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Since my previous post was a rather lengthy one I will spare you the trauma of reading yet another one. So here’s presenting the steamed version of making a lovely bread pudding to celebrate 4 years of blogging! Yes, my blog turned 4 two days ago! Thank you readers for your continued support & appreciation. Special thanks to Roshan – he has come a long way – from somehow who coaxed me to start the blog to continuously supporting & encouraging to now being the co-chef -Randhpi of Ruchik Randhap.
The bread pudding is an ideal mid week snack that you can make with leftover bread slices and tastes great warm or chilled. Enjoy it with jam or Nutella or any chocolate spread!
Steamed Bread Pudding
- 6 slices of bread
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups of milk
- 3 tablespoons ghee or melted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder (substitute with cinnamon powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 10-12 whole cashew nuts
- pinch of salt
- Stack up the bread slices one on top of the other and trim the hard edges - chop up these finely. Tear the rest of the bread roughly and keep aside.
- In a bowl beat the eggs and add all the other ingredients once by one and mix well. Add the bread to this mixture and gently stir to incorporate.
- Grease a cake tin or a deep steel bowl of about 5" diameter with ghee. Pour the bread mixture into it and place a well fitting steel lid over the mouth of the bowl. Alternatively you can cover the bowl with aluminium foil - this is to prevent the steam droplets from falling into the pudding and making it mushy.
- Place sufficient water in a idli/sanna steamer (thondor) and when it comes to a rolling boil place the bowl with the pudding mixture on the shelf inside the steamer. Cover the lid and steam on a medium high flame for about 45-50 mins or till the knife inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the steamer and carefully remove the lid so that the steam collected on top of it does not fall into the pudding. Allow it to cool and then carefully insert a plain knife around the edges to loosen it up a bit.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and invert the pudding onto the plate. Cut into desired pieces and serve warm!
The nutritional values are only indicative.

domain: food


As the warm weather begins, so does festival season. With Governors Ball and Made In America right around the corner, we can't help but wonder who else is going to be performing this year. Here are some of the artists that will be on tour.
The 21-one-year-old singer will be starting his tour promoting his new album. The Free Spirit World tour, which kicks off on June 20th in Phoenix, Arizona, will travel across the country for 32 concerts, ending in Miami on August 17th. Joining Khalid on his tour is "Pretty Girl" singer, Clairo, for his opening act.
2. Jennifer Lopez
The pop star will be kicking off her first tour (in six years!) in Los Angeles this June. Honoring her 50th birthday, the "It's My Party: The Live Celebration" tour will make 25 stops in not only the United States, but also in Canada. According to a statement, "Fans can anticipate a signature Jennifer Lopez show each night featuring her distinctive choreography and dancers, incredible production and set design, dazzling wardrobe, and a non-stop party mix of new and classic J.Lo anthems."
The newly famed singer will be starting his United States tour this October. Best known for his hit-singles "I Like Me Better" and "i'm so tired..." Lauv will begin the United States leg of his tour in Washington D.C after delaying it (and his upcoming album) due to personal health reasons. In his personal statement, Lauv explained that the tour arose over a difficult year in which he was questioning his career path. He described that he felt guilty and anxious over struggling to complete his first ever album and seeking professional help for his mental health issues.
4. Sara Bareilles
After several successful performances in "Waitress" on Broadway, Sara Bareilles will be returning to her singing career and starting her tour this coming October in support of her latest LP, "Amidst the Chaos." The 27-date tour will open October 5th in Detroit, Michigan and will wrap up on November 26th in Atlanta. Along the way, Bareilles will play at several large venues such as Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, New York's Madison Square Garden, and Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl.


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“Faced with today’s problems and disappointments, many people will try to escape from their responsibility. Escape in selfishness, escape in sexual pleasure, escape in drugs, escape in violence, escape in indifference and cynical attitudes. I propose to you the option of love, which is the opposite of escape.“
I pulled a cardboard package out of my mailbox, carried it into the house, and tore it open. Out of it, I lifted what I had waited for, for days: A copy of the book Love and Responsibility, written by St. John Paul II before he was pope.
I had heard of the book before I ordered it. “A must-read for Catholics, married or not,” friends of mine called it. So I–single and mingling–curled up with it that night in 2009, expecting to pore over page after page, and pumped to be edified.
But what I read was over my head before I finished page one. I wanted to whisk through it like I would any other book, but this book would require commitment, and it would require time, because it would require thought. So, I shelved it. But then, I tried again.
Syndicated columnist Carolyn Hax responded in a recent column to the following letter, which she received from a 19-year-old woman who has never had sex before:
“I am a 19-year-old freshman in college. I have decided to lose my virginity soon, obviously in a safe way while using protection. Is it okay to not tell the guy I’m a virgin? It’s come up before and it seems to bother guys. I also hate the idea of someone knowing they were my first; I (irrationally, I know) feel like it gives them power over me. I sort of want to get this over with in a sort of one-night-stand kind of way.”
These are my thoughts on that:
The letter’s writer’s decision to lose her virginity is rooted in her resistance to divulging her virginity. She doesn’t want to be a virgin so that she won’t have to tell somebody she is. But that turns what she wrote into a catch 22. … How? Click here to read the rest of my thoughts in a post on Quiner’s Diner.
From where I stood, the banner blocked the American flag that hung at the center of Citrus Park Mall in Tampa. It showcased ‘Jane the Virgin,’ the latest in an influx of TV shows inspired by sexual inexperience. It would premier, the banner said, on Oct. 13.
First, I asked what any virgin beneath that banner would: “WHERE’S MY BANNER?” Then, I marked my calendar.
The show, about a a virgin who — as a result of a doctor’s distraction — got artificially inseminated when she should have gotten a Pap smear, premiered as promised on Monday, and (spoilers to follow), I watched it. Here’s how I sum it up:
This edition features Haley Stewart, a bookish, somewhat crunchy, hipster mama of three lively children. She’s a writer, speaker, blogger, and Catholic convert.
Haley is married to “Daniel of the big beard and the green thumb.” She’s also a homeschooling, bacon-eating, coffee-drinking southern girl with a flair for liturgical feasts and a penchant for bright red lipstick. I am super pumped she agreed to share three lessons and two tips with us today.

domain: literature


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Being told by your doctor you need surgery brings forth all kinds of worries as it is. The last thing you need to have on your mind is will their surgical trays with the medical tools and equipment necessary to operate on you cause an infection. After all, you are there with a team of medical doctors having the surgical procedure so you end up feeling better.
Interested in Custom Trays? Request a Quote!
als preparing the kits for use in the medical rooms do need to take precautions.
Why do medical professionals performing the surgery need to take precaution when preparing custom procedure trays for use during surgery?
Medical professionals performing surgery on a patient need to take precaution when preparing custom procedure trays for multiple reasons. One of the reasons being if any of the instruments inside the kit are exposed to the air too long after being opened, they can become contaminated. This means the kits should only be opened right as the surgery is about to happen. Another thing is for the one in charge of opening the kit in the surgical room to make sure their medical team mates and themselves have washed and sterilized their hands and arms thoroughly before handling any of the tools within the kit. If the washing of the hands and arms do not happen, any bacteria and fungus that may be on a medical team mate can contaminate the tools, which puts a patient at risk for infection. These reasons alone are not the only reasons custom procedure trays needed to be handled with care. Doctors and nurses that are sick should never touch custom procedure trays or patients, doing so could lead to serious infection of a patient. In fact, medical members that do become sick should stay at home to get well and prevent the spread of their infection.
What are some end thoughts to keep in mind for custom procedure trays?
If your surgeon or doctor isn’t using custom procedure trays on you during your operation it is wise to visit another surgeon or doctor for the surgical procedure. Once again, surgery alone is enough to go through, worrying about getting an infection from medical instruments should be weighing on your mind. All you should be focusing on is recovering.

domain: medical


Introducing the Levante V6 Sportivo Edition.
This high-attitude SUV delivers a high-performance driving experience like no other.
Imposing from every angle, the Levante Sportivo displays powerful 20” Efesto Dark Myron Staggered Wheels with Red Brake Callipers, Handling Package and Lower Body-Colour Mouldings.
Opt for the V6 Sportivo X Edition and experience uncompromised thrills with 21” Matte Anteo Dark Design Staggered Wheels, a Rear Sports Spoiler, Nerissimo Package and more.
Both in terms of its undeniably graceful style and purity of dynamic purpose, the Levante V6 Sportivo Edition is Maserati in its most powerful form.


