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Satirical Concerns: Looking Back At Channel 4's 10 O'Clock Live
Toby Cook
, April 4th, 2011 14:03
As the supposed answer to the Daily Show approaches the end of its run, Toby Cook takes an in-depth look at the strengths and weaknesses of this new wave of British satire
David Mitchell is sarcastic, Jimmy Carr makes puns, Charlie Brooker doesn't much like the media and Lauren Laverne is a competent presenter. These are facts.
Political and social satire is notoriously difficult to pull off. A brief perusal of the TV listings looking specifically at what passes for a schedule in the graveyard for all things 'lad' that is Dave, will reveal as much. For starters there's the soft-boiled excuse for a topical news quiz, Mock The Week, which is like watching six fourth-rate comedians – and Dara O'Briain – trapped at the bottom of a sack yelping, "No, wait, I'm hilarious, really! Just look, I made a joke that was almost related to an actual news story" just before you close it up and throw it into the sea.
Then of course there's Have I Got News For You which has become the televisual equivalent of laughing at your grandad's jokes at Christmas because you know he'll be dead soon. Except he just... won't... die! And, now that you mention it, isn't Bremner, Bird And Fortune going the same way? Yes, The Thick Of It is superb, but it satirises the inner workings of Westminster politics, as opposed to politics and culture in general, and I suppose you might catch the odd repeated episode of Spitting Image here and there, but that's about it (and even that wrapped up production nearly 15-years ago). Thinking about it, doesn't it speak volumes that the bastions of British satire are still That Was The week That Was and The Frost Report? They're both undeniably superb, and fully deserve their places in the great pantheon of British comedy, but haven't we moved on from "I look up to him, but I look down on him..."? Channel 4 seems to think so.
After the success of last year's Alternative Election Night, it always looked like only a matter of time before Channel 4 concocted some scheme or another to reunite the four hosts for the evening – David Mitchell, Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker and Lauren Laverne – and although going up against the BBC's rather sterile election coverage (led by the sort of camp commandant figure of David Dimbleby and featuring such a dizzying array of CGI aids it looked as though Google had cum all over their studio) was far from taxing, it at least meant that they were free to play their satirical trump card. Those wanting a bit more beef, or indeed, those who were not newly self-righteous students, briefly obsessed with Nick Clegg, may well have turned over pretty sharp-ish, but on the whole the show was a huge success.
Seven months later, enter 10 O'Clock Live. It's been eleven weeks since the programme hailed by some as the rebirth of satire hit our screens and on the whole it's been eleven weeks of hair-pulling frustration and abject disappointment. You can't knock the premise behind the show; there's a clear gap in the market, and terrestrial T.V. has been crying out for a weekly show that takes a less reverent look at the week's news for 25-odd years. You also have to admire the balls of Channel 4, if not merely for commissioning the show, then certainly for commissioning it for such a long run, scheduling it against the BBC's Question Time and for entrusting the running of it to four people not known for their live television experience by any stretch of the imagination. But how long does it take to figure out that something just isn't right?
Frankly, it was pretty disgusting (if not very surprising) that after the very first show certain newspapers and several corners of the internet laid into the show with a level of venom and bile usually reserved for Lindsey Lohan. Lauren Laverne has been labelled as "surplus to requirements", referred to as "the always grating Lauren Laverne", had her dress sense attacked – like the way a presenter dresses somehow impacts on the content of the show – and The Telegraph even stooped so low as to ask, "What is the point of her?". Charlie Brooker, on the other hand, was lambasted for essentially transplanting the Newswipe format to a condensed, live setting (because apparently it's piss funny on the BBC, but not anywhere else) and had his "floppy fringe" attacked (a game he elected to join in with last week when discussing the 'Hitler house'). Jimmy Carr, meanwhile, is guilty of "cheap one-liners" – obviously no one was expecting that from him for some reason – and is "un-original". Finally, David Mitchell was jumped upon for wanting to be too serious and at the same time for failing to sufficiently grill his interviewees. But aren't they missing the point somewhat? Aren't they guilty of the same crime as 10 O'Clock Live itself: alluding to an issue that warrants debate, but settling for cheap laughs instead?
The first problem with 10 O'Clock Live is that, honestly, it doesn't need to be live. With the exception of Lauren Laverne, who let's not forget has a reasonable level of live T.V. presenting experience, you can't really say that the hosts ever look totally happy with the format. Through no particular fault of his own Brooker looks especially uncomfortable, and his regular stumbles when reading the autocue often greatly lessen the impact of his 'stream of consciousness' rage. At any rate, it turns out that not very many people watch the show 'live' anyway. The first episode on January 20th garnered a modest 1.4 million viewers, but by the end of March the audience had fallen to less than half that. In an interview with Broadcast Magazine the man responsible for commissioning the show, Darren Smith, said that 10 O'Clock Live attracted "an elusive young audience" many of whom "don't watch it live – even though that is the point of the show". He went on to say, "We could have done it as a pre-record but it would have been less exciting and spontaneous. That freshness is part of the reason why lots of people watch the repeat, and why there is an impressive video-on-demand uplift." Smith added that if repeat and on-demand viewers were added to the total the figure would be more like 1.8 million.
What this means though, in real terms, is that Channel 4's current flag-ship satire show, despite their 'total saturation' approach to advertising, is actually attracting fewer viewers than 15 year old episodes of The Simpsons, a Come Dine With Me outtakes show and anything that has Jamie Oliver's boat-race plastered all over it.
The unnecessary live broadcasting and disappointing viewing figures don't totally explain what's so wrong with the show though. The reason the show is slowly falling on its increasingly smug arse is its brain-fuckingly disjointed and often piss-poor excuse for content, or rather, the show's handling of it. Granted a satire show based around current affairs is often only as strong as the material it's given to work with; sometimes it's just going to be a slow news week and there's fuck all you can do about it; but that doesn't begin to excuse the ham-fisted and often hurried way topics are dealt with.
It has to be said that Jimmy Carr's opening salvo, where he takes a comedic look back at the major news stories of the previous week, is usually excellent. He's given the perfect amount of time and does exactly what a good satirist should do: he informs and takes the piss simultaneously. But that's pretty much where it ends, and Carr is guiltier than anyone when it comes to shoe-horning in pointless, ill-conceived 'jokes for joke's sake' segments. Take for example his rant about the royal wedding that compared it to the Channel 4 show Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. He performed the piece as a character inexplicably named 'Tom Cruiseizgay'. Seriously, what does that have to do with anthing!? Then there was his attempt at pulling off an Italian accent that in the end proved to be more offensive than most of the jokes he's ever told, followed by twirling round on a rope making jokes about the SAS (when he was facing the autocue that is). Finally, and worst of all, was his hurried skit about tickets for the 2012 Olympics going on sale where, without reference to any news stories I can think of, he suggested that terrorists will target the games with suicide bombers – and this while dressed and talking like Del Boy. Good one.
Brooker, on the whole, fares a lot better but it's largely down to the fact that, as mentioned, he sticks to what he knows: the Newswipe formula. But he just isn't given enough time, and more often than not his topics just aren't worthy of his default level of rage. His overview of Sky News coverage of the Japanese tsunami was excellent; biting and informative, it showed Sky News for what it really is: 'Current affairs go Hollywood', and last week's 'Ritzkrieg/Titzkrieg' look at the AV/anti-cuts protest was superb.
His take on Colonel Gadaffi on the other hand... well, is it really right to focus your coverage on how ridiculous he looks with an umbrella when he's slaughtering his own people?
David Mitchell, mostly down to his self-styled persona as a sort of Stephen Fry type character for heavily sarcastic sixth formers, is usually left to handle the more weighty political topics as well as chairing the round table discussions and dispensing the usually terrific 'Listen To Mitchell' segment (his rant on the disappearance of public toilets is still a series highlight, however adding the visual element last week to accompany a rant about police staffing issues completely killed the flow of the segment). But again, even when it has little excuse, the show falls down on his parts too, although in contrast to Brooker and Carr the fault is often not of his own making.
The round table discussions, which so far have covered topics ranging from immigration and bankers' bonuses to the proposed forest sell-off and the pricing of alcohol in supermarkets, are usually pretty solid. Bar the odd weak personality here and there they stay just the right side of the mud-slinging, bear- baiting style that Question Time often descends into. But just when you think you're finally getting some genuine, unscripted discussion, the show cuts either to Jimmy Carr dressed as a policeman or to a commercial break (a point Mitchell has himself picked up on, often closing the segment with links like, "Sorry, I must stop you there because the advertisers are clamouring for your attention"). Mitchell is, however, criminally guilty of an annoying level of bias during his one-to-one interviews. When speaking to RMU leader Bob Crow – a man who desperately needs to be taken to task over his policies rather than be allowed to spout clichéd pseudo-socialist rhetoric – Mitchell was extremely light and even failed to properly pounce on Crow's ridiculous idea of a 1p tax on every e-mail sent. Yet when interviewing UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who in fairness is equally deserving of a punch in the cock, he frequently leaped on inconsistencies in his answers and was at times quite scathing.
