text:
What Can We Learn About Postsecondary Vocational
Education From Existing Data?
Thomas Bailey and Gregory Kienzl
Community College Research Center
Teachers College, Columbia University
May 6 - 7, 1999
Independent Advisory Panel Meeting
National Assessment of Vocational Education
This paper outlines an agenda for research on postsecondary vocational education that can be carried out with existing data. Although we take a broad view of this mandate, we are particularly interested in encouraging research that can provide insight into the effects of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (the Act).
The Act prescribes a set of performance indicators designed to promote continuous program improvement, yet some performance measures may not accurately nor completely measure the educational and skills training mission performed by community colleges. In fact, certain measures may adversely affect the two-year postsecondary education sector. We argue that this issue becomes especially important in light of the emerging trend of nontraditional pathways taken by students through higher education. Although fewer and fewer students proceed through higher education in an uninterrupted linear path at a single institution, this image continues to dominate postsecondary education assessment. Helping to resolve the problems of assessment and institutional accountability within the rapidly changing landscape of postsecondary vocational education is one of the most important roles that projects using existing data could play for the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE).
We propose a set of six projects. Most of these can be done as stand-alone projects but some of them would benefit from coordination. One of our central goals is to propose a portfolio of projects that can help define what is meant by "success" in postsecondary vocational education. That is, what is the standard against which to assess the performance of these institutions? Where possible, we also suggest some analyses that will begin to evaluate the performance of individuals, groups of institutions, and community colleges as a whole against those standards.
We begin with a brief review of relevant sections of the Perkins Act, followed by a discussion of the changing pathways through postsecondary education. This is followed by the descriptions of our proposed projects.
In discussing postsecondary vocational education, we focus primarily on public community colleges. The definitions within the Perkins Act call for an emphasis on community colleges rather than four-year institutions, and these are the postsecondary institutions influenced most heavily by the legislation.
One of our objectives is also to provide some background information on available data that can help the NAVE staff judge what other issues might be successfully addressed with available data. We do this first by listing, throughout the paper, possible data sources to address relevant issues. We also include three appendices. The first lists the dates for the next waves of data collection for five of the most important educational data sets. Appendix B reproduces some of the questions raised in the "Key Issues and Strategies" planning document and specifies the data sets that could be used to address those questions. Lastly, Appendix C provides descriptions of ten data sets that have been, or can be, used to analyze postsecondary vocational education.
Description of Relevant Sections of the Perkins Act
The two major focus areas of the new law are to (1) increase accountability and (2) provide states with more flexibility to use these federal funds.
The state must make progress on continually improving the performance of vocational and technical education students. Therefore, each state will negotiate expected levels of performance with the Secretary of Education. The eligible community college, or "agency," must establish state performance indicators that, at a minimum, must include measures of:
- Attainment of academic and vocational-technical proficiencies;
- Attainment of a secondary school degree, GED, or postsecondary degree or credential;
- Placement, retention, and completion of postsecondary education, placement in military service or employment; and
- Participation in and completion of programs that lead to nontraditional training and employment.
The levels of performance must be objective, quantifiable, and measurable. Along with the core indicators of performance mentioned above, the eligible agency may choose to include additional indicators of performance. How can available data contribute to an assessment based on these performance indicators?
Available data can be used to assess the performance on each of these indicators, except the first, of the community college system as a whole. (We return to this later in our discussion of new pathways through higher education.) In some cases, the performance of individual institutions can be assessed using the degree completions file of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
Second, in addition to assessing the performance of the system, available data can be particularly helpful in evaluating the system of performance indicators. We argue that the concepts of placement, retention, completion, and degree attainment are increasingly complex and ambiguous. In other words, simple measures designed to assess "success" may be misleading. Thus research using available data can help clarify the shifting meaning of these concepts and help understand the implications of different performance indicators.
Flexible Use of Federal Funds
Perkins focuses the federal investment in vocational and technical education on high-quality programs that:
- integrate academic and vocational education
- promote student attainment of challenging academic and vocational and technical standards
- provide students with strong experience in, and understanding of, all aspects of an industry
- address the needs of individuals who are members of special populations and involve parents and employers
- provide strong linkages between secondary and postsecondary education
- develop, improve and expand the use of technology
- provide professional development for teachers, counselors, and administrators
The extent to which community colleges are addressing these issues cannot be determined with available data. Most of these issues can be more fruitfully analyzed through case studies or new data collection. Rather than proposing special projects designed to evaluate service to special populations (which could be addressed using available data) we suggest that all relevant studies of access, retention, completion, and so forth take into account differences among different population groups. If we take a broad view of the meaning of the mandate to promote flexibility of funds for use in high quality and relevant programs, we do think that available data could be of use in assessing the extent to which community colleges adjust to the changing needs of their local economies, so we do propose a project in this area.
Accountability and Emerging Pathways Through Higher Education
We suggest that one crucial role that NAVE can play is to help redefine the commonly used accountability measures in light of changing patterns and purposes of postsecondary education. Measuring accountability is most straightforward when it involves traditional pathways through college–continuous attendance at one institution through graduation followed by enrollment in additional education or employment. This has been disrupted by two broad trends. The first is the increasing importance of interrupted attendance and multi-institutional enrollment (either sequential or simultaneous). The second is a growing use of training and education that does not lead to an associate's degree or certificate–"Competence without Credentials" as a recent Department of Education publication put it.
Traditional Educational Pathways
Generally speaking, there are five points on the traditional educational pathway of a typical community college student. The first is access, followed by transfer, dropout or stopout, degree or certificate completion, and posteducational work status. The traditional linear model of postsecondary attendance allows these stages to be studied in isolation and indeed there is a large literature on each one. These will be briefly reviewed below, indicating some of the most important conclusions as well as data sources that have been or can be used to address the issues.
Access: The first step on the traditional educational pathway–access to a postsecondary institution–is a familiar ground covered by national reports. For instance, a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) study conducted in 1997 used the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS) data set to examine access to postsecondary education of 1992 high school graduates two years out. The study also profiled these students by their socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, and parental levels of education (U.S. Department of Education, 1997a). Supplemental data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) and High School and Beyond (HS&B) can also be used to answer questions about how college costs and financial aid affects attendance status.
Transfer: A common view of a community college is as a "transfer-readying" institution–where students prepare to transfer to a four-year institution. Moreover, transfer has been a primary focus of much community college research over the last two decades. Data on transfer are primarily collected in Beginning Postsecondary Study (BPS) and HS&B. Student transcripts are available for the BPS and HS&B cohort, which greatly improves the accuracy of the data. Some of the highlights of existing studies on transfer are summarized below:
- One out of four community college students indicated in 1989—90 that they were working toward a bachelor's degree (prospective transfers). Of this group, 39 percent transferred directly to a 4-year institution by 1994.
- Among community college students identified as prospective transfers, those who enrolled full time in their first year were about twice as likely as those who enrolled part time to transfer to a 4-year institution within 5 years (50 percent of full-timers transferred, compared with 26 percent of part-timers).
- Among community college beginners who transferred to a 4-year institution, 65 percent transferred without a degree. About one out of three completed an associate's degree before transferring.
- On average, community college beginners who transferred to a 4-year institution spent about 20 months at the first institution. They often took a considerable amount of time off between institutions, averaging 21 months.
- While one out of four community college transfers had received a bachelor's degree by 1994, another 44 percent were still enrolled at a 4-year institution, for an overall persistence rate of 70 percent. This is comparable to the persistence rate among students who began at 4-year institutions and among 4-year horizontal transfers.
- The bachelor's degree attainment rate was much higher among the minority of community college transfers who completed an associate's degree before transferring: 43 percent of associate's degree completers had received a bachelor's degree by 1994, compared with 17 percent among those who transferred without any credential. (U.S. Department of Education 1997b).
Dropouts and stopouts: Dropouts, stopouts, and student persistence can be determined using NELS, HS&B, and BPS, respectively. For example, in a recent NCES report using the BPS data set, the educational experiences of students who leave college in their first year. The report tracks the path of those who return (stopouts) to determine where and when they enrolled. The report also compares the background and school experience of stopouts with those who did not return (stayouts) to college. The analysis reveals that nearly 30 percent of 1989—90 beginning students left postsecondary education in their first year. While a majority of stopouts in the four- year sector transferred elsewhere, in the public two-year sector, the opposite pattern occurred. Fifty-seven percent of students at public community college returned to the same institution, while 43 percent transferred (U.S. Department of Education 1998).
The important point to keep in mind is that institutions only "retain" students whereas the students themselves "persist" (Adelman 1998, p. 3). Students start and stop, attend multiple institutions simultaneously or sequentially, leave without degrees or certificates, or enroll with no intention of earning a degree. This topic will be addressed in more detail below.
Degree attainment: As mentioned earlier, IPEDS can be used to determine the number of degree and/or certificate conferred by two- and four-year postsecondary institutions. On the other hand, studies of degree attainment using BPS, HS&B, NPSAS, and NELS data sets will have students as the unit of analysis.
Work status: Depending on whether an individual perceives himself/herself mainly as a student who works or as a worker who occasionally takes class has a tremendous influence on the educational trajectory chosen. Studies using BPS, HS&B, and NPSAS can show how the amount of hours worked while enrolled affects student completion and persistence. Other national data sets, particularly the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Survey on Income and Program Participation (SIPP) can give employment status and wage data for individuals who completed a certain level of education.
Nontraditional Pathways: What is Success?
In order to arrive at an appropriate set of accountability measures, we need a clear mapping of emerging nontraditional pathways through higher education. A great deal of progress can be made on this using national longitudinal data sets, albeit with considerably more time and energy. Such factors as degree objective, type of institution attended, timing of enrollment, enrollment intensity and continuity, transfer, financial aid receipt, and student employment should be taken into account in these analyses. A handful of studies have already started this work.
A recent study conducted by Adelman, for example, finds that of all starting community college students who earned at least 10 credits, only 47 percent attended only one institution (1999, table 20). To derive this figure, Adelman used the HS&B data set which collected student information primarily from the 1980s to early 1990s. He points out that more recent data suggest that the 1990s saw an increase in multi-institutional attendance, with particularly strong increases among those who attended at least three colleges. His point is that institutionally based retention or dropout data give a much more pessimistic picture of college completion than individual longitudinal data do.
Students use community colleges for a variety of reasons and obtaining a credential may not necessarily be their primary objective. Using student transcripts from the HS&B data set, Adelman writes, "nearly one out of six [of all students who entered a community college] never earns even a semester's worth of credits" (1998, p. 3). In other words, these students are classified as "experimenters" (Grubb 1999), and, according to Adelman (1998) including them in a universe with which to judge institutional performance can be misleading.
Even for students who attend a single institution and pass the stage of experimenting, dropping out, or "stopping out," may not be an indication of failure. Community college advocates point out that many students attend community college to acquire particular skills with no intention of completing a degree. Indeed from this point of view, a distribution of credit completion short of graduation may indeed be an indication of the flexibility of the institution rather than of failure.
For example, a student accumulates 36 credits but does not earn a credential. The student's transcript shows that half of the courses are in finite mathematics, electronics, computer programming, computer organization, and architecture. Few would disagree that a dominant tone of this record exists–this student is prepared to enter the labor market in the general area of computer technologies. Although this does not guarantee labor market success, it does mean that the student has derived something from the community college experience and this something is valuable to employers. Some support for this general argument that community college students can have success is provided by research that shows the accumulation of credits without a degree does have economic value, although earning the degree does also have an additional value (Grubb 1999).
Adelman (1998) composes a new system "completion rate," where students who have a classifiable cluster of coursework are added to those who obtained an associate's degree and certificate. Using this calculation, community colleges achieve nearly 90 percent "success." This is also equivalent to the bachelor's degree completion rate of four-year college students who entered directly from higher school and earned more than 60 credits (Adelman 1998).
At the same time, policymakers should be careful not to conclude that focusing on new and varied pathways through higher education renders the concept of completion as meaningless as an indication of success. After all wage analysis does show that many students who attend community college without earning a degree do not enjoy wage increases (even though on average such students do experience increased earnings). Our point is that changing pathways and uses of higher education by an increasingly diverse student population complicates assessment, and we suggest that the NAVE can make a crucial contribution to sorting out this issue.
Proposed Projects(1) Mapping Emerging Pathways in Higher Education
We have emphasized throughout this paper the importance of understanding the new and varied pathways through higher education. This is a central issue for NAVE since a better understanding of these pathways will have a profound influence on the standard against which postsecondary vocational education is assessed. Therefore, a project that maps these pathways and increases our understanding of them will be a fundamental contribution of the NAVE. Indeed, as we shall see, the conceptualization and measurements developed by this project could also serve to strengthen other projects listed below.
Adelman's recent work (1999) traces the progress of students from high school into higher education using the HS&B data set and is the most ambitious attempt to understand the new pathways. Although this work is instructive from a methodological standpoint, its focus is almost exclusively on bachelor degree attainment. In addition, because it is based on the HS&B data set, it is useful primarily for illustrating the educational developments in the mid- to late 1980s. Trends in multi-institutional attendance appear to have accelerated in the 1990s. Moreover, his study does not examine the growth in noncredit offerings and customized training, which can be on either the credit or noncredit side.
A number of national data sets can be useful for this proposed project. For example, IPEDS completions file can be used to determine the number of degree and/or certificate conferred by a postsecondary institution. But the most important part of this analysis will be based on the longitudinal data sets, such as BPS and HS&B, that tracks the educational attainment as well as the employment status of students who attended a postsecondary institution during a 5- and 13-year period, respectively. Additional analyses using these data sets have been conducted on the educational attainment of racial and ethnic minorities, first-generation students, at-risk students, and students with disabilities. The latest waves of the BPS and NELS data sets (see Appendix A) would be particularly useful.
Thus the outcome of this project will be a mapping of the changing pathways through community college, especially looking at credit accumulation, degree attainment, multi-institutional attendance, and interruptions of education. When possible the use of noncredit education and training should be addressed. Initially this should basically be a descriptive study, but the project should work towards a categorization or typology of educational pathways. But once a categorization is developed, the project can also analyze the determinants of different pathways. Are there differences by race, income level, occupational area, or local economic conditions? This project would probably rely primarily on some combination of HS&B, NELS, and BPS.(2) Economic Returns to Community College Education
In the past, available data have been used widely to evaluate the economic benefit to community college degrees. This research measures how much more individuals can earn if they complete community college degrees or certificates or if they complete a given amount of course work with or without degrees. Extensive work has also been done on measuring the benefits of particular occupational areas and on comparing the benefits of community college degrees to bachelor's degrees. The general consensus is that students who attain a subbaccalaureate degree earn more than those with a high school diploma do. Bachelor's degree holders earn more than those with community college degrees, but this is to be expected since community college degrees take less time to earn. Students do earn more as they accumulate credits even if they do not complete a degree, although the degree or certificate gives an additional boost to earnings. Finally, there is strong variation in earning depending on the field of study and those with community college education earn more if they find a job in the field for which they were prepared. Grubb (1999) has recently completed a review of this research.
Since this has been a widely researched area, a foundation has already been established on which to build NAVE research. We suggest that NAVE at least commission a review paper that will update the most recent reviews. A larger project that analyzes the data from the latest wave of NELS might be useful. Those data, however, will not be collected until 2000, and will probably not be available in time for the NAVE deadline.
We also suggest a reanalysis of past work based on the emerging pathways conceptualization. Using HS&B and NELS, the project would try to measure the earnings effects of interrupted and multi-institutional attendance. The conceptualizations developed in the above project would be useful for this project as well.
(3) Review of State Accountability Policy
Performance-based accountability systems are still relatively new in education, so there is little concrete evidence about what mix of incentives, assistance, and sanctions produces the best performance results. Accordingly, states are continually working to find the optimal balance between support and penalty. As we have argued, accountability is most straightforward for traditional-aged, degree-oriented students in higher education who attend only one institution. A more informative project would examine accountability measures in the context of nontraditional student pathways.
We suggest that the NAVE conduct a survey of state accountability measures for community colleges. This could be done for a sample of states including interviews with state officials and a representative sample of colleges within the state. The sample of states should be chosen so as to allow the examination of examples of different approaches to accountability. This could be done in the context of a follow-up to National Center for Research on Vocational Education (NCRVE) studies on accountability systems in vocational education (Rahn et al. 1992). The proposed project should summarize the performance measures and standards that have been implemented nationwide as of fall 1998 and highlight examples of states' measures and standards that are clearly and precisely defined for various outcome areas.
Once again we emphasize that this project should focus on the implications of the emerging pathways conceptualizations. Given what we are beginning to learn about these pathways, what are the implications of the various state accountability measures? Do they take into account these new patterns?
(4) Analysis Based on State Unemployment Insurance (UI) Data
Over the last 20 years, most analyses of the economic value of community college education has been measured using national longitudinal data bases such as HS&B and the National Longitudinal Study of the Class of 1972 (NLS-72). During the 1990s, several states, most notably California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, Alaska, and Washington have been conducted statewide studies using state UI wage record data to determine postcollege earnings.1 Using individual social security numbers, states can match students with their earnings, which are recorded for purposes associated with state unemployment insurance. Thus the SSI data offer unprecedented opportunities to use posteducation wage data for evaluation and accountability measures of individual institutions.
On the other hand, analysts using the UI/SSI data face several serious problems. The UI data do not include hours worked. They do not include people who are self-employed, work for the federal government, are unemployed, or have left the state. In most cases, individual students cannot be tracked due to confidentiality requirements, so data are usually available only in aggregate categories.
For example, California has been creating files on the total universe of students rather than just samples of students extracted from administrative records. In short, as students frequently move in and out of postsecondary education, it becomes more difficult to track them with less than a universal approach. Also when students transfer from a public to a private postsecondary institution or move out of state, then it becomes increasingly difficult track them and their educational and wage record in essence is dropped. As of this writing, only Alaska and Washington have arranged to retrieve employment earnings from neighboring states.
While most UI wage studies account for students who enlist in the military, are employed in public sector, or are incarcerated, few have addressed the need to account for those students who are self-employed. Other concerns related to the matching of a student's social security number to his/her employment and UI wage record center on confidentiality and privacy issues (Sanchez and Laanan 1998).
Thus the UI/SSI data would be most useful for a student taking a traditional path through postsecondary schoolfull-time schooling at one institutions, followed by full time work. Yet, as we have emphasized, a growing number of community college students attend part time, work while enrolled, attend sporadically, or attend multiple institutions before graduating. All of these trends complicate the use of UI/SSI data for accountability measures for individual schools.
We propose a project that would first update reviews of the use of SSI/UI data to measure the earnings effects of community college education. Recent reviews have been done by Grubb (1999) and Sanchez and Laanan (1998), but states are continuing to analyze their data so additional studies have been completed since those reviews have been conducted. While a general review will be useful, it should focus particularly on the use of the SSI/UI data for accountability purposes. Moreover, most of the studies included in these reviews were simple comparisons between the average earnings of different groups. Thus the next step of this project should be to reanalyze some of these data using more sophisticated multivariate statistical techniques.
This project should also include a discussion of the implications of the new pathways for the use of SSI/UI data for accountability. The unemployment insurance data may be particularly crude for taking into account these new developments, especially if the data are only made available in aggregate form (in different cells). Thus we need to understand whether a growing reliance on these data will distort our understanding of community college effectiveness.
(5) Noncredit and Customized Training
Customized training, which includes contract training, is one of the fastest growing community college activities. Community college educators and advocates argue that customized training and other noncredit activities represent important contributions to their local economies. Indeed, some states claim that they have more noncredit than credit students. Noncredit training and education is also an important contributor to the growing importance of nontraditional pathways through higher education. Although there are some examples of impressive programs, but we have no overall sense of the extent of these activities to say nothing of their effectiveness. Given the growing emphasis on these activities in the community college, no overall assessment of the effectiveness of community colleges will be complete without a better understanding of this phenomenon.
At present existing national data sets are probably too small for a full and definitive study of these types of activities. Most of our systematic knowledge about customized training comes from surveys by individuals or groups of researchers on one institution or a set of institutions. Some states do have data on categories of noncredit training, but we know of no systematic review of what states know about this. Last year, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) asked directors of state postsecondary education agencies for information on noncredit education. Responses from the surveys showed that at least a dozen states were able to provide some basic information on noncredit at community colleges. Thus these states do have relevant databases.
Also last year, a Postsecondary Education Quick Information Survey2 (PEQIS) on noncredit and customized training was planned by NCES. The survey, with the help of AACC, was piloted at several two-year and four-year institutions. This particular effort, however, was cancelled primarily because of the ubiquitous phrasing of the questions on the survey. The institutions also noted that the survey placed an undue burden on them, partly due to the length of the survey.
We suggest a project that will at least lay the foundation for better knowledge and understanding of customized and noncredit training. This would involve building on the work of the AACC to systematically survey of state directors to develop a catalogue of state data that could be used to study noncredit training. This project should also evaluate the problems with the PEQIS survey and try to develop an improved plan. While this project will probably not result in any definitive measures before the NAVE report is due, we do think that some preliminary review of state data will be possible. The product for this project would be a statement of the availability of such data and descriptive and comparative analysis of the data that are available. The report would present the nature and relative importance of noncredit education, a plan for improving the information available, and a discussion of accountability measures for noncredit and customized training.
(6) Responsiveness of Community Colleges to Local Labor Market Needs
Community colleges are increasingly seen as playing a vital role in economic and workforce development. But we have no easy way to assess their effectiveness in carrying out this function. How can we measure whether a community college's activities have contributed to economic growth in a particular area?
One possibility would be to analyze the supply response of vocational education institutions to rapidly growing occupations in the local area or state. We suggest that a project select a sample of regions or cities in which the shifting occupational distribution within those regions can be compared to trends in the occupational training and education provided by the local community colleges. Particular emphasis should be paid to the occupations for which community colleges have traditionally be an important source of trained labor (such as nursing and information technology). By tracking these changes over time, this project could discuss how responsive the community colleges have been to developments in their local labor markets. Occupational distributions could be measured using data from the CPS and Bureau of Economic Analysis, while the distribution of occupational training can developed from IPEDS. This project would be particularly interesting if initial findings from this quantitative study could be followed up by case studies of particular schools that were found either particularly unresponsive or responsive.
Footnotes1 For a review of literature, see Grubb (1999) and Sanchez and Laanan (1998).
2As its name suggests, PEQIS surveys obtain information on emerging issues quickly and can be used to assess the feasibility of developing large-scale data collection efforts on a given topic.
This page last modified August 11, 1999 (glc).


