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Tuesday, August 24
Raw Corn Stars in Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Mango, Corn, and Cucumber Salsa
Where would I be without California farmers? If it weren't for them, I would never have discovered the sticky, caramel bliss of Medjool dates, the tropical pina colada flavors of cherimoya, or the simple joy of munching on raw summer sweet corn. Yes, raw corn.
At first, I was skeptical. Having grown up in New England, I was accustomed to bright yellow, fat kerneled ears of corn steamed to perfection and doused with melted butter and salt. But the LA farmer insisted I taste the raw corn he was offering: raw, white, small kerneled corn. How could such puny corn possibly be good without butter and salt?
Still, I held out my palm while he filled it with a scoop of raw corn kernels. With one swift swoop of the arm, I popped the entire handful in my mouth. It was crunchy, as in snap! crackle! pop! crunchy and surprisingly juicy. As for the flavor, well, it was natural. Just unadorned, mildly sweet, old-fashioned corn flavor. I was hooked.
That was about four years ago, and I still anticipate sweet corn season every year so I can nosh on raw corn. If you feel weird eating a raw cob of corn, then cut off the kernels and add them to salads and salsas, or eat them by the spoonful. Have them plain, or sprinkle them with lemon and cayenne pepper or lime and chipotle powder.
Then give thanks for California farmers, well, actually for all farmers. Where would we be without them?
Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Mango, Corn, and Cucumber Salsa
Makes 4 servings
Print recipe only here.
This simple salsa celebrates the clean, fresh flavors of summertime. It's a natural pairing with seafood but is also delicious with chicken, beef, and pork.
1 cup diced ripe mango
1 ear of sweet corn, kernels cut off from cob
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced cucumbers with the skins on
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
The juice of 1 large lime (about 2 tablespoons)
The zest of 1/3 lime (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
4 (4 ounce) filets of tilapia, or other thin, white fish such as Dover Sole
2 egg whites
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (also called grits and polenta)
A couple of pinches of salt
A couple of pinches of freshly ground black pepper
6 cups mesclun
1. Combine all salsa ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large, rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with cooking spray. Place egg whites in a shallow bowl and lightly beat with a fork. In another shallow bowl, place cornmeal seasoned with salt and pepper. Pat fish dry with paper towel. Dip each piece of fish in the egg whites then dredge in the cornmeal until completely coated. Place on prepared baking dish and cook for 20 minutes, turning once mid-way through. The fish will be cooked when the cornmeal becomes golden and crunchy and the fish is opaque when pierced with a fork.
3. Place 1 1/2 cups mesclun on each plate. Place a fish filet in the middle and top with a 1/4 of the salsa. Repeat with remaining dishes.
Alternative stove-top method: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil. Place fish in pan and cook for 4-5 minutes without touching. Flip once, and cook another 3-4 minutes, or until the cornmeal is golden and crunchy and the fish is opaque when pierced with a fork.
You might also enjoy these corn recipes from Food Blogga:
Elote - Mexican Corn
Sauteed Corn with Mint, Butter, and Lemon
Creamy Corn, Potato, and Sausage Chowder with Corn Relish
You might also like these raw corn recipes:
Raw Corn Chowder recipe from A Veggie Venture
Fresh Corn and Avocado Salsa recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Raw Vegan Thai Sweet Corn-Coconut Salad recipe from She Simmers
12 comments:
- Unknown said...
I am drooling over the tilapia
- August 24, 2010 at 9:15 PM
- Homemade Heaven said...
White corn is very popular in South Africa, it's what is used to make our national staple food Mealie Meal.Great to see it used fresh.
- August 24, 2010 at 11:58 PM
- Jessica @ How Sweet said...
Never ever though to use cornmeal on tilapia. We eat tilapia about 2-3 times a week and this is a great way to shake it up!
- August 25, 2010 at 3:38 AM
- We Are Not Martha said...
It's definitely a little bit weird eating corn raw off the cob... But SO delicious! I love this dish- mango salsa is one of my new favorite things!
- August 25, 2010 at 6:27 AM
- The French said...
I love corn! Love, love, love. I barely eat it at home as my boyfriend hates it, but he'll just have to suffer through this one. It looks amazing!
- August 25, 2010 at 7:56 AM
- Joanne said...
I had raw corn for the first time a few weeks ago and the corn was so ripe, so sweet that it was fantastic! I love the idea of cornmeal crusted tilapia, being the corn fanatic that I am! Delicious dish.
- August 25, 2010 at 11:24 AM
- City Share said...
That salsa sounds fabulous. It looks gorgeous over the fish. I will have to make something like this soon before our summer weather goes away. Thanks for the inspiration.
- August 25, 2010 at 1:04 PM
- RamblingTart said...
Delicious!!! I love raw corn - so very much - and, funnily enough, I first had it in California. :-)
- August 25, 2010 at 4:26 PM
- Cara said...
I just recently discovered (here in New England, go figure!) the amazingness that is fresh, sweet, raw corn. It's definitely my new favorite addition to salads.
- August 25, 2010 at 5:18 PM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
I have been eating sweet, white corn all week from our farmers market but I never thought to eat it raw. It would be delicious!
- August 26, 2010 at 3:49 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
jennifurla-Thanks so much!
rose-I didn't know that. Thanks for enlightening me!
jessica-Yeah, we eat it a lot too. I just love the crunch of the cornmeal.
sues-I know. I don't suggest eating corn raw off the cob in front of strangers. ;)
thefrench-Doesn't like corn? How is that possible?
joanne-Then you'll love this!
cityshare-You're welcome!
ramblingtart-That is too funny!
cara-I love yellow New England corn too.
val-Give it a try. You'll be so glad you did!
- August 26, 2010 at 7:18 PM
- The Teacher Cooks said...
You are so lucky to get such great corn! What would you substitute for the mango? I want to try this out and don't really care for the mango. What about tomatoes? It looks so delicious!
- August 27, 2010 at 8:38 AM


