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Guatemalan Cuisine - 2nd quarter report
- rworange Jul 7, 2010 10:19 AM
I hate long threads and the other was starting to get longer than I could tolerate.
Guatemala cuisine revisited
So this thread will be about the next three months of my year-long visit.
The first reply sums up my introduction to the cuisine in the first three months ... the good, the bad, the mediocre.
The next reply has links to a fabulous blog about breakfast food in Guatemala. It is true to what I have observed and has lots of information I never knew such as the more than a dozen different atoles and many different tamales.
Coming up in August, I'll be going to Spanish lanuguage school and staying with a host family for two weeks in Antigua. It will be interesting to see how average city folks eat.
Thoughts on the first three months.
Originally I didn't think there would be much to write about. However, each day seems to bring a different dish or some obscure tropical fruit, veggie ... or animal part.
There are all those new and/or mysterious fruts, veggies and other foods such as ayote, quilete, paternas, jutes, white chayote, totopostes, chiltepes, peppers de Coban, barquillos, zepelins, jocote tronador, purple mombin, jocote marañón, plataninas, granizadas, caracol, pacaya, suchiles, huiscoyol, samat, anacates, tepezcuintle, pez sierra tortas, tapado, pacamas, etc
Guatemala is the most Third World country I've visited. I am never unaware of it. The ancient and modern side by side is jarring, such as
- Across from a modern mall at a bus stop a shepherd with three goats is selling fresh-from-the-udder milk
- In a jungle clearing, a woman making tortillas on a cinderblock poyo that is fueled by twigs and branches, stops to take a call on her cell phone.
My first impression of Gautemala being like the 1950's persists. People are loathe to try food other than what they have eaten for decades. The restaurant menus read like the Continental, Italian-American, Chinese-American etc menus of the 1950's.
On the good side of that ... cocktails are popular, properley done and strong. At some places I almost expect Frank, Sammy, Dean and the rest of the original rat pack to walk in the door of this portal to the past.
For a country that spoons Mexico, most of what is served as Mexican food is shockingly underwhelming. However, there is little love between many Mexicans and Guatemalans, so that might explain some of it.
The tropical fruit is stunning. The watermelon is wonderful. The mushrooms ...dios mio. The tortillas the best I've had in my life. The frankfurters are fabulous ... though it is the whole sandwich rather than just the hot dog.
Guatemalan food can be on the bland side. However, like some Brazilian food, it picks up if you condimentize correctly ... a tiny bowl of fresh chiltepe peppers on the side, a shot of picamas sauce, a squirt of lime, etc.
Still, the range of spices seems limited to mainly salt, oregano, laurel (bay leaf) and cinnamon.
A lot of the best food isn't sold in the restaurants or markets. One neighbor might specialize in tamales or paches, another makes fresh cheese, etc.
Truthfully, I'm not picking up the subtle differences in some dishes. I can't tell a pepian from a kaik'ik. It's all meat in a red soup to me.
With few exceptions, I'm still not in love with the sweet breads. They are a little uninterestiong and can be on the dry side. However, they are meant to be dipped in coffee. The cookies and cakes are tasty.
Looking for information on an item called zepelins (carrot, banana, pumpkin, etc bread). I learned about the German influence on Guatemalan cuisine. In the 19th century the Germans were invited to start up businesses such as coffee fincas (farms) at the Gautemalan government request, but expelled durring WWII, some say due to pressure by the US. The remants of the cuisine remain ... including the coriander the Germans brought with them which now grows wild in the forests
Swiss food is big here. I don't know if that is related to the Germans.
In the land of coffee and fresh maize, I find both underwhelming. One writer called it smoother than European coffee ... perfect description ... so smooth there's no flavor. The only exception was at a funeral where the beans were cooked in a large pot over an open fire for hours and took on and exquisite smoky flavor.
With school schedules and my husband back at work, meal times are more varied, but on weekends and holidays it is still breakfast at about 9am, lunch at 2:30 and dinner about 8:30.That is true of other homes I've visited. The big meal is lunch.
With my slowly enhanced Spanish hopefully I'll learn more int the next quarter.
Difficult to believe three months have passed ... as in ONLY three months have passed. Time 'flies' when you are having fun ... such as a major hurricane, exploding volcano, suffocating, hellish heat, floods and scorpion encounter ... they are not all black, ya know ... and as far as I know, inedible ... probably visa versa ... had it lived it might be snacking on me.
It has been a fascinating peek into another culture that few tourists see. It has been a gift and a privilege, in spite of the challenges. . I'm looking forward to what's on the plate in the future.
Links from the first quarter
A week of menus at home ... soon after that I went back to my American diet of oatmeal in the morning, fruit and yogurt at night. I just eat Guatemalan food at the main meal ... and rarely have tortillas or sweet breads.
Meals at an upper class household
A wedding
A funeral
A 15th birthday
A picnic at the beach
Living and eating in Guatemala – recipes
Ayote: Black squash - better than butternut
Ceviche: Vuelve a la Vida ("Back to Life") or "corpse reviver" ("Levanta Muertos")
Extreme superchallenge: Identify this Central American fruit (huiscoyol)
G is for GUANABA
Gorgeous Guatemalan candy - Los dulces típicos
Guatemalan Baked Goods Redux
Guatemalan baked goods … cubilletes, pirujos, etc?
Guatemalan cheese and butter
Guatemalan food online
Guatemalan mushrooms
Have you tried totopostes?
How are paternas used in dishes?
Jutes - Another name for these green lychee-like fruit?
Magnificent mushrooms of Guatemala
Rolled wafer cookies around the world - Barquillos, pirouettes, etc
Shuco hot dog
Sompopos de Mayo- huge flying edible ants
Tortas and tortas fritas - Sandwich, bread, pancake, omelet, donut, cake
Tortilla etiquette - you got to know when to fold
Traveling globally: Best bottled and bulk H20 ... water that is, blue gold, sky juice
Tropical fruit
White chayote
WWW - World-wide Wal-Mart
re: rworange
Thanks for your wonderful writing. I lived for a year in Guatemala, and your posts bring back lots of memories. It's also interesting to see how much you've found that I didn't. Of the list of 26 items at the beginning of your post, I only know five. Probably because for 10 of 12 months, I lived in a tiny village in the sticks. Not much variety at the weekly market.
A couple of comments:
"Still, the range of spices seems limited to mainly salt, oregano, laurel (bay leaf) and cinnamon." - I'd add achiote and sesame. One of the things I found most interesting about Guatemalan cuisine was the range of chilis, herbs and seeds from which sauces were made. Like the green herbs in jocon, ground roasted ayote seeds, tomatoes and tomatillos.
About the coffee, Guatemala produces excellent coffee, but the good stuff is often exclusively for export.
One thing I don't see on your list is cala. (Or is it Kala? Accent on the last "a") Fresh heart of palm. That's a challenge for you. It's so perishable that you may not be able to find it in a market. It oxidizes and turns black within hours of picking. But it is definitely on my list of most delicious things ever eaten. (Along with guanabana.) We would saute onions and tomatoes and then sweat the cala in that mixture -- simple as that.
re: CathleenH
Thanks ... I'll keep an eye out for fresh heart of palm.
I found this top-notch detailed blog about breakfast in Guatemala.
I doubt anyone else could be as thorough. I learned all sorts of things about more obscure breakfast items. I also smiled at the more mundane details such as cereal and pancakes because it is spot on. It's not all different and exotic, but often close to what is eaten in the United States.
My own note is that the "Desayuno Tipico" really is the typical breakfast. It is what is eaten most often. Rich or poor or middle class ... fast food restauant or upscale ... a breakfast of eggs, beans, plantanos, crema, chirmol (fresh tomato sauce), juice, sweet roll and coffee is the usual way to start the day.
Here are the blog links.
Breakfast in Guatemala: Beverages (First Part)
Juices, Orange Juice with raw egg, Shakes, Milk, Coffee, Tortilla coffee, Tea, Chocolate, Punch
Very cool photos of the chocolate and the ponche.
Interesting about coffee made from tortillas. I wonder if it is better than the stuff from beans served here. The blogger calls Guatemalan coffee 'softer' than European. That seems the perfect word. The photo of the cappuccino is often how it is served.
The blogger also mentions the goat's milk ... fresh from the goat. I have seen this. I haven't had the courage to try it though. It is not just in the remote areas, but the cities. While I haven't yet seen the goats at the Central Market in Gutemala City, I have seen a few in the suburbs ... one shepherd with three little goats was right across the street from a huge shopping mall that has a big Wal-Mart (aka Hiper Paiz)
The blogger writes "You also can find goat milk… but not at supermarkets, no, there are still shepherds walking with the goats at the streets offering fresh milk. It means: you drink it natural, without pasteurizing it. Not exactly so common for breakfast but I thought it would be interesting to mention it here ;) "
Breakfast in Guatemala: Beverages (Second Part)
Terrific list of atoles with great photos. I especially like the photo of the corn atole because it is often served with fresh corn kernels sprinkled on top.
Atoles mentioned include: Corn Atol, White Atol, Atol Shuco, Maizena Atol also known as "yuquilla" atol, Starch Atol, Plantain Atol, Mosh, Rice with Milk, Rice with Milk and Chocolate, wheat germ Atol, Broad Bean Atol (habas atol), Pinol Atol, Incaparina, Atolillo, Sweet Atol, Ashes Atol, Granillo Atol
So far I've tried Corn Atol, White Atol, Plantain Atol, Mosh and Broad Bean Atol (habas atole).
My favorite is the corn atol because it is different here with lots of sweet corn flavor ... and I love the corn nibs on top. Some atols like moshi or white atol are eaten with a spoon. I liked the habas atol which I would have guessed, from the flavor, was made of nuts rather than beans.
I don't know if this is just a thing done in my house, but sometimes they will break up a sweet roll and mix it into corn atol. That is quite good.
Breakfast in Guatemala (First Part) - Brief overview
Breakfast in Guatemala (Second Part)
Fabulous description of the many types of tamales ... WITH photos ... AND usually clicking on the name brings up a recipe ... in ENGLISH. This blogger really did a lot of work.
