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One of the hottest trends in the last few years in the weight loss industry has been the introduction of weight loss shakes that are supposed to help you lose weight, all while providing great nutrition in a liquid form.
And every day there seems to be another weight loss shake popping up on the horizon that promises to be better than the last. Each one makes different claims as to how they can help you lose weight and presents a laundry list of vitamins and nutrients that they provide.
Now, I'm sure you're interested in finding out more about these shakes, otherwise you wouldn't still be reading this article!
free online diet programs, liquid diet, dukan diet,
But just because weight loss shakes are hot and in the news doesn't mean that you should just jump right in and start using them. Here's a few reasons why you might NOT want to start using these shakes in your weight loss program.
Reason #1 - Don't use a shake if you're happy being overweight. Seriously, if you're happy being stuck where you are right now with your weight, avoid these shakes like the plague. They provide far too healthy of a solution to your weight problem and if you want to stay where you are, don't drink one. You might actually start to lose weight if you substitute a shake for a meal. Then again, maybe you really do want to lose some weight after all...
Reason #2 - Don't use a shake if you're satisfied with being unhealthy. I know, you just want to keep on eating your processed, unhealthy foods that you buy in those boxes from some other weight loss company. Do you really believe that a meal that's been stored in a box and frozen can be all that good for you? If you're ready to get healthier, try a weight loss shake. You'll like the outcome.
Reason #3 - Don't use a weight loss shake if you don't like pumping your body full of nutrients. Look, modern weight loss shakes provide many nutrients, much more than what you would get by just eating food. If you don't want to get more nutrients in your body, don't use these shakes. If you do, you're on the right track.
Reason #4 - Don't use a shake if you can't stand to feel good after eating a meal. Do you ever get that bloated feeling after you've eaten? I know I have. But, I've never got that feeling from drinking a shake. If you really do enjoy that feeling, don't drink a shake. If you're like me and can't stand it, it may be time to try something different.
Reason #5 - Don't use a shake if you don't want to increase muscle and burn fat. Most shakes provide a large amount of protein, much more than you'd get in a regular, healthy meal. Sure, you could go out and eat a dozen eggs or so, but how healthy is that? But if you don't want to give up your eggs, I understand. Just keep pushing forward. Just know you're getting a lot of fat right along with them. Switch to a shake if you want the protein without the fat.
I'm sure you can see by now that there really aren't any good reasons to NOT use a weight loss shake in your weight loss program. If you find a good shake mix, it can be the kick-start that you need to really get things moving and start losing weight.
Make sure you find a shake that tastes great, provides incredible amounts of nutrients, lots of protein, and you'll find that losing weight doesn't have to be as hard as you thought it once was. With a couple of shakes a day plus healthy snacks and meals, you're sure to be on your way to achieving your weight loss goal.


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Large crowds gather to welcome Obama for public Inauguration 2013!
Washington (CNN) -- A day after formally beginning his second term, President Barack Obama on Monday takes part in the full trappings of his inauguration by reciting the oath of office in front of a crowd expected to number between 800,000 and 900,000 people.
The nation's first African-American president also will become only the 17th U.S. leader to deliver a second inaugural address before leading the traditional parade up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
Amid the pomp and ceremony, with red, white and blue bunting festooned throughout central Washington, the event symbolizes American democracy with its peaceful extension of power based on last November's election that returned Obama to the White House.
And now Obama begins the second half of his presidency with the opportunity to make it more historic but facing some of the same challenges that he struggled with in the first half.
Satisfying the constitutional obligation to be sworn in on January 20, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden took quiet oaths the day before Monday's public ceremony at the Capitol.
The tone of the inaugural address will be "hopeful," Obama senior adviser David Plouffe told CNN, explaining that the president would "remind the country that our founding principles and values still can guide us in a changing and modern world."
Plouffe said that "the challenges and opportunities are enormous" in the president's second term, and that those challenges would be confronted as soon as the inaugural celebrations play out.
Reality of second-term presidencies
An estimated 1.8 million onlookers jammed the National Mall for Obama's first inauguration. The smaller crowd this time around reflects the reality of second-term presidencies, when the novelty and expectations of a new leader have been replaced with the familiarity and experiences of the first four years.
For Obama, that difference is even sharper. His historic ascendancy to the White House in 2008 came with soaring public hopes and expectations for a new kind of governance that would close the vast partisan gulf developed in recent decades.
However, a litany of challenges including an inherited economic recession and repeated battles with congressional Republicans over budgets and spending only hardened the opposing positions in Washington.
Obama's signature achievements, including major reforms of the health care industry and Wall Street, became symbols of political division, with opponents constantly accusing him of hindering needed economic recovery.
A second-term Obama has vowed to press for an overhaul of the nation's immigration policies and new ways to boost the sputtering economy, proposals that are bound to spark battles with his Republican rivals, and oversee the implementation of Obamacare.
And the shootings at a Connecticut elementary school last month put the divisive issue of gun control on his immediate agenda.
CNN polling released Sunday showed a majority of Americans -- 54% -- believe Obama will be an outstanding or above average president in his second term, while 43% said he'd be poor or below average.
And while overall, seven in 10 Americans hope the president's policies succeed, only four in 10 Republicans feel that way, with 52% hoping that Obama will fail.
Sunday swearing-in
Obama's swearing-in on Sunday took place in the ornate Blue Room, an oval-shaped reception space in the president's official residence, where he was joined by his wife, Michelle, and his two daughters.
Obama placed his left hand on a Bible held by Michelle Obama that was from her family. He then raised his right hand.
Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath, his third time to hold that honor. After Roberts flubbed the order of words during the public ceremony in 2009, a do-over took place in the White House Map Room the next day to erase any question that Obama was officially the president.
Roberts didn't have any trouble with the oath this time around. He read from a white note card. Slash marks where Roberts paused to have Obama repeat the words were clearly visible.
The event took less than a minute and Obama didn't make any formal remarks or statements.
He did take a moment to hug his wife and daughters, exclaiming: "I did it!"
Justice Sonia Sotomayor performed the honors for Biden at his home at the Naval Observatory in Washington, where the vice president's extended family and a few Cabinet officials gathered to watch the ceremony.
Both Obama and Biden went to Arlington National Cemetery after Biden's swearing-in for a traditional wreath laying.
The president and his family also attended services celebrating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the most historic churches in Washington.
Sunday evening, the Obamas watched Latino acts at "In Performance at the Kennedy Center," which was followed by the "Let Freedom Ring" concert. The "Red, White and Blue Inaugural Ball" and "Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball" closed out Sunday's activities.
Obama also thanked donors at an event at the National Building Museum, telling them, "When we put our shoulder to the wheel of history, it moves forward."
But Obama also told them that his remarks were going to be short, given the speech he would be delivering on Monday, saying, "There are a limited amount of good lines, and I don't want to use them all up."
Inauguration activities kicked off on Saturday with the Obamas and Biden and his wife, Jill, leading volunteers across the country in National Day of Service Activities.
Later Saturday, singer Katy Perry headlined a concert for children of military families and Washington school children, hosted by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. Singer Usher and the cast of the TV show "Glee" were among others who performed.
Just copied these from the other post.
ABC: http://tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=21210
CNN: http://tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=21061
MSNBC: http://tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=21062
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8aatTuUEtko
Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Timeline for today:
11:00am ET
Inaugural Ceremony, Capitol Hill
2:35pm ET (estimated)
Inaugural Parade, Pennsylvania Avenue
7:00pm ET (estimated)
Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball
OP notes: I just edited out the links from the CNN article and changed the title. It should be good.

subset: commoncrawl


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August 3, 2010
Wake & Bake
For some people wake and bake has a certain connotation but I prefer a more literal interpretation. An early riser, I have a hard time sleeping in so even when I don't have to be at work until the afternoon I'm up and at 'em- often in the kitchen. Yesterday I baked off these Gingered Carrot Cookies but when my husband's alarm went off this morning I hopped out of bed and whipped up some cream cheese frosting to slather on top. Then I promptly boxed them up for him to take so I wouldn't eat them for breakfast.
Well not all of them anyway.
For the recipe, click here and check out the rest of the TWD'ers here.
13 comments:
- Flourchild said...
Did you like them!? They look so yummy and the frosting is a great touch to a perfect cookie!
- August 3, 2010 at 9:29 AM
- steph- whisk/spoon said...
mmmmm....perfect with coffee!
- August 3, 2010 at 10:37 AM
- Tia said...
i love that first pic with the little swirl of frosting. so pretty!
Tia @ Buttercreambarbie
- August 3, 2010 at 12:03 PM
- Peggy said...
I'm the same way. I'm up as early on Saturday as I am during the work week. I don't like to "waste" my off day by sleeping. :) (Although some would not say sleeping is a waste). Your cookies look perfect!
- August 3, 2010 at 12:57 PM
- natalia said...
Ciao Beryl ! Thank you for joining me this week ! Your treats look wonderful !
- August 3, 2010 at 2:38 PM
- Mary said...
They look fantastic with those big dollops of frosting. How did you ever resist these for breakfast?
- August 3, 2010 at 4:58 PM
- Katrina said...
Awesome cookies, love your cream cheese frosting.
- August 3, 2010 at 7:46 PM
- Nicole said...
It's always good to send things off to work so you don't eat them all! I wish I would have iced mine, that looks so good!
- August 3, 2010 at 9:58 PM
- Becky said...
i'm with ya, i have to send them off. love them topped with frosting. :)
- August 4, 2010 at 9:20 AM
- Piggy said...
Your cookies must be very yummy with the frosting. :-)
- August 4, 2010 at 9:34 AM
- Liz said...
Hahah! We can start a wake & bake club...and also a club of people who eat baked goods for breakfast. No shame in that game!
- August 4, 2010 at 10:25 PM
- The Food Librarian said...
I'm a wake and baker too! :) Love the frosting on these cookies.
- August 5, 2010 at 9:33 PM
Hi... I'm your newest follower.
- August 14, 2010 at 1:59 PM


