How to use the Internet when the Internet is gone

3 hrs.

OK, here's the scenario: A storm plows through your hometown, knocking out the electricity. Your lights go out, and with it your Wi-Fi. Your laptop, still charged, is without Internet.

The local cell networks are both degraded by the weather and instantly overloaded as thousands of people around you call their friends and family to ask, "Hey, did your power just go out? You OK?"

Your phone is getting service, but just barely. Calls are patchy. 3G and 4G Internet aren't working at all, so neither are your apps. All you can depend on is the most resilient, and limited, feature of your cell service: Text messages.

The Washington Post has a great post up about how to use Twitter, which was originally a text-based service, without Internet access. But there's a lot more you can do with SMS???from Twitter and Facebook to email and search. Here's how to access the Internet without the Internet:

You can still use Google even if all you have is SMS access. Just add 466453 (GOOGLE) to your phonebook, then text to it as if you're searching.

Here's something you may not have known about your phone number: It has an e-mail address. Almost every carrier operates what's called an e-mail gateway, meaning that you can send and receive e-mails via text.

Here's how to figure out your phone's e-mail address:

If you're on Verizon, it's yournumber@vtext.com (as in 5551234567@vtext.com), or if that doesn't work, yournumber@vzwpix.com

If you're on AT&T, it's yournumber@txt.att.net, or if that doesn't work yournumber@mms.att.net

If you're on Sprint, it's yournumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com

If you're on T-Mobile, it's yournumber@tmomail.net

(For other carriers, or to troubleshoot yours, check here.)

Now, to receive your e-mail via SMS, you'll need to forward it to your gateway address: Most e-mail services offer this for free in the settings page. Here's how to do it in Gmail, for example. You'll have to turn this on before you lose Internet access. So, like, now.

If this doesn't work, and in my experience it may not, depending on your carrier and e-mail provider, you can try an automated forwarding service such as TXTJet.

To send e-mails via text, you can usually just enter an e-mail address instead of a phone number. These same e-mail gateways work in reverse, meaning you can either respond directly to messages forwarded through the gateway or send a new message by entering "email_address@whatever.com" in the recipient box in your texting app. This works on many older phones, too, though typing out email addresses on a T9 keypad will be a chore.

It's not the most graceful process, but it works.

You can do almost anything on Twitter via SMS, which, if you're interested, you can read about here. But in the event of an outage, there are really only two Twitter SMS features you'll need.

To get simple updates from any account, set up an SMS Fast Follow. This does not require your Twitter account, and will keep your text volume low. Just send "Follow [username]" to 40404. (No @ symbol required.) This will let you receive updates from important accounts, but won't let you post. Some suggestions and example for Fast Follows, though yours will be location-specific:

@nycgov

@wsjweather

@fema

@twc_hurricane

To post to Twitter, follow these instructions from Twitter's FAQ:?

How to add your phone to your existing Twitter account via SMS:

? Send?a text to your Twitter code [40404] with the word START.

??We'll reply and ask you to text YES to the Twitter short code.

??Text your username to the same number. Do not use the @ symbol or quotation marks. Send your username ONLY. For example: larrybird

??Next, text your password. This is case sensitive, so be sure you are sending your password correctly.

??That's it! You're ready to go!

Your account can now be used with the whole range of Twitter text commands, found here. A few important ones:

ON: turns ALL your authorized Twitter updates and notifications on.

OFF: turns ALL phone notifications off.

Otherwise, anything you send to 40404 will be posted from your account. (These instructions only work for Verizon, AT&T, and affiliated MVNOs.)

This used to be more functional, but you can still have Facebook forward you notifications and private messages via SMS, as well as post status updates. You can also respond to private messages, which is potentially valuable if you don't have someone's phone number but happen to be Facebook friends.

To activate Facebook via SMS, go to your Facebook account settings and click "Mobile" on the left side of the page. Turn on Facebook Message forwarding and Notifications. (You can customize which ones get through in a submenu.)

Once this is set up, you can also post a status update by texting it to 32665 (FBOOK).

More from BuzzFeed:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/how-use-internet-when-internet-gone-1C6844290

brown recluse spider wiz khalifa taylor allderdice eddie royal iditarod nfl free agents 2012 encyclopedia brittanica nfl free agency

Penn St. officials arraigned on new charges

AAA??Nov. 2, 2012?2:59 PM ET
Penn St. officials arraigned on new charges
By MARK SCOLFORO?THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES?By MARK SCOLFORO

FILE - In this March 7, 2007, file photo, Penn State University president Graham Spanier speaks during a news conference at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa. Spanier is accused of perjury, endangering children and other charges in the Jerry Sandusky molestation scandal. According to online court records charges were filed, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, against Penn State's ex-president and two other administrators in what prosecutors called ?a conspiracy of silence." (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

FILE - In this March 7, 2007, file photo, Penn State University president Graham Spanier speaks during a news conference at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa. Spanier is accused of perjury, endangering children and other charges in the Jerry Sandusky molestation scandal. According to online court records charges were filed, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, against Penn State's ex-president and two other administrators in what prosecutors called ?a conspiracy of silence." (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly announces new criminal charges related to an ongoing child sex crimes investigation against former Penn State President Graham Spanier and added charges against two former underlings, Timothy Curley and Gary Schultz during a news conference Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 at the state capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Spanier was charged with perjury, obstruction, endangering the welfare of children, failure to properly report suspected abuse and conspiracy. Curley and Schultz face new charges of endangering the welfare of children, obstruction and conspiracy. (AP Photo/Bradley C Bower)

