New World Cuisine: The Histories of Chocolate, Mate Y M?s

What better subject for Christmas Eve than cuisine and chocolate!? Above is the title of an exhibition that just opened at the Museum of International Folk Art here in Santa Fe.? I must confess that while it is the most popular tourist attraction among the State run museums I have never been a big fan, but this time they hit the nail on the head.? This show is beautifully thought out and installed.? What has been getting the most attention and praise are the kitchens that were set up including a New Mexican Hearth, a Spanish Kitchen and a New Mexican Colonial Kitchen.? The Hearth is a model of what would have been built in a traditional one room house made of adobe bricks mud and plaster with a kiva fireplace which one still finds in houses today. The family lived in and cooked in this room until the family was settled and could afford both the time and money to expand the building. The curator of the exhibition, Nicolasa Ch?vez is 14th?generation New Mexican on her father?s side, which is unusual even in this part of the world.? So who better qualified to work on the subject of the history of Southwest cooking. I was not surprised to learn that a great many foreign foods were brought to the Southwest, what I did not realize was that our exports caught on abroad.? Tomatoes and peppers were imported into Spain from the New World.? Tomato sauce was not known before that.? I must say I remember when I was a child and taken to Italy and I found out you couldn?t get pizza there.? Boy, was I disappointed!? Never fear, today it is as ubiquitous in Italy as it is all over the United States. One of my favorite food and drink combinations is wine and chocolate. Chocolate has been part of the Mesoamerican culture since 1800-1400 BC and was first discovered in North America by Christopher Columbus on one of his later voyages to our continent at the very beginning of the 16th?century.?? It had been known in New Mexico, however, since the 11th?century.? It was originally drunk unsweetened and was not to the taste of the European settlers. ?The cacao bean, on its own, is quite bitter but after ingredients such as sugar, milk, honey and cinnamon were added it gained in popularity. ?It was only in the mid-19th?century when the United States military began its occupation of the Southwest that the tea and coffee they brought with them replaced chocolate as the most popular drinks. Though, New Mexico may not be the first place you would think to start a vineyard tour, vineyards were planted here as early as 1629 by Franciscan Monks at various missions along the Rio Grand Valley and? we had the earliest wine production of any of the territories.? By 1884 New Mexico was already producing a million barrels a year and was the 5th?largest wine producer in the country.? There was a lull during the 20th?century but today, again, there is a great deal of wine produced here. What I wish I could show you here is a 50-minute video shown in the exhibition courtesy of the University Arizona Press.? It is called, ?Chocolate: Pathway to the Gods? and it traces not just it?s history in the Southwest but it?s entire 3,000 year history.? One can learn so much about this fabulous international food. The film was produced by Arecho Productions inc. and it can be acquired directly here. Clearly there is a lot more to the exhibition than I have outlined and much of the information is about the cross fertilization of foods between this part of the world and Europe.? Even though the exhibition will run for another 12 months, by its very nature it is ephemeral.? I do hope that they produce a catalog for the show so that the focused presentation of the exhibition and its content won?t be lost.

Source: http://geraldstiebel.blogspot.com/2012/12/new-world-cuisine-histories-of.html

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Scientists unravel secret of Rudolph's red nose

Dreaming of a white Christmas such as the one in this image? You may have to keep on dreaming. Statistics on snow cover from 14 major U.S. cities between 1960 and 2000 show the overall trend on the decline.

In the 1990s, these cities saw 47 white Christmases ? which translates to an inch or more of snow on the ground. During the 1960s, by comparison, the 14 major cities saw 72 snowy Christmases, according to Dale Kaiser, a meteorologist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory who compiled the data. And between 2000 and 2008, only three of the cities on the list ? Detroit, Chicago and Boston ? showed an uptick in their downward trends.

While statistics from one day of the year are an imperfect gauge of a seasonal climate, Kaiser notes the decline in white Christmases hints at a trend of less snowy winters seen in many parts of the country. Click the "Next" button for nine more gifts of science for Christmas.

