Jamieellis's Blog

UK Benefits- shame on you (via My world….)

jamieellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:31:04 +0000

Britain gone mad again………………while immigrants from all over the globe swan in and claim benefits for the entire family, well deserving UK citizens are being denied benefits they really need and deserve….. Compared to many people who claim lifelong benefits for decidedly dubious medical conditions, ten-year-old amputee Olivia Porter would seem like an entirely deserving case. Brave Olivia has worn a prosthetic leg after surgeons remov … Read More

via My world….

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffin

jamieellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:00:39 +0000

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffin

recipe adapted from Parita’s Kitchen

makes about 12 small muffins

Things you’ll need:

For the muffins:

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp aluminium-free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cane sugar + 1/2 to 1 tbsp
4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup non fat greek yogurt
3/4 to 1 cup non fat milk (or milk of your choice)
1-1/4 cups chopped hulled strawberries (about 5-6 large strawberries)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 100% natural Ghirardelli)

Other things:

Baking tray/sheet pan
muffin pans (two 6 muffin pans)
paper muffin cups
whisk
Ice cream / cookie dough scoop ~ optional
wire rack

For the chocolate frosting:

(makes about 2 cups of frosting)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup natural unsweetened Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Valentine’s day special decoration:

2 tbsp confectioner’s sugartea strainer
3/4″ paper or cardboard heart cutout
ziploc bag for frosting decoration

How it’s done:

To bake the strawberry muffins:

Taste the strawberries first. If the strawberries are not that sweet, macerate the strawberries in a clean non-reactive bowl by sprinkling 1/2 to 1 tbsp of sugar and let sit for the fruit to soak in for at least 15 mins. Skip this step if you think the strawberries are sweet by themselves.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Line the muffin sheet with paper cups or grease with oil or butter.
Mean while, in a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk/sift for thorough mixing.
To bring butter to room temperature, either let sit on the counter for 15-30 mins or just microwave for 10-12 secs until just soft. In another bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until well combined and creamy. To this add the greek yogurt and 2/3 cup milk and whisk together. Finally whisk in the vanilla extract.
Now, add in the dry flour mix and whisk in slowly until it comes together. Add more milk as necessary a tbsp or two at a time as you go. Do not over mix. Fold in the chopped (macerated) strawberries and chocolate chips.
Scoop the dough into lined muffin cups only upto 3/4 th full to give enough room for the muffin to rise or else the dough will rise and spill out during baking . Place the muffin pans on a baking tray with at least 2-3 inches between them as well as with the inside of the oven for even hot air circulation. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check around 25 mins for done-ness check. Do not overbake.
Remove the baked muffins from the tin and let cool immediately on a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature as is or decorated with confectioner’s sugar heart impressions or chocolate drizzlings for the valentine’s day! (continue reading for recipe and how to)

Don’ts:

Do not open the oven door during the first 15 mins as it causes the rising muffin dough to collapse.
Do not forget or delay cooling the muffins on a wire rack right after pulling out of the oven. Otherwise, due to the retained heat, muffins start to sweat inside and end up soggy instead of fluffy.

How to make chocolate frosting:

recipe for Hersey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” chocolate Frosting from the back of Hershey’s Cocoa-Natural Unsweetened box

Melt butter in a saucepan until just soft or microwave for about 12-15 seconds. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered (confectioner’s) sugar and milk, beating to “spreading” consistency. If you take a dollop out of a spoon it should fall but not flow freely. Add small amount of additional milk (a tsp or so) if needed. Stir in vanilla extract. Do not overmix.

Note: The ingredients listed (are) from the original recipe make a huge quantity of chocolate frosting.

I had leftover chocolate frosting from the chocolate almond cake I baked a month back and used the same. If you do not wish to make so much of the frosting, just halve the frosting recipe and store the leftovers in a plastic bag or airtight container in the refrigerator. Does not spoil for 3-4 weeks.

For the Valentine’s Day special muffins:

To make the heart impressions:

Place the paper heart cut-out on the muffin at the centre. Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar through a dry tea strainer until the top surface is covered. Remove the heart cut-out with a fork.

For the muffins with chocolate frosting:

Fill a ziploc bag with chocolate frosting, twist it tight and zip shut. Snip the tip of the ziplock bag just a tiny bit. Holding the other end of the bag secure, press and drizzle the chocolate frosting in a zig zag manner.

