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When I moved into my flat in August, I saw that one of my flatmates had left a stuffed frog sitting on my shelf, and through a series of events I decided he would be my classpet. I just haven't told my kiddos about it yet (I was waiting to take the frog on an adventure first). So, finally Fall Break came and it was time for the nameless frog to go on his first adventure--to Cesky Krumlov, a medieval town not to far from Prague (although, compared to other places I've lived--like Seoul or Guatemala City--Prague is a town, so really Cesky Krumlov is more of a village--it's quaint, it's fairytailish, it's small). But, anyway, back to the Frog's adventure.
Froggy visited the castle. He even climbed the tower--but I forgot to get a picture of this, because he was in my backpack. He strolled through the castle compound (still in my backpack) and finally was taken out of it when I saw frogs as part of the fountain in the castle garden, reminding me he was there!
Here is poor Frog trying to get to his friends in the middle of the fountain. Alas, they were too far away and he is one of the few frogs in the world who doesn't like getting wet. Poor froggy!
After that, I took Frog back to a part of the castle where you can overlook the village-town. He really enjoyed the view and was ever so excited to have his picture taken here. He was still sad that he missed seing the view from the tower. I know--I'm such a terrible person to have forgotten the stuffed animal in my backpack.
After all the wandering, my travel buddies and I were getting hungry. It was also getting cold. We decided that a nice, heart Czech meal was in order. Both Lonely Planet and Rick Steeves has recommended a restaurant called "The Two Marys". It served traditional Medieval Bohemian food. We got the old style Bohemian feast, which included smoked meat, potato cake, chicken, potato dumplings, millet cakes, cabbage, and salad. It was quite delicious. Actually, the whole trip was wonderful--even if I did get several strange looks from people for taking pictures with a stuffed animal. I'm an elementary teacher--what can I say.
PS--The Nameless Frog has since been named "Billy Bob" :)


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25 April 2012
Huevos rancheros
Making huevos rancheros at home is something of an endeavor. On the surface the process seems pretty simple--we all know how to make a sauce, warm up tortillas, and fry eggs--but the nature of the ingredients means that timing and order is more important than it may seem. Mise en place is actually necessary to ensure that you're eating your eggs as close to hot off the pan as possible.
Huevos rancheros
Game plan:
- Make sauce
- Prep all garnish & add-ons
- Warm tortillas
- Stage everything
- Fry eggs
- Final assembly
For ranchero sauce, chop up an onion, a couple cloves of garlic, and a hot pepper (or more) of your preference. Soften these in a little olive oil in a saute pan or saucepan. Chop up some green and red pepper and throw them in too if you so desire. Season with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, and let cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until everything is wilted into a lovely mix of aromatic vegetables. Add tomato puree (or whatever form of tomatoes you have around), stir, and bring to a simmer. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to your preferred thickness. I like to make ranchero sauce fairly thick, so there are no issues with wateriness on the plate. Sounds good?
When you reach this point, put your pan on the lowest heat and let simmer very slowly while you make everything else. The sauce can keep warm on the back burner for a good half-hour; just add a trickle of water if too much liquid burns off.
While your sauce simmers, prepare everything else but the eggs. This means two main things: garnish and tortillas. (John wanted refried beans too, so we warmed those up, but I think they're unnecessary for a plate of good huevos.)
What garnish do you want on your huevos? Cilantro, green onion, avocado, tomato, lime wedges? Chop these up and put them in easily accessible piles. Keep the avocado for last, since it will turn brown if left in contact with air for very long. You can also add a squirt of lemon or lime juice to the sliced avocado; this will slow the oxidation, but only a little. I think submerging cut avocado in your choice of salsa works better--it's acidic, precludes contact with oxygen, and you're going to put both on your huevos anyway, right?
Next: tortillas. We warm our corn tortillas directly over the gas burner, flipping roughly every 30 seconds, so they toast and char just a touch. If you aren't into putting food directly on a gas flame, you can warm them on both sides in a frying pan--preferably the one you're planning to use to fry your eggs, so it will be hot and ready. If you aren't using a frying pan for your tortillas, put your presumptive egg pan on another burner and heat it on medium-high while you're singeing the tortillas. You want it ready to use as soon as your tortillas are done. This is obviously one of those things that's much easier if you cook on a restaurant flattop, right?
(If you want to use flour tortillas, it's probably best to put them in a foil packet and stick them in a low oven or toaster oven for ten minutes. Start them while the sauce is reducing instead of afterward.)
When your tortillas are warm, put them on plates and stick them in a very low oven to keep warm. I think it's best to use plates, so you can just whip them out of the oven and deposit the eggs on them as soon as they are ready. Plus, a hot plate will make for a hotter & therefore superior finished product. You could keep the tortillas warm in a foil packet if necessary, though.
Now it is time to fry eggs. You must work quickly from this point on if you want a plate of hot huevos, so have all your eggs, butter, a little water (I use the teapot), the pan lid, potholders, and a spatula, as well as your finished sauce with ladle, garnish, and tortilla-topped plates ready to grab. You should also preferably have coffee or your choice of beverage already served, and forks, knives, trivets, etc. already on the table.
Melt a whack of butter in your hot egg pan; crack in your eggs. Give them about thirty seconds to begin to set. Then pour in about a teaspoon of water (don't measure; who cares?), give the pan a little shake to let the instantly sizzling water get under the eggs' edges, and IMMEDIATELY slap on the pan lid. If the pan was overly hot--i.e. your eggs' edges started browning--turn the heat down as well. The steam trapped in the pan will cook the top of the eggs in about a minute, depending on how you like your eggs and how hot your burners get.
When your eggs are done, it's time for immediate assembly. Put on a potholder and grab a hot plate out of the oven. Pour a couple spoonfuls of sauce over the tortillas, top with egg(s), add a little more sauce, and sprinkle on garnish. Serve instantly, preferably on a towel or heatproof trivet, and make sure to warm people about the hot plates. Repeat with the rest of your plates. Do NOT try to apportion all the plates before you serve--do them one at a time and get them to the table ASAP. Tell people to start immediately, whether or not you're still at the stove.
Now eat your plate of hot and perfect huevos in good health and good conscience.
5 comments:
- Jes said...
Um, yup, I'm officially moving across the country to eat at your house every night!
- April 25, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Yum! Love these, and I'm also in the pro-breakfast-beans camp. And maybe I'd crumble a little Mexican cheese (or feta) on top.
- April 25, 2012 at 8:48 PM
- Joanne said...
I'm really bad at mise-en-place-ing, which is perhaps why my stir fries never quite turn out. I think I need more practice. Time to make these huevos rancheros! They sound delicious.
- April 26, 2012 at 5:08 AM
- Aylin @ Glow Kitchen said...
Everything on that plate is happier in my belly :) looks so goood. i really dont know why i always skip buying eggs, when its really all i crave these days
- April 26, 2012 at 1:34 PM
- Eileen said...
Haha, I will totally make everybody huevos rancheros if they show up at my house! Aren't eggs and spicy sauce the best?
- April 30, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

subset: commoncrawl


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The healthiest most sustainable way to gain food security is to augment your food supply with a garden in your yard. Not only do you and your family gain access to fresh veggies, which are at their best in flavor and nutrition picked immediately before eating, but home gardens help ease our impact on the environment. Healthy soil retains more water, home grown veggies require less water to process, and a yard garden lowers your carbon footprint.
In our garden we have a steady supply of lima beans, kale, carrots, onions, beets, chard, salad greens and herbs. There is always some seasonal harvest to add depending on the time of the year. Nothing leaves our yard. We have three living compost piles, and two worm bins crawling with red wrigglers. We brew compost tea to sell and use in our gardens.
We also mulch like crazy and we munch like crazy. We walk barefoot on the spongy soil and graze like rabbits. And what we don't eat right away we can or share with our friends and neighbors.
Mason jars are reusable and fermented veggies are really good for you. "Fermented foods that have been through a process of lactofermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics." -Wellness Mama
Become food secure. It is a shift in consciousness that empowers you and your family with experience and knowledge. Being able to feed yourself with food you grew yourself is liberating!
A great book to read regarding food security and growing your own is Food Not Lawns. Another go to book is A Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture. Start there and at the same time visit your local farmer's market, volunteer for Food Forward Gleaning projects, and connect with local community garden projects.
People in my neighborhood are so disconnected from the fresh food supply that kids don't know an eggplant from a sweet potato. We have to show them how to get grounded in the truest sense of the word. -Ron Finley


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League Two round-up: Macclesfield move off bottom
Macclesfield leapfrog Notts County at the bottom as leaders Lincoln are beaten
Last Updated: 26/12/18 6:23pm
Sol Campbell's Macclesfield moved off the foot of Sky Bet League Two with a 2-1 win at Notts County, who replace them at the bottom.
Scott Wilson curled in the opening goal for the Silkmen but Kane Hemmings enjoyed some good fortune to level for the home side after 64 minutes.
Wilson snatched the winner with nine minutes remaining, latching on to a perfectly-weighted through ball and slotting in.
Macclesfield's Harry Smith was sent off at the start of stoppage time but the Magpies' Keston Davies followed as the visitors held on to make it seven points in four games under Campbell.
Cheltenham and Cambridge, who started the day third and fourth-bottom respectively, also enjoyed wins.
The Robins stunned high-flying MK Dons 3-1 at Whaddon Road. Jabo Ibehre's late goal earned Colin Calderwood his first win as Cambridge head coach as they beat Crawley 2-1.
At the top, leaders Lincoln were beaten 2-1 at Crewe. Mansfield moved up to third with a 2-1 win at home to Bury.
George Williams scored a stunning hat-trick as Forest Green claimed a 4-1 win at 10-man Newport. Jerry Yates bagged a double as Carlisle ran riot in a 6-0 win over Oldham.
Jayden Stockley struck his 15th goal of the season with two minutes remaining to snatch a 2-1 win for Exeter over Yeovil, while Cole Stockton scored against his former club Morecambe to set Tranmere on their way to a 3-1 victory.
Northampton and Swindon played out a 1-1 draw with Andy Williams' early volley cancelled out by Keshi Anderson, while Stevenage held on for a 2-1 win at Colchester and Wes Thomas' second-half goal secured Grimsby a 1-0 victory at Port Vale.


