text:
Grandma's Pie Crust
Categories: Desserts, Gluten Free 101, Pies, Recipes, Thanksgiving
Tags: , Allergy Friendly, Dairy Free, Desserts, GFCF, Pie, Pie Crust, Thanksgiving
It seems odd to talk about the latest "fashion" in food, but there really are seasonal and trendy food fashions! Pick up any home or female-focused magazine in any waiting room or grocery store check-out lane and you'll see that "Rustic Pie Crusts" are IN!
This is a great thing, because they are so EASY! No need to double the pie crust recipe, and for those of you who are nervous about lifting the top crust onto the pie filling or fussing with lattice-work, all you do for a rustic crust is roll out your bottom crust, lay it in the pie plate, fill with your favorite fruit, then fold over the edges. Seriously … that's it. Couldn't be easier, and with this recipe, you'll be baking delicious pies all year long!
My crust recipe is literally my grandma's famous flaky pie crust… with only one substitution – the flour! Makes one 8- or 9-inch pie crust; double amounts for a two-crust (slightly more labor-intensive!) pie.
I used to recommend refrigerating this crust before rolling, but I've learned through much trial and error that it is actually much easier to work with the dough if it is allowed to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling out. I've also experimented with different ingredient temperatures, and where I've netted out is that the best, flakiest, easiest to work with crust comes from using super cold shortening AND butter (I like the mixture of both, since they have differing melting points) and very cold water. Recently, I've been using vodka for half of the liquid in the recipe and it works even better! Very easy to roll out, transfer and pinch, and the alcohol bakes out, leaving a flaky crust!
For even more pointers on making pie crusts, watch my video how-to or listen to my Blog Talk Radio show all about pie crusts! See below for step-by-step photos! (See this pie on FOX News DC!)
(I give an option below of using 2 tablespoons of mesquite flour in this recipe. By no means must you use this option, but healthy mesquite flour aids in browning the crust, and it adds a subtle cocoa flavor that is quite pleasant in tarts and pastries.)
1 Pie Crust
- 1 cup (16 Tbs.) Jules Gluten Free™ All-Purpose Flour (OR 14 Tbs. Jules Gluten Free™ All-Purpose Flour + 2 Tbs. Mesquite Flour) – 135 gr total
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tbs shortening, butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Shortening Sticks)
- 3 Tbs butter or non-dairy alternative ( e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 Tbs vodka + 1-2 Tbs cold water OR 3-4 Tbs. cold water
- egg wash (1 egg + 1 Tbs. water) OR milk (dairy or non-dairy) for brushing on crust
To Make the Dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening and butter using a pastry cutter (or the flat paddle attachment on a stand mixer or a food processor). Add the vodka/water gradually to make the consistency you need to form a ball – err on the side of it being wetter rather than crumbly. Form a disc with the dough, wrap in plastic and set aside on the counter for 30 minutes while you make your filling.
Rolling the Dough:
After allowing the dough to rest, roll the pastry out onto a surface dusted well with Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour. A flexible pastry sheet (e.g. Silpat) is ideal for rolling and transferring a crust.
Roll to a diameter at least 1 inch larger than the diameter of your pie pan.
To Transfer the Crust:
1- Gently lift an edge of the rolled out crust over your rolling pin. 2 -With one hand under the baking mat, use the pin in the other hand to lift the crust so that it is supported by the rolling pin as you pull the crust gently off of the baking mat. 3- Transfer gently over the pie plate to center. 4- Drop gently into the plate and press in with floured fingers. 5- Pat into your pan.
For a One Crust Pie, cut the edges of the crust to an even length of approximately 1-inch larger than the diameter of your pie plate.
Gently fold the edges under, then press with a fork or pinch into a fluted design between your fingers.
Fill with your desired filling.
For a Rustic Crust, simply fill with your desired filling, fold the edges over toward the center of the pie, and you're done!
For a Two-Crust Pie, double the ingredients and divide the doubled pie crust dough before setting aside. Shape each half into a disc and wrap each in plastic wrap. Repeat the rolling out steps and lay the crust gently onto the top of the filled pie pan. Cut off all but 1/2 – 1 inch of excess pie crust from around the edge of the pan. For fruit pies, cut small slits in the center of the top crust to allow the hot steam to escape. Brush the crust with egg wash or your milk of choice – this step helps it to brown nicely.
If there are any tears in your top crust, never fear! Simply take leftover crust and use decorative cookie cutters to cut out leaves, pumpkins, etc., wet the backside of each cut-out with a dab of milk, then lay on top of any tears to cover the flaw. Fold approximately 1/2 inch of excess pie crust over all around the edge to form the crust, then using your fingers, press a fluted design in the crust to finish. Cover crust edges with foil or a pie saver to minimize burning. Remove the foil with 10 minutes left of baking.
Single-Crust or Rustic Pie: Preheat oven to 400º F (static). Brush the crust with egg wash or milk, then cover edges with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375º F (static), remove foil, brush again with egg wash or milk and bake an additional 30 minutes, or follow directions for your specific pie recipe. (Cover again with foil if the crust is browning too much during the bake).
Double-Crust Pie: Preheat oven to 400º F (static). Brush the crust with egg wash or milk, then cover edges with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375º F (static), remove foil and brush again with egg wash or milk. Bake an additional 35-45 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling, or follow directions for your specific pie recipe. (Cover again with foil if the crust is browning too much during the bake).
73 Comments
We'd love to hear yours!
Anna said: on October 15, 2010
I make gingerbread and give it as christmas gifts,can you please try to blog a recipe for gluten free gingerbread??
Thank you so much for this blog I really enjoy it.-
Jules said: on October 19, 2010
Absolutely! Gingerbread is definitely on my list of recipes to make for the holidays!
Liz said: on November 7, 2010
Hi Jules! I noticed your recipe says to let the dough rest on the counter for 1/2 an hour. Most crust recipes say to let the dough rest in the fridge for 1/2-1 hour, is there a reason you suggest the counter or would the fridge be ok to? I to am going to practice my pie crust for my first GF thanksgiving. And any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Liz said: on November 7, 2010
Sorry! I didn't read the first part all the way! I tend to get excited about recipes that I forget the read anything else. I usually skip right to the ingredients to make sure I can eat it, long history of other food allergies/aversions. I am making the pie crust now and that's when I read everything in great detail!
Thank you for sharing all your recipes and tricks, it really has made this process so much easier. I truely appreciate your kindness and I boast your products and website to everyone I meet!-
Jules said: on November 7, 2010
Hi Liz,
Glad you saw my note in the intro – I definitely have found the crust dough to be less crumbly when I leave it on the counter to rest than if it's refrigerated. Wishing you and your Thanksgiving pies all the best!
Beth Dinkel said: on October 21, 2010
Hi Jules!!
To get a jump start on my first gluten-free Thanksgiving, I did a test run of your pie crust today- the videos were extremely helpful. My pies LOOK perfect (hooray!!) however, they were hard as a rock. My two-crust pie was filled with apples and lots of sugar and I originally thought that I created a candy coating on the crust (but this hasn't happened in gluten attempts). Is it possible that I have stumbled on a common error that you have also encountered? Thanks!!-
Jules said: on October 21, 2010
Hi Beth,
I was just discussing this phenomenon this morning (while eating a piece of pumpkin pie for breakfast -don't tell!). I'm glad you had success with the pie crusts in terms of rolling them out and how they looked when you were done – that's usually the hardest part!
When I have had crusts turn out too hard, I have typically baked them too long. The exposed crusts on my pumpkin pies, for example, are beautiful and flaky, but not nearly as soft as the part of the crust that is touching the moist pie filling. I always cover my exposed crust edges with a pie saver or aluminum foil to prevent over cooking, but sometimes that's not even enough. One thing to try is covering your entire two-crust pie with foil to help lock in the moisture. I also brush the crusts with milk (dairy or non-dairy) to help them brown, so you may want to remove the cover just at the end of baking if you really want a browner-looking crust. Another tip is to examine the fat you are using. Many folks use Crisco, which may be better or worse for crusts – it just takes some experimenting. I use vegan Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and Shortening Sticks, usually 3 Tbs. buttery sticks to 2 Tbs. shortening sticks. I find that combination helps my crust to be flakier.
Luckily, you've got plenty of time before Thanksgiving to perfect that crust! Experiment with these tips and let us know what works for you!!-
Beth Dinkel said: on October 26, 2010
Thanks Jules!
I tried the pie crust recipe using the Earth Balance products today, and noticed quite an improvement (previously I used Crisco). It also helped to cover loosely with tin foil. I think, with a bit more practice, that I will have a winning pie to serve for Thanksgiving. Thanks for your help!-
Jules said: on October 26, 2010
Yay! Way to go!
Ruby G said: on November 15, 2010
Hi Jules,
I am 15 and am gluten free.I met you at the gluten free fair at the Jefferson County fair grounds this spring/summer with my mother. This is our first gluten free thanksgiving. I have not yet made any of your products but have bought your flower and cookie mix.I do all the cooking/baking in the family. Do you first cook your pie crust and then put in the filling or make the crust and put the filling on top or the raw crust and then bake.-
Jules said: on November 15, 2010
Hi Ruby,
So glad you wrote in and glad we got a chance to meet this summer! Do you have my Thanksgiving ebook? That's got loads of great tips, especially if this is your first gluten-free Thanksgiving! About pies, for pumpkin pie, you simply make the crust, fill it with your pumpkin pie filling and bake all at once. The only time you'd really bake the crust first is for summer-time kinds of frozen pies and things like that. Treat my pie crust recipe like a regular pie crust recipe and follow the directions for your particular pie.
All the best to you and your family this Thanksgiving! I'm sure they're super proud of you doing all the baking in the family – imagine how excited they'll be when you bake awesome foods for them … gluten free!-
Ruby G said: on November 17, 2010
Thank you so much Jules I plan to make your pie crust this Thanksgiving and share it with my friend at school who is also gluten free. I also have put on my wish list for Christmas for some of your E-books.
It sounds great thank you again
Heather said: on November 16, 2010
Thank the Lord for people with the patience to figure out a good flour!!! I ordered the sample of your flour and made pumpkin pie – I've been experimenting with pie crusts for Thanksgiving. I've been texting my gluten free friends all night… my pie crust came out a little hard too… I'm having problems with the needed time to come out with a good pumpkin pie vs. over cooking the crust. I will try some experimentation here with the foil and saver. But I don't care if it's a little hard… I'm going back to the kitchen for another slice!!!! If you haven't guessed… I'm doing the happy dance because of your flour and recipe for pie crust. Placing an order for the big bag tonight!
adit said: on November 23, 2010
Hi Jules,
I bought your flour and am planning on making apple pie and pumpkin pie for the holidays. One question that I have is in your video on making the crust you say to use warm water and on the recipe it says cold water. I know with traditional crust you use ice cold water, but maybe with the GF flour its different? Can you please clarify? Thank you,
Jules said: on November 23, 2010
Yes, it's hard to edit over the videos, but I've done lots of experimenting: cold, cool, warm, hot … refrigerate or not… I've determined that the best method is cold water but let the dough sit, wrapped, for 30 minutes before rolling out — don't refrigerate. Hope that helps!
adit said: on November 24, 2010
thank you for your prompt reply. The house is quiet now (finally with the baby in bed) and am going to make a pumpkin pie. Thanks again
adit said: on November 24, 2010
On more question – can the dough be made in a food processor as opposed to by hand?
Jules said: on November 24, 2010
Yes – certainly! It's actually super easy in the food processor!
Cassy said: on November 24, 2010
Hi Jules!
I am using your crust recipe to make both a pumpkin pie and a french silk. How long do I bake this pie crust with nothing in it to get an empty pie shell? Any suggestions so it doesn't get to hard baking it solo?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jules said: on November 25, 2010
It's ok to follow the directions for the pie recipe contemplating a wheat flour crust.
Grace said: on November 24, 2010
Love Love Love!!!!
This recipeThank you Jule:)
Tina said: on December 27, 2010
Hi, I made my first pie crust Christmas eve and filled with pumpkin. However, the crust that was exposed around the edge of the pie pan was rock hard. The crust on the bottom was quite "tough" and noticeably "tougher to hard" as I neared the edge of the pie toward the outer edge. Also, my pumpkin pulled away quite a bit from the crust when cooled. Help please. Love the flour with everything else I have cooked but my pie was so sad. Thanks.
Jules said: on December 27, 2010
Hi Tina, there are lots of things that can go wrong with a pie crust to make it less than perfect, but don't despair! Look through some of the other comments to this recipe for help as well, but here are a few ideas for you:
First, you could try mixing the crust in a food processor instead of by hand – it helps to get the cold shortening & butter integrated without melting it or over-working it. Also, brush your crust with milk to help it brown but keep it moist. Cover your crust edges with foil so they do not over-bake (excessive pulling away from the sides often means the pie is a bit over-done as well). You may also want to explore what brands of shortening you are using; some work better than others in pie crusts. I like Earth Balance Shortening sticks.
Try some of these tips and don't give up! Crusts can be difficult for anyone to make, even with wheat flour, but they are not impossible and when you get a crust right, it's an amazing achievement!-
Tina said: on December 28, 2010
Thanks so much. Attempting again tomorrow. My sister and family are here for holidays and she is gluten intolerant so we will enjoy. The 1st pumpkin pie was good but I needed advice for the crust. And, now I have it so again thanks. And of course …. Happy 2011.
Helen Weems said: on December 30, 2010
Jules, I am so appreciative of your work. I'm working on pie crust. I could bake a wonder with wheat flour, consistent, light, flaky, tender, perfect. I find that my best gf efforts so far (these were your recipe, to a T) are, while tasty and flaky, somewhat heavy and tough, reminiscent of Pillsbury wheat crusts (at which I used to turn my expert nose up). Do we ever get that light, tender, flaky quality again? Or should I realize that a crust that holds together and CAN be cut with a fork is as good as it gets? Trying not to get too depressed here . . .
Jules said: on December 30, 2010
Hi Helen – thanks so much for your kind words! Don't let the crusts depress you – it sounds like you are exactly the kind of baker who could perfect gluten-free crusts and teach us all a thing or two! My problem is that I make so many different types of things, that I cannot spend as much time as I'd like on every particular type of recipe! Here are some of pie crust learnings (also look below at comments and see if any of those help you!):
-I only use Earth Balance products anymore for my crusts. I find that they produce a lighter crust
-I use part butter (EB Buttery Sticks) and part shortening which have different melting points and thus help produce a flakier crust
-I have tried every different temp for ingredients and go back to having all my pie crust ingredients be really cold; I do not refrigerate the dough before rolling though (it becomes too brittle); instead, I wrap the dough in a disc shape and let it sit out for about 30 min while I make the filling
-Try using a food processor to work the fat into the dry ingredients to help keep it cold and not over-worked
-Don't over-work the dough — no kneading! This will also cause the crust to be more tough and dense
-Brush the exposed crust with milk (dairy or non-dairy) before baking to help it brown – many folks overbake their pies, waiting for them to brown (an overcooked crust is dry and tough)