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2011, file photo Penn State president Graham Spanier, left, and head football coach Joe Paterno talk before an NCAA college football game against Iowa in State College, Pa. Spanier is accused of perjury, endangering children and other charges in the Jerry Sandusky molestation scandal. According to online court records charges were filed, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, against Penn State's ex-president and two other administrators in what prosecutors called ?a conspiracy of silence." (AP Photo/Gene Puskar, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2011, file photo Penn State president Graham Spanier, left, and head football coach Joe Paterno talk before an NCAA college football game against Iowa in State College, Pa. Spanier is accused of perjury, endangering children and other charges in the Jerry Sandusky molestation scandal. According to online court records charges were filed, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, against Penn State's ex-president and two other administrators in what prosecutors called ?a conspiracy of silence." (AP Photo/Gene Puskar, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2011 file photo, Penn State President Graham Spanier presents head football coach Joe Paterno with a plague commemorating his 409th collegiate win after an NCAA college football game against Illinois in State College, Pa. Spanier is accused of perjury, endangering children and other charges in the Jerry Sandusky molestation scandal. According to online court records charges were filed, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, against Penn State's ex-president and two other administrators in what prosecutors called ?a conspiracy of silence." (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) ? Two Penn State administrators have appeared in court on new charges accusing them of hushing up child sexual abuse allegations against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

The arraignment of Gary Schultz and Tim Curley lasted about 10 minutes Friday in a suburban Harrisburg courtroom.

Their additional bail is set at $50,000, but they don't need to post cash or other security. Their preliminary hearing is Nov. 12, a date the judge says is likely to be postponed.

The new charges are endangering the welfare of children, obstruction and conspiracy.

Former Penn State president Graham Spanier's arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday.

Schultz is the university's retired vice president. Curley is on leave as athletic director. Sandusky is serving a state prison sentence for sexually abusing 10 boys.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-11-02-Penn-State-Abuse/id-c7ecda0045fd4f999dc06515e80c8a6c

Alexis Wright presidential debates seahawks gawker Felix Baumgartner Little Nemo walking dead

Apartment demand continues to outpace construction - Star Tribune

Posted by: Jim Buchta under Debt Updated: November 2, 2012 - 1:07 PM "); } check=false; } else { jQuery("#senderName1").removeClass("fc-field-error"); jQuery("#errorName1").remove(); check=true; } if(!yourEmail.match("[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%&'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+(?:\.[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%&'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?\.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])")) { jQuery("#senderMail1").addClass("fc-field-error"); if(jQuery("#errorMail1").length

Please enter your valid email address.

"); } check=false; } else { jQuery("#senderMail1").removeClass("fc-field-error"); jQuery("#errorMail1").remove(); check=true; } if(!recipientsEmail.match("[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%&'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+(?:\.[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%&'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?\.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])")) { jQuery("#recipientsEmail1").addClass("fc-field-error"); if(jQuery("#errorRMail1").length

Please enter recipient valid email address.

"); } check=false; } else { jQuery("#recipientsEmail1").removeClass("fc-field-error"); jQuery("#errorRMail1").remove(); check=true; } if(check==true) { jQuery(".shareLayer").append("

"); jQuery.post("/mail/", { "sender_name": yourName, "sender_email": yourEmail,"recipient_email":recipientsEmail,"comment":comment,"domain":domain,"path":path,"contentId":contentId } ,function(data) { jQuery(".shareLayer").hide("slow"); alert("your mail has been sent"); }); } }

Source: http://www.startribune.com/blogs/176991291.html

after christmas sales 2011 best ipad apps chris paul gift card exchange tj holmes waste management two fat ladies

Briton admits plot to sell parts to Iran after US sting

By NBC News wire services

A British millionaire accused of trying to buy missile parts from undercover American agents and resell them to Iran pleaded guilty Thursday in a deal that would carry nearly three years in prison but could allow him to serve much of that time in his native United Kingdom.

Christopher Tappin, 66, a retired shipping magnate, had faced charges of conspiracy to illegally export defense articles, aiding and abetting the illegal export of defense articles and conspiracy to conduct illegal financial transactions.

He pleaded guilty to one count of the indictment Thursday at a hearing in El Paso, Texas. The deal calls for 33 months in prison, but as part of the agreement, prosecutors agreed not to oppose his request to be transferred back to his home country. He had faced up to 35 years in prison.

U.S. District Judge David Briones will decide Tappin's sentence Jan. 9. He has been living in an upscale Houston neighborhood since his release on a $1 million bond in April.

Federal prosecutors said Tappin, of the town of Orpington, southeastern England, and two other men sought to ship zinc/silver oxide batteries for Hawk Air Defense Missiles to Iran via the Netherlands.

Risked US national security
U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman said in a statement that ?the defendant put at risk the national security of the United States and its allies by trying to sell to Iran the batteries that make the Hawk Missiles operational."

