Micro Lifestyle: October 2009

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Boo!

Just wanted to wish everybody a Happy Halloween! We've had a fun day around here - full of games, music, ghost stories and crafts. It was a balmy 70 degrees here in New Hampshire so we even got outside to jump in some leaves (and boy, do we have a ton of them!) As October draws to a close, we can now start to think about what lies ahead...mainly that crazy time of year, three holidays, time with family and friends! So, I'm thinking our evening read will include one of my very favorites from Barefoot: The Gigantic Turnip. What a great read, perfect for Harvest time!
Best of all, it's on sale today for 7.99 with the storytime CD. How can you beat that? Plus, it makes a great holiday gift....one down, 20 to go! Have a spooky night!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Excellent Verizon BlackBerry Storm 2

For some people, cell phones are not just some pieces of equipments anymore. The device has turned into some style device. It means, when a person chose a cell phone, the functions were not the only considerations. Well, we all know that the cell phone is the communication media, but today, the cell phone�s functions are not only about the communication, but it�s also about style, prestige and also entertainment. So, if you are the stylish person type, surely you would want to get the excellent stylish cell phones. The new Verizon Blackberry Storm 2 might be the perfect options for you.

The BlackBerry itself has been considered as the one of best kinds of cell phones so far. This is the excellent example of the excellent smart cell phones. There are many functions that this brand could do. So, what is so special about the Verizon BlackBerry Storm 2? This is definitely the perfect kinds of cell phones for you especially some young businessmen who want to combine between style and functions. With the 3.25 inches wide, and with the 480 x 360 (the capacity of the) screen, surely this is the perfect kind of cell phones� users who want to have the excellent BlackBerry product.

The most special thing about the Verizon BlackBerry Storm 2 is that this BlackBerry type uses the touchscreen. This is certainly something new for the BlackBerry lovers. This Storm 2 type also has the Wi-Fi Connections. It has the storing capacity up to 18 gyga bytes, which is being separated into two memories, 2 gyga bytes for the internal memory and the 16 gyga bytes for the memory SD card. It has the 3.5 mm headset. If you need the GPS and Bluetooth functions, you may get it in this cell phone. Basically, this is the excellent combination of the style and functions.

Driving my Tractor stuck in my head!

We love the new animated video from Barefoot. It's a pretty catchy tune and the entire family is getting into it! My husband was singing it this morning as he was getting ready for work! Check it out by clicking on the link to the right. It's on sale right now from Barefoot for $12.99 and makes a great holiday gift! A book and cd for the little "farmer" in your life! Go to www.barefootbysea.com to order and to look at the other wonderful products available from barefoot! Another rainy day in NH here, couldn't be a better day to curl up & read a good book with my girls! Enjoy your day!!!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Greek Baklava - Best Greek Baklava Recipe

Greek Baklava Recipe - Learn how to make the best Greek Baklava with greek phyllo pastry.

Ingredients

Filling
500 gr walnuts, coarsely chopped
60 gr sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pastry
500 gr fyllo pastry
180 gr unsalted butter, melted

Syrup
230 gr. caster sugar
300 ml water
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons lemon juice
some lemon peel
2 tablespoons honey

Preparation
Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl.

Liberally butter the base and sides of an elongated or round baking dish. Measure the length of the fyllo against the baking dish roughly and, allowing 2 cm extra approximately for shrinkage, cut to length with a sharp knife.

Brush each layer of fyllo with melted butter and spread over the base of the container as evenly as possible. Once you have used 5 layers of pastry, sprinkle a thin layer of filling all over the surface and add 3 more layers.

Sprinkle a thin layer of filling and place 2 more sheets of fyllo on top. Sprinkle on all the remaining filling, spreading it evenly, and cover with 7-8 more layers of fyllo, brushing individually with butter. Fold any excess pastry on either of the sides over the filling and brush it with butter.

Brush the top layer liberally with butter in order to get it crisp and golden. Trim any excess pastry with a small sharp knife, keeping in mind that it will also shrink. Cut the top layers of fyllo carefully, either diagonally into diamond shapes or straight, which will result in square or elongated pieces. Be careful not to cut right down to the base, but only the top layers. This is done in order to make cutting and lifting the pieces out, once it is cooked, much easier and efficient.

