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Okay, I would just like to say a few things. First, for all of you out there who lent a supportive ear, I thank you. For those who suggested I drop all contact with Blackwing, he was actually banned from my Live Journal, blocked from my IM contacts, and blocked from my e-mail before I made that post. Of course that didn't stop him from sending me one more nasty e-mail, from a different account, just because he felt he had to get a last word in… That's fine. I can block that one too.
It just… REALLY blows my mind how someone can be THAT vicious, hateful, venomous, and spiteful… and irrational to the point where any kind of logical communication just doesn't get through at all. :/ If this were just some stranger that came out of the blue, I wouldn't have taken things quite so hard, and in fact would have just completely ignored it.
But the people who read my last entry who thought that this was just a knee-jerk reaction to some frivolous BS, just to gain attention, would benefit to realize that I've been dealing with Blacky for QUITE a while. To the point where I did in fact go out of my way a couple of times to fix things between he and I, because I do not like unnecessary conflict. It really just shocked, and hurt me to find out that, even after I thought that things were fine and calm between us, they were apparently not, and that escalated into the stupid drama of that last night's entry.
Now, I would also like to just point out a few things about why I make posts to my Live Journal. For starters, my journal is not used in the means of necessarily starting drama. It is simply a vessel in which I use to communicate my thoughts and feelings. I write about happy times here. I write about sad moments in my life. And I also write about things that frustrate me, things that make me angry, because it helps me get all of the negative feelings out of my system so that I can move on.
That last journal entry was also to make a very blatant point. I did use Blackwing as an example of the types of people I occasionally have to deal with. I felt it was important to show people what NOT to be like! O.o And anyone who hasn't been "warned" about people like him may now be better able to pinpoint the signs, and know how to avoid them.
Also, for the couple of comments saying that I should put more personal entries like this as a Friends Only post… Everything I write about in my journal is welcome to public view, even if it's not really meant to be for public hearing. I've never had to restrict anything to Friends Only, and I hope that I never have to. What I say is what I honestly think and feel, and I am not afraid to voice my opinions or concerns about any topic.
Do I care if Blackwing saw that last post? No. Why? Because I made the point I needed to make, and I don't regret it. I should not have to feel ashamed for anything I write about in my own journal. I'm not afraid of other people seeing what it is I have to say, and I have no reason to want to hide what's on my mind from people who may not agree with me.
Do I do it for attention? No. Do I do it just to have a bunch of my friends post comments agreeing to my every opinion so that it can inflate my super ego and make me feel better about myself? HELL no. O.o I'm not a fucking celebrity. I don't think I'm some huge important person in this Fandom, just because I happen to be an artist, too. And I don't surround myself with other "popular" people, just so that I can feel like I'm some kind of superior.
I have the friends that I have because I like the people that they are. They're caring, generous, reliable, trustworthy people. They have feelings, and opinions just as everyone else does. They have their good times and bad times that I'm happy to be a part of, just as they're happy to be a part of mine. I don't care about labels, and I don't care about popularity. I show everyone the same amount of respect that they show me.
No, I can't be everyone's friend, but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the friendly people who come and go in my life. And sure, I'd love to be around more for the close friends that I do have, and I regret that I'm not always able to be. But it doesn't mean that I don't care, and it doesn't mean that I'm heartlessly ignoring people because I don't have time for them personally; I just don't always have the time in general. :/
I have a lot going on in my life, and I am VERY grateful to those who understand that and who don't hold it against me. You have no idea how happy you, my friends, make me. And I thank you all for your love and support!
…On a totally different note… this salad tastes REALLY bad, and I have NO idea why I'm still eating it! X.x Blah! *goes off to get coffee*


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Related Posts
Holiday Gift Ideas for Wine Lovers in San Francisco
A lot of us are trying to simplify; we don't need any more stuff. Happily, more and more people are gifting experiences instead, adventures that will take your gift recipient's passion to the next level.
For wine lovers on your list who want more than they can get from a tasting at a local bottle shop, San Francisco Wine School offers three types of gift-able classes:
- Innovative online programs in the School's virtual classroom – easy to give, and receive
- On-site workshops just an hour from Napa and Sonoma Wine Country – perfect to pair with San Francisco or Wine Country travel
- Exciting three-day intensives in wine-loving locales around the US – a new location each time; next stops Las Vega, Napa Valley and New York
Below are three creative gift suggestions for wine lovers, including Blind Wine Tasting Basics, Wine Deep-Dives, and CWAS, the only serious wine program focused on California wine.
San Francisco Wine School founder and educator David Glancy is one of only a dozen people in the world to hold both the revered Master Sommelier diploma and a Certified Wine Educator credential, and he was personally responsible for educating 1 in 10 of the world's Certified Sommeliers. David is a visionary for wine education that matters, making sense of the entire world of wine in a delicious and accessible way.
Blindfolds not included
Blind Wine Tasting Basics gives the gift of confidence that will put anyone at the top of his or her game. Learn about the physiology of taste and how to evaluate acidity, tannin, residual sugar, and other structural elements of wine while building your wine description vocabulary. Ready for more? Advanced Blind Tasting students hone their tasting skills and learn how to thoroughly and quickly describe and identify wines, all blind. This is a professional-caliber learning experience but intense fun for enthusiasts who like a challenge. Either adds another dimension to a visit to San Francisco. $125
Stuff a deep-dive gift certificate into every stocking
Want to give (or receive?) a "deep dive" into a single wine region, while visiting The City by the Bay? San Francisco Wine School invites sampling – give any three-hour workshop that is part of a longer wine program, which allows wine lovers to immerse themselves in an elite wine experience without committing to an entire series. For those crazy for California on your list, consider "Napa Valley Rocks," "Santa Barbara & Beyond," or six others. French wine fanatics can choose from 11 renowned wine regions, like Côte d'Or, Bordeaux, Southern France and Champagne; world travelers have their pick of three hours in Italy, Spain and more. Got a wine science geek on your list? "Tasting, Chemistry and Flaws" is for them. $125
Get set to be the wine-savviest person on your block
CWAS—the only serious wine program focused on California wine, is available in two easy-to-gift formats: a nine-week Online Program that can be completed by anyone with web access and a wine glass, and a 3-Day Traveling Intensive that takes place in a new wine-loving location each quarter (upcoming Intensives: Las Vegas, New York, and Napa Valley).$995-$1450
Learn more at http://sanfranciscowineschool.com/gift-a-class.