text: Third WSO2Con Event Will Examine Cloud, Open Source, API Management, SOA, and Mobile Technology Best Practices February 12-14, 2013 in London With Live Stream From Sri Lanka Palo Alto, CA – November 29, 2012 – WSO2 today announced the guest keynote speakers for WSO2Con 2013. WSO2's third user conference will explore technology insights and best practices in the areas of API management, service-oriented architecture (SOA), cloud computing, mobile computing, data and analytics, application development, enterprise integration, governance, business services, and REST. WSO2Con 2013 will be held February 12-14, 2013 at the Park Plaza, Victoria in London, and it will be joined by a live stream event from the Cinnamon Lakeside in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Participants who register by December 15, 2012 can take advantage of the 20% early bird discount. For more information on the event, visit http://wso2con.com. Keynote Speakers The three guest keynote speakers at WSO2con 2013 are some of the world's thought leaders and innovators in open source, cloud, SOA, enterprise applications, middleware, and infrastructure technologies. "How Open Source Can Still Save the World," Brian Behlendorf, World Economic Forum Senior Advisor for Science and Technology: Mr. Behlendorf recently completed a two-year stint as the Forum's Geneva-based CTO, updating internal systems and IT processes, and connecting internal communities and initiatives to open technology concepts and leaders. Previously he worked for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as an advisor on open data, open government, and open source software. Mr. Behlendorf founded and was CTO of CollabNet where he continues to serve on the executive board of directors, and he is on the executive boards of the Mozilla foundation and Benetech. He also continues to help the Apache Software Foundation, which he co-founded in 1995. "Network-embedded Application and Cloud Platforms: Emerging Foundations of Next-Generation Business Systems," Pankaj Srivastava, Cisco Systems Vice President, Industry Solutions Group: Mr. Srivastava has more than 20 years of systems integration, solutions and software engineering, and enterprise architecture experience. Cisco solutions Mr. Srivastava has led are based on network-embedded software platforms he has created—platforms that enable HTML5-based application experience, complex-event processing and application infrastructure capabilities in the network. He brings in-depth expertise in application infrastructure, SOA, middleware and enterprise applications, video-based applications, and cloud applications. "Democratizing Innovation in Computing," Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi Foundation Founder and Trustee: A non-profit supported by the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory and Broadcom, the Foundation's aim is to promote the study of computer science and related topics. Mr. Upton is responsible for the software and hardware architecture of the Raspberry Pi, a single-board computer designed to stimulate the teaching of basic computer science in schools. He also is a technical director and ASIC architect at Broadcom, and he previously was a director of studies in computer science at St. John's College, Cambridge. About WSO2 WSO2 is the lean enterprise middleware company. It delivers the only complete open source enterprise SOA middleware stack purpose-built as an integrated platform to support today's heterogeneous enterprise environments—internally and in the cloud. WSO2's service and support team is led by technical experts who have proven success in deploying enterprise SOAs and contribute to the technology standards that enable them. For more information, visit https://wso2.com or check out the WSO2 community on the WSO2 Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and FriendFeed..

