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Thursday, April 15
Indonesian Carrot Soup Recipe From New England Soup Factory Cookbook
Rhode Islanders are used to temperamental weather. Last week during a respite from the floods, my dad called to boast that it was in the '90s -- 92 degrees to be exact -- and the first time this year that he turned on the AC in the car. When my mom got on the phone a few minutes later she said they were expecting snow the next day. That's New England weather for you -- unpredictable.
Perhaps that's why New England is home to so many delicious, seasonal, soul-soothing soups. No matter what time of the year it is in New England soup always tastes just right. Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein prove this point deliciously in their New England Soup Factory Cookbook, which includes over 100 soup recipes. The recipes run the gamut from classics like lobster bisque to ethnic specialties like Tuscan Ribollita.
Thanks to our dear Rhode Island family friend, Jo-Ann, I am the proud owner of this wonderful cookbook which includes a stellar recipe for vegetarian Indonesian Carrot Soup made with creamy coconut milk, minced fresh ginger, and sherry.
With its velvety texture and mixture of sweet and spicy ingredients, such as honey and crushed red pepper flakes, it makes an ideal springtime soup that crosses the threshold from snow-covered streets to daffodil-lined sidewalks.
If you don't have your own Jo-Ann, then I recommend finding one soon. Sure, you'll receive thoughtful gifts like cookbooks, but more importantly, you'll have a true friend for all seasons, no matter how fickle the weather gets.
Garnish soup with either fresh cilantro or lightly toasted shredded coconut.
Indonesian Carrot Soup from New England Soup Factory Cookbook
Makes 10-12 servings
Print recipe only here.
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled (I omitted)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I used closer to 2 tablespoons)
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery
3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons ground yellow curry powder
2 teaspoons ground corinader
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups vegetables stock
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 cup honey
2 cans (16 oz each) coconut milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used 4 tablespoons)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Heat a stockpot or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, ginger, onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the curry, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, stock, and sherry. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 35 minutes (I did it for about 20 minutes).
2. Remove from the heat and add the honey, coconut milk, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add more honey if you like a sweeter soup.
Here are more springtime recipes you might enjoy from Food Blogga:
Baby Artichoke and Asparagus Risotto
Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette
Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry-Mango Salsa
Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Citrus-Sage Glaze
Strawberry and Cardamom Crumb Cake
Here are more delicious carrot soup recipes you might enjoy:
White Carrot Soup recipe from Real Epicurean
Coriander Carrot Soup recipe from Soup Chick
Catch All Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup recipe from 80 Breakfasts
Carrot and Celery Root Soup recipe from The Nourishing Gourmet
Gingered Carrot and Pinto Bean Soup recipe from Lisa's Kitchen
Moroccan Chermoula and Carrot Soup recipe from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
27 comments:
- Siri said...
Is it normal that I want to swim in that carrot soup bowl?
- April 15, 2010 at 11:08 AM
- Rosa's Yummy Yums said...
Very tempting! I love the flavors!
- April 15, 2010 at 11:09 AM
- The French said...
This soup is literally 'On!' Normally not a fan of carrot soup or the texture of coconut, but this sounds amazing. And I think I'd opt for both cilantro and coconut. Thanks for posting:)
- April 15, 2010 at 11:19 AM
- Lydia (Soup Chick) said...
Love love love this cookbook! I'm not usually a fan of cooked carrots, but lately, with more soup-making going on in my kitchen, I'm coming to adore the pairing of carrots with warm spices.
- April 15, 2010 at 11:47 AM
- Peter M said...
Carrot & ginger are a natural, one I enjoy alot in a soup. May I have another bowl?
- April 15, 2010 at 11:56 AM
- Joanne said...
I'm not usually the biggest soup fan, but New England soups are the exception to my rule. They are just so comforting...I can't explain it. This looks just fabulous.
- April 15, 2010 at 4:23 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
siri-Um, kinda, yeah. ;)
rosa-Thank you!
thefrench-Yeah, this soup could convert a carrot soup hater.
lydia-I thought you'd love that cookbook!
peter-Sure, I've got a little left. ;)
joanne-I know exactly what you mean about New England soups, so I hope you get yourself the cookbook. :)
- April 15, 2010 at 6:32 PM
- Valen said...
Mmmm carrot soup, looks good!
- April 15, 2010 at 9:55 PM
- Cara said...
That soup does sound amazing. Now if only us here in New England could get some beautiful produce like yours, our soups could probably be even better! (Yes, I am still jealous of your purple baby artichokes!)
- April 16, 2010 at 9:45 AM
- Rambling Tart said...
Susan, this is fantastic!!! You're right, somehow it is perfect spring soup - cheery color and a wonderful combination of flavors.
- April 16, 2010 at 1:17 PM
- Anna@Tallgrass Kitchen said...
The soup looks lovely, and I can't wait to check out this cookbook. I love soup - have you ever taken a look at the Soup Peddler's Slow and Difficult Soups? It's fun read, with some unique recipes.
- April 16, 2010 at 1:55 PM
- lisaiscooking said...
The mix of sweet and spicy in the soup sounds delicious, and the coconut on top looks great!
- April 17, 2010 at 6:18 AM
- Amy said...
That looks delicious and I can't wait to make it...I am with Siri and could swim in it.
- April 17, 2010 at 6:03 PM
- Ann said...
wow.. soup looks delicious!
- April 17, 2010 at 6:28 PM
- Stacy (Little Blue Hen) said...
As a long-time carrot-disliker ("hate" is too strong a word), they are starting to grow on me. Coconut and ginger have been favorites for a while and may sway me into a small pot of this. It looks wonderful.
- April 17, 2010 at 9:37 PM
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
I've been craving carrot soup this weekend, as it has turned a little cooler in the east again. This recipe sounds like a winner.
- April 18, 2010 at 6:04 AM
- Kristen Doyle said...
This soup looks wonderful. Will have to save this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
- April 18, 2010 at 4:14 PM
- Unknown said...
Always a fan of coconut in anything. The colour of this soup is glorious.
- April 18, 2010 at 8:17 PM
- Homemade Heaven said...
Cape Town is famous for having 4 seasons in one day - although we don't get snow, it can turn from cold and rain to lovely sun in an hour and then howling wind by the afternoon. We love it, although it can confuse the tourists.
I love the soup - with our first winter rains today, I am collecting soup recipes everywhere.
- April 19, 2010 at 2:27 AM
- The Teacher Cooks said...
Carrot soup I have never had and I am a soup lover. This looks and sounds very good. I am interested in the cookbook. I will have to take a look at it.
- April 19, 2010 at 8:09 AM
I agree with Peter and think that carrots & ginger are a natural. The soup looks fantastic.
- April 19, 2010 at 5:51 PM
- Manggy said...
I'm quite afraid of the floods, but I'd still gladly come to RI for the soup!
(of course, I can make it here, but still! :)
- April 19, 2010 at 8:08 PM
Soup looks yummy. Am making it now for tomorrow night. I'm guessing that too many onions would make it sweeter than it already is. Greatly appreciate it, if you could clarify the amount of onions you used. Sorry to be anonymous but this is my first post and I'm still figuring out what I need to do to actively join in.
- April 21, 2010 at 5:28 PM
- przepisy said...
Great recipe!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
- April 22, 2010 at 1:14 AM
- Lisa said...
Wow, I don't know how I could have missed this one. This is totally my kind of soup. I love all these flavors-- from the spices to the coconut milk, all of it is delicious. Such a rich and gorgeous soup. Thanks for the recipe.
- April 22, 2010 at 12:18 PM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
cara-Yeah, those babies are super pretty!
ramblingtart-So glad you like it!
anna-No, I haven't seen that. Thanks for the rec! I'll check it out.
lisa-The coconut is my favorite part!
amy-I can see why!
ann-Thank you!
stacy-This soup may just convert you.
tw-It'll warm you up from the inside out!
kristen-My pleasure. It's a delicious book!
wizzy-It's all the carrots!
rose-I absolutely love your description of the weather. Sounds a lot like New England, actually, where I grew up. Stay warm!
mark-It's a soup worth traveling for.
teachercooks-It would be a great book for your classes too.
clea-Carrots and ginger are lovely together.
prezpisy-Thank you!
lisa-Well, now you found it. Happy soup-making!
- April 26, 2010 at 9:05 AM
- little pomelo said...
The soup looks awesome!
But, what's Indonesian about it aside from the use of coconut milk (which could be Thai, Malay or even Vietnamese-influenced)?
I'm Indonesian, yet I've never come across pureed carrot soup like this. I've rarely seen any pureed veg soup recipe (never, should I say) in any Indonesian food cookbook.
I don't mean to harass you, but the idea of calling it Indonesian really perplexed me!
- May 5, 2010 at 8:09 PM