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When stimulating the economy, is it better to invest in the rich or the poor? Learn whether supply- or demand-side techniques are best.
We're subjected to constant barrage of unhelpful advice to the effect that what the economy needs is more spending. (The stimulus program is one piece of this.) It's kind of unde
Is there a limit to how much Americans can spend? Clearly there is: All they earn, minus savings and service on their existing debt, plus new borrowing. Since the Bureau of Econ
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To use this forum please click here for registration.
You will then be emailed your login details.
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Hi Richard
Welcome to this world of rationality, truth and peace, where common sense and science lead to freethinking wisdom.
We invite you to join the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Gods, Atheism, Evolution, Darwin..." with 700 discussion topics and 3600 members.
Welcome, Richard! Glad you could join us. :D
Please consider joining a group to meet people and talk about anything that's on your mind, Hang With Friends. You might also like Atheists who love Science!, Philosophy (we have lots of philosophy groups), Atheist Musicians and Politics, Economics & Religion.
I also recommend Eco-Logical and Climate Concerns, since the climate is changing so drastically. Both California and Pacific Islands are especially vulnerable.
After you've searched for topics of interest in "Groups" above and in the "Forums", don't forget to look at recent activity which hides along the right margin of the page all the way at the bottom.
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(By Delegate J. Miller)
[Introduced January 11, 2012; referred to the
Committee on Education then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-31-1, §18-31-2, §18-31-3, §18-31-4, §18-31-5, §18-31-6, §18-31-7, §18-31-8 and §18-31-9, all relating to creating the Special Needs Scholarship Program, with said program to be administered by the West Virginia State Board of Education.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-31-1, §18-31-2, §18-31-3, §18-31-4, §18-31-5, §18-31-6, §18-31-7, §18-31-8 and §18-31-9, all to read as follows:
§18-31-1. Title.
This article shall be referred to as the Special Needs Scholarship Program.
§18-31-2. Definitions.
Pursuant to this article, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) "Department" means the West Virginia State Board of Education.
(2) "Eligible Student" means any elementary or secondary student attending public school in our state with an individual education plan including, but not limited to, students who are mentally handicapped, speech and language impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, visually impaired, dual sensory impaired, physically impaired, emotionally handicapped, specific learning disabled, autistic, or hospitalized or homebound due to illness or disability.
(3) "Parent" includes a guardian, custodian or other person with authority to act on behalf of the child.
(4) "Participating school" means either a public school outside of the resident school district or any nonpublic school that provides education to elementary and/or secondary students that has notified the department of their intention to participate in the program and comply with its requirements.
(5) "Program" means the Special Needs Scholarship Program.
(6) "Resident school district" means the public school district in which the student resides.
§18-31-3. Basic elements of the Special Needs Scholarship Program.
(a) Any parent of a public school special needs student who is dissatisfied with the student's progress shall qualify for a scholarship from the state for the child to enroll in and attend a nonpublic school if:
(1) The special needs student has had an individual education plan written in accordance with the rules of the department;
(2) The student has been accepted for admission at a participating school; and
(3) The parent has requested a scholarship from the state before the deadline established by the department.
(b) The department shall inform the resident school district that a special needs student has requested a special needs scholarship. The resident school district shall within three business days provide the department with a copy of the student's most current individual education plan.
(c) Upon receipt of the special needs student's request for a scholarship, the department shall review the individual education plan drafted by the student's public school to determine the amount of the scholarship. The department shall provide the student's parent with a timely written explanation of their determination for the amount of the scholarship.
(d) The maximum scholarship granted an eligible student shall be an amount equivalent to the cost of the educational program that would have been provided for the student in the resident school district. Although the scholarship amount is a function of a student's individual education plan, the participating school is not required to abide by the individual education plan. The parent and the participating school will mutually determine the best services and educational plan for the student.
(e) The amount of the special needs scholarship shall be the lesser of the amount calculated in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, or the amount of the participating school's estimated costs for serving the student. The costs of any assessment by the participating school of the student's special needs may be included in the scholarship amount.
(f) Participating students shall be counted in the enrollment of their resident school district. The funds needed to provide a scholarship shall be subtracted from the state school aid payable to the student's resident school district.
(g) The Special Needs Scholarship shall remain in force until the student returns to a public school or graduates from high school or reaches their twenty-first birthday, whichever comes first.
(h) At any time, the student's parent may remove the student from the participating school and place the student in another participating school or in a public school.
§18-31-4. Responsibilities of the resident school district.
(a) A resident school district shall annually notify the parents of a special needs student of the special needs scholarship program and offer that student's parent an opportunity to enroll the student in a participating school of their choice.
(b) The resident school district shall provide a participating school that has admitted an eligible student with a complete copy of the student's school records while complying with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Title 20 United States Code §1232(g)).
(c) The resident school district shall provide transportation for an eligible student to and from the participating school under the same conditions as the resident school district is required to provide transportation for other resident students to nonpublic schools as per current law. The resident school district qualifies for state transportation aid for each student so transported.
(d) If the parent of an eligible student participating in this program requests that the student take the statewide assessments, the resident school district shall provide locations and times for the student to take all statewide assessments if they are not offered at the student's participating school.
§18-31-5. Responsibilities of the West Virginia State Board of Education.
(a) The department shall adopt rules and procedures regarding:
(1) The eligibility and participation of nonpublic schools, including timelines that will maximize student and public and nonpublic school participation;
(2) The calculation and distribution of scholarships to eligible students and participating schools; and
(3) The application and approval procedures for eligible students and participating schools.
(b) No liability exists on the part of the department or the state based on the award or use of a special needs scholarship.
(c) The department may bar a school from participation in the program if the department establishes that the participating school has:
(1) Intentionally and substantially misrepresented information required under section six of this article; or
(2) Failed to refund to the state any scholarship overpayments in a timely manner.
(d) If the department decides to bar a participating school from the program, it shall notify eligible students and their parents of this decision as quickly as possible.
§18-31-6. Accountability for participating schools.
(a) To be eligible to participate in the special needs scholarship program, a nonpublic school must operate in this state and demonstrate:
(1) Administrative Accountability. -- To ensure that students are treated fairly and kept safe, all participating schools shall:
(A) Comply with all health and safety laws or codes that apply to nonpublic schools;
(B) Hold a valid occupancy permit if required by their municipality;
(C) Certify that they will not discriminate in admissions on the basis of race, color, national origin, or religion; and
(D) Comply with all state laws that apply to nonpublic schools regarding criminal background checks for employees and exclude from employment any people not permitted by state law to work in a nonpublic school.
(2) Financial Accountability. -- To ensure that public funds are spent appropriately, all participating schools shall demonstrate their financial accountability by:
(A) Submitting a financial information report for the school that complies with uniform financial accounting standards established by the department and conducted by a certified public accountant; and
(B) Having the Office of the State Auditor certify the report is free of material misstatements. The Auditor's report shall be limited in scope to those records that are necessary for the department to make payments to schools for scholarships.
(b) To be eligible to participate in the special needs scholarship program, a nonpublic school must operate in this state and further demonstrate their financial viability by showing they can pay any funds owed the state, if they are to receive $50,000 or more during the school year, by:
(1) Filing with the department prior to the start of the school year a surety bond payable to the state in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the Special Needs Scholarships expected to be paid during the school year to students admitted to the participating school; or
(2) Filing with the department prior to the start of the school year financial information that demonstrates the school has the ability to pay an aggregate amount equal to the amount of the Special Needs Scholarships expected to be paid during the school year to students admitted to the participating school.
(c) Academic Accountability. -- To ensure that schools provide academic accountability to parents of the students in the program, all participating schools shall regularly report to the parent on the student's progress.
(d) Participating School Autonomy. -- A participating school is autonomous and not an agent of the state or federal government therefore:
(1) The department or any other state agency may not in any way regulate the educational program of a participating school that accepts a special needs scholarship;
(2) The creation of the special needs scholarship program does not expand the regulatory authority of the state, its officers or any school district to impose any additional regulation of nonpublic schools beyond those reasonably necessary to enforce the requirements of the program; and
(3) Participating schools shall be given the maximum freedom to provide for the educational needs of their students without governmental control.
§18-31-7. Responsibilities of the Scholarship Students and Their Parents.
(a) It is the responsibility of a parent to select their child's school, apply for admission, and apply for a special needs scholarship.
(b) Any student participating in the program must comply fully with a participating school's written code of conduct and shall remain in attendance throughout the school year, unless excused by the school for illness or other good cause. However, a parent may transfer an eligible student to another participating school at any time. The scholarship amount shall be prorated between participating schools according to the period of attendance at each school.
(c) A parent's decision for their student to participate in the program constitutes a nonpublic placement for purposes of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at Title 20 United States Code §1400, et seq.
§18-31-8. Evaluation of Special Needs Scholarship Program.
(a) The department may contract with one or more qualified researchers who have previous experience evaluating school choice programs to conduct a study of the program with funds other than state funds.
(b) The study shall assess:
(1) The level of participating student's satisfaction with the program;
(2) The level of parental satisfaction with the program;
(3) The percentage of participating students who were victimized because of their special needs status at their resident school district compared to the percentage so victimized at their participating school;
(4) The percentage of participating students who exhibited behavioral problems at their resident school district compared to the percentage exhibiting behavioral problems at their participating school;
(5) The class size experienced by participating students at their resident school district and at their participating school; and
(6) The fiscal impact to the state and resident school districts of the program.
(c) The researchers who conduct the study shall apply appropriate analytical and behavioral sciences methodologies to ensure public confidence in the study.
(d) The researchers who conduct the study shall provide the Legislature with a final copy of the evaluation of the program.
(e) The public and nonpublic participating schools from which students transfer to participate in the program shall cooperate with the research effort by providing student assessment instrument scores and any other data necessary to complete this study.
(f) The department may accept grants to assist in funding this study.
(g) The Legislature may require periodic reports from the researchers. The researchers must make their data and methodology available for public review while complying with the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act at Title 20 United States Code §1232(g).
§18-31-9. Effective date.
The Special Needs Scholarship Program shall begin with the fall semester of the next school year after the effective date of this article.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Special Needs Scholarship Program to be administered by the West Virginia State Board of Education.
This article is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.


