Author: Serkadis

The latest Case-Shiller 20-city average showed fresh signs of a possible double dip in housing, but of course it’s a mixed bag. Some markets are on rebounding a little, and some are still slipping.

In the New York area, prices are still falling, while beleaguered San Diego is back on the rise. This makes sense, as the two markets have experienced the housing bust on a different schedule, but if New York is going to meet the other markets at the mean, then homeowners could be in for a further ride (down).

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The sales success of Apple’s iPad has not gone unnoticed by other manufacturers, Dell announced the launch of its Tablet PC called Streak which will be available in the UK market from June at O2 stores, and in the U.S. from late summer.

The tablet prepared by the U.S. computer manufacturer Dell will have a 5-inch screen, 2 GB storage, connection to the Internet trough Wi-Fi and 3G networks, operating on the system developed by Google Android and a ARM-based Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 1GHz processor. Among other benefits Streak will have Bluetooth connectivity, five-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, and a Micro-SD slot which can read cards up to 32 GB.

The Streak, which measures 12.5 inches diagonally compared to 24.25 cm of IPAD, “hits the sweet spot between traditional smartphones and larger-screen tablets,” said Ron Garriques. The price of the unit was not announced yet.

Related posts:

1. Android-based Dell Streak Tablet Soon
2. Dell Streak Software Review
3. Dell to marker Latitude XT2 tablet PC

Bleach Episode 272 is here! Read Bleach Episode 272 reviews and watch Bleach episode 272 as the battle between Ichigo and Ulquiorra gets more exciting and more thrilling. For a short review and synopsis of Bleach episode 272, let’s take a short glimpse:

Ichigo was beaten so badly due to the transformation of the second Ulquiorra. Ichigo was about to die but survived with an aid from their hollow powers. Ichigo has reached his second form hollow to gain strength and speed. The challenge with the transformation is the difficulty of transforming one’s self.

To continue with the Bleach episode 272: Ichigo became stronger than Ulquiorra. As they battle, Ulquiorra was the one who took the beating. Find out what will happen next on Bleach Episode 272…

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1. Watch Naruto Shippuden Episode 157 Live Stream Online – Latest Episode
2. Tiger Woods at Quail Hollow Championship: After Masters 2010
3. Hip-Hop Guru Passes Away

Filed under: SUV, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Hummer

Would the last one out the door please switch off the lights? The long strange trip that has been the Hummer brand is just about over for General Motors. The final ever production H3 rolled out of GM’s Shreveport, Louisiana factory on Monday May 24, 2010 on its way to an Avis rental car outlet. As you may recall, GM had actually stopped assembling H3s in mid-2009 as it went through bankruptcy, but it resumed production recently in order to fill an 849 unit special order.

GM tried to sell the Hummer brand to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd but the deal ultimately fell apart last February. A subsequent offer from Raser Technologies also went nowhere. Now that production has ceased, 200 of the 900 remaining employees at Shreveport will be laid off by July and the rest of the Hummer staff back at headquarters in Detroit is either leaving or being reassigned.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Turn Out the Lights: Final Hummer H3 rolls off the line… for Avis originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 May 2010 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viacom’s case against Google and YouTube looks worse and worse each passing day. While we weren’t that impressed by Google’s mentioning the fact that Viacom tried to buy YouTube, back when the initial filings for summary judgment became public, as more details come out, this point actually highlights many more problems with Viacom’s claims that YouTube was just a “video Grokster” that thrived on infringing uses. In fact, it looks like Viacom execs were literally trying to push each other aside in trying to get YouTube for their own uses:

MTVN CEO Judy McGrath telling M&A execs: “Help us get YouTube. We cannot see it go to Fox/NBC” and “I want to own YouTube. I think it’s critical asnd if it goes to a competitior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if we have to buy it with a partner to keep it below the line.” Then-Viacom CEO Tom Freston:”If we get UTube…. I wanna run it.” McGrath: “You’ll have to kill me to get to it first.”

The e-mail that starts that last exchange between Freston and McGrath is more about Viacom than YouTube. “We know what to do. I know this SUCKS its MADDENING that the revenue isn’t there when the content is….but we will fix it and get the stock back up. ‘Accretive’ digital acquisitions and a big idea or two. Fast.”

