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Raila Odinga – a Kenyan Prime Minister who once claimed to be US President Barack Obama's cousin – delivered a moving speech to Zimbabwean Prime Minister Moran Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change party this year that "40 or 50 years since many African nations attained independence, we [Africans] cannot continue blaming the colonialists for our problems".
Here is the full speech sourced from The Zim Diaspora.
THE Right Honorable Morgan Tsvangirai, Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe and President of the Movement for Democratic Change; Party officials, distinguished delegates, Let me begin by congratulating my friend Morgan on his re-election last week as president of this great party.
On behalf of my own party, the Orange Democratic Movement, I salute both you and your party supporters for the confidence shown in your leadership.
I congratulate those elected to other leadership positions. Their mandate means assuming major national responsibilities. The first of these is to unite the party. The second is to unite the people ofZimbabwe in a single vision of universal prosperity.
Ladies and gentlemen, Zimbabwe and Kenya have experienced very similar histories since independence – of heroic peoples struggling for liberation from oppression and repression. Many Zimbabweans, like many Kenyans, have paid the ultimate price for a future worth having, dying in order that the nation might live. We share heartfelt grief and respect for their sacrifice.
We have other similarities and links. Several Kenyan leaders were educated here. When Zimbabwe gained independence, a number of Kenyans helped in establishing its key institutions and government structures.
It is this kind of bond that makes us partners in democracy and in moving our continent forward. Our respective liberation wars have shown how a downtrodden people can rise up and demand respect. That spirit lives in your party. It must radiate across the nation. But what, ladies and gentlemen, has happened to theAfrica whose liberation our struggles typified? As we look round, we see, to our dismay, nothing but contradictions and paradoxes.
Africa, with its 51 independent states and 52nd about to be born, is a continent of great cultural diversity. It is rich in natural resources – minerals, freshwater lakes, rivers and forests. But it is also the poorest of the continents, with the highest child mortality rates and levels of inequality and the lowest human development indices. Some blame colonial rule, others the faulty domestic policies pursued by African leaders.
This blame game is taking us nowhere. I have spent my entire adult life somewhere on the political spectrum – as an observer, an activist, a three-time detainee, a member of parliament, a cabinet minister and now prime minister of my country. I have had much time for analysis and reflection. Of course colonialism messed upAfrica, arbitrarily dividing our people, sapping their confidence and pride and exploiting our resources! Of course many African leaders have performed dismally!
But 40 or 50 years since many African nations attained independence, we cannot continue blaming the colonialists for our problems. Since the 1990s, a clear consensus has emerged both within and outside Africa that the problems the continent faces have to do with the way it is governed today.
This has led to human rights abuses, the breakdown of the rule of law, the over-centralisation of power, particularly as vested in imperial presidencies, and the accompanying cultures of corruption and impunity.
Powerful leaders and their close associates have done as they wished, in the knowledge that nothing would happen to them. Lack of accountability and transparency has fostered official corruption and the plundering of resources meant for development. It is these insidious developments – and not the colonial legacy – that have brought this continent to the brink of ruination, and its people to the desperate situation in which so many millions find themselves today.
But I speak to you as an Afro-optimist and a true believer in pan-Africanism, one who looks forward to the day Africa will be united in its irreversible democratic ideals and sound socio-economic policies. And on this occasion of the MDC's National Convention, I would like to share with you my thoughts on two issues that I strongly believe can help us turn the tide.
The first is that Africa must embrace the culture of constitutionalism. It must invest in the building of institutions that promote and compel sound leadership.
That a constitution is indispensable in a modern society is underlined by the fact that the struggle for the second liberation inAfrica, which began in the early 1980s, has centred on demand for the enactment of new constitutions. That was our aim in Kenyaand it is no less true of Zimbabwe.
We have seen that the mere re-introduction of multi-party politics in Africa, after decades of single-party and military dictatorships, has not solved the governance problem. We have seen that multi-party elections alone will not propel us from institutionalised authoritarian systems to more democratic modes of governance.
Not that constitutions of themselves are inviolable. We have not been without constitutions. We have had them, but they have been repeatedly amended at the whim of the ruling elite, and have sustained and entrenched powerful presidents whose word has been law, and who have used their power not for the nation's benefit but for their own enrichment. Where such leaders have refused to give way through the ballot – and let's face it, that is, most of them – military dictatorships have sometimes ensued, and these have fared no better.
In short, political power in Africa has often meant gain and riches for the ruling class and more poverty, deprivation and powerlessness for the ordinary person.
We had hoped that new constitutions – new beginnings by the leaders of the Second Liberation, mandated by a better-educated electorate that increasingly knows what it wants and has no qualms about asking for it – would instill in leaders new respect for the laws that govern their lands.
One of the great disappointments of the Second Liberation has been that many of the new liberators changed their tune once they got into power. They began to manipulate constitutions to prolong their rule, and coerced their parties into securing support for additional terms or eliminating opponents. Institutionalised corruption, instead of receding, loomed larger than ever.
That brings me to the second problem. Africa has truly been left wanting when it comes to visionary leadership, the kind of leadership that is undistracted in its quest for solid institutions committed to constitutionalism, equity and impartiality. We have failed to elect leaders dedicated to ignoring tribe, religion, region and race in the management of public affairs.
One-party rule might have withered and died with the introduction of political pluralism in the 1990s but its ugly monolithic vestiges linger. In particular, our ballots have yet to be free and fair. A long list of African leaders with questionable democratic credentials has used the pretension of promoting state unity as an excuse for excess, intolerance, repression, and illegal tenure of office. This looks more dangerous than our previous situation. What could be worse than the electorate choosing how and by whom they should be governed, only for their verdict to be ignored? When leaders and governments lack popular support, democracy and good governance cannot be expected, and nations cannot move forward.
This is the tragedy that afflicts Africa today.
Ladies and gentlemen, Zimbabwe must move quickly to resolve its democratic challenges, so that it can take its rightful place as a potential centre for economic growth in this part of the continent. All parties, and particularly the MDC, which will be a critical player, need to invest in building institutions of democracy.
Party policy, and its wholehearted approval by party members, will be one of the keys to success. And no one must ever forget that good resolutions and declarations are fine in themselves but they are not tantamount to victory. That will only come when party structures and processes are people-driven, genuine and devoid of corruption, and provide a clear process for seeking the people's mandate.
Your party must be not only the maker but also the keeper of the promise. Ladies and gentlemen, finally, as the leader of a party that is, like yours, in a coalition government, I would urge you, as you prepare for the next elections, not to lose sight of the fact that you are in government, and you have government policies to pursue and to deliver.
You will have to dig deep into your reservoirs of tolerance and compromise to ensure that this happens, for the alternative would serve neither the MDC nor its partner in government. It would only cripple the nation.
I know it is not easy. But we in Kenya, having reaped a harvest of chaos and death after our disputed 2007 elections, have managed to make useful strides forward. Our Grand Coalition government promulgated a new Constitution last year and is in the process of enacting every part of it. It has not always been an easy alliance, but the spirit of give and take has so far allowed us to make it work.
I commend it to you.
Thank you very much for allowing me this opportunity to share a few thoughts with you here today.
The Rt Hon Raila A Odinga EGH MP
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya.


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Stop and Frisk is controversial because nobody wants to be stopped. Nobody feels that they look suspicious. It is annoying and inconvenient to be stopped, and when my gym bag was inspected, it bothered me. But the policy works. Do we wish to never be inconvenienced, or do we want the police to be able to do their jobs?
Vallone is in the position where his opponents look like they are defending the people, whereas he is defending a policy. The policy, however, does benefit the people. If we look at every single stop and frisk moment, we can put together a scrapbook of bad stops…and that is what the opponents do.
This happens with every type of public policy. You want to increase taxes? Here is a small business that will be forced to shut its doors. You want to cut taxes? Here is a family that will be poorer because of it. You want to shut down a poorly performing school? Here is a teacher that everybody likes who is being wrongfully blamed.
Bad stops look bad because nobody wants an innocent person to be questioned. All of us would agree that senior citizens do not need this aggravation when they are stopped. But those cases are the exception, and they can be remedied. The process can be made better, but the policy – according to Commissioner Ray Kelly and the data – works.
So Vallone has to look like he is defending every overstep by the NYPD, when in fact, he is defending the policy, not implementation styles. Consider that there is a whole generation of New Yorkers that do not remember this city when the police were at odds with City Hall.
Many of our younger New Yorkers have only lived in the city's renaissance period, and may not realize how quickly it can slip back. With record lows in crime in this city, it is easy to forget what crime looked like in the 1980s. We've gotten used to these comforting statistics, but that is no reason to get away from what works.
Queen Beep Race 2013
The race to replace Helen Marshall is going to be interesting once we get past this November. In a predominantly one-party city, it is inevitable that there will be some kerfuffle among Democratic candidates leading up to a primary. Some, like former Councilwoman Melinda Katz, have already dug in.
The Democrats are not short on potential candidates. The question will ultimately surface as to how important – and how necessary – this office is, regardless of how impressive the candidates might be.
Perhaps a strong GOP candidate will emerge, although running borough-wide is very hard for a Republican, even in a sometimes GOP-friendly borough like Queens.
Borough presidents are conduits for discretionary money. The idea is that a borough president is someone so glued to the community that he or she can best direct discretionary funding. The position is tailor made for a person that maximizes visibility in the community, which might be good for a candidate like Katz (or perhaps Peter Vallone, Jr.), who has held office for a long time.
The campaign, however, may be more about defining what the Office of the Borough President actually is. If it is a "make it your own" type of position, then that is a tough sell to the public as to why it exists. If the need for a borough president is to distribute discretionary money, why would the City Council members not be in a position to just do that themselves?
Big Crumbs
Last week Alaska Airlines ordered 50 new Boeing airplanes to join their fleet as they expand routes through the eastern corridor.
It's the kind of sign you want to see as an economy recovers. Then there are signs that after a crushing recession, some may not have learned so much. Some businesses over-expand to a point where they water down their own customer base.
This may be happening with Crumbs bakery, which specializes in fancy cupcakes. Some of us like the high-end baked goods at Crumbs bakery - there is a location at the Queens Center Mall, as well as in Brooklyn Heights and throughout Manhattan. But is there a need for their cupcake expertise every 20 blocks in the city?
If the airline's activity has proven to be a sign of a good economy on the horizon, Crumbs may have set itself up to be less of a niche shop, which was its strength. Crumbs no longer sells its own coffee, and has instead entered into a partnership with Starbucks. Yikes!
This reminds me of when, in 1973, Yankees owner Michael Burke was looking for a silent partner and someone suggested George Steinbrenner.

