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Our Super Easy 5 Layer Mexican Dip is made with salsa, cream cheese, refried beans, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. We also love to include jalapeños and black olives for an extra kick during football season!
I was introduced to this party food years ago when my sister-n-law at the time made it for a Super Bowl party. I’ve been making different versions of it since!!
I’ll share the 5 layer version with you, but you’ll see I sometimes will add a 6th or even 7th layer to it for kicks and giggles.
What is 5 Layer Mexican Dip?
Well, this is kinda self-explanatory. It’s a Mexican Dip that you see often at family get-togethers, birthday parties, New Year’s parties, and tailgating.
This version is made with layers of refried beans, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and black olives.
You can serve with nachos or even spread onto a flour or corn tortilla for more of a meal versus a dip.
Is Mexican 5 Layer Dip Keto-Friendly?
The 5 Layer Mexican Dip can be. I didn’t focus on that for this recipe, but if you check the labels, you very well could make a keto-friendly version of this recipe.
The cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and black olives are low in carbs & higher in fat naturally, but you’d want to check your refried beans and salsa brands. Some of those can be higher in carbs than others.
What Do You Serve With 5 Layer Mexican Dip?
I like it served with restaurant-style nachos.
Those are just personally my favorite, but Kalee & Jake like the scoop-style nachos, too.
It’s also fun to have some flour (or corn) tortillas handy in case someone wants to make a bean burrito.
Any other tailgating, party-type finger foods would be great with your Mexican 5 Layer Dip.
Don’t get too focused on sticking with a Mexican theme unless that’s your goal.
If you’re just planning a fun get-together, any type of finger food will go well with this dip.
What Ingredients You’ll Need to Make 5 Layer Mexican Dip?
- 1 16 oz can of refried beans
- 1/2 pack of taco seasoning
- 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese – softened (if you’re going for keto, do full fat)
- 8 oz reduced fat sour cream (if you’re doing keto, do full fat)
- 16 oz jar of salsa
- 1 cup shedded cheddar cheese
- 2.25 oz of sliced black olives
- *optional 6th layer of jalapeños
We personally like a little spice so we added 1/4 cup diced jalapeños to our recipe.
Love spice? Check out our keto-friendly loaded cauliflower recipe!
Making Our 5 Layer Mexican Dip Recipe
Do you serve your Mexican Dip hot or cold?
The dip we made is ready to go once layered together. I did let mine sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
I ate it cold, but for a change, I also would scoop some into a bowl, and zap in the microwave just for a little change.
However, this dip is ready to serve cold or room temp for your tailgate party.
Need more tailgating ideas?
Check out more ideas in our round-up of tailgating recipes!!
- 16 oz refried beans
- 1/2 pack taco seasoning
- 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
- 16 oz jar of salsa
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2.25 oz sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup jalapeños , optional
- In a 9x9 or 8x8 pan, start with layering the refried beans.
- Blend softened cream cheese, sour cream, and the 1/2 pack of taco seasoning together.
- Layer the cream cheese mixture over beans
- Layer the salsa
- Then layer with the shredded cheddar cheese
- Top with the black olives
- Optional topping of sliced jalapeños.
- Allow to chill for 30 mins so the flavors blend and then serve.
- Cover & Refrigerate leftovers.
- Leftovers should be good for up to 3 days if covered and refrigerated.
Serving Size:1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 821mgCarbohydrates: 15gNet Carbohydrates: 11gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 9g
Nutrition is only an estimate and may not be accurate.


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Supplying the Commerce with the perfect pet merchandise at the very best costs. The trend of protecting pets is rising day by day. As the pattern is gaining popularity, so does the demand for the pet accessory suppliers are increasing. In relation to the wholesale of dog provides, you possibly can all the time get confused because the market may be very various. In case you are new in this business and want to choose anybody company, which is the perfect, authentic and provides with less cost. Then you’re at the right place to know.
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Pets are the greatest companion any human can have. Whether they are cats, canines, rabbits, or different forms of animals, they’re fun-loving creatures that convey us joy. When it comes to pets, not solely are they fun to play with, but they also gives you unconditional love and a spotlight that you just deserve.
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domain: pet


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Plate Tinos green marble M
Rectangular plate with rounded corners in Tinos marble. The plate is handmade and has a matt finish. Slightly hollowed out. This unique plate can be used in the bathroom, desk, as a jewellery dish,....
Tinos Green is a Greek marble with a green background colour with shades and veins in light or dark green colours. Designed by Greek architect Faye Tsakalides.
Size: 30 x 15 x 2 cm.

domain: artistic


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Rangers’ Florida Cup fixtures revealed as two more teams are added to tournament schedule
Rangers’ Florida Cup fixtures have been announced.
Pedro Caixinha’s side will take part in the glamour tournament Stateside during the Premiership winter break.
And organisers have now revealed Polish side Legia Warsaw and Fluminense of Brazil will join other teams from around the world in an eight-club tourney.
Brazilian duo Corinthians and Atletico Mineiro, Dutch giants PSV, Barcelona SC of Ecuador and Colombians Atletico Nacional were already confirmed.
Now the fixtures have been released. Rangers face Atletico Mineiro on Thursday, January 11 before taking on another Samba side in... read more
- 12:38 Weekly health walks are launched
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- 12:37 "Our NHS is on the brink and needs funding"
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- 12:35 Billionaire couple found hanged side-by-side at home were ‘murdered’
- 12:35 Cheshire health trust wins youngsters' mental health innovation award
- 12:34 Australian Open 2018: Kyle Edmund makes surprising claim after...
- 12:35 From Syria to Sutton: Area of Sanctuary’s support for refugees
- 12:34 Alexis Sanchez boards private jet in latest TWIST to Manchester...
- 12:34 Alexis Sanchez announcement delayed: Man Utd in no rush to confirm...
- 12:32 7 pubs and restaurants in Leicestershire that serve a great Sunday...
- 12:32 Grealish is tip-toeing his way through Aston Villa's Championship...
- 12:32 Why Alan Pardew was so pleased with West Brom - despite failing to...
- 12:32 Police target drivers in pensioner hunt
- 12:30 Game of Thrones season 8 cast: Who will be in the final series?
- 12:29 Two arrested on murder charge after man’s body found in garden
- 12:29 Alan Cumming makes £64K profit on ‘Indyref flat’ he bought in...
- 12:29 Snow warning for our region issued by Met Office
- 12:29 I am a feminist, so why am I desperate to have a traditional wedding?
- 12:29 This family has been growing record-breaking giant veg for...
- 12:28 From Syria to Sutton: Area of Sanctuary’s support for refugees
- 12:28 Alexis Sanchez boards plane to Manchester to complete Man Utd transfer
- 12:27 DR Congo: Anti-Kabila protests dispersed with tear gas
- 12:25 Michelle Keegan launches activewear collection with Very
- 12:25 Watch: Horrifying crash caused by overtaker not looking in mirrors
- 12:25 COLUMN: Simple steps you can take to ward off winter chills
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- 12:25 John Barnes slammed for gay men comments on CBB
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- 12:24 Australia captain Steve Smith in ball tampering controversy as...

domain: news


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Padang is the gateway to the Minang highlands. Padang has rendang that is so famous in the world. This city also has many attractions that you can regret if you don’t come to this capital of West Sumatra Province.
The newly opened Minangkabau International Airport in Ketaping, Padang Pariaman serves daily domestic flights from Padang to Jakarta, Medan and Palembang, plus international flights to Kuala Lumpur. Padang also can be reached by ship from other islands, including from Jakarta. A number of public buses also have routes to Padang from various cities. The Padang-Jakarta journey can takes more than 38 hours by bus.
The natural beauty and cultural richness in Padang and surrounding areas are not to be missed. Ranging from lakes, beaches, forests and waterfalls, caves, gorges, to cultural attractions such as museums and historical palace.
The popular valley in West Sumatra that has a very spectacular natural scenery for your eyes. Located on the edge of the trans Sumatra, Anai Valley presents a panorama of three beautiful waterfalls and lush tropical forests.
Three Levels Waterfall
Located at Cendikar Village, Three Levels Waterfall is one of the most mysterious and challenging tourist attractions in Padang. The path to the third level is slippery and steep, hence visitors have to crawl carefully.
Built in 1974 and it is one of the icon of Padang city. It is also one of the tourist attractions that you must visit in Padang. This museum is known as Padang miniature because it stores all the cultural wealth.
Air Manis Beach
Ever heard the legend of Malin Kundang? To see the legend, you have to come to Air Manis Beach that is also known as Aie Manih. See the famous Malin Kundang stone, as well as the beautiful panorama of Mount Padang.
The largest lake in West Sumatra with a length of 21 kilometers. There are several places around the lake to rest while enjoying the stunning scenery. There are also facilities for canoeing or boating around the lake.
A lake that is located in Bukittinggi with calm blue water, scenic hills and beautiful paddy fields. There are facilities available at the lake for swimming, fishing, or water bicycles that can be used to explore the beauty of the lake.
Steep valleys with deep ravines is a very beautiful natural attractions in New York City. Cliffs and green valleys stretches, with a backdrop of Mount Merapi and Singgalang with magnificent view.
Before entering the city Payakumbuh, you will find a beautiful natural cave with exotic stalagmites and stalactites on the ceiling. Outside the cave, you can enjoy the garden with shady trees that are part of natural beauty.
The palace was first built in Batusanggkar Pagaruyung royal family, the typical building character Minangkabau, with relics of the kingdom which is still preserved. Beautiful nature and fresh air covering this palace.
Kain Songket beautiful detail golden thread that is made here. Clever Sikek village located at the foot of Mount Singgalang and has a beautiful view. Here you can also see a society that traditional farming.
A beautiful white sand beach has a blue water and rows of waving palm trees. In addition to the charming sunset and sunrise, a night on the beach is very beautiful with views of the lights of flickering lights in the Teluk Bayur, not far from Nirwana Beach.
Siti Nurbaya Bridge
Magnificent bridge that connects the old city of Padang with Nurbaya Siti Park is an icon of the city of Padang. Stretched dashing as far as 260 meters, the bridge is promising a dazzling panorama of flickering lights when the night comes.
The island which is half a mile northwest of the city of Padang has a long coastline, fine white sand, blue sea and palm trees are stunning. Trekking around the island or explore the forest, or rock climbing you can do here.
A nature reserve near Payakumbuh which presents the beauty of the limestone hills are steep, with five gorgeous waterfall which pours the water is crystal clear. This fertile valley surrounded by steep granite colorful with a height of 100-500 meters.
What things that you can do in Padang?
What food that you must try in Padang?
How to get around in Padang?

