text:
Home › Forums › Campfire › Post-Trip Reports › Rae Lakes Loop, Sept 21-23
Sep 26, 2012 at 10:03 am #1294454
Litetrail.com's own Jhaura Wachsman and I teamed up for a quick, last minute hike of the Rae Lakes Loop in Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park over this last weekend.
I've been on a bit of a run of bad luck with trying to put together a successful late summer/fall kickoff trip, so when Jhaura posted that he was looking for a last minute partner, I jumped at the chance to finally break my streak.
This is the second time Jhaura and I have teamed up for a hike this year, the first time being a quick 47-mile overnight loop through the Sespe Wilderness in Los Padres National Forest over the winter. While our philosophies on gear choices differ (him being more inclined to SUL, I'm more inclined to UL/LW + photo gear), our speed and endurance is pretty well matched, so we can hang together and knock out the miles.
With that, we took off from Ojai, CA early Friday morning and arrived at the Wilderness Permit office about 11:00 a.m. Friday was the last day of the year to register with the NPS for backcountry permits (starting Saturday it went to self-register), but surprisingly many of the walk-up permits were taken. We got lucky still and scored a walk-up permit for a clockwise loop. We were on the trail by noon.
Jhaura has a well thought out kit. It's light (base weight of just over 6lbs for this trip), durable/dependable and it includes a lot of "luxuries" that might be stripped out of other "SUL" kits. For instance, he carries a Golite umbrella both for sun and rain protection in addition to a basic ball cap and dri ducks jacket.
We made quick time down the initial couple miles of trail through Zumwalt Meadows and took a left at the junction of Paradise Valley and the Bubbs Creek Valley to begin following the South Fork of the Kings River upstream.
Conditions were surprisingly warm at the lower elevations (~5,000'); easily in the 80s and mostly sunny without much breeze. It was not the conditions I typically encounter in the Sierra in the fall. We each carried 1 liter of water and had to make numerous stops along the way to refill and stay hydrated as we steadily gained elevation. Bandanas soaked in the creek made for nice, cool neck shades.
Water levels throughout the hike were low… by Sierra standards. Compared to my local stomping grounds in the southern Los Padres NF (where just the weekend before I had to abort a trip and hike out in the cool, dark of night due to the "perennial" creek I was to follow having run dry), it still seemed like a lush oasis.
As we continued up Paradise Valley and got out of the trees for a moment, the views improved dramatically. This is looking back down Paradise Valley.
It wasn't too long before we had our first of several bear encounters along the South Fork. I couldn't get to the camera fast enough to grab a shot, but the bears seem to be actively working the lower elevation sections of Paradise Valley looking for berries and what not in the lush, green canyon bottoms.
Fall colors are starting to show, especially as we climbed higher in elevation. The willows and alders are beginning to go gold.
Jhaura accidentally left his Aquamira drops at home, so we relied on my Sawyer Squeeze and a 2L Evernew bladder for all of our water filtering needs. For a water scoop, we used the smallest of the squeeze bags that came with the Sawyer filter, of which I had cut off the top spout to make a nice, small and light scooper. Both the filter and scoop worked great and did not show any signs of slowing over the course of the trip.
By late afternoon we crossed the South Fork Kings and began following Woods Creek toward the JMT junction.
And stopped for dinner somewhere along Woods Creek below Castle Domes Meadow. Jhaura was using the new Lite Trail titanium solid fuel stove kit for all of his cooking needs. He's been fine tuning his kit for the last few years and really has this system dialed. He's quick, efficient and keeps everything simple and organized. One esbit cube was more than enough fuel to heat water for a soup, main course and hot tea or cocoa.
I even made it into a photo or two! You can see my cook kit in the background (600ml pot, Caldera Sidewinder in esbit mode). The caldera system is so efficient, had I eaten more hot meals on this trip, I think I could have done all four of my "cooked" meals (2 breakfasts, 2 dinners) with one cube.
The joys of going light!
You can see another cool little piece of Jhaura's kit; a couple of small cuben shoulder pockets with waterproof zippers attached to the shoulder straps of his pack. He used these to carry his iphone (navigation and camera), repair/first aid kit, etc. They seemed like a handy little idea.
You'll also notice… no waist belt on his pack. For the lighter loads he typically carries, he finds them unecessary.
We hiked another mile or two into twilight before setting up camp in Castle Domes Meadow just in time for a dramatic sunset.
We woke up early the next morning to catch the sunrise over the peaks that ring the meadow. We both knocked down our shelters early to be able to enjoy the full granduer of the area.
Breakfast in bed. Jhaura's sleep system was made up of a Katabatic 22* quilt, NeoAir Xlite (small) and 1/8" GG thinlight pad. My kit was similar: 32* Katabatic quilt, original NeoAir (medium) and 1/4" GG thinlight pad. Both of us were more than warm enough overnight.
Climbing from Castle Domes toward the JMT junction the trail passes over an open granite slab dotted with a couple of gnarled old Foxtail Pines. We stopped for a moment to pay tribute.
We reached the JMT junction at the great swing bridge over Woods Creek just in time to run into a couple of late season JMT thru-hikers, a young guy from the Carribean by way of San Luis Obispo, CA and another from Portland, OR. We ended up hiking with them off and on to Rae Lakes and lunched with them there before heading our separate ways.
Saturday had a little bit of weather, providing some great lighting and clouds to add to the already overwhelming scenery.
Continuing on toward Dollar Lake. We stopped for a quick break at Dollar Lake and enjoyed the views with Fin Dome towering in the background.
We hit the trail again shortly thereafter and passed through some pretty meadows with a meandering creek and Arrowhead Lake on our way to Rae Lakes.
This whole area was amazing. We both wished we had an extra day in our itinerary that we could have spent around Rae Lakes. As it was, we had to settle for a lakeside lunch and nap before continuing on.
The climb up to Glen Pass (~12,000') really took it out of us. Having only been on the trail for just over 24 hours at this point, neither of us were acclimated to the thin air (we both live at sea level). Still, the scenery was amazing and it was easy to stop and enjoy the sights while climbing our way up to the high point of the loop hike.
The view back over the Rae Lakes from near the top of the pass.
Cresting the pass, the view to the south was equally impressive.
From the top of Glen Pass, the trail is all downhill back to the start. We needed to make some distance so that Sunday's hike would be short and quick. A break for some jellybeans while overlooking Charlotte Lake helped boost the morale.
Continuing downhill into the meadow near Bullfrog Lake and the junction with the trail to Kearsarge Pass in the warm afternoon light.
And continuing on toward Vidette Meadow. The amount of descent on this day was truly incredible. No matter how far we went, we just kept dropping and dropping.
A close-up view of Jhaura's clean, stripped down Exodus pack. This was its maiden voyage and it seemd like he was pleased with how it performed. Below it is my HMG Porter. I've used this pack for all of my trips this year and have been very pleased with it. Durable and comfortable. For this trip I added the HMG stuff pocket to the back of the pack, a couple of wand pockets (one for water bottle, one for a larger camera lens), a couple of Zpacks cuben hip belt pockets (one for snacks, one for camera equipment) and a Zpack multi-pack (for the rest of my camera equipment). It was a lot of extra pockets and buckles to fuss with but it made it easy to have everything handy and easily within reach while walking and shooting.
As we continued downhill, following Bubbs Creek toward Junction Meadow, the sun started to sink low in the sky and shine straight up the canyon.
We hiked on into dusk and watched the moon rise over the peaks that separate the East Lake drainage from the Vidette Meadows area.
I was beat from the long day, ate a couple of pieces of salami and some chocolate and hit the sack. I didn't even bother with a proper dinner. Jhaura took the time to cook up a meal, but wasn't too far behind in getting camp set up and getting to bed.
Sunday dawned sorta' gray and we were a bit slow to get up and get going. Here you can see Jhaura's Gatewood Cape shelter. He doesn't carry trekking poles or a shelter pole and instead relies on finding a nearby stick to prop up his shelter. I was too lazy to get up so I shot this from my quilt under my Spinntwinn tarp.
We spent a bit of time lounging around camp and down along the creek before getting moving again.
Jhaura's stove brewing up another mug of hot water for breakfast.
In addition to our multiple bear sightings, we also ran into a lot of deer. They must not know it's deer hunting season in CA… Or, on second thought, maybe they do know and that's why they're all in the National Park where they're protected.
This morning we seemed to have been set up amidst a busy deer grazing area. Numerous deer wandered through camp while several large bucks raced back and forth through the woods behind, crashing through the brush.
Sunday's walk out went quick and pleasant. The trail mostly stays in the trees and is shady and cool. Occasional openings between the trees afforded views of the surrounding granite peaks.
Before we knew it, we had reached the final set of switchbacks back down to the confluence of Bubbs Creek and the South Fork Kings River.
We stopped for a swim at the trail junction to wash off the dirt and stink of the last couple of days before knocking out the last couple of miles back to the car.
We arrived back at the trailhead, 46 miles and 49 hours after we started. Feeling good and having thoroughly enjoyed our walk.
All in all, this trip was a success. My kit worked well and I felt good despite our somewhat hurried pace. I think Jhaura was similarly pleased with his setup and the trip. Finally, after three tries this year, I have a successful fall kickoff trip under my belt! One more trip to come in a couple of weeks… fingers crossed…
EDIT: fixed to note BG's correction about the tree in image 19. It's likely a Foxtail rather than Bristlecone, Pine.Sep 26, 2012 at 10:34 am #1915768
Dave TMember
Great trip report, and amazing photos! Thanks!
How about some details on your camera / image processing? Those pictures are beautiful.Sep 26, 2012 at 10:46 am #1915771
michael leviMember
@m-lLocale: W-Never Eat Soggy (W)affles
Glad your setup worked out for you, this is definitely a well done trip report. Curious did you each carry a seperate bear canister?Sep 26, 2012 at 10:55 am #1915772
Richard NisleyBPL Member
@richard295Locale: San Francisco Bay Area
Thanks for the picture and commentary… it made me want to do the same trip.Sep 26, 2012 at 11:31 am #1915784
David LutzMember
@davidlutzLocale: Bay Area
Great trip report, excellent photos. Thanks…..Sep 26, 2012 at 12:08 pm #1915801
Light SocalBPL Member
@nickb thank you for taking the time to put this up. What a great trip indeed. Your mad skills with photography are a gift for us and the Sierra.
I have some great pictures too and many of NickB :-) I've just finished another huge trip report project with Beeman and in a few days should have some time to put up my version, though you'll all be disappointed with the photos from my iPhone after NickBs gems.
@bubonicplay, yes, we both had BV450s, the smaller size was perfect for 3-4 days of food. We positioned them vertically and centered towards the top of the pack. Mine was on top of my packliner which contained my down bag and jacket. On the sides I placed other gear to keep it centered and fill the space.Sep 26, 2012 at 12:26 pm #1915814
Eric LundquistBPL Member
@cobbermanLocale: Northern Colorado
Fantastic photos and great writing to accompany them. It felt like I had been on the trip with you both. Trip reports like these make BPL such a great place to be.
Mind sharing your gearlist (specifically your camera setup)?
EDIT: I see from the image info that you have the NEX5N w/ 16mm pancake. Did you bring any other lenses/filters/tripod? How are you using the Z-Packs waist belt pouch for storing your gear?Sep 26, 2012 at 1:15 pm #1915838
@ Dave T and Eric,
My camera kit for this trip was a bit over the top but I wanted to experiment with a robust kit to see how it works to carry all of it for another upcoming trip (in a couple of weeks) that I hope will be very photo-oriented.
So here's what I brought for key pieces of camera gear:
Sony NEX-5n body
Sony 16mm f2.8 E-mount pancake lens
Sony Wide angle adapter for 16mm lens
Sony Fish eye adapter for 16mm lens
Sigma 30mm f2.8 E-mount pancake lens
Raynox 250 macro lens adapter
Sony 50mm f1.8 E-mount lens
Panasonic 1.7x tele-extender
In addition to this, I had along a couple of different ND filters, a couple of step-up rings that let me attach the various adapters to the lenses, 1 spare battery, 1 spare memory card, a small remote, and a homemade tripod (carbon fiber tent poles and a cheap tabletop tripod).
I ended up using all of these items quite a bit on this hike other than the macro adapter and the spare battery. The rest of the gear, including all three lenses spent equal amounts of time on the camera.
To carry all of this stuff, I put the fisheye adapter and macro adapter in a small bubblewrap pouch in my hipbelt pocket along with a small stuff sack that carried the step-up rings, remote, battery, memory card and lens pen.
The 50mm lens and 1.7x tele-extender were assembled together most of the time and stored in one of the caddy containers that comes with the caldera cone stoves (perfect size!). This rode in one of my wand pockets on the side of the pack.
The camera (with whichever lens was mounted to it at the moment), and the other lens (+ adapter) rode in the Zpacks chest pack. I kept this bag pretty empty (it could have easily fit lots more stuff) so I could quickly grab what I wanted out of it without too much fumbling or searching. It also provided a handy area to set a lens while walking and trying to swap lenses.
All but a couple of photos were shot in RAW; all were edited in Lightroom with just some simple levels adjustments to more closely match the ouput of the in-camera jpegs.
Overall I'm happy with how the camera kit worked out although I don't relish the idea of carrying this much "stuff" on most trips.
Thanks everyone for the kind comments!Sep 26, 2012 at 2:15 pm #1915857
Jason GBPL Member
@jasongLocale: iceberg lake
nice report. I camped at the same spot on your first night when i did the loop memorial day. (covered in snow then however)Sep 27, 2012 at 3:48 pm #1916228
Andy DuncanBPL Member
@bluewaterLocale: SoCal
Thanks for your TR of a classic Sierra loop with some great fall colors. I like the pxt of Jhaura with Fin Dome out of focus in the background. We hiked thru Bubbs the week before and also ran into plenty of the locals (bears, deer).Sep 27, 2012 at 3:59 pm #1916231
Ken HelwigBPL Member
@kennyhel77Locale: Scotts Valley CA via San Jose, CA
Great report! Love that loop!Sep 27, 2012 at 9:21 pm #1916306
Jacob DBPL Member
@jacobdLocale: North Bay
Great trip guys. Awesome report. Awesome photos.
I put it into my bank of evil ideas.Sep 28, 2012 at 12:50 am #1916324
Bob GrossMember
@b-g-2-2Locale: Silicon Valley
In the 19th photo, you identify the trees as Bristlecone Pines. Are you sure?
I don't believe that there are any Bristlecone Pines in Kings Canyon, and the nearest ones are over in the White Mountains on dolomite soil.
–B.G.–Sep 28, 2012 at 9:29 am #1916401
Hi Bob,
You might be correct… the tree is likely not a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva), which are the famed trees of the White Mountains. It is most likely instead the closely related Foxtail Pine (Pinus balfouriana), of which SEKI is the southernmost limit.
Both trees are long lived, have a similar appearance and are part of the same subsection (Balfourianae).
Thanks for pointing that out. I would've just assumed it was a "typical" Bristlecone Pine.Sep 28, 2012 at 9:45 am #1916405
Bob GrossMember
@b-g-2-2Locale: Silicon Valley
Also, on the next trip by that same tree, shoot a closeup photo of the needles or cones. Then the tree experts will know for sure.
I had hiked that same trail just one month ago, and I sure didn't see any Bristlecone Pines. Of course, that is not to say that it was impossible for something interesting like that to be there. I was covering 19 miles that day, so I didn't see too much along there except a few edible berries.
–B.G.–Sep 28, 2012 at 5:16 pm #1916518
todd harperBPL Member
@funnymoLocale: Sunshine State
This report is fantastic!
Thank you for the details and picturesque images. As you can tell from our comments, you really drew the reader into the scenes.
By the way, I use a nearly identical Esbit setup (to Jhaura's) couldn't be happier.
Can't wait to read and see more on this trip!Sep 28, 2012 at 5:20 pm #1916521
Light SocalBPL Member
You can download my gearlist for this trip as a PDF and read more about my thoughts on the list in this thread:Sep 29, 2012 at 6:32 am #1916610
Charles TufankjianMember
@ctufankjianLocale: New Hampshire
I really enjoyed reading this! It has everything a trip report should! :)Sep 29, 2012 at 1:28 pm #1916690
Tom ClarkBPL Member
@tomclarkLocale: East Coast
Wow…that could be a great BPL calendar all by itself. All you are missing are the numbers.
TomOct 2, 2012 at 8:33 pm #1917689
James ReillyBPL Member
@emsjamesLocale: Central Valley
Thanks, its an inspirationOct 4, 2012 at 7:27 am #1918099
Lori PSpectator
@lori999Locale: Central Valley
I love the pictures. Thanks for posting.
That is a juniper tree, not a pine at all. You can tell by the bark – junipers, cedars and sequoias all have fibrous red bark.Oct 4, 2012 at 8:01 am #1918111
Ike JutkowitzBPL Member
@ikeLocale: Central Michigan
Your pictures are amazing as always. They make me want to learn how to be a better photographer. Thanks again.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.