Does that sound like execs talking about a company that is sucking them dry through infringing uses? Furthermore, it takes away much of the strength of Viacom’s claims that Google is responsible for all this infringement because it bought YouTube knowing all this. Would Viacom begin suing itself if it had gotten its act together and bought YouTube?

Even more damning is the email exchange between Viacom General Counsel, Michael Fricklas, and Jason Hirschhorn:

“Mostly, YouTube behaves–and why not–user-generated content appears to be what’s driving it right now. Also the difference between YouTube’s behavior and Grokster’s is staggering. while the supreme court’s language IS broad; the precedent is not THAT broad.”

Yes, that’s from the guy who’s now trying to convince the world that YouTube was a “video Grokster” and that it survived solely on infringing content. Ouch. Viacom is trying to diffuse those claims by saying that Fricklas was simply ignorant at the time (way to throw your GC under the bus…). Funny, of course, that’s it’s perfectly fine for Viacom execs to make statements and later retract them, but Viacom harps on statements by YouTube execs, that are taken totally out of context, as if they’re gospel.



Separately, Fricklas has put out a “statement” on the case that reads like a blog post without a blog. It seems to highlight how this has really become more of a PR war than a legal war. Fricklas’ argument falls down on numerous accounts, though. He compares YouTube to LimeWire, despite astounding differences between the two — when even he knows the difference is “staggering.” But the most ridiculous of all is the following:

Google is the world’s leading search engine with a self-proclaimed mission to organize the world’s information. However, when it comes to videos on YouTube, Google cynically claims that search is too difficult for them to execute effectively.

That’s blatantly untrue and Fricklas knows it. No one is claiming that the search is too difficult. They’re claiming that determining whether or not the content is infringing is too difficult, and that’s supported by Fricklas’ own inability to know which clips were infringing and which were uploaded by Viacom itself. If your own General Counsel can’t tell what’s infringing and what’s not, how is it even close to reasonable to suggest that Google should be able to figure it out?

Also, the following is pretty low and also misleading:

Google claims it could not tell whether Viacom had authorized specific clips on YouTube — and misleadingly and falsely implies that we’re suing on clips we posted. The reality is simple: we are not suing about clips we posted.

No, it’s not suing over clips it posted… any more. But the original lawsuit did include such clips until Viacom realized this and dropped those clips from the lawsuit. Pretending that never happened is simply trying to rewrite history.

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(This post originally appeared on the author’s blog, The Oil Drum. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.)

The next attempt to shut off the flow from the leaking BP well in the Gulf is still aimed to occur early Wednesday. The attempt will use the “top kill” method to try and kill the well. While I have described this in earlier posts, the Unified Command have put out a video animation of the process, and there was an earlier diagram. So I am going to use these, which are simplified explanations, with some additional comments and tie it in to more facts that came out of briefings today, to try and give a more detailed explanation. Here is the animation:

Before the process could begin, however, it was necessary to significantly modify the blow-out preventer (BOP) that sits on the top of the well. For those interested (its a bit like watching one of the operations on the space station) BP has assembled a short (5 minute) selection of the video footage of the various steps. When watching it, you should bear in mind that the ROV’s carrying out the different steps have to operate in a relatively crowded environment.

The well neighborhood

The tasks to be done included removing, modifying and replacing the control box (or pod) that operates the valves that open and close the flow lines into the choke and kill lines on the well. Other than this, the flow lines to the flow and choke lines themselves had to be replaced with the feed lines (shown in the animation) that will carry the mud into the well. Even tightening a fitting that had worked loose takes time, when it has to be done using an ROV (with the operator at the surface needing to see what he is doing while getting the ROV to hold the necessary wrench and turn the fitting). The old feed lines then had to be cut from the BOP, and replaced.

 

ROV image showing the control pod fitting being tightened

This involved
* cutting off the choke and kill line connectors
* Cutting the bolts on a flange
* Removing the clamp
* Removing the pipe flange end
* Buffing and cleaning the pipe end
* Preparing to attach the new jumper lines. (This had to be done for each feed line)
* A special hydraulic connector attached to the 150-ft jumper cables was used to latch onto the old inlets. This is slow work (as the video shows) and as a result this part of the work has taken seven days. (The jumper shown in the video was attached on the 16th and chained down into position on the 17th.)

When the connections and fittings have all been made and checked, and the control pod operation validated, and the necessary permits from MMS and others obtained, then the process can begin.