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Refreshing gel-to-foam facial cleanser for blemish-prone skin, that helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes and blackheads, while leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth. The formula penetrates pores to eliminate the cause of spots & blemishes, while respecting the skin’s natural barrier.
Developed with dermatologists:
All CeraVe products have been Developed with Dermatologists.
Specifically formulated for blemish-prome skin:
Take control of your skin, with CeraVe Blemish Control range. This gentle face wash formula easily lathers to effectively remove dirt, impurities and excess oils without stripping the skin of moisture.
- The daily cleanser contains 3 Essential Ceramides, Niacinamide and 2% Salicylic Acid
- Formulated with an oil-absorbing technology using Hectorite Clay, CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser helps remove dirt and excess oil, to minimise shine.
- Reduces the appearance of blackheads and blemishes
- Gently exfoliates dead skin cells that can clog pores and contribute to blemishes
- Formulated with an oil-absorbing technology to minimise shine
- Leaves comfortable, refreshed and healthy-looking skin
- Number of spots appear reduced by up to 34%*
- 94% agree skin feels clean and purified**
- 80% agree visible pores look clear

domain: health


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Perhaps the most popular native shrub in the whole encyclopedia is Mountain Laurel. The eastern mountains from New England to Georgia are full of it, but nobody finds it tiresome. Its evergreen foliage is an asset, but what sweeps the public off their feet is the brilliant show of bloom in June. It is altogether irresistible.
Naturally, Laurel is much planted and much transplanted. There is so much of it in the woods that the amateur horticulturist is constantly tempted to help himself. Yet in many cases, he would be better off, horticultural and financially, if he would buy his plants from some good nursery. In wild land, with its boulders and ledges, the Laurel roots range far and wide. It is very hard to dig these plants with even fairly good roots. But if grown in good, well-drained nursery land they can be lifted, “balled and burlapped,” with perfect roots. The results when planted are, of course, very much better.
In planting from the nursery one has the further advantage that the planting season can be much extended; and as the average amateur is always late at his planting, this constitutes a distinct gain.
Certain practical conditions have to he met to succeed with Mountain Laurel, but they are not very difficult. In the first place, the soil should be acid. Also, it ought not to be too dry and sandy. Fairly well-drained, rocky, or gravelly soil is the Laurel’s natural preference. Then there ought to be some shade. Laurel dislikes full sun, though the dense shade is almost as inimical. A position along the border of woodland is almost ideal, but the plants will thrive in sparse deciduous woods if other conditions are favorable.
The two mistakes most commonly made in planting Mountain Laurel are, first, the digging of wild plants, and second, placing them in open situations where they get full sun. Of course, many mistakes are made, too, in planting in unsuitable soils, but the beginner is more apt to think about this problem and try to meet it.
by F. A. Waugh
Photo credit: Arx Fortis at English Wikipedia

domain: biology


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Little dicky bird
enchantedengland: This festive, charming little street is in the seaside town of Weymouth, Dorset, which sits on a sheltered bay of the River Wey on the English Channel coast.
One Little Dicky Bird – where birth announcement prints get personal
Two Little Dicky Birds 3D Animated English Nursery Rhyme For Children with Lyrics
Two Little Dicky Birds Lyrics : Two little dicky birds, Sitting on a wall. One named Peter, The other named Paul. Fly away, Peter, Fly away, Paul, Come back, Peter, Come back, Paul.
Two Little Dicky Birds - Finger Puppets
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Two Little Dicky Birds on Craftsuprint designed by Gail Collins - a really bright pretty eye catching card - Now available for download!