And so what about Laverne and the remaining content passed her way? Er, um, well, there's not much, is there? But that's fine really. A show like 10 O'clock Live needs an anchor, an experienced presenter capable of keeping things moving, a ring-master of sorts. Whether or not down to some misplaced sense of sexual equality Laverne is simply not left alone to fulfil the role she is best suited to. To berate her due to her dress sense and hair style is appallingly sexist, but the fact remains that she is the weak link. Her brief exposé of the shocking level to which "the biggest company you've never heard of", Serco, has its profiteering fingers in many of this country's supposedly public sector pies was passionate and genuine, albeit a little dry, but it warranted more than two minutes of air time. In contrast her impassioned plea to appreciate our libraries was overly long, smacked of filler and was pre-recorded to boot. Most disappointing of all though was her and Carr's short lived recurring segment on bankers and their bonuses that parodied ITV's Children In Need appeal (titled: Bankers In Need), complete with a man dressed in a pig costume called 'Banksey'. Attacking bankers at the moment – whilst still valid to some extent – is just lazy, and the show's handling of the segment reeked of pandering to the idealistic but ill informed; smacking someone repeatedly in the face with a pink cricket bat, covered in £1 coins, whilst screaming: "HATE BANKERS! HATE BANKERS! A-HA, HA, HA! BANKERS! W-ANKERS!" is not satire, it's fucking pathetic.
Somewhere in the current befuddlement is a quality show aching to burst out, but some very serious issues about content and agenda – not to mention target audience – need to be raised and dealt with. As far as target audience goes the show is squarely aimed at the 16 – 34 bracket, with seems sensible, and there'll always be those outside of that range that tune in, but the audience – that is, those in the studio – are also proving a huge downfall. Setting the studio up in a sort of 'circus ring' arrangement may well look nice when you've got the round table stuff going on and when Brooker is doing his thing, but putting them on screen and expecting them not to act up is foolish at best. You can't let Jimmy Carr dress up and be racist and allow the studio audience to boo, hoot, hiss etc. etc. through his nonsense and then expect them not to do the same when the likes of Alastair Campbell are being interviewed. To most he's a villain, and villains should always be booed as far a mob-mentality audience is concerned, no matter how much Mitchell might exhaustedly cry that "it's not a fucking panto". Sometimes, David, I'm afraid that Channel 4 thinks it is.
So where does this leave 10 O'Clock Live? Many that have heaped scorn on the show for the last 10 weeks have all asked the question, in one way or another: "Why isn't it more like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart?". It's a fair question, and it seems no mistake that Channel 4 dropped The Daily Show to only the once a week 'Global Edition' just before 10 O'Clock Live premiered.
And why isn't it more like The Daily Show? One of the many reasons that The Daily Show is held in such a high regard is that Jon Stewart knows his agenda. He knows that the best way to satirise is to at least appear to stay aggressively partisan in your political leanings – Stewart is almost certainly a Democrat, but that didn't stop him being frank and challenging when he grilled Barack Obama ahead of the U.S. mid-term elections. Stewart also reins in the toilet humour when necessary too – his team of 'reporters' might front blatantly ridiculous pieces that pertain to be all fart gags and banality (Olivia Munn's piece on the Chilean miners rescue is a prime example of this) but Stewart is there to provide a sane, and scripted, comic response. Run time is also an issue with The Daily Show. Ok, so the celebrity interview in the last quarter of the show is mostly a waste of time and just one of those things you have to put up with from American shows – everyone's got a book to plug – but at around 22 minutes an episode, Stewart is limited in what he can cover, and usually elects to pour scorn on and poke fun at one or two key topics, whilst making time for brief round-up and a reference to the disgusting excuse for a news channel that is Fox News.
More than anything though, Stewart is a loudmouth in the best possible way. Despite his protestations to the contrary he clearly has a strong political agenda, but it's not party partisan. Just look at his 'Rally To Restore Sanity', or the way he unreservedly shared his strong disgust when the senate refused to pass a bill allowing for compensation and medical relief for 9/11 first responders (Firemen, rescue workers etc.) and fought repeatedly, week in, week out, on his show for politicians to have a shred of decency and act.
10 O'Clock Live will never be The Daily Show, and nor should it try to be – let's not forget it took the Jon Stewart-helmed Daily Show over a decade to achieve the status it has now – but it could stand to take a long hard look at it and try and learn something.
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Apr 4, 2011 7:24pm
Pretty much spot on. When it started I desperately wanted this show to be great, but I'm increasingly finding that I'm only watching it on 4OD so I can fast-forward to the bits that I know will actually be funny (the mini-Newswipe, Mitchell's monologue). Some of the round-table 'debates' have just been teeth-grindingly unwatchable. David Mitchell is simply not cut out to conduct interviews. And, as you rightly point out, it's just too damn long. I have a feeling that when it finally goes off-air this will be remembered as a terribly wasted opportunity, and no-one will go near topical satire on TV for a very long time - which is a shame, because now more than ever we need brilliant, funny people to point our just how absurd and crooked our so-called lords and leaders are.
Apr 4, 2011 8:39pm
I really fancy Lauren Laverne.
Apr 4, 2011 9:02pm
I'd agree with most of that. I think Laverne is a fine presenter but somewhat misplaced on that show. Brooker can be excellent but he lacks charm and can become annoying fast. The other two don't really seem to fit this type of show. I would disagree that Stewart is 'almost certainly a Democrat' or that it took The Daily show over a decade to achieve the status it has now. Stewart has stated frequently his admiration for Ron Paul and has often said that had Gore been up against McCain in 2000 rather than Bush, he would've voted McCain. Liberal yes but not a cut and dry Democrat. It's probably fair to say that he won't be voting Republican any time soon though. Stewart took over The Daily Show in 99 and it was Indecision 2000 that put them on the map. By 2004, The show was pretty air-tight and had won numerous awards. O'Reilly even had him on his show during the 04 race and was bemoaning that Stewart could be a deciding factor in how certain people voted. We were just slow on this side of the atlantic to catch on. The thing about Stewart and his show is that he means it. There's sincerity in amongst the gags. I don't get that feeling from 10 O'Clock Live.
Apr 4, 2011 9:33pm
Reading this article was a bit like listening to someone you don't know talking loudly in a pub
Apr 4, 2011 9:44pm
I just fast forward to Brooker on 4OD. I love his work, but his part of the show places him pretty uncomfortably. I wonder if this show will feature in a new episode of screen wipe / burn?
Apr 5, 2011 10:31am
I don't think this was proof-read.
Apr 5, 2011 11:17am
I don't think the show is that bad. Patchy as hell, yes, but not the disaster that everyone seems to make out it is. I generally find David Mitchell and Jimmy Carr incredibly irritating, so the fact that I've warmed to them is impressive, if nothing else. And I think Jimmy is far worse at reading from an autocue than Charlie.
Shows like this need time to find their feet,and it would be a real shame if it got dropped just because it wasn't unanimously praised immediately. Hopefully it will get another chance.
Apr 5, 2011 1:02pm
In reply to ES:
Agreed. Talk about too long... we had to wait til paragraph 5 before reading what you thought of the show. And then it seemed that you actually quite liked a lot of it, but quite liking does not great journalism make, so you weighed in with some more conventional vitriol to beef it up.
Yes, it's had its teething problems but it's a hugely improved show and far and away the best of its kind of TV for years. Lauren's getting more comfortable with the transition from culture to satire, Mitchell's coming of age as a political interviewer, Brooker inexplicably still manages to find freshness in his familiar biting rants, and Carr pulls his weight doing the stand-up bits.
So much is good about 10-o-clock live, and it's one of the few genuinely valuable additions to our TV schedules of recent years. Why not focus on the positives and give it a chance?
Apr 5, 2011 1:17pm
I felt pretty let down by Channel 4's decision to drop The Daily Show in favour of a once a week Global Edition and 10 O'Clock Live. I can't really explain why I prefer the format of The Daily Show, but I guess it feels to me like it's more authoritative and not trying to pander to the sub-25 student audience (I'm 27).
Even though the Daily Show occupies a 22 minute slot, it does so every day which gives them the opportunity to properly thrash out an issue or two, rather than trying to shoehorn a whole weeks worth into an hour. I also think the staged bits are subtle, the presenters complement each other and it has a good flow. 10 O'Clock Live is jarring in comparison.
Also, Children In Need - BBC not ITV.
Apr 5, 2011 2:27pm
Ah, who stays in on a thursday night! You forgot to mention the day today in terms of political satire... not that it focused on particular issues, but after watching that you cant help but laugh your way throughout most news broadcasts... It's all a means of thought control anyhow.
Apr 5, 2011 3:30pm
The Sport is the most satirical news majig you can read! S'all piss n vomit after all eh?
Apr 6, 2011 11:07am
The Daily Show has it so much easier than 10 O' Clock, it can sit in the middle of a crazily bi-partisan political system and poke fun at the extremes on either side. Stewart has the likes of Beck or Palin to target, whereas in the UK it's Kay Burley's brusqueness, or that 'some MPs don't like The Speaker'. Despite this, the Daily Show is not as funny as 10 O' Clock. When it's good it's very good, but you can sit through some of the more 'newsy' episodes and not find any good jokes. The interviews are pretty bad too, Stewart is far more concerned with the maintain ace of his persona then giving the interviewee a chance to talk about the detail of their speciality.
The problem 10 O' Clock seems to have is that everyone who watches it is constantly evaluating it, sketch by sketch, and it loses its impact when the viewer is constantly watching for missed beats or stumbles. The one person on it who has impressed me is Carr, who is willing to do the slapstick stuff the others seem to think they are above, but who also seems to have the most interesting political observations when they are ad-libbing in the bits when they sit around the table. Mitchell is terrible, especially in the interviews or round-tables. If anyone makes even a slight entendre, he's straight in to make the cock joke over the top of whatever they're saying. It's like he thinks he has to get at least four jokes into every interview, and will trample over anything to blurt them out.
Apr 6, 2011 11:52am
news just in, the sport publication is to be terminated. where on earth are we going to find out what is going on in the world? boo hoo
Apr 7, 2011 6:25pm
In the episode i watched, i found it cringey because i knew it could be so good. In places the level of humor reminded me of the Friday Night Project, obviously a bad thing. This was mostly coming from Jimmy Carr direction, who was also casually racist, as was Lauren Laverne.
May 31, 2011 9:03am
I think having these 4 people on the same show was the kind of thing that only seems like a good idea.


