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Richard Pratt knows what works in business: being nimble, fighting bureaucracy and finding the best people – even if they aren't 'available'. By Leon Gettler
With Visy Industries getting bigger all the time, billionaire Richard Pratt concedes that the challenge is to keep ideas and innovation fresh. The keys: be nimble, fight bureaucracy and develop the right people. Staying on top requires the kind of leadership and vision not found in management books.
"I can only speak from the experience I have of what has and hasn't worked for me," Pratt says. "There are any number of books about managing. Most are not worth reading, because they are written by people who are long on theory and short on practice. In any company it's important to distinguish between managing and leading. Both are important, but you need strong leadership. People talk about managing change, but you need leadership to set the vision for making the change in the first place."
Lessons in boxing
The story of how Pratt built an international company from a box factory in Melbourne has been told many times. He came from Poland, where his father, Leon, ran a bicycle shop. He arrived in Australia with his family as a refugee from Nazism. Initially, they joined a group of perhaps 50 Jewish families in a community of orchardists at Shepparton in Victoria and later moved to Melbourne, where they began a cardboard box business in 1948. Pratt started as a salesman at the Visy Board factory and took over when his father died in 1969. A decade later, he went into making paper from recycled waste.
Over the past 55 years, the business has averaged 15% growth a year. Pratt, an inveterate risk-taker, has continued to build the privately owned Visy. It recently integrated Southcorp Packaging Assets – now called Visy Pak – which it acquired in 2001. In 2002, he bought Coca- Cola Amatil's PET packaging business for $180 million. His only son, Anthony, has turned Visy into the seventh-biggest paper and packaging group in the United States, covering 13 states. Visy has annual sales of about $3 billion, and 7000 staff in Australia and the US.
Pratt has his critics but he commands attention and knows how to draw a crowd. When he opened a recycling plant near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1995, former US president George Bush cut the ribbon. When he opened one in New York, the special guest was Muhammad Ali.
He says that getting the right people is crucial for business success. "We have a saying in my company that goes like this: hire the best person for the job, not the best available; if they're available, they're not the best. Give them the best resources. Train them well and tell them exactly what you want them to achieve. Give them a feedback system so they can see how they are doing and show them how to get help. Then, leave them alone to get on with it."
The most important part of managing people is communicating the vision. "Keep focused on the outcome and don't get fixated on process. If you have the right people, they will reach the objective. As the business gets bigger, all this becomes harder and harder to do. So, communication becomes even more important, and fighting bureaucracy becomes an obsession."
Thinking out of the box
The group is now in four business lines: Visy Recycling, Visy Paper, Visy Board and Visy Pak. The big move came . in the 1970s when the company went into paper the initiative took Pratt's rivals by surprise and transformed the box maker into a very different organisation.
Pratt insists that going into paper was not lateral thinking. The group was "integrating backwards" to provide its own raw material, helping to underwrite the growth that has put Visy where it is today.
"It seemed a natural step at the time. However, we were forced to think laterally about how we did it because we had major capital constraints and that sent us down the path of lower cost: new technology recycling mills that used waste paper rather than huge forestbased, expensive pulp mills.
"As they say, necessity can be the mother of invention. I'd also say that one of the best ways to keep moving forward and encourage creative thinking is to fight complacency before it even has a chance to take hold.
Complacency is the mortal enemy and has probably been the major factor in the slow death of many companies that were previously considered to be invincible.
"As a manager or business leader you must continually ask: Is that the best way to do things? Perhaps there's a better way. Ask the question of everybody you see from inside and outside the company. I often say if you have an issue or problem, get your five best people in a room. Share your problem with them and pretty soon you'll have the who, what, when, and where of how to fix it."
He maintains that a privately run company has advantages over listed competitors. "We can afford to take a long-term view without the pressure of the investment institutions looking for quick returns and dictating our strategy."
But doesn't that make access to capital a challenge? Not at all, he says. "We maintain a good, frank and open relationship with our bankers, and capital has never been an issue for us. In fact, we've always had access to more capital than we need. The biggest constraint on our growth is people. There are more opportunities to pursue in this country than I could ever name. Visy has the strongest, most dynamic senior management team than at any time in its 55-year history, but one of the biggest challenges we face is people development."
Part of that development is geared towards an outwardlooking, globally focused culture. "At Visy we send some 300 people overseas each year; not just the senior management but people who work in the operations. It's a great learning and personal development exercise for them. But the company also benefits hugely from their experience in getting first-hand knowledge of who is doing what in international best practice."
However, it is an investment and Pratt expects it to deliver returns. "The people who travel are expected to make a real difference to their areas of operation, otherwise they will not get the opportunity to travel again."
Business relationships
Marketing, one of Visy's strengths, is about people and culture. And, according to Pratt, it all starts with relationships. "Everything else flows from that. If you have a good relationship with your customer, the business process flows that much more smoothly. In the past, I have been accused of doing business with my friends, to which my response is: 'You want me to do business with my enemies?'
"At Visy we have a strong emphasis on building relationships with everybody that we do business with. So we have a lot of functions, we do a lot of entertaining, we encourage partner participation, and we try to make business fun. Making it fun is hard work at times, as it requires a lot of hosting and time away from home. But when a good relationship is established, the inevitable challenges of business can be faced together rather than in an adversarial manner."
How, then, does he get the gorilla into his sales force? Once again, it's a matter of creating and maintaining the right culture. "Although we do a lot of training of the sales force and in every other area of the business, our sales and marketing is more a cultural thing than a systematised process. People relish working in that culture and stay a long time because they know there will be unlimited opportunities, or they don't like it and leave after a short time."
Giving it back
The Pratt Foundation has given more than $10 million to charities in the past year. The foundation has focused on issues such as Aboriginal health, conservation, the arts and mental health. It has supported rural and regional communities and provided scholarships for Year- 12 students at Upfield Secondary College in Melbourne's northern suburbs. It has assisted the Mirabel Foundation, which helps the orphaned or abandoned children of parents with drug dependency.
For Pratt, philanthropy and business are inextricably linked. "I learned about giving back to the community from my parents, who taught me that business people do not have rights and responsibilities – they only have opportunities and obligations.
"The community effectively gives a business a licence to operate. By being a good member of the community, a business earns the right to keep its licence."
He believes that more needs to be done to develop philanthropy in Australia. Public companies could start by asking their shareholders to vote on allocating a percentage of profit for philanthropic purposes.
"There is a long tradition of philanthropy in the US. At the same time there is a strong view that welfare and other philanthropic activities are not the responsibility of governments. In Australia – at least partly because of our history and egalitarian culture – we tend to demand a higher level of involvement and support from the government sector.
"Australians are very generous. Just look at the response to a crisis like a drought, flood or bushfire. When faced with a crisis, they pull together and open their hearts and wallets.
"So, perhaps the issue of philanthropy is not being marketed enough to Australian businesses, and they are not seeing the benefits to the community and their own business that flow from it. Any act that a business makes to improve the community in which it operates is in fact an investment in the long-term success of that business."
In more recent times, Pratt has put his political and financial muscle behind the issue of water conservation. He has offered to put up $100 million to improve the nation's water infrastructure and efficiency and has called on the Federal Government to make radical changes, including a system of "water bonds" that would attract investors to schemes aimed at fixing the ageing regional water infrastructure. He has also called for tax breaks and low-interest technology loans for irrigators and other farmers.
Water is one of several big issues facing Australia. It is still the lucky country, Pratt says, but it could be a 21st century world leader in the economic, social, and environmental spheres. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be a shared vision of how this might be achieved.
"More leadership from our business people and politicians would help. Specifically, I would nominate water as one of our biggest challenges. We keep talking about how Australia is the driest continent, yet our national water infrastructure is mostly in poor shape, inefficient and not well managed.
"Not nearly enough is being done to ensure that Australia will have sufficient and sustainable water supplies for our urban and agricultural needs in future generations. Obviously, salinity is linked to the water issue.
"Population is another big challenge. Most Australians still don't understand the ageing population issue and the drain it is going to put on the entire economy in the decades ahead if we don't resolve it. Many of them oppose immigration, yet the quality of life they enjoy today is a direct consequence of it."
Then there is the challenge of education. "We are quite good at educating our elites. The real challenge is to lift the education standards of all our young people so that they can face the future with confidence and help Australia to realise its true potential."