domain: entertainment


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To help ranchers make business decisions, new cost studies for beef cattle production have been released by UC ANR Agricultural Issues Center and UC Cooperative Extension.
Sample costs and returns for beef cattle production in the northern Sacramento Valley are presented in these studies. The studies are titled “Sample Costs for Beef Cattle, Cow–Calf Production,” “Sample Costs for Beef Cattle, Yearling/Stocker Production” and “Sample Costs for Beef Cattle, Finished on Grass.”
"These studies are useful to new and experienced ranchers, lenders and other agribusiness companies, as well as government officials, researcher and students who want to know basics of ranch practices and the costs and returns that can be expected for a well-managed operation,” said Daniel Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center. “The studies show ranges of net returns under alternative price scenarios to help indicate sensitivity of returns to cattle market conditions."
The analyses are based on a hypothetical well-managed ranching operation using practices common to the northern Sacramento Valley. The three studies are based on a herd of 300 cows and bred heifers, 60 yearling heifers and 15 bulls. An 11 percent cull rate is applied to the herd. An 89 percent calf crop with three percent mortality before weaning is assumed.
All rangeland and pasture is rented per animal unit month. Ranging analysis tables show net revenue over a range of prices. The costs, materials and operations shown in this study will not apply to all ranches. Ranchers, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisors, and other agricultural associates provided input and reviewed the methods and findings of the study.
Free copies of these studies and other sample cost of production studies for additional commodities are also available. To download the cost studies, visit the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at https://coststudies.ucdavis.edu.
The cost studies program is funded by the UC Agricultural Issues Center and UC Cooperative Extension, both of which are part of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
For more information or an explanation of the calculations used in the studies, contact Donald Stewart at the Agricultural Issues Center at (530) 752-4651 or firstname.lastname@example.org; Larry Forero, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Shasta and Trinity counties, at email@example.com, or Jeff Stackhouse, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte counties, at firstname.lastname@example.org.
NOTE: Corrections were made on July 19, 2017, to “2017 Beef Cattle Yearling/Stocker Production in the Sacramento Valley” and “2017 Beef Cattle Finished on Grass in the Sacramento Valley” to show interest calculated for 6 months as stated in the narratives of both studies, instead of 12 months.
California citrus farmers have their ears perked for all news related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB) disease, but the very latest advances have been available only in highly technical research journals, often by subscription only.
UC Cooperative Extension scientists are now translating the high science into readable summaries and posting them on a new website called Science for Citrus Health to inform farmers, the media and interested members of the public.
“The future of the California citrus depends on scientists finding a solution to this pest and disease before they destroy the industry,” said Beth Grafton-Cardwell, UC Cooperative Extension citrus entomology specialist. “Our farmers want to stay on top of all the efforts to stop this threat.”
Grafton-Cardwell and UC Cooperative Extension biotechnology specialist Peggy Lemaux are the two scientists behind the new website. When scientists make progress toward their goals, Grafton-Cardwell and Lemaux craft one-page summaries with graphics and pictures to provide readers with the basics.
For example, the website outlines scientific endeavors aimed at stopping the spread of huanglongbing disease by eliminating the psyllid's ability to transfer the bacterial infection. This section is titled NuPsyllid, and contains summaries of three research papers including one by UC Davis plant pathologist Bryce Falk.
Falk is collecting viruses found in Asian citrus psyllid; so far he has identified five. He is looking into the potential to utilize one of the viruses as is or modify one of the viruses to block the psyllid's ability to transmit the bacterium. For example, the virus might out compete the bacterium in the psyllid's body.
Another focus of the website is HLB early detection techniques (EDTs). If HLB-infected trees are found and destroyed before they show symptoms, ACP is less likely to spread the disease to other trees. EDT research described on the website includes efforts to detect subtle changes in the tree that take place soon after infection, such as alterations in the scents that waft from the tree (studied by UC Davis engineer Cristina Davis), changes in the proteins in the tree (studied by UC Davis food scientist Carolyn Slupsky) and starch accumulation in the leaves (studied by UC farm advisor Ali Pourreza).
As more research is published, more one-page descriptions will be added to the website. The website contains a feedback form to comment on the science and the summaries.
As 10-year-old Dominic Vargas crouched on the ground, in a cage not much larger than himself, trying to forage for tasty treats (candy) on the woodland floor...CRASH! The cage door came falling down and he realized that he had inadvertently tripped a tiny fishing line in his efforts to reach that candy - he was now trapped. Dominic seemed to accept his fate with good humor, shrugging, smiling and getting to work on that candy. Wildlife biologist, Jessie Roughgarden, commented that Dominic will now be collared, tagged and measured before returning him to the wild ... or in this case his parents.
This seemingly terrifying experience is in fact all part of the new "Sustainable You - 4-H Summer Camp" held at the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center. Sustainable You is a five-day camp allowing students to experience science and nature while learning about ways in which to conserve the land, water, air and energy.
View Dominic's experience in this 44-second video:
The camp is conducted at three of the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' Research and Extension Centers across the state and each center tweaks the curriculum to suit their landscape and the kinds of research conducted at their sites. At Hopland this means getting the chance to meet with wildlife biologists from the UC Berkeley "Brashares Lab," led by professor Justin Brashares. It's an amazing opportunity for these kids to meet and ask questions of scientists conducting experiments in the countryside that surrounds them. Dominic may not be collared, but more than 10 deer on the property went through the same experience last week (minus the candy) as they were carefully captured by researchers and fitted with collars to better understand their movements and population across the 5,358-acre center.
The young team of scientists enjoying summer camp were also working to understand what wildlife shares the landscape with them by setting wildlife cameras daily and improving their positioning and locations each day. Advice from Brashares and Jessie Roughgarden helped the students improve their chance of catching footage of raccoons, foxes and maybe even a mountain lion. Day one produced fox video footage and shots of raccoons feeling around in the last pools of creek water to catch some of the tiny young frogs currently in residence.
Hear what Ahmae saw on her wildlife camera in the 59-second video below:
Exposure for these kids not only to hands-on activities exploring sustainability, but also to wildlife biologists, young researchers and professors working on today's wildlife and land management challenges, gives them an open door to explore their own future careers and interests.
As 9-year-old Ahmae Munday so sweetly put it, when asked what her favorite part of the Sustainable You Summer Camp was, "Everything! Especially the cameras."
The UC ANR network of Research and Extension Centers provide the perfect location to offer exposure to youth and communities to better understand and interact with the science going on in their own back yards and to inspire the next generation of researchers - as camp attendee and scholarship recipient Kaiden Stalnaker described in his scholarship application, "When I grow up I dream of a career in science and your camp would be a boost in the right direction."
Thanks to the researchers, camp counselors and students who have allowed the Sustainable You summer camp to inspire young people like Kaiden.
Summer brings an abundance of luscious and healthy fruits and vegetables. It's easy to buy more than we can eat, which sometimes results in #foodwaste.
In a guest blog post for the UC Food Observer, UC researcher Wendi Gosliner (part of the team at UC ANR's Nutrition Policy Institute, a cutting-edge unit that's using research to transform public policy) shared this observation:
“Food waste presents a major challenge in the United States. Estimates suggest that up to 40% of the food produced nationally never gets consumed, causing substantial economic and environmental harms. Wasted food utilizes vast quantities of precious land, water and human resources, yet rather than nourishing people, it feeds landfills, producing methane gasses that poison the environment. Much of the food waste (43%) occurs at the household level."
What history can teach us
Here's my take on food waste. It goes back in part to lessons I've learned from studying World War I (WWI), when the American government set food conservation goals (along with goals for local food production via Liberty – later Victory – Gardens). I'm a big proponent of both reducing food waste and producing more food in communities via school, home and community gardens. Big point: the World War I poster included in this post has advice we'd be well served to heed today.
It's an iconic poster from World War 1. Food…don't waste it. The image is regularly shared on Twitter and Facebook.
Period piece or photoshopped image?
The original was produced in 1919 by the United States Food Administration, under the direction of the newly appointed food “czar” – Herbert Hoover.
The poster was reissued during World War II. It's been revised in recent years by individuals and organizations interested in encouraging an ethos incorporating local foods and sustainability.
While I'm the UC Food Observer, I also dabble in the history of wartime poster art. I'm often asked if this is a contemporary mock-up made to look and feel vintage.
It's not a mock-up. It's the real deal, produced 95 years ago, with messages we should embrace today.
The original poster: Yes: ‘buy local foods' is rule 4
The original poster has six rules that we'd be well served to follow today. The fourth rule – buy local foods – is somewhat of a surprise to people today, because the notion of buying local seems somewhat modern. But in WWI, the U.S. government encouraged the local production and consumption of food, in part, to free trains to more effectively ship troops and war matériel.
Tackling food waste through preservation: today's Master Food Preserver Program
Many land grant institutions, including the University of California, host master food preserver programs. These programs teach best practices on food safety and preservation to volunteers. The extensive training program prepares the volunteers to work in their community educating others on the safe practices of food preservation, including pickling, drying, freezing, canning and fruit preserves.
Thinking about gardening? Do we have resources for you!
The University of California sponsors the state's Master Gardener Program, which fields more than 5,000 volunteers in communities across the state. The Master Gardener Program is a national program, housed at the land grant institution in each state, but it's also connected to the USDA. Free gardening resources are available here. Advice to grow by…just ask.
Food waste is both an ethical and environmental issue. It should concern us that we waste nearly 40% of the food we produce and purchase in this food-abundant nation.
For an interesting comparative statistic, consider this: our nation produced about 40% of the fruits and vegetables we consumed on the American home front in World War II in school, home, community and workplace gardens. That was the result of the iconic Victory Garden program (which actually got its start in WW1).
Three messages then: participate in the national effort, commit to wasting less food, and if you can, produce some food of your own.
Notes: There are many additional resources about #foodwaste.
Read: Dana Gunders of the National Resource Defense Council authored a 2012 report called Wasted that sparked much of this work. Dana also authored a book called Waste Free Kitchen Handbook: A Guide to Eating Well and Saving Money by Wasting Less Food, both of which are great reads.
Read this piece about the relationships between food, farming and the environment (including food waste).
Eating what's on your plate is one of the best ways to tackle climate change. View this episode of Climate Lab, a six-part series produced by the University of California in partnership with Vox.
When children grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables, they are much more likely to eat healthy food, so for decades California politicians, teachers and nutrition educators have advocated for a garden in every school. However, UC Cooperative Extension experts in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties found that garden care can dwindle over time.
“Students and their parents ‘age out' of their elementary schools,” said Shannon Klisch, UC CalFresh community education supervisor in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. “The turnover in expertise and level of commitment can vary widely, leaving some schools with either weedy, abandoned vegetable patches, or no garden support at all.”
UCCE offers UC CalFresh, federally funded nutrition education for CalFresh recipients (formerly called Food Stamps). UC CalFresh nutrition educators in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties saw a need to mobilize highly trained community members who could develop, support, sustain and teach from school gardens. UC CalFresh joined with UC's 4-H Youth Development, Master Food Preserver, and Master Gardener programs to launch a pilot project called “UC Garden Nutrition Extenders.”
“We don't have enough staff to work the gardens in every school, so we've started recruiting and training volunteers,” said Lisa Paniagua, school garden sustainability coordinator for the UC Garden Nutrition Extender program in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
“By enlisting passionate volunteers, nutrition educators could significantly multiply the number of students who had access to school gardens, nutrition education, and training in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the garden,” said Katherine Soule, Ph.D., youth, families, and communities advisor in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
Klisch said UC Garden Nutrition Extenders are local members of their school communities.
“They are often parents, neighbors or staff and they have a personal investment in seeing the youth and the school environment flourish, which makes for a much more sustainable intervention and increases community capacity to sustain a garden program," she said.
Paniagua, Klisch, and Soule created a hybrid training program integrating volunteers and educators from UC CalFresh, UC Master Food Preservers, UC Master Gardeners and 4-H. They selected a 4-H gardening and nutrition curriculum written by researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, which includes engaging, student-centered, experiential learning while dividing time between the garden and the classroom. The curriculum reinforces goals in Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, policies that guide public school teaching.
“Teachers will want to know we are familiar with curriculum standards. Applying them adds value to these classes,” Paniagua said.
In July, the third cohort of future UC Garden Nutrition Extender volunteers gathered at UC Cooperative Extension in San Luis Obispo to learn how they can help schools transform their gardens into fruitful learning activity centers for the students.
One member of the new cohort is Jill Marie, a certified Master Gardener in San Luis Obispo County.
“I live by a school and they have garden beds that are not kept up. I want to get involved and get to know the kids,” she said.
The volunteer teachers learn by conducting the indoor and outdoor curriculum activities and food demonstrations over a four-week period. Their first foray into the UCCE Sunshine School Demonstration Garden began with a mindfulness practice.
“Close your eyes, and just listen,” Paniagua instructed. A moment later she asked, “What did you hear?”
To encourage students to take a closer look at the garden, the class was sent out with egg cartons labeled for a 12-item scavenger hunt, and later asked to select one item to discuss. Reporting on topics are part of Common Core standards for students in third- through fifth-grades and creates discussion learning topics around science, math, engineering, art, and even poetry.
Back in the classroom, the trainees began work in pairs on the next lesson, “Know & Show Sombrero.” With paper, tape and a bag of craft supplies – balloons, ribbons, foam stickers and construction paper – the extenders made hats that represent everything a plant needs. One group used a yellow balloon to symbolize the sun, another had water drops raining down from the brim. A third group sprinkled glitter to represent the nutrients in the soil.
“Why are we putting these on a hat?” Paniaqua asked the class. “The exercise is useful for kinesthetic learners. It reinforces what they learn. At the end, we talk about it and develop conversation skills.”
The half-day session ended with a tasting of purple, yellow and orange carrots.
“In your journals, write words to describe the smell, sight, taste and feel of the three colors of carrots,” Paniagua said.
One of the volunteers Christina Lawson, director of nutrition for Coast Unified School District, laughed.
“We tried to serve purple carrots. Pfft. Zip,” she said. “I'm excited about this. If the kids try them before coming to the cafeteria, it would make my life so much easier.”
This project is funded through local grant awards from the National 4-H Council in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, and UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program, which is a joint agreement among the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Service (USDA/FNS), the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) CalFresh branch, and the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE).

domain: agronomy


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Mental health issues don’t appear out of thin air, but they can still cause sufferers to become alarmed when they emerge. Whether you have unresolved trauma from childhood or develop issues as a result of workplace-related matters, you simply can’t ignore your feelings and expect to feel better.
Those who choose to work with mental health experts absolutely need to find the best match. Finding a counsellor who has the right credentials and makes you feel at ease is imperative if you want to feel better, make progress, and have a brighter future.
Why a mental health crisis won’t go away on its own
A lot of people are under the belief that mental health problems can be successfully dealt with by pretending that they don’t exist. Instead of actually going away, they end up being buried deep within your subconscious, only to appear at a time when you are under high levels of stress or anxiety.
In the interim, these mental health issues end up manifesting themselves in your everyday life, even if you are not cognitively aware of the fact. Some people even end up having other more complex issues such as drug and alcohol abuse problems because of the fact that they are not dealing with the root cause. This is why mental health experts recommend intensive counselling instead of self-medication.
How to deal with recurring mental health woes
Ideally, mental health problems and past traumas are resolved via a trained counsellor. It is important to realise that there are various types of counsellors; from psychiatrists and psychologists to sex therapists, drug treatment experts, and others.
When a person realises that a counsellor can help them with their problems, they try to find the type of counsellor that is best suited. Even then, not all counsellors are going to be a match due to their level of training, modalities, and varieties of counselling methods that they utilise. Talk to various counsellors, ask them about their practices, and schedule an initial session with several different therapists so that you can ensure that there is a good fit.
Where to find crisis counsellors quickly
Normally, a person who is having a serious mental health emergency may be referred to as a confidential hotline. Sometimes these services can refer you to a counsellor over the phone, who will see you right away. In other cases, someone dealing with a mental health crisis will be unable to wait until they can have an appointment scheduled and will be immediately referred to an emergency room.
While getting the help that you need for a mental health condition is critical, having a counsellor who you can work with at any time can help you to feel less anxious. Through KCC Direct, you can schedule an appointment with a trained counsellor, online, day or night. After you have made first contact, you can continue to connect with a counsellor via the internet or phone, or you can come in for an in-person counselling session.
Keeping yourself isolated or acting like everything is okay will not help you to truly cope with your issues. Sometimes counselling can be uncomfortable but know that it is not necessary for you to talk about and relive past traumas in order to get better.
Find a counsellor who makes you feel comfortable, trust the process, and go at the pace that you set for yourself.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.