subset: commoncrawl


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| 8.5°C Belfast
We are getting down to the wire now. The good news for the Premier League is that bar Portsmouth's impending relegation everything else is open to debate, including the race to be crowned Premier League champions.
Sports Editor Steven Beacom gives his verdict on all the top flight games in what could be a crucial week with Paddy Power providing the odds.
All games kick off on Saturday at 3pm unless stated.
ARSENAL v WEST HAM (Saturday 5.30pm)
Whenever this fixture comes up I always think about the 1980 FA Cup final between the teams. Those of you over the age of 35 will probably remember it. Trevor Brooking scored a header to win the game 1-0. It was the only time in his life that Brooking headed a ball and it won a Cup final. The bloke was blessed. Every game left this season is a Cup final for West Ham in their relegation battle, but it won't be the same result tomorrow night as it was at Wembley three decades ago. Arsenal to win and keep up their title chase.
Beacom Prediction: 3-1
PADDY POWER ODDS: Arsenal 1/5 Draw 5/1 West Ham 14/1
ASTON VILLA v WOLVES (Saturday 12.45pm)
It wasn't noticed too much because on the same night Jose Mourinho was knocking Chelsea out of the Champions League, but Aston Villa's 2-1 victory at Wigan was massive. They may have a lot of games to play, but if Martin O'Neill can keep them going, they have a real chance of finishing fourth and earning the Champions League place. If Wolves stay up they will feel like European Cup winners, however, they won't get any points here.
Beacom Prediction: 3-1
PADDY POWER ODDS: Villa 2/5 Draw 10/3 Wolves 15/2
EVERTON v BOLTON
Owen Coyle is doing a fine job at Bolton and looks likely to keep them in the Premier League. Everton, though, will prove too strong at Goodison as they fight to finish above Birmingham in the compelling battle for eighth place!
Beacom Prediction: 2-1
PADDY POWER ODDS: Everton 8/15 Draw 14/5 Bolton 11/2
PORTSMOUTH v HULL
As much as I am pleased to see my old mate Iain Dowie back in the Premier League, I have to say I did feel that Phil Brown was a bit unlucky to lose his job as Hull boss. There is a cocky streak to Brown — he probably got that from working with Sam Allardyce at Bolton — but I have enjoyed his antics over the last couple of years, be it hammering his under performing players on the pitch at half-time or singing to all and sundry after his team survived relegation. You'll be missed Phil, by me at any rate. As for big Iain, he'll do a grand job at Hull and with his enthusiasm the Tigers might just stay up, though I reckon they will have to settle for a point at Pompey, who of course are all but down.
Beacom Prediction: 1-1
PADDY POWER ODDS: Pompey 11/10 Draw 23/10 Hull 5/2
STOKE v TOTTENHAM
Stoke will be up for this, thinking that the fancy dans from London are there for the taking. Don't see it that way myself. Hard-fought draw.
Beacom Prediction: 2-2
PADDY POWER ODDS: Stoke 5/2 Draw 23/10 Spurs 11/10
SUNDERLAND v BIRMINGHAM
Steve Bruce against his former club who have punched above their weight all season. Birmingham have impressed me this season, but Sunderland, at home, might just see them off, safeguarding their Premier League status in the process.
Beacom Prediction: 2-1
PADDY POWER ODDS: Sunderland 6/5 Draw 9/4 Birmingham 23/10
WIGAN v BURNLEY
A good old relegation six pointer. Both try and play decent football, but I'm pretty sure one of them is going down. Probably Burnley.
Beacom Prediction: 3-2
PADDY POWER ODDS: Wigan 4/5 Draw 12/5 Burnley 15/4
BLACKBURN v CHELSEA (Sunday 4pm)
This is a massive encounter for Chelsea. They were totally outplayed by Inter Milan in midweek. The Italian side, with no Italians, got under the skin of Chelsea's players especially Didier Drogba, who got himself sent off. He'll be a key figure for Carlo Ancelotti in another physical encounter at Ewood Park. Having seen Inter rough them up, Sam Allardyce will tell his side to do exactly the same on Sunday. I will be surprised if Chelsea don't cope this time.
Beacom Prediction: 1-2
PADDY POWER ODDS: Blackburn 7/1 Draw 3/1 Chelsea 4/9
FULHAM v MAN CITY (Sunday 3pm)
You have to love Fulham, what a brilliant display against Juventus. However it might just catch up with them on Sunday against City.
Beacom Prediction: 1-3
PADDY POWER ODDS: Fulham 15/8 Draw 21/10 City 6/5
MAN UNITED v LIVERPOOL (Sunday 1.30pm)
Despite Liverpool's failings this season, this fixture remains the biggest in England. Just ask Sir Alex Ferguson. There's nothing quite like watching these two giants go head to head.
When Liverpool were winning everything in sight back in the 80s, United used to beat them. Now it is the other way round.
In fact Rafa Benitez's side have won the last THREE fixtures between the teams. Aggregate score a whopping 8-2 to the Anfield outfit.
The last time Liverpool visited Old Trafford they won 4-1 in an astonishing display in which Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard ran riot. United worry about those two, especially the Spaniard who seems to frighten the life out of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, bizarrely sent off in the last three meetings.
I have a feeling though that come Sunday it will be the Liverpool defence under pressure. United will feel they owe their fans a victory over their bitter rivals and March 21, 2010 may finally be the day when Wayne Rooney delivers big time against Liverpool.
Forget the World Cup, 'Once a Blue, always a Blue' Rooney's real dream is to score a hat-trick against the Reds. He's in the form to do it — or at the very least to be the matchwinner.
Beacom Prediction: 2-1
PADDY POWER ODDS: United 7/10 Draw 12/5 Liverpool 9/2
Belfast Telegraph


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House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Meeting Day: Daily Time: 3:30 pm Location: 346-S
Bills, Resolutions and Appointments
2020. Powered by KLISS. Rendered: 2020-10-28T03:36:31. Head Rev No: 634174
|Sponsored Bills
|SB36 - House Substitute for SB 36 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources-Creating the local conservation lending program.
|SB64 - House Substitute for SB 64 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources - Limiting powers of rural water districts.
|SB125 - House Substitute for SB 125 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources - Amending the Kansas pet animal act.
|SB227 - House Substitute for SB 227 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources - Enacting the contaminated property redevelopment act.
|SB337 - House Substitute for SB 337 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources – Water; creating a penalty for failure to report annual water use; division of water resources, groundwater management, chief engineer.
|HB2029 - Identification of domesticated deer.
|HB2030 - Amendments to the Kansas pet animal act.
|HB2059 - Authorizing chief engineer to allow augmentation to secure water.
|HB2060 - Authorizing the governor to enter into the great plains interstate fire compact.
|HB2061 - Amending the powers and duties of the Kansas department of agriculture division of conservation and the state conservation commission.
|HB2063 - Amending the definition of project in the public water supply project loan program.
|HB2069 - Allowing carryover and a change application for place of use for multi-year flex accounts.
|HB2116 - Making the channel cat fish the official fish of the state of Kansas.
|HB2117 - Requiring the completion of a boater safety education course.
|HB2156 - Public water supply storage; interest rate change.
|HB2227 - Creating water conservation areas.
|HB2231 - Licensing of oil and gas well operators and extension of the abandoned oil and gas well fund.
|HB2278 - Removing reference to the association of official analytical chemists in agricultural liming materials provisions.
|HB2279 - Amending the administrative hearing process for the department of agriculture.
|HB2322 - Kansas expanded lottery act and racetrack gaming amendments; Kansas agricultural opportunity act.
|HB2329 - Creating a program to research the use of industrial hemp.
|HB2341 - Prioritizing options for disposal of seized wildlife.
|HB2351 - Allowing conservation districts to sponsor local enhanced management areas.
|HB2479 - Amendments to the Kansas noxious weed law.
|HB2480 - Amendments to livestock brand law.
|HB2481 - Clarifying approval of a change application for place of use for mutli-year flex accounts.
|HB2490 - Allowing the secretary of the Kansas department of agriculture to contain chemical toxins and other plant pests for the protection of the public health; updating provisions relating to weights and measures.
|HB2491 - Creating a penalty for failure to report annual water use.
|HB2492 - Establishing the Kansas conservation reserve enhancement program.
|HB2523 - Requiring veterinary premises to provide written notice when animal supervision is not provided outside normal business hours.
|HB2554 - Amending the Kansas pet animal act.
|HB2606 - Creating an equine dentistry license.
|HB2689 - Requiring debt collection calls to be discontinued if the person being called provides evidence of mistaken identity.


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Coaching panel for the girls' youth league 2017/18
We are pleased to announce the coaching staff that will lead our teams next year.
|Technical Director
|Deyaco Kamboozia
|B Licence
|Graham Laws
|C Licence
|Andrew Garingalao
|C Licence
|Talip Karakoc`
|C Licence
Come along this Sunday and compete to be a part of Parramatta FC.
See below advertisements for trial information


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Image by Pooja Dhingra @le15patisserie
Image by Bunty Mahajan @delcakes.in
Image by Sanjana Patel @Chefsanjana
Image by Shaheen Peerbhai @purplefoodie
#QueMagazine is about real people, real stories. It is the digital destination to discover everything from style ideas to popular culture and good living (think travel, food, books, and health & fitness) as well as 'personal' technology. We talk about the stuff that matters to the GenYer and the Millennial, as well as every Yuccie in between.
Tata CLiQ: Online shopping in India at the most trusted destination
Shop online whenever you want to - yes, that 24x7 experience is so convenient now, isn't it - and get genuine products delivered to your doorstep from your favourite brands. Our clean, immersive design allows for easy navigation across categories and brand stores so you can find the best products. Choose from wide range of categories like electronics, mobile phones, footwear, men's & women clothing online and get authentic products at economical prices. You can also download our app for Android or iOS on your device and indulge in a seamless shopping experience.