Image version @ Just Home Made

Easy Eggless Chocolate Pudding

jamieellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:52:27 +0000

Easy Eggless Chocolate Pudding

Things you’ll need:

3 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s)
1-1/2 cups milk (I used 3/4 cup non fat & 3/4 cup whole milk)
2-3 tbsp cane sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For garnish (optional)

toasted, slivered or crushed almonds or pistachios

How it’s done:

Bring 1 cup milk to a boil in a thick bottomed saucepan. In the mean while, whisk together corn starch, cocoa, sugar and salt and stir the mix into 1/2 cup milk at room temperature making sure to avoid dry lumps from forming.
When the milk comes to a boil, reduce heat and stir in the cocoa milk. Let simmer stirring continuously until thick and creamy for about 10-12 mins. It is done when the saucepan bottom can be seen when scraped with a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter until butter melts and blends in.
Pour into individual serving dishes or bowls of your fancy. To avoid pudding skin from forming, cover with cling wrap on the surface of the pudding (not at the rim of the dish) and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or store up to 2 days. Serve cold as is or with suggested garnish.

Note If you need an intense chocolate flavor, you can add 2-3 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips. Next time I make this, I am sure to add them.

Images version @ Just Home Made

Reese Witherspoon: Robert Pattinson Is Dirty – Style News – StyleWatch – People.com

jamieellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:43:51 +0000

Twentieth Century Fox

Reese Witherspoon is definitely fond of Water for Elephants costar Robert Pattinson, but that’s not to say she didn’t find his on-set grooming habits, well, questionable. “It’s a boy thing, right? To have dirty fingernails and hair,” the newlywed actress asked in a chat with Entertainment Weekly. “And his clothes were dirty all the time.” However, she can’t quite blame theTwilight star — after all, the movie takes place in a circus, a far cry from the damp, overcast Pacific Northwest setting of the supernatural series. “It was a nice escape for him to be tan and in the sun all the time instead of the vampire gear,” Witherspoon explained. In the film, out April 22, the stars’ characters, Jacob and Marlena, become entwined in a tragic love triangle. But before they hit theaters, the costars will hit Vegas — they’re presenting together Sunday at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Sleepy Strawberries | Healthy Whip

jamieellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:39:11 +0000

I am so tired this morning. I think I had about 6 hours sleep- definitely not enough for me! I think the clocks going forward for Spring has really had an effect of my mood, ugh. I’ve also had a headache for the last 2 days that will just not go away.

I was so sleepy I couldn’t think of anything for breakfast! Breakfast is by far my favourite meal of the day, so this is totally unheard of After scanning the cupboards I decided on a strawberry smoothie- totally quick and I needed something energizing.

I added fresh strawberries to a handful of frozen strawberry and banana mix with some almond milk and some natural yogurt and a tbsp of oats for texture.

The result was a bright pink smoothie which totally added colour to my morning! It tasted great- just of strawberry and not too sweet.

Hope everyone has a great day- Toby says hello!

Mila Kunis defends Natalie Portman in ‘Black Swan’ controversy | Inside Movies | EW.com

jamieellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:28:14 +0000

Black Swan co-star Mila Kunis is speaking out in support of her friend and cast mate Natalie Portman amid accusations that the bulk of the dancing in Portman’s Oscar-winning role was actually performed by her dancing double, American Ballet Theatre soloist Sarah Lane. “Natalie danced her a– off,” says Kunis. “I think it’s unfortunate that this is coming out and taking attention away from [the praise] Natalie deserved and got.”

Kunis also says Portman has been honest about how much of the demanding footwork she was — and wasn’t — able to do. “She’ll tell you [that], no, she was not on pointe when she did a fouetté [turn]. No one’s going to deny that. But she did do every ounce of every one of her dances,” she says. “[Lane] wasn’t used for everything. It was more like a safety net. If Nat wasn’t able to do something, you’d have a safety net. The same thing that I had — I had a double as a safety net. We all did. No one ever denied it.”

Last week, Lane told EW that she performed 95 percent of Portman’s full-body dance shots. Portman has been defended vocally by fiancé and Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied and director Darren Aronofsky, who insists Portman did 80 percent of the dancing in the film.