subset: commoncrawl


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Video Sharing – UMaine
The advent of video sharing sites have made communicating through moving images almost effortless. These sites allow users to upload video and share it with the public at large or invited guests. Most video sharing sites also enable other types of social communication such as text/audio/video commenting, like/disklike-based voting systems, profiles, traversal through profile connections, as well as many more.


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Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter
Ninth Prince, Will You Die If You Don't Spout Nonsense?
The matriarch had just brought her cup of tea to her mouth and was about to take a sip. Hearing what the servant had said, the tea that had been sipped was immediately spat out, nearly causing her to choke.
"Th-the ninth prince? Wh-what has he c-come for?" The ninth prince suddenly came to visit. The tongues of everyone in the Feng family became tied, as they began to stutter.
Even Kang Yi became a bit nervous. She could not help but glance at Feng Yu Heng, thinking to herself that it was no wonder she was so calm earlier. It was the calm before the storm!
"Elder madam." Seeing that everyone in the room was surprised but did not react, the servant became anxious, hurriedly reminded everyone: "The ninth prince is waiting in the front yard."
It was Feng Yu Heng that stood up first and said: "Why not invite his Highness to sit in the hall? It's a cold day, so why is he waiting in the front yard?"
The servant trembled then pondered before replying: "I don't know if his Highness has gone to the hall, but when his Highness just arrived in the manor, his Highness said that he would be going to the front yard."
Feng Yu Heng nodded, "Did his Highness say what he has come for?"
The servant responded: "He said… he came to vent second young miss' anger."
The matriarch's hands trembled and caused a cup of tea to fall.
Vent the second young miss' anger? Didn't Feng Yu Heng already vent it on her own? She had whipped Ru Jia to that degree, yet it was not enough? What sort of trouble had Prince Yu come to cause?
The matriarch was thinking along those lines, but she did not dare say such a thing. Kang Yi took the initiative to go and help her up then said: "His Highness came to visit, so we should go and see him!"
Feng Yu Heng smiled and said: "Mother is right."
The Feng family nervously walked to the front yard and immediately saw Xuan Tian Ming surrounded by a group of people in the middle of the yard. That person still wore a set of purple robes and sat in his wheelchair. It seemed that the golden mask on his face was new, as it was even shinier than the one before. Behind him stood a group of imperial bodyguards, and they all carried some large boxes, placing them in the middle of the yard. All of them looked very serious and daunting.
The matriarch and Kang Yi both stepped forward, leading everyone in the Feng manor to bow and kneel. Kang Yi was clearly not very accustomed to performing this ceremony. Ever since the current emperor of Qian Zhou rose to his position, she never had to salute anyone. Even on the first day of the new year, when she met the Emperor, she did not perform the ceremony of kneeling.
But now, her status was different. She was the wife of the Feng family. Since the matriarch had kneeled, it would be improper if she did not, thus she also kneeled along with the matriarch.
With everyone kneeling, it seemed as though Xuan Tian Ming did not even notice, as he waved to Feng Yu Heng and called her over. He then had her turn around a few times before saying: "Not bad, you didn't get hurt."
Upon hearing this, Kang Yi's forehead became covered in dark lines. Feng Yu Heng was beating someone, understand? It was clearly a flogging, so how could she get hurt?
Just as she began to frown, Xuan Tian Ming finally began to pay attention to the people of the Feng family, as he said: "This prince heard that during Prime minister Feng's wedding yesterday, our Heng Heng became quite angry?" He said this while wringing the whip in his hand. The cold sound of his voice caused them to shiver. "Elder madam Feng," He began calling out names, scaring the matriarch into collapsing in a heap, "Can you tell this prince who it was that bullied our Heng Heng?"
The matriarch had long since been scared stiff. How could she possibly still be able to speak. She could only kneel there and tremble.
Feng Yu Heng glared at Xuan Tian Ming a little then helplessly said: "Grandmother is already so old. What are you scaring her for?" She then looked at Kang Yi and scratched her chin, "Ask someone else." After saying this, she took the initiative to walk over and help the matriarch up, "Grandmother, quickly get up. This matter is unrelated to you. There is no need to be afraid."
After the matriarch stood up, she looked at Feng Yu Heng blankly and wanted to ask, if she did not need to be afraid, who did? Was it Kang Yi?
Sure enough, she heard Xuan Tian Ming speak up once more, directly asking Kang Yi: "Since the Feng family has a new head wife, this prince will ask the madam. What exactly happened during the wedding yesterday?"
Kang Yi's scalp felt numb, as she began to recall the rumors relating to Xuan Tian Ming. But since he had already asked, she could not choose to not reply. Kang Yi pondered a little and raised her head; however, she remained kneeling on the ground, as she said to Xuan Tian Ming: "It was this humble woman's daughter that lacked discipline. She said some things that caused county princess to become quite upset. Having been accorded county princess' teaching, I trust that, thanks to this lesson, my daughter's temper will definitely improve, as she will sincerely mend her ways and become a good sister to county princess."
"Oh?" Xuan Tian Ming looked at her with a cold gaze, "You are telling this prince that county princess Ji An already vented her anger, so this prince should not have come today to do something unnecessary?"
"Your Highness is mistaken, this humble woman did not mean that." Kang Yi felt that Xuan Tian Ming was truly hard to deal with, and she felt that a grown man like him coming to the manor to seek revenge was quite petty, so she could not help but say: "Ru Jia was already taken by his Highness the eldest prince into the palace to be taught manners. Husband also went to court and has not returned. Your Highness brought so many imperial guards, so there must be something you wish to discuss with husband, right? Otherwise, would your Highness like to come and sit in the hall as a guest?"
Once this was said, everyone in the Feng family trembled. The matriarch only thought that Kang Yi's mouth was truly too troublesome. Would she be able to understand the situation in Da Shun?
Xuan Tian Ming, however, suddenly began laughing. It was as though he had heard an extremely funny joke, as he pointed at Kang Yi and said: "You are saying that this prince has come to the manor while Feng Jin Yuan is not present to come and bully the old and the weak, and I am very lacking in manners?" He said this while laughing. While he laughed, he shook his head, "Something like manners is something that this prince has not known from the day I was born. This prince only knows that someone troubled my future wife and caused her to feel unhappy. Today, this prince came to your Feng family to get an explanation."
Kang Yi was also filled with anger. Upon mentioning this matter, she recalled Ru Jia's bloodied appearance. She was both angry and distressed, and she could not help but say: "Yesterday, my daughter made a mistake during the wedding, and county princess Ji An already punished her!"
Xuan Tian Ming raised his head and looked to the skies, "Heng Heng punishing her is because she insulted this prince. This prince came today to collect a debt for causing Heng Heng to become angry. These are two totally different matters. How could they be lumped together? Also, madam, you should be thankful that it was Heng Heng that did the whipping. If it was this prince, that daughter of yours would have gone to meet King Yama long ago."
Two words appeared in the minds of the members of the Feng family: Totally unreasonable!
Damn, could this ninth prince be reasonable just once?
Who knew if Xuan Tian Ming knew how to read minds, as he looked at the expressions of everyone in the family and actually said: "Do you feel that this prince is being unreasonable?"
The Feng family's members all shook their heads, with none daring to reply. Feng Yu Heng, however, spoke up: "How could that be. Under the heavens, who doesn't know that his Highness the ninth prince is the most reasonable person."
The members of the Feng family looked at each other. To say that Xuan Tian Ming was reasonable, was that not the worst argument in the world? Ever since this prince had been born, had he ever even remotely been reasonable? It was not just him. It was also his imperial concubine mother and his future wife, Feng Yu Heng. When had any of them ever been reasonable?
Kang Yi stared at Feng Yu Heng and felt that these two really were a suitable couple. Their ability to spout nonsense with a straight face was completely unrivaled in this world.
"Then your Highness means to say…" Kang Yi did not want to go around in circles. Either way, this matter could not be resolved. It would be better to have him say something positive.
Kang Yi was ready to take a risk, but the members of the Feng family were scared! What if he wanted to whip every member of the Feng family once? What could they do?
Just as everyone in the family was trembling, Xuan Tian Ming turned his wheelchair and moved to Feng Yu Heng's side. Very arrogantly, he took her from the matriarch's hands and grabbed her small hands. He then finally spoke up: "This prince did not have any intentions. The girl that caused Heng Heng's anger probably cannot endure this prince whipping her, so this prince will forgive her for now."
Upon hearing this, Kang Yi's eyes light up. Without saying another word, she kowtowed, "Many thanks, your Highness, for the grace of pardoning her life."
"Un." Xuan Tian Ming accepted her kowtow very naturally; however, he then said: "But, even if she has been spared the death penalty, her living punishment cannot be pardoned!"
Kang Yi was startled, "Living punishment?"
"That's right." Xuan Tian Ming raised his voice. The lazy tone that he had been using disappeared slightly. The members of the Feng family then heard him say very shamelessly: "Our Heng Heng is pampered and valuable. Getting angry is not a small matter. If she were to fall ill, her vitality would become ruined. If her vitality is ruined, it would require an extremely high-quality medicine to help her recover. This prince usually does not even dare to offend her and will do everything according to her desires. I give way to her every time, and when I hold her, I fear that I will hurt her. Father Emperor also favors her, fearing that she would be bullied by others given her weak constitution. That was why he conferred her the title of county princess Ji An, thinking that in any case, she could use it to scare people, but who knew that there would still be people who would not take it to heart."
He just spoke for himself, causing the members of the Feng family to break into a cold sweat.
Feng Yu Heng was weak? She would be bullied by others?
Ninth prince, will you die if you don't spout nonsense?
It would be good enough if she did not bully others, alright?
Of course, this was only what they thought to themselves. They absolutely would not dare to say it out loud. Not only did they not dare to say it, they had to put on a very agreeable appearance. They had to stand in place and nod, carefully waiting for Xuan Tian Ming to continue.
Xuan Tian Ming looked around then said: "The reason this prince said so much is to tell madam, the cost of our Heng Heng falling ill once is quite high."
"Cost?" Kang Yi was puzzled. Thinking a little more, she carefully asked: "Is your Highness talking… about money?"
"Smart!" Xuan Tian Ming nodded, "Let me say it like this, in the end, you were originally guests. It would not be good for our Da Shun to remain unrelenting over a single mistake, right? That's why the mistake will be paid for with money. It will be enough to pay for the supplements that Heng Heng will be taking."
Kang Yi let out a long sigh of relief along with everyone else in the Feng family. Being able to use money to solve an issue was not a problem. This time, the ninth prince was truly being graceful!
Kang Yi very generously said: "We accept the punishment. Would your Highness please tell us the cost."
Xuan Tian Ming counted on Feng Yu Heng's fingers until he counted to five "Five million taels."
The members of the Feng family all began sweating. Even if one were to eat medicine made of silver, it would not be that expensive, right?
Kang Yi's heart also trembled for a while. When they demanded this much, it was definitely a scam. But even if it was a scam, what could be done? He was clearly trying to scam them, but what could she do? She could only suffer in silence. Unable to speak of her suffering, she could only grit her teeth and say: "All right, this humble woman accepts the punishment."
"Un." Xuan Tian Ming nodded then added: "Five million taels of gold."
The members of the Feng family collectively collapsed.
TN: Tael is a unit of measurement for mass, usually silver. That is why shattered silver can be used to pay for things.


