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Democrats reach settlement in Florida early-voting lawsuit
Lawyers for the Florida Democratic Party settled a lawsuit on Monday filed against election supervisors in three south Florida counties after the officials agreed to allow voters to cast in-person absentee ballots in their offices throughout Election Day.
The settlement came after a flurry of legal motions on Sunday and Monday by Democratic Party lawyers who charged that early voting in Florida had resulted in long, burdensome lines and a growing sense of frustration among voters.
After the infamous recount in the 2000 presidential election, Florida earned an international reputation as ground-zero for election foul-ups. Video footage of long lines of haggard, would-be voters outside a Miami-Dade elections office over the weekend seemed to reignite the infamy.
Similar scenes were playing out across south Florida, where elections supervisors failed to match the number of voting machines with heavy early voter turnout. The result: long lines.
In a complaint filed early Sunday, the lawyers asked a federal judge to order the supervisors of elections in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties to provide a safety-valve for frustrated voters. They wanted the elections officials to allow in-person absentee ballot voting at their offices through Election Day on Nov. 6.
The supervisors of elections agreed in three stipulations filed in federal court. Two of the supervisors said they were already permitting such in-person absentee voting. The third agreed to do so.
Under Florida law, early voting was set to take place for eight days from Saturday, Oct. 27, to Saturday, Nov. 3.
Voters waited in line between six and eight hours Saturday afternoon and night at a library in Lake Worth, with the last ballot cast at 2:50 a.m. Sunday morning, according to an affidavit attached to the lawsuit.
Early voting was scheduled to end Saturday at 7 p.m., but election workers are instructed to allow anyone waiting on line at that time to remain until they vote.
"The voting facilities within these counties were plainly inadequate to meet the needs of county electors seeking to exercise their right to right to vote," the complaint said.
"The extraordinarily long lines deterred or prevented voters from waiting to vote," the suit said. "Some voters left the polling sites upon learning of the expected wait, others refused to line up altogether."
The agreement means that voters in the three counties of southeast Florida will have two options for voting on Tuesday, Nov. 6. They can either go to their designated precinct and cast a regular ballot, or they can go to the supervisor of elections office, ask for an absentee ballot, complete it, and immediately turn it in.
The in-person absentee ballot service offers an alternative for voters should precinct lines grow too long on Tuesday.
Preliminary data show that 248,534 voters cast early ballots in Broward County, while 235,733 voted early in Miami-Dade County, and 105,981 voted in Palm Beach County.

subset: commoncrawl


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After that wimpy winter, the change of seasons was barely noticeable. So in case you missed it, it's officially spring. That means it's high time you peel off the opaque stockings, slap on the sunless tanner, and embrace spring fashion.
For lawyers, doing so always takes some tinkering. Clothes rarely make a seamless transition from the runway to the law firm hallway, and this season's ride may be especially bumpy. One peek in a J. Crew window will tell you why (and possibly scald your retinas). Neon is back. Think fluorescent pinks, electric blues, lime greens, and canary yellows. Your inner '80s rocker may be rejoicing, but finding a way to mix trendy neon tones with your current closet of neutrals might be less cause for celebration.
These bold hues are intimidating for even non–law office dwellers. Searching online for "how to wear neon" results in a bevy of encouraging tutorials, like this one from Refinery29. But while the suggestion of a tangerine pleated skirt or aqua-on-aqua outfit might be suitable for a Friday night or Sunday afternoon, it might be bit blinding in artificial office lighting among a sea of black and navy and pinstripes.
But have no fear, trendy lawyers. There are, of course, ways to sample from the neon color wheel without becoming a Big Bird look-a-like.
Cue Susan Scafidi, a professor at Fordham School of Law and director of its Fashion Law Institute. Scafidi says that neon can add an unexpected pop of color in a business wardrobe but is best in brief flashes. She suggests small touches of these bright hues, like "a hot pink zipper on a grey or black clutch, a scattering of fluorescent yellow crystals in a necklace, or an electric blue shoe," and warns against more than one neon shade per outfit. "Even an attorney in a creative field like entertainment doesn't want to be wearing enough neon to light up Broadway," she says.
Lawyers advising corporate clients or making court appearances should take an even more conservative approach, she says. For those lawyers, "a taste for lime green can be limited to socks or even just lingerie—after all, there's a psychic glow that comes from being lit from within."
I am all in favor of neon accessories. Who doesn't love a flashy shoe? But should neon in the workplace really be limited to such minor details and embellishments? Is a tasteful hot pink blouse or a chartreuse necktie really too much?
You tell me. Can you bare the bolder side of your color palette at work, or would any flicker of fluorescence be frowned upon?
Get the latest from The Careerist—free! Sign up today--see box on upper right corner.
Do you have topics you'd like to discuss or tips to share? E-mail The Careerist's chief blogger, Vivia Chen, at [email protected].


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Kevin Schreck
Review by Victoria Large
Posted on 09 May 2013
Source digital projection
Categories The 2013 Independent Film Festival Boston
The new documentary Persistence of Vision retraces the history of acclaimed animator Richard Williams' troubled attempts to bring a groundbreaking feature film to life. It bears some thematic resemblance to Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe's Lost In La Mancha, which chronicles Terry Gilliam's scuttled efforts to adapt Don Quixote for the big screen. Both films deal with creative frustration and the unhappy realities of balancing commerce and art. But while the scrapped production in Lost in La Mancha seems beset by cosmic bad luck, including floods, the blighted feature in Persistence of Vision is more obviously derailed by its director's obsession with making his film a masterpiece. The story — skillfully told by first-time feature director Kevin Schreck — isn't fully a cautionary tale or a tribute, but rather a fascinating meditation on the creative process and the terrible specter of compromise.
A note at the beginning of Persistence of Vision informs us that Williams now refuses to discuss his unfinished dream project, The Thief and the Cobbler, on record, but Schreck does a fine job of acquainting us with the animator via archive footage as well as insightful interviews with many individuals who worked at Williams' London studio during the decades that The Thief was considered a work in progress. The studio comes across as both an inspiring and disconcerting place to work: Williams is clearly dedicated to advancing the art and craft of animation for its own sake, which is an admirable thing, but he also insists on grueling work schedules for his animators, and his standards are incredibly exacting, particularly where his dream project is concerned. Schreck's documentary balances truly striking footage of Williams' unfinished opus (gathered from animators and collectors) with horror stories about budget and schedule overruns and employees who barely get a chance to see their families; implicitly raising the question of how much dedication to craft is too much. (One also wonders if Williams ever really meant to finish the film. Does any final product truly match our initial inspirations?)
Yet while Persistence of Vision resists the urge to be overly fawning about Williams' very real gifts and ambition, it does help us understand his largely noble intentions, and we can't help but despair at the most crushing blows dealt to his project, including an instance of startlingly high-profile plagiarism. (The Thief gestates for so long that many of its ideas make their way into a Disney film.) Smaller spoiler here for those who don't know The Thief's ultimate fate: Schreck includes a trailer for the version of Williams' film that was eventually released, a dreary reimagining that took shape after Williams lost creative control of the project. I could barely watch the trailer, peering through splayed fingers at a creation so contrary to its would-be director's original goals that it was actually painful to take in. Persistence of Vision is a heartbreaker. But it does include touches of hope, and an engaging story like this ought to be told. Happily, Shreck proves more than up to the task of sharing it.
The Spectacular Now
2013Remote Area Medical
2013The Punk Singer
2013Prince Avalance
2013Persistence of Vision
2012Much Ado About Nothing
2012Rewind This!
2013The Iceman
2012Twenty Feet From Stardom
2013Berberian Sound Studio
2012The Act of Killing
2012In a World…
2013World Fair
2013We don't do comments anymore, but you may contact us here or find us on Twitter or Facebook.


