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01 Jan 2012
This is it, kids! Let's decide the playoff teams! Discuss all Week 17 games here.
142 replies , Last at 02 Jan 2012, 11:52pm by Alternator
Not a whole lotta decisions left to make on who gets in, with 9/12 slots already filled. The seeding, however, is much more interesting.
I predict we end up with:
Any other takers? One point for each team in the right seed, except GB and HOU. Best out of ten wins bragging rights until the Wildcard Weekend discussion thread is posted.
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Does anyone have some sort of flowchart where i can read what who has to play for?
Preferably with seeding-scenarios as well?
I'll see if I can throw one together...
NFL has these two pages up:
Which at least list all the results and possibilities.
FINALLY! The Colts go for it on 4th and 1 for a change. They don't get it, but still, at least it looks like they're trying.
I know I should root for them to lose and get the first pick, but watching the game online, I can't. If I were not watching, I think I could hope they lose, but when you watch your favorite team, you have to root for them to excel.
Nice running by the Pats on that drive. Green-Ellis over the top for the TD! I haven't seen a guy leap over the top in ages. Why don't more do that? Seems like an easy yard or two.
If Fitzpatrick were an elite QB, that's a late hit call. As he's from Harvard, let them play!
Jake Delhomme now in the game and turning the ball over for the Texans. I don't know who they'll end up playing in the playoffs, but can anyone see the Texans actually winning a playoff game with this level of quarterback play? It really makes me sorry for what could have been considering that Schaub finally has a defense that could back him up and he was promptly taken out for the season.
I think the Texans with TJ Yates are good enough to beat both the Raiders and Titans. They'll be about a coinflip against Cincy and the Jets.
...I am still kicking myself for not picking Graham Gano for my Loser League team. I just couldn't conceive of how someone so awful could be kept all the way through the season performing as badly as he has. Yet he hasn't gotten any better and he still has a job.
Saddest QB rushing attempt of the day: Tom Brady.
Buffalo is handing the Patriots a free win by not putting Steve Johnson back on the field.
I'm fine with that, even as a Colts fan. Johnson's an idiot for pulling out the shirt. It didn't even say anything meaningful.
Glad to see him sit. Can't get rid of a guy like that soon enough.
What happened?
Scored on a TD pass on the Bills' second drive, then went to the back of the end zone, lifted up the front of his jersey to show "Happy New Year!" on an undershirt, and was penalized 15 yards on the kickoff for an obvious celebration no-no. Then, the Bills sat him the rest of the game.
- I find it weird that wishing everyone a happy new year is not allowed.
- I find it weird that IF it's not allowed, someone still does it, knowing it's a 15 yard penalty (and if he didn't know it, then that's even worse).
- I find it good that a coach finally steps up against guys who get 15 yard penalties for no reason.
Preplanned TD celebrations using props of any sort is an automatic penalty. Not sure if it goes back to the TO signing the football for the girl or some of the Ochocinco stuff, but the rule does go back a few years.
If BUF fans want to consider Johnson's benching the reason for losing, so be it. I really don't care but I do know that he negatively effected two BUF games this year with these stupid celebrations of his. Gailey is right.
My feeling is that Gailey is a pretty good coach who simply doesn't handle team discipline issues very well. Obviously the loss didn't matter and helps draft stock, but on the face of it it seems a sort of petty slap on the wrist rather than actually dealing with the issue. Hard to say for sure since I don't follow Buffalo that closely.
"When you absolutely don't know what to do any more, then it's time to panic." - Johann van der Wiel
Disagree. Obviously it wasn't the only reason for the loss. But ALL the message said was "Happy New Year." The NFL's dumb celebration rules seems pettier and pettier each year. I'd certainly be fine with Steve Johnson on my favorite team - I can put up with some silliness in exchange for good production. The Buffalo offense went from great to nothing when he was benched. That's not all coincidence.
Man, I hate the silly over-celebration in the NFL, but even I question whether wishing others a happy new year is celebration, pre-planned and using a prop or not. Maybe he did it in a self-congratulatory or taunting manner.
Weird that the niners go with a cute fake FG in week 17. That element of surprise wouldn't be useful in their first playoff game? Crazy.
Opponents having to plan for a fake might help their FGs not get blocked in the playoffs. There are advantages to pulling off plays like that. it makes your enemies special teamer's dilute their practice time.
(can Kerley be our QB?)
If anyone cares, New England is not playing well and winning. Fitzpatrick's latest INT bounces off another receiver who isn't Steve Johnson.
Must be playing ok on offence surely?
Took a drive or two to get in gear, but after that the Patriots offense just started chugging along. The defense is, well, the Patriots defense, but the offense is fine.
They finally got it in gear in the second half. The defense looks like the first competent passing offense--not great, comepetent--is going to absolutely shred them. The Bills totally gave up in the second half.
I kinda wonder if Chan Gailey might now be on the hot seat, but it's probably more likely that they'll just blame it all on Stevie Johnson's TD dances.
The good news for Patriots fans is that unless Rothlisberger returns from his injury unhurt, they won't actually have to face a competent passing offense until the Super Bowl. Unlike in the NFC, where the Packers, Saints, Lions, Falcons, and the DAL/NYG winner can all air it out quite effectively, and even SF definitely qualifies as competent.
Matt Flynn is earning himself a nice 2012 contract today.
What does this performance mean for the context of Rodgers' season? I don't follow the Pack that closely, what do y'all think?
It means the Packers had a better backup than the Texans, Colts, Bears, and several other teams whose starters went out. I'd guess teams like the Jets and Seahawks are looking at him real close to see if he'd be better than their current starter. (He probably is.) Orton will probably be the bridesmaid in this sweepstakes. Not that Orton is any worse but he doesn't have the upside Flynn currently does. My guess is Flynn will have a similar career path as Matt Hasselback and that's not a bad thing. Remember, teams really don't have much film on Flynn either, so they haven't had a chance to pick apart his game.
#1 key to success in the NFL: be a quarterback who lucked into being named Matthew?
"When you absolutely don't know what to do any more, then it's time to panic." - Johann van der Wiel
To be fair, the Texans' back-up was Matt Leinart. Not a world beater but he was a back-up with two seasons of work with the team and an adequate starting QB on a team with a less talented offense than the Texans. The Texans' back-up QB situation was nowhere near as bad as the Colts or Bears.
Congrats to Jason Taylor.
Good way to finish the career--a win over the hated Jets, which serves to keep said Jets out of the playoffs. Though I do wish his TD fumble return hadn't been overturned on replay, but the win is darned good.
I wonder what the odds were of the Packers losing two of their last three games...
Game isn't over, but the Packers currently aren't losing. :P
Packers win 45-41.
AFC 6 seed update: With the Jets losing and Tennessee winning there are two scenarios
1. Oakland and Denver win, CIncinnati loses: Tennessee is the sixth seed.
2. Anything else: Cincinnati is the sixth seed.
Assuming all games are 50-50, playoff odds for the AFC are roughly
Cincinnati: 87.5%
Denver: 75% (all AFC West)
Oakland: 25% (all AFC West)
Tennessee: 12.5%
What if Denver loses, Oakland wins, and Cincy loses? Doesn't that leave Tennessee in?
No. The Bengals have the tiebreaker over the Titans.
Another week, another hose job by the refs against the Lions.
If I'm the Lions GM, I hand deliver the game tape to the Commish this week.
/not a Lions fan
What happened?
Detroit scored a td, but it was called no td on the field, therefore the people upstairs aren't allowed to review it and Detroit couldn't (out of challenges?)
That is called homefield advantage. The Packers suffered from it in the Wildcard loss against the Cardinals, and will probably benefit from it this year.
With that said, it was the Packers' backups. Rodgers, Matthews, Woodson, Jennings, Bulaga, Starks, all were innactive. TD or no TD (it was clearly a TD), this game should've never been close in the first place, not if the Lions are serious about contending in the playoffs.
And also, with their coach acting like a spoiled little girl and their players more interested in acting like thugs (lead the league in personal faults), I don't think the Lions have any credit to do any kind of complaining to Goodell. Maybe they should focus on their play instead of the officiating, that would help.
Lucky for them, they're not gonna face Flynn again...
Denver looks awful early against the Chiefs. On their only good drive, Tebow lost the ball on a third down scramble. Orton hasn't been great, but he's been better than Tebow.
So is Matt Flynn the next Kevin Kolb?
Or the next Matt Schaub. *dramatic music*
Awful Tebow is awful.
Whilst Kyle Orton is playing like a decent NFL Quarterback. Who knew?
Fucking EVERYONE!
I'm watching this game too. Don't know what annoys me more, the repetitive ESPN America commercials (THE BIKINI!) or watching Tebow pretend to be a QB. Sure, it's still close and all, but please.
Is anyone going to take the AFC West?
If both lose, Broncos are in.
If there was any doubt before...the "effort" today by Tampa Bay ensures
Raheem Morris' exit.
I don't like that unnecessary roughness call in the BAL-CIN game. Ravens WR Ed Dickson caught the ball running across the middle of the field, and was immediately hit hard and slammed to the ground. He held onto the ball, and the Ravens got another 15 yards from the flag. There was no leading with the helmet, no contact to Dickson's head or neck, and no launching into the hit.
So, does Matt Flynn's performance (Packers single-game records for yards passing and touchdown passes) weaken the case for Rodgers as MVP? Doesn't it suggest that he's merely a product of the system?
(No, I don't really believe that, but after all of the "look what Cassel did when Brady got hurt" talk, it seems obligatory to mention it...)
I was considering posting the same question.
I'm interested to see whether anybody actually makes the argument that it does weaken Rodgers' case, or whether we end up with another of those bizarre situations where a whole bunch of journalists argue against a position that nobody's taking in the first place.
It shows that Rodgers isn't the sole reason for the Packer passing success. He isn't even necessary.
So it puts to rest the idea that he carried the team, doesn't it? He still had a great season. As did Brees. Take your pick.
I pick the guy with the most wins and TDs, fewest INTs, and highest QB Rating.
Unfortunately, that guy does not exist...