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Elinor Carucci
Order the pig's feet from your butcher. Serve with a side of rich, creamy mashed potatoes.
- Yield
- Makes 6 servings
- 6 pounds meaty beef neck bones
- 1/4 cup olive oil plus additional for brushing
- 5 cups chopped onions (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- 2 1/2 cups diced celery
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 3 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
- 10 whole fresh Italian parsley sprigs plus chopped for garnish
- 6 large fresh thyme sprigs
- 5 large fresh rosemary sprigs
- 4 Turkish bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons juniper berries*
- 2 pig's feet, split in half lengthwise
- 8 cups beef broth (preferably organic)
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 large ripe unpeeled Bartlett pears, halved, cored, each half cut into 4 wedges
- Preheat broiler. Stand neck bones (close together for support), meat side up, in row in heavy large roasting pan. Brush meaty tops with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Broil until meat is deep brown, turning pan for even cooking, about 12 minutes. Transfer bones to rimmed baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Place roasting pan over 2 burners. Add 1/4 cup oil, onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté over medium-high heat until tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup vegetable mixture to small bowl and reserve for sauce.
- Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir 30 seconds. Add wine and boil until reduced to glaze, about 5 minutes. Return neck bones to pan, arranging flat side down in single layer. Nestle in herb sprigs, bay leaves, and juniper berries. Top with pig's feet, cut side down. Pour broth over and bring to boil.
- Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and place in oven. Braise until meat is very tender and falling off bones, about 3 hours. Using tongs, transfer neck bones to rimmed baking sheet to cool. Discard pig's feet.
- Strain pan juices into large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to release all juices; discard solids. Spoon all fat off surface of pan juices, reserving 1 tablespoon fat for sauce. Return juices to roasting pan. Boil over 2 burners until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes, occasionally stirring up browned bits. Transfer juices to large pot. Add reserved 1 cup vegetable mixture. Stir 1 tablespoon reserved fat and flour in small bowl to smooth paste; whisk into sauce. Boil until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 12 minutes. Add pears to sauce. Simmer pears, uncovered, until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Pull all meat off bones; cut meat into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Mix meat into sauce in pot. DO AHEAD: Stew can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 1 hour; cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing.
- Spoon stew into large bowl. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
- Available in the spice section of most supermarkets.
Related Video
Nutritional Info
- Calories969
- Carbohydrates35 g(12%)
- Fat37 g(56%)
- Protein116 g(232%)
- Saturated Fat12 g(60%)
- Sodium1115 mg(46%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat3 g
- Fiber7 g(28%)
- Monounsaturated Fat21 g
- Cholesterol319 mg(106%)

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Posts Tagged 'free trial'
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My issue is that since I set my mysql root password, I can not connect to my localhost database, nor log onto phpmyadmin.
I followed this tutorial http://youtu.be/BPjpRzdrug8 and at the very last step to log back in, nothing works. I've tried connecting to the database using 127.0.0.1 and localhost as the host and still nothing.
in phpmyadmin/config.inc.php set passwords for $cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] and $cfg['Servers'][$i]['controlpass'] - no luck
restarted computer - no luck
I did recently deleted everything from my cache folder per Apple Support because my system was running slow. Would that matter?


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Greetings all.
I have a motherboard (Asus Z97-WS) that already has optical out on the rear panel. It also has a spdif/optical out header.
1) If I get a the spdif/optical out bracket, is it possible I can use both the rear panel optical out as well as the one on the bracket?
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3) The same motherboard does not have coaxial out, except through use of the spdif/optical bracket. Even if the optical part of the bracket wouldn't work, would the coaxial?
Example bracket:
* https://www.amazon.com/SPDIF-Optical-Plate-Cable-Bracket/dp/B01LWNKIKN/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1544071137&sr=8-2&keywords=optical+out+bracket
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Folio Investing's Successful ETF-Based Alternative to Legacy Target-Date Funds Offers Superior Diversification, Risk Targeting and Flexibility; Firm Seeks Distribution Partner to Broaden Availability
Folio Investing announced today that, over the five years since they were brought to market in December 2007, its Target Date Folios have significantly outperformed traditional target-date funds. The Folios have provided both higher returns and lower volatility than the competing funds during this tumultuous period. Continue reading


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I am on a road to discovering and working with various ideas to create and eat lighter, healthier meals and on one afternoon a few days ago I was faced with a dilemma. The kind of dilemma where one has an apparently full vegetable tray in the refrigerator but consisting of a large variety of this and that. So the salad recipe below is my way of utilising all those beautiful ingredients, preventing food waste, making the most of what my store cupboard essentials and coming up with a healthy meal.
I love smoked salmon so always seem to have some in my refrigerator and also had some antipasti ingredients in what remained for a large mix-n-match box from my last visit to Whole Foods.But the best part was finding some good salad leaves which were fresh and the savoy cabbage that would die soon.
- Smoked salmon slices - 4 small
- Shelled hemp - 1 or 1.5 heaped tbsp
- Marinated chopped http://buysoma.net artichoke hearts - 1 tbsp
- Roasted marinated mini red peppers stuffed with garlic - 2
- Red onion chopped fine - ½ of a small onion
- Chocolate balsamic vinegar to drizzle and season
- Red chicory leaves - 2 -3
- Savoy cabbage leaves - 1 big or 2 small ones
- Alfalfa sprouts 1 heaped tbsp
- Baby courgettes - 4-5 sliced lengthwise
- Black olives - to garnish
- Mixed nuts - cashews, walnuts, raisins - 1 tbsp heaped
- In a bowl add the shelled hemp, chopped onion, salad leaves- red chicory and savoy cabbage, Alfalfa sprouts, Baby courgettes and add a generous slosh of Chocolate balsamic vinegar.
- On a bed of salad leaves arrange the help and onion mixture and place the smoked salmon slices.
- Arrange the mini red peppers stuffed with cheese, artichoke hearts around the salmon.
- Garnish with mixed nuts and enjoy.
And since I am hosting #CreditCrunchMunch for March 2016 I am linking up this recipe made using leftover ingredients and some vegetables that would otherwise have wilted and died like cabbage, or the last bits from my antipasti box – a thrifty recipe idea I say! #CreditCrunchMunch is a fab link up started by Helen of Fuss free flavours and Camilla of Fab food for all. Don't forget to link up your thrifty ideas with my guest hosting post here.


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The UNC Board of Governors is the policy-making body charged with "the general determination, control, supervision, management, and governance" of the University of North Carolina. Its 28 voting members are elected by the NC General Assembly for four-year terms. Former board chairs may continue to serve for limited periods as non-voting members emeriti. The president of the UNC Association of Student Governments or that student's designee is also a non-voting member.
Current Board Members
While UNC's academic quality is only as good as the quality of its individual campuses, the strength of the each campus is dependent, in part, on the strength of the whole. Consequently, the Board of Governors has a dual role—maintaining the overall strength of the UNC system, while also addressing individual campus needs.
The President is UNC's chief administrative and executive officer, with complete authority to manage the affairs and execute the policies of the University, subject to the direction of the Board of Governors. The work of the President and Board of Governors is supported by a staff within the UNC System office. Each of the 17 campuses is headed by a chancellor, who is chosen by the Board of Governors on the President's nomination and is responsible to the President.
UNC System Office
Each UNC campus has a local board of trustees that holds extensive powers over academic and other operations of its campus on delegation from the Board of Governors.
UNC operates under an arrangement of shared governance that leverages the collective strengths of its campus chancellors and administrators, local boards of trustees, and the UNC President and Board of Governors. The University also honors the important traditional role of the faculty in the governance of the academy.