-Cover crust edges for most of the baking time to prevent them from over-bakingI hope these tips help and please come back and share any you devise with us … we're all perfecting gluten-free baking, together!
cecilia stein said: on March 3, 2011
I often have trouble getting the rolled pastry to release from the surface I roll on, regardless of how much flour I dusted with. My son in law told me this method. Lay plastic wrap on a surface that can be moved. (I use my silpat, but a cutting board or cardboard would work.) Dust the plastic wrap with Jules flour. Place the dough on that, and cover with another layer of wrap that has been dusted with flour…then roll. NOW….move the rolled crust to the freezer for 5-10 minutes! Remove from freezer, and immediately remove top wrap. For bottom crust, invert pie plate on rolled crust and flip. For top crust, lift pastry by the bottom wrap, and invert over pie filling. Peel wrap off pastry. It works for me. (Try to brush excess flour off your rolling surface etc. before you flip, or it will go all over.)
Eva said: on May 15, 2011
Jules, thanks for the great recipe–and of course, for your killer flour! I tried one dough disk refrigerated and one on the counter, but found that they both fell apart rather easily when I tried to transfer them to the dish. No matter, they patched up fine and tasted GREAT with some fresh rhubarb!
Jules said: on May 15, 2011
Eva – so glad you liked it with the rhubarb! Taste and texture are by far the most important things to get right in any recipe, but I'd also love to see the recipe be easier for you. Take a look at some of the comments here from others who have had success with the recipe, and their tips. We all do things a little differently – especially when it comes to pie crusts! – but maybe one of these suggestions will make it easier for you to get it into the pan without patching! LOVE your attitude though, girl! It's all in how you approach the prize! ; )
John O said: on September 11, 2011
I am looking for a pie crust recipe that can be baked and then filled any help I tried the rustic pie crust and it turned out tough.Thanks john
Tami Wessley said: on October 17, 2011
Hi Jules,
Have you used this crust to make individual pot pies? I have a craving and was hoping you had a recipe.
Jules said: on October 21, 2011
Tami – I actually have a delicous Pot Pie recipe in my book, Free For All Cooking. I haven't tried this pie crust in that recipe, but it's certainly worth a try! Please let me know how it turns out if you use it; if not, try my Pot Pie recipe in the cookbook! I love pot pie, and this recipe did not disappoint!
Diana said: on October 26, 2011
I have made this crust 3 times and I can't get it to turn out right. I planned on making the rustic crust all three times and each time I have to assemble it in a pie pan. It falls apart and after I bake it it is very tough. What am I doing wrong? Not enough liquid?
Terra said: on November 18, 2011
This looks so beautiful! I have never had mesquite flour, but definitely excited to try it:-) Take care, Terra
Jules said: on November 20, 2011
Thanks Terra! Let me know how you like it if you try with the mesquite!
April LeValley said: on November 18, 2011
ok.. I always used good old lard that I buy from the Amish community… nice and fresh… have you ever used it in your pie crust? That is how I always made pie crust in the pre-celiac days… and would love to try it with your flour.. any suggestions?
Jules said: on November 20, 2011
April, I haven't tried lard in my crusts, but this is essentially my grandmother's crust recipe and she used to use lard. I remember it being delicious! As long as it's cold, the directions should be the same and I'm sure it will be lovely for you!
Kris said: on November 28, 2011
Jules, I love your flour and recipes! Have you or anyone else made Grandma's Pie Crust recipe using a food processor? I have been successful with regular flour recipes using a processor, but am afraid to try it with your Grandma's recipe!
Many thanks,
Jules said: on November 29, 2011
Kris – I have made this recipe with a food processor, just be careful not to over-process it. The shortening/butter should be worked into the flour + salt but should still be like tiny pebbles throughout. It's easy to over-process using the food processor, but a couple pulses should do it!
PAM GREENFIELD said: on December 3, 2011
FINALLY I made a successful pie crust! Followed your directions to the letter! The resting time is one thing I didn't do – as well as using lard in it too – but this time I used butter and shortening and only your flour. Even though it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to handle (it was more like sugar cookie dough in consistency and not like a standard pie crust) it baked up just fine! And my patching of the tearing and holes was easy to do as well….
Jules said: on December 3, 2011
Pam – way to go! The most important part is that it tasted great when it was baked and sounds like you nailed it! The resting time may help make it easier to handle next time, and it will get easier and easier the more times you make it. Three cheers!
Jane Louca said: on December 4, 2011
Hi Jules:
I'm living in Canada and was so disappointed to see that you do not ship to Canada. Would I be able to get your e-books via email? Do you think your recipes would work with other gluten free flours?
Jules said: on December 5, 2011
Hi Jane, yes it's been a huge source of frustration for us not to be able to ship to Canada yet. The logistics & costs are just prohibitive at this point, but we're working on it! To answer about the ebooks, yes, we can definitely email the ebooks to you – just send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com indicating that you want to order an ebook and they'll get back with you. They have to put the order through for you because the system wants to automatically say that a Canadian address is ineligible. We do it all the time though, so just send an email. As for using my recipes with another GF flour, I can't say for sure because they're all different, but the flour must already have the xanthan gum in it. I have lots of recipes for making a good all purpose mix containing xanthan gum, so I'd recommend going that route for sure. I hear from lots of folks who follow my recipes to make flour & then use it in my food recipes with great success! Check out any of my books for those recipes!
Judy osmun said: on December 10, 2011
I made 4 pies at Thanksgiving in Golden Colorado with your recipe — which had been very succseful in Arkansas and becaucuse I did not consider the altitude we had to cut the crust with a kitchen scissors. Fortunately — everyone had a very good since of humor. We need some advice on what to do in this situation. I love your recipes and your blog
Judy Osmun -
Barbara Samuelson said: on December 12, 2011
In a single-crust pastry, I use 1/2 teaspoon of butter flavoring as part of the liquid to give a nice buttery taste. Also, to avoid the crust over-baking before the filling bakes, I've found it works really well to put a HOT filling into the crust, giving the baking process a kick-start. For a pumpkin pie, I pre-bake the crust 10 minutes to prevent a soggy crust, meanwhile microwaving the filling during the last 2 to 3 minutes of the crust's pre-baking, give a quick stir to blend any thickening that may have started, pour it into the crust, and protect edges with foil. For a fruit pie, I cook or preheat the filling a bit in a saucepan before pouring into the crust. On deep-dish apple pies, that also helps to prevent the air space you sometimes get when the raw apples cook down from the top pastry.
Jules said: on December 12, 2011
Thanks for sharing your tips, Barbara!
Missy said: on January 6, 2012
Since being diagnosed with celiac disease I have been searching for a pie crust recipe that was close to my Moms' without having very much luck. Was just about ready to give up when I tried Grandma's. It was GREAT and now I can get back to my pie making! Thanks Jules.
TXEdie said: on January 14, 2012
I made the recipe — smooth, flexible dough — fit it into the pie pan, covered with a top crust, fluted a beautiful edge…and baked. It was golden brown and gorgeous.
Then, cut the first piece — TRIED to cut the first piece! The dough was like saddle leather, hard to cut with a sharp knife, so you can imagine what it was like to try to eat it.
I made it with enough water to keep it smooth and flexible — would crumbly have yielded better results?
Jules said: on January 16, 2012
TXEdie – Not sure what would have caused those kinds of results with the pie crust. Perhaps there was too much water, or you worked the pastry too much. It sounds like it might have been overbaked, as well. Why don't you email email@example.com and they'll walk through what you did and see if they can make suggestions specific to your method so you can have a beautiful flaky crust next time!!
Kristin said: on September 29, 2013
I was so excited to try my first GF pie crust. Oh how I miss pie… I followed the recipe exactly, except used real butter and Crisco for shortening. I saw a neat trick on another website for rolling out the dough…put your disk inside a gallon sized ziploc bag and roll. Then cut the bag open and peel off. It should come off easily if you go slowly. Then there is no need for all that extra dusting of flour everywhere. Anyway, I was making a double crust for an apple pie. I thought the consistency was great. I rubbed some milk on it, sprinkled some cinnamon sugar on top, and covered the edge with a pie guard, until the last 10 minutes or so. After baking, my pie was gorgeous. Picture perfect. However, the crust was tough and chewy. It tasted pretty close to normal and did not have that gritty or GF taste that some pastries do that are GF, but the edges were almost non-edible they were so tough. The bottom was soggy, but that may have been because I put a cookie sheet under my pie about 1/2 way through baking because the filling was spilling out all over the bottom of my oven and making a mess. I was thinking this recipe for crust would actually make better dumplings or sugar cookies. Anyway, thanks Jules for helping us GF people be able to try to eat like we all used to!
Jules Shepard said: on September 30, 2013
Hi Kristin, thanks for sharing all this information and pie crust ideas. Since you seem like the type who likes to experiment, have you tried making the crust recipe with vodka as part of the liquid? I've found that it not only makes the crust easier to work with, but it also adds tenderness. The pie crust guard is another great tool – maybe next time don't take it off at all, and brush extra milk on those edges as it bakes. Keep me posted with our experimenting!!
Tina said: on January 30, 2012
I love this recipe!! Sometimes I find I have to use more water to make it more workable, but always d 411elish!!
Jules said: on January 30, 2012
Tina – so glad you love the recipe!!!!
Karen Torkelson said: on May 5, 2012
Is there a recipe for a crust to make a fruit Pizza? My Granddaughter said she loves fruit pizza but can't eat it anymore. I know the crust usually made from a roll of dough and then spread out on a pizza tray (usually sweeter) and a cream cheese mixture is on top with fruit. Thank You,
Jules said: on May 6, 2012
Karen – I have a recipe in my newest cookbook, Free for All Cooking, for a Strawberry-Fig Pie with a crust made from pecans, figs and vanilla. It would be perfect for your fruit pizza recipe. Otherwise, you can use one of my rolled sugar cookie recipes as the crust. Enjoy!
Christine said: on September 3, 2012
What if I can't find the mesquite flour, can I substitute something else or add the same amount of your all-purpose? Thanks!
Jules said: on September 3, 2012
Hi Christine, yes, just add the same amount of my All Purpose GF flour. Enjoy!
Lynn said: on November 29, 2012
Tried the pie crust recipe this Thanksgiving with a few adjustments after reading in the comments that it tended to be dry/crumbly. Success! I made it for me and my brother but everyone loved it! I modified my old "never fail" recipe. First, even tho it was for a double crust pie, I didn't double, I made each separately. My simple changes were as follows: When adding the cold water, don't add all at once and add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg's) and about 1/3 of a fork beaten egg. Use the other two thirds for the next crust and with a bit of water for the egg wash on the crust. Then add more of the cold water if needed to make a nice ball that is not crumbly. This is for each crust. I also didn't "overhandle" the dough and rolled it out only once.
Jules said: on November 29, 2012
Fantastic, Lynn! Great to hear!
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The coming evangelical collapse
An anti-Christian chapter in Western history is about to begin. But out of the ruins, a new vitality and integrity will rise.
(Page 2 of 2)
•Aggressively evangelistic fundamentalist churches will begin to disappear.
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•Charismatic-Pentecostal Christianity will become the majority report in evangelicalism. Can this community withstand heresy, relativism, and confusion? To do so, it must make a priority of biblical authority, responsible leadership, and a reemergence of orthodoxy.
•Evangelicalism needs a "rescue mission" from the world Christian community. It is time for missionaries to come to America from Asia and Africa. Will they come? Will they be able to bring to our culture a more vital form of Christianity?
•Expect a fragmented response to the culture war. Some Evangelicals will work to create their own countercultures, rather than try to change the culture at large. Some will continue to see conservatism and Christianity through one lens and will engage the culture war much as before – a status quo the media will be all too happy to perpetuate. A significant number, however, may give up political engagement for a discipleship of deeper impact.
Is all of this a bad thing?
Evangelicalism doesn't need a bailout. Much of it needs a funeral. But what about what remains?
Is it a good thing that denominations are going to become largely irrelevant? Only if the networks that replace them are able to marshal resources, training, and vision to the mission field and into the planting and equipping of churches.
Is it a good thing that many marginal believers will depart? Possibly, if churches begin and continue the work of renewing serious church membership. We must change the conversation from the maintenance of traditional churches to developing new and culturally appropriate ones.
The ascendency of Charismatic-Pentecostal-influenced worship around the world can be a major positive for the evangelical movement if reformation can reach those churches and if it is joined with the calling, training, and mentoring of leaders. If American churches come under more of the influence of the movement of the Holy Spirit in Africa and Asia, this will be a good thing.
Will the evangelicalizing of Catholic and Orthodox communions be a good development? One can hope for greater unity and appreciation, but the history of these developments seems to be much more about a renewed vigor to "evangelize" Protestantism in the name of unity.
Will the coming collapse get Evangelicals past the pragmatism and shallowness that has brought about the loss of substance and power? Probably not. The purveyors of the evangelical circus will be in fine form, selling their wares as the promised solution to every church's problems. I expect the landscape of megachurch vacuity to be around for a very long time.
Will it shake lose the prosperity Gospel from its parasitical place on the evangelical body of Christ? Evidence from similar periods is not encouraging. American Christians seldom seem to be able to separate their theology from an overall idea of personal affluence and success.
The loss of their political clout may impel many Evangelicals to reconsider the wisdom of trying to create a "godly society." That doesn't mean they'll focus solely on saving souls, but the increasing concern will be how to keep secularism out of church, not stop it altogether. The integrity of the church as a countercultural movement with a message of "empire subversion" will increasingly replace a message of cultural and political entitlement.
Despite all of these challenges, it is impossible not to be hopeful. As one commenter has already said, "Christianity loves a crumbling empire."
We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born. I expect to see a vital and growing house church movement. This cannot help but be good for an evangelicalism that has made buildings, numbers, and paid staff its drugs for half a century.
We need new evangelicalism that learns from the past and listens more carefully to what God says about being His people in the midst of a powerful, idolatrous culture.
I'm not a prophet. My view of evangelicalism is not authoritative or infallible. I am certainly wrong in some of these predictions. But is there anyone who is observing evangelicalism in these times who does not sense that the future of our movement holds many dangers and much potential?
• Michael Spencer is a writer and communicator living and working in a Christian community in Kentucky. He describes himself as "a postevangelical reformation Christian in search of a Jesus-shaped spirituality." This essay is adapted from a series on his blog, InternetMonk.com.