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Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia
Recorded on Aoxomoxoa. For a long time it was assumed it had never been been played live. But a tape of a performance on 7 December 1968 has recently come to light.
Boots were of leather, a breath of cologne (note 1)Notes
Her mirror was a window she sat quite alone
All around her the garden grew
Scarlet and purple and crimson and blue
She came and she went and at last went away (note 2)
The garden was sealed when the flowers decayed
On the wall of the garden, a legend did say
"No one may come here, since no one may stay"
|Grateful Dead Recordings
|studio 1969
|Aoxomoxoa (note 1)
|Other Recordings
|Recorded By
|Gifts From The Dead
|Gifts From The Dead
|Jerry Jams, Jerry Cares
|Patrick Fitzsimmons
|A Grand Piano Tribute to the Grateful Dead
|Rob Catterton
|Day Of The Dead
|Mina Tindle & Friends


text:
Johnathan Kayne Collection 5000
- Brand: Johnathan Kayne
- Style #: 5000 - Quick Delivery*
- Availability: In Stock
- $360
This long sleeved beauty adds a classic twist to a flirty full skirted cocktail dress. The elegant stretch lace bodice, adorned with dyed AB crystals, features a high neck and flowy satin double circle skirt. Turn around to reveal a key-hole back.
Quick Delivery:
- Red: 12
*A style on our web site listed as in-stock can usually be shipped today or next day for immediate delivery or quick delivery. An item listed as "Ships Today" can be sent the same business day as long as the order is placed before the cutoff time.


text:
~ my little blue house ~
Fka: Dly's Hooks and Yarns
~ hints and tips ~
~ yarns ~
~ love from friends ~
~ about me ~
Friday, August 22, 2008
New purse and cell holder
I bought the cutest purse today for only $5.00. I crocheted a cell phone holder to go with it. It doesn't look like it in the picture but it matches perfectly. I crocheted it with RHSS and I think the color is called "girly girl".
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"It's insidious to use food for fuel" . . . "It's clear that ethanol in the U.S. and Europe is driving up food prices. The only question is how much." These comments weren't made in 2008. They were voiced just last month at the Global Financial Leadership Conference, presented by the CME Group in Naples, Florida. You can listen to them at www.gflc.com/videos/food_vs_fuel_101910.html.
The comments in this video might anger you or you might agree with the speakers. I'd really like to hear your feedback so if you watch this video, please drop me a line.
At least the Food vs. Fuel panel featured an agricultural perspective. Timothy Gallagher, executive vice president of Grains & Biofuels for Bunge North America, pointed out that 2010 is different from 2007-2008 when the food vs. fuel debate was raging. Corn prices were high then, but Gallagher did raise the point of how this was affected in part by the price of oil. He also pointed out that seed technologies have improved yields since that time. Bunge takes a cautious approach to biofuels, Gallagher said, adding that the company supports global biofuel development "as long as production and consumption are at a sustainable level."
John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil Company and now CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy, the man who stated "It's insidious to use food for fuel," at least acknowledged that biomass has a role in the fuel supply system. But, he added only for "as long as we use the internal combustion system, which I hope is not forever." Hofmeister also acknowledged good investment opportunities for algae and various kinds of grasses.
I'll leave it to you to see what you think about comments made by Ian Goldin, former vice president of the World Bank and currently director of Oxford University's Oxford Martin School. In addition to the food vs. fuel issue, he voiced concerns about the environmental and economic aspects of ethanol, particularly subsidies.
Check out the video—I want to hear from you.


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Just reading through that article at the Official Site, and it mentions this line look should start appearing on shelves "early next year".
I thought they mentioned at Toy Fair that the vintage line would continue "through 2012", so I figured lasting the entire year, or at least until Fall.
Ok, maybe not him but surely Jabba did, especially after the SEs came out. Get the fat blob on a card.
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When the Xbox 360 turned 5 years old this week with no known successor on the horizon, and no new imminent PlayStation or Wii either, it may well have signaled the demise of one of the video game industry's most longstanding truisms.
Since at least the mid-1980s, major console makers have generally come out with new models every five years or so. For example, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) came out in 1985, followed by the Super NES in 1991, the Nintendo 64 in 1996, the GameCube in 2001, and the Wii in 2006. Sony put out the first PlayStation in 1995 and followed up with the PS2 in 2000 and the PS3 in 2006. And Microsoft introduced the original Xbox in 2001 and released the Xbox 360 in 2005.
But now, with the Xbox 360 having turned five, and the PS3 and Nintendo's Wii both having just hit their fourth birthdays, many industry observers see the ongoing success of each of the three major platforms as evidence that neither Microsoft, Sony, nor Nintendo have any intentions of following up in the next year or so. And why should they? Consumers are still buying the machines by the hundreds of thousands each month, and ramped-up online initiatives are breathing new life into the systems.
"I've been saying since 2002," said Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter, "that the generation [started] in 2005 might be our last one."
But why would the major console makers pass up the opportunity to make big new splashes with, say, an Xbox 720, a PlayStation 4, or a Wii 2?
To observers like Pachter, a lot of it has to do with the fact that with the current generation of consoles (often called the "next-gen"), each company found a way to maximize either the technology behind the devices, or the utility to a wide range of new gamers.
For example, while Nintendo's Wii didn't break new ground in its graphics capabilities, its innovative and intuitive Wii controller made it possible to design games that appealed to millions of people who had never considered themselves gamers in the past. And at the same time, with the Xbox 360 and the PS3, Microsoft and Sony created machines capable of game play of such high quality and graphics capabilities that some think there's not that much room, or need, to grow any times soon.
Indeed, to Pachter, game play on these devices has reached the point where the games are sophisticated enough, and the microprocessors are so sophisticated already that there's little reason to create a new generation any time soon.
Extending the consoles, and the franchises
One thing that's become clear during the past year or so is that the console makers have found a way to extend the life cycles of their current machines without having to come out with new models.
For Microsoft and Sony, that's manifested in the form of both cheaper and smaller versions of their current-gen consoles, as well as their innovative new motion-control systems, the Kinect and Move, respectively. By bringing in major new game play functionality with hot new accessories, the two companies have managed to build excitement amongst gamers, largely because of the promise of wide varieties of new games that can be produced for the Xbox and PS3.
After its early November release, Kinect quickly surpassed 1 million units sold and Microsoft expects to sell 5 million or more of the $150 device this year alone.
"Kinect has certainly given Microsoft a mid-life kicker," said Dean Takahashi, the author of "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." "I wasn't expecting that to happen, and really thought the company would have had to introduce a brand-new console by now...Kinect has extended this generation. For how long, I don't know. But as long as the Xbox business is growing and profitable, Microsoft doesn't have to rush a new console generation into the market."
For its part, Microsoft, which didn't even bother to publicize the Xbox 360's fifth anniversary, doesn't seem interested in playing the nostalgia game when it comes to industry traditions like coming out with new consoles every five years or so. "If you build a great piece of hardware that is designed with real game developers in mind and provides services that publishers, developers, and creators can use," said Albert Penello, the senior director of Xbox product management, "and you have a group of people who are passionate about gaming and the industry, like Xbox 360 does, you can outlive the cycle."
Sony, of course, has traditionally played the five-year game even as it has continued to profit from previous generations of its consoles. For example, the PlayStation 2, which has sold well over 140 million units worldwide since being released in 2000, is still for sale, and developers are still churning out new PS2 games. Yet the PS3 is now 4 years old. That's the same cycle the company went through previously with the original PlayStation and the early years of the PS2.
Indeed, Sony has long asserted that it believes its consoles have a 10-year life cycle--even as, in the past, it has followed the traditional five-year cycle.
"We at PlayStation have never subscribed to the concept that a console should last only five years," said Patrick Seybold, senior director of corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment. "Both the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 had life cycles of more than 10 years, and PlayStation 3 will as well. The 10-year life cycle is a commitment we've made with every PlayStaiton consumer to date, and it's part of our philosophy that we provide hardware that will stand the test of time providing that fun experience you get from day one for the next decade."
Of course, with enmity between Sony and Microsoft always high, Seybold didn't pass up an opportunity to point out the shortcomings of the Xbox platform and to highlight the benefits of the PlayStation brand.
"Original Xbox owners were limited to the 5-year console, and Microsoft just stopped making the software and hardware at that 5-year [actually 4-year] mark," Seybold told CNET. "So those early-adopting Xbox consumers were quickly out of luck and new content, while PlayStation consumers know their investments in our consoles will bear fruit for years to come."
Naturally, Microsoft is eager to tout the ongoing life of the Xbox 360--and what its highly successful Xbox Live service, the 2010 release of the cheaper and more streamlined Xbox 360 Slim, and now Kinect bring to the party. "We've focused a lot of creativity and resources on continually enhancing the current generation, from massive Xbox Live updates to additional downloadable content to exciting entertainment partnerships to Kinect," said Penello. "Things like Kinect and [the Slim] absolutely extend the life cycle of Xbox 360. Kinect is our vision for fully immersive and interactive home entertainment that captures your body, voice, and imagination--transforming social gaming and entertainment forever.
Nintendo did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
Publishers are happy
One industry constituency that seems quite content with the ongoing life of the current generation of consoles is video game publishers.
And that's because, as M2 Research analyst Billy Pidgeon pointed out, the publishers are happy with the tens of millions of each of the three major consoles that are currently in consumers' hands.
"Publishers don't really want to reboot the cycle at this point," Pidgeon said, "because what they would be doing is shutting down the advantage they have with the large install base" of the three current consoles.
Pidgeon also said that in conversations he's had recently with game developers, there is no loud cry for a new generation of consoles. Perhaps the developers may see a ceiling for the Xbox sooner than the others, Pidgeon said, but "certainly they're not there yet with the PS3."
At the same time, Pidgeon thinks that even if developers find themselves approaching the limits of what's possible on current-generation consoles, they may choose to turn to PCs rather than call for next-generation hardware. As well, he suggested, the ever-improving online functionality of Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, and the Wii's online services provide even longer life for the platforms. "I do think there's room to [grow on consoles]," Pidgeon said, "but eventually what you're going to see is more PC games, and more online capabilities."
From Pachter's perspective, the ability to put high-quality games cloud--via services like OnLive, Trion Worlds, and others that offer AAA-quality games entirely over the Internet--could mean that the basic concept of requiring gamers to buy sophisticated hardware goes by the wayside. "If the content [is in the cloud]," Pachter said, "why would I buy another box? So we really might not see another console."
And as the ability to play the highest quality games via cloud services advances, Pachter said, it might become harder and harder for the console manufacturers to sign the kind of exclusive development deals--such as Microsoft's deal with Epic Games to produce the Gears of War franchise solely for the Xbox--that get gamers salivating for one console or another. "If the cloud gets [powerful] enough," Pachter said, "it's going to be hard to sign guys like Epic to do exclusives like Gears of War."
In fact, added Pachter, the advancement of services like OnLive and others could mean that consumers find themselves saving several hundred dollars by not having to buy consoles. "That means you can buy eight or ten more games," Pachter said.
Still, that future may well not be close enough to forestall the next generation of console hardware.
Both Pachter and Pidgeon said it is feasible to imagine the next consoles coming along as early as 2012 or 2013, or possibly 2014, though they disagreed as to which company might be first. And Takahashi said he thinks the Kinect gives the Xbox 360 at least several more years of life. Nintendo, Takahashi said, might be the first manufacturer to move on to the next generation, though he suggested that a price cut might be enough to give the Wii a few more good years.
And notwithstanding the ongoing success Sony has had with the PS2 in the PS3 era, Pidgeon said that he doesn't expect the Xbox or the Wii to be first to be replaced. "It would be strategically difficult for either Microsoft or Nintendo to make such a move soon," Pidgeon said, "because they [still have] a huge market opportunity with the current install base. [And] generally, when you announce a next generation, the last gen goes off a cliff."
Hilarious jokes barely save a Toy Story 4 lacking in stakes: The Pixar sequel doesn't have the emotional pull fans might expect.
New Stranger Things clothing lets you wear Demogorgons.: The Netflix hit inspires an H&M collection from another dimension -- the 1980s.


