Category: News

Here’s another argument against the BCS– If playing in one of the marquee games isn’t significant enough to keep your head coach from bolting, it’s probably not as big of a deal as you might be making it.  And this year’s Sugar Bowl qualifies as the “doesn’t anyone want to coach this thing?” match up- Rumor has it that a random ticket drawing will decide the offensive coordinators for both teams.

We're in good hands

Cincinnati (12-0, 4-4 Big East) vs. Florida (12-1, 8-1 SEC)

January 1, 2010 7:30 PM ET

Superdome, New Orleans, Louisana

Interestingly enough, this game has no meaningful connection to “Sugar” that I could find- it was simply a name chosen to represent the attempts at civic pride and tourism. This game, along with the Orange and Sun Bowls, is the second oldest in the country (behind, of course, the Rose). First played in January of 1935, the only undefeated team of the north (Temple’s Owls, coached by the legendary Pop Warner”) met the only southern team with a perfect record, the Green Wave of Tulane. The Wave won that first meeting 20-14. It has been the host for numerous national championships and (in 1956) controversy as part of an important moment in American history.

Ohio State fans will more than likely be very familiar with the Bearcats of Cincinnati. After decades languishing in the shadow of THE state institution, UC staged a thrilling game between the ‘Cats and the eventual national champions

Following that, they found success under the leadership of several talented head coaches. First, Mark Dantonio left the Buckeyes to lead the Bearcats. Once Coach Dantonio left for the big time at Michigan State, Central Michigan’s Brian Kelley was named as the new head coach. In his tenure, Kelly built the Bearcats into a Big East power; this would have been his team’s second consecutive BCS game (they fell last year to Virginia Tech; don’t be surprised if you didn’t know that). As such, UC began marketing themselves as “Ohio’s BCS Team” and proudly representing the “bUCkeye State“.

Then stuff happened.

Their head coach bolted on them for greener pastures (sound familiar?), the offensive coordinator and interim head coach did the same, and the Bearcats went back to the well of Central Michigan. Suddenly, ‘Cat fans who were livid at their coach leaving before a bowl game didn’t seem to have as many objections about their new coach doing the same to his former team.

Behind the drama, though, is a powerful offense ranked sixth in the nation in scoring, and averaging over 460 yards per game. UC is led by the arm of quarterback Tony Pike, who has thrown for over 2500 yards in spite of missing almost four games this season. While out, backup Zach Collaros’ passing and scrambling helped keep the Bearcats undefeated. Their primary target is All-American (and Florida native) Mardy Gilyard; the receiver has over 1100 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also averaging 31.6 yards per kick return. His 381 all purpose yards and two TDs were central in holding off Pitt to win the Big East Championship:

Defensively, Andre Revels leads the Bearcats with 103 tackles and one interception. In the secondary, Aaron Webster’s 4 picks have led to over 130 return yards; he also has forced two fumbles. Alex Daniels is tops on the defense with 6.5 sacks.

Other than running the slate in the Big East, UC also defeated an Oregon State team that was in the hunt for the Rose Bowl berth. This will be their second matchup against the Gators; they lost 48-17 in 1984.

Speaking of drama- how about all the fun that’s been happening around the Swamp these days? A friend of mine who works at Florida (I know…) answered the phone “Waffle House” the other day when I called.  First, Charlie Strong left for a job leading Louisville (it’s a crime that this was his first serious opportunity, in my opinion). Then, receivers coach jumps ship to LSU. On Boxing Day, the head coach quits, only to come back on the next morning.  Strange doin’s, I reckon.

Needed a hug

When last we saw St. Tebow of Gainsville, he was having a very bad day. The Heisman Trophy winner’s inability to carry his team to victory against Alabama may be the lasting image that people have of him, barring some sort of amazing game in New Orleans. While it’s true that he in no way lived up to the hype that surrounded him from ESPN and other arenas, the failures of the Gators cannot be fully laid on his shoulders.  His offensive weaponry were limited from the beginning of the year; people were able to get pressure on him and impact the successes he previously had. Then there was that whole concussion thing… Are we sure Urban didn’t lock him in a equipment shed or something afterwards?

