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By OC Weekly Staff
Poutine at Biggie Baguette, eh?
By Edwin Goei
By Edwin Goei
By Edwin Goei
PokiNometry: Remembrances of Pokes Past
By Edwin Goei
By Edwin Goei
By Kiera Wright-Ruiz
Understanding Beer: Sours & Infections
By Cleo Tobbi
You can't accuse this joint, located quite obviously in a former KFC, of false advertising. Their trademark is the mega mega burger, a cake-sized burger, served in slices, that is the equivalent of eight hamburgers. Note: if you think a mega mega burger sounds like an eat-alone kind of meal, do yourself a favor—take a good look in the mirror and have your cholesterol checked first. 34122 Pacific Coast Hwy., Dana Point, (949) 488-0849. $
11080 Magnolia St.
Garden Grove, CA 92841
Category: Restaurant > Vegetarian
Region: Garden Grove
425 S. Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Category: Restaurant > Seafood
Region: Laguna Beach
28051 Greenfield Drive, Ste. J
Laguna Beach, CA 92677
Category: Restaurant > Thai
Region: Laguna Niguel
1804 N. Tustin Ave., Ste. C
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Category: Restaurant > Japanese
Region: Santa Ana
17853 Santiago Blvd., 101
Villa Park, CA 92861
Category: Restaurant > Pizza
Region: Villa Park
15430 Brookhurst St.
Westminster, CA 92683
Category: Restaurant > Cajun
Region: Westminster
9211 Bolsa Ave., Ste. 115
Westminster, CA 92683
Category: Restaurant > Barbecue
Region: Westminster
15470 Magnolia St.
Westminster, CA 92683
Category: Restaurant > Barbecue
Region: Westminster
10530 Bolsa Ave.
Westminster, CA 92683
Category: Restaurant > Chinese
Region: Westminster
9892 Westminster Ave.
Garden Grove, CA 92844
Category: Restaurant > Vietnamese
Region: Garden Grove
Asian Deli operated for years from a hectic Orange strip mall, a spotless Indonesian dive where patrons happily munched on vast rice dishes that resembled hail flurries along with satay skewers of sweet, spicy and smoky savors. Now based in Diamond Bar, it still saunters through the Indonesian cookbook—one of the world's most deliciously anarchic due to the country's archipelagic nature and position between various trade routes—as if bankrolled by President Megawati Sukarnoputri. 23545 Palomino Dr., Ste. F, Diam'ond Bar, (909) 861-1427;www.asian-deli.com. $
When you want to throw caloric caution to the wind, there's no beating Mel's. The cooking is home-style, the portions huge and the waitresses friendly. Other than a hot cuppa joe (yep, that's here, too), what more do you want? You'd be a knucklehead to leave without ordering the hubcap-sized, homemade cinnamon rolls topped with generous dollops of pure melted butter (served weekends only). 9430 Warner Ave., Ste. 1, Fountain Valley, (714) 963-2662. ¢
This small restaurant, run by the young male wards of the non-profit Hart Community Homes, is Dickens by way of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. As heartwarming as Monkey Business' story may be, none of it would matter much to foodies if the sandwiches weren't great: constructed with the care and elegance of a panini store but at half the cost. 301 E. Amerige, Fullerton, (714) 526-2933. $
There's nothing pretentious or nouveau about the service or cuisine, no-nonsense Italian fare based on three kinds of pasta: fettuccine, linguine and penne. And you won't find veal, lamb, rabbit, or anything else too far off the main Italian grub drag—pasta, beef and pork make Roman Cucina the simplest, most delicious Italian since Sonny Corleone. 211 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 680-6000;www.romancucina.com . $$
There's about a dozen coolers of pan dulces at Ruben's, each containing multiple trays holding a specific pan dulce genus, each genus boasting mucho diversity, and so forth. Stock up on empanadas, turnovers gorged with fillings and adorned with unique crusts. The camote empanada houses its sweet yam innards within a firm, buttery crust; the same crust also gives refuge to fillings of the lemon and cream variety. 438 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 992-0414. ¢
During Ramadan, Fatima Rahman (known to all as Auntie Fatima) lords over the best religious-minded buffet in the county at Orange County's largest mosque, preparing $2 Styrofoam cartons of delicious Indian food and the stray baklava. The rest of the year, Auntie Fatima prepares it only during Friday services. Some of the tastiest Indian food around—and no faith in Allah required! 1 Al-Rahman Plaza, Garden Grove, (714) 531-1722. $
Keko's Foods is the only mass American distributor of alfajores, the Argentine shortbread cookies filled with chocolate or quince. They specialize in the Marplatenses type of alfajor, offering two flavors: two varieties: cocoa cookie alfajor covered in chocolate and vanilla cookie alfajor covered in white chocolate. To place an order, visit www.kekosfoods.com. $
Since it opened in 2002, Thuyen Vien has attracted eaters not just because it seamlessly replicates all its meats with soy, but because it also nails the complex flavors of Vietnamese cuisine in a way few other Vietnamese vegetarian restaurants can. The curry soy "chicken" a lovely stew of coconut broth, chile oil, potatoes, onions, tofu and fake chicken, is bueno. 11080 Magnolia St., Garden Grove, (714) 638-8189. $
Part fraternity, part bakery, part miniature brewery, Brewbakers is as much a bonding experience as an eating establishment, a gustatory amusement park in the midst of chain-heavy Huntington Beach. While the personal beer-making process is the main attraction, owner Dennis Midden maintains that baking is his first love, and a chomp through his pretzels—chewy loops with a perfect crustiness and enough salt to enhance the taste but not cover it—confirms it. 7242 Heil Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 596-5506; www.brewbakers1.com. $$
Lotus is the county's second Chinese Muslim restaurant and does a fine job of preparing that cuisine's emphasis on meat, magazine-thick noodles, and sesame breads large enough to double as Frisbees. Like almost every northern Chinese restaurant, Lotus trots out so-so egg rolls and egg-flower soup as appetizers, so it's better to start with chilled ox tripe. 16883 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, (714) 848-4940. $$
If you've sworn off beef and pork but still eat birds, Huntington Beach's venerable Mangia Mangia is your kinda place. For nearly 20 years, Sicilian-born brothers Giuseppe and Pietro Cefalu have served herds of veal, poured vats of meat sauce over their homemade pasta, and earned a solid rep for fresh seafood, calamari fritti and outta-this-world eggplant dishes. But the house specialty remains their chicken "Mangia Mangia." An ample chicken breast beaten flat is sautéed with ginger, shallots, asparagus and red bell peppers in white wine to produce a near-breaded, scaloppini effect, with veggies, spice and vino then spooned over the bird. 16079 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach, (714) 841-8887; www.mangiamangiarestaurant.com. $$
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subset: commoncrawl


