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Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
~ Abba, Thank You for the Music
2.02am. Eyes sleepily open. Ears ringing with songs from Moulin Rouge. I have always loved this soundtrack, and one of my best memories is dancing to "Elephant Love Medley" on stage with P… but for some reason I have never watched the movie! K watched it with me tonight – I think she was surprised to learn that I hadn't watched it, and (rightly) thought it was a wrong that should be put right.
It has been a really nice Saturday. I made a new friend G, we chatted at the charming Little & Friday (Newmarket)… which, by the way, you may like to visit on your next trip to Auckland. With mint-infused water, a spotless interior, smiley staff and a delectable selection of goodies like lamingtons resembling mini brown mountains caught in a snow blizzard, berry-filled bread and butter pudding and crisp, inviting savoury tarts – it's hard not to fall in like within five seconds of entering the place!
I then caught up with one of my favouritest people in Auckland – M. As always, an illuminating exchange. M constantly reminds me of what is true, and real, and everlasting. I make it a point to keep friends who carry truth in their hearts and wear it on their lips – they are worth more than gold.
And this evening, K came over and we cooked together. Have I mentioned how much I love cooking with this girl??
We made lemon risotto, ratatouille and Al Di La's Torta di Pere – adapted from Saveur, Molly's recipe in A Homemade Life, and Smitten Kitchen respectively.
There were two half-full boxes of arborio rice in the pantry, which were both sadly infested with moving black dots…(!) So we thought it best to discard them… and K made risotto with normal long grain rice instead.
So I had not known that you could make risotto successfully with non-arborio rice, but we had a very yummy risotto tonight. Cooking mainly by sight, taste and instinct, K whipped up a dish soft, subtle, creamy, punctuated with the fresh flavour of lemons. When in doubt, she just added a little more pinot gris – a good thing to do when making risotto me thinks ;-)
Last time I made ratatouille, it was nice but all cooked in the oven – so this time I decided to try Molly's recipe. I modified it slightly for quantity and presence/absence of ingredients in my fridge. A bay leaf, fresh rosemary needles and basil, dried mixed herbs, salt and pepper were the primary seasonings.
I really like how Molly's recipe involves roasting the eggplant beforehand, then cooking all the vegetables in stages – it's so easy to overcook vegetables especially when you are trying to cook one dish combining a few different types of them! So this was so nice to eat, because they were all cooked just the right amount – soft, but not soggy; lightly scented with the herbs; warm… mmm.
The cake. With such ingredients as dark chocolate, Bosc pears and brown butter, I think we would have eaten it no matter how it emerged from the oven (ok, I would have…)
So luckily I did not have to eat gobbledy gop by myself because, as it turns out, the mix became cake.
What emerged was, as K says, reminiscent of apple pie – but in pear cake form (and with the addition of dark chocolate which provided a rounded, subtle sweetness). We sliced it into slabs, like brownie bars, and ate them with dollops of Greek yoghurt.
For me it tasted like softly roasted, sweet pear cubes tangible against the smoky, mellow, creamy flavour of warm dark chocolate set on a cloud of disappearing cake. By that, I mean the cake was so fluffy that it was like a floating cloud, a fairy's wand waving itself in and out of my consciousness as I ate.
You know those days when you crave a sizeable chunk of silky rich, calorie-laden, so-decadent-your-teeth-tingle chocolate cake?
This is not a cake for those days.
This is a cake for picnics on a grassy hill, for the moments when your eyes troll through the menu 10,000 times and still nothing sounds 'right'. It's a cake to accompany a musical, and nights of singing; a cake to eat whilst standing by the sink, or from the depths of a plushy couch. Most of all, it's a cake to enjoy with others.
And now it is nearly 4am. Evidently, I am starting to get sleepy and tomorrow morning I will probably read through this and find an incoherent post with more than one typo – but you're used to that, aren't you? And you will forgive me, and go and make some cake? Good night world.
[Edit] Recipe as follows:
- Al Di La's Torta di Pere [Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Cake]
Recipe adapted, with a few modifications, from Smitten Kitchen
- Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room-temperature
115g unsalted butter
1/4 cup muscovado sugar
1/4 cup caster sugar
3 Bosc pears, peeled, in a small dice (next time I will dice them smaller than I did this time)
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks (I used Cadbury's 70%)
- Just a quick initial note: if you can find a cake partner for this one, do – unless you are a whiz at multi-tasking (I am not). You will see why once you get into it!
- Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Oil and flour a 9-inch springform pan (we used a square tin with a removeable base).
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside
- Using an electric handheld mixer, whip the eggs on high speed until pale and very thick – approximately nine minutes (it should take around five minutes with a professional Kitchen Aid). It should resemble velvet custard.
- While the eggs are whipping, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet (because it will foam a lot) and cook it until the butter browns and smells nutty/like caramel (about 6 to 8 minutes). Scrape the solids off the bottom of the pan in the last couple minutes as necessary, to ensure even browning. Remove from the flame but keep in a warm spot.
- Add the sugar to the eggs and whip a few minutes more.
- Just as the egg-sugar mixture is starting to loose volume, turn the mixture down to stir (we just switched to a normal whisk at this stage), and add the flour mixture and brown butter. Add one third of the flour mixture, then half of the butter, a third of the flour, the remaining butter, and the rest of flour. Whisk until just barely combined — no more than a minute from when the flour is first added — and then use a spatula to gently fold the batter until the ingredients are combined. It is very important not to over-whisk or fold the batter or it will lose volume.
- Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the pear and chocolate chunks over the top, and bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back to the touch, about 40 minutes, or a tester comes out clean. Make sure it is fully done before you take it out – if the top is overly brown and it is not cooked in the middle, put a sheet of foil over it and bake till it's done.
- As mentioned above, we ate it slightly warm with dollops of Greek yoghurt and it was very good. Possible variations include barely whipped cream with a drop of almond extract in it, or buttermilk ice cream, as listed in the original recipe. Enjoy!


