Director of Administration and Financial Management in - BrightSpyre

Position Description

The Director will supervise grant management and financial reporting on grant performance and will ensure best use of resources by managing the preparation of sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, and assuring timely preparation of donor financial reports. S/he will report to the Chief of Party, supervise Finance and Admin teams, and work closely with Key Personnel, project-based staff, and Plan finance staff.

This is a five-year position based in Sindh province.

Principal Responsibilities

The Director of Administration and Financial Management is expected to bring experience in program management and financial controls, especially in the South Asian context, to:

• Provide oversight of financial and administrative management of the project and ensure project accountability requirements.
• Supervise all grant management and reporting on grant performance, as well as provide financial and technical management to ensure best use of resources through sound budgeting, monitoring of project expenses, and timely preparation of donor financial reports.
• Develop and implement monthly project-wide financial review(s) and analyses, as well as provide timely and reliable financial information for decision-making.
• Maintain strong internal policies, processes, and controls systems in order to provide timely, consistent and accurate financial and budget management.
• Lead strategic planning, work planning, and budgeting processes under supervision of the COP.

Qualifications and Skills

Education

• Master?s degree in finance or financial management, and/or a professional qualification in accountancy.

Experience

• At least 3 years of experience managing programs funded by the U.S. Government, including experience managing finances for USAID-funded projects.
• At least 10 years of experience in financial management and/or project administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) applicable to USA accounting procedures and processes.
• Professional experience in South Asia preferred.

Personal Competencies

• In-depth knowledge of USAID financial management rules and regulations and other key USG regulations, including USAID 22 CFR Part 226 Administration of Assistance Awards to U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations, 22 CFR Part 145 Grants and Agreements with Non-Profits, OMB Circulars A-122, Cost principles for non-profit organizations, and A-133 Audit of states, local governments, and non-profits.
• Ability to adopt new software and financial management systems.
• Excellent communication, management, and leadership skills.
• Proven analytical skills in isolating priorities and tackling them.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Demonstrated decision making and risk management capabilities.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Key Interactions

Report to: Chief of Party

Supervises: Project finance and administrative staff

Physical Environment

Typical office environment with extensive travel in domestic project areas.

Source: http://new.brightspyre.com/jobs/jid/13363

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Editorial: Back to the future with Low Power FM

Holiday gift idea for next year: your own hyperlocal radio station. It's a gift from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Non-profit community radio stations, which broadcast in a range from a few hundred yards to about three miles, can be a mode of self-expression, a valuable provider of town information and an antidote to radio homogenization up and down the broadcast dial.

The FCC has just established new rules governing the application process, authorization guidelines and operating conditions to encourage Low Power FM (LPFM) stations, and will be reviewing station proposals a year from now. Given radio's nearly undiminished clout in the face of media encroachment by all kinds of digital news and music platforms, LPFM represents a back-to-the-future power play on behalf of independent programmers.

Continue reading Editorial: Back to the future with Low Power FM

Filed under: Misc, Wireless

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/03/back-to-the-future-with-low-power-fm/

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Program trains farmworkers to be organic farmers

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) ? Bending over beds of shriveled strawberry plants, former farmworker Domitila Martinez pulls pieces of black plastic row covers in preparation for next season's planting. Except this time, she's the boss.

Martinez, who escaped the civil war in El Salvador three decades ago, used to pack tomatoes and harvest grapes for long hours and little pay in Central California. Then, one day, she heard an announcement on the radio: She could become a grower herself.

She enrolled in a small farmer education program in Salinas that trains farmworkers to establish and manage organic farms. Today, she grows four acres of organic strawberries in the Salinas Valley and sells them to Whole Foods markets.

"I really like being out here working," Martinez said, "because I'm working for myself."

The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, known as ALBA, helps bring minority, low-income farmworkers into a profession long dominated by Anglos. Since the program started in 2001, it has created more than 80 small farm businesses.

With demand for locally grown and organic food skyrocketing, more people have become interested in farming in recent years, spurting a growth in farmer training programs.

But few programs focus on immigrants, especially Latinos, who historically have had difficulty making it as farmers because of language and cultural barriers, lack of resources, and lack of government support.

While the number of Hispanic farmers grew by 14 percent over the past five years, according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, significantly outpacing the increase in U.S. farm operators overall, Hispanic farmers comprise only 2.5 percent of all farm operators.

ALBA gives farmworkers, most of whom are first generation Latino immigrants, the opportunity to move up the job ladder, teaching them crop planning, production, marketing and distribution skills.

"A lot of farmworkers are working tirelessly to invest in their children's futures, but ALBA gives them the opportunity to improve their lives within their lifetime," said program manager Nathan Harkleroad.