Tamales include: Red Tamales:, Rice Tamales, Black Tamales, Corn tamales, Chepilin Tamales, Cambray tamales, Chepes, White Tamalas, Loroco tamales, Corn tamales,with Izote, Chuchitos, Paches
Breakfast in Guatemala (3rd. Part)
Breakfast Cereals, Hot Cakes, Gold Medal hot cake mix, Waffles, Crepes, French toast, Fruit
Breakfast in Guatemala (4th. Part)
Croissants, Pupusas, Beans, Plantains, Hash browns, Cold meat and sausage, Tortillas, Bread, Chili, Cream
re: rworange
Antigua Daily Photo published this photo of a weekend tamale breakfast and it is so spot on. I also love the shot of the pan Frances. That is exactly how it looks
So far Guatemalan tamales are my favorite of all the Latin American countries. They are rich, savory and not dry like Mexican tamales. The tamales from El Salvador that I've tried in the US were too wet, almost a cream of wheat consistancy.
re: rworange
RW, did you ever get any guatamalan tamales when you were here? I'd be curious to try them, and agree that Mexican ones are way too dry (for me). I actually love the wetness of the Salvadorean tamales, but i'd be interested in the Guatamalan ones. would you say they're somewhere in between?
re: mariacarmen
Ah, you caught me just before I was planning to stop posting for the next month. I started a thread on the SF board.
Guatemalan tamales are similar to Salvadorean, maybe a bit less wet. Of course there is only the basic tamale that I've tried in the Bay Area and none of the many variations.
Anyway, I won't be checking the boards, but if you have questions, post and email me me. I'll sign onto Chowhound and answer any questions. Otherwise, see you in November ... perhaps.
re: paul balbin
Are these different from the light skin anona?
re: rworange
I don't know, the ones that appear around Lake Atitlan are about the same shade as
a cucumber. they are quite rare and begin to appear around march. I don't know how
long the season lasts as we always leave about Easter. Once the ladies who sell them
discover you like them they will not fail to let you know when they have them. They
tell me they come from the slopes of the Volcano above the lake. These are my favorite
fruit of the region.
I so enjoy your submissions, keep up the good work.
Pablito el gordito
re: paul balbin
Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for them. The hurricane and the current rains did a real job on the Lake Atitlan area, so I've put of off heading out that way.
Markets, for the most part, seem to have locally grown items. This is true of the smaller markets. On market day vendors might travel from outer regions to the big markets in Gautemala City or Antigua.
In Esquintla there are no dragon fruit like in GC or mushrooms like in San Juan Sacatepequez.
It is still difficult for me to pick out the special seasonal stuff because so much of this is new to me.
On another food topic, Antigua Daily Photo had some interesting info about the local conch
"Concha is sort of a shell clam known in Mexico as "Almeja pata de mula" which is sort of a mixture between clam and oyster plus dark ink (blood)."
I wondered what that dark liquid was in the ceviche. Also known as Anadara tuberculosa
Note: I edited and moved the beer comments in another post
Guatemalan Beer
Today Antigua Daily Photo is about Moza beer, a dark brew, which is my favorite of those I've tried in GT.
I haven''t tried Cabro yet. One comment in that article says
"Cabro is made in Xela and is sold only in select locations in Antigua, Panajachel and, of course, Xela; maybe a few, but very few places in Guate city.
There´s something about the water in Xela that gives Cabro a different flavor (I´m quoting someone who works at the brewery)."
Will have to seek that out.
Gallo is to Guatemala as Budweiser is to the US and Corona is to Mexico. It is the ubiquous brew that is everywhere. Like a table wine, good enough to go with a meal, but nothing special.
The last link in this post has a description of Gallo that is classic ... "Gallo is an easy drinking, unremarkable, thirt-quenching beer with all the personality of a secret service agent. Nice to have when you need it but otherwise non-descript."
Some of the others that are common are along the same lines - Monte Carlo and Dorado.
My understanding is that one beer company produces all the brands of beer in Guatemala.
ADF writes in another article ...
"These are the widest available Guatemalan Beers. In the picture you can see the 1 liter container for Gallo, Victoria and Brahva. There are five other brands which belong to Gallo house (Cervecería Centroamericana) as well as Victoria. "
From the comments in that link, a mixta is the Guatemalan version of a black and tan ... 2/3 Gallo and 1/3 Moza
Nice descriptions here of the Guatemalan beers that sums it up nicely at the end
"...it is not the beer capitol of the world. You won't be disappointed in their beer if you think of them as all trying to be as inoccuous as possbile, like the big, mass-consumed beers of the US. And here is a handy guide to them all.
Gallo = Budweiser
Dorado = Miller Genuine Draft
Moza = Michelob Dark
Monte Carlo = Schaeffer's
Victoria = Olympia
Cabro = Schlitz & Stroh's hybrid"
Homemade loroco dobladas
These have to be one of the best things I've had to eat in Guatemal. We were at fabulous CENMA Zona 12 market in Gutatemala CIty where a vendor was selling fresh loroco, a white flower used often in pupusas.
I've always been interested in loroco, but in SF they are always frozen and don't have a lot of flavor I asked if someone would cook these if I bought some. The answer was yes.
Tonight I hearthe pat, pat, pat of tortillas being made. THis usually happens when the tortilla lady gets boycotted by the town for raising the price of tortillas one quetazle (about 12 cents)
However, at dinner the most beautiful, flavorful golden turnover were served.
Dobladas are usually flour tortillas that are filled, folded in half and deep-fried. I've had very good ones and meh ones. It is often about the filling that makes the doblada rise above the pack.
These were in a higher level of doblada heave and belonged on God's table.
The uncooked tortilla was filled, sealed like a turnover and fried. If a Hot Pocket met up with one of these, it would condemn itself to help. This was magnificance.
They were topped with fresh shredded cabbage, a hot, fresh red tomato sauce laded over them and then sprinkled with queso seco, crumbly dry, aged cheese.
There were two fillings. One with the lorocco and one with ground beef. I liked the ground beef better because the delicate flavor of the lorocco was a bit lost in this prep. Then again, maybe even fresh loroco doesn't have much flavor. The loroco filling reminded me a bit of the filling en egg rolls.
Still, they were top-notch dobladas
Antigua Daily Photo has been doing a series on salads. Photo journalist Rudy Girón wrote "Contrary to popular belief, Guatemalans do have a large selection of salads in their gastronomy palette ... Ejotes (green beans), pimientos (bell peppers), arbejas (green peas), repollo (cabbage), and onions are often used in the Guatemalan salads along with typical herbs yerba buena, mint, parsely and cilantro. Often, many of the vegetables are prepared in escabeche (pickled) before incorporating them.
So, the Guatemalan gastronomy is not just Amerindian curries, rice and beans as some misinformed foreigners have declared"
You talking to me, Rudy? ... You talking to me?
Here's a photo of chojin, a chopped radish salad I really love and have mentioned.
I will say he is right that most Guatemalins call it ensalada de rábano. Not one family member or friend recognized the name chojin ... and given my lousy Spanish I even wrote it out.
Here's piloyada antigüeña a salad of piloy beans, meat and cheese. This is a new one for me. I'll have to give that a try.
Here's info about the Guatemalan version of guacamol
And ... here's a gratuitous picture of goat milk being delivered you your house ... by a shepard with goats ... because I just can't get enough of those cute little goats.
In a previous photo he write "the drawn-on-the-spot glass of milk for Q5/$0.60. Some people drink the milk directly from the glass, while others boil it first."
That answered my question. I should have guessed. Almost all street food in Guatemala is five quetzales.
I had my first iguana last night. Armadillo may be in my future
How do you cook your iguana?
How to cook an iguana
I took a friend to La Fonda de la Calle Real in Antigua … another mediocre meal based on tour book recommendations.
Restaurant tourist traps
It did inspire my friend to clue me in on some real Guatemalan food.
A lady near my house is known for her excellent cooking. She sells meals to the local workers. My friend said when there was something especially good that he would call.
Last night he said pepian was on Monday's menu. Today it was delivered in the door in a bright blue plastic bucket. A large plastic fruit bowl was filled with rice.
It was transferred to our pots and pans. Now there's a concept for earth-friendly home delivery … as local as you can get … someone walked to the door with this … and no disposable containers used. The workers who buy dinner must provide their own containers. I know all the veggies were from the local street market because that determines what is on the menu. Many of the veggies are grown in back yards in the area.
I couldn't take a photo because of issues in the kitchen which I'll explain in another post. I would have insulted Irma who takes care of us all. Ordering delivered pepian was a bit of a liberty, but she has 'la grippe' today, so it was welcome
It was excellent. The sauce was a dark chocolate color with a faint, but pleasantly bitter coffee note. I don't think she used pepian helper, so to speak, as we do.
Because of the smoky flavor, I'm guessing it was cooked on a poyo, a cinderblock stove with a grill on top that is fueled by an open wood-fueled fire. It was a very rich sauce from long cooking with the meat.
There was huge hunks of tender beef ribs, quarters of peeled chayote, whole carrots and lots of string beans. The rice mixed with diced carrot was good. It is added to the pepian.
This order that heartily stuffed six people with leftovers came to 65 quetazles (about $8)
Irma gave it her stamp of approval both for flavor and price … "y no cocina" (no cooking). The concept of home delivery may have taken root in our house.
There are two types of honey in Guatemala. Miel de abaja is regular honeybee honey. There is also white honey produced by stingless bees. It is clear, slightly thinner and has its own special medicinal qualities It is also delicious. Here's a more detailed report
Orchid honey, stingless bees and balche … it will give you a buzz
In November, the sugar cane here is harvested. I thought I should get some photos before it is cut.
Due to a flood last year the main bridge to town was destroyed and until the completion (soon) there is a detour over miles of dirt roads thru the sugar cane fields. Everything beyond the bridge in the first photo is sugar cane fields. A family lives in that shack near the bridge.
That's a little wild sugar cane that escaped in the photo of the chocolate river bank. It is volcanic soil that give it the color. People fish there. I'm told that around 2 am is the best time to catch river shrimp. The next photos are sugar cane.
When I asked recently about it being cut, I was told it was burned.
"Um, doesn't it cause a lot of smoke". I asked. Isn't that bad for your health? (Es malo para tu salud?)
Yes, yes, everyone said. Cleaning the house is a horror as well since there is soot everywhere.
It might be time to schedule that road trip to Belize.
If it had been a clear day, you would have seen the volcanoes in the background. One of them, Agua, has Guatemala's first winery and vineyard. The wine is actually good .. not great .. but it is pleasantly drinkable which is remarkable since it only started in 2002 and its first bottling was 2007.