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Why write for children instead of adults?
(I am thinking about this question because on October 8 I'm going to speak at WRITE ON THE SOUND, a weekend writing conference in Edmonds, WA. Most of the conference is focused on writing for adults.)
More exactly: Why create picture books for children instead of write for adults?
Notice I had to rephrase my question. That's because I need the pictures part – I love telling my stories with pictures as well as words. I love the dance of text and art; the possibilities and humor and resonance as these two ways of telling bring a story forward.
Most of all, I love the form: the 32-page structure. As surely as a sonnet or a villanelle is proscribed by demands of rhythm and rhyme, the 32-page structure shapes a picture book story's telling. The page turns create a cadence, a pacing. And it all happens in less than, say, 700 words: a beginning that typically introduces a character and his or her dilemma, a middle full of rising tension as things get worse, then even worse, then worst of all before the end where the character figures a solution, hopefully one that is unexpected and yet expected, hopefully one that changes character and reader. The 32-page structure forces a writer to condense and clarify, to make every word earn its keep.
Plus it seems the stories I want to tell are geared to a child reader. I've had my nose in a book since I learned to read — and it amuses me to create stories that would have amused the child I was.
Then there's the fact that some of my favorite times as a parent were spent reading picture books with our kids. Picture books are read and reread. Sometimes they become part of a family's way of looking at the world. They matter. (The books illustrating this blogpost are picture books that are part of our family's history.)
Plus I like what CS Lewis said about writing for children: "Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down. Children are demanding. They are the most attentive, curious, eager, observant, sensitive, quick, and generally congenial readers on earth. They accept, almost without question, anything you present them with, as long as it is presented honestly, fearlessly, and clearly."
The more I understand about the craft of writing for children, the more satisfying it is to try to express my story ideas. After 26 years, the question for me is not why write for children instead of adults, but how to keep my work fresh and alive, and better tap into the original vision of each picture book project.
On October 8, I will share my enthusiasm for the art and the craft of picture books with the adult writers at WRITE ON THE SOUND. I wonder what stories they might create, were they to bend their considerable writing skills to this 32-page wonder?
Now it's your turn: Why write for children instead of adults?
Note: WRITE ON THE SOUND is already sold out.

subset: commoncrawl


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26 February, 2011 — Jazz on the Tube
Lester Young tenor; Illinois Jacque, tenor; Harry Edison, trumpet; Barney Kessel; guitar; Marlowe Morris, piano; Red Callender, bass; Jo Jones and Sidney Catlett, drums
The movie was directed by Gjon Mili. Producer Gordon Hollingshead was nominated for an Academy Award for this footage in the category of Best Short Subject, One-reel. Recorded in 1944.


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Nearing the end of the game, I'm finally feeling like I am gaining power. To play through five of the Assassin's Creed games and just now have the power to push someone the way I have been pushed for hours on end just feels right.
Not saying holding someone at gunpoint is the moral compass an Assassin wants to follow, but damn it felt good. The third, but really the fifth, game in the installment brings something completely new to the table with Connor, which I think most people miss. Connor is his own person and someone who is hotblooded and underneath the hate and revenge and lust for saving people, lies someone of a scary calm collectiveness and ferocious tenacity. We see all of this whenever Connor is called to action during the many, many, homestead missions in the game. From helping give birth or planning a wedding to chasing and hunting down people who have hurt the other villagers.
We also see Connor through the stubbornness and personality of his father. Through the missions that you go through with Haytham, you understand why the two get on each other's nerves and follow different paths from each other. You also understand a little more of the Templar side of things through Haytham, and it makes it start to sound more appealing, at least battling against Connor's ideology.
My hat is also bigger than Haytham's, so any argument he has is invalid. Just saying.
The relationships between father and son seem to be an ongoing theme in this game as well. Bringing back Desmond's father just to see the two reconcile and grow closer so far, juxtaposes the idea of splitting apart between Haytham and Connor, which does not coincidentally fall in around the same time.
Desmond can't explain why he wants to rescue his father, save for the fact that he is his Dad, and that even if an asshole there shouldn't be another reason. Something that Connor doesn't seem to understand. Desmond even goes all out, risking the world and everyone in it to save the one man who gave him life. Assassins Creed has always been a game for small messages that appear in mediocre or big ways, it's one of the allures, even if we don't get the message, some part of us understands.


