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It's no surprise that a skilled writer like Antony Johnston was able to tell a compelling, accurate and emotionally engaging police procedural story in just six issues. In fact, he's known for the dynamic world building he's done on his other projects like "Wasteland" and "Umbral." What makes his Image Comics space cops series "The Fuse" special are the partners at the front and center of the story: a salty Russian who'll die before she retires and a mysterious, handsome new agent with a past. Like all good cop stories, this one starts with an unlikely pair coming together to solve unexpected crimes -- except these crimes are hovering 22,000 feet above earth in the floating space metropolis known as Midway City.
RELATED: Johnston & Mitten Ignite "The Fuse"
"The Fuse" begins with Klementina Ristovych meeting her new partner, the young, good-looking Ralph Dietrich. Ralph is a newcomer to The Fuse, voluntarily joining MCPD's homicide division in an act of either desperation or insanity. Klem's been around a long time and knows the Fuse better than just about anyone, which makes her the perfect person to ease Ralph into their first case: a double murder with leads that travel all the way to the top of Midway City's government. Not bad for his first day on the job.
With Johnston's carefully crafted story and the expertly matched art/coloring by Justin Greenwood and Shari Chankhamma, "The Fuse" delivered a powerful first arc in "The Russia Shift." With the first trade paperback on sale now and the second arc underway, Johnston spoke with CBR News about the next case his detectives will pursue, the massive physical layout of the titular space ship and his perfectly nasty, whip-smart leading woman Klem who will continue to steal the show in upcoming issues.
CBR News: Antony, the first question I'm dying to ask -- I know what a detailed writer you are, and how thoroughly you see to all of the bits of the worlds you create. The Fuse is huge. I keep trying to follow street directions to orient myself and so I'm wondering -- do you have a map that you use for reference?
Antony Johnston: You can't see me, but I'm laughing right now, because literally yesterday I had to draw a "level map" for Justin [Greenwood] to help him keep it straight!
Midway City has spent more than forty years growing in a haphazard, almost organic fashion, with little urban planning and zero thought for the future. It started, as we saw in #5, from just a few living quarters at the centre of the Fuse. Since then it's been built, rebuilt, demolished and rebuilt again into the sprawling city we now see.
Add to this the complication of compass points, which are arbitrary because of its position in orbit, plus the station's cylindrical shape, and... well, the numbering system is just as haphazard.
So: Level 1 is the first level above Zero. Level 2, the next to be built, is the first below Zero. And they radiate outward, following that same pattern... until you reach Level 44, which is the lowest level in the station, because it (like Zero and 50) is much taller than the others to accommodate the grav tanks and Earthlight, the viewing bubble. Consequently, Levels 45-50 are all at the top of the city. That's why Klem could see stars through the Level 50 glass ceiling.
Every level has a First Avenue running down its entire center length. Other Avenues are numbered, radiating outward again, this time alternating between earth side and moon side. The number of Avenues on each level is arbitrary according to its layout and width -- lower and higher levels are much narrower than Zero, because of that cylindrical shape again, and not all Avenues run the entire length of their level.
Cross streets have names, not numbers, and their amount and layout is entirely arbitrary (some of the more cynical city Residents would say "random").
Now imagine if physical mail still existed in space, and weep for the poor hypothetical mailman...
RELATED: Johnston Promises More Mystery, Magic as "Umbral" Comes "Out of the Shadows"
In the first arc, the main parts of The Fuse that we saw were Level 2, Level 0, some of the upper levels and some homes -- what do you have planned for the next arc? How much more of the station will you be revealing?
"Gridlock" will take us further afield, sure. We'll get to see Level 44, which houses the grav tanks; the enormous solar array dishes at the top of the station; we'll make a return to Level 50; and more.
We'll even cross "the wall", which divides Midway city from the I-SEEC energy collection and processing areas. If you look at the big title page image in issue #1, those are the "clean" parts at each end of the station, which the city hasn't yet sprawled over.
One of the best reveals in these first issues was the bond between Ralph and Klem. At first glance they seem so different, but the longer we read the more similarities we see. What was important to you about building their relationship? Will they continue as partners into the next arc?
They'll continue as partners for some time. Klem and Ralph are the central characters of this book, and that won't change without something drastic happening.
That's why building their relationship is important. Readers will be spending a lot of time with these two characters, so it's important they remain interesting -- not just to us, but also to each other.
As you say, they differ in so many ways, but they also have some striking similarities if you dig deeper. And one of those similarities is their interest in people. So they both want to dig deeper, and figure out what makes the other tick, even if neither of them would ever admit it out loud. Which is another similarity, of course...
Klem isn't a character we see a lot of in comics, and she's one of my favorites. I love that she's experienced and mature and a little bit nasty -- we've had a small glimpse into her past and to her deep connection with the Fuse, but what makes her so well respected? And what's next for her?
It's kind of sad that Klem is such a unique character in comics. I wish she wasn't, but "older, competent woman" appears to be some kind of mind-blowing iconoclastic decision for a lead character, which I find baffling.
Klem isn't so much well-respected as grudgingly respected by most people. She gets automatic respect for being an FGU, the "First Guys Up" who literally built The Fuse. Without them there'd be no Midway City, and there are precious few FGUs left on station.
But Klem is also a long-serving police officer -- she signed up for the MCPD pretty much immediately when it was formed -- and everyone knows she's the longest-serving Detective still working The Fuse.
So that gets her a certain amount of grudging respect, even though most of her colleagues don't like her, think she should have taken a pension on Mars years ago, and aren't afraid to voice both of those opinions to her face.
I love that her coloring stands out so much from the rest of the book-- she's almost ghostlike. Was that something you'd come up with?
Kind of a happy accident, actually. Shari's first coloring pass on Klem was a little rosy-cheeked, and I gave a note to remember that she has that "pale Russian quality" to her. Shari took that and ran with it, and now Klem has this wonderfully striking visual. I love it.
When you were developing "The Fuse," did you have a clear point of view on how you wanted her to be? She definitely opens up in these first six issues and practically vibrates off the page -- especially with Justin's artwork making her so unique. Were you surprised by any of the directions her character took?