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Yet another death knell for the UK's high street as HMV, the music retailer and DVD chain, announces it is to appoint an administrator, which could mean the loss of 4,350 jobs. Deloitte announced that 239 stores will remain open in the UK and the republic of Ireland. While the company surveys its position and looks for a potential buyer.
HMV said in a statement that trading in shares has been suspended and that they won't be accepting gift vouchers or issuing any more.
This is sad news for the company that started in 1921 and follows the closure of camera retailer Jessops and electrical goods retailer Comet. All three, falling victim to the rise of on line retailing.
I am Ann salter thanks for watching. Stay tuned for the lastet news on this story with us at ibtimes.co.uk
Written and presented by Ann Salter


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Job Description
An established technology MNC who is one the leading player in the industry is looking for an experienced HR Manager/Business Partner to join their team in Singapore.
- Team management role
- Regional learning experience
- Stakeholders engagement
Reporting to the Head of HR for APAC, you will be partnering with the business group and providing advisory to business manager in regards to HR matters. You will serve as an internal HR consultant to leadership team on business unit restructure, talent acquisition & retention, manpower planning & budgeting, engagement, performance management, policies & procedures and employee relations. You will be leading the HR team to support the business growth in the most effective and efficient way.
The role would suit someone who enjoys working within an international and organised environment, appreciates the value of engaging with senior stakeholders, and comfortable speaking to different client groups. You would need to have a sense of responsibility, high integrity, initiative, and capability of being able to pre-empt situations before they arise.
You must have -
- Minimum 8 years of experience in full spectrum of HR with at least 3 years of management experience in an MNC environment
- At least 4 years tenure in each job
- Ability and confidence to face off senior leaders
- A self-starter, driven and able to work in a quick pace environment with a high level of results orientation
For further details please contact Jiemin Xu now +65 6493 1873 or send your details on firstname.lastname@example.com quoting reference - JX/12395.
EA Licence No:14C6917
Registration No: R1549091
Personal data collected will be used for recruitment purposes only.
By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data to Elliott Scott HR Recruitment Pte Ltd. and all relevant third parties for the purpose of processing your application for this job position. You understand and acknowledge that your personal data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy https://www.elliottscotthr.com/privacy-policy


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Motivational speech by motivational legend Zig Ziglar. He reportedly gets paid around $100k and above for one day's speech. There's a reason, he brings tremendous value. Here's a segment of Zig on setting goals. Enjoy!
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3
Here's a video of Zig talking about attitude
Return from Zig Ziglar to Motivational Speeches.


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Watch this video as a guy risks getting pecked to death just to save a trapped animal, proof that faith in mankind is not too late to be restored.
Swans are normally protective about their babies. They will risk their lives just so no one touches their cygnets, and by that I mean that they really don't want anyone ever touching their little swans. They will peck the bastard who wants to meddle with their family to death and would not think twice about it.
This man, however, risked getting pecked by a swan, just to save a little cygnet trapped between a wired fence. He tries everything, even if the mother swan resorted to attacking him, just so the baby swan would be out of such miserable condition. The man got a an arm bruise but other than that, you will see the look on his face knowing that he saved a life.
This video will restore your faith on mankind. That even in this world where animal cruelty and indifference for nature is prevalent, some good guys come out and stand up for what is truly just!
Let's give this man a hats-off as we try to do what he did: risk getting hurt, just so others will not be. You're a true hero, sir.
Did you like what you saw in this video? What did you feel about it? We have a mood meter below for you to let us know what you feel about this story.
Also, if you felt that this article is worth sharing, please choose from the buttons below and let your friends see this too.
There is also a comment section below, just in case you have a comment to share, a criticism to raise or maybe just say something to us. Thank you!
Source: Reddit