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Pet of the week: Abbas
Hi there, hope you are having a good day, because if you are reading this then it just might be my lucky day! My name is Abbas, and you are in time to adopt an amazing kitty. I love EVERYTHING: cats, dogs, kids, toys, pretty much anything. I love the folks here at the Humane Society, but I am ready to find my way out of here and into a home that I can lay up on the couch and watch some football with my family. I had a home once but my owners could not afford me. If you have time, please come down to the shelter and fall in love.


text:
Reader J.R. Frey has written a response to the message from Star Tribune reporter Matt McKinney defending his story — "Armed robber knew the right path, but was unable to follow it" — on one-man crime wave Darren Evanovich, late of Minneapolis. Frey writes:
Mr. McKinney,
I read with interest your response to the criticism levied at your reporting on the incident involving Mr. Evanovich. In your response, you state, "It was only in our attempt to give readers the best, most reliable and clear information that the phrase ['during a confrontation'] was not used [when describing the details of the shooting]."
The original reporting by you reads as follows:
On the evening of Oct. 20, a little more than a week later, a 53-year-old woman was accosted in a supermarket parking lot off E. Lake Street. The stranger was armed with a handgun, and after taking her money, he struck her in the head with his weapon, police said.
A man nearby saw the attack. He had a state permit to carry a pistol, and he had one with him. He chased the robber behind a restaurant and shot him dead. Police say the robber was Darren Evanovich. He was 23.
The police report, as provided by you, reads as follows:
The first call indicated that an elderly female had just been robbed at gunpoint of her purse and pistol whipped in the head…
Officers…were approached by an adult male who stated that he had witnessed the armed robbery/assault of the elderly female and had chased the armed robbery suspect to an area near the Super Grand Buffet. This "Good Samaritan" stated that he had a valid Minnesota Permit to Carry a Handgun and that he had shot the male armed robbery suspect during a confrontation outside of the Super Grand Buffet.
I will trust in your good faith that you intended to give readers "the best, most reliable and clear information." With that in mind, let me provide some constructive criticism that may help you in your endeavors in the future: (1) When the police report says that the robber took the woman's purse, you should report that the woman's purse was stolen, and not that her "money" was stolen. If someone had observed the theft and noted that some quantity of cash was stolen, they probably would not have chased the robber to attempt to recover the purse which also includes identification, credit cards, and other information that could be used for identity theft and fraud. (2) If the police report includes the words "during a confrontation" you should include those words.
Oh, and (3) Don't write the paragraph describing the confrontation as though there was a vigilante execution. See, because when you wrote that paragraph describing a vigilante execution, you did not "give readers the best, most reliable and clear information" regarding what transpired.
To be specific, by deceptively substituting "money" for "purse" and by omitting the existence of a confrontation prior to the shooting, by substituting "struck her in the head with his weapon" (neutral tone) for "pistol whipped in the head" (accurate description in the police report), and by describing the Good Samaritan's actions in a single, terse sentence [chased the robber … and shot him dead], you failed to give your readers "the best, most reliable and clear information" that was available to you at the time.
If you would like to pass this on to your editor, you could point out that the robber knew the right path, but chose not to follow it. There is no evidence that you present that suggests the robber was forced into committing the crime.
I trust this criticism will be accepted in the spirit it is given.
J. R. Frey
UPDATE: Reader Jack Levey comments: "It did not occur to me before reading today's response, but here's another difference between stealing a purse and stealing only money. The purse has not only the victim's ID, but also her house keys. The ID furnishes the victim's address. At least until she has her locks changed, the victim is now at much greater risk of burglary, home invasion, assault, rape and murder — in her own home, without the criminal having to bother with the noise, spectacle, delay or warning that would accompany a break-in."


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Qara-Xuan Zenith wrote:And speaking of jerk moves, what's with Silver's Blatant Lies to Gulliver that no one's commenting? What's he playing at? Is he trolling Gulliver? Has Morgana gotten to him?
Am I missing something? What Blatant Lies?
And, on the previous owner being Morgana. I'd say it's unlikely. She would have to buy an antique wardrobe, sell it to that lady and wait for Gulliver to come by. Seems too complicated.


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I often shake my fist at God for God's little pranks on me. I know they are not malicious and often help me in the end, but the irony sometimes is just too rich.
If I have a walking faith, it must be that describing my faith is not just describing what I "believe," but rather, describing how my faith
impacts me, and what I do in the world as a response to that faith.
We are condemned by many within religious circles as willful
sinners, those who choose to defy God by substituting "unnatural" for
"natural" sexual practices. To these people we are an abomination,
those upon whom God's back has been turned. Unless and until our faith
has grown strong enough to provide us with a life-raft in the midst of
this whirling torrent of verbal abuse and rejection, we will not survive
spiritually, emotionally or physically.
Faith is sort of like riding a roller
coaster in the dark at times in that it is a knowing that everything will be
okay and we will survive but sometimes we cannot always see exactly where it
is taking us; and real faith is knowing the miracle (or positive resolution)
has already been arranged.
It is important to realize how the faith of many homosexuals has been
destroyed by the indoctrination of the Church and by society. The Church
has been instrumental in stealing Jesus from us.
How many of us truly feel that God's love is evident in our lives? God's perfect love for us is displayed in Christ's life on earth. Can we truly claim that love though? Do we even feel worthy of it? I think, for many of us, the answer is no.
Since I first became aware of sexual
feelings, I have always been attracted to others of my own gender. But of
course my Christian beliefs did not allow for that, and so I was faced with
an awful, unending conflict.
Anne tried all sorts of ways to get to God. She tried a bus. She
tried an airplane. She tried backpacking. She wished she had a
transporter and could beam herself directly to God. She tried sailing,
even though she knew that sailboats made her seasick. She tried
None of it seemed to be working. She was getting worn out and
I've always maintained that I have the simple faith of a child, in that
I don't need physical proof in the existence of my Lord and Savior, and I
don't need someone to throw a Bible in my face and tell me that it is written,
so let it be done. I just simply believe ...
Back To Topic List
Katherine Unthank wants to apologize. She's sorry for saying "you can't be gay and Christian."
Creech is under no illusions that change will happen overnight. Instead, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons should prepare themselves for a long struggle and take a long view of history.
Readers sound off on what they like and dislike about Whosoever.
Jesus had great faith in Peter.
Peter saw with eyes of faith. Obsessive faith. Passionate faith. Reckless faith. From time to time, he understood what Jesus was teaching him and showing him. He saw it so clearly sometimes. He got it!
Faith is incredibly
powerful. It can release the very power of life, the power of God, in
our lives. Or it can empower the Thief of life.
Jesus asked that we love one another as he loved us - outrageously.
[Jesus] in fact is speaking to each and everyone of us.
He is in fact
telling all those people (us), that we are the salt of the earth, we are the
light of the world!
We are right there for all to see. We are all there to experience a new day
a new message.
Comments? Please fill out our Reader Survey!