Other programs include Oregon-based nonprofit Adelante Mujeres, which offers a 12 week Spanish-language sustainable farming class, as well as access to land, technical assistance and a farmers market; and the Center For Latino Farmers in Washington state, which conducts workshops, provides resources and other assistance.

At ALBA's 90-acre ranch in the Salinas Valley, an area known as "the Salad Bowl of the World," participants attend bi-weekly classes during six-months of intensive training. They learn about pests and planting, beneficial insects and cover crops. They meet with guest speakers ranging from local farmers to university biologists. They visit irrigation supply stores, compost suppliers, farms and farmers markets.

"The idea is that the participants know how to access things, and that they develop relationships," Harkleroad said.

This year, the program added a three-month apprenticeship during which participants grow and sell crops as a class. Aspiring farmers then present a business plan. They fill out food safety and organic certification paperwork. And while most are farmworkers, a few spots are open to other aspiring farmers ? the training is accredited by Hartnell College in Salinas.

ALBA also offers a farm incubator program, allowing newly minted farmers to lease the organization's farmland for up to six years ? with access to tractors, equipment, irrigation and other support for a reduced fee.

And it runs a licensed wholesale distribution program called ALBA Organics, helping the new farmers with storage, marketing and distribution. It sells to stores and institutions such as Google, Trader Joe's, University of California at Santa Cruz, and Stanford University housing cooperatives. In fiscal year 2012, ALBA Organics brought in sales of $4.5 million.

For Martinez, who graduated from the program a decade ago, assistance in finding land and the use of equipment proved crucial.

"This program gave me the ability to start farming on my own," said Martinez. "When you're starting out, you have no money for tractors or other things."

The 60-year old Martinez now employs four people during harvest season and others throughout the year ? but still does the bulk of the labor herself. She started out by selling her strawberries door to door, but later contracted with Whole Foods stores in the San Francisco Bay area and the central coast.

Farmworkers say ALBA's other benefits include reduced exposure to dangerous chemicals in the fields.

"We learn how to work with nature and how not to hurt the environment and the workers," said Andres Garcia Rico, who works in large scale agriculture and completed the training this fall with his wife. "There are so many people dying of cancer, getting sick because of pesticides."

Small scale farming also offers a break from the repetitive motions that farmworkers perform all day on conventional farms. ALBA farmers grow up to 60 varieties of fresh produce ? so their work varies throughout the day.

And organic farming rubs off on the family's dietary habits, Rico said. His three daughters helped plant and harvest the vegetables this summer ? and were more than happy to eat them for dinner.

As ALBA farmers promote and sell their organic produce to friends and at area farmers' markets, those benefits expand, Rico said, resulting in more Latinos turning to organics.

Perhaps the biggest benefit at ALBA is the sense of community. On a recent November morning at the sprawling ranch, families tilled and weeded their plots and children rode bicycles on dirt paths. The farmers, ranging from very experienced to those just starting out, greeted each other and exchanged advice.

This winter, about 50 will be farming at the ranch, including 16 new farmers. For most, Harkleroad said, it takes a few years to go into farming full time. Usually, two to three acres can generate a full time living.

In January, Rico and his wife will plant romaine lettuce and cauliflower, followed by an array of other vegetables.

"It's going to be a challenge, but we're doing it for us and for our children," Rico said. "Our dream is to have our own ranch someday."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-02-Food%20and%20Farm-Farmworkers%20to%20Organic%20Farmers/id-95b67dc7c1644de584ef62b2a915cac5

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Egypt election commission set for vote on charter

AAA??Dec. 3, 2012?5:24 AM ET
Egypt election commission set for vote on charter
By HAMZA HENDAWIBy HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press??

Supporters of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans as riot police, left, stand guard in front of the entrance of Egypt?s top court, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Egypt?s top court announced on Sunday the suspension of its work indefinitely to protest ?psychological and physical pressures,? saying its judges could not enter its Nile-side building because of the Islamist president?s supporters gathered outside. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Supporters of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans as riot police, left, stand guard in front of the entrance of Egypt?s top court, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Egypt?s top court announced on Sunday the suspension of its work indefinitely to protest ?psychological and physical pressures,? saying its judges could not enter its Nile-side building because of the Islamist president?s supporters gathered outside. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