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Heather Mitchell
Certified Natural Chef, BS.
Heather Mitchell is a graduate of Bauman College in Boulder, Colorado. Bauman College is a Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts School based in the use of seasonal, organic, unrefined and local foods. The culinary program at Bauman College is very unique and cutting edge in its focus on alternative ingredients and therapeutic cooking. Students of the college leave with a strong understanding of how important diet can be in enhancing well-being and easing particular health conditions.
Heather currently works in the Colorado Springs area. She sees a range of personal clients, enjoys entertainment cooking, teaches many classes in the area and works closely with the Colorado Farm and Art Market as the resident chef. Her cooking style is finding the best tasting ingredients and simply enhance the flavors.
Organizations I am associated with
Care and Share/Cooking Matters
The Healthy Gourmet Recipe App
Pike Peak Library District-Food by the Book Series
Root Down and Grow Yoga, Nutrition, Integration
Venetucci Farm-Summer Programs for Kids
-Lisa Turner, Food Writer, Nutritional Consultant and Developer of The Healthy Gourmet Inspired Eats

subset: commoncrawl


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Oblivion talk:Bruma Fighters Guild
Fighter's Guild Members[edit]
Should it be mentioned on the page that the two members of this guild hall are the only Orcs and Argonians in Bruma? 126.96.36.199 10:43, 24 August 2011 (UTC)
- Alright then it was just an idea. 126.96.36.199 11:49, 24 August 2011 (UTC)
Unique Shield n' Swords over the Door[edit]
I'm pretty sure the swords and shield overtop the Bruma guild doors can't be found anywhere else in the game. What are they? Early models that weren't used, old models from Morrowind, or what? Also, should this be mentioned under Notes? 188.8.131.52 00:36, 2 December 2011 (UTC)
Locked door glitch[edit]
I recently experienced a strange occurance. My first time entering the guild at about 5:00 pm I perused a bit, stole a few items, and unlocked the display case. I didn't get caught doing anything illicit, but suddenly the porter was running around in my face saying he needed to lock up and I needed to leave. When I tried to leave, the only door had a very hard lock on it. I picked the lock but trying to go back in it still had the same lock. Reloading a save from inside the guild before the porter freaks out yields the same results. I haven't tried from another save yet, but have found discussions on other sites where others have had the same problem. I wondered if this should be listed as a glitch. 126.96.36.199 00:08, 2 March 2012 (UTC)
- I too am locked in the brumas fighters guild. I was running and not paying attention and ran right into the brumas fighters guild, thinking it was the mages guild. I realized it wasn't the mages guild and said F' it and saved and called it a night.
- Upon loading my save today, I realized the only exit is now locked with a very hard lock. I've seen countless threads on the internet where this has happened to others in the bruma mages guild.
- im on PC so no big deal, but I think this should be addressed as a glitch and possible solutions listed for those on the consoles. you know, like get yourself arrest and so forth. or maybe list a container with a chance of spawning lock picks for those who have murdered everyone and saved? This needs added, I don't know how to, but if I have to, I'll add a horrible looking glitch section and list this glitch in all the wrong formats (not purposefully) because all the oblivion players need to know, since I doubt anyone is playing the atrocity known as skyrim. — Unsigned comment by 18.104.22.168 (talk) at 04:13 on 15 April 2013


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A Florida man who claimed he was too fat to have murdered his son-in-law faces sentencing in New Jersey today.
A jury last month convicted Edward Ates of shooting and killing Paul Duncsak in Duncsak's northern New Jersey home in Ramsey.
During the six-week trial, Ates' defense rested on claims that he was too fat to have run up and down stairs to shoot Duncsak, then escape by driving more than 20 hours to his mother's home in Louisiana.
Ates was 62 years old and 285 pounds when Duncsak was killed in 2006.
Prosecutors are expected to ask for a sentence of life plus additional time. Ates' attorney plans to appeal and says the killer is still on the loose.
Published at 7:08 AM EST on Dec 17, 2009 | Updated at 7:16 AM EST on Dec 17, 2009


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Will Curtis Phillips, 76, of 1102 Hartwell Highway died Monday, Dec. 20, 1999.
A native of Oconee County, S.C., Mr. Phillips was a son of the late Arthur and Eula Grant Phillips. He was a retired supervisor at Elberton Manufacturing Co., was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II and was a member of Elberton First Baptist Church.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hicks Funeral Home with the Rev. Bill Eaton officiating. Burial will be in Elmhurst Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Jo Carter Phillips; two sons, William Curtis Phillips, Melbourne, Fla., and Christopher Lynn Phillips, Elberton; a brother, Bob Phillips, Walhalla, S.C.; and three grandchildren.
The family is at the residence and will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Athens Daily News, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999
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Wall or BRICS?
Today's column finds Argentina on the eve of two potential pointers towards its future sources of international investment — tomorrow's resumption of negotiations with the hedge fund creditors in Manhattan under the mediation of "special master" Daniel Pollack and Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit here the next day (to be followed by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the other end of the BRICS summit in Fortaleza).
There can be no illusions about Argentina's motives for its retreat from isolationism, leading up to the current U-turn on talking to the hitherto demonized "vulture funds," the climax after several months of such stepping-stones as heeding some adverse International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (CIADI in its Spanish acronym) verdicts, the compensation of Spain's Repsol for the 2012 expropriation of YPF and settlement with the Paris Club creditors six weeks ago. Indeed pretty much the same motives as for that abrupt YPF expropriation —namely, the discovery of world-class shale deposits in Vaca Muerta and the desire to milk that cash cow for all it is worth, a goal which would entail investment on a scale vastly beyond Argentina's current cash trickles.
Paradoxically enough, in a month in which Argentina would seem to have been cornered into a technical default by adverse court rulings in the United States, there appears to be contrasting options for that investment as personified by Pollack and Putin — the private sector and multinational majors of the world's biggest shale success story (moving from being the planet's biggest energy importer to already its third-largest oil exporter and set to go top next year) or the likes of Russia's Gazprom (majority government-owned, very much like YPF), the state energy adjuncts of emerging market heavyweights.
It did not take the Cristina Fernández de Kirchner administration long to learn that making the most of Vaca Muerta involved rather more than a share grab. Far from energy becoming a massive contributor to the trade surplus and balance of payments, it is a huge and growing cost factor for now. And not just the billions of dollars for a fuel import bill swollen by this year's maxi-devaluation — a reckless money supply is the most frequent culprit for inflation continuing at last year's levels despite markedly lower economic activity. But never underestimate the effect of those constantly rising petrol prices (at the behest of YPF) in an economy which moves on wheels. Nor does the CFK administration monopolize all oil revenues — a battle royal over provincial royalties still awaits.
Far too many people are taking the Vaca Muerta bonanza for granted and debating whether the windfalls will be squandered as in Venezuela or ploughed into anti-cyclical funds as in Norway (or Chile). This is jumping the gun — YPF and CFK simply do not have the money to go it alone. First, the huge capital sums needed to set the hydraulic fracking in motion must be raised and fairly quickly before comparable deposits are located elsewhere in the world (if Sussex has shale, who doesn't?).
So where will the coin fall — on the side of New York or Fortaleza? We are not likely to see this question answered by either Pollack or Putin in the next couple of days but already in the course of this month we may have some clues as to whether global capital markets and private-sector majors or strategic emerging market alliances are the shape of the investment to come. While there can be little doubt that the CFK administration's ideological preferences would favour the latter prospect, they are also a highly pragmatic outfit who would take the money from wherever it came, including Wall Street. Of course, while the odds are on both a settlement with the holdouts (for which Argentina's need is so strong that it has bred a rare national consensus) and Sino-Russian interest in developing the country's wealth of resources, failure is also possible on both fronts — Economy Minister Axel Kicillof has repeatedly underlined the "impossibility" of veteran Manhattan judge Thomas Griesa's ruling while Xi Jinping's predecessor Hu Jintao visited Argentina a decade ago amid talk of a US$20-billion Chinese investment which ended up being a pipe-dream.
Not that investment here should necessarily be assumed to be an either/or proposition between the Wall Street and BRICS axes— thus without waiting for either a settlement with holdout creditors or the Fortaleza summit, General Motors announced a quarter-billion-dollar investment on Monday.
Meanwhile the domestic economic scene is full of gloom and doom — more so than most countries according to an Ipsos survey which shows the Argentine public as the most pessimistic of the world alongside Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa (curiously enough, all the Latin American heavyweights seem to be floundering while the region's minor economies are flourishing quite nicely). Looking at the fellow-pessimists (misery loves company, they say), how much more is the national mood set to plunge in Brazil in particular after the Wagnerian rendering given to the "sete mares" of Toquinho's Acuarela in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday?
Yet (returning to Argentina) amid all the economic woes, should we necessarily assume that the CFK administration is failing in its objectives? The steady trend of this year has been to expand the state's share of the economy at the expense of a languishing private sector while public spending surges ahead by some 40 percent — faster than either almost any estimate of annual inflation or the pace of revenue increase. But revenue is still aggressive enough (especially with the ravages of a rigidly low income tax floor which has not been updated in the last 10 months) to crowd out the private sector. Doubts have been cast on Kicillof's Marxist credentials because of his tame attitudes to creditors in recent months but viewing the advance of the state share of the economy under his stewardship, the man is a true Stakhanovite.
If we are awaiting Putin in today's column, it will be the turn of Chinese President Xi Jinping in next week's while the following Thursday the end of the 30-day grace period to heed Griesa's ruling will be around the corner. They also serve who only stand and wait.