? By John Roach, msnbc.com contributor

Virgin birth not unique to Mary

Christmas, traditionally, is a giant birthday bash for Jesus Christ, who was said to be born to the Virgin Mary. The event is considered miraculous: Human biology requires sex for reproduction. But via a process known as parthenogenesis, eggs become embryos without male fertilization. It has been found to occur in about 70 species. Recent additions to the list include komodo dragons, the world's largest lizard; and an Atlantic blacktip shark, shown here.

The science behind the 'Star of Bethlehem'

Some biblical wise men figured that a rare celestial spectacle a little more than 2,000 years ago heralded the arrival of a king, and followed it to where he and his mother lay. But what was this "Star of Bethlehem"?

Astronomers have puzzled over the mystery for years. One idea holds the "star" was actually a rare alignment of planets, several of which occurred between 3 B.C. and 2 B.C. ? dates that some scholars think could correspond with the historical birth of Jesus. One such sequence involves the planet Jupiter, seen here, flitting back and forth across the star Regulus in Leo and then approaching Venus so that the two appeared as one.

Frankincense, tapped out

Balthasar, the wise man on the right in this nativity scene, brought the baby Jesus a gift of frankincense, according to the New Testament.

While the fragrant resin may have been abundant in biblical times, today the trees that produce it on the Arabian Peninsula and in the Horn of Africa are about tapped out, according to scientists. Tapped trees, the researchers found, produce fewer and less productive seeds than those left alone for at least four years. And since standing trees are also being cleared for farmland and munched by goats, those that remain standing are under duress. The researchers call for less intensive tapping to keep production sustainable.

Mistletoe: A kiss of death?

Suspended sprigs of mistletoe have kindled and rekindled many a holiday romance over the years, but the parasitic plant can be the kiss of death for trees.

Most mistletoe species make their own nutrients via photosynthesis, but grow on trees where they suck out water and minerals essential to their hosts' long-term survival. And once infected, a tree is stuck with mistletoe until death. The plant itself is spread by birds, which eat the seeds and poop them out on other tree limbs.

A shot of holiday brandy is healthy?

Add a shot of holiday brandy to the list of supposedly sinful consumables that give a healthy kick ? in moderation, of course. As studies on red wine, dark chocolate and coffee have previously shown, recent research on brandy found that a shot glass full of the distilled fermented fruit juice contains as much antioxidant potential as the daily recommended intake of vitamin C. The antioxidants, which are chemical compounds that help protect body cells form free radicals, come mainly from copper during the distilling process, according to researchers at Monash University in Australia. Team leader Gordon Troup, a physicist, is shown here holding a glass of the amber liquid.

How science built a 'better' Christmas tree

While Charlie Brown's scraggly Christmas tree had an undeniable charm, most shoppers in the spirit for a natural tree want something that sheds few needles, requires little trimming and is full of hardy branches on which to hang ornaments. Scientists have spent decades doing their best to appease the market. They've selectively bred trees with all the traits desired by those gathered around the hearth as well as things such as disease resistance and fast growth that cheer up accountants focused on the bottom line. The man in this photo is walking among scientifically improved trees on his farm in Maine.

How to track Santa

Around this time of year, millions of children around the world giddily anticipate the arrival of a jolly red-suited man, his reindeer and a sleigh spilling over with gifts. As they wait, they can track Santa's progress as he and his merry crew race around the globe on NORADSanta.org, a Web site maintained by the North American Aerospace Defense Command. While there, visitors can also watch preview videos, play games and listen to holiday music. One page even explains that Santa must function within his own "time-space continuum" in order to complete his deliveries, which could open the door to parent-child conversations about science. This image shows volunteers at Santa tracking HQ answering e-mails and phone calls from interested kids on Christmas Eve.

Falling apart over jigsaw puzzles?

A popular post-presents pastime is the jigsaw puzzle, but what seems like a nice way to keep the holiday spirit together often fragments the peace. Why? Because, according to researchers at the University of Bath, different people approach the puzzle with conflicting strategies. For example, some puzzlers are border-obsessive while others scour the table for matches to a component of the picture on the lid. And those with different strategies tend to compete with each other: hiding sections, hoarding piles of pieces and even pocketing jigsaw pieces all in bid to "win" by placing the final puzzle piece.