The federal indictment filed in 2007 said a cooperating defendant provided computer files showing Tappin was involved in the attempted battery deal and that he and the cooperating defendant had illegally sold U.S. technology to Iran in the past.

Complete Mideast & N. Africa coverage on NBCNews.com

The U.S. government alleged Tappin provided undercover agents with false documents to deceive authorities and circumvent the requirement for the batteries to be licensed by the government before being exported.

Tappin's extradition in February touched a nerve in Britain, where many contend the fast-track extradition arrangements between the United Kingdom and the United States are unfairly weighted in Washington's favor.

Iran's regular army has begun two days of ground and air military exercises. Iranian authorities say they want to increase combat readiness and deterrence against attack. NBC's Ali Arouzi reports.?

But Tappin's attorney, Dan Cogdell, said Thursday that he didn't see much room for argument.

"He pled guilty because he was guilty," Cogdell said.

Tappin remained free on bond pending his sentencing. Cogdell said he expected Tappin to serve several months in a U.S. prison while authorities decided where to send him.

Western intelligence sees 'small signs of wavering' on Iran nuclear policy

Tappin fought extradition to the United States for two years until being denied a petition to take the case to Britain's Supreme Court. After he was brought to Texas, Tappin was held at the Otero County Jail for about two months, where he initially was put in solitary confinement at his request.

Two men have already been sentenced to prison for charges stemming from the indictment. Robert Gibson, another British national, pleaded guilty in April 2007 and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Robert Caldwell, from Oregon, was found guilty in July of that year and received a 20-month sentence.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

More content from NBCNews.com:

Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/02/14874307-uk-millionaire-admits-plot-to-sell-missile-parts-to-iran-after-us-sting-operation?lite

gawker Felix Baumgartner Little Nemo walking dead bcs rankings earthquake today earthquake today

Confused arts grads, try a career in mediation | Arbitrage Magazine ...

Fear not, young arts grad: Mediation could be the career answer for you

First published in?jobpostings magazine

careers. education. ideas. all of it.

Image courtesy of JobPostings.ca

What in the heck is mediation, anyhow?

So, you have a bachelor of arts, and sometimes, you wonder why you didn?t study business or engineering?your friends in those faculties had secured jobs months before graduation. By now, you?re sick and tired of being asked if you are going to law school or teachers college, but those options are starting to seem more appealing, as the task of figuring out what you want to do is more daunting than ever.

But fear not, young arts grad: Mediation could be the career answer for you.

So, what exactly is mediation, anyways? It?s ?a process of intervention in a dispute or negotiation by an impartial third party who has no decision making power,? writes?ADR Canada, a non-profit organization promoting dispute resolution services. A mediator is neutral, and helps disputants settle disagreements by assisting them to find their own solution, one that?s acceptable to both parties.

Mediation is not therapy, nor is it legal advice; it?s a process that eliminates the misunderstandings that create conflicts. There?s a common misconception that mediators must be lawyers?this isn?t true. Mediators come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and according to Slaw, Canada?s online legal magazine, less than half have legal backgrounds. Virginia Harwood, program coordinator for Durham College?s mediation-ADR program, estimates 50 per cent of students enrolled in her program applied with a general B.A., though some had legal specializations.

Your arts degree has given you communication, problem solving and analytical skills, now all you need to do is to translate your proficiencies into a career. If you?re creative, patient and enjoy listening to people?s problems, becoming a mediator is a viable option. Even better: Job satisfaction is high, as you?re directly facilitating change, and, according to Who?s Who Legal, the job market is expected to experience growth in the coming years.

// ]]>

Litigation is, like, so pass?

?Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbours to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser?in fees, expenses and waste of time.?

Abraham Lincoln?s advice from over a century ago is becoming progressively more relevant today. The popularity of mediation is rising, says ADR Canada, as individuals and businesses are increasingly interested in avoiding delays, publicity, and high costs of going to court, along with ensuring confidentiality and preserving existing relationships.

Mary Damianakis, a mediator who?s been practicing since the 1980s, says ?There was a study that showed that approximately 80% of family disputes are being settled in mediation and only 20% are using the court system. So I think that?s a phenomenal change.? She believes community mediation also going to grow across Canada, and there will be a new demand for community mediators. Susan Baker, manager of the certificate program in Conflict Management at Conrad Grebel University College adds that ?elder mediation is sort of currently gaining momentum?.

Training in mediation will provide you with communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, and people skills, along with the ability to think strategically. The general skills these courses provide should be accompanied by volunteering at organizations like Family Mediation Canada, or interning to gain hands-on experience.