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He is recently getting over a cold and now he has a rash all over. It is small and not really very red. It is mostly on his stomach, and his legs. Any ideas what it is caused from? What should I use on it?Answer Question
Asked by mazonmom at 7:53 PM on Jan. 18, 2009 in Toddlers (1-2)Level 3 (25 Credits)
Answer by Dani32 at 8:04 PM on Jan. 18, 2009
Answer by Dani32 at 8:05 PM on Jan. 18, 2009
Answer by mazonmom at 10:19 PM on Jan. 18, 2009
Answer by maddoxsmommy605 at 2:04 AM on Jan. 19, 2009
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Featuring Dana Frank. Also includes great coverage of Victoria Nuland doing a piss-poor job of evading State Department responsibility at official press conference.
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no ref ;D The place we love, that is our home, a home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. Oliver Wendell Holmes..
Java Draw Created May 25, 2010 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2010 ZorbaX.
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omg i love this cute little teddy bear ;) its so tiny and cute and alone ;) shades and colors are awesome ;) one of the best drawings i saw here :) bravo !
Cool looking draw!
Great work the effects are real nice keep it up 10/10
Love all the shades of blue~ 5/5
ahh LOL !f you look at the big dot as a nose it looks like pooh. Either way I love it!
Si mi dibujo es excelente, los tuyos ya no se pueden ni expresar con esta parabla... :D Que lugar tant acogedor, sin duda, el sentimiento de "casa"! 5(L) y te puntuaría más si pudiera!
Awesome color scheme and that ogre is soooo cute! :) 5 ♥s
I think we're confusing the big dot on your face is his mouth the nose is higher up haha ;D!
I am partial to the color blue and and it's shades. Also don't know if it is by accident or on purpose but that "ogre" looks alot like winnie the pooh LOL 8)


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Risk Weighting Called Crippling
With the May 28 comment deadline looming, Jim Blaine is already planning ahead for passage of the NCUA's risk-based capital rule.
If the tenets of the rule go unchanged, in particular what he considers egregious risk-weightings in several key areas, the president/CEO of the $28.3 billion State Employees' Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C., may ask his board to consider converting to a mutual bank.
"It's like marrying the devil," Blaine said. "We're a cooperative, but the board has to look after the best interests of our members. If we can make loans more cheaply as a bank than as a credit union, we're obligated to look into that."
SECU is the nation's second-largest credit union. As a bank, it would barely break the Top 40. The largest, JPMorgan Chase, now has assets of $2.4 trillion.
Among the proposed rule's many problems, said the outspoken Blaine, is risk weightings given to specific long-term assets that he said would ultimately penalize institutions holding a cooperative charter.
"If I had to grade the current rule I would give it an F," Blaine said. "I am very supportive of risk weightings and risk-based capital, but the NCUA's rules appear arbitrary, and that to me is scary."
Blaine's assessment is echoed in numerous letters and emails received by the NCUA since the proposed rule was announced earlier this year. Despite credit unions' relatively overall positive performance during the recent recession, they would be required to reserve more capital than banks.
Another outspoken critic of the proposals said any attempt to create a single regulatory profile for all credit unions is not only misguided, but undermines the decision-making authority of credit union boards and management, according to Chip Filson, chair of Callahan & Associates.
"Capital adequacy for credit unions in America is unmatched, but that doesn't mean a one-size-fits-all national formula is going to work," said Filson, a former NCUA executive staffer who once served as the agency's director of programs and is a former president of the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.
"Credit unions make informed decisions every day about the adequacy for reserves and net loss needed to sustain business plans for what they do in their local marketplace," Filson said. "Neither man nor model can adequately assess given risk and adequate circumstance before the fact."
Douglas Fecher, president/CEO of the $2.7 billion Wright-Patt Credit Union in Fairborn, Ohio, raised similar concerns.
"The proposed rule will fundamentally change the decision-making process of boards and managers, away from service to members and community and instead towards managing 'capital at risk,'" Fecher said in an early draft of his letter to the NCUA. "We see no compelling evidence that the proposed rule is better than the current risk-based net worth system, or even necessary."
A March 17 email to NCUA from a credit union member identified only as "Ken" brought home the point as well.
"What are you doing?" asked Ken. "The credit unions are a great asset to this country and you are trying to kill them, especially the little ones.
"As a consumer in the process of purchasing my retirement home and taking out a mortgage from a credit union, do you expect me to find a CU where MY mortgage isn't going to affect the capital requirements?" continued Ken. "Nope, I'll go to a bank. If everyone does this what will you have left to regulate?????"
The NCUA's 198-page proposal, which amends seven sections of the Federal Credit Union Act, was introduced Jan. 23 with comments due no later than May 28. The agency also will host listening sessions on June 26 in Los Angeles, July 10 in Chicago and July 17 in Alexandria, Va.
"Listening sessions after the comment period is over means what's discussed doesn't become part of the record," Blaine said. "It would be a great grace to the industry to put them on the record."
The rule, which regulators said is designed to make credit union rules consistent with OCC, FDIC, Federal Reserve and corporate capital requirements, replaces existing risk-based net worth requirements with risk-based capital requirements. Once approved, credit unions will have between 12 and 18 months to comply with the new standards.
The change was implemented as part of Chairman Debbie Matz's initiatives to modernize standards established in 2001 after the 1998 passage of the Credit Union Membership Access act, said Larry Fazio, director of examinations and insurance.
"We really haven't updated it since and a lot has happened since 2001," Fazio said in an agency video about the proposed rule.
According to the video, the new rule will only affect those credit unions considered "complex," defined as the roughly 2,200 institutions with more than $50 million in assets out of a total of about 6,600 credit unions. Of that number, about 200 credit unions will see a change in their PCA category, according to JeanMarie Komyathy, NCUA's director of risk management.
"About 190 (credit unions) will go from a well-capitalized position to an adequately capitalized position, which means their risk-based capital will be between 8% and 10.49%," Komyathy told video viewers. "The other 10 or so credit unions will go to an under-capitalized position where their risk-based capital will be below 8%."
That's just 3% of all credit unions representing only 7% of industry assets, Komyathy said. Those are the credit unions that will have to make choices to either raise more capital or shed some of the long-term assets the agency considers risky to their balance sheets, she added.
The risk-based capital ratio for credit unions currently stands at 7% overall for credit unions. This compares to a 5% ratio for banks as dictated by Basel III, the international banking guidelines that U.S. banks adopted in 2013.
More disturbing to many credit unions, however, are the risk ratings for various long-term assets, including member business loans, certain investments, CUSOs and mortgages, which some larger credit unions have in abundance. Those risk weights would increase based on the percentage of the portfolio that they occupy.
Consider, for example, member business loans under the new proposal. In credit unions where MBLs comprise less than 10% of assets, the risk weight would be 100%. If MBLs comprise 15% to 25% of assets, the risk weight would be 150%, and those institutions with more than 25% of assets devoted to MBLs are facing risk weights of 200%.
Risk weighting for mortgage servicing rights and CUSOs top the list at a whopping 250%. The weighting, at least when it comes to CUSOs, will almost guarantee declines in what otherwise have been profitable collaborative investments, say critics of the rule.
"The new risk-weightings will change credit union balance sheets," said Mark Starr, president/CEO of $559 million Florida Credit Union in Gainesville, Fla. "It will require credit unions to grow based on assets with lower risk weights so we won't fall out of compliance. We think it will limit us to the point where we won't be competitive in five to 10 years."
The risk weight is assessed regardless of any qualifying strategy on the part of the credit union itself, which many believe flies in the face of basic credit union management oversight.
The NCUA declined to comment on this or other issues prior to the May 28 deadline for comment letters, according to spokesperson John Fairbanks.
The simplified – and some say simple-minded – one-size-fits-all approach flies in the face of credit union operations and purpose, according to Starr.
"Credit unions are in the risk-management game, not the risk-avoidance game," Starr wrote in his comment letter. "We must take on risk, get paid for it and manage it effectively in order to be economically viable. For this reason, risk weights must be assigned looking at the entire credit union, its earnings potential and its ability to mitigate losses."
Next week: Alternatives to NCUA's risk-based capital proposal.


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Google It: IT`s Competitive AdvantageBy Brian P. Watson | Posted 12-10-2009
Google It: IT`s Competitive Advantage
When people talk about Google as a corporate entity, they often talk--jealously, at times--about the company's innovative culture, with its sprawling campus, free meals and endless amenities.
One of the people at the forefront of that culture is Google's CIO. Ben Fried believes that IT plays a pivotal role in building a great culture--and subsequently a great company--and he puts it into practice in a number of ways.
One part of that is making technology accessible and open. By giving users what they want--instead of what the company believes is best--Fried believes CIOs can empower employees to do more. "It's almost insulting to people when they hear, 'We know better than you how it's best for you to work,'" he says. And the company benefits not only from the increased productivity and morale, but also when recruiting talented support professionals.
But it also puts a good face on IT. In an era in which business users believe their IT organizations take too long and spend too much for products and services that don't meet their needs, CIOs and their teams need to make smarter decisions, he says.
Fried has gleaned these and other lessons from his time at Google, and from his previous work as an infrastructure architect at Morgan Stanley. Fried spoke recently about his IT leadership philosophy with CIO Insight Editor in Chief Brian P. Watson. What follows is an edited, condensed version of their discussion.
CIO Insight: You've worked in two industries--finance and technology--where IT is often a competitive advantage. What have you learned?
Fried: A lot of CIOs say their only job is to create competitive advantage for their company. I shade it a little differently. Creating competitive advantage is incredibly important, but I think you need to be aware that differentiation doesn't necessarily have to limit itself to competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is one important way in which a company can differentiate itself.
But more and more, people need to understand the way IT becomes part of corporate culture. Part of establishing a great company is establishing a unique culture. It's critical to find what defines your company and makes it different. It might not necessarily be making the product better or cheaper that creates competitive advantage. Technology has a unique opportunity to make your company different, and that's what CIOs need to focus on.
One thing CIOs--and other executives, I'm sure--have a hard time with is that the things that got you into that seat have very little do with the things you need to do once you're in it. You have to eliminate all sentimentality from yourself. It's very easy to want to continue doing the things that got you to where you are, but you have to realize that you have to take a broader view of the company.
What other mistakes do CIOs run into when it comes to differentiation?
Fried:A lot of CIOs don't get that there are different economies they can harness by forgetting the business of building out infrastructure. Infrastructure, in general, is rarely something that is a great differentiator. You have to carefully consider how many endeavors you want to be engaged in that are notable to your company only in their absence.
No one ever calls you up because packets were really fast today, or because they hit "send" in an e-mail client and the window disappeared right away. No one will ever thank you for doing those things. There are only so many things that any one organization or CIO can spend time on. How much time do you want to spend on things that aren't noticeable? A lot of CIOs got started by building all this stuff out, so it's really hard to look back and say, "Do I really need to keep doing this?"
At Morgan Stanley, we were very early customers of the Google search appliance. A lot of the young people there had their first exposure to productivity applications via Google Apps. That's what they wanted. We gave them something else, which was more expensive and not what they wanted to deal with. It made me think: How do you deal with this, because there's only so long you can give them the tools they don't want and expect to get out of them everything they're capable of.
Why CIOs don't grasp differentiation
Why do you think so many CIOs don't grasp the potential for differentiation? Is it because they're too techie?
Fried:There are a bunch of things CIOs struggle with. A lot of it is tied to demographics. When a lot of us entered the work force, the expectation was that the best technology would come from your employer. I was never going to get a computing environment at home that was better than what I got at work--you couldn't afford it, there were no networks, there were no routers, etc. It's hard to imagine those dark ages, but a lot of people grew up in that era with the expectation that there was a tremendous expertise in corporate IT that determined what the best technology choices were for a company, and they gave them to the people in the company.
With access to the Internet, there was an inversion. People coming into the work force now typically have better home technology than what they get at work. They're not tied to refresh cycles, they have bigger monitors, they have a faster Internet connection. I remember when all Morgan Stanley ran off of two 1.5-megabit T-1 line connections to the Internet, and now RCN gives me a 20-megabit connection to the Internet at home. So the inversion we've discovered is that the younger generation has already made their technology choices, and they're frequently able to acquire better technology than their company gives them. That makes this very, very hard.
So are you saying CIOs should embrace what their users want?
Fried:It's hard to accept the fact that people want to work differently from the way we've told them they had to. When I spent my full time developing software, we used to joke that you chose the text editor you used to write programs based on a religious opinion you had. It's hard for CIOs to accept that people feel strongly, passionately and personally about the technology tools they use to work. It's almost insulting to people when they hear, "We know better than you how it's best for you to work." It's tough for people who came from a generation where they weren't empowered and technically capable of making choices.
There was this example at Morgan Stanley where a summer intern looked at the technology the company gave him and came back the next day with his own PC. He had more memory, a faster processor and a different software set than the company had given him. He didn't even connect to the corporate network; he just bought a WAN card. And he was the highest ranked intern in his class. My bet was that some of these fast movers will sit on a rocket to the C-suite. Some of the people from that generation are going to be the CIO's bosses. And they'll say, "What do you do? I've never used any of your services or respected any of them."
Speaking more directly about differentiation ...writing software is hard. It has elements of art, science and engineering. Building infrastructure is largely determined for you--if you have good people and good vendors and experience, you can accurately predict when you're going to build architecture or a data center.
When you talk about differentiation, custom software that does something that's unique to your company is one of those things that adds differentiation, something that people talk about. There's where CIOs should focus--it's where you can most interestingly differentiate your company.
It's easier to be distracted by the idea that we can make a whole set of technology decisions for the work force, when the reality is that we're probably best off making decisions about what makes our company really different.
You talk about productivity. It's a top concern for CIOs right now. Why not give these younger people the tools they want?
Fried:The reality is that you build up an entire ecosystem around this set of decisions. I know a lot of organizations that try to take internal help-desk customer support and try to outsource it and turn it into pay-per-ticket or something like that. A common approach to driving costs out of customer support is rigid standardization--the thinking there is, we're choosing only one tool for each job and, in so doing, we'll make the support very easy and low cost.
People have all kinds of great metrics for measuring this. But those CIOs end up getting painted into a corner. They take a standardization approach, which is "all or nothing" for the organization and do things all one way; it may be a Socratic extreme, but it describes the philosophy by saying, "By not doing, we'll knock costs out of the system."
We try to give people some measure of choice that we can support and build an ecosystem around. We support Macintosh and two versions of Windows and Linux on the desktop. We obviously like and prefer when people use Google Apps, but we also have Microsoft Office, OpenOffice and iWork in the environment. So there's a lot of choice, and we've made an investment to do this.
When you create an environment where support is interesting, you get support people who are attracted to it. We're able to hire people who maybe used Macs at school but now want to learn Windows. You get people who have an inherent interest in the technology and in the work.
Like anything else, finding good people isn't easy, but it's not markedly harder to find these sorts of people. When you have them, you don't have to worry about canning every response to every problem. You definitely have to build up knowledge bases; but here, the person you present your problem to is the person who solves your problem.
That's very different from my experiences at other companies. A lot of other companies try to optimize as much out of it as possible, and they'll deal with cookbook responses and escalate as few as possible. That's a very different model.
Users know when they are talking with someone who clearly doesn't understand the problem and is reading off a worksheet they've been given--and they don't like it. Having a diverse technology environment allows you to get better support people. Having better support people allows you to close out more problems on the front lines than you would be able to otherwise. That turns out to be a material cost benefit.
Secondarily, it makes technology change management much easier. Then you have support people that think on their feet and react to changes and probably get there without having to do a large amount of planning. We've had a few cases like that this year.
In one case (where we discontinued a product that thousands of people used every day), I would have expected that, as a result of that change, there would have been people in colored shirts saying, "I'm the person to teach you how to change your work habits from using this technology to that technology."
But I got no escalations when we shut it down. To a large degree, that was because the support people knew how to handle these potential problems.
Difficult for IT leaders to shift thinking
But isn't it difficult for IT leaders to shift to that way of thinking?
Fried:I liken it to something I read in an article last year in The Economist. In Europe, it's been becoming more common to take down road signage in towns around common squares. The observation was that strict traffic laws in pedestrian-centric, central towns were actually driving up accidents. There was too much distraction--drivers were following signs and not thinking and looking around for themselves. A number of European cities ended up removing signage. It sounds completely counterintuitive, but they found marked decreases in accident rates.
So my observation is that it's possible to give people choice. Google is a place with a very high percentage of tech-savvy people. But I think we're proof that you can create a technology environment where you give people choice. You actually get a better support organization, which gives you better change management, which gives you happier users.
The argument against it is that support costs will go through the roof. Yes, you do have to invest in having more expertise in more operating systems, etc. But virtually all of our applications are Web-based, so we don't worry about desktop installs and supporting native applications and clients.
But wouldn't some say that could only happen at a company like Google?
Fried:I don't think that's true. I talk with a lot of people who are thinking about doing it. Approaches like that are attractive.
One of the problems you encounter when you have a desktop-centric IT stack is the high cost of opening new offices. I saw it at Morgan Stanley. We had so much internal technology that was needed to power the Morgan Stanley desktop. It was very expensive, so the technology costs associated with opening a new office were very high. The joke was we were looking at a business deal with a company in China, and the cost of putting one ex-pat who understood and could support the technology used there was more than the payroll of the entire office combined, and that the cost of one decked-out computer was more than any one employee's annual salary.
This ties back to the Google approach, in that there's a lot less infrastructure needed. You worry about more Internet connectivity. That means you can be more nimble.
CIOs are thinking about where to invest in the next surge. I came to Google for this reason, and I don't say it because I'm at Google: Cloud technologies offer us a way to get into new locations cheaper than we could with fully installed software-based approaches before. That's going to be important as companies look to "seek alpha," as we used to say on Wall Street, in new locations--especially in the developing world, where no CIO wants the dominant cost to be whether or not there's an ROI to opening a new office. Don't be in that business. Don't have that bull's-eye on you.
Google is obviously a tech-savvy company. Does that put more pressure on you and IT?
Fried:I haven't counted up all the numbers, but probably a plurality of people on our operating committee have Ph.D.s in computer science or were in Ph.D. programs. So it's a very different job from that of a lot of other CIOs.
Does it put pressure on us? IT is considered an engineering discipline here, so that puts me in a group with the people in charge of search, Apps, Maps, Google Earth and so on.
I think it's fantastic that IT is held to the same engineering standards as the rest of what Google does. In the fight for talent, it turns out to be a huge advantage. We want the same caliber people working in IT as those working on search, Maps, etc. You can come into Google and have access to all these things and be judged on the same playing field. It creates pressure, but it creates the kind of pressure I want--to be excellent.
I started out talking about my belief that the best way to create differentiation is creating technology. Being part of a broader organization that's all about building technology adds pressure, but pressure that moves us in the right direction.