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Item## APB
…immune system. * L. rhamnosus: the premier "travel probiotic"—reduces occurrences of traveler's diarrhea. * L. plantarum: produces hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a weapon to protect your body. Plus, five more strains including L. paracasei, L. salivarius, L. gasseri, B. bifidum, and B. infantis…


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Leave it to director Michael Haneke to expertly explore the dark and disturbing side of human behavior. Not as terrifying as "Happy Games" (German 1997, U.S. 2007), "The White Ribbon" scares on a much more subtle level as its audience is left to ponder: What happened and why?
The film is set in a rural farming village just prior to World War I. A former teacher recounts a series of inexplicable and violent events, which shattered the tightly knit community. A wire strung between two trees causes the town doctor to be thrown from his horse. A farmer's wife dies after falling through rotten floorboards. The baron's son is kidnapped, bound and lashed with a whip. A barn is set afire and a worker hangs himself — just for starters. Are these merely coincidental accidents or malevolent acts perpetrated by some evil force lurking within their confines?
The horror and perplexity felt by the villagers force them to ask the unthinkable. Their authoritarian and strictly religious society is rocked to its core knowing that someone among them is responsible for the heinous crimes. But as the story unfolds, we learn that almost anyone, including the children, are capable of such evil.
Haneke's films often ask why bad things happen to good people. And, yet, can we be certain that these people are actually good? The dichotomy works well for this masterful director. The fear that exists in his work is the worst kind because it's happening to ordinary people. They could very well be you or me.
Each frame in "The White Ribbon" is a work of art. The exquisite cinematography by the gifted Christian Berger is beyond stunning. Shot in monochromatic black and white, the dark subject matter seems emphasized by the lack of color. Ironically, all of the scenes were originally shot in color and then altered to black and white post-production.
"The White Ribbon" has already won the Golden Palm at Cannes last year, a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film this year and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. I'm fairly sure, given so many accolades, this is one of the must-see films for 2010.
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Tick Tock
Daylight Saving Time starts 2 a.m. Sunday, so be sure to set your alarm accordingly. -
Good vibrations
The Tabernacle Christian School middle school student Lauren Medred, an East County resident, earned top vocal honors, taking first place in vocal solo female category of the Florida League of Christian School's Festival of the Academics and Arts Feb. 28 and March 1 at Southeastern University in Lakeland. -
Tech takeover
Manatee County schools dominated a state technology competition with five of six top-three finishes earned by Manatee County schools during the 35th annual Technology Student Association State Competition late February.