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Sue Morris
Market Manager
t:01622 726164
Coming from Maidstone/Tovil direction, after passing Tovil Tip, turn right at the East Farleigh village sign. Follow the road until you see The Bull pub on your right. Turn left opposite the pub and park in Vicarage Lane. There is also parking in the layby opposite the Old School Hall, in Farleigh Club or in East Farleigh Station car park.Take care when crossing at the junction.
Some available in the car park, plenty more alongside Vicarage Lane which is immediately opposite The Bull. East Farleigh Club is also happy to allow parking during the market, but please use spaces nearest the gate.
Candles and diffusersMarket: East Farleigh


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Bake the Book: Pecan Granola Bars
Get the Recipe
These highly customizable, chewy, and satisfying granola bars from Edible DIY: Simple, Giftable Recipes to Savor and Share are just the thing to wind down from holiday overindulging. Make a batch and bring them to work, or pack them in lunches. Or grab one as you head out the door for a quick breakfast.
Tips: This is a recipe that is easily played with. If you're not so concerned about the health content of these bars, drizzle melted dark or milk chocolate over them, or dip their bottoms in it. A note: using whole wheat flour in the place of all-purpose makes these a little "healthy" tasting, so if you're leaning towards decadent, stay with plain flour. The customizability extends to the type of fruit contained within: get creative!
Tweaks: This time, the tweaks tie in with the tips. The wheat flour is interchangeable with white, the apricots and raisins can be switched out with different fruit, and you can always add ingredients (like chocolate or peanut butter chips).
Get the Recipe
As always with our Bake the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Edible DIY to give away.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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First of all, as you may know, I've spent 2011 trying to get my third novel Badge published or represented by an agent. This has not come to fruition. It hasn't been for lack of trying. I've submitted the query for Badge to 103 agents, eight indie publishers and a couple of contests/grants. Some people rejected the novel because its subject matter would make it a difficult sell. Others found Badge, the main character, unsympathetic. I've taken this latter criticism to heart and have gone back in to find ways to make him more palatable. The thing I like about rejection (there isn't much) is it can awaken me to problems with the book, which I can fix, thereby making it stronger. The same exact problem surfaced with Hote late in the writing of both of my previous novels. I always leave my characters a little too edgy. I want them to be a little abrasive because I want them to get your attention; there's nothing worse than a character who does too little. Also, it's fairly easy to roll back abrasiveness, which usually just involves a deletion or line change here or there, and more difficult to make a character more active and in-your-face, which for me requires complete scene rewrites. So, I've gone back into the novel and rolled back some of Badge's edginess. (Don't worry, he's still edgy.)
Also, Badge is still out there at several indie publishers, and there's a grant I'm still hoping to corral with it.
So, what's my plan for Badge moving forward? I could give up and self-publish Badge right now. This is about when I gave up looking for a publishing partner for Ghost Notes, and I would certainly like to get Badge to my loyal readers, who have been good enough to let me know they're waiting for it. This would be a relief on many levels.
But here's the deal. These novels take too long to write, and I can't just self-publish book after book and expect to grow my readership. I need help on the marketing end, if I can get it. So I've decided I will also dedicate 2012 to finding Badge a publisher. I need to exhaust every possibility of letting someone else publish this thing before I go it alone again.
The worst part of this decision is that my readers will have to wait another year to get their hands on Badge. This sucks, but that's how it is. I don't like that there are people out there dying to read Badge, but I can't sell this thing short. It's too good, and it's too important to me.
Still, loyal reader, I will make this guarantee to you right here, right now:
One way or another, Badge will come out in 2013.
I know that's not much consolation, but it's something. I can even see a scenario where Badge is out in the first quarter of 2013, but I reserve the right to change my mind that. Stuck Outside of Phoenix came out in 2003, Ghost Notes in 2008. Publishing Badge in 2013 would mean I'll be publishing a novel every five years, and that seems the least you can ask of me.
So 2013, one way or another.
As far as other writing goes, I've had my most prolific year ever. (Funny how that happens when you're not tied to writing a novel.) I will complete 52 writing projects in 2011--yes, one per week--and I've already published about half of them. I still have many short stories and nonfiction pieces out there in the world, looking for homes. My guess is you'll be seeing some of them in the first part of 2012 at The Nervous Breakdown and elsewhere. You can bet I'll keep you posted on all of my exploits here at the blog, at my website, at my Facebook page, and through Twitter.
Other good news? 2012 will see the production of Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie! Filming is scheduled to start in early 2012, and it should be in the can by May. More on this in the next week or so.
I also have an idea for a new novel, which I'll start in January, and all kinds of essay projects planned. You can expect long personal essays on things like Van Halen, YouTube, and watching Van Halen on YouTube. And maybe a few more things about Van Halen and YouTube.
So, enjoy the holiday season, and know I'll be around in 2012 doing what I do. Drop me a line if we haven't touched base in a while, unless you're going to chastise me about Badge not coming out until 2013. Okay, even if you are.
Yours in laying down the law,
Try Ghost Notes, the award-winning novel, in print form for just $5.
Try Ghost Notes the Audio Book as an unabridged digital download for just $4.99.
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This article was originally written in English. Text in other languages is provided via machine translation.
Probably the biggest misconception we encounter when talking with some colleagues from outside the Adobe Globalization team is that software "Globalization", "Internationalization" and "Localization" all mean the same thing, and that thing is somehow related to something almost anyone can understand: Translation.
We can't blame our colleagues for holding such misguided beliefs, as these terms have been used and abused for generations.
It probably doesn't help that there are also terms in use such as "Culturalization", "World-Readiness", "Glocalization", "Transliteration", "Transcription", "Localizability", and "Japanization".
The fact that each of these have corresponding abbreviations (e.g. G11n, I18n, L10n, T9n, C13n, L12y) and also different spellings ("Globalisation", "Internationalisation", "Localisation", etc.) just helps make the whole thing more scary and confusing to civilians.
This article hopes to clarify these differences, and provide a better understanding of the various steps that make up software globalization.
Clarifying the terminology
We'll focus our explanations around a few key basic terms that generate the most confusion. One thing to be aware of is that although the meaning of some tasks such as 'translation' and 'localization' are standard across the industry, some other terms such as 'globalization' and 'internationalization' are not. The definitions provided here are the predominant ones (which we use at Adobe).
Internationalization (commonly abbreviated as I18n) is an engineering exercise focused on generalizing a product so that it can handle multiple languages, scripts and cultural conventions (currency, sorting rules, number and dates formats…) without the need for redesign. Internationalization, sometimes referred to as world-readiness, can be divided into two sets of activities: enablement and localizability.
Localization (L10N) is the process of adapting a product or service to a particular language, culture, and desired local "look-and-feel". Translating the product's user interface is just one step of the localization process. Resizing dialogs, buttons and palette tabs to accommodate longer translated strings is also part of localization.
Translation (T9N) is simply converting the meaning of text in one language into another. In a software product, the content that are translated are user interface, documentation, packaging and marketing collaterals. Most translation work is done by professionals, although in recent years, some companies started exploring the use of 'community'-translation, and machine-translation.
Globalization (G11N) refers to a broad range of engineering and business development processes necessary to prepare and launch products and company activities globally. The globalization engineering activities are composed of internationalization and localization while the business development activities focus on product management, financial, marketing and legal aspects.
World-Readiness is an equivalent term to Globalization, but it's more often used in the context of internationalization.
How do they relate to each other
The simplified diagram below illustrates the relationship between the main globalization-related activities.
In summary, in the context of software:
- Translation is one part of Localization
- Internationalization is a pre-requisite of Localization
- Internationalization and Localization are parts of Globalization
- Globalization includes many business-related activities outside of the product itself.
A real-life analogy
Still having trouble understanding? Let's make an analogy to a product everyone is familiar with: an automobile.
The Toyota Corolla is one of the most successful cars of all time. Over 30 million of them have been sold worldwide. But, had its makers not adopted the basic principles of globalization back in the 60s, the Corolla would hardly be known outside Japan today.
So, to achieve such success, Toyota had to:
- Embrace early on the idea that they wanted to reach markets outside Japan. They set up a world-wide network of in-country marketing, sales and customer support organization. (Globalization)
- Design and develop a car that could be easily adapted to other geographical markets with minimum cost and effort (Internationalization)
- Adapt cars to specific geographical markets. For example, for the U.S., Canada and most of Europe, the steering wheel and pedals were easily moved to the left side of the car without structural changes. (Localization)
- Provide instruction manuals in the language of the market. (Translation)
Where the problem lies
So what is the impact of this 'generalization' of terminology to the software globalization process?
The main problem is that most product teams look at globalization as a single monolithic process that occurs sometime after design and implementation of the English product, and owned by a single team (the 'Globalization' team). This mindset encourages a "throw-over-the-wall" approach which often results in:
- Additional core engineering and testing effort to resolve critical internationalization issues found late in the schedule
- Additional localization engineering and testing effort to manually handle localizability issues
- Higher number of product defects
- Schedule delays
- Poorer customer experience
Using the automobile analogy in the previous section, a "throw-over-the-wall" approach would mean that, to adapt a Toyota Corolla designed for Japanese customers to the American market, engineers would need to move the engine or the suspension system in order to move the steering wheel and pedals from the right side to the left side of the car – an expensive and time-consuming operation.
The short story (key takeaways)
- Globalization, internationalization and localization are related but different activities, performed by different teams at different stages of product development
- Incorporate Globalization into your thinking as early as possible. Start during design. Ask yourself: which worldwide markets am I targeting in the short term and long term? What do these customers need? If you just think about today's markets you will ignore globalization.
- Implement an internationalized product even if you don't think you will sell outside the U.S. or to non-English-speaking customers, because this decision can easily change and then alterations will be very expensive. If your product is successul in one market, you will most likely have great business opportunities abroad. So, plan for it.
- Internationalization should be primarily performed by the product's core engineering team. Do it once, do it right, then hand it over to localization.
- The localization process will be a lot easier and cheaper if the product is well-internationalized.
The most successful global corporations have instilled Globalization as part of all its employees' "DNA". In order for a company or product team to be successful internationally, there must first be a conscious decision from executives and the buy-in from everyone involved in the design and development of a software product to go international. This means that, unless the product and the entire infrastructure surrounding it are not ready to capitalize on the opportunities present in an international market, the global revenue potential of the product will never be fully achieved, or at a prohibitive cost only.
See also
Globalization Myth Series – Myth 2: This product is only for the U.S.


