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The Lead
The Path to Optimized Drug ProductionAugust 14, 2014 8:36 am | by Nancy Berg, President and CEO of the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) | Blogs | Comments
Scaling up can be a challenge; know the processes and tools for a successful transition.
ISPE Hires Healthcare Association Exec as CEOJuly 29, 2014 3:47 pm | News | Comments
ISPE has hired John Bournas as President and CEO, succeeding Nancy Berg who announced plans to...
Processes for the Inspection of Cleaned Equipment in the Pharmaceutical Industry to EvolveJuly 25, 2014 9:06 am | by The ISPE Cleaning Process Development and Validation Guide Task Team | Articles | Comments
When it comes to the inspection of cleaned equipment of pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment,...
Small Workstations, Large BenefitsApril 30, 2014 3:06 pm | by Julie Ackerman, Senior Director PR and Communications, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies | Blogs | Comments
Regardless of which stage a product is entering the pharmaceutical production line, keeping the...
ISPE Announces Development of New Drug Shortages Prevention Plan for the Pharmaceutical IndustryApril 28, 2014 11:03 am | News | Comments
ISPE, the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering, announced today that it will work with stakeholders world-wide to produce a Drug Shortages Prevention Plan to guide the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry in establishing reliable, robust and resilient supply chains that provide quality medicines to patients without interruption.
ISPE to Conduct Quality Metrics Pilot Program with FDAMarch 13, 2014 11:36 am | News | Comments
ISPE will conduct the industry's first Quality Metrics Pilot Program designed to define and operationalize standard metrics reporting to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
ISPE Announces Next Steps as Nancy Berg Completes Term as CEOJanuary 30, 2014 1:33 pm | News | Comments
ISPE announced today that CEO Nancy Berg will leave the Society when her three year contract is completed at the end of 2014.
All Signs Point to Pharma EXPO's Successful DebutOctober 18, 2013 10:39 am | News | Comments
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, reports a groundswell of positive response to Pharma EXPO 2014, which debuts in Chicago, co-located with PACK EXPO International 2014 (Nov. 2–5; McCormick Place). Pharma EXPO is a joint venture between PMMI, owner and producer of PACK EXPO International, and the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE).
ISPE Announces 2013-2014 Board of Directors Election ResultsOctober 15, 2013 8:17 am | News | Comments
ISPE has announced the results of its 2013-2014 International Board of Directors election, revealing a slate of strategic leaders who represent a variety of pharmaceutical industry sectors. The Board will be responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the Society and will assume their elected positions at the 2013 ISPE Annual Meeting.
ISPE Announces Nancy Berg as New President and CEO Succeeding Bob BestDecember 20, 2011 8:31 am | News | Comments
ISPE, the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering, today announced the appointment of Nancy S. Berg as President and CEO, effective 1 January 2012.
Supply Chain Security: A Comprehensive and Practical ApproachSeptember 16, 2010 10:36 am | White Papers
Supply chain security is a chief concern throughout the pharmaceutical industry. ISPE's "Supply Chain Security: A Comprehensive and Practical Approach" illustrates how an integrated approach can help address pharmaceutical supply chain security concerns, such as preventing and detecting adulteration, counterfeiting, illegal diversion, and theft.
Former FDA Director Joins ISPE As Regulatory Affairs AdvisorJanuary 8, 2010 5:10 am | News | Comments
ISPE, a global not-for-profit association of 24,000 technical professionals working in the manufacturing and drug development sectors of the pharmaceutical industry, has named Anthony Celeste as its North America Regulatory Affairs Advisor, effective immediately. In this role, Mr.
ISPE Announces 2009 Membership Award Winners at Global Annual MeetingNovember 24, 2009 9:17 am | News | Comments
ISPE, a global not-for-profit association of 24,000 technical professionals working in the manufacturing and drug development sectors of the pharmaceutical industry, announced its 2009 award winners and recognized their contributions to the pharmaceutical industry and the Society. Robert P.
Roche Basel's MAB95 Facility Named 2009 Facility of the Year Award Overall WinnerNovember 9, 2009 7:13 am | News | Comments
ISPE, a global not-for-profit association of 24,000 technical professionals working in the
ISPE Announces 2009-2010 Board of Directors Election ResultsOctober 8, 2009 10:46 am | News | Comments
ISPE, a global not-for-profit association of 24,000 pharmaceutical science and manufacturing professionals, has announced the results of its 2009-2010 International Board of Directors election, revealing a slate of representatives that hail from nearly every corner of the globe.
Excellence In A Small Space: Centocor Schaffhausen Creates An Advanced Fill Finish Pilot Plant Facility In A Tight SpotJune 8, 2009 7:52 am | Articles | Comments
Several years ago, after determining it would not have enough manufacturing capacity to meet the future needs of its growing pipeline, Centocor in Switzerland embarked on an ambitious plan to design and build a new vial and syringe filling facility at its Schaffhausen campus.
Laboratory Compliance: Making The GradeJune 1, 2009 11:13 am | Articles | Comments
What is "laboratory compliance"? It is a general term used by many people, but which means different things to different people. There is no definitive answer or even one in Wikipedia the "on-line" encyclopedia!
Elegantly Simple: Aseptic Technologies' process revolutionizes closed vial fillingMay 7, 2009 11:53 am | Articles | Comments
In 2002 Aseptic Technologies saw the need to develop and launch a completely revolutionary way of manufacturing and filling closed vials. At the time of the facility's conception there was still much room for improvement of aseptic operations; as several accidents were being recorded each year due to injection of contaminated products.
Ultra-Fast Track Approach, Combined With An Integrated And Highly Motivated Project Team Leads To Award RecognitionSeptember 16, 2008 11:41 am | Articles | Comments
F. Hoffman La Roche's BioIV Facility Wins The 2008 Facility of the Year Award For Project Execution An ultra-fast track schedule in combination with a dedicated and highly experienced team of engineers has resulted in F.
Metrics VP Adds Pharm.D. To Professional CredentialsSeptember 2, 2008 6:42 am | News | Comments
Dr. Michael D. Ruff, vice president of pharmaceutical development atMetrics Inc., has received his clinical doctor of pharmacy degree from the Shenandoah University Bernard J. Dunn College of Pharmacy. Ruff completed his Pharm.D.
Innovative Facilities Invited to Submit for 2009 Facility of the Year AwardsAugust 18, 2008 12:48 pm | News | Comments
ISPE, together with INTERPHEX and Pharmaceutical Processing magazine — have announced a call for global pharmaceutical manufacturing organizations to submit details of newly constructed or renovated facilities for the 2009 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) program.
Use of Disposables in Final Filling Operations Converting to disposable filling components can result in significant benefits - no matter what product you are processingAugust 5, 2008 6:00 am | Articles | Comments
Single use technology continues to gain popularity in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical operations. One area where single use technology would be very beneficial is in product final filling.
Reed Exhibitions And ISPE Announce Partnership In CanadaApril 2, 2008 12:47 pm | News | Comments
Reed Exhibitions, a leading organizer of trade and consumer events and producers of the global INTERPHEX brand, is partnering with the ISPE, the world's largest not-for-profit society serving pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals, to create INTERPHEX Canada.
ISPE and AAPS Host Life Sciences Job Fair During INTERPHEX2008March 24, 2008 5:08 am | News | Comments
ISPE and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) are hosting the second annual Life Sciences Job Fair at INTERPHEX2008, in collaboration with Reed Exhibitions.
Qualifying Vendors of HVAC Environmental Control SolutionsMarch 11, 2008 10:35 am | Articles | Comments
How to carefully select suppliers for validating automation products and supporting services By Walfried Laibacher HBS EMEA Validation Services Lead To maximize the market life of a patented drug, pharmaceutical companies must quickly move products from conception to market.
2008 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Winners AnnouncedFebruary 6, 2008 10:15 am | News | Comments
Five pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities constructed by companies located in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States have been selected as Category Winners in the fourth annual Facility of the Year Awards program sponsored by ISPE, INTERPHEX, and Pharmaceutical Processing magazine.
Vetter's New RVS Facility Targets Outsized Growth in Aseptic Prefilled Administration DevicesOctober 9, 2007 11:11 am | Articles | Comments
New plant maximizes automation while increasing both capacity and capability in manufacturing Automation to the maximum was uppermost on the drawing boards at Vetter Pharma-Fertigung GmbH & Co.
Constant Kaizen Delivers Major Win for Taiyo YakuhinSeptember 4, 2007 12:21 pm | Articles | Comments
First to make and fill glass syringes in-house, Taiyo's success recognized with Facility of the Year Award Major Process Equipment Suppliers Primary Works Plastic Forming Line Daiichi Jitsugyou K.K. Preparation System Itochu Foodec K.K./Clean Mechanical K.K.
Cook Pharmica Targets Growing Outsourcing in Biopharmaceutical IndustryAugust 7, 2007 7:14 am | Articles | Comments
Goal to deliver innovative analytical, development and manufacturing services with an emphasis on
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Zion Revisited:
The Anomaly of Jewishness Remains
It is the things you don't remember, that you couldn't possibly remember, that come back with the most overwhelming sense of familiarity: you see them, you smell them, you taste them, and they are intimate and altogether familiar, as if you had seen or smelled or tasted them just the day before. And it is only your own wonder as to why you should notice them when they are so familiar—only this wonder that tells you how unfamiliar the scents and the sights really are, how long a time has passed since you were last among them. Outside the Lydda airport terminal building, the smell of the air of Israel was at once in my nostrils, and though I had not known before that I knew the smell, I recognized immediately what it was. There was the sea in it, and sand, and orange blossom—but one can no more describe a smell than one can remember it, until one smells it again. And as with smells, so too with tastes, and the sight of such things as the illuminated black and yellow boxes advertising Nesher beer, the white enamel plates with black lettering that doctors use to announce their specialties, the names of cigarettes, the sand that sifts through the cracks in the pavements of Tel Aviv. These and a hundred other things which I had forgotten were the most sharply familiar of all; the things I thought I had remembered, I found most changed. The mind distorts what it consciously remembers, keeps intact what if imagines it has forgotten.