domain: travel


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DIY French Drain Project Having The Right Materials Matter – The French Drain Man
We’re in Macomb Township, Michigan installing a French Drain System. All of the water was running off this elevated patio into the planting bed area, making a mess of everything. The bark was floating away. The plants were going to die. Basically, no oxygen in the soil kills the plants. A lot of plants don’t like wet feet. So we moved the plants over, we put in what’s going to be an open French Drain. The water’s just going to run right in.
Make sure when installing a french drain to always use a pipe that does not have a sock or sleeve on it on it. You want to wrap the trench completely, all the stone and pipe as one, you want to wrap that and not just have fabric on the pipe, that won’t do.
We have it going to the storm drain system. In between the houses, it’s always a low spot. It’s always a trouble area So this greenbelt was always saturated. We’re gonna be able to dry that off, pull moisture from the subsoil. The quicker you move water the less saturation to the subsoil you’ll get. That’s why having the right stone, having the right fabric, having the right pipe, that’s why all of this matters. The faster you move the water, the less saturation to the subsoil.
For a French Drain System in Macomb Township, Michigan, give us a call at 248-505-3065.

domain: design


The Sasol GTC Championship enters its crucial final third of the season and with just six races remaining, the title chase is delicately poised between the defending champion Michael Stephen (Engen Audi GTC) and Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW GTC), separated by 51 points at the top of the leaderboard.
With 11 wins between them, seven for Stephen and four for Bonafede, the gloves will be off when the two title contenders square off on Saturday, 9th September at Killarney. Bonafede led the title race since round one until the last race in August when he was pushed off the track by a rival racer which compromised his log standing. Bonafede’s demise has allowed Simon Moss in the second Engen Audi GTC into the championship chase with a 46 point deficit to Bonafede. Moss would have been even closer had it not been for a race-ending accident .at the last race held at Zwartkops. Moss has been knocking on the door of a first win which could happen at any time given a clean run, although he may be called upon to help his team-mate in the title chase.
The Killarney favourite, Johan Fourie (EPS Couriers BMW GTC) is in fourth place on the log, thanks to six podiums and two fastest race laps, an indication of the former champion’s speed. His hometown fans should will him to a maiden victory, adding to the title tension.
The leading Volkswagen Jetta GTC driver, Matthew Hodges is 43 points behind Fourie in fifth place, boosted by his podium finish at Zwartkops last month. Hodges is a GTC race winner (East London 2016) and is overdue another victory. The only other driver to stand on the top step of the podium this season has been Robert Wolk in the second Sasol GTC racer, now in sixth place on the points log. A torrid outing at Zwartkops has strengthened his resolve to lead once more and prove he has mastered tin-top racing. He will also be required to take points away from Bonafede’s rivals as the title chase reaches a boiling point in the next few months.
Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Jetta GTC) is a scant three points behind Wolk and with his fastest lap at Zwartkops under his belt should be fired up to pounce in Cape Town. Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW GTC) has had several competitive outings at recent races and is looking for a podium or two before the year is out.
The championship for two-litre front wheel drive turbo cars is almost a foregone conclusion with Keagan Masters enjoying a substantial lead of 145 points. Masters will miss the Cape Town races due to other commitments
Masters’ closest challenger is Trevor Bland (TB Racing VW Golf GTi) who has yet to win a round of the GTC2 series. Consistency has been Bland’s forte, racing to eight podium places so far. The fight for the championship runner-up place is a close fought affair, with Charl Smalberger (iCorp VW Golf GTi) just 34 points off the coveted place, having been awarded the race two victory last time out.
Seven points further back in fourth place is the Champion MINI John Cooper Works team driver, Chris Shorter who has enjoyed a strong run of late, including his maiden victory at Port Elizabeth, along with three strong podium results.
22 points behind is the second MINI, in Ferodo colours, driven by Brad Liebenberg. A strong mid-season saw the MINI driver take three wins, but a slump in form has seen the karting champion slip down the order to fifth. Another driver to find his early season form is sixth placed Mandla Mdakane in the second factory VW Golf GTi. A winner at Kyalami, Mdakane has a single podium to his name since.
Iain Stevenson (Comsol VW Golf GTi) has put in some solid performances over the year and has edged closer to the leading pace, while local racer Dayne Angel (Angel Autohaus Honda Civic Type R) is lacking a few performance parts to get up to class-winning pace.
The Sasol GTC Championship will feature an opening ten lap race while the inverted grid spectacle runs over 15 laps. The popular fan grid walk at 12h30 is also part of the Sasol GTC experience and will take place before the first race.
Join the conversation on social media using #SasolGTC and visit www.sasolmotorsport.co.za for the latest Sasol GTC Championship news, broadcast schedules and so much more
Pictures: David Ledbitter


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About the show
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Ali Berger, BIG BOI, Vibesquad, Dark Party, Les Rhythmes Digitales and more.
Recorded live on Lost in Bass on Glitch.FM. All originals arranged live.
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domain: entertainment


"I wanted to make sure that I had all the time in the world to experiment with guitar, vocals and keys."
UG exclusive: "I was the rock 'n' roll guy in Pantera."
UG exclusive: "I've played in the band long enough to where I think I have a good enough insight into how a Slayer song goes versus an Exodus song."
UG exclusive: "I've been playing for 46 years and I have no idea how to string a guitar. I've never done it."
UG exclusive: "There were no more shuffles, no more dynamics."
UG exclusive: "He showed me my first chords, my first licks, and six months later he asked me to join Exodus."
UG exclusive: "As guitarists, we need to listen to our own playing and make sure that we pay attention to those dynamic contours."
UG exclusive: "I've always had a big fuckin' mouth."
UG exclusive: "Chester's always been as clear as one could be that his passion and commitment for Linkin Park."
UG exclusive: "The songs were good. It was cool but it didn't sound like Blink."


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Most people will not require the services of personal injury attorneys in Virginia on a regular basis. In fact, there are a large number of people who will never need these services. Unfortunately, while it is certainly a good thing that most people will not become seriously injured on a regular basis, the fact is that the limited amount of experience which many people will have with these services can often leave them feeling a bit unprepared when it comes time to seek out the counsel of a personal injury attorney. In fact, in far too many cases, the limited amount of knowledge which individuals have concerning these legal services will prevent them from confidently seeking out the legal representation which they desperately need. Today, I would like to help ensure that you never find yourself in this same situation by taking just a moment to share with you a few facts which you should know about hiring personal injury attorneys in Virginia. Fact #1: Determining whether or not you require personal injury attorneys in Virginia is actually much easier than many people realize. This is because while many accident victims spend hours in turmoil trying to decide whether or not their injuries are serious enough to warrant a call to a local attorney, the fact is that this question can easily be answered in just a matter of minutes by choosing to schedule a consultation with a local attorney. Regardless of the facts in your particular case, you will always be eligible to meet with a personal injury attorney to discuss your case. Choosing to take advantage of this opportunity will often prove to be the very best way in which to determine whether or not you require legal representation when pursuing your claim. Best of all, since these consultations are available free of charge, there is absolutely no risk involved with simply sitting down with a qualified attorney in order to discuss the next steps in your case. Fact #2: There is no such thing as an accident victim which cannot afford to hire personal injury attorneys in Virginia. While it is not uncommon for accident victims to believe themselves to financially incapable of hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent them, the truth is that all accident victims can in fact afford these beneficial legal services. This is because when you choose to hire a personal injury attorney, you will not be required to make any sort of upfront payment for these services. Instead, you will simply be required to sign a contingency agreement which entitles your attorney to collect their legal fees from any settlement which they secure in your case. The best part about this type of payment arrangement is that if for any reason your attorney is unsuccessful in settling you case, you will be under no obligation to pay anything for the services which they have provided. Fact #3: Just because you have already filed a personal injury claim without the aid of an attorney does not mean that it is too late to hire personal injury attorneys in Virginia. In fact, there are only two events in the world which can prevent you from seeking out these legal services at any point during your case. The first of these events is your decision to accept a settlement in your case. Once you have accepted a settlement, you will not be able to seek additional compensation in the future. This is why you should always consult an attorney before accepting any payment in regards to your case. The second of these events is the expiration of the statute of limitations in your case. If you file a claim prior to this time limit expiring, you will no longer have the legal right to seek compensation. Therefore, you should always act as quickly as possible when seeking out the services of a personal injury attorney.Share
27 December 2013
Hello, my name is Matthew. Welcome to my site. I am here to talk to you about accident and personal injury attorneys. When I was involved in a serious accident, I had to recover for months in the hospital. My finances suffered due to mounting medical bills and lost wages. I dealt with considerable pain through every phase of the healing process. I worked with an accident and personal injury attorney to obtain compensation for the repercussions of the accident. I created this site to help others find an attorney to work with so they too could acquire compensation following an accident.