Probably the twinkle in her eye. In my first notes and drafts of "The Fuse," there was a lot less humor, and Klem was even more brusque than she is now. I think it was the addition of Ralph, and the idea to make Klem's partner a young and handsome man, that changed things. Suddenly there was an area where Klem could be playful without turning her into a comedy character, and it came naturally.
It also serves as a nice "see how you like it" reversal of the way men often speak to young female colleagues, of course. I've actually had a few comments from male readers saying that Klem flirting with Ralph is "creepy," and I'm like, side eyes to camera "Mmmm-hmm."
And to get back to Ralph a bit -- there was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of issue #6. What can you tell me about that?
I can tell you that "Joseph Hartmann" will be making further appearances in later stories, and that this is all tied in to Ralph's backstory. The rest is classified.
I think you previously said that each arc would be a new case -- will it be with this same cast? Can you tell me about any of the new characters that will join in?
Every arc will be at least one new case. I've an idea to make at least one future arc feature several ongoing cases at once, if we can pull it off.
Klem and Ralph will definitely stick around for "Gridlock", as will Lt. Brachyinov, Dr. Assam and Bianca in the supporting cast. We're also going to meet some cops from Vice, and of course a whole host of new suspects from different walks of life around The Fuse -- not all of whom are Residents.
While "The Fuse" is definitely procedural, the relationships between the characters anchor this story and felt so authentic so quickly. Are there characters in the first arc that you're looking forward to spending more time with?
All of the main cast, really. Plus we've barely scratched the surface with Klem's son Leonid, and his relationship with Latoyah, the ADA; or Klem's own relationship with Lou Temple, the paramedic; or Lt Bower, whom we saw briefly in the first arc. She oversees the Homicide shift after Brachyinov's, currently the America shift.
(And we haven't even met Lt. Chang, currently overseeing the Pacific shift, yet; or DA Weissberg; or Chief of Police Conway himself...)
So, yes -- there are a lot of characters, both from the first arc and ones we haven't yet seen, that I'm looking forward to spending more time with.
What has been the best fan response that you've received so far?
I think maybe the best individual response was the letter we got from an actual cop, complimenting us on how authentic it felt. Of course there are many things about "The Fuse" which are unrealistic or fictionalized -- hello, it's in space -- but we want to make Klem, Ralph and the rest of the MCPD at least feel and act like real cops.
On a wider level, though, we've been amazed at the response to Klem from female readers. Like I said, it's kind of amazing that she's so unique in modern comics. So hearing from so many women that Klem is the kind of character they've wanted for a long time, and how real she feels to them, is really gratifying. That's the sort of thing that keeps us going.
"The Fuse" trade paperback is on sale now; issue #7 arrives November 5.


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Ikea + Brooklyn = ?
What's up wid dat? We admit to being caught out on this issue. Amanda wrote in:
I am amazed that no one, including AT, has mentioned the prospect of a new IKEA to be opened in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Sure, this will be more convenient for alot of New York City dwellers but has anyone considered the cost to the neighborhood?
And do you really believe this one will be any better?
We like Ikea.
But we are skeptical of this being an improvement. Quality and service is so important in these stores, and the more of them there are, the more we see it slide. We would like to see this store open ALONG with a worldwide Ikea campaign to gussy-up their old colors and reinspire shoppers and workers alike. We want more air in this balloon. (Thanks, Amanda) MGR
Published: Oct 19, 2004


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Newport News Pays Tribute
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On April 9, a crowd of 5,000 persons walked from Huntington High School over the 25th Street Bridge to the Victory Arch at West Avenue. The marchers included Hampton Institute students, pupils from Carver and Huntington high schools, members of the Longshoremen's Association and other citizens wishing to recognize Dr. King.
The planned peace march was conducted with quiet dignity, although over 130 policemen were on duty in case of disturbance. As told by Rev. Fauntleroy, "Machine gun units were stationed on the roof of the post office and army helicopters flew overhead" to monitor the crowd. The Daily Press account stated that many of the policemen had worked 48 hour shifts in preparation. Newport News Police Chief W.F. Peach so completely expected an incident that he urged Mayor Donald M Hyatt to meet the marchers at the monument rather than walk with
Several speakers addressed the crowd, including Mayor Hyatt, who urged the listeners to "work together to build this community…in mutual respect." The tenor of the other speeches was also conciliatory and exhorted the black community to continue to strive for freedom and civil rights and to be true to their fallen leader's counsel of nonviolence. Tributes were given in honor of the slain leader, and citizens reflected on his life and what he stood for. Afterwards, the program participants linked arm-in-arm marched back to East End signing We Shall Overcome.
When asked afterwards why the Victory Arch had been selected for the rally, Rev. Fauntleroy replied, "It was a chance to let the people know blacks could be anywhere in the city they wanted to be; it would be an open city. The arch was built as a monument for everyone in the community. It was put there to memorialize servicemen from all of Newport News…we went to the arch because it was the place where we would speak about our victory."
(Inscription under the image in the lower left)
Mourners march over the 25th Street Bridge to the Victory Arch. (Inscription under the image in
(Inscription under the image in the center)
April 1968 memorial service in St. Augustine Episcopal Church, 2525 Marshall Avenue.
(Inscription under the image in the upper right)
Addressing the assembly from the podium, Rev. Jerry Cornelius Fauntleroy, president of the Newport News Chapter of the NAACP. On the stage at right, Jessie M. Rattley, Peninsula Cooperative Association representative.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right)
Participants return from the Victory Arch rally. Right to left: Mayor Donald M. Hyatt (white man), Peninsula Cooperative Association representative Jessie M. Rattley (two-tone hat) and Newport News NAACP president Rev. J.C. Fauntleroy.
Marker series. This marker is included in the Martin Luther King, Jr. marker series.
Location. 36° 58.885′ N, 76° 25.231′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. Marker is at the intersection of Martin L. King Jr. Way and Jefferson Avenue on Martin L. King Jr. Way. Touch for map. The marker is located in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza. Marker is in this post office area: Newport News VA 23607, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within
Categories. • African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Education •
Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2016. This page originally submitted on October 1, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 207 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 1, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.


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2016 Newbury Boules in the Square
Another great Boules in the Square event in the heart of Newbury
2016 'Boules in the Square' Tournament
View the Gallery of photos of the day above.
A Tournament for local businesses and community groups to enjoy a FUN & COMPETITIVE DAY OUT whilst raising funds for Rotary nominated charities:
END POLIO NOW; West Berks Young Carers; Parkinsons UK and many others.