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Sheriffs in Colorado filed a federal lawsuit Friday ahead of the implementation of new state gun laws that broaden background checks and limit the size of ammunition magazines, saying that the bills would be nearly impossible to enforce.
The laws "severely restrict citizens' rights to own, use, manufacture, sell, or transfer firearms and firearms accessories," the sheriffs said in their complaint in the U.S. district court.
"This is a bipartisan effort," said Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith. "These are Democratic sheriffs and Republican sheriffs who came together."
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, magazine-maker Magpul Industries, and the Colorado State Shooting Association were among other groups that filed suit alongside sheriffs against the laws, which are set to take effect June 1.
Scarred by some of the deadliest incidents of gun violence in American history, including last year's Aurora movie theater shooting and the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School, the state's gun control bills gained national attention as various states and the federal government debated new gun restrictions.
The sheriffs said in the filing that their ability to enforce the laws, particularly the ban on magazines that hold more than 15 rounds, will be constrained by other concerns.
"The Sheriffs have limited resources and limited public funds to spend on investigations," they said in the court documents. "They cannot expend those resources to conduct investigations that would be necessary to monitor compliance with the new magazine restrictions. No documentation has ever been required for the retail or private purchase of magazines, making it a practical impossibility for the Sheriffs to determine whether one of the many magazines already in existence was obtained after the effective date."
The sheriffs also said that Coloradans would find it difficult to comply with expanded background check regulations that would require transfers between individuals to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer. That's because many licensed firearms dealers in the state "are unwilling to conduct the transfer under such conditions," they argued.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers released a statement on Friday saying that his office would pursue court rulings on the gun legislation "as expeditiously as possible."
"Colorado citizens, and law-abiding gun owners in particular, deserve such clarification," Suthers said in the statement.
The state has 64 sheriffs, said Chris Olson, executive director of the County Sheriffs of Colorado. The lawsuit is being brought forth "by individual sheriffs" and his organization is not a party to the suit, he said.
At least one lawman has said that deciding which laws are constitutional should stay out of the hands of Colorado's sheriffs.
Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson, whose county includes the Aurora movie theater where 12 people were killed last year, released a statement in January pushing back against sheriffs who said they would not enforce new gun laws.
"Public safety professionals serving in the executive branch do not have the constitutional authority, responsibility, and in most case, the credentials to determine the constitutionality of any issue," Robinson said in the statement. "Law enforcement officials should leave it to the courts to decide whether a law is constitutional or not."
Robinson identified himself as a supporter of Second Amendment rights in the statement, and said he would like to see better mental health services and stricter penalties for people who commit gun crimes.
- Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper signs landmark gun-control bills
- Colorado sheriff blasts colleagues over refusal to enforce gun laws
- After Newtown, states slow to embrace new gun laws


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Google's newest Adwords features are a welcome addition providing us with more competitive data and transparency at a keyword level.
Auction Insights Reports
In a move to "empower advertisers to make better informed optimization decisions", Google rolled out the Auctions Insights tool this week. The new tool will help online marketers compare the performance of their ad compared to others in the same keyword auction.
Granted, some of the new information is no more detailed than you would find if you performed a standard search, but having the data in one place will certainly make a difference to endless refreshing of search pages, use of the adpreview tool.
The Auction Insights Tool can be found under a new Tab 'Keyword Details' in the Adwords interface. However, not all keywords are eligible, and you can only access this report if you have the little icon next to your keyword as shown in the image below.
What new data can we expect?
Some of the data we already have, but the Insights Tool provides the following 5 stats:
? Average position – Avg Ad rank compared to other domains
? Impression share – % of impressions the Ads will get
? Position above rate – How often you're above your competitor Ads
? Top of page percent – % of time your Ad shows in the top block
? Overlap rate – How often Ads overlap with competitor Ads
You can only select one keyword at a time and using the example above, this is what the tool brings up for competitors on the term 'hotels cotswolds'
The new reports won't give competitor keyword settings or quality score details, but it should help marketers to make smarter decisions,
Quality Score Transparency
The on-going mystery of the Quality Score has just been made a little easier to understand. This feature has been around since early April, but with the constant notifications of late, this could have passed you by.
The new Quality Score information has been added to the status hover for any given keyword and provides additional information compared to other advertisers. I have linked to the Google Adwords help pages where you can find a more detailed breakdown of what the new information means for advertisers. The new keyword status notifications include:
? Expected CTR – how likely it is that your ads will get clicked when shown for that keyword
? Ad Relevance – how closely related your keyword is to your ads
? Landing Page Experience -how helpful your website's landing page is to people who click your ad.
There is still not as much info as we would like with regards to step by step instructions on how to make sure our Quality Score is 10/10 for every keyword combination in our campaigns, but this should help focus efforts to improve performance.
Stay tuned for a follow up post!


text:
Would anyone happen to have Omega Cop available to share? The only filename I have found is Omega.Cop.VHSCapture.LRH - but it incomplete as a torrent and incomplete on eMule
It would be MUCH appreciated!
--- DeathStalker
Moderator: Movie Mods
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text:
Submitted by Staci R Norman on
Considered a pioneer of minimal & conceptual art, Sol LeWitt referred to his art as structures and not sculptures. The concept generated the art, not necessarily the artist's hands. Compared to a classical composer that created a composition to be performed by many orchestras at different times and places. Now, on the University of Texas campus, the Landmarks Public Art program has realized two LeWitt installations: "Circle with Towers" & "Wall Drawing #520."
Music: "America's Son" by Air Review


text:
Directions to Grand Circle Travel
Grand Circle Travel is across from the Fire Museum
347 Congress Street, Boston MA 02210
View Larger Map
From North
- Take the I-93 SOUTH towards BOSTON
- I-93 S becomes I-93 S/US-1 S
- Take Exit 23 the Purchase Street Exit
- Turn left at Oliver Street/Seaport Blvd
- Continue on Seaport Blvd
- Turn right at Sleeper Street
- Turn left at Congress Street
From South
- Take I-93 N/US-1 N/SOUTHEAST EXWY towards BOSTON
- Take Exit 20 for I-90
- Follow Signs for S Boston
- Take Slight left at E Service Rd
- Turn left at Congress Street
From West
- Take I-90/Mass Turnpike Eastbound towards Boston
- Take exit 25 toward S Boston/Congress Street
- Keep left at the fork to continue toward E Service Rd and merge onto E Service Rd
- Turn left onto Congress Street
MBTA—Subway and Commuter Rail
- Take the Commuter Rail or Red Line to South Station
- Exit onto Atlantic Ave at Summer St.
- As you exit South Station, walk southeast on Summer Street for one block.
- Take a left onto Dorchester Avenue, and at the end of the street, turn right onto Congress Street and cross the bridge.
- 347 Congress Street (and Harriet's Corner, at 351 Congress Street) will be on the right, three blocks past the Children's Museum.
Note: Parking garage is on Farnsworth Street just before the Boston Fire Museum for all-day parking.