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Tag Results
1 post tagged digital cameras
1 post tagged digital cameras
Digital Cameras in the Classroom: Magic Made Easy
from ISTE 2012 - Poster Session
The session is for those that're interested in learning photography and/or teaching photography, and realizing the many positive effects in can have on students in the classroom. Click the photo to download the two handouts complete with web and book resources to get you started.
If you attended the session, and have any questions or comments, please enter them below and let's start the conversation!


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The House Judiciary Subcommittee passed a bill, HR 2885, which would require employers to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired workers using the government E-Verify program.
The only thing that Democrats and Republicans seemed to agree on was a Democrat amendment that changes current law so that seasonal workers must fill out a new I-9 each year. Current law exempts seasonal workers who work for the same employer every year from completing a new I-9.
"The seasonal worker amendment was a punitive shot at farmers and other seasonal employers, and we are urging lawmakers to remove it from the final bill," said Washington Farm Labor Association (WAFLA) Director Dan Fazio.
WAFLA does not support or oppose mandatory E-Verify. "It's inevitable," said Fazio. "How do you argue with the proposition that employers should only hire workers who are legally authorized to work?"
The bill includes a four year phase-in for employers, depending on company size, and a three year phase-in for all agriculture employers.
Agriculture organizations are lobbying Congress to couple mandatory E-Verify with a workable guest worker program. To that end, the committee continued work on an agriculture guest worker bill, HR 2847, sponsored by Lamar Smith, R-Texas, which would reform the H-2A program. Another bill, HR 2895, sponsored by Dan Lungren, D-Calif., would create a totally new guest worker program that appears better suited for west coast growers.
"Both of these bills are great, said Fazio. "We are working to perfect them, and I hope they both pass."
All these bills - mandatory E-Verify and the guest worker reforms, face an uncertain future in the full House and the Senate.


text: My name is Earl. I'm in my mid 20s. I do not own a record player nor any records. However, I have a music library with over 250 GBs of MP3 files. I do most of my digging virtually. Occasionally, I will go to the library or a record store to look for CDs. I listen to hip hop, instrumental hip hop, jazz, and soul. When I have enough money, I plan on purchasing a record player. Like arem, I too look forward to chopping it up with you guys.


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Learn how MacUpdate Desktop can install apps on MacUpdate with the simple click of the icon. Plus, keep all your apps updated.
Note: While the software is classified as freeware, it is actually donationware. Please consider making a donation to help support development.
What's New in Sweet16
Note: None of the Apple IIgs extensions or desk accessories changed for this release, so you don't need to update them.
- Fixed a memory leak in full-screen mode that would fairly quickly eat up a lot of free memory the longer you stayed in full-screen mode.
- Fixed a problem that prevented the file drag-and-drop support from working on systems with an Intel


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Virtualising SQL Server is nothing new, but as our confidence increases so value of what we are virtualising. This is fine until there are performance problems. On top of the usual monitoring and diagnostics, we have a whole new world of components to investigate, which is complicated by these typically being shared (SAN, hypervisor and host server).
To make sure you're prepared to troubleshoot a virtualised platform I've put together a checklist. I'll discuss what items are on the checklist and the importance of why they're there. When you deploy your next SQL Server using virtualisation or perform your next SQL Server audit you can tick my checklist items off and feel more prepared for any issues that come in.
SQL Bits was started by a group of individuals that are passionate about the SQL Server product suite.
There is a breadth of knowledge in the SQL Community that will benefit everyone in the community.
We want to spread that knowledge.
We all work with the SQL community, some of us for many years. We have a range of skills and experiences from being given the MVP award by Microsoft, organising user groups and speaking at events around the world.
Copyright © 2019 SQLBits Limited. All Rights Reserved.


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VIN Number Lookup Free
where can i get a free vehicle history report
where to check vin numbers for free
Finding the VIN is the first step you should take whenever you want to learn more about a given vehicle. The VIN is unique to each and every vehicle sold. There are several ways that you can locate the VIN on a vehicle you are considering purchasing.


text: Benoni - Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his opposite number, AB de Villiers, was the difference as South Africa clinched a 3-2 series win in the fifth and final one-day international. De Villiers hit an unbeaten 95 to guide his side to a six-wicket win after the teams went into the deciding match locked at 2-2. The South Africa skipper made 367 runs in the series at an average of 91.75 and took both the man of the match and man of the series awards.VIDEO: SA v Pakistan, 5th ODI highlights De Villiers, who was dropped on one, overcame some hostile bowling on an unpredictable pitch as South Africa chased down Pakistan's 205 all out with six overs to spare. On a day when most batsmen struggled to time the ball consistently, De Villiers made his runs off just 111 balls, hitting nine fours and a six. A fourth wicket partnership of 87 off 88 balls with Farhaan Behardien (35) made South Africa's victory virtually certain after Pakistan's new ball bowlers, Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan, caused early problems on a pitch where some deliveries bounced alarmingly, while others kept low. Pakistan seemed headed for a more competitive total when they reached 151 for four in the 35th over after winning the toss. "It was a 250 pitch and the way we started it was gettable," said Misbah. The Pakistan captain added that his team had fought back well after being trounced in the Test series. "The team have got some confidence from the Twenty20 series and the one-day series. We have shown we can perform in these conditions against this quality bowling attack." Ryan McLaren took three wickets in 13 balls to swing Sunday's match in South Africa's favour. McLaren had Shoaib Malik caught at midwicket and three balls later, with the last delivery before the batting power play, he had big-hitting Shahid Afridi caught at deep square leg without scoring. Pakistan's hopes then rested with Misbah who had played a match-winning innings of 80 when Pakistan squared the series at 2-2 with a three-wicket win in Durban on Thursday. As he had in Durban, Misbah started cautiously and he had scored only 24 runs off 46 balls when he was caught behind to become McLaren's third victim. McLaren finished with three for 32, with all his wickets coming in a three-over third spell which cost only five runs. For the first time this season, South Africa fielded their two leading strike bowlers, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, in their one-day international team. The pair had been rotated during a series against New Zealand and Morkel missed the first four matches against Pakistan because of a hamstring injury. Although Steyn and Morkel only took one and two wickets respectively, they contributed to a South African bowling performance which De Villiers described as the best of the series. "The bowling unit got better and better as the series went on," he said. De Villiers said South Africa had shown fighting spirit in what he described as a tough series. "We got some partnerships together with bat and ball and we stuck together as a team," he said. Despite an innings of 48 off 51 balls by Kamran Akmal, and a third wicket stand of 66 between Akmal and Younis Khan (29), Pakistan were unable to dominate the bowling at any stage during their innings after Misbah won the toss and decided to bat. South Africa were without opening batsman and Test captain Graeme Smith because of what was described as a chronic left ankle injury which kept him off the field for most of Pakistan's run chase in Durban. He was replaced by 20-year-old left-hander Quinton de Kock. De Kock looked out of his depth and was bowled by Junaid Khan for three, while Hashim Amla was unusually subdued in scoring 22 off 65 balls. With Colin Ingram bowled by off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez for 15, South Africa needed a partnership. De Villiers edged Junaid low to Younis Khan at slip when he had one and the chance went down. The South African captain was soon into his stride to lead his team home.


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Italy 28-23 Tonga, November 10
Italy hold on to beat Tonga
ESPN Staff
November 10, 2012
Lorenzo Cittadini got the try-scoring started with his first ever Test try
© Getty Images
Italy got their autumn internationals off to a winning start with a 28-23 victory over Tonga in Brescia.
Lorenzo Cittadini scored his first ever Test try to start the scoring for the Azzurri when he drove over from close range early on. Tonga fly-half Fangatapu 'Apikotoa had opened the scoring with a penalty and he added two more before hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini grabbed Italy's second try just before half-time.
In the second half Italy's pack was reinforced by the introduction of Martin Castrogiovanni and he and long-time front row partner Andrea Lo Cicero began to establish Italy's dominance in the scrum. It was rewarded in the 63rd minute when the pack won a try when Tonga's scrum went down close to the line.
Wing Fetu'u Vainikolo scored Tonga's second try in the 67th minute to leave Italy holding on over a nervy last 10 minutes, but their defence held out and they now face New Zealand in Rome and Australia in Florence over the next two weekends.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Communication error please reload the page.