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10 Ways to Stop Hunger Without Waiting for Thanksgiving
It's a huge and disturbing irony: about 40 percent of food in the United States today goes uneaten, often ending up as landfill. Meanwhile, 1 in 6 people in the country — 1 in 5, if we're focusing only on children — are at risk of hunger, according to statistics from Feeding America.
Every year, hunger kills more people than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, the United Nations' World Food Programme (WGP) says. Around the world, 827 million people do not have enough to eat. Most live in Asia and in developing countries. 45 percent of the deaths of children under five (3.1 million each year) are due to poor nutrition.
Study after study touts the importance of breakfast. But across the developing world, 66 million primary school-age children (23 million in Africa alone) attend class on an empty stomach.
Thanksgiving falls next month in the United States. Too often, a holiday that originated as a way to express gratitude for a good harvest seems to have evolved (degenerated) into an excuse for all-out gluttony. In the lead-up to Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, here are ten ways to fight hunger and to give thanks by giving back to others.
1. Spread the word not only about how many people go hungry every day but also about how much food many of us waste. The WFP offers an online lesson plan to teach about hunger around the world.
2. Understand what it means to live with constant food insecurity. Many of us are fortunate never to have to experience hunger. The website She Knows suggests that we imagine what it would feel like to have a big deadline or test approaching and no breakfast, lunch or dinner available: how would we manage?
3. Find out what happens to uneaten, unsold and leftover food from your local grocery stores, farmer's markets and restaurants. Could some be donated to a local organization to feed those in need? If it isn't, can you find out why and ask if there are ways to change this?
4. Be a host to a food drive: next time you have a family gathering or a cookout — or at an upcoming Halloween party — ask people to bring items that can be donated to a local food bank.
5. Volunteer at a food bank or with other local group that assists those who face food insecurity. One of my aunts has done just this for years, spending her Christmas mornings and afternoons at a San Francisco soup kitchen.
6. Play the game FreeRice.com. For every answer you get right, ten grains of rice are donated via the WFP to fight hunger. The WFP has also developed a game called Stylista in conjunction with Bangok-based Sandbox Global, to provide aid to emergency food assistance operations in Syria.
7. Take action and tell Congress not to make even more cuts to SNAP food assistance. Of the 48 million Americans on food stamp assistance, 20 million enrolled as a result of the 2008 economic crash. Let your legislators know that they need to pass policies to help people who are going hungry right now.
8. Advocate for sustainable agricultural practices and for organic farming. A September report from the U.N. says that small-holder farms could produce enough food to feed the world by not using pesticides and fertilizers. Such methods could also assist in managing the stresses of drought and other catastrophic weather brought on by climate change.
9. Support women's rights to own land: according to the WFP, "if women farmers had the same access to resources as men, the number of hungry in the world could be reduced by up to 150 million." When women own land, their family's chances of falling into poverty are reduced; women are also more likely to spend income on food, health care and the education of their children.
10. Remember that food insecurity is not only a global health issue. As Care2 blogger s.e. smith wrote, not having, and not knowing, that you'll have regular access to food can and has caused civil strife and political unrest not only around the world, but throughout history.
Just recall Marie Antoinette's scornful "let them eat cake" on hearing that peasants did not have enough to eat. It's not easy to survive on an empty belly, but the need to eat and to make sure your family can be enough to start a revolution.
Photo from Thinkstock


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I admit that in the grand scheme of things that could go wrong in tech these days, I wasn't quite expecting this one.
If you have an e-reader laying somewhere collecting dust, you aren't alone. More and more consumers are making the shift back to hard copy.
A US court has rejected Apple's appeal and ruled that the company colluded with book publishers to illegally raise prices and break Amazon's price structure. The company is expected to pay a $450 million fine to settle the issue.
Reading has truly seen a big change in the last few years. With high definition video, hyper-real video games, and high quality audio so readily available, it is a bit surprising that boring old text would have seen such a vivid improvement. There has never been a better time to be alive if you want to read.
Amazon's new Kindle Paperwhite has won accolades for its high-quality display, but how's it work? We investigate the underlying technology.
Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.
We strongly encourage you to read our updated PRIVACY POLICY and COOKIE POLICY.


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10 Tips to Ensure Employer Ownership of Social Media Contacts
Helen Rideout, author of Employee Risk Management, shows you how to get to grips with managing social media networks in your organisation.
Social media comes into its own with its unique ability to connect individuals and groups to each other. In a business context, its purpose is to build relationships and a brand as well as share useful information. Two channels leveraged by employers in this way are LinkedIn and Twitter. However, both rely heavily on the accumulation of contacts. With LinkedIn, many employers encourage their workforce to extend their network by adding first level connections, whereas, with Twitter, the task of building up followers will fall to those responsible for maintaining the organisation's Twitter account. This generally works well whilst the employment relationship continues. But what happens to these LinkedIn connections and Twitter followers once the 'gatherer' moves on to pastures new? But more to the point, who owns them? Is it the employee or you as the employer?
If you want to stake claim to these contacts and avoid time-consuming arguments, work through the following 10 tips on how to maximise your chances of doing this successfully:
1. Define status of connections. Describe any connections made whilst working for your organisation as confidential information. Justify this on the grounds that most individual profiles contain a significant amount of personal data.
2. Connection Ownership. State that any connections made as a direct result of working for your organisation are its property and not that of the individual employee. This is because the opportunity to make them was provided through employment.
3. Access to group email addresses. Ban staff from harvesting emails from groups that they belong to by reason of working for you. Not doing so puts you at risk of employees stealing these details on leaving your employment (see Whitmar Publications Limited v Gamage 2013 http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2013/1881.html).
4. Update restrictive covenants. Review any existing restrictive covenants to see if they cover ownership of LinkedIn connections. If not, extend their coverage.
5. Name of account. Insist on the Twitter account being in your organisation's name and not an individual employee's.
6. Ownership of followers. Make it clear that any Twitter feed operated on your organisation's behalf along with its followers are solely its property.
7. Categorising followers. Formally define Twitter followers as 'customer lists' in an attempt to strengthen your organisation's ownership of them. Do not try to classify them as confidential information as the information is already in the public domain.
8. Monetise each follower. Do what US company PhoneDog did and assign a monetary value to each of its followers. It came up with the sum of US $2.50 (£1.50) per follower per month.
9. Third party tweeters. If you engage a third party to tweet on your behalf, ensure that your contract identifies your organisation as the owner of both the account and its followers.
10. Update your policy. Update your social media policy to reflect all these changes and explain why you have introduced them.