text:
Facebook is doing pretty good business these days, what with its impending IPO and thriving user base. But lately some industry types have been looking with a sharper eye at what the social network lacks—a way to make money beyond advertising. The fear among many developers at this year's South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas was that Facebook might have plans to charge them.
According to Wall Street Journal reporter Shayndi Raice, startup attendees at the annual music, film, and interactive festival expressed a common worry: "That a more profit-oriented Facebook may eventually demand steep tolls for using the social network to reach end users with software and services."
The sentiment is that, sooner or later, the social networking giant will attempt to monetize the hordes of successful, high-profile companies that use its API and have access to its hundreds of millions of users on a day-to-day basis.
Such fears aren't necessarily unfounded. Earlier this month, Google began charging high-volume users of its Maps API between $4 and $10 for every 1,000 "map loads" beyond the daily 25,000 load limit. When the company first announced the change last fall, Google Maps API product manager Thor Mitchell made it clear the change was all about the bottom line.
"With the continued growth in adoption of the Maps API," Mitchell wrote on the company's Geo Developers blog, "we need to secure its long term future by ensuring that even when used by the highest volume for-profit sites, the service remains viable."
But in Facebook's case, the circumstances are arguably different. Google Maps isn't trying to establish itself as the social fabric of the Internet; that's Mark Zuckerberg's goal. And he'll need as much good will—and traffic—from Facebook's developers as he can get.
The Facebook Effect
There's a reason why the Facebook platform is so alluring for startups and businesses looking to establish an online presence—it provides instant access to a network of 845 million users, over half of whom use the site on a daily basis. This has worked especially well in social gaming developer Zynga's favor, which, according to the company's website, has 60 million active users every day.
Zynga is far from the only company to reap the rewards of Facebook's bountiful user base. Last September, Facebook unveiled its Open Graph API, which allowed services such as Rdio, Spotify, and Netflix to create so-called "social apps"—in other words, tightly integrated dashboards that linked their services to the Facebook platform.
Six weeks after its new Facebook social app launched, Spotify revealed that it had added over four million new users; that's impressive, considering the company's background page lists the total number of users at 10 million. Pinterest, meanwhile, launched an Open Graph app of its own in February, which ComScore reports helped the service attract 17.8 million unique users over the course of the month.
In both cases, Facebook wasn't paid a cent.
Where's the fear?
"Twelve months ago, every entrepreneur would have said, 'I'm going to build my company around Facebook's platform,'" Chi-Hua Chien, a venture capitalist at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, told the Wall Street Journal from SXSW. "Now, every entrepreneur says I'm going to build my product, and Facebook will be a key component."
In other words, startups are supposedly wary of becoming the next Zynga, or even the next Spotify—which base core functionality around the Facebook platform—for fear of what happens if the social network decides advertising revenue isn't enough. They're not ditching Facebook, but they're not exactly betting the Farmville, so to speak.
But Billy Chasen, the co-founder of social music service Turntable.fm, doesn't understand the monetization fears. "Facebook's main goal is to be a platform," said Mr. Chasen in an interview with Ars. "With Facebook's long term goal of trying to be the social fabric of the web, they're not going to ever do anything that could potentially hinder that traffic."
When Turntable.fm launched last summer, the service required a Facebook login to gain access to the beta.
Ben Pickering, founder and CEO of Vancouver-based developer Strutta, agrees. His company creates online contest and sweepstakes microsites for clients, many of which have been launched on the Facebook platform. At a recent Facebook marketing conference in New York City, he said the fear of monetization "definitely wasn't a sentiment that I heard."
Nor is he particularly concerned. Mr. Pickering estimates about 60 to 65 per cent of his company's new contests have been built on the Facebook platform, which represents a significant portion of the company's revenue—but not all. Some of his clients have needs that go beyond the social network.
"You can never predict the future. At some point in time, is there going to be external pressure from the market on Facebook to increase revenue? Are they going to say, 'Hey, maybe we can get something more out of [this] platform?'" said Mr. Pickering. "Obviously that's a possibility."
But it's not one he sees happening anytime soon. Simply put, Facebook needs its developers as much as its developers need Facebook.
"If they ever tried to stifle the growth of their platforms or of their users," suggests Mr. Chasen, "it would only cause them harm and open up an opportunity for other services like Google+ or future competitors to say, 'Hey, Facebook is charging for this, but we're free.'"


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I try to do a little something to thank them. Last year I made a paper cake. The kids enjoy delivering their thank you gifts and showing appreciation to everybody, which I really like.
This year we made strawberries. I downloaded the template from Scrap Orchard, printed it on scrap paper, cut, scored and threaded it all up with ribbon and buttons. **Update** I found the template free at Oriental Trading!
I filled them with pretzels dipped in white bark and red sprinkles. The little pretzel nubs work better than the twisty ones because they're so small. You could also fill them with candy. (Digression: Is it just me or are bags of miniature candy ridiculously expensive?!!)


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Because the dear reader probably doesn't know how much the Czech koruna, the peso of ours, is worth, I must tell you that 1 U.S. dollar is about 19 crowns. Still, a trillion is a large number.
Czech media published the disturbing calculation by the environment ministry yesterday. The total amount of money that the Czech taxpayers have already paid or will have to pay for the past solar subsidies and the unavoidable pledged solar subsidies in the future will probably reach a trillion of crowns or $50 billion.
News: Pope Benedict XVI is resigning as the boss of the Catholic Church. You are surely asking what is the actual reason. Wolfgang has a possible explanation. ;-)That's quite a lot for the not-to-large Czech economy – which became Europe's #3 solar superpower in the absolute sense (not just on per-capita basis!). Multiply the number by 60 (the U.S/Czech GDP ratio) or so to see what it would do with the U.S. economy if it were equally generous: the solar subsidies in the U.S. would surpass 3 trillion dollars! No wonder, the Czech Republic has 35.5 times more solar per capita than the Sunshine State, Florida.
During a debate on TV Prima yesterday, the current center-right environment minister Mr Tomáš Chalupa said that the "green ideology and the religion of renewable energy sources have played a role in the expansion of this inefficient system. A bad bill was the culprit," the minister said while he boasted that none of the center-right ODS lawmakers (his party) voted in support of the bill back in 2005. He thinks that "a good idea was brutally abused."
However, the true boom of the subsidized energy prices took off in 2010; Chalupa blames it on the mistakes of the 2009-2010 technocratic government led by Mr Jan Fischer (an unsuccessful presidential candidate a month ago). The government pledged to buy up 1 kWh of solar energy per CZK 12.15, about $0.65 according to the current exchange rate. The end consumer pays around CZK 5-6 per kWh so the solar producers were getting at least twice as much than the overall amount of money collected for the energy as well as all other expenses.
(The solar/coal as well solar/nuclear energy price ratios are of course much higher than two.)
The solar boom instantly cooled down at the beginning of 2011 when the guaranteed prices dropped to CZK 5.5 per kWh, about the same rate that the final consumer pays for the energy. Big investors were abandoning their plans rather quickly. However, small investors continue to participate in this giant fad. In 2012, the Energy Regulation Office was evaluating over 10,000 applications to approve solar power plants although most of them were just on roofs of privately owned houses.
The current minister promised a big investigation why all these things have occurred to make it less likely that something similar would be repeated in the future. The Czech politicians, including the center-right prime minister, plasma physicist Mr Petr Nečas and parties as diverse as the (unreformed) Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia seem to agree that the generous subsidies have been a giant blunder. A question is, of course, whether pro-renewable religious bigots and lunatics in the EU won't force us to think otherwise.
It's not hard to understand that CZK 1 trillion is a lot of money. A number to compare: we're still net recipients of the EU money. Most of the EU money that should flow to the Czech Republic in 2014-2010 according to the recently approved budget is the "cohesion fund to support the regions" and it's slightly above CZK 500 billion. That's also a lot of money but the money wasted for the solar subsidies over a similar timescale – subsidies that were mostly consequences of an insane fad imported from the EU – are still going to be twice as high as the whole "cohesion fund" we're getting from the EU.
This is an example of an estimate that suggests that when you add up all the costs and benefits that are de facto inseparable from the EU membership, we may actually be losing money by being EU members.