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Highly-Customized & Feature Rich Node.js Web Development to Empower Your Business
As without a powerful engine an attractive car can not win the race in the same way without an efficient back end, a appealing front end will be a failure.
Node JS is an open-source, cross-platform, runtime environment for executing JavaScript code at server side. Node.js allow web application development to unify around a single programming language, rather than rely on a different language for writing server side scripts.
Starting from Node JS v0.10 version launched in 11 March 2013, Mobiloitte has covered the entire journey till the latest version Node JS V8 (Also known as Carbon), which was launched in 30 May, 2017. If you are looking to upgrade your existing solution to the latest version to leverage the robustness of Node JS framework along with latest gems, Mobiloitte is your right partner.
Why get Node.JS Applications Developed?
- An event-driven architecture capable of asynchronous I/O.
- Creation of Web servers and networking tools using JavaScript.
- A collection of "modules" that handle various core functionality
- Networking (DNS, HTTP, TCP, TLS/SSL, or UDP)
- Binary data (buffers)
- Cryptography
- Data streams
- Reduce the complexity of writing server applications
- Build network programs such as Web servers
- Connects the ease of a JavaScript) with the power of Unix network programming
Mobiloitte Advantages
- Handpicked and highly experienced team.
- Honesty
- 100% Transparency
- No Outsourcing, all gems inhouse
- Excellent coding standards with Node JS testing scenarios
- Not just programming but excellent UX architecture too
Technical Expertise
- Express.js
- Socket.IO
- Koa.js
- Hapi.js
- Sails.js
- Meteor
- Derby
Benefits of Node.JS Development
- Amazing & rich web applications.
- Low level API and real time web socket programming facility.
- Rich set of community driven open source modules.
- Efficient support for web projects of high load.
- Fast and extendable network application development.
- Non-blocking and an event-driven I/O model.
- Easy updating, sharing, as well as opportunity for code reuse.
- Best fit for real-time web applications.
Mobiloitte is a trusted choice of clients when it comes to develop more advanced node.js based application. Mobiloitte' Node.js developers are highly skilled, experienced, and certified professionals, dedicated to develop applications which involve fusion of latest technologies making best use of Node.js features.

subset: commoncrawl


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The boom in podcasts shows no signs of abating. That commute or run on the treadmill seems a lot more appealing when you've just dropped five new episodes of an addictive thriller or crime mystery – some of us are even getting fit off the back of it. Recent favourites are; Homecoming – a psychological thriller from Gimlet Media, made on the streets of New York with Catherine Keener, Oscar Issac and David Schwimmer as you've never heard him before. And Panoply's science fiction thriller LifeAfter, which had us parked in a lay-by way longer than planned.
Given all of this, getting involved with our own ideas seemed like a no brainer. So it's with great excitement (but with hands cupped over our mouths since it's still under wraps), that we're flagging a major new project in the States. Keep checking this site for updates. We think it's going to be phenomenal and unlike anything we've made before.


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Permaculture Principles: Energy Efficiency
Let's continue our exploration of permaculture design principles. From sectors in permaculture to permaculture zoning to relative location to the ideas that one element should have multiple functions, and one function should be met by multiple elements - we've already covered a vast array of tools and techniques that permaculturists use to create low input, high output sustainable gardens. The next principle on our list is probably the most familiar to most greenies - energy efficiency. But the permaculture take on energy efficiency goes a little beyond those Compact Fluorescent Bulbs you just screwed in.
Because permaculture is based on the idea of close observation and emulation of nature, energy efficiency is an absolutely central element. Every animal, plant and microbe has evolved to make the maximum use of the energy available to them - from the lean, muscular physique of a gazelle, to an oak tree's collection of solar energy - nature is a master at harvesting energy and using it wisely. So permaculture aims to work with nature to minimize the need for energy inputs - be they human labor or mechanical/fossil fuel inputs.
As is often the case in the interconnected world of permaculture, applying the principle of energy efficiency means utilizing the other principles too. Examples might include placing a water source uphill from your garden to reduce the need for pumping (see Permaculture Principles: Relative Location), or placing much visited items close to the house to avoid either a long walk or a car journey (see Permaculture Principles: Zoning). In our garden we place the compost piles right next to the garden (rather than hiding them away as is so often the case). So we avoid both the labor of carting dead plant matter across the property for composting, and then bringing it back once it is done.
As a rule, permaculturists tend to favor low energy gardening techniques too - from no-dig gardening to only weeding when really necessary, permaculture definitely does not espouse the idea of work for work's sake. (Take a look at my post on organic gardening techniques to make life easy on yourself.) But it would be wrong to characterize the average permaculturist as lazy. We prefer to think of ourselves as being judicious with our energy expenditure. In fact many permaculture projects will involve an unusually large amount of work in the initial stages - sometimes including heavy use of fossil fuels - but the end goal is always to create a system that, as much as possible, is capable of meeting its own needs with minimum external inputs.
A classic example of a project with high initial energy input would be the concept of hugelkultur raised beds, where a huge amount of semi-rotted biomass is buried in trenches (sometimes mechanically dug), that are then covered with top soil. The effort involved is considerable, but the theory goes that, once established, these beds become self-feeding for years to come - avoiding the labor (both manual and mechanical) involved in feeding, turning and cultivating them - and watering is even reduced considerably as the biomass acts as a sponge for retaining moisture.
By working with nature, rather than against it, we learn to use energy as efficiently as possible. If we do it right, we get to hang out and enjoy the results too, rather than preparing ourselves for another round of double digging...
Related Links
Permaculture Design Principles: Gardening With Nature
Permaculture Design Principles: Sectors
Permaculture Design Principles: Zoning
Permaculture Design Principles: Relative Location
Permaculture Design Principles: One Element, Multiple Functions
Permaculture Design Principles: One Function, Multiple Elements
By Sami Grover via http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/permaculture-principles-gardening-nature.html


text: status.i4.v = bpm_name_to_index_c(name.i1a.r, plane.i4.v, data_view.u4.v, index.i4.r) This routine returns the data array index corresponding to a BPM name for the currently selected machine. See bpm_machine_c. name BPM detector name (up to DEVICE_NAME_LEN characters) plane plane selection (BPM_HORZ -> horizontal plane, BPM_VERT -> vertical plane) data_view data view requested which may result in data being returned for multiple machines (BPM_VIEW_DEFAULT -> single machine view, BPM_VIEW_P1_ONLY -> P1 line only (P1 line), BPM_VIEW_P1_P2 -> P1 and P2 lines (P1 line), BPM_VIEW_P1_P2_AP1 -> P1, P2, and AP1 lines (P1 line), BPM_VIEW_P1_P2_AP1_AP3 -> P1, P2, AP1, amd AP3 lines (P1 line), BPM_VIEW_P1_P2_AP1_AP2 -> P1, P2, AP1, amd AP2 lines (P1 line), BPM_VIEW_AP1_ONLY -> AP1 line only (AP1 line), BPM_VIEW_AP1_AP2 -> AP1 and AP2 lines (AP1 line), BPM_VIEW_AP1_AP3 -> AP1 and AP3 lines (AP1 line)) index returned corresponding data array index This function returns status values as follows: OK success CBS_INVARG invalid plane passed CBS_NOTYET not yet supported for the active machine CBS_NO_SUCH requested name doesn' exist This function requires the following include files: cnsparam_h, ul_cbsaux/bpmuti.h Related functions: bpm_machine_c, bpm_get_names, bpm_query, bpm_get_data_c, bpm_get_intensity_c, bpm_get_detector_status, bpm_get_crates_and_channels C/C++ usage: char name[] = "I:HP100"; int status; int plane = BPM_HORZ; int index; unsigned int data_view = BPM_VIEW_DEFAULT; status = bpm_name_to_index_c(name,plane,data_view,&index);


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Historic circa 1905 Homestead set in spacious gardens The property comprises fertile and picturesque Muttama creek flats Ideal for Lucerne, Prime Lambs & Cattle A magnificent country lifestyle for a retiring farmer or a city based investor • Central location in the Muttama Valley - 25km Cootamundra, 25km Gundagai, 115 km Wagga Wagga, 68km Tumut (gateway to the snowfields), 12km Hume Freeway and a comfortable 3 ½ hour drive to Sydney • Versatile & Productive – Fertile Muttama Creek flats ideal for Lucerne production, Prime Lambs, Cattle and Stud enterprises. • Well presented improvements – restored circa 1905 homestead set in established gardens, 2 x Machinery sheds, Hayshed, excellent cattle yards complex, stables and horse arena. • Abundant water – Substantial rainwater storage, bore and double frontage to Muttama Creek. • Picturesque creek frontage country with a balance of native and introduced trees providing shade and shelter. "Bongalong" is magnificently presented and maintained. The property is ideal for the retiring farmer or a city based investor wanting to enjoy a relaxed rural lifestyle. "Bongalong" offers a central location and is suitable for Lucerne, Prime Lambs & Cattle, with all the hard work and capital expenditure being done. For Private Sale: Inspections by appointment with the selling agents
David Nolan
Webster Nolan Real Estate
Carrington House
596 Crown Street
Mob: 0447 278 236
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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NEW BULLISH Plays
Enzo Biochem, Inc. - ENZ - close 6.67 change +0.24 stop 7.70
Company Description:
Enzo Biochem, Inc. (Enzo) is a life sciences and biotechnology company focused on harnessing biological processes to develop research tools, diagnostics and therapeutics and on serving as a provider of diagnostic services to the medical community. The Company is engaged in research, development, manufacturing and marketing of diagnostic and research products based on genetic engineering, biotechnology and molecular biology. These products are designed for the diagnosis of and/or screening for infectious diseases, cancers, genetic defects and other medically pertinent diagnostic information and are distributed in the United States and internationally. The Company operates in three segments: Enzo Life Sciences, Enzo Therapeutics and Enzo Clinical Labs. On March 12, 2009, the Company's subsidiary Enzo Life Sciences, Inc. and Enzo Life Sciences Acquisition, Inc., a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of Enzo Life Sciences, Inc. acquired Assay Designs, Inc.(source: company press release or website)
Why We Like It:
ENZ broke out of horizontal resistance, which should now act as support in the $6.45 area on Friday. I expect the stock to turn back and retest this area which is where I would like to enter the stock. I consider this to be an aggressive play so please use small position size to limit risk. There are two things to be aware of. First, the average daily volume on this stock is 160,000 but it has been increasing on the breakout which is a bullish sign. Second, there are two areas where traders can place stops: 1) just below the 20-day SMA at $6.10 which will limit risk but could also shake you out of the trade; or 2) just below the 50-day SMA at $5.91 which is a little more aggressive if ENZ reverses. Our official stop will be $5.91. Our first target is $7.20 and our second target $7.70. Our time frame is a couple of weeks.
From a fundamental perspective, ENZ may benefit from the healthcare reform bill as they provide technology to reduce costs and streamline biotech research and development. If this story becomes more mainstream these types of stocks could see shares spike. These are just my thoughts about some recent articles I've read about who will benefit from the bill.
*NOTE: Please use small position size to limit risk as I consider this to be an aggressive play. The stock's average daily volume is 160,000 which can add to volatility.*
Suggested Position: ENZ stock @ $6.52
Annotated chart:
Entry on April xx at $xx.xx
Earnings Date 6/15/10 (unconfirmed)
Average Daily Volume: 160,000
Listed on April 24, 2010