Let me say at once that I find it extraordinarily difficult to write coherently about Israel. Ten years ago it was, in a way, easier for me to deal with my own experiences there. I had come to Israel with half a mind to settle, deliberately seeking an involvement with the country. But on the present visit, made ten years after the first, and very brief and unexpected in itself, I had no intention at all of settling in the country: I went there simply as a tourist, leaving behind my career and my family in the country in which I lived. I was merely going on holiday: after an English winter I looked forward to being in the sun, to eating oranges, to hearing a strange language in my ears and looking at places which I could not expect soon to look at again.
I was in the sun, I did find myself in places which now seem remote to me. But I was not like a tourist in any other country, and I know that in Israel I never can be; it dismayed and disturbed me to find that I did immediately feel deeply involved in the country, and still do; to have to admit too that on my return to the country which I think of as "mine" and the life which is certainly "mine" I feel a deep discontent and impatience, even a resentment, that it should be as it is, and not otherwise. But how other would I wish it? I do not know. Certainly when I was in Israel I was thankful that I was no more than a visitor to the country, and that I would soon be going from it back to England.
There are many good reasons why someone from England or America can feel glad that he is not an Israeli. Israel is a country that has been made out of pain and unhappiness and suffering; it is a country where the parents and brothers and sisters and children of almost every other person one meets have been killed by bullet and gas and torture; and being there, one cannot but be oppressed by the knowledge of what this has meant, and still means to the people in it. Then, Israel is a bitterly poor country—how poor I had not realized until the present visit; last time I was there I had been too preoccupied with personal decisions and indecisions really to look at what the country in itself offered as a place of habitation. This time I saw more; and what I saw was disheartening. The country is pitifully endowed: its farmlands are tiny, its industries are largely artificial, its hopes of earning a Western standard of living for itself remote. And much of Israel is very ugly—not the country itself, which is harshly and poignantly beautiful—but the towns and the villages which have been built on it. Heaven knows one doesn't have to go far in England to find ugliness caked and irremovable upon the ground, roofs like scabs, streets like jaws, acres upon acres, suburbs upon suburbs of such ugliness. Yet there are great parts of London, for example, which are beautiful to see, and even what is immediately ugly in London can be transformed by its relation to the great patterns of the city. There is no city, no town, no village in Israel about which this can be said, with the exception perhaps of Jerusalem, perhaps of Haifa. Everywhere else what one sees in the towns is shallow, disordered, scratched up, knocked down, cheap, fragmentary; and this ugliness is curiously exhausting and dispiriting, not only because there is so little relief from it, but because one feels it to reflect again the poverty and unhappiness from which it has arisen.
Now I know it will immediately be said: for heaven's sake, what else could you expect? The country is poor, the people in it have suffered, beauty cannot be catered to when the population of the country has tripled itself in ten years. All of which is true; and nothing I have said affects my admiration for what the Israelis have done in the last ten years, both in relation to the enormity of the tasks thrust on them, and in relation to what they were at the beginning of that time. And this is true of every sphere of Israeli life: true of the houses they have managed to build, of the people they have managed to train, of the roads they have constructed, the wars they have fought; true of their attitudes toward one another and toward the state they live in; true too of the attitude of the state toward them. The wonder is not merely that in spite of the population's having tripled within the last ten years living conditions are now so much more comfortable than they were; nor merely that in spite of the unabated hostility of the Arab world there is much greater confidence than ever before that Israel will survive, and survive in strength; nor merely that the Israelis themselves are convinced (and they should know) that their life has been getting steadily better and better, and will continue to do so; nor merely that, as a result of the greater physical comfort and greater security, the manners of the people have so much improved, have become so much more relaxed and casual that it is comparatively (though not absolutely) pleasurable to drive in a car down Allenby Street—the wonder is something of which these are all parts, and yet that is greater than any single one of them. It is the sense one has of a constant and unending struggle in Israel to keep up standards, and even more, to find out what the best standards for the country really are: this seems to me the biggest achievement of all in Israel, and one without which none of the other achievements would have been attainable.
It is this, indeed, which makes me feel that no service is done to Israel for one to say, for example, that what is ugly is not ugly. If the Israelis are battling so hard for standards, it seems to me pointless and ungracious for people who visit the country to patronize it by dropping their standards as soon as they set foot on its soil. True, by English or American standards, the Israeli standard of public architecture and public manners, of food and mutual concern, might generally be low; but the Israelis have not forgotten that there are standards, and they are trying fitfully, erratically, wrongheadedly often, but always determinedly, to find out what these standards are: the standards for them, living in that country, with that past, that problematical future, these traditions, these hopes. The fact that they often fail to achieve their standards, or fall into sheer confusion, is unimportant compared with the fact that they try for them; ten years ago one could do no more than hope that this might happen, one could not really expect it.
For this achievement it can be said paradoxically that the Arabs deserve something of the credit. The fact that Israel has been under constant threat (indeed under constant attack) since the inception of the state has—quite apart from the physical suffering, the brutal, recurring loss of life that it has caused—depleted the country economically to a degree that can hardly be measured; that can merely be guessed at by seeing the prominence everywhere in Israel of the army and its institutions. But on quite another level there is no doubt that the sense of constant threat has strengthened the Israeli sense of community, the sense of responsibility the Israelis feel toward one another and to the country; they know they need one another, and they know now that they can rely on one another. And this feeling remains powerful and coherent in spite of the fact that the problem of sheer survival is one that does not seem much to trouble the Israelis any longer. Indeed, one can say that the Israeli sense of community has become stronger because the outlook no longer appears so dangerous: their reliance on one another has found here its justification and reward. All this is quite apart from the role of the army as an educative influence in the life of the country. The army has taken in thousands of young immigrants, and taught them not just how to be soldiers, but how to be Israelis: taught them Hebrew, taught them trades, taught them what it is to be answerable to the community for their own actions.
Discussing the role of the army in Israeli life is as good a point as any to illustrate what I meant by saying that in Israel the attempt to maintain standards is simultaneously a search for what are or could be the most suitable standards. Before returning to Israel, I had wondered about Israeli "militarism," which is something we hear a great deal about: the general idea people have of Israel nowadays is that it is a kind of Sparta, where even the girls carry guns. (Especially the girls carry guns, according to the illustrated papers.) And I was prepared to dislike Israeli militarism as much as I dislike any other, when it grows too big for its boots. In fact, and inevitably, as I see it now, I saw no signs of such a militarism: being in Israel one soon realizes that there is no room for the traditional and dangerous kind of militarism to grow. The Israelis are too democratic, too talkative, too untidy, too interfering, too independent, for the army or the officers' corps to take to itself powers to which it is not entitled, even if it wanted to—which it obviously does not. There is very little spit and polish in the Israeli army, there are no socially elite regiments (the idea is unthinkable in the context of Israeli life); those officers who are politically ambitious have to shed their uniforms and go meekly into private life before they are able to realize their ambitions. But if anything Junker-like or junta-like is unimaginable in Israeli terms, there remains the need for an ethos which can be transformed into a military quality should an emergency arise: if the Israelis don't admire the military mind and the military man, what do they admire? The answer is a curious one; and it typifies exactly what I mean by the Israeli need for their own standards of judgment and value. The "military" qualities which the Israelis seem to have decided upon as most worth admiration are those of physical hardihood and physical daredevilry—precisely those qualities which the country's army most needs, and precisely those which are least dependent on the old kind of militarism. Of this daredevilry the suicidal marches to Petra, in Jordan, are the most dramatic examples; but there are others, less dramatic, but not less significant overall. Anyone can join in the annual march to Jerusalem (this year some twelve and a half thousand people were involved in it); any boy can try to join the paratroopers; anyone can go for a hike in the Negev along trails that only he knows about (the army was called out three times in the couple of weeks T was in Israel to find lost groups of hikers); and those who spoke admiringly of the former Chief of Staff referred first and immediately to his personal bravery, as though that were the quality above all others which most fitted him for his task. So, out of the need of the country, and their own deepest inclination of spirit, they have made a value, their own kind of value. And what is true here is true of other areas of Israeli life; true even of those where the issues are much less clear-cut, the needs more various, the inclinations more devious.
That there is a "crisis of values" in Israel is a commonplace. It can be described very crudely as a conflict between the collective and pioneering values of the past, and the personal and comfort-seeking values which dominate most other Western societies, and which are beginning to be dominant now in Israel too. To my mind, the "crisis" is going to persist indefinitely; it seems to me a healthy and inevitable development that young Israelis should find themselves wanting to live private lives, and to pursue their own concerns rather than the concerns of the community or the state. But it also seems to me beyond question that the pioneering, democratic, and collective values of the early days will continue to exert a powerful influence on the thinking and feeling of most Israelis, and on their style of life. Again, the Israelis are being forced to find their own distinctive modes of valuation: the point is that the search goes on.