Using the tips of four fingers, sprinkle drops of water all over the surface and cook it in a preheated oven, gas no.5/ 375 grades F / 190 grades C, for 15 minutes; lower the heat to gas no.4/ 350 grades F/ l80 grades C and cook for a further 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the syrup. Place all the syrup ingredients, apart from the honey, in a saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, add the honey and simmer for a further 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Let the baklava cool down then pour the hot but not boiling syrup slowly all over, through a strainer. Let it stand and absorb the syrup.

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Greek Baklava - Best Greek Baklava Recipe

Baklava - Best Easy Baklava Recipe

How to make best baklava dessert - so easy traditional baklava recipe. Become a baklava chef & teach others this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

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Baklava - Best Easy Baklava Recipe

Watch the new video from Barefoot!

This is why I love this company! Today they introduced a brand new, animated video of Driving my Tractor. Perfect for Fall, wonderful animation, colorful and educational! My 16 month old daughter loves the song and my 5 year old got a kick out of the new video. It's available for free download - click on the link to the right to see it!

Have a great day!

Announcing Android 2.0 support in the SDK!

I am excited to announce that the Android SDK now supports Android 2.0 (also known as Eclair).

Android 2.0 brings new developer APIs for sync, Bluetooth, and a few other areas. Using the new sync, account manager and contacts APIs, you can write applications to enable users to sync their devices to various contact sources. You can also give users a faster way to communicate with others by embedding Quick Contact within your application. With the new Bluetooth API, you can now easily add peer-to-peer connectivity or gaming to your applications. To get a more complete list of the new capabilities you can add to your applications, please go to the Android 2.0 highlights page.

Current developers can use the SDK Manager to add Android 2.0 support to their SDK as well as update their SDK Tools to revision 3. New developers can download the Android SDK from the download site. After the download, Android platforms must be added using the SDK Manager

The SDK Manager allows you to add new Android platforms to your SDK.

Android SDK Tools, revision 3 is required to develop for Android 2.0. It includes support for code coverage through the Ant build system, as well as Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) support for the SDK and related tools. For those of you who develop using Eclipse, we are releasing ADT version 0.9.4 through the usual Eclipse update mechanism.

Over the next few months, we expect to see more and more Android devices being released. These devices will be running Android 1.5, 1.6, or 2.0. We are also planning a minor version update of Android 2.0 towards the end of the year, and that will be the last update for 2009. Below are some of the things you can do to be better prepared:

Download the Android 2.0 platform and make sure your existing apps continue to work on new devices running Android 2.0.
Make sure that your apps work when using the WVGA (800x480) & FWVGA (854x480) emulator skins. We expect devices with these types of screen, running Android 2.0 to be launched soon.

Checkout the video below for more information about Android 2.0.

The Incredible Tracey Moffatt is a God

Tracey Moffatt, "Marie Curie, Under the Sign of Scorpio", 2005, archival pigment ink on acid-free rag paper, 17 x 23 inches

Artist. Feminist. Human Being. Her words and work use the artifice of culture and get to the sinew that connects life with death. Spend twenty minutes with her via these videos and you may follow her work for the rest of your life. Tracey Moffatt may be Australian and part aboriginal by birth, but her creative gift belongs to the world.

First, a short interview with her about her latest project at The Brooklyn Museum.

Twenty years ago, she created this short experimental film that is about the relationship between an aboriginal daughter and her white mother. The daughter cares for her mother as she approaches death in a film shot entirely in her own created visual environment. It is easy to see this film as at least partially autobiographical, and yet its wordlessness brings to mind the simplicity of Beckett, the desolate world of Sam Shepherd and even the early experimental films of Kenneth Anger.

Her film Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy is in two parts.

The Brooklyn Museum has an extensive collection of her work.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Falafel Sauce - Falafel Hot Sauce Recipe

Recipe for falafel hot sauce. Falafel hot sauce can be drizzled into a falafel pita sandwich or used for dipping.