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Black LED Accessory Switch
Polished Black Brake Side Switch Block with 3-rocker style switches has Bright LEDs in each indicating when an accessory is active. Great...$69.95
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Here is my finish for today! Really pleased with it, my first really successful stippling!! On my old machine I couldn't machine quilt at all, no walking foot, uneven tension etc. My new machine is fab, so I have been teaching myself to machine quilt, and this is my first piece I feel is even and no overlapping lines.
I was given a sample book of gorgeous Designer's Guild Silks in beautiful colours, just enough for a table runner so I chopped it up and used a disappearing nine block and pieced sahing.
Block detail


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There is not anything better for this sex appeal chick Sensual Secret than being banged so well and now you should not stop yourself from taking a glance at how she is having nice pounding with her new boyfriend right before the camera. The seductive tattooed girlie is making some of the most magnetic forms of hers visible to us before standing in doggie and spreading legs wide feeling how fat penis starting to stuff her luscious pussy from the behind.
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There is nothing in the world a cat loves more than exploring, climbing and checking things out. That's why cat shelves make the ultimate exploratory toy to keep your furry feline friend busy for hours.
Of course you'll need to make sure that the cat shelves you build are sturdy and safe. We'll walk you through what you need to do to make some good ones here.
Here are some supplies you'll need to get started:
- Wood. You can use scrap wood from old furniture if you have that, or check with furniture stores.
- A couple of brackets of whatever size matches your wood.
- A staple gun and staples.
- Manual or power tools. Power tools will obviously get the job done more quickly.
- Safety goggles.
- Screwdriver and screws. You'll need one set that will fit in the brackets and go through the wood, but that aren't longer than the wood so they don't poke out. You'll need a longer set to attach the shelves to the wall.
- A level for mounting the shelves to the wall.
- Material to cover the shelf. You can get carpet from a hardware store, or shelf liner works as well. Using different textures for multiple shelves is fun for cats, too.
Step 1: Decide how big you want the shelves to be. Mark off where to cut the wood to the size you want with a pencil, and cut the wood either manually or with your power tool.
Step 2: Attach the brackets to the underside of the board. You'll want to make sure the screws don't poke through the top. Start by putting the shorter end of the bracket on the wood, leaving the longer side to go against the wall so there's more weight against the wall. Then either screw or drill the screws into place, again making sure to not poke the screws through the top of the wood. When placing the brackets on the wood, first check to make sure that where you're placing the brackets keeps the longer bracket resting comfortably flush with the wall.
Step 3: Take your shelf covering and size it to fit the shelf. Staple it on the sides if possible, but if you have to use strips and staple the top, make sure the top staples are all the way into the wood so nothing is sticking out. If you have some staples sticking up, use a hammer to drill the staples flush into the wood.
Step 4: Take your longer screws and anchors and mount your new cat shelf to the wall.
Step 5: Watch your cat entertain herself for hours!
Image: spilltojill / via Flickr


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There's more to Instagram than ridiculously good-looking meals, selfies, and opulent photos from vacations that you or may not have actually taken. (Details)
After comparing Angelina Jolie's modeling photos from when she was 16 to images of her today, we just have one question: Is she some kind of wizard? (Styleite)
In an incredibly hip twist of fate, Sufjan Stevens' guide to college fashion in 1995 was anti-trend before it was even trendy to be anti-trend. (BuzzFeed)
With all the flack that Beyoncé gets for alleged copy-catting, some would say she's more of a canvas than a creator these days, but that's not necessarily a bad thing — and this is why. (Billboard)
OpenSky's newly-launched e-commerce site is essentially Etsy for Tumblr users: Unknown designers you can brag about knowing before they were cool. (WWD)


text:
Mexican Singer-Songwriter Vanessa Zamora Shares Her Dating Advice
Vanessa Zamora is a Mexican singer-songwriter signed to Cosmica Artists. Her most recent album Hasta La Fantasia was released last year.
Download MiCrush now and send Vanessa Zamora's songs to your Crushes!
If you are an artist or represent an artist and would like to have your music featured in MiCrush please reach out to: email@example.com


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authors: Archibald Brooks
illustrators: Anne Yvonne Gilbert; Gary Blythe; Helen Ward; Nicki Palin; Colin Stimpson
series name:
Long before the term vampire was born, long before Bram Stoker fictionalized this beings ways, blood-drinking demons were banished to Earth by Michaels host of Angels, or so the Bible describes. This rich, mesmerizing resource, written in 1900, sheds light on what happened hence to the three vampire bloodlines especially the tortured souls known as the Belial. Interspersed are booklets, flaps, and letters between a young paranormal researcher who discovered the book in the 1920s and an oddly alluring woman who seeks his help. Among the phenomena explored are:
* vampires genealogical origins, attributes, and range
* myths about the making of vampires
* secrets of vampires powers and shape-shifting skills
* tips for spotting vampires, protecting oneself, and fighting back
* case studies of famous vampires and vampire hunters through history
* a shocking overview of vampires "living" among us


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NEW BEDFORD � The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts has awarded $125,000 in grants from the Polaroid Fund and the Acushnet Foundation Fund to New Bedford area programs that focus on Workforce Development and Early Literacy.
Four organizations received a total of $75,000 for Workforce Development programs through the Polaroid Fund�s New Bedford area grants program, which is being managed by the foundation for a second year under a contract with the Boston Foundation. Another $25,000 was awarded by the Polaroid Fund as a matching grant to the Acushnet Foundation Fund, for a total of $50,000 awarded to two organizations for Early Literacy programs.
�The relationship between family literacy, early literacy development, school readiness, school success, high school graduation rates and workforce development provides an opportunity to engage parents with young children,� said Foundation President Craig J. Dutra. �The matching funds from the Polaroid and Acushnet Foundation funds will be used for projects that integrate ESOL and ABE classes with early literacy programs.�
Grants were awarded to the following four organizations for Workforce Developments projects which emphasize English Literacy (ESOL) and Adult Education (ABE and GED courses).
Bristol Community College, $25,000 grant for �ESOL Pathways and College Careers.� This program is intended to increase the skills of graduates of GED and Adult Diploma programs to ensure success in post-secondary education. The grant will also fund counseling and training for citizenship.
Catholic Social Services, $24,000 for �Future Education and Adult Literacy,� which will provide instruction in literacy, English and intensive GED training for native Spanish and Portuguese speakers. The program will address the needs of the older student population in New Bedford�s North and South Ends.
Community Economic Development Center of SE Mass. (CEDC), $15,000 for �ESOL Computer literacy�� Spanish-based instruction in basic workplace English and basic computer literacy for ESOL students.
Steppingstone, $11,000 for �New Bedford Women�s Program, Project EdNA,� to provide programming for the expansion of adult education, formal job training and post-secondary educational opportunities, including assessment and guidance. Steppingstone will overcome access barriers by providing child care and transportation.
Early Literacy grants were awarded to PACE, $43,000 for a �New Bedford Family Literacy Project� intended to integrate an adult literacy/ESOL program with parenting and early literacy skills, while Catholic Social Services received a $7,000 grant for an Early Literacy Program that will work with an at-risk population in transitional housing.
Community Foundation awards literacy grants
NEW BEDFORD � The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts has awarded $125,000 in grants from the Polaroid Fund and the Acushnet Foundation Fund to New Bedford area programs that focus on Workforce Development and Early Literacy.


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The IARC Scientific Publications aim to disseminate the results of IARC-coordinated scientific research. Topics span the range of IARC's research scope, and the series includes the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents volumes.
Edited by Parkin DM, Ferlay J, Jemal A, Borok M, Manraj SS, N'da GG, Ogunbiyi FJ, Liu B, Bray F
Formats: Print Book, PDF
Edited by Forman D, Bray F, Brewster DH, Gombe Mbalawa C, Kohler B, Piñeros M, Steliarova-Foucher E, Swaminathan R, Ferlay J
Edited by Straif K, Cohen A, Samet J
Formats: PDF, EPUB
Edited by Pitt JI, Wild CP, Baan RA, Gelderblom WCA, Miller JD, Riley RT, Wu F
Edited by Rothman N, Hainaut P, Schulte P, Smith M, Boffetta P, Perera F
Edited by Sankaranarayanan R, Swaminathan R, Lucas E
Edited by Boyle P, Smans M
Edited by Curado MP, Edwards B, Shin HR, Storm H, Ferlay J, Heanue M, Boyle P
Edited by Buffler P, Rice JM, Baan R, Bird M, Boffetta P
Formats: Print Book
Edited by Parkin DM, Ferlay J, Hamdi-Chérif M, Sitas F, Thomas JO, Wabinga H, Whelan SL
Edited by Riboli E, Lambert R
Edited by Parkin DM, Whelan SL, Ferlay J, Teppo L, Thomas DB
Edited by Miller AB, Bartsch H, Boffetta P, Dragsted L, Vainio H
Edited by Berrino F, Capocaccia R, Estève J, Gatta G, Hakulinen T, Micheli A, Sant M, Verdecchia A
Edited by Singer B, Bartsch H
Author: Little J
Edited by Vineis P, Malats N, Lang M, d'Errico A, Caporaso N, Cuzick J, Boffetta P
Edited by Capen CC, Dybing E, Rice JM, Wilbourn JD
Edited by McGregor DB, Rice JM, Venitt S


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South African Field Band Federation Video Clips
De Beers has generously created a DVD of the great work that is happening in Kimberly with the De Beers Superstones. View interviews with the youth, see clips of performances and learn more about FBF programs in the words of our members.
Click here to see the clips.
Posted by News Editor on Monday, May 7th, 2007. Filed under S.A. Field Band Foundation.


