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Like many coffee shops around North America, Tim Hortons has seen a number of changes throughout the years. 10 things on this list is a comparison of how the company has changed since 2000.

1. Frozen items:

Almost all items come frozen at Tim Hortons. They are not fully cooked when they are delivered to Tim Hortons stores. Stores use conventional and always fresh ovens to finish the baking and cooking process.

2. Breakfasts:

About 6 years ago, Tim Hortons introduced a breakfast program to compete with McDonald’s and other chains which were already serving breakfast sandwiches. Before the introduction of breakfast sandwiches, customers only could choose from bagels and egg salad sandwiches.

3. Pre-cut bread:

Breads have also changed within the last few years. Tim Hortons staff no longer have to cut the bread. The items come frozen and precut. The breads are not fully cooked until they are placed in an always fresh oven.

4. Cups sizes:

In January of 2012, the cup sizes changed. Tim Hortons no longer uses the small, medium, large and extra-large model. They now have the extra small, small, medium, large and extra-large cups. Their XL is the biggest cup on the retail market.

5. No Cakes:

Previously Tim Hortons sold cakes and other items which were not their originals (i.e. eclairs, coffee cakes). Most stores have eliminated this and have focused their attention on donuts, cookies, muffins, croissants & danishes.

Achieving victory on the battlefield is something tricky and does not exclusively reside in the number superiority of one army or the other. While essentially winning the war implies being the last one standing, military leaders have always searched for new ways to ensure an edge over their adversaries. War tactics have constantly changed throughout history when various factions brought new ‘toys’ to the game and this list will present what I consider to be the tools that brought about major paradigm shifts in terms of battle.

1. The Egyptian chariot revolutionized ground combat

As far as history goes, all wars fought in the ancient times – particularly before 1800 B.C. – were fought by foot soldiers. Granted, all armies utilized different formations to ensure the most effective attack while maintaining an optimal level of protection for the troops, but fighting exclusively on foot is what they all had in common. Now, this shouldn’t lead you to believe that the first chariots were invented in the 1800 B.C. Archeologists have found versions of this transportation device dating from the earlier period before 3000 B.C., but the older versions were not exactly fit for battle due to their excessive weight and limited maneuverability.

The modifications made to the chariot over the years eventually lead to a perfected version that was incredibly lightweight (a single man could lift it above his head effortlessly). In addition, the wheels of the chariots were fixed with spikes, so you can easily understand why the device became incredibly popular among military powers of that time, from the western parts of Asia and all the way to Europe.

2. We have the Chinese to thank for gunpowder

You are probably familiar with the fact that gunpowder is a rather old Chinese invention, but what you probably don’t know is that its discovery was purely accidental. The first records suggest that this explosive powder was created back in 800 A.D., but kept secret by the government for almost 400 years. During this time, the Chinese were able to develop numerous varieties of weapons based on gunpowder, from cannons to bombs and anything in between. However, like all secrets, the existence of gunpowder eventually was leaked and the utilization of it in war became widespread across the continents. On a side note, gunpowder is the only reason why the Ottoman Empire was able to conquer the city of Constantinople, which seemed impenetrable until that point.

3. Gunpowder would have been nothing without rifled barrels

While it is true that gunpowder revolutionized warfare considerably, until the 1800s it was extremely difficult to have high accuracy and range with this type of weaponry. The smooth barrels of the guns determined a semi-random trajectory for long and medium distances. However, the introduction of the rifled, grooved barrels gave the bullet a rotational movement; greatly increasing the accuracy as well as the distance it could travel, not to mention the damage on impact. It is necessary to point out that rifled barrels were not utilized exclusively in hand guns and rifles, but also on the cannons mounted on warships, permitting naval battles to be carried out without even making eye contact with your opponents.

4. The internal combustion engine radically modified warfare logistics

Reinventing war is not only about coming up with more powerful weapons, but also about better ways to move them across the field of battle. From this point of view, World War I was an extremely slow paced battle, because armies relied heavily on steam engines and horses to transport troops and weaponry. The situation is completely different in the Second World War, when the introduction of the internal combustion engine permitted the rapid relocation of heavy artillery, tanks and planes, but also constituted the advent of ballistic missiles.

5. Planes brought a new component to the game

While before 1911, the only possible ways of carrying out battles was by land or sea, the Italians utilized planes in their war against Turkey not only to take high altitude photographs of the strategic positions occupied by the enemy but also to bomb them. However, these planes were relatively slow and the Second World War was the point when airplanes really proved their value in combat.