Jews have always been in the very center of the social and cultural and religious history of Western civilization. And somehow people had imagined that though the Jews were "normalizing" themselves in Palestine, they wouldn't normalize themselves to the degree where this knack or fate of theirs would disappear. On the contrary, Jewish and Gentile Zionists alike prophesied immense cultural and spiritual and religious contributions to be made to the world by a restored Jewish state. "And out of Jerusalem will go forth the law"—surely, people believed, that would be true of a restored Jerusalem. And the kind of experiment in collective living made by the kibbutzim confirmed everyone in that belief—until now. Now the kibbutzim play a smaller role in the life of Israel than they ever did; and Israel plays a tinier role in the world's intellectual life than anyone could ever have expected. There they are, these Jews in Israel, trying to make a living in a very poor country, speaking a language that no one else on earth speaks or wants to speak, thousands of miles away from the Europe that gave the country its birth, isolated from the countries around them, populated by immense numbers of non-European Jews—whatever kind of country people expected Israel to be, it wasn't this. It wasn't a country where some writers write in English rather than in Hebrew, so that their work will reach the audience they want it to reach; where painters take their paintings to Paris and London and New York to get the kind of appreciation and monetary reward they need; where students at the Hebrew University have to learn English in order to pursue their studies; where conditions, in a word, are those of cultural and intellectual provincialism or colonialism.
Now some Israelis who care about these things react in the way of chauvinism: they deny that the problem exists at all; they make exaggerated claims for Israeli poetry, architecture, intellectual achievements generally. But these people do not deal with the problem: they merely aggravate it. Fortunately there are others, many others, who are honestly bewildered and surprised and taken aback to find themselves living in what they recognize to be the provinces, and are wondering what can be done about it. Because they too had within themselves the conviction that Jewishness is centrality; now they are finding that Israeliness is not.
I had imagined that the decision of the overwhelming majority of the Anglo-Saxon Jews to remain where they were must have come as a great moral shock to the Israelis—a moral shock not in any way diminished by the fact that the Israelis know how much they are dependent economically and politically on the continued existence of Jewish communities outside Israel. But I found that whatever the more ardent among them might have been saying a few years ago, many Israelis now neither expect nor even want the Jews of the English-speaking world to come to Israel. They are positively glad that these communities outside are there, for to the Israelis the Jews of the English-speaking world are a lifeline, a passageway into the great world—the world which the Israelis, being Jews, are intensely reluctant to abandon. Israel is a small Middle Eastern country; but the Israelis want a stall in the world's great marketplace of ideas, and they know that at present they are most likely to get one through their connection with the Jewries of the United States and England.
It is this which is taking the edge off their resentment: it is this too which offers to Jews outside Israel something more to do than raising funds. Fund-raising and fund-giving will have to be continued indefinitely, and for myself I cannot feel the contempt for the raisers and givers that is fashionable among some members of the Jewish intelligentsia: the bread of too many people depends on all this. But if money were all Israel wanted of the Jews who live in freedom and peace outside it, then the relationship would ultimately be a boring and enfeebling one on both sides. But Israel wants more, needs more: Israel wants immigrants, certainly, but she wants visitors too; Israel wants communication, dialogue, debate; Israel wants interest, concern, criticism; Israel wants to remain Jewish.
And what of our needs? No one can look ahead nowadays further than about a generation; for that period of time we can see that the various Jewish communities scattered over the free world are going to continue as recognizable Jewish communities. Now this generation is our generation, is us: we have to deal now with our involvements and responsibilities and hopes for ourselves. And who can deny that Israel is among our hopes? Already there is so much we have gained from the existence of Israel: we are unquestionably better off in every sense than we would have been had there not been two million Jews living in a country of their own; and if a catastrophe were to overwhelm Israel, a moral catastrophe would happen to us. (And very possibly it would be followed by a catastrophe of another kind.) And even if Israel were to survive as no more than a second-rate Levantine state, we would be the poorer for it, emotionally and morally. Whereas an Israel peaceful and reasonably prosperous and open to us can give us a particular kind of pride, and a particular sense of release. There were people not so long ago who were making it their business to kill every one of us that they could lay their hands on; but they didn't destroy everything, they didn't kill everyone; and Israel, as it is today, is even in its very failures a testimony to the will not merely to survival, but to survival on terms laid down by the victims, by those who were once helpless but are helpless no longer. If there was nothing but luck between any of us and Auschwitz, there is a bond of another kind between us and Tel Aviv. Historical bonds are easily forgotten; but this one is not historical: it lives. That is the bond.
I understand better now what it was that made me feel discontented and impatient on my return to England. What the Zionists have been promising us for so long is that once there was a Jewish state, the Jews within the state would become like any other people; the Jews outside would become, say, like the Irish or the Greeks in America; all that was anomalous and without parallel in Jewish existence would be done away with. And in some way or another I must have believed that this had happened, or could happen, now that Israel had come into existence. But, being forced to consider the dependence of Israel on the Diaspora, and the involvement of the Diaspora with Israel, I realize that what the Zionists promised us hasn't happened, and isn't going to happen. There is no country in the world like Israel; and there are no people in the world who have a relation to any country like the relation which the Jews of the Diaspora have to Israel. What Israel has done, in fact, is to give another aspect to Jewish singularity—a new and very welcome aspect. But the singularity, the oddity, the anomaly of Jewishness remains as singular and odd and anomalous as it has ever been. (And by definition it remains that for the Jews of Israel too, no matter how much "Jewishness" they are able to take for granted in their lives. Even the bare-armed and suntanned young men in the streets of Israel, with their confident, guttural voices, their cropped hair and fierce mustaches—they too had their secret place of bewilderment, their own puzzlement at what history had made of them; they too knew and did not know what it is to be a Jew.) All the grammar books tell us that there are no degrees of uniqueness, that a thing is either unique or it is not; yet I cannot help feeling that the State of Israel has managed to make more emphatic, not less so, Jewish uniqueness.
Our uniqueness is such a burden, such a mystery, to those of us without religious belief, who yet, in a way we cannot understand, continue to be Jews. And to come to Israel and to realize that not even in Israel or about Israel can the burden be laid down, is at first and inevitably dispiriting, disappointing. Was it for this that people toiled, and fought, and died of malaria, were hanged by the British, blown to bits by the Arabs—that we should still be different, and restless within our differentness?
Probably they did hope for more. Nevertheless, they have given us all it was in their power to give.

subset: commoncrawl


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Scandinavian budget carrier Norwegian has put both of its Boeing 787s back into service after separate technical problems affecting the jets forced the carrier to wet-lease Airbus A340s.
Two A340s were brought in last week as Norwegian's second 787, newly delivered, indicated a brake malfunction which kept the aircraft grounded at Stockholm for several days.
The aircraft (EI-LNB) arrived in Stockholm, via a scheduled stop in Dublin, early on 30 August. But Norwegian says it was unable to perform a single revenue flight with the twinjet before the problem emerged.
"It had to do with an indication of malfunctioning brakes," says a spokesman for the airline, adding that cockpit instrumentation showed "something wasn't working".
"We're not very satisfied," he adds. "When you have a new aircraft you expect it to work."
Portuguese operator HiFly – which had previously stepped in to help Norwegian after its 787 deliveries slipped – supplied a pair of A340s to the carrier to maintain its long-haul network.
While Norwegian was able to put the second 787 into service on 6 September, its first 787 also encountered a technical problem at Oslo.
The spokesman says the aircraft (EI-LNA) would not accept sufficient electrical power and that, after a component change, the jet was still indicating a problem.
But this issue has also been resolved, he adds, and the aircraft is returning to service today.
Norwegian took delivery of its first 787 in the last week of June. Despite the recent setback the spokesman praises the aircraft's performance, saying it has "performed beautifully".
"This is the first real hiccup," he says.
Norwegian is still using one of the leased A340s to operate its Bangkok service, but expects to return it shortly. The airline is using the 787 to break into long-haul operations and has just confirmed several new transatlantic destinations.
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About Antarctica - Dramatic clouds above Reptile Ridge, Adelaide Island
Home » About Antarctica » Geopolitics » British Antarctic Territory »
The British Antarctic Territory is the oldest territorial claim to a part of the continent. It includes all the lands and islands in a wedge extending from the South Pole to 60° S latitude between longitudes 20° W and 80° W. It is administered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as an Overseas Dependent Territory. There is no indigenous population, but the British Antarctic Survey has three research stations there and the Royal Navy maintains an ice patrol vessel, HMS Endurance , in the area during the austral summer. The Territory has its own legal system and legal and postal administrations. Revenue from income tax and the sale of postage stamps means that it is financially self sufficient.
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Although the United Kingdom claims sovereignty over this region, there are overlapping claims by Argentina and Chile. Under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty, all territorial claims remain frozen, allowing the whole of Antarctica to be used as a continent for peace and science.
The Antarctic Peninsula was the first part of the mainland of Antarctica to be sighted by explorers. In 1820, Smith, Palmer and Bellingshausen all sighted the Antarctic Peninsula. Many expeditions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries visited the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, and the region contains many sites of historic interest. British Antarctic Territory has a great wealth of marine life, including large breeding colonies of penguins and seals, which attracted the first sailors to the region in pursuit of fur and seal-oil. British Antarctic Territory includes a wide range of landscapes, from the spectacular mountains and islands of the Antarctic Peninsula, to the smooth plains of the ice shelves and ice caps.
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I am backing away from Hot Dogma! my home for the past two years, with a heavy heart. Though the product doesn't always look like it, I've spent at least two hours every day new stuff appeared on this blog, finding appropriate (and sometimes inappropriate) topics, stealing art, and trying to keep the conversation going. I have on occasion done heroic (and silly) things to get an internet connection so that I can keep an unending flow of…blog, served hot and fresh daily, to you.
But whatever. No one asked me to do that and I realize full well your life would have gone on fine without me, but I'm not sure the same can be said about myself. It has been, in a word, a blast. It's also been frustrating, maddening, and awesome, and sometimes all those things on the same day.