Keep in mind that Flynn had 2 turnovers, which is more than Rodgers had in any game this season. As great as Flynn played today, he made more mistakes than Rodgers probably does. Having watched the game I can tell you that Flynn also benefited from Finley not dropping passes (he's dropped a bunch of Rodgers' passes this season) and Grant having a career long 80 yard reception on a screen pass.
Flynn is a very good backup, and GB has some great depth at the skill positions. But these shouldn't detract from Rodgers season, unless you think Brady and Manning should have some MVPs removed retroactively for playing with the likes of Moss, Welker, Harrison, Wayne, Clark, etc., etc. The idea that any QB can really carry a team is a myth, and all MVP QBs had strong supporting casts.
with all due respect I am thinking you are missing the obvious point. Flynn played one game last year-- on the road against the #1 seed in the AFC, and it came down to the last play. Packers never lost again. Flynn plays one game this year-- with a depleted roster-- and the Packers playing a WINTER game at Lambeau go nuts on offense.
The Saints will challenge for a while, but I truly believe now the Packers will not have a close game in these playoffs. At least 2 TD margin vs. Atlanta or NFC East winner; 41-31 or in that neighborhood vs Saints; and very likely an old style 21 pt win (45-24 or thereabouts) or better in the Super Bowl. Given the age of all the key participants, we are very likely looking at the greatest offensive team in the history of the sport in an offensive eara about to put their stamp on the league just as Lobardi's Packers did a half century ago.
Should it? Probably not. Will it? I think between this and Brees smashing Marino's record, Brees will win the MVP and win it handily.
LOL-- I'll bet my house, first born, and all my earthly possessions against that-- what a joke. Put Rodgers in a dome 8 weeks out of the year and watch Marino and Brees' record go up in flames.
truth of the matter is that Matt Flynn is already in the top 15 of Qbs in the league (remember Hasselbeck, Brunell and Warner as GB backups that would go on to star in the league?) and with a full season of experience under his belt could easily reach the top 10. Sanchez is out of a job.
What did I just read?
What the hell do Hasselbeck, Brunell, Warner and Sanchez have to do with it?
"Kurt Warner: Green Bay Back-up QB" is a bit of a stretch.
The thing that has somehow been lost in the Brees passing yards record as it pertains to the MVP race is that Rodgers has just set a season record for passer rating.
Now, the MVP voters may not pay much attention to some of the advanced stats we'd prefer, such as DVOA, DYAR, Y/A, or ANY/A, but I I'd think that breaking the passer rating record would be seen as more significant than the yardage record. Especially since Brees is only one of 3 QBs this season to pass for 5000 yards, one of which, Stafford, didn't even make the Bro Bowl (though he probably should have), while no one besides Rodgers has really threatened the passer rating mark this season.
And, while this may be some of my GB bias showing, I think some voters will be pro-rating Brees stats for the fact that he threw a LOT more than Rodgers did this season, much of it unnecessary stat padding in these last two games, throwing while far ahead in the 4th quarter. Rodgers was pulled from the game last week after throwing 5 TDs in barely over 3 quarters of work, and even if he didn't match Flynn's performance today an "average" 3 TD, 0 INT performance would have given him the passing TD title over Brees.
Manning has won MVPs despite having his numbers depressed by sitting out late games, so I don't see Rodgers losing much ground in the eyes of voters by not playing in one game.
Agreed. If you vote for Brees, you're basically saying that next time, Rodgers should play the meaningless game and pad his stats.
Passing yards, season: Drew Brees, 5,467
Seasons, 400 completions: Brees, 4, 2007-2008, 2010-2011.
300-yard passing games, season: Brees, 13.
350-yard passing games, season: Brees, 8.
Games with 30 completions, season: Brees, 9.
Consecutive games, 20 or more completions: Brees, 36.
Consecutive seasons, 350 completions: Brees, 6, 2006-2011
Games with 20 completions, season: Brees, 16.
Highest completion percentage, season: Brees, (468/657) 71.23%
Completions, season: Brees, 468.
Consecutive games, 300 or more yards passing: Brees, 7.
All-purpose yards, season: Darren Sproles, 2,696
Number of seasons throwing over 5,000 yards: Brees 2 (2008 and 2011)
Touchbacks, season: 68.
Yards gained, season: 7,474.
First downs, season: 417.
First downs passing, season: 280.
Passing completions, season: 472.
Net passing yards gained, season: 5,347.
Completion percentage, season: 71.3% (482/662).
Most points scored at home: 329
Fewest fumbles in a season: 6
3rd down conversion: 56.7%
But, yeah, that passer rating record sure seems to indicate that GB is the greatest offensive team ever.
Wow. This team LOST TO TAMPA BAY!!!?!
You left out one stat: Points: GB 560, NO 547. And GB did not get to play GB.
I agree with you completely. Including the points scored by the defense makes the point that the GB offense is the GOAT much more convincing.
Even more stats padding. Number of Touchbacks? What does that have to do with offense? Brees had the most 300+ yd games and 350+ yard games. Drew would be proud.
Brees Rodgers
Yards 5476 4643
TD 46 45 (in one fewer game)
Along with That Passer Rating (TPR) (I'd guess the Packers also set the team record as the team's rating is 122.6), the Packers tied the NFL team record for most TD passes in a season, 51. They also had the second highest number of points ever (35 per game). Last I knew, in comparing offenses, scoring points was considered pretty important.
Not saying Brees isn't great. Just saying Rodgers and the Packers had a better offensive season.
You aren't really disputing anything I've said. You've basically found 10 different ways to say "Brees threw more than Rodgers this year". Rodgers could have accomplished most of those same things if the coaches had just had him throw more in blowout wins. However, Rodgers didn't need to throw as much as Brees to win games, in some part due to the fact that he threw less than half as many INTs.
Besides a bunch of yards, Brees also had a slightly higher completion percentage, worth about 1 more completion per game (at Rodgers typical number of attempts). Rodgers' additional full yard per attempt is more significant.
We can do this all day. Rodgers set an NFL record for number of games with 100+ passer rating.
Bottom line, as flawed a stat as passer rating is, it's a hell of a lot more meaningful than total yardage. High yardage totals mean that either a QB has to pass to compensate for turnovers or poor defense (witness Matt Flynn today, who had to throw for a bajillion yards and TDs because his D couldn't hold any lead without Woodson or Matthews playing), or is padding his stats with garbage time offense, while a slightly more efficient QB can put the game away early and take the rest of the game off. Rodgers didn't put up ridiculous yardage because he didn't need to and his coaches decided that protecting his health was more important than accumulating individual stats.
Both Rodgers and Brees were undefeated and had ridiculous stats at home, even though Brees had inflated numbers in the dome. If you think Rodgers could not match what Brees has done in a dome, go back and watch Rodgers play at Atlanta in the playoffs on the road or against Pittsburgh on a neutral field.
Big time QB's earn their money on the road - here are the splits for Rodgers and Brees:
Rodgers - 7-1 record, 2500 yards, 9.0 ypa, 21 TD, 2 INT, 117.5 rating
Brees - 5-3 record, 2850 yards, 8.0 ypa, 17 TD, 8 INT, 100.7 rating
It is not close folks, Rodgers wins more and does so much more efficiently on the road, and is at least as dominant at home in conditions not as condusive to big numbers
Correct. I have no dispute with you. Rodgers coulda, woulda, shoulda.
Oh my god. If that was Brady, Hali would've been ejected. Now that it's Tebow blatant grasping of the facemask goes uncalled in the redzone.
As long as I've followed the Broncos closely (5 years or so) i think they've been in 8 or 9 win-and-in games, and they've lost 'em all. This one feels like all the others, though this time the Chargers may HELP.
Yep, that definitely gets called on your classic pocket passer QB.
The Broncos beat the Pats in the 2005 playoffs by virtue of a number of blown calls by the refs which went against the Pats (The Pats were horrible in that game, but the Broncos were worse).
But I agree ... at least two missed facemask calls against Tebow. Hali almost ripped Tim's head off. I wonder how the zebras can miss that when nobody is allowed to touch a QB's helmet.
Really? You're going back 7 years to find a game where NE got jobbed by the refs?
To the OP: I completely agree. All you had to do to witness the ref's variation of calls based on the reputation of a QB was to watch the Buf/NE game today. Fitzgerald got hit hard right as he scrambled out of bounds, and no call. Brady gets knocked off balance with a push of the hands and the ref, I kid you not, said this in calling a personal foul: "Driving the quarterback into the ground." No way can the NFL claim to make calls based on the plays and not on the players making the plays (or being hit).
Now, NE fans don't get in an uproar. The same calls would have applied and been wrong for any of the elite (Brady, Brees, Rodgers, etc.) versus average (Fitzgerald, Tebow, Moore, Stafford) QB's. And, that is what gets Vick so mad, is that he only gets the "average QB" calls, not the "elite" QB calls.
Tebow is having a really poor game here
When it matters most Tebow always seems to come up short.
Wee. Thats as bad an offensive showing imaginable.
Lets go Chargers.
EDIT: Yay Malcolm Floyd!
What FO writer wrote in the pre season that the Colts would lose, take Andrew Luck and have another 10 year playoff run?
[edit] hmmm maybe my memory is off. All I could find is Vince Verhei talking about NE getting luck... Nevermind. Nothing to see here.
Next-to-last play in the CIN-BAL game - how is that not pass interference?
It clearly was pass interference -- the real question is how could the refs miss that?
There was a healthy stiff-arm from the Bengal before the pass interference, and that was half-way to a hail mary throw. With those factors, I think you'll usually get a no call, even though there was clearly pass interference there.
I thought the Bengals WR was grabbing the Ravens DB as much as the Ravens DB was grabbing the Bengals WR. Both were playing the ball, and both had an equal right to it. I thought it was a good no call.
There is a 100% chance that Romo is injected with a hand that looks like that. I cannot believe they are even pretending he wouldn't.
Over under on Romo INTs before he gets pulled, 3?
I wonder if you can throw any half decent pass with a hand that doesn't feel anything.