A girl with the colors of Egypt's national flag and Arabic that reads, "Egypt, Morsi," painted on her face attends a demonstration in front of Egypt?s top court, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Egypt?s top court announced on Sunday the suspension of its work indefinitely to protest ?psychological and physical pressures,? saying its judges could not enter its Nile-side building because of the Islamist president?s supporters gathered outside. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Supporters of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi hold a placard with Arabic that reads, "the people want to solve the constitution," outside Egypt's top court in Cairo, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Egypt?s top court announced on Sunday the suspension of its work indefinitely to protest ?psychological and physical pressures,? saying its judges could not enter its Nile-side building because of the Islamist president?s supporters gathered outside. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Supporters of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans in front of Egypt?s top court, background, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Egypt?s top court announced on Sunday the suspension of its work indefinitely to protest ?psychological and physical pressures,? saying its judges could not enter its Nile-side building because of the Islamist president?s supporters gathered outside. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

A Supporter of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi flashes the Victory sign, as riot police gurad the entrance of Egypt?s top court, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Egypt?s top court announced on Sunday the suspension of its work indefinitely to protest ?psychological and physical pressures,? saying its judges could not enter its Nile-side building because of the Islamist president?s supporters gathered outside. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

CAIRO (AP) ? The Egyptian president's top legal adviser says the country's election commission has begun preparations for the referendum on a highly contentious draft constitution.

Mohammed Gaballah said Monday that the commission, which is composed of senior judges, began meeting a day earlier to organize the Dec. 15 referendum.

Gaballah claimed that judges will oversee the vote despite a strike by the judiciary to protest a set of decrees issued by President Mohammed Morsi that place him above judicial oversight.

According to Egyptian law, judges must observe the voting at polling stations.

Morsi's decrees also gave immunity to the Islamist-led constituent assembly, which hurriedly approved the draft charter last week despite an opposition boycott.

The president's decrees have split the nation, and plunged Egypt into a deepening political crisis.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-03-Egypt/id-d6afb73fd49e42038ce7bf840e38e7ed

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At least three dead after Japan tunnel collapse: TV

TOKYO (Reuters) - A tunnel on a major highway in central Japan collapsed on Sunday, killing at least three people and starting a blaze, Japanese media reported.

Attempts to rescue those still trapped inside the smashed tunnel, which began spewing smoke after concrete ceiling panels fell onto the road, have been interrupted for fear they might trigger another collapse.

Three bodies have been found so far, television networks Fuji and Asahi said.

The fire service earlier said at least seven people were unaccounted for in the 4.7 km (2.8-mile) tunnel in Yamanashi prefecture, about 80 km (50 miles) west of Tokyo on the Chou Expressway, a main road connecting the capital to western Japan.

"Dense smoke was coming out as if it covers the entire mountain," witness Kiyoko Toyomura told Japanese news agency Kyodo.

The fire service said the blaze was extinguished about 11 a.m. - some three hours after the accident occurred.

The operator of the highway, Central Nippon Expressway, said a 50-60 meters (165 feet) long section of ceiling panels fell to the road, and it was looking into the cause of the accident.

Motorists described narrow escapes from falling debris, and a long walk through the darkness after abandoning their cars.

"When I was driving in the tunnel, concrete pieces fell down suddenly from the ceiling," a man in his 30s told public broadcaster NHK. "I saw a crushed car catching fire. I was frightened, left my car and walked for about an hour to get out of the tunnel."

In 1996 a tunnel in Hokkaido, northern Japan, collapsed and falling rocks crushed cars and a bus, killing 20 people.

NHK reporter Yoshio Goto, caught in Sunday's accident, hit the accelerator and managed to drive out.

"But it was a bit too late and pieces of ceiling fell on my car. I kept pressing the pedal and managed to get out," he said. "Then when I looked around, I saw half of the car ceiling was crushed."

(Reporting by Hideyuki Sano; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seven-missing-japan-tunnel-collapse-starts-fire-051230495.html

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Koroma strengthens hand in Sierra Leone parliament

FREETOWN (Reuters) - Sierra Leone's ruling All People's Congress party secured a majority in parliament, results of the November 17 election published late on Friday showed.

The party of President Ernest Bai Koroma now controls 67 of the 124 seats in parliament, gaining eight seats.

The main opposition, Sierra Leone People's Party took 42 seats, losing three. The SLPP has said the election was fraudulent and that it will boycott parliament.

Koroma took 58.7 percent of votes in the presidential election that handed him a second term, results announced on November 23 showed, enough to secure a first round victory over SLPP candidate, former junta leader Julius Maada Bio.

He will oversee billions of dollars of investment in the aid-dependent country's resources that include gold, diamonds, oil and iron ore.

Iron-ore shipments by British companies African Minerals and London Mining are expected to buoy the economy to 20 percent growth this year, below a forecast of more than 50 percent but still one of the world's fastest rates.

A 100-strong observer mission from the European Union said the advantages of incumbency meant there was no level playing field for the election but said it was generally free and fair.