Other than Tebow, who ended the season as the Gators’ leading rusher, running back Jeff Demps’ 7.7 yards per carry average led the ground game. When Tebow tossed the ball, it was to either Aaron Hernandez (12.5 yards per catch, 4 TDs) or Riley Cooper (17.7/8). Florida’s team this year achieved an amazing balance between air and ground: the 12th ranked offense has averaged 217 yards on the ground and 225 yards through the air.

Where the Gators excel, though, is on defense. Returning all starters from the championship team that shut down Oklahoma, Florida is currently third in the nation in points per game allowed and fifth in the nation in yards per game allowed. Their defense has 20 interceptions on the year, led by All American Joe Haden’s 4. It will be interesting to see him and safety Major Wright (seen leading with his head in the video linked above) against the Bearcat offense and Gilyard. Up front, Carlos Dunlap (remember him?) and Jermaine Cunningham have seven sacks each; four Gators have totaled more than 60 tackles on the year.  While they will certainly miss Coach Strong’s leadership; the talent and hunger are in place for this unit to redeem themselves from their failings in the SEC championship.

Who Are We Picking?

Jeff at the BBC: Florida

Mali: Florida

Jim: Florida

Eric: Florida

Vegas has this thing at almost two touchdowns for the Gators- who am I to argue? I think Florida has something to prove, that Tebow has his draft stock in mind, and that the Gators defensive speed is too much. Plus, UC has lost a head coach and a interim head coach; Florida has only lost a defensive coordinator, a receivers coach, and part of a head coach.

As always, our friends at SBN’s Alligator Army have got this thing covered. UC doesn’t seem to have any SBN bloggers willing to inform the masses and defend their honor, but there’s great coverage anyways.

Back in October, we wrote about plans for yet another “free, but ad supported” music download startup, but didn’t see how the economics could work out. That site, FreeAllMusic, is apparently now getting set to launch, but it still doesn’t make much sense to us. Basically, you can download music (two of the four major labels have signed up) for free — and it’s not encumbered by DRM (that’s good), but you have to sit through some sort of video ad before you can get the music and you are limited in how much music you can download. The site’s CEO claims “We have made this process easier than stealing.”

We’ll ignore the confusion (most likely intentional) about the difference between infringement and “stealing” and focus on all the other problems with this service. First of all, it’s not easier than infringing. You have to sit and watch an ad. You don’t have to do that on file sharing networks. Second, the assumption behind the service is that people would use this the same way they use iTunes: meaning only a very small number of downloads per month. Initially, that means 20 downloads per month, total, and no more than five per session. That may be how people use iTunes, but that’s because each download costs money in iTunes. One of the reasons people prefer file sharing systems is because they’re not limited that way and can really easily sample lots of music quickly.

But the biggest problem with this concept remains with the basic economics. Since the argument remains the same as I stated a few months back, I’ll just repeat it:

You’ve got the record labels, who are used to getting approximately $0.67 per downloaded song. Assuming that needs to be made up by the ad (and even ignoring any profit for the site), then every single ad shown needs to cost that same $0.67. Translated into traditional ad terms, that’s a CPM of $670. Yikes. I don’t know any advertiser will to pay anything close to that — even if it’s targeted and you have a half decent chance of the person paying attention. Most CPM ad rates online these days are in the sub-$5 area. Convincing advertisers to jump to a $670 CPM on an unproven model? Good luck.

I’m all for experiments and new business models — especially those that make use of free music. I just don’t see this particular one getting very far. The economics are just not that compelling for anyone involved.

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A large, long-term study funded by the National Institutes of Health revealed that the popular supplement ginkgo biloba doesn’t prevent cognitive decline or improve memory in seniors. The findings of this largest ever randomized controlled trial on ginkgo bilbo were published today in JAMA.

I thought it appropriate to include fallen ginkgo leaves to illustrate this post. I’ve always been fond of the tree, even if its leaves don’t do everything we’d like them to. (Yellow ginkgo leaves remind me of potato chips!)

The ginkgo biloba study involved 3,000 people ages 72 to 96 who were followed for seven years. The authors write, “In sum, we find no evidence that G biloba slows the rate of cognitive decline in older adults.” They add that these findings are consistent with those of smaller studies. Read more about the study at USA Today.

If you’re taking the supplement to prevent memory decline, you may need to save your cash instead. Some people take gingko for other reasons, including treating multiple sclerosis and tinnitus.