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Royal Talens van Gogh Oil Color Semi-Opaque Azo Yellow Medium 40 ml
The yellow Royal Talens van Gogh oil color is a delight to paint with. This semi-opaque oil paint is thick, glossy, and highly pigmented, ensuring rich and beautiful results on canvas. Use it for a variety of painting techniques like wet-into-wet and layering. Reminiscent of the classics, this paint leaves behind elegant brushstrokes on canvas. Available in a 40 ml tube, this azo yellow medium oil color makes a wonderful addition to your kit. Lightfast from 25 to 100 years in museum conditions. Tested in compliance with ASTM Standards D4303.
- Item #: MORGO-269
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- Category: Art & Craft Paint
- Color: Yellow
Royal Talens van Gogh Oil Color Semi-Opaque Azo Yellow Medium 40 ml


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Infants Exposed to Tuberculosis at Las Vegas Hospital
Officials believe 140 newborns were exposed to TB at a Las Vegas hospital.
Oct. 9, 2013 -- Nevada health officials are testing 140 newborns who they believe were exposed to tuberculosis at a Las Vegas hospital.
A mother and her newborn twins died of tuberculosis at Summerlin Hospital over the summer, prompting an investigation by the Southern Nevada Health District. Letters went out to hundreds of patients in August, but after hospital employees tested positive for the disease, officials started calling families to get tested immediately.
"It wasn't, 'Oh, come in next month.' They want you in this week," Jessica Hammond told KTNV, ABC's Las Vegas affiliate. Her newborn son was in the neonatal intensive care unit at the same time as a baby who later died of tuberculosis. "Our concerns are, was he exposed? Is he carrying anything? Are we as well?"
Read the 5 things you didn't know about tuberculosis.
Hospital staff didn't realize the infected woman had tuberculosis until after she and one of the twins died and they performed an autopsy, according to KTNV. The other twin was in the NICU being treated without being under quarantine.
The second twin also tested positive for tuberculosis and died in August, health department spokeswoman Stephanie Bethel told ABCNews.com.
Though the initial investigation found that no other babies had contact with the infected patient, further monitoring of the situation revealed that the infection spread to hospital staff in the NICU, according to a health department statement.
Of the hundreds of babies, parents and hospital staff members who were possibly exposed to the disease, 26 people have tested positive for tuberculosis, including two employees with active infections that need to be isolated, Bethel said. The other 24 people have latent tuberculosis, meaning they will need to take medications to make sure they don't' become sick, but they are not contagious.
No babies have tested positive for tuberculosis so far, she said.
The health department is continuing to test people who were possibly exposed to tuberculosis in the NICU, Bethel said. Additional test results will be available in a week or a week and a half.
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium that typically attacks the lungs and can be fatal if not treated properly. It's spread through the air when the infected person "coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings" and another person breathes in the bacteria, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include a bad cough that persists for three weeks or longer, fatigue, chest pain and coughing up blood.


text: Friday, February 17, 2012 CMS Issues Guidance and Clarification for Version 5010 Implementation In light of concerns about the transition to Version 5010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance to help physical therapists and other providers troubleshoot some of the difficulties they may experience with claims submissions. The guidance includes information on how to handle claims that failed edits during the delivery process and what providers can do if they have difficulty receiving information from clearinghouses and/or billing services. Although CMS delayed enforcement of Version 5010 transaction standards used for electronic health care claims until March 31, the official deadline to adopt the standards was January 1. APTA is aware that some physical therapists are experiencing cash flow issues related to 5010 implementation. The association will launch a new Web resource shortly to help members navigate the issues surrounding the move to the new standards.