text:
Why Whoopi Was Wrong: The Myth of a Post-Racial Canada
The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg annotated Justin Bieber's videotaped use of the N-word. Ms. Goldberg attributed the then-pubescent Biebs' gaffe to his "youthful ignorance" and Canadian upbringing.
"You know -- Canadian words...N---r doesn't mean anything in Canada."
Goldberg bases her assessment of Canadian history and societal racism on the weeks she spent last year filming a movie in Toronto. Apparently, the N-word came up in the script. When Goldberg questioned it, the director pulled the wool over her eyes. Ms. Goldberg reached the absurd conclusion that the racial slur is "not a word that [Canadians] have associated with people of colour."
I'm on my way to Canada
That cold and distant land
The dire effects of slavery
I can no longer stand.
Farewell, old master,
Don't come after me.
I'm on my way to Canada
Where coloured men are free
~ Negro spiritual
Ms. Goldberg is just the latest African-American duped into believing the analogical "promised land" tale. In the eternal navel-gazing exercise of re-counting American history, Canada is relegated to a utopia where fairness and freedom reigned for black slaves -- a deceptive narrative the Canadian establishment is all too happy to assume.
Even as blatant racial segregation and discrimination in housing, employment and legal justice permeated the quotidian in Canada's largest cities, Martin Luther King marched into Toronto in 1967 with a familiar falsehood:
"Canada is not merely a neighbor to Negroes. Deep in our history of struggle for freedom Canada was the North Star. The Negro slave knew that far to the north a land existed where a fugitive slave could find freedom. The legendary Underground Railroad started in the south and ended in Canada. [...] Heaven was the word for Canada and the Negro sang of the hope that his escape on the Underground Railroad would carry him there."
Even the greatest of Americans did not bother to scrutinize the fictitious Garden of Eden. Had they done so, they would have uncovered state-sanctioned racism bearing a strange resemblance to that which plagued their own nation.
After all, the foetation of both the United States and Canada is inextricably linked to the enslavement of non-whites in some form or another.
McGill University Prof. Charmaine Nelson writes:
Most Americans don't know that enslaved blacks fled Canada southwards -- to the USA:
Slavery was practiced in Canada for over two centuries. Although ignorant about Canadian slavery, [we all] have been schooled in the Underground Railroad, which positioned white Canadians as liberators of African-American slaves. By the way, the Underground Railroad lasted from 1834 until 1865. How is it that we know about a three-decade window when enslaved Africans fled north from the U.S.A., but we know nothing about a two hundred plus year expanse of time when Canadians were slaving?
- 1777: Canadian slaves escape to Vermont where slavery has been abolished.
- 1788-1792: Black people living in the Maritimes flee slavery and racism in Canada for the Northern U.S. via a south-bound 'underground railroad'. Blacks were consistently denied land grants and exploited as a source of free labour by the provincial government. Disillusioned with their experience in Canada, over one third of the Black Loyalists left for Sierra Leone, Africa in 1792.
- 1806-1807: Many of Upper Canada's enslaved inhabitants emancipate themselves, fleeing south to Michigan.
- 1865: As many as 60 per cent of black people in the province of Ontario return to the U.S. after the civil war.
Beyond the 1833 abolition of slavery which Britain imposed on the Canadian colony, "free blacks" graduated from slaves to indentured servants. Lawrence Hill's opus, "The Book of Negroes", gives a grim description of life as a black person in 18th-century Canada. It is no coincidence that so many blacks deserted Canada as soon as U.S. President Lincoln declared emancipation.
It's been 20 years since the Canadian government certified Black History Month, yet the myth of white-gloved, post-racial Canadians persists. Black Canadians' struggle is sidelined by consistent distortions (or outright expunctions) on both sides of the border.
Even recent books, such as the Jackie Robinson: Race, Sports, and the American Dream biography perpetuate falsehoods:
"In an initial conversation with Montreal manager Clay Hopper, who came from Mississippi, Rickey told Hopper he thought Robinson was 'superhuman.' Hopper replied, 'Do you really think a n---r's a human being?'
Once the season started, Robinson found himself free of America's racism while playing at home in Montreal, a city that had little prejudice because it was located in Canada, a land that had never known slavery, the Confederacy, or separate white and black drinking fountains. Montreal, moreover, was spiritually connected to France, the chosen home of such black expatriates as Josephine Baker."
The recent Oscar-winning film "12 Years a Slave" further inflated Canada's ego and deepened its selective historical amnesia. The "white saviour" role, played by Hollywood megastar Brad Pitt, fortified Canadians' false sense of moral superiority on race.
Just as African-Americans risked their lives and livelihoods to claim their civil rights, so did black Canadians. A decade before Rosa Parks, Viola Desmond sat in an whites-only section of a Nova Scotia movie theatre in 1946. Before the Greensboro Four, Jamaican-Canadian Bromley Armstrong and Chinese-Canadian Ruth Lor sat at lunch counters to joist judicial operatives into prosecuting the white-only businesses in 1954. The rainbow coalition which inaugurated civil rights in Canada remain unknown and unsung, their feats are just as noteworthy as their much-feted American counterparts.
The U.S. benefits from a general willingness to acknowledge and face the ugliest chapters of its past to gauge progress. As long as Canada hides behind the cloak of compassionate caricature, Canadians will remain, as Whoopi Goldberg puts it, "youthfully ignorant."
Justin Bieber performs on the street August 20, 2007 in Stratford, Canada. (Photo by Irving Shuter/Getty Images)
Justin Bieber visits the Nintendo World Store on September 1, 2009 in New York City.
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 15: Musician Justin Bieber performs on ABC's 'Good Morning America' at ABC News' Good Morning America Times Square Studio on November 15, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - DECEMBER 11: Singer Justin Bieber attends Z100's Jingle Ball 2009 at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 15: Justin Bieber arrives at KIIS FM's Wango Tango 2010 at the Staples Center on May 15, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 13: Singer Justin Bieber poses after his free performance presented by KIIS-FM at Nokia Plaza L.A. Live on February 13, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 26: Justin Bieber promotes his new book 'First Step 2 Forever' at Barnes & Noble, 5th Avenue on November 26, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 16: Singer Justin Bieber arrives at the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 16, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Justin Bieber attends the 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' premiere at the O2 Cineworld on February 16, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 22: Singer Justin Bieber poses in the press room with the Digital Artist of the Year award during the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 22, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 08: Singer Justin Bieber attends the 2011 CMT Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 8, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 26: Musician Justin Bieber arrives at the BET Awards '11 held at the Shrine Auditorium on June 26, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - AUGUST 07: Singer Justin Bieber arrives at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards held at Gibson Amphitheatre on August 7, 2011 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 28: Justin Bieber arrives at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 28, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 13: Singer Justin Bieber arrives at The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on February 13, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 18: Justin Bieber poses on the observation deck at The Empire State Building on November 18, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 02: Justin Bieber attends the New York premiere of 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' at Regal E-Walk 13 on February 2, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Justin Bieber attends the Dolce & Gabbana Boutique on September 8, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Dolce & Gabbana)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Singer Justin Bieber attends the 40th American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - JULY 22: Justin Bieber arrives at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on July 22, 2012 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - JULY 22: Singer Justin Bieber accepts the Male Summer Music Star award onstage during the 2012 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on July 22, 2012 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 17: Justin Bieber perfoms at the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards at MuchMusic HQ on June 17, 2012 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - JULY 22: Singer Justin Bieber arrives at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on July 22, 2012 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Justin Bieber arrives at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand on May 20, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 17: Justin Bieber and guest arrives at the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards at MuchMusic HQ on June 17, 2012 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: Singer Justin Bieber onstage at the 2012 Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards at Galen Center on March 31, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
CANNES, FRANCE - JANUARY 28: Justin Bieber poses as he arrives at NRJ Music Awards 2012 at Palais des Festivals on January 28, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
DUBLIN, IRELAND - FEBRUARY 17: Justin Bieber performs at the O2 on February 17, 2013 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Phillip Massey/WireImage)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 19: Justin Bieber sighting at Beat Club on February 19, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/FilmMagic)
Justin had his first, very public, run in with the paps when he stuck his middle finger up to their cameras (and thus the world).
Justin felt the effect of his first paternity suit. He was accused of being the father of a 4-month-old baby boy with Mariah Yeater, but complied with a paternity test and proved his 'innocence'.
It may not sound like a big deal, but in May 2012 a definitely-not-21-year-old Justin confessed to "having a beer" for the first time. Two years later, and he's pretty much a regular in nightclubs (and stripclubs) around the world. In the same month, he also got into an altercation with a tabloid snapper, who reportedly blocked his car in when he left a cinema with Selena.
Justin's love of fast cars took a turn for the worse as he was accused of 'reckless driving'. He called 991 to complain about paparazzi chasing him but it turned out he wasn't so innocent himself. "Bieber was driving like a maniac. He was weaving in and out of traffic. There was hardly any space between cars as he weaved from lane to lane," an eyewitness, who just happens to be L.A. City Councilman Dennis Zine, said.
This image provided by the California Department of Motor Vehicles shows Christopher Guerra, the 29-year-old photographer who was struck and killed while trying to take photos of Justin Bieber's white Ferrari on Tuesday 1 January. Christopher's death spurred renewed debate over the dangers paparazzi can bring on themselves and the celebrities they chase. Justin wasn't driving his car at the time but it was no doubt a disturbing shock. In the same month, Justin was caught smoking a suspicious looking roll-up cigarette in a pic on a camera phone.
The O2 was forced to apologise to young fans after Justin was nearly two hours late on stage for his opening night at the venue. He failed to start his performance until nearly 10.30pm, which resulted in hundreds of fans and parents taking to Twitter to vent their anger. It was a school night, for heavens sake!
It all began getting a little 'Michael Jackson' when Justin donned a gas mask (natch) to go out for dinner at Mr Chow in London. The next day he was rushed to hospital after suffering breathing difficulties on stage at London's O2 Arena. Surely the two can't have been related?
Justin shocked monkeys, fans and animal rights activists when he abandoned his adorable monkey, Mally. The Capuchin monkey was seized by Munich customs when Bieber arrived in Germany as part of his world tour last month, as he did not have the correct paperwork. Justin then apparently decided he didn't want him back.
We really started to worry about Justin's ego when he speculated that teen Holocaust victim Anne Frank could have been a "Belieber" if she had survived the Nazis. A post on the official Anne Frank Facebook page described his visit to her former house: "Justin Bieber visited the Anne Frank House, together with his friends and guards. "Fans were waiting outside to see a glimpse of him. He stayed more than an hour in the museum. "In our guestbook he wrote: "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.""
Swedish police confirmed that they had found drugs on board Justin's tour bus. Police raided the vehicle after an off-duty officer smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle while it was parked outside the Grand Hotel in Stockholm. This was just the first of many tour bus raids.
An Ohio DJ claimed Justin spat in his face while at a nightclub. According to the story reported by TMZ, the pop singer thought the man was taking photos of him. The DJ who accused Justin of spitting in his face, Addison Ulhaq, filed a police report against the singer, according to TMZ. He claims he got tested for Hepatitis because the incident left him with saliva in his eye, nose and mouth.
Justin was filmed climbing over a car during a nightclub brawl in The Hamptons, New York. The 'Baby' singer came under investigation by the NYPD following the fight at the South Pointe venue in the early hours. 22-year-old Wayne Rennalls was hospitalised after the altercation and suffered a black eye, bruised ribs and a cut lip. He later filed an assault claim. Footage showed Justin at the scene, however his rep told the New York Daily News: "Justin was not involved in any altercation." The bust up is said to have started in the roped-off VIP area - where the 19-year-old was seated with his entourage - but ended up in the club's car park.
Justin was reportedly smuggled out of a brothel in Brazil during some time off from his tour in the country. According to New York Post's Page Six, the 19-year-old singer and a friend spent three hours in the Centauros brothel in Rio de Janeiro.
Justin's potty mouth landed him in a whole load of trouble when his entourage was detained at Brisbane International Airport in Australia on suspicion of smuggling drugs. Beebs was given a verbal warning for using "inappropriate language" following a conversation with a female customs officer, The Sydney Daily Telegraph reported. He had allegedly refused to remove his hat and sunglasses during an inspection and also used insulting language toward the officer. Police had to threaten to arrest him, the newspaper said.
Move over spurned violinist on Britain's Got Talent, Justin had his own egg-gate when he allegedly egged his neighbour's house, causing $20,000 worth of damage. Justin was detained in his garage while police with a "felony search warrant" looked for evidence in his home They then arrested his friend Lil Za for cocaine possession during the raid. Bieber has not been connected to the cocaine, but he has been neither charged nor exonerated in the egg incident that promoted the search warrant.
All of Justin's troublesome behaviour culminated when he was arrested in Miami Beach for driving under the influence and drag racing. The Miami Beach Police released what is possibly the happiest-looking mugshot in Hollywood's Hall of Shame.
Justin didn't forget his admiring teenage fans as he left jail following his arrest for DUI and drag racing. The 19-year-old, wearing a black hoody and dark shades, climbed on top of a waiting black SUV outside the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami to greet his fans before being driven away. And in the process angered a whole load more people.
Justin landed himself in even MORE trouble after being charged with assaulting a limo driver. The singer handed himself in at a Toronto police station, where he was mobbed by fans and TV crews. According to the Toronto Police service, he will now appear in court on 11 March in connection with the incident, which saw him hit the driver in the back of the head several times last December.