Here's the deal: I am working on a book that is starting to take up a lot of time. I also think I've shared every opinion I've ever had up to now, so maybe it's time to go off and create some new opinions. I'll consider whether those are worth sharing down the road. I do tend to start new blogs eventually. Maybe it's like a rash I can't shake.
I want to thank you for being such a faithful reader. Some of you have gone from Dating Jesus to Fear, Itself to Still Small Voice to here. That is just so incredibly awesome, and I appreciate it. I can hardly imagine not reading your snarky, thoughtful, funny, painful comments every day, but I'm going to try to bear up, at least for now.
In the meantime, please don't be a stranger. Please.


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Firefighters battle blazes in two townsBy Brent Curtis
STAFF WRITER | December 03,2012
Len Emery Photo A backhoe operated by Gurney Bros demolishes the post fire remains of the house on Clinton Street. There were no injuries in the fire and the cause of the blaze is still unknown.Two early-morning fires in Springfield and Ludlow left a pair of families homeless.
Firefighters from 11 towns were called out to assist in battling the blazes. But despite their efforts, the single-family home at 285 Clinton St. in Springfield was completely destroyed and a log home at 222 Andover Road was gutted by flames.
No one was injured in either fire, according to the fire chiefs in the two towns.
But two young four-member families were left without homes. The American Red Cross provided temporary lodging and other assistance to both families, the chiefs said.
The first fire was reported in Springfield where firefighters were called out at 3:30 a.m. by homeowners who awakened to the smell of smoke and went downstairs to find flames on the ground floor.
Two adults and two children made it out of the house unscathed but the building was beyond hope of being saved when firefighters arrived.
"It was engulfed. About three-quarters of the structure was on fire," said Springfield Fire Capt. Sean Foulois.
Firefighters from Charlestown, N.H., Bellows Falls and Chester were called to the scene while fire crews from Ascutney and West Weathersfield were called to the Springfield fire station.
But despite the resources available, Springfield Fire Chief Russ Thompson said the focus of the crews was to save a building next door to the home.
"It was a defensive fire. It was just going so much that there was no way to save it, but there was a house next door about six feet away. The first crew roused the people in the other house and our efforts were focused on saving that house,"
In addition to fighting the flames, firefighters struggled with icy conditions that made it difficult for some crews to get to the fire, Thompson said.
The flames weren't completely doused until after sunrise and the remains of the home were tilting so much that the chief said he called for an excavator to demolish the structure.
The homeowners, whose names Thompson said he couldn't recall, were provided emergency shelter at a local hotel, he said.
In Ludlow, Fire Chief Peter Kolenda said firefighters were called out at about 4:30 a.m. by the homeowners on Andover Road who were awakened by smoke detector alarms.
"It definitely could have been worse. One of the bedrooms was right at the top of the stairs the fire was racing up," the chief said. "The detectors definitely helped."
The two adults and two children made it out of the house safely and, unlike the fire in Springfield, the cabin wasn't engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
"They even got a hamster out," the chief said.
The family, whose names Kolenda did not know, was receiving assistance from friends and members of the Cavendish Baptist Church, the chief said.
But the chief said the high volume of combustible materials in the home, combined with the fire's quick spread from the basement into the upper stories, allowed the flames to gut the home before firefighters could extinguish them.
"The main section is gutted," the chief said. "I guess they could rebuild but it's a lot of damage," he said.
It took firefighters from Ludlow, Proctorsville, Mount Holly and Plymouth more than two hours to extinguish the flames. Firefighters from Shrewsbury were also called to oversee the station.
Neither fire was deemed suspicious and both had their origins in faulty wood-heating systems. In Springfield, an unknown problem with a wood stove was suspected while a pellet stove in the basement of the Ludlow home was the suspected cause of the log cabin fire.
firstname.lastname@example.com IN Southern VermontBENNINGTON — Ask author and Bennington College graduate Charlotte Silver if the title of... Full StoryPresident Calvin Coolidge was remembered in all sorts of ways Saturday on the 143rd anniversary... Full StoryPresident Calvin Coolidge was remembered in all sorts of ways Saturday on the 143rd anniversary... Full Story
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- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1878, JOHN TUNSTALL murdered near Lincoln, New Mexico, by the outlaw JESSE EVANS; in 1930, ELM FARM OLLIE first cow to fly in aircraft, first to be milked airborne; 1955, nuke test WASP; '79, snow in Sahara.
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For Brian Crutchmer Doesn?t Let Metal Rods Slow Him Down and many other topics visit HSWrestling.net
Brian Crutchmer is one of the top wrestlers in the state of Oklahoma. The Tulsa Union standout was Class 6A runner-up as a sophomore and junior at 135 pounds, and he is receiving interest from Nebraska, Old Dominion and North Carolina.
And he does all this with metal rods in his spine.
When Crutchmer was 4 years old, he had a serious medical condition that showed up as a birth defect. It prevented him from walking and would require major surgery.
Doctors told the Crutchmer family that Brian wouldn?t walk again and definitely wouldn?t be able to play sports anymore.
They were wrong.
His dad, Tulsa Union wrestling coach Kevin Crutchmer, made him do workouts with his legs, and he walked again. Brian began playing soccer at age 7 and football at age 8, and he began wrestling in the 6th grade with his younger brother Kyle.
Crutchmer now wrestles with metal rods in his spine that were placed there to combat his condition and keep fluid flowing through his spine, but he doesn?t let it faze him on the mat.
?It hurts every once in a while, but I don?t worry about my back.? Crutchmer said.
He is grateful for everything he has been able to accomplish but hasn?t reached his goal: to be better than his brother, Kyle Crutchmer.
Kyle is the 6A state champion at 171 pounds, and he beat OSU signee and two-time state champion Zach Skates of Broken Arrow for that title.
Kyle has received offers from a number of schools, including OU, OSU and Maryland.
?I hope he is better than me ? he?s my brother I wish him the best and hope he does well in everything he does,? Kyle Crutchmer said.
Kevin Crutchmer has coached his sons since they began wrestling in the sixth grade, and they have been working in the family?s property management business.
?They?re both hard workers and both of them have been working for me for 8 years,? Kevin Crutchmer said. ?They appreciate the finer things in life through working with me.?
Crutchmer is an assistant for Team Oklahoma at Junior Nationals. He tries to play more of a dad role as the kids are preparing for college.
?Up until they were sophomores I coached them pretty heavy, but I listen to a lot of veteran coaches,? Kevin said. ?I kind of want to be more of a dad at this point. I let my assistant coaches put in more time with them and I got back in the dad role.?
Tony Cook is the head coach of Team Oklahoma at Junior Duals and is Locust Grove?s wrestling coach.
?Dealing with Brian is a dream,? Cook said. ?To see him have the success he has at the level he has makes you feel proud to work with a kid like that.
?Sometimes you have to back him off some. He?s always at ?full-go? but sometimes his back won?t allow him to. He?s a guy that won?t let you back him off.?
The brothers may have to separate when college comes as they are gaining interest from different schools, but they both want to stay close to home
?We would like to see them stay close so we could attend and see them,? Kevin Crutchmer said. ?But I?ve always told my boys I support their decision as long as it is an educated decision. I would like to see them together but I don?t think it will happen.?
Now the Crutchmers are playing the waiting game until Brian and Kyle both sign and start their new lives in college.
For Article by Tariq Lee, NEWSOK, The Oklahoman


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I used Katie's December template set to make my halloween book
You can see the book here: Halloween 2009
Katie Pertiet:
Days of December Layered Template Set No. 02
Boo Edgers Brushes and Stamps
Spot Dots No. 13 Paper Pack
Naturally Krafty No. 04 Paper Packk
Simple Classics Halloween Kit
Notebook Blocks LT No1 (coming soon)
Anna Aspnes:
Stitched by Anna White No. 02
Helloween WordART No. 01
Pattie Knox:
Party On! Pennants: Halloween
Absolutely Acrylic: Pastel Tinted Buttons and Ties
TFL Patricia


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MALAWI PRESS REVIEW July 2010
From Centre For Social Concern (see our house)
News clippings with analysis
From the Major newspapers in Malawi
Compiled by the
Center for Social Concern (CFSC)
Box 40049 Lilongwe 4
Area 25
Next to St. Francis Parish Tel: 01 715 632
Daily Times, Malawi News, The Weekly News, The Nation,
The Weekend Nation, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Chronicle,
Nation on Sunday,
The National Flag Bill was passed in hasty manner in Parliament with the government who are in majority overwhelmingly voting for the change amid a lot of criticism and rejection from the opposition, the clergy, some civil society organisations and the public in general. Not so long ago government announced the proposed change on the flag, which had black, green and red stripes and a rising sun.
Government cited the rising sun as a sign of a newborn nation, which was just developing. According to government spokesperson Leckford Thotho Mwanza, the rising sun meant Malawi was coming from the darkness therefore the flag depicted a rising sun.
Thotho who says he has conducted consultations throughout Malawi cited food security, the booming economy, and infrastructure as some of the developments that beg for a change of the flag. The consultations raise a lot of suspicions because in many cases the information minister consulted chiefs. These are a group of people who are paid by government and it is more likely that they would never bite the hand that feeds them. They would never have said that the flag should not be changed even if they felt that way.
Despite the strong opposition of clergy, civil society and the masses government went ahead to table the bill in the National Assembly and president Bingu wa Mutharika has assented to it. Now we are expected to change every flag in Malawi and in all diplomatic offices across the globe. Thotho has already defended the cost issue saying the money that is used to replace worn out flags will be used for the new modified flag.