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Showing the single result
Solved Case Analysis: What Can a Mosquito Do to an Elephant B By Patricia H. Werhane, Mollie Painter-Moreland, Jenny Mead0.00$
Get the Best Analysis to this Case Study written by MBA/CFA writers.
**Solution would be delivered to your registered email address within next 4 days. If you want the solution any earlier drop an email at email@example.com. Click Here to see how it works


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Bank Robbery Investigation
Public Safety Director, Michael G. Yaniero
Friday, September 13, 2013
Media Contact: Beth Purcell, 910 581-9909
UPDATE: Vehicle Images
PNC Bank on Western Boulevard Extension
The Jacksonville Police requests the assistance of the public in identifying the subject or the vehicle shown in the photos.
The black vehicle on the left side of the images was driven by the suspect fleeing the scene of the robbery today at approximately 11:46 AM at the PNC Bank at 2885 Western Blvd Extension for a report of a robbery.
The suspect fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect was driving a small dark, older model SUV. He is described as a dark skinned black male, approximately 6′ 4″ tall, with a thin build. He was wearing knee length blue jean shorts, a white tee-shirt with the letters "SF" or "SP" on the front left chest and writing on the back. He was also wearing a white hat and sunglasses at the time of the robbery. A photo of the suspect is also Included.
The investigation is on-going. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gary Manning at 938-6405 or [email protected] Crimestoppers (910-938-3273) offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest. Callers to Crimestoppers are not required to reveal their identities.


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CNO: Navy Taking 'Immediate Action' to Address Issues Raised in Accident Review
By OTTO KREISHER, Seapower Correspondent
ARLINGTON, Va. — A "comprehensive review" of the rash of at-sea accidents in the U.S. Seventh Fleet determined that the demand to meet operational demands with an insufficient number of ships led to an acceptance of a decline in standards of the fundamentals of seamanship, risk assessment and professionalism, the Navy's top officer said Nov. 2.
That acceptance of diminished standards "became the norm" and resulted in situations "where teams could no longer recognize that the processes in place to identify, communicate and assess the levels of risk were no longer working on the ships or at headquarters," Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John M. Richardson said.
Guided by recommendations from the review, Richardson said, the Navy has launched an extensive series of immediate and long-term actions "to prevent anything like this happening in the future. We must get this right and we will."
The four accidents in the Seventh Fleet already have resulted in removal of the top officers on three ships and higher-level commanders, including two admirals.
In outlining the results of individual investigations into the deadly collisions of the destroyers USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain, which killed 17 Sailors and injured scores more, and the comprehensive review of those and the other incidents in the Western Pacific, Richardson conceded that although he was not aware of the specific erosion of standards, "as CNO, I own this."
Briefing Pentagon reporters, Richardson described a staggering list of factors that led to the collisions of the two warships with larger commercial vessels, some of which had been disclosed in the summary of the accident reports released a day before.
He noted that the Navy "has been run hard in the past 16 years of war and the pace is picking up, especially in the Pacific," and experience shows that if commands are overextended and "take our eyes off the fundamentals we become vulnerable to mistakes at all levels of command."
The accident investigations determined that the two collisions "were preventable," and resulted from failures to follow sound navigation practices, execute basic watch-standing principles, properly use available navigation tools, respond "deliberately and effectively" when threatened with collision, loss of "situational awareness in high traffic density" and failure to follow international rules of the road.
"And, on the John S. McCain, insufficient knowledge and proficiency" with the ship's steering system left the destroyer basically out of control as the cargo ship steamed into it.
Richardson said the separate review "found that over a sustained period of time, rising pressures to meet operational demands led those in command to rationalize a decline in standards, standards in fundamental seamanship and watch standing, team work, operational safety, assessment and professional culture" which led to "a reduction in operational safety margins."
The review also determined that the demand for operational ships "exceeded the number that could be provided," and with no "effective process" to assess the situation, the "steadily increasing risk was not understood."
That condition "became the norm," he said.
To prevent a repeat of those conditions, the CNO said the Navy was taking "immediate action" to restore "deliberative scheduling," by conducting "comprehensive readiness assessments" of all Seventh Fleet ships, establishing a new organization to ensure ship readiness, upgrading training in ship operations fundamentals and "implementing schedules to ensure that everyone gets sufficient rest."
That last action was based on the finding that the undermanned crews of the Seventh Fleet ships frequently were fatigued from excessive time on duty.
Richardson said the Navy also was reviewing the qualification standards for watch standers and officers, accelerating upgrades of electronic navigation systems and implementing a long-term plan to improving training on navigation, ship handling and bridge coordination.
Although the immediate actions are directed at the Pacific fleet, which had suffered four at-sea accidents including Fitzgerald and McCain, the results of the comprehensive review were being transmitted to all Navy commands with instructions to study them, and determine "where they might be vulnerable."