Pilots hired by Justin Bieber to fly him to the Super Bowl have revealed they had to wear oxygen masks to overcome marijuana fumes on the flight. An official report into the incident also revealed how the troubled teen and his father were "extremely abusive" to a flight attendant.
After his arrest footage then emerged of Justin appearing to sway and stumble as he attempted to walk in a straight line for a sobriety test. The film was shot at a south Florida police station following his DUI arrest in January and reveals the 19-year-old singer also dropping to the ground to do pushups.
In an example of saying something you never should, Bieber tweeted that The Black Keys' Patrick Carney should be "slapped around haha." (Following Carney's statement that Bieber shouldn't be angry over a lack of Grammy because he's rich.) Great. So that's when Carney got equally irrational: changing his Twitter handle to "Justin Bieber" for a weekend in an attempt to rile the fanbase and prove his own comedic talents. The bad news? Justin's fans have a penchant for using "gay" as an insult. The good? Justin never wrote back.
After underage members of his entourage were turned away from Bieber's birthday, the now-19-year-old pop star tweeted the lowly, "Worst birthday ever." Not to turn this into a competition or anything, but until the guy he likes eggs his house on his birthday morning, Justin Bieber has got nothing on some of us.
Few of us can imagine being followed around by men fighting to take our picture all day every day, so ultimately, we'll never know how stressful, invasive, or terrible it can feel – especially at an age where rationality isn't exactly at a premium. So maybe we would've done this a lot sooner: jumped out a van to tell a pap we'd "fucking kill them" after they slagged us off. However, we are lowly mortals. Biebs has been in the industry since before puberty – so maybe it's time to tap into the Zen.
During a European stop this spring, Justin visited the Anne Frank House; the place in which the Frank family hid from the Nazis during the Holocaust (in case you hate history and have refused to learn about it until this point). So as one does, Bieber signed the guest book: "Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would've been a belieber." Yikes. However, the wee pop star found an unlikely ally in Anne Frank's stepsister, who came to his defense following the fallout. "It's so childish," said 83-year-old Auschwitz survivor Eva Schloss. "He's a young man, and she's a young girl, and she liked film stars and music." And who are we to argue with that?
A stun gun and pot were found on Justin Bieber's bus in Sweden, according to Swedish police, which J-Biebs adamantly denied via Twitter -- sort of: "Some of the rumours about me…where do people even get this stuff. Whatever…back to the music." (Where do people get this stuff, Justin? Like, if I wanted a stun gun. Where do I get one, since it seems like you know?)
After backing out of a payment deal with an indoor skydiving facility in Las Vegas, Justin Bieber was effectively banned for life, likely making it the first time someone has ever screwed up that badly in Las Vegas. (Which arguably actually makes this an achievement.)
Listen, we've all not wanted to hold it, but none of us – none of us (not even the guy from high school who still drinks in the 7-11 parking lot) – would pee in a restaurant mop bucket, no matter how badly we needed to go. Why? Because we've all worked jobs that have involved using a mop bucket. Also: because we are not morphing into the entitled anti-Christ. However, most puzzling was Justin Bieber's outburst at the end of his "rest room" visit, declaring "Fuck Bill Clinton!" (And listen, buddy, we don't blame you if want to be married to Hillary, but peeing in mop buckets isn't how you win her heart.)
Or maybe not. Despite reports – and images – that Justin Bieber was spitting onto a group of fans from a Toronto balcony, he and his camp claimed that wasn't the case, and that he bought them hot chocolate and played new music for them instead. Either way, points lost for spitting over the balcony at all. You're an adult, son. Swallow your spit like the rest of us.
It was bad enough Justin Bieber seemingly jumped on the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup-winning bandwagon, but then he stood on the head of their logo, and touched the Stanley Cup with his bare hands. Fortunately for Bieber, the Blackhawks still come out looking worse: their name and logo still culturally misappropriates Native Americans, after all.
After being rushed by a man in a Toronto nightclub, Justin Bieber and his men sprang into action (read: his bodyguards took the man down, and Justin Bieber kicked at him), and a disaster was averted. However, more disastrous was the loss of Bieber's $40,000 gold chain. (So don't say he has everything, you guys.)
At some point during the year, Justin forgot he once recorded a Christmas album, and sanctioned himself badass enough to dabble in graffiti. However, the real problem was his penchant for racist imagery: his most recent "work" (an image of a monkey decked out in cold) arguably drew far too many parallels to racist imagery of the past. So while he was reportedly charged with vandalism, may the real lesson be "read books before doing anything else again, Justin Bieber."
For the record, there's absolutely nothing wrong with brothels. The sex industry is older than any of us, and in the case of Justin Bieber, he was simply participating in an age-old activity with a consenting woman who was doing her job. However, it was the messy and impromptu exit from the Brazilian brothel that made the whole thing an ordeal: rushed out under a bed sheet (from the brothel, so for the love of all that is good, please let it have been clean), Justin slinked out. But seriously bro, if you're old enough to go to a brothel, you're old enough to leave it like a grown up adult.
After Justin's pet monkey was left in Germany in March, it found solace in a German zoo – one now waiting for $11 000 from Bieber. Says the zoo's lawyer, "If Mr. Bieber will not settle his costs, the payment might have to be enforced when he will enter Germany again." That's all well and good, but I just can't believe that with his power and influence, Justin didn't get his monkey on Sprockets.
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
Justin Bieber confronts awaiting photographers outside his hotel this afternoon. Pictures by Fame Flynet
The Biebs has dipped his toe into the acting world before, famously biting it on an episode of CSI, but as 2012 drew to a close, the singer inked a couple of deals that will make him a much bigger name on both sides of the camera. On the silver screen, Bieber will co-star with actor and Funky Bunch leader Mark Wahlberg in a basketball movie. On the small one, he'll be the executive producer of a sitcom based on his pre-fame life.
After falling for the irresistible earworm charms of a little tune known as "Call Me Maybe" on a trip back to Canada, Bieber and manager Scooter Braun flew Carly Rae Jepsen to L.A. and promptly signed her to Braun's label, Schoolboy Records. The singer also released a video of himself lipsynching and dancing to his new favourite song along with gal pal Selena Gomez and their famous friends, which instantly went viral and helped to turn "Call Me Maybe" into one of the biggest singles of the year.
In June of this year, researchers announced that Bieber Fever was more infectious than measles. In the book Understanding the Dynamics of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Using Mathematical Models, masters student Valerie Tweedle and her professor, Robert J. Smith, took a serious look at the Bieb phenomenon and discovered that it really does behave like a contagious disease, and a dangerous one at that. "Through constant exposure, Bieber fever has incubated and spread. Millions are infected, with more at risk every day. Action is urgently needed," they wrote.
On the eve of the release of Believe, and his big appearance at the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards, Bieber went back to his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, sat on the very same Avon Theatre steps where he honed his busking skills as a tween and played "Baby." The international star's performance immediately attracted a mob of excited local Beliebers, their cell phone cameras, and their excited squeals.
When Bieber appeared on Ellen, the talk show host and dance fiend gave him a fancy Fisker Karma sports car for his birthday. The singer promptly took the hybrid ride, which is a shameless rip-off of Hammerhead I Eagle Thrust by Top Gear's James May, and pimped it with a chrome plating job and illegal LED lights. The vehicularly fickle teen soon tired of his new toy, though, and gave it to "Beautiful Girls" singer Sean Kingston so that he could go back to getting tickets and evading spontaneous combustion in his Ferrari.
On June 15, the freshly legal Bieber released his third studio album, Believe. Showcasing a new, more mature sound with tracks like "Boyfriend" and "As Long As You Love Me," the record received largely positive reviews from critics and debuted at number one on The Billboard 200. Believe failed to garner any Grammy nominations, though, which infuriated manager Scooter Braun and bummed Bieber. But semi-protege Carly Rae Jepsen insists that the singer will bounce back from the snub.
Venerable music and culture magazine Rolling Stone decided to celebrate the fact that Bieber's adult fans could finally lust after the pop star without feeling creepy by putting the 18 year old on the cover and emblazoning the words "Hot, Ready, Legal" across his increasingly muscular chest. In the accompanying story, the singer discussed his newfound maturity and also lobbed a few golf balls at the paparazzi.
Bieber certainly kicked off his tour with a bang. Unfortunately, the explosive elements in this case were the contents of his stomach. Part way through "Out Of Town Girl" on the Believe tour's opening night in Glendale, Arizona, the star turned his back to the audience, hunched over, and spewed Exorcist-levels of bile all over the place and ran off. Biebs soon returned to apologize to his fans and finish the concert, asking "Will you love me even though I'm throwing up on stage?" He later admitted that milk was a bad pre-show choice on Twitter.
In a move that made Rolling Stone's celebration of the singer's legal status look tasteful and measured, American sex toy company Pipedream rung in Bieber's adulthood by releasing a sex doll named Just-in Bever. Biebs was reportedly unimpressed with the "love doll" and threatened legal action. Just-in is currently "out of stock," but no one's quite sure whether that's because the doll sold out or because it was pulled to avoid a lawsuit.
Bieber performed showstopping renditions of "Beauty And A Beat" and "As Long As You Love Me" at the 2012 American Music Awards, but it was his acceptance speech that made the biggest waves of the night. After winning Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, the pop idol took some time to thank his detractors. "I want to say this is for all the haters who said that I was just here for one or two years," he declared. "I feel like I'm going to be here for a very long time." He also gave his family, his manager and his fans some love in the speech.
Bieber, named one of the most charitable celeb of 2011, continued his tireless work for the less fortunate this year. Among other things, the star contributed his time and resources to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and visited an impressive but heartbreaking number of ill fans through the Make a Wish Foundation. He also donated the proceeds of his Mother's Day single, "Turn To You," to The Bethedsda Centre, the Ontario women's shelter that helped his mom when she was pregnant with him.
Unfortunate run-ins with the paparazzi have clearly become a rite of passage for the modern day superstar and the Biebs suffered his fair share of growing pains this year. In May, the singer got into fisticuffs with a photographer for getting a little too close during a date with Selena Gomez. Police had to be called to the scene. In July, the star became involved in a high speed chase with photographer Paul Raef. Raef was charged under a brand new paparazzi law in California, but a judge threw the case out of court in November. Prosecutors are currently appealing the ruling. In November, the singer stopped traffic to chew out a photographer. He's currently squirting the paparazzi with water bottles.
Bieber brought fellow Canadian superstar and hometown hero Drake on stage with him when he performed at Toronto's Roger's Centre (formerly and better known as the SkyDome) earlier this month. The pair performed Bieber's "Right Here" and Drizzy's "The Motto" together. Drake also took some time to give his fellow countryman props and thank him for the opportunity to perform at the venue. "I'll tell you, there's very few people I've met in the world that are as talented and incredible as this young man right here," the hip-hop artist told an ecstatic crowd. "I want to thank you for letting me live a childhood dream, which is my first opportunity to perform at the SkyDome. So thank you, my man." The pair then hugged, and a beloved gif was born.
Perpetuating the stereotyped that all Canadians know each other, genealogists at Ancestry.com announced that Justin Bieber might be distantly related to fellow musical Canuck export Celine Dion. According to the site, the teen heartthrob is the chest-pounding balladress's tenth cousin, three times removed. They also speculated that he might be related to Ryan Gosling and Avril Lavigne.
Enlisted to help the Canadian Football League recruit a younger audience on the hundredth birthday of its championship, Bieber took the stage as part of this year's halftime show. Biebs and the CFL fell short of being a perfect match, and his short set was peppered with the boos of indignant football fans. His appearance did attract a lot of young eyes and ears to the spectacle, though, and he now gets to say that septuagenarian folk hero Gordon Lightfoot opened for him, so it was probably worth the beating his ego took in the heat of the moment.
In November, police reportedly foiled a bizarre and elaborately detailed murder plot involving Bieber, his bodyguard and two other victims. Mark Staake and his nephew Tanner Ruane allegedly schemed to murder and castrate the "Baby" singer and the others while in prison with a Belieber-gone-wrong-inmate named Dana Martin who sports a tattoo of the singer on his leg. Fortunately, Staake and Ruane were prevented from carrying out their plans, which involved strangling their victims with paisley ties, when police arrested the pair on outstanding warrants in Vermont.
Korean viral superstar Psy was the one who had the '90s-style puffy-panted moment at the American Music Awards this year, but it was Justin Bieber who laid the groundwork for the much-maligned style's triumphant return. Between the modernized pair of red harem pants he rocked at the very same AMAs and his moments of black-haremed heartbreak in front of Selena Gomez's house, Bieber has emerged as the new face of the style. Kids these days only know these pants as Justin Bieber pants, unwittingly hammering the final nail in the coffin of the youth of the Hammer Pants generation. Vanity Fair even did a piece on Biebs and his trousers.
Living the dream of many a teenage boy, Justin Bieber got to perform at the Victoria's Secret fashion show and hang out and leer at Angels like Miranda Kerr and Adriana Lima both on and off stage. It was a bittersweet highlight for Bieber, though, as his backstage shenanigans with 19 year old model Barbara Palvin allegedly landed him in hot water with longtime girlfriend Selena Gomez. The pair have been on and off again ever since, and rumours surrounding Palvin just won't go away.
Until November of this year, it seemed that nothing could tear this pair of teen idols apart. But their two-year relationship hit an extremely rock patch when Bieber got a little too close to model Barbara Palvin at the Victoria's Secret fashion show in early November. Their once pure and innocent love has been mired in scandal and social media much-raking ever since, with Gomez's friends and coworkers taking passive aggressive shots at the Biebs on Twitter and gossip rags speculating on all sorts of famous involvement in the situation. Gomez might have gone back to her ex, Nick Jonas! Taylor Swift totally told her old pal to dump that no good Biebs! The two have made a number of attempts at reconciliation, including the dinner that ended in Bieber skulking around outside of his love's house with his spirits sagging lower than his infamous pants. The pair were seen kissing over the holiday, but who knows?
While he was back in his home and native land for the Grey Cup celebrations, Justin Bieber was surprised by Canadian Prime Minister and Emperor Palpatine impersonator Stephen Harper, who awarded him with a Diamond Jubliee Medal. Bieber dressed in Scott's Thompson's Idiot Boy costume from The Kids In The Hall to accept the medal, which is awarded to people who have "made a significant contribution to a particular provice, territory, region or community within Canada, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada," but not everyone was impressed with his sartorial tribute. In the face of a public outcry, both Bieber and Harper have been forced to come to the defense of the much-maligned overalls.
Follow Rachel Décoste on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RachelDecoste