It was BIGGER and BETTER than ever!
Prizes donated by West Berkshire Brewery
We are indebted to Petangue Club Wallingford who provided the Boules, the expertise and the adjudication for this event.
Closest to the Jack Competition
One piste was reserved all day for a competition open to all.
Entry fee £1 for 5 shots.
The person with the lowest recorded distance of their boules from the jack WINS.
Two categories: Junior (under 14 yrs) and Adult
In 2016 prizes were donated by Strada Newbury and Bills Restaurant.
Company sponsorship opportunities for 2017:
Next year's Boules in the Square is scheduled for Sunday 25th June. Sponsorship opportunities are limited and tend to go quickly.
Contact us for further information
A Big Thank You to our 2016 Sponsors
Want to see YOUR COMPANY LOGO here?
Contact us about Sponsorship opportunities.


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|Acting Director of the Department of Youth Development in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, James Kajugusi.
Acting Director of the Department of Youth Development in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, James Kajugusi said on Wednesday.
Addressing the Femina Hip Annual Youth Conference in Dar es Salaam, Kajugusi said the government has in this financial year set aside 6.1bn/- for the youth fund to allow more youths benefit from the loans. He noted that funds allocated for youths in previous fiscal years were not enough compared to demand.
"The increased budget in the youths' fund has opened doors for many youths in groups across the country to easily acquire loans," said Kajugusi, adding that the government aims to support youths as it recognises their contribution to national development.
He called upon youths across the country to form groups so that they can easily access loans from the youth fund and vijana saccos which have been established in every district. He said through the funds, the youths can engage themselves in entrepreneurial activities instead of waiting for formal employment.
He suggested for the introduction of a subject on entrepreneurial skills in education curriculum and the need for participatory teaching methods to build youths capacity in terms of thinking, innovation and creativity.
"We have invested in youth economic development and mobilisation because we need to have independent fathers and mothers in the future who will be able to run their lives through self employment," he said.
Femina Board member, Astronaut Bagile called upon the youth to respect and embrace volunteerism especially in social issues without thinking of getting any payment, saying it is the best way for them to improve their skills and create networks that will help them reach their goals.
Raswiu Rashid, a student from Nakake Secondary School in Karagwe said he has learned that volunteerism pays because it helps one sharpen their skills.


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Todd Saunders, founder of Saunders Architecture, will be delivering a lecture at Cornell University on the topic of 'Architecture in Northern Landscapes' on October 15. Bringing together dynamic building and material experimentation with traditional methods of craft, the Bergen, Norway–based practice has worked on cultural and residential projects in Norway, as well as England, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Canada. Led by a strong contemporary design sensibility, the studio believes that architecture plays an important role in creating place, using form, materials, and texture to help evoke and shape memory and human interaction. Fore more information on the event, please visit here.
Todd Saunders Lecture at Cornell University
- 00:50 - 12 September, 2012
- by Alison Furuto
Todd Saunders Lecture at Cornell University
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Blair puts pressure on ice in race for Olympic first A BONNIE GOOD SHOW Watch her closely when she hurtles through the turns, keeping low, body level, left foot slicing straight ahead on the rock hard ice.
Watch her glide on the straightaways. Watch her fend off the oakley outlet uk pressure of being the favorite to win the 500 and 1,000 meter races. Those would earn her fourth and fifth Olympic gold medals, surpassing swimmer Janet Evans, diver Pat McCormick and sprinter Evelyn Ashford, who are the only American women with four. History again waits for Bonnie Blair. Olympic speed skater Chantal Bailey, who will compete in the 5,000 meters. "We're not talking about another speed skater, we're talking about Bonnie Blair." The Bonnie Blair. Winner of the 500 and 1,000 events in the 1992 Albertville Games. Winner of the gold in the 500 and a bronze in the 1,000 in the 1988 Games in Calgary. The only woman to win the 500 in consecutive Olympics. Recipient of the 1992 Sullivan Award, presented annually to oakley sunglasses sale the nation's top amateur athlete by the Amateur Athletic Association. America may be sending its best team ever to the Winter Games, but it's Blair, 29, who is the star attraction. Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding will draw the headlines, but the Olympics are bigger than that. They're about competition, spirit and medals. And athletes such as Bonnie Blair. "Neither age nor time has slowed her down," said Bailey. "In some areas of Europe, she could rate as high as Michael Jordan." In Milwaukee or her native Champaign, Ill., oakley football visor a quick trip by Blair to the grocery store can become an unplanned autograph session. Blair spent the first four months after the 1992 Games keeping a hectic pace with speaking engagements, autograph sessions and commercial work. She represents a half dozen companies, including McDonald's and Oakley sunglasses. But once the two year Olympic cycle was established, Blair decided to go for more gold. "At the time, I looked at athletes like Jimmy Connors and Carl Lewis, who were at the top of their sports and still loved what they were doing," Blair said. "I'm the same. I really don't have anything to gain. I've received gold medals, and that's the top. But I love the sport and the people in it, and the training isn't so bad." It's not great, either. "I've probably struggled more with that this year than anything else," Blair said. "Put everything aside, go to the rink, come back, eat lunch, lay on the couch, go back to the rink again or do whatever your next workout is, come back home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed." Nick Thometz, Blair's coach, said: "She's been doing the same thing for so long that motivation can be a problem." But that's what separates Blair from other speed skaters. She has the ability to focus on what is directly in front of her without being distracted by what lies ahead. Olympic trials last month. Blair was easily the best of a mediocre field in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500, but she pushed herself to track records in eight of her nine races. "I'm the one that really puts the pressure on myself and tries to really push it," Blair said. "That gun goes off, and I just want to go." Faster, always faster. As recently as a year ago, Blair feared she might have been losing the skills that had made her the world's top sprinter. She finished no better than second in four races at the 1993 World Sprint Championships, and she was second overall behind her rival, China's Ye Qiaobo. "I just didn't feel that quickness, and I was beginning to feel, 'Well, maybe I am getting old,' " she said. Blair tried to work out a new training plan with her then coach, Peter Mueller, but the two couldn't agree on the best approach. Blair switched to Thometz, who changed her weight program last summer and shifted the emphasis from heavy endurance and strength training to regaining her quickness. Thometz also found that Blair's intense competitive desire was beginning to work against her.