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About four million Filipinos square measure in direct mercantilism. they need dreamt of being entrepreneurs however don't have the capital. Some have found monetary and private freedom, whereas others became victims of rig scams.
The Direct mercantilism Association of the Philippines (DSAP) shares answers to commonly asked questions on rig corporations and people that square measure legitimate and with property compensation plans.
Question: mistreatment layman's terms, what's rig and what's the most distinction between legitimate construction selling (MLM) and pyramiding?
Max VP for Asia Joey Sarmiento: Network selling, or MLM, could be a legitimate mode of business whereby merchandise square measure oversubscribed via person-to-person mercantilism rather than the standard means of mercantilism from a hard and fast retail location. the target is to sell merchandise to the end-consumers.
The distinction between MLM and direct mercantilism is within the commission system, whereby participants in MLM typically like the sales created by individuals below their line of support notwithstanding they're many levels deep (e.g., associate freelance distributor in associate MLM earns commissions not solely on his/her personal product sales, and not solely on the sales of someone in person recruited by him/her, however conjointly on the sales of persons recruited by his/her personal recruits).
Pyramiding on the opposite hand is mostly characterised by individuals earning primarily from the act of recruiting others United Nations agency pay important registration fees to affix the strategy.
The those who sign on and create the investment within the sort of registration fees then attempt to recoup their investment by recruiting others into the theme by attractive them to create similar investments.
Even if the registration fees embody merchandise, the overall quantity of payment is deemed a registration fee or investment as individuals pay the total to affix the set up instead of to sell the merchandise to final shoppers.
Pyramiding is unlawful as a result of it's a cash game. Profits square measure derived primarily from participants' entry fees, and therefore the financial gain relies on the participants slot or position among the organization instead of the power to sell the merchandise or services.
DSAP, through its membership and compliance committees, makes positive that every one its members fits the rules of the Philippine government as embodied within the client Act of the Philippines, the DTI Implementing tips against rig (DTI body order no. eight Series 2002), and therefore the SEC tips against unregistered investments.
For the official list of DSAP member corporations, please visit the DSAP web site at computer network.dsap.ph.
Q: Why is rig such a hot topic?
Avon decision maker Emie Nierves: rig could be a hot topic as a result of it affects, and has affected, many folks notwithstanding social or monetary stature with its promise of straightforward and immediate gain.
In the past, rig has attracted plenty of stories once the strategy fails and folks lose their cash that, in several instances, square measure life savings. nevertheless pyramids still happen. It brings plenty of pain and sorrow to the victims.
In addition, the ineligible pyramid schemes impact legitimate direct mercantilism and multi-level selling businesses, which provide earning opportunities to uplift the lives of people. Propagators of pyramid schemes tend to equate themselves to legitimate businesses, after they square measure extremely terribly totally different and may be distinguished through the 8-Point take a look at of DSAP.
Q: Before Amway won a landmark case against the us Federal Trade Commission in 1979 that legitimized MLM, Amway was "accused" of rig within the us in 1975. What was the highlight of the triumph that set new standards that outlined legitimate MLM companies?
Amway country manager Leni Olmedo: once four years of legal proceedings, the United States Federal Trade Commission dominated in 1979 that Amway wasn't associate ineligible strategy on account of the actual fact that the Amway sales and selling set up relies on retail sales to shoppers, which the subsequent salient options of the Amway set up and rules of conduct provided adequate protection to consumers:
There is no "headhunting" fee. Bonuses square measure supported product sales, and distributors should satisfy customers to create the Amway set up work.
The "70-percent rule" needs distributors to sell a minimum of seventy % of the overall quantity of merchandise bought at any given month as a precondition to receiving performance bonus, so preventing inventory loading.
The "10-customer rule" needs distributors create a minimum of one sale to every of ten totally different customers that month to create him eligible to receive bonuses and commissions on sales created by alternative distributors in their personal sales organization, so encouraging retail sales to shoppers.
A "buy-back policy" is obtainable for unsold inventory.
Jeffrey A. Babener, in his article on "The Landmark Amway Case" in 1999, wrote that "the call has become referred to as the "Amway Safeguards Rule" that is presently one in all the foremost important sets of legal standards by that courts associated restrictive agencies verify the legitimacy of an MLM/network marketing/direct sales company."
The Federal Trade Commission investigations gave Amway and therefore the business revived quality within the long-standing time. Decades once the landmark call, the higher than criteria, referred to as the Amway safeguards take a look at, continues to be used as a model or "gold standard" in differentiating legitimate MLM corporations versus ineligible pyramids.
Q: What reasonably reward schemes square measure thought of "red flags" for potential rig companies?
Symmetry chief alphabetic character Anana: change of integrity a corporation and inspiring new members to possess multiple heads or multiple distributorships; the monetary rewards being offered supported recruiting others United Nations agency square measure equally offered rewards to recruit others; basing the rewards on recruiting scales and having the ability to earn on infinite levels while not even considering market demands square measure thought of "red flags" for potential rig corporations.
Q: Why ought to one avoid change of integrity a rig company?
Tupperware president Jun Pangilinan: rig is unlawful. it's a scam and a observe of tricking individuals to register, pay and invest cash with a promise of high commissions and earnings, typically with none product being oversubscribed.
There is no business basis for earnings and commissions to be paid. Direct mercantilism is all regarding providing opportunities to earn by mercantilism quality, honest market price merchandise to shoppers on a property basis. mercantilism a product is that the business basis of providing people commissions, whereby the corporate shares the take advantage of the merchandise oversubscribed to the individual United Nations agency worked and oversubscribed it to the patron.
Fair market price and quality of the merchandise oversubscribed guarantee property earnings and financial gain that is that the intent of direct mercantilism.
Q: What advantages can one get by change of integrity a DSAP licenced company?
Gano I-Touch senior manager Maricar Sandalo: One will produce a corporation image of getting a business that's legitimate, honest and property by being a member of DSAP with strict business standards, and a partner of DTI within the campaign against rig.
One can even get pleasure from the advantage of having a concrete means that of correcting negative practices within the field by distributors of alternative DSAP corporations, working on their own, tired the spirit of dialogue and reconciliation and guided by a strict code of ethics.
Another is to be told from the simplest practices and made comes of alternative DSAP corporations willing to share within the regular forums of the association. DSAP provides an honest counterpoint against the illegitimate rig corporations that square measure making a nasty image to the business.
Finally, it helps boost the government's campaign for comprehensive growth, lifting a lot of individuals from poorness by making a military of entrepreneurs to assist themselves and therefore the financial set-up.
Q: however will one take care they're not change of integrity a rig company?
Sundance operations manager Kevin Yu: rig corporations survive by disguising themselves as legitimate direct mercantilism or MLM corporations with hopes of taking advantage of unsuspecting shoppers.
People ought to be aware of the businesses they be part of in order that they won't be simply used. so as to assist, DSAP came up with the 8-point Test—a series of queries that may differentiate a legitimate direct mercantilism company from a rig one:
Is there a product?
Are commissions paid on sale of merchandise and not on registration/entry fees?
Is the intent to sell a product not a position?
Is there no positive correlation between the amount of recruits and compensation?
If accomplishment were to be stopped nowadays, would the participants still create money?
Is there an affordable product come policy?
Do merchandise have honest market value?
Is there a compelling reason to buy?
If the solution to any or all the queries is affirmative, then the corporate being evaluated could be a legitimate company. however if the solution to even only one question is not any, then there's a high likelihood that it's a pyramid scam.
Q: If a corporation has legitimate merchandise and encourages selling, square measure they mechanically legitimate MLM? Why or why not?
Nu Skin's sales and operations director Arlene Asidao: selling to shoppers of legitimate and safe merchandise, whose claims are supported which square measure registered with and approved by the authorities for mercantilism within the Philippines, is an important characteristic of a legitimate MLM company.
A legitimate MLM company has merchandise priced at honest market price, whereby customers habitually purchase the merchandise while not change of integrity the corporate as a distributor; ordinarily has cheap refund policy for retail customers; and any unsold merchandise may be bought back by the MLM/direct mercantilism corporations whether or not or not a distributor decides to quit the business; and compensation is tied to the sales of merchandise and not supported the amount of recruits language up.
Q: What square measure remedies if one discovers that the corporate he or she joined is really a rig company?
Direct searching president Raymon Gabriel: For any help, you'll contact DSAP through 6383089 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
DSAP is that the 1st line of defense to assist verify rig. Complaints may be submitted to DTI.
Q: however will government agencies just like the DTI and/or SEC clip the wings of rig firms?
DSAP attorney Errol Palaci: as a result of rig schemes feed on the ignorant, endless and aggressive data and education campaign by the govt. against these kinds of schemes should be priority.
Moreover, the govt. will take a faster and a lot of decisive action on reports of rig schemes. we tend to don't got to wait till individuals have lost their cash. As shortly as queries and reports square measure received, then the govt. ought to investigate promptly and place a stop to the schemes.
Disclaimer : The comments uploaded on this web site don't essentially represent or mirror the views of management and owner of enquirer.net. we tend to reserve the proper to exclude comments that we tend to view as to be inconsistent with our editorial standards. The author is chair of promoting coaching company Mansmith and Fielders INC.. For the whole interview, further as interview with alternative thought leaders, please visit computer network.josiahgo.com http://Business.Inquirer.net
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Self-awareness and social awareness are two of the key social and emotional learning skills that children should develop.
Some of the benefits of mindfulness training for children include increased self-awareness, social awareness and self-confidence.
Mindfulness has been shown to improve empathy or the ability to understand what another person is thinking or feeling, which improves children's awareness of others and helps them to build positive relationships.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is about training yourself to pay attention in a specific way. When a person is mindful, they:
- focus on the present moment
- try not to think about anything that went on in the past or that might be coming up in future
- purposefully concentrate on what's happening around them
- try not to be judgemental about anything they notice, or label things as 'good' or 'bad'.
Some of the benefits of mindfulness for children
There are many benefits of mindfulness training for children, including:
- increased self-awareness, social awareness, and self-confidence
- increased ability to self-regulate their emotions, especially difficult emotions such as fear and anger, through breathing and other grounding techniques
- building resilience by giving children skills to help them to cope better with stress, as well as engage more fully with themselves and the world.
Mindfulness training has also been shown to reduce the severity of depression, anxiety and ADHD in children.
What parents can do to encourage mindfulness in children
The best thing parents can do to help their children become more mindful is to commit to some regular mindfulness practises themselves!
Research shows that parents and carers who practice being mindful around their children contribute to improving their child's sense of self-worth and self-esteem.
The more present and mindful you are with your children, the more happy, mindful and resilient they will be.
Here are four ways to practice mindfulness with your children:
1. Mindful play: Dedicate a window of time each week to mindfully play with your child or children. Turn off all other distractions such as TV, and put your mobile away and on silent. Try to give them your full attention during this time and if your mind wanders off to all the things you should be doing, that's fine – that's just what minds do! Use your child as an anchor to come back to every time your mind wanders away.
2. Mindful cooking: Cooking together can be a great way to spend quality time. Help your child notice the colours, smell and taste of the ingredients as you add them to the meal, and the touch of the different items as you cook.
3. Mindful dinnertime: Create a time for your family to appreciate and savour their food at the start of a meal by spending the first few minutes of dinner in silence, just eating and enjoying the food. It's a surprisingly nice activity to do with the whole family, and done regularly, can become a lovely ritual.
4. Mindful teeth brushing: Getting kids to brush their teeth can be a challenge, so why not make it a challenge, by inviting them to try to do it mindfully with you? Invite them to pay attention to the feel of the brush in their mouth and the sensation and taste of the toothpaste. Ask them three things they noticed that was different about their brushing tonight than from the previous night.
Smiling Mind – helping children and parents develop mindfulness mediation skills
Smiling Mind is a free program that provides resources to support the development of mindfulness and meditation skills.
These skills help to manage stress, increase awareness of emotions, improve attention and focus, and can prevent difficulties from getting worse.
The Smiling Mind website and smartphone app provide information about mindfulness and action-based tools to guide children (starting from seven years) and adults through Mindfulness Meditation practices.
For more information