The SLPP is demanding an international investigation into the election.

Banja Tejan-Sie, the SLPP's national secretary general, said on Saturday it was not yet certain whether the party's members of parliament would attend next week's swearing-in ceremony.

"We do not distinguish between the elections," he said, referring to the presidential, parliamentary and local council polls. "We have concerns about all the results."

(Reporting by Simon Akam; Editing by Bate Felix)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/koroma-strengthens-hand-sierra-leone-parliament-140808803.html

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Simple Tips And Tricks For Self Improvement Success | Rob Moore ...

Personal development is all about improving awareness to gain a sense of identity. It helps to bring your personal goals and your spiritual awareness into harmony. This article is your source for top-flight self-improvement strategies. Concentrating on one large change at a time, will make your metamorphosis easier.

If you desire to be successful in life, you will need a respectable coach who knows what he or she is doing. Every champion has fabulous mentors and coaches, which is very important. It is important for people who are educated in a certain field to pass on their knowledge to people entering the field. Without someone to teach them the right way of doing things, it?s impossible to expect them to be able to properly succeed. A great coach, mentor or teacher plays a huge role in most success stories.

Do you find yourself consuming alcohol far too often? Are you addicted to smoking cigarettes, or partake in other activities that can hurt your body? Our bodies are important to maintain, and should be treated with care. If you want to make enhancements to your lifestyle, eliminating bad habits is a big part of this. Analyze your life and habits, and make a point to cut out any habits that are not good for you or your body.

Discover what is standing between you and your goals. This is hard to do for a lot of people. You might not be able to find your weakness, but you can find the way to change them. Once you address these obstacles, the path to success will become much clearer.

Your goals for self improvement should be precise enough so that you are able to enjoy success. The more specific your goals, the easier it will be to chart a course from where you are now to where you want to be in the future. Specific goals give you a way to measure your progress.

Often, the enemy of happiness is stress. When stress happens in our minds, it also has detrimental affects on our physical health. To start thinking clearly and reaching for calm, purposeful goals, destroy your mind?s stress. Find some spare time during the day to be by yourself and to clear out your mind by relaxing. This refreshing time can improve your self-image and peace.

Everyone needs a sweet, salty or starchy treat sometimes. Allowing stressful situations to build can be as harmful as eating an unhealthy diet, and therefore, it is important to remind yourself to maintain perspective and your calm at all times.

You can boost your personal development by being selfless. It might be hard at first, but do your best to make sacrifices and help others. When you make some sacrifices that help others and not hurt yourself, you can grow as a person.

When you overreact to certain situations, you raise your stress level. Stay calm and carefully analyze every situation. Even if it?s a mistake, you can always live through it or fix it. When you start feeling anxious about a situation, focus on the positive things, not the negative ones.

No matter what you are aiming for in terms of personal development, you need to keep track of the progress you make. Use the great suggestions and tips offered in this article to help you take stock, improve and move forward. Keep a diary that chronicles your self improvement exploits, and you will notice that you are changing in no time.

Rob Moore
Award-Winning Author & Leadership Expert
http://TheRobMoore.com

Online Marketing Expert & Leader
http://WorkwithRobMoore.com

?Now Is Your Time To Show Up Step Out & Shine?

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Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/therobmoore/blog/simple-tips-and-tricks-for-self-improvement-success/

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Italy votes for center-left candidate for premier

ROME (AP) ? Italians are choosing a center-left candidate for premier for elections early next year, an important primary runoff given the main party is ahead in the polls against a center-right camp in utter chaos over whether Silvio Berlusconi will run again.

Sunday's runoff pits a veteran center-left leader, Pier Luigi Bersani, 61, against the 37-year-old mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, who has campaigned on an Obama-style "Let's change Italy now" mantra.

Nearly all polls show Bersani winning the primary, after he won the first round of balloting Nov. 25 with 44.9 percent of the vote. Since he didn't get an absolute majority, he was forced into a runoff with Renzi, who garnered 35.5 percent.

After battling all week to get more voters to the polling stations for round two, Renzi seemed almost resigned to a Bersani win by Sunday, saying he hoped that by Monday "we can all work together."

Bersani, a former transport and industry minister, seemed confident of victory as well, joking about Berlusconi's flip-flopping political ambitions by asking "What time did he say it?" when told that the media mogul had purportedly decided against running.

Next year's general election will largely decide how and whether Italy continues on the path to financial health charted by Premier Mario Monti, appointed last year to save Italy from a Greek-style debt crisis.

The former European commissioner was named to head a technical government after international markets lost confidence in then-Premier Berlusconi's ability to reign in Italy's public debt and push through sorely needed structural reforms.