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Young Guns Divided
Updated 9:46 a.m.
The original Republican Young Guns are high-ranking leaders now, and the group and its members are trying to hold on to a brand that previously brought them so much success.
In the 2008 cycle, three emerging GOP Members started the Young Guns program — an organization to recruit and support the next generation of Republican leaders. Republicans hyped the fresh faces of Reps. Paul Ryan (Wis.), Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Eric Cantor (Va.) as the future of their party at the time.
The trio now holds three of the top positions in House GOP leadership. But over the course of the past four years, the Young Guns brand diffused into separate franchises and, in the process, may have lost some of its original flavor.
"The Young Guns 'brand' is going through somewhat of an identity crisis," one GOP strategist said. "They are no longer perceived as up-and-coming Members. They are the establishment, and that requires a certain style of leadership."
Most recently, the YG Action Fund super PAC — run by a former Cantor aide — waded into the Illinois primary between freshman Rep. Adam Kinzinger and longtime Rep. Don Manzullo, drawing the ire of many GOP Members. The PAC spent $52,000 on a radio ad boosting Kinzinger, whom Cantor personally endorsed. That investment paid off Tuesday, when Kinzinger toppled Manzullo.
Rep. James Lankford (Okla.), a freshman lawmaker who was not part of the Young Guns program — now run by the National Republican Congressional Committee — in 2010, called Cantor's involvement a tough call. With so many members of the 2010 Young Gun class now up for re-election, Lankford also acknowledged that the group is trying to figure itself out and that the episode in Illinois is an example of that soul searching.
"I think they're still trying to figure that out because it's new," Lankford said. "You've got three people who coordinated all that in the past, and does that continue going on? Is there a transition? Is it a permanent part of the NRCC from here on out and loses the mystique that it once had?"
On Tuesday, Cantor reiterated that his support in the Member-vs.-Member race was simply making good on a promise he made to Kinzinger last summer.
"I try to always be somebody of his word," he explained.
Manzullo said last week that Cantor's involvement in the primary has been toxic within the GOP Conference, and this week he said the Majority Leader should resign his position.
"I can't tell you how upset the rest of the Members of the Republican Conference are — that what Cantor did is very divisive," Manzullo said during an interview last week.
Even Members without primary challenges from a colleague were grimacing Tuesday as voters in Illinois went to the polls. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a three-term lawmaker, said Cantor's decision could be hurtful to the GOP Conference.
"My only take on it is that they're viewing a younger Representative as having more years ahead of him than an older Member," the Colorado Republican said. "But I'm concerned because that wouldn't show sufficient respect for someone who has been here supporting Republican principles for a long time."
House Republicans lost dozens of seats during the first cycle the Young Guns PAC was in existence, but the program proved it had potential.
By 2009, the NRCC had co-opted the Young Guns program, but the trio remained heavily involved. NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) picked
McCarthy to head candidate recruitment for the party, and the committee used the Young Guns brand as its benchmark fundraising and infrastructure program for open-seat and challenger races.
"The original Young Guns remain actively involved in the NRCC program and played a big role in helping to recruit and prime so many candidates for victory in 2010," NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay said.
Also in 2010, Ryan, McCarthy and Cantor penned a book, "Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders."
Republicans made historic gains in the House last cycle, and the trio reaped those benefits: Cantor became Majority Leader, McCarthy became Majority Whip, and Ryan became House Budget chairman.
After the trio claimed its new mantles, the Young Guns program shifted again.
In October, former Cantor aide John Murray filed the paperwork to open YG Action Fund. Although the super PAC is branded with the Young Guns name, Cantor cannot legally make any decisions on its behalf.
A few months later, another Young Guns PAC terminated, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Just a couple of weeks beforehand, the PAC split the remaining cash between the three leader's individual leadership PACs — $71,400 each to Prosperity PAC, Majority Committee PAC and Every Republican is Crucial PAC.
Meanwhile, the NRCC's Young Guns program remains successful, but sources said Cantor, McCarthy and Ryan have stepped back from their involvement compared to 2008.
Ryan, a darling of the right, is carrying out much of the Young Gun's political principles as an architect of the party's fiscal agenda and budget blueprint. The budget draft, released Tuesday, caused unrest among many of the conservative freshmen.
McCarthy, who has had to work overtime to keep a majority together on key votes as the party's Whip, has largely stayed out of intraparty tussles that might otherwise compromise his relationships under the Dome.
"I think McCarthy has done a very savvy job of distancing himself from being blamed" for some of the problems within leadership, a former GOP leadership aide said.
A GOP lawmaker agreed, arguing that while McCarthy has been "in a tough situation, just based on where the leadership is," he has largely sidestepped those conflicts and maintained solid relationships with both Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) and Cantor.
And Illinois Rep. John Shimkus, who endorsed Kinzinger in the contentious primary, lauded Cantor's decision to get involved.
"When you're a leader, you stand in front and lead and take risks. I think that's courageous," he said.
But acknowledging that more unrest could occur in Member-vs.-Member primaries in other states, Shimkus quipped "All I have to say is, get ready."
John Stanton contributed to this report.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Federal safety investigators intensified their scrutiny of a Monday fire aboard a Boeing 787 as concerned investors sold shares in the aircraft maker for a second day.
Boeing on Tuesday confirmed that the fire aboard a Japan Airlines plane appeared to have started in a battery pack for the plane's auxiliary power unit.
The National Transportation Safety Board described the fire damage to the battery as "severe," and said it is sending two more investigators to examine the Japan Airlines plane. It also formed investigative groups to look at the plane's electrical systems as well as the fire response.
Boeing has a lot riding on the 787. The long-range jet promises a smoother travel experience and is 20 percent more fuel efficient than older models. After years of delays, Boeing has now delivered 49 of the planes, with almost 800 more on order.
The fire on Monday happened on the ground at Boston Logan International Airport, with no passengers on board. But in-flight fires can be catastrophic, so the matter is getting close scrutiny by aviation authorities.
Interest is especially high in this fire because of indications that lithium batteries — which generally have not been used on large planes before the 787 — can burn very hot, with fires that are difficult to put out. The NTSB said it took firefighters 40 minutes to put out the fire near the back of the plane.
JAL spokeswoman Carol Anderson said the airline inspected its 787s after the fire. She declined to discuss the results, but noted that no schedule changes were made as a result of the inspections.
United Airlines said it inspected its six 787s overnight. A spokeswoman would not say what the inspections found. The Wall Street Journal reported that the inspections found an improperly installed bundle of wires connected to the same battery that burned on the on the JAL plane.
Electrical problems have been the 787's nemesis.
Last month, a United Airlines 787 flying from Houston to Newark, N.J., diverted to New Orleans because of an electrical problem with a power distribution panel. Last week, United said it would delay the start of 787 flights from Houston to Lagos, Nigeria because it wanted to "improve the reliability of the aircraft."
In November 2010, a test flight had to make an emergency landing after an in-flight electrical fire. The fire delayed flight tests for several weeks while Boeing investigated.
Boeing said the fire on Monday appears to be unrelated to previous electrical problems on the 787.
"Nothing that we've seen in this case indicates a relationship to any previous 787 power system events," Boeing said in a prepared statement. Those earlier problems involved power panels elsewhere in a rear bay for electrical equipment. Boeing also said it "would be premature to discuss additional details at this stage" of the investigation.
Boeing said it has shared information about the prior events with the NTSB.
Shares of Chicago-based Boeing have fallen 4.6 percent since the fire was reported, wiping out almost $2.7 billion of the company's value. On Tuesday they fell $2, or 2.6 percent, to close at $74.13.
Investors may have been unnerved by the fire after it appeared that the mechanical and manufacturing kinks with the 787 had been worked out.
They may have also reacted to another 787 issue on Tuesday. A different Japan Airlines 787 at Logan had to be towed back to the gate after spilling 40 gallons of jet fuel. The flight was re-scheduled for later in the day.


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Earth Hour is a wonderful concept. An idea started in Sydney in 2007, it has now spread to be a world wide phenomenon. An annual chance to spend an hour with the electricity and lights off, to remind ourselves to conserve energy for the rest of the year.
My son and I have been doing Earth Hour since it started. He really enjoys it each year- the candles being part of the novelty and part of the fun for a child.
Enjoying the candles Earth Hour 2011 |
This year, he wrote some poems. He doesn't usually write poems. But I think they're pretty good.
The wax burnt
by the dance of the flickering flame
but it was as if it weren't
anything more than a shame
The flames danced
without care for the world
the flames pranced
looking for a world where candles are held.
Saturday Snapshot, is a wonderful weekly meme from at home with books


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The general government, though limited as to its objects, is supreme with respect to those objects. This principle is a part of the Constitution; and if there be any who deny its necessity, none can deny its authority.
To this supreme government, ample powers are confided; and if it were
possible to doubt the great purposes for which they were so confided, the
people of the United States have declared that they are given in order
to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic
tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessings of liberty to themselves and their posterity.
With the ample powers confided to this supreme government, for these interesting purposes, are connected many express and important limitations on the sovereignty of the states which are made for the same purposes. The powers of the Union, on the great subjects of war, peace, and commerce, and on many others, are in themselves limitations of the sovereignty of the states; but, in addition to these, the sovereignty of the states is surrendered, in many instances, where the surrender can only operate to the benefit of the people, and where, perhaps, no other power is conferred on Congress than a conservative power to maintain the principles established in the Constitution. The maintenance of these principles in their purity is certainly among the great duties of the government.
One of the instruments by which this duty may be peaceably performed is the Judicial Department. It is authorized to decide all cases of every description arising under the Constitution or laws of the United States. From this general grant of jurisdiction, no exception is made of those cases in which a state may be a party. When we consider the situation of the government of the Union and of a state, in relation to each other; the nature of our Constitution; the subordination of the state governments to that Constitution; the great purpose for which jurisdiction over all cases arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States is confided to the Judicial Department, are we at liberty to insert in this general grant an exception of those cases in which a state may be a party? Will the spirit of the Constitution justify this attempt to control its words? We think it will not. We think a case arising under the Constitution or laws of the United States is cognizable in the courts of the Union, whoever may be the parties to that case.
The Constitution gave to every person having a claim upon a state a right to submit his case to the Court of the nation. However unimportant his claim might be, however little the community might be interested in its decision, the framers of our Constitution thought it necessary, for the purposes of justice, to provide a tribunal as superior to influence as possible in which that claim might be decided. The judicial power of every well-constituted government must be coextensive with the legislative, and must be capable of deciding every judicial question which grows out of the Constitution and laws.
In many states, the judges are dependent for office and for salary on the will of the legislature. The Constitution of the United States furnishes no security against the universal adoption of this principle. When we observe the importance which that Constitution attaches to the independence of judges, we are the less inclined to suppose that it can have intended to leave these constitutional questions to tribunals where this in dependence may not exist, in all cases where a state shall prosecute an individual who claims the protection of an act of Congress. These prosecutions may take place even without a legislative act. A person making a seizure under an act of Congress may be indicted as a trespasser if force has been employed, and of this a jury may judge. How extensive may be the mischief if the first decisions in such cases should be final!
A constitution is framed for ages to come, and is designed to approach immortality as nearly as human institutions can approach it. Its course cannot always he tranquil. It is exposed to storms and tempests, and its framers must be unwise statesmen indeed if they have not provided it, so far as its nature will permit, with the means of self preservation from the perils it may be destined to encounter. No government ought to be so defective in its organization as not to contain within itself the means of securing the execution of its own laws against other dangers than those which occur every day. Courts of Justice are the means most usually employed; and it is reasonable to expect that a government should repose on its own courts rather than on others.
It is very true that whenever hostility to the existing system shall become universal, it will be also irresistible. The people made the Constitution, and the people can unmake it. It is the creature of their will, and lives only by their will. But this supreme and irresistible power to make or to unmake resides only in the whole body of the people, not in any subdivision of them. The attempt of any of the parts to exercise it is usurpation and ought to be repelled by those to whom the people have delegated their power of repelling it.
The acknowledged inability of the government, then, to sustain itself against the public will and, by force or otherwise, to control the whole nation is no sound argument in support of its constitutional inability to preserve itself against a section of the Nation acting in opposition to the general will. That the United States form, for many and for most important purposes, a single nation has not yet been denied. In war, we are one people. In making peace, we are one people. In all commercial regulations, we are one and the same people. In many other respects, the American people are one; and the government which is alone capable of controlling and managing their interests in all these respects is the government of the Union. It is their government, and, in that character, they have no other. America has chosen to be, in many respects and to many purposes, a nation; and for all these purposes her government is complete; to all these objects, it is competent. The people have declared that in the exercise of all powers given for these objects it is supreme. It can, then, in effecting these objects, legitimately control all individuals or governments within the American territory. The constitution and laws of a state, so far as they are repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the United States, are absolutely void. These states are constituent parts of the United States; they are members of one great empire—for some purposes sovereign, for some purposes subordinate.
In a government so constituted, is it unreasonable that the judicial power should be competent to give efficacy to the constitutional laws of the legislature? That department can decide on the validity of the Constitution or law of a state if it be repugnant to the Constitution or to a law of the United States. Is it unreasonable that it should also be empowered to decide on the judgment of a state tribunal enforcing such unconstitutional law? Is it so very unreasonable as to furnish a justification for controlling the words of the Constitution?
We think it is not. We think that in a government, acknowledgedly supreme, with respect to objects of vital interest to the nation, there is nothing inconsistent with sound reason, nothing incompatible with the nature of government, in making all its departments supreme, so far as respects those objects and so far as is necessary to their attainment. The exercise of the appellate power over those judgments of the state tribunals which may contravene the Constitution or laws of the United States is, we believe, essential to the attainment of those objects.