domain: law


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Roof awning Thule Omnistor 6300 with integrated LED-lighting and adapter, white housing, 325 x 250 cm (expandable with privacy screen, wind and rain protection)
Mosquito net door (entire door height), user-friendly thanks to lateral guidance
External storage flap, 80 x 35 cm, RH side, rear
Shower equipment with shower head and curtain
Autonomy pack (95 Ah AGM habitation battery, charger with integrated booster and battery gauge)
Gas regulator with crash sensor for two gas bottles (automatic change if gas bottle is empty)
30 l freshwater tank with level indicator
Truma gas water heater
Ocean Drive in American Diner leather look with high back cushions and additional cushions for bed construction.
Furniture finish: Grand Oak
High-pile carpet "Ocean Drive"
2 additional reading lights in the rear
2 utensil bags
Rear Transverse bed
Sink cover with chopping board


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A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEWBY FAKHER A. OMEZZINE
Abstract- The nature of nowadays large-scale complex projects necessitates the application of appropriate and adequate project management models, as well as full knowledge of project success drivers. Since the mid-19th century, project management scholars have been undertaking a significant deal of work on project success. They have developed multidimensional frameworks that discard the deficient focus on simple measurements of time, cost, and performance, to define project success. In fact, Reaching projects' objectives in compliance with constraints of cost, time and performance is insufficient to determine projects' success. Within this context, project management scholars identified several other critical factors that are responsible for the success of a project. This paper aims to present an overview of the current literature on the topic of project success and the concept of project success factors.
1. IntroductionIt is widely agreed that, when project management has emerged in the 1950's, it mainly focused on planning and scheduling, managing budget, and evaluating performance. During that time, due to the nature of most projects, which focused mainly on production, customer contact and long-term follow-up were not common. However, as projects varied in nature and size, further studies realized that the Iron Triangle of time, cost, and quality, is no longer adequate to define project success. Thus, project management scholars started investigating other dimensions that affect the success or failure of a project.
In this context, the first systematical classification of critical success factors in the area of project management was provided by Schultz, Slevin, and Pinto (1987). These authors classified success factors into two groups; strategic and tactical. The strategic success factors are mainly related, but are not limited to, top management support, project mission, and project scheduling, while the tactical success factors include client consulting, human resource selection and personnel training. However, Pinto and Slevin (1989) later learned that this categorization is insufficient, as it needs to consider the different phases of the project life cycle. In fact, project management scholars later agreed with Pinto and Slevin's findings, and proposed sets of critical project success factors based on the various phases of the project's life cycle.
2. Project success
2.1 Extending the traditional view of Project SuccessThe concept of project success remains one of the most frequently discussed subjects in the field of project management. However, project management scholars continue to disagree upon it. Greer (1999) stated that the most basic definition of project success, which is still being used by many practitioners, is the completion of an activity while satisfying the three project constraints, namely, cost, time and performance. However, cost, time and performance are insufficient to measure a certain project's success, as we also need to consider the stakeholder's satisfaction and the quality of the project management process (Baccarini, 1999; Schwalbe, 2004). Thus, reforming the traditional triangle (Figure 1) by involving the stakeholder's satisfaction and the quality of the project management process allows a more comprehensive conception of project success.
Figure 1: Project success: extending the traditional view (Westhuizen and Fitzgerald, 2005)
In a profound examination of 20 failing projects, Thomsett (2002) expands this definition by including two additional points; meeting the functional requirements, and providing the project team with professional learning.
In the same context, Kerzner (2009) stated that "in addition to time, cost, and performance or specification level, the project has to be completed:
- With the customers' acceptance
- Without disturbing the organization's fundamental workflow
- Without altering the corporate culture
- With the least possible mutually agreed scope changes"
2.2 Project-management success and project-product successHowever, Baccarini (1999) argues that project success is a combination of project- management success and project-product success. Project-product success refers to the actual deliverability of the project and successfully providing "the benefits to the many stakeholders involved with the project such as the users, customers or the project staff" (Atkinson, 1999). Baccarini (1999) mentioned that being over budget or schedule means failure in project management, however, the project's product could still be a success. Thus, he suggests that the extended model in Figure 1 is not sufficient to measure success of a project as it ignores several factors that can only be measurable at the post-delivery stage of the project (Atkinson, 1999).
Accordingly, DeLone & McLean (2003) believe that project-product success can be measured based on "system quality, information quality, information use, user satisfaction, individual impact, and organizational impact". Westhuizen and FitzGerald (2005) developed an advanced model (Figure 2) that examines how a product is successfully delivered while showing the different implementation phases and the relationship with customer experience. According to Westhuizen and Fitzgeral (2005), this model can be adapted to any project by replacing the 'system quality,' 'information quality' and the 'service quality' factors with appropriate specific industry concepts.
Figure 2: Advanced Project Success Model (Westhuizen and Fitzgerald, 2005)
2.3 Project success criteria within the project's life cycleIn the same context, Shenhar et al. (2002) also argued that equating success with meeting the project's schedule, budget, and performance, is a misleading measure. They also mentioned that the concept of project success varies according to the assessor; "an architect may consider success in terms of aesthetic appearance, an engineer in terms of technical competence, an accountant in terms of expenditure under budget, and a human resources manager in terms of employee satisfaction " (Shenhar et al., 2002). Thus, they contend that a comprehensive understanding of success needs to consider different interests and views.
In another study, Shenhar et al. (1997) proposed a multidimensional universal framework that assesses project success, which include the following four dimensions: project efficiency, impact on the customer, direct and business success, and preparing for the future.
The first dimension- project efficiency- is a short time measure that indicates to what extent the project process has been efficiently managed. In other words, this dimension shows if the project has been completed within the schedule and budget. The second dimension –impact on the customer- includes satisfying the customer by meeting the functional requirements, technical specifications and performance measures. The third dimension –business and direct success- addresses the impact the project had on the organization, mainly improving the total performance of an organization by ameliorating performance time, yield, quality of the process, and cycle time (Hammer & Champy, 1993). The fourth dimension – preparing for the future- is the longest-term dimension and answers the following questions:
- "How does the organization prepare for future opportunities?"
- "Does it explore new opportunities for further markets, ideas, innovations and products?"
- "Does it build new skills that may be needed in the future, or develop new technologies and core competencies?"
- "Is it prepared to make a change and create the future in its industry or to adapt quickly and meet additional challenges, unexpected moves of competitors, and market and technology surprise?"
Figure 3: Time-dependency of the importance of the four project's success dimensions (Shenhar et al., 1997)
3. Project success factorsProject management researchers have been striving to identify factors that lead to project success since the 1960s and have attained several conclusions that have been largely disclosed in project management literature. However, in spite of all the effort to determine projects' success factors, despite all the acquired individual and collective experience in project management, and despite the continuous growth in project management professional bodies' membership, project results are still disappointing to the different stakeholders.
Although there has been a consensus regarding the importance of the concept of success factors for project management practice, project management scholars have different views and definitions of this aspect. Prabhakar (2008) mentioned in this context "the only agreement is the disagreement on the issue of what is project success ". Kerzner (1987) defined success factors for a project as all the elements that are needed to form an environment where we can manage projects consistently with excellence.
3.1 First classification of project success factorsIn parallel, Schultz, Slevin and Pinto (1987) provided the first systematic classification of success factors for project management. According to these authors, these factors can be classified into two groups, strategic and tactical. The strategic success factors are mainly related, but are not limited to, top management support, project mission, and project scheduling. The tactical success factors include client consulting, human resource selection and personnel training.
Pinto and Slevin (1989) later learned that this categorization is insufficient, as it needs to consider the different phases of the project life cycle. Kerzner (2001) agreed with Pinto and Slevin's findings, as he stated that the concept of project success was always linked to the "completion of project activities in the due term, budget, and expected quality". Additionally, he mentioned that recently, this has changed to include "limitation of minimum changes in the scope of activities without interruptions in the workflow, without shifts in the corporate culture, and with full acceptance of results by the project client" (Kerzner, 2001).
In addition to Kerzner, Khang and Moe (2008) also agreed with Pinto and Slevin's findings, and expanded them further by proposing sets of critical project success factors based on the various phases of the project's life cycle as indicated in Table 1.
Table 1. Project Critical Success Factors
3.2 Overview of the most important success factors identified by project management scholarsWhile Kerzner, Khang and Moe agreed with Slevin and Pinto on the fact that the importance of success factors varies from one stage to another of the project's life cycle, Kerzner et al. had different views about the critical success factors to be considered as seen in Table 2. The different literature reviews seen in Table 2 confirms that reaching conclusions regarding the reasons for the success or failure of a particular project is as complex as project management itself.
Fortune and White (2006) conducted an investigation that included 63 publications about critical success factors (CSF) and concluded that there is poor consensus between different project management scholars on the factors influencing project success. They determined three frequently cited factors, which are: "the importance of a project receiving support from senior management; having clear and realistic objectives; and producing an efficient plan". Ofori (2013) provided a summarized literature review on project critical success factors from several authors (Table 2) that reflect the disagreement upon this aspect.