Preparation Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon harissa or hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

Preparation
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 -20 minutes. Sitting frequently.

Serve falafel hot sauce immediately as a dip for falafel or drizzle onto falafel pita sandwich. Falafel hot sauce is great at room temperature and even cold!

Store in refrigerator for up two weeks.

Try
Falafel Recipe from Scratch
Make Best Falafel Balls Recipe
How to Make Perfect Shape of Falafel?
Falafel Maker
Falafel Nutrition facts

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Falafel Sauce - Falafel Hot Sauce Recipe

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Khoubiz Recipe

Khoubiz (Flat Bread) is a staple in Arabic food. This Khoubiz recipe is simple, quick and makes perfect Khoubiz every time! Learn how to make Khoubiz (Flat Bread) the easy way!

Makes 8 loaves Oven temperature: 260 C (500 F)
Cooking time: 4-5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients
6 cup plain flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oil

Preparation
Sift flour into a large mixing bowl and warm in a low oven.

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, add remaining water and stir in salt and sugar.

Remove about 2 cups flour from bowl and set aside. Pour yeast liquid into centre and stir in some flour to make a thick liquid. Cover with cloth and leave in a warm place until frothy.

Stir in rest of flour, adding oil gradually, then beat until smooth, either by hand for 10 minutes, or on electric mixer using dough hook for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle some of the reserved flour onto a board, turn out dough and knead for 10 minutes, using more flour as required. Dough is ready when it is smooth and satiny with a slightly wrinkled texture. Shape dough into a ball.

Oil bowl, put in dough smooth side down then turn over so that top is coated with oil. Stretch plastic wrap over bowl and leave in a warm place to rise until almost doubled in bulk -- about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Preheat oven.

Punch down dough and turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead for a minute or so, then divide into 8 equal pieces, rolling each into a ball.

Roll each piece into a 25 cm (10 inch) round and place on a lightly floured cloth. Cover with another cloth and leave for 20 minutes.

Heat a large baking sheet or flat griddle on the lowest shelf in an electric oven; in a gas oven select the section of the oven with the most heat, probably near the top.

Place a round of dough on a lightly floured baking sheet with one flat edge or on a piece of plywood, spreading it evenly. Shake to ensure that it will slide off easily.

Rub heated baking sheet or griddle with wad of paper towel dipped in oil then slide dough onto it. Bake in hot oven for 4-5 minutes until it puffs up like a balloon. If you would like it browned on top, turn quickly and leave for a minute. Remove bread and wrap in a cloth to keep it warm and soft. Bake remaining loaves.

To bake in an electric frypan (a good alternative if your gas oven does not heat evenly):
Preheat frypan on highest setting with metal lid on, vent closed. When heated, oil base quickly and slide dough onto base. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, remove lid, turn bread over, re-cover and cook further 2 minutes.

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Khoubiz Recipe

Parental Monitoring on Kids� Computer

You might install internet connection at your home to give complete facility to your kids. As parent, you expect your kids will find the easiness to search files or articles that they need for their lessons on the internet. However, they can misuse this facility. They can visit adult sites and download files that are not meant for them. You surely do not want your kids to busy with this inappropriate entertainment. For their own sake, you may need to know files that they keep in their computer.

You do not need to become a computer expert to open files in their computer. You only need to get the right tool. Brickhousesecurity.com can provide the perfect tool for you. Brickhouse Security has complete collection of security tools and devices, includes on computer spy tool. You can easily know all files and documents in your kids� computer with the help of this tiny tool. It has a common look of a USB, so your kids will never know if it is a computer spy tool. To use this tool, you only need to insert it in the USB port of your kids� computer. This tool will track and copy all files and documents in the computer. This process only takes a few minute to complete.

This computer spy has copied all these files, so you can open it in your own computer. It helps you to monitor your kids� activities with their computer. You can monitor their life for their own sake. If you find any inappropriate files in your kids� you can gently talk to them on this problem. Brickhouse Security offers this tool at affordable price. You only need to log on to this website and make your order. Without any hassles, Brickhouse Security will send this tool to your address, so you can monitor your kids� computer right away.