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39,000 Gulf oil spill claims unresolved
In this photo taken Friday Aug. 6, 2010, wedding planner Sheryl Lindsay, right, and her twin sister, Sheila Newman, of Orange Beach Weddings, are shown at their in Orange Beach, Ala. office. Lindsay's wedding business is on the brink, crumbling with each cancellation over concerns about oil.
Published: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, August 9, 2010 at 10:53 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, August 9, 2010 at 10:53 p.m.
ORANGE BEACH | Wedding planner Sheryl Lindsay's wedding business is on the brink, crumbling with each cancellation over concerns about oil. Brides-to-be are walking away from plans for beachside vows, leaving Lindsay waiting to see whether she'll be part of BP's promise to make whole everyone who's suffered from its spill.
Claims Paid by State
$139 million to Louisianians $61 million to Floridians
$75 million to Alabamians
$26 million to Mississippians
BP said Monday, it had received 145,000 claims from residents and business owners like Lindsay citing lost income because of the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico and had paid out $324 million without denying a single claim.
That sounds pretty good, until frustrated residents and officials point out that 39,000 claims are in limbo — some of them, including Lindsay's, have been there for months. Some of the claims that have been paid are only partial payments, and many of those people are still fighting for more money.
"Therein lies the problem," Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said recently. "They don't deny them. They just hold them open forever."
Hood speculated that BP PLC would rather wait for Kenneth Feinberg, the federally appointed administrator of the $20 billion compensation fund BP established at the behest of the White House, to take over the claims process this month. That way, if a claim is denied, "he's the bad guy" instead of BP, Hood said.
BP claims director Darryl Willis said the company isn't deliberately delaying. Rather, 26,000 pending claims are still being evaluated and thousands of others need more documentation, the company said.
"Our intent is to continue paying claims until this process is handed over to Ken Feinberg," Willis said. "There's no intent to slow this thing down."
However, BP does defer "questionable" claims to Feinberg, including "restaurants and tourist claims from areas that haven't been impacted by an oiled beach," company spokeswoman Pat Wright said.
"We believe there are some tough decisions out there that need to be made on a variety of these claims, because many of these are claims that are not squarely within the guidelines of the Oil Pollution Act," she added.
The act was enacted in 1990 after the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. Under the law, BP is responsible for cleanup costs, but the act caps the company's liability for other economic damage, such as lost wages, at $75 million.
BP officials said early on that the company would not limit itself to that cap. But the company is using the guidelines for who should be compensated.
Wright said BP decided to defer some claims because Feinberg "has said that he's going to look at this, maybe, a bit differently than we are looking at it."
Feinberg, who oversaw payouts for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, did not respond to e-mailed questions from The Associated Press. He has said that claims without a direct tie to the oiled water will have a harder time making it through the process.
In Washington, the Justice Department and BP announced Monday that the company had deposited the initial $3 billion into the $20 billion fund.
Louisianians have been hardest hit by the oil and have reaped the most through BP's claims process, getting 34,000 checks totaling $139 million as of Monday, according to BP. Alabama was next with $75 million, Florida residents took in $61 million, Mississippians
$26 million and Texans had received $9 million since the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig killed 11 and started a spill that lasted more than three months.
BP said it has paid out $58 million in just the first eight days of August, in part by eliminating some paperwork requirements for business claims.
"I'll be the first to admit that this process has not been perfect," Willis said. "We're going to continue to look for ways to get this money out and do it more efficiently."
Who is eligible and how much compensation they deserve are open questions.
Lindsay said she was pointedly told by a claims adjuster that she wouldn't get money from BP to keep afloat the beach wedding business she owns with her sister, which she said was on pace to make $500,000 this year until the spill.
"Last week we were told they were not paying wedding planners," she said with a huff of frustration. "We're having to close our offices. We're not closing the business — yet — but we've just got to get out from under the rent. We can't afford it anymore."
Orange Beach Weddings has had 30 cancellations, owes on loans to the bank and must refund deposits while hoping for new clients.
"The phones just don't ring anymore," Lindsay said.
A few days after being told her claim was denied by one BP claims adjuster, another BP adjuster said it was merely on hold.
On Thursday, yet another adjuster, who identified himself as Buddy, said Lindsay's claim was denied, that wedding planners were ineligible.
"Nobody can make a decision," Lindsay said. "We're just stuck."
Wright said the adjusters in Lindsay's case made a mistake and that the 1,650 people on the claims team aren't always on the same page. She said BP adjustors shouldn't be denying any claims.
"I'll be working to address this with the adjusters to make sure they fully understand," she said.
Another lingering question is whether folks hurt by the federal moratorium on oil drilling will get help, specifically those who didn't work directly on the 33 rigs that were shut down.
BP gave $100 million to a charity to give grants to rig workers affected by the moratorium, but that money isn't for businesses such as supply boats that support the rigs.
Brett Broussard, who pilots offshore oil service boats, called it laughable for BP to say the company hasn't denied claims. Broussard said BP told him he was ineligible because the moratorium put him out of work, not the oil spill.
"They're parsing words. I am not eligible because of the moratorium, but their spill caused the moratorium," Broussard said. "I find it repulsive and repugnant."
Mitch Jurisich, a Plaquemines Parish, La., oyster farmer, compared the claims process to dealing with the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — "so similar it's pitiful," he said.
"I'm still sitting here sending paperwork after paperwork trying to get my first paycheck," Jurisich said of his spill claim. "I feel I've had to give more paperwork for this than I would have to give the IRS in an audit. I'm losing confidence on a daily basis."


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1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix sage, seasoned salt and black pepper in small bowl.
2. Place turkey breast on rack in foil-lined roasting pan. Spread seasoning mixture over entire surface and under skin of turkey breast. Cover loosely with heavy duty foil.
3. Roast 1 hour. Remove foil. Add water to pan. Roast 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer or until internal temperature reaches 170° F, basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove turkey breast from oven. Loosely cover with foil. Let stand 15 minutes. Transfer to platter or carving board and slice.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Perfect Turkey Gravy and Harvest Roasted Vegetables.
Italian Roasted Turkey Breast: Substitute 1 tablespoon McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Italian Seasoning for the rubbed sage.


text:
What are Chris Riddell's qualifications to talk about technology? What are the awards that Chris Riddell has won? I cannot seem to find ...
Twitter more than doubles its sales, but still can't turn a profit
Twitter reported a net loss of more than $132 million for the first quarter
Twitter on Tuesday turned in some healthy sales figures for the first quarter, though its net loss grew substantially compared to last year.
Total revenue for the period ended March 31 was roughly US$250 million, Twitter reported, more than double the $114 million recorded for the same period in 2013. Twitter's sales topped analysts' consensus estimate of $241 million, as polled by Thomson Reuters.
"We had a very strong first quarter," said Twitter CEO Dick Costolo in the company's announcement. "Revenue growth accelerated on a year over year basis fueled by increased engagement and user growth."
However, Twitter hasn't managed to turn a profit since it became a public company. The company reported a net loss of more than $132 million for the quarter, nearly quintupling the loss of roughly $27 million reported for the year-ago period.
The company's earnings per share loss was $0.23, a tad worse than a loss of $0.21 reported last year. On a pro forma basis, excluding share-based compensation and other adjustments, Twitter broke even, beating analysts' expectations of a loss of $0.03 per share.
Twitter's stock was down to $38.30 in after hours trading, down considerably from its $42.62 Tuesday close.
Twitter, like Google and Facebook, makes the bulk of its money from advertising -- $226 million for the quarter, up 125 percent. The lion's share of its advertising -- 80 percent in the first quarter -- comes from mobile.
To continue growing its ad revenue, Twitter needs to attract more users and increase the time they spend using the service. As a public company, Twitter is under pressure to make its service more accessible to a mainstream audience.
The company in recent months has tried to address this, partly through cosmetic changes like redesigning user profile pages and making photos more prominent in people's streams.
Twitter is making progress in this area, but not very rapidly. Compared to the same period last year, Twitter grew its monthly active users by 25 percent, to 255 million. But compared to the fourth quarter of 2013, Twitter grew its monthly active users sequentially by less than 6 percent.
On mobile, Twitter now has 198 million monthly active users -- a 31 percent increase, the company said.
Twitter executives will hold a conference call with investors and financial analysts Tuesday afternoon to discuss the results in-depth. More information could be given during the call about the health of particular types of ads, or of Twitter's mobile ad network, MoPub.
Zach Miners covers social networking, search and general technology news for IDG News Service. Follow Zach on Twitter at @zachminers. Zach's e-mail address is email@example.com


