Boca Raton City Guide and Travel Tips

[unable to retrieve full-text content]If you go for a visit to Boca Raton city on your vacations then the possibility of facing the travel problems is least. The car hire agencies assist you and give the best offers of the prevailing car discounts in a nice manner. So it is ...

Source: http://www.1directory.net/travel-and-leisure/boca-raton-city-guide-and-travel-tips-9329.html

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Tough as Nails: Super Mario 64 | Video Game News, Reviews ...

Posted by Tom Rippon on Monday, February 27, 2012 ? Leave a Comment?

When You Were Young

I?ll have to admit, I never owned a Nintendo 64 when I was younger. My first console was the original PlayStation, so I was raised on games like Crash Bandicoot and Rayman - adventure/platform games that, looking back, I was actually pretty good at. I always made well-timed jumps, my boss fight logic was trained to a high standard by my ruthless father, and despite the odd occasion in which I did screw up and die more than twice in a row, yeah, I was still darn good.

A castle of opportunity!

So imagine my surprise when I recently bought a Nintendo 64, along with Super Mario 64. Excitement was welling up left, right and center, and although I had never played any Super Mario titles as a child (I know, shame on me), I was looking forward to getting back to the genre that I remember from the good ol? days. But as it turns out, my adventure game skills have not got better with age. They?ve matured like a carton of semi-skimmed milk. Nastily.

Naughty Bowser

The plot of any Mario game should be familiar to anybody ? beautiful Princess is captured by ruthless tyrant, Bowser, and Mario, the handsome and courageous plumber has to rescue her.

What I think really made Super Mario 64 hard for me, though, is that there was more to it than this. From what I was expecting, my first battle with Bowser would be my last. I had about eight Power Stars, I was doing pretty well, confident, and so on, and I went into another room of Princess Peach?s castle, expecting a level no more remarkable than the previous worlds I had explored. Fighting that giant Bo-Bomb and throwing him off his perch in the first world, followed by exploring the second world, and trying not to get squished by a giant paving slab, and the third world, where snow is king, and I first experienced the exhilaration of directing Mario down a giant ice-slide.

And so, with this build up, naturally I was shocked, scared and so many more things when I found myself entering Bowser?s domain. At this point in time, I was thinking, ?Wow, this is a really short game.? No it isn?t? It isn?t over.

Game Over

Boss fight? No problem!

As I have mentioned, my skill at jumping from ledge to ledge, platform to platform, all while dodging whatever it is Bowser and his minions want to throw at me, has gone stale. This is the first point I got really really stuck in Super Mario 64.

The first world in which players come across Bowser is a harsh and hostile place. There?s fire shooting out from pretty much everywhere, strange little electric birds circling overhead, and a bottomless drop if you miss a single one of the platforms.

This is where I struggled. I?m still good at boss fights. The great thing about Super Mario 64 is that all the bosses are stupid enough to tell you how to beat them. ?You?ll never be able to throw me off the edge of this platform!? I?m guessing that this is why I was able to enjoy the boss battles so much in this game ? they were pretty easy because the boss wanted me to win.

But the levels, the build up to the fight at the end, that is where I stumble. Bowser?s worlds are no exception. They?re designed like obstacle courses. At least with the previous worlds, if you fell off something, the likelihood was you?d slide down a hill to either where you were five minutes ago, or the start of the level. In Bowser?s worlds, there is no forgiving, there is no forgetting. I can?t tell you how many times I saw Mario get thrown back out of that trapdoor, like it had been disappointed by my efforts. It was embarrassing to play in front of my housemate, who grew up with an N64, watching and laughing as I continued to fail.

Timing is everything in Super Mario 64. Those platforms that move around, I fear them. I see them in my darkest dreams. It?s been a while since I?ve had such sweaty hands. It got to a point where the controller was so slippy that I?m still sure that that was what was making me lose. Oh, and of course, I did that whole clench up and flail around thing when I made a particularly risky jump. And even after I conquered them, I was still afraid of what future levels might bring.

In the end, I did beat Bowser (the first of three times), and it inspired in me a renewed sense of confidence, that was instantly shattered the moment I used his key to move into the next world. Super Mario 64 is a vicious circle of confidence boosts and then crushing my self esteem. I don?t know how my friends handled it when they were young.

I?m still playing it, every so often, but my self confidence is already low enough, and I don?t need Bowser making it worse with his ridiculous level design and impossible jumps. He may actually be one of the most psychologically evil video game villains I?ve ever come across?

Source: http://bnbgaming.com/2012/02/27/tough-as-nails-super-mario-64/

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Utilizing Highly effective Web Design Solutions to Achieve Greater ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Comments Off Tags: business, Business Services, computer science, computers and internet, Computers and Technology, information technology, Programming, software, technology. Author: Kurt P. Wales. This author has ...

Source: http://computersandtechnology.us/2012/02/utilizing-highly-effective-web-design-solutions-to-achieve-greater-rankings/

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Top 7 Advantages of Online Gaming ? Blackberry Club

This subject matter can be quite debatable for parents. Nevertheless if taken in moderation and adequately supervised, kids can actually benefit and learn from online games. A number of online games are offered for kids. For several years, parents have been unsatisfied with the games which are available for their children. Concurrently, many scientific studies have determined that online gaming may be advantageous for kids. Such advantages include enhancement and improvement of social abilities in the virtual environment, increase of child?s capability to plan around and run a computer, increase of mental intelligence and assisting in the educational endeavors.

This write-up will guide you understand the online games for kids which are productive and educational.

Advantages of Online Gaming

As previously pointed out, there are numerous positive aspects when it comes to online gaming. Following are a few of them experienced by kids while gaming.
1. Significance of sharing and enjoying:

When children take part in online gaming that involves playing with the other person from various parts of the planet, then this can be effective as they have more fun and sharing with different people. Furthermore, kids gain knowledge of other people and ethnicities of different parts of the world. Consequently, this can start online friendships that can be useful for their improvement and social growth.