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"Somehow we have developed this large contingent of know-it-all baseball fans who bay like wounded coyotes at any mention of wins, losses, RBI or batting average. I never know whether I should blame myself for this or not.." (Bill James)
Friday, July 16, 2010
Second Verse, Same As The First
Zach Duke didn't allow a ball out of the infield, but a leadoff swinging bunt single to third by LF Jason Bourgeois followed by a pair of stolen bases made it 1-0 Astros before the Bucs stepped to the plate. Another first frame run, and more frustration in even slowing down an opponent's running game.
It was more of the same in the second. Hunter Pence started the inning with a ground ball single, went to second on a wild pitch that looked imminently catchable but managed to elude Dewey, and scored on a two-out dink double up the right field line by the eight hitter, Humberto Quintero. Quintero is a notorious opposite field hitter; the Pirates obliged by pitching him away.
Give away a base, then can't get the third out; can't get through the bottom of the order; and can't get a a good scouting report on a hitter. Yep, it's the Pirates, all right.
In the fourth, the 'Stros had a runner on first and two away; he went on Duke's first move, and Duke's move was to first. Picked off, right? Wrong. The runner Pence got in a rundown, Jones didn't run him toward second, Duke was maybe a step late getting involved, and Ronny Cedeno opted to go for the tag instead of the throw. He was late, and Pence got back to the bag.
Fortunately, the inability to finish a rundown didn't hurt; the batter softly lined out to Neil Walker to end the frame and keep it 2-0.
The Bucs did it right in their half. Andrew McCutchen led off with a double, the Pirates' first hit, was moved to third on a grounder to second by Jose Tabata, and blazed home on a short sac fly by Walker.
In the fifth, the Houston leadoff man reached for the third time, but didn't come around. Quintero took another pitch away and chipped it the opposite way for a single and was bunted to second, but Duke K'ed the next two hitters to escape the mild jam and the first time that a leadoff runner didn't come around to score.
As expected after his layoff, Duke had a short outing. He went five innings, giving up two runs on five hits with five K's, throwing 78 pitches. Duke was sharp tonight, hitting the corners and keeping balls away from the middle of the plate. DJ Carrasco came on in the sixth, and was roughed up immediately.
He gave up a leadoff homer to Jeff Keppinger, struck out Lance Berkman, and then surrendered a single, walk, and wild pitch. The wild pitch would hurt when a perfectly executed suicide squeeze brought home the fourth Houston tally.
The Pittsburgh follies continued in the sixth. With two on and two out, Walker swung through a curve, the catcher came up firing to second and caught a diddling Andy LaRoche napping - picked off down by three runs. Only in Pirateland.
The Pirates threw up the white flag in the seventh when they brought in Sean Gallagher. He walked Michael Bourn with one out - the pitcher lined out - balked him to second, and then gave up a two-out single to allow Bourn to plate; McCutch missed the ball, putting the batter at second.
The Pirates got Brett Myers out of the game in the eighth, when a leadoff Lastings Milledge double came in on a two-out single by McClutch. Myers went 7-2/3 frames, giving up two runs on five hits with a walk and four K's. He proved that, at least in Pittsburgh's case, the softer you throw, the harder they fall.
Houston's bullpen got the final four outs routinely, and the Pirates, in front of 23,000+ who were hoping for a new slate, came up with the same ol' in losing their seventh in a row to Houston, 5-2.
Tomorrow night, Ross Ohlendorf takes the mound against Bud Norris.
-- JR announced that Lastings Milledge will be the regular RF, ending the platoon system with Ryan Church. About time.
-- The Pirates have now lost seven in a row. Four of those losses are to the Astros.
-- Evan Meek may not have gotten in the All-Star game, but he showed his stuff tonight, striking out the side in the eighth inning.
-- Pedro has hit safely in ten of his last eleven games.
-- Chris Jakubaukas was placed on the 60-day DL to make room for C Erik Kratz.
9 comments:
- WilliamJPellas said...
Doumit is killing us defensively. If ever there were an "Exhibit A" to prove that catcher was, is, and always will be a mitt-first position, he is it. His hitting, while good in the past, is not what it was; I think the wrist is still bothering him, and in any case he wasn't Mike Piazza, and even Piazza was better with his defense than what we see here. Doumit must go.
- July 17, 2010 at 12:15 PM
- Ron Ieraci said...
I have to say, Will, that it was refreshing watching tonight's game - not one ball squirted under, past, or through Erik Kratz, nor was there a stolen base.
- July 17, 2010 at 10:42 PM
- WilliamJPellas said...
Agreed. I don't expect Kratz to be anything special, but I could certainly live with drastically improved defense if he could give us 300-400 at bats, a .240-ish average, and a dozen bombs. I think he's capable of those numbers. In any case, Kratz and Jaramillo can surely bridge the gap for a year or year and a half until Tony Sanchez gets here, and one of them can be his backup when he arrives.
- July 18, 2010 at 2:02 PM
- WilliamJPellas said...
In other words, I'd rather have the modern version of Duffy Dyer than Ryan Doumit. I feel bad for the guy 'cuz of all the injuries, but I really think it's time for him to go.
- July 18, 2010 at 2:11 PM
- Ron Ieraci said...
Will, I sorta suspect that besides a reliever or two, Doumit may be the best bet to move before the deadline. I wouldn't be surprised if JJ wasn't sent to Indy to get some swings and prep for a possible platoon with Kratz if Dewey goes.
- July 18, 2010 at 4:19 PM
- WilliamJPellas said...
It's too bad both Kratz and Jaramillo are righthanded sticks, otherwise they'd be an ideal platoon. I guess what we'll have instead is a "play the hot hand" strategy. If I had to choose between the two of them, I'd take Kratz because of his power. Neither is probably a true starting catcher in the bigs, but I think between them we'll be fine until Sanchez arrives. We'll certainly be better off defensively.
- July 19, 2010 at 1:36 PM
- Joey Porter's Pit Bulls said...
Jaromillo is a switch-hitter.
- July 19, 2010 at 2:14 PM
- WilliamJPellas said...
Woops, right you are, JPPB. Thanks for the correction! I wonder if Jaramillo's splits show him being stronger from the left side of the plate? No time to look that up just now, but if so, perhaps we'd have a "true" platoon after all.
- July 19, 2010 at 4:06 PM
- WilliamJPellas said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- July 19, 2010 at 4:06 PM


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With the Colt 1911 added to it's lineup, Inokatsu has secured its position as the leader in collector grade Airsoft. This is as real as it gets.
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A new regional patent office will open in San Jose to deal with the huge influx of U.S. patent application coming from Silicon Valley companies.
San Jose, along with Dallas, Detroit and Denver, were chosen as the cities to house new regional patent offices to cut down on the large amount of applications awaiting review at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to Bloomberg. The cities were chosen out of 600 applicants and based on geographic diversity, economics and proximity to the companies who file for patents.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
About 640,000 applications are awaiting first review and the agency has a critical need for engineers who understand technology and are close to the satellite offices. That, of course, won't be a problem in the heart of Silicon Valley.
"The single most important step we can take to support an economy built to last is to bring new inventions to market as quickly as possible," David Kappos, director of the Patent and Trademark Office told Bloomberg.
The four offices are expected to "reflect local communities," and Silicon Valley will likely be focused on electronics and biotechnology. Tech company Apple is known for applying weekly for patents (it has more than 10 applications for June alone,) and companies such as Google and Intel aren't far behind.
Because it is the hub of technology, Silicon Valley receives the most patents in the nation, with more than 10,000 issued in 2010. San Francisco, Oakland and Fremont add another 6,290 patents. California inventors made up 26 percent of all patents, or 28.148 out of 108,626 in 2011.
The new satellite office makes sense for Silicon Valley and its many established companies and startups. For companies such as Apple, it will also mean they no longer have to have a Beltway office to apply for a patent or trademark.


text: Our friends in Laurel Maryland will be playing with pride for their team and country in these black ops American Flag Shirts. The team and their coaches put together one of the coolest designs that any Marylander or American would be proud to wear. They loved them so much that they ended up ordering a second batch for parents and additional players. These American flag shirts were delivered in less than 10 days because the team paid our RUSH service fee. They personalized them with a custom team motto on the back. Call us for pricing and special delivery options for your team shirts or custom lacrosse uniforms.