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OKS_Magic necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 140 diseños de 35 diseñadores freelance.
Direct4Drive.Com - Experience The Easy Way To Game
I am a business man with a cool head for numbers and targets just not design lol, this is a redesign and new name for previous website http://www.onlinekeystore.com which was very popular site.
I have trouble with creating inspiring logo's and branding in general so hope someone here can help me with this.
I am specifically targeting the ddl market, this is an existing market with clients like ea games and steam.
I require a brand for the site that people will remember and immediately associate with my domain Direct4Drive.Com a games selling website.
The logo will be present on all invoices and on main site and forum so will be used widely throughout the site and in after-care so needs to strike peoples attention.
Overall feel must be futuristic and sleek and must let represent the title of the domain so direct/fast/downloadable content.
I will let you, the designer, decide on what is needed whether it be text and images or simply a logo with tag line but ultimately i must be given a number of examples before i can make a final decision.
The files we will require are:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Sylvester Stallone is set to kick-start Wesley Snipes' Hollywood comeback by offering him a role in "The Expendables'" third installment, according to reports.
Snipes was released from prison on April 2 after a 27-month stint behind bars for tax evasion.
He is currently under house arrest until July, but the "Blade" actor has already landed his first post-prison role after his "Demolition Man" co-star Stallone wrote a part for him in the next "Expendables" movie, according to the New York Daily News.
A source tells the newspaper, "Sly wants to help Wesley get back on his feet. He sees him as a super addition to The Expendables in what will be their biggest adventure yet.
"The script is being processed and Sly wants Wesley to jump on board. Filming is likely to start late this year."
Stallone told fans on Twitter last month that he was in the middle of writing the film's script and was on the lookout for the new action heroes to join the cast, which has included Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He wrote, "Writing EX3 at the moment … there are going to be mountains of surprises … 'EX3′ needs NEW blood and more humor. … The films were always meant to be more on the humorous side with moments of drama."
Stallone and Snipes became friends after shooting hit 1993 action film "Demolition Man" together.


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As a Pacific Northwest native, each year as the weather grows colder and the sky grays over, I mentally prepare for another long winter. After all the beautiful summer and fall days it can be a difficult transition, but as the last orange and gold leaf falls, I buck up and accept that it may be seven months before I see the sun again.
The winter weather forecast > RAIN
So here are my tips for surviving the winter in the Pacific Northwest:
1. Don't be afraid of getting wet
A little rain never hurt anyone. Just because it's wet and blustery, don't hunker down inside – get out there. Do the activities you enjoy and kick the rain in the butt.
2. Invest in a good rain coat & waterproof shoes
There is nothing worse than getting drenched because your umbrella broke in the wind and rain, so go ahead and spend a little extra cash on a nice, water proof rain coat and solid, warm shoes. While it might not be the most stylist attire, neither is sopping pants and hair. Plus once you have a coat, nothing can stop you!
3. Stay active
Rain is not a good excuse to sit on your bum all day. Join a gym or take an exercise class to keep the limbs moving, body happy, and energy high. Want to sweat out your winter blues? Try hot yoga for an invigorating and warm work out.
Running in the rain can be exciting too! I'm training for my first half marathon this spring. Using a weekly run schedule, I have set work-outs and motivation to keep going all winter long (or I hope so!)
Also play hard when it is sunny outside. May be brisk, but sunshine will lift your spirits and boost energy for the rainy days to follow.
4. Discover your artsy side
Sometimes when it's cold and wet outside, you just don't want to be in it. When it's really nasty, I like to take advantage of the PNW's fantastic arts scene. Go see a movie, local theater show, concert or wander through one of the beautiful museums and galleries.
In Washington, explore the Seattle Center for a variety of galleries, science exhibits, music, food and more or take in a concert at the Show Box. Afterward head south to Tacoma and visit the Museum of Glass.
In Oregon, visit OMSI in Portland or the Science Factory in Eugene for hands-on family fun. Single? Stop by one of these museum's After Hours parties to learn and play too! Both cities' downtown's are also packed with art galleries showcasing everything from traditional art to eclectic & experimental. Two of my favorites in Eugene are the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and Opus VII.
5. Hit the slopes
While it may be raining in the Willamette Valley & Puget Sound that equates to fresh powder on the mountains. Find a cozy cabin in the cascades or head to high altitudes to play in the snow. If you don't like to ski or snowboard try tubing or snowshoeing.
On my Bucket List this winter is to snowshoe around Salt Creek and Crater Lake.
6. Find a great deal
Purchase a Groupon or LivingSocial coupon and try something new. Watch the site daily for new ideas in your area. Also look for other local coupon sites that offer similar discounts.
7. Become a fan
Cheer on your favorite team or attend a new sport at an indoor arena. Winter is basketball season and the colleges around the area are heating up the floor shooting hoops – you don't even have to worry about wage strikes at these games. For something a little less traditional, go to a hockey or roller derby bout – maybe you'll even get inspired to join a team of your own?
8. Get a library card & find a new reading nook
I'm all about the free books and movies at the library. Make a winter reading list and write down those recommendations friends keep sharing. Once you finish one book you can pick the next one up on the same trip without losing momentum.
Also find a new place to read. Instead of always curling up on the couch head to a local coffee shop, café or other public space to read. It gets you out of the house and breaks up long days. Plus I enjoy people watching – you never know who you might meet!
9. Take advantage of the delicious season foods
With cold weather, comes amazing, warm foods. Enjoy the appetizing bounty at food and wine festivals or cook a hardy dish and invite the friends. I sip with delight rich red wines and savory winter beers to warm from the inside out. Try a spicy Washington Syrah or season beers like Ninkasi Brewering Company's Sleigh'r or Deschutes Brewery's Jubelale.
10. Be Prepared
While you don't –usually – have to worry about your roof flying off, every once in while there is a big storm. At home make sure you have a few working flashlights with extra batteries, warm blankets, bottled water, and basic first aid kit. Also if the temperature dips below freezing, leave a little water running so your pipes don't freeze.
Just as important as winter-proofing the house, prepare your car for any unexpected winter hazards. In addition to the above items, pack a shovel, chains and gloves if you plan to travel over the mountains. Also check your car tires' thread before the heavy rains start to stay firmly on the road.
Before hitting the highway check websites: www.TripCheck.com in Oregon and www.wsdot.wa.gov in Washington for road conditions and traffic. I also like to use Waze on my iPhone for instant updates.
11. Be a weather warrior
Finally, don't get sucked into the gray obis. While I do my fair share of winter weather whining, keep hiking, running, biking – whatever you love – and before you know it poppies will bloom and the sun will make its grand entrance for summer.
What is your favorite winter activity?
Do you have more winter weather tips? Share below:


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The popular smart phone game "Angry Birds" became a real-life scenario when a group of crows and ravens went postal on mail carriers in a Canadian neighborhood.
The harassment became so profound along a street in Winnipeg last Thursday that the mail carriers had to stop service, according to CBC News. Canada Post said in a statement to customers that "due to the ongoing safety concern caused by the aggressive crows attacking your letter carrier" all mail delivery would be temporarily suspended. Officials were working to find a solution to the avian incursion, the statement said.
"It's not a normal hazard our carriers face everyday," Canada Post representative Steven Keown told CBC.
U.S. & World
The seemingly very angry birds have also started to target residents on the street, dive-bombing them as they leave their homes, according to victim Bernice Sokol. "He [the crow] followed me all around. I'm scared to go down the street here," Sokol told CBC.
Manitoba Conservation said many bird species defend their young from predators, such as humans, when they are in the most vulnerable part of their development. This period can last for a day or an entire week depending on if one of the babies is injured or not.
Provincial wildlife experts are strongly recommending people avoid the area until the birds fly away, and if they must be present, to carry an umbrella with them.