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It appears that People's Daily, the big Chinese Communist party newspaper, has fallen for an Onion gag, naming Kim Jong Un the Sexiest Man Alive in 2012 (via Adam Minter)
The website has just published a huge 55 page slideshow on the news.
And here's the front page of the website.
There's no evidence that it's being treated as a joke.
The only text under each picture is:
U.S. website The Onion has named North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un as the "Sexiest Man Alive for the year 2012". "With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm, and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman's dream come true. Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side, Kim made this newspaper's editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile," it said. "He has that rare ability to somehow be completely adorable and completely macho at the same time," said Marissa Blake-Zweiber, editor of The Onion Style and Entertainment.
(Via @adamminter, @chinabuzz, and @niubi)


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When my husband and I moved into the big house on the farm in 1979, we were the fourth generation to raise a family here. As we got settled in, I began to find evidence of past generations tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the house that was built in 1870. Particularly intriguing were the old photographs. Who were these people? Thus began a passion for genealogy and the history of Sinking Valley. From the beginning I was reminded of Hebrews 12:1. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…".
There were at least 43 early settlers who purchased land in Sinking Valley from William Penn's heirs between 1787 and 1813. Some of them had arrived in the valley before the Revolutionary War. The early settlers came with different religious convictions. The families with surnames of Crawford, Murray (Morrow), Stewart, Dysart, Moore, and Wilson were Scotch Irish Presbyterians. They founded the Sinking Valley Presbyterian Church in 1790. Settlers with surnames of Fleck and Cressman were German Lutherans who formally organized a church in 1804. The McClain and the McMullen families were Catholic. They built a church in 1840 but it closed in 1916 when the remaining members joined the Catholic Church in Tyrone borough. A German Reformed church was organized in 1846 but disappeared in the early 1900's. Regardless of the domination, their Christian faith endured through the hardships of settling on the frontier and reminds us to "... run with perseverance the race marked out for us".
Marriages between these families and subsequent landowners resulted in a complicated web of relationships that can be a challenge for the modern researcher to sort out. The Sinking Valley Family Tree Project was started to connect the ever reaching branches of these family trees and to locate their original property in Sinking Valley. In future postings, I will be sharing some of my research with the readers of footnote.com.


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Get the Flash Playerto see this player.
Short review: This site promises hardcore sexually explicit action of teachers fucking their young students and if the sessions that are displayed in the tour are any indication then the inside of the site is going to be awesome. And after reviewing it I can say that it is an awesome site. It more than lives up to its promises with plenty of hot mature babes and hours of uncensored hardcore action.
Content Amount: The members' area is very good and navigation to the various episodes and on to the images is easy. When we visited the site there were 38 episodes. The quality of My First Sex Teacher videos is excellent, there is actually a story line to them.


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Compared to the situation a few years ago, it is very easy to start your own wedding website nowadays. In the past, it is nearly impossible for you to start your wedding website yourself. As a result, more couples are starting their personal wedding website. You will certainly find tons of personal wedding websites when you search on the web. You can perform a little search on Google and you will know how many wedding websites you can visit. By browsing through these websites, you can certainly learn from the experiences of the others. To share your experience with the others, you may also consider starting your own wedding website.
With a personal wedding website, you can let your guests know more about you and your partner better. You can send your guests email about your wedding website. You can also put the URL of your website on your wedding invitation so that your guests can visit it from time to time. You will certainly put your love story on the website. You will tell your guest, as well as other internet users, how you met, how you got together and also how you engaged. You may even talk about the proposal of your partner you want to do so. If you do not want internet users other than your guest to access your story, you can send your guests with a access password so that only your friends and relatives can visit your website.
Moreover, you will put the details and information of your big day on the website. You can also provide your guests with maps, arrangements of accommodations, and even points of interest around the wedding venue. Apart from this information, you will also choose to put your gift registry on your wedding website. You can provide your guests with all these details using your wedding website. By doing that your guests will not miss any important information about your wedding.
With a wedding website, you can estimate the number of guests who are going to attend your wedding accurately. You can prepare online RSVP forms for guests to fill in. Using this form with a database system, your guests can reply if they will attend your wedding. You can then convert the data stored in the database to a more famous software format such as Microsoft Excel. You can then organize your guest list easily. This cannot be done without a wedding website.
You would need to hire a professional website designer in order to develop your wedding website in the past. However, you can have other choices nowadays. You can register for free services so that you can start your personal wedding website without any cost. These free wedding website services are usually user friendly. You can customize the layout and design of your wedding website with a selection of ready made website templates. If you can write HTML program yourself, you can also consider make use of free hosting services so that you can have even more flexibility on the website design.


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THERE has been a big reaction to a story on the Sleaford Standard's website about a possible UFO sighting in Sleaford, with an expert offering his opinions too.
Sheila Tebbutt, of North Parade, Sleaford, woke up at around 1.30am on Saturday, July 28 and from her bedroom window she saw what looked like two bright silver round shapes travelling across the sky.
She said the two strange objects were hovering around 50ft up, one slightly higher than then other, and after travelling across the sky they disappeared towards the railway bridge.
Mrs Tebbutt tried to wake her husband John to tell him what she had seen but he slept on through and when she told him in the morning, he didn't believe her.
She said: "Surely someone else must have seen it? I just had a look out of the window looking for our cat and there it was."
Nick Pope, who used to run the Government's UFO project and is now acknowledged as a world expert in the field, said: "In my experience, most UFO sightings have conventional explanations and turn out to be misidentifications of aircraft lights, bright stars and planets, satellites, meteors and Chinese lanterns.
"Chinese lanterns cause numerous UFO sightings but tend to be orange, not silver.
"When stories about UFO sightings are reported in the media, it often encourages other witnesses to come forward and that might be the best hope of solving this mystery, if other people saw the same thing and can add further details.
"People often stay quiet about UFO sightings, as they're afraid they'll be ridiculed or disbelieved. They needn't worry. Having investigated UFOs for the government I can say that UFO witnesses include police officers, military personnel and pilots. We also have numerous cases where sightings have been backed up by radar evidence."
While so far no-one else has come forward to say that they too saw the silver objects, but people have commented on the Sleaford Standard Facebook page. Cath Haley suggested they might have been Chinese lanterns, and Holly Thompson said that some were spotted in Boston and Martin Green commented lanterns were spotted over Kirkby la Thorpe.
If anyone else did see the strange lights in the sky or has an explanation as to what they might have been, email email@example.com


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Update: This post has been edited to show you how to use a gradient as the background of a ScrollView.
The new and improved support for CSS in JavaFX 1.3 includes a .scene style class which is a convenient place to initialize all sorts of application settings such as fonts and colors. Therefore, you would also think that the .scene class is the place to specify the background color for the scene, right? If you do, you're in good company. And just like the rest of us, you would be wrong.
It turns out that the only place to set the fill property of the Scene is in your JavaFX code. But there are some tricks you can use if you want the ability to control the background of your scene from a CSS file.
ScrollViews and Rectangles
The simplest way to create a background that can be styled is to use a ScrollView as the background node in your scene. The advantage of using a ScrollView is that if the window is resized to be smaller than the content, scrollbars will automatically appear. This is a handy feature to have in a main window. The following code demonstrates the technique.
Stage { var sceneRef: Scene; title: "ScrollView Background" scene: sceneRef = Scene { width: 400 height: 300 stylesheets: "{__DIR__}scrollViewBackground.css" content: [ ScrollView { width: bind sceneRef.width height: bind sceneRef.height node: // Rest of your content goes here } ] } }
Here I simply placed the ScrollView first in the Scene's content and bound its width and height to the size of the Scene. Instant background.
If you then create a style sheet that sets the -fx-background property on the .scene selector, the ScrollView will pick it up automatically.
.scene { -fx-background: skyblue; }
The results are pictured below.
Using a gradient as a background for the ScrollView is also possible, although it requires a little more work in your style sheet. You need to add two new styles that redefine the default background of the ScrollView so that it incorporates a gradient rather than a solid color.
.scene { -fx-background: skyblue; -my-scene-background: linear (0%, 0%) to (0%, 100%) stops (0%, derive(-fx-background, 25%)) (100%, derive(-fx-background, -35%)); } #sceneBackground { -fx-background-color: -fx-box-border, -my-scene-background; } #sceneBackground:focused { -fx-background-color: -fx-focus-color, -fx-box-border, -my-scene-background; }
Note that I have used an ID selector for these new styles so that it overrides only the -fx-background-color of the single ScrollView that I have designated as my scene's background. I was careful to preserve the -fx-box-border and -fx-focus-color settings of the default ScrollView styles (from caspian.css) so that, other than the gradient, the background will look exactly like a standard ScrollView.
I have also defined my background gradient in the .scene section of the style sheet so that it can be reused in both of the #sceneBackground styles. Declaring CSS "variables" like this is a feature of the JavaFX CSS support.
Once these additions to the application's style sheet have been made, you just need to add the proper ID to the ScrollView being used as the scene's background and you are done. This is what the JavaFX code and our window look like now.
Stage { var sceneRef: Scene; title: "ScrollView Background" scene: sceneRef = Scene { width: 400 height: 300 stylesheets: "{__DIR__}scrollViewBackground.css" content: [ ScrollView { id: "sceneBackground" width: bind sceneRef.width height: bind sceneRef.height node: // Your content goes here... } ] } }
Rectangle Backgrounds
Another lightweight option for creating a styled background is to use a simple Rectangle.
Stage { var sceneRef: Scene; title: "Rectangle Background" scene: sceneRef = Scene { width: 400 height: 300 stylesheets: "{__DIR__}rectangleBackground.css" content: [ Rectangle { styleClass: "background" width: bind sceneRef.width height: bind sceneRef.height } // Rest of your content goes here ] } }
This is similar to the ScrollView version except that a Rectangle is inserted as the first node in the Scene and its width and height are bound to the Scene's size. Note that I assigned a styleClass of "background" to the Rectangle. The style sheet now looks like this:
.scene { -my-scene-background: linear (0%, 0%) to (0%, 100%) stops (0%, derive(skyblue, 25%)) (100%, derive(skyblue,-25%)); } .background { -fx-fill: -my-scene-background; }
In the style sheet above, I've assigned a gradient to the -my-scene-background property in the .scene section and then used it to set the Rectangle's fill (-fx-fill) in the .background section which was the styleClass for the background Rectangle. Of course, I could have just assigned the gradient to the -fx-fill property directly, but as was pointed out above, doing it this way makes that gradient available for use by other styles in the style sheet.
Regions: Imagine the Possibilities
For the more adventurous, you can also use a Region for your background. This gives you the ability to have background colors, borders, and even images!
Warning! Non-public APIs in use beyond this point. Proceed at your own risk! (It's really not that risky)
All of the core controls in JavaFX 1.3 are made of Regions. Because of this, Regions are heavily tied into the new CSS support and have a lot more styling options than any other type of node. You can assign background colors and images, style borders, and even change the shape of the Region all from a style sheet.
But you don't have to write a control to make use of a Region. Regions are a subclass of the public Stack container and therefore can be used anywhere in the scene graph. Which means that a Region makes a great background for a Scene.
The top image shows a window with a gray gradient background that is typical of a default Caspian color scheme. The bottom image shows a combination of a background color and a background image that is positioned along the bottom of the window and repeated in the x-direction to fill the window with flowers in a celebration of Spring (with apologies to all of our friends in the Southern Hemisphere).
The code and the stylesheet are shown below in their entirety.
Stage { var sceneRef: Scene; var backgroundRef: Node; title: "Region Background" scene: sceneRef = Scene { width: 600 height: 300 stylesheets: ["{__DIR__}jfxtras.css", "{__DIR__}sceneStyles.css"] content: [ backgroundRef = Region { styleClass: "background1" width: bind sceneRef.width height: bind sceneRef.height } VBox { var fillWidth = LayoutInfo { hfill: true } spacing: 10 padding: Insets { top: 10, right: 10, bottom: 10, left: 10 } content: [ XEtchedButton { text: "Business As Usual" layoutInfo: fillWidth action: function () { backgroundRef.styleClass = "background1" } } XEtchedButton { text: "Yay, It's Spring!" layoutInfo: fillWidth action: function () { backgroundRef.styleClass = "background2" } } ] } ] } }
.scene { -fx-font: 24pt "Amble Condensed" }
.background1 { -fx-color: lightgray; -fx-background-color: -fx-body-color; -fx-background-image: null; }
.background2 { -fx-background-color: #81E2F7; -fx-background-image: "flowersbluesky.png"; -fx-background-position: left bottom; -fx-background-repeat: repeat-x; }