2. Prize and pleasure:

Children who play online games love the reward and satisfaction that comes with the small objectives that are often developed in games. Those compact goals are essential to reach the ending of the game. ?Zuma? is one of the popular games. Kids who enjoy playing this game take pleasure in the incentive of defeating each board. As a result, this boosts their self-assurance and also fills a sense of accomplishment. Kids can learn that achieving small objectives will help them reach much greater goals whether in online gaming or their practical lives.

3. Multitasking:

It has been noticed that online games help children to understand multitask in an efficient way. Numerous types of online games are available that teach this very essential task. Some instances of such games are Virtual Villagers, Cake Mania, and Diner Dash etc.

4. Improved co-ordination:

According to research studies, it has been determined that kids who play games frequently that are video based have a much better eye-to-hand co-ordination in comparison with those children who don?t play video games. For a young kid, this is very valuable.

5. Healthy and balanced challenge to the intellect:

There are lots of games accessible online that tend to concentrate on giving a healthy challenge to the mind of the player. These types of games are usually referred as ?logic? games. There is a well-known gaming website known as Shockwave online which offers many games that can really increase the intellect of a child.

These games are beneficial to teach children about the vital ideas of cause and effect, enhance the computation and mathematical expertise of a child. Games such as Super Text Twist, 4 Elements, Bejeweled, Jewel Quest, and Collapse etc. can have a challenging impact on a child?s mind.

6. Improvement of technology abilities:

It has been discovered that when a child plays online games, it increases the technology skills of the child that are crucial to live in today?s world. Computer literacy and internet are rapidly becoming basic skills which are necessary to enter today?s workforce. This activity can lead to the child?s capability in a very good way to help them do well in their academic and professional careers.

7. Feeling of cohesiveness:

Another benefit of playing online games involving other players is that your children will learn to cooperate in a team. This will likely result in learning that everybody has a distinctive set of abilities and skills, which are essential to fulfill particular roles in life whether it?s a game or real world.

Source: http://www.blackberryclub.info/?p=914

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The Advantages of Using Cellular Accessories with the HTC Titan ...

The specific reason why mobile phone accessories are out in the market regardless of the mobile phone model or brand is to secure our most valued gadgets. Ensuring our mobile phones? safety, protection and maintenance, these add-on fittings are being provided to us. They are not merely added expenses for us but an added value which can help us maintain and protect our very pretty and valuable mobile valuable mobile; not a mere addition to our expenses. So the next time that you purchase a mobile phone, ensure that they are well-protected.

Nowadays, almost everyone is already keeping at least one mobile phone handy. Mobile phones evolved from just being a simple communication gadget to an all-in-one thingamabob that we can?t live without. The advancement in technology made an impression that people?s ideas are limitless and so are the features and specs that could be incorporated in a mobile phone. In the old times, mobile phone was used to simple communication specifically calling. Then, a never-dying phenomenon exist which is the text messaging which is also made communication easier and less expensive.

Now, users turned their attentions directly on finding amazing applications and add-ons any mobile phone can have because these two features seems to be very ordinary. The mobile phone accessories, apart from the built-in and downloadable applications a mobile phone can acquire got very popular up to the extent that one seems can?t buy mobile phones without accessories. Real sets of accessories which are best used for a specific model are being produced by all mobile phone companies.

This device is one of the latest released mobile phone by HTC has a bunch of mobile phone accessories which are actually made to protect and maintain the model?s functionalities. Upon purchasing accessories for your mobile phone you can have a lot of benefits. Accessories are not just for display or to revamp a mobile phone, most often than not these accessories are made to protect, and to enhance a mobile phone?s functionality. One advantage of using accessories with your mobile phone is protection. Possibly, the market is having the most volume of mobile phone accessories that are in different kind of protection. Screen protectors such as a HTC Titan Screen protector are used to maintain the functionality of the screen. To prevent it from having scratches or cracks, touch screen phones needs to be covered and protected because they are sensitive.

LCD screens most especially requires utmost care as the quality of the images can be affected if the screen gets broken, not to mention that it can eventually destroy the mobile phone. The case cover is another accessory which is intended for protection. In buying a mobile phone you also buy a case cover just like buying laptop so most probably a significant number of mobile phone users are using this accessory. Slim mobile devices are easy to carry and have a good body. Its internal memory and other internal specs should be protected and using a HTC Titan case is a good idea.

Case covers keep the body away from scratches and cracks too, and most of all it protects the mobile phone?s body. Phone might be ruin in no time whenever it falls off or being thrown unintentionally without a case cover. HTC Titan accessories like these are expedient enough that it ensures protection to your mobile phone.

Source: http://lancebaker.me/the-advantages-of-using-cellular-accessories-with-the-htc-titan-mobile-phone

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Home Equity Loans - IdeaMarketers.com

There are many different mortgage products available for different income levels and credit scenarios. You choose the one that suits your requirements the best. Home equity loans are now becoming increasingly popular. Banking institutions have some good re- financing plans to suit customer's needs. Home equity loan refers to the loan where the equity in the borrower's home is taken as the collateral for the loan. You can see that it brings down the actual home equity and creates security to the house of the borrower.

Types of home equity loan

There are two types of home equity loans, HELOC and HEL. Here the security is the value of the buyer's house and so, they are both called second mortgages. HELOC refers to Home Equity Line of Credit. HELOC has an adjustable interest rate and it is a revolving credit loan.

The buyer has the freedom to select hoe often and when to borrow against his home equity. It is an open end loan and the lender sets an initial limit to the line of credit based on certain factors. You can make use of this loan when you need it. HEL or home equity loan is the regular loan where you borrow a fixed amount of money for a fixed time period and at fixed interest rate.

For what kind of expenses can you borrow home equity loans?

You can get home equity loans when you have to pay for unavoidable expenses that are big. You can manage expenses like home repairs, renovations, investing in an another property, college tuition payments, credit card debt consolidation, mortgage refinancing, investment in mutual funds and shares, education, etc.

You do not have to worry about additional collateral as here your home equity serves that purpose. You need to be careful when you are opting for home equity loan. Ensure that you are using it only to pay some necessary expenses. Remember that your home is used as the security. If you cannot make payments on time, you are putting your home at risk.