Source: http://www.arbitragemagazine.com/blog/confused-arts-grads-career-mediation/

billy crystal oscar winners 2012 billy crystal oscars 2012 angelina jolie oscars chardon high school christopher plummer viola davis

Hurricane Sandy Spills Sewage, Triggers Toxic Troubles

  • People in New York's Tribeca neighborhood, without power because of superstorm Sandy, wait for a chance to charge their mobile phones on an available generator setup on a sidewalk, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

  • People take photos at water filling the Bowling Green subway station in Battery Park in New York on October 30, 2012 as New Yorkers cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The storm left large parts of New York City without power and transportation. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

  • North Carolina 12 is buckled from pounding surf leading into Mirlo Beach in Rodanthe, N.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. People on North Carolina's Outer Banks are facing some flooding and damage from Hurricane Sandy, but emergency management officials say it could have been worse. North Carolina Transportation Department spokeswoman Greer Beaty said the highway was closed Tuesday until crews inspect the road. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Steve Earley)

  • Foundations and pilings are all that remain of brick buildings and a boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, after they were destroyed when a powerful storm that started out as Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the East Coast on Monday night. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

  • FARMINGDALE, NY - OCTOBER 30: Timothy Henggeler, Logistics Specialist with FEMA speaks with New York guard members at Republic Airport in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Farmingdale, New York. The storm has claimed at least a few dozen lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • Breezy Point, N.Y.

    A firefighter works to contain a fire that destroyed over 50 homes during Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 30, 2012 in the Breezy Point neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York. At least 33 people were reported killed in the United States by Sandy as millions of people in the eastern United States have awoken to widespread power outages, flooded homes and downed trees. New York City was hit especially hard with wide spread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. (Spencer Platt, Getty Images)

  • Pleasure boats pile up 30 yards or more from the water?s edge in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen, N.J. The storm's high winds and the high astronomical tide paired up to rip the boats away from their dock and deposit them on shore. (AP Photo/Peter Hermann, III)

  • A parking lot full of yellow cabs is flooded as a result of superstorm Sandy on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 in Hoboken, NJ. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

  • East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy

    OCEAN CITY, NJ - OCTOBER 30: Residents survey the damage after Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Ocean City, New Jersey. Sandy made landfall last night on the New Jersey coastline bringing heavy winds and record floodwaters. At least two dozen people were reported killed in the United States as millions of people in the eastern United States are experiencing widespread power outages, flooded homes and downed trees. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

  • Jason Locke sweeps water and mud from his parents' home in Westport, Mass., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. Many homeowners who suffered losses because of flooding from Hurricane Sandy are likely to find themselves out of luck. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding damage, and the vast majority of homeowners don't have flood insurance.Yet it's likely that many Northeasterners will purchase it in coming months, hoping they'll be covered the next time around, at a cost averaging around $600 a year. (AP Photo/The Standard Times, Peter Pereira)

  • The tailend of a SUV is perched on top of a postal mailbox in the aftermath of floods from Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Coney Island, N.Y. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

  • HUNTINGTON, NY - OCTOBER 30: Power lines rest at a 45 degree angle on Clinton Avenue in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Huntington, New York. The storm has claimed at least a few dozen lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • A flood damaged vehicle is surrounded by debris in Mirlo Beach in Rodanthe, N.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. People on North Carolina's Outer Banks are facing some flooding and damage from Hurricane Sandy, but emergency management officials say it could have been worse. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Steve Earley)

  • A police officer watch as a passerby look into a store through a damaged security grate, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, on Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island, N.Y. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses.(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

  • HUNTINGTON STATION, NY - OCTOBER 30: A sporting goods and camping store displays it's message to residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Huntington Station, New York. The storm has claimed at least a few dozen lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • Nicholas Rodriguez looks over a section of the destroyed boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, not far from where a powerful storm that started out as Hurricane Sandy made landfall the night before. Millions of people from Maine to the Carolinas awoke Tuesday without electricity, but the full extent of the damage in New Jersey, where the storm roared ashore Monday night with hurricane force, was unclear. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

  • People walk on North Carolina 12 away from the buckling of the highway, pounded by surf, leading into Mirlo Beach in Rodanthe, N.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. People on North Carolina's Outer Banks are facing some flooding and damage from Hurricane Sandy, but emergency management officials say it could have been worse. North Carolina Transportation Department spokeswoman Greer Beaty said the highway was closed Tuesday until crews inspect the road. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Steve Earley)

  • A huge tree split apart and fell over the front yard and fence of a home on Carpenter Avenue in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday, Oct., 30, 2012, in Sea Cliff, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

  • Little Ferry, N.J.

    Olivia Loesner, 16, hugs her uncle, Little Ferry Deputy Fire Chief John Ruff, after she was brought from her flooded home in a boat in Little Ferry, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the wake of superstorm Sandy. At right carrying pets, is her mother, Janice Loesner. (Craig Ruttle, AP)

  • Ocean City, M.D.

    A National Guard humvee travels through high water to check the area after the effects of Hurricane Sandy Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Ocean City, Md. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses. (Alex Brandon, AP)

  • Cleveland, Ohio

    Waves pound a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, near Cleveland. High winds spinning off the edge of superstorm Sandy took a vicious swipe at northeast Ohio early Tuesday, uprooting trees, cutting power to hundreds of thousands, closing schools and flooding parts of major commuter arteries that run along Lake Erie. (Tony Dejak, AP)

  • OCEAN CITY, NJ - OCTOBER 30: Streets remain flooded after Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Ocean City, New Jersey. Sandy made landfall last night on the New Jersey coastline bringing heavy winds and record floodwaters. At least two dozen people were reported killed in the United States as millions of people in the eastern United States are experiencing widespread power outages, flooded homes and downed trees. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