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Alternative Loans
If you need additional financial aid resources beyond the federal funds you were awarded by completing the FAFSA, you may apply for a private educational loan (also known as an alternative loan) up to your budgeted Cost of Attendance (COA). Most private loan providers require a good credit history of you or a co-signer.
There are many private loan providers and varying terms, interest rates, and fees. You are responsible for locating a private loan provider and choosing an appropriate loan product.
Student Lending Code of Conduct
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of August 14, 2008 includes provisions that campuses participating in Title IV programs publish a code of conduct which describes prohibited practices related to loan programs. The California State University Student Lending Code of Conduct is available online.


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A Christmas List
This is the first year that my 3-year-old son Sam has made out a Christmas list. His number one wish is for a 540-piece Metallic Earth Puzzleball meant for kids ages 10-and-older. We've tried to trick him into thinking that he doesn't really want it, but Sam is sure that Santa will come through.
I can't spoil his first Christmas list right? It looks like I'm going to be spending a bunch of time helping him put together that gigantic puzzle.
Red Sox fans who love to follow minor league prospects as they make their way through the system received a list of their own this holiday season as Baseball America released it's annual list of Boston's Top 10 minor league prospects on December 23rd.
Here's this year's Top 10:
1. Ryan Westmoreland, OF
2. Casey Kelly, RHP
3. Josh Reddick, OF
4. Lars Anderson, 1B
5. Ryan Kalish, OF
6. Junichi Tazawa, RHP
7. Reymond Fuentes, OF
8. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
9. Jose Iglesias, SS
10. Derrik Gibson, SS/2B
Several of those players figure to spend time at McCoy Stadium this season.
Josh Reddick and Junichi Tazawa made it to Pawtucket last year and are almost certain to begin 2010 with the PawSox.
22-year-old Lars Anderson – who was ranked number one on the list last year – was expected to make it to Triple-A in 2009, but had a disappointing season at Double-A Portland batting .233 with 9 HR and 51 RBI. Baseball America still lists Lars as the best power hitting prospect in the Red Sox system, and projects him to be Boston's starting first baseman in 2012.
Ryan Kalish is only 21-years-old, but he played in 103 games in Double-A last year and did quite well posting a .781 OPS. If he doesn't start the year with Pawtucket, he'll be in prime position to earn a promotion if he puts up good numbers with the Portland Sea Dogs.
Here's a link to the Baseball America list.
Happy Holidays!


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Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee is breathing a sigh of relief today after a Korean court ruled that he won't need to hand over assets to family members.
Lee's siblings sued him over their contention that he hid from them billions of dollars in shareholdings he inherited from his father, Samsung's founder. However, Lee argues that the shares he was given are his and that he can do what he wants with them. The court agreed.
For Lee's family, it's a major loss. According to Reuters, which was first to report on the ruling, Lee's siblings were seeking nearly $4 billion in assets in Samsung Group. If they had won, Lee's ownership in Samsung, which currently stands at over 20 percent, would have been reduced.
Speaking to reporters, Lee's family's attorney Cha Dong-eon said that the ruling was "totally unexpected" and that his clients have yet to decide whether to appeal it.
Lee's victory paves the way for him to continue on his implementation of a succession plan. Last year, he appointed his 44-year-old son, Jay Y. Lee, as vice chairman and insinuated that he will eventually take over Samsung.
Everything announced at WWDC: Get the latest on the new Mac Pro, iOS 13, Dark Mode for iPhone and more.
What Amazon's one-day shipping means for you: Amazon to decrease standard shipping time for Prime members from two days to one.


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Beyond Coal: Working on the Sierra Club's PSE Campaign
If you say coal in my home state of Washington, more likely than not, people will assume you are talking about coal exports. The terminals currently proposed in Washington and Oregon would enable coal mined in the Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming to be shipped to China. This new export avenue would provide a market for American coal, which is becoming less and less economically competitive in the US given the expansion of hydraulic fracturing and decreasing natural gas prices.
In a region proud of its efforts to be more sustainable, coal exports are a galvanizing issue. Participation in public meetings has been staggering with thousands showing up to comment on the proposed environmental impact statement for the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point in northern Washington. (To learn more about this complex issue, check out PBS's recent documentary.)
Coal Free PSE
This summer I returned to the Pacific Northwest to work on coal and climate change, but I had the interesting challenge of not focusing my efforts on the export issues that have taken center stage. Instead, I worked on the Sierra Club's Coal Free PSE campaign, which aims to encourage, and ultimately convince, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to transition entirely off coal.
For decades Washington's abundant hydropower has made the state a national leader in using less greenhouse-gas-intensive electricity, and just a few years ago, an environmental campaign succeeded in securing a retirement date for the last coal-fired power plant in the state. PSE is the main investor-owned utility for residents on the east side of the Puget Sound in western Washington, providing electricity for over one million Washingtonians. While PSE is respected for its effective customer service and is widely regarded as a green utility – it is the second largest wind developer in the country and has made notable efforts on energy conservation– it still relies on coal for approximately 30 percent of its electricity generation.
Of particular concern to the Sierra Club and the members of the coalition is the Colstrip Generating Plant in Eastern Montana. PSE is the single largest owner of this large, aging coal-fired power plant. The EPA consistently ranks Colstrip as one of the top two sources of greenhouse gas emissions west of the Mississippi, and the plant faces numerous other environmental and public health liabilities.
Many advocacy groups feel compelled to choose between persuading decisionmakers to select a particular course of action and demanding public accountability, especially since holding decisionmakers responsible for their choices could jeopardize the relationships through which these advocacy groups exercise influence. As I witnessed firsthand this summer, there is a way to do both: the Sierra Club relies on an extremely effective blend of the politics of persuasion and the politics of pressure.
Assessing PSE's Resource Mix
My initial project was to translate and streamline the Sierra Club's robust, technical analysis of Puget Sound Energy's 1,000-page Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in a way that would be accessible and palatable to a broader audience. In an electric IRP, a utility analyzes the various resources it could rely on to provide power to its ratepayers and determines what resource mix is most economically feasible going forward. New IRPs are issued every two years, and the planning process is a critical time for a utility to make sure its resource investments are not leading it down a slippery slope of ever increasing costs.
As an investor-owned utility, PSE is regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). The UTC regularly reviews utilities' proposed rate increases and issues an order allowing for recovery of costs and setting a rate of return. The UTC does not approve the IRPs, but the commissioners can note areas of risk in their comments on the IRP. If that happens, the subject utility likely will reevaluate its plan since it creates uncertainty about whether the UTC will approve proposed rate increases in the coming year.
Starting with the analysis summary, my work with the Sierra Club focused on finding ways to succinctly describe the fundamental flaws we found in PSE's IRP, specifically in its evaluation of the economics of the Colstrip plant. Throughout the plan, PSE either ignored or vastly underestimated the significant public and environmental health costs that the vintage coal plant faces. PSE's IRP ultimately dismissed the fact that, while the aging Colstrip plant may be able to be maintained somewhat cheaply in the short term, the plant will likely require increasingly costly investments in coming years to comply with new regulations. Much of my internship centered on communicating these oversights to "grasstops" – elected officials, academic experts, and community leaders – and encouraging them to submit comments to the UTC, expressing their concerns about the IRP.
Lake Washington Rally
In contrast to our efforts to engage influential individuals, my second week on the job I assisted with a rally during which we barged a large inflatable coal plant around one of the bridges of a main interstate highway at rush hour, with a sign urging PSE to move beyond coal. Several subject matter experts spoke at the event, and a group of citizen activists demonstrated their support.
While I wondered if our rally might be conflated with coal exports by the casual observer, I learned that earned media is often the true testament to a successful public event. (Check out the news stories on our event here and here and here.) This type of coverage reaches people in their homes and empowers them as ratepayers to call on their utility to provide them with electricity that won't result in ever-increasing costs or cause environmental harm. The impact of Colstrip's pollution on local ranchers in Montana is a particularly compelling rallying point in the Coal Free PSE campaign, the emotionality of which is captured in this documentary.
The official public comment period on PSE's IRP ended August 16. When I return to FES this fall, I look forward to staying engaged with the campaign. Sooner rather than later, I believe Washington State will finally be able to say that it is 100 percent coal free. This victory will be won both through technical arguments and appeals to emotion, and it will give Washingtonians even more justification for opposing the transport of coal across our state.
Nora Hawkins is a Master of Environmental Management candidate. She graduated from Whitman College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in chemistry. Prior to commencing her studies at Yale, Nora worked as a paralegal in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC. At F&ES she is focused on environmental policy and is committed to building a richer, more genuine dialogue between scientists and policymakers.