Some factors to consider when borrowing home equity loan

See that your credit score is good. It is one of the ways the lender can analyze how you manage your debts, expenses and funds. See that you have not had a situation of bad credit because this can lower chances of your loan getting approved. It also limits the kind of benefits that you can get by the home equity loan. Bad credit scores also lead to lesser financing for the same home and higher rates of interest.

See that you have all the proofs that are required to grant you the loan. Make sure you have all the necessary documents ready with you. Typically, you might be asked to show your identity proof and to give a statement of advice from a financial planner or an accountant when it comes to home equity loans. You should provide a copy of the sales contract or a letter from the conveyancer, if you are using the fund to purchase real estate.

Keywords: finance, mortgage, real estate, home equity loans, debt consolidation, debt, equity loans, loans,

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Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=3012276

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Wasting Away: Can a Gates Foundation-Funded Toilet-Design Initiative End a Foul Practice in the Developing World?

ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE: According to UNICEF, 2.6 billion people, almost entirely in the developing world, use bucket, public or open (uncovered) latrines, if they use latrines at all. Image: Courtesy of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Chances are that if you are reading this, you have a private flush toilet a few steps from your bed. Your commode is more reliable than your mobile connection, and likely will outlast all of your home appliances. Yet huge tracts of the developing world have yet to see so much as a latrine, a situation that facilitates the spread of debilitating or even deadly diarrheal diseases.

Advocates for universal access to and use of basic personal sanitation hope their efforts will get a big boost in August, when the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation present several hygienic innovations developed through its Reinventing the Toilet Challenge. Technology alone might help with failing sewers in industrialized countries, but for poor nations, where changing social norms is more important, the Gates Foundation is a powerful ally. The foundation's involvement could do for sanitation what it has accomplished in the battle to eradicate malaria?raise the visibility of a fundamental health care crisis and encourage new efforts to end it.

Toilet tech
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2.6 billion people, almost entirely in the developing world, use bucket, public or open (uncovered) latrines?if they use latrines at all. Of that total, 1.1 billion people defecate in the open?a social norm in some societies, but one that results in typhoid, cholera, dysentery and other diseases.

One of the foundation's efforts in this fight was to spread $3 million in grants last summer among engineering teams at eight research institutions in North America, Asia, Africa and Europe, including the California Institute of Technology, South Africa's University of KwaZulu?Natal and National University of Singapore. The foundation approached about 20 institutions, eight of which took up the challenge. These teams were charged with developing concepts that: do not use piped-in water; are not connected to a sewer system; do not use outside electricity; and will not cost more than 5 cents per visitor per day to operate, including initial investment and ongoing maintenance.

Several prototypes have been proposed: A team at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands proposes using microwaves to turn human waste into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which would be stored in solid-oxide fuel stacks to generate electricity. Teams at Loughborough University in England and Stanford University are working separately on methods that involve turning waste into charcoal, or biochar.

At the University of Toronto, researchers are building a system that sanitizes feces (dehydrated after running it between two rollers) by smoldering it. The system decontaminates urine via membrane filtration and ultraviolet radiation. Meanwhile, Caltech researchers have proposed a solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen for fuel cells from the waste.

Frank Rijsberman, director of the Gates Foundation's Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Initiative, says he is hoping for something that goes beyond the minimum criteria to become the "iPad of sanitation." He says, "There must be an aspirational element" to toilets or even latrines if they are going to become the norm. People have to want to be seen owning one.

Sanitation marketing
This last point is more important than one might think. After all, what arguments for toilets could be more persuasive than hygiene and health? The numbers alone would seem capable of convincing any adult mind that open defecation is disastrous. For instance, the World Health Organization says 1.5 million children alone suffer miserable deaths each year from diarrhea, a common outcome of poor sanitation. It turns out, however, that getting people to climb the first rung of what is called the sanitation ladder to improved waste-disposal practices is a complex social endeavor.

For example, although some people, particularly women and girls who risk being assaulted while crouching alone at night in the open, might opt for latrines and toilets where available, others say they prefer the experience of open defecation. To them, it is a natural practice going back generations.

Nonprofits and government agencies trying to end open defecation historically have parachuted into villages armed with health statistics, subsidies and latrines. Those involved in the battle say such campaigns are viewed locally as, at best, irrelevant and, at worst, as condescending noblesse oblige. Return visits revealed that if the facilities were used at all, they became grain stores, animal pens or even kitchens.

Even the Gates Foundation, Rijsberman says, is putting more money into toilet technology than behavioral efforts, but it recognizes the limits of technology in changing social norms. He says the foundation has also issued grants for "sanitation marketing programs" in Indonesia, India and Tanzania, for example.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=c433d0fb77fff903b920ffc10db898dd

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Iran's FM says will hold nuclear talks in Turkey (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

AP - Iran's foreign minister says the next round of talks between Iran and six world powers on the country's nuclear program will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120219/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_nuclear

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Farm pets Attack lv baggage low-priced lower price ? bags from china

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Source: http://www.wholesalebagsfromchina.com/?p=693

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Computer Games photos | Going Pro Gaming

How could anyone say consoles are better than computer games?

Dave Warfield, Head of VFS Game Design and Game Design Expo 2010 emcee

Image by vancouverfilmschool
?It looks to be a great day,? says Head of VFS Game Design ? and Game Design Expo 2010 emcee ? Dave Warfield of the slate of presenters and panelists.

Learn about Game Design Expo at gamedesignexpo.com.

Find out more about VFS?s one-year Game Design program at vfs.com/gamedesign

Computer Games Course 2008 @ Klagenfurt University: Torture Ball

Image by Mathias L.
Gory game, but huge efforts in gfx and gameplay.

Source: http://goingprogaming.com/pc-games/computer-games-photos-3/

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Real Estate Agent Marketing with Social Media | Venture Capital 105

Yes, if you are not using social media, You?re definitely behind.
Another great way to? use social media for real estate is HOMEcellers (homecellers (dot) com. real estate marketing software.

Realty agents can post all their listings directly to Facebook & Twitter.
HOMEcelelrs generates a mobile website for each listing accessible by QR Code, SMS Text & mobile web.