Global warming is a hot topic of debate amongst scholars and politicians. Many countries have sat down to discuss cut backs on emission of CO2 and greenhouse gases in Kyoto and Copenhagen, both of which have failed. Many critics still remain unsettled and skeptic about global warming. This article looks at the reasons why climate change skeptics remain skeptics. It highlights 10 skeptics and their arguments in the process.

1. Pat Michaels:

Michaels is a climatologist and senior fellow for policy and economic development at Cato Institute. His books highlight the dangers of global warming and he believes that CO2 emissions are having a warm effect on the earth. Additionally, Michaels is distraught over the inaccurate temperature measurements made in ‘urban heat islands’. The temperatures are much higher than the temperatures in surrounding areas and have thus been inaccurate. Before he believes in the global warming effect, he needs to be persuaded that the temperature rise is not part of the 1,500-year Dansgaard-Oeschger cycle.

2. Bob Carter:

Carter believes that temperatures have not become warmer since 1998. . He remains to believe this because the period concurs with the constant pushing of CO2 into the atmosphere.

3. Professor Henrik Svensmark & Mojif Latif:

Svensmark believes that the global warming has stopped. The cooling period for him has thus begun. He remains skeptic because the star that keeps us alive has been free of sunspots for most of the time in the contemporary age.

Latif adds to Svensmark by stating that this will continue for another 10-20 years. He believes in the cooling of the earth because it is part of a natural North American circulation.

4. Danish Meteorologist Institute:

Danish Meteorological Institute remains skeptic because of studies done in Greenland. After extensive work in Greenland, the institute found that the country/island was cooler than it was in 1940. The idea that the poles are melting is thus not accurate for them.

One can view their report on http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/greenland/vintheretal2006.pdf.

5. Fred Singer:

Fred Singer believes that CO2 concentration will not double as economies are become are relying less on carbon. He is also skeptic about climate change because he sees no evidence of CO2 contributing to global warming.

For him warmer temperatures are a good thing. Settlement is made possible in areas such as Greenland. Vikings were one group that were able to occupy Greenland with the help of warmer temperatures.

Use your imagination just a little bit: Imagine spending your vacation budget on redoing your own backyard as your own private resort. If you live in the city, or even more importantly, if you live in the suburbs and commute to the city, you need to get out in the country. You need fresh air, the warmth and fragrance of a wood fireplace, the comfort and satisfaction of simple food, and the amazing luxury of pure silence. When was the last time you had ice in your eyebrows? When was the last time you got outdoors and just played, felt the exhilaration of wind in your face, and got really-really hungry from being outside all day? This list looks at some really wild fantasy retreats that you could retire to for a weekend.

1. Coronado, California…in January

Always near the top of every travel magazine’s list of the world’s top ten beaches, Coronado, California sits just across the bay from San Diego—easily accessible, and frighteningly affordable during the winter months. “Of course,” you think to yourself, “who goes to the beach in January?” Answer: the Coronado locals know what the brochures don’t tell you. In June and early July, Coronado lives under “June gloom,” cold marine air that burns-off only for a couple of hours in the afternoons.

2. The Wine Country…any wine country

The best wine grapes do not spring forth abundantly just anywhere. You cannot grow a vineyard like you would grow your front lawn or a pine tree. In fact, grapes share your climate preferences—warm, sunny days and cool nights, neither too humid nor too dry. Not a surprise that grapes thrive where you would—just an hour from San Francisco, on sunny Italian hillsides, on beautiful Spanish slopes, and just a few hours from Paris.

3. A Greek Island

What more need anyone say? It’s one of those magical, mystical, stuff-of-myth-and-folklore Greek Islands. You escape there, living in comfort, style, and delicious anonymity.

4. An artist’s garret or loft in a big city

Take a sketchbook, fresh pencils and charcoals, a turtleneck sweater and beret, and just disappear. Let your imagination guide you and see what develops. Even if you cannot draw a stick figure, you still can have fun imagining your life as an artist. Not every artist must suffer or starve.

5. A Tropical Paradise

Of course, you want an ocean at your front door, palm trees and lush, fragrant tropical flowers all around. You want to get so suntanned people won’t remember your name, and you want to wear nothing but your bathing suit, your sundress, or just your skin all day and all night for all the time you are running away from work, winter snow, and the harrows of your everyday life.