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Friday 25 January
|Papasula (1)
Abbott's booby is a large slender-bodied, black-and-white seabird. The head, neck and underparts are white whilst the black upperwing has white flecking and a narrow white leading edge (4). The white lower back and rump are blotched with black and the pointed tail is also black (5). In juveniles the wing and tail are brown in colour (2). In males the bill is a vivid blue-grey, tipped with black (5), whereas in the female it is pink and also tipped with black (5). Both sexes have deep grey legs and feet (4).
Abbott's booby pairs stay together through successive seasons and nest colonially between April and October (5). A single egg is laid into a nest constructed from leafy twigs and both parents take it in turns to incubate the egg during the 56 day period; much longer than for other members of this family (6). Breeding occurs from about eight years of age and life expectancy may be up to 40 years (4). Breeding success averages around 30 percent and one pair will rear roughly two offspring every 9.5 years (5).
These seabirds feed on fish and squid (4), presumably by plunge diving (5). Adults return to feed their young in the late afternoon and early evening (5), and it is likely that Abbott's boobies rely on cold upwellings near to Christmas Island where there is a seasonal abundance of food (6).
Believed to be previously widespread in the Indian Ocean, although breeding is restricted to Christmas Island. Long absences from the island suggest that foraging may occur far from this area and sightings have recently been reported off Java and northwest Australia (5).
Foraging occurs in the waters of the Indian Ocean, whilst breeding is in rainforest on the plateau and higher terraces of Christmas Island (5). Nests are constructed in tall, emergent rainforest trees (6), especially those with access from the northwest into the prevailing wind (5). Trees preferentially have an open canopy and interwoven terminal growth, which helps to support juveniles (5).
Phosphate mining on Christmas Island in the 1960s and 70s caused the destruction of a third of Abbott's booby nesting habitat and has led to the subsequent deterioration of the remaining forest (4). Birds are strongly attached to nest sites, and clearings are more exposed to wind turbulence, which has a detrimental effect on breeding success and causes higher adult mortality (6). Recent development proposals for the island have again raised concern over the viability of remaining breeding habitat (5).
The majority of Abbott's booby nest sites occur within the Christmas Island National Park, which was established in 1980 and covers 63 percent of the island (6). Nest site locations are monitored and the regeneration of previously cleared forest has occurred on much of the island (5). Although mining was resumed in 1990, it only involved the reworking of previously mined areas (6). The continued preservation, and ban on clearing, of the unique Christmas Island rainforest will be the key to the future viability of the Abbott's booby population (5).
For further information on the Abbott's booby see:
Authenticated (21/10/02) by Max Orchard, Environment Australia.
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As with the majority of Spanish cooking, simplicity is king and the recipes I will share with you are incredibly simple and their success will depend entirely on the quality of the ingredients. This dish is a classic Spanish tapas which is bursting with flavour and especially popular during the Christmas period when seafood is always on the menu.
You will need for this dish, a good quality extra virgin olive oil, as it is a main ingredient and any old olive oil will definitely not give the same result. The best variety for this dish is a Picual or an Hojiblanca as they are high in antioxidants and resist the high temperatures better, they also make a wonderful contrast in flavour with the sweetness of the prawns (about 75ml). Additionally you will also need 10 prawns or langoustines, I suggest medium sized king prawns, as the smaller prawns or shrimps will reduce in size considerable when cooked and not make for a very appetising bite! They must be raw prawns, preferable fresh, but frozen will work too although the end result is noticeable. If you are looking for a special touch make sure they are fresh. The peeled langoustines should be left to marinade for a couple of hours in a little white wine (medium dry). Next you will need 4 cloves of fresh garlic, two whole red dried chillies, salt and paprika and a sliced baguette for dipping. This will serve two people as a starter.
Start by peeling the 10 langoustines/king prawns and clean them, if you want you can butterfly them by slicing a little groove along the back of the prawn, this will help you get everything out and make the presentation look so much better. Put the langoustine heads to one side, we'll need them later. Cut up the cloves of garlic into slices, do not dice them or crush them and slice up the chillies as well in the same manner, we don't want the chillies crushed for this dish. Do not prepare the dish until you are ready to sit down and eat them, this dish must be served immediately and piping hot, sizzling. Any other way is just not the same! So once you are ready, put the olive oil in a small pan or clay-cooking dish, as they use in Spain, along with the langoustine heads and two table spoons of the white wine used for the marinade and start to heat up the oil. As the oil is heating up squeeze down on the heads of the langoustines with a fork so that they release all of their juice and cook them for a couple of minutes on high heat. Once they are slightly browned remove them from the oil and put in all the garlic and the chillies and then a few seconds later pop in the raw langoustines, as soon as the langoustines are turning pink remove them from the heat, sprinkle some paprika over them, season with a little salt, a little diced parsley and let them sit for 1 minute and then serve immediately while they are still piping hot. Enjoy, they are an absolute delight and don't forget to dip your bread in the richly flavoured olive oil!
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - How to recognise an authentic extra virgin olive oil - Part 3
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - Olive Oil Tasting - Part 4
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - True Virginity - Part 5
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - The perfect Crime Scene - Part 6
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - Harvesting Olives - Part 7
Go to article: Can I fry with Oilve Oil?
Go to article: Spanish Cured Ham-What you need to know
Go to article: Red Tuna Tartare with Avocado
Year after year the story repeats itself. As every harvest is different the same topic always comes up and gets all the olive growers talking, when to pick! It is the be all and end all. If they pick too early it will affect their yield and if they pick too late it will affect organoleptic characteristics, shelf life, and colour. So depending on the market each grower is directing his oil at, there will always be an ideal time to do the harvest. The top-of-the-range olive oils have nearly all been harvested by now. Yield is not so much of a priority here, what rules in this market are organoleptic qualities: aromas and flavours. Its a time when local neighbouring farmers sneak over the fence, so to speak to see what each one is doing. A week's difference can have a large impact on the quality, and the better the quality the better the price. Finding the right balance between yield, colour, flavour can be tricky, even for the expert growers and tough risky decisions may have to me made if there is a poor weather forecast ahead. Although many don't look after their harvesting techniques as much as others, olives should not be picked during or after rain and nor should they be picked up from the ground if they are destined to be extra virgin. If it is clear that the harvest is not going to be extra virgin, not so much care will be taken in protecting the fruit. The right moment depends among other things on olive variety, temperature, sunlight, and irrigation. A hot fall can cause fruit to ripen quickly, resulting in a narrow window for optimum picking. A cool fall may result in green fruit hanging on the tree well into winter. Some farmers are forced to pick greener fruit than they want to hedge against frost damage or a big storm. Some varietals will ripen faster than others, and olives may mature later in some parts of the orchard than in others. It becomes a very nervous time as the majority of Spanish olive growers do not have any insurance so a serious storm at the wrong time could put them back years just as forest fires are a major problem all through the summer.
This makes the decision on when to pick potentially complicated. Planning is still essential to make sure the picking team and equipment is ready when needed, and the mill is ready to receive the harvest and press within a max of 18-24 hours so that the olives don't have to wait around after being harvested, running the risk of oxidation and fermentation.
Young immature olives are green and quite firm. They produce oil that can be more bitter and grassy with unique unripe and vegetative characteristics, as a generalisation but once again this depends on the variety and how well the farmer has looked after the trees throughout the year, I have tried several very young oil that were fairly sweet and not at all bitter due to the fast and controlled processing techniques. These oils tend to be higher in polyphenols (anti-oxidants) and have a more pungent flavour. As a result, they are quite bitter and have a long shelf life thanks to these natural preservatives. The chlorophyll content, generally, is also higher so the oils are often quite green, however if the milling process is fast the colour will not necessarily be that green as the chlorophyll from the skin is not passed on to the oil as much and if we talk about an Arbequina, which is a variety with a low chlorophyll content the colour will always be a more golden than green colour. It is more difficult to extract oil from unripe olives because the oil containing "vacuoles" within the cells that are not easily ruptured. The olive paste has to be blended (malaxed) for longer to break down the cells before centrifuging to separate the oil from the pulp. The yield at this stage can be anything from 12% to 18% (12 - 18 litres from every 100 kg's of olives). However this is the part of the process that takes an enormous amount of skill and knowledge, because if you malax the paste for too long, you will loose organoleptic qualities such as aromas and you can even force unwanted elements out of the skin and into the oil. There is no second chance and it can be all over in 30 minutes. Temperature is also a prime factor at this moment; high quality mills will control the temperature at this stage and keep it at around 15ºC to preserve the qualities of the oil as much as possible. Seasonally we would be saying that these olive have been harvested during October and November.
As the olive fruit matures from green to yellow-green, it starts to soften and then the skin turns purple-red in colour. The olives still have a high polyphenol content at this stage, and are starting to develop some ripe-fruity characteristics. Oils produced from fruit harvested at this stage have some bitterness and some pungency and are considered balanced. They have close to a maximum amount of oil per dry weight, so they are pretty much at maximum yield, around 20-23%. The olives at this stage are often considered to be at their peak for olive oil production, seasonally this can be from the beginning of December through to the end of January, beginning of February depending on the variety and the region.
As the fruit matures further, the skin turns from purple to black, although some varieties never turn completely black and the flesh darkens all the way to the pit. At this stage, the polyphenol and the chlorophyll contents decline and the carotenoid content increase. Therefore, oils produced from late harvest fruit tend to be much more golden in colour, less bitter, less pungent, and have a shorter shelf life. They are often described as sweet oils. The oil yield is high at around 24-28%. However during harvest, they are soft and easily damaged meaning this can quickly reduce the quality of the oil if the fruits are bruised on the way to the mill. So, growers are often interested in harvesting as late as possible to increase oil quantity. The olive tree produces and stores oil in the fruit throughout the season, but the rate of oil storage flattens and stops just before maturity due to the low light intensity and cool temperatures, providing no real gain in oil content, so it is important not to harvest after it has totally matured. Low polyphenol content varieties such as Arbequina, if they were to have a 1-month delay in the harvest it could cause as much as a 4-month loss in shelf life due to the rapidly diminishing levels of polyphenols after maturity.
So once decided the time to harvest, you might be asking, "how do they do the harvest?" well there are many different technique depending on the size of your farm and your potential income. The oldest and most traditional way is to hand-harvest, the fruit is handpicked into bags or dropped into nets around the trees then collected into a crate. Additionally combs may be used to speed up the process separating more easily the olives from the tree.
The fruit picked in this way normally shows very little damage and it is relatively free from foreign matter (soil, branches, leaves, etc.) if care is taken. This method is particularly suitable for table olives. The main limitations of this technique are the picking of the upper part of the trees and its cost of manual labour requirements. This technique is not limited to any particular tree shape. However, lower and wider canopies are best suited to hand harvesting. Hand harvest can also be complemented with long beating poles that are used to knock the olives off the tree or semi-automated machines, which are very popular among smaller groves and areas where the terrain does not allow a tractor or some other type of harvesting machine. There are two main types of hand held harvesting machines: branch shakers and combing machines. These machines greatly speed up the harvest, which is very laborious, but combing machines sometimes produce a larger proportion of damaged fruit and foreign material as they are more intrusive.
Most of the harvesting machines designed for olives during the past decades were based on shaking principles or vibration. The shaker can shake the main trunk or each main branch separately; the fruit is then unattached and falls on a net or into a collecting device, which is part of the same machine. With this technique it is important to get the power right so you do not damage the tree and do not use too high a frequency of vibration as you may only want certain olive to fall from the tree, ones that have reached certain maturity. This is undoubtedly the least intrusive system for the olive fruit as it is never touched and never touches the ground, making sure it will not pick up unwanted aromas. It is a very widespread system and for high quality olive oils this system is used as it ensures that the olives receive no bruising and remain in their original state all the way to the press. However one must be very careful not to damage the tree otherwise the following harvest may suffer.
So although at first it seems daunting to get all the olives off the tree, there are techniques that have made this laborious process much quicker, but none the less it is still a lot more laborious than grape collecting and hence the cost of olive oil. One also needs to take into consideration the landmass that must be covered, approximately 6 million acres, over three times the area dedicated to vineyards in France. In Andalucía, in the region of Jaen the olive tree groves make up the largest man made forest in the world. Every year it is a colossal operation to get the olives to the press on time.
Other popular articles by Ian Mackay ©
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - Introduction-Part 1
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil- Olive Oil Categories-Part 2
Go to article: The perfect Crime Scene
Olive oil adulteration has been a continuous practice since the olive oil quality grades were introduced in 1985 by the International Olive Council, before then it was all just "olive oil". In Spain, quality control before this time wasn't a major priority nor was it in any part of the Mediterranean basin, as a matter of fact, but it especially came of importance when Spain entered the European Union in 1986. Prior to entering the European Union any surplus harvest that needed to be intervened was purchased by the Government at the going rate for olive oil and on entering the EU, Europe said, "We will pay the going rate as well, but the rate according to quality" and from that point on honest producers started to look after quality but it also opened the door for fraudsters to make fortunes adulterating olive oil and passing it off as Extra Virgin.
Why is Olive Oil the perfect crime scene? Well it's perfect for the crook and the crime scene investigators! Olives once they have fallen from the tree are instant sponges, they soak up everything instantly, and I mean everything. If the soil was damp and wet or muddy when the olives fell to the ground this will be passed on to the oil, if the olives are stacked for a while and start to oxidise this taste will pass on to the oil, if the there is also damp on the floor or in the air, this smell will be passed on to the oil, if they are stored in wooden boxes the taste of wood will be passed on to the oil, if the olive was hit by a cold front while on the tree it will effect the taste as well, if the tree was attacked by the olive fly it will adopt a different taste, if it wasn't decanted properly it will leave a trace, if it was milled at too high a temperature it will leave its mark, they soak up everything carrying the evidence of errors and defects with it all the way to the bottle. Nothing escapes the olive; if you have treated it wrongly it will always tell the story in a very precise and descriptive way. It is the best informer the police could have. So it is particularly simple to know exactly what happened to your olive oil just by tasting and smelling it and evaluating the evidence. Every wrong act has its own distinct smell even if it occurred before pressing. Once pressed it will still keep on soaking up aromas and tastes, there is no stopping it, it devours any bad smell or the slightest fermentation, even dirty tanks and the taste of metal. Olive oil is relentless in collecting evidence. So why is it so "perfect" for the crook?
It is perfect for the crook because some evidence can be covered up in pretty efficient way. Olive oil that is normally full of defects, chemical or organoleptic, is refined chemically or physically at a temperature of around 200-250ºC, this process neutralises the oil but also changes the chemical compound of the oil leaving clear evidence behind that it has been refined. However if one has an olive oil that is chemically ok but has many organoleptic defects, (except defects derived from fermentation) this can be "deodorised", cleaning the crime scene of all evidence. This would be considered a "professional job". So how on earth do you deodorise olive oil? In the industry it is referred to as cold refining and what it entails is forcing an inert gas in vapour form through the oil at a temperature of around 80-100ºC. It is not hot enough to alter the chemical structure of the oil, so it leaves no trace and the vapour works as a magnet for all organoleptic properties. So every smell; good or bad and every taste; good or bad will be carried out of the oil with the vapour, leaving it neutral. What are referred to as "the volatiles" are completely whitewashed leaving an almost perfect crime scene. The crooks now have a chemically perfect extra virgin olive oil, which is just missing a bit of flavour. Next step? Add a little bit of authentic extra virgin to the base olive oil; as little as 5% is enough for the organoleptic qualities to be appreciated in the oil, even though they may not be potent attributes, there are no defects and the positive notes are detectable. This is sufficient for it to be classified as extra virgin olive oil and suddenly the value of the liter has shot up by at least 30%. Big business, millions of euros every year! In fact it is unclear how much it is as it is totally undetectable. This is when it becomes the perfect crime scene for the crook!
So where does this leave the consumer, well buying on "trust" basically. The more you now about a brand and the more information they give you on the bottle the chances are the more authentic it will be. If you haven't read my article on "How to recognise an authentic extra virgin olive oil", take a look and improve your chances of buying the real thing!
Go to article: The World of Olive Oil - Introduction-Part 1
The financing for the project will be funded by Feder, Feder-Cohesion 2007-2013 and EAFRD.
The Council of Ministers approved on Friday 30 November a collaboration agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the State Infrastructure Agricultural Society (SEIASA), to carry out the modernisation plan for irrigation on a national scale, totaling an investment sum of 696.5 million euros.
Of this, 208.9 million will be financed by SEIASA and another 250.5 million will be financed by the European Union through EU Funds (ERDF, Cohesion 2007-2013 ERDF and EAFRD). The remaining funding will be distributed between the irrigation Communities, which will provide 206.3 million and the Autonomous Communities, with 30.8 million.
The investments planned are: Andalusia (EUR 243.6 million), Castilla and Leon (173 600 000), Aragon (75.1 million), Valencia (65.4 million euros), Murcia (52, 8 million), Extremadura (43.3 million), Catalonia (35.8 million). Castilla La-Mancha (6.5 million) and Madrid (200,000 euros). In total, they plan to conduct 87 different projects in those regions, which include 27 in Andalusia, Valencia 16, Castilla y León 14 and 7 in Aragón.The efficient and rational use of water and the implementation of new technologies in irrigation, is the impulse behind the government policy to update and implant irrigation systems in Spain. As Spain is the country that uses most water in Europe and one the most in the world due to its agricultural sector, the urge to improve water resources, coupled with energy efficiency improvements, goes hand in hand with improving the competitiveness of Spanish farms, which will inevitably bring a higher productivity and lower production costs. All good news for the Olive Oil Industry.
Scientists at the University of Cordoba have discovered a way of improving the performance of Lithium-ion batteries for the automobile industry and every other as a matter of fact. So far their research has proven successful in improving the duration of the batteries by 300% by using the carbon from olive stones instead of the expensive graphite which is being used at the moment. This translates to possibly having an electrical car which would have a range of over 500km before needing to be recharged and reducing the cost of the batteries. They are also working on the speed of recharging. At the moment at least 5 hours is needed to recharge a vehicles litium battery, their target is to bring this time down to under 1 hour and it looks promising according to their recent reports. There are plans to put these batteries into production when ready and manufacture an electrical car. Both national projects, resulting in a first off for Spain: national brand of electrical cars and a lithium battery plant. As Spain is also the world's leading producer of olives its not a bad start.
There is no end to what olives can do!
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Turquoise sugar skull large hair Scrunchie
Large hair Scrunchie handmade with sugar skull printed fabric. It measures approximately 6 inches in diameter
Shipping & delivery
This item will be posted to you by Lucinda's art within 3 days of receiving payment.
|Shipping destination
|Additional items
|United Kingdom
Returns Policy
You have 14 days, from receipt, to notify the seller if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item.
Unless faulty, the following types of items are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements; items which deteriorate quickly (e.g. food), personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken.