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Commuter forecast, January 14, 2008
January 14, 2009
It's quite warm, but expect temperatures to dip in the afternoon. Winds will pick up as the temperature falls, so be sure to keep your hands on the steering wheel. No traffic or road problems are anticipated this morning. Roads are good to go from Lawrence to Topeka, as well as Lawrence to Kansas City. Flights at MCI appear to be on time this morning.
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This week the boys of Montgomery Gentry – Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry – go head-to-head to see who gets the most picks correct during NFL Week Nine.
Eddie and Troy like a lot of the same teams–which maybe means they think alike? Or at least are agreeable and get along well together. Which is part of the secret of their success as a duo for all these years.
Troy and Eddie have put out seven full-length studio albums since first working together back in the late 1990s. Their latest album is Rebels on the Run, which included such radio singles as "So Called Life" and the Top Ten "Where I Come From."
The duo have just released a new four-song Friends and Family EP that includes the new single "I'll Keep the Kids."
See the NFL Week Nine picks from Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry.
If you want to see how our past featured artists have done with their football picks (including Darius Rucker, Rodney Atkins, Big and Rich, Jana Kramer, Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, and Justin Moore), check out the CBS Local leaderboard to see who came out on top.
– Kurt Wolff, CBS Local


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today I have the new EPLAN v2.6 to share
Data from earlier planning phases can simply be imported using interfaces like ODBC, XML, or Excel – for consistency and perfect integration.
In other words: To shape your future, use EPLAN Electric P8.
EPLAN platform strategy: The modular platform provides core functions that are required in electro-CAE as well as in fluid or instrumentation & control engineering. The advantage of this is consistent data management and uniform processing in all disciplines.
Compared with conventional, mostly CAD-based systems EPLAN Fluid comes with unique logic functions and automatisms that accelerate your fluid planning. The modern user interface with extensive drawing functions helps you familiarize yourself with its full potential – of course with the complete data stock from the predecessor system fluidPLAN. The autoconnect function applies to all connections that can be provided and analyzed with logical properties. This means you have an overview of all components, including the small parts like connectors, hoses, and pipes – and therefore a firm grip on the costs!
The new Engineering platform is your key to the future, providing core functions for fluid, electrical, measuring, and control engineering as well as CAE for electrica systems. Based on a unified platform all systems are suppliedfrom the same database. From now on multiple data entries and inconsistencies are history.
Besides a unified database the platform also includes basic functions like thegraphical editor (for circuit diagrams, fluid plans, process control group plans), a unified rights management, the viewer, online/offline foreign language transla-tions, and the comprehensive audit system. The unique framework concept deliversimpressively fast results – not least of all owing to the unified look & feel throughout all applications.
EPLAN Pro Panel Professional convinces through its deep degree of integration in the EPLAN platform and utilizes its manifold basic techniques such as the EPLAN device concept, the macro and options technology, access to the EPLAN Data Portal, etc. The design approach is individual: Optionally on the basis of a schematic or directly as layout of the enclosure in 3D. The devices provided for the mounting layout are displayed well-structured in Navigators or lists. During placing the system checks whether the positioning is carried out on the correct mounting panel.
The innovative eTouch technology allows components to be comfortably aligned and positioned exactly. Installation regulations and minimum spacing to manufacturer specification are taken into account as are the correct positioning of devices, wire ducts and mounting rails, including collision checks. The overview of all the designed devices and components allows the items to be checked simply on the basis of the parts data. Reports and bills of materials contain precise information also about items that vary in length such as wire ducts or mounting rails. Exact specifications therefore for manufacturing and mounting. Changes in the schematic or mounting layout are included in the entire project. The system informs interdisciplinarily and updates the associated drawings, bills of materials and legends automatically if desired. Thus ensuring uniform and consistent data that are always up to date.
Complete consistency
The software makes professional 3D layout planning easy even for the occasional user. Production relevant NC data for holes or cutouts is taken account in the 3D model and can be further processed. In addition to associative mounting diagrams special drilling templates for manufacturing can, for example, also be created. Modifications to housings, doors or mounting panels are transferred directly to the NC production systems via an NC interface. The deep manufacturing integration is also continued in the virtual wiring of the enclosure. The results of the length-optimized virtual wiring and cabling can in turn be used to optimize the schematic. The new quality in enclosure engineering covers all the phases of product development. The realistic 3D representation ensures high-quality data for manufacturing, mounting and operation. It facilitates the consistent creation, provision and maintenance of the documentation and accelerates the product engineering process persistently.
Manifold possibilities
EPLAN Pro Panel Professional provides manifold possibilities for the field of integrative enclosure planning, pre-assembly and production.
Added value at a glance
Benefit from numerous advantages for the virtual enclosure layout in 3D.
Modularization – the tailored fit for your system solution
Adapt EPLAN Pro Panel Professional perfectly to your workflows in engineering, technical preparations, manufacturing and mounting.
Product videos
Get an insight into EPLAN Pro Panel
System requirements
EPLAN Pro Panel Professional works with all standard Windows operating systems.
The overall concept behind EPLAN PPE is aligned to the present demands of measuring, control, and automation technologies. If work is to conform to the standards, a process control group concept based on NAMUR recommendations must be integrated. These NAMUR specifications for process control engineering are fully supported by EPLAN PPE. Its practical orientation and ease of use make EPLAN PPE an efficient tool for modern process plant engineering. Established methods and innovative developments have been combined into an extremely powerful and efficient solution.
The new modular Engineering platform technology is your key to the future, providing core functions for fluid, electrical, measuring, and control engineering as well as CAE for electrical systems. Based on a unified platform all systems are supplied from the same database. From now on multiple data entries and inconsistencies are history.
Besides a unified database the platform also includes basic functions like the graphical editor (for circuit diagrams, fluid plans, process control group plans), a unified rights management, the viewer, online/offline foreign language translations, and the comprehensive audit system. The unique framework concept delivers impressively fast results – not least of all owing to the unified look & feel throughout all applications.