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The education section provides learning resources to children and teachers covering the aspects of Child rights and quality education.
Education is a fundamental human right
Provision of free and compulsory education to all children upto the age of fourteen years, is one of the Constitutional Provisions. India celebrates an impressive jump in the literacy figures in the past decade and recent implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
ICT in Education
The role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the education sector plays an important role in the process of empowering the technology into the educational activities. The ICT provide the prospects, trends of integrating into the educational activities and gives large opportunities to enhance the learning environment.
Education is the foundation on which the development of every citizen and the nation as a whole built on. The Education domain of the portal provides information on the following topics.
Child rights
Understanding child rights and the roles that various stakeholders can play to protect them are covered in this section.
Policies and Schemes
Every child between the ages of 6 to 14 years has the right to free and compulsory education. This is stated as per the 86th Constitution Amendment Act added Article 21A.
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Assessments on various subject topics to various age groups to check their subject knowledge is made available for the benefit of students.
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This section provides a platform for users to interact among themselves on issues related to the education domain.


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Timber harvested in Washington's private forests generates virtually no solid waste. When a tree is harvested, every part is used. Logs become the building materials for our homes and the furniture that we rest in. Sawdust and woodchips are used in the pulp and paper making process and for the containers in which we buy our food. Bark and branches become fuel for energy and landscaping for our yards and communities. There are over 5,000 different products including resins, glues, cosmetics and food produced from trees. Any part of the tree left over after harvest provides habitat and eventually degrades, enriching the soil for the next generation of forest.
- On average, each American uses three pounds of wood products per day.
- A major component of wood is cellulose, which can be used to make a wide range of products, including rayon fabric, football helmets, pharmaceuticals, and even toothpaste and shampoo.
- Some foods, including ketchup and ice cream, are made using a thickener derived from trees.
Forest Products Industry Has National & Regional Impact
The forest products industry in Washington is the second largest in the nation behind Oregon, with about 10% of the nation's total private establishments and employment. It accounts for over 13% of total U.S. softwood lumber production and about 7% of the total U.S. plywood production. In total, the U.S. produces about two-thirds of the lumber it consumes, with the remaining mainly imported from Canada.
The forest products industry is the second largest manufacturing sector in the state after transportation (primarily aircraft), representing more than 14% of total manufacturing in Washington. A recent study conducted by the University of Washington has projected private forestlands, which currently produce 66% of the timber harvest in the state, will be able to produce even more trees in the future. Based on predicted market conditions, industrial timber supplies should climb steadily and increase by more than 20% by 2090.


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Hub bearing unit 2
Cutting weight and costs since the '70s
Non-driven and driven wheel applications for medium-size carsIn the most common HBU2 application, the brake disc or drum and wheel are mounted to a rotating flange. A variant HBU2 design features a flanged ring mounted on the knuckle through threaded bolts. Hub Unit 2 is typically used with rotating outer ring for non-driven front or rear wheels.
Double row angular contact designHub Unit 2 features a double row angular contact ball bearing with matched rings and ball-sets to provide the required axial clearance. Contact angles are optimized to provide specific preload and withstand specific wheel load condition. Key features include:
- Flanged outer ring designed as a lightweight structural component
- Outer ring raceways are induction-hardened for bearing performance
- Sealed for life with high performance, application-specific grease
- Robust flange features threaded holes or studs and a spigot to centre and mount brake and wheel
- Alternative designs are available for driven wheel applications
- Available with ABS impulse ring mounted on the rotating ring
HBU2T: The go-to choice for light trucksOffering full HBU2 functionality, HBU2T, features one tapered bearing, is becoming an increasingly popular choice for light truck driven wheel applications. In the majority of the applications the non- rotating flanged ring is mounted on the knuckle through threaded bolts.
The HBU2T with fixed outer ring is a solution alternative to single tapers or HBU1T in case of aluminium or light alloy knuckles; in these cases an alternative solution is the application of HBU3.2T, features a double row angular contact tapered bearing.


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Before contacting the support team, you should first check our knowledge base, the answers to the frequently asked questions (FAQ) are there.
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3M Andrei 3x Senior Urban United Wednesday 13/02/2013, 20:13
Link: http://www.urban-rivals.com/en/events/?id_event=83082
This event should be more challenging then the previous one.
Round 1: "warm up"
- all players will play against everybody, and you have to score a certain nr of points to go to next round; this round is to test the activity of players
- there will be prizes for top 3 players
- duration 1 week
- deck format: 4x2* & 4x3* from 2 clans
Round 2: "fairplay"
- at this time there will be groups
- duration 1 week
- deck format: everybody will use the same deck, which will be posted
Round 3: "old school"
- the players that will move from previous round, will play old urban-rivals style, meaning: no pillz, and some banned clanns that have bonus +/- attack
You can use any kind of Deck.You must play in BIG 2.You can train in BIG 2 [Practice].The random option is set to: no random, the highest attack always wins.Note: the 2 rooms dictate the deck format & your fights in the training room will not be taken into account.
If win (normal) then add point(s), 3 pts to player.If timed out win then add point(s), 3 pts to player.If default win then add point(s), 3 pts to player.If draw then add point(s), 1 pts to player.Note: if a situation is not accounted for by one of the calculation rules, that situation will not carry any points.
Sponsors with cards and clintz are more than welcome.
Sponsor List:
3M Kyba - Minerva, Lady, Edd Cr
There will be more prizez added


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Joe Mayo necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 177 diseños de 48 diseñadores freelance.
Mayo Insurance Group
The mission of Mayo Insurance Group is to protect their clients with expert knowledge of risk exposure and insurance products; and provide the highest level of service by demonstrating the passion and dedication we hold towards our relationships.
I am a 36 year old aggressive salesman from Texarkana, TX. My passions are hunting, fishing, getting to know new people and giving God all the glory for the strength he gives me to go through life. I love the mountains, rivers, hicking trails and the general outdoors. My favorite scripture in the Bible is Isaiah 40:31" but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they will runn and not get weary they shall walk and not faint". I also have a love for 80's music. I have lived in major cities in the past and have decided to move home and start a business. I have 7 years experience in commercial insurance mainly trucking fleet insurance. I have also developed a nitch in nursing home/homehealth care Insurance. I do a lot of business in the larger cities and want to portray an image that I can do it better than the big boys there.
I am going to target business owners in both rural and metro areas. I am going to start off selling anybody I can get me hands on. I have a cousin that is the mayor in Texarkana and a furniture factory my grandfather founded is in the city. Therefore, my last name is known in the Texarkana community and will serve well targeting small business owners, medical professionals and the general middle class home and auto owners. My primary focus customers initially and down the road will be trucking company owners. These customers vary from car dragg racing lovers to the more sophisticated suburb type. they love the Dallas cowboys, Houston Texans, Astros basball and Arkansas Razorbacks. Another key focus group will be Nursing home/assiasted living and home health care owners. This crowd is usually very sophisticated and hard to approach, but generally nice when you get to know them and stroke their ego a little bit. This group is found in the country club golf resorts and condos in Aspen, Colorado. I am looking for customers in these sectors that value service and attention, and are willing to build a relationship not just go for the cheapest deal on there insurance. I will be doing a lot of business in Houston, Dallas, Little Rock and all points in between.
I love mountain scenes, rivers and different creative shapes using triangles. I want to use an orginal logo in or around the name. Having said this i want something that belongs to the company and can identify the company. I like the basic stacking of Mayo Insurance Group with a line under the whole or under Mayo or boxed beside each other with shading behind the first box saying Mayo. Those designs have caught my eye. BE CREATIVE! I would like to see interesting logos that mimic my tastes but define the organization and who i am going after. I am also interested in different methods of incorporating the words. I would prefer it to not to spread out. I want to say WOW thats sharp!, Clean and will be remembered. I will attach some logos that caught my eye, but not near enough. Once again be creative!
PS. I love the color blue and gray combo
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Lemony prawn & chorizo rice pot
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal381
- fat7g
- saturates2g
- carbs55g
- sugars6g
- fibre3g
- protein21g
- salt2.2g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 1 onion, sliced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 2 small red peppers, deseeded and sliced
- 50g chorizo, thinly sliced
A coarsely textured, spiced pork sausage widely used in Spanish and Mexican cooking. It is made…
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red chilli (deseeded if you don't like it too hot)
- ½ tsp turmeric
Turmeric is a fragrant, bright golden-yellow root that is most commonly seen and used dried and…
- 250g long grain rice
- 200g raw peeled prawn, defrosted if frozen
There are thousands of different species of prawn, but tiger, king and North Atlantic are the…
- 100g frozen pea
- zest and juice 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
Oval in shape with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile…
Boil the kettle. Heat the oil in a shallow pan with a lid, add the onion, peppers, chorizo, garlic and chilli, then fry over a high heat for 3 mins. Add the turmeric and rice, stirring to ensure the rice is coated. Pour in 500ml boiling water, cover, then cook for 12 mins.
Uncover, then stir – the rice should be almost tender. Stir in the prawns and peas, with a splash more water if the rice is looking dry, then cook for 1 min more until the prawns are just pink and the rice tender. Stir in the lemon zest and juice with seasoning and serve with extra lemon wedges on the side.
Recipe Tip
Oven-bakingIf you don't want to spend time at the stove, you can bake this dish in the oven. Tip the oil, onion, peppers, chorizo, garlic and chilli into an ovenproof dish, then bake for 15 mins at 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Stir in the turmeric, rice and water, cover, then bake for another 20 mins, stirring in prawns and peas for the final 2 mins. Season and stir in lemon zest and juice to serve.