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The larger than life actor known for his role in The Green Mile and other hit movies passed away due to complications of a heart attack he previously suffered.
His fiance, Omarosa Manigault, (known for her time on The Apprentice) released a statement with the news. He also starred in such films as Planet Of The Apes, Armageddon, and Kung Fu Panda. Another one gone too soon.


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House Rules
We are a Homestay not a Resort or a Hotel.If you are looking for a Home like stay then this is the right place for you in Murudeshwar .Being a Homestay we do not have any type of attenders/waiters or room boys.You are saved from Paying any Taxes because as a Homestay we do not collect any Taxes.We Encourage Self Service.
- Please cooperate with the hosts and general regulations
- Home Sandals can be carried to be worn inside the house.
- Un-Married Couples are not allowed.
- Please feel free to serve yourself. We encourage Self Service
- Please feel like home.
- No Drinking Heavy/Strong Alcohol in Common Dining Area,Guests Can Drink inside their respective rooms.Please Smoke in your respective Room's Balcony,No Smoking inside The Room/Lounge.
- Normal Silence should be maintained in the Homestay As a step to prevent any Disturbance to other Guests/Family.
- We have Private Parking Space for upto 5 cars .Tempo Traveller/Mini Bus Cannot Enter The Homestay Main Gate and will have To Be Parked Outside The Gate.
- Room Cleaning will be provided only on request & only If the room key is provided to us.
- Laundry Service is available on a nominal charge.
- Home Made Organic Food is served and must be ordered 3 hours Prior as we have to specially prepare it freshly for you.Please Contact The Home Stay Direct Contact Number to Place Order.
- Food will be served till 9 p.m Afterwhich Our Kitchen Closes At 9:00 PM. The Dining Area or Any Food Service Will Not Be Available after 9:30PM.
- We charge The Right Price for The Food we provide with respect to the quality and quantity of food served and is again completely free from taxes.
- Complimentary Breakfast Is Served From 9AM – 10AM.
- No Cooking Allowed for Guests inside the House.
- Veg Buffet Dinner : INR 400 PP | Non Veg Buffet Dinner : INR 500 PP
- Incase of any Balance Amount Post Booking Please do the full payment on arrival.
- We Do Not Take In Walk – In Customers, Being a Homestay we Take in Pre – Paid Bookings Only.
- Pets are strictly not allowed inside the bedroom.
- Pets can only use the Room Balcony only if the Room Maintenance Fee is paid.
- The Owner of the Pets Should Take Care Of Their Own Pets.
- Barking dogs are not allowed in the building as a sign to prevent disturbance to other guests
- If the Pets damage or spoil anything in the building the pet owner would be held sole responsible to pay for the damages etc (Ex:Bedsheets,Bed,Walls,Furnitures etc)
- Pets are not allowed in the Homestay Hall or Restaurant area.
If the guest/s cancel their reservation before 40 Days prior to Check-In, they will receive 90% of the amount paid, refunded back.
If the guest/s cancel their reservation before 30 Days prior to Check-In, they will receive 50% of the amount paid, refunded back.
If the guest/s cancel their reservation before 25 Days prior to Check-In, there will be no refund.
But, the guests will have an option to postpone their booking to any future dates, that are available to be reserved. There will be extra charge for postponing or preponing the reservation depending on the dates chosen. Once the booking is preponed or postponed, no cancellation request will be entertained thereafter.
If Your Booking Is Mentioned as a 100% Non – Refundable Booking in Your Booking Confirmation Mail / Your Booking Itinerary or On any Other Platform Then The Above Mentioned Cancellation Policy Does Not Apply and There Will Be No Refund Issued.
Bookings/Reservations Done For All Major Holidays and Festive Dates/Season and On All Peak Season Dates Will Be 100% Non-Refundable.
Guests have the option of rescheduling their booking to any date 3 months from the booking date and the same is subject to availability provided the intimation in writing reaches the company 10 days prior to the check-in date.
If the reschedule date falls in a peak season, then the difference between the original tariff will have to be paid by the guest.
The tariffs are based on seasonality.
CANCELLATION REFUND POLICY:On receiving the cancellation request via email,The refund amount if any will be processed to the particular customer within 20 days after all necessary deductions complying to our Cancellation Policy .No Refund For 100% Non Refundable Bookings.
There are loads of activities to choose from when you are here some of them are listed below:
Fishing Island & Boat trips Snorkeling/Scuba Diving
Jet Skiing Bird Watching Sunset Viewing
|Room Facilities
|Hotel Facilities
|Air-Conditioned Rooms
|Beach Front Location
|900 m Walkable Distance From Murudeshwar Temple
|Tea/Coffee Making Facility
Clean & Sanitized Rooms
|Silent & Lush Property
Badminton/ Carrom & Chess On Request.
|Complimentary Water Bottle on Arrival
|Veg/Non-Veg Separate Kitchen
|Basic Toiletries & Towels Are Provided
|Home Made & Organic Freshly Prepared Food is Served for Our In House Guests Only.