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Shirley Gleeson
Shirley is a qualified social worker with over 15 years' experience working in the public, private and voluntary sector in Ireland. She received her Bachelor of Social Science from UCD (University College Dublin) and Masters of Social Work from UCC (University College Cork). She has worked in the areas of child protection, child and adolescent mental health, intellectual and physical disability and medical social work. She currently works part time as a Senior Social Worker in adult mental health and delivers training for social workers in Stress Management.
She is a certified Forest Therapy Guide, Mentor and Trainer with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. She has also trained as a Nature Guide with Ecotraining in South Africa as well as undertaking an internship with the People and Conservation Departments of the South African National Parks. Shirley has trained in ecotherapy in the UK.
She has extensive postgraduate training in expressive arts therapy, counselling, stress management, therapeutic play, dialectical behavioural therapy skills, behavioural family therapy and theraputic use of mindfulness. She is also a WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Planning) facilitator.
She has recently completed an MA in Health Promotion in NUIG (National University of Ireland Galway) and is combining her skills from social work, health promotion and various nature and ecotherapy trainings to develop sustainable individual and community interventions to promote and enhance physical and emotional wellbeing.
Diarmuid McAree
Formerly Chief Forestry Inspector of the Irish Forest Service, Diarmuid is now a Forestry Consultant and Advisor. During his time with the Forest Service he dealt with all national and international forestry related matters. He is currently Vice Chairman of a UN/ECE/ILO Team of Specialists on Green Jobs in the Forest Sector (based in Geneva) and a Director of Crann -Trees for Ireland.
He has degrees in Forestry, Microbiology, Entomology and Pathology from UCD and the University of Florida. He was Chairman of Woodlands of Ireland and a board member of COFORD (Council for Forest Research and Development). He is a part-time lecturer on Forest Protection at UCD and he is Crann's representative on the Tree Council of Ireland.
Diarmuid has a grá mór for the outdoor life and during his student years was Captain of the UCD Mountaineering Club. Amongst the highlights of his adventurous travels are an ascent of Kilimanjaro and an expedition to Antarctica. He is a member of the Irish Mountaineering Club, Birdwatch Ireland, The Society of Irish Foresters and The Environmental Pillar of the IEN (Irish Environmental Network).
Diarmuid is an enthusiastic advocate of forest ecotherapy and ecotourism. He believes strongly in the economic, social and environmental benefits they bring to local communities by the creation of forest trails and guided walks.
Donal O'Keeffe
Donal is a Research Psychologist who supports this project by guiding its development in line with evidence based practice and advising on mental health. Donal is employed in a Dublin based mental health service, is currently completing his PhD in recovery in enduring mental illness, and has published peer reviewed articles on recovery in national and international journals. To date, he has played an integral role in the development and rollout of multiple projects and initiatives that have promoted positive mental health in communities in Ireland.


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You get 4 identical skimmers in this pack. If you wanted to add a buzzbomb launcher it wouldn't be too hard to fabricate one from a bit of brass rod/tube or even a plastic sprue offcut.
I've painted their skimmers Humbrol 86 Olive Drab the same as their body armour, with a Valejo sepia ink wash. Details are picked out in Vallejo stonewall grey with a black wash. The GEV skirt is Vallejo matt black with a Humbrol 32 dark grey drybrush.
I've already got some which act as fast scouts for my NAC troops, though I've treated them as grav vehicles rather than GEVs.
They're also ripe for conversion by adding bits of brass rod, plasticard fins and head-swaps.


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Numenéra: Gift of the Calimshan
Ninth World
Our adventure takes place in the Ninth World. It is known that at least 8 other civilizations rose and fell before this one. Tens of thousands of years ago, the Eighth World fell, although we don't know why. We don't even know who they were. The Ninth World is just now rising from those ashes, having raised a few cities of her own, learned agriculture again, and recently uniting under the aeon priesthood to bring our people out of the Darkness.
We know that at least some of the Eight Worlds before us were human. At least three, for sure, the Aeon Priests say. Maybe more. But some weren't. Abhuman societies, Aliens, mutants, people from other planets, stars, and dimensions surely conquered the Earth at some point, and many of them remain, although their descendants today are no more knowledgeable of the Eight Worlds than any other. Whatever there once was, now there is only the Numenéra and the Ninth World.
In the time of the Ninth World, the land masses of the planet have returned to form a vast supercontinent surrounded by seemingly endless seas with extremely dangerous storms. The Moon glows with golden and red lights, although it is a little smaller than it was in the 21st century, and the Sun a little redder. But are the Earth and heavens in the configuration they are because of natural forces and simply the march of time or did some prior civilization design it to be so? Certainly the ancient inhabitants of the so-called "prior worlds" had the ability to shape their planet–and likely other planets–as they saw fit. Proof of this is everywhere. "Impossible" landscapes are a normal part of the Ninth World's topography. Islands of crystal float in the sky. Inverted mountains rise up above plains of broken glass. Abandoned structures the size of kingdoms stretch across distances so great that they affect the weather. Massive machines, some still active, churn and hum. But for what purpose?
Along the southeastern coast lies The Steadfast, a collection of kingdoms and principalities with little in common except for a unifying religion. This religion, called by its adherents The Order of Truth (and by all else as the Amber Papacy), reveres the past and the knowledge of the ancients as understood by the enigmatic Aeon Priests. By decree of the Amber Pope, The Steadfast and The Order of Truth wage war with the lands to the north, believed by many to be enthralled by a secretive and mysterious cult called the Gaeans. Nobles amid The Steadfast are called to the Crusades, making war against the infidels with ever stranger weapons discovered or devised by the priesthood.
Beyond the bounds of The Steadfast, however, lies The Beyond, a vast wilderness punctuated by very occasional, very isolated communities. The Beyond also has its Aeon Priests, but these are not linked by any kind of organized network. They do not answer to the Amber Pope. Instead, they dwell in sequestered claves. Around these claves, small villages and communities known as aldeia have arisen. Each clave has discovered and mastered various bits of numenera, giving every aldeia its own distinct identity. In one, the inhabitants might raise unique bio-engineered beasts for food. In another, people may pilot gravity-defying gliders and race along the rooftops of ancient ruins. In still another aldeia, the priests in the clave may have developed the means to stop aging almost entirely, making the residents immortal and willing to sell their secret–for an incredibly high price. Because the villages are remote and separated by dangerous distances, trade of these discoveries is occasional and haphazard.
But not every village or tribe in The Beyond has a clave to help guide them amid the dangers of the past. Some of these have discovered the numenera to their peril, unleashing terrible horrors, plagues, or mysteries beyond comprehension. Travelers might find a village where all the residents have been transformed into flesh-eating monstrosities, or another that whose populace works as slaves for some machine intelligence left over from an earlier era.
Outside the aldeia and other settlements, the dangers multiply. Amid the ruins of the past lie tribes of vicious abhumans, as likely to kill and eat an explorer as talk to her. Clouds of tiny invisible machines called the Iron Wind scour the wilderness, altering everything they touch. Monstrous predators, ancient death machines, and stranded extraterrestrial or transdimensional beings also all pose a threat in the uncharted reaches of The Beyond. But so too can a careful and capable explorer find awe-inspiring numenera that can accomplish anything one can imagine.
In the Ninth World, numenera is both the risk and the reward. Today we strive to survive in a world where the relics of the ancients are as mysterious and dangerous to us as the world around us. Most people don't even try to understand the Numenéra, they are content merely to struggle to survive, to bring in the harvest, or to open their store. But for you, the Ninth World is an adventure about to happen.