Users can also share on Facebook & Twitter from the mobile web

Try it free at homecellers (dot) com/signup.html

Source: http://neuroplasticity.mobi/?p=6816

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Create unique photo collages with PolyMagic for iphone and ipad

PolyMagic is a fantastic little iPhone and iPad app that lets you create interesting collages of photos. Most similar apps only allow rectangular frames around each photo, but PolyMagic is filled with frames that are shaped like polygons, making your collages truly unique.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/ZyScw26TCMI/story01.htm

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Automotive, Truck and Diesel Technician Training, NY At New York ...

Programs:

• Certified Automotive Technician
• Certified Truck & Diesel Technician
• Master Automotive & Diesel Technician
• Master Certified Automotive Technician
• Master Certified Collision Repair Technician
• Master Truck & Diesel Technician Certification

WHAT?S THE NEXT STEP
Request information on automotive and diesel engineering certification programs from New York Automotive & Diesel Institute ? Jamaica, NY

Locations:

About New York Automotive & Diesel Institute

Study automotive technology, collision repair or truck and diesel technician with ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified instructors who have real world, practical experience. Courses at New York Automotive & Diesel Institute count as one year of on-the-job training, giving graduating students a head start in trying to secure entry level jobs.

Employers frequently look for Automotive Service Excellence certifications, as this is a nationally recognized certification.? As well as being accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, the school is NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) recognized. Financial aid is also available for students who qualify.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Request information on automotive and diesel certification programs from New York Automotive & Diesel Institute ? Jamaica, NY

Source: http://www.tradeschoolsusa.net/new-york-automotive-diesel-institute-jamaica-ny-432/

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Q&A with Chocolate Expert and Author Alice Medrich ? Bay Area ...

Alice Medrich. Photo: Dave Lauridsen

If you?ve eaten or made an American style chocolate truffle?known for a soft center and slightly lumpy form compared to French truffles--you have a local Bay Area chocolate expert to thank. North Berkeley resident and Alice Medrich said of this early culinary start:

?My career started with a hand-written recipe for the tiny cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles given to me by my Paris landlady in 1973. I went on to make and sell those pure bittersweet truffles at the Pig by the Tail Charcuterie (a distant fond memory now) across the street from Chez Panisse in Berkeley in l973.?

She opened her dessert shop Cocolat in 1976 and became famous for her baking and pastry work as and chocolate truffles. Her sweet professional career has included national media coverage, James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals award-winning cookbooks, and a chain of Cocolat stores. She sold her interest in Cocolat in 1989.

The First Lady of Chocolate has an upcoming book called Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts (Artisan Books), which should hit the bookshelves in May 2012. Medrich told Bay Area Bites that she is launching a series of dessert classes on Craftsy.com later this spring. Medrich is featured in Growing a Business, Paul Hawkens's book and TV series profiling successful entrepreneurs, and has appeared on the Food Network?s Chef Du Jour and Bakers? Dozen, the Julia Child PBS series Baking with Julia, and Joan Nathan?s Jewish Cooking in America. Medrich trained at the prestigious ?cole Len?tre in France, and is the author of Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies, Pure Dessert, Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate, and Chocolate Holidays.

What is the premise of your upcoming book "Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts"?
Well, uh, sinfully easy! The subtitle is "Quicker Smarter Recipes" if that helps. I've streamlined steps to make some classic faves easier to make without loss of quality, included some amazing cakes that are mixed in the food processor, and demystified a few things (like souffles) that people think are scary and hard, but are really quite simple. Everyone needs a sinfully easy repertoire of impressive desserts that take less time, fuss, and equipment than people think.

What are your favorite recipes from "Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts"?
Among my chocolate faves: The Chocolate Stout Floats, The Cocoa Brownies with Walnuts and Brown Butter and The Food Processor Chocolate Mousse.

What are your favorite local treat recommendations for Valentine's Day?
Michael Recchiuti chocolates are always beautiful and exciting...Paul Masse's desserts at Masse's....Interesting bars, especially Bittersweet's own milk chocolate and hot chocolate in Oakland and the crazy wild collection of chocolate bars at Fog City News.

If you had one bar of chocolate to eat, what would it be?
That?s not fair. I taste a lot of chocolate. I?m currently enjoying eating two different milk chocolates: Scharffen Berger milk and also milk chocolate by Bittersweet Caf?, being made by Albert Abrams. I nibble them. I?d actually rather eat a good bar than eat a truffle these days.

What are your favorite spots to shop for food?
I?m a big Monterey Market person because it?s local and so good. I shop for produce there and live in that general area. I also like going to Berkeley Bowl, the Cheese Board and Berkeley Natural Grocery.
There?s the tiny Coffee Market, where I get my bulk spices and sometimes dried fruit.
The Pasta Shop is where I get olive oil.

What are your favorite dining spots?
For casual friends stuff, my regular kind of go to is Caf? Rouge for oysters and wine. I think they have the best oysters in town.
Imperial Tea Court for hand pulled noodles.
O Cham? for small dishes.
Fonda or C?sar for drinks.

What is your favorite meal to have with your family?
My daughter, Lucy is in New York and one of my best eating partners. We want to go out, try something new and have a new restaurant experience together. In the last couple of years, we?ve loved Prune, and EN Japanese Brasserie. At Joe?s, we did the two-hour wait at Christmas, and ate their Shanghai noodles. In Berkeley, we?ll have tea at Imperial tea court and go to Caf? Rouge.

With my larger family, we love crab so we make a whole meal out of Dungeness. There?s a bunch of us here: my brother and mom, and my cousins are down in the peninsula. We like to eat and drink. With my mother, we go for sushi. That little hole in the wall off Piedmont Ave called Geta is very good and we like Kirala's takeout in the Epicurious garden in North Berkeley; we think the sushi there is way better than it is at the Kirala restaurant, go figure.

What is your guiltiest food pleasure?
My mind doesn?t go to M&Ms, which I?ve been known to eat. It?s foie gras and caviar that I still love. I love crab butter, which I know we?re not supposed to eat too much of. I like cheese, rich cheeses.