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Okie Dokie Y'all.
Here it is. Air out your grievances here, since apparently PANing GO's is out of the question (regardless of how many times we've asked you to do so).
I'll start by saying I may not always agree with other GO's. I'll also say that YOU all don't know when we disagree with each other. We're figuring it out. We're working with Dawn and Noel and Lanie so that we CAN figure it out. But while we ARE figuring it out, we're still standing behind each others decisions to delete and or lock or whatever the heck is going on, so that way we CAN all be on the same page.
You might not see it as a spin-off. Someone else might. I don't know what to tell you ladies. Pick another topic besides "closed threads". There's a lot to contribute to. If there are any issues and you don't feel like it's being resolved with one of the new GO's, then PAN Dawn or Noel or Lanie.
That is all. Talk it out. Please refrain from using personal attacks and or attacking GO's. Then we're golden.
PSA - Deleted Posts - Comments, Etc...
Posted 03/25/2013
Ok guys y'all can relax I've been deleting the comments bc I don't want my cover to be blown. Please send all of your complaints to me and I will promptly respond.
Ok guys y'all can relax I've been deleting the comments bc I don't want my cover to be blown. Please send all of your complaints to me and I will promptly respond.
Posted 03/25/2013
Carly, can I complain about being hungry? Can you please respond!? I am not supposed to be hungry I just chow hounded some spagettis.
^v^ I rock rough and stuff with my rainbow puffs UKOA13 ^v^
Posted 03/25/2013
Pike- I call bullshit on your complaint. Go to the fridge and pick out something you like. I will not cater to you. You bought all that good and I promise there is something that you like in there. Eat it and like it.
Posted 03/25/2013
Taking a comment from earlier "you never know who you're talking to on the Internet" technically anyone could say they're being fair when in fact they are not
Posted 03/25/2013
And I reported this to the mods for an abuse of power.
You should receive an email soon. :)
You should receive an email soon. :)
Wife. Mom. L&D RN.
Posted 03/25/2013
That would mean I ahve to go get up and find food. I've eaten about 20 mini-easter candy bars. Still hungry. I think it's all the take out talk. I change my complaint. Food talk is messing with my head! That's my new official complaint.
^v^ I rock rough and stuff with my rainbow puffs UKOA13 ^v^
Posted 03/25/2013
Anyone can say mods are deleting comment when in fact they aren't.
Hailey 09.28.03 Emma 11.28.09 Noah 08.14.13
Posted 03/25/2013
Well my complaint is I ordered this food an he ago and it still isn't here. I'm PISSED. I am calling them back.
Posted 03/25/2013
I wonder if the mods keep track of which GO deletes which comments/threads.
Your growing child
Your 26-month-old: Language red flags
See red flags that warn of a language delay in toddlers. Read More
Your 27-month-old: Parallel play
It's normal at this age for kids to do play separately even when they're together. Read More
Your 27-month-old: Becoming bilingual
Is now a good time to expose your child to other languages? Read More
Your 27-month-old: Mastering motor skills
Doing actions repeatedly helps your child perfect her motor skills. Read More
Your 27-month-old: Read it again
Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree again?! Oh yes. Reading the same book over and over provides a measure of comfort. Read More


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Rockstar's unwrapped details on its pre-order plans for the U.K. release of bullet-time blaster Max Payne 3.
In typical fashion, punters will be able to get their grubby paws on a variety of different goodies depending on the retailer you shop at.
Head over to GAME and you'll bag a Cemetery multiplayer map, while those of you in the U.S. will have to shop at GameStop to nab this bonus.
Visit Tesco in the U.K. and you'll receive the Silent Killer Multiplayer Loadout Pack, which includes a Light Anti-Tank Weapon, a Character Burst and Listening Device. U.S. details for this content are still to be determined.
Finally, pre-order Max Payne's latest adventure at Play in the U.K., and you'll pick up a "code that allows you to get the game's first paid Multiplayer DLC Pack for free." U.S. gamers will have to pop over to Best Buy to acquire this content.
More details on other territories, including Australia and France, can be found here. Max Payne 3 is scheduled for release on PlayStation 3, PC and Xbox 360 in March 2012.
Rockstar details Max Payne 3 U.K. pre-order bonuses
Rockstar's unwrapped details on its pre-order plans for the U.K. release of bullet-time blaster Max Payne 3.


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ContentGenerator.net Community forums: Chemical formula - ContentGenerator.net Community forums
Page 1 of 1
Chemical formula
Posted 20 August 2007 - 03:26 AM
First I love the games. So far I have only been trying the free games. I am trying to use it in my chemistry class and with that I would require subscripts and superscripts to input chemical formula. I tried using html code to get this to work but no luck.
I have been using "hot potatoes" to do my online activities. I recently discovered contentgenerator and prefer your games, and quiz. They seem to have more 'zing' and would be more enjoyable to play, but without subscripts I am going to have to stay with "hot potatoes". "Hot Potatoes is a great set of programs, but variety is the spice of life.
Keep up the good work.
Posted 20 August 2007 - 07:25 AM
Thanks for the positive comments! I also fully agree about Hot Potatoes - it is an excellent suite of programs and one that I use. The ContentGenerator.net programs have never been designed to replace or compete with these, but rather complement and extend assessment into a more entertaining and engaging way.
Could you possibly give some examples of the kind of thing that you need to input. Due to the nature of the exercises, namely that they use Flash rather than JavaScript, it is much trickier to include equations. However, you can input the full series of unicode characters as shown on the site below. Hold down the ALT key and press the relevant number:
I suspect what you need is the ability to enter any text as super or sub script, which currently isn't supported due to the complexity and nature of rich-text formatting in Flash. If there is a specific font that includes Chemical symbols it might be possible to embed that into the finished applications.
Posted 20 August 2007 - 07:41 AM
Just checking up on the Adobe site about this too - came across this
You cannot enter subscript or superscript text in dynamic and input text fields in Macromedia Flash 8. However, you can use these in static text fields.
Similarly, using subscript and superscript in a static text field that has been set to selectable will fail. Entering subscript and superscript text in a static text field, then enabling the selectable option, will cause the subscript and superscript text to disappear in the final Macromedia Flash Player movie (SWF).
In short, formatting in super and subscript will not currently work due to the way questions are entered and handled in my applications.
However, the excellent QuestionWriter software from Alexander McCabe might be able to help you. His quiz software allows you to change the formatting directly and thus supports superscript and subscript effectively. See http://www.questionwriterblog.com/archives...perscripts.html and http://www.centralquestion.com/archives/20...uperscript.html or the main software at: http://www.questionwriter.com/
Posted 25 August 2007 - 04:52 PM
There are also ALT codes to place a 1,2 or 3 in the top right hand corner of the character space - doesn't seem to be one for 4 or above unfortunately. I know the small number should be below the line but it is a usable workaround.
H²O for example
H²SO4 is obviously not possible!!
Hope this helps in some small way.
Posted 14 September 2007 - 07:42 PM
Thanks for all of your research into solving the problem of subscripts and superscripts. One of the uses I was thinking of was with the half min game. I could have H2SO4 as the clue and the game player would have to unscramble the chemical name sulfuric acid.
Thanks and I praise you again for a wonderful product.
Posted 06 February 2009 - 12:18 PM
Whilst searching for advice on super and subscripts I cane across you forum. I have sorted out how to do it!
try this link
[Up arrow] (or + on the NumPad) for Superscript
[Down arrow] (or - on the NumPad) for Subscript
Then make sure the text you want to super or subscript is between the sets of cursers;
Page 1 of 1
1 User(s) are reading this topic