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Contact Us
Hayley Rea - Principle and Owner of Aim High Dance Academy.
Dance Education, Qualifications and Awards
Hayley has taught for many dance companies such as Hypnotick in North London who were 2009 UDO (British Street Dance Champions), Virgin Active Gym in Merton Abbey Mills, Sadler's Wells Theatre Company, London Youth Dance, Dare2Dance, Oval House Theatre,The Little Magic Train (Dance Fusion), Elite School of Dance and Drama, Funky feet and many more.
Aim High Dance Academy has many contracts in primary schools, secondary schools, nurseries, after school clubs, parties' etc all of which are co-ordinated and managed by Hayley Rea.
Hayley also runs a mentoring scheme alongside Aim High Dance Academy where she trains young adults between the ages of 17-25, who wish to pursue a career in dance.
Quote: Hayley Rea 'I consider myself to be a good teacher because I care about the students I teach.I have a passion for dance, enjoy teaching dance and I believe this is the main key to my successful dance classes. I always put in 100% to give the children what they need and maintain the ethos of the school. I ensure Aim High Dance Academy always offer a high quality standard across our programme at the branches, after school clubs or parties. Our team Strives to help Aim High students achieve the best they can.
We understand each child is unique and encourage each students self expression. I believe through dance you can bring out the best. I believe teaching dance helps build relationships among the students and encourages teamwork, it helps gain confidence and social skills and is a fun way of keeping fit. I maintain a good level between discipline and fun and ensure all my classes are taught in a correct and safe manner.'


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14.12.2010 friend visits
13.12.2010 duplicates
12.12.2010 bricks
11.12.2010 gelati
10.12.2010 ssshh, it's a toy
09.12.2010 airport
08.12.2010 finger licking good~
07.12.2010 cataclysm released
06.12.2010 you've got mail!
Love my new spring high-waisted skorts :) It's dainty, sexy, cute and fun all in one package, definitely a versatile piece to have in your wardrobe this spring and summer! :) Plus, really comfy and suitable for beach outings (of course), shopping trips etc etc. The details of the white and gold heart-shape buttons is really sweet too.
And finally its the first warm weeekend of Spring too! So I'm off to the beach in my new outfit!!!
05.12.2010 child's play
04.12.2010 the sand
03.12.2010 ♥ dotti
02.12.2010 attack of the clone
01.12.2010 rainbow
White sundress! I got it only a few weeks back from Dotti. Yes…It was there hanging on the shelf. I fell in love with it at first sight, and thought to myself "Every girl has got to have a white sundress!". Well..Isn't that what we say everytime we wanna shop?? :D Now I've just got to get more shoes to match it.. hehe :)
30.11.2010 zebra flavoured yan yan?
29.11.2010 it's a movie night!
28.11.2010 forgot to bring my camera card today…
Went to city, and forgot to bring my compact flash card, cant take photos…. sad day
27.11.2010 how much is that doggie in the window~ woof woof
26.11.2010 my nikon life
25.11.2010 new sweater!
24.11.2010 pot of delicious soup
Hey everyone! I'm Aveline and I'd like to start by letting you know that I will also be a regular writer in this blog. As you would have known by now, many of my photos have been featured on this blog already :)
I'm a freelance make-up artist but…. I don't only love make-up, I'm also into photography, fashion & beauty, travel, amateur baking and also food :) yummm
I will be posting my daily fashion photos, taken by Ron of course.. and many other fun photos too!
With that here comes my first post for this blog! Last weekend, on a lovely Sunday with perfect sun and weather, I visited Queen Victoria Market (finally!!).. It
turned out to be a day of eating rather than shopping ;) And the churros (Spanish donuts) had to be "Food of the day" for me! Yumm
23.11.2010 ipad can do folders!
22.11.2010 another dinner condiments
21.11.2010 macaroons
20.11.2010 photo job: deeepavali event
19.11.2010 wedding novels obsession
18.11.2010 daily dinner condiments
17.11.2010 not so cute doll
@ all images are copyright of ronald wibowo @ ronvoto.com


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Table of Contents
Conax Contego¶
Conax Contego provides Conax' own variant of HLS PlayReady encryption.
Please see Conax PlayReady for the outline of its use.
Multi DRM¶
Next to HLS PlayReady Conax Contego offers multi-DRM as well, supporting the following DRMs:
- Microsoft PlayReady DRM
- Google Widevine Modular DRM
- Apple FairPlay DRM
- Common Encryption (CENC)
These can be used in combination with either the Unified Packager or the Unified Origin by passing encryption key (the combination of key id and content key) and license server url (when applicable) as outlined in the various sections on PlayReady, Widevine etc.
Consult the Conax Contego manual on how to obtain the required variables from the Conax Contego API.


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Not sure if you heard about it, because it wasn't exactly national news. But in Tacoma, yesterday, a middle-school student was sent home from school for wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers' uniform shirt, on a day where students were permitted to wear their Seahawks' shirts. This was at a school where there is typically a standard dress code. For the purpose of "Seahawks' Spirit" there was an exception to this dress code.
Apparently, only Seahawks' colors were permitted.
I feel that this is a violation of this child's rights. First of all, Tacoma is not even part of Seattle, so technically the school was permitting their dress code to be broken, already, for a purpose that was unrelated to school- or city-spirit. For this student to act on his wish to show his spirit for the Pittsburgh Steelers seems completely within the realm of acceptable expression. It's especially innocuous because the Steelers were not even opposing the Seahawks, so this should not have been considered inflammatory by anyone (not that this should make any difference).
There are so many things that are important, and should be enforced in schools. And seriously, this was not one of them. It was a petty act on the part of the school administration, and the message it sends to youths is that authority is all about petty demonstrations of power.


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WASHINGTON — The giant ballroom was packed. Indeed after all the seats had quickly been claimed, grown-up people thought nothing of scrunching up on the floor, the better to hear the thoughts of Martin E. P. Seligman on "Explanatory Style: Depression, Lyndon Baines Johnson and the Baseball Hall of Fame."
"The fraction of you in the audience," the University of Pennsylvania psychologist began, "--unfortunately it is a large fraction--who chronically believe that when things go wrong, you did it, it's your fault and it will last forever. . . ."
There was uncomfortable shifting and the kind of quick looking to the side that takes place when one wants to see how one's neighbor is reacting, but when one hopes that the neighbor is not at that moment doing the very same thing. Most of the people at this American Psychological Assn.-sponsored lecture were themselves psychologists, delegates to the group's recently concluded 94th annual conference here. For them Seligman was a kind of cult figure, a hero to mob after his talk.
Seligman, an expert in what he has called "explanatory styles," was describing a negative explanatory style: the not necessarily conscious belief that unpleasant events are self-induced, immutable and capable of undermining all other aspects of a person's life. Or, to use Seligman's terminology, the causes of bad situations are internal, stable and global.


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I've seen these bags around in different shapes and sizes. I love this style! It's so me and so Ohsewfresh! I been working on this adorable bag for a few days now. I finally got the courage to draw up a pattern and give it a shot on Tuesday. I hate trying something with my best fabric and supplies with the chance of it not working out and then I would have to throw it away. Kills me. But luck was on my side when I finally sewed it up. You cannot believe how excited I was when I saw how it was turning out. I'll admit that the shape of the body of the bag was not how I intended for it to be. It was kind of a mistake, but after about 3 seconds of looking at it thinking that I had just ruined it, I realized I loved the shape! I would prefer it this way over the shape I drew up from the beginning. It is moments like these that make me want to design more! I love sewing!
You know what the best part is? Each of the flowers are made from the fabric of my two most favorite designers: Heather Bailey, and Anna Maria Horner. Check out their blogs, they are amazing!
This little bag is in my Etsy shop. I think I might make one for me too! Did I mention that it's snowing like crazy outside? I think we have about 4 inches so far! Perfect day.... :)