Any news we should know about?
I'm starting a new baking book, about baking with non-wheat flours. In my cookie book, it occurred to me that it?d be good to have a collection of gluten-free cookies in there. So many people have an intolerance to gluten. I found it very challenging and interesting, so I pitched it to my editor, who said, ?Let?s not think about gluten-free. Let?s think about all those flours, and frame it in a different way.?

What advice do you have for home bakers?
Pick a recipe you trust. Hopefully it?s a recipe that tells you the cacao percentage. That makes a lot of difference! Then use chocolate that is that percentage. In older recipes, they didn?t tell us that because we didn?t have the percentages on the chocolate.

Related posts

This entry was posted by Mary Ladd on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 at 1:10 am and is filed under baking and bakeries, books, magazines, newspapers, chefs, cookbooks, dessert and chocolate, holidays and traditions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
tags: alice medrich, baking, berkeley, chocolate, Valentine's Day

Source: http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2012/02/14/qa-with-chocolate-expert-and-author-alice-medrich/

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Houston recalled as happy in days before death

Media mobs a coroner's van as it leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel, early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday. She was 48. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Media mobs a coroner's van as it leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel, early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday. She was 48. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

A coroner's van leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday. She was 48. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The body of Whitney Houston is removed from the Beverly Hilton Hotel Saturday Feb. 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday. She was 48.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Jennifer Hudson is seen arriving at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Saturday Feb. 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday. She was 48.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A coroner's van leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday. She was 48. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Whitney Houston's last days were spent surrounded by family, catching up with old friends and doing a bit of what she was best known for: singing.

Her death Saturday afternoon in a Beverly Hills hotel room came hours before she was scheduled to appear at an annual pre-Grammy party that introduced her to the industry decades ago and was expected to honor the six-time Grammy winner.

The 48-year-old singer had been making the rounds in the days before the event, appearing at rehearsals and offering advice to singers Monica and Brandy. On Thursday, she appeared with fellow singer Kelly Price on stage at a Hollywood club, where she sang the hymn "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" to loud cheers.

With Houston's daughter Bobbi in the audience, the women shared a long hug and talked about their lives and families throughout the night, Price recalled Saturday. Houston spent hours standing on the side of the stage at the event honoring R&B music then joined partygoers on the dance floor, she said. "Whitney on Thursday night was one of the girls."

"She was happy," Price said. "She was the Whitney I always knew."

Soul singer Kenny Lattimore, who co-hosted the R&B event, said Houston seemed to be having a good time, making her sudden death "such a shock for me." He said Houston didn't appear to be having any issues.

Houston struggled for years with addiction to cocaine, marijuana and pills and the years of hard-living took a toll on her once-pristine voice. During rehearsal for a pre-Grammy event Thursday, Houston appeared disheveled, sweated profusely and her breath smelled of liquor and cigarettes, said a source who was present but not authorized to speak publicly.

Despite more than a decade of problems, including her divorce from Bobby Brown and numerous instances of erratic behavior, Houston was working toward a potential comeback. She had just completed work on a remake of the film "Sparkle," a project she'd worked to develop for years.

Yet some speculated that she was under the influence after the Thursday club appearance, when paparazzi snapped photos of Houston leaving and looking disheveled. Price called the rumors "totally untrue."

There was a family feel to the gathering, she said: "Our kids were there."

Price said she and Houston were planning another reunion, and that she was set to appear at the pre-Grammy gala thrown by her longtime mentor, Clive Davis, on Saturday night. Davis had expected that Houston would sing at the party, which went on as planned, he explained, because the diva would have wanted it that way. It took place in another part of the hotel from where her body was being examined by coroner's officials.

"I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me," Davis said. "She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music."

Officials have released few details about how Houston was found or what killed her. A member of her entourage found the singer and alerted hotel security and paramedics already on site for Davis' gala. They failed to revive the singer.

In the hours after Houston's death, fans chose to remember the singer in better times, when her soaring voice introduced a new generation to the Dolly Parton song "I Will Love You" and propelled the film "The Bodyguard" into blockbuster status.

Her songs and albums quickly became top-sellers on iTunes, and fans and celebrities alike shared remembrances and accounts of impromptu memorials on the social networking site Twitter. Her death on the eve of the Grammy awards has already prompted changes to the broadcast Sunday, with Jennifer Hudson scheduled to perform a tribute during the show.

Price said her friend would want to be remembered as God-fearing and a good mother, rather than simply a singer. She said she and Houston often discussed parenting and issues unrelated to their musical careers.

She recalled her last night with Houston, the words they shared before Houston delivered what would be her final performance.

"I never ever imagined I'd be talking about her because she's not here," Price said.

___

Associated Press reporters Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Mesfin Fekadu contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-02-12-Whitney%20Houston-Last%20Days/id-dc3d1f3618e3494cba5acf0adb892853

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Nowitzki scores 25 in Mavs' 105-95 win vs. Nuggets

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (4), of Germany, shoots over Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson (11) in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (4), of Germany, shoots over Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson (11) in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Denver Nuggets forward Nene (31), of Brazil, drives against Dallas Mavericks' Vince Carter, center, and Dirk Nowitzki, right, of Germany, in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Dallas Mavericks guard Delonte West looks for an open teammate in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Denver Nuggets guard Rudy Fernandez, left, of Spain, looks for an open teammate under pressure from Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41), of Germany, in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

DENVER (AP) ? Dirk Nowitzki helped the Dallas Mavericks put an end to two slumps at once.

Nowitzki scored 25 points and the Mavericks snapped a three-game skid by beating the undermanned Denver Nuggets 105-95 on Wednesday night. It was also Dallas' first victory in five tries against the Nuggets.

"A win. A much needed win," Nowitzki said. "We worked hard the last three games in our preparation, trying to keep them out of the lane, trying not to let them get into transition. I liked some of the stuff that we did. We rebounded the ball well. We outrebounded them (46-38) on the road, and that is definitely a plus when we do that."