The findings are part of a larger program to understand successful collaboration and develop software that will help people collaborate more effectively.

Christmas is for the birds

Every year around the holidays, thousands of people across the Americas step outside armed with binoculars and checklists. The volunteers in this army dutifully count the number and types of birds they see. The results of the annual Christmas Bird Count contribute to what scientists consider one of the best databases available on the distribution and population of many species of birds. It has helped scientists show, for example, that the population of the northern pintail duck, shown here, has dropped 77 percent since 1967.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50290451/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Your Health And A Golf Course Houston TX Has ? Recreation & Sports

Where there is a golf course Houston TX has offer, you will find hundreds of participants daily. There are lots of people who enjoy playing the sport for a number of reasons. It is considered a hobby to most. Others find it relaxing and a great way to spend some leisure time. Aside from these reasons to play, is the health benefits you receive.

When you hear people talk about this sport, the first thing that probably comes to mind is boredom. Having watched golf on television, you mostly see a bunch of people along the course, low talking, being quiet, and giving the occasional cheer after a golfer takes a swing. However, in addition to being a leisurely way to kill time, the sport has a number of other benefits.

Many years ago, experts had a theory about effective exercising. They believed sustaining an elevated heart rate for a minimum of 20 minutes would be an effective means of staying fit. If the workout was less than this time, it was seen as an ineffective exercise. It was later discovered that a steady medium paced exercise could be beneficial as well.

Most people who play golf will tell you they do so because it is fun and relaxing. Some people will even admit to becoming addicted to the sport, and play it frequently because they love it so much. In fact, studies have shown that golf can actually affect your emotional, physical, and mental state in a positive way.

This game can bring a lot of fun and excitement for its players. The open spaces and the challenge of the game is enough to make anyone feel better. Players find fulfillment in playing with friends and enjoying the outdoors, and the company of other players on the course. All of these things factor into them improving their emotional state.

Some people may not be aware of this, but golf can be a very physically demanding game. Most pro golfers have to stay in great condition in order to play well. Each and every shot require a certain level of strength and coordination. You also have to have good endurance and balance as you play. Swing your club, carrying your bags, and walking the course all play a part in helping you maintain your health.

In order to perform well at this, and any other sport, requires a certain level of physical and mental strength. All players know that the must be mentally aware of what they are doing in order to have a good game. Every shot you take requires that you be aware of your body, the ball, and your target. This level of concentration and focus takes a lot of skill and practice.

It doesn?t always take joining a gym to get in shape. If you are looking to becoming more active think about playing on a golf course Houston TX has available. You are likely to find the sport very relaxing and a great way to spend your time. Your health has the potential to improve every time you play.

You can visit the website www.bellvillegolf.com for more helpful information about Discover More About A Golf Course Houston TX Has And Your Health

Source: http://megastore123.com/sports/2012/12/20/your-health-and-a-golf-course-houston-tx-has/

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Source: http://vinonucid.posterous.com/your-health-and-a-golf-course-houston-tx-has

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Source: http://okuritaa.posterous.com/your-health-and-a-golf-course-houston-tx-has

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Source: http://pymacievf.posterous.com/your-health-and-a-golf-course-houston-tx-has

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Dead passenger found riding in Berlin underground

The need to save for retirement is accompanied by plenty of hints. Ads like ING's from a few years ago have neighbors toting around large orange numbers, or simply the word "gazillion" to demonstrate what they thought that their retirement numbers needed to be. Popular authors and academics like Lee Eisenberg, author of The Number, discussed what you'd need in retirement, while in-depth research from William Bengen came out with the 4 percent drawdown as well as, more recently, Wade Pfau's research arguing that even a 4 percent withdrawal rate in retirement might be too risky. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dead-passenger-found-riding-berlin-underground-114355940.html

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Understanding differences between illegal and legal insider trading ...

Due to a variety of factors, the federal government is cracking down hard on those suspected of illegal insider trading. However, there can be a very fine line between white collar crime and legal business practices. As a result, it is critical for those who may be vulnerable to such accusations to have a sound understanding of what constitutes legal and illegal trading practices.