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Chia records 200th career victory as NKU volleyball begins season with two wins
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Carlos Chia recorded his 200th win as volleyball head coach at Northern Kentucky University on Friday afternoon as the Norse defeated Mount Olive (N.C.) in three sets at the Tusculum Fall Classic.
NKU rolled past Mount Olive by scores of 25-19, 25-20, 25-13 to give Chia his 200th victory with the Norse. Chia, in his ninth season as the NKU head coach, is now 200-73.
Earlier in the day, NKU opened the season by posting a 25-20, 25-9, 25-16 win against Converse (S.C.). The Norse (2-0) conclude the two-day event Saturday with matches against Newberry (noon) and host Tusculum (2 p.m.).
NKU hits the road next weekend to participate in the North Alabama Classic at Florence, Ala.
Article courtesy of Northern Kentucky Athletics


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Posts Tagged 'Free press'
Memory from Nazi Germany and Images of the Trial of Bradley Manning By Kevin Anthony Stod, Historian & Human Rights Activist I am listening to news right now about the military trial of Bradley Manning, which is taking place in my homeland, the USA. Bradley Manning is on trial for "aiding the enemy"--an incredibly broad statute that can be abused--and has been misused historically by horrible regimes to put people--including soldiers--in prison. At times the charge of aiding an ... Full Story


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November 25, 2015
LOS ANGELES (August 31, 2014) In the corporate equivalent of high-stakes poker, Tesla Motors has five states including Texas bidding to attract a $5 billion factory that will make batteries for a new generation of electric cars.
The winner is expected to offer publicly financed incentives exceeding a half-billion dollars, and the package could be worth far more, because the states don't know what their competitors are offering.
So far, Tesla has done initial work on a potential site in Nevada, but the company will prepare at least one other before making a final decision by year's end.
That leaves California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico wondering what they can do to be a finalist.
So far, the states have passed tax breaks, promised worker-training funds or proposed shelving environmental regulations that could slow the factory's construction.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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But this time, they know it is being distributed! It's an innovative marketing gimmick that the producer of Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena is doing to capture audience interest.
For months now, Bollywood's been complaining about multimedia-enabled mobile phones invading their privacy. But now, they've finally found a way to use the mobile phone to their advantage. The producers of the forthcoming film 'Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena' have created an MMS clip or a video clip, containing a steamy song sequence filmed on the film's actors Fardeen Khan and Koena Mitra, which is currently being circulated with the intention of generating a buzz around the film.
Producer Pritish Nandy told CNBC-TV18, "We are cashing in on the curiosity that the word MMS evokes in people. It doesn't mean that we are promoting what the MMSes have earlier promoted - a lot of sleaze - but it does mean that we can use MMS in healthy marketing ways."
Interestingly, although the Censor Board has slapped 'Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena' with an Adults certificate, the film's producers did not hesitate to use the adult content from the film in their promotional MMS clip, which is easily accessible to people of all ages who own multimedia-enabled mobile phones. Their logic is that no censorship system exists to grade, or monitor mobile phone content. Nandy says, "Since there are no such gradings required for a MMS, we can send it out in the normal course."
Insisting that both actors' consent was taken, before embarking on this novel promotional strategy, the producers of the film are confident their plan will work. They insist that not only are MMS clips less expensive than hoardings, TV spots and other conventional promotional tools, but they also reach out directly to the consumer.
READ MORE ON 'Ek Khiladi Ek Hasina' starring Fardeen Khan, Feroze Khan, Koena Mitra, MMS clip on them, producer Pritish Nandy, promotional tools, marketing, censor
video of the day
May see one RBI rate cut post Budget: JP Morgan


text: The National Leadership Seminar (NLS) is a weekend training program focusing on leadership development. Run by the Region Chief and his Advisers, it provides an in-depth look at leadership skills and techniques. An NLS discusses how these skills can be applied in your role in the OA and in other aspects of your life. The NLS program is offered several times a year at various locations in each region. Scheduled dates are given on the National OA Program Calendar, and are published in the Order of the Arrow's National Bulletin. More detailed information is available from your lodge leaders, the Section Chief or Adviser, or the Region Chief or Region Chair. If you are interested in attending an NLS, please contact your Lodge Chief or Adviser for registration information. More information about NLS can be found on the Central Region website.


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Cowboys CB Brandon Carr: Things are slowing down, 'I'm getting comfortable out there'
IRVING — Rob Ryan's defense will never win an award for easiest to understand. Between the unusual blitz packages and terminology, it's understandable that players would need an adequate amount of time to learn the system.
Without organized team activities and minicamp last year because of the league lockout, Ryan wasn't given an ample amount of time to implement his defensive philosophy. And according to Ryan, the players suffered.
"I think I started a little too fast and put in the accelerated program without the English 101, which I always struggled with," Ryan said last month.
Brandon Carr is a newcomer attempting to use the extra practice time to get adjusted to his new coordinator. Nothing will be similar to Carr's four years in Kansas City. On top of being with almost all new teammates, Carr has moved from right cornerback to left cornerback.
"When you change teams and the terminology changes, you try your best," Carr said Thursday. "That's when it's like you have to go back to school and go through your notes every night when you come home."
In an attempt to make the leaning process bearable, Carr has concentrated on understanding his responsibilities first.
"Master what you have to do first, and then you can worry about where everyone else is on the field," he said. "My thing, as a corner, you got a couple players you're going to play and at the end of the day that's what it is. Now you have to take your game to the next level and know where your help is and where certain people are supposed to be so you can play to that.
"And that's where I'm getting to right now. Things are kind of slowing down for me. I'm getting comfortable out there."
It also helps having a teacher like Ryan around to make class enjoyable.
"The meeting rooms are very interesting," Carr said with a smile. "The way they install things, he just keeps it fun. He keeps it up beat and that just translates to how we play on the field."
His lab assignment usually consists of defending one of the most physically talented wide receivers in the game. With Carr lining up on the left side, his job in practice often involves matching up with Dez Bryant.
"We have our battles out there," Carr admitted. "Going against Dez I think is going to help me elevate my game. He's quick off the ball, has a lot of upper-body strength and he can stretch the field and go get the ball, so every time I line up against him I got to be on my A-game."
Bryant, whose locker is next to Carr's at the team's Valley Ranch practice facility, had similar comments about the 26-year-old corner on Wednesday. The third-year wide receiver noted that Carr's press-coverage skills help the receivers get ready for similar corners like Philadelphia's Nnamdi Asomugha, a player Bryant will likely line up against on two separate occasions during the regular season.
"He's a physical, great corner," Bryant said of Carr. "We got the right guy. He's making us better physically, mentally. He's making us think.
"If it was up to me I'd rather go up against him every day because he's making us better."
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota


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The glamorous Marley Joiner, 16, won the Miss Western Kentucky State Fair Pageant, ,as I enjoyed my own version of glamour, thanks to Spanx.
- Filed Under
If you have never squeezed your big, curvacious butt into a pair of ultra tight Spanx, then you, my friend, simply haven't lived.
I have now done it three times in as many weeks, with all the grace of a hippopotamus squeezing its foot into Cinderella's glass slipper, then lurching off to tea.
And I have done so with all of the requisite panting, grunting and, yes, cursing that such an effort elicits. ...