Château Defay - Guatemala's first winery
Mixta just means mixed. The word is used for many different foods. In the case of hot dogs, it has the same mix of ingredients as a shuco dog ... sausage (usually hot dog) , guacamole, cabbage, onions and tomatoes. Squiggle the top with mustard, catsup and green sauce. Instead of a bun, tortillas are used.
This link says they are just a hot dog in a tortilla
I tried one in SF and it pretty much looked like that and was unimpressive.
Cut to the maestro of mixtas and shuco dogs located in front of the Shell gas station in the city nearest my home.
He makes the best shuco dog I've had so far in Gautamala. On this visit I tried the mixta.
The large pots you see have the cooked cabbage and onions.
There is a charcoal grill in back where the tortillas are toasted giving them nice char marks. Then the sausages are also grilled (in this case longaniza and a hot dog). The tortilla is smeared with guacamole. The sausages are cut up, and are laid on the bed of cabbage that was spread on the guacamole.
Top that with chopped fresh tomatoes and white onions. Squiggle on remaining condiments. Add another tortilla and eat like a sandwich.
The result is pure cheap bad-for-you goodness ... though I hear cabbage is healthy.
These were medium tortillas and reminded me of the old Burger King slogan... it takes two hands to handle a mixta ... and a lot still falls out.
I prefer the shuco dog to the mixta because the bun holds everything without trying to escape. Out of the three sausages I've tried, I like the chorizo the best. Its spicienss hold its own against the mountan of everything else. The longaniza was a little mild for this.
If you look at the picture of the cart you will see a copy of Pensa Libra, a Guatemalan newspaper. These little street carts seem to always have a copy for customers who pull up a stool or crate and catch up on the news.
BAD DUCKS, BAD DUCKS ...Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do, when they come for you?
There are often baby chickens wandering around the house. They are supposed to stay in the laundry room, but occasionally take off to view the larger world of the house. Sometimes I have to shut the bedroom door as I have told them 'I'm not your mama"
They see anyone … and off they go to follow.
I never understood exactly why we kept them in the house until today. There was a dead baby chick and when I asked what happened I was told "patos"
We have lots of chickens, an obnoxious rooster and about 20 ducks.
"Really? Patos?" I said in surprise
"Si, los patos es malo"
While I feel bad for the pollito which was literally pecked to death by ducks … and I thought that was just an expression … I find it a little hilarious that there's a gang of 'bad ducks' in our back yard. Well, they will have their day … duck tamales, duck pepian, etc.
Speaking of poultry, yesterday was my birthday, and a chicken was sent to heaven for my celebratory dinner. That's a photo of it in its last hours below.
To be accurate it was a gallina criolla, not a pollo. There are a lot of different categories of chicken here. Pollo refers to a younger chicken and gallina a hen that usually is past its egg-bearing days. However, this hen was dispatched a bit early because it was cooked with the eggs still inside.
I've mentioned before that there are white chickens and yellow chickens. This link about a dish called sancocho, has SUPER information about the different types of Guatemalan chickens. Read the user comments.
One person commented about the yellow chickens "This coloring is obtained by feeding chickens "flor de muerto". In fact, farm raised chickens are given an extract of flor de muerto in their feed, to give them a nicer color."
Another discusses gallina criolla.
"The traditional Guatemalan caldo de gallina criolla, where "criolla" means "home-raised". Be careful, because the use of "farm-raised" hens could be considered capital sin! Anyway, this is a simple, yet succulent and delicious fiesta-day dish. In addition to the hen, all you need is: celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaf, flat leaf parsley, salt and black peppercorns …
The vegetables are optional and usually they are a combination of: big chunks of corn on the cob, carrot, güicoy (yellow pumpkin), güisquil (chayote, pataste), and wedges of cabbage. If you add vegetables, don't overcook them, otherwise, the stock won't be light and clear as it is supposed to be. The traditional way to serve the caldo de gallina is pouring the stock alone in a bowl with vegetables and white rice as side dish. It can be garnished with fresh chopped parsley, hard boiled egg yolks (to simulate those that sometimes are found inside the hens), and a wedge of lime."
In the photo of the soup, you can see the hard-boiled egg yolk. It had güisquil and pieces of carrot. I thought the presentation of the entire chicken was amusing (see photo). It was quite delicious.
This probably ends my 2nd quarter report. Time flies when you are having fun. An icing on the cake was a border official screwed up my papers, so instead of an easy extension, I was forced to exit and re-enter the country.
It wasn't all bad … sort of … though if I never see the frontera again it will be too soon.
I couldn't take my camera or anything else that might catch the eye of one of the border officials lest they claim it as their own. They tried to take the plastic water jugs for the radiator.
On the trip from Escuintla to the border, mid-way there are lots of pineapple and other fruit stands. At certain times of the year, big orange oil drums of campache, a fermented pineapple drink are for sale. This wasn't the year for that, but there were lots of pineapple stands.
Below is a picture of some of the fruit we bought.
The round brown things are chicos. These are fabulous and NOT good travelers because they bruise easily. They have the taste and texture of exquisite ripe pears. It is also called a sapodilla. While I've had them in the US, this was a totally different experience. Here's a better photo with lots of info on this site
The small red, yellow and green fruits are jocotes which I had when I first entered the country. I've been reading there are two varieties, one in the rainy season and the other in the dry season. These are rainy season jocotes. It is mostly seed and you suck the flesh from the seed. The seed seen in the center of the jocote photo. The taste is a little like a citrusy plum with a hint of tannin from the skin.
The large purple and yellow fruits are cacoa … no kidding … real cacoa. I haven't opened them yet.
What better way to end my 2nd quarter report than with a photo of the abused fruit of the coffee tree … the evil Nescafe.


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In-App Purchase: Adobe Camera Pack (iPhone 4 & 3Gs, iPad 1 & 2, iPod Touch 3rd and 4th generation)
• Reduce Noise: Even the best phone cameras can introduce small amounts of grain and speckling—called noise—into images. The Reduce Noise feature smooths out those flaws to quickly improve your photos. It's fast, accurate, and puts professional Adobe Photoshop quality in the palm of your hand.
• Self Timer: Set a camera timer to 3- or 10-second intervals before the photo is snapped.
• Auto Review: Make sure you get a good shot and delete it if you don't. Auto Review gives you a quick look at your picture before the action passes you by.
NOTE: Camera not supported on iPad 2
Photoshop Express lets you access your entire online photo and video library directly from your Photoshop.com account. Relive memories with your friends and family anytime, anywhere. Show off all your favorite photos and videos with instant slideshows. It's like having thousands of photos and videos right in your pocket!
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Just a little print we did for the good people over at PHLI
Inspire Individuality!!!
Project: www.irockitglobal.com
Spotted Via: tbhcreative.com
JQuery is a secret weapon being used throughout the web. If you aren't sure what it's being used for or when you've seen it, you'll soon find out through these great examples. JQuery is JavaScript code that allows a developer to create animation without Flash software. Plus most of the JQuery code doesn't take as long to develop or make changes.
Here are a few of those secret JQuery tricks that the average web surfer can run into. Read more →

subset: commoncrawl


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I just bought a Hyundai Genesis V8 what a car – all the bells and whistles of a Mercedes or BMW at about 1/2 the price. Plus a really aggressive lease plan. I did not buy it because of the deal above but that certainly is a nice value added feature.
Hyundai – a copy cat of every other automakers… lacks originality and quality.
With today's economy, it will not take long for any car to lose $7500 of its' value. So I don't see much value in this deal.
Cars for people about to lose their jobs! Wow! America is really great. This wouldn't be possible anywhere else.
Srewd…Hyundai still has one of the worst re-sale values of any automaker so this $7500 clause is a gimmick!!!
If I sold Hyundai's, I would promise everything up to and including escort services to jump start sales, so I don't fault them. But isn't it a good idea for a promise to pay in the form of a promissory note to actually promise payments? Not "I promise to pay unless I can't for some reason." Over time, it takes the trust out of the process, which in turn makes banks only lend to rich guys!!
Guys. Stop being cynical… at least one car company who is compassionate and doesn't depend on bailout. More over they have been consistently rated better in JD power customer satisfaction ratings compared to any other car company.
Are you a paid poster for Hyundai? WSJ is supposed to be for smart people. If you think you are one, please re-read the intelligent posts above. JB
I'm sure the vast majority of sales are under $20K, and as bad as Hyunda cars retain their value, they aren't likely to drop 38% and more the 1st year unless really abused. But it's more a marketing descriminator than a practical benefit.
Does your English teacher give refunds? in the 3rd ¶ you have:
"Beyond the $7,500 limit their are other limits…"
This is the Wall Street Journal.
At least give Hyundai credit for trying something different to kick sales into gear to pull out of auto armageddon. Expect other automakers to jump on the bandwagon if this works. Their new Genesis is getting good buzz in the auto mags as an affordable luxo-barge, bringing new faces into their stores to kick the tires.
The fact of the matter is banks and other lending institutions are limiting the amount auto loans being approved. I believe it will take a combination of both the lenders and automakers to move new vehicles off the lot. So let's try again!!!!!!
I think this is a smart move that could help them capture business from people who NEED a car but are worried about job security. The fact they cost less than comparable cars will only add to the buyer's peace of mind. Their quality has also been improving: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23390986/
The car industry, particularly Detroit's GM, Ford and Chrysler, is going through a time of significant change and upheaval. Keep track of the latest news with dispatches from the reporters in WSJ's Detroit bureau. Please post your comments on the blog, or email us at email@example.com.


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Special EE Knight - David Valentine of Vampire Earth Signature Performance PC by EI-PC.com commemorative Men's Heavy Duty Black T-Shirt with large back art, sleeve art and front pocket area art.
Design ID: 10764808
sunglasses_mustache3 Other Designed by surreal197
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The grand daddy of the Spreadshirt Collection, this premium t-shirt is as close to perfect as can be. It's optimized for all types of print and will quickly become you favorite t-shirt. Soft and comfortable, durable and thick, this is a definite must-own and a Spreadshirt recommended product.