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Better Together
Posted on 08/15/2017When it comes to choosing your all-inclusive resort vacation, keep in mind those things you want to experience during your romantic stay. Do you want lots of entertainment? Is a gourmet dining a priority? Perhaps a relaxing spa experience is of the highest order? No matter your needs or wants, there's an incredible, all-inclusive resort getaway waiting to pamper you just as you've always dreamed.
Photo via Visual Hunt
To make the decision process a breeze, be sure to contact your local travel professional. They are your best resource and can help you navigate through all the available destinations and resort options that fit you best, all while providing you exclusive offers and packages not available anywhere else.
Breathless Resorts is the all-new, adult escape for sophisticated singles, couples and friends. These resorts are luxe, modernist and chic, featuring pristine beaches, trendsetting restaurants and lounges, world-class spas and vibrant nightlife and entertainment. A particular favorite of ours is Breathless Punta Cana in the gorgeous Dominican Republic. Here captivating beauty and chic style combine with non-stop adventure and Unlimited-Luxury®. While at Breathless Punta Cana Resort & Spa, adults can mix and mingle with people from around the world or reconnect with those that mean the world to them. Featuring 750 ultra-contemporary suites with private terraces, Breathless Punta Cana is the epitome of luxury and excitement. Guests also enjoy free flow access to 10 bars and 10 restaurants with Exchange Privileges, right next door at Now Onyx Punta Cana.
Photo via Visualhunt
Couples wanting to break away from the everyday in search of peace, relaxation and romance will absolutely love the all-inclusive Sandals Negril in Jamaica. Just like stunning island itself, Sandals Negril is a little bit exotic and very chic, exuding a blissful ambience of laid-back cool that is further complemented by the island's legendary Seven-Mile Beach. Besides its beautiful location, what makes the resort ideal for couples is an unrivaled lineup of luxury inclusions – luxe accommodations just steps from the beach, superb pools, 24-hour room service, unlimited fine dining at seven restaurants and all cocktails, unlimited scuba diving, and much more.
Photo credit: vwcampin via Visual Hunt / CC BY
For couples wanting an adults-only getaway that also mingles a breathtaking setting with gourmet cuisine, the search ends at Karisma's El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, set along Mexico's shimmering Riviera Maya. Comprised of four luxury resorts, each offering beachfront views of pristine stretches of sand, sea and sun, the El Dorado's Gourmet Inclusive® experience goes far beyond the resorts' lavish accommodations, amenities and services to include "best in class," "decadent" and "outstanding" meals created by star chefs.
Photo credit: Ian D. Keating via VisualHunt.com / CC BY
If you're in need of some thorough pampering and rejuvenation, Mexico and the Caribbean are home to some of the world's top spa resorts where you and your sweetie can experience a blissful menu of signature messages, therapies, treatments, wellness and beauty makeovers.
Photo credit: Gail Frederick via Visualhunt / CC BY
For a spa getaway that's truly extraordinary, the award-wining, all-inclusive Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraíso should be at the top of your list. Synonymous with luxury and style, the Grand Hotel Paraíso is a spectacular resort designed just for adults, where no detail is overlooked. This spa hotel, built on the beach, offers personalized service, fully-equipped honeymoon or individual suites, select cuisine, golf, watersports and entertainment. However, it's at Grand Hotel spa where you'll realize what true relaxation and rejuvenation feels like. Along with oodles of various treatments and massages, spa guests can also make good use of the Jacuzzis, solarium, thalassotherapy pools and the extraordinary temazcal of Mayan origin.
Hero image: Photo via Visualhunt


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The first five members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, two of the game's greatest home run hitters and its peerless pioneer are represented in an extraordinary collection of signed checks currently up for bid in Memory Lane Inc's Hidden Treasures Auction. Offered individually, they are some of the finest graded autographs in the world; rare by their quality and by their status as pieces of American history. Collectors will have the opportunity to bid on checks signed by the likes of Christy Mathewson (PSA 10), Honus Wagner (PSA 10), Walter Johnson (PSA 10), Babe Ruth (PSA 9), Ty Cobb (PSA 10 and PSA 9), Hank Aaron (PSA 10), Stan Musial (PSA 10) and Reggie Jackson (PSA 9). Some of the checks actually connect the players to signature moments in their lives and careers.
The Mathewson check, one of only two ever accorded the PSA 10 (gem mint) label, was signed and dated December 22, 1924, less than a year prior to the great pitcher's death from complications of tuberculosis. Mathewson's World War I service put him in contact with poison gas and he died in 1925, less than two decades after he was one of the game's most respected and feared competitors. The check was obtained by a 1940s-era collector who wrote to Matty's wife asking for anything signed by her husband. Apparently, it wasn't the first request. Included with the check is a note from his wife Jane reading "This is the last autograph I will be able to send". She signed it "Mrs. Mathewson".
A player's signature on a check is a personal link to that player's day-to-day life. Personal checks are the great equalizer between fan and star athlete. They prove that virtually no one is immune from paying the electric bill, buying insurance or drawing on an account for spending money. To conduct financial business, at some point you have to sign your name. There are no clubhouse attendants to fake it. No rubber stamps or autopens. The Ruth check (PSA 9 mint) is written for cash to Chemical Bank and Trust in 1941. One of the Cobb checks is made out to Pacific Gas & Electric; the Wagner to a local department store and the Walter Johnson to a bank for five dollars worth of walking around money. We know Stan Musial paid his taxes in 1944, because the gem mint check offered by Memory Lane is the one Musial wrote to the Internal Revenue Service in 1944-for $169.89. Jackie Robinson was just a year removed from his ground-breaking entry into the big leagues when he penned his name on a $575 check written to Penn Mutual Life Insurance-securing his future after proving he belonged in the major leagues.
Still, other checks can open a window to history. The mint check signed by Reggie Jackson is made out to the New York Yankees for $1140. It's dated October 11 with a note reading "World Series tickets". This very check, it would appear, is what Reggie handed to the team as payment for tickets he would give to family and friends. That night, the Yankees won game one of the Series. Exactly one week later, Jackson would make history with his three home run game against the Dodgers, cementing his MVP performance and a date with Cooperstown.
More than most autographs, the nature of signed checks offers the collector more peace of mind in matters of authenticity. This group of checks comes from a collector with an eye for the finest quality autographed pieces, symmetrical as a niche in autograph collecting. They are investment quality but also tops on the barometer of unique, rare pieces of sports memorabilia.
The checks are part of an impressive, eclectic and super high quality selection of autographs being offered in the Hidden Treasures auction. Dozens of signed items are among the hundreds of lots available to collectors. Bidding is underway now and will close December 12. Full color catalogs are available through Memory Lane IncThe checks are part of an impressive, eclectic and super high quality selection of autographs being offered in the Hidden Treasures auction. Dozens of signed items are among the hundreds of lots available to collectors. Bidding is underway now and will close December 12. Full color catalogs are available through Memory Lane Inc and you can also browse the listings online through the auction portal or on the virtual catalog. Phone bids are also accepted. To register, visit the website or call (877) 606-LANE.