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The ACP Advocate Blog
by Bob Doherty
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
It's the physicians, stupid!
Rarely does a magazine article grab the attention of policymakers, like Dr. Atul Gawande's piece in the New Yorker Magazine on "The Cost Conundrum: What a Texas town can teach us about health care." The article, adorned with a photo of a physician wearing an ATM machine, examines the community of McAllen, Texas, which has the dubious claim of having the second most expensive health care in the nation (Miami, Florida, which has much higher labor and cost of living expenses, takes first place). President Obama has reportedly referenced the article in discussions with congressional leaders. Citing the same, Steve Pearlstein writes that "the central challenge of health reform, then, is to make sure doctors have the scientific evidence about what works and what doesn't -- and then to change the way they work and realign their financial incentives so that this evidence guides their practice."
Why all of the interest in McAllen? Because, as Dr. Gawande writes, "Medicare spent fifteen thousand dollars per enrollee here, almost twice the national average. The income per capita is twelve thousand dollars. In other words, Medicare spends three thousand dollars more per person here than the average person earns." He concludes that the higher spending is a consequence of a prevailing medical culture fueled by money:
"Beyond the basics, however, many physicians are remarkably oblivious to the financial implications of their decisions. They see their patients. They make their recommendations. They send out the bills. And, as long as the numbers come out all right at the end of each month, they put the money out of their minds.
Others think of the money as a means of improving what they do. They think about how to use the insurance money to maybe install electronic health records with colleagues, or provide easier phone and e-mail access, or offer expanded hours. They hire an extra nurse to monitor diabetic patients more closely, and to make sure that patients don't miss their mammograms and pap smears and colonoscopies.
Then there are the physicians who see their practice primarily as a revenue stream. They instruct their secretary to have patients who call with follow-up questions schedule an appointment, because insurers don't pay for phone calls, only office visits. They consider providing Botox injections for cash. They take a Doppler ultrasound course, buy a machine, and start doing their patients' scans themselves, so that the insurance payments go to them rather than to the hospital. They figure out ways to increase their high-margin work and decrease their low-margin work. This is a business, after all.
In every community, you'll find a mixture of these views among physicians, but one or another tends to predominate. McAllen seems simply to be the community at one extreme."
Gawande writes that the debate in Washington largely misses the mark. "Whom do we want in charge of managing the full complexity of medical care?" he writes. "We can turn to insurers (whether public or private), which have proved repeatedly that they can't do it. Or we can turn to the local medical communities, which have proved that they can. But we have to choose someone - because, in much of the country, no one is in charge. And the result is the most wasteful and the least sustainable health-care system in the world."
If it is true that culture largely drives practice, it will be exceedingly difficult to change. History is full of examples where Washington has passed laws to change entrenched cultural behaviors that are not considered to be in the public interest, without much success unless there is buy-in by those who they want to change.
I believe it will require an unprecedented degree of leadership within the medical profession itself to get every physician to accept the idea that they need to be just stewards of resources, as the ACP-endorsed charter on professionalism demands:
"While meeting the needs of individual patients, physicians are required to provide health care that is based on the wise and cost-effective management of limited clinical resources. They should be committed to working with other physicians, hospitals, and payers to develop guidelines for cost-effective care. The physician's professional responsibility for appropriate allocation of resources requires scrupulous avoidance of superfluous tests and procedures. The provision of unnecessary services not only exposes one's patients to avoidable harm and expense but also diminishes the resources available for others."
Without such physician leadership, Washington almost assuredly will fail in its effort to control costs.
Today's question: Do you agree that there is a culture in medicine that leads to excess health care spending? If so, what should the profession do to change it?
6 Comments :
- Jay Larson MD said...
It has been said that the most expensive medical device is a physician's pen. Yes, we do have a culture that leads to expensive treatment. We like the latest and greatness. Weither it is excessive, we just don't have the data as the newer treatments may be more effective. Caparative effectiveness research will help to resolve this issue.
2 commentaries in JAMA are worth reading about this issue.
Gizmo Idolatry. Bruce Leff, MD and Thomas Finucane, MD. JAMA April 16, 2008. Volume 299 #15. Pages 1830-1832
Medical Professionalism in a Commercialized Health Care Market.
Arnold Relman, MD. JAMA December 12, 2007. Volume 298 #22. Pages 2669-2670
- Steve Lucas said...
While still in my 30's a doctor went to great lengths to explain how much better my health needs would be served with a complete physical and blood draw every 90 days. Failing, he blocked the door, and in a raised voice told me I was taking food off his children's table because I had insurance that would pay for the above test and office visits.
Sadly this has been repeated a number of times, with both doctors and nurses blocking the door, usually telling me I am going to die without these test, me squaring my shoulders telling them to move, and finally a statement in the line of, "but you have insurance'"
My personal belief is that for all too many doctors it has become all about the money. I feel part of the blame lays at the feet of the drug industry. Often a drug rep is the one consistent person in a doctor's life offering advice on business as well as prescribing habits. Thus this corporate culture has been adopted by many practices. One doctor told me they had turned all of their prescribing over to their drug reps. Another told me they only trusted drug reps and peer review articles, often prepared by the drug companies, with the appropriate amount of spin.
Change is beginning to happen with the new limitations being placed on drug reps and the decisions of some practices to simply eliminate rep calls.
Real change will only take place with a change in the payment system. Moving from a check the box system, to one based on patient interaction. We do need to look at the overall payment system as distortions have occurred on the high end. In an effort to achieve the financial rewards of some specialist, generalist have focused on simply ramping up their practices over that of patient need. Add some unrealistic expectations of medical income, and lifestyle, and you have a recipe for a dysfunctional practice.
While many fine doctors work endless hours for their patients, many more are simply caught up in a never ending game of getting ahead. Family and friends place pressure on them to earn a "doctor's" income or live the "doctor" lifestyle. Moving a person with both a desire to help and desire to always learn onto a treadmill of constantly trying to maximize income.
While not scientific, I have found those most interested in the business side of medicine, also do not participate in any blogs. It appears they do not want to open themselves up to the scrutiny of their peers, or are afraid they will find a condemnation of their practice styles.
Steve Lucas
- DrJHO7 said...
So Steve, what I'm hearing is, in order to be considered a fine doctor, I need to work endless hours for my patients, and even though I run my own private practice (small business), I shouldn't be concerned with the important aspects of running that business?
You have a distorted view of our medical profession. If what you say is true about your encounters with some physicians, then you have clearly run into some rotten eggs. That's bad luck. They exist in every profession.
As a physician, I have regular contact with hundreds of physicians locally, throughout our country, and from several other nations, and I can tell you that well more than 95% of them are hard working, intelligent, highly motivated, caring people who strive to provide excellent care for their patients, frequently putting the needs of patients before the needs of their families, and most of whom were never in it "for the money" - and if they were, they picked the wrong profession.