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Pope Francis urges protection of creation, weak
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis has urged princes, presidents, sheikhs and thousands of ordinary people gathered for his installation Mass to protect God's creation, the weakest and the poorest of the world.
He is officially beginning his ministry as the 266th pope with a clear focus of his priorities.
Francis was interrupted by applause several times during his homily Tuesday, including when he spoke of the need to protect the environment and serve one another with love and tenderness and not allow "omens of destruction," hatred, envy and pride to "defile our lives."
Francis said the pope "must open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important."
Pope Francis officially began his ministry as the 266th pope on Tuesday in an installation Mass simplified to suit his style, but still grand enough to draw princes, presidents, rabbis, muftis and thousands of ordinary people to St. Peter's Square to witness the inauguration of the first pope from the New World.
Francis thrilled the crowd at the start of the Mass by taking a long round-about through the sun-drenched piazza and getting out of his jeep to bless a disabled man. It was a gesture from a man whose short papacy is becoming defined by such spontaneous forays into the crowd and concern for the disadvantaged.
The blue and white flags from Francis' native Argentina fluttered above the crowd, which Italian media estimated could reach 1 million but appeared to be significantly fewer. Civil protection crews closed the main streets leading to the square to traffic and set up barricades for nearly a mile (two kilometers) along the route to try to control the masses and allow official delegations through.
Before the Mass began, Francis received the fisherman's ring symbolizing the papacy and a wool stole symbolizing his role as shepherd of his 1.2-billion strong flock. He also received vows of obedience from a half-dozen cardinals - a potent symbol given his predecessor Benedict XVI is still alive.
A cardinal intoned the rite of inauguration, saying: "The Good Shepherd charged Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep; today you succeed him as the bishop of this church."
Some 132 official delegations attended, including more than a half-dozen heads of state from Latin America, a sign of the significance of the election for the region. Francis, named after the 13th-century friar known for his care of the most disadvantaged, has made clear he wants his pontificate to be focused on the poor, a message that has resonance in a poverty-stricken region that counts 40 percent of the world's Catholics.
Among the religious VIPs attending is the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Bartholomew I, who became the first patriarch from the Istanbul-based church to attend a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago. Also attending for the first time was the chief rabbi of Rome. Their presence underscores the broad hopes for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in this new papacy given Francis' own work for improved relations and his namesake St. Francis of Assisi.
In a gesture to Christians in the East, the pope prayed with Eastern rite Catholic patriarchs and archbishops before the tomb of St. Peter at the start of the Mass and the Gospel was chanted in Greek rather than the traditional Latin.
But it is Francis' history of living with the poor and working for them while archbishop of Buenos Aires that seems to have resonated with ordinary Catholics who say they are hopeful that Francis can inspire a new generation of faithful who have fallen away from the church.
"I think he'll revive the sentiments of Catholics who received the sacraments but don't go to Mass anymore, and awaken the sentiments of people who don't believe anymore in the church, for good reason," said Judith Teloni, an Argentine tourist guide who lives in Rome and attended the Mass with a friend.
"As an Argentine, he was our cardinal. It's a great joy for us," said Edoardo Fernandez Mendia, from the Argentine Pampas who was in the crowd. Recalling another great moment in Argentine history, when soccer great Diego Maradona scored an improbable goal in the 1986 World Cup, he said: "And for the second time, the Hand of God came to Argentina."
Francis has made headlines with his simple style since the moment he appeared to the world on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, eschewing the ermine-lined red velvet cape his predecessor wore in favor of the simple papal white cassock, then paying his own bill at the hotel where he stayed prior to the conclave that elected him pope.
He has also surprised - and perhaps frustrated - his security detail by his impromptu forays into the crowds.
For nearly a half-hour before the Mass began, Francis toured the square in an open-air jeep, waving, shouting "Ciao!" to well-wishers and occasionally kissing babies handed up to him as if he had been doing this for years. At one point, as he neared a group of people in wheelchairs, he signaled for the jeep to stop, hopped off, and went to bless a man held up to the barricade by an aide.
A wax cast of the ring Francis received was first presented to Pope Paul VI, who presided over the second half of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that revolutionized the church. Paul never wore it but the cast was subsequently made into the ring that Francis chose among several other more ornate ones.
Francis will receive each of the government delegations in St. Peter's Basilica after the Mass, and then hold an audience with the visiting Christian delegations on Wednesday. He has a break from activity on Thursday; a gracious nod perhaps to the fact that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is being installed that day in London.
As a result, Welby won't be representing the Anglican Communion at Tuesday's installation Mass for Francis, sending instead a lower-level delegation. All told, six sovereign rulers, 31 heads of state, three princes and 11 heads of government are attending, the Vatican said.
For Jews, Orthodox and other religious leaders, the new pope's choice of Francis as his name is also important for its reference to the Italian town of Assisi, where Pope John Paul II began conferences encouraging interfaith dialogue and closer bonds among Christians.


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Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Thoughts on Rift
You can be almost certain that Rift is going to lose at least half their players by the end of the first month. WoW but with better graphics, more flexible class designs, and Public Quests doesn't sound to me like it's going to be very sticky with "WoW tourists" (a meme I hate, but I think it may apply here). Even if Rift is a better game, for many players I think WoW has too much social inertia for a game competing in the same genre to overcome in the long haul.
That said, I don't think launch Rift is going to be broken like WAR and AoC were. Many commentators seems to assume that the crash and burn the latter games did was some inevitable consequence of trying to compete too directly with WoW. However, I would say those population implosions were a consequence of horrifically bad launches, not some sort of law of the genre. As long as Rift doesn't launch with an absolutely stupid number of servers, crippling their long term population and thus the PQ style Rift system, I think it's going to be a much better game than either AoC or WAR was at launch. Rift will surely lose a lot subs in the first month, but I doubt we are going to see it collapse into a singularity. I'm thinking more like a steady 200K-300K subs by the spring (i.e., EVE or LoTRO rather than Vanguard or WAR).
Despite my conviction that Rift is going to be at least "pretty good" when it launches and do "at least OK" on subs, I have no intention of being there for launch. I'm simply glutted on fantasy MMOs. If I want to play a fantasy MMO, I already have characters in WoW, LoTRO, DDO, Wizard 101, and EQ2X up and running. Between them that is an amazing diversity of tones and play styles. Short of those, I'd be more inclined to fire up Dark Age of Camelot, Allods Online (it really is fun for about the first 20 levels), or AoC (it's a lot better now than at launch). There's even Guild Wars and Vanguard, neither of which I've ever played and I can try for free instead of paying $50 for a box. Regardless of how pretty or spiffy the "next big fantasy MMO" may be, I just don't need another one right now.
6 comments:
I am pretty much in the same situation; I cannot say that I have an urge for a new fantasy MMO at this time.ReplyDelete
I am curious to see how Rift will be doing 2 months or so after launch. The environment and community always tend to be slightly different from when a game has been released for a while - be it tourists or just that the polulation is more spread out in the world and what they may focus on.
- AnonymousFebruary 8, 2011 at 11:37 AM
I think it's very likely we'll see a huge drop in players after the first month. In some ways, it does seem sort of like the "law of the genre", almost like that's just the way it is with all new MMOs. To some extent, I think it's true, but you're right, a poor launch exacerbates the problem by speeding up that exodus.ReplyDelete
I hate to be so pessimistic (especially on your blog) but I'm starting to regret preordering Rift. My taste for MMO has waned dramatically in the last month and I don't think this will reignite that fire. I couldn't even work up the desire to log into the most recent beta event.ReplyDelete
My current plan is to see whether the first month hooks me. But in the meantime, I'm cancelling the subscription so that I don't automatically pay anything after my 30 days are up.
I liked it this weekend. I'm in for Rift, for 3 months at least.ReplyDelete
@Sente: that's certainly the question, isn't it? I'm guessing more than the 10% or so that WAR and AoC managed will still be around, but it's hard to say.ReplyDelete
@Mmogamerchick: WAR was practically a case study in how to lose a ton of money on an MMO. The crazy number of servers they launched with was a bullet in the back of the head to a game that was already limping. I'm hoping that Rift won't go down that hard, and so far it doesn't look like it will.
@Anjin: sounds like a good plan to me. Maybe the launch week excitement will hook you in for a while. If Rift was at least set in space or the old west (to name two random non-fantasy genres) I'd be a lot more excited. As it stands, I think I'm really ready to move on to other styles of MMO.
@Stabs: I'll be looking forward to endgame impressions on your blog in that case :-)ReplyDelete