Table 2. Summarized literature reviews on project's critical success factors
Source: International Journal of Business and Management (2013)
3.3 Ofori's Conceptual framework for assessing project success factorsOfori (2013) developed a conceptual model (Figure 4) that considers, in addition to cost, schedule, and performance, social, cultural, political and economic factors, as well as communication, stakeholder involvement, leadership and competency. Ofori (2013) believes that there are endogenous environmental factors that influence the different critical factors, and subsequently the project's outcome. He stated that these factors include political, socio-cultural, economical, governmental, technical and operational environment. Ofori (2013) stated that these factors act as "filters" as the more pervasive they are, the higher their impact is on the project's outcome.
Figure 4. Ofori's Conceptual framework for assessing the quality of project management practices and critical success factors (Ofori, 2013)
3.4 Belassi and Tukel's holistic critical success factors frameworkA previous framework developed by Belassi and Tukel (1996) also addressed the drawbacks in the literature by grouping factors into four interrelated categories:
- "Factors related to the project,
- Factors related to the project manager and the team members,
- Factors related to the organization, and
- Factors related to the external environment."
3.4.1 Factors related to projectBelassi and Tukel (1996) listed six factors they believe are related to the project. These are the size and the value of a project, the density of a project network, the uniqueness of project activities, the urgency of a project outcome, and the project life cycle. According to the authors, large projects usually exceed their schedule's deadline, and they consequently suffer from imposed penalties such as loss of credibility and various monetary/ financial sanctions. Therefore, organizations should be aware of the project's size while considering the organizational familiarity with the type of the undertaken project.
Further, Belassi and Tukel (1996) mentioned that the uniqueness of the project's activities particularly affects the project manager's performance as the more standard the activities are, the better performance the project manager has. Moreover, the authors mentioned that the project's density, which is the ratio of total number of precedence relationships to the total number of activities, should be emphasized, as it affects resources allocation and consequently, results in projects' delay. Finally, Belassi and Tukel (1996) stated that the higher the project urgency is, the higher the chances that the project will fail. This is mainly due to the fact that projects with high urgency suffer from poor planning and scheduling as a result to the time constraint.
According to Belassi and Tukel (1996), even though the factors are grouped in different categories, they are highly interrelated, as factors can influence other factors from another group, while factors from various groups can lead to project's success or failure. "For instance, top management support is a factor related to an organization which can be affected by the general state of the economy. Similarly, the uniqueness of project activities can affect the project manager's competence on the job. Lack of top management support with the project manager's lack of competence on the job might lead to project failure" (Belassi and Tukel, 1996).
The authors mentioned that one of the main advantages of this framework is that it can easily detect whether the success (or failure) is related to the project manager, and/or to external factors, and/or to the project itself. In addition to that, this framework also assists project managers to comprehend the intra-relationships among factors from separate groups. In order to explain their view, they mentioned that while "resources" for instance, is regarded as a necessary factor for project completion in the literature, they consider it as a "systems response to organizational, environmental, and project management-related factors, including project managers' negotiation skills and top management support" (Belassi and Tukel, 1996).
3.4.2 Factors related to the project manager and the team membersBelassi and Tukel (1996) stated that these are the factors that are directly linked to the project manager's and team member's skills and characteristics. Pinto and Slevin (1989) have already revealed in a previous study that appointing project managers with the appropriate administrative and technical skills is an important factor for successful project completion. Moreover, they agreed that the project team's competence is found to be more crucial during the implementation stage, while the project managers' commitment and competence become most critical during the planning and termination phases. Belassi and Tukel (1996) mentioned that these factors affect project acceptance and client satisfaction as much as they affect the project's performance.
3.4.3 Factors related to the organizationAccording to Belassi and Tukel (1996), these are the factors that affect the project's organizational support. In this context, Tukel and Rom (1995) agreed that top management support is one of the most vital factors for projects' success, independently of the industry. They stated that top management ordinarily administers the project manager's access to resources, which are directed by functional managers. This control over resources' acquisition is usually seen as an obstacle, especially for projects with pure project forms, or for projects with matrix organizational forms.
However, if the project is part of the functional department, and thus the project manager is also the functional manager, availability of resources is no longer a barrier. Decidedly, factors affecting the organizational support for a project have a powerful impact on the project's success.
3.4.4 Factors related to the external environmentThese factors are totally external to the project, but still have an impact on the success or failure of a given project. In this context, Belassi and Tukel (1996) identified a number of environmental factors that can affect the project's performance. Pinto and Slevin (1989) introduced these factors in a previous empirical study, which include political, social, economic, factors related to the advances in technology, and factors related to nature, and confirmed that most of them affect a project during its planning stage.
However, Morris and Hough (1987) believe that these environmental factors affect projects at all stages of their life cycle. As an example, they indicated that factors as natural disasters or the public attitude towards a project could influence a project at any of its life cycle phases. Additionally, Belassi and Tukel (1996) believe that clients that are outside of the organization should also be considered as an external factor affecting the project's performance. However, they stated that if the client is part of the organization, which is the case for functional projects, factors related to the client are grouped under factors related to the organization. Moreover, they announced that factors such as competition and subcontractors, in addition to any factor that might affect the client's consultation and acceptance, should be listed as external environmental factors.
4. ConclusionThe assessment of the pertinent literature recent literature on the topics of project success and critical success factors reveals that there can never be an agreed understanding over the concept of project success, as it is assessed differently based on distinct context. Although there has been a consensus regarding the importance of the concept of success factors for project management practice, project management scholars have different views and definitions of this aspect.
Still, most authors agree that project success goes beyond simply satisfying the three project constraints, namely, cost, time and performance. Thus, other factors affecting projects' success need to be identified during the conception phase, and since most projects environments are dynamic, relevant critical success factors need to be identified for each of the project life cycle phases.
ReferencesAtkinson, R., 1999. Project management: cost, time, and quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, it's time to accept other success criteria. International Journal Project Management , 17 (6), 337-342.
Baccarini, D., 1999. The logical framework method for defining project success. Project Management Journal , 30 (4), 25-32.
Belassi, W., Tukel, O. I., 1996. A new framework for determining critical success/failure factors in projects. International Journal of Project Management, [Online]. 18, pp 141 - 151. Available at: article link [Accessed 04 November 2015].
DeLone, W. H., & McLean, E. R., 2003. "The DeLone and McLean model of information system success: a ten-year update." In: Westhuizen, D. and Fitzgerald, E. P. (2005). "Defining and measuring project success.'. Retrieved April 12, 2011 from https://eprints.usq.edu.au/346/1/DependentVariableArticleV8.pdf
Fortune, J., & White, D., 2006. Framing of Project Critical Success Factors by a Systems Model. International Journal of Project Management, 24(1), 53–65.
Greer, M. 1999. Handbook of Human Performance Technology. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Hammer, M., Champy, J., 1993. Reengineering the corporation. New York: Harper Business
Kerzner, H., 1987. In Search of Excellence in Project Management, Journal of Systems Management, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 30-39.
Kerzner, H., 2001. Strategic planning for project management using a project management maturity model. New York: Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H., 2009. PROJECT MANAGEMENT A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. 10th ed. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Khang, D. B., & Moe, T. L., 2008. Success Criteria and Factors for International Development Projects: A Lifecycle-based framework. Thailand: School of Management, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).
Morris, P.W.G., & Hough, G.H. (1987). The anatomy of major projects. John wiley and sons, New York.
Ofori, D. F. , 2013. Project Management Practices and Critical Success Factors–A Developing Country Perspective. International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 8, No. 21; 2013, 14-31.
Pinto, J. K., 1988. Critical success factors across the project life cycle. Project Management Journal, vol. 14 no. 1 5-18, p.67-p.75.
Pinto, J.K. & Slevin, D.P., 1989. Critical success factors in R&D projects. Research Technology Management, Vol. 32, Issue 1, pp. 31-36.
Prabhakar, G. P., 2008. What is project success: A literature re- view. International Journal of Business and Management , 3 (9). pp. 3-10. ISSN 1833-3850
Schultz, R. L., Slevin, D. P. and Pinto, J. K., 1987. Strategy and tactics in a process model of project implementation. Interfaces: Vol. 17, pp. 34-46.
Schwalbe, K., 2004. Information technology project management, 3rd edn, Course Technology, Boston.
Shenhar, A. J., Levy, O., & Dvir, D., 1997. Mapping the dimensions of project success. Proj. Manage. J. , 28 (2), 5-13
Shenhar, A.J., Tishler, A., Dvir, D., Lipovetsky, S. and Lechler, T. 2002. Refining the search for project success factors: a multivariate, typological approach. R&D Management, 32(2), 111–26.
Thomsett, R. 2002. Project Pathology, Causes, patterns and symptoms of project failure. [Online] Available at: https://www.thomsett.com.au/main/articles/path/toc.htm [accessed: 1 October 2007].
Tukel, O. I. and Rom, W. O., 1995. Analysis of the Characteristics of Projects in Diverse Industries Working Paper, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Westhuizen, D., & Fitzgerald, E. P., 2005. "Defining and measuring project success". [ONLINE] Available at: https://eprints.usq.edu.au/346/1/DependentVariableArticleV8.pdf. [Accessed 28 November 15].