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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Top Ten Tuesday (10)
14 comments:
- Briana said...
I love Ella Enchanted! (Really, anything by Gail Carson Levine!) And skill with languages would be wonderful. I've been studying Spanish for about 7 years now, and I still don't feel completely comfortable with it.
- April 24, 2012 at 1:00 AM
- Vicki said...
Ella almost made my list, but got bumped down to honorable mention instead. Gotta say, she's definitely due for a re-read sometime in the near future - as soon as I can fit her in!
- April 24, 2012 at 1:20 AM
- Cass (Words on Paper) said...
I like this list. :) Sophie, Calaena (I've only read part of the first e-novella, but I like her so far!), Finley Jayne, Cricket, Ella...all very good choices.
- April 24, 2012 at 3:43 AM
- Fara said...
So agree with Cricket. Awesome list!=D
Drop by my Top 10?
- April 24, 2012 at 4:19 AM
- Carissa Taylor said...
Oooh I Love Love Love Alexia Tarabotti! Should have thought of that!
Thanks for dropping by!
- April 24, 2012 at 4:21 AM
- Pocketful of Books said...
Aww Tinkerbell is one bad ass fairy! I love her! Great picks!
My TTT: http://www.pocketfulofbooks.com/2012/04/top-ten-tuesday-favourite-characters-in.html
- April 24, 2012 at 6:32 AM
Sophie Hatter! I love her and that entire series. This week's challenge was really difficult for sure!
- April 24, 2012 at 7:56 AM
- Li @ rulethewaves.net said...
Great list! I don't think I've gotten around to any of these books but the characters sound fantastic, I just might have to start adding some of them to my want-to-read list =)
Thanks for dropping by my blog earlier!
- April 24, 2012 at 10:47 AM
- BarefootMedStudent said...
I haven't read most of these... but Tinker Bell is an excellent choice!
Ella Enchanted, Soulless and Lola are definitely on my TBR list.
Also, to be a mermaid has long been one of my favourite dreams!
Great post, Feel free to visit my list :)
- April 24, 2012 at 11:38 AM
- Jillian said...
Tinkerbell is a great choice! I need to get to reading Peter Pan. I own it but haven't taken the time yet. Cheers!
- April 24, 2012 at 12:48 PM
- Eli said...
I recently read Ella Enchanted and made sure to talk about what an amazing character Ella was, even though I personally didn't LOVE the book I loved her.
- April 24, 2012 at 1:27 PM
- Shannon (Giraffe Days) said...
Oh fantastic list, K!
I wanted to put Sophie on my list too, but I couldn't decide between her and Howl so in the end I left them both off!
And yay for Elena! Love her!! And Ella and Alexia... Wonderful female heroines on this list! Love Cricket too. :)
I don't think I've heard of Ariana Osgood, but you've got me curious.
- April 24, 2012 at 3:09 PM
- Heidi said...
I love that you put Sophie Hatter on this list! I kind of wanted to put her on mine honestly, but since I just read the book less than a month ago I resisted. And I'm actually really excited that you put the Throne of Glass chick on here, because I cannot wait to read it! I do have the ARC, but too many obligations first! Soon...
- April 24, 2012 at 11:54 PM
- Angela said...
Great list! I haven't read most of them, but definitely must read them now.
- April 25, 2012 at 2:27 AM


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I found this article in "The Atlantic Cities"
The Smell of Nature Is Almost As Good As the Real Thing, As Far As Our Brains Are Concerned
- Bonnie Tsui
- Mar 07, 2013
Researchers have been racking up evidence that when you can't take a break and get into nature itself, looking at photos of it relaxes our brains in a similar way. Now, scientists in Tokyo are building a case that smelling nature — the bracing scent of forest pine or cypress, for instance — lowers our blood pressure dramatically and increases anti-cancer molecules in our bloodstreams.
For the past eight years, Qing Li, an immunologist in the department of hygiene and public health at Tokyo's Nippon Medical School, has been studying phytoncides, the essential oils and aerosols emitted by plants and trees, and their salutary effects on the human body. Studies had shown that nature visits reduce stress on the nervous system, overloaded as it is in the modern urban environment with its dense living conditions, industrial-grade fumes, and honking horns. Li's early work showed that walks in the woods boosted natural killer immune cells that helped fight infection and cancer; eventually, he came to suspect that it was the natural scents of evergreens and other trees that did the bulk of the work.
While testing his theory — by sequestering subjects in hotel rooms, some with the benefit of cypress aromatherapy, some without; those who sniffed the phytoncides experienced significant drops in stress hormones and boosted immune cell activity — Li and others founded a Japanese organization to study forest medicine more formally. A few years later, it went global as the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine; last year, it held its first international symposium on the research and trends on forest therapy worldwide. Following the lead of the Japanese in using phytoncide therapy and other facets of "forest bathing" to boost health are the Finns — led by Liisa Tyrväinen, the Finnish Forest Research Institute is conducting a multi-year research program on forests and human well-being — and the South Koreans, who are opening a new $140 million National Forest Therapy Center in 2014. The wisdom is old: get outside when you can; when you're stressed, aromatherapy can help. But now the hard science is finally backing it up.
Top image: Pakhnyushcha/Shutterstock.com