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A weekly photo linkup
The images I share here come from my heart. They are not to be reproduced without my express written permission.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2017!
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The way their outfits match, Nyneave Fetty and her snowman could probably go to the prom together. But considering Nyneave is just 2, we don't think Mr. Snowman will be around when she gets ready for the prom. Heck, he may not last the week. Nyneave built the snowman with her brothers, Jasper and Henry Fetty III, outside their home on state Route 558 in Fairfield Township. Morning Journal/Patti Schaeffer
Workers from Affordable Structures from Richmond, Ill., construct a storage bay along state Route 14 at Aarrow Disposal in Green Township. Morning Journal/Patti Schaeffer
Watering hole
Canada geese drop out of the sky into a small opening in the ice at Arrowhead Lake in Columbiana. Morning Journal/Patti Schaeffer


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Before editing, be sure to read the wiki's policies. Please sign your name on Talk and vote pages using four tildes (~~~~) to automatically produce your name and the current date. Be sure to verify your e-mail address in your preferences. Before attempting any major article rewrites please read the layout guide. If you have any questions, check out the policy and help pages (see here for editing help), add a question to the Community portal, view the forum or ask me on my talk page. Again, welcome!
-- Cubs Fan2007 (Talk) 10:06, July 22, 2012
Please stop adding stub tags to pages that do not need it. A stub is a page that needs improvement, is lacking necessary content, not simply one that's small. If you can't think of anything else that could reasonably be added to the page, then that would indicate that it's not a stub. ProfessorTofty (talk) 21:59, August 23, 2012 (UTC)
- If that's how they do things on the other wiki you're on, then they're really not making proper use of the stub tag. "Stub" is a maintenance tag that's supposed to mean that a page needs improving because it's only just starting out and has a lot of content that should be added. For example, if the Harry Potter page were about the size of the pages that you had tagged, then it would be a stub because obviously there would be so much more that could be said there. But if there isn't anything substantive that could be added, then it's not a stub. ProfessorTofty (talk) 22:03, August 23, 2012 (UTC)
- Well, if other wikis that I don't use are doing things in a manner that isn't normal custom, that isn't really my concern. So I'll let it be when it comes to those wikis. If other wikis that you use aren't doing it the right way, then feel free to let them keep doing it that way or advise them of the proper standard as you desire. But remember, Wikipedia defines a stub as "a short article in need of expansion." The key being "need of expansion." If there's nothing to expand, then by definition, it is not a stub. ProfessorTofty (talk) 22:13, August 23, 2012 (UTC)
Hi :). Sorry to bother you, but... first, why do people call you Shiftey? Your saying that I don't want to know why intrigued me. Secondly, I wondered what your username on Pottermore was, and whether you wanted to be friends. 188.8.131.52 17:30, August 27, 2012 (UTC)
Thanks :) 22.214.171.124 17:40, August 27, 2012 (UTC)
Re: Notability
A non-notable article is any article that doesn't meet our notability guidelines, regardless of whether or not any other similar article is or isn't yet marked as such. The notability guidelines, which are linked from the template that I added, state for characters "An unidentified character can have a separate article if there is unique, specific information available that can be used to distinguish them from other characters in the title of their article. ... if the only information available about an unidentified character applies equally to other characters, such as their gender and loyalty/affiliation (e.g. "Hufflepuff girl" or "male Snatcher"), then they should be covered in a "hub" article along with all other characters matching their description." ProfessorTofty (talk) 00:43, August 28, 2012 (UTC)
- I think you missed the point. Yes, there is information about the character, but it does not meet the notability guidelines because there is not enough "unique, specific information available that can be used to distinguish them from other characters in the title of their article." ProfessorTofty (talk) 00:51, August 28, 2012 (UTC)
- I'm pretty sure you're still missing the point of what I'm trying to tell you. In any case, if an article is marked as non-notable, it's not a "dig" against the article itself or anything, it just means that someone believes that for one or more reasons, it does not meet the notability guidelines as established. If you still believe the article is notable as is, then the procedure is explained on the template - start a section about it at Category talk:Non-notable articles. ProfessorTofty (talk) 00:59, August 28, 2012 (UTC)
Orphaned pages
Say, you've been doing a lot of good work around the wiki lately, and I was wondering you might be interested in helping out with our current project regarding orphaned pages. If you think you might be interested, just pop over here for the details. ProfessorTofty (talk) 15:57, September 13, 2012 (UTC)
Re: Character Box
hi. i am a new member and am still trying to figure the hell out how i'm meant to use some of the features on here. i would have assumed that copying someone's inspirational window, and preparing it for changing it later, was not a crime. yes i have attempted to create my own but have so far failed. my appologies for causing you this ditress and panic, but rest assured, i have no intention of keeping the box completly the same, even in the slightest. many people have boxes of a similar sort and i am getting ready to delete a great majority of the info from your profile off of it, i simply need to complete an article first. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by ZRSFizzyBongs (talk • contribs).
Rancorous Carpe
I didn't remove it. I just created sections. That looks better than a bunch of information at one place. --18.104.22.168 18:47, September 24, 2012 (UTC)
- Hankerton Humble does have it. --220.127.116.11 19:01, September 24, 2012 (UTC)
Admin request
Doing well, moving closer to the 1,000 edits mark. Say, if you have a moment, could you take a look and possibly vote on my admin request and possibly weigh in on it? ProfessorTofty (talk) 14:37, October 12, 2012 (UTC)
Respected Madam
Can you please tell me how to use unique signature


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This is like exactly what I've wanted to say but never have. And I think this is what largely contributes to the forums here being less active than they used to be. It's a very negative atmosphere here nowadays, and people don't want to be a part of these discussions when they're all like "Disney doesn't listen, this is the stupidest decision they've ever made, what is wrong with them?" Would I like more classic characters? Heck yeah I would, who wouldn't? And they will continue to make classic characters because they DO listen to us. That's the reason why Peter Pan is happening. But the point of Disney Infinity is exactly what UncannyX-Men16 said, a game to represent new films so that they don't have to keep making the cheap "Enter Disney Movie Here: The Video Game"s all the time, and so that these characters can all come together and have fun in one place. We're always thinking about what WE want for the game and what we want only, but the main audience here are the children. When they come back from seeing The Good Dinosaur or Zootopia or Alice: Through the Looking Glass, they're going to want to have these characters to play as in the game. They are what is foremost in their minds at this time. Snow White? Mary Poppins? Ichabod and Mr. Toad? Not so much. Now I love all those movies I just mentioned, but unless they get reboots that get figures in the game someday, or fans REALLY push for them specifically, or it's an Artist Pick, we've got to accept that these sort of characters will most likely not enter the Infinity universe. I've come to accept that from the beginning and am pleasantly surprised when characters like these do happen, but we have to realize what this game is about and what their focus is: the latest Disney projects. There have been characters for this game that I have never seen the movie of or dislike the source that it's from, but I still appreciate their designs and gameplay abilities all the same (For example, I've never seen nor do I plan to see Tim Burton's creepy-ized Alice in Wonderland films, but their Infinity characters look very faithful to the source material and look great in the Disney Infinity style, and judging by the Time boss in the Toy Box, he's going to be awesome to play as. To be honest, I'm just glad that Alice in Wonderland is in the game at all now).
ANYWAY, there's what I have to say, kind of pointless since it's pretty similar to what UncannyX-Men6 said, and as I type this last sentence I just noticed this discussion ended almost a month ago


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Viva Media has just launched its award-winning Crazy Machines Golden Gears to the Play Store (with expected Tegra Zone availability), looking to bring the Rube Goldberg-inspired dreams of a mad scientist to your mobile device while challenging players to use boards, boxing gloves, laser beams, and dynamite to achieve various goals in each level.
For now, the game features only its "Challenges" gameplay mode, which will take players through a series of levels each with their own end goal, but a "Create – Share" mode is promised to be "coming soon."
It's up to player to use various tools to accomplish those goals, but the levels get progressively harder as the game continues.Read More