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Can't wait to see the finished Quilt
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
That is so Beautiful. Post photos as you go along please! I could never do something like that, but surely admire those who can, and do!
i think it will be awesome looking cant wait to see it finished. GOOD LUCK
Would I attempt it, no but I am not good with faces. If you love the image, then give it a try.
Looks insanely ambitious! Have fun.
Every Sunrise brings a blessing
Does Medusa hold any meaning for you?
Medusa is great. I think you can do it, and you can do it well! We are our own worst enemy placing obstacles in front of ourselves. I believe people (especially women) can accomplish whatever they decide. Good luck and keep a bottle of vine and some chocolate handy. There are bound to be some bumps. Happy quilting. And yes, I would lose the wings as well.
great idear --progress reports please
Have fun with it!!
Cherish your family for they are your treasure. A lifetime of memories, wealth beyond measure!
I say go for it, girl !! I would try something like that, but would need a lot of time. I like the idea of using real beads, also. I'm sure that it will be beautiful


text:
Pikes Peak Council preparing for the possible worst
Scout program possibly affected
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo - The Boy Scouts motto of "Be Prepared" is perfectly timed for a battle with its insurance carrier. The Pikes Peak Council of Boy Scouts just got the bad news about how much its insurance won't cover because of lost revenue during the Camp Alexander evacuation this past summer. The camp had to close down early because of the Springer Fire near Lake George.
Boy Scouts Executive, Kent Downing told me the argument is over who is essential staff at Camp Alexander. Downing says, "From our perspective, our seasonal employees and every single one of them is essential. We'll continue to go back and forth and continue to negotiate with insurance and provide additional information to back up our claim."
Downing is nervous about so much money in 2012 that won't be recouped just as his budget is being prepared for 2013. He said it's possible that one to two staffers would have to be cut, "For a smaller staff like ours, that could be very significant. We don't have a lot of paid staff." Downing is nervous about any cuts and how they could affect Boy Scouts in our area, "Maybe not open the service center as long as before. Not offer the day camp we were previously offering. Also, limit the trainings of adult leaders because we don't have the staff to support it."
Downing isn't giving up to push his case to the insurance company. He also is a realist and the clock is ticking to handle this kind of big loss. Downing says, "By the end of December, our plan is to have some type of settlement or consider what our other options might be."
The Pikes Peak Council of Boy Scouts has set up a Fire Relief Fund. I've put a link to it on our front page under Links We Mentioned.