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2012 Motorcycle Honda CBR1000RA
The essential Superbike
The CBR1000RR is already the essential Superbike, offering a perfectly integrated combination of power, handling, and overall balance for both the street and the track. But this year we've taken this versatile machine and given it some major upgrades. New suspension, new bodywork, new instrumentation, new wheels—and that's just the start.
from the 2012 swiss-moto.ch
{rss uri=http://cedricwalter.smugmug.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=gallery&Data=7421071_Sf4brs&format=rss200 limit=10 from=137}


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Perma Ehub and Ebooks
Perma-eHub is a free service that gives you a customized library for your Perma-ebooks. Perma-eHub manages your eBook licenses from a single, central location. Your students, staff, and administrators can access all of your eBooks as if they existed in a single library. All of your eBook licenses are managed by Perma-eHub, allowing your students to check out books when a license is available. Instead of dealing with messy Data Rights Management, contracts, and servers, Perma-eHub handles it all for you, so you can focus on delivering content to your students. You are given complete control over who can search for and read them. All from a simple, intuitive interface designed to do the hard work for you.
Designed as a companion to your physical library, Perma- eHub aims to make eBooks even simpler than traditional books.
Integrated search tool
Let Perma-eHub do the hard work for you by cataloging and searching your eBook library.
Easy user permissions
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After finding a book you want to read, simply click and start. No downloading necessary.
Personal login page
Your login page has its own customizable URL, so your users will never be lost.
Take eHub for a test drive: demo.perma-ehub.com
For more information about Perma-eHub or to search our ebook database of over 30,000 titles click here: Perma-eHub


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Sustainable Community
Category sponsor
recycle4charity (Pembrokeshire Care Share & Give)
The group was set up to contribute to the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in Pembrokeshire, in particular by promoting sustainable waste management through the recycling of waste which may otherwise go to landfill. It also wanted to help education people in Pembrokeshire concerning recycling and waste management. This is done through a programme of talks, seminars, workshops and other means and providing recycling opportunities to the public, businesses, statutory authorities and educational establishments.
The group helps by offering grants or donation of items to individuals or to charitable organisations supporting those in need. It also helps animal sanctuaries by donating rubbish from the community, such as biscuit wrappers, coffee lids, yogurt pouches etc and other unwanted items which would otherwise have gone to landfill but the sanctuaries can use to generate income.
Welcome to our Woods - A Natural Future Upper Rhondda
Welcome to Our Woods 'A Natural Future' is developing new ways of connecting people and place, managing natural resources and local spaces differently for health, well-being, training and employment outcomes.
It believes in valuing and building on its strengths and assets, which it says are the amazing people, communities and landscape in the Upper Rhondda. There are strong family and community networks where people work together and support each other. There vibrant community organisations and a wonderful landscape. By harnessing these strengths and assets and bring people together, it is creating an opportunity to redefine and regenerate the Upper Rhondda.
The not for profit community company WTOW LTD has been created to facilitate the partnership, its activities and provide leadership. Today it has many partners that form the Welcome to our Woods partnership, including local community members, local businesses and third sector partners.
Organisations involved over the past year include Valleys Kids, Lais y Coedwig, Actif Woods Coed Lleol, Keep Wales Tidy, Blaencwm Chapel Groups (Tynewydd), Penyrenglyn School, Penpych School, Ysgol Hen Felin School, Ysgol Cymraeg Ynyswen, Active Nutrition, Interlink RCT, The Green Valley Hydro TGV, Rhondda Housing Association, Spectacle Theatre, Glamorgan Fungus Society, Stronger Rhondda, Natural Resources Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taff Council, South Wales Police, South Wales Fire Service, British Transport Police, Department Work Pensions JCP, Cwm Taf University Health Board (NHS), Purple Shoots and Llangattock Green Valleys Community Coop.
Wild Tots - Growing communities outdoors
Wild Tots reconnects families outdoors in an accessible and extremely affordable way, enabling children and adults to get active outdoors throughout the seasons.
The Wild Tots model is unique because it is run solely by local parents who have been trained and comprehensively supported to set up their own group for their community. The group thrives on being led by people in their own community rather than an instructor 'parachuting in' for a few hours. The strength of this approach results in great peer support, strong word of mouth advertising and peer encouragement to come along and try something challenging and rewarding.
Co-founders Sarah and Zoe set Wild Tots up with their own children and quickly recognised the need for the same approach across other communities. Since then, they have created a not-for-profit organisation that has worked with parent communities across six counties in south Wales.
Wild Tots leaders are encouraged and supported to run sessions throughout the year, whatever the weather and these outdoor experiences become sessions that parents and children take pride in having attended – and are always the best and most memorable times to have spent with the Wild Tots community.
Zoe and Sarah believe in giving everyone the opportunity to feel confident outdoors and healthier outdoors. They are looking to grow the organisation to be able empower everyone who wants to get involved – really simple, but mostly loads of fun.