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Saint Charles to Galena
This railway line was completed in 1888 as part of the Minnesota & Northwestern Railroad, which was soon renamed the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railroad, subsequently becoming the Chicago Great Western in 1892. The CGW struggled at times, but survived until 1968, when it was merged with the Chicago & North Western, who abandoned this line soon after the merger. This line constitutes a majority of the CGW mainline within the state of Illinois.
The most recent abandonment of this line was in 2011, a short spur known as the Saint Charles Industrial Lead, in Saint Charles, by the Union Pacific.
See also the abandoned Ingalton-Forest Park portion of this former CGW mainline.
In photo #2, that view is actually still of the abandoned tracks, but does face the active portion of the line which is about 1/4 mile or so beyond the photo. Just out of camera view is IL Route 64 where the city has torn out the tracks for construction on Route 64. Past that there's another block or so of abandoned tracks with the active portion of the line beginning past that. The rails have been cut where the active portion ends.
I have a Dec. 2, 1887 Minnesota and Northwestern ticket stub from Dunbar to German Valley, IL. I grew up near German Valley but can anyone tell me where Dunbar is located?
To answer Lin Moseley's question concerning the location of Dunbar,IL.My research of the Chicago Great Western in one of the books that I own refer that Dunbar is now known as South Freeport,IL.& was a railroad junction with the Illinois Central Railroad at one point and was used by the Great Western Railroad to get to Galena,IL.& onto Dubuque,Iowa during the CGW's early years before the Winston Tunnel was built.Dunbar was located on farmland and not really in any populated location & at one point even had a water tank to refill steam locomotives.I had just seen a photo print sold on Ebay recently of the South Freeport,Il.location with a red barn in the background of farm fields.
Really a shame on so many levels. Hopefully the ROW will be preserved as this would make a fine route to link downtown St. Charles to shopping areas, the Du Page Airport, and even to Metra.
Survey Tech. C.e.s. in Rochelle, il have made copies of all Railroad R.o.w. plates in Ogle co. Most date 1916
The Winston Tunnel was a highlight of this line. It was difficult to traverse, and a fan room was installed on west side to clear exhaust fumes. To keep trespassers out, the east end has been bulldozed in. Entry in the west end is dangerous, as there are many rattlesnakes. Too bad more of the line is not a trail. Part of the line from St. Charles to Sycamore is the Great Western Trail.
At Byron, a segment of the track and the bridge over the Rock River survive as a rail connection to the Byron Nuclear Power plant. On occasion, generators are shipped in and out by rail.
The Depot at Elizabeth is a railway museum.
I had visited the Winston Tunnel in the Mid 1980's well before it was fully closed off & before many people knew about it.It was a real challenge to traverse the territory in those years.I had read about the CGW Route through Western Illinois towards Galena before I even tried to look for the Winston Tunnel.I made 2 trips before I was able to find it.I went in the late October to avoid the extensive overgrowth & had used my late father's Coleman 2 Mantle Gas lantern to explore the inside of the tunnel into the deep interior & ended up in the center of it which was caved in. This was such an adventure to me!I was in my early 30's.It was so dark that the lantern barely lit up walls of the Winston Tunnel.
The Fan house was there & I studied it closely trying to make out the features of this ancient structure.It was so old like some lost building that once an important place in the function of the Chicago Great Western Railroad.After reading about the history of the CGW one will finally discover the truth of the Winston Tunnel that it was truly a "Hole in Alpheus Stickney's Pocketbook".
My great grandfather, an engineer on the Chicago,St.Paul, Kansas was killed (1904)on the stretch of rail between St. Charles and Sycamore. The news article talked about a ravine but not much detail as to whereabouts. Wondering if anyone knew of how I could figure out where. I'd like to come down and walk the site.
To answer Pat Leahy's question is kind of tough.Most of the Chicago Great Western right of way in the countryside has been so converted by urbanization just like it has in Minnesota that it will be hard to find the exact location of of exact accident site of his great Grandfather's Steam Locomotive in 1904.I have hiked the CGW trail in IL & have vague idea of the location where it may have occured.This area of the CGW was generally flat through ILLINOIS farm land during that time period but I can see that there were several concrete culvert creek under passes built between St.Charles & Sycamore,IL which may constitute a ravine.I really wish that I could help more but a true hike & study of the Great Western Trail just might be in order to uncover the facts.I am available for your comments about this & may want to explore this trail with you sometime in the near future.
Thank you for your response. I would love it if you had time to walk the section of the trail with us. I went back to the article and it says that my grandfather was about 4 miles west of St. Charles but who knows as to the accuracy of the article. I did a flyover the trail with google earth and boy I couldn't see much ravine. I could send you a transcript of the article before I come down which might give you some clues that I don't see.
To provide an answer to Pat Leahy,I have probably have an answer to your question.I think that I have narrowed down the location of your Great-Grandfather's Steam Locomotive accident so many years ago in 1904 on the CGW.You can check out Mapquest for further info.As I am familiar with the Great Western Nature trail.I believe as a rough search of the Trail that the accident may have occurred between the current Randall road & Wasco,IL on the Great Western Trail Map.Judging by my researched mileage of the CGW Nature Trail provided by the Kane County (ILLinois) Forest Preserve District.There are a lot of stream ravines there that probably eventually lead to the Fox River.You can Email me @ firstname.lastname@example.com if you need more help to find the site.I hope that this helps in your research as it has been my hobby for many years researching the Chicago Great Western Railroad.I live near the old CGW in Berkeley,IL.Best Regards,Dave
Dave G., thank you for the info on Dunbar last November. I have since been able to find a bit more about in a Stephenson County history book. The fun part is that I lived about 3 miles from that spot for 37 years and never knew the history. Again, thank you!
I don't know if the copy/paste will work...But my good friend Mark Llanuza, has plenty of before and after pictures of the CGW,and othe RRS of Chicago and beyond.If your interested, either click his name, or just view the b/a. You can spend a day, viewing...I did.
In an article published in the Rockford Morning Star on Wednesday, September 6, 1972, the last freight on the former CGW line will pass through Stockton, Illinois on September 30, 1972 and will be accompanied by farewell activities organized by the Heritage League of North West Illinois.
In an article published by the Rockford Morning Star on Wednesday, December 6, 1972, many farmers around Elizabeth in JoDaviess County whose farms bordered the CGW right-of-way were interested in purchasing the abandoned ROW next to their farms. The ROW under discussion extended from Leaf River in Ogle County west to Galena Junction.
Patrick Leahy, is the article regarding your great grandfather's train accident available online? I live west of St. Charles on the old line. I couldn't find any information about the accident in 1904, but I am curious to learn more and possibly help determine the location.
To all CGW buffs- I grew up in Glen Ellyn born in 1961 and as a kid always asked my dad why there were no trains ever on the CGW line in N. Glen Ellyn. This was the late 60's and my dad said there used to be. Neither of us knew of the C&NW merger in 1968. While traveling to my uncles farm in Mt.Carroll in 1971 we did see the track being lifted and scrapped south of Freeport. We drove through Pearl City all the time to get to Mt. Carroll. The Amber Lights supper club was right next to the crossing in Pearl City. It was after my dad died that I finally figured out the entire route of the line from Chicago to Galena Junction after looking at an old atlas that had the 1898 railroad map of northern Illinois! My plan after high school was to walk the old ROW from Glen Ellyn to Galena Junction in the summer and I bought a backpack. I never did the hike because I figured my feet wouldn't hold up and I would get lost on private property trying to follow the old roadbed. I have and will always be fascinated with the history of this railroad. With the advent of google maps satellite I can do the hike from my computer. On the east end the line merged with Soo Line tracks that run along the south side of the Eisenhower Expressway and using google earth you can follow the old ROW from the east all the way to Galena Junction zooming in and out as needed. West of South Freeport its alittle tricky but you can pick-up treelines and traces of the old road bed even through farm fields!
The East Stockton yard is also visible by the shape of vegetation there in the shape of a rail yard! And the top of the mound or hill is visible where the Winston tunnel lies beneath. Check out The Unofficial Great Western Page on Google (trainweb.com) for logos, pictures, tales and historical accounts of the story of the CGW. I have scoured that web-site several times to learn the rich history and the heyday of this railroad. Also of note is that railroad was there before the airplane was invented then eventually passed by the Dupage airport and Freeport airport-both airports have been expanded and both airports now cover portions of the CGW ROW! See you all on the Great Western Trail Leo Kelley
The merger of '68 pre-dated me by about six months, so I never saw a CGW train in action, but became fascinated with the line after getting hold of a copy of "Six Units to Sycamore" as a kid growing up in Chicago.
In 2000, while making digital maps for navigation systems, we mapped DeKalb Co. Throughout the project we stumbled across the CGW ROW, usually in the form of tree lines, humps in the road (Five Points), and even a culvert that a farmer had tilled completely around - leaving an isle of green and stone in the middle of his field. IIRC, that was west of Clare. (Oh how I wish we had phones with good cameras in 2000!)
Tracing the CGW (or any abandoned ROW) online provides much fun. But even more fun is trying to trace the ROW from an airliner! Nowadays, living in IA, I get to fly between O'Hare and Waterloo - and make it a game to find the CGW on every daylight passage. I can usually pick it up around St. Charles and have followed it all the way to about Stockton/Elizabeth, before our flight path usually crosses over it.
Yeah, the CGW lines are mesmerizing, haunting even. Funny enough, last year I learned that I reside only 200 feet from the CGW's Cedar Falls, branch. It's still traceable as a bike path, but has been massively reworked at its former junction with the IC (today CN). I've come to consider it as my "spiritual connection" to the CGW system!
Just curious if Pat Leahy { or anyone else } has had any luck in finding the exact location of the train wreck site. I bike this trail often & know the terrain between St. Charles & Sycamore pretty well. There are no significant natural ravines to speak of, but several areas where the grade was built up extensively & a wreck in this area would probably slide down the embankment to what might be referred to as a ravine. There are two areas with topography that might be the accident sight not far from the beginning of the trail in St. Charles close to Peck Road. Another high fill is further west in the Wasco area. Just beyond Brown Road { parking available } you enter a wooded area with several possible 'ravines'....
Just a note regarding George Carlisle's comment about the Winston Tunnel. Access to the west portal is now made easier with a parking lot area off Blackjack Road. You're still in for a decent hike from this point, but there is parking. Well worth the effort. Don't bother with the east portal. That's on private property. Several years ago I hiked out there with two friends { one of the friends has a relative who lives on the hill above the tunnel & gave us permission as he knows the owner well - a little sketchy, I know..} and we encountered an irate man claiming to be the landowner. I stated we had permission & inquired his name to which he refused. He stated he was going to call the police to which we countered with a 'go ahead'...in fact we'll call. At that point he sped away in his pickup. After all that there wasn't much to see as the retaining walls were bulldozed over leaving only the top several feet of the portal remaining - not worth trespassing over...but do see the west end. We went in late autumn with cool temps & did not see { or hear } any rattlesnakes!
Dear old CGW RR friends it is nice to hear from you folks again,it has been a long time.It's true that the former CGW Railroad much beyond Sycamore,IL is almost totally gone.It is not good.Most of the western IL ROW has been reclaimed by former & new farm land owners.The CGW was built a very long time ago before we were all were born in the late 1880's.At least the Great Western Trail still exists between Villa Park,IL & Sycamore and parts of the CGW RR still also exist in Iowa & Minnesota also.I really miss the Great Western Railroad right here in Berkeley,IL where I still reside.I live only a block away from the former railroad & do remember it very well as a child in the 1960's.We used to wait for the CGW Trains to park right here in Hillside,IL & run up to the tracks & poke sticks into the last of the old Stock Cars to tease the livestock.One day,a young brakeman caught us & said he would open the stock cars & let the livestock eat us if we did not leave the the animals alone.We ran like hell & never came back.My Friends & I were about 7 or 8 years old in 1967 or 1968.This is a true story & probably one of the many Chicago Great Western stories that have been told.This is a true story. We all miss the CGW Railway.God bless the Chicago Great Western Railroad.
Mark Kaspar (and Patrick Leahy), over the past year I have found about 5 newspaper articles of the train accident on Jan. 18, 1903 in which the engineer, James F. Leahy, (Patrick Leahy's great grandfather) was killed. The exact location is never mentioned and each of the stories appear to get some of the details wrong (note articles below that but By piecing them all together I think Mark Kaspar is correct that the most likely location is just west of Brown Road near Wasco or near Peck Road west of St. Charles. I live in the area and am on the trail frequently.
The Sycamore True Republican: http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=STR19030121.2.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------
The Chicago Daily Tribune: http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1903/01/19/page/2/article/one-dead-30-hurt-in-train-wereck
Chad, sorry about the delay. I found the article on newspapers.com. I was mistaken the date was 1903, not 1904. The Minneapolis Journal, 19 Jan 1903, Mon, First Edition. An article in the St Paul Globe date 1/19/1903 indicated the train at high speed hit a broken rail just before it crossed a bridge. The speed of the train carried it across the bridge on the ties then the entire train pitched down a 20' embankment.
Mark, I have not found the location but I would have to travel down to the site
Dunbar / South Freeport are one in the same. The IC always called it Dunbar in their timetables & on the CGW it was referred to South Freeport. My paternal grandparents lived in a CGW owned house between the South Freeport depot & the IC's mainline. My grandfather was the CGW section foreman based in South /Freeport. Most of the interchange yard is now covered by the southwest end, of the main runway, for Freeport's Albertus Airport. This runway was lengthened in the 80's removing evidence of the yard tracks. This link shows the trackage there in 1939. https://www.flickr.com/photos/milepost107/8359963744/in/photostream/lightbox/
Hey Mr. Rick Hess It is really great that you had added the Information concerning The South Freeport/Dunbar location to this CGW RR Website.I kind of thought an Airport took the area over. I prefer Train Travel over the Airlines anyday. Good info posting Rick as I do miss the CGW RR!
I was pleasantly surprised to see Leo's comment (1/7/16) re the Amber Lights supperclub in Pearl City - took my grandmother there for lunch in the mid or late 70s.
Back in the mid 50's looked down on the fanhouse from near a farmhouse on the ridgetop -- it looked pretty decrepit even back then. I have very vague memories of seeing a CGW freight right around Woodbine where the ROW is close to US 20. Another time, I believe I saw one coming around the ridge end where the tracks passed under US 20 a little west of Stockton.
Can you provide me your email address? Your link is not working below - I've got some photos of the possible wreck location for Pat Leahy & others to view....
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I miss this line, as previously mentioned it would make a fine link to the metra in Geneva. The UP still owns the ROW (I believe) and even 5 years after track removal ties and crossing lights are still piled up and laying on the ground. The active part is still active. I walked these tracks when they were abandoned hoping they'd come back one day. They might, nothing on the ROW has changed since they tore out the tracks.