text:
Although an abdominal ultrasound can be done to check for a number of conditions, it can be used to screen for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a weakened, bulging spot in your abdominal aorta, the artery that runs through the middle of your abdomen and supplies blood to the lower half of your body.
An abdominal ultrasound can also be used to check for other diseases that affect your kidneys, liver, gallbladder and pancreas.
An abdominal ultrasound to screen for an abdominal aortic aneurysm is recommended for men ages 65 to 75 who are current or former cigarette smokers. Having an abdominal ultrasound to screen for an aortic aneurysm isn't specifically recommended for men who have never smoked, nor women, unless your doctor suspects you may have an aneurysm.
Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin covering the tip of the penis. Circumcision is fairly common for newborn boys in certain parts of the world, including the United States. Circumcision after the newborn period is possible, but it's a more complex procedure.
For some families, circumcision is a religious ritual. Circumcision can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. For others, however, circumcision seems unnecessary or disfiguring. After circumcision, it isn't generally possible to re-create the appearance of an uncircumcised penis.
A creatinine test reveals important information about your kidneys.
Creatinine is a chemical waste product that's produced by your muscle metabolism and to a smaller extent by eating meat. Healthy kidneys filter creatinine and other waste products from your blood. The filtered waste products leave your body in your urine.
If your kidneys aren't functioning properly, an increased level of creatinine may accumulate in your blood. A serum creatinine test measures the level of creatinine in your blood and gives you an estimate of how well your kidneys filter (glomerular filtration rate). A creatinine urine test can measure creatinine in your urine.
Cryotherapy for prostate cancer freezes prostate tissue, causing cancer cells to die. As a minimally invasive procedure, cryotherapy for prostate cancer is sometimes used as an alternative to surgical removal of the prostate gland (prostatectomy).
In the past, cryotherapy for prostate cancer was associated with significantly higher levels of long-term side effects than were other prostate cancer treatments. Advances in the technology of cryotherapy for prostate cancer have reduced these side effects. Most men, however, still experience long-term sexual dysfunction following cryotherapy for prostate cancer.
Cryotherapy for prostate cancer is most often used in men who have early-stage prostate cancer. But cryotherapy for prostate cancer may also be a treatment option in some men whose prostate cancer has returned following other treatments.
Cystoscopy (sis-TOS-kuh-pee) is a procedure used to see inside your urinary bladder and urethra — the tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside of your body. During a cystoscopy procedure, your doctor uses a hollow tube (cystoscope) equipped with a lens to carefully examine the lining of your bladder and your urethra. The cystoscope is inserted into your urethra and slowly advanced into your bladder.
Your doctor may perform the cystoscopy in a testing room, using a local anesthetic jelly to numb your urethra. Or your doctor may perform cystoscopy as an outpatient procedure, using sedation. Another option is to do the cystoscopy in the hospital while under general anesthesia. The type of cystoscopy you'll have depends on the reason for your procedure.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer is treatment to stop the male hormone testosterone from reaching the prostate cancer cells in your body. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer is also called androgen deprivation therapy.
Most prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone to help them grow. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer cuts off the supply of testosterone or stops testosterone from reaching the cancer cells, causing cancer cells to die or to grow more slowly.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may involve medications, or it can involve surgery to remove the testicles.
An intravenous pyelogram (PIE-uh-loh-gram), also called an excretory urogram, is an X-ray exam of your urinary tract. An intravenous pyelogram lets your doctor view your kidneys, your bladder and the tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder (ureters). An intravenous pyelogram may be used to diagnose disorders that affect the urinary tract, such as kidney stones, bladder stones, enlarged prostate, kidney cysts or urinary tract tumors.
During an intravenous pyelogram, you'll have an X-ray dye (iodine contrast solution) injected into a vein in your arm. The dye flows into your kidneys, ureters and bladder, outlining each of these structures. X-ray pictures are taken at specific times during the exam, so your doctor can clearly see your urinary tract and assess how well it's working.
A male condom is a thin sheath placed over the erect penis. When left in place during sexual intercourse, oral sex or anal sex, male condoms are an effective way to protect yourself and your partner from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Male condoms are also an effective way to prevent pregnancy.
Condoms, also called rubbers, are usually made of latex, but some are made from polyurethane or lambskin. Latex and polyurethane condoms provide the most protection against STIs.
Male condoms are simple to use, inexpensive and widely available. Male condoms are available with or without a lubricant and come in a variety of lengths, shapes, widths, thicknesses and colors. Some condoms are textured to increase sensation.
A urine microalbumin test is a test to detect very small levels of a blood protein (albumin) in your urine. A microalbumin test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage in people who have a risk of kidney disease.
Healthy kidneys filter waste from your blood and keep the healthy components, such as proteins like albumin. Kidney damage can cause proteins to leak through your kidneys and leave your body in your urine. Albumin (al-BYOO-min) is one of the first proteins to leak when kidneys become damaged.
Microalbumin tests are recommended for people with an increased risk of kidney disease, such as those with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
Open simple prostatectomy is a surgery used to relieve urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Open simple prostatectomy is generally recommended for men who have severe urinary symptoms and very enlarged prostates. The surgery does not remove the entire prostate, as is done in a prostate cancer operation, but removes just the obstructive part of the prostate that blocks the flow of urine.
During open simple prostatectomy, the part of your prostate blocking urine flow is removed through a cut (incision) below your navel. It may be done by making several smaller incisions in the abdomen through a technique called laparoscopy or with the assistance of a robot to accomplish the same thing.