domain: literature


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JEAN-FRANCOIS PODEVIN / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY JEAN-FRANCOIS PODEVIN / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Artificial intelligence, conceptual computer artwork. Human head, showing the brain (upper centre), drawn in a classical style (left) and a futuristic style (right). At right the human form is interwoven with wires, binary code and circuitry, which could represent the idea of artificial intelligence.
Model release not required. Property release not required.


Reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF) is a cutting-edge technique that has been gaining popularity in recent years as a means of improving the performance of large language models. It’s a powerful way to train these models using human feedback, and the human input component has many similarities to search evaluation. Both approaches are designed to improve the quality and relevance of the output through the use of subjective human input. While for search evaluation, humans focus on ranking search results, as part of RLHF, however, humans focus on generating natural language prompts, responses that are representative of an input prompt, and preference rankings of those responses.
At its core, RLHF is a technique that combines reinforcement learning with human feedback, where human preferences are used as a reward signal to guide the model towards generating high-quality language outputs. By using a diverse set of feedback providers, RLHF can help the model learn to generate text that is more representative of different viewpoints, making it more versatile and useful in a variety of contexts.
One of the key benefits of RLHF for business leaders is that it can help improve the performance of large language models by making them more adaptable to user needs. This is particularly important in industries where customer satisfaction is critical, such as healthcare, finance, and e-commerce. With RLHF, companies can use human feedback to train their models to better understand and respond to user needs, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction and engagement.
At Appen, we have deep expertise in delivering large-scale data for search relevance and are now applying our search expertise to support the growth of generative AI models through RLHF. We have worked with many clients on improving the performance of large language models, and we see a close alignment between RLHF and our mission to help companies create high-quality, relevant content that engages users.
So, how does RLHF actually work? The process typically involves three main steps:
- collect a dataset of human-generated prompts and responses and fine-tune a language model.
- collect human-generated rankings of model responses to prompts and train a reward model.
- perform reinforcement learning.
In the prompt-response pair generation step, a dataset of human-written prompts and appropriate human-written responses is assembled. This could be anything from a product description to a customer query. Some of the subject matter may be accessible to a wide audience, while other topics may require domain knowledge. This dataset is then used to fine-tune the language model using supervised learning.
In the response ranking step, multiple responses to the same prompt are sampled from the model, for each of a large set of prompts. These responses are then presented to human feedback providers, who rank them according to their preference. The ranking data is then used to train a reward model. The reward model predicts which output humans would prefer.
PERFORM REINFORCEMENT LEARNING
Finally, the reward model is used as a reward function, and the language model is fined-tuned to maximize this reward. In this way, the language model is taught to “prefer” the types of responses also preferred by the group of human evaluators.
One of the key advantages of RLHF is that it allows models to learn from a diverse set of feedback providers, which can help them generate responses that are more representative of different viewpoints and user needs. This can help improve the quality and relevance of the output, making the model more useful in a variety of contexts.
Another benefit of RLHF is that it can help reduce bias in generative AI models. Traditional machine learning approaches can be prone to bias, as they rely heavily on training data that may be skewed towards certain demographics or viewpoints. By using human feedback, RLHF can help models learn to generate more balanced and representative responses, reducing the risk of bias.
We’ve witnessed firsthand the power of RLHF in improving the performance of large language models. By using human feedback to train models, we have helped our clients create more engaging and relevant content that meets the needs of their users. We believe that RLHF will continue to be a critical tool for businesses looking to leverage generative AI to improve customer satisfaction and engagement.
RLHF is a cutting-edge technique that combines reinforcement learning with human feedback to improve the performance of large language models. By using a diverse set of feedback providers, RLHF can help models learn to generate more representative and relevant responses, making them more adaptable to user needs. RLHF can also help reduce bias in generative AI models and accelerate the learning process, leading to more efficient and cost-effective training.
As the field of generative AI continues to evolve, we believe that RLHF will play an increasingly important role in helping businesses create high-quality, engaging content that meets the needs of their users.


text:
For as long as I remember, night time was the time for me to be my father’s daughter.
As a kid, gripped by what I can now identify as the start of a lifelong battle with insomnia, I would be stay up long into the wee hours, long enough to hear the rhythmic beep-beep of my father’s alarm clock. I’d slip out of bed quietly, folding myself into clothes I’d laid out carefully the night before, and wait until I heard the click that meant the door to his room had been opened. I’d bound into the gold hallway, hushed but insistent, “Daddy can I go?”
Sometimes, he would say no. But I would live for the times he said yes. Perhaps he just wanted company. Perhaps he knew I’d stay up anyway and wanted me doing something more constructive than watching old cartoons and infomercials. Or maybe he knew, just like I knew at that age, that these hours were the few hours we could manage where it was just us.
I was a child, looking forward to childish things like being up all night and the sweetness of the chocolate glazed donut he would inevitably get me. But even then I knew there was something precious about this time, not shared with my little brother or my stepmom, not burdened by to do lists or visitation endings. We’d ride through the night, music blasting or talk radio on, or sometimes nothing but our own conversation to carry us through the ride. It seemed like those hours of darkness right before the sun rose were when I could see my daddy for who he was; not the hard working if absent parent I got to see on designated weekends. Not the sometimes stoic man with the past he hardly spoke of. But he had his own life and his own memories, a rhythm to his jokes and a special timbre to his voice I wasn’t familiar with during the world’s waking hours.
Though not by much, little by little I got to know him.
In the wee hours of the morning this morning, just like many mornings when sleep and I are distant cousins, I think of my father somewhere out in the world, humble and hardworking as he has been since I was a kid. I think of long, drawn out emphasis on the e’s in all the pleases I would shower over him so that he’d take me to work with him, of him teaching me to read maps, of throwing newspapers out of car windows and aiming for mailboxes. I think of him brushing my hair into a neat ponytail and bundling me up like an Eskimo for winter months. I think of him ordering my eggs just the way I like them and making me heaping pallets of coats and shirts that smelled of him to sleep on when I couldn’t keep my eyes open a minute longer. I think of him wiping icing off my nose and telling me I am the prettiest girl in the whole world.
And though he isn’t the type to admit it, to me or anyone else for that matter, I hope that wherever he is, he is thinking of the same.
One thought on “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”
I like the positive tone of this… Really.


text:
By Jamey Dunn
The House approved an increased estimate of the revenue the state will bring in next fiscal year. The new projection will match the spending that the chamber has approved over the last few days.
In February, the House passed a revenue projection of $34.495 billion with no opposition. Today, that projection was revised up to $35.352 billion over the opposition of Republicans in the chamber. In recent years, the House has approved a revenue estimate and then approved a budget based on that estimate. This year, things happened the other way around. “The process is kind of bass-ackwards here,” said Rep. David Harris, a Republican from Arlington Heights. “We have spent the money, so now we have to come up with a revenue estimate to meet the spending.”
A large portion of the difference between the estimates comes from $650 million that would be borrowed from funds outside of the state’s general operating budget. (For more on these special funds and how they play into the budgeting process, see Illinois Issues, April 2012.) Republicans argued that using money borrowed from other funds means that the state would have to raise more revenue to pay the money back later. “This is an unbalanced budget; this is a fund sweep; and this is a future tax increase,” said Rep. David McSweeney, a Republican from Barrington Hills.
Marion Democratic Rep. John Bradley, who sponsored the resolution, noted that there are not enough votes to pass legislation maintaining the current income tax rates, which are due to begin stepping down in the middle of next fiscal year. The chamber also voted down a budget with no new revenues and deep cuts. “We are trying to cobble together a budget to get through the next fiscal year, and the next governor, whoever that may be, has got a real fiscal cliff to deal with,” Bradley said on the House floor. “But this budget—this budget—gets us through the next year without the devastating cuts that people were against and without the tax extension that people were against.”
Bradley called upon his colleagues to “be realistic” and pass what he called the most responsible budget possible “in this climate given the fact that everybody’s against everything.”