text: An unflinching drama of frustrated ambition and troubled siblings, Georgia examines the relationship between a self-destructive, would-be rock singer and her sister, a successful folk musician. Sadie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is the younger, more troubled sister, a wild child with a taste for reckless behavior, from her dangerous romances to her attachments to drugs and alcohol. Hopping between low-rent clubs, Sadie struggles to make it from gig to gig, delivering rawly emotional performances that lack technical skill. Her repeated career failures drive her further into addiction, sending her life into a downward spiral. Ultimately, she is forced to seek help from her sister Georgia (Mare Winningham), who is everything Sadie is not: married, financially secure, and blessed with a smooth voice that has won her popular success. A clash of seemingly opposite personalities follows, as Georgia attempts to help Sadie without becoming damaged herself. Judd Blaise, Rovi


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I was recently asked by a friend if I would attend her baptism when she is 'born again' and I'm not sure whether or not I should go.
On the one hand I don't want to be the evil atheist who won't support her friend. I'm worried it might be rude to decline the invitation. On the other hand, I am completely against everything her church stands for, not only the claims it makes about God and the nature of reality, but also its stances in social issues such as its damaging anti-gay beliefs.
I would have no reservations about attending a church wedding or funeral, but somehow this feels different. This is an explicitly religious ceremony which, whilst I support my friend's right to go through with it, I cannot support in itself. A wedding in a church could be, to me, a celebration of two people's relationships and a funeral could be a celebration of the person's life and an expression of how they will be missed. This baptism ceremony would be a celebration of the brainwashing my friend experienced from childhood and her acceptance of a flawed belief system that leads to prejudice and intolerance. I feel my presence would signify that I condone this and give my friends yet another chance to convert me.
However, as an atheist I know that a baptism doesn't really do anything at all. It's just someone being dunked in a pool. She's already a believer in ridiculous things, intolerant of the lgbtq community and an opponent of science. I also want to show my friends that I can be a good person, a friend, and be a part of their lives even if I don't share their beliefs.
Does anyone have any advice? Have you ever been faced with this problem?
Views: 2426
I would suck it up and support my friend.
Then scrub myself clean when I get home.
The main thing of course, which you seem to realize is that it's not about you, it's about your friend.
I would therefor concur with The Nerd that you should talk to her about it so that you know what her expectations are and whether or not your presence there would be beneficial to both parties.
"This baptism ceremony would be a celebration of the brainwashing my friend experienced from childhood and her acceptance of a flawed belief system that leads to prejudice and intolerance."
I totally understand where you're coming from with that. You're not the only one who tends to have issues with the more vile tenets of space daddy cults.
Thanks everyone for your advice.
I think I'll do what was suggested and ask her why it is she wants me to go. It may be that she just wants to share this part of her life with me. Yes, she knows I'm an atheist and she does make occasional attempts to convert me, but I've made my position clear and hopefully she'll understand that my being there doesn't mean I condone what she's doing, just that I support her. She's said before that if a friend had a gay wedding she wouldn't attend due to her religion, so I kind of see that as my chance at being the bigger person.
If nothing else it'll educate me about what a born again baptism is like.
I see it as sort of an initiation ritual. Like if you were in a gang you might stab a few people and do a rain dance.
But obviously because it's Christianity it must be much more sensible...or something.
"If nothing else it'll educate me about what a born again baptism is like. "
That sounds...like a bit of an anticlimax.
My other friends seem to be getting her baptism presents and I looked for a card today. All the cards I could find had a cross on the front and I do object to presenting my friend with a picture of an implement of torture. Seems a bit creepy, so I think maybe I'm going to forego that part of the experience.
I'm not really sure what to expect. My confirmation was very sedate, just with the bishop giving me communion and blessing me, but my friend comes from quite an over-the-top, Jesus-praising, fundamentalist church so I imagine it'll be quite different.
Yes, my church was the same. It wasn't a big thing when I got confirmed, but this church seems to be different.
I don't think 'congratulations' is quite the right word for what I feel and want to express about her baptism. I think I'll make my own card with a pleasant but non-committal message.
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Krispy Kreme to Offer 12 Doughnuts for $1 for One Day Only
It's Krispy Kreme's birthday, and it will sell a dozen doughnuts for $1 if it wants to. The chain is celebrating 81 years in the business by offering fans 12 Original Glazed Doughnuts for just a buck with the purchase of any dozen doughnuts at shops across the U.S. and Canada on July 27 only.
The North Carolina-based bakery will also sell a limited-edition Glazed Confetti Doughnut from July 27 through August 2 while supplies last. The festive treat is built with a vanilla birthday cake-inspired dough infused with confetti sprinkles, a classic glaze, and more sprinkles peppered on top.
"One of our favorite times during the year is when we get to celebrate our birthday with our fans," Krispy Kreme chief executive officer Mike Tattersfield said in a release. "In addition to offering a delicious dollar deal on an extra dozen of our Original Glazed Doughnuts, we've 'birthday-ed' up our awesome Original Glazed Doughnut, creating a whole new experience."
Krispy Kreme is famous for its fresh-off-the-belt doughnuts, but it was also recently voted 2018's Brand of the Year for the coffee shop category in Harris Poll's 30th annual EquiTrend study, beating out trusted names including Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. If this comes as a surprise, you'll likely feel the same about the results of this chain cold brew coffee taste test.