"A big thing that we've been trying to work on is getting her to relax in her 500 meters specifically, because that's where she was having the most difficulty this fall," said Thometz, a three time Olympian. "I'm trying to almost cyber monday oakley deals tone her down a little bit and have her relax, because the second you start rushing things, the slower you usually go.".
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Home » Windows Phone » Windows Phone Beat BlackBerry Market Share
Windows Phone Beat BlackBerry Market Share
4:33 PM Art Style and Design Labels: BlackBerry, Windows Phone
INFO GADGET - A recently research conducted by IDC states that now Windows Phone has outperformed the market share of the BlackBerry.
In the research mentioned Windows Phone is in third position, on top of the BlackBerry in the acquisition of market share.
For the first and second positions are currently dominated by Android and iOS.
The source mentioned in the Windows Phone has to pick up as much as 3.2 percent market share, while BlackBerry is below with the acquisition of market share by 2.9 percent.
The results obtained by the acquisition in the first quarter which shows that Windows Phone has been gaining market share from BlackBerry. However, these results could change, considering the recently launched BlackBerry Q5 is expected to boost sales company headquartered in Finland.


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Former NFL player Wade Davis, who came out publicly to Outsports.com this week, said in an interview with CNN that he didn't tell anyone he was gay when he played in the league because he wanted to be known as a football player, not as a gay person.
"Me being a gay person wasn't what I wanted to be known for," he said.
Davis was a defensive back for the Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins and retired from the NFL seven years ago.
"I don't believe most NFL players have a problem with having a gay teammate. I do get the feeling they have to protect who they are," Davis said. "At the end of the day it's a job, so all of these players have to make sure they're in a certain type of light."


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This blogger says "it" better than I ever could. Leaders are Readers; Readers succeed; and if you want your child to be a leader/reader/successful give them books for the holidays. If you want them to be "gamers" (and no doubt there are careers there -- but they need to read to get through the programming classes) give them games. Now if you want your children to be "players" give them play things. Your choice as always. JMHO.
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Saturday, November 30, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Fresh Pumpkin - how to bake
Fresh Pumpkins
- Nothing says fall like fresh pumpkins and harvesting pumpkins from a local patch brings the freshness right to your table.
Iowa has more than 38 pumpkin patches devoted to raising pumpkins. They are nutritious and delicious. There are many recipes for using the pumpkin pulp (and many for using the pumpkin seeds - but I've never had the patience to clean the seeds from the stringy fibers from the inside of the pumpkin).
Acres devoted to pumpkin patches rose from a few acres over 300 in 1989 and now the acres on which pumpkins are grown are over 1000.
Once you have selected your "pie pumpkins" wash the exterior and make a knife sized slit in one of the sides of the pumpkins -- not crucial if you forget to make the slit but it will be easier to cut, and will allow the steam from the inside to escape as the pumpkin cooks in the microwave.
Place the pumpkin into a microwave and cook for 4-6 minutes. Those few minutes will make the shell much easier to cut. Once the pumpkin has been removed from the microwave allow it to cook, and then cut the pumpkin in half.
Scoop out the seeds and fiber strings that are on the inside of the pumpkin. I generally use a ice cream scoop -- not a scoop that is like a melon ball scoop but more of a curved flatish type of scoop. If some fibers remain it might be necessary to scrap them away from the flesh with a paring knife. But just cut the fibers and scoop.
Actually you might feel you need to clean these completely out - but its really not necessary. Just make sure the seeds are out.
Turn the pumpkin halves onto a cookie sheet (there will be some pumpkin water seep out so make sure you have sides on the pans).
Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. The size of the pumpkin will determine exactly how long. If you have a convection oven that speeds up the process. When the skin of the pumpkin is shiny looking and begins to pucker the pumpkin is done.
The pumpkin shell looks almost as if someone has brushed oil onto the shell but no one has, it is simply the result of having cooked the pumpkin.
As the pumpkin coos a bit, the pumpkin skin (shell) begins to pucker.
Insert a knife or something into one of teh shell's puckers and begin to peel the pumpkin shell away from the pulp.
The flesh of the pumpkin is the part of the pumpkin that will be put in the food processor to be made into pumpkin puree. This pumpkin will be package into bags with 2 cups of pumpkin, and others with 4 cups of pumpkin puree.
Many recipes for using the fresh pumpkin may be downloaded from this site.
A bibliography of books about pumpkins - check this link.
From about 10 pumpkins I was able to package 38 cups of fresh pumpkin for freezing. This pumpkin will make the very best pies, pumpkin rolls, and other pumpkin treats.
The recipes linked above are great recipes. Explore the home site and find out other information about pumpkins.
Posted by Sharron McElmeel at Monday, October 28, 2013 No comments:
Labels: baking pumpkin, books about pumpkins, pies, pumpkins, recipes
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sweet Sorghum - molasses (An Iowa Tradition)
Sweet Sorghum
My mother grew up in the 1920s on a farm in the Urbana - Center Point area (Iowa). She recalled only having sorghum (sometimes she referred to the syrup as molasses)* to sweeten her morning oatmeal. Sorghum was also the syrup the family used on pancakes and waffles. When she tired of eating pancakes with sorghum, day-after-day, she would open a jar of canned peaches and eat peaches on the pancake, or perhaps applesauce. But most often her morning breakfast would include sorghum. Sweet sorghum syrup was commonly referred to as sorghum molasses or just plain molasses, although molasses is actually a byproduct of sugar cane or sugar beets. After World War II, sorghum production dropped significally, as raising and harvesting sorghum, for syrup, was very labor intensive. Now less than 1 million gallons of syrup are produced annually in the United States -- most of it in seven states in addition to Iowa (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee). One of the only surviving sorghum mills in Iowa, the Maasdam Sorghum Mills, 6495 E. 132nd St. S., Lynnville, Iowa 50153, began operation in 1926. I've never been to their mill but the process and history is the subject of an Iowa Arts Council: Iowa Roots page.