domain: finance


Each device can monitor up to eight 1-Wire and/or MODBUS connected sensors at one time. Applications include datacenter and SOHO environment monitoring, cold chain (delivery trucks, distribution, storage centers, retail stores), medical products storage and transport, industrial processes data logging, and many others. Teracom LTD today announced the availability of highly reliable (3-year warranty), affordable and easy to set up and use TCW210-TH data loggers for remote temperature and humidity monitoring applications.
Each TCW210-TH can monitor up to eight temperature and/or temperature-humidity sensors of various brands and types (up to 24 different parameters each) via either 1-Wire interface and/or the more robust MODBUS RTU over RS485. For example, four sensors can connect via MODBUS and another four can connect via 1-Wire, all at the same time.
Utilizing an Ethernet interface for web and network connectivity, the device monitors real time data for temperature, humidity and dew point, and records all monitored parameters using internal FLASH memory. The records can be made on set time intervals and/or on alarm conditions. The capacity of memory allows at least 36 days logged with data recorded once every minute. The log file can be periodically uploaded on a dedicated server by HTTP Post.
The device is supported by Android and iOS applications, as well as by Teracom’s remote and monitoring software TC Monitor, which provides a free license for up to 10 items.
The logger utilizes a circular buffer in FLASH memory (up to 70,000 records). When it is full, the new data overwrites the oldest one. In this manner FLASH memory can store a full log all the time. For security reasons, there is not a command to clear the log. A copy of the full log is always available for download.
The TCW210-TH can initiate a connection (HTTP Post) to remote dedicated servers. The payload of this post are XML or JSON files. Standard protocols as SNMP, MODBUS TCP/IP, and HTTP API are also available for M2M applications. TCW210-TH also supports communication with ThingSpeak servers. Four different parameters (channels) can be processed simultaneously.
Filed Under: Test + measurement • test equipment


text:
Straight Up Tasty: Meals, Memories, and Mouthfuls from My Travels by Adam Richman
Adam Richman is one of those foodie TV personalities that I recognize but could tell you literally nothing about other than for very vague reasons my thoughts are positive. I'm guessing I saw an interview or two of him on Food Network or something and liked him but I haven't actually seen his show. However, if this book is indicative of what he has to offer that will definitely change.
The book is almost scrapbook style. In addition to the pretty solid amount of recipes there's lots of pictures and little notes stuck in margins with notes, tips, favorite restaurant suggestions and just bits and pieces of other things. It's fun to flip through and several nearby restaurants that I haven't tired yet have made it on the list. The food is interesting without being over the top in difficulty or weirdness. There's a Twice-Baked Sweet Potato that literally made my mouth water with it's bourbon-y, fontina-y goodness, a pizza recipe that's on deck for next weekend, Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Dumplings is happening with all the green tomatoes in my garden suddenly ripen at the exact time, and the Kentucky Hot Brown Bluegrass Sandwich just sounds yummy! There's a few things I don't see myself making - suishi and kimchee for example - but those are few and far between and it's kind of fun to read how to make them.
Today's recipe is fairly simple but don't be fooled by it's simplicity! This is a tasty pasta dish.
Cacio e Pepe
1 lb dried spaghetti
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the pasta and cook until slightly al dente (it should be a bit chewy). Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
Over low heat, melt the butter in the same pasta pot. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, adn stir, adding more water if necessary. Add the cheese and pepper and stir until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce, about 5 minutes. Serve with additional cheese.
My changes and observations: Next time (and there will so be a next time) I won't grate the Romano up so fine. I used my microplaner and it was a little too fine and kept clumping together so I had a hard time getting it all to melt. I used black pepper right out of my pepper mill and while it may not have been 2 teaspoons it was a pretty good bit. Also, I wouldn't necessarily say this created a creamy sauce but more of a coating on each of the noodles so don't be expecting a really saucy pasta. I used fettuccine instead of spaghetti because that was what I had and I prefer it.
The Results: SO good! It was so simple that it could work as a side dish with a seasoned chicken or whatever but I actually made it for a weekend dinner when I didn't feel like cooking. It was flavorful and filling without feeling super heavy. The recipe says it makes 4 servings but they were some seriously giant serving. The Tornado who is quite possibly the worlds pickiest eater ate 3 plates of it and kept talking about how good it is. This will definitely be on the short list for quick meals or a yummy side dish.
I'm definitely looking forward to trying more from Adam Richman and I'm hoping to hunt down some of his Man V Food shows on the Travel Channel. If he's half as much fun on the shows as he is in the book they'll be a treat.
I'm linking up with Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review

domain: food


Morphology study of a radio galaxie
The current generation of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes has its resolution power limited to few arcminute scale. Recently, new simulations and analysis techniques, applied to H.E.S.S. observations, made possible the measure of the extension of very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray sources below one arcminute. The improved understanding of the point spread function (PSF) of H.E.S.S. allows to investigate the morphology of nearby extragalactic sources such as radio-galaxies. The results of such sophisticated techniques, applied to the prominent radio galaxy Centaurus A, will be presented at the conference.


text:
Peru is a country that holds not just a variety of ethnic mixes, but also climatic variety that are 28 of 32 world climates. The mixing of cultures and the variety of climates differ from city to city.
Land of the Inca's
Legendary French chef, food writer, Auguste Escoffier Declared Peruvain Cuisine to be the third "Best in the world".
Peruvian food is considered by many to be the best in South America. Its rich culinary history stems from mainly from the combination of spanish and indigenous cuisines with traditional native Peruvian ingredients. Later influences came from the cuisines of china, italy, west Africa and Japan due to the arrival of immigrants from those locations. Due to a lack of ingredients from their home regions in Peru, these immigrants modified their traditional cuisine using items native to peru and those which had been introduced by the Spanish.

domain: sociology


Americans Lose Access to Health Care as Rural Hospitals Close
The impossible cost of health care in Appalachia: $40,000 for a single ambulance ride. We take a look at the cost of health care consolidation in rural America.
When Heather Edwards’ contractions began three months early, in March, she worried about the long drive to the hospital from her home nestled in the Appalachian Mountains in Jonesville, Va., a town of fewer than 1,000 people. Edwards, 32, was carrying quadruplets and hers was considered a high-risk pregnancy. The nearest hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was an hour away in Kingsport, Tenn., Holston Valley Medical Center.
“A decade ago she could have found an emergency room, if not a NICU, 10 minutes up the road at Lee County Regional Medical Center in Pennington Gap, Va., but the hospital closed in 2013 due to low community use, a lack of local physicians and Virginia’s refusal to expand Medicaid, which left the state’s rural hospitals to provide uncompensated care to uninsured patients. In 2012, the Lee County hospital was nearly $2.5 million in the red.


Judging by the record-setting early sell-out of this year’s Great American Beer Festival (Sept. 29–Oct.1 in Denver), it’s clear that the public’s thirst for all things craft beer shows no signs of waning.
“The pace of sell-out for this year’s GABF was unprecedented,” said Nancy Johnson, festival director. “It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly why tickets sold so fast this year, but a few factors come to mind … There is more quality craft beer than ever before, people are more educated about styles and pairings, and the festival represents an opportunity for people to try craft beers they can’t get in their home states … And, of course, it’s just plain fun!”
All of that fun isn’t just contained to the festival proper, of course. All sorts of related events kick into high gear this week in the lead-up to GABF weekend.
The largest concentration of events is organized around the Denver Beer Fest, a nine-day celebration of all things sudsy in the mile-high city. There’s way too much to list here, but highlights include: The continuation of Denver Oktoberfest through this weekend; a kick-off event at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wynkoop Brewing Company featuring more than 50 of Colorado’s medal-winning beers; and a Butterflies & Beer event at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Pavilion featuring beers from Odell Brewing Co.
The full schedule is posted at denver.org/denverbeerfest and includes more than 100 events such as rare-beer tastings and special tappings, profiles of Front Range breweries, brewery tour information and much more.
The Falling Rock Tap House, near Coors Field, has long been the unofficial gathering spot for brewers and beer aficionados during GABF, and this year is no exception with a full slate of events planned for the week. (Check fallingrocktaphouse.com.)
Add to that a new 12,000-square foot beer garden planned at Summit Music Hall during the festival (corner of 19th St. and Blake St. in downtown Denver) and you’ve got a concentration of beers to rival that in the convention center itself.
The Summit Beer Garden, a joint venture between Rueben’s Burger Bistro and Summit Music Hall, will open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sept. 29-Oct. 1 and feature more than 100 beers pouring on 16 rotating taps. You can try many of the beers pouring at GABF, as well as rare imports and specialty beers from Orval, Chimay and many more. Most of the kegs are one-and-done offerings, so you’ll just have to show up to see what’s pouring at the moment. There’s no cover charge, and the event will also feature a unique array of gourmet sausages and live entertainment nightly. Visit summitbeergarden.com for more information.
If you’re up for a short road trip, hop aboard one of four bus tours offered by Oskar Blues that travels round-trip from the Falling Rock Taphouse to the brewery in Lyons and the new Hops & Heifers farm (or you can drive yourself to a specific event). The Oskar Blues Ordeal bus tour is offered over four days with unique itineraries that feature live music, specialty beers tastings, tours, a cruiser ride to the farm and more. Tickets are $25 per event, available at oskarblues.com.
Closer to home, many local breweries such as Avery, Left Hand and Twisted Pine will be offer rare and special releases throughout the week in their taprooms. Not to mention brewery tours on the Boulder Brew Bus (thewestendtavern.com).
And it doesn’t end after the last GABF tasting session. Twisted Pine will host a beer dinner from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 2, the day after the festival closes, to benefit the Emergency Family Assistance Association. Tickets are $40 per person and include tastings of all six beers Twisted Pine entered in this year’s competition paired with a four-course meal at the brewery. Call (303) 786-9270 for reservations.
Contact Tom Wilmes at firstname.lastname@example.org.