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Best Saturdays
On Saturday mornings we lace up our shoes, step out our front door and start traversing the hidden corners of our neighborhood and city. We scout out graffiti art and the best city views from dilapidated parking garages. We like to end wandering through a local arts Festival — listening to bands we don't know, admiring makers and artists, and eating waffles from food trucks.
Usually Quiet
We are both soft-spoken introverts — everywhere except our own home. People who don't know us well would be surprised to see us belting out Mumford & Sons at the top of our lungs while we're cooking quesadillas for dinner. We have a secret goofiness.
Road Trippin'
Spontaneous road trips are the best road trips! Once we decided to visit Yellowstone National Park for our anniversary, and we were there five hours later!
Serious Ice Cream Business
Our favorite local ice creamery used to see us on a weekly basis! The staff knew our orders: a Tracy's Peanut Butter Cup for Megan and a Cookie Concoction for Jeff.


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The 'Dettol-Channel i Porichchonno Bangladesh' Campaign is being launched nationwide to spread awareness regarding well-being and hygiene among the people of the country. People from all walks of life are being called to participate in the campaign which was launched on February 9, 2017.
This information was given out in a press conference held at the Hotel Westin on 09 February, 2017. Present in the conference were representatives of Channel i, representatives from Reckitt Benckiser (makers of Dettol), their partners for this campaign Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Founder of Bishwo Shahittyo Kendra, Professor Dr Maniruzzaman Bhuiyan, President of Bangladesh Private Medical Practitioners Association (BPMPA) and members from media.
A lack of hygiene and awareness about hygiene causes not only loss of productivity but also loss of lives. Dettol and Channel i have brought out this campaign with this goal of creating hygiene awareness in the minds of the people. Under this campaign, they will educate both directly and through mass media. The target is to reach at least 80 million people of the country through mass media and social media with the hygiene awareness each year. At the same time, 5 million people will be given direct education by the year 2020. Dettol Bangladesh and Channel i together have pledged to invest 100,000 man hours behind this project in the next four years. Under this campaign, an e-module both in Bangla and in English will be introduced for school goers, to educate them when they are young.
Faridur Reza Sagar, Managing Director of Channel i said, "Channel i is always vocal about the people and the country. Likewise, Dettol Bangladesh has also undertaken a campaign which will benefit the people of the country. We are very happy to be a part of such a wonderful campaign like 'Porichchonno Bangladesh'. We hope that this campaign will work as a milestone to create awareness regarding hygiene practices amongst people and will help towards creating a hygienic Bangladesh".
Syed Tanzim Rezwan, spokesperson of Dettol Bangladesh said, "Health risks is avoidable just by changing some easy daily habits and making people aware about keeping the environment clean. Dettol Bangladesh has been working from its inception to create such an aware Bangladesh. As a part of that vision, we have launched the 'Porichchonno Bangladesh' campaign, so we can contribute towards building a healthier Bangladesh in the future. We are expecting participation of citizens from all walks of life in this campaign".
Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed and Professor Dr Maniruzzaman Bhuiyan also extended their support to the great cause and extended personal and organizational support.


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Alumni of Alabama's oldest private historically black liberal arts college are up in arms after learning their alma mater is slated to help celebrate President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.
"We were a bit horrified to hear of the invitation," Shirley Ferrill, a graduate of Talladega College's class of 1974, told Al.com, upon learning that the school's band would be marching in Trump's inauguration day parade. "I don't want my alma mater to give the appearance of supporting him. Ignore, decline or whatever, but please don't send our band out in our name to do that."
The Talladega College Marching Tornadoes will join a parade heavy with law enforcement and military representatives, as well bands from Marist College and Olivet Nazarene University, two liberal arts schools. An online petition urging Olivet Nazarene to withdraw from the festivities has garnered more than two thousand signatures.
But the scrutiny of Talladega's involvement in the inaugural parade has taken on an added dimension given the school's status as a historically black college.
"After how black people were treated at Trump's rallies, you're going to go and shuck and jive down Pennsylvania Avenue? For what?" Seinya SamForay, a critic of the school's decision, told the Associated Press. "What they did is a slap in the face to other black universities."
In response to Talladega's decision to participate, the poet and professor Nikky Finney—an alumna who now teaches at the University of Southern California—told NPR her alma mater "has forgotten its steady and proud 150 years of history," by performing for Trump, whom she called "one of the most antagonistic, hatred-spewing, unrepentant racists."
"Historical Black colleges are duty bound to have and keep a moral center and be of great moral consciousness while also teaching its students lessons about life that they will need going forward," Finney explained. "Mainly, that just because a billionaire — who cares nothing about their 150 years of American existence — invites them to a fancy, gold-plated, dress-up party, they have the moral right and responsibility to say 'no thank you,' especially when the blood, sweat, and tears and bodies, of black, brown, and native people are stuffed in the envelope alongside the RSVP."
On its Facebook page, the Marching Tornadoes have been inundated with criticism for their decision to march in the inaugural parade. One critic wrote, "PLEASE DO NOT march or play for this hate-filled, racist, misogynistic 'president'. Talladega College does not deserve this smear on its name and reputation." Another urged the school to allow students not to participate in the parade if they choose.
Earlier this week, British singer Rebecca Fergusion wrote she had been asked to sing at Trump's inaugural festivities and would "graciously accept" if she could perform "Strange Fruit," the anti-lynching protest song made famous by Billie Holiday in 1939.


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Tale of Two GMO Labeling Laws
July was a busy month on the GMO labeling battlefield. Vermont's label law went into effect July 1, requiring all food sold in Vermont grocery stores be labeled if it contains genetically modified ingredients. Last week, though, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate-created mandatory federal GMO labeling law that will supersede all state precedents. AgriTalk host Mike Adams heard both sides of the story on Thursday as Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell discussed the issue.
Federal GMO Law
As passed by the House and Senate, the federal GMO labeling law will require companies to disclose the presence of genetically modified ingredients. Companies will have the option of how they want to do that, which could be done by text, phone number, website link, or QR code that can be read by smartphone.
To Vermont Attorney General Sorrell, though, those options don't represent a clear, consumer-friendly way of disclosing GMO ingredients to shoppers. "As I understand the bill, you have to have a smart phone with a bar code reader to see [the ingredients] or you can call an 800 number," Vermont Attorney General Sorrell says. "How many consumers do you think are going to do that when they're standing there with two cans of soup trying to decide which one to buy?"
The Vermont legislation required package labeling that specifically indicated if the food product contains GM ingredients, which Sorrell still thinks is a better solution.
But the labeling train has already left the station, according to U.S. Representative Peterson. "Vilsack already has a task force set up, and he already has people working on it," he says. "I think he will have most of this mechanism set up before a new secretary gets put in place."
Consumer Confidence
One of the big topics of discussion in many circles is whether or not consumers care if their food contains GM ingredients.
Sorrell believes they do. "There are many Americans who would prefer to know what is in the foods they buy," he says.
Peterson disagrees. "I don't think there are that many people who are going to pay attention to what's on the label," he says.
He also suggested that the drive for GMO labeling is not necessarily about food labels, but about modern agriculture. "For some of the folks behind this movement, they don't want labeling," he says. "They want to get rid of RoundUp Ready crops."
Patchwork Labeling Laws?
One of the biggest arguments in favor of the federal GMO legislation was the fear that each state would end up passing different laws, making the situation confusing for consumers and burdensome for businesses.
"It was an unworkable situation to have states with different labeling laws," Peterson says.
Sorrell disagrees. After all, different countries have different laws regarding GMO labeling and food companies have adapted their practices and products to sell their products in places with varying regulations, he notes.
What's Next?
The bill may have passed Capitol Hill and is awaiting for President Barack Obama's expected signature, but Sorrell warns it will take years for the new bill to be implemented.
"The bill doesn't go into effect for a couple of years, there are no penalties to enforce, and it doesn't disclose in a consumer-friendly way the existence of genetically engineered ingredients in a particular product," Sorrell says. "I think it's unfortunate that Congress made this move and wasn't respectful of state laws."
Listen to the AgriTalk discussion below.