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Application Deadline : January 1, 2016
Looking for an enriching undergraduate experience in an American college or university?
In FY2016, Global UGRAD will provide one-semester scholarships for non-degree, full-time study in the United States. This program is funded by U.S. Department of State. Students will study at accredited four-year U.S. institutions of higher education, engage in community service, professional development workshops and cultural enrichment activities.
The goal of the program is to provide a diverse group of emerging student leaders, from non-elite and under-represented groups with a substantive exchange experience at a U.S. College or University. Successful applicants can expect an in-depth exposure to U.S. society, culture and academic institutions by engaging in academic exchanges at colleges and universities across the country.
Global UGRAD program participants will be enrolled full time in undergraduate course work chosen at the host institution to allow ample opportunity for substantive interaction with U.S. faculty and student peers, and for exposure to U.S. academic and classroom culture. Host institution will offer instruction on topics including academic research and writing, critical thinking, time management, note-taking and studying for and taking tests. Participants will live on-campus with U.S. peers or homestays with American families. The program will include a pre-departure orientation, a virtual arrival orientation, and an in-person end of program workshop.
Students cannot choose their host institution and will be placed at the most appropriate host institution based on students' academic interests. This is a non-degree program and so it is the students' responsibility to check with their home institutions whether any credits accumulated during the exchange program will be transferred.
Students will be required to participate in a minimum of twenty hours of community service activities per semester. Students will also be required to enroll in at least one course in a U.S. studies field, such as U.S. history, literature, art or government.
Failure to meet the academic requirements of the university and UGRAD program of study (poor grades or failure to submit assignments or attend class) may result in dismissal from the Global UGRAD Program. Participants must remain in good academic standing with a minimum 2.0 GPA.
All academic fields of study are eligible. However, per J-1 visa regulations, interested applicants in medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacology, or other clinical fields of study, that direct patient care, including animal care, is not permitted and therefore academic course and/or program activities (e.g. internships) at participating host institutions may be limited.
All participants will need a good knowledge of English and have certification of their English ability to be admitted by a U.S. host institution. The preferred Toefl iBt score is 61. Please submit your Toefl score if available, otherwise MACEE will arrange for Toefl test for the nominated candidates after the interview.
The Global UGRAD Program requires that participants return to his/her home country at the conclusion of the U.S. Program to complete his/her undergraduate degree. Travel within the United States is limited to the times that there is a university break; grantees will not be able to travel before or after the program end dates.
Scholarships will be granted to students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program locally and who will have completed their first year of undergraduate study prior to starting their UGRAD Program. In addition, selected participants must be at least 18 years of age when they arrive in the U.S. They must also have at least one semester or an equivalent term to complete at their home institutions upon completion of their UGRAD Program. The UGRAD semester or academic year cannot be the last academic term of a student's undergraduate study.
Please complete your online registration here.
2016-2017 Student Application Guide
A complete application package includes: the application, copy of passport bio page, academic transcripts for years of university study (with English translation), two letters of reference, and grade equivalence.
You are required to submit an application online by January 1, 2016 and mail 4 sets of the complete applications to MACEE by January 1, 2016. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
The Global UGRAD Program
18th Floor, Menara Yayasan Tun Razak
200 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
For more information, please call or e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid Brings the Heat in Her New Stuart Weitzman Campaign
::heads swivel::
By Chelsea Peng
Tommy Hilfiger Says Gigi Hadid Is "Perfection" Following Misconstrued Weight Comment
"The suggestion that I thought she wasn't thin enough upsets me to no end."
By Mehera Bonner
Gigi Hadid on That Terrifying Attack: "I Had Every Right to React the Way I Did"
The model opens up and—again—defends herself.
By Mehera Bonner
Taylor Swift and Gigi Hadid Spent Sunday Evening Singing Along to 'Grease: Live'
That moment when your mutual ex-boyfriend is in a musical.
By Mehera Bonner


text:
My copy of Mslexia magazine arrived today, another issue in which I have unaccountably failed to appear. I haven't been entirely unsuccessful with them; a couple of years ago they published a poem of mine and a year before that I was their guest blogger on the theme of gender issues, so I thought I had a good chance with this issue as the theme was 'Clothes' and I had a short story and two poems on exactly that theme all raring to go out into the world and seek their fortune. Sadly in their infinite wisdom Mslexia declined to publish. Hey ho.
But it set me thinking about the different stages of writing, particularly writing short stories. These stages are analogous to growing veg: the first, the seed stage, is the idea. It may be a wild one, blown on the winds and self-seeded in rough soil, or it may be deliberately planted from a packet. At this stage you have an image of how it may turn out but whether or not it does what it says on the tin remains to be seen. Out of this idea comes a rough draft like a pair of leaves poking through the soil and at this stage it's very hard to see what the story will become. But when it grows a little more, when the leaves assume distinctive shapes and the stem grows tall or winds in spirals or becomes short and stout, you begin to discern the shape. Aha! You think, I know just what to do with you! This leads on to the lengthiest stage of all, the editing, the rewriting, the pruning and weeding and feeding, until the plant reaches its full height after which, eventually, it will begin to bear fruit. At this stage the work is sent out into the big wide world with a hanky on a stick to seek its fortune.
Just as with gardening, the goal is to have pieces of work at each stage; ideas, drafts, stories in progress and work ready to send off. Writing's just gardening really, when you think about it. Makes me feel like Peter Sellers in Being There.
Kirk out