|Spock Beams Up $7 Million
December 19, 2006 | PDF
By Laurie Sullivan
Hoping to exploit a weakness for Google, Yahoo, and other search engines, Spock Networks is building a service aimed at making it easier to find information about people on the Web.
The 15-person Menlo Park, California, startup said Wednesday that it had raised $7 million in its first round of funding from Clearstone Venture Partners and Opus Capital Ventures.
Menlo Park, California
While the startup will face tough competition from giants such as Google and Yahoo, Spock’s backers say searching for people is something the big search engines just don’t do well.
“A big chunk of the major web sites are about finding people, but there isn’t a good way to get specific information about the person, said Ken Elefant, general partner atMenlo Park, Calif., Opus Capital. “Type in ‘Ken Elefant’”—on Google or Yahoo and you’ll get about 50 different websites describing places where I spoke or the Opus Capital website, but you don’t get information about me as a person,” he said.
Menlo Park, Calif.
Spock Networks CEO Jaideep Singh said he hopes to address the problem by indexing information across the Web and making sense of all the data collected. The biggest challenge is handling very large datasets. When the site launches in the first half of 2007, it will have “tens of billions of data records,” with hundreds of algorithm variables determining the data’s relevance, he said.
Advertising will eventually support the site, Mr. Singh said.
Spock Networks is part of a wave of niche search engines looking to find a way to go beyond what Google or Yahoo can do (see “What Google Can’t Do”).
Co-founders Singh, 39, and Jay Bhatti, 33, met at the Wharton School of theUniversity of Pennsylvania in 2000. Both set on becoming entrepreneurs. The two reconnected earlier this year, hashed out some company details on the phone, quit their day jobs, and by April began focusing on starting Spock Networks.
Singh worked as a venture capitalist at Clearstone and at WindRiver. Bhatti’s background includes consulting, having spent time at Accenture, Deloitte and Microsoft. Also a key member of the team, Jeff Winner, vice president of engineering, comes from Friendster, eGroups and Netscape.
Earlier this year, Mr. Singh and Mr. Bhatti convinced Clearstone to incubate Spock Networks while they built a team focused on consumer search technology. Shortly after, the company built a prototype. “Now we’re looking for problem solvers,” Mr. Singh said. “These are engineers who understand search, information retrieval and server technologies.”


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There’s so much hype close to air fryers that it’s all-natural to be skeptical. When Wendy Jo Peterson, a San Diego–based culinary dietitian and cookbook writer, was questioned to contribute to an Air Fryer Cookbook for Dummies, her initially thought was: Do I definitely require 1 of those in my kitchen area? In the end, Peterson agreed to coauthor the guide alongside fellow dietitian Elizabeth Shaw. Now, after testing a great number of recipes in the most preferred air fryers, she thinks residence cooks would profit from possessing one particular.
If you’ve been on the fence about air fryers, it’s probably since you think one of two things: they’re only excellent for crisping frozen French fries and hen nuggets, or they’re very little more than trendy convection ovens. The former is straight-up mistaken. The latter worry is true in a sense, as air fryers do count on convection to “fry” food, but they prepare dinner points more quickly than a regular convection oven mainly because they are smaller and get significantly less time to heat up.
Do you definitely will need an air fryer? Of system not. But if you have $100 and some added counter house, there’s lots to be acquired from getting a single. Here’s a minimal additional about how air fryers get the job done, why they are great, and which ones the gurus recommend—plus a handful of recipes to get you started out.
It is Not Frying, It is Convection
“Frying is a cooking technique that transfers heat to foodstuff employing a source of body fat,” clarifies Kris Sollid, a dietitian and the director of nourishment communications at the Worldwide Foodstuff Details Council. Pan-fried foods is generally cooked in a slim layer of oil, and deep-fried foodstuff is fully submerged in it. Air-fried foodstuff? It is not actually fried at all.
“Air fryers are fundamentally small convection ovens,” Sollid claims. In contrast to frying, which works by using oil or butter for heat transfer, convection makes use of a lover to rapidly flow into incredibly hot air. Air fryers really don’t get any hotter than common ovens (most max out at 400 degrees Fahrenheit), but the fast moving air can help wick away dampness, allowing browning and crisping to occur speedier and at a reduce temperature than it would in a usual oven. Convection ovens do the same matter, but not as competently. Air fryers take a lot less time because they are smaller and their supporters spin a lot quicker. Essentially, air-fryer technological innovation builds off that of the convection oven but was viewed as novel more than enough when air fryers were being unveiled in Europe in 2010 to warrant a patent. You can also acquire a little convection oven, like this countertop convection toaster oven, which offers the exact financial state of dimensions and will give you comparable effects.
Likely the greatest matter about smaller-scale convection baking is the means to cook food stuff which is still frozen. “I’ll make breakfast burritos, freeze them, and then in the early morning my partner puts the frozen burrito correct into the air fryer,” Peterson states. The air fryer wicks moisture from the food stuff as it defrosts and cooks, so you finish up with a crispy chimichanga-like burrito, not a soggy wrap. It performs for frozen meat or greens, much too.
You Don’t Have to have Considerably Oil
Dietary fat is a very good thing—it supports mobile growth, shields your organs, keeps you heat, aids in nutrient absorption, offers you strength, and is necessary for hormone creation. But as with most vitamins and minerals, specialists recommend towards on a regular basis ingesting too a great deal of it at at the time.
When you deep-fry meals, a great deal of that oil gets absorbed. Specifically how a great deal finishes up in your foodstuff is challenging to quantify it depends on what you’re cooking, at what temperature, and for how extensive. Foods with a better dampness articles, like doughnut batter, take up extra oil when fried than foods with fewer humidity, like potatoes. Bigger deep-frying temperatures—say, 400 levels rather of 325—usually equate to fewer oil absorption, due to the fact there’s extra steam pushing to get out and blocking the oil from absorbing into the food items.
This isn’t to say that you need to thoroughly prevent deep-fried foods all the time. French fries and doughnuts are mouth watering, and aspect of what will make them that way is the oil coating your mouth and enhancing the flavor. But if you’re following the crispy texture of fried food items, air-frying can do the trick.
The base line, even though, is that air-fried food absorbs much less oil. A 2017 analyze posted in the European Journal of Lipid Science and Know-how observed that air-fried potatoes had, on ordinary, 70 p.c a lot less oil than deep-fried potatoes. Of course, air-fried food items nonetheless contains some extra fat. That crispy texture arrives from heat merged with the fats by now present in or on the foods, so you do need to include oil to food items that aren’t already fatty, like veggies. You can spritz or brush oil ideal onto your foodstuff, or you can pour it into the air fryer (so that it sits on the base, under the shelf with the foodstuff) and it’ll flow into. “In most cases, one or two teaspoons is plenty of,” Peterson claims.
Who Requirements an Oven?
Perhaps the most obvious gain of the air fryer, which can also be a disadvantage, is its size. It’s significantly scaled-down than an oven, making it a more energy-successful way to cook smaller batches of food items. The a lot more place you are heating, the more energy (fuel or electrical energy, dependent on how your kitchen area is hooked up) you’re consuming. With an air fryer, there’s no will need to heat the complete oven—or the total kitchen as a result—for a handful of servings of roasted vegetables or a sheet of rooster wings.
If you’re living in a tiny room in which an oven is not an alternative, the air fryer could genuinely appear in useful. “We have a camper van, and we’re on solar,” Peterson claims. “If we’re in a place where there are hookups, we use the air fryer a great deal.” But there are some downsides. You’ll probably have to cook your foods in batches if you’re feeding far more than two or 3 folks. Huge cuts of meat are off the table. And though it is probable to bake in the air fryer, you’ll finish up with a deep-brown crust that isn’t best for numerous muffins, cakes, or breads.
A Couple Great Alternatives
There is no best air fryer. Peterson and Shaw have diverse favorites. “You have to come across the one that is ideal suited for you,” Peterson claims.
Cosori 5.8-Quart Electrical Incredibly hot Oven ($120)
Peterson’s air fryer of option is this model from Cosori, which I also tested and loved. “I like the condition, the aesthetic, and the simple fact that the presets had been very dependable,” Peterson claims. There are presets for many meat, fish, baked items, and veggies, and all of them do a fantastic occupation of properly cooking the meals they are supposed to. That mentioned, a good recipe should really give you certain cooking instances and temperatures so you will not have to rely on the presets.
This air fryer also proficiently crisps food on all sides, since there is lots of place underneath and higher than the basket for air to flow into.
Invest in Now
Aria 5-Quart Ceramic ($100)
Shaw prefers this Aria air fryer. It has a smooth design and style and generates fantastic airflow to crisp foodstuff all around, much like the Cosori design. It also will come in 3 measurements (3, 5, and 7 quarts), so you can choose whichever is greatest for your house.
The Aria has a ceramic interior, which implies it doesn’t use Teflon or other nonstick coatings. Despite the fact that these coatings are largely deemed safe, there is problem that as they crack down more than time and at significant temperatures, they can leach trace amounts of poisonous polymers into foods. If you are worried about this, ceramic-coated appliances like the Aria make fantastic choices.
Instantaneous 6-Quart Vortex ($100)
In exploring this write-up, I seemed into which air fryers were being finest reviewed by other specialists, and this product by the makers of the Instant Pot received continually higher marks. I’ve applied it to prepare dinner sweet potato fries, falafel, and hen wings from scratch, and to warmth and crisp frozen hen nuggets. I appreciate how easy it is to application, how rapidly it is effective, and the actuality that it reminds me to convert my food stuff midway by way of cooking.
Two Recipes to Get You Began
The two are reprinted with permission from Shaw and Peterson’s Air Fryer Cookbook For Dummies.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Prepare dinner time: 8 minutes
- Four 8-inch flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup canned refried beans
- 1 cup scrambled eggs (about 2 eggs)
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup salsa
Lay the flour tortillas out flat on a slicing board. In the center of each tortilla, unfold two tablespoons refried beans. Next, insert a person-fourth cup eggs and two tablespoons cheese to each tortilla.
To fold the tortillas, start out on the still left side and fold to the center. Then fold the correct aspect into the middle. Upcoming, fold the base and leading down and roll about to absolutely seal the chimichanga. Making use of a pastry brush or an oil mister, brush the tops of the tortilla packages with oil.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chimichangas into the air-fryer basket seam side down, and air-fry for four minutes. Working with tongs, turn more than the chimichangas and prepare dinner for an supplemental two to three minutes or right until light golden brown.
Provide with guacamole, salsa, and bitter product for a hearty breakfast. You can also range it by swapping out beans with breakfast potatoes or rice. Serves four.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook dinner time: 14 minutes
- 4 boneless pork chops, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1/2 cup all-intent flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Cooking spray
- 1 lemon, slash into wedges
Period both sides of the pork chops with a half teaspoon of the salt and a half teaspoon of the pepper.
Area the flour on a plate, whisk the eggs in a big bowl, and place the breadcrumbs in one more big bowl. Season the flour with the paprika and the breadcrumbs with the remaining salt and pepper.
To bread the pork, position a pork chop in the flour, then into the whisked eggs, and then into the breadcrumbs. Area the breaded pork onto a plate, and finish breading the remaining pork chops.
Preheat the air fryer to 390 levels Fahrenheit. Put the pork chops into the air fryer, maintaining them from overlapping and doing the job in batches as desired. Spray the pork chops with cooking spray and prepare dinner for eight minutes flip the pork and cook dinner for yet another four to six minutes or right until cooked to an inner temperature of 145 levels.
Serve with lemon wedges. For a complete German food, include spaetzle and a tossed salad. Serves 4.
Lead Photograph: bhofack2/iStock