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Sunday, August 31, 2008
Battle Farmers Market - August 31, 2008
Battle Farmers' Market was a fun and interesting Labor Day weekend challenge. We had the opportunity to explore some of the farmers' markets and roadside stands around San Diego. including Little Italy, Hillcrest, La Mesa and South Bay. All of our Chefs excelled once again.
We started off the evening with Dean's colorful Sangria, made with Shiraz, apples, grapes, oranges and lemons. Dean also brought a beautiful vase of flowers for our table.
Jim and Melinda, and visiting friends Kathy and Melvin, shared a jar of Cran-Peno Preserves, purchased from a farmers' market in Arizona, spooned over cream cheese and served with crackers. They also shared an assortment of Tamales from the Hillcrest Farmers' Market, including Green Chile & Chicken and Sun-dried Tomato.
Pammy's Zucchini & Tomato Pie was presented beautifully and incredibly delicious.
Kai created his delicious version of Farmers' Market Ratatouille with a variety of vegetables from the Hillcrest Farmers' Market, including beets, purple potatoes, zucchini, corn and string beans.
Jim and Carmen had to drive to the park in order to transport their 50 lb. enameled cast iron Le Creuset Dutch Oven full of Seafood Gumbo, featuring okra, bell peppers, shrimp, calamari and crab legs. They served it over white rice with a little dash of File on top and we were good to go.
John was inspired after watching an episode of Giada's Weekend Getaways. Giada went to Santa Barbara and sampled Trattoria Grappolo's Involtini di Melanzane. John's version featured thinly sliced eggplant, which was rolled around a mixture of spaghetti, chicken, marinara and ricotta, topped with mozzarella, and baked.
I found some beautiful Dapple Dandy Pluots at the Little Italy Farmers' Market and attempted a Tarte Tatin with Creme Fraiche. Pluots are extremely juicy and the Tarte was swimming in its succulent juices. Not my best presentation of the season, but my photograph is very Georgia O'Keefe..ish, don't you think?
Brad joined us for the Saturday morning Little Italy Farmers' Market, but ultimately made a mad dash for Farmers' Market Albertsons in order to create his delightful platter of Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Cherries and Apples.
Sparks visited Farmers' Market a la Tartine for her Chocolate Mousse Cake, a velvety chocolate mousse on a thin layer of chocolate cake, finished with ganache, and adorned with gold dusted berries. After all those fresh fruits and vegetables, it's mandatory to balance the meal with some heavenly chocolate!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Battle Melon - August 24, 2008
At some point during the evening, Mary Ann said "I can't hear the music, the food is so good..."
What was once a casual Sunday evening in the park, with a bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers, has blossomed into a full blown production and second job! With all the planning, shopping, cooking, packing, toting, setting up, plating, photographing, eating, drinking, packing up, hauling back home, dishes, more dishes, watching Iron Chef America, editing photos, writing the recap, and then starting all over again. Our tarp runneth over! Can I just give up "the law" and do this full time?
Who created this monster? Oh, that would be us!
Seriously, we are having a blast!
What appeared to be a challenging ingredient, melon, surprised and delighted the taste buds.
We learned Vodka and Midori complement each other quite nicely, melon balls float very attractively in a pitcher of Thornton Melon-Ball, Melon Granita with a splash of Midori, and Vodka makes for a very refreshing Summer cocktail (Vodka-Honeydew Bellinis win the Gold over those traditional Champagne ones), and Watermelon soaked in Watermelon Schnapps will knock your socks off!
In addition to the vast array of liquid refreshments, our Chefs presented wonderful appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts.
Our Battle Melon Menu:
- Jack & Sandra's Vodka, Honeydew Melon & Ginger Ale Bellini
- Dean's Thornton Melon-Ball, inspired by the classic cocktail, The Melon Ball, and the classic 1986 Rodney Dangerfield movie, Back to School
- Melinda's Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Salad
- Melinda's Blue Cheese & Kalamata Olive Bread
- Pam's Watermelon, Feta Cheese, Grape and Mint Salad
- Kai's Watermelon Ceviche with Shrimp, Scallops & Mahi Mahi
- John's Spice Rubbed Prawns, wrapped in Pancetta & Honeydew Sour Melon Sauce, inspired by Doc's Signature Trio, Doc's Restaurant, Orlando, FL
- Rick & Victoria's Grilled Midori-Marinated Chicken & Melon Salsa
- Denise's Cantaloupe, Brie & Prosciuitto Crepes
- Brad's White Chocolate Tart Shells filled with Watermelon-Schnapps Mousse, sitting atop Drunken Watermelon Cut-Outs
- Carmen's Luscious Watermelon Puree Reduction over Vanilla Ice Cream
- John's Honeydew Melon-Midori Granita Shots
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Battle Puff Pastry - August 17, 2008
The Coronado 2008 Summer Concert In the Park Season is winding down, with only FOUR remaining Concerts/Coronado Iron Chef Battles...what will we do when it's all over??
Battle Puff Pastry was another great Battle. We apologize for arriving a little late with the tables, but the 461 Palm Avenue Kitchen Stadium was a bit hectic with only one oven and three Puff Pastry entries for the competition!
The crowd was hungry and waiting, with plates in hand, and the Chefs' creations disappeared quickly! As a result, I was a bit negligent in my photo journalism duties. I tried to photograph all the dishes, but failed to fully note all the names and ingredients. I also elected to remain firmly planted in my chair throughout the evening, with my glass of wine in one hand and too many calories to count on my plate in the other hand, and did not come home with any photos of our Chefs and guests! My apologies.
However, as you can see from the few photos attached, all the dishes were spectacular and included the following:
- Kai's Short Ribs Wellington
- John's Chicken and Black Bean Empanadas with Chile con queso
- Pam's Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Kalamata Olive Tart
- Carmen's Choux Cheese Pastry Puff, Avocado and Bacon-Wrapped Meatball Sliders
- Denise's Baked Angel Hair, Eggplant, Turkey Sausage, Marinara & Mozzarella Pie
- Madeleine's Strawberry Smootie Angelfood Cake
- John's Almond Joy Surprise
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Battle Curry - August 10, 2008
We all came to the park and got curried away, and then we all curried home and got lucky! According to Pammy's research, Thai green curry could be the secret to a better sex life. It's packed full of aphrodisiac ingredients, including spices such as cardamom, ginseng, garlic and ginger, and ingredients including basil, lemongrass and asparagus, and all widely believed to enhance sex drive and libido.
- Pam's Chiang Mai Chicken Curry
- Kai's Spinach & Chickpea Curry with homemade Naan
- Dean's Curried Shrimp & Chicken
- Brad's Curry Rubbed BBQ Chicken Skewers
- Carmen's Stand Away from the Curry Chicken Salad
- Sandra's Curried Deviled Eggs
- Kristin's Curry Pasta Salad
- Denise's Curry Marinated Mussels on the Half Shell
- Denise's Endive, Stilton, Curry & Pear Tart
- John's Chocolate Curry Cupcakes with Lemongrass-Infused Coconut Buttercream Frosting
If your libido didn't kick in, certainly you indulged all of your 'other' senses with the Secret Ingredient of the night. A feast for the eyes. Beautiful platters and bowls overflowing with delicious food - even the woman in the group next to us commented we should be on the cover of Gourmet magazine; the sound of great music by Sue Palmer, Queen of Boogie Woogie and Motel Swing, and engaging conversation between good friends and family; the taste of curry in all the dishes, subtle in some, spicy in others, tempting your tastebuds and inspiring your palate, all unique and wonderful; the aroma of curry drifting ever so teasingly throughout the park and under the noses of those less fortunate; and the smiles generated by touching and playing with the food...smearing Lemongrass-Infused frosting on your face (Olivia) or, better yet, poking holes in the Curried Deviled Eggs (Max)!
Thank you for another great evening...
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Battle Bobby Flay - August 3, 2008
We all came to Spreckles Park and got FLAYED! Battle Bobby Flay was another successful event in our 2008 Summer, Coronado Concert in the Park/Iron Chef, lineup. Bobby's signature dishes, prepared by our talented chefs, were exceptional, marvelous, fantastic, tremendous and phenomenal!
Jim and Carmen commenced the festivities with a delicious Ham & Mushroom Pâté, surrounded by squares of Stephanie March's Jalapeno Cheese Grits. Actress Stephanie March, Bobby Flay's wife, apparently makes these special Grits for Bobby's birthday.
Susan shared a gourmet selection of spreads and dips and pita chips from Whole Foods.
Pam presented Sophie's Chopped Salad, named after Bobby's daughter. The salad has romaine lettuce, chick peas, red beans, cucumber, tomatoes, cubes of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, and a few crispy tortilla chips, all tossed with a tasty Balsamic, Dijon and olive oil vinaigrette. Another clear keeper.
Kerry made Chicken Curry Salad with the curry she brought back from last year's trip to London and South Africa. Feel free to do a repeat of this dish for Sunday's Battle Curry!
Kai showcased Bobby Flay's Red Beef Chili. Talk about layers of flavor...sweetness, spiciness, and heat! This chili features cubes of beef, dark beer, semi-sweet chocolate, and a combination of at least 10 different chili peppers and chile powders. Kai's version also includes beans and extra garlic and definitely needs to make an appearance at the Coronado Chili Cook-Off! After the concert, John absconded with some Chili and a handful of the Cheese Grits and we enjoyed a delicious Monday night dinner!
Jack & Sandra dazzled us with Bobby Flay's Pressed Cuban-Style Burgers, made with ground chuck, mayo, Dijon, roasted garlic, smoked ham, Swiss cheese and dill pickles. After grilling the patty and assembling the burger, it's wrapped in foil and cooked in a hot skillet with a heavy skillet placed on top to press the sandwich until golden brown and the cheese has melted. Very nice flavors.
Denise prepared a version of Bobby Flay's Coffee-Rubbed Filet Mignon, using Tri Tip instead. The rub contains a couple different chile powders, ground espresso, paprika, brown sugar and some other spices. The Tri Tip paired nicely with Bobby's Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad, which derives its kick from chipotle chile puree and cayenne.
Madeleine came through again with another fantastic dessert, Madeleine's Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. Luckily, I was able to snap a photo before Madeleine and her friends devoured the cake in a single swoop.
Not to worry, we still had Keiser's Robert Redford Dessert aka White Trailer Trash and...
Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Apple Caramel Sauce, courtesy of John. For two days, he cooked pumpkin bread, pumpkin custard, apple caramel sauce and vanilla custard....and for two days we cleaned the kitchen! It was worth the mess and the wait. Once again, I'm starting that diet...tomorrow.
For the finale, Brad unveiled his collapsible, folding, three-compartment ice chest...one compartment for the chilled flutes, one compartment for the Champagne and one compartment for the container of Bobby Flay's Grand Champagne Cocktail mixture. The cocktail is made by pouring a blended mixture of Grand Marnier, honey and fresh strawberries into the bottom of chilled flutes and then filling the rest of the flute with Champagne. Brad was flaying at the mouth the entire time, claiming to be the only "True Iron Chef" because he is able to spend under an hour in the kitchen each Sunday. I did check the Grand Champagne Cocktail recipe, which states: " Difficulty: Easy; Prep Time: 10 minutes." Good for you, but we won't ask how long it took to go to every store in town looking for that 'great' deal on that food processor!
By the way, we've missed some of our chefs of late...what's up? Can't take the heat of Kitchen Stadium??? We hope to see the following chefs very soon: Todd & Kate, Brent & Lenore, Joe & Karen, Mike and Vicki, Zesty, Mike & Ruth Ann and Jim & Melinda. Dean was in Tucson last week and we're sure he'll be back this week with a fabulous dish. Welcome home to Peter & Julie! Please join us! We also hope to see Mary & Geoff, Rob Leach & family, Mike Singley, QM2, Dr. Speir and his wife, Stacy & Dick, Chris, Scott & Sara, MOM, and any other new friends/chefs anyone wishes to invite before the season ends!
Curry up Brad, the clock is ticking.
Denise & John
*In a very brief moment of brilliance, Brad coined the phrases, "We all came to the park and got flayed" and "Curry up."