In later decades, well after the 1920s, when my siblings and I were growing up on an Iowa farm, there was not a crop of sorghum plants - and despite the fact that my mother had tired of sorghum in her own childhood, commercially available molasses was often used for baking in her household. We most often used Brer Rabbit Molasses. We had two favorite recipes: Applesauce Molasses Cake and Molasses Cookies. The original recipes came from a little recipe booklet distributed by the Brer Rabbit company. These have been adapted over the years.
Most people associate Brer Rabbit Molasses with New Orleans, but these vintage company brochures (and the Brer Rabbit Penick Waffle and Pancake Syrup) establishes the connection between Brer Rabbit Molasses (and Penick Syrup) with Iowa. Penick and Ford Ltd established a plant in Cedar Rapids Iowa, built on the remains of the Douglas Starch works plant that had been rocked by an explosion in 1919.
Order cookie cutters, aprons, and baker's cloths from Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- many $10.00 or under.
*Molasses vs. Sorghum
The sorghum plant, a type of grass, was introduced into the United States from Africa in the early part of the 17th century. Sorghum syrup is a natural sweetener made by processing the juice that is extracted from the sorghum plant. Special equipment is used to crush and extract the juice. Farmers sent the sorghum stalks to mills for the extraction. Sorghum syrup is produced primarily in the United States and is used as a substitute for sugar. It tends to have a thinner consistency and a slightly more sour taste than does molasses
Molasses was also introduced to the United States during the 17th century when traders started transporting it from the Caribbean to New England where it was popular as an ingredient for rum. Molasses was the most popular sweetener until the late 19th century because it was more affordable than sugar. Molasses is the by-product of processing sugar cane into sugar. The sugar cane plant is stripped of its leaves and the juice is extracted from the cane by crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to concentrate it, which produces crystallization of the sugar. The result of the first boiling and removal of the sugar crystals is called "first molasses" (mild) and is the sweetest tasting. "Second molasses" (dark) is created from a second boiling and removal of sugar crystals. "Blackstrap" is the result of a third boiling of the syrup. The darker molasses is considered bittersweet.
The history of the Penick and Ford Plant in Cedar Rapids Iowa is detailed on the company's official site.
The company is now the Penford Corporation.
- 1903: The Douglas brothers form Douglas Starch Works in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
- 1919: Douglas Starch Works is sold to Penick & Ford, Ltd.
- 1965: Penick & Ford is purchased by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
- 1971: R.J. Reynolds sells Penick & Ford to the Univar Corporation.
- 1984: Penick & Ford and Great Western Malting, set up as divisions of Penwest Ltd., are spun off from Univar.
- 1989: Great Western is divested.
- 1997: The company changes its name to Penford Corporation.
- 1998: Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. is divested.
- 2002: Penford relocates headquarters to Denver, Colorado.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Giving Books
Giving a gift of a book is like giving a child the world - readers are leaders. http://bit.ly/buzzeo_day
Green Frog Gifts is a gift site that has many books and literacy related items for young readers. Visit the site and see if there is anything that you might want to gift to a special reader.
Posted by Sharron McElmeel at Thursday, August 01, 2013 No comments:
Labels: autographed books, Books, literacy, plush, reading
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Food: Garden Fresh Salsa
Cooking (and Reading) with your family
I could not believe I LOVED this salsa. Normally I don't like vegetables and this salsa has all the ingredients I stay away from: cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, vinaigrette dressing... But this combination is prize winning. And the best part I had many of the ingredients right in my refrigerator, fresh from the garden.
This salsa is simple enough for children to make. Adults should supervise the chopping but the combining and measuring is well within even primary aged children's abilities.
For more recipes to make with young readers look for this book.
For more recipes to make with young readers look for this book. Chop Chop: The Kids' Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family, by Sally Sampson with photographs by Carl Tremblay (Simon and Schuster, 2013).
The following recipe for Garden Fresh Salsa is from our family recipe book and is simple (and fun to make) -- chop, add, and mix - in any order you wish:
I could not believe I LOVED this salsa. Normally I don't like vegetables and this salsa has all the ingredients I stay away from: cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, vinaigrette dressing... But this combination is prize winning. And the best part I had many of the ingredients right in my refrigerator, fresh from the garden.
This salsa is simple enough for children to make. Adults should supervise the chopping but the combining and measuring is well within even primary aged children's abilities.
For more recipes to make with young readers look for this book.
For more recipes to make with young readers look for this book. Chop Chop: The Kids' Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family, by Sally Sampson with photographs by Carl Tremblay (Simon and Schuster, 2013).
The following recipe for Garden Fresh Salsa is from our family recipe book and is simple (and fun to make) -- chop, add, and mix - in any order you wish:
Click on recipe card to access a printable copy.
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn (The small bag of Bird's Eye corn should have had 3 1/3 cups [5 servings of 2/3 cups] but it ended up lucky to have a full 2 cups as there was a lot of frozen water chunks in the package).
- 1 cup black beans (I just put in the entire can - the rest would have just gone to waste.)
- 3/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped granny smith apple - about 1/2 the apple - so I sliced the other half and dipped in caramel, a great treat while I was cooking.
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup red onion - saved some red onion slices for on my favorite salad: salad greens (fresh kale tonight), red onion, strawberries, and chopped nuts - Ken's Foods Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette dressing.
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing (I used Panera Balsamic Vinaigrette, but you could make your own using this copycat recipe - http://www.copycatrecipeguide.com/How_to_Make_Panera_Balsamic_Vinaigrette)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Chopped cilantro (I bought a fresh batch and used my food processor to chop it up. Had plenty so I put the rest in a jar to use in the next few days.)
- Salt to taste (I completely omitted this ingredient - so add as you wish.)
- Mix together. Chill and stir often
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Posted by Sharron McElmeel at Saturday, July 20, 2013 No comments:
Labels: black beans, cilantro, cucumber, granny smith apple, recipe, red onion, salad, strawberries, sweet corn, tomato, vinaigrette
On the Road: Independence and Oelwein
A great little shop in Independence
and a Quilt shop in Oelwein - a relaxing day
In Independence:Headed out north up I-380 from Robins Iowa. Very soon (approx. 16 miles) we were at exit 43 headed north (on IA-150) to Independence in Benton County. First Street is the main street in Independence so it was a quick turn left, a couple of blocks down the street, and we were in front of The Little Red School House (1300 1st St W Independence, IA 50644; phone 319-334-7199).