If I had to choose between playing with pain or feeling nothing, I'd go with pain. (if it's the throwing hand)
didn't see anyone trying to describe the angle of kupiers(?) foot when he blew up his shin/ankle early in the bronco's game. I would say it was easily 90* off center, and the saucer-sized eyeballs in his head described exactly the situation as the trainers rang in and surrounded him. CBS never cut back to that replay, but you know they have the footage. yuk.
Great block by the WR on that Cruz TD.
It was Nicks. Manningham also just made a great block on the preceding third down play to the hurdling tight end Pascoe. Pascoe got all the credit, when he only deserved about 70%. Similar on the Cruz TD. Great play by Cruz and they don't even mention the block that sprang him. They did mention some WR blocking later in the game, but it's been terrific by the Giants all day.
Raiders gell short this season. Going to win it sll next yeat. Seeds planted 2011. Will bloom 2012. Broncos goijg to get destroyed by syeelers.
I certainly agree about the Broncos-Steelers.
And the Raiders did get both records they were going for!
I certainly don't disagree that Denver will get destroyed by the Steelers next week; I can't fathom how Tebow gets any yards passing, and won't be surprised it he's knocked out of the game by Harrison or someone. They may well be the worst team in the history of the playoffs, and that whole first round next week looks like one terrible game after another ( ATL/NY could be okay ).
However, the fact that Oakland, at home, couldn't even beat a team that was manhandled by Detroit last week when it was still playoff relevant indicates that they are really a crappy team, too. It's pretty clear that, for all of their foibles, San Diego was the best team in the West this season. Admittedly, that's like being the prettiest hog in the pen, but I think they'd have given Pittsburgh much more of a game next week than either Denver or Oakland would have.
I'm a lifelong Broncos fan, and this game today was a disgrace. I'll be fascinated to see what the local hacks who cream their jeans over Tebow ( Woody Paige isn't just some clown ESPN found on the streets; he still gets paid for this crap in Denver, believe it or not )will say, and how they'll defend him. I like Tebow, despise the Tebow Derangement Syndrome on both sides of the aisle, but it's games like today when I wonder how Elway & Fox can sleep at night knowing they have to do this all again next year. I guess a 4-12 season, without all the luck the Broncos had this year during their long winning streak, may make it easier to cut the ties, but the loons will still froth at the mouth because Tebow says grace before every meal. What a mess this team is going to be.
I give the Broncos a chance next week, because Pittsburgh is really banged up right now. Ben's ankle might be a bit better by Sunday, but he'll still be nowhere near 100% fit. And the O-line is a wreck.
Pittsburgh could really have used the first round bye to rest up. They still ought to win in Denver, but then in Baltimore....not so sure.
Oh, there's always a chance, I suppose, and I think that defensively the Broncos can probably keep Pittsburgh within range, but offensively, aside from some McGahee runs, I don't see anything that the Broncos can do that will be in any way productive. Tebow has looked completely lost the last couple of weeks as a passer ( not that he was ever particularly good, but could occasionally be competent ) as I think his much-vaunted confidence is completely shot. The passing targets aren't the best anyway, as Decker has totally vanished as a threat ( just running fly patterns ), the tight ends are mediocre, and Thomas only occasionally gets open. I would predict something like 23-3 Steelers, in a game that will never even be that close. I can't say enough how much this Chiefs game today has soured me on this whole thing; I don't miss Orton, but there has to be accountability for how awful this offense is. I'm just tired of the local heads making excuses for Tebow. Sure, he's a nice guy. There's a lot of nice guys on the Broncos. It'd be really nice if one of them could complete an actual pass.
I'm not trying to defend Tebow - he was undeniably awful yesterday - but I would be interested to see this Broncos offence with a genuinely explosive RB rather than old Willis McGahee and replacement player Lance Ball. It was obvious yesterday that the Chiefs were completely keying in on preventing Tebow designed runs/scrambling and were leaving holes there for the running backs. Whilst McGahee was able to pick up some consistent gains, I was left with the impression that a running back with more shiftiness, or more ability to break tackles would have ripped off a couple of long ones.
Denver at home with their excellent defense playing a very beat-up Steelers team has a decent shot. I think Pittsburgh is better and should be favored and win, but Denver has a realistic chance.
I will go so far as to say I favor Denver over Pittsburgh. The Denver defense is capable of playing very well, Big Ben is playing terribly due to his injury, and Mendenhall is out for the year injured. For all his many, many flaws, Tebow is really good at avoiding interceptions, while an injured Big Ben...isn't.
I can easily see a 10-7 game with the Broncos generating three turnovers, one of them deep in Pittsburgh territory, and just winning when neither team can generate any offense.
Problem with the QB sneak call there was that Dallas needed more than just a few inches - it was more like 1.5 yards.
Ny 21, dallas 14. Dallaas voming back. This exciting
I stopped watching. As soon as I turned it on again, the Giants scored 10 points and closed the deal.
(This is true, even if it sounds totally narcissistic. And I'm a Packers fan living in Giants country ... not a bad place to be. Watched the first half with my Giants fan friends; had a blast.)
I can't decide if I think the Giants will be a threat in the playoffs or not. I can certainly see them beating Atlanta. Then, it's likely on to Green Bay. That, to me, is an interesting matchup, because NY could get a real pass rush on Rodgers. I would still favor the Pack ( and hope they win, as I always enjoy watching them play, and am a big Rodgers fan ), but that's no gimme.
On the other hand, I could see NY losing next week to the Falcons. I don't buy Atlanta at all, but it only takes a few plays going their way to get the win. Then, I see GB beating them about as badly as they did last season.
NFC playoffs should be a lot of fun. AFC should stink on ice, unless you're a New England fan.
I'll only enjoy the NFC playoffs after we find out how much of a beatdown New Orleans lays on my Lions this time around. I sincerely hope that's the first game shown, for my own peace of mind.
If Detroit somehow wins...
"When you absolutely don't know what to do any more, then it's time to panic." - Johann van der Wiel
The NFC playoffs look great. Particularly (I'm sorry to say) the prospect of New Orleans going to San Francisco, then probably Green Bay. As a neutral, all that could have made it better would maybe have been Philly sneaking in because they are the type of team that might have got really hot. But there are no lame ducks in there.
The AFC on the other hand is a really tough sell. There are three average, or below average teams in there (Houston through no fault of their own) along with three perennial powerhouses, one of whom will reach the Super Bowl in spite of having a less than vintage squad this time.
I also just read that Mendenhall may have torn his ACL today. I can't see anybody in the AFC beating the Pats; I'm not buying into Baltimore at all, because I don't think Flacco can keep up with Brady.
New England-New Orleans Super Bowl? That could be fun. ( I certainly think that the Pack could go, too, but I just have a hunch about the Saints. )
Ravens-Patriots would be close, still, I think. If Boldin is healthy, Flacco can impersonate a great QB sometimes. xD Ravens pass rush could really screw up Brady, and they're one of the few teams in the league that might have the personnel to cover Gronkowski.
I think it's a pats win, but it's a close game - don't forget that the Pats' defense makes some pretty crappy offense look good.
Fungible. Pittsburgh and Baltimore would both have a good shot against the Patriots were they to meet in the playoffs. Might not be favorites, but we're not talking about AGS territory here.
Playoff team records against playoff teams:
Cincinnati beat all the non-playoff teams and lost to all the playoff teams on their schedule. Four of these were BAL and PIT. Four of BAL's six wins were PIT and CIN (2 each). The only playoff team NE beat all year was DEN. The Pats lost to the Giants (the only playoff team the Giants beat) and Pittsburgh (the only playoff team PIT beat except for CIN). SF beat no division winners; they couldn't have ... they didn't PLAY any division winners.
SF played and lost to division winner Baltimore. GB beat every playoff team in the NFC except SF (who they didn't play).
Um, SF beat the Giants and lost to the Ravens. And I count SF as 4-1 (Giants, Steelers, Bengals, Lions vs. Ravens) vs. playoff teams.
Every team plays at least two division winners each year, outside of their own division.
Thank you, Matt Stafford -- the Packers managed to just edge out New England and finish #32 in total yards given up and also in passing yards given up.
I'd love to see NE and GB meet up in the SB, if only to stick it in the face of the "you have to have a good defense and run the ball to win championships" mediots.
When exactly did Patriots fans become Colts fans circa 2005? Teams have won championships following a myriad of blueprints, but I'd thiink the last five years would've convinced Patriots fans almost more than any other team that, while they might be able to string together a couple of shootouts, there are easier, softer ways to postseason success. Haven't the Patriots lost to better defensive teams almost every year since 2004? And weren't they heavy favorites almost every time? Since the AFC is lousy, I think they've got a good chance to get to the Super Bowl, and, should they get there, they'll have a puncher's chance, but they're trying to do it the hard way, without question.
I don't know that it's that much easier to get yor hands on the only thing it really takes; a HoF QB (Brees, Rodgers, Brady, Manning) or to assemble a top-10 offense AND a top-10 defense and then make a push. So I don't think you can call the Pats/GB way the harder way.
Part of the problem is that defense is so inconsistent - for all teams not Ravens or Steelers it seems. Last ear the GB defense was pretty good. Pair the 2010 GB defense with the 2011 GB offense and you have one of the best teams in history. Those two units just missed eachother by one year.
This. The "defense wins championships" nonsense has to stop if NE or GB wins it all.
I think our resident Packer-faithful have already queued up the retort to that. It has to do with the GB defense actually being awesome, but constantly sacrificing yardage and even points in an effort to intercept passes. Their defense can do that though because the offense will always outscore the opponent (except when it doesn't).
If you're a baseball fan then you already know this choice of action as the "Jack Morris pitched to the score!!!!" fallacy.
Regarding the "need to run" bit, one of the funniest parts of the GB/DET game yesterday was listening to Billick (who I like pretty well) talked about what teams would be able to run the ball effectively in Lambeau in January.
And I was like, are you watching this game with passing records being set, in Lambeau, in January? Sure, it will get colder, and maybe a bit windier (it was fairly breezy yesterday), but even in the 2007 season's NFC Championship GB's main problem was not being able to defend Plaxico Burress, not anything to do with the run game.
Running is critical in rain, mud, and high winds. The modern passing game has largely transcended cold and snow.