On their website, the National Institutes of Health states that side effects of ginkgo biloba can include headache, nausea, gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, dizziness, or allergic skin reactions. If you’re taking ginkgo or another alternative medicine, you should always tell your doctor and dentist. Gingko may increase bleeding risk.

Other names for the ginkgo tree include maidenhair tree and Japanese silver apricot. No matter what you call it, the ginkgo is still a beautiful tree. I hope that science finds that it cures something one day.

Will this study affect your use of ginkgo supplements?

(Image via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Ginkgo Biloba Maybe Not So Effective

What do Thomas Seibel, Condoloeeza Rice and $26 million have in common? They are all connected to stealth energy startup C3, which may be entering the business of managing carbon cap-and-trade systems for corporations. In the past two weeks, C3 has filed three Form Ds with the SEC disclosing financings totaling almost $26M. Very little is known about the company publicly, and the company declines to comment on its future plans (or anything else). But from other publicly-available sources, an interesting story can be pieced together.

C3 is the brainchild of Thomas Siebel, former CEO of Siebel Systems which was bought by Siebel’s previous employer Oracle for $5.7 billion in 2005. Seibel has brought in a lot of familiar talent, including former Siebel Systems and Oracle executives Patricia House and Edward Abbo. House is a star, serving on a number of boards and in the past being named one of Fortune’s 50 most powerful women. Abbo is the former CTO of Seibel Systems, among other positions. The holdover team from Siebel, including its CTO, points towards enterprise software.

Also among the C3 board of directors are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Senator and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. Both are powerful Republicans, which comes as no surprise as Siebel played a role in introducing Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin to California. Far more interesting is the role each might play. C3 is focused on energy management and a former Secretary of Energy is a logical (and valuable) asset in that business. More interesting is the potential role of Rice. Rice’s most visible experience is as America’s lead representative to the world, suggesting that C3 is planning an international play.

Another key Director is Jay Dweck, a Managing Director and Global Head of Strategies and Technology for the Institutional Securities Group at Morgan Stanley. Mr. Dweck’s insider knowledge of institutional securities and the underlying technology at least raises the possibility that C3 will seek to securitize and/or create a market for some kind of carbon security.

So what does an enterprise-software, energy-management company with international ambitions, $26 million in capital, and sophisticated financial securities software do? Besides make a lot of money of course.

One logical answer is that the company is planning to create software/platforms for the management of carbon emissions. What makes the space potentially so valuable is cap and trade. These systems substitute a market for regulation; an enterprise’s carbon emissions are measured against a specific amount, the cap. Companies with emissions below the cap can sell their extra “space,” while companies whose emissions exceed their cap need to purchase permits for their overage. Cap and trade is not currently in use in the United States, although it has been proposed and is being pushed by the Obama Administration, but it is being used to reduce carbon emissions on a cost-efficient basis elsewhere, notably in the EU.

Two large and related problems plague cap and trade systems. One is measuring emissions (in an officially sanctioned manner) and the other is pricing them, and those two problems could very well be C3’s targets. The goal in this scenario would be to get licensed or approved to create and run cap-and-trade markets. If cap and trade is ultimately adopted as the way to control carbon emissions in the name of reducing global warming, it will be a multi-billion dollar market.

C3 bills itself as an “Energy and Emissions Management” company. Limited information about it is currently available at c3welcome.com, itself an unlikely website. The company also appears to own c3-carbon.com, and may be shopping for a more euphonious domain as it has chosen to remain at the welcome site as opposed to the longer term c3-carbon.com, which redirects.

There are other companies tackling this problem such as Greenstone Carbon Management, Carbon Hub, and Carbon Trust, but the glowing board/leadership pedigree on top of nearly limitless access to capital make C3 a diamond in the rough, so to speak.

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Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

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Earlier this evening Gizmodo published leaked images that apparently show off the pricing details for Google’s upcoming Nexus One phone. The Nexus One comes in at a hefty $530 for an unlocked device, or $180 with contract on T-Mobile — pricing that’s pretty standard for a smart phone. But even still, it’s a very big deal. It also looks like Gizmodo’s screenshots may have included clues hinting at a previously unannounced feature for Android: automatic backup of your data.