Essentially, financial employees must guard against any perception that they have unfairly profited from information not yet disclosed to the public about the financial status of their employer but that should be public knowledge due to the nature of the information and the impact that it will have on shareholders. Of course, the ins and outs of illegal insider trading are far more complex than this simple answer. However, it provides a good quick reference and rule of thumb to abide by.

More specifically, financial employees should take care to understand and abide by S.E.C. Rule 10b5-1 when trading in their own company's shares. Sticking to the specific provisions contained in this rule will help insider trading remain legitimate and free of negative consequences later on. In order to remain free of negative scrutiny, financial employees should simply avoid trading when they have access to influential insider information and may affect the timing and amount of trading done as a result.

However, it is important to note that recent S.E.C. initiatives are targeting those who would seek to manipulate Rule 10b5-1 in order to adhere strictly to the law while violating its spirit.

When it comes to legal insider trading, financial employees would do well to heed the following piece of advice: be careful.

Source: New York Times Dealbook, "The Fine Line Between Legal, and Illegal, Insider Trading," Peter J. Henning, Dec. 10, 2012

Source: http://www.marylandcriminallawblog.com/2012/12/understanding-differences-between-illegal-and-legal-insider-trading.shtml

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Beyond Structured Settlements: Structured Settlements in 2012 - 1

The U.S. structured settlement industry in 2012 increasingly defined itself into three related markets (the primary, secondary and settlement planning markets) with the liquidation of Executive Life Insurance Company of New York (ELNY) representing the dominant industry storyline.

This blog post highlights 2012 non-ELNY structured settlement developments for the primary market. Subsequent S2KM blog posts will highlight structured settlement developments for the 2) secondary and 3) settlement planning markets and summarize 4) ELNY-related events.

Primary Market

The primary structured settlement market in 2012 was characterized by continuing sales declines including the departure of two annuity providers (Hartford and Symetra). As reported by Melissa Evola and "Structured Settlements and Periodic Payment Judgments" (S2P2J), annual structured settlement annuity premium reached an historic high in 2008 ($6,226,578,725) after consistently averaging close to $6 billion annually from 2001-2007.

The 2011 structured settlement annuity premium total of $4,974,710,838 represented an approximate 10 percent decline from 2010 and an approximate 20 percent decline from 2008. And based upon reported third quarter 2012 numbers, this year's structured settlement annuity numbers could be even lower.

Through the end of September 2012, reported nine month structured settlement annuity premium totaled $3,570,584,333 compared with 2011 ($3,638,466,321) and 2008 ($4,429,915,586) figures for similar nine month results. The comparable nine month case totals for these years: 2012 (18,701 cases); 2011 (21,846 cases); and 2008 (25,545 cases).

Many structured settlement industry participants attribute declining sales to low interest rates including future forecasts by the Federal Reserve. Market yields on U.S. Treasury securities at 30 year constant maturity peaked at 13.45 percent in 1981. Here are several historic average annual rates for 30 year Treasury securities (source: U.S. Department of the Treasury):

• 2012 (as of December 21) - 2.93%
• 2011 - 3.91%
• 2010 - 4.25%
• 2009 - 4.08%
• 2008 - 4.28%
• 2007 - 4.84%
• 2000 - 5.94%
• 1990 - 8.61%
• 1980 - 11.27%

Critics of the primary structured settlement market attribute the continuing sales decline to a broader set of factors. For example, speaking at the 2012 National Association of Settlement Purchasers (NASP) conference, Mark Wahlstrom described 2012 as "another bad year for the primary market". He characterized declines in primary market annuity premium as a "negative trend that will eventually impact the secondary market" and identified the following causes:

• The structured settlement is an insular, closed community with aging leadership and a shrinking sales force.
• Structured settlement annuity providers, and most brokers, lack marketing and innovation skills.
• Primary market participants are intimidated by the Internet.
• Instead of offering customer solutions, the primary market continues to sell a single product.
• With historically low interest rates, that product produces a zero return when you consider inflation.
• The primary market has not responded strategically to tort reform and increasing competition from other professionals.
• By continuing their "factoring wars", the primary market has missed opportunities to cooperate with the secondary market.
• The ELNY liquidation means the primary market can no longer claim all structured settlement recipients have received 100% of their payments.