The Little Red School House is pure county, woven table runners, candles, charming chairs, tables, vases. One of my favorites was this glazed rope pot with the alphabet embedded into the glazed finish.
Right next to the Little Red SchoolHouse is another distinctly different shopping - a very contemporary shop features larger scale furniture, pillows, artistic wall decor and even some elegant jewelry.
Visit the Little Red SchoolHouse online. After choosing a couple of small items, but feasting our eyes on many more -- and gleaning some wonderful ideas for future projects we got back in our car and headed east of 1st street to connect up again to IA-150 and headed north to Oelwein.
On to Oelwein:
We ended the day with lunch at Leo's Restaurant a block or two over from the Quilt shop. My shredded beef sandwich - shredded beef piled high (I opted to have it sans onions and tomatoes) on a hoagie bun, was excellent but almost too much for lunch. Very tasty though. Cheryl's lunch was equally delicious. A nice interlude in a small town.
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The new UBYOU Signature Fragrance Collection is a great way for you to make your signature scent at home. One of these kits can be created just for you by taking an on-line personality test. The personality test determines which catagory you fall under. Are you fruity, floral, spicy, herby, woodsy or leafy...come take the test and see. www.urbanbotanic.com/diane will direct you to the UBYOU collection that best fits your personality. These make great gifts for someone who already has everything. Order yours today on-line.


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St. Mary's Educational Society St. Mary's Educational Society
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
"Every child deserves an education, regardless of their social status, religion, caste and color."
St. Mary's Educational Society was registered as a nonprofit organization in 1997 and established Mary's Matriculation Higher Secondary School with the motto: "Every child deserves an education, regardless of their social status, religion, caste and color." The mission of the NGO is to educate and elevate the destitute youth of Tindivanam and surroundings areas, so that they may excel in all of their future endeavours.
The overseers of the school are Mrs. Sharmila Anand, the principal of the school, and Mr. STB Anand, correspondent- both very passionate, hardworking people dedicated to their students. They also incorporate a foreign intern into their work, responsible for teaching English and assisting with fund-raising projects. St. Mary's is an oasis for those children and their parents who may have lost hope in ever achieving anything more than simply subsisting. It offers free education to 55 of its students, and thirty percent have defaults on their payments. Out of the 65 students completing their last year, 55 went on to attend universities. The school is also renowned for how well its children speak English, a vital skill in the ever-developing business world and higher education.


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Mostra el registre complet de l'element
|Narison, Stephan; Pich Zardoya, Antonio Perfil
|Aquest document és un/a article, creat/da en: 1988
|We present a simple formulation of the inclusive and exclusive semi-hadronic decays of the tau lepton using QCD-duality finite energy sum rules (FESRs). We find that the tau decay is a good laboratory for measuring the QCD scale Lambda. Within the present experimental accuracy, we obtain LambdaMS ⋍ 100-200 MeV to four loops. This prediction can be sensibly improved once the experimental situation has been clarified.
Narison, Stephan Pich Zardoya, Antonio 1988 QCD formulation of the tau decay and determination of Lambda (MS) Physics Letters B 211 1-2 183 188


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So this here is now officially a blog page.
Hooray, hooray!…
It'll make it easier for me to do more of what I want (important stuff of course). Like publishing things I normally wouldn't – things that don't fit in the categories I've got in the menu so far (don't ask me what 'cause I don't have a clue yet (or maybe I do but don't want to tell you).
It will also make it easier for you to follow whatever new things I put up. There's a zillion ways you can follow a blog so I'll leave it up to you to figure it out…
But, on a little more serious note, it's kinda exciting. I can put up random photos, new snippets of music, random things and thoughts that infiltrate my vision and maybe things I like that I think you also should like (but, of cooourse you don't have to – no – no – no – heaven forbid you should feel forced into liking something – noooo – free will is the thing here, amigos)
So to start things off… Here's a cover of 'Goodbye' by Steve Earle I put out on Soundcloud today. It's an excellent song and I tried to do it justice. I've actually listened to Emmylou Harris version a lot more, so if you haven't heard that one you should check it out. It's all about heartache and Mexico. Two things I know a thing or two about.


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Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans:
Tonight marks the eighth year I've come here to report on the State of the Union. And for this final one, I'm going to try to make it shorter. I know some of you are antsy to get back to Iowa.
I also understand that because it's an election season, expectations for what we'll achieve this year are low. Still, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the constructive approach you and the other leaders took at the end of last year to pass a budget and make tax cuts permanent for working families. So I hope we can work together this year on bipartisan priorities like criminal justice reform, and helping people who are battling prescription drug abuse. We just might surprise the cynics again.
But tonight, I want to go easy on the traditional list of proposals for the year ahead. Don't worry, I've got plenty, from helping students learn to write computer code to personalizing medical treatments for patients. And I'll keep pushing for progress on the work that still needs doing. Fixing a broken immigration system. Protecting our kids from gun violence. Equal pay for equal work, paid leave, raising the minimum wage. All these things still matter to hardworking families; they are still the right thing to do; and I will not let up until they get done.
But for my final address to this chamber, I don't want to talk just about the next year. I want to focus on the next five years, ten years, and beyond.
I want to focus on our future.
We live in a time of extraordinary change – change that's reshaping the way we live, the way we work, our planet and our place in the world. It's change that promises amazing medical breakthroughs, but also economic disruptions that strain working families. It promises education for girls in the most remote villages, but also connects terrorists plotting an ocean away. It's change that can broaden opportunity, or widen inequality. And whether we like it or not, the pace of this change will only accelerate.
America has been through big changes before – wars and depression, the influx of immigrants, workers fighting for a fair deal, and movements to expand civil rights. Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control. And each time, we overcame those fears. We did not, in the words of Lincoln, adhere to the "dogmas of the quiet past." Instead we thought anew, and acted anew. We made change work for us, always extending America's promise outward, to the next frontier, to more and more people. And because we did – because we saw opportunity where others saw only peril – we emerged stronger and better than before.
What was true then can be true now. Our unique strengths as a nation – our optimism and work ethic, our spirit of discovery and innovation, our diversity and commitment to the rule of law – these things give us everything we need to ensure prosperity and security for generations to come.
In fact, it's that spirit that made the progress of these past seven years possible. It's how we recovered from the worst economic crisis in generations. It's how we reformed our health care system, and reinvented our energy sector; how we delivered more care and benefits to our troops and veterans, and how we secured the freedom in every state to marry the person we love.