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By Natalie Roberts, Lawrence Graham LLP
The Bribery Act 2010 has been hailed as the biggest overhaul of Britain's bribery laws in more than a century and brings the UK's anti-corruption laws into line with North America and Europe. Big businesses with multiple offices and international operations are most at risk in areas such as the new corporate offence of failing to prevent bribery, facilitation payments and director liability.
Individuals can be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years for paying or receiving a bribe and companies can face fines and possibly also a permanent ban from tendering for government contracts across the EU. The Bribery Act has now been in force for two months, but a QBE survey shows that half of businesses have taken no action at all.
Is it likely that the enforcement agencies will take a tough stance on such businesses or, in this new era of consolidation and regulatory reform, are they spending more time trying to save themselves?
The Enforcement Bodies
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have been tasked with policing the Bribery Act. The SFO must prove bribery to a criminal standard, but the FSA need only show that companies do not have tight enough procedures and that bribery could have taken place. The FSA and SFO are eager to bring at least one or two successful prosecutions or enforcement actions in the next 12 to 18 months, if not sooner. No doubt they have already identified some promising cases and are actively gathering intelligence.
However, after a series of u-turns, policy changes and Whitehall infighting, these financial crime-fighting bodies have been seriously weakened. Some critics have questioned whether they now have the necessary resources to effectively police the Act and other anti-corruption laws.
With the aim of "fixing" the financial system, the coalition Government last year announced a consolidation of the economic crime enforcers and a shake-up of the financial regulators. The plan outlined a new Economic Crime Agency (ECA) which would be created from parts of the Office of Fair Trading, the enforcement division of the FSA and all of the SFO, while financial regulation would no longer be shared between the FSA, Bank of England (BoE) and the Treasury, but would be centralised under the control of the BoE.
Economic Crime
A year on and the Home Office is now tasked with leading the reforms and is in charge of creating a new body called the National Crime Agency (NCA).1 This new Agency will be a specialist police force replacing the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and the National Policing Improvement Agency by 2013. It is intended that the NCA will co-ordinate the agencies that tackle economic crime and will be tasked with fighting organised crime, cybercrime, fraud and illegal immigration. The NCA will co-ordinate information across all police forces and borders and NCA officers will have police, customs and immigration powers.
The Home Office has also taken over the project of creating the ECA from the Treasury. The ECA may be incorporated into the NCA. It is unclear how these two bodies will interact, but the Home Office has made it clear that the NCA is to take the lead on organised crime.
The Home Office was considering plans for a transfer of the SFO's responsibility for the investigation of complex fraud cases to the NCA and responsibility for taking cases to court to the Crown Prosecution Service. The proposals were heavily criticised and after much lobbying by senior politicians and the SFO director, Richard Alderman, the Home Office and Government appear to have changed their plans. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, confirmed in a recent press interview that the SFO would not be forming part of the new body. The SFO is seeking clarification of its status following this u-turn. Ms May said that she would review in due course what the appropriate relationship is with the SFO and the NCA. The FSA's enforcement and financial crime division as well as the OFT will similarly not form part of the NCA.
As a result of the organisation's uncertain future, the SFO has faced a spate of high-level departures, including Vivian Robinson, the SFO's general counsel and Charlie Monteith, the regulator's head of policy and the man who led the agency's work on the Bribery Act. Additionally, a selection of senior investigators have left, and the agency is now looking to fill approximately 50 vacancies.
The SFO is notoriously overstretched, its budget having been cut from £53 million in 2008 to £34 million this year. It has ring-fenced just £2 million against enforcement actions and is currently working on over 80 cases according to its website.
The Future of the SFO
The Home Secretary has confirmed that the SFO will not be put on a 12 month probationary period, although she has not said what the future holds for the organisation. Alderman is now lobbying for greater legal powers making it easier to secure convictions and funding in order to rebuild the SFO. The Attorney General is looking into allowing the SFO to enter into deferred prosecution agreements, and to use tools such as plea bargaining with defendants as well as financial penalties to try avoiding costly and time-consuming trials. The SFO also plans to push for the Government to review the current judicial review system, under which defendants or third parties can go to court to challenge its investigations, leading to lengthy delays. However, one of Alderman's first priorities must be to recruit up to 50 investigators and lawyers to replace all those who have recently left. A difficult task when the SFO has little resources to offer competitive salaries compared with those paid in private practice.
Financial Regulation
As with the SFO, the FSA's future is also uncertain. Chancellor George Osborne launched a consultation "A New Approach to Financial Regulation: Building a Stronger System"2 in February 2011 which provided details on the Government's proposals to abolish the FSA and transfer financial regulation back to the BoE and three new focused bodies: the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) responsible for macro-prudential supervision, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) covering regulation of financial services firms and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) responsible for the regulation of more than 24,000 firms. The consultation document outlined that the FCA is due to take over the FSA's financial crime remit in early 2013 as part of a reorganisation of financial services regulation.
The FPC has been heralded as the innovation that will fill the gaps revealed by the financial crisis. It will ensure financial stability by monitoring broader risks in financial markets and identifying excesses and vulnerabilities, while the PRA will focus on the largest institutions and will interact regularly with them and challenge them. The idea is to shift away from rule based, box-ticking to judgement based regulation.
In its July 2010 consultation paper, the Treasury had said that it would consider transferring responsibility for prosecuting offences such as insider dealing to the ECA.3 In February, an article written by Margaret Cole, interim managing director at the FSA's conduct business unit, talked about the FSA's criminal enforcement powers and how they would be transferred to the FCA.4 However, documents leaked to the press in May revealed that the Home Office is proposing to transfer responsibility for enforcement cases such as insider dealing to the NCA. The split proposed by the Home Office may be in order to separate out investigation of regulatory breaches from criminal cases. Critics have said that enforcement should stay with the regulator especially given the progress that the FSA has made on pursuing insider dealing cases under Cole's leadership. They are wary that the NCA will focus more on high-profile cases such as counter-terrorism and drug rings with financial crime enforcers struggling for resources.
Tracey McDermott, the FSA's acting director of enforcement and financial crime, has said that the new agency would pursue the same key financial crime objectives as the FSA has done. These are: "1) to keep crooks out of finance; 2) to encourage industry to strengthen its defences; and 3) to educate and warn consumers about the dangers they may face."5
McDermott announced the FSA's review of banks' controls over higher-risk business relationships and situations.6 She sent a clear message to private banks that the FSA and, in turn, the FCA will not accept banks' financial crime controls that are weak and failing to meet the requirements. Banks were criticised for failing to 1) take allegations of corruption made by credible sources seriously and 2) spot serious allegations of corruption found by simple Google searches. The report's findings concluded that some banks appeared unwilling to turn away, or exit, very profitable business relationships despite there being an unacceptable risk of handling the proceeds of crime. The report concludes that banks continue to ignore or circumvent the legal and regulatory framework in order to pursue lucrative clients and that a number of the weaknesses identified are the same as, or similar to, those identified in the FSA's report in March 2001.
The FSA, in contrast with the SFO, has remained relatively intact despite the recent Government u-turns. It has an enforcement budget of £68 million. It secured its first boiler room fraud conviction in June this year7 and it has recently started bringing criminal insider-dealing cases and in 2010/11 achieved five criminal convictions. It also levied 15 penalties for market abuse in 2010/11 and with its marked effort to bring more prosecutions, has 13 cases set for trial before April 2012. The FSA is determined that the UK banking system should be clean and not a place where criminals can launder money and has said that it may undertake a follow-up thematic review of the banks' systems and controls. The FSA warns that as a result of its review, it has already referred two cases to its enforcement division and will not waste any time referring more companies found to be failing for enforcement action.
A Realistic Approach
In some aspects, the Bribery Act goes much further than other anti-corruption laws. For example, facilitation payments, which are payments made to foreign officials in order to secure basic, non-discretionary services and which are permitted under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, are illegal. The SFO has recognised that these payments are a global problem that cannot be solved overnight and that the process of eradicating such payments may take a few years to fully implement. Alderman has said that the SFO's aspiration is that companies generally should move towards zero tolerance over a period of time, and the Government guidance states that while facilitation payments remain illegal, payments not considered "serious" may not attract prosecution.
Despite its internal turmoil, the SFO is pooling its resources and maintaining a strong public image. Along with allowing itself a grace period in which to bring enforcement actions against businesses paying facilitation payments, it is encouraging companies to whistle-blow on their foreign competitors which beat them by paying bribes. Through these and other measures, the SFO is delegating a great deal of its remit and working with the UK and foreign governments to try to stamp out official corruption. Ministry of Justice officials have pledged to encourage local embassies to assist in the crackdown of extortion. Diplomatic complaints, visa bans for corrupt officials and aid cuts could be used as a means to stop bribery and corruption.
Alderman has said that any businesses facing demands for bribes should ask the Government for help. He is encouraging businesses to work with others in their sectors to stop the demand for bribes and to co-operate with the authorities. The SFO will allow a grace period for compliance as long as companies adopt an open policy with the agency. It has said that it is less likely to open an investigation if the company has communicated to the SFO that it is committed to zero tolerance in due course. In the event bribery is discovered, the SFO is also encouraging firms to self-report, in which case, they may only be subject to civil penalties if they can persuade the SFO that they are committed to reform and that senior people were not personally culpable. The SFO has also said that it will be working closely with the FSA and that it could pass on relevant information to the regulator. FSA-regulated firms should therefore consider whether to approach the FSA before passing through the SFO's doors.
Forces to be Reckoned With
In an age where there is a lot of momentum to prosecute white collar crime and to prosecute those found guilty of paying and receiving bribes, businesses would be foolish to ignore the recent reforms and the Bribery Act. Despite the recent political turmoil, with the coming into force of the Bribery Act, the FSA and the SFO have maintained their strong public image. Now, armed with the tools to combat economic crime, they are still a force to be reckoned with.
Lastly, we expect that it will soon be very common for major banks, governments and international institutions to insist on anti-bribery procedures being in place before investing, lending or doing other business with counterparties. These procedures are very quickly becoming the norm, rather than the exception, and those without them in 12 months time may find themselves both vulnerable and rather lonely.
Natalie Roberts is an associate in Lawrence Graham LLP's Dispute Resolution practice and a member of its anti-corruption group. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7759 6673; E-mail: email@example.com.
This document and any discussions set forth herein are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice, which has to be addressed to particular facts and circumstances involved in any given situation. Review or use of the document and any discussions does not create an attorney-client relationship with the author or publisher. To the extent that this document may contain suggested provisions, they will require modification to suit a particular transaction, jurisdiction or situation. Please consult with an attorney with the appropriate level of experience if you have any questions. Any tax information contained in the document or discussions is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for purposes of avoiding penalties imposed under the United States Internal Revenue Code. Any opinions expressed are those of the author. Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliated entities do not take responsibility for the content in this document or discussions and do not make any representation or warranty as to their completeness or accuracy.
©2011 Bloomberg Finance L.P. All rights reserved. Bloomberg Law Reports ® is a registered trademark and service mark of Bloomberg Finance L.P.