domain: psychology


text:
London based five-piece To Kill a King are back with their second, eponymous album released back on the 2nd of March. The return of the group was much awaited after their critically acclaimed début Cannibals with Cutlery in 2013. Front-man Ralph Pelleymounter took the time to chat with AMBY on the phone half way through their UK Tour ahead of their show in Bristol.
AMBY: So the albums finally out! How do you feel it’s been received?
To Kill A King: Yeah really well, although I think it’s been slightly split between those who expected us to do exactly what we did on the first album and those who have enjoyed moving into something else.
AMBY: Why did you decide to self-title the album?
To Kill A King: We’ve had a change in line up so we felt like a fresh start, we felt like we needed change.
AMBY: Obviously there are major differences between the two albums, how do you feel your sound has evolved?
To Kill A King: It’s got heavier, for sure. A lot of the songs started on electric guitars so that makes it heavier anyway. Also us playing to bigger crowds has caused us to change sound, when we first started we played the first album to small crowds in pubs and by the end of it I think our biggest show has been to about 8,000. It’s a big difference. The new album definitely sounds bigger.
AMBY: How did the album artwork come about?
To Kill A King: We found this old picture of Taffel’s dad playing chess, he used to hustle people with chess for money. So we decided to recreate the image with him now and put them side by side.
AMBY: Are the songs mostly written about personal experiences or do you prefer to write about things you’re less involved with?
To Kill A King: I think this ones the most personal album, the last one was definitely more stories really.
AMBY: So Huw Stephens made Love is not control his track of the week and you even recorded a session for radio 1! What’s it like hearing your songs on radio?
To Kill A King: Amazing, it’s been really good recently; we’ve been played quite a bit on radio 1 which we’ve never really done before. And again with our sound changing it’s made it more possible. Zane played it as well and Annie Mac on her first show which was really good.
AMBY: Previously you have supported Bastille, how do the support slots compare to your headline shows?
To Kill A King: It’s a really good thing to be a support band, you’re there to warm up the crowd, it can be really good and those gigs have been really good for us. It’s never going to compare to a headline show, also it goes so quick, half an hour seems like nothing when you are a support. But it’s quite nice in some ways, it’s a lot less hard work, you just show up, play and you’re off again. Headline shows are definitely the most enjoyable.
AMBY: Do you prefer the bigger shows or the more intimate ones?
To Kill A King: I think they are both interesting changes, we still do more living room shows and things like that. They both give different challenges, If you’ve been doing a string of big gigs then I think you get really confident with that but then if you’re asked to do a stripped back show in front of say 50 odd people that are just a couple of feet away from you it becomes really scary. But then again the reverse is true, if you’ve been doing a string of intimate ones and then you’ve got a few thousand people in front of you that can be scary too. I enjoy them both though, you can have a real laugh in smaller ones, you can actually talk to them compared to a bigger venue where it’s a bit impossible really, you’re limited to them shouting things that you can’t really hear.
AMBY: A few years back you started Annie Oakley Hanging with Dan Smith from Bastille, a sort of western side project which is apparently making a comeback. Can you tell us anything about it?
To Kill A King: I can’t tell you much other than its being talked about, very seriously.
AMBY: What have been the most significant parts of your musical journey up to this point in time?
To Kill A King: I think it’s always going to be our releases really; I feel that they play big parts or even chapters in our story.
AMBY: What’s next for To Kill A King?
To Kill A King: At the end of the week we will play shepherd bush which is our biggest ever headline show which is great and then we head off to Europe for the rest of the tour which we are all very excited about.
AMBY: On a final note, how would you sum up the album in 5 words?
To Kill A King: It is our second album.
Thank you To Kill A King, for giving us your answers!
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/184639296″ params=”color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Interview by Lauren Woodland | @HeyIts_Lauren


Usually the news that a Member of Congress is seeking $30 contributions would be received as good news – evidence that there is a role for average Americans in the multi-million dollar campaign game. But the recent debacle involving Members skipping their own swearing in and fundraising in the United States Capitol reflects horribly on the institution. The situation highlights the poisoned atmosphere in Washington where for all too many Members the never-ending campaign threatens to trump their constitutional role of legislating.
Unfortunately for Rep. Mike Fitzgerald (R-PA), the fundraising scheme that he and his team put together, highlighted by a party in the Capitol to celebrate his swearing-in, has landed him in hot water. Turns out that the invite to the event clearly asked for a contribution to Fitzpatrick’s campaign committee. Fundraising in the Capitol complex is a big no-no, prohibited by both laws and House rules. The law allows Members to hold swearing-in receptions in House offices, paid for by campaign contributions, but not fundraisers.
Then to make matters worse, Rep. Fitzpatrick, busy with his constituents and the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), missed the swearing-in ceremony on the House floor. As a result, he and Sessions cast several votes while not officially Representatives. Those votes had to be nullified by congressional resolution and re-voted. Rep. Fitzpatrick, who served in the House previously, and Rep. Sessions, a veteran of the House and a member of the Leadership, can’t claim to have made a rookie mistake.
While the amounts involved are small potatoes and there was probably no intent to violate rules and laws prohibiting fundraising in the Capitol (the $30 was charged to cover the bus fare to Washington), there is much confusion about whether or not rules and laws were violated. That is why it is important for the Office of Congressional Ethics and the House Ethics Committee to examine exactly what happened, to make clear public statements about what Rep. Fitzpatrick did wrong, and to provide Members with specific guidance on how to avoid replication of this situation.
It would be unfortunate for the Ethics Committee to repeat its disappointing performance in the per diem case it decided before the holidays. In that case, the Ethics Committee made the mystifying finding that, even though Members themselves admitted they used their per diem for gifts and other non-essential expenses, there was no “evidence” that such expenditures had occurred and thus there was no violation. This finding flew in the face of reality. Given the Members’ own statements, there was no doubt that House rules had been violated. And while again the amounts involved were again small potatoes, the Committee failed to do its job and missed a good opportunity to again give clear guidance to Members about how best to follow the rules for per diem and to reinforce that abiding by House Rules is a solemn responsibility for Members. “No serious harm, no foul” is no way to run the legislative branch.
In the case of Rep. Fitzpatrick, there should be no need for any Member or outside entity to formally request the OCE to investigate what happened in the case of this fundraising event. The basic information is already in the public sphere and certainly, at a minimum, there are legitimate questions about the appearance of Rep. Fitzpatrick’s celebration. Quite simply, it reflects poorly on the House of Representatives and is beneath the dignity of the office. As entities charged with upholding the integrity of the institution, the Office should, on its own initiative, collect the facts and the Ethics Committee should point out where mistakes were made so that other Members will not repeat these missteps.
In the end, the Fitzpatrick faux pas is likely to turn out as an unwitting mistake, but it is illustrative of just how much the money-raising machinery is part and parcel of congressional daily life. Choosing to spend time with contributors rather than performing one’s sworn duties as an elected Member of the U.S. House of Representatives is sadly indicative of the skewed priorities of too many elected officials in Washington today.
This piece ran in The Hill's Congress blog on January 18, 2011 and a shorter version was published in the print edition on January 20, 2011.


text:
History of Windsor
Castle, Part 5
by Evelyn Ingleby
W I N D S O
C A S T L E
The poet Earl of Surrey was much at Windsor in his early life and was imprisoned there in 1546. In one of his poems, he gives a description of the large green courts, the stately seats, the secret groves, the wild forests and other delights of the place. He was beheaded in 1547 for denying King
VIII's supremacy in the church. Queen Jane Seymour was buried at Windsor Castle with much pomp, a
life-sized figure of the deceased was upon the pall, with a rich crown of gold upon her head, the hair all loose, a sceptre of gold in her right hand and adorned with
finger-rings and a necklace of gold and precious stones. In his will, Henry VIII commanded that his body should be laid beside that of his "true and loving wife, Queen Jane."
Queen Elizabeth was very fond of Windsor Castle, and sometimes remained all the autumn and over Christmas. Between 1569 and 1577, more than £1,000 a year was spent on improvements, which, remembering Elizabeth's parsimony, is very surprising. It is said that Elizabeth desired to see "Falstaff in love," and therefore it was that
Shakespeare resurrected the Queen's favourite character from
IV" and laid the scene of the "Merry Wives" at Windsor. As Elizabeth was very fond of riding, many a gay cavalcade of beautiful ladies and gallant gentlemen must have issued from the gates of Windsor, whilst many a magnificent pageant must have been held and many must have been the love scenes enacted here, during her long reign.
There are several old descriptions of the castle at this period still extant and, among the Harleian MSS, is one generally attributed to the London historian, Stowe. "Upon the north side and outer part of which
[describing the Terrace] lodgings also, between the same and the brow or fall of the hill which is very steep and pitched, is an excellent walk or bay, running all along the said buildings and the side of the castle borne up and sustained with arches and buttresses of stone and timber railed breast high which is in length 360 paces, and in breadth 7, of such and excellent grace to the beholders and passers by lying open to the sight even afar off; that the state lines, pleasure, beauty, and the use thereof seemeth to contend one with another which of them should have the superiority."
from PH Ditchfield's "Bygone Berkshire" (1896)