Chrome is the internet browser that’s become synonymous with speed and security online. It’s also associated with desktop PCs, not smartphones or tablets. But there are ways to get Chrome on your phone instead of the default browser that came with it. With so many mobile operating systems available, you may wonder why anyone would choose Android over iOS or vice versa. The answer is simple: personal preference. While some features are exclusive to one operating system or another, most users can choose which OS they like best and still use their preferred services like Gmail, Google Maps, and other essential apps. While you might have your favorite mobile OS right now, switching between them is easy if you know what you’re doing. In this article, we’ll show you how to switch from Android to iOS or vice versa using Chrome as an example since it’s such a popular browser.
How To Get Chrome On Phone To Surface?
- Install Chrome on your phone.
Open the Google Play Store app and search for “Chrome” to download and install Chrome on your phone. After you open it, you’ll see a screen that tells you how to change your default browser. On your phone, tap the settings icon in the top right corner of Chrome, then select Settings. In Settings, tap “Choose default browser” and then select “Always use this app.” Now when you open Chrome, it will be using the same browser as your default one on your computer.
- Use Chrome as a guest on another computer
To switch from Android to iOS or vice versa using Chrome as an example, all you have to do is switch between your computer and smartphone over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and have them connected at the same time (not both connected at once). On your computer, open Chrome (or any other browser) and log into any website that requires a login or password (like Gmail). Once signed in, click on the “Share” button in the top right corner of Gmail (a small box with an arrow pointing up), then select “Hosted email account” from the list of options that will appear. Choose which device you want to share with – iPhone or iPad – then enter its email address in the space provided by Google before clicking “Next” to finish setting up access for it.
- Download apps directly from the Chrome Store
Once you’ve set up Chrome on your phone, you can download any app from the Chrome Store. The process is similar to downloading an app from the App Store or Play Store. Open Chrome on your computer and click “Go to store” in the top right corner, then enter the URL of the app you want to download and click “install” (after installation, open it to complete installation).
- Change default apps on Android
On Android, you can change the default apps for certain functions like messaging. To do this, open the Settings app on your phone, then tap “Apps” and select “Default Apps.” Choose which apps you want to use as your default, then tap “Done” when finished.
- Switch between devices with a keyboard shortcut
You can easily switch between devices by pressing a keyboard shortcut on your computer or phone. On your computer (Windows or Mac), open Chrome and sign into any website that requires a login or password (like Gmail). Once signed in, press Ctrl+Shift+N to bring up a new window that displays all of the open tabs in Chrome – select one tab you want to switch between devices with and click “Copy link” to copy its URL from the address bar before pasting it into another browser (like Safari) where you want to switch between devices with it.
- Transfer files between devices using Dropbox
To transfer files from one device to another without using an online service like Dropbox, download both Chrome for Android and Chrome for iOS on two different phones. On each phone, go to chrome://flags in the address bar at the bottom of the browser window and enable “Enable full-screen mode” under “Enable experimental features.” On both phones, go to chrome://extensions/ in the address bar at the bottom of the browser window and enable “Upload file” under “Developer Tools.”
Why You Might Want To Switch From Android To Ios?
- In-App Purchasing
On Android, you can install apps from the Google Play Store and use them as long as you want, but once you’ve used up all of your free storage space on the device, you can’t download any more apps until you delete some of them. On iOS, however, installing an app doesn’t require any extra storage space on your phone – it will just be downloaded to the app store on your device. In addition to this, iOS allows for in-app purchases that let you purchase items within a game or app without having to leave the game or app itself.
- A better camera and video quality
iOS has a better camera and video quality compared to Android – in fact, it’s even better than many high-end smartphones available today. This is because of improvements made by Apple in its A7 chip that help improve image processing and video recording capabilities. One example is the ability of iOS devices to take photos quickly using burst mode (iPhone 6S) or continuous mode (iPhone 6S Plus). In addition to this, unlike Android devices where photos are taken at the same time by all cameras (front/back), iPhone devices allow for each camera to take photos at different times (front/back). The iPhone 6S Plus also features optical image stabilization that helps minimize blurry images when taking photos under low light conditions.
- Better battery life
Apple claims that its new iPhones have up to two hours longer battery life compared to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which is due to the A8 chip and a new power management system. The iPhone 6S has a battery that’s 2% smaller than the iPhone 6, but it still has a larger capacity at 1,715 mAh.
- Better security
One of the biggest complaints about Android devices is their lack of security – you can easily download apps from third-party sources that contain malware and viruses that can easily infect your phone or tablet. On iOS, however, Apple locks down all its apps with an App Store that only allows approved developers to distribute their apps on the App Store – this means that no third-party app can be downloaded and installed on your device unless it passes through Apple’s approval process.
- Better integration with other Apple devices
Apple devices are more integrated with each other than Android devices are, which makes them easier to use as a whole rather than just one particular device alone (e.g., you don’t need to use an iPad for emailing when you have an iPhone). For example, if you want to send someone an audio message from your Mac or iOS device, you don’t need to download an app for doing so – it will just work like any other audio message from another iOS device (e.g., if you have two iPhones in your possession). This also applies to sending photos between iOS devices via iCloud Photo Library.
- Better performance
The A8 chip in the iPhone 6S is faster than the A7 chip in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which improves performance and speed when using apps, browsing the web, playing games, and more. In addition to this, iOS devices also have a better ability to handle multitasking with two apps running at once (e.g., you can easily open two different apps on your Mac or iOS device at the same time).
Whatever reason you have for switching from an Android device to an iPhone or vice versa, you can use Chrome to temporarily change your preferred browser. This means you can use your normal login credentials and all of your bookmarks and settings will be the same when you switch back to Android or iOS. If you’re considering switching from Android to iOS or vice versa, make sure you understand the pros and cons of each operating system before you make your decision.