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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas golf coach Brad McMakin and the rest of his team haven't been shy about sharing their feelings as they prepare to host the NCAA's Fayetteville Regional at The Blessings beginning today.
The Razorbacks are confident. Actually, they're oozing with it. They'll be shocked if anyone else navigates their unforgiving home course better over 54 holes this week.
"If we play good like we always do no one will be close to us," said Arkansas junior Sebastian Cappelen, who won the Southeastern Conference title earlier this month. "Just knowing (the course), it's not going to be fun for the other teams."
Arkansas will take aim at an NCAA Regional title when it tees off at The Blessings this morning. The Razorbacks have plenty of reason for confidence simply being the No. 2 seed in a field that also includes 2012 national champion and top-seeded Texas, Oklahoma State, Southern Methodist, Kent State, Illinois, Liberty, Tulsa, Kentucky, Colorado, Indiana, UNC-Wilmington, UMKC and Alabama State.
The grueling course is an added bonus. It has the potential to frustrate teams because few have played it. So McMakin said the Razorbacks should have a distinct advantage as they aim for the program's first regional title since 1991.
"No one knows what a good score is," McMakin said. "There's never been a tournament out here. We always go into a tournament and we project what we need to shoot that week and kind of get the guys into that mindset. Out here, none of the coaches are going to know. But we know what we shoot out here. And if we do our job and play the way we are capable of playing, we should win."
It would be a noteworthy feat for a program enjoying plenty of success lately.
Arkansas golf has made its share of headlines the past few years, beginning with its surprising runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships. The Razorbacks have maintained their standing as a top 15 program, adding noteworthy individual performances like former Hog Ethan Tracy's win at the Western Amateur in 2011, Cappelen's SEC Championships win earlier this month, and former Arkansas golfer David Lingmerth's second-place finish at last week's PGA Players Championship.
McMakin said hosting an NCAA Regional for the first time is just another accomplishment in a golfing Renaissance, of sorts, for the program under his guidance. Arkansas has known it would be hosting a regional for some time now, but the timing feels right as the Razorbacks try to win one this year.
"It's great that not only do we get to host, but we get to host when we have a good team," McMakin said. "We've been working hard for the last six years, seven years to build the program up. We had a good run three, four years ago almost winning a national championship. But to maintain a level of top 15 after that every year, in this sport, is very difficult. We've got a great facility. We've gotten great support from (Arkansas athletic director) Jeff Long and that makes it all so much easier. But you still have to go out and get good players and develop them.
"This place, our facility, helps the kids get better. It's a difficult golf course."
McMakin said Arkansas' playing five will consist of Cappelen, Thomas Sorensen, Austin Cook, Taylor Moore and Nicholas Echevar. He thinks their familiarity with The Blessings would be worth "six shots a round" for the Hogs over the field.
His team believes it too, but won't be overconfident as it opens play in the three-round tournament. They understand anything can happen in NCAA Tournament play and the course can bite them as well if the Razorbacks aren't careful.
But Cook said the Razorbacks are ready for every nuance after years of preparation at The Blessings. He smiled when asked how challenging it is for first-time players.
"I feel like a lot of course knowledge goes a long ways," Cook said. "There's a huge intimidation factor on his golf course, just by the way it looks. We're not intimidated because we play it all the time. We know that the fairways are actually a lot bigger than what they look. That tall stuff that's really not in the play, but people will think it is just because they're so scared. So I think that's really going to help us out."
The top five finishers in the Fayetteville Regional field will advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Atlanta from May 28-June 2.
Arkansas has no doubt it will be among the group. But the Razorbacks want much more this week, expecting to win an NCAA Regional title on their home course.
"We're ready to go," McMakin said. "It's been a year of anticipation and the team has been playing well. We're ready to tee off as soon as possible."


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Get Safety Certification in Woodworking! Every Saturday from 10am-1pm at the East Side Tool Library, 1803 Danforth Avenue. Learn how to safely use the following woodshop tools:
- Table Saw – Thickness Planer – Jointer – Router Table – Band Saw – Sliding Compound Mitre Saw – Belt Sander
Certification is required before you can use our tools independently on Community Nights or during workshops.


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An Introduction to Wiki
What is Wiki?A Wiki is a Web-based collaboration platform that "lets you and all other users write, place pictures and post links, anywhere on any page". In most cases, this means that anyone can edit anything. And you can do this through the web interface without the need for additional software, learning HTML, or waiting for a designated webmaster to upload your files. The "Writable Web", that is, the ability for anyone to write on any page, can be liberating. It can also be scary or intimidating. For those who lean toward "scary", you'll be pleased to learn that many Wikis are backed by version control (e.g. RCS). So, even if you think you broke something, you (or someone else) can fix it.
Wiki UsesAt first glance, a Wiki site looks and feels like any "normal" web site. However, a Wiki site also has an Edit link at the bottom of every page (topic). Readers of the page can modify it or add content directly through their browser. In fact, some features, such as tables, don't even require the use of the Edit link to add content. Wiki can be used to provide many solutions for information collection and presentation, including:
Wiki at Your CompanyAt this point, you might be saying "We have an Intranet. What added value does Wiki provide for me, my team, or my company?" While it's true that you already have an Intranet with considerable available information, you can use Wiki to improve your pages, making that information more readily accessible to everyone. Wiki "lowers the bar" for everyone in creating new web pages or modifying existing content. Content providers (that's you) can concentrate on content rather than style and still get the benefit of a clean, consistent look. The basic format of pages has already been handled in templates and "skins", leaving you free to worry about the information, not the placement of the company logo!
Strong Contenders for Wiki UseSome of the possibilities for Wiki use include:
Some (probably) Less Likely Candidates for WikiIt's only fair to ask (and answer) the question, "What wouldn't we put into Wiki?" Wiki is not optimal for everything. Even the Web is not a perfect solution for every problem. If there's a better, more appropriate, or more specific tool for a job, we'll use it. We won't be replacing email with Wiki (or any other form of web-based communication) any time soon. We're also unlikely to start using Wiki for
Wiki Background and HistoryThe Wiki concept was developed by Ward Cunningham as "the simplest online database that could possibly work". The first Wiki site was created for the Portland Pattern Repository in 1995; it's still in use. According to Ward Cunningham:
Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslinks between internal pages on the fly. Wiki is unusual among group communication mechanisms in that it allows the organization of contributions to be edited in addition to the content itself. Like many simple concepts, "open editing" has some profound and subtle effects on Wiki usage. Allowing everyday users to create and edit any page in a Web site is exciting in that it encourages democratic use of the Web and promotes content composition by nontechnical users.There are many Wiki Engines (software based on the Wiki Principles) and many Wiki clones. For corporate Intranet use, I recommend TWiki or Foswiki. TWiki was developed by Peter Thoeny. The initial TWiki installation dates from 1998. Foswiki is a "branch" off of TWiki, begin in 2008. TWiki inherits from JosWiki, another Wiki clone that was in use at the Free Java OS (JOS) web site.Wiki is implemented as a Perl CGI script which reads a text file, hyperlinks it and converts it to HTML on the fly. Today, TWiki and Foswiki are successfully being deployed on many corporate intranets. Many sites prefer a Wiki because it is more user friendly than certain commercial groupware systems such as Lotus Notes. There are several thousands of downloads from companies with the intention of installing Wiki behind a firewall.
TWiki/Foswiki FeaturesIn addition to the typical collaboration and editing capabilities found in all Wiki installations, TWiki/Foswiki provide:


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Where are the built-in settings?
Settings are grouped by category in the Settings pane. To show the Settings pane, choose View > Settings (Shift-Command-1) or click the Settings & Locations button in the upper-left corner of the Compressor window. Then click Settings at the top of the pane.
Where are the properties of a setting or job?
Properties are in the Inspector pane. To open the Inspector pane, choose Window > Show Inspector (Command-4) or click the Inspector button in the upper-right corner of the Compressor window. When you select a setting or job, the Inspector pane shows the properties of your selection. You can modify editable properties directly in the Inspector.
How do I create custom settings?
In the Settings pane, choose New Setting from the Add menu in the lower-left corner. In the dialog that appears, choose a transcoding format from the pop-up menu, enter a name and description for the setting, then click OK. You can then modify the properties of your custom setting by adjusting the properties in the General, Video, and Audio inspectors. The settings you create appear at the bottom of the Settings pane, under the heading CUSTOM.
How do I create a reusable location for my output files?
For consistency with Final Cut Pro X, what was called a destination in Compressor 4.0.7 is called a location in Compressor 4.1. A location specifies where the output of a job is saved, and the Locations pane lists all preconfigured locations. To show the Locations pane, click the Settings & Locations button in the upper-left corner of the Compressor window, then click Locations at the top of the pane. Or choose View > Locations (Shift-Command-2). To add a new location, click the Add button in the lower-left corner of the pane.
How do I create a batch and submit it for transcoding?
Create a batch by adding one or more jobs to your session, each containing a source file, one or more settings, and a location. Submit a batch by clicking the Start Batch button (or pressing Command-B) at the bottom of the batch area of the Compressor window.
How do I monitor the progress of a transcoding job?
When you click Start Batch to submit a batch for transcoding, the Compressor window switches from Current view to Active view, where you can monitor the transcoding process. When the job completes, it's moved to the Completed View, which shows information about your completed batches. You can switch between all three views by using the view buttons at the top of the window:
How can I edit the extension of file that I'm encoding?
Compressor 4.1 automatically chooses the appropriate extension of the output file. To change the extension, wait until the encoding job completes, then go to file in the Finder and edit the extension there. You can use Compressor to locate the file in the Finder: Switch to Completed view, click the disclosure triangle next to the completed job, then click the magnifying glass in the far right of that row.
Where is the deinterlace filter?
Deinterlacing is automatically applied when the source is interlaced and the output setting is progressive. You can control the quality of deinterlacing in the Quality section of the Video inspector.
Can I chain jobs?
Yes, you can use the output of one job as a source for another. Control-click on the source that you want to chain to a new job, then create a new job by selecting New Job With Selected Output. You can configure the new job separately.
Destinations and batch templates
How do I create a batch template (associate a setting and job action together to apply to a target)?
In Compressor 4.1, destinations replicate much of the functionality previously available in batch templates in Compressor 4.0. Destinations consist of one or more transcoding instructions combined with an automated job action—such as burning a DVD or uploading to YouTube or Vimeo—performed after transcoding. You can choose from a number of built-in destinations or create your own by choosing New Destination from the Add menu in the lower-left corner of the Settings pane.
How do I reuse a destination?
After you create a custom destination, it appears at the bottom of the Settings pane, under the heading CUSTOM. Reuse the destination by dragging it onto a job.
How do I submit a new batch using all the settings, sources, and job actions of a previous batch?
In Completed view, click click a job's Reuse button at the far right of the row. All of the job's information is copied to Current view, where you can modify the job's properties and other information before transcoding.
How can I receive an email notification when my batch is complete?
The email notification option for settings has been removed in Compressor 4.1.
Can I export using MPEG-1 or DV Stream settings?
These legacy settings are not available in Compressor 4.1, which includes more modern and flexible options such as MPEG-4 and HTTP Live Streaming.
How do I create a droplet?
In the Settings tab, select one or more settings, setting groups, or a destination that you want to save as a droplet, then choose 'Save as Droplet' from the Action pop-up menu. Or Control-click any destination or setting and choose "Save as Droplet."
How do I launch Share Monitor when encoding with a droplet?
Double-click the droplet to open it, then choose Droplet > Launch Share Monitor.
How do I edit the settings of a droplet?
Droplet settings can't be modified, but you can create a new droplet with new settings.
Distributed processing
How do I create a cluster or group of computers for processing?
What was previously referred to as a "cluster" is now called a "group" of computers in Compressor 4.1. To configure a group, choose Compressor > Preferences, then click Shared Computers. Click the Add button at the bottom of the left pane to create a new group, then click the Add button at the bottom of the right pane to add computers to the group. Each computer in the group must have the same version of Compressor installed. Each computer must also have "Allow other computers to process batches on my computer" turned on in the My Computer tab of Compressor preferences.
How do I select a group of computers to process a batch?
When you submit a batch, select a computer or group of computers from the Process On menu at the bottom of the Compressor window. This menu appears only after you create a group of computers.
How do I set up additional instances of Compressor to process batches?
Choose Compressor > Preferences, then click Advanced. Select "Enable additional Compressor instances," then choose a number of instances from the pop-up menu. This number specifies the additional instances of Compressor, so if the number is 1, then the total number of Compressor instances is 2. Learn more about enabling additional Compressor instances.
What computer is the controller when I submit a batch to a group of computers?
The computer you submit the batch from is always the controller. If the submitting computer is turned off or logged out, processing is suspended.


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Jack Pavelka's engagement to Vienna Girardi has been grounded but the "Bachelor" star says the pair's friendship is still very much on.
"I'm saddened by the whole thing," Pavelka told a TMZ cameraman on Tuesday, a day after his rep made the breakup official. "No matter what happens, Vienna and I will remain friends."
The two reality stars, who shared a waltz during the finale of this season's "Dancing With the Stars," were planning on a summer wedding in 2011, according to an interview Girardi gave to E! News last month.
U.S. & World
Pavelka told TMZ he was not "even going to comment" on speculation that his pursuit of fame drove the couple apart.
When Girardi moved out of Pavelka's home, she left a goodbye note and the three carat diamond ring Pavelka had used to propose to her, Girardi's stepmom told the gossip site.
Pavelka, 32, a pilot from Dallas, paired up with Girardi, 24, in March at the end of a wild season on the reality show that saw one contestant leave mid-season due to an ultimatum from her employer and found another accused of having a fling with one of the show's producers.
Girardi won Jake's heart over fan favorite Tenley Molzahn and Ali Fedotowsky, who went on to become the current "Bachelorette."
During her time on the show, Girardi was the target of viewers' ire and was taken to task in the media over her plastic surgery, rumors of past infidelity and her diva tendencies in the "Bachelor" house.
The reality franchise does not boast a particularly impressive track record. Four of the 13 couples who met on "The Bachelor" are still together, according to The Associated Press.


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Do straight women enjoy sex? Or is it simply the price they pay for being in a relationship with a man?
According to writer and broadcaster Stephen Fry, it is the latter. He claims, in an interview in November's Attitude magazine, that women only have sex with men "because sex is the price they are willing to pay for a relationship".
As reprinted in today's Guardian, he went on to say:
…he believed most straight men felt that "they disgust women" as they "find it difficult to believe that women are as interested in sex as they are".
"If women liked sex as much as men, there would be straight cruising areas in the way there are gay cruising areas. Women would go and hang around in churchyards thinking: 'God, I've got to get my fucking rocks off', or they'd go to Hampstead Heath and meet strangers to shag behind a bush. It doesn't happen. Why? Because the only women you can have sex with like that wish to be paid for it."
Fry, 53, continues: "I feel sorry for straight men. The only reason women will have sex with them is that sex is the price they are willing to pay for a relationship with a man, which is what they want," he said. "Of course, a lot of women will deny this and say, 'Oh no, but I love sex, I love it!' But do they go around having it the way that gay men do?"
His remarks – which were ironically in the 'Role Models' issue of Attitude – have garnered a huge amount of criticism, not least from outspoken feminists such as Rosie Boycott.
The reaction on Twitter has been huge, with the majority of people shocked by his comments.
A man much-loved for his openness about his own life, particularly his sexuality and his mental health, Fry has demonstrated that even noted intellectuals can be prone to generalising about female sexuality. His comments show a startling lack of knowledge about what heterosexual women enjoy about sex with men, that not all women have the same sex lives, and ignores the fact that there are many women who enjoy having sex with women.
His belief that if women enjoyed sex they would be out cruising and cottaging is curious as it also ignores the social and cultural reasons why these practices evolved – one of which was the criminalisation of homosexuality. Then there are the many other reasons why straight women don't generally cruise alone for sex (though there is dogging, which generally involves couples and single straight men), such as safety.
As one of Antiroom's founders Anna Carey said on Twitter:
"Cottaging etc developed cos of centuries of taboos re gay & extramarital sex. He ignores socio-cultural history. And men traditionally had much more freedom than women, esp middle/upperclass women, to go out looking for sex."
Also bizarre is his comment that the only women who would have sex "like that" must be prostitutes, who like sex as much as men only because they are being paid for it.
Though there are some who argue that Fry's comments are referring to the 'differences between the sexes', women's sexuality has evolved in the past century. Here in Ireland, as the grip of the Roman Catholic Church loosened on society women were more free to explore their own sexuality. The legalisation of the Pill, availability of condoms, the growth of the LGBT movement and feminist movement all had roles in creating freedom of sexual expression for Irish women.
This is not to say that sexual freedom has been 'won', but that women in Ireland today can enjoy sexual freedoms hard fought for.
To have someone of such a high profile as Stephen Fry treat female sexuality like it is a 'price to be paid' for being in a relationship is quite baffling, and not a little infuriating.
Perhaps he needs to educate himself in how enjoyable (and different) women's sex lives can be – this recent Anti Room group post might be a good place to start.
What do you think of his comments? Let us know below.