Berlusconi has largely stayed out of the public spotlight for the past year, but he returned with force in recent weeks, announcing he was thinking about running again, then changing his mind, then threatening to bring down Monti's government, and most recently staying silent about his political plans.

His waffling has thrown his People of Freedom party into disarray and disrupted its own plans for a primary ? all of which has only seemed to bolster the impression of order, stability and organization within the center-left camp.

A poll published Friday gave the Democratic Party 30 percent of the vote if the election were held now, compared with some 19.5 percent for the upstart populist movement of comic Beppe Grillo, and Berlusconi's People of Freedom party in third with 14.3 percent. The poll, by the SWG firm for state-run RAI 3, surveyed 5,000 voting-age adults by telephone between Nov. 26 and 28. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.36 percentage points.

It's quite a turnabout for Berlusconi's once-dominant movement, and a similarly remarkable shift in fortunes for the Democratic Party, which had been in shambles for years, unable to capitalize on Berlusconi's professional and personal failings while he was premier.

But Berlusconi's 2011 downfall and a series of recent political party funding scandals that have targeted mostly center-right politicians have contributed to the party's rise as Italy struggles through a grinding recession and near-record high unemployment.

Angelino Alfano, Berlusconi's hand-picked political heir, seemed again exasperated Sunday after a long meeting with his patron over Berlusconi's plans. News reports have suggested Berlusconi might split the party in two and re-launch the Forza Italia party that brought him to political power for the first time in 1994.

"We have to work to reconstruct the center-right, and reconstructing it means having a big center-right party," not a divided one, Alfano said.

He added that Berlusconi didn't say one way or another if he would run himself. "It's his choice," he said. "If there are any decisions in this regard, he'll be the one to say so."

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-votes-center-left-candidate-premier-055130946.html

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7 cheap and easy vegetarian meals | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Photo: Kelly Rossiter

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Many of us lead busy lives and everyone, especially those of us with families, is trying to get dinner on the table as quickly and easily as possible. Occasionally we fall back on using prepackaged meals from the grocery store or calling for takeout. Those meals have more fat, salt and sugar than we need, they produce a lot of garbage from the packaging and they are more expensive than cooking from scratch.

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In these uncertain economic times, we need to look at our food costs and start to spend more wisely. Here are seven recipes that will cover your dinners for a week, with some leftovers for lunch. They are as quick as takeout, as easy as many processed dinners, and more economical and nutritious than either.

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Chickpea Curry

My son eats a lot of tofu and I'm always encouraging him to add more legumes to his diet, so I decided on something with chickpeas. I had in my mind a recipe from Julie Sahni's cookbook "Classic Indian Cooking" as a starting point and we made our own version. I had some dried Mexican chilies that Hugh had brought from his store. I've always rehydrated chilies, but Hugh put them in the bottom of a dry pan until they were fragrant, chopped them finely, added a bit of olive oil and then crushed them with a mortar and pestle until they made a paste. We had some leftover rice and carrots from the night before and tossed them in as well. You could add vegetables such as zucchini or cauliflower as well. Here is the full?Chickpea Curry?recipe.

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Beans with Tomatoes and Swiss Ch?ard

We actually ended up getting a number of meals from the Swiss chard I grew in my garden this summer, and I really enjoyed them. I had a good handful to harvest and I cooked them up with some fresh tomatoes and mushrooms for a quick, throw-together meal that was easy and cheap. All the measurements are approximate, and you can easily put together other legumes such as chickpeas or lentils, or other leafy vegetables such as kale or spinach. You can eat this as is, in a bowl, or serve it over pasta or rice. If you have any leftovers, you can eat them as a cold salad or add some liquid and puree it into a soup. Here are the step-by-step instructions for?Beans with Tomatoes and Swiss Chard.

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Vegetarian Chili

If you feel like a party, invite a few friends over and make this easy, delicious chili. Or better still, make it the day before and then you don't have to do anything but heat it up when your guests arrive. I looked at lots of recipes for vegetarian chili, but in the end I adapted my regular meat-based chili because I like the seasonings. Without the meat to soak up the heat, I found the chili a bit too hot. I have reduced the amount of dried chili peppers by quite a bit, so if you like your chili on the spicy side you could increase it. Use the list of vegetables as a guideline, and feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand. I used kidney beans, but you could add some chickpeas or black beans, as well. If you do want meat in the chili, brown 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef before you add the other ingredients. The rest of the tricks for?Vegetarian Chili?are in the recipe.