Suggestion: Facebook Application Ideas

jamieellis — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:31:37 +0000

Feature suggestion: Facebook created (or endorsed) applications to do the following that go over the top with groups:

Missing cellphones/mobiles and robberies (of the things – phones):
There
is alot of groups xyz had there mobile/ cellphone lost or stolen please
give numbers that goes around and more gets created daily. Currently there is this concept that Facebook should support http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=18641284155) that tells friends of number and announces that old phone is lost/stolen but does need to be secure

RIP/ Remembrance:
another
backed application which is needed is RIP or remembrance (basically
leave RIP wishes to a page based on the ‘recently departed’
users friends list and friends of friends). The method of privacy settings will be different for example Chinese Earthquake or massacre victims when it be should be open to all and moderated. This Application could have features like memorandum/ memories, photos and videos or event (maybe a fund). This could also be a option after users inform that a person has sadly died and profile is placed in read only state.

Locations:
bring back Networks pages maybe without the wall but maybe a few more antispam tools.

Missing People:
One
application for missing people/ children e.g. Maddie Mccann and other
people missing managed by say UK National Missing Persons, US Amber
Alert or Interpol etc but a submit a missing person for FB users to bring it to the Missing Persons Authorities . The
application in principle could show those missing in your network or that conducting searches ithat includes your network. – This could also be an alert into news feed
for missing people (similar to ads).
Friends or family of the
missing could choose the networks or geolocation (e.g. United Kingdom, Europe or whole Facebook if it is international search) To
advertise it should be free of course.

Causes Application (an Facebook suggestions/ campaigns section):
Idea
for the Causes application – add a Facebook section for approved causes
e.g. fundraising events and also campaigns e.g. ‘want colour on profiles’
or ‘we do or don’t want a Facebook feature’, This section could possibly be
approved Guinness World Records attempts (valid GWR Numbers to create ‘attempt/cause’. The add me groups to see how many
or see if we can get the 80 million FB users or 8 million UK users and
any group that wants you to do it for a non cause is SPAM!.

My Ever growing feedback to Facebook regard new design

jamieellis — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:52:06 +0000

Profile
- The Publisher – a second line (for 3rd Party) might be better as all 3rd Parties end up in the drop down
no update about this

- Boxes – calling it ‘Apps’ is abit more user friendly
Still the horrible Boxes name

-
In the ‘add tab’ drop down add a option to add grouped tab (several
applications likely with similar genre e.g. ‘Hugging’ on 1 tab or on
that tab by company e.g. RockYou, slide, SGN and Zynga)
no group tab or make a group tab unless you call boxes so guess no hugging, fundraising, food etc ones

- Profile ‘boxes’ in multiple locations – application tab, user/genre/ developers [multi/ grouped tab], boxes/ Apps
we currently have application specific tab, info tab (via ‘add to info’ button), ‘boxes’ and wall/info tab side box (via ‘add to profile’ button) there is no grouping yet and limited multi location integration points

-
Allow agreed applications that will give users information about you
Info tab integration (Extended Info, More Extended Info, More about me,
All about Me and Custom Profile Box)
We have success with this one there is ‘add to info’ buttons (but developers need to implement it – currently Causes is the most well know application that has this feature but it is know Extended info and & More Extended Info has this in development

- Colour on Profiles (e.g. Pink, Red, Green, Orange, Black – etc you get what i am saying)- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10166409225 and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8370409409 (this has a movement of near 1.1 million users in total – rises on average of 50 thousand a week!)
Facebook seems to refuse that there is a movement for Colour but with now around 1.2 million users they get ignored should not be that hard to add a colour pellet and user theme (Boost for Facebook Firefox Addon has this type of feature but it broken in new facebook)

Request Page and requests/ notifications
http://www.new.facebook.com/reqs.php will not load
(71 friend requests, 1 event and 2920 ‘other’ requests)
this seems to been fixed now (1.8.2008) and seems to been a more problem with those who were translating Facebook

the other requests is about 6/7
months worth of applications that a Group tab user defined feature
would have been good for (e.g. Hugs, Quizzes).

sending
notifications instead when both users have a same application would reduce
this (ONLY send Invites to Requests page to users who not got
application already ELSE send as Notifications).

on the topic of excessive invites when a application is installede currently sending a plant on say growing gifts* and green patch* and similar applications
(applications
done nothing wrong in terms of policy) it just popular use with friends
and that applications when a user sends a flower from 1 friend to
another it goes to reqs.php to get user approved/ accepted (500 for
green patch)
Facebook has launched new policy about incentive invites e.g. send to 20 friends to unlock level so we have to see if this does anything but i prefer they send via notifications then through the invite system