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I have several bags of this stuff left and would love some input as to what I can add to make this stuff palatable to my plants. Every seed I've ever started in it has not made it. Perlite? regular potting soil? Peat? Something has to lighten it up.
Jiffy mix
Hmmmmm? What does it say the ingredients are?
I've been using the Jiffy Mix Plus for two years now. Started when I couldn't buy vermiculite locally, so had to make do. It worked really good. This fall I stocked up when WallMart was clearing it out: 65 cents each for the large (nine quart) size.
The plus contains peat and vermiculite, according to the label, plus a modicum of fertilizer. It seems just the right density for me.
If you have to lighten it up, a bit of perlite certainly wouldn't hurt; maybe a third by volume. I wouldn't use potting soil for starting seeds, you'll just be making the mix heavier and chance introducing pathogens.
What do you mean by seeds not making it? Do they germinate and not grow? Or not germinate? Or what?
I got the same mix when WM marked it down. It just seems to compact and I really have had next to nothing germinate in it. Things from the same pack do well in Ultimate (like Pro-mix) but I wanted to use this up.
When WM had their fall sale I bought 15 of their starter pack (72 cells) with peat pellets. I want to do winter sowing with them but kinda afraid they may not work.
I may just remove the pellets & use the mini hot house with some type of soil.. any ideas on the pellets will be welcomed.. any ideas for a CHEAP soil? *S*
I don't know what to tell you, TiG. Mine doesn't compact at all, and everything has germinated and grown well in it. In fact, I've got some stuff growing under lights that I've just left in it. Instead of watering straight, however, I use Shultz's food, at 25% strength.
Sugar: I don't care for the pellets, nor does anybody I know whose tried them. They have a tendency to not reconsitute evenly, and, because they absorb so much water, seeds rot.
If you do raise seedlings in it, be sure and cut the netting several times when transplanting. Despite what Jiffy says, most root systems aren't strong enough to grow through it without some help.
well, maybe it's the way I do it. I wet it all in a very large bowl and then pack the seed trays. Perhaps I'm packing them too tight. I just did a little more, and I wet it just through, and then very lightly packed. Watered to get any pockets out. If you have a certain way to do it, I'd love to know!!!!
I just got the jiffy "seed starting mix". Is that what your having trouble with tiG? I have a hard time with peat based mixes - even the promix. The peat just seems to stay water logged and then dry out like a brick. I'd like to find something else to use that doesn't cost a fortune. I'm never happy with my seed mix. I've been thinking about buying the capilary mats for better watering control. i think that would help.
Sugar_fl - I did winter sowing with some poppies in one of those peat pellet trays. I cut the netting off the pellets after I soaked them. Planted the seeds - and put the tray w/ dome in a big clear garbage bag. If you think you'll get a lot of snow the dome will cave in so leave it off. And - if I recall right the tray under the pellets doesn't have any drainage holes so make sure to cut some. The poppies came up good - but it's hard to moniter the moisture with those small peat pellets - one hot sunny day will dry them right out. Your best bet is to plant them in the ground as soon as possible. I think they'd be Ok for quick germinators that you can plant quickly into the ground. Other than poppies ... maybe candytuft, cal. poppies, batchelar buttons, alyssum, chinese forget me nots or calendula. You should be able to plant those shortly after they germinate - and they'll be able to take a few frosts. I wouldn't use them for small seeds that need some growing time in order to be planted out in the garden. My best winter sowing success was using plain old Coke bottles cut in half. They did much better than the chinese food containers and all the other container types I used. They held the moisture better and hold enough soil to keep them happy. Any I do this year will be with coke bottles.
The pellets are quite good for starting cuttings, but I agree the seeds and seedlings don't do so well without a lot of attention.
Do I understand that U cut the coke bottles in 1/2 by cutting the tops off...We don't get snow here in the FL panhandle but is pretty cold right now.. been going into the
middle & lower 20s at nite.. it doesn't stay that cold long & the last frost is around March 15. I keep wondering how the topsoil I got from WM last fall will do.. it was very light & fluffy.. Black.. probably had lots of sand in it. It feels like some expensive seed starting soil we bought. We planted a few radishes in it last fall just as a experiment.. they came up quick & after a couple of weeks we dumped them.. they were living but didn't want to plant them out as it was too late & we saw that they would come up & survive.. now would tiny flower seed do OK..
Anyway I think I'll just take out the pellets & use the mini green houses with some kinda soil.
Thanks & I'm open to any other ideas :)
Yes - the coke bottles are cut in � - the bottom part would be the pot and the top part is the cover. Put 3 or 4 drainage holes in the bottom and a few slits in the top for ventilation (leave the cap on). Your top soil would probably work fine. You could always mix it with some peat if you think it's too heavy. After planting your seeds you put the tops back on the bottles ... you have to kinda sqeeze the bottom so the top fits over it. I put them in cardboard boxes to keep them upright and the wind from blowing them away. Put them outside and as the temps warm up and you see some seeds sprouting you can remove the bottle caps to give them extra ventilation. Eventually remove the entire bottle tops. I found I didn't have to water very often but it could be different in your climate.
What I do is put the Jiffy mix in the flat or other planting container. I then wet it until water flows from the drain holes. Then I barely press down on the surface, just enough to compact the mix slightly.
Seeds go in. Most of the time I'm starting small seeds, so I just lay them on the surface and sprinkle with another 1/4" or so of dry Jiffy. Then I spray water again until the new layer is wetted---which takes more water than you might think.
That's my whole procedure. Once the seed germinates, however, I strictly bottom water. I want the surface to be no wetter than a wrung out sponge.
Hope this helps.
well, what I am finding is that water will come through, but if you stick your finger down in the middle, it's still dry as a bone. But I am going to give this a shot with some duplicate seeds, and see if that's what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for your help.
How are you applying water?
What I do is use the sprayer head on the sink. I lay down an even application, flooding the surface, and let that sink in. Then do it again. And again. Depending on the depth of the flat or container, it can take quite a few such applications.
Problem with just pouring water on is that until the peat component gets damp water runs right off it. Maybe that's been your problem? The water is just draining through without being absorbed?
An alternate approach would be to submerge the flat, and let it sit for awhile to fully absorb water. Then let it drain overnight or even longer (otherwise it will be too wet), and go on from there.
I have read elsewhere to add a few drops of dish washing soap like Dawn to the water U use to soak the jiffy mix. I haven't tried it but may be worth trying..
Warm water soaks into peat quicker too
Tig, I used Jiffy mix last year for all my seeds. (Sure wish our WM had marked theirs down - I paid a lot more than $.65 for each bag I purchased!)
I totally agree with Brook's advice: DON'T wet it first. I scoop it dry into all the cells in a flat, press down lightly to make sure the cells are fairly full (1/4" head space give or take.)
I usually go ahead and plant the seeds before I moisten the soil (right or wrong, I dunno.) After the seeds are planted, I have a watering "bladder" thing I got from Park Seed years ago (it looks like a hand grenad with a brass nozzle cap, LOL!) and I fill it with warm water and spray it over the top of the cell packs. Then I take 2-3 cups of warm water and pour into the flat, and let it wick up into the plants. Somehow moistening the top first seems to help the water draw more quickly up through the cells for that initial watering.
After that, it was very easy to keep the soil moist. When the surface got dry, I put 3-4 cups of water in the flat (usually warm water, BTW), and it would wick up within 15 minutes or so. This was a once-every-5-days-or-so procedure while the seedlings were indoors.
The only complaint I had with the Jiffy mix (aside from price) was that it tended to form a green "funk" on the surface - probably a harmless manifestation of the fertilizer, but I've had damp-off problems in the past and it worried me. So I bought a 50 lb. bag of chick grit from my co-op ($5), and spread it around the seedlings, and that seemed to help. Also, about once every 2-3 weeks I'd mix up a 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in my watering bladder thingy, and spray it on top. I had great success starting seeds last year. Hope our advice helps you!!!
thanks for all the advice!!! giving this stuff another shot:)
Go_Vols- What's the purpose of the peroxide? Dry it up... kill off mold? Huh, huh? =)
info on peroxide... be sure to scroll down to see info ... http://www.flaggsgardencenter.com/tips.html
Great site, MaVie.......I learn sooooo much from you!!
Yes, thank you < hug > , MaVie =)
u're very welcome :)! my pleasure.. always ready to give a lending hand. just keep those inquiry coming, i also learn a lot from u guys. Thanks! ma vie
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GRAHAM � In need of a boost from its bench, Eastern Alamance received exactly that against Graham.
The Eagles pulled away in the first half and held off a late charge for a 70-62 victory against host Graham in non-conference boys� basketball action Saturday night.
�In the first half, we built a sizable lead with some guys that don�t get to play sometimes,� Eastern Alamance Jay McPherson said. �I was very happy with that, very happy with the way we played defense, very happy with the way that group boxed out.�
Reserve guard Rashad Reed led the Eagles (8-2) with 12 points � all of which came in the first half. Malcolm Summers and Lamont Robinson each had 10 points, although Robinson spent much of the game seated with foul trouble.
That opened opportunities for Reed, Devari Moore and Isiah Evans, each of whom had six points, to fill the scoring void.
�Foul trouble dictated a lot of the game, but that gave some guys a chance to step in there and show us what they�ve got,� McPherson said.
Reed said despite playing in front of packed gym, he wasn�t nervous to step into a larger role.
�I know Coach expects me to step up. It�s not the refs that control the game, it�s how we play,� Reed said.
After trailing by as many as 20 early in the second half, Graham (6-5) cut Eastern Alamance�s lead to four twice in the last three minutes, at 62-58 and 64-60.
But the Red Devils never came closer, with Robinson scoring six points in the final 3:20 and dishing to Moore for a basket with 1:04 left. John Lamot effectively sealed the victory by making one of two free throws, rebounding his miss on the second free throw and scoring to put the Eagles ahead 69-60 with 39 seconds to go.
That sequence came after Lamot swatted Trent Torain�s 3-point attempt from the left wing. Lamot had nine points and filled in at point guard.
�I had to take over, get the team into the plays, because we were trying to freestyle for a second,� Lamot said.
Graham outscored Eastern Alamance 40-32 in the second half, but couldn�t complete its comeback from what coach Mike Williams called a �sloppy� first half.
�They got every loose ball and we didn�t execute very well early. It put us in a hole,� Williams said. �it was a missed opportunity because we felt like if we would have brought the intensity in the first half like we did in the second half, then we had a chance.�
Eastern Alamance opened its lead to close the first half, when it held Graham without a field goal for the last 3:40. In that time, the Eagles held a 12-3 advantage and scored most of their points on offensive rebounds and at the free-throw line.
It was a change of pace for Eastern Alamance, which can make its fair share of 3-pointers. The Eagles didn�t hit a long-range shot Saturday night.
�I think we�re like a bunch of guards, so I think we�d be hitting 3s, but we took it inside (Saturday) night, did good jobs on the boards,� Lamot said. �Gotta get better on the defensive boards, but I think we did good.�
Girls� game
Eastern Alamance dominated throughout and won a non-conference game 63-27.
The Eagles (7-4) were paced by Jaimee Cousin�s 12 points, with 11 points from Keke Smith and eight points each from Midori Long and Breanna Evans.
With the bulk of conference play approaching, Eastern Alamance coach Tim Krotish was pleased with his team�s performance.
�I thought the kids came out focused and played a hard game. I don�t have any complaints about it,� Krotish said. �Big ones coming up, conference play.�
Taylor Fluette led Graham (1-9) with 13 points, including the only two 3-pointers of the game. The Red Devils were without starter Sequoia Evans after the guard was injured Friday night.