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It is an activity which she says can really free those dealing with stress, anxiety, and sickness.
"It helps you to release emotional blocks, it helps you on a physical level," she said. "With movement you can't think of anything else. When you give into the music, the mind is present."
At first, Lupyan herself had a bit of a challenge getting into the rhythm of journey dancing.
"It was so unfamiliar because there isn't choreography, you're on your own and getting in tune with your body," said Lupyan, who was used to the strict choreography of being a ballroom dancer. "But soon enough I felt the layers coming off."
She said it made her feel good and free and she kept wanting more every day. That was in 2007. In 2010 she became certified as a Journey Dance teacher.
The dancing helps individuals to release that negative energy through their bodies. According to Lupyan, the mind becomes clear, free, and positive, and the body, energized. The dance can lead people to become more self-accepting.
It was created in the 1997 by Toni Bergins, a former high school English teacher turned dancer.
Lupyan said it even helps those with serious trauma, addictions, those who have experienced sexual abuse and who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
"No one ever really knows what to expect, it's such an individual process," Lupyan said.
For those looking to have journey dance solve serious problems, she encourages them to pair it with therapy. Lupyan, also a psychospiritual psychologist, makes herself available after classes to talk with students. She received her undergraduate degree from New York University in applied psychology and her Master's in clinical psychology from Columbia University.
The classes are open to everyone, including children from ages three to 12 and senior citizens. She noted that a lot of the movements can be done sitting down.
The classes are donation-based. Those interested can join the class at any time. For more information, visit Genesis Tree of Life Yoga's website.


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Debuting in 1951 and running six standard seasons, "I Love Lucy" is a television series that needs no formal introduction. Next to "The Honeymooners" it is THE go to example of the sitcom genre at its finest, inspiring many comedians over the years and imitators that pale in comparison. Lucile Ball is the titular Lucy Ricardo, the often scatterbrained, pipe-dreaming wife of long-suffering entertainer Ricky (Ball's real-life husband Desi Arnaz). Often joining Lucy's schemes and shenanigans is Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance) who like Ricky often draws the ire of her stick-in-the-mud, tightwad husband, Fred (William Frawley). Formula at its best, "I Love Lucy" draws from a relatively simple cache of story skeletons, but is elevated to legendary status by witty dialogue, no holds barred absurdity, crowd roaring appearances by major guest stars, and above all, the comedy brilliance of not just Ball herself, but the cast at large, who beneath the humor exhibit some of the best natural on-screen chemistry ever captured for TV.
Despite "I Love Lucy's" status as an iconic series in American television history, Paramount saw fit to colorize three episodes of the series and release them here in perhaps one of the most pointless and artistically egregious releases of classic television ever. Likely sold to capitalize off the success of a holiday season airing, "I Love Lucy: A Colorized Christmas" takes a generally pointless clip show centered around Lucy and Ricky telling a story to their son, Little Ricky and commits one of the few unforgivable sins of filmed art by colorizing it. Also included are two fan favorite episodes, "Lucy's Italian Movie" and "Lucy Goes to Scotland." The quality of the latter two episodes are unequivocally top notch and despite the bastardized presentation, the sheer effort that goes into the latter episode, is astonishing for what was no more than a weekly, primetime sitcom. "Lucy Goes to Scotland" retains the classic series formula with the added twist of staging a very crowd-pleasing musical within the episode. All the players knock it out of the park with special nods to Frawley and Vance as a two-headed dragon eagerly awaiting a redheaded meal (trust me, when you see the episode, you'll get the context). "Lucy's Italian Movie" will be forever remembered for containing a classic "I Love Lucy" moment: the grape stomping. It's just as funny now as it was nearly 60-years ago.
Even if it had not been for the colorization, which I reluctantly admit is a huge step forward from the horror shows of the 80s, the very nature of the release is completely pointless. I'm sure there are "I Love Lucy" fans out there who will get this just to complete a collection or out of sheer curiosity, but there's no reason to shell out good money on three episodes, when a "best-of" disc exists and the seasons themselves are more reasonably priced. That leaves us with the colorization, which frankly may look eye-catching at a glance, but under close scrutiny, there's color bleeding and a loss of detail that at times gives the whole image or at least portions a blurry look. I find it wholly disheartening that the release is intended to hook new viewers, when the stunning black-and-white originals lose nothing without this useless technological tinkering. Thankfully the original black-and-white airings are included (it's also worth noting that the clip show episode doesn't have colorized flashbacks) and are the only thing that salvages this release as a complete wash. This is one release of a five-star program that shouldn't exist.
The 1.33:1 original aspect ratio color transfer is remarkably clear, but generally ugly as a whole. Colors are slightly unnatural looking and bleed into one another. Detail is completely sapped and the whole image has a slightly hazy, less sharp look to it. Keep in mind this is all a result of the intentional colorization, which after all is the selling point of the disc. The black-and-white episodes feature much more natural detail, feel crisp and sport solid contrast throughout.
The Audio
The Dolby Digital English mono soundtrack won't wow anyone from a sound design standpoint, but like the image, it's a clean, crisp affair. Distortion is kept to a minimum as is standard aged audio hiss.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
"I Love Lucy: A Colorized Christmas" is a highly questionably, ultimately pointless release; containing a marginally effective clip show and two random episodes isn't worth the asking price. To add insult to injury, the only real reason the disc exists in the first place is to market the show, presumably to new audiences via colorized episodes. I implore you to spend your money on any other "I Love Lucy" release but this. At most this is material that should have been presented as an "extra" on a complete series release, not a shelf-bought original. Skip It.


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Former inmate Anthony Graves: 'I'm tired of state kicking me'
To Graves, garnisheed fee is law's final insult
Texas seeking old child support from former inmate's death row years
GALVESTON — To Anthony Graves, the loss of a $250 speaking fee seemed like the final indignity heaped upon him by the state of Texas.
Graves spent 18 years behind bars, 12 of them on death row, for a crime that prosecutors now say he didn't do.
After he was freed in October, the Texas comptroller's office refused the compensation provided by law for those who are unjustly convicted.
Then the Texas Attorney General's Office began garnisheeing his wages for child support that a judge decided Graves owed even though he was on death row at the time. But when they blocked payment of the $250 fee he earned for a presentation to students at Prairie View A&M University, it was too much.
"If you feel I owe some compensation, fine, I'm not crying about that, but don't go after everything I make," said Graves, 45. "I'm tired of the state kicking me."
The Attorney General's Office is garnisheeing $175 of the $3,000 monthly salary he earns as an investigator for Texas Defenders Service, an organization that represents death penalty defendants.
Graves owes either $5,420 or $5,403, according to the Attorney General's Office, which cited the two child support figures in letters to Graves.
A Washington County judge decided in 2002 that Graves owed back child support from 1998 until 2002, even though he was on death row the entire time, according to Graves' attorney Nicole Casarez.
'Sympathy' from state
Jeff Blackburn, another member of Graves' legal team, said Attorney General Greg Abbott was retaliating for a lawsuit Graves filed to force the state to pay his compensation.
"Abbott is clearly a vindictive guy and he's just ordering this retaliation," Blackburn declared. "It's a completely immoral position, and to me it proves that Greg Abbott is at best a hypocrite and at worst just a cruel monster."
The state comptroller refused to pay Graves the $80,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment provided by law because the order dismissing the capital murder charges did not contain the words "actual innocence," as the statute requires.
Graves has sued the attorney general, asking for a declaration of actual innocence, but Abbott's office said the law does not allow the attorney general to make such a declaration.
Abbott spokesman Jerry Strickland responded, "While we are deeply offended by the ridiculous and meritless claims lodged by Anthony Graves' counsel, this office has nothing but sympathy for Mr. Graves. His experience is truly troubling and deeply compelling."
Strickland said the system that tagged Graves for child support payments is automated and handles 1.2 million cases. The child support division "regularly files wage withholding orders without any involvement from the executive office," Strickland said. "And that is exactly what happened in this case."
He said the Attorney General's Office is obligated to collect the money that the court has ordered be paid.
Strickland said he couldn't comment on details of the case without permission from the mother of Graves' son, now 27.
Blackburn said he intends to sue the attorney general to have the payments rescinded.
Big crowd, but no check
The loss of the fee that fueled Graves' growing frustration began with an invitation from the political science department at Prairie View A&M University.
Graves, Casarez and an attorney from Texas Defenders spoke to an overflow crowd April 20 about his case. Casarez recalled that students were jammed behind them on the stage and spilled into the hallways.
The university offered Graves a $250 honorarium to compensate him for his travel expenses and time.
On Wednesday, Graves asked Casarez to find out why he hadn't received the payment. She was forwarded an email from a Prairie View professor saying the money had been withheld because Graves owed child support.
"The state of Texas tried to kill me for something I didn't do and now they are trying to get child support out of me," Graves said. He noted that the Attorney General's Office persisted in prosecuting him for four years after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his conviction in 2006.
"I feel powerless," he said.
Casarez said that her client has another speaking engagement at the University of Texas that he probably won't be paid for because of the child support.
Graves not the first
Convicts often are stuck with enormous child support payments after leaving prison, but the law makes no provision for those who were unjustly convicted, said Michael McCormick, executive director of the American Coalition of Fathers and Children.
"I'm not aware of any state where it says a wrongly convicted individual is relieved of their obligation," McCormick said.
Graves isn't the first in Texas to be found innocent of capital murder and forced to pay child support. The wages of Clarence Brandley, cleared in 1997 of the rape-strangulation of 16-year-old girl in Conroe, were garnisheed to pay $25,640 in child support.
Graves was convicted of the 1992 slayings of a grandmother and five children. Robert Carter, who confessed to the killings, absolved Graves of the crime in his final statement moments before his execution in 2000. He said he lied during his testimony against Graves.
The federal appeals court found that the prosecution withheld statements crucial to the defense and elicited false statements from witnesses during the 1994 trial.