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Image Number: 0104-0702-0719-4421
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Keywords: art print, art prints, clipart, clip art, image, images, picture, pictures, posters, photo, photos, poster, photograph, photographs, stock photo, stock photos, stock photography, web graphics , anders dahl, asteraceae, bloom, blooming, botanic, botanical, botany, bulb flower, bushy, closeup, cup shaped petals, dahlia, dahlia pam howden, dahlia pinnata, detail, details, fall, flora, floral, flower, flowers, garden flower, hybrid, hybrids, lb, light blend, macro, ornamental flower, pam howden, perennial, petals, summer, toni lankerd, tuber, tuberous flower, tuberous perennial, waterlily, waterlily dahlia, waterlily flower, waterlily type flower, wl, yellow and orange, yellow and orange dahlia, yellow and orange flower
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Price: $29.99
Experience the classic story of "The Three Little Pigs" again and again. This storytelling set includes three soft fabric nesting houses with self-stick fabric closures, a "fall-through" chimney, three squeaking pigs, a wolf and a story sheet! Color coordinate the pigs and houses for added, matching fun! Easy-grasp play figures wipe clean.
Dimensions: 16" x 5.5" x 11.5" Packaged


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Coupons can not be applied to all brands, in some cases our agreements with manufacturers do not allow the use of Cymax coupons. If you have tried to apply a coupon to your cart, it could be that the manufacturer has chosen to restrict retailers from offering coupons for their products.
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For more information about coupons, please call us toll free 866-740-9830, and talk to an expert.
The Uniflame Outdoor Square LP Gas Fireplace with Tile Mantel is a beautiful accent to any outdoor patio. It features 40,000 BTU's with a multi-spark ignition for easy starting. The fireplace also features a handcrafted metal tile mantel, a hidden control panel, and easy assembly.
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George W. Bush was passing through an airplane terminal and he noticed an old man in a long white robe, with a long white beard, long white hair and carrying two stone tablets in his arms.
He approached the man and asked reverently, "Aren't you Moses?"
But the man wouldn't listen to him and continued walking. George asked him again, ''Aren't you Moses?''
The old man continued ignoring him, even turning his back on little Bush. George grabs the man's arm, looks him right in the eye and insists, "Answer me -- Aren't you Moses?"
The man replies, "I'm not saying a thing! The last time I spoke to a Bush I ended up roaming the desert for 40 years!"
Watch highlights.
Unlimited streams and downloads of the best stand-up specials for just $5.
Visit our CC Live page for live comedy events near you.