To some people it does not make sense to modify the flag basing on developments that have taken place because the reality is a good number of Malawians are still illiterate, thousands are unemployed and live in dire poverty. As if this is not enough in towns and cities the majority of the people have no running water and electricity. To such people development would have meant easy access of all the above. Sunrise and kwacha are often experienced as signs of hope like it says in the Holy Bible: God's love is as certain as the dawn.
Another argument seldom mentioned is that the flag is closely associated with both the name for the currency, called kwacha, which means 'it is dawn' and the name of the country, Malawi, which was named after the "flames" (reflections) on the water at the time of sunrise. The whole of our reputedly very capable DPP members of parliament allegedly did not know enough history to mount a real debate on the issue. Colleagues from countries, which were sometimes cited as examples in the debate have warned that another government might reverse the change in flag. Like in Congo, which became Zaire and is now the Democratic republic of Congo. The whole flag saga almost forces one to believe that parliament is just rubberstamping. Too bad for democracy!
Malawi celebrated 46 years of independence in July. 46 years after attaining sovereignty the country has made some strides in many sectors of the society but still more there are areas that experts feel need more attention. While it might be true that Malawi has made tremendous improvement in the education, the economy and infrastructure sectors the reality on the ground is not in line with what is on paper. Surely after years of independence we should have been able to change some of the lack of access to basic needs and therefore rights for the better.
Just like last year president Bingu wa Mutharika awarded some deserving citizens of Malawi during the Independence anniversary celebrations. This time around political commentators feel the recipients of the awards were not politically chosen. Some have actually commended Mutharika for the selection of the recipients of these awards, which were given out to different people for their outstanding contribution to the nation. Among them is former president Dr Baklili Muluzi, Late Dr Aleke Banda, Late Ethel Mutharika, Coach of the Malawi national football team Kinnah Phiri and seasoned singer late Everson Matafale.
President Bingu wa Mutharika once again repeated comments about his retirement. While it is a known factor that after two 5 year terms a president should bid the State House goodbye, Mutharika reminded Malawians that he was not going stand or ask for a third term. According to political analysts the recent remarks should not be taken seriously because that is what they all say but in actual sense the ambitions are there. At the same time revelations would also mean that those that had earlier on thought of asking Mutharika to prolong his tenure should shelve their thoughts and dreams on this issue.
The controversial flag bill was passed in the budget sitting of parliament amid mixed feelings over the issue. The Government side of the house overwhelmingly passed the bill despite all the queries from religious leaders, the civil society and other players in the society. Among other things the opponents of the flag change sighted the many problems that Malawians are facing. But government through its spokesperson Leckford Thotho Mwale has backed the changes saying as a nation Malawi has gone through tremendous changes and developments and as such the flag should not have a depiction of dawn but of midday with a full sun at the centre of the flag. Though the bill has been passed some organizations fought against the changes and asked president Bingu wa Mutharika not to assent the bill. But much to people's surprise Mutharika, dismissing all those opposed as just being difficult, went ahead to assent to the bill.
Although the electoral commission disclosed that it would hold local poll on November 23, a recent revelation by the press has left people wondering if at all the elections will take place. It has been announced that there are no funds for the local government elections. To add salt to the injury at present there is no calendar. For a long time the civil society and other stakeholders have been looking forwarding to the day the country will go to polls to choose councilors. With a few months remaining before the polls, by now the electoral calendar should have been released so that various players conduct their duties in preparation of the elections. The 2010/2011 national budget allocated K2 billion for the polls and expected K1 billion from Malawi's partners and donors. These announcements seem to prove the critics right when they said the nation is not yet ready to conduct the elections. Meanwhile the Electoral Commission insists that all is set for the November elections.
Debate is still ongoing on the proposal to have a fixed term of office for Members of Parliament. While some people are of the view that a fixed term of office is what the MPs need others have opposing views. The proposal is to have a limit for the legislators just like we have for the president. The constitution of Malawi allows a president to only rule the nation for 2 five-year terms. Some observers feel the same should apply to MPs who have an open term. So far some constituents have welcomed the proposal while others have contrary views excusing themselves by saying in a democracy one can disagree. While this is so, bringing arguments for each side and having a mature debate is needed. The excuse of disagreeing being democratic seems at times rather childish.
Political analysts have learnt with great shock the carefree attitude that Mutharika seems to be showing to the nation recently through his utterances. President Mutharika who is also the African Union Chairperson made it clear that he will go ahead assenting the flag change bill whether anyone likes it or not. The civil society organizations have been asking Mutharika not to assent the bill. His recent remarks only show that any further plans by the civil society on the flag have been jeopardized. These utterances are coming barely some weeks after Mutharika had spoken of a united Malawi as we are building one nation. Now the carefree speeches sound dictatorial and do not reflect well on a person who is preaching peace and working together for development.
Tread carefully that is what the ruling Democratic Progress Party DPP has been told. It is now obvious that what started like a rumour can now be safely be said to be a fact. Peter Mutharika president Bingu wa Mutharika's younger brother is the eligible candidate for the party in 2014. Although there is no convention that endorsed the young Mutharika he is already getting a lot of airtime on both state run television and radio. Political experts have warned the party from making the same mistakes the United Democratic Front UDF made. It is not a secret that the UDF lost popularity for failing to do things properly on leadership handover.
Malawi's imports cover continues to go up in the year 2010. The situation seems to have improved from shortages of forex early on this year, which resulted in the imports cover going down. Seasonally because of the tobacco sales and other developments the availability of forex in the country has increased. If the forecasts by the Economist Intelligence Unit EIU in London are anything to go by then Malawian importers have all the reason to smile because it means they can securely import raw materials.
Economic experts have wondered why the cost of living and the inflation rate seem to be telling different stories. In normal circumstances, when inflation is going down the cost of living should also be going down. But strangely the monthly cost of living is showing that the cost of living is going up. According to Centre for Social Concern's CFSC monthly basic needs basket the cost of living has gone up mainly because of the rise in food cost. On the other hand the government announced that the inflation is going down. According to experts this is not supposed to be the case. The fact that the cost of living and the inflation are telling us different things raises a lot of questions because economic experts have disclosed that the 2 are supposed to point in the same direction.
Analysts in July praised Bingu wa Mutharika for trying his level best in making sure that the economy is right on track after years of mismanagement. With 46 years of independence they have noted that Malawi has made improvements in the economic sector. Among other things there is good infrastructure development and food security that Malawi can proudly show. Malawi has won donor confidence for the past 6 years courtesy of the Mutharika administration. While this is the case Billy Mayaya of Civic and Political Space Platform noted that the current government has failed Malawians on civil and political rights.
A high level meeting on Malawi's position on Economic Partnership Agreement EPAs has continued to say Malawi is not ready to sign the agreement. On this issue it seems the civil society, government and president Bingu wa Mutharika are speaking the same language. Various civil society organizations have organised different campaigns on the same issue but now that even Mutharika seems not to be in favour of the agreement, it means Malawi will not sign the EPAs. It should be noted there are some countries in Africa that have already signed the interim agreement. Meanwhile negotiations have been taking place because countries do not want to sign the agreement in its current form.
There is a lot of evidence that points to food wastage during storage time. Some agricultural experts have noted that there is always a problem among farmers who have a lot of harvest but end up having too little space to store their produce. Experts would want households to have enough food throughout the year with as little wastage as possible during storage. In this regard authorities are sensitizing the farmers to use metal silos in storing their maize in Mchinji. President Mutharika also launched the same type of silos in Luchenza in Thyolo district in July.
As a food secure nation Malawi has various food crops as well. Although this is the case press reports have disclosed that on average most Malawians eat the same type of food year in year out. This scenario puts some homes in an awkward position because once their usual meal is not available the households go hungry even when there are different types of food. In many homes people feel the only food they can eat is Nsima, which is made from maize flour. If maize as a crop fails, families feel there is no food in the household. This tendency has caused some families to suffer when there is plenty of food and other options that could have been used to supplement one's diet. For this reason the Story Workshop launched a food diversification project in selected areas in Chiradzulu. One surely should not sleep on an empty stomach when there are different types of foods available.
Every month contradicting reports emerge in the press over the hunger situation in Malawi. Just recently the media announced findings of the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committte MVAC and figures. The report by MVAC only mentioned 78,000 people who would be affected by hunger in the Southern Region. But this is contrary to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network FEWSNET who says the figure is now at 1.1 million. This is only in the Southern Region. Although at national level reports show the situation is not bad the fact still remains that in the Southern Region some people are starving. Evidence has shown that the situation is better for the Central and Northern region. These 1.1 million people or more surely need attention so that international reports on food security should indeed reflect what is on the ground.
The fact that there are some districts in the Southern Region that are affected with food shortage every year calls for a permanent solution. It is not something strange to hear of reports of food shortages in the Southern Region. However authorities have not succeeded yet to do away with the food shortage in the region for good. It does not make sense to have the same districts suffering from starvation every month when Malawi is being praised as a role model to other nations on food security.
A monthly survey on the cost of living has gone up because of the rising prices of food. The cost of food is also a major component of the Basic Needs Basket that the CFSC compile. It should be noted that once the cost of some food items has gone up, the whole Basic Needs Baskets changes. But then although the cost of living is going up the incomes of a number of people still remain on a lower side. One wonders how some families manage to go through the month.
The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation CHRR in July asked the government to at least honour Sauka composer of the national anthem. The three-stanza national anthem is the work of one man whose creativity cannot just be pushed aside. CHRR noted with great concern that Sauka's name was not among the people that were honoured on Anniversary celebrations. Sauka equally deserves to be hounoured for the contribution he made to Malawi. To date it is Sauka's composition that Malawi uses as national anthem so it is high time that as a nation we recognize Sauka's work. Perhaps Sauka will be considered during the next round of awards because composing a national anthem is not a simple task that should just go unnoticed.