Next time you need a physician: choose a physician who has the FACP designation after his/her medical degree. Your luck should improve.
- Steve Lucas said...
"You have a distorted view of our medical profession. If what you say is true about your encounters with some physicians"
I am a little surprised by this dismissive personal attack. Taken in context with your first paragraph I guess I am to assume that I am simply not qualified to speak to the business and marketing aspects of a modern medical practice. At no time did I state doctors should not take an interest in the business aspect of their practices, only that undue influence was being exerted by the drug, and by extension, device industry.
So lets see, with undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, and as a long time private investor, I cannot understand a medical practice. Running a high volume, low margin business in my mid-twenties I cannot understand a medical practice. Having taken an undergraduate class taught by a sales manager for a drug wholesaler, many decades ago, has given me no insight into the drug industry over time. Speaking with doctors socially has given me no insight into their practice methods.
Being a long time commentator, on a number of medical blogs, has not given me experience with the current issues dealing with business, ethics and the modern medical practice.
First, my experience is valid because it is my experience, you were not there.
Second, if you read some of my past post on this blog you will find that I have posted a belief that doctors do need time for family, and proper time to think about the patients they serve.
Thirdly, I have found doctors often speak about their desire to practice medicine in one fashion and do just the opposite. One doctor I know speaks about serving the needs of low income families. This same doctor breaks down children's immunizations into individual dosages to increase income, is quite angry about loosing drug rep outings, and wants to know "Who is going to buy our pens?"
I am glad your experience has been positive. You are truly fortunate to have the ability to interact with such a broad range of motivated individuals. My decades of experience shows a very different result.
You may want to check out The Wall Street Journal Health Blog, Health Care Renewal, and Cafe Pharma for some insights on the negative side of medicine.
Steve Lucas
- Jim Webster MD, MACP said...
Dr. Larson is absolutely on target and those are two of my favorite references which all physicians should read. What if through our professional organizations such as ACP, the profession really got together and reformed health care? Form physician directed multispecialty groups affiliated with hospitals, get rid of fee for service and go to closed budgets and focus on evidence based medicine, quality and patient safety. The savings would be enormous, patients and doctors would all benefit, only the insurance co's and PI malpractice lawyers would lose. Ah well I can dream.
Jim Webster, MD, Ms, Macp
- Jim Webster MD, MACP said...
Dr. Larson is correct and those a re two of my favorite references! The reality is that physicians are indeed in charge of health costs, individually and collectively. What if all the professional medical organizations got together and really reformed health care? Get rid of fee for service and go for closed end budgets, quality, evidence based medicine and patient safety. Everyone would be better off and the savings would fund universal coverage. Only the insurance industry and PI malpractice attorneys would lose out.
Jim Webster, MD, MS, MACP
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State says Mabaso had a right to load pricesComment on this story
Durban - The State has made an about-turn by conceding that businessman Jabulani Mabaso was allowed to make a profit on the stationery he supplied to the Department of Education.
Advocate Wendy Greef told Acting Judge Kobus Booyens in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday that Mabaso could be discharged on 12 charges relating to his inflating the prices of stationery.
He had to answer to the remaining six charges of submitting fraudulent supplier invoices to the department, however.
Mabaso's legal team filed an application on Monday for his discharge on all the charges.
Initially, it was alleged that Mabaso and his company, Indiza Infrastructure Solutions, defrauded the department of R200 million between 2005 and 2007, when he supplied stationery to schools.
Greef said that, in consulting a former department employee, at the end of the State's case, it was established that Mabaso was allowed to put a mark-up on goods he supplied.
Greef noted that two witnesses had testified that Mabaso had instructed them to forge invoices in the name of Palm Stationers, a company that had supplied goods.
Asked by the judge why she believed Mabaso had forged invoices, Greef said it was to mislead the department that the items listed had been ordered.
When Mabaso submitted the fake invoices - which he denied doing - he must have known this would prejudice somebody.
"Had the items supplied by Indiza to the department been of an inferior standard, this could have impacted on the good name of Palm Stationers," Greef said.
Throughout the trial Mabaso has said he was not required to submit supplier invoices to the department, just his own tax invoices.
Greef said, even if the department had not requested proof of order placement, this was a requirement Mabaso had to fulfil before being paid. The two witnesses who forged the invoices had no reason to lie.
Willie Vermeulen SC, for the defence, has said Mabaso was allowed to inflate the stationery prices to make a profit.
Argument continues on Thursday.
The Mercury
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Friendship Day Party Celebration in Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani
Added on 8/5/2011
By : tellybuzz
Overall Rating :
Rate Me... Rating Saved!
View : 101935 Comments : 86 Video Courtesy : www.india-forums.com
I love This video..thanks If...awsomeee...I wish see u & vahbizz chemistry onscreen...
I guess the director is trying to cash-in with Viv and Vah offscreen relationship.. but it's not working!!!! and nothing fuinny abt. it.. pia and Abhay only rock...
Edited on:05 August 2011 at 5:10pm
they both luk good together, but we perfer and WANT Vivan and Sukirti (Abhay & Piya) interview together!
Thanks for the video, IF!!
But can we please have some scoop on the other actors as well and their off-screen interviews?
Vivian you can do anything with anyone in your personal life as this one doesn't interest us at all but in the show Abhay & Panchi together... no ways, its better to stop watching the show than see all this.
Vivian who on earth told you anyone likes Abhay & Panchi...YUCK
Vivu was defending tht viewers r not having problem wid Abhay & panchi romance coz he know v r hating dis.Ohh
panchi abhay...ohhh god give me a break...vivian plz baby learn how to make audience happy...they r not interested in ur personal life...
n if its r request plz we dont want vahhbiz interview as she is not imp part of pkyek...sukirti is more imp than vahhbiz...she is actress of pkyek...remember...why u always gives us vivian n vahhbiz...priya,suku,t,kabir,jay they r imp plz gives thei interview
vahhbiz dont think baby ur star...ur expression in this video shows some proud...
abhai is best ovel all. abhai (vivian) hav amazing personality , gorgeous looks; above all he suits in the role of EDWAD CULLEN which is too difficult..but vivian not only performed it just very well but he is look like a dashing vampire same as Edward was looking Twilight...!!
luv u abhay!!!!!
pkyek rockksss
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Southern Arizona Guest Rooms
Our Arizona bed and breakfast's modern territorial hacienda is designed to evoke the traditional architecture of Spain and Mexico. Mexican hardwood furnishings with hand carved embellishments add an elegant touch to the setting. We have 10 comfortable guest rooms, each with a private bathroom with shower. Each room features elegant linens in tasteful and relaxing colors that match our southwest setting and themes. A table and chairs are just outside your window on the courtyard walkway. Our Arizona bed and breakfast also features the art from local artists hanging in each room.
Room Rates
Room Rates include free Parking, WiFi, access to a computer with internet access and a printer. A full breakfast is included each morning for Rooms 1 - 10, and breakfasts may be added for guests staying in the Suite at an additional charge.