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If you don't think history is amusing, you clearly haven't seen Adolf Hitler in shorts
Zis if from mein spring collection
(Source: beththekilljoy)
Zis if from mein spring collection
(Source: beththekilljoy)
Zoe Saldana
girls who cosplay male characters
please just stop it
people who shame cosplayers for doing what they want
please just stop it
I'm sorry. Is it because you don't feel comfortable enough in yourself to express who you are and your interests that may defy social norms and break gender roles.
Filming a scene for the 2013 remake of "The Evil Dead"
i was looking in the dylan sprouse tag and found a great interview with him about why he and cole left disney
clicking on someone's blog and finding out they are hot
(Source: ennoshi)
leaving tumblr for a better website
(Source: lornacrowleys)
When I was
A young boy
My father
Took me into the city
To see a marching band
he said you're movin with your auntie and uncle in bel air
(Source: estpolis)


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Our Pastor, Elder Eugene B. Jones; Superintendent Welton McGee, Father and Founder; and the congregation of Emmanuel are very glad you have chosen to visit us via the internet. You are also invited to join us at our location in Seaside,California for our worship services.
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The final report from ISPO this year covers Packs, Sleeping Bags and General Camping / other items.
With some really great kit... [ full story ]
The first of the UKC/UKH reports on the giant tradeshow of ISPO.
If you want to check out what is hot in the world of mountain... [ full story ]
Montane is recruiting for the position of Junior Womenswear Designer to join our busy Design and Development department. The... [ full story ]
Mid-July saw the huge OutDoor trade show descend upon the town of Friedrichshafen in Germany.
One of the UKC/UKH team's... [ full story ]
Montane Marketing Manager
About MONTANE�
MONTANE� is a British company that creates technical clothing and equipment for... [ full story ]
Ultra Distance Trail Touring Super Lightweight Backpack [ full story ]
Ultra lightweight mountain rain wear with exceptional breathability statistics on par with a technical mountaineering shell. [ full story ]
MONTANE's Alpha Guide Jacket has yet to hit the shops but that hasn't stopped it from winning a prestigious POLARTEC� Apex Award... [ full story ]
New for spring summer 2013. Montane Torque 40: Alpine Master Technical Climbing Pack [ full story ]
New for spring summer 2013. Ultra Tour 22: Fast ultra distance trail race and summit day pack [ full story ]
... back to the top
Paul Lewis checks out the features and comfort of Montane's versatile alpine, winter and cragging sack
'Everything has its... [ full review ]
Charlie Boscoe reviews the Montane Alpha Guide Jacket and thinks it is a bit like Marmite...
With stretchy arms and an... [ full review ]
Steve Long reviews the Medusa 32 from Montane's brand new range. The Medusa 32 is designed as a mountain master, super light... [ full review ]
Dan Bailey reviews three synthetic insulated jackets, made by UK-based brands, and built with the soggy British cold in mind. He... [ full review ]
The Stretch Halo Jacket:
"a good lightweight shell, weighing little in the pack, keeping the rain out with the DWR doing an... [ full review ]
Toby Archer reviews the Terra Pants from Montane.
"a solid pair of lightweight trousers for climbing in the mountains"
Read... [ full review ]
2012 ...
2010 ...


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100% Polyester
September 20, 2014
Excellent value and nephew loved it
September 17, 2014
Excellent waterproof jacket. lightweight but warm enough. adjustable wrists straps are brilliant.
September 15, 2014
Very good quality
September 12, 2014
Have used it everyday although not tested it in rain yet. lightweight enough to put into rucksack
September 10, 2014
Lovely jacket bought to re-place a lost one unfortunately it arrived with the hood missing so had to be returned.
For full terms and conditions please see our Delivery & Returns policy


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Share your comments
Dakota women's work : creativity, culture, and exile
Hyman, Colette A.
Adult Nonfiction E99.D1 H96 2012
Hyman, Colette A.
Adult Nonfiction E99.D1 H96 2012
|Introduction: Women, Work, and Survival
|p. 3
|Chapter 1 - Work, Art, and Dakota Subsistence
|p. 17
|Chapter 2 - The Fur Trade and the Treaty of 1837
|p. 39
|Chapter 3 - Gender and Resistance
|p. 67
|Chapter 4 - Separate Survival
|p. 93
|Chapter 5 - Dakota Tradition at Santee and Flandreau
|p. 119
|Chapter 6 - Work, Gender, and the Dakota Church
|p. 143
|Epilogue Indian Renaissance and Dakota Women's Art
|p. 171
|p. 183
|p. 189
|p. 211
|p. 225
|Illustration Credits
|p. 239
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You are positively going to lose sleep over your debt. Once you really feel that gloomy little rain cloud hovering over your head it is exhausting to shake your anxieties. Debt shouldn't be a fun factor to deal with. What is worse is when your debt is up to now gone that you just eventually need to settle for foreclosure or bankruptcy. Hopefully you'll not ever have to succeed in that time but if you really feel the see-saw tipping in that direction you need to contemplate just a few essential tips.
It may be fairly clear that step one is to cease growing your debt however you would be amazed how simple a compulsion it is to make use of your cards. You suppose that, well, necessities are requirements and it's good to maintain using your credit score to pay for issues once you're low on cash. Just say no to plastic. It's your frenemy. When you add to your general complete it will likely be more durable and harder to stop dangerous spending habits, which ultimately are the foundation of your issues (medical emergencies and unforseen circumstances aside). You can take a step toward the sunshine once you close accounts. Take any cards with low balances and attempt to pay these off first or have the balances transferred to another account. Then lower up the cardboard and call to close it. Your credit rating will go up if you have smaller outstanding debt and it'll uphold better if you're ever going to file for bankruptcy in court. Whatever remaining accounts you've got, attempt paying greater than the minimal each month.
If you end up sinking and you understand that even your efforts appear in vain, seek the advice of a chapter lawyer for skilled opinions. You do not need collectors to be crawling up your backbone and hissing in your ears for the money. You shouldn't feel threatened. As an alternative, with skilled help you may strike some balance. Chapter legal professionals know below what legal guidelines, chapter 7 or thirteen, it is best to file and tips on how to strategy it. With knowledgeable's assist, when the courtroom decides to liquify funds you possibly can even have doubtlessly saved your house from foreclosure.
So, hopefully you can find some peace in your seemingly stressed nights spent worrying about unpaid bills. There is definitely time for you to gather your assets and figure out a method to cope with your costs. Even in what looks like darkish occasions you possibly can obtain assist from outdoors sources.


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5 Recipes, 5 Ingredients: Easy Dinner Ideas
Make delicious meals with a minimum of fuss. >>
Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less
Have a complete meal on the table by the end of your favorite sitcom. >>
Meals by Microwave
Delicious dishes you can make at the touch of a button. >>
Spicy Tofu With Lemon Grass and Fresh Basil
This healthy main dish is full of contrasting flavors, textures, and colors. >>
Weight Loss Recipes From Around the World
Spice up your diet with this naturally healthy dish and see 4 more slimming recipes from across the… >>
Lemon-Lime Chicken
Lemon and lime add tremendous flavor to this grilled chicken recipe. >>
Sesame Steaks
These grilled steaks are bursting with flavor! >>
Tossed Salad with Pears, Pecans, and Blue Cheese
An elegant starter for a dinner party, this salad combines three salad greens plus chives for lots… >>
Arugula Salad With Spicy Vinaigrette
Tangy yet spicy, this salad makes for a great starter. >>


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MIRANDA KERR has been named the World's Sexiest Woman of 2012 by Esquire magazine and they put her on the cover to show us all why she deserves the title:
Once again, Miranda Kerr's world-famous curves were recognized and honored by men's magazine, Esquire, who has named her the "World's Sexiest Woman."
It was no surprise, really. After all, the sweet-faced Victoria Secret angel has always had one of the prettiest faces and the most enviable bods in the biz, which she continues to flaunt in sexy lingerie and skimpy underwear even after having her first child, Flynn, with husband, Orlando Bloom.
Why does a hot mom like Miranda keep showing off her sexy bits?
The Aussie supermodel told the magazine after her steamy cover shoot with photographer, David Sliper:
"I believe in celebrating the female figure and embracing what we've been given."
See her "celebrate" the female figure in the rest of her sizzling hot photos for the magazine's December issue out this week:
Photos Via Esquire
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News - Afghanistan
The Ministry of National Defense said Thursday that the increase in Afghan troop casualties across country is because Afghan forces are involved in more security operations.
The counterinsurgency missions were once completely led by international forces, especially US troops, but Afghans are increasingly leading missions - and sustaining casualties.
"The war is becoming more Afghan-led. Eighty-four percent of the missions are executed by Afghan forces, and more than 50,000 international troops have left the country. The theater of war has expanded for Afghans," said General Zahir Azimi, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense.
Reports suggest that US troop casualties have hit a four-year low, with only one casualty in the past month; on the other hand, 1,100 Afghan troops were killed over the past six months, an average of more than 180 a month. About 460 of those killed over the past six months have been national army soldiers, with the rest mainly comprised of police forces.
According to the ministry, more than 80 percent of the Afghan troop casualties are caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the armed opposition, an issue that analysts say could have disastrous outcomes if not addressed.
But Azimi said IED deaths could be reduced.
"Good leadership and facilities and proper equipment from our side to fight the IEDs could lead to a decrease in casualties," he said.
Other factors that have led to the increase in casualties include shortage of local forces in remote villages, lack of intelligence and surveillance capabilities, shortage of artillery and the troops' skill levels.
"If these challenges are not addressed, many parts (of the country) will be taken out of the hands of the security forces. The Taliban will replace them, and this will be dangerous," said General Abdulhadi Khalid, former deputy minister for security at the Ministry of Interior Affairs.


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Bernd, Speakative English Conversation Program
Joan, Speakative English Conversation Program
"Every day I read the English and Culture blog and I love it."
-Student of English and Culture
"My classes with English and Culture have been awesome. I have been taking the classes for almost two months, twice a week and I am really happy about my improvement. Now I feel more comfortable and secure when speaking English and more fluent, too."
-Elkin, Colombia
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It's 2013! A brand new year! A brand new chance for you to change some of your old habits and ways of thinking when it comes to learning English.
This is your chance to transform those old methods into new techniques and ways of approaching the challenge that learning English presents to you.
Today we have some advice from an EFL teacher in South Korea. Anne Merritt recently published an article in The Telegraph about 5 things that many English students (possibly including you) do wrong when they try to learn English. I have added one more idea of my own that I believe is another major hurdle that many students encounter.