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Reality bites - through the gloss of TV shows (Opinion)
Until a few days ago, 'Dhoom Macha Le Dhoom' was one of many dance contests aired on every television channel, paying obeisance to reality shows as the mantra to TRP nirvana.
Until a few days ago, 'Dhoom Macha Le Dhoom' was one of many dance contests aired on every television channel, paying obeisance to reality shows as the mantra to TRP nirvana.
Such shows have a standard recipe: one portion melodrama; one portion meanness on the part of some judges; and one portion machismo - egging on a hunger to win at all costs, driven by the smell of money and instant success.
As an ad puts it, everybody's invited - contestants who can sing, contestants who can't sing but have attitude, as well as over-ambitious parents who goad their children to perform before the double barrelled gun of judges and janata.
Contestants who wilt in harsh formats designed by adults are whiners - so what if they are nine or 12 or 14 years old? They have to grow up some time. But even they create recall for such contests, making them reality shows in every sense of the term.
'Dhoom...' too became a bona fide reality show when it snaked out of the studio to the hospital recently. For, 16-year-old Kolkata girl Shinjini Sengupta, eliminated from the show in May, had to be admitted to the NIMHANS Hospital in Bangalore in a depressive state allegedly caused by the judges' sharp comments on her last performance. She had lost her power of speech and use of limbs.
In the ensuing storm of recriminations aimed either at the TV channel, the makers of the programme or the parents (for reportedly having hidden their daughter's medical history), more people would have watched the show, hoping to catch some action real time.
After every outrage, the show goes on; it literally thrives. Take the 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs 2007' contest. Loria Doshi's father announced on air that he had had thousands of votes cast for his daughter so how could she have lost the round? Sans any remorse for his act, Doshi's anger was aimed at the organisers for not having explained that only one vote per computer was registered as valid! What lesson must Loria have learnt that day?
Remember when 12-year-old Smita Nandi's father suffered a heart attack on hearing that his daughter had been eliminated from the show? A website quoted him as saying, '....But I guess that's our destiny.' Destiny is a big word.
Will Smita ever be free of the guilt of having triggered her father's illness? Did any of these parents ever consider telling their children to participate to the best of their abilities and enjoy their performance?
Maybe not, considering the windfall a win can bring. Li'l Champ 2006 at 14, Sanchita Bhattacharya is full-time into a punishing routine of playback assignments and shows, 'managed' by a father who bid adieu to his job, say reports. College, friends and a normal life are not for Sanchita any more -- shouldn't mollycoddle them too much.
More importantly, what will Shinjini, Loria or Smita make of their talent now -- holding promise and yet seeming so inadequate? Many such contestants can be seen on the treadmill routine of one reality show after the other. They get a sponsored 'makeover' which comprises the synthetic glamour of an adult clothes horse-cum-blow-dried-assembly-line look. Let's not even bring up evolution of their individual talent here. What do these marketing gimmicks do to their psyche?
Ironically, the aggression vented on the psyches of young contestants has little to do with spotting 'original' talent. If at all these contests showcase anything, it is the hunt for clones - forcing the child to become an adult before her time and stunting her originality for the joys of becoming an adult imitation.
An adolescent girl shakes her non-existent bosom to the sexualised choreography of a Bollywood number before indulgent adults. A youngster strains to achieve the eros or pathos of an adult singer without a thought for a voice that is still developing, to adult approval. Clones do well in society, so any amount of aggressive 'competition' is acceptable.
Turning a child's talent for any artistic pursuit - dance, music or drawing - into an aggressive weapon is the worst legacy a society can bequeath to its young. Well-known Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman put it beautifully when he spoke of the binding, life-affirming role of art and literature in society. 'What art, what literature does: children who dance together find it difficult to slaughter one another in the streets.'
Not everybody can live in woolly-headed idealism. What better way than a reality show for those ready to tackle the real world?
(Chitra Padmanabhan is a journalist based in Delhi. She can be reached at [email protected] )