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- Filed Under
David and Karen Silas of Waynesville, NC are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Meredith Silas, of Fletcher, NC to Hobert (Hobie) Orton IV of Asheville.
The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Joe and Sue Cassels and C.K. and Kathryn Silas, of Jacksonville, FL. Meredith graduated from Western Carolina University with a Business Administration/Law degree. She is employed at Cintas Corporation as a Market Development Sales Representative.
The groom-to-be is the son of Gil and Carole Smith of Sunset, SC and Hobert Orton, III of Raleigh, NC. He is the grandson of Ray and Marie Crider, Holly Springs, NC and Ruth and Hobert Orton Jr., Fort Lee, NJ. Hobie is a
graduate of Western Carolina University and recently obtained an MBA from Auburn University in Real Estate Development. He is currently employed with Biltmore Farms Commercial.
A May, 2014 wedding is planned at The Fields of Blackberry Cove.


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Dean, College of Pharmacy
Gloria Evelyn Meredith, BS, MS, PhD was appointed Dean and Chief Academic Officer of the College of Pharmacy on July 1, 2009. She received her BS and MS degrees in Biology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship for her Master's degree work. She went on to teach Biology and become a consultant in scientific writing, starting her own business in 1977. She was President and CEO of Professional Services in College Park, Maryland for 3 years. In 1980, she returned to graduate school and completed her PhD in Neuroscience in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology (formerly the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology) at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She was awarded an individual National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) twice, the first for her PhD work and the second to conduct her postdoctoral studies at the Neuroscience Institute in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Her career in academia began as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience in the Vrije University in Amsterdam in 1986. She moved to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1994, where she became an Associate Professor. She was given the College of Surgeons top teaching award in 1996. She returned to the USA in 1999 to take an Associate Professor position at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine and had a joint appointment in the UMKC School of Pharmacy. Dr. Meredith became Professor of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology in the Chicago Medical School in 2002 and chaired that department from 2004-2009. She then became the founding Dean of the new College of Pharmacy at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 2009.
Dr. Meredith is trained as a classical neuropharmacologist and has a research interest in how the brain adapts to perturbations in the brain chemical, dopamine. Her research has been continuously funded since 1994. She has a great interest in training students and has supervised several PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and Medical students in her laboratory. She received two major grants from the Irish government to conduct research into Parkinson's disease and Epilepsy. Since returning to the USA, her research has focused on basic investigations into drug craving in an animal model of amphetamine abuse and on studies of dopamine loss and levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease. She has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2001. At present her funded research focuses on mechanisms underlying craving in psycho stimulant addiction. She is PI on a major grant (R01 DA016662), which is funded by the National Institutes for Drug Abuse (NIDA). She also works with animal models of Parkinson's disease and is a co-investigator on a Udall Center grant (P50NS058830) and on the grant held by Dr. Steece-Collier at the Michigan State University (R01NS045132). Both grants are funded by the National Institutes of Neurological Disease and Stroke(NINDS). She has been very productive throughout her career with more than 160 publications. She has published in Nature magazine and several top journals in Neuroscience, including the Journal of Neuroscience. She has given interviews to the Irish National Broadcasting System (Ireland) and National Public Radio (USA) on her research, and has written an article on Women and how they fare in their careers in Medical Research for the Irish Times newspaper. She has served on various Review sections for NIH, chairing one session for the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, and another for Program Project grants at NIDA. She was a regular member of a NIDA study section for the 5 years. She is also affiliated with many professional societies, including all major Pharmacy organizations, and serves as an officer in the local chapter of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). She served on a Task Force for the Council of Deans in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP).
Dr. Meredith has had extensive teaching experience including experience in course design and development,Problem-Based Learning, small group (clinical case) learning, and refresher courses for residents and surgeons. She has lectured in pharmacology, histology, anatomy and neuroscience at professional and graduate levels. She has also designed and taught laboratories for the basic sciences.
Dr. Meredith is married to Barry Roberts, PhD, a retired neuroscientist, and has two sons: Bryn Meredith is a partner in a law firm in Fort Worth, Texas, and Christopher Meredith, MD is a practicing Neurosurgeon in Kansas City.


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NASCAR rolled out its 2015 schedule Tuesday with a number of significant changes, including moving the summer race at Daytona from Saturday to Sunday night.
Other key date changes will feature a stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second race of the season on March 1, and Darlington Raceway returning to its traditional Labor Day weekend date (Sept. 6).
Daytona, primed for a significant upgrades as part of its "Daytona Rising" project, will run the Coke Zero 400 on Sunday, July 5, with new broadcast partner NBC.
Approximately 50,000 new front-stretch seats will be available for the summer race on Independence Day weekend, with 40,000 seats located on the west side of the structure, from Turn 1 toward the center of the track, while 10,000 seats will be located in Turn 4.
"The Coke Zero 400 will also launch us into the homestretch for construction as we put on the finishing touches for January 2016 when we will officially christen a new era for this Great American icon," said Daytona Speedway President Joie Chitwood.
Additionally, NASCAR moved Bristol's spring date deeper into the calendar from mid-March to April 19.
"The 2015 NASCAR national series schedules promise to provide our fans with the compelling competition and storylines they so richly deserve," Brian France, NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"These enhancements to our race dates, particularly in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will be of benefit to our fans and other stakeholders in our industry. From the start of the season at Speedweeks at Daytona culminated by our championship finales at Homestead-Miami, we're looking forward to the great racing that will be delivered through our outstanding television network broadcast partners FOX, FOX Sports 1, NBC and NBCSN."
As always, the season will kick off at Daytona with the Sprint Unlimited (a non-points race) on Feb. 14. The Daytona 500 is set for Feb. 22.
The season will conclude at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the weekend of Nov. 20-22.


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May 20th, 2013 (F1plus/J Leslie).- Lowe, who previously held the technical director role at McLaren, was given early release from his contract and will join Ross Brawn and Toto Wolff at the Mercedes team as their Executive Director (Technical). The news was hardly a secret, but for sure it came earlier than expected.
It was widely reported over the winter that the 51-year-old would make the move to Mercedes after his McLaren contract ran out. An agreement was made from both parties enabling Lowe to move to the Brackley bases squad earlier than planned.
Speaking about the news, Lowe shared his excitement on moving to the "Silver Arrows." He said in a team statement "I am excited to become part of a highly talented and capable technical organisation." He added "The team has already produced probably the fastest car of the 2013 season," in qualifying anyway, "while the technical challenges of the new regulations for 2014 will give us the opportunity to maximise the synergies available to a works manufacturer."
He concluded, saying "That is a challenge I am relishing. I look forward to much success together in the years ahead."
Ross Brawn, Team Principal, commented on the announcement. He shared his delight at welcoming Paddy to the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. "I am delighted to welcome Paddy to the team and to begin working together. He has an excellent record of success in the sport and would be an asset to any of our rivals in the pit lane."
Looking to the future, according to Brawn it is looking bright. "Paddy's arrival will further strengthen our organisation and puts us in a strong position for the future."
Lowe will be a big asset to the team and will really the team to overcome their 2013 race pace struggles, along with helping in the development of their 2014 machine.


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Gov. Chris Christie
- Filed Under
Sue Bryker-Parham: He's abandoned the people at the Shore.
Louis R. Zembeno: He has done more good than bad. Perfect? No. At least he didn't try to sell the Turnpike.
Debbie Abbott Wagner: Lord help us all.
Gloria Van Houten: Here is to another four years...
John P Farinhas: And unemployment is still at what now?
Robert Rosetta: Great to see you choose the person who is working on correcting the mess the Democrats have created. A vote for Buono is a vote for higher taxes and anti-business regulations.
Karen LaVeille-Hogan: Christie has always said what he meant and got things done.
Bruce Todd: Having already endorsed the Obama administration for a second term, which has proven itself a failure beyond all measure, the Press editorial board desires to make it two for two by endorsing another failed personality for a second term.
Neil Scheck: Christie tells us over and over that he's a straight-shooter who tells us what he thinks. That's always a good sign that you're listening to a liar. Don't be suckered by his Regular Guy persona.
Jeannie Gallagher Donnelly: Christie is a nightmare for New Jersey. His "tough talk" are simply insults that make New Jersey look like immature schoolyard bullies.