Under the section for Optional Accessories, the Nexus One will apparently have a docking station available (as did the Droid). The description for the dock is as follows: “Charge your phone while streaming music and backing up your data“.

Now, that text isn’t terribly specific. In the case of the streaming music, I think Google is probably referring to an app like Pandora. In the case of backups, Google could be referring to using one of the third party backup solutions available on Android Market, like the top rated MyBackup Pro. Or it might just be saying that you can manually back up your phone to your computer while it’s charging. Or, it could be referring to a natively supported backup option. I’m guessing it’s the latter.

Up until now Android hasn’t had a native backup solution. Unlike the iPhone, which backs up your data every time you plug the device into a computer, Android simply mounts your device as a USB drive. Granted, you could drag and drop these files to your computer’s desktop if you wanted to, but that’s hardly an intuitive solution and it doesn’t let you selectively update only the files that have changed.

But what would an Android backup service look like? Google obviously favors the cloud, so it seems logical that it could back up your essential data wirelessly. Then again, Android already does that for much of your data, like Gmail and Contacts, because it’s tied to your Google Account. The fact that this backup is done while the phone is docked seems to imply it’s more time consuming. Perhaps it’s something that involves a desktop client — something that Google has avoided until now and would be at odds with their cloud-based strategy.

We’ll likely know for sure by January 5th — the date that the Nexus One is rumored to make its public debut.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

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Good news, everyone! Our very own iPhone / iPod touch app is finally really available in Apple’s much talked about and critically acclaimed App Store! That’s right, all the excitement and info you’ve come to know and love from Engadget is now bottled in an easy to digest and delicious iPhone form. The application — easily downloadable from your device or iTunes — features a whole bunch of useful features such as offline viewing, built in streaming for The Engadget Show, in-app tipping (you know, for when you see the next iPhone), and all kinds of customization options. You can download the app right here, or click on the image above.

Even better than this? We’ve got more apps on the way! Before CES (fingers crossed), you should see both a BlackBerry and webOS version of the Engadget application, and plans for the Android version are already in motion.

Lastly, a big, big, big thanks to the team at AOL that actually made this thing a reality: Sun Sachs, Andy Averbuch, Hareesh P, Anibal Rosado, Rajesh Kumar, Rich Foster, Claudeland Louis, Mike Wolstat, Eric Wedge, Vikas B R, Asha Indira and Bob Gurwin. You guys rule.

Update: Looks like it’s not showing on devices yet, but working just fine in iTunes. It will show up shortly we presume.

Engadget for iPhone / iPod touch: available now! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dr. David Blaustein is a nationally recognized dental expert in cosmetic dentistry. He offers all aspects of dentistry including cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. He also offers invisalign and tooth whitening.

Invisalign uses a series of clear aligners that are custom-molded to fit your teeth. Using computer aided design software, a series of aligners are created that you will change out approximately every two weeks. Over time, the virtually invisible aligners reposition your teeth without the use of metal braces or bands. Most people will not be able to tell you are in treatment and an entire treatment with Invisalign averages only six months to one year.

There are several ways to whiten your teeth. At home whitening trays. These products use peroxide-based gels to whiten your teeth. Generally, the process involves the daily application of the gel placed in a tray customized to fit snuggly over your teeth. You will need to wear the trays for 30 minutes to 1 hour every day, or overnight, for about two weeks (or as prescribed by Dr. Blaustein). Side effects may include short-term tooth or gum sensitivity.

Zoom! whitening (aka in-office whitening). Zoom! whitening is a procedure that takes place in a single visit to your dentist. It involves the application of a specially formulated gel that, when exposed to a type of light energy, penetrates the stains in your teeth, breaking them up and leaving your smile brighter and whiter. The entire process takes under an hour.

If you are in the London Terrace area of New York and are in search of a cosmetic dentist contact Dr Blaustein today at 212.243.6081.

Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry Chelsea NY, Dentists NYC, Information dentists, Chelsea NY, London Terrace NY, dental implants, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, cosmetic dentistry, implantology, Dr. Blaustein, family dentistry

We’re just a few days from Y2K+10, ten years after the big scare of the whole world collapsing from a lapse in computer programming foresight.

I remember it closely, I spent a few hours in the later part of Dec 1999 backing up data at the small business my wife was working at. We were able to download nearly all of her company’s (a very small office) data onto just over a dozen zip drives, remember those? Funny that we could fit nearly all the digital files onto those drives –perhaps, if Y2K fears were to happen, it’s better than uploading to the cloud.