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Recent Posts
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Lois Chaffee on Ashes to Ashes…. Steve LeBlanc on Ashes to Ashes…. krainville5 on Mourning… Jeanne Doyon on Mourning… byhisgrace08 on Mourning…
Monthly Archives: July 2014
I love toddlers!
Posted in creative play, family Tagged clothespins, coffee Leave a comment
Turkeys have a distinct sound. In the early morning moments I sit by the window sipping my coffee in the silence of the house. Outside, however, is definitely not silent! The turkeys are "chirping" and "talking" to each other in … Continue reading
Posted in outdoors, pets Tagged heritage turkeys, pastured pen, pastured turkeys, turkeys 2 Comments
One of our daughters got married last fall. I'd like to share how we saved money and how we made the preparations easier. One of the biggest expenses, after the hall of course, is the dress. As soon as she … Continue reading
Posted in family, wedding Tagged cathedral veil, flower girl dress, frugal wedding, handmade wedding, Wedding cake, wedding planning Leave a comment
Random moments
I love when I catch the kids at random times doing things that I'm not expecting.
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by Nostrum Baculus, Bird Golf Academy
What is wrong with having to fit a well-shaped tee shot into a tree lined dog leg fairway? What has happened to finessing an iron shot around a bunker to a tucked pin position? Where did the game of golf I grew up with go?
Today the game is all about power. The name for golf today is bomb and gouge. Hit the ball as far as you can and then gouge it out of the rough with a wedge and putt. I don't know about the rest of you, but I never had the ability to hit 300 plus off the tee, This style of play is unfamiliar to me. Also, I think it is foreign to most of you reading this little missive.
The golf courses are getting longer, the greens bigger, the bunkers deeper, and the fairways wider, lending me to believe that golf course designers have fallen prey to the bomb and gouge concept. The designers seem to be in competition with one another trying to see who can build the biggest monument to themselves. They argue that they are preserving the game from those who hit the ball 300 plus. Designing courses that fit a select few is a detriment to the game, and an insult to us mere mortals.
The ruling bodies of golf seem to think that changing the grooves on irons is going to bring distance under control, because the players are not going to be able to spin the ball out of the rough as easily. The players who have tried the new grooves admit to some adjustments, but not to the extent the USGA and the R&A had hoped. The players with the massive speed and the strength are not going to be impacted as much as the players that don't possess those qualities. This will result in an even bigger disparity between the bombers and the short hitters.
One of these days there may be a premium for driving accuracy. Maybe we can get back to beautiful tree lined fairways, with doglegs in both directions. We will again have to shape our shots to find those fairways and put the finesse and shot making back in the game. Maybe one of these days, we can get the game back where mere mortals can compete with all the long knockers. I certainly hope so.
Nostrum Baculus is nom de plume and one of true gems of Bird Golf Academy. Any pilgrimage to Bird is rewarded with perspective and insight coupled with mechanical improvement that lets you continue to improve throughout the life of your came. (And darn interesting conversations to boot)


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Many websites are giving amazing discounts due to the festive season.So I thought, why not avail this opportunity and bring out my inner shopaholic.Anyways, Amazon had a great online sale on books, so I managed to grab few which I have been wanting to read from long.
Delivery Speed:
I ordered for four books on 27th Sept. 2014. Though the parcel was divided in two parts due to various sellers available on Amazon platform, both the parcels were delivered to me by difference of a day. مواقع البث المباشر Hence, I received my complete order by 31st Sept. لعبه الكوبه So pretty fast then what I expected.
The products were neatly packed in a sturdy corrugate box with a flip open side due to which I received my order without any damage. So full marks for that.
Customer Care and Return Response:
Since all the books I received were in perfect condition, I did not have to contact the customer care in any case.
Price Comparison:
Before buying the books I did an extensive research regarding the prices at which these are available on other websites or in market and I must say the price at which it was available on Amazon was lowest. May be due to the on going sale, but even after sale the books at other sites are costlier. Hence next time I would buy books online only from amazon and not Flipkart (as mentioned in my flipkart review) or any other website, of course till I get a better deal then that at Amazon.
Overall Verdict:
I would definitely recommend Amazon.in to everyone out there. With good service and variety of products available on website, it will become my most to go shopping website. Also, during the sale season you can actually get some fine deals which you won't find anywhere else. مباريات يورو 2024 So keep your eyes hooked for any offers or deals.
~Live Love Laugh~


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I wiped the dust off
that clutter over my memories
the ones that bear your name.
But boldface, it refuses to be erased
Imprints that are etched
deeper than I can imagine.
As it clings onto its torn-tattered chord,
I picked each one putting them together
Hoping to close this chamber somewhere in the corner of my heart.
But, My heart string stops me saying,
"it loves the clutter you make,
that little zinger of life you have added
So, let the memories remain
For it wouldn't know how to live an uncluttered life without you now "
Disclaimer: The image(s) in the post are taken from Google. I don't claim any of its rights.


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A couple of days in Montrose without shore leave (except for the excitement of the bin run) are enough and this morning we're leaving harbour, with a pilot on board, into a glorious sunrise.
The flat calm sea provides ideal conditions for a compass check and we're circling a few times showing the sunrise alternately to the port and starboard lookout.
Salty skills development is ongoing with chart work this morning.
We are heading for the Firth of Forth and are looking forward to spending the day tomorrow on Bass Rock, the most important gannet colony of the British Isles.
Our first impression of Bass Rock is a whitish shape in front of the mainland. An early indication of its occupants is the pungent smell of the guano that becomes more and more overpowering as we get closer.
Then we hear them and excitement about encountering them even more closely tomorrow spreads through the ship.