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Welcome to the future! I am posting this from my iPod. That reminds me: last week a review went up on LabLit.com for a book I found at BMV this past summer. Its a textbook for high school kids about science in literature. The book is from 1994 and hilariously outdated. I dont feel like repeating everything I already wrote about it – especially considering Im typing this on a tiny touch screen – so just read the review
[update: links don't work from the iPhone app. I had to fix that manually.]


text: This handsome custom home boasts the conveniences of 2007 construction and outstanding architectural detail. Custom double doors open to a dramatic two story foyer with a handsome staircase leading to the second floor bridge and decorative columns separating the living room which features French doors opening to a covered outdoor living area overlooking the heated pool and spa set on a deck of pavers. A brass chandelier and hardwood floors gleam in the light and bright dining room adjoining a butler's pantry with wet bar and wine cooler. Glazed custom cabinets, granite counters and stainless steel appliances are features in the island kitchen with breakfast bar and six burner gas range top. An adjoining breakfast area is part of the large family room with gas fireplace, vaulted ceiling and French doors to the covered porch. An office/study is located off the foyer. The first floor master suite includes French doors to the pool area, two walk-in custom closets, his and her vanities, whirlpool tub and oversized shower with two heads. A second floor loft area offers space for casual living, games and/or computers areas. One second floor bedroom features a private door to a hall bath. Two bedrooms have their own vanities and walk-in closets and share a "Jack and Jill" tub/shower and water closet room. Other amenities include a three car garage, laundry room, pool bath, powder room, intercom, irrigation system and security system.


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All three of us were excited to be visiting Spiedo at Westfield Sydney.
One hatted Executive Chef, Alessandro Pavoni is behind the menu, which features regional specialties of Lombardy, one of Italy's northern states. Lombardy is home of the Spiedo Bresciano, the spit roasted meaty colossus which the restaurant is named after, which also happens to be Alessandro's favourite regional dish.
We also had another big reason to be so excited about visiting this particular restaurant, as our brother-in-law, JM, is one of the owners of Spiedo. After hearing about it's progress since opening, and about the amazing meal my older sister CW (visit her blog) enjoyed on her recent visit to Sydney, I was really keen to check it out.
We started off with drinks at the bar – an Italian beer for J, and something non-alcoholic for TFP. In typical fashion, I have completely forgotten which wine I drank. Suffice to say, it was lovely.
One of my personal highlights was watching the staff in action while we enjoyed our drinks. Spiedo features an open kitchen, which offers diners a closer look at the inner workings of the team.
I loved watching as one of the chefs prepared a Spiedo Bresciano – a spit-roasted combination of quail, pork scotch fillet, duck leg and pork ribs.
All the kitchen watching was proving to be excruciating! When our Sydney Sis joined us, it was time to get started. We asked brother-in-law JM to suggest some dishes for us to share. Besides the namesake Spiedo Bresciano, we were also keen to try his favourites from the menu.
We started with a selection of fresh bread, which are baked daily in Spiedo's kitchen. JM told me he often starts his day at the restaurant with a slice of their bread, hot out of the oven.
This soft, golden foccacia studded with sweet cherry tomatoes was my favourite.
Sciatt', $8
First to arrive was the Sciatt', chunks of Fontina cheese coated in a buckwheat and grappa tempura served over radicchio.
I loved the contrast of the crunchy tempura with the oozy, stringy texture of the cheese. The green dipping sauce served alongside had a great kick from the fresh herbs – with a slightly mustardy finish, which I think came from rocket in the sauce. The flavour contrasted so well with the mild creamy flavour of the Fontina.
Baccala e Merluzzo d'acqua dolce, cannellini, spinaci novelli, $20
JM said one of the dishes we had to try was the Baccala e Merluzzo d'acqua dolce with cannellini and spinach. A large hunk of poached Murray cod sat over a creamy baccala puree (salted cod) with cannellini beans and sautéed spinach. The strong flavour of the baccala puree was perfectly complemented by the Murray cod, which had been seasoned simply. I think this was important as it meant the baccala puree was actually quite easy to eat, and not nearly as strong as I've had in the past.
Battuta di manzo, crema di tuorlo d'uovo, farro, crescione, bagoss, $20
I was really keen to try the Beef Battuta, Lombardy's answer to Steak Tartare. The finely chopped beef was sprinkled with crispy spelt grains and served with a drizzle of creamy egg yolk, fresh watercress and shavings of Bagoss cheese.
The texture of the raw beef was much more to my preference than other tartare's I have tried – the morsels of beef were a pleasure to eat as they were cut to a brunoise size, rather than ground/minced. The crispy spelt added a textural element, and also a subtle nuttiness.
Casoncelli alla Bresciana, $24 (entree) / $31 (main)
There were two past dishes which JM said we couldn't go past – the Casoncelli alla Bresciana, and the Bigoli, gamberi di fiume e piselli.
Bigoli, gamberi di fiume e piselli, $24 (entree) / $31 (main)
Bigoli is the variety of wholemeal pasta used for this dish, a thick, tubular pasta, which is a little similar to bucatini (but thicker). The sauce used in this dish was enriched with shellfish stock, giving it a rich, sweet flavour. The chunks of yabby were tender and sweet, and went really well with the fresh peas.
My favourite of the two was definitely the Casoncelli alla Bresciana – pillowy half moons filled with a flaboursome veal and pork mix, drizzled with burnt butter, and sprinkled with crispy pancetta and sage. I love burnt butter. It makes everything so moreish. I was almost disappointed to have to share this. Luckily, there was still more to come!
Risotto alla Milanese, guancia di manzo brasata, $24 (entree) / $35 (main)
JM told us the next dish we were having, Risotto alla Milanese with red wine braised beef
cheek, was only supposed to be on the winter menu. But it's been so popular that they haven't taken it off the menu. Sydney Sis said that this dish was one of her favourites.
I have to agree – the buttery soft beef cheeks were amazing. After a long braise, the beef also developed a beautifully savoury umami-ness, which Sydney Sis and I agreed tasted a lot like Marmite! So tender you could eat it with a spoon, the beef cheeks were perfectly paired with the creamy saffron risotto. Definitely a stand out dish for me.
Spiedo Bresciano con polenta, $35
We couldn't go to Spiedo without trying the dish it was named after!
Meet the Spiedo Bresciano, a slow spit-roasted combination of pork ribs, duck, pork scotch fillet and quail, served with a creamy polenta. The dish was drizzled with burnt butter and crispy sage.
The meats were beautifully tender, the result after being spit-roasted for five and a half hours, and I really enjoyed the combination of meats (I've enjoyed them all separately, but never together).
Who knew that two kinds of pork, duck and quail could go together in such a delicious combination?
Roasted pumpkin with honey and hazelnuts, $9
Rocket with parmesan, $9
We also had a fresh rocket and parmesan salad, to go with the rich meaty Spiedo, helping me satisfy my necessary 'veggie quota'. We also shared a dish of roasted pumpkin, tossed in a mix of honey and butter, served with roasted hazelnuts. J was pleasantly surprised by the pumpkin – a vegetable he doesn't usually enjoy, which was completely transformed by the honey, butter, hazelnut combination. I think he's still hanging out for me to try this one at home :)
Spiedo dessert plate, $18
Our inability to decide on which desserts we each wanted meant that there was really only one sensible option. The Spiedo dessert plate. From left to right (above), Amedei chocolate barbajada with milk gelato, Spiedo Tiramisu, strawberry gelato.
The chocolate barbajada was a beautifully creamy, softly set dessert, which would be a good choice for chocoholics.
My favourite of the lot was definitely the Spiedo Tiramisu, an updated take on this well known Italian classic. Spiedo's deconstructed version features a light sponge cake, whipped marscapone cream and a sprinkling of a sandy-textured chocolate crumb. Individually, each of the components was delicious – combined, outstanding. The chocolatey crumbs were a particular favourite – reminding me a lot of milo (eaten off a teaspoon!)
TFP declared the strawberry gelato one of the best she's tried – it was bursting with fruity strawberry flavour.
Three scoops of gelato, clockwise from left, milk, nutella and peanut butter, $14
Spiedo make all of their own gelato, and they're definitely worth a try if you're in the mood for something light after your meal. Milk is JM's favourite flavour, the most subtle of the bunch – perfect for showcasing the smooth texture of their gelato. I really loved the creamy peanut butter (love anything peanut butter flavoured!) variety – it would make a killer ice cream sandwich, in my opinion! My suggestion? Peanut butter gelato sandwiched between two chocolate sable biscuits, sprinkled with flakes of sea salt. Mmmm. Add some of the nutella flavoured gelato, and you'd have something truly magnificent. :)
Before we wrapped up our evening, J was keen to sample some of the Grappa options available from the cart. Besides a more classic version, he also tried a blueberry Grappa, which was interesting – the taste I tried was syrupy and sweet, reminding me a little of Spanish Pedro Ximenez.
It was a fantastic meal – the efforts of Chef Fulvio and his team were delicious, and very memorable. The staff at Spiedo are very knowledgeable and offer professional, efficient service, and were all happy to answer questions from the Lombardian food-newbs at our table.
It was great to have the opportunity to enjoy the food of Lombardy, a departure from the usual southern-style Italian cooking that's become ubiquitous throughout Australia.
Thanks Spiedo, I'm very happy to have finally visited! I hope to see you again soon :)
As I mentioned earlier in this post, my brother-in-law JM is one of the owners of Spiedo Restaurant and Bar. This post reflects my personal views and honest opinions based on my visit to the restaurant. If there was any aspect of the food or service which I disliked, I would have certainly pointed it out.
Hey Juji, don't you live in Perth? What's with all the Sydney posts?
My sister TFP, my fiance J and I recently went on a ten day holiday to Sydney. Food was high on our agenda, and we visited lots of great places.
I'll be posting the highlights from each day, so stay tuned!
Read about our other food adventures in Sydney