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Imperial Bush A closer look at the Bush record -- from the war in Iraq to the war on the environment
2004 Campaign Will Americans take the exit ramp off the Bush presidency in November?
Behind Colin Powell's Legend Colin Powell's sterling reputation in Washington hides his life-long role as water-carrier for conservative ideologues.
The 2000 Campaign Recounting the controversial presidential campaign
Media Crisis Is the national media a danger to democracy?
The Clinton Scandals The story behind President Clinton's impeachment
Nazi Echo Pinochet & Other Characters
The Dark Side of Rev. Moon Rev. Sun Myung Moon and American politics
Contra Crack Contra drug stories uncovered
Lost History How the American historical record has been tainted by lies and cover-ups
The October Surprise "X-Files" The 1980 October Surprise scandal exposed
International From free trade to the Kosovo crisis
Other Investigative Stories
Below are several ads selected by Google.
By Alex Sabbeth February 16, 2006
Editors Note: As an investigative news Web site, we often concentrate on the details of some very interesting trees and thus can be accused at times of missing the full panorama of the forest.
Indeed, we do focus on specific facts, in part, because we believe that if our readers are armed with enough reliable information, they can reach their own wise judgments. We also trust in the old news axiom, show, dont tell.
But there are times when an overview can be helpful in recognizing patterns or coming to broader conclusions. In this guest essay, author Alex Sabbeth applies a wider lens to Americas present political crisis:
Maybe it's easier to grasp this when pondering Sept 11. Our vaunted military did not protect us from low-tech attacks. America has over 800 military bases strung across the globe, but the fact is New York and Washington were not protected.
Doubtful? We were warned about Katrina for years. Newt Gingrich is right when he asks how we can think we're safe when New Orleans was destroyed under our noses. [Fox News, Sept. 6, 2005]
Before continuing, I want to point out an obvious fact. The Bush administration purveys falsehoods as a matter of policy. Those who prove this are disparaged as the "reality community." [Boston Globe, quoting writer Ron Suskind, Nov. 5, 2004]
These obvious falsehoods are directed to the administrations political base, which either doesn't realize this, or doesnt care. A few examples of very significant deceptions are in order.
Bush claimed he invaded Iraq because Saddam refused to allow inspectors into Iraq (while they were there). Also, Bush said Saddam refused to disarm. [Nationwide radio address, Feb. 21, 2004, Office of the Press Sec. July 14, 2003]
It's well documented that the inspectors were in Iraq from November of 2002 to just before the invasion, when Bush warned them to leave. CBS publicized their reaction to Powell's speech while in Iraq, in a story called The Man Who Knew. Also, our own inspectors say Saddam disarmed in the early 1990s, and was left with idle programs. [CBS Oct. 17, 2003, Associated Press, Feb. 13, 2004]
Bush traveled the country, repeatedly emphasizing that warrants were required for government wiretaps, while he had been wiretapping without them for years. [AFP, Dec. 12, 2005]
Regarding Sept. 11, do you remember Condoleezza Rice telling us the August 2001 Presidential Brief was mostly historical in nature, vague, not concerned with an impending attack? The brief warned that Osama bin-Laden was preparing an attack in America, using planes, activating cells already here. [Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2004] You get the point.
America Hurt
I want to show that Bushs policies hurt America and our national interests.
Despite detailed warnings of both Sept. 11 and Katrina, we were unprepared and unprotected.
We invaded Iraq, although our intelligence officers warned that terrorism would increase as a result. [The Guardian, Feb. 24, 2003]
While we were told that the invasion made Iraq and the world safer, the State Department issued a warning of increased al-Qaeda activity against U.S. personnel and interests worldwide. [State Department Worldwide Caution] The invasion was supposed to make Israel more secure, but their security officers have recently warned the chaos in Iraq makes the region more unstable and dangerous. [Guardian, Feb. 9, 2006]
All this was foretold by U.S. and British intelligence.
Military resources were redeployed away from the hunt for al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, to a country that absolutely was no threat to us.
Former Sen. Bob Graham, D-Florida, wrote that Saudi Arabias role in financing the Sept. 11 attacks was covered up, as proved in the deleted pages of the Congressional report about Sept 11. [Grahams Intelligence Matters]
Our budget deficits have private-sector and government analysts warning of a genuine financial meltdown. Even the mellifluous Alan Greenspan has been warning these deficits are not sustainable.
Our country's safety has been neglected, according to the Sept. 11 Commission, which issued failing grades to the government's response to its recommendations. In 2004, undercover teams slipped weapons past security barriers in 15 U.S. airports. [USA Today, Sept. 23, 2004]
In 2005, a mock attack in Boston revealed complete disarray among the terror response units. [AP, Dec. 27, 2005]
Government scientists warning about climate change, mercury and soot levels, and contaminants at Ground Zero, were overruled by political managers. Fifty Nobel prize winners signed a complaint that science is corrupted by this Administration. As a result, we miss out on the benefit of scientific guidance. [Reuters, June 20, 2004]
Our military and intelligence officers warned that an invasion of Iraq would harm our international standing just when cooperation was most needed to coordinate information and responses to terrorist threats.
Military Stress
Also, our troops would be endangered by incompetent assault planning, and our economy would be stressed dangerously. The Army itself would be stretched to breaking because of repeated tours, morale-crunching stop-loss orders, insufficient protective armor, etc. [Los Angeles Times, July, 4, 2004; Washington Post, Jan. 13, 2004]
Were told our troops will begin to leave Iraq because of improvements in security. The attacks continue daily, and the real reason, admitted by Colin Powell, is that current troop levels cant be sustained without serious damage to the Army, including recruitment problems. [AP, Dec. 18, 2005]
When undercover agents are most needed in the war on terror, Valerie Plame was outed for political sport, showing that our agents are not safe from their own government. Would you risk your life overseas knowing that?
To those who believe in the President, I say you live in a dream world. The President routinely does the opposite of what he says. Therefore, you have no idea what it is you support.
Mr. Bush campaigned in 2000 on a humble foreign policy, deriding nation-building. But he clearly planned the Iraq invasion before Sept 11, and Condi Rice testified that the administration decided to remake the entire Middle East. [UPI, Oct. 19, 2005; Richard Clarke, Paul ONeill, Judicial Watch Web site, March 2004]
How humble is that? How do you think they're doing so far? Does Katrina make you pretty confident? They are enacting goals written in 1992 by Paul Wolfowitz, long before Bush was elected. [Carnegie Endowment for Peace, March 19, 2003]
Did you know that during the 2000 campaign?
Bush was going to restore honor and integrity to the White House. Have you ever heard of Abramoff? Did you see articles reporting how Rove is threatening Republicans if they revolt against NSA wiretaps? [Taegan Goddards Political Wire, Feb. 7, 2006] How about the Medicare actuary threatened if he revealed the true cost of the seniors' drug benefit? [CBS, March 16, 2004, Medicare administrator warns actuary, Rick Foster to not tell Congress the price tag.]
Bush traveled the country assuring us that court warrants are still required for wiretaps. He guaranteed that. Yet years before, he had ordered wiretaps contrary to the FISA requirements. Who still has faith in what Bush says? Why listen at all?
Bush scared us with dire threats of WMDs in Iraq. Wolfowitz slipped up by saying WMDs were only a bureaucratic device to gain agreement among individual planners. [AP, May 30, 2003]
But Bush, faced with absence of WMDs, told Fox News he would have ordered the invasion knowing they weren't there. [Fox News, anchor Brit Hume, Dec. 14, 2005] They didn't matter at all!
Mushroom Cloud
Remember the mushroom cloud?
Scott Ritter, the lead U.N. inspector, reported the U.S. knew Iraq had no WMDs since 1995! [Newsday, June 4, 2004] Blair's minister, Robin Cook, wrote that he was told by the chief of British intelligence that Saddam had no usable WMDs before the invasion. [Guardian, July 12, 2004]
Our top CIA analyst in the Middle East (Paul Pillar) just wrote that the Administration corrupted the intelligence on Iraq, and invaded for entirely different reasons. [AFP, Feb. 10. 2006]
Were told Bush needs wiretaps to keep us safe. Did you know that he permitted the evacuation of dozens of Saudis, without proper interviews, right after Sept. 11, while commercial planes were grounded? [NYT, quoted in AFP, March 28, 2005] Or that hundreds of hours of Arabic language intercepts remain untranslated? [Justice Department inspector general's report released in September 2004] Who knows whats on those tapes. Does that make you feel safe?
I want to draw the obvious conclusion underlying these few examples.
Bush has been governing like a King, not a democratically elected President. He lied to Congress about the weapons in Iraq, and then said their absence made no difference. He lied to all of us by assuring that warrants were required for wiretaps, while he was wiretapping thousands of innocent citizens with no court order. [NYT, Jan. 17, 2006]
He has devised a veto of Congressionally enacted statutes by signing statements, which declare his refusal to honor the clear intent of the law. [Boston Globe, Jan. 4, 2006] He claims authority to ignore explicit laws under theories which caused Justice Department officers to resign, and which Gonzales admitted Congress would not have granted. [Newsweek, Feb. 6, 2006; Council on Foreign Relations Feb. 3, 2006]
Republican senators have pointed this out, but have no stomach for forcing him to follow the law. They enact a charade of hearings, according Mr. Gonzales credence while he lied about existing wiretaps. [Washington Post, Jan. 31, 2006]
Instead of censuring Gonzales, they continue the theatrics, knowing full well hell say whatever is needed to distract attention from the criminality of the secret surveillance.
Most importantly, the lie is given to the everything changed after Sept. 11 canard. New York Times reporter James Risen writes that these wiretaps were established right after Mr. Bushs inauguration, eight months before Sept. 11. [Risens State of War]
After the attacks, thousands of innocents were tapped, causing the FBI to be flooded with useless information. Does this sound like a highly targeted tap on only U.S. to overseas communications?
Dear readers, the truth doesnt matter today in Washington.
The Administration assumes nobody pays attention, cares, or notices the bulk of its disinformation. If we dont wake up, the America we learned about in school will remain only a shimmering dream.
The British magazine, The Economist, is right for calling Bush incompetent. [The Economist, Oct. 28, 2004]
But worse, hes dangerous, and has harmed America and the world.
Author Alex Sabbeth acts as an informal researcher and organizer for several retired intelligence officers who share his concerns about America's future.
Back to Home Page
Consortiumnews.com is a product of The Consortium for Independent Journalism, Inc., a non-profit organization that relies on donations from its readers to produce these stories and keep alive this Web publication. To contribute, click here. To contact CIJ, click here.