Cold, wet & damp in NH

What a morning - the perfect day to sleep in! Sometimes I love this type of Fall weather because it forces you to stay inside, enjoy the family and maybe even relax a bit. Rainy Saturdays give us a break from the regular hustle and encourage us to step back and remember that there isn't really anything that we "need" to do today...why not stay inside, grab a cup of tea, a good book, our children and just enjoy. I'll be heading out to the Harvest Fair today in Somersworth, NH for anybody who is interested in doing a little early holiday shopping. For everybody else....have a wonderful weekend!

Friday, October 23, 2009

UI framework changes in Android 1.6

Android 1.6 introduces numerous enhancements and bug fixes in the UI framework. Today, I'd like to highlight ~~three~~ two improvements in particular.

Optimized drawing

The UI toolkit introduced in Android 1.6 is aware of which views are opaque and can use this information to avoid drawing views that the user will not be able to see. Before Android 1.6, the UI toolkit would sometimes perform unnecessary operations by drawing a window background when it was obscured by a full-screen opaque view. A workaround was available to avoid this, but the technique was limited and required work on your part. With Android 1.6, the UI toolkit determines whether a view is opaque by simply querying the opacity of the background drawable. ~~If you know that your view is going to be opaque but that information does not depend on the background drawable, you can simply override the method called isOpaque():~~

@Override
public boolean isOpaque() {
    return true;
}

The value returned by isOpaque() does not have to be constant and can change at any time. For instance, the implementation of ListView in Android 1.6 indicates that a list is opaque only when the user is scrolling it.

Updated: Our apologies—we spoke to soon about isOpaque(). It will be available in a future update to the Android platform.

More flexible, more robust RelativeLayout

RelativeLayout is the most versatile layout offered by the Android UI toolkit and can be successfully used to reduce the number of views created by your applications. This layout used to suffer from various bugs and limitations, sometimes making it difficult to use without having some knowledge of its implementation. To make your life easier, Android 1.6 comes with a revamped RelativeLayout. This new implementation not only fixes all known bugs in RelativeLayout (let us know when you find new ones) but also addresses its major limitation: the fact that views had to be declared in a particular order. Consider the following XML layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="64dip"
    android:padding="6dip">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/band"  
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
        android:layout_height="26dip" 

        android:layout_below="@+id/track"
        android:layout_alignLeft="@id/track"
        android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"

        android:gravity="top"
        android:text="The Airborne Toxic Event" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@id/track"  
        android:layout_marginLeft="6dip"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="26dip"

        android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/artwork"

        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
        android:gravity="bottom"
        android:text="Sometime Around Midnight" />
        
    <ImageView
        android:id="@id/artwork"
        android:layout_width="56dip"
        android:layout_height="56dip"
        android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"

        android:src="@drawable/artwork" />
        
</RelativeLayout>

This code builds a very simple layout—an image on the left with two lines of text stacked vertically. This XML layout is perfectly fine and contains no errors. Unfortunately, Android 1.5's RelativeLayout is incapable of rendering it correctly, as shown in the screenshot below.

The problem is that this layout uses forward references. For instance, the "band" TextView is positioned below the "track" TextView but "track" is declared after "band" and, in Android 1.5, RelativeLayout does not know how to handle this case. Now look at the exact same layout running on Android 1.6:

As you can see Android 1.6 is now better able to handle forward reference. The result on screen is exactly what you would expect when writing the layout.

Easier click listeners

Setting up a click listener on a button is very common task, but it requires quite a bit of boilerplate code:

findViewById(R.id.myButton).setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    public void onClick(View v) {
        // Do stuff
    }
});

One way to reduce the amount of boilerplate is to share a single click listener between several buttons. While this technique reduces the number of classes, it still requires a fair amount of code and it still requires giving each button an id in your XML layout file:

View.OnClickListener handler = View.OnClickListener() {
    public void onClick(View v) {
        switch (v.getId()) {
            case R.id.myButton: // doStuff
                break;
            case R.id.myOtherButton: // doStuff
                break;
        }
    }
}

findViewById(R.id.myButton).setOnClickListener(handler);
findViewById(R.id.myOtherButton).setOnClickListener(handler);

With Android 1.6, none of this is necessary. All you have to do is declare a public method in your Activity to handle the click (the method must have one View argument):

class MyActivity extends Activity {
    public void myClickHandler(View target) {
        // Do stuff
    }
}

And then reference this method from your XML layout:

<Button android:onClick="myClickHandler" />

This new feature reduces both the amount of Java and XML you have to write, leaving you more time to concentrate on your application.