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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Simple Salsa
Some food traditions are more celebrated in our home than others. I personally can't wait for St. Patty's day but my kids don't share my enthusiasm. They tolerate it to say the least. But Taco Tuesday is one they live for. My kids look forward to it! They remind me to make salsa. Heaven forbid I don't make salsa! My kids have become salsa snobs of sorts.
Salsa is easy enough to make. It's cheap and you can make it your own. It stores for over a week if my family doesn't eat it all the day I make it!! Now, I don't like all salsas. In fact, I don't like many salsas. I don't like them very chunky. I don't like them vinegary. Ewww!! I like my salsa simple with simple ingredients. But the great thing about salsa is that you can change it up! Everyone of my friends have a salsa recipe! Some roast the peppers, some add chilis that are hotter than hell, and some add canned chilis. And each one of them will tell you that their salsa recipe is the best! But give this a try!
Simple Salsa
1 can (29 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 can (29 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
½ yellow onion chopped
Two gloves garlic chopped
One cup cilantro leaves
3 jalapeno diced
Juice of one lime
1 tsp kosher salt
I like to get my cutting board and my food processor pretty close together.
Dump the chopped onion.
Cilantro...let's talk cilantro! I'm a bit a freak about cilantro. Most just shave it off the stems but I pull the leaves off the stems. I don't like the stems.
Cilantro is one of those herbs you either love or hate, but I figure is one leaf away from being related to the Shamrock so it's OK! If it's a bit too strong for you, start with a 1/4 of what I call for and add more if you can tolerate it.
Now the Jalapenos. Chop up 2 of the 3 jalapenos, seeds and all. Don't worry, if this red head can handle it, you can too! Reserve the third jalapeno. Blame The Fireman! He likes the texture of being able to bite into it. If it scares you, dump it into the pot now.
lime juice (notice in the picture, it is missing! My tree is bare this week! Too many cervesas with lime last week!)
and the drained can of whole tomatoes. DO NOT ADD THE DICED TOMATOES!!
Now pulse until mixed
Personally, this is how I like my salsa!
but the Fireman and The Tortured Teenager…they like a little more texture. Whatever! So I add the third jalapeno, chopped finely and the can of drained diced tomatoes.
I cant keep my hands out of it to take pictures. You don't mind, right?
We like these chips the best! They are local! Wish they would give me some to share with y'all (hint hint)
How do you like your salsa? Chunky, or smooth? Hot or Mild?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Green Beans
Skimming through my Facebook this morning, one of my friends had replaced her default picture with one of Joan Crawford's crazy moments from "Mommy Dearest!" I love that movie! And not because my mom was totally her! But because it makes me feel like I am not THAT crazy of a parent! "NO WIRE HANGERS!!!"
Being that this IS a food blog, is safe to say that I must bring up the scene when the daughter is forced to stay at the table to finish her food. I was raised in a "Clean Plate Club" home! Meaning, you did NOT get up from the table until you ate everything on your plate. And it was very unfair considering my father was the one to dish me up most of time. The portions were big for an adult man and I don't know how I managed to do it. Well, yes I do! There were many nights that the dog was fed my vegetables!
Now, we know that it is unhealthy to expect a child to finish everything on their plate. It promotes unhealthy eating habits and obesity. But we also need to get our kids to eat healthy foods rather anything with crap listed as the first ingredient. I am lucky that my kids will eat 80% of the vegetables I serve. I am even luckier that if I buy fruit, it will be eaten before it spoils. Now, that is not to say that if you put a bag of chips on the counter that the kids wont demolish them like they have never been fed! But they do choose healthy foods when I provide them in the house.
I asked my kids why they eat vegetables for me! It's a reasonable question in a time when parents are begging kids to eat them. My son said that I put "stuff in em!" Ok, fair enough! I do dress them up…
Sautéed Green Beans
1 bag prepared green beans (saves you the time)
2 pieces of bacon
Salt and pepper
¼ cup Sunflower kernels
Cut uncooked bacon into bite size pieces and sauté to a golden brown. Do not remove from pan. Do not drain drippings. (Hey, it's why the kids eat them!)
Add green beans to the bacon and add salt and pepper. Sauté until green beans are fork tender.
Add Sunflower kernels and serve!
So...were you a part of the "Clean Plate Club?"
Monday, March 29, 2010
Brown Sugar Cayenne Pork Chops
Brown Sugar Cayenne Pork Chops
I've never seen men get so excited over four little words. PORK!! I say Bacon and the men in my house practically run me over to get to the kitchen. In fact, one family BBQ, we were having burgers. I surprised the families with bacon on the Fixings Bar. Two pounds of extra thick sliced bacon for twelve hamburgers. I think one little boy ate an entire pound. (Sorry to his mother who was not present) I had one of the dads even ask if I could cook up more bacon!
Bacon and any sort of pork sausage product is an easy win. Ribs, are a definitely a winner. But pork chops...they can be ho hum. Sorry Pork! But they are just boring!
Now I have prepared them just about every way, chicken fry with gravy, breaded with bread crumbs, smothered with onions and bell peppers, slow cooked with a mushroom sauce, brined, grilled and even bbq'ed! (all these are another blog entirely)
I love marinating meats. But there is an art to it. You don't want to over do it. If you add too much acidity and leave it too long you can in a sense cook the meat and end up with a tough piece of meat. And that's not the purpose of marinating. Usually it's to tenderize a cheap cut of meat and to inject flavor.
Now I had every intention of BBQ'ing these chops after they marinated. Spring days like today beg for BBQ'ing. And these chops are begging for a little oak smoke. Just careful not to overcook them. Pork chops are not forgiving. Overcook it and you will end up with thick meat you can hardly chew through. Mine never made it to the BBQ. I'm afraid The Fireman and I lounged outside a little too long and fell asleep. Sad but true. It was faster for me to toss them in a pan then it would be to wait to the Grill Master to get the grill ready.
Brown Sugar Cayenne Pork Chops
2 Cloves of Garlic minced
4 TB Canola Oil
2 TB Brown Sugar
2 TB Kosher Salt
2 tsp Sweet Paprika
½ tsp fresh ground Pepper
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
4 Pork Chops (I only had three-I don't like leftovers and the Butcher didn't have a special on bone in chops so mine are thick Lion Chops)
In a bowl mix all the ingredients (except the pork chops) into a paste. Place the chops on a tray and cover chops with paste on both side. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours.
Grill or cook over Medium high heat five minutes each side. Cover and cook for an addition 5 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Last night, my daughter was dodging leftovers. She used every excuse in her excuse book. Ultimately, she was craving pizza. And not delivery which would have made it easy but my home made pizza. It's very easy to make but not something you start at 5:30 with the hopes of eating at 6:00. In the end, she found something else to eat. I ate the leftovers alone. But that is another blog entry entirely...
I have written about pizza before. I was the reluctant dough maker. But this recipe is easy enough for me so I recommend it for anyone timid with making dough. There is no fussy steps. It's as basic as it gets. In fact, I wish I had of learned it when the kids were little. It would have become a tradition the way Taco Tuesdays have.
My favorite toppings are the ones that are usually on hand. Caramelized onions, garlic, cheese, Greek olives and artichoke hearts. The Ballplayer likes extra sauce and very little cheese and then he usually wipes off the little cheese I do put on. The Tortured Teenager is the complete opposite with pile high cheese and spare the veggies. The Fireman just wants pizza!! And maybe a beer. Pretty simple!!
I like my sauce simple. You could buy a jar but this is pretty easy. You could double it and feed the kids spaghetti the next night. I like recipes that you can get double the bang out of. Again, another blog entry..
Pizza Sauce
In a pan with 1 TB of olive oil over med low heat sweat 1/4 onion and 1 clove of garlic that you've crushed. Careful not to burn the garlic. Once the onion is translucent add one can (29 oz) of tomato puree. Now, I usually add whatever tomato product I have on hand. Sometimes it's whole tomatoes. The brats don't like that as much and I end up tossing it in the blender. But, I aim to please. Now add 1 TB of Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. If the tomatoes are tart, add a pinch of sugar. Just let it simmer for 20 minutes. Try to resist grabbing some French bread from last night and dipping it in the pot. You really do need it for the pizza!!
Pizza dough
3 3/4 c. all-purpose
2 1/2 Tb. fast-acting yeast (2 packets)
3/4 ts. salt
1 ts. sugar
1 1/3 c. room temperature (about 72 degrees) water
olive oil for the pans
This recipe is literally a toss it all in the bowl and mix it up!
See! I just dumped all the dry ingredients into the bowl!
But if those directions are too simple...In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon, mix until blended, about a minute. It might be a bit stiffer than other pizza dough's you've made.
Once you add the water, as you see, if looks like its not enough but trust me! It is!
Then the next part of the recipe is a little different. I kneaded the dough first in the bowl until it comes together
and then on the counter top remembering a famous French Chef that stated that the extra flour makes the dough tough. No extra flour was necessary.
Next, I placed the dough into a greased bowl and covered it with a towel to double, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 500. Oil two 13×18 baking sheets. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and separatethe dough into two equal pieces and place the dough onto the oiled pans.
Starting at one end, gently pull and stretch dough across the surface of the pan, and use your hands to press it evenly out to the edges. Pinch any holes together. Repeat with the second piece. I find that the dough won't stick to your fingers because of the olive oil that you greased the pan with. So you won't need any four to dust with.
I like to copy pizzas that you would buy at restaurants. California Pizza Kitchen's Buffalo Chicken is on the menu tonight. I have some Buffalo Chicken in the freezer and blue cheese. We'll see how close to the craving we can get!
Now you could get really fancy here and do individual pizzas but I just do two large pizzas and split them. As you see, One side is heavy on cheese and the other is extra light on cheese.
I find it is best to put the meat on top of the cheese.
What's your favorite topping?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Some of my recipes I inherited from my Grandmother. Some, I learned in my husband's grandmother's kitchen. Some I learned online and I hated until I made them my own. And then, there are those good ole' standbys that have been written on the back of some old piece of paper handed down from neighbor to neighbor. But the recipe that gets the most praise from my kids happens to be a recipe that I am sure my grandmother took off a box of Bisquick. No joke! It's genius! When I grocery shop, my kids are even smart enough to save two bananas hoping I will let them rot just for banana bread. I keep chocolate chips in the freezer just for the occasion. Not for cookies! Just for Banana Bread! No nasty nuts in this bread!
Somehow my kids managed to run out of the house while I was making this today. They had no idea, and I am sitting here totally tempted. I have to cut into it! Right? I mean...you wanna see it, right?
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
2 large ripe smashed bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 TB oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups Original Bisquick
1/2 cup chocolate chips
mix first six ingredients in a large bowl, add Bisquick and then chocolate chips. Put into a Greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes
Somehow my kids managed to run out of the house while I was making this today. They had no idea, and I am sitting here totally tempted. I have to cut into it! Right? I mean...you wanna see it, right?
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
2 large ripe smashed bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 TB oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups Original Bisquick
1/2 cup chocolate chips
mix first six ingredients in a large bowl, add Bisquick and then chocolate chips. Put into a Greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Fireman's Favorite Sandwich
Firemen are known for cooking well. I wish somebody would have told me that when I married The Fireman. I'm afraid he is not the best cook. Or he has me fooled. I imagine him cooking gourmet meals at work. Most departments cook as a crew. The Fireman has been on companies that cook together and fend for themselves. I think behind every good fireman cook is a wife that cooks at home. For my hubby, he doesn't cook very often at home. He does BBQ and has become quite the grill master but he isn't one to take over in the kitchen. I have been trying to give him some recipes to cook at the department. Some are not so healthy but oh so good. Fireman work hard. They work out hard. These men are in shape. Most are a little anal about what they put in their mouths. I'm not sure everyone at the department would eat this recipe until they smelt it. The Fireman like strong meals with bold flavors and this sandwich has all of that. You could pair it with a salad to clear your conscience but it is better paired with a beer off duty!
Now I got this recipe originally from Ree Drummond's website Pioneer Woman. She is amazing! And if the thought of hot fireman are not enough for you, she has hot cowboys are her website! I have changed this recipe up. The first time I made it, The Fireman loved it but said it was missing something. So I made it again, adding cheese, but still he said it was missing something. So after a couple more runs at it, he had proclaimed "it's Perfect!" If you want to try her original recipe go to this website and give it a try. She has lovely named her version Marlboro Man's favorite Sandwich. So after all the changes, I think it is only safe to call my The Fireman's Favorite Sandwich. Hope you enjoy either version.
8 cube steaks cut into strips
2 onions halved and sliced
Lawry's Seasoning Salt
Freshly cracked Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
1 stick of butter (real butter because butters better)
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce
Muenster cheese
6 French Rolls split (Francisco's are our favorite)
In a skillet melt 1 TB butter and brown all the onions. Sprinkle Crushed Red Pepper over the onions. Don't be scared. They don't bite!
My family likes them dark brown. While they are browning, Slice the cube steaks into strips.
Put the onions into a bowl and guard them for life. I'm not kidding! This is a real problem in my house. Grilled or burnt onions as they are called in my house are highly addictive! Do not let them have one!
Now put all the meat into the skillet. I don't add any more butter or oil. Season with the Lawry's Seasoning Salt, generously and Fresh cracked pepper. I mean a lot! Go crazy with that pepper! Make sure you cook both sides!
Once the meat is cooked, add back in the onions and 4 TB of Butter. I know its a lot but do it!! And add ½ to ¾ cup of Worcestershire sauce. Honestly I don't even measure. I just pour until it creates a gravy!
Now shake about ten shakes of the Tabasco! You can do it, it's not going to be spicy, I promise! Give it a taste and see it you want it spicier. This is when The Fireman starts getting frozen glasses out of the freezer for beer and grabs a spoon to make sure 'his' sauce is spicy enough! Ok another two shakes of Tabasco and it's perfect!
Now if it is just us two, I butter the rolls and grill them on a pan, but chances are that the brats are home so I turn the broiler on. I know that you already used a ton of butter but a little more wont kill you. Butter the rolls just a little and stick them under the broiler to get crisp. It makes all the difference. We have done it without the butter and butter is better!
So your diet is blown, so don't get all scared at this point! On one side, a smidge of mayo. Now on the other side pile the steak and tons of sauce! Next, take some Muenster cheese and top it on top of the steak. If I was doing it to please, I would put the steak side back in the oven to melt the cheese, but The Fireman has his hand out and he is like the dog, licking his chops! "GIVE IT TO ME!!!!"
Even the dog is praying she will get some in her bowl! Ha!! Daddy ain't gonna share!!!
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Rihanna Rocks Morocco Mawazine Festival
Morocco welcomed Rihanna to headline the Mawazine Concert in Rabat on Friday, 24 May, 2013 thrilling a crowd of over 150,000 mainly Moroccan fans. She was performing as part of her Diamonds World Tour. The annual Mawazine Concert is a festival of world music. Rihanna in Mawazine Festival