The process will be controlled from the Q4000, which is designed to have the capabilities needed. Two lines feed from the vessel to the BOP. The first carries the control feeds through an umbilical, while the second is a riser that carries the mud down to the flexible hoses and jumper lines into the BOP itself. This mud, at about twice the density of water, will be delivered from the two high-pressure Schlumberger MD 1000 mud pumps made by Schlumberger and will flow through the two feed lines that were the choke and kill circuits, into the well itself, below the main rams of the BOP.

Top Kill Circuit

The pumps will deliver the mud into the lines at a pressure of 6,800 psi, but as Kinuachdrach has correctly noted, it will then acquire the pressure from the full 5,000 ft column of mud as it flows down to the BOP, and enters the flow channel carrying the oil. Now we know that the BOP rams are at least partially closed. If they are planning on using golf balls for the “junk shot”, it is feasible to surmise that the maximum width of the flow channel is no more than a third of a golf ball diameter. Not arguing the merits of American vs British ball sizes, let us assume that this is roughly half-an-inch (though it may have a greater length).

However, as flow volumes go up it requires more and more pressure for the fluid to get through a small gap. And at a given delivery pressure, only a certain flow volume will thus be able to escape that way. As long as this pressure exceeds that in the well, the net result will then be that the mud begins to push the oil and gas back down the well, and the well fills up with mud. The weight of that mud should then be enough to exert a pressure on the bottom of the well that is enough to exceed the fluid pressure in the rock and therefore stabilize the well and stop the flow of fluid out. Cement can then be pumped into the well to seal the top end. (Or with the flow stopped, another BOP can be put on the well to seal it). The main worry is that the hole in the top of the BOP is small enough to contain the additional flow volumes, and not allow the entire flow to escape upwards rather than being forced down the well. The higher flows might, in addition, if they do exit the riser, further erode the openings. This could increase the oil flow, as it lowers the resistance. (If this happened then the LMRP will be deployed).

There are, however, a number of caveats to this operation. If the pressure in the well gets too high it can cause fractures in the rock at the bottom of the well, and this can cause the mud in the well to flow into the rock, rather than sitting in the well holding the pressure against the oil pressure.

There are also concerns with the condition of the bottom of the well, and whether this will have any impact on the flow of mud back down to the well and in sealing it.

Suttles said BP could not be certain but diagnostic tests on the well seem to indicate the flow is not coming up the main bore.

The well also contains obstructions that are restricting the flow rate.

It is impossible to know for certain what those obstructions are, Suttles said, but cured cement and rocks from the formations that crews drilled through could be partially clogging the well.

If the top kill fails, then the next step will be to cut off the riser, and use the top hat that is sitting on the sea bed near the well, to capture the flow in the LMRP option.

The Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) option

Were it me, I might contact Atlas Tocco and have them look into connecting up an induction heating coil around the outside of the bottom of the riser section. It might give them the occasional additional bit of heat on the inside surface that might be needed to dislodge any inconvenient crystals that might form, without interfering with the internal flow channels.

As a point of scale for the video from the riser leak, the amount of dispersant that is being ejected into the water is about 14,000 gallons a day or about 10 gallons a minute (quarter of a barrel roughly). A 5,000 bd flow is around 150 gals/minute.

This came from Doug Suttles teleconference in which he noted that BP have now spent around $800 million. He noted that oil levels in the water near the well are being measured at 10 ppm (parts per million), against an EPA limit for oil discharge which is 15 ppm. However it is early in the monitoring cycle, and with a fleet of government sampling vessels now starting to work, the plumes and oil dispersant paths will be mapped in more detail in the weeks ahead.

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The 5 inch Android tablet Dell Streak, is giving away impressive features that only an Android device can be capable of. It has been claimed to be the most awaited product of Dell. The product would be available in the United States later this summer.

Here are the Software Features for the Dell Streak:

1. Google Android operating system and software stack for mobile devices. It includes middleware and key applications. A multi-touch version of the said operating system is expected. It also features Dell user-interface enhancements.

2. The Android Marketplace gives you access to over 38,000 applications (and growing). Android Market is an online store developed by Google for Android device softwares. The Android Market is preinstalled on most Android devices and allows the user to browse and download applications.

3. Integration through Touchdown made possible. Touchdown is the world’s first solution on accessing Exchange Server emails, calendar and contacts on Android devices.