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Navigation, Sunroof, Heated/Cooled Leather Seats, Back-Up Camera, Alloy Wheels, Turbo Charged, Power Liftgate, Heated Rear Seat, Rear Air. GT2 trim. Warranty 10 yrs/100k Miles - Drivetrain Warranty;KEY FEATURES INCLUDELeather Seats, Navigation, Power Liftgate, Rear Air, Heated Driver Seat, Heated Rear Seat, Cooled Driver Seat, Back-Up Camera, Turbocharged, Premium Sound System, Satellite Radio, iPod/MP3 Input, Keyless Start, Dual Zone A/C, Lane Keeping Assist Rear Spoiler, MP3 Player, Sunroof, Onboard Communications System, Aluminum Wheels.WHO WE AREWe devote ourselves to helping and serving our customers to the best of our ability. It is our honor to have you visit our dealership and drive the vehicle of your dreams home. Our goal is to offer the most modern and convenient access to up-to-date and accurate information, which our customers have come to expect and rely upon for all of their automotive needs.Please confirm the accuracy of the included equipment by calling us prior to purchase.This Dealership checks the vehicle recall status prior to making any pre-owned vehicle available for sale. Manufacturers and/or NHTSA may announce additional recalls at any time. To inquire about the recall status of this vehicle, visit: https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/
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David previews this Sunday's exclusive interview with the NRA's Wayne LaPierre. In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, there have been new calls for tougher restrictions on access to guns in America. Sunday, in his first interview since the shooting, we'll talk exclusively with the head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, about gun control and what he thinks should be done to curb the threat of violence in America.
Discuss as:


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Even though he completed the first month of the 2010 season with a less-than-stellar showing, posting a .222/.292/.381 batting line in 72 plate appearances, there were positives to dwell on. For instance, the undercurrent of that substandard line was 7 walks, a large quantity for someone who drew only 12 in 416 plate appearances in 2009. Then, the April showers gave way to May flowers as Young went ballistic on the baseball, hitting .419/.438/.677 in his 32 plate appearances and dropping line drives at a 21 percent clip.
Could this be the season Young final produces at his potential? There are several signs that it might:
Via Inside Edge
Via MyInsideEdge.com
Via MyInsideEdge.com
AVG on OOZ
SLG on OOZ
Over the course of his three years in a Twins uniform, Young has clearly trimmed his tenacity towards stray pitches. In the past, he's been a non-discriminating free-swinger, leading to just 47 free passes in 2008-2009. To this point, he's withheld the lumber on those pitches that would normally elude him. Although he is still hacking at out-of-zone pitches at a rate higher than average, he's increased his contact on the less-than-choice offerings, driving the ball rather than missing it altogether.
Non-Competitive Chase%
Young has also improved in his ability to refrain from swinging at non-competitive pitches (like those that are cruising at 32,000 feet). These are offerings that have just as much of a likelihood of smacking against the limestone backstop as they do the catcher's mitt. In his first season as a Twin, Young swung at 36 percent of those types of pitches, the second-highest in baseball behind teammate Carlos Gomez. In the following season, despite whittling it down to 35 percent, he led all of baseball in this dubious honor. So far this season, Young has kept his overzealous tendencies in check, chasing after 22 percent of non-competitive pitches. Again, keeping his bat cemented to his shoulder leads to more walks and/or better pitches to drive as he slips into hitter's counts.
K% in PA that reach two-strikes
In addition to his embargo on laughable pitches, Young has shown signs of life in otherwise terminal counts. After laying down and striking out in 45 percent of his plate appearances that bled into two-strike territory in 2009, the left fielder has struck out in just 26 percent of plate appearances that has reached two strikes in 2010 (much better than the league's 35 percent average). This battle tendency is part of the reason Young has been able to trim his strikeout rate in half.
If he can maintain this pace without relapsing for the season's duration, Young could eventually reach that teeming potential that has been associated with him since his draft day. People often forget that at 24 years old, Young is at an age that most prospects begin to find their way into the majors. Admittedly, he's demonstrated little in the way of plate discipline up to this point, but at the same time, he's been give little opportunity to let it develop as he has been accelerated through the minor league system. Understandably, the season is still in its infancy so there is plenty of baseball remaining for things to go awry – after all, Young has not shown that he can sustain such discipline over an entire season – yet these are all strong indicators that he has progressed at the plate.


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Requesting additional resources for a current project is easy.
Please click on the link that best describes you. You will be taken to the correct application information based on your specific needs.
- Ohio Academic Client - I am a faculty member or research scientist who maintains a full-time position at an Ohio academic institution and I have an OSC account.
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- Other - I don't meet the above descriptions but I currently have an OSC account.


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Prisoners News
A- Transfers
- Political prisoner Ahmadreza Ahmadpour suffering from multitude of illnesses hospitalized due to medicine administrated at prison.
- Adel Naeemi transferred from Evin to Rejaei Shahr.
B- Arrests/Incarcerations
- Two weeks after release on furlough Mahsa Amrabadi returned to Evin prison
- Senior Reformist Feyzollah Arabsorkhi was returned to Evin from hospital before completing treatment.
- Dr. Latif Hasani, Azari activist, arrested.
- Graduate student Khaled Mohammadi was arrested last week, whereabouts unknown.
- Shahram Radmehr, Azari activist, arrested.
- Ali Dehghan, journalist, released on bail.
- Political prisoner Zahra Mansouri has been released on medical furlough, she suffers from breast cancer
- Mohammad Tavakoli the detained member of Teachers' Union in Kermanshah released on 50 million tomans bail.
D-Other News
- Dervishes on hunger strike Saleh Moradi and Kasra Nouri forced to sign a letter stating health OK.
- 3 political prisoners in Rajai Shahr denied family visit because they refused to wear a prison uniform.
News of injustice in Iran
- Sentence reduced to 1 year + 600 Toman fine for 85 years old prisoner Mohammad Hossein Nakhaei.
- After 7 years in prison an Afghan citizen was executed in Varamin prison.
- 3 hangings in Isfahan's prison on Tuesday
University – Culture
- Iran lifted the block on Tabnak news website, close to Mohsen Rezaee.
- Baztab site reports it has been under heavy cyber-attack.
Iran Economics
- Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad's Road Department workers have not received their salaries for 6 months.
Politics in Iran
- Ahmadinejad appointed General Mohammad Hassan Nami as acting Minister of Communications and Information Technology.
- Reformists will participate in presidential election says former minister.
- The Parliament impeached Ahmadenejad's Labor Minister with, 56 against, 24 abstained & 192 yes votes
- Mortazavi arrested on Monday for corruption and released on Tuesday.
- On supreme leader's orders, Justice Minister, Sadegh Larijani, gives up suing Ahmadinejad for defamation.
Iran abroad
- Bank melli ex manager Mahmoud Reza Khavari wanted by Interpol for fraud.
- Salehi, in separate meetings, held talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Syrian opposition leader, Mouaz Al-Khatib.
- Egypt's Morsi greets Iranian president upon his arrival in Cairo for historic visit.
- European Union court ruled that EU should lift sanctions it imposed on one of Iran's largest banks, Bank Saderat
- In a unilateral decision, Foreign Minister Salehi announced Egyptian citizens visiting Iran will no longer require a visa.
- $40m oil rig being built for Iran by an Australian crew sank and disappeared into the deep.


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Time for your Dental Check up?
|How many times have you heard it's important to visit the dentist twice a year, but ignored this advice thinking it didn't pertain to you? Well, to ensure the health of your teeth, gums, and mouth, you really do need to make those bi-annual visits. These visits include not only a thorough cleaning beyond what you can achieve at home, but also a full examination of your mouth, which can help you prevent future problems. Learn about why the six month dental examination and cleaning is a good idea for anybody who values their smile.
Did your parents make sure you went to the dentist twice a year? Have you, like many adults, been skipping these regular visits? It is well-known that we are all supposed to visit the dentist twice a year, but many adults forgo regular dental check-ups. Read on to learn why a bi-annual visit to your dentist for a full examination and cleaning is important.
In addition to a thorough tooth and gum cleaning, your dental check-up also includes a very important full mouth examination. First, your dentist or hygienist will use a pick and mirror to inspect each of your teeth for signs of enamel loss, decay, or fillings that may need to be replaced. This examination can help your dentist detect potential problems before they require costly treatments such as dental crowns and bridges.
Your dentist will also examine your gums during this appointment. Most people don't know that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and it can also lead to loss of jaw bone structure. Most forms of gum disease are easy to treat if caught early, but may do extreme damage if left untreated. In fact, recent studies have even linked gum disease with heart disease, stroke, and premature birth.
Many people are unaware that during a dental examination, their dentist also screens for oral cancer, which can be deadly. Cancers may appear as a red or white spot in the mouth, but can be difficult to detect with the naked eye. Many dentists now use laser technology to perform thorough oral cancer screenings.
Visiting the dentist twice yearly for a thorough examination and preventive dental care is the best way to keep your mouth and teeth healthy and strong for a lifetime. Now that you know how important bi-annual dental visits are, contact a qualified dentist near you to schedule your appointment.
Our staff of dental professionals are dedicated to helping you achieve your dental wellness objectives. Thank you for subscribing to our dental wellness newsletter.