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The city will work on upgrading building codes and evacuation-zone maps, hardening power and transportation networks and making sure hospitals are better prepared for extreme weather after Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday.
As a start, utility Consolidated Edison has agreed to spend $250 million toward getting its electrical, steam and gas systems in shape to withstand a Category 2 hurricane, Bloomberg said.
City officials, meanwhile, will work on more comprehensive plans to help Sandy-ravaged areas recover and prepare the city for future weather disasters. That will include examining the pros and cons of building berms, dunes, levees and other coast-protection structures, Bloomberg said, though he remains cool to the idea of massive sea walls.
"Let me be clear: We are not going to abandon the waterfront," the mayor said in a speech Thursday at a meeting sponsored by the Regional Plan Association and the League of Conservation Voters. But "we have to build smarter and stronger and more sustainable."
The city is still focused on recovering from the Oct. 29 storm, but officials have started to think about what lessons to draw from Sandy in preparing for future natural disasters. Those considerations are overlaid with the prospect of more extreme weather and higher seas because of global warming, Bloomberg said. He has long been outspoken about the perils of a changing climate, teaming up at times on environmental initiatives with former Vice President Al Gore, who praised Bloomberg's efforts before his speech Thursday.
While Gore said Sandy "was related to global warming," Bloomberg was less explicit in drawing a connection.
"Whether or not one storm is related to climate change or is not, we have to manage for risks," he said, noting that severe storms, rainfalls and heat waves in recent years show "that the dangers from extreme weather are already here."
Before Sandy, the city had already made and touted its efforts to prepare for global warming and storms. Measures have included requiring some new developments in flood zones to be elevated, restoring wetlands as natural barriers and examining other coast-protection strategies, which the city says it now will study in more depth.
But Sandy's storm surge, a modern record, flooded beyond the area officials had expected — emergency managers had figured there was only a 1 percent chance of the 14-foot stack of water Sandy sent into the Battery in lower Manhattan, Bloomberg said. The experience made it clear that utilities, hospitals and transit systems need to be better prepared.
Toward that end, Bloomberg said he has instructed economic development and planning officials to assess what it will take to make power grids, transportation networks, telecommunications systems and hospitals able to handle a Category 2 hurricane, record-breaking heat wave or other natural disaster.
He called on phone companies to provide more than eight hours of backup battery power for cellphone towers and said the city would look for ways to encourage hospitals and big buildings to create their own power-generation systems.
Con Ed said its $250 million effort would include raising key equipment higher off the ground, installing stronger flood barriers and pumps and possibly putting some major overhead power lines underground. While those steps are planned in the coming months, the utility said it expects more measures will be needed over the longer term.
The importance of a functioning power system was emphasized at a meeting Thursday night of the Moreland Commission authorized by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to investigate utility companies and how they dealt with Sandy.
In his testimony, Dr. Irwin Redlener, an expert on disaster preparedness, called the power system "the glue that all the systems depend upon."
Power "may be considered the most important need of infrastructure functionality in the immediate aftermath of a major disaster," he told the commission.
Bloomberg says officials also will take another look at evacuation zones — the most vulnerable area, called Zone A, already was expanded after Tropical Storm Irene last year. He also wants to revisit building and zoning codes, particularly height restrictions that could discourage people from elevating their homes.
Other city, state and federal officials also have called for a range of changes in Sandy's wake. In a Nov. 13 speech similarly styled as a wide-ranging response to Sandy, City Council Speaker and expected mayoral candidate Christine Quinn broached ideas including burying power lines in vulnerable neighborhoods, re-examining building codes and calling for storm-proofing of fuel refineries.


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When an initiative known as Family Place introduced a new children's programming model that encourages libraries to go beyond summer reading programs and story hours to reach their full potential as community hubs, the California State Library took notice.
As a collaboration that began in 1996 between New York's Middle Country Public Library and the now-defunct nonprofit Libraries for the Future, the Family Place model promotes spaces within libraries that focus on the learning and literacy of children ages 0–3, while also supporting the needs of the entire family. Family Place principles have now been refined and translated into a replicable framework that gives all libraries the chance to look at their children's services in a fresh way. More than 300 sites in 23 states are currently part of the expanding Family Place Libraries network.
Stacey Aldrich, state librarian for the California State Library, was impressed by Family Place when she was introduced to the concept through Libraries for the Future.
"Family Place is amazing," says Aldrich. "They really make libraries think about the environments they're creating for families. Family Place library spaces are designed for the family to fully engage and interact—parents and caregivers, as well as children.
"The Family Place model is built around the idea that literacy begins at birth and that libraries can foster community growth by nourishing families," continues Aldrich. Spaces are designed for parent/caregiver-child interaction, "but also for community interaction. Experts in the community are brought into the space to give presentations and serve as resources for parents."
Family Place libraries do far more than provide children's books: they serve as community gathering places that promote emergent literacy, support healthy child and family development, and encourage lifelong learning. They contain a specially designed area that welcomes families with young children with a wide assortment of books, toys, music, and multimedia materials. They also offer developmentally appropriate programs for very young children.
The most unique component of a Family Place library is its five-week Parent/Child Workshops, which involve toddlers and their parents/caregivers. During these sessions, local professionals are brought in to discuss strategies for healthy child development and early literacy. The role of parents as the first teachers of their children is emphasized.
Another key component of the Family Place model is library staff trained in family support, child development, parent education, and best practices. "We had been sponsoring librarians to attend Family Place training in New York," says Aldrich. When cost and time constraints became a factor, "We started to talk to them about bringing them to California."
With the help of an IMLS grant, Aldrich and her team sponsored the development of a Family Place training center at the Los Angeles County Public Library. "We helped create the space and ensure they had the materials they needed," says Aldrich.
During trainings at the center, librarians are able to experience an actual Family Place space at the library and observe how families use it. "Librarians then decide how they can replicate or adapt aspects of the Family Place model in their own branches," says Aldrich.
Library representatives also can apply for sub-grants to fund Family Place projects in their own libraries. "We have Family Place spaces all over the state now," says Aldrich. "Some 25 libraries have participated."
Goleta Library is one such institution. Situated just west of Santa Barbara, Goleta is home to approximately 85,000 people of diverse social, economic, and educational backgrounds. "Many of these populations are unfamiliar with what the public library can offer their families," explains Allison Gray, Goleta Library's branch manager. "We wanted to create an inviting place where families can congregate, learn, play, read, and enhance their lives."
Family Place training helped the branch create an Infant and Toddler Town—full of attractive, age-appropriate toys, puzzles, games, and puppets—within the library's children's area.
"The number of 'thank yous' we have received from the public regarding the new children's space has, frankly, been astonishing," says Gray. "Parents—especially fathers—are engaging with their children in the library like never before. Rather than spending their time checking e-mails, they play with their children."
This increased interaction, especially via play, "can only benefit each family," adds Gray.
Moving forward, Goleta Library plans to offer four annual Play With Me, Learn With Me Parent/Child Workshops, continue to enhance its circulating collection of parenting and children's materials, and model the Family Place program to other branches in the Santa Barbara Library System. "The success of the Family Place grant project is the bedrock on which we'll build an even more comprehensive educational and recreational learning environment for children of all ages," says Gray.
Sarah Dentan, Neighborhood and Children's Services manager at Berkeley Public Library, attended the Los Angeles–based Family Place training for her branch.
"You get incredibly practical information from the training, which is all underpinned by brain development science," she says. "You really develop an understanding of what's happening in a child's brain from birth to age 3."
A unique piece of the training, according to Dentan, is its focus on the family dynamic. "You learn how new parents can feel lonely, isolated, and intimidated when it comes to early literacy," she says. "Especially those who are in underserved situations."
Family Place training and a sub-grant allowed Berkeley Public Library to double the size of its existing early childhood area. This is now a fully equipped early literacy center for children and contains toys, puzzles, blocks, a play telephone, board books, puppets, a dynamic play kitchen area with play food and dishes, and an Early Exploration Panel for toddlers and infants.
"The training expanded our notion of what sort of play is appropriate in the library," says Dentan. "We've been able to incorporate more child-directed play."
The space—which, with its full collection of books, magazines, DVDs, brochures, and flyers on parenting issues, is also a resource hub for parents—is incredibly popular, "to the extent that we have a serious stroller parking problem!" says Dentan. "The impact really spreads. People come and see how it works, how the library serves younger children, how it's okay to have toys in the library."
"We rolled out the Family Place area in March, and young patrons and their families took to it right away," echoes Erica Glenn, senior librarian in the Children's Department at Berkeley Public Library. "Families use it throughout the day, every day."
Helen Fisher, library director at Ontario Library in Ontario, California, was already familiar with the Family Place model from hearing about the concept over the years and seeing it in action at other libraries. "We applied for the funds, and we attended the training," she explains. "We were really inspired by it.
"In our community, 30 percent of children entering kindergarten are considered homeless or transient, and literacy rates are low," Fisher says. "There aren't a lot of things for families to do with very young children. One piece of our goal is to engage the community about 0-5 literacy. We're really interested in helping children with school readiness."
Fisher and her team carved out a space within the children's area, gave it a fresh coat of yellow paint, and stocked it with toddler furniture, toys, and manipulatives according to the Family Place model.
"It's really transformed the whole room." The library's first parent-child workshop also was "a fantastic success," says Fisher. "We had a huge group."
For Stacey Aldrich, watching the Family Place model flourish in California has been immensely satisfying. "Whenever I visit a Family Place space, I always come away with a tingly feeling," she says. "To see a grown man sitting in a kids' chair, playing with his child, or a grandparent doing a puppet show—it's special. It's gratifying to provide this kind of space, where people can meet, talk to other parents, and learn and grow with their kids."
The future of the Family Place project is still taking shape. "Right now, we're trying to identify how many other libraries are interested in going through Family Place training," says Aldrich. "Our goal for sustainability was for L.A. County to work with Family Place to pull together any future trainings and for the state library to pull out of the process. We're evaluating where we are."
For Aldrich, the goal is to bring the Family Place model to as many libraries as possible. "I have not seen one Family Place center that didn't have people in it, participating in some way," she says. "They are magical places."
"This is a wonderful program," agrees Dentan. "I'd love to see it continue to gain traction in libraries because it really has transformative power."