4. Google Voice supported capability. Google Voice is a telecommunications service developed by Google. The service is roughly based after Google’s e-mail service, G-mail. Users are only required to establish a U.S. telephone service to be able to activate Google Voice.

5. Google Maps and voice-activated search. Gives a wider view of streets and satellite views. Google Maps: the free web mapping service application and technology developed and provided by Google that gives power to many map-based services on the web.

6. Quick access to streams and/or application widgets like Twitter and Facebook.

Related posts:

1. Google Android 2.2 vs Apple iPhone and iPad performance
2. Official Twitter App Now Available For Android Handsets
3. Dell launches Tablet PC, Streak with Android

Filed under: Safety, Nissan

A Gainesville, Florida Nissan dealership received a most unpleasant surprise Monday morning as the dealer’s showroom floor became engulfed in smoke, with some flames centered in one very unfortunate area. Now we’re guessing here, but we would think that if the dealer could save any one vehicle from the fire, they’d pick the nearly $90,000 silver GT-R. Too bad they apparently didn’t have time to make the decision.

The Gainesville Sun reports that the GT-R was engulfed in flames when police and fire arrived at the dealership a little while after it closed, burning up much of the vehicle’s exterior. The last person to exit the building was the security guard, who did a quick check of the showroom and locked up. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they had to bust down a door to enter the building, and when they got inside, the GT-R was being served flambé-style.

Firefighters don’t know exactly how or why the GT-R burst into flames. Reports suggest that there was a light that dropped to the ground, and that light could have started the fire, or it could have dropped as a result of the fire. We don’t have any idea what happened to the GT-R, or whether or not it was even driven that day, but you can head over to Gainesville.com for more details and to see a picture of the carnage. Thanks for the tip, Justin!

[Source: Gainesville Sun]

Report: Nissan GT-R goes up in flames while parked in locked showroom originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 May 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jamie Dupree, a radio reporter at WSBradio in Washington DC Tweets the following. This would be big trouble if true. We’re looking for more.

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Recently, Consumer Reports has tested a number of different sunscreen brands to find out which is the best at protecting people from the sun.  Among the tested products were sprays, lotions, creams, and pump sprays.  Consumer reports seems to feel strongly about the issue of sunscreen: “sunscreens that guard against ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B radiation can help prevent sunburn, wrinkles, and certain skin cancers.”

Accordingly, the above mentioned test took a look at “how well each product blocked UVA and UVB rays and how well their claimed sun-protection factor, or SPF — a measure of UVB protection — lasted on volunteers who soaked in water for 40 or 80 minutes.”

The results: the four top ranked sunscreens are as follows: Up & Up Sport Continuous, Walgreens Sport Continuous, Banana Boat Sport Performance Continuous, and Aveeno Continuous Protection.  Apparently the above are listed in no particular order, as all four tied in their overall score; all four sunscreens also cost the same per ounce!  Consumer Reports: all four “provided very good UVA protection and excellent UVB protection, and met their SPF claim even after treated skin was in water for 80 minutes.”

Related posts:

1. New Sunscreen Guidelines by FDA
2. CDC recommendations in swimming pools and water parks
3. Health Dangers in New England

Filed under: Etc.

In this day and age, even the average sedan is packing some serious heat under the hood. It didn’t use to be like this and there was a time when even “sports cars” were listed under 150 horsepower. For those unfamiliar with the history behind the horsepower wars, follow the jump for an infographic primer from the 1960s to the present day.

[Source: Auto Insurance for Autoblog.com]

Continue reading Engine power has increased 112% since 1980… and other fun facts about the Horsepower Wars

Engine power has increased 112% since 1980… and other fun facts about the Horsepower Wars originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 May 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toda semana estamos trazendo alguma má notícia relacionada a algum supercarro que não tem um final feliz. Alguns ficam abandonados em ruas desertas ou em linhas de trem debaixo de camadas de neve, outros tem incêndios misteriosos ou apenas uma batida comum, como é o caso da primeira Ferrari 458 Italia a passar por isso. Mas espera ai, uma batida comum em uma Ferrari?

Ferrari não é um carro comum, uma batida em um carro desses deve abalar mais o coração do dono do que seu próprio bolso, não sei se teria forças para aguentar. Enfim, desabados à parte, a foto acima mostra um acidente que aconteceu no dia 20 de maio, às 13:45 (horário local da Polônia).