Would have pixked houstob vs no SB if m. Schaub ztill playomg. Now going with sInts vs ravens SB. Kind of wishing for 49ers va ravens SB becausee like nfl bettter when defensd mrant sonething.
I remarked to my friends during the games yesterday that Albert Haynesworth had as much impact on the shape of the AFC playoff picture as any individual player.


text:
Finally, the Tom Sawyer Diner has a menu to match its clientele. After multiple tries to suit downtown Harrisburg public tastes from the disappointing Mexican Cantina to the kitschy Konnichiwa cocktail lounge, Blue Heaven sates the masses with burgers, shakes and salads.
Our ponytailed waitress made no introduction as she quickly took our drink and lunch orders inside at a high-top table across from a long counter. She handled multiple tables with ease, managing trays filled with plates as if performing a circus act. The food, ours and at neighboring tables, were served promptly.
On a recent hot afternoon, beers on tap and Kahlua-spiked thick chocolate milkshakes ($5) with whipped-cream rosettes were in demand. The cold frosty beverages took their essential places next to big bowls of skinny fries ($3) dusted heavily with salty Old Bay seasonings and a cheesy dipping sauce. Crinkle-edged thick-cut sweet potato fries were delicately locked into crisp batter coating for an affordable price of $2. Greasy Guinness-soaked onion rings ($3) were not nearly as addictive as the fries, though.
Burgers were ubiquitous. From well-done to rare, Angus beef burgers were the most readily ordered menu item by the nearby diners. The favorite patty at our table was the more traditional Blue Heaven Burger ($7.25), which was swiped with horseradish mayonnaise and layered with melted sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion slices. The burger was topped with potato chips that got soggy quickly when not eaten right away. Burgers were cooked to order, meaning you could get pink-centered patties if so desired.
Caprese Burger ($7.25) had a beef patty surrounded by fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato and basil pesto. The burger maintained the Caprese-style garnish with a dash of balsamic and olive oil dressing. The loaded burger was a challenge for the skinny bun that compressed while eating. The buns needed to be bigger and more substantial to accommodate all of the layers in-between.
"Fresh" tuna, far from the sea, made no sense tucked on to this carnivore-friendly menu. Small pieces of griddle-seared tuna and burnt-edged cashews were unevenly cooked and sprinkled over bed of carrot-studded shredded cabbage in the Sesame Tuna Salad ($8.95). A pink mound of pickled ginger sat in the center of the salad looked like it was plucked from California sushi rolls and plopped as an afterthought under the tuna pieces. The strong ginger flavor, which permeated underlying cabbage and ginger dressing studded with sesame seeds, could not resurrect the mixture.
The tuna bits were no better off patted together to form tuna patty sandwiches, aka Crunchy Sesame Tuna Burger ($7.25). Unevenly cooked tuna formed crumbly patties, which were then layered with lettuce and stuffed into a soft bun.
Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich ($7.50) oozed heavily with overpowering salty black olive tapenade. Once some of the tapenade was scraped off, the toasted whole wheat slices layered with griddle-browned and seasoned chicken breast, purple onions, roasted red pepper strips, lettuce, goat cheese tasted much better.
The Tom Sawyer Diner has a match made in Blue Heaven. The food choices are finally worth the stop at this roadside haunt.
Blue Heaven: 210 N. Second St., Harrisburg
- 717-232-4499
- KITCHEN HOURS: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday; 5-10 p.m. Saturday
- MENU: American menu featuring assorted burgers, main-course salads, milkshakes
- NOTES: Major credit cards, full bar, parking in garage next door or street parking, reservations accepted
Restaurant critic Mimi Brodeur has an extensive background in the food business. Contact her at email@example.com. Her reviews appear weekly.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Top Definition
A Prophylactic, or condom
be sure to wear a jimmy hat
от JBlaine 25 септември 2005
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
A complex device that can help prevent both overpopulation and intercellular war. This device can come in many different varieties - such as slippery, bumpy, and strawberry.
In other words, a condom.
In other words, a condom.
Make sure you always wear a Jimmy Hat while wildly thrusting into the subject of your lust.
от Orange Dingo 29 декември 2005
A jimmy hat is slang for a condom.
Before you dip your stick, put on a jimmy hat.
от Kahn.no 25 май 2005
This is another word for condom
"All the times I should have worn a Jimmy-Hat. All the times I said "what the fuck"" - nofx
от fatmike 12 февруари 2003
Another term for condom
Hey man, do you have any jimmy hats?
от Book 29 18 март 2005
A condom. Great word to use when asking a guy if he has a condom and you don't want the chick that you about to shack up with to know what you're talking about.
James put on a jimmy hat before he his girlfriend jumped on for the ride of her life.
Scott took off his jimmy hat before he skeet skeet skeeted all over her g-unit.
Scott took off his jimmy hat before he skeet skeet skeeted all over her g-unit.
от Kyle J. P. 26 май 2006
Condom, rubber
The bitch looked kinda nasty so I made sure I was wearing my jimmyhat when I was fuckin' her.
от Anonymous 09 юли 2003


text: The Vans Authentic is seemingly the perfect canvas for a camouflage motif thanks to its simple and classic design. Thus, Vans introduces a camo version of its beloved low-top for Summer 2013. Featuring waxed canvas construction, the kicks see a traditional camo motif throughout the upper while a gum rubber outsole, white rubber foxing, metal eyelets and taslan laces are all present to complete the package. Retailing for $55 USD, the Vans Authentic Waxed Canvas "Camouflage" is now available in-store and online via Premier.


text:
Altova Mailing List Archives
Re: [xml-dev] canonicalization
To: Eric van der Vlist <vdv@--------.--->
Date: 3/4/2002 12:22:00 AM
>Elliotte Rusty Harold wrote: >But isn't this difference more historical than technical? > No, it's completely technical, not at all historical. Entities don't have a fallback mechanism. XInclude does. It's irrelevant which one was defined first. The fallback mechanism makes canonicalization an unpredictable operation on the post-include infoset, which is exactly what canonicalization is trying to avoid. >If you build an application on XInclude, you will want this inclusion >to be as transparent as possible and the document before XInclude >may be meaningless, as meaningless as a XML document without its >external parsed entities. In both case, you can generate *a* XPath >data model and this data model is not appropriate in either case and >is not *the* XPath data model of the merged document. That's not true. You most certainly can build an XPath data model for an unmerged document that has some xinclude:include elements. You cannot build such a data model for a document in which the external entities are not resolved. The XPath data model only applies to documents in which all external entities are resolved. So the two cases are *not* the same. Furthermore, both unmerged documents do have meaning. Theya re not meaningless. For instance, imagine a book in which the individual chapters are referenced by either XInclude or external entities. Even without resolving those entities this document may contain useful information, such as the table of contents. >I wonder if we do not see external parsed entities as "more core" >than XInclude just because we are used to them. It has nothing to do with them being more core (though they are) or how familiar we are with them. The simple fact is that the XPath data model on which canonicalization is based explicitly requires (section 5.2) that external entities be resolved and implicitly requires that XInclude elements not be resolved. The latter point is easiest to see in the context of XSLT. Consider this template rule: <xsl:template match="xinclude:include">
<xsl:value-of select="@href"/>
 </xsl:template> This template rule is completely unambiguous. XSLT defines exactly what is supposed to happen when this template matches an xinclude:include element. If you give me a document containing some xinclude:include elements, then I know how the processor is going to treat them. If a processor decides to do something else with the xinclude:include elements, then it is not conformant to XSLT. Of course you may also choose to give me a doucment which does not contain xinclude:include elements, in which case how XSLT/XPath handles it is equally unambiguous. Perhaps this document was generated from a document that did have XIncludes, perhaps it wasn't. Either way it is *not* the same document as one that does contain XIncludes. A lot of the confusion comes from wanting to treat xinclude:include elements as some magical thing that does not satisfy all the usual rules of XML processing, but that isn't true. An xinclude:include element is just like any other XML element which some processes may choose to impart certain semantics to. Most likely, these semantics will result in the production of a new and different document, but they don't have to; and in some cases they won't. -- +-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+ | Elliotte Rusty Harold | elharo@m... | Writer/Programmer | +-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+ | The XML Bible, 2nd Edition (Hungry Minds, 2001) | | http://www.cafeconleche.org/books/bible2/ | | http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764547607/cafeaulaitA/ | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------+ | Read Cafe au Lait for Java News: http://www.cafeaulait.org/ | | Read Cafe con Leche for XML News: http://www.cafeconleche.org/ | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------+
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text:
As the editors state, this book is an effort to coordinate and correlate the medical knowledge concerning the problems of diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of disease occurring coincidentally with pregnancy. It is written by thirty-nine well known contributors under the editorship of two.
It is a fairly good textbook of medicine. To be sure, it treats of many conditions that appear to have little to do with ordinary pregnancy, for example, African sleeping sickness and Schistosoma japonicum "endemic in Japan, the valley of the Yangtse River in China, in the Philippine Islands, Singapore, and the Shan States." But the book in general is modeled on standard lines. The infectious diseases and the various systemic disorders, including diseases of the teeth, eyes and skin, are competently discussed. The blood and the endocrine glands receive adequate consideration, and there is an excellent chapter on deficiency disease as related to pregnancy, while allergy
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text:
An ugly fat girl...often one who thinks they are stunning and is plastered in make up. Which is so thick it is hard...hence the "rock".
"look at her, she's a rock monster"
dari ants Senin, 14 Februari 2005
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Top Definition
one willing to do any thang possible and sometimes not to obtain crack.
Don't leave your house unlocked or the rock monsters will clean it out.
dari Slow Dragon Selasa, 17 Februari 2004
A really bad crackwhore!
"yo son i gave a rock to that rockmonster down the street and she sucked my dick for it but it wasn't as good as a normal crackwhore because she is a rockmonster."
dari White foolio Senin, 29 Maret 2004
a crack zombie; all they live and fien for is crack rock
rock monsters got their name from their monster-like appetite for crack
dari JCarter Senin, 09 Maret 2009


text:
LANSING – The Connor McCowan murder trial resumes today in Ingham County Circuit Court and it will likely be the end of the defense's case. McCowan, 19, is charged with open murder in the Feb. 23 stabbing death of Andrew Singler, a 23-year-old Michigan State senior.