Ready to find out what the mistakes are and whether or not you are making any of them? Keep reading!
This is a real and valid problem that one of my students recently encountered when he traveled to Boston for a week.
Despite having practiced for hours and hours before arriving in Boston, when he got there he was overwhelmed and wasn't able to understand what people were saying because he wasn't used to listening so intensely, 12 hours per day.
We decided to set a new schedule where he would practice his listening at home between our lessons, at least 3 or 4 times per week.
If you decide to try this, remember that it's ok to put in just 10 minutes of focused listening practice per day, but do it regularly.
As Anne Merritt stated in her article, a super high level of intelligence isn't really necessary to learn a foreign language. You don't need to be Einstein ok?! Well that's great news!
However, one thing that is necessary is curiosity.
When you learn a new vocabulary word or idiom, you don't just learn the word.
You learn something about the people and the way they view the world.
Language opens the door for an unlimited number of connections with people who see the world differently.
Does this fact make you excited? It should!
What could be more uncertain than learning a new language and living in a new country?
It's a huge risk and you are constantly making yourself vulnerable.
You are putting yourself out in the world and saying, "hey I am probably going to make some mistakes here but that's ok. I am learning." If you aren't doing that, then you are probably sitting at home because you are scared and you aren't learning a thing.
Every time you take a chance, take a risk, speak with someone new in English, use a new vocabulary word, idiom, grammar point or phrasal verb, you should consider that a win.
Try to get to the point where you don't panic when you don't know every word that you hear in the conversation or in the paragraph that you are reading. Can you at least get the basic idea? As Anne Merritt mentioned in the article, can you leave your dictionary or translation application in your bag and just sit with the discomfort for a moment? I challenge you to try this.
A lot of upper intermediate students hit an English learner's plateau where they feel that their English stops getting better.
If this is happening to you, it might be happening because you have been using the same methods over and over and the lack of variety isn't challenging you enough to move to the next level. You are bored!
If that's your case, it's time to change this! You need a blend of both controlled learning environments like private English lessons or group classes and chaotic learning environments like your weekly meeting at work or a networking event.
Controlled learning environments:
Chaotic learning environments:
Are you afraid to start a conversation in English with someone new at a party?
Are you afraid to ask a stranger for directions on the street?
Are you afraid to live with roommates who don't speak your native language?
Are you afraid to give a presentation in English?
These are all valid and typical fears. But you have to recognize that fear is nothing more than energy.
It is possible to set your fear aside and do what you know you need to do to improve. If you can set your fear aside, you can actually use it and re-channel it to reach your goals.
Wondering how you can do that? Keep reading...
Are you the same person when you speak your native language and English?
Well, yes, in many ways you are. You have the same name, the same address and the same passport photo, but in many ways you are someone different.
Not sure what I mean? Let me give you an example. I am a native English speaker and I have been learning Spanish for about 5 years. When I speak Spanish I am more playful and less inhibited. I actually feel like a different person. I think it's fun. It's like taking off one mask and putting on another. It's refreshing to step out of the way I normally see myself and present myself. I get to be someone different for a few hours or a day.
One of our students once told me that she is a bit of a comedian in her native language but feels that she can't be funny in the same way in English because she doesn't have the fluency. She doesn't know how to tell jokes the same way in English. So if she is not a comedian in English, then who is she?
Have you noticed that this happens to you as well when you speak English?
Instead of fighting against this shift in identity, why don't you let yourself be a different person when you speak English. For more information on how to deal with this shift in identity, check out this article on the pros and cons of a new identity as an English learner.
So are you making any of the 6 mistakes?? If you are, this is the perfect time to change the way you study English or the way that you react to the challenge of studying English. Your assignment is this: identify the mistake that you are making, write it down and write down exactly what you will do to change it. Good luck and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.
Thanks for reading!
Photo credits: six: Steve Snodgrass, fear: Kevin B3 , headphones: MJ/TR, cat: kodomut, balance beam: sherbonbon, apples: katerha,
Article: Merritt, A. (Dec 19, 2012) The Telegraph, "Learning a foreign Language: five most common mistakes.
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Snowy White Vanilla Glaze
Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
A simple Snowy White Vanilla Glaze graces the top of our Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake.
This recipe goes with Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake
Yield: Makes about 1 cup
More From Southern Living
Recipe Time
Hands On:
5 Minutes
Total: 5 Minutes
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
My Notes
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Snowy White Vanilla Glaze Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Desserts
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining, Kid-Friendly, Quick/Easy
- PUBLICATION: Southern Living
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Results tagged ' Alex Rodriguez '
'Wake Me Up When September Ends' …
The Angels' impressive four-game sweep of the A's put them 30 games above .500, five games up in the American League West and 3 1/2 up (on the Orioles) for the best record in baseball. They'll start September with five more wins than they had all of last year and a realistic chance of capturing the franchise record in wins. They'd have to play .692 ball over the season's final month; they've played .610 ball through the season's first five months.
Here's a look at how the Angels have to fare in September for certain milestones.
90 wins: 7-19
95 wins: 12-14
100 wins: 17-9
101 wins (club record): 18-8
This is the ninth time the Angels have held sole possession of first place in the AL West to start September. On five of the previous eight occasions, they went on to win the division. They blew 2 1/2-game leads in 1985 and '98, and epically blew a 7 1/2-game lead with one month left in '95.
So Angels manager Mike Scioscia has good reason to not look ahead.
"I know a lot of people are counting down, under 30 games — not us," he said. "We know we have a long way to go. You want to ask me [about the standings] in about three weeks, we'll sit down and talk. Right now, we are still in the heart of the pennant race. We need to chew this off one inning, one pitch, one game at a time."
The Angels are off on Monday, then start a bizarre 10-game, four-city road trip through Houston (two games), Minnesota (four games), Cleveland (one game) and Arlington (three games). The Angels' bullpen will continue to do some heavy lifting in September.
Some additional tidbits from Sunday …
- Angels pitchers had a streak of 29 consecutive scoreless innings snapped in the eighth inning. It was tied for the longest in team history. … Sunday marked the fourth four-game sweep by the Angels this season, the most in their history. … Nineteen wins in August matched a franchise best (also done in 1986 and 2004). … This is the Angels' largest division lead and their most games above .500 since the end of the 2009 season (10 games up, 32 games over). … At 83-53, the Angels have matched the best pace in club history after 136 games.
- Mike Trout hit his 31st homer on Sunday and drove in three runs, giving him 97 on the year. All of those home runs and all but two of those RBIs have come from the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Among No. 2 hitters throughout history, the 23-year-old center fielder heads into September tied for ninth in homers (Eddie Mathews leads with 46 in 1959) and 10th in RBIs (Mathews and Alex Rodriguez in 1998 each had 114).
- Matt Shoemaker is the first rookie with 14-plus wins and 115-plus strikeouts before September since CC Sabathia in 2001. He's been a great story.
- Chris Iannetta now leads the Angels in on-base percentage at .380 — six points higher than Trout.
- Erick Aybar's hitting streak is now at a career-high 16 games. The veteran shortstop is batting .458 (27-for-59) during that span.
– Alden
Where will Albert Pujols end up? …
Albert Pujols hit home run Nos. 499 and 500 last night, as you know by now. He's the 26th member of the 500-home run club, the third-youngest player to reach the milestone and the first to hit 499 and 500 in the same game. And he called his shot, too. Pujols' homers came in a win, and he got the balls back from a couple of classy Angels fans. Perhaps the best part is that it comes as he's proving to the world that he's got a lot of game left, with a Major League-leading eight home runs to go along with a .274/.337/.619 slash line.
Pujols is signed for eight more years (including this one), through 2021. Here's a look at where he'd finish up, if he plays through that contract, given certain home-run averages …
30-homer average: 732
25-homer average: 692
20-homer average: 652
15-homer average: 612
That's pretty impressive, that Pujols could average a mere 15 homers for the life of his contract and still become only the ninth player ever to reach the 600-homer milestone. To catch Willie Mays' 660, he'd have to average 21 homers from 2014-21; to catch Babe Ruth's 714, he'd have to average nearly 28 homers; to catch Hank Aaron's 755, he'd have to average nearly 33 homers; to catch Barry Bonds' 762, he'd have to average nearly 34 homers.
But the most impressive thing about Pujols is that he isn't defined by the home run.
He's simply been a great hitter.
Consider: Pujols is only the ninth member of the 500-home run club with a career batting average of at least .300. And only three members have a higher one than Pujols' current .321 clip — Ted Williams (.344), Babe Ruth (.342) and Jimmie Foxx (.325).
Yes, the general public has soured a bit on 500 homers, with Pujols becoming the 10th new member of the club in the last 15 years. But power numbers have gone down considerably in recent years, thanks in large part to tougher testing for performance-enhancing substances, and the 500-homer club — almost like the 300-win club, but not as drastic — could go a long time without a new member.
Here's a look at the active home run leaders, beyond Alex Rodriguez (654) and Pujols, with their ages in parenthesis …
Adam Dunn (34): 444
Jason Giambi (43): 438
David Ortiz (38): 435
Paul Konerko (38): 434
Alfonso Soriano (38): 410
Adrian Beltre (35): 376
Carlos Beltran (37): 363
Aramis Ramirez (36): 357
Mark Teixeira (34): 341
Torii Hunter (38): 317
Besides maybe Dunn — and that's still a big "maybe" — I don't see anyone on that list who stands a chance at reaching 500. We may have to wait on the likes of Miguel Cabrera (367 at age 31) or Prince Fielder (287 at 29), or perhaps even Mike Trout (67 at 22) or Giancarlo Stanton (123 at 24).
And after Pujols — if he gets there — when's the next time we'll see 600?
"When you look at how great he's been for the last 14 years, and you start averaging out what that meant to hit 500 home runs, it's just an incredible feat," Raul Ibanez said of Pujols. "Combine that with the lifetime batting average, the on-base percentage, it's just extraordinary."
– Alden
Angels fall short (OK, way short) on Tanaka …
The Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes are over, and after all the speculation and all the anticipation, he wound up with the team that seemed to make the most sense from the onset: The Yankees, who badly need pitching, can spend with the best of them, will hardly have to pay Alex Rodriguez in 2014 and have now abandoned any faint hopes to get under the $189 million luxury tax.