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5 Comments
interesting abstract…+1
Kaysetoaster Artist
you have to look carefully.. most people just don't think about how great it actually would look on a shirt.. damn cool style ;) and i support amans comment ;)
This is very nice too!, but maybe on an other colored shirt, I think charcoal would be the best! absolutely voted!
Aman is great, and I would take his advice! A dark charcoal background! Bodacious style though! ;) As they say in Chinese (太棒了)Terrific!
this will look good on almost any color. dope abstract feel. and no rocket ships ;)


text:
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for interested, reliable and committed volunteers who would like to live at the Merrill Lake campground during the summer months (one month commitment is ok-July is taken) to provide a positive, helpful and informative DNR presence as camp hosts. Merrill Lake is located about an hour NE of Vancouver and is one of the premier fly-fishing only lakes in Washington. This small 9-site primitive campground is nestled in amongst a patch of old growth forest near the base of Mount St Helens. The host pad will accommodate a 24-foot RV, with septic hookup. There is no phone. Limited power by generator is possible.
Hosts have two primary duties – to conduct general campground maintenance, and to act as a point of contact for campers. To inquire about a volunteer host position, please contact Carlo Abbruzzese, Natural Areas Manager, at (360) 274-2056 or email at email@example.com.


text: Eric Roberson is one of few contemporary masters of the love song. While most are content with only covering the more lustful side of love, he opts to view it in all its glory and nuances. This is why his tunes about first love are just as powerful as his songs about heartbreak. Case in point, his newest single (and album standout) "At the Same Time." In the video for the song, Eric brings on the heartache as he weaves a tale about that most unfortunate circumstance of love: bad timing. We've all had that one that got away not because of any wrongdoing or mistakes, but simply because the timing just wasn't right, and Eric illustrates this perfectly in the song's video. We find Eric, ever the songwriter, spending a lot more time with his piano and pen than with his lady. Of course, this leads to some friction between him and his lady love and, eventually, the demise of their relationship. The video perfectly captures the feeling of regret that Eric expresses in his song while featuring his leading lady looking gorgeous (though heartbroken). Of course, Mister Nice Guy is filled with quite a few great musical moments, but "At The Same Time" might just be one of my favorites.


text:
Support asymetric RSA in Crypto API
From eLinux.org
Revision as of 10:52, 1 October 2013 by Tim Bird (Talk | contribs) (add link to James Morris' crypto API PDF)
- Summary
- Support asymetric RSA in Crypto API
- Proposer
- Tim Bird, Sony Mobile
The current AF_ALG interface to user space only supports hash and symmetric algorithms. Some user applications may want to utilize HW crypto engine's asymetric algorithm, like RSA. The purpose of this project would be to add full RSA support in the kernel, extending the crypto API if needed.
Related work
- RSA signature checking was added to the kernel in version 3.7
- http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3447.txt
- The Linux Kernel Cryptographic API
Contractor Candidates
None yet.


text:
my metronome, recorded in the bathroom at 60 BPM (more calm now, he's out of the closet, ha ha). Rode NT4 > MZ-N10 MD
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Edited by Jill A. Tardiff with Randy Kato, Shannon Maughan, John Niernberger, Diane Patrick, Karole Riippa, Laurele Riippa and Mary Ann Tennenhouse
Booth: 4137.
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Featured:Bicycle: The History by David Herlihy; The Last of the Celts by Marcus Tanner; The Artist's Reality by Mark Rothko; Rescued from the Reich: How One of Hitler's Soldiers Saved the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Bryan Rigg; The Red Pencil: Convictions from Experience in Education by Theodore Sizer; Politics and Passion: Toward a More Egalitarian Liberalism by Michael Walzer; Stieglitz: A Beginning Light by Katherine Hoffman; Glamour: Fashion, Design, Architecture by Joseph Rosa et al.; Many Are Called by Walker Evans; Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition, edited by Jeffrey Cramer.
Giveaways: galleys.
Drawings: raffle for bicycle.
Discounts: 48% on backlist (10-unit maximum per title) on orders placed by June 30, 2004.
Booth: 1212.
Distributed by National Book Network.
Featured:Natural Healing with Qigong: Therapeutic Qigong by Aihan Kuhn; The Martial Way and Its Virtues:Tao De Gung by F.J. Chu; Liuhebafa Five Character Secrets by Paul Dillon; The Way of Kendo & Kenjitsu: Soul of the Samurai by Darrell Max Craig; titles by Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang, including Qigong Meditation: Embryonic Breathing, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, Eight Simple Qigong Exercises for Health (DVD) and Taijiquan, Classical Yang Style (DVD).
Drawings: for $150 gift coupon.
Booth: 1343.
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Booth: 2263.
Booth: 257.
This first-time exhibitor is the premier CD and cassette-maker company in Latin America, and the largest publisher of audio books in Spanish; Disonex is a digital-recording company in Colombia; a part of the Spanish Book Pavilion.
Booth: 4203.
Featured:Zagat Survey U.S. Family Travel Guide; 2004/05 Zagat Survey Chicago Restaurants Guide; 2003/04 Chicago Restaurants Map; 2004 Zagat Survey New York City Restaurants Guide; 2004 Zagat Survey America's Top Golf Courses; 2004 Zagat Survey America's Top Restaurants; 2004 Zagat Survey Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas; Zagat Survey 2004 Movie Guide; Zagat Survey Music Guide.
Giveaways: samplers; subscriptions via beaming station for "Zagat to Go" handheld software application.
Discounts: free freight.
Booth: 3105.
Booth: 2456.
Publishes under Zondervan, Zonderkidz and Inspirio imprints; exhibiting with HarperCollins Publishers.
Featured from Zondervan:The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren; The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel; River's Edge by Terri Blackstock; Love Talk by Les and Leslie Parrott; The Power of Everybody by Bill Hybels; Soultracker by Bill Myers; In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart by Ruth Graham; Italian Duo Tone Bibles; NIV/Message Parallel Bible.
From Zonderkidz:Faithgirlz: Sophie's World by Nancy Rue; Silent Night, Holy Night by Myrna Strasser; Legend of the Christmas Stocking; Stable That Bob Built; Big Idea Books; The Mess Detectives: The Big Sleepover by Doug Peterson.
From Inspirio:Purpose-Driven Life Journals; Daily Inspiration for the Purpose-Driven Life; Meditations on the Purpose-Driven Life; Living the God Life by John Ortberg; Gentle Grace by Kathie Lee Gifford.
Giveaways: galleys of River's Edge and Love Talk; galleys of new Faithgirlz fiction titles; copies of Silent Night, Holy Night.
Drawings: signed print of original artwork from Silent Night, Holy Night.
Booth: 1601.


text:
Netgear GS108. Copper ethernet cabling technology: 1000BASE-T,100BASE-TX,10BASE-T. Networking standards: IEEE 802.3ab,IEEE 802.3i,IEEE 802.3u. MAC address table: 8000 entries, Switching capacity: 16 Gbit/s, Maximum data transfer rate: 1 Gbit/s. Data link protocols: Ethernet,Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet. LED indicators: Power, Safety: UL (UL 1950), CUL, C-Tick
Now you can have a powerful, high-speed network on a small scale. NETGEAR's GS108 Gigabit Ethernet Switch lets you build a system that provides a full, dedicated 1000, 100, or 10 Mbps connection so you can move very large files across your network instantly. The GS108 also lets you painlessly integrate 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps devices. This potent switch is packed with ease-of-use features to simplify your workday experience. It's compact design fits neatly into small work spaces and, since it's self-cooling without a fan, it runs silently and unobtrusively.