domain: history


text:
N. Bakali, 29, is the leader of the Kisimba group in Lugazi. She is a down-to-earth lady who is married with three children between the ages of 5 and 10. She cares for 10 dependents. She has managed a grocery store in the Kisimba village for four years, selling stuff like sugar, salt, cooking oil and paraffin plus many other items. For the two years that she has been getting loans, her shop stock has increased and she makes 50,000 more profit per week than before the loans. She is happy that right now there are not so many shops in her area, so she has more customers and hopes to increase her stock. Bakali hopes to see all her children attain the best education as they grow up. She needs a new loan to help restock her grocery store.
This is a Group Loan
In a group loan, each member of the group receives an individual loan but is part of a larger group of individuals. The group is there to provide support to the members and to provide a system of peer pressure, but groups may or may not be formally bound by a group guarantee. In cases where there is a group guarantee, members of the group are responsible for paying back the loans of their fellow group members in the case of delinquency or default.
Kiva's Field Partners typically feature one borrower from a group. The loan description, sector, and other attributes for a group loan profile are determined by the featured borrower's loan. The other members of the group are not required to use their loans for the same purpose.

domain: sociology


text:
Digital internet dating may do a number on the mental health. Fortunately, absolutely a silver lining.
feeling all awkwardness of teen many years while hugging a complete stranger your fulfilled online, and receiving ghosted via book after relatively successful schedules all make you feel like crap, you are not by yourself.
In fact, their been scientifically found that online dating in fact wrecks the self-confidence. Sugary.
Rejection may be seriously damaging-its not just in your thoughts. As one CNN blogger put it: the mind cant determine the essential difference between a broken center and a broken bone tissue. Not just did a research demonstrate that social rejection really is comparable to real aches (big), but a report on Norwegian University of Science and tech showed that online dating, particularly picture-based internet dating applications (hello, Tinder), can lowered self-respect while increasing probability of depression. (In addition: there could shortly end up being a dating component on myspace?!)
Experience declined is a type of area of the real person enjoy, but which can be intensified, magnified, and even more regular in terms of digital matchmaking. This can compound the destruction that rejection has on our psyches, per psychologist man Winch, Ph.D., whos given TED discussion about them. Our very own all-natural response to becoming dumped by a dating spouse or getting picked last for a team is not only to lick the wounds, but in order to become intensely self-critical, typed Winch in a TED chat post.
In, a report in the University of North Colorado found that regardless of sex, Tinder customers reported significantly less psychosocial wellness and signs of looks unhappiness than non-users. Yikes. To a few individuals, getting rejected (online or perhaps in individual) may be damaging, says John Huber, Psy.D., an Austin-based clinical psychologist. And you may getting refused at an increased frequency whenever you undertaking rejections via dating programs. Are refused often could cause that have actually a crisis of self-esteem, that could influence your lifetime in many steps, he says.
How we comminicate on the web could factor into feelings of getting rejected and insecurity. Online and in-person communications are entirely various; it’s just not also oranges and oranges, their oranges and celery, claims Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist situated in Dallas.
IRL, there are a great number of subtle subtleties that get factored into a general I like this individual sensation, and also you do not bring that luxury online. As an alternative, a possible fit is actually decreased to two-dimensional data factors, claims Gilliland.
Once we dont discover from some one, have the impulse we were hoping for, or have downright refused, we ask yourself totally free dating sites, could it be my personal pic? Years? The thing I said? In lack of knowledge, your mind fulfills the spaces, states Gilliland. If you are a little insecure, youre probably fill by using many negativity about your self.
Huber agrees that face to face socializing, even in tiny amounts, is advantageous within our tech-driven personal physical lives. Sometimes getting affairs much slower and achieving additional face-to-face relationships (especially in matchmaking) is positive, he says. (associated: They are the Safest and Most harmful locations for Online Dating In the U.S.)
It can also come down seriously to the truth that discover too many choices on online dating systems, which could undoubtedly make you considerably happy. As author level Manson says within the understated ways of perhaps not providing: generally, more selection received, the less content we come to be with whatever we select because had been conscious of all of those other alternatives were probably forfeiting.
Experts have been studying this experience: One study printed in log of identity and public Psychology reported that substantial alternatives (in almost any circumstance) can undermine your following fulfillment and motivation. Way too many swipes can make you second-guess your self as well as your decisions, and you are remaining experiencing like youre missing out on the bigger, better prize. The effect: Feelings of emptiness, despair, listlessness, and also anxiety.


text:
By: Bryan Giese
Torrent Women Secure First Ever WPSL Point
With temperatures in the upper 90’s, Saturday’s match-up with the Fire 98 would test the Torrent physically and mentally. The women would continue to battle throughout; showing resilience and toughness. When the final whistle blew the Torrent were rewarded a point for their 2-2 draw.
The match began well for the women; maintaining possession, creating chances, shutting down the Fire 98 defensively. Milwaukee would spend much of the first half limiting the number of chances that got through to goalkeeper Sarah Klimisch. Defender, Kelli Swenson would play a pivotal role in making things difficult, and transitioning the ball quickly out of the back.
First Official Goal
The transition for the Torrent would generate a number of chances offensively. It would be Mariah Downs in the 27 minute that would score the Torrent’s first official goal in team history. The goal would hold as the lead tally through the first half whistle.
Both teams would battle the heat as they came out to start the second half. It would be the Fire 98 who would figure out a way to maintain more controlled possession in the second half. After relinquishing the lead at the 55 minute mark, the women would find themselves trailing at the water break in the 67 minute.
Despite the limited time they have spent together, the Torrent women pressed on together. It would be Haley Johnson in the 73 minute that found the back of the net for the final goal of the match. Milwaukee would benefit from their ability to counter the Fire 98 pressure with long balls through the middle of the park. Much like on Johnson’s goal, the Torrent utilized speed and heart to move through the space to create high quality chances in the dying moments of the match.
Optimism And Talent
“One of the things that will come is how they click on the field,” explained Coach Davi. “They need to learn which teammate makes this run or that. This comes with time.”
“There are a lot of positives we can take out of today’s game,” stated Coach Mark Litton. “We responded when we went down 2-1. We could have easily folded; put our heads down and walked out with a loss. The things we need to fix are easy fixes.”
The Torrent women will now have ten days to get to know each other. They will next take the field on June 6 when they travel to play the Chicago Red Star reserves.

domain: sports


Leading cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin this week reported declines across key asset reserves, including bitcoin, ether, and USDT stablecoins. According to its latest proof of reserves certificate, holdings dropped 3-4% from August as some users withdrew funds from the platform.
Data from analytics provider Defillama substantiated the trend, recording $118 million in net outflows from KuCoin over the past month. The drainage points to dwindling confidence among customers unsettled by markets and shifting regulatory landscapes.
KuCoin’s Bitcoin stockpile dropped by 4%
KuCoin’s reserve certificate showed its bitcoin stockpile decreased by around 4% to just over 17,600 BTC in September. Ether holdings fell 3% to about 148,000 ETH, while USDT reserves dropped 4% to approximately $837 million.
The reductions coincide with the extreme volatility rocking cryptocurrency markets in 2022. Skittish investors tend to move assets into stablecoins or external wallets during periods of uncertainty.
In addition, intensifying crypto exchange regulation worldwide has spooked some users. While modest overall, sustained outflows of funds present risks to exchange viability and market stability.
Nonetheless, the climate suggests exchanges like KuCoin must take proactive steps to strengthen confidence. Regular attestations through reserve certificates provide one avenue to demonstrate solvency.


Remote sensing of soil moisture and rainfall in the study area
Work Package Leader: Dr. Luca Brocca, CNR-IRPI
An important asset of the project will be the exploitation of satellite products for rainfall and soil moisture to be employed for improving the hydrogeological monitoring in the study area. Indeed, in recent years satellite products have reached reliability and accuracy levels that enable their implementation in applications such as the Early Warning System for hydrogeological-hydraulic risk mitigation, which is the topic of the present project.
For soil moisture, different remote sensing platform will be investigated during the project. On the one hand, a very new soil moisture product will be available in the near future by using Sentinel-1 images by ESA (European Space Agency), featuring a fine spatial resolution (1 km) and a revisit time of ~7 days. On the other hand, coarse resolution soil moisture products (~20 km) characterized by daily temporal resolution and higher accuracy (e.g., SMAP–Soil Moisture Active and Passive, SMOS–Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity, ASCAT–Advanced SCATterometer) will also be used. Additionally, an innovative approach named SM2RAIN will be considered, which allows integrating rainfall products with higher accuracy and resolution to be obtained through the optimal integration of rainfall and soil moisture data. More in details, SM2RAIN algorithm will be used to estimate rainfall through satellite (and in situ) soil moisture observations. These will be integrated with state-of-the-art rainfall products (e.g. GPM) in order to create a superior precipitation dataset over the study area.
Satellite products will be firstly evaluated against ground observations of rainfall and soil moisture for determining their accuracy and for the selection of the best products to be implemented in the Early Warning System. It has to be noted that the remote sensing observations validated in the project will also be employed easily for other applications in the area, such as agricultural planning, water management and drought monitoring.
Database of satellite rainfall products for the study area: Month 5;
Database of satellite soil moisture products for the study area: Month 8;
Scientific analysis of satellite products in order to select the more suitable products for the completion of ANDROMEDA project: Month 10.