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State-Level Energy Efficiency Potential in the U.S. Single-Family Housing Stock
A version of this article appears in the Winter 2017 issue of Home Energy Magazine.
October 29, 2017
A homeowner needs to replace an HVAC system. What replacement equipment best meets the multiple goals of affordability, energy efficiency, and comfort? Is the upfront cost of a highly efficient variable-speed heat pump in the homeowner's best interest? Or is the homeowner better off installing a more efficient version of the current equipment?
To read complete online articles, you need to sign up for an Online Subscription.
Once an order has been placed there is an automatic $10 processing fee that will be deducted with any cancellation.
The Home Energy Online articles are for personal use only and may not be printed for distribution. For permission to reprint, please send an e-mail to email@example.com.


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Since the corporation's founding in 1984, TDC Games, Inc. has established an international reputation as the producer and manufacturer of innovative, trend setting, if somewhat zany, board games and jigsaw puzzles. True to TDC's famed eclectic style, the company enters its 29th season with yet another new and completely diverse collection of high quality, yet very reasonably priced, game and jigsaw puzzle products. TDC Games' newest products truly utilize the latest in manufacturing and development technology.
TDC Games manufacturing process involves using the highest quality graphic board and fine image paper to produce a vibrant and sharp image and a long lasting jigsaw puzzle. They also utilize some of the most iconic images around today such as The Statue of Liberty, Times Square, vintage muscle cars and many, many more!
A very intriguing feature of TDC Games would be that some of their puzzles are even games in themselves. This makes for twice the fun, twice the thought and simply refines what is expected of the traditional jigsaw puzzle! These jigsaw puzzles are perfect for gluing, framing and hanging on display in your home!
Use the filters to the left or simply scroll down to begin viewing all pages.
Copyright © 2008-2020, Puzzle Warehouse, All rights reserved.
Puzzle Warehouse recycles everything it can to save the environment and to keep costs and prices low.
We are Hiring! Please fill out the employment form or send your resume to email@example.com.


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Proteon Therapeutics Announces Positive Phase 2 Trial Results of PRT-201 in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Undergoing Surgical Placement of an Arteriovenous Fistula for Hemodialysis
WALTHAM, MA., January 3, 2013 — Proteon Therapeutics, Inc., a private biopharmaceutical company developing novel, first-in-class pharmaceuticals to address the critical medical needs of patients with kidney and vascular diseases, today announced results from its Phase 2 clinical trial of PRT-201 in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients undergoing surgical placement of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in preparation for hemodialysis. The Phase 2 results demonstrated that treatment with PRT-201 prolonged primary unassisted patency and improved the rate of AVF maturation. Additionally, PRT-201 was well tolerated at the doses tested.
The arteriovenous fistula is the optimal form of vascular access for hemodialysis patients because it is associated with reduced morbidity and lower costs. However, AVFs frequently suffer from neointimal hyperplasia and stenosis formation, resulting in maturation failure and loss of patency.
"AVF patency loss and non-maturation are significant problems, necessitating multiple endovascular (angioplasty) and surgical procedures to restore or maintain blood flow and resulting in prolonged use of dialysis catheters, which have a very high rate of infection. This results in poorer outcomes and significantly increases morbidity and cost," said Dr. Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, Professor of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, Academic Health Center, Cincinnati, OH. "In this context, the safety and efficacy results of this Phase 2 study are very encouraging and warrant further evaluation of PRT-201 in this patient population."
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of PRT-201 delivery immediately following surgical creation of an AVF. A total of 151 patients were randomized to one of two doses of PRT-201, or placebo. The primary endpoint was the duration of unassisted primary patency, defined as the time from surgical creation of the AVF until thrombosis or the occurrence of a procedure to maintain or restore patency (e.g., balloon angioplasty). AVF maturation was a secondary efficacy endpoint.
"Our lead product, PRT-201, represents a highly innovative approach to addressing the significant challenges associated with vascular access in patients with CKD, and we are very excited about the potential for PRT-201 to dramatically improve care for dialysis patients," said Timothy P. Noyes, President and CEO of Proteon. "Based on the positive results from this Phase 2 study, Proteon intends to advance PRT-201 into Phase 3 studies."
Proteon is conducting a robust clinical research program evaluating PRT-201's ability to improve vascular outcomes. Proteon previously completed a Phase 1/2 AVF study, the results of which were recently published in the Journal of Vascular Access, and recently completed follow-up in a Phase 1/2 study in patients undergoing surgical placement of an arteriovenous graft (AVG). The AVG study results are expected in the first half of 2013. In October 2012, Proteon initiated enrollment in a Phase 1 study in which PRT-201 is delivered via a catheter following angioplasty of the superficial femoral or popliteal artery in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease.
About PRT-201
PRT-201 is an investigational recombinant human elastase that is being studied for its ability to improve outcomes in patients suffering from vascular disease. Elastase has been shown in certain preclinical settings to reduce neointimal hyperplasia formation and to cause dilation of segments of arteries and veins. These effects may decrease stenosis and prolong vessel patency. Improved patency may lead to fewer corrective surgical procedures, fewer hospitalizations, lower costs and less suffering for patients. PRT-201 has received fast track and orphan drug designations from the FDA for the indication of improving AVF and AVG surgical outcomes.
About Proteon Therapeutics
Proteon Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing novel, first-in-class pharmaceuticals to address the critical medical needs of patients with kidney and vascular diseases. The company is headquartered in Waltham, MA., and has research facilities in Kansas City, MO. For additional information, please visit www.proteontherapeutics.com.
Timothy Noyes
President and CEO
Steve Walker


text: Disclaimer: Regine's Patisserie endeavours to ensure that the information on this website is current. Sometimes, changes are made to ingredients that Regine's Patisserie uses. You must always check the nutritional, ingredients and allergen information of the ingredients. You will appreciate that Regine's Patisserie accepts no responsibility for any loss or injury suffered by the person relying on information provided on this website which differs from the information on the ingredients of our product.