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Today marks the arrival of Hurricane Irene, or its remnants, in Upstate New York. It is also the anniversary of Dan's death. I like to think that he enjoys the cosmic irony of this.
I wrote Dan's obituary. Since I had had no control of anything for three months, I took control of his obituary. Here is most of what I wrote for the newspapers:
The cause of death was primary central nervous system lymphoma, with which he had been diagnosed in June.
. . . graduated from Saint John's in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, and attended Columbia University on a full academic scholarship . . .
. . . worked from home as a freelance book editor, specializing first in U.S. history and more recently in textbooks for emergency medical technician trainees . . . also the "quizmaster" for "Time Classroom," a publication of Time, Inc. . . . chaired the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Claverack and served on the board of directors of the Rip Van Wrinkle Basenji Club.
Among his many interests were running, hiking and boating. With Michael Makynen, a friend from his Saint John's days, he canoed the entire length of the Connecticut River, from the Atlantic Ocean to Canada, over the course of two years, in weekend trips.
. . . also a superb avocational chef, who studied with Virginia Lee, Diana Kennedy and David Lawson . . . enjoyed the arts, particularly music and dance, and was an avid filmgoer who could remember details of movies he had seen years before. Until the onset of his illness, he did the New York Times crossword puzzle daily, in ink, in 10 minutes.
In addition to his mother and sister . . . survived by Debby Mayer, their two basenjis, Cooper and Lulu . . . and many friends who sustained him and Ms. Mayer during his illness.
Mr. Zinkus was a generous donor to several local nonprofit organizations; those who wish to remember him are asked to make a donation to a charity of their choice.
What I e-mailed to friends was this:
He's raising a glass with Walter . . .
He's reading poetry with Linda . . .
He's cooking and arguing politics with Joani . . .
He's running with Bambi . . . neither of them falters, neither of them falls.


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Nifty Latest Updates on Elliott Wave Analysis of 16 Feb 2015
Nifty opened gap up on Monday and bounced sharply after opening to touch Intraday high of 8870 but trade with negative bias for rest of the day. Nifty closed 3 points up at 8809 after giving the low of 8793 with a sharp downswing of 60 points in end seesion. Let's have a look on latest charts.
I am showing the wave counts after recent low 8473 and previous counts you can see on my last Elliott wave analysis report of Nifty for 16 Feb 2015 and this report is update of my last report. See the latest chart below:
This is 5 minutes time bar chart of Nifty covering move after recent low 8473.
The wave started from low 8473 doesn't looks like an clean impulse upside but seems to be in progress as double zigzag or triple zigzag as marked on chart. And it seems 2nd "abc" cycle completed on Monday at high 8870 with a connecting wave (X1).
Generally, Nifty can go till 8645 once in case of Triple Zigzag to overlap 1st 'abc' cycle and need to decline below 8470 again in case of Double Zigzag. Thus, the minimum decline till 8645 is expected in both the cases. Whereas 38% for last wave (c) is placed at 8766 and 61% placed at 8703. Inner wave (c) of 2nd "abc" cycle projected more than 138% but completed before 161% (8886) which I expected in last report.
Let's have a look at Monday's intraday move of Nifty:
This is 5 minutes time bar chart of Nifty covering intraday move of Monday. Again, the move from recent top 8870 doesn't looks like an impulsive, not it looks like a simple zigzag (abc). So, it may be the formation of another complex correction as shown on chart or something else.
So, we need to go here with trailing stoploss at last reflex point for existing shorts to protect us in case of odds. Last reflex point is 8847 which is the start of last bigger wave.
Though Nifty reversed without breaking above 8886 as I expected in my last report but there is no clear sign yet for any bigger downward move towards 8645 because wave were overlapping at top. So, we need to carry our existing shorts with trailing stoploss of 8847 till we see any further signal. Fresh Intraday trade can be done after identifying smaller wave pattern with small stoploss.
Category: Nifty