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Well, the news for Snowden's report is close at hand. If Snowden has given a timeline it's likely to be accurate. Hopefully the report meets all the BCSC conditions but I didn't get the impression BGM was overly confident in the wording of the news article. I do not think there is any excuse for the report to remain non compliant when Snowden has been in contact with the BCSC. Great news about the pour. Hopefully we get some continual production and cash flow. Can only help bring the sp up on opening. 5 more weeks is no big deal if things run smoothly. Good luck to longs.
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Heika: Stars must remain patient when it comes to free agency
The Dallas Morning News writer Mike Heika chatted with fans on Thursday and answered questions about the Dallas Stars before they take on the Los Angeles Kings. Here are some highlights:
Do you think shipping off Mike Modano and Marty Turco in the offseason has helped this team sort of establish an identity?
I think the Turco writing was on the wall as soon as Joe Nieuwendyk made the trade for Kari Lehtonen. So, as much as that might have changed the room, it was more a change to get bigger and younger in goal.
Mike's move also had a lot to do with how he was performing on the ice. If the Stars had kept Modano for another year, it could have slowed the progress of players like Tom Wandell and Jamie Benn. And we have seen on the power play that Mike Ribeiro has taken a new role and has had some success on the halfwall.
So, I think that GM Joe Nieuwendyk was actually trying to solve problems on the ice and make the team younger going forward. In doing so, he opened up holes in the locker room and younger players have had to step up because of it.
But again, I'm not sure the departure of Turco and Modano has changed the identity or the culture of the team. Brad Richards, Trevor Daley and Stephane Robidas all had surgeries in the off-season and worked hard to rehab. Matt Niskanen and Mike Ribeiro felt challenged and worked harder because of it. Kari Lehtonen knew this was a great opportunity and he worked really hard in the off-season. I think all of those things would have happened if Modano and Turco had returned.
I just think the team is really hungry right now, and that's the identity it is building.
What went wrong against the Avalanche on Saturday? Do you think it can be corrected or are we in for a long road trip?
I think they were tired, they played the second of back-to-back nights and they had to go to that altitude. Plus, the Avalanche had a very hungry lineup on the ice and had just been "motivated" by their coach.
I think it's going to be really hard to get a trend on this team (or any team in the NHL this year). I think fans might just have to get used to a roller coaster ride of good games and bad games.
Do the players like or dislike playing the same team back-to-back? I guess it could be considered the same as a playoff series.
It depends on the team and the situation. I think it is like a playoff series and it's fun. I think many of the players see it the same way.
Stars broadcaster Ralph Strangis had one of the more intriguing ideas I've heard where the schedule places the same two teams in the same town for two games over a weekend (whether that is Thursday-Saturday, Friday-Sunday or even a back-to-back situation). That way, you get a real rivalry going and can even sell it as if it was a football atmosphere with a big week leading up to the games.
It makes sense, because one would think the return trip for two teams in the other city later in the year would be revved up, as well.
If and when the Stars sell goes through, do you see anybody in the system or on the horizon that could be the solid No. 1 defenseman that we should go after through trade or free agent wise?
The free agent market changes all of the time because of the fact players sign extensions with their own teams. If it were me, I would target some young defensemen who have the potential to be high-end defensemen and then ponder a trade of a young forward. Now, who you would trade would depend on who you would get back, but I would be open to trade just about any young forward from Scott Glennie to James Neal if it gets you a 20-something defensemen who you feel you can build around.
If you want a free agent, you are going to spend a lot of money – and then you could strike out on a player and pay too much like the Rangers did with Wade Redden. I just think they have to be prepared to do what the Sharks did in getting Dan Boyle – scout well, be patient and then make a big move when the right guy is available.


text: M Shed See amazing film and photographs, listen to moving personal stories, encounter rare and quirky objects and add your own memories of Bristol through the interactive displays. From prehistoric times to the present day, M Shed tells the story of the city and its unique place in the world. Entry to the Museum is free. Find out what's on What's on at M Shed View all events Read more 28 November—10 April 2016 Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015 EXHIBITION: The world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition from the Natural History Museum returns to M Shed with 100 breath-taking images. Read more 9 December 2015 Historical Walk: Windmill Hill WALK: Discover how Bedminster evolved from a rural Somerset parish to a bustling industrial town and the inevitable impact that this had on public health on this three mile walk. What's here at M Shed View all displays Read more Bristol Places The Bristol Places gallery focuses on the physical and dynamic city – the ways that people have shaped and experienced it and continue to do so. Read more The Working Exhibits Read about some of our biggest exhibits which are outside M Shed and can be seen even when the museum is closed. Read more Treasures in Store L Shed, adjoining M Shed, contains thousands of items from the industrial, maritime and social history collections.