Knowledge Base Management.pdf
explicate and capture. Moreover, these tasks become even more difficult in fields where data and models
are found in a large variety of formats and scales or in systems in which adding new knowledge at a later
point is not an easy task.
But maybe the major bottleneck that is making very difficult the proliferation of expert systems is
that knowledge is currently often stored and managed using Knowledge Bases (KBs) that have been
manually built . In this context, KBs are the organized collections of structured and unstructured
information used by expert systems. This means that developing a system of this kind is very expensive
in terms of cost and time. Therefore, most current expert systems are small and have been designed for
very specific environments. Within this overview, we aim to focus on the current state-of-the-art, problems that remain open and future research challenges for automatic building, exploiting and maintaining
KBs so that more sophisticated expert systems can be automatically developed and practically used.
The rest of this work is structured as follows: Section 2 presents the state-of-the-art concerning
automated knowledge-base management. Section 3 identifies the problems that remain open. Section
4 propose those challenges that should be addressed and explain how their solution can help in the
advancement of this field. Finally, we remark the conclusions.
Although the challenge for dealing with knowledge is an old problem, it is perhaps more relevant today
than ever before. The reason is that the joint history of Artificial Intelligence and Databases shows that
knowledge is critical for the good performance of intelligent systems. In many cases, better knowledge
can be more important for solving a task than better algorithms .
It is widely accepted that the complete life cycle for building systems of this kind can be represented
as a three-stage process: creation, exploitation and maintenance . These stages in turn are divided
into other disciplines. In Table 1 we can see a summary of the major disciplines in which the complete
cycle of knowledge (a.k.a. Knowledge Management) is divided1 .
In general, there is no agreement about the nomenclature used in the literature, but we will try to explain these discrepancies. In general we will use the expression a.k.a. (also knows as) for the same discipline receiving different names


Check valve refers to a valve that actively opens and closes the valve flap by relying on the activity of the medium itself to avoid the backflow of the medium, also known as check valve, one-way valve, reverse flow valve, and back pressure valve. The check valve belongs to an active valve, and its primary effect is to avoid the backflow of the medium, the reversal of the pump and the drive motor, and the discharge of the container medium.
Check valves can also be used on lines supplying auxiliary systems where the pressure may rise above system pressure. Check valves can be mainly divided into swing check valves (rotating according to the center of gravity) and lift check valves (moving along the axis). The effect of this type of valve is to allow the medium to move in only one direction and block movement in the opposite direction. Usually this kind of valve works actively. Under the effect of fluid pressure moving in one direction, the valve flap opens; when the fluid moves in the opposite direction, the fluid pressure and the self-coincidental valve flap of the valve flap act on the valve seat, and then cut off the movement. Among them, the check valve belongs to this type of valve, which includes swing check valve and lift check valve. Swing check valves have a hinge mechanism and a door-like disc that rests freely against the slanted seat surface. In order to ensure that the valve disc can reach the proper position of the valve seat surface every time, the valve disc is designed in the hinge mechanism, so that the valve disc has sufficient swing space and makes the valve disc truly and comprehensively touch the valve seat. The disc can be entirely made of metal, or it can be inlaid with leather, rubber, or composite cover, depending on the performance requirements. With the swing check valve fully open, the fluid pressure is virtually unrestricted, so the pressure drop across the valve is relatively small. The disc of the lift check valve is located on the sealing surface of the valve seat on the valve body. Except that the valve disc can rise and fall freely, the rest of the valve is like a globe valve. The fluid pressure lifts the valve disc from the sealing surface of the valve seat, and the backflow of the medium causes the valve disc to fall back to the valve seat and cut off the movement. Depending on the application conditions, the disc can be an all-metal structure, or it can be inlaid with rubber pads or rubber rings on the disc holder. Like the globe valve, the passage of the fluid through the lift check valve is also narrow, so the pressure drop through the lift check valve is larger than that of the swing check valve, and the flow of the swing check valve is restricted. rare.
Check valve experimental status: the axis of the lift check valve disc is in an orientation that is straight with the horizontal; the axis of the swing check valve channel and the disc axis are in an orientation that is approximately parallel to the horizontal line.
In the strength test, the test medium is introduced from the inlet to the specified value, and the other end is closed, and it is qualified to see that the valve body and valve cover have no leakage.
In the sealing test, the experimental medium is introduced from the outlet end, and the sealing surface is checked at the inlet end, and no leakage at the packing and gasket is qualified.


text:
Almost 2 full acres of natural beauty in this Portage Ridge wooded building site. This neighborhood adjoins the scenic M-22 corridor, it is located between Manistee and Frankfort. Gently rolling terrain presents many options for a walk-out lower level design. 395 ft. of road frontage provides great privacy from all neighbors. Valleyview is a quiet street with a cul-de-sac so no through traffic. Nice mix of native evergreen Hemlocks and hardwoods. Underground utilities to lot include natural gas, electric, telephone and hi-speed cable. Portage Ridge pool & picnic area for summer fun. Very close to great restaurants, Lake Michigan beaches and Portage Lake for boat access to Lake Michigan. Association fee $336 per year. Plat restrictions available. Listing agent related to seller.
Lots of great potential on this beautiful lot. Nestled just north of Onekama, Portage Ridge is a nice and quiet area ready for your new home. Located close to Portage Lake, Lake Michigan, and a nature preserve; this spot allows you to enjoy Northern Michigan and all it has to offer. The road...
MLS ID 18054270
Almost 1 1/2 acres of Pure Michigan in this Portage Ridge building site. This desirable neighborhood nestled in the scenic M22 corridor between Manistee and Frankfort is close to Lake Michigan and Portage Lake. Gently rolling landscape presents many options for a walk-out lower level design. Opal...
MLS ID 19049283
Courtesy of: RE/MAX Bayshore Manistee
Office Phone: (231) 887-4777
Listing Agent: Marjorie Zaccanelli
Updated: 15th October, 2019 2:05 PM.
Valleyview Drive Onekama, MI

domain: geography


text:
Nice pine centerpiece for Christmas
Norregård: God Jul önskar vi i Norregård.
4 Candle Centerpiece Planter Display Tray Illuminate your dinning table while displaying your succulents. Handmade from recycled pine, this versatile piece serves as a candle holder and planter. Fill it with rocks, moss, plants, wine corks and more.
Décoration Murale Metal disponible sur notre boutique Artwall and Co