But such progress is not inevitable. It is the result of choices we make together. And we face such choices right now. Will we respond to the changes of our time with fear, turning inward as a nation, and turning against each other as a people? Or will we face the future with confidence in who we are, what we stand for, and the incredible things we can do together?
So let's talk about the future, and four big questions that we as a country have to answer – regardless of who the next President is, or who controls the next Congress.
- First, how do we give everyone a fair shot at opportunity and security in this new economy?
- Second, how do we make technology work for us, and not against us – especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change?
- Third, how do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman?
- And finally, how can we make our politics reflect what's best in us, and not what's worst?
Let me start with the economy, and a basic fact: the United States of America, right now, has the strongest, most durable economy in the world. We're in the middle of the longest streak of private-sector job creation in history. More than 14 million new jobs; the strongest two years of job growth since the '90s; an unemployment rate cut in half. Our auto industry just had its best year ever. Manufacturing has created nearly 900,000 new jobs in the past six years. And we've done all this while cutting our deficits by almost three-quarters.
Anyone claiming that America's economy is in decline is peddling fiction. What is true – and the reason that a lot of Americans feel anxious – is that the economy has been changing in profound ways, changes that started long before the Great Recession hit and haven't let up. Today, technology doesn't just replace jobs on the assembly line, but any job where work can be automated. Companies in a global economy can locate anywhere, and face tougher competition. As a result, workers have less leverage for a raise. Companies have less loyalty to their communities. And more and more wealth and income is concentrated at the very top.
All these trends have squeezed workers, even when they have jobs; even when the economy is growing. It's made it harder for a hardworking family to pull itself out of poverty, harder for young people to start on their careers, and tougher for workers to retire when they want to. And although none of these trends are unique to America, they do offend our uniquely American belief that everybody who works hard should get a fair shot.
For the past seven years, our goal has been a growing economy that works better for everybody. We've made progress. But we need to make more. And despite all the political arguments we've had these past few years, there are some areas where Americans broadly agree.
We agree that real opportunity requires every American to get the education and training they need to land a good-paying job. The bipartisan reform of No Child Left Behind was an important start, and together, we've increased early childhood education, lifted high school graduation rates to new highs, and boosted graduates in fields like engineering. In the coming years, we should build on that progress, by providing Pre-K for all, offering every student the hands-on computer science and math classes that make them job-ready on day one, and we should recruit and support more great teachers for our kids.
And we have to make college affordable for every American. Because no hardworking student should be stuck in the red. We've already reduced student loan payments to ten percent of a borrower's income. Now, we've actually got to cut the cost of college. Providing two years of community college at no cost for every responsible student is one of the best ways to do that, and I'm going to keep fighting to get that started this year.
Of course, a great education isn't all we need in this new economy. We also need benefits and protections that provide a basic measure of security. After all, it's not much of a stretch to say that some of the only people in America who are going to work the same job, in the same place, with a health and retirement package, for 30 years, are sitting in this chamber. For everyone else, especially folks in their forties and fifties, saving for retirement or bouncing back from job loss has gotten a lot tougher. Americans understand that at some point in their careers, they may have to retool and retrain. But they shouldn't lose what they've already worked so hard to build.
That's why Social Security and Medicare are more important than ever; we shouldn't weaken them, we should strengthen them. And for Americans short of retirement, basic benefits should be just as mobile as everything else is today. That's what the Affordable Care Act is all about. It's about filling the gaps in employer-based care so that when we lose a job, or go back to school, or start that new business, we'll still have coverage. Nearly eighteen million have gained coverage so far. Health care inflation has slowed. And our businesses have created jobs every single month since it became law.
Now, I'm guessing we won't agree on health care anytime soon. But there should be other ways both parties can improve economic security. Say a hardworking American loses his job – we shouldn't just make sure he can get unemployment insurance; we should make sure that program encourages him to retrain for a business that's ready to hire him. If that new job doesn't pay as much, there should be a system of wage insurance in place so that he can still pay his bills. And even if he's going from job to job, he should still be able to save for retirement and take his savings with him. That's the way we make the new economy work better for everyone.
I also know Speaker Ryan has talked about his interest in tackling poverty. America is about giving everybody willing to work a hand up, and I'd welcome a serious discussion about strategies we can all support, like expanding tax cuts for low-income workers without kids.
But there are other areas where it's been more difficult to find agreement over the last seven years – namely what role the government should play in making sure the system's not rigged in favor of the wealthiest and biggest corporations. And here, the American people have a choice to make.
I believe a thriving private sector is the lifeblood of our economy. I think there are outdated regulations that need to be changed, and there's red tape that needs to be cut. But after years of record corporate profits, working families won't get more opportunity or bigger paychecks by letting big banks or big oil or hedge funds make their own rules at the expense of everyone else; or by allowing attacks on collective bargaining to go unanswered. Food Stamp recipients didn't cause the financial crisis; recklessness on Wall Street did. Immigrants aren't the reason wages haven't gone up enough; those decisions are made in the boardrooms that too often put quarterly earnings over long-term returns. It's sure not the average family watching tonight that avoids paying taxes through offshore accounts. In this new economy, workers and start-ups and small businesses need more of a voice, not less. The rules should work for them. And this year I plan to lift up the many businesses who've figured out that doing right by their workers ends up being good for their shareholders, their customers, and their communities, so that we can spread those best practices across America.
In fact, many of our best corporate citizens are also our most creative. This brings me to the second big question we have to answer as a country: how do we reignite that spirit of innovation to meet our biggest challenges?
Sixty years ago, when the Russians beat us into space, we didn't deny Sputnik was up there. We didn't argue about the science, or shrink our research and development budget. We built a space program almost overnight, and twelve years later, we were walking on the moon.
That spirit of discovery is in our DNA. We're Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers and George Washington Carver. We're Grace Hopper and Katherine Johnson and Sally Ride. We're every immigrant and entrepreneur from Boston to Austin to Silicon Valley racing to shape a better world. And over the past seven years, we've nurtured that spirit.
We've protected an open internet, and taken bold new steps to get more students and low-income Americans online. We've launched next-generation manufacturing hubs, and online tools that give an entrepreneur everything he or she needs to start a business in a single day.