McCowan, 19, was on the witness stand in his own defense for the second day on Friday. He testified on Thursday that he feared for his life the night he drove to Singler's house and confronted him after a series of heated text messages and killed him in self-defense.
"Before I knew it, Andrew was hitting me," McCowan tearfully testified on Thursday. "It happened so fast. After the first punch, I saw a bright flash of light and I immediately felt so disoriented as if I was dropped into the situation. I've never seen him that mad before."
Prosecutor John Dewane picked apart McCowan's story piece by piece on Friday: from the text message argument, to why he drove to the apartment, to his state of mind afterwards. Dewane questioned McCowan heavily about the text messages that led up to the confrontation, pointing out multiple occasions where McCowan could have stayed home or turned around once he left to confront Singler.
"If you were afraid, you wouldn't have gotten in that car," Dewane said. "In fact, you're looking for a fight."
McCowan insisted that he was only "bluffing" during the text messages. Dewane pointed out that text messages from his sister, Shay McCowan, and Singler told him to drop the issue.
"I was just trying to talk a big game to make him believe that I wasn't afraid of him," McCowan said.
McCowan's story of the fight changed as well. He testified on Thursday that when he arrived at the apartment, the door opened and Singler immediately pounced on him – hitting him with three punches. This is the story that he told his parents following the incident, and what they testified to earlier in the week.
On Friday, he was presented with a picture of the hallway of Singler's apartment. McCowan said he saw the door was open as he came up the stairs and that Singler's roommate, Tyler Aho tried to intervene between the two of them.
McCowan also said that he was no longer sure that he was hit three times. "He hit me twice for sure," he said. Pictures that McCowan took of himself after the fight show a small knot over his left eye and minor bruises.
McCowan testified that his mother was the first to tell him of Singler's death, around 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 23, however, interrogation video shows police told him two hours earlier that he was being charged with homicide.
Testimony begins at 8:30 a.m. and the defense is expected to rest its case and begin closing statements. Judge Clinton Canady III planned on going over the jury instructions over the weekend.
Follow along in the comments below for live updates from the courtroom starting at 8:30 a.m. If you are reading on your mobile device, click here to see the comments.
Follow Jay Scott Smith on Twitter: @JayScottSmith. Email him at email@example.com Follow MLive Lansing on Facebook and Twitter.


text:
It's refreshing to know that after 30+ years of the wine game, I can still be jolted into adolescent levels of excitement by a winery visit. Epiphanies might come less frequently than before, but they don't lessen at all in their intensity. The first wine epiphany I had at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla was with Buty Winery. (website here)
Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle, with snappy herbs, lean acids, and a bit of tobacco-y, figgy fatness from the Semillon. Got my attention.
Imagine my delight, then, when the little yellow school bus we were on turned into the Buty Rockgarden Vineyard as the first stop the next morning on our WBC tour. Caleb Foster and Nina Buty-Foster had arranged a tailgate tasting at the vineyard, and our first wine of the morning (We're all professionals here!) was a wine under their "Beast" designation, an alter-ego line reserved for interesting, perhaps experimental, diversions from the major focus of the Buty line.
So we were poured a glass of gorgeous coppery-pink rose', and we gazed over the vibrant green of the young vines, scuffed our feet in the cobblestone-studded soil, and looked at the line of the Blue Mountains in the distance. A lovely way to start the day.
Buty and the Beast
Beast Rose' of the Stones, LeFore Vineyard, Rose' of Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009.
A little background here: one of my nicknames, proudly earned, is "M'sieur Rose'." I am also certified as a Master Instructor on Rose' wines by the Wines of Provence agency and the French Wine Society. I have pursued the elusive rose' all over the world. I know just a little bit about rose'.
And this is the best American Rose' I have ever had.
I would put it right up there with the very best of Provence (and that is the highest praise from me.) Kudos to Caleb, Nina, and LeFore Vineyard.
The Beast and the Buty (Foster)
Beast Rose' of the Stones---named after the distinctive cobblestone soil in the vineyard, reminiscent of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, except that the rocks here are basaltic in nature---is a delicate copper-pink wine with finely etched flavors of tantalizing tart berry fruits in a tight acid structure; it's vibrant, tingly and refreshing on the tongue; clean, crisp, lively and long on the finish; and each sip leaves you wanting more.
The bad news? You'll have to take my word for it, because this wine is long gone. First, it was available only through the Friends of the Beast Club/wine club that Buty maintains for its followers (and there are a lot of followers), or directly at the winery. Second, once released, it was gone almost immediately. (And the moral of this lesson is: sign up for the Beast wine club (here) so you'll be one of the select few to enjoy this delight of a wine.)
The good news? I just spoke with Buty winemaker Caleb Foster and he assured me there would be another Beast Rose' next vintage. He wouldn't say what it was going to be, precisely, but he did say it would be from their Rockgarden Vineyard and it would be in the same style. I've signed up already.
Based on this wine alone, I would be interested in following this talented young couple and their wines. But there's more than just this one wine. That, however, will have to wait until the next installment of this blog, when I wax rhapsodic about the Buty Rediviva of the Stones.
Personal and idiosyncratic comments on the vital elixirs of life, primarily wine and spirits, but including whatever else I deem important or necessary, as the mood strikes me.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Buty and the Beast: A Walla Walla Wine Epiphany
Posted by Hoke Harden at 12:05 PM 3 comments
Labels: Buty, Walla Walla, Washington, WBC10, Wine Bloggers Conference
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wine Bloggers Conference 10: In Which I 'Speedblog'
Hogue Genesis Riesling Columbia Valley 2008
saturated forward fruit, but some hollowness in the middle; stone fruit, with a tangy, spicy touch that leaves a prickle of flavor on the tongue; from peach to tangerine. Starts sweet but finishes with a drying palate (1.8% rs). New world tutti-frutti and sappiness. Fruit, sweetness, and leavening dryness would make this a good choice for spicy Asian foods. Winemaker says limited release, top 3% of production. $16 SRP.
Buty Semillon-Sauvignon-Muscadette Columbia Valley 2008 Going for a classic white blend from an inland dessert (Walla Walla). Good acidity. Muscadelle in there for the perfume. Nutty, yellow tobacco note from the Semillon (and I've often been a sucker for Semillon from WA). Anaerobic fermentation for freshness. Middle weight. I like it.
Dusted Valley Vintners Rambling Rose Columbia Valley 2009 Mourvedre, Counoise, Syrah, Viognier. Strawberries, with a chewy, fruity smack---like in dried fruit, fruit roll-up. Slight candied note doesn't detract. Bit o'tannin give it a little snap! Slurper. I like it! But they call me "M'sieur Rose'" too.
DeLille Cellars 2008 Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley 62% SB, 38% Semillon, from selected vineyards. Part barrel fermentation, cryomaceration of fruit for intensity. INTENSE nose, with extravagant gooseberry (cat pee). Ripe fig, more gooseberry, and bold, forward declarative barrel influence. Heavy handed wine.
Duck Pond Pinot Gris Willamette Valley OR 2008 98.5% stainless; 1.5% barrel fermented. 100% PG. Better acid than most. Bit of vanilla shows. No rs showing (o.5%). Grapefruit. Has entry, middle and finish---some PGs are hollow in the middle and light in the finish. This one is neither. For a PG, a good effort: PG with character.
Centine Toscano Bianco Banfi (Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Pinot Grigio) 2009 Winey nose, light fruitiness, tropical fruits, some wood spice from oak. Finish fades quickly. Bit confusing, actually, with different varieties and different treatments to achieve a consensus. Pleasant table wine.
Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2009 Washington State Honeysuckle, sweet, pungent, ripe fruit, some peachy notes.
Kung Fu Viognier Columbia Valley 2008 Fermented in neutral oak. Light nose, more intense flavors. Slightly hot (high alcohol?).
Jordan Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2008 Oak is the first thing out of the glass. Then bergamot (like Earl Grey tea). Fruit is reticent. Oak masks fruit in taste as well---vanilla bludgeon. Style overwhelms fruit and terroir.
Amaurice Cellars Viognier 2008 Walla Walla Pretty, but light and slightly hot; Barrel fermentation doesn't show through too much here; more delicate than one might expect from the regimen. The essence of Viognier comes through, but a lower alcohol than 14.9% would be so much better. Just too hot for the light frame. Noble effort, but wine can't carry the weight.
Cadaretta SBS (Sauvignon Blanc 79%, Semillon 21%) Columbia Valley 2008 Stainless steel; no oak. Shy nose; medium bodied, good acidity, SB comes through with lean and herbal/fruity flavors, toned down with Semillon. Small production.
Le Chateau Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2008 Barrel fermented, French oak; half new/half one year. Limited malo. Oak bomb. Great fruit, but oak weights it down so heavily it totally unbalances the final result. Just not my style.
The Crusher Rose' of Pinot Noir Grower's Selection Clarksburg 2009 (Don Sebastiani & Sons) The other, "non traditional rose" for big red wine drinkers. Crushed PN, saignee; viognier added and co-fermented for florals. Malbec added after fermentation. 95% stainless, 5% oak (mouthfeel from oak, but not vanilla flavors). Nice. More body, more rounded than a regular PN. Bit too hot---but it's Clarksburg. Change of pace rose'.
Whew! That was grueling. Takeaway: Sure, I can do it...but why should I do it. Wine appreciation shouldn't be a contact sport and leave bruises. Why impose artificial limitations; then it's more about the snappy blogicity than the wine. And it ought to be about the wine. Always. So, been there; done that; don't need to do it again.
Posted by Hoke Harden at 11:04 AM 2 comments
Labels: speed tasting, speed wine blogging, Walla Walla, WBC10
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tasting Wine in a Cocktail Lounge?
Well, actually, it makes sense---if the wine being tasted is fortified wine, and it comes from the revered Bodega Emilio Lustau; if the mixologists are just as interested in wine as in spirits; and if those same mixologists are busy whipping up some tasty and creative sherry-based cocktails.