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The Galaxy Note is a different breed of mobile device. With a 5.3-inch screen, it's too large to be a comfortable smartphone and too small to be a real-sized tablet. Yet, it still manages to be a very formidable pocket companion. AT&T's priced and dated the device, so get your wallet out.
Officially, the Galaxy Note lands on AT&T (ugh, I know) on Feb. 19 for $300 with a two-year contract. In exchange for your moolah, you'll get a mobile device with a stunning 1280x800 Super AMOLED display that accepts input from the pressure-sensitive S-Pen, 4G LTE data speeds, an 8-megapixel rear cam with flash, 2-megapixel front cam, 16BGB of internal storage, microSD slot and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
To give you an idea of what the stylus is capable of, take a look at these caricature drawings done by professional artists at Samsung's CES 2012 booth:
To-be Galaxy Note buyers should mark their calendars for Feb. 5, as that's when the floodgates open for pre-orders. Promise to pre-order and AT&T will have your Galaxy Note in your hands two-days prior to the street date.
U.S. & World
It looks silly holding the Galaxy Note up to your head, but for a pocket Web browser and HD video recorder, it's not a bad device.
Via TechCrunch
Photo taken by Raymond Wong for DVICE


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National Hotlines & Resources
Organization that provide support and information about sexual assault nationwide.
State Hotlines
These groups and agencies deal with sexual harassment on the job or in school settings. Click on the letter that corresponds to the first letter of your state. A - F | G - K | L - N | O - S | T - Z | Canada


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Oscar winner Mo'Nique's brother says he molested the actress when they were children and he wants to apologize to her.
Gerald Imes said Monday on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that he was 13 when the molestation occurred and Mo'Nique was 7 or 8. Imes says he decided to appear on Winfrey's show to apologize to Mo'Nique and "bring back some family unity."
Mo'Nique has discussed her brother's molestation in previous interviews. She hasn't responded to a request for comment sent to her publicist. Winfrey says Mo'Nique didn't want to be a part of the interview but gave Winfrey her blessing.
Mo'Nique received the supporting actress Academy Award in March for her role in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."
Copyright NBCAH - Access Hollywood


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On the road again — It's the morning after Domenico's departure, and the Fantastic Four contestants who still have a shot at Tila's love are packing their bags. Their reward for surviving the catfights, the butt-waxing and the testicle-eating? They get to take Tila home to meet the family.
If your mother, like mine, is a devoted viewer of this show, she's probably relieved that you aren't a contestant right about now. Think of the extensive house cleaning she would have to do in preparation for being on national television! She would never forgive you.
Bobby and Ryan speculate about what it will be like when Tila meets their families, and Bobby tells us that Ryan is his only "real" competition (you know, because he's a guy), and he fears he may be at a disadvantage because Ryan comes from money. I like it when Bobby feels insecure. It makes me laugh.
In the bathroom, Amanda is in the middle of the 18-step process of drying and styling her giant blond mane, and Dani appears to be arranging her eyebrows. Amanda wonders what Tila will think of her large family of special-needs siblings, while Dani predicts her own family will meet Tila, "crack open a beer" and say "cheers!" I think Dani may be my cousin.
Tila is digging the idea of being the
What an interesting turn of events! Having bigoted family members will get you eliminated. Which means that this time, the lesbians have the advantage. That's cool, but for the first time in weeks, I miss Ashley. I would love to have met his family.
Little pink houses — The first stop on Tila's Scare the Parents Tour is Worcester, N.Y., where Bobby's parents reside. Bobby takes her out for a hot date at the Cobleskill Bowling Center, where he shows off his bowling prowess and charms Tila with his witty repartee. (E.g., "I want you to use a blue ball because I've had blue balls the whole time I've been at the house." No, I'm not kidding. He really said that. Ugh.)
Tila can sing, Tila can writhe, Tila can host her own reality show. Like Madonna, J. Lo, and Tyra, Tila can do just about anything. But she can't bowl. She nearly sends herself tumbling headlong down the alley with her bowling ball, which weighs about 5 pounds more than she does. Still, it doesn't stop her and Bobby from "looking for friction" for the better part of the afternoon.
Bobby is nervous that meeting his family will change the more worldly and free-spirited Tila's feelings about him. And it doesn't help that as they drive to his family home, Tila exclaims, "Wow, we're really in the boonies!" (Somewhere in a sound editing booth in Hollywood, a person has just successfully resisted the urge to cue up the theme from Deliverance.)
It's kind of cute when Tila enters the kitchen and sees his entire family curiously staring back at her. She smiles, waves and giggles. Bobby's father, brother and stepfather grin nervously. A daughter/sister-in-law like Tila is the stuff of art house cinema, and we all know how that usually ends.


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By Teachers, For Teachers
Colonial School District
New Castle, Delaware
Teaching Motto: You might be the only good thing that happens to them all day! Love them, even when it is difficult!
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Mr.Usdin, he was my 6th grade teacher a long, long, long time ago. I don't know why, there was really nothing special about him. But he is the one I remember, so I take that back, there had to be something special about him.
What are three things every teacher should own?
1. The patience of Job.
2. The voice of The Rock.
3. The compassion of St.Theresa.
(I read this somewhere, but it is so appropriate!)
If you could have any person (living, dead or fictional) as a principal, who would it be?
I would love to have my former principal back. He wasn't perfect, but he got me. He understood that I wasn't all about AR, and test prep, but that my kids still left my classroom with lots of knowledge. (And passed those darn standardized tests!)
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt?
I would love to be a writer. Well, I have a blog, "Diary of a Public School Teacher," so I guess I'm already a writer. So, let me rephrase that, I would like to be a paid writer.
Describe your all-time favorite lesson/unit activity.
My all-time favorite activity is giving my students a real world math problem and letting them loose. They work collaboratively to solve the problem while I walk around with a camcorder. It's amazing, and they love watching the video afterward.
What is the greatest misconception about teachers?
That we are slackers who just teach so that we can have a day that ends at 3:00PM and the summer off! Nothing could be further from the truth!
What stereotype about teachers is true?
Hmmmm...Teachers love to talk. Have you ever tried to conduct a workshop with a bunch of teachers? Very, very, difficult :-)
How did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
When I was a little girl, I used to go in my friend's basement. We would set up an easel with chart paper and teach the neighbors! As I grew up, everything I did was geared toward becoming a teacher.
Be the next teacher-spotlight! Just sign up as a TeachHUB Free Member & fill out the teacher-spotlight questionnaire!


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Map of Signalboxes
Double-click to re-centre and zoom in.
Use scroll wheel to zoom in and out.
Click 'show boxes' to refresh display.
Use dashboard to see aerial view.
Grid references correspond to OS maps.
Map display by Virtual Earth.
Note: lat. and long. are shown in WGS84
coordinates. Signal boxes are positioned
using six figure grid references and they
will thus appear +100m/-20m S and/or W
from their intended position.