The
‘add tab’ list (user’s application tabs creation) – add a scrollbar
similar to the Applications list next to Inbox (i not to keen on a list
of tabs i can make as long as the profile – a rough count has it at 29!) maybe about 8/10/12 ish before it kicks in!
no luck yet

‘More tabs’
(while viewing other peoples profiles) should kick in when the 2nd line is full -
reason the first row is technically Facebook (scrolling is needed to stop going out of hand)
again still no development

publisher dropdown (scrolling if needed)
nah not here yet

news feed on /home.php (home) needs to be extended more right towards the column with Feed stories
most of the white space has been removed (28/7)

http://www.new.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php
(and other inbox related message pages eg. read message and compose) the message ‘body’ needs to be extended inline with the right ads border – currently the message area looks condense
still looks out of place in screenshot done on 14/8

Not so Profile design but will be good to have Live ID and/or Open ID support to log into Facebook (idea from 22 July counter Myspace data portability announcement that they will adopt Open ID.
F8 (23/7) announced Facebook will have its Facebook Connect (this autumn) but with Facebook and Microsoft relationship you think maybe they might add Live ID considering Facebook are adding web search late in the year

Why are events and groups hidden on homepage (home.php) and not given a mention when there is some space?
‘Welcome,
* Update status * Add Photos * Add Video * Share Link * Write Note’
Add of ‘Create Event’ and ‘Create Group’ should address this
shame not added yet

Here is a suggestion for those who love the old facebook style although personally do not know why ‘after change day new format should be default but old style i propose should be available to Christmas via account settings
i suggested this so some people can have time and also for facebook to address my valid feedback in this blog and concerns in facebook groups as not everyone in them (FB Groups) are completely hate it just want some changes – some cosmetic changes should be optional if there is 2 ways e.g. feed maybe some options to ease some panic users

Publisher – (Events)
Maybe add
publisher ‘Create Event’ to the the
1st row drop down of publisher. 3rd parties should be on a 2nd row

Create
Event – have options to Create an Event and an ‘invite/ tell friend
about (a event you made or attending)’ – this is a surprising that it not
already there and is as important as Video and Share Links

it is a shame this one is not here as i want this one

Friends List
auto/ dynamic Friends Lists that if added should be in a different section of Friends List
- generated by country (for Holidays e.g. July 4th or April 23rd (St Georges Day))
- generated by application for friendlists showing who use application (idea for sending hugs
- generated by Surname initial (e.g. A)
This idea is not a need tomorrow suggestion but be nice to have it particularly by application or country as you could send those St George ecards to friends in England for example

Addition of privacy settings to Friends List to make selective friends lists e.g.
‘Nightclubbing buddies’ public – to rival Circle of Friends and My Best
Drink friends etc (aim to reduce application clutter )
FB wants Facebook to be clean and accessable – this will get rid of alot of pointless applications over night. Likewise, Applications with same name or genre should consider partnerships

New Facebook created (or endorsed) applications to do the following over that is the top with groups:

Missing cellphones/mobiles and robberies (of the things – phones)
RIP/ Remembrance
Locations: (bring back Networks pages maybe without the wall but maybe a few more antispam tools.)
Missing People
Causes Application (an Facebook suggestions/ campaigns section):

I write more about this later on Link

(FB) Notes (use of Page numbers)
Add pages numbering to Notes when comments exceed 20
(currently no limit) so a 1084 comment facebook profiles preview note
becomes a joke to load and navigate

‘a recommend fix – for example large/ popular response to notes e.g. http://www.new.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=19958402909#comments (should be familiar to you as it is a Profiles Preview Note) it has over 900 comments

Qu to FB: Why aint there page numbers? it is needed for notes like discussion board topics.

navigating
a page like this is over the top. agreed in normal circumstances there
likely not be 900+ comments but anything over 40 (comments) do need
page breakdown’

News Feed (suggestion written 1/8/08)
news feed a few more stweaks
some of the categories do not have a next/ more to see older feed stories therefore each category should have a next or more button to see older feed stories of type
category
types ideas: applications, ‘Imported from external’ – Facebook Connect and the Digg,
Last FM etc feed importing, groups, fans (FB Pages), events, notes and
others or even a All Stories (everything)

How about adding Notifications (notifications.php) content therefore bring the Notifications from the Inbox to the main page into a News Feed Category as it is abit hidden.