domain: design


text:
Despite all the connections technology enables, employees still often feel separated from each other. Employee recognition, at its core, exists to help people feel more attached to their peers, their work, and their organisation. And it’s even more important in challenging or uncertain circumstances.
Unfortunately, good efforts and the best intentions are no match for outdated employee recognition practices. As the workforce and workplace have evolved, most recognition programs have not. Virtual teams, decentralised work, and new technology integration require equally progressive approaches to recognition.
Making it an inextricable part of culture is the only way to ensure recognition achieves its purpose. A fusion, rather than an infusion, is overdue and necessary. It’s also entirely possible when you combine modern tools of communication with genuine, personalised appreciation.
While recognition is a fundamental way to show appreciation for employee accomplishments, not all organisations have formal recognition programs in place to do so. Service anniversary recognition, for example, seems commonplace, but our research shows only 68% of employees have a program for it. Likewise, 64% of employees said they had a program to recognise work that exceeds expectations, and only 56% of employees had a program to thank people for small efforts that made a difference.
These types of perceptions take a toll on employee morale. According to the data, employees who held them are 37% less likely to feel appreciated.
So why are almost half of employee recognition programs outdated and disconnected? In many cases, the programs were launched as discrete HR initiatives or employee benefits offerings and were not designed to evolve. In other cases, employee recognition wasn’t a priority, so organisations didn’t invest the time, resources, or strategic planning to update or modify the programs. In general, recognition programs are most effective when they are part of a larger initiative tied to cultural goals, so they can grow and adapt with the culture.
According to Frank Tucker, former Chief People Officer, Taco Bell had a traditional employee recognition program for years. People used it, but it didn’t generate much excitement. So the company developed a new solution that incorporated a variety of symbols, styles, and celebrations to better match their fun and energetic culture.
Of course, excellence and success aren’t possible without every team member, which is something the company communicates often. Meaningful awards with a strong narrative and a healthy career anniversary program now support the core values. And a spectrum of parties—from small fiestas among teams to large Live Mas Meetings in the corporate HQ café—help carry and define the culture across the company.
“You want to celebrate people. It’s one of those human elements that people want to feel recognised. We try to celebrate it wherever we can. I think it’s a big part of what makes Taco Bell special,” says Tucker.1
Organisations achieve best-in-class recognition when they make it a foundational, integrated piece of their culture. Recognition that’s inconsistent, arbitrarily used, or only available to certain employees can’t provide any long-term impact.
It may help to define “integrated” in this context. It means noticing and appreciating success is the norm—accomplishments elicit more than silence, rewards don’t feel automated, and recognition is an instinctive, natural response to great work across the enterprise.
Through years of research, the O.C. Tanner Institute has developed eight specific measurements, based on employee perceptions, to determine the level of recognition integration, as visualised below.
Figure 5. INTEGRATED RECOGNITION
Eight ways to assess how deeply recognition is ingrained in an organization’s culture.
Integrated recognition is evident when it happens frequently and in personal ways.
The research of WorldatWork, a global association for HR management professionals and business leaders, had similar findings: only 17% of organisations have “deeply embedded” recognition programs, and, at the other end of the sample, 19% have no recognition program at all.2
Logically, integrating recognition becomes more complex as organisations grow and spread out. For example, larger or multi-national corporations must consider all of their locations because integration varies significantly from country to country and many geographies may have their own siloed initiatives. The chart below shows standardised scores of integration compared to the US.
As organisations work to integrate recognition into their cultures, they find that different employees have different perceptions of it. Below are some notable examples of how likely various groups are to feel recognition is embedded in their culture:
Understanding these differences becomes especially important as organisations expand their diversity and inclusion efforts because ensuring recognition is available and given to employees equally is a vital part of integrating it.
No doubt, recognition integration takes a concerted effort and investment, and not just in financial resources. It takes commitment from all levels of leadership, time to develop strategic recognition practices, and patience to nurture recognition across all areas of the business. But the results are well worth the work.
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) had a number of employee recognition programs, including a program for monetary rewards and a more exclusive President’s Award. But with a fresh company brand makeover in 2016, BDC wanted to integrate and align recognition with their culture and connect it to the new brand. So, they designed a new online, multidirectional recognition strategy and tools that would enable every employee to appreciate their peers and celebrate important career milestones.
Overall, BDC found success because updated recognition tools and practices helped them reinforce the strong culture they already had, while making it easier and more accessible to appreciate accomplishments that laddered up to their brand promise.
“Appreciating our peers is increasingly embedded in the way we do things. It is becoming common practice,” says Karine Clément-Debrosse, Senior Advisor, Employee Experience at BDC.4
The future of employee recognition will carefully blend new technologies and individualised experiences (“tech and touch,” for short). Technology will facilitate the act of recognising great work. But software-only initiatives that rely on a Facebook-type wall of accolades or recognition transactions consisting of emailed thank-you notes are not enough.
Moving forward, organisations will supplement the latest tools with personal, meaningful, genuine recognition experiences. Intentionally pursuing a high-tech and human-touch recognition strategy will make all the difference in helping people thrive and deliver great work.
The right technology can expedite giving and receiving recognition, communicate employee accomplishment throughout the organisation, and make it easy to choose exciting rewards. It can also provide useful data to evaluate success and integrate into other HR or performance management tools. Nonetheless, many organisations are not using modern recognition technology, and they face an uphill battle: only 40% of employees believe their organisation will invest in future innovative recognition technology.
In our Technology chapter, we discussed Cultural Technology Innovation Readiness (CTIR), which also applies to recognition technology. When organisations scored higher in CTIR, they were 3x more likely to have recognition embedded in their current culture, and employees were 59% less likely to feel their program is stale, 63% less likely to feel it’s outdated, and 41% less likely to feel it’s used to disguise compensation.
Organisations that choose to upgrade their recognition technology should focus on two main aspects: integration and innovation.
Technology integration. Many organisations and even some recognition providers opt for separate portals and systems to support recognition, expecting employees to step out of their normal workflow to participate. In some cases, this may be necessary, as many organisations do not have a robust technology ecosystem, or they grapple with dispersed employee groups that use technology differently (or rarely use it at all). For these organisations, separate systems may be required.
But for most others, the goal should be to bring recognition into the flow of everyday work. They should seek to embed the ability to recognise employees directly into employees’ existing processes. This means including the capability to recognise others in email, web browsers, social tools, intranets, HR portals, and other programs employees already use daily. For offline employees, this means enabling mobile access and implementing ways to interact with online recognition technology within their existing tools and spaces.
Placing recognition in the flow of work facilitates giving and receiving recognition more quickly and frequently. And recognising in real time is a distinct advantage. Brian Kropp, VP of the HR practice at Gartner, says, “Every day that passes between when a positive employee behavior happens and when the recognition is given, the value of that recognition declines.”5
Having an organisational focus on technology integration leads to a 3x higher likelihood that recognition is embedded within a culture. It also decreases the perception that recognition is stale by 55%, outdated by 51%, and used to disguise compensation by 57%.
Technology innovation. Tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning enable organisations to use recognition data to inform culture efforts and assist diversity and inclusion initiatives in entirely new ways. Data showing who is recognising, being recognised, and for what, can be integrated with other demographic and performance information to help improve the employee experience for everyone.
Currently, less than half (45%) of organisations are considering using advanced technology to support recognition efforts and enrich their understanding of culture, and just over half (52%) are using it to support diversity and inclusion efforts. But advanced technology can be a powerful complement to these initiatives.
A company’s annual culture/engagement survey revealed women and line-level supervisors felt less appreciated than other employees. However, recognition program data showed no decrease in the amount of recognition these employees received.
Using advanced technology to analyse the data more closely, the organisation discovered employees recognised each other with different language. Men received recognition with stronger positive statements and at a higher magnitude than women and line-level supervisors.
Going a step further, the company blended the data from its engagement survey, recognition program, and performance management system. This analysis revealed these employees received less-than-fair performance reviews and were more likely to feel disconnected from the organisation.
The data informed a targeted strategy and the creation of employee personas for training leaders who might be susceptible to unconscious biases. Ultimately, the new approach was more cost effective, easier to manage, and more impactful in addressing the root causes of the survey results.
Many organisations have created compelling purpose statements and employee value propositions that inspire and engage employees. But what’s often missing is a fundamental connection between the employee and the customer value proposition. Some have tried to bridge the gap by recognising employees based on customer feedback. While this has an impact, there is opportunity to make a more direct connection between employees’ work and its impact on customers.
Why is this important? Because employees want to feel they are making a difference; that their work matters. The best way to demonstrate this connection is by showing how an employee’s work affects the lives of customers, clients, patients, or end users. It gives their work meaning and relevance. We asked customer-facing employees to rank the recognition they receive based on how important it is to their overall employee experience. The result: Recognition from direct leaders and recognition from customers nearly tied for the most important form of recognition.
Organisations have typically focused on recognition for years of service, achievement, and everyday effort. But they should also focus on creating more formal processes for customer feedback and linking employee accomplishments more directly—and consistently—to customer impact. When organisations have recognition programs in all four areas, employees are far more positive about recognition at their organisation.
The growing role of technology in employee recognition raises the risk of recognition practices becoming transactional, rather than an authentic expression of appreciation. This can make recognition feel less genuine and reduce its effectiveness at improving culture. Again, effective recognition combines the best of tech and touch, but even with the right technology, the human touch is often missing. The goal is to move recognition from transactions to meaningful experiences for all involved. Personalisation plays an important role and is something leaders and teams can incorporate in the specific ways they present recognition.
A full 70% of employees say recognition is most meaningful to them when it is personalised. That doesn’t always happen, however. Only about half of employees believe their leader understands how they want to be recognised, and about one-third of employees report the way they receive recognition makes them feel uncomfortable.
When organisations invest effort into understanding how individuals want to be recognised, and then personalise recognition based on those preferences, there is a substantial impact:
Advanced technologies have a place in personalising recognition. AI’s deep data-mining capabilities allow organisations to understand and individualise recognition experiences and awards, especially across diverse, distanced teams.6 This tailoring helps reinforce the sense that employees are valued as individuals for their contributions. But ultimately, the leader plays the most important part in personalising the recognition experience.
The next few pages outline ways leaders and peers can personalise the recognition experiences for service awards, achievements, and everyday efforts. You’ll notice that the relative importance of the award, the setting, and the presentation elements differ based on the type of recognition given. There are also global nuances to keep in mind, as employees in different geographic regions have different preferences. Organisations can use these insights to create special, genuine recognition experiences for their people.
When acknowledging years of service or career celebrations, the awards themselves are important to the employee, as is having a celebration to reflect on their career with coworkers and leaders.
*Note: In the US, these types of awards do not offer tax advantages that come with having a service award program that includes tangible awards.
Employees also enjoy individual celebrations with their leader as well as larger celebrations with their teams.
This said, we do see nuances in different geographic regions. For example, in China and Saudi Arabia, employees prefer to hear stories about their above-and-beyond achievement during career celebrations, while in Russia, the UAE, and the UK, they like to be appreciated for how they interact with others. Employees in the UK also favor more subdued, conservative recognition experiences.
To celebrate achievements, employees value being recognised in front of their coworkers and leaders. And if it’s relevant to the achievement, they like to hear how their work benefited their teams.
Overwhelmingly, employees want their recognition to include the impact their work had on their teams and the organisation.
Like career anniversaries, there are global nuances for achievement recognition. Employees in Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa like to see how their work affects customers. Conversely, praise for a unique skill set is preferred in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, and the US. Employees in Australia, the Netherlands, and the UK prefer their achievements be recognised in one-to-one settings.
As with achievements, the success of everyday-effort recognition depends more on where it takes place than how it’s presented. Most employees prefer it be in front of their teams and like to be appreciated for the impact their work had on their coworkers.
Global nuances exist here, too. Employees in Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore prefer hearing how they contribute to the success of their organisations, while Dutch, French, Mexican, and Russian employees favor knowing how their work impacts customers. Countries where employees would rather pass on this type of recognition than be recognised too publicly are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Japan.
Employee recognition is more important now than it has ever been. It can neutralise the negative effects of isolation, disconnection, and burnout, especially in difficult times. It connects employees to their organisation’s purpose, their personal and team accomplishments, and each other. And it enables employees to thrive even as the workplace constantly evolves. But it only works when it’s done well.
Current recognition strategies and programs must be reassessed to ensure they support organisational culture and the employee experience. And for recognition to be most effective, it must seamlessly integrate with both the culture and the natural flow of employees’ work.
The organisations that thrive in the next 10 years will create cultures that value and appreciate their employees. Recognising individuals proves to them that they belong and are a critical part of the organisation’s success. Those that do this effectively, with the right mix of tech and touch, will see a powerful impact on their people and business results.
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How to trust your gut when it comes to a job offer
Mary Lorenz | November 23, 2016
When you get a job offer, but your gut is telling you not to accept it, how do you know when to trust your gut or when to ignore it?
It finally happened. After devoting weeks – maybe even months – to searching for jobs, filling out applications, sending out resumes and going on interviews, you've finally got a job offer. Saying "yes" should be a no-brainer, right?
Yet for some reason – a reason you can't explain – you're hesitant to say yes. What gives? While you may not be able to explain the feeling in your gut that's telling you to hold on, you may want to listen to it. "Much like every other aspect of life, someone's gut is an extension of their instinct, and it is important to heed it even when they can not necessarily verbalize their thoughts in that moment," says Kelly Ogle, team lead for Accounting, Finance and Supply Chain Recruiting at LaSalle Network. For those re-considering a job offer, Ogle says a negative gut feeling "may be a trigger that they have what they're looking for in their current role and that they should stay, or the role they're considering sounds great, but doesn't have something really important to the them." Therefore, if you have a bad gut feeling about a job offer, you shouldn't ignore it.
The problem is, many of us have trouble listening to our guts because we have been taught to base decisions on facts; however, there's a scientific explanation as to why our gut might actually be one our best tools when it comes to making decisions.
The science behind gut feelings
The brain has two types of memory: explicit and implicit. Explicit memory is made up of the information we make a conscious effort to remember. Implicit memory is the knowledge we've accumulated subconsciously - or implicitly, if you will – from collected experiences over the years. Have you ever caught yourself singing along to a song you didn't even know you knew the words to? Chances are you heard the song so many times, your brain just naturally absorbed it. That's how implicit memory works -- it enables you to recall memories (such as the lyrics to "Shake It Off") you might not even realize you had. So when you have a "gut feeling" about something, it's likely the result of your implicit memory telling you that something is off based on knowledge you didn't even realize you had from prior experiences.
If your gut is telling you something is off about a job offer, take time to listen to it with the following tips.
Give yourself a break
Sometimes our minds become so cluttered thinking about a dilemma, it's impossible to listen to what our gut is trying to tell us. If you've been mulling over the job offer for a while and you're still not getting anywhere, give yourself permission to take a "brain break." Go for a long walk, take a yoga class or meditate – anything that doesn't require any thinking – and give your mind freedom to wander. By stepping away from the situation and clearing your head, you will give your intuition room to emerge.
Differentiate between intuition and fear
Sometimes what we consider a "bad feeling" is really just fear. Take time to reflect on whether what you are feeling is just fear of change or the unknown…or something more. It's perfectly natural to feel some fear upon accepting a new job, but just remember that every new job comes with a learning curve. Once you look at the situation rationally, you may find that what you were feeling was really just fear that will subside with time and experience.
Take "should" out of the equation
When you think about the job offer, do you really want to take it, or do you think you should take it? If you find yourself saying "should," it indicates an external or imagined pressure to take it – as opposed to what you really want. "Whenever I hear clients say 'I should,' I say: 'According to who?' They usually say, 'family pressure' or 'I guess I'm making it up,'" Hana Ayoub, a professional development coach, tells Fast Company. "The 'should's' help people tune in to when they're not listening to their gut."
Get in touch with your feelings
While there is validity to following your intuition, it's hard to do so when most of us have always been taught to "think things through;" however, sometimes our thoughts can get in the way of what our guts are trying to tell us. In order get more in touch with your feelings, try this quick exercise: Think about a positive experience from your past. Then think back to the moment you realized you were doing the right thing. What sensations did you feel? Next, do the same thing, but with a negative experience. Now, think about the situation you are in currently, with your job offer. What feelings arise? Are they more similar to the feelings around the positive event, or the negative one? This exercise could give insight into which direction to steer.
Ever had a gut feeling about a job – good or bad? Tweet us @careerbuilder
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More career tips:
- Pandemic job losses for women – and how to get rehired
- How to excel in every type of interview
- How far back should you go on a resume?