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How Are You Going to Handle the Holidays?
"Above all, I try to keep holidays in perspective. They are, after all, just a day. And I give myself permission for my diabetes to not be as well controlled as it could be, knowing that the holiday will pass and I can then get back on track."—Jen Nash
From the American Diabetes Association November 2011 issue of Diabetes Forecast article "Something More to Celebrate". (Dr. Jen is a Type 1 diabetic and a Clinical Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and holds a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology specializing in diabetes. She is based in England. Her website is PositiveDiabetes.com and has an e-publication called Positive Diabetes. It is a good source for motivation).
How do you feel about Dr. Jen Nash's statement?
14 replies
I agree about keeping it in perspective. To me, it is a day to get with my family that i don't get to see enough of. It is not about food. That is just something we do while together. I do not let it get to me. Everything in small portions. And lots of running around with the kids afterwards!!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be with your loved ones and be thankful for the gifts that God HAS given us, and not dwell on the trials we must endure. God Bless all of you!!
You are so right. The food is only a small part of the holidays. Family is the most important thing.
Happy Thanksgiving
Tru Dat!!! LOL Blessings to you, Happy Thanksgiving! :)
i stay on track even through the holidays no cheating allowed. i would feel gulity about it.sorry to be a party pooper. thats just fine with me to be one.
I agree with you. My readings aren't under control yet. I mean I watch what I eat, I count carbs, calories, fat grams, sodium… I take my Metformin and my insulin (at night) etc but I still get numbers that fluctuate. So for me this year no cheating. Maybe next year when I have a better handle on things but I am still learning and this is my first holiday so… I am going to be really good. I am making oven roasted brussel sprouts with garic and walnuts, steamed green beans with onions and garlic, and acorn squash with cumin and curry to have instead of stuffing, mashed potatoes, or sweet potatoe casserole. I am going to have a half a pear with greek yogurt instead of pie and I will be happy and have a great time with my family.
Those Brusel sprots sound absolutrly fantastic. They have my mouth watering. Hope you get your numbers under control soon. When you do get them under control do not think an occassional variation from your food regime is cheating. As Dr. Jen said the holidays will pass and she will get back on track. Also note she did not lose control but it is just not as controlled as it should be.
Happy Thanksgiving
I get a chance at Pecan Pie once a year!!! My insulin shot will simply be a little bigger on Thanksgiving. Perfection was only achieved 1 time in the history of the world.
That is in large measure how I see the holidays. As long as I get back on track after that one day of celebration I am doing well. But the rub comes when around Christmas there are ALL of those parties, and one must decide which ones are those which are worth "breaking training" for.
Thanks for sharing that Lew!
Next Discussion: this is one biggest way we should be on thanksgiving »


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Dishevelled 'Annabelle'
I was hoping that the papery brown old flower heads of my young and beautiful Hydrangea 'Annabelle' would remain as a lovely feature in my garden though the winter, but after recent awful weather most of them have become unattractively battered. Will the plant suffer if I cut them off?
Susan Bannerman, via email
Unlike the mophead hydrangeas which are more familiar, this beautiful, refined and very hardy hydrangea flowers on new growth each summer – in fact the harder it is pruned, the bigger and better its flowers will be. But I understand why you are asking the question: in all but the warmest gardens, the old flowers of more tender mopheads are traditionally kept intact through winter, until the danger of frost and icy wind has passed. They provide some sort of protection for the pairs of vulnerable flower buds, already plumping up for next summer, to be found a few a little way down each stem.
But do go ahead and remove the tatty flowers of your 'Annabelle' since they now look such a mess. You can even prune it hard now if you want, cutting it back to a lowish framework on which buds will appear and from which everything will shoot next spring. Or if it suits you better, you can wait until March.
Split personality
I applied brush-on fruit tree grease to my Bramley apple tree and found it more effective at controlling pests than the grease-bands I had previously used. However, when I went to reapply it in the autumn, I noticed that the bark underneath the old layer had become vertically split and had lifted off the trunk. Is the grease harming the tree?
Arthur Nicholls, Surrey
This didn't sound at all right to me, so I spoke to Wendy Robinson at Vitax (the company that markets fruit tree grease) to get the low-down on the product: The "grease" is in fact made purely of rapeseed oil, which should have no harmful effect whatsoever on tree bark, although it does permanently stain it.
Elderly apple trees and Bramleys in particular often develop lumps and bumps and areas of split bark – it is part of their wonderful character. However, they seem to go on to a ripe old age and crop reasonably well despite this. There may indeed be some other reason for the splitting – frost damage compounding an old injury, perhaps, or bacterial canker, which is untreatable anyway.
Only if the bark splits and lifts around the entire circumference of the trunk is there real danger of the tree dying.
Premature rose pruning
I am about to go to South Africa for four months, leaving my garden to fend for itself until April. In November I pruned two rather magnificent standard 'Iceberg' roses (that dropped their leaves early). A friend who seems to know a thing or two about gardening told me November was absolutely the wrong time to prune roses. What is the worst case scenario?
Jonathan Edgebury, via email
Roses are incredibly tough – there is no danger of these two turning up their toes while you are away. Although climbers are traditionally pruned around now, other roses that flower on new season's growth are generally not pruned until February or March.
The case against "premature" pruning is this: if the pruning happens to be followed by a spell of mild weather, your roses may produce their new spring shoots too soon. These might then get bitten off by an icy wind. The rose will then shoot again from lower dormant buds, some of them inevitably on the "wrong" side of each sturdy shoot of the candelabra-shaped framework of branches you (hopefully) created. The end result might then be a rather dog-leggy look to the roses in midsummer.
Checking your roses carefully when you return home in April, and simply rubbing away with your thumb any new shoots that are threatening to charge off across the bush to spoil its overall shape is small price to pay, in my opinion, for a winter spent in glorious sunshine.
A further thought: 'Iceberg' roses are often plagued by black spot, and this (in addition to the ghastly summer weather) may be why yours defoliated early. Telltale signs as the season progressed would have been yellowing leaves with black spots on them. So there may be another job to do when you return to these shores: spray your roses preventively with a systemic fungicide.


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I taught the Amy Butler Stash & Dash Bags twice and had a blast both times!!
The first class was with Stacey and my dad wasn't there to take any action shot but we did get a finished project shot!! We used the New Sewing Lounge at the shop! Ya'll definitely need to check out the Sewing Lounge if you haven't already!
She also finished up this adorable little dress for her daughter from a previous class! I heard she saw the Easter Bunny in this dress...how perfect is that??


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I've decided to take a leaf from my friend Naomi's book and start a new segment here on my blog. Life can get so busy, and so heavy and sad sometimes, and it does us good to take a step back and see how good things really are. So here's what I'm thankful for today.
* Today I got letter in the mail with a date for Reuben's follow-up gastroenterologist appointment, where we can finally get the results of all the tests he's been through, and hopefully get some answers to his digestive issues!
* In just over 24 hours my husband is on HOLIDAYS and we get to spend a whole week together, just the four of us, driving around the bush making memories.
* I have daughter with an incredible imagination and a wicked sense of humour who makes me smile every single day. My favourite quote from this week was when she came and stood in front of me and asked me to "undo her butt-crack". Turned out she had a wedgie she needed help with, since her hands were full. I'm still chuckling over that one, and I hope it makes you smile too!
* For flutters and rolls down low in my stomach… a growing baby who is beginning to make its presence known!
* I have amazing friends and family, who take the time to be my friend. I hope they know how much that means.
* When we needed new tyres this week, it wasn't a scary thing, and I wasn't worried about where the money would come from for them. I'm so amazed by the way God provides for us.
And of course, this crazy pair. I can't imagine life without them.
What are you thankful for, this week?


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Padraig Harrington has taken medical advice to be at this week's US PGA championship - not about himself, but about his wife Caroline.
Harrington, at world No 9 Europe's current top player, is about to become a father for the first time, but after the latest scan he decided to make the trip to the final major of the season at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York.
"I'll only turn my mobile phone off during my rounds," said the Irishman yesterday. "Caroline is due on Monday, but the doctor thought that if anything it will be late. We decided there was no point waiting at home.
"It was a difficult decision, but hopefully all will go well regardless of whether I'm there or not."
Harrington accepts he might miss the birth in pursuit of his first major title. "If I was to get a call on Saturday and I'm doing well I'm going to hang around," he added. The Dubliner is one of a massive 29 Europeans in the field, but Britain's last three major winners have withdrawn.
Nick Faldo's third wife Valerie gave birth to their first child (Faldo's fourth) two weeks ago, Ian Woosnam's father died and Paul Lawrie is suffering from a neck problem.