The Angels still hold on to those expectations.
They have roughly $15 million of wiggle room before surpassing that tax threshold, which is enough money to sign a free-agent starting pitcher but ultimately wasn't enough to even compete for Tanaka. The Yankees got him on a seven-year, $155 million contract, with an opt-out after the fourth year, according to Ken Rosenthal.
The Angels knew Tanaka well and liked him a lot, but for them, any deal in excess of $100 million meant going over the tax. With Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton combining to make $196 million over the next four years, and Mike Trout one year away from making major dollars, another mega contract was just too much of a gamble for them. That's probably why they didn't bother to meet with him in California two weeks ago, or why they weren't among the five teams to reportedly submit an offer; the chances were too slim.
So, what now?
In a word (or two), Matt Garza.
The Angels have targeted Garza ever since Jason Vargas signed with the Royals in late November. The two actually share the same agent, Nez Balelo, who also represents third baseman David Freese, who filed an arbitration number $1.9 million higher than what the Angels filed last week. Small world, right? Garza has always seemed a lot more realistic than Tanaka because the contract and the amount of suitors are smaller, but the Angels still aren't expected to overpay. Agree with it or not, they don't feel they have to add another starter after acquiring two young, cost-controlled lefties in Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago for Mark Trumbo, a duo that joins Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Garrett Richards in the projected rotation.
I don't expect the Tanaka signing to impact Garza's price. They're on two completely different stratospheres. But one potential ripple effect is that the Diamondbacks have liked Garza for a while, and they have money to burn after not being able to sign Tanaka or Shin-Soo Choo. A resolution could come soon (you know, since we're like three weeks away from Spring Training).
If Garza's price demands don't go down, then the Angels will move on to the next tier, to the likes of Bronson Arroyo and Chris Capuano and Paul Maholm. Chances are, they'll add someone this month. But I think they'll wait for a fair price (and this is the month for fair prices). They still aren't expected to give up a Draft pick in order to sign Ubaldo Jimenez or Ervin Santana.
Nobody wants to hear this, but if they don't feel comfortable with any of the free-agent-salary demands, they can always keep their remaining funds and wait 'til next year, when Max Scherzer, James Shields and Jon Lester will make up a much more talented free-agent crop of starters.
– Alden
100 runs, no matter what …
Last year, Mike Trout scored 100 runs despite spending the entire first month in the Minor Leagues.
This year, triple-digits in that category may be even more impressive.
In Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Blue Jays, Trout scored two runs to give him 101 on the season, making him only the seventh player in Major League history to notch 100-plus runs in his age-20 and age-21 season.
In 2012, a year in which he led the Majors with 129 runs scored, Trout reached No. 100 in his 481st plate appearance. That gave him an astounding 44 percent run-scoring percentage, tied with Desmond Jennings for first among American League players with at least 500 plate appearances.
In 2013, a year in which he trails only the Cardinals' Matt Carpenter (114) in runs, he did it in his 641st plate appearance. Entering Wednesday, Trout's run-scoring percentage was way down to 30 percent. The reason is two-fold: (1) He's stealing less bases (49 to 32) because pitchers are watching him a lot more closely; (2) he hasn't had much consistency behind him, with Albert Pujols hurt and Josh Hamilton struggling.
That's OK, Trout has made up for that with an on-base percentage that's 38 points higher than last year's (.399 to .437).
And somehow, he still managed to score 100 runs.
"Last year was incredible because he did it minus 100 at-bats that he didn't have in the month of April," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "And that's off the charts what he did last year. I think this year his numbers are going to be terrific. He's having an incredible year. And I don't think it's under the circumstances where teams know what he can do. I mean he's running into a lot of 1.15, 1.2 times to the plate, which he didn't see as much of last year. It's impacting his ability to steal, but it's also giving guys at the plate a better look where pitchers are a little more uncomfortable staying in a slide step. So he still brings a presence there."
Here's a list of the six others who notched back-to-back 100-run campaigns in their age-20 and age-21 seasons …
John McGraw (1893-94)
Mel Ott (1929-30)
Buddy Lewis (1937-38)
Ted Williams (1939-40)
Vada Pinson (1959-60)
Alex Rodriguez (1996-97)
– Alden
Game 117: Angels-Yankees …
The Angels are 6-17 in their last 23 games at Yankee Stadium (including the playoffs) and Hiroki Kuroda has a 1.13 ERA in his last six starts. But Mariano Rivera has blown three consecutive save opportunities for the first time in his Hall of Fame career, and the Yankees have dropped five of their last seven games (though they took two of three from the first-place Tigers over the weekend) …
Angels (53-63)
J.B. Shuck, DH
Kole Calhoun, RF
Mike Trout, CF
Josh Hamilton, LF
Erick Aybar, SS
Mark Trumbo, 1B
Chris Nelson, 3B
Chris Iannetta, C
Grant Green, 2B
Pitching: RH Garrett Richards (3-4, 4.20 ERA)
Yankees (59-57)
Brett Gardner, CF
Ichiro Suzuki, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Curtis Granderson, RF
Eduardo Nunez, SS
Chris Stewart, C
Pitching: RH Kuroda (10-7, 2.45 ERA)
- It's official: Jason Vargas, who hasn't pitched since June 17 because of a blood clot, will start tomorrow, opposite CC Sabathia. As for who comes out of the rotation? Mike Scioscia wouldn't say just yet, but it'll probably come down to either Tommy Hanson or Jerome Williams (though Richards could make it even more interesting if he gets roughed up tonight). Hanson has an option to the Minor Leagues, Williams has experience pitching in the bullpen and both have struggled.
- The 22-year-old Trout vouched for severe penalties for those who fail Major League Baseball's Drug Policy, saying on WFAN in New York on Monday morning that players "should be out of the game if you get caught." "It takes away from the guys that are working hard every day and doing it all-natural," Trout added on the radio show. "Some people are just trying to find that extra edge." … Asked about those comments at Yankee Stadium later on Monday, Trout deferred to the Angels' union rep, C.J. Wilson.
- Trumbo is batting sixth today, even with Albert Pujols and Howie Kendrick out, with his slash line down to .237/.300/.455 after putting up only nine hits in his last 63 at-bats. "He's not going to be graded out on his batting average and his on-base percentage as much as what his power production is," Scioscia said. "Like most hitters who have maybe a little more leverage in their swing, it's a double-edged sword. When he's off, he struggles. And it seems like once he finds that timing, he keeps it for a long time."
- Peter Bourjos (fractured right wrist) is expected to play his fifth game for Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday night and the Yankees have a lefty (Sabathia) starting tomorrow, which seems like as good a time as any to activate Bourjos — though Scioscia wouldn't say anything definitively. Trout will play left field on the days Bourjos is in the lineup — I feel like I need to state that for the record every time Bourjos comes back — and it probably won't cut into Shuck's playing time, since the DH spot is essentially open.
- Earlier today, Trout's high school field was named in his honor.
– Alden
Wilson, Josh react to Cruz, PEDs …
Here's what Nelson Cruz's two former teammates on the Angels had to say about today's news that Cruz joined 12 other players — most notably Alex Rodriguez — in getting suspended due to their links to the now-defunct "wellness clinic" in Miami …
Josh Hamilton
On his initial thoughts: "I'm very surprised. It's one of those things, you know. You're teammates, you spend a lot of time with him. Some guys keep certain parts of their lives to themselves. Take from what you see. Nellie was always a good teammate. I enjoyed playing with him and enjoyed having him in the locker room. I saw his statement that he made a mistake. I've made plenty of those.
On whether he feels differently about him now: "We've all made mistakes. Some people's mistakes are different than others and some are the same. He made a poor decision, and now he's gong to deal with consequences."
On guys always cheating the system: "People will always be trying to beat the system no matter what. All we can is Major League Baseball and the Players' Union get together to try to prevent that. But there will always be those few who will try to do it."
On this being a stain on the game: "I think the big to-do earlier in the 2000's was a process of getting that out of the game, and this is part of that process."
On whether the suspensions are long enough: "It's not for me to decide. It's for Major League Baseball and the [MLBPA] to decide."
On whether he accepts Cruz's statement: "I was there last year and I saw him when he came to Spring Training and what he looked like. I asked the same questions everyone else did. 'What happened?' 'How did you get sick?' There was nothing he said to me that made me question anything."
C.J. Wilson (also the Angels' MLBPA rep)
On constantly talking about this: "Hopefully this is the last press conference we have to have; this is the last scandal for the game. I think it's good they're getting all this stuff out of the way. It's a uniform thing, everybody is taking their suspensions except for that other guy, and hopefully we can move on from this. It's sad that playoff races are impacted by players who used PEDs, but this is the nature of the beast."
"I think the issue centers around greed. If anybody says it's something else, they're not telling the truth. The players want to do well because they want to get bigger contracts. That money they earn is tainted, just like their statistics are. Hopefully we can take this as a lesson, for everybody watching, all the clean players, that we're cleaning up the game and getting rid of the incentive to do this stuff."
On this affecting playoff-bound teams: "It affects everybody. Think about that series we just had against Texas. Nelson did really well, and he's not available for this series. Is the playing field level? I don't know. You can't take away wins he's created through his contributions, but this is the way the game is right now. You hope with the suspension of Rodriguez also that we've found a level playing field for the clean players."
"We need the greed to stop. I've accepted the fact I'm not a $300-million player, God didn't bless me with that. I'm dealing with regular-guy stuff and trying to compete, and that's the way it is for the rest of the guys in this dugout. You're dealt a certain hand and you have to play that. Stop being a baby and move on."
On whether he's happy with the process: "I think there's less people slipping through the cracks than 10 years ago. Other sports don't have the frequency or accuracy of testing that we do."
On Cruz specifically: "It's hard to make character judgments of people when you don't know all the circumstances. I've known Nelson for many years, always thought he was a great guy and teammate, but at this point, he's a competitor, on the other team, so it's immaterial what I think. He got hits off me and I'm [ticked] off about that."
"If you really look at it, it's a small percentage of players who are cheating, and that's getting weeded out culturally. We're getting into an issue of ethics. You're never going to have perfect people. They can't follow the rules."
On whether he's relieved it didn't affect the Angels: "It's affected our team. We've played against these guys. They've all hit home runs against us, struck us out, and we're not happy about that. We're hoping this would happen sooner rather than later to give us a chance to play against the clean guys.