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Oriecchiette with Lentils, Onion and Spinach

I have a confession to make. In an attempt to make lentils more palatable for my husband, I did something I've never done before. I took a totally healthy vegetarian dish and added bacon. Not just any bacon, but some magnificent pancetta that my son brought from the store he works in. It was just a bit, but enough to elevate this dish from nice to delicious. Of course, you can always leave the bacon out. Here is the full recipe for?Oriecchiette with Lentils, Onion and Spinach.

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Dal and Pumpkin Soup

I'm a big fan of Nigel Slater and his book, "The Kitchen Diaries: A Year in the Kitchen," which encapsulates his theories about food and cooking. I turned to the very front of the book and decided to make his New Year's Day soup. Slater apparently has a tradition of making soup on New Year's Day and I heartily approve. He calls this "a bowl of soup that both whips and kisses." It seems like a pretty good meal to have as the weather gets colder, and we have the long winter before us. All the details for whipping up?Dal and Pumpkin Soup?are in the recipe.

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Vegetable Salad: Carrots, Fennel, Radishes, Beets and Onion

Earlier this year, I?reviewed "Vegetable Harvest"?by Patricia Wells. This lovely winter salad was the first recipe I tried from the book. I had just been to the farmers' market and bought an enormous bunch of radishes for 50 cents, so this recipe seemed fortuitous. You could serve this either as part of a family meal, or as a first course at a dinner party. It is quite colourful and attractive on the plate-and is really tasty. Whip up a lovely?Vegetable Salad: Carrots, Fennel, Radishes, Beets and Onion?using the recipe.

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Mushroom Tofu Stew

Big chunks of meat and potatoes are usually what come to mind when you think about stew. But many university students either don't have the money or the inclination to eat that kind of meal. I was looking for something that was vegetarian and would be hearty and nourishing while still being easy on the pocket book. And like all of the recipes in this series, you have to be able to make it all in one pot. This recipe fulfills all of those requirements, but, while delicious, I will freely admit that it isn't the most beautiful dish I've ever made. Make?Mushroom Tofu Stew?using the recipe.

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Related vegetarian recipes on MNN:

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This story was originally written for Treehugger. Copyright 2008.

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Source: http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/stories/7-cheap-and-easy-vegetarian-meals

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Georgia eager to carve out new legacy vs. Alabama

Alabama head coach Nick Saban, left, and Georgia head coach Mark Richt, pose for a photo with the Southeastern Conference championship trophy during a news conference ahead of Saturday's SEC Championship NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban, left, and Georgia head coach Mark Richt, pose for a photo with the Southeastern Conference championship trophy during a news conference ahead of Saturday's SEC Championship NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Georgia head coach Mark Richt, left, lingers after posing with Alabama head coach Nick Saban, right, and the Southeastern Conference championship trophy, before he takes his turn at a press conference ahead of Saturday's SEC championship college football game, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2012, file photo, Georgia head coach Mark Richt drops his playbook as he calls a timeout against Buffalo during an NCAA college football game in Athens, Ga. Georgia faces Alabama in the SEC Championship on Saturday. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2012, file photo, Alabama coach Nick Saban reacts during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Western Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama faces Georgia in the SEC Championship on Saturday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2012, file photo, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray (11) directs this team against Georgia Tech during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Athens, Ga. Alabama's AJ McCarron and Murray have piloted their teams into the SEC championship game as the nation's two most efficient passers.(AP Photo/John Amis, File)

ATLANTA (AP) ? The national championship could be decided with a dream matchup between two of college football's most storied programs: Notre Dame vs. Alabama.

Of course, Georgia might have something to say about that.

The third-ranked Bulldogs are eager to wake up some echoes of their own.

Coach Mark Richt's team will take on No. 2 Alabama in a Southeastern Conference title game that essentially serves as a national semifinal. The winner of Saturday's contest at the Georgia Dome will surely land a spot against top-ranked Notre Dame in the BCS title game at Miami on Jan. 7.

While Alabama (11-1) is a seven-point favorite to remain on course for its third crown in four years, Georgia (11-1) wants to carve out its own legacy, something beyond the great teams of the early 1980s led by Herschel Walker.

"We respect and honor those guys that played ahead of us, but we really need to give the fans something else to talk about," linebacker Christian Robinson said. "If that's all we have to talk about, we must not be doing anything special."

Georgia won its only Associated Press national title in 1980, Walker's freshman year. The Bulldogs were in position to win another two years later, the running back's final season between the hedges, but Penn State knocked them off in the Sugar Bowl.

In an interesting twist, Walker announced this week that he'll soon be opening a restaurant in Athens after the first of the year.

By then, the Bulldogs hope they've cooked up another national title.

All those who've come along since Walker will be cheering on this team, including Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey. He played at Georgia in the late '90s and planned to give the Bulldogs a pep talk by phone.