Valchromat 05 from Investwood is a wood-fiber panel. The fibers are colored during the production process with organic colouring agents and chemically bound with a special resin which lends Valchromat 05 unique physicochemical features.
The panel with the lowest formaldehyde emissions produced by Valbopan. It maintains its technical and physical characteristics (even the Moisture resistant capacity) despite having less formaldehyde. The approach to ecology and the preservation of human health, complying with the limits imposed by Chemikalien-Verbotsverordnung and with the limits of BREEAM International.
The production of Valchromat E05 panel is certified and allows the panel to be used in buildings that require BREEAM international certification.
- Moisture resistant
- Higher density than MDF
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- Lower abrasion of tools
Investwood produces Valchromat 05 in different colours, sizes and thicknesses. On the surface small wood fibres that did not absorb the organic dye remain visible giving Valchromat 05 a unique, natural look. Because of the tonal variation in wood, the main raw material in the wood-fiber panels, Valchromat 05 can also show variations in colour.
- Moisture Resistant
Valchromat 05 is classified as an MDF.HLS, it is a panel that can be used as a structural element to support loads in humid environments.
It has a higher density than a normal MDF, being more homogeneous throughout the thickness.
- Mechanical resistance
Greater resistance to flexion, elasticity modulus and internal cohesion, which allow its use in structural applications such as pavements supported by beams and structural walls.
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One of the mechanical characteristics that the panel has is the ease of being mechanized / milled without crumbling its interior.
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When cut, drilled or mechanized / milled it causes less tool wear.
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Boards can be cut, drilled and machined with power or compressed air tools commonly used in carpentry or mechanical metalwork.
Sizes and Thicknesses
|Dimensions (mm) ||2440 x 1220, 2440 x 1830, 3660 x 1220, 3660 x 2440 or others upon request |
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CC Copeland, Ray "The Flame" Sukash, Deb Seitz, Biscuit Miller, "Ang" Anderson (left to right). Not shown are drummer Myron Robinson and sax great Rodney Brown.
Ray "The Flame" Sukash
Biscuit Miller (Biscuit & The Mix), "Ang" Anderson (Kingsnakes) and Rodney Brown (Hot Rod)
Fender Row: Strat, Bass and Tele
Look for Rodney Brown at the 2008 Chicago Blues Fest !!!

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Rep. Demmer visits Quincy to address opposition of retirement tax
QUINCY (WGEM) – The Republican candidate for Treasurer made a stop at Washington Park on Thursday morning to continue his push against taxing retirement income in Illinois.
Demmer said the people of Illinois already spoke out against additional taxation in 2020. The Pritzker Administration’s “Fair Tax” proposal was rejected by 54% of voters.
Demmer said it’s his goal to be a voice for the majority.
“I stand with a majority of Illinoisans who reject those tax increases, who oppose the retirement tax,” Demmer said. “Those who understand Illinoisans can’t just simply continue to pay more and more taxes while we need to look at the spending side of things and live within the means of the state.”
Read the full story here.


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To make a perfect cup of tea: Paula says…”Shake tins each time before using”! You might want to use our “Perfect teaspoon” and strainer, it makes everything easier and more precise.
Bring 1 cup water and 1 tsp. tea to boil. Steep 2-3 minutes. Strain and serve.
Bring 1 cup water and 1 tsp. tea to a boil. Simmer 8-10 minutes. Add sweetener if desired. Strain and serve warm or iced.
WHITE – GREEN – OOLONG
Bring 1 cup water to boil turn off the heat. Place 1 tsp. of tea in the pot and steep 2-3 minutes. Strain and serve.
Bring 1 cup water and 1 tsp. tea to a rolling boil. Strain and serve.
Bring 1 rounded tsp. tea, 1 cup water, 1/8 cup milk and 1/8 cup half & half (can substitute soy) and 3 tsp. sugar (or sweetener of choice to taste) to a boil. Continue to boil until caramel in color. Strain and serve.
Make your favorite tea using 1 tsp. of tea to 1 cup of water, add sweetener if desired and adjust to the size of your pitcher. Strain into a glass or stainless steel bowl to cool.
Watch our video of Paula making a perfect cup of Chai:


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SAINT-JEROME, Que. — Former national ski coach Bertrand Charest has been given a 12-year prison term for sexually assaulting teenage girls he trained.
With time already served in detention since 2015, Charest has seven years and 10 months left in the sentence.
A judge handed down the sentence in a courtroom north of Montreal this morning.
Charest was convicted in June of 37 of the 57 sex-related charges he was facing.
The judge called Charest a sexual predator when he found him guilty on charges involving nine of the 12 women who’d accused him of crimes dating back more than 20 years.
All but one of the victims and alleged victims were under the age of 18 at the time of the offences, with the youngest being 12.

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