On the A-Rod ordeal: "I think it's going to end in a 30 for 30 special. It's a saga. Always has been for him. He's been in spotlight for 20 years. Nothing is gonna change that. He has one of those polarizing personalities that people are going to be drawn to. People will think he's a villain no matter what he does. This latest chapter just gives further fuel to the fire that he's made bad decisions. The whole appeal process is kind of curious. I don't even know how the Yankees fans are going to react. When he goes to Boston, other cities, gonna be rough. But good for the game that they're finally getting him on something. All these press conferences, Good Morning America, 20-20, enough of that, let's just play some baseball and stop trying to be a role model."
– Alden
Mike Trout hits for the cycle. Well, duh. …
Mike Trout had a 2-0 count against Mariners lefty Lucas Luetge, with one out in the eighth, an 11-0 lead in the scoreboard, and a triple, double and single in his back pocket. At that point, you figured he'd go deep. It made so much sense — too much sense — for one of the most dynamic, exhilarating, talented players in the game to hit for the cycle.
When he did, Trout (21 years, nine months and 14 days old) became the youngest player in American League history to accomplish the feat (surpassing Alex Rodriguez in 1997), the first Angels player to do it since Chone Figgins on Sept. 16, 2006, and the sixth-youngest ever.
"I didn't really think of it 'til about the 8th inning," Trout told FOX Sports West postgame. "I was like, 'Man, I have a triple, double and a single.' I got the 2-0 there and I said, 'Hey, if I'm going to hit one, it's going to be this pitch.'"
You have to figure Trout has at least one more of these in him.
Question is: Can he hit for the cycle more times than anybody ever?
The record is a mere three, accomplished by three players (Bob Meusel, Babe Herman and John Reilly) in Major League history. Now, Major League Baseball history is long. And there have been a lot of five-tool players to come through. The fact that nobody did it more than three times shows you the luck that's needed to accomplish a milestone that's somewhat, well, quirky. But is there anyone in baseball more qualified to hit for the cycle than Trout, with an unrivaled combination of speed and power?
"If I were a betting man," Mike Scioscia told reporters postgame, "I've got to believe there's another cycle in his career somewhere."
Some additional tidbits from Trout's cycle …
- Trout is the third-youngest player to hit for the cycle since 1930. The two younger guys were Arky Vaughan (21 years and three months in 1933) and Cesar Cedeno (21 years and five months in 1972).
- This is the seventh cycle in Angels history. Ex-shortstop Jim Fregosi had two. Two of the Angels' seven cycles have come against the Mariners.
- First cycle in the Majors since Adrian Beltre – who also had two — on Aug. 24, 2012.
- The last Angels player to hit for the cycle at Angel Stadium was Jeff DaVanon in 2004.
- Since the RBI became an official stat in 1920, only two other players have hit for the cycle in a game where they also drove in five or more runs and stole at least one base (Tony Lazzeri in 1932; Herman in 1931).
- Trout is the first player born in the 1990s to hit for the cycle in the Majors.
- There have been 238 other cycles in baseball history. Twenty-nine players did it more than once, including George Brett, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and, yes, Brad Wilkerson.
– Alden
Vernon Wells to the Yankees? …
The Angels and Yankees are in talks regarding a deal that would send Vernon Wells to the Bronx, an industry source confirmed to MLB.com on Sunday.
How much money is exchanged in the deal and who the Angels get back — if anyone — is still unknown. The Angels have not made any official announcements. Deals like this, with money changing hands and approval needed by MLB, usually have several hurdles to overcome. Last spring, the Angels and Indians talked extensively about a deal for Bobby Abreu that ultimately fell through.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reported that the deal "could be done today."
Wells has a full no trade clause and is owed $42 million over the next two seasons, but he comes into the season as the fifth outfielder in the depth chart — behind Mike Trout, Peter Bourjos, Josh Hamilton and designated hitter Mark Trumbo.
The 34-year-old outfielder, who has the day off on Sunday, has enjoyed a nice spring, batting .361 (13-for-36) with four homers and 11 RBIs. The Yankees have Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson slated to start the season on the disabled list.
If the deal does go through, it would relieve some of the pressure off Bourjos, who came in as the everyday center fielder but had some pressure to succeed early with Wells on the bench.
The Angels dangled Wells in the offseason, but weren't able to find anyone willing to take on much of any of his contract in a trade.
Wells, who plans to retire after the 2014 season, has been very accepting of his role all spring, saying he understands he comes in as a reserve and just wants to fight for playing time.
"I put myself in this position," Wells said early in spring. "Obviously, some guys played well last year. You have the most exciting player in the game in Mike Trout; Trumbo, who's one of the most powerful guys in this league when it comes to hitting a baseball; you sign Josh Hamilton; and you have Peter. Peter deserves a chance. What he had to go through last year was far more difficult than what anybody had to go through, sitting and watching that entire time. There's a lot of things at play. I understand that."
With the Blue Jays from 2002-10, Wells posted a .279/.330/.478 slash line, won two Gold Gloves and made three All-Star teams. But he hasn't been able to duplicate that success since coming to Anaheim, in a January 2011 deal that saw the Angels send Juan Rivera, Mike Napoli and $81 million of the $86 million owed to Wells.
Wells hit 25 homers in 2011, but posted the lowest batting average (.218) and on-base percentage (.248) in the Majors. He batted .244 with six homers in the first two months of 2012, then missed the next two months with thumb surgery and, with Trout producing, hardly played the rest of the way.
Report Card: Outfield/DH …
In keeping with the theme here, Trumbo aced the mid-term, but failed the non-cumulative final exam. He hit .306/.358/.608 in the first half, but .227/.271/.359 in the second half — dropping all the way down to eighth in the order and occasionally getting benched for Vernon Wells. Was it an uncharacteristically long slump that he'll shake off and won't happen again? Or did he rapidly digress towards the mean after hitting outside of himself in the first half? The sample size may not be big enough to know for sure just yet. But one thing we do know: Trumbo's power is real.
Grade: B-
Mike Trout, CF
Trout is like that brainy kid in your pre-calc class who constantly screws up the curve. You can't do any better than Trout did after coming up on April 28, putting up one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history while making a tremendous impact in center field and on the basepaths. Yeah, he struck out 139 times. So what? He also led the team in walks. Oh, and by the way, Alex Rodriguez struck out 121 times per season from 1996 to 2008. He did pretty well in that span. Question is: Long-term, is Trout a leadoff hitter or a three-hole hitter?
"For the foreseeable future, I see Mike as a leadoff hitter," general manager Jerry Dipoto said, "but that being said, I think Mike transcends any position of the lineup. He can hit wherever you want him to hit. He's got middle-of-the-order power, he's got top-of-the-order speed, he's got top-of-the-order ability to get on base. Frankly, it's a very good package of skills."
Um, yeah it is.
Grade: A+
Torii Hunter, RF
Was 2012, his age-37 season and his 16th in the big leagues, Hunter's best yet? It's at least debatable. Thanks to a monstrous second half, Hunter hit .300 for the first time in his decorated career and may end up with his first Gold Glove as a right fielder (10th overall). Not only that, Hunter was as clutch as can be for the Angels down the stretch, when they were scratching and crawling for a spot in the playoffs, and continued to be the veteran and emotional leader of this team. If he departs via free agency, he will be gravely missed.
Grade: A-
Kendrys Morales, DH
It's hard to analyze Morales' season in a vacuum because the real story lies in much he had to overcome. The switch-hitter missed almost two full seasons with a couple of left ankle surgeries — making the kind of comeback that's quite unprecedented among position players — and not only stayed healthy and hit well, but played a pretty good first base while Albert Pujols was out. Everybody in the Angels organization would've been ecstatic if you told them in spring that they'd get a .787 OPS out of Morales this season. Next year, his walk year, he should be even better.
Grade: B
Week 1: Infield.
– Alden
Parting ways with Vernon Wells …
In honor of Paul Simon, who told you about the 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, below are Five Ways To Leave Vernon Wells. Not as catchy, I know. And it's not as easy as slipping out the back (Jack), or making a new plan (Stan), or hopping off the bus (Gus) — OK, I'll stop.
The best way to get it done may be a little bad-contract swapping.
Look, it's no secret the Angels would prefer to part ways with Wells, who's owed $42 million through the 2014 season. At this point, they can't expect much salary relief (if any) in the process, but what they can do is create some breathing room in a clogged-up outfield and perhaps get a player back who can help them in an area of need. At the same time, they'd probably be helping Wells, sending him to a place where he can play more regularly. The best way to do it, perhaps, is to try and find a match with a team that has a similarly unfriendly contract. The Cubs did it in 2009, sending the volatile Milton Bradley to the Mariners in exchange for Carlos Silva. The Angels themselves tried to do it last offseason, with Bobby Abreu slated to return to the Yankees before A.J. Burnett evoked his limited no-trade clause.
Is there a similar partner for Wells this offseason? Below are some possibilities. Two things to keep in mind: 1. This is merely speculative — nothing more than my own opinion; 2. The Angels may consider the next two years of Wells' contract a wash, so perhaps they'll have little issue with paying the difference in a trade. The benefit for them is creating flexibility in the outfield — perhaps easing a return for Torii Hunter — while getting a player who may help them. If they can save a couple million dollars, too, even better.
BOS SP John Lackey ($30.5M thru '14)
After winning 102 games, posting a 3.81 ERA and having a few memorable postseason moments in eight seasons with the Angels, Lackey put up a 4.40 ERA in his first year with the Red Sox, followed by a 6.41 ERA in 2011, followed by Tommy John surgery in October that knocked him out for all of this past season. But the soon-to-be 34-year-old progressed towards the end of the year, should have a normal offseason and is expected to be ready to go by the start of Spring Training. Would Boston go for it? They have Jacoby Ellsbury in center and there appears to be strong mutual interest in Cody Ross returning. Other than that, though, they have several uncertainties in Daniel Nava, Ryan Sweeney and Ryan Kalish. Wells, meanwhile, may be a nice fit for the Green Monster, and to them, Lackey may represent part of that toxic clubhouse they're still trying to fumigate.