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Print, Share, or View Spanish version of this article
Almost 1 in 4 children in America will have a cavity (KA-vuh-dee) before turning 4 years of age! That's why it's very important for parents to know how to care for their children's teeth.
After feedings, gently brush your baby's gums and any baby teeth with water and a soft baby toothbrush. Or wipe them with a clean washcloth or gauze.
After the first tooth comes in, ask your child's doctor if your child is getting enough fluoride*.
Your child's doctor will check your baby's mouth at well-child visits. Babies at high risk for decay will be sent to a dentist.
Brush your child's teeth twice a day with water and a soft baby toothbrush. The best times are after breakfast and before bed. Start when your child has any teeth.
Make sure your child doesn't drink more than a small cup of juice each day. Only drink juice at mealtime, not in between.
Take your child for a dental checkup if your child has not had one yet.
Brush your child's teeth twice a day. Help your child brush. Or repeat the brushing after your child is done. Children this age need to learn to brush, but they can't really do a good job yet.
Start using a fluoride toothpaste. Teach your child not to swallow it. Use only a pea-sized amount and smear the paste into the bristles. Too much fluoride can make white or brown spots on your child's adult teeth.
Floss between any teeth that touch each other.
Take your child for a dental checkup at least once a year.
Have your child brush his or her teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
Teach your child to floss every night after brushing.
Make sure your child has regular checkups with a dentist. Your child's doctor will also look at your child's teeth and gums during well-child visits and help you find a dentist if the teeth have early tooth decay.
Make sure you have healthy teeth and gums. You can pass germs that cause cavities if you share food or drinks with your child.
Don't share food or drinks with your child. If you do you can pass germs that cause cavities and gum disease. You can also pass germs that cause cavities if you lick your child's spoon or pacifier.
Call the dentist if you are worried about tooth decay and other problems. If you don't have a dentist, call your child's doctor to help you find one. Only a dentist can treat tooth decay.
An outer coating called enamel protects teeth. Tooth decay happens when germs in the mouth mix with sugar in foods and drinks. The germs then make acids that break down the enamel. Cavities (KA-vuh-deez) are holes in the enamel caused by tooth decay.
Cavities may look like white or brown spots on the teeth. You might also see white lines on the teeth where they meet the gums.
Tooth decay in your baby's teeth used to be called baby bottle tooth decay, but is now called early childhood caries. Caries (KAIR-eez) is another word for tooth decay.
To help prevent tooth decay in your infant or child:
Don't put your child to bed with a bottle with anything other than water.
Don't let your child suck on a bottle or sippy cup with anything other than water except at feeding times.
Don't let your child eat sweet or sticky foods, like candy, cookies, or fruit roll-ups. There is sugar in foods like crackers and chi too. These are especially bad if your child snacks on them a lot. They should only be eaten at mealtime.
Don't let your child sip drinks that have sugar and acid, like juices, sports drinks, flavored drinks, soda pop, or flavored teas.
Fluoride can be added to drinking water and toothpaste. Your water department can tell you if your tap water has fluoride. If your water comes from a well, get a fluoride water test. If needed, your dentist or child's doctor will give your child fluoride drops or pills to take every day, or may suggest you buy bottled water with fluoride. Your child may also get fluoride treatments (varnish or gel) at a medical or dental visit.
Sucking a pacifier, thumb, or fingers can affect the shape of the mouth, and how the top and bottom teeth line up. This is called your child's "bite."
It's OK if you give your baby a pacifier, but…
Wait until your baby is 1 month old if you're breastfeeding.
Do not dip the pacifier in any sweet liquid.
Wash and replace the pacifier often.
If your child sucks his or her thumb or fingers…
Your child's bite will most likely be OK if he or she stops sucking by 4 or 5 years of age. That's when the permanent* teeth start coming in.
Ask your child's dentist or doctor about how to help your child stop his or her sucking habits.
Copyright © 2019 Sapphire Pediatrics - All Rights Reserved.


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UPDATE: Fisk Sentenced After Guilty Plea
Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk has been charged with driving under the influence after he was found asleep in his pickup truck in an Illinois cornfield.
New Lenox police said officers found the 64-year-old Fisk asleep on Monday night behind the wheel of his truck and an open liquor bottle on the floor.
New Lenox Deputy Chief Robert Pawlisz said Fisk was taken to Silver Cross Hospital for treatment. He was released from custody after posting bail and has a Nov. 29 court appearance.
Chicago Baseball
Fisk's most famous baseball moment came in the 1975 World Series when his 12th-inning homer won Game 6 for Boston.
Fisk played 11 seasons with the Red Sox and 13 with the Chicago White Sox.
He has an unlisted number in New Lenox and couldn't be reached for comment.


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Best wishes to everyone's favorite boy band member/90's teen sensation/SNL host/curl-rocker. Spend the day perusing the 22 Looks Justin Timberlake Needs to Bring Back, watching old 'NSync music videos, or perhaps catching his pure theatrical genius in 2000's Model Behavior. I, personally, will be spending my afternoon reviewing every appearance of Justin as Robin Gibb. Hit the jump to watch JT and Jimmy Fallon in their Bee Gees best.
3 p.m. Slump
Happy Birthday, Justin Timberlake!
America's heart throb turns 32
Jimmy Kimmel's As Seen on TV Gift Guide
Everyone's favorite former Win Ben Stein's Money co-host has rounded up a gang of trusty infomercials to help you find that perfect holiday gift for your aging mother or carnivorous cousin. For other (more practically attainable) late-in-the-season gifts, check out the Alibi's Last Minute Gift Guide and help support a local economy.
Count the tongues hanging out at the Alibi's 20th Anniversary party photo booth
Correct answer wins a pony!
Special thanks to Photo Booth Rentals of New Mexico and the folks at Foundation Industries and Effex Nightclub for a great night of celebration October 9. And thanks to Buffet King and Cake Fetish for the tasty eats.
Totem Needs a Home
5-year-old male husky mix wants to be your new best friend
Totem is healthy, social and great with horses and kids. He is good on a leash, can travel in car and gets along well with other dogs. This sweet, smart boy is a perfect fit for a confident dog owner. His current owner has a brain tumor and wants to find a new and happy life for Totem. He is currently in Corrales, NM.
If you would like to meet Totem or have any questions call Lynda at (505) 206-0677 or e-mail lyndagonzales1000@gmail.


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'Tightly bound' stars seen locked in 'diabolic strip waltz'
Powerful lenses probe bizarre relationship
Lurid Pic More news of the stars today: snappers armed with extremely powerful lenses have secured pics of "a very intimate couple", "tightly bound" and "dancing around each other in a diabolic waltz" as the darker, dominant one strips the other.
Extragalactic tightly bound intimate diabolic strip waltz action.
The pair in question are a so-called "stellar mass" black hole* and its twin, a Wolf-Rayet star perhaps 20 times as hefty as our own sun, located in the far-off galaxy NGC 300. The Wolf-Rayet star whips around the black hole every 32 hours, according to top boffins, with matter being pulled off it all the time by the intense gravitational field of its neighbour.
"This is indeed a very 'intimate' couple," says Open University astro brainbox Robin Barnard. "How such a tightly bound system has been formed is still a mystery."
Barnard and colleagues in the UK and Spain followed up on data from NASA and ESA space telescopes by using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope to confirm the activities of the extragalactic odd couple.
According to Dr Henri Boffin of the ESO, the newly verified NGC 300 black hole system (dubbed "X-1" for the nonce) is "one of only three such objects found so far". It was Dr Boffin, too, who came up with the "diabolic waltz" bit, for which we're very grateful.
The allied astronomers present their findings in a letter entitled NGC 300 X-1 is a Wolf–Rayet/Black Hole binary, to appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. However, you can also read it for free courtesy of Dr Boffin: pdf here. ®
*That is a relatively reasonable sort of black hole on the same general scale as our Sun, produced when the remains of a very big star collapse on themselves after the star explodes. The other usual sort is an outrageously large "supermassive" black hole, one of which is generally found at the centre of a galaxy.
Sponsored: Webcast: Why you need managed detection and response


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Team Finland network launched
The Team Finland network began its operations abroad on February 1st 2013. The Team Finland network consists of 72 teams around the world which bring together all Finnish authorities, publicly funded organisations and other key parties with ties to Finland. Each team has a work programme and a designated coordinator with information on the network's local activities and services.
A Team Finland website is available at team.finland.fi. The pages provide information on activities and events related to Finland's external economic relations, contact details for the Team Finland network, and a gateway to the services offered by the participating organisations.
The Team Finland network promotes external economic relations, boosts the country's brand abroad, assists in the internationalisation of business, and attracts investments in Finland. At the heart of the network are three ministries – Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Culture – together with publicly funded organisations and other Finnish networks abroad, all operating under the ministries' guidance. The Team Finland network is steered by a group chaired by the Prime Minister.
Inquiries: Tuomas Tapio, Head of Unit, tel. +358 9 160 22171 and Nina Hyvärinen, Counsellor, tel. +358 9 160 22166, Government External Economic Relations Unit, Prime Minister's Office


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Photographer's Note
The Terminal Market. A market located at the main Chicken Bus terminal in Guatemala City, and spanning some 4 blocks. It has it's own police force--men dressed as civilians and on the lookout for thieves. If caught stealing, the consequences are severe.
There isn't a thing that cannot be purchased here it seems like, and all the meats, fruits, and vegetables are the freshest around--the fish being caught around 2am that morning and immediately transported to this hectic center point of commerce and transport.
Rarely frequented by foreigners, our hostel's manager brought us here while buying fruits for the business. As he shook hands with people along the way, it was a fantastic insight to a very real Guatemalan experience and way of daily life.
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Photo Information
- Copyright: Alex Von Hagen (AVH) (120)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2013-04-08
- Categories: Daily Life
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2013-04-30 7:31