The Oregon Bartenders Guild and Lemma Wine Company of Oregon sponsored a tasting of the fine sherries of Lustau at the Teardrop Lounge this week, and bartenders all over northern Oregon flocked to the event. It was standing room only, as Drake McCarthy (below, left), sherry authority and Lustau representative from Europvin Wines, gave the lowdown on Lustau, perhaps the finest producer of Sherry there is.
Emilio Lustau Light Manzanilla Sherry, Solera Reserve "Papirusa"
...light, tart orchard fruits, and a wonderful aroma of salty sea breeze
Emilio Lustau Dry Amontillado Solera Reserva "Los Arcos"
...soft, nutty almond aromas, full bodied and dry with excellent acidity
Emilio Lustau Dry Oloroso Solera Reserve "Don Nuno"
...nutty, but with English Black Walnuts, pungent, smoky, rich and chocolatey
Emilio Lustau Deluxe Cream Reserva "Capotaz Andres"
...dark, concentrated, smoky, dried fruits and nuts; rich and complex
Emilio Lustau East India Sherry--Brown Sweet Oloroso Sherry
...remarkable! Super-concentrated, rich, smoky, complex, raisiny and loaded with dried citrus peel and spice. An outstanding example of sherry.
Emilio Lustau Pedro Ximenez Solera Reserva "San Emilio"
...fantastically rich, treacle-like, liquefied raisins and molasses syrup
When the formal tasting was concluded, the mixologists launched themselves into action, and in a flurry of peeling, stirring and shaking the crowd was presented with four delectable concoctions, all including a Lustau sherry.
Sherry Cobbler (left). This would be a perfect summertime sipper. It's light, clean, citrusy tart and icy cold, and the sherry gives it just enough authority and emerging complexity of taste to make it compelling. There's a plus here too: on a sultry summer day this drink would be excellent, and the lower alcohol content of the sherry base means you can drink more of them! (And you'll want more than one.)
Jeff Morgenthaler (left) and Tommy Klus (right) work together to make their cocktails for the thirsty crowd.
Jeff Morgenthaler (Clyde Common) presented the crowd with a bigger, bolder entry, a Solera Club, mixing the Lustau Deluxe Cream with Cynar Artichoke liqueur, creme de peche, and absinthe. It was a beautiful harmony of fruit, herbs, and the nutty, smoky, raisiny richness of the Oloroso.
Also, do yourself a favor and check out Jeff Morgenthaler's fascinating blog, Not only is it a fun read of Jeff's exploits and ideas, it's a treaure trove of information about mixology. www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/
Daniel's first cocktail was Muscat Love, a copita glass filled with a combination of Plymouth Gin, Lustau Moscatel de Chipiona (a Muscat-based sherry), bitter Bonal Gentiane liqueur, a dash of Bitter Truth Orange Bitters, and curly orange zest on top for garnish. The description "bittersweet" is apt here, for the cocktail lavishes with sweetness at one moment and lashes with stinging bitterness the next. The lush, soft, pungent sherry is in antipathy with the botanicals of gin and gentiane and bitters, but the tangy orange fruit zest brings them all into an armistice of rich flavor in the mouth. It's a brilliant display of putting the right flavors together in the right proportions for the right effect---which is as good a description of the art of mixology as I can think of.
Illuminations, where he used the impressive and richly flavored Lustau East India sherry to marvellous effect in a Sour format---with El Tesoro Reposado tequila, lemon juice, maple syrup and egg white. Illuminations will instantly dispell all those bad memories of ugly whiskey sours you may have had in your callow youth and replace it with this perfectly balanced version with the sour tang of lemon, the silky, nutty, spicy sweetness of sherry and maple, and the frothy touch of egg white.
Illuminations was illuminating.
There are two obvious takeaways here. First, the house of Emilio Lustau is making fine sherries that admirably serve in their traditional roles as aperitif and digestif wines. Second, that these same excellent sherries can be used as ingredients to make creative, tasty, engaging cocktails.
So don't let your Lustau linger in isolation in your cabinet---pull it out and get creative!
Posted by Hoke Harden at 6:27 PM 2 comments
Labels: cocktails, lustau, sherry, teardrop lounge
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Cahors: Malbec and Foie Gras (you knew there'd be foie gras, didn't you???)
So we're in Cahors, in the middle of the Lot, slurping down Malbec (with an occasional addition of Tannat and Merlot; but hey, it's the Malbec that's the center of this party). You have to figure there'll be foie gras.
No, this Malbec of Cahors is truly a food wine. Often a sullen brute by itself, it can be tamed with food, coaxed out of its acidic isolation and convinced to reveal its inner self.
The Chateau les Rigalets was a delight with the food; built on a lighter frame, but from that remarkably good 2005 vintage that seems to be aging so well right now, it was more elegant, more violet-infused, and silkier in tone, and seemed to come alive with the foie gras.
And there was, there was.
From the very beginning, in the Malbec Lounge at Espace Valentre, until the final meal, there was foie gras. And a plenitude of duck in various forms, but we'll focus on foie gras here.
At the Espace there was foie gras on toast points, foie gras on pancakes, foie gras on waffles, foie gras in cute little ice-cream cones, even foie gras in macarons. I'm not altogether sure the world is ready for foie gras in macarons. Two great things, mind you; but maybe not so good together? Likewise the saffron macarons. Colorful, but a little disconcerting finding those flavors joined with macarons.
Oh, wait...foie gras! Right, then.
So, after a few days of bright sunshine and black wine---it was eerily normal to see my compatriots standing in the sunshine grinning happily away at the scenery, the food, the wine, whatever, displaying black-stained mouths---we gathered for a final festive meal at a chateau-museum overlooking the green swathe of the valley of the Lot below us on a lovely Sunday afternoon.
The light poured in on the medieval stonework and the great hall of the chateau was thronged with happy attendees, many of whom were still babbling with excitement and wonder from their morning montgolfier, a hot air balloon trip over the valley and vineyards below.
There was a chatter of activity as people exchanged business cards and e-mails and website addresses and took the final photos for remembrance, so that people were taking photos of people taking photos of people taking photos.
Amidst all this hustle and hubbub, the owners and winemakers circulated around and deposited bottles of their wines at our tables, then joined the revelries themselves. It was pleasant to sit and sip and reflect, then to discuss the wines with the makers, a genial but devoted lot (get it? lot? in the Lot? oh, never mind) with the pride of ownership mixed with the desire to have more people enjoy what they spend so much time and effort creating.
Malbec, and most especially the Malbec of Cahors, is a food wine. That term is bandied about with great frequency these days, but with Malbec it is essential, for few people would consume Cahors as a recreational wine, and even fewer are the connoisseurs of wine alone who sit in their tiny conclaves and sniff and sip and parse and mutter over infinitely smaller details of arcane wine lore while invoking magical words that few others know or care about.
No, this Malbec of Cahors is truly a food wine. Often a sullen brute by itself, it can be tamed with food, coaxed out of its acidic isolation and convinced to reveal its inner self.
Apply a little foie gras with its velvety richness, its earthy elegance, and the Malbec responds. The excessive austerity relaxes a bit and the flavors emerge. Corny, I know, but it is much like a flower opening as the day begins to warm and the sun makes friendly overtures.
This is lunch, with some old and some new-found friends on a sunny day in Quercy, so I'm not in note taking mode or mood, but the magic of the iPhone lets me record the wines that pass through my glass.
The Chateau Haute-Borie. although young, was quite amenable to the charms of the foie gras and lentils, a classic but not classically bound Cahors, in that it was already showing its nature, which would only soften and lengthen in future, I think.
The Chateau les Rigalets was a delight with the food; built on a lighter frame, but from that remarkably good 2005 vintage that seems to be aging so well right now, it was more elegant, more violet-infused, and silkier in tone, and seemed to come alive with the foie gras.
The Chateau du Plat Faisant was much in the same mold: stubborn by itself, but yielding graciously to the food.
And this is the resounding, repetitive note of the entire sojourn in the Lot: that the great majority of Cahors wine, and the nature of Malbec itself as the primary grape, simply requires the patience of age and maturation; that the slow, unhurried unlocking of tannin-bound fruit cannot be hurried too much.
Unfortunately, patience seems a thing lacking today, so intervention is often required for those who are impatient---and mind you, "intervention" can be as much the philosophy of 'vin natur' as the technological wizardry or ampelographic intervention of agronomists and oenologists, for intervention is intervention.
One hopes, though, that some of the lonely majesty of the impenetrable Malbec, made accessable only by time, remains to us---and I believe it will, from what I have seen of the people of the Lot.
If that is so, I will remain both happy and hopeful for this region and these wines, for there is certainly room for the 'vin natur' and the delightful anphorae wines (yes!; decidedly yes!!) and the fresher, fruitier, more immediate wines as well, for each has its appeals and uses to a world of wine drinkers.
Posted by Hoke Harden at 9:42 AM 2 comments
Labels: Cahors, Chateau du Plat Faisant, Chateau Haute-Borie, Chateau les Rigalets, foie gras, French Malbec, Journees Internationales du Malbec
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Malbec Days in Cahors, with Michel Bettane
It's interesting to watch Michel Bettane at work.
He's hugely knowledgeable about French wines, expresses himself well, conducts a guided tasting with admirable rigor and a good solid flow of information and background, and then...he begins to issue diktats and pronunciamentos and, perhaps without even realizing what he's doing, begins to offer editorial comments that counter the very wines he has selected for consideration.
Perhaps it is that a man who invests himself so clearly in offering opinions forgets that his opinions are merely that...opinions?
Bettane's task this day was to lead us briskly through a tasting of the diversity of wines of Cahors at the Journees Internationales "Malbec Days" in the Espace Valentre.
If the intent of the organizers was to showcase the entire range of the AOC with their premier grape variety, then they succeeded. Sometimes with warts showing.
La Capelle Cabanac 2007 organically certified grower; argile rouge du causse soil; dense, black, pruney in the nose; dry, scratchy tannins; linear, like a severe Graves in structure; tight and unforgiving at this point.