O motorista foi burro imprudente o bastante para dirigir seu carrão a uma velocidade de 120 a 140 Km/h em uma rua estreita (vejam a foto novamente) e movimentada, sem mencionar que o limite de velocidade era de 60 Km/h. O pseudo-piloto tentou se desviar de um ônibus e perdeu o controle, batendo em um Volkswagen Bora. A polícia afirma que a culpa foi do motorista da Ferrari, por estar em alta velocidade. Vejam mais fotos da lambança que o motorista burro imprudente fez a seguir.

Imagens do acidente

Via | Topspeed

Job-Nabbing Help

It’s tough to find a job when you’ve been unemployed. But it helps if potential employers know you’ve been boosting your resume, building your skills or actively networking – not just biding your time. Bob Podgorski, Coordinator of the St. Hubert Job and Networking Ministry in Hoffman Estates, will offer a talk on highlighting your post-layoff productivity at the next edition of Harper College’s Career Stimulus, a monthly career-boosting program focused on getting local residents the job-hunting and job-nabbing support they need. The May session runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Friday, May 28 in the Wojcik Conference Center on Harper’s main campus. Podgorski’s keynote discussion, “How to Show You Are Not Standing Still,” will provide tips for being smartly productive during a layoff and advice on defining your activities for potential future employers. It’s the latest in a series of Career Stimulus topics focused on supporting the unemployed as they begin to land more interviews and see more career options amid a gradually rebounding economy. Breakout sessions will address launching a new business, stress and money management, job search library resources, personal success tips and tools for jumpstarting or restarting a career. Participants should bring 25 copies of their resume or business card for networking purposes. Career Stimulus, launched in 2009 to provide Northwest suburban residents with post-layoff help in a downturned economy, has drawn 300 regular members and helped hundreds of community members revamp their resumes, energize their job hunt and work toward new careers. “Today, as companies begin to hire again and more people begin to land interviews and get jobs, our local residents are facing different career concerns than they were in the recent past,” Adult Learning Special Assistant Nancy Wajler says. “We’re filling those new needs with even more sophisticated support.” Career Stimulus is free for first-timers. Subsequent sessions are $10. Memberships are available for $85; they include a year of meetings, one-on-one sessions with a Harper career coach, workshops, and materials for and admission to an intensive “NetWorthing” session focused on making networking work. You do not need to be a Harper resident to participate.  For more, visit www.harpercollege.edu or call 847.925.6438.

Media Note: How do you show employers you haven’t been wasting time while unemployed? Bob Podgorski is available for interviews in advance of the event. Interviews also are available with Career Stimulus participants who have landed jobs and with Harper Adult Learning Special Assistant Nancy Wajler, who can comment on how job clubs may need to change as America slowly climbs out of a recession. Contact Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Still Time for Nominations

Nominations still are being accepted for Harper College’s Distinguished Alumni Award, an annual honor saluting former Harper students for outstanding career and community achievements. The nomination deadline has been extended to Monday, May 31. The awards first were handed out in 2008 as part of the College’s 40th Anniversary celebration. Ten recipients, representing a variety of educational journeys, have been honored since then. This year, between six and eight Distinguished Alumni will be inducted. Recipients will be lauded at a November reception; they also must agree to return to campus at least one more time within the year to be a guest speaker or participate in a student roundtable. “The recipient of this award will have the opportunity to inspire others, including the students who are now part of the same campus that helped so many alumni get their start,” says Catherine Brod, Educational Foundation Executive Director and Vice President of Community Relations. Previous honorees have included an Emmy-nominated screenwriter, an 80-something retiree still taking – and teaching – courses, a mayor, a fire chief and a National Geographic-honored geoarchaeologist. To be eligible, nominees must have completed Harper credit courses, made notable moves in their career and shown professional growth in their chosen field, and had a positive impact on their community through leadership or volunteering. Forms are available at Harper’s Alumni Relations Office, Room A317, Building A on the Palatine campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine, or online, www.harpercollege.edu/alumni. For more information, call 847.925.6490.

Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Student Art Exhibition

Artwork from community members enrolled in Harper College continuing education painting and drawing courses will be on display from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 25 in the Harper College Exhibition Space, Room C200, Building C on the main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine. The exhibit, “Paintings and Portraits: Artists in Full Bloom,” will showcase works from students enrolled in oil and acrylic painting and portrait drawing courses with instructor Daryl Harris. Harris, who studied at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and spent a decade teaching art, now is a Chicago artist and illustrator. The exhibition and accompanying reception is free and open to all. Harper offers a host of open-to-all art courses for community members throughout the year. For more information, including a list of courses and fees, call Continuing Education at 847.925.6300 or visit www.harpercollege.edu/ce.

Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

New Novel

Harper College Assistant Professor Glenn Taylor turned to his home state of West Virginia for the inspiration for his first novel, a literary debut that made him a finalist for a prestigious national writing award and earned him the support of HarperCollins Publishers. For his second novel, released on Tuesday, May 11, Taylor again draws on that state’s rich history for a post-World War II story about a man, his community and the race and class issues that haunted the 1950s and 1960s American south. The Marrowbone Marble Company is a tale of struggle, loss and oppression, Taylor says – but also of faith and love over the course of three decades. It tells the story of Loyal Ledford, who works the swing shift tending furnace at a West Virginia glass factory and courts the boss’ daughter until Pearl Harbor is attacked, setting his life on a new course. The book is published by Ecco, a division of HarperCollins. Taylor’s debut novel The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart was featured as part of Barnes & Noble’s “Discover Great New Writers” collection, and made Taylor a 2008 National Book Critics Circle awards finalist – putting him in the company of authors like Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates and John Updike. Taylor, who has taught English and fiction writing at Harper since 2002, was born and raised in Huntington, W. Va., and attended Ohio University. He earned a master’s in fiction writing from Texas State University. He lives in Mount Prospect with his wife and three sons.

Media Note: For interviews with or high-resolution pictures of M. Glenn Taylor, contact Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Harper Golf Open

The Harper College Educational Foundation will host its annual Golf Open on Monday, June 14 at the Inverness Golf Club, 102 N. Roselle Road in Palatine. The event, a fundraiser for student programming and scholarships, includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, a cocktail reception, an awards banquet and buffet dinner for $500. Those who don’t wish to golf can attend the cocktail reception, banquet and buffet dinner for $125. Various levels of sponsorships are available. The Open also will feature a raffle (prizes include free rounds of golf) and a live auction for 2010 Cubs. vs. Cardinals and Sox vs. Cubs tickets. All proceeds benefit Harper’s Resource for Excellence Fund, which bolsters the College with programming, scholarships and other support where it’s most needed, in accordance with community needs. “Today, in the face of decreased state funding and an increased demand for community college services, we are even more grateful for the support we receive from our community through events like this one,” says Catherine Brod, Executive Director of the Harper College Educational Foundation. “Our Golf Open is another wonderful opportunity to come together for the purpose of championing our students.” The Open will kick off with a 10 a.m. registration and free golf clinic. The shotgun start is at 11:30 a.m. To attend, purchase raffle tickets, become a sponsor or make a donation, call 847.925.6490 or visit www.harpercollege.edu.

Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Photo Opportunities

Event: Continuing Education Student Art Exhibition

Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 25

Location: Art Exhibition Space, Room C200, Building C

 

Event: Educational Foundation Golf Open

Time: 11:30 am Monday, June 14

Location: Inverness Golf Club, 102 N. Roselle Road, Palatine

 

Event: InZone summer kids camp. Courses include fishing, cooking, film and fashion options.

Date: Mondays-Thursdays from June 7 through August 12 (call for best days/times)

Location: Campus-wide

 

With the premier of “Sex and the City 2” in New York City’s Radio City Hall, the ladies of the sex and the city are back once again to your televisions. And the red carpet was marvelous with all the four actresses appearing in beautiful gowns.

Sarah Jessica Parker appeared in one shouldered yellow gown which was from Valentino Collection and she was looking absolutely stunning with her make up and hairs. Everything went well with her gown according to USA today.

Cynthia Nixon appeared in a black gown from Carolina Herrera which just caught the public eyes. It was hard to say, if the gown was made for her or she was made for that gown. Kristin Davis as usual looked pretty and cute in her pink chiffon gown, it fit her very well.

Kim Cattrall looked like a sexy lady in her 50’s, though no one can tell she is 50. She was wearing a gold embellished gown from Naeem Khan. All the cast members were present for the premiere, but the 4 ladies were the main attraction and everyone was curious to see what they were wearing.