NYY 3B Alex Rodriguez ($114M thru '17)
It's an easy place to go these days, since A-Rod is getting benched in the playoffs while being booed mercifully by the home crowd and the Angels could use an upgrade at third base. But A-Rod's deal extends three years longer than Wells', at $61 million. I'm thinking one $200 million deal (Albert Pujols) is enough in Anaheim.
CWS DH Adam Dunn ($30M thru '14)
Bringing him on board as a lefty middle-of-the-order hitter could free up a trade for Kendrys Morales, who's heading into his final year before free agency. But Dunn turned it around in 2012, raising his OPS from .569 to .800, and may claim AL Comeback Player of the Year honors for it (Morales is also in the running). This no longer looks like a salary dump for the White Sox.
SEA UT Chone Figgins ($8M in '13, $9M vesting option in '14)
This is one that seems to make sense for both sides. Figgins has said he wants out of Seattle, and he'd probably embrace a return to the place he thrived from 2002-09. The Angels could use a utility man with Maicer Izturis expected to depart via free agency (though Figgins doesn't help them at shortstop). The Mariners, meanwhile, are in desperate need of power and Wells may be a nice fit now that they're moving the fences in at Safeco Field. One problem: The money. In case you hadn't noticed, Figgins' deal is a lot friendlier than Wells'. But, hey, if the Angels see Wells' contract as a wash, that may not be an issue. By the way, Figgins' 2014 option automatically vests with 600 plate appearances in 2013 — meaning it probably won't automatically vest.
SFG SP Barry Zito ($20M in '13, $18M club option — and $7M buyout — in '14)
Another one that may fill needs on both sides. Zito would move into the Angels' rotation — a rotation that could lose up to three-fifths of the 2012 makeup — and Wells would go to a team that, like the Mariners, is perpetually looking for offense. Plus, Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan will hit free agency this offseason. But do the Giants really benefit from this? Though obviously no longer the same pitcher, Zito had a descent year with a 4.15 ERA in 184 1/3 innings. And in their desire to upgrade the offense, the Giants, three wins away from the World Series, may have higher aspirations than Wells. Zito, by the way, has a full no-trade clause — but he is a SoCal product.
Not mentioned: CHC LF Alfonso Soriano ($36M thru '14); NYM LF Jason Bay ($16M in '13, $17M club option in '14); NYM SP Johan Santana ($25.5M in '13, $25M club option in '14); LAD SP Josh Beckett and 3B Hanley Ramirez ($31.5M thru '14 each); LAD LF Carl Crawford ($102.5M thru '17); MIA RP Heath Bell ($18M thru '14).
– Alden


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School board should allow religion class
Surely Johnston school board member Butler Hall has no real qualms with an online course in world religions. Surely he sees no real harm in a class that introduces, not indoctrinates, young people to the religions that have influenced individuals, cultures and societies, in many cases for thousands...
Archive by category ''Editorials
Recycling fee doesn't pass fairness test
Johnston County Commissioners say they want to be fair when deciding how to make trash disposal in Johnston pay for itself. If so, they will be hard pressed to justify levying a $5 recycling fee on homes and businesses in Johnston towns.
Schools need to raise their expectations
Last week, we ran a story on Johnston student scores on the latest end-year tests given by the state. Truth be told, we didn't find the scores useful, and we doubt parents did either.
Good news, bad news in same stories
The good news is that a lot of people in the Smithfield and Selma communities want to improve academic performance at their high school, where test scores have long been among the county's worst. The bad news is that they seem intent on doing so by busing black and Hispanic students elsewhere...
Here's proof teachers are getting raises
For proof that North Carolina teachers are actually getting pay raises, look at what school boards across the state are doing: They're digging for dollars to match the pay raises that some General Assembly critics claim aren't raises at all.
Why levy a $5 fee for recycling?
Because they are loath to raise property taxes, ever, county and town governments are fond of fees and usage rates. And that's not always bad a thing, because in many cases, fees and usage rates make sense. In Johnston County and its towns, water rates come quickly to mind, as do building...
Why the secrecy on SSS talks?
Wednesday's edition of the Smithfield Herald had a story about the latest meeting of the group pushing Johnston County school leaders to improve academic performance at Smithfield-Selma High School. The story was harder to report than one might imagine.
Will good deal deliver lower rates?
Johnston County's public-power towns are getting a good deal from Duke Energy Progress, which has agreed to buy the towns' shares in five power plants. Together, the Johnston towns of Benson, Clayton, Selma and Smithfield will see their public-power debt fall by about 70 percent. That...
Should county give money to nonprofits?
Johnston County Commissioners said recently they will study whether to give tax dollars to nonprofits. We're comfortable with whatever decision they make.
Taxpayers deserve answers
Not everyone on the Smithfield Town Council wants to get the bottom of the town's pay scandal. It would be cheaper, they argue, to pay former town manager Eric Williams than to fight him in court, where soaring legal fees might pale in comparison to a costly judgment against the town.
Library's silence fuels speculation
The director of the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield won't answer questions about Clayton's impending departure from the county library network. Margaret Marshall canceled one interview with reporter Nash Dunn and has not responded since then to repeated requests for...


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Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers
Allyn and Bacon, 2000 - Classroom management - 244 pages
Based on extensive research conducted by the authors in more than 500 classrooms over the past 25 years, this best-selling book presents students with a thoroughly practical, hands-on approach to classroom management. It helps an instructor perform one of the most basic tasks for a teacher to develop a smoothly running classroom that encourages learning! Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers gives teachers the information and skills they need to establish classroom management systems.
Written for the prospective elementary level teacher, the content is organized so that it can be readily applied in the classroom setting. It addresses the planning decisions teachers must make arranging the physical space, establishing rules and procedures, planning and conducting instruction, maintaining appropriate behavior, addressing problem behavior, using good communication skills, and managing special groups. All examples, checklists, case studies, and group activities are at the elementary level.
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Choosing Rules and Procedures
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This section contains 1,127 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
Stephen McCauley
SOURCE: "'He's Gone. Go Start the Coffee.,'" in The New York Times Book Review, April 11, 1993, pp. 9-10.
McCauley is an American novelist, short story writer, and critic. In the following review, he applauds the strong female characters and lyrical prose in Charms for the Easy Life, but faults Gibbons for making the central character, Charlie Kate, less than believable because of her resilience and invulnerability.
Kaye Gibbons made an auspicious literary debut in 1987 with the publication of Ellen Foster, a short, moving novel told in the voice of its feisty 11-year-old heroine. Old Ellen, as the character calls herself, had a childhood that would make Oliver Twist count his blessings. But it is her clear, honest voice, rather than any particular horror in her tale, that stays with you after you've finished the book. Among Ms. Gibbons...
This section contains 1,127 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)


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A reflection on St. Luke 3:10-18
I cannot think of him in any other way except as "Old" John the Baptizer. But he was only in his early thirties at the outside, a bare six months older than his cousin, Jesus. But he is old to me, as ancient as everything else about Israel.
Charlton Heston's movie baptizer* is stuck in my head, that's the problem. Gritty, grimy, dressed in scratchy camel hair, stealing honey from African killer bees, gobbling down hapless grasshoppers, looking like some Stone Age Neanderthalic prophet clubbing people with their sins — there's John, gone crazy-mad with axe fever, itching to launch himself into a pyromaniacal rage.
There he is, dipping his water-puckered hands into the Jordan River time after time to wash the sins off "vipers," and off of "stones" that pretend to call themselves children of Abraham. Hear him, yelling away about the axe and the fire and the wrath of God soon coming upon Earth?
What is this?
Just more Doomsday talk, you know, just something that fits in with today's preppers and survivalists, and National Geographic Channel specials about preppers and survivalists. Everybody's getting ready for the last day, that One Big Last Day (sometime this Friday if my calendar is correct).
With breathless panic "the crowds asked (John), 'What then should we do?'"
Well, if you have to ask don't you already know the answer? Stock up on six month's supply of freeze dried food pouches, get a warm sleeping bag, plenty of propane, and buy gold (and I buy my gold from Rosland Capital).
Can you picture them, all those people listening to Old John, hunkered down in front of the first century's version of How to Survive the Coming Wrath? And the questions tumble out.
"Teacher, what should I do?" It is not surprising that all these people come to John the Baptist, pleading, "What do I have to do? I'll do it. Just tell me what I have to do."
And the answer is: Nuthin'. Got that? That's pretty much what he says, as I read it. You see, none of his answers focused on the person who asked, "What must I do?"
Instead, all his answers put a spotlight on what must happen for someone else.
There's an interesting twist. There is nothing you may do for yourself. Instead, there is everything you can do for your neighbor.
Like what? Like, live charitably. Collect honest taxes, no more than necessary. Do not use a public trust to extort money.
Can you imagine a happy land like that? None of those people could. That's why they needed a John the Baptizer to remind them.
Nothing of what he said is about "me." All of what he said is for somebody else.
Dunno, but as "real" Doomsday prophets go, Old John turns out to be a decided disappointment. What he says doesn't sound like Doomsday at all, not to me. Does it sound like that to you? But if it is Doomsday, let her roll, I say, let her roll.
Old John's version of Doomsday isn't about doom at all. In fact, it turns out to about the "one who is coming." He's the one. He will do it. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and he'll put a fire in your belly. You wait and see if he doesn't.
God sends the Christ, who gives his life for us each. It is this and this alone that gives life to the world and rescues us from the entropy of death. We can't strive for it. It is given. We don't earn it. It is free. It is not about "us" getting. It is about him giving.
The way of God is totally opposite from what we expect, even maybe from what we deserve. It contradicts how we experience life. "Tell me what I must do." And instead I am pointed gently to a neighbor. I am moved beyond expectation.
Henry Thoreau talked about those who "march to the beat of a different drummer." But here's Old John showing up with a whole 'nother drum set.
That is our situation as the Church of Christ on a sojourn in this place. Life around us has this steady pace of what's expected.
But John's pounding an expectant beat, and here comes Jesus with a sweeter rhythm: Life is a gift. The kingdom is free. Christ is on our side. Grace and mercy have the last word. Look after each other.
Even now he is tapping out the sounds that measure our steps to this Table where his Body and Blood mark the dimensions of our need and his gift.
* The Greatest Story Ever Told, 1965
Russell E. Saltzman is dean of the Great Plains Mission District of the North American Lutheran Church, author of The Pastor's Page and Other Small Essays, and a featured author at First Things magazine web site.