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A blog designed to facilitate communication about education, teaching, schools, labor issues, social justice, politics and ordinary life. Statements or expressions of opinions herein 'do not' represent the views or official positions of DCPS, American Federation of Teachers, Washington Teachers' Union or its members. Views are my own. Anyone who claims otherwise is violating the spirit and purpose of this blog.
Jun 15, 2011
Join us on Saturday, June 18, 2011 @3:30 pm
4 comments:
- Linda/RetiredTeacher said...
I wish I could be in DC to see this documentary. Hopefully, I'll have the opportunity to see it soon in my area.
I have a suggestion for your teachers:
Starting in the fall, teachers should keep very careful records of student progress. Pretests and samples of student work in September should be filed. Ideally the teacher should invite parents and other professionals to view the children being tested. Parents and administrators should be kept informed about student progress throughout the year. During the year, frequent examples of student work (compositions, chapter tests, etc.)should be placed in the child's folder. In this way, if a teacher is unfairly described as "not effective" she will have a lot of evidence demonstrating good student progress throughout the year. This could prove invaluable if the teacher contests her evaluation.
I hope this is helpful.
- June 16, 2011 at 8:08 PM
I can't believe the union is sponsoring a viewing of the movie "Bad Teacher" tomorrow (6/24).
This is what you are spending my dues money on???!!!
During a time when teachers are being vilified and treated unprofessionally, the WTU thinks a movie that spoofs a bad teacher is funny?
I don't care if they are joking around or if it is an obvious exaggeration. This is not the time to be laughing at bad teacher jokes.
It makes me wonder how disconnected you all have become now that you are out of the school system. What an embarrassment!
- June 23, 2011 at 10:03 PM
I ordered my own copy of "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For Superman" since I missed the WTU June 18th screening.
All I can say is...please visit the website and order this DVD. This is a MUST SEE! Finally someone is telling the truth. What we are going through as DCPS educators is a scam against education where the children are the ultimate losers!
Please visit
to order your free copy but please make a donation since this is a grassroots effort on the part of the film makers.
Let's start the 2011-2012 school year empowered and informed. Don't cut and run, dont sit passively, we can win this fight! People are learning the truth behing this "education reform" scam!
- July 5, 2011 at 3:51 PM
- Candi Peterson said...
Thanks Linda, this is great.
- July 20, 2011 at 12:35 AM


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Why buy property in dalyan Turkey
Buying a property in the Dalyan area of Turkey offers value for money, peace and tranquillity, oodles of nature and wildlife, and relaxed laid back lifestyle.
Anyone looking for holiday accommodation, investment property, or a permanent home in Dalyan for relocation and lifestyle change knows that the area is never going to be spoilt by mass tourism and huge developments due to its building restrictions and sanctions that are in place to protect the endangered wildlife and sea life in the area.
These restrictions make Dalyan property quite rare, though you can pick up a bargain property quite easily which will offer good rental potential as many Dalyan visitors return year after year seeking quality private accommodation close to the town centre, and as most property in the area is located within walking distance to the centre rentals are almost guaranteed, offering any potential buyer a relatively safe investment.
Property for sale in DALYAN Turkey
Dalyan is located in the south-west of Turkey a stunning natural peaceful area that is found just a short drive from Dalaman International airport. Dalyan town sits on the banks of the River Cayi, flowing down from the beautiful lake of Koycegiz, through the town heading down to the sea at the local Iztuzu beach.
A town of stunning natural beauty with many areas protected as a national nature reserve, as the river is home to an array of wildlife and the local beach of Iztuzu is a natural breeding ground for the endangered species of the Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta Caretta), which were recently saved from extinction in the area after a battle by local people to stop the development of a huge hotel near the beach.
With this protection in place for the foreseeable future, Dalyan can never be spoilt by mass tourism or huge developments and will always keep its charm and beauty, surrounded by lush green landscapes and tree filled mountains.
Dalyan Town centre is also traditional with its narrow cobbled streets lined with an array of quaint gift shops, small restaurants and relaxing bars, with the distinct lack of loud music and noisy nightclubs to disturb the relaxing atmosphere.
The area relies on the tourism trade throughout the summer for its main source of income therefore a warm friendly welcome will be awaiting you, no matter if it is your first visit or whether you a regular visitor as many are, some of which have gone that one step further and purchased property in Dalyan Town, some as holiday homes, some buy-to-let investment properties and some buying real estate in Dalyan Town as permanent homes before moving to the area for retirement or making complete lifestyle changes.
Dalyan Town Property for Sale
Anyone looking to buy property in Dalyan Town, Turkey can be almost guaranteed of value for money, as accommodation for sale in Dalyan town often come with lower price tags than many other areas, and also with larger plots of land when looking at private villas.
Dalyan Town, though a small town is split into several areas, all close to the centre and accommodation in Dalyan Town, Turkey can be found in all of these areas such as Gulpinar, Metinlar and Maras, with homes near the river and homes with views of the ancient Lycian rock tombs being the most sought after.
Property can also be found on the outskirts of the town, usually with the larger private plots and quite secluded for extra privacy.
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Easy Garlic Broccolini Recipe
It's actually not a younger version of broccoli, but rather a natural hybrid between regular broccoli and a plant called Chinese broccoli. My family prefers it to broccoli and since it takes less time to cook, I make this at least once a week. It has longer, thin stalks with small florets and only needs a few minutes to cook. I make this side dish at least once a week – even my toddler eats it with no complaints!
The best part, it's healthy and ready in under 10 minutes so if you're cooking for the holidays or just a meal for your family and need an easy side dish, this is it! You can double it or halve it as you need.
Easy Garlic Broccolini
Servings: 6 • Size: 1/6 • Points +: 1 pt • Smart Points: 1
Calories: 43 • Fat: 3 g • Protein: 1 g • Carb: 2 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 14 mg • Cholesterol: 0 mg
2 bunches broccolini
6 cloves peeled garlic, sliced thin
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Trim about 1 1/2 inches off broccolini stems and discard. Slice the brocolini in half lengthwise.
Bring pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add broccolini and cook 2 minutes. Quickly drain and run under cold water to stop it from cooking.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add the drained broccolini, season with kosher salt to taste and red pepper flakes (optional), and cook 1 minute, or until heated through.
Keywords: Easy Garlic Broccolini


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Rejoice! Tina Fey And Amy Poehler Will Host Golden Globes Together
Exciting news: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have won the hosting gig for the 70th Golden Globes Awards, where the SNL and Baby Mama/Mean Girls dynamic duo will almost certainly bring some pizzazz back to the proceedings following Ricky Gervais's neutered 2012 performance.
[GALLERY: The 2012 Golden Globes Awards Show and Winners]
Fey and Poehler, longtime NBC stars, will host the network's telecast of the Golden Globe Awards on January 13, 2013 at 8p EST/5p PST. Expect awesomeness. And maybe a rap.
From EW:
"Having both Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on board to host this year's festivities is a major coup," said Paul Telegdy, NBC's president of alternative and late night. "Tina and Amy have a proven chemistry and comedic timing from their many years together on SNL to their successful co-starring roles in Baby Mama."
True, but let's not overestimate how good Baby Mama was. It was aight. Fey and Poehler's other best collaborations, on the other hand — from Mean Girls to SNL's Weekend Update — are another story. But kudos for working the phrase "baby mama" into awards season, ladies!
Are you as optimistic as I am for the Fey-Poehler Globes? Chime in below.
[via EW]
Seth MacFarlane To Host Oscars: Good Idea/Bad Idea?
Jimmy Fallon Not Hosting Oscars: 'It's An Honor To Be Asked'
Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter.
Follow Movieline on Twitter.