Vince Carter added 17 points, and Shawn Marion and Rodrigue Beaubois added 13 points each for the Mavericks, who beat Denver for the first time since coming out on top 102-101 on Nov. 3, 2010.

"If you make a defensive mistake, they have a way of punishing you," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "I'm not saying we had a bad defensive game, but three or four times we're scrambling and we leave Dirk Nowitzki wide open. I don't understand that, but when you're frustrated and playing in a bad stretch those things happen. I just think it's the process of the season. We're banged up."

Rudy Fernandez and Al Harrington each had 17 points off the bench to lead the Nuggets, who lost their fourth straight. Nene had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Ty Lawson had 16 points along with 10 assists for Denver.

Arron Afflalo (left ankle) and Nene (left heel) returned to the Nuggets' lineup after sitting out Monday night's loss to Houston, but Denver was still without leading scorer Danilo Gallinari (left ankle), along with Timofey Mozgov (left ankle). Corey Brewer took a leave of absence to be with his family this week following the death of his father.

Dallas was without Jason Kidd, who missed his sixth game because of a strained right calf. He remains day to day.

"We play better when we push the ball, when we run, but we didn't see a lot of fastbreaks today and in our last four games," Fernandez said. "In the second half, we're down by eight, and on our faces, it was like we were down by 20. We have to fight for 48 minutes."

Fernandez conceded it's difficult to maintain the Nuggets' up-tempo style while missing key players.

"But it's no excuse," he said. "We have a lot of young talent and a lot of players with experience. We have a long bench and at this moment with the injuries, we have to find a way to play better and more aggressively."

Dallas took that very approach to finally beat Denver.

Carter hit successive 3-pointers, putting Dallas up 81-64 with 6:08 left in the third quarter. Denver, though, outscored the Mavericks 12-4 heading into the fourth quarter, pulling to within 87-78.

Afflalo made a basket for the Nuggets to start the final period, but the Mavericks responded with a layup by Brandan Wright and a jumper by Nowitzki and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

"This game was about our approach and attitude," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "One of the big challenges tonight was to sustain our first half effort and we did that. The second half was terrific and a lot of guys contributed."

The Mavericks led by as many as 17 in the second quarter, but settled for a 64-53 advantage at halftime. The Nuggets closed the gap by scoring nine of the last 13 points in the second quarter, including a pair of baskets by Fernandez.

Dallas was in front 33-25 after the first period and pulled out to a 58-41 lead after Carter hit a baseline jumper with 3:57 left in the second quarter. The surge was fueled in part by a 10-2 burst by Dallas earlier in the second quarter that included a breakaway dunk by Wright.

Notes: Dallas' 64 first-half points were two off its season high and a season high by a Nuggets opponent. ... Marion is the only Mavericks player to start all 26 games. ... Denver was held under 100 points for the 12th time this season and dropped to 4-8 in those games. ... Chris Andersen made his first start of the season for Denver in place of the injured Mozgov. ... Nowitzki has scored 25 or more points 437 times in his career. ... Denver also has lost four consecutive homes games for the first time since April 2-16, 2003.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-02-09-Mavericks-Nuggets/id-f10f57b5995a49afa96d6eda32c554d4

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5 Tips on Getting Started at the Right Colorado Physical Therapy ...

If you are a Colorado resident with an interest in attending physical therapy school, you should know that you have many different options and opportunities available to you in the state. Which ones will be the best fit for you will depend upon where you are currently at in your education and what your next step is.? In order to help you make those tough decisions and to find the right school, we?ve provided a few simple tips that every prospective physical therapist in the state should know.

?

Tip #1: Choose a Strong Undergraduate Institution

If you are truly starting your education from scratch, then your first step is to pursue an undergraduate degree. While many colleges, universities, community colleges, and trade or technical schools do not offer undergraduate programs in physical therapy specifically, your best bet is to either find one that does or to choose a school with a related program. Any kind of behavioral, bodily, or general science is a good choice. Some students also choose a pre-medical course of study, and some schools do offer pre-physical therapy programs. Remember that your undergraduate degree lays the foundation for the rest of your education, so you?ll want to make sure you earn it from the right institution.

Tip #2: Earn Your Master?s

Those who already have an undergraduate degree are eligible for master?s degree programs in physical therapy. A master?s degree is an excellent way to get started in the field. Master?s level programs are completed, on average, in about one to two years, and qualify you to work as an actual physical therapist, something no undergraduate degree can do. Unfortunately, however, Colorado does not offer any accredited master?s degree programs in physical therapy. This is not something to blame the state for; it?s just that the majority of accredited physical therapy programs are at the doctorate level. If you have your heart set on a master?s, though, look for an accredited online program or a school based in another state that offers an accredited program online.

Tip #3: Go All the Way with a Doctorate Degree

Once you have a master?s, you can either start working in the field right away or continue your education. Whether you want to get in some experience and then go back to school or whether you want to just go straight through and get that PhD doesn?t matter. What matters is that you do get your doctorate degree. While this degree is not absolutely necessary to work in the field, having one will practically ensure success and a long and happy career, and will greatly increase your job prospects. The good news, too, is that Colorado is home to two fine institutions offering accredited doctorate degree programs in physical therapy. These include Regis University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, both of which are located in the capital city of Denver.

Tip #4: Take Advantage of Experiential Learning Opportunities

Should you decide to attend one of the schools listed above, you?ll be glad to know that both are well known for offering many great experiential learning opportunities to their students. This means you might have the option of taking on an internship. Your internship may be without pay, with pay, and/or for classroom credit. In any case, it will help you to start building a resume early on and to increase your practical knowledge in the field, making it easier for you to find a job when you graduate. Be aware too that there are some internships and other experiential learning opportunities available to those who have recently graduated.

?

Tip #5: Don?t Be Afraid of Online Schooling

While we have definitely played up the positive side of Colorado?s fine schools, don?t feel pressured to choose one of those schools if neither sounds like the best fit for you personally. If you feel that way, and if you don?t want to leave the state, you still have options thanks to the work of online schooling. Online schools often get an unfairly bad reputation, but there are truly a lot of good ones out there. Do your research, and you can have a wonderful experience with online schooling.