Chateau Ponzac Cuvee Eternellement 2007 chewy oak/vanilla, slightly hot; expansive in the mouth but not at all harmonized in all its disparate components.
Chateau Croisille, Cuvee Divin 2005 refined, elegant; aromatic of blackberry and violets, with enrobed oak; nice balance of fruit, vinosity and oak; oak is clearly there but doesn't dominate the massive fruit.
Clos d'un Jour, Cuvee Un Jour 2006 aged in terracotta anphorae; fresh, high acidity, brisk flavors, pure berry; consistent, refreshing (my second vintage in a short time of this wine, and I'm again impressed; a wine worth seeking out, as it gives superb fruit and structure and development without any encumbering oak overlay).
Chateau de Gaudou, Cuvee Reserve Caillau 2007 60 to 100 year old vines; "The Beverly Hills of Cahors," says Bettane, "A modern interpretation of old vines." Disconcerting to me: overly ripe, jammy fruit with evident vanilla oak upfront, followed by cedar, menthol, pinene; tannic snap at finish. Someone else opines this "would probably be popular in the U.S." Probably right, and it would probably garner "points" and praise, but not with me, as this much prune jam and oak is not my style at all.
Chateau Lamartine Expression 2006 from the vaunted '3d Terrasse" of the Cahors; an impenetrable wine of super tight structure and exceptionally high tannin. "Wine for the long term," says Bettane, and he's right about that. There's plenty of fruit encased in all this stridency of tannin, but it's not about to emerge now. A keeper, but for the long run. Buy it, cellar it, and forget about it for many, many years.
Chatea La Reyne, Cuvee Vent'Anges 2007 (wind of angels) another from the 3d terrasse and calcareous soils; meaty, dark, roasted plum; smoke; fresh sawn wood; complex and fine and still encased in tight, severe tannins that will be slow to yield; "Wears little makeup," quips Bettane. "Has complete integrity and straight expression."
Domaine Cosse de Maisonneuve, Les Laguets 2005 menthol/eucalyptus; fennel, bretty horse sweat and leather...but when someone suggests this is a 'vin natur' Bettane suddenly becomes irritated, and scoffs, "The stupid dream of natural wine... Wine is not natural! Natural wine is vinegar!!!"
But Bettane is on a roll now and he continues to fulminate, "Wine that is free of sulfur...doesn't exist. The natural sulfur smells bad, when added sulfur usually does not."
It's an interesting situation, where Bettane is saying things that I basically adhere to myself, but is spitting them out so stridently, with such uncharitable force, that I'm uncomfortable with the points he is making. He's certainly not hesitant to make bold, sweeping statements in his total assurance of rectitude. But he has distracted anyone from actually considering the wine in question.
Eventually the hubbub settles down and we proceed to the next wine.
Chateau La Caminade, Cuvee la Commanderie 2006 another brash, tart, linear style of wine, with more raspberry than black fruit; there's a whiff of VA here; and there are cedary aromatics (from an abundance of new oak?)
Clos Triguedina, Cuvee Probus 2005 "The Beverly Hills of Chateau Row," chortles Bettane again. It's not clear whether he's extolling this or demeaning it. This wine exudes sweet oak, totally up front and permeating the wine; profound tannins in the finish; all the fruit is subdued by the sweet reek of oak. With the reputation of this property, one would think the fruit would eventually emerge with age---but it's very hard to imagine balance at this stage.
Chateau du Cedre, Cuvee Le Cedre 2007 just a light whiff of brett at first; then oak, then soft, chewy texture in the middle of the palate with moderate (well, for Malbec) tannins. If the brett doesn't get more funky, this could become a rather nice bottle.
Chateau Lagrezette, Cuvee le Pigeonnier 2005 (Michel Rolland consulting) Syrupy nose; cassis, raw oak; fat, glossy fruit; charcoal on finish; obviously extremely mature grapes. "Some people will like this sort of wine; some won't," says Bettane, obviously hedging his bets here. "This is less the expression of soil than the grapes themselves." Yes, that's one delicate way of putting it.
In the closing comments to the tasting, Bettane utters a summative statement which resonates: "La tipicite d'un appellation et la somme de tipicites individuelles." (I'm sure I butchered the French, but the gist is there at least.)
As a followup, and a contrast, Ricardo Giadorou of Bodegas Dolium in the Lujan de Cuyo region of Argentina has us taste the 2007 Reserve Malbec. At 14.9% alcohol, it's sweet, ripe, silky, jammy, redolent of ripe plums and blackberries and vanilla oak. Giadorou comments that the Argentine Malbecs benefit from their "approachability targeted toward the U.S. market." And it's easy to understand the allure that such wine has to the casual drinker, for this Argentinean is seductive in its easy opulence, especially as contrasted to the severity of most of the Cahors Malbecs we have tasted. But there is an impressive, deep, undercurrent to the wines of Cahors that simply does not exist in the Argentinean wine. Where the Argentinean is pleasant but ephemeral, a pleasant moment quickly gone, the Cahors wines, stern though they can be, demanding as they are, promise pleasures yet to come. and worth the wait.
Posted by Hoke Harden at 2:04 PM 0 comments
Labels: Argentina, Bettane, Cahors, French Malbec
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University of Sheffield, 6 -8 September 2012
The University of Sheffield's Humanities Research Institute with the support of the Network of Expert Centres and Centernet is delighted to invite you to a new conference intended to promote the sharing of knowledge, ideas and techniques within the digital humanities.
At Sheffield we understand the digital humanities to mean the use of technology within arts, heritage and humanities research as both a method of inquiry and a means of dissemination. We're therefore excited to have a varied programme with speakers from disciplines across the arts, humanities and heritage domains.
Keynote Speakers
• Professor Andrew Prescott (Head of Department, Department of Digital Humanities, King's College London)
• Professor Lorna Hughes (University of Wales Chair in Digital Collections at the National Library of Wales)
• Professor Philip Ethington (Professor of History and Political Science, University of Southern California and Co-Director of the USC Center for Transformative Scholarship)
A full list of speakers and paper titles can be viewed at the conference website: http://hridigital.shef.ac.uk/dhc2012
The conference will take place at the University's new residential conference facility, The Edge.
Discounted Registration
Register online now at: http://hridigital.shef.ac.uk/dhc2012
Sign up before 30 June to benefit from our early-bird rates:
• Discounted full residential package incl. registration and ensuite bed and breakfast accommodation: Ł230 (full price: Ł280)
• Discounted non-residential package: Ł119 (full price: Ł169)
• Student full residential package incl. registration and ensuite bed and breakfast accommodation: Ł200
• Student non-residential package: Ł100
Further Information
The conference website provides further information about the programme and facilities: http://hridigital.shef.ac.uk/dhc2012
The Humanities Research Institute is one of the UK's leading centres for the digital humanities: www.sheffield.ac.uk/hri
The Network of Expert Centres is a collaboration of centres with expertise in digital arts and humanities research and scholarship, including practice-led research: www.arts-humanities.net
Centernet is an international network of digital humanities centres: http://digitalhumanities.org/centernet


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The 2013 Royal Rumble marks the official beginning to the road to WrestleMania 29, but the officials at WWE already have a plan in place to make the event one of the biggest spectacles in wrestling history.
According to PWInsider (via NoDQ.com), the WWE has reportedly mapped out the top four matches for the 2013 version of the company's biggest show. They are rumored to be as follows: Sheamus vs. Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight Championship, Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar, CM Punk vs. The Undertaker and John Cena vs. The Rock for the WWE Championship.
While there aren't too many surprises on this card—especially considering every one of these matches has happened before—this is still shaping up to be one of the deepest pay-per-view cards of the last decade.
Add in the fact that the WWE has done a great job getting the fans to care about the secondary titles and their champions—look at the success of Team Hell No in the tag team division or Antonio Cesaro with the U.S. Championship—and WrestleMania 29 is shaping up to be a great show.
These are the pros and cons of all four suggested matches for this year's WrestleMania card.


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Stuck on Crash of the Titans? We've got you covered!
Don't panic! Our cheats will see you through.
Crash spins onto Xbox LIVE Marketplace
Bandicoot related action this time with lots of mutated monsters.
The bandicoot crashes back onto consoles this autumn
Sierra Entertainment has announced the autumn release of Crash of the Titans for Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, DS, PSP and GBA.


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If surrounding yourself with bright colors makes you feel happy, if mixing electric pink tops with teal bottoms is your style, these plants are right up your alley. Canna lilies are big and bold, with leaves that fall into the "large" to "huge" range and flowers that follow suit. Site these horticultural Titans wherever moderate size shrubs would do, but would simple be too tame. . . as warm climate foundation plantings, along property lines lieu of fences and at the edges of ponds, reflected in the bright waters. Experiment with a few cannas and let your imagination go wild. Don't be timid.
© Copyright 2013 Easy to Grow Bulbs. All Rights Reserved.


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I guess it was bound to happen. A few morons who wouldn't know a Muslim from a mushmelon have been going around defacing mosques, assaulting men in turbans and generally being horrible to anyone who doesn't look quite, well, right.
Now, no one of that ilk reads Bulletin Board. They can't. They're about half an evolutionary step ahead of the pond scum that started this horror. But if one of you happens to know someone like this, you can read this column to them. Speak slowly and explain the big words.
First of all, most people from Afghanistan, Iran and similar places came here for the same reasons a lot of our kinfolks did, to escape persecution and oppression and make a better life. Ever heard of the American Dream?
They value - maybe more than many of us - the freedom to worship, dress and believe as one pleases.
Second, there's common sense. Would any aspiring terrorist with more than two functioning brain cells waltz around in a turban? Not exactly fitting in with the Tommy Hilfiger set. Having already violated one of the basic tenants of Islam, which forbids the taking of innocent life, now they're going to worry about the dress code?
There's nothing wrong with reporting suspicious activities to the proper authorities. (Personally, Ms. Bulletin Board prefers improper authorities but that's another column.)
Leave the rest to the pros. Let's concentrate on being Americans and standing up for what's right. Standing up together.
Cathy Martindale
Executive Editor
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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I never expected I could be a licorice lover. Growing up, I loved one and one type of licorice candy: Jelly Belly licorice.