I also remember an army of Y2K consultants, and their concerns over liabilities, appear marketing how they’d offer CIOs Y2K enterprise proofing for companies that were concerned about losing all their data. I even had one slightly off-keel friend stay home on NYE 2000 eve with a gun in hand, military rations beside his bed. I wasn’t phased, I enjoyed reveling in downtown San Francisco with friends.

I want you to reminisce, do you remember what you did to protect your personal data, finances, work data, or what your company did in preparation for the Y2K apocalypse? Leave a comment, share with others, and take a look back 10 years ago. To trigger some memories, here’s a video to remind you of the fear, oh Leonard, really? Illogical.

Not many people across the nation gave Wisconsin much of a chance to beat the high-powered Miami Hurricanes, especially after the Badgers embarrassing loss to FSU in their bowl game last year.

This isn’t last year.

Wisconsin used smash-mouth offense and clamp-down defense to beat the Canes 20-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl, giving the Big Ten their first bowl win in the 2009-2010 campaign.

For our friends out west who have been hanging their hat on the “Ohio State will lose because the Big Ten sucks” hook….let’s look at the progress of the bowl season so far.

December 22nd – Las Vegas Bowl

18th-ranked Oregon State, the team that was one drive away from being the champion of the Pac-10 gets humiliated by BYU, 44-20.  That’s right…the second-place team in the Pac-10 got more than doubled up.  By Mormons.

December 23rd – Poinsettia Bowl

California struggles through most of the key moments of the game, turning the ball over three times in a 37-27 loss to Utah.  Cal at one point allowed the Utes to rip off a 37-7 run that lasted more than three quarters.  They lost by 10.  To Mormons.

December 26 – Emerald Bowl

USC shows that maybe they have some bowl experience and the Trojans turn a close halftime score into a 24-13 win over Boston College.  Don’t get too excited, Pac-10 fans.  Notre Dame beat BC also.

December 29 – EagleBank Bowl

UCLA struggles the entire game against Temple, trailing by 11 points at halftime before pulling out a 30-21 win over the Owls.  Temple realized that they were Temple sometime around the start of the 4th quarter and the game unraveled.  But it still took UCLA a long time to put away Temple.  Yes, Temple.

The Pac-10 is 2-2 in bowl games, and none of them have been impressive for the conference, save the great game by USC QB Matt Barkley.

Meanwhile, the 15th-ranked Miami Hurricanes just got pushed around by Wisconsin’s special brand of midwestern football.

There’s lots of games to be played left in the bowl season, but the “weak conference” argument is certainly losing it’s power as of this moment, wouldn’t you agree?

Good thing for the Pac-10 that there’s no more teams with a multitude of Mormons, huh?

Veneto, Italy | Mazes

Local lore holds that the hedge maze at Villa Pisani is so challenging, Napoleon was lost in it when he lived in the villa, and Hitler and Mussolini were too chicken to go into it at all.

The maze is a classic medieval circular path with nine concentric repeating patterns and many dead ends surrounding a small tower in the center. It was designed by Girolamo Frigimelica for the Venetian Doge Alvise Pisani in 1720 as part of the beautifully landscaped grounds which surround the 114 room villa which was to be built 15 years later. The challenge comes from the hedges, which are so high that it is impossible to see over once you have entered. A statue of Minerva, goddess of wisdom and arts, holds court from the top of the central tower reached via a double spiral staircase.

Pisani was a wealthy landowner with several estates in the area. He became the 114th Doge of nearby Venice in 1735, possibly the inspiration for the 114 rooms in the villa. He served for only six years before his death in 1741, ruling during the declining, hedonistic days of the Venetian Republic. There would be only six more Doges before it fell in 1797.

Villa Pisani is an elaborate property by any comparison. Building began in 1735 in Baroque style, with its huge rectangular house surrounded by 30 acres of gardens dotted with follies, a Versailles-like reflecting pool, a petite hill-top ice house, a miniature forest, an orangery, and false hills, not to mention the labyrinth. Inside, the walls are painted with allegorical murals of cavorting Greek gods and celebrations of thePisani family, as well as trompe l’oil effects on ceilings and walls.