text:
When I first met Jerod Haase, I thought he was awfully...well...Kansas.
He talked about the Jayhawks a lot. He talked about Allen Fieldhouse a lot. One of the first times I spent an extended period of time with him was in the summer of 2003, when we went to do a brief Tar Heel history lesson and toss around some ideas about Smith Center and basketball office improvements. He seemed nice enough, and--this is important--he'd been part of the 1993 Cal team that beat Duke in the NCAA Tournament, but he had very little background with North Carolina basketball, and now he was going to be sitting on the bench at the Smith Center.
He sat there for nine seasons, and sometime in those nine years, he became a Tar Heel.
You could feel the respect on Saturday before the game, when UAB director of operations Bobby Frasor and Haase were introduced to the crowd. Frasor got a big hand, as you knew he would. He won a national championship, was a key part of some of the best and most enjoyable teams of the Roy Williams era, and perhaps most importantly, he always seemed to enjoy Chapel Hill just as much as the rest of us--even those of us who didn't jump off a fraternity house.
So Frasor, of course, got the expected ovation.
With Haase, though, you weren't sure. He didn't play here, didn't have four years for fans to watch him dive on the floor or knock down big three-pointers. Fans in the Smith Center had only ever seen him in a suit and tie.
Deservedly, however, he received a very appreciative ovation, one that he'll probably appreciate in about a day when he stops being ticked off about his team's 102-84 loss. That was the go-to Roy Williams comment about Haase: that he hated losing more than any other player he'd coached.
Saturday night, you saw it. His Blazers weren't supposed to beat Carolina at the Smith Center. But the Tar Heels were without Marcus Paige, and UAB knocked down some big three-pointers, and there it was--a nine-point game late in the second half.
Carolina eventually pulled away, but even 20 minutes after the game, you could tell Haase was still miffed. Weren't supposed to win? They played, didn't they? That means there's a winner and a loser, and just like a certain other coach sitting down on the other Smith Center bench--the one who tossed his jacket and spiked a clipboard during the second half--if he's going to compete, he wants to win. In anything. And that includes a road game at 14th-ranked North Carolina, and forget the expectations.
He was measured in his postgame comments. UAB ran several good halfcourt sets to get good looks, and many of them looked unfamiliar. What resources have you drawn from to build your playbook? "Everything from utilizing my assistant coaches and their backgrounds to molding our system to fit our personnel," he said. "And then I take everything I learned from Coach Williams and Carolina, and try to mesh it together."
What about running a program, some of the day-to-day aspects that you can't prepare for as an assistant coach? "That part I've been really comfortable with," he said. "That doesn't mean I'm any good at it, but I have a high level of comfort running the program and running the team, and that goes back to Coach Williams."
What about playing at Carolina? "To say that it was strange and awkward playing against North Carolina is an understatement," he said. "I never knew what it would be like to feel that way, but once the game started I was very into the game and trying to get our team to play the best they possibly could."
In other words, he sounded like a head coach. He's just eight games into his head coaching career, but already, he looks and sounds the part. Early in his career, he'll be pigeonholed as a Roy Williams clone, but that's not completely true. On Saturday night, he quickly called a first-half timeout from the bench to secure a loose ball for the Blazers. He ran several sets that weren't simple carbon copies of the Carolina offense to get good, open shots. Midway through the second half, he subtly signaled his team to trap full-court, so as not to allow the Tar Heels time to prepare, and it turned into a UNC turnover when Dexter Strickland immediately took the ball into the corner and was tied up for a jump ball.
You want in-game strategy? In the final minute of the first half, UAB got the ball with approximately 58 seconds left. As Quincy Taylor brought the ball up the court, Haase got his attention, called a play, and told him, "Go with about 50 seconds left." The idea, of course, was to get two possessions to Carolina's one. It nearly worked out perfectly, as the Blazers hit a three-pointer on the first possession, got a defensive stop and then had a good look just before halftime.
He didn't seem especially sentimental about the fact that he was the one who designed that championship ring earned by Frasor and his 2009 teammates, or that Haase--along with associate athletic director for communications Steve Kirschner--is the one who rearranged the Smith Center banners and jerseys to make them more organized. Remember that 100 years celebration of Carolina basketball and all the sellout events associated with it? Haase played a major role in those.
He helped recruit everyone on the Tar Heel bench, and was a major force in the recruitment of Joel James. At a time when James was overweight and hearing largely from local schools around his Florida home, Haase spotted him at a winter tournament. "He was the first one who told me I could be a special player," James says. "Coming from him, that meant so much."
In his role, Haase was a master of details. Nothing went unplanned, and he thought about everything--from opposing scouting reports to the way the band played during team introductions to tweaks to the jerseys. If you couldn't get time to ask Roy Williams's opinion on a particular topic, but needed a suitable proxy, there was a simple answer: "Ask Jerod."
As Williams is fond of quoting, it's not immoral to love two schools. When Haase arrived at Carolina, he unquestionably loved Kansas. By the time he left, after he'd lived and breathed the Tar Heels for nine years, it seemed pretty obvious that he loved Carolina, too. Maybe he couldn't give you the play-by-play of the 8 points in 17 seconds comeback against Duke. But he helped engineer the 2005 comeback against the Blue Devils, and he cut a piece of net from the last rim of the season in 2005 and 2009, and he had a family in Chapel Hill, and all of those events are mileposts in a life.
On this night, though, there wasn't time for him to think about that. He was the coach, and his team had lost, and he probably wasn't going to be much fun to be around for the rest of the night. He did multiple interviews, did a quick ESPN piece, and performed his postgame UAB radio network interview obligations. Only then did he relax ever so slightly, and the man who does everything for a reason began to loosen his tie.
It was deep UAB green, and it was covered in Carolina blue polka dots.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and the author or co-author of seven books on the Tar Heels.


