal is with this, but I enjoyed it
Those twenty turnovers :< only really bad thing, but who is supposed to back up Paul George?
Please stop ****ing complaining. It is annoying and useless. If you want people to stay why don't you go to games and stay until the buzzer every single ****ing game.
Watching Roy on defense is just satisfying. Such a dominant figure. Paul George shot well and scored 24 points. Bench was good in terms of scoring and I love Scola had a good shooting night.
Some old problems of committing too many turnovers and uncharacteristically losing a big chunk of FTs are still there and the latter is such a shame to waste.
Roll on tomorrow in New Orleans.
Last edited by Johanvil; 10-30-2013 at 07:53 AM.
that's me walking down the streets of Chicago tomorrow
Its a good sign when the 3 players you wanted to see step up the most coming into the game are the 3 nominated for player of the game. I can't choose, they all deserve it.
I may have to make a trip to Chicago tomorrow then haha
this guy
"We've got to be very clear about this. We don't want our players hanging around with murderers," said Larry Bird, Pacers president.
Give' em hell. Oh and remind them of a certain game that happened back in February 2007 in Miami....
I'd give anything to have this man as our President.
PG looks so strong attacking the rim. He and Lance are playing with all the confidence in the world right now.
Meh, nothing to see here. Arguably the top player from the state's top college was back for his first pro game. They showed him some appreciative love for his college accomplishments. I think it was a nice gesture. Not much different than how the Colts honored Peyton Manning. As far as fans leaving early, the game was in hand. I don't think people will take the Pacers less serious because of it.
Could the Pacers have 3 All Stars this year? Paul George is a lock, Roy Hibbert is 80 percent in, Stephenson COULD make it if he stays consistent
Being unable to close out a game in which you have a comfortable lead in the 4th Q = Pulling a Frank Vogel
They also started to boo Oladipo as the game went on. The team looked great tonight, looking forward to tomorrow in New Orleans.
@CandaceDBuckner: "Right now he's our fifth big." -- Vogel on Copeland RT @KWerckman: @CandaceDBuckner why no Copeland?
@Pacers: Vogel reports Hibbert is "fine" and could have returned to game. He's expected to play tomorrow night in New Orleans.


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Man or WomanAn optical illusion is a visually perceived image that is deceptive or misleading.
Depending on how you look at this image, you may see a portrait of a woman, or a silhouette of a man playing a saxophone.
What Next?
View more optical illusions...
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
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What will you say when conversation with friends turns to Moby Dick? Or when your grandchild says, "We're reading Hamlet in school. Don't you love it?" Will you have nothing to say because these classics have been on your To-Read-List for years?Buy The Library of Classics
This compact device, no bigger than a deck of cards, comes loaded with the 100 greatest literary works of all time: books like Gulliver's Travels, Tom Sawyer, and Little Women.
Expert narrators bring the full, unabridged versions of these classics to life for you. And acoustic engineers digitally enhance every recording... so you'll enjoy the highest sound quality every time you listen to your Library of Classics.
On walks...
In the car...
On an airplane...
In your home...
Just open the box, press play and you'll be enjoying the world's greatest books and music. It's the easiest way to enjoy great literature-and the most fun! All for just $99. That's less than $1 per book. If you were to buy these 100 books separately, you could expect to pay $500 or more! And as audio books? Expect to pay 3 times that!
You're fully protected by our 100%, ironclad, no-questions-asked, LIFETIME MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. If you're not satisfied, we'll refund your full purchase price—including shipping & handling.
"I received my Library of Classics about a week ago and I have already finished two books. Wish I ordered it sooner."-James H., Annapolis, MD
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"The shipment arrived, and I am thrilled. It is amazing that so much of Western culture can be captured on this tiny apparatus."-Jay G., Willits, CA
"Great collection. It makes "reading" classic literature sooooooo easy. Thanks!"-Nate B., Marblehead, MA
"…makes my commute to work a pleasure."-Andrea N., San Francisco, CA
"I've been listening during my morning walk and I've been walking for longer than ever because I don't want to turn it off."-Joan D., Delray Beach, FL
"I gave one to my granddaughter for her birthday and she loves it."-Nancy F., Chicago, IL


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The 5 Best Animated Gifs From 'The Amazing Adventures of Little Batman'
It probably doesn't surprise anyone that I Google search "Batman" on a pretty regular basis to see if there's anything new or exciting out there, and today, that search paid off. Because today, I discovered "The Amazing Adventures of Little Batman."
Directed by Joe Valenti, "Little Batman" is a fan-film tribute to the 1966 "Batman" TV show that clocks in at almost 30 minutes, and as you might expect from the title, its cast is mostly made up of hilariously adorable kids. As a result, it boasts some of the most awesome shots I've ever seen.
So awesome, in fact, that in addition to the full movie, I've pulled out the five best scenes as animated .gifs! Check 'em out after the jump!