The Android team is committed to helping you write applications in the easiest and most efficient way possible. We hope you find these improvements useful and we're excited to see your applications on Android Market.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Free iPhone GUI PSD 3.0

Apple�s official release of the new iPhone 3.0 software came a number of new graphic elements. the iPhone GUI PSD holding off updating the Photoshop file, Apple�s SDK is amazing, but when we need to mock up something quickly for a pitch we turn to this.

Some of the changes and additions in the 3.0 PSD include:
� Map and map elements including curl
� Copy and paste elements
� Timeline bar editor
� Horizontal iPhone
� Horizontal Panels bars and keyboards

Download

Get a Free iPhone 3GS! Yes, that is correct! Stay away from the trouble of earning enough to pay for it for you can get it the simple way .... straight to your doorstep! Free! Interested? Then find out how to get a Free iPhone 3GS!

Pepsi Apologizes For iPhone App That Gets Girls

US soft drink giant PepsiCo has apologized for a free iPhone application crafted to help men seduce women and keep records of conquests but the program remained available on Tuesday.

Pepsi's "AMP Up Before You Score" iPhone application categorizes women into 24 types and then uses the Apple smartphone's Internet capabilities to link users to information about them and what they like.

AMP is an energy drink made by PepsiCo.

"Let's say you meet a girl who is way into being green and you need a vegan restaurant stat; we've got you covered," a voice-over maintained on Tuesday in an online Pepsi video about the AMP at YouTube.

"If you are anticipating a successful night, the Before You Score app gives you up to the minute information, feeds, lines and much more to help you amp up and talk to 24 different types of ladies."

Types of women listed in the application include punk rocker, bookworm, aspiring actress, artist, and sorority girl.

[via AFP]

Shish Taouk with White Rice

If you like Shish Taouk you are invited to try it with White Rice.

Ingredients

For the shish taouk marination:
750 g chicken breast fillets, cut into medium size cubes
� cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
� cup yogurt or 125 ml
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cubes MAGGI� Chicken Less Salt Bouillon, dissolved in � cup or 65ml hot water
� teaspoon ground cinnamon
� teaspoon white ground pepper
2 small green capsicum peppers or 200 g, cut into medium cubes

For the rice:
2 cups basmati rice or 400 g, washed
3� cups water or 875 ml
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cubes MAGGI� Seasoning for White Rice

Preparation
In a bowl, combine and mix all shish taouk marination ingredients. Cover and marinade in fridge for at least 12 hours.

In a wooden skewer, arrange chicken and capsicum.

Grill the shish taouk on medium heat for 5-7 minutes from all sides or until it�s cooked and golden brown in color.

To prepare the rice:
Add the water to a large saucepan. Add the rice, oil and MAGGI� Seasoning for White Rice cubes.

Stir constantly until it boils, cover and cook over low heat for 15- 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

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Shish Taouk with White Rice

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Apple Kills Jailbreaking in New iPhone 3GS

Apple's strikes again, sending jailbreakers on their heels

Apple plays what its CEO Steve Jobs once likened to a game of "cat and mouse" with iPhone unlockers and jailbreakers. Jailbreakers, like the iPhone Dev Team, try to release the iPhone from being limited to the official iTunes app store and other firmware restrictions, while unlockers, such as George Hotz, use the jailbreaks and other techniques to unlock the phone, allowing it to run on any hardware-supported network.

Usually the unlockers/jailbreakers seize the day, but occasionally Apple will win a round. Apple has tried many approaches -- everything from "bricking" unlocked iPhones to denying jailbroken iPhones access to the iTunes store -- to halt the spread of unlocking in the U.S. and force people to use AT&T, despite the hardware being capable of working on other carriers such as T-Mobile.