My mom love licorice, like real licorice candy in the US. The Swedish variety was too salty for her tastes but she still enjoyed them. And she's the only person I know in the US that actually ate real licorice candy, not the "red licorice" or alternative fake licorices.
On Sunday when I went to the Lakritsfestivalen {Licorice Food Festival}, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was on a mission to figure out why Swedes love licorice, but I did not expect to fall in love with licorice too.
Boy oh boy! Licorice is delicious.
Soft, chewy.
Sweet, salty (not too salty though!)…
And flavored with citrus or berries, yum!
I had so many interesting flavors and types of licorice at the festival.
Powdered licorice
It's the new culinary 'in' thing. Martin Jörgensen, founder of Lakritsfabriken, says to "Use it as a spice and add a dash of it to your sweet and savory dishes."
What licorice powder looks like
He made this delicious panne cotta with licorice
And he also made raspberry smoothie. That was amazing! Raspberries and licorice are like best friends.
Others used the powdered licorice to season salads (no tasting available) and in cotton candy. That was nuts.
Candies, fudges, jams and everything else in between
At the show, there were the traditional candy powerhouses Malaco and Panda but the most exciting was meeting all the small boutique companies.
My stash of licorice infused goodies
The orange confiture with licorice from Liquorice Reglisse, an Italien company, will be exciting to try! I had no idea Italy is one of the largest produces of licorice from the southern region called Kalabria.
A favorite was the Australian soft and slightly sweet candy from Kookaburra
Lots of interesting and somewhat odd flavors:
Michelle Obama – chocolate, almond, raspberry, licorice
Black Violet – licorice, violet, salt licorice
Old school – licorice, anise, fennel, pistachio nut
Finnish citrus – licorice, lemon, salt licorice
H&D – chocolate, star anise, salt licorice
Pingvinen {Penguin} – licorice, mint, salt licorice sauce
Super über salty licorice from Iceland
Mini cupcakes from Damen med Bakelsen
Frejyu Lakkris Draumur – Supposedly the first licorice+chocolate created
Bath & Body infused licorice
Can you imagine candy-infested smelling store Bath and Body Works selling a licorice soap, shampoo, and massage oil?
Queen of Licorice did just that. They make organic soaps, massage oils, lip balms, shampoo and conditioners. Licorice is a medicinal plant and it's ability to cure dry coughs, excema, dandruff, makes it magical plant used in ayruvedic medicine for thousands of years.
The Queen of Licorice products are meant to help people with dry and flakey as well as improve their mood (licorice releases adrenline in the body). I picked up a massage oil in the hopes of curing my excema on my arm. Let the experimenting begin!
Licorice Books
The books are not made of licorice; they're books about licorice. I know, disappointed.
Annica Triberg and Annika Wallin wrote the definite guide to licorice called Lakrits. It's a historical, cultural, and cookbook all rolled into one. So far it's only in Swedish but available at the major bookstores. I already love the book and have learned so much about this little root.
Did you know that people used to brush their teeth by using a piece of licorice root and rubbing it on the teeth? True story.
Lakrits, Mynt, & Choklad is a cookbook by bestselling author Elisabeth Johansson. I flipped through the book and everything looks amazing. Still need to get my hands on one, I'm excited to try my own licorice panne cotta.
All in all, it was a great time and I'm hoping to try out some licorice based recipes now!
Dennis Christen
Years ago I had the pleasure of tasting a Swedish candy called Lakrits. They look like an american M&M type candy that was small and round but flat that was black coated with natural licorice flavoring. It had chocolate inside and the combination was wonderful to taste. I have been looking all over the internet to see if any place in Sweden still makes this wonderful candy. Thank you for your time and hope you have a wonderful day. Dennis, goodbye
@Dennis – Do you remember if there was another name it was called? Lakrits translates to licorice so I'm a bit hesitant if the candy brand was the same.
But perhaps our licorice eaters here can help Dennis out and know the candy name??
Dennis Christen
Thanks for answering back and sorry that I haven't been able to get right back with you as I have been having family problems with my elderly mother. The name I was give was Lakrits and I did know it translates to licorice–it didn't make sense to me either when the friend told me that is what they were looking for. I do have a website at http://www.munchiessweetsandtreats.com/Licorice-Lakrits-Dark-Chocolate-Lentils-Candy-5LB-Bag_p_2091.html and maybe you could go to and get an idea of what I am talking about. Thanks again for your time. Sincerely….Dennis
I, too, have been looking for this same licorice coated chocolate lentil candy. They used to be sold at the local Scandinavian import store, but now I can only find them online, apparently made in the US. I would like to find the Swedish made candy!


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Tuesday, 24 December 2013
We wish you a very happy Christmas!
Posted by mammafairy at 22:51
|Please click if you
7 comments:
- Di said...
And to you Rachel.
Di x
- 25 December 2013 at 01:43
- Diane-crewe said...
have a wonderful time xx
- 25 December 2013 at 08:37
- cheeky monkey said...
Happy Christmas to you and your family!
- 25 December 2013 at 09:19
- the running hare said...
Merry Christmas to you all Rachelxx
- 25 December 2013 at 09:39
- Sarah said...
And to you Rachel. Love your snowscape cake.
- 25 December 2013 at 10:29
- Caroline said...
Merry Christmas!
- 25 December 2013 at 20:49
- Indianna said...
Hope you had a wonderful day and that there is some cake left for today.
- 26 December 2013 at 09:01
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Port Scanning Techniques
Port numbers are 16-bit unsigned numbers and can be broadly classified into three categories. Port 0-1023 is "well known ports", 1024 - 49151 are "registered ports" and 49152 - 65535 is "dynamic or private ports".
One problem with port scanning is that it is effortlessly logged by the services listening at the scanned ports. This is because they detect an incoming connection, but do not receive any data, thereby generating an application error log.
To scan UDP ports, an empty UDP datagram is sent to the port. If the port is listening, the services will send back an error message or ignore the incoming datagram. If the port is closed, the operating system send back "ICMP Port Unreachable" (Type 3) message.
Port scanning can be broadly classified into:
Open Scan
Open scan / TCP connect scan also known as vanilla scan where a full connection is opened to the target system by a three-way TCP/IP handshake. Therefore, it is easiest to be detected and blocked on the network. However the information gathering using open scan is usually the most.
When the port is open, the client sends a SYN flag, the server replies a SYN+ACK flag, which is acknowledged back with an ACK flag by client. Once the handshaking is completed, the connection is terminated by the client. This confirm an open port.
When the port is closed or "not listening" the server response a RST+ACK flag, which is acknowledged back with an RST flag by client, and then the connection is closed.
The disadvantage of this scan technique is that the attacker cannot spoof his identity as spoofing would require sending a correct sequence number as well as setting the appropriate return flags to setup data connection. Moreover, most stately IDS and firewall detect and log this scan, exposing both the attempt and the attacker's IP. The advantage is fast accurate scan that require no additional privilege.
Half-Open Scan
In half-open scan, a complete TCP connection is not established. Instead as soon as the server acknowledge with a SYN+ACK response, the client tears down the connection by sending RST flag. This way, the attacker detect an open port and not establish full connection.
However, some sophisticated IDS and firewall can detect a SYN packet from the void and prevent such scan. Besides, this scan require attacker to make a customer IP packet which in turn requires access to SOCK_RAW (getprotbyname('raw') under most system) or /dev/bpf (Berkeley packet filter), /dev/nit (Sun network interface tap). This requires priviliege access.
Stealth Scan
Initially half open scans were considered stealth, however as IDS software evolved, these scan were easily logged. Now, stealth scan refers to the type of scan where packets are flagged with a particular set of flags other than SYN, or a combination of flags, no flag set, with all flag set, appearing as normal traffic, using fragmented packet or avoiding filtering devices by any other means. All these techniques resort to inverse mapping to determine open ports.
The most important is knowledge itself. The result of a scanner can be misleading if the ethical hacker does not have good knowledge of common vulnerabilities. Relying solely on the scanning tool to all threats is not practical as the author of the vulnerability check may have written it incorrectly. It is also likely that it was created in a controlled environment and might not work as well in the open.
Besides, performing exhaustive scan against the system in a large enterprise is usually not feasible due to network constraints, stability of the backbone and scanned systems. Another view point is that scanner does not have an internal view of the host audited and can miss critical misconfiguration that result in an insecure setup, but appear "secure" from the outside with automation
Re: Port Scanning Techniques
Good stuff, thanks!
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Top Definition
Slang for the city of San Bernardino. Mostly used by people who live in the city.
"Everyone knows that berdoo always has the best weed."
195677453 tərəfindən 09 İyul 2005
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Slang term for San Bernardino California. People moving into the area from the dust bowl of Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas shortened San Bernardino to Berdoo.
Berdoo is east of L.A. on old highway 99 going out toward Palm Springs
BloughMi tərəfindən 06 İyul 2014


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Automated Color Correction
Getting Idiot Proof Color Every Time
Here is a very easy and effective way to dial in accurate color on every outing. To do so you will need some basic tools. First of all, you'll need a camera that allows you to set White Balance manually. No, you don't need a "Set WB" control, just a means to dial in the basics: Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, etc. Second, you'll need a color chart with black, white, and gray. I have alternately used the famed Macbeth Color Chart, as well as the small and inexpensive Kodak Step Wedge charts. I also have a small chart that I made myself that I always keep in my camera bag. It's three small paint chips from Benjamin Moore's paint sample charts. I chose the purest white, a neutral gray, and the darkest flat black. (Never use computer paper for setting white since it is often "blued" with bleach to look whiter.)
Here is the concept: For every distinct lighting condition in which you work you will create a "calibration image" first, using your color chart. You'll use your image-editing tools to set your black, white, and gray points, create a color adjustment file, then use that file to correct all the images you have shot. Sound complicated? If you're just out on the town banging off images it is in fact way too time consuming and complicated. However, if you plan to shoot a series of portraits or a set of images under identical lighting conditions you can use this technique for near perfect color.
How Digicams "See" Color
Here's a step by step guide to creating automatic perfect color.
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