Let us see who have lost their marbles. If my marbles are intact, it was the first time this winter that there were several widespread damages due to a "hurricane"-like weather pattern, aka, extra tropical cylcone that is loaded with moisture and sustained winds that hit us hard, that even until now, there are some areas being repaired for electrical connectivity. The only other widespread anomaly that has happened to create such a wide spread disaster aside from the non-cyclonic type winds are the deep freeze of winter 1990-91 when a lot of pipes broke all over the state. There are many anomalous tornado-like damages here and there through the years but not as wide spread damages as the one we had experienced earlier this winter, if your memories are fresh to remember during the course of this winter, there was none like that for the past 18 years here that I have witnessed. The winds and rains were sustained, and it has the characteristic signature of extra-tropical cyclone to hit us. Many have the same shape, but they usually are toned down or smoothed out before touching inland California. There were flooding, levee breaks, here and there, usually are not due to combination of sustained winds and rains together. Earthquake capital, shaking here and there and other tra-la-las. Do you have any evidence or reference of sustained wind and rain in the Sacramento Valley that is comparable to the widespread damages earlier this winter? And how many years ago was it? I was glad that there was a change in the pattern of the current weather that the sustained winds and rains were a lot lower than previously forecasted so that it did not match the one earlier in the season, otherwise it would have been as disastrous, and that's why the announcement. But sustained strong winds and heavy rains that causes state of emergency declaration are nothing but ordinary events in the typhoon frequented areas of the Philippines. In here, we Californian typically scramble, have disastrous results, declare state of emergency because we are not accustomed to such events that are too ordinary in some places, proof that it is not common here, and happened only once in the last 18 years that I lived here. Show me proof of the same magnitude from the same type of weather event...

I have two poblano plants, and I've dried just about every pepper I've harvested. What I do is wait until I have 8-12 red peppers harvested, split them in half and remove the seeds, and then place them in my oven using the lowest 'warm' setting -- 145F. I have a pizza stone, so they don't fall through the racks, but I'm sure tin foil would work just fine. After drying in there all day, they'll be soft and still a bit moist. I take them out and place them out of the way in a bowl where they can continue to dry in the open air. Eventually, they'll be as dry as other dried chilies. To make chili with them, just throw them in a blender with onion, garlic, cumin, etc. (with a little water to get things going) and use that instead of chili powder.

I know this is an old post but this may help i too lost 30 pounds with dr beale in 2 months however he did not have me on the 500 cal diet. Most people dont say how her puts on on a diet depending on you goal/ need. i didnt have a time frame to loose i just wanted to loose so i was over 300 pounds when i went to him. My allowed foods was the same but i could eat as many times a day as i preferred but i count not have anything that was not on the list. with all the veggies and fruits sub for all the chips and candy my calorie intake dropped drastically. I was average 1200-1400 a day (2-4 pound lost weekly) and 1000-1200 a day (4-6 pounds weekly) she was right the maintenance work as well. I stopped going becuase i got pregnant and just never went back but recommend to anyone. He is no longer practicing (R.I.P) but what he started is still being followed by his colleagues whic includes his daughter. so to answer one question the less you have to loose the shorter time he will have you on the diet. and how fast you are planning to loose it ie weddings is a factor too. you go in every week some people twice a week to be monitored.

This sounds like a weird combination of ingredients but these have been a popular at parties whenever I've made them. SAVORY DATE RUGELACH  makes 4 dozen 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided 4 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes 48 pitted dates (about 12 oz.) 1 large egg white 1 tsp. water Dough: In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in flour and salt just until blended (or use mixer on low speed). Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Filling: In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse 1/2 cup walnuts until finely chopped; reserve in small bowl. In same food processor, pulse blue cheese and remaining 1 cup of walnuts 7 to 8 times or until a coarse mixture forms. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough into a 10-inch round. Cut into 12 equal wedges. Beginning 1 inch from outside edge, sprinkle ½ cup blue cheese mixture in 2 Âinch wide ring on dough, leaving dough exposed in center. Place one whole date crosswise on wide end of each wedge. Starting at wide end, roll up each wedge, jelly-roll fashion. Place rugelach, 1 inch apart, on cookie sheets, point side down. Repeat with remaining four dough disks. In small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush rolls with egg white and sprinkle with reserved walnuts. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Let stand for a minute or two and then transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. To make ahead: Arrange unbaked rugelach in single layer in jelly roll pan; cover and freeze until firm. Remove from pan and place in freezer containers with waxed paper in between each layer. Seal and freeze up to 3 months. About 45 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. Arrange frozen rugelach on prepared cookie sheets and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.