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Web Survey Bibliography
Title Necessary but Insufficient: Why Measurement Invariance Tests Need Online Probing as a Complementary Tool
Author Meitinger, K.
Source Public Opinion Quarterly (POQ); 81, 2, pp. 447-472
Year 2017
Database Oxford Journals
Access date 24.08.2017
Abstract Cross-national data production in social science research has increased dramatically in recent decades. Assessing the comparability of data is necessary before drawing substantive conclusions that are based on cross-national data. Researchers assessing data comparability typically use either quantitative methods such as multigroup confirmatory factor analysis or qualitative methods such as online probing. Because both methods have complementary strengths and weaknesses, this study applies both multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and online probing in a mixed-methods approach to assess the comparability of constructive patriotism and nationalism, two important concepts in the study of national identity. Previous measurement invariance tests failed to achieve scalar measurement invariance, which prohibits a cross-national comparison of latent means (Davidov 2009). The arrival of the 2013 ISSP Module on National Identity has encouraged a reassessment of both constructs and a push to understand why scalar invariance cannot be achieved. Using the example of constructive patriotism and nationalism, this study demonstrates how the combination of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and online probing can uncover and explain issues related to cross-national comparability.
Access/Direct link Journal Homepage (abstract) / (full text)
Year of publication2017
Bibliographic typeJournal article
Web survey bibliography (8390)
- Expanding the toolbox: inference from non-probability samples using machine learning; 2017; Burger, J.; Buelens, B.; van de Brakel, J.
- Rates, Delays, and Completeness of General Practitioners' Responses to a Postal Versus Web-Based...; 2017; Sebo, P.; Maisonneuve, H.; Cerutti, B.; Pascal Fournier, J.; Haller, D. M.
- Necessary but Insufficient: Why Measurement Invariance Tests Need Online Probing as a Complementary...; 2017; Meitinger, K.
- Nonresponse in Organizational Surveying: Attitudinal Distribution Form and Conditional Response Probabilities...; 2017; Kulas, J. T.; Robinson, D. H.; Kellar, D. Z.; Smith, J. A.
- Theory and Practice in Nonprobability Surveys: Parallels between Causal Inference and Survey Inference...; 2017; Mercer, A. W.; Kreuter, F.; Keeter, S.; Stuart, E. A.
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- Role of online survey tools in creating temporally accurate Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)...; 2017; Ganguly, I.; Bowers, T.; Pierobon, F.; Eastin, I.


text:
<-- Map of summer 2017
climbing roadtrip
(click to enlarge)
|Kevin styling the 5.11 fingercrack on Pitch 2.
Dragontail Peak towers over Colchuck Lake. Its complex north face is 3000 feet tall, broken by gullies, fins, ribs, and walls. I had climbed Draontail twice before: in 2008, via the Colchuck Glacier route (3rd & snow); and in June 2009, via Serpentine Arete (5.8, 2000'). The following is a trip report for my third climb on Dragontail: Dragons of Eden, a 4-6 pitch, 650-foot direct start to the NE Buttress route (Beckey-Burgner-Nephew '71) and joins the buttress crest for the final 1600 feet of easier climbing (4th-5.7) to the top.
Dragons of Eden features awesome crack climbing on a vertical panel of granodiorite just right of the NE Buttress, with three pitches in the 5.11-5.12a range (or 5.10 C1). The route was put up by Wayne Wallace and Bob McGown in 1988, but did not see its first free ascent until 2008 (Jens Holsten). Herrington's Cascades Rock guidebook contains the best route description for this climb. In it, a blurb about the first ascent quotes Wayne: "I got my first taste of Dragontail Peak in 1988. Dragons of Eden is what Bob named the route, after a book he enjoyed. The astounding line pushed through a crazy headwall with insane exposure. We did take aid on a couple of leads, and made sure the second was able to top-rope it free. That way we could free it on a later trip that never happened...For a long time, I thought this amazing route was doomed to obscurity." But in the late 2000's, the "Golden Age of NW mountaineering", the route was finally freed and cleaned up to produce one of the area's best lines.
I climbed this route with Kevin Piarulli, who had responded to my "looking for partners to climb 5.10 rock in the Cascades" post (Kevin and I had had an awesome day climbing Ellen Pea on Supercave Wall a couple of weeks previous, so I jumped at the chance to climb with Kevin again). When deciding what to climb, Kevin had suggested Dragons of Eden. We knew the 5.11-5.12a sections would be challenging, but the 5.10 C1 grade made it sound protectable and a good route to push the grade on. We ended up climbing the route in 4 long pitches; since Kevin wanted to lead the crux sections and because of our pitch-linking, it worked out that Kevin just led the entire 650-foot route, finishing it off strong with an impressive no-take-no-fall 65m lead of steep and sustained 5.11 climbing to where the route tops out on the NE Buttress. I was happy to enjoy the route from the comfort of a toprope. As a team, we onsighted the route clean (Kevin took no rests and had only one fall at the 12a crux and proceeded to lead it clean, while I onsighted the 12a crux but aided the 11- roof on the last pitch to avoid potentially dangling in space if I fell and also ended up having to rest 20 feet shy of the top of the pitch before the final push to the top).
Rather than rappel from the top of the 650-foot route (it apparently requires 2 ropes to rappel), we decided to just climb the route with one rope and continue 1600 more vertical feet to the top of Dragontail via the NE Buttress. This was mostly 4th class with an occasional 5th class move (up to 5.7) and we comfortably soloed it in rock shoes (simulclimbing it would not really have been a great option due to the looseness of the rock and poor protection opportunities). It went quickly, but was somewhat unremarkable climbing that somewhat detracts from the high quality steep splitters of the Dragons of Eden route below; the merits of doing the NE Buttress continuation are the sense of completion, the nice views of the Enchantment Basin on the descent, and being able to climb Dragons of Eden with just one rope.
Perhaps our "meh" feelings about the NE Buttress were tainted by a close call we had on the descent, detailed as follows.... The rock is very rotten where the NE Buttress route finishes and where you must rappel to get off of the route. Just below the first rappel, Kevin was clipping into a rappel station on a horn when the entire horn peeled off the mountain, pulling Kevin with it; the horn probably weighed at least half a ton (according to Kevin, it was about a quarter of a cubic meter in volume, and the density of granite is 2650 kg/m^3). Fortunately, the rappel sling Kevin had clipped to pulled off the horn as it fell and Kevin was still attached to our rappel rope with a gri-gri (we had brought one gri-gri and one ATC, so Kevin being the first one down was rappelling with the gri-gri on a fixed line). We were a bit shaken, but fortunately the only casualties—at this point at least—were my brand new Maxim 9.1mm 70m rope (now a much less useful 53m length due to a compete core shot) and Kevin's favorite pants (now likely to become shorts). But we were not out of danger yet. Because our rope was now shorter, the plan was for me to set an intermediate rappel off another rap station we had spotted on a chockstone not far above the horn Kevin pulled off. But when I got to this chockstone and began to inspect the tat, the tat turned out to be just held in place with a bunch of loose rocks that had fallen from above and the tat was not even around the chockstone; it appeared that the chockstone had shifted at some point and dislodged the tat. Meanwhile, while I was maneuvering around this giant potentially-loose chockstone that had suddenly become much more ominous, Kevin had gone looking for a good rappel horn; he spotted a couple of slings dangling side by side on the face, one held by a small nut and one by a knifeblade piton, which looked promising until both the nut and piton fell out when he touched them. Yikes...seemed like the mountain was trying to tell us something. Now completely wary about the idea of rappelling at all, we did some sketchy downclimbing to safer ground. The experience was a reminder to always be skeptical of rappel stations in the mountains. (Here's my suggestion for the descent: With a 70m rope, make just 1 rappel from the anchor at the notch at the top of the NE Buttress route; from the end of the rope, carefully scramble loose 3rd class terrain to skier's right and get down to the more solid boulders below—no more rappels needed down the dangerous gully.) Once down on solid ground and given a chance to shake off the last hour of events, Kevin and I enjoyed the relative romp down to Asgard Pass with views of the Enchantment Basin below.
The following page gives and overlay and photos from the climb of Dragons of Eden. Thanks for the fun day Kevin!
• Trailhead to where we left packs near base of route: 3:00
• Where we left packs to base of route: 0:15
• Climb Dragons of Eden: 4:45
• Climb remainder of NE Ridge to top: 1:10
• Descend back to packs: 2:25
• Hike back to trailhead: 2:40
• Total car to car: 4am to 8:30pm = 16.5 hours
|Photo descriptions:
|Leave trail going up to Aasgard Pass, ~3 hours from car.
|1. Approaching the NE Buttress. Dragons of Eden is essentially a direct start up the steep panel of granite on climbers' right of the actual buttress.
2. Looking over the lower NE Buttress / Dragons of Eden. Getting to the base of the route requires a bit of 4th class scrambling.
3. Scrambling to base of route. The rock is a bit loose here.
|4. Looking up the start of Pitch 1.
5. Handcrack midway up the pitch.
|6. Kevin styling the 5.11 fingercrack on Pitch 2. On the mountainproject description of the route, this pitch is compared to Yorkshire Gripper (11b, Squamish) or Butterballs (11c fingers, Yosemite); I have not climbed either of these routes so cannot comment, but while Squamish/Yosemite are hard acts to follow, it is true that this pitch on Dragons of Eden is pretty stellar climbing.
7. Splitter fingers to off-fingers on Pitch 2.
(could be done as separate pitch or easily linked with previous)
|8. Flare and fun double cracks.
|9. Looking up Pitch 3. The 12a crux of the route is between the top of the pillar and entering the leaning corner that finishes the pitch. Kevin's foot popped as he was entering the corner, but he got right back on and led it cleanly. I struggled on a couple of face moves below the corner, but somehow managed to stay on the rock and got through the pitch cleanly. The finger locks in the upper corner were awesome.
(could be broken into a couple of shorter pitches to avoid a sustained 65m lead)
|10. Looking up Pitch 4, which tops out on the NE Buttress. This pitch is a rope-stretching 65m and quite sustained, and can be broken up into a couple of pitches.
11. Kevin just after pulling through the 5.11- roof.
12. Taken while following the pitch. The 5.11- roof looms above. Wild climbing.
13. Kevin finished his 65m lead with a pretty light rack (but pretty heavy rope).
14. Corner, crack, and roof systems to the right of Pitch 4. More wild climbing to be had. There is a supposedly good 5.10 variation to Pitch 3 that is also off to the right, so there is definitely potential for another route....
Scramble NE Ridge to top
|1600', 4th to 5.7
|15. The NE Buttress mainly follows this ramp system on the right side of the crest, all the way to the top.
16. A gendarme on the NE Buttress.
17. Scrambling on the NE Buttress.
18. The NE Buttress route ends at the notch on the left in the photo. The NE summit is to the left of the notch. The true summit of Dragontail is to the right by a bit and separated by some steep looking gendarmes.
19. Getting to the notch entails having to climb up a section of appallingly rotten rock. Really nothing you can do to make this safe other than to go one at a time (could have one person solo it and then belay the other up) and be super careful.
20. Looking up towards the NE summit from the notch where the NE Buttress route ends. Getting to the NE summit from the notch looked like a pitch of low 5th climbing on pretty decent rock with awesome exposure. However, the looseness at the notch itself had turned us off a bit so we decided not to go to the actual top of the NE summit.
|From top of NE Buttress: rappel and then scramble to Aasgard Pass.
From top of Pitch 5: 4-5 double rope raps.
|21. Kevin starting the rappel from the notch. The rappel anchor is a large horn embedded in the notch. Although the rock at the notch is appalling rotten, the horn appeared pretty glued to the mountain (although what happened 1 minute after I took this photo makes me wonder how well the horn is glued to the mountain....).
22. Core shot in my brand new Maxim 70m 9.1mm rope, after a 1000-lb rappel horn pulled off and landed on it. Now I have a much less useful 53m rope. But we were lucky that the rope was the worst of the casualties—a rope is replaceable and a Kevin isn't. (Read the story in the intro about our close call.)
23-24. Upper Enchantment basin as seen from the descent from Dragontail. Getting this view is one of the reasons for linking Dragons of Eden with the NE Buttress route.
25. 3rd class scrambling down to Aasgard Pass. From Aasgard Pass we got on the trail and hiked down to where we had left our packs near the base of the route.
26. Dragontail as seen from across Colchuck Lake on the hike out.