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A classic Scandinavian fish dish found on deliciousmagazine.co.uk
Try this simple fishcake recipe, served with a prawn, egg and dill sauce,
which is healthy and super tasty.
A classic Scandinavian fish dish found on deliciousmagazine.co.uk
Try this simple fishcake recipe, served with a prawn, egg and dill sauce,
which is healthy and super tasty.
A classic fish cake recipe found on what was then britishfood.about.com
Smoked fish is good in all kinds of recipes because of its deep flavour, plus it is nutritious, tasty and fairly cheap. A Smoked Mackerel Fishcake is this and more. Mackerel is not only an economical fish to cook and eat, as an oily fish it also very healthy. Most Mackerel fishing is currently sustainable, so we don't need to feel too guilty eating it.
In this Smoked Mackerel Fishcake Recipe the fish is teamed with hard boiled egg, horseradish cream sauce and parsley which delivers a soft , sweet and extremely tasty fishcake.
A traditional Irish cod recipe found on irishcentral.com
Fish cakes are Irish traditional fare at its very best. These little wonders are created by combining mashed potatoes, flaked cooked fish, and herbs, then formed into individual cakes and coated in breadcrumbs before frying.
This is a perfect recipe for using leftover mashed potatoes, if such a thing ever exists. But don't worry you can always boil a few spuds for mashing to make these delicious and economical fish cakes.
Cod fish cakes may be simple but are ever so tasty. Traditional Irish fish cakes often use salmon or a mixture of salmon and whitefish but, for now, here's a recipe that uses just cod.
A contemporary Norwegian dinner recipe found on rema.no
Mayonnaise, aioli and remoulade are variations on the same basic recipe. Easy to make and very tasty! Remoulade provides plenty of flavor and makes this dish extra delicious and filling.
A spicy dinner recipe found on goodhousekeeping.com
These lightly curry spiced fish cakes are inspired by a classic Indian breakfast dish and can be made a day you have plenty of time and wait ready in the freezer when time is short and dinner needs to made in a hurry.


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Guerilla Gifting.
Last spring, I started randomly sending my friends makes. It made me feel good, and I got to create without the guilt of hoarding finished objects. AND since they were surprise, just because I love you, gifts there were NO timelines, no strings attached. Let's be honest, how many hats do you ACTUALLY wear? Scarves? BLANKETS???? How many do you have? Exactly. I'll never stop creating, but I don't really NEED more items. 2021, I intend on continuing this. The small cost associated with shipping is worth surprise gifting (with no expectation of any return)! I show my love and affection by making things. Seriously, if I *REALLY* love you, I'll make you something. Cookies, a cake, a knit or crochet item, a sewn something. It makes me sad that my fingers aren't more fleet!
Support Art. Support Artists.
I had always operated on the assumption of original art as something that was for VERY wealthy people. Not true! You can support local and independent artists directly! It was way more affordable than I thought. In 2020, I added 3 pieces of art, purchased directly from the artists, to my home. I plan on adding more in 2021. Every piece brings me joy. I have have some large generic thrift store prints that I want to replace over the next couple years; I'm thinking some gallery style installations!
Moisturize. Moisturize. Moisturize. Oh, Sunblock too.
I'm almost 40. My skin is pretty alright. No deep wrinkles (yet). I don't really use filters for my photographs, and then it's usually to adjust colors to reflect reality. I usually remember to moisturize my face, this year's goal moisturize my face twice a day and body once a day. I really need to get better at using sunblock EVERY DAY too, particularly when I'm doing a lot of outdoor workouts!! I'm not always wearing make-up (my favorite foundation has SPF), so it's important that I remember; my sunspots are getting rather widespread.
A Month of Handmade
I see everyone doing photo challenges for the new year. The theme of mine is "A Month of Handmade". Everyday in January, I'm going to be posting what I'm wearing to Instagram (CinnaofDoom). I'll include patterns and yarns when I have that information. Some of these items are pre-Ravelry (gasp!! There was a time?!?!?!) and I've literally no record. I'm going to hashtag it #YarniaPix2021, feel free to join me!
New Pattern Releases!!
I know, this was also my goal of 2020, and I DID release 14 patterns. I have 6 in various states of readiness for 2021 already! Boom! Also, good pictures are hard.
What are your goals and intentions for 2021??