It was seized by Napoleon in 1807 following his conquest of Venice, and given to his stepson Eugene Beauharnais (at which time the emperor may or may not have gotten lost in the labyrinth), and was later used by Hitler and Mussolini for talks in 1934. The villa is now empty, but open to visitors.

Since I’ve already used my favorite piece of ACC team color trivia, I might as well talk about another SEC/ACC matchup. And yes, I asked to do this game because I loves me some chicken sammiches.

Still looks like the UC logo

Tennessee (7-5, 4-4 SEC) vs. Va Tech (9-3, 6-2 ACC)

December 31, 2009 7:30:00 PM ET

Georgia Dome, Atlanta Georgia

Vintage

This is, for me, one of the traditional games. Started in 1968 and named the “Peach Bowl” until 1998, when Chick Fil A became a corporate sponsor. In 2006, the corporation took complete ownership of the naming rights; no more peaches.

Not that I’m really complaining- I’ve been known to drive quite a ways to support the current administration. When they say “we didn’t invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich” they ain’t kidding… plus, they put pickles on it, and serve sweet tea. Those things, and the Cathay Family’s commitment to giving their staff a day off, are reasons enough for me to sacrifice my cholesterol and for us to watch this game.

And it should be a good one, pairing a first year coach against one of the veterans of the collegiate game. Vols coach Lane Kiffin and his band of well paid merry men are coming off of a rebuilding year, with signature games against Georgia (win), Florida (moral victory), and Alabama (moral victory, amazing finish). They finished tied for second in the SEC East, and seemingly led the nation in secondary recruiting violations. Recent allegations imply improper usage of co-eds… I actually thought that was part of SEC conference rules.

The Vols are anchored on defense by All American safety Eric Berry, a player that impacts the ways coaches establish their gameplans. A ferocious hitter,  his 83 tackles, two picks, and two recovered fumbles have set him up to make a lot of money playing on Sundays. However, linebacker Rico McCoy’s 112 tackles lead Coach Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron’s defensive stalwarts.

2009 Christmas Photo

While the news was freshman running back Bryce Brown, this team’s successes offensive hinge on the arm of QB Jonathan Crompton. For the year, this senior managed over 58% completions, and an efficiency rating of 135. His main targets have been Gerald Jones (41 catches, 610 yds, 4TD) and Denarius Moore (36, 473, 6). While Brown made news, Montario Hardesty amassed almost 1400 yards and 12 scores on the year.

Blacksburg’s finest began their season with a loss to potential national champion Alabama, and then struggled to defeat the Huskers in Lincoln. They also fell to Georgia Tech and UNC, but manhandled “Da U” 31-7. Fun fact- While the “Hokie” mascot seems to be some sort of turkey, the name itself comes from a cheer from 1896. And now you know… Personally, I wish they had more arrests- I’d love to read headlines about the “Hokie Pokey”.

Just precious

“Beamerball” is predicated on special teams excellence; although it seems as if this may be the reason they’re not playing in a BCS game- So far this year, Virginia Tech has only 2 kick returns for TDs, and have only blocked one punt and no field goals.  On offense, quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been responsible for almost 2500 total yards, including 344 rushing yards to go with four rushing touchdowns. Ryan Williams has totaled close to 1600 yards and 19 scores on the ground; Jarrett Boykin’s 715 yards and 5 touchdowns lead the receiving corps.

Defensively, Cody Grimm’s 99 tackles are tops for the team, but Jason Worilds is tied with him with 9.5 tackles for a loss over the season. In the secondary, Rashad Carmicheal has managed 5 interceptions for a defense that has held opposition to 18 touchdowns for the year.

Who Are We Picking?

Jeff at the BBC: Hokies

Mali: Hokies

Jim: Hokies

Eric: Hokies

Tennessee is going to be good- just not yet.

For more on this match up, and potential coupons for tasty sandwiches, check out SBN’s Gobbler Country and Rock Top Talk.

The idea of gardening saving you lots of money is questionable. If you grow smart, make few mistakes, and the weather is perfectly behaved, or if you can sell a serious batch of surplus veggies, you may save (or even make) lots of money, but I think that ideal situation is the exception. More often it’s likely you’ll save a little money with a garden. Still in many ways gardening  is a more cost efficient way to get organic veggies and tabletop flowers. Plus, there are plenty of ways you can plan for a less expensive garden right from the start.