Perhaps the most positive 2012 development for the primary structured settlement industry was the remarkable business turnaround of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Four years following its $182 billion financial bailout of AIG, the United States Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve sold almost all of their remaining AIG ownership interest during 2012, which at one time reached 92 percent, and achieved a net positive investment return of $22.7 billion.

AIG's significant role in the U.S. structured settlement market, and the impact of AIG's 2008 financial collapse, are apparent from annual AIG structured settlement annuity premium results (compiled by Melissa Evola) with AIG's estimated annual share of the U.S. structured settlement annuity market in parentheses.

• 2002 - $1.179 billion (19%)
• 2003 - $1.195 billion (20%)
• 2004 - $1.221 billion (20%)
• 2005 - $1.316 billion (21%)
• 2006 - $1.463 billion (24%)
• 2007 - $1.468 billion (24%)
• 2008 - $1.454 billion (23%)
• 2009 - $0.429 billion (8%)
• 2010 - $0.499 billion (9%)
• 2011 - $0.395 billion (11%)

For the first three quarters of 2012, based upon Evola's reporting, AIG (Amgen/AILife) sold $409,213,518 of total structured settlement premium representing 11 percent of total U.S. structured settlement annuity premium ($3,570,584,333) for the same period.?

For S2KM's prior annual structured settlement industry reports, see the structured settlement wiki.

Source: http://s2kmblog.typepad.com/rethinking_structured_set/2012/12/structured-settlements-in-2012-1.html

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Greenberg gets minor league deal from Orioles

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2012, file photo, Adam Greenberg prepares for batting practice before a baseball game against the New York Mets in Miami. Greenberg said on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, that he has agreed to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles and will have a chance to earn a job at their Triple-A farm team in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2012, file photo, Adam Greenberg prepares for batting practice before a baseball game against the New York Mets in Miami. Greenberg said on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, that he has agreed to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles and will have a chance to earn a job at their Triple-A farm team in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

Adam Greenberg is getting a chance to resume his baseball career with the Baltimore Orioles.

The 31-year-old returned to the major leagues for one at-bat in October, more than seven years after he was beaned in his debut. He agreed to a minor league contract with the Orioles and will have a chance to earn a job at their Triple-A farm team in Norfolk, Va.

"To get the opportunity with the Orioles means everything to me," he said Saturday.

He had contacted Baltimore manager Buck Showalter at the winter meetings this month in Nashville, Tenn.

"I just walked up to him, introduced myself," Greenberg said. "I've always kind of looked at Buck and said that would be the guy that I would love to play, that type of hard-nose mentality."

Showalter put him in touch with Orioles special assistant Brady Anderson and general manager Dan Duquette.

"I'm going to spring (training) with the opportunity to make the Triple-A squad," he said. "Being 31, they said I'm not going to be going to Double-A and taking away a prospect's spot. It's Triple-A, big leagues ? obviously I'm not going to make the big league team out of camp ? it's Triple-A, big leagues or nothing, and that's great."

Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth round of the 2002 amateur draft, Greenberg made his big league debut as a pinch hitter on July 9, 2005, and was hit on the back of his head with the first pitch from the Marlins' Valerio de los Santos. Greenberg sustained a concussion and was removed for a pinch runner.

Released by the Cubs in June 2006, he had minor league stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals, the speedy outfielder signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds and was cut at the end of spring training, hampered by a rotator cuff injury. He spent 2009, '10 and '11 with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League.

After a petition on Change.org urged a big league team to give him another chance, the Marlins signed him and sent him up as a pinch hitter on Oct. 2 against New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Greenberg struck out on three pitches against the eventual NL Cy Young Award winner.

"The last few years have been very, very difficult and challenging, but I got myself physically where I need to be and more important than anything, mentally I'm at a point in my career where I'm able to commit 110 percent back to the game," he said.

His agreement was reported by several media outlets on Thursday.

NOTES: Baltimore assigned OF Steve Pearce outright to Norfolk on Friday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-22-Orioles-Greenberg/id-9e77dbdce14a4269b4d4828460c4ccc4

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