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Watch here the full coverage of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's first State of the Nation Address at the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City.
Live stream event could start earlier for backgrounders, some behind the scene details and more, but the program proper starts about 2:00 PM, July 25, 2016.
One stark contrast on SONA's of previous presidents is the change in stance and treatment of street protesters mostly stirred by leftist organizations by the police authorities.
Where before buses that carry thousands of protest marchers are blocked from entering Metro Manila or allowing them to reach the periphery of the Batasan, now the atmosphere is different.
Truckloads of sympathizers and members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan coming from Mindanao and the Bicol region were not blocked by soldiers or police officers.
Also members of Gabriela, Kilusang Mayo Uno, and other rally participants are not occupying the streets to protest but to support the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.
The main objective of rallyists would be to deliver support on the progressive and pro-people policies of the president.
It remains to be seen if the President himself will give the street supporters an opportunity to meet him in person either before or after his SONA.
After all the drumroll above, let's now watch the SONA:
Below is the full coverage which include hours before the formal SONA of the president:
We have provided a back-up source, here's the link: PTV4 Live TV
- Road Tour Calabanga: Leaving behind Manguiring - March 6, 2023
- Big FOOT Hangs OVER Peak of MT. ISAROG #short - February 26, 2023
- Watch this Harubay to Manguiring section of Road Tour Calabanga - February 25, 2023


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CAPM legistlative update
S.F. 311 Authors: Johnson (Chief-Author), Hayden, Saxhaug, Ingebrigsten, and Hawj.
- Included in the Senate's Natural Resources, Economic Development, and Agricultural Budget Committee omnibus bill
- We had a strong and diverse group of men and women present to support the bill in committee. Victim advocates were there to testify on the necessity for more resources to help Asian women and their children.
- Please call Senator Tomassoni (Committee Chair) and Senator Johnson (Chief-Author) to thank them for their support and leadership.
- Senator Tomassoni: 651-296-8017
- Senator Johnson: 651-296-2556
H.F. 335 Authors: Clark (Chief-Author), Gunther, Laine, Cornish, Liebling, Hamilton, Ward and Johnson, S., Fischer, Allen, Hilstrom, Norton, Slocum, and Kahn.
- We continue to lobby legislators for their support on this initiative, and work with Representative Clark for this proposal to be brought before conference committee this session.
- Please call Representative Clark to thank her for the incredible leadership and determination she has put forth this session.
- Representative Clark: 651-296-0294
Working Group on Violence Against Asian Women and Children: A collaboration between stakeholder agencies to implement a study on the nature, scope, and prevalence of violence against Asian women and children in Minnesota. A multi-disciplinary advisory group will oversee the study and report back to the Legislature in 2017 on the study's findings and recommendations. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is currently completing the final steps of the contract selection process.
Finance Committee Equity Division: This session marked the establishment of the Equity Subdivision of the Senate Finance Committee. The Equity Committee was charged with reducing the growing economic and racial disparities across Minnesota. On Wednesday evening, Equity Co-Chairs, Senator Hayden and Senator Champion presented a $91 million proposal for programs in economic development, food access, and technical assistance for minority-owned nonprofits and businesses to the Senate Finance Committee.
Women of Color Opportunities Act: Representative Moran introduced the Women of Color Opportunities Act, a multi-faceted approach to increase opportunities for Minnesota's women and girls in our cultural communities to succeed and prosper—in school, in the workforce, and in small business ownership. This package instructs state agencies to implement competitive grant programs for community-based organizations and educational entities that have experience working with women and girls of color. The Council has been supporting Representative Moran and community members to advance the Women of Color Opportunities Act, which continues to gain traction in the Senate.
The Women of Color Opportunities Act includes bills addressing needs in:
- H.F. 3031/S.F. 2885: Increasing the academic success of girls of color, leading to reduced school suspensions, increased on-time high school graduation rates, and pursuit of post-secondary education.
- H.F. 3032/S.F. 2865: Encouraging girls of color to explore and pursue STEM careers.
- H.F. 3033/S.F. 2916: Educating women and girls of color in financial literacy.
Workforce Development:
- H.F. 3098/S.F. 3056: Increasing the number of women of color in high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional jobs—the skilled trades and STEM occupations—through job skills training and apprenticeships.
Small Business Development:
- H.F. 3099/S.F. 2931: Providing small business loans and technical assistance to businesses owned by women of color.
Representative Moran will be hosting a town hall forum with Lt. Governor Tina Smith regarding issues of racial equity for women and girls of color. See the Upcoming Events section below for more information on this important discussion.
We encourage the members of the Asian-Pacific community to contact your legislator to express either support or concern if any of the bills have an impact on you and your community.
Not sure who represents you? Find out here:http://www.gis.leg.mn/
For an explanation on how a bill becomes law in Minnesota, visit our State Legislature's website.
If you have questions about the listed bills, please email the Council's Research Analyst at[email protected].
Hosted by Representative Rena Moran & Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith
When: Wednesday April 27, 6:00-7:30 pm
Where: City View Grille, Saint Paul College
235 Marshall Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55102
Click here for more details.
LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE for the 2016 Asian Leadership Awards Dinner!
When: Friday May 20, 5:00 to 8:00 PM.
Where: Maplewood Community Center
2100 White Bear Ave, Maplewood, MN 55109
Click here for more details.
Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming 2016 Legislative Session Recap Event!
Employment and Economic Development
Human Services
Make your concerns heard!
Community members concerned about the proposed budgets and policies are encouraged to:
Contact CAPM for general inquiries at [email protected]
If you have questions about any bill or wish to testify on any of the listed bills, please email the Council's Research Analyst at[email protected].
Write a letter to your state representative or senator or to the governor. Find your legislator using the state's district finder. View tips and FAQ about writing to your legislator here.