Different organizations have shown contradicting views over the change of the national flag while some religious groups like the Livingstonia Synod of the CCAP joined the civil society in condemning government for the change; others are commending government for the change. Reverend Malani Ntonga who is former presidential advisor on religious affairs is for the change. Ntonga is backing government for the changes, which he said, are timely because we are no longer at dawn as a nation. While this is the case some civil society and the masses still feel the bill was rushed because it is not true that government made thorough consultations as it claims.
After a successful completion of the Interfaith Project in Mangochi district the Centre for Social Concern CFSC launched a similar project in Machinga district. Among other things the project seeks to have peaceful co-existence among people of different religions. It should be noted that in the past there have been cases of intolerance among people of different faiths in some parts of Malawi. Previously the projects also operated in Karonga, Nkhotakota and Likuni in Lilongwe. It is expected to help people of different religions in Machinga to work together in development projects in the district and conduct all activities peacefully, including elections.
Civil society organizations have criticised the acts of a white couple who asked for medical personnel to conduct an HIV test on a man who was bitten by dogs. The man who was severely bitten by dogs has been the center of attention after the owners of the dog asked doctors to perform the tests fearing that their pets might have contracted the virus from the bites. This has irked human rights organizations who have since asked for the deportation of the white couple. In the same line Human Rights Consultative Committee HRCC held a peaceful demonstration and have given a petition to the home affairs minister to deal with the issue.
On a sad note the Lilongwe Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church mourned the sudden death of the youthful auxiliary bishop Stanislaus Tobias Magombo. He was ordained bishop on 11th July 2009 at Maula Cathedral in Lilongwe. The late bishop hailed from at Helani Village in Traditional Authority Kachindamoto's areas in Dedza district. He was 43.
With the first world cup hosted on African soil over, there have been fears of some new xenophobia attacks in South Africa. This is not going to be a new occurrence because in 2008 a number of foreigners lost their lives and properties at the hands of some South Africans. To date some South Africans still feel the migrants are taking their jobs and other resources. Malawians were not spared from such attacks. Now that the world cup is over the countrymen have threatened to restart the attacks. One might never know whether it is safe for those living in South Africa a country that successfully hosted the world cup.
There is a hot debate going on since the passing of the Pension Amendment Bill in the National Assembly. A number of workers have blamed government for failing to do its homework properly on the issue. This argument has come in because of the revelation that people will only get their pension money after reaching 55 years of age. This clause in the just passed law has left people with more questions than answers. On the same issue the amendment bill has also left out workers whose income is K10,000 a month and below. Malawi Congress of Trade Unions MCTU has since said that government did not consider the proposals the organization made regarding the amendment of the bill.
Malawi celebrated World Population Day in July just like the rest of the world. With Malawi's population shooting up at an alarming rate, here have been calls for families to consider having only 4 children. A recent research indicated that on average families have 6 children. The same research went further to say that Malawian women have a high fertility rate. With Malawi's population soaring around 14 million, some experts have suggested that as a nation we should have a policy that should see only 4 children per couple. Perhaps this is one of the many ways that could help in controlling population growth though this is debatable
As part of the Anniversary celebrations President professor Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned over 200 prisoners. The pardoning of prisoners, which is nothing new, comes at a time there are reports of congestions in Malawi prisons. Some international organizations have in the past cautioned Malawi on conditions in the prisons. Reports on prisons show that a number of inmates are at a risk of contracting airborne diseases because of the congestion. Surely authorities still have their work cut out for them making sure that congestion and other problems are solved for good.
Controversy still surrounds the recent announcement by government on the hardship allowances for teachers in the rural areas. In the 2010/ 2011 national budget government has put aside some money for these teachers. They will be receiving hardship allowances as one way of motivating them to teach and remain in such areas. Teachers living in the rural areas welcomed this news but it did not go down well with their counterparts in the cities. Just recently it was disclosed that some teachers who are in rural areas but are at trading centres where there is running water and electricity would not benefit from the allowances. According to newspaper reports over 4600 teachers who are at Trading Centres will not benefit from the allowance.
Just some weeks after students of Mzuzu University went on rampage over shortage of printers and photocopiers, their woes are not yet over. It seems the college is always in problems leaving students with tough learning conditions at the college. Being a new college, which has been in operational for less than 10 years, students have not enough learning space. Reports have revealed that students learn while standing up at the school. One would not be wrong to ask if at all the government will be able to build the promised 5 colleges when it is failing to manage 1 of its already existing college Mzuni.
The Malawi National Examinations Board MANEB in July administered Standard 8 Primary School and Leaving Certificate PSLCE and Junior Certificate Examination JCE. Perhaps these could be said to be one of the successful examinations because there were not many reports of cheating or any other problems. In the past examinations have been marred by leakages and cheating leaving MANEB with no choice but to either disqualify students or cancel the whole exam. Could this mean that the situation is changing for the better?
In July government made it known that it would deal with any school owners who have substandard buildings. This is one of the many ways that authorities are trying to improve standards of education. Just recently government went around and closed some of the schools that did not meet its standards. Although some quarters were not amused with the exercise at least it gave school owners some kind of push to make sure they put their house in order Sanitation in schools has always been a problem. Evidence has shown that a number of girls absent themselves from school because of shortages of toilets in their premises.
Universities are never short of controversies. This is evident by the many issues that come from the University of Malawi UNIMA offices. Press reports recently disclosed that top officials at UNIMA have been giving each other exorbitant allowances when they go on leave. It should be noted that these are the same colleges that have to cope with numerous problems. The fact that top staffs are abusing their powers by misusing funds at the colleges is a deplorable situation that needs to be taken care of once and for all.
Professor Bingu wa Mutharika in July also added his voice in condemning some religious leaders who deny their faithful from going to hospitals or receive vaccination. It is not a secrete that Malawi is a God fearing nation and that there is freedom of worship, but recent deaths of children suffering from measles has sparked a debate among Malawians. Since it was announced that there is an outbreak of Measles government has done vaccination campaigns. To the surprise of many some denominations refused to have their children vaccinated resulting in deaths. Against this background Mutharika cautioned such people who are putting the lives of their young ones in danger.
The campaign against malaria one of the major killer diseases continued in the month under review. This time around it has been dubbed Malungo Zii campaign and it has spread into the districts after officially being launched in Lilongwe. Press reports have disclosed that in Nkhata Bay there is some resistance among couples to sleep under a mosquito net. According to reports people think sleeping under a mosquito net reduces one's fertility rate. Experts who have since managed to change the people's perception have denied these allegations.
Still on Malaria, the saying old habits die hard proves to be true for some people in Nkhata Bay. Although the use of Fansidar SP has been discouraged among Malaria patients, others are still using the drug, which has been proved to be resistant to the disease. This is because others think the recommended prescription has too many drugs that one has to take. The scenario has resulted in some people dying from the disease in the district. There is need for more sensitization and awareness on the effectiveness of the drug and the importance of completing the dosage, if people are to be healed once they have malaria.
First Lady Callista Mutharika launched a Safe Motherhood organization in July barely some days after being appointed AU ambassador on such issues. Mutharika replaced vice president Joyce Banda who was relieved of her duties under very controversial circumstances. Callista Mutharika's organization will among other things assist in making sure the campaign to reduce child and maternal mortality rates to spread far and wide.
The environment and natural resources continue to get low press coverage in Malawi. For whatever reason newspapers in Malawi are dominated by political squabbles as result issues on the environment are overshadowed by such occurrences. Rarely do we find a story on climate change being on front page. But then although the media in Malawi shun environmental issues in their daily work it should be noted that this sector is equally important and needs as much attention as politics and others. In one week one would be assured of reading about politics, the economy, sports and entertainment almost every day of the week but the environment is never given such coverage.
Similarly issues of climate change are also not being covered in the press. At a climate change meeting authorities asked journalists to give the environment some attention in coverage. This confirms the observers who noted that climate change issues are not reported in the press. With the government's plea readers perhaps be informed more on the topic.
Press reports have revealed that finally government has come to the rescue of Chikangawa forest. The forest, which is Africa's biggest man-made forest, which stretches from Mzimba district to Mzuzu City, adds beauty and has been a source of timber to the nation and other neighbouring countries. But of late bush fires and unauthorized cutting of trees has left the plantation bare in some patches. At the same time some harvested areas need to be replanted and government intends to give out funds for the replanting of the trees.
Some environmentalists in the month of July noted that there is not much that has been done in the national budget that goes towards the environment. According to the experts as a nation Malawi should also put the environment as one of its priority areas. The environment is also one of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs and such needs our attention. It should be noted that all the other goals like on water, sanitation and food security go hand in hand with the environment.
The media has disclosed that climate change is hitting hard on farmers who are feeling the effects more than others. The changes in rainfall patterns have made the farmers also realize that they need to be more innovative, if they are to cope. For instance some farmers in Karonga are making manure that would keep water in the soil once the rains fail they should not be worried about the harvest.
During the 46th anniversary independence celebrations President Bingu wa Mutharika once again renewed his vows on women empowerment in Malawi. The incumbent president has won the hearts of many gender activists as someone who has the welfare of women at heart. In his speech Mutharika promised to make plans that once implemented will ensure that at least 90 women go to the National Assembly. This will in a way assist in achieving the SADC goals of having 50% of female representation in decision-making positions. It should be noted that some African nations have a policy that allows for the reservation of some seats for women. In these countries they have managed to achieve the 50-50 goals.
