Once known as the foreclosure capital of the world, Stockton, California will begin spending $12 million in federal housing aid in April.
Homeowner’s struggling to make mortgage and debt consolidation loan payments have left thousands of homes in disrepair in Stockton.
The spending will likely go to nonprofit groups that plan to flip the abandoned homes. A project of this nature will improve neighborhoods and help those who might not otherwise be able to purchase a home.
There are currently an estimated 5,000 bank-owned properties in Stockton.
Tags: foreclosure, Stockton
Coffee has been in use since the ninth century. Known (or thought) to prevent illnesses of the stomach, coffee was taken daily by those who believed in its power.
By the mid 1800’s, coffee was decidedly a popular drink in America. It has now secured its place as an important commodity and is widely used.
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia outlining the coffee roasting process. Enjoy!
Coffee berries and their seeds undergo several processes before they become the familiar roasted coffee. First, coffee berries are picked, generally by hand. Then they are sorted by ripeness and color and the flesh of the berry is removed, usually by machine, and the seeds—usually called beans—are fermented to remove the slimy layer of mucilage still present on the bean. When the fermentation is finished, the beans are washed with large quantities of fresh water to remove the fermentation residue, which generates massive amounts of highly polluted coffee wastewater. Finally, the seeds are dried, sorted, and labeled as green coffee beans. A traditional way to let the coffee beans dry is to let them sit on a cement patio and rake over the beans till dry. Other companies use cylinders to pump in heated air to dry the coffee beans.
The next step in the process is the roasting of the green coffee. Coffee is usually sold in a roasted state, and all coffee is roasted before it is consumed. It can be sold roasted by the supplier, or it can be home roasted. The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee bean both physically and chemically. The bean decreases in weight as moisture is lost and increases in volume, causing it to become less dense. The density of the bean also influences the strength of the coffee and requirements for packaging. The actual roasting begins when the temperature inside the bean reaches 200°C, though different varieties of beans differ in moisture and density and therefore roast at different rates. During roasting, caramelization occurs as intense heat breaks down starches in the bean, changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown, changing the color of the bean. Sucrose is rapidly lost during the roasting process and may disappear entirely in darker roasts. During roasting, aromatic oils, acids, and caffeine weaken, changing the flavor; at 205°C, other oils start to develop. One of these oils is caffeol, created at about 200°C, which is largely responsible for coffee’s aroma and flavor.
Depending on the color of the roasted beans as perceived by the human eye, they will be labeled as light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark, or very dark. A more accurate method of discerning the degree of roast involves measuring the reflected light from roasted beans illuminated with a light source in the near infrared spectrum. This elaborate light meter uses a process known as spectroscopy to return a number that consistently indicates the roasted coffee’s relative degree of roast or flavor development. Such devices are routinely used for quality assurance by coffee-roasting businesses.
Darker roasts are generally smoother, because they have less fiber content and a more sugary flavor. Lighter roasts have more caffeine, resulting in a slight bitterness, and a stronger flavor from aromatic oils and acids otherwise destroyed by longer roasting times. A small amount of chaff is produced during roasting from the skin left on the bean after processing. Chaff is usually removed from the beans by air movement, though a small amount is added to dark roast coffees to soak up oils on the beans. Decaffeination may also be part of the processing that coffee seeds undergo. Seeds are decaffeinated when they are still green. Many methods can remove caffeine from coffee, but all involve either soaking beans in hot water or steaming them, then using a solvent to dissolve caffeine-containing oils. Decaffeination is often done by processing companies, and the extracted caffeine is usually sold to the pharmaceutical industry.
Tags: Coffee, coffee roasting
Daily views to this blog reveal the obsession of readers with the possibility of Yellowstone erupting. Views of that post make up 95% of the total page views here. Not only are we concerned with the possibility of such a natural disaster, we are also worried about the state of the world in general.
Coping with the current economy is quite a task in and of itself. It seems as though each day we hear more and more about the sinking economy and the rate of money production (out of thin air!) by the U.S. government. Our stock portfolios have plummeted in value so much that many don’t even want to view statements that arrive in the mail or online. It simply is too painful.
As many readers have pointed out, this could be the beginning of the end for our world as we know it. Or, it could just be another down point in our history. Either way, conservative investments and storing food and water for emergencies are good investments in your future.
Tags: investing, natural disaster
In San Diego, the Kearny Mesa Swimming Pool has had a makeover.
The new additions target accessibility for disabled patrons. New facilities at the swimming pool include wide parking spots, a ramp, and wider restroom and shower accesses.
San Diego has seen a larger number of public spaces being refurbished to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In fact, the city now spends in excess of $10 million dollars per year on these projects.
San Diego’s commitment to upgrades at the Kearny Mesa Swimming Pool and throughout the city not only helps avoid possible litigation resulting from the ADA, but also goes a long way in promoting the livelihoods of all its citizens.
Tags: ADA, San Diego, swimming pool
I have long been a fan of beagles. In fact, my family has owned pure or mixed breed beagles for my entire life. Living in the West has many advantages: great scenery, snow, and dry air. It’s that dry air that can sometimes be problematic.
Just as our skin gets dry and cracks or flakes, dogs have the same problem. It’s important to know some of the associated treatments to help your friend when her itchy coat is about all she can stand.
In dedication of my love for beagles, I have set up a new website called Beagle Care Tips. Here you will find information on beagle training and care.
In addition, I also offer a five part mini course directed solely to health concerns for beagles. You can learn how to treat skin, eye, and ear problems at home with these tips.
If you enjoy beagles as much as I do, you’ll love this new site.
Tags: beagle training, desert west, dogs dry skin, pets in the west