Related posts:

1. Sex and the City 2 Premiere
2. John Travolta to be a Father Again
3. Teacher Beats Student in Houston

Paul Gray, the bassist from Grammy award winning band Slipknot was found dead in a hotel room in Iowa. An employee of a hotel found Gray dead in his room and informed the police about it, Gray was 38 years old. Jacoby Shaddix, the lead singer of metal band said, Paul was a good person and he will be missed by many people.

Gray had been living in the hotel for couple of days according to the police sergeant. The cause of staying in a hotel or his death is not known yet, an autopsy has been planned for Tuesday. Paul Gray was best known for his masks, trashing sound and aggressive lyrics. Music director of Des Moines rock station said, it is huge loss, Paul was the friendliest and caring people he knew and he was a very good bass player he said.

Slipknot was one of the popular metal bands and no one can replace it. Paul Gray’s death was unexpected and it is devastating news for everyone not only in America but all over the world.

Related posts:

1. Cause Of Death: Paul Gray Autopsy Due Tomorrow, Slipknot Silenced
2. Paul Gray Dead- No More Slipknot Bass Player: Farewell Slipknot Bassist!
3. Slipknot Bassist Paul Gray – Found Dead in a Hotel Room

New bail conditions were imposed on actress Lindsay Lohan by Los Angeles County superior court judge at a hearing on Monday. These conditions included bracelet to detect alcohol, she was totally prohibited from drinking any alcohol, and she must attend for weekly drug tests.

Lohan was already 11 minutes late when she reached the courtroom, and she left the court after hearing all the conditions and with a bracelet on her hand. Judge Marsha Revel ordered Lindsay to stay in Los Angeles until her next probation hearing on 6^th of July. When Revel ordered Lindsay not to leave L.A area, Lindsay was not happy to hear this, her face showed a stress which was visible.

Lohan’s lawyer said, the alcohol monitor bracelet and random drug tests would interfere with the shooting of Lohan’s movie next month, but Judge Revel said, shooting work must be delayed. The bracelet will detect if she has ingested any alcohol, it will collect the information and transfer it to the modem. Judge Revel also said, Lindsay must attend alcohol classes regularly and follow all the conditions which were ordered.

Related posts:

1. Lindsay Lohan Story
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An alligator snapping turtle was caught by a fisherman named Sun Yongcheon in Weishan Lake, Anhui province, China.

Alligator snapping turtles are not native to China because it can only be found in North America. It is the largest of the North American freshwater turtles. Alligator Snapping Turtles are characterized by a large, heavy head and a long thick shell with three dorsal ridges of large scales.

The spokesman for the Jining Fishing Bureau said this was the first time an alligator snapping turtle had been found in their local water system. It was probably someone’s pet before being dumped in the lake, the local fishing department said. The creature’s alien status meant that it could have posed a danger to the local ecological system, they added.

The alligator snapping turtle measures 76 cm long and 30 cm wide and weighs 7 kg. The fisherman was surprised after catching this striking creature. “I suddenly noticed a black thing was hooked on the net, which scared me. It was struggling and biting the net when I pulled it up,” he said.

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It may not share cinnamon’s universal applicability to consumables, but turmeric is another spice with some powerful culinary and medicinal qualities that deserves our attention. Turmeric, known officially as Curcuma longa and historically as Indian saffron, is a rhizome of the ginger family. Its horizontal root system is dug up, baked, and ground into a fine orange powder, which then goes into any number of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Southeast Asian dishes. Pretty much every curry you come across anywhere, for example, includes a generous portion of turmeric. Common yellow mustard also includes turmeric, mostly as a food colorant.

Turmeric imparts a unique flavor: slightly bitter and a bit spicy, with a mustard-like scent. Upon tasting a dab of turmeric powder by itself for the first time, one is reminded of curries and other Asian stews. It’s a bit of an “Aha!” moment, in fact; you’re finally direct witness to the identity of that secretive flavor lurking within the explosiveness of the common Asian curry after all those years of take out and home cooking with anonymous curry powder mixes. Turmeric itself is actually fairly mild and unassuming, so using it as a solitary spice won’t turn every dish into a curry bonanza – in case you were worried.