Start slow: If you’re a new gardener, starting small, with easier plants is a more cost efficient option. You’ll learn as you go and those first gardening mistakes won’t cost as much if you’re gardening on a smaller scale.

Have a concrete plan in place: Willy nilly gardening costs you more than it saves. Without a solid garden plan, you may head into the garden center and buy seeds, plants, and gear you don’t actually need. Without a solid plan, those berry bushes might overwhelm you and you’ll have more work, but not any berries to show for it. Make sure you know what you’re planting ahead of time, where you are planting, and all the care facts you need for specific plants at your disposal. Note that part of your plan should include what sort of soil you have so you fix it before hand if need be.

Use what you’ve got: This can be saving seeds or trying a seed exchange, taking cuttings or dividing plants, using a rain barrel, making your own compost, or using egg cartons for starting seeds. Try to use natural resources and reusable resources to their fullest before using brand new, and more expensive resources.

Grow 80% comfort: By this I mean grow mostly plants you’re at ease with and work in newbie plants on a smaller level. Plants you know and have cared for before are more likely to do well. Growing native plants that your actual environment is used to doesn’t hurt either.

Be on the lookout for garden pests: Slugs, example, small as they may be can literally take out most of a vegetable garden. That’s a big money loss. Learn about pests in your area and be prepared.

Visit yard sales and thrift stores for gear: Used garden gear like pots and trowels only need a good scrub down while dull cutting tools can sometimes be sharpened. Don’t buy junk, but shopping at a used venue, and looking beyond the appearance of tools can save you money.

Pool resources: If you need a lot of something (potting mix, border plants, etc) you may be able to pool money with another gardener, buy in bulk, and save.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Plan a less expensive garden

Are you looking for a quick, delicious meal for your family? This Asian-inspired recipe for Crispy Orange Beef can be on your table in 30 minutes. Visit BHG.com to get other recipes, including Miso Soup, Almond Rice and more, to complete your Weeknight Asian Dinner Menu in 30 minutes or less.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Image: BHG.com

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 1-inch strips
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, Wesson
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, McCormick
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade, Smucker’s
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, Swanson
• 10 small dried Thai chiles
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, Kikkoman
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Season flank steak strips with salt and pepper, then toss with flour. Shake off excess flour.

2. Add oil to a large skillet until 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Heat oil to 365 degree F. Working in batches, fry flour-coated steak strips until deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. (DO NOT crowd pan.) Drain on paper towels. Set aside and keep warm.

3. For sauce, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute garlic in oil until fragrant. (Do not let the garlic brown.) Add orange marmalade, 1/2 cup beef broth, the chiles, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into remaining 1/2 cup beef broth. Stir cornstarch mixture into simmering sauce. Return to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens.

4. Pour sauce over beef and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Post from: Blisstree

Crispy Orange Beef

I have become a fakir. It had to happen.

When I told my son, his eyes rolled like a startled horse and he reached for the phone. (None of them can wait to put me away).

But I haven’t started tramping barefoot over burning coals, meditating, levitating, or living on air and I have no foreseeable intention of doing so. Unless it’s living on air after I’ve paid off my Christmas debts.

What I have is a bed of nails. Well, they aren’t really nails and it’s not really a bed, but the spirit is there.

Mine is a modern bed of nails, a Shakti Mat, an Acupressure Mat. I’m told it increases wellbeing and decreases pain. It certainly increased my nap time.

Every time I lay (very carefully) on it I drop off to sleep like a drunken koala, perfectly balanced and perfectly content. And perfect for an afternoon snooze.

I don’t recommend watching a DVD while resting on the mat, you’ll wake up with the blasted movie finished and the disc stuck in a loop.

Let me tell you about the nails. The mat has little plastic spikey things on it which are the sterile equivalent of nails.

Rolling onto is is the tricky part, once you have your weight on the mat the pressure is distributed evenly. Quite comfy in fact.

The directions tell me that it will stimulate blood flow to all those bits and pieces of me that ache and complain, unclogging my joints as well as my mental blockages. Certainly my mentals need unblocking.

I’ll let you know how I go with it.

Spare a shilling for a glass of sweet sherry