Source: http://www.ptschools.com/5-tips-on-getting-started-at-the-right-colorado-physical-therapy-school/

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Health and Fitness: 10 ways to control high blood pressure without ...

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure ? the top number ? of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure ? the bottom number ? of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down.

Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline

Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing just 10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, the more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure. Losing weight also makes any blood pressure medications you're taking more effective. You and your doctor can determine your target weight and the best way to achieve it.

Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. In general:

• Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters, or cm).
• Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88 cm).
• Asian men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 36 inches (90 cm).
• Asian women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 32 inches (80 cm).

2. Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity ? at least 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week ? can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). And it doesn't take long to see a difference. If you haven't been active, increasing your exercise level can lower your blood pressure within just a few weeks.

If you have prehypertension (systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89), exercise can help you avoid developing full-blown hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Your doctor can help determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 10 minutes at a time, such as walking and light strength training, can help.

But avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity isn't a good strategy. Those sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:

• Keep a food diary.?Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
• Consider boosting potassium.?Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you.
• Be a smart shopper.?Make a shopping list before heading to the supermarket to avoid picking up junk food. Read food labels when you shop, and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.
• Cut yourself some slack.?Although the DASH diet is a lifelong eating guide, it doesn't mean you have to cut out all of the foods you love. It's OK to treat yourself occasionally to foods you wouldn't find on a DASH diet menu, like a candy bar or mashed potatoes with gravy.

4. Reduce sodium in your diet

Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. The recommendations for reducing sodium are:

• Limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less.
• A lower sodium level ? 1,500 mg a day or less ? is appropriate for people 51 years of age or older, and individuals of any age who are African-American or who have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:

• Track how much salt is in your diet.?Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day.
• Read food labels.?If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy.
• Eat fewer processed foods.?Potato chips, frozen dinners, bacon and processed lunch meats are high in sodium.
• Don't add salt.?Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices, rather than salt, to add more flavor to your foods.
• Ease into it.?If you don't feel like you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.

5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol ? generally more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for men. Also, if you don't normally drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure. There's more potential harm than benefit to drinking alcohol.

If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications.

• Track your drinking patterns.?Along with your food diary, keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns. One drink equals 12 ounces (355 milliliters, or mL) of beer, 5 ounces of wine (148 mL) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor (45 mL). If you're drinking more than the suggested amounts, cut back.
• Consider tapering off.?If you're a heavy drinker, suddenly eliminating all alcohol can actually trigger severe high blood pressure for several days. So when you stop drinking, do it with the supervision of your doctor or taper off slowly, over one to two weeks.
• Don't binge.?Binge drinking ? having four or more drinks in a row ? can cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems.

6. Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke

On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high.

You should also avoid secondhand smoke. Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

7. Cut back on caffeine

The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in your blood pressure, but it's unclear whether the effect is temporary or long lasting.

To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.

Regardless of your sensitivity to caffeine's effects, doctors recommend you drink no more than 200 milligrams a day ? about the amount in two cups of coffee.

8. Reduce your stress

Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation. If self-help doesn't work, seek out a professional for counseling.

9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and make regular doctor's appointments

If you have high blood pressure, you may need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learning to self-monitor your blood pressure with an upper arm monitor can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before getting started.

Regular visits to your doctor are also likely to become a part of your normal routine. These visits will help keep tabs on your blood pressure.

• Have a primary care doctor.?People who don't have a primary care doctor find it harder to control their blood pressure. If you can, visit the same health care facility or professional for all of your health care needs.
• Visit your doctor regularly.?If your blood pressure isn't well controlled, or if you have other medical problems, you might need to visit your doctor every month to review your treatment and make adjustments. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have.

10. Get support from family and friends

Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of high blood pressure.

If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

source:mayoclinic.com

Source: http://maintainbodyshape.blogspot.com/2012/02/10-ways-to-control-high-blood-pressure.html

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Source: http://fucapil.posterous.com/health-and-fitness-10-ways-to-control-high-bl

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Small tech budget? Try tapping into HR apps ? Business ...

Human resources departments with small budgets can turn to a growing variety of free and low-cost mobile and web-based applications to increase efficiency and cut costs.

Here?s a sampling of what?s available:

Several apps help you in managing HR systems. Example: Waypointhr.com?s free app tracks employee records such as performance reviews, attendance data and exit interviews. Additional for-fee add-ons provide more functions.

Also, OrangeHRM.com?s free app manages personnel information, recruitment, benefits, attendance and more. The site?s app store sells add-on modules in several areas, including r?sum? archiving, training and HR policies. Add-on costs range from $100 to $1,500.

Hiring, recruitment and applicant tracking apps are also available.

Applicantstack.com?s e-recruitment software costs $65 to $350 per month, depending on the number of people who use the software and the applicant capacity required. The Resumator.com costs $49 to over $199 per month, depending on the number of job openings an organization fills at one time. Jobvite.com offers a for-fee app that enables HR to recruit candidates through social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Some specialize in a specific area:

• HRatyourfingertips.com is a free reference app that includes a glossary of more than 270 HR terms and defines key federal employment laws.
• HRconcepts.biz provides a free self-service benefits app that enables employees to check balances, transactions and claims for HSA, FSA and HRA health benefit accounts.
• Gradience.com?s app specializes in attendance and timekeeping. Cost: $219. Another version of the tool includes an ?FMLA Tracker? for $459.

Online resources: To identify top HR apps, go to www.softwareadvice.com (under the By Application tab, click on Human Resources) or www.appappeal.com (click on Employment in left column, then HR Management).

13 great apps for employees: To find a description of 13 great apps to help keep employees on task and in maximum productivity mode, go to www.theHRSpecialist.com/13apps.

Source: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/29451/small-tech-budget-try-tapping-into-hr-apps

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Indonesia pilot tests positive for crystal meth

JAKARTA?? Lion Air's slogan "We make you fly" came a bit too close to home this weekend when one of the Indonesian airline's pilots tested positive for crystal meth after being arrested just hours before he was due to take off.