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Thursday, May 31, 2012
Coloring an Owl
I have been working on a mural for a local elementary school, and they want to incorporate in their mural some owls. So, I have had to do a lot of owl sketches recently. While the final mural will be much simpler and stylized, I wanted to share a realistic sketch that I made for practice. I am marking this post as advanced mostly because without blending, your stroke technique is what will define patterns and textures.
As this is just a personal sketch, and not for the client, I wanted to color it simply and more for my own reference. So, as with many of my personal sketches, my goal is to work quickly and with a limited color palette. Blending takes time, so I wanted to color this owl without blending and show you how I use the marker strokes and layers to create the suggestion of blends.
The first layer of color is E31. Notice how I used short, stubby strokes from the side of the brush to give the illusion of feathers on the chest. Then, for the more delicate feathers around the face I switched to the tip of the marker and used very small fine strokes. My goal in this layer is simply to define feathers.
Next I added a layer of W3 for shading. I layered it over the E31. Notice on the chest, how I added the gray in stubby strokes as well, instead of just flatly coloring. I tried to define a light source at this point. The reason I added gray after the brown is because I knew that when the gray layered over the brown it would soften my strokes without the need for blending. I also colored the eyes with Y02. I shadowed the eye with E31.
So my first layer of color was for basic texture definition. The second layer of gray is to show shadows and shape. The next layers of color are to add contrast.
Last, I add the dark gray markings from this owl variety. I used an N7, since it was the right darkness, and I didn't mind that it was a little cool for the bird. I probably should have used a W7 or T7, but that would have involved me getting up from my desk to find the right color, and I am rather lazy.
The contrast and markings may seem a little strong at this point, but remember, the surroundings will help tone it down after they are colored. So, for the owl, I used E31, W3, Y02, E44, and N7. No blending, simply layering.
On the final image, I colored the sky with BG70 and B41. The tree in the distance is drawn with W1 and YG61. The branch he is sitting on is colored with the same colors as the main owl, with a hint of YR14 to change the tone to make the image not feel too flat. I colored the branch in scribbles to accent the irregular texture of the bark.
I did add a few hints of B45 onto the owl to cool down the shadows and pull in a bit of the sky color. Still, no blending.
I hope you enjoyed today's tutorial. Have a wonderful week!
10 comments:
- Carly said...
gorgeous! thank you so much for sharing!
- June 1, 2012 at 2:03 AM
- Tamytha said...
Stunning! I keep buying the markers, but haven't been brave enough to actually start. You make it seem so simple. Thanks for the inspiration.
- June 1, 2012 at 10:31 AM
- Maire Gamber said...
Just wonderful! I will practice! I just love your tutorials! Thanks!
- June 1, 2012 at 12:54 PM
- Linda said...
Gorgeous!!! Love it so much, thanks so much for sharing your amazing talent with us, I really appreciate it so much. You are such a wonderful inspiration.
- June 1, 2012 at 2:06 PM
- Patricia St Martin said...
Love how you did the Owl. I tried one and really over colored him. Love your inspiration.
- June 3, 2012 at 1:14 PM
- Ellen Taylor said...
Wow! Your coloring amazes me!!
- June 5, 2012 at 5:54 PM
- Barb said...
WOW - this is great!!! Thanks for the tutorial and sharing your knowledge and talent with us!!! You inspire me so much!!
- June 7, 2012 at 6:25 AM
- Jean said...
I really loved the shadow of another branch in the background. I finally understand the contrast, contrast, contrast that you told us about on Thursday in the class.
Debbie B
- July 1, 2012 at 10:15 PM
- Barbara said...
totally amazing! Thanks!
- September 24, 2012 at 11:52 AM
- Renate Krogdahl said...
I just recently discovered your blog. All i can say is AMAZING!!! Thanks for all the wonderful resources you have on here! Lots to learn.
- October 16, 2012 at 9:44 PM


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It's no small feat translating a user's wishes into computer commands. Controlling massive robots in chaotic, fast-paced action of modern console games like Titanfall—and yet even children are able to intuitively tear through AI fodder in their digital mechs. How? Using dual analogue thumbstick controllers. And they're not just for games.
Any wizened gamer knows that analogue thumbstick controllers—aka thumbsticks—are very different from the control schemes of early consoles. Unlike the original NES, which used electrical contacts for its D-Pad and A/B button inputs, analogue thumbsticks instead rely on potentiometers, which allow a graded input.
Where a D-Pad only has two input states, on and off (full speed run or stop), potentiometers allow the user to control the degree of input based on how far the stick is moved from its default centre position. This also allows for more than one direction of input be applied simultaneously—an essential advancement as console games have moved from 2D game of the NES and SEGA eras to modern 3D games of the Xbox One and PS4. And those 3D chops are what make them great at controlling the real world as well.
A Brief History of Thumbsticks
Contrary to what your average, shrieking Call of Duty-playing 11 year old might think, thumbsticks trace their roots further back than the advent of gaming. They actually grew out of analogue joystick technology from the early 20th century. Of course, back then joysticks were used in aviation, primarily to help control a plane's ailerons and elevators. The first confirmed use of these devices can be found on Louis Bleriot's 1908 Bleriot VIII.
And from this aviation background joysticks quickly found their way into a variety of military aircraft. In fact, the first electronic 2-axis joystick was developed by the Nazis in 1944 to control their early Henschel Hs 293 glide bomb. While it used on-off electrical connections (a la a D-Pad) rather than potentiometers, its design laid the groundwork for modern thumbstick controllers.
Over the next 40 years or so, joystick controllers began to find their way into a number of other industries and applications—from commanding cranes and other construction equipment, to controlling UAVs and remote cameras, even wheelchairs, riding mowers, and military hardware like Raytheon's Universal Control System.
But it was the explosion of home gaming consoles in the early 1980s that made the analogue stick a ubiquitous computer interface. Specifically, the Atari 5200 was the first, and for a long time only, console to employ a potentiometer-based analogue joystick. Unfortunately, this early design wasn't self-centering and made controlling onscreen sprites more luck than skill so the design quickly fell out of favour for the digital D-Pad.
Image: Evan-Amos
It would be more than a decade before console makers would take another look at analogue sticks. In 1996, Sony released its PlayStation Analogue Joystick, a hulking table-top controller utilising two, full-size analogue joysticks that provided unmatched performance in a number of PS1 and a few PS2 games such as Descent, MDK, and Mechwarrior 2.
This design, though ungainly by today's standards, was revolutionary at the time and actually served as the design basis for the PlayStation 2's newfangled Dualshock controller redesign which ultimately shrunk the giant joysticks down to thumb-controllable sizes.
The rise in popularity of 3D gaming graphics has also been instrumental in the adoption of thumbstick controllers, according to Albert Penello, Xbox Director of Product Planning. As he told Gizmodo via email recently:
As 3D graphics advanced and an early style of open-world gameplay grew in popularity, we learned how important analogue was to controlling 3D environments. A D-pad is great for many games (well, just about every game up to the early 2000s!) but was a legacy of 2D consoles. As consoles evolved more 3D, analogue input became more important. Xbox grew-up in the 3D world. For instance the rising popularity of first person shooters – especially Halo, which we prototyped against early in development – meant we built a controller in a time where 3D was hitting its stride and optimised for those types of games.
Halo's controller layout showed you could play FPS games competitively on a console, and most other shooters have used that same configuration, so it's endured. Additionally, even platform and action games have become more open-world, which has cemented analogue as the primary input for games today.
The Rise of the Console Controllers
The release of the PS2 Dualshock controller (along with the new PS2 itself) in March of 2000 marks the beginning of the modern era in console controllers. The original Xbox, which hit store shelves in November of the following year, also featured a dual analogue stick design which has since been continually tinkered with and improved upon.
"The Xbox One controller traces its design back to the controller for the original Xbox, more specifically the first revision of the controller, the Xbox Controller S," Penello explained. "When we were developing Xbox, thumbstick layouts had been growing in popularity; consoles at that time had both single- and dual-analogue thumbsticks."
He continues,
What was great about the process of designing our controller was that we didn't have a legacy layout that we were beholden to. We were able to look at all the controllers that were ever made, and play with different configurations and really let the players and developers decide. This expanded beyond just thumbsticks, it included button layouts, bumpers, triggers—everything! I remember travelling all over the world testing various designs for comfort and ergonomics. Many of us were fans of the Dreamcast controller, and I think we owe the most homage there—specifically the main placement of the analogue stick, as well as triggers, which were unique at the time. Ultimately, we were able to select the best parts of all controllers to make something that was really comfortable and functional, which is why I think it endures.
The analogue thumbstick has since dominated other controller designs for more than a decade. Granted, a number of light guns, Wiimotes, and motion controllers have come and gone in that time but none have been able to match the overwhelming adoption rates of dual thumbsticks. So until Kinect cameras and their ilk make further inroads to our rumpus rooms, keep your thumbs limber.
Top Image: Adrian Hughes