text:
This topic has come up in recent emails and posts. What do you as BeeSource members think about this as a potential new feature? Do you want the BeeSource site to export RSS Feeds so that you can subscribe to forums in your feed readers, or do you want to see external feeds displayed within BeeSource? Or both?
- Barry


text:
Bill Press: Talking about God not appropriate for "sacred" spot
posted at 3:45 pm on August 30, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Greg Hengler captures the moment in which "incoherence" is defined, during CNN's "Reliable Sources" yesterday. Howard Kurtz notes that libtalker Bill Press had spent the last several weeks crusading against Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally, but that Beck kept partisan politics out of the speeches Saturday to focus mainly on religious themes. Press continued his objection, noting that the Lincoln Memorial and its "sacred" location was no place to talk about either God or politics. Er, it's too "sacred" for God? Maybe Bill should check his thesaurus:
Note that Press manages to assert twice that God isn't an appropriate topic for sacred ground, a rather novel assertion under any circumstances, but especially so for the Lincoln Memorial. The Great Emancipator certainly didn't have any trouble speaking about God and faith during his lifetime; in fact, to the right of the massive statue, one can read Lincoln's second inaugural address, in which Lincoln repeatedly mentions and invokes the Almighty. Shall we get the sandblasters to remove the speech from the wall?
Perhaps Press refers to Martin Luther King's address from the same spot as that which makes the real estate "sacred." If so, then Press might have a problem with King, too, who mentioned God and politics in the very speech King gave in 1963. Its most famous passage explicitly references God in his plea for equality:
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
So what does make Press claim that Beck was committing sacrilege by holding a rally about faith in the American life? Perhaps the fact that Press couldn't comprehend the subject matter.
Update: The rally was on Saturday, not yesterday. I've corrected it above.
Related Posts:
Breaking on Hot Air
Students demand UCLA allow conservative communications professor to keep teaching
Mayor of Paris condemns 'non-mixed' festival for black women only
- Sacred: pertaining to or connected with religion. Moron: See Bill Press. | Daily Danet
- Ed Driscoll » 'Heads I Win, Tails You Lose'
- Hey Dr. King, no preaching at the National Mall « Don Surber
- Hatred from the Left: Thought on Glenn Beck's 8/28 Rally « AShotAndaBeer's Blog
- Belmont Club » Hi Lo
- Bill Press: "I object to invoking God at the Lincoln Memorial…because it's a sacred spot." « Da Techguy's Blog
- Bill Press: Talking about God not appropriate for "sacred" spot « The Forgotten Man
- Obama Liberal Deval Patrick Says, 'It's a free country. I wish it weren't.' « Start Thinking Right
- Of Obama Democrats, Their Disregard For Freedom, And Their Vile ObamaCare Takeover « Start Thinking Right
- Of Obama Democrats, Their Contempt For Freedom, And Their Vile Health Care Takeover « Start Thinking Right
- The Loud Talker


text:
Providing an exclusive, complimentary service, our Stylists offer expert guidance on product size and fit, as well as styling tips and trend inspiration.
Get in touch via email and a Stylist will get back to you within 24 hours.Ask a question
Call the team
Monday - Saturday: 9am - 8pm
and Sunday: 11am - 6pm.
*all times GMT


text:
Advanced Reviewer
SelectScience Members can achieve membership status by writing product reviews. This helps other members to better understand the Reviewer's experience and expertise.
Status: No. Reviews Published: Member 0 1-4 5-14 15+ By Invitation
Reviewers are also encouraged to publish a 'public profile' so others can benefit from a further understanding of the Reviewer's applications and expertise.
Write a review today>>
Advanced ReviewerMembership Status
Member since: 2010
Organization: City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics 1500 E Duar
Great result. I cannot live without it.
Application Area: To measure cytokines in cells
"High quality and sensitive detection of cytokines and chemokines. Well priced."
Status:Advanced Reviewer
Member since: 2014
Organization: Texas Biomedical Research Institute
Application Area:Metabolic profiling
"This instrument has been very reliable for the 10 years we have had it. The customer service from Luminex is immediate and comprehensive."
Member since: 2014
Organization: Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana
Application Area:HLA antibodies, HLA typing
"This easy-to-use device has revolutionized the field of anti-HLA antibody testing and is increasingly applied for HLA typing in most H&I laboratories around the world."
Member since: 2013
Organization: MEDSANTEK
Application Area:HLA TYPING
"Luminex 200 flow cytometry system is a good choice for HLA typing. Easy, fast and good HLA-SSO typing results which are compatible with SSP detection."
Member since: 2011
Organization: UTHSCSA
"Great way of analysing up to 100 analytes in a small sample."
Member since: 2011
Organization: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Clinical Biochemistry,
"we have one, and just want to sell it"
Member since: 2010
Organization: Fiocruz - Bio Manguinhos
The Luminex 200 System is a flexible analyzer based on the principles of flow cytometry.
The system enables you to multiplex (simultaneously measure) up to 100 analytes in a single microplate well, using very small sample volumes. The system delivers fast and cost-effective bioassay results on many assay formats including nucleic acid assays, receptor-ligand assays, immunoassays and enzymatic assays.
The Luminex 200 System is the combination of three core xMAP Technologies. The first is xMAP microspheres, a family of 100 fluorescently dyed 5.6 micron-sized polystyrene microspheres that act as both the identifier and the solid surface to build the assay. The second is a flow cytometry-based instrument, the Luminex 200 analyzer, which integrates key xMAP detection components such as lasers, optics, fluidics and high-speed digital signal processors. The third component is the xPONENT® software, which is designed for protocol-based data acquisition with robust data regression analysis.
Manufacturer Luminex | Available Worldwide4.2 / 5.0 | 7 reviews


text:
Plastic elements are often created with injection moulding, an established low-cost and high-throughput method. For nano- and micro-scalе area patterning, a vаriety of сhemical techniqυes are often υsed. Researchers are dеvelοping a nanоimprint lithography-basеd tеchnique for structuring the free-form ѕυrfaсes of іnjectіon mоulding toolѕ аnd tool inserts.
Nanoimprint lithography is a trеatment tо fοrm patternѕ by mechаniсаl deformation. By making uѕe of moυlds and moυldіng tools with structured areas, the manufacturing prοcedure is greatlу sіmplifiеd. More, mіnimising contamіnatiοn οf natural matеrial with additives such as pіgments іmproves recyclability and sіgnіficantly reduсes рowеr consumption connected wіth naturаl material production. Sсientists develoрed а brand new metаl for the tools that'ѕ optіmised for nаno-strυcturing. A novel sυrfаce polishing proсedure has been incorporated into the milling machine for automatеd rοbοtiс polіshing. The robotic sυpply haѕ an intеgrаted optіcаl devіcе tо measure area roυghness during prоceѕsing.
Тhe technology will add a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) fingerprint thеrefore that batches can bе іdentified with FTIR spectroscopy for cases such as product recall.
The proјect аims to рrоνide a productіon string to рroducе high-value plastic prοduсtѕ with fυnctiоnal surfaces by low-cost injection moulding. Тhe technology will signіfiсantly sіmplіfy the productіоn οf nano-ѕtrυctured plastic components for а variеty οf sectorѕ.
Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!


text:
Phrase (WW II Japanese military): code phrase authorizing the activation of "Operation Z", the Japanese attack on U.S. naval forces based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Once Emperor Hirohito had given his assent to Operation Z, the code phrase "Climb Mount Nitaka" was transmitted to Admiral Yamamoto.
by speedog July 02, 2010


text:
Town Square
Wish to preview MVHS and SRVHS Solar Carport?
Original post made by [removed], Alamo, on May 12, 2011
Let's suggest MVHS and SRVHS neighbors visit 1750 Oak Park Blvd in Pleasant Hill CA to see a Solar Generation Station, aka Solar Carport, installed. It is a massive structure, quite industrial in design, and fully consumes the skyline of that property.
If your readers cannot visit the site, logon to Web Link
and access the picture that accompanies the article.
As one neighbor said after visiting the site, "It looks like the overhead train structures in Chicago."
Comments (5)
a resident of Danville
on May 13, 2011 at 9:19 am
Simple solution! The Danville Town Planning Commission demand an Environmental Impact Report. This is an eyesore!
a resident of Danville
on May 13, 2011 at 9:36 pm
I think that gasoline stations are an eyesore. They're also a source of air pollution and cancer-causing materials. Let's get rid of them.
a resident of Alamo
on May 14, 2011 at 7:10 am
Dear Editor,
Any structure placed in a neighborhood setting should reflect the character and nature of such neighborhoods. Solar carports are major power generation stations that present a massive array of solar panels high above parking lots that typically would not be found in our neighborhoods. Monte Vista's Alamo neighbors have the opportunity to see a fully constructed Solar Generation Station as a Solar Carport in full view at 1750 Oak Park Blvd in Pleasant Hill.
Certainly there are lighter-weight advanced solar technologies today that would place the same solar generation capacity on roofs of MVHS in Danville. Clinging to heavy glass panels that are end-of-life technologies causes the requirement of very industrial support structures seen at the Oak Park Blvd example of carports.
a resident of Danville
on May 16, 2011 at 10:36 am
Paved parking lots are themselves eye-sores, and have already done most of the negative environmental impact. Roofs are good, but only have so much space, and leaves the space of the parking lot underused.
A good example of a truly comparable site is the Pleasant Hill DVC campus, where solar car port covers were installed a number of years ago. They seem, to me, a vast improvement on the bare lots, and are cooler when sunny and sheltered when wet
The main question, to me, is what height clearance should be designed in. Space for cars and pickups, or height for a Freightliner with a trailer?
a resident of Alamo
on May 16, 2011 at 6:03 pm
I live near Monte Vista HS, and I'm elated to learn that solar panels are part of the campus future. Besides the energy cost-savings, reduced fossil fuel use, and jobs that their installation will produce, the panels will also become a physical symbol of our community's success in finding sustainable solutions to our energy conundrum.
I must agree with writer Dbrower, who rightly states that parking lots themselves aren't much of a positive design feature, and points to the DVC campus solar panel installation as a reasonable reference. Here's one more example - Casa Grande HS in Petaluma, a campus I visited recently. This video clip (Web Link) shows the panels over the parking lot, which to me seemed like a smart use of available space. (The video shows a bit more, including Casa Grande's native plant landscaping (= water conservation), organic garden for their culinary arts program, and fish hatchery that provides students with hands-on experience in environmental science).
Don't miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic.
Livermore trustees demonstrating wisdom
By Tim Hunt | 12 comments | 1,446 views
Material Matters
By John A. Barry | 0 comments | 167 views
2017 guide to summer camps
Looking for something for the kids to do this summer, learn something new and have fun? The 2017 Summer Camp Guide features local camps for all ages and interests.