  • A log rests on a vehicle damaged by superstorm Sandy at Breezy Point in the New York City borough of Queens, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. The fire destroyed between 80 and 100 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

  • OCEAN CITY, MD - OCTOBER 30: People participate in metal detecting at the beach after Hurricane Sandy hit the region October 30, 2012 in Ocean City, Maryland. The storm has claimed at least 33 lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City, with widespread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

  • FARMINGDALE, NY - OCTOBER 30: (L-R) Mike Cassidy and Warren Connolly work to clear trees from Secatouge Avenue in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Farmingdale, New York. The storm has claimed at least a few dozen lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy

    PLAINVIEW, NY - OCTOBER 30: Motorists wind their way up Manetto Hill Road in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Plainview, New York. The storm has claimed at least a few dozen lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • East Coast Begins To Clean Up And Assess Damage From Hurricane Sandy

    OCEAN CITY, NJ - OCTOBER 30: A picnic table sits on a sand covered road after Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Ocean City, New Jersey. Sandy made landfall last night on the New Jersey coastline bringing heavy winds and record floodwaters. At least two dozen people were reported killed in the United States as millions of people in the eastern United States are experiencing widespread power outages, flooded homes and downed trees. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

  • Two women shop for groceries by flashlight in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. ConEd cut power Moday to some neighborhoods served by underground lines as the advancing storm surge from Hurricane Sandy threatened to flood substations. Floodwaters later led to explosions that disabled a substation in Lower Manhattan, cutting power tens of thousands of customers south of 39th Street. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

  • Ground Zero Floods

    Sea water floods the Ground?Zero construction site, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Sandy continued on its path Monday, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain.? (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

  • LONG BEACH, NY - OCTOBER 30: Residents walk on a street covered in beach sand due to flooding from Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Long Beach, New York. The storm has claimed at least 33 lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City, with widespread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

  • A man looks down at water filling the Bowling Green subway station in Battery Park in New York on October 30, 2012 as New Yorkers cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The storm left large parts of New York City without power and transportation. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

  • LONG BEACH, NY - OCTOBER 30: A section of an old boardwalk is seen destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Long Beach, New York. The storm has claimed at least 33 lives in the United States, and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the situation a 'major disaster' for large areas of the U.S. east coast, including New York City, with widespread power outages and significant flooding in parts of the city. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

  • Ocean City, M.D.

    Michael Brown, left, and Enos Jones, with Ocean City, fill a truck with debris as they clean the boardwalk after the effects of Hurricane Sandy Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Ocean City, Md. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses.(Alex Brandon, AP)

  • A man cleans up the remains of his food store damaged by Hurricane Sandy, in New York's South Street Seaport, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power a day after a wall of seawater and high winds slammed into the city, destroying buildings and flooding tunnels. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

  • Members of the Saint Joseph's University crew team pull a damaged boat from the Schuylkill river in the wake of superstorm Sandy, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Philadelphia. A one-two punch of rain and high wind from a monster hybrid storm that started out as a hurricane battered Pennsylvania, leaving more than a million customers without power as officials began assessing the damage Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

  • Workers clear debris outside the Consolidated Edison power sub-station on 14th Street, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. Hurricane Sandy marched slowly inland, leaving millions without power or mass transit, with huge swatches of the nation's largest city unusually vacant and dark. New York was among the hardest hit, with its financial heart in Lower Manhattan shuttered for a second day and seawater cascading into the still-gaping construction pit at the World Trade Center (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

  • Belington, W.Va.

    An ambulance is stuck in over a foot of snow off of Highway 33 West, near Belington, W.Va. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Belington, W.Va. Superstorm Sandy buried parts of West Virginia under more than a foot of snow on Tuesday, cutting power to at least 264,000 customers and closing dozens of roads. At least one death was reported. The storm not only hit higher elevations hard as predicted, communities in lower elevations got much more than the dusting of snow forecasters had first thought from a dangerous system that also brought significant rainfall, high wind gusts and small-stream flooding. (Robert Ray, AP)

  • North Carolina 12 is buckled from pounding surf leading into Mirlo Beach in Rodanthe, N.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. People on North Carolina's Outer Banks are facing some flooding and damage from Hurricane Sandy, but emergency management officials say it could have been worse. North Carolina Transportation Department spokeswoman Greer Beaty said the highway was closed Tuesday until crews inspect the road. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Steve Earley)

  • Carol Mason mops her flooded floor with towels after returning to her home in Atlantic City, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. Many homeowners who suffered losses because of flooding from Hurricane Sandy are likely to find themselves out of luck. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding damage, and the vast majority of homeowners don't have flood insurance. Yet it's likely that many Northeasterners will purchase it in coming months, hoping they'll be covered the next time around, at a cost averaging around $600 a year. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

  • A street and business are flooded as a result of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 in Hoboken, NJ. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

  • A house is inundated by flood water as Hurricane Sandy approaches, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in Center Moriches, N.Y. Many homeowners who suffered losses because of flooding from Hurricane Sandy are likely to find themselves out of luck. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding damage, and the vast majority of homeowners don't have flood insurance. Yet it's likely that many Northeasterners will purchase it in coming months, hoping they'll be covered the next time around, at a cost averaging around $600 a year. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