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|Percentage of DRI per 100 grams
|vitamin K
|vitamin B1
|vitamin B2
|vitamin C
|vitamin E
|vitamin B3
|vitamin A
|pantothenic acid
|vitamin B6
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Asparagus provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Asparagus can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Asparagus, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.
- Health Benefits
- Description
- History
- How to Select and Store
- Tips for Preparing and Cooking
- How to Enjoy
- Individual Concerns
- Nutritional Profile
- References
Health Benefits
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Benefits
It's not surprising to see asparagus being heralded as an anti-inflammatory food because it provides a truly unique combination of anti-inflammatory nutrients. Among these anti-inflammatory nutrients are asparagus saponins, including asparanin A, sarsasapogenin, protodioscin, and diosgenin. One of these saponins (sarsasapogenin) has been of special interest in relationship to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." Even though ALS is classified as a chronic, neurodegenerative disease and is not currently accepted as an autoimmune disorder, excessive, unwanted inflammation may play an important role in the death of certain nerve cells (motor neurons) in ALS. Other anti-inflammatory nutrients in asparagus include the flavonoids quercetin, rutin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin.
Alongside of these anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, asparagus provides a wide variety of antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and the minerals zinc, manganese, and selenium. In addition to the antioxidant nutrients above, this much-loved vegetable may also contain a valuable amount of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH). GSH is one of the body's best-studied antioxidants; it consists of three amino acids — glutamic acid, glycine, and cysteine — combined into one molecule. At least one published study has estimated the amount of GSH in fresh asparagus to average 28 milligrams per 3.5 ounces. Several studies have compared the overall antioxidant capacity of asparagus to the antioxidant capacity of other vegetables, and the results for asparagus have been impressive. Asparagus compares favorably with many of the cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower, and while it ranks lower than some of the green leafy vegetables like spinach, it is still very high on the list of antioxidant foods.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients are some of the best risk reducers we know for common chronic health problems including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These nutrients are also special risk reducers in the case of certain cancer — a special area of asparagus health benefits that is covered in the following section.
Digestive Support
As described earlier in our "What's New and Beneficial about Asparagus" section, asparagus is unusual as a digestive support food. One key factor in this regard is its inulin content. Like chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke, asparagus contains significant amounts of the nutrient inulin. Inulin is a unique type of carbohydrate called a polyfructan, and in practical terms, healthcare practitioners often refer to it as a "prebiotic." Unlike most other carbs, inulin doesn't get broken down in the first segments of our digestive tract. It passes undigested all the way to our large intestine. Once it arrives at our large intestine, it becomes an ideal food source for certain types of bacteria (like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli) that are associated with better nutrient absorption, lower risk of allergy, and lower risk of colon cancer. While approximately 5% lower in inulin than chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke, asparagus is a food that contains a valuable amount of this unique carb and can help support our digestive health in this unique way.
Alongside of its unusual inulin content, asparagus is rich in fiber (about 3 grams per cup, including about 2 grams of insoluble fiber and 1 gram of soluble fiber) and also contains a noteworthy amount of protein (about 4-5 grams per cup). Both fiber and protein help stabilize our digestion and keep food moving through us at the desirable rate. (By contrast, too much fat can slow down our digestion rate more than desired, and too much sugar or simple starch can speed it up more than desired. We're not surprised to see species of asparagus like Asparagus racemosus (commonly known as Shatavari) having a long history of use in treatment of digestive problems in certain healthcare traditions (like ayurvedic medicine), and it makes sense to us that asparagus be considered as a great food for improving digestive support in most diets.
Heart Health and Blood Sugar Regulation
While we have yet to see large-scale dietary studies that examine chronic diseases in humans and asparagus intake, we would expect asparagus intake to show reduced chronic disease risk in two particular areas, namely, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While there is some preliminary research in both areas, both areas need more attention from asparagus researchers. Our desire to see more research in these areas is based on several factors.
First is the amazing B-vitamin content of asparagus. In our food rating system, asparagus emerges as an excellent source of folic acid, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2 as well as a very good source of niacin, choline, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid. Because B vitamins play a key role in the metabolism of sugars and starches, they are critical for healthy blood sugar management. And because they play a key role in regulation of homocysteine, they are critical in heart health has well. (Homocysteine is an amino acid, and when it reaches excessive levels in our blood, it is a strong risk factor for heart disease.)
Second, along with its impressive list of B vitamins, asparagus provides us with about 3 grams of dietary fiber per cup, including more than 1 gram of soluble fiber. Intake of soluble fiber has repeatedly been shown to lower our risk of heart disease, and our risk of type 2 diabetes can be significantly lowered as our intake of dietary fiber increases.
Finally, there is the anti-inflammatory/antioxidant factor. Heart disease and type 2 diabetes are both considered chronic diseases that evolve in relationship to chronic, excessive inflammation and oxidative stress. The outstanding antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient composition of asparagus would seem to make it a no-brainer for inclusion as a risk reducer in both of these chronic disease areas. We expect future studies to establish asparagus as a standout for lowering our risk of cardiovascular and blood sugar problems.
Anti-Cancer Benefits
As a result of its very strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrient composition, we would definitely expect to see a food like asparagus showing up as a risk reducer for certain cancers. Chronic, excessive inflammation and chronic oxidative stress are risk factors for a variety of cancer types, and both unwanted phenomena are related to deficient dietary intake of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients—exactly the kind of nutrients that are especially plentiful in asparagus. Most of the studies we've seen on the anti-cancer benefits of asparagus have been studies on rats and mice, or studies on specific types of cancer cells. For this reason, we would describe asparagus cancer research as preliminary, and not yet validated by large-scale studies involving humans and dietary intake. But the trends in animal studies and cell studies are clear - asparagus and asparagus extracts can change the metabolic activity of cancer cell types, and these changes are protective in nature and related to better regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress. Cancer cells from the liver are best-studied in this regard.
One confusing area of research on asparagus and cancer involves leukemia. And while this arena has focused upon enzymes related to an amino acid in asparagus, rather than asparagus itself, we thought to include information on it here to clarify this arena for you in case you had come across information on this topic.
Leukemia is a type of cancer involving the bone marrow and its production of white blood cells. In leukemia, white blood cells are not produced in a normal way and do not behave in a normal way, and for these reasons are called leukemia cells. One unusual aspect of leukemia cells is their need to obtain a specific amino acid called asparagine from other cells or from the fluid portion of the blood. If leukemia cells can be prevented from obtaining asparagine, they can sometimes have difficulty surviving. In the mid-1950's and 1960's, researchers discovered that the injection of an enzyme called asparaginase into persons diagnosed with leukemia could sometimes result in decreased levels of blood asparagine in the blood and selective destruction of leukemia cells through asparagine deprivation. Prescription injection of asparaginase enzymes is still used in treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Asparagus has become entangled in this fascinating set of events involving leukemia because the name of the amino acid "asparagine" and the name of the enzyme "asparaginase" clearly imply a connection with asparagus. Both the amino acid and the enzyme are present in asparagus, just as their names imply. However, we are not aware of any research showing a treatment connection between leukemia and dietary intake of asparagus. The only research we've seen involves injection of the purified, prescription enzyme medication. In addition, we know that pharmaceutical companies do not use asparagus as a source of the asparaginase enzyme, but rather, rely on bacteria as their enzyme production source.
Asparagus is a perennial garden plant belonging to the Lily family (Liliaceae). While approximately 300 varieties of asparagus have been noted, only 20 are edible.
Asparagus, its fleshy spears topped with bud-like compact heads, is often thought of as a luxury vegetable, prized for its succulent taste and tender texture. It is harvested in the spring when it is 6 to 8 inches tall. While the most common variety of asparagus is green in color, two other edible varieties are available. White asparagus, with its more delicate flavor and tender texture, is grown underground to inhibit its development of chlorophyll content, therefore creating its distinctive white coloring. It is generally found canned, although you may find it fresh in some select gourmet shops, and it is generally more expensive than the green variety since its production is more labor intensive. The other edible variety of asparagus is purple in color. It is much smaller than the green or white variety (usually just 2 to 3 inches tall) and features a fruitier flavor. It also provides benefits from phytonutrients called anthocyanins that give it its purple color. With prolonged cooking, the purple color may disappear.
Asparagus has been prized as an epicurean delight and for its medicinal properties for almost 2000 years. Its presence across most continents is partly due to its many different species. Some of these species — like Asparagus officinalis — are widely cultivated and consumed as staple foods. Other species - like Asparagus racemosus, widely found in India and the Himilayas - have been used in a more medicinal context. In the case of Asparagus racemosus, also known as Shatavari, there is a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine, especially in relationship to digestive problems. Various species of asparagus were cultivated by Egyptian cultures beginning as early as 3000 B.C., and by European cultures including early Greek and Roman cultures. Asparagus also became particularly popular in France during the 18th century during the rule of Louis XIV. In terms of commercial production, China (587,500 tons) and Peru (186,000 tons) are currently the world's largest producers and exporters of asparagus. Next in line as commercial producers are the United States (102,780 tons) and Mexico (67,247 tons).
How to Select and Store
Since asparagus varieties most commonly available in the U.S. are green in color, you are most likely to find these green-colored varieties in your grocery store. However, asparagus growers are able to take these same varieties of asparagus, pile dirt on top of the shoots when they start to poke through the ground, and then allow the shoots to continue growing beneath the dirt. This process prevents sunlight from falling on the shoots and results in asparagus shoots that are white in color. While you are most likely to find white asparagus in canned form, you can also find it fresh in some select gourmet shops, and it is generally more expensive than the green variety. Other varieties of asparagus can be purple in color. These varieties typically have a higher sugar content than green and white varieties and for this reason have a sweeter taste. (Of course, even with this higher sugar content, asparagus is anything but a high-sugar food. We're talking about 3 grams of total sugar per cup of fresh asparagus — less than half of the amount in an extra small apple.)
Asparagus stalks should be rounded, and neither fat nor twisted. Look for firm, thin stems with deep green or purplish closed tips. The cut ends should not be too woody, although a little woodiness at the base prevents the stalk from drying out. Once trimmed and cooked, asparagus loses about half its total weight. Use asparagus within a day or two after purchasing for best flavor and texture. Store in the refrigerator with the ends wrapped in a damp paper towel.
Tips for Preparing and Cooking
Tips for Preparing Asparagus
Thin asparagus does not require peeling. Asparagus with thick stems should be peeled because the stems are usually tough and stringy. Remove the tough outer skin of the bottom portion of the stem (not the tips) with a vegetable peeler. Wash asparagus under cold water to remove any sand or soil residues. It is best to cook asparagus whole.
The Healthiest Way of Cooking Asparagus
Of all of the cooking methods we tried when cooking asparagus, our favorite is Healthy Sauté. We think that it provides the greatest flavor and is also a method that allows for concentrated nutrient retention.
To Healthy Sauté asparagus, heat 5 TBS of broth (vegetable or chicken) or water in a stainless steel skillet. Once bubbles begin to form add whole asparagus, cover, and Healthy Sauté for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with our Mediterranean Dressing. (See our 5-Minute Healthy Sautéed Asparagus recipe for details on how to prepare this dish.)
If you want to cut asparagus into small pieces, it is best to cut them after they are cooked. Asparagus can be served hot or cold.
How to Enjoy
A Few Quick Serving Ideas
- Add cold asparagus to your favorite salad.
- Toss freshly cooked pasta with asparagus, olive oil and your favorite pasta spices. We especially enjoy thyme, tarragon and rosemary.
- Chopped asparagus make a flavorful and colorful addition to omelets.
- Healthy saute asparagus with garlic, shiitake mushrooms and tofu or chicken for a complete meal.
WHFoods Recipes That Feature Asparagus
- Garlic Shrimp Salad
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Steamed Salmon and Asparagus with Mustard Dill Sauce
- Stir-Fried Seafood with Asparagus
- 15-Minute Healthy Sauteed Chicken & Asparagus
- 15-Minute Healthy Sauteed Asparagus and Tofu
- Miso Stir-Fry
- Primavera Verde
- 5-Minute Healthy Sauteed Asparagus
- Warm Asparagus Salad
Individual Concerns
Contrary to popular belief, persons who experience a strong odor coming from their urine after eating asparagus are not in any danger from eating this vegetable. Their urine odor following consumption of asparagus is a far more complicated issue than you might expect. Several dozen studies in this area have failed to come up with any simple explanation of this asparagus and urine odor phenomenon.
Two major factors are clearly involved in asparagus and urine odor: one factor is a person's ability to produce odor-emitting substances from asparagus. There is little agreement among studies in this regard, primarily because researchers are not in agreement about which asparagus-derived substances actually produce the odor. At least 21 different substances have been proposed as the odor-producing substances from asparagus! Some studies indicate that very few people metabolize asparagus in such a way as to generate odor-producing substances. Other studies indicate that two out of every three people produce such substances. A second factor involved with asparagus and urine odor is a person's ability to perceive odors. In some studies, 50% of all study participants appear unable to perceive odors in urine from asparagus. To make matters even more complicated, there does not appear to be any patterned relationship between a person's ability to generate odor-producing substances from asparagus and a person's ability to perceive asparagus-related odors. There are very likely to be genetic tendencies involved with both production of odor-related substances from asparagus and perception of those substances, but detection of genetic tendencies (called genetic polymorphisms) remains incomplete. (In the case of odor perception, however, some research is beginning to point to a single nucleotide polymorphism, rs4481887, as being associated with the inability to smell odor-related substances from asparagus.)
Despite the many remaining mysteries about urine odor and asparagus, no research studies have suggested a link between asparagus consumption, urine odor, and health risk. There are no studies to indicate that a strong urine odor from asparagus is a reason for us to exclude asparagus from our diet or that health benefits from asparagus vary along with the presence or absence of urine odor. If you detect a strong urine odor following consumption of asparagus, and you're concerned about this odor, you can obviously avoid consumption asparagus in your diet. But from a research standpoint, you will also be missing out on the health benefits of this unique food.
Substances Associated with the Urine Odor from Asparagus
- methanethiol
- 1-propene-3-isothiocyanate
- 3-methylthiophene
- bis-(methythio)methane
- carbon disulfide
- carbon oxide sulfide
- dimethyl disulfide
- dimethyl sulfide
- dimethyl sulfone
- dimethyl sulfoxide
- dimethyl trisulfide
- E-methylthio-1-propene
- hydrogen sulfide
- Methylpropylsulfide
- S-methyl-2-propenthioate
- S-methyl-thioacrylate
- Tetrahydrothiophene
- methanesulfonic anhydride
- butyrolactone
- 1,4-bis(methythio)-butane
- S-methyl-3-(methythio)thiopropionate
Asparagus and PurinesAsparagus contains naturally-occurring substances called purines. Purines are commonly found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called "gout" and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purine-containing foods such as asparagus. For more on this subject, please see "What are purines and in which foods are they found?"
Nutritional Profile
Asparagus contains a unique array of phytonutrients. Like chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke, it is an important source of the digestive support nutrient, inulin. Its anti-inflammatory saponins include asparanin A, sarsasapogenin, protodioscin, and diosgenin. Flavonoids in asparagus include quercetin, rutin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. In the case of purple asparagus, anthocyanins are also among asparagus' unique phytonutrients. Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, potassium, choline, vitamin A, zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid. Additionally, it is a good source of magnesium and calcium.
In-Depth Nutritional ProfileIn addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Asparagus is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.
Introduction to Food Rating System ChartIn order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system.
Asparagus, cooked
1.00 cup
180.00 grams
Calories: 40
GI: very low
|World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
|vitamin K
|91.08 mcg
|268.20 mcg
|0.30 mg
|vitamin B1
|0.29 mg
|10.98 mcg
|vitamin B2
|0.25 mg
|vitamin C
|13.86 mg
|vitamin E
|2.70 mg (ATE)
|3.60 g
|very good
|0.28 mg
|very good
|97.20 mg
|very good
|vitamin B3
|1.95 mg
|very good
|403.20 mg
|very good
|46.98 mg
|very good
|vitamin A
|90.54 mcg RAE
|very good
|1.08 mg
|very good
|1.64 mg
|very good
|4.32 g
|very good
|vitamin B6
|0.14 mg
|very good
|pantothenic acid
|0.40 mg
|very good
|25.20 mg
|41.40 mg
|World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
Density>=7.6 AND DRI/DV>=10%
|very good
Density>=3.4 AND DRI/DV>=5%
Density>=1.5 AND DRI/DV>=2.5%
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Asparagus
- Aberoumand A and Deokule SS. Comparison of Phenolic Compounds of Some Edible Plants of Iran and India. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition Year: 2008 Vol: 7 Issue: 4 Pages/record No.: 582-585. 2008.
- Aberoumand A. Comparison of Proximate and Mineral composition between Asparagus Oficinalis and Momordica dioica: Iranian and Indian Vegetables. Iranica Journal of Energy and Environment (IJEE) Year: 2010 Vol: 1 Issue: 3 Pages/record No.: 196-199. 2010.
- Albanese D, Russo L, Cinquanta L et al. Physical and chemical changes in minimally processed green asparagus during cold-storage. Food Chemistry Volume 101, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 274-280. 2007.
- Chrubasik C, Maier T, Dawid C et al. An observational study and quantification of the actives in a supplement with Sambucus nigra and Asparagus officinalis used for weight reduction. Phytother Res. 2008 Jul;22(7):913-8. 2008.
- Ghirardini MP, Carli M, del Vecchio N et al. The importance of a taste. A comparative study on wild food plant consumption in twenty-one local communities in Italy. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007 May 4;3:22. 2007.
- Gullett NP, Ruhul Amin AR, Bayraktar S et al. Cancer prevention with natural compounds. Semin Oncol. 2010 Jun;37(3):258-81. Review. 2010.
- Huang XF, Lin YY and Kong LY. Steroids from the roots of Asparagus officinalis and their cytotoxic activity. J Integr Plant Biol. 2008 Jun;50(6):717-22. 2008.
- Jaramillo-Carmona S, Fuentes-Alventosa JM, Rodríguez-Gutiérrez G et al. Characterization of asparagus lignin by HPLC. J Food Sci. 2008 Sep;73(7):C526-32. Epub 2008 Aug 19. 2008.
- Jones DP, Coates RJ, Flagg EW et al. Glutathione in foods listed in the National Cancer Institute's Health Habits and History Food Frequency Questionnaire. Nutr Cancer. 1992;17(1):57-75. 1992.
- Kanwar AS and Bhutani KK. Effects of Chlorophytum arundinaceum, Asparagus adscendens and Asparagus racemosus on pro-inflammatory cytokine and corticosterone levels produced by stress. Phytother Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):1562-6. 2010.
- Liu W, Huang XF, Qi Q et al. Asparanin A induces G(2)/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Apr 17;381(4):700-5. Epub 2009 Feb 28. 2009.
- Mathews JN, Flatt PR, and Abdel-Wahab YH. Asparagus adscendens (Shweta musali) stimulates insulin secretion, insulin action and inhibits starch digestion. The British Journal of Nutrition. Cambridge: Mar 2006. Vol. 95, Iss. 3; p. 576-581. 2006.
- Pelchat ML, Bykowski C, Duke FF et al. Excretion and perception of a characteristic odor in urine after asparagus ingestion: a psychophysical and genetic study. Chem Senses. 2011 Jan;36(1):9-17. Epub 2010 Sep 27. 2011.
- Pellegrini N, Serafini M, Colombi B et al. Total antioxidant capacity of plant foods, beverages and oils consumed in Italy assessed by three different in vitro assays. The Journal of Nutrition. Bethesda: Sep 2003. Vol. 133, Iss. 9; pg. 2812. 2003.
- Phillips KM, Rasor AS, Ruggio DM et al. Folate content of different edible portions of vegetables and fruits. Nutrition and Food Science. Bradford: 2008. Vol. 38, Iss. 2; pg. 175. 2008.
- Podolak I, Galanty A, and Sobolewska D. Saponins as cytotoxic agents: a review. Phytochem Rev. 2010 September; 9(3): 425—474. Published online 2010 June. 2010.
- Roberfroid M, Gibson GR, Hoyles L et al. Prebiotic effects: metabolic and health benefits. Br J Nutr. 2010 Aug;104 Suppl 2:S1-63. Review. 2010.
- Sakaguchi Y, Ozaki Y, Miyajima I et al. al. Major anthocyanins from purple asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). Phytochemistry. 2008 May;69(8):1763-6. Epub 2008 Apr 10. 2008.
- Shao Y, Chin CK, Ho CT et al. Anti-tumor activity of the crude saponins obtained from asparagus. Cancer Lett. 1996 Jun 24;104(1):31-6. 1996.
- Sidiq T, Khajuria A, Suden P et al. A novel sarsasapogenin glycoside from Asparagus racemosus elicits protective immune responses against HBsAg. Immunol Lett. 2011 Mar 30;135(1-2):129-35. Epub 2010 Oct 28. 2011.
- Singh RS and Singh RP. Fructooligosaccharides from Inulin as Prebiotics. Food Technol. Biotechnol. 48 (4) 435—450 (2010). 2010.
- Sun Z, Huang X and Kong L. A new steroidal saponin from the dried stems of Asparagus officinalis L. Fitoterapia. 2010 Apr;81(3):210-3. Epub 2009 Sep 12. 2010.
- Wang L, Wang X, Yuan X, Zhao B. Simultaneous analysis of diosgenin and sarsasapogenin in Asparagus officinalis byproduct by thin-layer chromatography. Phytochem Anal. 2011 Jan-Feb;22(1):14-7. doi: 10.1002/pca.1244. Epub 2010. 2011.
- Wu JJ, Cheng KW, Zuo XF et al. Steroidal saponins and ecdysterone from Asparagus filicinus and their cytotoxic activities. Steroids. 2010 Oct;75(10):734-9. Epub 2010 May 12. 2010.
- Zhu X, Zhang W, Zhao J et al. Hypolipidaemic and hepatoprotective effects of ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Asparagus officinalis L. by-products in mice fed a high-fat diet. J Sci Food Agric. 2010 May;90(7):1129-35. 2010.
- Zhu, X, Zhang, W, Pang, X et al. Hypolipidemic Effect of n-Butanol Extract from Asparagus officinalis L. in Mice fed a High-fat Diet. Phytotherapy Research, n/a. 31 Jan 2011. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3380. 2011.
- Much grattidtude to George Mateljan,and the George Mateljan Foundation for www.whfoods.com