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Carpentry – Carpenter West London
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Our work is guaranteed, we have full public liability insurance and are members of the Federation of Master Builders.
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Build Dec offer the following services
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Domestic Commercial Industrial
Insurance Work Free Estimates


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Industry officials say a discussion draft introduced Thursday by Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., that was designed to stymie efforts by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Labor to move forward in crafting their fiduciary rules will prove to be of little consequence.
"If the Committee was serious about passing this bill, which will die in the Senate if it passes the House, it would [have] invite[d] the SEC to testify," says Duane Thompson, senior policy analyst at fi360.
Rather, Thompson says Wagner introduced her draft as a reminder to the SEC "about the importance of a cost-benefit analysis," which the commission is already undertaking.
Neil Simon, vice president for government relations at the Investment Adviser Association in Washington, agrees that "as currently drafted, I don't think the bill would have a lot of consequence."
In introducing the discussion draft at a hearing titled "Legislative Proposals to Relieve the Red Tape Burden on Investors and Job Creators," Wagner stressed that it was "a discussion draft," and said that the draft was intended to address "one of the biggest issues facing retail investors today, the fiduciary issue. What we have is the SEC and DOL heading toward massive rulemakings, changing the way American investors choose investments—and not necessarily for the better."
Related story: FINRA to SEC: Act on fiduciary, or we'll make our own disclosure rules
The draft, which both Simon and Thompson agree garnered little attention during the hearing held by the House Financial Services Capital Markets Subcommittee, would amend Section 913 of the Dodd-Frank Act by:
- Mandating that the SEC coordinate with other federal agencies before issuing any broker-dealer fiduciary rule;
- Requiring the SEC, before issuing any rule, to find that the new rule will remedy investor confusion;
- Requiring the SEC, before issuing any final rule, to find that the status quo demonstrates economic harm to investors and that the new rule will remedy this economic harm.
The requirement that the SEC coordinate with other government agencies, meaning the DOL, before issuing its fiduciary rule is yet "another shot over the bow" at DOL's fiduciary rulemaking process, Thompson says.
"Unlike the bipartisan concerns expressed on slowing down the DOL's fiduciary proposal elsewhere in Congress, there were absolutely no comments from the Democrats in this latest round" on Thursday, Thompson notes.
What's more, the draft will likely fall on deaf ears at DOL, as the House Capital Markets Subcommittee has no legislative authority over DOL or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
As David Tittsworth, executive director of the Investment Adviser Association, notes, Wagner's draft, as it stands now, would not be referred to the committee of jurisdiction, which is the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
That could change if Wagner "revised the bill and had direct references to DOL," Tittsworth says. "It's certainly not rare for committees to draft legislation to try to avoid referrals to other committees, and Wagner's current draft reflects that approach."
See also: SEC, DOL must collaborate on 'overlapping' IRA fiduciary standards: attorney Mason
Indeed, Mercer Bullard, founder of Fund Democracy and associate professor at the University of Mississippi School of Law, told members of the subcommittee during his Thursday testimony that the provision requiring more SEC collaboration with federal agencies "appears to reflect an ultimate goal of preventing the Department of Labor from moving forward with a fiduciary proposal that may impose more stringent requirements than SEC rules impose."
First, Bullard noted, it is "the employee benefits law created by Congress that mandates more stringent requirements for retirement plan investments."
Second, he stressed, the draft's provision requesting more SEC collaboration "may reflect concerns regarding the DOL's initial fiduciary proposal, but the DOL has withdrawn that proposal and indicated that it plans to issue a substantially revised reproposal in a matter of months."
Said Bullard: "Before acting on the DOL's new proposal, Congress should at least determine what the DOL is proposing."
Read FINRA's Ketchum to SEC: Act Now on Fiduciary, or We'll Make Our Own Disclosure Rules on AdvisorOne


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Apple's voice-activated personal assistant Siri has been trashed pretty thoroughly since its arrival last year.
Personally, I haven't been able to really get to know the robo-lady because I didn't have an iPhone 4S. Now that I've got an iPhone 5, I'm pretty excited to see if Siri really is a worthless piece of software or if she's been unfairly maligned.
So far, we're off to a rocky start.
I first got Siri added to my iPad through iOS 6. Every morning I check the weather, so I asked Siri, "What's the weather going to be like today?" She quickly responded, "Nice weather coming up through Tuesday," and then dropped this awesome surprise on me: "up to 93 degrees and sunny."
Here in New York City we've been treated to a wonderful snap of fall weather for the last week. It's been pretty much perfect, starting the mornings in sixties, then climbing to the low eighties in the afternoon.
The only downside to this weather is that I know the summer is over. And if it's already cooling off, I worry we're in for a bad winter. And that means no golf this winter, which makes me quite unhappy.
So, I was excited that Siri told me it was going to warm up on Saturday. It meant that we might see the temperature climb, and we were therefore going to have a temperate winter and I'd be golfing every weekend. (My mind really did run this many paces ahead of itself after seeing this forecast.)
I shouted out to my wife, "Wow, it's going to be warm this weekend!" She, not being a dummy like me, expressed some skepticism and asked where I got my forecast. Suddenly I realized it was coming from a robot who has a bad reputation.
(Quick aside: One reason I won't be using Siri, or voice-recognition software is because when I do ask Siri a question my wife says, "What?" I then have to explain I'm talking to my phone or iPad. And forget about trying to quickly do email by speaking it into the iPad when she's around, it jsut feels goofy and awkward.)
I decided to double check Siri's work. Good thing I did. It turns out she was wrong. She gave me the weather for New York, Texas.
If I ask her, "Where am I?", she can tell me my exact address in Brooklyn, New York. And yet, when I ask her for the weather, she thinks we're in Texas.
I was still willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, though. I thought, "Maybe this is an iPad glitch. The iPad isn't like the iPhone. Perhaps the iPhone 5 will be accurate."
I ran the same test when I got the iPhone 5. I got the same inaccurate results. Other people in my office had the same problem.
The odd thing about Siri's screw up is that Apple's notification center has the right weather forecast. Instead of asking Siri the weather, I can just swipe down from the top of the phone to see the weather.
My next test of Siri came this morning when I asked her to give me the Wild Card standings for the National League. My team, the Phightin' Phillies, are three games out, with just a few left to go, and I've been monitoring their progress every day. Instead of giving me Wild Card standings, Siri gave me the overall National League standings, which are useless.
Both of these examples are things Apple has touted as being good uses for Siri. One of its Siri commercials starts with Zooey Deschanel asking Siri about the weather. During the on-stage demo for Siri this year at its developers conference, it talked about adding in sports scores data.
I'm still going to continue testing Siri, but I can confirm that contrary to what Apple says, Siri doesn't work "right out of the box."
Don't Miss: The iPhone 5 Unboxed!


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Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Add the refried beans and water. Mix thoroughly, cover and simmer until hot.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the taco shells in the oven and heat several minutes until warm. Remove.
Prepare the tofu sour cream while the taco shells are warming. Place all ingredients for the tofu sour cream in a blender and puree until smooth.
Fill each taco shell with about 1/4 cup of refried beans. Place 2 teaspoons or so of salsa on top of the beans. Place equal amounts of diced tomatoes, red onion and lettuce on top of the salsa. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons tofu sour cream on top of the vegetables and serve.
Per serving - 384 calories, 9 g fat (22% calories from fat), 16 g protein, 58 g carbohydrate, 12 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 493 mg sodium