Here are a few ways to experiment with the stuff in the kitchen:

• Turmeric pairs well with fish, often accompanied by little else than salt, pepper, and some lemon juice.
• For roasted chicken, I’ll sometimes rub the dry, raw bird with a turmeric-butter mixture before it enters the oven.
• You can turn that same turmeric butter into turmeric ghee – in Ayurvedic tradition, turmeric and ghee have a potent synergistic effect. Just mix softened butter with turmeric a couple hours before clarifying it.
• Add a few teaspoons to your chili for a curious subtlety that’ll make tasters scratch their chins and wonder aloud.
• The next time you roast a winter squash, sprinkle the finished flesh with turmeric, cinnamon, and butter.
• Simmer a teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of cardamom in a cup of coconut milk for ten minutes. Remove, strain, and add a dash of cinnamon for a hearty, healthy drink.
• Roast fresh cauliflower dusted with turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper and tossed in your cooking fat of choice.
• Try this Moroccan Chicken Casserole.

Years ago, I did a short piece of the anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory effect of turmeric. Turmeric was shown to improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels in rodent models. Mice given the supplement were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and they enjoyed greater body fat losses. Good, promising stuff all around. Plus, there’s plenty more:

Alzheimer’s/Dementia

• Curcumin supplementation has shown promise in treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease: an overview.
• Sustained low doses of curcumin were actually more effective in reducing beta-amyloid plaques than higher doses.
• AD incidence is lower in regions with high levels of turmeric usage, like in India (compared to the United States) and in East Asia (compared to Europe).

Cancer

• The anti-cancer effects of curcumin: an overview.
• Curcumin induces breast cancer cell apopstosis.
• Unlike many other anticancer agents that suppress the host’s immune system, curcumin is actually immunorestorative.
• Disrupted cell growth is a large factor in cancer development, and curcumin has a regulatory effect on cell function.
• Large and small bowel cancer rates are relatively low in India, especially among rural folks (eating a more traditional diet, one assumes).

Miscellany

• Turmeric extract high in curcumin was able to halt the progression of rheumatoid arthritis in animal model; the higher the curcumin content, the greater the effect.
• Curcumin inhibits the type of inflammation associated with arthritis.
• Topical curcumin speeds up the healing of wounds.
• Curcumin can reduce muscle soreness and the resultant performance loss after exercise.

Most of the research on turmeric has revolved around curcumin, an active, antioxidant component of the spice. By weight, curcumin content of turmeric powder goes no higher than 3.14% – not a terribly large amount, considering the therapeutic curcumin dosages being studied. Doses of between 2-6g are typically used in curcumin research, and it’s basically impossible to eat enough turmeric to ingest that amount of curcumin. Say you wanted a daily intake of 3g of curcumin, obtained through turmeric powder. Assuming you go the strongest stuff, you’d have to take about 3 ounces (conversion reminder: 16 ounces is 1 pound is 454 grams) of turmeric powder on a daily basis. That’s a lot of spice powder. I don’t care how much you love Indian food – it’s not going to be easy. Luckily, curcumin is non-toxic, and doses of up to 12g daily have been safely used. Note, though, that curcumin is a potential anticoagulant, so anyone taking prescription anticoagulants should check with their physician before supplementing.

Despite the focus on extracted curcumin, the epidemiology of cancer in India and other turmeric-using countries suggest that low, regular doses are beneficial, especially in cancer prevention. I love the taste, myself, so I’ll continue to use it regardless. I think you should, too.

Got any great turmeric recipes? Any success stories after using it as a health supplement? Let us know in the comments!

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According to a recent study, even by decreasing one’s daily intake of sugary drinks by a small amount can lead to improvements for those suffering from high blood pressure.  The study showed that by reducing the daily amount by one can (how many cans do Americans drink in a day?) that one can reduce blood pressure from 1.8 points in systolic pressure down to 1.1 points of systolic pressure; a total drop of 0.7 points in systolic pressure.

According to assistant professor of epidemiology at Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Public Health, Dr. Liwei Chen, the study “found a direct dose-response relationship.  Individually, it was not a big reduction. But population-wise, reducing total consumption could have a huge impact.”  In other words, the 0.7 drop in systolic pressure does not represent a startling breakthrough for any given individual, but if you added up a lot of people, say everyone in America, it adds up to a much bigger drop.

The study was conducted on a group of elderly people who did not consume a large amount of sugary drinks to begin with; it was stated that their level of consumption was already far below the American average of 2.3 drinks a day.

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