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Stay Informed Knowledge is power! CanWEA delivers news on the latest developments in the Canadian wind energy industry. Learn more.
Did you know? A passion for the issues surrounding global warming has brought Canadian super model Neve Campbell to Calgary to star in Burn Up, an environmental thriller.
WindSight Fall 2013 Conference '13 Highlights
home > media centre > news releases
Ottawa, July 29 2010 The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) and the New Brunswick government will partner for the organization of a wind energy seminar on September 22-23 2010 in Moncton, NB. Entitled Growing Wind in Atlantic Canada: Cooperative Solutions for Regional and Export Opportunities, the seminar will look at solutions to maximize the development of the wind industry in the Atlantic region as provinces seek to develop wind and reap the social, economic and environmental benefits that this development brings.
The Atlantic Provinces have some of the best wind resources in the world, and they sit right next to the U.S. Northeast, an area with a tremendous demand for green energy says CanWEA President Robert Hornung. This seminar will look at ways that increased regional cooperation can help wind play a larger role not only in satisfying growing Atlantic energy demand, but also in accessing US green power markets and the huge economic opportunities they represent.
The seminar comes at a critical time as momentum builds towards greater cooperation in the region on energy issues, and as New Brunswick develops as an energy hub for Atlantic Canada.
We are very happy to partner with the Government of New Brunswick in organizing this event and I would like to thank Minister Jack Keir for his continued leadership in driving provincial and regional wind energy development, concluded Mr. Hornung.
CanWEA is the voice of Canadas wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy on behalf of its more than 400 members. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canadas leading source of credible information about wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits. To join other global leaders in the wind energy industry, CanWEA believes Canada can and must reach its target of producing 20 per cent or more of the countrys electricity from wind by 2025. The document Wind Vision 2025 Powering Canadas Future is available at www.canwea.ca.
For more information: Ulrike Kucera, Media Relations Officer, CanWEA Direct: 613 234-8716 ext. 228 Mobile: 613 867-4433


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Last year we reviewed the Philips Fidelio L1 headphones, a $299 full-size model that our reviewer Steve Guttenberg described as beautifully built and a true audiophile headphone that sounds sweet with portable audio devices and home hi-fi systems.
However, due to its size, the L1 model isn't suited to mobile use, whereas the step-down M1 -- true to the "M" in its name -- is.
The M1 on-ear headphones feature a fairly slick and lightweight design, as well as a notably comfortable fit. They also sound quite decent, offering clear, well-balanced sound that fans of more natural-sounding headphones will like.
Design and features
What I liked about the M1s is that they fit snugly but didn't put too much pressure on your ears. There's some memory foam in the earcups, which helps increase the comfort factor, and the headphones are fairly lightweight, though they manage to feel sturdy at the same time.
The headphone cord is detachable but it doesn't detach from the earpiece -- rather, the cord is integrated into the earpiece, but the connector is situated a few inches down the cord. The placement does make the cord a little easier to detach, but some people prefer cords that connect directly to the earpiece.
The cord is cloth-covered and seems sturdy, and what's nice is that it doesn't make any noise when it rubs against your clothing. Some cloth-covered cords do.
The cord has an inline one-button inline remote and microphone. Tap the button twice and your track skips forward. Tap it three times and it skips back. It also serves as a call/end answer button for cell-phone calls. (There are no volume controls).
The headphones fold flat, but don't fold up. A simple but nice carrying pouch is included.


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KeKe Wyatt
More famous for stabbing her ex-husband than her incredible voice, KeKe is a prisoner of her insanity-fueled past.
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Forever A Boo Thang: 9 Celebrity Couples Who Dated Forever But Never Got Married


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Mount Desert Island:Somesville Chalet near Bar Harbor in Acadia
- bedrooms 4
- baths 2
- sleeps 6
- pool no
- hot tub no
- pets allowed no
- type House
- community
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 1,200 - $ 1,400 / week
$ 4,000 - $ 4,000 / month
vacation rental description
Friends and/or family traveling together?Our Private, Cozy Pine Chalet has 2 kitchens and 2 baths, and 2 bedrooms on each level. The acres of forest are just minutes from Bar Harbor and The National Park Activities. Our 4 bedroom chalet is sited acres of land that share a border with Acadia National Park. It's central location on MDI is about 1/2 mile outside the historic village of Somesville and about an hour's drive from the Bangor International Airport...(only 15 minutes drive from the Bar Harbor airport).
The upper level has 2 bedrooms, full bath w/laundry, fully applianced kitchen. Range, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, small appliances. Sliding doors off open living-dining room lead to a wide private upper deck. (Gas log Fireplace).
The inside stairway (and also a separate outside entry) leads to a lower level with another kitchen, more living space, 2 more bedrooms, bath w/shower, solar entry room, and lower deck.
Hot Air Furnace, linens, dishes, TV,VCR,DVD,phone, (FREE local calls), FREE INTERNET ACCESS AT COTTAGE. We provide WiFi internet access plus a connecting cable (if needed)… but do not guarantee service or provide tech support. FREE wireless also available at local libraries, museums. and local internet cafe's.
BTW..we locals are 'wicked excited' about the new cell tower that was recently constructed in Somesville!
(#1) Upper bdrm: King (#2) Twin bunks. (#3) Lower bdrm: 2 Twins (#4) twin bunks.
NO smoking, NO pets, Maximum occupancy 6 people
VISA/MC accepted
property availability
Last modified on 03-9-2014 at 10:58 PM.
email owner view full calendar
E.Pat Foster 207-244-9251
house rental amenities
Like to dine at home? The cottage is fully equipped with plenty of dishes(Small and large appliances in each kitchen).There are 2 living levels and 2 separate kitchens. Plenty of parking and acres of privacy just minutes from Bar Harbor and Acadia.
Because of the private well and septic, maximum occupancy preferred:6 people (Sorry...no pets permitted. If you want to bring your Canine Kids, contact me to reserve your spot at our "Dog Friendly Maine' cabins in Hall Quarry)
activities and attractions in Acadia Maine
Located just minutes from the local villages and Acadia National Park.
National Park Service Island Explorer bus drives by the entrance to our home (Rt.198 pickup). ..and makes frequent stops at the near campground (located 'just down the road').
vacation rental rates
Spring/Fall $1200 Week ($225 pro-rated daily. 3 day minimum, based on availability)
Summer (June/July/August) $1400
8% sales tax. VISA/MC/Discover accepted
contact me for special online discounts offered ($25@ day...$50 week coupons)
*Special additional credits offered to our active military and VA guests *(Bob and I THANK YOU for serving our country.)
E.Pat Foster 207-244-9251
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Learn more in our Security CenterTop things to do in Acadia
- Explore the Park Trails and Carriage Roads
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- Carriage Rides w/Tea and Popovers for Dessert :)
Top things to do on a budget
- Hike and bike on the carriage roads
- Explore the island on the FREE bus service
- Walk the beaches and swim in the lakes
- Check out the museums & historic buildings
- Enjoy the peace, tranquility & incredible views
Top things to do with a family
- Local Blueberrry & Strawberry festivals:July4th Lobster Races
- Picnic, hike, boat, swim in the National Park
- Visit the museums, libraries, historic sites
- Explore the outer islands:Boat rides and fishing trips
- Roam around the quaint village shops
E.Pat Foster , owner


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Rabies Challenge Fund
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Behind a complete-game shutout from pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and back-to-back homers from Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher, the New York Yankees topped the Texas Rangers, 3-0, Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Kuroda no-hit the Rangers through six innings, but infielder Elvis Andrus' infield single to lead off the seventh broke up Kuroda's no-hit bid. Kuroda would give up one more hit to Michael Young in the eighth inning.
Rangers starter Matt Harrison was strong in his 6 1/3 innings pitched, and was only credited with one earned run. Reliever Alexi Ogando surrendered the back-to-back blasts to Teixeira and Swisher in the bottom of the seventh inning after Jeter reached to chase Harrison.
Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers pitched a scoreless eighth inning to hold the Yankees' lead at three, but the Rangers were unable to score against Kuroda.
The Yankees have now taken the first two games in a four-game set in the Bronx. The series continues Wednesday as the Rangers' Scott Feldman and the Yankees' Freddy Garcia square off at 7 p.m.
For more Yankees coverage from SB Nation, visit Pinstripe Alley.