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posh: Difference between revisions
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* Next, fix your [http://tantek.com/log/2002/10.html#L20021022t1432 '''B'''ed and '''BR'''eakfast] markup. | * Next, fix your [http://tantek.com/log/2002/10.html#L20021022t1432 '''B'''ed and '''BR'''eakfast] markup. | ||
* Eliminate [http://tantek.com/log/2002/11.html#L20021128t1352 Anorexic Anchors]. | * Eliminate [http://tantek.com/log/2002/11.html#L20021128t1352 Anorexic Anchors]. | ||
* Re-use pre-existing [[posh-patterns]]. | |||
* Use good [[semantic-class-names]]. | * Use good [[semantic-class-names]]. | ||
* ... | * ... | ||
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== Resources == | == Resources == | ||
=== POSH Patterns === | |||
As proper use of semantic HTML and discussions thereof predate microformats by quite a bit, there are numerous resources that document such POSH Patterns. In order to help discoverability and re-use, take a look at (and add what you find to) | |||
* [[posh-patterns]] | |||
=== POSH Tutorials === | === POSH Tutorials === | ||
Step by step tutorials to create POSH content or upgrade existing content to POSH. | Step by step tutorials to create POSH content or upgrade existing content to POSH. |
Revision as of 14:49, 28 April 2009
Plain Old Semantic HTML (POSH)
Welcome to the POSH home page.
The acronym POSH was coined on 6 April 2007 on the microformats IRC channel, by <kwijibo> as a shorthand abbreviation for "plain old semantic HTML". A discussion on among John Allsopp, Tantek Çelik, Jeremy Keith, and Chris Messina at the Microformats Dinner 2007 April 18 following Web 2.0 Expo reraised the idea of POSH and the importance of promoting the broader goal of POSH, which microformats are built from and are a proper subset of. For more see History.
The term semantic-html is a mouthful, and belies both how simple it is, how well established it is among modern web designers, and the fact that it has benefits far beyond the obvious doing the right thing for the Web by using semantic markup. We need a simple short mnemonic term that captures the essence of the concept, and is easily verbed (to posh, poshify, poshed up).
POSH encapsulates the best practices of using semantic HTML to author web pages. Semantic HTML is the subset of HTML 4.01 (or XHTML 1.0) elements and attributes that are semantic rather than presentational. The best way to learn and understand POSH is to do it. Pick a page on your web site to begin with, and apply the POSH Checklist to it. Continue with the POSH Process. Read POSH Resources to learn more about POSH.
The POSH Process
What can you do to be POSH and to make your websites POSH?
- Publish POSH content. Read POSH resources and make sure your website publishes valid semantic (X)HTML, and uses semantic-class-names accordingly.
- Spread POSH. Encourage others to be POSH and POSHify their websites by linking to this page.
- Improve POSH. Help us gather resources to enable more people to easily POSHify their websites.
The POSH Checklist
- The first rule of POSH is that you must validate your POSH.
- Second, drop the use of TABLEs for purely presentational purposes, spacer GIFs, and presentational-html in general.
- Next, fix your Bed and BReakfast markup.
- Eliminate Anorexic Anchors.
- Re-use pre-existing posh-patterns.
- Use good semantic-class-names.
- ...
The term "poshformats" distinguishes one-off, ad-hoc or more informal class-name based formats efforts from the more formally researched and documented microformats. Another way of describing the distinction is that microformats are the proper subset of poshformats which have been developed via the microformats process and principles, rather than made-up a-priori.
See poshformats for more.
POSH Patterns
As proper use of semantic HTML and discussions thereof predate microformats by quite a bit, there are numerous resources that document such POSH Patterns. In order to help discoverability and re-use, take a look at (and add what you find to)
POSH Tutorials
Step by step tutorials to create POSH content or upgrade existing content to POSH.
- Validating your css and html A simple step by step guide to how and why you should validate your markup
- ...
POSH Bookmarks
- Check out the Ma.gnolia POSH Group
- See pages tagged both POSH and microformats on del.icio.us.
POSH Presentations
Presentations which explain and advocate concepts and techniques for utilizing semantic HTML. If/when this section gets too big, we can move it to posh-presentations.
- CSS: Between the Style Sheets by Tantek Çelik (2003-03), specifically, see slides 3-4,6 starting with "Leaving the ed &
eakfast", and slide 9 "CSS & the Semantic Spectrum" which provides an overview of the semantic spectrum of (X)HTML tags.
- real world semantics (2004-02-11)
- Semantic XHTML: Can your website be your API? - Using semantic XHTML to show what you mean (2004-09-28)
- The Elements of Meaningful XHTML (2005-09-29, first version: 2005-03-13 at SXSW Interactive).
- ...
- See also more microformats presentations in general.
POSH Books
Modern web design books which document good semantic HTML practices.
- Web Design in a Nutshell, Third Edition by Jennifer Niederst Robbins See Jenville.
- Microformats empowering your markup for Web 2.0 by John Allsopp. Chapter 3 is a detailed and practical overview of the appropriate use of structural, valid and semantic HTML.
- Semantics, Standards and Styling by Paul Haine.
- Build Your Own Web Site The Right Way Using HTML & CSS by Ian Lloyd.
POSH Magazines
Online (and off) magazines which frequently publish articles about semantic HTML. If/when this section gets too big, we can move it to posh-magazines.
- A List Apart: For People Making Websites (see in particular HTML and XHTML Articles)
- Digital Web Magazine
POSH Blogs
Blogs that with some regularity post high quality discussions, insights, and in general have advanced the state of the art of POSH. If/when this section gets too big, we can move it to posh-blogs.
- David Baron's weblog
- Jeffrey Zeldman Presents
- meyerweb.com - Eric Meyer
- Microformatique - John Allsopp
- SimpleBits - Dan Cederholm (see in particular SimpleQuiz)
- Tantek Çelik
- ...
POSH Blog posts
Blog posts that provide specific, modern, guidance, techniques and tips for using more and better semantic HTML. This list is incomplete. We know there are lots more blog posts out there that fit the aforementioned description - please add them! If/when this section gets too big, we can move it to posh-blog-posts.
- POSH - Plain Old Semantic HTML by Roger Johansson.
- The Sandbox theme for WordPress readme.html discusses what POSH is and how the theme helps users use it.
- Bed and BReakfast markup (B&BR) (2002-10-22) - avoiding nonsemantic uses of old and
eak tags and using
adings and
aragraphs instead.
- norexic nchors (2002-11-28) - use the "id" attribute on existing elements instead of adding empty

elements. Use rel-bookmark for post permalinks within the document. - A Touch of Class (2002-12-16) - introduction to proper use of the HTML 'class' attribute.
- Dive into Semantic MARKup (2002-12-31)
- Comment markup, presentation and plumbing (2003-01-04) - how to markup a list of comments, including example use of the rare "hreflang" attribute.
- Competent Classing by Eric Meyer (2004-07-18)
- Best Practice for ID and Class Names by Jens Meiert (2008-08-12)
- More about the 'class' attribute (2004-07-20)
- Web Standards in the Real World: An Interview with Molly Holzschlag (2005-06-01)
- Webpatterns and websemantics (2005-11-18)
- Writing Semantic HTML by Jesse Skinner (2006-02-22)
- Who will read your Semantic HTML? by Jesse Skinner (2007-01-04)
- Semantics in HTML by John Allsopp (2007-01-08 - 2007-03-12)
- Part I - Traditional HTML Semantics (2007-01-08)
- Part II - standardizing vocabularies (2007-02-20)
- Part III - Towards a semantic web (2007-03-12)
- Built in HTML semantics A list of the semantic elements and attributes of HTML by John Allsopp (2007-01-08)
- The Importance of Being POSH by Tantek Çelik (2007-04-20)
- Getting back to POSH (Plain ol' Semantic HTML) by Chris Messina (2007-04-21)
- I'm POSH - are you? (2007-04-23)
- The Internet's Upper Class Or Why Your Site Should Be POSH (2007-04-24)
- On Appropriate Use of DIVs, or When Divitis Doesn't Apply by Nate Koechley, 2006-12-15
- Quick Comment: Choose Class/ID Names Based on Semantic and/or Structural Meaning by Nate Koechley, 2006-12-22
- SEEing is believing - using standards and efficient design, coding, maintenance, and marketing to produce a search-engine-efficient site by Richard Leland (2006-07-31)
- Perfection - by Steve Marshall (2007-11-02)
- ...
See more blogs talking about "semantic HTML" and POSH.
POSH Podcasts
If/when this section gets too big, we can move it to posh-podcasts.
- 2007-05-03: A talk about POSH in the .Net magazine podcast episode 8 (56 minutes; 26 Mb. Relevant section 30:10-42:40)
- 2005-09-29: The Elements of Meaningful XHTML - podcast of Tantek's presentation by the same name (slides)
Hidden POSH Treasures
The following sites have POSH related articles, tutorials etc. on them, but you have to dig for them from the home page. Help find the hidden POSH treasures in these sites and add direct links to POSH related articles, tutorials etc. to the specific sections above. You can leave the top level site links here until/unless you have dug thru the entire site and found all the treasures.
POSH Bling for your Blog
If you want to improve your existing blog, there are some pretty simple things you can do:
- Use the Sandbox or K2 themes that already support hAtom and hCard
- Add the hCard About Widget to your site
Spread POSH
Now that you've poshified your website(s), what next? Well, help spread POSH to other websites!
- Promote POSH. Make a POSH button (perhaps using semantic HTML and CSS ;) linking to this page and put it on your site, in your blogroll, in your footer, etc. Maybe even come up with a nice POSH button graphic and share it with the microformats community with a liberal license (public domain, CC-by-3.0, MIT, etc.) Like these:
- Tell a friend. Talk to web design friends about POSH and convince and help them to poshify both their personal websites, and the websites they build for others. Blog about your experience with poshification and what steps you went through to poshify your websites. Write a posh-testimonial!
- Come up with more ideas to help spread POSH. Here are a few.
- Hold a PoshPit - a one or half day marathon session mixing semantic HTML experts with folks who maintain/run web sites in general and see how many websites you can collectively upgrade to POSH during the course of the day.
- ...
Improve POSH
As you read the POSH resources documented here, what other POSH resources did you find? Add them to this page.
With your experience with both poshifying your sites and helping others do so, what have you learned? What kind of issues did you run into? What questions were commonly asked? What do you feel like you need to more easily and quickly help more people poshify their content?
A brief history of references to "POSH" in this context and "plain old semantic HTML".
plain old semantic HTML
The earliest references to "plain old semantic HTML" that have been found so far are:
- 1998-05-01: Kirrily 'Skud' Robert on comp.infosystems.www.authoring.site-design - "The site is implemented in HTML 4.0 Transitional with style sheets; this means that anyone with an older browser won't get presentational markup, just plain old semantic HTML. "
- 2006-09-21 Drew's comment by on "Tables and SEO": "I'd say it's well worth it for a variety of reasons to only use tables when you're presenting tabular data, and use plain old semantic HTML to mark up your content in all other cases." (retrieved by Tantek 08:20, 20 Apr 2007 (PDT))
If you can find earlier references, please add them and include a brief quotation of the context of the reference to "plain old semantic HTML".


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Happy Looks Good On You cup decal
Happy Looks Good On You cup decal
Trendy and permanent - our UV DTF decals are a total game changer! Forget weeding vinyl and having to layer it all. These decals are vibrant and the quality is next to none, just like our regular DTF!
For St. Thomas pickups, please note ST. THOMAS in the notes section.
These UV DTF transfers do not include any drinkware.
Application Instructions:
- Place the UV DTF design face down.
- Peel the white backing slowly off the design. The design will be on the clear sticky film.
- Place the transfer on the cup ensuring the design is straight and positioned correctly.
- Apply your transfer to the glass slowly, making, sure to press firmly to help the transfer stick. Press the transfer down, working from the center outwards, pushing out any bubbles.
*Please note UV DTF adhesive cup wraps are permanent. Once transfer is on the glass it cannot be taken off so please make sure you are positioning your transfer correctly.*
- Rub all over the design with your fingers or craft squeegee. The more rubbing the better.
Peel clear film off slowly and you're done!
Purchasing Policies:
*These transfers are typically used on 16 oz Libbey glass cans. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to know if the intended drinkware is suitable for UV DTF transfers.
*We are not responsible for transfers being applied incorrectly. If you have any questions, please reach out to us. These items are non refundable.
*We do not accept returns or exchanges on these products.
We suggest including care instructions for customers purchasing drinkware with UV DTF transfers.
Care Instructions:
- Hand wash only
- Do not put in dishwasher or microwave
- Use warm water and soft sponge or washcloth
- Avoid abrasive/harsh cleansers
- Do not soak
Transfer Sizes
Transfer Sizes
DTF Transfer sizes:
- Adult 10.5-11" wide or tall, whichever comes first
- Youth 7.5 - 8" wide or tall, whichever comes first
- Toddler 6-6.5" wide or tall, whichever comes first
- Pocket/Koozie Size 3.5-4" wide or tall, whichever comes first
Time and Temp
Time and Temp
SEE DTF PRESSING INSTRUCTIONS PHOTO for step by step process.
- Professional Heat Press is highly recommended.
- Apply HEAVY pressure.
Material Temp Time
100% Cotton 300°F 7-10secs
50/50 Blends 300°F 7-10secs
100% Polyester 275°F 7-10secs
Triblend 275°F 7-10secs
Once the heat press opens, peel film within 1-2 secs with the opposite hand holding
the shirt down. Peel from one corner to opposite corner.
*see photo for more details
Care Instructions
Care Instructions
For apparel using DTF transfers:
- Wash inside out
- Wait 24 hours before washing
- Do NOT iron over design
- Hang to dry or tumble dry low
- Do NOT bleach
- Do NOT dry clean
For items (i.e. glass cups) using UV DTF:
Care Instructions:
- Hand wash only
- Do not put in dishwasher or microwave
- Use warm water and soft sponge or washcloth
- Avoid abrasive/harsh cleansers
- Do not soak
All transfer sizes are approximate.
Transfer colours may vary slighty.
Every heat press is different, we recommend doing a test first to see the best time and temp for your particular press.
Transfers are FINAL SALE.
For any issue with your order, we are here to help. Please see our contact/FAQ page for customer service information.