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Enough with the movie reviews for the moment! As I have had to delay my post on Arab-world national beauty pageants, I will weigh in instead on recent events in two of my favorite countries to discuss, Egypt and Iran!
Egypt: We don't give a "dam;" No Morsi!
Oh, what else is new? President Mohammad Morsi has reached an all-time popularity low, with 54% of the population apparently in favor of early presidential elections. In other words, Egyptians-er, the youth-want him out! Since the one-year anniversary of Morsi's presidency is coming up on June 30th, people want him out-and a huge protest is slated to be held on June 30th "in the manner of the January 25th Revolution," my husband described. Morsi's followers are not making the situation any better, lashing out with incendiary tirades quite worthy of a, uh, dictatorship. Islamic preacher Wagdy Ghoneim has stated that those who will be protesting on June 30th are "disbelievers" who are trying to "abort" the Islamic project and additionally are former President Hosni Mubarak's henchman. Oh yes, smooth move trying to equate a mere mortal with Islam! Although the job is an almost-impossible one, I must admit that Morsi has not made the best out of the situation, but I am not surprised; anyone who believes that "beauty pageants should be banned" probably doesn't have human rights, the liberty to choose, religious freedom or women in mind (call that silly, but you can read a lot from the silly things).
In a new development, Egyptian Army General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has announced that the army will be ready to "take action" on June 30th in order to prevent the country from sliding into a "dark tunnel" of conflict, according to CBS News. Note: he does not mean siding with the overly-fanatic sector of Morsi supporters. He means protecting Egypt…against who? Against what? Apparently the military isn't really happy about how Morsi treated it after coming to power, therefore the protesters will have the army on their side this time around should things get supremely ugly.
Egypt is also dealing with another crisis of a different sort, this time with a diplomatic edge. Ethiopia's construction of a hydro-power dam on the Nile River (already 20% complete), which will alter the flow of the Nile with possibly severe and damaging effects to Egypt, has provoked fury. A recent Bloomberg article cited Morsi as declaring on live television to "defend each drop of the Nile with our blood." Hmm, sounds like those are fighting words! Ethiopia-and the Bloomberg writer-seem to believe that there will be no problems in store for Egypt; I certainly can't scientifically vouch who's right. However, the Ethiopian government has made two mistakes. Firstly, the country had acted without the consent of "shoreline states" (to use World Bank terminology), which said World Bank does not condone. International organizations and stipulations aside, this was a colossal mistake: Egypt and Sudan-through which the Nile also runs- deserve to have a say in what Ethiopia does, since the Nile is their chief water source. 20 percent of its Nile water in the three to five years
Secondly, Ethiopia has apparently not conducted experiments on the possible environmental impacts of this dam that it is so eager to build, a mistake that could hurt the nation as well as Egypt and Sudan. Egypt could lose 20% of the Nile thanks to the construction of a huge reservoir in Ethiopia; how will that affect Egypt's climate and agriculture? How will this reservoir affect Ethiopia's landscape? Will it flood nearby villages, like the building of Lake Nasser in Egypt did? Will any animal or plant species be wiped out? It simply does not make sense that Ethiopia, which is spending more than $4 billion on the project, cannot spare some funds to hypothesize the environmental side affects.
The last thing Egyptian's need is a severe water crisis on their hands, and it's just one more issue for Morsi to divert his attention to. Ethiopia needs to open a dialogue and take some positive action. Oh, and one question: what happened to windpower? Least no one tries to claim the wind.
Iran: Welcome, Rouhani?!
Something unheard of happened during the Iranian presidential elections last week: the event passed without major incident! Hassan Rouhani was elected to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without a controversy over votes or corruption or protest.
The 64-year old Rouhani, who in 2003 was appointed Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, reminds me of Egypt's Morsi. Morsi was supposedly a little less conservative for a Muslim Brotherhood candidate; he had a degree and tolerance for the United States and appeared conservative with his beard and hijabi'd wife. He seemed all-around diplomatic enough. Rouhani too is religious, a mullah whose wife is hidden from public view and who wears a turban and cheerful smile. He even spent time with the infamous Khomeini during his Parisian exile. But yet he also seems to be moderate, to crave peaceful relations with the United States. Like Morsi, he pushes religion with the government, but also acknowledges that the government and some democratic participation must exist.
Obviously it is too early to pass judgement on Rouhani. If the Iranian people are content with him, than at least his election wasn't a rigged one and he came about his job honestly. A happy crowd is a productive crowd, after all. His diplomatic skills and willingness to negotiate over the nuclear arms project set him apart from Ahmadinejad, but just because he seems like an "improved" version of the former president doesn't mean that he will be perfect, or even adequate; it does not mean that he will not make mistakes.
"It's easy to lose sight of this but Rouhani's campaign…concern themselves much more with domestic issues, particularly the economy, than with foreign policy," writes Washington Post journalist Max Fisher, and I must say he has hit the nail on the head with that statement. For Americans, the most important issue regarding Iran-or any country-is whether a newly elected leader wants to be friends or enemies with the United States, but that is probably the last thing on the average Iranian's mind. I think we're so busy seeing the Iranian (insert any country-name) government as a threat that we forget that the Iranian government also exists to serve the Iranian people and their mundane, everyday problems, no matter how much it appears to be focused on other things.
I certainly hope that Rouhani would prefer to focus on domestic issues instead of trying to frighten other countries, both regionally and internationally, with Iran's nuclear prowess. There really hasn't been any mention (in the English-speaking press, anyway) about his future plans for Iranian women, but here's to hoping that he gives them a say. At the very least, I hope he doesn't make their situation more worse than it already is!
Iran and Egypt are both posed (for the umpteenth times in recent history) on the edge of a precipice which could define the next 5-,10- or even 20-years of their political and social futures. Let's hope Morsi and Rouhani can grasp the reigns and hold on for the ride–and make that ride less bumpier than it has to be.
- http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/radical-islamic-preacher-labels-anti-morsy-protesters-disbelievers
- http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/survey-54-favour-early-presidential-elections
- http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57590623/egypts-army-delivers-an-ominous-warning/
- http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/06/201361144413214749.html
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/06/17/5-things-to-know-about-irans-new-president-hassan-rouhani/
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/20/hassan-rouhani-iran-president-profile