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British Charities Discover Web Filters Don't Work
from the figuring-it-out deptA number of British children's charities are complaining that some ISPs in the country aren't using the Internet Watch Foundation's blacklist to "block" access to child porn. Firms providing some 5% of the country's broadband connections haven't implemented the blacklist, either because they recognize that it doesn't work, or because of the expense. Keep in mind this is the same blacklist that blocked Wikipedia and screwed up UK edits of the site, and also blocked the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. The charities say that households connected by the non-conforming ISPs have "easy access" to child porn, but given the long history of filters and blacklists of not actually working, it's hard to imagine that the filters have a significant effect beyond breaking access to noninfringing content. There's no doubt that child porn is reprehensible, but by presenting the blacklist as the be-all, end-all solution, these charities risk pulling attention and resources away from better solutions. After all, blocking consumption of child porn seems a less satisfying solution than working to stop its production.
Filed Under: charities, filters, uk
Companies: internet watch foundation


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Justice Department Refuses To Give Up; Still Going After Peter Adekeye In Vindictive Lawsuit
from the please-stop deptWow! We keep pointing out how bills like Senator Amy Klobuchar's S.978 anti-streaming bill and Senator Patrick Leahy's PROTECT IP Act will be abused by US law enforcement, and we keep being told that those bills aren't "intended" to be used the way they could be. I think part of the problem is that people don't realize how the Justice Department and US Attorneys will sometimes stretch and twist the law just to go after someone.
Last month, we wrote about the absolutely ridiculous case by the US against former Cisco engineer Peter Adekeye. The details have to be read to be believed, but most of it only came to light because a Canadian judge absolutely blasted both Cisco and the US Attorneys for what clearly appeared to be an unnecessarily vindictive criminal prosecution against Adekeye because he filed an antitrust lawsuit against Cisco, after Cisco tried to block third party companies (such as one of Adekeye's) from accessing necessary patches to service certain Cisco equipment.
The whole story was horrifying, but we thought it ended in May when the judge let Adekeye go and gave the Justice Department a pretty big slap for its actions. But... no. Slashdot points us to the news that the Justice Department has just unveiled a new indictment against Adekeye over the same issue: basically someone at Cisco gave Adekeye a login to download patches, and he did exactly that. This is not, in any way, a matter that should involve the Justice Department. The judge in Canada made that clear. The story about Adekeye shows the Justice Department acting for bad reasons -- either incompetence, corruption or malice (pick any two!). And you would think that someone there might think twice before pushing ahead with bogus prosecution against Adekeye (who's finally back in Switzerland after being stuck in Canada for a year), but that's not how the US works.
And this is why we get very afraid when Congress looks to pass broad new legislation that may impact criminal statutes and the kinds of things that US Attorneys can charge people over. I'd like to believe that US Attorneys are good people trying to stop and punish crimes, but we've seen too many cases where it appears that their actions are incredibly questionable. I'm still hopeful that it's just a few bad seeds among the ranks of US Attorneys, but if we keep seeing stories like this...
Filed Under: antitrust, canada, extradition, immigration, justice department, peter adekeye, prosecution


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Maximise your conference ROI and make meaningful connections by signing your company up to DCD's VIP Programme through our new sponsor & Exhibit packages which guarantee 1-2-1 meetings and speed networking connection
Since launching our VIP meeting service in may 2017, the DCD VIP team has suceeded in providing a wealth of new business connections for our sponsors and exhibitors.
- 1000+ Introductions between potential buyers and exhibitors already achieved
- 400+ C x Director level VIPs welcomed to DCD's conferences
- 250+ Senior executives here attended bespoke sponsored VIP functions
- 580+ 1-2-1 pre-booked meetings already arranged
The DCD VIP team now offer a truly global service with with five new VIP managers located in London. Mumbai, Madrid,Shanghai and Singapore. Contact our team by emailing email@example.com to find out more on how we can help you.
From conception to completion the VIP manager will work with you to create a bespoke event that matches your business needs. DCD will work with you to source and invite your choice of senior level customer to attend your unique function.
From working brunches to sumptuous dinners at renowned venue, DCD will manage all logistics and ensure that your tailor-made function is well attended and organised smoothly.
The DCD VIP team have organised the following executive gatherings:
- ABB Executive Brunch Briefing
- Aggreko Executive Brunch Briefing
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- SWITCH Tahoe Reno Prime Facility Executive Luncheon
But don't just take our word for it...
Director of Marketing, Switch:
'The overall experience of working with the VIP manager was good and overall positive feedback from the lunch.'
UK & I Data center & Cloud Lead, Juniper Networks
'This worked well and the feedback we've had was very successful. DCD were very supportive with getting the right people to the session.'
For those sponsors that decide to use DCD's VIP private meeting service, our dedicated VIP Manager will work with you in the run up to the event to source attendees from companies you wish to meet with. We work hard to organise pre-arranged 1-on-1 meetings with your target delegates and drive extra traffic to your stand by organising ad hoc introductions during the conference.
Meetings are 10–15 minutes conversations that can take place either in the privacy of your stand or in the intimate setting of our exclusive VIP and Speaker Lounge.
The 1-2-1 Meeting Programme is fully available to Headline, Principal and Lead Sponsors.
Here is just some of the excellent feedback we have received from past sponsors:
Director Sales and Service EMEA, Eaton
'We are very happy and many thanks. Good communications and follow up. High attendance rate and some good meetings which will lead to new business.'
Marketing Executive, Vertiv
'The VIP meetings were very productive and beneficial. Having the chance to meet with accounts that we have been trying to get hold of for a while.'
Sales & Business Development, Cyxtera
'We were able to get some good meetings for what will hopefully turn in to some long-term prospects. I thought you and your team were really helpful.'
Vice President Sales and Business Development, AFL Hyperscale
'The meetings set up by DCD was great.'
In addition, the VIP team has launched bespoke speed networking. Taking place in the mid-morning break Speed Networking is a series of short, dynamic introductions that enable you to meet with potential buyers looking for the solutions you are providing. This new feature will enable you to hone in on new leads, which can then be converted to in-depth meetings later in the day.
By taking part in this session you could meet up to 15 new business contacts as you move tables, swap business cards and chat to potential buyers.
Both exhibitors and end users alike have enjoyed and commended DCD's Speed Networking sessions:
Head of Critical Services, EkkoSense
'Speed networking was a great feature of the event, it allowed us to meet clients quickly. I highly recommend for sponsors.'
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'Best thing I've done at DCD events.'
Head of Design & Implementation, Deutsche Bank
'It was great to meet many people in such a short time. Get e-requests to them and I will meet them later.'
Solutions Architect, Green Revolution Cooling
'½ of attendees want follow ups. [Speednetworking] is excellent! All users were relevant and had an interest in our solution. Time well spent!'
Director - Cloud Enablement, CyrusOne
'The speed networking was fabulous. I had a chance to meet some of our key vendors and a few of potential ones too.'
Contact Loraine Celino to learn more: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Spiced chicken with rice & crisp red onions
Nutrition and extra info
- Easily doubled / halved
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal495
- fat9g
- saturates2g
- carbs63g
- sugars15g
- fibre5g
- protein45g
- salt0.39g
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 140g/5oz each
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is made from pressing sunflower seeds and extracting the oil. It's usually…
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 100g basmati rice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- pinch saffron
The stigma of a type of crocus, saffron threads have a pungent and distinctive aroma and flavour…
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 85g frozen pea
- 1 tbsp chopped mint and coriander
- 4 rounded tbsp low-fat natural yogurt
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Brush the chicken with 1 tsp oil, then sprinkle with curry powder. Toss the onion in the remaining oil. Put the chicken and onions in one layer in a roasting tin. Bake for 25 mins until the meat is cooked and the onions are crisp, stirring the onions halfway through the cooking time.
Rinse the rice, then put in a pan with the cinnamon, saffron, salt to taste and 300ml water. Bring to the boil, stir once, add the raisins, cover. Gently cook for 10-12 mins until the rice is tender, adding the peas halfway through. Spoon the rice onto two plates, top with the chicken and scatter over the onions. Stir the herbs into the yogurt and season, if you like, before serving on the side.


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Jim Jones Goes In On Max B: "This Dweeb Of A Coke Head Sniffer. Hes A Dirt Bomb. Hes Not Gonna Have A Video On T.V Or Song On Radio, What About Jae-Hood To The Lox & Smurf To G-Unit"
Funkmaster Flex Interviews Jim Jones
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Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, who is part of the "fierce five" U.S. women's gymnastics team, met President Barack Obama on Thursday. And by her own account she was "not impressed" with him.
Or, more precisely, Maroney and the president were "not impressed" together, as evidenced by an official White House photo for which they posed sporting the gymnast's trademark smirk.
President Obama was of course playing along, offering his own version of Maroney's I'm-not-impressed smile, for which she is well known.
U.S. & World
After taking the photo, Maroney tweeted, "Did I just do the Not Impressed face with the President?"
It was all in good fun.
Accompanying Maroney to the White House were her fellow gymnasts Kyla Ross, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, and Jordyn Wieber.