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Entertainment Weekly Says "Thank You, Harry" In Special Double Issue
Jun 30, 2011
DH Film
With just 14 days to go before the release of "Deathly Hallows: Part 2," Entertainment Weekly's latest issue is largely devoted to all things Harry Potter.
The special double issue featuring a young Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter on the cover hits newsstands this Friday, July 1. A sneak peak at the final film, interviews with the stars, an in depth look at the props and sets, and rare behind-the-scenes photos will be included in the magazine's fifty pages devoted to the series.
Director Chris Columbus ("Sorcerer's Stone" and "Chamber of Secrets") also recounts casting the young actors and bringing the first film to life:
The creators of the $2 billion-grossing Harry Potter movies may be laughing all the way to Gringotts Bank, but the success of the films wasn't always such a sure thing. "If they had cast American actors or put cheerleaders at Hogwarts " and all these hideous ideas were indeed being pitched and discussed at the time ' Harry Potter would have been one movie, not a series' says Chris Columbus, director of the first two films in the most lucrative movie series in Hollywood history. "It would have just died."
An exclusive photo gallery with new portraits of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint showing their playful side and blooming adulthood is available on Facebook by 'liking' the EW official page.


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TechRadar Verdict
- +
Excellent performance
- +
Good screen
- +
16GB of RAM
- +
- +
Blu-ray drive
- +
- -
Battery life
- -
Why you can trust TechRadar
At a shade under £1,200, the Medion Erazer X6819 might not seem like the greatest bargain on the planet, but when you take a look at what this machine has to offer, it's obvious the price could easily be much, much higher.
As a gaming machine, the Erazer packs in some of the most advanced laptop technology. Because video games are so demanding, specifications have to be up to the task. But we get the impression that if this carried an Alienware, Qosmio or MSI logo, you could see another £500 added to the price.
Part of its appeal is that the Erazer doesn't really look like a gaming laptop. There aren't racks of LED lights, stripes of colour or an excess of chrome overlay. Instead, the Erazer is a solidly black, conventional laptop with an isolation-style keyboard, numeric keypad and a relatively small touchpad.
Core values
Medion has put the emphasis where it counts, instead - on the inside. The Erazer is powered by the Core i7-2670QM processor which was launched towards the end of last year and is one of the Intel's fastest laptop chips.
On top of this, Medion has packed the Erazer with a whopping 16GB of RAM. Most conventional £600 laptops still only come with 4GB, and the difference was clear as soon as we loaded up our benchmark tests. The Erazer screamed through the performance part of our testing easily and as soon as we loaded up some gaming, the Nvidia GeForce graphics card joined in.
The Erazer carries a GeForce GTX 570 GPU that offers an extra 1.5GB of dedicated video memory and is powerful enough to play even the latest games on the highest detail settings. Even if you're not a gamer, you might consider the Erazer for desktop publishing or editing purposes. The power under the hood means this laptop works just as well for music, photo or high-definition video editing.
Battery Eater '05: 123 minutes
Cinebench: 17926
3DMark 2006: 17777
The Medion Erazer has a matte (non-reflective) screen with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution for 1080p gaming or movie watching. The picture is wonderfully crisp but what really impressed was the level of brightness we got.
The other thing you get for your money with the Medion Erazer is connectivity. There are four USB ports, two of which are the faster USB 3.0 format as well as four 3.5mm jacks for headphones and microphones. Medion has also included HDMI, eSata, VGA and Ethernet ports next to the power socket on the back of the laptop. And then there's the Blu-ray DVD/RW optical drive too.
Where the Erazer falls down - like other gaming machines - is portability. With 389 x 264 x 52mm dimensions and a 123-minute battery life, we doubt you'll be taking this laptop on a road trip across the country.
However, as a value-for-money gaming machine, the Medion Erazer X6819's appeal is undeniable.
Lenovo Duet 5 vs iPad Air: how the best Chromebook detachable fares against the best Apple tablet
Google is finally ready to make Chromebook apps easier to use
Nvidia Grace server CPU can compete with AMD's ludicrously fast Threadripper 7000 — expect an epic battle should team green decide to launch a desktop CPU


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Hey, if anyone is still checking up on the forums...anyone want to play Space Engineers sometime? I've been having fun in singleplayer, and I'd love to find some other folks to play in a multiplayer setup (maybe if enough interest, setup a real server?).
I also have two copies to give away, if anyone is interested.


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TL;DR: Can I remove completely unity and gnome3 but keep compiz?
Long Version:
I really gave a go both to unity and to gnome3. I really did. I just can't bear them. I need something that I can rely on for a long while. I decided to do away with desktop managers; I want to build my own desktop environment with independent parts.
My requirements:
- My workflow is very dependent on compiz; I don't care about the effects, but I use a lot of it's key bindings to move/resize/manage windows, as well as workspaces, and I could not find another window manager that has everything I need. So the window manager has to be compiz, unless you know another WM with the same flexibility. Alternatively, I can use xMonad, but I like it less.
- I need something that can replace applets, in order to be able to connect to network, control sound, hold pidgin indicator, etc. Some sort of light-weight dock maybe? If it can use my icons and my theme by default, it would be great (instead of trying to replicate the theme).
- Desktop management would be nice as I often drag-drop stuff from and on it temporarily. But it's not mandatory(Is there an independent app for that?).
My questions:
- How would I go about completely remove unity and gnome and keep compiz? Can I safely just apt-get remove them?
- Is there anything I should know? The purpose is to build a rock-solid desktop; it should not end up being even less stable than the defaults (I am thinking in particular of nm-applet, which always worked perfectly for me, contrary to other network managers).
- I could use fallback session, or install gnome2, XFCE or LMDE or similar, but I really just want to do away with the whole monolithic window manager + shell paradigm. I want flexible, loosely coupled parts.
- I know about cinnamon and mate, and I really admire the work that Mint is doing (some sanity, finally), but I really would rather have a light-weight dock that only launches stuff (as opposed to taking care of a lot of other things).


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The Legal Geylang (prostitute) Scene Had a great time with a government approved broad in Geylang? Tell us all about it! No FREELANCE crap here please. Legal commercial sex only. Threads about illegal Geylang whores carry a reputation point penalty. |
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Earlier tonight, we spent some time at an open house to show off the new Facebook Headquarters in Palo Alto, California. Previously, the company had its HQ on what's considered to be Palo Alto's downtown area on University Ave. But that HQ was spread across a collection of buildings, and at nearly 1,000 employees now, Facebook grew too big for that. It needed a campus.
The new HQ is massive — some 150,000 square feet. It's in a building that used to be owned by HP, but has been vacant for several years. It's not only much bigger, but it's much more open, so employees can actually see who they work with now. Check out the pictures and video of the tour below.