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The 44-year-old pilot for Indonesia's largest domestic airline by passenger volume was arrested in a hotel on Saturday in Surabaya, Indonesia's second city, Sumirat Dwiyanto, spokesperson for the National Narcotics Agency, told Reuters.

He was due to head to fly to Makassar on Sulawesi island, Balikpapan on Borneo and back to Surabaya, Dwiyanto said.

"The pilot ... was arrested (on Saturday) at 3:30 a.m. with 0.04 grams of crystal meth slipped in an envelope and he was later tested positive for the drug," Dwiyanto said.

He is the second pilot to test positive for Lion Air in 2012. Crystal meth is known as "shabu-shabu" in Indonesia and between 2010 and 2011 it overtook marijuana as the number one drug in the country of 240 million people, a senior narcotics agency official said.

Budget Airline Lion Air serves domestic flights and routes from Indonesian cities to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh. A spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

In November it placed a $21.7 billion order with Boeing, its biggest commercial order on record. The 230 short-haul 737 jets deal takes Lion Air's orderbook to more than 400 planes.

The government now will require pilots and cabin crew to undergo drug and alcohol tests before boarding a plane, Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan told Reuters by telephone.

Indonesia is struggling to upgrade its civil air safety after a series of deadly accidents that led the European Union in 2007 to ban all Indonesian airlines from its airspace. The ban was lifted progressively starting in 2009.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46293790/ns/travel-news/

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Millions pushed into child labor in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD?? Tears tracing lines of dirt on his face, six-year-old Pakistani boy Nabeel Mukhtar cries while crouching on a pavement to scrub motorbikes, his job for nine hours a day, six days a week.

He is one of millions of children driven into labor by poverty in a country where the unpopular government is seen as too corrupt and ineffective to care for its citizens, even the young and helpless.

"I want to study and become a doctor but we don't have any money," said Mukhtar, who helps his family make ends meet.

Rising food and fuel prices and a struggling economy have forced many families to send their children to search for work instead of to the classroom.

Frequent political crises in U.S. ally Pakistan means the South Asian nation's leaders are unlikely to end child labor, or a host of other problems from a Taliban insurgency to power cuts, any time soon.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to send my son to school but we have so many expenses ... We struggle to put food on our table," said Mukhtar's mother, Shazia, who also has a four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter.

'We are poor'
Her husband, Mohammed, a street barber, earns only 7,500 rupees ($83) a month, not enough to support the family.

"He's learning to work and he also earns around 300-400 rupees. So what's wrong in that? We are poor," Mohammed said of the boy.

The International Monetary Fund warned Monday that Pakistan needs to take immediate measures to stabilize growing budget pressures and to increase interest rates to contain rising inflation.

Such economic pressures are forcing young Pakistanis, like teenager Noor Shah and his three brothers, to leave home in search of work.

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They now live in a tiny room above a grimy tea shop where they toil all day in Pakistan's biggest city and commercial hub of Karachi.

"I have so many dishes to wash. When I get tired the men serving tea become very angry with me. They swear and shout," said Shah, who is from the underdeveloped Baluchistan province.

Others, like 11-year-old laborer Kashif, are subjected to harsher treatment.

"If he makes a mistake I'll hit him," said his 19-year-old supervisor, Tanveer Shehzad, who said he had endured the same hardship as a child laborer.

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Up to 10 million children are estimated to be working in Pakistan, says Mannan Rana, child and adolescent protection specialist at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The latest government figures, showing three million child laborers, date back to 1996, underscoring how scant attention has been paid to documenting the problem, which is likely to get worse given the makeup of the fast-growing population.

Hand-stitched soccer balls
The plight of child laborers in Pakistan came under international scrutiny when it was discovered that children were hand-stitching soccer balls in the town of Sialkot.

Foreign sports equipment companies are wary of any hint of association with child exploitation. One stopped orders in 2006 from a Pakistan-based supplier of hand-stitched soccer balls, saying the factory had failed to correct labor compliance violations.

But the outcry hasn't helped much.

"The problem is that the whole industry has moved into private homes, which has made it a bit difficult to monitor if child labor is being used," said Hussain Naqi, the national coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

"This is not just an issue in Sialkot, child labor is occurring all across Pakistan in very dangerous sectors like glass bangle manufacturing, cleaning of oil tankers, poultry farms, motor workshops, brick kilns and small hotels," he added.

On Monday, the collapse of a three-story factory in the city of Lahore after a gas explosion highlighted dangers faced by child laborers.

"I was inside the building when the blast happened. Two other boys were with me and they started running," said eight-year-old Asad, a laborer in the veterinary product facility. "I don't know where they went or if they are alive."

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His sobbing mother said crushing poverty had left her no choice but to send her son to work in such conditions.

Pakistan spends less than 2 percent of its gross domestic product on education, which translates into a lack of skills amongst the younger population, pushing them onto the street in search of work.

No 'state of denial'
By comparison, just over 17 percent of 2011-12 state spending went to defense, though some experts put the figure at 26 percent.

"The problem is there and we are not in a state of denial," said Shahnaz Wazir Ali, social sector special assistant to the prime minister, adding that about 45 percent of Pakistan's population of almost 180 million is below the age of 22.

But Pakistan's leaders are often too consumed by infighting, or tension with the military, to address child welfare.

In recent months, Pakistan has been gripped by rumors of a possible military coup and the ongoing tussle between the Supreme Court and the government is preoccupying the leadership.

With little government protection, children keep falling into the same vicious circle of exploitation.

"It is all very damaging for a child's psychology," said Salma Jafar, executive director at Social Innovations, a human rights advocacy group. "Once you are abused, you grow up with that abuse."

Twelve-year-old Mohammed Naeem, the eldest of three orphans, ran away from his first boss. He could not take the verbal and physical abuse.

But his new work, scraping rust all day for 25 rupees at a mechanics shop to feed his sisters, is still grueling.

"I don't see any other life for myself. What can I do? I'm helpless. The government is doing nothing for us," said the boy, wearing soiled clothing and open, oversized sandals.

"All I ask of them is to assist me in my helpless state. To take it away."

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46297938/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

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