text:
forum: Food & Drink
Pages: 1 | Home » Food & Drink » Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
#1 Sun 10 Feb 13 10:25am
- Forum champ Occupation Retired pipeline precommissioning financial engineer
- From Surin, N.E. Thailand
- Member since Mon 29 Dec 08
Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
After seeing jambalaya on the "alphabet thread" I thought I may consider cooking some (first time). We obviously cannot get Cajun seasoning up here so I searched for a recipe and came up with this:
1 tblsp Cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Oregano
1 tblsp Paprika
1 tblsp Ground black pepper
2.5 tblsp Salt
Surely that salt content is wrong?
(I realise there are other recipes but this was the first hit)
#2 Sun 10 Feb 13 1:26pm
- Forum super champ
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Sat 10 Mar 07
Re: Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
I just got my jar out of the cupboard. The ingredient list lists salt as the first (ie most predominant) ingredient(!).
Followed by paprika, rice flour, pepper, onion, basil(?), garlic, chilli, fennel and thyme.
The salt content is worrying. That rice flour is third on the list as a cheap filler etc is also disappointing.
It's not a particularly good blend and I just had a sniff and all I can smell is the onion and garlic (I'm starting to get a head cold so my sense of smell isn't great ATM). Approaching its best by date so I think I'll turf it and buy a better brand/blend.
PS there's a few members from the Southern US states here so, hopefully, they'll see this thread and post
Last edited by Maree (Sun 10 Feb 13 1:28pm)
#3 Sun 10 Feb 13 2:53pm
Re: Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
I make jambalaya all the time (I'm Cajun) and I never use "cajun seasoning" in it. I make it like this:
1 large onion
1 large bell pepper (I think you call them capsicum)
3 stalks celery
1 lb of meat (I use a mix of shrimp and andouille sausge) chicken, shrimp, sausage, duck, crawfish, etc
black pepper
cayenne pepper
water or chicken stock
*creole jambalaya uses tomato
I chop the first three ingredients and caramelize to a nice deep brown, but not burnt. This is what gives it a nice color.
I add the meat next and cook it just a short time about 5 minutes or so. Then add the stock (water), the amount depends on how much rice you will use. Use the same ratio of stock(water)/rice that you would use if you just made plain rice.
Add salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic. I use fresh garlic chopped and then the rice. Let it come to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook until done.
The basic cajun spices are:
black pepper
red pepper
#4 Sun 10 Feb 13 10:10pm
- Forum super champ
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Sat 10 Mar 07
Re: Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
Thank you, Coco
#5 Sun 10 Feb 13 10:44pm
Re: Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
I guess I could add that almost all cajun dishes have a base we call the Trinity: onions, bell pepper and celery.
#6 Sun 10 Feb 13 10:47pm
- Forum super champ
- From Melbourne Australia
- Member since Sun 12 Apr 09
Re: Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
Thanks Coco! I want to make this!
#7 Sun 10 Feb 13 10:48pm
Re: Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)
I have made jambalaya using quinoa instead of rice and it was pretty good. You can also use brown rice.
Pages: 1 | Home » Food & Drink » Jambalaya (Cajun seasoning)


text:
Movie Review: The Iron Lady
In a tinny movie with a titanium-clad movie star performance, Streep is titanic.
Director: Phyllida Lloyd MPAA Rating: PG-13 Studio: The Weinstein Company, 20th Century Fox, Pathé
For some of us, as far as right wing icons go, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is right up there with former President Ronald Reagan. She was neither likeable nor sympathetic – unless one feels all warm and cozy toward a world leader known for arrogant abuses of power, war mongering, class warfare, ideological rigidity bordering on mania and fiscal policies that have contributed mightily to current worldwide economic suffering.
The Iron Lady, Thatcher's highly emotional, wafer thin, often posterior-kissing bio movie directed by Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!), has one fearsome ace in the hole, though, and that's Meryl Streep in the central role. The screenplay by Abi Morgan lets Streep loose on Thatcher as an addled, shuffling, self-righteous 80-year-old looking back on her life through the haze of dementia and alcohol.
Streep's Thatcher, a ramrod who never forgot her upbringing as a greengrocer's daughter and who admirably challenged barriers for women on many levels, argues with and fusses over her long-dead husband (Jim Broadbent), frustrates her loving, damaged daughter (played wonderfully Olivia Colman) and trips her self-serving way through flashback moments in her life, like her bizarre overreaction that lead to the Falklands War in 1982 and the mass public riots she incited. All the while, though, she grapples with her own mortality and that is where the movie and its star are at their most powerful and persuasive.
Streep can be mannered and overly technical. Here, though, she has it all down; she's ferocious, relentlessly unapologetic, scarily funny and full of depth and pathos. In a tinny movie with a titanium-clad movie star performance, Streep is titanic.


text:
Speaking Event: Food Justice and the Intersection of Urban Greening and Gentrification
Max Cadji will be speaking on "Food Justice and the Intersection of Urban Greening and Gentrification", and showing a short video about gentrification and NOBE (North Oakland Berkeley Emeryville) Neighborhood issues.
Max is an organizer with Phat Beets Produce, a collective in North Oakland that works to connect small farmers of color to urban communities through the creation of farm stands, farmers markets, CSA's, and community and youth market gardens. Phat Beets Produce is also a partner in both the Pinole Farmer Incubator Program and CrossRoads Collective Cafe, an incubator kitchen for micro-entrepreneurs.


text:
Explore Stettler
Close to golf courses, West Stettler Park, and Alberta Prairie Railway Excursion
Our non-smoking Ramada Stettler hotel in central Alberta was designed with travelers in mind. Located halfway between Drumheller and Red Deer near Highways 12 and 56, our hotel near Alberta Prairie Stream Railway Excursions offers modern accommodations at an affordable rate. We are close to Battle River Power Plant and Paintearth Mines.


text:
Location: Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-21000-267-14-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2010
End Date: Jul 1, 2015
This project will address the critical need in understanding functional diversity in cacao germplasm and identify likely sources of new genes for breeders. So far the efforts to manage the genetic diversity of cacao have mainly concentrated on germplasm maintenance. Characterization and evaluation of these resources have received much less attention. Most of the phenotyping in this collection has been limited in morphological descriptors. Only a small fraction of the germplasm held in the international collections has been evaluated for major agronomic traits. New sources of variations in resistance to diseases and pests, for environmental adaptation, and for processing quality are urgently needed for cacao breeding. Through this project we would like to phenotype the major agronomic traits such as yield components and diseases resistance. With improved phenotyping results and high through-put genotyping using functional gene markers, we can better understand and document the functional diversity in this collection. Results of this project will contribute to more efficient management of cacao germplasm and better use of cacao germplasm for varietal development through the identification of new sources and higher levels of resistance to cacao diseases, as well as other important agricultural traits.
Based on the previous phase of collaborations fingerprinting data, mislabeling and duplicates have been identified, genetic relationship among individual accessions, families and populations have been analyzed. A subset of 200-300 cacao germplasm accessions held in CRU/ UWI (approximately 10% of the entire collection) comprising different cacao populations will be selected. The criteria to assemble this working collection will be based on (i) confirmed genetic identity through previous DNA fingerprinting, ii) geographic origin and genotypic diversity, and (iii) historical importance of the accessions. Phenotyping will be carried out in the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad. Within plot (intra-clone) mislabeling will be identified using 40-50 SNPs. Phenotypic traits related to yield components and diseases resistance, including number of pods, pod index, bean number, bean size, bean weight, butter fat content, field resistance to witches' broom disease (Moniliophthora perniciosa) and black pod (Phytophthora) will be evaluated. Previously recorded data on morphological variations, (Bekele et al., 2006); will be combined with new observations. In case duplicated trees in different environment (e.g. in the UWI campus) and Marper Farm) are available, phenotypic data will be recorded from different environments. Based on the multi-year field observations, resistance to witches' broom disease will be further evaluated using the agar-drop inoculation method (Surujdeo-Maharaj et al., 2003). Genotyping will be done with the Illumina Golden Gate's Bead Array platform and a total of 3000-4000 SNP markers will be genotyped. Part of these SNP have been developed through an agreement (SCA: 1275-21000-264-04S; CIRAD). These SNP markers were developed based on forty-five cDNA libraries constructed from a wide range of cacao organs and tissues, including flowers, cherels, pod cortex, shoot, root, germinated seeds and embryos from diverse genotypes (Lanaud et al., 2009). The first panel of 1536 SNPs has been tested. In addition, two to three hundreds candidate gene SNPs for disease resistance will be developed based on the expression studies of ARS Project (Project number: 1275-21220-225-00D). More SNPs will be available from the ARS cacao genome project in Miami, FL. Population structure patterns will be investigated using the Bayesian clustering method implemented in the STRUCTURE program (Pritchard et al. 2000). Both single-marker models and hyplotype-based tests will be applied for all SNP–trait combinations. Normality of traits and variance homogeneity will be tested using the UNIVARIATE and GLM Procedure of SAS, respectively (SAS Institute Inc., 1998). Marker data will be compared with trait values by three methods: a one-way ANOVA using SAS, a non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test and a likelihood of the odds (LOD) score test both performed by MapQTL 4 (Van Ooijen and Maliepaard, 1996). Patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) among SNPs that are significantly associated with the same trait will be assessed using the maximum-likelihood approach implanted in GENETICS (WARNES and LEISCH 2006; http://cran.r-project.org).


text:
Passed eLearnseurity course
I got email last night to tell me I passed the elearnsecurity course. I am so happy about this as its not that easy to pass first time. I hear it has a very high fail rate for people taking the exam for the first time.
I would also really recommend the course the new updates make the course fantastic and well worth the money.