text:
Thursday, March 19, 2009
11 comments:
Ooooh Dave!!!!
The Slick french bull dog is sooo You!
Does this herald your entry into the fetish pet market? I wanna see your SLICK GORILLA!!!!
- March 20, 2009 at 12:15 AM
- Avenjer said...
I like this concept. The softer side of slick it up, cause it's not always about brawling and balling. Even with animals you and the fellas still look butch as hell. But I think this shoot is in some ways even hotter because it's outside of the box. Good job.
- March 20, 2009 at 1:32 AM
AAAAHHHHHH! So cute I can't stand it. I gagged when I saw the puppy in the mask!!!
- March 20, 2009 at 8:09 AM
- LUCIEN said...
David You are pretty wonderful for ushering in Spring to us like this - Lookin good kid !
- March 20, 2009 at 8:34 AM
- Leatherpigboy said...
Great pics! Got the candy thong i ordered from you guys...fuckin HOT! :)
- March 20, 2009 at 9:05 AM
- Aaron said...
AWWWW, so cute!
- March 20, 2009 at 10:38 AM
- Sue said...
It is still not too late to become Cute Fetish Overload!!! [I just came up with that!]
- March 20, 2009 at 5:00 PM
- ReggieH said...
Very hot and very sweet at the same time. And the masked puppy? Perfect LOL!
- March 21, 2009 at 12:44 AM
your ass is too big, bitch.
who's the last redhead guy?
- March 21, 2009 at 1:24 AM
- David Mason said...
that isnt my butt unfortunately Its brandons, The red headed guy was super sweet but I dont remember his on screen name.
- March 21, 2009 at 11:49 AM
- Ruffy said...
Nice photo shot! Can I play with the puppies?
- March 23, 2009 at 6:58 AM