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Preserved Lemons: Older, Wiser And Full Of Flavor
On many occasions in my longtime relationship with cookbooks, I have had this experience (which will sound familiar, if you like Middle Eastern flavors as much as I do). I'm happily paging through my new Moroccan or Lebanese or Israeli book, lost in dreams of lamb and sumac, saffron and figs. "Mmmm," I murmur over a glossy page, "that looks delicious."
I trace my finger down the ingredients list. Shallots, check. Tomatoes, check. Cinnamon stick, check. And then there it is: Preserved lemon. "Drat," I think. "Foiled again."
Here's the thing about preserved lemons: They're not the sort of thing you can just pick up anywhere. And while they're easy to make, it's not like you can just say, "Oh, I'll do them tomorrow afternoon, and then we'll have the lamb Thursday." Preserved lemons can take a month — certainly not less than two weeks. By that time, I've put aside my North African cookbooks and I'm on to an easy French or Hunan cookbook, or a book that's all about ice cream or pickles. Preserved lemons are not great if you have a short attention span.
On the other hand, they keep practically forever. So if you can just make up your mind one afternoon to spend the 15 minutes it takes to cut, salt and jar them, afterward you can pretty much forget about them for as long as you like, or until you happen to think about Mediterranean citruses again.
About The Author
T. Susan Chang regularly reviews cookbooks for The Boston Globe, NPR.org and the cookbook-indexing website Eat Your Books. She's the author of A Spoonful of Promises: Recipes and Stories From a Well-Tempered Table. For more information, visit her blog, Cookbooks for Dinner.
The only real problem is that they might be taking up valuable real estate in the fridge, where someone not in the know might mistake them for a project gone wrong and toss them. If this is a habit among members of your family, I recommend that you train them out of it. ("Whoever throws something out has to taste it first" is an extremely effective rule.)
Once you've stashed away your very own golden hoard, you're set. You can pair your preserved lemons with olives (is there any other cuisine which makes such magic with old, salty fruits?) in the traditional, braised fashion. You can dress them up with lashings of butter in potatoes or risottos or couscous. They stand up to garlic, and they cooperate with cilantro. They nicely balance sweet flavors, such as dried apricots or honey.
Once, the reason for preserving lemons was the usual one: It was a way of continuing to enjoy the fruit after its season had passed. But the flavor of a preserved lemon needs no justification. It's mellow yet intensely lemony, with none of the nose-tickling bright, high notes of the fresh lemon. The peel — which is the part you use, usually — is soft to the touch and satiny in the mouth. It's translucent, with a muted yellow luster when you hold it to the light, which I like to do just for fun after pulling out the pulp and rinsing off the salt. Sometimes, if the peel happens to be particularly thick, I laterally slice off another quarter-inch layer of pith from the inside, the better to taste and smell that shining cortex.
These days, of course, you can get adorable young lemons pretty much any time you want. (You can even get organic ones by the bag.) They're firm, fresh and tart, and sometimes there really is nothing you want more. But give me my old lemons, mild and mellowed, a little soft and salty, making everything around them seem a little sweeter. They're not the only ones, I hope, that grow more tender as they age.
Recipe: Preserved Lemons
You can find a recipe for preserved lemons just about anywhere, they're that easy. Here's an adaptation of one from Claudia Roden's Arabesque (Knopf, 2005). I used kosher salt, and I can't see that it did any harm.
4 lemons
4 tablespoons sea salt
Juice of 4 additional lemons, or more to taste
Wash and scrub the lemons. The classic Moroccan way is to cut each lemon in quarters but not right through, so that the pieces are still attached at the stem end, and to stuff each with a tablespoon of salt and squeeze it closed. Put them in a sterilized preserving jar, pressing them down so that they are squashed together, and close the jar.
Leave for 3 to 4 days, by which time the lemons will have disgorged some of their juices and the skins will have softened a little. Open the jar and press the lemons down as much as you can, then add fresh lemon juice to cover them entirely.
Close the jar and leave in a cool place for at least a month. The longer they are left, the better the flavor. (If a piece of lemon is not covered, it develops a white mold that is harmless and just needs to be washed off.)
Before using, scoop out and discard the pulp, and rinse the lemon peel under the tap to get rid of the salt.
Recipe: Chicken With Preserved Lemon And Green Olives
This is the absolute best-known way to eat preserved lemon, and for good reason. I have two-dozen recipes for chicken with preserved lemon and olives on my shelves, but Claudia Roden's recipe from Arabesque (Knopf, 2005) is my choice for its sheer clarity and sure-footedness.
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, grated or very finely chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads or saffron powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 chicken, cut up in 8 or 10 pieces
Salt and black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Peel of 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons
12 to 16 green olives
In a wide casserole or heavy-bottomed pan that can hold all the chicken pieces in one layer, heat the oil and put in the onions. Saute, stirring over low heat, until they soften, then stir in the garlic, saffron and ginger.
Put in the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and pour in about 1 cup water. Simmer, covered, turning the pieces over a few times and adding a little more water if it becomes too dry. Lift out the breasts after about 15 minutes and put them to one side. Continue to cook the remaining pieces for another 25 minutes or so, after which time return the breasts to the pan.
Stir into the sauce the lemon juice, the chopped coriander and parsley, the preserved lemon peel cut into quarters or strips, and the olives. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, until the reduced sauce is thick and unctuous. If there is too much liquid, lift out the chicken pieces and set aside while you reduce the sauce further, then return the chicken to the pan and heat through.
Present the chicken on a serving dish with the olives and lemon peel on top of the meat.
Recipe: Root Vegetable Couscous With Preserved Lemon
I had my doubts at first about this recipe, which you can find in Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty (Chronicle, 2010), under the name "Ultimate Winter Couscous." Could any such medley of starchy roots, I wondered, be made to sing? Well, sing they did, and so decisively that I hoarded the leftovers for lunch. I should also note that the day I made it, the refrigerator shelves were at high tide and I couldn't find my harissa. Instead, I used a Turkish red pepper paste, and it was smashing.
Makes 4 servings (or more)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
8 shallots, peeled
2 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
3 bay leaves
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon hot paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin or butternut squash (from a 10-ounce squash)
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 cup chickpeas (canned or freshly cooked)
1 1/2 cups chickpea cooking liquid and/or water
1 cup couscous
Large pinch saffron
1 cup boiling vegetable stock
3 tablespoons butter, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons harissa
1 ounce preserved lemon, finely chopped
2 cups cilantro leaves
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the carrots, parsnips and shallots in a large ovenproof dish. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, bay leaves, 4 tablespoons of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and all the other spices and mix well. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the pumpkin, stir and return to the oven. Continue cooking for about 35 minutes, by which time the vegetables should have softened while retaining a bite. Now add the dried apricots and the chickpeas with their cooking liquid and/or water. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, or until hot.
About 15 minutes before the vegetables are ready, put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the saffron and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave for about 10 minutes. Then add the butter and fluff up the couscous with a fork until the butter melts in. Cover again and leave somewhere warm.
To serve, spoon couscous into a deep plate or bowl. Stir the harissa and preserved lemon into the vegetables; taste and add salt if needed. Spoon the vegetables onto the center of the couscous. Finish with plenty of cilantro leaves.
Recipe: Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
I discovered the original of this one, unexpectedly, in the pages of Hot and Hot Fish Club, a Southern cookbook published by Perseus in 2009. I can't think of a more perfect way to use it than drizzled thickly over a batch of crisp roast potatoes.
Makes 1/2 cup dressing
1/4 of a whole preserved lemon peel
1 teaspoon very finely minced or grated shallot
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
If the lemon peel is thin, simply mince it as finely as you can. If it's thick, divide the lemon peel quarter lengthwise and set each half peel-side down on the cutting board. Steadying the peel by flattening it with the tips of your fingertips, carefully make a lateral slice between the pith and peel and work your way across until you've removed a layer of soft pith. Repeat with the other half, and then you can mince the peels with ease.
Combine the preserved lemon with the other ingredients and give them a good whisk. You may not need to salt at all, given the saltiness of the lemon peel. Use at room temperature.


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We're constantly being told how important it is to read blog related to our industry and keep up with the news of the day. By taking on this practice it keeps us in the loop, alerts us to conversations happening off our site, and it gives us fodder for our own blogging and/or social media updates.
But…with everything else you have to do, how are you supposed to find the time to read those blogs in the first place? How can you move blog reading from a "should do" to an "already done?"
As someone who has always had to make time for blog reading (and writing) this is one issue I'm particularly sensitive to. Because, as a business owner, you can't afford to miss important industry updates or not know what's going on. You have to be alert so that you can take advantage of what's happening around you.
Reading blogs is your job.
Below are five ways to make blog reading part of your day:
1. Justify the Investment
First off, understand why it's so important that you (and the people on your team) take the time out of your day (or even your week) to stay up-to-date on blogs in your industry. Like with most things, once you break down the value it brings to your business, the more likely it is you'll dedicate resources to it.
As a business owner, reading blogs:
- Ignites your passion on a topic
- Increases your subject-related knowledge
- Introduces you to new thought leaders and future partners
- Highlight communities you should be aware of
- Opens the door for guest posting opportunities
- Ensures you stay abreast of important industry issues, search engine changes, or other areas
- Gives you something to say/link to in your blog
- Provides fodder for Facebook, Twitter and other social media updates
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Being serious about your business means being serious about your industry and taking part in it. One big way to do that is to read blogs and become part of those conversations that may (and usually do) lead to bigger opportunities.
2. Find Blogs Worth Reading
It goes without saying that not every blog is going to be worth your time. As with anything, there are high quality blogs that will bring a lot of value to you as a business owner and then there are blogs made up of just filler. To get the most out of your investment, you want to find the blogs that are worth reading.
How do you do that?
- Use blog aggregators like AllTop or TechMeme to help you find the most respected blogs on a subject.
- See where your favorite blogs link out to or who is in their blogrolls. If you like what they're sharing, you may like who inspired them.
- Perform keyword-related searches on Twitter and see what content is being passed around and who the author is.
- Search Google News for terms related to your topic. Many of Google's top new sources are actually blogs.
- Use social media to ask for blog recommendations. Everyone has a favorite or a handful of blogs that always seem to steer them in the right direction.
- Have a couple commenters who always leave valuable insights on your blog? See where they're writing.
That should help you get your initial list down. From there, you'll need to manage it…
3. Use a Feed Reader At Home & On The Go
You're probably already using a feed reader to help you manage your blogs while at your desk, but what about when you're on your smart phone or seated in front of your iPad? If you're currently using Google Reader, you can take advantage of its mobile app or upgrade to a service like Feedly, which will give your Google Reader subscriptions a more magazine-style layout to make them easier to read on a smaller screen.
Other apps like Feeddler, Reeder or NewsRack will give your feeds a simple and intuitive interface; PulseNews to make your blogs more interactive; or use a service like InstaPaper to help you save blog posts or pages you want to read later.
Regardless of which app you use, by using a feed reader it allows you to take your blogs with you. You can read them on the train into work, while you're eating lunch, or during commercial breaks when you're sitting on your couch. With all the reading options available, SMBs will find it hard to use the "I don't have time" excuse.
4. Schedule the Time
Hey, sometimes that's the only way things will get done. Make blog reading part of your day by making it part of your day. Set aside 20 minutes to catch up on what's happening in your industry. The 20 minutes could come at the start of your day over coffee, it could happen after lunch, or it could be at 11pm before you hit the sack. It doesn't matter when you find that time, just that do you, consistently, and that you make it part of your ritual.
5. Do Something With What You've Read
I don't know about you, but the best way to make me accountable for a task is to tie an action item to it. Maybe your blog reading will result in a weekly post for your blog or maybe it will be your job to share three interesting stories a week with your team. Whatever it is, look for ways to use what you're reading about. After all, that's the point of doing the reading in the first place, right?
While many of us can certainly sympathize that it's difficult to dedicate time to reading blogs, it doesn't make it any less important. The tactics above help me to stay up to date on my blog reading. What works for you?
Blog Reading at Lunch Photo via Shutterstock