text:
Hey peeps!
Yes I'm a typical Brit. Who doesn't like a coffee and a Sunday Stroll?
Today we promenaded around Hampton Court Palace. The grounds there are magnificent. Rich with architecture and history Hampton Court was a brilliant Sunday activity. Oh so British. Not to mention the weather was perfect for an autumnal walk. A sharp breeze complimented the warm autumn sunlight.
It's nice to sometimes not be too adventurous. Hampton Court is right on my door step and I forget how truly beautiful this place is. The last time I was here was about 6 years ago so it was nice to take a lil trip down memory lane.
Prior to our Palace tour we found ourselves at the cutest little coffee shop.
Alfresco dining is simply divine at Dish Wine bar and coffee shop situated on Palace Road in Hampton.
* Freshly baked croissants, jam and a Latte for me…Well they do say a Sunday well spent brings a week of content. Super ready for this week at work! All the more so, Halloween is next weekend so I best get planning a Halloween outfit… Any suggestions?
I hope you have a fabulous week. Make sure you roll out of bed tomorrow morning with a smile on your face, pop your fave jam on and smash those work targets.
Gosh… Sometimes I think I should listen to my own advice! Maybe I will for this week.
Love Sheps x
Today's look book:


text:
June 1999
Volume 17, Number 6
After the US government attacked Yugoslavia, the first act of the Republicans was to take
tax cuts off the table (if they were
ever really on it). This symbolic gesture underscores a point: when a war is on, the work of
liberty is off. For this reason,
everyone concerned about freedom must oppose war.
At the outset, Clinton gave reasons for his military intervention. A quick look showed them
to be models of the state
disinformation we've come to expect in wartime.
He said he was dropping bombs to prevent the spread of war. But this is straight out of
Orwell. Escalating war does not
prevent its spread. It encourages it. It brings about more property destruction, suffering, and
He said he wanted to underscore the credibility of Nato. The truth is that Nato has had no
credibility since the collapse of
the Cold War. The entire world now sees this organization for what it is: a fig leaf for the
retention of US military
domination of Europe. Nato has become a threat to peace because the US believes Nato must
fight wars to preserve US
As the war dragged on, Clinton became more expansive. He said the war is about stopping
intolerance. The problem, he
said, is that the Serbs (read: the embodiment of all evil) were oppressing Albanians (read:
morally unimpeachable
minorities) because they happen to be born different. Thus, the civics-book version of American
civil-rights history is
invoked to justify aggression against a civilian population halfway around the world that has
never threatened any American
The actual conflict in Kosovo comes down to this: Serbia believes that the territory belongs
to it, and bases this claim on
history dating back 600 years. On the other hand, Kosovo is today (as versus a few years ago)
inhabited by a majority
Moslem population that demands the right to secede.
Which principle should prevail: the claims of history or the political rights of the majority in
a polyglot territory? Look at
American history. Both the claims of history and the rights of the majority were solidly in favor
of Southern secession. But
the US decided on union by force. Ever since then, the US has generally opposed secession, not
only at home but around the
Only during the first world war did the US back self-determination, when the fanatical
Woodrow Wilson used this principle
as a weapon against the multinational monarchies he was dead-set on destroying. It was political
propaganda, then and now.
The hypocrisy is nowhere as clear as in US opposition to Kurdish demands for separation
from the Turkish government.
The US sees Turkey as a reliable satellite, so the US turns a blind eye to ethnic oppression of the
most brutal sort. It turns
out, then, that the principle is not that downtrodden ethnic groups ought to have autonomy, but
that the US ought to
centrally manage the entire map of the world.
And how well does the US do this? In the same region the US is now bombing, Clinton
enforced a unified, multicultural
Bosnia, where US troops are permanently stationed, against the pleas of every ethnic group that
resides there for
independence. This is the peace of a prison camp, which also deprived Serbia of the Bosnian
Serb area that wanted to be
part of the Serbian nation state, an act which inflamed the present crisis.
So who is right? The Kosovo independence movement that claims to speak on behalf of the
Moslem majority, or the
Milosevic government that claims to represent the Christian majority's desire for a
Serbian-controlled province?
The short answer is: this is not for the US government to decide. When we consider the
original American vision--of a
peaceful, commercial republic staying out of the endless quarrels of the Old World--we can only
be utterly alienated from
the ruling regime, which dominates a country conceived in liberty. It is clearer than ever that the
welfare-warfare state must
be demolished, so that it can no longer threaten the world, or trample on true American ideals.
Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr., is president of
the Ludwig von Mises Institute. Further reading: The Costs of War, John V.
Denson, ed., 2nd ed. (New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 1999) and Secession, State, and Liberty,
Gordon, ed. (New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 1998).