"We can't let this one slide," Bailey said. "This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities because I'm tired of people talking about Herschel Walker. That was 30-something years ago. There's been a lot of things happen between now and then, but no championships. That's why they still talk about him."

Indeed, even though Georgia finished No. 2 in the AP rankings in 2007, this is the best shot at finishing No. 1 since the Walker era. If the Bulldogs win the next two games, they're the champions.

"We're hungry," Robinson said. "We've got something to prove."

So does Alabama.

A year ago, the Crimson Tide didn't even make it to Atlanta for the SEC championship game ? LSU won the Western Division ? but Alabama got a do-over against the Tigers for the BCS title. Even with a resounding 21-0 victory, there are still those who think the Tide didn't deserve a second chance after losing to LSU in the regular season.

If Alabama beats Georgia and Notre Dame, no one can say the Tide didn't earn it, despite an upset loss to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M.

"There is a lot more pressure, but that is what we like," running back Eddie Lacy said. "You come to Alabama to be in situations like this and play in games like this."

The SEC finalists are remarkably similar on paper.

? Georgia's Aaron Murray is the nation's top-rated passer, just ahead of Alabama's AJ McCarron.

? The Crimson Tide has a dynamic running back duo with Lacy (1,001 yards, 14 touchdowns) and freshman T.J. Yeldon (847 yards, 10 TDs). So does Georgia with a pair of freshmen, Todd Gurley (1,138 yards, 14 touchdowns) and Keith Marshall (720 yards, eight TDs.)

? Each squad has lost a couple of key receivers to injuries.

? Alabama leads the nation in points allowed (9.2 per game) and total defense (233.7 yards). Georgia has been just as stout since senior safety Shawn Williams called out his defensive teammates before a big game against Florida, accusing them on playing "soft." Over the last five weeks, the Bulldogs have surrendered just 43 points.

"This matchup is right on," Georgia receiver Tavarres King said. "These are two great teams, two physical teams, that get after it every Saturday. It should be a fun game."

Alabama has played in plenty of epic contests over the last five years, and coach Nick Saban is one of the best at preparing his players for these sort of pressure-packed settings.

In fact, from the way the Crimson Tide was talking all week, this is no big deal.

"Just another game," McCarron said. "That's the biggest thing everyone just needs to remember. Don't make the game bigger than what it is. Just another Saturday."

This is still rather new for the Bulldogs.

Over Murray's first two seasons as the starting quarterback, Georgia failed to beat a team in the Top 10. That steak continued in the only loss this season, a 35-7 blowout at South Carolina. But a 17-9 victory over then-No. 3 Florida propelled the Bulldogs to the top of the SEC East, and a favorable schedule helped keep them there.

"Before that Florida game, nobody thought we could win a big game," Robinson said. "Well, we did that. So we can mark that off and go on to something else ? winning a championship."

This game will likely be decided in the trenches, especially by the performance of Georgia's young offensive line.

The Bulldogs have a sophomore at center (David Andrews) and a freshman at right tackle (John Theus), so they could have their hands full trying to control an Alabama front that is so dominating, not much blitzing is required to get pressure on the quarterback and clog up the running lanes.

But the Crimson Tide was exposed a bit in a last-minute win over LSU and the shocking loss to the Aggies, giving up more than 400 yards in each game. Georgia will be counting on Murray to finally come up big on the biggest stage, a goal that has eluded him during his record-breaking career in Athens. He was awful against South Carolina, completing just 11 of 31 for 109 yards. He threw three interceptions against Florida, but the defense bailed him out.

Showing how much this game meant, Murray ? normally one of the most media-friendly players on the team ? has done no interviews since a 42-10 win over Georgia Tech last weekend.

Alabama will have to keep an eye on Jarvis Jones, a terror in Georgia's 3-4 defense. Despite being nagged by injuries and missing two games, the junior linebacker has 10.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He is up for numerous national awards and perhaps has a chance to earn his way to New York for the Heisman ceremony if he comes up huge against the Crimson Tide.

"You certainly have to have a plan to try and help the players that have to block him, so hopefully he can't just get in one-on-one situations where it's a difficult circumstance for somebody," Saban said. "There have been games this year where he has made a phenomenal amount of plays, like sacks and causing fumbles. The guy is probably one of the best defensive players in the country in terms of his play-making ability."

Jones and his teammates want to show they match up well with a team such as Alabama.

And mess up that dream matchup in Miami, for good measure.

"All you hear is Bama this, Bama that," cornerback Damian Swann. "We know we're just as good as them, if not better."