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Great second-date ideas in NYC: Where to have a fun second date
Now that you feel more comfortable, plan a more involved outing at these great spots for a second date in NYC.
Tue Jan 29 2013
Once you get past first-date awkwardness, planning a second date can actually be kind of fun. Use these great second-date ideas to craft a fun outing: Get to know each other by looking through the shelves at Molasses Books, or plan a classy outing at the French Institute Alliance Française's free First Tuesdays.
RECOMMENDED: More great dates in NYC 2013
Giggle (and pig out) at the Stand
- Critics choice
If you ended the first date swapping lines from your favorite episodes of Mr. Show, keep the comedy-nerd sparks going at this new club. The lack of a drink minimum at the tables is as refreshing as the signature cocktails, which include the Boozler ($13), a combination of Ransom Old Tom gin, tarragon, ginger liqueur and pear puree. Snack on small plates, such as Tater-Tot nachos ($13), while watching local comics, such as Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo and Wyatt Cenac.
- 239 Third Ave, (between 19th and 20th Sts), 10003
Class it up during FIAF First Tuesdays
- Price band: 1/4
- Critics choice
Show that you're a sophisticated, suave mate (even if you're totally not) by suggesting an outing to the French Institute Alliance Française's free open house. On the first Tuesday of the month (6–8:30pm), the cultural institution opens its doors—and uncorks the wine—for Francophiles, relieving you of the itinerary-planning pressure. Learn to say hot-sounding phrases during an instructor-led beginner French lesson, then grab a glass of vin in Le Skyroom, an eighth-floor event space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking midtown Manhattan.
- 22 E 60th St, (between Madison and Park Aves)
Go for drunk brunch and visit an artsy Soho spot
Don't get stuck making nervous conversation while you wait an hour for brunch: Book reservations for drunch—drunk brunch—at Fatta Cuckoo (63 Clinton St between Rivington and Stanton Sts; 212-353-0570, fattacuckoo.com). For $25, you'll get an entrée—try the classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich—and three cocktails, like a Red Snapper (a Bloody Mary riff made with gin). Thus fortified (and slightly inebriated), wander through downtown before stopping by the newly opened Leica Store New York Soho (460 West Broadway between W Houston and Prince Sts, 212-475-7799), which, along with its famous cameras, features rotating photography exhibitions. (The current show spotlights the work of Danish photographer Jacob Aue Sobol.)
Nosh on comfort food at Queens Kickshaw
- Price band: 1/4
Dinner may be a second-date standby, but that doesn't mean planning it is a no-brainer. The right spot should combine cool and casual, with plenty of menu options and a moderate price range making it easy to go dutch. Astoria favorite the Queens Kickshaw fits the bill with can't-miss comfort foods (try the classic grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup combo, $8), plus an extensive—and inexpensive—wine and beer list. Head there on a Friday night, when live music from local bands will help cover any awkward silences.
- 40-17 Broadway, (between Steinway and 41st Sts), 11103
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Summary: Admission history and physical examination were notable only for premature birth and pneumonia at 6 months of age, as well as a slightly asymmetrical chest with prominence of the left hemithorax. At this point, Hodgkin's lymphoma was the working diagnosis and fine needle aspiration was performed under CT guidance. The specimen obtained was not diagnostic and a thoracoscopic/open biopsy was scheduled to be performed in 2 days. He was transferred to the general pediatric floor but had to return to the PICU on the following day because of dyspnea and a mild increase in neck swelling. His cardiac examination remained normal.
An MRI was planned for the following morning. During the night, however, an increase in his left pleural effusion with associated left lung collapse prompted an emergency MRI/MR angiography. This study showed an intramural hematoma of the descending aorta (Figure 3A) as well as a defect in the posterior wall of the aorta (Figures 3B and 3C), which is consistent with that found on the CT scan that was obtained earlier (Figure 1B). A right subclavian artery occlusion was also noted.
The patient was taken to surgery the morning the MRI was performed and a tubular Dacron graft was placed distal to the left subclavian take-off to approximately 3 cm above the diaphragm.
On the first postoperative morning, he had massive bleeding via his endotracheal tube followed by bradycardia and loss of 700 mL of blood via left chest tubes, subsequent to inflation of a pulmonary artery catheter balloon for cardiac output measurement. Rupture of the pulmonary artery was suspected. He was resuscitated. In the ensuing 24 hours he developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring high-frequency jet ventilation, and renal failure, requiring dialysis. Despite inotropic and pressor support, and hemodialysis, he died on the third postoperative day. Autopsy revealed findings consistent with a suspected connective tissue disorder.
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a disorder of connective tissue that can be classified into at least ten types on the basis of clinical, genetic, and biochemical information.1 Type IV is the most severe form of EDS and is also known as the ecchymotic-arterial variant. In these patients there is virtually always a defect in the synthesis, secretion, or structure of type III collagen. This form of collagen is most abundant in skin, large arteries, and hollow organs.2,3 Therefore, patients with EDS type IV are at significant risk for uterine rupture during pregnancy, gastrointestinal rupture, and, most frequently, arterial rupture. Clinically, this disorder is characterized by thin, translucent skin with a prominent venous network and a tendency toward easy bruising. Characteristic facial features are often present and include large, excavated eyes and a thin pinched nose. Their hands and feet are often acrogeric and there is minimal joint hypermobility, no skin hyperextensivity, and normal scarring.4,5 There is no known medical treatment to increase the production of type III collagen. However, ascorbic acid (1 to 2 grams per day) may increase the synthesis of collagen and therefore provide slightly more of the normal type III collagen. Those affected typically die during the third to fifth decade of life; survival beyond 50 years of age is rare.6
Vascular complications, as a result of the collagen defect in the walls of vessels, include aneurysms, dissections, varicosities, and arteriovenous fistulas; ruptures are the most severe complication.7 There is a 50% rate of perforation of large and medium-sized arteries.7 Rupture of nonaneurysmal arteries are more likely to result in death, such as in this case, as compared with rupture of known aneurysms.8 Unfortunately, the diagnosis of EDS type IV is often unsuspected at clinical presentation. Only 16% of patients with EDS type IV are known to have the diagnosis before presentation with a vascular complication.9
Ideally, early diagnosis and surgical treatment could improve short-term outcomes. Stent-graft repair of pseudoaneuryms may be attempted, but ligation may be more effective and definitive.10 This patient's diagnosis was made early due to the history obtained from the patient's family and good cross-sectional imaging. This resulted in successful surgical repair, which was performed in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, the patient's death was caused by the rupture of another nonaneurysmal pulmonary artery, as is often the case with EDS type IV.
1. Nerlich AG. Pathomorphological and biochemical alterations in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV. Pathol Res Prac. 1994;190:697-706.
2. Narcisi P, Wu Y, Tromp G, et al. Single base mutation that substitutes glutamic acid for glycine 1021 in the COL3A1 gene and causes Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV. Am J Med Genet. 1993;46:278-283.
3. Liu X, Wu H, Byrne M, et al. Type III collagen is crucial for collagen I fibrillogenesis and for normal cardiovascular development. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1997;94:1852-1856.
4. Yeowell HN, Pinnell SR. The Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Semin Dermatol. 1993;12:229-240.
5. Herman TE, McAlister WH. Cavitary pulmonary lesions in type IV Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Pediatr Radiol. 1994;24:263-265.
6. Byers PH. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In: Stansbury JB. Metabolic Basis of Inherited Disease. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1989:2824-2832.
7. Sherry RM, Fisch A, Grey DP, Lubbock CA. Embolization of a hepatoportal fistula in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and colon perforation. Surgery. 1992;111:475-478.
8. Bergquist D. Ehlers-Danlos type IV syndrome: A review from a vascular surgical point of view. Eur J Surg. 1996;162:163-170.
9. Cikrit DF, Miles JH, Silver D. Spontaneous arterial perforation: The Ehlers-Danlos specter. J Vasc Surg. 1987;5:248-255.
10. Hovsepiam DM, Aguilar RL, Sicard GA, et al. Stent-graft failure in a patient with a connective tissue disorder. J Vasc Intervent Radiol. 1997;8:789-793.
Prepared by Karl S. Chiang, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC; and Bobby C. Walters, Jr., MD, Radiology Resident, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.


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Jinpan International Limited (NASDAQ:JST)
Through its wholly-owned Chinese subsidiary, Hainan Jinpan, the Company designs, manufactures and sells cast resin transformers for voltage distribution equipment in China.
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Closed and reopened
http://wiki.fool.com/The_Graham_Number Formula: Fair value=Sqrt(22.5*EPS*BV) I expanded it a little by also using EPS Normalized and Tangible BV.
1st figured GNVR: $17.39 to $18.97
Previous GNVR: $17.62 to $17.67
Updated GNVR: $15.59 to $17.84
The lower price of the 1st part of the range is due to JST's expansion construction of new and upgraded manufacturing facilities.
I'm still Long on JST
My personal cost basis is $5.34
japan is coming back, undervalued, low debt
somewhat consistent earnings growth, low valuation based on earnings and book value, and low debt. also, i think there is a foreseeable demand for it's products.
It's undervalued, it's profitable, and China isn't going to use less electricity any time soon.
If this company can earn 1.5 in the next year or two and grow at 20%, it will generate great returns.
A strong competitor in the cast resin transformer industry in Asia and Europe. It is a very competitive industry but, with a strong back log of orders and an asia-centric location Jinpan looks over sold at this price. With a 25% growth outlook over the next few years I am a buyer around $10.
I like the growth prospects of this stock.
It is currently near the low end of its swings over the last year. This is a momentum play only. I know nothing about the business.
Low P/E. Stronger than average margins. Int'l business opportunities.
Power transformer manufacturer based in China, serving the Chinese market. As China's economy continues to develop, expect solid growing demand for power infrastructure investments to benefit Jinpan. Pays a reasonable dividend.
Trailing P/E (ttm, intraday): 12.23
Forward P/E (fye Dec 31, 2011)1: 8.50
PEG Ratio (5 yr expected)1: 0.57
Price/Sales (ttm): 1.16
Price/Book (mrq): 1.18
Profit Margin (ttm): 9.83%
Operating Margin (ttm): 11.07%
Return on Assets (ttm): 5.09%
Return on Equity (ttm): 10.51%
chart gazing
Bought shares in MRLP today at 11.87 / share. It scares me how small this cap is on this stock, but year after year this thing keeps plugging away in an economy that is a growth machine. Stock trades at about Net Book Value as well, so I'm going ahead and taking a chance that this isn't a scam, but actually a genuine company with real growth potential. If this ends up being true, then the PE on this stock should expand significantly, and the return on the stock should be great even if earnings don't grow all that much.
This longshot is one of several Infrastructure plays that could rock the market this decade.
expanding Chinese market
Undervalued Chines stock. TMFK HG


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Definition of curare in English:
Line breaks: cur¦arePronunciation: /kjʊˈrɑːri
- A bitter resinous substance obtained from the bark and stems of some South American plants. It paralyses the motor nerves and is traditionally used by some Indian peoples to poison their arrows and blowpipe darts.
- Curare is obtained from Curarea species and Chondodendron tomentosum (family Menispermaceae), and Strychnos toxifera (family Loganiaceae)
More example sentences- Their bark and roots contain curare, a lethal poison, which in small doses is now used as a muscle relaxant for open-heart surgery.
- They use blowguns and darts dipped in a type of poison called curare, which instantly paralyzes an animal.
- He would have had first hand experience with this concept, as he was instrumental in unraveling the secret of curare, a South American arrow poison.
late 18th century: from a Carib word, partly via Spanish and Portuguese.