Now, Apple has managed to gain an upper hand over the persistent hackers according to iClarified, thanks to the release of a new bootrom, iBoot-359.3.2. The phone firmware, which shipped on new iPhone 3GSs starting this week, closes previously used doors to exploits.

[via Daily Tech]

Free iPhone App To View Videos And Movies On The Go

The National Film Board of Canada is launching a new iPhone application that allows free viewing of hundreds of documentaries, animated films and trailers.

Users can stream a video as they watch it or temporarily store it on the iPhone, to be played back at any time up to 24 hours later.

The full list of videos is available at NFB.ca, where the films can also be viewed.

The NFB's was founded in 1939 and has since created over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies.

[via The Canadian Press]

No Refunds on iPhone Apps - iPhone Users Complain

There's some interesting developments concerning Apple's App Store

Competitor after competitor have launched their own app stores, but none have been able to come close to matching Apple's industry-leading iTunes App Store, which serves the company's popular iPhone smartphone. The App Store has suffered a bit in the past from controversy, though, with many developers unhappy with Apple's inconsistent approach to application acceptance.

Now, with Apple trying to put that controversy in rear view, a new one is brewing. Recently, there has been a growing user outcry, particularly in the influential business user segment, over Apple's no-refunds policy concerning App Store downloads.

With some apps like GPS applications or business applications coming in at $30, $50, or even more, users are becoming furious when these pricey apps occasionally fail or prove to be bug prone. With no returns, these users are out of luck, with Apple leaving them no recourse. Apple's policy explicitly states -- refunds will only be offered if the download fails.

These complaints have been given a prominent voice by a recent piece from Eric A. Taub of The New York Times. Mr. Taub writes, "None of this may matter if the most expensive app you�ve downloaded is a 99-cent virtual beer glass. Once the novelty wears off, most people can live with the financial loss. But asking people to spend $100 on an app that they haven�t had the opportunity to try and can�t return may limit its popularity. Even if you don�t return a piece of consumer hardware you purchased, you can always try to sell it to someone else. But an unwanted app remains yours forever."

[via Daily Tech]

Scary recipes from Barefoot!

Just in time for Halloween, Barefoot is offering a free download of spooky recipes. Click on the link to the right to find out how to make Eyeballs, Dracula's Jelly, Slimy Green Gloop & more fun AND HEALTHY recipes! There is also a list of some great activities - we love the Creepy Crawly Calypso activity!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Information on Online Training at K Alliance

Better IT skill can bring you to higher position in your company. It can help you to have better career in your life. Technology always evolves from time to time and you have to follow every change in the technology. It also means that you have to take IT course to improve your skill. You might think on taking online IT course because it gives you a chance to improve your IT skill without leaving your office. It means you can take the lesson in time between your jobs. Even though it gives you more freedom to manage your lesson schedule, but you still need to find the best IT learning center, so you can get the best course program.

You might have heard about K Alliance and the online IT training that it is offered. You can get further information on this IT training center at Linkedin.com. This website gives information on K Alliance. It gives you the company profile of K Alliance. You can find out the best people behind K Alliance training programs. Knowing the profile of these people helps you to know the quality of the IT course at K Alliance. This information will help you to know their former education, so you know if they are qualified on their job.

On this website, you also can find key statistic on K Alliance. It gives you detailed information on this training center. You will be able to know the key qualities of K alliance. It also gives information on the best offers of K Alliance. You can know the online programs that are offered in this online IT training center, so you can easily find the program that you need. Spending a few minute in this website will bring you information that you need for getting the best IT training center for your future career.

The Berkshires - Chicago Connection

In seeking out diversions, people fall into predictable patterns. There is a great deal of traffic between Boston, New York and the Berkshires. Tanglewood has its roots in Boston's Symphony Hall, and the Willliamstown Theatre Festival in Manhattan's theater scene. But there are other circuits, too.