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If the word "heirloom" doesn't make you want to get your hands on some seeds I don't know what will. Something passed down from generation to generation, person to person, how could it get better? Except maybe seeds that are "open-pollinated"? For me, it conjures up a dreamy vision of bees and an abundance of wildlife, flitting around the garden, flower to flower.
The long list of terms used to describe seeds inspires a sense of possibility and, at times, confusion. Here are some basics to help you choose the seeds right for you.
Open-pollinated seed varieties passed down over the years, generally dating back to World War II. However, some say 50 years ago or more. Seed companies have taken on the job of producing heirlooms as they've gained in popularity. These are seeds that have tried and true qualities and produce plants with the same characteristics as the parent plant. So you can harvest seeds from heirlooms at the end of the growing season to be grown the following season. It's important to note that some varieties within the same group of plants can cross-pollinate, especially when planted close to one another, creating a new variety, like a zucchini and a pumpkin. (What would that be called? A zucchkin?) That sounds like a risk verging on a wonderful adventure.
Stick with the dreamy vision of bees and insects and add wind. Seeds produced by open-pollination create plants consistent or "true to type" (similar to the parent). This is amazing because it allows growers like ourselves to produce our own seed supply. But really, it's a natural, ecological process and we glean the fringe benefits.
Hybrids are just that, the hybrid of two different varieties. The term "F1" is used to describe the first generation off-spring of the parent varieties, deliberately cross-pollinated plants chosen for specific qualities with the purpose of creating something new, generally to create a plant that has particular disease resistance, flavor, habits and vigor. This can be hugely helpful when growing your garden in challenging conditions or you're looking for consistency. However, seeds grown from hybrids will not grow true to their parent plant but will have characteristics of the plants used to form the F1 generation. Sowing seeds produced by hybrids is not recommended.
Seeds produced by plants grown in a chemical free environment as regulated by the USDA National Organic Program. Chemicals include synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and doesn't allow the use of genetic engineering. Organic seeds are the beginning of a healthy food supply and a robust environment and supports regionally grown seeds adapted to individual climates.
A Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is an organism in which the genetic material of one species is artificially implanted into the DNA of another species. Combining genetics that do not naturally occur in nature. GMO seeds present a large number of problems, from unwanted cross-pollination and questionable health risks.
Pelleted Seeds
Seeds that are pelleted are coated with a clay-like material creating uniformity in size making the process of spreading seeds easier.
Treated Seeds
Seeds coated in a chemical, typically a fungicide, and often used in commercial agriculture. Organic practices don't allow the use of treated seeds.
Cross-pollination is the process that occurs when the pollen from the anther (part of the stamen/the male part of a flower) of one plant is transferred to the stigma (part of the pistil/the female part of a flower) of a different plant of the same species.
When male and female flowers exist on the same plant (such as a tomato) and pollen moves from the anthers to the stigma of the same flower.