Gender Minister Patricia Kaliati did not mince words when she blasted women who bail out their husbands once they are put in police custody for gender based violence offences. Observers have noted with great concern that there are a lot of victims of gender-based violence who bail out the same husbands that abuse them. This tendency seems to be slowing down the fight against gender based violence in Malawi. Parliament passed the domestic violence bill into law some years ago. But then the fight against gender based violence cannot bear fruits if the women who are in most cases victims bail out the men who should be punished once they have been proved to be guilty as charged. It surely needs more awareness so that the offenders are punished accordingly.
Press reports in month under review have exposed more problems that women continue to face in the society. Evidence has shown that most women are abused on land issues. This is the case because in some cultures in Malawi women do not own land. In this regard even the proceeds that come out after they have contributed fairly to farming do not belong to the women. Much as they do spend their strengths on the land they do not make decisions on the proceeds that come out after farming. Some women in Machinga have asked for ownership of land. Land ownership is the only way the women think they will be at liberty to do as they please.
Gender reports have revealed that a number of women have fallen in the human trafficking trap. Some organizations are currently raising awareness on human trafficking. On the other hand others are taking advantage of high unemployment rates in Malawi to trap women and girls into their plans. But the most shocking thing is the fact that more and more girls and women end up being in sex trade instead of the promised jobs. Contrary to what trafficked people are promised, traffickers still abuse the victims. Recent reports show that some individuals have taken advantage of Malawi and are using it as a transit country. There is need to tighten the screws in the fight against human trafficking which has been dubbed modern day slavery. Currently there is no law against human trafficking in Malawi.
Fr. Bill Turnbull
Center for Social Concern (CFSC)
Box 40049 Lilongwe 4
Area 25
Next to St. Francis Parish
Tel: 01 715 632


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For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Medieval pageantry and THE most famous wedding march
at the Civic Opera House – but don't ask the groom his name!
opens February 11 at Lyric Opera of Chicago –
Wagnerian Holy Grail tale makes its first return in 31 years
starring Johan Botha, Emily Magee, Greer Grimsley,
Michaela Schuster, Georg Zeppenfeld, and Lester Lynch
Sir Andrew Davis conducts Covent Garden production, Elijah Moshinsky dir.
Tickets from $33 – www.lyricopera.org or 312-332-2244
Opening-night broadcast live on 98.7WFMT and www.wfmt.com
DISCOVERY SERIES with Emily Magee, Greer Grimsley,
Sir Andrew Davis, and Roger Pines (moderator)
Tues., Feb. 8, 6-7 p.m. at UBS Tower, 1 N. Wacker Dr.
$16 at door or call 312-827-5912 to reserve
Talk about wedding-bell blues! A young woman in peril is rescued by a mysterious knight who arrives in a swan-drawn boat, no less. Gratefully, she agrees to marry him – but she must never ask his name or where he's from – easier said than done, especially when doubts are planted in her mind by a scheming pair of rivals.
Some see Lohengrin as Richard Wagner's first masterpiece. Others say it was his stepping-stone to the Ring cycle. Either way, it's the perfect melding of vocal and orchestral forces and a dramatic tour de force not to be missed, especially with Lyric's top-of-the-line international cast.
/ Richard Wagner (in German with projected English translations)
7 performances beginning at 6:00 p.m., except for matinee at 1:00 p.m.
Feb. 11, 16, 20 (mat), 25, Mar. 1, 5, 8
One of the quintessential works of the German Romantic repertoire, Wagner's Lohengrin (1850) presents an appealing, moving story that unfolds in music of sublime lyricism and exceptional grandeur. Not only the soloists' roles but also the contributions of chorus and orchestra find Wagner at his most incomparably inspired.
The story centers on a mysterious medieval knight and the young woman whose love for him is tragically thwarted. In Antwerp, on the shores of the River Scheldt, the Royal Herald (baritone Lester Lynch) calls for a knight to come to the aid of Elsa of Brabant (soprano Emily Magee/Amber Wagner, Mar. 5, 8). In a boat pulled by a swan, Lohengrin (tenor Johan Botha) arrives, ready to defend Elsa against the accusation by Count Friedrich of Telramund (bass-baritone Greer Grimsley) that she murdered her young brother. After Telramund is defeated by Lohengrin in a duel, King Henry (bass Georg Zeppenfeld, debut) awards the knight Elsa's hand in marriage. Their happiness is sabotaged, however, by both Telramund and his villainous wife Ortrud (mezzo-soprano Michaela Schuster, debut).
The production of Lohengrin (owned by the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) will be conducted by Sir Andrew Davis and directed by Elijah Moshinsky, with set and costume designs by John Napier (debut). Christine Binder is lighting designer. The original movement director is Eleanor Fazan.
has been produced by Lyric Opera only once previously, in 1980, Lyric's general director William Mason notes. "It's one of the most popular of the Wagner operas. The music is sumptuous, including the famous Wedding March and the magnificent choruses. Johan Botha is simply spectacular in this role – nobody sings it better. Emily Magee, our Ryan Opera Center alumna, has an exceptional career in the major houses of Europe – we're thrilled that she's returning as Elsa, a role in which she's triumphed in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Florence, and Bologna. We're also delighted that Ryan Opera Center alumna Amber Wagner will assume the role for the final two performances. Michaela Schuster, a riveting German mezzo, makes her debut as Ortud, and her malevolent husband Telramund will be sung by Greer Grimsley, who had such a fine success here as Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde a few seasons back."
The Lyric Opera presentation of Lohengrin is generously made possible by two Anonymous Donors, Mrs. A. Watson Armour, Mrs. Marlys Beider, Mr. & Mrs. Dietrich M. Gross, and Irma Parker.
Tuesday, February 8, 6 – 7 p.m.
Join Emily Magee (Elsa), Greer Grimsley (Telramund), and conductor Sir Andrew Davis in an exploration of this magnificent work. UBS Tower Ballroom, 1 N. Wacker Dr. (directly across from the Civic Opera House). Individual tickets $16. Call the Education Department for more information: 312- 332-2244.
Friday, February 11 through Tuesday, March 8 at 5 p.m.
lectures by music critic Wynne Delacoma before performances Feb. 11, 16, 20, 25*, Mar. 1, 5, 8. *Pre-matinee lecture starts at 12 p.m. Free 30-minutes lectures in the Ardis Krainik Theatre, Civic Opera House. Ticket for that date's opera performance must be shown for lecture admission. Open seating on main floor. Call the Education Department for more information: (312) 827-5912.
The opening-night performance of Lohengrin on Fri., Feb. 11 will air live on 98.7WFMT and www.wfmt.com beginning at 5:45 p.m., with WFMT's George Preston as host and Lyric dramaturg Roger Pines as commentator. The Matthew Bucksbaum Family is the generous sponsor of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Bucksbaum Family Broadcasts, with matching funding provided by The Crown Family and Richard P. and Susan Kiphart.
For production photos, please contact Carrie Napolilli after Feb. 7: 312-827-5923 or firstname.lastname@example.com
2015 © Lyric Opera of Chicago


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Featured car - This is a Skoda Fabia pickup
This is a Skoda Fabia pickup
Could this Wörthersee concept be the successor to the Felicia Fun?This is a Skoda Fabia pickup
Latest news
Skoda's new rally car is most excellent
Meet the 265bhp Fabia R 5, the successor to the Fabia Super 2000. TG needs a road version nowSkoda's new rally car is most excellent
First drive: the new Skoda Fabia
A new suit, much gadgetry, but is the Czech Fiesta rival playing just too safe? Vijay Pattni reportsFirst drive: the new Skoda Fabia
It's the new Skoda Fabia!
Skoda reveals new Fiesta rival, with claims of better economy and personalisationIt's the new Skoda Fabia!
Official: Skoda SUV is on the way
And will be here by 2016 to rival the Land Rover Discovery Sport. Jason Barlow reportsOfficial: Skoda SUV is on the way
First look at the new Skoda Fabia
Design sketch released that shows promise of the new Skoda supermini. Won't be a VRS thoughFirst look at the new Skoda Fabia
Skoda will kill the Fabia vRS
Skoda CEO tells TG.com about upcoming product plans – including a seven-seat SUV…Skoda will kill the Fabia vRS
Skoda reveals vRS 2000 concept
UPDATE: more pics of Fabia rally-based roadster concept car showcased at Worthersee
Fabia vRS: extreme drive
Skoda's vRS is supposed to be 'made of meaner stuff'. But can it cope with one of Britain's steepest and most extreme roads?
Video: Skoda's Fabia vRS is mean
Skoda follows up famous Fabia 'cake' advert with new spot for vRS. Snakes happenWatch the new Skoda Fabia vRS advert
Crossing the lime
Skoda shows off Fabia RS+ concept at Worthersee. Chavs rejoice merrilySee the hot Fabia
Geneva show: Fabia vRS
Hot Czech supermini goes petrol-powered, gets ready for big scrap with VW Polo GTI and Seat Ibiza Cupra..Read about the Skoda
Clarkson hearts small cars
JC admits that the Fiat 500 is better than the ZondaRead Top Gear's Guide to Small Cars
Skoda Fabia
Skoda Fabia gallery
Bad Czech
Skoda turns cute cakey Fabia all nasty. We like itRead about the Skoda Fabia Super 2000
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Next generation of TG Survey favourite debuts in GenevaRead about the Skoda Fabia
Frankfurt fallout: Supermini estates square up
Skoda Fabia and Renault Clio duke it out in the battle of the bootsRead about the Renault Clio


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We offer discount to nonprofits, government agencies, and federal contractors
In just the last two weeks, congressional calls to #EndFamilyDetention have turned the tide of momentum significantly.