Not nearly as well travelled, but still significant is the Chicago-Berkshires loop, bringing players from the Windy City's Goodman Theatre now running the hilarious musical, Animal Crackers, and Steepenwolf (currently running Fake and The House on Mango Street) to the resident companies along Route 7: Berkshire Theatre Festival, Barrington Stage Company, Shakespeare & Company, and Williamstown Theatre Festival.

The only train service in the Berkshires is the Lake Shore Limited which runs between Boston and Chicago, stopping at the Intermodal Center in Pittsfield along the way. And for a limited time, you can save 40% on tickets.

Here's the deal: travel with a friend on the Lake Shore Limited and save 40% on the companion rail fare. Whether you want to travel from Boston, New York, Chicago or anywhere in between, take advantage of this limited-time offer to plan your next trip.

Watch the seasons change from your train window as you travel along the shorelines of the Great Lakes and through the Berkshire mountains. Relax in your spacious seat or grab a bite to eat in the dining car � you'll enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) or visit Amtrak online.

There is a chill in the air...

Stepping outside this morning made me realize that Summer is officially over. How did that happen? I feel like we were sort of cheated out of some hot Summer days. Either way, we love Fall around here - nothing like Fall in the Northeast. The trees are about at their peak right now in New Hampshire which certainly gives us some beautiful things to look at around here. We spent some time yesterday afternoon exploring and looking at all the acorns scattered on our deck, leaves all over the place, pine needles. So much color and wonder! Hard to believe Halloween is only about a week and a half away!

One things is for sure - Harvest Fairs, Craft Fairs and Holiday Fairs are upon us! Nothing like going outside with a hot cup of coffee and making the rounds to see what little gifts you can pick up to avoid those non commercial, over priced stores. Here is a schedule of the upcoming events that Barefoot by the Sea will be attending. Hope to see you there. It's never too early to start shopping for all the children in your life!

10-24-09 Harvest Festival: Somersworth High School, Somersworth NH
11-7-09 DMAC Craft Fair: Dover High School, Dover, NH
12-5-09 Kittery Holiday Bazaar: Traipe Acadamy, Kittery, ME

Look forward to seeing you there!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Perfect book for Halloween! All about silly & scary MONSTERS.

Order this wonderful book and more at my website www.barefootbysea.com
Also, you can become a fan of my Facebook page - search under Barefoot by the Sea to get exclusive fan offers and special news!

Why not live barefoot?

Quality, educational, colorful, unique & wonderful. These words have been used to describe these lovely books. I discovered Barefoot Books a couple of years ago after purchasing them from a local fundraiser. We were hooked. After a couple of years and a couple of children, I rediscovered this wonderful company. I always knew that I loved the books but my children, the biggest critics, also loved the books. Isn't that the biggest test of all? Welcome to my new blog. Here, you'll get insight and information about my Barefoot journey. I'll also post information about special offers and events. Thanks for visiting!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Moroccan-spiced tuna

Jazz up tuna with Moroccan spices for a super fast meal

Ready in 10 minutes

Ingredients - serves 4
20g pack coriander (leaves and stalks)
3 garlic cloves
� tsp each paprika , ground cumin and chilli powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
150ml extra-virgin olive oil
4 x 8oz/200g fresh tuna steaks, each about 2.5cm/1in thick

Method
1. Put the coriander, garlic, spices and lemon juice into a blender and blitz to a pur�e. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until you get a smooth, thick sauce. Set aside.

2. Sit the tuna steaks in a non-metallic dish and cover with two-thirds of the sauce. Cover with cling film, then leave to marinate in the fridge for about 20 mins (or for up to 4hrs).

3. Heat a griddle pan or grill. Shake off any excess marinade, season the tuna steaks, then cook for 2-4 mins, depending on thickness for medium rare, turning once (cook 2 mins more for well done). Drizzle over the remaining sauce paste to finish. Try serving with new potatoes; for a Moroccan twist, toss melted butter, harissa spice mix and chopped coriander leaves through the potatoes.
Nutrition per serving
623 kcalories, protein 54g, carbohydrate 1g, fat 45 g, saturated fat 8g, fibre 0g, salt 0.29 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2006.