  • Lower Manhattan Goes Dark

    Lower Manhattan goes dark during superstorm Sandy, on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, as seen from the Brooklyn Heights promenade in the Brooklyn borough of New York. One World Trade Center, background center, remains brightly lit. Sandy continued on its path Monday, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain.? (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

  • The space shuttle Enterprise is draped with cloth that had protected it before Superstorm Sandy passed though, leaving the spacecraft shrouded on the deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, at its dock on the Hudson River in New York, Tuesday, Oct, 30, 2012. Sandy, the storm which was downgraded from a hurricane just before making landfall, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

  • Onlookers take photographs of two cars that collided during flooding outside the Consolidated Edison power sub-station on 14th Street, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. Hurricane Sandy marched slowly inland, leaving millions without power or mass transit, with huge swatches of the nation's largest city unusually vacant and dark. New York was among the hardest hit, with its financial heart in Lower Manhattan shuttered for a second day and seawater cascading into the still-gaping construction pit at the World Trade Center (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

  • NYU Tisch Hospital Evacuated

    Medical workers assist a patient into an ambulance during an evacuation of New York University's Tisch Hospital, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. The New York City hospital is moving out more than 200 patients after its backup generator failed when the power was knocked out by a superstorm. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

  • Sveinn Storm pumps water out of his flooded Storm Bros. Ice Cream Factory store in downtown Annapolis, Md. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. High tide swept over the banks of the city dock, flooding lower Annapolis stores. (AP Photo/Blake Sell)

  • Boats are piled onto each other after hybrid storm Sandy wash them off their stands, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Brick, N.J. Sandy, which was downgraded from a Hurricane just before making landfall in New Jersey, left millions without power. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

  • Damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point is shown Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in New York. A fire department spokesman says more than 190 firefighters are at the blaze in the Breezy Point section. Fire officials say the blaze was reported around 11 p.m. Monday in an area flooded by the superstorm that began sweeping through earlier. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

  • ConEd Trucks Underwater

    Consolidated Edision trucks are submerged on 14th Street near the ConEd power plant, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Sandy knocked out power to at least 3.1 million people, and New York's main utility said large sections of Manhattan had been plunged into darkness by the storm, with 250,000 customers without power as water pressed into the island from three sides, flooding rail yards, subway tracks, tunnels and roads. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

  • A National Guard vehicle drives through the flooded Metropolitan Trailer Park in Moonachie, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the wake of superstorm Sandy. Sandy arrived along the East Coast and morphed into a huge and problematic system, putting more than 7.5 million homes and businesses in the dark and causing a number of deaths. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/hurricane-sandy-sewage-toxic-_n_2046963.html

    mark jenkins super bowl commercials 2012 mia amar e stoudemire m.i.a. adrianne curry hoekstra

    Smart as a bird: Flying rescue robot will autonomously avoid obstacles

    ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2012) ? Cornell researchers have created an autonomous flying robot that is as smart as a bird when it comes to maneuvering around obstacles.

    Able to guide itself through forests, tunnels or damaged buildings, the machine could have tremendous value in search-and-rescue operations. Small flying machines are already common, and GPS technology provides guidance. Now, Ashutosh Saxena, assistant professor of computer science, and his team are tackling the hard part: how to keep the vehicle from slamming into walls and tree branches. Human controllers can't always react swiftly enough, and radio signals may not reach everywhere the robot goes.

    The test vehicle is a quadrotor, a commercially available flying machine about the size of a card table with four helicopter rotors. Saxena and his team have already programmed quadrotors to navigate hallways and stairwells using 3-D cameras. But in the wild, these cameras aren't accurate enough at large distances to plan a route around obstacles. So, Saxena is building on methods he previously developed to turn a flat video camera image into a 3-D model of the environment using such cues as converging straight lines, the apparent size of familiar objects and what objects are in front of or behind each other -- the same cues humans unconsciously use to supplement their stereoscopic vision.

    Graduate students Ian Lenz and Mevlana Gemici trained the robot with 3-D pictures of such obstacles as tree branches, poles, fences and buildings; the robot's computer learns the characteristics all the images have in common, such as color, shape, texture and context -- a branch, for example, is attached to a tree. The resulting set of rules for deciding what is an obstacle is burned into a chip before the robot flies. In flight the robot breaks the current 3-D image of its environment into small chunks based on obvious boundaries, decides which ones are obstacles and computes a path through them as close as possible to the route it has been told to follow, constantly making adjustments as the view changes. It was tested in 53 autonomous flights in obstacle-rich environments -- including Cornell's Arts Quad -- succeeding in 51 cases, failing twice because of winds. The results were presented at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems in Portugal Oct. 7-12.

    Saxena plans to improve the robot's ability to respond to environment variations such as winds, and enable it to detect and avoid moving objects, like real birds; for testing purposes, he suggests having people throw tennis balls at the flying vehicle.

    The project is supported by a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

    Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

    Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


    Story Source:

    The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Cornell University. The original article was written by Bill Steele.

    Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


    Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

    Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/SBxanr6uZfw/121030173047.htm

    timothy leary jonathan frid pujols watchmen hitch justin beiber lamar odom

    Political forecasting stirs up a storm

    The presidential campaigns are continuing to wage an aggressive back and forth, especially in Ohio. But the devastating impact of Sandy will likely put a wrench in many East Coast residents' plans to vote, as well as the tallying of those votes. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.

    By Alan Boyle

    Nationwide polls may portray the presidential campaign as a neck-and-neck horse race, but less conventional data-crunching methods spit out a different picture, with President Barack Obama edging out GOP challenger Mitt Romney.

    One big variable remains to be factored in: the effect of Hurricane Sandy. And one big state that's been relatively unaffected by the storm holds the key to the outcome: Ohio.?"It's been that way for the entire election cycle," said David Rothschild, an expert on opinion modeling at Microsoft Research and Columbia University's Applied Statistics Center.

    Rothschild, who lays out election forecasts at the Predictwise website and blogs about prediction science on The Signal at Yahoo, surveyed the state of the art this weekend at the New Horizons in Science symposium, presented as part of the ScienceWriters2012 conference.


    In the final days of the campaign, the divergent spins on the election outlook have sparked a few fireworks. Statistician Nate Silver's analysis for The New York Times' Five Thirty Eight column, which has consistently favored Obama even as many others were reporting a tightening of the race, drew criticism from the National Review's Josh Jordan for including "a little bit too much hope?of an Obama victory against what appears to be a surge of Romney momentum."

    This week, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough virtually called for Silver's pundit license to be revoked.?"Anybody that thinks that this race is anything but a tossup right now is such an ideologue they should be kept away from typewriters, computers, laptops and microphones for the next 10 days, because they're jokes," he said on "Morning Joe."

    Economist Paul Krugman went to Silver's defense in his own column for the Times, decrying the "war on objectivity" and saying that "all the election modelers have been faithful to their models, letting the numbers fall where they may."

    "This is really scary," Krugman wrote. "It means that if these people triumph, science ? or any kind of scholarship ? will become impossible. Everything must pass a political test; if it isn't what the right wants to hear, the messenger is subjected to a smear campaign."

    Silver's analysis is based on a state-by-state assessment of polling data from multiple sources, translated into an electoral vote count. Political prediction markets, such as those studied by Rothschild, use a different method to come up with a surprisingly similar snapshot of the horse race.

    The markets offer a glorified kind of gambling on political fortunes: The winner-take-all markets let players "invest" in the prospects of a particular candidate. If the candidate wins, the investor gets, say, $1 a share. If the candidate loses, the investor gets nothing. Leading up to Election Day, investors can buy or sell shares in candidates to match their expectations of success.

    The shifting share prices reflect the perceived probability of success. For example, Intrade's market?sets the probability of Obama's re-election at 63 percent. The Iowa Electronic Markets?go with a little more than 63 percent, while the trading at?Betfair?puts the probability at?70 percent. That's in the same ballpark as Silver's 72.9 percent estimate.

    IEM / Univ. of Iowa

    A chart shows share values on the Iowa Electronic Markets in the winner-take-all market for the presidential popular vote. The blue line indicates Democratic share prices, while the red line indicates GOP share prices.

    Intentions vs. expectations
    What the prediction markets provide is a probability figure, not a vote share figure. It reflects expectations about a given outcome, just as the Vegas odds reflected the expectation that the Giants would win the World Series, even before they swept the Tigers. There was a chance all the way up to the final out that the Tigers could roar back and take four games in a row to win the series. But in this case, at least, the Vegas marketplace predicted the outcome.

    So what's the success rate of prediction markets? How do surveys that gauge expectations perform, compared with traditional surveys that gauge what voters say they intend to do? That's where Rothschild's research comes in: He and a colleague, Penn economist Justin Wolfers, looked at the predictions produced by traditional polls ("For whom do you intend to vote?"), as opposed to less traditional surveys ("Whom do you expect to win?"), in 345 political races.

    Most of the time, the predictions from the two types of forecasts were in agreement. But in those cases where the predictions were different, the expectation survey was right 76 percent of the time, while the traditional intention survey was right only 24 percent of the time.

    Rothschild said the strength of expectation polls may lie in the fact that investors can absorb information from other sources to come up with a consensus that reflects the wisdom of crowds. "Asking people about expectations is equivalent to as if people went out to 10 random voters and reported the binary result," he said.

    Based on the prediction markets, it's as if Obama is the favored team in the seventh game of the World Series. The betting odds have been in his favor for the past year ??even though there have been ups and downs, such as his slump in the first presidential debate. Now that all the debates are done, most of the uncertainty has been wrung out of the campaign.

    "There's one more unexpected event: this hurricane," Rothschild said.

    After the storm
    Lots of prognosticators have pointed to the uncertainties raised by Hurricane Sandy. The conventional wisdom was that Romney would benefit from a long-recognized anti-incumbent effect in late pre-election polling, as well as a race-tightening effect. However, Sandy changes the calculus.

    "Generally, natural disasters benefit incumbents," Rothschild said. There's a tendency to put politics aside, rally 'round the flag and let the president look presidential. (That effect can go negative if the disaster response doesn't go well, as President George W. Bush found out in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.) Even before the storm hit, Scarborough said Romney's momentum could stall in Sandy's aftermath. "It changes everything with a week to go," he said.