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Why Do Narcissist Marry and Why do they Marry so Soon?
By Tigress Luv, author of The Counterfeit Heart: Living with, Loving and Leaving a Narcissist
Why do narcissists marry? Because there is something in it for them.
Why do narcissists marry so soon after their previous relationship is over? To prove that the ex meant nothing to him and that what she thinks of him is not valid. That the ex was the flawed one, not him.
Why do narcissists get married? It is a power and control thing. He will then be in control of her. Her finances. Her assets. Her life. Her feelings. His intent is to keep her supplying him with his narcissistic supply, and have rights to her assets when the supply runs out.
Why do narcissists marry so quickly and fast after starting a new relationship? They want to entrap the woman as fast as they can before she sees his true and damaged self. He knows he cannot keep that mask on forever.
Why does a narcissist want to get married? Because it is harder for the woman to leave him when she has made a commitment, taken a vow, and share property and, perhaps, children.
Why does a narcissist enter a marriage if they do not take it seriously? Because they do take it seriously – that is, the procurement of possessions part – they do not feel or believe in the love and emotional intimacy part. They take only what is in it for them seriously, and nothing else matters. Not her feelings, not the children. Sometimes it is just a major ego boost to have someone agree to marry you after only a few dates. And. They. Cannot. Be. Alone.
Why does a narcissist marry? Because it enriches his plans to demonize, hurt, and punish his ex for leaving him, or for not worshipping him. It escalates and enhances the distance between him and his ex family. New beginnings effectively cancel out old endings to a narcissist.
Click here to read more of my articles on narcissism or to read my report, 'Breaking Up With Your Narcissist'.
(NOTE: Leaving a narcissist creates its own special set of emotional difficulties. To read up about narcissists and why it is so difficult to let go of a relationship with a narcissist, please visit Breaking Up With Your Narcissist... )
AFTERSHOCK: The Magazine for Moving On From a Narcissist. Read the magazine online now....totally 100% FREE!
Advice on Breakups
Relationship Insight
When Things Go Wrong


text:
It has been raining relentlessly across Europe and the summer has been no summer at all. We step outside, jackets thrown over our sweaters, umbrella unfurled, and walk into centreville, head bowed against the chill wind. We watch in dismay as the few tourists brave enough to face the inclement weather straggle through town looking for something to do. Anything. Expecting a hot, sunny summer and activities befitting a vacation, they instead find themselves confronted by rain, cold and not really a lot to do.
Summer seems to have skipped by us in France in record time and here we are already experiencing autumn. The rainy days are intermingled with cool, sunny days and it is hard to tell where we are. Yet, as any July in France, the true signs of summer are there and nothing ever changes: the streets are deserted, the cities abandoned as the French hit the autoroute and head for the mountains, the beach or the camping sites, come hell or high water. More than half the market stalls are empty, shrouded in tarp, the darkness spilling over into neighboring stands, dimming the entire indoor space. Restaurants close for one month, shops reduce their hours and even the newly-opened hot dog stand, my husband's newest passion, is shuttered. Woe to the odd tourist who finds him or herself in any city other than Paris: all activity comes to a screeching halt.
For those of us living in France and sticking around, spending the soothing summer months in our own apartments, a kind of Zen-like sensation settles upon the city and it is a true pleasure to take walks through the streets, window shop and stop for an ice cream without having to push our way through crowds of students, parents with small children and strollers, gaggles of teens oblivious to the world around them. No traffic slows down our occasional excursion outside the city for a walk in the vineyards or forest on the rare sunny day. No noise breaks the calming silence as we sit in our livingroom and read, windows thrown open to catch the soft breeze, weather permitting. The vacation spirit descends on our city and even those of us left behind find serenity and peace from the madness of the rest of the year.
The month of July, the 14th aside, is a month when exactly nothing happens. Yes, the campaigning for the next French presidential election goes on, albeit in flowered shirts and on the beaches of France for our contenders; the news programs continue to cover the world's happenings, although a bit more space is, as usual, devoted to the Tour de France, the World Cup swimming competition, the French Open and other sporting events and great blocks of time are filled with interviews of camp site directors, half-naked French families on the beach or sitting in their cars on the autoroute, stuck in traffic, or, worse, stuck inside tents in the pouring rain. After a week spent discovering the Canal de Nantes à Brest and a day visiting La Grande Brière, the marshland on the outskirts of Nantes, on one of those rare gorgeous days, including a spectacular lunch at La Mare aux Oiseaux and an afternoon at Le Jardin du Marais, we are back home and thoroughly enjoying the calm of an empty city. And cooking.
Yes, happily, there are some things that never change. We know that French summers are calm and quiet; we know that our favorite restaurants will be closing. We know that we must buy our fruits and vegetables at a stand other than the one we are used to and where we are known. Yet we are confident that, summer after summer, we will find the same local tomatoes, plump, deep red and sweet, the same fragrant peaches, plums and apricots, the same huge crispy heads of lettuce gritty with dirt, adorned with the occasional slug, the same dense, jade-green aromatic bouquets of fresh herbs. And we turn to our favorites, the recipes that burst with the colors and flavors of summer, updating them each year and adapting them to the latest seasonal market specials.
What is better than a quiche to highlight the freshest vegetables, the most flavorful ingredients? What better than a quiche for allowing the twists and turns of our own whims, our own tastes? A simple egg and cream backdrop and our own creativity and imagination to flavor as we choose, add vegetables or fruit, a favorite cheese, bacon, herbs, spices, almost anything works. I have made a larger, deeper quiche with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and gruyère, I have made mini cocktail quiches filled three different ways: gorgonzola + apple, cherry tomatoes + goat cheese, bacon + gruyere. Hot from the oven with a cool, crisp salad, these quiches make the perfect light meal, room temperature or even cool from the refrigerator they are great brunch or picnic fare. They are absolutely delicious baked in a traditional savory piecrust; delightfully elegant and oh-so luscious in a delicate, buttery puff pastry shell.
Follow the basic indications and my links to the recipes for the choice of crusts and create your own. Make the 3-egg version of the batter, use half to make 6 individual quiches, and save half in the refrigerator for a second meal, swapping the added vegetables and cheeses for others.
One savory (unsweetened) piecrust recipe (recipe and directions here)
¼ (for 6 individual) to ½ (for 12 or 1 large pie) recipe puff pastry (recipe and directions here)
Basic Quiche Filling: for 12 x 4 ½-inch quiches or one 8 - 9-inch large quiche
(make 6 then refrigerate the rest of the batter for a day or two for a new batch with different flavors)
3 large eggs *
1 cup heavy cream, light cream or part cream/part milk *
Freshly ground black pepper
Dash nutmeg
* for only 6 quiche use 2 large eggs + ½ cup cream
Cherry tomatoes (2 or 3 per quiche)
3 ½ oz (100 g) feta cheese, coarsely crumbled or chopped (for 6 quiches)
Handful of rocket (arugula, rucola, roquette), coarsely chopped
Handful pine nuts
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the individual quiche tins on a baking sheet.
Start by roasting the cherry tomatoes:
Stir together 2 tablespoons olive oil with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar in a glass baking dish or pie plate. Season with a little salt and pepper and add 2 peeled and crushed (not chopped or minced, just pressed to crush) garlic cloves. Toss the cherry tomatoes into the flavored oil and roast for about 20 minutes or until the skins are split and shriveled and the tomatoes start to show signs of roasting (a bit golden). Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the rest.
Prepare the quiches:
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4-inch on a floured work surface and line the tins, gently lifting in and pressing down the dough. Trim the edges. Place the dough-lined individual quiche tins on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to fill and bake. This can also be done ahead of time.
Measure out the cream or cream/milk in a large measuring cup then whisk in the eggs until well blended. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg; if you want to add other spices, do so here. Doing this in a measuring cup or glass with a spout or pouring lip is ideal for pouring into individual or mini quiche/tartlet tins to avoid a mess.
Sprinkle a sparse layer of chopped rocket (arugula, rucola, roquette) then chopped or crumbled feta into each of the tartlet shells. Not too much as each is an overpowering flavor. Snuggle 2 or 3 roasted cherry tomatoes into the rocket and feta in each shell. Now whisk the quiche batter so it is blended and pour carefully into the shells on top of the rocket and feta, pouring around the cherry tomatoes to keep the tops of the tomatoes batter free. Fill up each shell no more than ¾ full as it puffs up and rises as it bakes. Sprinkle each quiche with pine nuts.
Slide the whole baking tray with the filled quiche tins into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the filling is puffed up and set. The top - or at least the edges - should be a deep golden color.
Jamie Schler lives, eats and writes in France. To read more of her work visit Life's a Feast.


text:
Mentor to proceed with bond offering
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SAN FRANCISCO—Despite protests from billionaire financier Carl Icahn and others, EDA vendor Mentor Graphics Corp. said Thursday (May 31) it will move ahead with a plan to offer up $253 million in convertible bonds through private placement.
Mentor said its board also rejected a loan proposal from Icahn that was received March 29, after the company priced its convertible bond offering. The board said Icahn's proposal "lacked detail on important terms" and carried a higher interest rate.
Earlier this week, Icahn lashed out at Mentor's board in a public letter for rejecting his $1.9 billion takeover offer and for proposing the bond offering. Icahn, who owns close to 15 percent of Mentor's outstanding shares, has been pushing Mentor's board to sell the company and has initiated a proxy fight over board seats.
In a letter to Mentor's board dated Thursday, Douglas Taylor, CEO of Casablanca Capital, called the convertible bond offering "an ill-timed and ill-conceived action that serves to dilute shareholders." Casablanca said Mentor has underperformed for years and called the board's rejection of Icahn's takeover bid a detriment to shareholders.
Taylor said Casablanca, which owns about 5 percent of Mentor's shares, would support Icahn's slate of nominees to Mentor's board. "Time is up for Mentor's failing leadership," Taylor said
Mentor said Thursday that the convertible bond offering would allow it to repay higher interest debt, reduce stockholder dilution and provide extended time for repayment, among other benefits.


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Fun, happiness, joking around, getting to know one another.
goin out 2 movies for walks and just spendin time 2 gether
I love going to the movies. I know it's kinda cliche, but dinner and a movie works just fine for me. Or going to a sporting event (football, hockey, or baseball).
It doesn't really matter as long as we have a good time.
To dinner, movie, or somewhere nice it depends on the person you go with.
First go movie and after garden or beach walking
I think a nice first date will be a date at the movies and maybe dinner or lunch before that. I love movies, I'm trying to get used to scary movies.
My first date o would take you to the movies first just to see if we can have a good conversation
Dinner... Talking and a walk on the river sounds good
Out to eat movie sex cuddle shopping
Be yourself but with some class.
Out. Have. Fun dinner. A movie. Or. Whatever u like. To do. I'm not a. Hsrd man to. Get along with. Not loud. I'm. Just. Me. ... luv. Life pleasures. Only live once. So. Make the most of it
my first date.i don't know what i do.but i say i all ways take care of her heart.
maybe I'm boring Or old fashioned, but I like Dinner & a movie.
Movies, are great I enjoy that relax time .
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