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Moroccan-spiced tuna

Moroccan-style chicken with lentils

Lesley Waters� rich chicken dish has vibrant North African flavours and goes fantastically with rice or couscous

Preparation time 20 mins
Cook time min 1 hr 40 mins
Freezable
Super healthy

Ingredients - Serves 2 adults and 2-3 children
2 tbsp olive oil
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves , crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 large onion , finely sliced
50g split red lentils
400g can chopped tomato
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
700ml chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick
200g whole dried apricots
handful mint leaves, to serve (optional)

Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Rub 1 tbsp olive oil into the chicken thighs. Mix the garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika together, then rub all over the chicken thighs on both sides.

2. Heat a large flameproof casserole, add the chicken thighs and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until golden on both sides. You might need to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of the casserole. Set the chicken aside. Turn down the heat, add the remaining oil and fry the onion for 5 mins until softened.

3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, apart from the mint and bring to the boil. Place the chicken thighs on top and pour in any juices. Cover and cook for 1� hrs, until the meat is tender and the sauce thickened. Can be cooled and frozen at this stage for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge, then gently warm through. Scatter with fresh mint leaves and serve with couscous or rice.

Nutrition Per serving
461 kcalories, protein 48g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 13 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 6g, salt 1.45 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2006.

Easy Moroccan chicken tagine recipe
Moroccan Chicken Drumsticks

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Moroccan-style chicken with lentils

Moroccan lamb with apricots, almonds & mint

This hearty and healthy stew is perfect to share with your friends and family

Ingredients - serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
550g lean lamb , cubed
1 onion , chopped
2 garlic cloves , crushed
700ml lamb or chicken stock
grated zest and juice 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp clear honey
175g ready-to-eat dried apricots
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
25g ground almonds
25g toasted flaked almonds
steamed broccoli and couscous , to serve

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Add the lamb and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until evenly browned, stirring often. Remove the lamb to a plate, using a slotted spoon.

2. Stir the onion and garlic into the casserole and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Return the lamb to the pot. Add the stock, zest and juice, cinnamon, honey and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 1 hour.

3. Add the apricots and two-thirds of the mint and cook for 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Stir in the ground almonds to thicken the sauce. Serve with the remaining mint and toasted almonds scattered over the top.

Nutrition per serving
441 kcalories, protein 34g, carbohydrate 23g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 0g, salt 0 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2002.

Try
Moroccan Lamb Recipe
Moroccan Lamb Curry Recipe
Moroccan lamb cutlets recipe

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Moroccan lamb with apricots, almonds & mint

Moroccan meatballs with herb couscous

If you usually serve meatballs with spaghetti, try this summery Moroccan version with couscous for a casual dinner party

Ingredients - Seerves 4
500g lean minced lamb
1 red onion , grated
2 garlic cloves , crushed
2cm chunk root ginger , grated
a pinch dried chilli flakes
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
olive oil
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
200ml chicken stock
� bunch coriander , chopped

HERB COUSCOUS
200g couscous
50g butter
350ml chicken stock , boiling
� bunch coriander , chopped
� bunch parsley , chopped

Method
1. Put the lamb, onion, half the garlic, half the ginger and half the spices in a bowl and season well. Mix (clean hands are best) and form into little meatballs (you'll make around 30).

2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan and add the meatballs in batches, frying until browned all over. Scoop out, then add the rest of the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock and season. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add back the meatballs and cook for another 20 minutes until sauce is thickened. Stir in the coriander.

3. To make the couscous put in a bowl with the butter and some seasoning. Pour over the chicken stock and cover with clingfilm. Leave for 10 minutes. Stir the herbs through and serve with meatballs.

Nutrition Per serving
544 kcalories, protein 30.2g, carbohydrate 36.7g, fat 31.7 g, saturated fat 15.2g, fibre 2g, salt 1.67 g

Recipe from olive magazine, July 2009.

Try
Moroccan meatballs

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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Friday, October 23, 2009

Optimized drawing

More flexible, more robust RelativeLayout

Easier click listeners

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009

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