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I spoke to you a few months ago - a brief Facebook conversation that felt hours longer than the 15 minutes it actually lasted. It was the first time I'd heard from you in what seems like years....what actually is years, now I think about it.
And it's strange, because we spent those minutes awkwardly catching up -
"what major did you end up declaring?"
"are you still with that guy?"
"can you believe we're almost seniors???"
- when just a few years ago, your answers to those questions came as easily to me as my own answers.
And I think my professor phrased it perfectly, without ever really meaning to -
"you used to be so close, and now you don't even know where they are."
And I just wanted to say that I missed you. And I do, but I think the small talk is more painful than not knowing where you are in life. So I think, maybe, this should be our "goodbye" - the one we were both always too afraid to say to one another all those years ago.


text: A Civil War-Era Find on a SC Beach, Thanks to Matthew 16 rusty cannonballs were discovered near Charleston after hurricane By Jenn Gidman, Newser Staff Posted Oct 10, 2016 9:11 AM CDT 27 comments Comments This photo provided by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office shows Civil War-era cannonballs found Sunday on the shore in Folly Beach, SC. (Charleston County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Newser) – Local media alerted residents in and around Charleston, SC, on Sunday that they were probably going to hear something "like an explosion. That heads-up was because 16 rusty cannonballs were unearthed by Hurricane Matthew on Folly Beach, the city's Facebook page announced, and per USA Today, they appeared to be Civil War ordnance. A local couple tells the paper that a friend stumbled onto the cannonballs, though local officials weren't able to get to them at first because of the high tide. The man who found the Civil War-era stockpile, former Folly Beach Mayor Richard Beck, tells WTVM he knew right away what he had, and that a responding police officer who happened to be a Civil War re-enactor confirmed his suspicions. "It didn't surprise me really, but delighted me," Beck says. Parts of the beach were shut down while Charleston County Sheriff and Air Force specialists destroyed some of them, while others were lugged to a Navy base for detonation, ABC News reports. (Three Civil War cannons were pulled last year from a South Carolina river.) My Take on This Story Report a story error Show results without voting | 6% Hilarious 65% Intriguing 3% Depressing 18% Brilliant 0% Scary 8% Ridiculous


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There aren't really any good gas rewards credit cards anymore. We suggest using a cash back credit card for your fuel/gas spending.
The Death of the Gas Rewards Credit Card
Working from home has it's advantages and one of them is the infrequency in which I have to fill-up my Mustangs gas tank.
When I worked an office job, I found myself at the gas station at least once a week and these days, it's more like once a month. Living in a big city working for myself means even when I'm outside, I have all the public transportation I need to get me around.
But these past two weeks have been spent driving around the state trying to plan my wedding and I after I filled up at a few different gas stations, I realized that gas rewards credit cards are just about dead.
A few years ago, gas stations began charging customers a higher price to use a credit card rather than if they used cash. Generally, this price was a few pennies different so whether you spent $3.50 per gallon or $3.47 per gallon was of little consequence.
Some of the best gas rewards credit cards offer discounts of up to 5%, meaning you would save close to $0.19 a gallon when the price was $3.50. But what I saw in the great state of New Jersey tells me I should stop advocating the use of a gas credit card.
On average, the difference between the cash price and credit card price across all gas stations I went to was twenty cents. Never before had I seen regular cost some consumers $3.10 and others $3.30 at the same gas station but that was how I saw it these past two weeks.
Regardless of how good your gas rewards credit card treats you, there's no scenario where you'd save more money by using your credit card rather than cash. Total bummer.
I checked various gas stations and every single one of them had a big difference between credit card and cash prices.
Considering the cost of using credit cards to merchants, there's a good chance you'll be seeing a bigger spread to gas prices in your state (if you haven't seen one already). In that case, the wise financial play may be just to use cash.
Are you noticing the widening of cash vs. credit prices at your local gas station?
About Gas Rewards Credit Cards
Spending money on gasoline is an everyday expense that most Americans simply cannot avoid.
Whether you need to drive to work everyday or simply use your automobile to run errands, the gasoline bills are going to pile up.
With gas hovering around $4 a gallon, the cost of filling up the tank seems to be increasing each and every year. One of the ways that this expense can be brought down is by using a gas rewards credit card.
Many gas rewards credit cards offer more than just the standard 1% cash back on purchases and if you look hard enough, you can find a few that go above and beyond a normal rewards program.
More About Gas Rewards Credit Cards
Gas prices go up and down and can have a huge affect on your budget. In the past few years alone gas prices have been anywhere from $2.00 per gallon to $5.00 per gallon. When prices are high you really "pay at the pump" to fill up.
I remember when prices were at their peak, it would cost us like $70-$80 just to fill up our Honda Accord. And it seems like it's an arbitrary set of economic circumstances that bring about the rise in prices. I know supply and demand have to factor in at some level, but it just doesn't seem rational.
If you have a heavy commute or if your job requires a lot of travel, gas expense can be a big part of your monthly budget. And if you run your own business, swings in prices can be tough on your ability to turn a profit if your margins are tight.
So what do you do? You can search for the cheapest gas prices in your area using an online gas price finder. That's about it. There are no discounts or coupons for gas, beyond the occasional grocery store .10 cents off.
One way to cut into your high gas expense is to get cash back or rewards for the money you spend on fuel. Luckily there are plenty of credit card companies that realize the need for savings in this area and they've put together cards specifically designed with you in mind.
While I'm not a fan of using credit cards to finance a lavish, spend-more-than-you-make lifestyle, I am a fan of taking advantage of what credit card companies are giving away for free: reward points. And there are cards designed so that they give rewards points based on the amount of spending you do on gas and other automotive expenses.
Using a gas rewards credit card can sometimes earn you up to 5% back on your gas purchases. While this may not sound like a huge amount in savings, it can add up over time. Besides, how else are you going to save on fuel prices. Like I mentioned above there are no coupons you can use at the gas pump. See the offers below for more details about some of the better credit cards for gas rewards.
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Richmond Heights, adjacent to the South Saskatchewan River, features walking trails in the Meewasin Valley. G.D. Archibald Park North hosts baseball and soccer games.Construction peaked in Richmond Heights in the 1960's. Richmond Heights is home to approximately 900 residents.
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CINCINNATI�The typical adult needs 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep each night, while for teenagers and young adults under 25 about 9 to 10 hours of sleep per night is recommended, says Ann Romaker, MD, director of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Sleep Medicine Center.
Sleep deprivation can lead to problems with memory, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. About 40 million Americans each year suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders and an additional 20 million experience occasional sleeping problems, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
"There are sleep-related genes in every tissue of the body, genes that turn on only during sleep and genes that turn on only when you are awake,� says Romaker, an associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. "The genes in the heart and lung that turn on during sleep are genes that are needed for repair. The genes that turn on during the day have more to do with power and endurance. If you don�t get enough sleep your heart and lungs don�t repair like they are supposed to.�
Romaker cited a 2008 study at the University of Chicago which found that one extra hour of sleep per night (from 6 to 7 hours nightly) appears to decrease the risk of coronary artery calcification, an early marker for cardiovascular disease. The benefit of the additional hour of sleep was comparable to gains from lowering blood systolic blood pressure by 17 mm Hg, according to the University of Chicago.
The research focused on 495 participants, primarily healthy middle-aged individuals, who were part of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study begun in 1985.
The University of Chicago reported that about 12 percent of those in the study first developed coronary artery calcification over five years of follow-up. In about 27 percent of participants who slept less than 5 hours per night calcified arteries were found, according to the university. For individuals who slept 5 to 7 hours nightly only 11 percent of participants were affected with calcified arteries. The number of participants with calcified arteries fell to 6 percent for those who slept more than 7 hours per night, the University of Chicago reported.
"That�s a big deal,� says Romaker. "It�s important to make time for sleep. It�s really not optional.�
Sleep also affects memory and different stages of sleep are required for different types of memory, says Romaker. "Many studies have shown that students who don�t get enough sleep, their performance on tests is significantly worse. Memory is much better if you study and then sleep versus if you stay up all night. Your performance on a test is significantly improved.�
Researchers at Havard University have also found that sleep deprivation is linked to diabetes, weight gain and hypertension.To pave the way for better sleep, the National Sleep Foundation offers the following simple tips:
� Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.� Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.� Exercise daily.� Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound and light.� Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow.� Beware of hidden sleep stealers such as alcohol and caffeine.� Turn off electronic devices before bed.
The National Sleep Foundation is hosting National Sleep Awareness Week, March 2-8, 2015�an annual event that coincides with the beginning of daylight saving time. The foundation conducts the 2015 Sleep in America Poll, which is now available at http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-polls-data/2015-sleep-and-pain.
For more information about the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Sleep Medicine Center, visit http://uchealth.com/services/sleep-medicine/ or call 513-475-7500.


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I'm in the middle of a ten day vacation in Durango, Colorado – one of my favorite places in the world – AND the setting for my novel,
On my first visit to Durango, I knew a story had to happen here. In the past three years, Visions has come into being and every time I'm here I feel my characters running around the streets, playing in the lake, in the river and sipping chai at Magpies.
It's been a wonderful vacation so far with lots of hikes, kayaking, some thunder
storms and much needed rain. I wish I could post the forest scent for you because it's amazing. The only thing I can do is breathe it in and smell it for you! I can share some pictures though.
Another good thing is two of my awesome critique partners finished their beta read of Streetlight! Apparently the second half rocks! I'm not sure what that means for the first half but my girls will let me
know when their full critiques come in. Have I mentioned how much I love my critique partners? I don't know what I'd do without them.
I hope you enjoy these pictures of beautiful Durango, and I hope your summer is going well.
Happy Writing!


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Black Boy
3. A man from the north offers Richard a dollar, why does Richard not want to take it ?
Chapter 9-11
Chapter 9-11
Richard finds the offer insulting, but he doersn't know how to react. He is more shocked than grateful because he realizes that the man sees beyond the superficial facade he usually dons in his interaction with other whites. To Richard, the offer is degrading. Thus, we see that Richard is truly isolated - emotionally and intellectually - from those around him, and isolation is what comforts him. The fact that another person can see his true feelings is a sign of weakness to Richard.