AILA Doc No. 11091433 | Dated September 14, 2011
On September 14, 2011, the Senate Judiciary held a hearing titled "The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act: Renewing the Commitment to Victims of Human Trafficking."
Read the statements from the following members and witnesses:
Member Statements:
Witness Testimonies:
Cite as AILA Doc. No. 11091433.
American Immigration Lawyers Association
1331 G Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
Copyright © 1993-2015
American Immigration Lawyers Association.


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How to transform a bland living room into a cool contemporary space with a few key pieces.
Q. I'd like a modern, loft-style look in my new apartment, but I'm not sure how to get it. I've painted all the walls white and purchased a new sofa. But I still have bedsheets on the windows because I can't decide on a drape colour. I like black and white striped rugs — would one work here?
— Gloria, via email (To submit your own question, see our Ask A Designer™ page.)
A. Your sofa and media stand are large pieces that balance each other well; they'll be easy to work with. While your chrome chair is modern, consider replacing it with something warmer. The Storsele rattan armchair (shown) from Ikea has a glossy lacquered black finish, so it feels more contemporary than country. Add a neutral seat cushion for comfort and frame the sofa with one armchair at either end.
Instead of drapes, install sleek white roller blinds, which will provide privacy and soften the look, but still allow light to filter in.
A bold striped rug will look great — they work especially well in modern spaces (checkout the inspiration shot). But instead of black and white, try Dash & Albert's Catamaran Stripe rug in Charcoal/Ivory (shown). The colours are a bit softer and will work nicely with your sofa.
Look for a coffee table with a sophisticated retro style, like the Vandyke cocktail table (shown) from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Its warm satin brass frame will balance the the rug's strong contrast, and the overall design will elevate the rattan armchairs.
Consider adding an art wall above the TV, as in our inspiration. Use a variety of frame sizes in white and black, with one or two gold ones in the mix. Bring height to the shorter side of the media unit with a Buster floor lamp in Deep Patina Bronze (shown) from Robert Abbey to balance the taller portion.
Of course, I'm always a fan of neutral, but adding some colour never hurts! I like the pop of cerise in the Tabla and Diamonds pillows (shown) from Judy Ross Textiles. Scatter a couple along your sofa to liven up the room.
Finally, open storage can be tricky to style since it always has to look its best. Pick up a few inexpensive paper-laminate boxes to hide all the messy bits.
See more Ask A Designer responses. Plus, submit your own question, with instructions from our Ask A Designer™ page.
1. Lamp, Robert Abbey. 2. Rug, Dash & Albert. 3. Pillows, Judy Ross Textiles. 4. Table, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. 5. Chair, Ikea.
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MATH-040 Probability and Statistics
Professors Caraballo and Sullivan
Topics include graphical and numerical methods for describing data, probability and sampling distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, and simple linear regression with inference. Some knowledge of calculus is desirable but not required. Fall and Spring.
Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:
More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.
The academic department web site for this program may provide other details about this course.
Georgetown University37th and O Streets, N.W., Washington D.C. 20057(202) 687.0100


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|Flood in August, 2012 in Iloilo City, Philippines
This is the third in a series based on letters from Richel Parreno, a biologist who is staying with her in-laws in Iloilo, Philippines (Part 1).
Richel has been trying to help the family after a flood damaged their home by demonstrating the many ways they can use goat's milk. One way is to make the kind of cheese they are used to eating - "Velveeta:"
Making "Velveeta"
By Richel Parreno
This recipe was compiled from multiple sources, mainly http://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/sp78l.htm, plus my own experience. It is written for people who have access to raw milk, but do not have fancy things like thermometers, cultures or even a modern stove. This will show how easy it is for a beginner to make a nice cheese, under less than ideal circumstances, and without having to wait for 3 months to eat it.
|Two jars of clabbering milk
The following ingredients will make about one to one-half pounds of cheese:
1-1/2 gallons fresh raw milk
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon soda
2/3 cup very thick sour cream (skimmed from the milk)
1-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon yellow coloring (if desired, I don't)
Note: Because I have only one little goat, I'll be making a half-sized batch, using about 3 quarts of milk, so my expected yield will be around 2/3 of a pound.
First, clean everything very thoroughly. Start with hot water, then finish up with scalding hot water. Don't use chlorine unless you rinse out every trace of smell, as it may kill the organisms you're trying to cultivate.
Let the milk set in a warm, shaded place and skim the cream off when it has risen.
|Lumpy, bumpy cream layer
Set the cream and milk in separate containers in that warm place to let them sour. (If you're lazy like me, you can just leave the cream floating on the milk until they both sour, and then separate them. There's a clear distinction in color and texture, so it's easy to tell when to stop.) Taste the cream and when it is sour, save out 2/3 cup for later use. Let the milk set until it clabbers (at this point, it will look rather like yoghurt), about two or three days, depending on how hot the weather is. When the curd is thick and soured it is ready to cook. If you wait a little longer, the curds and whey will separate into something related to cottage cheese. But that's not the recipe I'm doing just now.
Note: If using pasteurized milk instead of raw, add a Mesophilic Culture like C101 to your milk, or it'll just go rancid instead of souring. Also, if using homogenized milk, the cream won't separate.
Note: A clabber is more delicate in structure than a set with a commercial culture. Handle it gently.
|Clean break on clabber
|Clean break up close
Heat the thick clabber in a double-boiler until the pan is too hot to touch (don't you love measurements like that?), stirring frequently to separate the whey (the watery substance) from the curd (the soft coagulated portion). This simmering will take about half an hour.
|Cooking the clabber
When the curd becomes rubbery (kind of like scrambled eggs), it is time to drain off the whey. Don't line your colander with muslin. Pour the curds and whey into a colander, pressing down lightly to remove as much whey as possible, but not enough to force the curds through the colander.
|Curds at scrambled egg stage
|Curds and whey
|Curds in colander
Then place the curds in a strong, clean cloth (I'm using an old handkerchief, for larger batches you might use a pillowcase.) and squeeze out all the remaining liquid so that they are very dry. Put all of your strength into this. If the curds are not dry enough the results will be a poorly finished product (grainy and sour). I find it best to break up the curd ball and squeeze it a second time.
|Drained curds
|Squeezing curds
|Curd ball
Note: Be sure to run the whey through your squeezing cloth later, or you'll loose all the fine curds. That's about HALF of the yield, and that's WAY too much to throw to the dogs. It's hard to squeeze dry though, and will muck up your cheese, so use it for ricotta or something.
|Curds from salvaged whey
|Salvaged curds and curd ball
Place the dry curd in a bowl with the butter and soda. Cut butter and soda into curd until well mixed. One source says to cut the curd to the size of a kernel of corn, but mine always seem to reduce to a mince. Press down and let it set out for at least two and a half hours. It will not hurt the cheese if it sets all night. (I put mine in the frig overnight to keep the critters out of it.)
|Curd ball, butter and soda
|Curd ball, butter and soda mixed
|Curd ball, butter and soda pressed
The next step is to add the remaining ingredients and cook the mixture. Put the curd mixture, the sour cream which was previously set aside, salt and coloring in the top of the double boiler and cook until all the curds are melted, stirring occasionally to mix in the other ingredients. As it approaches completion, it will take on a shiny, glassy look. It doesn't seem to become a liquid, but it will become quite soft and plastic.
|Curd mix and cream
|Curd mix in the double boiler
When melted and smooth, pour the cheese into a well buttered mold and let cool. After it is cold and firm, it is ready to eat. If you would like to cure this cheese, cover it with melted paraffin wax.
|Scooping the curds into the mold
|Cheese cooling
|Cheese and naan bread
Now, compare the ingredients in this (milk, things made from milk, and salt), to Processed Cheese-Food Product, (mostly oil and water, plus things you can't pronounce). I know which one I'm eating from now on. I don't care how the USDA tries to demonize raw milk.
Note: There are variation on this recipe available on the internet, if you can hunt them up. Start your search with variations on Kochkaese (cooked cheese). I haven't tried any of them yet, but they include:
-After cooking, break the curds finely by hand (a form of B. linens inoculation?), and allow to ripen for 3 to 5 days in an earthen crock before proceeding with the butter and soda treatment. I expect that this will have a considerably stronger flavor.
-Instead of cooking the clabber, drain it for something like Yoghurt Cheese. When melting, use more oil and no cream. This should produce a cheese spread.
-Omitting the soda should result in a cheese more like a soft Mozzarella.


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The Transfer Center is located in room 126 along with the Counseling Center and Student Employment Center. Students can sign up in the Transfer Center for upcoming transfer workshops, university field trips, and to schedule a meeting with visiting university representatives. Our Transfer Center also offers the following resources:
Shasta College Transfer Center Building 100, Room 126 11555 Old Oregon Trail P.O. Box 496006 Redding, CA 96049-6006 www.shastacollege.edu/transfer Phone: (530) 242-7570 Fax: (530) 225-4960
Daniel Valdivia Transfer Center email@example.com(530) 242-7959 Room 128
Community Events may be of interest to our students who intend to transfer to the California State or University of California or any other private or Out-of-State system. These events are not necessarily sponsored by Shasta College or her affiliated agencies.
Student Support
Learning Outcomes
1. Students utilizing
the Transfer Center will report that they were satisfied with the services that
they received.
2. As a result of participating in transfer services
and activities, students will report an increased awareness of the transfer
requirements and processes.
3. The Transfer Center will increase the number of
students pursuing Associate Degrees for Transfer by expanding outreach and
promotion of these degrees as they become available.