    There's already some evidence that the rally effect has kicked in: For example, today New Jersey's Republican governor, Chris Christie, said hat Obama's response to the storm crisis was "outstanding" and that he didn't "give a damn about Election Day." Christie is due to tour devastated areas with the president on Wednesday.

    The catastrophic aftermath of the storm may affect early voting as well as the Election Day turnout in places like New York and New Jersey. That could cut into the Democratic vote. Research has shown that obstacles to voting tend to hit Democrats harder than Republicans. But in Sandy's case, that statistical effect may not be critical because those states are relatively safe for Obama.

    Sandy's effect may be more crucial hundreds of miles from the worst of the storm, in Ohio. For the past year, Ohio has been the "flip state" in Rothschild's calculations. Neither candidate has a clear path to victory unless he wins Ohio's electoral votes, Rothschild said. That's one reason why Romney was the headliner for a storm-relief rally in Ohio today ? and why Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton are canvassing the state while Obama tours the hurricane zone.

    Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

    GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney reacts as he accepts a food donation from a supporter during a storm-relief event in Kettering, Ohio.

    How will it all turn out? There are lots of statistical models floating around, and no matter which way it turns out, some will score a home run while others will strike out. In addition to the political prediction markets we've been talking about, here are a few more forecasts to watch:


    We'll be talking about the scientific angles to the political campaign at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday on?"Virtually Speaking Science,"?an hourlong talk show airing on?BlogTalkRadio?and in the?Second Life virtual world. My guest will be?Shawn Lawrence Otto, a founder of ScienceDebate.org and author of "Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America."

    Turn to?NBC Politics?for the full story about the final week of the presidential campaign, and keep a watch on?our coverage of Hurricane Sandy's aftermath?as well.

    Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor and vice president of the Council for the Advancement for Science Writing, which presented the New Horizons in Science symposium. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

    Source: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/30/14809227-political-forecasts-stir-up-a-storm?lite

    michigan primary results olympia snowe davey jones dead boston weather monsanto dr seuss birthday jennifer garner

    Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies from Tv Food and Drink - Brought to ...

    Also known as ?gobs,? ?bobs? ?black-and-whites? and ?BFO?S? (Big Fat Oreos), the whoopie pie is the official ?state treat? of Maine. ?These cakey cookies exploding with buttercream have never had their origins fully explained, though most attribute it to Pennsylvania Dutch country.

    My sister Jodi and I recently had an all-day marathon cookie making session that included carrot cake cookies (see them here), chocolate mint sandwich cookies (here), and these peanut butter whoopie pies. ?Working side by side, we quickly reverted to the traditional roles we held growing up within the structure of the Green family. ?She transformed into the bossy taskmaster who knows better than everyone else, while I became the whiney ?mistake child? who resorts to raising his voice and cutting other people off in an effort to have his opinion respected. ?If you don?t believe me, check out the VIDEO PROOF below.

    The combination of my sister?s and my family-fostered dysfunction and rampant insecurities appears to have worked wonders! ?By the end of the day we had something along the lines of 300 cookies cooling on dishes and parchment paper slices all over my home. ?And they all turned out pretty spectacular, plus we were still speaking to one another. There was a brief ?missing acrylic fingernail? panic, but what kitchen experience is complete without one of those?


    Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies from Martha Stewart

    • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
    • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Peanut Butter Buttercream (recipe below)
    • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

    Peanut Butter Buttercream

    • 2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
    • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
    • 3/4 cup confectioners? sugar
    • Fine salt (optional)

    Cream peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed. On low speed, mix in sugar until combined, then beat mixture on high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add salt to taste, if desired. Use immediately.

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.

    Add butter, shortening, and sugars to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla; beat until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture. Beat together, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

    Drop 12 slightly rounded tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on each baking sheet. Bake the cookies in the upper and lower thirds of oven, 10 minutes; switch the positions of the baking sheets, and rotate each one. Continue baking until the cookies spring back to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes more.

    Remove from oven; let cookies cool on baking sheets, 10 minutes.Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire rack; let cool completely. Meanwhile, line a cooled baking sheet with a new piece of parchment; repeat process with remaining batter.

    Spread 1 scant tablespoon buttercream on flat sides of half the cookies. Top each with one of the remaining cookies, flat side down, and gently press together. Transfer pies to a tray.

    Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers (they?re sticky!) for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

    Read More ?- Dancing with the Stars, Bachelorette, Bachelor Pad and more

    Follow Tv Food and Drink on Twitter

    Related Posts with Thumbnails

    Tags: Buttercream recipes, Christmas cookies, cookies for kids, Martha Stewart cookies, Martha Stewart recipes, Peanut Butter Buttercream recipe, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter whoopie pies, thanksgiving cookies

    Posted in Cookie Season and Desserts and Homemade 3 hours, 43 minutes ago at 9:28 am. 2 comments

    Source: http://tvfoodanddrink.com/2012/10/season-cookie-peanut-butter-whoopie-pies/

    bishop eddie long madonna give me all your luvin video roseanne barr president green party day 26 gronkowski new hunger games trailer