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Savvy c-store operators are using loyalty programs to improve merchandise planning and forecasting to spur long-term growth. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor. Loyalty programs, when administered well, offer c-store retailers solid benefits—the ability to react to trends quickly, make more informed decisions, improve cost effectiveness and aid in merchandise planning and sales forecasting. "Loyalty programs
Cultivating Loyal Customers
May 10, 2012 Howard Riell : 0 Comments


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Get an overview of this hotelFamily-friendly hotel with free area shuttle and restaurant
Popular property highlights
This family-friendly Springfield hotel is within 3 mi (5 km) of Springfield Town Center and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. George Washington Masonic National Memorial and TopGolf Alexandria are also within 9 mi (15 km).
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this hotel has an indoor pool and a fitness center. Free WiFi in public areas is provided, as well as free self parking, a free area shuttle, and free train station pick-up. Additionally, a bar/lounge, a 24-hour business center, and a conference center are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 245 rooms feature comforts like pillowtop beds and premium bedding, while conveniences include refrigerators and coffee makers. Free WiFi and iPod docks are standard, as are flat-screen TVs with cable channels.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Proximity to shopping
- Overall value of stay
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Overall room comfort
- Bathrooms could've been nicer
Hilton Springfield
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Hilton Springfield features an indoor pool and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A computer station is located on site and wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This 3.5-star property offers access to a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 8000 square feet (720 square meters) include a conference center. This family-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and laundry facilities. An area shuttle and a train station pick-up service are complimentary for guests. Onsite self parking is complimentary.
Hilton Springfield has designated areas for smoking.
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 245
- ATM/banking
- Number of floors - 12
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Designated smoking areas
- Free WiFi
- Computer station
- Laundry facilities
- Meeting rooms 7
- Multilingual staff
- Porter/bellhop
- Luggage storage
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free RV, bus, truck parking
- Free self parking
- Conference center
- Free area shuttle
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 8000
- Free train station pickup
- Conference space size (meters) - 720
- Number of meeting rooms - 7
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Indoor pool
- Bar/lounge
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
- Restaurant
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, Free RV, bus, truck parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Premium bedding
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Free weekday newspaper
- Phone
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Designer toiletries
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Bathtub or shower
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- iPod docking station
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Room service (limited hours)
- Down comforter
- Pillowtop mattress
- Pillow menu
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Rollaway/extra beds (free)
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6 AM and 10:30 AM.
Houlihans - This restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and light fare. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. A children's menu is available. Happy hour is offered.
Late night fare is available from room service (during limited hours).
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool and a fitness center.
Children under 18 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool or fitness facility without adult supervision.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
- Boat tours nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 21
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! Up to 3 children 18 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
- Free rollaway/extra beds!
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: USD 14.95 per person (approximately)
Hotel Name
- Hilton Hotel Springfield
- Hilton Springfield
- Springfield Hilton
- Hilton Springfield Hotel Springfield
- Springfield Hilton Hotel
- Hilton Springfield Hotel
We should mention
This property offers transfers from the train station. Guests must contact the property with arrival details on arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Up to 3 children 18 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Brown: Hamner deserves your vote
October 29, 2012
Millie Hamner has earned another term as state representative and deserves your vote. In her first term, she demonstrated her leadership ability by sponsoring several key legislative bills and working across party lines to enable good things to happen for the citizens of Colorado.
Millie is not a politician, but is a professional educator who in her retirement has chosen to continue to serve her community and state. She brings a strong knowledge and deep understanding of our complex educational system to the legislative process. In areas outside of her expertise, she researches the topic and seeks out opinions in order to make a sound decision.
I trust Millie to represent me because I know she will bring to the position those qualities I admired in her when we were colleagues. Those qualities include her caring and compassionate nature, exceptional listening skills, ability to work for the best solution, strong mediation skills, and a commitment to give her best.
A longtime resident of the Western Slope, Mille is an advocate for our unique mountain community. When the district expanded this year, she worked hard to seek out the opinions and to learn the concerns and issues of her new constituents.
I hope you will join me in voting for Millie Hamner for House District 61 representative. She is a bright and dedicated individual who will serve us well.


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You are here
SBA to Host Affordable Care Act (ACA) Resource Fair On Wednesday, December 11th in Jackson, MS
With the Affordable Care Act (ACA) scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2014, the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Mississippi District Office is partnering with various organizations in an effort to help get the word out to small businesses about the new law.
On Wednesday, December 11th, from 9:00 am to Noon, the U. S. Small Business Administration will host an Affordable Care Act (ACA) Resource Fair at the Mississippi e-Center @ JSU's Convention Hall located at 1230 Raymond Road in Jackson, MS.
The event offers a unique educational experience for small business owners to hear from healthcare officials, state and federal entities charged with informing the public of best practices, tools and resources in utilizing the new healthcare law.
Participants invited include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Office of State Insurance Commissioner, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Humana, Magnolia Health Plan, Small Business Majority, Oak Hill Baptist Church and the Jackson State University Small Business Development Center.
This event is FREE to the small business public to have their questions answered! Attendees will learn of Navigators who help facilitate enrollment in qualifying health plans, exchanges, tax credits available to offset their insurance cost, access to a plethora of materials at various booths each toward advancing access to healthcare.
To register, send an email to Deborah Dean at email@example.com or Rosetta Harris at email@example.com. For directions, download the map at http://www.msecenter.com/documents/map.pdf or call (601) 979-1246.