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-30-T25-SEC%20Championship/id-588e9caf86d14a668e4b17774411e8c3

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Xerox WorkCentre 6605N Color Multifunction Printer

The Xerox WorkCentre 6605N Color Multifunction Printer ($999 direct) is the same as the Xerox WorkCentre 6605DN Color Multifunction Printer, except that it lacks the latter's auto-duplexer. That makes it a good workhorse color laser MFP designed for small workgroups. It provides good output quality when you use its default PostScript driver. The printer's PCL driver has to be installed separately, and?though faster?it's no match for the PostScript in print quality.

The 6605N can print, copy, fax, and scan. It has a front-facing USB port that fits a USB thumb drive that you can print from or scan to. You can scan to email or network folder, and it offers LAN faxing from your PC or walkup faxing using the printer's control panel. These functions are controlled with 4.3-inch color touch screen. A 50-sheet reversing automatic document feeder (ADF) lets you scan, copy, and fax multipage documents.

The white-and-blue 6605N measures 20 by 16.9 by 20.8 inches (HWD), too large to put on a desk, and weighs 71 pounds. It has a standard paper capacity of 700 sheets, split between a 550-sheet main train and a 150-sheet multipurpose tray. An optional second 550-sheet tray ($299 direct) is available, to bring the maximum paper capacity to 1,250 sheets.

PostScript and PCL Drivers
During setup, you're offered two printer drivers (PostScript and PCL6), with checkboxes next to each.? The PostScript driver is marked as recommended, and the box next to it is already checked. The PCL driver's box is empty, so to install it, you have to check the box beside it yourself. If you install both drivers, the PostScript driver will be set as the default, though you can change that later.

The 6605N provides USB and Ethernet (including Gigabit Ethernet) connectivity; an optional Wi-Fi adapter is available for $99 (direct). I tested it over a wired network with its drivers installed on a PC running Windows Vista.

Testing and Print Speed

I ran our official tests using the PostScript driver, as it is both the recommended driver and the only one that installs automatically. (We do our testing using default settings, as in our experience they are the ones that users are most likely to use.) That said, I also did some testing using the PCL driver. As is typical for printers with those two drivers, the PCL was faster (I timed it in simplex mode at 9.1 ppm), but its output quality, for photos and especially for graphics, was inferior to the PostScript. Although the PCL driver may be suitable for quickly printing drafts of documents in situations where output quality is unimportant, Xerox clearly did the right thing in making the PostScript the recommended and default driver.

On our business applications test suite (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing), ?I timed the 6605N using the PostScript driver at 5.7 pages per minute (ppm). Its rated speed, based on printing text documents without graphics or photos, is up to 36 ppm. (Our test suite includes text pages, graphics pages, and pages with mixed content. I timed the Editors' Choice Lexmark X548dte, rated at 25 pages per minute, at 7 ppm, also in simplex mode. The Editors' Choice Dell C3765dnf, rated at 23 pages per minute, tested at 8.2 ppm in duplex mode, and the Xerox 6605DN in duplex mode using its PostScript driver at 4.8 ppm. (As the 6605N lacks an auto-duplexer, it can be used in simplex (one-sided) mode only.)

Output Quality
The 6605N provides above-average overall output quality, with average text, above-par graphics, and slightly above-par photo quality. Text is fine for most any business use short of desktop publishing applications that require very small fonts. Graphics are fine for PowerPoint handouts, including ones intended for people you seek to impress, and even basic marketing materials. Photo quality is fine for company newsletters, and maybe for basic marketing materials, depending on how picky you are. When I switched to the PCL driver, output quality for both photos and graphics suffered.

Xerox's claimed running costs for the 6605N, including toner and other consumables, are 2.9 cents per monochrome page and 15.3 cents per color page. The Dell C3765dnf's claimed running costs, based on a similar set of consumables, are 1.5 cents per monochrome page and 10 cents per color page, while the Lexmark X548dte's claimed running costs are 1.6 cents per monochrome page and 11 cents per color page.

The Xerox WorkCentre 6605N provides good output quality and brings all the features of the Xerox 6605DN except the auto-duplexer for $100 less. If you know you won't need the duplexer, it will save you some money. It is worth a close look by workgroups needing a color MFP for PostScript use, though its speed was unimpressive. If you don't need PostScript, there are faster choices, like the Dell C3765dnf, that provide good output quality.

More Multi-function Printer Reviews:
??? Xerox WorkCentre 6605DN Color Multifunction Printer
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??? Xerox WorkCentre 6605N Color Multifunction Printer
??? HP LaserJet Enterprise 500 MFP M525f
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/uN-rP5oF5SE/0,2817,2412701,00.asp

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The Daily Roundup for 11.29.2012

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Continue reading The Daily Roundup for 11.29.2012

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/iOEtDu3zAEw/

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