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Hmmmmm. Being sued because of their ratings of mortgage debt prior to the crash. However their ratings were the same as Moodys and Fitch. But, but, but...they just happened to be the rating agency that downgraded US debt....ruh roh. I'm sure that had nothing to do with Eric Holder and Justice pursuing S and P without the others? Coincidental or SOP for the regime and those not in lockstep. We report. You decide. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...-s-suit-was-political-payback.html?cmpid=yhoo
They should all be pursued. We don't know though whether the DOJ is pursuing the others or not, or do we? In any case, this little set up with the ratings agencies is part of the bigger problem from what I've seen.
I am a bit conflicted about it. On one hand, this situation may be somewhat analogous to the Italy seismologist situation. Predictions aren't science - especially economic ones. On the other hand, there are some economists who do say that this was an identifiable threat. And it is my understanding that the ratings agencies are paid by the institutions that own the assets. There definitely seems to be a conflict of interest here that should be eliminated, if possible. But either way, I don't buy this "Obama is getting back at S&P" story, but I do wonder why they aren't going after the others.
Yep, they are paid by the entities that they rate. I get the Italian seismologist angle, but I don't think that is the case. From what I've read too, many folks say they should have known better about all those home mortgages filling up the tranches in which they basically rubber stamped AAA ratings. This brings up a bigger problem of understanding risk in these financial instruments. Do we really know how risky these things are? I mean, maybe now since the crisis taught us a lot (and which spawned all writing about S&P and Moody's etc... And I know from my own research into risk in other areas, it's never quite as certain as portrayed. In any case, I think a reasonable and just case could probably be made that even if they didn't "know" just how risky these instruments were, they should have and that not knowing was negligence. Look, I get banking and finance to a point, but I am not going to allow myself to be bent to what I believe is some twisted thinking which allows companies/financial institutions with great resources to escape wrongdoing while also making it seem as if they did nothing wrong. It's the too big to fail issue that in a sense comes back. Though S&P and other ratings agencies aren't really TBTF (since they aren't financial institutions), they are part of a system in which reason, prudence, and right/wrong often gets stood on its ear, which further has made TBTF a still current reality.
Indeed there is some disagreement, but I personally don't feel comfortable deciding whether blame can lay in the ratings agencies hands. The documentary Inside Job makes a compelling argument that this whole thing when down with the financial entities knowing exactly what they were doing. But the doc clearly had a point of view. Planet Money had an interesting piece on the federal inquiry commission, and described how the committee wrote a 500 page report documenting how the crisis was foreseeable. Of course, the republican minority refused to sign onto that opinion and wrote their own report. Truth is pretty elusive here, I think. I'm with you on the TBTF issue, but there is a difference between TBTF and WTYSHKBSWAGTPY (we think you should have known better so we are going to prosecute you). I think these institutions should have been allowed to fail, and the bailouts could have been done for me and you, the investors. Indeed, Sheila Bair was ready to have the FDIC do just that, but the government obviously went a different direction. It would have likely been a painful experience no doubt, but I think it is the best way to "punish" the correct transgressors. This type of trial is going to be weak in its power and certainly not able to deliver justice to the right people (and by "trial", I of course mean paltry settlement paid by S&P).
I wouldn't go so far as to say all the blame would lay at the feet of ratings agencies, but nor do I believe they are innocent (maybe not first in line, though). And although this has more to do with the downgrade of our ratings a few years after the crisis, I still find it hard to believe these ratings agencies didn't get hammered more from a legal standpoint for their part in the crisis. Then again, another problem is the near complete lack of prosecution or penalties for any of those at the center of the economic crisis except the fella from Goldmans. Yep, saw Inside Job. Thanks for the NPR link. Will definitely listen. I certainly don't want to give the impression that I think institutions should be prosecuted unfairly or for things that aren't criminal, but extreme forms of negligence certainly can and are criminal. And not doing ones 'due diligence' in assessing these tranches before assigning AAA ratings, to me, is negligent, possibly criminal. Financial crime, however, is always hard to prosecute because money and power have a way of buffering against it and perverting justice. I've read quite a few books etc...that have discussed this, Michael Lewis' The Big Short comes to mind, and I think the book Fool's Gold by Gillian Tett goes into it too (though, I can't remember which is which, lol!!!). Then again, you are right about the financial institutions knowing full well, so the bulk of the responsibility is on them, and as we have seen they have not been held to account...since that would also mean holding politicians on both sides of the political aisle to account, and that just won't happen since those cockroaches scrambled away with a quickness when the light was shined on them. Others know a lot more about this than I do, but I will say I am on the fence about whether they should have been allowed to fail. I tend to think having done so might have been unleashing a catastrophe far worse given the far reaching connections that were already in place (think AIG). Then again, maybe not. Maybe it would have hurt only a bit more and that hurt would have led to much better reforms. Tough call in either case.
I understand you and didn't think that you wanted to punish anyone for actions that weren't illegal. I just think that the reason that these behaviors are so hard to prosecute is because these systems are too complex to know exactly what is what. Certainly, there were many that predicted the crash (like those in The Big Short, Raghuram Rajan, Brooksley Born, etc.), but you can probably find people predicting crash every year. Certainly letting the banks fail would have come with some kind of pain, but it's main value would have come in the future when financial institutions know that they will be liable for the results of their actions. I'm not sure why Goldman wouldn't be aggressive now knowing that they can keep their profits when times are good, and fall back on the US when times are bad. PS Isn't it a bit funny that you and I are the most active participants on a thread about the DOJ suing a ratings agency?
Good observation. I am sure some will start chiming in. That's my point too. The convoluted and complex nature of it has not only makes it hard to prosecute, but it has additionally distorted how we view wrong doing in this context and that to a degree is on all of us for not demanding more. I mean, TBTF is a horrific notion in my mind. Seriously, wtf? You know we're screwed when that is an acronym. When you frame letting them fail like that, I can see it more and might lean toward that (which is all moot now, in a sense, but maybe not the next time, b/c there will be a next time). Not letting them fail/saving some institutions made us enablers and I think there is evidence that Goldmans and others took advantage of that and did not learn the right lessons. Still, in my mind anyway, it's a tough call b/c we just don't know how much worse it might have gotten for the rest of us.
I am always a little leery of placing blame on a ratings agency. The agency is really made up of people making a call on data they have in front of them. Was the issue, lack of useful or accurate data or was it a planned coverup from either the top level of management or some lower level where a certain business group was told to look the other way or rubber stamp something? It is possible that S & P tried at some level to cover something up or okay rubber stamping something. If that is the purpose of the DOJ suit I am all for that process. But if that cannot be readily proved in a court of law, why do we always want to place blame at some entity - because in our minds, this entity is not like us but, in reality it is made up of people just like you and me, and we make mistakes all the time?
My concern would not be culpability to incorrect ratings given to mortgage backed securities. Fitch and Moody's ratings were the same. I would like to think S and P is not being "singled out" because they downgraded US debt while the others did not. Make sense?
I understand your concern, but it doesn't make a whole of sense for the DOJ to be doing this. (1) If they really had no unique evidence regarding S&P, why not bring cases against Moody's and Fitch as well, if for no other reason than to deflect suspicion? (2) Does the DOJ or administration really give a crap about their bond rating? It's been out there for a couple years now, and it really hasn't seemed to make much of a difference. I definitely wouldn't want the DOJ doing this for retribution, but I just think with this little information that we can't really conclude that this is happening.
Holder needs serious prison time! He's doing exactly what the communists do in their nations... he goes after the opposition with no regard for justice and equality nor the law. Next step for our Commie/liberals is to kill the opposition like Putin does.
Maybe they are. And maybe when the facts come out, they did something illegal to warrant it. I don't want anyone or organization singled out for activity that isn't criminal, but neither will I assume that they are necessarily being singled out. S&P might have an argument...and the article suggests the judge seems sympathetic (their word) to it. But there's a lot of space between an argument and fact and as much as I think the government oversteps, I am not yet sure that happened here.
Obama is spending money we can't even repay right now, so how do you think the S&P in the wrong? Maybe the S&P is protecting our credit rating by keeping the Obama administration from further bankrupting our nation.
Built in conflict of interest. If you give them truthful ratings, then you might lose some customers so that naturally prompts inflated ratings.
Maybe they should sue Barney Frank for extolling the virtues of Fannie and Freddie in summer 2008, too?


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Residents, tourists react to heavy, cold rain hitting the area
April 22, 2012 - 09:16 pm
The heavy, cold rain that hit the metro area was like a slap of winter on this spring day.
While the deluge is welcome from an environmental viewpoint, especially for farmers and gardeners, some folks still found it hard to take.
ABC7's Stephen Tschida has the story.
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