Success! 13/8 update you will notice that there is now new news feed filters and looks like Facebook has took action on mine and others suggestions for the news feed and All Stories were a obivous missing tab on News Feed. They at the moment have not decided with the notifications but that could be because it comes now mostly via Chat or maybe it is more complicated!

Facebook Profile Preview Email June 1st 2008

jamieellis — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:16:44 +0000

thanks to source (but rather public) i been able to see what my profile
is like using the new profile design (developers beta) perspective

have to commend you as i like it but there issues with tabs / improvements that id like and would give users more customization.

Application tabs
looking
through the developer beta all the applications are on the not rightly
named Boxes ‘tab’ but have read in the profiles preview page this is
likely to be Applications or Apps.

The
application tabs (currently from my list of 156 installed applications:
Fluff friends, Human Pets and Birthday Cards) are good but i am not
going to do 156 tabs as not all are same amount of being liked and
there would be an need to be a way of tab navigating.

One
disapproval (this maybe in the final or any public user beta upcoming)
but there should be multiple occasions of the ‘Boxes’ tab (the makeup
of this tab but not the content) with the aim allowing users to group
applications that similar together ‘pokes’ ‘dating’, ‘food’. This is
something i kept preaching to you on several occasions and is not on
the developer beta or at least not active.

One feature for an
upcoming feature release to the new profile if tabs get abused is
viewing other profiles there could be an ‘show all tabs feature’. this
show all tabs feature uses the users own tab customizations (for
applications or groups of applications). but not using this has the
main tabs (info, feed, photo, wall and the old ‘boxes’ tab (as i like
to call it the add all applications an user displays). The other
alternative is to limit the amount of tabs at a later date

White Space
there is currently alot of white space to the sides.
its almost certain there will have advertising of some sort in some of the white space but here is a layout idea

the
left hand side white space is removed and the profile content extends
to the (left) margin (right hand side RHS used for ads)
right hand side of profile content extends to the margin (on right) and Left hand side (LHS) used for ads

Future extension of tabbing the request page
depending
on the success of introducing tabs to the profile page this could
possibly extend to the request page that due to application requests in
particular is a joke
‘appearable’ tabs that collapse friend
requests, friend suggestions, detailed friends requests, join groups
confirmation (accept a person into a controlled group or any related
request [accept video/photo or discussion board topic]), groups
invites, application invites, events

_______________________________

EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD

Feedback regarding latest Profiles Preview update

jamieellis — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:15:14 +0000

I like the layout of applications might look placed in a tab (in example called boxes) but i have some disagreements as this is a throw all in 1 place quick fix

You were indicating the more favored ‘boxes’ that could group what we want – this is a landing page – a quick fix for overnight transition or those that can’t be bothered what there profile looks like.

For those that ‘care’ abit more what there profile looks like I/we would like ‘boxes’ tab to be able upto say 10 ‘boxes’ tabs (each ‘boxes’ the name is customizable e.g. Poke, Dating, Quizzes, Food & Drink so i can group the applications I want not throw every single one into 1 ‘boxes’ tab.

this all in one boxes tab is going to be crowded if anyone has more then 10 applications and this also is moving away from the extended info application and other applications such as all about me that could join the About tab (however they might needed facebook prior agreement to use About Tab exclusivity

If a user does not want an application being shown in there ALL in one ‘boxes‘ tab or ‘user specific grouping tabs‘ the application should be non visible just like now (Privacy set to no-one)

its not a user fault if application called ’spam/ junk’ (well spam/ junk is an example) and the user does not want it displayed but half there friends have say zombies or vampires and you (profile member) thinks its childish and do not want it visible on your page/ tab. Currently Facebook allows you to hide application boxes therefore developers should deal with that if a user does not want there application it should not be forced onto a user as some applications are suited to be hidden e.g. vampires, paint me, zombies, werewolves, and some dating applications maybe embarrassing.

Name Idea for this all in one applications tab. a name could be ‘ALL Applications’ or ‘All Apps’ but I Still want User generated tabs

Windows Live Family: Hotmail, Messenger, Spaces and SkyDrive rocks !

______________________

EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD